Second Chances Are Earned

letme-rearrangethatforyou​:

Bea put her hand in her hand as she looked up at Joel, a light smile on her face. Everything froze as he dropped down beside her and she realized what exactly was happening. A few heartbeats went by before she shook herself out of the shock. “I’m not taking your last name though.” She extended her hand out to grab his wrist and pull Joel into a kiss.

Rom watched his friend carefully lay out his proposal. Each word made his chest swell with pride. He released the breath he had been holding, once Bea gave her answer. He threw his hands up and clapped loudly. “Congratulations,” he cheered. 

Joel kissed her back happily before pulling away to put the ring on her finger, his hands shaking slightly. “Bea Ryan? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t force that on you.” He chuckled as he pressed in to kiss her again. “I’m not sure I could pull off Joel Barks either. And Barks-Ryan or Ryan-Barks… I think it would be safest to not change our names.” 

“Congrats!” Tori cheered as well. She linked her arm with Rom’s and pat his chest. 

“Congratulations. I take this means you and Tori won’t be running away after all.” Seth said with a chuckle. Tori was quick to shake her head.

“Oh no, it’s still going to happen, It’ll just be on her wedding day so she’ll run away in her dress and I’ll be waiting for her like a god damn rom com.” Tori giggled happily and Joel rolled his eyes. 

“Oh yes, please give us a speech, Joel. Make sure you give thanks to the coolest person you know.” Tori mouthed ‘me’ as she pointed at herself with her thumbs. “And that’s all you really need to say to make it a great speech.” 

“I just want to say thank you to Tori, who is amazingly cool.” Seth attempted to mimic Joel’s voice a little. “Yeah that speech would be right up there with four score and seven years ago.” He rolled his eyes at the woman.

“I do actually have a few things that I want to say.” Joel’s heart rammed into his throat as he looked around the table. He pushed away from the table to stand. “I guess I will start by saying thank you, Tori for being the coolest person I know.” He winked at her and chuckled softly to try to calm himself. And I have to say thank you to all of you for helping me get to this point. To Rom for being my brother and for all you have done. To Bea….” He paused as he looked at her. “You are the strongest person I know. The most amazing. After leaving… that place, I never thought I would find someone who could understand me and who I just felt so right with and then… I ran into you. Beatrice Barks, I don’t need the world when I have you. You are more than enough and all I ever have is just you… I’ll be the happiest man alive.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box as he moved to kneel by her chair. “So I guess the question is… are you satisfied with just me? Will you marry me?”

Rom shifted give Tori’s arm a gentle pat as he pretended to glower at Joel. “How very dare you, sir. Bitch indeed,” he chuckled. “But I have to say having no taste is a bit more fun than working hard to have taste.” 

“Excuse me. I teach at Columbia University. Obviously I faked taste well enough to get hired.” Seth laughed happily. He was quick to give his order and hand his menu back to the waitress. Tori ordered as well, caving now and ordering a glass of wine to go with the food.

“Oh please, Rom. You aren’t fooling me. Call me a bitch all you want, I know you love me.” Joel winked at his friend and Seth groaned.

Rom cleared his throat and placed a hand over his chest. “I would like to argue that I in fact have taste by proxy, as I deeply love the only person here with taste,” he chuckled. “Some of it has bound to have rubbed off on me at some point.” He leaned forward to inspect the chip in Tori’s hand. “That is a fine set you’ve earned, Joel.”

“Fuck yes I’m the only one here who has any taste.” Tori pumped her fist in celebration. She then reached over to pat Rom’s hand on his chest. “We’ll say you have good taste, but only because you love me.” She reached back across to set the coin back down. 

Joel set a hand briefly on Bea’s before grabbing the coins to return them to his pocket. “I think it is safe to say that none of us have taste.” He chuckled before twisting to press a kiss to her hair. “Especially not Tori.”

“Bitch.” Tori stuck her tongue out at him.

“I’ll second that sentiment. This is an occasion that deserves ample recognition.” Rom turned his smile on Joel. “We are all very proud and it needed to be said loudly and with loads of joy.” 

