simplepuzzle | It's been a while....

Chuck just drives off. Raleigh doesn't want to be around him and doesn't want Chuck around. He says he wants Chuck to be there but he keeps refusing his help and his presence and....he doesn't know what to do.

He gives him space. Doesn't push.

Isn't surprised when he doesn't call. But he stays in town, because he said he would and...well he has the time off anyway and it's the holidays and he might as well stick around. He can do some work from home.

The big tree in the center of town is being lit soon. It's fun, it was something Raleigh used to drag Chuck to it. Chuck actually hated going the first year, and pretended for the others. He'd be grumpy and cranky and cold and lean into Raleigh, tucking his face into his neck to hide the smile when the lights were turned on.

He hasn't been in a few years, and isn't sure he wants to now. Herc's practically pushing him out the door though, grumbling about how if Chuck spends another night moping on the couch watching Christmas specials with Max he's going to throw him out into the snow. So he's there, clutching a cup of hot spiced wine and hanging back from the crowd.

Raleigh doesn't call Chuck; he has to foce himself not to do it, not to text him. It takes a conscious effort to not pick up the phone and just send him random texts over nothing, like he used to do.

Instead, radio silence.

Raleigh dives into taking care of things, finances and mortgages and whatever else Yancy had going on. He empties his savings account paying off any debt Yancy may have had to avoid debt collecters calling and trying to take Yancy's assets. When - when - Yancy wakes up, he wants him in perfect financial condition (even if he knows Yancy will kick his ass when he finds out everything Raleigh's done but he won't argue long because they both know if the situation were reversed, Yancy'd do the same for him).

He needs a break from that though and --- the tree is going to be lit soon and Raleigh goes every year and meets up with the people he knows frmo around the small town (almost everyone; he's a friendly man, a social being even if he hasn't really let anyone in after Chuck) and he knows that he's going to get peppered with a thousand questions and well meaning wishes and it's going ot be awkward and painful but he goes anyway.

He's holding heavily spiked cider, surrounded by smiling faces and people hugging him and it takes a monumental effort to break away and duck to the back of the crowd, hands a little shaky.

See--that's what Chuck was talking about, everyone fucking loves Raleigh, anyone would help him if he asked, lend him money or help him figure out how to do this without emptying his own account.

He's stamping his feet to keep the feeling in his toes when he sees the commotion--the flurry of activity, hugs and well wishes, and doesn't realize it's Raleigh until the man himself makes his escape from the crowd.

He takes a long pull of his wine and looks for a place to go hide. Maybe behind that plastic reindeer.

Raleigh would never do that, never ask for that.

He pushes out of the crowd of people, shivers when the cold hits him and gulps at his cider, ignoring the temperature of it in favor of getting the alcohol into his system. It helps a little, sends a warm twinge through him but it's still really cold outside, there's snow sticking to the ground and there's a little bit in the air if you looked close enough; tiny, white flakes that reflect the Christmas lights that hang all around the area.

A few land in his drink, but he drinks it anyway.

He looks up, meets Chuck's eyes and the surprise registers - Chuck hates this and Raleigh hadn't...expected to see him here, especially standing a few short feet away.

"...Hey."

No but he should accept help when people want to offer it to him.

Chuck tightens his grip around his mug. He's lived in California for the past couple of years, and doesn't have as many cold weather clothes as he should have. Gloves included. The mug's warm.

"Hey. Sorry, i didn't know you'd be here." He should go, right? This is Raleigh's territory now.

Maybe. But how easily would Chuck just accept help if offered?

"I come every year," he says, glancing over at the tree and closing the distance between them so they're not talking over three feet of awkward open space. "Tradition."

Chuck should know. He'd remember. Raleigh dragged Chuck every year, made him suffer in the cold with him, listened to his grumpiness about it. The memory makes him smile briefly.

It depends on how desperate he was.

"I remember." And he should have known, probably, but he thought he might be with Yancy after that last fight. "I wasn't sure you'd be here, I guess I meant."

