You're Always You

Chapter Forty-Nine

David Minett

....

So that happened.

David had unintentionally spent a little more time than planned at his childhood home, considered his father was there. He hadn't seen the man in forever in this universe, apparently, and....

To some degree, it felt like that anyway. David missed home.

He was surprised, but glad too, because apparently he'd distanced himself, Dad, after Brett got all...thug-life.

That was something David fixed without realizing he'd even needed to. Extra points please, Divine Cockass?

That was probably optimistic, but oh well.

Still, it put David in a fairly good mood when he went back to the apartment. That is, until Lydia decided to call Dick.

Which...went about as well as it was going to.

David stopped the recording he'd been making of the conversation, and put his phone down, taking Lydia's and doing the same. Then, somewhat out of habit, he pulled her legs over his lap to hold her comfortingly, and she didn't protest. "You did good," he told her, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm proud of you."

"Sorry..." she mumbled against his shoulder, which...confused him.

He kissed her temple and murmured, "Why are you sorry? What could you possibly be sorry for?" It was almost comical, how she felt the need to apologize for everything, if that wasn't a byproduct of an abusive relationship. "You did good," David repeated, squeezing her lightly. "It's okay."

"Still hurts... I shouldn't be hurt..."

....

He exhaled softly. "I know it hurts," he responded, rubbing soft circles on her side. "But it's okay, Lydia. Everything will be just fine." Something he used to do when she was deeply upset about something was pick it apart until, hopefully, she wasn't anymore. It didn't...always work, but most of the time was better than none of the time. "What about it hurts the most?" he asked.

"Feels like it was all for... nothing."

"What was all for nothing?"

"Him. Being with him."

Ah. Well...it kinda was. Of course, David knew she was really with Dickie because this was all a fucked up game to test his patience, but...he couldn't tell her that. "Nothing is ever for nothing, Lydia," David said. "We all walk away from pain having learned a lesson. It might not feel obvious, and you might not ever know what the lesson was exactly. But...it'll stick with you. Failure isn't a step back, it's a step forward. Even and especially with relationships." He continued to rub her soothingly and asked, "What do you think you're gonna take away from this?"

"That I wish I was a lesbian."

....

David opened his mouth, then shut it again, before letting out a sympathetic laugh. "Hey now," he chuckled. "Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch. Spending half your life with a dick has severely limited your access to good men, sweetheart."

She picked up her head and gave him a look at that.

"I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything...."

She managed a pity laugh, which was better than nothing, and put her head back down on his shoulder. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Stop that," he scolded softly. "You don't need to be sorry for everything, Lydia." David rested his forehead against her temple in thought. "Alright, well....Do you think giving up on that is really what you want? You've got your whole life ahead of you."

"No..."

Good. That would suck.

"Are you...afraid of anything? Of Richard?" Dave decided to ask, shifting the conversation slightly. "Talk to me. It's okay. Let it all out."

"I'm afraid of seeing him again. Of... people seeing me as Bambi. But.... mostly just that," she admitted, looking up slightly.

He moved a hand up to her face to rub her cheek softly. "I don't blame you," he told her honestly. "But...it's okay. You can't avoid these things forever, I know, but you don't need to be scared, honey. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, and I won't let anything happen to you. Okay?"

"I know. I trust you," Lydia replied, gazing at him with her "I wanna kiss you" face again, but as she'd been all week, she was too afraid to act on it.

Considering she had just formally broken up with Dickie, David figured, by her logic, that without the cheating factor this would be easier. For her. But apparently not.

He'd promised he wasn't going to rush her, but maybe he was going to rush her just a little bit.

As last time, Dave responded to Lydia's hesitation by closing the gap. He didn't...hang on as much as he had the first time, nor as much as he so badly wanted to, but there it was, he did it. He didn't want to push boundaries too far.

Lydia fell silent at this, though she didn't move away or...appear all that perturbed.

It was a very neutral response, which wasn't helpful to David. He knew a lot of things about her, a lot, but he'd never known a time where she was conflicted about kissing him. He didn't...know what she was thinking. And that was a scary thing for him.

Eventually, after a few awkward moments, he decided to play it safe, and murmured, "Sorry...."

"Don't. I... am not opposed."

....

Okay, but did that mean...she wanted him to do it again? Not knowing how to navigate his own wife was...frustrating. But, educational, he supposed.

Bright side, Davie.

Well, the key to any relationship was communication, wasn't it?

"And...." he began to murmur. "....If I did it again...?"

"...I think I would like it..."

....

Well, if the fans demand it.

Wordlessly, David pressed his lips to Lydia's again, something he had missed being able to do so freely. Something he'd ached for, for two and a half weeks, something he'd taken for granted.

He was never taking Lydia for granted again. If his wife thought he spoiled her before....

And Lydia met his lips without resistance, though she did hesitate a little before kissing him back. It took a bit of strength to stay...controlled, as it were. To not escalate immediately, even though all David wanted to do was take Lydia to bed. He had to remind himself that she was not his wife in this universe, even if they were kissing, and that he had to keep it slow.

As difficult as that was.

After a good couple of minutes, Lydia pulled away, her breath a little shaky. "....God, he's going to kill me," she mumbled, her face going pale.

God David was sick of hearing about Dick.

"Who cares," he muttered, holding her close to him still, their faces just breaths apart. "He can't hurt you anymore, Lydia." He kissed her again softly, then added, words that panged in his heart, "I'll protect you, baby."