[color=lightgray][right][sup]Timestamp: After [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5422813]Symphony of Colors[/url] [sub](JP/Rye)[/sub] 
& [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5429281]Unprepared for the Unexpected[/url] [sub](Niles/Kianna)[/sub]
FT: [color=28e0af]Gavriel Phillips-Shomer[/color] & [color=19C8AC]Niles Sinclair[/color][/sup][/right]
[center][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/aces-away][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220626/fe2d9304a6eaff80a4d45d6ff074a27f.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220626/20e4a27e1adc68a5da4e5e803a955a8e.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/lovelycomplex][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220626/22d3f6d4b12b79b1c1bf810756ff3845.png[/img][/url]
____________________________________________________________________

[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230306/e3625ec1ae71cf956d9eaa8047240a74.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/b3y27OS.gif[/img]  [img]https://i.imgur.com/fPhpqsJ.gif[/img]

[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230306/a875643f2b4a9b230f5bda49adcd7cd5.png[/img]

____________________________________________________________________[/center]
[indent][indent]In another deviation from the norm for the two lovers, after their fun they settled down to snuggle and JP finally found his path into dreamland whilst Rye lay wide awake. While he had been preparing the surprise dinner, he’d gotten a text from Carrie- or maybe Autumn, as they were still sharing a phone- asking him to make time for Niles today. Selfishly, he’d responded that he couldn’t at the time but he would make sure to get to him tonight. He’d then promptly shoved the moment into a box and hid it in the back of his mind to focus on making JP’s favorite dish with Nina. Once the emotions and passion of their dinner had calmed and Rye was left awake listening to the resting heartbeat of his soul’s desire, however, he had time to let his anxieties get a hold of him. He let the poison sink into his veins and set his muscles alight with static as though he deserved the internal onslaught for ignoring his friend.

What if this was like before, and he wasn’t there for Niles when he needed him? What if something bad happened? His own heart rate spiked, no longer in sync with its twin and chasing to catch up with his racing thoughts. He untangled himself as gently as his suddenly shaky limbs would let him. He would absolutely hate himself if he woke JP but he couldn’t leave Niles in the box any longer. Leaving their blanket behind to keep JP covered and grabbing a free one from their lover's nest to cover his own bare skin, Rye searched for his clothes while trying to keep the strangled noise of anxiety trapped in his throat where it was clawing to get out. Fumbling through the pockets of his discarded sweatpants once he found them, he grabbed his phone and headed quietly to the bedroom before closing the door behind him and pulling up Niles’ contact to press call. While the line rang, Rye did his best to go through his breathing exercises and focus on the fact that his next therapy session was tomorrow. Distantly, he wondered if an hour was going to be enough time this go around.

Niles was about to pull a second all nighter. He should be tired but after he picked up his bike at Phil’s he couldn’t get her out of his head. When he returned home, his sisters were there, having gotten off their shift at Daylight Delicacies both doing their summer reading. Carrie was reading the [i]Joy Luck Club[/i] and Autumn was reading [i]The Outsiders[/i]. The moment Niles stepped into the kitchen they both perked up from their seats in the living room, looking at him expectantly. He didn’t know why they were staring at him like that but he proceeded to look through the mail, finally having time to do so. He looked through mail mostly to organize it for his father seeing how at most he’d get a letter from his college but other than that, he didn’t get much mail. Not really. 

When he did discover a letter addressed to him and a letter addressed to no one, he raised an eyebrow. They were already opened so immediately he knew why his sisters were just sitting, waiting and staring at him. They were waiting for his reaction. He decided to open the one addressed to him first assuming the unaddressed letter was likely for his father. With an expression of annoyance, like ‘what the fuck is this’, he read the contents. Carrie had placed her book down, scurrying to the kitchen just in case her brother needed support. Autumn went for their dad’s liquor cabinet. Placing a piece of leftover Banoffee pie for her brother, Carrie took her seat on a stool and anxiously watched. When Autie got back from the liquor cabinet, she came with a bottle of tequila. Uncapping it, she put it beside the pie. 

Now they waited. 

To keep herself busy, Autie went to the sink and started washing the dishes she and her sister made before leaving to work. A couple of bowls, cups, and silverware. Not too much. When she heard crumpling of paper and Niles pulling out the cabinet where the trash can was, she turned the faucet off and grabbed a towel to wipe her hands, [color=#9DC18A]“You okay?”[/color] She asked. 

