daylight.

wesley hill. 34. lawyer. I didn't want to kiss you goodbye — that was the trouble — I wanted to kiss you good night — and there's a lot of difference.

[weshill]

danidclgado​:

-

“I don’t know, it’s hard to tell so jury’s still out on that one…” Dani teased with a faint smile as she bent down and scratched Chester behind his ears. The doggy door had held up and she was grateful that Wesley had helped her out with a few things around her place because she wasn’t quite sure what she would have done without him. Truth be told, she’d probably be sleeping on a mattress on the floor and Chester would be forced to bark and scratch at the door until it forced Dani to open the back door to let him out. Wesley was a godsend, to say the least. “Okay what are you guys fighting about now? You already know I don’t really like your brother so I’m biased but still, I wanna know,” She added with a shrug. Sure, she might have still had her reservations about Wyatt due to Sara, but at the end of the day she always found herself on Wesley’s side no matter what. “Also if you wanna avoid an awkward Thanksgiving with your brother then you’re free to hang out with me and Chester,” She offered. Dani had already decided that she wouldn’t be driving down to Los Angeles to spend the holidays with her family so it’d be fairly lonely.

&

Wesley couldn’t help the snort he let out when Dani mentioned her particular distaste for his brother. He knew that Eureka as a whole wasn’t exactly a fan of Wyatt Hill -- whether it be due to losing his seat as mayor or all the other dirty laundry of his that had been aired out to dry, that sentiment didn’t exactly surprise him. If he was being honest, it was kind of a relief  that he had someone that he knew would be completely, one hundred percent on his side. “Right, well -- it’s complicated,” a sigh then, bringing his hand up to rub his stubbled cheek. “Remember when I told you about that PI I hired to look into Nora’s last few months? Apparently...Nora wanted to leave me. For Wyatt.” It hadn’t become easier to say out loud, regardless of who he’d spoken to about it. “And Wyatt knew but never told me. He didn’t return her feelings, but -- but he lied to me. For over a year.” Crossing his arms, Wes’ jaw clenched slightly, brows raising then at the mention of Thanksgiving. “Really?” he was surprised at the offer, to say the least, considering how casual they’d been keeping things. Of course, Dani was most likely offering as a friend, but...still. They really weren’t just ‘friends’ anymore. “I mean, I might have to at this point, only if just to make sure you’re not going to blow your kitchen up.”

[weshill]

katiebirch​:

She’d seen a lot of sides to Wes. More than she’d ever really seen of Benji if she was honest – she’d seen him in the extreme highs, when he met Nora, the wedding, his children. She’d seen those crashing lows too, the endless grief he’d felt and how he’d had to pull his life together. She’d seen him drunk, careening around like a whirling dervish and barely able to stand straight, and she’d seen him pitifully sad, guilty and shamed all at the same time. But this raw anger was new on her. It took her back. And if she hadn’t known Wes so well it would almost certainly have scared her, it did in in a way – seeing how the drink was fast disappearing down his gullet, how he was wheeling around her kitchen, words sharp and fast in his disbelief. And it pinned her to her seat, feeling unable to move. Besides it would do little good, this was a mood she would not be able to crack; far better to simply let him vent it out and get it all out there. “Oh no, you’re definitely the hot twin” she said when he finally stopped to take a breath, a soft smirk resting on his features. “Even bald”. 

His confession – and it was surely that, did shock her though. Sure she’d known that Wes and Nora were having issues, he’d made that clear…but issues were one thing and hiring someone to look into the last months of your dead wife was something very different. “Oh Wes no” she shook her head as she stared at him, trying really hard not to judge him as he requested. It was hard though. A lot harder than she was comfortable with. “Wes…” she hopped off the chair and moved over to him, a hand resting on top of his with a soft, supportive squeeze in the silence. “Look, your brother did something shit. He really did. But god, looking into things like that? It was always going to cause trouble…” she tailed off, glancing at his glass for a second and measuring up what was the right thing to do. And really, she probably should have cut him off. But she didn’t, she simply topped up his glass, and pushed it towards him. “What did Wyatt say when you went to him?”

&

It was in times like these, no matter how infrequently they came, where he was glad to have someone who knew him as well as Katie did. She’d been there for it all, even if it wasn’t in person -- the wedding, the birth of his children, Nora’s death -- all the important milestones in his adult life that shaped him in one way or another. Anyone else might have attempted to get him to calm down, to keep his anger at bay and settle down, but Katie understood that in matters like this sometimes it was best to let it all out. And, maybe, crack a joke at his expense all the while. Wesley, despite being a somewhat serious person, had a soft side to him that wasn’t entirely inaccessible, and when someone was able to even make him crack the slightest of smiles, it meant more than they could realize. It was part of the reason he’d developed such feelings for Dani. “Come on now, Katie,” he began, tone slightly playful with brows arched, “you should know by now that flirting with me isn’t going to get you very far. You’re just not my type.”

A sigh left him then as he placed his wine glass back on the table, feeling the weight of his name on her tongue much more than he wanted at that moment -- but he understood how ridiculous and desperate it all was in hindsight, so despite his plea for her to withhold judgement, he knew that it was difficult to maintain. “I needed to know,” he repeated softly, head dropping in defeat as her hand rested on top of his. “I knew an affair was possible, I just -- I had no idea he’d even be a part of the equation. If I thought so, I wouldn’t --” he didn’t let himself finish the thought, knowing there was no point in dwelling over what could or couldn’t have been. The male looked back up as his glass was topped off, giving her a tight-lipped smile as he took it in his hand once again. “He told me that he’d rejected her when she told him she was in love with him,” he began, taking a small sip in between words, “and that he stopped talking to her right then. I -- I believe him, I do. It’s just -- he shouldn’t have kept this from me. Any of it. Not the talking for a year, not her wanting him...I just feel like a fucking moron, Katie.”

