Feeling.

Be OK

"These recitals are so boring," Noel complains quietly in his uncle's ear. Bright looks at his nephew with a smirk.

"I know, but you gotta do what you gotta do," he says and Noel nods sullenly.

"Bright, save that end seat for Win, he's on his way," Rachel says and Bright looks at the empty seat beside him and nods, grabbing his jacket and throwing it over the seat.

Bright likes to watch his niece in these recitals, but waiting for her class to come do their dance is incredibly boring. The recital itself is over an hour long and Nara is in two different dances, so that's a lot of sitting around for no more than six minutes of Nara being on stage.

Win runs up the steps in the aisle and smiles widely when he catches Bright's eyes. He moves his jacket and Win plops down in the seat beside him. The lights dim and the first performance begins. All Bright can focus on, though, is how good Win smells and how his arm is pressing against his.

As everyone begins to clap after the first performance, Win leans toward Bright to whisper. "I'm bored already. Is it Nara's turn yet?"

Bright turns to him and smirks. "I hear ya," he agrees. Win laughs. "How was your shift?" he asks, knowing he just got off work.

Win frowns. "Terrible. I'll tell you about it after."

"Terrible because I wasn't there?" he asks teasingly and Win nods.

"Pretty much, actually. It's a long story," Win mumbles and he's surprised at his response but Bright can't exactly press for more information now so he supposes he'll have to wait an hour.

Throughout the whole recital, Win and Bright quietly make fun of other routines until Nara goes on, and they both turn into those typically embarrassing family members that cheer way too loud. It's the first year that Bright has a good time at one of her recitals. When it ends, they all wait outside of the building for Nara to come out. When she sees them, her faces light up and she runs toward them, hugging her uncle first.

"Rockin' tutu, cutie," Win says as Nara pulls away from her uncle.

"Thanks P'Win," she says excitedly and Win grins, kneeling down to pull Nara into a hug. He whispers something in Nara's ear that Bright can't hear, and Nara pulls away with the biggest smile and the widest eyes. "I love you," Nara says quietly with a big grin and then Rachel insists on them all taking what feels like a couple hundred pictures.

Bright and Win part from Rachel and the family to head toward their own cars and Bright walks him to his car. "Hey, Metawin. Wanna meet at the Apan Grill? I want to hear about the terrible day without me," Bright says, and he hopes he doesn't look as nervous as he feels.

Win smiles. "Sure, see ya there."

Just like that. He's shutting his car door and driving off.

Bright smiles when two beers are placed in front of them. Win raises the bottle to his lips, taking a long pull from it, and sighs.

"What happened today Metawin?" he asks.

Win shakes his head. "Where to begin. I was late for parade because I overslept, then I was paired with Singto, who then sent me off to homicide to help out with a case. I had to spend the entire day with Luke which was awful, and I was missing out on undercover experience by doing this."

Bright cringes at this, fiddling with his beer bottle absent-mindedly. "Can I ask how you and Luke even met?"

Win shrugs. "Yeah… when he made detective, all the other detectives in his division took him out to this huge dinner. My dad went as well, and then drank too much, naturally. So, I went to pick him up and I don't know, Luke was nice and charming and at that point, it's just, I was so tired of choosing the wrong guys so I ignored the no cop rule and I let him charm me. And… with him, everything felt easy. But like… oddly easy, you know? Looking back at it now, I should have known we wouldn't last."

"What do you mean?" Bright asks carefully, watching as he furrows his brows in thought and stares at his beer.

"I feel like… it was too easy, maybe? We never really fought, which, I mean, you're supposed to fight sometimes. And he chose work over me a lot, and at first it stung, but after awhile, I didn't even mind how much he worked. I didn't mind time away from him. In fact, I found myself feeling relieved when he was away. It just… it was like I was going through the motions of being in the relationship without the passion to back it up," Win finally meets his eyes and he must see something encouraging in his expression because he continues. "And he must have felt the same way because a few months after he proposed to me he cheated on me. With his partner. And then lied about it."

Bright winces, shaking his head. "Idiot."

"I know how to pick 'em," Win mutters into his beer.

He rolls his eyes. "It's not your fault he cheated, Metawin."

Win sets his beer down and brings his elbows to rest on the bar, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. Win looks at him and sighs. "I know. I just… don't know what I'm doing wrong… or, I guess I do. I see myself making mistakes in my relationships. I know I get distant and even though I realize I'm doing it and I want to stop, I never do. Why can't I open up to anyone?"

Bright shrugs. "Everyone is a little screwed up when it comes to relationships. And if there are people out there who don't get scared… I'd like to meet them."

Win laughs lightly, closing his eyes. Bright knows he must be exhausted. Win worked all day and then went straight to the recital. "I suppose that's true. But can't I be a different kind of screwed up? A more functional kind?"

It's Bright's turn to laugh. "Metawin…" he drawls out. Win opens his eyes and meets his gaze warily. He's searching his face for something, and it puts him on edge.

"They say that children who grew up in alcoholic households tend to have trust issues, especially in their adult relationships," Win says this quietly, and Bright realizes why he looks so unsure. Bright's implying that he knows about his dad.

"I've heard that about a million times from my sister. But she's happily married," is all he offers up.

Win shakes his head. "But it was bumpy road for her."

He's walking on eggshells at this point, because he doesn't know what Win does and does not know about Rachel's life. "But she fought through it. She's resilient, Win. And so are you. You are not doomed for the rest of your life because of your dad and neither am I."

A sad smile plays on his lips and he nods. "Let's hope." Win opens his mouth and then sighs, reconsidering. He closes his mouth and sits up straight, finishing off his beer. "I should get home. I'm so tired that keeping my eyes open right now is giving me a headache."

He smiles and slips on his jacket, eyeing Win as he does the same. As they head out into the parking lot, Win turns to him, a mixture of emotions on his face. "See ya tomorrow, Chivaaree."

"See ya," he replies. He watches as Win turns back to hid car. "Win," he calls, because he really can't help himself. Win turns around, his hand on the door handle. "You're not a lost cause. You think you can't open up to anyone but you did a pretty good job opening up to me tonight."

At hearing his words, Win smiles, looking down at his feet. "Thanks. Good night," he says quietly before getting into his car.

Bright turns around, too, somehow feeling a mixture of both nerves and elation, in the pit of his stomach. It was a good night.

To be continued.