#or if you make rhett suddenly cut his hair

[bradshawsbitch]

listen the way outer range starts filming in 13 days and Lew's hair is nowhere near Rhett length makes me... ✨nervous✨

[bradshawsbaby]

to the nines

pairing: rhett abbott x childhood friend!reader

author’s note: this was originally supposed to be a drabble, but it got away from me slightly and turned into something a little longer (surprise, surprise).

based on this prompt from @therebeccaw. i also tried to incorporate a request from @mermaidxatxheart about the moment when rhett decided he wanted his relationship with his childhood friend to be more.

special thanks to @luminousnotmatter for being the best outer range viewing buddy™️ (even when i jumped a couple episodes ahead of her 🤭) and @whisperofsong for not being mad at me for falling in love with her man 😉

warnings: some brief language, mentions of alcohol, and fluff sprinkled in for good measure.

You and Rhett were friends.

You always had been friends.

You always would be friends.

Just friends.

“He’s just a friend,” you’d insisted hotly in the seventh grade when some of your classmates had been teasing you about your “big ol’ crush on Rhett Abbott.”

“She’s just a friend,” Rhett told the boys who had been ribbing him and making lewd comments when they found out he was taking you to the junior prom.

“We’re just friends,” you’d chorus together whenever you happened to travel with Rhett to cheer him on at an out-of-town rodeo and elderly women in the crowd commented on what a cute couple the two of you made.

So, like the good friend that he was, Rhett had been gracious enough to agree to attend your former college roommate’s wedding as your plus one. You knew all the other friends and acquaintances who’d be attending would have boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives on their arms, and the thought of showing up alone had been too wounding to your pride to even contemplate. You and Rhett always had a good time together, and you knew he’d make sure the night was memorable.

What you hadn’t known was that he was going to take your breath away and make it damn near impossible to concentrate on anything beyond the sight of him in that suit.

You’d known Rhett Abbott for almost your entire life, and never had you known him to get as dressed up as he was tonight. The closest he’d ever come was when Cecilia managed to wrangle his butt to church on Sunday and force him into a respectable button down. Hell, even when he’d taken you to the junior prom, the most he’d managed was a “clean pair o’ jeans and my nicest flannel,” as he’d put it.

But tonight.

Tonight, Rhett Abbott looked like one of those Hollywood actors the ladies at the hair salon in town loved to swoon over as they flipped through their magazines while waiting for their dye jobs to set.

Dressed to the nines, he looked like a million bucks and you found yourself unable to tear your eyes away from him.

You’d nearly tripped and fell down the damn stairs when he’d come to your house to pick you up earlier, the sight of him in that crisp black suit and tie, with his hair slicked back and his eyes somehow looking bluer than you’d ever seen them, enough to rob you of all coherent thought.

Rhett had just chuckled in that easygoing way of his. “It’s a monkey suit, I know,” he grimaced, holding out an arm to you as he walked you to where his truck was parked outside your family’s home. “But when you told me the wedding was gonna be in Laramie, I figured a clean pair o’ jeans and my nicest flannel wasn’t going to cut it,” he added with a wink, helping you up into the cab of the truck.

“You clean up real nice, Abbott,” you managed to get out past lips that suddenly felt as dry as sandpaper.

Real nice? He’d never looked better and you’d never wanted him more.

For all that you’d spent years trying to convince everybody—especially yourself—that you and Rhett were just friends, you knew in your heart of hearts that it wasn’t true. You wanted more. You’d always wanted more.

You wanted him to be your real plus one, not just the childhood pal who’d agreed to tag along so you wouldn’t have to go stag.

As silly as you knew it was, you couldn’t help the rush of pride you felt when your former housemates and classmates from your college days rushed to bombard you at the reception with questions about your “sexy date.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“Where did you meet him?”

“Does he have a twin brother?”

“Is he as good in bed as he looks?”

You laughed and shrugged and hoped your embarrassment wasn’t too apparent as you told them, “Oh, no, we’re just friends.”

Lucy, who had been one of your housemates during your junior and senior years, arched a skeptical brow as she sipped on her Dirty Shirley. “Please. You have not been able to stop eye fucking that guy all night. Just friends my ass.”

“Lucy!” you gasped, feeling your cheeks and neck grow warm in mortification. You glanced around sheepishly, praying that Rhett wasn’t within earshot. He’d gone off to the bar to get the two of you a couple of whiskey sours.

“Tell me I’m wrong,” Lucy smirked, swirling her straw around in her glass. Then she suddenly leaned in closer. “But don’t be embarrassed, sweet pea,” she whispered conspiratorially. “That boy hasn’t been able to keep those gorgeous baby blues off you either.”

Before you could fully register Lucy’s comment, let alone unpack its meaning, your friend was stepping back and grinning, her gaze landing just beyond your shoulder. “Oh, heya, Rhett.”

Stiffening slightly, you turned and met his blue gaze, warm and steady and quite determinedly fixed on you. You instantly felt your mouth dry up again. Damn this man and that damned suit.

“This little sweet pea and I were just talking ’bout how much we wanna dance,” Lucy went on, slinging an arm around your shoulders and nudging you pointedly. “So I better go find my husband before he finds himself another partner,” she added with the exuberant laugh she had always been known for, flouncing off and leaving you torn between wanting to strangle her and wanting to laugh at her tenacity.

Left alone with Rhett, you looked up to find his gaze still fixed on your face, his lips upturned in a smile that almost looked shy. But when had Rhett Abbott ever been shy around you?

Setting down the whiskey sours he’d obtained, still untouched, on the table, he held out a hand to you. “What do you say then, sweet pea?” he drawled, teasing the nickname Lucy always used for you. “Wanna dance with me?”

Trying to pretend your stomach wasn’t currently doing about fifty consecutive somersaults, you just nodded and slipped your hand into his. It was rough and calloused and absolutely perfect.

Just as Etta James’ At Last started thrumming through the speakers, Rhett pulled you onto the dance floor and tugged you into his arms, one arm wrapping around your waist as he maintained his grip on your hand with the other.

“Just like junior prom,” he grinned, his thumb gently brushing against the back of your hand as you swayed to the music.

Funny, you didn’t remember feeling like every nerve ending in your body was on fire when you were at junior prom.

“Mhm, though I have to say you clean up much nicer tonight,” you laughed, resting your free hand on his shoulder as you gazed up at him.

“I’ll have you know that was the nicest flannel I owned at the time,” Rhett scoffed, feigning hurt.

You just giggled in response, which made Rhett’s facade crack as his face split into an amused grin.

“You looked beautiful that night,” he murmured suddenly, his grip on your waist tightening by a fraction. “But I think you look even more beautiful tonight,” he added, his expression suddenly serious.

It was strange how your mouth managed to feel like the Sahara, while your legs felt like water.

“Thank you, Rhett,” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper. Your brain was so addled that you weren’t even able to come up with a teasing response.

“County fair’s coming up soon,” he said, abruptly changing the subject, though his piercing blue eyes remained trained on your face.

“Mhm,” you mumbled, nodding slowly. “I think my mama’s gonna get a booth.”

“I was thinkin’ you and me could go together,” Rhett said, his voice suddenly sounding even lower and deeper than usual.

“Of course,” you nodded, not phased in the slightest. You and Rhett had been going to county fairs together since you were kids.

What did phase you was the way Rhett leaned in close and brushed a loose lock of hair away from your cheek, his lips skimming your skin as he whispered in your ear, “I don’t want to go as your friend.”

Your breath caught in your throat instantly and you were immediately grateful that he was holding onto you so tightly. “A date, Abbott?” you questioned, peering up at him as your pulse pounded in your veins.

“A date,” Rhett nodded, not a single trace of hesitation or ounce of a waver in his voice.

“You sure?” you asked, a slight tremor in your voice. There would be no going back if you did this.

“Never surer,” Rhett replied, his fingertips gently pressing into the small of your back as he pulled you closer.

“Alright then, Abbott,” you smiled, barely able to contain your excitement. “It’s a date.”

[sweetlittlegingy]

Burning House

♤ Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Blue Jeans Masterlist

♤ Pairing: Rhett Abbott x Y/n "Tilly" Tillerson

♤ Word Count: 6.3K

♤ Warnings: Smut 18+, family fighting, reader gets hit (not by Rhett), angst, fluff

♤ A/n: I haven't written smut in years, so let me know. Also, I'm 30 minutes late, but this week has been a lot. Also, you are responsible for your own content consumption. This is an 18+ fic, please respect that.

♤ Library | Main Masterlist

The shatter of glass pulls you from your thoughts, a reminder of where you were. Thrown once again into the fire. Tugging your jeans the rest of the way up, you button the brass button. The tank top you’re wearing sticks to you like a second skin, in the hot Wyoming weather.

Yanking it off you grab an old Coors shirt, slipping it over you frame, before reaching down to tug on your boots. Mud flicks off on to the carpet, making you roll your eyes, you’d have to clean it before your mother saw.

You hadn’t been home in almost four years, leaving Wabang in the dust when you got accepted to Montana State to pursue a degree in business.

Montana had been your number one choice in schools for two reasons; it was out of state away from family, and it was still close enough that Rhett could drive down. It’d been at least 8 months since you’d last seen him, to say you were wound tight was an understatement.

The harsh reality of your father getting sick and you having to come home was thrown into your face, not even a week ago. Your mother made it quite clear, that whether you wanted to or not, you would be coming home with her.

Growing up as the youngest Tillerson, and a girl at that, hadn’t been an easy feat. The constant reminder that you would never fully be in control of your life, not while being a part of this family at least.

Luke and Billy were fine, as fine as they could be. Luke was so far up your mother’s ass, that you were surprised he could even function when she wasn’t around. While Billy was completely brainwashed by your father.

Though you would have happily dealt with them over your father and Trevor. Those two had tempers and matched against your own; the state of your life had been on fire for as long as you could remember.

The three of your tempers flaring at every incident, ended in more fist fights than you could remember, and the list of broken items was never ending. Fuel was just added to the fire when your mom was home, having all four of you in the same room always ended with Sheriff Joy, coming out on calls of domestic disturbances.

A quick look in the mirror, you double-check your makeup and hair and decide that you're more than hot enough to make a surprise appearance at the Handsome Gambler. Another crash has you looking back at your door, silently wondering what the hell was wrong now. Pulling open your bedroom door, you can hear the yelling voices of Luke and Trevor. Forgoing your hat for the night, you make your way to the den.

There was only one hat that you be wearing tonight, come hell or high water it would be yours.

Both voices raise, nearly scream, when suddenly a third voice cuts through causing you to pause your descent down the stairs.

“What she wants doesn’t matter, damn it.” A rough cough rises from your father’s chest, “She doesn’t even know what the hell’s going on, if you two idiots could keep your voice down.”

You mind races, trying to think of anything they could be talking about. Though you come up blank, having been gone you hadn’t worried about your father and brothers.

What in the hell could be so important that they needed to keep it from you? Staying on the stairs, out of sight you wait for them to go on.

“She’s gonna find out, I’m surprised Rhett hasn’t already told her. Abbott doesn’t know how to keep his fucking mouth shut.” You’d known that was Luke, his voice not rough like your fathers and Trevor’s. 

Though you couldn’t figure out why in the world they were talking about you and Rhett. It had been years since they’d seen the two of you together and there was no way they knew the two of you were still a thing.

The two of you grew up together, best friends since you were children. You knew every part of each other, sharing your deepest secrets, and eventually an unbreakable love. Puberty had hit the both of you like a fright train, leading to you two fucking in every pasture between his and your house. Fucking; eventually turned into more, friends falling in love hard and fast.

You’d officially been together three years when you graduated, though your story tale came to a sudden halt when you received your acceptance letter. With you moving and Rhett actively pursuing bull riding, the both of you had decided to end your relationship.

The both of you left it on good terms, and Rhett still came up to Bozeman, the six-hour drive nothing compared to trips he made on the circuit. You hadn’t told Rhett that you were coming home, the spur of the moment decision made by your mother prevented it, but you knew he’d be out tonight.

No longer giving a shit if they saw you, you make your way down the stairs. Their talking cutting off completely when you came into view, your brothers and father staring holes into your head as you push through the den into the kitchen.

“Don’t stop talking on my account.” The snap in your voice is evident.

The four sets of eyes following your every move, still not talking, as you dig around in the key jar.

“What are you doing?” It’s Trevor that speaks up first, his tone already pissy.

“What’s it look like?” You throw him a look over your shoulder, your gaze condensing in every way. His gaze back is still questioning, and you wonder if he truly is an idiot.

“I’m getting the fucking keys Trevor.”

A smile graces your face as you find the set to your father’s new pickup, the one he hadn’t been able to drive since he’d gotten sick. You raise your hand in triumph showing them, and silently waiting for the pushback.

“Where do you think that you're going?” This time it’s Luke that questions you, his tone less sharp not wanting to set off your temper.

Luke had learned over the years what buttons not to push, while Trevor knew exactly which one to push. It was like he thrived off the idea of making you mad, to see just how much you’d blow up.

“I’m not going to just sit around; I don’t really feel like listening to ya’ll fight. Mom might have forced me back, but she didn’t say I had to stay on the ranch.” Your eyebrow slightly raises “I’m going for a drink.”

Before you can turn to leave, a harsh, forced laugh falls from Trevor’s lips.

“When did you turn into such a fucking bitch? Saying that mom forced you here, like this ranch isn’t the thing that’s given you everything.”

Your jaw ached from how tightly you’d clenched it, all of them just staring at you. No words to defend you, you hadn’t expected it, but it would have been a nice surprise.

Trevor might have been right about your childhood. Getting everything you wanted, it wasn’t like you asked for it, it was just there. The exact way it was for each of your brothers, the only difference is that you left, and when you left so did daddy’s money.

Sure, you could have asked, begged, but you didn’t need it. You maintained a job with a company up in Bozeman, that paid you more than enough to live and the thought to being debited to this place, was enough for you to live on a smaller means.

“Unlike you Trevor, I no longer live off Daddy’s money. Though since I’m being forced to stay here, I will be taking liberties. The first on being, using the damn pickup.” The rattle you made with the keys, finally setting him off.

You’d said the wrong thing before, but the fire in Trevor’s eyes hadn’t been one you’d personally seen. Before you can make a move for the door, he was on you, the whip of your head and crack of the back of his hand on your face echoing through the kitchen.

Silent rage, you couldn’t feel the pain. The heaving of your chest should have been notion enough that you were pissed. It’s not till you feel the blood running down your lip, that you realize he’d done damage.

Sure, Trevor and your father had hurt you before, but it had been a long time since they had struck you on the face. You raise your hand up, still clutching the keys and brush your fingers over you lip. The blood smears as you do, feeling an evident spilt and swelling.

No one moves, Trevor stands just in front of you, while the other three don’t do so much as comment.

The harsh laugh that falls from your lips, should scare them. You never wanted to see a pissed off woman laugh, that was common sense, but to see a pissed off Tillerson woman laughing.

They should have been running.

Acting on pure instinct your fist reals back, flying at Trevor before anyone can react. The resounding crack of his nose brings you joy, his figure doubling over sightly. Your fist already rising back, ready to maim him. You’d seen bright red and you didn’t want to stop, not when he was the one doubled over in pain.

It’s only the feeling of Luke wrapping his arms around your waist, and dragging you back from Trevor that makes you stop.

“Calm down, damn it.” It’s your father that yells, the four of your gazes snapping directly to him.

Your lips curl back in disgust, of course it wasn’t an issue if you were the one bleeding. Oh, but if anyone touches poor Trevor, the fucking world was ending.

You scoff, shaking Luke off and double check that you still have your keys. Grabbing your purse, that had fallen, you move to leave, leaning into Trevor as he tries to stop the bleeding.

Your voice as sharp as a knife, “I’m not little anymore Trev. You touch me again, and I’ll kill you.”

Pushing past him ,you brush off your shirt noticing that drops of blood had collected on it. Cursing you brother once again, you head out the door, only offering Billy a goodbye.

Walking to the truck, you can’t stop the smirk that rises on your lips. You were ready to get absolutely hammered and fall into Rhett’s bed in a tangle of limbs.

Not caring that it’s your father’s truck, or that it was in fact brand new, you peel out the drive gravel flying. Your fingers beat along the steering wheel, music blasting and windows down.

Flicking down the visor you silently thank your father, you didn’t smoke normally, but occasionally you’d light one up. Flipping open the box of Marlboro’s, you slip one between your lips. Grabbing the lighter in the cup holder, the sweet relief the nicotine gives you instantly calms your jittery limbs.

The cigarette only just brushes against the left side of your bottom lip and has you wincing, the pain finally setting in. You’d need a stiff drink to take that edge off, the glowing neon sign of the Handsome Gambler a welcomed sight.

You’d checked your lip in the mirror, grimacing slightly at the swelling and taking a wet napkin to your chin, removing the dried blood. The music can be heard before you even make it to the door, upon opening it, it increases ten-folds. Rumbling through your body and instantly soothing you. The red glowing neon of the bar was a tad obnoxious but wasn’t unbearable.

The click of your boots draw eyes to you instantly, though the only set you're looking for sits at the end of the bar. Leaning over a glass of whiskey, unfazed by his surroundings.

You don’t take time to acknowledged anyone else, your sights set and your feet carrying you without another thought in the world.

He doesn’t notice you leaning on the bar next to him, surely overthinking his last ride, and it isn’t until you grab the hat off his head that you get his attention. You’re sure that bar goes silent as the hat settles on your head, a familiar piece; one you’ve worn on many occasions.

Your hand is reaching for his whiskey before he can even comprehend that it’s you. Shooting the drink back, you rest the glass once again between his fingers and let your eyes finally meet his.

Wonder and questioning cross his face. His eyes going to your lip and your positive you see a flash of rage, before his eyes move to the hat on your head and a smug smirk settles on his lips.

“You know there’s a certain rule about stealing a cowboys hat Tilly?”

His nickname for you falling from his lip, nearly has you melting into a puddle on the ground, but you hold strong.

A hum and a nod of your head is the only recognition you given him, before moving to him. His legs opening for you like muscle memory, and your arms lacing around his neck. Your mouth resting just inches from his ear, your breath hot against him.

“And I fully intend on cashing in on those rules tonight, Abbott.”

The way his grip tightens on your waist has your toes curling in anticipation, the burning in your core igniting now that Rhett’s within your hold. Your eyes meet his and your breath catches, the blue of his eyes no longer visible. His pupils blown, watching your every move, and full of want.

It’s his hand that comes up and knocks the brim of his hat up, his eyes taking in the way your lips part as tiny soft pants fall from them.

Every time, it was like this. Like no time had passed since the last time your trembling form was under him. The way that your body became putty in his hands would have been annoying, if you didn’t like it so damn much.

No, those hands and his mouth were a God sent you were sure, or maybe hell sent. Given the way they could have you trembling like a leaf and Rhett’s name falling from your lips like a prayer.

