War Torn by Andria Large

curiosity. “What?”
    “Charles.”
    A slow smile curls his lips. “No shit?”
    “Yeah, he’s also a Marine. Captain Charles DuPree. He talked me into going back inside, where I got a standing ovation and a free meal.”
    “Well, that's a coincidence. Someone must be looking out for you.” Duke grins, pointing toward the ceiling.
    I smile. I have to agree. I think Chuck definitely had a part in what happened today.
    “Have you told your therapist about the flashbacks?” Duke asks.
    I groan. “I haven’t gone in about a month.”
    “What? Come on, man! You need to go. Especially now that you got your hearing back,” Duke urges.
    “I will call tomorrow, I swear.”
    “You better,” he grunts, pointing his pen at me.
    I shove to my feet. “I’m going to go see Dennis.”
    “Okay, but if you’re going to fuck can you please keep it down? My ears bled last night because of you two.”
    I bark out a laugh as I make my way down the hallway. “No promises.”
    I hear him grumble as I open the door to the bedroom and walk inside, closing the door behind me.
     
     
    ~ Dennis ~
     
    I glance up as Tucker walks into the bedroom, stupid grin on his face.
    I smile. “What’s so funny?”
    “Duke said we made his ears bleed last night.”
    I laugh and shake my head.
    I watch as Tucker starts to undress. I’m sitting on the bed, folding the last of my laundry, and putting it into designated piles.
    “So, how was dinner with your brother?” I ask.
    Tucker frowns hard, his brows furrowing. He stays silent for a moment as he unbuttons his dress shirt, and I’m not sure if he’s going to answer me or not. That’s not a good sign. What the hell happened at dinner?
    “I had another flashback. Curled up under the table when something crashed in the kitchen.”
    “Shit.”
    “Yeah, that’s what Duke said, too,” he muses.
    “Are you okay?”
    “I am now.” He shrugs.
    After a few minutes of silence and Tucker undressing, he finally looks at me, his eyes troubled.
    “Rhys said something to me tonight.”
    “Okay?” I reply hesitantly.
    “He asked how you were doing and I told him how you need more help than normal. He asked what I meant and I told him like in the shower. It just slipped out and it really was totally innocent, but what he said next has really been eating at me.”
    I nod and wait. I can see that Tucker is struggling with how to say it. He won’t even look at me. Shit, this must be bad.
    “Just repeat what he said.”
    He sighs heavily. “He said, ‘Dude, don’t tell me you are in there washing his balls because I swear to god, I will disown you.’”
    I suck in a sharp breath at the harsh words.
    “He was laughing when he said it, but I know he meant it.”
    “Really? Do you really think he would disown you for being with a guy?”
    Tucker shakes his head. “I don’t know. He’s said other homophobic things over the years. I’ve never had to worry about them before so I just ignored them.”
    Fuck. This leaves us in a very shitty spot.
    “I don’t even know what to say,” I whisper.
    Tucker snorts. “Other than the fact that neither he nor my dad can know about us, I don’t know what else to say either.”
    “But what if they start questioning why you never have a girlfriend, or if you’re ever going to get married…” I start but Tucker cuts me off.
    “I can’t think about that right now, Denny,” he blurts, cutting me off.
    Jesus, this could be so bad for us. What if they find out and ask him to choose, them or me? Who will Tucker choose? I doubt it would be me. They’re his fucking family. But then again, he’s in love with me. Could he really give me up that easily? My heart says no. But my mind - that fucking bastard - thinks he would give me up in a heartbeat if his family asked him to. Or maybe that’s just my own insecurities talking.
    Tucker rakes a hand through his dark hair, messing it up more than it already is. “We just…we have to keep us a secret