[That's like a slap to the face that he totally deserves. It's not a no either and what if he waited too long to realize it. What if she was moving on to someone else, and he knows what she promised but she's right. He's just been working at making her miserable this whole time and not on actually fixing anything.]
Because I do care. It should be me and you, not you and him.
[ Mako stares at him for a long, long moment before it finally sinks in, just what he's saying. Raleigh and Mako -- did that mean that it had been Raleigh's jealousy talking, and not just him working at making her miserable?
For the moment, her anger takes a backseat as she tries to make sense of his admission. That's what she wanted, right? That he would take her back again, and not just because of Yancy. But it's so unexpected that she just needs a bit (read: a good amount) of time to process it.
[To be honest, he probably needs a few moments to process it completely too but it's Raleigh and he's crazily impulsive and he knows for sure that he wants her back.]
I'm not. Mako, I-- wanted to punch that guy for even thinking he had a shot with you.
[ Mako says finally. He doesn't have a shot because Mako only has eyes for Raleigh, that maybe yeah, there were times when she'd been thinking about it, of finding someone else just to get over Raleigh and make things easier for the both of them -- but she can't.
It's not that easy, and a part of her really hates that. ] ...I love you. I just -- don't think I can do this anymore if things stay the way they are.
[ There's something between them that's broken, and Mako fears it's irretrievable. ]
[Raleigh lets out something like a sigh of relief when she says that. Good, fuck that guy anyway. She has a good point, they really can't keep going like they are. It has to change.
[ ...Well, that was unexpected. Mako had been expecting -- well, anything but this, and she pauses. Does he mean he's willing to have them start all over again? ]
...I'd like that. [ She musters a brief, fleeting smile. It's hope, just a glimmer of it; maybe they really can stick it through, after all. ] Just you and me?
[He's really just winging it here. Raleigh finally moves away from the door, approaching her where she's still at on the bed. He gives it maybe another five minutes at the most before Yancy's knocking at the door, asking if they will play with him so he has to make this point pretty clear, pretty fast.]
Yeah. I've been so stupid and stubborn, Mako and I'm sorry for that. There's no one that even compares to you, I don't know what I was trying to prove.
[ He's apologising and she's surprised by it -- she wasn't looking for that, not really, because she understands his pain and his anger; but it's welcome, and... she's going to work at this, Raleigh. She's never going to let him down again -- she'd promised, and she would stick by that promise always.
Mindful of time, she's quiet for a moment. ] You were angry and hurt. I wasn't blameless in all of this. [ But this? This is nice -- this is them finally talking about it, and hopefully working to move on from it rather than to let it fester. Her fingers twist in the sheets, a habit. ]
I said once that I would make things right, by Yancy and by you. I still mean it.
[Raleigh's just finally coming to realize that she actually means it, that she's not a teenage girl on the back of his bike making promises to last a lifetime and then realizing that's not what she actually meant when the timeline got moved up a few years. Or maybe she did it mean it back then but she needed a few years to realize that and he needed several months to trust she meant it. It's odd for him, since he usually is trusting.]
I believe you. [He sits on the bed and moves to cover her hand with his.]
[ It's the first time in a long while Raleigh's conscious and actually touching her, and Mako is so relieved, so heartened by it that she almost wants to cry. She'd come so, so near to giving up on him, on them, had resigned herself to caring for Yancy and keeping up an act whenever their little boy was around -- she doesn't blame him; most of what happened was her fault, after all.
She was the one who up and left them, and she doesn't blame him for not believing in her until now. It's not much, right now, but it's something. She shifts so that her hand clasps his, and she squeezes. He wants to try to make this work again, and that's all that matters.
[And he's just holding her hand. Raleigh tightens his fingers around hers for a moment, silently reassuring her again. She messed up and so did he and maybe it's just time to finally move on from all of the shit. Together.]
Glad to hear it. I've gotten a little rusty at hiding bodies.
[ He's squeezing her hand in assurance and she can't help but crack a wider smile at that -- well, he's in a good enough mood to be joking about it, and without thinking, she moves and leans her head against his shoulder.
Talks of murder aside, she's missed him; she's missed him so much. ]
[Just as Raleigh moves to put his arm around her and pull her in for a proper hug, there's a tiny, quiet knock at the door, almost right on time for when he figured that Yancy would get bored and curious and wander back. At least he's consistent.]
I'll keep that in mind. [Then he's up to let their son back in, swinging him up into his arms easily. Can we finish watching the movie?]