“Then let’s get a round of drinks to celebrate!” Joel said loudly with a laugh. He looked among the group and chuckled again. “I’m kidding, obviously. Sorry if that was in poor taste.” 

“I thought it was funny personally.” Seth laughed softly. “But then again, what do I know about taste?”

“Did you get one of those little coins? Do they actually hand those out?” Tori asked. She grinned when Joel nodded his head. “C’mon, you’ve got to show us the bling, Joel.”

“It’s just a number. I’m not old yet,” he chuckled. Rom beamed at Tori and fought through the urge to kiss her. He leaned in close to her and whispered. “Have I told you I love you today?” He turned to greet Seth with a wave. “You’re just in time to get in on plans to runaway for love. If you want in you’ll have make your move before we hit 40th anniversary, though.”

Tori grinned at him and gently caressed his cheek now. “I love you too.” She whispered in return before focusing on the rest of the group again. “You’re welcome to join us when we run away, Seth. I assume you agree, Bea?” 

Seth laughed as he took a seat at the table. “I appreciate the offer, but how do you know I won’t have my own person to run away with by then?” He shook his head with another laugh. “Either way it is good to see all of you.” 

“I’m pretty sure there’s some line like wild horse couldn’t keep me away.” Rom stood now and pulled Joel into a tight embrace. Just to play up the girls’s commentary, he placed a noisy kiss to Joel’s cheek. He turned to grin at Bea and Tori. “You guys don’t have to worry yet. The romantic runaway scheme is for our 50th anniversary. You’ve got time.”

Joel grinned at his friend, gripping Rom’s arm tightly for a moment before finally moving to take a seat. “He’s right. We’ve already got it all planned out. Though Rom might be too old by then for some of our plans.” 

“He may be old, but he’ll still be sexy as hell. You will very lucky to have him, Joel.” Tori reached up to lightly pat Rom’s ass. “I’ll just have to convince Bea to run away with me before you two break our hearts.” She winked at Bea with a laugh.

lambinwolvesclothing​:

“What? You mean you don’t enjoy being hunted every hour of the day? It certainly keeps me more active,” he chuckled softly. “You’re very right though.” He turned to see the door. A wide grin spread across his face and he waved emphatically at his friends. “It’s been quite a nice reprieve lately. Although, I feel like I should find some real wood to knock on.”

“Excellent.” Joel said with a laugh before they reached the table. “Hey guys! Thanks for coming tonight.” Joel clapped a hand on Rom’s shoulder before leaning down to carefully hug Tori. 

“Oh please, as if I could keep him away from you.” Tori laughed before getting up to hug Bea as well. “I’m just here for Bea anyway.” She grinned before taking her seat again. 

Rom pressed in as close as safety would allow and smiled back at her. “I cannot. It kind of flew by when I wasn’t looking,” he chuckled. “I don’t think I could be prouder without exploding. He’s done so well.” He glanced back at the door. “They should be here soon right?”

“Tori and Rom would be so caught up in each other I doubt they would even notice us missing.” Joel pouted for a moment before pulling her in for a quick kiss. “Fine, but only if we get to make out later.” He brought her hand up to his lips to give it a kiss before leading her into the building. “Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to leave Seth alone with them.”

Rom pressed in as close as safety would allow and smiled back at her. “I cannot. It kind of flew by when I wasn’t looking,” he chuckled. “I don’t think I could be prouder without exploding. He’s done so well.” He glanced back at the door. “They should be here soon right?”

“Tori and Rom would be so caught up in each other I doubt they would even notice us missing.” Joel pouted for a moment before pulling her in for a quick kiss. “Fine, but only if we get to make out later.” He brought her hand up to his lips to give it a kiss before leading her into the building. “Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to leave Seth alone with them.”

“If we’re home, does it matter how distracting we are to each other?” She worked his belt free and kissed him deeply as she concentrated on that for a moment. Bea’s hands left Joel’s belt to frame his face.

