Worth The Wait

𝟑𝟎|𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓

𝐋𝐔𝐂IE 𝐁𝐀𝐒I𝐋𝐋E

The practice ends on a high note, but as we leave the rink, there's a new quietness between River and me. It's not uncomfortable—just different. For the first time in a long while, I feel like we're moving toward something that isn't just about skating.

River clears his throat, breaking the silence. "So, how about dinner?" he asks, the usual cocky grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "I mean, unless you've got better plans. I'm just a guy asking a friend to grab a bite."

I give him a skeptical look, still not quite used to this strange shift between us. But the truth is, I'm curious about where this newfound ease between us will lead. So I nod, trying to keep my tone light. "Yeah, sure. I guess I can stomach your company for a few hours."

River laughs, his whole face lighting up, and for a moment, the tension of our training session fades away. It feels... comfortable, like we're starting over, not as partners or rivals, but as two people who've shared something intense and come out the other side.

"Nothing fancy this time?" I ask

"Nah, lets go to Lou's it's quite a drive over an hour away. But it's a mom and pop shop and they make the best handmade burgers and fries and milkshakes? Shoot is that?" he trails off. Ah he's thinking of that being too much food and if that would trigger me.

I see the way his expression shifts, just for a second—a flicker of hesitation, like he's worried about suggesting something too indulgent. I appreciate him making sure I'd be okay. Especially after telling him about my ed and my struggles.

I give him a small, reassuring smile, trying to ease his worries. "It's okay, River. I'm not going to freak out over a burger. We're allowed to enjoy food, right?" I add, my voice soft, but with enough firmness to show that I mean it.

He hesitates for a moment longer, like he's still trying to read me, but then his face relaxes, and he nods. "Yeah, absolutely. Just making sure you're good with it." His words are gentle, as though he's treading carefully around a delicate subject.

I appreciate his consideration, but part of me wishes I didn't have to be so cautious about food in front of him. The struggle, the tension that always accompanies it, is something I've carried around for so long now that it's hard to let go of the weight of it. But River... he makes it feel easier. Not because he's perfect or because he understands everything, but because he's trying. And that means something.

"Thanks for thinking about that," I say quietly, more to myself than to him. It's not something I ever really talk about unless I have to, but River's done more than once to show me he cares, especially in moments like this. I can tell he's learned to pick up on my cues, even the ones I don't say aloud. It's something about the way he's present with me, even when I don't fully know how to be with myself.

His lips twitch into a smile. "You don't have to thank me. I'm just trying to be a good partner," he says, and there's a playful glint in his eyes now, the shift in mood so subtle that I almost don't notice it.

I laugh, shaking my head. "You're not bad at it." I tease him lightly, but my words are genuine. He's far better than I ever expected him to be. In some strange way, I think he's been the person I needed, more than I realized.

"Do you want me to drive us then I can drop you off back here?" he asks and I think about sitting in his car with him for over an hour but I don't have any excuse to say no.

I pause for a moment, weighing the idea of being in a confined space with River for over an hour. It's not that I don't enjoy his company; in fact, it's the opposite. I find myself looking forward to every moment we spend together, even if it's something as simple as a drive. But there's a part of me that hesitates, that holds back, unsure of where all this is leading. It's complicated, even if it feels easy in the moment.