Trouble in Paradise | Ryan & Nate
dctectivc:
In all the eight years theyâve been together Ryan could count with one hand how many times sheâd seen her husband like this. And every single time it hurts just as much or more than the last time. Nate was strong, stronger out of the two, Ryan knew this. So to see him like this, if anything at the point of breaking down it worried her more than anything ever had. It scared her more than having someone pointing a gun to her head, as impossible it was to believe. Ryanâs hand on his shoulder was nothing but a reminder that she was here, that she wasnât going anywhere. Now the idea of a fight seemed silly and far away as the detective awaited an answer. Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.
â What are you talking about? â After a moment of silence, she finally asked. Her mind was running with ideas of what could it be that had him like this. What was it that it meant heâd kept it from her. How long had he kept it a secret? Her hand fell from his shoulder as a thought struck her. What if what heâd been talking about was that heâd been with someone else? What if Nate had done the exact thing she had? The thought alone left her breathless but she tried as she could not to show it. But the thought was gone as soon as it came. Because Nate wasnât like her, the man she loved didnât break like she had. Ignatius was kind, he was loyal. And she didnât deserve him. This only made the guilt weigh heavier on her shoulder. Ryan needed to tell him, but not now. He was hurting, and she couldnât put that on his shoulder.
â Come on, tell me. â Though her voice remained calm and low, no sign of alteration in it, Ryan was nothing but anxious and worried. More ideas of what it could be that her husband had kept from it, raging through her mind. Though none of them came close to what it really was. Not that Ryan knew this. â Iâm always here for you, you can tell me anything, babe. â Both of her hands took a hold of his then, reassuring him that she was here, real. And that she wasnât going to leave despite whatever it was he needed to say. Even if it meant heâd killed someone, even if it meant he was someone else.
Human lives are too short for secrets. Dragons, however, can live forever while keeping their secrets close to their chests. Hell, the same can be said for many supernatural creatures. Their very existences are a secret, itâs natural for them to have many more secrets that are kept just as well. Nate himself can be very secretive, with the things heâs seen, heard, and done, it makes sense for him to have his own horde of secrets. But with Ryan, heâs always been honest. The first year, he lied to her just like the rest of the people heâs come across. Not outright lying, but careful wording and a trustworthy expression that makes people less likely to ask him questions. People assume he has nothing to hide. Then he realized that nothing got past this woman, plus he didnât want to keep anything from her. She was trustworthy and reliable, even after the first two years he knew that they could stick together through anything. It may have been foolish thinking, a hopeless dream, but it worked for 8 years. Then they came to Verth Hollow and many things change.
But who is to blame for that? Nate himself.
âWhen I asked you to move here with me, I had reasons, other than getting the job I have now.â Nate explained, knowing he was being vague, which wasnât helping anything, yet hesitation held him back. Could he drop multiple things on her right now? He wanted to tell her everything, only now realizing just how much this stuff had been eating away at him, but how would she react? Would she hate him? Think he doesnât trust her? Assume heâs hiding other things and ask if thereâs anything else?
In the end itâs a combination of her voice and the softness of her hands that pull him out of his thoughts. Sheâs calm, but urging him on, as if knowing his hesitations. He looks into her eyes and finds honest worry, but also safety. âMy parents used to live in Lovewell Creek. They lived there for a long time, but I only visited them a handful of times. When I was looking for a better job, I found that Verth needed firefighters, and I thought you could meet them.â The words were coming out a lot smoother than he thought they would, and he found he was rambling. âBut when we moved here, I found out about the flood, and how there was no Lovewell Creek anymore.â Despite the facts that theyâve lived here for so long and his parents have been dead for so long, he still found it hard to actually say it out loud. âI was devastated, I didnât know what to do, let alone how to tell you, and I just, dove into work. That wasnât fair of me, to keep you in the dark for so long, and I am so sorry.â













