through the fog (throughthefog) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2022-05-05 14:26:00 |
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Entry tags: | #june 2018, charlie, charlie x gavin, gavin |
Who: Charlie & Gavin
Where: The Carnival
When: Monday afternoon, 6/25
Status: Complete
Gavin couldn't say he was a carnival sort of guy. He probably had been as a kid, on some muted and cautious level, back when he still tried to have fun. It was a bit of a novelty to feel excited about something again, not for himself but because his favorite girls were excited about it and that was contagious. Charlie wanted to go, so of course he would go, even if he had a feeling this damn thing was going to be bad for business at the Porch. It was exactly the sort of place he didn't think he would enjoy, loud and colorful and full of people, but he couldn't deny that it didn't really annoy him once he was there. There was joy in the air, the kind that only came with summer activities, the kind he'd missed out on a lot during his teenage years and in a way he often felt like he was making up for those with Charlie.
"If you want me to win you one of those giant teddies, I say we save that 'til the end of the night," he said as they passed by one of the games, probably rigged to hell and he'd likely make an ass of himself trying, but he wanted to win her something, damn it. This place was going to suck his wallet dry, he could already tell but it was worth it for that smile on Charlie's face.
Charlie was definitely a carnival kind of girl. She had always loved going to them when she was a kid, and even as an adult. Not that there had been many opportunities, but when there were, she took advantage. It was thrilling to know that one had come to Point Pleasant and that Gavin was willing to go with her. Charlie was acutely aware of how little Gavin thought of people in general, so the fact that he was willing to walk around the grounds with her meant a lot.
She slipped her hand into his and flashed him a smile. "Wow, you sound really confident about winning me a teddy bear. Those games are almost impossible to beat. But if it's on the table, I agree to wait until we're on our way out. Do you want to get something to drink? I'm thinking if I can get you a little drunk I can convince you to come with me on a ride through the Tunnel of Love."
"You don't have to get me drunk for that," Gavin tittered, mostly amused at the idea of someone 'getting' him drunk. He had a flask with him, alcohol was pretty much the only way to get through the day, especially in a noisy and busy place like this one. The idea of the tunnel was cheesy as hell but he'd go with Charlie. Now that the words 'I love you' were getting easier to say, going on a ride called the Tunnel of Love was far less intimidating. "I feel like I'm supporting my competition by buying a drink but hell, they won't stay here all summer. I could go for a beer." He might not win her a damn thing, but he would try and maybe by trying hard enough and long enough he could skip out on some of those rides. He really had no idea just how adventurous Charlie was when it came to carnivals, he just knew he wasn't. He pulled her closer, tangling their fingers together and headed toward the nearest vendor who appeared to have beer on tap as well as some other drinks he had very limited interest in. "What are you having?"
The Tunnel of Love was cheesy, but it could also be fun. Who didn't like necking a little in the dark? Laughing a little when Gavin mentioned the competition, Charlie watched three younger kids run by them, clearly having fun. "I think this crowd is maybe... six percent your customers. And it's only here for a week, so I'm sure the Porch will be fine. The bar is where a lot of these adults will be heading to get away from their families after the exhausting day is finished." Charlie squeezed his hand and began to study the short alcohol menu in front of them. She could get a beer, but hell, she could have a beer any day of the week. Might as well go with something different. "I think I'll try the Merry Maker."
Gavin was kind of thankful that many of their customers were in fact grumpy older guys who would probably hate the carnival, and yet he'd seen one of them here earlier, beaming as he headed for one of the rides. He looked over the menu with Charlie as he hummed his agreement, thinking the Merry Maker looked awfully fruity. Gavin was a straight up bourbon or beer guy so that's what he went for, happy to order Charlie her girlier drink. "Don't drink too fast if you want to go on any of those rides," he warned her with a little smile while the despondent vendor fixed up the cocktail. "Do you want to? Go on the fast ones?" He was a pretty calm man when he wasn't angry, but he tended to speed when driving and the thought of going fast was tempting, that was for sure. He really had no idea how strong of a stomach Charlie had and he sure as hell wasn't going on any of those rides without her.
Charlie laughed even as she eyed the large ferris wheel across the grounds. "Oh... maybe. I guess it depends on how fast they are. I'm willing to try them if you are. Because I am definitely not going on them alone." She was handed her drink and Charlie took a tentative sip before making a sound of approval deep in her throat. "You want to try? It's pretty good," she said, offering the plastic cup to Gavin. It was definitely fruity but it was hard to place just what else was in it. Whatever it was, it had just the right amount of sweetness and the alcohol wasn't overpowering at all.
"I'll go on any ride you want to go on," Gavin replied as he paid up and grabbed his beer, then shook his head with a little wrinkle of his nose at the drink. It looked sweet and fruity and probably tasted good but he had some weird feelings about that kind of alcohol. Sweet was for ice cream and candy, not booze. "Last time I went to a carnival was when Jasper was little. He got so sick on the spinning cups." It was weird to remember something that he'd thought he'd forgotten. Memories were so fickle and strange and he furrowed his brows as he held onto this one for only a few seconds before letting it go. He didn't need to feel guilty and sad about the shit show that was his past, not today when he wanted to have fun with Charlie. "Bet he has a stronger stomach now," he said instead and clanked their glasses lightly together in a toast.
