As It Was

jan luis castellanos, bisexual, cismale + he/him ― hey look, it’s hector reyes! they’re twenty-seven years old, they’ve lived in shrike heights for one year, and they’re currently working at julio’s bar. i heard they’re pretty conceited, but i think they’re so driven at the same time. 

Triggers: mentions of adultery, brief death reference, sports related injuries

Reed laughed when Hector roasted his idea. “I dunno, I still think she might want us to do shit for her instead of getting her stuff, but if you think she’ll love me more if I chip in for new shoes, I’m just gonna hand you my wallet,” he mused, taking another bite of his food. The woman had been very kind to him in welcoming him as a stray, a part of the family. So he definitely wanted to do right by her, but Hector did know her best, so whatever he decided, Reed would absolutely follow. “Maybe we could walk around the mall later and window shop until we see somethin’ good, you know?” he mused. He was glad they decided on a lighthearted movie to watch later with all the depressing shit that had been happening in Shrike. He wanted spring to at least bring better vibes than the winter had.

“Stinky’s a good cat. Maybe if I find a stray or something I’ll keep it, but I’m not gonna look for a pet right now with how much I’m actually out these days. Especially now that the weather’s getting nicer,” he said between bites. He smiled and tried not to laugh while he was eating but it was hilarious to him that Hec’s padrino took him out to a strip club. “Damn, he sounds like a cool godfather. I have like… an uncle in Cleveland that I’m not sure knows I exist,” he snorted, shaking his head. “I’d rather my kid had a godfather like yours than like… someone who theoretically exists, but you’ve never seen ‘em,” he added with a laugh.

Once dinner was done, the two rushed out before any of the little cousins could cling to them. Reed got the car going, and flipped around on the radio until he found a great song to vibe to. “Now I know you’ve heard the Beastie Boys before. This is the first song of their album,” he said. They were definitely totally different from the music he played in his radio slot at night, but he loved their vibe. It was fun music to ride around with. “Sick flow, rock guitars, that hip hop beat? Good shit, bro!” Music was his domain. People who were friends with him were always exposed to whatever he was listening to at the moment, which also happened to be playing on the radio that day.

***

“I mean we can do both but she’s always gonna go for the shoes, believe me. And hell yeah, you know there’s nothing I love more than acting like I’m gonna spend money. In his younger years Hector hadn’t paid much attention to his money at all, not that his family was rolling in it but he never really did feel like he was lacking. His step father and mother had made sure of that, even with how many of them there were to feed. But now that he had rent to pay and his car, he was a bit more mindful about it. Still, a day with Reed at the mall would definitely entice him to buy something nice for both of them. Because they deserved it of course. And maybe Hector was softening a lot but he did consider for a moment how nice it was to be spending time with Reed. Something he had deeply missed while he was gone. 

“Well next time my padrino is in town I’ll make sure he takes us both out. Since you’re trying to be single petless and out here for the summer,” he teased, hoping that it would be a good one. Despite being born in the Fall, Hector was big on summer. And not only because it was baseball season (but mostly) but because he could wear his shortest shorts and croppiest of tops and he was always in his element. He just hoped that this summer would be one they could actually enjoy and not just survive. 

“Wait this is the Beastie Boys? Alright, alright,” he said and turned the volume up as he pulled out of the driveway. He nodded his head along as he drove, smiling to himself to how at home he felt. For a moment it was like they were back in high school and their whole future was ahead of them. He almost laughed at how easy it was for him to slip back to that time in his memory and though it was starting to feel farther and farther from him, it was still comforting. Mostly comforting to know they were still okay on the other side. “Does sound like a bunch of white dudes yelling but it kind of works,” he teased as they drove towards the movie theater and he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “Hey man, in case I never said it, I really missed you when I was gone, you know? Had a lot of friends but none like you. I guess I don’t say it enough,” he told him, unable to look at Reed as he showed what he felt like was a lot of emotion. “And I didn’t come back to be your car seat groupie so I better see you out there producing and writing soon so I can brag about you to everybody, okay? Speaking of work though, got myself an interview at the high school. Assistant coaching position but I think I could get head coach soon enough. Their current head coach is lazy as fuck.”

