Lord, I was born a ramblin' man

beyondtherift ][ very embarrassingly public

2011-08-20T15:52:13Z

I didn't lose my virginity until well into my college years. She was an older woman. It really didn't go as well as I'd hoped. Which is probably where this whole "making sure she's more than satisfied" thing I have takes root.

I miss sex. Mostly I miss having sex with someone I'm crazy fucking in love with.

beyondtherift ][ locked from the people and things he should be locking from

2011-08-08T22:09:02Z

So this creepy stuff is interesting. I take it this isn't usual around here? Hearts beating. Things like that? Because I gotta say someone told me the Kashtta was a good place for me to stay and I'm not sure I'm convinced yet.

Oh. By the way I'm Randall. I haven't actually written in here yet, but there's a first time for everything right?

Is anyone looking to hire a DJ?

I'm also working on controlling my nifty little change the Rift handed me. I think I need to get out more to help me with that though. Over all I'm really not too amused by it. And no I'm not going to record it so don't ask.

locked further to Veronica.

I guess I should consider you my "Landed in Chicago on the same day" twin or something huh? How are you holding up with everything?

dm ][ randall wants his shirts

2011-06-18T03:44:00Z

....you really think this is funny?

I'm glad you decided to give me some attention and throw me in there, but... really? Most people get superpowers and abilities and I get...disintegrating shirts? You had to do that?

Fine. My emotions will just never cause that. We'll skip the whole embarrassment. I get that me being shirtless is really, really funny to you for some reason, but...come on.

Levitating would have been so much cooler!

fic ][ time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

2011-06-08T01:51:05Z

{Just something. Joshua is an NPC.}

“Hey Raaaandy.”

Randall glanced over his shoulder from where he sat under a tree on the playground. Joshua Graham was wandering over, his hands in his pockets and his curly hair all over the place as it always was. He also had a teasing smirk on his lips that really annoyed Randall. Randall rolled his eyes.

“Don't call me that.”

“Why not?” Joshua plopped down beside Randall and leaned back on his hands, tilting his face up to the sunlight. He was the only twelve year old that Randall knew that didn't care what anyone thought of him, and Randall kind of admired that.

“Because I don't like it,” Randall replied.

“It's your name.”

“No. My name is Randall.”

“Your sisters call you Randy. It's a nickname, right? Just embrace it.”

Randall glanced at his friend again and just shook his head. He and Josh weren't extremely close, but he was one of the only friends Randall had. “Whatever, man. Hey, you hear this yet?” He pulled out his newest mix tape and tossed it into Josh's lap.

“Which one is this? ...you really have some weird taste in music, you know that?”

Randall just laughed. “Yeah, you tell me all the time.”

***

“Raaaandy.”

Randall's brows went up and a smile came across his face. There was a voice he hadn't heard in a really long time, but he'd know it anywhere. “Sup Josh?”

“You mean aside from the cancer? Not a lot.”

“The what?” Randall froze, unsure if he had heard his old friend right.

“Cancer. The Big C they call it.”

He still couldn't believe his ears. Randall's head shook slowly. “Wait...where? When?”

“Oh it's happening now, big guy. In my brain. Use it or lose it, right?”

“It's...in your brain?”

“Okay, not in my brain, but close enough. They're trying to decide if it's worth operating on.”

“Is this some kinda joke?” Randall sat down on his nearby couch.

“I wish. No, it's real. Sucks, doesn't it?”

“And...you called me to tell me you're dying?”

“No, I called to tell you I might be dying. And that you're a piece of shit for never getting up with me when you're home,” Josh said with a sigh.

“Dude, you don't even live there anymore.”

“Oh. Right. Okay, I guess we're both shits. I don't know. Cancer in the brain kinda makes you remember everyone you've ever known and wonder what they're up to. So I called your mom and got your number. But hey, catch me up on your life. Weren't you engaged the last time I saw you?”

Randall sighed and rubbed his face. It was like Josh to ignore the big issue and talk about something else. Randall didn't feel like he could do anything but oblige. “You've definitely missed a lot,” he said. “We split up.”

“She was too hot for you anyway,” Josh laughed.

“You don't have a chance in hell,” Randall laughed back.

“What about the kid?”

“We're sharing the kid.”

“That's good. I'm kinda wishing I'd done the kid and wife thing now. Shame.” That brought a silence over the line, and Randall wasn't sure how to reply. Josh saved him by laughing after a few minutes. “Hey, save the doom and gloom until I'm dead, okay? What else? Anyone new?”