Charlie smiled when he clanked their cups together and she brought it back to her lips for another sip. "Really? Any ride I want? You know I'm going to have to try every ride, right?" It was so hard to picture Gavin on carnival rides. She could see him playing some of the games, or watching as Charlie did, but rides? It was such a pleasant surprise though, and she was eager to make sure he had fun tonight. "Maybe Jasper's here tonight. Although I bet he'll steer clear of anything spinning. I've got a pretty strong stomach myself. I just have to make sure I eat the fried dough after the rides. Want to head for 3the carousel? I bet we can drink these on that one."
Gavin almost pointed out that he could drink on any damn ride as long as it didn't place him upside down but he refrained since he couldn't actually be sure. It was something he might have attempted on a bet, upside down or not, back when he was far more carefree than he was now. "Carousel sounds like a good place to start," he agreed and he kind of hoped Jasper was around and having fun, both his kids could really use some of that in their lives. He grabbed her hand and meandered in the right direction, looking around and taking in the sights. There was something about the place that was a little unsettling but he chalked it up to the fact that his only exposure to carnivals in nearly two decades had been from crime shows. It wasn't exactly the best representation. Creepy or not, he had to admit he liked the vintage aesthetic of the place, it was almost like being in a movie.
Charlie was honestly feeling thrilled that Gavin was so agreeable to going on the rides with her. She honestly didn't think he would have said no to her, but Charlie would have been able to tell if he wasn't enjoying himself, which might have been worse. The drink in her hand was nearly finished before they even made it to the carousel and Charlie stared into the half-empty cup, wondering how that had happened. Apparently she was enjoying it. And there was disappointment that it was nearly gone. Squeezing Gavin's hand, Charlie glanced at him, her stomach still full of those wonderous butterflies that he had started to invoke in her months ago. "I think I would really like to get married," Charlie said simply, as though the topic was as normal to her as the weather. "I think this time would be different for both of us, don't you?"
Marriage had been on Gavin's mind lately though he couldn't say how seriously so - it was more like an abstract idea of something he couldn't fully imagine happening. It was hard not to think about it with both Aaron and Caden getting married, though he wasn't so sure Caden's madness even counted. He was the best man at Aaron's upcoming wedding so he thought about it a lot. It still came as a shock to hear Charlie actually mention it so casually, like they were talking about house renovations and not something as big and important as marriage. He wasn't really the type of man who enjoyed grand gestures, he certainly would never propose to Charlie in any extravagant way but he still liked to think he could get down on one knee if he ever thought the time was right. His eyebrows attempted to reach his hairline and his eyes went a little wide before he could school his expression. "Oh," he said at first as he worked on comprehending her question. "Well, I've thought about it." His first marriage hadn't been wanted, but everything with Charlie was different. He loved her, he'd been in love with her for a long time and he dreaded the day she'd realize she deserved better. His first marriage had felt like a trap whereas marriage with Charlie would feel like he was trapping her. "I didn't know that was something you wanted."
Charlie had already had the "extravagant" proposal and wedding and look how that marriage had turned out. She certainly wouldn't expect it from Gavin and a part of her wondered if it would have ever come up if she didn't mention it first. It had taken a moment of insanity to publicly declare her feelings for him just for him to admit there was something there. "I don't want it because I should want it as a woman," Charlie said, sure that it made sense, because it made sense in her head. "I want it because I want it with you. I know you probably don't want to get married again, but... I hope that maybe you will, someday."
In a way, Gavin felt like he was already married to Charlie in that way where he didn't think anything would really change if he put a ring on her finger. They were a good team, she was the sweetest person he had ever known and yet she stood up for herself and didn't just tell him what she thought he wanted to hear. It came as no surprise to hear that she didn't want to get married for those societal expectations and yet it was good to hear it. They'd both been married before, that probably changed a lot. He had seen some of her old wedding photos and he knew she'd had a dream wedding which could have been intimidating except he knew it hadn't made her happy in the long run. "Charlie," he said with a faint smile and it was weird to have this conversation in line for the carousel at a loud carnival. "I'd marry you in a heartbeat. I love you. I didn't even know you could be this happy in a relationship with someone..." He hadn't seen that many good relationships growing up - which was probably why he kept expecting to lose it.
Dream weddings didn't always equate to dream marriages. But Charlie had grown and learned a lot from her divorce and somehow things felt easier now, with Gavin. Hearing that he would marry her certainly made everything feel warm inside even if she wasn't sure if that meant they would get married or not. Later Charlie would wonder why the hell she even brought it up in the middle of their trip to the carnival, but it felt right at the time. Almost like she couldn't control her mouth. "I know it's probably a heavy thing to bring up right now, it's just something I've wanted for a while. And I don't want you to feel pressured into anything, but if it's something we eventually do, we can go to the courthouse, just me and you. I don't need another wedding or anything fancy."
