According to Plan

Chapter 13: The End

The alarm clock chimed, and you groaned.

"Get up." Richard popped his head back into the room. He was always the more chipper one in the morning- it was annoying.

You attributed it to the fact that he somehow always woke up 2 hours earlier than he had to, and by the time you begrudgingly had to get up, his brain had already had time to clear the fogginess of sleep.

"Why don't you come back to bed?" you hear Lee ask under the pillow shielding his eyes from the harsh light Richard had just uncaringly flicked on. You cuddle closer to Lee as he takes off the pillow and you both direct your best pouty faces towards Richard.

"Yeah. Come back to bed." You implore him. He gives you both one of those panty drenching smiles but doesn't budge.

"Today is a very important day, and I'll not have the two of you getting us off schedule."

You groan. "Let's skip it. After all, it's just the Emmys."

"For shame! You worked hard, and we're going to celebrate your victory!"

"I'm not going to win- and my category isn't even going to be televised. Who cares?"

"You are going to win. But we can celebrate here, at home. Right now. as soon as Richard turns off the lights and comes back to bed."

The show you'd been working on for the past two seasons was nominated for a lot of awards, but this year, your department- the department you were heading now- was nominated.

It would have felt like a much bigger deal if your boyfriends hadn't each snagged golden globes last year.

"Breakfast isn't going to cook itself. Get your gorgeous lazy bones out of bed and come help me." Richard said, and left, with out turning off the light.

"If today was really such a big deal, you'd make me breakfast in bed!" You shouted down the hall.

"I have no problem making you breakfast in bed, darling."
You pump your fist in the air, letting out a quick "Yes!" That is so incredibly dorky that Lee can't help but laugh.

Since he officially moved in last year, the two of you had been bad influences on each other when it came to indulging in lazy mornings.

"Lee, come help me!" Richard hollered. And you laughed as he got out of bed and pulled on sweats.

"You owe me." He said.

"I owe you nothing." You say as he leaves, and you settle back into the exact middle of the bed, with all the pillows you can grab.

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Dressing up is not something you excel at. You always feel like a fraud in an expensive dress- and for tonight you've rented the dress you're wearing because it's not worth keeping in your closet.

Though there is some disagreement from Lee and Richard when they see it on you.

"You should keep that." Lee tells you. You laugh.

"Because I have so many places to wear it."

"With a dress like that, we'll look for excuses to take you out." Richard says. You roll your eyes.

It's an open secret that the three of you are dating, but still scandalous enough to get attention. Depending on where Richard or Lee is in any given project the chances of an uninterrupted night on the town are slim to none. And since all three of you tend to be happy homebodies, it wasn't usually worth the risk of getting spotted, making the idea of creating room in your wardrobe for too many fancy dresses seem silly.

"Are you saying you don't take me out now because I can't keep up with the fashions?" You ask. Richard blushes, but Lee plays along.

"Well, it wouldn't kill you to pick up a magazine every once in a while."

You grab a magazine from Richard's side of the bed and hold it like it was infected. "Like this?" You say.

"Yeah, but you know, it probably wouldn't hurt if you actually opened it." You roll it up and playfully knock him on the leg with it.

"Who wouldn't it hurt?" You ask. Lee wails, over-dramatically.

"Will you two stop acting like children?" Richard scolds- he's long since gotten bored of you and Lee's banter- and has moved on to struggling with his bow tie.

Lee gets up and ties Richard's tie, kissing him on the tip of the nose when he's finished. "No."

You're not looking forward to figuring out your hair, but you've spent as much time as possible procrastinating, if you don't figure it out now, you really will risk being late to the pre-party you're contractually obligated to show up at, so you trudge into the bathroom, and have to admit, the dress actually did look very good on you. If only you could figure out what to do with the long hair you still hadn't given up on.

Richard walks in while you're struggling and kisses your exposed neck. You smile at him in the mirror and he pulls out a large jewelry box.

"What's this for?"

"For you, yeh stupid Git." He says.

"You really have a way with words of endearment." You tell him, taking the box.

"You love me." He reminds. And then you've got the box open and you're a little breathless.

It's- you don't know what it is other than beautiful. Diamonds and white gold- like a tennis bracelet but too big- it's a necklace. You take it out of the box.

"Where'd you rent this from?" You ask.

"It's not a rental!" Lee says as he walks into the room.

"What is it?"

"It's for you, you stupid Git!" He imitates Richard's accent.

"You guys did this for me?" They nod.

"Why?"

"Because,". Richard starts while clasping the necklace on you. "We want you to know that no matter what happens tonight, you're a winner."

You don't need to look in the mirror, you don't need an expensive necklace, and you certainly don't need an Emmy. You look at Lee and Richard, take their hands, and hold back tears.

"I know." You say, and then pull them both in.