Cutting My Losses
Cutting My Losses 10/14
Romantic Idealism
Justin and Greg are long time friends and they're both having some relationship woes.
Cutting My Losses
Chapter 10
Justin sat at the kitchen counter trying to finish his sandwich, but Greg was distracting. He was on the sofa doing what he'd been doing for the past three days, lying down, playing Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and ignoring his ringing cell phone. It was strange that Greg's inactivity could be distracting, but Justin had never seen Greg so still. Over the last three days, he'd filled nearly half a sketch book with drawings of him. Justin couldn't remember ever being able to sketch Greg before. He was constantly moving, and now he wasn't. Justin could only assume that meant something.
He'd tried to get Greg to talk about the break up. Greg had just said, "It's over, and I'm moving on," which was the biggest load of shit Justin had heard in awhile, but he let his friend get away with it because he obviously didn't want to talk about it. Justin had tried distracting Greg, tried to get him out of the house, but Greg wouldn't leave, saying he “wasn't in the mood.” Hell, even Brian had tried talking to him, in his Brian-like way, of course.
Greg's cell phone started to play the first few bars of "Cowboy" for the third time in fifteen minutes. The guy wouldn't take a hint.
Justin put his sandwich down. "Maybe you should just pick it up, Greg."
Greg frowned but didn't look up from the screen. "It's just Nick."
"He obviously wants to talk to you. He's been calling for the last three days."
"He just wants to cheer me up. I already told him I was fine." Greg paused his game and stood up, stretching. "I'm going to the bathroom." As Greg walked to the bathroom, Justin stood and walked over to the coffee table, picking up Greg's cell phone. He looked up the most recent missed call, pulled out his own phone and entered Nick's phone number into his cell.
Justin then went back to the barstool when he heard Greg leaving the bathroom. Greg sat back down on the sofa and resumed his game. Justin pulled out his sketch book. While he recreated the slouched posture, down turned mouth, glazed eyes and un-styled hair on the paper in front of him, Justin debated whether he'd use the newly acquired phone number in his cell phone.
Even though he lived hundreds of miles away, Greg had always been a constant fixture in his life. When his father had kicked him out, Greg was ready for him to move to Vegas to live with him. When his mother wasn't sure how to be there for him, Greg had called and tried opening her mind. When it looked like he and Daphne would never speak again, Greg had been there to keep his spirits up. When things weren't good with Brian, Greg was there to listen, be supportive and most importantly, be objective. After the Ethan debacle, he was the one that told Justin that there's no shame in going after what you want.
But right now it seemed that his friend had forgotten his own lesson. Justin had tried convincing Greg to go back to Vegas, but Greg had just shrugged, saying that he needed the time off. He had some life decisions to make. To Justin it looked he was avoiding doing exactly that. He was trying not to think.
So Justin sat at the kitchen counter and did it for him. He didn't like the thought of interfering with his friend's relationship. He'd never met Warrick, and he wasn't even sure the relationship was worth his interference. He didn't know if Warrick was good enough for his friend or if Warrick even loved Greg. All he knew was Greg loved Warrick…a lot.
When Greg had first started telling him about the people he worked with, he'd given them nicknames to help Justin keep them straight. There was the Bug Man, the Reformed Stripper, Pretty New Girl, Cowboy…and then there was Vegas, also referred to as Sex on Legs when Greg was going through a dry spell. Justin had gotten to know Cowboy very well. Nick and Greg became good friends after awhile.
And then a few months ago, Vegas started being referred to as Warrick, and Warrick came up in conversation more than anyone else. He and Warrick went to this club and that club. Warrick had tickets to a concert. Greg passed out at Warrick's after a night of partying. Warrick made this amazing dessert the other night. He and Warrick were going to see this movie. Justin never thought he could get tired of a name. And that was when Warrick and Greg were just friends.
One day almost four months ago, Greg had called, sounding like he'd won the jackpot or something. "You wouldn't believe what just happened. Warrick asked me out…on a date." Justin had never heard Greg sound that excited, not when he got into Berkeley or when he got his job at the crime lab.
Justin could remember the post-date calls. Greg had been near giddy after the first two. After the third there was a little disappointment and worry. Warrick hadn't made a move. "He just kisses me goodnight at the door. I don't think he's attracted to me."
"He wouldn't have asked you out if he wasn't. Not every guy jumps into bed the first night, Greg."
"What guy do you know doesn't?" Justin didn't have an answer for that one. "Exactly."
Justin never got a call the night of the fifth date. He got it the next afternoon, and Greg wasn't worried anymore. Justin didn't get any details, but Greg had said it was "beyond perfect," which was saying something. While Greg didn't have sex with nearly as many guys as Brian, he got out more than Justin. And he was always ready to give a blow-by-blow description of the activities. Greg kept quiet about what went on between him and Warrick, though.
He'd been so happy with Warrick. Justin put his pencil down and looked at the picture he'd drawn of Greg. He made a decision. "Greg, I'm going to go out for awhile."
Greg didn't look up from his game. "Okay, Jus."
Justin grabbed his coat and keys and walked out of the loft, calling Daphne on the way to her apartment. He just needed some place quiet to make the phone call, and a little moral support would be nice too.
Daphne wasn't too supportive, though. "I don't know about this, Justin. I'd be pretty pissed if you did this to me."
"I'll try to remember that." Justin tried to rationalize. "Just think, if everything goes right he'll be thankful, and if it doesn't go well, then…he'll have to forgive me. I'm like his brother. He can't stay mad forever."
"If you say so." Daphne didn't sound convinced.
Thirty minutes and a bus ride later, Justin was walking up to Daphne's apartment. She opened the door after the first knock and let him in.
"So, what are you going to talk to him about?"
Justin sat down on her couch. "I don't know. I just need to know if this guy still cares about Greg. If he does, then they should be able to work it out."
Daphne gave Justin a serious look. "You know it doesn't always work that way."
Justin sighed. "Yeah, I know that. Greg knows it too. He's a realist. And that's a part of the problem. Just allow me this one moment of romantic idealism for him."
Daphne rolled her eyes but smiled and plopped down on the couch next to Justin. "Alright, let's call the man, then."
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Author's Notes: Gotta thank vanna12 for the beta job.