Steve and Jake had both just finished work and decided to grab a beer. Although the two of them had been friends for many years, the truth is they both kind of hated each other. But without the routine and weekly bitchfests they had, neither really had any other friends they could just hang out with.
They were as different as night and day. Steve was a hockey fan while Jake preferred football. They almost always held contrarian views on any subject, be it politics or religion (Steve was a right winged lapsed catholic while Jake was a centre left agnostic jew) and had escalating arguments that got louder and louder until one nearly punched the other. It was a long friendship of almost fistfights and grumbled comebacks long after the fact.
On this particular day after work, they were both in foul moods. Jake had lost out on a promotion to a new hire while Steve had dealt with the most impossible bitchiest customers all day. Hostile and itching for a fight, they both kept escalating and escalating until suddenly something snapped and Jake socked Steve in the snout as hard as he could. Blood went everywhere all at once and seemed to be spraying out of Steve's nose. The bouncer had had enough and threw them both into the streets a second later, jamming a clean bar rag under Steve's nose as he shoved him out the door.
They both just sat on the curb for a couple of minutes, completely stunned by what had just happened. Although they had always had a combative relationship, neither Steve nor Jake ever imagined it would reach this level. Steve started to curse at Jake just then in disbelief. He just kept saying he couldn't believe it.
It might've been the beer or the lousy day but Jake started crying. He said how sorry he was and he didn't mean it, it just happened. Jake stood up and offered his hand to Steve. He accepted and the two made their way down the street. They may not be much but they were all each other had.
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