muses_w_remotes | 11.7. Groundhog Day quote
7. "I do. Whatever happens tomorrow, or for the rest of my life, I'm happy now... because I love you."
| Groundhog Day
Co-written with imnodoctor
[Follows THIS and THIS]
Evie twirled some pasta around her fork and smiled at Riley as she slipped it into her mouth. She couldn't remember the last time the two of them had gone on a romantic date. Theses days it seemed they either stayed in and got frisky, or went out to parties with the rest of the group. Which wasn't really a problem, but it was nice to have something that was just for them. And also an excuse to put on the new sexy black dress she'd bought while shopping with Tara.
Her feet were linked with Riley's under the table and she smiled again. That was the beneift of a fiance with long legs. She didn't need to sink low in her chair to get to touch him. "Tab's right, you really do have a Chewing Face."
Riley paused with his fork nearly to his mouth and blinked. "A what face? How many faces do I have? Because I was so under the obviously wrong delusion I was only born with one," he laughed. "Even Lachlan told me today that I have 'that look' on my face, but he didn't tell me what one." He put the fork into his mouth, so far having enjoyed every single mouthful of his cannelloni. The pills were well on their way in his system these days. There were less and less times he woke up feeling like crap.
Evie smirked as she licked some excess sauce off her lips. "If you believe your sister, I'm pretty sure you have at least two hundred faces. It's pretty amazing that she can name every expression that crosses your face. Me? I just like watching your face because it's so adorable, and cute," Evie finished with a laugh. "I do like it a lot when you smile though, especially for extended periods of time."
Riley then just did what he did best - promptly blushed and shook his head. "No..." he prostested bashfully, not even sure what he was objecting to. All the compliments, most likely. He stabbed at his meal and then glanced up at her with an embarrassed laugh. "Did you have a good day with Tara?" he asked.
Evie winked at him and rubbed the side of her leg against his affectionately. "Stop blushing, or I might take you right here and now. You know what you being all shy does to me." She watched him, still not sure it was possible to love him any more than she did, but her heart skipped a beat every time he did the blushing thing. "I had a very expensive, but good time. You'll no doubt reap the benefits of my little spree, though. Did you enjoy your time with Lachlan and his Mini Me?"
"I did..." Riley confirmed with a smile. "Riley was brilliant. That kid could win a baby contest, I swear. I'm totally not biased, either. He smiles like you wouldn't believe now and grabs at everything. That's definitely his father's son. I would be lying if I didn't say I was curious about why Lachlan and Tab were going to be meeting up, though. Neither told me much at all." He paused to take a small sip of his wine. "Today got me thinking. A lot."
"The only thing I can think of is music, unless they're planning something diabolical for you," Evie suggested as before eating another forkful of her meal. "Riley is definitely a very pretty baby. Can you blame him though with those genes? Any kid produced by Tara and Lachlan was made to be fucking gorgeous. It's disgusting, really. Thinking about what?"
Riley frowned a little. "Should I be scared?" he asked. "I haven't been acting weird lately, have I? I mean, I know Lachlan helped Tab a lot when I was being all odd after the needlestick." He was smiling again and nodded. "I love spending time with him. Even when he's screaming, I don't mind it. He's actually been the reason I haven't really stopped thinking in weeks. Kids... I was thinking about kids."
She gave a shake of her head as she reached across to cover his hand with hers. "No, sweetheart. If any two people in the world want to do only what's best for you, it's Tab and Lachlan. Well, if you don't count me. I'm sure if it is something to do with you, it's only because they love you." Her fingers gripped his hand a bit tighter as Evie stopped the surprise from showing on her face. Kids had actually been something she hadn't expected Riley to bring up, even with all the time he was spending with Lachlan and RJ. "What about kids?"
Riley pulled his lower lip in between his teeth. It wasn't a nervous gesture, more just one that indicated the obvious discontent there. It was lessening, though. He didn't feel so much like he had been punched in the gut when he thought about having kids anymore. "How much I want them," he admitted. "Or even just one."
Evie changed her grip on his hand so her fingers slid between his. "I would really love a kid, too. Even a couple, but I know the risk to you. To me. I don't want to push our luck if we can just get one kid."
"That's mostly what I spent my time with Lachlan today doing. Talking about it, thinking about it, listening to his take on things." Riley curled his fingers in with hers. "How do you feel about it all? I mean, how do you feel about the possibility you could, even with a slight risk, come out with HIV?"
