into the flame

RYAN YOUNG – ABOUT

Name: Ryan Young Age: 32 Occupation: Staff at Starlight Drive-In Location: Southside, 1 week. Prev. 30 years

Hunter laughed, happy to see Ryan hadn’t lost his sense of humor. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing though, stupidity or confidence. Hunter certainly wouldn’t be laughing if he owed Finn money, not even just a dime. His eyebrows raised when Ryan announced he still was in no position to pay up, and Hunter whistled with pity. “Damn, boy.” he dropped a hand onto Ry’s shoulder, giving him a rough slap. “Well, one thing about Finn is he’ll find a way to make you pay or you’re gonna be leaving the city again before you had time to unpack.” He wondered if the Jones knew he was back too. Hunter didn’t have good ideas often but sometimes a dim lightbulb flashed above his head. “Axe fights for us these days, you should think about it. Offer Finn to keep all your takes until it’s paid off. But I mean…be prepared for him to punch you too before you even offered.”

he can hear the pity in hunter’s tone and that isn’t what ryan was looking for. in fact, ryan just wanted the whole thing to go away and the two years he spent alone to actually be worth something. “well, he ran me out of the city when i had a pretty good job, and now i just give people weird headset shit and tell them where to park so...if he wanted me to pay he should’ve thought about that.” ryan shrugs, missing the fact he should have never began borrowing to begin with. fighting isn’t the worst idea, axe is better with aggression and anger than ryan is but he knows how to punch and fight dirty if needed. it’s better than nothing so he nods slowly. “i’ll think about it, hunt. ‘cause i need to at least show up to finn with some kinda payment before i say i can’t get anything.”

location: outside neon boots

@ryanxyoung​

Watching his first daughter go through the process of grief and fear, to realizing that her fiance was nothing but a piece of shit wasn’t something Ethan knew how to deal with. His own anger too for giving Ryan a second home and keeping his mouth as quiet as he could when he heard the Southsider running his to Tammie. Sure, nobody was perfect but there were some lines you didn’t cross which Ryan leaped over. Hearing the things he said to Tammie when he finally showed his face again, Ethan couldn’t be a voice of reason any longer. Ethan told himself he wouldn’t cause a scene in front of everybody at Neon Boots, so at least he was keeping that promise as he cornered Ryan on the sidewalk. “I heard you had a lot of things to say, bud.” Ethan approached with a smile in his voice, even though he nudged Ryan to the wall quickly with one hand. “I think we should have a chat.” There wasn’t much choice, they would be talking. “But, I want to make it very clear. It’s in your best interest to keep that same energy you did with my Tammie. So let’s hear what you got, tough guy. The floor is yours.” And it would be soon, because Ethan would make him eat it.

staying out of a jones way is hard when they’re everywhere, ryan knows that coming to neon boots is a bad idea but he did it anyway until he sees how littered the place is with them all. he thinks he’s done well to avoid the stares or silent requests for an altercation and decides it’s best to go home, until he’s face to face with ethan and regrets coming back to lockwood at all. “it got out of hand.” ryan explains, which isn’t an excuse as much as it’s the truth. ethan used to be like a father to him, letting blue river ranch become a second home. he used to offer words of wisdom especially about his and tammie’s relationship but ryan wasn’t stupid. he knew what they all thought of him, truthfully. “i went to apologize, beau was there. and well, nothing was said that was actually needed to be said.” ryan holds his ground, not pushing back from the wall or even trying to stare down the jones father. “you actually want to hear my side or is that just so you can sneak a punch on me half way through me talking?”

“Ever think of, I don’t know,” Axel stood up again getting too mad to sit. “Askin’ your family for some help? Fuck, I know if I got in some shit I would’ve went to you.” He scoffed. “Not anymore. Probably just run off.” He’d probably call Kas or an Anderson first. Maybe not Dusty. Hell he might even call Sully before Ry at that point. Axe listened to his explanation, letting out a couple bitter laughs as he paced back and forth. Fucking dumbass. “Congratulations, Ry. You’re just like mom. Except instead of a needle it’s a fucking slot machine.” Axel wasn’t exactly the shining example of good choices in life but he at least managed to keep from falling into the spiral of addiction. Did he do his fair share of drugs? Sure. Was his drinking twice as heavy as any of that? Definitely. But a problem wasn’t a problem till you could see it or you called it one. Axe stood firm that he didn’t have a problem with any of it. “And just like her, you left. Now you’re goin’ to lose your head because in two fuckin’ years you couldn’t manage to get the money back to pay back someone who, I’m pretty damn sure kills people for fun.” He couldn’t prove it but the rumors had to have some truth to it. Axel moved both hands to shove his brother as hard as he could. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you even give a shit about anyone other than yourself?”

