AN:
So I decided that you guys would like a little more Rhett and Link, and while this story is from Pride's point of view, I felt that this chapter wouldn't be very successful from that perspective. So I decided that I'd write this very cute chapter from Link's point of view instead. Hope you guys love this!
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I still can't believe I did it. I finally grew some balls and asked him out on a date.
I shouldn't say I'm proud of myself, but I am. I've never been good at expressing my self or even asking for the things I want, but sometimes you want something too damn much. And you'd be stupid not to go for it.
I've wanted Rhett since the day I met him. He always stuck out to me. He was so stunning, so tall, so manly. Something I'd always found attractive. He was always so nice to me, and patient, and when he'd brush up against my arm, I'd notice. I'd take in that split second of warm skin touching mine and something about it made me want him even more. He was perfect to me.
I loved hearing his stories and about his past. And I loved that he never mind telling me. He trusted me.
When I asked him, I didn't know what to expect. As a gay man, I liked to think I could tell that he was gay too, but you can never assume. Part of me was nervous that he wasn't, and that maybe he'd resent me, or stop giving me his time of day. But he just smiled and gave me a whispered yes.
I knew from then on that this wasn't a game I was playing with myself. This was real life and I want to catch him, just like he had caught me.
----
I knew going into this that I was a poor man, and I knew that I couldn't afford to take Rhett out to dinner and to a movie. I couldn't really afford anything to be honest. I got him a bouquet of flowers to ask him out but I used all the change in my car for that.
I was nervous of the night I had planned for Rhett. He deserved something special. But I just couldn't afford it.
So I come up with something I found special. Something personal but special. After hearing Rhett's stories, something told me he would like tonight's events. Or at least I hoped so.
---
I picked him up around 7, wearing a pair of red skinny jeans, a blue button up and a bow-tie. I made sure to clean my glasses extra well, just so I could see him better throughout the night. Something told me I would never want to forget this moment.
When he opened the door, I felt my breath hitch in my throat.
This is actually happening. Damn he's hot. This is actually happening. Fuck, he looks good.
Rhett stood before me looking absolutely stunning. He was perfect.
"Good evening," I choked out, still eyeing Rhett's ensemble.
"Hello, Link," he said, stepping out onto the porch. He looked at me then, eyeing my body. I could tell he was impressed.
"You clean up nice," he said, adjusting my bow-tie. I smirked, holding my hand out, "Thank you, sir. And as for you, I must say, you look stunning."
Rhett took my hand. I felt my body tense up, but I quickly relaxed into the warmth of his hand.
"How are you?" he asked as I lead him to my car. I looked over and just nodded, a smile the size of Texas playing on my face.
I lead Rhett to the passengers side of the car, and opened the door for him. He thanked me and managed to fit his giant body into the small vehicle.
"Sorry my car's to small for you," I said as I pulled out onto the street. He shook his head, denying that it was.
About five minutes in of silent driving, Rhett faced me, "What are our plans for tonight, Mr. Neal?"
I suddenly realized what I was doing.
Was I really going through with this? This isn't a date that'll catch a man? What am I thinking?
"I...um..." I stumbled on my words, unsure of what to say.
"Well...um..." I spoke quieter, nervously.
I came to the stop sign at the end of the street and glanced over at Rhett, his pretty green eyes starring dangers into me.
"You want it to be a surprise. I should't ask. I can't wait to see what you have planned though," Rhett retreated back into the seat.
I felt like a idiot. Rhett must be expecting something nice, and what I was about to give him is mediocre, if worth his time at all. Pathetic.
About ten minutes later I pulled onto a dirt driveway. It wasn't long, but long enough to where you'd wanna drive down it rather than be on foot. When we reached our destination, I turned the key and looked towards Rhett.
If I was going to do this, I had to seem confident. So here goes nothing.
I quickly removed myself from the car, jogging to Rhett's door, where I opened it.
He thanked me again and emerged from the car, stretching out his couped up limbs.
"Where are we?" he asked, scanning the grounds around us.
I found the courage to grab Rhett's hand and pulled him towards the front door of the two story house in front of us.
