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 Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 7:08 pm
It had been a miserable week for Riker. At least after a wonderful birthday he’d shared with his friends. That had been the best he could remember. But after that? After getting kicked out and having to find his way to Cassidy’s house and then leaving after the weekend to Reims? Well, Riker was relieved to have a chance to eat more than dry ramen noodles and whatever else Ganymede managed to drop off for him.
He was worried about Yvoire, who had not been in the greatest state when they’d parted ways. Something about Reims haunted him, but Riker didn’t know the specifics. Ganymede had been accommodating, at least. She hadn’t harassed him about leaving Reims, to which he was grateful. And, of course, he was grateful that Evan found her to take him to Reims.
Riker was home now. Or at least at Evan’s place. It was Thursday night and a full six days since he’d last seen most of his friends.
Which was why, when he walked through the door and saw Julian, he hung his head in shame. His ears burned with embarrassment.
“Sorry. I’m okay,” he mumbled.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:02 pm
“Oh!” Julian exclaimed softly, clearly surprised by his friend’s presence but no less happy to see him. The paper he’d been holding slipped from his fingers and floated to the ground, and for a split second he half-turned like he was going to pick it up before he let himself follow instinct. It was just homework! He hurried to Riker and before he could even start to take off his shoes, he threw his arms around him to welcome him.
“I’m really glad to see you!” he said, in his voice that was always too soft and too quiet, but was completely honest.
He saw the bruises. He didn’t know what had happened but he could see that Riker was hurt so he was even more gentle than usual.
Evan followed behind Riker and closed the door behind him. He placed one hand on the wall as he started to toe off his shoes. The house still smelled like French Onion Soup and fresh baked bread. Maxim wriggled on the couch until he rolled off, wagging so hard he looked like he was ready to move furniture to get to them.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:04 pm
Riker caught Julian in his arms, of course. If he was going to be throwing his arms around him, it was only instinct for him to wrap his arms around him in return.
He held him tight. Lifted him off the ground a little even. Any aggravated bruises or wounds he had, he was so used to them that it was normal to hurt. Not that Julian was hurting him! It was his own fault for holding him so tightly.
After a few moments of collecting himself, he made sure Julian was safely placed with his feet back on the ground.
“I’m glad to see you too, Jules. Uh… would it be okay if I stayed with you in your room?” he asked, and then glanced over to Evan to make sure he wasn’t overstepping before adding, “As, like… a long time, thing? Uh… Mom doesn’t want me at home any more.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:09 pm
“Oh–yeah, of course. It’s our room,” Julian said without even thinking, and he looked at Evan too like he was ready to plead for permission.
“Yeah,” Evan said, in case they didn’t see him nodding already. “I’ll let everyone know,” he added, before Julian could start wondering who he needed to ask for permission. Zac would grumble and whine but Evan knew it was just in his nature. Like he didn’t perk up when Riker was over for the weekend and he knew he could squeeze out some help with yardwork. And Talia had a heart of gold, she was always trying to save everyone.
Better to get it out now so the boys didn’t have to worry about anything. They were both good at overthinking things, but thankfully Evan was the most experienced overthinker of all of them so he worried the fastest so they didn’t have to.
“Are you okay?” Julian asked, quieter than before. His brows had knitted together as he searched Riker’s face because he knew he wasn’t. Julian still hadn’t given up on his parents wanting to reach out to him, though he didn’t really talk about it much. He didn’t know why he was desperate for them to want him, in any capacity but he knew if Riker felt how he felt about it all, he wasn’t okay.
There was a silent apology on his face already, like he was sorry he’d asked when he already knew the answer.
Julian was happy here, he was in a good home.
Riker would be, too.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:11 pm
As Julian looked up at him, Riker shared a helpless expression with him. They didn’t need words to express everything. He knew that Julian hurt because he wanted to be wanted and loved by the people who were supposed to want and love him, just as Riker did.
