HEROES OFTEN FAIL.

Reina has no idea how this happened. It’s gotten so beyond her reach that she feels like she’s grasping at anything she can when she looks at him, trying to maybe figure out the answer to his question — what does she want him to say? Reina doesn’t know. Really, she feels like she doesn’t know anything anymore. One day everything was perfectly fine, normal even, and Rick was still just a friend. She was staying at his house until she found her own place because he’d insisted on it, because he’s a good friend and that’s it, and it was the same as it’s always been. Then the next day, like some kind of switch had flicked on somewhere in her brain, everything changed. And Reina looked at Rick and saw more than just her best friend, and it’s driving her fucking insane because she hasn’t been able to turn it off. Tonight would’ve been an ideal time to do so — with his date and this kiss and their stupid little fight — it would’ve been a great time for her brain to say ‘oh, well, that was nice but let’s go back to the way things were now.’ Except it doesn’t work like that, and instead of turning it off, her feelings have somehow escalated into something she can’t control. Something terrifying.

Now she’s standing here in his living room, dumbfounded, trying to figure out what she wants from him. This moment feels like the climax of something important — like whatever happens right now is going to shift everything between them. Reina thinks maybe if she just goes to bed without a word their friendship can somehow still be salvaged, and they can go back to normal tomorrow morning and pretend there isn’t an unspoken tension between them. But deep down she knows that isn’t true. There’s always been a pull between them, and now they’ve put a crack in the dam that isn’t going to be fixed just by ignoring it. Besides, Reina’s always had a need to have the last word. “I wasn’t engaged to Mr. Fucking Good Lawyer, as you so eloquently put it,” she counters, although she certainly was close enough to it. She’s got half a mind to rip into him for bringing up her failed relationships, to ask him what that has to do with anything but she knows why he brought it up. They both know. It has everything to do with the situation and this moment and part of her wants to just put it all out there — to remind him that no one else matters because he already said it, it’s always been them.

But she doesn’t. Instead they’re doing exactly what Reina fears they would by calling it a night, sweeping whatever happened between them under the rug never to be dealt with again. Usually, that’s exactly Reina’s style. She hates dealing with her feelings, preferring to ignore them until it isn’t an option anymore. Although right now, ignoring them doesn’t feel like an option. But what else can she do besides agree? “Fine. So am I.” And that’s that. She follows him back the hall to their respective rooms, slamming her door a little too hard as they part ways, and that’s it. She’s just supposed to get herself ready for the night, take her ridiculous outfit off and go to sleep, apparently. The end.

Reina gets about as far as taking her shoes off and her earrings out before she’s marching toward the door and pulling it open again. And like he somehow knew she would, Rick is standing right there too.

She feels small standing in front of him without her glorified stilts, and pathetic as she’s just staring at Rick with her stupid sparkly pants pooling around her feet. But she won’t back down. Reina continues to stand there, looking up at him for a beat, waiting for him to say something or for something to come out of her own damn mouth, but nothing happens. Then they’re moving at the same time, like magnets finding each other and before Reina knows it her lips are on his again, arms wrapping around him for a kiss she’s actually ready for this time — one she deepens almost immediately, refusing to come up for air.

Rick isn’t sure when their up in flames conversation falls into a barely-there simmer, but it does. Perhaps it was sometime after she speaks, saying her final words that tie a messy bow around their already sealed package. And Rick is left with nothing, standing there in his own home pathetically. All he can do is retreat as he’s lost the war, heading back toward his room. The door is closed behind him and he doesn’t do much after that. 

His back remains pressed to the wood, his eyes casting outward as he looks to the mess of blankets he left on his bed, forgetting to fix them before they left for Skateland. Reina would roll her eyes at that, that he knew, and the thought makes his stomach hurt in an instant. 

He thinks to simply go to sleep, perhaps then he’d find a temporary lapse of peace within an unconscious mind. But even as pleasing as that thought sounds, he doesn’t do it. In fact, he couldn’t move. Every single part of him, inside and out, keeps himself planted in this same spot, his back pressed against the door of his bedroom, as if he was waiting for something to happen. Anything. An explosion, more words, fucking anything. 

With that, he turns, opening the door and marching towards Reina’s bedroom as if he had a plan in mind when he doesn’t. Just as before, he’s running on raw, pure impulse and nothing he could do can bury that feeling. And just like that, she’s there too, swinging the door open as Rick takes the final step towards her room. Once again, it’s all up in flames, but it’s different this time. It’s reminiscent to the same burning despite he always felt when they were teenagers, back when playing spin the bottle at some stupid house party was the biggest leap they could ever take. 

He’s already done for the day. A few scenes filmed and ready to go to the editor and all that’s left for Adrian to do is wait around for Finn to finish up with whatever he’s doing in the office. Thankfully for the receptionist that means there’s someone there to cover her break. He’s commandeered the computer and the leather office chair to watch Netflix while he half pays attention to people coming and going. When the door opens he watches Rick enter with a concerned look on his face. 

“I actually have about 45-ish,” he says, hitting pause just as a vampire sinks his fangs into another teenager’s neck. “You look stressed. What’s up?”

╳

You look stressed. That alone was an understatement. Still, Rick tries to reason with his anxious thoughts and search for guidance. “It’s actually about my kid,” He says before finding a seat, sitting down opposite of Adrian. “It’s kinda ridiculous and maybe I’m jumpin’ the gun when it comes to my fatherly nervousness, but..” Rick shrugs, hoping Adrian would understand his concerns. “She’s been hanging around a bad crowd, you know? Getting into bad shit. Drugs have entered the picture recently.” A laugh escapes him then, “I mean, I guess we were all doin’ something at that age, you know? Especially in this town.” 

