"Spite, Life's Greatest Motivator" (and Sweet, Sweet Petty Revenge)
⚠️⚠️⚠️CW/TW: Abuse mention, use of slurs, specifically uncensored slurs against the LGBTQA+ community. ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Ryland Grace was never spiteful.
He never fought back when his dad beat him and his brothers, never argued when he and Colt had a disagreement. The most aggression he ever showed was calling that one scientist who made fun of his paper a "staggering waste of carbon". He was never spiteful, but he still grew into the type of man his father tried so desperately to beat out of him.
When Courtland shot their dad, Ryland was secretly glad to see him bleeding out on the floor, and disappointed when the man was too stubborn to die. Court went to prison and their mom took full custody of him and Colt. Ryland was happy he didn't have to worry about his bastard father again.
As the siblings grew older and Court got out of prison, they grew close again. They cared about each other deeply, and supported each other on their endeavors. They accepted him when he came out as gay. Imagine their surprise when Ryland announces to them that he intends to reconcile with their father after learning their dad only had months to live. Colt and Court wanted to argue, but they noticed a certain gleam in Ryland's eye that wasn't previously there.
Ryland Grace had learned how to be spiteful.
And petty. He was oh, so petty.
Papa Gentry was genuinely surprised to see Ryland. He admitted he never thought Ryland would be the one to reconcile, but then again, Ryland always was the most passive of his three sons. Secretly, that pissed Ryland off, but he kept his mouth shut. He was playing the long game here, and everything had to be perfect.
You see, Ryland Grace was not only gay, but his boyfriend was a florist. Simon had heard of the shit Papa Gentry has done, and he hated the man. He even stated to Ryland that the old fart could "catch these hands" (which was mostly a joke, given Simon was down an arm, but he also meant it to a degree), but Ryland had his plan.
As Papa Gentry's health declined further, he felt like he was getting closer to his youngest son. He admitted that he thought teaching was a woman's job, but nonetheless he was proud of Ryland and loved him greatly.
Too little, too late, dad.
Papa Gentry cried about Court and Colt not wanting to reconcile, and even talked shit about them to Ryland. That also pissed Ryland off greatly, and he almost wavered. Almost.
Then, it was D-Day; the day Ryland and Simon would set their months long plan into motion. Papa Gentry still had enough life left in him that he would have time to stew on the fallout of today, but he would be too weak to physically remove him and Simon from the room, and that was exactly what Ryland wanted.
In the language of flowers, yellow carnations symbolize rejection and disdain, while black roses signified death. Tansies represented resistence, and aconite represented hatred and hostility. As Ryland and Simon went up to the hospital room, they had a bouquet of these specific flowers in hand. Simon had informed Ryland's brothers about Ryland's plan, and Court specifically asked him to video it. Simon bought a small, discreet camera he could clip on his shirt.
Flowers alone were insulting to gift him, but also yellow?? Papa Gentry hated yellow. Ryland had learned to love the color, and wore a vibrant yellow science shirt and yellow Converse. Simon, too, wore yellow; his hair tie was yellow and his pants were neon yellow. Papa Gentry cringed upon seeing the color everywhere on their person. He wasn't a stupid man. He knew something was up, he just didn't address it immediately. (Or at all, really)
"Ry, don't come in here with that gay shit-"
There was something odd about his youngest son. Something Papa Gentry hadn't previously detected. He was...defiant. And there was a peculiar gleam in his eyes. His gaze shifted to Simon. "Who's the faggot? He looks like a tranny with his hair pulled back."
Simon forced a smile, but was boiling deep inside. "Simon." He greeted.
"How'd you lose your arm, Simon?"
Simon resisted the urge to smack this old fuck. He and Ryland briefly lock eyes before he turns his attention back to Papa Gentry. "An accident. When I was little."
Ryland took the bouquet from Simon and set it by the window sill, right in Papa Gentry's line of sight. "Dad, it's a shame you're too stubborn to learn anything new, because the language of flowers is fascinating." Ryland turned to face him. "Some flowers can mean love and prosperity, while others have negative meanings." He gestured toward the bouquet, pointing at the yellow carnations. "For instance, I chose these because I hold disdain for your very existence." He points to a blue-purple aconite flower. "I chose these because I hate you, and I don't say that lightly." He pointed to a cluster of yellow tansies. "I chose these because I have resisted your vision of me since I was a child, which is part of the reason I brought Simon along, but we'll get to that in a sec." Finally, he points to the black rose. "And here? I chose these because...well, you're going to die soon." Ryland walks over to Simon's side, intertwining their fingers. Papa Gentry opened his mouth to speak, likely to say something homophobic, but Simon spoke up this time.
"Don't speak unless spoken to, pops. Ry's not finished with his lesson."
It gave him great satisfaction to see the old man at a loss for words.
Ryland took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Dad, I'm gay and engaged to Simon."
Simon did a double take, confused. He gazed at Ryland, eyes widening. "W-Wait, we are?"
Ryland produced a ring box from his back pocket, and gets down on one knee. Simon is stunned in silence. This wasn't part of the plan.
No, this was part of Ryland's plan, just not one Simon had knowledge of. He stared at the ring. It was a pretty white gold band with a single, small diamond. Simple; just how Simon liked it.