Gavin was relieved he didn't have to answer that right away as it was time to get onboard the carousel and he let the conversation get lost in the shuffle for now, his mind still racing. Did he want to just go to the courthouse? He knew he didn't want a big wedding but if he did get married to Charlie, he wanted something a little more than something that felt like signing a contract, even if it was just the two of them and a priest. Maybe being best man at Aaron's wedding would change his mind one way or another, the main thing was that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Charlie, it didn't really matter if they were married or not. He smiled at her once they were comfortably seated on painted wooden horses, reaching out to grab her hand. It was strange to have this conversation here of all places, it seemed more suited for a chat before sleeping or a quiet morning breakfast.
It was definitely the wrong place to have this conversation but Charlie hadn't really been able to keep it inside any longer, even if she had told herself ages ago that it wasn't important and that the quickest way to scare Gavin off would be to mention marriage. Or even kids. He didn't want anymore of those and she couldn't have any of her own anyway. Charlie finished off her drink and curled her fingers around Gavin's as others climbed up onto the carousel for the ride. He was quiet but Charlie couldn't figure out if that was a good sign, or a bad one. "I don't want to ask too much," Charlie said finally. "I always did that with Drew and I ran him off. So if it's too much, you can tell me. Or we can just... enjoy this and forget that I've decided to bare my soul on a carousel," she added with a soft laugh.
Gavin mirrored her soft laugh with a quiet one of his own, shaking his head at her. She backtracked so easily and every time she mentioned Drew he wanted to both punch the guy and thank him for leaving her but god damn, he'd done a number on her and Gavin didn't know how to convince her she wasn't going to scare him off that easily. "Marry me," he said as he gave her hand a squeeze and it wasn't the most romantic way to ask someone and he certainly wasn't kneeling, but there was still something sweet about doing it while they were on a carousel. He meant it too, with all his heart, and the slight anxiety rising in his chest didn't feel like he was making a mistake, it wasn't even the bad sort of anxiety - something else, like they were actually on a rollercoaster and about to do a drop.
Charlie honestly had no idea what was wrong with her. What made her want to word vomit all over him like this? Was it because Mila and Aaron were a month away from getting married? And Caden had eloped? She loved Gavin and she knew he loved her, but... god, she really wanted his ring on her finger, apparently. It hadn't been anything Charlie had seriously considered bringing up though, because she hadn't wanted to scare Gavin off. But he didn't seem scared and he hadn't said no and when he spoke again, Charlie blinked in surprise. But then she smiled and held Gavin's hand more tightly. "Yes," she said, leaning over to bring his hand up to her lips so she could kiss his fingers. "Definitely." Charlie had never been so sure of anything in her entire life, not even when Drew proposed. There was contentment felt here that she hadn't had before. Everything in her life had happened for a reason, and that reason was sitting on a silly wooden carousel horse right beside her.
Like any good rollercoaster, the drop felt good when it came and Gavin was relieved that hearing her say yes made him happy instead of panicked. He felt a little goofy as he grinned back at her and it was a little strange to want this. It wasn't anything in the air though, no Point Pleasant weirdness or something in his beer. He'd wanted this for a while, longer than he cared to admit. She deserved better but he could try to be better for her if she was really willing to choose him. Her lips were soft against his fingers and he kind of wished they weren't on a carousel right now so he could pull her in close and hold her. This was nice too though and he gripped onto his ride a little more firmly when they started moving, letting out a little laugh. "I never thought I'd want to get married," he admitted. "You're something else, Charlie."
Charlie had been pretty sure that she just wasn't cut out for being wife after her divorce but being with Gavin definitely had her thinking maybe it would be okay to give it a second chance. And like Gavin, she wanted it. And while she knew Gavin didn't think he was good enough for her, Charlie didn't care about that. She just wanted to make a home with him and see what things came next. As strange as it felt to be as outspoken as she had just been, Charlie was glad for it. It could have went a completely different way, but it hadn't and now she was full of unexplainable warmth. Even better, Gavin looked pleased too, instead of unsure. "I never thought I'd find myself riding a carousel at my age with my boyfriend, but here I am. Life is strange sometimes," she said with a laugh before squeezing his hand.
Gavin had to laugh at that because that was something he hadn't imagined either. He'd imagined a lot of things about his future but they were mostly bleak and none of them had involved dating Charlie Harris, let alone marrying her. That small pessimistic piece of his brain whispered that they probably wouldn't get that far, some new disaster would strike and ruin it all, but it was easy to not listen to that right now. He couldn't predict shit, that had become abundantly clear, so why not enjoy the moment and hope for the best? "Life is strange," he agreed and kind of wished they could both sit on the same horse so he could hold her through the swaying movements of the carousel. "I guess you could say fiance, or is it only official if I get you a ring?" he asked, giving her a crooked smile.
Charlie laughed. "I don't need a ring to make it official," she assured him. "Unless you think a ring is necessary, then we can just go buy one of those plastic, cheap rings from a vendor nearby." Her cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much. She had no idea what had prompted her to say everything she had said, but she was damn glad she had. Charlie knew she would have been happy to just be with Gavin, to see where life ended up taking them, but there was something undeniably appealing about being his wife. She wanted to make him happy, to show him marriage could be a loving, good thing... and maybe she wanted to show herself the same. The carousel ride would probably be winding down in another moment or two, and for that Charlie was grateful. She just wanted to wrap her arms around Gavin and kiss him... make it official that way.
