It's been a while....

[simplepuzzle]

 It's been five years since Chuck left. Left his home, left his dad, left his dog, left Raleigh. 

And he hasn't looked back.

Because if he looked back he'd have to think about what he's left behind and if he thinks about it he'd have to do something about it. But it didn't work and they tried, they tried so hard. And it didn't make a damn bit of difference, so Chuck...throws himself into school. And he tries. 

Occasionally, he tries to date. A girl here, a guy there. Every time he tries to make an effort at a relationship it ends with a lot of anger. Chuck's not really good at this. Nothing's compared to Raleigh, and Chuck's not sure he'll ever have something like it again. And he refuses to settle. 
Love isn't everything. Chuck focuses on school. It's okay. 

And he's good. He's really good. That and the occasional one night stand satisfies him. 

And then he gets a call from Herc. Yancy's been in an accident. He's broken a few limbs, and he hasn't woken up. Herc isn't saying he should come back, and Chuck's been staring at Raleigh's number when Mako calls him. 
He needs you. 
Come home. 

Comments

[simplepuzzle]

"Sorry," he makes the next left as requested, fingers drumming on the steering wheel, nervous and awkward.

Chuck's quiet as they approach the restaurant. He could tell Raleigh his dating history, go into how instead of moving on or moving past anything, he kept looking for something that wasn't there. That wasn't Raleigh. And he'd get impatient and they'd get annoyed or angry or hurt and it just never worked.

"I mean," he starts, voice casual like none of it matters. "I'm not really looking for a serious thing."

And he shouldn't have said that, should let Raleigh believe that he's moved on, that there's nothing there any more.

[unbreachable]

Raleigh's pretty quiet too, looking out of the window, arms folded loosely over his chest, though he's still favoring that one on the left. It got fucked up pretty bad in the wreck, though he doesn't need surgery. For now.

That, though -- that makes Raleigh's brow furrow, because he's not sure what...to think of that but, well.

Chuck's seeing someone, and that's enough for him.

"Yeah, me either," he responds, tilting his head back. "I've got a lot going on." With Yancy and all.

[simplepuzzle]

He's noticed him favoring it, but isn't sure he should mention it. If Raleigh looks to be overusing it, or to be in some intense pain, he might.

"Yes."

And it's awkward now. "This it?"

[unbreachable]

"Yeah, this is it."

It's not too fancy, not too diner-ish. It's somewhere in the middle; reasonable food, a nice bar on the other side, overlooking the river. There's a live band playing, people laughing and having cocktails, but it's not that audible or distracting once they're inside.

"It's kind of a cool place, right?"

[simplepuzzle]

It's nice.

"Yeah, I like it." He smiles at Raleigh, expression cautious. He shrugs his jacket off and holds it over an arm before they're sat, when he'll drape it over th back of the seat a little carelessly.

[unbreachable]

He's just got a sweater on so he doesn't take it off, and he maintains the casual, easy expression he usually has, though he's still understandably a little haunted. He worries about Yancy, worries about him waking up and Raleigh not being there, worries about him taking a downward plunge while Raleigh's out to dinner or fucking off.

He sits across from Chuck and orders water and a beer as he peruses the menu, though it's going to be one he nurses for a while.

[simplepuzzle]

It's Chuck's instinct to reach over and take Raleigh's hand as he watches the shadows behind his eyes, lace their fingers and squeeze lightly just to let him know he's there.

But that would be sending some awfully mixed signals.

He'll order a beer too, and it'll be his only drink of the night. "Have you been here yet?"

[unbreachable]

It'd be Raleigh's instinct to just let him. Chuck being here, though -- that's nice. That helps, even if they can't be anything at all.

"Nope." He shakes his head, takes a single sip. "Kept meaning to swing by, see what the fuss is about, never quite had time to do it."

[simplepuzzle]

There's a 'first time' joke in there that Chuck's no way touching.

"So I can't ask you what's good." Hm. But the food isn't that important, and once he decides, he'll set the menu down. "How did today go?"