It was a simple home, with white siding and a garden out front. A few rocking chairs were placed on the wide porch and a welcome mat decorated the floorboards.
I turned to Rhett, a nervous smile on my face, "Rhett McLaughlin, welcome to the home of Ester Neal, my grandmother."
As if on queue, my grandma came running out the screen door, "Link, you made it just in time. Dinner just left the oven. And you brought your friend, how cute is he?"
She was a petite old woman with a certain skill for cooking.
I looked up at Rhett then, to see him smiling down at my grandma who was pinching at one of his cheeks.
I quickly grabbed grandmas hand, "Grandma, this is Rhett. Rhett, my grandma."
Grandma went in for a hug immediately, that Rhett accepted.
He had to lean down quite a bit, but he didn't complain.
"Link's told me a lot about you," she said.
"Oh well I hope they were all good things," Rhett joked, making my grandma giggle.
"Oh, of course they were! Now how about you two come inside and make yourselves at home. The jambalaya's ready."
We both complied and followed my grandmother into the house. I usually took my shoes off at the door, but grandma said it's be fine this one time.
Within the next five minutes, Rhett and I were sitting at the kitchen table with bowls full of jambalaya before us.
Grandma left us be then, and went upstairs to get ready for bed.
I looked up at Rhett, blushing, "I know it isn't a five star meal, and there's no classy wine, but I promise my grandmas cooking is so worth it. I -"
"You don't have to explain yourself Link. I love this. I'm really excited about this food."
I took a breath of relief, "Well, how about we dig in?"
And we did just that.
--
After our meal, Rhett offered to help me clean the dishes. I told him no, obviously, but he refused and helped anyway.
"That was an incredible dish. You're grandma is a genius."
I laughed, rinsing the bowl in my hand, "Thank you. I'll be sure to tell her that."
"Speaking of your grandma, does she live here all alone? Seems like a big place for such a small woman."
I hesitated, "Um, no. She doesn't. I stay here with her."
Rhett raised a brow, "Wait, you live here? This is your house?"
I looked back to the dishes and frowned, "I know it doesn't seem like -"
"That's nice of you. How long have you lived here?"
I grinned, glad he didn't find it strange that I brought him to my house for our first date, "About three years. My granddad passed away then, and I didn't want to leave her alone, you know?"
I could see Rhett smiling out of the corner of my eye, "I gotcha. So you just picked up and moved in with her?"
I nodded, "Pretty much."
I placed the clean dishes on the rack next to the sink to dry and turned towards my date, "But enough about that. Are you up for a bit of an adventure?"
Rhett said nothing and held his hand out for me to take.
---
It wasn't too far away and it really wasn't much of an adventure, but I decided I would bring Rhett outback to visit a place close to my heart.
I lead him past the gate and onto a trail through the woods.
I knew this place like the back of my hand, so it wasn't hard to step over the exposed tree roots and around the patches of poison oak. But remembering to tell Rhett was more of my struggle. I realized this after I let him trip over a root and land on his knee.
I starred down at Rhett then, sorry for not giving a warning, but the scene in front of me leaving me speechless.
It was the proposal scene you see in all the romance movies, of the man perched on one knee, holding his lovers hand, and gazing up at them like they were the most breath taking creature who had ever lived.
That was what we looked like. I knew he had just fallen and just so happened to land on his knee; it wasn't anything to stand on. So I spoke, "I'm so sorry. I forgot to warn you that the trail is a little bit like an obstacle course. I promise to be careful for the rest of the way."
It was then that I realized Rhett didn't care about anything I was saying. He didn't care that he had fallen and he didn't mind that numb feeling that he must have felt on that knee that he was still perched on.
He only cared about his view.
Me.
It wasn't a moment later that I felt his grip on my hand tighten as he pulled me towards him. Our lips connected, finishing this puzzle that I had began so long ago.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I wondered if he could feel the sweat accumulating in my palms. I felt a rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
It was finally happening.
It felt like hours had gone by when Rhett finally pulled away, but I knew it was only a minute ago that Rhett fell.
"Link Neal," he began, "I don't know how to say this...I know I probably shouldn't..."