Gavin knew Charlie was thankfully not the kind of girl who wanted a giant diamond ring to show off, but he still felt like she deserved something nice and not a cheap plastic joke from a carnival. Or maybe he was overthinking it and it'd be a cute placeholder until he could buy her a proper one. He was considering this when he looked ahead and for a moment he didn't see the horses, the bright lights or the other people on the ride. He was looking at Charlie but she was sitting in their living room with a toddler on her lap, bouncing it and letting it pretend-drop seemingly much to its delight. It was gone within seconds and Gavin thought he'd just been thinking it but the image was still burned into his mind. Had that been Aaron's baby? Charlie had looked pretty happy and he felt a small pang of regret that he couldn't give her a child of her own. He chalked it up to some wishful thinking or daydreaming, but on some level he felt like he'd just seen the future and it was reassuring in a strange way, to feel so certain that they had at least another year or two together, relatively happy. The ride slowed down and he let himself bask in Charlie's smiling until it was time to get up. He tugged her closer once they exited the platform, pressing a little kiss in her hair.
For Charlie, the happiness extended past a couple of years, hopefully into old age. She knew she couldn't predict the future but Charlie certainly felt optimistic about her future with Gavin. As long as this town left them alone, of course. She slipped off the horse once the ride finished, her smile brightening as Gavin moved in close. Sliding her arm around his waist, she leaned into him when he kissed her hair, ready to just have fun for the rest of the night, and then maybe go home and finish it off with some lovemaking. "Ferris wheel next?" she asked, looking up at him. "We can make out for a bit."
Gavin wasn't a big fan of PDA in general but he laughed at the thought of making out in a ferris wheel. "That sounds very uncomfortable," he murmured and he had a feeling he wouldn't love being up there. He'd never been afraid of heights but he was uneasy with them after the accident, though he had no interest in wallowing in that. "How about the tunnel of love instead?" he murmured and while he was half joking it did seem more in line with how this day was going. It also looked far less intimidating than the big - and honestly old looking - ferris wheel. And yet he knew that if she wanted to go on that wheel, he would go with her.
Charlie lifted a brow, amused at Gavin's suggestion of the Tunnel of Love. That seemed so very un-Gavin-like, but it was sweet. "We can do the Tunnel of Love," she said, squeezing him gently with her arm, liking how it seemed like they were walking in sync now. "And then we've got to get some fried food. Is it weird that I'm hungry already? Oh! And we should get one of those sausage stick things to go when we leave... for the dogs. They would probably enjoy that kind of treat."
"They'd love it," Gavin said with a smile and it was just a small drop in an ocean of reasons, but he loved how much Charlie loved the dogs too and it made him even more certain in his own love for her. "I'm hungry too so we're definitely eating before we go." The kids could take care of themselves and Gavin wouldn't be surprised if they were around here somewhere chomping down on some greasy food of their own. "Do you want another drink for the ride?" he asked. "Or we can start with some food."
"I should probably cool it with the drinks," Charlie said. "At least until this one has settled. I think it was pretty strong on the liquor. But... oh! I want some cotton candy. And maybe some popcorn. I don't know that it's really a trip to the carnival if I'm not feeling sick by the time we leave." She was in an unbelievably good mood now and Charlie had already decided to just go for it and enjoy herself, even if she regretted all the fat and sugar later. How often did carnivals come to Point Pleasant anyway? Carpe diem and all that.
"Sick and sticky," Gavin agreed with a grin and while it wasn't as much of a novelty anymore to feel happy when he was with Charlie, it felt extra elated today. They were technically engaged and as much as he'd thought he'd never want to get married again, here he was now and feeling really chipper about it. "And I haven't even won you a tackly little prize yet." He had a feeling they'd be here a while and it wasn't the first time Charlie made him feel like he was reclaiming some of his lost youth. They could go on all the rides, act like silly teenagers in love and not worry about anything for a little while.
"Sick, sticky and with a tacky little prize in my pocket," Charlie said. "To me that screams a good time has been had." They could leave right now and Charlie would have found the entire day to be amazing, all because of one carousel ride. After her divorce, Charlie hadn't been sure she would ever be able to trust a man completely again, but Gavin had made it easy for her. "Maybe I'll win you a tacky prize," she added, smiling up at him. "Some ridiculous looking stuffed animal that you'll have to take to the bar and put on your desk."
Gavin cocked a brow at her, smiling at the thought. She wouldn't be working at the Porch forever so it might be nice to have a little reminder of her at the bar. "That doesn't sound bad at all," he admitted. "If the dogs don't chew it up first. I like that idea, let's see what you're made of. After we get something sticky and sweet." He led the way toward the vendors, only pausing a little to sneak a kiss in Charlie's hair. He already knew what she was made of and he loved all of it, but it'd be interesting to see how she reacted to losing games that were probably rigged to hell and back.