And Raleigh's moving closer which just has Chuck narrowing his eyes because last he saw Raleigh seemed to want nothing to do with him.

Oh, he's been with Yancy. He just -- needed to get out.

...He'd been with Yancy a lot, really. After the fight he'd sort of collapsed into the chair by the bed and told him everything, poured his heart out and cried, begged Yancy to wake up and be better, but -- no response.

Please man, I need you.

"Figured I'd keep with tradition." He doesn't come close, just close enough to talk without looking crazy awkward about it. And Chuck -- Jesus, you're reading way too much into that. Raleigh never said he didn't want Chuck around or want anything to do with him.

He hasn't called Chuck, hasn't...

Chuck's just getting the impression that Raleigh doesn't want to be around him. He wants to be there for Raleigh, Raleigh knows that, but hasn't asked him back. So he's kept his distance, thinking Raleigh doesn't want him around.

"Any change?" He doesn't know if it's okay to ask, again, is pretty sure Raleigh's been getting asked that question a million times already just tonight but--he cares too, okay, it's not just that he cares about what this is doing to Raleigh.

It's sort of the right impression if Raleigh is honest. He -- wants Chuck around but he knows Chuck will just leave him again and he knows Chuck's kind of seeing someone so there's no point in letting himself fall back into old, familiar habits when it's going to inevitably break his heart.

What's left of it, anyway.

Raleigh can't go back with Chuck, he can't leave Yancy and he's not going to. He's got a life set up here in this small little town and he's got his brother to look out for and he can't abandon that. He loves Chuck, he does - with his heart and soul but he can't entertain the notion of them being any more than what they are right now because Chuck can (and will, when he leaves) utterly shatter Raleigh.

He polishes off his cider and glances around for a trash can and tosses it in the nearest bin before rubbing gloved hands together.

"No. It's still the same. They say no news is good news but--"

Raleigh doesn't see anything good about Yancy lying in a hospital bed, unresponsive.

"Yeah." Chuck remembers. He's not exactly a stranger to waiting by someone's bedside.

They can't be friends. Not after what they've had, Chuck said that before he left and they both know that. They both agreed. Which maybe was the mistake Chuck made when he came here trying to help him.

And he's not even sir he's going to call that guy back when he gets home--when he said 'sort of' he meant 'sort of'. He's seeing other people and he's not looking for anything serious. He's not going to fucking settle.

And it's been established in the car--well, the parking lot--that getting back together wouldn't be any good, remaining feelings or not. Raleigh jut assumes Chuck will leave like he did before...and he will, if they don't actually get any of this in the open in a more calm sort of discourse.

"Have they changed anything in the past five years?" He jerks his head at the tree.

Edited 2014-01-01 20:27 (UTC)

The tree stands tall and proud, the city's lights a picturesque backdrop for the night. It's clear, too -- if there weren't so many lights on, the stars would be visible and if they left, went out to some of those wide open fields they used to go to when they wanted to kiss and grope and maybe fuck in the backseat and they could map them out, trace constellations with their fingers and laugh in one anothers arms.

"Yeah. They bring Santa in now." He laughs, expression brightening a little as he gestures. "More people come, too. There's supposed to be a live band and after, they'll be giving away free cups of cider for adults, alcohol free for the kids. I'm...supposed to help hand out for a little while. Want to help me?"

Edited 2014-01-01 20:36 (UTC)

The entire party is full of nostalgia and memories for them both, changes or no, and it hurts.

Chuck's about to give up and go home. He's been talking with a couple people who remember him and it's just awkward and weird and they're staring at him like they know why Raleigh's been weird. Other than Yancy.

"...I could. Do you want me to stay?" Because if he doesn't he doesn't have to stay.

It is and it does. It hurts and tears at him but it's -- it's also nice. It reminds him of a time when he was really, really fucking happy and it's bad and good.

"Yeah." He smiles at Chuck, a little glimmer of his old self. "Let's get a little closer, see them light the tree, then we can hit up the booth and see where they need us." He nudges Chuck's arm a little.

