The Argument 2

"You're still talking to him." Things like this never started out loud. Julian had a way of saying things casually, nonchalantly, that made her feel at ease. Then, "Idiot."

"Come on."

"What, come on? You're an idiot."

"You."

"And when he calls again? No doubt you'll answer it. Because you're an idiot."

"Fuck you. His grandma's sick, he needed someone to talk to. It was just a favor. That's it."

"You spoke to him."

"

God

. I won't answer his calls anymore. Okay?"

"You could've just done that in the first place. Idiot."

"Stop it. God."

"No." He was smiling now. "Idiot."

"Fucking stop it."

"No."

"Don't test me."

Julian laughed. "Or what?" She was quiet, so he continued. "What could you possibly--?"

"You don't want to know." Kate was bluffing. He knew this, and she knew he knew this. Still, "Trust me."

"Go for it."

Nothing.

"Do it. I give you full permission." He paused, waiting. "You stupid bitch."

"You're a stupid bitch!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "You're the idiot. God. I just, I don't want to hurt you."

"You couldn't hurt me. You're nothing."

"Stop it."

"You're a child. Nothing more."

"I'm important to you."

"You're not."

"I am."

"How would you hurt me, Kate?"

"I'm just as important to you as you are to me."

"I want to hear this."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Tell me, or I'll tell him I fucked you."

She looked up at him, surprised. This was the first time he'd acknowledged that. "Go ahead."

"I'll tell him all the shit you've told me since you broke up."

Slowly, "I don't think you will."

"Better tell me. To be sure."

"Go ahead and do it. I don't give a shit about him anymore."

"Now that," Julian said, "is definitely a lie."

"Whatever you think, idiot."

"So you admit there's nothing?" He asked, searching her face for a surrender. "You have nothing on me."

She didn't respond.

"Good, I didn't think you were that stupid."

Kate glared at him. Fights with Julian were always impossible. She never got out on top, never got an apology -- always ended up taking the blame.

"You're so fucking dumb about this shit. You should've stopped talking to him."

"I did." She was exasperated. "God."

"He thinks there's an opening now. You acknowledge him, his friends, when you see them around."

"I don't go to places if I think they're gonna be there."

"You know what I'm fucking talking about, though. Stop arguing, it's pointless. You fucked up and you know it. You make me put far more effort into this than I want to. I'm getting tired of it."

Whatever

this

was.

Quietly, he added "Idiot."

"Stop it. Yes, I fucked up."

"You stop it."

"I won't talk to him again.

God

. Okay?"

"Yes." He took a seat on the couch across the room. A small bar stood between them. "Bring me a drink."

She sighed. "What do you want?"

"Bourbon."

"Straight?"

"In a glass, idiot."

"I know in a glass, but do you want it with water? Ice? Soda?"

"Soda?"

"I'm just asking."

"Just bourbon in a glass, Kate."

"God." She poured the drink, grabbed a beer for herself, and sat down at the other end of the couch. They were quiet, momentarily, as they sipped their beverages.

"And you're still friends with Will," he said absently.

"Do you have a list somewhere of all the things I do that you don't approve of? Jesus Christ."

"You're still friends with Matt, too."

"I barely ever talk to them."

"But you do. Talk."

"Who cares?"

"They're his roommates."

"Stop it. This is ridiculous."

"When all that shit went down you should've just cut them all out of your life. Talking to them only makes things more complicated."

"You're a fucking jerk sometimes."

"Get fucked, bitch." He swallowed the rest of his bourbon and got to his feet to pour himself another glass. "Stop trying to defend yourself when you know I'm right."

"You're a fucking jerk."

"And you're an idiot." Standing beside the bar now, he watched her. "A child."

That was the worst one. Idiot was fine. Stupid, okay. Being called a child injured her in a way nothing else did. Kate shook her head, not meeting his gaze. "Just stop it."

"It's true, though."

"You're making me crazy. Please."

"You make yourself crazy trying to argue with me about things when you know, deep down, I'm right."

Nothing.

"So fuck you."

"No."

They were quiet again. He finished his second drink without sitting down, then started on a third.

"Your needs and desires are unimportant," he said evenly.

"That's not true. You care about me."

"Nope."

"Yes. You'd be a pretty awful person if you didn't care even a little. And you're not an awful person."

"Yes."

"Just sit down."

Julian laughed, but didn't move.

"What."

"I just can't believe how stupid you are."

"God, stop it."

"You really are."

"Fucking stop it, Julian. I mean it. Stop. You're a--"

"What. What am I?"

