[color=lightgray][right][sub]Saturday evening, the day after the gym scene, right after Natalia & Danny deside to leave the Belmonte estate. [/sub][/right]
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[sup]A [@Aces Away] & [@LovelyComplex] Collaboration[/sup]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/0xVvFU7.png[/img]
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[indent]Rye sat on his suitcase outside the airport as he waited for JP to come pick him up, trying not to let his mind run wild with false situations as to why Danny offering to pick him up a few weeks ago had turned into [i]can’t. not feeling well. sorry.[/i] being texted to him thirty minutes before his flight took off. Unfortunately, he hadn’t gotten the text until he landed, so he’d had to text JP last minute. He had been a life saver, but it would still take him time to get there. So Rye had spent a little bit of time inside the airport waiting before the flow of people made him too anxious and he had taken his things outside. He slid his earphones in and shuffled one of his playlists to drown out the world around him and try and calm his nerves.

[color=28e0af][i]He just got sick[/i][/color] he thought to himself  for the twentieth time since landing. [color=28e0af][i]It has nothing to do with you, he just wasn’t feeling good. He tried to give you fair warning.[/i][/color]

He tapped his feet nervously, humming to the song playing as he obsessively checked again for JP’s car so he could get out of the wide open space, be less exposed. As if he could miss the old thing, since it was actually the car he grew up in. His mother and father had bought it fresh off the lot when he’d been a toddler, and the reliable son of a bitch took them everywhere as he got older. It was the car that took them from Cleveland to Edenridge after the divorce and then sat in a parking lot for most of their time in the town until Avigail had gifted the car to JP, putting it back into regular use. It had just over 200,000 miles on it and while it still ran beautifully, the dented and scratched body showed its years, though JP had touched it up over time.

He tried switching his focus from Danny to something that would cause him less anxiety, and he chose to focus on seeing JP again after a little over three months. Savta Miriam's hip replacement recovery was on track and she was moving around on her own again. Rye had offered to stay longer, but his savta gave him a knowing look and told him to [i]go home[/i] and relax. For anything else she needed, the neighbor had offered his own grandson up for help. Rye relented, as he wouldn't pretend he wasn’t excited to see his family again; for having been an only child most of his life he now found that the silence of small households only serves to make the pitch in his ears worse. He hadn't realized how much the background noise of his family's everyday lives had covered up the ringing buzz during the-what he thought had been- silence.

Being away from his mother, from JP and Danny had sucked, and he'd even missed a chance to see Niles when he'd visited home. Rye was due for some strong, emotionally settling hugs and JP was amazing for helping him feel grounded in the moment, stealing his attention and not complaining about how he has to talk over whatever music Rye has playing at the time. As much as he has been looking forward to Danny, Rye was in no way upset to be getting picked up by JP instead.

As if manifesting from his thought process, the gray 2003 Toyota Camry came past the first line of waiting cars to park in the second lane with a direct line to Rye. The curly haired boy smiled at the sight of his step-brother sliding out of the driver's side as he made his way to the trunk, rolling his suitcase and duffle bag behind him. He pouted internally as he met JP at the back but simply gave him an exasperated look as the other man was already reaching for his luggage.

[color=28e0af]“You’re not even gonna give me a chance to struggle with it, huh?”[/color] He asked as he grasped his luggage defensively, turning the volume down low on his music but not removing the headphones as he looked to the taller man. He still didn't like being so limited; despite how well he'd healed, Rye was still missing full rotation in his shoulder and was unable to bear certain weights no matter how much he wanted to, which left the older Phillips-Shomer well acquainted with this limitation already. 

[color=a8d16a]“Hey, we’re family, yeah?”[/color] Jericho nonchalantly responded, as he took charge of the heavyweight his step brother was carrying. In his car, he was listening to a cover of [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8CPBxwSMkc]Cancion del Mariachi[/url], which was sung by upcoming artist, Rico Núñez, who happened to be related to the Gonzalez family. Pretty neat they had a musician in the family, especially a musician guaranteed for success. JP didn’t see his future exploding like Rico’s but he could respect the hustle. He found joy in keeping music alive in his town, where a series of unfortunate events ripped you from this universal language that united people together. 

Once his trunk was closed, he pulled Rye in a deep hug, one of those heart-to-heart hugs where their chests pressed against one another. Instinctively, JP had one of his hands in Rye’s hair, holding his head gently, yet lovingly. [color=a8d16a]“It’s good to see you. We’ve missed you.”[/color] After a moment or two of a tender embrace, and perhaps a couple people honking behind them, JP released his step brother and slapped his ass, [color=a8d16a]“Okay, let’s get going.”[/color]

Proceeding onward, the two boys went to the car. With some umpf in the engine, they went from Boston to Edenrdige. Nearly immediately, JP opened a new can of red bull and started guzzling it down, while driving with one hand. Without any care in the world, he belched and placed his empty can in the center console cup holder. [color=a8d16a]“So yeah, our town is on fire. Not literally, but boy you missed a lot.”[/color]