"I've noticed Baxter has started carrying shoes around," Charlie said, her gaze scanning the food stands for the cotton candy. "He doesn't chew any of them, but whenever I walk in the house he grabs one and takes off. Like he expects me to chase him or something. Maybe the other two aren't playing with him enough while we're gone." Baxter was generally pretty chill and very attached to Charlie, but lately he seemed to be more playful and energetic. "Has Rude or Max ever done anything like that?" He'd had his dogs far longer than Charlie had had Baxter and she sort of viewed him as the dog expert in the house.
"Oh yeah," Gavin said with a titter. "Max got very attached to one of my shoes a few years back. I'd just managed to get him to stop chewing up stuff but for probably a year he just treated that one shoe like it was his favorite toy. No skin off my back, as long as he left my other shoes alone." Gavin loved dogs, but they were weird and he was pretty used to them forming strange attachments or getting huffy about the most random events. "Pretty typical he wants to play with a shoe when those dogs have all the balls and toys they could want."
"Kind of like children wanting the box the toy came in instead of the actual toy." Charlie huffed a soft laugh and nuzzled Gavin's chest when they finally got in line for cotton candy. "That's what we should get Mila and Aaron for their baby... just a bunch of boxes." Despite the duller pangs of envy, Charlie was excited for the new baby. She just hoped Gavin didn't get annoyed with how often Charlie planned to volunteer to babysit. "Their wedding is coming up pretty quick. Do you have the bachelor party put together?"
"I'm getting there," Gavin sighed and while he was honored Aaron had asked him, it was a pain in the ass. Of course his brother didn't need anything too extravagant, a few strippers and a lot of booze should do it, as tradition predicted. "I'm more worried about the mandatory speech, to be honest," he admitted but the main reason that made him a little anxious wasn't anything he could talk about. Delivering a speech at the wedding of the woman who knew what he'd done to her was going to be a miserable experience and he was going to need a few drinks in him for the occasion. It wasn't something he wanted to think about now, not when they were having such a good time. Mila had graciously put it all behind her which was far more than Gavin deserved, it wasn't like the whole situation would erupt on her wedding day. And yet, it was nerve wracking.
A yes, the best man speech. Gavin was not a speech maker. He barely liked to talk. But he loved his brother, so Charlie knew he would do it, even if it was a bit begrudgingly. "Don't overthink it," Charlie said, pressing a kiss to Gavin's jaw. "A nice, to the point speech is probably all Aaron is really expecting." The speech would probably be the least awkward moment of the entire night anyway. Charlie knew Roxy was Mila's maid of honor and with Caden and his new wife being there too... well, Charlie was just hoping everyone could behave like adults for one evening, for Aaron and Mila's sake.
She was right and Gavin knew that if he just didn't try to be witty or cute in his speech, it'd be a lot less painful. He doubted anyone was expecting him to tell funny anecdotes from Aaron's life or tease his brother, that just wasn't in his character, so he supposed he could get up and say something, even if it was brief. It wasn't so much talking in front of a crowd that worried him, it was more the whole 'tell it from the heart' part of it. So many things could go wrong at that wedding and Gavin was acutely aware of all of them so he didn't want to think about it. Instead he focused on his own future wedding, which would be small but beautiful and free from all the bullshit. "Do you want anyone there with us? When we get married?" he asked, glancing ahead to find there were only two people in front of them now, thankfully.
Charlie was the eternal optimist that Mila and Aaron's wedding would be beautiful and without drama. Surely their families and friends loved them enough to put any problems aside for one day. Gavin's question prompted Charlie to look up at him before furrowing her brows thoughtfully. "While I kind of like the idea of just sneaking away with you and eloping... I think my mom would guilt me for the rest of her life if we got married and she wasn't there. What about you? Do you think your family... or at least Jasper and Amelia would want to be there?"
With Joseph out of the picture it was easier to imagine having a small wedding with family involved. His mother would probably love it too and while he wasn't sure Jasper would want to be involved, he was almost certain Amelia would love it. They had plenty of time to think about how they wanted to do it and maybe they'd be completely over weddings after the one they were attending, but he had a feeling Poppy Harris wasn't the only one who'd be pouty if they eloped. "I don't know about Jasper but Amelia? Absolutely," he said and the thought of including his siblings too just felt like it was getting too big for a small, private ceremony. "You, me, our moms, the kids and the dogs," he added, only half joking about the dogs. "Oh and a priest. I guess we need a priest. We could get married in the new church."
Charlie had just been thinking about going to a Justice of the Peace, but she knew Gavin was slightly more religious than she was, so it made sense he would want a Priest... and a church. She wasn't going to protest. "We could do that," Charlie agreed. "Mothers, dogs and the kids. That sounds pretty much perfect. If your brothers and Kat want to come... that's okay too. It won't be too crazy." She had no idea if Caden and his new wife would want to be involved in another wedding but she couldn't help but think Aaron would want to be there. But Charlie definitely wanted to keep it simple. The couple in front of them was moving away from the booth so Charlie glanced at Gavin. "Do you want cotton candy?"
"Absolutely," Gavin said and stepped forward, checking in with Charlie a few times as he placed their order. The vendor was unusually bland, but Gavin wasn't really in the mood to do small talk with strangers so that worked out perfectly. While they waited for their goods to be ready he pulled Charlie close to his side again and kissed her head. "Mothers, dogs, kids, siblings, siblings' spouses. We'll end up with a full church if we're not careful." Jasper and Amelia might want to bring dates, their mothers would want some cousins and uncles there and Gavin could see Miles sulk about not being invited which was fair enough, he was practically family. It sometimes seemed like there was no middle ground between a tiny wedding and a big one.