Evie let out a sigh. "There's also the risk I'll come out with breast cancer because my mother had it. I still love my breasts, I still want my breasts." She shrugged. "When you get right down to it, everything contains a risk. If I do wind up with HIV I'll deal with it, just like I deal with everything else. Like we've dealt with everything else," she corrected as she looked at him. "You do understand that if it does happen that I will never hate you for it, right? I would never blame you for it."
Riley let out a slow breath. "And you understand if I infect you, you could infect the foetus," he told her quietly. "How would you feel about that?" Lachlan was right; it was time they started to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of this before any decisions were even made one way or the other.
Evie dropped her head down as she used her free hand to push her hair back from her face. "I'd feel awful," she admitted. "I want a kid, I want our kid, but... I don't know. How long would they even live?"
Riley put his fork down as a small niggle made itself known in his gut. "I really don't know. It's hard enough on an adult body. But there would be hope. I just don't know if I could live with myself," he murmured.
She gave a nod as she looked across the table again at her fiancé. "So we're kind of damned if we do, and damned if we don't, aren't we? If we take the risk we won't know if the baby's safe or not for a while... and if we don't, then we'll just always have this giant yearning for a family. It'll become the elephant in the room that we don't talk about because it hurts too much. I don't want that, Riley."
Riley lowered his eyes. He had to fight not to give into tears again. No one ever said any of this was going to be easy. In fact, since the needlestick, people had told him it would all be very hard. "Lachlan told me today that Riley might end up with diabetes like Tara. That alone makes something hurt inside. But is it worth the risk? It's low risk, but it's a known risk and it's a prominent one. What do we do?" he asked her, looking up to meet her eyes again.
Evie didn't bother with checking to see if the other patrons were watching. As far as she was concerned, right now she and Riley were in this moment alone, locked up in their own private bubble. She shifted her chair so she was next to Riley and slipped her arms around him as she kissed his cheek. "We go and talk to a doctor together, and we find out as much as we can about the procedure and the risk... then we talk again, and work out if we do it. Right now, I want to say let's just stop fucking thinking, and start doing... but I know you. This is one impulsive decision you can't make without the information."
Riley shook his head. "I need to understand it in my own head before I can expect anyone else to try and understand it. It'll come with stigmas and all that shit. Plus, it's expensive. About Ten thousand for the sperm washing alone before we even get to the IVF... per attempt."
Evie kissed his temple before she rest her chin on his shoulder. "It'd be a worthy investment, sexy. Even if I don't get to make a baby with you the old fashion way, I still know we'd make a pretty fucking awesome little kid. It'll be crazy good looking, and super smart."
"I just... every time I spend time with Riley, something inside me just turns over and I can't stop all the what-ifs. To have Tara and Lachlan even entrust me with him in any capacity is huge. Makes me feel less like a leper and more like I can maybe do it, you know? Not that anyone close to me makes me feel like a leper. I'm just always super-aware and super-conscious of everything. Then when he smiles at me..." He stopped, shaking his head fondly. "We were watching him this afternoon and when he smiled, Lachlan just looked at me with a grin and said he made that. I want to know what that feels like."
"And I want to give that to you more than anything..." Evie grabbed his face in her hands and turned his head so he was looking at her. "I want to create a baby with you, Riley Browne. I don't care if it means sperm washing and IVF. I even want the fucking morning sickness because I know that I'll be carrying our kid."
Riley just laughed softly, shaking his head. "Knowing my luck, I'll go out in sympathy for you," he predicted. He scratched his head. "They do the fertilisation process then check the embryo for the HIV. I mean, there's been loads of success stories and all that... Some people must think it's well worth it, you know?"
"That's because you love me so much." Evie nodded as she bit her lip and leaned in, her face close to his, her hands still holding the sides of his face. "Yeah, I know. Because I think it is. We at least owe it to ourselves to go talk to someone."
"Yeah," he agreed softly. "We'll have to go to New York for that. That's the closest clinic that offers it. It's going to be very invasive, very stressful... maybe even very disappointing. I think we just need to be prepared for anything."
"We will be, and we'll have each other." Evie kissed his mouth softly and smiled. "You have to realise by now that you and me are a pretty strong combination."
Riley nodded with a smile. "Yeah, we are," he agreed. "Hopefully we can find more of that to get through this."