“Yeah,” Randall said slowly, trying to get back on the topic. “There's someone new.”

“Is she hot?”

“Very hot.”

“How does a big dork like you get all the hot girls?”

Randall just laughed again. “You got me.”

“So how about a trip down here with the kid to see me?”

“I think I can arrange that.”

“Good. It'd...it'd be real good to see you,” Josh said, his voice going a bit quieter.

“I'll be there.”

626

jpi ][ randall doesn't wanna do homework anymore

2011-01-07T02:13:59Z

My ten year old has more homework than I think I had in high school. Or....maybe I just didn't do most of my homework in high school.

But still.

What the hell?

He's ten.

I need more coffee to get through the night.

[locked to hitchhiker_girl]

2010-10-21T04:22:56Z

Happy Birthday, Gorgeous.

And for later.

Love you.

dm][randall doesn't like his mun fangirling

2010-09-27T03:32:10Z

Um mun...

mbs][88.10 I Do

2010-09-08T21:18:55Z

He used to think he'd need to hear the words one day, but now all he needs for her to look at him like this for as long as he can have it.

[RP] No Place Like Home

2010-08-17T03:48:55Z

(Backdated a couple weeks. Co-written with hitchhiker_girl.)

It had been a long drive back to New York, and it had given her more time to think than she really needed, but it needed to be done. While she knew that the way she handled it was wrong, she still stood by it being the right thing to do. She needed to get away and get her head on straight, and if that involved not talking to Randall for a while, then that was what needed to be done. Now, however, she was going back because she knew that was what she wanted, and that was what really meant more to her than anything else.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way to Randall’s front door. Instead of automatically reaching for her key the way she usually did, she raised her hand and knocked, staying where she was and waiting for him to come and answer the door. He didn’t know she was coming, so for now she wasn’t just going to barge in. Especially when she still wasn’t really sure that things were solid.

Randall had just been hanging out, not doing much of anything. He had plans to get a late lunch with Charlie, but until then he had nowhere to be. Charlie had been trying to keep Randall busy over the recent weeks, and even though he had heard from Anna, Charlie hadn’t let up. Truth be told, Randall was glad, because he was still left with too much to think about.

When the knock came at the door he got to his feet and went to answer it. It was a warm day, so he was still lounging around in flannel pajama pants. He looked through the peephole and gulped slightly. He turned to see if he had a t-shirt nearby, but didn’t. He nervously pulled the door open anyway. He didn’t really know what to say, so he stuck to silence.

She looked up at him, her eyes holding his instead of going anywhere else, before giving him a small smile. “Hey.”

“Hi,” he said softly. “Um...come in, I just..have to..” He waved at himself. “Come in.” He turned quickly to go to his room and root around for a clean t-shirt and jeans, and changed. Then he ran his fingers through his hair and walked back out.

She came in and waited in the living room for him to change, arms crossed in front of her chest lightly. She knew she was probably intruding, but she’d ask about that later. Right now she was just going to keep her mouth shut unless prompted so that she didn’t say the wrong thing.

He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, or be said, but he didn’t want any interruptions. As he got back to the living room he found his cell phone and quickly called Charlie, leaving him a message. “Hey, I can’t make lunch. I..something came up.” Then he hung up and turned it off, before turning to face her again. He’d been trying to avoid eye contact before that moment, and now he couldn’t look away. He had missed her so much, and everything aside, he just wanted to grab her and hold her. But he wasn’t going to make that move just yet. He didn’t want to screw anything up.

“How are you?”

“Okay,” she said with a nod, rubbing one arm lightly. “A little tired. It was a long drive.”

He nodded, then jumped slightly as he remembered his manners. “Do you want something to drink? Or..or eat?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’m okay.”

“Okay.” His own arms folded and he went quiet for a moment, but then nodded to the couch. “Want to sit?”

She took a breath before nodding. “Sure.”

Randall moved to the couch and grabbed the blanket laying disheveled on it from where he had been sleeping a lot recently. He tossed it aside and sat in the chair beside the couch, wanting to give her space.

She sunk into the couch a bit, still keeping her arms crossed in front of her before clearing her throat a bit. “So.”

He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “So...”

Suzie Q. came down the hall and paused to stretch, then her nose went in the air and she sniffed. She looked towards Anna and mewed, then trotted over and jumped up onto her lap, her motor already going. Randall smirked.