"I mean, that's all technically family, right?" Charlie was still feeling a little buzzy from her drink earlier but she did the math quickly in her head. "That's only nine people... ten if Kat brings a date. Um, twelve if Amelia and Jasper want to bring someone." It didn't escape her that the only family she would have there would be her mother, but that was all right. Gavin's family felt like her family now. Charlie scrunched her nose up. "Thirteen. We should invite Elodie. I'm not sure if she would come but it wouldn't feel right not inviting her. Thirteen is an unlucky number though. Miles! That would make fourteen." Groaning, Charlie buried her face in his chest. "You sure you don't want to go to Vegas and find an Elvis impersonator to marry us?"
Gavin laughed, handing over money for the sweets before accepting them and giving Charlie her cotton candy. "It's starting to sound real tempting," he admitted. "We could just do it by ourselves and invite the family over for a barbeque after, if we have a summer wedding. I still wanna buy you a pretty dress. Doesn't have to be the white frilly stuff, but something beautiful, something just for this." When had he started giving a damn about those things? The answer was plain and simple; it started with Charlie and it was probably a good thing he was getting more interested in what she liked to wear because Amelia had now more than once asked him how he liked a dress or a shirt she was thinking of buying. He knew damn well it wasn't for his keen sense of fashion - more that she still felt insecure about what was appropriate in this world - but he felt a little more confident in telling her his opinion instead of always sending her to Charlie with her questions. "So I guess there's a part of me that's old-fashioned and corny about this. I don't mind fourteen people and a priest and Elvis would be hilarious. I'll do whatever you want to do."
As soon as she had the cotton candy, Charlie picked off a small piece and popped it into her mouth. It was sweet and dissolved deliciously on her tongue. It was hard to focus too long on the taste because the mention of a dress - and Gavin buying it - drew her attention immediately back to him. It was insanely sweet of him and she couldn't help but think what an idiot his ex-wife was. "We can be old fashioned and corny," she said, leaning over to kiss him gently on the mouth. "No Elvis. Just a priest and fourteen people we love and care about. We can even still do the barbeque in the backyard afterward. I don't care how we do it, to be honest. I just want to be married to you."
It was such a novelty to admit to himself that he wanted to be married to Charlie too and hearing her say those words put a warm smile on Gavin's face. They wanted to be married to each other, it kind of made all the wedding bullshit he'd dismissed with a cynical attitude make sense now. "I want to be married to you too," he said quietly. "However we end up doing. We'll plan all of it after Aaron's wedding and if it puts us off the whole church idea, then we'll elope." There was a certain appeal to eloping, he had to admit that, as funny as it also was to him to think of getting married by some cheesy Elvis impersonator. That was how he and Ollie should have gotten married, in a tacky and non-important way. They hadn't wanted to get married - well, maybe she had, but he sure as hell hadn't - so it would have fit with that sham of a marriage. Charlie deserved better, but that also meant that if she ended up preferring to elope, he'd do that for her.
Charlie was more than happy with that plan. Mila and Aaron's wedding was coming up, then they could figure out what they wanted to do. Charlie didn't want to jump right into it and steal Mila's thunder, or anything like that. She kissed Gavin again and then slipped her free hand into his to walk with him to the Tunnel of Love. The only thing she knew was that she wanted to marry Gavin. And she didn't want a huge church wedding that cost thousands of dollars. Charlie had that with Drew and that marriage had ended in divorce. Live and learn. Now she just wanted a ring on her finger and the knowledge that she would get to wake up beside Gavin for the rest of her life. "Just to put it out there, we don't have to go to Vegas to elope. We could go anywhere. I hear Atlantic City is beautiful this time of year." She shot him a teasing look, unable to resist the joke. That had definitely been more Caden's speed, but... hey, he and Shan were still married, so that was something, right?
"We could elope to a nearby town if we wanted," Gavin said and she was right, Atlantic City was also closer. "Is it eloping if you plan it and make appointments?" A few of the nearby towns had nice little anglican churches he'd often driven by so if they could hire a priest they could take a weekday off and make a day of it, just the two of them. "I have ideas," he said with a little shrug. "Think we're just gonna sit on'em for a bit, see where the mood takes us." A part of him wanted to see an officiant now, get married without telling anyone and celebrate later - but that was probably insane. He'd enjoy being engaged for once, that wasn't something he'd experienced before.
Charlie laughed. "I have no idea. I've never eloped before. But yes, let's just... get through Aaron and Mila's wedding and go from there." Maybe things would change between now and then. She wasn't going to think about how Gavin could change his mind about marriage. Right now things felt too good to worry about the future. "Let's just keep it as simple as possible?" She was guessing Gavin would be on board with that. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who would want frills and extravagance and Charlie had since outgrown that herself.