ryan drops his head as axe stands, knowing the anger is justified and he deserves every bit of it. his own anger arrives as his brother speaks but he pushes it back, trying to look away so any eye contact doesn’t spark a fight. “i didn’t want to drag any of you into it, axe.” he explains quietly not from coyness but to stop his voice from raising. “you think i wanted to just leave everything?” ryan shakes his head, gesturing around them meekly. “i thought i was doing the right thing, not an easy one. i figured if none of you knew where i was, you’d not be able to get pulled into my shit with me.” ryan still believes it’s been safer for them even as axe’s words about their mother stir his anger and make him sigh out the pain of them. “yeah well maybe we’re both like her axe, let’s face it we were never gonna be amazing fucking people doing amazing fucking things. if you want to hate me like you hate her then go for it, i won’t stop you but i did it to fucking protect you.” he stands up, not sure why because the last thing he wants to do is bury the harsh words with anything physical. “yeah you’re right, i’m so fucking selfish i left everything behind because i wasn’t thinking about any of you. fuck me, man. can you hear yourself?”

He’s not sure what hurts more, the return of his best friend or the sensation of Tammie’s fingers slipping out of his. It feels more metaphorical than physical and Beau’s mind doesn’t have much time to catch up to the moment. He knows the sight of Tammie Jones marching towards anything isn’t a good sign and he’s a little too late to stop her before she pulls Ryan out from his seat. “Tammie…” he calls out as he follows. He wants to keep the peace as much as possible until he sees the shove that Ryan delivers. “Hey,” He grabs him by the shirt once close enough, pushing him back against the truck. “You don’t fucking do that.” Beau snaps, glancing over to Tammie to make sure she’s okay. He’s sure she is and a hand raises to stop her flying at the two of them in response. “You’ve been gone, Ry. It’s not what you think, this is new.” Beau doesn’t even think he sounds convincing enough to believe himself, but at the time it was true. Hindsight was a little tricky. “You just fucked all chances of talking this out. You don’t come here and put hands on her. You’re lucky no-one lets her shoot you.”

-

She didn’t even care when she was forced backwards, all it did was make her let out a frustrated scream as she tried to lunge back. Stupid fucking Beau in the way, preventing all her anger from being placed where it needed to be. “Stop, Beau. If I didn’t think I could have him, I wouldn’t have fucking touched him.” she scrambled against his blockage to get to Ryan, wanting to swipe like some rabid beast until she heard a statement that made her anger freeze cold. “You did that?” she glared to Beau instead, but her eyes darted between the two of them. “You said what to him?” she muttered, not wanting to believe it as she scowled back at Ryan, still trying to force her way around Beau. “Are you just being a bitch right now, Ry? Of course he didn’t build it with me, I fucking built it. Bitch.” she shouted, trying to lunge again but for some reason country men were built like fucking bulls. She could feel the anger rising all over again, blood boiling hot enough to burn. “I swear to God if you don’t both get the fuck out…DAD!” she smacked Beau against the chest, despite it being a hit that Ryan deserved more. “JETT! I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL HIM, BOTH OF THEM.”

ryan knows his mistake as tammie staggers backwards a few paces and his hands raise when beau pins him to the truck, but it’s hard for him to focus on creating civil conversation when he has both of them yelling at him. he knows it’s not jealousy, he knows he’s here to apologize and explain they would have never worked out anyways but now he’s hurt, more than he thinks was possible. he grabs beau by the arm to try and wrangle free but points at the crazy brunette who’s also trying to get at him. “you should tell her sully, go on.” he rebukes. “it might be new for you tams but it sure isn’t for him.” ryan is almost nose to nose with his best friend, certain it’s the principal of the matter that hurts so much. “he wanted me to end it with you, least four times i can count off the top off my head. guess we know why.” as soon as tammie continues to raise hell and he knows beau is more concerned for her, he pushes the other man away to allow himself some space. “i’m sick of being the fucking bad guy, i fucking left so people didn’t come knocking here for my fuck ups. i owed a bunch of money!” he raises his voice above tammie’s, hoping to silence her. “whatever number you got in your head, double it.” he then says, staring intensely at tammie who looks like she’s this close to ripping his head off. “you convinced yourself i didn’t love you, i did. but you made it so fucking difficult.” he addresses, knowing whatever could be apologized for is long over now. “she’s your fucking problem now, beau. good luck.” he slides back into the driver’s side, grabbing the door by the open window to close it and as if he hasn’t said enough, he looks at beau for one last stab. “learn from my mistake man, figure out how to keep that bitch on a leash.”