She laughed a little, before reaching over to pet her. “Yeah, I missed you too,” she said softly.

He watched the cat curl up right where she was and smiled a little wider. “See? I’m not the only one who missed you.”

“I know,” she said softly, before looking up at him again.

He looked back, his gaze softening. He still didn’t know what to say.

She held his gaze for a moment, before looking down at the cat again. She wasn’t all that good with words either right now, but for the moment it was all she had. “How’ve you been?”

“Good,” he nodded. He looked down and folded his hands. “Keeping busy.” Anything to keep his mind off of her, is what he didn’t say.

“Good,” she nodded. “That’s good.”

He rubbed his hands together nervously. His hand moved, then hesitated, before reaching out and setting it by her leg, his palm up to her.

She hesitated for a moment, before moving her hand from it’s place on Suzie Q and sliding into his.

He wrapped his fingers around hers and squeezed her hand, sighing softly. He started to speak and stopped a couple times before actually getting the words out. “Still here,” he said quietly. “I’ve-I’ve been waiting..I’m still here.”

“I know,” she said softly, inching closer to him and moving her free hand to brush against his face. “I know, Randall.”

His eyes closed at the touch and he leaned into her hand a bit. He took a deep and slow breath.

Her hand slid up, brushing over the top of his head as she looked at him. “I’m right here.”

He met her eyes, fear locked in his own, and just looked right back at her. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, almost scared of his words. “I’m sorry I screwed up. Don’t...don’t leave me again.”

“Randall,” she said softly, before moving closer so that she was almost in his lap. “I didn’t leave because you screwed up. It was part of it, but it wasn’t just that.”

He reached for her hand again, grasping it tightly. “Whatever the reason...if you go again...I’m not gonna sit here and wait. I’m going after you.”

She hesitated again, keeping her eyes on his. “Randall, coming after me wouldn’t help.”

“No,” he said tightly. “My dad left and we let him, and then we waited. When Heather left me I let her go, and I sat back and waited. I won’t do it again.”

She closed her eyes. “Coming after me would have only pushed me farther away.”

He let go of her and dropped his forehead into his palm. “I know.”

“You did the right thing.”

“So next time I’m just supposed to wait? Never stop waiting?”

“No,” she said softly. “I never said you had to wait. But when I say I need a break, it means I need a break. From everything -- otherwise I wouldn’t be leaving.”

“I get that, but...I know I’d never stop waiting.”

“So you’d rather lose me than wait?” She gave him a bit of a look. “That’s a really nice sentiment, Randall. Thanks.”

He looked up at her, confused. “No. If you go again I won’t have a choice but to wait. Even if I’m waiting the rest of my life.”

Her face softened at that, before leaning back a bit. “So you’ll just wait for me. Forever. And you’ll never move on.”

Randall looked away, then down. He shrugged. “Maybe...I’d move on in time, but I don’t want to.”

“That’s not healthy, Randall,” she said softly.

He looked over at her, incredulously. “It’s not healthy? It’s not healthy that I love one woman and only want it to be one woman? That her...up and leaving me for good would break my heart?” He got to his feet and ran a hand over his face, then headed to the kitchen. He needed something to drink.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” she said softly, burying her face in her hands. “But people leave, Randall. It’s what they do. It’s allowed to hurt for a while, but holding on to that for too long? You’ll rot from the inside out.”

He listened as he got a glass of water and slowly drank it. He set the glass down and set his hands on the counter, dropping his head. He knew people left, and he knew it didn’t matter if he was a jerk or well behaved, they’d still leave.

She took a breath as she leaned back into the couch. “I just don’t want to be the reason why you do that to yourself. You deserve better than that.”

He refilled the glass with water and walked back out, setting the glass in front of her. He stayed on his feet and stepped away. “If you’re not going to stay, don’t make me think otherwise, and maybe it’ll be easier to get over.”

She looked up at him. “I want to be here. But I can’t promise that I’m going to be here forever. No one can.”

“How do I know you don’t have one foot out the door from here on out?”

“I guess you don’t,” her eyes narrowed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”

“The same way that you trust I’m in this? No matter what happens in either of our lives?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “The same way I trust you.”

He looked over at her again and licked his lips. He sighed and tension flew out of him that he didn’t even know he was holding in. “I missed you...so much,” he whispered.

Her face softened a bit. “I missed you too.”

He slowly made his way over to sit beside her on the couch, but still left plenty of room between them. “If you trust me...” he continued quietly. “Why’d you have to go?”

