unconventional

We Almost Made It

"She's back bitches!" Dakota yells into my house, Lily cheering loudly beside her. I turn the corner from the kitchen and watch as the two women make their way down the corridor, dancing and cheering with bottles of champagne in their hands.

"You two look like a bunch of alcoholics."

"Only when you're around." Dakota says, wrapping her arms tightly around me and swaying us side to side. I pat her back awkwardly, not really used to her being this touchy with me.

"Hey there bud." I say, shooting Lily a look, she just shrugs her shoulders with a smile on her face.

"I missed you, friend."

"I missed you too. I brought you a present from New York though."

"No way."

"Yes way." Turning on my heels, I grab her hand in mine and walk into the kitchen, leaving Lily standing alone in the empty corridor.

"Hello to you too!" Lily calls after us, I just turn around and send her a smile. She just shakes her head and closes the front door.

"What is it?" Dakota asks like a little kid, impatiently waiting as I grab the wrapped gift from the counter top. Handing it over to her she rips into it, not wasting a second for formalities.

Once the gift is fully unwrapped she holds the tiny gold statue in her hand, a mock Academy Award with the words, Worlds Best Dad at the bottom plaque.

"Got it at the airport, what you think, Daddio?"

She processes the gift, and much to my suprise her eyes quickly fill with tears.

"Oh my god, are you crying right now?"

Lunging forward she wraps her arms around me, her shoulders shaking as the tears fall freely from her face.

"I missed you so fucking much." Once again, I awkwardly pat her back. Dakota is never, ever this mushy and lovey towards literally anyone, so this interaction was all just a bit strange.

Lily appears once again, her eyebrows furrow when she sees the blubbering mess that was clinging to my for dear life. "What happened?" She mouths.

I reach behind Dakota and hold up the statue, she takes it into her hand and reads it over, stifling a laugh she sets it back down.

"You're crying over this fake Oscar?"

"Shut up, Rabe." She squeaks out in between sobs.

"Yeah, shut up Rabe." I add, rubbing small circles on Dakota back as her grip around me only strengthens.

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"How are things with you and Sarah?" Dakota asks a while later, my eyes shoot to Lily who wears a bright smile. Dakota looks between the two of us, searching our eyes for answers. "What? Did something happen?"

"Yes, something definitely happened." Lily answers, taking a sip from her glass.

"You guys didn't break up, did you?"

"No, no nothing like that." I answer, reaching in my back pocket and pulling out the ring that usually sits comfortably on my finger. Sliding it on behind my back, I reach my hand out across the counter.

Her eyes lock on, and it takes a minute to register before she:

"Holy fuck! No fucking way!" She takes my hand in hers, gazing down at the large rock. "She proposed?"

"Few months ago." Lily adds.

"Oh my god, no way! I'm so happy!" She looks up, her eyes once again filling with tears. Quickly fanning her face she tries to stop it, but the damage was already done.

"Oh for christ sake, will you stop crying?" Lily huffs, reaching over and aggressively grabbing tissues from the half empty box beside Dakota and shoving them into her hands.

"I'm on my period, leave me alone." Dakota wipes her eyes, and before I know it sends her hand flying over the counter and whacking me in the shoulder.

"Uhm, ow. What the hell was that for?"

"That's for waiting two months to tell me you got engaged asshole."

"Aaand she's back." Lily says with a laugh.

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"Did you tell Dianna?" Dakota asks a while later as we sit on the couch, sharing a bag of pretzels between the two of us, the night slowly coming to an end.

"No, I haven't even spoken to Dianna in months. Last time I saw her was opening night."

"She probably feels weird with Sarah, no?" Lily asks.

"I'm guessing but it's not like this is new. Before I dated Liz, Dianna and I had a thing for a while and then when I met Liz the two of us just moved on. It wasn't like awkward or anything."

"But it's also different with Sarah. I mean you're literally marrying Sarah, you never would've married Liz." Dakota says.

"Yeah, that's true."

"You wouldn't have married Liz?" Lily asks, both Dakota and I shake our heads no. "Why not? You didn't love her like that?"

"No, no definitely not. I mean I loved Liz, don't get me wrong but it's different with Sarah. I mean everything is different with Sarah." And just like that, the phone on the coffee table rings.

Sarah Paulson is calling...

"Speaking of the devil." I reach forward and grab the phone, sliding over our lines connect. "Hello Ms. Paulson."

"Listen, don't be mad, okay?" She says in a hushed tone, the sound of quiet chatter is heard from behind her.

"No promises. What happened?" I answers lightly, she probably just accidentally bleached her eyebrows again, no big deal.

"I'm at dinner with Holland."