where: neon boots

who: @ryanxyoung​

Willow was done for good this time. At least that’s what she kept telling herself ever since she saw Tovi leave Kas’ trailer. It was obvious he was never going to change and everyone was right. She was an idiot for wasting her time and falling for someone like him. In perfect ‘new day, new me’ fashion, she put on her hot girl disguise and headed out to forget. Southside was filled with blonde boys, almost like there was something in the water. But the blonde she spotted, she hadn’t seen in awhile. If she was looking to get revenge the better choice would have been Axel, but she wasn’t looking to get even this time. She genuinely just wanted to have fun and as crude as it was, they always said the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. It hadn’t worked so far but there was a first time for everything. “Hey,” she chirped, sliding up to the bar next to him. “You’re Ryan, right? Haven’t you been like, MIA or something? When did you get back?” She didn’t know Ryan well, besides what she heard from his brother, Tammie, and of course, Kas. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember more than a handful of times they were even in the same place at the same time. He was cute though and had kind eyes, which made her smile so they were already off to a good start. 

brave or dumb is a question ryan asks himself perpetually, even as he sits at the bar in neon boots and can feel the burn of a thousand jones eyes in the back of his head. he’s convinced that if he turns around, they’ve all morphed into a supersized jones monster to eat him alive. the sound of his name snaps him out of the thought, eyes glancing over to the jones huddle and isn’t sure if he’s relieved that there’s several separate ones or not. “erm yep, axe’s brother.” he looks at her, working out if she’s familiar. he has tried to block out most memories of lockwood springs, for his own sanity more than anything else. “wow, if bad news travels this fast i’d hate to see what happens to good news.” he laughs and then nods slightly. “yeah, traveled for a while but been back a good week or so now. lost count, actually. feels like i’ve always been back.” he explains and then points to her slowly. “sorry, i feel like i know you but i don’t know for sure. great first impression, right?” he laughs wryly, taking another sip of his beer. “southsider?”

“You borrowed money from Finn O'Connor?” Axe gave his brother an incredulous look. He seriously hoped he was joking and if he wasn’t that he already paid him back. “You’re dumber than I thought. I once watched him break a dudes hand over a hundred dollars and his expression didn’t even change.” Axe shook his head and moved further inside, plopping himself down on the couch. He grabbed his controller and shit the game off, then the TV. Giving Ryan most of his attention. He was pissed but when wasn’t he those days? “A week? I take it you forgot how to get here then since it took, what,” he had to think how long it had been. “Two years plus another seven days.” At this point he didn’t even know what to say. He sure as fuck didn’t feel sorry for him so he hoped he wasn’t expecting some pity forgiveness. “You deal with that whenever but don’t bring that shit here. I’m not going to war with the redneck Kardashians for you.” He would if he had to because at the end of the day he would have his brother’s back even if he wanted to beat his ass with a baseball bat at the same time. “I thought you were fucking dead. What are you going to say to make that right?”

“yeah, i know. didn’t feel good at the time either, let alone when i couldn’t pay up.” ryan sighs, still unable to laugh at his stupidity. “i was desperate...” he could feel the shame swelling his tongue, blocking him from admitting his addictive personality winning and making him lose everything in the process. “you’d want me to show up the second i was back?” he asks his brother, knowing that would’ve been almost as stupid as leaving in the first place. “i just needed to...work out what i should do. i thought you’d punch me, to be fair.” he smiles slightly, because there’s still time but ryan would honestly let it happen. it’s a justified anger. “i won’t bring it here, promise. i’ll get to them as soon as i can before everyone starts talking about seeing my fucking truck again.” he sighs out because the downside is everybody being linked somehow, running their mouth to whoever’s listening too. “i don’t think i can make that right. i didn’t think it through.” he runs a hand over his face, shaking his head as he struggles. “i won at a few slot machines, got all excited. that’s why i got tammie a nice ring, said i’d build the house with her. thought, hey it’s my lucky month...or whatever. before i knew it, the casino saw more of my wage than i did, i kept borrowing to try and win it all back and then some. then the fucking house and everything, i created the biggest mess ever.” he’s said it, and he feels weaker not stronger for it. “i fucked up big time. i still don’t even have half of the money i owe either.”

