#is Rhett okay in the third one

[topguncortez]

Not Dead Until You're Warm and Dead || Whumptober day 7 - R. Abbott

whumtpober masterlist || whumtpober taglist form

synopsis: Your and Rhett's relationship had been anything but easy between bull riding and lies. But you had hoped that you would be enough for him to come back alive.

word count: 2.8k

@ailesswhumptober prompt: flatline

warnings: cursing, mentions of cheating, mentions of sex, mentions of drug and alcohol abuse, death, character death, allusion of suicide.

When Rhett first laid eyes on Y/N, he knew she was the one for him. He had missed his chance with Maria, holding back on his feelings and letting her walk out of his life. But when he saw her standing on the fence line as he lowered himself onto his bull, he knew that she was going to be his wife. He held on for his life, lasting the whole eight seconds, and impressing her. The boost of confidence from the ride was what he needed to go over and talk to her. Her cheeks turned red as he invited her for a dance, telling him that she couldn’t dance to save her life, but he assured her that it was okay. He had kissed her that night. 

After that night, Y/N basically disappeared. She was nowhere to be found and it seemed like no one really knew who she was. Rhett had asked around town, asking pretty much everyone where the y/h/c girl went and who she was. It had dawned on Rhett, he never got her name. When Rhett was ready to give up, throwing in the towel that she was just a one-night stand sort of girl (even though they didn’t hook up) he received a call from an unknown number. 

“Hello?” He asked, creasing his eyebrows. 

“Rhett Abbott,” Her voice was like honey, and Rhett chuckled to himself. 

“How did you get my number but I never even got your name?” 

“I asked a friend,” She smiled. 

“I asked a friend about you, but it seems like you are just some figure of my imagination.” 

“I can assure you that I am not.”

They had talked for hours on the phone after Y/N had explained who she was. She was originally from Amelia County, but as soon as she graduated high school, she packed her bags and went to the coast. She would occasionally fly back to Wyoming, the last time she flew back was to watch her little brother ride against Rhett. Neither one had noticed the sunset, the moon rising in the sky, or the first strands of the orange morning sun. Rhett woke up to his alarm clock and looked down at his phone to notice that he was still on the line with her. He smiled to himself and whispered ‘sweet dreams darlin’’ before hanging up. 

And that’s how it went for weeks. He would call Y/N after dinner and they would talk for hours about everything under the sun. He learned that she was studying to be a nurse, in her third year at USC. Y/N learned that Rhett had made it to the finals, and she was already looking at flights to come watch him. Rhett rode one of his best rides when he noticed her smile in the stands during the finals. He focused on her the whole time, and the second he heard that buzzer go off, his mind was locked on finding her. The next morning they found themselves wrapped up in each other's arms. 

They continued their relationship long distance for about two years until she graduated college. Rhett had saved up his rodeo money packed up his truck and headed out west. He stuck out like a sore thumb as he walked around campus in his levis and blue flannel. He was going over in his head what he was going to say to her. The last time he had seen her was over six months ago when she had flown home for Thanksgiving. Rhett was going to propose to her, he had already asked her dad for her hand in marriage. He easily found her dorm room and waited on the bench until she came out. 

“Why look at what we have here? You lost Cowboy?” Y/N asked as she walked out the door. Rhett stood up, holding the bouquet of carnations in his hands.

“Slightly,” Rhett said with his usual half smile, “For you,” 

“Thank you, love,” Y/N took the flowers, and then placed her hand on his face and brought him in for a kiss. 

Their date went off without a hitch, Rhett taking her to a lookout spot that he had heard about. He laid some blankets down in the back of his truck and shared the sandwiches and stuff he had prepared. She talked about her final days at university and how she got a good job at the children’s hospital nearby. Rhett told her about how he had finally gotten away from his family, and Y/N was shocked. She never thought she’d see the day when Rhett Abbott left his family’s ranch, but here he was. He took her to the one-bedroom apartment he got which was covered in boxes. He tucked his shaking hands in his pockets as Y/N walked around the small place and explored. 

“Rhett this place is- what are you doing?” 

“I’m proposing,” Rhett said, as he was down on one knee with the ring box in his hand. 

“I know, why?” 

“Because I love you enough that I want to be with you forever.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, really,” 

“Yeah, yes! Yes!” 

Rhett placed the ring on her finger and held her tightly in his arms. He made love to her for hours that night, trying to make their bodies as close as possible. They felt as if they had truly become one, their hearts, minds, and souls. 

Their wedding was small, held back home in Wabang. Perry and Royal had worked hard to clean up one of the barns so they could have a reception out there. It was no secret to Royal that he wasn’t thrilled about the wedding and his youngest son fleeing out west. He had hoped that Rhett would take over the ranch when Royal couldn’t do it anymore. Perry was happy to see his brother finally settle down and had hoped that this would stick. Cecilia was also happy to have another daughter in the family. The two of them seemed very fairytale-like as Rhett held his new wife close to his chest as they swayed on the dance floor. But the honeymoon feeling came crashing down quickly. 

Their first fight had been an ugly one, over Rhett’s drinking. Years of riding bulls and popping painkillers had become a second nature to him, something he quite couldn’t let go of. Rhett had found a farm to work as an extra hand, but it was quite enough for him. He thought when he left Wabang and chased after the woman he loved that it would be enough. Having her be his, his own Mrs. Abbott, would be everything he had ever dreamed of, and it was. But he fell back into his old ways. Y/N would get pissed as he’d stumble in at odd hours of the night as she was trying to sleep before her early morning shifts. She had finally had enough of it. 

“Jesus Christ Rhett,” Y/N cursed under her breath as she looked at the drunk man who had just knocked over something, “Why do you constantly do this shit.” 

“Do what? I’m too fucking drunk to do this shit with you right now.” Rhett slurred. 

“Well Rhett! The hell do you expect!? This is the fourth night in a row you have come home completely trashed. You keep doing this shit, enough is enough,” Y/N yelled. 

“What do you mean?” Rhett sobered up as she climbed out of bed, and grabbed a bag from her closet, “What are you doing?” 

“I’m leaving.” 

“No, baby please, I’m sorry,” Rhett grabbed her hands to try and stop her, “Please, you can’t leave me,” Rhett’s voice cracked, “You’re all I have. I left everything behind to be with you. I have nothing.”  

“I never asked you to do that,” She bit back tears. 

“I know, baby, please don’t leave me.” 

And she didn’t. She stayed by his side, even when he told her that he was going back to riding. She was actually proud of him for getting back on the bull. He had done his best to stay away from the temptation of the old life; the booze, the pills, the pussy. But old habits die hard. His body was older now, taking rougher beatings when he would get bucked off. He would have a simple celebratory drink with the guys after the rodeos. Rhett found himself out later at night, coming home to a quiet house with his wife at work. Their schedules hardly ever matched up. He got bored of using his hand in the shower, and he could hardly remember the last time he and his wife made love. 

He didn’t fuck them at first. He’d only let them suck him off before a ride, releasing the tension. But that only did so much. The rodeo hands seemed to look the other way when it came to his infidelity. He’d fuck the no-name buckle bunny before the ride, not bothering to learn their names or even show them an ounce of respect. He saw them as playthings to fill the void he was missing from his wife. He thought he was good at hiding it, but Y/N had always been smart. 

She knew that he was hiding something from him. She could tell in the way he wouldn’t touch her, his kisses were just pecks, and he avoided looking into her eyes. Y/N had even seen it with her own eyes at one of his rides. She had gotten the night off of work last minute and decided to surprise him. The whole crew seemed to act weird and barely paid her any attention as she walked through the trailers to find him. The smile ran away from her face the second she saw him walk out of his trailer, fixing his belt, and a bombshell blonde walking out behind him. Y/N felt her heart break as she leaned against the side of the trailer away from his eyes. 

Y/N felt bile rising in her throat as she emptied the contents of her stomach. Rhett heard the sounds of someone retching and walked around the side to see his wife. His eyes widened as he ran over to her, and moved her hair back. 

“No!” Y/N cried and pushed his hands off of her. 

“Baby, you’re sick, let me-” 

“Get the fuck away from me!” She yelled and Rhett stepped back in shock, “Fuck you, Rhett! I saw you! How could you?” 

“Babe I’m-” 

“Your shit will be in the driveway.” 

Rhett had come home that night to exactly what she said, his stuff in the driveway, but he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. So he sat outside the front door and waited for her. Y/N felt bad when she saw him in the morning and let him in. She ignored him the best she possibly could, but it was hard to do. Rhett could hear her break down while she was in the bathroom and it made him shed a tear himself. He sat on their bed and waited for her to come out of the shower, he could see the dried tear stains on her cheeks. 

“I promise you, I’ll never ride again. I never wanted to hurt you.” 

And he had stayed true to his word. He had told his dad over the phone that he had officially given up riding. That he and Y/N had decided to start trying for a family. Rhett didn’t want to spend his time away from his family or worse, like some of the legends in Bull Riding, dead or gravely injured. Rhett had stayed away from the rodeo life for about six months. And in those six months, Y/N and he worked on their marriage. They went to therapy, talking out their transgression and disagreements. They got back to the basics, bringing back romance into their lives; going on dates and trips. They had some of the best sex they had in years. They had both seemed to forget what had happened six months ago until he got that call from Royal. 

“I told her I wasn’t going to ride,” Rhett whispered as he stood in the kitchen. He was making breakfast for Y/N, after a busy night of lovemaking. 

“We’re in danger of going bankrupt, we need this,” Royal said, “We can’t lose the farm.” 

“There’s nothing you can do?” Rhett ran a hand down his face. 

“You know I wouldn’t have asked you to do this if there was,” 

“Fine,” Rhett said, “When is the ride?” 

“Three days.” 

“Three fucking days?! That’s our anniversary.” 

“I’m sorry Rhett.” 

“I gotta go, she’ll be up soon.” 

Rhett had gone to the rodeo by himself, it didn’t bother him, he was used to going by himself. It did make him a little upset that she didn’t even bother to come with him. He stood in the waiting area as he waited for the name of the bull he would be riding. The second he was given the bull, he knew it was a lost cause. The bull was impossible, no one had been successful in completing a ride. His team gave him a pat on the back and Rhett gave them a shy smile. The first person he had called was her. 

“Is there anything you can do?” Y/N asked. She was sitting on the back porch of their house, looking out at the waves as they crashed on the sand. 

“You know how these things go,” Rhett said as he leaned up against the side of his trailer. 

“I don’t like this Rhett,” She said honestly. Silent tears were running down her face. 

Rhett could hear the sadness in her voice, and could only picture the tears running down her face as she looked out at the setting sun, “I know you don’t. But I promise, I’ll come home to you.” 

“You fucking better Mr. Abbott,” She sniffed and wiped her tears away. 

“I will, Mrs. Abbott,” He smiled back, “I gotta go okay, I promise I’ll call you right after.” 

“I love you Rhett.” 

“I love you Y/N.” 

She had watched the clock, as she settled down in a chair in front of the fireplace. The class of whisky was cold in her hands as she counted down the seconds until Rhett’s ride. Rhett said a small prayer as he walked up the metal steps towards the bullpen. The crowd was going wild as he waved his hand and greeted his team. They helped him down on the bull, and it already was bucking the second Rhett put his weight on the animal. Once it settled, Rhett tied the rope around his hand, making sure he had a tight grip on it. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, seeing glimpses of his future life with Y/N, a few kids, and a beautiful house back home on the Abbott Ranch. Rhett opened his eyes the second they opened the gate. It didn’t last long until a consuming darkness filled his eyes once again. 

Time seemed to tick on slowly, and her eyes never left the clock as she waited for the call from Rhett. Assuming from the time it had taken from the ride until now, that it hadn’t gone well. Everyone in the community knew that the bull Rhett had was a troublesome one. It was known for bucking off its riders in the first couple seconds. The second her phone rang, she picked it up. His name hadn’t even slipped past her lips when his team manager told her what had happened. Her heart was shattered in her chest as she dropped the phone on the carpet. Her knees shook as she collapsed to the ground screaming out his name. 

Her eyes were blurred with tears and her head was spinning as she pushed herself up from the carpet. Her phone was still on the line and they could hear her screaming for him. She walked out into the sand, her chest felt on fire as she let out loud sobs. She didn’t stop as her feet hit the wet sand from the waves. The further she walked into the water, her clothing felt heavier and heavier. The waves would crash and pull her underwater. She fought to keep herself above the surface, keeping her lungs inflated with air. The saltiness of water strung her eyes as the waves hit her. She looked up at the sky, looking at the stars and feeling the heaviness in her heart. She felt her feet leave the ground and she took a deep breath, as she felt a wave pull her completely under. 

In the black abyss she had fallen into, she could see the man she had always wanted. Rhett stood there waiting for her, his hand outstretched. She smiled at him as she placed her hand in his. He placed a hand on her cheek, brushing the tear from her cheek. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 

“I told you I would come home,” Rhett said. 

“I know you did,” She spoke to him.

taglist: @els-marvelvsp @sarahsmi13s @topgun-imagines @cassiemitchell @xoxabs88xox @seitmai @a-reader-and-a-writer @bradleybeachbabe @kmc1989 @senawashere @beautifulandvoid @ohtobeleah @rogersbarnesxx @oatmealisweird @dempy @devil-angel-winchester @gillybear17 @cornylovers

[delopsia]

delly, in the spirit of spooky fun times (feat. the floytts, but specifically robby and rhett): who is trying (and succeeding) to convince the other that the cabin that they’re staying in for a few weeks during the month of october (lmao) is haunted, and who is trying (and failing) to not believe it while also getting jumpier and poutier by the day?

🎃 t

omg, I'm so sorry that this took me forever to answer! 😭

I've got this very specific image in my head of Bob deliberately picking a cabin in the woods, trying his best to make Reader and Rhett think it's haunted, and it winds up backfiring.

He thinks he's so clever when he picks out that cute little forest cabin, isolated from the surrounding area, at the end of a never-ending gravel driveway. It's got the rickety wooden floors and the creepy basement; all you'd need to film the next big horror film is a camera crew and a script.

Of course, he doesn't tell either of you that this is why he picked this specific cabin. He lists everything, the breathtaking mountaintop view, the sea of golden leaves, the cute little town located nearby, but he conveniently 'forgets' to share that one of the reviews claimed this place was haunted.

The first night is fine. So is the second, and the third, and the fourth. Rhett doesn't say anything about being spoked. You have an instance with a moth unexpectedly landing on you while you're getting a glass of water, but that's the scariest thing that happens.

It's the fifth day that has Bob thinking that the review about the ghost was a complete, utter lie. A marketing gimmick to lure people in, and he fell for it.

So what does he do? He starts trying to convince Rhett this place is haunted. Leaves behind little hints and wonderings, says that something moved on its own last night, rearranges different items when you and Rhett go to bed. He even puts an empty cup too close to the edge of the table, teetering in such a way that it falls when Rhett walks past it.

But then...then things start happening. The stove randomly turns on by itself. The light goes out when he's in the shower. Every night at exactly midnight, something starts scratching in the hallway. There's strange writing in his notebook; his laptop keeps getting unplugged. And then, one night, he goes to bed early, and the sheets get ripped off of him.

"This place is haunted to hell," he blurts, stumbling into the living room.

Your eyes lift, peeking over the rim of your glass. Mid-sip. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah, because—"

Something jumps on him.

And he screams.

What he doesn't know is that Reader and Rhett figured him out before you even booked the cabin for the month. For as smart as Bobby can be, he sometimes forgets the little things, like leaving his laptop wide open on the kitchen table, mid-search for "creepy cabins near..."

So here he is. Squealing. Shoving Rhett away. Red-faced and stuttering, cannot fathom why you two are laughing at him.

