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Chapter 6:
Break Ups, Break Downs & Breaking News...
{*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^} *-Simon-*-Simon-*-Simon-*-Simon-*-Simon-*{****************}
Okay, deep breath...nice deep breath...you can do this...you can- it'll suck-oh my god will it suck...but you can.
You can...
You c-
"Si? Well look at you up before the roosters. Wasn't expecting you up for another few hours." Drake gave a surprised laugh as he turns from the coffee pot, catching sight of Simon at the kitchen archway, flashing a bright, beaming smile, head tilting curiously, gesturing towards the pot.
"Coffee?"
"Oh my god yes please," Simon mumbled, nodding, making his way across the kitchen, beginning for the cupboard for a coffee cup.
"Relax Si, take a seat, I'll get it for ya." Drake chuckled, waving him towards the table.
Simon swallowed, kind of hesitating.
"I-I can get i-"
"Ah don't be ridiculous, I got it. Two sugars and half a splash of milk yeah?"
"Umm...yeah..." Simon shifted, taking a deep breath, slowly lowering himself into one of the chairs around the kitchen table.
He swallowed, fidgeting faintly,
Drake smiled, nodding, turning, opening the cupboard, pulling out a cheery yellow cup setting it on the counter, grabbing the milk from the fridge, adding just the right amount before sticking it back in the fridge, dropping in two spoonfuls of sugar, adding the coffee last before grabbing his own cup turning back to Simon, flashing a bright smile, making his way across the kitchen, taking the seat right next to Simon.
He settles in, placing Simon's cup in front of him, picking up his own, taking a slow sip. He sighs faintly, gaze shifting slowly over Simon, lingering near longingly on his lips, a telltale spark lighting in those warm chestnut brown eyes before they shift up, catching Simon's eyes, smile warming all the more, yet another soft, wistful little sigh slipping out.
Ah crap...
Simon swallowed, giving a nervous chuckle and a kind of shaky laugh, nodding quickly, reaching for his own cup, quickly picking up the cup, partly for the caffeine and partly just to give his fidgety fingers something to do. He wraps his hands around the cup, lifting it, taking a sip, unable to stop an appreciative little hum, eyes fluttering closed.
"Good?" Drake chuckled softly.
Simon started faintly, eyes blinking open wide and faintly startled, holding the cup up a bit in emphasis.
U-umm...yeah...it's perfect." He shifted, giving a kind of shaky nod and a slightly overly wide smile, nervously tucking a few runaway curls behind his ear.
"Can't believe after all this time you still remember how I take my coffee."
Drake chuckled, settling a bit closer, those bright chestnut eyes flickering over him once more.
"Of course I do. I fixed your coffee near every day for almost three years."
Simon shifted in his seat, nodding.
"Y-yeah...you did. Even so it's such a small thing to remember after so long. And it was a really long time, nearly a decade. A lot can change in nearly a decade. It's a really, really long time."
Drake chuckled, giving a faint shrug.
"Yeah...guess for some it is, for others it feels like barely any time has passed at all. Seems almost like just yesterday we were sitting here in the kitchen, having our coffee- well my first, your second- getting centered before the craziness of school and after school jobs and all the small town drama kicked up." He chuckled, smiling warm and bright.
"You never could get goin' before you had your coffee. Had to practically drag you outta bed, lure you out from under the covers with the coffee like we'd do when we were tryin' to get a raccoon out from under the porch.
Swear if you coulda figured out how to snatch the coffee and hide back under the covers we'd of never made it to school on time."
Simon couldn't help a faint laugh, nodding.
"Hey couple times I did whenever you'd get too close with it."
Drake laughed, nodding.
"Yup...didn't really work though. Just ended up with you spilling it all over and having to leap out of bed cursing while you stripped the bed to toss them in the laundry."
Simon groaned, nodding, rolling his eyes at himself.
"Ugh yeah- I remember. It irritated me to no end but I could never just leave it for after school cause Dottie would end up doing it when we were at school and I'd feel guilty all week."
Drake gave a soft laugh, shrugging.
"Not like she'd of minded. Grandma adored you. Hell, think she liked you more than she liked me! They both did."
Simon smiled softly, shaking his head.
"No they didn't. They loved you with all their hearts. You were their pride and joy."
Drake snorted, shaking his head.