—

“I think Rom and Tori are already inside.” Joel said as he lightly took her hand. He was trying to hide his nerves, it would be weird to be so nervous over a celebration like this and he didn’t want her to be suspicious. “Ready to go in or do you want to sneak off and make out instead? I’m good either way.” 

makingupformistakes:

letme-rearrangethatforyou:

“I need to let Seth know too,” Bea began to chew on her lip. She wanted to pull her hand away to go back into the bar but it felt nice to hold Joel’s hand again. Once more, she felt herself straighten to steel herself to go back into the bar. Head held high, she opened the door they both came from.

“To good ratios.” Tori chuckled, pulling away from him so she could grab her glass and take a drink. “And to new friends?” She asked with a nod towards Seth. 

“Um, yeah. New friends.” He smiled, but it faded a little as he noticed Joel coming into the bar. “Hey, they’re back.”

“And then we can go home.” He gave her hand the slightest squeeze before stepping into the bar. Joel looked for his friends, not very surprised to see Bea’s friend sitting with them now. “Looks like we only have to make one stop…” 

Rom glanced up in time to catch sight of Joel and Bea entering the bar again just as Seth announced their arrival. He tensed for a brief moment, but forced himself to relax. They weren’t actively fighting so that had to be a good sign. “And they’re not yelling… So that’s good.” He gave a small wave at the pair.”

Tori sighed as she watched her friend’s leave the bar. “This will be good, right?” She squeezed Rom’s hand. “It has to be good. I don’t think I could bear it if they don’t turn out alright.”

makingupformistakes:

letme-rearrangethatforyou:

“I need to let Seth know too,” Bea began to chew on her lip. She wanted to pull her hand away to go back into the bar but it felt nice to hold Joel’s hand again. Once more, she felt herself straighten to steel herself to go back into the bar. Head held high, she opened the door they both came from.

“To good ratios.” Tori chuckled, pulling away from him so she could grab her glass and take a drink. “And to new friends?” She asked with a nod towards Seth. 

“Um, yeah. New friends.” He smiled, but it faded a little as he noticed Joel coming into the bar. “Hey, they’re back.”

“And then we can go home.” He gave her hand the slightest squeeze before stepping into the bar. Joel looked for his friends, not very surprised to see Bea’s friend sitting with them now. “Looks like we only have to make one stop…” 

Rom glanced up in time to catch sight of Joel and Bea entering the bar again just as Seth announced their arrival. He tensed for a brief moment, but forced himself to relax. They weren’t actively fighting so that had to be a good sign. “And they’re not yelling… So that’s good.” He gave a small wave at the pair.”

lambinwolvesclothing:

“Well in the end relationships always have the good and the bad. Opening up to take in the good makes you open for the bad too. You just have to find the right person to create the right ratio.” Rom gave Tori a light squeeze. “We’ve got more good than bad, right?”

She shifted again before huffing at herself. Bea took one more moment to straighten her spine and moved to take Joel’s hand. “I just want to go home and sleep. I haven’t slept in what feels like days. Can we go home?”

“Hm… I don’t know… That’s a tough question.” Tori was grinning as she spoke. She turned to glance back at him before laughing. “Of course we do. We have a lot of good.” 

“I can tell.” Seth was laughing as well. “You guys look real happy and good together.” He raised a glass to them. “Maybe someday I’ll find something like what you guys have.”

“Um, yeah. New friends.” He smiled, but it faded a little as he noticed Joel coming into the bar. “Hey, they’re back.”

lambinwolvesclothing:

“Well in the end relationships always have the good and the bad. Opening up to take in the good makes you open for the bad too. You just have to find the right person to create the right ratio.” Rom gave Tori a light squeeze. “We’ve got more good than bad, right?”

She shifted again before huffing at herself. Bea took one more moment to straighten her spine and moved to take Joel’s hand. “I just want to go home and sleep. I haven’t slept in what feels like days. Can we go home?”

“Hm… I don’t know… That’s a tough question.” Tori was grinning as she spoke. She turned to glance back at him before laughing. “Of course we do. We have a lot of good.” 

“I can tell.” Seth was laughing as well. “You guys look real happy and good together.” He raised a glass to them. “Maybe someday I’ll find something like what you guys have.”