"Nothing."

"Say it. Go ahead."

"Just stop."

"There isn't anything you could say in a million years that would upset me. That's how insignificant you are."

"Just shut up."

"You're a child."

She got to her feet. "Julian."

"You are."

"Stop it."

"You're a little girl."

She lost her cool. Without thinking, she pushed him back with all her strength. He stumbled briefly then, grabbing a handful of her hair, shoved her up against the wall. He stood over her, fuming, as she tried helplessly to regain control.

"Let go of me."

"You stupid bitch."

"Let me go."

"That was fucking stupid."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not."

"I didn't mean to."

"You're a fucking child."

"Fuck you."

He slapped her, open handed, across the face. "Watch your mouth. Watch the way you fucking speak to me. Do you understand?"

She was quiet.

"Do you understand?"

"Let me go. You're hurting me."

Still holding her by the hair, he yanked her from the wall and tossed her to the ground. He climbed on top of her, pinning her arms above her head with one hand. "Answer the question."

"What -- what was the question."

He slapped her again. She let out a whimper.

"Look at me."

He grabbed her face and forced it toward him. "Fucking look at me, Kate."

She did.

"Watch the way you fucking speak to me.

Do you understand?

"

"Yes."

"You stupid bitch."

She was distracted now, because she could feel his erection pressed against her pelvis. Cautiously, she lifted her hips to grind herself against it.

Julian just glared at her. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

He barely got the question out before she kissed him. Still holding her down, he undid his belt and tugged his pants and boxers down. "You're making a mistake," he told her as he pulled up her skirt and shoved her panties to the side. He paused briefly to let his words sink in before he forced himself inside of her with one swift motion.

She cried out.

"Shut up," he said. He was fucking her now, hard and fast, and it hurt, and he knew it hurt. She was small. The first time he'd fucked her -- after a similar fight -- he forced her down on his cock while she whimpered into his shoulder -- you're too big she said, please go slower she said, and he said fuck you you stupid bitch you stupid wet bitch you want this and you deserve this and you're nothing.

Kate turned her head, gazing under the couch as tears filled her eyes. Last time he covered her mouth when he got tired of her pleading -- it was uncomfortable, she didn't want that again. Every once in a while she let out a quiet gasp, but really he was drilling her so savagely it all blended together.

He slapped her. It felt good, slapping her. He'd never hit her before. Last time he threw her all around her bedroom, bouncing her off the walls, taking pleasure in the ease with which she fell. She was in love with him. He knew that, and he cared for her, was maybe even in love with her, but he would never admit it, not unless she really needed him to. He slapped her again. "You're a child." Again. "Stupid bitch." Again.

This pulled her back to reality. She looked up at him, at his strong, handsome face; looked down, enjoying the sight of him entering her. It hurt, and she liked to be hurt, and he liked to hurt her. "Oh." She felt an orgasm rising in the pit of her stomach. "Oh," she sighed again, meeting his hips now each time he plunged into her. The feeling continued to rise and she threw her head back, coming hard, biting her lip to keep from calling out, when suddenly the back of his hand connected with her cheek with such force that she momentarily forgot her surroundings.

"Did I say you could come?"

She was quiet; unaware he'd spoken.

"Did. I. Say. You. Could. Come." He had pulled out of her, was glaring down at her. "Did I say you could fucking come?!" He shouted, his face centimeters from hers.

"...No."

"You don't fucking come unless I say so."

"I'm sorry."

He pushed himself into her mouth and continued to fuck her there, ignoring her occasional muffled whimpers, gaining force with each thrust. He was close now, and he considered pulling out so he could finish on her face but no, he much preferred knowing that he was inside of her, that she had no choice but to swallow his come. "Fuck," he grunted, his orgasm building inside him, until finally he exploded and as he did so he berated her, "you stupid fucking bitch, you little girl, you child, you're an idiot, an idiot, you fucking bitch, you worthless fucking idiot."

A little light headed, he got to his feet and pulled his pants back on.

"Get up," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her up roughly. "Look at me."

She did.

"You do not finish unless I say so."

"I'm sorry."

"What I do, what I did just now, that isn't for you." With his hand still wrapped around her arm, he squeezed tightly. "It's for me. The fact that you enjoyed it just means you're a sick, twisted bitch." Still squeezing, "If I want you to come, I will tell you to come. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Please, you're hurting me."

He threw her onto the couch. "Finish your fucking beer, little girl."

Shaking slightly, she did as she was told.