closed starter blue river ranch with @tammie–jones and @ryanxyoung​

Beau knows there’s not many secrets in the Jones family, or at least they don’t strike him as a family with secrets. That’s why he had no shame appearing at Neon Boots with Tammie, or using his days out of work to come and see her at the ranch. In a way not much has changed other than now he can sneak her hand into his, or wind an arm around her. It all feels natural and comfortable, begging the question why the hell he had never acted sooner. “Alright, I better go.” Beau reluctantly pulls away from their glaringly obvious display of affection, and he’s had to hear Spencer’s dumb I told you so’s about a hundred times already. Just as Beau grabs the handle to his truck, other hand still clasping Tammie’s he hears the rolling of wheels entering the ranch and naturally glances to it. At first it resembles one he hasn’t seen for a long time, brows furrowing as he tries to make the plate. It nears slowly, giving Beau just enough time to work it out. His relaxed stance shifts immediately, tugging Tammie closer half in protection and half out of nervousness. He’s just got her, for fucks sake. “Is this really what I’m seeing right now?” he asks, despite staring at the truck ahead until he sees Ryan Young’s face exit the driver’s side. 

-

Tammie liked who she was when she was with Beau. She always had, their banter back and forth was only that and never screaming matches to see who could hurl the most hurtful thing to the other. Everything was always good in the beginning, though but if there was anyone who could pull down her guard it would be Beau. They probably looked like love-sick teenagers, but Tammie didn’t really care. It was the softest she had felt in a long time, she had almost forgotten what that looked like. “Okay, be safe.” she said quickly, pressing a kiss to his cheek before their attention was turned by the sound of an engine. As soon as Tammie could see who it belonged to, the softness melted away faster than it ever had before. “Uhuh.” was all she could say back to Beau, sheepishly loosening her hold of his hand. “Fucker wants to die, obviously.” Tammie muttered, finally pulling away to storm towards the truck. She’d never once even raised a hand to Ryan, but that changed as soon as she saw him appearing. She shoved the door open wider, grabbing hold of his arm to drag him out the rest of the way. “Why the fuck are you here? You have got to me kidding me, two fucking years? Two fucking years? You piece of fucking hillbilly shit. Let me guess, you got the perfect fucking excuse for it too. Cunt.” @ryanxyoung​

it’s better to rip the bandaid off, face the music. all those other sayings that ryan hates. mostly, he’s turning into blue river ranch for the sake of his brother. the last thing he wants is trouble finding axel that’s not even his. it’s the mature thing to do, knowing that nothing about the conversation is going to be easy. he also knows it won’t be a conversation, it’ll be tammie, spence, ethan probably elijah and nora too he has to face. five years and a ring is a long time, two years a ghost feels longer. ryan isn’t prepared for the gut punch of seeing the house built up exactly how tammie and him planned it. he’s not prepared to draw closer to it and see tammie in the arms of someone else. he never expected her to wait, but he never expected to see her move on either. it’s only when he gets a glimpse of who’s arms it is than ryan’s temper flares. even as he’s dragged out of the car and screamed at by tammie, he stumbles over his footing while locking eyes on beau. “shut the fuck up.” he snaps back at the screech of his ex-fiance, shoving her away from him without even thinking. he’s never touched her like it, but the push away is harsher than it needs to be all so he can make a move towards beau. “i fucking knew it, man. the fact i’m not even surprised.” he laughs maliciously, pointing at the house. “you help her finish that up? all those fucking times, man. telling me to be done with her. let me guess you didn’t even fucking wait for it to be a few months after i was gone.”

He stared at his brother, arms crossing over his chest. “I’m waiting.” Axel motioned for Ryan to continue after his opening line. The explanation just pulled an eyeroll from the younger man. “That’s a shitty excuse, Ry. Ain’t that hard to drop a line or leave a note. Try to come up with some cash.” Both of them had managed to stay alive up to that point with no money. Not sure why they couldn’t have figured out something to dig Ryan out of whatever hole he dug himself into. Instead of running away from it. “Guess it’s true what they say about there being two types of people in the world, huh?” Ones that face their problems and the ones that run from them. He wants to say no to letting him in. Make him sit outside or sleep in his truck. Regardless of what happened, he was the only family Axe had left and despite what some might say, he wasn’t heartless. “Yeah, whatever,” he moved aside so his brother could come through. “I take it the Jones’ don’t know you’re back since you have all of your limbs.”