"I know we can," Evie told him confidently before she picked up his fork and stole a bite of his cannelloni.
All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,992
| Groundhog Day
Co-written with imnodoctor
[Follows THIS and THIS]
Evie twirled some pasta around her fork and smiled at Riley as she slipped it into her mouth. She couldn't remember the last time the two of them had gone on a romantic date. Theses days it seemed they either stayed in and got frisky, or went out to parties with the rest of the group. Which wasn't really a problem, but it was nice to have something that was just for them. And also an excuse to put on the new sexy black dress she'd bought while shopping with Tara.
Her feet were linked with Riley's under the table and she smiled again. That was the beneift of a fiance with long legs. She didn't need to sink low in her chair to get to touch him. "Tab's right, you really do have a Chewing Face."
Riley paused with his fork nearly to his mouth and blinked. "A what face? How many faces do I have? Because I was so under the obviously wrong delusion I was only born with one," he laughed. "Even Lachlan told me today that I have 'that look' on my face, but he didn't tell me what one." He put the fork into his mouth, so far having enjoyed every single mouthful of his cannelloni. The pills were well on their way in his system these days. There were less and less times he woke up feeling like crap.
Evie smirked as she licked some excess sauce off her lips. "If you believe your sister, I'm pretty sure you have at least two hundred faces. It's pretty amazing that she can name every expression that crosses your face. Me? I just like watching your face because it's so adorable, and cute," Evie finished with a laugh. "I do like it a lot when you smile though, especially for extended periods of time."
Riley then just did what he did best - promptly blushed and shook his head. "No..." he prostested bashfully, not even sure what he was objecting to. All the compliments, most likely. He stabbed at his meal and then glanced up at her with an embarrassed laugh. "Did you have a good day with Tara?" he asked.
Evie winked at him and rubbed the side of her leg against his affectionately. "Stop blushing, or I might take you right here and now. You know what you being all shy does to me." She watched him, still not sure it was possible to love him any more than she did, but her heart skipped a beat every time he did the blushing thing. "I had a very expensive, but good time. You'll no doubt reap the benefits of my little spree, though. Did you enjoy your time with Lachlan and his Mini Me?"
"I did..." Riley confirmed with a smile. "Riley was brilliant. That kid could win a baby contest, I swear. I'm totally not biased, either. He smiles like you wouldn't believe now and grabs at everything. That's definitely his father's son. I would be lying if I didn't say I was curious about why Lachlan and Tab were going to be meeting up, though. Neither told me much at all." He paused to take a small sip of his wine. "Today got me thinking. A lot."
"The only thing I can think of is music, unless they're planning something diabolical for you," Evie suggested as before eating another forkful of her meal. "Riley is definitely a very pretty baby. Can you blame him though with those genes? Any kid produced by Tara and Lachlan was made to be fucking gorgeous. It's disgusting, really. Thinking about what?"
Riley frowned a little. "Should I be scared?" he asked. "I haven't been acting weird lately, have I? I mean, I know Lachlan helped Tab a lot when I was being all odd after the needlestick." He was smiling again and nodded. "I love spending time with him. Even when he's screaming, I don't mind it. He's actually been the reason I haven't really stopped thinking in weeks. Kids... I was thinking about kids."
She gave a shake of her head as she reached across to cover his hand with hers. "No, sweetheart. If any two people in the world want to do only what's best for you, it's Tab and Lachlan. Well, if you don't count me. I'm sure if it is something to do with you, it's only because they love you." Her fingers gripped his hand a bit tighter as Evie stopped the surprise from showing on her face. Kids had actually been something she hadn't expected Riley to bring up, even with all the time he was spending with Lachlan and RJ. "What about kids?"
Riley pulled his lower lip in between his teeth. It wasn't a nervous gesture, more just one that indicated the obvious discontent there. It was lessening, though. He didn't feel so much like he had been punched in the gut when he thought about having kids anymore. "How much I want them," he admitted. "Or even just one."
Evie changed her grip on his hand so her fingers slid between his. "I would really love a kid, too. Even a couple, but I know the risk to you. To me. I don't want to push our luck if we can just get one kid."
"That's mostly what I spent my time with Lachlan today doing. Talking about it, thinking about it, listening to his take on things." Riley curled his fingers in with hers. "How do you feel about it all? I mean, how do you feel about the possibility you could, even with a slight risk, come out with HIV?"