juliet has never done anything like this before, she’s never been so brave- or foolish, she hasn’t yet decided which this act is. she’s expressed hard and intense feelings before, she’s also even initiated such things, along with romantic expression on a much simpler level in the form of flirting with an attractive person somewhere like a bar, but never has she ever made a gesture so grand and so terrifying. juliet doesn’t know what will come from it, she’s not even sure if hector heard the dedicate, let alone figured out that it was her, about him, and with a much deeper meaning than the one she explicitly said through her baby pink telephone, but the unknown of it all is absolutely part of why she’s so terrified. juliet needs to have control; she doesn’t do well without it, not at all. she’s already been made to suffer enough in regards to having a lack of control due to the killers and all of the havoc that has come from their brutal attacks, and now she’s gone ahead and given herself more uncertainty. 

it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. everyone else was sharing their love for their friends, family and significant others, and juliet couldn’t help but cave and call up to give a dedication to someone she loves, too. the uncertainty of everything in shrike heights that has remained consistently since the first attack they suffered absolutely egged her on and made her believe that she’d be fine in the aftermath, but as soon as she hung up the telephone, she hasn’t been able think straight at all. there’s too many ‘what ifs’ and potential outcomes for juliet to even know what exactly to stress about, so in general, she’s afraid of every outcome. it feels so good to have gotten her feelings off her chest, even if in such an indirect, cowardly and vague way, but of course, juliet’s anxieties consume her more easily than the feelings of gladness do. needless to say, there’s a lot to go over with avery in the phone call juliet makes immediately after the dedication. 

she tries to not make a big deal of it. the call doesn’t have to affect anything between them, after all. people are calling in for their platonic friends, their family members even, so it’s not like it has to be weird. hector knows that the two of them are good friends; what’s the worst that can happen? she tries to distract herself from her racing thoughts by listening to the rest of the dedications on the radio, and then putting a cheesy romcom on - to fit with the theme of the holiday, of course. though she’s wondering how hector will react if he’s heard her dedication, she definitely didn’t expect him to show up at her door; the knock takes her by surprise, but with her thoughts filled with only him, she’s not concerned about who might be there, only curious. 

juliet opens the door, and is even further taken aback by the sight of the very person who has consumed her mind all day. she’s immediately red in the face, and almost too shocked to fully take in his words - but she does. how could she ever ignore or forget such important words spoken to her? “hi,” she giggles, half out of nervousness, the rest at the comment about the remix. “so you uh, so you heard that, huh?” she doesn’t know what to say, she feels like a little school girl with a crush, though at the same time she feels terrified of the unknown ahead of her. “and you recognized my voice?” she suddenly realizes, and that realization puts her in even more of a state of speechlessness. “oh, um,” she shakes her head, as if snapping out of a state of shock. “come in, please, it’s late and it’s dark and it’s cold, get in here.” she invites him. 

*****

in the movies this all seemed a lot more romantic and dramatic. he’d run up her walkway, she’d open the door and they’d immediately fall into each other’s arms. music would start playing in the background and nothing else would matter. the credits would roll and the rest would be history. but in reality, this moment felt a little anticlimactic because now it meant hector had to actually confront his feelings. and he hadn’t taken a moment to consider if he was actually ready for that. especially in front of her. “of course i recognized your voice. i’d recognize it anywhere,” he admitted cheeks flushed as he stepped inside behind her. “yeah i was going to wait until morning, actually now that i’m here i feel a little bit dramatic,” he admitted, scratching at the back of his neck as he stood near her front door. “but uh, i don’t know, something just told me to come here,” he admitted, nerves washing over him as he finally shrugged off his jacket. it’s not like it was the first time he was in her apartment. 

“did you uh, did you have a good day? it was wicked busy at the bar. the love, the heartbreak, everything in between. lots of single moms hitting on me today, single dads too if you can believe it,” he joked, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets as he wandered into her living room space. “i-i’m sorry for just showing up on the middle of the night. i had a long shift and then i was covering for somebody. and i went back and forth and back and forth and then i got the pastries so i was like i can’t eat these alone and you would like them so i uh, yeah i got in my car and came here. in my head it was gonna be very slow motion, doves would fly, music would start playing...” he trailed off as he laughed at himself before finally going to sit on her couch. 

