Richie Prompts: Two times Richie was a Cinnamon bun, and one time he was a Sinner Badass
I struggled with sinner badass because Richie is always so eager to do what he thinks is the right thing I can’t see him doing anything morally wrong. Like he can totally be a badass but it doesn’t really align with ‘sinner’ in my head.----“Oh dear.”
“Are you okay?”Severin looks across the table at Richard with concern. The spoonheaped high with chocolate fudge brownie ice cream is still suspendedhalfway to his mouth, forgotten. His eyes are looking over Severin'sshoulder and his mouth is turned down into a frown. “Richie?”
“Her ice cream isgoing to fall.”
“What?” Severinglances over her shoulder.
“The little girl. Thecute one with the the dreads. Her mum's on the phone and her cone'smelting.” Even as Richie says thewords, the heap of ice cream on her little teddy bear cone slidessideways and drops to the ground. She doesn't react for severalseconds, just staring at it as she comprehends what it means. Thenshe starts to wail.
Richard is on his feetwithin seconds and hurrying up to the till.
“I'm sorry sir,you'll have to join the line.”
“Yes. No. I'm sorry,but it's just, that little girl that just went out. Do you rememberwhat flavour she got?”
“Sir-”
“The line. I know.But I don't have time.” Neitherdoes her mother, it seems, who has taken a break from her phone callto hush the wailing, but after a glance at the lengthy line, startsto lead the girl away. She looks through the window, tears stillrolling down her little cheeks.“Shedropped her cone. Just. Please. Can you give me another one ofthose.”
“It'sfine with me,” says the woman behind him, and Richard gives her hiswarmest, most genuine smile.
“T'ank you so much.”
Thirtyseconds later he is bounding out the door of the shop. He stops,looking up the street, but no sign of them. He takes off in thedirection they left, and after a minute of jogging (but careful, ohso careful not to drop that ice cream) he is certain that they'vegotten away from him.
Justas he's about to head back, he spots the little girl's yellow dress.He's lucky enough to have caught them at a traffic light.
“Uhm,excuse me.” The mother, still on the phone, doesn't acknowledgehim, but the little girl looks up. She looks from Richard's face, tothe cone, and her eyes widen. Richard smiles at her, but doesn't feelcomfortable interacting further without her mother's acknowledgement.“Excuse me, miss?”
Thewoman's eyes move to him, narrowed in irritation.
“Justa minute, Dave.” She lowers the phone. “What?”
“Ijust saw your daughter had dropped her cone outside the shop backthere. The employee said it was bubblegum, right?” His question ismore aimed at the little girl, her nods her head in enthusiasticagreement. “I just wanted to bring her a replacement.”
Herface softens.
“Thatwas awfully nice of you.”
“It'sno big deal.” Richard shrugs, crouching down to give the littlegirl the cone. “It's a perfect day for ice cream, isn't it?”
“Yeah!”She returns his smile, her cheeks dimpling, as she accepts the conefrom him.
“Justbe careful it doesn't melt at the sides, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Saythank you, Tam.”
“Thank'oo.”
“You'revery welcome.”
Thegreen man appears, and Tam's mother takes her hand, returns to herphone call, and steps across the road. Tam looks back over hershoulder at Richard for a few seconds before she turns her attentionback to her cone. He watches them until they are lost in the crowd.
“Yourice cream started to melt,” Severin tells him upon his return.
“That'sokay. It's still good.”
“Didyou catch up to them?”
“Yes.Oh, Rin, she was so precious. Tam, her mum called her. I don't knowif that's a nickname or- But she was soooocute.”
“Areyou getting broody?”
“Shutup.”
“Then,when are you ever not?”
“Rin.”Richard pouts, and Severin smiles, reaching across the table to takehis hand.
“Ilove you.”
“Ilove you,” Richard says, but his tone is sulky.
“Really,Richie. You're so sweet and kind and thoughtful, and you're going tobe an amazing parent when we get the chance.”
“Youthink so?”“Iknow so. Now eat your ice cream before it's completely melted.”
*
Severin'sstomach drops when he steps through the door. He immediatelyrecognises the sound of Richard crying, and within the matter of afew seconds, every possible bad scenario is running through his head.Jim is dead. Sebastian is dead. His fucking demon cat is dead, Godforbid, that mightactually be the worst one and he's not sure he's equipped with thekind of emotional sensibility to help Richard navigate through thatgrief.
Itis an immense relief, then, when he steps through to the living roomand sees Pez lounging along the back of the couch. He raises his headslightly and looks at Severin with those piercing green eyes, thesame cold stare Severin is always greeted with, before he falls backinto his position of relaxation. Tohis further relief, Richard is also on the couch, and looksrelatively unharmed.
“Richie?”
Hejumps a bit at the sudden sound of Severin's voice, and turns to lookat him. His eyes are red rimmed and puffy. He looks heartbroken.
“Rin.”
Richiesniffs, and holds his arms up in silent demand for a hug. Severindrops his bag and hurries around the couch to do just that.
“Areyou alright?”
“No.”
“Whathappened?”
“Theyrescued this dog from someone's back yard and the owner was old andhad memory issues and she kept forgetting she had a dog and he hadmaggots in his fur and he was covered in sores and it was awful, buthe was just so happy to have people petting him and paying attentionto him, he was just so happy, Rin.”
“Isn'tthat good?”
“No!Because it turned out they can't save him and they had to put himdown.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Richie,you know RSPCA Rescues always upsets you.”
“Notalways.”
