Under The Mistletoe

[simplepuzzle]

 
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Comments

[unbreachable]

It's unhealthy for everyone, honestly.

"As well he should," Yancy says, reaching to ruffle his hair.

"It was definitely an idiot move."

[simplepuzzle]

It really is.

Chuck shoulders the door open, ducking away from the ruffle with a growl. "Well I'm not exactly the stupidest person in the room right now so shut up, I need a shower."

[unbreachable]

"Drinking to the point of hospitalization trumps breaking up because you thought you couldn't handle it." Raleigh grumbles. "If you're gonna throw it in my face every chance you get this won't work."

[simplepuzzle]

"And if you can't own up to what you did this isn't gonna work," Chuck snaps back, sitting down heavily on the stairs for a moment. They can't even get past the first hurdle, can they?

[unbreachable]

"I did! I told you I was sorry and that it was stupid. What the hell else do you want me to do?!"

Raleigh stops in front of him, arms folded.

"Tell me what you want from me."

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck kind of hunches, arms curled around himself.

"I want you not to have left in the first place," he says quietly. "I want to not to have to worry about stepping wrong and making you leave again, or that you're lying to us again--for fuck's sake, we're already fighting, Raleigh." Can they really do this?

[unbreachable]

He glances at Yancy then steps forward, squatting down so he can get on Chuck's level.

"I can't change what happened," he says quietly, reaching for his hands. "I wish I could. But I can't change the past. All I can do is move on and learn from my mistakes, and hope that you can forgive me for them. I'm sorry I hurt you. You have no idea how sorry I am. I was stupid."

[simplepuzzle]

"And you don't get to get on my arse about the stupid shit I did," he says, gripping Raleigh's hands tight enough to hurt. "It was one thing and it was an accident. If you get to get on my case I get to be on yours."

....no, Chuck, that's not how it works.

[unbreachable]

"That isn't how it works," Yancy says, coming to sit next to him. "This could have killed you, Chuck. If anyone at all had decided to try and let you sleep it off, you'd be dead."

He sighs.

"And throwing things in each other's faces...that isn't going to work either. Chuck, you fucked up. Raleigh, so did you. Accept it and move on, otherwise this is doomed."

[simplepuzzle]

"Hey, I was the one who told them to take me to the hospital," Chuck snaps up at him. "I did one stupid thing, Raleigh disappeared for a fucking month, I feel enough like shit and I'm not doing it again, I don't want to fucking hear about it any more!"

Tell that to Raleigh Yancy, Chuck just wants a shower and to go to bed.

[unbreachable]

"Yeah you know what-- he's right."

Raleigh brows his hands up.

"He's never gonna forgive it or let me forget."

[simplepuzzle]

"I wasn't going to bring it up, except in talking about what we're doing," Chuck says, trying for snappish but just coming out as weak as his head hangs. He still feels like shit, weak and tired--and maybe this just doesn't work.

"Are you going to leave again?"

After promising he'd try? After begging Chuck to take him back? So easily?

[unbreachable]

"No!"

He's tempted.

"No. Let's just get you to bed. You need rest and liquids."

[simplepuzzle]

"What do I have to do to keep you both?" he mumbles, almost like he hasn't heard Raleigh, using the bannister to support himself as he stands up.

"What do we have to do to stop you leaving?" He'll do almost anything, Raleigh. Please.

[unbreachable]

"..Chuck." He can feel his anger ebbing, and he comes to wiggle under chucks other arm to help.

"I love you. I'm not leaving. I promise."

[simplepuzzle]

"You almost just did, didn't you?" It hurts. It hurt so badly again to know Raleigh was about to give up so easily and Chuck can't live like that, not if he's going to threaten to leave every time Chuck gets a little rough around the edges.

Because, to be frank, that's who he is.

[unbreachable]

"The room, maybe. To get some air because you drive me nuts."

Come on Chuck. You need to lay down.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck's going to be incredibly insecure for a while, Raleigh, you're going to have to be able to handle that because he hates feeling vulnerable and it comes out a little viciously.

He leans on him. "Shower first." He's gross. He smells like hospital.

[unbreachable]

He does. Antiseptic and bleach and hospital.

He reroutes them to the bathroom, Yancy trailing along behind.

"Shower or bath?"

[simplepuzzle]

"Shower." He just wants to feel sluiced clean, not comforted. "I've got it from here," he suggests, leaning on the doorjamb. "If you guys wanna get settled or something."

[unbreachable]

Why not both?

Raleigh fidgets.

"Sure. Where do you want us to wait for you..?"

[simplepuzzle]

"Wherever you want?" Chuck bites back the unkind comment that it's not him they need to worry about. "I just want to wash, you guys...I don't know, eat. Make out. You're staying here, if you both want, just...consider it home."

Treat it as such.

But a home you respect.

[unbreachable]

"Are you hungry?"

Yancy leans in behind Raleigh.

"We can order something. Have it waiting."

[simplepuzzle]

"There might be something in the fridge, but if you can't find anything yeah, Indian."

Which will work out so well with a tender stomach but he needs something more interesting than pizza.

He leans in to kiss them both on the cheek. Raleigh first, then Yancy.

[unbreachable]

"Indian it is."

Raleigh smiles at him, thumbs his cheek before backing up. He can handle getting Indian delivered. He's got this.