Rye rolled his eyes and flicked the empty can, not saying anything about his step brother's bad habit but letting him know it was still noticed. [color=28e0af]"I wouldn't be surprised if there was a fire, we've got a pretty hot department in town,"[/color] he joked quietly, having taken his earbuds out once the music in the car had started. It was no secret that JP volunteering at the EFD caused Rye untold levels of anxiety, but the smaller man still never failed to make jokes about it when he could. He watched the car in front of them switch lanes, cutting off the person that had been trying to pass. His eyes flickered to the side, scanning JP's face before jumping to the next movement that caught his gaze. [color=28e0af]"But in all seriousness, what happened this time? You'd call me if someone died, right?"[/color] He was joking. Obviously. But just because someone didn't die didn't mean that a lot couldn't still be bad. Danny's text flashed in his mind, and he grabbed the empty can out of the cup holder to fidget with the soda tab.

[color=a8d16a]“Of course I’d call, Sprinkles. Why wouldn’t I?”[/color] JP rolled his eyes, before answering, [color=a8d16a]“Your class had one hell of a ride last night.”[/color] The local guitarist shrugged, glancing at the can of Red Bull and then Rye. Yeah, he did know he had a problem but there was so much life to live that sleep only took away from it. Energy drinks were life. 

[color=a8d16a]“Here,”[/color] the older boy tossed his phone onto his step brother’s lap, where a video was waiting to be played, [color=a8d16a]“I put all the letters from ghost boy Charlie on your desk, catch up when you have time. Someone’s been sending them to every house for months now.”[/color] JP was never one to hold back punches and if anything, Rye deserved to know everything that was happening to his friends and the town he lived in, [color=a8d16a]“Last night your classmates found out how Allison Davies OD’ed. It was pretty messed up. Glad I wasn’t at that party that night.”[/color] 

Turning down the music, realizing he was talking louder than needed, JP disclosed, [color=a8d16a]“Danny was there and it looks like he was next to that Brady kid. Weren’t they a thing? I know I’m not supposed to talk about it but I’m just asking. I could’ve sworn you told me they weren’t talking for a good minute.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]"Yeah, we don't mention that to Danny,"[/color] Rye reminded faintly. [color=28e0af]"and last I knew they weren't."[/color] The video was playing out in front of him, each moment tightening his chest. The last thing he'd been expecting was anything relating to Charlie Decker or Allison Davies. Now it involved most of his class and ReyRey as well? And him? Did he get the invitation letter and miss it by being out of town, or was he safe from the scrutiny of whatever psycho was playing a puppet game with the town? Did everyone decide to just keep him out of the loop on this?

[color=28e0af]"This shit's pretty heavy if I'm being honest, I never put much thought into Allison aside from the passing mentions of her, but no one deserves to go out like that…"[/color] he continued flicking the tab as the video played out, and Rye paled a bit as a recognizable figure appeared in the footage. 

[color=28e0af]"Is that Decky?"[/color] He asked, fingers stilling. He looked at JP and tried to keep the shake out of his voice when he spoke next. [color=28e0af]"He's…back in town? How long has he been back?"[/color] It couldn't have been too long, while keeping the letters from him may have been Danny and his family's choice, none of them would fail to mention the ex-serpent's arrival in town, nervous as the mere mention of the man makes him. The lack of closure with the other man was still a major talking point in his therapy sessions, as he's unable to let go of that and forgive himself and yada yada yada. So it's unlikely he's been back for more than a day or two, otherwise the Edenridge rumor mill would have gotten a hold of it. Well. Looking at the video, obviously it already had. 

[color=a8d16a]“Heck if I know. I’m just as surprised as you. Couldn’t have been too long, though. For all we know, Boaz came in yesterday.”[/color] JP assured Rye, knowing well enough he would’ve been offended if none of his family told him about the return of Mordechai Boaz. 

Rye reached out towards JP, fiddling with the fabric of the man's sleeve. [color=28e0af]"I've changed my mind,"[/color] he joked, focusing intently on his manipulation of the coarse fabric. [color=28e0af]"Take me back to the airport, I'm done with Edenridge's drama already. Fucking annual trauma up in this bitch."[/color]

[color=a8d16a]“No can do brother-o-pal-of-mine.”[/color] Jericho cruised through the highway, as he placed his hand on Rye’s thigh, tenderly squeezing it. [color=a8d16a]“Your schedule is kind of booked.”[/color] He innocently grinned, showing for a fact that Rye wouldn’t get away from him that easily. [color=a8d16a]“One, moms wants us to do some book reading at the school. You know how she gets if we refuse. Two, Winnie’s big 18 is coming up. I was thinking we’d take a weekend trip to Boston, yeah? Maybe sneak her into a gay bar or something. And third, we should try that salsa class your bestie goes to every Tuesday. Why the hell not, right? If this town needs anything, it’s good vibes.”[/color]

Nothing JP listed was set in stone. If there was anyone who knew JP it was Rye and Rye would know that this was how his step brother chose to cope and live, so that no one worried about him. He was all about being a positive energy in the dark place they called home. This place was cursed and yet he still wanted to believe in it. Not many could keep a smile on like JP did. There was something about him that people loved. Although he wasn’t certain of it, he gleamed. 

