A few hours earlier….
David wakes up to the overwhelming smell of…tea. That in itself gets his mind moving quicker than usual. His mom was a huge coffee drinker, and his dad followed suit. Robin always joked he had been specifically a tea person, until he became the dad to two kids under five. David likes tea fine, but he's used to the aroma of beans being pressed. The sound of it sizzling down into the pot.
The tea is more powerful. Hints of rose and lemon soak up the loft. David blinks the sleep from his eyes and sits up quickly, regretting it when his head collides with the wire bed frame.
"Shit," he mumbles.
From the bed, he can see Mary Margaret floating around the kitchen in his Snow Patrol shirt, which swims on her small frame. Her hair is loose, frizzed and slightly curled from sleep. No makeup and yet she still looks drop dead gorgeous. David lets out a small sigh and goes for a search of his phone. It's under his boxers, though his jeans are nowhere in sight. He braces himself for a myriad of texts.
Instead there's just one.
Be careful.
David raises an eyebrow. Is his dad feeling alright?
"You awake over there?"
"Ye…" David's voice squeaks and he quickly clears his throat. "Yeah."
"Good."
Mary Margaret walks over holding two brown mugs. She passes one to him and he relishes in the warmth it brings his hands. The loft is chilly this morning, showing the signs of impending winter.
"I don't drink coffee, so hope this will do."
"It smells great." David takes a sip. It's not the best he's had, he's more of an Earl Grey person himself. This is fancy, potentially from that posh tea shop he saw on Main Street. "Yum."
Mary Margaret takes in his face. "You're a shit liar."
David rolls his eyes. "It's good, just not my…cup of tea." He winks.
Mary Margaret scoffs at the bad joke. "Sorry, like I said, not a coffee person. Though, I love hot cocoa more. I just didn't have any this morning."
"Hot cocoa for breakfast?"
"With cinnamon. It's the best. My mom used to make it."
David nods, understanding the sentimental value. He still hasn't found a shepherd's pie that matches up to the one his own mother used to make. Even with her recipe, it'll never be the same.
"So…" Mary Margaret says, settling onto the bed. "Last night."
David nods, sipping his tea once more. "Last night."
"I mean…damn. I didn't know you could do all of that with your tongue."
David chuckles, a bit of pride filling him. "I can do quite a lot with it." He rubs his chest, where quite a few hickeys have formed. "And I'm not the only one that can make magic with my mouth."
Mary Margaret blushes, ever so slightly but it's there nonetheless. "Sorry, I know that was a major turn off for my ex."
David shakes his head. "Not at all. I happen to like it, so long as it's not anywhere exposed."
He flinches, remembering Kristoff's knack for love bites leading to tons of ribbing at his old station.
"Listen," Mary Margaret sighs. "I like you. I think you're hot, and you were awesome in bed."
David grins. "Thank you."
"But right now…I work crazy hours. I've tried to have a relationship but my job always seems to get in the way. Sometimes I'll be gone for 24 hours at a time."
"And you don't think I'd understand that? I'm in the same beast."
"True. I guess I didn't think of that."
He regards her for a few moments. "You're not looking for anything serious, are you?"
"No. I mean, not that you don't seem great, but, again. I've tried dating. And I'm no cynic. I'm open for love one day. Just not now."
"I get it." Mary Margaret tilts her head. "Up until a year and a half ago, I was in a long term relationship. With a guy, by the way. I'm pan."
"Bi," Mary Margaret chimes in.
He grins. "Anyway. It was great and we were in love. I had a ring and everything."
"But?"
His smile fades. "He cheated. And it broke me. I ended up falling off the deep end, relapsed, oxy pills. I've been sober a year, two months and three days."
Mary Margaret nods. "Congratulations."
He bites his lip, it still feels awkward to hear that. It is big, that he's stayed away so long. And yet, he kicks himself for ever touching it.
"Anyway, technically I'm in the zone where I can safely date. My therapist said it. But I'm not ready." He pauses, trying not to get hit by the overwhelming memories of his ex. "But I think I'd be down for a friend. With…benefits."
Mary Margaret's smile grows. "Really?"
"I've never done it before. I mean even causal sex…that was my first time."
"Same."
"Really?"
"I've only had four partners, including you. Which may seem like a lot but…"
"No judgment."
"What's your number?"
"Three. One in high school, another in college then Kris."
Mary Margaret nods. She sets her tea down atop a pile of magazines on the end table and he follows suit.
"I know we just did it last night and used a condom," Mary Margaret says. "But I think we should get an STD panel first."
"Smart idea."
"And I do want to use protection. Double. I'm on the pill, but I'd feel better with both."
He doesn't want to think of all the close calls he had with Kathryn when his teenage self would forget to pull out. "Agreed."
"Like we said, we don't want serious. So we can sleep with other people, but we need to keep each other updated."
"I remember the sex ed talk. You sleep with everyone your partner has."
Mary Margaret raises an eyebrow. "You got sex ed?"
"Raised in Detroit."
"Oh, right, I forgot you're not from this Mayberry town." She rolls her eyes. "Even with a doctor, my form of sex ed was the internet."
David chuckles, earning him a glare.
"I guess we should also talk what kind we like," he points out.
"I'm…pretty adventurous."
"I figured that when your hand kept slapping my ass. I'm uh…cool with that. BDSM, I mean. I've done it in the past."