“i owe it all to finn.” ryan hopes that explanation is enough because finn is like a whole bunch of his own laws wrapped up in one man. ryan wishes he was smarter when he was desperate for cash, knowing now he borrowed all of it for no good reason. “i figured if i disappeared and no one knew where i got to, it’d be safer for everyone.” in hindsight it might have ruined his chance of ever being close to any of them again. “i get it, you think i’m a coward. i’d rather that than hating me.” he mumbles because he’s not sure if axe does hate him or not. he hopes he doesn’t but it doesn’t feel promising. ryan takes a sigh of relief when axe lets him in, even though the tension can be cut with a knife. he slowly enters the home they grew up in, taking it all back in and trying to work out if he feels happy or sad to be back. “yeah, no. not even showed my face at boots, i just got back last week.” he walks to the living room, turning around to look back at axe. “think we could wait ‘til that shit goes down? i don’t even know what to say to you let alone them.”

“I bet there was a big welcome home parade, huh?” Hunter said sarcastically, knowing that Ryan’s disappearance had been on the tip of everyone’s tongue for a while. Hunter assumed he’d died genuinely by the hands of Finn so was surprised that the Young boy was roughing life in a truck. “Truck hippie? Jesus, I bet you smelled like shit.” he laughed and then nodded. He knew the question about Finn was coming and Hunter’s black and white way of thinking was sometimes his strong suit or his down fall. He had no problems with Ryan himself, but rules were rules. Borrow money, pay it back. “Finn doesn’t forget much, Ry. Think you should make sure you got the cash before you show your face.” he explained, thinking slowly. “I can talk to him to ease up ‘cause Axe is with us, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass.”

“people lined the streets and everything.” ryan laughs back but his shrug is defeated. coming back was his only option, and he thinks two years away from everybody he grew up with is a fair punishment. “no worse than you on a good day.” he bites back with a smile but the news about finn isn’t surprising. it confirms ryan’s worst fears that he’s returned with a price on his head remaining, and this time a more pissed off irish-man wanting his dues. “dude i don’t even earn half as much as what i used to, i don’t even think i’d be able to get him it by the end of the year.” he flaps his arms, sighing. “yeah...if you could talk i’d appreciate it. but i can’t pay what i don’t have, i wish i could pull cash out of my ass but y’know...”

-

Erratic and petty were two words Tammie embodied effortlessly, which was precisely why she gave up moving the bags to the truck and instead pulled out the clothes that Ryan was trying to pack, which seemed counterproductive to her initial goal. “About what?” she snapped at him, loud enough for her voice to bounce through the air. “Every time we talk, you make me feel fucking bad for you and I don’t want to feel bad for someone who is an asshole!” she all but screeched, not computing that her family were a mere few feet away in the house. Her anger had rolled into laughter, throwing a t-shirt she was grasping to the mud and stomping on it a few times. “No you know what’s stupid? It’s stupid that I thought when you asked me to marry you it would mean I wasn’t trying to build our fucking house by myself and that maybe, just maybe you’d want to actually fucking help me. That’s what’s stupid. Me and my dumbass.”

is there any point trying to talk sense into tammie when she’s angry? ryan wants to at least try but she makes him feel like she’s always done and over it all. he watches her pull out all his clothes and in frustration he shakes the plastic bag so the rest of them fall out into the back of his truck. “jesus christ, fine. there.” he snaps back at her, and this is how it spirals. she hates him having a tone, he hates her having one and neither one of them ever swallow their pride. “i work 24 hour shifts, what do you want me to do? jump for a joy when we need to pick out what size fucking windows we’re getting?” that feels wrong to say but it’s already said. he is excited for their home. he is excited for their wedding but now they’ve ripped the bandaid off, it’s who can make the harshest comment. “ontop of that, i get a day off and you wanna talk to me about fucking shoes for our wedding which...news flash, we haven’t set a date. i wonder why?” he throws the bag, which isn’t an impressive motion because it floats down slowly into the truck. “i’ll go, this was a bad idea. i just wanted us to talk it out but you’re literally crazy.”

location: southside streets

@ryanxyoung​

“Yo, El.” Hunter called out when he saw what he thought was his brother on the opposite street. After getting no response, he quickened his pace. “Real mature, shitface.” Hunter then laughed, moving to a slow jog to catch up with the other blond. As soon as his hand reached out to grab Elliot and pull him around, his face dropped and he took a step back. “Jesus.” he remarked, shocked and kind of creeped out for a moment. “Thought you died, Ry.” Hunter added, cocking his head. “Does Axel know you’re back?” he then asked, studying over the man he hadn’t seen for two years. Nobody had. “Where the fuck you get to? You need to give Danny some tips, he can’t run away to save his life.”

