« Fuck, you're hot » growled Alexander, but his voice sounded tinny, like it was miles away or on a bad connection. Ernest didn't even care to answer, just enjoying the warm proximity of another man's body, his eyes closed, his hips moving to the beat, rubbing against the man's arse, feeling his cock twitch with interest. Finally, the music ended and another track began. As Alexander tried to pull him closer, another guy came from behind and asked roughly in his ear, his breath tickling Ernest's neck « Hey, wanna dance ? ». Ignoring Alexander's disappointed glance, he turned toward the other man and started dancing with him with a bright smile. His interlocutor looked like a fucking model coming straight from an OUT Magazine. He was approximatively 6'4, which made him a giant in comparison of Ernest's smaller frame. The baker couldn't help but bask in all the attention. Generally, wherever they went, Hayden was the one that attracted the eye, with his beautiful but somewhat feminine figure, his high-pitched voice, his graceful manners and his laugh. Ernest was more scruffy, rugged. He had thick shoulders, and he was very short and appeared more awkward in public. But now, he seemed to be in the mindset of half of the male population of the bar. Deciding to be a little more adventurous, he lifted his arms to put them behind his partner's nape to facilitate his hip movements, pulling him a lot closer than he intended to. The giant ("Paul" was his name) took this as a sign to lean and kiss him forcefully. Shocked, Ernest stopped dancing and pushed him away, before shouting so he would be heard on top of the music « I have someone. ». Paul shrugged, but resumed his dancing « Where is he, then ? » he wondered gruffly. Ernest looked around, before spotting Hayden who was looking at him with murderous eyes. He smiled and thumbed up to show he was enjoying himself, before turning back to Paul. The song ended again, and before he knew it he was back in Alexander's arms, who (so it seemed) had waited for his turn on the dancefloor. « Don't think about escaping me » he flirted « I won't let someone as sexy as you get away from me. ». Ernest blushed, flattered, but didn't think too much of that. Honestly, he wasn't interested, as handsome as the man was. However, he flirted back with a charming smile « Well, you'd better keep me close to you then. ».

Ernest just wanted to forget how fucking insecure the entrevue between Hayden and Brandon earlier had made him. He didn't want to think about them talking like they were the best friends in the world, falling slowly back in their former camaraderie like they'd never put an end to it. Brandon had been right, earlier. He'd came to the bakery in the morning, had belittled every thing in the shop, told him how unattractive he was, how miserable Hayden found himself in Stars Hollow, and how much happier he would be if he had stayed in New York, where he truly belonged. Told him he was selfish for keeping Hayden from his true dreams. Bragged about being able to seduce Hayden and bring him back to New York with him. Said he could already see what effect he had on him, that he'd offered Hayden to come back and that he was considering it. When Ernest, tired of listening to all that bullshit, had considered punching him in the face, the asshole just smirked, gestured him goodbye, flashing his one million dollars smile and his rollex as he left. So yeah, dancing and flirting playfully was easier than having to face what was already in front of his eyes. Drinking himself to oblivion to dismiss how shitty he felt, how much he hated himself and how desperate he was. Because it was hard not to believe Brandon when Hayden had been doing nothing all night but laugh and fawn on his former boyfriend, completely ignoring his actual fiancé, like he didn't exist at all. Finally, he opened his eyes to take his surrounding, and saw Hayden's face, crying as he looked in his direction. He frowned. Had he done something wrong ? What was the matter ? Had he seen that other guy kiss him and completely misunderstood what happened ? Not even taking the time to excuse himself to Alexander, he ran after Hayden, looking for him in the crowd but to no avail. Where the hell was he ? He made his way to the restroom, still not seeing the young man anywhere (he blushed deeply when he realized some men were on the receiving hand of blowjobs just in front of him). Ernest got out of the toilets, and was surprised to see Alexander waiting for him, with a flirty smile, but he wasn't in the mood to play anymore. « Told you I wouldn't let you escape » he bragged, but Ernest rolled his eyes « Well, you really shouldn't. I need to go. » as he passed the blond, the man took his wrist and forced him to turn to look at him « So what, not even a kiss goodbye ? ». Pissed off, Ernest snapped « I don't kiss random men, I already have a gorgeous fiancé, thank you » before brushing him off and continuing his research, dreading what was to come. Finally, he found him at the bar, looking utterly depressed and downing a shot. He sighed, relief filling him. Putting his hand on Hayden's shoulders, he whispered in his ear « Hey Baby. What's the matter ? » Brandon won't fuck you ? He added in his head, before slapping himself mentally.