Turns out, all of those 'supernatural' occurrences were just you and Rhett deliberately fucking with him. The suspicious sounds were all from a speaker you had cleverly hidden behind some furniture. The sheets had been tied to fishing line, making it easy for Rhett to hide outside the room and yank them off. The light? Rhett briefly flipped the breaker.

It was all one big joke to get back at him for his antics, and it's probably shaved a good ten years off his lifespan. Okay, okay, maybe his reaction was kind of funny. But he's still going to sit on the couch and whine about it for the rest of the night, fussing for endless kisses from the both of you.

You're all lying in bed together when you hear something scuttering above the ceiling.

[bobby-r2d2-floyd]

back in town (rhett abbott x reader)

authors note: hey guys! it feels like 30 years but i finally have the second part of life goes on (read part one here if you want!) i feel like this can be read as a stand alone, or as a continuation. im thinking only a one more part to this?

warnings: language, mentions of panties, mentions of rhett getting a boner towards the end, maria and rhett kissing, sibling violence? (a pillow gets thrown at some ones head)

not proof read well, no beta we die like men in this

word count: 2.5k

------------

It’s been almost 10 years since you last stepped foot into Amelia County, and not a damned thing has changed except that some stores have closed down. 

You still remember the morning dew on your skin your last night in town, and how Rhett’s arm felt draped over you as the sun was just beginning to rise over the mountain tops. 

After dropping out of art school you bounced around from major city to major city all up and down the east coast. You worked at a couple of art galleries, you had enough experience to get by but since you dropped out just before graduation, you never quite became the curator anywhere; but that was okay with you. Three years you spent in Chicago, wasting your time. Your heart was never in it, it was stuck here in Wabang with a certain Abbott boy and, yeah, you were good at what you did but you never saw yourself doing art as a career, it was always your dad’s dream for you. You wanted to be in the rodeo shows, you were a decent roper, dappled in barrel racing, cutting.. Never brave enough for the bulls, though, that was always Rhett’s thing. So when you happened to be passing through Kentucky, you thought ‘what the hell’ and sought out the arena director and asked if there was anything that you could do to help out and as luck would have it, they needed a barrel racer after one of the other girls broke her collarbone and required surgery. 

It was like the rodeo gods or whoever was up there was smiling down on you that day, you knew that they didn’t just take people off the street, and that most people had to work for spots to even be considered, but it was a smaller rodeo, not one of the large ones that you would see televised from a big city. Despite it being years since you were in the saddle, you finished in third place for the night.

You toured around with them for years before moving up to a bit bigger of a rodeo, and that rodeo happened to land you in Montana, and then Colorado before finally dumping off in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

You took the day before it was due to start to go back home, see your mom and siblings. They’d be 16 and 18 soon, hard to believe you left them when they were still just kids, you missed a ton of milestones for them, only discussing them over facetime and the one time they were able to make it out to Chicago for Christmas one year. 

You celebrated grades and puberty and boyfriends and girlfriends from across the United States. You wanted nothing more than to hug your baby sister when she got her first period at 10 years old, 2 whole years before you even had yours, and when she went through her first heartbreak at 15; gave the bastard everything because he convinced her that he loved her. You hated that you weren’t there to help your mom out when your brother was going through his destructive phase.

You walk in the front door to your house, surprised that your mom hasn’t been robbed yet and you let out a small laugh, “mama?” you call out, shutting the storm door behind you so the wind wouldn’t take it away when it tried to self shut. You don’t get an answer so you continue the trek across your house, stopping occasionally and listening if anyone was even home, it wasn’t uncommon for your mom to leave the door unlocked when no one was home, your closest neighbors were the Abbott’s and even they lived about 2 miles away. 

You walked out to the barn, smiled when your old horse rubbed against your shoulder, “hey boy, where’d everyone go?” you ask as you give him some scratches behind his jaw. Almost as if he understood what you said he turns to look at a flier that was tacked up on the side of the barn door and you let out a laugh. 

Of course the county fair was going on. Your sister used to beg you to take you every single day during the week and you see that that was still the case. You give the gentle giant a couple treats from the feed closet and give them to him before heading out back to the front to the truck you’re renting.

The drive to town was short despite living so far away, you were lucky to find a place to park where you did and you started to make your way in, paying for a ticket and stopping to talk to the few people who remembered you. 

“-for Amelia County’s rodeo royalty, Rhett Abbott!” you hear over the loudspeaker and make your way to the grandstands to watch. “Rhett’s first ride is on Guiness tonight, he’s been on a roll lately, coming out on top every ride for the last 10 rides that he’s done, let’s see if he can make 11.” You perch yourself up against the bars, pulling your Stetson a lower down your face but high enough that you can still see and you watch him go the full 8 seconds on a bull that looked like it was out for blood. You screamed along with the rest of the crowd when he came out on top for the first round of riders. The smile on his face warms your heart, it’s a smile you hadn’t seen since before you left. In all the pictures that your mom had shown you, very few smiles were true Rhett smiles, that smile was saved for when he was winning, on his horse, and with you. You began to walk over to where he was, you couldn’t wait to wrap your arms around him again, you just hoped that he would be excited to see you. 

Just as you were rounding the corner, you stopped dead in your tracks, your heart breaking because of Rhett for the second time. Not even 10 feet in front of you, Rhett had his arms tight around Maria Olivares. The one girl no one could ever compete with, the only other girl Rhett ever had eyes for, aside from you but of course you didn’t know that. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss, one that left him completely breathless when he pulled away and he smiled down at her like she had hung the sun.

You backed up slowly, not wanting to bother anyone but of course a different rider had other plans, “watch where the fuck youre going, bitch.'' They spit out and it gets the attention of Rhett and Maria and you mumble out an apology before quickly darting away, wiping your eyes as you make your way back to the truck and out of the fair entirely. 

“Fucking knew that coming back home would be the worst idea.” you mumble as you throw your hair onto the passenger seat. You run your fingers through your hair and pull it up into a messy ponytail before driving back to your mom’s place where you fall asleep on the couch.

“Hey babygirl, why don’ you wake up and go upstairs?” your mom gently shakes you awake and you let out a mumble of a response and she laughs “come on. Wake up or ‘m gonna sic your brother ‘nd sister on you.” 

You groan but sit up anyways, “time is it?” 

“Just after midnight, Rhett came out on top’ah all his rides.” she tells you and you just hum and nod before standing up and stretching. She pulls you in for a long hug and you’re able to relax for the first time in what felt like years.

“Where’s Liv and Jase?” you ask, kicking off your boots finally and head towards the stairs.

“Olivia’s with her girlfriends and Jason’s with some of his football buddies.” she says and you nod and make your way up the stairs, pausing to use the bathroom and brush your teeth before making your way into your room. You can’t be bothered to open the duffle bag your mom must have brought in for you and you strip down to your tank top and panties before crawling into bed and falling into a deep sleep again.

When you awake the next morning it’s abrupt. You can feel someone breathing down on your face and you open your eyes and see Olivia’s brown ones staring right back at you. 

“Mornin.” she says and you groan and kick her off the bed, she laughs the entire way down and you roll over, pulling your blanket over your face and you try to get some more sleep. “C’mon, you gotta wake up, mama’s makin’ a full breakfast.” 

“Get out of my room.” 

“Not ‘til you’re ass it out of-ow! Mama, she’s thrown’ shit again!” Olivia calls and you hear your mom call up the stairs.

“Stop throwin’ shit at your sister! Get down ‘ere and eat your breakfast ‘fore Jason brings the whole team over!” 

“Toss me my jeans, will ya?” you ask, finally sitting up and Olivia throw’s the pants right at your face, “okay, I deserved that.” 

“Yeah, ya did. Why’s this your first time comin’ home in ten years? You didn’t even send an invitation when you graduated…” she says sadly and you sigh.

“Let’s go eat, need to talk to you and mom.” you tell her and she nods and you stand up and pull the jeans on before making your way down stairs. Your mom already has a plate made up for you, just like how you always took it as a kid, extra bacon, sunny side up eggs, and chocolate chip waffles. “Thanks mama,” you kiss her head and move around the kitchen to pour yourself a cup of coffee and orange juice before sitting down at the table.

“So… what have you been doin’ these past few years?” your mom asks as she takes her seat, “any big art jobs?”

“Um, actually I dropped out. A semester before graduation..” you say, not looking up at either of them. 

“Oh?” it’s all your mom can manage out and you nod. 

“Yeah, went through the program and it just… didn’t feel right? I’m uh, actually doing rodeos now. Barrel racing, some cutting.. Been ‘round the country. Make pretty good money for the level that I compete at.” you inform them and your mom looks surprised and your sister who looks angry.

“And did you not think to call? Or.. come back?” 

“Liv, ’m sorry, okay? I know I should have called or come home after leaving school. It’s just… everyone was so proud of me for leaving that it was easier to believe that I graduated than to tell you I didn’t.” you look up at her and she lets out a sigh. 

“I still love you, but that was a bitch more.” she says and you laugh.

“Yeah, it was.” you mom just rolls her eyes and you all fall into an easy conversation about rodeo and how the season is just about over.

“Rhett was invited to compete in Cheyenne this weekend, will you be there?” your mom asks and you nod.

“Yeah I think his event’ll be the last of the night. They usually do the bronco’s then bulls last, I’ll compete somewhere in the middle.” you tell them, leaning back in your chair and you take a sip of your coffee. “How have things been around here?” 

“Well, Perry Abbott went to jail, he and one of the Tillerson’s got in a fight and unfortunately Perry uh… Well the funeral for Trevor was a few years back… I think when you were 23?” Olivia says and you look at her confused.

“No shit..” you say in disbelief. Perry had always been a little strange to you but never kill-a-man strange, “how are the rest of the family?” 

“Well, Amy ran away, right after Perry got arrested.. Royal and Cecelia have been doing the best they can with the ranch. Rhett and Maria took off too shortly after the arrest but came back a year or so ago to help his parents afford to keep the place running. He earned enough from the rodeo business to help keep things afloat a little while longer.” your mom continued and you bite your lip.

“Did they get married or something?” your mom shoots you a knowing look and shakes her head.

“Nope, no marriage, no ring, no surprise babies. Perry’ll be out of jail soon, he was only sentenced for 10 years, he’s served half that already, so there’s always after he gets released.” 

“I should go, get ready and drive back to Cheyenne to make it in time for the rodeo.” you stand from the table and take your dishes to the sink. “You’re more than welcome to come. We have a special seating section where if you tell an usher your family they’ll let you sit in.” 

“We’ll be there honey.” your mom gives you a smile and you ruffle Olivia’s hair.

“Tell Jason he’s invited and can bring a friend.” you say on your way up the stairs and take a quick shower before throwing on clean clothes and heading back downstairs. 

You throw a goodbye and see you later over your shoulder before making your way back to Cheyenne. You manage to dodge Rhett all night, in fact it isn’t even until your name is announced that he knows you’re at the rodeo, let alone in it.

He stood by and watched you, just like you watched him last night. He couldn’t believe he was actually seeing you, for the first time in a decade. He watched until he couldn’t see you anymore and when that happened he made his way back to the horse stalls, walking straight to you as if he had internal guidance right to where you were.

You stood there, taking care removing your saddle and playing it on its rack off to the side. His eyes tracked your every move, taking in every detail about you. Your subtle weight gain in the right places and the loss in the others. Your jeans filled out more than when he last saw you and he hated the immediate reaction his body had, the hot lighting that zipped right down his spine and into his cock. He was shamelessly checking you out, Maria be damned. He watched as you turned and talked to some of the other girls you were up against and they all congratulated you for a great run. 

You finally turn and look his way, your breath catching and he feels a smile form on his face, heart melting at the way you say his name, despite saying it tentatively. 

“Hey.. Rhett.” 

let me know if you want to be added to my rhett abbott taglist or if you would like to be tagged in all of my fics!

[mayhem24-7forever]

The Littlest Cowgirl and the Mean Old Bull (Whumptober 2022)

Whumptober Prompts (from this list): Lies - New Scars - Breathing Through The Pain

Character: Rhett Abbott (Outer Range)

Author’s Notes: If you are not over eighteen, this is not for you! I deserve a safe place to express myself and that includes not wanting minors to read my content, even when it is not sexual in nature. Thank you. I am REALLY sorry that this is late but I really am trying my best okay! I actually switched this with day 15 bc I had no inspiration for that day and I wanted to write this one lmao. HUGE thank you to @jostystyles for looking over this for me, this is for you baby. fic dividers by my darling @a-reader-and-a-writer, thank you so so much

Warnings: ANGST, bull riding, graphic descriptions of violence and injuries, blood and gore, low key religious trauma, hospitals, misplaced guilt, (AKA Jo traumatizes Rhett’s five year old daughter for 4.5k words)

“Momma hurry up! We’re gonna miss daddy’s ride!” the little girl called, dragging her mother towards the stands and through the crowd by the hand.

“Slow down Annie!” Y/N laughed, shaking her head as her five year old daughter plowed through the crowd of adults without hesitation. “We have time!”

Angelica Abbott was definitely her father’s daughter, all attitude and sass, just like Rhett. She stomped through, weaving through the legs of the crowd, her tiny pink cowgirl boots kicking up tiny clouds of dust as she went. For her outfit that evening (she always dressed up for daddy’s rodeos), she had chosen to dress in a miniature matching version of what her father was wearing, a dark blue flannel and jeans, her hair braided into two tails under her pink cowgirl hat.

She didn’t slow down, not satisfied until her and her mother had taken their seats in the stands with grandpa Royal. The rodeo was on the other side of the state from Wabang as it was a big competition and so Rhett and his wife had decided to make it into a little vacation for Annie. Royal had come to see his son compete in the biggest competition of his career, Cecelia staying home to watch Amy as Perry had gone on another bender and as such was unfit. Annie climbed up the stands and hopped into her grandfather’s lap as her mother trailed behind her, out of breath from chasing and calling after the rambunctious child.

“Angelica, what have I told you about runnin’ away from your mama?” Royal asked as sternly as he could, struggling to stop himself from smiling at her adorably grumpy face.

Royal’s grandchildren were his weakness and one look from Amy or Annie would have him giving in to give them whatever they wanted, a fact they both took advantage of. Y/N huffed out a final breath as she sat down next to her father-in-law.

“Mama’s too slow!” Annie whined and Royal chuckled. “Daddy’s about to ride and we were gonna miss it!”

“Your father doesn’t ride for another ten minutes, little one.” Royal supplied and Annie giggled as she shrugged.

Annie settled back in her grandfather’s lap, leaning back against his chest and peering down at the ring and the bull pens behind it. The three of them played I Spy for a while to kill the time, Annie giggling when she chose to describe the same trailer for the third turn in a row.

“Oh look! It’s daddy!” Y/N said and Annie sat up, looking to where her mom was pointing at the back of the ring to find her father getting ready to mount the bull in it’s tiny pen.

“Daddy!” she squealed and Rhett turned to wave at her with a big smile, Annie waving back frantically.

“I love you, Angel!” he called back, his nickname for her barely audible from so far with so much noise around them.

Rhett turned to focus on mounting the bull when Annie’s face suddenly dropped.

“Oh no!” she cried out and her mother and grandfather looked to her in concern. “I didn’t give daddy his good luck kiss! I always give him his good luck kiss before he rides!”

“It’s alright sweetheart, just you being here to watch him is all the luck he’ll ever need.” Royal assured her.

She watched nervously as Rhett struggled to mount the bull, the handlers barely able to get him on it. Annie had never seen that happen and it made her stomach twist into knots. She turned to her mother, leaning practically onto her lap and got her attention as the man on the speakers started talking.