[weshill]

danidclgado​:

-

The holidays were especially difficult for Dani — it was a time that she usually looked forward to her family’s crazy antics of celebrations for Halloween, day of the dead, Thanksgiving, and Christmas — but knowing she probably wouldn’t make the drive back down to Los Angeles this year, she found herself feeling extra somber. It was perhaps the reason why Wesley’s withdrawal the last few weeks had gone almost unnoticed. After all, she had always trusted Wesley as a friend and never worried about him disappointing her in some way and that same mindset had been transferred to whatever he was now to her. Letting him inside, Dani headed back into the living room where she had been snacking on chips and watching reruns of her favorite crime shows, “That’s totally okay, it’s not a big deal,” And it wasn’t, however, she had gotten pretty good at reading Wesley and she could tell he had something more than the doggy door on his mind. “Chester hasn’t broken it yet if that’s what you’re asking,” She added, eyes following him as he walked around. “So… what kind fo family stuff is going on? Is Ezra enrolling in an AA program or…?” It might’ve been a bad joke but she couldn’t help but want to ease the tension of whatever real family issue Wesley was probably dealing with at the moment.

&

He attempted to keep his demeanor light, uncaring, despite the way his thoughts were going around in circles. Of course, he wasn’t in such a state of instability that he had been on the weeks prior, but he was still being affected by the argument with his brother and the circumstances surrounding it. Dani was someone he’d often confided in over the years, and though he still wanted to, there was a part of him that felt the need to hold back considering the way their relationship had progressed over the past month. He didn’t want her to feel responsible for his feelings about his late wife, didn’t want to burden her with the knowledge that he was burdened with himself, but that could only last so long before he cracked and he knew it. He sauntered over to the doggy door, hands in his pockets as he gave it a brief once-over. “That either means that Chester is really good at using it, or I just did a real good job of installing it,” Wesley grinned, standing up straighter as he looked back at Dani. “Ah -- no, nothing like that. I’ve got an ankle monitor on the kid and so far he’s been relatively clean,” he joked, moving his arms to cross over his chest awkwardly. “I -- uh, just got into it real bad with Wy,” the male admitted, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. “Probably the worst fight we’ve had in years. I’m not really talkin’ to him right now, so...Thanksgiving might be a bit awkward.”

[weshill]

at @danidclgado​‘s place

He’d been a bit distracted as of late, his relationship with his brother having taken such a drastic turn along with the knowledge that Nora had been in love with him for at least the last couple of months of their relationship. He wasn’t sure who’s betrayal hurt worse, but he’d been attempting to process his pain somewhat healthily by spending more time with his children, even going so far as taking time off. If Wesley knew that this would be the outcome of his little investigation, perhaps he wouldn’t have gone as far as to hire Tabitha in the first place -- but, then again, which outcome was worse? Was ignorance truly bliss, or was he kidding himself?

“Hey,” Wesley greeted the brunette as she welcomed him into the townhouse, shedding his jacket as he stepped inside. He was trying to appear calm and collected, but his poker face seemed to be wearing as of late and even he knew it. “I’m sorry I’ve been kind of...distant lately,” he let out a breath, tossing the fabric on the back of her couch. “I’ve had a lot on my mind. Family stuff,” the male waved his hand dismissively. “ What’d I miss? The doggy door holding up okay? I know sometimes the flaps can loosen up after a while.”

[weshill]

katiebirch​:

When she’d received THE text Katie’s immediate assumption had been that Wes was in fact playing a long and frankly sick practical joke. An April Fools that was simply seven months early. Sure Wyatt Hill wasn’t her favourite person in the world by any stretch but that was because of his political history as opposed to a genuine antipathy to the man. He was the twin of he friend, and therefore was someone that she could nod along and be fine with, but hold no real opinions about. Or at least she tried, but Katie would never pretend to be a saint and Wyatt’s infidelity…well, it just left a bad taste in the mouth. What was it they said, once a cheater…

But even she couldn’t have predicted the rage that was coming off Wesley is rage as he stood in her kitchen, bottle of wine in hand. She had pre-warned him that she was not prepared for company and that much was clear from the general disorder the house was in. It wasn’t quite at the levels of chaos it had  been when Annie had been sat on the sofa, but it was by no means the tidy home she’d kept in the before times. Well, tidy-ish. She had lived with a toddler. You could only keep so much general carnage at bay. “You did not” she filled in the appropriate gap that Wes took for breath, carefully refilling her own glass with amber liquid ( there was no way she could do this entirely sober ). “I mean, don’t do that because as much as I love you Wes, you couldn’t make bald work”. It was a gentle ribbing, the sort she would have given with so much more ease before, but Katie and Wesley’s friendship had rather gone through the mill as of late and there was still the slight sense of both of them figuring their way through the whole thing without causing too much offence. 

“So wait, sorry you’re going to need to go back a bit because my brain is a bit mushy after 6pm-” she took a sip from the glass, before placing it back down on the counter as she looked over at Wes, brows arched in confusion as to how he’d even got into this state. The Hill brothers were close sure, but for Wyatt Hill to bring that up of his own volition seemed…well, akin to emotional fratricide. “How did you find this out? Did he just…come out with it or…?”

& Any other day he might have sat Katie down and commented on the state of her, well, life. After all, he liked to think they were close enough and had been for such a time where his words of wisdom may have been welcome, but at that point Wesley was feeling anything but wise. Plus, he had a feeling that his friend had been getting unsolicited advice from everyone else in her life already, so to add to the heap most likely wouldn’t get either of them anywhere. He trusted Katie enough to believe she’d take care of whatever was going on with her, sooner or later, and if not -- well, hopefully he’d be in a better place to help when the time came. 

