Title: Elope
Disclaimer: I own nothing, obviously, because if I did Cody Longo would have been bumped to series regular before Brothers and Sisters could steal him for a minuscule one-episode stint.
Rules of the Payson-Nicky-Forever's Challenge:
1) The two of us are going through the alphabet writing stories using a word that begins with each letter.
2) We both started with 'A', but now alternate. She does 'B' next and I do 'C' and on and on.
3) We get to pick each other's word.
4) All stories have to be at least 500 words in length.
5) We have five days after the other author posts to post the next one.
6) My stories will always be Kaylie/Nicky and hers will always be Payson/Nicky
Once the contest is over, we're going to each put up a poll on our profiles asking people to vote for their favorite story in the contest.
Summary: The very idea of those two getting married is too horrifying to ignore. It'd be a disaster. Well, an entertaining disaster with free booze afterwards, but still with the explosive power of a second Civil War. Kaylicky /Alphabet Challenge – E/
Elope
Before he even gets to know her, Nicky Russo can already tell Kaylie Cruz is one of those girls who have had her wedding planned since she was a little girl. He can already picture her with a box of crayons, sitting on the floor and drawing out her dress. It would be long and graze the floor with each step she takes. It would be elegant and have an intricate design on the corset, tailored by hand. Her father would walk her down the aisle and Emily and Payson (maybe Lauren too) would be bride's maids.
She's been waiting all her life to find her prince charming and now she has.
Truthfully, Nicky has always hated weddings. He's been to a few before. His parents always have to show face and make a quick appearance, dragging along Nicky in a dress shirt, dark slacks and shiny shoes he remembers hating with a passion. Weddings mean old ladies pinching his cheeks and stirring uncomfortably every time the masses would clink their glasses and the bride and groom had to kiss. The only upside is probably all the free cake.
"Seriously, Kaylie, this crazy person, neurotic obsession to be perfect used to be cute when we were teenagers, but now it's all sorts of creepy," he says playfully.
Kaylie Cruz looks up from the LED screen of her stepper machine and smiles gently when she sees Nicky in the doorway. Her dark hair is pulled back in a high ponytail and there's no makeup on her face, only beads of sweat built at her hairline. Despite the way he saunters into the room, Kaylie doesn't stop exercising. She moves her eyes back to the poster tacked to the wall in front of her. It's the same Genji Cho poster that fed her motivation prior to Worlds except now, taped over Genji's leotard is a picture of Kaylie's wedding dress.
"What do you think you're doing?" Nicky asks, coming closer.
"Ignoring you trying to pick a fight with me," Kaylie breathlessly replies.
"Kaylie," he groans. Nicky moves to lean against the wall she's facing and looks up at her with concern in his eyes. "You know you don't have the best track record with these things."
"Yes, but then I was sixteen and stupid. Plus, I'm eating just fine. Back then I wasn't eating and over-exercising, hence the stupid," Kaylie explains. Nicky sees the way she avoids his eyes and her voice goes quieter. Even after so many years, it's still a sore subject. "I don't workout at the Rock six days a week anymore. I just want to make sure I fit my dress."
"As long as you know what you're doing," Nicky says, still skeptical. Kaylie meets his intense gaze long enough to count seven seconds before Nicky nods and gracefully gives in. "Alright. I trust you."
Kaylie slows to a stop, turning her head to the side and looking over at Nicky who innocently smiles back. She too gives in and reaches out her hand. Nicky takes it, helping her off the exercise machine. He wraps his arms around her tiny figure and Kaylie takes his waist, her head resting on his chest. They stay like that for some time. He can feel the sweat on her skin, but can't bring himself to care about anything other than the fact that she's so close.
This is what their relationship has come to consist of. There's always been an invisible rope between them and they've always been locked in this game of tug-o-war. It's always kept them in a stalemate. As they've gotten older, the two stubborn gymnasts really did learn the art of compromise. Now, much older and wiser, they've sort of found a middle ground where they can both be satisfied while still keeping the banter.
"You know what we should do?" Kaylie asks. She still can't seem to catch her breath, almost dying for air, but trying hard no to show it. Nicky finds it pretty cute.
