I heard him sigh. “Fine. We’re revising our prenuptial agreement. I gave up on the blowjobs on demand, you conceded on the driving in Manhattan, and we’re wearing the fucking rings. Anything else, or can we fuck now?”

I took a deep breath. “I think we need to add a section about you not lashing out at me when you feel cornered.”

I made myself not look at him, but he didn’t say anything for a long time. I finally turned my head around, and he was just standing there. I was too tired to really get angry, but I felt a little rush of it, down deep.

I got up and started to leave the room. I felt everything just kind of crash in on me, and I was fucked if I was going to let him see me cry again. I was done.

But he followed me out of the room, and he reached out and grabbed my left wrist. I stopped, but didn’t turn around.

“God, Justin, do I get one minute to answer?”

I just shrugged. I was pretty sure I couldn’t talk. I didn’t feel like I had anything to say, beyond what I’d already said. I thought, it’s always going to be like this with him, he’s always going to be a little feral.

And then I felt his arms wrap around me from behind, and his mouth on my hair, and then on the back of my neck, and I turned around inside his arms and kissed him.

I told Brian fucking wasn’t always the answer, and it’s not. But that night, that moment, it was. I didn’t want to talk, and he didn’t know how, but I knew from his hands, and his mouth, and the press of his cock into my stomach, what Brian was telling me.

Sometimes, they can't help but make things complicated. And then, with a touch, things fall into perspective. Sometimes words simply will not do.

Ted looked at me thoughtfully, an expression of his that I’d grown to hate and fear. “You know, Brian, I’ve only met them a few times, but your mother and sister are cunts. You’re the best boss I’ve ever had, a not completely shitty friend, and for whatever reason, Justin and Michael appear completely impervious to your efforts to excise them from your life the way you’ve done with your mother and sister. Who are, let me repeat, cunts.”

I picked up the bottle and drank some more water.

Ted decided silence was permission to say more. I made a mental note to not make that same mistake again. “And to quote Emmett, at least his words, I doubt I could do the hand gestures justice, your real family is the one you choose, not the one you’re born into. And he should know.”

He stood up. I thought about firing him again, but he cut me off.

“I know, I’m fired.” He picked up his laptop and the architect’s proposal, and went to the door. “See you in the morning.”

LMFAO I love Ted. Period.