#( interactions: ducky carvalho. )

[ltjames]

TO: @duckycarvalho

LOCATION: TRIC

LT wasn't usually the go out and drink to have fun kind of guy. But tonight, a bunch of his friends had managed to convince him to do so. After the first two drinks, he found himself relaxing and starting to vibe into the crowded scene. Playing little to no mind to those around him. That was, of course, until something told him to look to his left. Without reason or rhythm, LT found himself glancing that way, his dark eyes immediately fell upon someone rather familiar. In a more sober state, he might've felt immediate discomfort, but since he felt rather at ease, he simply just smiled. He pushed off the bar and headed towards the person, "Long time no see, Ducky." He greeted, as he closed the distances between them. "You're back and ready to party, I see."

[armisdeleon]

TO: @duckycarvalho

Armi had resorted into denial. Mainly because if she didn't, Kian could very well kiss his savior act goodbye. God damn that man. If she thought too long about it, she'd find herself overwhelmed by the fact that she could lose him for good. That couldn't happen, right? Needing to get her mind off of all her pent up anxiety, she decided she'd go see one of the few people who knew exactly how to brighten up her day. "Declan!" She shouted from the front door, ready to stir the pot the second she stepped foot into her friend's house. "Honey, -- I'm home, and I'm in the mood for some good girl talk." She tossed her bag down by the front door and entered further, "If you got company, this is the perfect time to let me know." She wasn't sure if he had a date over or not, but just in case, so she didn't walk into something she'd never be able to unsee.

[ltjames]

Whatever buzz the male had been on was slowly, but surely beginning to fade. His light mood grew darker as he listened to his ex explain what happened all those years ago. For some reason the truth seemed to only anger him more. LT slowly began to shake his head, as if refusing to accept this piece of information, or maybe simply, just finding it hard to do so. Maybe his soured mood also had a bit to do with what he was going through with his own father at the moment. His sickness was also determined to be terminal. But LT knew there were always miracles and that you should always fight through it. His jaw clenched, "So -- lets say you did, actually die..." LT began, "Do you think I wouldn't preferred to say goodbye to you? It's one thing to be alive and out there doing your life, and maybe one day I'll see you again. And it's a totally different thing to wake up one day and find out the person you loved... is gone. Forever."

"Don't -- don't use that 'we were just kids' line on me." He hissed, "You could've told me, that was my choice to make. And you don't deserve to go out like that, either. Come on, Ducky." He grabbed his arm as he turned to leave, "No -- don't. Just... listen get a drink." He offered, "Lets talk."

˙ ˖ ✶ LT (Lieutenant Spooky)

Oh how he missed those silly quips, and that cheesy grin LT always seemed to had plastered. The boy he once knew was now a man, and that same man he still loved after all this time. Seeing him brought it all back, the flood gates of his mind opened to the memories of their times in school, from when they were nothing more than little boys, to high school sweethearts. "I'll thank Beyonce, for safety and then I'll definitely thank boxing. But I think you should show me those gains up close and personal sometime. I do live in Masonboro again, so come find me." This was what he last said before the knot in his throat started to form.

"I did," Ducky nodded unable to look elsewhere, seeing the hurt, the confusion in LT's eyes, that alone felt worse than any pain he'd endured in all these years. "No, I didn't think you'd abandon me, just the opposite, I knew you would have stayed by my side through everything. But I couldn't do that to you." he worried his lip, trying to find the right words. "We were just kids, LT. I was scared, I had been told it was terminal at the time, and I didn't want you to endure just seeing me wither every single day. Because seeing you in pain would hurt more than anything else in this world."

"I...I never thought I'd get the chance, and I didn't plan on saying this much but it all just came out. I'm sorry," Ducky mumbled meeting LT's eyes. "Sorry, I couldn't be what I promised so long ago Lieutenant spooky. I'll just go, sorry...I...Sorry."

[ltjames]

LT a few years back, might've had a much different reaction to seeing Ducky. But this LT was calm, cool, collected. There was no point in losing his mind, not at this time. He had learned to settle the pain in other ways. Boxing had been a great outlet for that. Focusing on his paranormal business had as well. Learning to vibe and go with the flow was his best bet. Life wasn't going to ease up, and he refused to react in any way that would ultimately add fire to the fuel. So he stood before his ex, calm, collected. Glad to see he was healthy. At least, by the eye, he was. "I took up boxing, guess you can thank that for the gains." He flashed hims a smile, keeping the moment lighthearted, but he could see in Ducky's eyes that this was about to take a turn.

He stiffen as he mentioned not giving him the truth back then. Any calmness he had was starting to weary. Nerves built in his gut at whatever this man was about to bring up. He fell silence as Ducky spoke, then asking to go outside. LT grabbed a shot off the nearest table, not caring who it belonged to, and shot it back, before nodding and following Ducky out of the bar.

