What in tarnation did I read? I read about a toxic couple who fight. Not a screaming match, no, not that. They literally fight with their hands. If this isn't an extreme case of GET OUT then I don't know what is. This couple needs to break up and one needs to move across the country. ( )

Things are not always like they seem, especially where relationships are concerned. Nobody "on the outside" can really see what's going on, and this story about Joe and his husband of ten years, Doug, is a good example.

Joe, a cop with straightforward tastes, and Doug, with a very refined palate and a snobbish group of friends, are not exactly well-suited to be a couple - not at first glance, and not even when looking a little more deeply. Both are strong men, both are stubborn, and they fight a lot. I mean a LOT. Even getting physical is not outside the realm of almost-normal for them lately. But the one thing they agree on is that they love each other and that a life apart from each other would be far worse than toughing it out together. While they both admit life together isn't easy and their relationship has gotten worse in the last few months, they haven't really done anything about it. It takes a pretty traumatic event for them to realize they may need to do more than "try to talk to each other".

If you like realistic stories about men with relationship issues and don't mind some violence, if men struggling to deal with their differences interest you, and if you're looking for a short read that might make you think about how couples deal with problems, then you will probably like this free short story.

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