The three of them have a long walk back to the Goldenrod Inn after the Haunted House hullabaloo's died down and Jimmy's assured them all for the one hundred and fortieth time that he's okay. York's content, for once, to let the silence stretch. After a while, telling people things aren't their fault loses its efficacy, and folks just have to sit with their embarrassment and shame for a while. It's for him, too; he feels responsible. But York can't ever beat himself up for long, and soon enough he's just drinking in the quiet sounds of the city night, savoring Carolina's and North's presence on the road with him.
After a while, he speaks up.]
You know, I think all our dates should go like that.
[York's tone is light as always, but an emotion deep and warm undergirds his words, gives them weight.]
[North has been a ball of guilt and anxiety ever since the Haunted House fiasco, and if Jimmy had to assure them repeatedly that he was okay it was mostly to assuage North's repeated apologies and questioning. Still, the cool, fresh air is relaxing, pricking his cheeks that had flushed with the excitement (and embarrassment).
York's comment takes him off guard at first, and he stops walking to stare at him for a second. The words themselves have to be joking. At least, calling the evening's excursion a date has to be. But York's tone says different, and North hates the hope that swells in his poor little gay martyred heart.]
Maybe next time we'll try not to have any civilian casualties.
[There's genuine warmth in his tone when he answers, with a sparkle of playfulness as he catches up to York and Carolina in a couple of quick strides.]
Thanks, both of you. I'm really feeling the support here.
[It leaves Carolina's mouth sarcastically, but in all honesty she'd rather be near these two, her two old friends-- people she's on equal footing with-- than the reds and blues for something like this. Tucker would never let her live this down-- and no, North and York aren't going to either, but it sure is different.
It takes a little longer for it to register to her what York has said-- a date, and she knows he could at least be partially playing, but it doesn't sound like it. She leans back a little in her stride, looks back at them both over her shoulder (where she's just a single pace ahead) and puts on a smile. It's easier these days to just throw on a gentle one, to match the boys' tone step for step.]
Next time, let's try a more adult setting. I still want that drink.
What the hell, Carolina, who owes you a drink? Team North-York won that wager fair and square. That P500 is totally North's, and all owed booze of the evening belongs to me.
[He bumps North's arm with his elbow, grinning, but then York trots ahead to keep apace with Carolina--on her right, with the both her and North in his blind spot. His tone shifts again, exaggerated and playful.]
But, you know? The night is young. If you guys want to take me to an adult setting--[And now he's teasing, but turns to look at both of them, hands in his pockets, smiling and safe and just a little bit nervous.]--I can't say I'd mind.
['You guys.' As in both of them. PICK THE FUCK UP WHAT HE'S PUTTING DOWN, Y'ALL, COME ON.]
Hate to say it, but I'm siding with York on this one. He's nnnnot exactly the one who freaked out.
[he says it with humor in his tone. He's almost too preoccupied watching York jog ahead of them to realize what he's saying, and it still takes a minute to sink in, an easy smile on his own face as he watches York's smile.
When he gets it, though, his nonexistent eyebrows arch up and he glances at Carolina.]
[It would seem, however, that Carolina does pick up what York's putting down. And she smirks North's way, trying to be reassuring in that her confidence is spilling over in waves (so of course, why wouldn't North be confident, too?)]
Why do you two seem to think that just because I owe you a drink doesn't mean I'm gonna have one myself?
[Lifting her chin, she keeps her strides long and confident.]
But if you two princesses really need a big strong lady to walk you home sober, I can be your handsome escort for the night.
[Oh god was that her going full ham yeah it sure was
Haha! Y'know, I'll take that escort, but sobriety's optional. And not particularly recommended. But, only as long as I'm still not paying for it.
[York looks at North again, grin bright. See? See? Carolina's on board! If he had a tail, it'd be wagging at this point.
But he turns to face North fully, walking backwards, and his smile gentles. The last thing he wants is to bully North into something none of them can predict--well, no. If York's honest, he totally wants to bully him at least a little (he and Carolina have always had that asshole streak in common), but he wants North to be happy way more.
York tilts his head. Come on, dude. Let them make you happy.]
[North's steps start to slow when Carolina joins in, and the look on York's face sends a warm feeling through him, like a deep sip of hot cider. He has so many walls now, he's resigned himself for so long to just be happy watching York be happy. He can't believe what they're telling him.
But he wants it. He wants this.]
I don't know... I'm probably a lot more of an emotional drunk than I used to be.
