Second Place
What You Deserve
Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable, but you knew that ;)
Pairing: Ross/Laura/Riker
Author's Note: "Pretty Eyes" by Alex Goot
*Laura's date outfit can be found on my profile – Check it out! ;)
SP*SP*SP
"I can't believe we're already headed back home tomorrow," Laura commented to Riker. The two were sitting at the small dining table, enjoying their last breakfast in the beautiful cottage. "It feels like we just got here yesterday."
Riker nodded in agreement, sad that their vacation was coming to an end. But he was also excited to get back to LA. Don't get him wrong – He loved having Laura all to himself – but he knew that an end to something great only meant more was to come. This little vacation was the start to something bigger, something more for them, as a couple. Riker felt like their relationship had taken a momentous step towards an even brighter future.
"Don't worry. We'll come back one day."
The brunette beamed at him. "Really? You promise?"
Chuckling, he laid his hand over hers, squeezing her fingers gently. "Of course, babe. Anything for you," he replied.
Still beaming happily, Laura went back to eating, their hands clasped throughout the rest of the meal. Warmth centered in her chest at his words, and she knew Riker would keep his promise. That was just the type of guy he was and, as an added bonus, he loved her.
How had she managed to get so lucky?
SP*SP*SP
Ross mindlessly scrolled through his Mentions on Twitter. Laura and Riker would be coming home sometime tomorrow, and he couldn't wait to see them. But mostly Laura. He had wonderful news to share with her, and he was sure she would be pleased with his work.
His hunch about Rocky and Maia had paid off. Ever since the night he'd introduced them, Rocky couldn't stop singing her praises, and Maia found any excuse to visit the Lynch house when she wasn't filming at ABC Studios.
Over the past few days, the two had gone on numerous dates, each one lasting longer and longer. Ross hadn't known two people could schedule that many dates into a span of less than two weeks, but they'd done it.
The best part? Ross was positive Rocky would be too busy with his new romance to even give a second (or third) thought to Ross's 'relationship' with Laura, when she and Riker came back from Canada. Of course, the blonde was happy for his brother; he hadn't seen him this happy and excited in a long time. But he also liked knowing that no one would try to interfere in his relations, no matter the intentions behind it.
Besides, it wasn't just those two who were benefitting from this newest love match. Rydel, along with Raini, had a new friend to go shopping with (when they managed to drag the Australian actress away from Rocky), and Maia seemed to like their company, too. And Rocky was making friends at the studio where Maia worked, with her co-stars from The Fosters. A win-win situation, right? Well, Ross liked to think so.
"Hey, Ross," Ryland called out, coming into the living room. "You seen Rocky anywhere? I feel like I haven't seen him in ages."
Ross chuckled as he looked at his younger brother. "He went out on another date with Maia," he answered, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "He mentioned that he'd be back for dinner, though."
"That's good."
"Why? Did you need him for something?"
"No. I just wanted to make sure I remembered what he looked like before I forgot."
In response, Ross threw his head back and laughed.
SP*SP*SP
Laura slapped the hand reaching for her away.
"Laura," Riker whined, pouting as he stared at his girlfriend.
"No means no, Riker," she retorted. Shifting in her position, she scooted her body away from the blonde bassist. Normally, she wouldn't deny him anything, but the man had serious stamina and she'd had enough. She desperately needed a break from all of the sex they'd been having during this whole vacation. "Haven't you had enough? At least for a little while?"
"I'll never have enough of you," he instantly replied, continuing to pout. His eyes trailed over her naked back. After breakfast, he'd dragged them back into the bedroom for a few more rounds of skin-to-skin contact. What could he say? He loved Laura, and he especially loved to physically show her whenever possible.
Now, it was nearing late afternoon and he had been looking forward to another round of sex. But he supposed Laura had a point. They had had sex almost every day since they arrived. If they weren't, they were exploring the beautiful landscape of Victoria. Today was not one of the latter days, obviously.
"Well, right now, I'm being human – and humans need breaks during endless hours of lovemaking. Okay? So, no. Don't touch me again until after my nap."
