Drew stepped into the locker room, flopping down on the couch next to Adam. Jay looked up from the bench where he was sitting, giving Drew a little smile. "Dudes, did you hear the news?" Drew asked, raising his eyebrows at the blondes.
"Nope, we just got here. What's up?" Adam asked, gazing at Drew curiously.
"Well, Hunter and Kurt got here just a bit ago, and you'd never guess what Kurt - " Drew quickly bit his tongue when Chris stepped out of the bathroom, flushing a bit. "Oh, uh, hi Chris," he said quickly, giving the smaller blonde a smile. "Didn't realize you were here."
"I see that." Chris crossed his arms over his chest. "Well? What were you saying about Kurt?"
"Uh, nothing." Drew shook his head. "Just gossiping, that's all."
Chris frowned. "What, the fact that I'm pregnant means I don't like gossiping anymore."
"Well, uh..." Drew swallowed. "I just figured, since it is, um, about Kurt and all - "
"All the more reason I should know!" Chris interrupted. "Whatever it is, just tell me and get it over with!"
"Um...." Drew swallowed again, nervously brushing a strand of silky blonde hair behind his ear. "Well, when Kurt arrived, some people noticed that he was wearing - well, a ring. A gold band. And people were speculating that this must mean Hunter has kind of officially, um, asked Kurt to be with him."
"What?" All the color had drained from Chris' face. He stared at Drew with wide eyes, frozen with shocked for a moment. Then his demeanor changed considerably, his face growing a dark, angry red. "You're fucking kidding me!" he screamed, hesitating only a moment before storming out the door. Ignoring their shouts after him, he marched directly to Hunter's locker room, slamming open the door and striding into the room, his eyes narrowed as he came face to face with the occupants.
"Don't tell me that you're actually asked that, that *slut* to marry you!" Chris screamed at Hunter, gesturing wildly to Kurt, who looked absolutely stricken.
Hunter put his arm around Kurt's shoulder, leading him quickly to the door. "Baby, Chris and I need to talk," he told the brunette, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before pushing him out into the hall. He closed the door behind Kurt, leaning back against it and meeting Chris' eyes.
"Chris," he began.
"I can't believe you!" Chris wiped at his eyes, which were already leaking tears, much to his frustration. "You claim to love me and now you're committing to that whore!"
"Chris, he's having my baby," Hunter replied softly.
"So am I!" Chris shouted. "I'm having your fucking baby and you haven't done shit for me, but you cater to his every fucking need!"
"You haven't let me!" Hunter retorted. "I want to care for you Chris, but you haven't let me get within ten feet of you!"
"And there's a fucking good reason for that!" Chris wiped at his eyes, cursing his treacherous tear ducts. He took a deep breath, walking up to Hunter and taking his hand. "I want to be with you," he whispered. "You're the father of my baby and I want us to be together. I'll come back to you Hunter, but you have to - have to get rid of him! Leave Kurt and I'll come back to you."
Hunter sighed, squeezing his eyes closed. He held Chris' hand tightly. "I can't do that, Chris," he whispered. "I have a responsibility to him. And on top of that, I - I really care out him. I want you to be with me more than anything, but I can't leave him."
Chris looked away, staying silent for a moment, tears still trickling down his cheek. "So what do you want me to do, Hunter?" he whispered. "You - you want me to just accept that I have to share him with you? That he's always going to be there in our lives?"
Hunter opened his eyes, gazing mournfully at his lover. "I have no right to ask you that," he said softly. "I know I don't, but I can't think of any good way out of this mess. You're both carrying my children, Chris. I want you both in my life. And, maybe, maybe it could work? You were friends, before this whole thing started. Maybe - "
"I could be your second little wife?" Chris snapped, his eyes flashing. "Who the fuck do you think you are, some kind of fucking sultan? You expect to have two men at your fucking beck and call? You think I'll just arrange some kind of fucking time share with that whore?"
"I know it's not a fair thing to ask of you," Hunter said softly, staring down at the ground.
"Damn fucking right it's not!" Chris wiped at his eyes, anger running through his veins again. "I want you to leave him Hunter. I want you to fucking leave him now!" he screamed. Hunter stayed silent, just shaking his head. "Why? Why the fuck can't you choose me over him?" Chris yelled, not even bothering to wipe the tears still trailing over his cheeks. "I'm the one you were with in the first place! I'm your lover! He's some whore who spread his legs for you just so you could get a little sex on the side! I'm the one that's supposed to matter to you Hunter!" The blonde paused in his rant to hiccup, his body shaking a bit with sobs. He grabbed Hunter's hand, placing it on his stomach. "You feel that?" he went on shakily. "That's your baby Hunter! That's our baby, that we made out of love. We're supposed to be together in this!"
"And I want us to be together!" Hunter stated, his eyes fixed on where his hand made contact with Chris' abdomen. "I love you Chris. I want us to be together. I wish I could be with just you, but I can't. The only thing I can offer is that I'll take care of you both. I know it's not the best, but - "
"Damn fucking right it isn't!" Chris wiped again at his eyes. In a quick movement, he learned forward, pulling Hunter down into a passionate kiss. Hunter's eyes widened in surprise, but he wasn't about to pull back. He wrapped his arms around Chris' trim waist, pulling the smaller man's body against his. It was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound that of their lips moving against each other. Both were a bit out of breath when they drew back.
Hunter trailed his fingers over Chris' wet cheek, leaning down to kiss away the tears still resting upon his lover's cheek. "Chris, come back to me," he whispered. "I'll make it work, baby. I'll do everything I can for you. Let me be there for me, please, baby. I've missed you like crazy."
Chris snorted, not letting go of Hunter despite the bitterness of his words. "Come back to you, only to share you with him?"
"I'm sorry," Hunter replied, nodding his head.
Chris stepped back, wiping at his eyes and taking a deep breath
to compose himself. "I need to think," he whispered, pushing past Hunter
and exiting the room.
Next in the series:
The Hard Place