the carpal tunnel of love ||

                                    

                                          
[ i'm tired!! // song is by fall out boy 
                          
warnings: language
                          
concept: literally this is the one where chase talks shit, ronnie has extraordinary patience, and bailey hears more shit than he should
                          
stay safe,
lew. ]
                          
———————
                          
Chase was a broken link in the evolutionary chain.
                          
The idiot had no sense of self-preservation, and that's how she found herself talking shit about Ezra to his husband.
                          
"God... I don't know how you stand him all the fucking time," she said, holding what had to have been her fifth glass of wine. "I'm around him for five minutes, and it's like... what would cause less emotional damage for everyone, killing him, killing myself, or killing both of us?"
                          
"Let's not do any of that. You two could stop spending so much time together," Ronnie suggested. He was far closer to sober than she was, and he didn't know how much longer he could deal with her.
                          
"Don't be such a dad, dude. I'm jus' saying, if Ezra and Bailey's ex were on a sinkin' ship and I had to save one of them, I'd pick the ex-dickhead."
                          
"Sure you would."
                          
"I just... Ezra's terrifying. He seems all nice and shit, then he does shit like this," she murmured, pulling down the neckline of her shirt to expose her scar. 
                          
Subconsciously, he ran his fingers across his covered forearm, where a similar scar was hidden. But even then, he stayed silent.
                          
"I worry about you a lot. It's like, you're another Bailey, but I still look after the original more. No offense, but I know more about what B's been through than I do about you." Her expression got serious, eyes dropping to her hands as she messed with her glass. "And it's like, is Ronnie still gonna be Ronnie when I see him again? Or is he gonna be even more empty inside like the rest of us?"
                          
"Chase, honey, you're drunk." His voice was soft, and almost sad. Drunk words, sober thoughts. If Chase thought about things like this all the time, no wonder she drank.
                          
Just like that, her serious moment passed. She groaned, tossing popcorn at him like the uncivilized barbarian she was. "Don't call me that. I'm not drunk. I am a little bit tipsy. There is a goddamn motherfuckin' difference."
                          
He rolled his eyes. "Sure there is." He took the rest of her wine from her, standing up and taking it over to the sink to pour it out. He was grateful for the minor distraction.
                          
"What the fuck!" She stared up at him, looking absolutely betrayed. "I thought you were my friend!"
                          
"This is for the best, Chase. You're a borderline alcoholic, and clearly, you've had plenty of wine already," he replied, but it was clear his patience was running thin. 
                          
Still, she glared at him for a moment before her expression changed into a pout. Her voice was downright pitiful when she mumbled, "You're mean. I hate you."
                          
"You don't hate me," he sighed, turning his attention towards the hallway. "Is Bailey home to look after you?"
                          
"I dunno."
                          
It was at that point that the boy's door opened, tired and reddened eyes peering around the surface. "I'm home. Didn't wanna bother you guys."
                          
"How much of that did you hear?" Ronnie asked softly.
                          
Bailey shrugged, shutting his door. "Enough of it, I guess." He wiped at his eyes, then asked, "Do you need a hug?"
                          
He started to nod, but quickly shook his head. Chase rolled her eyes and told the youngest, "Don't listen to him, B. He needs a hug."
                          
"But... Ezra will get mad, won't he?" Bailey asked, wrapping his arms around himself instead. 
                          
"If he gets mad, I'll fuckin' fight him." 
                          
"I'm fine, Bailey," Ronnie assured him. "Thank you, though. And Chase? You know if given the chance, Ezra would throw you into rush hour traffic. You won't fight him."
                          
——————
                          
[ idk this wasn't what i originally had planned but oh well ]