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For the first 3 months of their relationship, Dennis, Jack, and Robby didn’t fight once. Sure there were a few times tension got a little high but they’ve never actually fought.
Tonight things were different. It started out normal, Robby was on shift so it was Just Jack and Dennis home. Dennis was looking over old photographs, Jack in the army, Robby as a med student, graduations, high school, seeing Jack with two legs felt weird.
“Is this you at your wedding?” Dennis asked, it was Jack in a suit next to a very pretty woman in a white dress.
“The first.” He told Dennis.
“With your wife?”
“Yeah, Jennifer.” Jack spoke with fondness.
“……. What uh, can I ask what happened to her?”
“No, you can’t.” Jack told him.
“Oh, okay, I’m sorry if I- brought up bad memories or-“ Dennis began, but he was cut off by Jack.
“-Just drop it.”
“Okay, fuck.”
Jack took the photo album and put it back in its spot in the drawer of the cabinet that the tv sits in.
“Jack- I wasn’t done looking!” Dennis spoke.
“You are now.”
“Jack what’s wrong? Why are you acting like this- I’m sorry that I overstepped but-“
“I think you should just leave.” Jack looked angry.
“What?”
“Just go home, you’re clearly in the mood to be nosey, so just leave.” Jack told him, his voice was like venom.
“…….. I’m sorry.”
“Well sorry isn’t fucking good enough Dennis! Get out of my fucking house!”
They stared at each other for a second. Dennis nodded, he walked out the door immediately, not even grabbing a coat.
“…..” Jack sighed, “wait- Dennis, wait I’m- I’m………… sorry.” Dennis was gone before he could apologize.
“Fuck- damnit!” Jack cursed.
Jack immediately called Dennis, it went straight to voicemail.
“Dennis, I’m sorry, can we talk?” He said into the speaker, then tried again.
Voicemail again.
Next he texted, ‘Dennis, I’m sorry I overreacted, I shouldn’t have done that, come back, please.’ He typed and hit send.
‘I love you.’ Jack typed out but decided against it and deleted it.
He didn’t hear from Dennis again that night.
The worst of it came that night when Robby got home.
“Hey I’m home, …………where’s Dennis?” He asked Jack, who was on the couch, he looked like he hadn’t moved in hours.
“He left.”
“Left? Where did he go?” Robby asked.
“I don’t know. Santos’ maybe.”
“You didn’t drop him off?”
“……… I yelled at him.” Jack told Robby.
A beat passed before Robby spoke.
“…. You….. yelled……. At Dennis…?”
“….. yeah.”
“Why- what- what happened?” Robby asked, dropping his stuff and sitting next to Jack on the couch.
“He found a picture of me and Jenny….. he asked what happened- I- I told him to drop it and he did, but he was- he had like an attitude and I- I got mad, okay? So I……. I put away the book and told him to just leave…… and when I realized he was actually gonna leave I tried to apologize but…. He left.”
“So you just let him go? I mean did he even put a coat on? It’s fucking December.”
“…. No….. he just….. left.”
“……..”
“Robby……. Don’t- don’t do that, please.”
“No, Jack I’m furious. Why would you- fuck. Okay, did you try calling?”
Jack nodded.
“So did he pick up?”
“What do you think!”
Robby scoffed. “Are you really getting mouthy with me? What gonna tell me to leave too?”
“Micheal-“
“Don’t fucking Micheal me Jack. You didn’t have to tell him, not about Jenny, not even about Lucy, not if you don’t want to, but he deserves to at least not be yelled at!”
“…….. I know I fucked up….. but don’t- don’t be mad at me too.” Jack spoke.
“I’m furious.” Robby told him, “but not at you, at the situation. I love you, okay? And I love Dennis and when two people I love are fighting it makes me mad, but no, I’m not mad at you, Motek.” Robby told him.
“…. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”
The air was thick and unforgiving between the two males.
“When did this happen?” Robby questioned.
“Like, 3 hours ago? I drove around the block but I couldn’t find him.” Jack spoke sadly.
“…….. okay.”
“What do we do?” Jack asked.
“We wait. He’ll come back, or call, or text.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
“…. He will.”
“I’m sorry I yelled at you Jack.”