“okay how about uh..can i ask you a question?” he cleared his throat again, sitting up more then rubbing his palms against his jeans. “when we used to write letters did you ever, i don’t know...wish that uh fuck why am i so bad at this.” he took a breath then finally looked at her, his gaze not moving from her eyes. “did you ever think we could be more than friends? did you want to?” he was already nervous to hear the answer, not really sure what he would do either way but he had to ask. “and uh if you did, do you...still feel that way?”

               she laughed , not heartily , and not loudly , only softly , quietly . “ it was my dad’s . sorry if it’s not your team , or whatever . i don’t really know how sports work . ” she told him light-heartedly , sure it wasn’t something that hector cared about in the moment - not after all he had gone through that night - but wanting to speak to maintain some sort of normalcy , and connection between them . as someone who had also been attacked by the killers , eilonwy knew how wrong everything felt afterwards , wrong in a very scary way , to a very scary extent , and while she felt just as powerless as she had after her own attack , she wanted to do everything she could to try to help her friend . 

she really did love hector , and though she wished that there was more that she could do , she knew that she couldn’t let herself be tripped up over the fact that she felt so useless . even if there wasn’t much she could actively do to help , she liked to believe that just being there was something ; she knew what it was like to have no one after such traumatic events , and though she couldn’t say that she was happy about any of their circumstances , she was glad that she was able to be there for hector , glad that he wasn’t alone . she sat there in the bathroom for as long as he needed , not rushing him , not pushing him , just being there . 

“ of course , ” she shook her head at the thank you , but she didn’t reject it , even though she felt as though hector had nothing to thank her for . of course she’d be there , doing her best to get him anything he might have needed . of course . she made her way back out to the living room , and as hector sat back down , so did she . “ i know what you mean . ” she told him first , being able to relate to the horrific and gut wrenching feelings , at least in her own way . “ it’s … ” she struggled to find the right words , understandably so . “ i don’t think i did the right things after my own experience . ” she told him honestly , not looking to turn the conversation into one about herself , let alone for herself , but only wanting to bring up her experience in an attempt to share wisdom that could potentially help . 

“ i immediately began pretending that i hadn’t gone through anything , and i don’t think that that was very helpful for me . useful for me . ” eilonwy felt like she was still working through a lot of her trauma too late , as if it was fresh , and she hated to think about hector in the future having to deal with the same - not that she expected a quick recovery , or anything . “ to be completely honest , i’m not quite sure what the best thing to do might be . what i do know , though , is that we’re going to work together to navigate our way through this . ” she tried to reassure him . “ people in school used to call me a total square , but actually , i can actually pull an impressive all nighter , ” she began , speaking more light-heartedly . “ so even if you can’t sleep , i can keep you company . but i also sing an affective lullaby . i used to babysit when i was a teenager , and i was the best on the block , i promise . ” what eilonwy was really trying to tell hector was that no matter what , she would be there with him , trying her best to get him through the ugliness he had been forced to deal with . 

***

when she sat next to him, he shifted closer to her, reaching for her hand as he did. with his hand in hers, he rested his head on her shoulder and just stayed like that, legs extended in front of him. for the first time that night he was actually feeling at ease. or as close to it as he could get. as fucked up as it was, hearing her talk about her own experience was comforting even if it made him feel like shit that they both had their own experiences to talk about. and with the way things were going, they’d maybe have more than one encounter to talk about. god willing they both survived it. the thought itself had hector shaking his head at himself and he focused instead on the steadiness of eilowny next to him. “people called you a square? who? i’ll kick their asses.” which was rich coming from hector who was likely someone’s horror story of their high school bully. “you’re the coolest person i know,” he added so she was sure she knew. 