“Well, he did,” he threw a hand up in disbelief, shaking his head before bringing the glass up to his lips once more. Wes didn’t get angry like this very often -- in fact, he couldn’t remember a time even within the last decade or so where he’d felt this upset. Him and Nora fought often during the last year of their marriage, sure, but it typically ended with Wes relenting and letting her have her way so that the conversation could be over and done with. “Hm, don’t worry. I’m nearing a mid-life crisis but the hair isn’t going anywhere.” A small smirk crossed his lips, absentmindedly running his fingers through his hair with a sigh. “Who knows, though? Maybe Wyatt will find a way to take that from me, too.”

It was a bit embarrassing in retrospect, the exact way he found out about his brother’s betrayal. Hence why he’d really only told Dani, and even that was before they started sleeping together. “I -- uh,” he took another sip of wine, “don’t judge me,” Wes cautioned, “but I hired someone to look into her last couple of months. To see if...there was something I missed.” The male shook his head. “I thought it would bring me some closure. She wanted a divorce -- right before she died she told me -- and I thought if I knew why it would....I don’t know. Make me feel better?” It was a stupid thought, looking back now. “So, I confronted him and here we are.”  Wes rubbed his stubbled cheek with a sigh, “and everything is worse.”

[betty-draper]

[weshill]

wyatt-hill​:

-

There was nothing Wyatt could offer but the truth — and while the truth was compelling for anyone else on the outside of this situation, this would always be between Wyatt and Wesley. Nora had been enough to cause a split between them before, when they had been younger and more driven by impulse and stubbornness. There could be no reasoning with Wesley — not when he needed to believe whatever story he was spinning in his own mind. And Wyatt could understand the position Wesley was in, wondering after your wife’s escapades, did she love you, was it worth it, reconciling that the past couldn’t be altered. 

They were where they found themselves at that very moment due to a series of choices and decision making that Wyatt would never be particularly proud of. He had told Sara, on the very first anniversary of Nora’s passing, that he had always loved her. A platonic love, the kind that lived forever long after the romance had faded. They hadn’t ended their relationship on bad terms or uneven ground, but with the understanding that wherever they were headed next, the other couldn’t be a part of that growth. It then became all the more complicated with Wesley had brought her home, so incredibly painful to see that his twin had fallen in love with Wyatt’s very first love. 

“— Now, hold on.” Wyatt shook his head vehemently. “She never said anything about divorce, she never said anything about leaving. Not until that voicemail. When she talked about being unhappy, Wes, I —” Wyatt shrugged, feeling so completely helpless to sooth his twin’s pain, so palpable that Wyatt felt it too, that incurable suffering. “She was a mother at such a young age. She felt restless, like there were things in life she wanted but might never have. And you didn’t — Wes you didn’t let me in, didn’t give me a clue about Nora having told you she was leaving until the anniversary of her passing. Why would I just throw that on you, heap on to your pain? I thought that your lasting memory of Nora was good. I thought… I thought your ignorance could be your bliss, in that regard. But when you told me, Wes — when you told me the truth, about what was going on between the two of you, I wanted to tell you the truth. I did. But it still felt like it would only help me, get it off of my chest, but how would it help you?” 

Wesley was intent on delivering low blows, and Wyatt couldn’t help but feel judged, in a way he had never judged his twin. “If that’s what you really think of me, Wes, then I have no idea why you chose me to lean on. I have been here for you every step of the way through that loss. But if you think that I would ever deliberately hurt you or the kids, then…” Wyatt slumped in defeat. “There’s really nothing I can say that will make you believe me, is there?”

&

Wesley liked to think of himself as a relatively rational person, able to sort through his own emotional biases to get to the bottom of any situation or issue — and, objectively, many would say the same. Being a lawyer meant that there was a fine line between fact and feeling, and though it took him some time to get there he was able to toe the line with a majority success rate regardless of any stray thoughts that ran through his mind at any given moment. That being said, it was safe to say that this incredible show of distress was out of the ordinary for the normally calm and collected man, but how else was he supposed to react to what appeared to be his entire worldview falling apart? His wife, his marriage, his brother — it was all too much to handle, and being rational wasn’t an option.

The pain in his eyes was palpable, and so he forced himself to turn away when Wyatt began to deny certain accusations, unsure if he even had the ability to believe him at this point in time regardless of how much his words added up. All he saw was red, even the mere sound of his brother’s voice like nails on a chalkboard. “Don’t —“ his jaw clenched tightly as the other began to speak of Nora, her regrets and desires, as if he wasn’t already painfully aware of those facts and hadn’t been for the almost two years since her death. “You don’t get to tell me about what she wanted — you do not get to do that,” his voice was stern, as if he was punishing one of his children. “She may have told you things, she may have opened up to you about her life — our life — but I can guarantee right now that she did not tell you everything.” Only her side of things, because as lovely as Nora Hill could be, she was equally as ruthless, bordering on selfish at times. 

“Did she tell you how I did everything for her? How I let her have the last word on every important decision we made, how I funded her entire fucking art gallery space so that she could be more fulfilled with the life she supposedly fell into far too young? Or maybe how she pushed me into going into corporate law instead of criminal defense just because it made more money? Because while Nora apparently felt ‘restless’ with all the many things -- the gallery, all her friends, the spa vacations, the shopping trips -- she would never have, I was apparently living out my fucking dream in a city and in a career I hated?” 

He caught himself then, realizing how his anger had pivoted from Wyatt to his late wife whom he’d never, ever spoken poorly of. Even when she was alive. It was then he realized how much resentment for the woman had been hidden beneath the surface, all the things he’d deep down wanted to say to her but never even considered. Why? Because he loved Nora. Because he wanted her, wanted the kids, to be happy, even while sacrificing his own joy. No wonder she wanted a divorce; he’d become so miserable towards the end. Letting out a shaky breath, Wesley’s hand found the edge of the bar, gripping it tightly. 