"Elope," Nicky mumbles. She's breathing erratically and he can feel her chest press against his with each breath she takes. That pressure from her, the smallest of bodily contact, to Nicky, feels like a slow burn, tingling at his chest and then spreading up his neck and all throughout him.
"Hmm, what was that?" Kaylie asks, looking genuinely confused.
"Elope. With. Me."
Kaylie pulls away and looks up at him. "What?"
Ignoring her, Nicky goes on. "Just picture it for a sec. We 'borrow' Tucker's precious motorcycle and ride off into the sunset. No more table arrangements. No more flower orders. Just you and me and maybe if you behave I'll even let you bring along that dress you've been raving about."
"Nicky," Kaylie groans, bringing a hand up in the miniscule space between them.
"I know where Austin keeps the keys," he whispers, chancing a kiss to the side of her face.
"Cute," she says dryly. Kaylie somehow finds the strength to push him away. It's a strength Nicky will never understand or harness for himself. "But I'm going to have to veto that request."
"Hmm, how about we sneak away for an hour or two and go get the greasiest, best tacos you've ever had?" he asks. His face holds the excitement of a young child begging for a trip to Disneyland.
"Now?"
"No, Princess, next Thursday," he sarcastically replies. Kaylie punishes him with a sharp jab to his bicep. Nicky barely felt it, but he dramatically winces and clutches his arm just for show.
"Nicky, I just worked out," she complains.
"Hey, you said no to eloping and pretty much just broke my heart," he points out, laying on the heavy guilt trip. He lifts his eyebrows and takes her hand, bringing it to settle over his heart. His bottom lip juts out and he slides his thumb over her knuckles. "C'mon. You could probably use the break. Genji can wear the dress for the day. You can chase her tomorrow."
"So does that mean we would be taking a trip to Pipito's Taco Cart?" Kaylie asks hopefully.
Nicky scowls. "Is there any other one?"
"Alright. I'll go shower," she says. There's reluctance in her voice, but a smile on her face.
"Can I come with?" he asks playfully, grabbing her by the hips. Kaylie only giggles and slaps his hands away. She gives him a stern look and Nicky only smiles in return, watching her walk away.
They drive out to the northwestern quadrant of Arvada, Colorado. It's exactly halfway between Denver and Boulder. It's where they'd meet when they were merely teenagers, her living and training in Boulder and him doing the same in Denver. It's also how he found out about her obsessively exercising and not eating. When she'd meet him and refuse to eat Pipito's tacos, Nicky nagged her until she finally cracked and told him the truth. If anything, it's brought them even closer.
On the drive to Arvada, all Kaylie can talk about is the wedding and Nicky feels like banging his forehead against the steering wheel. He turns up the volume of the radio on purpose and Kaylie hits his arm and rolls her eyes. Once they get their tacos, they sit out on a bench at the closest park. Finally there's no more wedding talk. Nicky can finally hear himself think and he keeps pushing food towards her to keep her mouth busy.
It's how they've always been. They try so hard to convince the world that they don't care about each other. They roll their eyes and scowl and walk away. Then when no one's watching, they always come back to each other, always secretly worried and desperate to make things better for the other. They've been though a lot, some times easier than others.
Banishing all the bad memories, Nicky and Kaylie talk about Pipito's and all the good times they've had being in Arvada where, for the most part, no one really knows them. There, they weren't Kaylie Cruz, the National Champion, and Nicky Russo, Nationally Ranked Gymnast. It was the small window of time where they could escape their lives for a little bit and just be normal teenagers squirting each other with bottles of water and throwing tortilla chips across a picnic table.
"Cruz, you have to promise me that this marriage isn't going to change anything," Nicky says.
He gazes over at her, jaw moving up and down, cheeks full. There's salsa drizzling down from the corner of her lips and the sky is just perfect behind her – a gorgeous blend of pinks and oranges. Nicky prays that if he remembers anything even as he grows old, it's this single moment, this snapshot of his Kaylie Cruz.
"Don't be dumb, Russo," Kaylie says, reaching over and pinching his arm. "I mean, yeah, it's a big step and the way we've been talking and planning for months now has made things sort of hectic and crazy, but I'm still me and you're still you."
"Kaylicky," he says with a faint smile.
