Work Text:
Red
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Red gripped the steering wheel to keep her hands from shaking. It was the eighth of May, and she told herself she wouldn’t be here.
Yet here she was. Sitting parked in the gravel, at 8:14 pm. Of course she was late, she always was. She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling until 8:01 thinking about whether she should be here or not. She had told herself no, why would she go? But she found herself getting out of bed, putting on her shoes and driving out to the Pier.
Red took a deep breath; then promptly shuddered and winced. She had only been out of the hospital for a few weeks, and she still hurt twice, twice in the chest for each bullet that had made its mark through her.
Her physical therapist said deep breathing was good for her. It would help her heal faster, good for her brain. Red didn’t really see this logic, but who was she to argue with a professional?
It was 8:15 pm now. She should get out of the car. Red pulled her keys out of the ignition and unfastened her seatbelt.
As the car slowly shut down, she opened the drivers’ side door and stepped out, her feet crunching against the sharp gravel.
It was still light outside, but the sun was gradually sinking lower into the sky, leaving long lines of shadowed clouds against a backdrop of a cotton candy sky. It reminded Red of the blue and pink cotton candy at fairs, a mouthful of nothing but hardened, spun sugar.
There were a few people at Pier 68, looking out at the lake, and beyond that, the city, some reading a book on the white metal benches.
Red’s keys crunched under her fingers as she tightened her hands into a fist. She walked under the large willow tree behind the chain-link fencing, stepping on fallen leaves bunched up together as she went.
Then she saw him; standing where the two sides of the fences met up in a triangle, looking out at the whispering lake. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, his hair tousled like his hood had been up. He had a slight slouch to his figure, not too noticeable but still there.
Red took another deep breath again, trying hard not to wince. She opened her mouth to speak, but then he turned around and —
'Red, you came.'
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Arthur
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She looked beautiful. Her hair was down, dark blonde strands blowing in the wind. Her dark blue eyes sparkled like the lake, staring at his own eyes, almost frightened. Her mouth was slightly open, like she was about to speak.
Arthur smiled softly. 'Red, you came,' he breathed. She blinked, and looked away.
'I — yes, I did,' she said quietly, 'I wanted to see you, at least once more.' Red drew her arms around herself. 'I read your letter.'
'I’m sorry,' Arthur blurted, 'I’m so sorry. I should have stayed. And I just left you laying there, bleeding out on the gravel. I —'
'Arthur,' Red interrupted.
He stopped looking at her, waiting for her to speak.
'You did what you had to do, and I understand that. I don’t even think I would have realized you were there, to be honest.'
'But I should have…' Arthur shook his head. 'I’m sorry for everything else. I really do care about you, about if you’re okay.'
Red placed a hand on her chest. 'I know,' she whispered, 'I shouldn’t have said what I said, back in the RV. I was angry, I guess, at Oliver, maybe even at myself. I understand why you did what you did, it just…hurt.'
Now it was Arthur’s turn to say 'I know.'
'And I’m sorry,' he said, 'I think you know that.'
Red smiled.
And then she hugged him. It felt like a warm embrace from her heart, the heart that had not been shot through with bullets.
After a few seconds, Arthur flung his arms around her, feeling his eyes brim with tears. Relief washed over him as they stood there, folded into each other.
It felt like forever. Just Arthur and Red, Red and Arthur. Standing alone but always together. The world melted away, as Arthur and Red hugged. It melted away just for them, only for them.
When they finally separated, Arthur wiped his eyes before looking back at Red. She was watching him, a small smile upon her lips.
‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘I needed that.’
Arthur’s breath whooshed out of him as he laughed. ‘Me too. I’m glad you decided to come.’
‘Me too.’
‘What are you going to do now?’ Arthur asked.
Red sniffed. ‘I might stay here for a while. Just watching the lake until the sun sets,’ she said.
‘Mind if I stay?’ he asked, biting his lip.
‘Of course not,’ she said, smiling. She walked to Arthur’s side and blew out a large breath.
And so he did. They stayed there, silently taking in each other’s company, watching the sun set until it was below the lake and darkness fell upon them.