“Mama?” she said quietly and her mother leaned in to hear her daughter over the announcer. “My tummy hurts.”

“Oh, I’m sorry baby, we can go back to the hotel right after daddy finishes his ride.” Y/N assured her and Annie frowned.

“Need to go now!” she insisted, pouting.

“Sweetheart, daddy is about to ride. Eight seconds and he’s off and we can go, okay?” her mother asked and Annie reluctantly nodded, settling back into her grandfather’s lap uneasily.

Annie had seen a lot of her father’s rides over her very short life, whether it was in a sling wrapping her against her mother’s body, nestled on her grandmother’s lap, or perched high up on her grandfather’s shoulders. A few times, her father had fallen off or had a rough landing but he always got back up with minimal injuries, usually just some cuts and bruises, a sprain or two at the worst.

Whenever that happened, Rhett would sit on a chair in the kitchen as Y/N cleaned and bandaged his cuts and put ice on his bruises. Annie would be perched on the kitchen table or on his lap, using her little toy first aid kit to help her momma. She liked playing nurse to help her daddy feel better when he was hurt. Rhett would always end up covered in dozens of flowery and sparkly little bandaids, whether he needed them or not (and usually he didn’t).

“Daddy just got a little banged up by the mean old bull, baby.” he would assure her, her little fingers tracing over the scars, both new and old on his chest. “I’m just lucky I have you and your mama–best nurses in Amelia county–to always take care of me.”

Annie usually loved to watch her father ride bulls but as she waited for the ride to start, that bad feeling in her stomach got worse and worse. The bullhorn sounded and the gates were thrown open, the bull launching out of the shoot, Rhett hanging onto its back for dear life. She tried to count the seconds like her grandmother had taught her to do between lightning and thunder to know how far away a storm was.

One-one thousand. The crowd including her grandfather shot to their feet, hooting and hollering.

Two-one thousand. The bull bucked over and over again, bellowing in anger at the man on his back.

Three-one thousand. Rhett’s hat flew off his head, landing in the dirt below the angry bull’s stomping hooves and quickly being trampled.

Four-one thousand. The halfway point, Rhett still holding on tightly to the reins even as the bull got angrier and angrier, trying harder and harder to throw him off.

Five-one thousand. The dust cloud kicked up by the bull got bigger and bigger, almost hiding the image of Rhett perched on it’s back, his hand up in the air just like in the tattoo on his chest.

Six-one thousand. One of the ropes on the bull snapped, Rhett’s grip slipping as the entire saddle was knocked loose.

Seven-one thousand. Rhett’s body was flung off of the bucking bull, hitting the ground with a sickening smacking noise inaudible over the loud collective gasp of the crowd as the angry bull charged in to attack with swinging horns and stomping hooves.

The handlers were good at their jobs, getting the bull roped and pulled away from him in mere moments. Within seconds, Rhett’s unmoving body was swarmed by about a dozen handlers and blocking the crowd’s view of him. The crowd had gone deathly silent but as the bull was pulled back into its pen, they began to murmur in hushed whispers. Royal and Y/N were frozen in shock, unable to stop Annie when she wriggled out of her grandfather’s arms and took off down the stairs and towards the pen.

“Angelica, no!” Y/N screamed, racing after her but Annie didn’t listen.

“DADDY!” Annie screamed, sliding between the legs of some officials and into the ring before anyone could stop her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran towards the circle of bodies surrounding her father.

Rhett’s brain was pounding in his skull, his eyes struggling to focus on anything but the bright lights of the arena as half a dozen dark figures hovered above him, their panicked voices overlapping.

“Don’t move Rhett! Just don’t move!”

“Jesus fucking Christ-”

“The paramedics are coming, alright?”

“Abbott, blink twice if you can hear me!”

“Oh my God…”

“Do not move!”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck-”

He tuned them out, lying there in the dirt as he attempted to breathe through the agonizing pain on every inch of his body. Something warm and wet was pooling below his left leg and he couldn’t move his left arm at all. He blinked hard as the figures above him came in and out of focus, the same horrified look on every one of their faces. His whole body ached and he groaned in pain when someone tried to touch him. But he didn’t care. All that mattered was making sure his baby girl didn’t see him like that, especially as he heard a small but loud voice shrieking “Daddy!” and wailing in distress. He turned his head as much as he could to look between the legs of the others to see a tiny figure sprinting towards him from across the ring.

“Stop her… can’t… see me… like this.” Rhett rasped, a bit of blood coming out of his mouth as he wheezed in pain.

Luckily, one of the handlers was able to grab her before she got close enough to see him and Rhett could hear her screaming as she was handed off to Royal, who had been hot on her heels. Her voice got further and further away, her grandfather evidently carrying her away despite her loud protests. The men around Rhett parted enough to let Y/N through and she collapsed onto her knees at his side, her terrified eyes raking over his body and taking stock of his injuries. The protective vest seemed to have shielded his chest from the bull’s horns but his legs were not as lucky. He had a huge gash on his left leg, blood pouring forth through a tear in both chaps and jeans. His left arm was smashed, bones jutting out at impossible angles and he was having great difficulty breathing, his chest rising and falling unsteadily at uneven intervals with a rattling wheeze accompanying each breath.

“Oh my God, baby…” she gasped, shaky hands covering her mouth in shock, tears beginning to pour out of the corner of her eyes as she turned to scream at the men standing around. “Where the fuck are the medics! We need a fucking ambulance! Don’t just fucking stand there!”

Rhett chuckled a little at his wife’s fiery rage before the laugh turned to a cough, more blood spraying from his mouth which pulled her attention back to him. Her hands flew to his face, cradling him as she moved strands of his long hair off of his sweaty forehead. Grunting with effort, he moved to place his right hand on hers and she eagerly took it, trying to keep him from moving too much.

“It’s okay baby, don’t move. The medics are coming through the gate right now, okay?” she assured him and he nodded slightly, gazing up into his beautiful wife’s sad eyes. “Just hold on, baby. You’re gonna be just fine, Rhett.”

He squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile.

“I love you, baby. If I don’t get to tell you again, I love you so damn much.” Rhett said and she shook her head, shushing him.

“No, don’t think like that, okay? You’re gonna be alright and you can tell me again later.” she replied, crying as she looked down at her husband. “I love you and Annie loves you and you’re not going anywhere.”

“Our little angel didn’t see me like this, right?” he asked and she shook her head.

“No, your father took her outside the ring.” she assured him and he breathed out in relief.

“Tell her I’m okay.” he said weakly and they both knew it was a lie. “Tell her daddy is just a little more bruised up than usual from the mean old bull.”

Y/N nodded, unable to speak through her tears as the paramedics kneeled beside them, dropping his hand reluctantly when a rodeo official gently eased her up and away from him so they had room to work. She felt like she was in a nightmare as she was led out of the ring, glancing backwards every few seconds to watch them strap him onto a board and carry him into an ambulance.

Everything had been a blur of tears to Annie ever since her grandfather had carried her out of the ring, ignoring her angry fists pounding on his chest and her screamed demands to be taken back. An ambulance with flashing lights and sirens pulled up to the gate of the ring and drove inside as some rodeo officials ushered Royal and Annie into an office in the back of the arena. When another official brought Y/N in a few minutes later, Annie was still blubbering into her grandfather’s neck as he shushed her and stroked her back. The second she saw her mother Annie reached for her and was pulled into her mother’s arms, Royal holding the pair comfortingly.

The officials talked with Royal and Y/N for a while but Annie wasn’t paying attention, instead continuing to cry as she clung to her mother. They were brought out to a car and driven back to their hotel, her mother telling her that daddy was going to the hospital but that they couldn’t see him until he felt a little better. Royal thanked the man who drove them, his comforting arm around his daughter-in-law’s shoulder as they headed for their rooms, Royal deciding to stay in their room for the night.

When they had made the reservations, Royal had his own room while Rhett’s family took a room with two beds, one for Rhett and Y/N and the other for Annie. Annie had been very excited to have her own big big-girl bed as a vacation treat, although most nights she ended up sleeping in her parents’ bed anyways as she found out she didn’t like sleeping in such a big bed all alone. Royal excused himself to go out onto the balcony to call Cecelia and let her know what had happened while Y/N struggled to get Annie through her nighttime routine.

Annie refused to take a bath and even threw her favorite bath toy (a rubber duck with a cowboy hat) at her mother, yelling that she wanted her daddy. Y/N tried to stay calm and keep it together, feeling just as upset as her daughter but unlike the little girl, she had responsibilities, trying to remember that Annie was only acting out because she was scared and she didn’t fully comprehend what was happening. Y/N was able to get her into her pajamas and coax her to lay down on her bed, falling into a restless sleep, crying in her mother’s arms, squeezing her favorite stuffed animal, Bessie the pink cow, tightly.

Rhett had been showing Annie all the animals on the ranch one day when she asked why some of the cows were black and white, but others were brown. He told her that the color of the cow showed what kind of milk they made: the black and white cows making regular milk, the brown ones making chocolate milk, and pink cows making strawberry milk. Annie had asked why they didn’t have any pink cows on the ranch and Rhett told her it was because they were “so super rare” only special pink cow farms could have them, which disappointed her. A few days later, she found a little stuffed pink cow sitting on her bed, her mother shaking her head and smiling at how much Rhett spoiled her.

Annie woke up a little bit later, the lights all off and she couldn’t stop thinking about her daddy’s accident, convinced it was her fault because she forgot to give him his good luck kiss beforehand. She crawled out of Y/N’s arms, careful not to wake her and hopped of the bed, kneeling next to it with her hands together in front of her like grandma had taught her.

"Dear Mr. Jesus, I know I don't pray to you as much as gramma wants me to but please save my daddy.” Annie begged, choking on her whispered pleas as tears began to stream down her face again. “I'm really sorry I didn't give him his good luck kiss before his ride but please make him get better. I swear i'll never forget to give him his good luck kiss again, I'm sorry. I’ll eat all my veggies without complaining and I’ll do my letter books for school and listen to mama when she tells me to clean my room. I swear I’ll be good, I swear I’ll be a good girl, Mr. Jesus sir, please save my daddy."

Satisfied with her prayer, she she padded across the carpeted room to the bathroom, dragging Bessie on the ground behind her. Once she had finished her business, she noticed that her grandfather was still out on the balcony with his head in his hands. She walked over and tried to open the heavy glass sliding door but couldn’t reach the handle. Gently, she tapped on the glass and Royal turned to reveal a tear-stained face. Wiping his eyes quickly, he leaned over and opened the door, giving his granddaughter the best smile he could muster as she stepped outside into the cool night air, her tiny feet quick to cross the cold cement.

“What are you doing up, little one?” he asked, voice hoarse and raw from crying as he lifted her up into his lap.

“Had to go potty.” she answered, reaching up to place her little hand on his cheek, still wet with tears. “Were you crying grampa?”

Royal nodded, eyes overflowing with tears again, and Annie gave him a big hug. She had never seen her grandfather cry before but she wanted to make him feel better so she did what he did every time she cried and hugged him tightly.

“Grampa?” Annie asked quietly after a minute and he pulled back to look at her.

“Yes, darlin’?” he asked and she looked up at him nervously.

“Is daddy gonna be okay?” she asked with wide eyes, the same blue eyes as her father and suddenly Royal felt as if he had been thrown back in time to when he had first held Rhett in his arms. “Are the doctors gonna make him all better?”

“I don’t know, darlin’...” he answered honestly, stroking her hair as she picked at Bessie’s fabric, avoiding his eyes. “The doctors are gonna do everything they can but ultimately we don’t know what’s gonna happen. But I’ll tell you what I do know…”

“What, grampa?” she asked, head snapping up to look at him as she listened intently.

“Your daddy is a fighter, he always has been, ever since he was as little as you.” he told her, trying to keep himself from crying again as he looked down at her, so full of fear and hope. “He’s one tough son of a bitch like me and he’s gonna fight as hard as he can to make it back to you and your mama.”

“You said a no no word, grampa.” she said with a little giggle that made him smile despite everything.

“I suppose I did.” he chuckled. “Don’t tell your grandmama I said that and I won’t tell your mama that you’re up this late. It can be our little secret, deal?”

“Deal!” she replied, curling up in his arms again with her head on his chest, holding Bessie tightly as she drifted to sleep listening to his steady heartbeat.

He waited until he was sure that she was asleep before he got up and carried her back inside, putting her back down next to her mother. He tucked them in, Annie instinctively curling up against Y/N in her sleep, and gave them both a kiss on the forehead before heading over to the other bed to try and sleep.

“Annie, baby, wake up.” Her mother’s voice said, gently coaxing her awake and she opened her eyes to find herself looking up at her mother’s smiling face. “The hospital called. Daddy is okay and we can visit him now!”

Annie sat up quickly, eyes wide with surprise.

“Really?” she asked and Y/N nodded.

“We’re gonna go get some breakfast while we wait for visiting hours to begin and then we’re gonna go see him.” she told her daughter with a smile, stroking her hair comfortingly.

“The doctors made him all better?” Annie asked.

“Well, he’s still not feeling all better yet, he’s still hurt but the doctors said that he’s gonna be okay now.” Y/N assured her. “And in a few days, they’re gonna let him out of the hospital and we’ll all get to go home, alright baby?”

Annie nodded and gave her mom a hug before they got ready to go, Annie deciding she wanted to wear her pretty yellow sunday dress to go see him, Y/N grateful she had the forethought to pack it even though they hadn’t planned on going to church. After all three were ready, they walked across the street to a restaurant, Royal carrying his grand daughter as she rambled on about what kind of pancakes she wanted and how they had to bring some to Rhett. Royal and Y/N talked about adult stuff Annie didn’t understand while they ate breakfast, Annie tearing into her chocolate chip pancakes and drowning them in syrup. She was very excited when her mama let her order hot chocolate and she sipped away at it while her grandfather talked about medical and financial stuff with her mother.

Annie made sure they ordered a plate of food for Rhett, telling the waitress that she needed to please make sure the box was closed tight because they had to take it to the hospital for her daddy and she didn’t want to spill anything. When Royal was paying the check at the cash register up front, the waitress gave Annie a cookie and handed over the box for Rhett, which she said was ‘on the house’, although Annie didn’t understand how it could be on the house if they were in it. Either way, Y/N thanked her and the trio headed outside and across the street again.

The car from the previous night came to pick them up again and drive them to the hospital, dropping them off right at the front doors. They stopped in the gift shop so Annie could pick out some flowers for her father while Royal asked the staff for Rhett’s room number. Annie held her mother’s hand tightly as they took the elevator up a couple floors and a nurse led them down the bright hallways that seemed so endlessly long before they finally stopped in front of a door. The nurse knocked and opened the door.

“Mr. Abbott, you have some visitors here to see you.” she said with a smile and Annie was ushered into the room, the nurse shutting the door behind her when she left.

The first thing Annie noticed was how bright and clean everything was, a big window with the curtains thrown open taking up almost a whole wall. Then she saw the very high bed, big machines beeping beside it. There were so many tubes, cords, and wires everywhere that it took her a minute to realize that her father was lying in the bed with his head propped up on some pillows. His left side was way more bandaged than his right side and his left arm was in a cast but he smiled at her anyways.

“Hey Angel!” Rhett exclaimed. “Did you get all dressed up in your pretty dress just to come see me?”

Annie noticed the big bandages on his head and looked down at the floor, clinging to her mother’s leg shyly.

“Annie, go on baby, it’s okay.” Y/N prodded her gently trying to usher her towards her father but she just held on to her leg tighter with her eyes squeezed shut, little tears slipping out as she began to cry into her mother’s side.

Startled, Y/N looked to Rhett and Royal in confusion before kneeling down at her daughter’s level, pulling her into her arms.

