"When the night has come and the land is dark, and the moon is the only light we see."

[theateroflove]

Who: Tori Kingston, Sasha Stanford and Zeke Wyatt + Squad
What: Chilling Out & Enjoying Memories
Where: Lakehouse, Vermont
When: After this

After the memorial when everyone had finished watching the wreaths and lanterns float across the lake, Cassidy had ushered Tori to one of the nearest cushy beanbag and unceremoniously planted him in it and told him to rest and relax. She brought him a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows (which were also purple, Justin didn't miss a thing in his planning) and sat with him for a little bit to make sure he was okay. Probably double-checking he wasn't about to keel over and start bleeding and vomiting all over the place like the night he lost his shit at the neighbour's barbecue. Other than a lingering headache, a little dull nausea, and some wooziness if he stood too long, he was on the mend. He could've done without any of that crap, but he had to learn the hard way that there was nothing simple about grieving.

Soon, Sasha had come over and pulled another beanbag up beside him while Justin sat nearby playing the bongo drums and started to sing the classic song, Stand By Me, which was one of Andi's favourites. When Sasha asked him how he was feeling, Tori gave him a reassuring smile. "Better. Kind of done-in with all the emotion and still feeling a little rough with cracking my head on the pavement, but I think better than I have in awhile." He looked back over to Justin. "Did you give him a list of the songs she loved? I didn't know he could play the bongos. He blows me away, I feel so honoured to have the chance to work with him. Cas adores him. I love that he takes care of her and she can trust him to confide in. I can't believe he did all this for Ands and he barely knew her."

Comments

[musthavebeenlove]

"I think it's so cool they all work together now. It's like kismet or something. At first, I totally wasn't sure if I should feel hurt, or left out, or jealous. I felt a bit like Sasha had stolen my boyfriend and now he stole my best friend too. Added disclaimer: I was a massive dick on every level for way too long." Will's cheeks tinged red around the sheepish smile because he was still embarrassed by how much he let himself damage all the things he held dear. "How's things going with you and Maryanne? You look like you're brimming with happiness every time you're with her. You're totally soul mates. It feels so wrong that I haven't been part of your life for all that. I still feel like I have an epic case of dickitis with you, how much of a cunt I was. Honestly, I haven't been sure if it's possible to go back to how we were and I wasn't even sure if I deserved them to."

[friendsforever]

Layla smiled, brushing her hair back from her face and tapped her fingers on her knee to the rhythm of the current song playing. "I think all of those emotions are valid, honeybunch. It's just life, you know? No matter how much we wish we could, we can't pick or choose emotions anymore than we can switch them off at will. I know you were a prized dick about a lot of things but that doesn't mean the whole thing didn't hurt you too. It did. A lot. And that's okay. I'm not holding any grudges against you for the rest of my life. That's silly. Life's too short. I'm glad you're healing and moving on, accept Jus and Sash together and dating again yourself. Those blinkers you had on weren't doing you any favours." Her gaze shifted to her girlfriend over by the fire chatting to Brody. "She's incredible. We're looking at getting place of our own together now she's got a steady job that pays really well. I think it's possible. I haven't changed, you know."

[musthavebeenlove]

Will shook his head, smiling. "Fuck, Lays, I don't deserve you. I don't deserve any of this but fuck, and I so glad you all gave me a second chance. Especially you, Jus, and Sasha. As sad as tonight is and been hard to get through, it's reminded me so much of back then. The whole big friendly team thing, got each other's backs. I spent so long believing I fucked all that up for good. The squad's expanded so much, but they're all fantastic people. I'm so thankful I have everyone. No one more than you, though. Do you think we can ever get back to how we were, after all that's happened? Luke told me I might just have to respect everything's changed too much and I do, but..." He gave a little hopeful shrug. "Oh my god! That's so freaking brilliant, love! Holy shit, you'll be going the same way as Justin and Sasha before we know it! I know you haven't changed. You're still the amazing, beautiful person you always were and you deserve this so much." He gave her a big hug, squeezing her tightly.

[friendsforever]

"Don't make me punch you in the dick, bitchface. I don't want to hear that self-deprecating wank, okay? All us, everyone here? We deserve each other because we've all been through so much shit. You're not the only one who has fucked up and you came back. You apologised, you made amends. You even worked to fix things with Jus. Hell, you grabbed your balls in hand and connected with Sash. So wrap all that crap up in a box, lock it up, and send it very far away. Because all this tonight, it's a reminder that you're one of the lucky ones and I'm one of the lucky ones that you survived. You have a new man and you have so much to be proud of. Don't drown it out." Layla put her arm around his shoulders and squeezed him in a hug. "Of course we can get back to where we were. You can start by telling me about everything with Zeke. And even then, if you want to talk about the less easy stuff, I'm still here, just like I always have been. I know how hard it is to love someone with cancer. Not because they're unloveable, but because you love them so much, it hurts."

[musthavebeenlove]

Will kissed her cheek and wrapped his arm around her to cuddle her back. "I love you, Lays. I just want you to know I'm sorry about everything. I won't flog a dead horse or anything like that. Not tonight. That's not what any of this is about. I got through cancer, I'm one of the lucky ones. I remember that. There has been a lot lately that has reminded me that and they're lessons I needed to learn. Honestly, I was such a dick about Sash. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met and I'm not at all surprised Justin fell for him. Or vice-versa. He's exactly the kind of guy Justin deserves. The night Zeke was sick and Justin had that terrible nightmare, Sash and I were up at fuck knows how late or early, but we talked a lot. It grounded me to go forward with Zeke. Zeke's just... he's incredible. He has a horrible form of cancer but he still remembers how to laugh. But he's struggling a lot. Because he's got ED and has pretty much never had an erection because his first battle with cancer and chemo started when he was around thirteen. Before the diagnosis, he was sick a lot. Plus this memorial is hard. It's making him think about death. Cancer death. Death of someone his age, death of a friend."