#cvys

what happens after the chase is over, the years and years of pining and almost i love yous. the slow burn spread across two decades, or more, a blip on the radar, they’ve been together for merely s fraction of their total lifespan and yet, here they are exchanging vows and promises for death to do them part. (until death on the battlefield decides to play her cards.)

when you try your hardest and don’t succeed. when you get everything you want and realize—it is not what you need.

the issue with first loves. they’re kind and sweet and undemanding, neither party aware of what happens next. a fumbling dance through motions scripted by pulp fiction and well intentioned friendships. earnestly pressing forward into the dark until they’re forced to come to terms with the next stage.

(i know you best.) teeth down a spinal cord.

when reality doesn’t live up to the dream fabricated out of years of wanting waiting and wishing, pleading with the higher powers—me, always me but never him, rather me. he takes an eye out of his skull in exchange for your life and all you can do is let him worship the ground you stand on. he’s too far away to touch even when randall kisses him with the intention of maiming.

he’ll leave some nice bruises. he likes the confirmation that (he’s real he’s real he’s real they are real and alive and god they’re alive and that’s the worst place to be) asher won’t cover them up because he’s loyal, he’s dedicated, trying to make up for lost time, for the lost years and lost nights he could’ve been thrusting in, and out—

who is he, after the fact. after he says, hey randall. and slips the ring on his hand and kisses him clean.

(i’m still me.) (are you sure.)

randall got his fortune told by a man from the desert. this man, he would end up being the father to the twins, the sorcerer of the sand, before the title. he stacks the heavy cards and lays them out in front of the up and coming knight, and only shakes his head at the formation presented before them.

randall did not react in a way that could encourage him to embellish.

the sorcerer, he sighed and flipped cards over, one by one, the cards, they sing and they lament.

star, chariot, lovers, sun, death, and—

(not all change, upheaval is necessarily bad. not all change and upheaval is necessarily bad.)

he had to keep his fists clenched, nails digging into his palms until the sorcerer finished the rite.

"light and ever brilliant, the star. steadfast and occasionally falls prey to the cloud cover of external circumstance. paired with the ever evolving, ever changing chariot, a relationship that burns like the sun. a loyalty and love for you alone.

cherish it for it will be tested and tried without fail.”

randall stared at the last card and bit his tongue.

"reversed temperance." a thin smile, razor sharp and sympathetic all the same.

"and?"

oh. he broke his own rule and leaned forward, bloody palms spilling ichor over the table.

"i’m sorry."

randall left with a heavy heart and went back to the training grounds. asher hit him over the head with the blunt side of his lance.

he forgets his fortune, keeps it in the recesses of his mind, for a very, very long time.

(true love always comes back to bite you in the ass—especially when you die.)

"i love you" is a shoulder tap and hand in hair and the kindness is a cruelty. "i love you" is the way randall smiles, with his eyes and teeth and dimples and the way asher presses his thumbs over his knuckles and leans into his touch.

i love you

(but are you in love with me?)

. . .

asher wakes up with night terrors and randall rubs his back until he falls back asleep. years after the ocean threatened to swallow them whole. they were paladins, house verus’s best, and one of them was traumatized by the creatures of the deep and the other one was beset by a feeling that constricted his throat and made his chest ache and randall can only pull at his hair and hope the feeling where a sword pierced skin would subside.

morning routines. turn into patterns of operation and become so predictable. he can do them in his sleep. (haha. sleep. has he been getting any. how long—)

there’s a sense of monotony to the every day doldrum of life and it’s driving him up the godforsaken wall.

"together again? might as well be siamese twins."

asher snips back with something just as base, and randall laughs. right. together. all the time. ignoring the crawling sensation over his skin, props his sword against his hip and leans over it. emeli scoffs and twirls her newly reinstated axe.

and lord verus’s bodyguard and guardian leaves them alone without a fight.

(did you know, did you know —two, is the loneliest number?) (i’m not a fan of superstitious claims.)

find solace find grace find adoration and affection. and humor and anger and desperation. within each other how can you burn brighter than the sun when you’ve found your absolute everything and asher, he will devote himself completely. body and soul.

. . .

randall likes a lot of things, sure. idolatry isn’t one of them.

. . .

his thirtieth comes disguised as death. verus loses lady castille and emeli is inducted into her new role. she keeps her head high, and shakes randall’s hand.

"sorry, we won’t be here for the celebration. lord verus and i must travel to tadmuur soon." she smiles and randall does, too.

the manor is never quite empty always, buzzing with activity and with mirth. grib was back from their extended hiatus, towing qasim along, and quin was in charge of the newest recruits. kaisa was back in the city for a short holiday, but she was waiting to turn in her official resignation papers, everyone knew.

everyone knew a lot of things and randall’s thirtieth birthday goes by without a complication. his friends throw him a party. it’s great. asher fucks him over a counter. even better.

just fine.

they’ve been married for a decade but it feels like a century in between the sheets.

. . .

you’re a good person, and i love you, but this isn’t the life i hoped to live.

. . .

the first argument is about something stupid. probably about. horses. or a saddle. it was about maintenance. it wasn’t important but randall had snapped and asher looked so appalled and stepped back.

he took three steps back and, ever the logician—let’s take a breath and look at this rationally.

randall had ceded to whatever his grievance was, sighed and shook his head. asher smiled thinly and echoed an apology.

fights were normal. right? in couples. disagreements. that shouldn’t be a problem, if there wasn’t any disagreements, that would be awfully boring.

boring.

gods above, that was one word neither of them were willing to attach to the context of their relationship.

of course not. that was impossible.

randall asks him to dance, and asher takes his hand. of course. they waltz against a setting sun and the fight from earlier is forgotten in its entirety. like a fever dream.

slow kisses, with languid touches and an ever present fear. asher pressed right up against his chest, head bowed. arm draped over his hips, fingers tracing patterns into bare skin.

"ash?"

"mmm…"

randall sighs.

"nevermind, go back to sleep."

how much of this was obligation. a sense of needing to fulfill. when was the performance over, when the audience that applauded them so, when they left who were they who were they in the dark—no, no, no. he gave up so many things to save randall’s life to think badly would be to demean his sacrifice and that wasn’t fair that wasn’t fair at all (but no one asked him to drag him out of the abyss, arm stretched out and stained in blood.)

that night randall wakes up shaking and asher asks what’s wrong and the words get stuck in his throat.

"it’s okay, i’m here, i’m here."

and that’s what he’s afraid of the most.

temperance: balance, patience, moderation.

in reverse. an excess, an imbalance. the path carved out with only one way.

there’s a disconnect here and the union they promised to be dictated by an equal sense of responsibility crumbles like the great empires of the old age.

. . .

  rv: hhfhhg okay no now im back to main timeline

thinking about randall comforting hin after a bad

dream   rv: waking him up like hey ash snap out of it

  rv: asher doesnt even realize hes lashed out and

is clutching randall hand until he wraps their

fingers together.  you okay   rv: is still holding on when randall gets up to

go back to his own cot . if you wanted me to stay

you couldve just said so

  rv: would he  be too prideful to admit it

 Ava: dpeneds on the dream i think  Ava: how bad it is. there are definitely times

when hes shaken up enough to not even give pride a

second thought  Ava: there are probably stretches where he

doesntevn have to say anything randall just knows &

he stays ha ha...

  rv: mhmmmm   rv: eventually they just start sleeping in tge

same space its weird  not doing so   rv: hte thought of them doing this pre-

establishment ruins me ahaha

 Ava: its easier, after that. theyre not as bad,

he thinks. not completely gone. but better.  Ava: hah......... i  Ava: oof

  rv: something solid to hold on to hhh   rv: randall is a light sleeper and probably

wakes up with good intuitions for shaking him out

of it

 Ava: this always hecks me up because its such a.

private and vulnerable thing and just being there

speaks volumes about trust and comfort

  rv: YEAH thats wh y its my fav shippy trope

fnfngjgjgjf

 Ava: same

  rv: randall moving closer to him whenever theres

a  nightmare . not quite an embrace but getting

close

  rv: asher moving into randall almost

involuntarily   .....

  rv: maybe sometimes randall strokes his hair i

dont know   rv: its dark and its late and theyre both alone

ansd on the cusp of sleep and not always thinking

their actions through   rv: everything is just instinct   rv: or impulse   rv: lmfao this is the most. open they are with

another

 Ava: they dont talk about it because they dont

have to talk about it its just. theyre there. its

safe.  Ava: its safe and quiet and warm and its enough.

its enough

  rv:  in those moments everything just feels so

Right

  rv: fhgg god its just like. how are you guys

gonna try and justify This

  rv: hahahhahahhhahahhua one of them breaking snd

just like. kissing the other really softly before

tbeir mind can catch up with what they re doing

 Ava: the other just. theyre already drifting.

maybe they just imagined it

  rv: both thinking it was just  dream

 Ava: at least its a pleasant one   rv: so sleepy theyre just like. his face is so

close it wouldn't take much for me to - and then

all of a sudden they sre

 Ava: nuzzle into each other afterwards as though

they werent close enough

  rv: randall is definitely a cuddly sleeper how

is asher

 Ava: i like to think at least after theyre

established if nothing else he likes to hold onto

randall in some fashion........... so  Ava: its reassuring. Comfortable

  rv: theyd wake up all tangled with eachother

  rv: cold nights......hahahaha   rv: dont mean to start snuggling but guess how

they wake up  Ava: when they wake up they dont even try to move

for a while. it is cold after all   rv: randall mumbles out a good morning and his

expression is 100% unfiltered fondness

  rv: assuming they are established hed  be the

lean over for the kiss good morning type  if they

are not then hes just quietly thinkig about it

 Ava: when asher sees the look on randalls face

his heart thuds and hes probably thinking the same

thing. theyre so close. they could  Ava: (has this happened before? he thinks,

remembering the faint impression of a could-be kiss

buried somewhere in the haze of half-sleep)

  rv: wha t if thts how they get together just

seeing that emotion reflected in the other a d

leaning forward to meet halfway.

