Doctor Trouble

Six

"You know you'll have to talk to me at some point?"

Chase's lashes brimmed with heavy tears as he eyed Leonardo now standing at the edge of the bed fully dressed.

"Why can't it be me?" The question took Leonardo by surprise. He didn't know what to say. Chase refused to look away from him.

Leonardo wiped a lone tear trailing down Chase's reddened cheek eliciting floodgates. "Shh...shh stop crying Orsetto, I mean... Chase."

Chase's crying was both raw and ferocious. "You must've known I've loved you since forever."

Leonardo was at a loss for words. The situation he was in was simply messed up.

As Leonardo quietly stroked Chase's hair his breathing started to even out. Now his tears had stopped leaking, leaving only a trail of evidence on his face.

"Ors...Chase, I'm so sorry." 

"I love you, Leonardo, and it really hurts." There was a certain amount of fatigue in Chase's voice that you could equate to heartbreak. He was temporarily dislocated from his spirit. "

"I know, I know you do but—"

"But you don't love me like I do," Chase finished the incomplete statement. "I get it. I'm just your boy toy that you call whenever you feel bored and when you're done you just toss me into the trash like a used condom."

"That's not fair, Chase. You knew exactly what this thing between us was about from the beginning. Not even once have I ever blindsided you. And despite what you might think, I do care so much about you, but not just enough to...love you. I wish I did though, I mean you're a great guy and you deserve more than I could ever offer you."

"I hope he deserves you, whoever he is."

There was a futile tussle of conflicting thoughts in the surgeon's head when he listened to Chase. No doubt Chase was hurting from being led on for quite a long time. Either way heartbreak sucked, it doesn't matter what form it may present itself in.

Leonardo released a deflated sigh, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen Chase. It's complicated."

"Typical Leonardo Bravucci response, it's always complicated with you, isn't it? Is it because of Mia?"

"My daughter has absolutely nothing to do with any of this."

"It's normal for you to build walls around yourself in order to protect her. I would never hurt your daughter and you know that." There was something genuine about Chase's behavior, truer than anything Leonardo had ever seen but still...he just didn't love him. "Or maybe it's a prenup you want?"

"Chase..."

"I won't get offended if you want to draw one. I mean, it's totally understandable."

Leonardo hated complicated relationships. His relationship with Chase was one of them. He felt indebted to show at least a perfunctory level of concern though deep inside he felt absolutely nothing, such a phony.

"This is all me Chase," Leonardo stated, more firmly this time around. He had to make his point vivid to Chase. They needed to stop tiptoeing around each other. Chase had to stop making unannounced visits and impromptu trips from New York all the way to California just for a good fuck because there were no emotions from Leonardo's side to begin with. "This is all me saying this. I assumed it was clear from the beginning and I was wrong but us will never happen."

Chase's backbone visibly slouched. "I guess we're done then?" Leonardo didn't see the need to reply to that question, he kept his neutral expression eyeing the blue eyed model.