Just To Make Things Worse -- Complete

Chapter two! Yay!

Breath Caught Holding: Riley's a bit of a mystery, no? =) And I know what you mean about Lucas DTs, actually. It's hard to walk away from my computer when I have all this Lucas-y goodness I want to get out and share. I love him so!

pesterme2: Yes, Anna's quick to crush on people, and that's one of the main thrusts (no pun intended) of this bit of the story to come. Lucas seems to be well loved, both when I write him and when people read him! Makes me happy. And yes, the comments seem pretty slow... -_-;;

yaoiObsessed: I think the part Riley's going to play in this story might surprise everyone. I'm hoping to keep his motivations and whatnot as much of a mystery as possible for a while. Hope you like this chapter!

Read, love, review, thanks!

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Anna set her glass down with a clatter, her vision slightly burry. “This was a bad idea.” She mumbled, and Riley laughed. “I think I need to be cut off.”

Riley leaned across the table and moved the glass far enough away from her so that she couldn’t reach it. “You’re kind of a light weight.” He remarked, taking a drink from his own glass. “I mean, I mixed yours pretty weak.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I just don’t want to end up half naked in a bath tub again.” He said, slurring her words together a bit. Riley choked on his mouthful of bourbon and cola, cackling. “It’s not funny!” she snapped.

“Yes, it is.” He leaned back a little in his chair and looked around the kitchen. “David’s got a nice set up, huh?” they’d finished the dishes and put away the leftovers, but Lucas and David still hadn’t returned. So they started drinking again. An hour later, Riley didn’t seem any worse for wear, but Anna was definitely feeling the effects.

Anna nodded. “David’s got it great. The house is his, paid off, he’s got two cars, money in the bank, Lucas…” Riley detected that wistful tone again and raised an eyebrow. “What’re you looking at me like that for?” Anna asked him, scowling.

“Lucas and you… you’re just friends?” he asked, keeping his voice intentionally light.

Anna nodded slowly. “He’s happy with David. I’m not going to fuck that up.”

“So they’re serious?”

Anna eyed him warily. The effect wasn’t as good as it normally would’ve been because she couldn’t seem to keep him in focus. “Why? You planning on attempting a little personal reunion with David?”

Riley shook his head. “I take it you know about our history, then.” He set his glass down. “No, I wasn’t planning on anything of the sort. I was just curious.” He stood up and walked over to where his guitar case was propped against the wall. Giles, lying in the kitchen doorway, lifted his head and whimpered. “Easy, boy. We’re not leaving.” Giles yawned and laid back down.

Anna watched Riley unlatch the case and remove his guitar. It was a beautiful acoustic, its body the color of melted caramel, and it seemed well cared for, but it looked old. “Pretty.” She told him as he sat down across from her again.

“It was my mom’s.” he told her. “She died when I was eight. This was really the only thing I got to keep from my life before becoming a ward of the state.” He played a quick little blues line, frowned, and started retuning the E string.

“That’s sad.” Anna mumbled, and reached for her glass. Riley’s hand flashed out and slapped her wrist. “OW! What the hell?”

“You’re cut off, remember?” he grinned at her and went back to tuning. “You and David seem a little tense around each other.”

Anna glared at him, suddenly annoyed. “What’s with all the questions, anyway?” she demanded. “I mean, okay, you’re David’s old… whatever you guys are, and sure, you’re cute, but what makes you-“

“You think I’m cute?” Riley asked, and Anna blushed furiously. “That’s sweet of you.”

She snorted. “Please. You shouldn’t really be flattered, it’s apparently my curse to be attracted to gay guys.”

“That’s got to suck.” He commented, and replayed the blues riff. He seemed satisfied with the tuning, and started playing a jazzy piece that made Anna smile a little. “Does Lucas know how you feel about him?”

The smile disappeared from Anna’s face as though he’d leaned over and slapped it off. “What… how did you… did David…”

“No, no, of course he didn’t.” Riley assured her. “It’s just easy to see the torch you carry. Your voice gets weird when you say his name, that’s all.”

She looked away, upset. “I’m trying to get over it.” She told him. “But it’s hard.”

“I’m sure. He seems like a really great guy.” He smiled. “He’s adorable.”

Anna nodded. “They’re happy.”

“But you aren’t.”

Anna glared at him. “So what? Lucas deserves to be happy. If it’s David, then fine.” She pushed her hair back behind her ears and then folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t even know why we’re talking about this.” She muttered.

Riley shrugged one shoulder and switched from the jazzy piece to something that made Anna think of the ocean, for some reason. It was beautiful. “David deserves some happiness, too, you know. He’s had it really rough.” He studied Anna for a moment. “But then, I don’t think any of you had easy lives.”