[North is frozen in the middle of the street as well, watching the two of them. He can't believe this. He's still in shock at what they're offering, and it probably shows on his face.
Later it'll hit him that this very idea runs half-contrary to everything he's believed about his orientation since he was a skinny teenager crushing on the captain of the football team while his sister chased cheerleaders. But right now it's not about a man and a woman. It's York and Carolina. His best friend he's pined over, and his commander and friend.
He smiles, even though he feels overwhelmed, like his emotions are going to spill over if he's not careful.]
That sounds nice. I could use something to look forward to.
[It could be Christmas; York lights up. If either of them need any more proof that York wants this, whatever it turns out to be, wherever it takes them here it is--for the first time since he arrived, he's purely, genuinely happy, without grief or bitterness to cloud the expression. The years since Project Freelancer just fall away from him, from the tension at the corners of his eyes. He glows.]
Okay. Yeah, okay.
[He turns to grin at Carolina for a second--see, see? North's on board, too!--before starting backwards again, a little spring in his step.]
Well, what are we waiting for? I miss drunk York even more than I miss drunk Carolina.
[He spins to face forward again, hands still happily in his pockets, still practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, when he looks back at them both, cheeky and exhilarated and so, so happy.]
[She grasps York's arm for a moment as to hold him back, seeming serious when she steps over to do so. But she holds on to him for a few seconds before staring right at North, a mischievous grin on her face.]
Last one there buys second round.
[Before she turns to dash, because of course she's fucking with you two hell YEAH she's gonna run]
[North is too busy melting under the sunshine of York's smile to notice the challenge until Carolina's running.
He actually laughs, when she takes off running, setting off in an easy jog and passing York with a big hand on his shoulder. It's no more affectionate than he's been in the past, but it means something different now. It's less guarded.]
[She calls over her shoulder, grin wide as a house.]
Earn that date, York! You're still out of shape! Tell him to get his ass moving, North!
[Later, she'll look back and remember this as being the freest she's felt in a long time.
The reds and blues are to thank for getting her this far, but York and North being around... well, she'd hate to think what she'd be missing if she'd ended up here alone.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Oh god I don't know when they went to the haunted house. Night, 10/9? 10/10? [Action]
The three of them have a long walk back to the Goldenrod Inn after the Haunted House hullabaloo's died down and Jimmy's assured them all for the one hundred and fortieth time that he's okay. York's content, for once, to let the silence stretch. After a while, telling people things aren't their fault loses its efficacy, and folks just have to sit with their embarrassment and shame for a while. It's for him, too; he feels responsible. But York can't ever beat himself up for long, and soon enough he's just drinking in the quiet sounds of the city night, savoring Carolina's and North's presence on the road with him.
After a while, he speaks up.]
You know, I think all our dates should go like that.
[York's tone is light as always, but an emotion deep and warm undergirds his words, gives them weight.]
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York's comment takes him off guard at first, and he stops walking to stare at him for a second. The words themselves have to be joking. At least, calling the evening's excursion a date has to be. But York's tone says different, and North hates the hope that swells in his poor little gay martyred heart.]
Maybe next time we'll try not to have any civilian casualties.
[There's genuine warmth in his tone when he answers, with a sparkle of playfulness as he catches up to York and Carolina in a couple of quick strides.]
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[It leaves Carolina's mouth sarcastically, but in all honesty she'd rather be near these two, her two old friends-- people she's on equal footing with-- than the reds and blues for something like this. Tucker would never let her live this down-- and no, North and York aren't going to either, but it sure is different.
It takes a little longer for it to register to her what York has said-- a date, and she knows he could at least be partially playing, but it doesn't sound like it. She leans back a little in her stride, looks back at them both over her shoulder (where she's just a single pace ahead) and puts on a smile. It's easier these days to just throw on a gentle one, to match the boys' tone step for step.]
Next time, let's try a more adult setting. I still want that drink.
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What the hell, Carolina, who owes you a drink? Team North-York won that wager fair and square. That P500 is totally North's, and all owed booze of the evening belongs to me.
[He bumps North's arm with his elbow, grinning, but then York trots ahead to keep apace with Carolina--on her right, with the both her and North in his blind spot. His tone shifts again, exaggerated and playful.]
But, you know? The night is young. If you guys want to take me to an adult setting--[And now he's teasing, but turns to look at both of them, hands in his pockets, smiling and safe and just a little bit nervous.]--I can't say I'd mind.
['You guys.' As in both of them. PICK THE FUCK UP WHAT HE'S PUTTING DOWN, Y'ALL, COME ON.]
