#he'll buy her so many new stuffed animals and blankies and throw pillows just to make it feel like home

[lucygraysboy]

“and i missed bein’ your cowboy prince. it feels like coming home.” it amazes him how the universe works, almost as if someone has been pulling on invisible strings this whole time to bring them back together. “right? when i saw you last night, up on that stage, i went back in time and felt as if i was watching one of those shows that you used to put on just for me and our teddy bears. and catchin’ up after… when i’m holdin’ you like this, it’s like i’ve never left.” there’s a long road ahead of them, but he’ll do his best to never let her down again. “thank you.” for not undermining his masculinity just because he’s shown his emotions and shed some tears, for helping him accept the fact that true strength goes hand in hand with vulnerability. 

“who do you take me for? i ain’t no snitch,” billy huffs in response, but it’s quickly followed by a laugh. he would have to be completely out of his mind to tell mrs. baird that they’d been drinking and almost had sex, but she’s always had a way of seeing right through him — that’s what scares him. “what if she hears hesitation in my voice? you know how she is. remember when we were little? it felt like she could read my mind, knew when i was lyin’ or hidin’ somethin’. that one time i skipped school with jesse? she knew the second she looked at me.” as irrational as it seems, billy’s almost completely certain that mama bird already knows what exactly happened to them last night. still, he’ll try to sound convincing. besides, it’s not an outright lie, right? after all, he and lucy gray did talk a lot. “that sounds reasonable, yeah, okay… oh, thanks.” laughing at how quickly she unlocks the phone, he easily finds her mama’s number in her recents but hesitates for a second. the pad of his thumb hovering over the screen. 

“i understand that. it’s a very valid feeling, but you need to know that i’ve never loved anyone else. my heart’s always been yours. only yours. you’re my world, lucy gray,” he murmurs into the space between them, leaning in to bump their noses when she rolls over to face him. it’s his greatest regret in life, trying to move on and forget her. if he could turn back time, he would just fight for her instead. “the kiss that we shared last night,” he knows that they were both under the influence of alcohol and very strong emotions, but it doesn’t matter, “it meant more to me than… whatever happened in the past.” he knows that overcoming these feelings of betrayal, even if they might seem ridiculous, won’t be easy but he’s determined to assist her in any way possible. “alright, let’s leave it as it is. doesn’t bother me either.” maybe they’ll play bon jovi. “thank you. and i love yours. you looked beautiful even with shorter hair, of course, but i’m happy to have my rapunzel back,” he says softly, kissing her forehead as her fingers slip into his mane. his eyes close briefly as he basks in the pleasant sensations, warmth spreading throughout his entire body. he missed her so much and this feeling of pure love and comfort that comes with her touch.

"i missed bein' your rainbow princess." saying sadly, but a smile softly curling her lips upwards as her eyes open again, watching his fingers brush against her stuffed spirit's mane. "i feel that way, too. like everything just goes back to normal. like not a day has went by." it felt like they were still just very much those children who never left each other's sight, every time they met again. "of course. but now you know, you always can." or rather, learning he can. which is something she didn't think he'd ever come around to doing so maybe this is a good sign. that's not something she'd ever judge him for, she wants him to know this is a trait she very much admires in a person. when they can be emotional and vulnerable.

"exactly. don't you dare utter a word of us drinkin' or whatever else psychotic things we were doin'. she'll personally come down here and grab us by our necks." her mama was a sweet woman and kind to everybody, but she also had a temper when it came to two things. intolerance of bullshit and her child getting up to things that could be a risk to her health or well being. her mama always wanted one more child, or even two more. but when lucy gray ended up being her only one, because she couldn't have them with her real dad who she's never met and sharing children with her stepdad was not an option, it made her into an even more extra mama bear over her only nestling. her only bear cub. alcohol was a sensitive subject to her mother as well, so she'd definitely be having a melt down over her becoming an alcoholic just because she had one drink last night. "just say that, basically what you said. after the show, we had dinner, patched things up and spent the whole night talkin' that i forgot to send her a goodnight message because it got too late." she nods, a tiny smile of amusement trying to pull at the corners of her mouth.

"i just unlock it with face recognition or whatever it is." hand folds over his holding her phone to redirect it closer to her face, holding it up and the screen quickly comes available for him. "that's what i was goin' to say... because i love you so much," shyly speaking the words, "so i don't like it." living inside her head where she knows he's been with other people. makes her angry because why did he have to go off and do that shortly after he left home the first time? if she was really his, he wouldn't made some other girl his. "i like the music videos playin', it doesn't bug me. but you can always change it if you want to. and like i always used to say when i wanted to nap extra longer... you can keep talkin' but don't be mad at me if i fall asleep." she curls back up on her side, this time facing him at least with spirit under her arm. there's a pause, a minute that drifts by, before doe eyes open again and peer up at him. "i do love your curls, though. seein' them again." then closes her eyes again, somehow managing not to reach up and experimentally touch. except, another second passes and hand blindly reaches up to rake her fingers through his hair cause the impulse is too strong. not even realizing she already told him this last night and her touchy hands must be apart of her sober counterpart, after all. or drunk lucy gray lives on.