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In a very roundabout way, one could say it turned out to be a happy ending. Kevin made up with Arnold, helped drive the General out of the village, restored hope to the Ugandan people, and persuaded the other Elders that this didn’t have to be the end of their mission. It wasn’t exactly how he imagined his life in Uganda would be, but it was the life he had to accept now. There were still a lot of things hard to swallow. As relieved as Kevin is that Arnold and he had made up, his heart seemed to decide war instead. Whenever he was reminded that it’s Arnold that’s the super Mormon, and it’s Arnold that got through to the village occupants, and it’s Arnold who is now holding the title of Prophet Cunningham, his heart seemed to squeeze painfully in reminder that it wasn’t him: Kevin Price who had done anything worthy.
He didn’t do something incredible. Nothing at all.
And it hurt. A lot. It hurt him that he’d never amount to the sheer expectation him and others had held for him. It hurt so much to even think about the word ‘deserving’ now when all his efforts were destroyed from a couple of crazy days in Uganda. He wasn’t Elder Price anymore, he was just Kevin, and honestly, he didn’t know if he liked who Kevin was.
The worst part is the readjustment period they are all going through now. All the Elders decided to stay in the end and while that was uplifting, it was also Kevin’s personal hell. These people, strangers, had glanced at him and then left him behind at the smallest sign of complication. Even Elder McKinley, the district leader had encouraged them to drop Kevin and go along with Arnold’s teachings, so relieved to finally have results. Kevin remembered feeling more than despair watching their backs as they left. Even Arnold had abandoned him, apologies futile and lost on his lips as his mission companion earned himself a new Supermormon title and swept himself away with the crowd. Kevin knew in that moment that he must be one of the worst sorts of people if all of the Elders were even willing to bypass Rules just to get away from him. He wasn’t even worth the dirt on their polished black shoes.
It hurt.
Did they even look for him after that? Did Arnold just pass by and see Kevin out of luck, watching those trembling fingers around the 12th cup of coffee that day? Only because he needed to be shown with his mission companion otherwise he’d be in trouble?
It hurt a lot.
But Kevin understood the message after that loud and clear. He was a burden. He deserved the punishment he had gotten. He was asking for it. So overconfident, so prude, so very self-centered. He had just wanted to be the best Mormon he could be, everyone had wanted him to be. Everyone had expected him to be. Everyone forced him to be. And now, everyone is living a happy ending and Kevin is just there along for the ride, undeserving of anyone’s presence.
He tries to be helpful in the smallest ways he can while also maintaining a distance. He cleans up after himself and Arnold most days, helps with most of the chores around the hut, and tries to not bother nor talk to any of the Elders besides the usual small talk. He doesn’t partake in game nights, instead assures them he should go read over Arnold’s newest verses his buddy wrote. In his room, very alone. At first, he can see the confusion in the Elders’ eyes when Kevin politely declines to go clean the dishes or goes back into his room. Eventually though after asking so many times, they just seem to accept it and carry on.
Except for the time when they didn’t.
“Hey bestie, I think everyone is gunna start a movie soon! Can you believe it??” Arnold pipes up with excitement from the small writing desk crammed in their quarters.
“That’s nice pal, taking advantage of all of our new freedoms huh? So, what’ll your first movie in Uganda be?” Kevin responds in kind, eyes skimming one of his friend’s latest drafts for a verse and pursing his lips as he discovers an error. He underlines it with a pen, enjoying the familiar downtime routine of the evening.
“Yeah…so actually I was thinking maybe you could decide, if you wanted?”
Arnold’s cautious tone brings him to pause, Kevin looking up from his perch on Arnold’s bed and staring at his companion’s side.
“Oh, well uh…gee friend that’s real nice and all, but I don’t think I’ll be watching so-“
“Why do you keep doing that?” Arnold blurted, turning to stare at Kevin with a furrowed brow and a downturn of lips.
Kevin startles, placing his notes on the bed and clasping his hands together tightly on his lap. “I-what are you talking about? Doing what?” he asks, flicking his eyes to the ground for a moment before staring back up at Arnold’s frustrated frown. He didn’t like making Arnold upset, it was difficult to do in general and there was a certain type of shame Kevin felt being on the receiving end of a frown from his best friend.
