Chapter Text
The first big sign telling him something was wrong was the flower wreath hanging on the door, real genuine flowers that were well kept and recently watered. Ren hated flowers, constantly complaining during the spring about how they made his allergies go haywire.
The notion of it made something unpleasant simmer in Martyn’s stomach. Alarms were blaring in his head and yet he still knocked on the door, reassuring himself that Ren had maybe just had a change of heart. That had to be what it was. He didn’t want there to be any other explanation.
That was what Martyn told himself at least. He raised a fist, trying to ignore its shakiness, knocking in a simple three thump pattern. It was silly, perhaps foolish, the way Martyn felt his heart drop as a man who was definitely not Ren opened the door.
He was rather handsome, begrudgingly so. Warm brown eyes stared at Martyn, looking him up and down to examine him.
"Hey man, can I help you?" The mystery man asked, a polite but cautious smile on his face.
"Uh," Martyn started eloquently. "Is Ren here?"
"No, he's out right now." The guy started. "You wanna come in?"
Martyn nodded, hesitant, but walked through the door anyways as the man closed it behind him.
"I'm BigB by the way." BigB introduced himself.
"Martyn. You're… Ren's roommate?"
"Uh, kind of?" BigB looked to have an internal debate, before clearing his throat. "I'm his boyfriend."
Martyn froze, eyes going wide because holy fuck, there was no way. Oh, he was so mega screwed. Forget that, Martyn was going to kill Ren the next time he saw him, hide the body somewhere and run away to somewhere no one would find him.
"Uh, are you serious?" Martyn asked, sweating.
"Yes?" BigB asked, confused.
"Oh shit." Martyn cursed. "Oh no."
"What? What's wrong?" BigB worried, taking a hesitant step towards Martyn.
"Oh no, BigB man, I'm so sorry." Martyn apologized, dread coursing through him at the realization at what he's unknowingly done.
Because that was just it wasn’t it? Of course, Martyn let his feelings get the better of him. He should have never walked into that damn bar when he was that emotional. Being back in his hometown had hurt more than he expected, and then he ran into the reason why it hurt when beyond wasted.
"Dude, you're scaring me." BigB laughed, but with no humor. "What's going on?"
He should’ve known, the minute Ren took him back to his hotel so willingly and touched him so casually. Even when the two had been dating, long ago when they were still young and dumb. Martyn had been susceptible, thinking that Ren was the one he would be with forever.
Then Ren broke his heart, and Martyn left. He had vowed that night something that night: he was never going to let anyone, especially Ren, hurt him like that again. He had furiously packed his bag with a cheap plane ticket to a random country in South America, a note on his nightstand explaining where he went, and he was gone.
And yet here he fucking was, aparently still the same young and dumb person he thought he left behind.
"I uh, kind of thought Ren was still single?" Martyn started, seeing BigB's face drop. "And we uh, slept together. Last weekend."
He forced himself to look at BigB's– Ren’s boyfriend’s– face. BigB, surprisingly held a blank expression, eyes wide and filled with shock but also something... more? Understanding or something close to that, which hold on what?
"I swear, I didn't mean for it to happen!" Martyn spoke quickly, watching BigB take a step back. "I was drunk, and he helped me home. And I kissed him because I just- I missed the feeling of him and I didn't know he was seeing anyone!"
"So, you're that Martyn." BigB spat, a knowing expression telling Martyn everything he needed to know. "Gosh, why am I surprised?"
“What-?" Martyn started, only to get cut off.
"Was he drunk too?" BigB asked, expression hard.
"I don't, I don't know." Martyn admitted, because he truly didn't know. Drunk or sober, Ren tended to act exactly the same, a fact he was all too familiar with.
BigB didn't respond, only staring at Martyn with a mix of anger and– yup that was understanding. It confused Martyn, but also made him worry. He was slightly surprised BigB hadn't already punched him or something.
The front door opening cut through the uncomfortable silence, two new voices filling that had befallen Martyn and BigB. Martyn watched in horror as Ren walked in with Doc, who was not the biggest fan of Martyn.
When Ren spotted them, he froze; fear overtaking his features. Doc looked in between the two of them, slouched over as usual to seem smaller than he really was, clearly confused as to why Ren's ex boyfriend was standing with Ren’s current boyfriend in silence.
Martyn turned to Ren, not knowing what emotion was simmering into his bones, but it was close to perfidy. He cast his gaze down, wanting to scream at Ren for lying to him, but also demand an explanation from the man.
He couldn't do either of those things though, as BigB started to speak in an irate tone.
"You really are an eye for an eye kind of guy, aren't you?" BigB laughed, disbelief and hysterics all in one. His words dripped with a deep seated venom that Martyn couldn't help but flinch at their harshness.
"I-" Ren started, only to be cut off by BigB.
"I mean I don't know why I'm surprised!" He scoffed, glaring at Ren. "You were always bound to do this, I should've known."