“imagine having you as a babysitter? now those sound like the luckiest kids ever if you ask me. best on the block? no doubt about that. i’m sure if they gave out some kind of babysitter award you’d get it no question.” the idea of it made him smile as he thought about it, eyes still closed as he leaned into her. it was easier to think of that time, easier to think of a time before now. “i might have done better in school if i was more of a square to be honest. i was as cool and as confident as they came and in the end i guess i was kind of just an asshole, really, you know? too afraid to be myself.” leave it to a near death experience to finally have hector admitting how he felt after all this time. “not that i’m not like that anymore. guess i just finally admitted i care what people think about me.” the more he spoke, the easier it was for the yawns to come, for his eyes to stay closed more as he felt like he was melting into the couch. “guess that’s why it’s good high school doesn’t last forever,” he added, another yawn, the shock from the day finally getting to him. “i love you, you know that? like big time.”

🔪 𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑

**

“oh  no,”  glenda  began,  laughing  as  she  waved  her  hands  in  the  air  as  if  she  was  surrendering. “i  can’t  let  you,  no  way,  our  roles  are  not  reversing  here,  this  is  not  the  time  when  you  become  my  teacher.”  despite  the  fact  that  glenda  was  rejecting  hector’s  offer  to  help,  she  did  appreciate  his  interest  in  her  happiness  and  his  willingness  to  help. “as  much  as  i  consider  you  a  friend  now,  hector,  i  think  you  need  to  get  a  few  more  years  on  you  before  i  start  telling  you  who  my  type  is  and  letting  you  be  my  wingman. thank  you,  though. when  i  find  myself  properly  desperate,  and  having  downed  one  too  many  wines  while  reading  a  good  romance  novel,  you’ll  be  the  first  i  call  for  help.”  she  chuckled.

“it’s  as  gross  as  it  sounds,  maybe  even  grosser. don’t  worry,  though,  you’re  allowed  to  offend  her  as  much  as  you  like-  within  reason,  of  course,  be  a  feminist  about  it,  but  yeah. it’s  not  so  great.”  she  shook  her  head. “i  put  up  a  mean  fight,  though,  so  i  think  i  could  take  the  lot  of  you.”  she  joked  and  she  laughed,  though  she  did  truly  appreciate  the  offer. hector  was  a  kind  person,  he  always  had  been  to  her,  and  though  she  knew  some  families  were  vastly  different  from  some  of  their  members,  she  had  always  believed  that  the  foundations  of  his  kindness  had  come  from  them;  she  always  thought  that  she  could  have  easily  been  wrong,  but  hector  was  yet  to  prove  that. “i  don’t  talk  to  them  much,  no. they’re  all  too  good  for  me,  and  though  they’d  never  say  it  in  so  many  words,  they  make  sure  i  feel  that.”  glenda  wasn’t  afraid  of  telling  people  her  family  situation,  or  at  least,  she  didn’t  mind  sharing  a  certain  amount  of  information  about  it  all;  she  had  often  been  the  teacher  students  with  troubled  home  lives  had  turned  to,  and  part  of  her  methods  of  helping  was  being  transparent  about  the  troubles  she  had  lived  through,  too.

“i  believe  that  divorce  can  be  a  good  thing. i  know  how  that  sounds,”  she  chuckled,  “but  i  mean,  i  have  friends  who  have  gone  through  divorces  and  are  so  happy  now. i’m  not  saying  that  the  circumstances  around  divorces  are  always  easy,  or  good,  or  beneficial,  but  all  i’m  trying  to  say  is  that  i’m  glad  you  have  that  love  in  your  life,  now,  and  that  i  don’t  actually  think  that’s  weird  of  you  to  have  thought,  or  said.”  she  shrugged  as  she  left  him  with  those  thoughts. she  would  never  force  hector  to  go  more  into  detail  about  anything  that  he  didn’t  want  to  talk  about,  but  she  was  always  more  than  willing  to  discuss  even  the  hardest  of  topics  with  him  on  his  own  terms,  in  his  own  time.

glenda  scoffed  with  a  laugh  at  the  description  of  the  theft. “oh  yeah. i’ve  had  a  couple  of  people  do  that  to  me  at  bloom’s. they  go  into  the  changing  rooms,  try  on  a  shirt,  and  then  try  to  walk  right  out  past  me,  like  i  don’t  recognise  the  shirt  that  they  took  off  the  rack  and  into  the  changing  rooms.”  she  laughed  again;  some  people  really  were  clueless. “you  good  with  beer?  i  don’t  tend  to  go  for  too  many  wild  drink  options  these  days. the  hangovers  can  brutal  when  i’m  drinking  spirits.”  she  chuckled,  this  time  laughing  at  herself  for  showing  her  age.