“Alot of the time.”
“Ijust hate when they've had to suffer and then they just get killed.
”“Isn'tit better than-”
“Iknow. I know they're making the best decision for the animal. It'sjust- It's still sad.”
Severinnods his understanding. He moves to bring Richard closer, butapparently this turn of events has led Richard to consider how luckyhe is to still have Pez alive and well, because he slips away fromSeverin to haul down his big, fluffy, fat cat. Pez yowls his protestsas Richard cradles him closer, burying his head in Pez's fur. Pezlooks at Severin and bears his teeth. Severin ignores it, rubbingsoft circles into Richard's lower back. At least he's stopped crying.
*
“Jim'snot in at the moment.”
“Good.I'm not here to see Jim.” Fora moment, Sebastian wonders if it is actually Jim standing in frontof him, for Richard's expression is so dark and angry that he is thespitting image of Jim. Like, yeah, they're twins, but usuallySebastian can pick them apart pretty easy; body language, expression,tone of voice. Now he's just faced with a bundle of Moriarty anger,and, as per fucking usual, completely uncertain as to what he's doneto deserve it.
Sohe responds in true Sebastian fashion. With sarcasm. Making a show oflooking around the flat.
“Well,no one else living here.”
Richardsteps forward with such determination that Sebastian automaticallysteps back. Hesteps down for no one, except Jim. Then Jim is the exception to manythings. So his automatic move even surprises himself. He tellshimself it must be the similarity, instinct to react to Jim's imageeven if he knows (thinks, is quite certain) that it is not Jim.
“Comein, then,” he says, covering that.
Richarddoes not slam the door the way Jim would, but he does close it withmore force than necessary, getting a good, firm click.Sebastian eyes him warily. Hehas always written Richard of as the softer one, the “normal”one, as the twin that poses no threat. He wonders now if that istrue. Wonders if you can survive being Jim's brother and come outsoft and gentle on the other side.
“So,how is it I can help you, then?”
“It'snot me that needs help. In fact, I think it's probably you.”
Still,he is at a loss.
“Imean, you're probably not wrong, but would you like to-”
“It'sabout Severin. You're constantly taking digs at him. About me, aboutus, about his sexuality.” Richard's voice does not raise, but thereis a cold bite beneath his words.
“So?That's just banter.”
“Bullshit.It's prejudice and homophobia, against your own brother.”
“WhatSeverin and I discuss is none of your business.”
“Yeah,it is. If it upsets him. As his partner, that is my business.”
“He'smy brother.”
“He'smy boyfriend.”
Sebastian'sexpression falters, and he pulls a face.
“See,”Richard says, pointing an accusing finger at him. “That's exactlythe kind of thing I mean.”
“Giveme a break.”
“GiveSeverin a break. He's been through enough, Sebastian. I think hedeserves a bit of happiness now. I think I can give him that. Isthere a reason that is so offensive to you?” Sebastian does notanswer, so Richard continues. “Of course there is. It's because I'ma man. You'd think in the grand scheme of things that tiny detailwouldn't really matter, but-”
“Okay.Yes. It's because you're a guy, and he's... You know. I'm just havinga bit of trouble processing that.”
“It'sbeen six months.”
“Already?Shit.”
“Yes.”
“Right.Well. I'm happy if Rin's- Whatever. I'd just prefer- I don't have tolike it.” Sebastiantrails off weakly. What can he say? He can't help that it makes hisskin crawl. Can't help that every time he sees them together itreminds him of his father's words, everything he ever said againstthe queers. Can't help that seeing them together makes him think ofwhat he and Jim-
No.Ho ho. Stopping that train in its tracks.
“Fine.Don't like it. Just keep your mouth shut, then. Stop taking digs.Stop trying to undermine this for him. Look, I've always tried to benice to you, Sebastian. Now that's never been based on the fact youwork for Jim, or you're his flatmate, or- Whatever. It's becauseyou're Severin's brother, and you're important to him, so I've madethe effort.” Richard steps closer. His voice lowers. His eyes arenarrowed and dark, and it is a look so familiar to Jim's thatSebastian has to swallow. That look means someone is in deep shit,and it's never good to have it aimed at him. “But I can very easilystop being nice. You're Rin's brother, and I would never act to hurtyou, but I'm sure if I let something slip to Jim...”
Richard'sexpression suddenly falls. His eyes water. His lower lip quivers. Helooks at Sebastian with big, damp puppy dog eyes, and Sebastian's notsure if Jim would actually buy into this, but he doesn't know theirrelationship well enough. Perhaps Jim is different with Richard.Perhaps this is genuinely something that would stir a protectiveresponse.
“Well.I wouldn't really have to do anything, would I?”
“Areyou blackmailing me?” Sebastian sounds a mixture of surprised andimpressed. Didn't think Richard had it in him.
“Tobe nice to your brother. How pathetic is that.” Richard sighs. Anytrace of softness or sadness gone from him again. “I care aboutSeverin immensely, and I will not let anyone impact his happiness.Not even you. He is still recovering. He needs love and support, notridicule or mockery. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Withthat, he turns and leaves, before Sebastian can even pull histhoughts together enough to form a response. Because fuckin' hell, heactually does feel guilty, which is a feeling he hasn't beenacquainted with in a while. Guilty, and kind of annoyed that someoneelse is taking his place as Severin's protector. A sort of petty,jealous tug at his insides, as if he's been replaced.
Itworks, though. He keeps his mouth shut the next time Severinmentions Richard.