Your lip slips between your teeth, gently biting it, not caring any longer about the cut. Your stare is unwavering, neither of you paying mind to the bar surrounding you and you can’t deny the way your body craves him.

The whiskey you shot earlier didn’t come close to warming you up like he did, as his hands leave a trail of flames in their wake gently rub up your sides.

“You that needy, you have to come down here to me? Nobody work you over like me, hmm Tilly.”

You know he’ll question you later, want to know the full story. But it’s the fact that he knows just what you need to hear, the need to forget all the shit, that has you wanting to crawl up into his lap.

“No baby, I came cause I heard you needed me.”

Your hands slip into the hair at the base of his neck, lightly scratching and he can’t hide the shiver that slips up the base of his spine.

“Heard none of the bunnies could take you like I can. They're just too breakable for you.”

The tension has the both of you leaning in closer to each other, waiting for the other one to beg. You can feel Rhett’s breath hot against your lips, just barley touching, though not nearly like how you’re craving him. The need to have him flush against you, making your legs shake as tears run down your face.

Rhett caves just barely, his tongue slipping out and licking at your bottom lip. Swiping over the cut, a stinging jolt of pain and need courses through your veins. The moan that erupts from your chest, makes him smirk and pull you closer to him.  Your thigh barley nudging the front of his pants, his cock hard and pulsing against the thick denim.

Glancing down, the imprint against his jeans has your core clenching and a tiny whine coming from your throat. A chuckle falls his lips, his hand coming to rest on your cheek, brushing your hair behind your ear.

“You that needy, girl?”

Your head is nodding before you can even think to stop it. The need to be owned by Rhett, out-weighting your usually independent nature. He knew it, he always did. It was one of his favorite things about you; how you were a spitfire to anyone else, but when he pushed just right, you’d be on your knees.

The closeness in proximity to each other, leaves no room for outside interference.

You hadn’t seen her coming back from the bathroom, in her barley there shorts, and trashy boots. Though the whiny voice stating Rhett’s name pulls your gaze to the girl standing next to you.

Rhett’s vision never leaves your face, waiting to see how you’d react. He always loved to see you get territorial, and had a habit of forgetting to tell you about other girls hitting on him at the bar.

Your eyes rack up her form, your head tilling to the side as you take in her appearance. Looking back the Rhett, you see him shrug his shoulders, silently telling you to handle it.

Turning to her, the smile dropping from your face, “He’s got his hands full bunny.”

The hands once on your waist, slip down to grab your ass. Giving it a harsh squeeze, that has your legs clenching.

“I already claimed him for the night.” Her tone bitter, acting like she has made some miraculous point.

Your jaw ticks at her stupidity and the fact that she thinks that she has some claim over him.

The only person that had a claim over Rhett Abbott was you, and it always would be you.

Turning to full face her, Rhett’s hands settling on your hips, hands sneaking under your shirt.

“No bunny, you didn’t.” The tone of your voice is sharp and you’re sure the once loud bar has gone silent.

“For one, he’s a person, not an object, and “claims” can’t be made over him.” You take a step closer to her, your gaze unwavering. “Though if anyone has a claim over him, it’s me and this damn hat proves it.”

The flick of your finger against the hat, has her eyes rising to the hat resting on your head. Her eyes find yours again, and you can see the gears trying to turn in her head. Just as her mouth opens to say something; you’re quick to shut her up.

“I think you’d better leave bunny, unless you wanna find out just how I got the split lip.”

Her eyes flicker to your lip then back to your eyes, fire burning behind your gaze, and you watch as she realizes how serious you are. Her face falling and a slight fear crosses her eyes before she’s turning and walking away.

You turn back around to Rhett, a smug smirk resting on his lip. A new hunger burns in his eyes as he watches you and his hands slide back down to grab your ass.

“You put a claim on me girl?”

“I’ve had a claim on you, since that first time you fucked me behind the church.”

You can see the memory flashing through his mind, and before you realize it, he’s up and pulling you out of the bar to his pickup.

Your back hits the passenger door of his pick, your gazes watching one another. It’s you that sneaks up a hand around his neck, pulling his lips to yours. Not caring that you were the one to break this time, all you knew was that you needed Rhett like you needed air to breathe.

The clash of your lips against one another, stings slightly against your split lip, but the way Rhett’s leg slots between your knees has you forgetting.

It’s when Rhett nips at your bottom lip that has you cursing. Rhett’s fast to pull back, his eyes dropping to your lip and that anger from earlier reappears.

“Who the fuck did it?” the question leaves no room for you to evade it. Trapped within his arms and his hard gaze.

“Trevor.” His name taste like acid on your tongue and your sure Rhett doesn’t miss the way your grimace.

The hands at your hip tighten, surely causing bruises, and your hands drop to rub Rhett’s shoulders. A silent gesture from you, telling him that you’re okay.  

“I’ll fucking kill him.” And the heat between you is forgotten by him. The only thing incasing him now, was his anger aimed directly at your brother.

Rhett feels the way his breath picks up, he knew that your family was a bunch of assholes and that you all fought religiously. Hell, he’d been there for a few of them when you were both still in high school.

But to hear that Trevor had physically put his hands on you, set off something entirely new within him.

He doesn’t hear you; a ringing has started in his ears, and he can’t stop the replaying imagery in his mind of Trevor hitting you. He’s making his way around the pick-up and climbing into the driver’s seat.

“Tilly get in.” His voice is harsh and has you climbing in quickly.

Before you know it, he’s pulling from the parking spot and heading back towards both of your homes.

“Rhett what are you thinking?” though you don’t receive an answer, the sound of gravel underneath the tire’s echoes through the cab.

You can see the steam rolling off him and though you should be scared, you know that Rhett would never hurt you. The split in the road ahead is looming, one to the Abbott Ranch and the other to your families.

Looking over to Rhett you can see his hands shaking in rage. Reaching over you take one of his hands from the steering wheel and hold it against your lips. Giving his knuckles repeated kisses, as his gaze settles on your face.

“Pull over baby.” Your voice is soft and not demanding, though you know that Rhett will listen to your gentle request.

The truck stops in the middle of the road, and you can see a storm rising up against the mountains. Much like the one that is clearly racking through Rhett’s mind, he’s eyes look back to your eyes, watching the way you continually kiss his knuckles.

A shuttered breath leaves his lips, and his head is bowing down into his chest. His voice quiet, but you still hear him.

“He hit you.” The shake and pain in his voice is clear as day. “He put his fucking hands on you, and they did nothing.”

His face snaps to you, as you go to correct him, words failing you. His gaze proves that he already knows the truth.

“Okay, so they did nothing. What’s new?” The laugh that leaves you is more strained than you planned, “I got a good hit in though, think I broke his nose.”

Rhett watches you as you tell him, a chuckle leaves his lips at your comment. The hand you’d been kissing, raising to brush against your cheek.

“My Girl.”

Such wonder and love in his tone, his eyes showing nothing but pride in you. The feeling rattles you to your core. You and Rhett had broken things off, but that didn’t mean you stopped loving him.

The look he’s giving you, makes it seem like he still loved you too. You’re up and climbing across the truck before you can seconded guess the decision.  

Climbing over into his lap, needing to be next to him, to feel him and know that he was with you.

He welcomes you, grabbing your hips to settle your thighs on either side of his lap. One hand coming to rest on your cheek, grazing the split in your lip once again.

“He deserves so much more than just a fucking broken nose.” You nuzzle into his palm, placing kisses into it.

“And you would have killed him without a seconded thought?” Your laugh is silenced, as Rhett straightens your face to look at him.

“I’d burn the fucking world to the ground for you Tilly.” The way he says it, causes your core to clench.

A commandment of love, without actually saying the words.

You know that he would, but hearing the rasp and seriousness in his voice, made you feel like you were about to combust.

Your lips surge forward, kissing him in the only way you know how to express your feelings. You needed him and you didn’t care if you were in the middle of a public road. You needed him to quench the burning in your core. To make you scream his name, to feel his length hit that spongy little spot that only he reached.

Your need for him, drowning out the pain in your lip.

Your teeth clashed against one another, Rhett’s hand rising up to knock the hat off your head.  His hand settling at the back of your hair, pulling you down harder into him. His hip bucking slightly as you grind down against his hard length, pressing into you through the two layers of denim.

The harsh tug on your hair has your head dropping back and an airy moan falling from your lips. Rhett’s lips trail down your neck, wet open mouth kisses left in his wake.

You’d missed this, the way that only he knew your body.

And just like every time, his lips settle over the junction of your neck and collarbone, teasing and biting the spot.

Your hips push down harder, your core burning with need, his lips never leave your neck. Marking you as his own. No one would question if you were together by the end of the night, he was gonna make sure of it.

It’s the nip of his teeth, that has you let out a loud moan, and your hips moving on their own accord. His hands falling to your ass, pushing, and pulling you.  

“Atta girl, let me hear you.”

A whine breaks through your lips at the praise, keening in delight. The cab of the truck getting entirely too hot, and Rhett’s hands find the bottom of your shirt tugging it over your head.

Your lips finding each other again, tastes of whiskey and mint reach your lips, your tongue teasing his bottom lip.

His hands grasping and running over your unclothed top, hands slipping behind you and flicking the clasp of your bra.

Your eyes meet each other, time slowing. Your hands hold your bra in place, Rhett’s hands raising to trace your arms. His fingers slipping into the straps, to tug them down softy. His mouth descending to your collarbone, kissing over the tops of your breast.

Your back arches, your hips lifting slightly, chasing his tongue. He laughs at you softy, before striping your bra completely from your body.

A low groan leaves his lips, watching your chest rise and fall with each breath.

“Fuckin’ perfect.” His hand rising to cup one breast, thumb grazing your nipple. A shiver consumes your body, as your nipple erects in the cool air. “Such a pretty girl for me.”

He smirks at you, a teasing look that has you whining and your hands pulling his head down.

“So fuckin’ needy.”

The only reply falling from your lips is a moan, as his lips wrap around the bud. His other hand coming up to tug on the other. Your hands raking through his hair, tugging him forward, the tug of his teeth on you makes your head drop back. Your eyes falling shut, enjoying the way Rhett encompasses you.

He works your body over, still full clothed in front of you, and yet has you begging for release.

Quiet pleas fall from your lips, your need consuming every inch of your body.

“Please. Need it, Rhett. Need you.”

His hips buck up into you, and a high-pitched whine leaves you. Your hands moving to paw at his shirt, the need to feel him, is the only thought coursing through your mind.

You try to unbutton his shirt, but you can’t seem to process it. An upset whine from you, has Rhett’s hands replacing yours, getting the shirt off far quicker than you could.

Your hands falling to trace along his stomach, a smile gracing your lips, and you’re leaning in to kiss him.

Pressing into to him, needing the feel of his skin pressed against your own. The kiss far more than just that, Rhett’s hands rising to cradle your face, and, in that moment, you know you can’t leave him again.

He was as much a part of you, as your need to breath. Without him; it was like you’d been under water, your surrounding muffled. Being back; was like you were experiencing the world again, like you’d been gasping for air, and he was that first breath.

“Need you, Tilly.” The hand cradling your face, has his thumb tracing along your bottom lip. Gently tugging it down, you nipping as his thumb, your gaze never leaving one another.

“Let me have you.” The look in his eyes, pleading for you. Not for just a fuck; but you, wholly.

“I’m yours, Abbott.” Kissing him softy, leaning back to mutter against his lips. “Only ever been yours.”

He sucks in a harsh breath, his eyes watching you, silently questioning you. Waiting for you to laugh in his face, to tell him you didn’t mean it.

“I’m serious Rhett, —” Your voice cracks slightly as you watch him, overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through your body. “I — I’m not leaving you again. I can’t.”

You're afraid that tears might fall, the events of the night weighing on you. You know that Rhett loves you, you don’t need to hear it, he’d showed you how he did your whole life.

“I love you so fuckin’ much Tilly, never been anyone else. Not even with you gone.” Your breath is sucked from your chest when he mutters it. Your eyes shocked and questioning. “No one else baby, not even the bunnies.”

The revelation has you surging forward in need, finding out that he had always been yours, sets your skin a flame. Your hands fall to this belt buckle, tugging it undone, as he works at your jeans. The both of you curse as Rhett gets your jeans unzipped, but can’t lower them down your legs. You rise up, ripping them and your panties down your legs, and throwing them into the back of the truck.

Rhett laughs as you do it, your friendship and teasing spilling through the tension momentarily.

“Don’t laugh a me.” Your voice is teasing as you say it, loving the ways his laugh is so carefree. “Now get those off.” You motion to his jeans, more than ready to feel all of him against you.

“Yes Ma’am.”

He pulls them down quickly; a groan leaving his lips at his hard cock snaps up to rest against his tone stomach. The tip red and dripping with precum, your hand reaching out to stroke him.

His length pulses in your palm and you can’t stop the way you bite your lip. The need to taste him overwhelming; the need to have him groaning under your touch.  

His eyes move down to glance at your dripping heat, his hands reaching out to grab you instantly. Fingers tracing down your hip bones and up your thighs, teasing you, your cunt clenching down in anticipation.

“Touch me, please Rhett.”

As the last syllable of his name leaves your lips, his fingers ghost along your slit. Slipping into you slightly, then pulling out to graze your clit. Your hips buck as he does it.

Rhett’s other hand comes up to rest on your hip, holding you in place.

“Hold still.” The bite in his tone pulls at your core, his eyes watching your reaction. Gaging just how far he can push you, and when you bite your lip, his hold on you tightens a bit more.

“You gonna be my good girl?”

The way your eyes snap up to him, slightly glazed over, and the hurried nod you give him, makes him let out a low groan.

His fingers slipping back into your tight channel, nudging that spongy little spot, barely grazing it. Your hips drop farther onto his lap, working to feel him just a bit deeper and when they don’t, you’re crying out.

“Need your cock.” The burning in your core insufferable; and making your mind hazy.

“Take it darlin’.” His nose nudges against your own, lips barley touching.

“Take what’s yours, baby.”

Heat surrounds you, your mind lost in need, and you’re moving to hover over his cock as he finishes the sentence. Your mind only clearing up slightly, looking up into his eyes.

“There’s never been anyone else for me either.”

And you’re sinking down around him.

Those eight months apart, make it feel like he might break you. Your legs tremble, your heat stretching and you’re cursing out.

Your head drops back as a gasp falls from your lips. His cock hitting that little spot perfectly. Too deep, but not deep enough.

A string of breathy whines fall from your lips, and Rhett swears you’ve never looked prettier.

Eye’s glazed over, lips unable to form words, so fucked out, and all you’ve done it sit on his cock.

His hips buck up just sightly, and you’re dropping forward leaning against his chest, mumbling incoherently.

“So, fucking tight for me baby.” His hips buck once more, enjoying the reaction from you. Like his cock has broken your mind, leaving you to be his perfect little doll. “Such a good pussy baby.”

The praise has you keening against his chest, your hips rising up slightly, before dropping back down. Your heat clenching around him, like a vice, his own head dropping back to rest against the seat.

“That’s it baby, take what you need.”

His words spur you on, hands resting on his shoulders as your repeatedly rise and fall on his length. Your hands move to the back of his hair and pull him forward. Needing to feel his lips on you, the pace of your hips speed up.

The burning in your core only rising. Mouths barely touching each other, as breathy whines fall from your lips, working to keep yourself upright.

A particular hard thrust from Rhett has your head dropping back and a loud moan to leaving your body.

Rhett’s lips surge forward, working on your neck as your fingers dig into his scalp.  Tugging and pulling his hair as you climb higher.  

 He can’t hold himself any longer, grasping your hips he pulls you up off himself only slightly. Before you can even register what’s going on, Rhett’s got the center console up and you laid out stretching across the seats.

His eyes watch the way your chest rises in hurried breaths, how he’s got you laid out before him like a god damn feast.

He’s sinking back into you, grabbing both your legs, and wrapping them around his waist. Fucking into you at a feverish speed, your hands above you, grasping the door handle. White knuckled and crying out every time Rhett surges forward.  

The heat within your core becoming all too much as he fucks you. Hips snapping, and hitting that little spot, that has tears gathering in your eyes.

“Please, need it.”

Your babbling uncontrollable, body withering underneath Rhett.

“I’ve got you Tilly.” The snapping of his hips speeding up, and his hand reaching up to cradle your face. Your wild eyes silently beg him for more, anything to push you over the end.

His own release, tittering on the edge. He needed you to come first though, need it to see his girl fall apart on his cock.

To feel your cunt clench down on his cock, as you screamed out his name.

A sharp whine leaves your lips and Rhett feels you clench around him. His hand resting on your face, thumb stroking your cheek, waiting to give you that final push.

Your eyes fall to each other, silently begging.

“Let go baby, daddy’s got you.”

You tumble over the edge, hands grasping at Rhett. Cunt clenching around him, as his own hips stutter.

“Wanna feel you daddy. Need to feel your cum.” Your voice is breathy, as you clench around him even tighter.

Rhett’s hands fall to rest by your head, hips stilling as he coats your walls. His hips slowly fucking into you, coating you completely.

Claiming you as his, and his alone.

His face rests in your neck, as he feathers gentle kisses across your neck and jaw. Causing you to giggle, when he kisses behind your ear.

The both of you enjoy the feeling of each other, needing this moment of peace in each other’s presence.

Rhett pulls away slightly and your hand holds onto his cheek as he stares into your eyes. Love seeping from them, and incasing the both of you.

There would never be anyone else for you, he was it.

Your first love, your best friend, and the man you wanted to marry. How you stayed away for so long eluded you, but you wouldn’t be doing it again.

“I love you, Rhett Abbott.”

[jungle-angel]

His Funny Familiars (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: You thought wifey’s familiars were a sight to see?? Wait untill you meet Rhett’s

Tagging: @sebsxphia​ Hon the video that inspired this was too cute to pass up and I couldn’t resist (lol). 

“Fuckin hoodlums,” Rhett muttered as he carefully pulled the prybar from the fencepost for the nine millionth time in a row. Why the hell was Wabang full of so many disrespectful little shits from out of town who thought they owned everyone and everything? 

He pulled the prybar loose, his face taking on a pinched look as the pain in his hand shot up into his arm and elbow. “Ya’ll better get that checked out,” remarked a familiar drawl. “Fractures can lead to something worse.” 

Rhett turned his head to see Billy Tillerson making his way down the hill with a wicker basket in his hands, his eyes looking more tired than usual. “And you’d better get some rest,” Rhett chuckled. 

“Oh believe me, I am,” Billy answered. “Gotta get it now while I can. Shania’s gonna have the baby soon.” 

“Six more days,” Rhett assured him. “Six more days and the little guy’s comin.” 

“Don’t remind me,” Billy laughed as he set to work, helping Rhett repair the fence. 

The two of them bantered back and forth as the early morning sunrise began to peek over the hills, the mists surrounding the hills as the chilly spring morning welcomed the day. Rhett loved mornings like this, cool, misty and with hints of sharp moisture and the smell of grass in the air. 