She turned to face him with a sigh. “Because I needed to make sure that I was in this for the right reasons.”

“So why are you in it?”

“Because I love you, and you make me happy.”

“I want you to be happy,” he said. “I want us to be happy.”

“I know. And I want us to be happy too. Which is why I needed to make sure that I was really in it because I was happy or because I was comfortable.”

He bit his lip and watched her. “I can’t keep you here, but...if you’re going to go again...talk to me. I deserve that much.”

She shifted for a minute, then looked down. “You weren’t exactly in the talking mood at the time.”

“I know.” His head dropped again. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are,” she sighed softly. “And I’ll admit that my leaving was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction, but that’s what I am, Randall. I’m impulsive.”

“I thought maybe I’d lost you.”

“Trust me, Randall. When you lose me, you’ll know.”

“How?”

“Because I’ll say it to your face and not over the phone.”

He smiled softly. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

He kept his eyes on her, but didn’t have much more to say at the moment. He had wanted to touch her from the moment she arrived, but he still wasn’t sure if he should or not. She watched him back, keeping her arms wrapped in front of her and trying to figure out what he was thinking.

He angled himself towards her more. “I don’t know...where to go next.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“I..” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just want to hold you again.”

Anna watched him for a minute before pushing herself up on her knees to move closer. He moved over and brought a hand up to her cheek. He brushed it softly and ran his fingers through her hair, then against her neck. She closed her eyes, leaning into the touch a bit as she moved closer. He leaned in to meet her and softly kissed her. She met him in the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed closer. When she moved closer he couldn’t help but hold onto her tighter and deepen the kiss. She curled into him, holding onto the kiss for as long as she could without needing to breathe.

When they did break apart, he didn’t let her go far. He set his forehead to hers as he pulled her over into his lap. She moved into him, settling closer and resting her head against his shoulder. His arms went around her tightly and he rubbed her back slowly. He kissed the top of her head. “Welcome home,” he murmured.

She gave him a small smile before nodding. “Thanks.”

“I think I have to show you something,” he said slowly, a smile creeping onto his lips. “In case you forgot.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that exactly?”

“I’ll take you, if it’s okay.” He got to his feet, still holding onto her.

“Fine by me,” she murmured, leaning into him again.

He kissed her again and carried her down the hall to the bedroom. He smiled. “This,” he turned so she could see around. “Is my bedroom. I share it with the most gorgeous girl in the world.”

She laughed a little before tipping her head up to face him again. “Think she’ll get jealous if she finds me here?”

His eyes rolled up as he considered that. The corners of his lips were turned up. “I don’t know...I mean, I’m pretty fantastic in the sack...”

“So she just likes sharing you with everyone else?”

“That’s what I mean...she probably doesn’t. So we should probably take advantage of the time while we have it.” He leaned in and kissed her neck.

She tipped her head back a little, giving him better access. “I dunno. I’m not sure how I feel about being with a guy who’s taken.”

He drew his lips up her throat as he spoke. “Are you asking me to leave her for you?”

“I think I’d feel a little better if you did.”

“Mmm.” He dropped her onto the bed. “Okay. She’s history.”

“Just like that?”

He leaned over her. “Well...truth is, you’re cuter. And I’ve had a crush on you for a very long time.”

“Oh really?”

“Really.”

“Guess I’ll just have to reap the benefits, then.”

He grinned and slipped his hand under her shirt to brush it along her stomach. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He pushed the shirt up and leaned down to kiss her skin.

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the bed, running her fingers through his hair. He sighed at the feel of her fingers in his hair, and leaned up a bit to pull her shirt over her head. She shifted up to pull the shirt over her head and reaching over to tug off his. He let her, then reached down to unhook her shorts and push them down her hips. She kicked them off to the floor before pulling him more on top of her. As he went he unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, then leaned in to let his lips rediscover her curves. She moaned softly, pushing her body up against his. His body pushed back against hers and he leaned up to kiss her lips again. His hand slid down and up her leg as he pulled it closer to his hip.

She arched up into him, wrapping her leg around his waist as she pulled him into the kiss. He groaned lightly as he pressed her closer to the bed. She leaned back into the bed just enjoying the feel of him on top of her, holding her close. His hand moved down her hip and pulled her underwear down her legs. His hand slid back up between them, just touching her softly. She moaned softly at the touch, pushing up into his hand as she pulled him closer. He struggled with his free hand to get his jeans off and kissed her harder. She pulled him in closer, wrapping her legs around his waist and pushing her body up against his. He settled close and hold her tight in his arms, taking it slow at first and making it last as long as he could. He eventually fell against her and shifted his weight off of her while keeping her close.

