Gavin Lucas (viciouscircle) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2019-07-07 03:48:00 |
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Entry tags: | #december 2017, caden, caden x gavin, gavin |
Who: Caden & Gavin
Where: Green Street
When: Afternoon 12/25
Status: Complete
A perfect Lucas family dinner involved a lot of lying which wasn't a very Christmas-thing to do but if they didn't want Joseph and Bridget there causing a scene, they couldn't know about a family gathering. Gavin didn't feel guilty about it at all, he invited his siblings, Charlie and Roxy and along with his kids, these were the only people he wanted to entertain today. Charlie wasn't much of a guest as she was helping him with everything but he did most of the cooking and insisted on paying for it. Charlie was stubborn but Gavin was even more so and he tended to get his way.
Gavin didn't think twice about the fact that after dinner it was the women who started cleaning up. Amelia and Aaron went to the hospital to visit Mila and he found himself alone in the living room with Caden and the dogs. He hadn't said much so far about their engagement. Roxy seemed happy and he had managed to congratulate her after staring at the ring in utter puzzlement for probably too long. Amelia was so excited that his confusion got lost in the shuffle, probably a good thing. Now that he was alone with Caden, he brought it up again, even if he wasn't sure it was a good idea to go there.
"So," he muttered from behind his glass of scotch. "Did she threaten to leave you or something?"
Caden was a bit relieved the "family" aspect of the dinner was more or less over. The food was good though, and he was thankful that it hadn't been as terrible as the last few years. He and Roxy would leave as soon as she finished helping Charlie clean up, so Caden didn't mind enjoying a drink with Gavin as he waited. And he wasn't terribly surprised by Gavin's question, or assumption.
Rather than answer right away, Caden took a drink from his glass and then shifted his gaze to his brother, studying him for a quiet moment before his lips twitched. "You think threats are going to force me to do something I don't want to do?"
Gavin snorted softly though his smile was wan at best. "What changed?" he asked, knowing damn well his brother wasn't the sentimental sort and absolutely not the marriage sort. Maybe it was all the tragedy around them finally softening Caden up and making him see some things were more important than others, or maybe the shock of realizing he was just a mortal man, having lost his fingers to a god damned witch. Gavin couldn't guess to it, neither of these sounded much like Caden.
Caden tried not to roll his eyes at the direction this non-conversation had taken. He just wanted to have his drink and then get the hell out of here. "It's something she's wanted for a long time," he said finally, shrugging as he brought his glass back up to his lips. "And she's done enough for me, so why not. Does it matter?" he asked. "Besides, if something happens to me, then she's taken care of. There's no ah-ha moment, or some kind of epiphany to tell you about. You could be happier about it, though." He knew how Gavin felt about marriage and Caden couldn't blame him for that. It was something the both of them more or less agreed on. But Roxy wasn't Ollie. Not even close.
Gavin gave him a wan smile, huffing a little as he nodded. Yeah he could be happier about it, he was just surprised that was all and in all honesty he didn't really care. Weddings and marriage had never meant shit to him but shackles and legal bullshit, he couldn't imagine why Caden wanted to do that. Of course his relationship with Roxy had been going on for a long time so it probably wouldn't make a hell of a lot of difference. "So could you," he pointed out after a moment because Caden didn't really seem as thrilled about it as Roxy did.
Caden sighed and rubbed the inside of his eye with his knuckle for a second. He didn't want to fight with his brother on Christmas, even if the holiday was bullshit to him. But he also didn't want to go back home in a shitty mood because Gavin couldn't keep his thoughts to himself. "Since when are you so concerned about my relationship?" Caden asked, shooting Gavin a wary look. "Or does fucking and playing house with Jasper's teacher make you feel like you've got to get more involved in other people's business."
Gavin was used to his little brother being as big of a dick as his youngest brother was a softie but these words in particular rubbed him in all the wrong ways. "Her name is Charlie," he said brusquely and while it took more than that for him to fly off the handle, he could feel that familiar tension starting inside of him. "And no I don't give a shit what you do, Caden." He was trying to be more involved with his family but he should know better than to try that with Caden - though he didn't point that out to his brother.
He knew her name. But he found it hypocritical of Gavin to question Caden's choices with Roxy when Gavin was the one who had knocked up a psycho bitch when he was fifteen. Now he wanted to play happy house with Charlie Harris and for some reason that rubbed Caden the wrong way. It felt phony to him, especially considering what he and Gavin were responsible for. Someone like Charlie, she wasn't going to understand the shit Gavin had done in his past, and even more recently. But Caden bit his tongue on saying so. Throwing out all that bullshit today probably wouldn't go over well and he wanted to get out of there without a punch being thrown. "Well," Caden said, taking a quick sip of his drink, "she makes good food, at least. Look, I love Roxy. She wants to get married, so that's what I'm doing. It'll be easier on everyone if people can just support it. We didn't support Aaron and look what happened there."
