A Lot Of Trouble.

[a/n: words in *'s are meant to be read as if they were italicized]1

He faced the wall, refusing to turn and look at the red-haired man behind him. "It's not the same, Jake."2

"What's not the same?"3

"You know. I can't...trust you."4

"Why? I've never--"5

"But you could. You know you could."6

"I love you, Dan, I'd never do--"7

"You say that now. But in the future..."8

Jake shook his head. "In the future, you'll be my husband. The One."9

"Bet all your exes thought they were 'The One', too. You've admitted it yourself-- you've let your eyes wander."10

"*Before*. And besides, it's never turned into anything. And...I love you. Does that mean nothing?"11

From the pocket of his coat, Dan pulled out a few photos, spreading them out with his fingers.12

"That depends...do *these* mean anything?"13

"These don't..we were just..."14

"Just what?"15

"Messing around, you know?"16

"Well, I sort of assumed that, that's why I'm asking you about them." Dan let out a laugh that echoed eerily in the small white room.17

"We're just friends."18

"I don't know about you, but I don't get that intimate with my *friends*."19

"Dan, it was just for laughs. I'm sorry if you think--"20

"No. I don't think. I know. Those girls, those boys-- I've realized something." He half-turned, extending his arm to the side, his hand outstretched. "Give me it."21

"Give you--?"22

"Give it back."23

Jake involuntarily gasped. "No. Please, we can work on this, we can make it all alright. We don't need to get this drastic."24

"Jake." The photos fell to the floor.25

"I swear, I'll never do a thing, I won't ever go to a club without you again--"26

Suddenly, Dan swerved towards Jake, pushing the man against the wall.27

"I swear to fucking *God*--!" 28

One hand clutched Jake's throat; the other struggled with Jake's tight fist.29

"Please, *please*, can't we talk it over? Please-- the wedding's so close, and we can't dissapoint our friends, right?"30

As Jake openly wept, Dan rolled his eyes and snarled.31

"I will fucking *kill* you before I'll ever fucking *marry* you!"32

Jake began to cough as Dan tightened his grip. Tighter, tighter; Jake's eyes began to roll backwards.33

"Give it back, and I'll let you go."34

Jake's hand unrolled. Dan's fingers snatched at the skin, and he smiled.35

"Finally, you listened to me for once." He moved away, and Jake droppped to the floor, wheezing.36

"Wait..." The voice was weak, but insistent. "Please. Wait. I love you, Dan. I swear."37

Dan ignored this. He focused instead on the glittering piece of gold in his hand.38

"Twenty karat gold."39

"Dan, listen..."40

"Two-carat diamond."41

"Dan, please, I'll do anything..."42

"Two bands, with one, two, three, four, five, *six* little diamonds on the sides."43

Jake attempted to rise from the floor, collapsing instead. Dan looked down at the body.44

"Do you know how much this cost?" 45

Jake said nothing.46

"Do you know how much this *cost*?" 47

Dan kicked the man hard, smirking as Jake groaned.48

"Of course you don't. You don't know anything, besides how to have fun. You don't know anything besides how to get your hand up a skirt."49

Jake coughed again. "That...isn't true. I know...I know I need you. I'm...I'm only yours. We should...be together."50

The words hung in the air. Dan sighed.51

"You're right, Jake." Dan smiled now with a complete lack of spite. "You're right. I should've realized you were just pretending to grab that girl's ass, right? It was just a joke, right?"52

Jake nodded his head as best as he could. "Yeah, of course Dan. It wasn't anything!"53

"Well, I sure feel stupid now. I'm sorry, Jake."54

The redhead's eyes grew watery in relief as he smiled. "You...you really mean it?"55

Dan answered with another kick, swifter this time, into Jake's abdomen. He moaned loudly, curling up into a ball.56

"You stupid slut, of course I didn't really mean it. Jesus Christ, you're so gullible-- no wonder you're the town bicycle. I should've realized, knowing your track record, how things were going to end up-- but no. I had to take a chance. I had to fall in love." He laughed. "Love. What a joke. You wouldn't even know what love was if you were blowng it in a back alleyway. I fucking should have realized." He looked down; a hand was anchoring itself to his foot.57

"Dan---"58

"*What*? What is it, Mr. Rhys Jacob Arnett? What are you going to say to try to win me back?"59

"I--"60

"I what? I've heard it all before. I what, 'I'm sorry for being a whore'? 'I should just sell myself on the street, instead of being dumb enough to fuck everyone for free'? 'I am such a worthless human being, why don't I just jump off a cliff and spare everyone the misery'?"61

"No...I just...I really do love you." Jake was sobbing onto Dan's white sneakers. "I'll do anything to prove it."62

"Anything?"63

"Anything." The redhead shifted so the floor met his stomach, swallowing his tears and squeezing shut his eyes.64

Dan walked over to him and crouched down. His lips graced an ear. "You really want to prove you love me?"65

"*Yes*. Please-- look, I'm unbuttoning my jeans and everything. I mean it. Do whatever you want."66

"What I want...is for you to leave me."67

Jake's eyes opened. "What?"68

"Leave me. I'm moving on. I don't want you. I don't like playing with toys that everyone else has touched."69

"But--"70

"I want you to do this. I want you to leave. If you loved me..."71

"I *do* love you!"72

"Then go. Or no, better yet. I'll go. You can have the apartment. I'm sure you'll find a way to pay the rent."73

"No, I don't want it, I don't want any of it!"74

"Well, I sure as hell don't want it. Not after you've been here."75

"Please don't leave. *Please*."76

"Alright then-- I'll call an ambulance for you. You can tell them whatever the hell you want. You can tell them I raped you, for all I care. I just want you out of here."77

Dan reached for the phone and dialed. Jake protested, screaming. In ten minutes, a whirring alarm could be heard near the window.78

"Well. I guess this is it."79

"Dan, don't-- this is so senseless. What's the point of doing this?"80

"The point? You're really asking me to give you a *point* for all of this?"81

"Yes! Dan, goddammit...no matter what I say, they're all going to point their fingers at you. They're going to say you abused me. I don't want you going to jail."82

"You're right. They are going to blame me. I'm probably going to get in a lot of trouble for this."83

"Exactly, is there any need to go so--"84

"And if I'm going to be getting in trouble, I might as well go the full way."85

Jake began to stutter. "W-What do you mean, 'the full way'?"86

From the same pocket that had held the photos, Dan produced a knife. Jake's pupils dilated as he shuffled backwards.87

"Really, no, you don't have to--"88

"I have to."89

"No, God, Dan--!"90

Outside the apartment, the pounding steps of men coming up the staircase could be heard. Inside the apartment, it was silent.91

"I'm going to get in a lot of trouble for this."92

Dan looked at the blade, the silver smeared with red.93

"But it's worth it."