The Victorious [BxBxB] ✓

Still Not About You

He spent the rest of the morning avoiding Victor. The fact that Victor spent the rest of the morning avoiding him was surprisingly hurtful. James didn't need a lot of introspection to realize that he was acting like a hypocrite.

At noon, Sebastian went to the store and asked Victor to go with him. James moped around Oliver, begging for attention and small kisses.

"You should talk to him," Ollie said, giving him a peck on the forehead.

"Maybe later."

After Sebastian returned from the store, he offered to drive them back to school after lunch. James agreed. Being in a car was far more comfortable than being on a train. He didn't expect Sebastian to ask Victor if he wanted to spend a couple more days there.

Victor picked up Freckle and held him like a baby. "Sure, I'd like that."

The answer took James by surprise, even if he understood why Sebastian made that and why Victor accepted.

James continued to think about their fight all the way back to school. He was tired, but he couldn't lay still; he couldn't calm down his thoughts.

Oliver watched him. He was disappointed. James could see it on his face, the way Oliver looked at him like a parent that was too kind to call their child dumb. James knew he was stupid; he didn't need the reminder.

"You should've talked to him before we left," Oliver said, sitting on Victor's bed. "You're both so stubborn."

"Did you tell him to talk to me too, or is this a 'James is the issue' kind of situation?"

"You're not the issue. You're not an issue. And neither is Victor." Oliver sighed. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"Yes," James sat on his own bed and kicked his shows off. He wanted to sleep.

"I think you're throwing a tantrum because you think you've been rejected. And I think Victor's too scared to let go of his trauma because he doesn't know who he is outside of it."

James gawked at Oliver for a long moment, then realized his mouth was open and forced himself to close it. "I'm not offended because he rejected me."

"Yeah, you are," Ollie said and shrugged. "But he didn't reject you, Jamie-James. He wanted some time for himself. I know you want to help, but remember what happened last time we tried to force help on him? That doesn't work."

"But I love him," James whined.

Ollie pulled his feet under him and shook his head. "Love doesn't – love alone doesn't cure people of their depression or anxiety. Maybe you could text him? I don't like the way you left things."

"No," James said. He didn't want to apologize. He didn't feel like he had done anything wrong besides snapping at him. James believed that his opinions were correct. He thought that Victor needed to stop running from his problems.

"You can't have a healthy relationship with that kind of attitude," Oliver said frowning.

"Victor's attitude isn't any better."

Oliver dropped on his side and covered his face with a pillow.

"I'm not the problem!" James said.

"Nobody IS a problem!" Ollie answered. "You're both stubborn and prideful and – ugh! Please, talk to each other! I don't want us to break up! I'll cry!"

"Come on..." James got up and sat next to him. "We're not breaking up." James pried the pillow off Oliver's face.

"Just... talk! It's not that hard!"

"Look, Ollie, I've been doing my best. I want Victor to go to the police. I want him to talk to his mom's lawyers. Mason needs to go to prison."

"Yeah." Ollie nodded. "He deserves it. But if Victor isn't ready to talk about that, we can't force him. It's not about us."

James shook his head. "I don't think he'll ever be ready," he said. Then he got up, grabbed his jacket, and walked out of the room.

He took a walk around the campus, stomping his way through the snow and cold while blasting music in his earphones. Afterward, he went to the gym, trying to burn the last remaining bits of energy in an attempt to exhaust himself. James wanted to sleep and not think about anything.

Ignoring his feelings was hard. Impossible. He missed Victor, and no matter how many times he hit the punching bag, he couldn't shift his thoughts away from him.

When his arms and legs started feeling like overcooked pasta, he returned to his room and took a shower.

Author's note<3:

Ollie tried! He failed!

Do you think James has a point or is he acting like an immature brat? Does Ollie have a point?