#Rhett finding any excuse to touch Link

[jula483]

always gotta touch

(x)

[asherlockstudy]

So I’ve always debated with myself if I thought that they have always been together in some way or another and have just hid it all these years and did what was expected of them and got married and had kids. I’ve recently started watching all of the old episodes which kinda made me lean toward that. The way that they would over correct things was just like why are you even correcting that there was notbjng “weird” like me who “over analyzes” everything didn’t think it was questionable. Why are you? Lol. And then also early episodes when they would talk about the kids they always seemed to make it like all 5 were theirs. Even after the usual specifying that they have kids with their very separate wives.

But then I watched the plexiglass kiss episode and wow links reaction to that is crazy. I definitely don’t think that it was something that had ever happened before that moment but also definitely something that he had thought about.

I was trying to find a particular gifset to show you but as usual, I gave up on it. It is a pre-GMM gifset, you may have seen it, where it’s young Rhett and Link and Rhett has this sour expression on his face and tells Link: “Don’t touch me. On my knee. Please.” and Link replies: “Well I didn’t do it on purpose”

This is very telling about how on edge they used to be, particularly Rhett. Of course, I bet this was in public, where they had to prove what straight macho men they were. There is however also a moment in that live-with-audience old GMM they did in which Rhett described the frequent incidents of sleeping in the same bed when travelling with many friends and sharing hotel rooms. He said that most people expected them to be the ones to sleep together and, note, he said: “and I guess we did nothing to stop it”. Of course he could mean that they were comfortable enough with each other that they didn’t mind doing that.

But if we take into consideration how uptight they were in other occasions about much simpler things, I think the actual reason is different.

Rhett and Link never objected to bed-sharing because a) they had the blessing of the others and b) there was no risk of instinctively escalating the situation because there were more people in the room. So they felt safe to sleep together without judgement and without fearing something “sinful” might happen. And of course Rhett also said how he automatically went into “log mode”, not moving, not breathing, hardly even sleeping at all, which he probably said to prove how uncomfortable he felt, except this is when you are uncomfortable because you dread you will get it up at any moment. Link on the other hand slept with “reckless abandon”, meaning that the moment he was getting sleepy and his inhibitions and defences fell, his body instinctively inched close to Rhett and spooned him. Which kinda explains why Rhett couldn’t sleep due to the dread lol.

They were obsessed with wrestling because it was an opportunity to touch and press on each other while appearing as manly men doing manly things.

They had a limit of what could be done in the presence of others and in their privacy until it reached the point of being inexcusable. As long as they had an excuse for it, they did it. If something inexcusable threatened to happen, they overcorrected with aggressiveness and acting macho or emotionally constipated.

I don’t think they had a relationship because they indeed followed the expectations of their faith, except for those acts, as aforementioned, which they had a way to call different from what they were.

But here’s the thing. I have a pet peeve, that notion that they are “idiots” who don’t realise they are in love. Ehm… that just doesn’t happen… or it is super rare anyway. There are things you sense or feel when you are in love or lust. How could this be misinterpreted for decades of close friendship?! Especially in men, there are unmistakeable signs in their physicality that can betray sexual interest and, let’s be real, Rhett has managed to hoist the flag in GMM, while filmed, in front of thousands and his employees at least twice. All I am saying is he is very physically responsive and as the hormone-crazed teenager he was, well, if, IF he was into Link, then things would happen that would make it unquestionable to him.

For this and many other reasons it would take me ages to mention in their entirety, I think they knew or suspected there was more between them. But they had a silent pact to just ignore it forever. I also think Rhett was the one blocking out the questionable incidents most of the time and Link repressed himself for the sake of Rhett’s friendship, out of fear of not losing him entirely. But I also think that this is also one of the reasons they remained close friends for so long - they were addicted to the fact that it felt like something reciprocal was going on between them while they simultaneously felt safe enough that nothing “bad” would actually happen. It was that good old “push and pull” or “hot and cold” if you will, that was so invigorating in their relationship.

Until Rhett, based on that very same principle, decided to kiss Link through plexiglass in front of millions. He felt safe enough to do it. Except apparently Link eventually said “you know, Rhett, and Jesus, enough is enough” (as hinted in his diary entry after the plexiglass kiss, which he has READ to us) and Rhett had not built strong enough defences against Link’s newfound determination.

[goodmythicalshipping]

[ X ]

[becausethathappens]

Will you please write a super angsty fic where Link is freaking out because he thinks the wedding vows he has written aren't good enough and Rhett helps him go over them and make corrections and says they're perfect but also, just says the vows he would say for Link if it was them like it should've been because he's heartbroken and Link can tell but their hands are tied and they don't know what to do so they soldier on without saying a word, but wordlessly communicating lifelong love and misery and everything, maybe comfort as well?

i'm really really sad and i can't shake it off and i really want some good angst and hurt/comfort and i really love you, maura, you're awesome

I don't do unhappy endings, anon. I'm confident you don't either. In fiction or otherwise. So, pardon this if it’s not what you expected.

Please enjoy? This was done a little hastily to share it with you (and I should be writing other things per usual) but I've had a rough week and I want to hopefully make someone smile. (I have way angstier stuff in the drafts and I will be sure to get those out eventually, too.) You’ll feel better soon.  🤞  Thank you! 💞

-———————-

now or forever

4k - Rhett writes Link vows.

If you were my boy, Blue

I’d bathe you in honeys (sp?)

I’d sing write you a love song

I’d shoot you a star**

If you were my boy, Blue

There ain’t nothing in this life I wouldn’t give

From my heart, to my toes, to my fingers, my nose (**)

Whatever it takes just to watch you live 

continue to ‘ ’ grow with you like a vine ‘round a rose 

If you were my boy, Bue

I wouldn’t want you all for myself

There’s no star bright enough to match your lightin’

In sickness, blue, so certainly while we have health

Hand in hand, no longer fightin’

What’s destiny (**)

You and & me

If you were my boy, Blue

I'd marry you

&

Thank God for Rhett. Giving him, delivering him, blessing him with Rhett.

Link is in the middle of a spiral (what he’ll later recognize as a panic attack) when Rhett arrives, the eve of his wedding. Bailing him out of this with pen, paper, and a smile.

Link has always been good at improv.

Though Rhett tended to find the words to start. These were his own vows and Link has been putting time to sit and start them off for weeks. Now that he has to, he’s dumbfounded, despite being deeply in love.

Amidst all the planning and chaos, writing his vows was such a given that Link left it as priority sixty-seven on a list of many more.

Unfortunately, even as busy as they’ve been, that list was shredded with the “who gifted what” tracking sheet (both literally, accidentally, and figuratively) back around the bridal shower and it’s been anarchy ever since.

So he thanks God for Rhett, who’s here, to stop another needless disaster from happening.

That same generous God, however, watches him plagued with thoughts of utter devotion at Rhett’s willingness to drop everything on a weeknight and rush over to help Link find his words.

His lyrics, really, is what Link has in mind. Since they used to write songs together and this felt much the same. He’s been floundering all night and now that Rhett’s here, he knows he’ll at least get what he needs done. Even if it’s not all he wants, right now.

That same God seeks judgment on his every decision or flinch against His will, for any reason, to spite him.

For this reason.

He wants to smush Rhett’s face and kiss him. Deeply. He doesn’t.

Even if there were sometime in the past that he could get away with a platonic smooch, now he can’t. He simply could not prevent that from escalating.

So, he merely tightens his grip on the wrinkled scrap paper in his hand and scrunches his eyes.

“Why can’t it be you up there…” Link bemoans, loudly, in his frustration.

Rhett’s eyes widen, in horror, and Link slams his other hand at his mouth, rolling his eyes. “Not like - I mean - why can’t you go say my lines for me. You’re so much better at this kinda thing.”

“Let me read what you’ve got,” Rhett says.

After some review, Rhett sighs, not unkindly and sits down next to Link. “Let’s just talk through what you’re trying to say because, yeah, this reads like liturgy.”

“Ain’t is supposed to? It’s in a chapel!”

“What do you like about her?” Rhett asks, ignoring his nitpicking. “Christy?” Rhett stares at him, waiting, too upset for Link to chastise but clearly wanting to.

“She’s patient,” Link says, reminded by the similar. Rhett folds over the book to an open page and clicks the pen in his hand, writing that down. “A-And she’s kind. Like considerate, ‘specially with babies and little animals. Sh-She does this thing where she immediately drops to their eye-level to make sure they don’t feel unheard or seen. Probably ‘cause she’s always been so tall…”

Rhett’s still writing.

“Then when I’m sick, she forces me to rest. You know I hate that,” Link says, voice rising a little, at the memory. “But you know I need that. You won’t be the last to make me stop and smell the roses or take a break, once in a while.”

“Her hair, write, her hair - the way it looks in the sunshine. Like warm caramel with flecks of gold. She’s a vision, an angel. Especially when she’s wearing all white, like,” Link says, pausing to point to Rhett’s undershirt and pale grey sweats. “Makes blondes look ethereal-like, always has.”

“Oh, and her voice. Sometimes, the way her accent catches, well, you know she don’t like to sing like us, never has, but when she says certain things, asks a question the right way - it’s music. The way it harmonizes with my answer, reminds me of singing, reminds me of us.”

Rhett keeps writing, quiet, and focused.

After a short time, Link can’t stop and wants to crane over to see what he’s come up with. Rhett hands it over after crossing a final “t” somewhere on the page.

“Those’re good, Link, but I think you need to keep closer to what I wrote, leave out the stuff about me.”

“Stuff about you?” Link asks, having spoken in a stream-of-conscious style, Link forgets most of what he even said

Rhett looks away, shakes his head.

Distracted by the desire to read the rest, Link abandons the lingering questions he has about Rhett’s suggestion and response.

“These are great, man, thanks,” Links says, pushing a soft hand into Rhett’s side.

His eyes scan to the bottom where Rhett’s added a few lines about the journey, the marriage, all the ceremonial aspects of the day for him to close with, but then something more.

Something about him.

Rhett catches him catch it and looks further away. “I know Christy pretty well, too, y’know. Y’all are just alike, in that way. She might need some back-up vows, to have and hold.”

Link reads them.

“You know, just in case.”

Link looks up and tries to laugh.

He doesn’t laugh.

He goes back to reading them.

Rhett shifts uncomfortably, touches the back of his neck, and shuts his eyes.

“Rhett, these ’re…”

“I know, bo, you can forget ‘em,” Rhett excuses, still not meeting Link’s gaze. “You want me to… I can rewrite the others on a different - I can turn the page and write ‘em there so you can just…”

“Hey, hey,” Link interrupts him, mad at Rhett putting down his best friend, and eager to explain his actual thoughts. “Rhett, these are perfect. These are… I’m sad I can’t say anything as nice in return to you.”

Rhett finally looks up to acknowledge that and their gaze heats and lingers.

“Not that I…” Link stutters to clarify. “Y-You’d have to be a - if that’s something that was gonna - you know - if that was gonna work…”

His mind does it’s usual jump to a visual for the worst case scenario depicting the implication he stumbled across. Him out eight grand on the wedding. Not to mention a wife, a family, a future, a faith -

a friend -

Link gulps, pushing that back away, pushing them both forward, in his estimation.

It’s too much to bear to think about for another second. When he glances at Rhett, he can’t get a read on his face what he thinks about it, and that’s scary enough for him to want to abandon the concept altogether.

“Christy’s gonna love them.”

It’s enough, saying his fiancée's name, to ground him again. Enough to make it okay for him to grab Rhett’s palm and squeeze it in thanks, between them.

Rhett’s made his choice to give up on film school.

Link’s made his choice to give up on whatever schoolboy obsession he has with monopolizing all of Rhett’s days and nights. 

He’ll stick to the days or every other weekend, however they can still fit time together, is fine by him. This ceremony, tomorrow, feels as much about his graduation from friend to husband, and all that that entails.

They’re adults.

They both know there’s a lot of sacrifices to be made and this feels like the first time he’s really acknowledging how hard they’re going to be to make. He hopes they’ll still see each other.

