The House

Chapter Seven

**Rating Warning**

This is story is rated mature -- this chapter contains graphic sexual details. If you are not comfortable with that, please do not continue reading.

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Whatever Julian had told Morgan in the kitchen that night, Morgan didn't take it well.

Liam had heard them both yelling at each other in the den for a long time after he went to bed. He was in his bed with Dave, who he had invited to come in with him after it was apparent that Julian and Morgan weren't going to stop fighting any time soon. He wasn't going to leave him out there on the couch covering his ears all night.

Liam heard some of it... The argument.

Julian was saying really mean things by the end. He'd even heard Julian say mean things about him -- that he was stupid. That he just wanted to get laid no matter who it was with. That Liam would never be with Morgan if Liam hadn't scared all the other guys away with his desperation. 

Ouch.

None of that was true but Liam wasn't going to get involved in their fight this time. Liam liked Julian better when he wasn't talking.

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The next morning, Liam woke up without any sheets. Dave was annoying to sleep next to. He was curled up like a huge cocoon in the duvet next to him.

Liam laughed quietly to himself. It had been weird not to wake up alone and he almost forgot what happened that night. Seeing Dave almost scared the crap out of him.

He got dressed and went out to find Morgan, to see if he was okay.

When Ethan told him Morgan left Liam's heart leapt into a panic, until Ethan explained he had just gone out to get breakfast and that he was fine. Julian and Morgan had just yelled at each other all night.

"Julian didn't come to bed until real late."

"Where is he?" Liam sat next to Ethan on the couch.

"He did leave. He left, Liam..."

"...where?"

"I don't know. He packed his bags and didn't talk to me last night at all. He hasn't called or texted me back." Ethan pulled out his phone to check one more time.

Liam studied Ethan's face for a moment.

"We have bad reception..."

"I don't think he loves me anymore, Liam. Things haven't been good. Leaving the house did nothing." Ethan threw the phone aside and looked back at Liam. The way Ethan was looking at him was making Liam tear up. He didn't remember the last time Ethan had been as sad and upset and he had recently. 

He felt bad that they had kind of grown apart this past year.

He leaned over and hugged him hard. He wanted to reassure him like he always did, but for once Liam thought that maybe Ethan was right. Something in Julian had changed since they'd moved out.

"There's something about Morgan that's always made him just kind of...snap." Liam thought out loud, pulling away from Ethan. He held Ethan's hands in his lap.

"It wasn't always like that. You know... I only met Morgan back in high school 'cause he was Julian's friend. He was like...his best friend. Julian used to be on the swim team too, before he quit. They were always everywhere together... I had such a big crush on Julian and Morgan kept trying to get in the way. He didn't even like me like that, he was just being an asshole."