He sighs, “But, I was wondering, what would you have wanted to hear at her age from a concerned parent? I don’t wanna scare her or make her rebel even more. But, I don’t know, maybe the whole thing is just inevitable.”

STARTER FOR: @richardswan​

LOCATION: DARLA’S

YAS was starving. The food wasn’t the only reason why she chose Darla’s but it had always been a place of comfort for her. As a dancer and a siren, she was known around town and had to deal with her fair share of people who felt like off hours meant that they could get a little more out of her. No matter the times she said no, it went into one ear and out the other. Richard was someone who she’d known would keep an eye on her as a Siren because she was their property and as twisted as it was, it made her feel safer. Even though she wasn’t a dancer anymore, habits were hard to break and there was still a sense of comfort that came with being in the presence of people she knew. “Hey Richard,” the brunette called out from the front of the cash, waving at him. “Do you have any hot soup?” She normally came for a coffee and a pie but it was a chillier day and the cold had gone straight to her bones so she was hoping for something a little warmer. 

╳

Dealing with the restaurant, by some miracle, had gotten a little easier. He’s finally figured out his way around a fresh look for the eatery, as well as new menu options plucked right from his grandmother’s own personal recipes. That alone was boding well with old and new patrons alike, because that’s what was always so special about Darla’s, it was personal. Homey. And Richard can only hope to keep that feeling alive.

At the sight of Yas, he smiles, circling through the kitchen and out towards the main area to greet her. “Hey, kid,” He says, smiling warmly. “What, no pie today?” Rick asks jokingly, nodding to the open table at his side, signaling for her to sit. Rick seats himself across from her, going through the new menu in his mind, “Let’s see, we’ve got tomato, broccoli and cheddar, French onion, and Italian wedding. But, for you, we can make ‘em all. Just say the word.” He says teasingly, nodding to the back. 

It’s become increasingly difficult for Andy to not feel like a time bomb as of late, especially after that conversation with Rowan. His mind still lingers on that bottle of liquor, on how badly he had wanted to drink it – More importantly, how horrible he felt about wanting to drink at all. He’s pushing himself to go to AA, but he’s still left with the lingering feeling that the other shoe is about to drop. Andy hasn’t said anything about it to anymore, but feels it each time he passes the bar at the clubhouse, when he sees someone with a drink in their hand, whenever he catches a whiff of stale beer when working on someone’s car. It makes it difficult to focus, putting him on edge in a way he hates, and still feels deep shame over. 

Rick’s arrival at the clubhouse proves to be a welcomed distraction, pulling Andy’s attention from make-shift bar across the room. Eyes roll as a scoff of laughter passes Andy’s lips, “You’re fuckin’ delusional if you think they like any’a us.” He points out, having been on the receiving end of plenty of unimpressed soccer moms. At least most of them aren’t brave enough to say anything to his face. “But they wouldn’t have much to bitch about if we weren’t around. Who else are they gonna blame for all the shit that goes wrong in their lives?” Andy laughs at his own joke, settling back into his seat. “I didn’t think you were comin’ by. I was kinda likin’ not havin’ to see your ugly mug.” He’s quick to tease, giving the other man a look of faux-disappointment – When in reality, he’s grateful Rick showed up to distract him from the cheap beers sitting on the other side of the bar.

╳

The joking nature from Andy is welcomed, Rick leaning into the conversation with ease. It was strange, a part of him could tell that perhaps Andy needed this too. A friend, a simple distraction from whatever else was burdening their minds. So, he rolls his eyes, letting out a chuckle. “Oh, fuck you,” He muses out loud, shaking his head. He takes a quick swig of his water before setting the bottle down at his side. “You did make a good point, though. It makes you wonder what those people would blabber about if we weren’t around. Maybe they’d complain about their dirty gutters or their dead lawns.” Rick says with another laugh, the sound weaving through his words.

So they’re not talking about it. That’s fine by Reina, because honestly, she doesn’t even know what to say — which is pathetic in its own right. All they did was kiss, for God’s sake. You are adults, she thinks. They’re almost forty-two years old and yet they’re acting like two teenagers who just shared their first kiss, ashamed and unable to talk about what happened like kissing is some sort of taboo subject. It is for them, though — Reina knows it is, despite the fact that she thinks this is all ridiculous. It’s taboo because it’s been brewing for decades between them, and they’ve always had an unspoken rule to never do anything about it. Never, until now. There’s an uncomfortable pit in Reina’s stomach as they weave through the crowd, Rick saying his goodbyes as Reina follows behind him, uncharacteristically silent. Her skates lay forgotten under a bench inside while they finally make it out to Rick’s truck and even as she hauls herself into the familiar passenger’s seat and he asks if she wants to stop anywhere on the way, all she can really do is just shake her head no. “Let’s just go.”