Yes, he had found family here with Evan and even Julian, and he was doing his best to come to terms with the fact that his mother would never want him, but it was hard. And he knew he made it difficult for the kind people who welcomed him into their lives. Almost like an addict that just couldn’t break a habit, no matter how much rehabilitation.
He was trying, though. It wasn’t like he planned on going back to beg. He would just wallow when he wasn’t distracted by everything else, or something.
“I’ll be okay,” he promised, because what else could he do? He already felt bad for worrying Evan and Julian. “Just sooner than I thought, is all…”
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:18 pm
Julian nodded and for a long moment, it seemed like thought he might not say anything else. It was a tricky situation, not because it was awkward but because he knew that nice words, even with good intentions, still felt empty when there was a hole in your heart.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he looked up at Riker and said, if only to remind him, “It’s okay if you’re not feeling okay right now, though. Please don’t try to rush it because you think you have to.” His voice was quiet, in part because he was a little shy–he liked Evan! But he hadn’t had the same sorts of conversations with him as he had Riker. “It’s okay to need time.”
He knew Riker would try to force himself to seem okay so he didn’t ‘inconvenience’ everyone else. It was for them, not him. Of course they wanted him to be okay as quickly as possible, but it wasn’t for their sake, it was for his. A quick patch wouldn’t last forever, it would just make time for things to build up.
Julian didn’t say as much, but he hoped Riker understood without the words. And, if he didn’t, they’d have time to talk more later. He reached out to take his hand and gave it a little squeeze.
Evan briefly made himself look busy by petting Maxim, but the dog had seen him just an hour ago and hadn’t seen Riker in forever, so he was quickly pressing his nose against Riker’s knee and looking up at him with big, needy eyes.
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:39 pm
Riker was just as quiet during that long moment. He could see the kindness and understanding in Julian’s eyes, could hear it in his voice. He knew Julian understood what it felt like, even if it was different for everyone. Different for both of them.
He looked from Julian to the hand he held, and then down at Maxim, who received a scritch behind his ears, before looking up at Evan.
He would have been lying to say he wasn’t incredibly overwhelmed. Both by everything he was trying to process and by the support he was receiving. Gently, he tugged at Julian’s hand, and then reached over to take Evan’s and led them to the couch. He knew Maxim would follow. But he was tired of standing. He just wanted to sit down for a bit.
Maybe he was being a little demanding, so his grip was light, not wanting them to feel like he was forcing them to do anything. But he found a spot in the middle, and gently pulled their hands to see if they would sit with him.
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Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2025 5:45 pm
Naturally, there was no protest from either of them. As soon as Riker sat down, Julian was close behind. He was careful not to take up too much space, but he was used to resting against Riker so he settled down next to him and made himself comfortable.
Evan took a few seconds longer, not because he was protesting but because he was stretching to get a blanket.
Reims had been cold, and the weather outside right now was a bit dismal. He was working with only one hand and shook out the blanket. He leaned forward to drape it over Riker, and Julian caught on quickly and grabbed the other end.
Evan sat down then, just before Maxim could try to take his spot, but there was enough space between himself and the arm rest that Maxim leapt up, walked in a circle, and then collapsed on Evan’s lap. There was no rush to get up any time soon, and if they needed anything, he could just text Zac.
The television was already on and Evan didn’t bother to change the channel; it was just quiet background noise.
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Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2025 5:56 pm
He wished it had been this easy with his own family. For as long as he could remember, he wished they could just accept him and not treat him like a disease that needed to be kept away or shunned.
Riker settled under the blanket that Evan tossed over them, his arm comfortably around Julian’s shoulders now that they were sitting. And when Evan sat down with them, Riker leaned over a bit to rest his head on Evan’s shoulder.
“I’ll be okay,” he quietly promised, squeezing his eyes shut against any emotions that might threaten to spill out. He wasn’t okay right then, but he knew he had the support he needed to work through it. As long as their patience held out.
“Thank you for saving me.” Fin!
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