Should've Been Us

2. His (Not-So) Editors

3rd person

Scott rested his head in his hands. He wished. Wished his "muses" would come to him, wished they would help him write this novel, because he couldn't write to save his life. He couldn't do anything to save his life anymore. He was a major screw up.

He was an English teacher, and not a bad one. He had a wife, two kids, a dog, and even a suburban home. His wife left in the middle of the night, his job became tasteless to him. He quit. He moved to a quaint loft in the city and began his new life. He had so many ideas, but none of them could work. He became bland.

And then they came.

Scott has a total of two friends.

And they weren't even people.

At least that's what he could assume.

Mitch and Kevin showed up one day. Just appeared in front of his eyes. And Scott let it happen.

Scott knew what Mitch was.

Kinda.

Mitch was beautiful. He had glowing cocoa brown eyes that sparkled like city lights, a nose straight, like the chiseled features of a Greek god's sculpture. He had full pink lips that spread perfectly when he cracked his perfect, straight, whiter than Scott was smile. He had black hair that complemented his fair skin perfectly, falling into his face. He had peaking cheekbones, a slender neck, and a voice like melted gold.

Scott didn't know if he was gay; he had two children with a woman. But all he found himself doing was admiring the boy who brought him words.

Kevin was something else.

Kevin was a person.

Like, a real person.

He claims to know "Kavi" personally. Scott had a hard time believing they were real, people he couldn't even google. Kevin forbid him. Scott never knew why, but his instincts told him to trust Kevin, so he did.

The unfamiliar knock on the door startled Scott awake from his daydreams. He got up to get the door in no hurry. When he got to the door, he saw the one person he never expected to see again.

"Dad?"

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"So Ryne, how did you find me?" Scott handed a cup of steaming cocoa his son's way.

"Well, mom just told me about you. How you knocked her up and you got married young, how I was a mistake," Ryne looked down, obviously ashamed he messed up his parents lives, "how you had Cecily to save your marriage, and how mom left--"

"Left me in the dust?"

"Yeah," Ryne looked down once again at his hard worked hands, and his father laid a soothing hand on him.

"You're seventeen now? I'm glad to see you. I guess your mother leaving me was okay. And I was never as lucky as the days I got you two. So where did you guys end up?"

Hearing that his father loved them, Ryne felt a new sense of assurance. His mother had always told him tat his father was a horrible man, never loving anyone. Ryne had a hard time believing that the author sitting in front of him could ever hate anyone. "We ended up in a suburb outside of New York. I found your address and I guess found you to learn who I came from."

Ryne was handsome. He had his mothers dark hair, but inherited his fathers striking blue eyes and strong jawline. He had kind eyes, the kind of eyes you couldn't help but trust. His teeth were perfectly aligned, and his smile had a sense of weariness that Scott couldn't shake. He was a giant, quite literally. He towered over his father at a whopping six foot nine inches. He was wiry and lanky, but kind.

"Well I'm very glad you did. Maybe next time your sister can come with."

Ryne looked pleased with this. His sister is 14 now, a blooming freshman in high school. Scott got an earful about her, and a picture. She had his hair, but it was long and thick. Her blond glistened healthily. She had big, bright grey eyes, a petite nose, and big, full lips. She was at least five foot eight inches, wiry like her brother. Cecily (who used to go by Lily) was a beautiful young girl.

Ryne had to go home, but promised to come back with his sister the following week. Scott scrounged up two frames for the pictures of his children and found places on the walls for them. They were his new muses. He wanted to be there for the kids he never got to see. He wanted to be a father.

"I see you're enthralled by your children," Mitch smirked at him from the doorway. Mitch was like that, always showing up at odd times. Scott just laughed and wrapped him in a tight hug, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Let's get to work."

Kirstie kissed her boyfriend on the forehead.

"I love you, Avriel Benjamin."

Those words made his hear flutter lightly, causing a roseate blush to flourish naturally on his cheeks.

"I love you, Kirstin Taylor."

Avi was impatiently counting down the days until their wedding. He couldn't wait until she was his. Forever.

"So what's the plan for today?" Avi smiled down at her and she shrugged.

"Maybe you and I can get something done for once."

Avi laughed and smiled down at her, "Maybe today."

"Don't you think it's a little fluffy?" Scott questioned Mitch, but he simply shook his head.

"I think that the fluff always comes before the storm. Maybe there will be a plot twist?"

Scott smiled endearingly down at the younger man. He wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his pink, full lips softly.

"When are you going to tell your kids that you're gay?" Mitch cocked his head to the side, and Scott shook his head. He didn't know when he would tell them. He didn't know anything at this point.