“It’s okay, baby. Look, daddy’s alright!” she assured her, picking her up and carrying her towards Rhett’s bed, stroking her hair comfortingly. “I know it looks scary but he’s okay, sweetheart!”

Annie looked at her father again before bursting into tears and burying her head in her mother’s neck.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she cried out and the adults looked to one another in concern as she blubbered on. “I’m sorry I got you hurt daddy, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

“Angel, what do you mean? You didn’t hurt daddy.” Rhett assured her as Y/N sat in the chair by his bed so he could reach out to comfort his baby girl, Annie turning her head to look at him.

“It’s my fault! I didn’t give you your good luck kiss!” she sobbed and her parents sighed in realization. “I always give you your good luck kiss so you don’t get hurt but I forgot this time and you did get hurt!”

“Angelica, look at me.” Rhett told her, holding her hands as she turned in Y/N’s lap to face him directly, blue eyes staring into blue eyes. “This is not your fault. This didn’t happen because I didn’t get a good luck kiss, okay? So don’t think for one second that you caused this because you didn’t.”

“R- really?” she asked, voice catching on her tears and Rhett wiped them off of her cheeks, her mother rubbing her back comfortingly.

“Yes, Angel. I’m sure.” he told her with a smile. “Now, come give me a hug, I missed my baby girl so much.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, daddy.” she said quietly, looking at his bandages worriedly.

“You won’t baby. Just be gentle and stay on this side and I’ll be okay.” Rhett assured her, referring to his right side and she nodded.

Y/N helped her climb up onto the bed and gently lay down beside him, tucked into his side under his arm as he held his wife’s hand.

“See? I’m alright, Angel. I just got a little more banged up than usual by the mean old bull and I’ll have some new scars but I’m okay.” he told her. “And I’m never gonna ride another bull again, okay?”

“Really?” she asked, half in surprise and half in happiness.

“I pinky promise.” he said, letting go of his wife’s hand to link pinkies with his daughter as she smiled.

“Oh!” she said suddenly, dropping his pinky and digging in her pocket as her parents looked at her in confusion. “I got it!” she exclaimed as she fished out one of her flowery bandaids. She carefully peeled off the wrapper and stuck it on his hand, looking up at him proudly. “All better!”

“Yes, Angel, thank you.” Rhett said, pressing a kiss to her forehead and grabbing his wife’s hand, smiling at Royal as he nodded affectionately from his spot in the doorway. “I’m all better now.”

[asherlockstudy]

did you watch the last GME? what are ur thoughts

I did.

Once more I am so conflicted over it. I feel a warm and fuzzy - not necessarily pleasant - sensation, like a mix of being embarrassed and mildly inebriated. And I don’t think this is entirely spontaneous. I think they passed it on to me. But it certainly doesn’t help that my day otherwise sucked. I did laugh throughout it, so there's that.

GME 3 SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT

I won’t linger too much on my negative feelings because I have talked about this before and it hasn’t changed the third time. But I can’t help but stress once more that it was evident again that some of their boundaries were getting crossed, Link in the suckling (but if my perception is of any worth, I think he was also uncomfortable in the milk pumping one but he was deflecting by acting cool). Rhett was uncomfortable throughout whenever Link started talking for too long or too freely, as usual. But it was bad enough that Link expressed it openly that his boundaries were crossed and again, I don’t like this being the case and also I don’t understand why the fuck they keep doing it (or maybe I do…?) since they are not okay with it even after freaking practices.

I enjoyed the crew’s presence, mostly because their presence comes as such a stark contrast with that of Rhett and Link’s. It was almost relieving seeing them having fun, laughing, being silly before returning to the lingering vague anxiety of what Rhett and Link will have to do or choose to say next. What a highlight Emily’s accident was! I hope she doesn’t feel bad about it. And the one thing I enjoy about GME somehow the most is that nobody among them seems genuinely made for that type of content. But their persistence of going back at it again and again makes it very amusing to me.

A lot of the content was too prepared and practiced, which kinda turned me off, even though I respect the reasoning behind it. Even Link’s personal story towards the beginning was prepared and practiced since they threw the graphic of “we are still good” before Link remembered to say it. Which brings me again to all my questions of “why going to certain places” since you have practiced so much and apparently know what the various situations you’d get into would be in advance.

The bullying of the commentators was hilarious - it was the comedic highlight of the show for me. I also loved Link shaming Rhett’s butt. Did he say “your ass is the laughing stock of asses?” Or something like that. Oh boy 😄

Me during the mooning: oh they actually have better asses than they clai- *sees the chocolate asses* …. Never mind. (Don’t come at me for this!!!!!!!!!)

It was a good choice that they weren’t…. as inebriated as the previous year. Imagine if they were. Clearly intentional that they weren’t. I know some people complained they were a little more reserved but I believe it was ultimately a wise choice.

However, Link’s mild intoxication made him so lovely. And wasn’t he especially loving to Rhett? He kept touching him, on the shoulders, almost stroking him. He was smiling so tenderly to him. He was so appreciative, so full of love in his words. (How beautiful that part of Rhett being the funniest guy he knows and not being threatened by him was!) Even though part of it, like before the stun cane, was strategic, I am convinced he was being genuine, just more open. More real. Surely not a side Link shows in front of others often but I think it might be a bit like that when they are alone, because there have been implications in many occasions that Link is sweeter, more sensitive, more affectionate, more fragile than he lets on publicly. The most intriguing one was Rhett though, because his face was a rollercoaster. His expression often dropped when Link talked a little too much or at the expectation of Link talking too much. But when he was not worried, he looked at Link with a variation of this (stealing screenshot from @jula483):

I honestly haven’t seen a purer look of affection in one’s face, even if it was within the context of all of Link’s ass hair getting pulled out simultaneously.

That game titled as "your parents forcing you to go to law school" or something? Remember it? Link raised a middle finger at that moment. I think there was a recipient there, Rhett's dad.

It was odd how much Rhett did not want to answer the question about the effects of age on his body. He really was like “Oh you want me to give a real answer about it?” and then never answered, which passed under everyone’s radar, including Link who answered normally. What was the real answer Rhett did not want to give? Infrequent hard-ons? I am not sure it was sexual because this was something he could easily skip and talk about non-sexual effects that happen to everybody, just like Link did. I once again made a bad thought and… I am sorry. Lately, I am a little alarmed by how much they make jokes about Rhett dying first (they always did but it’s become more frequent) and by some insinuations they have made that they even had little arguments about Rhett taking proper care of his diet (the bacon discussion if you can recall) Rhett did say he was diagnosed with high cholesterol, plus all the OURA rings he has. High cholesterol is not anything unusual and I believe they make a bigger deal of this than it should be. I wonder if they are hiding something more there too. That part on Ear Biscuits when Link said he was building a social circle in order to not “go under” once Rhett passes left a bad aftertaste to me. His eyes water almost every time aging and death are mentioned. And Rhett saying in Last Meals that the only thing he is worried about was how Link will handle his death? Why has this shit become a pattern, guys? You are young, hopefully you still have many decades before you. High cholesterol is not the end of the world. Jeez. Hope there’s not more there.

I am dying to know what it was about Lily coming home that Link wanted to talk about its reason so bad but couldn’t. Was it professional… about a special project or personal? Because if it’s personal, I can once again only connect it to all the other personal things Link is dying to talk about but can’t, or Rhett won’t let him. I guess if it was about Lily, he would say it? Who knows. It was curious though.

Link assuming the question was about whether Rhett and Link have caught each other having sex WHILE having sex with each other without a second thought. I very much doubt it was entirely accidental or not thought out at all. Don't tell me they practiced everything except getting to know the questions they will have to answer. I believe Link feigned misinterpreting it in order to pass the message that this thought comes naturally first to him without question, for reasons. Rhett calling him out on his mind going there and naming him "tumblr" was neither teasing exactly nor startlement at all. He was simply abdicating himself of this. He left Link alone on this. He did damage control by making Link the butt of the joke. It is very similar to Rhett's notoriously slipping and saying they were thinking about being in a relationship with one girl at the same time and Link doing damage control by mocking Rhett that that was what he was dreaming. It's the same thing, except Rhett slipped while I believe Link said that on purpose.

Okay, let’s go to the elephant in the room and the only thing that essentially matters in this whole project. Yeah I saw some people “entertain” the idea and bloody “happy wake up”, folks. I am talking about Link’s attempt to come out. To be fair, it was more than an attempt. And I am very calm about it because a) I have been expecting it for months now, as I have explained and b) Link did allude to it a few weeks ago during a GME promo. This is a fact that kills the speculation that “oh Link always says things he does not realise how they sound” and all that crap. A couple of weeks ago or something, while promoting GME, Link said that there might be an “emotional speech” by him that year and that it was a reason we should watch and support it. During the GME itself, there was a recurring reference to the possibility of Link eventually giving an emotional speech, with Rhett becoming very explicitly more and more opposed to it as time passed. Furthermore, in the GMM of Friday, Link was more loving and affectionate than typical, and because I watched it before GME, I suspected that Link had calculated in advance that by that time (post GME) he would be able to act more freely. Based on how things unfolded, it was evident that Link had already made his intention clear to Rhett and apparently the crew, which means the crew indeed knows a lot, if not everything. Rhett was definitely unhappy about it but Link promised he would keep it strictly about himself and Rhett did not have the power or right to prevent him from doing that. As the day actually came, Link was unsure whether he was ready enough to actually do it. It was unclear whether he would go through with this and Rhett hoped until the last moment that Link would eventually chicken out. The plan was for Link to allude to it in the aftershow mostly but because of his anxiety, instead of taking the initiative and starting the big talk, Link just blabbed it out at a point in the main show when he was countering Rhett in a relatively “light” moment. By countering Rhett exactly in the moment he was saying “he was not gay and not being gay was cool”, the impact of his statement was washed out by the act of countering a poorly phrased sentence but also taking advantage in a moment when his own statement would have the least consequences for Rhett since Rhett had just stated he’s not gay. Just like he had promised he wouldn’t involve Rhett in this.

In any case, everyone can try as hard as they want to “not assume” and to “not take out of context”, however Link’s statement was perfectly clear. He mildly scolded Rhett for misspeaking like “not being gay is cool” because “he was on a journey of his own regarding the exploration of himself and his identity” or however exactly he phrased it and “it took a lot of courage to do it”. Yeah, there are no alternative explanations. Whoever needs to deal with this will have to deal with this.

After that, Rhett became progressively more negative in the idea of Link saying more, so plainly that… well… he was downright verbalising it lol He told him to give up on his intentions for an emotional speech, he told him that “whatever it is, keep it to yourself”, he told him “maybe say it to your Uber driver on your way home but not here”. Like, how much clearer should they make all this? I honestly don’t think at this point if people keep acting like it never happened, it will be beneficial for Link. I think it might even feel invalidating, nullifying. He wants to come out, it’s Rhett that won’t let him.

But hey I don’t mean Rhett is a bad guy because his motive is not to oppress or torture Link. Rhett is simply highly aware of all the things that can go wrong in their situation and he’s got a point about that. Besides that, Link might have promised to keep this strictly about himself and not include Rhett, however I think Rhett knows that this is UNREALISTIC. If one of them comes out as attracted to men, and one 99% did already… essentially, people will eventually take it for granted for the other guy as well. Of course, “it doesn’t mean that just because he is attracted to men he is attracted to Rhett and blah blah blah” but honestly… if that’s your argument, listen to yourself. It’s possible, because all possibilities exist but it is the most IMPROBABLE possibility ever. What was the onset of Link’s sexuality exploration? A show? An actor? A friend he meets once a month and low-key doesn’t even care about? Or maybe the guy he has attached to his hip since childhood, shared girlfriends with, shared beds with, shared studies with and shared a living with? The guy he acts rabid for and the guy he teared up because he kissed through plexiglass and the guy he keeps getting on homo scenarios, initially accidentally and now “for the views”? The guy he abandoned his religion with? Besides, if you take into consideration both the coming out and then all the "Rhett is the funniest guy I know, I love him, my best friend etc" musings, it's not hard to put two and two together.

And here’s the thing; none of this is one-sided. Link did all this WITH Rhett, not for or due to Rhett. WITH. So Rhett knows that everyone with common sense and a good understanding of statistics will be able to tell that:

Link comes out as non-straight >>> Link loves Rhett >>> it is mutual >>> Rhett is not straight either.

Rhett did try to overcorrect the situation so much. I am not gay. It’s cool not being gay. I mean, it’s okay not being gay. My wife this, I did that to my wife. Fucking a vagina just hits differently. I ate out my wife. THANKS FOR SAYING I AM THE CUNNILINGUS CHAMPION.

The most Rhett implied was that apparently he could “make it work for science???” or something like that, even though he is not attracted to men. I found it interesting how this seems to agree with my speculations on how their relationship started - with Link coming out to him and probably tricking him into a purely “friends with benefits - no feelings attached” situation which Rhett hopelessly thought would be an easy peasy arrangement for his sex positive self - only for it to blow up on his face. All these can be perceived through the allegory of “We Dug A Medium sized Hole” but on other projects as well. It could even still be how Rhett genuinely feels - that Link is his exception in the rule, romantically at least. In any case, Rhett knows it’s a slippery slope. And he’s not ready for it at all. But we will see how Sextember goes. Is it going to be overcorrecting or will Link push through it a little more?

Their scripted videos show that there is an intention towards pushing, however Rhett or even both of them pull back whenever it threatens to become more serious. Link wasn’t bummed one bit at Rhett for preventing him to disclose more. I think a part of him was relieved from the pressure when Rhett took charge to instruct him to not go on with it.

Rhett was so painfully aware of everything. The aftershow was literally delayed because he had locked himself in the toilet checking reactions to the show. His personality is not at all ideal for so risky moves and it explains his dread apart from the factual very real dread of shooing away half the viewers and thus half the income, let alone half the family. You know, this is ultimately why I dislike GME. I suspected it but I think now I understand because they basically admitted it on the show themselves. GME, much like their scripted videos, is conditioning of the viewers. An evaluation of how much their viewers are eager to take. Making them used to it. They did these things and then asked the viewers whether it was not too much or too much. What’s the point of this? Your viewers paid for adult content (although that exceeded a typical No-porn/ no-sex mature show), why do you ask them if they can take it or not? They plainly admitted that they were taking this feedback into account. “We draw conclusions from it!” Yeah, they draw conclusions about how far they can go. Is their audience ready for an “what if we told you it’s all true”? Are their viewers willing to consider such imagery might be a real thing between them?

Ultimately though, they are not okay with being like that in front of viewers. Link was frustrated, not because what happened was gross, but because it put him in such a vulnerable position. What happened yesterday doesn’t differ much from a soft only fans situation, I will repeat. There was sexual stimulation of one friend to another. And secret lover. In front of thousands paying for it. Not everyone is made for this. Most people aren’t made for this actually. I am adamant that it is not healthy for them in specific and it would be much healthier to eventually decide whether they would like to keep their truth secret but safe forever or come out bravely knowing they might be sacrificing a lot of very important stuff in their lives but at least finally finding some inner peace. This thing now is slow burn torture without ever achieving closure. This is the reason I speak badly about GME. It is not comedy. It is comedy rooted in a very difficult, a bad situation that involves suffering. People have said before that I make this a bigger deal than it is. You are entitled to your opinion but from my side I also don’t think you are right.

