Title: Collapsed in Love Chapter 2: Why did you mess with forever?
Author: Foxy Finn ([email protected])
Rating: PG-13 for swearing
Archive: @ my site http://www.geocities.com/foxy_finn44/index2.html
Category: Sports, RPS, NHL, Edmonton Oilers, Comrie/York
Feedback: That or your first born.
Summary: Just who is cheating on who?
Author's Note: I hate my final assignments, mostly because of all the sleep I've lost. No time for anything..You'll probably want to read the two prior stories that I wrote to understand a little of what's going on. You can find those at my unfinished website as mentioned above.

Why did you mess with forever?
Such a long time
To be unkind
Why did you mess with forever?
Don't you call me cruel
Cruel is what you're making me do
I stick to my rules
I'm at odds with me now
Do I look my love in the eyes and say goodbye?

John Mayer
Why Did You Mess With Forever?

I was waiting for Eric's call. I knew that's where Mike went, because he had no where else to go. I just let him go. There was no way I could talk him out of going.

I'm not ignoring the problem. The last two times this has happened, Eric had called me and told me to come and get him. Mike had come home, slept it off, and we'd apologize to each other in the morning. Well, he'd do most of the apologizing. He gets very weepy when he's hung over.

It's past one, and I'm still staring at the phone. I'm the cause of all these problems, and it's not because of the reasons I've been telling Mike. He doesn't know. He should never know.

I'm stupid. He goes to Eric because he knows how much that angers me. Eric knows that, too. But right now, I think he's going to bend the unspoken rules that Eric and I have played by since Mike's accident. After all, that's what started all of this. Now, I'm questioning myself and a stupid mistake I made a long time ago replayed itself.

The phone rang, finally. I picked it up, expecting it to be Eric. It wasn't.

"Hey, Yorkie." It was Paul. I didn't want to talk to him, but I sighed and gave in.

"Hi Paul." I frowned, playing with the phone cord.

"Mike's not there, is he?" He hadn't called for Mike, but he made an effort to make it seem that way.

I curled up next to the kitchen counter, closing my eyes. "No, he's at Eric's. We had another fight."

"Hmm, wonder why?" He was smiling; I could hear it.

"Paul, I'm really tired right now. Why are you calling me?"

He chuckled. "You know why I'm calling. Have you told Mike yet? It doesn't seem like you have. Or is that why you were fighting about?"

I groaned, sitting up. "Paul, can't we just pretend like that didn't happen?"

"It sure seems like you are." He replied. "Tell him, you won't know how he'll take it."

"Paul," I stated, "the reason we've been fighting is because I've been feeling guilty. I tell him it's just because of his dad -- that is part of the problem -- but you're the only one who knows the real reason. I'm only talking to you right now because I don't want you to tell him, either."

He sighed. "Mike, what do you think he's doing at Eric's right now."

"He's not like me, Paul. He's always been stronger than me." Rubbing my eyes, I took a long look at the clock. Why wasn't Eric calling me right now?

Paul shifted the phone before he replied. "Mike, what do you think my brother would be doing if you weren't here? Monogamy wouldn't be in his vocabulary if he hadn't met you. He would've broken up with Eric, hooked up with some one else, left him, went back to Eric�and I think he would've been happy with that life."

"Just because you're happy with that life doesn't mean he would be." I rolled my eyes.

He was silent for a few seconds. "You'd like that life."

"Paul, the only reason I ever hooked up with you was because�"

"Was because of what? Stress? You can't say stress, Mike, because there was no way in hell that was because of stress. You and Mike were perfectly fine, and you suddenly invited me over to patch things up. Mike and I are brothers, so were bound together, but you and I�there was no reason for us to get along." He confidently sighed. "Anyhow, what were you going to say?"

"You're a jerk." I rolled my eyes.

"But I'm good in bed, so that cancels everything out." His voice was smooth, frustratingly smooth.

I let my head fall back against the counter. "I wish I couldn't substantiate that�"

"But you can. Now you can tell people you've fucked both Comrie brothers." He made a satisfied noise low in his throat. "That's a feat few have accomplished."

"Yeah, and that's just because Mike's not a slut." I flatly replied.

"Ouch, that was a burn." He said, sarcastically. "Maybe you wouldn't feel so guilty if you told my brother. You guys should stretch the rules of your relationship. The same guy can get a little boring, if you ask me."

