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Javier had been shocked and hurt when Stephan had chosen the latter He’d been giving Stephan the silent treat hiht of Stephan for several months after the breakup Stephan had been crushed by the whole thing

I had understood that Javier was hurt badly, but I still thought he’d been an asshole about the breakup

Still, I’d been upset about the breakup as well Stephan had never looked at any guy the way he looked at Javier, and I’d really hoped, at the beginning, that the relationship would work out for the at him, and his smiled died a quick death He’d always been polite and courteous with me, but I’d sensed that I made him wary Not a lot of people understood the relationship between Stephan and I

Javier surprised"I’ed hie reason

"You don’t hate me, do you?" he whispered inStephan’s sheepish eyes over Javier’s shoulder

"Why would I hate you?" I asked hi such a bastard to Stephan for so long My heart was totally broken, but that’s no excuse for the way I treated hi to you as well, even though none of it was your fault Stephan even tells me that you defended me, up until I threw a fit at that Valentine’s party and embarrassed myself"

Javier had been on our crew for theeach other I had never even given a thought to the fact that Javier hadn’t spoken to s considered, I had just expected it

"I know it sounds crazy, but I was jealous of you I hadon between the two of you, and that hy Stephan couldn’t seeed h his hold was still soft I doubted that the slender ht?" Javier continued "But ain Please, tell h I wasn’t really sure what to think Javier’s about-face was just so sudden and unexpected, and Stephan hadn’t said a word I had just barely caught up with the fact that he wasn’t seeing Melvin anymore

"Yes, of course I’m not Stephan’s keeper, contrary to popular belief"

He kissedback to look at me "I know, but you’re his family I just want us to be cool"

His eyes were earnest and pleading now, far froave me hope

Perhaps he just acted cool, to hide his feelings I could well understand that

I smiled at him It was stiff, but not for lack of effort "Yes Okay I hatever makes Stephan happy Always"

Javier nodded e away from me "Good Great Stephan orried you wouldn’t like us seeing each other again"

I sent Stephan a baffled look He was still watching us, looking distressed

"He should know better," I said

Javier moved back to Stephan I was floored by what happened next Stephan threw an ar up his hair playfully He released the smaller man al I’d ever seen him do in public with anotherover todown to speak into my ear "Are you really okay with this?"

"What kind of a question is that?" I asked, e polo "And why is this the first I’ a hand up and downto, but things have been so crazy I could never find the right time He actually called me because he heard you’d been hurt, and he wanted to ht?"

I pushed back, nodding at him "What about your…issues?"

He sed, hard "Javier and I talked about it And I realized he has a very good point I don’t have to -out ball, yanno? But I don’t need to lie about it anymore, either I can just live my life I don’t owe any explanations to anybody I always said I just wantedto see that there was ht?"

He had tried to make it a stateripped his ar I’m so proud of you, Stephan"

He squeezedtears

Finally, co back to stand near Javier He gripped the otherhis ar about

I felt a little in shock about Stephan’s sudden, drastic change of heart But it was a good shock

I watched the two e in Stephan It wasn’t full on PDA, but he kept playfully poking Javier in the chest, or tugging on a lock of his hair Javier kept his hands carefully to hi Stephan the warht it was beautiful