They ride in silence, the obvious tension growing thick as the minutes pass. And that’s all it takes for Reina’s discomfort to grow into irritation. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Rick had been the one to meet up with a date, to ditch her for some woman he doesn’t even know. Sure she’d blatantly flirted with a man right in front of him but he’d been the one to grab her and kiss her despite that. Reina can feel him all but pouting in the seat beside her as he drives and it makes her so angry that by the time they pull into the driveway, she’s practically got steam coming out of her ears. She’s got half a mind to just storm into her room and hide out for the rest of the night so she doesn’t have to deal with any of this, but once they’re inside she can’t keep herself from at least saying something. “I don’t know why you’re being like this,” she finally snaps at him as she hangs her bag by the door, loud enough that it’s a good thing there are no kids in the house. She isn’t anticipating a fight fight, but she’d rather not have any witnesses to their bickering all the same. “You are the one who had a date. Stop being fucking petulant.”

╳

After knowing Reina for so long, he should have expected her irritation to arise. But, for the rest time in what feels like forever, he can’t read her. Rick can’t even get a proper hold on how he feels, so it’s no surprise that she feels suddenly lightyears away. Would they stay this way now that everything’s changed? Even as daunting as it sounds, a life without Reina wouldn’t feel right, even after tonight. He would have had her any way, and if this was the beginning of the end for them, maybe he had to be okay with that.

He rests his keys on the table near the front door, not flinching as Reina speaks her mind. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” He says then, deciding to speak on a whim without really thinking. He certainly couldn’t stand there dumbfounded. Not anymore, anyway. He moves through the kitchen and then down the hallway leading to their bedrooms. The door to Elizabeth’s room was still open and he reaches inside to close it, something he did by habit. He never liked seeing his daughter’s rooms empty. Silently, he wonders if he’ll feel the same once Reina goes. If she goes. Once the thought comes, he knows the answer. He can already picture himself closing the door to his guest bedroom where Reina was now, never to be opened again, only when he wanted to reminisce and miss her deeply and pathetically.

Rick turns, “Nobody’s being childish, Reina,” He insists, “We’re...fucking adults, we’re not kids anymore. What am I supposed to do?” Just as before, his anger lifts to the surface and he can’t exactly fight it. “Jesus, you got engaged. To fucking Otto.” He says, shocked by his newfound honesty. “God, and Caine. Mr. Fucking Good Lawyer.” Rick laughs out, a part of him feeling terrible for even speaking on Reina’s past relationships. But he was scorned, that much was obvious. And he believed he had already buried these feelings. He promised himself years ago that he’d never let Reina Thane hurt him like she did back then. Leaving with Jason was the peak, but that wasn’t the case anymore. 

His eyes survey her expression again, feeling his heart sink. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, but it was. “I’m gonna just —” Kiss you again because I want this and I want you. “...call it a night.”

Rick would never admit to this openly, but his eldest daughter was a prominent stressor for him. His love for Fiona never decreased, not ever, but sometimes he wonders if anything he does will ever truly impact her, as her path toward rebellion only widens by the day. He knows she’s most likely stressed and confused about what happened to Reina and that was something he couldn’t quite patch up. Not entirely, anyway. Club business has always been a very lock and key thing and there were no real exceptions to that, especially fourteen year old daughters who don’t know any better.

And like clockwork, drugs enter the picture. Weed, mostly, but all Rick can think of is how that drug always leads to another and then another and then another. The gateway drug, he thinks to himself as if he’s some Say No To Drugs advocate visiting a gymnasium of bored pre-teens. Still, he can’t shake the thought, which is what leads him here. He seeks out Adrian and Rick approaches him, “Hey, do you have a minute?”

A combination of fear and bliss makes a home inside of Rick. Fear and bliss. Fear because the world was suddenly so different and bliss because, most of the time, change was a welcomed thing and not something to frown upon. And perhaps Rick needed change, something to liven up the already developed nature of his existence. Still, that feeling of fear persists, mixing with his newfound bliss, turning into a muddled mess. Somehow, he tolerates it, Reina being the one string of fate keeping all his emotions together. For a moment, he thinks to call his mother. He thinks to tell her about everything that happened, about everything that’s changed, but refrains. That alone leads to another daunting thing: the idea of being out in the open, the dam breaking. The prospect of everyone knowing, making what he had with Reina suddenly so fragile in a way that he couldn’t control, made his insides turn. And yet it doesn’t quite trump the excitement, either. Enter fear and bliss. 

All these thoughts come to a controlled halt as he parks his bike outside of the clubhouse. He was just coming back from Elizabeth’s soccer game which was a nice break from his personal inner turmoil the last couple days. When he heads inside and sees Andy, he smiles, a wave of relief washing over him. He was just the person he needed to see. “Did you know the soccer moms of Olympus aren’t exactly amused by the club? Or by me, for that matter?” He muses, his eyes narrowing jokingly. “Who would’ve thought..” He continues with a laugh and a roll of his eyes, circling toward the little bar located in the clubhouse. Rick grabs himself a water from the mini fridge before plopping down on chair near Andy in the common area towards the front. 

By now, Reina’s frustration has gotten away from her, turning what wasn’t supposed to be more than just some pouting for a few hours until she eventually got over herself into something much deeper. She can see it in the way Rick looks at her, can feel it in the tension between them. She’s toed too far over the line this time, finally taking the game she continues to play when it comes to the two of them a little too far. Reina knows what he’s saying when he calls bullshit on her actions but she refuses to acknowledge it, instead turning it back on Rick. “It’s bullshit that I came here on a whim and you fucking left me,” she seethes, angrier than necessary. It sounds so pathetic when she says it out loud — Reina’s never been the type to completely rely on the presence of a man to make herself feel comfortable, even when she was married. But coming tonight had been scary for her, not that she’d admit it, so yes, she’d been looking forward to getting herself through it with Rick by her side. But that’s not the reason she’s as pissed off as she is and they both know it, even if he’s the only one that wants to admit it.

