💦 RoadTrip One Shot Collection 💦

Ryan/Randy | The Gambler | Part 2

Andy sighed and then swallowed, making me wonder if he had been anticipating having this conversation with me at some point. He made his way to me slowly, and I could see him carefully forming his next sentence in his head as he approached.

"We were only with him for a week, Ryan," Andy reminded me softly, his use of my birth name- the same as his name- sending a pang through my heart. What a thing, to be heartbroken by the sound of your own name. 

 "It was just a fling," Andy continued when I didn't respond. 

"Did it feel like that to you?" I challenged him, seeing his mouth set in a hard line. I knew Andy felt the same as I did, even though he liked to pretend otherwise. He'd made us both happy, and when the three of us came together it had felt like magic. Although apparently it had been just another one of his card tricks. 

"Maybe not," Andy admitted, "but what can we do about it, Sonny? Nothing. So what's the point in acting so miserable?" 

"Oh shit, you're right. I'll stop then," I spat sarcastically. 

Andy rolled his eyes at me. "Please do," he sneered. 

"Because that's how feelings work, innit?" I shook my head. Damn, what was with us lately? It was normal enough for us to bicker but lately the squabbles had felt more like rows. And that wasn't like us at all. 

"Stop pining after him, Sonny!" Andy burst out. "It's embarrassing. He clearly doesn't even want us!" And there it was, the heat of the fight unveiling the reason Andy had been acting so aloof. He had too much pride to show that this had been tearing him apart just as much as me. 

"Don't you ever think about trying to find him?" I asked, because I did, a lot. I'd just imagine him popping up out of the blue everywhere I went with a neat excuse as to why he hadn't been in touch. 

"He didn't even leave his number," Andy reminded me bitterly. "We weren't worth it to him." I watched his face drop as he said the words out loud that had undoubtedly been echoing in his brain. He played with his hands on the edge of my bed, gnawing at his lip and clearly holding back the tears he was too proud to let fall. 

"Come here, babe," I sighed, pulling him to me. Angry as I was with him, I couldn't allow my baby to feel like shit. "You're worth everything and more," I told him. 

"You're a cheeseball," he grumbled in reply, but snuggled into me nonetheless, me rocking him when the tears eventually spilled over. I tugged the duvet up around us and drifted off holding him, comforted by by the feeling of his body against mine, even when I still felt like there was a cold spot on my other side where Rye should be. 

***

"I'm sorry, Brooky," I said the next morning, wrapping my arms around him from behind as he stood at the counter eating a piece of toast. Brook leaned back against me, tilting his head to the side so I could kiss his cheek. 

"It's okay, gorgeous," he said, smiling into it, offering his toast up to my mouth so I could take a bite. Forgiveness was that simple with us.

"Alright?" Jack said, shuffling in, looking barely awake. 

"Hug me, please," I said, holding my arms out. Jack walked into them, slumping against me as I wrapped my arms tightly around him. "Sorry for being a grump," I mumbled into his temple. 

"I'm not sorry for fucking Brook on a Tuesday," he muttered in return and I chuckled. 

"Don't be," I grinned, ruffling his already messy bed hair. 

"Why were you so pissy yesterday?" Jack asked curiously, stealing a piece of toast off Brook's plate. 

"We miss Rye. Andy and I," I confessed glumly. "I've been out of sorts for a while now about it."