“You should have told me,” he said then with a shake of his head. “But instead you tried to play fucking savior like you always do -- but, here’s the thing Wy --” he paused, “-- whether you see it or not, you’re always just trying to save yourself.” His eyes found the carpet, letting out a breath. “I know you love the kids. And you love me, but...this whole thing was never about us. You were trying to avoid this,” he gestured between them, “and it blew up in your fucking face.”

A moment of silence passed between them, Wesley realized he’d had enough. “You don’t get it, do you? It’s not about believing you or not. It’s not about --” he stopped himself, feeling his anger switch over to sadness and deciding this was as far as he was willing to go that night. Voice only a bit louder than a whisper, Wesley forced himself to turn away from his brother. “I need to pick Ezra up,” he said, not bothering to pick the file folder back up before making his escape.

[weshill]

late night at @katiebirch​‘s place

It’d all felt like a blur, the string of events over the past couple of months that brought him to this point. Hiring Tabitha to look into Nora’s last few months had been something he sought to give him some piece of mind, closure. He wasn’t daft enough to think that her cheating would be out of the realm of possibilities -- in fact, he counted it as a likely scenario based on how she approached him for a divorce in the first pace -- but finding out that she was ready to leave him for Wyatt?  That was something else entirely. And regardless of if Wyatt knew about her feelings for him, they’d carried out some sort of fucked up platonic relationship that left Wesley the odd man out.  The two of them had confided in one another for over a year and his twin had never said a word. Instead, he watched him suffer for almost two years, with knowledge that could change everything in his back pocket.

It didn’t take long for Wesley to pop open the first bottle of wine he saw after settling into Katie’s house, figuring that was the expectation of his being there regardless. “He tried to make himself the victim. Did I tell you that? He tried to make it seem like he didn’t want to tell me because I never confided in him about anything or some bullshit.” Maybe that wasn’t entirely accurate, but he was seething with far too much emotion to see things rationally. “They talked for a year. A year! He knew every single goddamn detail of our marriage, not thinking that was fucking lunatic of him or anything. Can you believe that? And I’m the moron with his thumb up his ass, thinking I did something to cause Nora to leave. When it was him all along.” He scoffed, bringing the bottle to his lips. “Just thinking about him makes me want to rip my fucking hair out.”

[weshill]

📱 | alex + wesley

alex: Oh man, sounds like I might've helped create a monster. Apologies in advance for whatever stats he starts spouting.

alex: It was my pleasure, seriously. And no, I think he was too busy scoring the game to be causing trouble, though I did notice he clammed right up when I asked him how school was …

alex: What about you, how are you doing lately?

wes: not at all. if anything you got that kid to do somethin other than play fortnite all day lol

wes: that's good to hear. ha, yeah, he's been having some issues this year. im pretty sure hes still having a hard time with his mom gone yknow

wes: im doing alright! works heating up and keeping mils and i busy as ever. i forgot what it was like to be this fucking busy all the time but im loving it

wes: and you? hows the whole...not-ex-wife situation going? any developments?

[weshill]

danidclgado​:

-

“No, I think I would have remembered a story about your broody son going on a liquor bender, what the hell is wrong with him?” Dani said, clearly a bit concerned since she had spent time with Ezra and she never thought of him as a bad kid. “Okay so while we’ve been screwing around your son has become a delinquent, cool,” She said nodding. It probably wasn’t right to start with jokes but she really didn’t know how to approach the situation other than with humor, if only to lesson the blow. “Do you know what you’re going to do? I mean, do you believe in punishing or grounding your kids? My abuelita used empty threats which scared me into going to church every Sunday but I don’t know how effective that would be here,” She suggested, only trying to help even though she doubted that’s want was happening. It was moments like these that reminded Dani why she didn’t want kids, not because of the bad things they got up to, but because of the relentless worry it caused their parents — and as someone who already struggled with anxiety, Dani didn’t need any more stress in her life.

The moment Wesley mentioned Nora, Dani’s heart sunk into guilty well that lay at the bottom of her stomach. She suddenly felt dirty. Like she was betraying her dead friend in some way by sleeping with her husband. “… If she was here, she’d hate me for all this,” She confessed, voice low as she shook her head. “Sorry, I just, I don’t know, it’s weird thinking about her now. I mean we were friends and now I’m here with you…” It felt like cheating even though it wasn’t. 

“Are you sleeping with other women?” Dani asked, not meaning to be so direct but she was curious. She didn’t think any answer would help her feel better — if he said yes, she’d feel like she wasn’t enough, and if he said no then she’d suddenly feel like she’d eventually disappoint him. As Wesley leaned over to press a soft kiss to her lips, Dani fumbled slightly, handling it a but awkwardly if only because affection didn’t always come easy for her. Even with Scott, it took her weeks to even hold his hand and they had been dating quite seriously at the time. Still, she was hoping to work on expressing herself better so that Wesley understood her mannerisms didn’t indicate she didn’t like him, she just hadn’t grown accustomed to things yet. “I don’t know, there’s still time to pack my bags and leave…” She joked before leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek, trying to get used to the intimacy even if it didn’t always come naturally for her. However, at his next comment, Dani instinctively slapped his shoulder and playfully pushed him away, “Shut up and eat your stupid cookies.”

