My Favorite Grump:That doesn’t make me feel any better.
After reassuringWash that he wasn’t going to be sucked into any of Taron’s mischief, he started on the task list Tony had left him. His most important task was to man the phones so Tony wouldn’t have to answer them, but there were a few smaller things he could get done so Tony wouldn’t have to exert himself. He looked alright today, no pain lines around his eyes, but he still used a cane to walk and Peri wanted to help where he could so he demanded a list from Tony and set to work on it while staying within earshot of the phones.
It was getting close to lunch time when Taron and Tony came back. Peri moved to the conference room to continue putting together the meeting packets Taron needed and Tony took over the phones for a little while so he could rest. Peri was thinkingof something sweet to bake for Tony that might make him feel a little better when Taron loped into the room, grabbing a chair and spinning it around so he could sit on it backwards.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Peri beamed up at his friend, gesturing to the papers. “Getting your meeting packets ready. How about you?”
Taron hummed, spinning his chair back and forth like he couldn’t sit still. Peri got that. Sitting still wasn’t his strong suit either.
“I’m bored. I normally wander around when I get like this, but it's almost lunchtime, and Zephyr is coming to meet us. We’re going to the Fickle Pickle. Have you been?”
Peri nodded rapidly, his eyes wide with excitement. “I love that shop. Maybe I’ll ask Wash to go there for lunch. We haven’t talked about what we’re doing yet.”
“Speaking of which,” Taron perked up, grinning at him. “Have I told you recently how amazing you are? Wash laughed, actually laughed, at the retreat, and he didn’t storm off even once. That’s a major improvement from before.”
Cocking his head, Peri frowned. “Was he really that bad?”
“Oh, yeah,” Taron drawled, spinning lazily in his chair. “He was starting to give Maverick a run for his money with how often he lost his temper. The only difference between the two is that Wash has always been good to clients and volunteers. It’s his coworkers he’s always growling at. Until now, anyway. How’d you do it?”
He wanted to say by loving Wash like he deserved, but he hadn’t told Wash yet that he was in love with him. It felt wrong to tell Taron first. Instead he shrugged, giving Taron a wink. “We’re a good team. You came up with half the ideas, remember?”
Taron grinned brightly. “I did, didn't I? People forget that I’m the ideas man around here. I couldn’t have pulled it offwithout you, though. I’m so glad I asked you to help him chill out. You’re a miracle worker.”
“You what?”
Startled, Peri and Taron both whipped their heads around to where Wash was standing in the doorway of the conference room. For a split second, Peri saw a flash of hurt cross his face before a mask of betrayal and anger took its place.
“Wash, wait,” Taron began with an awkward laugh. “We didn’t mean–”
“No!”
His bark made Peri jump, a lump forming in his throat as Wash grew more incensed. “Was any of it real? Or was this just another job for you?” he shouted.
Peri shook his head, trying to get the words out to tell him that wasn’t true, that he’d only wanted an excuse to spend more time with him, but Wash wouldn’t let him speak.
“Why should I believe you? I trusted you! Both of you!” He turned his furious gaze onto Taron, who looked pale, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find the words to argue.
Wash drew in a deep breath, and Peri didn’t miss the way it caught like he was fighting back tears, too. It broke Peri’s heart, and he stood automatically to go to him, only to be stopped with Wash’s warning snarl.
“Don’t. You lied. You both lied. You made me believe someone actually—” His voice cracked, and Peri felt tears slip down his cheeks. “—That someone like you could actually want me. I knew better.” He huffed a laugh, but it was forced, pained, and made Peri flinch again. “I knew better.”
Without another word, he turned and stormed out. Peri’s ears filled with static, and something sharp stabbed into his chest. He should have been honest from the start. He knew Wash had trouble trusting people. He knew he’d been bullied,hurt, and felt rejected by his own family. Peri was supposed to be his person. Like Wash was to him.
Except… maybe that wasn’t true anymore. He remembered the pain in Wash’s voice, the way it sounded like he was barely holding back tears. That was Peri’s fault. What if Wash wanted nothing to do with him anymore? What if he finally found someone to love him as he was only to chase him away, because he was too stupid to realize what he was doing was cruel? Did he really just ruin his chance at love?
A sob ripped from his throat, and he sank to the floor, his knees no longer able to hold his weight as he fell apart. What had he done?
Thirty-Three
Hearing Peri sobbing from the conference room and not going to him felt like ripping Wash’s heart from his own chest. To keep himself from going back in there, he teleported away. Away from the heartbreaking realization that his entire relationship was a lie. Away from the truth that his boyfriend only ever came up to him because Taron asked him to. Because the CEOs wanted him to stop working overtime.
He paced around his living room, replaying every interaction with Peri, trying to find the signals he’d missed. Was any of it real? Was it all just Peri following orders?
Pain ripped through his chest, and he clutched at it automatically, like somehow he could hold back the ache of his heart being shredded, because the first real relationship he’d ever had was all an illusion. A game.
He never thought Taron would be that cruel, to send someone to flirt with him just to get him out of the office. Taron had insisted they were best friends. He’d accepted Wash’s name preferences and shared them amongst everyone at the retreat so he felt more comfortable. Wash had noticed no one had called him Hugo since he shared the preference with Taron. He’d even tried to give Wash an excuse so he wouldn’t have to fly if hedidn’t want to. Wash had just started to trust him. Started to think maybe letting people in wouldn’t end in heartache.