day one ish.

@chicagomadebatman

Appreciate you for keeping me laughing, keeping me in check, and putting up with me.

You got that energy that light up every room you walk in. Don’t start today though…you know you can’t finish.

/gives her that look - the one that’s only hers - eyes lingering on her before he answers

/chuckles, his voice low as he addresses Bryan

“Y’all keep saying hearts floating, but blame her. You see how she be getting us started, right?"

/addresses Alexa

"And it ain't being stuck with you if I'm lucky as hell and happy as all hell to be here now, is it? Hit the jackpot over here."

/his smile stays for a second as he lifts her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it before turning back to Bryan

/nods once, lips pressed flat

"I appreciate that. For real. Might take you up on it."

/pauses

“As for co-parenting…”

/the silence that follows is just long enough to feel heavy in the room

“…We working on it.”

/voice neutral but guarded

“We talk when we need to. Tryna figure out what makes sense. I’m always gon' be there for my kid. For whatever is needed. That’s facts.”

/his gaze drops to the floor, then lifts again

“That part? Still being figured out. One day at a time. But I’m getting everything tightened up. Divorce getting finalized. Hopefully co-parenting locked in with time. Just tryna make space for things to flow right. On all ends.”

/doesn’t speak right away while he’s thinking it over

/nods slowly

"I ain’t gon’ sit up here and act like I didn’t feel something for Lex while I was in this experiment with Gionna. I did. And I owned that at the table when I said it. Just like Liv did at that same table."

/glances toward liv’s side of the stage finally, then back at bryan

"But this what y'all missin’ at home. At that point I wasn't choosing. I was still trying to figure it all out. Still trying to process what I felt versus what I had. I was thrown in this experiment, and this ain't one for the weak."

/a bit more firm now

"So when I saw that clip of Liv saying she would choose Adam? Without hesitation? In a game or not, that showed me everything. That told me I was already chosen against. You know how much I would’ve struggled with that kind of decision, game or not, feelings or not? Come on now."

/shakes his head, jaw flexing

"I ain't tripping on it no more, but when y’all being shady, I need to set it straight."

/shrugs

"I ain’t saying I was perfect. Far from it. But I wouldn’t of been able to say that about somebody else that easy, even with what I was feeling. She was in deep."

/eyes move towards the producers who are behind the cameras

"I wasn't even mad when y'all rolled the clip. I just calmly left, right? 'Cause ain't nobody gon’ be here that don’t wanna be here."

/pauses

"Her and Adam had a emotional connection, and I stepped out the way to let them handle that. If you can come and take my girl that easy, she wasn’t mine to begin with. That’s all it was. No hard feelings. We past it."

/shakes his head

"So that’s why. But I ain’t about to explain. I already explained enough."

/settles back in his seat

/he leans in slightly, voice low

"She been through a lot. And I seen a lot. Not just what y’all saw on camera."

/glances at her briefly, eyes soft when they land on her, making sure she’s good before he continues

"When I came in, I wasn’t looking to fall for nobody. I didn’t even wanna be here. I was issued the ultimatum, not the one givin’ it."

/pauses, then shakes his head, a smile on his lips

"But Lex? Man…she caught me off guard. She saw me. Forreal saw me. The parts I keep locked up. Brought out this side of me...it's wild when I think about it. Had me cackling like a damn fool. Was real as hell from day one, unapologetically herself."

/looks down at their hands laced together

"And after everything that popped off...everything that was said, what I’m feeling now is peace. Got me up here cheesing. Cause she was there when I was at my lowest. And she ain't make it about her. Ain't judge. Just stayed."

/squeezes her shoulder gently, giving her that look that he gives her, playfully shaking his head

"You said you didn’t expect me to show up on Decision Day?"

/eyes locked in on her

"I was already yours before that day even came though. I just had to show up so you knew what time it was."

/smiling hard as hell, leans back just enough to face aj and bryan again