Under The Mistletoe

[simplepuzzle]

 
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Comments

[unbreachable]

You know what, fuck you. I'm not doing this over text.


[simplepuzzle]

Fine.

He takes that to mean Raleigh's giving up which is fine.

[unbreachable]

That's apparently all Chuck thinks he's good for. He's never had someone lack faith in him as much as Chuck.

So can we talk or are you gonna continue to talk down to me?

[simplepuzzle]

you just said you didn't want to!

He had faith in Raleigh. It's why he brought up the possibility of being with both brothers instead of just with Raleigh when they realized they had feelings for each other. Raleigh just....already proved that this isn't something he can do and Chuck doesn't see why he should put himself through the pain just because Raleigh snaps his fingers.

[unbreachable]

I said I didn't want to do it over text!

If that's what Chuck thinks Raleigh's doing, then they don't need to talk.

You know what, forget it.

[simplepuzzle]

Do you want me to call?

Remember, Chuck was born in the aughts. He grew up texting with phone calls as a secondary use.

[unbreachable]

I wanted to talk to you in person. But this is just a lost cause.

[simplepuzzle]

I AM IN AUSTRALIA

how does Raleigh expect to do a face to face exactly?

[unbreachable]

I DON'T HAVE A FUCKING HOMING BEACON ON YOU.

FORGET IT.

[simplepuzzle]

FINE

It's better if they don't.

[unbreachable]

Clearly.

There's no more texts from this end.

[simplepuzzle]

Good. They all need to move on. Raleigh's not for polyamory and if he wants back in a relationship with Yancy and Chuck he's going to have to be; and Chuck's not risking it without Raleigh giving him something to go on, not after what happened.

...It still hurts. Chuck loses himself a little bit in the partying, just to stop feeling for as long as he can.

He. Gets a little bit too lost, a little too often. Something bad happens, and he's rushed to the hospital.

Of course, it ends up on the covers of half a dozen magazines; Hansen Rushed To HOspital After Night Of Debauchery! IS IT PILLS????

which is bullshit of course, but he's still fending off calls when he's recovering, mostly from his dad calling him an idiot.

[unbreachable]

If Chuck would actually talk to him, Raleigh genuinely wants to make it better. Make it work. He needs more open communication from everyone, including himself.

He doesn't deserve the chance, but it irks him that he keeps getting told to fuck off.

He hears about what happened from social media first, phones Yancy and they're immediately on a private jet, getting ferried in Luxury all the long way to Australia.

And as Chuck is recovering, both Beckets bust in after sweet talking the nurse.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck did something stupid, he knows that, he just--he had too much to drink, he started throwing up he was passing out and that was when they called the ambulance.

He's fine, really, it's just that twitter's making it more than it was and other celebrities are either reaching out to him or crucifying him and knowing he did something stupid is just not helping the whole situation.

So the last thing he needs to see are his ex boyfriends.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he demands, pushing himself up in his bed. "Don't I have any goddamn security?"

[unbreachable]

"Chuck!"

Raleigh scrambles for one side while Yancy takes the other.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

[simplepuzzle]

"I'm fine, what the hell are you doing in Australia?" he wants to grab them both and pull them in and curl between them like he did and feel safe but he can't.

He curls his arms around himself and hunches his shoulders, not touching either of them.

[unbreachable]

"We were worried," Raleigh says, looking down at him with a furrowed brow.

"We took my jet," Yancy supplies. "Got here as quick as possible."

[simplepuzzle]

"I just drank too much, I didn't take anything or do anything stupider than that."

He wants to say they're not allowed to do this any more, remember? They're not together any more.

[unbreachable]

"Jesus."

Raleigh sinks down into a chair beside him, dragging a hand over his face.

"Scared us, kid." Yancy says.

[simplepuzzle]

"Yeah cos everything I gotta do is for you," he snaps. He's a second away from calling the orderlies to drag them out. He's not sure what's stopping him. "Why didn't you just call?"

[unbreachable]

"Never said that." Raleigh snaps back. Yancy sighs and rolls his eyes.

"Because we love you, Chuck. A breakup doesn't turn off a switch."

[simplepuzzle]

"Yeah but three months apart might imply something."

Seeing them feels so good and hurts him all at once, Chuck leans back and pulls a pillow over his head.

[unbreachable]

"No," Raleigh says tightly. "I'm still very much in love with both of you. If you'd--"

"Raleigh," Yancy says quietly. Almost a warning.

Raleigh's anger deflates and he looks away.

"I'm sorry," Raleigh says, staring at his hands.

[simplepuzzle]

"I need more than that," Chuck snaps, pulling the pillow off his face and glaring at Raleigh. "I need--Dammit, tell me you didn't fly all the way here just to argue for me taking you back!"

[unbreachable]

"I flew all the way here because I fucking love you like some sad puppy," he snaps.

Yancy sighs.

"I flew here because I was fucking terrified something had happened to you! Because I'm in love with you!"