LT wasn't sure what he expected when he got outside, but the information that was dropped on him was not even close. His eyes widen as he took in what he was being told. Then confusion, his brows furrowed as he shook his head, "You had cancer?" He questioned, his heart racing, "Why wouldn't you have told me that, Ducky? I wouldn't have abandoned you. And you still love me?" He questioned, "You can't unload all that after all this time. You-- what hell, man?!" He shook his head, "Did you think I would just throw you out or something? Why are you telling me this now?!"

˙ ˖ ✶ LT (Lieutenant Spooky)

LT could hate him, dismiss him, ignore him, even push him away and Ducky would've accepted all of it. From childhood friends to so much more, Ducky had always known who he was, even as a little boy he'd once said he was gonna marry LT. Back then it was childish nonsense, but if he said it today, he would've meant it every single time. "Kind of hard not to notice, you've definitely bulked up. Pretty surprised people aren't clawing at you right now," he chuckled feeling a bit awkward that he was still flirting with LT regardless. He sighed, feeling the knot in his throat starting to form as he looked into his ex's eyes. "No, not water under the bridge, not for me. I didn't really give you the truth back then, because...I was afraid. I still am, but you deserve to know why I left." Looking around he felt the nerves wrapping around his throat as if trying to stifle his words, like a snake trapping its prey. "Let's go outside, I don't want anything to be drowned out by the music."

"So..." taking a breath he paused to take in the sight of the man he would always love. "I didn't want to break up with you, I never did, I never fell out of love with you or anything like that. Even now it's hard to look at you because it brings me back to the happiest times of my life, when I was with you." he sighed. "I broke up with you because I got sick...and it was suspected or told to be terminal. At the time I didn't know how to tell you those things because I knew you had a lot going on back home and I didn't want to add to that." Ducky felt his eyes well with tears, as he stood there slightly shaking from the emotion. "I had cancer LT, and whilst it turned out to not be terminal, I was just a scared kid who loved you and still does, and I just didn't...I'm sorry, I guess is what I'm trying to say, and that my biggest regret in life is breaking up with you, because...part of me thinks I'd be Ducky James by now."

[armisdeleon]

"I don't know..." She trailed off, then arching a brow at her friend, "Did you eat already?" She wiggled her brows, "Because if so, then yes. You should've sensed that I was coming over and therefore, waited for me." She was only teasing, of course. "Ha-ha, so funny." She patted his shoulder before venturing further into the kitchen, "I"d just like you to know if that was the case, it'd be more shoot first, questions later. So, beware." She wiggled her brows, grateful for the light tone. "You're stalking your exes IG? Why are you like this? Wouldn't it be, I don't know, easier to just message him or something?" She arched a brow, "Stop this torture."

˙ ˖ ✶ Armi

"Jesus! Don't scare me like that, only my mother calls me Declan when she's angry at me. You're not angry at me are you?" Ducky called out before entering her vision as he yawned, sluggish steps making it feel as if the ground was quicksand. "Alright let me go with my rehearsed lines then. I'm sorry. I didn't know he was dating someone when we kissed. Sorry, I stole your husband, you can have him back, and No hablo Ingles." At the mention of girl talk he relaxed, face shifting into a smile as he sat and patted the couch. "Please, you think I'd have company at this ti...Never mind, I remember being caught a few times. So what's on your mind, what do you wanna know and if it's about my love life, no I'm not over my ex. I might've stalked his ig a little bit, and he still has that cute smile."

[ltjames]

It had been years since LT had seen the man before him. But at one point, this man was the extract reason he found out who he truly was at a tender age. The man before him had been one of his closest friends, and then before he knew it, so much more. Apart of him felt like he should probably be angry. But the alcohol was holding him back. Instead he simply just felt at ease. He smirked at the comment about his biceps, "It's mad kind of you to notice." He replied, "I've been hitting the gym quite a bit since the last time you've seen me. So, I'm inquired to say yes." He arched a brow at his ex's admission, "Is that right?" He wondered, "Well, Ducky, water under the bridge right? We were kids, can't fault you for doing what was best for you." At least, that's the prep talk he had been given countless times since Ducky left. And after all, people always left, didn't they? He should know that better than anyone. Sometimes they came back, but at the end of the day, they always left.

˙ ˖ ✶ LT (Lieutenant Spooky)

Ducky hadn't really been around the party scene since settling back home, but something about tonight and a little push from his friends forced out the door. It was supposed to be a simple night of laughs, drinks and dancing, and it was until his eyes caught a glimpse of something he's longed for since he left. LT. It was as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped on his head as he looked up at the man, and his first thought was to just pull him close, kiss him the way they used to, and it was almost as if he could still smell that silly little boyish cologne he wore back in high school. "Lieutenant Spooky," he mused, and hearing the very nickname he's gone by for so long made his heart race, especially knowing LT was the one who gave it to him in the first place. "I am back, but I don't really know about party. You look great...amazing even. Hell have your biceps gotten bigger? Not that I'm staring." Ducky winked as he stepped just a bit closer. "I've been meaning to stop by your place for sometime now actually, I've just been a bit too chicken to do so."