That knot in Gavin's stomach got tighter at the indirect mention of Mila and her baby. That was shit he didn't need to think about, that nobody else could ever know about. It made him wish he could erase their memories of it all so they didn't have to live with it - so Caden would never bring it up again. "Don't ever bring that up again," he said before he was startled out of his grim thoughts by Max getting up and padding out of the living room, as if he could sense that the air was too damn thick in there. Gavin cleared his throat. "I support you," he muttered. "And the girls are excited about it. Maybe a nice wedding is what everyone needs right now." It sure as hell wasn't what he needed and he doubted Caden did either but if it made the women in their lives happy then that was something.
Never talking about it didn't mean it never happened. Gavin could stick his head in the sand if he wanted to, but things were what they were. And Caden was well aware of everything they had to lose if Aaron ever found out what they had done. He finished off his drink and leaned forward to set the empty glass down on the table. "Maybe," he said finally. "Was kind of hoping she'd want to just go to Vegas, but..." Caden shrugged. "And it's not going to happen right away. I mean, people get engaged for years sometimes. Maybe you and Charlie Harris'll be married before me," he added with a smirk.
An engagement that lasted for years. Gavin could easily see that happen and he wondered if Roxy realized that too. An engagement was a promise and promises could be broken. "Nah, already did the marriage thing, it's your turn," he said with a wry smile. "At least it's your decision." It hadn't been Gavin's decision to get married or have kids, he'd never been given a choice in any of it and the whole experience had soured his feelings on such things. It made it tricky with Charlie because while he could imagine being married to her, happily so even, thinking about it felt more like a weird fairy tale that would never come true and he wasn't so sure he could be that man for her. "Roxy will want a ceremony with family and friends, I'm willing to wager it."
Caden might have pointed out that marrying Ollie was Gavin's decision too, but he knew that wasn't true. Their parents forced them into it. Ollie had always been a manipulative bitch, and she ruined most of his brother's life. "Yeah, she probably will." Caden shrugged, a little uncomfortable with the thought of a real ceremony in a church and all that. It wasn't him. Hopefully she understood that and didn't go overboard with all of it. "We'll be paying for it ourselves, so it won't be extravagant. I don't even want to think about it for a while either." Maybe that made him a dick, but it was what it was. They had enough to deal with right now.
"When the time comes you know I'll help you out," Gavin said. He wouldn't be able to help much financially but there were other things that needed doing. "But Aaron can handle your bachelor party," he added with a smirk. Hopefully it was far enough in the future that Aaron would be okay. It would probably just be a very drunken night at Cherries and that kind of a partying really wasn't Gavin's speed. He wouldn't blame Caden for a second if he eloped with Roxy. A wedding in this family was bound to be full of bullshit and drama. Joseph and Bridget would for sure cause a scene and god forbid Roxy's insane family actually come down from Portland. "You'd be better off in Vegas," he sighed and maybe with all that in mind, Roxy would be okay with not having a ceremony.
Caden groaned."Can we just talk about something else? I just gave her the ring today. I'd rather just deal with that for a while." He didn't want plans, and bachelor parties and all that shit. At least not right now. He just wanted to get Aaron back on his feet and get through the winter. If Roxy would agree to a Vegas trip, he would on that so fast... but he had a feeling Roxy wanted something in a church. Hopefully it would take them a while to rebuild the one that just burned down. "Things with Charlie seem okay. You had Thanksgiving with her too? It's serious now?"
It was pretty telling that Gavin's knee-jerk reaction was to say no, that things weren't serious with Charlie. It was such a bad word to use for a relationship anway; serious, like it was a bad thing. He smothered the urge and glanced toward the kitchen where he could still hear them tidying up and chatting. It was loud enough with the water running that he didn't have to worry about them overhearing him and Caden and still he wanted to take it outside. "Yeah," he said with a little shrug. "She's been really good for all of us." He had loved Charlie for a long time and she was pretty much perfect in his book and it was still scary to think about it in these terms. As far as he was concerned they were really close friends who had sex and he just happened to love her, but even that just sounded like some kind of a good relationship and it constantly felt like it was just a matter of time before he blew it up. "Too good, really," he added with a huff and it never ceased to amaze him how women seemed to stick around the Lucas men when they were all fuckups, each in their own way.
Caden assumed "all of us" meant Amelia and Jasper. He wondered if it was just Gavin projecting, or if his niece and nephew actually liked having a new woman around the house. As far as Caden knew, Gavin hadn't had a date, let alone a girlfriend, since he and Ollie split. Jasper might have told him if he had, even if Gavin was mum about his personal shit. "Too good?" Caden cocked a brow. "What's that mean. I know you're used to Ollie's bullshit, so even a mediocre woman is gonna feel too good to be true."
Gavin could have listed all the reasons why Charlie was too good for him but he didn't want to do that with Caden. He huffed softly instead. "Charlie's not mediocre," he said and he was still certain she deserved so much better than him but it was ultimately her choice if she stayed. "She's one of a kind."