“oh  of  course!  i  remember  chandler,  i  could  never  forget  such  a  strong  girl-  well,  woman  i  suppose  she  is  now. the  amount  of  trophies  that  girl  won  for  the  school,  it  really  makes  sense  that  you’re  close,  being  athletically  inclined.”  the  athletic  students  weren’t  often  the  ones  glenda  got  closest  to,  but  quite  a  few  of  them  had  snuck  their  way  into  glenda’s  good  books  over  the  years  of  her  teaching. “it’s  nice  to  not  live  alone. i  feel  way  too  old  for  a  housemate  now,  but  i  did  enjoy  it.”  she  encouraged  his  decision,  though  it  sounded  like  it  had  already  been  made.

“absolutely. i  can  definitely  see  it,  and  i  definitely  think  that  they’d  hire  you,  given  your  history  with  the  school  and  your  knowledge  on  the  game.”  despite  the  fact  that  shrike  heights  was  growing,  glenda  had  seen  more  past  students  hired  at  the  school  than  anyone  else,  so  she  understood  that  they  had  a  loyalty  for  their  own. “i  can’t  say  we  were  winning  much  the  last  time  i  was  around  for  a  game-  any  sort  of  game. it  would  be  nice  to  see  someone  be  able  to  turn  things  around  for  them.”  especially  if  glenda  decided  to  go  back  there  to  continue  teaching,  as  she  had  originally  planned,  and  consistently  thought  about,  even  despite  the  fact  that  the  issue  that  led  her  to  step  down  from  her  position  wasn’t  yet  resolved.

***

“oh come on, isn’t that the whole point? student becomes teacher and teacher becomes student? it’s a mutual exchange. i think i used that phrase right. anyway, don’t be shy, glenda, we’re all grown here,” he teased, if only because he liked to see her reaction. “desperate? alright i’ll wait to talk to you once i’m 30 which i’m closer to than 20 if that means anything. i’m just saying, i know some dudes in town who would most definitely take you out on a date. women too if that’s more your speed. you know eilonwy’s uncle? apollo? that dude is single as fuck and he’s handsome, has a steady job. probably reads, i don’t know i’ve known him like forever and know like five things about him. but he’s hot!” hector tapped the side of his head as if he was a genius but dropped it right there in case he overwhelmed her. but he did want to see her happy, loved even. he was sure she really was okay on her own but everyone needed someone, being around his friends more and more was proof of that. 

“well then fuck ‘em. they’re the ones missing out. if anything you’re too good for them. too smart and awesome in my opinion,” he said with a decisive nod. he was a big fan of glenda’s and he thought it was kind of bananas that anyone would not want to spend time with her, especially if they were related. “plus sounds like you kind of won out. no more mushy salad.” he pretended to gag before laughing, her thoughts on divorce having him nod along. “yeah i used to think it was the worst thing to ever happen to me. i mean you remember how i was when i first got to school. new york to colorado isn’t exactly the most ideal jump, you know? but we’re such a solid unit over here it was kind of hard to be mad after a while. i mean my step dad has kind of been more of a dad to me than my own dad. kind of fucked up but i guess it happens, you know?” he shrugged, in that moment realizing that he likely didn’t give his step father enough credit. if anything he gave the guy a lot of shit but he was still there supporting him, loving hector’s mom. maybe it was time he gave him more praise and left behind the man who barely remembered his birthday these days. “family’s are something else, huh?”

he let out a laugh at the idea of someone trying to sneak past glenda with a stolen shirt. “yeah like that’s some amateur stuff right there. beer is perfect. look i like to think of myself as a young and spritely guy but any uh..overconsumption will have you feeling like dog shit unless you’re pumping yourself up with shit to try to get through it,” he admitted. anyone who was a real partier couldn’t just go for it all without either the support of more drinking or uppers. “strong she definitely is. she helps keep me sane, never afraid to call me out on my bullshit which i love. you know, i think you could probably get someone in here to live with you. i don’t think you’re ever too old to live however you want, you know? everything is essentially made up, you know? age, timelines, all of that shit. that’s what i’m learning a lot these days at least.” 

