Flames || Rhink

Coming Back

I went back the next day.

It was Friday and everyone was in the kitchen having their breakfast. Coffee for most, cereal for others. They all looked up at me as I walked in, their eyes wide. Some with sadness, some with joy. Some with no expression at all. Rhett was on the other side of the kitchen island, holding a mug of hot tea. He didn't drink coffee.

He looked at me, happy.

I felt my body tense as arms found their way around me. Stevie. 

"You're back!" she yelled. "We've missed you!"

Everyone was chiming in then, telling me how much they had missed me. But all I could focus on was Rhett standing in the room, as happy as a clam. 

Alex looked at me and smiled, "I'm glad you're back, man. I'm not good at being you."

"No one ever asked you to be, Alex. You just thought it was funny to try," Lizzie responded quickly with a laugh. Everyone was so happy. Everyone except me.

I must admit though that it wasn't the crew. I was glad to see them and I appreciated the care and respect that they showed me. It was just Rhett. 

Being here with him now, made me feel like a mouse against the fattest of cats. Helpless and scared.

"Okay guys, it's time to get to work. Everyone knows the drill," Stevie said as she finished off her cup of coffee and sat it in the dishwasher.

The crew was sure to follow and in the blink of an eye it was just us three. Rhett, Stevie, and I. 

She knew she shouldn't leave us alone, so she grabbed my hand, pulling me towards her office, "We've got a lot to catch up on Link and a lot of work to do, so let's get going."

Part of me didn't feel like working, but I had been out of it for so long that the minute Stevie started talking about show ideas, I was right there with her. It was so good to be back.

We went on like this for about an hour when there was knock on her door. 

I knew it was Rhett. Without question. But I still wasn't ready when he walked through the door.

"Hey" he said, taking a seat on the other side of Stevie, "I thought I could come steal Link for a moment. We have a few things to talk about before we start filming today."

Stevie didn't protest and let me go. I didn't want to though. I was enjoying my time with her. Rhett was making me claustrophobic.

"Oh, of course! I'll just finish up here and get the studio set up. You guys take all the time you need."

Rhett smiled and stood, looking up at me finally. He beckoned me over and out the door. Once we were out of Stevie's office, I felt the stares and the glances and the questioning looks. Had Rhett told them what happened? Or did he keep it short and simple with them?

Part of me wished he had told them, making it easier for me. So I didn't have to talk. But another part of me knew Rhett too well. He wouldn't talk unless he knew I was comfortable with him doing it. Bless him.

The second we were in the office, I let myself relax. Seeing my desk next to Rhett's and my stuff untouched made me happy for some odd reason. They knew I was coming back and they were just waiting. He was just waiting.

He sat on the couch, patting the seat next to him. I sat across the room.

"What made you come back?" he asked, ignoring the fact that I was ignoring him.

I shrugged, "I work here, I had to come back sooner or later."

Rhett sighed, "I told you they missed you."

I nodded, scooting up to my desk. I turned on my computer. And waited for it to load.

The second the screen came on, I regretted it. A picture of Rhett and I smiling at each other was laid out on the screen. Clear as day. Two men who were in love. Were in love.

I looked down, seeing Rhett out of the corner of my eye. He looked away. I changed the desktop background to default, too bothered to give it another thought.

"We're doing a taste testing video today. You up for it?" he said, leaning back on the couch.

I nodded, "I'm hungry enough."

He laughed, "You look like you haven't ate in days. You have been eating, right?" he said, suddenly serious. 

Cereal, I thought, I've ate cereal. I nodded.

"Good. I was worried about you."

I didn't reply, just stared at my computer screen.

"Link, you know you've got to make it seem like everything is okay out there, don't you?" 

I laughed, "You want me to play that game huh?"

He shook his head again, annoyed with me, "I've done it for a week now. I think you'll be okay."

---

The show went over great. We acted like nothing had ever happened and we were happy. I wasn't sure if I pulled it off, but after re-watching the film, I couldn't believe I had it in me.

Rhett and I looked so content with each other. It was like a dream. The video made us seem normal.

The mythical beasts knew we had been together, but they had no idea that we had broken up. Hopefully.

The crew all went their separate ways once we were finished filming. 

Rhett and I stayed idle at the desk.

We weren't putting on a show anymore. It was just us sitting at a desk.

"Link, I was really worried about you."

His words were soft spoken and delicate but sturdy. He meant it.

"I didn't want this to happen to you. If I could have helped you, I would have. But you wouldn't even answer my calls. It hurt me too, you know?" 

"Then why did you do it?" I ask stupidly. I know why and he knows it. 

"Because I had to save us."

I look over now, trying to figure him out, but come up short. What does that mean?

"Save us from what?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "When you became so clingy, I found myself upset with you too often. I didn't like being annoyed by you texting me or asking to come over. I felt guilty and that made it worse. I was starting to resent you Link. And that's the last thing I want to do, because believe it or not, you are my best friend. I don't want to lose that...over this...over anything."

"Rhett, that wouldn't happen...remember?"

I thought back to the night I woke up to Rhett crying into the phone, begging for me. The night I saw him stretched out on that gurney, in pain. The night I fell in love with him.

Suddenly, I couldn't stand to be around him anymore. It was too much to want something you couldn't have. It was too much to see it sitting right next to you.

I stood. 

I left.

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Ahh, I hope you guys are loving the story. I am really enjoying writing it. I'm trying to update as much as possible. I was real busy yesterday so I couldn't, but I'm off work, I'm home and I got a few hours to kill. 

Thank you all so much for reading! It means the world! Tell me your thoughts down below!

Thanks for being your mythical best!

- Robin