What Did You Pay For The Life You’ve Got?
Aka that Sharkcard fic I promised you all almost 2 months ago…
How did we end up here?
I think that a lot. Especially when I get the chance to watch Beverly sleep. Don’t get any ideas, now- it ain’t as creepy as it sounds.
She just looks so at peace when she’s asleep. And extremely pretty. (Although she’s always gorgeous).
Also, it certainly healed when she falls asleep wearing one of my pajama shirts. I love her in my clothes. I love her in any clothes, and, y’know, none at all…
Anyways. You get the idea.
I love her so much and I still can’t believe she’s my girl.
“You’re such a sap, Spades.” Beverly half-mumbles, half-giggles as her eyes open to stare back at me. “I always catch you, you know…”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Talk all you want, darlin’. I catch you looking at me at least three times a day.”
She huffs but still scoots closer and rests her head under my chin. “Good morning.”
“Mornin’, sunshine.” I smile as she kisses my neck gently. “How’d you sleep?”
“Pretty good, for once. How ‘bout you?”
“Yeah, pretty good, too.”
She nods against me, moving in just a smidge more. “That’s good. I’m glad.”
“But…?” I sense she wants to ask me something. Can’t be a marriage proposal, cause we already asked each other ‘round a year back. So it must be for a kiss or-
“Can you make me an omelet? My cramps are killing me.”
My brows furrow. She isn’t one to complain about physical pain. So I kiss her forehead, give her a squeeze, then slide out of bed. “I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thank you, babe.”
“‘Course, hon.” I wink before walking out the door.
I think I’d make her an omelet even if I was on my last breath.
🩵🩶🩵
As I watch the eggs cook in the old blue pan, I sway along to the radio. We got it last Christmas- saved up and got a joint present. It was worth every penny.
“You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you. You’re so vain,” This is one of Ever’s favorite songs, so now it’s one of mine. Just like how blue is almost as much of my favorite color as purple is. Blue’s supposed to be sad, but I look at it and I think about her.
I fold the omelet and let it sizzle a bit longer before flipping it onto a plate. “Now where’d I put the pepper?” Pondering, I wander around our tiny kitchen, searching for where I left the shaker last night.
A knock on our door startles me, distracting me from my search. Going over, I check the peephole then throw open the door.
“What on earth are you doing here, Clark Kent?!”
Darry grins back at me. “Hi, Hearts. I had a conference nearby and thought I’d come and say hey.”
I pull him inside and toss my arms around his shoulders. “Well, hey.”
“Hey. It’s been too long, Ace.”
I nod. “Yeah. How’s Soda?”
“All right. Happy.”
“With Stevie?”
Darrel laughs. “Mmhmm. And Pone’s still workin’ hard at school.”
“And you, Dare?”
“I’m good. Lee and I are… good.” A grin threatens to leap onto his face as his face flushes a bit.
“I’m glad. About time you found someone who’s good for you.” I tease, nudging him.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” He raises a sharp eyebrow.
“Ace, I know you said you’d bring it to bed, but I wanted to watch television… oh. Hello, Darry.” Bev stops in her tracks, staring at us, a smile gracing her lips. (And my eyes).
Darrel blinks. “Is that my shirt?”
Pursing her lips, Bev glances down at my shirt, which reads “Will Rogers Football” on it in faded red letters. “Um, it’s Ace’s.” She quips.
I laugh, and then so does he. “Yeah, you gave it to me a long time ago. Before I even graduated high school.” I keep an arm around him leading us to the kitchen where my fiancée is rummaging in the fridge. She pulls out the orange juice and eyes it suspiciously.
“When did you buy this?”
“Uh, last week?”
She squints at the carton. “You sure? It feels pretty empty.”
“We drink a lot of orange juice, babe.”
With a shrug, she gets a glass out of the cabinet, then another, then turns to Darry. “Would you like some orange juice?”
“Yeah, thank you.” He nods.
One thing that I’ve loved to watch over the years is how Bev gets along with the gang. Out of everyone, I think she gets along best with Steve and Dare. She likes them all now, and they like her, but those two are people she’ll go to even without me suggesting it.
“So, how’s Lee? How’s the restaurant?” She sets the glass in front of him before sliding one towards me and taking a sip from her own.
Darry’s eyes smile. “He’s doin’ well. The restaurant is as busy as ever, but he loves it. I sometimes help him out on weekends, and it is never boring there.” He chuckles fondly. “How is your job? Preparing to go back to school must be fun.”
“Oh, it is certainly… interesting. But I love it. I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Some of my students probably wish I was in another field, though.” She shakes her head.
“I wouldn’t want you as my Calculus professor, that’s for sure.” I add, widening my eyes. “You should see the problems she goes through to prepare for classes, Clark Kent. They’re nuts.”
Ever gives me a side eye before grabbing a fork and beginning to eat her omelet.
When people talk about perfect days, I think they forget how wonderful it is to have a quiet morning with a few people you really love.
🩵🩶🩵
Later that day, after we insisted Darry sleep on the couch, let us host him for a night, and he begrudgingly agreed, Bev and I are in bed, her reading and me laying with my head in her lap. Every few minutes, she’ll remember I’m here and run her thumb back and forth against my bare shoulder, and I’ll take her hand and kiss it softly.
These are my favorite kinds of moments. I’m not sure anything can beat them, the silent things we do to tell one other how much we care.
Plus, her hands are so soft and warm that it always feels so nice to have one against my skin.
“Spades?” She sets her book down on her nightstand after sliding a bookmark between the pages.
I roll onto my back to look up at her. “Hmm?”
“Talking to Darry today was really nice.”
“Yeah, it was.” I smile a little. “And?”
Her eyes get misty and I try to sit up, but she sets a hand on my cheek and shakes her head. “Don’t worry. I’m happy, baby. It’s just… talking to him, it got me thinkin’ about all the amazing things that have happened to me… because of you.”
“Oh,”
“So I just wanted to say thank you. For all of it. For you.” She sniffles, softly smiling down at me.
“You don’t gotta thank me, Bev. I’ve gained just as much from you.”
“I’m not sure that’s true…”
“Not this again,” I sigh affectionately and really do sit up this time. I rest my head against her shoulder. “It is true. You’ve given me a life, Beverly. A life that I wouldn’t trade for the world. You are my world.”
“Don’t make me cry more, Ace!” She whines through tears, a watery laugh escaping her throat. “You’re my world, too.”
I snicker and then turn my head to kiss her shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you.” She presses a kiss to my head. “You’re the best, do you know that?”
“I don’t know… it’s kinda hard to forget when you say it every day. I may even be starting to believe it,”
“Good. ‘Cause it’s true.”
But I look at her and I know it isn’t. She is the best. The best person, fiancée, thing in the entire world.
She’s everything to me, and I don’t know how the hell I got so lucky to be with her for the rest of my life.