 Ava: makes a very small noise  Ava: (taylor swift voice) hey isnt this easy and

you ve got a smile that could light up this whole

town

  rv: i cant even figure out how it would happen .

becoming a thing.  theyre shch a mess it all

depends on who caves first .

 Ava: wh o can last the logest  Ava: would it be considered a moment of boldness

or weakness for whoever cracks first

  rv: y eah   rv: i dont even . know.   rv: it  could go either way

Ava: ive been thinking about this through this

entire class i die  Ava: the kiss is a silent confirmation of

everything hoped for but never acted upon and its

just an easy transition into what thy rly want oh

its so easy. the change is almost imperceptible

from the outside but now it seems like theyre

sharihg some sort of secret only they know about

(that is until they crack again and tell Everyone)  Ava: hey bye

 rv: i dont even know what the circumstances for this would be but i   . like the idea

Ava: i also do not know the circumstances but my brain threw those words together and i was like ok. sure. yeah that sounds good

Ava: "mr asher what are your qualifications" well theres no reason why his parents cant still be ex military in an au . how about some family bonding, son

rv: would he be the trained his whole life sort???

Ava: i dont seeeeee why not

rv: i guess randall could be. some billionaires son i dont know . ransom threats made against him which is why they need the bodyguard

rv: dhflfhw their first meeting

rv: "you're a lot shorter than i expected"

rv: randall you are six foot five shut up

rv: bodyguard s taller than you are are difficult to find

rv: also he probably like requested someone close to his age because he. wanted a friend

rv: its hard making friends when so many people have ulterior motives for wanting to get close to you because youre rich and powerful etc etc cliche

 Ava: im just thinking about randall leaning on asher. randall its kind of hard to look intimidating when youre doing this

rv: its nice having someone he knows he can trust

rv: DJFJJFJF

rv: im helping.  im deceiving them into thinking youre less of a threat

Ava: Omfg

Ava: the point isnt to get them to think they have a chance . we are trying to avoid confrontation here

rv: aww  but i wanna see you fight stuf Ava: a small sigh

Ava: you probably wouldnt be thinking that if something actually happened

rv: why would i have anything to worry about if youre here

rv: (his perception of reality and danger gauge is . pitiful. probably doesnt actually believe anyone would actually go for him )

Ava: (iM also skipping ahead a little but im laughng bc??? they start spending more and more time together snd other people are like "ha ha that bodyguard sure takes his job seriously! you arent paying him extra are you (rich people laughter)” meanwhile they are making out behidn a potted plant) (im kiddi

 rv: gGGHhHhhhf

Ava: randall you are in for a Big surprise this is serious business here

rv: the only thing he is serious about is telling asher he isnt allowed to take any bullets for him.  cant stand the thought of him getting hurt.

rv: randall. that's my job.

rv: hahaha randall patching him up after a fight.......bye

rv: he has his shirt buttoned open and randall is trying to focus on cleaning up the wound and dressing bandages  but its Distracting

Ava: gross wheezing laugher

Ava: "well? arent you glad you finally got to see me fight" dry humor probably does not help the situation

rv: his face is uncharacteristically solemn.  never wants this to happen again .

rv: probably pauses there with  hand on his chest and looks over at him so intensely and whoop s all of a sudden they are kissing

Ava: hey man be careful youre getfing blood all over your shirt

 rv: who the hell cares

rv: if thats .their first kiss. ahaha. ha

rv: asher breaking it off like Woah Now this is highly unprofessional

 Ava: hes pretty sure he is breaking at least Several rules here

 rv: randall is like leaning in and nuzzling the side of his face

rv: thats not really.  helping.

Ava: not at all. no

Ava: IM LAUGHINGN so uh. do you do this with all your bodyguards

 rv: "only the cute ones"

rv: sees the look on his face and quickly reiterates " JUST YOU there was never - "

rv: he's laughing but hes also . in so deep

rv: knows just as well how inappropriate this all is

rv: sighs suddenly and his shoulders wilt and closes his eyes and hes leaning in for a forehead touch from the side "i........like you. a lot."

Ava: im glad to hear that because i like you too. a lot

Ava: but. well. is this alright? is this okay

rv: grinning against his ear. i feel pretty okay right now how about you.

Ava: well you know. (vague gesture to presumably still wounded body)

rv: so happy to hear it back he doesnt cate about consequence anymore. was expecting him to leave or quit right there or something.

Ava: but aside from that. i feel pretty okay too

 rv: lmfao god. jumps back suddenly oh god right i was supposed to be helping with that hahaha

rv: there is so much blood on this very expensive silk shirt

 Ava: s what happens when you get caught up in the moment

rv: looks at him after everything is tended like. is it okay. if i kiss you again

Ava: ahser smiles. yes. its okay

rv: GRINS  REALLY WIDE then leans in

rv: then theyre off to the next thing with airy steps like did this really just happen

Ava: but now i just want someone to encounter them afterward and be like !!???!? when they see randalls shirt and hes just "dont worry its not mine"

rv: hahahahaha

rv: maybe i should.  get a jacket

Ava: also someone attempting to spy on them maybe like Generic Incompetent Bad Guys and theyre like. the bodyguards moving. hes standing on his toes... whispering into the targets ear?? did any of our sensors pick up on that? "no" they must have scrambled the signal it was actually just a kiss on the cheek

 rv: hahaha making out every time theyre alone together in a room now

Ava: secret relationship ^q^ as long as the person who signed the contract doesnt find out. and everyone, else,

rv: how exciting . randall thinks it's exciting at least . asher i assume is a bundle of  nerv:es

Ava: of course

Ava: could be caught at Literally Any Moment

rv: just a matter of whether the endearment weighs out the professionalism in him

Ava: and hes the one thats gonna get the brunt of the consequences if they get caught haha..,

rv: ahahahhs yea((

rv: randall is probably no help at all . keeps on getting riskier.  

Ava: tsk tsk

rv: this party is soooooo boring come on lets sneak out for a little while

rv: asher has to pull out the stern No Fun stops

Ava: its for the best

rv: he's all pouty for the rest of the night despite Knowing Ashers Right

Ava: (thinks about first explicit i love yous and dies ? forever? ? ?  ? ? ?)

rv: randall would say it so casually he wouldnt even realize until he registers the expression on ashers face

rv: oh haha did i. say that out loud.

rv: heh. sorry.

Ava: sORRY

rv: asher seems a little speechless hes not sure if its cause he went too far???

Ava: ashers just having a Big Feel

rv: earth to asher

rv: are you there

rv: randalls getting concerned

Ava: hes just like. can. can i say it back????? is the moment over. he said it so casually maybe it snot as serious as i think it is,

Ava: WHat if i make it weird

 rv: feelings trainwreck

rv: randall keeps thinking he crossed a line or something scratches the back of his head .

rv: he didnt e en mean to say it he was just  . thinking out loud

Ava: what a disaster

 rv: inm laughing asher is just. overheating. cant function

rv: randall sort of. reaches out. hesitates. touches his arm gently  . is. everything okay

rv: im thinking when they first meet randall is just like. "man do you ever smile??????"

rv: hes gonna make that his mission . get him to smile

Ava: hes going to have his work cut out for him

Ava: is this like your default or are you only like this because youre on the job????

Ava: thy go out somewhere "as friends!!!! not as guard and client" but ssher still cant loosen up. sorry. i cant just Stop wanting to protect you too bad that phrasing implies personal involvement haha

rv: ahhhhh hahahaha

rv: "we should go somewhere nice for your day off" randall i dont get days off

rv: "you are kind of my life now" wait no thst came out sounding way more romantic than he means

Ava: hahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha

Ava: honestly

rv: how convenient for them theyre obligated to be around each other at all times

 rv: randall trying to Tell Jokes. wow tough crowd.

rv: he wants to get along so much

Ava: oh my god

Ava: poor kid

Ava: jsut show him this its guaranteed to work htwww.quickmeme.com/img/f5/f5827f9c5cd4c25463efae3e0400cbe8a8ea50ac4ba4e17eb102be6033f70792.jpg

rv: hdhhfhfjfkf

rv: honor student memes

rv: so what would u be if u werent  bodyguard

Ava: a politician

Ava: im just kidd ing i havent actually worked thaotu uthg

Ava: that out yet

Ava:  a frikcin. market analyst. an accountant. a generic office worker. who knows

Ava: maybe a soldier like my parents

Ava: mr man with a plan what is his career path. i dont know. whoops

rv: lmfao thats all so.  Boring.  im so endeared.

rv: how did he even  become.  a bodyguard

rv: its such a cool job considering. asher

Ava: (the voice of someone who is a member of the armed forces) just doing my duty

rv: middle school career assessment test. stock analyst. neurosurgeon. bodyguard.

 Ava: well i mena out of all those thats the only one hes currently kind of qualified for so hey why not right ha ha.. ha

 rv: gotta pay your way through med school somehow

rv: this is a high risk job the pay is nice

Ava: it better be

rv: but GOD how he even became QUALIFIED for this . hecks me up

rv: did you just take like every kind of martial arts as a kid or something? ??

rv: i was in judo for like.  four months .

