Under The Mistletoe

[simplepuzzle]

 
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Comments

[unbreachable]

Well now Raleigh's asleep and that wakes him up and he's so confused.

wha?

[simplepuzzle]

OVER A FUCKING MONTH NOT A FUCKING WORD

Sorry Raleigh this is what happens when you go radio silent on the people in your life. Even if you don't want them in your life any more.

[unbreachable]

He needed a break. God forbid anyone understand that.

I'm sorry.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck hella fucking understands but there's taking a break and there's making no fucking ripple wherever you disappeared to.


Raleigh'll get a series of texts in the next minute or so.

jesus i thought you were fucking dead you weren't replying to yancy he was worried

sorry

drunk

worried

happy new year

i'll leave you alone

[unbreachable]

I'm sorry.

He is.

And Chuck gets a few more back.

I'm okay. I'm sorry I worried you.

[simplepuzzle]

can you text yancy back too i think he's sad.

Just that one more. Sorry.

[unbreachable]

Yeah.

A beat.

I miss you.

[simplepuzzle]

I don't want to do this right now

but fuck off

Chuck's too drunk and suddenly sad--how dare Raleigh say that, when he walked away?

[unbreachable]

Alright. Fair enough.

..Okay.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck drops his phone as soon as he gets in the door and just leaves it there when he goes to fall into bed because he doesn't want to read any more texts until at least January 2nd.

It just--

--it hurts that Raleigh misses him, it's going to take him more than a month to get over the Beckets and then to hear that the one that just walked away from him misses him is--it's unfair and it hurts so fucking badly. Chuck just wants to sleep until it stops.

[unbreachable]

He'll have a few more waiting when he wakes up.

Be careful.

I'm sorry.

Please stay safe.

Text me when you're home?

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck stares at the texts while he drinks coffee and eats a pile of greasy eggs and bacon at one in the afternoon, deciding what to text back.

sorry for texting you last night i know you're trying to get over everything I'll leave you alone

[unbreachable]

I'm glad you did. I meant it...I miss you.

[simplepuzzle]

...Chuck drinks more coffee.

well you left

[unbreachable]

He's aware. Thanks.

I know.

[simplepuzzle]

I'm trying really hard to get over you and yance.

So you know.
Fuck off.

[unbreachable]

He swallows. Alright then.

I'll leave you alone.

[simplepuzzle]

Good.

Good.

....Chuck's new year's celebration continues for about a week.

[unbreachable]

Well.

That's...that. He doesn't know what else to do. The fuck off is pretty clear.

[simplepuzzle]

Did he really expect anything better? He blew up at Chuck at a christmas party and left him with hardly any warning when Chuck and Yancy both thought things were going pretty well.

It hurt. He's glad Raleigh's finally texting again, he's glad to know he's not dead, but--hearing 'i miss you' fucking hurts.

[unbreachable]

Yeah, well. Everyone has a breaking point. Raleigh hit his. He's so fucking sorry it wasn't convenient for everyone else.

He won't text again. Do as you please, Chuck, but he's coming back into the limelight, slowly but surely.

The public is pleased. He's not dead.

But he's not taking calls from anyone. No interviews. Just give him work.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck doesn't care how inconvenient it was for everyone he cares how much it hurt. He hasn't tried to ask for Raleigh back, hasn't made him feel bad for what he did--for not telling them before that point that he was having a problems, when they could have talked about it and done something about it.

Hell, he didn't stay with Yancy when he could have, when it would have been easy. It hurt to leave him too, but it wouldn't have been right to stay.

Chuck's trying to move on. Raleigh should do the same.

[unbreachable]

He is trying to. He just--

It's complicated, how he feels. Chuck barely even fought it which...which should be good, but it still stings. It's stupid and he knows that. Selfish, too.

He can't help it, though.

Chuck's been...phenomenally amazing about it, honestly. Raleigh expected backlash. Guilt tripping. Screaming at him about how he should've said something sooner or how it's all his fault anyway. But it's just...been radio silence from everyone.

Except Yancy but that's his brother and that's to be expected. He keeps getting where the fuck are you texts and finally...finally he responds.

Yancy's pissed. He gets it, but he's fucking pissed. Yancy even fights it a little.

C'mon. Talk to me. To him.

Ha, yeah right. That's like sticking a hand into a vipers nest.

You love him.

I'm also afraid of him, Jesus Christ he has a mouth full of nails.

So stand up to him. Don't take his shit. You sure don't take mine.

I don't want to do this with you, Yancy.

Too fucking bad. I want you back. I want him back. I want this to work.

I wanted it to work too but do you know what it's like, having to just fucking wait your turn?

Yeah. I do. You think it's been sunshine and roses for me? Waiting for you to finish fucking him in the bedroom so I can go to sleep?

Lucky him. He didn't get to experience that pleasure. That waiting around, hoping that we don't prefer each other over him. Must be nice.

Jesus Raleigh. Stop being like this.

But he can't. He's bitter and he's angry and he's hurting. Maybe it's all his fault as usual, but it fucking hurts him too.

[simplepuzzle]

And Chuck has no idea the Beckets are talking to each other at all.

And nobody talked to each other when they were together, that was the problem. Chuck fucked one or the other or they all fucked each other and Chuck had no idea either of them were feeling left out or lonely or annoyed or--

--that's the fucking problem.

Chuck doesn't really want to look for anyone but there are events and he's practically eye candy for hire so...he dates. Well, attends events on people's arms. And sometimes goes home with them. It doesn't fix anything.

[unbreachable]

They didn't. Not about the important shit, apparently. Which is ridiculous, because in a relationship like this, boundaries and communication are a must.

But they're new at it, so maybe it can be forgiven.

Maybe.

And no, It doesn't fix anything. Mostly because it gets slapped all over the tabloids and makes Raleigh and Yancy both assume that he's moved on.