And he does. Reina almost doesn’t hear him at first, not until he repeats himself and the truth they’ve been avoiding for years is out in the open. It’s always been me and you, he says it so plainly that it’s almost like they haven’t been scared to death to go down this road, like it’s just been common knowledge all this time and they both secretly knew it. Maybe they have. Maybe Reina’s known this since they were kids and she’s just been running away from the inevitable like she always does, but now it’s out in the open and she can’t pretend she’s still got her head stuck in the ground, that she’s blind to whatever it is that’s been brewing between them for thirty years, no matter how much she wants to. It’s not her and Jason or her and Otto, or Rick and Christine or the blonde bitch from tonight. It never has been, and that’s the problem. “Rick, you can’t—” Reina barely gets the protest out before he’s making strides towards her, grabbing her face and kissing her so hard she almost sees stars.

It’s crazy how one little kiss after years of anticipation can manage to completely pull Reina out of the dark. She’s always known there was something more to her relationship with Rick, that people who are just friends don’t know each other as deeply as the two of them do, but this is the first time in her life she’s actually willing to unbury it from the depths of her mind and see it for what it is. The kiss should be weird but it feels natural, like they’ve been doing this forever, and it’s only when Rick pulls away from her that the warmth that’s begun to spread through Reina starts to dissipate. “No, it’s —” she starts, swiftly interrupted by another one of his apologies. All she can do in return is stare. Reina’s so fucking dumbfounded, her brain turned into scrambled eggs somehow just from kissing him that she can’t even find it in her to form a coherent word other than “okay.” She wants to tell him that he doesn’t have to apologize, that she hadn’t actually minded him doing that at all, but by the time Reina can form a coherent thought again her anxiety has already made a home in her chest. “You’re my ride,” she says dumbly, as if he doesn’t already know that, crossing her arms like she’s got any reason to be annoyed. “I can go ask Ro if you’ve got other plans, though.”

The unsteady rhythmic thumping inside Rick’s chest doesn’t subside. Not even a little. Even as he’s tearing himself away and staring at Reina as if she was a ghost. Perhaps she might as well have been exactly that, a ghost from his past making itself known again. It’s only then Rick realizes how long he’s kept this buried, how long his desire went unnoticed. Yes, it was always there, lingering, but now it was up in flames and waving in front of his face violently. 

“No, I-” He begins, head shaking. He can’t exactly find the words and he stumbles over them mindlessly. His head shakes again and it becomes the only way he’s able to expression his feelings now. “It’s okay. I can drive us.” Rick finally says and he can’t help but find his tone hopelessly pathetic. Should he have said more? Should he kiss her again and make sure this whole thing was real? Was any of this real? The questions bang metaphorical pots and pans inside his mind as he takes another step back, turning toward the door that leads back into Skateland. He swallows hard as he reaches for the doorknob, opening it wide and allowing Reina to head inside first. For a moment, his mouth opens to say something but he somehow refrains. She doesn’t feel the same way, Rick thinks to himself on a whim, though the emotion was sincere even as aimless as it was. She doesn’t feel the same and you’ve made a mess of everything. Someone approaches Rick once they’re inside and he stops in his tracks as they do so, “We’re heading home, actually.” He says to them, earning them to release a loud No way! You gotta stay! and Rick has to force a laugh, shaking his head once more. “It’s gettin’ late for us. I’ll call you, though, alright?” By now, everyone knew what happened to Reina at that warehouse, so them going home earlier than anticipated wasn’t exactly a stretch. Which is probably by this person doesn’t push it and instead gives Rick a solid pat on the shoulder before bidding the both of them goodbye. 

“Oh, you know, baby, I do what I can,” Bowie says with a laugh, playfully striking a few poses to show off their outfit for the occasion. “Thank you. Probably could’ve guessed, but this type of shit is right up my alley, so I’m having a ball. But you, this whole look is really working for you,” They grin at Rick sincerely, letting their hands settle on their waist, naturally and absentmindedly moving to the music playing throughout the rink. And that smile widens into another soft chuckle as he speaks about his daughter. It warms Bowie’s heart, just as it had when they first met him in Hex. There are too many instances of parents writing off their kids, especially when it comes to unfamiliar interests and hobbies. And then there’s Rick, who’s actually trying to understand, as amusing and endearing as it may be. “Oh, no. Not a lonely old fart,” Bowie laughs, eyes shutting and head falling back slightly. “Sounds like she’s just tryin to get you to have a lil love in your life. Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” They say, brushing their hair back out of their face. “How you think the rose quartz workin out for you?”

╳

At the compliment, Rick’s mouth quirks into a smile, his hand moving outward to swat the air. “Thank you,” He says in passing, his head shaking a little. “I feel like I look like an extra in Saturday Night Fever.” Rick muses with a laugh, “Which I suppose isn’t a bad thing considering the theme for tonight.” He continues, motioning with his hand toward the rink of skating people all dressed in 70s attire. Maybe the difference was that someone like Bowie looked like the main character while the rest kind of faded to the background. Like stated, this was very much their scene and that was evident. 