[color=E85546]“Are you going to be okay?”[/color] Carrie swiftly added. 

To their surprise, Niles smiled, brushing off the irritation and joked, [color=19C8AC]“Yeah, I’m fine. A bit long winded for a breakup letter. She lost my attention after the first paragraph.”[/color] The twins couldn’t help but laugh in relief. Their brother was going to be okay. He took it well. While they didn’t know why Niles was so happy and relieved that the trash took itself out, they did know that whatever happened while he wasn’t home must’ve been something special because his eyes gleamed with purpose and excitement, something they hadn’t seen since they were kids. 

Time passed and Niles found himself lying on his bed gazing up at the ceiling, the back of his head on his left hand. He listened to [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdiY6kijYHE][i]Your Hand In Mine[/i][/url] by Explosions in the Sky. The song played out of his PC speakers. For a moment, he wondered if he should’ve been wounded with the things Caitlin said but all he could think of was [i]her[/i]. While he did feel comfort knowing he was right,  and that Cece was still in love with Mika, Niles knew they could’ve gone out on better terms. Then again, he did put her in a weird place where she was too scared to break up with him in person. Well, none of that mattered anymore and it was best for him not to waste his time or energy on her. What mattered now to Niles Sinclair was deep brown eyes, bouncy curls, and caramel skin. Her smile, that she tried so hard to prevent, found a home in his head, living rent free. A beautiful woman with a matching beautiful soul. A flower that makes others bloom. Kianna. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. [i]Kianna[/i].

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone vibrating on his nightstand. He turned to his side and reached for it. When he saw the caller ID was Rye he picked it up and put it on speaker. Leaving the phone on his stand, he returned to his position and stared back up at the ceiling, not letting the thought of Kianna exit his mental space. He could see her with a flower crown, sitting on a bed of flowers with nothing… [color=19C8AC]“What up, homie? You good?”[/color] 

The breath he’d been holding rushed out of him as soon as he heard his friend’s voice. His tone was…weird but certainly wasn’t angry or distraught or [i]empty[/i] like all those times that made him worry with every second. He didn’t give himself time to recover, not wanting Niles to realize just how close he had been to a complete meltdown by the simple thought of his best friend in a hospital bed again. [color=28e0af]“I’m good bro, just got a soft nudge from Autie and Carebear earlier but I’ve been tied up until now. Everything alright on your end?”[/color]

Ah. They must’ve contacted Rye before he got a chance to read the letter. Niles smiled to himself, amused at the fact the first and only time a girl ever dumped his ass was through a letter. Karma worked in mysterious ways. Karma chose to come in the form of a meek redhead. Karma was a little bitch that jumped from guy to guy instead of healing and getting her own self together. Once Niles read the second letter, he was able to put two and two together of Cece’s timeline from David to Mika to him to Mika again (likely this very day). He learned a lot in the course of a month, especially the day they went official, and it was all laughable that she was the one he decided to go public with. Natalia was right and he should’ve known better. [color=19C8AC]“Do you want the spark notes version or the full story?”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“Usually when your sisters get ahold of me it’s something important, so tell me the whole thing if you want, or if you want to blow by it I can start cracking jokes at any second,”[/color] Rye replied, shifting the phone to his other ear and trapping the cell between there and his shoulder. This freed his hands and he instantly dropped them to his knees to tap out a rapid beat, the excess energy from his earlier anxiety sitting just beneath the surface and struggling for a way out now that the perceived crisis was averted. [color=28e0af]“No offense but the message had me expecting worse. Not that I’m not happy that you aren’t! Just, ah, yeah?”[/color]

[color=19C8AC]“Oh if I wasn’t in a good headspace I probably would’ve taken today's events poorly,”[/color] he unintentionally chuckled, knowing well enough all the people in his life had every right to panic. [color=19C8AC]“Well, yesterday I was moody. You know this. Got some coffee though, and Mr. Beau set me right. Because that’s what Mr. Beau does.”[/color] There was a brief pause before he continued the tale of his past two days. [color=19C8AC]“I’m going home right? And then I see at a distance, Lexie Davies is dragging an unconscious Clayton Costigan. So yeah, I had to stop and help.”[/color] Sitting up, he reached for the phone and got off his bed to turn down the volume of his computer. [color=19C8AC]“Let’s fast forward a bit, I get no sleep because it was monsoon weather last night and I’m worried about Clay. Turns out, he’s been on a case for the recent letters. It personally impacted him because it involved David and that whole bad period when the town turned against him and him accidentally drowning in the lake. You following?”[/color] Niles stopped for a second, changing the volume setting of his PC, wondering if he was telling too much or if he should keep going. 

