Jiley Oneshots

Broken Home [a]

Riley squinted, picking up her phone and reading the time illuminated in the top corner. James' caller ID covered the screen and she immediately swiped to answer the phone.

"James, it's the middle of the night" she yawned sleepily while rubbing her eyes. She waited for his goofy apology but it didn't come. This caused her to become wide awake out of concern. "Jay? Are you alright?"

"I need you Ri" a broken voice croaked down the phone, "can I come over?"
Riley's heart shattered at the sound of his hurt voice, "of course, what's wrong?"
"My parents" he choked, "they're getting divorced"
"Oh James, I'm so sorry"

A few minutes later he pulled up outside her house. The second he switched off his engine, he saw Riley running from her front door. She threw her arms around him, holding him tightly against her tiny body. He shook in her embrace, sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry James" she whispered, feeling him cry into her neck. Stumbling back up her front path, she led him into her house and up the stairs to her bedroom quietly. Once there, she shut the door and climbed into her bed, opening her arms out for James to slot in beside her.

He did, sliding under her covers to nestle against her body. Tears silently rolled down his cheeks as Riley combed her fingers through his thick hair soothingly. For the next ten minutes, she simply held him, letting him cry it out.

She felt his grip on her body loosen and noticed him peer up at her with swollen eyes. He sniffed, resting his head on her chest.

"It will be okay James" Riley reassured him, rubbing circles on his back underneath her covers. She heard him sniff again, his way of acknowledging her attempt to comfort him.

"Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want to snuggle in silence? Or if you want you can talk and I can listen? Or I can talk about something else completely random to take your mind off it?" Riley suggested every possibility, curling a strand of his hair around her pinky finger before letting it spring back to place.

James kissed the skin that wasn't covered by her tank top, not moving his head from where it was buried on her chest.
"How could he leave us like this Ri?" he asked in a voice so quiet is was hardly audible. "How could be just walk out on his wife, his kids?"

Riley sighed heavily, massaging her fingers soothingly against his scalp.
"I don't know James" she told him honestly, "but it's probably more complicated than you think. I reckon he feels awful about leaving you and your sisters behind. Just because he doesn't love your mum anymore, doesn't mean he doesn't love you anymore"

Her response was met with silence and Riley knew James was in deep thought as he held her body close. She could almost hear the cogs turning inside his brain.

Her phone screen lit up and she peered over at it, seeing a message from Deborah. Without moving James, she stretched out an arm to grab it and read the message.

Deborah: Hi Riley, I know it's late but is James with you?

Not wanting his mother to worry, Riley typed out a reply.

Yes he's with me now and I'm so sorry to hear about everything. I'm always here for you if you need me to run errands or look after the kids x

Within minutes she got a reply.

Deborah: Riley sweetheart, you already do so much for our family, especially James. I don't know what he'd do without you. Look after my baby boy and give him an extra kiss from me tonight xx

Riley clicked off her phone, putting it face down on the table beside her bed. Despite Deborah's kind words, she felt somewhat hopeless in the situation. For once there was nothing she could do to 'fix' it, or to save James from the pain he was feeling.

As if he were reading her mind and could tell she was thinking this, James mumbled into her chest, "I love you Ri, thank you for always being there"
He could surely hear her heart beating beneath his ear when he said those three words, words they had said many times but still made her react the same way.

"I love you too" she reminded him, "I always will and I'll always be here for you"

They couple lay in silence, James just needing to be near her as he came to terms with his broken home. Occasionally, he would ask Riley a question, hoping for, but knowing she couldn't give him an answer.

By the time Riley felt his breathing settle as he finally dropped off to sleep, it was beginning to get lighter outside. She closed her eyes, cradling his head that still rested on her chest, rising and falling with each breath she took.

She had barely shut her eyes when she was awoken by a knock on her bedroom door. As usual, without waiting for a reply, her mother barged in. Immediately seeing James wrapped around her daughter in bed, she opened her mouth to object but was interrupted by Riley.

"Not a word" Riley quietly warned, before she got the anticipated lecture, "I've only just got him to sleep, you can yell at me later"

Her mother stood rooted in the doorway, holding the laundry basket in her hands yet still forgetting what she came to do.
Riley spoke again, "I promise I'll explain everything later, but right now James is my priority"

"Riley" her mother sighed, "you know I don't like it when you share a bed"
"Please mum" Riley begged in a hushed whisper, "just trust me. He needs to sleep and he can't without me"

Mrs Raymond sighed, seeing the genuine look in her daughter's eyes. She nodded slowly and backed out to the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her. As soon as she departed, Riley relaxed, wrapping her arms tighter around her boyfriend as she closed her eyes and succumbed to her exhaustion.

The couple didn't wake for several hours, both needing the sleep after having been up all night. James woke first, immediately recognising where he was before he opened his eyes, purely based on the comforting smell that reached his nostrils.

He dozed in and out of a light slumber until he felt Riley stir beneath him. He rolled onto his side beside her, watching as she came into consciousness.

"Morning babe" he croaked in his husky morning voice.
Riley sleepily turned her head to face him with a smile, "good morning Jay"

She stretched, sitting up in bed as she woke up and checked the time. It was nearly lunch. Suddenly a pair of strong, muscular arms pulled her horizontal again.
"Hi" Riley giggled, looking up at the face which was hovering above hers. James didn't respond, instead closing the gap between their lips.

Yay a oneshot with Riley comforting James, rather than the other way around :)