I've always loved you [Mithross]

The Past and the Present (Re-Published) [Part 6]

Ross' POV

We left the offices and a blast of cold air shot through the entryway once the door opened. While I was introducing Max to everyone I asked Tim if I could take his car and he agreed saying he could find a ride home. Walking through the parking lot we found Tim's car and I got in the driver's seat. Max opened the trunk and put in his bags we got out from Adam's car.

"Jesus it's cold," Max said shivering once we got inside the car.

I scoffed at him "It is not that cold Max." He looked at me incredulously and I laughed at him.

"Are you sure Adam doesn't mind you taking off work early?" Max asked me. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and he was scrolling through his phone.

"Yeah, he doesn't mind" I replied, "he knows you need help settling in so it shouldn't be a problem." Why would Adam care? I swiftly dismissed the thought and continue to drive.

"Okay, when we get to the apartment I'm gonna need something to eat I'm starving," Max said and imitated a stomach growling noise.

I laughed "Don't worry we have food at the apartment so that should fill your appetite." Max playfully slapped me on the shoulder "Thanks, Ross." We continued the drive and it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Wait a minute didn't we just have something eat not 30 minutes ago," I said with sudden realization. We stopped at a light and I turned to Max who was smiling at me.

"Correction Ross we ate an hour and 15 minutes ago," Max said matter-of-factly. I laughed at him which he returned with a devious grin. We drove the rest of the way talking about what he would be doing in the offices: Recording, editing, messing around. We finally got to the apartment and I parked directly in front of our door.

I got out of the car and headed to the trunk to get Max's stuff out of the back. When I got to the back however Max had already beat me to the punch.

"Come on Max let me help you with that," I said already reaching out to grab one of his bags on the ground. "It's okay Ross I'm perfectly capable of getting my stuff myself," He said. I scoffed and reached for a smaller bag that was sitting next to the rest of his stuff on the ground. Coincidentally he was reaching for the same bag and our hands brushed together. I quickly pulled away and turned so he wouldn't see that I was blushing.

"Hey I'm gonna go in and open the front door for you," I shouted to Max walking towards the apartment's front door. He shouted in agreement back to me and I stuck my key in the lock of the door. I turned the key and opened the front door letting warm air from inside escape to the cold air outside.

I walked inside and felt comfortable and at home, in the space, I called mine. Granted it wasn't completely mine but it was still nice to have a place of my own.

"So this is where you've been all this time," Max's voice said from behind me. I turned and he was standing in the doorway with his bags slung across his shoulder and one other he was carrying by hand. Years ago I would've given anything to have seen him standing in my doorway just like this.

"Yeah, I've been holed up for a while now. Going outside is too much of a pain so I'm always inside," I said jokingly. He laughed "Sounds like torture."

I laugh in reply "Not really I've had my own place for a few years and then I met Adam so from there it's been smooth sailing." It really has been nice ever since I met Adam. Washington is where he asked me if I wanted to be his boyfriend.

<><><><><>

A few months earlier

I was sitting on Adam's couch at his house waiting for him to come back with the popcorn. He invited me over to his place to come watch a movie since it was a Friday night and we both didn't have any plans. It wasn't uncommon for me to be at Adam's house and hang out but this time felt more intimate than usual.

I shifted uncomfortably on the couch and drank some water Adam had offered me when I first got to his house. It's just the two of us here I thought to myself. I loved the moments I got to spend alone with Adam. He was different when it was just to the two of us.

I felt that when we were both alone he would open up more and I could see the real him. At work, he was outgoing and always making jokes at and to everyone in the office. However, when he was alone I saw a shift in his personality. He's calmer and less outgoing when around me we talk about stuff that only very close friends would talk about. I loved the moments we could spend together and being with him reminded me of that red-haired boy I had to leave when I moved here to Washington.

"Ross are you okay?" Adam asked me returning from his trip to the kitchen a bowl of popcorn in his right hand. I looked up at him and felt a tear rolling down my cheek. He quickly set the bowl of popcorn down and wiped the tear from my face.

"I'm fine," I lied wiping my eyes to prevent any more stray tears from being shown. He sat down beside me on the couch and grabbed my hands.

"You crying isn't nothing I don't want to see you be sad," Adam replied. I looked into his eyes and saw dark circles underneath them from days where he stayed after hours to work more on his videos. I admired that he was so dedicated to his work but I also thought it was kind of dumb for him to stay so late.

I stared into his eyes for longer than I should have and felt a strange silence envelop us. It wasn't an awkward so though more so just a silence that really made me realize it was only the two of us. Finally, Adam broke the silence between us.

"Ross you aren't nothing to me," he said squeezing my hands tighter. I felt one last tear fall down my face and roll down my cheek before Adam kissed me. I gasped in the kiss and returned the action.

"I love you, Ross will you be my boyfriend?" Adam asked me. I looked at Adam and I felt like I could see everything about him in that moment.

"Yes," I told him. He smiled at me and we went back to kissing and forgot all about the movie.

<><><><><>

Max's POV

At the thought of Ross and Adam, I felt a pang deep down in my chest but quickly pushed it back down.

"How are you and Adam now that we are on that topic?" I asked Ross trying to be supportive of his relationship. Ross looked at me and he seemed a little confused but then smiled at me. That smile could kill someone.

"Well if I'm being honest I couldn't imagine anyone I would rather spend my time with," Ross said seemingly thinking about something else while saying it. I felt my chest tighten and my eyes began to water. All I wanted to do was just go to my room. I turned away from Ross so he wouldn't see me and quickly wiped my eyes.

"Hey Ross can you show me to my room I could use some sleep before we head over to Adam's," I said trying to keep my voice even and calm. I looked at Ross and he smiled "Sure," he said in the happiest tone possible.

We got up from the couch and he walked me down a short hallway and showed me to my room at the end of it. The inside was plain with a bed set off to the side to the right side of the room. A window was built into the left side with a gray curtain covering it. There was a desk in between the window and the bed.

"This used to be a gaming room before we converted it into a bedroom for you," Ross said to me as I walked into the room sitting on the bed. I looked at him standing in the doorway and could begin to feel my emotions bubbling inside me.

"Thanks so much, Ross," I said and laid down on the bed "I'm gonna get some sleep before we go." Ross nodded and smiled at me.

"Sleep well Max," He told me and turned out the light and shut the door on his way out. When the door was shut and I heard his footsteps getting quieter and shoved my face in my pillow. I felt a few tears soak into the fabric of the pillow as I softly wept into the pillow.

I guess Ross never really loved me...all he cares about is Adam. I'll never have a chance with Ross as long as Adam is still around. I felt anger start to well up from inside me but I quickly pushed it back down. I quickly sat up and put my knees to my chest.

How can I feel this angry at Adam? He's dating Ross and I need to accept that. Ross is just a friend and I feel like this because I haven't seen Ross in a long time. He's dating Adam and I need to be happy for him. I sighed and laid back down and slowly fell asleep.