“Oh by the way,” Billy said. “I made a little something for your Ma last week. (Y/n) was kind enough to share the recipe with us.” 

“Her Irish Soda Bread?” 

“The very one.” 

Rhett’s huge grin grew bigger as he hammered in another nail when all of a sudden he caught sight of a familiar ringed tail hanging over the edge of the basket. 

“Hey! Meeko, outta there you little ring-tailed thief!” 

The baby raccoon chittered and squeaked as though he had understood Rhett perfectly, his chubby little body dropping into the grass and zooming straight to his master like a tame dog. 

“That thing’s tamer than our dog,” Billy laughed. 

“Probably because (y/n) and I feed him and his siblings all the damn time,” Rhett replied. 

Billy’s head suddenly looked up to see a dreaded sight making its way over to the fence along a path from the road. “Uh oh,” he groaned. 

“What’s up?” 

“Brace yourself,” Billy said under his breath. “The gorgon approaches.” 

There she was, Gale Burch, that pinch faced menace from up the road, her grey hair cut into a neat pageboy, her grey dress stiff and without a single wrinkle in it, black shoes holding in her feet while on her elbow was a little black purse hanging from a thin silver chain. God she looked evil, more evil than she usually did when the Abbotts and the Tillersons saw her at St. Mike’s on Sunday mornings. 

“Ah just who I wanted to see,” Gale crowed. “The neighborhood heathen and his little accomplice.” 

Rhett cleared his throat and mustered all his strength to bite his tongue and be polite for once. “Good to see you Mrs. Burch.” 

“Oh spare me the polite façade,” Gale spat. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you Mr. Abbott. In fact, several.”

“Oh?” 

“Don’t play dumb with me you brainless sinful little twerp,” Gale hissed. “That disgusting little pest sitting there at your feet went rooting through my trash receptacles looking for his next meal. If it were up to me, I’d have it turned into a hat.” 

Meeko chittered and curled around Rhett’s ankle, covering his little eyes with his tiny paws. 

“Well, who knows, maybe it’ll cover the bald spot on the back of your head,” Rhett said with a smug little grin. 

“Oh you smart mouthed little shit!” Gale hissed. “You’re just like your mother. A hateful, godless little Irish heathen that breeds like a lowly rabbit!” 

Rhett’s blood began to boil as Gale walked away, her pointed, beaky nose in the air and an insatiable urge running through him to the core, the urge to bury Gale Burch in a hole so deep it might as well be on the nearest doorstep in hell. 

“Now Rhett, I wouldn’t....” 

“Oh I’m not gonna kill her,” Rhett said, cutting Billy off. “Believe me, I’ve got something better in mind.” 

Back to the house they went, where they found you in the kitchen and tiny little Hannah sitting on the counter, swinging her legs and her little socked feet as you scooped pumpkin cookie batter onto a tray. “Whatcha lookin for cowboy?” you asked him. 

“Lookin for that mealworm shit you bought for the raccoons,” Rhett answered as he searched the cabinets.

“On top of the fridge,” you answered. 

Rhett gently moved you sideways before grabbing the bag of mealworm and chow mix off the top of the refrigerator. “Might I ask what you plan on using that for?” you enquired, noticing the mischevous look in his eye. 

“You don’t need to know darlin, it’s all good,” Rhett answered as he and Billy traipsed back out the door. 

As soon as he was out of earshot, you peered out the kitchen window to find the two of them heading down the driveway hill in the direction of Gale Burch’s property. 

“Son of a bitch,” you whispered, rolling your eyes. 

“I know that whisper (y/n),” Cecelia remarked, picking Hannah up off the counter and onto her hip. “What are those two little weasels up to now?” 

“I don’t wanna know,” you answered, throwing up your hands. “They told me I didn’t need to know, so I’m not asking.” 

“Any idea where they’re going?” 

“Over towards the Burch property.” 

Cecelia made a face. “Wonder what old fish face did to’em now,” she seethed. “The other day she was giving Mrs. Garcia hell for her climbing roses being too tall.” 

“Well,” you said. “We’ll find out tomorrow what they were up to.” 

********************

“Alright Meeko,” Rhett whispered to the little raccoon. “Go git’em.” 

Meeko climbed straight up the perfectly white picket fence and into Gale’s yard, dropping right into the neatly manicured grass to pick up a few of the mealworms, digging up the miserable witch’s vegetable beds like a kid in a sandbox. Betty Sullivan’s little chihuahua, Pinky, had attempted the same feat but had been met with the unfortunate wrath of Gale’s nasty cat, Gremlin. Rhett prayed that Meeko would make it out without arousing the wrath of that spoiled rotten little furball. 

“Ya’ll think he’s gonna make it out?” Billy asked. 

“He’s a smart little fucker, of course he’ll make it,” Rhett answered. 

The two of them tensed up when they heard the clanging and dropping of old glass bottles from the recycling cans. Their hearts threatened to beat out of their chests when they heard that horrid snarl and hissing that signaled Gremlin lurking about. 

“Oh shit,” Rhett said under his breath. 

Meeko hissed a second later, the two men only able to guess what was going on behind the fence, too nervous too look for themselves. Finally, Meeko wriggled his way out from under the fence, climbing straight into the curve of Rhett’s arms. 

“You little turd,” he chuckled. “Scarin us shitless like that.” 

“Holy shit!” Billy laughed. “Rhett, ya’ll gotta come and look at this.” 

Rhett peered over the fence, biting his lip as he held back a laugh. 

The garden beds were an absolute mess, dug up down to the roots with the vegetables all knocked over and the driveway littered with garbage from the trashcans. 

“C’mon,” Rhett told Billy, still holding on to Meeko. “Let’s get outta here before we get attacked by that monster cat of hers.” 

********************

Rhett knelt beside the pew in the church, crossing himself before he scooted in next to you, Hannah, Royal and his mother, biting his lip as though a devilish little laugh could escape at any minute. 

“Rhett?” Cecelia whispered. 

Rhett snickered as the other parishioners began filing into the sun filled church. Sister Bernadette made her way down the aisle towards the front, her white hair completely hidden by her black habit. 

“Rhett James, what did you do?” Cecelia hissed, resisting the urge to hit him on the back of the head with a hymnal. 

Rhett didn’t answer her. He just kept his eyes on his hands that were folded in his lap, never once daring to look up at his mother. 

You and Cecelia cast each other a quick glance before you saw the sour looking Gale Burch walking into the church, mean as ever, muttering something under her breath about a raccoon tearing up her garden. Cecelia turned to Rhett, slackjawed, wide eyed and shocked as she clamped a hand over her mouth. 

“Oh my God, you didn’t,” she hissed under her breath. 

“I did.”

You laughed a little yourself before Father O’Keefe entered and the service began. You couldn’t wait to hear this one when you got home. 

[chemistryread]

disclaimers/tags: female oc. written as a reader insert but reader has a lot of backstory. slowburn. angst. no fun spin on misogyny, just the bad one. implied domestic violence but nothing too graphic. minors dni.

a/n: the plot of the show is not relevant to this story, i’m just using the characters, who are likely ooc. i’m hoping to end it within 3-4 posts but like i said, it’s a bit of a slowburn. i pulled the wattpad tropes out for this one and i’m not sorry, it is cheesy. if you’ve seen the show, the boyfriend shares similarities with the tillerson boys. it’s purposefully ambiguous, up to you if it’s one of them or not. rhett is not a fuckboy in this, just a boy who fucks.

lmk your thoughts :)

part 2

right cowboy, wrong time

rhett abbott

summary: you’re not home and your boyfriend’s a dick. thankfully, not all cowboys are bad.

The humid air makes your nose itch, adapting to the change in weather. Your head is held high, however, trying not to look too out of place and dare draw any attention.

"You're not fooling anyone."

"Excuse me?"

He leans in by your side, arms crossing in front of him as he looks over his elbows, pretending something in the mud caught his eye.

"Most girls from the city who try to pass as locals at least dress up the part. You couldn't find any boots that fit your taste?"

Blue eyes squint at the pair of Vans perched on the wooden fence, matching your dark 'mom jeans'.

It was bold of this guy, you thought, to come up to you with so much snark after falling from a bull so badly the audience audibly winced. But there was something soft in his features, non malicious. You decide to risk being honest with him.

"The cowboy hat is a demand from my boyfriend. So is the push-up bra." You point to your pronounced chest with your chin, smiling when the stranger next to you follows the movement with a lazy gaze. "It's funny, he said something similar. He wants me to look more like the girls from around here."

The stranger finally looks you in the eye from under his own hat. Unfamiliar warmth fills your belly and you fight the urge to clear the hair away from his face.

"Why doesn't he just date them, then?"

A loud bitter laugh escapes from your lips right into his ears, and he straigtens up instantly, like a shock.

"Million dollar question, isn't it?" Thin lips reciprocate your smile. God, you thought you hated all cowboys. "Uhm, he says they bore him. He wants my brain, but their look. If you ask me the truth, I just think he went through all of them already, so he went looking for an idiot to appease him somewhere else. And he found me."

Amusement crosses his eyes despite the frown in display on his face.

"He sounds like an asshole."

Unkown nice cowboy has a lovely, deep voice.

You're about to lean a little closer and agree, when someone cuts you off.

"Who does?" Blinding white teeth bite into the cold night air, the strong arms of your boyfriend crushing your side into him, akin to a predator protecting his meal. "Abbott."

Your new friend acknowledges the tall blonde possessively separating you two with equal contempt in his words.

Suddenly, you're invisible. The nice boy leaves without so much as a glance.

These will be miserable months.

------------------------

"So, Abbott, huh?"

Maybe you shouldn't have followed him into the grocery store, but it was hot outside.

"What, interested? We might have a name, but that name doesn't have much money attached to it anymore."

He doesn't look at you, simply puts what he needs in his basket and keeps walking. You trace his steps from a distance, enjoying the refreshing breeze from the AC.

"No danger of that. As you've seen, I'm taken."

His arm freezes above his head, shades of blue boring into you inquisitively, before he grabs a can of beans and checks the expiration date on it.

"I'm just looking for a friend. I'll hardly survive here if I don't have any of those."

"What about your guy? He won't like this friendship."

You shrug innocently, dusting the shelves with the tip of your fingers.

"It's his fault I can't have any girl friends in this town, seeing they are all his exes and consequently dislike me at once. Plus, who said I want you to be my friend? I'm just banking on the fact that your family is known around here, and you'd be an easy shortcut to meeting people."

"So you're using me." He speaks over his shoulder, walking to the freezer section.

"Sure am. But at least I'm honest about it."

His back is still turned to you when he speaks again.

"Is that a big thing for you, honesty?"

Your skin grows hot. This random cute boy can't read your mind, relax. He's trying to get to know you. It's small talk. Not everyone wants to hurt you.

"It is. Count on it."

Hopefully, how vulnerable it is to admit as much doesn't come across.

Abbott side-eyes you, with a genuine smirk. It forces you to look away, intimidated.

Maybe it was mistake to target him. You should leave.

Before a rude goodbye can leave your lips, the young man turns to you.

"Why are you here, if you don't know anyone?"

Short fingernails picking the label off cheap frozen veggies, you try to smile but it certainly doesn't reach your eyes.

"Taking some time off university."

How embarrassing. You have no problem poking and probing until they do it to you, and then you're avoiding eye contact and looking for an exit.

"What do you study?"

"English. In Boston. I'm a writer. Allegedly."

You can tell your joke entertains him from the small exhale that comes out of his nose.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." The truth finally forces you to look up. You notice the confusion on his face, anticipating his question with a shrug. "My boyfriend. He wanted me to take a break."

Abbott looks disappointed, and, for whatever reason, it hurts. A silly desire for him to think highly of you.

"I don't mean to overstep, but I wouldn't peg you for the kind'f girl to go where a man tells her to."

A terrible habit, you cover the purple spot on your jaw with your hair, pretending to smooth non existent knots.

"It wasn't an easy choice, but it was for the best."

Thin brows furrow and dirty fingers brush the strands away, gently. Of course he would notice.

"I'll get out of your hair now, sorry to bother. I was really just trying to cool off. See you around!"

Trembling hands push the grocery store's doors, curse words mumbled under your breath. Great fucking job, idiot.

------------------------

He approaches you next.

You saw him earlier when you got to the bar, drinking with another guy, but kept your head down and continued walking next to your boyfriend and his friends.

It was going to be hard to get to you, since you weren't allowed to be alone unless you were going to the bathroom. Which is how he got you.

As soon as you step out to wash your hands, he's in the corridor, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Stranger." Eyes meet and you try to ignore the hair in the back of your neck standing up. You do your best to not get your sleeves wet without having to push them up too high. "Men's room occupied?"

He doesn't miss the suggestivenes on your tone, copying the smirk you're struggling to hide. For all you know, he might have some pretty blonde freshening up in there.

"You city folks and beating 'round the bush."

His voice rumbles through you, tongue busy tsking at your poor attempt at avoiding the elephant in the room.

You take him in through the mirror's reflection. Hands in his pockets, leaning on the plastic divider failing to pass as real wood. Looking determinedly at you.

If you said so, would he beat the shit out of your boyfriend and make sure he never calls again?

Tossing the crumpled handtowel in the trash, your back touches the soaked and sticky counter, commanding him to listen by returning his direct staring.

"Okay. This is not your problem to fix. I'm sorry about what you saw, it wasn't a signal or anything. I'm fine and you don't need to get involved. Good?"

He nods and you move to leave, stopped by an unsure hand grabbing your elbow. It quickly retracts to his side, wiping against his jeans.

"Do you need a job or something?"

"I thought your family didn't have much money."

A shy smile takes over his features, breaking the restraint that always seems to reign over. Another small chuckle escapes him, making his Adam's apple throb and your eyes drag not so subtly.

The smell of hard vodka hits your nose when he inches closer, stuttering.

"My brother, uhm, has a friend who owns a diner nearby. It's smack centre of town, busy enough that he always needs more help and most of the creeps avoid it. Probably not what a fancy writer from Boston dreams of but if you plan on sticking around, it'll help you get some of your own cash."

The promise of independence.

You give him a warm smile you haven't gifted anyone with in a while.

"Can I get the name of this magical place?"

------------------------

It's early, too early, his head feels like it weighs three times its normal and all he wants is for his family to lower their voices.

Until your sweet ring, sharpened for customer service points, breaks through his morning suffering and drowns the sour taste in his mouth.

"Hello, beautiful people. What can I get you?" The apron is neatly tied with a bow on top of your stomach, clearly tightened around your back and then the front again, with more effort than he's ever seen in this diner. He can't help but scoff, and you finally look up from the old school notepad in your hands. "Oh, hi."

Everyone at the table shoots him a glare, assuming what they always did. One more girl they'll never learn the name of, and it's possibly better that way.

His mother, in particular, has a scowl on her face, looking out the window and avoiding dealing with whoever her son messes with.

"Happy to see you here."

The sun bothers his eyes, one of which is closed when he acknowledges you. He has no idea how his mom can have her head turned that way without wincing. Although she coughs, he's sure it's in response to what he had just said.

It was innocent, but she didn't know that.

"Wouldn't be if it wasn't for you." That gets his mother to look. "Thanks, by the way."

He puts his fist in front of his lips, elbows glued to the recently wiped table, a bit embarrassed of all the attention you dumped onto him.

"I didn't do nothing, Perry is the one who talked to his friend. You should thank him."

You throw a small smile at him, almost teasing, barely whispering an 'oh'. He sees very little of your teeth, rosy lips and dimples provoking him for a brief second before you redirect your kindness to his brother on the other side of the table.

"I am very grateful, you basically got me the job." Perry extends his hand for you to shake, and there's a little spark in his eyes that's been gone since Rebecca. Maybe it's your effect on people. "Let me return the favor and get you guys a good breakfast, what do you say?"

When you leave, he takes a page from his mom's book and stares at the brightness cascading down the trucks in the parking lot. His head hurts again but at least he's definitely not thinking about the lines around your eyes when you grin or the flowery smell you left behind.

"Who is she?"

"Drop it, ma." The question comes in a much more unpretentious manner than usual and it doesn't go unnoticed by him, even if he's not looking at her. "Some girl from outta town who needed help settling in. That's all."

At the last word, he tips his hat over his eyes and decides he's better off daydreaming about the attractive outsider committed to being nice to him than fending off his family's suspicions.

You leave them to it after serving their plates, and he misses your eyes on him but doesn't say anything.

When they're leaving, Amelia dettaches herself from her father's grip and pokes you in the leg as you're cleaning a different table close to the exit. He holds the door, intrigued by what on earth this kid is up to now.

"Uncle Rhett says you're from out of town." He almost knocks his forehead on the glass as he realizes he offered you a job but never a name. You nod at his niece, sending him a questioning look. "You're just as pretty as I thought they'd be."

He feels like bolting out of the diner and running home. What if you thought he told Amelia to say that to you? You'll think he's a fucking loser.

Not that he should care this much.

Instead, he's frozen in place watching another breathtaking smile blossom on your face as you think about how to react.

"Well," You sigh, and look straight into the little girl's eyes. "Takes one to know one."

With a wink, you exchange introductions and he might have to thank his niece later for that, because he never asked for your name either.

You go straight back to wiping the table so he walks away, but not without a weird feeling someone's watching as he climbs into the back of the truck.

------------------------

It's a while before he sees you again.

He doesn't bother you at work, too shy despite his curiosity to go in alone and too hungover to wake up in time to follow his family for breakfast.

You don't go out much, or at all, apparently. He's at the bar every night, you're not.

He sees Maria though, stunning as ever. And like most nights, she makes him too nervous and he does nothing about it.

Perry calls in a favor and now he's parking the truck in the back of the diner with a couple of boxes of fresh produce on the passenger seat.

It's you who comes out to greet him.

You're awfully quiet and evasive, taking the boxes inside without making eye contact.

When you come back with the money, you accidentally skip a step, heel of your shoe sliding off the wood and causing you to land a little harsh on the concrete.

He's quick to steady you, ready to joke about your useless sneakers when he realizes the contorted look on your face and how you're grabbing at your left knee.

"Ok there?"

Like you remembered yourself, your back straightens up and you shove the money into his hands, pushing him away in the process. The distance is not enough that he doesn't see the tears welling up in your eyes.

"Fine. Here you go. Lenny says thanks."

Turning to climb back inside, as soon as your left leg rises, you audibly wince and stop.

He's not too sure of what do, until he hears shaky breaths.

"I'll take you to a hospital, let-"

"No hospitals, I can't."

It's an automatic response and he understands immediately.

"How bad is it?"

He can't really see through your jeans.

"He- I fell. I think it's just bruised, I don't know."

"My mom can take a look at it, she's had plenty of practice with my brother and I, she won't mind. Don't protest, just get in the car. I'll tell Lenny you're not feeling too good."

Before you can stop him, he's putting the money on Lenny's palm and stammering out an excuse. He's surprised by how fast he sprung into action too.