Gavin tittered again because they kept saying 'let's wait' and then diving right back into wondering what to do. It was a big thing and they were excited about it so it wasn't surprising but it could be amusing anyway. "Is that what you want?" he asked as they stopped by the tunnel of love, not terribly busy at the moment thankfully - he'd just about had it with lines. "Or is it what you think I want?" Yes, he liked simple and quiet things, but far more than that he liked making Charlie happy. He'd endure a two-hundred guest over-the-top wedding if that was what she wanted - though he knew and was thankful for the fact she didn't actually want anything that crazy.
"That's what I want," Charlie admitted, pausing to look at him. "Like I said, I've had the big wedding, with the huge cake and the flowers and the huge guest list. If we had that kind of money, I wouldn't want to blow it on another wedding. I would rather put it into the house, or take a trip with you, or something like that. And I love you enough not to shove you into a tux and make you socialize with strangers for four hours." She smiled and pressed a kiss to his chin. "If we don't elope, I just want the people we care about with us."
"That sounds good to me," Gavin murmured and he always felt softened up by her little kisses, a fool for her love. He thought it'd be wise to mentally prepare for the chance that she might change her mind. If all went well at Aaron and Mila's wedding, it had the potential to be very beautiful and beautiful weddings tended to make people emotional. He decided there and then that if Charlie changed her mind and wanted a big shindig, he would indulge her with a smile.
As much as Charlie knew she would enjoy Aaron and Mila's wedding, she was pretty confident that she wouldn't suddenly want something more than what they've already talked about. She hadn't been lying when she told Gavin all she wanted was to be married to him. Holding him close with one arm, she focused on the Tunnel of Love, wonderfully amused that Gavin was actually going to go on this ride with her. "Did you ever imagine yourself riding something called the Tunnel of Love?" she asked. "With cotton candy in your hand, of all things."
"No," Gavin said plainly and laughed, glancing at her with warmth in his eyes. He could have told her he hadn't expected to fall in love again, to even laugh again - especially not like this - but he didn't. For one he was certain that she knew already so why yammer on about it. "But here I am," he said instead and snagged a little fluffy sweetness to stick in his mouth. "Did you?" he asked, turning the question around on her. It was so easy for him to imagine her like this with just about anyone else, some handsome and outgoing guy who'd be far better for her than Gavin. Thinking back he didn't actually remember her dating in high school but he'd always been so sure she had every boy wrapped around her finger and still should. She was the epitome of the perfect girl, both back then and now and he was still amazed she'd actually settled for him.
"Well, yeah, of course." Charlie laughed. "I mean, it's a romantic image, isn't it? The tunnel of love with someone you love. Not a care in the world. Maybe it's something I wanted. Not necessarily something so specific, but... I don't know. Just being able to do these kind of things with someone I trust." She felt like she was rambling again. Charlie definitely didn't think she was perfect, but she was okay with Gavin thinking she was perfect for him. "You know what I mean." It was their turn to get into the small boat and Charlie was careful as she stepped into it, even though the water below didn't look all that deep. "Do you think we should have invited Amelia? I feel like she would've enjoyed this."
Gavin shook his head as he got in next to her - only after making sure she was on safely and that he wouldn't have to catch her. It was unlikely but it felt right to be attentive. "She might be here somewhere, we can always invite her later." He slipped his arm around Charlie's shoulders and pulled her to his side, unsure what to think of this ride. It wasn't overly comfortable and the thought of going into the dark tunnel suddenly didn't seem like a fantastic idea, memories of all the awful shit he'd seen in Point PLeasant popping up in his mind. He pushed them away and focused on Charlie instead, determined not to fall back into his old habit of always expecting the worst. "I didn't really want anything, or hope for anything, before you came back," he told her and all that negative stuff in his life felt very pointedly pre-Charlie.
Charlie wasn't thinking too much about the ride, or how dark it looked in the tunnel ahead. She had Gavin beside her, and cotton candy in her hand, so things were feeling pretty good right now. His words prompted a small smile to curve at her lips and she settled in comfortably beside him. "When I came back, I didn't know what I was wanting or hoping for. But I'm glad I walked into the Porch that night... and Roxy was on her break." Otherwise she might not have seen Gavin at all. "It took me a while to finally lure you out into the world with me, but I'm glad I did."
Gavin let out a quiet little laugh that was just a bit sheepish because yes, he knew he was anti-social and difficult and yet Charlie had been so patient with him. "It did take you a while," he murmured. "But I'm glad you did too." He leaned in to kiss her, smiling a little against her lips at the faint aftertaste of sugar. "We would have run into each other at church if not at the Porch," he reminded her. "Or around town. I would have heard you were back." He heard a lot at the bar, things he didn't really care about and others that he filed away for later. Charlie being back would have been something he'd picked up on even if he wasn't listening in, her name had still always gotten his attention, a bitter sweet pang before she returned and a joyous one now.
Charlie knew they would have seen one another at some point. But she still liked to think it was serendipitous that she impulsively decided to stop in the Porch that first night. "You would have heard I was back, but you wouldn't have approached me to say hello," she pointed out, a playful lilt to her tone. "That doesn't mean we wouldn't be where we are now... it just would have taken a longer time to get here." But things worked out the way they were supposed to, if you asked her. They were starting to move now and Charlie couldn't help but wonder if there were lights inside the tunnel or if it was really that dark. "For a tunnel of love, it seems more like... a tunnel of dark," she observed, taking one more bite of her cotton candy.