At their question, Rick hums, shrugging his shoulders a little. “I’m not sure,” He replies honestly, “My love life’s a little..” The man trails off, attempting to find the right words, “scattered, I suppose. Probably because I’m not entirely sure how I’d apply the rose quartz to my life. All I’ve done is stare at it, really, which I’m sure isn’t doin’ a damn thing.” Laughter weaves through his words. “What about you, huh? How long have you been into the whole metaphysical side of the world?”

“Doesn’t look thirty-nine to me,” he shrugs. Seth wasn’t one to judge, considering the younger women that he’d done less than date. He hardly could judge, nor would he because he’s sure Rick could remind him all of the women before Emme that he’d managed to fuck around with. However, Rick surprises Seth with what he says about them deserving each other. Clearly, Rick was one the only people to think that. Seth definitely didn’t think that he deserved Emme— did that stop him from wanting her? Absolutely not, but he’s always been selfish. “She probably could do a lil’ better but she’s stuck with me no matter what with Harls now,” he admits. Sticking his foot out though, he shows off his rollerblades. “Used to play roller hockey all the fuckin’ time. Had these rollerblades for fuckin’ years. So guess you’ve been missin’ out.”

╳

“Aw, come on,” Rick says after Seth muses about his current relationship with Emme. “She’s still her own person and and she still chose you. That means something, you know? You make each other happy despite what anybody else might think. Even the little voice in your head that might beg to differ.” When Seth mentions roller hockey, Rick can’t help the wide smile that spreads across his face. His eyebrows arch in amusement too, the thought of a younger Seth playing roller hockey both hilarious and endearing. “Why don’t you play again?” The older man questions, “Maybe you can teach the kids too, something to help you guys bond as a family or something. You can bring Emme along too obviously. It could be fun.” 

Reina gives an over exaggerated, dramatic eye roll when Rick speaks up, taking another long drag of her cigarette before she finally has the nerve to look over at him. And he looks stupid, standing there in his dumb sparkly cowboy hat looking at her like getting her attention is the most important thing in the world to him. She tries not to let it make her weak in the fucking knees, but that in itself is a feat. “Do what?” Reina asks him, the face of innocence but they both know exactly what. She’s being a brat, for lack of a better term, and she’s putting Rick in a position of guilt that isn’t at all fair to him. But Reina can’t help it — she’s petulant when she doesn’t get her way, even if her way isn’t something she even realized she wanted until this very moment. Hell, she’s still not sure why she feels like this, like she’s going to burn the place to the fucking ground if Rick spends one more second with sunshine Barbie. It makes her feel uneasy, like she’s stirring something up that she should probably keep a lid on and never think of again, but it’s too late now. Reina’s too stubborn, and Rick isn’t much better.

“She’s very chipper,” she bites out, crossing her arms with an air of finality. Like now that she’s said it, he’s supposed to go dump the woman because she smiles too big and is too fucking nice and that’s the end of it. In reality, there’s no woman Reina would approve of for Rick — not even Christine, who’d admittedly been the worst of them all and Reina hated her for reasons outside of her jealous nature. It isn’t fair, not when she’d been purposely flirting with another man right in front of him just to see how far she could put a toe over the line before they did something they regret, but nothing’s really been all that fair these days, anyway. “I just didn’t realize Suzie Smiles-a-lot with the pea brain was your type, but that isn’t my business, is it?”

╳

Jealousy. It was an all-consuming beast and it seems to reveal itself in contrasting ways when it came to Rick and Reina. She stood before him like a storm, his own personal hurricane. And then there was Rick, a testament to true desperation, the art of never giving in. Or giving up, really. It seems the core of their jealousy is never reached. It never reaches a divine point either, a peak, and it only recycles and continues. Maybe now was a way of reaching some kind of end, closing the book on their aimless envy. Though, despite all the nerves that rise to the surface, turning into a strange feeling of anger now for Rick, he doesn’t know the right answer. Or the right path to take. He could simply go back inside and go amongst his life as he usually would. He could continue going on meaningless dates with random women like Leanna, women the exact opposite of Reina, while she continues to make a mess inside his mind and heart. Or he could mend the gap between them and fall victim to years of repressed love, lust, anger, sadness, and whatever other feelings came along with that. 

“What are you even —” Rick starts but stops himself abruptly, releasing a laugh inside. It’s a bitter sound, one fueled by the more angry part of him in this moment. His head shakes, his eyes wandering. Rick searches for the right words. “This is fucking bullshit.” That same bitter laughter weaves through his words. “This is bullshit and you know it.” Suddenly, fear takes over, and Rick can’t exactly shake the feeling. He thinks of all that could change now that his evident displeasure and desperation is on display because, deep down, he knows she understands what he means. What he’s trying to say. And for a second, he can only stare at her once his gaze turns to Reina once more, his expression twisting into something more sad, sorrowful. “It’s gonna be me and you.” He says, his voice close to a whisper. “It’s always been me and you.” It was daunting how after speaking just a few words, everything was different. They were no longer nestled inside a comfortable hiding place. They were exposed, out in the open. 

“Fuck,” Rick breathes out, a little speechless. The air becomes too quiet and Rick can hear the rhythmic thumping of his heart boom in his ears. With all the impulse left inside him, Rick moves closer, reaching his hands up to cup both sides of Reina’s face, and kisses her with everything in him. 

