Ring Bearer, Response
Category: Double Drabble. Culmets. RickyVerse. Joy.
Time Frame: Sometime after season three.
Spoilers: General series knowledge through season three.
Summary: The Ring Bearer series is Paul's. But tptigger asked for a Hugh POV, and, well, here we are.
Note: Another Ricky story, because I just can't help myself. This one is in the "Ring Bearer" continuity, but is not an alternate ending. Rather, it's an alternate POV. Taken together, these tell a larger story.
Paul had it all planned out.
But Hugh had no idea.
All he knew was that he was tired.
So tired that he'd already decided to skip his usual evening shower and head straight to bed.
As he shucked off his uniform, Paul's voice somehow penetrated the fog in his brain.
"Hey, put Ricky up, will you?" he asked.
Hugh sighed, but nodded.
Then he picked up the bear, having every intention of putting the tattered toy in his usual place in the other room. But he never made it that far.
Instead, he dropped Ricky onto the floor next to the bed when he saw what was hiding under the bear.
He stared at the box for a moment, then looked up at Paul.
He didn't understand.
It wasn't a holiday. Or a birthday. Or an anniversary.
There was no reason for a gift.
And what was Paul saying?
He was so tired. He wondered if he was hallucinating at first – if this was a fatigue-induced fantasy.
But no.
There was Paul, real tears in his eyes and a real question on his lips.
Hugh was speechless for a moment.
And then:
He said yes. A thousand times yes.