"Right, Kaylicky," she relents. "Nothing is going to change, alright?"
Nicky nods and smiles, but he can't help the way his stomach stirs and his taco is suddenly hard to swallow. How can she not see how things have already changed?
…
"What are you doing here, Russo? You're supposed to be at the bachelor party!" Kaylie scolds. She's sitting on the couch in a bathrobe with a hardcover book in her lap. The fireplace is set ablaze and crackling as it fills the room with such warmth and an eerie, wavering light.
"What can I say?" Nicky asks, coming to sit beside her. He groans and undoes the top two buttons of his shirt, gazing into the fire. "I'm not really the type that finds it fun sitting around on a couch with questionable stains, sticking dollar bills down some starving college girl's g-string. Austin and Carter are still there though."
"Thanks, Nicky. I could have lived without hearing that," Kaylie says. She shakes her head as if the action alone could rid her mind of the mental image – a room of boys she's been involved with at some point, poles and strippers. "You guys went to a strip club?"
Nicky sighs, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Again, it wasn't my call."
"Obviously." Kaylie laughs lightly.
"Carter on the other hand, is like a caged animal finally free," Nicky says, making Kaylie giggle even more. He shifts closer to Kaylie and continues. "No, seriously. I think Lauren might actually keep him in a cage. Not even two beers in and he's already got some girl giving him a lap dance."
"Eww," Kaylie says, shivering. "Spare me the details."
"What about you?" he asks. "Aren't Emily, Lauren and Pay supposed to be here, paying some poor guy dressed like a police officer to rip off his clothes?"
"Emily's flight in from Paris got delayed so she'll be lucky if she even gets in on time for the wedding. Payson had some emergency down at the Rock, something about missing paperwork so we just decided to call it off. Plus, Lauren said something about feeling sick, but I'm pretty sure she's camped out in front of the strip club, spying on Carter."
"Some things just don't ever change, huh?" Nicky chuckles. "So on your last night of freedom you're sitting alone at home with a bottle of wine? Wow, Kaylie, that's a little depressing."
"And you're any different?" she shoots back.
"Well, I at least tried to go out even if it was a failed attempt," he says, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt and sliding the fabric up to his elbows. Meanwhile, Kaylie pours a little more red wine into her glass before handing the bottle to Nicky. He snorts in amusement. "Wow, that's classy."
"You can go to the kitchen and get another glass if you want, but I'm telling you now, I'm not moving," Kaylie says, going as far as to prop her feet up on the edge of the table. "I don't mind you drinking it straight."
"Yeah, I bet you love me looking like an alchie," Nicky says, taking a gulp.
Kaylie sniggers. "Not as much as I love hearing you say alchie."
Nicky just rolls his eyes before clinking the thick bottle against Kaylie's wineglass. A comfortable silence sets in as the two continue to sip their wine and stare at the fire. Well, Kaylie's watching the fire, but Nicky is watching her. She looks so different from the beginning when the engagement was first announced. All the preparation for the wedding has really taken a toll on her. Luckily, it'll be over soon and maybe she'll be happy again.
"So are you ready?" Nicky asks quietly.
Kaylie laughs bitterly. "You know, you're the first person to actually ask me that."
Nicky frowns. "Should I take that as a yes or a no?"
"Yes. I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I mean, there's still the matter of the seating arrangement for the reception that we've yet to come to a decision on and if Emily's late then that means Damon will be late which means we might now have a band."
"You stress yourself out way too easily, Kaylie. Gymnastics is over. We're retired. It's okay to breathe, you know?" He says, smiling weakly. Nicky tips his bottle of wine and pours her a little more, giving her a nod to emphasis that she should listen to him for once.
"Easy for you to say. This coming from the guy whose only requirement for the wedding is, and I quote, a lot of cake and an open bar," Kaylie says, bumping her shoulder into his.
Nicky just shrugs. "I don't see how there's more to it than that."
"I haven't written my vows yet."
"Yikes," Nicky says, rolling his fingers through his hair. "I could always help, you know."
"No." Kaylie looks like she considers his offer for a second, but then shakes it off. "It's supposed to be from my heart, not from your head. Plus, with all the big words you use, everyone's so going to know I didn't write it myself, which will be super embarrassing."
