Just A Bit Wrong

Jared Sheldon sat back in his chair, watching his friend silently.

Zach stared back at him intently.

"So, you've made up your mind," Jared said. "Still want to resign?"

"Correct."

"And you still don't want to tell me why," Jared added dryly.He wasn't very happy with what Zack had done.Resigning during the patient's recovery, he never thought that Zach would do such an irresponsible thing.From Jared's personal point of view, Zach's decision also made him very unhappy.They are good friends.At least he considered Zach to be one of his best friends in England.But Zach apparently hid the reason for his resignation because he didn't trust him enough.

"Look," Zach looks clearly torn. "This... this is my private matter."

Jared stared at him and asked, "Personal?"

Zach wiped his face with his hands, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "He was always messing with me and poking me. I couldn't maintain the professionalism I needed to keep from him."

Jared believed him in that.Everyone thinks that Tristan is easy-going and likeable, but Jared has only recently realized how much of a false impression he has created in front of others.Although until now, he didn't think Tristan was as evil as Gabriel said.There are few black and white things in this world, and the same is true for people, who cannot be simply divided into "good guys" and "bad guys".

"I thought you could handle him," Jared commented, watching Zach curiously.The last time he saw Zach in the room with Tristan, Tristan was the one who kept telling him to fire Zach.At that time, Zach was calm and reserved, even as if he was watching a joke.So, what has changed?

"I thought so too," Zach said with a dry smile, curling the corners of his mouth. "You know, I'm used to dealing with difficult patients."

"but?"

"He's been seducing me."

At first, Jared thought he had heard wrong.

But of course he didn't.

"Ah," Jared laughed. "That's why? That's his personality. Tristan likes to flirt with others when he has nothing to do."

Zach showed an indescribable expression.

"He flirted with you too?" His voice sounded a little strange.

Jared frowned, examining his friend.Zach is not homophobic, his younger brother is gay, and Zach supported Nick [-]% when he came out.

But there must be something wrong with his reaction.

"He used to tease me all the time, but it was a joke," Jared said slowly. "I think he did it just for fun and maybe to annoy Gabriel."

"What about you? Have you never been moved?"

Jared smiled and said, "I'm not a monk. Tristan is the most beautiful man I've ever met."

Zach's eyes were pierced on him like two daggers.

Jared shook his head. "Nothing happened between us. Zach, he's my patient."

An indescribable look flashed across Zach's face. "Gabriel is also your patient."

Jared paused, wondering how Zach would know about him and Gabriel.

"It's different," he said. "You know how special Gabe is to me. Tristan...yes, he's extraordinarily good-looking. I'm a healthy gay, and I'm not blind, but I've never really been attracted to him. For me it's just Gabriel's brother. When you're already in love with someone else, it's not that hard to hold back a frivolous desire."

Hearing this, Zach flinched.

Jared's eyes flicked to Zach's suddenly tense shoulders, and his clenched fists.Zach's reaction was puzzling.He had never seen his friend tense up like this.It's not Zack.As the eldest son in the family, Zach has been taking care of his younger siblings, so he is not the type to be easily affected by stress.Some people think Zach is bossy, even arrogant, but Jared knows why. After all, Zac has been carrying his family since he was a teenager.If Jared were to describe Zach in one word, he would definitely say that Zach is a "responsible" person.That's why Zach's sudden offer to resign came as a surprise to him: it really wasn't something he would do.

"Do you mind Tristan's tantrum so much?" Jared tried to maintain a matter-of-fact attitude.It was always a little awkward discussing this with his straight friends. "If it bothers you, I can talk to him and tell him to be honest."

Zach said nothing.

"Zack?" Jared called to him.

"I want to fuck him."

Jared didn't speak, Zach raised the corner of his mouth. "Don't look at me like that, I don't have two heads."

Jared cleared his throat. "I thought you were straight."

"I am," Zac said with a look of tiredness in his eyes. "I just really wanted to fuck that little bastard."

Jared cleared his throat again.He didn't expect that one day, when he and Zach talked about Jia's brother, they would discuss this kind of thing. "Is there still an open relationship between you and Donna?"

Zach nodded.

"Then what's bothering you?"

"What's bothering you?" Zach smiled dryly. "Are you serious?"

"Why are you so scared? Because you're attracted to a man?"

"No." Zach wiped his face with his hands. "Probably a little bit. I don't like that kid at all. He's driving me crazy. Half the time I'm with him I want to pull him into my lap and— He snapped his mouth shut, and gave Jared a regretful look. "I really don't understand. I have seen and touched hundreds of naked men, okay, maybe these hundreds of men's mouths are not as good-looking as Tristan's—" Zach showed a distorted expression, He paused again. "I can't fucking figure it out."