He hopes their kids will get along.

He has a lot of hopes.

All of them involve Rhett.

There’s a lot he should write down for when Rhett finds his own bride to wed.

Link notices, suddenly, that Rhett is crying. The same part of him that's nearly broken the headwind of these conflicting emotions turns back to comfort him.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Link soothes, realizing he’s also still holding Rhett’s hand.

“‘M sorry,” Rhett intones, the words bubble up and out of him simultaneously, sounding like water draining in a filled sink. “And the night before your wedding, good Heavens.”

“Hey, I’ve been crying all week,” Link says, waving a hand at the stress that planning a wedding has kept put on him. “Nothing I haven’t seen in the mirror.”

Rhett laughs, rubbing a thumb over his own thigh in a way that brushes upwards against the place Link’s clasping his hand. Link nearly pulls his hand back, thinking Rhett’s trying to get him to sense his want for space, but when he meets his eye it’s clear he’d like nothing less.

“I think I’m just -” Rhett starts to say, trailing off. The light from the lamp on the far coffee table is the only thing on in the room. Link drops his gaze a few inches to try and see more of Rhett’s downturned eyes as he hems and haws. He squeezes their hands together, again, this time clasping it more firmly, still pressing Rhett’s large palm down from above. “I think I’m just a li’l jealous, is all.”

It’s the quietest admission he’s heard from Rhett since he told him he failed their chemistry mid-term in eleventh grade.

Link is also so lost at the innocence of the admission that he can only think of follow-up questions. “Of me?”

Rhett looks at him for a long, long minute and finally, when Link’s gaze remains confused for the whole length of the pause, he shakes his head, no.

Then he waits. 

He waits for Link to realize what he means.

But he’s still waiting when Link, oblivious, moves onward trying to comfort Rhett, instead of understanding him fully.

The tension in the room is palpable as Link talks, but only to Rhett, it seems. Only Rhett pictures air bags being deployed in a car safety video as metal hits cinder block. Only Rhett moves his hand, though it’s all it takes to dislodge them from each other completely.

“I know you’re gonna make an amazing husband some day.” Link is saying.

Rhett’s hand aches where cool air now surrounds it.

“I know your wife is gonna get to hear you say such wonderful things about her.”

Rhett wipes his hand of the misunderstanding on the cotton of his pants.

“I know she’s gonna say the same kind of things about you, when it’s your turn up there.”

Rhett mourns the idea that this would ever be requited.

“I know she’s gonna love you, just as much as I do, so she’ll have plenty to say.”

Rhett looks away, wiping the last of his tears from his eyes. 

 “I’ll make sure she has plenty of ideas where to start.”

Rhett pats Link’s leg, in camaraderie, and nods.

And that’s it. They shoot the shit, they make a plan to meet up at a donut place for the groomsmen’s breakfast to thank them for their help, before the ceremony, and they’ll talk things through if Link’s feeling jittery still. Then Rhett’s gone.

It’s not until the next day at eleven on the dot (everyone has an agenda to follow and every moment is accounted for) that Link understands Rhett’s pain.

His mother straightens his tie and flattens the edges of his suit. “You’ll wanna know I heard Christy looks like an angel in her dress, from the girls upstairs.”

“Those actual angels you been talkin’ to, Sue?” Rhett jokes, where he’s twisting his cummerbund around every so often, bored.

“Very funny, honey,” Sue ribs back. “From the cousins, Beth and Hailee Sue. Remember they’re friends with the hairstylist you got to do the curls for Christy’s hair, today? She was over last night getting Christy ready for bed with how to wash and dry it a special kind of way. They were there, too.”

Link starts to tune her out, since there’s a lot on his mind, but then she says more.

“She says the hairstylist was talking about how jealous she was of Christy, all night, getting to marry you,” Sue relays.

“Oh, mama, please,” Link dismisses. The compliments he’s been getting have felt faker than the toupee on his uncle Bruce. That girl has never even met him. “I’m the only person here people should be jealous of, who would be jealous of Christy,” he says, trailing off, muttering his reasoning as he did. “Marrying a trainwreck like me.”

Link looks up in the mirror where some of his friends continue to mingle in various states of undress. Rhett is already dressed, however, and staring straight at Link like he’s been caught with a hand in a cookie jar.

Link’s about to ask what’s wrong when he remembers his words. Then looks again over the planes of Rhett’s face.

Last night’s words slam back into his mind and Link’s mouth drops open.

The church organ belts out an opening flurry of notes before Canon in D begins playing loudly through the sound system built into the rafters above them. Link looks up to see one of the church staff at the door instructing them to join the bridal party to line-up.

Link’s mom dashes off to where she’s paired with her nephew, Link’s favorite cousin, to be escorted down the aisle.

Rhett sees Link’s face rushing through a wash of emotions from a distance, he nods to the staffer in silent understanding that he’ll handle it, and then they’re alone.

He walks up to Link and takes his hand. He squeezes it.

“Hey, you gotta go. We gotta go. It’s showtime,” Rhett insists.

Link looks around like a bomb went off, since in some ways it did, and he doesn’t know what to do.

Rhett seems to pick up on that. He squeezes Link’s hand again.

“I’ll get over it, Link, it’s okay,” Rhett whispers, on the verge of desperation.

That confirmation is enough to fully shatter Link.

Only for a moment. 

The music continues and Rhett keeps his hand hold.

They are adults. They are in love. They have to marry. 

None of these things can be helped.

“I’m gonna be so jealous of Her, too,” Link whispers back. He squeezes Rhett’s hand one last time, as they part.

They leave.

They walk straight.

They part again.

Until later.

They move houses and cities and states.

They move mountains, inside and out.

They move together.

Much later.

They join again.

They run crooked.

They return.

To one another.

Link has spent years worrying a ring that means too much to too few people.

In the beginning, when he cries himself to sleep at what he thinks has been the mistake of a lifetime, it’s His talisman. It reminds him of the expectations upon this life he’s made.

As the years pass, however, the adherence to the bogeymen of their childhood’s rules wears thin. It starts to strictly represent love and patience.

Sacrifice.

It begins to feel like a burden. A representation of what’s been lost, not what’s been found.

He contemplates taking it off, but believes that to be a betrayal of all that it stands for to the people he stands for. 

Then, one day, (surely mid-spin) he hears Rhett tell a story about wanting to change his ring.

He watches the silver twirl as Rhett explains.

He believes he was rushed into a certain type of marriage and a certain type of life by a certain type of person.

It’s a life that he’s grown to love but the ring represents a union forced by custom and not one that’s grown through devotion. 

His ring reminds him of that too often to be good for him.

Link twists his again at the admission.

So, Rhett’s thinking about replacing the ring.

Link returns home that night in a stupor. He’s sure he said one too many things to Rhett to emphasize how wild it felt to hear him talk about changing rings.

Any memories of that day, their wedding, bring up a rush of emotions that he’s never been good at sorting through.

Today’s admission makes him feel the same spur to make use of idle, betrothed hands he feels when he cleans the fridge.

He wants to clean the slate.

He finds an old DVD copy of their wedding ceremony that he paid to have converted from miniDV some years ago. Now he struggles to find a place to watch that DVD. How quickly time has flown by.

Eventually, he ends up in his son’s room - no one’s home for the remainder of the night but he and Christy - now, he’s sitting on a bean bag, squinting at the game console’s controller trying to get the joysticks to move to “play” on screen.

The ceremony bursts to life and, like it was yesterday, Link’s nerves fizzle awake.

About halfway through the video, Christy finds him like that and sits down next to him in a thwump absorbed mostly by the stuffing of the chair.

They watch themselves smile happily at each other and Christy takes his hand.

“Should I be happy or scared to find you alone watching this on a Saturday night?” she asks, wryly, squeezing his palm.

Link doesn’t know what to say. He’s caught up in Rhett’s bygone script being spoken on screen. Words about Christy and about Link that were not their own, declared loudly in front of the congregation.

“I don’t know,” Link admits, shrugging. He doesn’t. He squeezes her hand back.

“You wanna tell me what’s eating you?”

Link hesitates, but relents. He wants that clean slate, after all. “Rhett’s getting his wedding ring replaced.”

“Replaced?” Christy asks, balking.

“Replaced, yeah,” Link responds, sure he didn’t misspeak.

“With what?” she asks.

“Oh, some new one. Fancy thing, very cool, made of trees or something. Honestly he wears the other one, the slick black one more than his wedding band half the time. He says it feels like the old one? It’s the kind of ring you get in a bauble at a vending machine crank. So, he wants a new one.”

“Jeesh,” Christy says, making a face at the screen. The camera catches Rhett stealing glances at the couple, then at the crowd, beaming at all with unbridled pride.

“Wouldn’t you be mad if I did that?” Link inquires, still baffled at the idea.

“Well, no, but don’t you love your ring? Heirloom and all that,” she says.

Link cringes. “Yeah, yeah. Honestly, I do.”

“So?”

“So, I still kind of want to and I’m not sure what that means.”

They watch the screen together.

“Do you wanna stay married?” she asks, in a small voice.

“Yes,” he breathes out.

There’s a long pause.

“To me?” she asks, her voice even smaller.

“Yes,” he breathes in.

She squeezes his hand, her confidence built back up. She begs him to join her.

“And him?” Christy whispers.

They both look the screen, the lens centered on the two of them, but their gaze is mutually torn to where Rhett stands wiping a tear from his eye at Christy reciting the last of the vows that he wrote her. Wrote him. Wrote them both.

She squeezes his hand again.

“Yes,” he breathes out.

She leans her head on his shoulder.

“You should probably get another ring, then,” she jests. “We shouldn’t have to share everything.”

The slate is clean.

There’s a lot he wants to say to Rhett about it, but just as before, he’s relied on Rhett to give him the right words to say. So, instead of words, he starts wearing Rhett’s ring.

Then, a new one, when he realizes he can match him separate from the other, all told. Have something of Rhett’s, all to himself.

In his unspoken push towards something more, their hands now match along with their steps, as they walk forward.

On the last week in July, they get ice cream at the fifth place that month to mistake them for husbands, but the first one he hears Link crow an affirmative in response.

Rhett waits for him while he triple-tips the cashier (for the guess) and pays for their cones.

“Bad joke,” Rhett says, softly, but firm.

“Who’s kidding?” Link parries back, a smirk dancing it’s way across his lips.

Rhett watches him with a wistful look of disbelief.

“Link, we’re married,” Rhett warns him.

Link shrugs. “I know. I’m just waiting for you to figure that out and minding my ice cream here, all right?”

He’s got a mouthful of vanilla bean and extra cookie crumble, the next second, so his vow ends there.

Later, at home, Rhett startles Jessie awake when he fully realizes Link’s words.

He shakes her awake. He shakes them both awake.

“I’m in love with Link,” he says, like it’s a confession.

She kisses him because so is she. So are most people.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

Rhett repeats himself.

So does she.

They stare at each other under the cover of silk and moonlight.

“We’re married,” Rhett whispers, touching his hand to hers. Their rings clink, new and shiny.

“Yeah, and so are we,” she whispers back.

They fall asleep smiling.

The next day, Rhett sneaks up behind Link while he’s working and causes him to spill his cup of coffee. He gets the stink eye for only a minute because it’s the same length of time he can stand Link’s grumpy mug before he has to swoop down and kiss him on the lips.

“You figured it out,” Link says, grinning.

“I did,” Rhett chirps as he kisses Link more.

They take a car to their house. It’s filled with their love and the history of it; before, during, and after.

“What’s this?” Link asks, dazed in their post-sex glow, naked and alive.

He spots an old chord book of theirs from last time they wrote music.

“Oh,” Rhett says, bashful. “I came looking for you here this morning, hoping you slept over again, but, uh,” Rhett stalls, looks away and tries to take the songbook from Link’s hand. Link pulls it far enough he can’t reach. “You were already at the job.”

“And?” Link asks, using his spry, sinewy body as an advantage to slink away from the bed out of Rhett’s grip. He still has the book in hand.