Anna stood up. “Why do you sound like a therapist?” she snapped, and he looked surprised but amused. “So what if our lives haven’t been easy? We get through it. We move on. That’s what you do, that’s how life works.”

“You’re very easily angered.” Riley pointed out, and stood up. “But you’re right, I do tend to run my mouth when I shouldn’t. I’m sorry.” He moved to put his guitar back in its case. “It’s still pretty early in the evening.” He told her. “How about we start over and see if I can keep my unwanted observations to myself?” he smiled at her, and it made her feel like a bitch.

“No, I’m sorry, that was rude of me.” She sighed and stood up too, wobbling a bit. “You’re just curious. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“Nonsense. You had every right. I was prying.” He walked back to the table and startled Anna by tucking a strand of hair behind her head. “I mean it, let’s just start over, yes?”

She smiled a little. “Okay.”

He grinned and took a step back. “It’s nice to meet you.” He said formally, and she laughed. “My name is Riley McMahon. What’s yours?”

“Anna Marsh.” She held out her hand, and he rolled his eyes and nudged it away. Instead, he did the same thing he had the first time they’d been introduced; he placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her on the mouth. A big jolt of warmth went through her, and she leaned into it.

David coughed from the doorway.

Anna jerked away as though the kiss had electrocuted her, her face bright red. David was grinning like an idiot, his hair was sweaty mess around his face. His shirt wasn’t buttoned right, either. “Try not to get her hopes up, Riley.” David said with a tiny shake of head. “She’s had enough of that situation for a life time.”

Anna could’ve slapped him in the face, but she was afraid that the force it would take to express her anger at him would knock her down in her drunken state. So she just shoved past him and stomped upstairs. David watched her go, still smiling a little. Then he turned back to Riley.

“I’m serious, man. I know how you are.” David pointed a finger at him. “You’ve never touched a girl before, so don’t start now, no matter how much fun you think it would be. She might piss me off, but you fuck with her, and I’ll beat the shit out of you.”

Riley grinned. “David, come on. Do you really think I’d do that? Besides, I’m done playing the field.”

David’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? Is there someone-“

“No.” Riley shook his head. “I don’t stay in one place long enough for there to be someone. You know that. I haven’t had a permanent address since the day the judge approved my emancipation. How can you learn to love someone who can’t even stay in town longer than four days?”

David grinned. “Fair enough. How long are you planning on staying here?”

“Four days.”

David nodded. “There isn’t another bedroom, but there’s the couch, or you can sleep in the basement if you want more privacy. About half of it is finished, and there’s a bathroom down there.” He crossed the room and hugged Riley hard. Riley returned the gesture. “It’s good to see you again.” David whispered. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Davie.” Riley let him go, and they looked at each other for a long time. “We need to talk, though.”

David nodded. “After Lucas goes to bed.”

Riley winked at him and picked up his guitar case. “Show me this basement.”
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“I am never having sex in that car again.” David mumbled around his tooth brush. “Seriously, I have pains in places that I didn’t know I used during sex.”

Lucas stuck his head out from around the shower curtain. “Like you have room to complain. Hurry up, would you?”

David spit his mouthful of toothpaste out into the sink and rinsed. “I said I was sorry. My knee slipped.”

“Yea, well, you little slip caused bleeding, David. Bleeding.” He emphasized the last word, his eyebrows drawing together. “Do you have any idea how painful it is to have your-“

“Yes, actually, I do. My boyfriend has a defective pituitary gland.”

Lucas scowled. “I don’t have gigantism.” He snapped.

“Sure could’ve fooled me.” David undressed and slipped into the shower with Lucas. “Move over.”

“I’m rinsing.”

“You’re hogging all the hot water is what you’re doing. You and all that hair.”

“At least my hair doesn’t leave huge blue stains on everything it touches. Pillows, blankets, the couch cushions.”

David threaded his hand through Lucas’s long black hair and tugged until he turned around. “Leave my hair alone.”

“Then leave mine alone.” David yanked on the handful of hair he had, and Lucas hissed and bent to relieve the pressure on his scalp. “Keep going.” David smirked.

“You can’t seriously still be horny.” Lucas glared at him. “We were in the garage for almost two hours.”

“So?” he tugged again, and Lucas couldn’t help but smile. “It’s your fault. You started it.”

“Actually, you did. You tried to molest me on the recliner, remember?”

“And I’m trying to molest you now, but you keep resisting.”

“Try asking nicely.”

“I don’t want to be nice.” David pushed Lucas back against the wall and wrapped his hand around Lucas’s cock. “I’ve been nice all day. I hate being nice.”