In an unexpected turn of events, Rick Swan is annoying the shit out of her. And maybe that isn’t fair to say considering they’ve spent all of six minutes together tonight before being pulled in opposite directions and mingling with different people but the fact remains, he’s under her skin and she’s irritated with him even if he doesn’t know it. Though now that he’s slid up into the seat beside her, she tries to make a mental plan as to how to play this out, not wanting to berate him in the middle of a fucking roller rink over something as simple as having a date with someone — something that isn’t illegal and it isn’t like he owes anyone anything, so technically he hasn’t done anything wrong in the first place but that doesn’t stop her own sour feelings about the whole thing. “S’all yours,” she repeats again watching while he downs the drink in question, “He’s probably expectin’ a blowjob as a thank you for it though. Sorry, I should’ve specified the conditions if it before you drank it — bet that’ll put a bummer on the night for your date, huh?” 

Rowan doesn’t even know who the woman on Rick’s arm all night is. It’s someone she recognizes only vaguely, sure they’ve crossed paths on more than one occasion but the woman had never made a lasting enough impression for Rowan to bother learning her name, much less anything else about it. “I didn’t realize you were seein’ someone,” she starts off, taking a sip of the soft drink that had finally been placed in front of her. 

╳

Deep down, Rick knew he would have to face Rowan’s annoyance toward him. In truth, she was justified, even if Rick and Reina had their own brand of personal avoidance. Reina was like her sister despite their usual spats and that Rick couldn’t avoid. So much so that he can’t even dive back into the brief banter that ensured between the two of them for that split second. His eyes cast elsewhere, down at his hand that places his shot glass back onto the bar counter. He thinks to order a beer but doesn’t yet. “I’m not seein’ anyone,” He says, releasing a slow sigh. “Izzy set me up on a date for the night, so. I thought it would be nice. I don’t know.” At least he was being honest. He does so mostly because he knows that he couldn’t quite lie to Rowan. Not about this, anyway. 

Finally, he orders a beer, the bartender nodding quickly before getting one for him. Once it’s opened and slid over to him, Rick takes a generous swig, silently hoping it’ll calm the nerves that brew inside him. Of course, it doesn’t, but Rick has to give himself a point for trying. “I was gonna ask how you’re night’s going but you’re not lettin’ this go, are you?” He asks, laughing a little. The sound is bittersweet. 

“You already owe me one,” Reina points out, the fact that she’s here at all is enough for that to be true. But she still follows Rick’s lead out to the rink, letting him guide her as she glides beside him, the death grip she’s got on his hand barely easing up. And even though Reina is terrified of falling and looking like a complete idiot, she is having fun — even when he trips and almost sends them both plummeting to the ground, she just lets a laugh bubble out of her despite her fears. She’d have fun with Rick wherever they are, though — she always does, he’s one person that can always bring this side of her out. She leans into his side when he bends toward her, smiling up at him with a quiet “maybe,” and for a moment the two of them are in their own world. Everyone around them disappears, all the bullshit she’s just gone through no longer matters, any mask she feels she has to put on for the public slowly dissipates — soon she’s just enjoying time with her best friend, letting Rick’s warm presence lull her back into the Reina he’d met as a kid, not the Reina she’s become. And then it all comes to a screeching halt.

‘You mind if I steal him?’ For a moment all Reina can do is blink at the woman in front of her, brows furrowed in confusion that this woman would have the nerve to come up and interrupt them in the first place. You mind if I smash your fucking face into the rink floor? sits on the tip of Reina’s tongue, her temper flaring even though she’s trying hard lately to keep herself in check. But before she can even politely tell this woman to fuck off, Rick’s reaching out to the blonde like this is premeditated, like he’s been expecting her and then it clicks — he’d been planning to meet this woman here. Almost immediately, the mask goes back up and Reina is squaring her shoulders, letting a tight smile cross her features. “Sure,” she nods, leaving the two of them to skate off with each other as she attempts to keep a grip on her fucking dignity. She tries hard not to look mortified as she shrinks back to the side of the rink, white knuckles gripping her drink in one hand as she pulls out her phone with the other in an attempt to look busy while she figures out how the fuck to skate to the exit by herself. Eventually, she does manage to make her way out of the rink and the skates promptly leave her feet, abandoned beneath some bench as she makes her way to the bar for the rest of the night.

There’s no reason for Reina to be this irritated. Of course Rick had a date for this thing — why wouldn’t he? He’s a single man and she’s certainly never given him reason to think otherwise, not when she’s adamant about the fact that the two of them are just best friends. But Reina’s jealousy is fickle, rearing its ugly head whenever she feels threatened and right now, admittedly, she wants to drag Rick’s date out of here by her blonde hair and chop her up into little pieces. It’s confusing, and not something she usually feels in regards to Rick but Reina can’t help it, so she spends her time at the bar trying to push the jealousy way down to where she can’t feel it anymore. Her only semblance of control comes from flirting with a man sitting beside her that she’s got absolutely no interest in at all, but she makes sure to catch Rick’s eye when her hand grips the man’s bicep and she’s got on an uncharacteristically bright smile. There’s only so much pretending Reina can do before she makes even herself fucking sick, though, and soon she’s sneaking out the back for a much needed cigarette. And of course, within minutes, Rick is following close behind. How annoying. “Better get back in there,” she comments, taking a long drag to occupy herself because she just can’t find it in her to look him in the eye. “Your date’s gonna think you stood her up.”