Ren's face went from fearful to angry as he took several steps towards BigB, getting right in his face.
"You-" Ren spat the word at him like it was molten lava, harshly stabbing BigB’s chest with his pointer finger. "-do not get to say that. You're not the fucking victim in this situation."
"And you are?" BigB shot back, just as malicious. He didn't back down from Ren's advances. "You're not innocent in this either Ren!"
"Alright alright, why don't we just calm down?" Doc interrupted, getting in between the two and shoving them apart. He spoke with sternness, the same he used when he was commanding his team of scientists.
Martyn shrunk in on himself, despite Doc not aiming the demand at him. He was unsure just exactly what was going on at this point. What exactly had BigB meant when he said 'an eye for an eye'?
"Tell BigB to get off my ass then! And to stop playing victim!" Ren glared at Doc.
"Ren." Doc snapped, standing up to his full height and glaring at Ren.
Ren backed off with a sigh, taking a step away from his boyfriend and turning towards Martyn. His expression shifted again, regret filling his features as he stared at Martyn.
Martyn had moved to lean against the wall, arms crossed as he stared at the ground. He was trying to process what he had just learned. Ren took a step towards him, outstretched to try and comfort him.
"Martyn-" Ren started tautly, only to get cut off.
Martyn slapped his hand away, the sound ringing throughout the room, causing BigB to flinch and Doc to take a protective step forward but stopped as the blonde started to speak.
"Don't you fucking dare touch me." Martyn hissed, quickly withdrawing his hand back to his chest. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"I don't know! I was angry and I just didn't stop you..." Ren admitted, his hand falling to his side. "I'm sorry-"
"Oh you're sorry!" Martyn laughed, glaring at Martyn. "Because that's supposed to fix all this."
"Martyn please, let me explain." Ren begged, eyes flickering between the other three men in the room. His eyes were pleading with anyone who would listen. Doc was the one who took pity on him, nodding for him to go on.
Ren nodded back, taking a deep breath before starting. "I did sleep with Martyn, I will take accountability for that and I'm sorry." He looked at Martyn when he said that. "I was angry because BigB had told me that he had also cheated on me." Ren explained, earning a sharp gasp from Doc people that resonated through the room.
Doc's head snapped to BigB, who just looked defeated but giving no indicator that Ren was lying. Martyn was also staring in shock, but rather at Ren, who had his head hung low.
Ren continued on, tone clipped, "When he had told me, I was so blind sighted by my frustration that when Martyn had kissed me, I didn't stop him."
He turned to the man in mention, who was still staring at him in shock. "I'm very sorry Martyn, I shouldn't have done that to you."
The room went silent at that, leaving the air thick with a mix of emotions. Martyn could only stand in shock, his brain waging war if he should feel sorry for Ren or be angry at him for playing with his emotions. Ren was staring at the ground, disappointed in himself for what he's done. BigB stood near the hallway, frustrated at how this whole situation had turned out. Doc, meanwhile, had gone perfectly still. He had no clear expression on his face other than regret. So, so much regret.
Martyn was the first one to speak, after what was like an eternity, miraculously not wavering with his question.
"So, who did you even cheat on Ren with?" He asked, looking at BigB, who looked anything but remorseful. If anything, he seemed quite bored now that no one was screaming.
Everyone in the room looked at the man in question. BigB let out a cough at the attention.
"Uh, you've met Grian right?" He asked, with an attempt at nonchalant.
Ren's blood ran cold and he could see Doc stiffen near him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Martyn's face drain of all color it had.
"Are you serious...?" Martyn asks, eyes wide, newborn dread in him.
BigB shrugged, not saying anything but not denying it.
"You did, you really did." Martyn stated quietly.
"Martyn-" Doc started, only to be cut off by the blonde.
"Oh don't you start with me! I have every right to be mad in this situation!" Martyn snapped, glaring daggers at Doc.
Doc held up a hand to deflect the verbal attacks aimed towards him. "I understand that, but you need to think rationally. I don't want you making rash decisions."
"Oh that's rich coming from you!" Martyn laughed, nothing but pure hatred as he spoke. "You have some nerve-"
"Alright alright gentleman, break it up!" Ren yelled out, turning all attention to himself.
"I cannot believe this, you do realize what this means right?" Martyn groans, holding his head in his hands as if suddenly slammed with a headache.
"Yes I know, but you can't tell him-"
"The fuck I can't!" Martyn snapped again, turning to face his anger at BigB who only stared in confusion. "How can you stand there as if you aren't even the least bit guilty at what you've done?"
"I don't understand?" BigB was confused, clearly wondering why Martyn was so pissed off.
"Oh, you don't understand, do you?" Martyn asked in a mock sorrowful drone, then scoffing. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you slept with my brother, who is engaged."
BigB's face morphed into surprise, the true weight of the situation coming to light; and with it, a whole new set of problems that couldn't be solved in one night.