“Buuddyy- “Arnold whines, shifting to rotate himself fully to look at Kevin. “You’re avoiding all of us! I mean-not as much me, but we don’t spend a ton of time together anymore! Tonight is a special night, movie night Kevin! Our very first movie night!”
“W-Well you’re the Prophet now so things are busy- “
“No! I’m never busy enough to not spend time with you! You’re my best friend.” Arnold pressed, unable to control his need for physical affection and moving off the chair to come sit by Kevin on the bed. “So, what’s got you down huh?” he asks, wrapping his arms around Kevin in a hug and resting his head on the taller boy’s shoulder.
Kevin inhales slowly, allowing his eyes to slip shut and enjoy the feeling of just being held. He gives himself this small moment to relax, slumping lightly in Arnold’s embrace and resting his cheek on the prophet’s curly dark hair.
“Nothing bud I’m just…” he trails off, knowing he couldn’t tell Arnold that he felt alone even though he was surrounded by people. People who didn't even want him there. There was such a strange pang of melancholy that only continued to grow in his heart as the days pass, and Kevin still can't help but wish he could have a new slate and start all over. But he couldn’t do that. Everyone knew who he was and how much of a disappointment he turned out to be. It was too late to salvage anything about him.
Kevin simply leaned into his friend a bit more, bringing his arms up to hug Arnold back. He’d figure something out to say soon enough, but for now he just wanted to drink in Arnold's comforting presence and stable warmth.
“Hey…buddy...” Arnold says in concern, twisting slightly to look up at Kevin with round worried eyes. It’s always been hard for Kevin to embrace physical contact, it took him quite a while to reciprocate Arnold's physical affections normally. For the taller Elder to say nothing and seek out such a comfort, Arnold can only worry at the uncharacteristic behavior coming from his friend.
Arnold brings up his hands to cup Kevin’s face, running a thick thumb across his cheekbone. “Buddy you spend so much time by yourself you know? I just want to see you around more.” He said earnestly. “I mean we’re all still here in an awesome place with awesome people!” he chimes, pumping some enthusiasm into his tone and earning a small smile from Kevin’s lips, though it didn’t meet his eyes. “I know you don’t like talkin’ about your feelings all the time but-maybe a movie would cheer you up a bit!”
Kevin nibbles on his lip in conflict, caught between two decisions. If he went along with Arnold, the other Elders would likely have their night be less enjoyable and the evening would be soured. If he didn’t however, Arnold would be so disappointed and probably wouldn’t leave the issue alone after tonight. Kevin might not have time to even take a breath without Arnold watching him closely now that the short prophet knew Kevin was avoiding others.
“Maybe.” Kevin eventually relents, wincing at the tightness in his throat.
Arnold doesn’t notice, his eyes lighting up with glee and crashing his body into Kevin’s as he hugs him tight.
“Okay awesome! Great! Awesome awesome!! Okay so-we don’t really have a ton of choices, like I think we only got like, 4 DVD’s that we managed to get delivered from one of the villages but choices are choices right!” Arnold rambles with excitement, pulling back and bouncing on the bed lightly with enthusiasm.
“Yeah…sure!” Kevin says with forced enthusiasm, trying to calm the panic already growing inside of his gut.
And with that, Arnold leaps from the bed and grabs Kevin’s wrist to yank him up and out into the hallway. They move out into the common room and Kevin is startled to see most of the Elders gathered there getting ready for the fabled movie night.
“Hey guys!!!” Arnold shouts, gaining some waves and greetings from the others, hand warm clasped around Kevin’s.
“There’s our Prophet! We were wondering if we’d have to pull you away from your work!” Elder Poptarts says in greeting, holding a box of said confections in his eager hands.
The smell of popcorn wafts through the room but instead of feeling at ease, Kevin feels nothing but nausea.
“Hey pal…” Kevin starts quietly, stopping in his tracks and trying to tug his wrist back. “I actually think I’ve changed my- “he murmurs, but it’s inevitable that he’s seen in a room with most of the Elders present.
“Elder Price!” McKinley gasps in delight, a wide smile forming on his freckled face as he hands a bowl of popcorn to Elder Church. “It’s nice to see you out and about!”
“Here to grace us with your ever-elusive presence Elder?” the amused voice of Elder Neely rings from behind them, the boy just stepping out of his room to join the rest of the group.