╳

The night begins to drag on, Rick only half-listening as his date rambles on about work, what she had for lunch, and a car wreck she saw near the highway a few days ago. A part of him couldn’t shake the guilt he feels in the moment. Nobody deserved something like this, a man thinking of someone else while mumbling small, barely-there sentiments to keep their lackluster conversation afloat. Once Reina is out of sight, probably out smoking a cigarette or at the bar, he can’t help the way his eyes wander. It’s a miracle that Leanna doesn’t notice, her hand still latched around his bicep as they skate alongside one another. It only feels good in bursts and only when he falls into that same delusion that convinces him that Reina didn’t feel the same. But did she? They’ve been doing this dance ever since they were teenagers. Their game of will they, won’t they was a large factor into who they were as people now and perhaps Rick was terrified of letting that go. Because then, if they do fall aimlessly into whatever vast unknown came with having feelings for one another, things would change drastically. They would be more than a pair of childhood best friends. They’d be friends turned lovers turned whatever came after that. In Olympus, love usually was a means to an end, especially when you were with the club.

“I’m sorry, um,” Rick says then, interrupting another story. His guilt grows in size. “I just have to check up on my friend. I’ll be right back, okay?” She smiles wide, politely nodding. She was so nice and Rick feels vile. Somewhere, Maria was frowning at her son’s actions.

Still, he goes searching for Reina, getting stopped along the way by friends who attempt to chat him up. He tries to remind dignified in his sudden bout of desperation. Oh, yeah, I’m great. The kid’s are good. Yeah, still with the club. Yep. Okay, see you late. It becomes a cycle of the same old thing until he finally reaches the back of Skateland, taking witness to Reina’s own flirtations with another man at the bar. Rick’s jaw clenches at the sight, following Reina to the alley out the back door once the metaphorical curtain falls. 

“Don’t do that,” He says after she speaks, inhaling a long breath. “Don’t fucking do that.” Rick continues, his eyes surveying the side of her face. It’s evident that she’s avoiding his gaze and that only makes his stomach turn. Was he really doing this? It seems like it. “What, you don’t like her or something?” He asks sincerely, feeling his heart rate increase. The pounding sounds in his ears. A bittersweet scoff escapes him. His sincerely seems to fizzle after the sound, knowing now that the question was more rhetorical than anything. It’s a way of saying this is bullshit without actually saying it. 

After not even an hour at this absurd event, Reina’s ready to go home. She’d done the whole nine — laced up her skates, got a drink, did a few laps around the rink with her sister and Andrew and Rick but anyone who knows her knows this is not where she’d prefer to be. It’s nice to be in public, to feel a little normal again, but Disco Night at fucking Skateland isn’t exactly Reina’s idea of a great time. So the second she lost Rick she made her way out of the rink, promptly plopping down on the surrounding benches with half a mind to take these dumb fucking skates off and just sit at the bar for the rest of the night. The fact that she specifically bought roller skates for this fucking event — because the thought of renting a used pair is enough to make Reina gag — doesn’t deter her at all, if anything Reina’s more than happy to toss that money out the window if it means her feet feel some relief. But leave it to Rick to find her just when she’s about to call it quits, gliding a little bit unsteadily over to her with that goofy smile on his face. Immediately, Reina knows she’s about to be dragged back out there. “I’m thrilled to be here. Really,” she deadpans, as if she hadn’t just been fifteen seconds away from ripping the skates off her feet and calling it a night.

Something about Rick always manages to pull her out of even the worst moods, though, and it’s no different tonight. Even when he’s standing up and offering her a hand — a hand she’d promptly slap away if it were anyone else — Reina rolls her eyes, knowing she’s just going to have to give in. “One lap,” she compromises, taking the hand he holds out to her as she moves to stand, balancing herself on his arm. “But there will be no dancing. I’m gliding around this stupid little rink for a few more minutes then I’m done with this. My feet are fucking killing me already.” Says the woman who walks around in five inch heels everyday with no issue — Reina needs at least some kind of excuse, though.

╳

You’d think after years of friendship Rick would feel trumped or somewhat defeated by Reina’s darker disposition. But he never grows tired of her, even in the face of her usual deadpan nature in scenarios like this. In truth, it only made him like her more. She was honest, sincere in her own way, and that much he appreciated more than she’ll ever know. Still, he rolls his eyes jokingly at her tone, “I know you’d rather be home,” He starts, “but it’s good to get out. Besides, if you end up having a terrible time, I’ll owe you one.”

Once she’s taking his hand, Rick wraps his fingers around her palm, feeling a strange jolt inside his chest as if someone’s yanked at something inside there. Oh God, his heart was skipping a beat. A guarded feeling of embarrassment washes over him then, the apples of his cheeks reddening a little. The color’s thankfully shielded by the flashing neon lights illuminating the skating circle. Rick doesn’t let go, pausing for a moment so Reina can catch up and balance herself on her skates. “One lap.” Rick reassures, gliding out at her side. For a split second, he looks toward her a little too long and almost trips which would ultimately send Reina plummeting with him. “Fuck,” He laughs out, looking like a moose with skates on. Literally. His height causes him to stick out like a sore thumb among the other skating patrons. When he gathers his stance, he laughs again, shaking his head. “We can just, uh, pretend that didn’t happen and skate as intended.” He says before locking his fingers with Reina’s by instinct. They did exactly this as teenagers, what was so different now?