“Those are your vows,” Rhett explains.

Link looks down and squints, confused. These aren’t the vows that Christy read at their wedding. He’s seen that video only a few months back and is sure of it.

“Our vows,” Rhett whispers, explaining further, at Link’s puzzled look.

“It’s a love song,” Link notes, marveling at the gesture. What it means to a young version of himself that once felt like they had surely cut out and mourned the possibility of this - all of this - ever happening. To have that thought coexist with the image of a nude, hulking tree trunk of a husband laid before him smiling up adoringly felt panoptic.

“So are you.”

Link begins to cry.

“Play it for me.”

Rhett wipes his cheek.

“Get my guitar.”

They sing twice more that night, always in harmony (not always in lyric), then spend the rest of their lives together doing much the same.

[captainsourwolf]

I just want 100k words about small town garden shop owner link neal and frou frou lumberjack bakery owner rhett mclaughlin meeting for the first time in home depot

all of link’s water hoses froze over night because someone forgot to shut them off and put them away the day before so not only are the things frozen but his outdoor patio has a solid layer of ice covering it and inside there’s a mini ice rink by the potting soil so he has to go out and buy new hoses and maybe a space heater to speed things along

rhett has a busted exhaust vent over his best oven because it’s old and it gets the most use because it’s bigger and has more space for big batches of his mama’s best peanut butter cookies so he’s gotta buy a new exhaust vent or at least find a solution that will buy some time till the repair man can come

they meet only because link isn’t paying attention pushing his cart. he’s only in there for the hoses and space heater but he got distracted by a bunch of really neat gardening tools and threw them in and is now perusing the new shipment of fancy copper faucets. and because he’s not paying attention he rams his cart into this giant of a man rushing through the aisle and they collide and link’s temper nearly gets the best of him until he sees the wild hair and the beard and the red plaid paired with some stylish jeans and the apron Rhett forgot to take off under his coat.

rhett isn’t expecting to come in contact with someone so ready to fight and get scrappy over a buggy accident that was the other guy’s fault to being with. but he does and he looms a little bit until the guy backs off and they can properly introduce themselves after an apology. but to be honest after seeing the guy’s eyes and the stubble and the grey in his hair and the impressive build under such tight clothes he finds he doesn’t much care about being run over in the local home depot if it’s by someone so attractive.

rhett introduces himself first and then link and they end up finding out that their businesses are only two buildings away from each other. they leave the store with the promise to come check out the other’s shop. and it becomes this thing.

link visits rhett’s place first. rhett gives him a sample of the peanut butter cookies and link threatens to never leave if everything is as good as those cookies. then the next day rhett comes to the garden shop and link jokes he doesn’t have peanut butter cookies to offer but he does have a hot chocolate station set up in the front with his mama’s recipe. after that they’re both intrigued.

every week they find excuses to come visit each other. they find out they’re both from buies creek and both went to nc state a year apart and somehow have ended up in fuquay at the same time. every excuse to visit gets more and more ridiculous. like rhett pretending he needs tips on how to tell the different types of weeds a part because he has these weeds in his yard that never seem to die and ones that are pretty and he hates to kill. or link pretending he’s just there to check on the flowers on rhett’s tables because he thought they looked a little wilted the last time he was in there and he can’t stand to see a wilted flower.

they catch one pretty quick what the other is doing. finally rhett gets uo the nerve to ask link on a date and they meet up one weekend at the local diner and chat for hours over burgers and fries and dessert. turns out they have a lot more connections than they realized. like the fact rhett came to bc elementary in first grade from georgia or the fact link rode his bike to the very same river all the time. and yet somehow their paths never crossed. in a small town like buies creek it seems like they would’ve found each other eventually, but they never did. until now.

over time it’s like they never lived a life without knowing the other. they’re best friends already and one isn’t the same without the other. sometimes they both think they’d be fine never dating or becoming something more because it already feels like they’re half of something, like they’re an old married couple, like they were meant to find each other in any life. they spend as much time as possible together, their dogs jade and barbara meet and love each other instantly, they know each other’s quirks and the sounds they make and the way their eyes light up about something and the way their breathing changes when something is upsetting or exciting.

but link kisses rhett first when winter turns to spring and his garden shop blooms to life with fresh spring flowers and the butterflies and hummingbirds start to show. it’s over a plate of experimental desserts the bakery is trying out and rhett saves the best for last, a batch of chocolate chipless chocolate chip cookies because he remembers link telling him about them one night weeks ago and that despite the weirdness they’re his favorite kind of cookie. the fact rhett remembered and blushed as he told link about it is what makes link grab him by the apron straps and haul him across the table to kiss him square on the mouth.

the only thing that changes is that now they kiss and they do it all the time. in the back room at the garden shop when link is closing the place down and rhett is coming to pick him up and he can’t stand how cute link is in his clear frames and dirt smudged on his cheek and he has to kiss link, chin in his hand and back to the wall. at the corner table in the bakery when rhett has a break and the pie is fresh and he’s got a dollop of apple filling on his mustache so link just leans over and kisses it off and says he can’t believe how delicious the apple pie is at this one bakery he knows. or in link’s car after a movie when rhett is talking animatedly about the awful plot line and the fact the movie wasn’t even that scary and link grabs his hands and then his cheeks and kisses him sweetly until he calms down. or outside rhett’s front door one morning when link is picking him up because they’ve started carpooling and it’s still spring in north carolina so link is cold of course and he grabbed the wrong sweater so upon seeing the shivering man on his doorstep rhett squeezes his biceps and kisses link until he’s hot all over and doesn’t want to leave.

taking things slow isn’t in their wheelhouse. it’s been months since they met and only a couple of weeks since they started kissing every chance they got. but there’s this constant buzz under their skin for more. every time link turns those blue eyes on him rhett feels the tingling start low in his gut and he suddenly wants to know how dark those eyes can get when there’s a cock in link’s mouth. every time rhett lightly touches his fingertips to the nape of link’s neck and causes a shiver link is acutely aware of the thrumming in his veins and is desperate to know what those fingertips feel like on his inner thighs. and it just happens because rhett got his hands under link’s shirt that saturday afternoon and fitted his fingers perfectly in the divots between link’s ribs and then it was happening. clothes off and hands everywhere and mouths leaving burning hot trails, hands burning even hotter in unexplored but not unwelcome territory.

just like the kissing, they do this as much as possible too. it lights a fire in their souls and every chance they get they’re touching, they’re exploring, they’re fucking just as much as they’re making love. times when their off days line up and rhett gets link naked and bent over the kitchen counter and fucks him with his face pressed into the granite and the other hand on link’s waist. times when link gets rhett spread out on the bed and takes his time with his fingers and his tongue to get rhett worked up before sinking in nice and slow and wet and grinds into him till he’s begging. or the times when it’s a slow, sweet build up because they have all day or all night and nowhere else to be so they make it last with their hands clasped tight and sharing the same air because heaven forbid they separate for even two seconds.

everything feels like fate. like some invisible string that’s been tying them together and the universe finally decided to tighten up the slack. it feels like they never went a day not knowing each other, being with each other, and they know in some other life, some other universe maybe they did meet in first grade and time allowed them to slowly but purposefully come together. but in this life they came together in this way, with a garden shop and a bakery separated by two buildings and a random buggy crash in the local home depot and a lifetime of fate finally deciding they were ready to meet.

[cerealbath]

Prompt I have a weakness for tipsy/drunk Rhink.

hmmmm 

Link glares at the camera in front of him. It’s not on.

They’d been at the after party for hours; the steady beats from the DJ hummed under their feet. Link shimmied his hips somewhere in the flood of people. Rhett was missing, again, but those green eyes would always return.

“Link? Ready?” Kacie taps the top of her camera, drawing Link’s reluctant attention. 

He wants to say no, Rhett isn’t here yet, they can’t start filming. But this is for a thumbnail, so he has no excuse as he contorts his face like he has just seen something impossibly gross. He can’t remember what video they’re filming today.

Rhett showed up under the morphing fluorescent lights with his shirt untucked and a button too many undone. He crowded against Link and his breath smelled like Hennessy. Link let it happen and, more drunk than he had been in years, let Rhett grab his waist and lean in close to tell him a secret. 

“Hey,” 

At some point it registered in Link’s mind that Rhett had no intention to tell Link anything at all. His breath was warm against Link’s neck. Guilty.

Rhett finally slides into his seat behind desk, his hair curling back on itself. 

“Hey,” Rhett huffs.

Link tries to respond but his throat closes up before he can begin to turn and look at his co-host. He reaches out for his water glass and it’s empty. “Stevie,” He chokes.

Link dug his fingers into the soft pockets of warmth around Rhett’s hips. It felt like home, there, where Rhett’s hips blended into the beginnings of warm thighs. Rhett laughed and Link felt it more than he heard it, his face pressed against Rhett’s chest as his fingers crept lower.

 Rhett scooped Link up with the flats of his hands, his entire body pliant as he was placed upon the bathroom counter.

“Hey,” Link shoved Rhett back because he needed the space to breathe. “You’re drunk,”

Rhett laughed, laughed and laughed. He leaned into Link, and subsequently, dragged Link’s jeans to his knees.

Link swallows hard as he stares at the script. He watches the crew adjust cameras and the blocking for props. Thankfully, it is just the two of them on camera today. But maybe a guest would have been a good distraction.

“What’s with you today?” Someone murmurs, or maybe it’s his imagination. 

“Can we get this over with?” Link forces a laugh, unable to keep the tremble out of his voice. The skin on his cheeks flare beneath the bright studio lights.

A red light blinks one, two, three and someone snaps their fingers. Music plays.

Heavy pop music thudded outside the door as Link moaned, vicious and unafraid. Rhett had him pinned to the wall over the sink. Somewhere in Link’s subconscious, he registered the brass sink faucet tapping his spine with every thrust, tap, tap, tap. 

Their fingers were laced together above them, sliding across the cold mirror as they moved together. Link grinned into a sloppy kiss, eyes screwed shut.  It’s hot in here, Link thought.

“Stop!” Link shouts, skidding the chair back and throwing up his damp palms. “It’s too goddamn hot in here, can somebody-” He stops, closes his eyes and presses his index and thumb to the bridge of his nose. “Sorry.”

When he opens his eyes, he sees his wounded best friend staring at him. 

“Link,” Rhett breathes. He doesn’t want to do this in front of everyone.

Link’s fingers were tangled in Rhett’s thicker-than-usual curls when he came. His mouth hung open as he gasped and whined, coming across his stomach as Rhett’s length grazed his prostate once again.

“Baby,” Rhett had said.

Baby, Link’s mind had echoed. 

Rhett came inside of him, Rhett’s forehead dropping to Link’s shoulder as he milked himself dry, his hips chasing the feeling even after he’s done. For a second, they just breathed. 

They just breathed.

“I don’t feel well,” Link has to look away from Rhett, his eyes burn with tears. Someone shoves his mythical barf bucket into his hands and he takes it. 

“Come on, we’ll film later. Sorry,” Rhett stands, puts a hand on Link’s shoulder in a way that’s supposed to make any of this better.

“Don’t touch my shoulder,” Link snaps. His eyes ache. Rhett’s face falls.

Rhett flattened his shirt with his damp hands and tucked himself back into his jeans. Link sat on the counter, his bare ass on a stranger’s bathroom counter. He blinked, watching Rhett do up his belt.

“Need help?” Rhett had asked.

Link shook his head, used his numb fingers to push himself off the counter. A soreness between his legs made him wince. He didn’t feel drunk anymore. 

Link feels hollow from the pounding behind his eyes to the lingering feeling below. He figures he’s just tired. It has to be that. It must. He goes to the parking lot and climbs into his car. Safe.

Rhett gives him about ten minutes before the passenger door is swinging open and a 6’7 man is sliding in. He grabs the lever under the seat and slides it back farther. 

“Go away,” Link whimpers, slapping a pale hand over his mouth in disgust with himself. 

“Can we talk about what happened?” Rhett pleads.