[ Yeah! Yancy laughs cheerfully, laughing when he's being swung up. He's wrapping his arms around Raleigh's neck, curling up to his father with a genuine warmth before pointing to his spot beside Mako. I wanna see what happens at the end. If Yancy's curious at Raleigh's question, he doesn't give voice to it.
Mako only smiles, hope and warmth anew in her eyes. It's a good start, right? ]
[Raleigh dutifully goes to where Yancy points, settling in next to Mako with their son on his lap for a few moments before Yancy decides that he wants to squirm off and actually go back to laying on mom's shoulder and there was a time that would have really irritated him, because Yancy's his, his son, he raised him.
But she is his mother, and she's done really well with him since she came back to them and Raleigh wants to be a family with her again.]
[ She knows. She knows that there was a time when Raleigh would be displeased that Yancy liked her, that he sometimes went to her -- and she understands. Raleigh had been there for him longer, in all matters he should be the one his son deferred to. But then he doesn't seem offended now, and Mako can't help realise that things really are changing.
They're going to be a family again, together. ]
Careful, you might be roped him to watch more than just one movie about these guys.
[Raleigh loves Yancy enough to sit and watch kids movies all he wants, that's not an issue at all. But they could do it as a family from now on, instead of this is time with Mako and Yancy or Raleigh's thing with their kid.]
[ Mako just smiles, and she wants very much for it to be a promise, because this is what they could do together while their little boy grows up. It would be the two of them and Yancy, and all would be well.
It'd be a rocky road to that, but she has hope. Mako reaches over to take her hand, threading her fingers in his to squeeze gently. Over Yancy's head, she says: ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Because I do care. It should be me and you, not you and him.
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For the moment, her anger takes a backseat as she tries to make sense of his admission. That's what she wanted, right? That he would take her back again, and not just because of Yancy. But it's so unexpected that she just needs a bit (read: a good amount) of time to process it.
She shakes her head, mildly disbelieving. ]
Don't lie to me. If you are, just -- don't.
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I'm not. Mako, I-- wanted to punch that guy for even thinking he had a shot with you.
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[ Mako says finally. He doesn't have a shot because Mako only has eyes for Raleigh, that maybe yeah, there were times when she'd been thinking about it, of finding someone else just to get over Raleigh and make things easier for the both of them -- but she can't.
It's not that easy, and a part of her really hates that. ] ...I love you. I just -- don't think I can do this anymore if things stay the way they are.
[ There's something between them that's broken, and Mako fears it's irretrievable. ]
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So--]
Let's have dinner then.
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...I'd like that. [ She musters a brief, fleeting smile. It's hope, just a glimmer of it; maybe they really can stick it through, after all. ] Just you and me?
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Yeah. I've been so stupid and stubborn, Mako and I'm sorry for that. There's no one that even compares to you, I don't know what I was trying to prove.
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Mindful of time, she's quiet for a moment. ] You were angry and hurt. I wasn't blameless in all of this. [ But this? This is nice -- this is them finally talking about it, and hopefully working to move on from it rather than to let it fester. Her fingers twist in the sheets, a habit. ]
I said once that I would make things right, by Yancy and by you. I still mean it.
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I believe you. [He sits on the bed and moves to cover her hand with his.]
We're going to figure it out.
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She was the one who up and left them, and she doesn't blame him for not believing in her until now. It's not much, right now, but it's something. She shifts so that her hand clasps his, and she squeezes. He wants to try to make this work again, and that's all that matters.
Mako pauses briefly, then: ]
I was never interested in anyone else.
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Glad to hear it. I've gotten a little rusty at hiding bodies.
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Talks of murder aside, she's missed him; she's missed him so much. ]
I'm still handy with a shovel.
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I'll keep that in mind. [Then he's up to let their son back in, swinging him up into his arms easily. Can we finish watching the movie?]
Yeah, bud. Mind if I join you guys?
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Mako only smiles, hope and warmth anew in her eyes. It's a good start, right? ]
I didn't know you were a big fan of trains.
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But she is his mother, and she's done really well with him since she came back to them and Raleigh wants to be a family with her again.]
Yeah, figured I'd start now.
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They're going to be a family again, together. ]
Careful, you might be roped him to watch more than just one movie about these guys.
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[Raleigh loves Yancy enough to sit and watch kids movies all he wants, that's not an issue at all. But they could do it as a family from now on, instead of this is time with Mako and Yancy or Raleigh's thing with their kid.]
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It'd be a rocky road to that, but she has hope. Mako reaches over to take her hand, threading her fingers in his to squeeze gently. Over Yancy's head, she says: ]
...I hope it's the latter.