Kevin tenses, swallowing thickly and trying to quell the shame in his gut.
“Yessss he is! I gave him movie-picking privilege because it’s a special night!” Arnold enthuses, pride thick in his voice. “Come on best friend!” and with that, Kevin is being dragged over to the small relic of a television. “Lemme just get the- “Arnold trails off as he looks for where he placed the DVD’s earlier.
If there was someone out of place, it was obviously Kevin. He couldn’t help but look around the room, flicking his nervous eyes away from the Elders that were watching him. Unable to keep the embarrassment down, he averts his eyes to the floor, wringing his hands together. The couch wasn’t that large, where would everyone sit? Kevin bets that they had a system in place that everyone sits in certain places like tradition on their game nights. And here he was messing it all up-
Suddenly there’s a hand on his shoulder and Kevin flinches hard, a small yelp tumbling out of his mouth as he whips around. Elder McKinley is standing there with his hand still stretched out, a flicker of worry in his blue eyes.
“Sorry Elder, didn’t mean to startle you! I just wanted to know if you wanted any popcorn? Or maybe some other treat? We’re going all out tonight, so these pleasantries can be forgiven.” The district leader smiles, pulling his hand back.
“Oh I-no that’s okay…I don’t think I’ll be sticking around for the whole thing…” Kevin says quickly, swallowing thickly.
“Whhhaaaatt? Buddy you can’t just leave in the middle of a movie! That’s bad theatre etiquette ya know?” Arnold chimes back in, butting in between the two Elders with the sacred DVD’s in his thick hands. “Okay pal! Here are your options! Star Wars: A New Hope, a really great choice if I might add. Beauty and the Beast, The Godfather and uhhhh…huh. Well to be honest I dunno what this says, I think it might be in a different language but it looks like a chick flick. Honestly, we didn’t really get to choose, they just kinda sent some over, so what’s it gunna be bud?”
“Star Wars.” Kevin blurts immediately, earning confused looks from both of the Elders by him.
“Huh, really?” Arnold said, looking down at his clearly favored choice with a small grin. “You don’t haveta pick that for me buddy, I already know how great of a friend you are. I want you to choose what you want!”
“What uh-better…time than to watch it now right?”
“You’ve never seen it though.”
Kevin exhales through his nostrils sharply. “How do you know that?”
“Cuz when I asked your preference you looked really confused and you didn’t even give me the smallest hint that you knew either movie! Even if you don’t love em, most people still have an opinion on which series they like better!” Arnold said factually.
“Arnold-“
“Elder Price.” McKinley says with sympathetic smile. “I definitely thought you’d choose the Disney movie. Those are your favorite, right?” he says with a pleased titter, plucking Beauty and the Beast out of Arnold’s hand.
Kevin couldn’t help but hunch his shoulders together, feeling targeted out. “What I-how did you know about that?”
The redhead tilted his head to the side in light confusion, meeting Arnold’s eyes for a mere second before flicking back to Kevin. “Well you sure used to talk about Orlando a lot, and we hear you humming lots of Disney songs in the morning.”
“Oh, gosh…I’m so sorry.” Kevin blurts in a light panic, only earning him a confused furrow of the brow from Elder McKinley. “Gosh Elder I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb anyone’s time. I can only imagine how annoying that is, it’s really no wonder- “he cuts himself off with a frantic shake of his head.
“Elder, Elder! Don’t worry, it’s not a big deal! You do so much around the hut, I think most of us actually enjoy waking up to your humming in the morning and the allure of breakfast.” The redhead reassures the man with a warm smile and a hand on his shoulder.
“Yeah, my best friend has the prettiest singing voice everrrr-you guys are missing out when he showers! He sings really loud then!” Arnold grins, earning a scandalized expression from Kevin.
“Arnold!” he says aghast, tensing up at the sound of laughter from some of the other Elders.
“Oh no, we can hear him pretty well!” Poptarts chimes in, Elder Church humming in amused agreement.
Before Kevin can say anything else, there’s a knock on the door before Nabulungi enters with a wide grin.
“Good evening my fellow Latter-Day Saints! I am most excited for this ‘movie night’!” she cries in excitement, dark eyes flashing with that familiar curiosity that’s always prevalent in her face.