Okay, I screwed this up. I said this wouldn’t be as negative. I am sorry. But whoever comes to my blog for my thoughts on this knows my feelings about it more or less. I can not gloss over it. They are real people. Their situation is real and it is a hard one. I believe they don’t know how to handle it. I don’t pretend to know better, I am just sensing the way they are taking might not be a good way. I wish the best for them, no matter what their choice is. When someone intoxicated tells you after the show he himself hosted that everything is a blur and that they don’t know how to feel about it and that they aren’t happy but they are happy for you being happy with it and that they aren’t willing to rewatch any of this, if that’s not a red flag the size of an elephant I don’t know what is.

[twistedboxy]

For Robyn as part of this year's mythical secret santa @mythicalsecretsanta . I present

Class Magic

From the blog @dailyau the AU was "We're teachers at the same school and our students are convinced we're pining for each other (we are) AU

Monday

"Hey Mr. M, sorry I'm late." A young voice said.

Rhett looked up from his desk to see his student holding an ice pack to their head. "Hi Tommy, no worries. What happened?"

A third voice spoke up. "Sorry, there was a bit of an incident during gym class. The nurse said he was okay but I wanted to make sure he made it okay."

"I'll make sure to keep an eye on him, Mr. Neal."

"Thanks."

Tuesday

"Hey, we're recess duty pals today." Rhett said.

"We are. It's pretty nice today before break. What are your holiday plans?" Link replied.

"I go to my parents house where I also see my brother and his family."

"That's nice. My parents aren't together anymore so I visit both their houses."

“Oh so you kinda get two Christmases in one.”

Link laughed, “I guess so, it's been like this for so long I never thought of it that way.”

“Incoming!” A childish voice screamed out. A ball came flying towards the two, it hit Link in the shoulder causing him to stumble into Rhett who caught him.

“You okay?” Rhett asked as he helped Link get his balance.

“Yea, I'm good. Surprised me, that's all.”

Wednesday

“Welcome class, I decided today was a free day since the book fair is here this week.”

“Yay!” Multiple cheers from all around.

“Mr. Neal, can we go to the book fair?” A student asked.

“Let me check, but I think we can manage that.” A few minutes later, he came back.

“Alright, we're all set. Who's coming along?”

At the book fair

“Mr. M, check out this book on dinosaurs!”

“That looks like a good one. Are you going to get it, Billy?”

“Yea!” Billy runs off.

“Hey Rhett, looks like your class is having fun.” Link quipped.

“Hey Link, I see you brought your class too.” Rhett said.

Link laughed, “Yea they pretty much begged me to come. I think some of them wanted to visit again.”

The two watched both their classes run around the fair and admire their purchases. Rhett leaned down to tie his shoe, Link noticed something stuck to this back.

“Rhett, there's something on your back, you want me to grab it?” Link asked.

“Sure, thanks.”

“Let's see what this is.” He unfolds the paper reading aloud “I'm stuck on you. From your secret admirer.”

“You have a secret admirer! What a clever way to sneak a note.” The two laughed.

Thursday

Rhett thought he picked a great sweater for Ugly Sweater day. It was a kitten popping out of a present shooting lasers out of its eyes.

“Nice sweater, Mr. M! Did you plan yours with Mr. Neal?” Someone questioned.

“No, why?” He said.

A girl spoke up “He's wearing the same sweater.”

“We have good taste then.”

Friday

Link's day didn't start out great. It was raining and he ended up stepping on gum. The day continued dully. During his lunch break, he decided to work on some grading. He flipped open his gradebook and a boot shaped card slipped out.

“Huh what's this?” The gradebook was put aside for the moment while he inspected the card. Inside the card it read,

“Just like gum on a shoe, I'm stuck on you. There's a matching card afoot, go and find it. From your secret admirer. P.S. Will you be my date for tonight?”

Link felt his heart skip a beat from the notion of someone liking him romantically. His lunch break was almost up and he had class soon but the note instantly made his day much better.

Meanwhile Rhett walked into his classroom to find a similar boot shaped card taped to the chalkboard. “Alright, who put this here?” He asked.

“Mr.M, it was already here when we came in.” One of his students replied.

Another spoke up, “Are you going to read it?”

“Not right now, after class. Let's get started.”

It was towards the end of the day when Rhett got to read his note. His note read “I like your boots. Can you find my partner? From your secret admirer. P.S. Will you be my date tonight?”

Rhett chuckled to himself, someone noticed his boots.

The school was pretty empty as he searched around for his card's partner. He rounded a corner not paying attention bumping into someone.

“Rhett?”

“Hm, oh Link sorry about that. My mind is elsewhere.” Rhett apologized.

“Same here, what's that in your hand?”

“I got this card earlier today. I'm supposed to find its partner.”

Link held out his hand with the matching card.

"I think we were set up." Rhett laughed.

“They're not wrong, I do like you a lot.”

“Same here. What do you say, would you like to be my date for tonight?”

“I'd love to. See you tonight. They're going to get a kick out of this.”

“See you tonight.” The two parted ways until later.

At the dance

“Do you think all the stuff that happened this week was coincidence or was it the grade's elaborate plan to get us together?” Link asked.

“We were definitely part of their plan.” Rhett replied.

“Like I said earlier, I do like you a lot. I'd definitely like to spend more time with you. So what do you say, would you like to go out again sometime again?"

"I'd love to."

Various students nearby started cheering.

"I guess that proves it."

[filmtv2022]

By Your Side: Chapter Twenty-One (18+ Minors DNI)

Previous Chapter

Epilogue Part 1

Masterlist

Pairing: Rhett Abbott x Reader

Summary: Rhett faces the ugliness of the life-and-death situation that sits in front of him. Royal hints at the complexity of Amy's disppearence, but only adds more heartbreak and confusion to his family. 

Warnings: gun violence + language + tramatic events

A/N: I think this might be the last official chapter of this story. I don’t want to close off the end too much because I want to leave room for more story if/when we get a second season of Outer Range (I’m attached to this story okay!) With that being said, I have some thoughts for an epilogue (looking like it will be two parts), so get stoked for that! I’ll be working on it ASAP! 

________________________________________________

Standing in the glow of light just outside the building, Rhett watched you walk away for as long as he could. Eventually, you turned a corner and disappeared out of his view. Forcing out a sigh, he turned around and headed back to his mother who was now sitting at a table with a styrofoam cup of coffee. The steam wafted around her face as she took a small sip of the bitter liquid inside. Sliding out the chair next to her, he listened to the groan of the plastic as he let his full weight settle onto the flimsy seat. 

Sitting next to Ceci, Rhett pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was growing late in the evening, the hour only added to the stress of it all. Amy hadn’t been missing for long, but considering the chill in the air and the sheer number of people who’d been in attendance it seemed that with every minute that passed the likelihood of finding her alive and well grew smaller. Turning his head, Rhett surveyed the people who remained in the space. 

“They’re not here.”

“Hmm?” Lost in thought, Rhett had heard his mother speak, but the specifics of what she’d said were lost in the jumbled mess of his thoughts.

“Royal and Perry, they’re not here. I called ‘em both while you talked with Y/N… they didn’t pick up.” 

He didn’t have any words in response to what she’d just told him. He should have been angry or frustrated, but instead, he found himself numb to the fact that his father and brother were absent when they were needed the most. Shoving down the feelings of disgust that bubbled up when he thought about Perry, he stood to grab himself a cup of coffee. It was unlikely that the swill would be anything like the delicious brew he was used to during his mornings with you, but he prayed that it would breathe even a small amount of life back into his weary body. 

Holding onto the flimsy plastic handle of the coffee pot, Rhett stared blindly at the stream of brown liquid as it filled up the cup. Replacing the pot, he turned to make his way to the table when the sound of gunfire reverberated over the dull murmur of the crowd. Two shots came in quick succession, one right after the other, and only the briefest of pauses separated the second from the third. A heavy blanket of dread descended upon the room as everyone stood frozen in place for a moment, not trusting their ears. The sudden movement of two deputies rushing past him returned Rhett to reality. Muttering your name, he practically dropped the cup of coffee on the table as he took off outside of the building. down on the table to his right and took off. Rushing ahead of the officers, he tracked down the path he was sure you'd taken to the truck.

Moving as fast as he could he pounded over the ground, Rhett couldn’t shake the anxiety and worry that twisted in his gut. After what felt like ages, the gate to the riders-only parking area came into view. Crashing through the partially open gate, he felt his legs start to give way at the sight before him. Your limp frame was crumpled next to the truck, and even in the dark, he could see the large pool of blood that had settled beneath your body. Just beyond you, his eyes flashed to the other body that was partially prone in front of you. Rushing to your side, he lost all sense of self. Dropping to his knees, he gently rolled you onto your back, his chest clenching at the sight of your ghostly pale skin.

“Y/N, Y/N..hey, hey, hey… can you hear me, baby? Talk to me…” Holding your head in his hand, Rhett’s voice broke in hoarse rasps as he pleaded with you, his other hand skimmed over your body as he spiraled out of control.

Brushing away that dirt that clung to your cheek, he was startled by the cool temperature under his fingers. Sliding to the side of your neck he felt for a pulse. The shakiness of his hands made feeling for the gentle bounce under your skin difficult, but it was there, low and irregular, but there nonetheless. Bending low, he sought out the rise and fall of your chest. Seeing the shallow movement he redirected his attention to stopping the bleeding.

Pushing back the edges of the coat you were wearing, he scanned your body in search of your injuries. His stomach turned over at the amount of blood that soaked through your clothes. Your sweatshirt was drenched with it, as was your coat. The viscous liquid coated his hands as he worked to stop its flow. Moving his hand along your torso, he found the tear in your shirt near your left shoulder and pressed down hard with the heel of his hand. He felt blood bubble up around the pressure. Fumbling for his cell phone, he swiped open the phone to dial for help when the sound of footsteps and loud voices tore his vision toward the gate. A sense of momentary relief washed over him as he saw two deputies rushing in his direction. 

His hearing was fuzzy as the two men yelled orders into their radio. Unable to think clearly, he sat frozen in place, his hand still pressing down on the wound. Feeling a touch on his shoulder, Rhett looked around to find Mark kneeling on the ground next to him, while Matt stood next to the other body speaking to dispatch through the radio attached to his shoulder. Rhett could hear Matt trying to talk to him, but he wasn’t processing any of it. Giving every bit of his concentration to you, he struggle to speak, but he knew that he needed to.

“There’s a… another one on her stomach.” His voice was ragged as he informed Matt of the second sight of injury. Returning his attention to the wound he was attending to, Rhett saw more blood ooze between his fingers, “Shit, Y/N… fuck.” 

Wasting no time, the other man located the spot and pressed in with his full weight. Time spun around Rhett in an endless void as he waited for an ambulance to arrive. With each minute that passed the pallor of your skin grew starker, and he knew without a doubt that they were running out of time. Baring down, he tried to block out the pandemonium that was happening around him as more officers converged on the scene. 

“Come on, sweetheart, please...” Sucking in a rattling gasp he forced the air from his lungs as he continued to speak his words tumbling out in a nearly incoherent ramble, “don’t do this baby… stay with me, don’t do this, Y/N, please.” 

Lost to the world around him, Rhett’s eyes never left your face, soft pleas spilled like a prayer from his lips as he begged you to stay with him. He could feel the burn in his shoulder and wrist as he continue to try and quell the bleeding, but it didn’t matter, he’d relive every ounce of pain he’d ever experienced if it meant that he could save you. In this hyper-focused state, the swirl of red and blue lights of an approaching ambulance went unnoticed by him. Needing to tend to your wounds, the EMTs tried to get Rhett to move away and let them take up the space he’d been occupying, but in his panic, he was unwilling to move. 

Seeing the anger and desperation flare in her son’s face as the paramedics tried again to move him, Ceci who had been standing at the edge of the scene, rushed forward. Gently she took Rhett by the shoulders, soothing him with her words as she helped him stand. Guiding him away, the two stood next to the emergency vehicle, watching helplessly as the crew worked. Staring up at Rhett, Ceci wasn’t sure what to expect, but the look on his face was unreal. Utter devastation had drained every ounce of humanity from his features. The man standing beside her was a shell of the person he had been just a short time early. A feral look had taken over his eyes as he shut out every twinge of emotion. Eventually, the walls would fall, but for now, this was the only thing keeping him standing. 

With your wounds packed, the crew eased you onto a stretcher and wheeled you toward the ambulance. Seeing the paramedics approaching the vehicle, Rhett moved toward you out of instinct. The thought of letting them take you away from him was enough to spur him into action. Stepping toward one of the EMTs, he watched in a daze as your lifeless body passed by him. Collapsing the legs of the gurney, the crew piled into the cab with practiced efficiency. His mind was yelling for him to call out, to insist on them allowing him to go with you, but a vice had taken his voice in a chokehold, locking his words within. It was only a matter of seconds between the doors closing and the heavy sound of sirens filling the air. The crunch of dirt under the tires was lost in the blare of the horn as the driver honked signaling their approach to the people who were blocking the path having left the pavilion to see what was causing the chaos. 

With the ambulance quickly out of view, Rhett found himself turning back to the scene, the sight before him sent his stomach rolling. A large dark stain on the ground next to his truck was the only evidence that you’d been there, clinging to life, just moments before. And laying on the ground just a few feet beyond, his eyes locked onto the still uncovered body of the man who he’d promised to protect you from. Bile rose hot in his throat as shock overtook his body. Swaying on his feet, Rhett turned around and reached for the fence nearby and heaved, retching deeply before trying to stand. The sickly gleam of drying blood on his hands as he held the bar sent fresh waves of nausea to the surface, but there was nothing left to bring up as he dry-heaved. Shakily holding himself up with the support of the fence he glanced over his shoulder toward Matt who was standing close to him. Matt’s typically aloof demeanor had been replaced with somber sincerity. Ceci weakly placed a hand in the center of her son’s back both to try and steady him and to ground herself. Looking over at Matt, Rhett’s ears struggled to focus on the words coming out of his mouth, they seemed to be hitting him through a thick wall of fog.

“Here,” Matt extended his arm to hand Rhett a damp towel, “Sheriff’s on her way here. She’ll wanna talk to you, but for now let’s worry about getting you to the hospital, all right?” 

Nodding his head, Rhett accepted the towel and attempted to clean his hands as they made their way toward the front lot. The persistent trembling of his hands made removing the wash of red nearly impossible. Giving up, he turned his focus to forcing his wobbly legs forward more steadily alongside Ceci and Matt. Ducking under the tape, the trio moved silently through the crowd that had formed on the other side. He could hear the whispers and see the pointing fingers, but none of it mattered. He needed to see you, he needed to be with you. Moving as quickly as his body would allow to the squad car that was parked just outside the front gate, Rhett slid into the back seat next to his mother. Flipping on the lights and sirens, Matt pressed on the gas, speeding like a bolt of lightning toward the hospital. 

The blurry scene of the countryside at night blew by the windows as Ceci reached for Rhett’s hand. Holding tight to her son she observed the gore that still caked his clothing. The stains on his Carhartt looked black in the darkness. Ceci could feel the tackiness of the drying blood against her skin as she clung to Rhett, but she didn’t care. For now, there was nothing to do, but hold him and pray. The past few weeks had shaken her belief in God, and yet in the aftermath of this horrific night, she implored Him to hear her. Sitting like a statue next to her, Rhett beseeched the universe for a miracle. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end, you were supposed to get out, to live a life together. 

…………………..

A tired-looking receptionist led the group to a more private waiting area near the surgery ward. Once they were seated, she made her way back toward the desk to find a doctor. Matt followed her out to get in contact with Joy who’d asked to be updated once they arrived at the hospital. Holding his head in his hands, he could feel the dried blood he’d missed on his skin as he listened to the quiet shuffle of people moving in the hallway nearby while Ceci tried to get ahold of Royal and Perry yet again. Unsuccessful in her attempts, she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and sank back into the stiff plastic chair. The creak of the door opening was accompanied by a kind, but firm voice. 