She hummed softly, curling into him and letting her head rest against his chest. Randall sighed and rubbed her back slowly. He pressed his lips to the top of her head. It felt so good having her there beside him again. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to let go anytime soon.

She closed her eyes, feeling herself relax a little more. “I might fall asleep on you.”

“I don’t mind,” he whispered. He tilted her chin up and kissed her lightly.

She kissed him back, before settling into him more and closing her eyes.

He closed his eyes too. “I love you, gorgeous,” he said. He had to smile. He’d missed having her there to call her that.

She smiles slightly as well. “I love you too.”

[just_postit]

2010-08-17T03:42:43Z

I'm bored. Someone fix it.

And I'm thinking about becoming a manwhore.

ooc

2010-07-16T06:26:13Z

Dear Randall,

Please shut the fuck up and let me sleep before I REALLY make your life miserable.

I hate you.

[just_postit]

2010-07-16T04:30:45Z

Yes, I'm drunk, get over it.

I did it. Told him off. Guess he got the idea cuz he said he'd leave me alone for awhile.

So. He's gone. She's gone. And I'm.....drunk.

[sixwordstories]

2010-07-05T04:35:31Z

Don't need her. Have my kid.

[charloft] Thursday - Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

2010-07-01T14:37:23Z

Tell us about a Terrible, Horrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day you have had. Was it as bad as Alexander's in the children's book on the subject? Did it make you want to move to Australia?

The night before Frankie and Heather moved out of the country, he slept over at my place. We'd already had a rough night of trying to get him to sleep when all he wanted to do was spend time with me. He had nightmares of plane crashes, or me never wanting to see him again.

He threw up his breakfast. I took him back to Heather's place where she was packed and ready to go. We had planned to say goodbye there to make things easier on Frankie, and her parents were taking them to the airport. The minute we walked in the door Frankie wouldn't let go of me.

I still remember him yelling and screaming that he wasn't moving. He kept telling his mom he hated her. He asked me why I didn't love him enough to go with them or let him stay with me. I had to remind him that she was his mother, and I wasn't his birth father or legal father. In my heart he's been my son for most of his life, but at the time that didn't matter. I had no rights to him.

His face was red in fury, and I was kneeling down to his height, and he started hitting me. He stopped yelling at Heather and started yelling at me. He said he hated me and didn't want me to be his father anyway. I knew it wasn't true, but it hurt all the same. It hurt that I couldn't do anything for him. All of that added on to the pain I already had of having to say goodbye to him. Even though I was upset with Heather for deciding to make a move like that, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to her yet either. I guess before she told me she was leaving the country, I still had hope she would come back to me. I was still in love with her, but she was also pissing me off more than anyone ever had. She was taking Frankie away from me.

I tried to calm Frankie down and hug him, but he ran off to his empty bedroom and started kicking the walls. Heather went after him to try and bring him back out, but he wouldn't come. She told me it'd be best if I went ahead and left. I kept telling her I couldn't leave without saying goodbye and she said I didn't have a choice. It was hard enough on her as it was.

I laughed. I told her I could care less how hard it was on her, because she was taking my kid away from me, and had no idea when I'd see him again.

She shouted at me that he wasn't mine. True as it is, it always hurt to hear it.

So I left. For all I knew Heather and Frankie would never move back to the United States. For all I knew Frankie would be a teenager or older before I saw him again. And I didn't get a real goodbye. I did put aside my anger and hug Heather goodbye, because like I said, I was still in love with her. But then I left.

I remember shaking so bad after I left Heather's that I couldn't even focus on walking. I had to sit down in a bar and call Charlie. I had one shot to calm myself while I waited for him to come get me, and then he took me home. He tried to get me to hang out or let him stay. He was obviously worried. But I didn't want him there, and I said so.

After he left I went to bed and didn't get up again until I had to go to work the next night.

It might have been a short day, but it was the hardest day I ever had to get through. I've never needed any document to tell me that Frankie is my son, but I'm glad Heather finally went through with making it official. She can't take him away from me again.

686

[dear_mun] that's not me!!

2010-07-01T02:41:47Z

Dear mun...