“…… I deserve it.”
“No you don’t, he didn’t know it’s a sore subject, and you were busy reliving trauma to control your emotions.” Robby told him.
“Well he didn’t deserve it.”
“Neither did you.”
Robby texted Dennis himself. ‘Hey Sweetheart, Jack told me what happened, he’s really sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong, call me when you’re in the mood to talk, or text, I love you baby.’
“Did you text him?” Jack asked, peering over at Robby’s phone.
“Mhm.”
“……..” Jack looked like he was gonna cry, the tears never fell.
-
The two males had literally sat in the same spot for hours, finally Dennis called, it was 10:13 PM.
“Hey, sorry, did I wake you?” Dennis asked when Robby picked up.
“No, you didn’t, where are you bub? Can I come get you?”
“I’m at trinity’s apartment.”
“But do you want me to come get you?” Robby asked.
“… no, I’ll come over tomorrow….. if you still want to talk…” Dennis spoke.
“Okay, whatever you want, I’m sorry, Jack is sorry too, he just- you brought up a sore spot and he lashed out, and that wasn’t fair to you.” Robby spoke.
Jack was watching the exchange, trying to hear both sides.
“It’s okay, he seemed kinda freaked out.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah…. Tomorrow.” Dennis spoke.
Dennis hung up.
“He’s coming tomorrow?” Jack asked.
“Yeah, he is.”
“…….. I’m so fucking sorry, I ruined everything- I-“
“No, none of that Jack. Forgive and forget. He’ll understand, especially if you tell him why you freaked out.”
“…. I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
“It’s up to you.”
“I know.”
—
Dennis texted around 1 PM, it was a rare occasion that the males were all off 2 days in a row (aside from Robby, who was just off the second day). Robby picked him up and brought him back to the house.
“Hey….” Jack spoke, looking at Dennis.
“Hey…” Dennis said back.
“Let’s sit, have some lunch while we talk.” Robby spoke, sitting his keys in the bowl and getting out thier mugs.
Robby’s mug is a plain grey ceramic one, hand made by a young man almost 15 years ago, Jack’s mug is one similar in color from Walmart. There’s a small chip in the handle from a fall years ago and a scratch in the side but Jack insists it’s as good at its job as any mug. Dennis’ mug is newer, white with a little black cat face on the side. Jack bought it at a thrift store while he was looking for cooking utensils. Jack doesn’t like big box stores much anymore so when he saw it he knew Dennis needed it.
The mugs were filled with tea, coffee for Robby, then sat at the counter.
Dennis took his happily.
“….I’m sorry Dennis.” Jack spoke.
“It’s fine-“
“No, it’s not. I yelled at you, I told you to leave, I said you were nosey- Dennis I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.” Jack told him.
“….. no I didn’t… it really hurt my feelings.”
“….. I’m so so sorry, I’ll explain everything to you, okay? Everything, but I don’t know how to say it out loud without- without breaking down.” Jack said.
Robby squeezed his shoulder in support.
“You don’t have to tell me anything, I’m just the third wheel, don’t eve-“ Dennis was cut off by Jack and Robby.
“No!” Both men spoke in unison.
“You’re not the third wheel Dennis. We love you, you’re not married to us, but we wish you were, you’re not just some intern we’re screwing. You mean everything to us.” Jack told him.
“Exactly. We love you.” Robby confirmed.
“…… okay- I’m sorry- I-“ Dennis was blushing, the two men basically just told him they want to get engaged.
“I’m sorry Dennis.” Jack spoke.
“I know, I heard.”
“No, I mean I’m sorry, really sorry.”
“…. I accept your apology, can we stop being sad and- and- mad now?” Dennis asked.
“Yes, please.”
“I second that.” Robby spoke, he took a sip from his mug.
Robby kissed Jack’s temple as he gave him a plate of food, it was a sandwich with a pickle and some chips.
Robby then did the same for Dennis.
“I thought you couldn’t eat meat and dairy at the same time.” Dennis spoke, seeing Robby’s plate.
“It’s fake cheese, no dairy.” He told him.
“Oh……..”
“You’re not wearing your prosthetic.” Dennis observed while they ate.