Hayden tensed up completely as he felt Ernest's breath ghost across his ear. He slammed his glass down, before turning his head, glaring at him, tears gathering in his eyes again. ''Why don't you just go back to the dance floor, and try to get off with all those guys? You seemed to enjoy yourself.'' He whispered coldly, afraid to say it any louder, because he knew his voice would break. He couldn't believe his own eyes! He still couldn't get the images away of Ernest grinding against those guys, face flushed which was a clear sign that he had been aroused. He turned away from Ernest again, gesturing to the waiter for another drink. It only took three big sips, before he had downed that too. He could only imagine his hangovers tomorrow, but he couldn't care less. The worst thing was, he didn't even have any friends here he could stay with. There was nobody. He had never opened up to them, and they had never opened up to him. They were all Ernest's friends, not his. The only one who was kind and friendly, was that old lady he was working with at his boring desk job. God, his life was so depressing, and now.. Now he wouldn't have anyone, since Ernest had apparently gotten tired of him. Why else would he seek the company of other guys? He felt sick! ''Oh for the record, I heard you, Ernest'' He didn't even turn around to look at him again, instead staring determinedly at his glass. ''It wasn't enough to grind against them, and try go get off with them on the dance floor? You were flir...'' He trailed off, voice breaking. ''...Flirting with them.'' He finally finished, and then more angrily. ''So.. How many of them are you taking home with you?'' He couldn't stop himself from asking. Brandon had done the same thing countless of times, and Hayden had been too pathetic to say no, afraid that he would end up alone in the big city, and all he wanted was just to feel loved, but Brandon had just loved him in the wrong way. And now Ernest was so close on cheating on him. He couldn't believe it! He really thought that Ernest wasn't that kind of guy. He would never do something like that! Or would he?

Ernest's head was spinning. He was no fit for such a discussion. Was Hayden jealous ? Didn't he know Ernest would never cheat on him ? Yes, he was flirting back with those strangers, but it was all fun and games. Never had he even consider going further than dancing with one of them. And Hayden could talk ! Ignoring him all night to talk to his ex-boyfriend, laughing about the "good old times", never once defending him, himself or them, when Brandon opened his stinky mouth to criticize everything they'd built here. If one person had the right to feel cheated here, it was him, Ernest. He wasn't the one considering going back to New York. Ernest took his fiancé arm to pull him toward the exit, passing over his protest that he had just ordered a drink. They couldn't talk here with the loud music, and he'd rather be able to hear what Hayden had to say. Once they were out (Ernest telling the bouncer to fuck off) they went to sit on one of the bench in the street. The baker refused to sit, though, and stayed there standing up. He was fuming, pacing in front of Hayden. Finally, he started to speak « Listen, I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. I had no right to dance and flirt with those guys and you are right. I shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry. But for my defense, I'm not the only one to blame here ! Do you think I would have felt the need to attract your attention that way if you hadn't been ignoring me all night to flirt with your ex ? » he breathed loudly, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. « And how dare you blame me ! How dare you when you are the one flying back to New York soon ! DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME » he shouted, seeing Hayden open his mouth to disagree « BRANDON TOLD ME EVERYTHING ! Came to the bakery earlier to tell me how worthless I am and how you were considering going back with him ! ». His heart was beating too fast and he was sweating and he wanted nothing more but to curl up in his bed and cry, let all the frustration out « I have nothing without you ! NOTHING ! And sometimes I don't even feel like I have you, because all you do all day is regret coming back to Stars Hollow ! ». His first collided with all wall and he yelled, seeing the blood all over his knuckles. « You could be happy here ! » he exclaimed « You could be happy, but you don't want to be. You don't even try. And Brandon, he sees that. Of course he does. That bastard still loves you, and he has done nothing but spit on me and us since he came here. But all you do is ignore it, how can I trust you with my heart when you don't believe in us ? When you can't fucking open your mouth to tell him to stop taking shit ? How do you think that makes me feel ?! You don't even respect yourself, when he's here, you're so preoccupied by what that asshole thinks, I don't know what he did to make you so unconfident about yourself, you don't need his approval in your life ! ». He kicked the wall with his feet. « I'm tired of this ! And I'm tired of the way you've been acting. You're hurting me. And you can't even see that. So you know what ? I'm going back in there, and I'm going to have fun with people that don't see me as their own personal failure. Because that's all you think, when you see me right ? The reason you hate your life. I'm the reason you hate your life. » he let a sob escape his throat, and finally sprawled against the wall, his face in his hands to hide his tears.

« I danced with other guys. I didn't grind against them. And yes, that guy did kiss me, but I told him I wasn't single. » he protested, but even his argument sounded weak to his own ears « I'm so so sorry. I just don't know what to do with myself right now. When that asshole told me you were going back to New York with him, all I could think of was - » he swallowed with difficulty « He already left me for him once. And ... You deserve so much more than just me. You deserve everything Brandon has to offer. Money, opportunities, New York. You deserve something exciting. I'm just a baker. I can't give you exciting. ». He wiped his face « And I already ruined my chances, didn't I ? You're going to leave me because I am an idiot and I let someone flirt with me and I flirted back. I feel like the worst person in the world right now. ».