Not so Married [MxM]|√

Part 35.

Eric the arbiter.

That should be his new name.

As Eric stood in his kitchen, occasionally glancing at Miller in his living room, eating a tub of ice cream instead of drinking from a bottle of alcohol.

Eric had hid all the bottles he had and bought ice cream on his way home from work. It was already enough that Miller was sulking in his couch watching cheesy romance movie.

Eric should just bring back the four wedding invitations he got from Carl. Telling him he failed in convincing Miller to come.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to watch as Miller go through another heartbreak. Then again Carl didn't brief him on why he needed Miller to attended the wedding.

He could pull a stunt causing Miller to sink deeper into sorrow but he could also have a plan to get them to stay together. It all had Eric mind blowing steams.

What he did know was that they both loved each other. So he sucked it up and walked into the room only to turn back when he saw Miller's pitiful eyes.

"You can do this" Eric gave himself a pep talk then walked back into the living room.

Miller had wrapped himself in a blanket, a box of tissues on the coffee table and the tub of ice cream clenched in his hands. Not even Paris had this much effect on him.

"What do you want Eric?" Miller muffled through a mouth full of ice cream.

Eric sat beside him, opening and closing his mouth a few times then finally said, "Nice weather we're having?"

Miller turned to glare at him but he couldn't take it seriously with red puffy eyes.

Eric sighed, turning off the stupid romance movie. Yanking the blankets off Miller almost causing his ice cream to fall to the ground.

"What the hell Eric!?" Miller snapped, spoon in his mouth and ice cream in the next as his free hand tried to pull back the blanket.

"How long do you plan to lounge on the couch?" Eric walked over to the window after successfully getting the blanket from Miller, drawing the binds to get some extra sunlight in.

Miller used his hand to block out the sunlight, finally putting the ice cream down. "Can't you just leave me alone"

"No" Eric replied immediately, sitting back next to Miller. "Talk to me"

Miller sunk into the couch, closing and opening his eyes, an audible breath leaving his mouth. "There's nothing to talk about" Eric still looked at him, not convinced in the least. "I love him Eric" He finally admitted.

"Was that so hard" Eric placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Now you need to tell him that"

Miller hugged his knees, looking at the blank television screen. "There's nothing left to say"

"Says who" Eric threw himself back into the couch. "I don't see anything stopping you"

"He's getting married soon" Miller said as if Eric didn't know that already.

"That didn't stop Paris"

"I'm not Paris" Miller sighed, if he had a little of her selfish ways then he would be out there having Carl all to himself.

Leaving the office and his house was hard enough. What was suppose to be a walk of victory out of his house became a heartbreaking parting. He could feel the heat of Carl still on his neck.

"Let's go to the wedding" Eric blurted out. It was now or never.

Miller turned to look at him, pinching his arm then said, "Are you out of your mind?"

Maybe he was, going to your ex and now love interest wedding, even Eric wouldn't want to go.

"We could barge in and yell I object" Eric laughed, gaining a small smile from Miller. "Stop the whole damn wedding"

Eric was glad to earn at least a small smile from Miller. He was going to trust Carl and bring Miller to the wedding. If anything goes wrong Carl would just have answer to Eric.

Miller didn't answer, his silence resulted in a 'no'. "Can you trust your best friend for once and come to the wedding. That's all I'm asking, think of it as closure?" He shrugged.

"Fine" Miller agreed, getting from the couch and stretching his limps.

"Now to get you someone to accompany you" Eric said, remembering the extra invitation he got.

"I already had someone in mind" Miller said, making Eric shocked yet relieved.

"Who?"

As Miller placed his trust in Eric; Eric had to place his in Carl's.

++

The house had always been empty but as Carl stood at the top of the stairs the emptiness didn't feel right.

It was clear that Miller had left and has he stood there remembering all the scenes played in this very house by the too of them; he realized how empty he was.

He crossed his finger for Eric to be successful in convincing Miller to come to the wedding, he knew how stubborn he could be.

Things wouldn't go right if Miller wasn't there and that would be the end, he'll lose him forever.

"There you are" Paris said from the end of the stairs. She started staying over until the day of the wedding. "Aren't you coming down to eat"

Carl made his way down the stairs remember the countless times Miller avoided him on these very same steps.

The same steps which they climbed whenever Carl was feeling down and Miller was there to guide him.

Paris had made dinner for the two of them. Carl walked pass his fiance, getting a glass of water. Marcel rubbed himself against Carl's feet. Something he did when he was hungry.

Miller had left him behind along with a room full of clothing and other items. Carl would sometime find himself sitting in his room to get a sense that Miller was still near him.

"Miller can you feed Marcel he's your cat af-- Carl stopped, retreating the glass from his lips realizing what he just said.

"You've been around him so much that his name became the only thing you utter" Paris said in disgust. "I'm glad his sorry ass is gone"

Carl gritted his teeth from anger taking up Marcel and walking out the room.

"Where are you going we haven't had dinner yet"

"You ruined my appetite" Carl said, it was more obvious who the better person who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was.

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