Old Lovers ll Rudy Pankow

019: Jealousy, Jealousy

*Vanessa's POV*

It's been a few days since Charlie got here. I don't know why but he's been acting a little weird, like he's hiding something. Rudy's been acting weird too, but I can read him like an open book. I could see it since the first day that Charlie got here. Rudy is jealous.

He has no reason to be, though. Some people find it hard to stay friends with your ex, but with me it kind of comes naturally. I don't really like have bad relationships with people, I don't want any hard feelings between me and another person. If I can make someone happy and not feel alone, I will. That's why I stay friends and stay close with all of my exes.

Charlie is actually more like a brother or a best friend to me than a lover. Sure, I loved him when we were dating, but I've come to love him in a different way now. With Rudy it's different, though. With him I never truly lost feelings, just sort of buried them and fooled myself into thinking they were gone. Now those feelings have resurfaced.

I think Rudy is jealous because we were just getting closer again but then Charlie showed up and I've been spending a lot more time with him. He had no reason to be though, because if I have the chance I kind of want to start things with Rudy again. Maybe, if he feels the same. Who knows, I could be misreading him and imagining the whole situation.

Currently, me and Charlie are snuggled up on the couch. His head is resting in my chest and my arms are around him, playing with the ends of his hair. I don't have to be at the set for a couple more hours because of a late shoot, and Charlie was feeling tired so we just decided to watch a movie today.

We were kind of in a sad mood and also didn't know what to watch, so now we're watching The Notebook. Charlie doesn't really like romance movies, and I typically don't either but somehow we started watching it.

It just got to the part where Ryan Gosling's character and Rachel McAdams' character are kissing in the rain when I decided to pause it. I need to talk to Charlie and now was probably the best time to do it. He lifts his head ever so slightly in order to look at me, and I can see the questioning look in his eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask him. Too late to turn back now.

"You just did, but sure." He smirks proudly at his joke and I just roll my eyes at the cheesy line.

"Is there something wrong? You've been acting a little off since you got here."

He sighs, "I don't know, honestly. I'm sorry if I have been acting off, it's just some really personal stuff that I don't really wanna talk about right now. If that's alright."

I can see the sad look in his eyes, and can tell he truly means what he said. I nod, "Course. You can tell me on your own time." He smiles at me, "That's what I love about you, you never push." I just smile down at him.

"Now, are we ready to continue watching and cry our eyes out pretty soon?" He just laughs and nods, returning to his previous position.

•••

"Duuuude" I drag out, falling down onto the couch in my trailer. Rudy chuckles at me and walks in too, closing the door behind him. We had just finished a very long shooting session, and I was exhausted. Rudy looked at me and chuckled again, before making his way to the couch and lifting up my feet before placing them back down on his lap once he was sat down. I moved so that I could lay my head on his shoulder whilst still having my feet on his lap, and there we sat, just enjoying the company of each other.

Finally, I sigh, "Hey, Rudy?" He just gums in reply so I take that as my cue to go on. "Are you jealous of how much time me and Charlie have been spending together?"