glenda’s confidence in him meant more than she could probably understand. she was one of the few teachers who took the chance to actually get to know him beyond his jock persona. and now that he was older, she really was one of the few mentors he had and he wasn’t going to take it for granted. “well looks like i need to make a visit down there and see what’s possible. if i’m honest i haven’t been to the high school since i got back. too tough, you know? i haven’t been ready to give up the baseball dream, it’s been kind of fucking me up,” he admitted before taking a few sips for a beer. “but i don’t want to spend another year sulking. i want to actually do something about it. plus, coach reyes has a really really nice ring to it.” 

ottilie hated the fact that hector could have very easily been right. ottilie was a stubborn person, her stubbornness almost as relentless and as shame inducing as her anger, and because of that, she wanted to refuse the thought that she might not have been right to have remained so against hector for all of the time that she had been. without their frequent crossing of paths in high school hallways, ottilie saw a lot less of the man, and considering he had also spent time away from shrike heights completely, there could have been a lot of character development missed by the woman. if only she hadn’t been so stubborn; maybe then she wouldn’t have still responded as if she had no faith in the idea. “i got to know you well enough back in high school. even if you’re a saint nowadays, i think you’d still somehow get under my skin.” she wasn’t exactly counting out the idea of growth or change, but she wasn’t letting up in their bickering. of course, ottilie didn’t actually tamper with hector’s meal. there were a few occasions where she had genuinely messed with some really gross customers’ meals, but she’d never put her own bodily fluids into anything, and she wasn’t about to change that fact for the sake of someone she simply thought was arrogant and annoying. still, it was nice to know that she had at least put the idea in his head that she could have done something. “attentive? yeah, i mean, i don’t think anyone’s correctly used it in a sentence when they’re talking about my waitressing skills, but sure.” she shrugged her shoulders. “perfect. the new kid out the back always burns the bacon just a little, so i’ll have that right out for you.” she began walking before hector could get the chance to change his order, if slightly overdone - and not always burnt - bacon wasn’t appetizing.  

****

“And do you still think you’re the same person you were in high school? Plus we totally had a vibe going in high school,” he added, knowing that she had probably hated him this much the entire time which really meant he had been annoying her since high school and trying to get into her good graces for some reason that was...probably beyond reason. “I think it means you like me. Considering I get under your skin, if you didn’t care I probably wouldn’t,” he added as he tapped the side of his head. But when she talked about the bacon, her comeback so quick, Hector had to laugh. He laughed so hard he snorted because she really didn’t need to think about it before something sarcastic came out of her mouth and he kind of admired it. “You should’ve been on the debate team,” he said as she walked away and busied himself again with staring out into the rest of the mall, momentarily pre-occupied with watching Apollo bringing supplies in and out. When she came back around with his food, he sat up with another smile, waiting til she was close before speaking again. “You know, if you came to Julio’s I’d make you a drink on the house. Something tells me you’re like a moscow mule type of person or something.” When she set the plate down he leaned in to look it over. “Hey what do you know, he did burn the bacon a bit, fuck it,” he said and reached for it, making a show of taking a big bite and then smiling as he chewed. “Superb, really. compliments to the chef.” 

A smile blossomed on her face, open and sincere. “I can do that!” She said cheerfully, exhilarated by the idea of sharing something she loves with a friend. There was something endearing about how open Hec was about things that many people, at least back home, would be embarrassed by. There was a strength in that unabashed authenticity. “Did you read anything fun in the last year?”

A blush canvassed her cheeks at his questions regarding the situation between herself and Hoseok. It did sound all kinds of ridiculous when she thought about it. “I just thought it would be a nice way of repaying him for being so nice, you know?” She defended with a pout, gently closing the bento box after she was done showing him. The compliment about its cuteness only made her smile more. “Um, I was in LaPaws and looking at kittens and he was looking at my favourite bunny and I was so scared he was gonna adopt it that I acted kinda weird about it. Um, anyway after I explained myself, he offered to take care of the bunny for me.” Her nose wrinkled at the word ‘credentials’. “Um, I don’t think he has credentials. He works in the bookstore. He’s really nice, though, Hec, I promise!”