[color=28e0af]“I’m- yeah, I’m following,”[/color] Rye said, staring into the darkness of the sparse bedroom with both eyebrows making a mad dash for his hairline. That explains Clay’s temporary disappearance and the ripple effect it had in causing Avery worry on top of the events of this morning. He’d noticed the woman’s worried glances at her phone while they were together but he was more focused on keeping her grounded- while also pumping her up a bit- over the kiss with Jamie. After that it had been the talk about JP and his mind had been engulfed with ideas of what he could do for his lover for the rest of the day. Here he’s finding out the guy had been beat down and saved by Lex Davies and his best friend. He hadn’t even known Lex was back in town, hell the last time he’d seen her was Sunshine sneaking her into his dorm at a serpent party a week before she got sent away, but apparently she was back. 

It was kind of ridiculous; all these people, including himself, coming back home recently just to fall headfirst back into the drama and insanity that had woven its way into the foundations of the town, scorching its very soul into a black abyss that could only drag its inhabitants closer to hell with each day that crawled by. He could easily find it in himself to hate this town as much as his darling JP adored it, but he chose to view it through his lover’s eyes as often as he could, knowing it was always better to see the people and their light than the shadows that hung off them all like cloaks of misery. It wasn’t an easy task, and on the hardest days he found himself completely enamored with the beauty that was JP’s heart, and his ability to have space in it for anyone. It scared him too, because he knew how easily one could get hurt like that. 

Avery was like JP, and if Clay wasn’t alright then she definitely wouldn’t be, so the first thing he needed to ask for peace of mind was, [color=28e0af]“Before we go any further, is Clay ok? I know Avery was worried about him earlier and it’d be great to know she’s received some news since she left MSM.”[/color]

[color=19C8AC]“Yeah he’s fine. I wasn’t there for the finale but I heard Kylee’s show and read the news articles. He should be at the hospital,”[/color] Niles reassured, going from his computer to his window to peer outside. Scott Street was a helluva place. Edenridge in general was a hellmouth and he was fortunate his recklessness hadn’t caught up with him and his family. He was a dumbass especially during his highschool years and he could only imagine how Charlie’s letters could harm those he loved dearly because of his bad choices and negative mindset. Darkness wasn’t on the edge of town. Edenrdige had far too many monsters to be anything beyond a voidless abyss.  

Home is what Edenridge was, with so much dark it can swallow you whole. There were people like Rye who wanted to lift spirits up and heal others. Niles knew his best friend needed to reflect and focus on himself. This town sucks the life out of people who care too much and Gavriel Phillips-Shomers cares too much. He always had since the day he moved here. He could deny all he wanted to, even say JP’s heart was more gold than his, but Niles knew what separated him from his friend. One had empathy beyond belief, where it made him anxiety ridden, the other was as selfish as they come, only caring for himself and his own. 

Simultaneously, Niles opened his phone and started with his Instagram, erasing Caitlin Cleary completely from his world, with no hesitation and no remorse, [color=19C8AC]“Maybe call your mom? Just to make sure. That dude is stubborn as hell. He refused to go to the hospital until he figured things out. And he did. Thankfully, he did. It’s a doozy though.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“This is what I get for not having socials or listening to podcasts,”[/color] Rye grumbled, stopping the rapid rhythm on his knees just long enough to shift his phone back to his other ear and shoulder before resuming his drumming. He hasn’t had any social media since highschool, content with JP showing him things occasionally off of his own and unwilling to fall back into the rabbit hole of performance and perfection that most of those platforms were built on. But this, this is what he got for being selfish and focusing on himself for the afternoon; he missed all notice of the events that took place while he was cooking and setting up his and JP’s little floor picnic and was once again behind. Now instead of comforting Niles on whatever the story was leading up to, he was focusing on the story itself and processing the information he was receiving. Real stand up human being, he was. [color=28e0af]“I’ll uh, I’ll call ma soon, check in. Gotta check in with Danny too while I’m at it,”[/color] another pause filled the silence before he continued, [color=28e0af]“So…what was it? The doozy.”[/color]