“Nachocheese!” Arnold cries, earning a defeated groan from Kevin. “Er- N-Naban…Nabu!” Arnold cheers enthusiastically, moving to give the girl a tight hug.
Kevin didn’t like to call himself a coward, but in this moment, he’d happily oblige that notion. He didn’t really know what came over him, but being in a room full of smiles and contentment, it felt like he was watching something from the outside in. Like he was in territory he didn’t belong.
He uses those feelings of discontent and anxiety to back away from the situation, hoping to slip out before anyone notices him. He instead backs right into the district leader; whose freckled hands quickly shoot out to steady Kevin by bracing his shoulders.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Elder McKinley asks him softly, moving around to glance at Kevin’s face with that same expression of concern.
Oh, questionable Heavenly Father, why do you do these things to him?
“N-Nothing sorry-I’m really sorry- “Kevin mumbles, feeling his breaths speed up in anxiety. He kept getting lost in his words and his tongue feels like it’s too big for his mouth. Everyone is laughing and smiling and the room feels stifling because he doesn’t belong here and no one even wants him here, they are just playing along with the notions of polite obligation.
“Elder- you don’t have to apologize… “McKinley frowns softly, his hands moving to grip Kevin a bit tighter. “Elder Price hey...are you okay?” He whispers with worry, one of his hands slipping down to grip Kevin’s trembling hand. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere a bit less crowded.”
Kevin feels the tug on his hand and realizes Elder McKinley is trying to lead them somewhere else, probably somewhere more private to talk about feelings and emotions and everything Kevin didn’t have the strength to talk about right now.
“Nothing’s wrong!” he insists, tugging at his wrist.
“Elder- “McKinley turns and there is the familiar sternness of the district leader’s disapproval. “I don’t want to pry on what is supposed to be a fun night, but I’ve been rather patient with your behavior-Prophet Cunningham told me he’d try and get through to you a bit more and I figured it was your way to adjusting to all these new changes.”
“You-my beha-” Kevin asks with a crestfallen expression.
“We can barely get a couple of words out to you before you fade away from us, like some sort of ghost!” the red haired Elder interrupts in concerned frustration. “You seem to avoid all sorts of social interaction with us Elder and that is very concerning! You won’t even open up to your mission companion and Prophet-”
“So, you got Arnold to invite me-is that it? Invite me here?” Kevin asks, feeling that familiar pit of dread settle in his stomach.
“No! Well-yes but we all want you here Elder-You just seem so far away all the time and-“
“You honestly expect me to believe that!? ” Kevin shouts with a burst of raw emotion, wrenching back his wrist.
You could hear a pin drop in the room and it was only then that Kevin realizes that everyone had slowly started listening into his conversation with Elder McKinley.
“Elder, what…?” McKinley whispers in concern, his pale eyes wide with surprise.
And then it’s like all of the things Kevin tried so hard to keep down just crawled up his throat and tumbled out of his lips.
“You left me! ” Kevin screams, his voice echoing through the room. “You all just-left me at the bus stop when I was behaving stupidly and foolishly and recklessly and-and you all just left me there when I- “he stammers, hearing his shaky breaths in his ears and the telltale prick of tears at his eyes.
“I know how I acted! I-I was stupid and a-awful, but I didn't think you’d all just-there was so much blood and I didn't know what I was supposed to do! I just had wanted to do something incredible and everything had gone so very wrong, is that such a terrible thing!? To want to be someone that deserves- “he chokes on a sob, taking a step back and looking around the room for the first time since he shouted. “What am I supposed to do!? How can you expect me to stay in a room with everyone who hates me! I was trying to do everyone a favor by trying not to exist in the same room as you!”
Silence. Complete and utter silence.
Kevin finally flicks his eyes around the room as is only met with horrified stares from every single Elder. It only fuels his mortification, his panic, and his shame.
“I couldn't even keep my mission companion, one of the nicest people on this Earth to accept me after the awful things I said-and he did everything I was supposed to do and you-you were just so disappointed with how I acted. Of what I couldn’t accomplish. I get why you said it was okay for Arnold to work alone-I do! I would work alone too if I had to be stuck with me as a mission companion!” Kevin says with a laugh that sounds more like a sob, a couple of tears falling down his cheeks. “I was just trying to make it easier for everyone really-I was, I know none of you like me, you’re just being kind…but I don’t deserve that kindness. I don’t. So you don’t have to pretend!”
