on_thecouch | 4.2 Justify your actions
4.2 Justify your actions
[Co-Written with drcampbell]
PAST SCENE: Set just before Christmas, 2006…
“It just happened.” Riley averted his eyes and felt a flush spread across his cheeks as his best mate snorted sceptically and then sniggered as he lit up a cigarette. “It did,” he insisted, looking back up at Lachlan and then unable to help but laugh when all that Lachlan did was continue to smirk at him.
Lachlan folded his hands in front of him, his cigarette sitting between his fingers with ease. “Aye, and I’m Bonnie Prince Charlie,” he laughed. “Did you trip and your dick fall into her, buddy? What’s it matter? It happened, full stop. So, what’s the next chapter?”
Riley rubbed his nose, determined to try and justify to Lachlan - if not himself - why he’d slept with a woman the first night he met her. “I don’t usually do that. I’m not into casual sex. If I’m interested in someone, I at least try to get to a second date before we jump into bed.”
“So, you’re interested in her, aye?” Lachlan asked, amused. “Cannae say I blame you. She’s a great lassie. She wants your arse.”
“Why aren’t you with her?” Riley asked, blurting out what had been playing on his mind since he woke up next to Beth the morning before yesterday.
Lachlan exhaled a swirl of smoke and wet his lips. “We tried that in high school. You got further than me, Ri,” he said with a shrug. “We know each other too well. It was like dating my sister. It was too much temptation to want to give each other wedgies and fight over the brown sauce bottle in the restaurant.”
“How come you didn’t sleep with her?” Riley pushed.
“Just didnae happen. When we dated, I’m pretty sure it hadnae been that far beyond when both of us lost our virginity. Believe it or not, I only had sex the first time when I was almost seventeen. I cannae be sure with Beth. But it was a high school thing we had, and it was sort of assumed by our families that we would date at some point, I suppose. Our families have been friends since well before Beth or I were born. We did the making out on the sofa thing, we did the going to the cinema thing, we did the touching through clothes thing… enough for her to realise what I was carrying around in my pants,” Lachlan laughed. “But we got sick of each other in that capacity and realised we’d been friends too long to pull off a heavier relationship. We were together long enough to swap germs and give each other chicken pox and that was it.”
Riley peered at Lachlan uncertainly and toyed with the rim of his whiskey glass. “You’re not just doing all this to fuck with me, are you?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t mean to accuse you of shit like that, but… I’m just checking.”
“Well, I’m yet to fuck with you, but for conversation, doing what?” Lachlan asked and took a sip of his own Scotch and coke.
“Setting me up with her, encouraging me to pursue it,” Riley said with a wave of his hand. “If I’ve made some sort of mistake…”
Lachlan shook his head. “I wouldnae, buddy. She’s a good lassie. I happen to think you’d work well together. I’d be the first to admit if I thought you’d made a mistake. You followed your heart. You should learn to do that more often, aye? Life’s too short to spend it being uptight and worrying about the next move all the time. Let it all hang out, or you’ll wake up one day and realise you’ve missed what you spent your whole life anticipating and working for.” He offered Riley a cigarette, shaking the packet and handing him the lighter. “I wish I could find someone I fit easily with. Ever since Amanda, things have been up the shit. Nay sure I’m even ready to trust another lassie again…”
Riley accepted the cigarette and patted his friend on the back. Amanda. The lowlife cow who had cheated on Lachlan and killed his unborn baby. He was pretty convinced a little piece of his friend was lost because of the whole horrible and painful scenario. “It’s been a year, hasn’t it? Do you think you’ll ever want to get back in the dating saddle?” he asked quietly as he lit up.
“Nay idea, buddy. I mean, forever is a long time. I cannae say I’ll never want to date again. I’ve had a few faceless fucks, but they were one-nighters. You know, friends who dinnae mind a bit of mutual fun now and again.” Lachlan drew a deep breath and let it out slowly as he watched the end of his cigarette burn down. “It would have to be someone special. Someone I’m willing to risk my heart for. I cannae see that happening any time soon.”
Riley looked at his friend with a small frown. “How do you know they’re worth that risk?”
“I’m told you just know, buddy.” Lachlan shot him a small smile, his eyes intent on his friend. “Do you know, Ri?”
Riley touched his mouth and ran his fingers along his lips as he swallowed a little nervously. “I-I think maybe I do.”