[color=19C8AC]“Well, my ex,”[/color] Niles nonchalantly continued, [color=19C8AC]“By the way, Caitlin broke up with me by leaving a letter in my mailbox. She tried to politely call me a piece of shit because I called her out on still having feelings for Mikhail.”[/color] He would need to work on repairing his pride. She wasn’t worth the energy to get bitter over. And yet, the more he was erasing Cece from his socials, now onto Facebook, he couldn’t help but think how despicable she was and how she gave grief a bad name, jumping from dick to dick because woe is me. Stupid bitch. [color=19C8AC]“She was David’s girl. The letters were not from Charlie Decker’s journal. Jamie O’Hara had love letters Caitlin wrote David and wanted to call the town out for being judgemental pricks when there were more cases of our class fucking older kids. For once in her life, she gained the courage to speak on Kylee’s radio show to air out the past and tell the town to fuck off. You know what’s funny?”[/color]

Niles changed his relationship status to single and ranted, [color=19C8AC]“I was always against people talking shit about David. I got into fights because people would say the dumbest shit about him. Who would’ve known I’d get with his girl years after? And the sad thing is, his name will forever be dragged into the mud even if it was Cece who had this kid crush on him. Bet she threw herself all over him to get what she wanted. That innocent game she plays? That’s a fucking lie.”[/color]

Ok, color him surprised, that was not a turn he was expecting this story to take. Sure, he'd been pushing for Niles to think first and break up with her in the first place, but his interest had laid in the mental health of both parties, much as it had when everything went down between Niles and Natalia. Niles sounded angry now, but still nowhere near the levels that would have Gavriel worried, so he let his friend vent and process in his own way while he spoke. Gavriel had no attachment to Caitlin Cleary, but to know that the whole situation had been surrounding one of his classmates and an upperclassman at the time…well, Rye wasn’t exactly one to judge sleeping with someone older than him in highschool, and there wasn’t even anything romantic between him and those flings. To know that it wasn't an absolute child like the rumors had made David’s crime out to be was as relieving as it was disheartening to know just how far from the truth word of mouth had gotten. Once again this town seemed to cause its own ghost story only to feed off the secrets chained in people’s closets until they were forced out into the light. Rye hated the drama of it all.

Rye knew Niles wasn’t completely innocent in the story he’d created together with Caitlin, but he also knew that he couldn’t have done it alone. One doesn’t just stay with Niles Sinclair because they think they can handle it, they had to prove that through numerous trials. Rye wasn’t an idiot, Niles was an asshole to most people. There was a reason that Rye understood so well the dynamics between Decky and Sonny Cernis. Some people only made sense to a select few, close ones strong enough to whether the storms as they battered against their strength of will. Some people were hard to understand, and even harder to love. That didn’t mean no one could love them, and it didn’t mean no one new would ever try.

He didn’t even know how to begin processing the [i]still having feelings for Mikhail[/i] bit. Just how many Northies had secret relationships or encounters with Southies- and Serpents in particular- in this town? It’s not like he didn’t know it happened, of [i]course[/i] it happened, but it seemed that everywhere you turned a new secret ‘taboo’ relationship was popping up and causing strife. Their lives were beginning to feel like a soap opera.

[color=28e0af]“Okay buddy,”[/color] Rye finally responded, fingers finally stilling as he reached up to secure his phone in his hand. [color=28e0af]“So the David letters are cleared up, Caitlin is eighty-six’d from your life, but you’re still doin’ good, you vibed through the breakup letter- which, seriously, a letter? Why? Whatever- because you were in a good mood,”[/color] He quirked an eyebrow up as he stared into the dark room. [color=28e0af]“Care to walk me through why? Sounds like there’s good news somewhere in this story.”[/color]

[color=19C8AC]“Might be too early to tell you about this one, you’ll roll your eyes and say I’m jumping the gun,”[/color] Niles mused, having finished obliterating Cece from his socials. Returning to his bed, taking a seat, he was back to thinking about the good Mechanic girl working at Phil’s. He smiled to himself when he replayed their interaction and how there was a hint of blush on her cheeks when Miriam Darling interrupted them. 

God, he had it bad and he barely knew the girl. 