It’s another small miracle, the sudden bubble they were in, reminiscent to the moment Rick walked in on her cutting lemons in his kitchen. This feeling, it was ease. Her quiet laughter fills his ears, even as she attempts to restrain it. And Rick doesn’t blame her for that, not even a little bit. Rick could spend forever listings the reasons why Reina Thane was justified in most of her actions, citing back to the same notion that knowing her in earnest was different than knowing her in passing. Usually, that was an assumption easily applied to anyone, but it was different with her. Reina, to Rick, was warm. Loveable. Undeniable. “You’re havin’ a good time, admit it,” Rick teases, leaning down to her to speak. 

“I dunno why you’re actin’ like I’m sixteen when you’re the one with a date that looks a little too young for your ass,” he chuckles to himself. Seth isn’t judging. If anything he’s happy— maybe even proud of the man’s new endeavors. Maybe he didn’t a palette cleanser, a refresh to what he had once had. “I was just seein’ if we had to think ‘bout her if shit goes down. Don’t wanna ruin your chances,” he clarifies. Seth is surprised Rick would trust Izzy with setting him up with someone but he lets that one go. His eye moving from the blonde to finding Emme in the crowd of people with her friends, Seth stifles an obvious smiling from crossing his whole face. “Yeah, we get a parents night out on the town. And after this week, think she could use it.” It had been Annie’s birthday this week, hitting the big thirteen, which they’d celebrated as an interesting version of family. “We’re doin’ good. I think real good.”

╳

Rick’s brows knit together, his head canting to the side, “Seth, she’s thirty-nine.” He says with a dry laugh, shaking his head now. Sometimes Seth’s often crass boldness threw Rick off entirely, but that’s usually what kept him close to the other man. Perhaps they balanced each other out in that way. “Nah, she should be okay. I think she actually has some ties to the club herself, so,” The older man shrugs then, pursing his lips in thought. It’s not as if the makeshift relationship was built to last, Rick was simply shooting a shot in the dark, attempting to fill the Reina-sized void inside the pit of his stomach. But he tries not to make that too evident. Keyword tries. 

The sincere smile on his face returns once Seth is taking about Emme. It was nice seeing Seth in this light. Warmer, more grounded. “Hey, well that’s somethin’.” Rick muses, nodding to the other man. “You guys deserve each other. You both deserve to have something good.” Another swig of his beer is taken, “She seems to be havin’ fun. You too, man. I never thought I’d see Seth Carter in rollerkskates.”

Status: closed @richardswan​

Location: Skateland

If there’s one thing Bowie’s good at, it’s remembering the names and faces of people they’ve only met once. Then again, the wholesome interaction they’d shared with Rick in Hex makes it difficult to forget his acquaintance. Once awkwardly and ignorantly inquiring about crystals for his daughter’s sake, now handsomely dressed in vintage attire in accordance to tonight’s theme at Skateland. Naturally, Bowie approaches him. “Hey, baby, how you doing?” They greet him with a friendly smile. “Wouldn’t have guessed this was your kinda scene, but I’ve been wrong before. Next thing I know, you’ll be comin’ in my little shop for yourself instead of your daughter,” Bowie teases him jokingly.

╳

The sight of Bowie makes Rick smile wide, happy to see them even after his endless confusion while inside Hex. “Oh, I’m just great,” He replies with a laugh, motioning with his hand, “How about you? You look amazing,” He says to them, nodding to their outfit for the evening. “Eh, I’m a man full of surprises these days. And apparently my daughters think I need to start havin’ more fun, so, here I am.” The man shrugs nonchalantly before more laughter sounds from him, that same wave of embarrassment flooding back in. Though, it’s tolerable, and Rick actually enjoys the casual, teasing banter. “You know, I might. My daughter gave me a, um, rose quartz the other day because she said I looked like a lonely old fart...” His eyes wander in mock-thought before his gaze lands on Bowie once more, “Maybe she’s got a point. Either way, I appreciated the sentiment after I did some research about the stone and all that.”

@richardswan​

Seth wasn’t particularly interested in anyone’s love life. However, when he saw Rick come in with a woman, his eyebrow definitely quirked up. Although it wasn’t unheard of, Seth just hadn’t really pictured the man bringing a date to a roller disco night of all things. Passing a beer over to the man at the bar, Seth peers over to the woman he’d brought along. “You’re hittin’ that now? Gotta say, didn’t think she was your type,” he shrugs. He’s just basing it off the experience with Rick’s ex-wife. Hell, maybe Seth isn’t one to talk with Emme on his arm— but God, she was perfectly his type.

╳

Things were suddenly spiraling out of Rick’s control and he wasn’t sure how to fix it. Admittedly, asking to be set up on a date for the evening now doesn’t seem like the brightest idea, especially since he had been with Reina for the first half of the night. Reina. His best friend. His best friend who was now nowhere to be found, out of sight somewhere. That alone makes him nervous which leads him to the bar while his Bambi-eyed blonde date mingles with natives and fellow skating patrons. 

Seth’s words make his eyebrows quirk, a slightly amused smile gracing his expression. "Am I hitting her? Jesus, what are you, sixteen?” Though, he was right. Leanna, Rick’s date, wasn’t his type at all. He’d always been a dark-haired, brows eyes kind of guy but, this time, he’s seen with a woman with perfectly styled blonde hair with bright blue eyes. “She’s...nice. Pretty. Izzy set me up with her.” He muses, shrugging his shoulders. The older man takes the beer that’s offered to him now, instantly taking a generous swig. He clears his throat before speaking again, “Anyway, enough about me. How’re you and Emme enjoying your evening?” Rick questions sincerely, turning his head to face Seth.