“Shower first.” Lucas kissed the tip of David’s nose. “You smell weird.”

David let him go, scowling, and stepped aside to let Lucas climb out. “Don’t bother putting clothes on!” he shouted as Lucas slipped out of the bathroom.
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Anna sat on the guest bed, her legs folded under her, so angry she could break something. David. Stupid, cruel, thick headed David. She closed her eyes, resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her palms. She was dizzy. She drank too much.

There was a knock on her door. “Come in.” she shouted without looking up. It was Riley. He sat down beside her. “Hi.” She muttered.

“Are you okay?” he asked, and brushed the top of her head with his hand. “You look a little sick. I’m sorry I made you drink so much.”

She sighed and laid back on the bed, bringing her knees up to her chest. “It’s not the alcohol.” She told him.

“The comment David made? He was a out of line.”

“No, he wasn’t. That’s why it pisses me off so much.” She buried her face in her pillow. “Forget it.” She said loud enough for Riley to hear, even with the muffling and the little slur still in her words. “He’s a dick, I’m used to it.”

Riley sat there in silence for a moment, then slapped her on the thigh lightly and jumped up. “Come on, get up.”

She sat up to glare him. “You hit me!”

“Love tap, my dear, to get you moving. Come on.” He held his hand out to her. “It’s Christmas, okay? You cannot sit up here and mope.”

“It’s late. I have plans tomorrow, I have to get up early.”

“So what? Christmas, remember?”

She sighed and took his hand, letting him pull her off the bed. “What are we doing?”

“Going outside.”

“But its freezing!”

He rolled his eyes. “Anna, I’ve spent the last two Christmases in states with no snow. I’m finally in one, and I only know three people. Two of them are hiding in their bedroom. Are you really going to make me enjoy this all by myself?”

“One, what’s there to enjoy? Snow sucks. It’s cold. And two, I’m not in a good mood, I’d ruin it for you.”

“Nonsense. I’ll put you in a good mood. It’s my best talent.” He grinned at her and squeezed her hand.

Anna bit her lip to keep the raunchy comment about how he could put her in a good mood from popping out of her mouth. She was way too drunk for this. “I don’t know, Riley…”

“Please?” he stepped closer, taking both her hands in his. “Pretty please?” he ducked his head a little to look up at her. He might’ve been on the shorter side, but she barely hit five four. He batted his eyelashes at her. “With sugar?”

“Snow.” She corrected, and he laughed. “Fine. Let me get my gloves.”

“Perfect.” He kissed her cheek and left the room in a hurry.

When she got downstairs, he was waiting by the front door, wearing his army jacket and boots. “Where is your scarf and gloves?” she demanded, wrapping her own scarf around her neck. “It’s freezing, remember?”

“Don’t own any.” He shrugged. “Let’s go!”

“Wait, use Lucas’s. You’re doing to get frost bite if you go out with bare hands.” She retrieved Lucas’s matching black and red gloves and scarf from the coat closet and handed them to him. “He won’t mind.”

Riley put the gloves on and knotted the scarf around his neck. “Can we go now?” he asked, and she sighed and nodded. He grinned, grabbed her hand, and pulled her outside. “David told me there’s a pretty big hill behind the house.” He said, leading her towards the backyard.

Anna stopped dead in her tracks. “No way.”

Riley pouted at her. “I’ve never been sledding before.” He told her, and she gave him a skeptical look. “I’m serious.”

She groaned. “I hate you.” She told him, and he laughed.

“David said there’s a sled in the garage. Come on.”
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

David tucked a strand of Lucas’s hair behind his ear. “You’re awfully cuddly tonight.” He remarked. “Any reason why?”

“Not really.” Lucas had his head resting on David’s chest. They were both sweaty and out of breath, and most of the pillows and blankets were on the floor.

“Did you have a good Christmas?”

“Mostly.”

“What wasn’t good about it?”

Lucas sighed. “I don’t know. Riley sort of bugs me.”

“Really? Why?” David traced the shell of Lucas’s ear with the tip of one finger.

“He’s too touchy feely.”

David laughed. “It’s just the way he is. He can’t help it. Lack of love as a kid, and all that.”

“You aren’t touchy feely.”

“How is this not touchy feely?”

“I mean with other people.” Lucas lifted his head to glare at him. “Don’t be argumentative.”

David ran his hand through Lucas’s hair. “I can’t believe how fast your hair grows.” He remarked, and Lucas sighed. “What’s the matter?”

“You changed the subject.”

David rolled his eyes. “Riley’s just a weird kind of guy, okay?”

“I’m jealous of him.”

David sat up, knocking Lucas off his lap. “What the hell are you jealous for?”