Ava: well i ts not like hes not ok with it. its cool. its just a thing that happened

rv: i wonder if i can still flip someone over

rv: no randall dont try it

rv: incapacitating your bodyguard is a bad idea

Ava: u will also probablly just hurt yourself

rv: probably.  reflexes .

rv: this is just the set up for stock shojo "accidentally end up in a conspicuous pose" tropes

rv: why not go for the full cliche

Ava: we can do that. we are allowed

rv: randall asking to learn some self defens techniques doesnt wnt to be completely defenceless

rv: just in case something happens and you cant get to me - "i will always get to you"

rv: but yeah Hands On Demonstration

rv: randall is probably leaning into his touch a little more than  necessary

 Ava: asher probably corrcts his form a bit more than necessary too ha ha...

 rv: milk it for all its worth

Ava: probably keeps his hands in place while explaining Why this technique and proper form is importsnt. eye contact. randall. are you listening

Ava: otherwise he probably doesnt let the touches linger...... gotta have some semblance of control here. keep it quick and light

rv: haha "doesnt linger"

rv: only when hes thinking about it explicitly

rv: haha fuck .hover hands .

rv: doesnt think hes lingering or touching him more than necessary

rv: randall meanwhile is just. is this real life . he isnt imagining things. hes  not just getting too excited by every touch hes exaggerating the situation

rv: so hyperaware of eachother lmfao

Ava: lets get these teen hearts beating faster faster lets get these teen hearts beating faster

rv: randall is just . how did this happen. falling for him. god what a cliche.  what is he a disney princess.

rv: haha if something actually.  Did Happen to him.

Ava: No

Ava: that was supposed to be in all caps

rv: NOT DYING I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT

rv: Since it is you know. mr dies in 80% of aus

rv: just like hostage situation .so asher can tear up a place looking for him  .

Ava: "asher we appreciate your enthusiasm but please calm down youre being reckless" how can they expect him to be calm

rv: its good to know you take your job seriously

rv: but you must go into this with a clear head

Ava: his job. his job! this isnt about his job but maybe hes wrong. if he had done his job--this wouldnt have happened. any of this

rv: ahhhhfgff heck

rv: randall s just.  clinging to the fact he knows hes gonna come.  hes gonna  be here.

Ava: he’ll be there. no matter what. he’ll be there if he has to go through everyone between them himself

rv: the reunion would be so

rv: holds on to him and Does Not Let Go

Ava: asher probably cant stop apoligizing. im sorry im sorry im sorry

Ava: head burrowed into his neck, tries to concentrate on randalls breathing

rv: randalls got one hand clutching the back of his shirt and the other ones running through his hair over his shoulders along his arm youre here youre here you came youre here  now (dont let me go)

rv: when they get  back to the penthouse or whatever they just sit on the couch a d randalls curled all around him head buried in his hair or against his neck . everythings catching up with him now . he was tryig to keep calm while it was happening but now that its over hes just. Shaking.

rv: cant roll this one off his shoulders

rv: haha he probably got Roughed Up at least a little bit

Ava: ashers quietly cursing himself, its his fault this happened to you, are you alright? do you need anything?

rv: randalls shaking his head. just stay here. like this. for as long as they can

Ava: okay. rubs circles against his back. okay.

rv: probably ends up falling asleep like that haha terrible. you will get a kink in your neck.

rv: probably stick waaaaaay closer  to each other after this incident

 Ava: m just thinking about asher getting reprimanded for letting this happen in the first place. we could fire you. but your energy trying to bring him back hasnt gone unnoticed. consider yourself warned. this is serious. perhaps we should bring in extra help as a precaution and not being able to spend as much time together being open because there are new people around all the time no

 rv: randall fighting to the teeth to keep him here when theyre trying to fire him .

rv: what happened was some flule and not his fault but he got me back alive as quickly as possible who else couldve

rv: he wont allow anyone else

rv: also lmfao three guesses as to where my mind went for this "third party" (no guesses actually. )

rv: miss castille how nice of you to join us

Ava: of course

rv: haha god Randall just want s to touch him so much but there are too many eyes on them

rv: that kiss seems . so long ago

rv: hpw can someone be so close but so far

rv: would asher like. enforce distance after the incident

Ava: yes

 rv: that would Kill Him

Ava: he insists its better for the both of them

rv: right. hes here as a guard.  Not As

rv: thinks about that time he let the i love you slip but never heard it back

 Ava: maybe asher should just quit. find a gig somewhere else. wait tables to put himself through college instead

Ava: at least then maybe he could be open with his feelings haha

 rv: theyd never let him be thst close

rv: if he leaves its sort of. good bye

rv: randall would HATE HIMSELF if he had to resort to waitiing tables would just

rv: pay college for him . like hes ever take that money

rv: dont  compromise on your lifeplan for me

rv: haha theyre fuckdd

rv: can't be with you cant be without you

rv: im so sad it would just brrak his heart for asher to distance himself like that

rv: like he understands why but it still.  hurts

Ava: of course it hurts

Ava: (lifts up shirt sleeve to reveal a red heart tattoo that says "Love Hurts" on shouldr)

Ava: will the power of love save the day. Tru Love

rv: i dont know how but in some romcom way it will

Ava: parents witness sweeping confession of lov and heartfelt kiss and are like "HEY!!!" and randall and asher are like "!!??? □" and theyre like "this is extremely unprofessional and i should have you terminated on the spot" and ashers like "...im sorry randalls parents" and they cut him off like "but i remember when we were young and i felt the same way about randalls other parent" and theyre like "...?" and the parents are "who are we to stop young love" and randalls eyes are all wide and he looks at asher and grins and ashers lke !?!?? and randall scoops him up and swings him around and kisses him mid spin and they all live happily ever after the end

rv: Happy end

rv: "take care of him alright" "with my life, sir"

rv: he has sort of already.  pledged himself

Ava: "youve already proven that, son" as soon as randalls parwnts get in the limo to drive home (i imagined this happenign on a rooftop for Extra Drama or something idk lmfao) Parent 1 sticks out their hand with a smug expression and Parent 2 pouts before handing them a sum of money "i told you so" "please"

rv: LMFSO

rv:  randall probably mumbles a "marry me" at one point in between all the excited kissing

rv: does not realize he let it slip out . just. too in the moment

Ava: what if asher says yes

rv: ahahahahhahaha

rv: "what"

Ava: "what"

Ava: "what?" the question mark is important

rv: randall slowly realizing he said it out loud. OH. oh. oh my g

rv: "you...would?" hate how doubtful he still sounds after everything

 Ava: ashers just like. yes. yes i would. hes already waited too long and a lot of that time was spent in self denial, now that everything is in the clear and out in the open why wait any longer. why would his answer be anything else

rv: randall hugs him so tight his spine bends backward s lets get married Right Now

Ava: RIght now... right now right now? can we grt anyone to do it right now should we tell anybody?? should ee invite anyone. ok when he said why wait any longer he was thinking maybe like at Least . more than a day to prepare. probably more than several days. this is Very spontaneous he is usually more of a plan guy

Ava: "(ring ring) hey remember how you found out about me and asher last night well we're married now haha"

 rv: he just got. too excited

rv: they can get married for everyone else later

rv: this is for them

 Ava: what about last names. sdo they hyphenate. asher would probably be OK with taking randalls name if thats what he wanted. its all very !!!! all in all it is a very happy night but right before he flls asleep asher remembers he had an exam he didnt study for #sadstuck

 rv: i  d ont even kn ow about last names god

rv: probably hyphenated

rv: hahahhshsh thinks abt thrm slow dancig in thr living room i cna t even type this im donemotiosnl

rv: the record ends abd they just stsnd there holding eachother

rv: randall has his head placed on top of ashers

 Ava: (is falling asleep) (thinks about randall and asher wearing wedding bands) (is hecked up)

Ava: its something real and solid and instantly identifiable to the outside world as something that marks them as Together and its just like. wow. Wow. this is really happening this is real life

 rv: smiling whenever they look at them

rv: hjjjhhh i gotta go into work  but im so. stuck on randall making asher laugh a d just being like holy heck do that again

rv: whwnever it happens he is just (completely smitten) i love it when you laugh

rv: the more i think about it he would just

drop casual "i love X thing"s all the time

rv: completely unaware he's doing it to the extent he does

rv: im super curious as to whst ashers first/early impression would be considering Billionaires Son probably goes into the job with a lot of preconceived notions and expectations

Ava: well he is probably not like anything he expected, even if he tells himself he didnt expect anything

Ava: is this Billionaire famous, is the billionaires son famous. are they pseudo celebrities or just rich

Ava: is he wearing that neon jacket when they meet

Ava: he wants to make a good impression and hes prepared for someone who s detached or maybe even rude. someone who is more or less impartial. he is not prepared for how disarming randalls smile is

Ava: hes just hired muscle he doesnt actually expect anyone to care

 rv: randall is probably dressed Well because his parents are around but the awful clothes dont take long

rv: showing asher around his penthouse and its a . mess despite the cleaning staff

rv: his parents are probably.  incredibly successful business people . creators of some successful product or whatever

rv: first thing he does is show asher around.  this is the video gsme section.   now we have to meet my horse

rv: asher was probably not expecting to play mario kart as much as he ends up doing on this job

 Ava: im sitll laughing at “now we have to meet my horse"

 rv: oats is very important to him

rv: they must become acquainted with one another

Ava: asher doesnt have a horse. he appreciates oats even if he does not appreciate oats’s name

rv: whats wrong wjth his name

 Ava: …nothing. nothnigs wrong with the name

Ava: he probably wouldnt be anle to visit oats wihout superv:ision would he. i just imagined him stealing away to talk to him about his Troubles with feelings lol

rv: im still laughi g at randalls first impression its just. small.

rv: also probably the passing thought of "cute"

rv: he is very pleasantly surprised that his new bodyguard is so close to his agehopefully they can become friends!!!!!  