During the ride you don't cry, but stubborn hiccups give away that you're holding the tears back really hard. He wants to tell you it's okay, he doesn't care if you cry, but he's scared if he opens his mouth he'll end up saying something that'll make you more upset, choosing instead to white-knuckle his steering wheel.

His mother is washing the pans from lunch when he gets home, you following behind uncertain, making yourself small. It's a stark contrast from the day you followed him into the grocery store, mindlessly striking up conversation, and it bothers him.

She remembers you, surprisingly, but still asks menacingly what he thinks he's doing.

"She's hurt, and I thought you might help, Ma.”

You look so uncomfortable, ashamed to impose. He tells you to take a seat on the couch and moves to grab you a glass of water from the kitchen, stopping by his mother to put a hand on her shoulder and whisper who's your boyfriend.

A look of understanding quickly crosses her eyes, and instant compassion takes over, huffing as she crouches down to get the first aid kit under the sink.

The two women fall into comfortable silence. The knee is simply sore, the skin a little dark, but he knows you probably didn't give it any time to heal, waltzing around the diner for days without taking care of yourself.

You're given pain killers and he finally hands you the water, fingertips wet from nervously gripping the bottom of the glass, trying not to curse out the man responsible for your situation.

This kind of thing wasn't entirely unusual for smaller, conservative towns, but times have gladly changed. No one here likes to see it, the cuplrits are pointed out wherever they go, sometimes being denied service and shunted from the community. Still, no one's forward enough to put themselves in between 'husband and wife'.

It's a pity, he thinks. All you had to do was ask, and he would get his father and his brother to kick an entire generation of blonde little pricks out of their town.

Alas, you never did.

He thinks you don't want to ask, analyzing closely how apologetic you are to his mother, scared to sit back on the couch and take space that isn’t yours.

The older woman gets up, glancing between you and him.

"Don't worry, kid. I'm quite happy to meet you. I usually don't get to tell Rhett's girls they are welcome to stay."

She manages to be endearing to you and venomous to him in the same breath, and he chuckles lowly through gritted teeth, looking up at the ceiling. Of course she would say something like that.

Wondering what you're probably thinking of him at his mother's revelation, he finds you biting back a grin, dimples digging into your cheeks. Once more, he loses control of himself and returns - actually, no, gratuitously hands you a wide smile in a silver platter. His reaction is five times bigger than yours.

"His girls, plural, you say?" There's something infuriating about your energy towards him. You're fucking with him, no doubt about that, but it's not mean. Well, maybe a little bit because you seem to enjoy the way he changes his footing back and forth, blushing at his damn boots. Somehow, however, it fills him with giddiness. He has no reason to be so certain about it, but he knows it's lighthearted. If you had evil intent, maybe he would've already had you crammed into his truck and drooling around his cock. Unfortunately, seems like you were truthful that day at the store. You want a friend. "'Fraid I'm not of them, ma'am. I have my own guy to worry about."

You're looking back at the matriarch now, arms hanging on top of cushions, green blemishes hidden underneath your biceps.

"That's never stopped any of you before."

It's a test.

You're quicker than her.

"I don't think the size of a district interferes with someone's morals. I might've been raised by a big city, but I'm not and have never been that kind of girl."

His mother snaps back your way, spine straight, slowly breaking out a smile. You passed with flying colors. She likes folks who can stand up for themselves, means they think they're good enough to start a fight over, and that's good enough for her.

At that moment, Amelia bursts through the door, already rambling to her grandmother about something she learned in school that day.

When she sees you, she freezes in the middle of the kitchen, out of breath from all the talking. Fast hands roll your pant leg down before she can see anything.

Amy can barely contain her smile, fixing herself up and dropping her school bag on the floor. "What are you doing here?"

You brush off the older members of the family reprimanding her lack of manners.

"Paying a visit. On my way out, though, I should be getting back to work."

Trying to stand up without a fuss is a disaster, and he's right by your side in case you need to lean on someone. Of course you reject it, though.

"Are you okay?"

"Just fine. I slipped at work and your uncle offered to help, that's all."

Shooting the girl a reassuring smile, she betrays it with a suspicious laugh.

The two of you stare at her, confused.

"Yeah, Uncle Rhett is such a helping hand."

Sarcasm is dripping from her words and he knows immediately that you two will get along. Dangerously so.

Ignoring the brat, he turns to you, hand still hovering behind your back.

"It's late, there's like, what? Forty minutes left to your shift? Twenty after we finally get there? I'll just take you home."

Your eyes widen at the mention of home. Of course he, an Abbott, can't drop you off at your boyfriend's property, where he assumed you were staying.

"Wait, can I show you around before you go? I want you to see something."

Amelia butts in before he can signal that he understood and he'd give you a ride to town, at least. You nod at the smaller figure, letting her take your hand.

He's debating whether or not to follow you two, until you look back from the doorway.

"Aren't you coming? If we get lost, we might need your savior complex."

It's another dig at him. This time, he has a comeback at the tip of his tongue.

"I'll stop saving you when you stop needing me."

He knows his mother is smiling.

Whatever confident spirit possessed him, it pushes him out the door, chest grazing yours as he tips his hat your way, boots digging into the humid grass and whistling for one the dogs to accompany you.

He hears you laugh for the first time since he saw you at the rodeo. It's really, really nice.

------------------------

You begin seeing each other more often after that day.

Rhett comes in at least three times a week, usually with Amelia, paying for her milkshake. They sit at the counter so they can talk to you when you're not attending to any tables.

You don't think much of it. Your boyfriend's the only one you go home to every night, no matter what. You have no intentions of changing that, for now.

Aside from the Abbotts, Danielle who works with you is the only other friend you've made. You like it that way. Lenny, not unlike the patrons at the diner, asks too many personal questions so you keep your conversations to a minimum.

Work, then to your boyfriend's mansion.

The house is usually quiet, so after being stuck for so long in a writer's block, it's a relief when you pick up your laptop and start something new. It could be worse.

On a slow Wednesday, Amelia convinces you to let her help wipe the tables.

Bending down to pick up an abandoned spoon on the floor, something strange nags at the pit of your stomach. Rhett is talking to a girl with long, dark hair.

It happens. But with her, you notice, his body language is much more insecure. Spilling his coffee accidentally.

"What am I looking at?"

Amelia barely spares them a glance before scoffing. "That's Maria. Uncle Rhett has had a dying crush on her since high school. That's what my dad says."

"She's beautiful."

She really is. When she leaves the diner, most pair of eyes, men and women, follow her.

"I guess. Too beautiful, my dad says, and that's why my uncle never does anything about it. It scares him."

What you wouldn't give to feel like that for a day.

Dating a man who is constantly requesting that you look different, like other people, is terribly exhausting. And some got to walk around effortlessly desirable to everyone. It's hardly fair.

With his credit card, you buy new clothes and more make up. It's a good few weeks for the two of you, best you've had in a while.

------------------------

On a day off, you decide to tag along for the rodeo.

Maria is there too, with one of your boyfriend's brothers, which you find weird. In a sea of options, she can definitely do better. You'd tell her, but under his eagle eye you have no time to introduce yourself.

Rhett is riding one of the bulls, and you see how her eyes never leave him, even when he's standing in the sidelines waiting for his turn. She wrings her hands together when he mounts, and claps excitedly when he marks a good time despite the pointed looks from the boys.

Your hand is in a tight grip as you walk into the bar, and the minute you do, Maria frees herself with two strong strides. Your feet almost follow her, wondering if her group of girlfriends would let you sit with them and just listen.

She spends her night laughing, dancing, and talking to Rhett as the bartender serves her a new round. Yours is spent watching in envy.

A hand possessively squeezes around your thigh, drawing your attention away.

"Sorry. I need air."

Three minutes is all you get to yourself. Heavy boots make the wood creak, awkward step causing you to stifle a tipsy laugh.

He's not gonna forgive you for that.

You're pressed against the wall, his arms trapping you as he snarls his complaints, hair flying into your mouth as you yell back. It's bad, and loud, but fuck it.

He talks about how boring you are, how the other girls don't mind growing their hair in the heat, their nails are still manicured, their asses still full despite not eating much. You talk about feeling overwhelmed and homesick, out of your element. It's not the same. It's not fucking fair.

The Abbott siblings walk out when he's calling you a stuck up bitch, your answer dying in your throat.

You're so fucking stupid. Incapable of controlling yourself. He notices the look you exchange with the younger brother, quietly crossing your arms and swallowing your tears, flustered cheeks pointing at the ground.

In no time, he's scoffing and turning towards the entrance.

"Abbott, you got something to tell me?"

Rolling your eyes, you push yourself to sound annoyed and confused, calling his name.

He shuts you up with a finger to your face.

"Don't play dumb." Looking between the pair of you, the lewdness in his next sentence makes you nauseous. "I can't let your whore ass out of my sight, can I?"

Rhett steps forward and you know this is not going to end well.

They're talking over each other and your attempt to be heard is pathetic, trying nonetheless, pulling by his shirt and begging him to let it go.

Knowing exactly how to put a stop to this nonsense, you put your body in between the men and, reactively, an elbow makes contact with your mouth. The blood is still not as sickening as your boyfriend's remarks.

It doesn't take much to assure you it was him. Perry and Rhett are more careful than that, probably raised well by their mama (in a brief moment of dizziness, a smile comes to your bloody lips). But he stopped yelling, and moving. Throwing scared glances between the people outside.

People knew, but to deal with it man to man was different.

Spitting out the dark liquid, you look up at your boyfriend. "Can we go home now?"

Cursing under his breath, he shoulders past the other boys and walks away to wait for you by the truck.

If you stop to breathe, you might crumble. So you turn and walk back inside, poignantly avoiding the two pairs of eyes bugging out at you.

Determined steps take you to the table you were sitting at minutes ago. If you had just kept your emotions under- nevermind that.

The girls, Maria especially, are terrified to see your red teeth. Her eyes question something behind you, and you assume Rhett followed you inside.

Anticipating his hand on the small of your back, you take a step closer to the table, fully under the white light hanging above. The boys are unphased by your state.

"Keys." Met with a wave of grunts at the thought of losing their friend this early in the night. "He wants to go."

A blonde head pokes out, challenging. Drunk out of his mind, slurring his words. "C'mon, I thought it was your job to, howtoputit, mellow him out? Did you even try? Let me look down your throat, say 'Ah'."

A couple people laugh. Rhett growls behind you, and before he can make things worse, you square your shoulders, then shrug.

"Why do you think he wants to go?" You could puke right then and there. Instead, you extend your hand. "Keys."

You bump Rhett on the shoulder on your way out, just like your boyfriend. The regret and the image of those crooked repulsive smiles at the table cause you to throw up as soon as your shoes hit the dirt. Perry looks away, respectfully, until you're climbing inside the truck.

--

part 2 is finished and will come out soon :)

[writercole]

Little White Lines (2)

Summary: It’s a long road to okay. Squares: Recovery @thebo3bingo Words: 2314 Warnings: drug use, addiction, angst, withdrawal, NA meetings Credits: @therebeccaw for the beta and hype. A/N: I have never dealt with addiction myself but I hope that I’m not getting it all wrong or offending anyone. 

I no longer do tag lists. Please follow @coleslibrary and make sure notifications are turned on.

Find Part 1 Here

This was rock bottom, Rhett just knew it. It started with a tremble in his hands. Then he got nauseous. There was nothing in his stomach but his body didn’t care, forcing him to his knees to expel bile and dry heave.

The sweat poured out of him, drenching the sheets and the mattress. His entire body shook violently, the bedframe rattling against the walls, and the nightstands vibrating like a stampede was running through the ground floor.

All Rhett could focus on was the pain, the aching muscles and throbbing joints, the nausea and dry mouth. On the rare occasion that the physical symptoms ebbed, shame and disgust took their place, bringing the nausea back to the forefront.

After nearly a week of detox, Rhett stood. He nearly vomited with the movement, even though he took each step with a deliberate slowness, holding on to the wall for support. After starting the shower, he looked in the mirror and was astonished by what he saw. His cheekbones poked out, his eyes were sunken. He looked ill. He couldn’t believe that he’d let himself get that bad and he suddenly understood why she had been concerned.

He stepped into the scalding water, taking his time to scrub every inch of his skin, trying to cleanse himself of the deep, personal hatred that he felt. His skin was red and raw before he gave up, resigning himself to feeling unclean.

He ambled down the staircase slowly, over a week since his last line, loathing who he’d become. He sank into a chair and rested his head in his hands. He had to get help.

Cecilia placed a plate with toast and juice in front of him taking a seat on his left. “It’s over then?” she asked quietly.

“What, exactly? My relationship? My career? My life?” he scoffed as he took a small bite of toast.

“Rhett, I know what that was, but son, I don’t understand why.”

Rhett’s stomach roiled and churned, attempting to both purge the solid food and get it digested for more energy. He wasn’t sure how to answer his mother, especially when he looked around and found that she’d cleaned up the house that he’d trashed, put everything back where it was, discarded the broken furniture and reframed the picture he’d tossed across the room, the one from their first date. 

Tears brimmed in his eyes as he thought of everything he’d ruined. Looking into his mother’s eyes, finding only love and concern, he broke. “Perry convinced me to try it before a ride,” he choked out, “one that my shoulder and neck were acting up. I felt like superman. And then I needed it more and when I ran out of money, my dealer cut me off.” Sobs wracked his frame as he hung his head, shame burning him from the inside out.

“I will deal with Perry later,” Cecilia growled, “but first, how do we fix you?”

“I don’t know but I need help, Momma.”

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, stroking his hair and whispering that it would be okay, that she was there. “I’m not leaving you, Rhett. I’ll find meetings or rehab or something out of town. We’ll get you better. We’ll fix it all.”

Cecilia found a Narcotics Anonymous meeting two towns over. She dragged Rhett there twice a week, usually on days where Royal was preoccupied with something or wouldn’t need his son’s help fixing a fence or rounding up cattle. 

She would drop off Rhett and sit in the library next door, researching addiction and more ways she could help. She planned meals and scheduled Rhett to help with church projects. And, of course, she kept the woman who left updated.

She couldn’t say the texts from Cecilia were unwelcome but they hurt. He only got clean when he couldn’t afford it anymore. She hurt because she wasn’t there to help him. She hurt because she couldn’t be there to support him. She hurt because she gave up.

But mostly she hurt because she still loved him with all her being.

Yet she still ran. She drove for days, sleeping in her car, surviving on beef jerky and gas station coffee. She stopped when she reached Birmingham, pulling into a cheap roadside motel for a shower and a good night’s sleep.

This was far enough from Wabang. She could breathe here. She could start over.

Rhett attended NA meetings at the Methodist church two towns over twice a week for three months. They would share their stories, how they started, what drove them to quitting. He was honest about the things he’d taken, the need that pushed him to become someone he despised. He only cried when he talked about her, his angel, the woman he loved and drove away.

He got his chips for completing days and weeks and months. He sighed in relief as the guilt and shame ebbed away, leaving regret and hope in their place.

On the day he made four months sober, he was able to talk about her without pause, without a tear falling down his cheek, with a smile as he recounted the first time they met.

The group leader pulled him aside after the meeting. “Rhett, you’ve made some real progress. In case no one tells you, I am proud,” he said, clapping Rhett on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” Rhett blushed, ducking his head.

“It’s time for you to move on, though.”

Rhett looked up, his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. “What?”

“It’s time for you to move on to the next steps. Make your amends. Find yourself again as a recovered addict. Move on, one day at a time,” the leader explained.

“One day at a time,” Rhett repeated, holding out his hand and receiving a bear hug instead.

“Where are you starting?” his group leader asked as he released Rhett.

“With someone I should have listened to long ago.”

It took Rhett days to get Cecilia to tell him where his girl had gone. He’d begged, pleaded, promised, swore, bribed, and cried before she let slip that the woman he loved landed in Alabama.

He raced to his room and grabbed a backpack, shoving clothes into it as Cecilia watched from the door.

“What are you going to do when you find her?” she asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Apologize. And then whatever she asks me to do,” he replied as he pushed past, grabbing his things from the bathroom.

“Are you coming back?”

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “Either way, I owe everything to you, Ma. I probably wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”

With tears in her eyes, Cecilia wrapped her arms around her son, hugging him tightly, just in case. She released him and grasped his hands, a watery smile on her face before she turned and walked away.

Rhett felt something in his hand and looked down, shock filling his face as a warmth spread through his chest. “I can’t take your wedding rings,” he protested as he followed her down the hall.

“You can and you will,” she insisted from the stairwell. “If she accepts your apology, you’ll know when. If she doesn’t, well, I reckon it’ll be back on my finger.”

Rhett drove down I-65, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel to the sound of his balding tires on the asphalt. He was only a couple of hours from Birmingham and his nerves were beginning to fray.

It had been six months since she left. Neither of them reached out, their reasons vastly different. He couldn’t handle the shame; she couldn’t handle the hurt.

She had been on edge for days, ever since Cecilia had called. All of their communication had been text messages so when the name appeared, she feared the worst.

But it was a heads up that Rhett was on his way. He was coming to find her.

Rhett had been on the road for two days. From Wabang to Birmingham was twenty-six hours. Rhett stopped for gas often, cursing every time the needle closed in on empty. He napped at truck stops, drank sludge pretending to be coffee, and ate more fast food than he ever had before.

He was tired, he was wired, he was sick of being on the road.

He was nervous, he was hopeful, he was terrified she’d moved on.

He turned into the driveway of the tiny cottage and shut off the truck, sitting in the cab and staring at the figure pacing in the window, the curtains obscuring all but her silhouette.

“You drove twenty-six hours to be here,” he told himself, “get out of the damned truck and do what you need to do.”

With a shaking hand, he pulled his keys from the ignition and stepped out of the truck. He watched as the figure in the window stopped.

Rhett moved up the flower-lined walkway, his legs stiff and weak from the hours on the road. He took a deep breath before knocking, his stomach cutting flips while he waited.

The door opened and she appeared, his angel, bathed in light from behind.

“Rhett,” she breathed out, her face neutral.

“Hi,” he said. His palms were sweating as he stood there, the speech he had rehearsed the entire drive gone from his head. “Um, I shouldn’t have come so late,” he rushed out, “I can come back later, I mean another day, I mean -”

“Rhett, come inside.”

He stepped over the threshold tentatively, his eyes taking in the small, cozy space that she had made feel like her, like home.

She stepped around him into the living room, curling up in an armchair next to an overflowing bookshelf.

Rhett took a seat across from her, the coffee table between them feeling like the Grand Canyon. He didn’t know how to start apologizing for everything; he didn’t know how to apologize for driving her away. Insead, he rested his elbows on his knees, his focus on the water rings and coffee stains on the piece of furniture before him.

“You’ve lost weight,” she commented, starting the conversation they needed to have.

Rhett cleared his throat and nodded, unable to meet her eyes. “Yeah, apparently that’s a side effect of being a damned fool for too long,” he replied. 