Rhett re-joined the party, clapping Link’s shoulder before exiting the bathroom. Because, after all,  that was the plan: leave one at a time to not arouse suspicion. But Link couldn’t.

He busied himself finding a washcloth and wetting it, waiting for the water to run warm for far too long before he dampened it and began wiping his stomach off. Then, his face. He buttoned his shirt.

There was cum on the countertop. Wipe Wipe Wipe. 

He was able to bill the Carey’s for a full bathroom cleaning by the time he composed himself enough to leave the bathroom. Every inch of him buzzed in the suddenly too-constricting clothes. 

“I can’t,” Link sobs, “I can’t.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Rhett begins to reach out but stalls. “We can forget about it, okay? A fluke. Nobody needs to know.”

Link grits his teeth as another sob escapes. He scrubs at his face. “I can’t. I can’t forget.”

“We can tell Christy and Jessie tonight then, okay? Together.” 

“No!” Link roars, baring his teeth at Rhett. “You don’t get it! You don’t get it, Rhett.” 

“Clearly,” Rhett gives up, slumping back against the car seat. “Sorry it was so bad.”

“Rhett,” Link swallows, reaches out to fist Rhett’s hand, squeeze too hard against Rhett’s knuckles. “It was so good. So good. It confirmed what I never, ever wanted to face. And I was so close to making it to old age without ever-” His voice breaks. “Ever having to do that.”

“Link,” Rhett raises his eyebrows, watches his best friend break down beside him. 

“I’m so in love with you, brother. I’m so fucked,” Link laughs this time, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hands.

Rhett presses his lips together and says, “Maybe don’t call me brother when you’re saying stuff like that.” 

Link laughs wildly. “Yeah? Sorry. I’m in love with you, Rhett. Better?” 

Rhett grins. “Yeah, much.”

Rhett leans over to take Link’s puffy face in his hands and presses their lips together slowly. Link hesitates, his heartbeat murderous against his ribcage. He forgets how to breathe as Rhett’s lips move over his own.

Link couldn’t think for the rest of the night. He took an Uber home and let himself in the garage with shaky hands. Sunday meant nothing to him. He lied in bed and dreaded the cold return of Monday morning. Every repressed feeling from thirty-five years of friendship flooded his veins. 

Maybe it’s a good thing, his mind dared to suggest, causing Link to inhale sharply. He talked himself down with tight lungs, reminded himself that nothing could ruin a friendship this strong. Rhett is a great guy, he wouldn’t hurt you. Everything will be okay.

“Now,” Rhett moves away but keeps his palms on Link’s jawline. “Let’s tell our wives tonight. They’re smarter than us, remember? I wanted it to happen. I waited so long, Link. So long. So let’s do this, okay? Now breathe out, Link. Breathe out.”

Link exhaled. 

Link exhales.

[apparentlynotreallyfinnish]

A Cut Above - Part 2/3

If you missed it you can read the first part here.

This part is from Link’s perspective.

---

Link already had his hand on the door handle when Daniel yelled after him. 

“Wait!”

Link cursed in his mind. He’d almost managed to escape this time. Daniel jogged from the backroom to him. Link could see him shift into his puppy dog mode. His deep brown eyes widened and his features softened and damn if he didn’t look cute as a button. Sometimes Link wondered if he purposefully tried to use Link’s gayness to his advantage.

“Linkipoo…”

Link sighed. “What is it?”

“I still have one customer but I really really really need to get going. Amanda got into an earlier train and… You know how it is with long distance relationships?”

“I don’t really,” Link mumbled as Daniel continued, ”Could you take him? Please?”

“Daniel… It’s almost six p.m. I came at eight this morning. I’m beat. I want to go home,” Link said resolute to refuse this time. He’d done a few too many favors for his business partner.

“I know. I’m so sorry. He was supposed to come yesterday but he had to reschedule. And this was the only time I could give him. He’s a really nice customer. Quiet. I know you like the quiet ones!  And it’s just a basic wash and cut. I would be eternally grateful…!” Daniel coaxed him, batting his eyelashes and pouting his lips. Link could feel his resolve melting away. Just a quick cut; that wouldn’t take more than half an hour. His hand fell from the door handle and Daniel’s eyes sparkled with victory.

“Fine. But just this once. And you better make this up for me!” Link said sternly. Daniel’s small body crashed against him and his arms wrapped around Link’s shoulders. Link felt ashamed of how much he enjoyed the hug. It had been a long time since he’d been touched intimately so even an innocent embrace like this felt ridiculously gratifying. Daniel let go and to make matters worse for Link, kissed him on the cheek making his face burn. Get yourself together, man. You’re too easily manipulated.

“He’ll be here any minute. I think his name was Rhett. Tall fellow. Like really tall, taller than you!” Daniel hollered from the backroom with a giggle as he gathered his things. Soon he rushed past Link throwing him air kisses as he went. Link waved at him, already a bit annoyed he’d once again succumbed to Daniel’s wiles.

Link set up his work station and checked himself in the mirror. He looked somewhat presentable but the long day was painted on his face; he looked worn. The scars from his recent stumble down the stairs were fading but he still looked like he’d had gotten into a fight with a cheese grater. Link touched his cheek lightly and sighed. It was vain to worry about the scars but he still did. Apparently, they should disappear almost entirely. He was skeptical.

The long day was making his legs ache. He sat on his chair and took out his phone. It was already over six; the guy was late. Go figure. Link had downloaded a dating app the previous night. His friends had been pestering him about it for months and he’d finally caved. He opened it now and absentmindedly browsed the potentials. He knew he needed to put himself out there if he wanted to find someone but it was hard. He was already in his forties. He didn’t feel like dating around. He just wanted someone to settle down with. But it wasn’t like the One would just walk in the door and say ‘Hey, here I am. Sorry I’m late’.

The bell above the door jingled and Link lifted his head from the phone. His jaw almost dropped on the floor.

“Hey. Sorry I’m late,” a deep voice said from the door.

Link’s stomach flipped and he scrambled up from the chair. The man shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. He turned to look at Link. His hair was a mess of blonde curls and he had a bushy beard that matched it. His eyes were weary but soft. He looked tired and strangely energized at the same time. Link recognized him instantly. Doctor McLaughlin. How many times had Link said that name to himself after their brief encounter three weeks ago? Hundreds? Thousands? He looked more handsome than Link remembered. A simmering heat coiled into Link’s stomach and he swallowed.

Link stared at him wide eyed, opening and closing his mouth. No words came out. The doctor, Rhett, stepped forward.

“I had an appointment with Daniel?” he said questioningly. Finally, Link found his voice again.

“Yes, I’m sorry but Daniel had to leave unexpectedly. I promised I’d take you.” As soon as the words left his lips, he heard the double meaning and blushed fiercely. There was a small smile tugging at the corner of Rhett’s lips. He nodded and said with a serious tone of voice.

“I’d love for you to take me.”

Link’s voice was lost again, as was his mind. He just stood there, staring at the man smiling at him, feeling very acutely the sudden hardness in his pants, hoping against hope that it was unnoticeable.

“So…” Rhett said and motioned towards the chairs. “Which one do you want me to…?”

Link pointed at his chair.

“Excuse me a second, I’ll be right back,” he mumbled and without waiting for an answer fled to the backroom. He took hold of the edge of the little table they had for lunch and such. His head dropped between his arms and he breathed deeply. He could do this. It’s just a customer. He’d been doing this for years, decades even. He was a professional. It was just a head of hair. Not at all the man he’d been dreaming about the last three weeks. Not the man whose name he’d been moaning at the dark hours of the night as he’d fucked into his own fist.

“Fucking Daniel. Never doing you a favor ever again,” Link muttered and straightened out. He shook his body to release the tension and plastered a service smile on his face.

 “Sorry about that. Just had to check on something,” Link said as he returned to the main room of their little barbershop. Rhett just smiled at him through the mirror. He was wearing a green button-down that perfectly matched his eyes. The bright lights of the mirror had a tendency to make everyone look a bit pale and lifeless but he just looked ravishing.

Link’s fingers lightly touched Rhett’s chin to lift it. He ignored the feel of his warm skin and slipped on the protective cape. He smiled politely at Rhett through the mirror as he hovered his hand above his head, like he always did before touching the customer’s hair. It was almost like a little warning ‘watch out, I’m going to touch you now and it’s going to be quite intimate but necessary’.

Link steeled himself mentally and reached down. As his fingers carded through the curls the doctor’s eyes fluttered closed and he bit his lip. Link’s heart skipped a beat and then raced on with the enthusiasm of a kid running out of school at the start of the summer. Was that enjoyment or awkwardness on the handsome doctor’s face? Link quickly turned his gaze back on Rhett’s hair, turning it over in his fingers and feeling the texture.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked, feeling a bit better as he examined his new canvas. This was familiar. This he knew.

“Oh just to shorten it a bit. Nothing special,” Rhett said. His eyes were open again and Link wondered if he’d imagined it all.

“Sure. Could you actually move to the washing area? I can feel there’s some product in your hair and I’d like to wash it out before starting.”

“Of course.”

They moved to the sink and Link set it up to a correct height.

“Tell me if the water is too hot,” he murmured automatically as he started to wash Rhett’s hair. His fingers worked gently but efficiently. Rhett’s eyes were closed again, but that was normal. No one liked to stare at the ceiling during a wash. But on the off-chance that he was actually enjoying the touching, Link committed to making this the most pleasurable hair appointment he had ever experienced.

Link always gave the customers a short head massage while washing their hair. It was part of a good service in his mind; a little pampering that cost him only a bit of his time and seemed to make his customers happy. He’d actually taken a course and knew how to do it properly. But usually it was just a few minutes while shampooing. Now he took his time and as his fingers worked on Rhett’s scalp he could feel the man’s body relaxing under his touch.

“Do you think Daniel would mind a lot if I jumped ship?” Rhett muttered.

“What do you mean?”

“Never been this relaxed during a wash. I’m pretty sure I could fall asleep here,” Rhett answered voice soft.

“You wouldn’t be the first one,” Link said with a little laugh, thankful for Rhett’s closed eyes. The blushing was getting ridiculous.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s not uncommon. It’s relaxing. I get it. I like getting my hair washed too.”

Rhett hummed in reply and Link’s fingers moved to rub his temples. An audible moan slipped from Rhett’s lips and Link had to fight hard not to moan with him. The sound made his thighs tremble and his dick twitch. His mind instantly conjured up an image of Rhett making that sound while Link kneeled in front of him and… Link shook his head and tried to concentrate on the movements of his fingers.

Eventually Rhett’s hair was clean and Link asked him to move back to his chair. His hair was quickly dried and Link started to work on the cut. Rhett followed his hands working on him from the mirror.

“So, how’s the leg?” he suddenly asked and Link almost cut way more than he was supposed to. He breathed a silent sigh of relief that he managed to stop himself in time.

“It’s better, thanks. Itches a bit. I – I didn’t think you’d remember me,” Link said. He hadn’t seen any recognition on Rhett’s face when he’d stepped in and he must see dozens of patients daily; it would have been foolish to think that Link would stand out.

“I couldn’t forget you if I tried.” Rhett’s voice was barely a whisper. It took a moment for the sentence to sink into Link’s head. His hands stilled. All of a sudden his lips felt dry and he had to lick them to be able to speak. His stomach was aching sweetly. Rhett couldn’t mean what Link hoped he was meaning…

“Yeah, I knew you were lying when you said you see the fainting thing all the time,” Link said forcing a tight laugh. That’s what it had to be. The idea of Rhett actually finding him unforgettable for any other reason was ridiculous. Rhett turned and looked at Link with a tilted head and a small smile. God, those eyes. Link was going to sink into them again and say something stupid.

“It wasn’t the fainting. It was your smile,” Rhett said.

Link felt dizzy. Rhett was so close. His smile took Link’s breath away and he wanted to bend down and taste it. Rhett moved towards him like he’d read Link’s thought and Link panicked. He jumped back and the scissors slipped from his hands. They dropped between the back of the chair and the height adjustment pedal. Link’s hand automatically reached for then and he yelped as the blade cut deep into his finger.

