Hawai'i Talks Story [Countryhumans and Statehumans Oneshots]

Don't Blame Me For Falling

This is an extra scene for the chapter of Ova Da Rainbow, Lavender's Blue, where we find out what Alab and Raymond's conversation on the beach really was. Enjoy.

Alab had taken the time away from the fire and the others specifically to go onto the beach and scream into the dark. That plan was foiled when Raymond jogged up behind him, and they walked in the dark together for a while. Neither talked, and it just was a rather awkward experience in general.

"Congratulations, Ray." Alab said, his voice not matching his words. He kicked sand, exhaling silently. He didn't care. Raymond could do whatever he wanted. It didn't affect him.

"Alab, look at me." Raymond said gently. Like he was unaware of what he was doing. Like he didn't just ruin everything that had been hoped and dreamed for years. "You know this all had to end. We couldn't keep doing this forever."

"I don't care, Ray. I don't. I know you like both sides, I know you can go on without me. I know you could get anyone you damned please!" Alab said, waving his hand.

"Don't make me sound like the bad guy here! Don't pretend you can't!" Raymond tried to plead with him, but it fell upon deaf ears.

"Not all of us were blessed with being able to pretend. Look at me, Ray. You are going to pretend that none of what happened did?" Alab said angrily. "You're going to pretend you don't-"

"You know the deal we made. With Melody, maybe I can try to cure myself of this sickness. I don't want to be your temptation to go back to doing something that's wrong, Alab."

"Have you ever thought that maybe I don't see you as a temptation?" Alab said, getting more and more frantic in his breathing. "I don't care what the world thinks, Raymond. You and I are both broken like this and you fucking know it."

"Shut up!"

"Why?"

"Do you want the whole fucking world to know about it?"

"Maybe I do! Maybe I don't want to hide, Ray." Alab said, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. "I love you."

"Don't say that." Raymond said, trying frantically to stop Alab from crying. "Don't. You know we can't."

"I love you, Raymond Kainalu Takao. I love you so goddamn much, and if you can't get your head out of your ass long enough to-"

"Alab, stop it!" Raymond took Alab by the shoulders, sighing. "Listen to me. I... I love you too, but... I can't, Lab. I can't..."

"I know." Alab said, pushing Raymond's arm off of him. "I know, it's better this way."

"I promise, we'll still be best friends." Raymond said, and sighed, stepping away from Alab and turning his back to him, about to pick up a rock to skip. "It'll stay as me and Melody, and you're a good-looking guy, Lab. You could get any lady you want. Trust me."

Alab didn't answer, balling his fists tightly as he tried to slow his breath. "I'm fine."

"Good. Then we're going to pretend that night never happened. You and I both know that it's wrong. Forgetting about it will-" Raymond didn't get to finish his sentence, because Alab whipped around, facing his friend with anger written in bold words on his face.

"Forget? Forget about it? What will it do? Make you suddenly feel all holy again?" Alab hissed under his breath. "Make you pretend that you're suddenly in the right and you didn't make me fall in love with you?"

"Don't blame me for what you caused!" Raymond said, exasperated. "I kept trying to cut this out, to stop this game that we play."

"Me? Caused it?" Alab laughed, his throat tightening and making his laughter sound choked.