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[he says it with humor in his tone. He's almost too preoccupied watching York jog ahead of them to realize what he's saying, and it still takes a minute to sink in, an easy smile on his own face as he watches York's smile.
When he gets it, though, his
nonexistenteyebrows arch up and he glances at Carolina.]I-I, um. Well. I...
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Why do you two seem to think that just because I owe you a drink doesn't mean I'm gonna have one myself?
[Lifting her chin, she keeps her strides long and confident.]
But if you two princesses really need a big strong lady to walk you home sober, I can be your handsome escort for the night.
[Oh god was that her going full ham yeah it sure was
we have entered critical dork stage]
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[York looks at North again, grin bright. See? See? Carolina's on board! If he had a tail, it'd be wagging at this point.
But he turns to face North fully, walking backwards, and his smile gentles. The last thing he wants is to bully North into something none of them can predict--well, no. If York's honest, he totally wants to bully him at least a little (he and Carolina have always had that asshole streak in common), but he wants North to be happy way more.
York tilts his head. Come on, dude. Let them make you happy.]
Whaddaya say, North?
[For once, everyone can win.]
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But he wants it. He wants this.]
I don't know... I'm probably a lot more of an emotional drunk than I used to be.
[I want you to be sure.]
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[We can do this your way, North.
And by your way we mean Carolina's way, where she steamrolls any doubts you may have had while simultaneously accounting for your weaknesses.]
Or you can give me your drinks, if you wanna buy instead.
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[But we don't talk about Mardi Gras.
York's stopped there in the middle of the road, just smiling. Just waiting.]
I'm probably not much better, dude. I haven't been able to afford a drink in...God knows how damn long.
...But, hey. It's something to look forward to.
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Later it'll hit him that this very idea runs half-contrary to everything he's believed about his orientation since he was a skinny teenager crushing on the captain of the football team while his sister chased cheerleaders. But right now it's not about a man and a woman. It's York and Carolina. His best friend he's pined over, and his commander and friend.
He smiles, even though he feels overwhelmed, like his emotions are going to spill over if he's not careful.]
That sounds nice. I could use something to look forward to.
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Okay. Yeah, okay.
[He turns to grin at Carolina for a second--see, see? North's on board, too!--before starting backwards again, a little spring in his step.]
Well, what are we waiting for? I miss drunk York even more than I miss drunk Carolina.
[He spins to face forward again, hands still happily in his pockets, still practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, when he looks back at them both, cheeky and exhilarated and so, so happy.]
Race you.
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[She grasps York's arm for a moment as to hold him back, seeming serious when she steps over to do so. But she holds on to him for a few seconds before staring right at North, a mischievous grin on her face.]
Last one there buys second round.
[Before she turns to dash, because of course she's fucking with you two hell YEAH she's gonna run]
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He actually laughs, when she takes off running, setting off in an easy jog and passing York with a big hand on his shoulder. It's no more affectionate than he's been in the past, but it means something different now. It's less guarded.]
You heard the lady.
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[But he's laughing, and as he catches up with North's easy pace, York elbows him a little.]
Thanks. I'll pick up the tab next time.
[Everything he owes North--for his love, for his patience--he's going to take care of it from here on out. Gladly. Gratefully.
But for now, he's got a second round of drinks to outrun, and he returns North's big, significant pat with one of his own and cheerfully darts ahead.]
Come on, Carolina, don't be an asshole! Some of us are unemployed!
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[She calls over her shoulder, grin wide as a house.]
Earn that date, York! You're still out of shape! Tell him to get his ass moving, North!
[Later, she'll look back and remember this as being the freest she's felt in a long time.
The reds and blues are to thank for getting her this far, but York and North being around... well, she'd hate to think what she'd be missing if she'd ended up here alone.]
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He's not going to let York fall behind him, at least.]
I think we ought to do what she says, York.
[He says, in an overly dramatic stage whisper. He can't even begin to imagine the dark place he would be in if York and Carolina weren't here.
He's not even sure if he would have made it through the nightmares.]
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Kiss-ass.
[He falls into his stride: almost matching Carolina pace for pace, but behind her. Slightly to their left. Still close enough for North to catch up.]
You know, guys, for a man my age, I'm not doing too bad for myself. Maybe my standards are just more realistic than yours, Cat.
[He just watches Carolina run for a moment. Glances back at North.
Okay, maybe there's nothing realistic about his standards. York smiles to himself.]
I'm exactly where I want to be.