Caden's brows drew together as a slightly amused smile formed on his lips. He studied Gavin closely for a beat or two before his head fell back and he groaned up toward the ceiling. "Shit. You're in love with her." He wasn't sure he had ever even heard Gavin said Ollie was one of a kind. Probably because she wasn't. Ollie had been a dime a dozen in terms of psycho bitches. "Should've picked up on that the first time Roxy texted me to tell me you invited her to church with you."
Gavin had to laugh. Caden's reaction should have annoyed him but it didn't, what the fuck was love anyway? "I've had the hots for Charlie Harris since I was thirteen," he said. "And everyone told me she was way out of my league." He still believed them but Charlie didn't and that was what mattered. He still kind of wished Jack Morris was still alive so he could rub his nose in it but that was fucking petty.
"She was. She still is," Caden said with a grin. "But fuck it... better late than never. Maybe you finally got lucky for a change, Charlie Harris moving back to Point Pleasant right when Ollie decides to give you a divorce. Your reward for all the bullshit you had to put up with over the years." Some of which Gavin caused himself, but that went without saying. Caden was pretty convinced that most of the women in their lives were too good for them. The Lucas brothers were pieces of shit, everyone knew that.
Gavin smiled crookedly back at him and nodded. They were back where they started, that Charlie was too good for Gavin, and now Caden agreed. Sure he was joking but Gavin didn't think he really was. The women in their lives were too good for them. The only thing the Lucas boys had going for them was their good looks and often times Gavin didn't even feel like he had that. "I'm just trying to enjoy it while it lasts," he muttered. "Who knows what new hell will spring on us next."
Caden fell silent, opting against reminding Gavin that Mila was suddenly back, and that felt like new hell to him, considering everything. "Maybe we'll get a break for a while," Caden muttered. "Maybe it'll be too fucking cold for hell to visit again, yeah?" He had no idea what would happen, but he knew what could and it didn't sit well with him. "In any case, Gav, I'm glad you've got someone. You're right that Charlie's not mediocre. Don't fuck it up."
Gavin's smile faded a little at that because he was pretty sure he'd find a way to screw it up, no matter how much he tried to keep things good. That was just his nature, things got fucked up around him near constantly. Hearing that from his brother though, kind words about his woman? That was more generous than he was used to from Caden. "I'd keep up the good work but I honestly don't know what the fuck I've been doing right." He glanced toward the kitchen again, feeling like it'd be just his luck if one of the women had been standing there a while, listening. None of them was there though and he could still hear them in the kitchen. "But yeah, same to you... Congrats on the uh, the engagement."
"I couldn't tell you what you were doing right either since I barely see you with her." Caden was sure Gavin keeping his mouth shut about all the terrible shit they've done was probably part of it. Gavin not talking much at all was probably part of it. He knew most people considered Caden to be the asshole, but Gavin had it in him too. He was just more selective about who he was an asshole to. Chuckling a bit at Gavin's lack of enthusiasm, Caden moved to stand up, ready to get Roxy and get out of there. "Maybe by the time the wedding rolls around you'll actually manage to sound sincere about it. But I appreciate the sentiment."
There were too many not ideal ways Gavin could reply to that ('that's plenty of time' or 'maybe by that time you'll be happy about it too') but Caden was right, he was pretty selective about who he was a jerk to and today he didn't want to be a jerk to his brother. He just smiled faintly again and pulled out his pack of cigarettes to light up another one. "Merry Christmas, Caden," he muttered, reaching down to rub Max's head.
"Yeah, you too. You shouldn't smoke in the house," he pointed out as he walked by. "It's bad for... well, everyone." Caden headed for the kitchen to grab Roxy so they could go. Aaron could hang with Amelia at the hospital for a while and he and Roxy could actually have some private time to themselves for a few hours, hopefully. "By the way, Aaron's drinking with the pain meds. He might listen to you if you tell him to knock it off, so give that a go for us, okay? Before we've got to get money together to send him to rehab."
"Oh for fuck's sake," Gavin groaned, then nodded. "I'll have a word with him. Mila's back, he needs to fucking pull himself together for her." He couldn't say a damn thing, when Amelia went missing all he did was smoke pot, drink and sleep - or more accurately pass out all the time. He'd given some thought to quitting alcohol altogether and maybe now was the time so he could set a good example or some shit.
"Yeah, he needs to pull himself together for himself too," Caden said over his shoulder. And for Caden and Roxy and their home, as small as it might be. They were doing what they could to help him, but they couldn't babysit him every second of the day, and the pain killers would run out eventually. Hopefully Gavin could kick Aaron's ass and knock some sense into him. Otherwise Caden would have to do it, and that would be a hell of a lot more painful for everyone.
Caden was right but Aaron was never going to pull himself together just because. He needed that reason, a tether, and probably a swift kick in the ass. Gavin didn't bother to point that out. Instead he was left wondering when Caden had started caring more. It wasn't just Roxy or Aaron but telling Gavin not to smoke inside? It didn't sound like him, unless he was just trying to be a jerk about it. Gavin wasn't going to let him get to him, this was his house, he'd smoke inside if he pleased so he just watched Caden leave and leaned back in his chair, taking a long drag of his cigarette.