Just to tease her, he said, "You're sexy when you're mad." He even trailed a hand under the sheets to touch her intimately.
And then he quickly ducked when Laura threw a pillow at his head with scary accuracy.
SP*SP*SP
A couple of hours later, Riker groaned as his hands tightly gripped Laura's hips as she rode him. Letting her get some sleep had paid off beautifully, in his opinion. As soon as she'd woken up, the brunette had been ready and eager to be taken. And take her, he did. Over and over again, in fact.
Laura twisted her hips sharply, just the way she knew he liked it. Her reward came in the form of the blonde tightening his grip even more, if possible, and his hips bucking up harshly. It almost unseated her, but her hands held onto the headboard as she met each of his upward thrusts.
"God, baby, you feel so good," he moaned, biting his bottom lip in concentration. His gaze focused on where they were joined, and his blood boiled even more as he watched his cock disappear and reappear in and out of her. "So tight, so wet… God, I'll never get enough of you."
Suddenly, she stopped moving, and he whimpered, but she didn't climb off of him. No, the little sex kitten smirked down at her lover, her doe-like orbs dark with desire and lust.
Her inner walls started to contract and tighten around Riker's cock, and the blonde threw his head back in pleasure. He'd only ever been with Laura, but he highly doubted other girls could do what she was currently doing to him, to his sanity. The way she could control her inner muscles to hug and caress his dick was fucking amazing, and he loved it whenever she did it.
"Oh, fuck, yes," he hissed out, "That feels… Fuck, Laura, baby. I'm gonna cum soon if you keep that up."
"That's the point, isn't it?" she panted out, thoroughly enjoying his reactions to one of her particular talents. She always loved watching his facial features when she did something like this. It was thrilling.
Before she knew what was happening, Riker flipped their positions so that she was now beneath him. When he rocked into her next, she gasped in pleasure, her back arching.
Hiking her legs around his waist, he started a deep, strong rhythm that had Laura clawing at the sheets or his back. He loved watching her lose control as much as she did with him. They were a couple that got off on the other's pleasure, not just their own. Some people just didn't understand how absolutely amazing it was to have sex with someone they truly cared about; loved.
But they did. They got it, completely.
SP*SP*SP
Towel wrapped around her body, Laura exited the bathroom into the bedroom to get dried off and dressed. Her body was pleasantly sore, thanks to her day of lovemaking with Riker, not to mention the last few days as well. She was thoroughly satisfied to say the least.
But then her thoughts drifted to another blonde in her life. Ross…
He'd kept her updated with vague messages about the progress between Rocky and Maia. It was nothing too specific or incriminating, which she was thankful for. It would be hard to explain if someone happened to read their texts; why they seemed so invested, and why it appeared as though everything had been planned.
Well, technically, it had been. But Ross had played cupid for good reasons, for good people he cared about. Rocky and Maia were happy together, and Laura was happy for them. End of discussion. There was nothing malicious about what Ross had done. Nothing.
He was just protecting my relationship. Laura mentally nodded. Yes, that was all that had happened, and she would be forever grateful to the blonde teen. Because of Ross, her and Riker's relationship would remain solid. She could still keep seeing Ross on the side, too.
Closing her eyes, she groaned quietly under her breath. Oh, God. That made me sound like such a whore. And a bitch. I don't deserve Riker or Ross, for that matter. I'm such a bad person. Her eyes burned, and she bit her lip to keep from actually crying. Riker would hear her and panic, and that was the last thing she wanted at the moment. She needed to calm down and sort out her thoughts before she blurted everything out, for anyone to hear.
This must be what going insane feels like, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to further settle her nerves. For the most part, it worked. Okay, think, Marano. Think this through and something will click in this brain of yours.
As she stood there, mindlessly dripping water onto the floor, she thought and thought. Her mind kept drawing blanks, subconsciously unwilling to completely ignore her romantic feelings for Ross. She loved Riker, yes, with her whole heart, but it was possible for someone to love another just as equally. She was living proof of that.
But I only have one heart to give away. And her choice had always, always been Riker. Since day one, in fact. What do I do about my feelings for Ross? It's not like it'll just go away… And it's not like I can tell Riker about this. She shivered at the devastated look her boyfriend would have, if he ever found out. No, I can't do that to him. So… Where does that leave me?
Laura dreaded the answer, but she knew. She knew what she had to do to make everything okay again. To make the secrets – the lies – stop. Once and for all.
I… I have to let Ross go… For good, this time…
Her heart broke more than she ever expected.
SP*SP*SP
We need to talk.
Ross bit his lip as he read the message over and over, hoping the words would rearrange themselves into something less ominous. Less disheartening. It was from Laura, who was away on a romantic trip with Riker, and the context was not encouraging. For him, that is.
Sitting up in bed and shoving his laptop off of his lap, he typed in his message before hitting send. Maybe he was worrying for nothing. Maybe he was being paranoid. Laura could mean a lot of things, and he was panicking over something that was actually a lot smaller. Ross could only hope that was the case.
Because he knew for a fact those four little words spelled trouble, especially when it's the first thing being said. All the movies said so.
Laura's next message soon buzzed in, and he dreaded opening it. But he knew he had to. He had to know what her frame of mind was. He had to figure out what he needed to fix between them – What he would need to do to get back into her good graces (so to speak).
I shouldn't be doing this over the phone, let alone through text, but… I just can't do this anymore, Ross. I can't keep seeing you behind Riker's back. I should have ended this a long time ago. I'm sorry.
He bit his lip harder. His hands started to shake. Why now? What changed?
This trip to Canada just made me realize that I was being selfish. I don't deserve a guy like Riker, let alone a great guy like you, Ross. You deserve so much more than being 'second place' with me.
But he liked being where he was. As long as he was with her, he didn't care. Okay, that wasn't entirely true; he had to be second place, but that wasn't the point. He loved her and wanted to be with her. Besides, Riker was a good older brother; he deserved to be with an amazing girl like Laura (too). So, Ross told her so. He had to backspace a lot because his fingers were shaking so badly at this point, but he got the message written and sent.
Believe me, I didn't come to this decision easily. But it's for the best. What you deserve is so much more than what I can ever offer you. I love Riker. We both know I won't leave him… Not even for you.
Ross closed his eyes, unwilling to cry. He couldn't – He wasn't done fighting for her, not yet. Not ever. His heart would remain intact until he stated otherwise.
I love you, Laura. Don't do this. At least wait until you come back so we can discuss this…
You don't make things easy, do you, Ross? I suppose that's why I fell for you, even though I didn't want to. But I know me. I'll take one look at you and we'd be back where we left off. You deserve better than what I can give you.
God, he wished she'd stop mentioning what he deserved. All he wanted was to stay in love with Laura and have her return his feelings. All he needed was to know that she loved him, and that they could continue to secretly date. Wasn't that the whole point of getting Rocky and Maia paired up? So his brother would stop suspecting them?
Okay, the blonde teen could admit that that was a little cruel to think. Sooner or later, he would have thought about setting the two up. Or Maia would have gotten the courage to seek out Rocky's attention, with or without Ross's help. He hadn't mindlessly thrown the two together just to get his brother out of the way of Ross's happiness. It wasn't like that, not completely. Was it convenient? Yes, sure, but that hadn't been the whole reason.
He had just wanted his relationship with Laura to go smoothly while it was still growing and developing. Clearly it hadn't been budding as much as he'd hoped considering his current situation, but he factored-in Laura's conscience. She was also smart. From day one of his plan, she'd know he'd been up to something, and it wasn't like Rocky or Maia would've kept their new relationship a secret for long. Laura would have put two-and-two together, thus knowing what Ross had done.
She would have figured out that Rocky had been the one to suspect their relationship. That she was being unfaithful to Riker. With Ross, his younger brother.
Yeah, Rocky would have immediately gone to Riker with proof of the infidelity. He might have let Ross and Laura explain themselves, but there was a difference between lying once and lying twice. They had already been caught kissing by Rocky, and they doubted he would have let that memory slip his mind. His evidence was damning, and he didn't even need a camcorder for any of it.
Ross could understand why Laura would want to end things, especially right now. In Vegas, Riker almost caught them in the hotel. Rocky had caught them making out, and they had lied about it being a rehearsal for Austin & Ally. And Rocky had gotten suspicious enough to spy on them, after something they unknowingly did set him off.
Now, Laura was faced with the reality that Ross had made sure Rocky stayed occupied so that he wouldn't suspect them of anything anymore. She had finally snapped, and she was putting her foot down. She was done. She wasn't going to do anything to make anyone else suspicious about her feelings for either male; there would only be one. Riker Anthony Lynch.
But Ross… Ross didn't want to end things.
And he only had one last trump card up his sleeve. His last resort.
Quickly, desperately, he typed out his message and hit send. He held his breath as he waited to see how she would respond. His heart pounded in his chest. She wouldn't leave him, not after this. She wouldn't risk everything she had. He had to believe that.
When her message buzzed in, he almost cracked his screen trying to open the text.
Instead, he allowed his heart to crack (just a little).
Oh, Ross… We both know you wouldn't show Riker those videos you have of us. You'd never hurt me like that.
A mirthless chuckle escaped his throat.
Yes. Yes, she was right. He wouldn't do that to her.
SP*SP*SP
After her conversation with Ross, Laura had been somber and moping around the cottage. Riker had noticed, obviously, so he'd gone out, saying he had some 'errands' to do. Laura didn't blame him for leaving. She would leave her too in this current funk she was in.
But, God, Riker hadn't even asked why she was suddenly so depressed. On a romantic vacation, too! If the roles had been reversed, she would have asked him until she got a satisfactory response. They were fine thus far, after all, why would anyone's mood change so swiftly? Only one Laura Marie Marano would do something like that.
She needed to be happy, she decided. Nodding to herself, she physically perked up and tried her best to smile widely, as if forcing the action would improve her mood. When that failed, she sighed and rolled her eyes.
What was wrong with her? She was with an amazing guy, on an amazing vacation, in a beautiful country that most people didn't give a second thought to (unless they were wondering where Ryan Reynolds came from, because, you know, he's a very fine male specimen). So she had broken things off with Ross – that should be a good thing, considering everything that happened or was happening. She should be relieved!
But she wasn't. She felt like an ice pick had been jabbed into her heart and she was twisting the blade. She had always thought losing Riker would make her feel that way, but she was wrong.
Her feelings for Ross had been just as deep. She just hadn't realized that until now.
But she was going to do the selfless thing. She was going to let him go, let him find a new love. It'll be magical and everything he'd ever wanted. He'd be happy, and he could be loved the way he deserved to be, not like some dirty secret that needed to stay buried in the dark.
And Laura… Laura would (try to) be happy for him.
SP*SP*SP
Riker glanced behind him once more to make sure everything was ready before entering the cottage. He wasn't sure what was wrong with Laura or why her mood seemed to be depressed, but he wanted to do anything he could to fix it. He loved her best when she was smiling, like a ray of sunshine.
Of course, he could have just asked, but he could tell from her expression that it had been something she'd want to deal with on her own, in her own way. He got it, he understood, so had set up his little surprise for her. He'd been saving it for a 'rainy day' but what better time than now to whip it out? Laura looked like she could use a bit of cheering up.
When he found her, he smiled when he noticed she was reading a book she'd packed from home. That was a good sign. "Hey, babe," he greeted, "I have a surprise for you."
Laura put her book down, a curious brow cocked. "A surprise?" she questioned. Her head tilted to the side, like a curious puppy, and Riker was happy to see she appeared to be normal again. "What kind of surprise?"
He chuckled. "It wouldn't be called a 'surprise' if I told you what it was."
"Maybe I don't wanna be surprised?" She pouted.
Riker smiled indulgently. "Come on, for me? I promise you'll like it," he coaxed, using his baby voice just to tease her.
"Fine. Where are we going?"
"Not far, but I want you to change into something else."
She stood, frowning, and crossed her arms under her breasts. "Change into what?" A hint of suspicion entered her tone, and he bit back a chuckle. "This isn't some sort of dirty sex-capade, is it? Like, you're not gonna drag me into some bushes to ravish me, right?"
Riker blinked. "Well, now that you mention it…"
"Riker!"
He laughed, but gestured with his hands for her to hurry up. "I'm kidding, babe. I'm kidding! Now, change into that blue dress we got the other day. And the heels! With the necklace. I want the whole nine-yards, actually."
"So bossy," she muttered playfully under her breath, but complied. She knew exactly what he was talking about, so quickly rummaged in one of her suitcases to dig everything she needed out.
Meanwhile, Riker got dressed in a blue, short-sleeved dress shirt that would match perfectly with her dress. Stepping into a pair of black slacks, he tucked the shirt in carefully before looking for his skinny black tie that tied the whole outfit together, along with the black dress shoes. The leather belt he looped around his waist also added to his overall sex-appeal, but he wanted to look extra nice too, so he styled his hair just-so.
By the time he was done, Laura was finishing her make-up just the way he liked it; light but with enough mystery to keep him guessing. Her eye shadow was smoky, her blush light, and her lip gloss plumped her lips enticingly. She'd also adorned a sapphire ring that had to have cost a fortune. He briefly wondered where she'd gotten it, but quickly shook the thought away. That wasn't the point right now.
"Are you ready?" he asked, smiling tenderly at the brunette. Even in heels, she was still so short compared to him. It was freaking adorable.
Laura grabbed a black and white clutch that went with the color-scheme she had patterned with her blue dress, nodding. "Yep," she answered, beaming excitedly. God, he loved that expression.
Riker grinned. "Excellent. But we're changing one small thing."
"What?"
He exchanged her clutch for a black cardigan he saw hanging out of her suitcase. "This. We're not going far, remember? By that, I mean we're only going right outside the cottage." He wrapped the soft material around her slim shoulders, making sure her arms went through the sleeves and she was wearing it properly. "There. You look absolutely perfect, Laura."
Her cheeks flushed, but a pleased smile curved her lips. "You don't look so bad yourself, Riker," she replied.
The blonde allowed a cocky smile to appear. "Oh, I know. Trust me."
Laura playfully punched him in the arm. He laughed. "Shut up," she retorted without any heat. "Now, come on, I wanna see my surprise."
"Of course, m'lady."
When they exited the cottage, the brunette gasped in surprise and wonder. Riker grinned at his achievement, pleased that she liked it so far.
The nearest tree was decorated with little lights that blinked white and ice-blue, with Japanese lanterns hanging from its high branches in strategically placed spots. Candles created a make-shift pathway from the doorway to underneath the magical effect the blonde bassist had put together, and ended at a picnic blanket and basket. More candles decorated the area, creating a romantic setting that stole Laura's breath from her lungs. It was exactly that: Breathtaking.
"Oh, Riker…"
He started to escort her slowly down the little pathway. "You seemed a bit down about something," he softly said, shrugging. "You don't have to tell me what it is, but I thought you could use a little pick-me-up."
Guilt slammed into her, but she pressed passed it. "It's beautiful. I love it." She snuggled into his side. "Thank you so much. This is perfect." There was no way she was further ruining this evening with her morose thoughts about Ross. Not when she already had such an amazing guy, who loved her and understood her in ways others did not. "How did you put all of this together?"
Riker stopped them at the edge of the blanket, holding Laura's hand. "I just drove to the nearest party store that was still open. They gave me strange looks," he chuckled, "But it was worth it." With his free hand, he gestured to the Japanese lanterns. "Those were the hardest to set up, but I think they came out okay."
"What did I do to deserve a great guy like you?" she muttered. I made the right decision. Riker is the one for me. The only one.
"Hey, it's a two-way street, babe. I'm a lucky guy for having such an awesome girl like you." Grinning, he released her to bend down and open the picnic basket. "And, on that note…" Pulling out a small, battery powered radio/CD player, he turned it on. "I wrote this a while ago, before we started dating, so don't laugh if I mess up."
Laura's cheeks heated with pleasure, and her smile came more easily. "You wrote a song for me? Even back then?"
"Of course. You were always my muse."
The first strings of the piano began to play. Laura closed her eyes as the beautiful melody wrapped her in its embrace. She could just imagine Riker sitting at a piano, his fingers dancing across the keys, writing and composing. She always loved watching him work.
She opened her eyes when she felt him wrap his arms around her, holding her close. With a loving smile on his face, he positioned them just-so to begin a slow dance that had her grinning along with him.
In a tender voice she'd never heard before, he opened his mouth and began singing with the prerecorded instrumentals.
Pretty Eyes:
"Pretty eyes
Staring back at me so blue and wide
The colors of the summer sky
The colors of the world
If love is blind,
Why do I see you so clearly now?
Perfect vision of our love somehow
You take over my mind"
Gosh, his voice could send shivers down her spine. Learning and singing a capella for Glee had done wonders for his vocal control, but Laura knew he'd had an amazing voice even before being cast onto the hit TV series. They just widened his range, and she loved it.
"Look up into the galaxy tonight
The stars illuminate the love we make
Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive
(keep me alive)
Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive
Pretty eyes
You're the one that keeps up all night
I know
No one else could make me feel this way
I want to look up into the milky way tonight"
Riker dipped Laura in time with the music and brought her back up to continue sweeping her across the grass. He grinned when she released a light laugh, her eyes sparkling in happiness. God, he'd never get tired of that sound.
And he was glad her mood had returned to normal. He could feel it in the way her shoulders were relaxed, the way her smile came so much easier to express. Her entire body had been tense before but, now, it was pliant and limber.
"The sky illuminates the love we make
The love we make so bright
Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive
(keep me alive)
Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive"
Twirling her within the circle of his arms, he brought her close again and continued moving to the beat of the music.
However, instead of keeping the proper stance, he slipped her arms around his neck while his wrapped snuggly around her waist.
"As the moon shines its light on you
Your pretty eyes they glow
Tell me that you'll stay the night
Just stay a while
Owoooooo
Ooohooohoooooo
Oohooowowooo"
Their movements slowed until they came to a complete stop. As their eyes locked, he laid his forehead against hers, their noses brushing the slightest bit.
Standing there, wrapped in each other's arms, he sang the last lines directly to her.
"Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive
(keep me alive)
Cause you and your pretty eyes
You keep me alive, keep me alive"
Smiling, Laura stood on the tips of her toes in order to close the small space between their lips. Yes, she had definitely made the right choice to break things off with Ross. The younger teen deserved having impromptu dates like these, with someone who cared about him as much as she cared about Riker. To be able to share these moments, and not have to hide anything from anyone.
Yes, she made the right choice.
Now, she just had to make sure she kept it.
Until*Next*Time
Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review at the bottom ;) It would be much appreciated! Tell me what you think will happen next (:
~babydoll92
Bonus Scene:
After dancing to a couple more tracks of music Riker had recorded onto the CD, the couple laid on the blanket, staring up at the lanterns and just holding each other comfortably.
Riker decided to break the silence first. "So, what did you think about the song?" His voice was low, not wanting to ruin the 'magic' of the night.
One arm draped across his waist with her head on his chest, Laura smiled. "It was beautiful," she answered. "Did you write it yourself? Or did Rocky help you?"
"No, it was all me this time. I just sat down one day and wrote that song within twenty minutes, I believe."
"That's amazing, Riker. Was I really that big of a muse for you?"
His hand began playing with her brunette hair, vaguely wondering if she'd ever thought about coloring it. He thought she'd look stunning with some highlights, though he didn't value the image of more guys flirting with her.
"Of course you were, babe. You still are, actually. Always."
Laura could feel her stomach explode with butterflies at the thought of a younger Riker writing music inspired by her. It was the most flattering thing she had ever heard someone – anyone – admit to her. However…
"I just have one problem with it," she stated, shifting in her spot until she could see his face, chin resting on his chest.
Riker blinked. "What? What kind of problem?" he asked, concern bleeding into his tone.
The brunette gave him a pointed look. "I don't have blue eyes."
Groaning, he explained, "It was the only thing that made sense with the rest of the lyrics. But I swear the song is about you, Laura – It is!"
"Uh huh, whatever you say, Riker. Whatever you say."
The End~