(randall you are  not supposed to be friends with your serv:icemen. you are also not supposed to think about their strong arms and pretty eyes)

rv: also LMFAO at asher using thr horse for feelings

 Ava: horses are very understanding creatures

Ava: do yo uthink randall and asher bond over horse memes

 rv: randall would definity try IT as a bonding experience

Ava: asher tells randall about his summer trips to the bradley ranch  when he was a kid

rv: that sounds like fun!!!

rv: im thinking that in this au he would be an only child a d . heck hed be so lonely

rv: which is why hes soooooo jazzed about being around someone his age

Ava: HE INVITES HIM TO THE RANCH NEXT TIME

rv: AHHHHHHHHHH HES SO HAPPY

Ava: asher hasnt been there in a while, because life’s been kind of hectic lately, but, well, maybe he’s due back. hasn’t seen his family in a hwile. why don’t we both go

rv: randAlls just :DDDDDD

Ava: is this even allwoed

rv: can he really  go? ??????

Ava: hes welcome but its like. in texas. assuming they are not also already in texas.

rv: ROAD TRIP

Ava: asher was thinking more of like a flight there but ok

Ava: even if they are already in texas. texas is big enough for both of these things

rv: probably  not allowed to hVe a road trip. sorry randall

rv: they probably live in like.  idk. California or new York.  big city

rv: too dangerous for roadtrip cliches

Ava: texas is in the middle of both of those places

Ava: possibly

rv: hah is asher from texas.

Ava: well i guess technically. maybe. m..aybe..?

rv: does he have . the accent.

Ava: i never thought of that , because, his family came After him lmfao

 rv: but if he did

Ava: his mom is probably from the northeast tho. marthas vineyard. kinda ritzy, a place with ponies of Stature

Ava: i cna t even imagine

Ava: omg what if he has like. it only slips out in certain situations

Ava: his dad probably has The Accent but his dad doesnt really speak much himself so

rv: ahahhahahahahha slipping out . hell

rv: when hes stressed or emotional or whatever

Ava: hahaha yeah

rv: 8)

Ava: also when he is sleepy

rv: 8))))))))))))))

rv: that text post thats like STOP MAKING ME FALL FOR YOU HARDER

rv: when hes inebriated hahahahaha

 Ava: yes. yes

rv: nice NICE nice

 Ava: probably gets embarrssed if he realizes hes doing it. tips of his ears get all red. uh

rv: randall is like  not entirely sure he  heard things right. did he. did he really just hear

Ava: its also almost impossible to resist doing back at the ranch so like theres that too

rv: 8)

rv: randall wanting to hear him say his name but thsts. a weird thing to ask

 Ava: dont worry kid it’ll come up soon enough

 Ava: hello family who i ahve not seen in several years probably i am here and i have brought along my client to visit

Ava: after a once over they treat him like family because they are very friendly and also can pretty much read him like an open book. he aint a bad kid

Ava: im just imagining like. asher calling up his parents. like hye. im thinking about going out to the ranch again sometime soon. oh thats great! i know we havent been there in a while, it’ll be nice to see everyone again. yeah thats what i was thinking. oh also i’m going to bring randall. randall…? your client? that’s… nice? that’s weird. what? that’s a little weird hon

Ava: this is his mother speaking

 rv: he wants to see it??? never really  been out of the city.  theyre  always saying how good fresh air is for people

rv: hahhh     i was thinking about tjis earlier in the day wbere like

rv: asher having to escort a drunken randall back home

rv: and randalls all leaning into him and mumbling vague words and compliments . cant even string  sentences its just words

rv: said some thing like . i wish we d met . somewhere else . so then i could

rv: passes out right  before he says a nytjing else

Ava: im rolling my eyes into the sun @ my self but also keep thinking about asher taking randall to the ranch and hey whats up its cousin cooper. and they spar. its coops idea. he was always rough and tumble and what better way to welcome back an old friend than with hand to hand combat. "coop i could kill you" "you wont though! come on it'll be fun!! just like old times" "what old times are you talking about" what im getting at is randall watching them fight shirtless in the sun (wink)(wink)(wink)

Ava: i'll see myself out

rv: hahahhahhhahhahhahahahhahahhahahahahgaghahhagagzgg

rv: randall is just ovo

rv: one of the great aunts is talking to him and hes having trouble concentrating

rv: shes a nice old lady he must keep his thoughts pure within her vicinity

rv: in hindsight this was all a terrible idea

rv: so many relatives dont know who randall is so they . mke assumptions

Ava: naturally

rv: theyre so close all the time after all

rv: ashers hand is constantly just hovering over the small of his back

Ava: yeah yeah yeha yeah yeah x10

rv: hahahhaha every now and then randall stumbles and falls back into it

rv: just like my shoujos

 rv: im still . stuck on randall s ovo  moment

rv: asher comes by after the fight a d hes. all spaghetti

 Ava: y’alright there randall

rv: hahahhahah . fine . dandy . i need a drink

rv: hes just. sweatin

Ava: oh sorry ‘bout that. i could use one myself. why don’t we go inside, i’ll find somethin

rv: hahhahahahha sure

rv: (would he put his shirt back on or)

Ava: shirt. what sh— oh. whoops

rv: randall is just   ffnfnjfjh  . this is so unfair .

rv: its like Pandoras box has been opened

rv: he can never go back from this moment

rv: knows what's being hidden underneath all those black tshirrs

Ava: also thte other thing i was thinking about that i never said was. hangin out round a fire outside at dusk. someone pulls out the guitar (a few good natured groans, but mostly well received) hey ash. get yr behind over here and join us he is being requisitioned to Sing for the group

 rv: oh

rv: isn't he supposed to have a really nice voice

Ava: yes

Ava: for whatever reason

rv: rip randall

rv: maybe before this he could brush off everything as a crush ans try and move away but now he is just

rv: trippin into a  big feel

rv: didnt think he could fall harder hoo boy

Ava: hey remember how that one modau boring desk job asher like never talks about his family and then one day they come in and everybodys like !!??!? !!!!

Ava: what if thats just like. thats just how he is. so the fact that hes actually bringing randll to meet his family is Really

rv: ahhhhhh

rv: randall wondering why he brought him but hes really thankful

rv: hes so. hes soooooo sunk.

rv: watching him from across the fire like.heck. heck . heck.

rv: this is so nice.  all of this is so nice . makes him wish he had this kind of family

rv: why couldn't tjey have just met in college or something

rv: hes so . theyre probably sleeping in the samr cabin and hes just . hes only four feet away .

Ava: so close yet so far

rv: wants to kiss him soooo so much

rv: would this  be happening.  after the y are kind of already   a thing or . before  . (the bloody kiss, that is)

Ava: (folds hands)

Ava: i want to say before

rv: ovo

rv: oucj

rv: hahahahhahahshaha god how long . does this drag out

rv: i just want thrm to be thr slowest slow burn

rv: like . a year and a half . before the kiss

rv: or maybe more

Ava: Nice nice nice nci nxie

rv: g od .  

rv:  hahaha asher waking up in the morning and the morning lights falling all around him and randall just wants to sink into the sheets and die .

Ava: asher offers a tired greeting thats got more of a lilt to t than usual

rv: hahahaha.  not helping

rv: he gets soooooooo doki about the accent baha god

rv: i guess it feels like. getting to know asher beneath all the distance and gruff

rv: this little glimpse into who be really is and thats

rv: he wants to get closer to that

Ava: haha can we have an almost kiss moment. rhe moods right and something in them both has got em slowly inching toward each other butthen something happens, someone barges in with an Important Announcement (foods ready) (we're all gonna play a round of ball come on out theres money on this game) (have either a you seen where i left my bag) and its over

 rv: godddddd

rv: of course

rv: so awkward after that

rv: who walks in on them. is it coop.i feel like it would be

Ava: yeah

 rv:  coops like ohhhhhhhhh shit sorry

rv: how much does he tease asher .

 Ava: a lot. its all good natured though so if asher ever seriously told him to cut it out he would but probably move onto the next thing. he treats asher like a younger brother, even though, he is actually younger than asher is

Ava: since hes taller hes got seniority

rv: haha nice

rv: sends asher all sorts of Knowing Looks

Ava: waggles his eyebrows when randlals back is turned

 rv: hhffbff im falling down .

rv: the. m having a legitimate conversation about it like coops all what's the deal a d asher just straight out tells him its nothing.he can'tlet it be anything

 Ava: i was about to say coop claps him on the back like "i like him, you have my blessing" but then u went and said That

 rv: most of thr family is probably unaware as to who randall is . keep it on the dl .

rv: this is Just a vacation.  for the both of them . theyll be safe enough here providing they remain anonymous

rv: randall is his.........friend

Ava: his...... very good friend. his good friend who he sometimes wants to hold hands with? friend who. makes his heart skip whenever he looks at him a certsin way. his friend who he thinks about a lot and may have considered, maybe, the thought of them kissing from time to time, his. friend. his, frick, his boss. randall is his bos s randall is his Boss, he thinks, as he invites him out at night to watch the stars. there are a lot of em out here, not like in the city. the whole sky's lit up from above, not below, and its a sight. he's. he wants to share a moment with his

rv: fucko

rv: randall is completely awestruck . never seen anything like this before . its beautiful. they sort of go to a place thats more secluded so they can see more stars without getting blocked by buildings or trees and he maybe sort of . leans his head against ashers shoulder unthinkingly.

Ava: they stay like that for a while

rv: it feels so . safe out here in the dark. like theyre the only ones for miles around.  the only ones in the whole world.

