It Could Only be You

Episode 64: Seeing Red

Noah's gaze slides back to Daphs, a smile spreading over his face as he waits for her to give the go-ahead. One nod from Daphs and he bends across, leaning right over her to cuddle her. "Come find me if you need me," he whispers before planting a kiss on the side of her face.

"I'll see you later," Daphs tells him, watching him go so she can avoid Lucas' eye.

Daphs shifts the duvet away, hauling it to the bench next to her so he can't sit along beside her. She keeps her legs tucked in underneath her.

Lucas sits where Noah vacated, legs open wide in front of him. He shifts almost as soon as he sits, to turn her way, one knee up on the bench so his open legs are pointed to her for a sec before he crosses his ankle over his thigh, his hand rubbing against his ankle. Without skipping a beat, he says, "So, you and Noah? That worked out all right for you both, then."

Daphs stares at him, refusing to rise.

"I wondered how long it would take. Though, I thought you might take a little longer than this to decide between him and Bobby."

Lucas smiles, all knowing, and takes a drink.

The corner of her mouth twitches. He looks so goddamn good. She can smell him, too, he's not that far away and oh God she misses that smell.

With her heart swelling and sinking at the same time, she tells him, "If I wanted either of them, I could have had them before now."

He shrugs as nonchalant as if they were arguing about the weather. "Not if you didn't want to look like the bad guy. So, you're welcome. I'll do that for you, too."

She grits her teeth. "If I wanted either of them, I could have had them."

Her heart is pounding in her chest. She's thought so much about coming back, running into his arms and telling him over and over 'I love you' until the words don't feel real, but that dream is all for nothing, completely shattered now thanks to him.

"Why are you getting your back up so much?" Daphs asks, leaning her head against her knees, her ankles crossed at the bottom. If he can see her underwear, she doesn't care. "You're almost acting like I'm the one who's come back with someone else after three days. It's like you doing that isn't punishment enough, you've got to pour as much salt in the wound as possible, too."

Daphs can feel herself welling up all of a sudden. She lifts her head, hand shielding her eyes as she says, "I just don't understand what I've done wrong, why you're acting like you hate me now."

And her face is in her hands, unable to stop herself now that she's brought it all up. The biggest danger of her crying was speaking to him, she had already known, and thus she wanted to avoid that for as long as possible.

His arm goes around her, pulling the bundle she's in into his embrace. She can only sob as she feels him rubbing his hands along her back and arms, holding her tight for a man who's just willingly broken her heart. He kisses her, but pulls away like lightning, like he hadn't meant to do it at all.

Daphs just cries, trying not to feel too embarrassed that he's seeing her like that – but also, why shouldn't he? He's the one responsible for it. He's the one who's made her this way. Why is it up to anyone else to console her?

Her arms wrap under his, hugging into his chest as she buries her face there. He smells so much better up close; her heart won't stop thumping for longing. After everything, he surely shouldn't get to feel so right; he isn't supposed to feel like home anymore. It's not fair.

"I love you, Lucas."

There's a pause.

"I know," he says, quiet, and an even longer pause precedes before he adds, "I love you, too."