"Can sneak some of the cider, too." Like they're young and free and like it's okay and nothing is wrong.

This is such a bad idea.

...and confusing.

"The last time I saw you it sounded like you didn't want to see me again," he says slowly. "I'm happy to stay and help, but do you really want me here?"

......not that he'd leave, but he'd go to the other side of the park and avoid Raleigh.

Raleigh's eyes flick over Chuck before he looks at the tree then back again. He steps closer, tentatively closing some of the gap.

"I'm sorry -- that we fought. I was an asshole."

Chuck's words still ring in his ears, though--

Your fault--you broke us up--I didn't want to lose you--

"You came out here to help me and I've just -- been a dick. My heads all fucked up right now, I'm sorry. I'm probably giving you whiplash." He takes a deep breath.

"I want you here."

Chuck wants to agree with Raleigh's admission of dickishness, but he wisely keeps his mouth shut on that subject.

"Like I said, I'm here when you need me." He smiles crookedly.

"How can I help?"

He gestures up at the tree, eyes crinkling as he smiles sort of tiredly.

"Watch them light this thing with me and help me pass out drinks to half wasted adults?"

Chuck wants to lean in and kiss the corner of his eyes at those wrinkles, just to ease them.

"Sounds good." And maybe they can bury a couple hatchets. Chuck'll follow Raleigh around to the drinks. After swallowing his own cup and tossing it out.

He comes to stand next to Chuck so he can see the tree, his shoulder barely touching against Chuck's. The tree isn't lit yet, but they're starting to talk on stage about traditions and this, that and the other.

It's only through sheer force of will that he doesn't sling an arm around Chuck's shoulders and draw him in like he used to do. Even so, his gloved hand brushes against Chuck's bare one and he looks down, brow furrowing.

"Forgot gloves?"

He looks down at his bare hands and makes a face, bringing them to his face to breathe on them for warmth.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't snow a lot at hom--in Cali." His coat is too thin, too. He wasn't actually expecting to come here, came last minute and only arranged the time off when he was on the road. He threw cloths into suitcases and started driving.

He's making a note to find where Herc put away his stuff.

It's all sort of starting to hit Raleigh how fast Chuck dropped everything and came out here for him. Before, when Chuck walked into that hospital room it'd been like some kind of dream. The times after, it just...hadn't occurred to him and then they argued and now --

He feels like even more of an asshole.

Raleigh tugs his own gloves off and reaches to catch Chuck's bare ones in his, smoothing over them to give him heat.

"Take mine. I'm used to this weather. It doesn't really bother me."

This really is like whiplash. They're holding hands now and--

"Thanks." He pulls the gloves on and rubs them together. "I've got some cold weather stuff somewhere in the house, I just haven't needed it til now." He wrinkles his nose at the snow as if it's waited for him to really get comfortable.

"You moved here from Alaska, right? Isn't this shorts and t-shirt weather for you?" Chuck teases him after a moment, passing a cup to someone passing by. The wine is keeping him warm and gently fuzzy, a little readier to be casual around Raleigh instead of on edge.

"Yeah, kinda," he says with a grin. "This time of year, it snows almost every day in Anchorage. It's pretty cold here though, but not like Alaska."

The booth is really in a perfect location; they can see the tree from here and they're on the main drag - there's people passing by, picking up the cups and Raleigh's stealing one for himself when he thinks no one is looking. The snow keeps falling - light, but it's sticking.

He nudges a cup in Chuck's direction and hums Christmas carols under his breath.

Edited 2014-01-02 03:54 (UTC)

"Weirdo." Chuck grins crookedly at him.

He'll duck his head to steal a sip here and there. "Do you still come to this every year?" He asks under his breath. Does he go with anyone?

It's gorgeous tonight, the sky darkening quickly in the winter hours, snow showing up bright against the sky and street lamps. The smells of hot wine and cider and baking cookies are floating around and Chuck's starting to feel the warmth in his fingers and around his chest.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject