Down by the Cove

Loved by Nik. Cypress Cove RPG.

[downxbyxaxcove]

Directory of Chaos

#tag drop / #muses / #birthdays / #housing / #occupation / #romances / #social media / #pets Doctor Chaos' Playlist

[illustratedxillusions]

Lucky listened, his thumb stilling against the back of her hand when she talked about her flaws. He remembered some of it. The periods when his mum seemed farther away even when she was standing in the same room. The nannies. The things he'd been too young to understand at the time and old enough now to recognize as something more complicated than simply not wanting to be their mother "I know you had flaws, Mum." His voice was gentle. "I'm not saying you didn't. He looked down at their hands. "But there's a difference between having flaws and failing me." He shook his head. "You didn't fail me."

Lucky swallowed when she said his name. Lochlan. Nobody called him that anymore. Not really. He'd spent so long being Lucky that sometimes Lochlan felt like somebody he'd known when he was young. But coming from her, it didn't feel wrong. It felt like being eight years old again, trailing behind his mum through the house because wherever she was happened to be where he wanted to be. His eyes burned and he blinked quickly, looking back toward the arena.

"Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I needed to know who I was if I wasn't an O'Reilly first. If I wasn't Colm's brother or Dad's son or..." His jaw tightened slightly. "Someone people looked at and wondered what I knew, what I was involved in, whether I was going to become part of it someday." He'd wanted something that belonged entirely to him. "I think somewhere along the way I convinced myself the only way to do that was to stay away from everything attached to it." His gaze dropped back to her. "And you and Dad got caught up in that too."

When she called him her little boy, Lucky let out a small laugh and shook his head. "Jesus, Mum. I'm forty." There wasn't any protest behind it and his fingers tightened around hers. He sat quietly for another moment before shifting slightly closer. "I miss you." Lucky stared down at their hands. "I've missed you for a really long time."

[downxbyxaxcove]

Saoirse gave him a look when she insisted that she hadn’t failed him. She didn’t quite understand that. How was it not failing him if he felt like he had to leave the family? She looked him over though. He looked happy. He looked good. He was okay. She gave a small nod. “Maybe, maybe…” she whispered, giving his hand another squeeze. 

She looked out at the arena, watching the single rider making his way around. For a moment she thought about all the times Maeve had insisted on the carnival. The family outings that they would take together. Fionn, Colm, and Sean were too cool for all of it. Lucky was by her side and Maeve was with Padraig. Back when things were easy, simpler. Now everyone had grown up. She was just plain old now. 

Her eyes moved back to Lucky as he began to talk about how he had to leave to find himself. She nodded. She would like to think that she didn’t understand, but she had. Back in Ireland, she’d always been just Cormac’s little sister. Nobody ever saw her for her until Padraig had come along. “I’m not upset that you left to find yourself. I am a little sad that I missed so much, but I imagine the phone words both ways. I could have pushed a little harder. I shouldn’t have let you walk away and think that you’d lost forever.”

As soon as Lucky brought up his age again, Saoirse took a sharp breath and shook her head. “No. No. No. I won’t hear it. No. If you are 40, I am ancient and I can’t handle it.” She laughed. “Maybe we should have lunch some day. Maybe you could come around for a family dinner…” She suggested gently. 

[scftmelodys]

@cypresscove-starters

Shiloh & Open

Community Pride Picnic

The sign welcoming visitors to Cypress Cove had come and gone several miles back. Shiloh hadn't stopped to take a picture. She hadn't even slowed down. After years spent running from one place to the next, town signs had started to blur together. They all promised something different but none of them had ever promised the one thing she actually wanted. Safety. By the time she'd wandered into town, the late morning sun had already begun to settle heavily across her shoulders. Everything she owned was tucked inside the worn backpack she'd carried for years now, its straps digging familiar grooves into her skin. She'd seen signs for the park, making her way towards it in hopes she'd be able to stay there for the night. She was surprised to hear the music. The laughter. Then she was more surprised. Rainbow flags fluttered from nearly every corner. Families spread blankets across the grass. It was... Pride. She'd never actually been to one before.A handwritten sign near one of the tables caught her eye. Free Food. She frowned at it. Free? Her gaze instinctively searched for the catch. Still, she found herself drifting toward the end of the line. The line shuffled forward one person at a time until, before she'd quite realized it, she was standing at the front. Shiloh hesitated, her fingers tightened around the strap of her backpack as she glanced from the trays of food to the people serving them. "...I'm sorry," she said quietly, almost as though apologizing for asking the question at all. "...Is it really free?"

[downxbyxaxcove]

Tobias was a little out of his element. Not because he wasn't a people person. He could bullshit the best of them, but his campaign had never been Pride and LGBTQ+. Helena would never let him speak on those topics, let alone participate in them. During confession on Wednesday, Father Tarragon had recommended that this might be a good place to come. He was asking how to show Arachne that he cared and this was the recommendation. Participating and showing support! He was nervous. Not because of the people, but because he was afraid he would say the wrong thing. All he ever did was say the wrong thing.

He was lingering nearby with a plate that had some food on it. He was looking off in the distance as if he'd see Arachne or Lennon when he heard someone speak. He smiled softly, looking toward her. "Don't apologize! It's seems strange, doesn't it? Free is such an uncommon word." He shifted the plate in his hand. "Yes, completely free. And they have a pretty good food line up..." He insisted, tilting his plate as if to show her.

[downxbyxaxcove]

Where: Starlight Drive In - Pride Movies Whom: Wyatt Boone // @illustratedxillusions

Beau came back toward the truck with an armful of food balanced precariously against his chest, the paper bag threatening to sip with every step. He'd told Wyatt he was only going to grab some popcorn, drinks, maybe candy. Somehow, he'd come back with enough food to feed a small family.

"Okay," he announced as he reached the truck and began placing things on the tailgate. "Before you say anything, I want you to know that I showed incredible restraint because Gunner wanted everything..." He climbed up into the truck bed and carefully began to maneuver the food before settling down beside Wyatt. The drive-in's giant screen glowed in the distance, already showing a colorful Pride graphic while music drifted faintly across the lot.

Beau handed Wyatt a drink first. "Here." Then the popcorn. Then a box of candy. Then a small cardboard tray that had a hot dog and some chips. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he settled back against the pillows they'd brought along. "I'm innocent... Don't look at me like that..." he murmured.

[neriedsxofxcypress]

Location: Sugar Wave Who: Faye & open

Through the tint of her oversized sunglasses, Faye quietly people-watched as she savored another spoonful of salted caramel. With the coastal heat turning the afternoon into a furnace, cold ice cream was about the only thing keeping her from melting into the pavement.

Slipping the elastic band off her wrist, she gathered her hair and pulled it up into a quick ponytail to catch whatever slight breeze managed to pass through. She leaned her elbows onto the table, casually scraping up the edges of melted ice cream. Noticing a figure looking around the packed patio for an open spot, she gestured toward the empty chair at her table.

"Feel free to sit," she called out with a friendly nod, pulling out the extra chair slightly with her foot.

[downxbyxaxcove]

Achilles was enjoying his final week of peace and quiet with no grading before campus started bustling with life again. He was ready for it though. He'd spent way too much time reading and writing letters to his brother that he would never send. He needed to get out of his own head and start socializing with humanity again.

The Georgia heat was going to kill him though. He'd immediately regretted leaving his apartment as soon as he walked outside. That was what led him to Sugar Wave. Something cold to try and break this heat was what he needed.

He'd gotten himself a flight of three different flavors of sorbet before walking outside. He looked around, trying to decide where to sit. None of the tables were open. Then someone pushed a chair back. He gave a small chuckle, stepping over and taking a seat in the chair. "Thank you. Appears to be the hot spot to be today. Then again... everything is hot and this is the only cold. Makes sense."

[downxbyxaxcove]

Where: Serenity Spa Whom: ?? // @cypresscove-starters

The spa seemed surprisingly quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Cole hadn't expected to enjoy this. He'd expected to hate it in fact, but the idea of a storm pool did fascinate him. He'd always loved going swimming in the rain before his accident. A darkened room surrounded by projections of rainfall, thunder, and lightning. Nothing could hurt him and he wouldn't have to worry about the ocean sweeping him away since he couldn't feel much below his waist.

Now he was sitting comfortably in the warm water. His chair safely positioned beside the pool. The room around him was dim, just a little illumination from the shifting clouds projected on the walls and ceiling. Rain was beginning to fall gently from somewhere above. Not enough to soak anyone, just enough to create an illusion of being caught beneath a summer storm.

Cole tilted his head back, watching the artificial sky. "Okay," he murmured to himself, "I'll admit it. This is pretty damn cool." There was a low rumble of thunder and then the door opened behind him. He turned his head as another guest stepped inside. The door closed behind them and the room darkened again. "Just in time for the storm to begin."

[illustratedxillusions]

Zay smiled as she adjusted his collar, his hands settling comfortably against her waist. The moment her hands settled against his chest, he finally took a proper breath. "There we go," he murmured. "I was startin' to think I'd have to explain to the paramedics that my girlfriend's hottness killed me." He laughed quietly before his expression softened again, one hand sliding gently along her waist. "No," he said without a moment's hesitation. "Not even a little." He looked her over again, his grin growing all over again like he couldn't help it.

"Baby, this isn't high school prom in some stuffy gymnasium with a balloon arch and a DJ named Steve." A soft laugh escaped him. "This is Pride Prom. At Obsidian." He gave a small shrug. "People are gonna show up in sequins, leather, feathers, suits that sparkle, dresses that belong in magazines..." His eyes found hers again. "...and then there's you, somehow making all of that look underdressed." He leaned in just enough to steal another quick kiss. "You don't look like you're trying too hard." His voice softened. "You look like you."

His smile turned teasing again. "Besides if anyone spends the night judging your dress instead of thinking, 'Wow, she looks incredible,' then that's entirely their problem." He bumped his nose gently against hers.

[downxbyxaxcove]

Arachne couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure if that would be endearing that I killed my boyfriend with my hotness, fucking terrible, or a romantic tragedy. Please don't die." she offered, leaning up to kiss him softly. She smiled at him, enjoying the feel of his hand along her waist but she knew she needed to swat it away quickly. Otherwise they'd never made it to Obsidian.

She took a step away from him, reaching for the keys that he'd dropped. "I know, I know..." She knew this wasn't high school, but he was still a St. James and she didn't actively want to make his life any harder than his family sometimes already tried to make it. "Obsidian is a nightclub, being half clothed is usually part of its charm." She agreed in a soft voice, looking back at him. She looked at him with disbelief though and then looked down at her dress. "My dress, that I'm practically half naked in, is going to make everyone else look underdressed? You, my darling, are biased as fuck."

She leaned up to kiss him again though, unable to keep her hands and lips off him for too long. She laughed, wrinkling her nose slightly as his bumped against hers. "Okay, baby... Let's go have a prom."

[sweetcordeliagrim]

"Yes, that's exactly right. Ceilings are perfect for plants both because you are using space that mostly won't be used aaand, you're making the ceiling pretty," She said, now beaming with excitement as she started visualizing a big ceiling filled with all sorts of wonderful plants. She started getting the planters for them as they expressed they needed it and nodded as they talked. " Oh no, that would be so sad, just like if all humans were the same...oh my god, can you imagine if there was only one animal species? The world would be so dull and dysfunctional... no, we need variety, all the plants, all the people, all the animals...we need colours in our lives." Cordelia spoke passionately, just blurting up the first thing that came to mind. She always did that, but it was nice doing i with someone who actually seemed to enjoy the talking.

[downxbyxaxcove]

Noel's smile widened as Cordelia's thoughts seemed to tumble one after another, and rather than looking overwhelmed by the rapid shift from ceilings to plants to humans to animals, they looked genuinely delighted. "Exactly!" They gave a small little laugh. "Variety is what makes everything interesting. Imagine if every flower was just a daisy. Daisies are lovely, but eventually you'd want a rose or an orchid or a monstera or something weird that you've never even heard of before."

They looked around the shop again, eyes immediately catching on another display of plants. "You may have made a terrible mistake by encouraging me. Now I'm going to ask you about every single plant in this nursery." They blushed. "Sorry, I could talk about this forever."

[illustratedxillusions]

Rowan caught the look immediately. His father had always been observant. Not in an intrusive way, but in the quiet, practiced manner of someone who'd spent years reading drawing rooms, negotiations, and, perhaps most importantly, his children. A small smile tugged at the corner of Rowan's mouth. "I am," he admitted. There didn't seem much point pretending otherwise. "He's good company." He folded the corner of his napkin absently between his fingers as he considered how to explain it.

"We spend a great deal of time together, naturally. It's difficult not to become friends with someone when you're sorting through attic inventories, debating restoration methods, and discovering that every third box is somehow labeled miscellaneous." He let out a small laugh. "I admire him," Rowan added after a moment, his voice thoughtful rather than embarrassed. "He cares very deeply about what he does, and he's... remarkably patient. Even when I disappear down some archival rabbit hole and lose all sense of time."

There was the faintest pause before he smiled again. "I imagine I've tested that patience more than once." He let the subject rest there, neither denying nor expanding upon it. He nodded as the subject changed back to handwriting. "I have, yes. I've also become convinced that every person born before 1850 made a collective decision never to cross a 't' or finish a word." He chuckled, taking a sip of his water. "And your handwriting is perfectly legible."

[downxbyxaxcove]

When Rowan admitted to his friendship with Valyrian Hennessy, Ciarian smirked. Secretly proud of himself for still knowing his children so well. He knew he was gone often and there were times he felt like a stranger coming home. He was glad when he got the small win of still knowing his children’s facial expressions and the dreamy way they spoke of someone. It made him feel less like a terrible father.

“Admire…” Ciarian echoed the word back. His lips twitching into a smirk. He nodded. “That's quite a good describing word.” Admire could mean many things. Respect. Affection. Any number of things really. “I’m sure it helps significantly to fall down rabbit holes when you have someone else willing to stay as long as it takes.”

Ciarian chuckled and shook his head. “The only reason you can read my handwriting is because of the fact that you dig through so many older, even worse versions of it. Otherwise there would be no hope for it. If I leave a letter for when I’m gone, the only hope any of the family has of knowing what it says would be you.” He found it almost amusing. The idea that his will would be written in his handwriting that only Rowan could decipher. Of course there was a typed version of it too, but Ciarian loved the opportunity to leave handwritten letters if possible.

[illustratedxillusions]

Alex chuckled softly. "Have I told you how adorable it is that you're still so happy to be my husband?" He smirked as he heard the door close and felt Logan's hands on his chest. He knew how much his husband liked his chest. He wrapped his arms around Logan's thighs, picking him up and carrying him over to the bed. He looked at him for a moment before starting to undo his pants. "My husband is fucking hot."

[downxbyxaxcove]

Logan smirked a bit. "You didn't think I'd love being your husband once I came home?" he asked in a soft voice, running his hands along Alex's chest. Then he picked him up. Logan chuckled, wrapping his legs around his waist. He leaned in, kissing him deeply. "I will always be happy to be your husband." he hummed, letting his eyes run up and down Alex. "Fuck..." He moaned, leaning in to lick his chest.

[scftmelodys]

Sabine had wandered farther from the van than she ever would have imagined only a few months ago. She sat on a weathered bench overlooking the water, an iced tea resting beside her as she slowly worked through a library book she'd checked out earlier that week. Reading had become one of the quiet freedoms she treasured most. No one monitored which pages she turned or questioned what she was learning. She could simply... read. Her phone buzzed against the bench beside her. She smiled the moment Bowdie's name appeared. Sabine couldn't help but laugh softly to herself. Bowdie almost never asked her to come back to the van. If anything, she was usually encouraging Sabine to stay out a little longer, to explore another street, try another café, talk to another stranger. For her to ask now meant she'd planned something. Sabine tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before typing back.

I'm not busy. ❤️ I'll head back now.

She slipped her bookmark between the pages, gathered her drink, and started toward home. Curiosity quickened her pace with every block.

[downxbyxaxcove]

When Sabine said she's head back now, Bowdie got excited butterflies in her stomach. She turned slightly to look at the garment bag. This was going to be great. She was sure of it. She was determined to make sure that every little thing Sabine hadn't been able to experience, she got to now. She leaned back, kicking her legs a bit. She reached out to give Perdita a bit of pets. "I think she'll love it, don't you?" she asked the giant cat, trying her best to pull the animal onto her lap.

She didn't have to wait long before she heard the foot steps approaching. She sat up straight, peaking out the door. "Hey!" She announced, a bit too cheerily. She moved Perdita from her lap and moved to stand up. "So, I have a surprise for you... I'm sure you've seen the signs everywhere about Pride?"

She stepped out of the doorway, nodding toward the garment bag. "I think we should go."

[greekolivexlyre]

Deluca watched the man sitting beside him, listening as he explained about the regular and the boss man. Small town life sometimes made his brain spin. Everyone always knew everyone and they were always so nice, even when they hated each other. 

Then the truth came out.  Boss’ son. 

”Oh-“

Deluca chuckled, a bit of heat prickling up his neck and cheeks. This really was a turn of events he hadn’t been prepared for. 

Well, he wasn’t going to get in trouble at least. That was good, right? 

“Okay.” 

He adjusted his guitar on his knee and began to strum. A little smirk on his lips as he began to sing: 

down near the rattler and the devil’s whip people go a’missing on the blue ridge take heed to a warning when it’s given to you don’t mock the mountains or they’ll take you too [xx]

[downxbyxaxcove]

Seth's smile deepened when Deluca seemed to put the pieces together. He watched him redden a bit and chuckled a bit. "It's not that weird. It's a small town and everybody comes from someone right?" He looked around the pub. "Unless you think it's weird that we are in an Irish pub and I don't look Irish. Okay, but look... don't judge me. It's not my fault my mom is not Irish." And that he started his life raised by a Russian, but he tried not to think to hard about that.

He settled in a bit, watching as the man pulled his guitar closer and began to play. Upbeat, country... It had a nice rhythm. Then he began to sing and Seth almost laughed. "Damn, you are good..." he confessed in a soft voice, not wanting to interrupt the song. But he was pretty good. Maybe his dad needed to get a stage in here. Then again, a stage and Sylas... who knew where that would lead.

[greekolivexlyre]

Elio’s brow tensed.  Luciano was determined to say he was alright. He didn’t look alright.  He looked very pale. 

He took a deep breath and stepped to the side, prepared to give him space but then Luciano reached up and used his shoulder to help right himself. Elio reached his hand out and gently placed it on Luciano’s back for a little extra support. 

“Old? I guess you are very old compared to me.” 

He smiled, trying to tease, trying to lighten the mood. 

”Do you need new breakfast? I will buy.” 

[downxbyxaxcove]

Luciano knew that he wasn't doing a great show of being alright, but he was hoping Elio would be a little more naive. He used him to haul himself up, making a bit of a face when Elio touched him. Had that been what he was reduced to? Getting help up? This was going to be such a long day. He glared in Elio's direction. "Yes, very old." he offered, giving him a gentle nudge in the ribs.

He looked down at the bag he'd dropped and gave a small shake of his head. "I am grateful, but no. I am okay. I was never going to eat that anyway. I just need to get to work."

[whimsicallywitches]

"Well boys can be wrong. Often times I think we are." he said knowing all he'd done in his life that would be very wrong. Hell he probably would have scoffed at this before he had his daughter. But then he scoffed at any dinner that cost over 10 dollars. He leaned down helping his daughter tuck her napkin on her lap. "See this is how you be fancy. And no at home we don't have to be." he told her seeing the question in her eyes before she asked it.

"Thank you I'm sure we'll love everything you bring out. Isn't that right" he said reaching over to tickle her and make her laugh before looking around to get her set up proud his daughter had been as well behaved as she was. He saw plenty of children that had issues sitting still and bothering his waitstaff.

[downxbyxaxcove]

"Oh, I wouldn't blame it all on the boys though. Everyone is wrong at some point and those who tell you they aren't, lied..." She looked down at his daughter, smiling softly at her before retreating to go get their desserts. She always loved seeing the single dads with their daughters. She sometimes felt guilty for that Bunny hadn't had a consistent dad figure in her life, but Felicity could have never imagined keeping a man around. She was too in charge of her own life, too independent to submit to any will of a man.

She added some whipped cream to the pies. She also grabbed a teapot, making her way through the room. "Two pies and a pitcher of tea..." She offered, placing the plates in front of them and the tea at the middle. "If there is a tea you'd prefer other than that one, let me know. But I think it is on the best."