"Nah-that was you. They bragged about you to anyone who'd listen...and a few that wouldn't. Think they just tolerated me cause it meant they got to keep you around...well that and you always managed to keep me in line and out of jail and/or the hospital."
Simon snorted, shaking his head.
"Oh please! Like anyone could keep you in line! Trying to rein you in was like trying to herd chickens! That'd be a full time job. Full time job and then some. I did what I could but I already had two part times and school, there's only so much one flaily, babbly, thoroughly uncoordinated guy can do."
Drake laughed, nodding, pointing.
"And you did it spectacularly." He sighed again, those bright chestnut eyes flickering again, shifting over him, smile tugging up more.
"Still can't believe you're actually finally here. I really missed you Si." He murmured, reaching over, resting his hand on Simon's.
Simon sighed, swallowing, giving a somewhat shaky nod, turning his hand, catching Drake's, squeezing.
"I missed you too Drake. It's been way too long. I should have been better about keeping in touch. Just with my parents being h-"
He smiled, shaking his head.
"No Si, I know. You needed a clean break, a fresh start. You can't have that if you're still clinging to the past. Even if it's just the good parts.
You had a lot of good parts here but you could never really focus or enjoy them because of the bad. You always put on a brave face, always seemed happy but I know some part of you was always miserable. Always felt like you didn't fit, didn't belong, like you weren't good enough or there was something wrong with you. I know you logically knew there wasn't- that their issues were theirs and not yours but knowing that logically and reconciling it emotionally are two totally different things.
I know you know better than to put much stock in the beliefs and condemnations of bigoted jackasses but when the bigoted jackasses turn out to be the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally it's really hard. You may know logically it's not about you it's about them and their backwards beliefs but no matter how sound it is no amount of logic can fix that kind of emotional hurt.
You had to get out of here, strike out on your own, make your own way...just get away from it-from the bad...away from them. It was the only way you were gonna truly get past it, truly be happy. I understood that. We all did. We only ever wanted the best for you, for you to be happy, get what you really want out of life. God knows after everything you deserve it." He sighed, squeezing Simon's hand.
"So do you Drake...Which is why this is so damn hard." Simon took a deep, shaky breath, squeezing his hand back, glancing away momentarily before centering himself, setting up, meeting those bright chestnut eyes.
"Drake...W-we need to talk."
Drake blinked in surprise, head tilting curiously, a faint breath of a laugh slipping out, brow quirking.
"Wow-the dreaded 'we need to talk', that never bodes well. You breaking up with me Si?" he chuckled jokingly, flashing a faintly amused smile.
Simon took a deep breath, setting up a bit more, giving a slight nod, shrugging helplessly.
"Basically? Yeah...thinking it's ridiculously overdue. Like nearly thirteen years overdue."
Drake startled, head shaking.
"I-I was just joking Si."
Simon nodded.
"I know you were; but I'm not. Drake? I-you know I love you, right?"
Drake nodded, shifting closer.
"Yeah I know, and I love you t-"
"I know you do...I-I just didn't know HOW you loved me. I thought it was the same way I loved you. As a friend and family and as sometimes the only thing that got me though one of the worst parts of my life. I DO love you Drake, I really, really do but just platonically. I love you as a friend, as my family and as one of the best things in my adolescent and teenage life. I DO love you...b-but just like that...n-not...not..." he trailed off swallowing, eyes wide and near pleading, shrugging helplessly.
Drake swallowed, a shadow flitting across those bright chestnut eyes, a flit of real warmth and slightly false amusement shimmering, nodding, shifting closer.
"I know that Si. We had this conversation, remember- Summer before freshman year?"
Simon nodded, reaching up, nervously tucking a wayward, runaway curl behind his ear.
"I know...I thought we did...I thought we were good, that we were on the same pag-"
"We are. We're totally on the same page."
Simon sighed, taking a deep breath, squeezing his hand faintly, looking up again catching his eyes.
"Drake? I-I don't even know if we're in the same book."
"Wha-Si? Of course we are."
Simon shook his head.
"Drake? I left town, moved nearly two thousand miles away, moved on. I started a new career, built a whole new life. You've been here nearly a decade pining f-"
Drake snorted, giving a perfectly practiced sarcastic look and eyebrow raise.
"I don't pine."
Simon huffed, shaking his head, waving off the clear distractory tactic.
"Fine- whatever the tough, butchy, countrified version of pining is. Semantics aside you-"
He scoffed, waving Simon off, glaring faintly.
"Have been totally fine! It's not a semantics, ego thing. Just a statement of fact. I haven't been pining- you've been watching too many romcoms. I haven't been setting around like some pathetic, mopey little dog waiting for their owner to come back from work, listening for the car up the drive. That's-"
Simon sighed, head tilting, brow quirking right back.
"A deliberate misstatement of fact designed to sound like an insult to throw me off and put me on the defensive because you don't like talking about feelings and all that mushy crap. You're fishing for something to twist into an insult so you can get mad and storm out and not have to deal. We're not doing that today."
Drake scoffed, shaking his head, setting back a bit, beginning to push away from the table.
"Hey I don't need to set here and take this-"
"Unless you want this to be the end of our friendship you do."
Drake started, freezing, looking him over in shock.
"Wha-Si th-"
Simon sighed exasperatedly, setting up straight, composing himself the same way he would to cross examine a suspect, meeting his gaze head on, holding up a finger.
"Drake? You know I don't play games. Drop the act, set back down and work with me here. We need to get you past this crush of yours. "
"Well that's new. Gotta admit, I like it."
Simon groaned, head tilting, brow quirking.
"Drake? Come on, just work through this with me here. It's just as awkward on this side and believe me I like it just as much as you do. We're working through thim. We're getting this sorted and we're getting this infatuation you have on me dealt with. Suck it up and let's get it settled now cause I sure as hell don't want to have to double back and do this more than once."
Drake froze, blinking in surprise, slowly settling back in his chair.
"O-okay if that's the case then you can't use the tough cop persona...not really having the right effect."
Simon scoffed, rolling his eyes, waving him off.
"Yeah, yeah, real cute. We're not doing that either. Drop the act."
Drake snorted, blinking, gaze flickering over him, shrugging.
"Who's acting? That's like worryingly hot. Again REALLY not what we're going for here."
Simon groaned faintly, rolling not only his eyes but his entire head, pushing his hair back, shaking his head before shifting his gaze back to Drake.
"No Drake. We're not doing that either."
"Doing what? That i-"
"Is a blatant distractory tactic. You couldn't piss me off so you're trying to joke your way out of it. It's not gonna work. We're not just turning a blind eye and acting like everything is okay and I don't know what I know."
Drake's head tilted, giving a faintly careless shrug.
"You're not even sure you know what you think you know. Thinking you just got caught up in the town gossip, letting it get to you. Understandable after so long anyone could lose their ability to shut out the babble. I-"
Simon sighed, shaking his head.
"Drake? You've been holding a candle for me for nearly a decade. You have been holding out hope that I'd come back to town and sweep you off your feet like some scene from a freaking romcom. From the moment I arrived you've been flirting and teasing and reminiscing and making freaking googely eyes at me and oblivious idiot that I am I didn't even see it until my poor boyfriend pointed it out to me! AFTER an entire day of watching another man try to rekindle a romance with his boyfriend right in front of him while what seems like an entire town roots him on!" He sighed, shaking his head, looking him over, giving a somewhat lost shrug.
"Drake? I-gotta admit I'm kinda at a loss here. We came here to help find YOUR boyfriend. I'm here with my boyfriend. With someone I love. That I am IN love with. Someone I could see spending the rest of my life with. I do love you and nothing changes that but he is the one that I'm IN love with.
And honestly? Even if I wasn't with someone else it still wouldn't be a real possibility for us. I just don't see you that way. I tried- believe me I really, really did try to see you that way but as much as I loved you it was just never THAT kind of love.
I love our relationship, our friendship and I don't want it to end. That is the one thing I missed from my time here. The only thing I ever gave a second thought to. I hate that I lost touch and I'd like nothing more than for us to stay in contact and stay friends but that is all it is between us. That is all it's ever going to be between us and I need you to understand that and be genuinely okay with that.
I-I get that it's easier and it would be less painful to just ignore it and leave it alone and I am sorry for putting you through thim. I'm sorry I've been apparently putting you though this for the past near ten years. I don't know what I did or said or whatever else that made you think that this-us- was in any way a possibility. It's not...and as cruel as it sounds to say it out loud it never was, not really. I just don't see you that way, I never really have no matter how many times I tried to. I hate the idea of hurting you- that I've BEEN hurting you- but we cannot just pretend everything's fine."
Drake gave a faintly strained laugh, waving himoff.
"Si it IS fine. I know all that. Again we had this conversation already. Summer before freshman year, remember? I'm even the one who said we should step back, go back to being just friends."
Simon sighed, nodding.
"Yeah you did."
Drake leaned forward, nodding quickly.
"Exactly I did s-"
"Yes you did...you did because you could see that it was what I wanted but you could also see I didn't know how to broach the subject. You always could read me like a book."
Drake faltered a minute, shifting, giving a slightly halfhearted shrug.
"Well you were always a pretty easy read."
Simon smiled faintly.
"Just to you."
Drake sighed, shrugging, gaze shifting over Simon near wistfully.
"Yeah well I was kind of paying attention."
Simon swallowed nodding.
"I know you were..." he trailed off, shifting faintly, reaching up with his free hand, idly fiddling with his hair, tucking a few curls behind his ear, glancing away.
"O-only now I know WHY you were paying so close attention a-"
Drake gasped, shifting closer, squeezing Simon's hand.
"Si? No...n-no that's not...that's not why I was paying attention."
Simon glanced back up, head tilting.
"It's not?"
Drake swallowed, frantically shaking his head.
"No, no...n-I-I mean maybe...maybe the slightest bit but that's not what I was paying attention for. It wasn't like a ploy or move or like angling for an opening or whatever...I-god I hope you never think I'd b-"
Simon shrugged helplessly.
"I don't...I-I don't want to think that...but...but I don't know what to think. I feel like our entire relationship was me thinking everything was perfect and you just waiting patiently for the next step. Like I was leading you on o-"
"-Si no. You weren't leading me on. I knew you didn't see me that way. I mean yeah some part of me was always kind of hoping that'd change, that you'd end up seeing me in a different light but our relationship wasn't about that. It wasn't about what it might become down the road. I loved you and yeah I-yeah for me it was that kind of love but that was just a small part of it.
I loved you as a friend, as a person and a confidante and all of that. I- okay I'm not gonna lie, I would have jumped at a chance for that kind of a relationship with you, you said the word I'd of came running and yeah some part of me thought maybe when you got out of here, got away from all the small town insanity and the drama with your parents and all of the negative things about here for you something would shift, you'd start to think of me differently, see me differently b-but...but I don't want you to think I was just like playing the long game or whatever.
It was never a game...least not with you." He sighed, shrugging.
"Not sayin' I wasn't a player everywhere else but with you it was always genuine."
Simon huffed out a faint laugh before taking a deep breath, looking up hopefully, head tilting.
"S-so...you? You'd still want to be friends even if that's all I have to offer you?"
Drake blinked in surprise, somewhat taken aback.
"I-yeah...of course I would." He swallowed, shifting closer, squeezing his hand, head tilting curiously.
"Si? You don't really think cause I can't have you like that I just flat out don't want you in my life, do you?"
Simon sniffled faintly, giving a slightly helpless shrug.
"I-I don't know...like I said I don't know what to think here."
Drake sighed, shaking his head, pushing his chair out, turning it, reaching over, pushing Simon's chair around faintly, reaching over, wrapping his arm around Simon, hugging his tight.
"Si? Yeah-okay, I had romantic feelings for you. Had them for probably a hell of a lot longer than was really reasonable but those don't in any way effect what we did have. What I'm hoping we can still have. You're the best friend I've ever had. You're one of the most wonderful people I've ever known.
I've missed you like crazy. And it's not the what might have been that I was missing it's the what was. Our friendship. Setting up with you all night, talking and laughing and telling stories, imagining our futures. Having someone to turn to without question, knowing I had someone who would support me and love me and have my back no matter how stupid or crazy I was. I may have wanted something more but I wouldn't trade what we did have for the world."
Simon sniffled, looking up hopefully.
"S-so...we're good?"
Drake chuckled softly, hugging him tight again, nodding against his hair.
"Si? You were the best part of my life. Hell you HAVE been the best part of my life for almost two decades...you're still easily in the top four.
Of course we're good Si. We are always good."
Simon gave a surprised laugh, hugging him back tighter, subtly wiping his eyes before taking a deep breath, pulling back just a bit, looking up catching his eyes.
"Top four, huh?"
Drake shrugged, smiling.
"Yup:
Tyler, the house now that I got it fully restored, and my new fully loaded truck, then you."
Simon gasped, nudging his shoulder.
"A truck edged me out?!"
Drake shrugged, flashing a playful smirk.
"What can I say? It's a nice truck, got me a lot of action."
Simon snickered, rolling his eyes exasperatedly.
"Yeah- if memory serves you never really had much of an issue in that area."
He smirked, winking.
"Still don't."
Simon huffed out a faint laugh, shaking his head, unable to stop a faintly affectionate smile.
"Is that how you caught Tyler's eye?"
Drake winced, shrugging, giving a kind of 'yes and no' wave, a faintly amused smile tugging at his lips.
"Eh...kinda...-ya notice the little dent in the right fender?"
Simon blinked, shaking his head.
"Uh no...Didn't really do a twenty point inspection...a bit distracted yesterday. What, accidentally bump him or something?"
"No- he threw an apple at me."
Simon snickered.
"What? He threw an apple so hard it dented your truck?"
Drake chuckled, shaking his head.
"No he threw the apple and hit me square in the forehead and I startled so much I swerved and hit a trash can." He laughed, head tilting concedingly.
"Though to be fair if it did hit the truck It probably would've left a dent- guy's got a hell of an arm- and aim to match. It was nearly twenty feet through a half open window."
Simon laughed brightly, eyes widening in shock and confusion.
"I-okay...why was this guy pelting you with random fruit? Wha- ugh wait...where you catcalling him?" Simon groaned, rolling his eyes exasperatedly.
"Should have pelted you with something harder."
Drake snorted.
"Ty said he would have but the only other things in the bag were coffee filters, a jar of pickles and a can of olives. Said he would have thrown the olives but it was the last can at the store and he didn't feel like making another stop."
Simon snickered, nodding approvingly.
"Think I'd like this guy."
Drake nodded.
"You would- he's a real kick. And just for the record I wasn't 'catcalling'. I just saw him walking and was asking if he wanted a ride since it looked like the weather was gonna turn. I didn't realize he had headphones in and I guess I startled him when I honked to get his attention.
It was kinda funny after the fact...well once he finished yelling at me. It turned into a bit of a running joke with us. Finding little things with apples on it, just a little us joke..." He laughed again, kinda trailing off, shifting faintly, swallowing, giving a bit of a somewhat sad little wave.
"I even made sure to have it worked into the ring I got him."
Simon blinked, head tilting curiously.
"Ring? What kind of ring?"
Drake shrugged, glancing up, idly fidgeting with his coffee cup.
"The kind you're thinking of. Just picked it up from the jewelers last week. Got it made at this fancy shamacy place up in Austin, didn't wanna risk any of the gossips here getting wind of it. His birthday is next month...I was gonna ask him then." He trailed off, blinking faintly glancing away.
Simon smiled, squeezing his hand.
"Well that just gives us all the more incentive to find him..." Simon paused, turning for a moment, looking towards the archway and the stairs making sure the coast was clear before shifting closer, leaning in conspirationally.
"Though we're gonna have to coordinate, make sure our dates for the actual weddings don't end up conflicting- I will expect you at my wedding."
Drake started, looking towards the archway, pointing.
"Wait…Raphael purpose-"
Simon giggled softly, shaking his head, leaning closer, bouncing lightly in his seat.
"Nope- I'm going to. My friend Clary is making the ring for me, should be ready in about two weeks. Not really sure when I'm gonna ask but once I have the ring I can figure that out." He giggled again softly, sighing, head shaking faintly.
"I just really hope he says yes."
Drake snorted.
"If he doesn't he is a freaking idiot...and hell this is the Midwest- Shotgun weddings are still a thing. Say the word and I'm there."
Simon laughed softly, brow quirking.
"Yeah um...hoping it doesn't quite come to that but thanks for the offer." He huffed out a faint laugh, head tilting, hesitating a minute.
"This doesn't bother you? Talking abo-"
Drake smiled, shaking his head.
"Si? All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy. You are with him. I know it. I knew it the moment I saw you together. Thinking that's why I was so over the top with the flirty, nostalgia type things..."he shifted, scratching sheepishly at the back of his neck.
"Also why I probably owe him an apology. It was pretty obnoxious, and it had to be a lot. I know he picked up on every bit of it and I was really pushing his buttons. Not that he wasn't doing the same thing right back but can't say he wasn't in the right there.
I was way out of line, I know I was. It's just been a lot the last few days and then you were suddenly here and I just kinda got carried away. You come back and you're happy and clearly head over heels for someone and here I am spinning about my guy and not knowing what's goin' on with him or which way is up and I...I-I think I just kinda got jealous. If he's gonna be your fiancée I'm gonna have to get back in his good graces. Best to start now. How else am I gonna walk you down the aisle?"
Simon gave a surprised laugh, brow raising, unable to stop a soft smile.
"You're walking me down the aisle?"
Drake shrugged, smiling softly.
"Who else would be?"
Simon gave a soft laugh, squeezing his hand, head tilting faintly.
"So that means I'll be giving you away too, right?"
Drake huffed out a faint laugh, shrugging, swallowing.
"Uh...yeah...thinkin' that only works if you have someone to actually give me to. Your guy's upstairs happy and asleep...mine pulled a David Copperfield and is god knows where doing god knows what.
Hell my best case scenario is that he got fed up and ran...worst? I don't even know."
He swallowed looking up, catching Simon's eye, shrugging helplessly.
"Si I'm really scared here. I-I'm HOPING it's just as simple as Bobbie Ann said. That he just got spooked by the jabber jaws in town and took an exit to protect his heart but...but I really don't know.
I don't know and that message? That message scares me. I don't know what to make of it and if there's something else to this? If something happened to him I-I don't...I just don't know what I'd d-"
Simon sighed softly, squeezing his hand, looking up, catching his eye.
"If something happened we find him and we get him back. From everything you said the guy's a fighter. He nailed you with an apple from yards away in a moving truck through a half opened window on reflex. That is NOT a guy that goes out easy. Don't underestimate him, and don't underestimate us.
You have a team working this that have foiled bank robberies, solved the biggest smuggling ring in Santa Barbra history, solved multiple murderers, went toe to toe with a total nutbar who thought he was a universe hopping warlock planning to take over the world with a magic feather from freaking Comic-Con and brought down one of the most feared criminal masterminds in the country.
Guarantee you whatever this is we've faced crazier...and we've solved it.
We got thim, we got you. Okay?"
Drake blinked, giving an impressed eyebrow raise, gaze flickering over him curiously.
"Man you've been busy haven't you?"
Simon snorted.
"Oh dude you have no idea. It's insane but it's the best life I could ever imagine. I love my job. And I am good at my job. And the people I have with me? They are the best team you could ever have on your side. We will figure out what's going on. We will find Tyler and we will solve thim...then the hard part begins- but that's all you."
Drake laughed, blinking in surprise.
"What's that?"
Simon snorted, brow quirking.
"Explaining to your boyfriend why the second he's out of sight you have your ex and three total knockouts shacking up with you."
Drake laughed brightly, nodding.
"Uh yeah- that one might be a bit rough. Even so I'm pretty skilled at talking my way out of trouble and calming down a pissed off cutie."
Simon giggled, nudging his shoulder teasingly, smiling.
"Almost as good as you are talking yourself into it. If anything though at least you have PLENTY of practice."
He chuckled, shrugging concedingly.
"I want to argue the point but I really, really can't. Do always like a challenge though."
"You always did." Simon giggled, patting his arm, shifting, standing up, hand trailing up his arm, slipping his arm around him, hugging him tight, lingering a moment before shifting away slightly, giving a soft, gentle smile.
"Leave the case to me and my team. We have two detectives, one psychic detective and one Raphael- which I know you don't know what that means but trust me it's one of the best things to have in your corner when things go crazy.
I'm gonna go upstairs and get the others; I told Raph I'd come and get them when we were done talking- figured it might take a while and I thought it'd be best if we had the conversation just the two of us without interruption."
Drake smiled, nodding.
"Yeah, probably for the best." He hesitated, glancing up guiltily.
"A-and sorry if I put you in a bad spot with your boyfriend; it really wasn't intentional..."
Simon raised his brow, unable to stop a bit of a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
"Yes it was."
Drake's head tilted concedingly, giving a bit of a wave.
"Yes it was, but still I am sorry."
Simon's smile tugged up a bit more, giving a faint nod.
"I know, and thank you. I'm just glad we're okay."
Drake smiled, nodding, reaching up resting his hand on Simon's, squeezing lightly.
"Always Si. All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy, have the life that makes you happy. Seems like you do."
Simon smiled, nodding.
"I do- I never thought I could be this happy. I'm happy with myself and who I am, flaws and all. I love my job, I'm proud of what I do and of everything I've accomplished. I have a lot of really close friends and am head over heels in love with a man I want to spend the rest of my life with.
I never thought I'd be here but I am..." He sighed, squeezing his shoulder once more, looking up, catching his eye, flashing a warm, reassuring smile.
"I am and as soon as we find out what's going on here and find Tyler you'll be there too."
Drake smiled, squeezing his hand.
"Thanks Si...I really hope so."
"You will-I sense it."
Drake blinked, head tilting in confusion at the random pause. Simon laughed, shrugging, waving off the confusion.
"It's kinda an in joke with Mags- you'll see. This team is something else but it's something pretty amazing. You really have no idea the amount of crazy we've dealt with." He flashed another reassuring smile, once more patting Drake's shoulder gently before shifting, finally pulling away, gesturing towards the stairs.
"Kay, I'm gonna go rally the troops and we can get started on thim. Don't worry Drake; you're in good hands here. We got the case, you just focus on how you're gonna make up whatever you need to make up to Ty."
Drake blinked, giving a faint laugh.
"Hey! Why are you so sure I'll have to make up for something? You know I'm not always in the wrong."
Simon chuckled, turning back around, flashing a teasing smile, shrugging casually.
"Three words Drake:
Pumpkin. Weasel. Incident."
Drake sighed, play sulking, slumping in the seat, giving a halfhearted wave.
"It was nearly fifteen years ago!"
"I had to get a rabies panel and had over a dozen weasel bites and was neon orange for a full week! My hair was bright orange for the entire year! I looked like freaking carrot top! There is no statute of limitation on that level of insanity."
"Oh there is too- you get like five."
Simon huffed out a disbelieving laugh, shaking his head.
"Uh no. There are pictures. And yearbooks...and we are part of a freaking Lawrence High Urban Legend."
Drake nodded animatedly, waving.
"Exactly! How many people can say that?"
Simon shrugged.
"Just us...well us and that Nate dude who ended up getting shot in the ass by that turkey during the hunting trip."
Drake snickered, nodding.
"Hey that is a very exclusive club right there."
Simon snorted, rolling his eyes, waving him off.
"Yeah I'm not really big on exclusivity...or spending a full month looking like an oompa loompa. Or spending the next two years being known as Simon the freaking were-weasel. I told you to leave the damn thing alone but Noooo- not you. And th-"
Drake groaned exasperatedly, rolling not only his eyes but his entire head, waving his towards the stairs.
"Does your boyfriend know how you cannot let things go? Starting to think I actually dodged a bullet here."
Simon giggled, glancing back into the kitchen,
"Yeah. He calls it tenacious. Thinks it's really sexy. It's one of his favorite things about me."
Drake snorted, shaking his head.
"Nah, he's just trying to distract you and get you to drop it."
Simon shrugged.
"Yeah, usually..." he smirked, winking.
"Sometimes I even let him think it actually worked."
Drake chuckled, brow quirking.
"You let him think that?"
Simon nods. Drake smiles, huffing out a soft laugh.
"Tyler does the same thing with me. I let him think I think it works."
Simon huffed out a faint laugh, nodding.
"Raph does that too."
Drake smiled, nodding.
"Sounds like a real keeper."
Simon smiled, nodding.
"Without a doubt. Sounds like Ty is too."
Drake gave a soft smile, nodding faintly.
"He is...well...when I can find him at least."
"We'll find him Drake, then it's on you."
Drake smiled, nodding.
"Hey you guys got your side I got mine. You're doing your detecting and sleuthing, I'll be ready to help with a daring rescue or grovel and plead my case. We have our plan." He sighed, gaze flickering over Simon.
"I hope Raphael knows how lucky he is."
Simon smiled, shrugging.
"He does...but so do I."
Drake smiled, nodding.
"That's good...the best relationships are the ones where both people think they're the lucky one."
"They are...is that you and Tyler?"
Drake shrugged.
"I think so...least I did till he disappeared into the night. I really need to know what happened."
Simon gave a gentle nod.
"Well we got a good team on it. Soon enough you'll be able to ask him yourself..."He trailed off, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
"I just hope the answers are the ones you're looking for."
Drake sighed, giving a faintly helpless shrug.
"Any answers are better than none. I hope everything's okay. I hope it's just like Bobbie Ann said and he got a case of cold feet. Whatever it is I'd rather know than just always wonder and keep thinking the worst..." he gave a faint, not quite smile, catching Simon's eye.
"You're not the only one who can't let things go. Whatever the answer I need to know."
Simon swallowed, giving a faint nod.
"You will. We got this Drake. And I got you."
Drake smiled, nodding.
"You always have."
"And I always will...jus-"
"In a platonic, non-romantic kind of way, I got ya Si."
Simon begin to shrug, a faintly guilty shimmer in his eyes.
"I m-"
Drake held up a hand, smiling warm and gentle, waving him back towards the stairs.
"You're fine Si. We're good. We're in the same book, same page, same sentence whole shebang. We're good...we really are."
Simon looked him over, bright honey eyes shifting over him curiously, looking for any hint of deception. There's a faint sadness to Drake's eyes, a bit of disappointment but he is being sincere. He relaxes as he finds no telltale markers, nodding faintly.
"You meant that."
Drake blinked, head tilting.
"Yeah...? That's what I said a-hey...why are you looking at me like that?"
Simon gave a faint shrug, reaching up, tucking a few wayward curls behind his ear, waving him off.
"Eh it's an investigative technique for reading people."
"Well can ya cut it out? Kinda feel like a bug under a microscope. Credit where credits due though really does make me feel better about the purely platonic relationship thing. Don't think I could handle that cross-examination look every time I was late home. Might need to wish Raphael luck...thinking he's gonna need it."
Simon chuckled, shaking his head.
"He doesn't need luck, he's basically who taught me it."
Drake snorted.
"Wow...guy did not think that through. Who teaches their boyfriend a cross-examination look?"
Simon snickered, shrugging.
"Same man who tried to teach his boyfriend how to lie convincingly."
Drake froze, blinking faintly, hesitantly holding up a finger.
"U-um...Si? Don't take this the wrong way but...your boyfriend's kinda an idiot."
Simon giggled, rolling his eyes.
"Oh he is not!"
Drake sputtered.
"He actively taught his boyfriend how to lie convincingly AND how to confront him about his! He taught you his tricks AND how to call him out on them. What does that make him if not an idiot?"
Simon laughed, shrugging.
"Trustworthy? Honorable? Faithful? A good Boyfriend?"
Drake snorted, waving him off.
"Semantics..."
{*_**_**_**_**_**_**_**_*}
*****EndOfChapterNotes*****
{*_**_**_**_**_**_**_**_*}
Yay! Another one down! I liked how the conversation went. It was kinda odd doing a breakup scene between two people who weren't ever even an official couple but I really like how it went. I know it kinda ended abruptly but seemed like a good cut off point. I know it might kind of seem like we rushed it, wrapping the emotional pining ex thing in one chapter and we could probably drag it out over a few chapters but quite frankly I don't have the story space for that- the rest of the story is jam packed and it just doesn't have room for it.
It's not like they just flipped a switch and everything was back to how it was but regardless of the other things involved Drake does love Simon. He cares about him and just wants him to be happy. If he is Drake will find a way to be happy for him.
And I know saying he's walking Simon down the aisle seems like a total 180 as he was basically mooning over him just a few pages ago but none of the rest of that changes the fact that Drake is pretty much the closest thing to a family Simon had back home.
I like Drake, they seem like a fun character to have around.
Were you surprised that Simon's planning to propose?
Who do you think'll pop the question first?
So I kind of reconfigured the update list, a few of the stories were running off leaving the others so I'm making sure I get all the stories past the official halfway point (Ch 6) before I go back to the normal update schedule.
Here's the updated list:
A Study In Chaos (Verse 6)
You Can't Go Home Again (Verse 1)
Picture Perfect (Verse 8)
Love Bug (Verse 2)
Death Was Just The Beginning (Verse 3)
Nosey Neighbors (Verse 9)
The Guy/Demon In The Mirror (Verse 4)
A Start Of Something New (Verse 7)
So next up is Picture Perfect, V8- one of my favorites (though it really is hard to pick). It's the last one I need to get past the ch6 mark, then we're good to go.
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