&

“Hm, I’ve asked myself the same question many times,” he concurred with a small smirk. Admittedly, it was kind of adorable to hear Dani fuss about his children. He knew that she’d always cared about them, having gotten to know them somewhat over the years she and Scott had been together and the two couples had been friends, but still. Dani had always made her stance on having kids and settling down pretty clear, and while he didn’t have any expectations of her (especially with their situation being what it was), it was nice to hear the concern in her voice. “Exactly. Because my sex life completely dictates my children's’ behavior,” Wes rolled his eyes, reaching for one of the cookies in the container. “Don’t worry, I already took care of it. He lost video game privileges and isn’t allowed to go to sleepovers for a few months. Had him put in some work for Wyatt too while he was suspended -- I actually think he kind of liked it.” He broke off a piece of the cookie, popping it in his mouth. “Seriously? That’s why you were such a goody-two-shoes growing up?” the male teased. Not that he was much different, but for whatever reason neither him nor Wyatt had much of a desire to rebel, so his parents didn’t need to resort to any threats. “I’m guessing you don’t go to church much these days, then?”

A sigh escaped his lips as she expressed her guilt, shaking his head slowly. “That’s not true,” he assured, giving her a knowing look. “I think you're forgetting the fact that Nora was two seconds from divorcing me when she died. At that point I don’t think she would have given a shit who the hell I spent my time with.” It was a sad truth, but the truth nonetheless. She’d told him straight up that she’d fallen out of love with him, ready to pack her bags and leave when divorce papers were written up. “Believe me, I know,” he let out another breath. “I guess -- I’m at a point in my life now where I think...maybe I deserve to be happy.” A shrug. “And that saying all the ‘what ifs’ isn't going to change anything. Maybe she would be pissed, maybe she wouldn’t, but she’s gone.” Wes’ teeth tugged at the skin of his lower lip, the words still difficult to say despite how he felt. “I don’t think it would be fair to either of us if we harped on that.”

Wesley finished chewing the treat, clearing his throat before answering. “Uh -- no,” he admitted a bit bashfully. “If you hadn’t noticed, I don’t quite have the time to juggle more than one person,” the male joked, if only to deflect in case she was sleeping with other people. He didn't want to seem like he was putting all his eggs in one basket but, conversely, he didn’t want Dani to think he was focusing on anyone but her. Because he wasn’t, really. She was the only one constantly on his mind, in his thoughts, regardless of wherever this was or wasn’t headed. “In the middle of dessert? That’d be awfully rude. At least wait until it’s the middle of the night when I’m sleeping to skip out,” Wes teased, laughing as he was shoved back. “Don’t need to tell me twice.”

[weshill]

flohastings​:

-

“Nope, you need to like… I don’t know, walk louder or breathe more heavily,” she said unconvincingly, mostly trying to get the last word rather than coming up with convincing arguments. She stood there awkwardly, Chester at her feet, trying to figure out how to make this less uncomfortable for the both of them. Small talk about Chester being good people or not didn’t seem like the way to go. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that? I’ll put you out of your misery right now. Dani told me about the wedding hookup, so I’m pretty sure you weren’t here for a sleepover. You forgot to set an alarm,” she mimicked with a chuckle. “I know I’m blonde, but I’m not that gullible, Wesley.”

*

“Yeah, right. I’ll keep that in mind next time I think I’m all alone in someone else’s house,” he relented, finding the squabble to be incredibly silly all things considered. Wesley wasn’t an awkward person by nature -- it was part of the reason he became a lawyer, able to survey the waters and paddle accordingly regardless of the conditions -- but for some reason navigating this particular situation made him blush like a school boy. “It wasn’t really a lie, though,” he pointed out, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “We did have a sleepover, technically. It was just -- y’know,” a shrug. “Not that I’m particularly shy. I just -- I didn’t know if she’d told you that we’re…” Fucking? Sleeping together? Dating but not really dating? “...spending more time together. I’m not the presumptuous type.” Wes crossed his arms. “Though, maybe I should be. She mentioned the wedding, then? And...was there anything else she said?” After all, they were keeping things quiet for now, but he wasn’t surprised that one of her closest friends was aware of the situation.

[weshill]

wyatt-hill​:

-

Wyatt had turned his torso then at Wesley’s insistence he wasn’t staying long, fulling facing his brother. “Everything alright? Did the kids leave something?” He set his beer down on a waiting coaster on the coffee table, beginning to stand so he could offer Wesley his full attention — until the recording played. Wyatt froze, every cell in his body ceasing their functions as he fell back against the couch cushion. Nora. Her voice made his heart clench, but it raised so much frustration as well. He’d told Sara of that complicated mix of emotions as well. She had made it all seem to reasonable, so acceptable and so human. Now, Wyatt had to answer to Wesley, who clearly didn’t have any context. 

“Wes,” Wyatt said cautiously, standing up again so he could face his twin, the couch still between them. “Just, hear me out. Let me explain.” Wyatt’s palms held out coaxingly. “Nora called me one day, out of the blue. You know that we didn’t speak, you and I hardly spoke unless it was a holiday or a birthday. I was so surprised, I thought something was wrong. I thought, surely if she’s calling me, it must be the kids, or you, so —” Wyatt paused to catch his breath, panic rising in his throat. “It took off from there. The two of us, talking. She was a sounding board for all of my pain last year, I listened to her. I thought you two had hit a rough patch. I mean, who was I to judge your marriage? Mine had fallen apart right in front of my eyes and I was having an affair with Sara. So I listened, and I just — I didn’t see the signs, Wes. I didn’t think anything of the time of day, or the increased frequency, any of it. I wasn’t paying attention because I was miserable and selfish and just wanted someone to talk to. When she left that voicemail —” 

Wyatt looked away then, unable to look at his twin then, so deeply, wholly ashamed. “I did call her back. I told her not to come. I told her that she had the wrong idea, had gotten the completely wrong impression of me, of whatever was going on between us. I would never — Wes, you have to believe that. I haven’t thought of Nora like that since we were kids. I never encouraged her, not once. And I made it clear she wasn’t welcome here, that there was no us. That I was not in love with her, that she needed to focus on you, your marriage, your kids. And then… She died. And I didn’t know what to do, how to tell you. It felt like salt in a very deep wound. And you had asked to come here, and I thought… I thought you needed a brother, more than you needed a painful truth that wouldn’t fix anything.”