"Christ Paul, don't you believe in love? There is more to a relationship than sex." I shook my head in disgust.

"Mike, we had sex. You should be thinking about that, not pretending like it didn't happen. I don't care why it happened, or what reasons you're telling yourself it happened. You can believe in love all you want, but hormones are always stronger." He laughed to himself. "And I've never been in a relationship that has lasted longer than two months. How sweet is that?"

"Quit thinking that it will happen again. It won't." At least I hope that it won't happen again. It better not.

"Just tell him. He'll get back at you by sleeping with whomever; then you'll both have a real reason to be angry at each other. It's not like you two are married. You can have sex with anybody." He said. I was getting real tempted to hang up on him.

"Paul, it's not that easy." I was forcing myself to stay awake, rubbing my eyes.

"It is if you'd try." He answered.

There was a beep, finally, from my call waiting. "Paul, I've got to go."

"Okay. We should have lunch after the road trip." He didn't ask; he ordered.

"Fine. I'll call you." I said quickly. "Bye." I hung up on him before he could reply, switching over. "Hello?"

"Hey." I've never thought I'd be more glad to hear Eric's voice in my life. "Mike's here."

I nodded, trying not to sound annoyed. "Yeah, I know."

"You want to come get him? He's asleep. He passed out a while ago, so I was just letting him sober up." Eric sounded tired, but there was nothing I could do about that.

"Thanks." I sighed. Should I go get him? We were leaving on a road trip tomorrow morning. I could just pack his bag and Eric could bring him. "You know what, Eric, if it's not too much trouble can he stay there? I'm going to bring his stuff when we leave tomorrow. If he's asleep, I think it would be a bad idea to wake him up."

I heard a shrug in Eric's voice. "Yeah, it's okay. He's in the spare bedroom, anyhow." He paused. "You guys really need to straighten this shit out. I love him, but it's hurting all three of us. Just tell his dad to fuck off, or something."

"It's not just his dad." I shook my head, wishing it were just his dad.

"Whatever, Mike. Just do something before I have to." Eric sighed. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, bye." Exhausted, I threw the phone across the kitchen. It skidded across the floor, ending up near the table. I didn't need that phone, anyway. I glared at it for a few seconds, before crawling over to pick it up.

I'm such a fuck up. Mike keeps asking me about what happened between Paul and I in college, when he really should be asking what happened between Paul and I a few weeks ago. I knew that Paul and Mike were finally getting along again. That had taken a lot of work on Mike's part. We were both very angry with Paul. But Paul has a way of getting under your skin. Mike and Paul were able to talk to each other again, so I thought that I should make my amends with Paul.

I was so stupid.

Paul came over when Mike was out one night. I told Mike that Paul would be coming over; he was fine with it. I just didn't want to argue with Paul, but I ended up sleeping with him. And it wasn't stress. I was playing well, and Mike and I were happy.

He came over and we watched a movie together. It was some dumb comedy, but I remember staring at him as he watched it. He turned and smiled at me, gracefully apologizing for wronging me. I laughed, telling him that one apology wouldn't make up for everything and that it was just a start. He smiled again, looking at me with a seductive gaze, and told me that if there was any way he could make up for everything. I should've kicked him out then and there, but I didn't. For some stupid reason, I let the little flirts continue. He'd turn and wink at me. It seemed innocent. I was stupid to believe it was just his way of getting along with people. Since I've never really gotten along with him, I've never known.

I blinked back to the present. The neon kitchen lights hummed with content. I stared at the ceiling, daring the memories to replay themselves. I could still feel the way he put his arm around me, telling me that he thought that I wasn't right for his brother just out of jealously. He told me that he was jealous of what we had. This seemed like an entire recant on everything he's ever told me, but I found myself believing it. He yawned and put his head on my shoulder. He looked up at me, fawn eyes looking for forgiveness, and I kissed him. That was one of the dumbest I've ever done, and I still don't know why I did it.

Paul left a few hours before Mike got home. I'd showered and was watching television. I wasn't really watching it, though. I was thinking of what I'd say. There was nothing I could say. He doesn't know because I never told him.

It's almost been a year since we got back together. We're falling apart. There weren't supposed to be any secrets. We've always tried to keep honest, so far that's worked.

Picking myself up off the floor, I found my way to the bedroom. I let the room blur out of focus, my mind wandering. It didn't wander very far. I ended up staring at the empty space across the bed.

~End Chapter Two

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