"No, say it...Say it..."
He starred into my eyes like he was reading the most intense book he had ever picked up, "I think I'm in love with you."
Just like that, I knew exactly what I would say next. I didn't need help and I wasn't scared. I was ready.
"Rhett McLaughlin, I know I'm in love with you."
Rhett's smiled grew so big then, that I couldn't contain myself. I swooped in for another kiss that he eagerly accepted.
We spent the next three minutes sharing kisses, back and forth we'd go.
Then he stood, finally reliving the pressure on his knee. "What was it that we were going to see?" he asked, taking me by the hand.
I adjusted my glasses, looking up at him, "Oh yeah. I forgot."
"That's okay. Sometimes I forget the world when I'm with you."
---
We were now standing in the center of my childhood clubhouse.
It wasn't much of one. It was basically a small shack about three hundred feet from my grandmas house.
When mom would visit, I would come back here and talk to my imaginary friends. I never had any siblings nor did I have a friend close enough to share my little shack with.
But now I felt at peace showing this piece of my childhood to Rhett.
He was pacing the room now, looking from wall to wall, inspecting the various coloring pages I had tacked here years ago.
"Are these your drawings?" he asked, picking up a loose one from the floor.
I smiled, "Yeah. I can't really tell what some of them are, but I think most of them are supposed to be me as some kind of superhero or monsters. Either or."
Rhett smiled, "They are beautiful."
I chuckled, taking a seat in the corner of the room. After Rhett finished his inspection, he sat beside me.
We were silent for a minute or two. It was as if we both had nothing to say.
But I did, and I knew I had to get it out.
"I'm sorry if this isn't exactly what you imagined our first date being like. I really wanted to take you to some nice restaurant where they give you an entire bottle of wine and then go watch that new scary movie you've been wanting to see. But sadly, mailmen aren't exactly rich. I promise if you go on a second date with me, I'll have saved up enough to take you somewhere special."
The room was quiet, until Rhett broke the air with his adorable chuckle.
"Link, don't be ridiculous. Tonight was everything I imagined our first date being. Special. You gave me an incredible home cooked meal, you let me see your super special secret super secret special clubhouse, and I got to make out with the most gorgeous man I've ever laid eyes on. You don't have to be rich either. Money can't buy happiness, Link."
I felt this weight jump off my shoulders after he said that. This whole night I was worried for nothing.
"Oh, and if I go on a second date with you? Boy, I'll go on hundreds of dates with you. Don't need to question it. But you don't worry about the money, alright?"
I felt myself leaning into him then, pulling him in for a kiss. He kissed me back gently, cupping my face in his palms.
---
When I pulled into Rhett's house that night, I felt nothing but joy. Words can't describe how great it feels to get a little piece of something you've wanted so long.
I walked him to his door, happy, but feeling as if tonight was oddly unfinished.
Rhett turned to me, grabbing both my hands in his, "I had a wonderful night with you."
I giggled, "I hope we can do this again soon."
Rhett nodded, pulling me close, "Absolutely. But uh, first I wanna ask you something."
"Anything," I grinned, adjusting my glasses.
"Link Neal, I have watched you deliver my mail for two years now. We've shared so many conversations and so many laughs. Tonight I went on my first date with you knowing I was going to do this afterwards and yet, I felt so comfortable in my own skin and I never once felt nervous. You made me feel so special. And I want to be able to do the same for you," he spoke, "Will you let me, and be my boyfriend?"
My world stopped.
That's the last piece, I thought to myself, nodding like a little kid, "Yes, Rhett, yes."
He grabbed me in a hug and kissed my lips.
This was easily the best night of my life.
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OH MY GOSH THAT WAS SO FUN TO WRITE.
I am so sorry that I've been gone so long. But I'm back and I decided to give this chapter my best, and I think I did alright?
I really, really hope you guys enjoyed this one! I spent a good while on it and I'm very proud of it.
Thank you all so much for reading!
You're incredible!
I'll update as soon as the next chapter is finished!
Always remember to be your mythical best!
-Robin
P.S.: Can you spot the "Buddy System" reference?