Work Text:
“Do it Rhett. If you write your dreams down, they come true. I’m gonna be a journalist. C’mon, I promise I won’t read yours!”
12-year-old Rhett Abbott scrunched up his nose as he looked between the blank piece of paper in his hand and the girl in front of him. Writing down dreams and wishes seemed stupid. But YFN looked at him so earnestly, bright eyes shining, a wide smile on her face like she believed that anything was possible for him. So Rhett grabbed the pen from her and quickly scratched his down.
Winning the bull riding world final
He glanced back up at YFN and she grinned at his compliance. Even at his young age, Rhett understood he didn’t have a lot of hope for a full life. His family didn’t really show him love and it wasn’t a secret that everyone thought he wouldn’t amount to much but working on his family’s ranch in Waabang. But YFN was a radiant light and when she shone on him, he felt different, like he could be better and do anything.
Soon that light would be gone; her family planning on moving to the other side of the country. Even though he thought it was stupid, it couldn’t hurt to wish for her too. So Rhett smiled shyly back at YFN and hastily added another dream to his paper.
Kissing YFN when I win
….
Rhett scrubbed a large hand down his face and let out a nervous breath as he sat down at the desk. After years of struggle in the lower leagues and failed attempts at cracking into the Premier Series of bull riding, at 25, he’d finally made the PBR World Finals. Not only that; Rhett had won. Rode the fuck out of that nasty bull and won.
Nobody had believed he could do it; certainly not his family and not the people of Waabang. There was the exception of the occasional coach he could afford and the few buckle bunnies he had screwed in the past, but they were both after the money and name that came with the win, not just in it for Rhett.
There really was only one person who wholeheartedly had faith that he could do anything. Rhett had held on to the hope she gave him as a kid and now here he was living his fucking dream.
Unfortunately that dream included a huge press conference with a room full of other riders, sponsors, and journalists.
He wasn’t one for talking much, especially in front of a crowd.
Fuck. Rhett really hated press conferences.
He was seated in the middle of the panel of riders and the black microphone in front taunted him as the men around him laughed at something the speaker said. Rhett’s eyes darted anxiously around the large room, and he rubbed the thin layer of sweat on his hands along his thighs.
“You all good over there Rhett?”
Rhett’s head snapped towards the speaker when he realised he was being spoken to and a low chuckle hummed through the crowded room.
“Ah yeah sorry. Ain’t real good at this,” he replied nervously with a small quirk of his lips.
“Son, with a win like that tonight, you don’t need to be sorry,” the speaker taunted good naturedly. “Let’s take some questions for the new world champ.”
As the press conference continued, Rhett answered the questions as quickly and as best he could, itching to get away from the attention.
“Ok last one. Umm… the young lady there.” The speaker pointed towards the front of the crowd and Rhett’s gaze followed the direction.
His eyes landed on a petite, gorgeous woman and was met with a set of bright, warm eyes and a beaming smile that seemed so familiar. It felt like the breath had been knocked from his body.
“God she’s beautiful.”
Rhett’s voice echoed around the otherwise silent room.
Shit. He’d said that out aloud.
“Fuck,” Rhett whispered before clearing his throat. “Did you hear that?” he quietly asked the woman as prickling heat crawled up his neck and his ears burned.
A rosy blush spread up the woman’s cheeks as she shyly nodded, her eyes twinkling as she looked back at him, and a flustered Rhett dropped his head into his hands as the room laughed loudly.
A sweet melodic voice pulled him from his embarrassment. “Congratulations on your win Rhett. I know this has been your dream for a long time. You even wrote it down when you were 12.”
At those words, Rhett’s head whipped up, and his eyes found the woman’s playful orbs. The recognition began to dawn on him as he searched her face for the one he remembered from his childhood. The one that he’d missed when she’d disappeared from his life when her family moved away.
YFN.
He took in the beautiful and obviously intelligent and cheeky woman she had become. She was still a glowing light. A wry smile grew on Rhett’s face as he remembered what he wrote on that piece of paper long ago, “You promised you wouldn’t read it YFN.”
She laughed warmly at him, eyes reflecting joy and humour back at him, “I guess I lied.”
Rhett had all but forgotten that he was in a crowded room, and he slowly rose from his seat. An inexplicable pull had his feet moving around the desk until he was in front of YFN.
He studied her expression, searching for any sign that she didn’t feel the palpable energy he was feeling. She looked up at him reverently, her mischievous gaze from before had morphed into something deeper and more heated. Unaware from the attention the interaction was garnering, they both stood there taking each other in for a moment before Rhett stepped closer and splayed his hand gently on her hip, his palm tingling from the contact.
“Hi YFN. It’s been a long time,” Rhett murmured softly. “You became a journalist just like your wish.”
A small wistful smile played at YFN’s lips, “I did. Sports is not my usual area, but I couldn’t help wanting to cover a certain cowboy’s story. I’m so proud of you, Rhett. All your dreams came true. You won the world championships.”
“I did,” he mirrored her comment back at her.
Rhett was a man of few words, especially in front of an audience, but in that moment, he could not stop himself. “You read my wish YFN, do you remember what else it said?” he asked, hinting at what his mind and body desperately hoped to do next.
The air around them crackled with anticipation. YFN looked up longingly through her dark lashes, exhaling a small puff of air as she nodded in response to Rhett’s question.
He lifted his other hand, gently cupping her cheek and placed a soft kiss on her full lips with his own.
Rhett rested his forehead on YFN’s and breathed “Now all my dreams have come true.”
And the long forgotten crowded room erupted into cheers and wolf whistles.
Fuck.Rhett really did hate press conferences.
….
Four world championship wins later, Rhett sat at the desk for what would be his last press conference. At 29 years old it was time to hang up the spurs and retire. His wish of being a champion bull rider had turned out better than he could have hoped.
And it wasn’t the only dream of Rhett’s that came true either.
The seemingly stupid 12-year-old wish of kissing YFN had.
And so had some newer dreams too.
Like the wish he’d written on a bit of paper 6 months after reuniting with YFN.
Marry me beautiful
Or the dream of having a family of his own. More light for him to bask in, more love to have in his life.
And because of that, thankfully he wouldn’t have to endure this particular press conference on his own. Rhett’s adorable 3-year-old son had insisted on accompanying him, so his little mini me sat in his lap; wide, anxious eyes scanning the loud crowd while Rhett’s large arms folded around him protectively.
The speaker cleared his throat and the noise of the room dulled as he asked, “So Rhett, another championship win for you, congratulations son. Would you like to fill us in why you’re retiring from bull riding then?”
Rhett gave the speaker a small nod and turned his attention to the crowd of people in front of him. His gaze swept across the faces until he found the one he was looking for, and a smile crept onto his lips when he saw YFN. She lit up the room as she always did, grinning widely at him, unshed tears in her bright eyes as she cradled her pregnant belly.
His wife, and his little man and soon-to-arrive twin girls were the reason for his retirement. They’d given him everything he could of hope for and more in this life, and now it was his turn to support them and help them realise their dreams.
Rhett opened his mouth to answer but before he could, a sweet little voice rang out through the room.
“Look Daddy! It’s Mummy! She’s boo-tee-ful.”
The audience laughed and cooed at his son’s statement, unintentionally amplified by the microphone in front of him. One that happened to perfectly echo Rhett’s from four years ago.
Rhett chuckled and kissed his son on the top of his head and smiled lovingly at YFN.
He supposed press conferences weren’t so bad after all.
….