“No, uh, I’m developing a hot spot.” Jack told him.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, you didn’t do it.” Jack smiled.
“Yeah……I know.”
After a few moments of silence, Jack spoke. “My wife, Jennifer……. Jenny.” He began.
“You don’t have to tell me.” Dennis told him.
“I do. Because I love you, and I want to share my life with you.”
“… okay…”
Ronny held Jack’s hand, kissing it. He knew how big a deal this was for Jack.
“Jenny……… died…….. on my second tour, a drunk driver. Sh……… I……. I wasn’t told until almost a month later because….. because we were mid-war and they……” he took a breath, “they needed me at the top of my game.”
“Oh……. I’m so sorry for bringing it up, I didn’t know….” Dennis spoke.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Jack said, “but that wasn’t all, Jenny……. She was 8 months pregnant, a girl, Lucy. Lucy uh, lived, for 3 weeks………. And by the time I got back stateside- they’d had to cremate them, because nobody collected them, so I couldn’t have a funeral, I uh, I never even saw my daughter, I have one picture.” By the end of Jack’s story, he was tearing up.
“…. I’m so sorry Jack…….. you didn’t deserve that, I’m so sorry.” Dennis told him. Dennis himself was crying.
“Why are you crying, Denny?” Jack asked.
“Because you got hurt, in the worst way, and nobody was there to help you, and I wish I could’ve been, I wish I was there to hold you, and I wish your daughter lived. You’d be a great dad.” Dennis spoke, sobbing.
Jack himself was crying. He chuckled. “You’re so sweet, I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Robby smiled. “We must’ve gotten on an angels good side.” He spoke. A beat later he continued, “Do you guys was to cuddle when we’re done eating?”
Dennis nodded.
“…… I’m sorry I yelled.” Jack told Dennis.
“I know.”
“I love you, both of you.” Jack spoke.
“I love you both too.” Robby told him.
“Ditto, I love you guys too.” Dennis smiled.
They finished eating and cleaned up. It was very domestic, Robby cleaning the dishes while Dennis dried and Jack put them away. Of course Jack was on his crutches still do it took him longer than normal.
When they finished that, Jack kissed Dennis’ cheek and then Robby’s. They went to the bedroom.
Jack climbed in on his side, turning on thier tv to a simple, easy-to-follow show, they settled on F•R•I•E•N•D•S, Dennis climbed up beside Jack, cuddling into his chest. Robby got in on his side and rubbed Dennis’ back while he sniffed.
“Why are you crying again?” Jack asked.
“I’m sorry, Jack, I’m sorry that happened, all of it, I feel bad cause I love you and you’re hurting, have you told your therapist about it?” Dennis asked.
“…. I’ve mentioned it, but she doesn’t know about Lucy. I….. I can’t just tell people. It took a lot for me to tell you Den.”
“……… you can tell me anything, okay? If it’s bothering you, or you’re upset, Robby too.” Dennis spoke.
Both older males smiled.
“I know, we don’t deserve you, sweet boy.” Robby spoke.
Jack nodded.
“Can I ask a question, Jack?” Dennis asked, he was nervous.
“Of course.”
“Uh, are you an atheist?”
“…… no, not completely, I used to be Christian, but after what I saw overseas, and after……. Them, I don’t know if god is someone I want to know anyways.” Jack spoke.
Dennis hummed. “I’m sorry.”
“Why do you always apologize?” Jack asked Dennis.
“Sorr- uh-“
Robby and Jack both laughed at that.
“Please stop apologizing Dennis, you’re perfect, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Robby told him, whispering in his ear.
Dennis shivered. “Sorry. …. I mean- uh…. Not sorry.”
Robby kissed his neck.
“Mmm…..”
“Dennis I’m really sorry about today, I’m serious, I should have controlled myself and-“ Jack was cut off by a kiss from Dennis.
“If I can’t apologize, you can’t either.” He told Jack.
Robby smiled, kissing Dennis and then Jack.
“Okay, I’m going to bed.” Robby spoke, yawning.
“Mm, me too.” Dennis told him.
“Mhm, we can sleep.” Jack said, pulling a blanket up over himself and pulling Dennis closer.
“I love you both.”
“I love you both too.”
“I also love you both.”