Lucas glared at him, sliding over to the edge of the bed and folding his arms over his chest. “He knows you better than I do.”

David wanted to reach over and strangle Lucas. “Riley doesn’t know me, Lucas. Riley knew me.” He stressed ‘knew’. “I’m not the person I was when I was fourteen, okay? I mean, seriously, don’t you think that’s a little overdramatic of you?”

Lucas shrugged. “It still bothers me.” David snorted and lit a cigarette. “You’ve talked to me a little bit about some of the foster homes you were in, but you don’t talk about it all that often, and when you do you’re vague and sort of out of it.”

“Lucas, I don’t like thinking about what happened when I was a kid, okay? It was fucked up. I can’t handle thinking about it. You know that.”

“Yes, I do know. Just like I know that Riley’s probably heard more of it than I have. You can’t get mad at me for being jealous of that. I’m not saying you have to tell me everything all at once. I’ve never expected that. But I’m still not pleased about it.”

David opened his mouth, but a high, piercing shriek made both of them jump. “Was that from outside?” he asked, and they both moved to the window.
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“I changed my mind.” Anna said, burying her face in the back of Riley’s coat. “I don’t want to do this.” She made to let go of his waist, but he grabbed her wrists and held them tightly.

“Afraid of heights?” he asked, grinning. She nodded against his back. “Good. You have to look.”

“No.”

“Anna, look down. It’s better if it scares you. When it’s over, you’ll feel great.” He leaned back, craning his head, and kissed her forehead. “I won’t let you get hurt, you know.”

“You’ve never been on a sled before.” She reminded him.

“If you go down with me, just this once, I’ll do literally anything you ask for.”


She lifted her head. “Promise?” He nodded. “Say it.”

“I promise that if you ride the sled down with me, I’ll do whatever your heart desires.”

“Okay. But countdown for me, so I can-“ he shoved off with both feet, and Anna screamed on the top of her lungs.

For a moment they weren’t even touching the hill at all, and the feeling of being completely airborne was amazing. Then they hit down, bouncing, and the sled slid sideways a little. She tightened her grip on him, her hair blown back from her head, and she realized very suddenly she wasn’t screaming, she was laughing.

When the sled finally stopped moving, she let herself fall backwards into the snow, giggling helplessly. Riley flopped back beside her, grinning. “That was awesome.” She whispered, and he laughed. “Let’s go again.”

“Let me catch my breath.” He said, and put a gloved hand over his face. “You broke my ribs.” He told her.

“I did no such thing.” She rolled over and poked his ribs through his coat, inspecting them for breaks. He laughed and squirmed away from her, then yelped and sat up quickly.

“I got snow down my shirt.” He complained, wriggling.

“And in your hair.” She sat up and reached over to brush the snow out of his bright red hair.

“So what am I going to do?” he asked, and she stopped. “I made a promise, right? What’s your choice of payment?”

She grinned. “I think I’ll just hold onto that promise of yours for a little.” She stood up and grabbed the cord of the sled. “Come on, I want to go down again.”

He got to his feet. “I told you so.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he reached out as if to grab it. She jerked her head back, lost her balance, and went down with a thud. Riley laughed hysterically, clutching his stomach. She scowled and hooked her ankle around his knees, jerking his feet out from under him.

“Oh, you’re done now.” He told her, and crawled towards her. She squealed and scooted away, laughing, but he grabbed her by the knees and yanked her towards him. Her coat road up, exposing the skin of her back to the snow, and she sat up so quickly she almost head butted him in the face.

“HEY!”

They both jumped and looked up at the second story of the house, where David was hanging out of an open window. He was apparently naked, although the window ledge blocked him from the waist down.

“YOU TWO ARE NUTS!” he screamed at them.

“This from the guy who’s dangling naked out of a two story window.” Riley remarked. He waved his hand at David, who flipped him off. Riley laughed. “He thinks I’m going to try to sleep with you.” Anna stilled, and Riley looked at her curiously. “I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, it’s okay.” She stood up, making a fuss of wiping snow out of her hair. Riley stood up and touched her arm. “Really, it’s not a big deal.” She told him, and smiled. “Listen, I’m really cold. I’m going to go in. Thank you for putting me in a good mood. You were right.” She turned and ran towards the house as fast as the snow would allow her.

When Riley finally went inside, she’d already gone to bed. He sighed and went down into the basement to wait for David. Giles raised his head from his paws when Riley came in. He patted the dog on the head and changed his clothes for some dry ones. Then he laid down on the couch to wait. They had a lot to discuss, him and David. He thought that before they were done, no one in this house would be able to look at each other the same way.