The Tale's Willow

Fire and Silk

A/N: I'm not sure whose picture this is but sadly it isn't mine. This photo sparked this idea ;) Blame them for this :D  I think Roust is adorable, don't you? ;) Enjoy this little fic.

Tim sighed heavily as he packed the rest of his things. It was now that he realized his mother saw something about his ex that he hadn't. He was immensely grateful his mother had stopped him from getting married. For the time being, he was moving back in with his mother. Emily, his baby sister, poked fun at him for it but the apartment he was sharing with his ex-fiancé was in Jenika's name. She, too, was packing up although she was moving back to Wisconsin where her family were located.

Having all his stuff packed and into his moving truck, he dropped off his key at the front office and pulled out of the lot. He was pulling his truck behind the moving van so he wouldn't have to return. Dena was thrilled her son had avoided marrying Jenika although she hated him being so down about the break-up. There was just something about the blond that rubbed the elder Foust the wrong way.

Tim didn't have much time to unload the moving truck. Dena called her ex-husband, their daughter Emily and her husband James to help Tim unload. With the whole family working, it only too a couple hours. Emily followed Tim back into town so he could turn in the moving van and car hauler. Everyone else was busy putting his things in the storage facility on Dena's property. What he wanted to take into the house was left on the porch. Emily hated seeing her older brother so down-in-the-dumps.

Dena was fixing supper for everyone in thanks for helping Tim. He had to get up early to open his practice. Tim had gone to dental school and, after graduation, opened his own practice in town. He was quite popular. Partly due to how he ran his practice and partly due to his natural charisma and charm. He was doing quite well for himself and he loved his job. His first client of the day the following day was his good friend Rob. The jolly teddy-bear of a man was in for a routine cleaning.

"How've you been, man? It seems like it's been ages since we saw you last." Rob chuckled as Tim got everything ready.

"Jenika and I just broke up. I moved back in with my mom yesterday." Tim shrugged.

"I'm sorry to hear that, man." Rob frowned.

"Eh. It could be worse. I could have married her and now be going through a divorce." Tim laughed bitterly.

Tim got to work ending the conversation. Rob knew his friend could use some cheering up so once he was able to speak again, he asked Tim to join him and "some of the guys" Friday night at their favorite pub. Jenika hated him going out by himself. She was always so jealous. Since he was single again, he decided to take his friend up on the offer.

Friday night rolled around and Tim had gone home to clean up from his work day. His mother was thankful he was feeling up to going out. She was worried he was slipping into depression. He came downstairs dressed in a pair of dark denim jeans, his black boots, a Johnny Cash t-shirt, and his black leather jacket. He kissed her cheek as he put his phone in his jacket pocket.

Rob never mentioned who he went out to the bar with. Adam, Chance, and Austin were the given since the five of them had grown up on the same block together. Abe, Cole, and Nate all joined after Tim went away to college although they all knew one another already. Once Tim arrived, Rob waved him over to their crowded table. He ordered himself a root beer, earning a few laughs from his buddies, but shrugged.

"Tim, you remember Abe, Cole, and Nate, right?" Rob asked as he pointed everyone out.

"Yeah. How's it going? Been a long while." Tim smiled at everyone making Nate's heart flutter.