psl: no such thing as a third wheel

[jaeger_fly]

do the stars name us? are we their constellations?

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[jaeger_fly]

[ The sight of the boys in her living space is the last thing she expects to see, and by the look of how Yancy's seated, the way Raleigh's got himself stretched out on her couch -- it's almost as if they'd known she was coming back today, which they clearly wouldn't have, because she hadn't told anyone.

She pauses a while at the doorway, the awful feeling in her stomach coming back because she can't help but remember the fight and how small and useless it had made her feel. Yes, she had made the decision to go to spare them both the trouble, but it had also been because it had hurt to feel relegated to just this... entity shared between them. Something that was important enough to trigger a fight and at the same time, not important enough for her to have a say -- which is why she'd let her feet do the talking for her. ]

Oh, [ it seems to flimsy a comment, as if 'oh,' could sum up the tears that had slid down her face when her sister had let her babble about why it was both or none at all. Kara didn't understand, of course, the idea of a three-way relationship compounded further by the fact that neither of the boys were interested in each other like that, that they were brothers -- it was strange. But Kara, having lived in Los Angeles at some point and having held a job in a coffeeshop near the 'dome, had glimpsed the high-profile Gage Twins once and perhaps it was easier to accept that twins could be like that, but it had afforded her sister a reference at least.

Naomi closes the door behind her, saying nothing as she turns back to them. The silence is awful, and she doesn't know the first thing to say to them, so she glances to Raleigh first ( because he'd threatened to go, better off without me, he'd said, and it was like him telling her that he didn't love her even if it was clear enough in his eyes that he did ) and Yancy next ( They're a packaged deal, Kara, maybe if we hadn't gotten involved like this, it could work with just one. But I've slept with them both, and always at the same time -- don't ask me about the logistics, just don't -- it's just... if Raleigh goes, and I don't want him to go, Yancy goes with him. So it's all or nothing and it sucks, I know, maybe it's for the best that it ends even if I don't want it to ) before she retreats to drop her things in the bedroom. ]

[yancy]

[Holy shit, Raleigh, do you ever sit still? No okay, he knows the answer to that and it's cute most of the time but after about an hour, he's about two seconds away from reaching out and grabbing Raleigh's and making it stop.

But Naomi walks in before they devolve into a wrestling match on the floor, which is exactly where that was headed if she hadn't.

Yancy's up on his feet before he really decides to do it, just because he doesn't want her to go, he wants to grab her by the arm and pull her and Raleigh both in for a hug and not let go.]

Naomi, wait. Please. We need to apologize to you.

[exhort]

[ when yancy moves, raleigh moves. that's the way it's always been. the drift and the slow meshing of yancy and raleigh into yancyraleigh has only cemented that over time. but unlike usual, raleigh isn't at his brother's side. he hangs back a little ways as they trail naomi to her bedroom.

if he were a dog ( and he's not a labrador, shut up ) he would have his tail between his legs. because he knows this is his fault. he screwed things up by trying not to screw them up and now he's got to fix it.

so almost before yancy's done saying we need to apologize to you, raleigh's blurting out a rushed string of words. ] I'm kind of madly in love with you and didn't want that to mess things up between the three of us and that was kind of stupid and I'm sorry. [ he scratches at the back of his neck as he stares at his feet. ] That fight was a long time coming and my problems were just what sparked it. It's not that I don't want this thing with us anymore it's just... [ he trails off and shrugs. it's just that it's easier to try and let someone be happy and break his own heart than to watch someone else break it for him. and that sounds kind of pathetic when he actually stops to think about what he was doing. ]

[jaeger_fly]

[ she forgets, sometimes, that raleigh's just a year older than her, because the way the brothers move sometimes, it's as if they might as well be two sides of the same person. there are a handful of times that she's reminded though, and it's usually when yancy falls asleep on the couch leaving the both of them awake and she crawls over to cuddle up next to him.

she only slows when yancy calls her name because she knows that he'll come after her if she heads straight to the room ( it's how he is with a lot of things, especially when he's dead set on wanting them, tracks down every possibly way to make it happen like a bloodhound ) but it's when raleigh blurts out feelings that naomi just... stops.

because he's breaking her heart by being so afraid for his.

she sets her bag down at that, glancing over to yancy and reaching out to touch his hand as if to say we'll talk. all of us, even as she moves towards his brother. raleigh's still has his eyes trained on the floor and when naomi finally steps close, she tilts his chin up, hesitating only briefly before she fits her mouth over his.

in the past, when they'd kiss, it was always the sweet to counterpoint yancy's intensity. with raleigh, affection is easy, kisses are often traded smiles pressed together with the hint of laughter in-between. because keeping them separate with different ways of being makes it easier to keep lines from being blurred, and, if she admits it: keeps things a little less terrifying because they're so different from other men, so at home with each other that it's like they don't need anyone else and like the fight, that scares her -- because if they're alright on their own how the hell does she fit?

so naomi changes the tempo of the kiss, kisses him the way he might know as the way she kisses his brother when they're all tangled up in the sheets; body flush up against his and fingers curled at the back of his head.

and then she hugs him, tight and hard, the kiss broken now as she hides her face in his shoulder, the words she says next loud enough for yancy to hear. ] If things get messed up, I'll go. Because the only way I can stay is if it's with you both. [ and then softer, but audible still: ] I love you both so much, Raleigh. Both of you, okay?

[exhort]

[ right between them is where she fits. she's the cream filling to their oreo cookies and that's a terribly analogy but it works, okay? and raleigh's never going to be able to eat oreos ever again without thinking of naomi and how stupid he was to push her away. how good it feels to have her back.

it's a little strange, how the way she kisses him can be both familiar and new thanks to the drift. but it's right because raleigh's pretty sure he can't manage anything soft and sweet right about now. not with the way he's feeling just a little desperate and a hell of a lot apologetic. though that's quickly fading as he realizes that their little bump in the road wasn't the end of the line. still, it's hard not to cling to her as she kisses him. and when she pulls away, he still holds on tight to her, hiding his face in her hair. ]

Okay. [ he doesn't really like the thought of her leaving ever, but it's still reassuring to hear that he doesn't need to be the one to step back. ] Okay.

[ raleigh really doesn't want to let go of naomi right now, but there's a person missing here. he tilts his head so he can look up at yancy. get your butt over here, bro. this needs to be a group hug. ]

[yancy]

[Yancy delivers a slap to the back of Raleigh's head when he steps up, just a loving reminder that you're a total idiot sometimes, Rals, and well, Naomi said everything that he could've wanted to say anyway. Probably said it better because yeah, sorry bro he's not frenching you like that ever.

Not that he thinks Raleigh wants him too, knows he doesn't for fact, but just putting it out there.

He slides his hand along Raleigh's shoulder though as he puts an arm around the both of them.]

We're good, right? [He's more asking Naomi, than Rraleigh since he knows what the kid is feeling. About time you got it, kiddo, shit.]

[jaeger_fly]

[ There's a tiny sound of assent from Naomi, because she's pretty reluctant to let Raleigh go. A part of her's thinking about how lucky it was that Raleigh's actually the type to talk about stuff like this, even if it takes him forever to actually start.

Feeling Yancy warm beside them, she relaxes a little, but doesn't let go. She's pretty much gone on them now, probably more than before and it shakes her -- because the go out and fight kaiju and she knows that it's no small feat since those things are big.

When she finally looks up, she presses a soft kiss at the corner or Raleigh's mouth, pausing to give him a smile as her thumb tweaks his ear. She doesn't let go completely, but she does free one arm to wrap around Yancy's middle, and goes up on tiptoe to offer brush her lips against his chin. ]