&

If this had occurred a few years back, before Wesley and Wyatt had mended fences and had gotten as close as they were now, he wouldn’t have been as devastated. Angry, sure, but anger was an easy emotion in his experience. It wasn’t complex, it had a straightforward beginning, middle, and end to it. Honestly, this admission would have been easier to handle back then, the only tie between them their blood relation and not over a year’s worth of closeness and vulnerability that the two brothers had ever shared before. Now he’d have to mourn the loss of two people in his life -- at least, the loss of what he thought they had.

He felt utterly defeated, and perhaps that was why he allowed Wyatt to ramble on and on about the situation with Nora, offering barely any resistance to the words that felt incredibly empty despite the desperation behind them, but then -- “last year?” he spoke up, a sinking feeling in his chest. Tabitha had only provided him with three months’ worth of correspondence between the two, and while he knew they’d been talking longer than that, it didn’t occur to him that this could have been going on for that long -- and then he spoke of their rough patch, one he hadn’t told a single soul about until long after her death. The picture she must have painted of him -- never before had he felt so naked, exposed, a year's worth of knowledge about Wesley Hill under Wyatt’s fingerprints that he’d been sitting on.

“Let me see if I got this right,” he said after a moment, voice barely more than a croak while his fingers gripped so tightly on the manila folder that it was beginning to crinkle. “You watched me parade around here after my wife died, wondering what the hell I did to make her want to leave me -- uproot my entire life to move to this fucking city -- with no shred of self-esteem or respect for myself…” Wes felt himself get more and more upset as he spoke, voice getting louder but not quite at the point where he was yelling, “...and you let me think that Nora wanting a divorce was all my fault?” A scoff escaped his lips, dropping the folder on the top of the bar with a thump. “And then, what? Fucking up your marriage wasn’t enough, so you decided to step in and ruin mine? Is that what happened, Wyatt? You wanted to knock me down to your level so I could look like bumbling fucking asshole, too?”

[weshill]

danidclgado​:

-

“Flavored Svedka? Okay why does he already have the tastebuds of a freshman sorority girl?” Dani said thought a fit of bubbled laughter. It was a little amusing until she realized that perhaps Wesley wasn’t actually joking about the alcohol. “Wait — seriously, he’s drinking already? Isn’t he still, like, a child?” He seemed far too young, though Dani couldn’t be sure considering the fact that when she was his age alcohol was the furthest thing from her mind because she was far too scared of getting in trouble. “Okay perfect, then Franny can be in charge of all future baking because I definitely have no interest in taking pointers from a baby,” Or being in the kitchen at all if Dani was being honest, though it was cute that Wesley seemed to be so hands on with his kids and teaching them new things.

Dani wasn’t quite sure what she was expecting out of Wesley upon her update. A part of her felt guilty because she couldn’t quite give her heart to him fully when it was still in pieces. However, she knew that their little fling wasn’t a one night stand and there were feelings attached so the last thing she wanted to do was lead him on when she truly wasn’t sure where her head was at. Her gaze slowly lowered to her sleeve as she picked at the fabric to keep her hands busy and to prevent herself from saying something regrettable. It was hard not to notice the faint disappointment and she didn’t know whether she should have felt guilty or flattered, or perhaps both. “It’s not like I’m super keen on getting hurt again either, but, I don’t know…” Dani shrugged her shoulders with sigh. “I know things with Scott and I are never going to go back to how they used to be even if I want them to — too much has happened and I can’t get over it, but I also can’t let it go,” And she couldn’t look at him without being reminded that he discarded her when she needed him to choose her. Eventually, Dani knew she would move on and not feel so heartbroken, but for the time being, she still felt very broken by the whole ordeal.

“Me? Spare your feelings? That doesn’t sound like me,” Dani said, shooting Wesley a knowing look. However, despite her words, she couldn’t help but want to protect him. He had gone through enough heartbreak for one lifetime without her adding onto the pile. More importantly, she couldn’t imagine losing their friendship when Wesley had been a rock for her the last few months and she didn’t know what she would do without him. “If you want honesty then… I mean, spending time with you has been really nice the last few weeks — you know when I found out they were getting married I was going to pack up my things and just drive back down to Los Angeles without looking back. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m really glad I didn’t,” If she had then she never would have explored whatever was going on between her and Wesley.

&

“Because it’s the one flavored liquor I had in my liquor cabinet when he rummaged through it last time. Did I not tell you?” A slight scoff left his lips, followed by the shake of his head. “He got suspended a few months back for sneaking alcohol into school. He told me he didn’t try it but I seriously doubt it -- you should’ve smelled his backpack when he came home that day.” It was one of his darker days as a single parent, dealing with this newfound behavioral issue with Ezra all by himself. At the time it made him feel like a failure of a parent, wondering where he could have gone wrong to let something like this happen, but after seeking advice from his brother he realized it was, perhaps, a case of a teenager being a teenager -- and one who’d gone through the trauma of losing a parent at that. “That’s probably for the best. She’s pretty bossy when put in charge of anything.” Wesley couldn’t help but grin -- always his headstrong little girl. 