They both looked wide eyed as Link pulled his hand up and watched how a fat droplet of blood seeped out of the cut and rolled down Link’s finger. Link immediately felt queasy. Oh, no! On the edge of his vision Rhett was scrambling up from the chair. Link tried to get a hold of the chair but his hands didn’t move like he wanted them to and he missed. The world tilted. Oh, for fucks sake, was the last thing running through his mind before everything went dark.

He came to slowly. He was on the floor. That was certain; he could feel the cool tile against his bare calves. But his head and upper torso were supported by something. No. Someone. Link’s eyes fluttered open. Rhett’s worried face was hovering over him. When Link’s eyes opened a relieved smile spread across his face.

“Welcome back,” Rhett whispered as he tenderly brushed Link’s hair off of his forehead, continuing the movement until he was caressing Link’s cheek. Link’s head laid on his lap and his fingers were closing in on Link’s slightly parted lips. It was all too much for the touch starved body of Link. His skin was buzzing and despite his horizontal position he felt faint.

“Wha – ?” Link mumbled trying to get his bearings.

“We really need to stop meeting like this,” Rhett said with a cute little smirk. “If I believed in corny pick-up lines I’d say that when I wished for you to fall for me, this was not what I meant.”

Link’s heart leapt into a gallop. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and all he could get out was.

“You can call me Link.”

“Okay. Link. I’m Rhett.” 

“Rhett. Nice to meet you. Again.”

“You too.”

They stared at each other for a moment and the butterflies that had taken permanent residence in Link’s stomach went wild. Rhett’s fingers kept lightly brushing Link’s jawline. Link wanted to climb up his body and wrap around him.

“Let’s get you on that chair and patch up that finger. I do enjoy having you in my arms but I’d rather you fall into them voluntarily. So, close your eyes, just in case,” Rhett said and nudged Link to get up. Link almost sighed out loud. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of Rhett’s body but he did as he was told and closed his eyes. Strong arms pulled him up and guided him to his own chair.

“First aid kit?” Rhett asked.

“Cabinet under the counter,” Link answered without opening his eyes. He heard Rhett walking behind the counter and rummaging through miscellaneous things in the cabinet. Soon he was back and took Link’s hand gently on his own. The cut was cleaned and bandaged in no time.

“You can open your eyes now.”

Link blinked. He felt blinded by the lights. Or it could have been the luminous smile given him by Rhett who was knelt on the floor in front of him. Link’s heart skipped a beat when Rhett looked up at him; his gaze intense and soft all at once.  Link swallowed as Rhett took Link’s hand back on his own and gently kissed the bandaged finger. Shivers ran up Link’s arm and down his back. Rhett could surely see the goose bumps his touch had created.  

“It’s an old trick but I think it still works,” Rhett said, a smile tugging at his lips, as he settled Link’s hand back on his leg. “How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere else?”

Link bit his lip and gathered all of his courage. His hand rose, trembling, and pointed at his lips.

“Here.”

Rhett’s eyes shimmered as he supported himself by the armrests of the chair and leaned in to give Link the lightest of kisses. Their lips barely touched and Link almost groaned when Rhett backed up slowly.

“Better?” Rhett asked voice raspy and sweet. Link shook his head. A small smile lingered on Rhett’s lips as he leaned back to kiss Link once more. Their lips met properly now. Mouths open, tongues brushing together, Link’s hands balling up into fists on Rhett’s shirt. Wet and hot and perfect. The kiss lasted an eternity and it still wasn’t enough for Link.

They parted with a soft sigh. Rhett stepped around the chair and fished the scissor from their hiding place.  

“I’m not sure if I should even ask you to finish my hair cut. I think it might be tempting fate.”

“No, I’ll do it! Can’t leave you like this,” Link said with a blush. Rhett offered him his hand and Link took it. He was pulled up from the chair and ended up flush against Rhett’s lean body. Link’s face tilted up and he swallowed - again. All he seemed to be doing tonight was swallowing and blushing. But he’d gladly continue doing them all night long if that was something Rhett would allow.

“Okay. But only if you promise to be careful,” Rhett said with his sternest doctor voice.

“I promise,” Link said solemnly.

“Good, because I’m really hoping to take you home with me and I’d rather take you in one piece.”

[becausethathappens]

Sing Me Back Home

for @lallyloo, something a little warm and fuzzy 💙 set in 2020

Every gift should be breathed in, deeply. I think it's a great way to convey... — acceptance. — cherishment.   Appreciation? Yeah, that’s the word I’m lookin’ for.  

from Ear Biscuits #268

...

Rhett settles into the warm glow of the evening, their families all exhausted with spent anticipation after opening gifts, together. 

To feel the normalcy of a day spent in a large group of people caring about each other during the holidays. Something they had avoided for so many this year. 

It felt nice.

He’s purposefully laid off the hard stuff entirely, in an effort to keep this memory intact for the future, no matter how grim it may be in his collection. So that he can cherish the easier times even more.

The other parents mingle near the entrance of the Creative House, starting to say goodbyes that would take an hour or so, but Rhett has wandered off to find Link.

Link who is sitting alone in his music room, headphones on, and eyes absently roaming the strings of lights that each room has been additionally decked out with for the holiday. At first, Rhett can’t help but just look on at him and smile. 

He’s walked in on Link in this position so many times, for so many years, he likes to lean into the old man feelings sometimes, and be amazed to have so many memories of one guy doing one thing and looking so at peace doing it every time. 

There’s a reason why this is the first place he looked.

Rhett feels that familiar bite at wanting to protect the bubble Link’s slipped into. The one they guided into creation when they designed and filled this house this way in the first place. Like always, though, Rhett knew Link would tsk him for not disrupting him when need be, so he lightly raps his knuckles across the door hoping the movement will be sensed by Link enough that he won’t have to disrupt him any more directly.

It does, somehow, register — or Link senses he’s being watched and he shifts enough to see Rhett’s reflection in the dark of the large picture windows beyond the strung lights. It’s hard to say, but either way, Link gently rolls up and his headphones off where they’ve been sat over his ears and smiles. He gently tugs the cord attached from where it’s plugged into the HiFi and an old melody of Merle’s filters through the big, beautiful amps that Link has purchased for group listening sessions. 

Immediately Rhett’s singing along. 

Link doesn’t know that the families are leaving and Rhett is meant to be the one to come beckon him on and let him know. He’s been too awash in his listening, to keep track of time, and Rhett can’t help but be swept up in it, too.

They sing the rest of the song. Both sigh, Rhett scratches his hair out from how it’s fallen, long enough to let Link wonder out loud if there’s any updates on their families’ individual plans for leaving. 

“Yeah, they’re actually getting close. Everybody’s gettin’ bags and jackets so you know that means only another half hour or so.”

They laugh at their talkative families always keeping the goodbyes long and drawn out. 

“Yeah, sounds about right,” Link says, understanding. He pulls together what things he’s strewn around the room. His phone, a box of tissues, his shoes — Rhett fills the silence for him.

“Gettin’ a li’l nostalgic?” Rhett asks, explaining away any implied melancholy of the situation. 

He’s giving Link a kind excuse and letting him know that he’s not assuming anything about finding him alone in a room on Christmas Eve staring out the window listening to old songs.

Link nods. 

Trying to lighten the slightly heavy mood and presumably as a result of their recent conversation about olfactory senses, memory, and all that, Link leans in close. Close enough to Rhett that their skin would touch if either sway forward an inch. Link’s head immediately dips down to Rhett’s torso then sniffs back up his whole right side, a smirk clearly about to break out after the movement’s passed.

Rhett is so lost in thought over Merle and all the memories stirred up, he is genuinely shocked by the action. Especially by Link’s lingering closeness where he stopped, hovering at Rhett’s shoulder, almost laying his cheek there. He’s already grinning, waiting for Rhett’s reaction.

At the same time Link stills and lingers, Rhett leans down and kisses him on the mouth. Link’s surprise is audible and they both stand there with their mouths together for as long as it takes for Link realize what’s happening. He sticks his tongue against Rhett’s lips and then into his open mouth as Rhett deepens the kiss. 

It’s not what either one intended but suddenly they’re both gripping onto one another, tightly, hands roaming the other’s neck in kind. 

Eventually they have to part for air and their foreheads sit flush at an angle due to Rhett’s height. When they catch their breath enough to speak, it’s Link who does so first, asking, “What the hell was that?”

It’s not said unkindly, but it’s still making it very clear that Link also is taken aback by what just overcame them. 

Rhett’s own analytical mind is racing because it has facts to share and some of them make sense while other parts make things even more confusing. “I think when you sniffed me, I thought you were making a move or going to kiss me, so I just  — ”

Rhett stops and quietly steps back, finally parting, and lets his hand float up into the air to imply the rest of what happened.

Link understands.

“I was trying to do the bit, sniffing, like from the podcast,” Link says, a little frantic, his words forced out in rapid succession like he needs Rhett to understand that this was his fault for overstepping his personal space. He feels really badly about it as soon as he lets the words sit long enough for Rhett to take them in fully. Wires do get crossed.

Rhett huffs a little, straightening out his jacket. He looks down, furtively, one last question to set the record straight. “You been drinkin’?”

Link looks at him and back to the red solo cup of cherry Coke that Link was nursing all night. They both almost seem to hope Link will say yes, since it’d be another easy excuse. “No,” Link whispers, instead. 

Rhett nods. 

There’s silence. 

“Well, we gotta go,” Rhett says, suddenly, pointing back at the front of the house with his thumb. 

They’re adults, they’ll deal with this later.

...

[afangirlsplaylist]

I have a couple of fic prompts I've seen from other anons(I personally prefer AUs where they're single): 1. Rhett constantly trying to come up with ways to get link to oggle and admire him, like the wheel ending where Rhett gets link to look down his shirt, or all the times hes tried to act strong or like a hero. Links totally oblivious so Rhett thinks he's being sly, but other people have always noticed and it's sometimes awkward for them.

I’m sorry I hope you see this anon I know this was from a while back. It’s not exactly like that but here it is anyway :) filled this one under the cut:

Link wasn’t attracted to him. That was something Rhett had come to accept a long time ago, as he faced another year as the best friend of the love of his life. He knew that was what Link was to him even if his feelings were never reciprocated, but it didn’t make the gaping hole in his heart hurt any less.

He’d thrown himself into thinking about girls when they were younger, allowing them to consume his life to the point of obsession. So the early years of his friendship with Link passed by in parallel with an endless series of girls, all beautiful but never quelling his thirst for his best friend. He tried to tell himself he wasn’t doing it on purpose but he let his kisses and touches linger when he was in Link’s presence with a girl, as if it was a personal show. Eventually, he was bold enough to catch Link’s gaze, holding intense eye contact as he slipped his tongue between his girlfriend’s lips. When he noticed Link didn’t immediately look away he smiled and took it deeper and rougher, letting the show fall away only when Link’s eyes left his.

He’d grown tired of pretending he wasn’t madly in love with Link by the end of high school, and the pain began to pass by in numbers instead of girls. The number of Link’s age rising with every birthday, signaling he’d survived another year of torment. The number of girlfriends weaving through the intervening years in lipstick, hands and flying clothes. Then finally the numbers of GMM episodes, making him feel more transparent the higher they grew.

#320: He asked Link to kiss him, or at least he asked Link’s character to kiss him through a plate of plexi-gass. The braveness was spurred on by the shield of his wig and character, making him bolder than he would be otherwise. He puckered his lips and leaned forward towards the glass, expecting but still pleasantly surprised when Link leaned in to meet them. Hope reared its ugly head in his chest again as he watched Link’s flustered reaction, blinking rapidly and trying hard to maintain composure. Then Link joked about it being traumatizing and the hope died down again, curling up into a tight purring ball somewhere near his heart.

999: He knew his hands were essentially useless but he’d moved them in sync with Link’s anyway, hoping to impress with how delicately he could handle his big, strong hands. “I think we’re going to have to hit the deck.” He’d said, looking out towards the crew and taking in their knowing chuckles as he lowered himself to the floor with Link. He took a moment to enjoy the perverse feeling of engulfing his friend’s body with his back, taking in the heat and sweat of it all.

