Red String

One: The Ties That Unwind

Five Years Ago

"How was it?" They were sitting at the dinner table enjoying another epic meal made by Adrien. He'd always been excellent at meal preps between the two of them. 

He knew it himself, but he always asked. 

"Great, as usual babe." Mary picked up the wine glass, sipping at the richly red liquid. 

"Thanks." 

"It's been a long day, I'm exhausted." Mary said after a while, chewing a bit of chicken alfredo. 

He reached out across the table, his warm hand cupped hers, "I can remedy that." His lips curved up into a knowing smirk. Lilac eyes regarding her with that smolder. Making her cheeks warm. 

"I bet. But you look just as crappy." She slid her foot beneath the table, her toes brushed over his jeans. Did he forget how much more dark circles stood out on pale skin? 

"Thankfully, I have you." His voice lowered to a slight rumble. His fingers caressed her skin, slow and deliberate, "Don't I?" 

She sighed, how did he make her melt with the slightest touch? 

"Always." 

They forgot dinner and segued into the bedroom, all hands, lips. He massaged every inch of her, like he was the remedy to cure all bad work weeks. She couldn't spend a Friday night any better than this. 

In turn she kissed and worked out every knot she found on his back, mostly around his shoulders where he held most tension. 

"You don't have to...." He said, then groaned when she found another knot. Pressed into it. He hissed a curse, head tilted back, long pewter hair cascaded in layers. Unruly. Another give-away when he presented this impeccable side at work. Speaking of, did he get that job he'd been after? 

She dreaded asking. 

So she wouldn't. 

"I know." She kissed the tender skin at his neck, massaging his back was the least she could do after all. His work had him on his feet for hours. As an EMT he had crazy work schedules, yet his passion, the thing he wanted to do, if he'd gotten it, would take him across seas. 

"Let's take a bath, I'll clean up after. Sound good?" She murmured into his skin. 

They spent some time soaking up together in the bath, then he was off to bed while she returned to the kitchen to clean up. 

How were they going to make this work? 

She couldn't handle even thinking about it. 

After clean up, she checked the doors and went off to join him in bed. 

"You okay, babe?" He asked, his voice thick with sleep as he tucked her into him, spooning. He was incredibly warm. Tender. Pressing a kiss to her shoulder, her head. Cozy. 

"I'm good. Just tired." 

"You're more than that. You've been frowning a bit." His fingers caressed her shoulder. Spreading fire throughout like a blanket. 

Noticed that too, huh? 

"It's nothing."

He kissed her again, "Trying to convince me." 

There was no way he'd believe her. 

"Did you.... Get the job you wanted?" 

His strokes paused. 

"You didn't get my text earlier?" 

"No?" 

"I did. That's why we were celebrating." 

Her eyes stung. 

"So, you're going." 

He took a breath, "You aren't." 

"My life's here, Adr." 

"So was mine." 

"And so are my friends and family... My graphics job, I just started at the company. You know?" 

He hugged her. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Yeah."

"Can't we try, the long-distance thing?" 

Could she survive that? He'll be away for who knew how long. 

Realistically. No. 

"Think about it. We can video call each other every day. It'll be like I never left."

Now he was trying to convince her. 

"It's not the same." 

He knew it too. 

"Are you saying we can't even try?" 

"Let's think about it." But she'd already made up her mind. 

She loved him so much, but it'd be best if he cut all ties. Even theirs despite years in the making. 

Weeks later, he'd gotten the notice. He had to go. 

*

"It's been awhile. What's the verdict?" There was the look of hope in his eyes. She didn't want to see how that'd change when she disappointed him. 

They sat at the park bench, they'd visit this place every other week when they were younger. The sky was clear, crisp, but spring hadn't yet set in so the breeze was chilly. Flirting with snow. The skies were darkening, threatened to worsen. 

He kept his hand over hers on the bench, like it'd be enough. 

She stared at the pond, watched the rippling as though it punctuated every beat of her own pulse. "Some binds break if you strain them too much." 

"Can't you just tie them again?" Somehow, he seemed to get her meaning. 

She pulled her hand back. 

"They're too frayed." 

"Not all of them."

She peered at him but couldn't meet his gaze, hand clutched at her scarf around her neck. The red one he'd given her when she was nine and went to school without one when hers got stolen. 

"All of them, Adrien."

His jaw tightened, his shoulders tensed. Then he tore his gaze and peered over at the pond. His eyes seemingly distant. If there was any pain in them, he was hiding it well. 

"I'm sorry." His voice barely registered, like the growing winds snatched it away. 

"It's not your fault, Adr. Please don't feel bad."

"So you say."

Snow drifted heavily after that, but she didn't move from her spot. 

And neither did he. 

Wasn't it better this way?

"We can still talk... go back to being friends..." He spoke up after a long while, "like we used to."

Hadn't it all began with a beautiful friendship? 

"What's the point?" Was he making fun of her now? He should just go, walk away, he was already leaving her as it were. Why rub it in and make it worse? "Don't answer that, Adrien. You chose your path."

"Yeah, we both did." 

Guess this was the end.