DON'T BREAK THE RULES

"It's because he's choking on the pancakes, you startled him!"

"His face is getting blue, tap his back!"

"No that doesn't help!"

"Then what else should we do?!"

Both of them panicked as they started at Joe lumped over on the ground, veins becoming visible on his neck and his entire face bolding into a purple shade. He was coughing hysterically, attempting to relieve his throat of the gigantic piece of pancake he had forgotten to chew. Connor and Chris jumped around frantically, before Connor grabbed Joe by his arm and pulled him upwards.

Then, he wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, "This might be a bit painful to your back."

"Connor! What are you—"

Chris' eyes widened when Connor squeezed his grip around Joe's stomach, and heard a guff of air escape his mouth. He did it a few more times until the piece of pancake flew from his mouth and landed on the cabinet door. All of them were breathing heavy, the stress over them finally easing away as the room returned to calm without the fright of someone dying from choking.

Until Joe realized he was still being held by Connor; the tingles from Connor's touch made butterflies flutter in his stomach, and he yelped, rapidly pushing himself away from him and almost falling to the floor.

"Are you alright Joe?" Chris approached him, seeing the colours of his face beginning to soften. Joe barely heard Chris, since his eyes were stuck on the worried gray eyes of Connor staring back at him. When Chris realized that both of them were simply eyeing one another, he stepped in front of him to block his view. "How about you go back to your appartement? I'll check on you whenever I have time tonight; I'm glad I found out you live in our building."

Joe slowly nodded his head and swallowed hard, "O-Okay." He straightened his spine and glanced around Chris to see Connor's blank expression, and forced himself to turn away. He had not seen Connor since the court date, and one thing he realized was that he was not over this man. Such attraction he still felt, wanting to be in his arms and feel the soft texture of his lips. He wanted to be held tightly, embraced with such love that he was protected from the whole word.

All he wanted was for Connor to be his again.

Joe felt a gloom that he hadn't felt in months return in the pits of his stomach, and he knew he needed to leave the appartement fast. He no longer cared for the egg on the window, he wanted to run and hide under the bed and curl into a ball to cry for eternity.

Chris followed Joe as he made his way to the door. "I'm really sorry about this Joe. I didn't know he was coming, neither did I know you were coming. This is all weird coincidence, I'm so sorry you had to—"

"It's fine," he replied dry, putting on his sneakers. "Thank you for the meal, I'll be on my way."

Joe opened the door, but before he could walk away, Chris reached for his shoulder which caused him to turn. "I mean it. I shouldn't have put you through that and—"

"Chris, I'm not mad alright?" Joe chuckled quietly, feeling a bit of warmth from the saddened eyes Chris sent him. "I'm thankful that you welcomed me like this after all these years. I'll visit again soon—"

"Take your hand off of him, Chris."

Chris' face instantly fell when he heard the voice from outside the door, and that was when he noticed his neighbour, Jamie, staring at them. Jamie's eyes were narrowed into a glare, and in one swift motion, he grabbed Joe by the arm and pulled him closer, causing Chris' palm to fall back to his side.

From the hostility that suddenly formed into the atmosphere, Joe seeing the death glares sent back and forth, it was clear that they both did not favour one another. He was shocked that they even knew each other, and the only time Joe had seen Jamie with such anger was after he had been around Fred.

Chris stepped towards him menacingly. "What are you doing here anyway? You live on the upper floor."

"I was looking for Joe since I sent him to clean your window this morning," Jamie snarled, glancing towards a nervous Joe who was eyeing him carefully. "Why would you let him touch you?"

"I'm his friend," Chris raised an eyebrow. "I've probably known him longer than you have."

"What's all that raucous?" Connor mumbled under his breath, heading for the front door as well and frowning when he saw the three of them standing there with such tension he could see it in the air.

He came just in time to see Jamie pull Joe behind him. "How do you know him?"

"He's my best friend's ex-husband," Chris pointed backwards towards Connor before adding, "And why does that matter?"

"I was going to let the animosity go but I didn't expect to find you humping him," Jamie spat, before glancing over Chris and fixating his eyes on Connor.

He was much more handsome than he had expected. Made Jamie realize that compared to Connor, he was just a child, and that angered him even more.

"I wasn't humping him. Besides, he was just leaving," Chris retorted.

To which Jamie shrugged his shoulders and said, "Thank the lord, we all know your ways, Chris."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know what that's supposed to mean," Jamie broadened his shoulders, "and that's why I still don't like you. Don't you dare touch him again—"

"Wait a second," Chris stepped backwards and glanced between them, noticing the way Joe kept his lips tightly shut and simply letting Jamie do all the talking, "Are you two...?"

"Took you long enough," Jamie reacted instantly, wrapping an arm around Joe and pecking his cheek, causing Joe's entire body to throb from excessive heat. He could feel his hormones begin to race abnormality, and he attempted to hide the blush forming on his cheeks. "He's my boyfriend."