[musebysentence] 81.5] Change Is Gonna Come

2010-06-30T21:41:42Z

It was going to happen sooner or later, which I knew, so there's no point in being upset with myself or her anymore.

[occhallenge] Air

2010-06-30T05:09:39Z

(Charlie is control_ofsound and mine to use or abuse.)

Charlie was sitting on the floor waving a purple ribbon. The ribbon was actually tied to a stick and being batted at by Suzie-Q, but the image still amused Randall.

"Are you sure you want to take off?" Charlie didn't even look up from where he was playing.

"Yeah. I need some time away." Randall pulled his duffel bag out of the linen closet. "It's just a few days," he said. "You're not letting me back to the station yet anyway, what else do I have to do? Sit and wait for her to come back?"

"Well that is an option."

Randall looked over at him. "And when have you ever sat back and waited for a girl?"

"There's a difference between you and me," Charlie shrugged.

"Which is?"

"I'm more manly."

Randall grabbed a spare pillow from the closet and threw it at Charlie. "Shut up."

Suzie-Q went running and Charlie dropped the cat-toy and leaned back on his hands. "Seriously though. What if you're off...doing yoga and breathing and drinking tea, and she comes back looking for you? You'll be all pissed off at yourself for not being here."

"No, I won't." Randall disappeared into his room for a bit before coming back and stuffing some jeans and t-shirts into his bag. "One, I'm not doing any of those things you just said. Except for the breathing. Two, I'm not gonna sit here and wait." He shrugged. "I'm just not."

"What if that upsets her all over again?"

"Then she gets upset. There's not a whole lot I can do, is there?" Randall punched his clothes into the bag.

"No. I guess not."

"Look. I've needed this for awhile, okay? Can you just take care of Suzie and make sure she's alive when I get home?"

"Under control," Charlie nodded.

"Thank you." Randall continued moving around the apartment.

"So where are the two wild men headed?"

"Frankie's never seen Niagra Falls, so we're gonna go do that."

"You're going to turn that poor kid into a pussy just like you," Charlie sighed.

Randall smirked and gave Charlie's head a shove as he walked by. "Don't call my kid a pussy."

"Call it like I see it."

"So maybe we are pussies," Randall shrugged. He grinned. "It's better than him turning into a whore like you."

"Hey." Charlie held up a finger, raising his brows. "I am not a whore. I'm a manwhore. There is a big difference."

409

[7s_prompts] 11.1.6 - And We'll Have Fun Fun Fun...

2010-06-29T04:22:37Z

(picture prompt. Grace is freakytwinthing and used with permission and lots of love.)

"Okay, I'm here, let the drinking commence."

Randall turned from where he sat on his stool and smiled at Grace. "I thought you were spending quality time with your brother?"

Grace shrugged and slid onto the stool beside him. "You're my friend, and you texted me in your time of need to come out and drink with you." She stole the shot that was put before him and downed it. "Besides, Wally had a work emergency."

"Right," he nodded.

"But I'm here for you," she beamed.

"By default."

"Default hot non-date is better than no hot non-date," she argued.

"Hot what?" He ordered two more shots and pushed one to her.

"Hot non-date. We're both hot and this isn't a date." She shrugged and took her shot.

Randall sighed. "Sure."

Grace held onto her shot and looked at him, tilting her head. "What's up CoCo Puff?"

He fiddled with a coaster for a moment before responding. "I exploded at my sister last night, and I feel like I could do it all over again."

She took her shot. "What about?"

"Everything." Randall shrugged and folded his hands together on top of the bar.

"Everything being..."

He shrugged. "Her, our dad...Anna."

"Ahh, yes. Has she called?"

Randall's jaw set and he shook his head. "Nope." He picked up his beer and drank from it.

"Diiiid...you try calling her yet?"

"No." He looked down into his glass. Thinking about everything with Anna was bringing the anger back, and he had really just wanted to go out and have a good night.

"Well...you know...stay positive. Or something."

"It really doesn't fucking matter to me," Randall bit quickly.

Grace's eyes widened. "Okay, we'll address the me not used to you cussing thing later. What happened to the mopey 'woe is me I'm a bad boyfriend' stuf?"

He raised his head to look her in the eye. "I'm over it. She's the one that left."

"Okay..." She watched him, starting to get concerned all over again. "So then...this is the anger stage?"

"Guess so," he shrugged again, returning to his beer.

Grace let him be for the time being and had another drink. She waited for him to say something since he was the one that dragged her out. Randall however didn't know what he wanted to say. He really didn't want to talk about Anna anymore.