"I only started with Ruby. She kind of showed me the ropes. I've never done it with a guy."
"I'd be willing to teach you." He winks. "I tend to bottom."
"That's perfect, because I top."
"Another thing I noticed."
"I'm not into giving head." She winces. "Is that selfish?"
"Nah." He shakes his head. "I'm not one for receiving it. Giving though…"
She grins. "Yeah, I like that."
"Good."
He racks his brain, trying to think of what else there is. His mouth opens then shuts again. Mary Margaret gestures for him to continue.
"Spending the night rules."
"We can. No cuddling."
"Deal. And it just has to be here," he says. "I have my own room but I still live with my dad."
"I get it, don't worry. I guess that's another thing too. Outside any other partners, do we tell people?"
"I don't think we should. It's just going to be awkward. How do you even say that?"
"True, true." She giggles. "It's just so new. It feels like driving for the first time. There's a thrill."
David nods, excitement bubbling in his own stomach. "I know."
"I also think it's okay to hang out."
"Well, that's the friends part of friends with benefits."
"And uh…kissing?"
Mary Margaret is quiet for a few moments. David flinches, wondering if he crossed the line.
"Making out, yes. Kissing body parts, of course. But no sappy romcom moments."
David smiles, a bit of relief coming over him. He isn't sure if he could do it without being able to kiss her. "Good."
Her phone dings and Mary Margaret grabs it, rolling her eyes.
"Who is it?"
"Regina. Apparently she's worried about me."
"Yeah, I'm sure my dad is freaking out himself. I know we probably have more to discuss but I should get going."
"We have time. I know someone at the lab who can do our STD tests without the whole town knowing."
David gets out of bed, searching for his pants. Mary Margaret slowly pulls off the shirt and he allows himself to marvel for a minute, his hand half paused. She turns her back to him, rummaging through a wardrobe. Her ass is tight and lifted high, still a little red from his own grip the night before. Her hair flows down half her back, tangled at the bottom. She's a mess right now, but he still feels that fire build in his belly.
"See something you like?" Mary Margaret asks, without turning around.
"You just…" he clears his throat. "Make it really hard for a man to wait for test results."
Mary Margaret laughs. "Get dressed, you perv."
He pulls up his boxers, followed by his jeans. Once she's in a pair of loose black leggings and oversized Lady Gaga sweatshirt, the two walk to the door. He grabs his jacket, checking to make sure he has his keys.
"Wait!" Mary Margaret laughs, shaking her head. "I don't have your number."
David smacks his palm to his forehead. "That…would've been stupid."
He hands over his phone and accepts hers, adding in his number to get contacts. His fingers pause over keyboard. Should he go funny or standard? What's the protocol here?
Off her stare, types in his full name, David Locksley , followed by the winker sticking out his tongue and crown emojis. David passes it back to her and collects his own phone.
Mary Margaret Blanchard , with the Princess emoji beside it.
He laughs, shoving it back into his pocket.
"Goodbye, Snow."
"Bye, Charming ."
The attitude in her voice guarantees an uncomfortable fumble for the stairs, trying to fight off the hard on. In the distance, he can hear her giggle.
David sits in front of his laptop, returning an email to James. He misses his brother a lot, but also knows their relationship has improved given the distance. Despite James' reaction to their mother's death, they were close as kids. Then they hit high school and went in different directions. David joined the cheer squad. James was on the football team. David spent his time with Kathryn and her friends. James fell in with Jack and that crowd, who spent most of their time smoking pot and complaining that no one understood.
Despite the distance, James was aware of his oxy addiction before anyone else. He caught his twin high at a party and despite the fog over him, David can clearly remember the threat of telling their dad. He begged his brother for hours after the high lifted.
"Like you don't do drugs."
"Pot, Davey. Not opioids."
"Don't call me Davey. And I'm fine. It was just the one time. If you tell him, you'll be the world's biggest hypocrite."
And so, James stayed silent. Even when Robin started missing money from his wallet. After Kathryn dragged him home after he made the mistake of mixing the pills with beer. James didn't say a word, and never would. Even after David got caught in college, James never went to their dad.
And it's why David will never know who's number one on his amends list more: his father or his twin.
Maybe if he hadn't gaslit James, he could've found sobriety sooner.
David sighs, pressing send on the email before rereading the one his brother sent him. The ultrasound is what sticks out the most. He still can't make anything out, but that's his niece or nephew. Another bit of craziness to this family.
"I wonder if it's a girl if they'll name it after mom," David mumbles.
He shakes that from his head and hears the familiar chime letting him know he has a new email. His fingers shake a little when he sees it's from the admissions department of University of Delaware.
Greetings David,
I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. Per university policy, we don't hold scholarships and you've missed the deadline to apply for the Spring 2018 semester. Applications for Fall 2018 open February 6th, with scholarship opportunities available depending on if you'd still qualify.
Best of luck to you
David quickly presses delete. A stupid reminder of his "flight into wellness" after he completed rehab. He felt unstoppable, ready to get back on track. It's been 3 years but he has his undergrad in Exercise Science. He'll be 30 before he can practice but he looked into getting a job as a trainer at the local gym back home.
Then his dad announced they had jobs in Maine. No force in David going, but it felt spelt out there. His dad expected him to stay a firefighter. Sure, David had never told him as his plan. The expectations were still clear. And David had let him down enough.
Besides, who'd ever trust an addict to coach them to recovery anyway?