[unbreachable]

"I've had friends recommend some stuff," he offers. He rattles off a few things he thinks Chuck might like before shrugging his shoulder.

"Bout the same. Long. Talked to a few doctors, took some notes. Tryin' to figure out the next steps."

And how...he's going to manage all of Yancy's finances and his home and his car and other things all while still trying to juggle his and he's pretty sure...one of the houses is gonna be lost - his, probably, because no way is he letting Yancy lose his home. What if he wakes up? Raleigh can get an apartment or something.

[simplepuzzle]

"Good. I guess."

Chuck drums his fingers on the table, watching Raleigh carefully.

"...Raleigh," he starts, frowning a little. "Is anyone helping you out with any of this?" Not the emotional support though he clearly needs that, but the logistics and the details and the expense and the paperwork has to be harder on him when he's like this.

[unbreachable]

Raleigh blinks at him, not comprehending at first, then shrugs.

"It's fine. I can handle it." He's looking into an attorney, but --

It's expensive.

[simplepuzzle]

"Ray, you've been barely been handling yourself."

Chuck's considering hiring a babysitter for this man.
Not that Raleigh needs taking care of, but--

--yeah no he needs someone taking care of him right now.

[unbreachable]

Chuck if you hire someone to take care of Raleigh he will punch you in the face.

"I'm pulling it together."

He has to. He's got no other choice.

[simplepuzzle]

Worth it.

"It took your ex boyfriend of five years ago coming in to town to get you out of the hospital," Chuck says sharply. Can Raleigh actually look at how he's been the past week and think that he's been holding it together?

And he wasn't going to bring up their relationship, wasn't going to talk about it, but dammit Raleigh.

[unbreachable]

"He's my brother," Raleigh snaps back, eyes flashing.

"I needed to be there for him. He's always been there for me."

Especially when Chuck left.

[simplepuzzle]

"I'm not saying you shouldn't be there for him," Chuck agrees, scowling.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't be there or by his side, but you're about as capable of making good decisions as he is right now," he growls, leaning back in his seat and shaking his head. He realizes he might be going to far, but Raleigh is close to killing himself with worry and no one in his life can stand to see it.

[unbreachable]

Except who is there in his life? Coworkers maybe, he still talks to Chuck's dad but that's it. He has people he talks to but --

He's not close to any of them and Chuck certainly isn't in his life.

"Fuck you," he snarls, starting to stand. "I don't need this shit right now."

[simplepuzzle]

Coworkers, Mako, Herc--everyone loves Raleigh, he's a fucking puppy.

"Raleigh, sit back down." Chuck reaches to grab Raleigh's wrist.

"Stop acting like you're the only person in this, take a fucking break and ask for some fucking help," he hisses. He'll let go of Raleigh pulls again, but he wants Raleigh to new that. "You can't do everything yourself."

[unbreachable]

"Who do you want me to ask?" He shoots back, though he does sit back down.

"Herc? You?"

[simplepuzzle]

"You have to have friends," he slowly lets to of Raleigh's wrist.

"Dad and Mako both called me, did I tell you that? Have you asked anyone for help?"

[unbreachable]

"No, you didn't."

He's pulling his arm away now, tucking it in his lap.

"What difference does it make to you? I'll figure it out, Chuck. I just need to get my head back on straight."

[simplepuzzle]

"...I guess it doesn't."

It's not like Chuck has any say or input in Raleigh's life. "I think I'm going to get the lobster Mac and cheese," he mutters, pulling his beer closer.

He lost the right to fight Raleigh on shit like this when he left, apparently.

[unbreachable]

He kind of did, unfortunately.

"Burger for me."

He tugs his own beer closer, sighs, and takes a long pull.

This wasn't going at all how he wanted.

[simplepuzzle]

Yeah. Because they decided not to be friends, so he doesn't even have friend privileges.

"If my being here's making it worse, i don't have to be," he mutters. It's not a threat, it's an honest concern right now. "Mako could have had it wrong."