A bitterness had settled in his mouth, a nagging in his mind. He stood without warning, shoving his hands through his hair. “I shouldn’t have come,” he mumbled.

“But you’re here,” she soothed, standing slowly and reaching across the space between them. “You’re here. The man I love is here.”

It took Rhett a moment to process her statement, to realize the words she used were present tense. His head snapped up, eyes meeting her soft gaze. “You still…after everything I did, still?”

“You don’t fall out of love just because you leave,” she told him gently as she guided him to sit on the couch. “I knew the man I’d fallen for was still in there. And I’m not saying that I didn’t try to get over you. I even went on a couple of dates but something always felt…wrong.”

“You still love me after I fucked everything up so badly?” His voice was barely above a whisper, a lump pressing in his throat. His eyes stung with forming tears, her face, her beautiful face, becoming blurry.

“I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I treated you so bad, I didn’t listen to you when all you wanted was to help me. I pushed you away.”

“Rhett, that wasn’t you,” she cooed, her hand rubbing soothingly up and down his back.

“It was. On some level, it was,” he countered. “The drugs didn’t really change me. I’ve always been that same horrible person deep inside. Just never to you.”

She was stunned at his confession. But she didn’t believe a word of it. “Rhett, I have seen you on your worst days and never, not one time, have you ever acted the way you did when you were high.”

“But -”

“No,” she interrupted, gripping his chin and turning it to face her. “You listen and you listen good, Rhett Abbott, because I am only going to say this once. The absolute piece of shit that you became on cocaine is not inside of you when you are sober. Whoever told you that is lying and manipulating you. And sure, it may work to keep people off of the drugs for a while, but making someone hate themselves is not a long term solution.

“Now, I love you, and I accept your apology. And I’m willing to try again. But you will not put yourself down like that.”

Rhett stared at her, dumbfounded. She didn’t blame him; she wasn’t pissed. She was still willing to work it out with him.

“I’ll need your help,” he whispered.

Her palms cupped his stubble-covered cheeks and she rested her forehead against his. “You’ll have more help than you’ll know what to do with.”

“I might still push you away.”

“I’ll fight to stay.”

“I’ll try. For you, I’ll do anything.” Rhett dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out the rings that had been weighing him down. “My momma sent me down here with these, said I’d know when to use them. Right now ain’t the time to be proposing but I reckon if you give me another chance, they can be a promise. That I’ll try every day to be the man you deserve. And when I finally am, well, then this little diamond will look beautiful on your hand.”

“Oh, Cecilia,” she sighed as she glanced down at Rhett’s hand. “She’s always so sure of everything.”

Rhett smiled for the first time since he left Wabang when his lips met hers. It was a moment that felt like coming home.

[gracie-and-tori]

Coffee

Hello! This is Gracie! This one shot includes a few OCs of mine. If you would like to look into their aesthetics, you can find that here!! ⚠️If you find themes of violence, car crashes, poverty, drunk individuals, or hints of kidnapping too much for you right now, feel free to keep scrolling!! Otherwise, enjoy! :)

Stepping outside of her rundown apartment, Camilla already felt her thin, spaghetti strap tank top begin to stick to her skin. The humidity was always rough, and now that she was outside, her numerous fans inside of her home, which currently had a broken AC, couldn't save her from it. It was just another mid-July day in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite the heat, she kept her focus on her one task, which was grabbing her usual cup of coffee. If she was quick enough, she could avoid any trouble on the streets. 

    Camilla didn't live in the safest part of Memphis. Something new happened practically every day, and good news was severely infrequent. She wished on every star to just make it through college so she could finally afford something better. However, she still had two years before she received her degree. For now, she kept to herself and stayed out of conflict. 

   The coffee shop she frequented was only three blocks away. She kept one earbud in her ear and continued down the sidewalk. Looking around, everything was bustling as usual. This time of day was the busiest, but Camilla found it easy to hide within the crowds of people. She didn't really have many acquaintances here, nor did she want to have them. She liked things as they were. Just her, her plethora of books, and her orange tabby cat named Theo.

   Finally, she rounded the last corner and set foot in Kyle's Coffee. She felt relieved as she escaped the heat for a moment. From her investigation, she found that not only did this place have the smallest rush hour population around, but also the best coffee. The way it worked was weird. However, it was perfect for the employee that usually took her order every day. He was a scrawny, curly-headed blonde with thin-framed glasses, a shy smile, and a quiet voice. 

     "Hey, Camilla," he greeted, already grabbing the size cup she always ordered. "Good afternoon, Emmett," she greeted in return. "I'll just have what I usually do," she said with a smile, placing $5.45 on the counter. "Coming right up!" He replied, calmly creating her large iced caramel macchiato. She gazed out the large window, wondering how her mother was doing by herself all the way in North Carolina. 

     She thanked Emmett for her coffee once more, before making a mental note to call her mom later. Rush hour was still at full throttle. People were everywhere and Camilla just wanted to get home to her cat. She crossed the street with her coffee in hand, safely making it to the other side. Suddenly, she heard the piercing screech of a car horn. 

    Following that noise, came another. She looked over to find a motorcycle completely mangled by a car. Frantically, she searched for the victims. "What did I tell you, Logan?!" A man exclaimed. A few feet in front of her, in the middle of the street, stood two men. One was in a black, leather jacket and had long hair that was tightly pulled back. He happened to be shouting at the other one, who had brown, scraggly hair and a large cut on his arm. 

     "Rhett, you were the one drinking! If it weren't for me, you would've been rigjt in the middle of that collision!" The guy named Logan shouted back, backing away from the other man. Rhett picked up a large piece of glass from the wreck. Malice laced his eyes. Camilla's heart raced, adrenaline racing through her veins. A woman's voice groaned from the pile of metal. 

     If this fight wasn't stopped and an ambulance wasn't called, someone may die, if they weren't already dead. Camilla couldn't feel anything else besides the pounding in her chest. Before she knew it, her feet left the pavement and landed on black asphalt. Her coffee flew through the air and collided against the heavily intoxicated Rhett, who dropped the shard of glass. It shattered violently against the street. Logan took this opportunity to launch his fist across Rhett's pale face. 

    Rhett fell limply on the hot asphalt. Camilla looked at Logan. She stood frozen. Anxiety quickly took the place of her adrenaline. Logan wiped the sweat from his forehead with the collar of his gray, sleeveless shirt. He muttered out a quick 'thank you', before sprinting toward the sidewalk and disappearing down an alleyway. 

    Camilla pulled out her phone and dialed 911. That's when she noticed a shiny artifact laying halfway between her and the sidewalk. While explaining the situation to the operator, she walked over to the object and picked it up. It was an old compass with a date, time, and location carved into the brass. 

    

The rain was relentless, as were the thoughts in Camilla's mind. No matter how many times she explained what happened to her cat, yesterday's events continued to play out over and over again in her head. She kept telling herself that she did the right thing. Whether that was true or not, she would never know. Even though she had performed the bravest act she's ever done, she continued to feel like it wasn't her place to get involved at all. However, she knew she wouldn't have been able to stop herself even if she tried. 

       Now, she had this compass in her possession. She should've handed it in to the police, but she couldn't bring herself to. What did it mean? Did Logan drop it? The date matched today. The time read 11:30pm. The location wasn't far from her apartment. As a matter of fact, it was only two street corners away. 

      She had been battling whether or not she should leave it alone all day. She knew it was trouble. After all, she did live in the roughest part of Memphis. However, her soul ached to go. She felt as though she was supposed to go. Maybe she could help someone else. Maybe she could feel that same adrenaline from yesterday.

      She craved it like she never thought she could. It was a new feeling, and she couldn't decide if she hated it or loved it. It was already nine at night. She had spent all day trying to study, but the events from yesterday refused to leave her alone. Theo pushed his head against Camilla's arm before stretching lazily across her open textbook. "I'm going to do it," she decided. Theo yawned with disinterest. 

.

.

.

    Two hours later, Camilla stepped outside of her apartment once more with a black coat, jeans, and boots. She didn't know what to expect, but she was going to investigate anyway. The rain stopped, leaving behind huge puddles along the dark pavement. The streetlights and lights from various buildings illuminated the sidewalk. She walked slowly and constantly checked her surroundings. 

      She quickly realized that walking around at night by herself wasn't something she had a fondness for. It was eerily silent. She had never seen Memphis this quiet. The many wishes she made on stars seemed to diminish in the darkness of the streets. Maybe she should turn back. 

    Already halfway there, she shoved all of her thoughts away and continued. Her many days of high school track practices would come in handy if she needed them, she thought. It didn't take long to spot the store that was messily engraved into the compass. She crossed the street from the store and found a street corner to hide in. She sat down on the pavement, watching intently. 

      Five minutes passed until she spotted three men in dark clothing walking up to the store. One was counting money, one was looking around, and the other spoke into a phone. It didn't take long to spot one more person. Camilla would never forget him. She easily identified Logan as he approached the group with his hands in his pockets. 

       The person counting money spoke to Logan first. The interaction seemed like it was going well. After a few minutes, Logan pulled a sheathed dagger from his pocket. He handed it to the man as they exchanged the money for the dagger. Camilla relaxed as she realized nothing dangerous was happening. Clearly she had overreacted about the whole situation. She stood to her feet, ready to finally go to bed. She suddenly regretted not staying home to study for her test first thing in the morning.

     Before she could take the first step, she felt immense pressure on her stomach as she was jolted backwards. Her back slammed into someone else's chest. Cold metal grazed her neck. Camilla felt her body turn cold. The burning sensation in her chest was suddenly released as she screamed into the night air. It didn't last long before a wad of cloth was stuck in her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but she could barely move her jaw. 

      "Don't even think about trying anything." The voice obviously belonged to a woman. Camilla didn't know what to do, and she was quickly running out of options. "Ashlynn! Stop! She's with me," said a man's voice. All of the sudden, the knife was removed from Camilla's neck, and she was roughly shoved to the ground. She quickly got rid of the cloth in her mouth and coughed a few times. 

      "Then why was she watching from across the street?" Ashlynn questioned wearily. Camilla rubbed her neck and looked up. There Logan was, lying for her. But why? "I told her to. I didn't want that guy to pull anything shady. If he did, she was going to cause a distraction," Logan explained. "Why don't you go home? I can take care of this," he continued.

    He didn't have to say another word. In just a few moments, Ashlynn disappeared into the shadows. "What are you doing?" He suddenly asked. "I was curious," Camilla explained, standing up. "Well, has anyone ever told you to mind your business? You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," Logan scolded. Camilla shrugged. 

     "Maybe don't leave information on the ground then," she stated. "So you did find the compass. I guessed you had. I couldn't find it after I left," he replied. Camilla felt the weight of today on her shoulders as she grew tired. Despite his better judgment, Logan knew he wanted to see her again. "So, are you up for coffee?" He asked, catching her entirely by surprise. 

     Her eyes snapped up to meet his brown ones. "When and where?" She asked in return. She couldn't tell if it was the heat outside or just her, but she could feel her skin heat up. "Kyle's at two on Saturday?" She couldn't believe this was happening. "It's a date," she agreed. 

.

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That's a wrap!! Thanks for reading this one shot. If you want to read more scenarios involving these characters, feel free to comment! If you are interested in reading more one shots or short stories written by me or Tori (or both), here is our masterlist! Have a good day/night! ♡♡

[hugespace]

Prompt: van, thunderstorm, link is scared and rhett is there for him and gives him hugs and kisses

Thanks love 😘

There you go! 🥰 I ended up writing some high school Rhink - lots of fluff with a dash of angst. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

*** (~2k words) ***

"How the crap did you miss that, Rhett?!" Link rapidly turned his whole body in the passenger seat, making his bleached blonde locks flap around on the top of his head. "How are we even out of gas-? Didn't you just say, like yesterday, that you'd fill it up?!" he threw his hands in the air, staring with disbelief at his friend who sat quietly behind the wheel.

Rhett muttered something in response, his head downturned and eyes focused on his own lap.

"Rhett!" Link exclaimed impatiently, not having gotten a clear answer out of the other boy.

"I thought we'd make it, okay?! I was gonna buy gas with some of the money we'd get after the gig!" Rhett repeated his explanation in a raised voice this time, finally looking his friend in the eyes and shrugging in the process.

Link only returned the look with wide eyes.

"Are you serious-? You're so irresponsible!" he answered even louder after a few short seconds of processing Rhett's words. "You're telling me you wanted to buy gas with the money we won't even get now because we won't get to the damn concert- because. You didn't. Get. Gas. In the first place?!" Link continued thought clenched teeth. "What the crap, Rhett?!"

The taller boy felt his face grow warm. Sure, perhaps Link was right, it wasn't the smartest decision of his life, or even of just that day, probably – electing to risk not reaching their destination in a borrowed van full of equipment for the two of them and the other members of Wax Paper Dogz just to be able to spend the last of his cash for the week on snacks. But he certainly wasn't going to give the other boy that, or the full reason for getting them stranded in the middle of a road on the way to the farm they were supposed to play at, for that matter. Truth was, Rhett didn't do well with criticism. Not even when it was earned.

He opened his mouth and got ready to match Link's tone, when a powerful crash of thunder resounded directly above them all of a sudden, immediately preventing the shouting match that was surely about to ensue.

"What was that-?" When Link's voice reverberated to Rhett's right again, it was remarkably smaller and less filled with anger than just seconds ago.

"Shit" was the only response the older boy could muster as the sky opened up, letting thick and heavy drops of rain fall onto the world around them, drumming angrily against the van's roof.

"At least we don't gotta worry about the gig-?" Rhett tried for a reassuring smile after a few beats of silence between them ticked by, interrupted only by blaring sounds of the summer storm they’d apparently gotten caught in. "It ain't gonna happen now with that rain-" he conceded, hoping it won't anger Link any further.

The younger boy was silent, the unexpected arrival of thunder seemed to have not only taken away his temper, but his voice as well.

"Link?"

A pair of blue eyes, still wide open, met Rhett's. The fire that burned in them just moments before the first loud crash fizzled out completely, giving way to a cold shade of fear, and the face they belonged to quickly became visibly paler, taking on a greyish colour only intensified by the sudden lack of sunlight.

"I don't like this-" Link whispered, clutching the edges of his seat with such force that his knuckles soon matched the paleness of his face.

Now, Link didn't exactly suffer from a deadly fear of thunder, not to Rhett's knowledge at least, which after more than a decade of being best friends meant it could as well be equalled to a fact. On the other hand, he wasn't especially keen on those either, and the aspect of being trapped in a metal can in the middle of a country road with absolutely nowhere to go to seek refuge only added another dimension to that.

Instinctively, Rhett reached out a hand and rubbed the other boy's shoulder soothingly.

"Hey- Hey, look at me. Link-?" he leaned forward trying to catch his friend’s eyes again and grasp his attention, temporarily directed towards the sky where bright flashes of lightning cut through the dark graphite clouds one after another. "Hey"

Link finally directed his attention back to Rhett, gulping loudly, almost comically, if it weren't for the entire situation. "We're gonna be fine. The car's safe, we're better off here than anywhere outside probably, just don’t touch the doors. We'll wait till the rain passes a bit and then I'll go get us gas, okay? The station's not that far. We'll be good." Rhett added in a calm voice, still keeping his right hand on Link and gently rubbing his upper back.

"Okay" the boy replied, still in a weak voice, and drew in a deep breath, only to be startled by another instance of rumbling thunder and hastily clasp Rhett's other hand.

"Sorry..." he cleared his throat and tried to compose himself once the sound of thunderclap died down, leaving them only with the deafening banging of raindrops against the van. Link went to retract his hand but was stopped by Rhett's before the taller boy could think about it.

"Ssh, don't. S’okay, brother."

The split-second decision to comfort Link and hold him like he hasn't since they were kids came from the feeling of guilt for getting them in that situation in the first place, he told himself. And sure, he did feel responsible for making Link endure the storm in a car stuck in the middle of nowhere all because of his stupid idea. But it wasn't just guilt; the vulnerable look on his friend's pale face combined with the fear in his big glassy eyes made him look like the boy he was when they were still in grade school - small and innocent, and it tugged at Rhett's heart in a way he didn't fully comprehend, awakening an instinct to protect Link no matter what.

"Do you... Maybe we'd- Should we...?" Yes, Rhett did make a decision but was suddenly struggling to articulate it. The scared boy next to him wasn't really listening anyway, his whole attention focused on the sky again and his free hand grasping Rhett's sleeve and trembling. Rhett cleared his throat and tried again. "We should move to the back."

"Whaa...?" Link started but was cut off by his friend gently removing his fingers from the fabric of his shirt and swiftly moving to the row of seats behind them.

"C'mon. It's gonna be more comfortable. The stick's poking my leg when I lean over like that." the older boy offered from the expanse of the middle row, gesticulating to the gap between Link and the now empty driver's seat.

If Link was hesitant to join him, another growl of thunder must have been enough to persuade him because suddenly, he was clambering to join Rhett, inadvertently nudging his thighs and elbowing him in the process.

"Auch! Okay, okay- Com'ere" The older boy grabbed the other's shoulders once he was situated next to him and moved his body even closer, encircling it with his long lanky arms and squeezing hard, making Link's head fall onto his chest.

To his surprise, his best friend didn't protest, he only burrowed his face deeper in the front or Rhett's bunched up flannel and breathed in deeply, obviously trying to relax.

"Good, good" Rhett praised absent-mindedly and slowly stroked Link's smooth hair, temporarily stunned by the feeling of warmth and peace holding the other boy so close gave him. After a couple of minutes of stillness, he felt Link's arms move, too, and wriggle in between the backrest of the seat and Rhett's lower back, finally hugging him back around the waist. It made the taller boy instinctively seek even more contact, and he lowered his head, positioning his face on Link's hair and eventually, before he could rethink it, leaving a kiss on top of it

Link froze and tensed up again, though this time there was no crash of thunder or flash of lightning to blame it on.

Oh no. Rhett's action caught up to him. This was weird. He was being weird. They never kissed each other, not even like that, not even when they were kids. His heart sped up from embarrassment and he was sure his friend could feel it, with the way he was still clinging to his chest. But he wasn’t letting go- In fact, he seemed to hug Rhett even tighter now, nuzzling his face into his body, left cheek smushed against his sternum.

Shyly, Rhett risked another smooch to Link's head, this time as close to his forehead as he could reach in the position they were in.

In response, the boy let out what sounded like an appreciative hum, or maybe even a tiny whimper, and a warm breath against Rhett’s skin, making his heart pick up the pace again. Continuing the pattern of acting before we could talk himself out of it, Rhett gathered his friend and tried to pull him even closer, not even sure if it was possible at that point, and was rewarded with Link landing almost entirely in his lap.

The face of his best friend was now nearly level with his. It was blushed, he realised, the earlier sickly tone of his complexion gone almost completely. His hair, equally blonde as Rhett's though significantly longer, was dishevelled. The sight was endearing, there was no other word to describe it, and the look in Link's eyes, blue as ever and soft now – not as filled with fear anymore, only made the effect it had on Rhett more intense.

