The Pact (Scömìche)(completed)

2 Tower of strength

Scott's first reunion goes well.

"Oh my god, you came!"

Scott stepped forward and engulfed Avi in a hug. They wrapped their arms around each other and stood still, the years falling away as they held on. Scott screwed his eyes shut and swallowed hard, placing a kiss on the top of Avi's head. Eventually he let go and stepped back.

Avi had hardly changed. He still wore his brown hair long, brushed back and curling over his collar, and there was an occasional silver hair in his neatly trimmed beard. A silver earring glinted in his left ear, and he remained slender yet strong, his eyes bright.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. It's so good to see you looking well," Avi said, closing the door behind him. "Saskia is resting at the hotel, so I thought I'd come over early and see you."

"Likewise. How is she? Not long now, I guess?"

"She's good, but she gets tired. Just about six weeks to go. She's saving her energy for tonight, she's so pumped about us all being together again, you have no idea." Avi smiled fondly and shook his head. "As for me, I'm very excited."

Scott laughed. "Yeah, you always used to say that. So what's it like being old?"

"Hey, now, no need to be rude. You'll find out soon enough, but essentially more of the same. A few grey hairs, a bit more tired, and earlier nights."

'You mean, even earlier for you."

Avi chuckled, deep and melodic, just how Scott remembered. "Ouch. Well when you have kids, you learn to take your sleep when you can."

"Where are they now?"

"Both with Saskia's folks. We want to relax and enjoy tonight with everyone, especially with number three coming soon. It's been too long."

Scott led the way through to the kitchen. The caterers had left, and Avi looked around appreciatively.

"Nice, very nice indeed. You remember what I taught you?"

Scott busied himself with the cups. "Of course, but it's so much trouble cooking for one, so..." He shrugged.

"I get it," Avi replied. He said no more until they were settled with drinks, sitting on a white leather couch overlooking the garden.

"This is a beautiful home, Scott. Saskia will want to steal some design ideas."

"Design ideas? I thought you didn't need design ideas in a rough hewn log cabin."

Avi raised an eyebrow. "Don't let her hear you say that. We may not be city slickers like you, but we live comfortably. And if you ever came to stay like I invited you, you'd see for yourself."

"Ouch. Well, I been busy you know, that film score ain't gonna write itself."

"I know that, but we got wide open spaces, mountains, lakes. Great places to inspire writing. Recording studio. You can switch off, unplug for a bit." Avi nudged Scott's foot with his own. "And the guest quarters are nowhere near the kid's rooms. You won't be disturbed."

Scott giggled. "Sounds tempting."

"You bet," Avi smiled. "Hot tub under a million stars, now that's romantic. Even if you're alone. And if you're plus one, well. Like I said, I made sure the guest quarters are pretty secluded." He winked, and Scott laughed again.

"It sounds heavenly."

"It is." Avi got up and set down his cup. "So, do I have to show myself around? It's a lot bigger than your last place."

Scott stood and walked towards the wall of sliding glass doors. "Yeah, I wanted a garden, and I thought it was time to be grown up and get a house. This is kind of a housewarming as well as my birthday party."

They stepped out onto the deck, and Avi made a beeline for the outdoor kitchen, opening the grill covers and peering into the stainless steel cabinets. The fridges were stuffed with ingredients for drinks and burgers, and Avi made approving noises as he examined the racks of sauces and relishes. Scott wanted to have enough of everything, no matter how the night played out.

"This is pretty cool, Scott. We should grill out here, y'know. If you want to, of course," Avi finished quietly.

Scott heard the hesitation in his voice, and remembered that they no longer shared each other's lives, and nothing could be taken for granted anymore. He stepped up close to his friend and put a hand on his arm.

"I hoped you might say that." He gazed into familiar green eyes. "I'd love some more tips, you always were king of the grill."

Avi's face lit up in a huge smile then, crinkling his eyes at the corners. "Really? You're on."

And just like that, any remaining distance between them vanished. They strolled around the garden and then the house, chatting away like old times. After an hour Avi left, promising to return with Saskia. They shared another hug at the door, and as Avi drove away in his hire car Scott felt a weight slip from his shoulders. 

He hadn't realised how much seeing Avi again would mean to him. It was going to be an emotional night, that was certain, because there were more reunions to come, and watching his oldest friends meet up again would hit him just as hard.

Scott didn't know if his heart could take it, and yet he was even more excited about the night ahead. There would be enough love and happiness to overflow his heart, and he could forget about what, or who, he didn't have. 

He had trained himself well, and where once upon a time he might have taken a little something to take the edge off, he chose a better way these days. He went to his room and after setting the alarm for ten minutes, slowed his breathing to begin meditating.

When the alarm went off, he dressed simply in a white shirt, turning back the sleeves, tailored black trousers and dress shoes. He wanted to be a smart host, at least to start. No doubt things would get relaxed later, but for now he would make a good first impression. He knew how important that could be, and he ran downstairs to grab another orange juice. 

He couldn't wait for the next friend to arrive, but meantime he went back to the office and started scribbling down a few lyric ideas while they were fresh in his mind. They often bubbled up after he meditated, and this was another reason he was grateful for his daily practice. He paused, pencil in hand, thinking.

He never got any song ideas after waking up hungover and wasted, only the idea that he should never do it again. But then another night would come, with another pill, and another bottle. Eventually he heeded the advice of Esther, who was still his manager, and cleaned up his act. He'd gone into rehab, and then to therapy, and tried to cast out his demons. 

Avi and Kevin had been twin towers of strength, even when he relapsed. On Esther's orders, they had picked him up bodily after letting themselves into his apartment with her spare key. Ignoring his protests they deposited him back at rehab, dodged his punches, hugged him, told him they loved him. And then they took his phone and left him there.

Scott did a lot of crying in therapy. He learned to do without the one person he thought would always be by his side, and to be grateful that not everyone had deserted him. He learned to find his own strength, and he came back from the brink. The resulting album Shape of Me was a critically acclaimed success. 

Now he had choices, but he knew he couldn't make other people's choices for them. So he chose to be content, and it worked very well. Mostly.

***

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