“Rhett Abbott?” 

Standing, he winced as his muscles adjusted to the new position, “How is she?” 

“She’s in surgery as we speak. There was quite a bit of internal damage from the abdominal wound, and she lost a significant amount of blood.” Taking a deep breath, the young doctor’s face grew even more serious, “I have to be honest with you… she coded in the ambulance on the way in, and it's been fairly touch-and-go for a while. With that being said, right now she’s stable and we’re doing everything we can to take care of her. Also, we had to take this off of her before she went into the operating room.” 

In his outstretched hand, he held the ring that Rhett had put on your finger earlier that day. The brilliant shine of diamond flashed before him as his chest tightened and finally the walls he’d constructed to keep his heart together shattered into pieces. Feeling the last vestiges of strength drain from his legs, Rhett stumbled backward into Ceci who was there to catch him as he let go. Grasping onto his mother, his fists twisted in the sleeves of her shirt as he buried his face in her shoulder. Struggling under his weight, Ceci did her best to keep him upright as his body shook from the intense sobs that coursed through him. Excusing himself, the doctor slowly exited the room to give Rhett and Ceci some privacy.

“I can’t lose her, mom… she can’t leave me…”

“I know, honey, I know.”

Rocking back and forth on her feet, Ceci swayed with Rhett in her arms until he was able to catch his breath, much like she would do when he was a child and he'd come running to her in pain after some convoluted plan the two of you’d cooked up had gone wrong. Feeling his body start to go limp, she guided him back to the chair. Holding the ring in his fist, tears continued to stream in hot lines down his face, his focus trained on the floor in front of him. A quiet knock on the door sounded through the quiet space and forced Rhett to look up. Coming into the room, Sheriff Joy proceeded carefully toward Rhett who didn’t even try to stand this time. 

“How’s she doin’?” Joy asked the question to the room in general.

“She’s with the surgeons right now.” Ceci paused for a moment before continuing on, “Any update on Amy?”

“I’m afraid not. We’ve got an alert out to the adjacent counties, and we have a patrol on the streets. Some of the folks at the rodeo are putin’ together a grid search as we speak. We’re doing everything we can to find her, I promise. I’m so sorry Cecilia.” reciprocating the other woman’s tight-lipped nod, she turned to Rhett and pressed on, “Rhett, I really wish I didn’t have to do this, but we need to talk about what you saw tonight.”

“Come on, Joy, are you fuckin’ serious? Do you really have to do this right now? His fiance is in there fighting for her life right now, and you want him to sit here and give you play-by-play?” 

“Cecilia, I-” 

“It’s okay, Ma. She’s right… we’ve gotta talk about it eventually and it might as well be now.” 

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. You mind giving us a few minutes?”

“Okay… I’ll go hunt down some clean clothes and food.” Hesitantly, Ceci stood from her seat and made her way out of the room. Throwing Rhett a quick look over her shoulder before shutting the door she saw Joy take up the chair she’d just left. 

“It was him, wasn’t it?” 

“Yes, it was James. We confirmed it with his ID and the reports filed by the team of investigators after Y/N’s previous incident.” 

“How did he find her?” 

“We’re not sure of the specifics yet, but from the looks of the inside of his car, he’s been following her for a while. We found pictures in his possession dating back to the days just after her father’s funeral along with what appears to be the spare key to her parent's house. The place was torn to hell when I sent an officer out to look around. And that’s just what we’ve recovered so far, there’s no telling what’s on his phone or laptop.” 

“I promised I would protect her from him… I promised and I failed. And now she might… she might die because I wasn’t there to-” Choking on a sob Rhett teetered on the edge of sanity as he came to grips with the fact that your worst nightmare came true, and that he wasn’t there to stop it. 

“Hold on, Rhett… this isn’t your fault. You didn’t fail her, I know right you can’t see that, but it’s true.”

“But if I’d just gone with her I could’ve-”

“You couldn’t have stopped him. The only thing that would’ve happened had you been with her is that both of you’d be laying in an operating room right now.” Shifting to face Rhett she continued on, “I need you to really listen to me when I say this, okay? I truly believe in my heart that Y/N is gonna come out of that surgery and that she’s gonna wake up, and when she does, she’s gonna need you more than ever. She’s got a long road ahead of her, and she’s won’t be able to do it on her own. An’ when we find Amy… she’s gonna need you too, don’t forget that.”

This was a side to Joy that Rhett had never seen before, but he appreciated it in a way he couldn’t really explain. New tears formed as he tried to accept the truth behind her words. 

……………………

Keeping an eye on the clock, Rhett was acutely aware of the hours that had passed. Now dressed in clean clothes, and free of the dried blood, he waited impatiently in the tiny room. Ceci has long since been escorted back to the Abbott home by Sheriff Joy, but he refused to leave. The doctors had tried several times to get him to go in the hope that he would rest, but their attempts were wildly unsuccessful. One of the kind nurses had managed to convince him to see a doctor for his own injuries after witnessing him throw back a handful of pain pills with what appeared to be his sixth cup of coffee. 

With his arm now in a sling, and a healthy dose of medicine to take the edge off the pain running through his system, Rhett paced back and forth over the hard tile floors. His movement was interrupted when the same doctor he’d spoken to throughout the night came in to give yet another update. 

“What’s her status, doc?” 

“She’s out of surgery and settled in the ICU.” 

“When can I see her?” 

“Soon, but there are a few things we need to discuss before that happens.” 

“Okay.” 

The serious look on the man’s face sent Rhett’s heart pounding in his chest as he followed him over to the chairs. The plastic squeaked under their weight as both men took their respective seats. Inhaling deeply, the doctor did his best to look Rhett in the eye as he spoke.

“Rhett, the extent of Y/N’s injuries was quite severe. That, coupled with their location and the extreme loss of blood… we’re looking at several more trips into the OR before we can be sure that everything is squared away and even then that’s not accounting for any complications that may arise.” 

“How many surgeries we’re talking about?”

“We can’t be sure of that right now, but we’ll know more in the coming days. But that’s not really what I’m here to talk about. Rhett, I need you to understand that when you see Y/N, she’s not going to look the like herself. Is it all right if I tell you a little bit about what you can expect?” 

“Go ahead.”

“The first thing you need to know is that she is currently sedated and on a breathing machine. She will remain this way until we are sure that her body is strong enough to support itself without the additional help.”

“Okay.” 

“On top of that, because there will be several more surgeries in the coming days the surgeons decided to leave her midline incision open. The wound is packed with gauze and wrapped, and the drainage tubes have been placed in between her ribs to ensure there is no fluid buildup in her chest that may lead to further complications.” 

“All right. I can handle that, I just need to see her.” His words were brave, but internally Rhett was narrowly holding on to his composure. 

“Okay. If you’re ready.” 

“I’m ready.” 

……………

There was nothing that could have prepared Rhett for seeing you laying vulnerable on that hospital bed. The sterile lights, the bandages wrapped carefully around your frame, the tube protruding from your side… the movement of your chest from the machine that was helping to keep you alive, it was all too much. Unfreezing himself from the doorway, he made his way over to the chair that had been placed at the side of your bed. Sinking into the seat, his eyes remained glued to your face as he tried to focus on what little positives he could see. Even in this state, tiny signs of life had come back somewhat. The deathly gray of your lips that had existed the last time he saw you no longer existed. The slight blush of oxygen-rich blood flowing beneath gave life back to your face. The gore that had caked your body had been wiped away, leaving behind soft patches of your skin where a flush of color had returned.

Tenderly, he reached out and collected your left hand in his... Placing a barely there kiss on your palm and fingers, he listened to the steady beeps of the machines all around. The noises filling the room acted as both a grim reminder of what had led you here and a tiny seed of hope for your recovery. Release your hand from yours, he reached into his pocket, feeling around for the ring… your ring. Finding it quickly, he pulled it from the depths into the harsh light of the room. Sliding the band around your finger, he stood up just enough to see your face again and brushed a featherlight kiss to your temple. 

“Come back to me, Y/N. I can’t do this without you. I'm not goin' anywhere, I promise.” 

Slumping forward Rhett rested the side of your hand on his forehead, sinking into the warmth of your skin. Rocking back and forth, his horrifying and broken sobs reverberated off the sterile walls.

Really and truly spent, Rhett's body began to shut down despite his attempts to hold on to consciousness. Eventually, exhaustion took hold and forced him into a rough dream state, his body was propped against the edge of the bed. Throughout the night, a constant flow of nurses and doctors came in and checked on you, and with each one Rhett woke, his soul needed to hear any minuscule update they could offer after their assessment. 

…………

As the dark of night gave way to the dreary light of a new day, he found himself shutting down in every way possible. The dull ache from his injuries came back in full force, shifting into excruciating agony as the pain medicine wore off. But the physical ache was nothing compared to the grief that swept over him as he watched. Drowning in the weariness, Rhett continued to fall into short bouts of fitful sleep, his dreams filled with the vivid images of finding you replaying like a broken record. Trying and failing to drag himself out of the nightmares, he could feel the tears pouring down his face in his sleep. A soft touch on his shoulder pulled him back from the horrors, Disoriented and unguarded, Rhett’s eyes glanced around the room before settling on his mother who was now standing by his side. Dressed in fresh clothing, Ceci looked down at her son, her own eyes sunken in and filled with sorrow as she waited for him to wake up fully. 

“Rhett, you gotta get some actual rest. And when’s the last time you ate anything?” 

“I’m fine, Ma.”

“You’re not fine, sweetie. You can’t do this to yourself. It’s -”

“I can’t leave her here alone…” Rhett’s voice broke at the thought of something happening to you while he was away. 

“She’s not gonna be alone. Okay? I’ll stay here, but you need to get some rest.” Ceci made no attempt to mask the desperation in her voice. 

Staring up at his mom, Rhett felt like a little kid again as he fought with how to describe the fears that possessed his mind. Swallowing, he tried to clear the thick feeling from his throat before he spoke.

“Any news about Amy?” 

“No, and… and there’s something else you need to know…” Trying to continue on the words caught like barbed wire in her throat, leaving her voice raspy and broken, “Perry’s gone.” 

“What the fuck are you talkin’ about?” 

“He’s gone, Rhett. He took off before Amy left for school the other day and hasn’t shown back up since.” 

“When did you plan on telling me this?” 

“After your ride last night, honestly, but then everything… and your father…” her voice cracked with raw sadness and isolation, Ceci whispered, “Our family’s falling apart and I don’t know how to save it.” 

“I know.” Breathing out as he stood, he tried to fight through the pain. Reaching out for his mother with his good arm, Rhett pulled her into a hug. The two stayed in the embrace until the sound of another nurse coming in to do another round of checks broke them apart.

………….

With the reassurance that you were stable and the promise from his mother that she’d stayed until he got back, Rhett made his way back home for a much need shower, food, and some rest. Forcing himself up the steps of the Abbott home, he pushed his way inside. The deafening silence that met his ears did little to lift his spirits. It was impossible to ignore the fact that no matter what happened after this point life would never be the same. If Perry returned there was a prison sentence awaiting him that would only grow larger the longer he stayed away from Wabang. Beyond that, who knew what trauma would have clawed its way into Amy’s soul should she find her way back to her family. And his father, something had so obviously broken in him, a vital piece of who he was deep inside, the damage was done and no amount of time would be able to restore him to the man he once was. This left Rhett and Ceci, the remaining bastions of the Abbotts to fight for a family that hadn't really existed for who knows how long. 

And then there was you, the person who above all else Rhett knew he couldn’t live without. Every time his focus slipped images of you flashed before his eyes. He could still feel the warmth of your blood flowing over his skin as he pressed into your gaping wounds. The washed-out color of your face as he knelt down next to you, his voice lost to the void of your unconsciousness. The cool flushed of your cheek as he brushed his fingertips along the plush skin. He knew then that for the rest of his life, he would be haunted by the memory of you hanging onto life in front of him. 

Walking past the kitchen, Rhett’s attention was pulled into the room as his eyes caught on the disheveled scene within. The table that normally sat perfectly within the space was turned over on its side, and there was food scattered all around the floor. Broken bits of glass accompanied the rest of the mess. If he’d had more sleep or better control of his own thoughts, Rhett would have stopped to contemplate and take care of it, but now was not the time. Instead, he turned his focus forward and proceeded gingerly toward the stairs. 

..................

With his sling placed on the side of the sink, Rhett stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Letting it heat he watched as the steam filled the room. Sliding back the shower curtain, he stepped under the near scalding stream. The burn of it on his skin was a welcome diversion from the injuries that slowed his movements and the horrendous thoughts he was trying and failing to block. Struggling to maneuver with only one usable arm, the shower took much longer than he’d originally anticipated. Using a course washcloth, he scrubbed every inch of skin vigorously, the flesh turning pink from the friction and the heat of the water. With each pass over his body, he tried desperately to wash away the feeling of your blood on him. But with his body raw from his actions, the sensation never faded. Throwing down the rag, he pressed his palm flat against the wall of the shower away from the stream, his head falling forward as he let a new wave of emotions release.

The water eventually ran ice cold, forcing himself from the confine of the bathroom, Rhett got himself dressed and sought out some food before returning to his room. Falling into bed, he found himself gravitating toward your side of the bed. Tucking his face into your pillow he inhaled deeply, taking in the faint scent of you that still clung to the fabric. Worn and weary, Rhett’s body pulled him under however unwillingly. 

………

Upon waking, Rhett found the bright gold of the setting sun filtering through the windows. Dragging himself from the bed, he put on his sling and headed out the door. The miles passed by in a fog, and before he knew it Rhett was opening the door to your hospital room. The scene inside hadn’t changed much since he’d left. Ceci’s small frame sat in the chair, her hands holding yours as she stared blankly out the window at the evening sky. 

“Hey, Ma. I’m back.”

Startling, Ceci’s head whipped to look in the direction of the voice.

“The doc came by about twenty minutes ago. She’s doin’ good, Rhett.” swapping places with her son, she stood by his side with her hand on his back, “I talked to the nurses and they’re willing to let you say here overnight, at least for a while. They normally can’t do that, but with everything going on… they were willing to make an exception.”

“Are you gonna be okay at home?” 

“Don’t worry about me.” 

Giving him a gentle squeeze, she only left the room after promising to be back to relieve him in the morning. Walking away, Ceci’s mind followed much the same path Rhett’s had before. The end of the last conversation she’d had with Royal repeated on a dangerous loop for her as she drove back toward her home.

Sitting at the table, Cecilia looked out at her husband who stood shrouded in the shadows of the dimly lit kitchen. 

“You are my family. And you pushed out that pain for me. But I held on to it no matter. And for my entire life, I was afraid of how it might bleed onto all of you. And it has. I tried to keep it secret. I tried to protect you from me. All of you. And I’m sorry. “ sniffling, Royal cleared his throat and shook his head as if to redirect his thoughts, “I want to do it different. I don’t want grace. I just want my family back. All I want is our family back.”

Staring dead ahead, Ceci saw the remorseful and determined man before her, but the image of it never reached her heart. Instead, cold hard anger flared like an explosion in her. This man, the man she’d committed her life to, the man she’d loved for all these years… the man whom she’d stood by as he lost all connection with reality stood in the heart of the place they’d called home, and laid out the completeness of his sin and indiscretion to her, and enough was enough. He’d killed this family the same way he’d killed his father, with a sudden and swift blow, leaving behind only the remnants of what was once a good and healthy thing.

Shifting her eyes down to the table, Ceci raised her foot to the side and paused. Looking up once more she made eye contact with Royal as she used her strength to force the table over, the food and drink spilled in a loud crash. 