There were a lot of thoughts going through his head at that point, most of them centering around what an absolute dickhead Scott had to have been to go through with a marriage fully knowing he was in love with someone else. His feelings for Dani aside, it was objectively fucked up, and while Wes had never been much for sainthood he’d always been loyal to those he cared about. One of the things him and Scott had bonded over were their shared values and, if nothin else, this entire situation had cemented that had changed. “Right,” he let out a breath, shoulders lifting in a shrug. “I mean -- I get it, I do. If Nora were still here...” Wes allowed the thought to trail off, lips pressing in a tight line, “Having history with someone just...it’s hard to ignore. I can’t fault you for that.” And he couldn’t. Even if he secretly wanted to, because finding things wrong with Dani might have been easier than the possibility of inevitable heartbreak.

He snorted. “No, you’re right. I must be getting you confused with one of the other women I’m sleeping with,” he tossed back, a soft smile crossing his features as he looked at her. The thought of losing Dani all together was a much more difficult concept to bear than even just the feelings he had for her, so while he hoped she wouldn’t go and rekindle things with Scott, more than anything he hoped she’d stay in his life regardless. Wes didn’t want to lose another person close to him. “Yeah?” He knew Dani wasn’t the most expressive of people when it came to emotions, so the admission meant quite a lot to him in the moment. Leaning forward, Wes softly pressed his lips to hers, lingering a moment before speaking next, “For the record, I’m really glad you didn’t either,” he said, “this town looks pretty good on you, Delgado. Almost as good as those jeans.”

[weshill]

wyatt-hill​:

On the anniversary of Nora’s death, Wyatt had confessed to Sara the truth of he and Nora’s relationship — that he’d missed the signs of her affections for him, and when she’d told him she planned to leave Wesley for him, Wyatt had realized the error in his ignorance. Naturally, he had told Nora she wasn’t welcome — that what she was doing was wrong and her intention on leaving Wesley and her children behind was sickening. But, Nora hadn’t lived long enough to take action one way or another. Sara and Wyatt had been of the same mind — Wesley deserved to have his memory of his wife untainted, though, this revelation came before Wesley admitted to Wyatt that Nora had informed him she wanted a divorce. Still, Wyatt didn’t want to pour salt in a wound. He’d never had any intention of allowing Nora to come to Eureka, and though he had never played into whatever romantic fantasy his sister-in-law had, Wyatt still felt incredibly guilty, as though he’d betrayed his twin.

But those thoughts were far from Wyatt’s mind as he sat on the couch in Patrick Bennett’s house, beer in hand while football played idly on the television. Bennett was napping, and Sara was out with one friend or another. When Wesley sounded behind Wyatt, he tilted his head backwards, upside-down gaze landing upon his brother. “Hey. Yeah, he is. Grab a beer, if you want. Just watching the Seahawks get their ass kicked.”

&

He was practically shaking at the sight of Wyatt, fingers gripping tightly onto the stack whilst his other hand stayed buried deep in the pocket of his slacks. It occurred to him then the lack of guilt in his brother’s features, how he could look at him with such a cavalier glance and invite him to watch a football game, not a thought about Nora or himself in that head of his. He’d poured over the folder that Tabitha had given him containing his wife’s phone records; transcriptions of voicemails and text messages all spanning over three months prior to Nora’s death. What he wanted in the beginning was closure, but now he was merely left with devastation. He’d lost his wife to an aneurysm, yes, but apparently she’d been long gone before then.

“No, that’s fine. I won’t be long,” he shook his head, attempting to keep his voice as monotone and neutral as possible. The last thing he wanted was to completely lose it right then. After a moment he slowly lifted the stack up so that he could view the top sheet of paper, clearing his throat then before he read the transcription from it.

“Hey, Wy,” he began, trying his hardest to concentrate on the words in front of him and not the man sitting on the couch before him. “It’s me -- but you knew that. I was going to save this for next time I saw you in person but this can’t wait. God, I wish I could hear your voice right now. The past couple of months, our late-night conversations...it’s made me realize that --” Wesley paused, swallowing thickly. “-- that I’m in love with you. We have a connection deeper than the one I’ve ever had with Wesley, I know you know that. I love you, Wyatt, and I know you love me. You’re the one I want to be with. I saw this little house for sale on the coast that I’ve been eyeing for weeks now and I can’t help but imagine both of us in it. I’m going to leave Wesley, I’ve decided, so that we can be together. You and me. Just like old times, right? God, I’m so glad I finally said something. Just call me back when you can. I’ll be waiting on the other line. I love you.”

Wes stared at the paper for another long moment before he allowed himself to meet his brother’s eyes. “She left you that voicemail a week before she died.” 

[weshill]

at @wyatt-hill‘s house

He hadn’t been able to think straight for the past three days, going so far as to even call out of the office that morning as his anxiety levels skyrocketed. He’d never felt so absolutely betrayed in his entire life, so whiplashed by the events he’d looked into that he wasn’t quite sure how he was supposed to feel. For over a year Wes had been searching inwardly, trying to work on himself and his family to put them in a better place than they’d been after Nora’s death -- but this? It was an entirely new wrench thrown into his life, his plans, because not only had he been emotionally cheated on by his wife, but also deceived by his brother. His twin, someone he’d mended fences with and shared moments with over the past year that he wouldn’t take back for the world; who helped him and his children through their grief; who looked him in the eye almost every single day and told him that he supported him, all while keeping a huge life-changing secret close to his chest. It made him sick.

He couldn’t wait to confront him any longer -- the knowledge was eating at his chest, clawing away at his inside until there was nothing else he could think about. Ezra was old enough to man the house by himself while Wesley went down the street, promising he’d be gone only an hour, tops before heading out. He had no idea what he was going to say, no grand speech planned, because he knew it’d all go out the window the second he locked eyes with his brother. There was no point in knocking -- Wes had a key -- and so after allowing himself in the male lead himself through the vast estate until he found the other in the basement. Right at the bar next to the pool table where they’d spent so many nights.