Blinded by the affection that flooded him all of a sudden, he leaned in again, now able to kiss Link's forehead, and left another peck there, keeping his lips pressed to it for a bit longer. Before Rhett could really get used to the new sensation, Link straightened his back, making himself taller in Rhett's lap and as a result, bringing his own lips to the same hight his friend mouth was at.

The taller boy flinched slightly and almost recoiled on instinct, seeing how there were no more than two inches of tense air filled with petrichor separating their faces, and nothing else.

Almost.

Instead, he gathered all of his courage and closed that gap, planting his lips square on Link's.

They were incredibly soft, almost cushiony, and oh so warm. And they were moving against his! He realised, stunned, as the other boy's hand reached up to his face and gently cupped his jaw.

Rett felt his own lips form an involuntary smile, soon matched by the lips he was kissing. As they started to separate, both beaming and searching each other’s faces with sparkly eyes, he took in the near silence that surrounded them.

The rain stopped, there was no banging on the roof of their van and no rumbling of thunder above. It was like the clouds dissipated the moment they kissed, giving way to sun again, Rhett thought not caring about how silly and romantic at the same time that idea was.

Divine intervention or a simple coincidence, he didn't care. The sky was clear now and so was the fact that he just shared a kiss with the person he loved most in the entire world. How he hadn't realised that earlier was unimportant. It might have taken being stranded in the middle of a road, surrounded by nothing but trees and crops and a thunderstorm worse than any other time that summer to get there, but they did, in the end - that was all that mattered.

And with that thought, Rhett embraced Link trying to put all of his love into it, and went to kiss him again.

[apparentlynotreallyfinnish]

A Friend In Need

TW: this fic starts with Link being extremely worried for Rhett’s wellbeing. I promise Rhett will make it and it’s not as bad as it first appears.

Link was laying in his bed already, scrolling through Reddit when his phone beeped with a message from Rhett. It was already past Link’s usual bedtime so Rhett probably wouldn’t be expecting a reply right away. Link ignored the message, clicking into an interesting article the Reddit rabbit hole had led him to.

But then his phone beeped again and even before he could react to it, it beeped a third time. Frowning, Link opened the messaging app.

“Are you up?”

“I kinda need help.”

“Please reply!”

What the crap is this? Link opted out of messaging back and instead tapped the screen to call Rhett. When the call connected he asked: “It’s a bit late isn’t it. What’s wrong?”

There was a moment of silence at the other end and Link moved the phone away from his ear to check the call had connected right.

“Rhett?”

A low whine made him startle. He had never heard Rhett sounding like that. There was something visceral about the sound and Link hopped out of bed to pull on his jeans. 

“Rhett, what’s wrong? Can you talk? Do you need me to call 911?”

A grunt and another one of those eerie whines hustled Link down the hall and towards the garage, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Something was seriously wrong.

“I’m— Fuck, Link, I—” Rhett’s voice was hoarse and pained. It made Link’s heart beat wildly and the phone almost slipped from his sweaty grip. His hand shook so much he almost couldn’t turn the doorknob to get into the garage.

“What’s happened?!” Link asked as he finally barged in, stumbling towards his car in the dark, not caring to reach for the light switch. “I’m coming to you, okay? Just hold on.”

Panicked and disoriented Link slammed his leg into something and cursed under his breath.

“No! No, Link. Please. Oh no, no-no-no...” Rhett kept repeating the word under his breath, his voice suddenly cutting off as he muted his end of the call.

“Rhett!” Link yelled into the phone, pressing it against his ear with his shoulder as he frantically tried to find his car keys. Fuck! He’d left them on the kitchen counter last night after he’d picked up take-out. Link turned and trekked back to the door, fear constricting his throat.

“Rhett, what the hell! Come back!” Link pleaded. Rhett’s voice did finally come back when Link was striding back to his car with his keys in hand.

“Please, don’t come here. I just need— Ah! Mother-fucking fuck... I—I just need you to h-help me with something.”

Link sat in the car and turned on the engine, waiting for the garage door to open. His fingers tapped on the steering wheel as the door creaked open more slowly than any door in the universe ever had.

“Help with what? How did you get hurt?”

“I—I’m not—” Rhett began, but paused to let out a low, breathless moan that made the hair on the back of Link’s neck stand on end. He almost sounded like he— Link shook his head and swallowed roughly. That was messed up. He needed to get a grip. 

“Jesus fucking Christ, Rhett. You do not sound okay. Just talk to me.”

“Ah, ah. Fuck, this— this is so embarrassing. Oh god. I can’t believe I’m about to— I’m sorry. I—I didn’t know who else to…” Rhett stumbled over his words as Link connected the call to the car’s Bluetooth and backed out into the night. Why had he called Link? Everyone who knew him knew he wasn’t any good in a crisis. Not a crisis that involved bodily harm, at least. He didn’t even need to see any kind of injury; merely the way Rhett sounded was making Link feel a bit faint. 

“Did you try calling Jessie?” Link asked, suddenly hopeful that maybe that was somehow a lifeline Rhett had forgotten about. The wives and most of the kids were spending a long weekend in North Carolina, but Rhett and Link hadn’t been able to join them due to work commitments. Despite the distance, Jessie might still be the better person to put in charge of this catastrophe.

“I can’t. I—I couldn’t. She doesn’t—” More breathy moaning interrupted Rhett’s sentence, but this time, another part of Link’s body responded. A part that had no business responding to his best friend’s desperate whimpers. Aghast, Link pressed his palm hard against his crotch, hoping to quell the beginnings of his erection. Why couldn’t he just react normally to a situation?! Link groaned and tried to concentrate on the road ahead.

“It got stuck!” Rhett cried out, the words followed by a sound that was almost like a sob. 

“What got stuck?” Link asked, horrified by the possibilities filling his mind, each scarier than the one that came before. 

“The vibrator,” Rhett whimpered, his voice meek and filled with embarrassment.

The what now?!

Link’s foot slammed on the break and he came to a complete stop. His gaze flicked to the rearview mirror and he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the empty road behind him.

“I’m sorry, what?” he said slowly, his mind filling with a different kind of menagerie of thoughts.

“I was trying to… I’ve been curious and I got this vibrator and— Oh god why, why me? I kind of pushed it too far and then I was trying to get it out, but I think I just pressed it in deeper and now I can’t— Oh, fuck, Link, I can’t… And it’s—it’s still on. It’s been there and on for a long time,” Rhett explained with a trembling voice. Link’s fingers were squeezing the wheel. He was fighting against a laugh that was bubbling inside him.

“Are you telling me… That you have a vibrating sex toy in your ass. And you can’t get it out?” he asked, choosing his words carefully, breathing deeply between sentences to keep himself from bursting into a giggle fit.

After a long, heavy silence, Rhett sighed. “Yeah,” he confirmed with a sad, little sniffle. He sounded so dejected that Link couldn’t hold it in anymore—the laughter burst out of him. His head fell forward against the steering wheel and he laughed so hard his stomach cramped. The relief that Rhett wasn’t in mortal danger and the overall hilarity of the situation was too much to bear. Link laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks. 

“Great,” Rhett mumbled on the other end of the line just as Link was about to get himself together, making him dissolve into another fit of hiccups and breathless giggles. 

“Oh. My. God,” Link said when he was finally able to draw a deep breath and gain some semblance of composure. “That’s some pickle you’ve gotten yourself into, my friend. I’ll be there in like five.”

“No, no, no—!” Rhett’s panicked voice cut out as Link ended the call, still grinning from ear to ear, his stomach aching from the laughter. 

To be continued...

[cellard0ors]

Fic: Movement (1/?)

This is dedicated to @peachworthy - my plan is to work on this when I can. I was going to try and write a full long thing (all puns intended) but thought it might be fun to just do sporadic bits instead!

“As you can see, it’s a pretty nice place…” Mr. Super Tall and Super Handsome and Super-Out-of-Link’s-League tells him as he walks him around the place. Link’s only been half listening because he’s been trailing behind this uniquely sexy giraffe of a man for about half an hour now and it’s been hard to not just…eat him up with his eyes.

Link’s lived in LA for about two years now and while he’s seen some attractive people, they all pale in comparison to…

…oh gosh, he’s forgotten his name again! Not a good thing to do when being toured by your potential roommate to be. Although Link’s pretty sure his current tour guide is just being nice.

No way he’s seriously considering letting Link move in. First of all, Link is a late in life college student trying to get a film degree. Second, this guy could have anyone live with him.

Anyone.

The fact he even needs a roommate is staggering. After all, this place is already furnished. It’s clear he’s lived here for a while now – so the need for someone else-? Link doesn’t get it.

But he sure as heck can’t stay on campus anymore. It’s embarrassing. Most of the other students there think he’s a professor as it is; and bunking with kids half his age has been a nightmare.

Not because he can’t identify with them per say, but because he just-? He wants to interact with people on the same wavelength as him.

And no way is this Greek God and he on the same wavelength. No doubt the guy’s an actor. Almost everyone in LA is. And, no doubt, the guy has probably had some gigs. Several, if the house is anything to go by…

Maybe he lost a role recently? Maybe that’s why he needs the extra income? It’s the only thing Link can think of and he’s stupid enough to voice that, “It is a nice place, man, but I don’t see how I’ll be much help. What you’ve got here looks pretty well lived in. Take it you’ve been here solo for some time and I’m not sure how-?”

“I have,” Handsome admits and oh, that southern drawl. It makes Link think of home. How perfect can one man be? “And, frankly, I don’t need a roommate, but I’d like a roommate.”

“For parts? Like the Black Market?” Link can’t help but joke, and the guy throws his head back and laughs and oh, no…

…Yeah, Link can’t live with this man. It hasn’t even been a full day and Link is practically already in love with him. And thinking of the ‘him’ he forces himself to sheepishly ask, “Um, I, ah, forgot your name again...”

“It’s Rhett.”

Of course it is.

Rhett is such a romantic name.

Rhett Butler immediately springs to mind and Link sighs, “Look, Rhett – like I said, it is a nice place, but-!”

“I tell you what I’d expect in rent?” he asks and when he lists the price, Link decides that – besides being insanely attractive – that the guy is just insane in general.

The rent is cheap. Far, far cheaper than Link expected and it must show on his face, because Rhett shrugs, “Look, Link – I can’t say what it is, but I gotta feeling about you. I’ve met with a couple of potential roommates and, honestly, none of them have gone this far. I haven’t let ‘em. But there’s something about you…”

“My natural charm?” Link asks, but he’s sort of giggly and weird when he does and oh, gosh – why is he so awkward? Isn’t he too old for this? Don’t you reach a certain age and awkwardness just…drops off?

But apparently not and, apparently, Rhett isn’t turned off by it, because he gives him a warm grin, “Might be.”

“Rhett…”

“Might be the accent to be honest,” he confesses, seeming almost shy and that should be illegal, because it just highlights how cute he is, “I’m from North Carolina and it just-!”

“Hey!” Link perks up, “Me too!”

“Really?” Rhett gushes and Link nods, “Yeah, Buies Creek.”

“Oh! My family and I almost moved there! Ended up in Charlotte instead!”

“Wow! Crazy! What are the odds!” And Link hates every cliched thing coming out of his mouth right now, but he can’t seem to stop and Rhett just looks so damned pleased.

As if his feeling about Link is right on the money and Link wishes it was, but this can’t possibly work. Can it? And just as Link is about to voice that, Rhett suddenly looks…apprehensive. Fidgety.

And Link’s caught a bit off guard by it, because – up until now – he’s been so cool. Cool and collected. But now Rhett runs a hand through his thick mane of hair and sighs as if a great weight is upon him, “Ah…actually, I, ah, well – I forgot…”

Here it is. Link’s been waiting for this. The big secret. The big reason someone as amazing as Rhett would need someone like him. Maybe it is the Black Market thing. Link has some nice organs. Real juicy. Maybe revealing his background has made the big guy feel bad – like he can’t carve up a fellow North Caroliner.

Rhett rocks on his heels, “I told you, none of the other potential roommates made it this far and…there’s a reason for that. Even the one or two I kinda considered…well, I, um, I told them what I do for a living and that’s when things sort of fell apart…”

…oh shit. He IS a Black Market organ dealer!

Link’s Adam’s apple bobs as he looks around skittishly. The house is big and they’re alone in it. He’s been so distracted by how hot Rhett is that he hasn't even thought about that fact.

Until now.

What if the other potentials didn’t get this far because they got cut up beforehand? Maybe the whole roommate thing is a farce! Maybe it’s a con! A con to draw people in and-!

“I work in the entertainment industry.”

Link blinks. Blinks and feels like the dumbest man on planet earth as he says, “Well, yeah. You and half of LA. Heck, I’m here trying to get into film myself! Do some directing or sound editing or-!”

“No,” Rhett says firmly, smoothly, meeting Link’s eyes head on as he says in a full deep register, “When I say I work in the industry, I mean it. I’ve, um, had a pretty healthy and…and long career…”

“Really?” Link asks, eyes wide behind his glasses, “Have I seen anything you’ve-?”

“Doubt it,” Rhett interrupts with a humorless huff, “You don’t seem the type. But then,” he eyes him thoughtfully, “I’ve been surprised before…”

Link doesn’t know why he’s being so cagey about this, “What’ve you-?”

“My resume is…” Rhett finally looks away, as if he can’t bear to look at Link when he says it, “…of the adult variety.”

“The adult-?” Link starts to repeat and then it clicks. It clicks and it hits him so hard over the head it’s like a physical blow. The house, the handsomeness – the…everything.

Rhett looks back at him, jaw firmly set as he speaks, “Look, it’s not that I’m ashamed of what I do. Far from it. It’s just a job and it’s one I happen to be good at. But it’s also one that people in polite society aren’t too keen on and considering you’re from my home state you might-!”

“Porn?” Link croaks out and he feels a little like he might faint, “You’re a porn star?”

Rhett just kind of shrugs and the reason Link feels lightheaded has nothing to do with his shock at the man’s career and everything to do with the fact that Link has only seen a few porn films and none of them have ever stared someone so breathtakingly beautiful. The idea that Rhett has been in something like that…

Heat suffuses through Link’s system with equal mixes of lust and shame. Lust because, well, look at Rhett and shame because Link doesn’t want to just view the man as a sex object, Granted, that’s kind of his job, but it just seems…rude.

While Link doesn’t know Rhett well, he knows him well enough at this point to say he’s just a regular guy. An extremely gorgeous regular guy, but a regular guy all the same.

Thinking of him in simple black and white just doesn’t do him justice. So he’s a porn star. So what? He’s nice and this place is amazing and the rent suggested is fantastic and-!

“Take it by your silence you’re gonna decline…”

“No!” Link cuts in quickly and Rhett’s eyes shoot to him, wide and amazed, and Link feels a little sense of superiority at that. At catching this giant off guard, “No, uh – your…your profession isn’t a problem.”

“It’s not?”

“Well, I mean,” Link looks around once more, "You don’t-? You don’t film here, do you?”

The laugh that booms out of Rhett at that makes Link’s toes curl with pleasure, “Nah, man. This place is sacred. Like to keep my personal and professional life separate.”

“And…” Link scratches at the back of his head, “And you won’t, like…bring over a-a partner or partners and-!”

“Don’t have one,” Rhett admits and then the sexiest crinkles form around his eyes, “Although I gotta say, that’s about the slickest way anyone’s ever asked me if I was single…”

The heat from before returns full blast, no doubt coloring Link’s cheeks pure red and it comes completely from shyness, an emotion he is much more familiar with than most, “Oh, no! I-I wasn’t-!”

“Think you were asking if I do some weird sex shit here in the house of the personal variety and, again, no. You work in my field you kinda lose a bit of a taste for it.”

“For sex?”

Rhett nods, “And for a lot of things. It’s like I said – I'd like a roommate. Mainly ‘cause I’ve been feeling a little…disconnected of late. Feel like I need someone in my life who isn’t in the business. Someone I can just, y’know…” his shoulders roll and he bobs about a bit, clearly bashful, “…jam with.”

“Someone on your wavelength…” Link whispers and suddenly, Rhett’s idea that Link might be someone worth keeping around feels totally legitimate. Because Link is suddenly reciprocating it and then some. Because Link's starting to have a feeling about him too.

A feeling that this could work.

It really could.

And, this in mind, Link asks, “When can I move in?”

[memzhay]

The Rehearsal

The long teased on camera kiss was happening. There had been a lot of discussion on the whens and the hows of it. Should they do it on the camping series with Stevie? Should they do a bunch of fake out kisses while camping and then do it on a regular behind the desk episode right after the camping series dropped? Should they do the kiss first and then do the camping series? Should they do it on Good Mythical More so the hard core fans would be the first ones to see it? There were lots of variables, and it was important to get it right.

In the end, they had decided to do it during Pride month, in a main GMM episode, right around the time that the crew would be running the big 5K for the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center. The concept for the episode was a trivia game where there were no winners or losers, highlighting the contributions of LGBTQ individuals throughout history. Not just in things like music, and fashion, but in fields of science and technology, philosophy, all kinds of things. It was a solidly good concept. They would finish the game, say something about the Center and the upcoming 5K, they kiss, they spin the Wheel of Mythicality.

It was a few days before the shoot, and Link seemed nervous and on edge. He and Rhett had talked about it a bit, and it wasn’t that he didn’t want to do the kiss, or that he was worried about their friendship, or their families, or anything like that. He said he was worried about technical things, but had trouble articulating exactly what. They decided to have a rehearsal one evening at the studio after the crew had gone home. After a lot of discussion earlier in the day they had for sure decided they wanted the kiss to be standing up over by where they used to do LTAT rather than behind the desk. Since the premise of the game was really more of a behind the desk sort of thing, the writers weren’t exactly sure what the motivation would be for them to suddenly be standing up, but said not to worry about it. If it was important, they would figure out a way to make it happen.

They were standing in the spot where they planned to do the kiss. They had put chairs out where the cameras would be. They put the wheel where the wheel would be. Once they were satisfied that the scene was set, Rhett turned to Link.

“Ok. So we have camera 1 here, 2 here for close ups, far away cam if we need it will be up there. All good?” Rhett asked.

“Yeah,” Link said pacing around and adjusting the chairs minutely one way then another. “If this is the main camera, then that means we should be standing here and angled like this.” He adjusted his body so that he was in profile to the camera with his feet at a right angle so that his body faced the camera slightly more.

Rhett angled himself to match across from Link, eying the positions and imagining the camera angles. “That should be fine. Do we want to put tape marks down?”

“Not right now,” Link said awkwardly. It seemed like he couldn’t meet Rhett’s eyes and kept sweeping his gaze across the floor and their feet like something still wasn’t quite right. Rhett put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Hey now. Everything is cool. It’s just me. Ain’t nothing dramatic happening tonight. Tell me what’s bothering you. Was it the camera positions you were mostly concerned about? Do we need to get a real one out instead of these chairs?”

