Deeply Devoted - A JeanxMarco AU

Relax

Marco's POV:

Even though I was waiting in the hallway for Jean, I had heard almost everything that was said after they started to raise their voices.  

I feel awful for the man.  She has been cheating on him for years and he had no idea...

He and I walked in complete silence back to my car, I didn't want to say anything in case he just wanted to be left alone. 

Before it registered in my head, we were back at my apartment.

"Where should I put my things?"  He asked, his voice raspy from yelling at Emily.  

"Anywhere," I started, looking at the two bags he had.  "But, there's a small empty room that I use for storage if you just want to keep it out of the way."  

On the surface, he didn't show any emotions.  But anyone could tell he was nervous or stressed, he was too hesitant about everything.  It seemed like he just wanted to collapse.

He nodded, clearing his throat before speaking, "Thank you again, Marco.  I am very fortunate to have a friend like you who's willing to take me in."  

I smiled in reassurance, "Of course."  I helped him take the two bags to the room I mentioned, watching him set them down.  

I noticed that he was tentative with every move he made.  I focused on his hands, seeing he was shaking.  

"Jean, are you okay?"  I asked while we walked out of the room together, going back into the living room.  

"Just upset is all.  I'm guessing you heard everything that went on, so I'm not going to try and hide it from you," he mumbled, looking down at his hands and trying to get them to stop shaking.  "I'm not just upset, I'm honestly furious."  

"You have every right to be," I replied, trying to give him some sense of support.

"I just have no idea how I'm going to tell my family.  My older sister got along with her so well, she's going to be devastated..."

"It's not your problem how they feel," I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, "you need to focus on your happiness first.  Don't worry too much about what they say."  

He tensed up under my touch, so I took my hand away.  

"Yeah," he sighed, sitting down on the couch.  "Everything makes sense though...  At business parties that I had to go to, she and the guy would always disappear for a while.  How, whenever I'm gone, she would never answer my messages, but ask when I would be home.  Or, how frantic she got every time I asked about the wedding plans we never started."  I listened to him intently, sitting down next to him to show I was invested.  He turned to me and laughed pitifully, "I guess you were right.  She was projecting her emotions onto me to hide the fact she was the culprit..." 

"I'm really sorry, Jean," I didn't know what to say except that.  

"It's okay," he started, "I honestly feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"Well, that's a start at least," I smiled to show my sincerity.  "Do you want to do something to get your mind off of it?"  

"Like what?"  

"I have a TV in my room, we can watch a movie?"  I decided to offer another activity, seeing as he's so stressed and still shaking.  "Or we can get high so you can relax a little bit?"  

He looked at me.  I wasn't able to tell a single thing he was thinking, "Can we do both?"  

I was honestly surprised by his answer, but I didn't protest.