Denial (Rhink)

Too Much

Video credit to Isra Morinehtar

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LINK'S POV

"And...Were out! Great job guys," Stevie announced behind the camera. We had just finished the can you lick it episode. I sighed

"Wow, that was interesting. Well I'll tell you I never want to lick a dirty towel like that ever again , that was frickin' disgusting man," I spoke to Rhett sticking out my tongue. Rhett chuckled at my face. 

"I don't know man, it was pretty funny for me," he laughed. I rubbed my face. 'Geez it is only 5pm how was I already this tired. I am supposed to have family game night with Christy, the kids, Rhett, and his family. ' I thought closing my eyes slowly as to get a very brief moment of rest. 

I walk outside seeing Rhett waiting in his car to head to his house for game night. I hop into the passenger seat turning to my favorite rock radio station. as Rhett started the car up. We take off as I roll down the window getting some cool autumn breeze blowing in my face. I hear the song Welcome To The Jungle flood into my ears from the speakers. 

"Quick, Rhett turn it up," I tell the other starting to sing along slightly embarrassing myself as I again realize there are people walking around outside so I soon shut up. 

We arrive at Rhett's house and we both get out walking up to the door as he searches his jacket pocket's for the house keys.

"Link, I want to talk to you about something later by the way-"

"Hey!" Jessie interrupts greeting us at the door,

"I'll talk to you later, " he softly whispers in my ear while I nod in agreement. 

Right when I walk in Lando runs over jumping on top of me. "Hey buddy," I chuckle looking at his absolutely adorable little face. 'I know he's not a baby anymore but he's still so cute.' I see Apples to Apples laid out on the living room table where everyone else seems to be gathered around. I set Lando down on the couch as I sit down between Shepherd & Rhett in a rather uncomfortable rocking chair. We play for a bit everyone laughing together merrily until I decided to excuse myself from the table to use the restroom. I scratched the back of my neck walking down the hallway until I heard the floorboards lightly creaking behind me. I turn around and jump as I see Rhett only a foot away from my face. "Christ man, what the crap?" Rhett doesn't reply for a few seconds he just stares at me blinking a few times. 

"I need to talk to you Link, " he replies breathing quite heavily from what I can hear. 

"Sure...Right now? Or can I go to the bathroom first?" giggling trying a little bit to lighten the mood. I see him blush slightly but no response seems to escape his mouth. I bite my lip and nod slowly taking that as a seemingly unspoken yes he was trying to communicate wordlessly. I slip into the bathroom closing the door behind me. When I step out I glance to see Rhett sitting on the floor with his face in his hands.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask worried for my friend. He sniffs and stays silent for a while until he finally replies. 

"No. I'm not," he sighs. " I just can't suppress what I've been feeling recently for any longer. I just can't." 

"What do you mean?"

"I've started feeling things Link, things that I shouldn't ever be feeling," he removes his hands from covering his face and looks towards me. "Feelings for you. Imagining being more than just friends."

"Well, yeah we are. We're best friends!"

"No, no. That's not what I mean, more than a best friend," I stand there for a while in shock saying nothing. I notice I start breathing faster. "Link talk to me, say something." 

"I-I can't do this right now Rhett. It's all just coming too fast," I go to the other room walking as fast as I can. Then proceeding to once again plopping into the crappy chair. Rhett follows me back to where all the kids are with slightly redder eyes than I had just seen him with. I keep finding more and more chances to look in a different direction of Rhett trying to ignore the feeling of his eyes burning into the side of my skull.

RHETT'S POV

I pinched my arm hard trying to distract myself from the painful lump in my chest I felt in place of my heart. 'What if Link refuses to ever talk to me again...What have I done, what have I freaking done?'

"Well, we better get going it's a school night," Link stated gesturing to Lily, Lincoln, and Lando. I could see Lincoln's head drop poutedly at the mention of school while the rest of us chuckled. 

"Speaking of it's time for you two to get to bed as well," Jessie speaks hearing Locke and Shepherd to their bedrooms. Christy and her kids waved me goodbye as they exited the house . While I saw Link look me in the eyes finally then shake his head while simultaneously shuffling out the door in a error of defeat.  

I heard the bells of the church near our house ring loud three times. It was now 3 am. I look to the left of me and see Jessie sleeping soundly. I couldn't sleep. Every part of me was aching in emotional and physical pain and it seemed as if nothing could make it stop. 'I need some fresh air.'

I gently pull the covers off of me putting on some pants and shirt. I step quietly through the living room and am somehow able to make it through the door with out making any sudden clamors. When I reach the outside it feels to be slightly brisker than I expected. Brushing off the slight chills I get into my car as carefully as I can and start up it's engine. Soon I step out of the car door at my destination. I look upon the park I now stood in front of walking deeper into the wooded area. 

I wonder for a while until I hear my watch beep. It's 4 am. My restlessness now has died down and I find myself rather tired and depressed. I reach into my deep pocket and taking out a small container of sleeping pills as to try and take the pain away at least a little. I know it can get worse than I already feel. I sit down leaning against a big oak tree slouching. In the distance I see a man running up to me fast with a large butcher's knife in his right hand. My eyelids become heavy and they're too much to keep open. The last thing I felt was a searing pain in the side of my abdomen. And that was all I remembered before waking up...

"Rhett! Rhett!," I try to open my eyes recognizing Link's worried voice. I eagerly try to say something but nothing comes out. I can't move everything hurts too much then it once again it all went black. 

TO BE CONTINUED...