****

“Alright then it’s a plan. I never thought I’d say this in my life but we are on for a hang out where we read.” He thought about her question for a moment and nodded. “Honestly? Kind of cheesy but I really loved Pride and Prejudice. I know, so many words. But damn that white lady can write and I’d totally bang Mr. Darcy. You ever read that book? I think Eilowny told me to read it cause she knows I’m secretly a sap. But don’t tell anyone that, I got a rep to keep,” he teased and nudged her lightly. 

“Ahh so this guy...he’s just the bunny babysitter, not your crush?” Hector wiggled his eyebrows as he said it if only cause he knew it would make her blush more. “So he offered to babysit the bunny you really wanted and you made him a cute lunch. Got it, totally chill behavior,” he added but he was down for walking over the lunch, especially if it meant getting a read on the dude she was talking about. He tried not to be overbearing but he was definitely a little bit protective. “Oh he works at the bookstore, huh? I wonder if he’s ever read Pride and Prejudice. But okay, okay I believe you. Let’s go give the cutie lunch and then we’ll chow down, I’m already starving. Lead the way, little one.”

Chandler laughs again when Hector tells her that he’ll find a rhinestoned keyring for her. It’s wonderful to be made to laugh, after living in a state of such misery ever since the carnival, since the attack, and laughing isn’t the only thing that Hector has helped her with since it happened. She feels so lucky for their friendship. Without good people like Hector, without her good friends, Chandler would be lost without hope of recovery right now. Her life is shaping up to be quite the different one, but honestly, she’s coming to believe that it’s all shaping up to be something quite nice. “When have you ever seen me own anything with rhinestones on it?” She asks, amusement in her smile. “You could string the key with a piece of floss for all I care.” She exaggerates her point, though she appreciates Hector’s extravagance. Maybe the extravagance is another surprising change that will shape her post-attack life into a good one. “Well, this is likely going to be the only time you propose to anyone, so I didn’t want to let you down.” She jokes, smirking. 

Though this isn’t something Chandler would have ever considered before what happened to her, the excitement that Hector feels for their arrangement, for their extra time spent together, for their housewarming, for everything, it all gets Chandler excited too, even if she doesn’t show it as enthusiastically. “Now might be the right time to tell you that your mom is right. I’m absolutely, completely, utterly in love with you. I’ve been fantasising for years about hanging up my Kolinsky jersey for one that says Reyes instead. It has a ring to it, don’t you think? Chandler Reyes?” She was doing such a good job at feigning seriousness until she had to say the full name Chandler Reyes. It sounds comical to her, because of how strictly platonic her feelings for Hector are. She’s never really been in love with him, though she does feel a lot of love for him in a friendship kind of way. She laughs at her own joking around, before going back to being serious. “Annoyingly is a word, yeah. They actually put it in the dictionary the same year you were born.” She tells him, joking at that last part, her excitement coming out in the form of jokes, it seems. “I hope you’re prepared to host parties here every time a big game is on then. And we’re going all out. The housewarming is only the beginning of our events.” The idea of this excites her more, which takes her even more by surprise. 

***

“I haven’t, that’s why I would get it for you. My mom always says the best gift to get someone is something they usually wouldn’t get for themselves. Everyone deserves a little bling, even if it’s lowkey,” he told her like it was a real fact. “Yeah you’re right about that. I mean imagine me? Married? I think that’d seriously be the end of times. Let alone buying an engagement ring,” he added, which wasn’t totally true. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it before. Or that he didn’t want it. He just really figured it would never happen for him. He let out a loud laugh and put his hands to his chest. “You know, Chandler Reyes sounds kind of hot, I’m not even gonna lie. You joke but I could just be the one for you,” he teased, wiggling his eyebrows since he knew it would keep her laughing. 

