If looks could kill, Chimney suspects he'd be a pile of ash in the middle of the hall.
As it is, Buck just glares before he pushes past him, jostling his brother-in-law captain a little too hard.
"Look, there was nothing we could've done–" Chimney tries.
Buck whirls around and jabs a finger in Chimney's chest. "You don't know that. You don't know that because you didn't try everything." His nostrils flare and his mouth is a tense line. "At the very least, you should've told me."
Chimney sighs. "Tommy didn't want you to worry. He told me not to tell."
"Wow, for once you can keep secrets! And now I find out he's basically exiled to Fuckass Nowhere because he helped us," Buck snarls. His big blue eyes glisten, but the rage within those eyes doesn't abate.
"It's just for a couple years..." Chimney mutters. How has he forgotten how much taller Buck really is?
Buck steps back and nods, licking his lips. "Just. Just two years when both of us work jobs that endanger our lives on a regular basis."
"I don't mean that, I just didn't think you'd care that much."
"Yeah, because I wouldn't care about the man who changed my life." The fire dies from his eyes, leaving behind a deadened hollowness. "Sometimes I wish..." He snaps his jaw shut and swallows harshly.
Goosebumps break over Chimney's arms. Ten minutes ago, he'd have given anything for Buck to not be incandescently furious at him; now he wishes Buck would shout and rage at him.
"What?" he asks. Curiosity is a terrible trait. "Sometimes what?"
"Sometimes I wonder what would have changed if I'd just let Maddie become a widow." The smile on Buck's face fits wrong, like a poorly constructed rubber mask pulled onto a mannequin. It doesn't waver as he continues, "I quit. I can't work with you. I can't do this anymore."
turnnoffyourmind
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
jacobvanloon
germansingergirl
discoholicmusic
theartofmadeline
gummygunk
blakekathryn