The meeting of their souls was random and unexpected but because of that, he didn’t take the Caitlin business as poorly as he could’ve. Instead, he had a silver lining in the dark cloud that constantly followed him wherever he went. Instead, he had hope, excitement, and a purpose beyond himself. Instead, he had someone he wanted to get to know. Someone he wanted to love. More so than he’s ever loved any ex before him. Someone he wanted to cherish. Someone he needed to be better for because the idea of not having her in his life made him feel… lost. Kianna looked at him, saw him, and his world shifted, never to be the same again. How could one girl hold so much power over him when all he was able to do was get a name and a I’ll-think-about-it response? [color=19C8AC]“I don’t even understand it, if I’m being totally honest.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“Well I’ll push it at a later date then,”[/color] Rye responded, rolling his eyes anyway. [color=28e0af]“Give you time to convince me that you’re [i]not[/i] jumping the gun, yeah?”[/color]

[color=19C8AC]“Yeah, yeah. How about you? How’s your day been? I can’t be the only one with a dramatic life.”[/color] Niles asked, relieved that Rye didn’t press on about the special someone he met today. If he gets that coffee date, maybe he’ll tell Rye about her. Until then, he needed to be patient and wait until she was ready. [color=19C8AC]“You and JP still going strong?”[/color]

[color=28e0af]"I've been…out of sync with him a lot lately,"[/color] Rye admitted honestly, never one to claim perfection in areas that could use improvement. Not with those important to him. [color=28e0af]"Avery Kaine gave me some much needed insight earlier, and that's why I was tied up. We talked a lot earlier, and I definitely feel better about things than I did before. I know I take on a lot but I wanted to let JP know that I could still be there for him when he feels like he can't do it alone. I really love him, you know? And I just wanted to show him. And hey, I know how to make his favorite dish from scratch now, so bonus,"[/color] he was relaxing again, the energy finally settling beneath his skin as he and his fellow doctors' child caught up on each other's lives. [color=28e0af]"I don't think you really want to hear about the rest of the night though, I always respect that boundary with you. Danny has no such privilege."[/color]

At least Rye was finally getting to a position of peace. Finding balance and moderating all things in their lives was neither of their strong suits. Niles was selfish and Rye was selfless. That meant Rye always gave too much and Niles took what was his. Then again, both were incredibly hard on themselves and rarely saw their own selves for what they were. No matter how much of an asshole Niles was, he could do the right thing. Today alone showed his potential of walking a path that was just and good. No matter how much of a helper Rye can be, he could also do the wrong thing. There was something innately selfish about feeding off others fulfillment and happiness, doing good deeds and healing the world, instead of yourself.  

For their fortunate lives, they were never fully satisfied and that likely had to do with how they processed and moved forward. Their mindsets. Darkness transformed them in different ways. Darkness was their own abyss. One boy became ruthless, the other boy desperate. Yet somehow fate made them friends and regardless of their faults, they made each other better. They balanced each other. They were each other’s mirrors.

Relationships weren’t easy and even if on the surface, JP and Rye seemed to be stronger than most couples in the town of Edenridge, they still had their mountains to climb. They still had to work on their trust. [color=19C8AC]“You can tell me as little or as much as you want, but if it’s about sex, I’m good. I know you two fuck like rabbits.”[/color]

There was rummaging in the fridge on Rye’s end, signaling that JP had woken up from his slumber. Not even a full hour or so. Maybe two if Rye was lucky. [color=19C8AC]“Before I let you go — I just realized what time it is — my sisters are having a pool party this Saturday. I could really use some company. It’s going to fucking suck having to watch all these kids do dumb shit. I hate parties.”[/color]

Rye tilted his head and shifted himself away from the door in case JP tried to enter now that he'd woken up, a smirk on his face at Niles' comment on their sexual habits. He wasn't going to deny it either.

[color=28e0af]"Yeah, I can be there man, you don't have to face a bunch of rabid teens alone,"[/color] he promised with a fond eye roll, leaning back on his hand now that he was facing the bedroom door. [color=28e0af]"I can't exactly play lifeguard well but I can hand out water and trick the ones that are too drunk to swim into going inside for food. I don't know when exactly I went from party slut to party mom but I'm here for it."[/color]

[color=28e0af][i]I'm here for you,[/i][/color] went left unsaid, as Niles already knew Rye had his back no matter what. Given that they've only spent a combined like six hours together since Rye got back to town, it would be good to spend time with him again, even if there would be a swarm of drunk teens doing their damnedest to wear out the two older boy's first aid ability. 

The door creaked open and Rye looked up as the light came streaking into the room before it was blocked by the silhouette of his lover. He smiled up at JP and sat forward, fixing the blanket around his waist and patting the fabric on his knee invitingly, offering entry to the insomniac as he finished up his phone call.

[color=28e0af]"Stay sane until Saturday bro, and I'm glad you're okay. I'll see you then."[/color]
[/indent][/indent][/color]