1054: “It should make you want to kiss me.” He’d asked, willing Link to kiss him again without using the words. He’d hoped Link would fill the small gap and make the connection, his eyes flicking to the monitor for the briefest moment to examine his hair and try to find validation in Link’s eyes. If it was there he didn’t find it, so he resisted the temptation to keep looking. Instead he focused on the central monitor, pretending to feel embarrassed but in reality he was losing himself in the images of himself and Link on the screen. His mouth weakly protested the display but he couldn’t hide his smile or the way his gaze kept shifting back to it, unable to look away for long. He took the episode as an excuse to talk at length about his personal kissing technique, a big part of him wanting some sort of response. Secretly he wished it was Link wearing the glove, and he imagined what it would be like to peel the latex off his fingers and press his lips to his instead, feeling it for real. Too bad hair isn’t enough sometimes.

On the first day back of filming he’d chosen to neglect his comb and hair dryer, opting instead for some mythical pomade. He knew he wasn’t just doing it for himself as he ran his product slick hands through his dirty blonde locks, allowing the cool liquid to move with his hair in whatever way it chose. The result was a tall, swirly up-do that shined golden in the light of the dressing room - resembling a cone of ice cream but not in an overly unflattering way. He paired it was a nice white button up that Link had admired recently, running his hands down the buttons and folds as Link had done when he saw it on the hanger.

Maybe this time.

[totallyrhettro]

The Lone Jedi, Chapter 8

Word Count: 2360 Rating: This chapter: G. Overall story: explicit Warnings: None Summary: Jedi Knight Rhett McLaughlin managed to escape the purge of the Emperor to become one of the last of his celibate order. After years of a solitary life, he finds himself with a former slave for a friend. Despite his efforts to maintain anonymity and the jedi code, he starts to realize that doing either is easier said than done. Notes: Star Wars AU; Events take place between episodes III and IV

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

*See the end of each chapter for additional notes on star wars terms*

Rhett POV

While Link was out by the river shaving, Rhett was in his bedroom with a small box of his own. When he had purchased the shaving kit for his friend, the jedi had made a similar purchase for himself. Now as he knelt beside his bed, he looked down at the box in his hands.

Ever since he was a child Rhett had been taught to keep his appearance neat and tidy, not for vanity's sake but purely for hygienic reasons. While he brushed his hair and beard, and washed his face (along with all other parts of his body) every day, he had not gotten a proper haircut since going into hiding. He usually just cut the ends of the hair with scissors when they got too long.

Now as he looked down at the small box in front of him, he told himself he wanted to do this because his hair had grown unruly and needed a trim. He ran his fingers over his bushy beard pensively, wondering how short he wanted to cut it. It had been years since he was clean shaven; he didn't much care for that look on himself.

‘I am more than due for a trim, though,’ he told himself. It had nothing to do with having a rather handsome guest now staying with him. Nothing at all.

It had been a long time since he trimmed his beard and hair, but he was confident his new tools would help him. Inside the box, along with a new set of hair scissors, was a beard trimmer and his own straight razor. It wasn't nearly as nice as the one he had just given Link, but it would do. He only needed it for his neckline.

By the time he had finished, there was a good sized pile of hair gathered around him. He looked himself over in the small mirror on his nightstand. He smiled, pleased with his good work.

‘Not bad,’ he noted, running his fingers through his dramatically shorter beard. The jedi looked several pounds thinner and maybe a decade younger. It was amazing what a decent hair cut could do. He couldn't wait to show Link.

Still grinning, he placed his new grooming tools back into their box and bent down to place the box into the satchel he kept by his bed. As he did, he noticed his lightsaber, which he kept inside the bag, wasn't lying in the exact same way as he had left it. It was a small adjustment, but it unsettled him. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone had moved it. Someone had touched it.

Rhett didn't want to jump to conclusions; he could ask Link about it later if he had been rooting around in the bag. It was possible the jedi was just seeing things. Besides, he couldn't blame his guest for wanting to find out more about the mysterious host. It wasn't as if Rhett had been entirely truthful with him, and he probably sensed it.

There was also the fact that, despite his obviously keen mind, there was no way Link actually knew what the saber was. The man’s intelligence could not negate his ignorance and Rhett was positive his secret was still safely hidden.

Somewhat satisfied with his conclusion, Rhett put away the shaving kit inside his satchel and drew the drawstring tight, laying the leftover string in a deliberate fashion. If Link went back to examine the saber, this time the jedi would know for certain. After making sure everything was in its place, and picking up the hair to be thrown away, Rhett headed back out towards the garden to find his companion.

Throwing the hair into a small trash bin just outside the garden, he walked on passed by the fountain. There he saw Link returning from the river. Rhett stopped short as the brunet and he locked eyes. Link grinned when he saw his new friend and walked a bit faster to catch up with him.

“I see I'm not the only one who had too big of a beard.” He pointed at Rhett’s newly trimmed facial hair. “Didn't want to shave it all off?”

“I don't look good without a beard, but I thought a quick trim couldn't hurt.” Rhett stroked his beard, thoughtfully. Link rubbed off his own face, seemingly pleased with the smooth sensation.

“I didn't like having any kind of beard.” He looked guilty for a moment and quickly added “but yours is nice. You look... good.”

“Thanks. You, uh, you look good, too.” Without thinking, Rhett lifted his hand to run his fingers over Link’s newly shaven face, but pulled away before he got very far. Link’s grin grew brighter at  Rhett’s words. Finding himself staring a bit too long, the jedi cleared his throat and pulled his eyes away to stare off into the garden.

“You did good while I was gone,” he noted. “The garden looks great.”

“I'm sorry I didn't get further, but-”

“No need to apologize. I'm amazed at how far you got, considering. I think you are healing quite nicely. Should have you out of those bandages in no time.”

“That will be nice.” Link passed his good palm over his chest. “Then I'll really be able to help around the place.

“You know, you really don't have to lift a finger here. I'm used to doing everything myself anyway…”

“I'd just go crazy, with nothing to do. Besides.” He wrapped his fingers around Rhett’s arm, turning him back to face him. “I still owe you my life.” The jedi felt his pulse quicken from the man’s touch. He knew he would have to get over this… whatever this was, and fast, if Link was going to be staying here indefinitely. Otherwise, life was going to be very difficult.

~

Despite the jedi’s reservations, he and Link quickly fell into a comfortable daily routine. After waking early, Rhett would go down to the river and bathe. Every few days he’d trim his beard to keep it neat. Afterwards, when Link woke up, Rhett would change his bandages. Link’s feet were all but completely healed after the first week, and his hand quickly followed. His back, bearing the brunt of his injuries, took the longest, requiring new bandages every morning for nearly three weeks. It was both a happy and sad day when he no longer needed them.

After Link bathed in the river, and shaved his face, he met Rhett for breakfast in the dining room. They would talk over a warm meal, usually about the chores for the day. Rhett repeatedly told his companion that he needn't worry himself about working, but Link wanted to help, to feel useful. He never spoke about finding Rhett’s lightsaber and the jedi never brought it up. They both seemed happy to just pretend it never happened.

During the day they would tend to the grounds, working on the garden, clearing rubble that had gathered in various parts of the continually decaying ruins. Rhett made sure they avoided the lower levels, putting off explaining them day after day. His personal work of copying down the old archives fell behind; he couldn't risk slipping away without Link noticing or getting suspicious. Of course telling him was an inevitable conversation, but every time he planned on having it, he found some reason not to, some excuse, something more important to do.

At night they slept soundly in their respective beds, Link always falling asleep long before his friend. Sometimes Rhett would watch him sleep, his tender face seeming so at ease despite such a rough past. He wondered what their future held, if they had any. He debated telling him everything, if only because he didn't like keeping secrets from him, but he couldn't. He couldn't risk it. There was no reason to, anyway. What difference would it make if his new friend knew of his true identity? No. He was better off ignorant.

~

One day, after Link had been living in the academy for over a month, Rhett found him in the makeshift stable. He was feeding the kybuck by hand, talking in a quiet, soothing voice and giggling occasionally. Leaning against one of the many pillars, the jedi just stood there, regarding his two companions in amused silence. After a minute or two, Link turned just so, and jumped when he realized he was not alone.

“You scared me!” he exclaimed, trying to hide the smile on his face. Rhett held in a chuckle, keeping a mostly straight face as he walked over to pet the large animal himself.

“I didn’t mean to,” he assured Link, petting along the kybuck’s long neck, not looking at him. “The kybuck likes you.”

“And I like him,” Link confessed, accepting the change in subject. He held up a fresh handful of berries he had picked himself. “I really think we should give him a name.”

“As long as he doesn’t mind.” Turning his head to finally look Link in the eye, Rhett felt his heart flutter. It was such a common occurrence now that he was almost used to it. More than that, he welcomed it every time, relishing the swell in his chest and the warm feeling that surged through his body. Part of him knew he shouldn’t let himself get carried away, let his emotions have full reign, but he didn’t care. For the first time in years, he was finally content. “What about Herb?”

“Herb,” Link repeated, testing the name on his tongue. “What do you think?” This last question directed towards the kybuck. As if answering, the beast snorted softly against Link’s open hand. “I guess Herb it is.” Rhett chuckled and patted the newly christened ‘Herb’ softly on his back.

“Well, I’m glad you both approve.” Herb’s tail swatted the air nonchalantly as his long snout tried to find more of the delicious food Link had been feeding him. Link gave him one last handful before brushing off the excess twigs from his hands.

“It’s a fine name,” he noted. “Maybe you can teach me to ride him sometime.” Rhett cleared his throat, nervously.

“Uh, yeah. That’s an idea.” He tried to sound optimistic, but Link saw right through him.

“If you don’t think I can do it, just say so.”

“No,” Rhett was quick to revise. “It’s just that kybucks… They’re not an easy animal to master. It took years for Herb to even let me pet him.” He gave the beast a few languid strokes to demonstrate. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again,” he continued, his voice much softer now. “Kybucks are powerful creatures…” Before he knew it, his hand had stopped moving, just resting now on the animal’s back. Link placed his own hand on top of Rhett’s, trying to sooth, but it just made the jedi’s heart race faster.

“It’s alright,” Link began. “I know you’re just worried about me. If you don’t want me to ride him, I won’t.” Rhett met his eyes and almost instantly he could feel himself being drawn into them again, but he had quickly learned how to avoid that trap. Looking away, he stepped back and took a breath.

“I think you’re on the right track though,” he smiled, trying to lighten the conversation. “Those berries are his favorite.” Getting a lopsided grin on his face, Link licked his palm.

“Mine, too!”

~

While Rhett was used to a mundane routine, Link eventually started to get restless. He didn't say anything, but he would often fidget in his seat while the two of them ate, and there were many times when Rhett caught him staring off into the clouds, lost in thought.

At first, when confronted, the man would insist it was nothing, but Rhett was persistent. He didn't like the idea of his guest being unhappy. Eventually Link admitted to feeling a bit antsy.

“I don't want to sound ungrateful,” he assured. “I just feel a little cooped up.”

“You're more free here then you've ever been,” Rhett told him. “Now that your injuries have healed, you can go wander the hillside to your heart's content.”

“I would like to venture out into the wilderness, see the sights. I just…” He looked over the distant canopy of the forest beyond the mountain, his lower lip tucked into his mouth. Rhett smiled, sympathetically. Link had probably never been allowed to go on regular nature walks when he was a slave. Besides, the one time he went out in the woods by himself, he had been attacked by not one but two vicious animals. He was understandably afraid of what lay beyond the safety of the academy's walls.