And that is when he decides he needs to leave, immediately.
Choking down another sob, he wrenches his body away from the other Elder and makes a rather quick dash for the door.
And when his hand is on the knob that’s when everyone is springing into action.
“No-wait Elder Price!” McKinley shouts in helpless desperation after him, hearing the other Elders shout his name in concern as Kevin wrenches open the door.
“BUDDY WAIT!” he hears Arnold scream from behind him, apparently intent on following him. It gives Kevin a familiar sense of déjà vu.
But unfortunately for Arnold, he isn't very much in shape and Kevin sprints away with the adrenaline of a man that has death licking at his heels, the frantic concerned voices beginning to fade with distance. It’s hard to breathe and he is heaving in gasps of shaky air like someone drowning as he sprints away. He doesn't know where he’s going, but it just needs to be as far away from the mission hut as possible.
It feels like he’s running forever with his heart pounding in his ears and the dirt crunching beneath his feet when there’s a sudden wrench on his shoulder. He cries in pained alarm but before he could fall or stumble, strong arms are pulling him towards their chest and pinning them there in a locked embrace.
He's surprised at the voice that speaks.
“You run really fast for a white boy.” Nabulungi’s panting voice murmurs from above him. “Ah, but I run faster!” She informs him softly, her muscled arms loosening a tad to pet Kevin’s hair in a motherly gesture.
“Oh my god.” Kevin rasps in mortification, feeling another sob wrench itself from its throat.
And then he’s sobbing and wailing like some small child while Nabulungi just holds him with a tight and protective embrace, somehow able to hold him up even though his knees are weak and his body trembles. He hides his face in his hands as he cries while Nabulungi pulls him in to lean on her chest.
“Oh Elder Price, you should have seen their reactions after you ran.” She sighs, continuing to run her hand through his hair. “They started running around like chickens with their heads cut off, and so much shouting! Crying too. They are so so very worried about you. Arnold and Elder McKinley ran out the door too, but they I don’t think they are cut out for a lot of running. Or at least Arnold isn't.” she laughs softly.
She didn't get much of a reaction from the one in her arms besides hitched breaths and a small whimper of something that she could only identify as heartache.
“Come Elder, let’s sit before you faint on me.” She says softly, bringing them down to the ground as gently as she could while Kevin clings to her. “Just try to breathe Elder.”
“God I’m so stupid.” He gasps to himself, trying to wipe away the tears from his cheeks. “I can’t go back, I can never go back now- “
“Oh Elder, why do you torture yourself like this?” the girl sighs, feeling her heart break all over again. “You must know that we all make mistakes!”
“No Nabulungi! My mistakes are…far too great to come back from. It’s why I just wanted to not get in anyone’s way, why I just wanted to help and stay on the sidelines and just be…unassuming. Average. Nothing special! Not anymore!” he retorts with exhaustion, leaning back to look at her with a broken expression.
“I was not talking about you Kevin Price. I was talking about their mistakes.” She replies seriously, a knowing glint in her dark eyes. “You will see. They will surely tell you.”
“Elder Price!” comes a desperate shout and the duo turns to see Elder McKinley jogging up with wheezing breaths, Arnold stumbling in the far background after them.
Nabulungi quickly retracts her hold on Kevin, earning an unconsciously fearful whine from Kevin when she got up on her feet. Elder McKinley finally manages to arrive to the destination with shambling feet, his face flushing red with the exertion of running so far and so quickly.
“E-Elder McKinley I-I-I am so- “Kevin stammers with a fearfully teary gaze and Nabulungi’s heart breaks all over again for him.
The district leader says nothing as he crosses over to him, falling to his knees in front of the kneeling Kevin and reaching the boy to pull him into a tight hug.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I’m SO sorry you have no idea how sorry I am for everything. Oh god-gosh I’m so sorry Elder Price. The way I behaved towards you was so terrible and nothing like how a real district leader should have!” he cries, Kevin feeling his eyes well up tears all over again.
“No I…I understand…” he whispers.
“No! No you don’t Elder- “McKinley protests, pulling himself back to reveal blue eyes that have also welled up with tears. “I was awful…I let my desperation for results get in the way of what really matters; taking care of my boys!” he coos sadly, reaching out to rub a thumb across Kevin’s cheeks and wiping the tears away.