“Our family is gone. It’s all gone. Our children are gone. And don’t try for a second to tell me any different. Perry is nowhere to be found, and Rhett… the minute Y/N can leave they will be out of this town faster than you can say rodeo. And they’re never lookin’ back.” Taking a second, she breathed in shakily, speaking on her exhale, “Amy’s gone.”

“No, she’s not.” 

-------------------

@lostinthefandoms11

@hope-love-equality2

@eugene-emt-roe

[mythicalshipping]

Y’ALL. I STG. 

This ep starts off just like “ah yes semper curiosis we are science-y boys who like science-y things so we’re going to test--” 

Uhm...well, alright, that’s one way of putting it I suppose...

Link surrendering easily too was just...A LOT OKAY.

Awww the journey of Link’s facial expressions when Rhett said he knows Link “very very well” ;-;

Rhett was very dominant demanding hot ‘n bossy insistent here...and also LIKE...

LET ME TAKE THIS ENTIRE EPISODE TO FEED YOU AND BABY YOU WHILE I TALK TO YOU IN A SOFT VOICE AND BARELY MANAGE TO AVOID BABY TALKING TO YOU (EXCEPT FOR CALLING YOU “LINKY” AND REFERRING TO YOU IN THE THIRD PERSON). 

LIKE.  SIR. 

SIR. 

SHOULD I EVEN BE WITNESSING THIS?!?!

So then later, Rhett is reminding Link of a positive memory of Link in a soccer game (which I believe Rhett regularly attended to support Link despite not playing himself?) and of course has to clarify that HE is Link’s best friend but also that he wasn’t the ONLY one of Link’s friends there...

Then, Rhett is helping Link to recall a memory of a time when Link was a teenager that he may have previously wanted a redo for (a girl hinting to Link that she wanted to make out with him but Link being entirely oblivious) which is...interesting enough on it’s own but like...

(and my screenshots got cut off here but like) HIS VOICE SEEMS TO DROP AND EVEN GET BREATHY AT CERTAIN POINTS AS HE PAINTS A DETAILED RECOLLECTION FOR LINK?!?! LIKE I JUST...THE IMPLICATIONS THAT HE COULD WALK LINK THROUGH CURRRENT ADULT SCENARIOS WITH...I JUST...

HE INTENDS FOR LINK TO ACT LIKE HE IS KISSING THIS MYSTERY FOOD WHILE HE LEANS TOWARDS HIM LIKE THIS LIKE WTF. WTF. 

OH JUST A LITTLE BIT WEIRD HUH?!!?

If you were expecting things to calm down a bit after this, THINK AGAIN.

...

INTERESTING WORD CHOICE TO SAY THE LEAST. 

You mean the thing best friends give to their best friends but aren’t supposed to enjoy?

...wait...WAIT...YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ENJOY A MASSAGE FROM YOUR BEST FRIEND BUT YOU’RE GOING TO MASSAGE HIM WHILE ASKING HIM TO PICTURE IN HIS MIND A TIME WHEN HE TOLD YOU HE GOT A BONE ER DURING A MASSAGE?!?!?!?!?!?!? LIKE?!?!!? EXCUSE ME?!?!?!? (I think Stevie may have even mentioned something about things getting a bit GME in this ep but SO MUCH was going on that I can’t be sure). 

Rhett...did not have to gesture...like this...>.>

THE WAY THE “OH!” CAME OUT OF LINK PLS HELP. 

WHAT THE ACTUAL EFF IS GOING ON HERE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY GOOD MYTHICAL SALAD?!?!?! 

IS THIS EVEN ALLOWED?!?!? HOW IS THIS ALLOWED?!?!?

A;LDKJFL;AKSJDFL;KASJD;KLFJASDAL;S

Rhett feeding Link the Forbidden Fruit...

YOU MEAN THE LAST ROUND WASN’T EVEN THE FINAL ROUND AND THIS IS WHERE WE’RE ENDING UP?!?! 

This may as well have been one of those “5 Times + 1 Time” type fics...

...I’m...I’M SORRY, TO DO *WHAT* NOW?!?!?!

And of course this is the song choice...

WAS THIS EP EVEN REAL?!?!?!

[sebsxphia]

Haven’t dropped some angst in your inbox in a while. 😇

Tensions have been high. Even your normal Saturday night out at the bar on the outskirts of town has Rhett rolling his bad shoulder every so often. Your hand rests on his knee to keep it from hitting the table top and spilling his rocks glass.

He really tried to keep you out of it. Yet the Tillerson’s know how to cross the line in more ways than one. He’s still picking blood from underneath his fingertips. Fuck, why did Perry’s recklessness have to bleed into his life. Even when he thought they were done with that shit.

Rhett’s eyes snapped back open as you squeezed his knee. He looked at you a little confused, trying to play it off in a sly smile. He knows he didn’t fool you, but you understood the act. You took his glass and drained the melted ice before getting up and walking to the bar.

A shadow blocked the light and he looked up. His heart dropped. He expected to see you with a third round but he saw an unfamiliar man. But his origin wasn’t a surprise. He turned around to spot you and saw you arguing with two other men at the countertop. He went to intervene, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Had it been his good shoulder he would’ve brushed it off but the ache in his bad shoulder wasn’t up for a further fight after the ejection from last weeks bull.

“We’ll talk outside”

Before he knew it his shoulder hit the ground and dirt kicked up around him. He groaned. With uneven footing he stumbled back up, leaning against the brick wall, only to find himself outnumbered.

He was dizzy and braced himself for the next blow. He flinched at a crack and expected the bloom of pain. He looked again and saw your frame standing between him and the group. His eyes widened. You just took a punch. For him.

“Don’t. You fucking touch him.” Your tone was ice. Notes he’d never heard before. You spit on the ground. Everyone’s eyes led to the red drops hydrating the red dirt.

Before the man could get a word in or react. Your elbow flew. A second crack and thud followed the man to the ground.

Without a second thought Rhett’s hand gripped yours as he hightailed it to his truck. A low growl and a low “fuck” stumbled out as he looked back to see the blood from your nose drip down your chin and your footing fall.

-@sandbarbirdie 🥊🥊

gaaaaaaaah! birdie! you give me the most insane and toe curling smut, the softest and sweetest fluff, and then the most gut wrenching and heartbreaking angst 😭 you never, ever miss, my love!

it’s the way how you both protect each other in your equal ways. rhett would throw a punch for you and you would settle his nerves and bandage up his scrapes. but what if this was the first time that rhett’s seen you throw a punch for him? he trusts you to look out for him of course, but throwing yourself in the front line? taking a punch yourself? it mixes these feelings of guilt and protection inside of his gut. he should’ve been there to block the punch to you. he shouldn’t of got you into this mess in the first place, but still, you protected him and he’s so incredibly grateful for that. it’s a whole turbulent mix of emotions in the pit of his stomach. he mumbles out a string of apologies when he gets you home and patches you up. he’s pressing soft kisses to your temple and cheeks. the mumbles turn to wobbles in his voice and soon you see a tear fall from his scrunched up eyes. you insist that he sits down and that you tend to him now, all the while reassuring him that it’s okay and that you’ll always protect him.

thank you for this angsty, yet sweet thought, my love 🥺 i need to protect my cowboy husband forever! 💌

[rhettabbotts]

Hiii Shelby! I noticed we're mutuals but never interacted yet, so — I hope the drive feels a lot shorter with thoughts of Bob & Rhett😚

I feel like Bob would be the type to sneak downstairs very early in the morning to cook you something in bed for your second or third anniversary, after you move in together🥺 He's used to waking up at that ungodly hour, but making breakfast as quietly possible is definitely something he wasn't planned for - yes he's a stealth pilot, but he'll be spewing quiet exclamations like "oh dear" "no no nnno" "okay i get it toast is done, i hear you shush" all the while scurrying around the kitchen🍳 In the morning, he finds out it was totally worth it when you reward him with kisses all over and makes a mental note to do it again when you least expect it💋

With Rhett, on the other hand, is out on the bed, softly snoring away especially after a night of bull-riding and drunkenly kissing you in bed. It's relatively easier to sneak out with him compared to Bob, although good luck getting his arms off of you and dodging them like one of those laser beams guarding a mission impossible vault. When you proudly present breakfast to him in the morning, he'd immediately pull out his anniversary gift and take advantage of the meal to feed you on his lap. You'd protest that it was for him, but then he'd let you feed him too, and how can you say no to that -

harace my love i absolutely adore everything about this 🥺🥺🥺

bob is definitely a light sleeper, it comes with the nature of the job. he sets the plate so beautifully too, taking his time to make everything look perfect before presenting it to you. he’s waking you up with a kiss on the forehead and a “good morning beautiful”. he sits on the edge of the bed tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear and caressing your cheek lovingly, feeding you a piece of fruit.

rhett sleeps like a bear. that man will fall asleep within ten seconds of laying down and he snores like a log. he’s a biiigggg cuddler too, has to always have his arms wrapped around you. he won’t wake up for breakfast until you are physically shaking him awake. he’s groaning and stretching like a cat before opening one eye and seeing the tray of food in your hand. “happy anniversary, baby.” you say to him before kissing him lightly on the lips.

i adore both of them so much i’m just 🥹

[shefanispeculator]

Seeing Stars! The 9 Most Successful 'Voice' Competitors of All Time

'The Voice' may never find its Carrie Underwood but that's okay.

One of the major complaints about The Voice is that it has yet to launch a major recording career like American Idol did in its early days. But host Carson Daly says that the days of discovering a Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson on a TV show are long gone.

“Your measuring stick is antiquated because of the way that technology has proliferated,” Daly exclusively tells Parade. “For instance, I could never do TRL [his Total Request Live show] again because this generation has the internet and doesn’t need MTV to get music. There are a lot of YouTubers, and my kids listen to music of people that you have never heard of, that I have never heard of. For some people, just getting to a place where they can support themselves making music, thanks to The Voice—that’s winning.”

And The Voice has several of those types of winners. Former contestants, including a couple of Grammy nominees, who are grateful to the show because their lives changed 100 percent, because as a result of appearing on The Voice, they now make their entire living making music, rather than having to have a day job to pay the bills.

Most Successful Voice Competitors

Koryn Hawthorne (Season 8)

was a member of Pharrell Williams’ team and finished fourth in her season. She has gone on to have a successful gospel career and was nominated twice for Grammys in the Gospel Performance/Song category: in 2019 for “Won’t He Do It” and in 2020 for “Speak the Name.” She has received several other nominations as well, including Billboard Awards and Soul Train Music Awards. She even broke the record for the longest chart-topping woman on the Hot Gospel Songs chart.

Nicolle Galyon (Season 2)

got just one coach to turn (Adam Levine) when she sang “You Save Me” during her Blind Audition. The country singer was eliminated during the Battle Rounds but made a discovery along the way: She didn’t want to sing, she wanted to write songs. While on the show, she met performers RaeLynn and Miranda Lambert (who was married to Blake Shelton at the time) and credits those friendships for launching her songwriting career. She earned her first No. 1 song with “We Were Us,” performed by Keith Urban and Lambert. She also has co-written songs for Lady A, Kenny Chesney, Florida Georgia Line and many others and co-wrote and co-produced RaeLynn’s first full-length album, WildHorse. Gaylon has two Grammy nominations for Best Country Song: in 2015 for Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic” and in 2019 for Dan + Shay’s “Tequila.”

Cassadee Pope (Season 3)

was the first female country singer to win The Voice. The former member of Blake Shelton's team has gone on to find success in country music, but a high point was when she and Chris Young received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Think of You” in 2017.  Her single "Tomorrow Night" was released in Sept. and was followed by her third album, Thrive, in October.

Christina Grimmie (Season 3)

finished in third place on The Voice, and went on to open for Selena Gomez and The Scene, and perform backup vocals for Allstar Weekend and the Jonas Brothers. Christina's career was on the upswing—she had 2 million YouTube subscribers—when she was shot to death during a post-concert meet-and-greet with fans on June 10, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. She was 22.

Danielle Bradbery (Season 4 winner)

was only 16 when she won The Voice, the youngest winner at that point in time but no longer the record. Since graduating from Team Blake Shelton, Bradbery has gone on to have a successful country music career with 15 songs on the Hot Country chart, including "Goodbye Summer" with Thomas Rhett which rose to No. 39 in 2018. Her 2020 single "Never Have I Ever" reached No. 58 on U.S. Country Airplay, and her most-streamed song, "Sway," has 50 million streams. In July 2021, she released her latest single, "Stop Draggin' Your Boots."

Morgan Wallen (Season 6)

who was initially on Team Usher, but later stolen by Adam Levine, was eliminated in the Playoffs but soon headed to Nashville to try his hand at country music, rather than the pop songs he sang on the show. He had almost instant success, dropping four No. 1 singles, winning the CMA award for New Artist of the Year and releasing the double album Dangerous. “He was being hailed as the next big thing, maybe the next big crossover artist from country,” executive producer Audrey Morrissey says. Today, Wallen is more famous for getting in trouble. He got booted off of Saturday Night Live for breaking COVID-19 protocols in late 2020 and was banned from country radio after he was caught on video hollering a racial slur in February 2021.

Jordan Smith (Season 9)

was a four-chair turn who chose Team Adam. He went on to write “Ashes” for the Deadpool 2 soundtrack, which was performed by Celine Dion. In addition, he's had three No. 1 songs on the Hot Christian Songs chart and three top 10s. Jordan represented the state of Kentucky for NBC’s American Song Contest in 2022, for which he wrote and performed “Sparrow.” He finished in third place.

Sawyer Fredericks (Season 8)

The winner from Team Pharrell had an original song, “Silent World,” featured on the Season 6 debut of the Netflix original series Longmire, which aired in 2017, and his song “This Fire” was covered by John Ondrasik for a 2018 episode of Code Black. His  latest album debuted in 2020 called Flowers for You.

Loren Allred (Season 3)

was eliminated in the Playoffs but went on to make her Billboard Hot 100 debut with the Platinum-selling "Never Enough" from the musical soundtrack to The Greatest Showman. This past January, she was the featured singer on the original song “Start a Wave” when “World of Color – One” for Disney 100 debuted at Disneyland. Strangely, though, she made a return to reality TV, auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent’s 15th season in 2022, finishing in ninth place. In addition, she performs on Michael Bublé's Love album for a duet of "Help Me Make It Through the Night," and alongside David Foster, as part of his An Intimate Evening PBS concert special and album.

The 9 Most Successful 'Voice' Contestants of All Time - Parade

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

So, one idea that I have is that after Tessa figures out she’s pregnant, she quits and goes to wherever Rhett is. And she’s pumped herself up to tell him about the baby, but she just sees Maria draping herself all over Rhett and loses her nerve. And that’s why she just up and vanishes from Rhett’s world for a bit.

Okay so I LOVE THIS

But alas, I've already got Tessa's reason for just up and vanishing from the rodeo and Rhett's world. It's mostly fears that Rhett will reject her WHOOPS.

HOWEVER

I love Maria coming back to town and trying to get back together with Rhett as like a third-act plot device. Maybe Rhett competes in some local Wabang rodeo when she's pretty close to full term, and a misunderstanding ensues when she goes behind the trailers to see him and Maria is all over him. Possibly kisses him against his will. Tess thinks of course he'd wanna be with her she's gorgeous and not a burden soooooo she runs off and tells him that he can just go back to his normal life - to just leave her and lil bb alone.

Takes a few days for Rhett to get the courage to tell her he's not leaving her. Not again.

........this fic would be good if i ever had the time to write it lol

[captainsourwolf]

[nobody7102]

I’ve got Rhett brain, I blame @auroralightsthesky but anyways. If your comfy hcs about what it was like for Wifey and Rhett having the twins? Bc even though they’ve already had like 4 kiddos I feel like it’s just absolutely chaos

Yeah I thank @auroralightsthesky is the reason why I half the majority of the thoughts I do, so thanks bestie!