Ava: so comfortable. they don't want to leave but when it gets late enough they can't stay. asher almost reaches out to hold randall's hand when they get up to go. catches himself at the last minute

 rv: randall keeps playing out this scene where he hugs him in his head

rv: if its like a thank you that would make it okay right

rv: thinking how small and nice he would fit right into his arms

rv: probably perfectly

rv: compromises by tugging his sleeve gently. hey ash? thanks.

rv: its so little of a gesture compared to everything he is feeling  . doesnt quite let go as soon as he should .hes probably still thinking about it

rv: ashers looking up right at him and it would be so easy,  almost too easy,  to just lean right down and -

rv: i love to own and get owned

Ava: http://gyazo.com/95b7ad14e49a05d9b8af767bd4cd8b72 do u think i will be able to finish this

rv: ohhhhhhhhh

rv: i just . thinking about them once theyre established and how much of a change that is. gradually.  at first theyre probably so cautious, can i leave my hand here, is this okay, can i kiss you - until eventually they dont even have to ask. can read the other so well. no longer have to hold back on all the little impulses .

rv: free to hold hands. brush the hair out the others eyes

rv: they love eachother so much its so gross

 Ava: absolutely disgusting

rv: hahahha. randsll idly thinking about the day ashers gonna leave likr. he cant stay with this job forever

rv: it would be so selfish to want him to stay

rv: hears him talk idly about medschool like thats great. sounds great. youd be great.

Ava: hahahahahah right

Ava: this is. a job to get him through college after all

Ava: all that learnins got to amount to something

Ava: he's probably not just gonna be sitting around reading medical journals all day

rv: gonna you know . save lives. noble stuff

rv: hell support him how he can. set up a little scholarship

rv: probably better tbis way then he wont get hurt

rv: imagine asher as a suit salesman

 Ava: nice

rv: the most boring job i could think of

rv: okay but anyways. bodyguard au

rv: formal wear. for skme reason

rv: isn't asher very Cleans Up Nicely

Ava: i believe that was a thing decided by the universe yes

rv: nice

rv: randall looks weird in a suit. still cute but clearly out of his element

rv: his hair is all slicked down and it just.  wrong .

rv: makes you wanna rreach up and ruffle it

Ava: lovely

rv: the urge is so strong

A

va: it would be highly unprofessional

Ava: maybe afterwards? maybe at the very end it doesn't matter When you do it it is sitll highly unprofessional

rv: i dont know he just has to . look nice . for whatevwr reason

rv: some fancy affair

 Ava:  its the party where all the other old rich people comment on how good of a job ashers doing as a body guard and they are secretly making out in a back corner

Ava: no its not

Ava: maybe it is

rv: hahahahha

rv: randall is certainly vividly imagining makig out behind a plant

rv: these tjings are alwsys so boring

rv: and it is so terribly unfair how good ashe r looks in a suit

rv: what did he do to deserve this

rv: lmfao god i . want some little old clique of ladies to be all Haha the muscle sure cleans up nicely.  eye candy. randals ovo

 Ava: hahahahahahah imagining asher overhearing or they are just not botherin gto be quiet about it. tight lipped smile. be courteous

 rv: randalls got this weird pit of jealousy because. theyre free to Say things so openly

rv: they probably say it Right There. in front of him . as hes standing to the side

rv: randalls just . steaming inwardly.  could u plz not objectify  my bodyguard

rv: probably apologizes for it

rv: sorry u have to put up with this. apologetic smile .

rv: they shouldn't disrespect you like that though . maybe clenching his fist a little bit

Ava: waves off his concern. it's alright. he's just glad he doesn't actually have to talk to them. he's not exactly a charmer. wouldn't want to leave them disappointed haha. gotta keep up a good impression

rv: strong and silent . he can do that

rv: randall is just. angered by people thinking lesser of him. hes not just some muscle

Ava: he does have some muscle tho

Ava: badum tss

rv: tru

rv: hes the only one privy to that though ;)

Ava: hahahahahah

rv: lol thinks of them sneaking away together even tho that would be very unlikely

rv: "you're the only thing here that's of any interest to me"

 Ava: oo la la

rv: hes bored out of his mind and very easily distracted by

rv:  i am sorry

Ava: for. what

rv: gestures vaguely at twitter mess

rv: i cant commit to this . it was just . relevant to fhe conversation at hand

 ((http://gyazo.com/b850a0021a2ae4be8f88ec83214eab48))

Ava: lmfao

Ava: randall i didnt know u were so Dangerous

 rv: its just Exciting

rv: they're not going to get caught but the risk of there being people in thr adjoining room and having to stay quiet is fun

rv: haha he probably likes teasing asher a lot. i will stop i jsut

rv: so anyway

Ava: http://gyazo.com/ddd90f1ba399002ddcf850909033f713 this turned into an accidental cover of a thing. just lower the opacity of randalls head and add like a cityscape in the background

Ava: "so anyway" i was planning on trying to come up with something for that but i . didnt. i will. eventually

Ava: its pretty good

rv: AHHHH

rv: they look so sad.

rv: and pining.

Ava: such is the way

 rv: you know how as a kid you would sometimes pretend to be asleep in the car while driving home at night in hopes yr parents would carry you in

rv: randall still does that

rv: he actually did fall asleep onxe and woke up mid carry like Holy Shit

rv: snd ever since then he justm . pretends to fall asleep. every now and then

rv: likes the feeling of arms around him but also just. solidity. comfort.

rv: snuggles against his shoulder and smiles to himself

rv: its probably.  a sight to see. his legs are so long how do you even get him out of the car

 Ava: randlal u are Literally Six Feet Tall

 rv: taller

rv: they look ridiculous

Ava: http://gyazo.com/8c32d9d030c07d204392f8562205e928 this is ridiculous

rv: gafjjfjdjf

rv: but its an excuse to hold eachother

Ava: they both know those are few and far between

rv: make use of every excuse they can

rv: bfbfgnngg asher kissing randalls forhead after setting him down.

Ava: (BANGS ON THE KYEBOARD)

rv: no one will know

Ava: n o one,

rv: .except randall

rv: whp he does not realize is fake sleeping

rv: onxe asher leave s the room he jst??????? curls up on himself . did he. did he really  . did he just oh my godddddddddd

Ava: ohhh my goddddd

Ava: rip randall

rv: its a critical hit

Ava: can u even justify something like that

Ava: without resorting to. maybe he .d oes he actually. can it even be explained any other way

rv: he thinks about it vaguely and tries to rationalize it because everything is not allowed.  hes here because he was hired to be and not -

 Ava: ivs also been thinking about that forehead kiss like alL day. maybe. if youre really trying. you could try to rationalize something like that. but the way he brushed randalls hair out of the way was slow and careful and theres a small hesitation between that motion and the next that gave it weighe light touch of lips to skin, soft and deliberate, unhurried. the beat after he straightened followed by a quiet "goodnight, randall." the words were more for himself than anything

rv: this wrecks me

rv: trying to justify it because.  theres no way. it can be what it seems. but what else could it have been???????? he rolls over and tries not to think about it

Ava: tries not to think about it

rv: TRIES its all he can think about

rv: cant stop staring at him over breakfast

Ava: haha ashers just. are you alright

rv: hes trying to get a read on him. is there anything thats changed?  whats different.  when did this even happen. "um yeah sure"

Ava: "you sure? you're acting a bit..." its been a process. there isnt a when, really, maybe a how long. its been so gradual that there might not even be a detectable change, unless you think hard about it

rv: he blinks and rubs his eyes and forces a smile "i probably just...slept....weird.  its nothing. wheres the coffee" bringing it up probably wouldnt do either of them much good. maybe he was dreaming.

Ava: dreaming. of course

rv: that'd explain it. cant go getting wrapped up in a fantasy

Ava: felt awful real though. subconsciously rubs the spot on his forehead

 rv: what does asher

Ava: ashers thinking allowing himself to do that was a mistake because he is now suddenly very greedy and wishes he could greet randall good morning with a kiss. not an involved one. just, on the cheek. his face. anywhere

Ava: what has he done

Ava: he doesnt suspect randall knows about it because he was asleep wasnt he.

 rv: its hard to go back from something like this

Ava: theyve got to try

Ava: dont they?

rv: it takes more effort to hold back than it would to reach out and act on all those little  gestures

rv: a gradual slip whenever no ones around but them

rv: cries thinking of them after they become a thing and even though they have to keep things a secret theyre sooooo happy

rv:  can give in to that good morning kiss

 Ava: tjere was a demonstration in karate today as soon as i read one of your messages so like my mind was on cvys and the demonstration involved Cute Kid putting sensei into a choke hold as though hed were threatening himw ith a knife but sensei was like "drop your head so i dont hit you when i throw my hand back" and kid kind of hesitated before putting his face in senseis shoulder and the action was Rly cute and i immediately translated it into one of them hugging the other from behind and burrowinf their face into the others shoulder meanwhile this is an assault demonstration lmfao god. bye

 rv: randall woul d definitely by the kind to snuggle and burrow into a hug .im not close enough to you.

rv: mmmmm im so dead hed just.  casually wrap himself around asher at any given moment. cant help himself .sees him sitting at the table or cooking or whatever and , hugs him from behind . presses his face into his hair or his neck.

rv: melts around him. thats thr best way i can describe it

 Ava: hey you know what i thought about a couple times today (today? yesterday? who knows). randall and asher knowing how thye feel about each other— not really having confessed, but a silent understanding, connecting the dots; assurance — but still doing nothing about it for whatever godawful reason. not even privately

 rv: i feel like. that would grow to be the case. in bodyguard au

rv: cant deny it to themselves or to eachother but theyre still not free to be open about it

rv: only reason they kissed in the first place was because of the emotional duress of the situation

rv: all randall is thinking is that if something like this happens again,  only worse, and he never gets to - do this, at least once , he'd never be able to live it down

rv: at least once. only once. thats enough right

rv: ngnhgg what if they dont even. say a thing.  after that.  it just,  happens . and the y dont bring it up

rv: "just once"

rv: it'll be okay if its just thr one time

Ava: thst not how it works

rv: "just once" ends up happening over and over

Ava: as if it could ever only be just once. who was he trying to fool

 rv: "just one more time"

Ava: of course

Ava: and then they get married

rv: yay

rv: making out whenever theyre alone hahahahaha

Ava: when every time’s “the last time” they gotta make it count right haha

 rv: "we need to stop doing this" "yeah" PASSIONATE KISSING

Ava: hahahahahahahaha

rv: randall has it so bad its like the second the door shuts behind him he cant help himself.  calm down.