“I should have seen how distraught you were, about how panicked you were about everything that had happened! How could I have turned a blind eye to that after everything you had been through in such a short time! I can’t believe I let myself be so blinded by it all and get swept away with the promise of baptisms. I broke so many rules from my selfishness and more importantly, I hurt you.” He mourns, the guilt swimming in his blue eyes.
Kevin just listened in quiet disbelief, trying to breathe through his shaky inhales and trembling limbs.
“You are so amazing Kevin Price, everyone here believes that with every fiber of their being. We’re so grateful for your presence Kev-Elder, you’re the very reason we’re still here! I’m so, so sorry that I never apologized after that. I’m so sorry that this had to happen for me to realize that you hadn't gotten the proper closure you so deserve! I’m sorry. I’m so so so sorry. I can only pray that you’ll forgive me in time and that you will give us a chance to show you how much we want you in our lives” the freckled boy says somberly, the genuine remorse in his tone thick with guilt and sadness.
“I- “Kevin starts, unable to find the word of gratitude for the feeling he was experiencing at the moment. It was nice to be seen.
“BUDDY!!” Arnold screeches in desperation, his heavy footsteps being heard as he finally caught up with the others, his dark eyes showing such a raw and genuine concern that Kevin finds it impossible to resist the need to be held by his mission companion right now.
“Arnold-" Kevin says, feeling a sob tumble from his throat again as he reaches out his arms with a sort of needy longing he felt too strongly in his heart. Internally he’s furious with himself, all this breaking down in front of everyone is mortifying. But it's like now that the flood gates have opened, the only thing Kevin can do is be pulled along for the ride until the storm passes.
Arnold doesn't hesitate to crash onto the ground and throw himself at Kevin, sweeping the boy into a tight embrace and barely avoiding careening into McKinley as he did so. And there are the tears again as Kevin twists his hands in Arnold’s white shirt and sobs, burying his face in the crook of Arnold’s neck. He didn't even know what he was crying about anymore, but his heart was beginning to feel a bit lighter.
“I’m so sorry buddy I can’t-I just-I’m-“Arnold sobs in returns, pawing at Kevin’s back and patting his cheeks and hair in a desperate attempt to console his best friend.
“I love you so much buddy! Please forgive me and my stupid mouth! I thought that was all behind us cuz-because sometimes we say stuff that we don’t mean-I mean I know that! But like-I didn’t-I didn’t even think that you might be still hurting from it cuz of all these new changes and I just want you to be okay-please believe me best friend please- “the prophet rambled desperately through his tears.
“I was so caught up you know? It was my moment to not be a follower and I just couldn’t let that go! You’re the Kevin Price, do y’know how amazing you are? Cuz I’m not sure you do anymore and-and I guess I just didn’t want to give up my moment in the sun just yet because I knew that you were gunna come around and fix everything eventually. Fix all my stupid mistakes! And you did…you did fix it all, even when it got so much worse than I thought it could be-you came and smiled at me and-and you fixed it! Gosh I should have realized that your heart needs fixing too!” he exclaimed.
Kevin shakes his head. “No Arnold…I was so selfish, I am so selfish. I was only thinking about myself and what I could do to...do something incredible, to be someone incredible. Even when I went to the General’s camp I was only thinking of myself- “Kevin whispers in disagreement.
There was a beat of silence before “WHAT!?” was screeched from all three of the voices surrounding Kevin.
“You went to the Generals’ camp!?” Nabulungi shouts in alarm.
“Oh my…Elder- “McKinley chokes, putting a hand to his heart in faint horror.
Arnold was about to say something but Kevin merely shakes his head, slumping into his companion tiredly. “Not now…please.” He whispers, feeling Arnold’s arms tighten around him.
“Buddy, so help me I’m gunna spend the rest of my life trying to get you to see how amazing you are.” Arnold murmurs, voice thick with conviction. “Do you think you could…ever forgive me for-for abandoning you?”
“You’re my best friend Arnold…” Kevin smiles tiredly, sadness in his eyes. That answer spoke for itself. “If anything I should be asking you for- “
“No-noohohoope! I’m not hearing that.” Arnold protests, earning a nod of approval from Elder McKinley.
