JFT #32/You Don't Know Jack
JFT #32
You Don't Know Jack
"Jack loves you."
"He doesn't act like it," Arthur sniffed, sounding unconvinced by Curt's
declaration.
A few minutes ago, it had seemed as though Curt was going to need a
crowbar to pry Arthur away from him. But now Arthur had retreated back to
his former position. With me.
That...did not sit well with Curt.
"Y'know, kid," Curt growled, "you need to get your ass back on that
couch."
"Stop calling me a kid," Arthur shouted, edging even closer to me.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, stop calling him that."
Emboldened by my apparent support, Arthur added, "And stop ordering me
around."
That...was a mistake.
"I live here," Curt ground out. "You don't." Curt's eyes flashed and
changed color, from blue-gray to almost black. I had never seen him this
furious. Not since...the old days.
Realizing that Curt was one step away from throwing Arthur out, I stepped
in front of Arthur and crooked a finger at my otherwise sensible lover.
"Can I talk to you?"
"Now?"
"Now."
"You. Stay there," Curt commanded. I nodded at Arthur, and he sat
obediently on the couch.
*****
When we got to the bedroom, Curt flung his arms up in the air and started
to pace. "I can't believe you took his side against me."
"I'm not taking sides, Curt. I'm trying to find out what the hell happened
to him, but you're not helping."
"Jack called me," he said very slowly.
"And?"
"And what? He's upset."
"You said that before. He's upset. You're upset. Arthur's upset. And you
know what? I'm beginning to get a little pissed myself. What...happened?"
I enunciated carefully.
"I don't know."
"You don't know? You come in, blaming Arthur, and you don't even know?"
"I don't need to know. Jack's word is good enough for me."
"Oh, that clears that right up, Curt. That's the stupidest thing I've ever
heard."
"Now I'm stupid?"
"I didn't say *you* were stupid. I said what you said was stupid."
"Are we arguing over the kid?"
"He's not a fucking kid, Curt, and no, we're not fucking arguing over him.
We're having a fucking fight!"
Curt wagged a finger warningly in my face, and that made me crazy. Curt
knows better than to do that. "Get away from me!"
"Don't push me, Brian!"
"No, you know *I* push back! Stop picking on Arthur and maybe we can
actually find out what Jack did!"
"Aha! Now you're assuming *Jack* screwed up!"
"You know what your problem is, Curt? You've got Jack up on a pedestal! He
can act just as dumb as the next guy sometimes, and you know it!"
By now, Curt and I were standing almost nose to nose. Curt was practically
out of breath, his chest was heaving so hard, and I was no better.
Unfortunately, we both forgot that Arthur was sitting patiently in the
living room, and in a flat this size, he could hear every word.
All at once Arthur was in the doorway. "Stop it! You two shouldn't be
fighting! This is all my fault!" It was clear that he felt responsible. I
could see what this was doing to him.
But it was Curt who backed down first.
"I'm sorry, Arthur." For the first time since he came home, Curt wasn't
calling him the kid, and I felt like applauding. "We got a little carried
away--"
"A little?" I snorted. Curt wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me
against his hip. "Shut up, baby," he said, and his tone was actually quite
affectionate, but the two of us watched as Arthur bristled all over again.
"How can you say stuff like that? I thought you loved each other!"
Curt sighed so heavily, his breath ruffled my hair. "Are you mad at Jack?"
Arthur looked momentarily confused by what he assumed was a change in
subject, but I could see where Curt was going. When Arthur finally
answered, it was with the greatest reluctance. "Yeah."
"Do you still love him?"
"Of course," he replied without hesitation.
"Well, there ya go," Curt said. But Arthur didn't seem to get the
connection right away.
I leaned back against Curt, and he pressed a kiss to the back of my neck.
"I think what Curt is trying to say..." I paused to see if Curt was going
to interrupt me, but he let me continue.
"...is that you still think Jack is *perfect*."
"I know he's not perfect," Arthur protested. "Sometimes he's rude or he
ignores me or he's in a bad mood and takes it out on me."
Curt nodded, and I could feel him rubbing his cheek against my hair. "Do
you think he doesn't love you when he acts that way?"
Arthur started to shake his head, then thought better of it. "Sometimes."
"It's taken us a very long time to get to this stage, Arthur, but Curt and
I know we can disagree or argue or even have a knock-down drag-out
fight...and still love each other."
"You can?" He sounded unsure, but he was weakening. He wanted to believe
me. I could tell.
"Yeah. Curt knows I love him even when he's being a complete prat."
"And Brian knows I love him even when he's acting like a fucking drama
queen," Curt chimed in, albeit sweetly. He was going to pay for that one.
As soon as I got him in bed.
That brought a watery smile to Arthur's face. "Guess I still got a few
things to learn."
"We all do," Curt said, and I think I loved him all over again for that.
*****