Ava: but this is important

rv: the most important

Ava: important things must be addressed promptly

rv: youre the most important thing i can think of

rv: hes got asher pushed against the wall and is smiling down at him crookedly

Ava: well how could he argue with reasoning like that

Ava: how could he argue with. a smile like that. hey

Ava: that’s not fair

rv: randall grins outright woolfishly.

Ava: THATs extremely no t fair hey who said you could do that. Hey Now

rv: hands start sliding up the  back of his shirt.  hahaha.

Ava: asher doesn;t even remember what they were arguing about

rv: probably didnt mean much

rv: probably just hard to think in general

Ava: its safe to say things are a bit hazy

 rv: just how red is his face right now

Ava: redder than hsi hair, probably

rv: haha  nice

rv: randall laughs.  you are so cute.

Ava: this does not help the situation

rv: rip asher .about to get wrekt.

Ava: he is already in the process of getting wrekt

rv: nice  nice. probably.  does   not take much

Ava: not really

rv: hahahahha randall kissing his throat.......

  Ava: knees weak arms spaghetti

rv: slides his hands over to his stomach ."you doing okay"

Ava: thats a complicated question

rv: hmm?

Ava: "i --yeah. yehahh im. good. im good" he is Burning but you know

 rv: "you know i can stop at any point if you-"

Ava: cuts him off with a feverish kiss. this trains already left the station aint got no time to be foolin

rv: ahahhaha nice

rv: randall probably says that.   nice. against his mouth

Ava: hahahahaha

rv: okay good this is. good. he can continue then.

rv: bites the bottom of ashers lip a little bit

Ava: well golly

Ava: ahser probably lets out a noise that might br embarrassing if he werent otherwise occupied hahahaha bye (flies off)

rv: hahahahahahahahha

rv: randall s just thinking okAy wow do that again

Ava: u gotta work for it kid

rv: >:) challenge accepted

Ava: haha thats a meme

rv: randall IS  a memer

rv: (vibrating) randall lying down with his head in ashers lap

 Ava: mmrmpf asher playing with rndalls hair

rv: both do this so casually e ery time he seees asher sitting on the couch hes just (flops down) (rolls over so he can look up at his face)

rv:  absent mindedly reaches up to run his hand along ashers jaw

rv: favorite place to take naps. gst

rv: gay

Ava: rly gay

 Ava: (researches bodyguard jobs only after constructing an entire au) parkour

rv: i had a dream about  bodyguard au actually

rv: it was like generic action movie dream but then shifted to cavas. some villain approached randall from behind and was like "we have a sniper tracking every move you best come along with us before someone gets hurt" and randalls reply was "you can't shoot me youd get no ransom" "oh, the gun isnt aimed at you" and then i woke up

Ava: OH

rv: :""")

Ava: thats awful and also really good

rv: YEEEAH im upset i woke up just as things were getting good asher would be so mad "its kind of my, job to have guns pointed at me"

rv: randalls kind of sheepish. yeah.  he knows better. but. still.

rv: how did they know is the thing

 Ava: they were so careful

rv: kind of the worst person you could pick as your weak spot

Ava: yeah

rv: theyd be better off without each other is the logical thought and yet yet

Ava: tjey are already in too deep its too late

Ava: itd be a lose/lose situation

rv: can never be together but don't you dare leave me now

Ava: hee hee ha he he

angie:  dusts off group chat

angie: this is what brings us all together and that's concerning but unsurprising

Ava: hahahaha

rv: i am here for comes back wrong randall

rv: shouldve just stayed dead

Ava: oof

Ava: im here for. whatevers goign on in this note im typing that i gues i will present at some point

angie: sighs dreamily he has to gouge his own eye out

angie: blood magic is fickle. it's cruel and makes a tough bargain.

im here for both of them get fucked up.

angie: it's such an intrinsic link. randall comes back worse, considering he's the object of necromancy, but asher gets out with something worse than a missing eye.

rv: ahhhhhhhh nice

rv: visible signs of death all over his body

angie:  you'll do anything for true love.

he's not decaying, the body was still preserved pretty well but he's definitely got those wounds and deeper gauges. sometimes presses a hand against his chest and it comes out sticky and red

Ava: uuuuuuuuuyyy

rv: wounds dont heal

rv: lmao i just imagine.  crows flying all around him for some reason

rv: for the aesthetic im a simple beast

rv: carrion

Ava: NICE

angie: SOOO good

rv: no other animals will go near him

Ava: the nightmares get worse.

he lies awake on his bedroll and stares at the tent ceiling. the sweat cools on his skin and he's more or less gotten his breathing under control, but his jaw and hands clenched.

the space where his eye used to be aches and he shakily brings up the heel of his palm to press against the bones around it.

it feels like something's trying to claw its way out.

he breathes deeply through his nose and looks over. where he expects to find a sleeping body he finds empty space. randall is gone.

he doesn't know what's worse.

rv: he doesnt need to sleep anymore .

angie: im still cackling . what's sleep. what's the night when you walk amongst it every waking hour

Ava: hahahhahhhhahhahh

rv: doesn't tell them of course.  no sense making anyone worry. gotta hold on to this semblance of humanity

rv: dont eat dont sleep. a heart that doesnt even beat.

rv: feels like a puppet but - whose pulling the strings?

angie: hahaha

angie: haaaa

Ava: ' v'

Ava: asher becomes drawn out, pale. heavy bags under his -- under his eye. he seems duller. chalks it up to poor sleep but something tells him that's not entirely it.

there's a tether that ties them together in between planes and it's draining, slowly, like rot. he feels it eating away at his bones.

he brings his hand up and touches the patch over his eye. wasn't exactly a one time payment was it.

rv: ooohhho

angie: (how does it feel to lose again.)

("i'm used to disappointing others.")

the link between the living and the dead, between bone and blood and ash and dirt.

she can't touch the black magic, the white magic, she can't feel any of it anymore. there used to be something bubbling in her core. there is a wasteland in her rib cage, carved out and discarded.

overwhelming smell of death on everything. tries to reason it with a sick smile, queasy and wry, it's all the same, of course everything smells like death, feels like death, she lives among them.

her left hand twitches and the hollow spaces count for the people who she has failed, time and time again.

(who is she to play god)

(it would be an act of selflessness that would ruin everything.)

Ava: OOOH

rv: bvvvh

angie: guilt is the primordial flood

rv: its okay emeli none of this was your fault :)

angie: haha U can't really send a little card like hey. sorry I kind of fucked that up real good but hey we're all kind of alive still sort of haha wow good time

Ava: hahahah

rv: ;randall idly wonders if hes even capable of feeling pain

angie: we can laugh about this over holiday dinners . because none of us are gonna live to see kids or grand kids. haha. ha. Hahahahahaha. oh my god. oh my god. kind of clutches the table top and digs her nails into the wood

Ava: :)))))))))

rv: death gives you such a perspective on things .everything looks so fragile .

rv: taps the hollow part of his chest expecting to hear it echo, dont think i feel things anymore

rv: but he says it with a cheerful voice! !!!!! its okay. really  

Ava: gggghggggh

Ava: asher wants to believe this cheer so much. everything is wrong, but it’s okay!!!! it’s okay. please be okay, it has to be okay, he only ever wanted it to be Okay. it doesn’t even matter that he’s crumbling. as long as it’s o-kay. god.

rv: brought back out of love and now he cant even return the sentiment

Ava: ‘nice

angie: haha

Ava: the link is a siphon, a conduit, and one that he suspects is only supposed to work one way, but sometimes he gets flashes. sharp pain where randall was dealt his fatal blow, leaving him on the ground gritting his teeth and trying not to scream his throat raw. a curious sense of detachment, sometimes, which is harder to place and harder to explain, almost passing by unnoticed on good days. sometimes, it feels like christmas.

he keeps his eye wide open whenever it happens. he’s learned that much.

rv: mgmgggfh kiddo

rv: randall supposes he should be guilty for being alive. whatevers keeping him here is clearly draining whatever's left of them  

Ava: haha. supposes

rv: mayve hes supposed to resent them instead . its hard pinpointing what it is youre supposed to feel

rv: he remembers? ?? smiling? ? a lot?  when he was alive alive.

he can keep doing that

Ava: oof

rv: hed be the last one to notice how the light doesnt quite reach his eyes

rv: speaks of feelings in past tense hahaha

Ava: haha asher probably has a breakdown one day just. he can’t keep pretending everything’s okay randall is smiling and it’s oh so bright but he’s seen randall smile every day for years and he knows it’s off. he knows it won’t ever be the same. just starts. crying into his chest there’s nothing he can do

rv: mmmmgmg

Ava: probably apologizes a hundred times

rv: what for? im here arent  Ava: he doesnt even know. he cant say. theres so much. too much

rv: places a hand against his face very gently. almost tenderly if it werent for the strange curiosity in his expression . i had always wanted to do that.

