#AsianLove

Stephen

Stephen Foster is no fool – though, he supposes his wife might argue that point.

When it comes to his best friend, though, Stephen is not an idiot; he sees what he doubts anyone else does, though, how the hell anyone could miss the freight train of feelings that Dean Cain keeps derailing in order to avoid them altogether, he isn't sure, but he sees it. And, he's here to tell you that yes, Dean has always been this stupid. Actually, when his feelings are involved, he appears to lack common sense entirely, and is driven to make decisions based solely on whether or not he's got a tent in his pants. He was advised multiple times in college to stop basing possible life-changing decisions on whether or not it gets you laid. Of course, Stephen reiterated this advice after college as well but when Dean called and told him about Samantha's pregnancy and about the battle ahead of him, it became clear that Dean did not heed any fair and honest warnings about the influence of sex.

So, when he sees a clear opportunity to give the man hell, he absolutely takes it and runs like the wind with it. And, Dean's hashtag about Asian love seems like a goose laying a golden egg, not realizing the good times that are bound to be had with such a treasure. Against his better judgement, he picks up his phone, and thumbs a quick text to his best friend.

Asian love, really?

Dean types a response almost immediately; Shut up.

Stephen can't help but laugh and makes quick work of calling him on facetime, laughing when Dean appears on the screen, adamant and dumbfounded all at once because, "What's wrong with that?"

"Everything." He rolls his eyes at Dean's question. "I still remember you getting' that Asian love on with Pam Anderson!"

To his delight, Dean flushes bright red and mumbles a soft, "Shut up!"

"Oh!" Stephen brightens at the memory, unable to resist the urge to rub it in his best friend's face. "Not to mention all those damn nights I had to sleep elsewhere so you could get your Asian..."

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?" Dean interrupts with an embarrassed laugh, briefly blacking out the screen with a finger in order to compose himself from the heat of it.

"You know what I never got?"

Oh, this is just fun, now. He never gets opportunities like this to tease Dean, simply for the fun of it, and now he wishes he'd taken advantage of them, of which he is sure there are plenty, while they'd been in college. He delights in the roll of Dean's eyes and the heated flush on his face when he grumbles, "Oh God. What?"

Stephen laughs heartily at the suspicion in Dean's eyes and the look of dread on his face and what he says next only darkens Dean's eyes and burns his face darker red; "Why you never gave any of that Asian love to Teri?"

"Aww, geez, asshole!" Dean winces, rolling his eyes and his head back at the question. He really does not want to be having this conversation, right now, but he can tell Stephen isn't going to let this go. Possibly ever.

"I'm just sayin', you could have had a house full of kids, by now," Stephen points out, tacking on an afterthought when it occurs to him that he's seen a lot to suggest Teri's weakness is Dean. "That woman would move mountains for your dumbass for God knows what reason."

"Stephen, she was married!" Dean finally defends his lifelong friendship with the one woman, his feelings for whom are not a secret amongst his circle of friends.

A tip of his head and another point for Stephen with the quick retort of, "And, when she wasn't?"

"I had Christopher!" Dean's defensive, now, voice raising in pitch and volume. "It's kind of hard to be in a relationship when you're busy raising a whole child!"

He is well aware his defense is lame, but to be fair, Stephen's offense is crippling and he's not sure how this conversation went in this direction, but it did and here they are so he's pretty much stuck with a bad defense and no other plays.

"You could have done that with her, you dumb f – " Stephen cuts himself off when Christopher comes into view. "Hey Chris, how's it goin', kiddo?"

"Good, Uncle Stephen!" Christopher salutes his father's best friend. "Were you teasing him about Teri?"

"Always."

"Yeah, I don't know her that well, but Dad turns into that one emoji with the heart-eyes when he's around her or he talks about her," Christopher grins cheekily, already knowing he's simply giving his "uncle" more ammunition for the teasing. "I've never seen him like that around anyone else."

"Be glad you weren't around for Brooke." Stephen gripes, staring pointedly at Dean, who is refusing to look at either of them. "I find this dumbass clutching a ring, rocking in the fetal position. I'm just glad he wasn't bare ass naked like, oh, what was her name, Dean? Anna? You know, the girl that left you after sex?"

"That's enough for today. Bye Stephen!"

The FaceTime ends before Stephen can interrupt and Dean shoves his phone in his pocket. If Christopher notices his dad's struggle to regain his composure he says nothing, instead, he just pats him on the shoulder and is off to take the hyperactive dogs on a run around the block.

So, he had feelings for Teri? So what? It wasn't like he was in any position to do anything to do about it. She's all the way in Los Angeles and she's got – no, Emerson is on her own, working and living in an apartment near her mother. He's in Malibu with a son – who would be flying back to North Carolina in a couple of days to resume college classes after an extended Easter break.

What's stopping him?

Nothing. Shit.

With that thought rolling around in his brain, Dean makes a beeline for his bedroom. He snatches a duffel bag from his closet and shoves a few clothes in it, grabs a few toiletries, and zips it up before racing to the kitchen to snag a bottle of wine and his wallet and keys. He jots a quick note for Christopher and makes his way to his truck.

That freight train won't be derailing this time.