[mack/adam] "Is it rude if I say that there's nothing I'd rather see than your tree of a boyfriend go all 'timber' onto his smug face?"
Glaringat her best friend, Mack chanced a quick glance back at her boyfriendwho, currently, was trying – and failing – to attach his harness.Roy, who it had become all too clear was nothappy about her friendship with Adam, had taken it upon himself toinvite himself on their latest expedition. Mack had always taken aliking to going out on hikes and trails with Adam, and helping himout with his scouts where she could, but the same couldn't be saidfor Roy, who hatedoutdoor activities, and much preferred spending his spare timethrowing away his money in poker games, or talking the talk at fancyschmancy work events.
Andyet, there he stood, or rather, there he stumbled,as he tried to figure out which clip went into which hole, and wherehe was supposed to put his legs, and just why he 'needed towear the dumb thing anyway'.Mack had insisted that it was for his own safety, and he'd justgrunted as he refused hers, or Adam's, help. The fact that he was sointent on figuring out for himself, combined with the fact that he'dnever been rock climbing in his entire life, didn't bode so well forhim, and Mack could feel herself getting more and more frustratedwith him. He neverlistened to her, and if he wasn't careful he was about to feel theconsequences when his ass hit the ground like a ton of bricks.
“Adam,stop that,” she toldher best friend, giving him a soft punch on the arm.
Sighingand turning her back to Roy, she rolled her eyes and groaned. Adam,however, looked all too amused by the situation, and had long sincegiven up any faux attempts at making nice with the other man, all toodelighted to hear Roy's refusal of his helping hand.
Ofcourse, Mack knew Adamhated him, and she was all too aware that her sisters – and, asmuch as she'd never admit it, her own mother– disliked him with equal measure too. She supposed that shouldhave been sign enough for her to call it a day with the man, theirrelationship wearing thin with each passing day, but she was stubborn– or perhaps just an idiot. Mack wantedto give things a go, and see if they could make them work. She'dfallen in love with Roy once upon a time, so surely there had to havebeen a reason behind it, other than her own blind idiocy?
Withhers and Adam's harnesses in place, she scanned her best friendbriefly and stared up at the scene before them. It was a pretty bigclimb, and it was a far cry from indoorrock climbing. At least if they were in a safe, chaperonedenvironment, he might have the basic relief of cushioning beneath himwhen he inevitably lost his grip and fell. Now, however, he'd only becolliding with rocks and dirt, and no matter how madshe was at Roy, she didn't wanna see that happen.
“Babe,I think you should just stay on the ground today,” she called back,watching as his features switched from vague annoyance to pure,unadulterated rage.
Twistingand turning his body as he tried to release himself from his poorlyattached harness, Roy glared at the pair of them as he startedmuttering under his breath. Mack didn't dare look back at Adam,though his own sniggers told her everything she needed to know abouthow he felt about thesituation.
Grindingher teeth together as she watched her absolute manchild of aboyfriend throw a hissy fit, not even Mack could control the laughterthat escaped her upon what happened next. As Roy pulled and tore atthe straps that were wrapped around his waist, his fingers fumblingover the buckles that secured him to the rope that would hold hisweight, he stomped a foot down in anger, only to lose his grip on thedirt beneath him entirely. As his feet slipped on the surface below,his entire body gave out, the rope attached to him acting as a safetynet and yanking him up into the air, where he now stared back at Mackand Adam, his foot somehow trapped and tangled in the rope as heswung above their heads, upside down, with his glasses slipping downthe bridge of his nose.
Lettingout a roar of laughter, Mack brought a hand up to cover her mouth,before burying her face on Adam's shoulder to muffle the sound. Asshe felt her best friend's body trembling beneath her, she knewwithout a shadow of a doubt that she'd be in hugetrouble with Roy once they got him back down to safety, but shecouldn't find it within herself to even care.
“Ohmy God,” shesnorted, lifting her head and meeting Adam's eye. As she looked atthe amused look on his face and tried to bite her tongue, she gave inand instantly burst into a fit of giggles, the two of them grippingonto each other for support as they laughed at her boyfriend'sexpense.
“Heso deserved that.”