Ava: uuuuuuuuuuuuu

angie: haha.   fuck. ughhhfjhj

em's a third wheel in the life after death fuck me up resent me you goddamn bastard

rv: wipes away his tears with a thumb.  take care of asher. that is a thing he feels he is obligated to do.

Ava: ggghggh

rv: why would i resent you em after youve done all of this for me? his face is unreadable.

rv: haha what if he just leaves like "you must have cared a lot for him and i appreciate that but i dont think im the person you were trying to save"

rv: gives up on the charade. there's no reason for him to  be here

Ava: pained noises

rv: poor asher. if only theyd just left him for dead his heart would be less broken

Ava: his everything would be less broken, probably

rv: shoulda coulda woulda

rv: mgm goes to emeli or even wade or something like "where can i find a heart"

angie: I hate you

Ava: tin man randll

angie: i'd give you mine if there was anything left to give. you didn't deserve this. you didn't deserve this and we--i. i made the decision for you.

stupid kids flying to close to the sun.

click your heels and maybe you'll be home, six feet under in granite and stone.

Ava: hshhh

rv: he laughs . actually laughs. dry and dreadful.

im not entirely sure if i can anymore

angie: local cvys ruin everything

rv: gonna go become that monster mothers warn their children about

Ava: :^)

‘  ͜> ’

(^:

angie: haha

angie: http://asofterworld.tumblr.com/post/3342410174/a-softer-world-642

angie: hahaha

Ava: haaaaahaaaaa

rv: nice

rv: love will tear us apart etc etc

angie: etc etc

Ava: a tragedy in three parts

Ava: haha do u believe in life after love

Ava: nice one radio

angie: wow

Ava: im just thinking anout everybode elses reactions now haha

Ava: other support buddies

Ava: what did you all Do

angie:  (rienne voice) U guys suck

Ava: haha

angie: that kind of callousness usually reserved for asher suddenly cross applied to everyone else lmfao

Ava: lmfao

Ava: nice

Ava: [emeto] this whole thing is kind of reminding me of this post whivh is one of my favorite homestuck posts ever htjusticecaballer.tumblr.com/post/50746971514/historicallyhyperbolic-morningthief#notes

angie: hahaa

angie: that post

rv: ahhhh njcr

angie: is a major inspo for rienne in the bad timeline

always nice 2 see it again i m crying

Ava: NICE

rv: how fun

angie: I love it

rv: my only question is whether its one person specifically or all of them

angie: they're all gonna die anyway what if it comes out differently for each one

Ava: i am on board for this

rv: happy horrorterror trio

angie:  aight so does asher get some sick ooze coming out of his eye

rv: asher feeling something leaking out of his eye socket and he just knows it isn't blood

Ava: ahahaha Nice

rv: randall is.void in general  . hears things he probably shouldnt . if you tore him open youd probably just see blackness

rv: feels less like a human more like. a vessel or

angie: ehfhhfhd

angie: randall's wound is where the onyx is concentrated and it just. slides down his hip and it feels like a second skin. gross.

rv: niiiiiiice

rv: feels like somethings gonna crawl out of it

rv: haha im still here for him losing. all color. in his tone in his hair and everything

Ava: hes a ghost

rv: just very flaxen and wispy looking. skin and  bone.  skeleton man.

rv: his eyes are dark but thats about it

rv: (they used to be, blue,  didnt they)

Ava: they say the eyes are the window to the soul haha

angie: police sirens

Ava: uugjhghhhghftgh

Ava: i keep thinking about how fricked up asher gets because its a slow process of his body eating itself from the inside out but its gradual enough that it doesnt happen before people notice. what if hes like. dismissed. would he even make it that far living every day knowing something unnatural was dragging him down into the ground by force, the pain and emotional exhaustion of dark magic consuming him and for what? for what. he cant control it and he can barely scrape by, all he can do is hope he'll wake up and can just allow life to happen to him as awful as it is. but what even is the point of trying. he wishes it would just happen already. he wishes it would happen faster. he'd rather go out with a bang but he can barely muster a whimper

angie: lmfao house verus's finest

Ava: his socket starts to ooze and he doesnt even bother wiping it away

angie: all put out of fucking commission because they can't do a single thing

Ava: ggghgh

angie: emeli's hands are black tar. she's stopped wearing gloves, the leather only disintegrates.

good job kids.

Ava: good job indeed

Ava: you know whats nice

rv: heck

Ava: ash is a thinker, em is a doer, randall is a feeler

those are associated with head, hands, and heart respectively

everyones horrorterror wounds match :)

angie: I HATE THIS

angie: WOW!!!!!!! WHAT THE HELL

Av: :)))))

angie: who do I throw money at to get an artistic rendition of my favs suffering

Ava: haha

angie: im so upset

rv: WOOOOOOOOOAG

Ava: honestly id go in on that too bc i also want to see that

rv: this is so upsetting

Ava: ^__^

rv: dont u ^__^ me

angie: unacceptable

rv: kickflips away

Ava: ^____________^

angie: see no evil speak no evil do no evil. we have like every trio in history here im leaving

Ava: nice haha

rv: i was just. gonna bring thst one up

rv: .

it's already consumed him his whole insides have become tar its just a matter of time before they seek him out

all go down together

rv: dont worry if it starts to fill your lungs to the extent you start to choke. you dont need to  breathe anymore

Ava: ahhhhhhhh

angie: there's nothing in there to process vital functions anyway. let it sweep you away. let it consume you.

angie: just a side effect of being alive

Ava: hahhah

angie: lmfao hostia having to dismiss them. her entire family. haha. jee. consumed by some ancient magic born out of love and selflessness and the kind of purity that only hell can vouch for. hoo

Ava: HAAAA

Ava: HOOoo

angie: the lordling and her holy rapier and attempt at a level stare. child.

house verus,

house verus wishes you take a break. a rest. she doesn't have the heart.

Ava: WwwwWWWW

rv: NO

rv: KID....

angie: she can't cut them down she can't turn them down she can't do a single thing and she had to wipe the tears away from her eyes, take off her glasses because emeli, or randall, they used to do that.

they. can't touch her anymore.

Ava: punches a wall

angie: house verus thanks you for your serv:ices. pl...please rest.

i'm begging.

Ava: im falling down ten thousand stairs

Ava: im going back to copypaste this to yev and i just read the part about randall and crows except i misread crows as cows and now im crying

angie:  BYE

Ava: benevolent bovines

Ava: mooing softly

angie: end this

Ava: chewing on the grass around his feet, and his hair

angie: im gonna throw my phone into the Pacific Ocean

2015/02/10(Tue)

rv: do you thinkthey would be more secret about their relationship once it happens or just be open about it? randall i feel would lean towards open  but would follow asher whichever way hes most comfortable

Ava: i think how asher would approach it would be like. not actively keeping it a Secret but outside of telling whoever hes closest to its not like a thing hed Announce really. but if it came up hed be like yeah

Ava: "are you and randall...?" the first indication is the small smile which seems a lot larger thanks to the way his eyes light up. its a subtle glow. "yeah"

Ava: that bein g said hed be ok with it if randall decided he wanted to shout it from the rooftops

rv: Hhhhhh

rv: randall pdas so mu h its gross

Ava: embarrassing

rv: pretty much always has a casual hand on him doesnt even realize hes doing so

rv: its just like . he's always wanting to touch him and did that before sure involuntarily but now that theyre a thing it's like. he can? hes here? it's okay

Ava: hgfrgjf

rv: ive been tjinking about this chatlog all day and burning

rv: randall probably always approaches him from behind with a slight hand on the shoulder and The Lean but now he'll slide an arm over his shoulders and  lean maybe press a kiss to his temple every now and then

Ava: wahey

rv: he keeps on asking "is this too much?" for fear of scaring him off

Ava: jokes on him he is IN fact doing the opposite. he probably couldnt scare asher away ifhe tried

Ava: u are stuck with him my friend

rv: ahaha good

Ava: lol both of them being afraid theyre more invested in the relationship than the other

 2015/02/11(Wed)

 rv: hhhhgffgdgdgdhehrhdhhdhdhdhd

rv: the pain never ends

Ava: my computer shut down in the middle of my message #rude i keep thinking about the touching thing and im rly fond of the idea that asher like. rests his hand on randalls back. like whenever theyre standing next to each other. very small & light

Ava: co-incidentally (or probably not) this also happens often when he is Inebriated

rv: ahhhhhhhhh hhhhhh hhhhhhhh hhhhh

rv: hhhhhhhh

rv: asher doing his own sort of lean Kills The Man

Ava: phrasing it that way also kills the man

rv: i keep thinking of it happening and randalls just full dokidoki I Cannot Move From This Spot

Ava: ohhhhh my gosh

rv: haha inebriated ash falling asleep against his shoulder.....