After awhile of silence Grace kicked him in the shin. He jumped. "Ow!"

"When you invite a girl out it's not cool to sit quietly and pout."

"I'm not pouting," he argued.

"Then what do you call it?"

"Sitting...quietly

"Pouting."

Randall broke into a smile and shook his head. He looked over at her. She was laughing at him. "Fine. I'll stop pouting."

"Thank you," she nodded. "Now, what's with the potty mouth?"

***
"I think it's time to go home," Grace said, elbowing Randall.

"C'mon, one more."

"No. I think fifteen games of tic-tac-toe is plenty. You're drunk. Go home."

Randall sighed and reached for his wallet. "You okay to get home?"

"Yes. You should be more worried about yourself," she said, getting to her feet.

"Are you offering to take me home?" He glanced up at her.

Grace narrowed her eyes at him. "Were you just attempting to hit on me?"

He looked down at his money quickly. "No. I...I don't know."

She reached out and smacked him upside the head. Hard.

"Ow!!" He grabbed the back of his head. "What?!"

"Stop being stupid. You don't actually want to hit on me. You're completely Joanie Loves Chachie in love with your girlfriend, and you'd never cheat on her. ...It kinda makes me wanna throw up a little, really..." There was a pause before she went off again. "You're just upset and angry and drunk." She yanked him off the bar stool, once they had both paid, and pulled him towards the door. "And? You'd never go through with it anyway." She paused and thought for a moment. "Well, unless I got naked, because then you wouldn't be able to resist me."

Randall stopped with her and looked down at her, just piecing together her logic. "Huh?"

She pushed him out the door. "I can only argue for you for so long before my ego takes a hit."

"O...kay..."

"But I'm right, right?"

He sighed and nodded. In a million years he couldn't cheat on Anna. He didn't want to be with any woman but Anna. "Yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am." She led him to the side of the road and hailed a cab. When it pulled up she shoved him into it. "We went out, we drank, we had fun. Mission accomplished."

Randall settled into the cab and nodded. "Thanks Grace. Really."

She smiled. "You know it'll be okay, right?"

He looked down and gave a half nod, but didn't answer. "Night Grace." He reached for the cab door and pulled it shut, before leaning his head back and closing his eyes for the ride home.

832

[occhallenge] Loud

2010-06-27T06:16:07Z

"You know Randy, the least you can do is talk to me," Erin snapped.

It was the one sentence that set him off. He hadn't wanted to talk to his sister in the first place, because ever since she quit avoiding his phone calls, all she could do was complain about their parents or berate Randall for not being at home. She wasn't the biggest fan of their father either, but she had seen him a couple times. Randall didn't want to hear about it. He didn't want to hear about any of her shit. He didn't even know why he had answered her call.

"I am trying to talk to you!" He shouted finally. "Except all you can do is sit there and critique me or complain about Dad. And I really don't want to talk about him!"

"Jesus, I'm sorry," she grumbled, not sounding sorry at all.

"No. You're not. You and Andy weren't even speaking to me! She still isn't! And this is all you have to say?! What about an apology? What about 'I know this is hard for you too, Randall'? What? You figure you'll take your anger out on me and ignore me for a couple months, and when you're ready to talk again I'll just be here? No apology needed? Well guess what?! Apology needed! I always accept every damn apology, so how hard can it be?! I tell people I'm sorry when I don't even think I did anything wrong!" He had started the call leaned against the counter in the kitchen, but now he pacing the apartment angrily. "I'm tired of being the damn nice guy that everyone can rely on!"

"Randall, I-"

"I am not ready to see our father or accept him back into our lives, and I'm not going to apologize for that! I have every right to be pissed that he thinks he can just show up at my place of work to confront me! And you know what else? If I don't want to talk about it? I shouldn't have to!"

"I'm not making you-"

"She left me, Erin. She left me! I try to be patient and understanding with everyone, but when the hell do I get the same courtesy? I try to spare people hurt, but where does that get me?! Where?!"

"Maybe she just-"

"I was tired of trying to explain to her that I don't want my father. What kind of bastard will sit there and say he doesn't want something that the other person doesn't even get the choice of not having? How big of a prick she had to think I was, whining about this guy that for some reason wants to be a father now. I didn't....I couldn't do that to her anymore."

"Did she ever ask you to stop?" Erin asked quietly.