Honestly all of Wifey’s pregnancies were chaotic, first pregnancy the easiest out of all, second time around hardest one to date: bedridden the entire time, third pregnancy was just nausea and headaches, fourth time was the same as the third

So imagine Wifey and Rhetts surprise when they first learned they were adding another Abbott to the family, and nothing had gone wrong, everything as close to the book normal

And let me tell you how absolutely floored they were when they learned everything in the pregnancy was going just fine AND they were having twins?!

It was a normal day, the first light snow of the season has fallen, covering everything in a thin layer of frost

Wifey was just out for a walk, all bundled up while Rhett, Royal, and Perry were out working in the fields, when Hannah asks for some help with the skunks

And who is wifey to say no, bc animal lover like all of her children. So she goes into the barn to help Hannah add blankets to the nest, as she goes to stand she paused and let out a shakey breath

“Ma?” Hannah was immediately at her mother side, but she just cracks a smile and waves it off “I’m fine” and goes to stand again but another shakey breath let’s out before she felt that familiar pop.

“Hey Hannah Banana..” she hummed, trying to sound as calm as possible “I need you to go get Nana”

Hannah listens rushing into the house yelling for Cecilia before the two of them are immediately back out to Wifey who’s already start to feel the connections, having done this whole process four times already she’s pretty in tune with the whole process so her body’s like ready to go.

“Cece, this is happening… like now” she chuckled gripping onto Cece’s shoulder as they wonder back into the house. Cece brings Y/N into the living room before calling Rhett

Boy was that I fun phone call “hey Ma… what….. right- right now? I’m in the middle of the fucking pasture…. Okay…. Yeah” before he drops his tools and runs over to his horse and just takes off leaving Royal and Rhett very confused

Back at the house Cece’s trying to get Y/N into the truck but it’s not going to well “Cece I’ve done this four times.” She groans, leaning over the armrest of the couch “We get in the truck and it’s a half hour drive into town, then another twenty to the hospital” she shook her head “I don’t have that time and these boys are just like their father… no patience”

Rhett makes it to the house in record time and joins Cece in trying to get Y/N into the truck. To which she shakes her head and starts heading up the stairs. Rhett looks between the Stairs and Cece before letting out a groan “Ma do you wanna go help her? I’ll be there in a minute” Cece just nodded and followed Y/N

“Amy!” He called before the girl came in from somewhere in the house “I’m gonna go set up the projector in the barn, okay? I want you to take your cousins out there and watch movies. I don’t care what movies I just need you to keep them all out of the house” he grabbed a few bed sheets and the aforementioned projector and when to the barn being met with Rhett and Perry halfway there

He hands them the sheets and projector “you two, set up a movie theater thing for the kids, Y/N’s in labor. I don’t care what they do, or what they watch just keep them out of the fucking house.”

Wifey man she’s one tough bitch man, because these twins put her through the ringer. We’re talking 15 hour labor(it’s what my mom had to go through with me and my twin 😝) so technically they could have made it to the hospital

At 5:30 AM as the sun started to rise Harvey Dorian Abbott came screaming into the world, his brother however. Stubborn like his father, and at 5:45 AM Franklin Malcolm Abbott joined his brother just as the morning sun hit its peak

[ellariasand]

𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚'𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐫. 𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: mary young's relationship with the abbott family is complicated. particularly with their youngest son, rhett. what happens when he shows up at her door unannounced? 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: rhett abbott/original female character 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: t 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: proximity via club dancing, rhett being an asshole 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 6.7k 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: three days of accidental horny on main and this is what it produces. i have no explanation. who even am i.

Mary Young’s relationship with the Abbott Family was…complicated. 

She hadn’t grown up in Wabang. Not like everybody else. She’d been a city girl, ironically. Grown up in Houston, moved up after she’d gotten her masters and started teaching. Took a position as a third grade teacher that she adored, where the kids were old enough to have their own thoughts but young enough not to be little nuisances. 

She’d never spent much time in the country — had idolized it from afar — and made the mistake of thinking no one would remember her face, that anything she did would be quickly forgotten once the next exciting thing came up. She thought that even as the Abbotts rolled into her life, with their nice smiles and their shiny belt buckles when the youngest of them found herself in Mary’s classroom six months into her residence in town. 

Okay, yeah, maybe that meant she’d fucked their youngest son a couple times in her car behind the high school. 

But that was years ago. Not now.

𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

[hugespace]

Therapy helps rhett realize that all of those "I'm dead" UFC moves were actually just a way to fulfill his need for physical intimacy at a time in his life where he didn't feel it was acceptable to ask for it, especially from another man. Now that they're both adults and completely different people than they were in college, rhett decides it's time to explain it all to link and let him know that he actually misses that physical contact with him.

It took me a really long while, but I finally finished this one! I really loved that prompt, so thank you so much for giving it to me, lovely Anon. I was initially going to write it as a platonic/romantic friendship kinda story, but it seems I'm determined to write a hundred different first kiss + feelings realisation scenarios, I simply enjoy those way too much.

*** 2,5K ***

Let me hold you

He’s done it again.

Not so long ago, Rhett promised himself not to bring it up in front of cameras or a microphone unless he talks it out with Link, privately.

Especially not as a joke.

And he’s failed already, he scolds himself short after the Ear Biscuits episode is recorded and they’re both out of the room, heading back towards their office.

He thinks he could have just omitted it, shouldn’t have mentioned anything. It simply wasn’t necessary to mull over it again, even with the topic of the episode revolving around their college experience. It wasn’t a big deal, he said it himself, countless times. Every time they talked about it on the show.

So, every time.

There’s never been a conversation in private about that incident or anything that preluded it, never in the absence of people to entertain, never not around at least one recording device. Because why would there be? It wasn’t a big deal. A funny story, s’all.

He’s also never been able to just let things go, though, and thanks to that inability, the lore of wrestling and the “I’m dead” move had to live on. It was an innocent story, a funny albeit embarrassing one – their unofficial brand after all, an easy misunderstanding and a fun little anecdote, not his carefully curated version of what happened, nor a watered-down one, not just a part of the entire story devoid of any feelings associated with it, not a big deal-! And most of all, not… true. Not true.

Rhett isn’t sure if Link has been consciously going along with that wordlessly agreed upon version of what their UFC phase looked like, repressing the truth behind it, or… simply never realised what it meant for Rhett and genuinely thought of it as a humorous yet insignificant part of their friendship in the past.

Most likely the third option, he has to assume. After all, why would Link attach any meaning to it? It’s not like anything actually ever happened, not outside of Rhett’s mind at least. Frankly, he himself went decades without understanding his own motivations, more than once confused by why the memories of wrestling with his friend and laying on top of him felt both shameful and deeply comforting. Why even long after they grew up, stopped being kids, and as a result retired all their UFC moves, the only way he could describe what he felt thinking about that time was longing.

Until therapy happened.

Just like with many different things in his life:

There was something in the darkness, and then therapy shone a light on it.

It was like there were countless situations he navigated solely on instinct, without paying much thought to the reasons behind why he acted a certain way, and once therapy equipped him with the ability to do so, he unearthed an entire deep layer of feelings and emotions that were always there. Just hidden, even from himself.

The wrestling being one of those things.

So, he thinks Link doesn’t know.

And he’s finally determined to change that.

Why now, when he’s had so many chances to talk to Link over the years ever since he started being more in touch with himself? He doesn’t really have an answer; it’s just that after talking about it with such levity again, after repeatedly making a joke out of it, it feels like he might explode if he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t confess to Link what it was really like. And most of all, it feels like the yearning has become stronger lately, and the conversation yet again playing it all off as them being young and silly only ignited it, made the flame inside of Rhett burn brighter, threatening to make his heart combust.

“I need to talk to you about something that’s been on my mind.” Rhett says easily once they’re in the office. It’s not an unsure statement or a nervous plea with words tumbling out of his mouth before he can lose his cool and change his mind. It would have been all that and more a couple of years ago, sure.

But he’s a different man now. He’s not afraid to tell the person who’s been with him for almost the entirety of his life what he feels.

Link, however. He does look unsure, a bit alarmed even, when he looks at Rhett and responds.

“Sure-? What is it? Do you wanna talk now?”

It’s just like him to worry. Run a hundred different scenarios in his head, most of them negative, trying to prepare himself for every possible outcome of a serious conversation before it even began. It’s an anxious survival instinct that makes Link resilient to even the worst that life has to offer and able to face it all head on. But right now, it’s nothing scary. Rhett doesn’t want his friend to be worried, so he quickly says as much.

“Don’t worry, s’not bad. Just something we talked about on the podcast today.” The blonde sits down on the couch and pats the cushion next to him, hoping he appears to be as calm as he truly feels inside and that it might dissolve some of Link’s concern, still written all over his face.

The other man takes his place on the sofa and looks at him expectingly.

“Right. So-“ Rhett’s calmness doesn’t completely evaporate once Link gives him his full attention, but it’s suddenly laced with some nerves. “About the wrestling. You know, in college. And before that. And- Especially about my ‘I’m dead’ move. I’ve been thinking about it, and-“

“Rhett, I swear, if you made me sit down for a talk only to tell me you’d like to make it a part of our conflict resolution again, then ha-ha. Very funny. I’d like to go get myself some coffee now.” Link cuts him off with an unamused look in his eyes and almost makes a move to stand up.

Rhett is quicker though and grabs the brunette’s arm before he can really move, effectively making him stay in place.

“What? No. That’s not what I’m saying. Like, at all. I-“ He realises he’s still holding onto Link’s arm and instinctively wants to retract his hand, but that same feeling that led him to initiating this conversation in the first place makes him reconsider. “I’ve been thinking about what it all meant and why I did that, especially when we fought or you were angry with me, and-“

“Because we were young.” Link quickly answers what wasn’t even a question. “We had too much energy and neither of us really wanted to hurt the other by punching him or- or fighting in earnest. What else would it mean.”

“Link can you let me talk? I’m trying to say something important.” Rhett squeezes Link’s forearm. “So, as I was saying. I mostly did it when you were angry or I was feeling unsure, and I didn’t realise it back then, but- But I know now, that I just… needed reassurance. You know, physical contact.” He explains, looking straight into Link’s eyes and trying to interpret his reaction before it comes.

When nothing happens, and the brunette just stares back at him with a furrowed brow, he feels compelled to continue and elaborate.

“Like when people… hug after an argument-?” His brain almost challenges him to make a different comparison, presenting a parallel between laying half-naked on top of your best friend and another activity people often partake in to make up after a fight. But that’s not- It’s not what he’s trying to say. It’s not like that.

The face in front of him frowns in confusion, blue eyes squinting and mouth opening and closing again, only letting out a puff of air and no sound at first.

When Link finally responds, his voice is unsure, like he suspects that he’s not understanding something right. “Are you trying to tell me you wanted to hug me when we bickered, so you pushed me to the floor and laid on me till I was even angrier, instead…?”

That’s not fully what Rhett meant, but it’s close enough, so he nods.

“What the crap, Rhett-? You're not making any sense.”

“Okay, listen…” He decides to go for a different approach. “We still don’t hug after arguments. We never hug hello. I think I could count on my fingers how many times we’ve actually hugged each other as adults, outside of the show!”

“Yeah! That’s just not what we do! We’ve never done those things, it’s just not a part of our relationship- I still don’t know what you wanna tell me here Rhett.” Link throws his hands in the air in a gesture of resignation.

“I want it to be a thing we do, okay?! I always did, but I was afraid to ask for it so I just took what you could give me without talking about it. Can’t have actual intimacy? Make up a UFC thing so I can be close to you! Can’t hold you when I’ve made you mad? Better lay on top of you till you give up and have no choice but stop!” Rhett pauses to finally take a breath.

“That time that guy saw us- I’m sure you remember I stormed off right after-? I panicked, it was like him seeing us and thinking there was something else happening almost made feel like it was something else, and since I started it, it also felt like I wanted it to be something else. I got so angry at myself for even trying and I never did it again. I’m sure you remember that, too!” Words flow out of Rhett in a hurried and increasingly loud cascade, while Link’s eyes grow bigger and comprehension dawns on his face.

“I know how stupid it sounds. But you know how I was. We were well into our thirties when I still refused to get close to you. And it’s not that I didn’t want to, it was the opposite – I wanted it a lot, man.”

„But I thought...?” Link seems to be turning a thought over in his head. “I thought you just never liked it. That the wrestling thing was about you… asserting dominance. That’s what it felt like at least. Like you trying to act like an older brother or somethin’.”

“No- It was me wanting to be close to you and not knowing how to ask for it. My very convoluted way of expressing love, you could call it. And I’m sorry it took me-“

“What changed-? I mean, what made you wanna talk about it?” There’s urgency in Link’s voice when he cuts Rhett off.

“I… I realised I miss it. I told you, we still don’t really hug or get intimate, however that sounds, and I’m not gonna just topple you and pin you to the ground again. We’re too old for that. For once, I don’t think either my back or your shoulders would survive if we started wrestling every time I wanted to be affectionate. But also- We’re over forty, Link. What does it say about me if I can’t just ask a person I love and have loved for almost four decades to hold me when I need it and would resort to, well, aggression-? That’s not how it should work.”

Link ponders Rhett’s words for a few beats before opening his mouth again, only to let three breathy words escape. “You love me-?”

It seems like the wrong thing to focus on, Rhett just opened up to say he not only craves physical intimacy now, but also struggled with that same need when they were younger so badly, he had to invent an entire intricate system allowing him to be closer, and Link questions the one thing he knows already. Because of course he knows, Rhett’s said as much dozens of times, of course he loves him. But it appears he has to say it anyway, judging from the weird look in Link’s eyes.

“I do, of course I lo-“ The blonde begins, yet he doesn’t get a chance to finish and ask whether Link heard the other part of his confession at all, because at once, his mouth isn’t free to keep talking and there’s no air left in his lungs as the man who was just sitting right next to him plunges forward and collides with him, lips first.

Oh. Rhett manages to form one more coherent thought despite being startled and entirely taken aback. Link misunderstood. That’s why he got hung up on the love confession. That’s not what Rhett meant, that’s not what he was trying to say, it’s not like that-

He feels like he should clear things up as quickly as possible. Logically, he should be panicking, racking his brain for a way to straighten things up, to explain to Link that it wasn’t what he was trying to say without making things worse, without ruining everything and making his best friend feel miserable and embarrassed, until…

Until Rhett realises his body went rogue and started responding without his conscious decision, his lips are moving against the other man’s, one of his hands is cupping Link’s face, while the other strayed away and is caressing his back. And it feels like his heart is trying to break out of the ribcage with how hard it’s pounding in his chest, along with his stomach doing wild summersaults. And he’s not panicking, not at all. And it’s not a misunderstanding, how could it, when he loves Link with his entire soul, with his whole being- And exactly like that, it hits him. Starting this conversation, he thought he already understood everything, but he didn’t– there was still that last puzzle piece missing.

They come up for air, panting from the intensity of that first kiss, foreheads flush with each other. Rhett finishes the sentence he began before Link’s move changed everything. “Of course I love you.” He means it now, he means it exactly like Link took it and can’t comprehend how he didn’t think of it before, but it’s perfectly obvious now.

So he hugs Link. He encircles the man’s body with his long arms, squeezes, and holds him, feels his friend snuggle into him, nuzzle his face into the crook of his neck and breathe deeply, holding Rhett's larger body in return.

All he needed was ask for the closeness.

He asked, and he got it.

He got all he wanted and so much more.

So, so much.