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etcrnaloptimist · 3 years

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Telling Ben

Bentley Simms & Dorothea Simms - Dated 6/18 - Completed via Discord - @andthereweresparks

Dorothea Simms

Dorothea had gone to the pharmacy to grab her birth control, but Nora’s words had stuck in her head and she decided to grab a pregnancy test to ease her mind. There was no way she was, but she knew it would bother her until she saw the negative result now that the thought was in her head. When she got home, thankfully Ben wasn’t around, she took the test and waited, scrolling through her phone as she did. When the timer went off, she picked up the plastic stick, but her brain didn’t process the two lines. There just wasn’t any way. She went as quickly as she’d come into the house and drove out of Wakefield to grab a few more tests. Different brands, not sure which was the best. Dorothea didn’t realize the denial that she was in, driving her to buy this abundance of tests. She returned home and tried again, after the third of the new tests came out positive and she’d drank about a gallon of water to pee enough times, she decided just to pee in a cup and test the rest of them at once. Every single one was positive. 14 positive tests in total. She stared at them, it not making sense. She wasn’t pregnant. Dorothea Lauren Simms could not be pregnant. She’d only just started dating Grayson and while they’d slept together a few times over the past month or so, it couldn’t be right. She was not fit to be a mom. Sure, she could care for the calves, but a human? No. No. It was not real. Until it was. Panic settled over her and she tried to think what it was that she needed to do. The first thing was to get rid of the tests. She had clearly lost her mind buying so many. She stuffed them into the paper bag she’d brought them in and escaped to her room. 27 years old. Living with her father. Dating Grayson for 2 minutes. Just getting a handle on her mental health. A baby was not practical. She didn’t know what to do, or who to talk to. But for the first time since she’d arrived in Wakefield after Christmas, she didn’t have the desire to run. She just wanted support.

Her dad was the obvious choice. He was her rock. He might not be happy that she got knocked up by a guy she hadn’t even been dating until days ago, but he hadn’t given up on her yet. She decided that when he got home, Dorothea would tell her father. If anyone was going to help her sort out her head, it would be him. He’d told her not long ago that he was upset that she didn’t trust her family to go to them, and she’d promised that she would do better. This, telling him, not running, was keeping her promise. Grabbing her pillow, she pulled it to her chest and tried to process. What she wouldn’t give for her little stuffed dog that she’d had since she was a baby. She’d had him up until returning to Wakefield, her little piece of home that she’d carried with her and she had no idea where he ended in the chaos of packing her things to leave the apartment Christmas Night. She swore she packed him. Swore he’d been stuffed into one of the two suitcases, or in her duffle, but Thea had never found him. But she was home. It was a while of sitting there, before she migrated down the stairs. There wasn’t much time to make an announcement of this. A cute memory to hold onto one day and tell her child about. Her child. Her hand moved to her stomach and she sighed. But then she remembered some blank cards that they kept around for different occasions and she set off to find one. It would give her something to focus on until Ben arrived. After a quick look online, she found what she wanted to write. On the front, in her fanciest handwriting, she wrote, “The only thing better than having you as a Dad…” and continued to the inside of the card, “Is my child having you as a grandpa.” And signed off with love and her full name. She grabbed and envelop and slid it inside, tucking it closed and scrawled ‘Dad’ across the front. Once that was done, she went to the living room to wait for him to get home, unable to focus on anything else.

It was a time before she heard the front door open, heavy and familiar footfalls on the floor. “Hey Dad,” she called out to him, toying with the card in her hand. “When you have a minute, will you come in here? No rush.” As far as she knew, she had nearly nine months of time to wait, so there wasn’t any hurry tonight.

Bentley Simms

Ben stepped into the house with a deep sign as he dropped his wallet and keys on the table by the door. He was more than used to busy days. They had been part of his normal for as long as he could remember and he wouldn't change anything about that. But the days that were nonstop were ones that even not he didn't look forward to. "Let me wash up," he called back to his daughter. Bending down, he made quick work of untying and taking off his work boots before padding barefoot through the house to his bedroom. He'd spent most of the day out in the pastures or with the cows getting milked and he desperately needed a shower before he did anything else. Nearly 15 minutes later, Ben came out of his bedroom to find his daughter sitting in the living room. "Hey kid, what's up?" he asked, settling on the sofa beside her.

Dorothea Simms

Maybe ‘no rush’ had been an overstatement on her part. The 15 minutes seemed to drag on for a century, at least. She didn’t allow herself to think about how her father was going to react, or else she might talk herself out of doing this. Instead, she pulled her phone out and played on it for a few moments before growing tired and setting it onto the coffee table. The corners of the envelope were well warn from her fingers by the time her father walked into the room again. As he sat, she took a breath and held it out to him. “For you,” she said and offered him a weak smile. “Sorry there’s no cash in it.” Her joke feel flat, but she watched him carefully. More nervous than anything else.

Bentley Simms

Ben took the envelope, his brows furrowing in confusion. While Father's Day was approaching, he hadn't really expected anything from his children, he never did if he were being honest, and this year, the fact that all his kids were in Wakefield and happy, was more than enough for him. It had been far too long since that had happened. "What is it?" he asked, glancing at his daughter rather than opening it. It was clear she'd been fidgeting with it, the corners well worn in a way that could mean nothing else.

Dorothea Simms

The urge to stand up and pace the room began to fill her. Since she was a baby, Thea had needed movement to calm her. She wasn’t good at sitting still. However, she remained on the couch. “It’s a card.” She answered, though she knew that was not at all what he’d meant. “Open it and find out.” Hopeful her prompting would end the nerves that swelled inside of her.

Bentley Simms

Looking back down at the card, he pulled the flap out of the envelope then pulled the card out. He skimmed the words on the outside of the card quickly, thinking it was nothing more than an early Father's Day card. When he opened it, he realized he was wrong, but it didn't quite sink in the first time he read the words. He looked up at his daughter before looking down at the card again, rereading the outside then the inside of the card. "What are you telling me, Thea?" He asked looking up at his daughter after a moment of silence.

Dorothea Simms

Watching her father closely, Thea seemed to be holding her breath. Unable to breathe while awaiting his reaction. Was he going to be disappointed? Upset? Angry? She didn’t like not knowing. When he finally looked up at her, seeming more confused than anything else, she let out her breath and watched as he read the words again. The question wasn’t unexpected, this situation was a lot to handle and he had no idea what he was coming into just moments ago. “I’m pregnant,” She confessed softly, eyes meeting his for a moment, before dropping again.

Bentley Simms

"How?" He shook his head. "No, not how. I know how." He had the unfortunate honor of giving all the kids the sex talk when they were young, and truly terrible experience for all of them in his opinion. "Thea." He glanced at the card in his hands again as he tried to wrap his head around what she was telling him. He had struggled to wrap his head around Nora's announcement, but she'd been something undefined with Wyatt for a bit before her pregnancy news. "Grayson?" he asked, just to be sure. They hadn't been together long - just days in fact, but Ben knew Thea had struggled to feel comfortable with almost anyone over the last several months, he seemed like the only logical option. "Kid....this is a lot to take in. C'mere."

Dorothea Simms

Thea cringed at the question, because neither of them ever wanted to have that talk the first time, nor come back to it now. The joke that wanted to escape her to lighten up the mood, however, didn’t pass her lips. For once she allowed the discomfort to surround her, because she needed to be serious with her father. She watched him struggle with the news, just as she knew he would. When he asked about Grayson, Thea nodded. “Yeah, he…I only just found out today. I haven’t told anyone.” Just her dad. Scooting closer to him, Thea did not hesitate to hug him. “It is and I still don’t know how to feel or what to think. But I know I’m not sorry.”

Bentley Simms

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm glad you're not sorry," he murmured, letting the silence fall between them. Ben knew it would have been easy for her to regret this. Knew it would have been easy for his daughter to run. She'd done it time and again when things were difficult. But she wasn't running. She was here, talking to him, telling him that he was going to have another grandchild in a few months. After sitting in silence, turning the news over in his head for a bit, he cleared his throat. "What's the plan?" he asked, not pulling away, but loosening his hold on his daughter in case she wanted to. "I know you only just found out, kid, but the edges of that card tell me you've been turning something over in your head."

Dorothea Simms

Thea wanted to sit in that comfort for a while, so the silence that fell didn’t bother her. There was so much going on in her head that she couldn’t say. Things she didn’t need to say, because he already understood them. He understood that she couldn’t say she was sorry for the life inside of her. That she never would. She wanted to believe and love it in the way Ben had taught her to; without condition. Still, the silence eventually had to come to an end. “The plan is to figure it out.” She said quietly, moving back slightly from him and looking down at her torso, like it had some hidden answer. “I know a few things I have to do, like, tell Grayson and see a doctor. Then tell Mom, Nora, and Zach.” She breathed, there had been so many things swirling in her head, it was hard to pinpoint them all in a coherent or chronological order. “I…I’m going to do this.”June 18, 2021

Bentley Simms

Ben heard the quiet determination in his daughter's voice. She was stubborn and determined, she always had been. It had been a source of frustration for him and Monica throughout her life, but that stubbornness was exactly what she needed now. "We'll be here for you. I'll be here. Whatever you need." He couldn't speak for Nora or Zach, couldn't even speak for Monica, but Ben knew his family, was sure that they would be there for Thea - she would just have to let them. "You're going to do this." He couldn't say he was necessarily happy that she was pregnant. But he was proud of her. "You're gonna be just fine."

Dorothea Simms

Thea swallowed, nodding at his words. She was so grateful for her father, that she had him to count on. She moved back to hug him again, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I know you will.” Her voice was soft, but her words certain. It was a relief, however, to hear. This was utterly terrifying, every passing moment the news settling and processing more. She could feel the weight of it. “I’m really scared, Dad.” The admission fell from her mouth and she hugged him tighter. “I have no idea how to do any of this and I don’t want to mess this…cluster of cells, whatever it is, up. And I’m terrified that I will.”

Bentley Simms

He shifted slightly, drawing her against his side and holding on tightly. Ben could see how much Thea needed physical comfort. "You're supposed to be, kid. I'd be worried if you weren't." Having a child, even when they were planned was a daunting task. It was even more daunting when they weren't planned."You want me to tell you something not comforting at all?" he offered, glancing down at her before pushing ahead. "You're gonna mess 'em up. It's part of being a parent. You make the wrong choice. You...you screw up. It happens."

Dorothea Simms

Resting against his side, she felt some of that weight on her shoulders shift. If her father was willing to take some of it from her, she was going to let him this time. “I thought you were worried regardless.” She commented softly. Finding out his most troubled child was expecting a baby with her boyfriend of 3 days was worrisome. Anyone that knew her, she was certain, would be worried. Looking up at his words, she was going to shake her head, but he was already talking. Thea frowned, quiet for a moment. “But you didn’t.”

Bentley Simms

Ben shook his head immediately. "I did. Your mom and I both did. With all three of you we've screwed up. Big screw ups and not so big ones." The fact that his daughter had ever felt like she couldn't come to him about anything was on the books at one of his biggest screw ups that he would work to fix for as long as he could. "Screwing up your kids a little bit just like worrying about them is part of being a parent. You're, I guess you're gonna figure that out here a hell of a lot sooner than I thought you'd be."

Dorothea Simms

Thea wasn’t sure that she believed it. Her dad had been the best. If she could be half the parent he was, she’d be grateful. Proud. Her first instinct was to reassure him, because if he thought he screwed up with her, because of her actions, it was wrong. “Dad…” She began softly, “My not coming home for all of that time wasn’t something you caused, you, nor Mom.” It was the first time she was admitting this out loud, to anyone. “I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is a fancy way of saying I get really overwhelmed about different things. It had nothing to do with you. Or anything you did wrong.” Her brown eyes searched his for an understanding. Thea couldn’t help a small laugh at his statement, shrugging, “When has anything I’ve done been expected?”

Bentley Simms

Ben opened his mouth, ready to argue with her. Ready to remind her that he knew she had avoiding coming home after he and Monica had gotten divorced and he knew it was in part because of how different their family looked. But his mouth snapped closed when she confessed about anxiety. He didn't exactly know what that entailed, but he waited patiently as she gave him the simplest explanation. "Oh kid. How long?" He wasn't sure exactly what he was asking, whether it was how long she'd known or how long she'd suspected. It really didn't matter. "Never kid. But you wouldn't be you if you were doing the expected."

Dorothea Simms

Thea shrugged a bit at his question, pulling away from him so that she could look down at her hands instead. It wasn’t something to be embarrassed about, she knew that, but it still felt like something that was wrong with her. “I noticed the feeling when I was traveling, maybe a little before I left, but I didn’t have a name for it. It got worse when I went to college. Every time I thought about coming home…I just couldn’t. And the longer I was away, the worse it was.” She paused, knowing what she was going to say next wouldn’t land well. “Richard knew, not that he told me that I had it, but my therapist says a lot of what he did was exactly what made it worse, and make me more dependent on him. I didn’t know what it was until I started seeing her. That’s what the medication is for.” Not that she really understood how the medication worked, just that she’d felt more level a few days after beginning and it was only getting better. “And you love me, so I guess I wouldn’t want to be anyone else.”

Bentley Simms

There was a lot Ben wanted to say about Thea's ex and none of it was positive. And although she had brought him up, Ben didn't want to taint this conversation with him. The more Ben knew about the man, the more sure he was that he had never been worth his daughter's time. That was even clearer now. "I'm glad the medication is helping," he said instead, taking his daughter's hand in his and giving it a quick squeeze. "I love you exactly like you are and I wouldn't want you to be anyone else."

Dorothea Simms

She nodded, resting her head on her father’s shoulder. “Me too. Though, I should probably check to make sure there’s no ‘Do not take if pregnant’ label on there.” She frowned slightly as she realized something. “Oh no. I have to stop drinking coffee. And Zach’s going to make me eat…healthy.” She cringed dramatically, though she’d eat anything Zach made. “That’s saying a lot, since I’m 27, living at home, pregnant with my boyfriend-of-3-days’ child.” Thea laughed and ran a hand over her face. Another wave of realization at her predicament hit her. “Dad, I’m pregnant.”

Bentley Simms

Ben laughed softly, shaking his head at Thea's dramatics. "Eating healthy won't kill you, I promise. Zach's been making me since he moved back and I'm just fine." Ben started to point out that there was nothing wrong with living at home, even at 27, but he watched as a wave of realization washed over his daughter's face. "You are and it's gonna be okay."

Dorothea Simms

Thea took a deep breath. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. She was going to be a mom. It was a lot. More terrifying than anything she’d ever experienced before. “It is.” The youngest Simms girl curled herself back up against her father’s side, her words uncertain. “What if he doesn’t want to be a part of it? What if he’s not ready to be a dad? How do I accept that?”

Bentley Simms

Ben wrapped his arms around Thea when she curled back against his side. "Ahh, kid if he doesn't want to be part of it, if he's not ready, you've got people." He very much hoped Grayson, even if he wasn't ready now would step up and be there for Thea. He didn't know the man, had only met him in passing at the various events Thea had taken him to with her, so he couldn't promise anything, but he was going to be positive. "And if he's an asshole about it, we've got a lotta land."

Dorothea Simms

This was turning out better than she thought it was going to with her father. She knew, despite her internal panic, that her father wasn’t going to turn her away at the news. But his comfort and support meant the world to her. “I know…I just don’t want to be something he regrets. And I don’t want this…embryo? Zygote? To ever think it’s not lovable.” Because that was the worst feeling in the world. Thea quirked her head up at her dad, unable to help her smile. “A few shovels, too. But…I don’t think Grayson’s capable of being an asshole.”

Bentley Simms

"Kid, if it is something he regrets, that's on him. That's not on you. And if he doesn't step up, your kid is gonna have so many people who love them and are there for them." He chuckled softly. "Then we won't have to find a tucked away piece of land for him to go." He squeezed her shoulders. "Thank you for tell me and not running. I know how hard this is for you."

Dorothea Simms

Thea rested her forehead on her father’s shoulder, taking his words in. She couldn’t believe that anyone not wanting her, in her head or otherwise, was on them. It was something she knew she needed to work on more, but therapy was starting to help with that. “I know, because you and mom both have like…900 family members and I have my friends as well.” She closed her eyes and just allowed herself to still beside him. “I don’t want to run anymore.” Dorothea confessed, wishing she could explain that that wasn’t what she’d meant to do, not fully at least, with Gabe. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I missed you guys so much. I don’t want to miss you all again.”

Bentley Simms

"We missed you too," Ben assured his daughter. Family was the most important thing to him and nothing ever felt right when his children were in a place where he couldn't easily see them. And though he knew he could have flown out to see Thea, he'd also wanted to respect the distance she put between herself and Wakefield. "You're not alone now, kid. You weren't really then either. Any of us woulda come to you." He fell silent, part of his still processing that he was going to have two grandchildren by this time next year and part of him just letting a long work day ease off his shoulders.

Dorothea Simms

Thea turned and wrapped her arms fully around her dad. How much pain she had caused herself by keeping away from them all for so long. “I know…and I’m sorry I didn’t know then. But I know now.” She wanted to comfort him through this, as he comforted her so many times before. Quietly, she began to hum the song he used to sing to all of his kids, hoping it provided him with the same safe and calming headspace that it had always offered her.

Bentley Simms

Ben's eyes fell closed as he listened to Thea hum one of the old country songs he'd sang his children years ago when putting them to bed. He'd hummed it to Thea the night she'd come home to comfort her. Hell to comfort himself. "Someday, a hell of a lot sooner than I'd planned I'm gonna be singing that song to your kid and Nora's kid when they spend the night." This stage in life was new to him, and he wasn't sure he was anywhere near fully ready for it yet, but he knew he'd get there, slowly and steadily.

Dorothea Simms

She was happy to provide that moment of solace to him, as he had countless times in her life. The thought of Ben singing that song to a little bundle of joy that belonged to her made her chest swell with emotion. “My kid…” she murmured, sighing softly, “My kid is going to love you as much as I love you. And they’re going to be the luckiest kid to have you to sing them to sleep.”

Bentley Simms

"Your kid," he echoed. Whoever her kid was, whoever they turned out to be, Ben knew they were going to be lucky. Thea had put herself through hell trying to figure out who she was and as hard as that was for him as he dad to watch, he knew now that it was leading to good things. Leading to his daughter growing into an amazing young woman. Even though she didn't see it yet. "I'm not gonna pretend I'm fully on board with this, kid. But I'm proud of you and I know that you're gonna be okay."

Dorothea Simms

Thea pulled back and looked curiously at him, not sure what he meant. “Fully on board with what? My…being pregnant?” She wasn’t fully on board with it either, but knew that once the news settled, she’d find peace with it. Her instinct was already to keep the invader safe from ever calling it an accident. Or saying she didn’t want it. It would always know how wanted it was, that was her goal. “Thank you. That…that means a lot.

Bentley Simms

"Not you being pregnant. I...you're stubborn enough that you're going to do just fine. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the fact that you and Grayson have only been dating for a couple of days. You have people, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry. I'm your dad, it's my job." He'd had the same worries when Nora told them she was expecting. "I love you, kid."

Dorothea Simms

Thea nodded, understanding where he was coming from. “I am too.” She admitted. Grayson was so sweet and different from the people she usually let into her life romantically. He was good to her and she wanted to see where they would go. This certainly complicated things, but when push came to shove, she knew she’d do right by the life growing inside of her, because that’s what Ben would do. And if she was going to be a parent, she wanted to be one like him. “Leave it to me to be pregnant 3 days into dating him.” Thea rested against her father’s side. “I love you too, Dad.”

#bentley x dorothea #int; bentley #pregnancy tw #discord thread

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andthereweresparks · 3 years

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Do You Like Me?

Dorothea & Grayson - Dated 6/15/2021 - Completed on Discord - @etcrnaloptimist

Dorothea Simms

Trying to be cute seemed like the best way to go about this whole feelings nonsense, but as she wrote in chalk on the cement, her thoughts took over and she allowed herself to get lost in them. Instead of “Do you like me?” with a simple check box for ‘yes’ and ‘no’ she’d added ‘maybe’ and a flow chart that spilled out in color onto the worn surface. She sat on the swings towards the entrance of the park, anxiously awaiting him and regretting ever sending the text asking him to come. It was too late to bail, though, as he walked towards her. Flashing an uncertain smile, she stood. “Hey,” She said awkwardly, glancing down at Odin and crouching to pet him.

Grayson Hart

Thea's text left him curious as he made his way to the park with Odin. He couldn't begin to understand it, but it felt like something bigger than when they usually hung out - especially because most of the time, they ended up at his apartment doing nothing. "Hey," he called, smiling. "You okay?" He took in her uncertain smile, so unlike what he was used to. "What's up?

Dorothea Simms

If there was ever a time to run, now seemed like it. She still had time to lead him off the path and show him anything else. Something besides her feelings, splayed out for the whole world to see. “Um, yeah…” Thea mumbled, but she was absolutely terrified. When he said no, or checked the box with the chalk she’d left behind, or laughed in her face…whichever of the thousand scenarios of rejection that she’d created in her head, it would be the end of their friendship. Of spending time on his couch laughing, him showing her the correct buttons to press on the controller, and curling up in his arms when she just needed to be held for a while. “Nothing…I-“ She didn’t know what to say. “This was stupid. Let’s just take Odin over to the grass.”

Grayson Hart

"Hey no. C'mon Thea. What's up? Are you okay?" His brows knit together as he looked at her. She had seemed fine at work, but something that he couldn't understand had apparently changed that in the few hours since he'd last seen her. "We can take him over to the grass, but you're still gonna have to talk to me," he pointed out, reaching out to lay his hand on her arm.

Dorothea Simms

Nodding, she tried to swallow her heart and send it back into her chest where it belonged. “Yeah, I-“ She swallowed again, “I’m fine.” Thea was off and she knew it. Still, talking didn’t seem like the right option either, that was just as scary because she couldn’t get her brain to come up with a coherent excuse for any of this. At his touch, she looked over at the cement and back at him, uncertain of what to do, or say. Instead, she breathed and nodded in the direction of the chalk question that awaited him, taking a step back from him. “It’s over there.”

Grayson Hart

He was still more than confused even as he glanced toward the section of sideway Thea had just nodded toward. "...And you want me to go check out whatever that is?" He didn't wait for her answer before moving toward it. Honestly, her answer wouldn't have mattered anyway. He had realized pretty early on when hanging out with her that he trusted her not to steer him wrong. He looked at the ground covered in chalk in confusion, not yet putting together the words that formed a question. "Did you do all this?"

Dorothea Simms

It was good that he didn’t wait for an answer, because she wasn’t sure she had one to offer. Him seeing it meant the end. That’s what she was watching as he moved towards it, Odin along with him. Her feet somehow carried her to follow him, though, Thea couldn’t handle getting too close to him as he took it in. Her chest tightened and she was certain she was going to be sick from the swirling in her stomach. “Yeah,” her confession only a whisper, voice hollow. She watched him and waited for the inevitable rejection that was to come.

Grayson Hart

He glanced back at her again, the tone of her voice strange to his ears when he thought he'd done a good job of getting to know her and a lot of her tones. It was only when he looked back at the sidewalk that it registered that there were words written there. Words asking if he liked her. His head whipped around, surprise clear in his eyes. "Wait, what? Are you....you can't feel like that...we're just....I'm a nerd." He couldn't seem to string words together in a way that made sense in his own head, let alone when he spoke them out loud. Thea liked him? Like she actually liked him. His feelings for her that had dawned the more time they spent together were returned?

Dorothea Simms

This was a mistake. That was what was going through her head as he glanced back at her. If there was any mercy in the universe, she was certain the ground would swallow her whole, because she couldn’t move. It seemed to her that he read the chalk words for hours, though it was only a few seconds. And when he looked at her again, her eyes widened with sadness and her heart sank as he spoke. “We’re just friends?” Thea offered, hurt clear in her small voice. She nodded, though, her feet finally unrooting themselves from the spot as she stepped back. “I-I should go.” The words weren’t even out of her mouth before she turned away from him, willing herself to keep it together long enough to get to her car.

Grayson Hart

"No, no that's not what I'm..." Turning, he stepped toward her when she stepped back. "Don't go," he pleaded, reaching for her for a moment before dropping his hand in the space between them. It didn't seem fair to hold onto her, to keep her from leaving if that's what she wanted. "How long?" he asked softly. "How long have you liked me?"

Dorothea Simms

She tried to breathe. Tried to remember that she knew this was coming. Isn’t that what she’d told everyone? That he didn’t want her. Couldn’t. Who was she compared to him? And there he was, trying to let her down easily. Trying to soften the blow because he was truly a good guy. Or, that’s what she convinced herself he was doing. Thank god her back was to him, because she could feel the sting of tears in her eyes. Her steps stopped, though, and she hugged her arms tightly around her own torso. “A…a while,” her voice trembled and her lower lip quivered. There was no moment that she could pinpoint that it started, but Thea had known it was there, buried under her fear of, well, this. “I’m sorry.”

Grayson Hart

He stood behind her for a moment before he forced himself to move, forced his body to step in front of her. "Thea, don't cry." He hadn't wanted to get into her space, he thought he knew her well enough to know that wasn't always the best thing, though she'd always tolerated it well, but when he saw the way her lip quivered and her arms wrapped around her body, he could so nothing but step into her space, arms wrapping around her as he held her. "I like you too," he murmured, "I didn't think you...I thought you wanted just friends.."

Dorothea Simms

When he stepped in front of her, she looked down, ashamed of herself for crying. She’d once again found a good thing and ruined it for herself. And she was getting more emotional than she believed she ought to. Just the same, when he hugged her, she buried her face against his chest because she had no idea what else she could do. And then the words came. His words. And it took a moment for them to register, and another for her to comprehend them. Thea lifted her face to look at him, tears staining her cheeks. “You do?” The relief seemed to lift a weight from her, but she was so unsure of herself that she didn’t let it flood her yet.

Grayson Hart

"Yeah. You're kinda great." Grayson brought his hand up, gently wiping the tear tracks on Thea's cheeks. "I just thought...I guess I assumed you wanted things to stay how they were. Friends and comfort and a little bit of sex. And you're too good to lose over wanting more." He brushed his fingers through her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. "You're...I mean you're you. You kinda suck sometimes but you also bring me m&ms and cuddle on my couch and show up and keep me company or show up for company and I, losing that by telling you I liked you, it would've sucked."

Dorothea Simms

Great big brown eyes looked up at him near pleadingly at those worlds, leaning gently into his hand on her cheek. “I was scared you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore.” She admitted softly, blushing and glancing away. At his words, she couldn’t help the short laugh that she quite nearly choked on as it escaped her. “I kinda suck sometimes?” She smiled and pressed herself up against his chest once more. “I didn’t want to lose you, either. And then, I thought that a note would be cute, but my head kind of took over for the chart.”

Grayson Hart

"Guess you gotta still talk to me." He grinned broadly, green eyes dancing playfully. "You do. But I like that about you. You're not perfect. I dunno you've never tried to be and I kinda like that." He tightened his arms around her, drawing her closer to his chest, not quite willing to let her go yet. "Your chart is kinda a lot but I like it. It's very you."

Dorothea Simms

Thea blushed, nodding in response. "I think I can live with that." Thankfully, the tears seemed to go almost as quickly as they'd come. "One of those strange things, like, how I like that you're clumsy." She smiled back at him. His hold on her felt nice and she was content to stay there for a moment. "Weird and chaotic?" She asked, before glancing up at him. "You know, this is the part where you're supposed to kiss me."

Grayson Hart

Clutching his chest, Grayson gasped in mock offense. "I'm not clumsy. I dunno what you're talking about. I've never been clumsy a day in my life." He barely suppressed a laugh at the blatant lie. "Weird and chaotic, yeah. Oh am I? What's stopping you from kissing me?"

Dorothea Simms

Thea’s smile widened and she laughed at his antics. “You hear that, Odin? He thinks he’s got natural grace, or something.” She told the dog, quite relieved that she’d also not have to stop seeing him, as she’d grown quite fond of his company as well. “Yes, you are.” She pouted up at him, “I don’t know, the foot you have on me might be part of it.”

Grayson Hart

"I dunno, I feel like you could get up on your tiptoes and kiss me if you wanted to bad enough." Tipping his head down, he brushed her hair over her shoulders before kissing her. It wasn't like they hadn't kissed before, but this wasn't during sex. This was different and he knew it.

Dorothea Simms

She tilted her head, giving him a lopsided grin as he spoke, but didn’t reply as his face moved towards her own. Thea didn’t hesitate to kiss him back, her knees feeling weak as she did. She hadn’t even thought of the possibility that the night would go this way, so consumed by the idea that he would not want her, but she was grateful that it did.

Grayson Hart

He didn't want to end the kiss, kissing Thea could quickly become his favorite thing and it wouldn't even be a problem now that they'd clarified what exactly they were doing and they were both finally on the same page. But reluctantly he pulled back. "Did I live up to your expectations?" he murmured, flush coloring his whole face as he grinned playfully at her.

Dorothea Simms

Dorothea would have been content leaning into that kiss for a long time. It was the first kiss in a long time that felt right in that respect. She didn’t have anything to prove, no standards to bend, suppress, or mold herself to fit. Just Grayson’s lips to kiss. So when he pulled back, she pouted, opening her eyes to look back up at him. His words elicited a laugh, “Surpassed them,” She bit her lip before flashing him a smile, and teasing, “I already know I exceeded your wildest dreams.”

Grayson Hart

"Don't pout at me." He grumbled, turning her pout on her though he was sure it wasn't the least bit effective. "You do, huh? What do you think, Odin," he asked looking down at the dog who lay contentedly at their feet, "You think Thea exceeds my wildest dreams?"

Dorothea Simms

She giggled, actually giggled, when he tried to pout back at her. Still, she gutted her lip out further to prove a point. “You stopped kissing me and that choice was not my favorite.” She told him playfully. “Odin agrees with me. I’m his favorite, remember?” Thea followed his gaze, smiling at the dog, “Your human is a dork.”

Grayson Hart

"I have it on pretty good authority that you like that I'm a dork so I'm gonna take that as the compliment I know it was meant to be since I'm your favorite dork here." He told her teasingly. "Odin knows I'm a dork too, y'all all like it. It's one of my most endearing traits." Shifting enough that he could take her hand in his, his smile turned sweet. "Wanna go back to my place?"

Dorothea Simms

The smile played in her lips and she tilted her head slightly. “Do you? Hmm, I never thought of myself as an authority on any subject.” She mused teasingly. When he took her hand in his, Dorothea looked down at their interlocked fingers and smiled, it was simple, but meant a great deal to her. “I still think your clumsiness is my favorite.” Her shoulders rose in a shrug. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Grayson Hart

"You're not. It's totally Odin who's the authority on you liking that I'm a dork." Squeezing her hand, gently, he took off down the path, back toward his apartment building. "Dorky and clumsy are core parts of my personality so it's a good thing you like them. Otherwise, I dunno what we're doing." He still didn't really know what they were doing beside airing their feelings and taking a risk, but he was okay with that. Taking a risk with Thea, who was all kinds of messy and complicated, was something he wasn't going to back down from.

Dorothea Simms

“Hence being the main character of the comic book.” She agreed, not missing a beat. Allowing him to guide her down the path, she smiled. It seemed so odd to feel calm and giddy like this, but Grayson’s ability to put her at ease was one of the things she enjoyed most about him. “Dorky and clumsy and chaotic and weird. I think that works.” Dorothea was unsure of what they were, either, but she wanted to be. “Two people that like each other as more than friends and have a nearly uncontrollable urge to kiss one another sounds about correct. But it’s kind of long to remember.”

Grayson Hart

"There's an uncontrollable urge to kiss each other? Pretty sure our boss is gonna have a problem if we don't get that under control." Although with everything everyone else at the office had going on and brought to work with them, Grayson had no doubt that they could sneak away for a kiss and no one would even spare a second thought about it. "We do have to think of something shorter though. We could go old school and be each other's main squeeze." He waggled his eyebrows at her, barely suppressing his laugh at his own absolutely ridiculous suggestion.

Dorothea Simms

“There might not be if you hadn’t cut that one so short. I think it was all a part of your plan.” She teased, shrugging about work. “I can keep it professional…for the most part. Plus, Luc and Dean are always weird non-flirting, so I don’t think anyone would bat an eye at us.” Unable to help it, she laughed at his words, nodding. “I do love to squeeze you,” She agreed, “And I think it would be hilarious to introduce you that way. ‘Oh this? This is Grayson, my main squeeze.’”

Grayson Hart

"They do! I thought I was the only one who noticed their weird flirting but not flirting thing. Kinda thought I was making it up since I'm so bad at flirting." Even with Thea, Grayson couldn't think of a time he'd really flirted with her. "Can we? When we introduce each other the first time or something? It'll be fun to see people look at you like you're weird instead of them just looking at me that way. You've uncovered my evil plan to make us both weird dorks."

Dorothea Simms

“Oh no, it’s a thing. They’re work husbands?” She shrugged, it had bothered her when she’d first started, but only because Thea adored Luc and resented Dean for how close he and Nora were. Now, it was just the office norm. It helped that her distaste for Dean had also died down. At his words, she smiled and nodded. “Oh yes, we definitely can. I’m always in for a laugh.” She paused, and tried to sound casual, “And, uh, what about after the first time?”

Grayson Hart

"I-I don't know," Grayson admitted, glancing at Thea. They were something that neither of them had quite defined yet which was why they were even having this conversation. As casually as Thea was trying to sound, he knew it came from a place of her wanting to know, needing to know, what they were. And he wanted to figure it out too. "What do you wanna call us after the first time?"

Dorothea Simms

Thea twisted uncomfortably, once more filled with nerves. There was a reason, she realized, that she hadn’t asked anyone out since high school, always letting them come to her. It was less anxiety inducing to let someone else make the decisions so that she didn’t hurt herself by saying the wrong thing. “Going steady?” It came out as a question, mumbled at that. “I mean, if we’re going old school.”

Grayson Hart

Grayson grinned widely. "That. I vote that." He laughed softly at his own enthusiasm. "I like that you're buying into this whole evil dorky plan thing." The walk seemed to pass quickly as they talked and teased. It was one of the things he really liked about spending time with Thea. Even when they weren't doing anything besides sitting on his couch, time seemed to go by without him noticing. It was probably one of the reasons she ended up staying over as much as she had.

Dorothea Simms

Thea relaxed and smiled back at him, not noticing that her hand tightened around his as she did. “I’d say you have to give me your letterman jacket but I don’t think you can get one, as an official dork.” She teased him. It was nice to fall into step with him and back into a comfortable rhythm, with the hint of excitement lingering on the edges of it with this new development. Hopefully Gabe would understand that her not showing up that night was not something to worry over, as she was uncertain if anyone could pry her away from Grayson for the night.

#dorothea #grayson #dorothea x grayson #discord thread #anxiety tw #just mentioned but better safe than sorry

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