"Yeah I would have expected little lanterns or something," Gavin replied and he knew better than to protest what she'd said about him not approaching her. Admiring Charlie from afar had always been his thing and awkwardly replying to her when she ever spoke to him in a way that had probably made her wonder if he disliked her. He'd always been bad at talking to her, basically. Until now. He watched with a bit of suspicion as they entered the tunnel and while he didn't have a bad feeling about the place, he didn't have a very good one either. It was too late to back out though so he focused on Charlie's warm body against his own and nibbled on his own cotton candy. "I would have killed to go on a ride like this with you in high school," he admitted when they were in the dark.
"Oh yeah?" Charlie looked at Gavin even as the darkness engulfed them. "I wish I would've known that, back then. I always got the feeling that I was annoying you anytime we talked. Or rather, anytime I talked to you." She chuckled softly. "But if you would've had the chance and asked me, I would've said yes." He had been with Ollie back then and Charlie hadn't really known either of them that well. Then Gavin was gone and Joanna had died and her life whole seemed to shift into slow motion. Who knew what would have happened if one thing had been different.
"Oh man," Gavin sighed, kind of mortified to hear that this had been Charlie's impression of him. But it made sense, he'd been even worse at talking to people back then, always guarded against everyone, only letting his one best friend and his weird girlfriend close. They'd been his sanctuaries from his family - until Ollie became family and in doing so became a war zone herself. "I wish I'd known you would have said yes," he said quietly. "I never understood why you talked to me, you were... I don't know. One of them. Beautiful and unattainable and perfect." He smiled and shook his head, knowing that probably sounded dumb to her. "Kids are stupid. I was especially stupid."
"I've never been unattainable... or perfect. Beautiful, definitely." She laughed and pressed a kiss against Gavin's jaw. "But I agree with you. Kids are most definitely stupid. And I talked to you because I wanted to. I thought you were cute and shy and... I don't know... like you needed someone to talk to you. Plus, you were really good at opening my locker for me. But I guess things worked out the way they were supposed to. We both had crappy marriages that messed us up in their own ways. At least you got kids out of it. And they're great kids." Both had their own issues too but Charlie thought they had grown up pretty well, all things considered.
Gavin thought that he couldn't miss the kids if he'd never actually had them and their lives had been so messed up that he wasn't sure if their whole existence was a good thing or not. If given the chance to start over, knowing what he knew today, would he do it all the same way? He wasn't so sure, no matter how much he loved them today. "They are great kids," he agreed with a touch of sadness, not wanting to linger on this subject that seemed so fraught with hard questions and bad memories. "And opening that locker was about the only thing I felt good at back then," he said instead. "They still haven't renewed those lockers, you know. Maybe they fixed your old one, but I wouldn't bet on it.
"Those lockers are definitely still the same," Charlie said with a soft laugh. "New paint, but that's about it. When's the last time you've been in the high school? I guarantee you it would be like walking into the past." She looked up at Gavin again, one brow raised. "You know, I think I'm going to sneak you in there one day this summer so you can kiss me at my old locker. We can pretend we have a re-do."
"It's been a while," Gavin admitted and the last time hadn't been a happy occasion since Jasper had been in trouble. If anyone else had asked him to go back to Chamberlain High, he'd have refused. Why go back to such a miserable place if he didn't have to? But kissing Charlie by her old locker held an appeal he couldn't deny and the thought brought a smile to his face. "This summer or next semester, you'll have some days where it's just the teachers, I'll bring you lunch and kiss you like I should have all those years ago."
"Fantasy fulfilled," Charlie said with a soft laugh. She spent almost every day of the year in the high school and maybe it was lame of her feel that little thrill at the thought of Gavin coming in to see her... but she didn't really care. Drew had never brought her lunch at work and he certainly would have never come in just to kiss her. "Makes me wonder where we would be right now if you had," she said thoughtfully. "Kissed me, I mean. But I'm happy now... and trying not to be too impatient about getting back home with you so I can get your clothes off."
It was hard to imagine how things might have gone differently if Gavin had kissed Charlie as a teenager. Maybe they'd have ended up together, maybe he'd be happier or maybe Ollie would have murdered them in a jealous rage. It was useless trying to speculate about things like that, he was just happy she was there with him now and her words made him grin. "Yeah I think this is the last ride we go on here," he agreed and leaned in to kiss her cheek, rubbing his nose against her soft skin, enjoying the pleasant rush of arousal at the thought of getting her naked.
"Mmmhmm." She was definitely eager to get home now and Charlie turned her face just enough to catch Gavin's mouth in a kiss. It felt like the right time to be celebrating. They were happy and engaged and suddenly Charlie had everything she'd been wanting with Drew. Maybe there wouldn't be any children in her future, but she had Gavin now, and in a way, she felt close to Amelia too. Happiness came with certain sacrifices, but she was okay with that now. "Hopefully the kids aren't home," she murmured against his mouth. "Because I think we're definitely going to be making some noise."