"Never thought I'd see your face again."

[autumnkisses]

Who: Autumn MacDonald and Kyan Wilson
What: One hellishly big bullet to bite
Where: Le Pain Quotidien, Central Park
When: After this and this

Autumn was pretty sure she had never been this nervous. It felt surreal being back in New York as it was, but knowing she was going to see Kyan was almost making her feel sick with anxiety. Her old self would have just continued to ignore the shit she pulled and keep her head buried in the sand. She didn't want to be that person ever again. She never wanted to be someone who wasn't there for the people she loved and did things to make it seem like she didn't give a fuck about them. Even just thinking about it made her shift her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, restless.

For the last half hour making her way here to the agreed meeting point, she convinced herself Kyan would be a no-show. Only thing was, she knew that wasn't in his nature. Unless something freaky happened on his journey over here, he wouldn't agree to meet with her and just not turn up. Other people might be spiteful or want revenge like that but Kyan didn't have a spiteful or vengeful bone in his body. Trey, on the other hand, probably would. She hoped she didn't accidentally run into him or he could tear her a new one for how much she hurt his twin.

She waited outside the cafe for him, forcing herself not to check her watch every five seconds. And just when she was about to bite right through her lip with the nerves, she saw him coming down the path and wasn't prepared for the flood of emotions that hit her. He looked incredible but she knew he wasn't hers anymore. He never really was, she never deserved him. She gave him a shaking smile, keeping her hands in her pockets. "Hey. I was pretty sure you'd change your mind."

Comments

[intothegroove]

"Work with Justin? Um, just... brace yourself, I'd probably say. In essence, he hasn't changed but he's disclosed a lot more about his past. That's..." Kyan didn't know how to get her to understand this without giving her specifics. Which he wouldn't. What he knew was highly confidential and Mark had explained to them that the less people knew, the easier it would be on Justin. "Actually, I think he probably has changed a lot since you last had much to do with him. He and Sash are a package deal and I don't think the position would be anything like you learned in your studies. His medical care and professional care crosses over, and at the epicentre of that is Sash, who helps him through it all. We kind of get it because we've been there from the start, but there's a huge gap in time you've lost here and a hell of a lot has happened." He laughed and sat back in his chair. "They will be kids of my own. You think I'm the sort of person who needs my sperm to define my kids? I don't. Reec and I were never going to have a traditional marriage. We do us and I love it. I've never been happier."

[autumnkisses]

Autumn laughed and shook her head. "If I'm honest, I don't at all think I'll work with Justin. Even if the idea got through his gatekeepers, I know he'll tell me to go fuck myself when I get to him. But I thought maybe he wouldn't be averted to letting me spend some time with Ari for some work experience or something. I know what I don't want in my new career is to be kow-towing to some apoiled diva cunt like I was. Which would probably be the best punishment in the world to me, but no, I want to learn from the stupid shit I pulled. Justin's complex, which means he's interesting. How he still manages to do what he does, despite being as sick as he is. Before I turned into a self-absorbed bitch, spending time with Jus used to be one of my favourite things. Between him, you, the twins, and meeting Jess, you all gave me the right tools to be a better person and I shat all over that. I'm ready to leave that part of me dead and buried for good." She knew hearing Kyan talk like this was probably creating more of an impact on her than if he just told her Reecy was pregnant. This was so much more deep, special and... them. When they joined forces, there was no way they wouldn't be incredible. "So, it could happen any day, then? It's all in the works?"

[intothegroove]

"I don't know. Who can ever really pre-empt what Justin will say or do? He's been through a lot recently, Aut. He's different to how you probably remember. Despite all that, I think he might be happier than you've ever really seen him. Content, too. Sasha lives with him and he has loads of friends. They're very close. And protective. But honestly, if there's a chance Justin might want you on his team, then it might be the best of both worlds. You already know him, he has his fingers in a pile of entertainment pies, he knows loads of people, the work's never boring. Would you want to, if there was a chance?" Kyan smirked, pushing his muffin from one side of the plate to the other. His mind wasn't really on eating, to say the least. He was feeling a huge sense of relief settle over him to have some closure. "Well, I think all Justin or your family and friends ever asked from you was presence. I guess if you're swept too far up into yourself, you can be there in body but not present in emotion. "Unlikely to happen extremely soon. More projected a few months, even a couple of years, down the track. The application had to be restarted when we got married and I wanted to co-parent with her. It's not a desperate need for us yet. We've got plenty of time. The show and our charity work keeps us busy."