FicWad

Bill awoke the next morning tucked into Izzy's bed, blankets around him, feeling cold even though he was surrounded by thick blankets and the apartment did not have air conditioning to sooth the effects of the summer heat. And that's when he heard voices, Izzy and...another man. He quickly but quietly got up and pulled on a t-shirt and boxers before going out to the main room of Izzy's tiny apartment to see Izzy and the blond guy from last night on the couch talking. Izzy noticed him almost instantly. "Good morning sleepy head!" Izzy said, getting up off the sofa and walking over. He wrapped his arms around Bill, hugging him close and kissing his hair. "How'd you sleep?" Bill was shocked. Neither of them were supposed to say anything about their relationship, and now Izzy was kissing him in front of a friend? "Don't freak out." Izzy murmured in his ear. "Chris knows, it's cool."

Bill pulled back and glared at him, about to yell at him, when the blond guy stepped in. "You must be Bill. I've heard a lot about you." He had an easy manner but was very protective of Izzy and loved him like a brother. He held his hand out to Bill who hesitated before taking it and shaking it.

"What did Izzy tell you?" Bill asked, eyes narrowing.

"Bill, sit. We need to talk a little." Izzy stepped in, tugging a little at Bill's arm, pulling him over to the sofa and into his lap as they both sat down, Chris taking a seat next to them. "Now, Bill, let me tell you a little story, but don't interrupt, alright?" Izzy looked straight into Bill's eyes. Bill nodded slightly. "Good. When I first came to LA, like I told you last night, I was a complete wreck. I missed you terribly and spent most of my time moping around. Chris and I met two months after I moved out here. We met at the Guitar Center, we were both buying strings and started talking. He became my first, and only real friend out here. He's stuck by my side for two years. He helped me adjust to life here. He helped me into the music world out here, and he's been there for me on a couple of the nights I cried over you. We talked, and in the process I had to tell him about us. He told me later that he found me attractive, but he never, ever took advantage of me. We tried sleeping together but it didn't work. Anything you need to know from that?" Bill shook his head and leaned against, Izzy cuddling close, but still watching Chris, unsure.

Chris and Izzy exchanged a look and Chris sighed. "So Izz, I need to get to work now. Your guitar's at my house, I'll bring it by later." He stood and reached down to Bill, offering his hand again. "It was nice meeting you Bill, and I hope to talk again soon." Bill shook his hand with less hesitation this time, but became very stiff when Chris bent over a little, wrapping an arm around Izzy as Izzy's free arm wrapped around him. "It's good seeing you smile Izz. Make each other happy." He smiled at them, and left. Bill immediately squirmed out of Izzy's lap and back to the bedroom where he flopped on the bed, tears beginning to shine at the corners of his eyes.

Izzy entered the room only second later, lying down beside him, gently stroking his face. "Sweetie, listen to me. What do you think happened between Chris and I? I love him, but not like I love you. You're my one and only lovey, I swear." He whispered to Bill gently, softly, just like they did years ago. "Please don't cry." Bill's eyes fluttered shut. He couldn't help it. He turned to Izzy, pressing himself against him, crying softly against Izzy's chest, their arms coming around each other. "Bill, lovey, listen to me, you are my one and only, the love of my life. You're everything to me. Why on earth do you think I would ever love someone else the way I love you?" He kissed Bill's temple. "Why are you crying? Do you think I don't love you? Do you think I cheated on you? Bill, I've never made love to another person, ever. We've been through this..."

"No..." he gave a cough. "You broke another promise. How do I know that you'll love me? How do I know if you're lying to me?"

"Oh Bill, Bill...things change, you know that. I left you and the second I did it I knew I'd made the biggest mistake of my life. I broke our promise not to tell anyone because I needed to tell someone, and I knew Chris would keep it quiet. I had no one here, and he's a true friend, I had to tell him for him to be able to be there for me. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Bill nodded, but didn't stop crying. "I can give you two promises I can never break. One is that I will love you unconditionally as my one and only, forever. And two, is that I will never, ever, intentionally hurt you. I'd die if I lost you Bill, I love you so much and I cannot possibly described how sorry I am for hurting you. I love you so fucking much." He murmured into Bill's hair. Bill's crying had lessened. "Do you trust me to keep those promises?" Bill nodded.

"I love you Izz, I'm just scared of losing you, I never wanna be without you again, ever."

"I can't say we'll never be apart again, because I don't know what the future holds, but I can promise you my love. Forever."