“We can go together,” the jedi suggested. “I promise as long as you stick close to me, I'll keep you safe.” Link looked up at him, his blue eyes warming Rhett's soul with their beauty and gratitude. “I won't let anything happen to you.” For a moment he was lost in those eyes, then he got a sudden idea. “Why don't you come with me into town. I need to replenish some supplies; were running low on cooking fuel and some other things…”

“What if someone sees me? What if -”

“You aren't dressed as a slave anymore. No one will recognize you even if anyone is looking for you, which I seriously doubt. You'll be just fine, I'm sure of it.” Link still didn't look convinced. After a moment of thought, Rhett got an idea. “What about your hair?”

“What about it?” Link ran his fingers through his shaggy, brown hair. He was used to it being a little long, with hair sweeping out over his ears like little wings, but even this length was a bit much. A trim might be nice.

“Maybe a haircut would give you a new look and make it harder for people to recognize you.” Rhett didn't fancy himself a barber by any means, but he could cut hair fairly well.

“Maybe?”

“Definitely,” the jedi confirmed, trying to instill confidence in his companion. “What do you say?”

Next Chapter

Additional Notes-

Lightsaber:  a weapon used by the Jedi, the Sith, and other Force-sensitives

Kybuck:  an animal originally from Kashyyyk. They look very much like the Tauntauns found on Hoth, if you crossed one with a horse.

More Fics

[afangirlsplaylist]

In comedy and murder

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: rape/noncon, murder, knives, torture, mention of asphyxiation, smut, drugging and everything that entails.

Wordcount: 2,963

Summary: The death of a loved one causes comedians Rhett and Link to tumble down the slippery slope of vigilante justice. Now justice-seeking serial killers by night, they have a whole new buddy system to explore. 

Notes: still working on my other fics so uhh... have this in the meantime? I know this has been done before but I wanted to dip my toes into horror. Remember we are dealing with messed up serial killer stuff here so please don’t click read more without being prepared for severe depravity. Entirely fictional horror.

For @wolfspirit00. Read it on archiveofourown

Beginnings

It was hard to pinpoint exactly how their ‘buddy system’ got to this place. This place of dirty vigilante justice they’d begun to enjoy more than they should. It was a slow and steady decline, yet not slow at all at the same time, tainting their souls. They could easily say they’d hit the point of no return the night of the first true hunt, but really it all came down to the bastard that killed Christy.

They tracked him down before the police ever could, with the sole purpose of delivering slow and painful vengeance to his door. Of course, there was never any question of Rhett joining Link, as his boiling blood and broken rage-filled heart came second only to his friends. They knew exactly how it would end as they stood there waiting for the man to open the door, two dark silhouettes standing almost as high as the door’s frame. They both thumbed the blades hidden at their sides while they waited, lovingly caressing them in fear and anticipation.   

In memory of Christy Link was given the honours that night, but Rhett made sure he got a turn in too - his steady slices a tribute to Link and Christy. It felt like an offering of blood in some sort of dark ceremony, which, he told himself, it kind of was. That was the first kill, and nothing had matched it since.

The early kills that followed were probably more reckless and amateur than they had to be if they were honest, as they experimented with finding a system that worked for them. Link initially used gloves, but soon stopped when he realized he loved the feeling of their breath on his hands. For a while Rhett missed the shiver of uneasy excitement he felt when Link snapped them on, associating the sight with the coming high. You would never hear him speak the words ‘favourite kills’, but the nights when they had the chance to work at their leisure in the studio? Those were probably among his. The thrill on Link’s face as he swept his bangs out of his eyes and laid the protective plastic over the room was contagious. 

The job

The eyes of the cameras were kept far away from their work once night fell. At that time the desk that usually held a lot of vile food became home to a more delectable treat, namely a scared and writhing body. This was Link’s favourite.

Easily pinning the weakening arms of the victim above their head he would watch his 6 ft 7 accomplice tower over them from the other side. No matter what they would inevitably raise their pleading, teary eyes up to Link, who would simply smile and press a finger to his lips. Then they would try the same thing with Rhett, who would offer them no response at all. Taking all the rage he’d built up over whatever atrocities the person had committed, he would channel it into the thrusts of his blade, making a mess all over the desk and plastic. 

“You’re gonna stain the desk man.” Link would complain, pointing out where spots had missed the plastic. Carelessly dropping the victim’s arms he would wipe the blood off with a finger, sucking it into his mouth to clean it off. 

It was terrifying at first how easily the killing became a new dimension to their friendship. The studio, once a place reserved for laughs and work, was now part of something new. Instead of looking over amusing lists on their computers they prowled for fresh blood until it was as second nature to them as GMM research. It was something they shared more intimately than any of Rhett’s obsessive layers - bringing them closer than ever. Sleep was hardly a thing for them anymore, as nights were devoted to the hunt.

During the day it was usual for Stevie to find Link sitting cross-legged on the office couch, greeting her warmly while he polished his glasses. It was another story at the day’s end when Rhett would come to find him and be met with almost the same image, all except for the knife Link was now polishing instead, and the look of dead seriousness that had replaced the smile. The top buttons of his shirt would have been unbuttoned long ago, allowing his flushed neck room to breathe. Rhett was prone to not bothering with a shirt at all if the night’s party was to take place at the studio, figuring there was no use ruining a good shirt with blood.

But sometimes Rhett had no excuse for the shirtlessness, other than the emotions and adrenaline of the hunt sending his blood rushing to his cock. He found relief in Jessie, or, if too impatient and high to wait, his hand. Link, always wired, chose to find it in nightclubs and a number of nameless, beautiful girls enticed by his charm. Eventually, he’d even find it in the company of some guys as the hunt taught him more about himself. For them he reigned in the darkness, giving them a taste of his loving touches and deep kisses. That didn’t mean he was never rough (he knew how to take someone after all) but he embraced the chance to just enjoy for a while. After he’d had the fuck he needed he hardly bothered being careful walking down the club alleys. If some twisted loser tried to have a go he’d reign the darkness in no longer, taking further pleasure in destroying them. Even at the height of his pleasure, he’d never forget that their kind was the reason he was resorting to clubs in the first place, and they soon knew it. Rhett couldn’t help being a little pissy the mornings after these run-ins, demanding details and throwing himself into the next hunt. 

Play

Like everything in their lives the hunt soon became a competition. The fastest kill, the slowest kill, the quickest cleanup - basically any criteria they could possibly come up with to make it one. Rhett’s idea of playing dirty was stealing Link’s favourite knives, while Link played dirty by cornering their victims before Rhett’s lanky legs could catch him. Whatever they did it always ended with them collapsing at the studio, breathing like they’d been used. They’d dink and sink a couple of strong beers, brushing the residue of the night right off each other’s shoulders. 

Now very familiar with the sadism his friend was capable of, Rhett would have thought Link would enjoy the slow kills more, but the shorter man might as well have been looking at his watch while he worked - muffling the screams when he grew tired of them. 

“I like a screamer but they are going to blow off my ears.” Link sighed, wincing as he tapped the side of his head to knock some sound back into it. 

“All the same to me.” Rhett said with a smile, happily taking the reigns on that round when Link handed him the night. 

He thought afterward how strange it was that he’d always been staunch about not letting Link have knives. Sure he was a hot mess when he wasn’t handling them seriously but on the job he was masterful. He knew just where to cut and bleed a person to achieve the effect he desired, torturing with precision when he chose to. It was a skill Rhett chose to keep as a treasure only for them, leaving it a secret in the dark. Still, he couldn’t help stealing an amused glance at Link across the table if his friend was over for dinner and happened to have the carving knife. 

The kill

As the bigger and (though Link wouldn’t admit it) stronger of the two, Rhett was usually the one to hold the victims down. He took satisfaction in the way the assholes sagged against him, soon nothing but a weight on his chest as Link snapped their necks with a twist of his arm. 

Link, who always had OCD tendencies anyway, thrived in the clean up afterward. He stared at the way the fresh blood caked in his hair after a kill, marveling at how every matted lock was a reminder of his work. He would always wash his hands meticulously, but he took the time to enjoy the red on his skin for a while first, sometimes smearing the wet blood across his face and admiring the effect in the bathroom mirror.

The day he caught himself doing this was the day he realized just how much they’d come to like this. Not the act itself (that was a rush they could take or leave) no, it was the taking they kept going back for. The primal feeling of power that roared within their chests. The sleeping ferocity in Rhett’s giant body relished the freedom it had been denied for so long, while the only child in Link loved to play with someone who had no choice but to submit. Rhett wouldn’t deny Link of that either, so he was more than happy to watch Link play with their prey like he wanted. 

Easily wrapping his large hand around the person’s entire neck, he’d watch Link smack them around, sometimes strangling them himself if he was feeling greedy enough to take the feeling for his own. In reality, it was probably more merciful than leaving them to Link, and if the victim was smart they would hope Rhett was feeling greedy. Sometimes, when he was really into the game, Link would run the smooth edge of the blade across the person’s chest, popping off shirt buttons one by one. It really depended on the night whether the victim would then get the relief of a knife to the chest or much, much worse.

When the ball was in his court Rhett preferred not to play most of the time. Not because he didn’t find any enjoyment in it, in fact, it was the greatest rush in the world to watch Link in the zone. No, he was just too in love with the high of the kill to have that kind of patience. 

The nights he loved taking charge of most were the rare trips they managed to make to the pasture rocks back home in NC. North Carolina was a small town and severely limited their choice of wretched souls, but they’d always find one to take, bringing them to the rocks for their last night. In this new dynamic there was no longer any talking involved with the rock system, and when it came to their victims there would never be talk again.

These were some of the only nights that Link watched, stretching out on the high rock and drinking in the scene like he was dying of thirst. Rhett would admit he showed off a little bit, using nothing but his size and strength for weapons as he silenced their victim for Link’s pleasure.

The streets of L.A were another thing entirely, the hunt becoming their twisted idea of a fun night out when they took to the streets. Pretty soon they’d developed a tactic for lulling their mark into a false sense of security; using Link’s winged hair, hot pink shirts and glasses to their advantage. The image presented such a delicious target to the assholes that they couldn’t resist swarming on him in a heartbeat. It was unfortunate for them that they couldn’t feel the heat of Link’s need as he itched for their blood, nor could they see the blown out pupils behind the glasses. More often than not they made the sorry mistake of spitting in his face or trying to fight - which they paid for dearly while he and Rhett destroyed them together, piece by piece. The mess would almost annoy them if it weren’t so satisfying.

As he hid in the shadows waiting for the oblivious victims to make their move, Rhett found himself half hoping that they would run their mouths at his friend in front of him. Every word and finger they laid on Link was yet another minute that Rhett would ensure they would be in hands, knife tearing into the flesh just far enough from the vital points to keep them alive until he decided otherwise. Judging from the fire in Link’s eyes as he wiped the spit from them Rhett knew he would be teasing his food before he ate it that night too.

Punishment

They reserved the worst punishment for the lowest of the low, deciding that only an eye for an eye would suffice for rapists. These were the times they made sure to do their research, cherry picking the homophobes and pedophiles of the criminal world as the targets of their cruel justice. Link would insist they at least be attractive, to which Rhett would sigh and reiterate exactly what they were. The reminder was enough to reignite Link’s desire to wreck the sick fucks, eagerly taking control out of Rhett’s hands. He took them all with vicious force, thrusting into them without mercy once he had them beneath him. Rhett would tell them they should be thankful they were going out this way, slitting their throats for good measure even though they’d already gone limp by the time Link was done with them.

Rhett would laugh at the disgusted face Link would sometimes make afterward, wiping his cum and blood stained hand on the dead man’s shirt. It didn’t really matter of course since the clothes would be burned and the body never seen again anyway, but he could trust Link to be more disturbed by the mess of it all than the actual murder. If someone was to ignore the blood, sweat, and heat they might have thought there was just a bad smell under his nose. It was definitely a humourous 180 from how he was when he was actually taking them, the animalistic fucking quickly becoming one of Link's favourite ways to serve justice. These were the special cases that had the mingled honour and misfortune of his treatment, while fewer still got Rhett’s.

The way Rhett’s brand of punishment served Link’s was a dark combination, as he teased their defenseless mark until they were quivering. Using words or visuals he’d make sure they knew both what was coming to them and just how much they deserved each bit of it. 