Nicky laughs. "Like you haven't done more embarrassing things. Need I remind you of when your parents were fighting and you did that floor routine to that classical-techno remix? Wow, Cruz."
"Shut up." Kaylie glares. "I was trying to make a point and I think it came across pretty clear."
"I don't know, Kaylie. You were smiling like you thought you were amazing," he points out.
"What were you even doing there?" she asks accusingly. "If I remember correctly, that was the year you went all Brutus on us."
"I was just in town, swung by," he innocently replies. "I'm stealthy like a ninja."
"You stomp around like a bull," Kaylie says. A smile draws itself across her face as she pokes him hard in the chest. "Hey. Wasn't that the same year we did that bullfighting floor routine for the open house? Wow, talk about embarrassing."
"I didn't think it was that bad," Nicky says, clearing his throat. "We made a good team."
"To think," Kaylie muses, twirling her wineglass in her hand. "If it wasn't for Sasha trying to torture us or teach us some life lesson by putting us together, we probably wouldn't be here right now."
"We should probably send him a fruit basket." Nicky nods, hinting at a smile.
Kaylie laughs. "Or just thank him at the wedding. He'll be there for sure."
"Are you sure you haven't given any more thought to eloping?" he asks softly. There's no more joking about fruit baskets or ninjas. Nicky's face goes serious and he gives her hand a firm squeeze. He's always been her knight in shining armor, there to save the day. He offering her one last escape route and all she does is slide her hand free from his.
"Nicky, we've done so much planning already," Kaylie weakly argues. "My mom has everything organized and my dad has already spent so much money on all of this. I can't disappoint them. It's too late now."
"All you ever talk about is what other people want," he says. "What do you want, Kaylie?"
"I just want to be married," Kaylie says with a sigh. "I just want it all to be over so we can start living our lives again. I feel like, ever since the engagement, everything's just been frozen and I want things to start moving again."
"I think this is what they call cold feet," he says, wrapping his arms around her.
"No. Cold feet is when you try to back out of getting married," she corrects, leaning into his warm embrace. "Believe me, Nicky, I'm not backing out. If anything, going through all of this, I want it even more."
Actually, the way Nicky sees it, the term "cold feet" refers to the tension between temptation and self-control. He doesn't say a word, but his feet are currently frozen in his Italian leather shoes.
…
On the day of, when Nicky's in a stiff, black and white tuxedo, standing among hundreds of people stuffed into a single church, Payson taps him on the shoulder and he knows to expect the worst. Careful not to alarm anyone else, Payson leads him out to the back of the chapel and down a narrow passageway to small, plain room. That's when he sees Kaylie and the very sight of her stops him in his tracks.
She certainly is a vision in white. All those hours spent on the stepping machine has done her good. The stunning white dress fits like a glove, molded to every curve of her body. It shows off a little more skin than Nicky imagined, being strapless with a low neckline, but still classy and tasteful. It touches the ground just like he pictured, but she still must be wearing heels because she's closer to his height than usual.
"Wow," Nicky whispers. He can't take his eyes off of her. "Princess, you…look like a princess."
"Nicky, thank God!" she shouts. Kaylie stops her pacing and rushes over to him while simultaneously trying to preserve her dress. She nearly throws herself at him and he catches her in his arms. Payson mumbles something going to find Mr. Cruz and ducks out of the room to give them some time alone.
"Ask me," she whispers against the lapels of his coat.
"Ask you what?" Nicky asks. His fingers are itching to brush through her hair, but the thought of messing up her hair and pissing her off mere minutes before the wedding isn't an alluring idea.
"Ask me to elope with you again," Kaylie says. "Do it, Nicky."
Nicky shakes his head and tries to laugh. "So now the real cold feet come out, huh?"
"You know, all my life I thought that I wanted this."
"Why am I not surprised?" Nicky chuckles. He tries his best to lighten the mood.
"Thanks a lot, Russo," she sneers. Taking a deep breath, Kaylie goes on. "As I was saying, I wanted an expensive wedding with my dad walking me down the aisle and my mom crying in the front row. Every person I've ever trained with and cousins whose names I don't even know would RSVP. Now, finally standing in the dress, I just…I—I can't. Nicky, get me out of here."
