A/N: Three drabbles set after O11... just nothing, really.
I don't own them.
There'll come a day
"You should tell Rusty."
Following her gaze, he dialled the number. Her eyes were resting on his lips, he almost forgot to smile.
"Huh?!"
"Hey, Rus." He nodded at Tess, she sat down next to him.
"Hold on."
He could hear swearing and a detonation. His smile became genuine. Then he remembered Tess.
"Um, Rus… how are you?"
It felt strange to ask. He never had to.
Rusty's response was blurred, he was running. "Ah, alright. Tell Tess I said Hello."
Grinning at the reasoning, he winked at Tess. "Fine. Listen, we're getting married."
Silence.
"That's a good thing, right?"
--
He found himself standing in front of the door at 3am just like he had been years before, leaning his head against the cold marble frame, resting his fingers on the doorknob, repeating one name.
He couldn't hear his own voice.
The door opened and Rusty was there.
"It's alright."
A shadow behind Rusty disappeared beneath the blanket and they just stood there and he really didn't want to, but he couldn't hide it.
"It's your wedding night."
Rusty sounded explicatory, accusatory, excusatory.
I-
"You and I…"
I need you, he said.
I'm losing you, he said.
"Not gonna happen."
--
Love, Tess said, love was something that had to be built. Affection was the seed, love was the fruit. Love wasn't about first sight and soul mates.
Rusty looked at him and smiled.
Then Tess put down the wine glass, her voice peremptory. She said love was sedulity.
Rusty's eyes didn't leave his.
Beside him, Tess laid her hand on his shoulder. She said she loved him but that it had not been without effort.
Rusty just smiled and he felt himself regretting all the passed up chances.
The sun had long settled and falling stars were painting the sky.