everyone in southside is connected in some way which is why the hand that pulls ryan around makes him take a panicked step back before he sees it’s hunter. that’s still not a good sign, knowing the man is closely linked with finn o’connor. “think everybody thought i did.” he replies, anxiously guessing where the conversation could go. “yeah. i’ve seen him.” ryan nods but the brothers are not the same as they used to be. “all over the place, man. turned into one of those truck hippies.” he makes a joke of it even though it’s been the worst two years of his life. “everyone doing good?” he asks but then takes a breath to get to the important part. “listen, do you know if finn is still...has he asked around for me lately or has it all kinda...died?”

.

“Yeah well at least I’m not some punk ass little kid trying to talk shit on the internet,” he grumbled into the gaming headset while pressed the buttons on his controller to avoid getting shot by the opposing team. The kick at the door had him pulling off his headphones and turning back to frown out of confusion. He stared at it wondering if he was hearing things. The sound of his character dying and the string of distant cursing snapped him out of it just in time for another knock. Followed by the sound of his brother’s voice. The brother that disappeared two years ago without any warning or contact since. Axel exited the game and got up to go to the door. His hand lingered on the handle, his forehead resting on the wood for a second. He debated opening it. But ultimately he did. “What the fuck are you doing here?” 

ryan doesn’t think the door will open but when he hears the handle being moved, he straightens his posture and takes a small step backwards. seeing axe again shoots right through him, but he knows this won’t be a happy reunion. the guilt of abandoning his brother weighs heavy, it being the last thing ryan wanted to do when he wanted to be everything their father wasn’t. he has a lot to answer for but can’t find the words. “i...” he sighs, readjusting his cap before taking it off completely. “axe i’m sorry, man. i really want to tell you why everything happened.” he doesn’t want to just come out with it, but perhaps it’s for the best. “i owed a bunch of money, axe. they ran me out of the city and i just...booked it.” he admits quietly because the shame attached to his actions is too fresh even though it’s been two years. “can i come in? i’ll tell you everything.”

@ryanxyoung​ at: blue river ranch

-

Their new home was far from being completed, and Ryan’s lack of enthusiasm to finish it with her was beginning to irk Tammie to no end. They’d already argued for the whole main house to hear that morning, Tammie yelling obscenities on the porch as he drove off in his truck. She was used to him not coming back until after dinner so there she was, glaring at him when she saw the truck pulling back up. His things he kept there were already in several bags as she refused to be rational, throwing them into the back of his truck for him. “There, you don’t even fuckin’ need to get out.” she snapped, scowling at him as she passed his front seat to go and get more of his belongings.

he knows that driving away before an argument is settled is a bad idea, and he knew it as soon as his truck reached the turn out of the ranch. ryan’s pride always mixes badly with tammie’s and he kept on going until he reached southside so he could rant with his brother. he’s embarrassed to make the drive back, waiting until the very last second he can because he knows it will be a repeat of last time. he’s not surprised to see all of his shit packed in bags and tammie’s sour face, but he hopes to god this will be resolved easier than he usually is. “for christ sake, tams.” he groans, getting out of the car and fishing his clothes back into he bags as she throws them into his truck and they scatter everywhere. “can you just calm the fuck down and we talk?” he asks angrily. maybe it’s his own fault for his nose being buried in his phone more than usual, but it’s not “those bitches.” tammie accuses him off. he’s too embarrassed to tell her that he can’t seem to look away from the spin the wheel or live poker apps. “will you just hear me out? please, this is stupid.”

it took ryan a week to find the balls to visit southside properly, and he’s avoided the street of their childhood home whenever he’s had to pass it. seeing the t.v light flickering in the front window is enough to make him feel sick, knowing axel is just a few feet away and clueless that he’s outside. ryan can’t think of what to say or how to apologize enough. abandoning his brother was never something he thought he’d do until he had no choice. slowly, ryan walks to the door and kicks it a few times with his boot instead of knocking. it’s how he always made his presence known and wonders if it will make axel rush to the door or avoid it all the more. “axe, it’s me.” he calls through it, rapping the wood a few times with his knuckle then. “i know we have a lot to talk about, i got a lot to...explain. you in there?” @axelyoung​