“No,” Link replied. “It’s not that. I’m just overthinking every detail, and it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Out with it, Neal! Rhett McLaughlin is here to help.”

“What am I supposed to do with my hands?” Link blurted out. “I mean we hug, and it shouldn’t really be that different, right? But do my hands need to be more on your shoulders than they normally would be, am I supposed to touch your hair? Are you supposed to touch my face? Speaking of your hair, is it going to be up or down? How long a kiss are we talking here? We don’t want it to be like a quick peck, so do we count slowly to 5? I know we already talked about that before, I just…” He was spinning out of control fast.

“Man! You really are in your head about this,” Rhett said with sympathy. “That’s too many things to think about at once, right? It’s like shooting a music video. If you think of all the things that need to happen at once, it’s overwhelming. Let’s take it in steps.”

“Right,” Link said taking a deep breath. “Steps. Find the process. One thing at a time.”

“Good,” Rhett said. “Now come here and hug me.”

“I…You..” Link stammered, his hands making tiny helpless windmills in the air.

“Come on! Like you said, it’s not like we don’t hug. Hug your buddy! Let’s start from there,” Rhett prompted spreading his arms in invitation.

Link chuckled about how silly he was being and stepped into the hug. His hands went automatically to the middle of Rhett’s back. It felt fine. Not alien, or awkward, or different than any time they might hug.

“Come on and hug me like you mean it!” Rhett said, giving Link a squeeze and jostling him back and forth a bit. Link laughed in spite of himself and returned the hug with a bit more gusto.

“Alright! Now we just lean back a bit and we are in a perfectly good kissing stance. Are your feet still angled right?” Rhett asked, turning his face to the side and looking down. Both of them had their feet properly angled. “See! We’re pros. We can do this!”

Link chuckled a bit. “Ok. So the hands just sort of go where they would anyway. I’m fine with that.”

“Alright then, let’s talk hair stuff,” Rhett suggested. “Do you want to touch my hair?”

“I don’t know!” Link pleaded. He didn’t try to pull away from the hug though.

“You touch my hair a lot. Remember when you used to cut it back in the day? You’ve cut it, curled it, straightened it, covered it in peanut butter. It’s still just my hair.” Rhett reached up and pulled the ponytail holder out of his hair and shook it out a bit. Link automatically shook his own head in dramatic, somewhat mocking fashion. Rhett chuckled.

“Ok. Just your hair. Not like it’s made of snakes,” Link said, bringing his hands up and sliding them into the hair at the base of Rhett’s neck. His hair is so long these days! He looked at his fingers flexing them a bit. There was more of it than there ever has been, but it was still just Rhett’s hair.

Seeing that Link was fairly comfortable, Rhett slid a hand into Link’s hair as well. Link closed his eyes and leaned into Rhett’s hand ever so slightly. Link brought his hands back down to where they had been on Rhett’s back and focused on the feeling of Rhett’s fingers curling and uncurling gently in his hair.

“Next agenda item, the length and voracity of the kiss,” Rhett stated. “What do you think would be best?”

Link’s eyes flew open and he considered. “I think it does need to be more than just a quick smooch, I think we referred to the tone before as sort of friendly and respectful, but what if when it happens we are all adrenalized? What if it goes wrong? What if I end up kissing you, I don’t know, too much? Not enough?” Link was starting to sound panicky again.

“Let’s establish right now,” Rhett said quietly, “If you don’t want to do this, if it’s too much, it stops here. No guilt or blame, nobody’s going to give you a hard time. Furthermore, if you want to kiss me more than just quick and ‘respectful like’, I hereby consent.” He smiled warm and comforting down at Link, his fingers still lightly working their way through his hair.

“Good. Ok. I’m fine, really,” Link assured. “I’m not backing out, it’s just, it’s the first time, and I want it to be perfect.”

“And what is perfection?” Rhett prompted, giving Link the set up for something he said all the time.

“An illusion,” Link said with a sigh. He was feeling better. This was going to be ok. The girls were fine with it. The kids were fine with it. However it turned out, him and Rhett would be fine. Another shadow flitted across his eyes.

“Anything else?” Rhett asked.

“I guess there is one more thing,” Link began. This was real embarrassing. “I..I’ve never.. I’ve never kissed anybody with a beard before. Do you think the texture will freak me out?”

“I’ll have you know the texture of my beard is perfectly lovely!” Rhett exclaimed in mock outrage. He considered the problem. “But you better go ahead and put your face on it, just to be sure.”

“What?” Link began to pull back.

“Here. I’m going to lean down, you can kiss my cheek, rub your nose in it, whatever you have to do to be comfy with your dear old friend, my beard,” He said with a calm smile.

Rhett leaned down and Link brushed his cheek on the auburn beard he knew so well. Scratchy wasn’t the word. Not soft either exactly, but definitely not painful or unpleasant. He turned his lips into the side of Rhett’s face and lingered a moment, noticing again that Rhett’s hand was still lightly moving around the back of his head, petting his hair.

“It smells nice,” Link said as though in a dream.

“Mythical.com/store,” Rhett chimed in. They both laughed. Link pulled his face back a bit and smiled an untroubled smile up at his friend. He then tucked his head down and snuggled into Rhett’s chest, feeling his heartbeat. That constant, steady beat that had been with him so much of his life. They stood there a long time like that. There was no rush. This was a good idea. They should have done it years ago.

[asherlockstudy]

Uncomfortable close-up to their Valentine Newlywed answers

Since Rhett was a tad reluctant to compliment Link sincerely I decided to use my psychoanalytical skills (anyway whatever) and seek the underlying honest answers they wanted to give. This could be a bit much at times and perhaps you shouldn't read if you are not a Rhink shipper, that's why I used a cut.

"What he loves about me" Link's expression is a little confusing - maybe an attempt at doubt or self-deprecation but it looks to me more like the embarrassment of the blushing bride.

"I love your..."

Who wants to bet that the first thing that came to Rhett's mind was ass but then he changed it to the first word that came to his mind after ass? A-ccent. Like, there's just no case accent was the first thing he thought because Link's accent isn't even that strong at this point. When Link got surprised at that, Rhett simply replied that he was trying to find something funny. But even so, like I said earlier, Rhett does love Link's accent. I am sure he is fond of it, he finds it adorable. And let's not forget he said "there was so much he could choose from"!

Link looks disappointed that it's not his guess, his eyes. An interesting thing here is that although he used a personality trait for Rhett, he expected / hoped for this physical trait for himself. But don't feel sorry - Rhett has talked about his baby blues and has even gone to the ridiculous extents of planning to make a blog exclusively for Link's eyes. So don't worry; it is known that Rhett at least acknowledges the beauty of Link's eyes. At least. And Link was expecting this from a place of knowledge and not as an attempt to be silly-sappy.

Things Rhett thinks Link loves about him:

voice (Link will later say he loves his laugh and this is close, he's also enchanted every time Rhett sings so...)

height (Link once said he is attracted to "people of extreme heights")

hair (we know that)

beard (lie detector test)

giving spirit (lol totally)

creativity (they've talked about this many times)

eyebrows (if Link has said he likes Rhett's eyelashes then liking his eyebrows is certain)

Rhett was guessing from a place of knowledge too.

Rhett then said he loves stories of Link's grandma doing weird things with him and I don't like being the weirdo to spell out the weird thing but Rhett's interest in that is vaguely associated to his weird mind being always in the gutter. I don't mean it turns him on of course but he loves hearing weird stuff that border on creepy. You know it's true. Sometimes he's like that. Link took revenge for the accent joke with the psoriasis.

Wow we saw some Rhett teeth. Link answered sincerely with a super cute "I love your laugh" but Rhett just said "I love the sound your mouth makes when you don't chew". Oh well. Link regretted being sincere and Rhett, after some good laughter, defended himself by saying "he (Link) walked himself into it". This makes exactly zero sense and I am wondering whether he meant Link walked himself into it by choosing the vulnerable / sincere way. Or if he just didn't know what he was talking about.

Rhett then asks for the next answer to be complimentary. He then repeats he has strong feelings about Link's accent. Again, I believe this! In a positive light. IDK, I do believe this. Link said he has strong positive feelings for Rhett's car which I found weird like Rhett because I thought it was established Link has the better car of the two. Who knows, maybe he lied about the positive thing. Unless he connects it in his mind with memories / experiences.

Link's guess a little later:

Link: If I wanted to, I could easily... start over.

Rhett: Start over?! Like, whole life?

L: ...Yeah, just like, get a re-do.

R: Huh.

L: And I would be like "Really? How?"

R: Mmkay. I said "If you wanted to, you could easily kill me".

Okay, this gets a little deeper. I think what initially Link meant was a joke about starting over regarding his relationship with Rhett. Rhett didn't get that and asked him if he meant his whole life. Link considered that "mmyeah..." and realised it wasn't that far off from what he meant, all jokes aside. Link does wish he could start over and redo many things in his life. This surely has A LOT to do with their religious upbringing. And maybe how it affected Link's choices. Stevie's laughter is so out of place sometimes. Rhett does not laugh and tries to rush this moment. Rhett's answer about Link killing him is not exactly weird or offensive or mean as I saw some people consider it. It shows, maybe subconsiously, several things; Link's intensity, Rhett's pliable nature especially to Link and it might be more indicative of how Rhett feels about Link than anything else, at least in this video.

And then, out of nowhere, or maybe so it seems to us, Rhett goes ballistic against everyone. He starts complaining about those complaining when they didn't give each other heartfelt compliments. Link joked he agrees with them. Rhett attempted to let this slip although it angered him. The crew laughed with Link's joke, meaning they kinda sided with him, and Rhett turned basically mad at Link.

He accused Link that he did the same that day and Link entirely deflected the conversation. All I'm gonna say is that don't think they don't communicate with each other about how they approach certain situations. I wonder if at times they misunderstand each other or one changes opinion suddenly and leaves the other hanging. Link tries to stop Rhett from going on but Rhett is unstoppable at this point.

You might say Rhett was straight out mean right there and I sure was like "whoa where did this all come from, man" but mean is not a reasonable explanation. He was angry and his words show he is in a pressured state. Unless you tend to have mood swings, which Rhett doesn't really have as far as I know, you don't go from all cutesy and mischievous to furious in milliseconds. Except if there is an underlying suppressed cause. And you may ask, okay does he feel pressured to say a compliment to Link? Is this such a big deal? Well, yes and no. I don't think Rhett meant "we're not gonna hold hands" or "compliment each other" when we ask it. I think we know what he means. I think he's talking about the - well, in his words - elephant in the room. The actually serious consideration that there is something more there. The expectation that it might get revealed at any point - whether intentionally or unintentionally. Rhett loses control at that moment, which is why Link, who knows him well, warns him to not go there but Rhett still does. And again, you might say: well, no fan asked them to kiss or to confirm anything! We asked them simple stuff that can be normal between platonic friends too. Yes, but there is something we don't take often into account. The mythical crew. The mythical crew are actually the ones who monitor closely what the fans believe, want and prefer to watch. This means that the crew has to inform and discuss with Rhett and Link how much they are gonna please the audience and in what ways. Which means that a crew of 50+ people have an elaborate opinion on what fans think of Rhett and Link's relationship (next to their own opinion of course) and this has to be communicated with them face to face. In short, Rhett and Link have their privacy invaded not only by the fans but by their employees and, moreover, they are forced to always have fun with it and take it lightly. Again, you could think: well, they could forbid any rhink reference to the crew from now on. And you would think this WOULDN'T make the crew MORE suspicious at this point? All I am saying, they are fine when they make rhink insinuations / jokes voluntarily but most of the time is forced upon them by both the fans and employees and this can be uncomfortable at best if they are just friends or tyrannical if there is something more there that they still keep for themselves. So, Rhett's frustration comes from a deeper place than being expected to give a compliment. If I were in their place as I imagine it (I could always be entirely wrong) I would feel like a muppet trying to balance all my reactions towards thousands of people, with several dozens of them being paid by me to scrutinize me and order me how exactly to act!

There is a cut following Rhett's vent and you can see that Rhett is trying to calm himself down.

He speaks to himself, mumbling "yeah alright yeah ok ok" and by the expressions I can tell he acknowledges he lost control. That doesn't mean he regretted what he said - just that he said more than it benefits him to say and apparently he said a lot more in the unedited video. Kudos then to Link, who actively tries to calm his friend down and make him feel more comfortable.

This might be unpleasant to some but from his stance I conclude that Link agrees with Rhett or at least understands him. He was just wise enough to not say it out loud. Link first warned Rhett to not speak and then stayed quiet as Rhett was venting. After the cut, we see him trying to help Rhett calm down and relax and he characteristically invites Rhett to focus his attention on him and find something he really loves about him. This is not a complaint - Link is smiling and is warm to Rhett. What he essentially does is trying to help Rhett forget he is being watched by thousands and his every word is weighted, which of course is Rhett's main problem. He just says "forget about them and focus on me and just say something you love, it's all good". I just love Link here. He's supportive and caring.

The next question is what Link loves when Rhett blanks his blank and Rhett is trying to picture it-

I have no doubt Link loves that. The ear thumbing, I mean.

So, then I am adding the stills that redeemed Rhett in the fandom:

But not to be that person, it's obvious that Rhett plays it up a ridiculous lot. And not even to appease the angry fans but probably to make fun of their anger. That's why Link laughs with his face and his answer "I love remembering the time we met".

This doesn't interest me at all. Instead, I am much more interested in Link's nonsensical answer "I love remembering the time we died" because what?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Link tends to say occasionally stuff that doesn't make sense but I don't think he would pass on the chance to say something even remotely meaningful in an opportunity like this and especially regarding his relationship with Rhett. Link clarifies: "...when we died. This is heaven". There are two possibilities and only two: a) this makes ZERO sense and it's the worst and most pointless joke ever and b) this is symbolic or something only Rhett could understand. Rhett does not dismiss this as stupid or silly with his usual done look. He asks questions about it and they discuss at length about how it happened that they died and why they went to heaven since it seems they killed each other. Well, it's because they killed each other in the exact same time with a prod-like tool and they escaped Good Ol' God's (in Link's words) notice. Okay. I'm just leaving this here and you can all draw your own conclusions. Personally, I am torn between a symbolical death and rebirth when they left their religious selves behind and death being used as a well known old metaphor of a certain physical state. It would work even more if it was both. Or Link was just talking nonsense. Let's not exclude that. So yeah. That's all I had to say................

[wherethewordsare]

Hello hello, I read the tiktoker minific and it's unbearably cute and I like your writing so much ♥️ the 30th prompt sounds super duper cute, if you were so inclined. Rhett and Link did a brilliantly stupid thing where they picked out wall paints in the colour of their skin tone 👀

Hi! Omgosh, thank you so much for reading my work! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. So a bit of a disclaimer, I’m actually not familiar with who Rhett and Link are and I thought Jaskier would probably go for some brighter colors. BUT! He got one to match Geralt’s eyes so. Hopefully this is what you’re looking for!! Thanks again for the ask! 

I took a page from @theamazingbard for that morning scene. That’s the good shit right there. Give me easy romance where they’re comfortable and troll each other a bit. It is my weakness. 

37. Painting the house that ends in a paint fight and giggles

“Jaskier?” Geralt was humming softly against his ear, arms wrapped around him as the morning started to spill into their new bedroom. “Jask, I’ve been thinking.” There was a smile in his voice. He was obviously very pleased with himself but it was still too early. 

“No think… just coffee,” Jaskier grumbled, rolling over and burying his face into the crook of Geralt’s neck. 

“I mean, I guess you don’t want to hear what I’ve been thinking about for that front room then,” Geralt’s chest rumbled under his fingers with laughter and Jaskier finally peered up at him with bleary eyes, fondness and suspicion written across his face in equal measures. 

“I hate how much of a morning person you are,” but he was nibbling Geralt’s shoulder with sleepy affection and it earned him a soft poke to his hip. “So what have you been thinking about at this ungodly hour then?” 

Geralt shifted onto his side to face Jaskier more, giving him that crooked smile he used when he knew he had Jaskier’s full attention. “Are you sure you don’t want coffee first?” 

“Geralt,” Jaskier huffed, snaking his hand up between them to squish his husband’s face. Geralt only took it and pressed a kiss into his palm, still grinning. 

“I’ve been thinking we’re probably going to be here for a good long while and you deserve a home studio,” he mused as though he were commenting on the weather. He still had Jaskier’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles and nipping at the pads of his fingers. 

Jaskier pulled his head back, his eyes suddenly alert as he went still in Geralt’s arms. “Really?” He was biting his lip and smiling, his blue eyes shining. 

“Just got to pick out colors and me and the guys can hang up whatever acoustic panelling you need and-” Jaskier was pressing into him, cutting off his next words with a kiss. Geralt smiled into it, his arms wrapped around Jaskier as he pulled him back down into the blankets. 

-- 

That’s how they found themselves in the room off of the foyer. The large windows faced out over the front porch, though the roof blocked out most of the sunlight. After that, the hedges blocked out nearly the rest. Jaskier settled on a buttery yellow for most of the space save the wall across from the door which was to be painted nearly gold. 

“To remind me of your eyes, dear heart.” 

“Jaskier,” Gerlat huffed but was still pleased. 

Everything was going fine until Geralt took a step back to make sure he had taped the baseboard evenly when he felt wet on his elbow. He turned to see Jaskier had just backed up as well from the corner he had been working on, paintbrush in hand. 

“Oh it’s like that, is it?” Geralt hummed. Jaskier turned looking up at him with confusion till his eyes went down and saw the paint on Geralt’s elbow. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Jaskier was already laughing, backing away but trying not to press himself into the still wet wall. Geralt swiped some of the paint from his elbow and dabbed it onto Jaskier’s  cheek with a grin. “Oh you absolute…” he feigned an indigent glare placing his hands on his hips but Geralt just leaned in and kissed his cheek. 

“It’s a good color on you, always looks good in yellow,” he practically purred. Jaskier brought the paint brush up as he flailed slightly, loss for words as Geralt crowded into his personal space. The brush streaked warm gold paint up Geralt’s chest and against his chin. His eyes narrowed and he chuckled, reaching out and pressing a hand into the wet paint of the wall before pressing it to Jaskier’s cheek. 

The squawk of surprise and betrayal only made Geralt laugh a bit more. But then Jaskier was starting to dissolve into laughter as his back was finally pressed to the wall. He tried to grumble about having to repaint but then Geralt was kissing him. 

Jaskier cupped the back of his head, deepening the kiss and Geralt’s eyes flew open as he pulled back, realizing he now had that same gold color in his hair. 

“It’s a good color on you, dear heart,” Jaskier grinned, leaning up to kiss the corner of his mouth. The painting, they decided, could wait a bit.

You can drop me a prompt from this list here!!