- Beth Anderson [phtgrphcscot] referenced with permission
Words | 882
[Co-Written with drcampbell]
PAST SCENE: Set just before Christmas, 2006…
“It just happened.” Riley averted his eyes and felt a flush spread across his cheeks as his best mate snorted sceptically and then sniggered as he lit up a cigarette. “It did,” he insisted, looking back up at Lachlan and then unable to help but laugh when all that Lachlan did was continue to smirk at him.
Lachlan folded his hands in front of him, his cigarette sitting between his fingers with ease. “Aye, and I’m Bonnie Prince Charlie,” he laughed. “Did you trip and your dick fall into her, buddy? What’s it matter? It happened, full stop. So, what’s the next chapter?”
Riley rubbed his nose, determined to try and justify to Lachlan - if not himself - why he’d slept with a woman the first night he met her. “I don’t usually do that. I’m not into casual sex. If I’m interested in someone, I at least try to get to a second date before we jump into bed.”
“So, you’re interested in her, aye?” Lachlan asked, amused. “Cannae say I blame you. She’s a great lassie. She wants your arse.”
“Why aren’t you with her?” Riley asked, blurting out what had been playing on his mind since he woke up next to Beth the morning before yesterday.
Lachlan exhaled a swirl of smoke and wet his lips. “We tried that in high school. You got further than me, Ri,” he said with a shrug. “We know each other too well. It was like dating my sister. It was too much temptation to want to give each other wedgies and fight over the brown sauce bottle in the restaurant.”
“How come you didn’t sleep with her?” Riley pushed.
“Just didnae happen. When we dated, I’m pretty sure it hadnae been that far beyond when both of us lost our virginity. Believe it or not, I only had sex the first time when I was almost seventeen. I cannae be sure with Beth. But it was a high school thing we had, and it was sort of assumed by our families that we would date at some point, I suppose. Our families have been friends since well before Beth or I were born. We did the making out on the sofa thing, we did the going to the cinema thing, we did the touching through clothes thing… enough for her to realise what I was carrying around in my pants,” Lachlan laughed. “But we got sick of each other in that capacity and realised we’d been friends too long to pull off a heavier relationship. We were together long enough to swap germs and give each other chicken pox and that was it.”
Riley peered at Lachlan uncertainly and toyed with the rim of his whiskey glass. “You’re not just doing all this to fuck with me, are you?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t mean to accuse you of shit like that, but… I’m just checking.”
“Well, I’m yet to fuck with you, but for conversation, doing what?” Lachlan asked and took a sip of his own Scotch and coke.
“Setting me up with her, encouraging me to pursue it,” Riley said with a wave of his hand. “If I’ve made some sort of mistake…”
Lachlan shook his head. “I wouldnae, buddy. She’s a good lassie. I happen to think you’d work well together. I’d be the first to admit if I thought you’d made a mistake. You followed your heart. You should learn to do that more often, aye? Life’s too short to spend it being uptight and worrying about the next move all the time. Let it all hang out, or you’ll wake up one day and realise you’ve missed what you spent your whole life anticipating and working for.” He offered Riley a cigarette, shaking the packet and handing him the lighter. “I wish I could find someone I fit easily with. Ever since Amanda, things have been up the shit. Nay sure I’m even ready to trust another lassie again…”
Riley accepted the cigarette and patted his friend on the back. Amanda. The lowlife cow who had cheated on Lachlan and killed his unborn baby. He was pretty convinced a little piece of his friend was lost because of the whole horrible and painful scenario. “It’s been a year, hasn’t it? Do you think you’ll ever want to get back in the dating saddle?” he asked quietly as he lit up.
“Nay idea, buddy. I mean, forever is a long time. I cannae say I’ll never want to date again. I’ve had a few faceless fucks, but they were one-nighters. You know, friends who dinnae mind a bit of mutual fun now and again.” Lachlan drew a deep breath and let it out slowly as he watched the end of his cigarette burn down. “It would have to be someone special. Someone I’m willing to risk my heart for. I cannae see that happening any time soon.”
Riley looked at his friend with a small frown. “How do you know they’re worth that risk?”
“I’m told you just know, buddy.” Lachlan shot him a small smile, his eyes intent on his friend. “Do you know, Ri?”
Riley touched his mouth and ran his fingers along his lips as he swallowed a little nervously. “I-I think maybe I do.”
- Beth Anderson [phtgrphcscot] referenced with permission
Words | 882