Ava: my fav

Ava: i love to d

rv: his leg is falling asleep but he doesnt even care

Ava: rip

rv: keeps glancing over out of the corner of his eye is this really happening

rv: keeps trying to tell himself this doesnt really  mean anything hes just passed out but his heart is pounding so hard

Ava: my child

rv: Get Yourself Together Kid

rv: randall being the designated driver and having to help back into his apartment hahahaha

Ava: hahhahaha

rv: asher probably isnt even drunk enough to justify leaning into him as much as he is

rv: randall s helping him into the bed and asher still has an arm hooked around his shoulder and hes trying to say dont go and stay all at once and mumbles out a "dont stay"

Ava: god

Ava: Nic e job

rv: theres like a seven second pause then hes like.  Wait

rv: thats. thats not what i meant

rv: randall is just completely bemused.  i know what you meant

Ava: hfhhfhn

rv: lmfao god this is so self indulgent i -

Ava: please

Ava: i tdoesnt even matter

rv: hes like I'll take the couch but ash still wont remove his arm from around his neck

Ava: hee hee hoo hoo

rv: randall is inwardly spaghetti hahaha he cant deal with this a d asher is just like, not thinking anything beyond i want him close

Ava: fricj

rv: randalls like haha okay fine then i'll just lie here then (until asher falls asleep then he'll leave )

Ava: ok. ok

Ava: ashers content sigh when randall finally does lay down haha

rv: does he snuggle up to him

Ava: yes

rv: wahhhh

rv: randall is just an eternal monologue of oh my god. oh my godm oh my go d

Ava: laughs

rv: how the turns have tabled

Ava: l aughs

rv: he'll just. wait until he passes out.  oh okay wow those are sure ashers arms around him haha. its cool. just wait until hes sleeping then you can leave . of course he ends up falling asleep there too

Ava: of Course

rv: on a scale of one to let me die now how embarrassed is asher in the morning

Ava: i am already dead, probably

rv: or lmao if he doesnt eve n remember it . just wakes up like Og

Ava: HAH

Ava: what a loser

Ava: what is going on. why are we in th e same bed,

rv: did.  something hAppen

Ava: begisn to sweat

rv: randall wakes up slightly like ohh no. im still here. oh godddsdd

rv: this was not supposed to haPpen

rv: nerv:ous smile. hey

Ava: hey. oh god should i ask . do i even wnat to know. maybe it was nothing. it probably was nothing. but

rv: how's your head

rv: small talk seems. like the safest option right  now.

Ava: his head...? oh. ohhh there it is. oof small talk is safe but also Unreadable ,, this is not helping thigns

rv: randall absconds to make breakfast for them . let you rest off the hangover a little

rv: hes just like holy!! shit!!! needs to clear his head a little

rv: its not like waking up like this was nice in some way its just th at.

rv: *wasnt

Ava: ashers still just like http://gyazo.com/3c0cb9de34e8b7644bbd4ff484cab928

rv: bbbbbbn

rv: baby

rv: randall. isn't exactly helping being so vague and avoidant

rv: hes just sort of like?? was he just that way because he was drunk or was there .

rv: can't even let himself entertain the thought

Ava: was there . how... is he supposed to act. anything hw assumes warrants a different reaction but. if he doesnt remember and somethig Did happen (he buries his face into the pillow) and he says he forgot how would that

Ava: that would be

rv: ggffgtt hurting

rv: randall  comes by to tell them the waffles are ready and sees him lying there like that and his heart just drops

rv: hey are you okay

Ava: uufh

rv: goes to sit at the edge of the bed need water or anything

Ava: yeha. yeah! im fine. he doesnt. know what else to say but theres so mych to say

rv: hhhhhh tbis is so painful di cant do this

rv: randall s just like haha guess you went a little too hard last night you passed out almost right away

Ava: im ffffjfjng

Ava: im Laughing "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN............. WHAT DOES

Ava: he can say sorry. sorry about that. thats a response that is acceptable 

rv: lmfao god i can only imagine whats going through ashers mind theatre right now

Ava: if only the bed could swallow him up right now

Ava: this is Too Much

rv: randall sort of shrugs at the apology . ehh it's fine. thats why im the designated driver someone has to make sure you dont fall down a fligjt of stairs on your way to bed

Ava: OK..... ok.................. ok

rv: nice randall  but that still does not explain WHY YOU ARE HERE

Ava: GHHDHgfh

Ava: it just never ends

rv: big morning of misunderstanding and miscommunication

rv: god this is killing me.  not being entirely steady with one another is soooooo foreign

Ava: ha haaaaa

Ava: im also just. haha. asher cautiously asking if anythign happened. did we... i mean. and randalls just. would it have? is that. something that might have happened. is that a thing thats on his radar oh my god.

Ava: i am Laughing

rv: Hhh

rv: ur laUghing im crying

rv: randalls sort of like.  um. you were pretty wasted so i wouldn't have. that wouldn't be right.

rv: his face is burning

Ava: ffvdghfg

Ava: does that mean he wouldve if he hadnt been????????sh

Ava: they are both burning

rv: haha theyre both just.  Does That Mean.

rv: cats kind of out of the  bag but not???? entirely

Ava: assumptions are. dangerous

Ava: but Does That Mean,

rv: bbfhdfjfh theyre  both just sitting there like.  ???? does thst mean he

rv: randall sits up  a little too suddenly like hahahah comd on breakfast is getting  cold

Ava: nice

rv: he eventually tells him nothing happened you just sort of um, wouldn't me leave?

Ava: oh. uh. s...orry about that. he is concnetrating very hard on his breakfast

Ava: its the most fascinating plate in the history of the universe, so it would seem

rv: it's. its cool. its fine. hes running a hand through his hair and his face is so hot . cant look him in the eye

Ava: the most awkward breakfast ever

rv:  thfjjfhgb how are they even gonna resolve this

Ava: pretend it didnt happen and hope it goes away (it doesnt) (theyre going to keep thinking about it)

rv: im  crinnngginh this puts such a jilt on their relationship  

rv: if they just came out and said it everything would resolve itself but they still.  do not

rv: how did it come to this

rv: it started out so fluffy and safe

Ava: laughs

Ava: whoops

rv: does this just. wear on all day. alll week. everyone notices. what happened betwee  you two

rv: nothing happened . thats the thing

Ava: haaaaaaaaaa

rv: eventually randall cant take it anymore just shows up at his door like ash. we need to talk .

rv: he cant stand this. chasm.  whatever it is.

Ava: ah yes. the "we need to talk." ashers never thought the phrase was as big of a deal as other people made t out to be until this exact moment

rv: talk about what

rv: how do they even. begin

rv: hes still standing at the door.can he come inside at least

Ava: oh uh yeah of course. make yorself at home. sorry

rv: haha stumbling all over eachother

rv: randall asks if its cool if he makes tea?  already knows where everything is

Ava: sure, go ahead. is he stalling. no

rv: thats okay he is stalling too. it took all this courage to come to his place and now hes just. he just.  he doesnt know.

rv: sets the tea in front of  both of them on thr table.  so about last week

Ava: "what about it." very carefully

rv: things hve just been.  weird. between us ever since i stayed over. i just want to. clear it up

rv: he keeps running his fingers through his hair nerv:ously,  elbows on the table,  hasnt even touched the tea

Ava: ashers suddenly grateful for the tea. he can at least sort of hide behind it. takes a steadying sip, stares at the cup

rv: i guess i hm. cause some confusion? ? so like. sorry.  about that.

rv: hes doing that thing where his leg wont stop shaking

Ava: nice

Ava: its... okay. everything sorted itself out eventually, didnt it?

rv: "asher" he looks him right in the eye. "you call this sorted out"

Ava: "well." well. he brings his cup up in front of his face

rv: "nothing happened"

rv: he repeats it weakly. hes not sure if asher just doesnt believe him or if its something else entirely

rv: (things mightve gone smoother if something.  had. happened)

Ava: oooooof

Ava: "i know," asher says. "i know?" nothing happened. why is he . bringing it up again. thats the part that was resolved, wasnt it

Ava: why would it even cross his mind to doubt that if randall said so

rv: "then why are things so tense? "

rv: "is there something i did?"

Ava: "what? no--"

Ava: its not randalls fault hes probably making something out of nothing.

rv: "you know id never take advantage of you like that"

rv: he wants to make that. clear.  would never do anything to betray his trust. which is why he is so

Ava: "youd never take advantage of anyone like that i know. i know that. thats not-- thats... not the issue." puts the tea down, now its his turn to run his hand through his hair. "its just."  

Ava: theres no use dragging it out but that doesnt make it easier to say. "i guess im just caught up on the idea that. well, maybe. you wouldnt be opposed to the idea if the circumstances were different." his face heats up. "just... with the way you phrased things..." asher speak up youre beginning to mumble

Ava: "im probably misconstruing this, and im sorry, its my fault really,"

rv: randall is staring at the tea and can  barely focus on his own thoughts amid all the pounding in his head. last time. he thought he mightve said. something but couldnt be too sure.  and now. he takes a  breath. "well you. wouldnt exactly be wrong"

 Ava: HOOOOOOOOOooo

Ava: did he hear him right. he couldnt possibly have heard him right. wha t

Ava: "i wouldnt?"

Ava: he hates how shaky it sounds but theres no taking it back now

rv: "no" he says, and reaches forward to touch his hand very gently.  "you wouldn't. "

Ava: HIS mouth is so dry. god. ashers sure randsll can hear how hard his heart is hammering in his chest. "well," he tries. "i wouldnt be opposed to it either."

rv: randalls sort of starting to grin again. "well. im glad we've sorted this out"

Ava: the tiniest of smiles. ashers still in shambles

rv: "so" hes running his hand through his hair again  but its a different sort of motion than earlier. "would like to then,  um, you know, go out sometime"

Ava: (me listning to a song & when i read this the singers just like "yes yes yes yes yes yes" x 2)

rv: (nice)

rv: lmfao asher just like stunned speechless and randalls getting nerv:ous about his lack of reponse "AS IN LIKE A DATE" as if he didnt make thst clear enough.  he has never done this before

Ava: oh my god

Ava: "yeah! yes! yes, please." the please kind of embarrasses him. it just came out.

rv: ffmncnckvjngg that's so cute

rv: randalls like grinning so big and definitely clutching his hand not just lightly touching it. "good. okay." he is so happy