Tag list as it stands now <3: @jaskierswolf @geraskier-trashh @elliestormfound @artistsfuneral @thetinymm @fontegagrilledcheese @anythinggoesfandoms @electricrituals

[jungle-angel]

“Honey We’re Shrunk!”: Chapter 3 (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: Summary: Royal was right, there was something weird about that hole in the west pasture. So what happens when Rhett, (Y/n), Amy and their kids wake up one morning and find that they’re only as big as a flea? Shit’s bound to ensue somewhere.    

Tagging: @sebsxphia @peachystenbrough @bradleybeachbabe​

“Can you repeat that back to me.....but slower?” you told your husband.

“Hole......west pasture......” Rhett said slowly, making sure you heard him correctly. “Huge fuckin problem.” 

You folded your hands as you sat on the edge of the doll bed in the dollhouse bedroom with no clue as to what the hole could possibly have in connection to this situation. “Are you sure that thing is back?” 

“Darlin, I was out there with Dad and I saw it with my own eyes,” Rhett answered. “You think I’d lie about something like that?” 

“Well, you did lie about that time you stole my panties and didn’t tell me where they were for a month,” you said. 

Rhett gave you the side-eye. “Besides that.” 

“No.”

“I’m tellin you,” Rhett said. “Something really weird came out of that hole and shrunk us. We’re only what? Two inches high?” 

“Probably a quarter to a half inch,” you answered. 

“And knowing somebody in this house, they’ll squish us like ants,” Rhett explained. “We’ve gotta find a way outta this or we’re gonna be stuck here living in Hannah’s dollhouse.” 

“What?” you chuckled. “You don’t think this place is kinda cute?”

Rhett pressed his lips together, his eyes cast on the red and white checkered wallpaper that seemed to be as old as the Abbott house itself. “I don’t think that’s what my gram intended it for,” he half laughed. 

You smiled and rolled your eyes. “If we’ve gotta wait it out here,” you told him. “Then we wait it out here.” 

“Darlin, I’m serious,” Rhett said. “There’s no running water in this thing and God forbid, one of us eats something bad and gets the shits.” 

You laughed at him being so matter-of-fact, but that was one thing about Rhett you wouldn’t have traded for the world. “I’m joking,” you said with a smile, wrapping your arms around his waist. 

He kissed your lips and held you a little closer than he usually did. “We’ll find a way out of this,” you assured him. “Even if it takes us forever and a day.” 

Rhett smiled and buried his face in your neck. Your reverie was suddenly broken when you heard footsteps in the hallway, clunking along the creaky floorboards as they fell upon the stairs. 

“Perry,” Rhett murmured under his breath. 

“Do we hide?” 

Rhett shook his head and peered cautiously around the corner. He couldn’t see much of his brother, only his shadow in the warm sun spilling in through the windows at the end of the upstairs hallway. There was an eerie calmness in the air, the tension so thick one could have easily cut it with a knife. The hairs on the back of Rhett’s neck stood straight as a pin, for Perry’s shadow lingered a little longer than usual. 

“Rhett, what is it?” you hissed. 

“Perry’s still in the house,” he whispered. “C’mon, grab the babies. We’re gonna find out what’s goin on.” 

You and Rhett rounded up Amy, Hannah and the twins before you left the dollhouse and hurried towards the little mouse hole in the wall, hoping that it would give you a way to see what Perry wanted. You heard the detestable piece of shit muttering and cursing under his breath as he turned and wandered down the hall, back towards the stairs and right down to the living room. 

“C’mon,” Rhett said to you. “I’ve got an idea.” 

You and the kids followed Rhett one door down to Tatum and Tanner’s room, a typical mess of a domain befitting two five year olds. All over the floor there had been scattered their GI Joes, little green army men and a few clothes. Their Woody and Bullseye toys had been lazily placed on top of the toy chest while their bedcovers were all lopsided and falling over the sides of their bunk beds. 

“You two little ghouls told me you picked up your room two days ago,” Rhett sternly remarked. 

“Sorry Daddy,” the twins answered, sheepishly. 

Rhett felt a hot flash of humidity, his senses going absolutely haywire when you all turned to find Diesel, hardly five feet in front of you, a shrill whine escaping his throat as you all stood dead still.

“Mama?” Amy said nervously.

Rhett waved his hand in front of the dog, a sign that Diesel readily recognized. His tongue fell from his mouth as that broad, doggy smile broke out on Diesel’s face. 

“C’mere boy,” Rhett ordered. 

Diesel crawled right to him on his belly, staying dead still as Rhett climbed up his nose and onto the top of his head. “Darlin whatcha waiting for?” He called. “C’mon!” 

You motioned for the kids to follow you as Diesel waited patiently for you and the kids to make your way up. “Are we going for a ride?” Amy asked excitedly. 

“You bet doodlebug,” Rhett chuckled. 

“Do we gotta hang on like when you ride the bulls, Daddy?” Tanner asked. 

“Yep, everybody hold on,” Rhett commanded. 

You all held fast to Diesel’s collar as Rhett gave the command he had taught Diesel for herding the cattle. Within seconds, Diesel was up and running at full speed down the hall and down the stairs with all of you on his back, hanging tight to his collar as though the six of you were riding a massive bull. 

“Slow....down.....you....dumbass....dog!!!” Rhett ordered as Diesel bounded his way down the stairs and towards the landing, all of you still clinging to his collar and shrieking like banshees as you were tossed up and down and every way in between. You hardly heart Perry swearing loudly as Diesel bounded into the kitchen and nearly knocked your slimy excuse of a brother-in-law flat on his ass. It took everything in yours, Rhett’s and the kids’ power to hold on for dear life and not let go. 

“Alright you dumb fuckin dog!” Perry shouted. “That’s it, out, out, OUT!” 

Diesel loped down the porch and into the grass, shaking his fur out when you, Rhett and the kids all went flying into the dirt. Rhett landed flat on his back, his dark brown Stetson cowboy hat in the dirt next to him before you landed next to him. 

“Incoming!” you shouted. 

“Oh shit, shit shit!!!! Fuck! Fuck!!” 

Amy screamed as she flew through the air and landed right on top of Rhett, the pain of impact forcing him to cry out and cough, ringing through his ribs, lungs and stomach. 

“I’m sorry Daddy,” she said. 

“S’ok doodlebug,” Rhett groaned. “You’re good.” 

Amy had been about to roll off of Rhett when Tatum hit the dirt and skidded a good foot behind you. Tanner was the last to come in for a landing, right into your arms but with his foot rather ungracefully landing right in your face.

All of you shook off the dirt and any injuries you had sustained, the heat of early summer bearing down on all of you. Rhett looked back at the house, his mouth open and chest heaving as his blood boiled at the thought of Perry not only being in the house, but having pushed them all out and into the yard had made the anger roiling within, nearly volcanic. 

“YOU PIECE O’FUCKIN SHIT!!!!!” Rhett shouted. 

“Rhett!! Rhett!!!” you blurted out, grabbing him suddenly by the shoulders to restrain him. 

“I’M GONNA FUCKIN TIE YOU UP, INDIAN STYLE AND FINISH YOU LIKE A FISH DINNER!!!!!” 

You made a face at the suddenness of the threat. Never heard that one before.....you thought, trying not to laugh. 

“Rhett,” you said calmly. 

He gritted his teeth when he turned to look at you, his chest still heaving as the breath left his nostrils. 

“First of all,” you informed him a little sharply. “Need I remind you that your children are standing five feet in front of you.” 

“Yeah and that asshat is sitting in our house, doing who knows what,” Rhett retorted. “Drinking all of Dad’s beer and licking everything to claim it as his own!!!” 

Now you were really trying hard not to laugh. You knew your husband long enough, that when he was angry, the obscenities that spilled from his mouth were more funny than threatening. “I get it,” you said, biting your lip. “Believe me, I hate the little turd just as much as you do.....” 

“He’s like a deer tick trying to burrow into your balls,” Rhett huffed. 

“That aside,” you reminded him. “We still have to find a way out of this.”

Rhett made a pouty face and crossed his arms. As much as he didn’t want to, one look at you and the kids, told him he didn’t really have a choice. “Just promise me one thing darlin?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Promise me I get to annoy the shit out of him if we ever find a way back into the house?” 

“It’d be my utmost pleasure baby,” you chuckled. 

Rhett laughed a little as the kids ran up to him, encircling them with their little arms and your own. You knew deep down, that despite everything, you and Rhett vowed to find a way out of this, even if you had to go to the ends of the earth to do so. 

[rhinkthreeways]

Surprise (Smutty Version)

It started with handjobs.

Self-service ones to start. They started playing their cat-and-mouse game almost the moment they became college roommates. Maybe one of them had been trying to be discreet at some point, in the beginning; but if that was true, they were unbelievably sloppy about it. A little too loud while pretending the other was asleep as they touched themselves in their bunk. And they cut things a little too close when trying to sneak a jerk-off session while the other was at class, getting closer and closer to being ‘caught’ every time.

Once they finally began openly touching themselves in front of each other, it didn’t take long for things to escalate to touching each other. Suddenly, they were turning down plans with other friends, and had an awful lot of ‘studying’ to do. There were full weekends where they’d hardly be seen leaving their dorm room at all, aside from sneaking out to shower or horde some food from the dining hall.

They didn’t call each other their boyfriend in front of anyone else. But they referred to each other as such as often as possible behind closed doors.

It was during one of their electively isolated weekends, late into the second semester when they discovered another layer to their play.

Rhett had Link completely naked, laid out on his back. Link’s body was sensitive - responsive to each little touch, breath, and bite. Rhett could, and had, spent hours just playing with him. Making his body break out in goosebumps, making him shiver, shudder, sprawl and tremble for him. It had Rhett hard and leaking, but that was all part of the fun - making himself wait as long as possible before breaking down and letting Link get his hands or mouth on him, finally making him come.

Rhett kissed Link’s forehead, hovered his lips over Link’s fluttered-shut eyelashes, and licked Link’s lips. He gave Link’s bottom lip a sharp nibble before continuing down his long neck. Link giggled when Rhett suckled at his goozle.

Link said it was ridiculous and not decidedly not sexy. But Rhett disagreed as Link’s protests made the bulge in his neck bob and vibrate beneath Rhett’s lips.

Rhett moved down Link’s body, gnawing at his prominent collarbones, licking at his sensitive nipples. Pinning his narrow, squirming hips to the mattress as he worked his way lower until he found himself nuzzling the coarse dark hairs below Link’s navel. He inhaled the musky scent of Link’s sex as he began his oral assault on his cock.

Rhett licked a wet stripe up Link’s shaft, making him groan as he settled to suckling at the delicate head until the groans became high-pitched whines and whimpers.

Rhett tasted salty precome leaking from Link’s tip and mingling with the saliva pooling in his mouth as it watered insatiably for more of Link’s dick. The spit and slick pooled over Rhett’s lips and dribbled down Link’s balls.

Rhett touched his fingers to the thin skin of Link’s sack; he looked up to watch Link’s head tilt back in pleasure. Rhett played and massaged them, loving the way the wetness felt between their bodies.

He followed the trail lower, ghosting his fingertip over Link’s taint and pressing it before pausing at Link’s puckered entrance. Rhett felt Link’s breath hitch and his body clench with surprise.

“Too far?” Rhett asked. His voice thick and low.

“Um. I just wasn’t expecting it...”

“Mm hmm. So. Stop?”

“Well, even less than I was expecting you to… suggest it, I wasn’t expecting to be into it. However,” Link bit his lip. “I want it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Rhett. Just, keep going, man..”

“Okay. Hold up.” Rhett walked as quickly as he could with an awkwardly bouncing hard on between his legs, and grabbed lotion from his dresser. He slid back down between Link’s long, lean legs, and hummed appreciatively as Link spread them wider.

“I never messed around like this before, so uh. Go slow, okay?”

“Tell me if it’s too much, or you change your mind or whatever?”

“I’m not gonna, but okay.”

Link’s fists clenched at the sheets, and he exhaled and Rhett could feel his body relax a little. Only then did Rhett bring his slicked finger back up to Link’s hole. He rubbed the lotion over Link’s rim, loving the way it pulsed for him. He then pressed the tip of his finger to sink it past Link’s taut muscles. Rhett could feel the way that Link trusted him by the way his finger melted into him.

Link’s hips opened for him, and he pulled his knees back to give Rhett more space. Link lowered his hands from their resting place above his head down to touch his cock as Rhett slowly, reverently explored this new terrain.

He gradually buried his finger, knuckle by knuckle, probing gently until he rubbed against Link in a way that made his body stiffen, Link rocked his hips against Rhett’s hand like he was a sex toy that Link was using to get himself off. Rhett didn’t know if he’d ever seen Link look so sexy as he did now as he chased his own new pleasures. It didn’t take long before Link’s cock twitched and spurted. The sound that Link made was unlike any other in all the orgasm he’d coaxed from him that year.

“Game changer, huh?” Rhett said dumbly. Maybe one day he’d have the confidence to tell Link exactly how beautiful and definitively erotic he was, and made Rhett feel, when they were together like this. But for now, this was the best he could do.

“Fuck yes,” Link sighed, equally articulate. “Think I can take… more?”

“Wouldn’t mind finding out,” Rhett grinned.

“Maybe tonight. I’m hungry. Lemme suck you off and then we’ll grab some pizza to bring back to the room?”

Sounded like a perfect night, by Rhett’s estimation.

[mythicalsecretsanta]

Afternoon Alone (T)

This gift is for: Wren (AKA @cerealbaths)  I really hope you like your gift. I’ve never written drama in such a short story so I hope it is well received. Happy Holidays!! From your Secret Santa, Silver (AKA @silverloveless)

Link to AO3, or read below:

Link took a deep breath, he turned on the bathroom sink to splash water on his face. As the towel he used to dry off was pulled down over his face, he caught his own eyes in the mirror. The lighting in Rhett’s spare bathroom wasn’t something he was entirely use to. His eyes looked the same as they always had thought. The same eyes that Rhett trusted, and he knew he had done enough to earn Rhett’s trust to know this afternoon would not be a mistake.

“You can do this,” Link said to himself, “You’ve done this in the past. You’ve done this with Rhett plenty of time.” He washed his hands, and pushed up his sleeves around his elbow, wondering for a second if he should take off his shirt instead of risking it getting dirty.

“It’s been a few years, but muscle memory right,” he gave another deep sigh before he left the bathroom, and made his way to Rhett’s kitchen. Link didn’t know why there was a spike of fear and uneasiness that suddenly entered his stomach. They weren’t doing anything wrong. Hell even their wives knew what they were doing. Jessie even gave her blessing while Christy just laughed and mentioned something close to it being about time. They even took the kids out for the day so they could go on a date before everything happened.

Their date had been wonderful, finally going for Mexican food after their last naked food episode. But the whole time as the date was getting closer and closer to ending at Rhett’s house the pit in Link’s stomach grew and grew.

“Link are you ready,” Rhett asked finally seeing Link stand there in the middle of the doorway.

“Rhett are you sure about this. I mean are you sure,” Link’s voice was strained. He didn’t know why but this moment felt so heavy. He didn’t want to screw this up. He didn’t want to let Rhett down, but he was stuck.

“Come on we’ve talked about this. It’s time to get this going with already,” Rhett just smiled at the obvious unease that Link was giving off.

“I just mean…well are you sure you want to do it in the kitchen,” Link asked trying to find some kind of out still.

“Yeah I mean we could do it outside, but I’d rather stay inside. Plus this seems like the easiest place to clean it up from,” Rhett just laughed, turning away showing Link his back.

Link took another deep breath, everything was going to be resolved in the next few moments no matter how it turned out. Link ran his hands through Rhett’s hair as the latter murmured, “Don’t tug it man.”

Before Link could process what he did, a single sound cut through the kitchen, Snip.

A single strand of golden brown hair fell to floor. Link broke out into laughter suddenly.

“Come on man what did you do,” Rhett turned quickly already running his hands though his hair worried at what had caused Link to laugh, his voice had gone up an octave.

Link pushed Rhett to face back around, the make shift cape out of a trash bag causing plastic crinkling to offset the annoyed look Rhett had given Link. 

“Don’t worry man. I just needed to get over doing the first cut. Now there is no going back,” Link said as he resumed cutting Rhett’s hair. Cutting off most of the length first, large curls began to litter the kitchen floor more and more. He left some of the top length long knowing that Rhett was going to most likely go back to his short up do.

“Do your ears feel cold yet,” Link asked as he moved away to grab the clippers setting a mid-length guard on the tool.

“Well at least now we’re back in territory you’re kind of familiar with now,” Rhett said as he turned on his self-facing camera to see the results of what Link had done so far. He marveled at how strange it looked after growing out his hair for so long, but by this point it was time for the long hair to be cut. He was glad his and link’s wife had taken the kids out of the house. No doubt Shepard would have been hanging around trying to gloat Link into cutting his hair shorter than he would had wanted.

Rhett felt the clippers start at the base of his skull moving upward pulling way towards the top. The feel of the vibration against his head always relaxed him and made him feel good. He could feel the goosebumps break out against his arms. Once the sides were cleaned up he felt Link go back to the scissors to clean up the top.

“Smile,” Rhett said as he help up the camera getting both him and Link in the camera screen, Link’s hands stilled mid cut.

“You going to send that to the girls,” Link murmured before he continued cutting at the top.

“Yeah I think they’d get a kick out of it,” Rhett just smiled. The kitchen had stayed quiet, Rhett knowing that the best and fastest way to get his hair cut was to keep quiet so Link didn’t stop cutting when he spoke to Rhett. Years of getting Link to cut his hair had reinforced the rule of only giving link one thing to do at a time especially with anything sharp in his hand.

Soon enough he had to open his legs letting link get further into his space than any normal hair cut would have allowed for. Following suit Rhett moved his hands to rest on Link’s hips, his thumbs digging into Link’s skin. A smirk showed up on his own face as he saw a slight blush showed up on Link’s face.

“There I think it’s done. I won’t know if anything was messed up or needs to be tidied up, till you wash it out and get it styled,” Link mentioned. He tried to move back from Rhett’s space, but was held in place by Rhett’s large hands.

“Thanks for the fade babe, want to get laid,” Rhett’s eyebrow wiggled as he asked Link if he wanted to continue the last of their day together in bed. Link just rolled his eyes at the pun.

“Rhett I am covered in your hair as is your whole kitchen floor is, and you want to have sex now,” Link responded not entirely not unconvinced.

“I’ll tell you what,” Rhett moved his hands under Link’s shirt just feeling the toned warm skin there under his hand.

“You go get in the shower. I’ll clean up in here read quick before I join you, and rock your world as a thank you? How does that sound,” Rhett pulled Link in closer standing up as he leaned down to kiss Link harshly.

“I think you got yourself a deal Rhett. Just don’t take too long in here,” Link responded. He turned to walk towards Rhett’s spare bedroom knowing better than to incur Jessie’s’ wrath at leaving a messed up bed set. As Rhett watched him go his eyes were glued to Link’s back side, and as Link disappeared around the doorway Rhett hurried to clean up.

“What a way to end a haircut,” He whispered to himself as he sweeping up his hair in a hurry before he joined his best friend and love in the shower.