“Is Bennett asleep?” he asked, face blank as he cradled a stack of papers in his arms. He could barely look at the male, his skin feeling like it was on fire. 

[weshill]

danidclgado​:

-

“How about you just be insulted, it’s easier that way,” Dani teased, nodding her head with a knowing smile. After all, her friendship with Wesley was built on sarcasm and insults, and in that respect, she felt very comfortable around him. Their new developing relationship had been surprising, sure, but it had always been very easy. Relationships had never been easy for Dani, not even things with Scott, at least not at the beginning, whereas right now she didn’t feel that looming dark cloud or heavy weight on her chest when she was around Wesley and she didn’t quite know how to interpret that. “Okay so Ezra and I should really go drinking together then because it sounds like we have the same taste in alcohol,” Dani joked with a faint smile. She didn’t spend very much time with Wesley’s children other than the few run ins over the years, but she did understand that family was sacred and if they were going to continue on this path then she would have to give a damn about his kids at some point. Granted, Ezra was easier to deal with for her since he was practically all grown up and her distaste and fear had always been directed at babies and toddlers. “Okay well I’m a pretty shitty baker too but I’m very skilled at purchasing baked good from the store, so there’s that,” She added with the slight shrug of her shoulder and an amused grin.

The tension was nearly palpable at the moment she mentioned Scott, and for good reason. Dani knew it was practically an unspoken rule that they don’t address the elephant in the room that was her past relationship with Scott, but in this moment, there was a point she needed to make. One she was working up the courage to actually make but hadn’t quite found her stepping. “Scott isn’t going to kick your ass,” Dani said, works coming out with a slight laugh at the very thought of Scott turning to violence over something so stupid. She liked to think she knew him pretty well and his gentle nature had been something she always loved so in that respect she was happy that there was no violence between to the two men she cared about. “I mean, yeah, we are keeping this quiet, but…” her words trailed off as she tried to gather her thoughts on the issue and real reason she brought it up. 

Unfolding her leg from under her, Dani sat up a little straighter and tried not to pick at her nails even if the incessant habit was begging for a distraction, “I just want to be, like, upfront about things — so Scott apologized and admitted he made a mistake…” She sighed, knowing that apologies didn’t fix anything and it certainly didn’t make her feel less hurt or embarrassed, but it was something. “He said he would be there if I ever decided I wanted to repair things and try again…” And she hadn’t quite decided but she was certainly considering the open offer from her ex. Admitting that felt like a hit to her ego because she knew she deserved better but she also couldn’t help but cling to the past, “I guess what I’m saying is that I just have a lot to think about.” In an effort to offer full disclosure to Wesley and the mess he was getting into with her, Dani felt like it was only fair to give him an easy exit if he decided this was far too much drama for him. 

&

“If you say so, sure,” his lips pressed into a tight-lipped grin as he chewed his food, eyes lingering on her for a moment longer before returning his gaze to his plate. It was easy to look at Dani with admiration nowadays, after all the awkwardness and uncertainty of their feelings for one another had subsided. Noticing all the subtleties of her character and her looks in a way he never had before, savoring them in the moment rather than in retrospect; her dark hair brushing against her cheeks, the mischievous glint in her eye when she made a joke, the way her laugh effortlessly bounced off of the walls -- all things he didn’t want to take for granted regardless of how things turned out. It was a lesson he learned the hard way that he wasn’t about to repeat. “God, the worst part about that is you’re probably right. Apparently he’s a fan of flavored Svedka now.” Wesley rolled his eyes, remembering the way Ezra’s bag smelled the day he got suspended. “That always works. Franny could also give you a couple of tips -- her brownies aren’t half bad.” Of course that was when he was helping the nine-year old measure everything out, but he liked to give credit wherever he could. 

He couldn’t help but match the subtle laugh that fell from her lips, knowing Scott well enough himself to know that he wouldn’t be the type to throw punches over such things much like he wouldn’t. Wesley knew he’d have to face the male at some point, having largely avoided his friend over the past couple of months due to various factors, but if he was being honest he was largely putting it off. He didn’t feel bad about his feelings for Dani -- in fact, it was one of the few good things that had come out of the last year -- and while he knew Scott was married now he couldn’t help but wonder if the budding romance between the two would be an issue. 

Scott apologized and admitted he made a mistake. He couldn’t help the small scoff of disbelief that left his lips, immediately hovering a hand over his mouth as it happened. “Sorry, I -- that was shitty.” After all, he really didn’t want to be spiteful, and he wasn’t. It was just -- well. it was awfully convenient of him to say such things when Dani was getting her happiness elsewhere. There was a slight sinking feeling in his chest though no promises were actually made or broken, but he maintained his composure with a simple nod. “Right, no, that makes sense.” And it did. Wes knew of the lengths he himself would go for someone he loved, sohe couldn’t blame her for contemplating the same. “Well, thank you for telling me. Seriously,” Wes’ eyes met Dani’s, nodding. “And I know it’s not my place to say much since it’s -- it’s not my relationship or really my business, but...” a sigh then, “for what it’s worth I don’t want to see you get hurt all over again.” That was the most important thing to him. “I guess I ask that you let me know what you’re thinking before --” Wesley couldn’t help but chuckle, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. Before I get too attached, he wanted to say. “Just don’t be afraid to be honest with me. You don’t have to spare my feelings -- I’m a big boy.”

[weshill]

iMessage 📲 Wes

KATIE: Oh

KATIE: Okay well i cant guarantee ill be that much fun but i have wine here

KATIE: also bobby

KATIE: because everything is better when you can pet a dog

WES: believe me fun is not on my list of things I want right now

WES: I can't believe Wyatt spent almost two years hiding this from me. I feel like a fucking idiot.

WES: you're not wrong about that. bobby is the only guy I can trust now apparently