[illustratedxillusions]

Wyatt gave a small nod, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of the coffee mug. "Fear'll make people do a lot of things," he said quietly. "I ain't sayin' it wouldn't. Hell... she was probably scared you wouldn't believe her. Maybe she was scared she'd disappoint you again." He let out a slow breath through his nose. "But fear don't erase the years." He looked over at Saige then, his expression gentler than it had been a moment before. "You don't get those birthdays back. Or scraped knees. Or all the little Tuesdays that don't seem important 'til they're gone. Stevie grew up without her mama. You grew up without the woman you loved. That's a hard thing, no matter what the reason was." Wyatt was quiet for a second before giving a small shrug. "That don't mean she can't make somethin' good outta what's left. I hope she does. For your sake. For Stevie's." A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "And if she's really put ten years together..." He nodded once. "I'm proud of her for that. I really am."

[downxbyxaxcove]

Saige thought about every little unimportant Tuesday. When he'd been living in those moments, they'd seemed very insignificant. The last few months though, he'd spent a lot of time thinking about him. Those little smiles and those little jokes. Family dinners that were just dinner, but they were important because Stevie and him were together. Wyatt would tag along. "She's got a lot of time to make up for and only time will tell if we can trust her again." he said in a soft voice.

He then let out a small sigh, taking a sip of his coffee and resetting. "No more about me. What about that boy livin' in your house? How's that going?" He'd talked to Beau, but not too much. Usually Beau was hanging out with Wyatt and Saige was off doing other things.

[scftmelodys]

Ezra's eyebrows climbed higher with every word that came out of his grandfather's mouth. "You got your leg a little stuck between two rocks?" He repeated slowly, gaze dropping toward the very large orthopedic boot that seemed to tell a slightly different story. "Right. Because they hand those things out for nothing important." He shook his head, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. It disappeared almost immediately when North admitted Easton didn't even know he was home yet. "Wait." Ezra stared at him. "Dad doesn't know you're home?" His mouth fell open slightly before he glanced instinctively toward the pocket where his phone was tucked. He could already imagine exactly how that conversation would go. He looked back at North's finger pressed dramatically to his lips and narrowed his eyes. "You know you're putting me in a really terrible position here, right? Because when he finds out I saw you and didn't tell him, I'm absolutely throwing you under the bus." Ezra stared at him for a beat before laughing. "Grandpa, nobody called you decrepit." He gestured toward the boot. "I'm saying there's a difference between being old and being injured, and you're only one of those things." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked from North to the registration table and back again. He knew that expression. More importantly, he knew the man wearing it. Telling North Lipe he couldn't do something was probably the fastest way to guarantee he'd do it out of principle. "Okay." Ezra let out a resigned breath. "You're clearly going to do this whether I tell you it's a terrible idea or not." He reached down and plucked at the edge of his race bib before looking back at him. "So I'm walking it with you. And before you argue, I'm not asking." A grin spread across his face. "I run every day. Missing one actual run isn't going to kill me, and I'm pretty sure Pride still counts if it takes us an hour to get across the finish line." His expression softened. "Besides, you just got home. I'd rather spend the five kilometers with you."

[downxbyxaxcove]

North smiled innocently and gave a very slow nod. "Yes. I got my leg a little stuck." And then maybe he'd fallen. Maybe something had made a horrible sound. It certainly had hurt, but that was beside the point. It was fine. He was fine. He didn't need a doctor to tell him to take it easy, because he probably wasn't going to do that anyway. "They do. They hand them out in the emergency room like candy..." He smirked a bit, reaching out to give his grandson a playful little nudge in the ribs. "Don't be a smart ass." he teased him, letting out a small sigh.

He watched Ezra's eyes wander downward and could already guess he was thinking of calling his father. He shrugged. "You can throw me under the bus. I will handle it when that time comes. I was going to call him and your uncle on Monday anyway." After he decided whether or not he was going to visit the doctor about his leg. Now though, it was looking like probably not. Better to just go see his sons. "Maybe I will call them after this walk."