“I may be the bigger man but it’s my friend here you gotta worry about.” Rhett taunted, crouching down to the victim’s level. “He’s feeling a little restless tonight and I’m thinking about letting him at you.”

Link confirmed his words as he spoke, passing a knife back and forth between his hands. He was practically drooling as he stared at the point he envisioned the man’s heart to be, his eyes soon roaming over the rest of his body. Ignoring the blade for now, he tucked it into the back of his waistband, stepping forward. 

“We got a pretty boy here.” Link hummed in appreciation, grabbing the victim by the chin and turning it from one side to another in his hand. “I like this one Rhett.”

“You should do. I picked him.” Rhett gloated.

Link rolled his eyes before busying himself with the task of roughly tearing the guy’s shirt apart, letting it fall to its rightful place at his feet. He took a second to flick a nipple before he went for the pants, fighting the guy’s resistance without much difficulty. He shoved the guy’s underwear down with them, leaving the man ready and exposed for his use.

Quickly getting a hand around the reluctantly hardening cock, Link squeezed it hard enough to make him squeal, smiling at the reaction he got as the victim tried to jerk away from him. In reality, all it did was press him back into Rhett, who threw him to the ground. 

Tugging the vulnerable ass higher into the air it wasn’t long before Link was practically tearing it apart, fucking him hard and raw. He was in the mood to cause pain, and he knew there was no place for lube or gentleness when it came to dealing with evil. 

The man was gone before Link had the chance to use the knife.

Suspicion

Rhett knew when he married her that Jessie was far from a stupid woman, and it was inevitable that she would become suspicious after all those nights. At the end of the second week he’d laughed when she asked him straight up if he was cheating, and at the end of the third, he laughed even harder when she asked if it was Link. It wasn’t until the end of the month that he decided that slipping a sleeping pill into her evening teas was the safest decision. It was with regret that he did it but it was worth it for his service to the world.

Link didn’t have any such person to answer to anymore, but he did have three kids to protect from exactly the kind of people they were taking out. The mix of it all made him all the more dangerous.

Every night that Rhett picked Link up from his house he listened to the final instructions Link mumbled to the new nanny with a frown on his face. Every time he thought about asking Link if this was all worth the risk, until he realized that Link leaving the kids with someone who would have been Christy was probably the worst time in the world to ask. Part of him kicked himself for not asking anyway and the other half didn’t want to hear the answer. So not a word dropped from his lips as they drove off for the latest hunt.

He never wanted this to end.

[totallyrhettro]

In the Office

Sequel to In the Box, a ficlet about what might have happened while filming the magic show scene in Buddy System.

Word Count: 2065 Rating: PG Warnings: Kissing Summary: Link can’t stop thinking about what happened in that box. Rhett has a plan to break the tension. Notes: Present day AU, taking place during the filming of Buddy System. Rhett and Link aren’t married.

Link was pacing back and forth. He kept playing those few seconds back in his head, over and over. Those precious few seconds that had felt like an eternity, and had to power to ruin the rest of his life.

The rest of their lives.

There had been no conscience thought, no deliberate action. Rhett’s face was suddenly so close and something inside Link had told him to-

‘What?’ he demanded to himself, pausing in his tracks. ‘What did you think was going to happen?’ Whatever action that his foolish movements were leading to, it couldn’t be towards anything good. First of all, they were in public. Despite the illusion of solitude, any number of people could have walked by and found them in there. They were set up to be filmed, for christ’s sake. And even if no one caught them, what then? What possible good could such actions lead to?

No. It was for the best that nothing happened. It was good that they were interrupted before things got out of hand. Although, thinking back on those few seconds, perhaps it was too late. Their lips had brushed, just barely but enough. Rhett had to know it wasn’t an accident. He had to have seen the look in Link’s eye, the desire to go further.

‘He’ll hate me,’ Link told himself. ‘He’ll hate me and be disgusted by me.’ Frankly, he was a bit disgusted by himself for his stupidity and his mental lapse. Now the great life that he and Rhett had built up together for years could be torn away. His lifelong friendship could be over, and for what? A single kiss? For one brief moment of happiness? Was that worth losing Rhett?

Link had spent the rest of the day filming, pretending nothing had happened. Rhett appeared to do the same, and they got through it without any problems, but now the day was over. The crew had all gone home. All that was left was to drive back to their separate homes and forget those precious few seconds in the box had never happened. That’s all there was to it.

Then why did it feel like it was easier said than done?

Suddenly Rhett stormed in, his face a bit pinker than usual and his jaw set like a man on a mission. He strode across the room to where Link stood, frozen on the spot. His dirty blond hair was a bit out of sorts and there was a hint of crazy in his eyes, but all Link felt was fear. Was this it? Was this the end of their friendship?

“Ok, just hear me out,” Rhett began, holding his hands out as he laid out a plan. “I think… I think we should kiss.”

“W-what?” Link took a step back, as if slapped by some unseen force. He blinked hard, wondering if he was just imaging Rhett here, now, suggesting such a thing. There was no way he was saying what Link thought he heard him say.

“I- I just… I can’t stand this stupid tension around us, since the… the box…” Rhett explained. “It’s been weighing on my head and it’s driving me crazy. Now I don’t… know exactly what happened but… I think that we should kiss and…” He searched Link’s eyes, looking for understanding, or maybe something else, but Link couldn’t talk. His mouth felt drier than the mohave desert and his voice was nowhere to be found. Rhett ran a shaky hand through his hair before continuing. “Well, whatever, we’ll kiss, and it’ll be weird and then it will be over. It’ll be weird and then we’ll know.” Link licked his lips, trying to bring moisture to the desert.

“Know what?” he managed. Rhett shrugged.

“We’ll know there was nothing to dwell on.” So that’s it. It was a question of spark. That’s all it was. A kiss to prove they didn’t want to kiss. A kiss to prove they were nothing but friends. It was an elegant solution, if unorthodox, but then, that made it all the more them. Link quickly nodded, agreeing completely. He needed to know, needed to make sure it had been a passing thought, a fleeting impulse and nothing more. He was certain Rhett was right. They would kiss, and it would be gross and awkward; they’d probably laugh about it later, but it then would be over. Then they could go back to normal.

Neither was sure were to begin. They stood, toe to toe, arms at their sides and just stared at each other for the longest time. Link stared at his friend's plaid shirt, unable to look the man in the face. Rhett’s eyes were down at Link’s head, noting how many of the dark hairs were out of place, more than usual for Link. He must have been just as distracted as Rhett to let his hair get so messy.

“It’ll be quick,” he assured him. Link looked up, meeting those green eyes with his own soft cerulean gaze. Eyes that he had known for almost his whole life, yet barely knew. Eyes that dazzled in the sunshine and never grew dull in the dark. They could be the most brilliant green, or cloudy grey, or even a subtle blue, but they always had a shine about them, a light that somehow came from within. Link had noticed them countless times without noticing, and now he couldn’t look away. He could only nod.

Locked in place, Link watched as Rhett stepped closer, nervous but determined. He tried to look scientific, calculating, as if this no more than an experiment, and not anything else. Not an excuse to-

“Rhett…” Link breathed. Rhett ignored him, placing his broad palms on sides of Link’s shoulders and holding them gently but firmly. His little tongue peeked out from his bushy beard for just a moment as he prepared his lips for contact. As he leaned down, he tilted his head to the side so their noses wouldn't get in the way, and Link lifted his head so he could more easily reach. It was instinct; his neck craned before he could even begin to understand what he was doing. He needed this. Deep in his subconscious he needed this, for more reasons than those Rhett had proposed, and in the far recesses of his mind he wanted this. Wanted to make this moment happen. That part of his brain that hesitantly caressed Rhett in the box not a few hours ago, it was rejoicing, but Link couldn’t hear. All he could hear was his heart pounding his his ears, and the short, ragged breaths he was trying to keep steady.

“Hold still,” Rhett whispered, his voice lighter than wind. Link couldn't have moved if he’d tried; he was nailed to the spot, unable and unwilling to break the spell that was being cast on this surreal moment. Rhett moved almost in slow motion as he brought their faces closer until finally they were as close as they had been in the box. Agonizingly close. It was an agony Link knew all too well and suddenly he remembered it had always been there. There, in those moments when Rhett got too close, when they sat next to one another at the GMM desk, when sketches and wheel endings brought their heads to almost touching, it was there. An agony of close and yet so far away. Link knew it, and he hated it. Suddenly he remembered he hated it. Hated it and wanted it to end. There was only one way to kill it.

He couldn’t be sure who closed the final gap between them, if it was Rhett with his calculating stance and his tentative movements. Maybe it was Link, shaking off those last shreds of delusion and accepting at long last that he had wanted this a long time ago, he’d just been afraid to take it. Whether for love or sanity, their lips at last pressed together, and it was a mess of sensation and emotion for both of them.

Rhett’s beard was a bit scratchy, but not unpleasant, definitely not like the clean shaven faces of girls that Link had kissed before. The man’s lips, nestled inside, were soft and plump. Despite him often noting how small his mouth was, Rhett’s lips didn’t feel small as they wrapped themselves around Link’s. It started with just placement, but then they caressed themselves into place, like a puzzle piece finding its home. More than anywhere this was there they belonged.

Link welcomed it without reservation, his own mouth eager and compliant. He took Rhett’s kiss willingly, letting him press in without a hint of rejection. The scruff of his day old beard was more tantalizing than harsh and Rhett couldn’t help but move his lips over the rough skin as his lips found their way around this new mouth. Tasting what he never realized he wanted to taste. Feeling what he never would have admitted he desired to feel.

It was supposed to be a chaste kiss, a peck to break the tension, but in the silence of the office, where reality and fantasy could actually collide, he no longer cared for his tenuous reasons for doing this. He lifted a hand to Link’s jaw, cupping it gently as he turned to find a new angle and kiss again. Link didn’t pull back, or object but turned with him, extending the moment as long as he could. His hands clung to rhett’s shirt, pulling him closer. Outside in the real world, when this was all over, things might be different. He feared this was a brief reprieve from the truth of their lives. That this couldn’t be. This could never be. Yet in that kiss there was another story, another truth.

Rhett was lost. He didn’t know, couldn’t know that he was in the same mist that had enveloped Link in that box. It turned his brain to automatic and was now swirling around to envelope his mind. Moving without thought, only doing what his body knew, Rhett breathed deep, inhaling the scent of his best friend as he never had before. How had he never realized how much he loved this smell? It was so subtle, so barely there, like a fading aroma after a storm. It wasn’t new; he’d smelled it almost all of his life. It smelled like days by the river, and nights under the stars. It smelled like Buies Creek. It smelled like home.

But they weren’t home. They were in an office, in Los Angeles, in a studio building filled with the life they had created over the course of many years. It was a life they had worked hard to put together, spending time, energy, blood and sweat to make it was it was today. People depended on its existence, and it was selfish to throw it away for this moment. As the universe came back into Rhett’s periphery, he opened his eyes. He hadn’t even noticed he’d closed them. Link’s eyes were closed too, his eyelashes delicately fluttering. So beautiful.

‘What have I done?’ Rhett pulled away, their lips parting with an audible smack. Link looked up at him, unquestioning, unjudging, just open and waiting. Waiting for his friend’s conclusion. What shall it be? Was tension broken, or had they made it worse? Was this passing foolishness or something more?

Did Rhett want it to be more?

Rhett turned and straightened out the hairs on his beard, scratching his chin in an effort to hide they way his fingertips were exploring his own lips. Link had kissed these lips. Link. Kissed. It had been Rhett’s idea, but he never really expected him to agree, nor for him to melt into it like it was more than welcome. Rhett. Kissed. Kissed his best friend and, even though he didn’t want to say it, he had enjoyed it. He thought maybe it was because he liked kissing, and it could have been anybody, but that wasn’t true. Glancing back at the face he had known for so many years and yet never knew, Rhett realized what the truth was. A truth that Link must have also known, or he wouldn’t have tried anything back in that box.

They could be more than friends.

And they both wanted it to be real.

To be continued. . ?

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