"We can be engaged, if you'll have me."
Simon can't contain his grin. He glanced up at Papa Gentry, who just stared in shock and disgust. He glances back down to Ryland. "I think you already know my answer, Ry."
Ryland smiled and stood, taking his glasses off. "I love you to the moon and back, Simon Butcher."
Simon snaked his arm around Ryland's waist, pulling him close. "And you're my reason to live, Ryland Grace; my everything."
Simon had taught Ryland to be spiteful and petty, and he taught him well. They kissed in the presence of Papa Gentry; the most violent, hateful, homophobic man they had the displeasure of knowing. He would die with the knowledge that, not only did he fail to "make his boys into men", but that the youngest of the three, the one he beat the most, the one he thought reconciled despite everything, the most passive one; was a proud gay man, now engaged to his boyfriend, and had held such a venom filled grudge against him all his life, Papa Gentry wished Court had killed him that fateful night. He just stared at the happy couple, then back to the bouquet of flowers, then back to the happy couple.
Oh, how miserable he felt.
Somewhere during their kiss, Simon had withdrawn his hand from Ryland's waist, and Ryland had pulled the ring from the box. "Put it on my middle finger," Simon murmured.
Ryland raised an eyebrow. "That's not where it goes," he said softly.
Simon smirked, and finally, Ryland caught on. He did so, and Simon kissed him again, as well as flipped the old dying bastard off, showcasing his new fancy engagement ring and how little fucks he gave. After kissing for what seemed like another solid minute, Ryland pulled away and turned to his father. The miserable look on the man's face filled him with such a fantastic feeling. "So, dad. Since you so stupidly confided in me that you were afraid to die alone, you will not be seeing me ever again. If Court or Colt want to come up here, that's on them, but honestly?" Ryland shook his head. "Don't bank on it."
Simon and Ryland filed out of the room, but not before Simon flipped him off one more time. "I hope you choke on it, ya old fuck!"
The old man said nothing more.
Outside, Ryland leaned against the wall with his back to it, head in hands, inhaling deeply, and exhaling slowly; attempting to steel his nerves. He was shaking something awful. Simon collected him into a hug. "Holy shit, Ry. That was fantastic!" Simon exclaimed softly.
Ryland wrapped his arms around Simon. "I didn't think I could pull off any of that. I'm so, so sorry I didn't tell you about the engagement plans," he apologized.
Simon squeezed him as tightly as he could with one arm. "No, no. Don't apologize. Did you see his fucking look when you did? Funniest shit ever," he withdrew from Ryland. "I couldn't be more proud."
"Aw, shucks." Ryland blushed.
Simon fiddled with the hem of his collar. "Oh, I kind of had a secret myself. I told your older brother about our plan and he wanted it on video. So I...." he pulls a very discreet wire from the hem of his collar. "It was a live feed, too."
Court held his phone up as he and Colt watched the live footage of their little brother telling their dad off, but neither expected Ryland to propose to Simon.
Both brothers started laughing as the camera panned to their bastard father's face, how he looked disgusted and shocked at the sheer audacity of his youngest son. Then, later on in the feed, the camera panned to the old bastard again, and he looked miserable and defeated. They laughed again when Simon flipped him off.
"Damn. I had no idea Ry had it in him," Colt commented, as the feed cut off after the two exited the hospital room.
Court snorted. "If it wasn't for Simon, he probably wouldn't have had the backbone."
Court put his phone away. "Hey, you think they're going to set the wedding date for the anniversary of his death?"
Colt put his hands together, mimicking prayer hands. "Please, let that happen because that would be so fucking funny."
The two put their arms around each other, chuckling as they did. They were proud of Ryland and how far he's come, and thankful for Simon entering his life.
Ryland Grace was not spiteful, or vengeful, or petty; but he had learned to be.
Papa Gentry died three months later, alone in his hospital bed with nothing but the fleeting memories of the happiness his youngest son brought him until it was all pulled out from under him. He was a bitter old man.
Though, before that, Court did visit him, though he had nothing to say. Nothing to say, except: "Rest in piss."
Courtland Gentry, Papa Gentry's eldest son, grinned slightly as he turned and walked out the room.
No one went to his funeral. He had no immediate family, and none of his extended family cared enough to go. He was buried in a city appointed lot, with only a small, metal marker for his grave.
Which didn't stay for long. Ryland had another friend, see, who hated Papa Gentry to his very core. Rocky, an engineer by trade, snuck into the city graveyard and stole the marker, uttered some curses in his native language, and scampered away, giggling as he did.
Time ushered on. A year after Papa Gentry's death, Ryland and Simon married. Then, hardly anyone could remember the face of that miserable old man. They were happy. Finally, truly happy.
And if you're wondering, yes. Yes they did set the wedding date on the anniversary of that bastard's death. It was only fitting.
Except not, because Rocky informed Colt where the old bastard was buried. Colt proceeded to get black out drunk at the wedding, stumble into the city graveyard, and unload his full bladder onto the bastard's unmarked grave.
☆《The End (For real this time)》☆
(Holy shit this fic idea came out of nowhere! Haha! Constructive criticism is welcome, as always!)