"I didn't want to do it! I wanted to...get through it, and go home to her....happy. I wanted to be happy for her and I wasn't. And...I couldn't put it into words. And...it wasn't enough. She left."

"I'm sorry, Randy."

He picked up Frankie's football and launched it across the room. He hardly cared that it knocked things over and broke a picture frame. "She didn't even give me another chance! She didn't try to talk to me the next day! She just made up her mind and left! And she won't call, and I'm not allowed to call her, because she doesn't want to talk to me. So now I'm supposed to read her mind and wait to see if she comes back?"

"She'll be back."

"Coming back doesn't mean anything. Heather came back and it was still over. Dad came back and...people leave. That's it." He sat down, leaning his head back. He had made himself exhausted. "I...I tried to take care of her. I tried to make it work and...and she just...left."

The line was silent for a long time before Erin spoke again. "If she doesn't come back that's on her. You can only do so much, Randy. I know it's hard and I know it sucks, but you can't make something be if it's not."

"Maybe I'm just...wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I'm boring. Not enough. Maybe that's why people leave."

"Randy-"

"I have to go."

"No, don't-"

"Thanks for letting me yell," he said, hanging up the phone. He sat there, leaned back, for a bit longer. He still felt angry, and it felt like it was just bubbling up in his throat. He jumped up and grabbed onto the coffee table, flipping it over onto its side.

769

[justprompts] Father

2010-06-21T03:07:19Z

There was a knock on Randall's door early in the morning. He was already awake and expecting it. He went and opened the door for Frankie who beamed up at him.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hey kid." Randall reached out and held his son by the back of his neck, pulling him in for a hug. "Where's your mom?"

"She let me come on my own."

"Oh, okay. Well, c'mon in." Randall stepped aside.

Frankie walked through the door, then dropped to his knees to greet Suzie Q. He scratched her head for a minute and glanced around. He glanced up at Randall. "Where's Anna?"

"Not here," Randall said simply.

"Oh. Okay. What do you want to do today?"

Randall shrugged. "I don't know, Frankie. I'm pretty beat."

Frankie's face fell slightly, but after a moment of thinking it lit up again. "Wanna play X-box?"

"Not really, but I'll watch you play."

"It's not the same," Frankie said, making a face.

Randall sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You know, you're old enough that you don't need me to entertain you."

Frankie moved back a bit at that, frowning. He looked down at the cat and kept his attention on her. "I thought...we'd do stuff. For Father's Day."

"Yeah, I..." Randall closed his eyes and took a few measured breaths in and out. He opened his eyes and crouched down to his son. "I'm sorry. It hasn't been a very good weekend. I'm really glad you're here though. How about we watch some movies? Maybe order pizza later?"

The boy nodded and looked up, his grin slowly coming back. "Can we have Eggos?"

"Didn't your mom feed you?"

"I'm hungry again," Frankie shrugged.

Randall laughed. "Yeah, sure. Go pick out the movie and I'll get the Eggos."

"Awesome!" Frankie jumped up and ran into the living room.

"Awesome," Randall said quietly with a nod. He headed for the kitchen, his smile already fading. He really was glad that his son was there, but it didn't make it all better. Maybe that just made him a shit father on top of being a shit boyfriend.

354

[just_postit]

2010-06-20T00:57:03Z

That's the problem with being friends with your girlfriend's friends. If anything goes wrong, you're blacklisted.

[charloft] Thursday - Run

2010-06-18T05:03:01Z

He'd been avoiding his father. He didn't want to see him, speak to him, or think about him. He just went on with his life as though it had never happened. As if the man had never walked back into his life. He spent more time with Frankie. He sat at Anna's bar whenever she was working and he had nothing to do. He spent as much time with her at home as he could, drowning himself in sex and in her. Hiding in the world that they could always create for themselves. The place that was just them, their bodies too tangled to distinguish one from the other, even if just laying there.

He hid. Until he couldn't hide anymore.

His father was at the station when he went into work, and Randall just turned on his heel and walked away. He didn't go home. He didn't go to Anna's bar. He just went somewhere. Somewhere else. Because clearly where he was hiding wasn't hidden enough.

167

[dear_mun]

2010-06-16T04:48:15Z

Okay mun, let's go over this calmly...

[just_postit] with the meta

2010-05-16T21:58:45Z

People forget that the weak can easily be replaced. Maybe sometimes they should be. It's not pretty, but it is what it is.

[sixwordstories] meta-like

2010-05-16T21:18:30Z

Realize, the weak are easily replaceable.