Work Text:
Find You There
The crickets chirped loudly, right next to the croaks of the toads. Fireflies lit up the sky, as if they were fallen stars. The whistle of the wind through the trees set a magical mood. The sky was an inky dark blue, yet Layla didn’t feel tired.
She felt so peaceful. The wind softly floated through her hair and whispered across her face. She took another sip of her champagne, settling deeper into her seat.
Layla looked to her side, seeing the man who had been her best friend for several years. She could see the way his chest expanded as he took in the non-city air. If the serene look on his face was any indication to how he was feeling, she knew it right away.
“Different, huh?” She chuckled.
“Hm?” Tony replied, glancing over at her.
“Ya don’t know how good ya got it in the country before ya go to LA. Then yer lungs get all blocked up by smoke and ya can’t see the stars, either. The air out here? Clean as a whistle,” Layla explained, tilting her hat.
“Yeah. Thanks for inviting me down here. I really... needed to be here. There’s something about this place that heals,” Tony replied, chuckling ruefully. Layla felt sadness twist in her gut. Oh, Tony...
“Yer welcome here any time, Sunshine,” Layla told him, fondness seeping into her voice. “Ya have a place here, even when Ah’m away. If ya ever need peace and quiet, just come here. Ya have the key.”
Tony looked up at the stars. “You’re amazing. Thank you.” He sighed and dropped his head over the back of the fold-up lawn chair.
Layla felt her face warm and butterflies fluttered in her gut. She smashed them with the guilt that immediately took hold. Tony hadn’t told her why he was here, why he had travelled nearly a full day just to get to her summer vacation home in Texas. Just a few hours ago he had been in LA, living happily with his girlfriend.
She didn’t dare ask why he was here. It wasn’t her business. She had a hunch. But it still wasn’t her business. She just offered her place to him. A safe place with no judgement. This house never judged her, so she never judged him. He’d never judge her, so she never would judge him.
“Did ya tell anyone yer here?” She asked, stretching out her shoulders and popping her neck twice.
“I told Ms. Nowhere. And Sarah,” Tony said his girlfriend’s name with deep regret. “I shouldn’t have... just left like that. I need to apologize to her.”
“Hey,” Layla said softly. “You’ll be fine, Toretto. You don’t gotta rush yerself, ya hear? Whatever happened... you’ll forgive each other. You’ve never been so in love with anyone but that woman ya have there.” Her stomach twisted horribly as warm words of comfort meant for him sharply cut her own flesh like knives.
Tony nodded. “Mm. Yeah. I’m going to go call her in a bit, alright? Let’s... let’s talk about something else.”
Layla smiled at him. “Of course, sugar,” She replied. Her internal spike of jealousy was drowned by more guilt. She never let it show. How could she? Layla loved Tony. She loved him so much that it hurt. And she was willing to hurt if it meant he was happy. And she was happy that he was her friend.
After a few minutes of talking about the weather, cars, the country, friends, and champagne flavors, the two entered the house.
“Ick, so many bugs out here...” Tony muttered as he followed her back in.
“Why didn’t you just use bug spray, idiot?” She said, bumping him affectionately.
“Ughhhh, it’s so gross... the cure is worse than the poison...” Tony whined, and for a moment, they were 17 again. Layla bottled up this moment and stored it away, never to be unlocked, never to be seen by anyone but her, and only Tony, if he asked her for it.
“Alright, ya big baby. Go call yer girl, Ah’ll start dinner,” Layla replied.
“Uh- I can help you,” Tony said quickly.
“When ya get back, you can set the table. Now go,” She giggled, pushing him into the living room. Tony chuckled, rolling his eyes. Layla felt the fondness for him that she kept hid under lock and key bubble up. She sighed and set to work.
When Tony came back into the kitchen, the table was set. “I thought I was setting that up,” He said, sitting down. Layla couldn’t read his expression.
“You took too long, that’s all. Now, eat up. Yer food’ll get cold.” She pushed the plate of chicken salad towards him and focused on her own. There was tension in his shoulders. If he didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t push.
They ate in silence for a few minutes.
“Thanks, Layla. This is awesome,” Tony said after a while.
“It’s my grandpapa’s recipe. He always told me it’s meant to be shared with friends,” Layla grinned.
Tony smiled back, sighing. “He sounds like a smart man.”
“He’s also the reason it’s illegal to ride two horses at once, soooo...”
When Tony burst into laughter, she felt all was right with the world.
...
The summer house Layla had in Texas would wait for her. Now, several months later, she was back in LA. She felt like she should have just stayed at that house, especially now.
The party that was meant for Frostee and his life saving inventions was to receive the highest honor. DJ Drone pumped out techno music and flashed its lights. It really took Layla on a trip down memory lane. She wished she could go back to simpler times. Call it hiraeth, call it reminiscent, but she just wished she could go back.
Especially right now.
She held a gold ring in the palm of her hand. She carefully flipped it over to inspect the golden band and its looping lettering that stated the Toretto family namesake. It was so precious.
“Tony... it’s so beautiful,” Layla said in awe, holding the ring as if it would turn to dust.
“It’s a family heirloom,” Tony explained. “It was my great-grandfather’s ring before my grandpa’s, then it was my uncle’s, then it was Dom’s... and now it’s mine.” He nervously licked his lips. “I want to propose to Sarah. But, I’m so nervous I think I might drop the ring...”
Layla giggled (... it hurt... it hurt so much...), smiling at her friend. She put the ring back into his opened hands and placed hers over his own. “To be a Toretto is one of the highest honors you can receive. To be a Toretto is to love fully, with yer whole heart, with all that ya are... And protect those you love. She’ll love to be apart of yer family, Tony.” Layla squeezes his hands. “She makes you so happy. And Ah can see the way she looks at ya. You’ll do fine.”
Tony squeezed her hands back, a grateful look washing over his features. “You really think so?”
“Ah know so, sugar. You’d be a great husband.” (“I want you to be my husband,” She wanted to say, but didn’t.) Layla patted his hand. “Now come on, Frostee wanted to show us his weird tiny robots.”
“Microbots,” Tony corrected.
“Whatever,” Layla replied. She punched his arm affectionately. “Come on, Ah’m hungry. I’m gonna go fer the ribs.”
Tony chuckled, giving her a fond look that nearly made her want to kiss him, right then and there. But no, she would never. He would be a married man in just a few months, right? And Layla loved him. She would never ask him to sacrifice someone so dear to him, someone like Sarah. Layla hardly knew the woman, didn’t like her, but she made Tony happy. That’s what mattered to Layla.
...
Watching Tony at his wedding made Layla blossom in pride, with joy, with love. He looked so happy as he held his bride close, surrounded by friends and family.
She knew she would move on eventually. From the hurt, from the pain. Not right now maybe. But, she’d always put on a brave face and be happy for him. She hoped he was happy, really, she did.
Because Layla loves Tony. And that’s enough for her. He doesn’t have to love her back. She’s fine with her own little fantasy, where she finds him there.