“Oh you really got the jokes today, huh? Maybe your era as a stand up comedian is closer than we think. I’d go to your shows for sure. At least so there’s some solid boo-ing going on. Are you kidding? Consider me on board for the event planning team. We’ll be where people want to be when they watch the game.” Thought Hector had avoided watching most sports since he was home but with Chandler’s influence he was actually excited at the idea to rekindle that love he had. Especially now that he had a bit of an idea of what he wanted to do with his life. Sort of. “I’m gonna have to learn how to seriously grill or make some good chicken wings or something. Really step up or game so we aren’t just ordering pizza and beers. Look at this, we’re already planning. See? I told you, this was meant for us.”

Reed laughed at Hector’s tease. “Hey! Who knows. I keep hangin’ around here, I might just become fluent,” he joked, taking his first bite. There really was nothing like a home cooked meal, and Reed never hesitated to clean his plate every time he had dinner there. Knowing that Hector’s mother had a birthday coming up, he smiled. “Man, we gotta get her some flowers and make her a coupon book for like… chores and sh–stuff,” he said, watching his language a little around the kids. There was a sense of normalcy in the household that Reed hadn’t really felt in his life in a long time, and he loved soaking it in every time he came over.

“Okay,” he finished his bite and raised his brows. “Michelle Pfeiffer is fine, but I’ve seen the trailers, and I think The Burbs looks pretty funny. Then, I dunno. Maybe we can go for a drive or something after. Open mic sounds like fun, though. People in Julio’s have been so depressed lately, man. I wanna meet someone who’s down to have a good time,” he mused. Reed got numbers and dates from time to time, but nothing ever really stuck. Their interests would always be different, and he was a much more sentimental person than he let on, so he wasn’t really the sort of person who hooked up too often.

He laughed when the little cousin came to sit on Hector’s lap. “You’re not gettin’ any of mine!” he teased, giving the kiddo a little wink. He glanced at Hector and nodded. “Yeahhh, I feel that. I don’t even have time for a pet. I love babysitting my neighbor’s cat, though. It’s like having a part-time pet sometimes and getting paid for it,” he chuckled. “Who knows if I’ll ever have kids, I kinda gotta have a girl for that first, but if I do, you’ll be the best super tio. You can be the godfather or something. What’s the word for that in Spanish?”

***

“Flowers and a coupon book? What are we? 12? Nah we gotta do better than that, dude. We’re two adults with job, it’s gotta be decent and have some kind of bling to it. Like jewelry or...uh new shoes? Hot sneakers so she can be cool and hip? Maybe, maybe,” he said with a nod and a tap to the side of his head. Now that he was thinking about it, he really could significantly step up his game for her birthday this year, especially after she had supported him since he had gotten home. “Alright, Tom Hanks wins this time, it’s a date. Yeah I hear you. I’ve heard a lot of shit about people’s lives that make me want to drink too. It’s tough to keep the vibes alive sometimes but someone has to do it and I’m brave enough,” he joked, though he felt a lot of truth to it. 

“I could see you with a cat, you’d vibe with that full time. Totally fits your personality. If Chandler’s up for it I’d be down to get a dog, small one or maybe like..fish. That’s low commitment, you know? Don’t you just have to like, sprinkle some food here and there and that’s it? Anyway, yeah, it’s padrino. My padrino still lives in New York and sends me money every year on my birthday. Last time he came to visit he took me to a,” he covered his cousins ears, “strip club,” he said before dropping his hands. “Not that I’ll do that with your kid but that’s just what my godfather is like.” He shrugged, having fond memories of his godfather, especially after his relationship with his father had started to shift. 

“Alright, let’s get going.” He finished up his food, kissed the top of his cousins head before he got up from the table with his plate to head to the kitchen. “You got one minute to get to this kitchen with me and have the chance of me washing your plate,” he told Reed as he went to wash his own plate, laughing as he finally took Reed’s. “Smart man, I’m gonna go tell my mom we’re leaving. Here, start the car,” he told him after he dried his hands and tossed Reed the keys. Which was a pretty big sign of trust in Hector’s case since he rarely let anyone behind the wheel of his car. He said goodbye to his mom with a kiss on her cheek before heading outside to meet Reed. “Tell me you picked something good on the radio,” he told his best friends as he slid into the driver’s seat. “I never heard this, it’s kind of good what is it?”