"Kaylie…"
"I know where Austin keeps the keys too," she says desperately. Her fingers curl around the lapels of his coat and she gives him a tug to bring them closer than they already are. "We can take Lolita."
Nicky shakes his head. "Kaylie, we can't."
"I know," she sighs, letting her hands fall and cutting the connection between them. "It's just…I was thinking about it last night and maybe this isn't for me. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a wife or a mother or any of that. We're only twenty-three, Nicky. Maybe we could give it another year, just do the living together thing. Then again, my Abuela will probably never speak to me again. She's not a big supporter of the living in sin thing. Ugh, Nicky, how am I supposed to know if I'm ready for this?"
"Because you feel it," he says. Gently, Nicky takes her hand in his and this time he places it over her heart. He does this without breaking eye contact. Not even once. "You feel it in here."
"That's sweet of you, really," she says. Her eyes move from his, down to the beaded front of her dress. "I just…I'm scared, okay? I…I don't want to end up like my parents."
"You won't," Nicky assures her.
"How do you know?" Kaylie urgently questions.
"Honestly, I don't know, Kaylie, but we'll never know if we don't try, right?" he asks. "Now we have about a million people in that church, probably wondering what's going on. I'm going to go take my place. You're going to let your father escort you to the altar. You're gonna smile and look happy and say those vows that you stayed up all night writing while I passed out on the couch."
Kaylie laughs, resisting the urge to cry. "Why are you so good to me, Russo?"
Nicky shrugs. "Because I love you, Princess."
"Aww, I love you too."
There's something about her eyes during their whispered exchange, something that validates everything he's been thinking for years. It's the closeness they've always shared, the wavering proximity that's kindled such heat between them. As much as he wants to let his unconsciousness devour him, to sneak her out of the chapel, away from all this chaos and just be somewhere that isn't far, but isn't close, maybe Arvada, Nicky can't. He can't do any more than kiss her above the temple and let her go.
When Mr. Cruz comes into the room, asking if she's ready, the two finally break apart. Nicky bows his head low as Kaylie composes herself and Mr. Cruz shares encouraging words about how beautiful she looks and how proud he is. Kaylie holds her head high and shoots Nicky one last smile, her eyes sparkling like diamonds. She tells him to go inside already and despite his tight chest and tense shoulders, Nicky manages to smile back.
He quietly makes his way out of the small room, but instead of turning towards the main area of the chapel, Nicky walks out through the front door. He stands outside, his heart pounding furiously and the flask of vodka heavy in the inner pocket of his jacket. He hears the organ begin to play and his gut twists with guilt. He somehow convinces himself that she won't be looking for him anyways. After all, he isn't the one she's marrying.
Nicky Russo, always the knight in shining armor, never the prince charming.
Just as Nicky reaches for that flask, a camera flashes in his face. With his heart shriveling in his chest, Nicky can care less what he does and even less about who sees him. Still, he pushes the flask deeper into his pocket and gives a deep sigh, shielding his face from the blinding flash of the camera. He blinks repeatedly and moves further away from the church. Each step feels heavier than the last.
"Nicky Russo! Nicky Russo!" a reporter shouts. "Is it true that you once had a relationship with the bride, Kaylie Cruz? How does it feel to be here today, at her wedding to Olympic gold medalist Austin Tucker?"
"No comment."
Fini
Author's note: How much do you hate me right now for that ending? Twisted or too obvious? I was sort of going for misleading.
On an even more depressing note, I have a massive case of writer's block when it comes to the Difference Between. Like, I know where I want things to go, but getting there is a little tricky. I guess things are always easy to break, but fixing it is the real challenge.
On the brightside, before submitting your review, I suggest everyone go to my profile and there's a link to some promo pictures B and me put together. We still aren't sure if we're going to post the story, but those were fun to make (minus working with a 6-hour difference between us). There are tons of spoilers and manips. Be sure to zoom in and tell me what you think. A lot of procrastination, time away from writing and sober hours went into that. Enjoy!
Oh, and I made a community for the Alphabet Challege so it's all there and easy to access for all you lovely people!