Evie let out a sigh. "There's also the risk I'll come out with breast cancer because my mother had it. I still love my breasts, I still want my breasts." She shrugged. "When you get right down to it, everything contains a risk. If I do wind up with HIV I'll deal with it, just like I deal with everything else. Like we've dealt with everything else," she corrected as she looked at him. "You do understand that if it does happen that I will never hate you for it, right? I would never blame you for it."
Riley let out a slow breath. "And you understand if I infect you, you could infect the foetus," he told her quietly. "How would you feel about that?" Lachlan was right; it was time they started to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of this before any decisions were even made one way or the other.
Evie dropped her head down as she used her free hand to push her hair back from her face. "I'd feel awful," she admitted. "I want a kid, I want our kid, but... I don't know. How long would they even live?"
Riley put his fork down as a small niggle made itself known in his gut. "I really don't know. It's hard enough on an adult body. But there would be hope. I just don't know if I could live with myself," he murmured.
She gave a nod as she looked across the table again at her fiancé. "So we're kind of damned if we do, and damned if we don't, aren't we? If we take the risk we won't know if the baby's safe or not for a while... and if we don't, then we'll just always have this giant yearning for a family. It'll become the elephant in the room that we don't talk about because it hurts too much. I don't want that, Riley."
Riley lowered his eyes. He had to fight not to give into tears again. No one ever said any of this was going to be easy. In fact, since the needlestick, people had told him it would all be very hard. "Lachlan told me today that Riley might end up with diabetes like Tara. That alone makes something hurt inside. But is it worth the risk? It's low risk, but it's a known risk and it's a prominent one. What do we do?" he asked her, looking up to meet her eyes again.
Evie didn't bother with checking to see if the other patrons were watching. As far as she was concerned, right now she and Riley were in this moment alone, locked up in their own private bubble. She shifted her chair so she was next to Riley and slipped her arms around him as she kissed his cheek. "We go and talk to a doctor together, and we find out as much as we can about the procedure and the risk... then we talk again, and work out if we do it. Right now, I want to say let's just stop fucking thinking, and start doing... but I know you. This is one impulsive decision you can't make without the information."
Riley shook his head. "I need to understand it in my own head before I can expect anyone else to try and understand it. It'll come with stigmas and all that shit. Plus, it's expensive. About Ten thousand for the sperm washing alone before we even get to the IVF... per attempt."
Evie kissed his temple before she rest her chin on his shoulder. "It'd be a worthy investment, sexy. Even if I don't get to make a baby with you the old fashion way, I still know we'd make a pretty fucking awesome little kid. It'll be crazy good looking, and super smart."
"I just... every time I spend time with Riley, something inside me just turns over and I can't stop all the what-ifs. To have Tara and Lachlan even entrust me with him in any capacity is huge. Makes me feel less like a leper and more like I can maybe do it, you know? Not that anyone close to me makes me feel like a leper. I'm just always super-aware and super-conscious of everything. Then when he smiles at me..." He stopped, shaking his head fondly. "We were watching him this afternoon and when he smiled, Lachlan just looked at me with a grin and said he made that. I want to know what that feels like."
"And I want to give that to you more than anything..." Evie grabbed his face in her hands and turned his head so he was looking at her. "I want to create a baby with you, Riley Browne. I don't care if it means sperm washing and IVF. I even want the fucking morning sickness because I know that I'll be carrying our kid."
Riley just laughed softly, shaking his head. "Knowing my luck, I'll go out in sympathy for you," he predicted. He scratched his head. "They do the fertilisation process then check the embryo for the HIV. I mean, there's been loads of success stories and all that... Some people must think it's well worth it, you know?"
"That's because you love me so much." Evie nodded as she bit her lip and leaned in, her face close to his, her hands still holding the sides of his face. "Yeah, I know. Because I think it is. We at least owe it to ourselves to go talk to someone."
"Yeah," he agreed softly. "We'll have to go to New York for that. That's the closest clinic that offers it. It's going to be very invasive, very stressful... maybe even very disappointing. I think we just need to be prepared for anything."
"We will be, and we'll have each other." Evie kissed his mouth softly and smiled. "You have to realise by now that you and me are a pretty strong combination."
Riley nodded with a smile. "Yeah, we are," he agreed. "Hopefully we can find more of that to get through this."
"I know we can," Evie told him confidently before she picked up his fork and stole a bite of his cannelloni.
All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,992