Jared couldn't empathize with this kind of thing because he had no interest in women, no matter how beautiful they were. "It may be more helpful for you to talk to Gabriel about this matter, of course, it may not be useful at all."

"Why? I always thought Gabriel was straight too."

Jared looked at the photo on his desk, a team photo taken two years ago when Chelsea won the Premier League.Gabriel leaned against him, cheek against Jared's face, like a kitten eager for affection.

"It's different with Gabe," Jared said, looking away from Gabriel's smiling lips. "He always loved me and needed me so much that when we were together, sex just came naturally. Other men were not attractive to him. He loved me first and then sex, not the other way around. Come here. So it's impossible for him to understand the desire for a man he doesn't like." He gave Zach a tentative look. "Are you sure you can't control this urge? Is it really necessary to resign?"

Zach smiled self-deprecatingly. "I spanked him a week ago because I told him he couldn't have any sex during that time and he went out anyway. So I know my professional judgment has been affected. Don't look at me like that ...I know I shouldn't be doing this. I know it. I just start to freak out when I'm near that little bastard." Zach ran his fingers through his hair with frustration written all over his face. "As long as he's around, my brain only listens to my lower body. There's nothing I can do but quit my job."

Jared stared at him for a moment. "Marriage is a very serious commitment. You have to put your heart and soul into the relationship. Wouldn't it be better to get this sorted out before the wedding? Then you can live your life after marriage."

Zach gave him a sarcastic look. "I don't need that kind of advice, Jared."

"Don't take it lightly," Jared said. "You know I'm right. You're still in an open relationship. So get your problems out of the way before you marry Donna. It's better for everyone."

Zach looked out the window. "Your advice sucks," he said. "You should have told me to stop getting involved with him. Now it's good, I can continue fooling around with him under the guise of solving the problem."

"Isn't it okay to fool around with him?"

Zach laughed, but the voice was a bit harsh.He stood up with his coat. "I'll let you know the result as soon as possible."

Jared frowned.Despite the advice he gave Zach, the current situation made him feel inexplicably uneasy.Tristan is an adult, he can decide what kind of relationship he maintains with Zach, but... the current situation is very chaotic.He might be able to say that Tristan and Zach's doctor-patient relationship isn't a big deal—after all, it would be hypocritical for him to judge others for crossing the line—it's just that Zach's interest in Tristan is different from Jared and Gabriel's. Relationships are not the same.Zach doesn't like Tristan--he doesn't even like Tristan that much, it seems.Zack just wanted to fuck him, and that desire seemed to fuel his resentment against Tristan.

"I know his groin is pretty much healed, but you have to remember, it's still hurt," Jared said.In other words: don't take it out on my injured player in bed. "If you have to do it, please be gentle." He still felt a little unbelievable in his heart, how could he discuss this kind of thing with his physical therapist?But these precautions must be made clear in advance.Tristan's health was important, so it was his first priority.

Zach smiled, like Jared said something funny, and left.

Jared watched the office door slowly close behind Zach, leaving only a faint doubt in his heart.

When the door was opened again, he was still staring at the door panel in a daze. This time, Gabriel walked in calmly.

"Lock the door," Jared said quickly.

Gabriel rolled his eyes with a grin, and he obediently complied. "Anyway, we're not going to have sex here."

"That won't stop you from eating my tofu," Jared gave him a pointed look.

"Stop complaining, you obviously like it so much." Gabe straddled Jared's lap directly, and printed a series of kisses on his cheek. "Hmm...why do you always smell so good?"

"You smell better," Jared put his nose against Gabriel's cheek, sniffing his breath.God, sometimes, he feels that he is too happy, his love for Xiaojia has reached the extreme, and everything is a little unreal.He loved this boy more than anything in this world.

Jared thought of Zach again, and it was hard for him to put himself in Zack's place.Of course, Jared had slept with other men before Gabriel and him became lovers, but no matter how handsome these men were, they were not a ten thousandth as attractive to him as Gabriel was to him.As a result, he couldn't help but wonder how strong Zac's feelings for Donna were.If he can still desire another person so strongly, is there still love between them?

But then again, it's not something he can judge.After all, Gabriel and he weren't the most exemplary couple in the world.

Gabe ran his fingers through Jared's hair. "I saw Zach. Is he going to quit? Finally can't stand Tristan?"

Jared wondered how to answer the question. "Roughly the same."

"Almost?" Gabriel moved a little away from him, and he looked at Jared curiously.

"Don't look at me like that. It's not my turn to talk about it."

"Jay."

"No."

"Jay!"

Jared laughed and kissed him again and again until Gabe was limp and completely forgot about Zach and his brother.