Then Ezra was saying he wouldn't listen if he was told it was a terrible idea. Followed by, 'I'm walking it with you'. He let out a small sigh. "You don't want to talk. You want to run. And you should..." He insisted, but he was pretty sure that Ezra would not be swayed. He pushed away from the light pole and took a step forward. "You want to spend five kilometers telling me about school? Listening about the mountains and the cruise your grandmother forced me onto?"

[scftmelodys]

Sean watched Declan's hand turn over on the mattress. An offering. Even now. Even after a year. Sean's fingers moved immediately. Slowly, clumsily, he slid his hand into Declan's and threaded their fingers together. His grip was almost nonexistent, but he held on anyway. Then Declan spoke. Sean went completely still. His face crumpled. Not because of the words alone. Declan's voice. Sean closed his eyes. A tear slipped free and disappeared toward his temple. Home. Colm had done it. The stubborn bastard had actually fucking done it. Sean opened his eyes again. Then came three more words. He knew. Of course he knew. He'd known when Declan couldn't say it. He'd known it in every touch, every look, every ridiculous cup of tea and every quiet moment they'd shared. But hearing it now? "Fuck." The word broke somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Sean tightened his fingers around Declan's as much as his body would allow. "I love you too." His voice was barely stronger than Declan's whisper. Sean lifted their joined hands a fraction from the mattress before the effort became too much. Instead, he turned his face and pressed his lips weakly against Declan's knuckles. For several seconds, he stayed there. Eventually Sean lowered their hands again, but he didn't let go. "I saw your text." His mouth twitched faintly despite the tears still caught in his lashes. "Giving Colm shite about your coffee." The smallest laugh escaped him. Sean looked at him again. There were things in Declan's face that hadn't been there when Sean left. Exhaustion. Something hollow around the edges that Sean recognized too easily. A year. Declan had lived an entire year without knowing. Sean swallowed. "I'm sorry." His eyes dropped toward their hands. Not because he'd been taken. Some part of Sean understood that. But understanding didn't erase the image of Declan sitting here waiting for him to wake up. It didn't erase whatever the last year had done to him. "I tried." The words came quietly. "I tried to get back." His jaw tightened. "I need you to know that." His eyes lifted again, suddenly desperate for Declan to understand. "I didn't leave you." Maybe Declan had never believed he had. Sean still needed to say it. "I didn't stop trying to come home." His breathing had started to quicken, the monitors beside him betraying the emotion his body wasn't strong enough to contain. "They kept telling me things about you. About Colm. Ma." Sean shook his head faintly. "I didn't know what was real." His fingers tightened around Declan's. "But I knew you..." Sean stared at him. "Knew you'd be here."

[downxbyxaxcove]

Declan watched as Sean took his hand. His fingers gently closed around them. A hole in Declan's heart began to fill. He'd done quite a lot of regression in the year Sean had been gone. Barely speaking. No speaking. Days without eating. Teeth grinding. He'd been trying his hardest to hold it together, to pretend that Sean had been gone on a routine trip, but it became harder and harder. Then seeing him on that gurney, Declan was sure his soul had left his body. Now here he was. His eyes were open. His Sean was right here.

Keeping a hold of his hand, Declan took his other hand and very gently reached up to catch those stray tears. "-s'okay." he murmured. "You're home." He leaned forward, planting a kiss on Sean's temple. He closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing hard. He didn't need to cry too, but he was just so happy that Sean was here now. Bishop had worked hard when the helicopter arrived, but he had said to prepare for the worst. The infection was so bad he didn't know if he could fix it.

When Sean said he'd seen his text, he almost laughed. It was funny now. It hadn't been funny then, because Declan had just known something was wrong. And then Colm had lied to him and sent Maeve after him. Maeve had been so disappointed when he'd refused to eat, but he accepted her coffee. "He tried to take care of me while you were gone." he murmured softly.

The apology broke him though. He leaned forward, hiding his face against Sean's hand and closing his eyes. He shook his head. No, don't apologize. He took a deep shaky breath. He nodded. He knew that Sean had tried to come home. He knew Sean wouldn't leave him. Not like that. Not after everything. "Hard, but I stayed here. Now, you stay here. I hope you have no desire to leave down for a very long time..." His blue eyes moved to Sean's face again, very serious. Sean was on lockdown in Cypress Cove.