“Prophet Cunningham is right, Elder Price. I think you’ve done more than your fair share of apologizing needlessly, and far too much time not being appreciated for your efforts.” The redhead says softly, moving over to the duo and placing his hands on both of their shoulder.
“And I promise we’ll make you understand how sorry we are. Maybe one day, we can earn your forgiveness.” He says and Nabulungi smiles, feeling the satisfaction of being right. She knew they’d realize their mistakes and make up for it, these white boys were too kind to hold discourse for too long.
“We should really go back now, everyone is so worried and it’s not very safe to be out here in the evening.” McKinley tells them softly, earning a protective frown from Arnold and a tired nod from Kevin. “But-just take some time okay?”
Eventually the they all managed to get up and join Nabulungi in their walk back to the hut. As they do, Arnold ‘s hand clasps Kevin’s own tightly and Kevin looks up to stare at the newly appeared stars in the sky. McKinley takes the lead like the good district leader he is, but regularly glances back to the others as if he wants to reassure himself they are all still there with every step they take. Nabulungi distracts herself with running a hand through Kevin’s hair as they walk, giggling about how she’s never felt anything so soft in her life.
They reach the familiar silhouette of the hut, light shining through the cracks in the door. Kevin can hear the worried voices from a good distance and when McKinley opens the door, it goes deadly silent.
The four step inside and there’s a split second of mortification that Kevin feels before the hut erupts into relieved and worried shouting. All the Elders swarm around the group, and one by one Kevin is hugged and patted by them all, a flurry of voices swimming around him.
“Elder we were so worried!!”
“We’re so sorry Elder Price-“
“Please don’t ever leave like that again!”
“We’re so glad you’re okay!”
“Do you need anything? Water? Poptarts?”
“Are you okay?”
“Please let us make it up to you.”
“We’re so sorry.”
“Oh we are so very very sorry Elder.”
“I can’t say how sorry we are Elder Price.”
“Please forgive us Elder!”
“Please accept our heartfelt apologies Elder Price…”
All Kevin can do is smile shakily and give a tearful nod in response to all the apologies now aimed his way. A part of him wants to think this is just an obligation, they are only doing this because they should. But the wiser part of him knows these are genuine, and he is so very grateful for it.
It is wonderful to be seen.
“Elders, Elders, give us some breathing room!” McKinley exclaims, shutting the door behind him. He inhales deeply and exhales. “I know what happened was scary and this wasn’t exactly how we planned to start movie night!” he chuckles. “But it’s also brought to light something we all turned a blind eye to.”
Kevin feels his face heat up in embarrassment, averting his eyes to the ground.
“Elder Price, I just want you to know that we can’t apologize enough for the way we’ve wronged you, me especially. But I will work as hard as I can to make you feel like a valued member here, and I can safely say we are all more than a little grateful that you decided to stay with us and bless us with your incredible person.” The leader says with a conviction so genuine that Kevin has a hard time trying to believe him otherwise.
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room.
“Um, Elder McKinley?” Poptarts asks hesitantly. “Could we maybe still…have movie night? I know it’s a little later than expected but…the snacks didn’t go anywhere and neither did the movie!” he smiles, bright eyes shining with positivity.
There was a small pause before “Yes. Yes, we should absolutely still have movie night.”
And that was how Kevin found himself laying on the couch with his head resting on Arnold’s lap and his legs resting on McKinley’s thighs. Nabulungi was leaning over the top of the couch, running her fingers through his locks while she plucks popcorn from the bucket Arnold had positioned on the armrest.
The rest of the Elders were huddled around the couch, Elder Poptarts resting on the opposite armrest and munching on his favorite food while Elder Church steals glances at the patrons on the couch with a silent smile. Elder Michaels knits on the floor with Elder Neely who is already beginning to doze off, the emotional evening wearing him out. Elder Davis has already consumed an entire bowl of popcorn by himself while Elder Gale and Elder Zelder try to take his second bowl away from him. They just end up spilling the kernels on the floor and bickering amongst themselves quietly until a song from the movie brings their attention back to the television.
Kevin drifts asleep in content to Arnold’s arm resting along his side, Nabulungi’s fingers in his hair, and Mckinley’s hands rubbing his ankles as Beauty and the Beast plays in the background.