Rye grinned back at JP, releasing his sleeve in favor of trapping the hand on his thigh. [color=28e0af]"Oh you know me, a real man of the people. I just love helping children and reading out loud in public spaces. I'm all for it,"[/color] his dry tone allowed for no misunderstanding of his true feelings on the matter. [color=28e0af]"Anything for momma though, I'd never want to upset her. As for the gay bar, I'm down for it but I do wonder if we want to be exposing our little sister to us on the dance floor, since club grinding is basically the only dancing I do publicly nowadays."[/color] Which also answered JP's third idea about going to salsa class. The other more outgoing man would have to try a little harder than that to get him swinging around in front of people like he used to, but Rye did like the idea of learning a dance with JP, just maybe not in a room with a bunch of other people. He could appreciate the need to make someone's day brighter- he'd spent plenty of time doing it himself in highschool- but he wasn't ready to put himself out there like that again. That doesn't mean he wasn't ready to have a little fun, though.

JP's warm hand kept him grounded in the moment as the music faded out and into the next song, the car swerving smoothly through traffic. [color=28e0af]"We could force Danny to teach us in the back yard when he's free, I wouldn't mind that. Alone time with my bestie and my brother-from-my-other-mother? That's not something I'd refuse."[/color]

[color=a8d16a]“That might not be a bad idea,”[/color] JP agreed with the sentiment, contemplating a moment in his day, where he found out something that was likely not meant for his ears. Earlier this day, he ran into the whole Belmonte family in front of the church. He was usually out and about, doing errands for Uncle Eddie, maintaining the shop, talking to people, the usual JP kind of things. Today was no exception.

There was a lot going on in town this morning from Hailee starting a protest with her band at the same time her father was doing a speech AND two babies got baptized. Talk about eventful! Well, JP gave his regards to the family and right before he was going to leave, Mirabella, Danny’s youngest sister, pulled him to the side, asking when Rye would return. One thing went to another and JP was eventually informed about Silvia’s condition. 

Something that was kept under wraps, for awhile now. It was sad yet impressive that Taz could distract the townspeople from knowing his wife’s condition. Hell, not even JP’s mom knew and his mother was good friends with her. [color=a8d16a]“Yeah, not a bad idea at all. You should try to visit Danny when you get a chance, I’m sure he could use some good soup or whatever.”[/color] The older boy’s intuition was telling him that Danny was not sick at all - it was unlike him to turn Rye down in such short notice. So, being the big brother, Jericho took it upon himself to offer guidance to the anxious, lovable ball of nerves that was Gavriel. If there was anyone that could keep up with the emotional well being of the big rock that was Danny Boy, it was Rye.

In response, Rye bobbed his head up and down repeatedly. To some it may have seemed like he was nodding his head to the beat, but JP would see it for the enthusiasm that it was. Rye was obviously a lot more out of the loop than he thought he would be, but things always did happen quick in this town, either all at once or in quick succession. He should have known being gone for a fourth of a year was enough to put him further on the outskirts of current knowledge. The curly haired man thought about how Danny had gone away for a single summer and come back to the hell that was the aftermath of Charlie Decker. He remembered waking up in the hospital one day to the athletic man sitting vigil by his bedside, looking exhausted and lost. It was an ugly kind of poetry that had Rye returning after another event regarding Charlie only to have Danny under the weather, prompting the smaller man to plan his own visit.

[color=28e0af]"It'll be great to see him, even if he is sick,"[/color] Rye spoke up, hoping that if he said it enough he would believe the text that Danny sent and not perseverate over what the [i]real[/i] reason could be. The video he just saw wasn't really helping to solidify his belief. [color=28e0af]"I'll make him some chicken soup later, I might even share some of the [i]rugelach[/i] that savta sent home with me."[/color] A heavy consideration, as getting Rye to share anything sweet is a test in patience, let alone something as delicious as his savta Miriam's homemade pastries. His eyes flickered across the road in front of them once more before he realized what he was doing- anxiously watching all the cars as if they'd suddenly swerve and cause a crash, letting his mind run off on the possibilities- so he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the backrest, tapping out a rhythm on JP's hand with his index finger while gripping it tightly with the rest of his hand.

[color=28e0af]"You know you're not getting your hand back for the rest of the car ride, right? Because I haven't been able to hold this hand for more than three months and here you are just offering it up on a silver platter. You don't get it back unless you need it. It was on my thigh, it's mine by [i]right[/i]."[/color]

[color=a8d16a]“I could argue that hands were made for holding.”[/color] With gentle force, breaking out of Rye’s grip, JP turned his hand over and intertwined his fingers with the sweet boy beside him. Squeezing Rye’s hand a couple times, Jericho chuckled, [color=a8d16a]“Wouldn’t that make you mine?”[/color]

[color=28e0af]"Since the first time we met."[/color] Rye answered honestly, holding their connected hands against his chest, eyes still closed and a small smile on his face. 

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