[ he feels it when naomi wraps her arms around him and kisses his forehead. but it's not until yancy holds his arm that he stops spacing out. raleigh bows his head and rests it in the curve of naomi's shoulder, one arm curling around her. the other curls around yancy and he holds them to himself as small tremors run through him. it's easier to not be catatonic when he has something like his girls to anchor himself to.
his girls... he wouldn't have had them if it weren't for his brother dying. that fact becomes abruptly and painfully apparent. if yancy had still been alive, raleigh has no doubt that he would've slotted himself into naomi's life and been a wonderful father to his namesake. it's hard to guess if yancy and naomi would've fallen in love. even if they hadn't, raleigh's certain she wouldn't have ended up with him.
the thought leaves him with mixed feelings. they're his family, they give him life and love and purpose. he is so fucking grateful that he has them in his life. but his brother had to die for that to happen and he can't help but feel a little guilty because of that. at least for today.
but even so, he can't help but murmuring a quiet, ] I love you both so much, [ into naomi's shoulder. because he does, and he needs to tell them. just in case the sea takes them from him too. ]
no subject
his girls... he wouldn't have had them if it weren't for his brother dying. that fact becomes abruptly and painfully apparent. if yancy had still been alive, raleigh has no doubt that he would've slotted himself into naomi's life and been a wonderful father to his namesake. it's hard to guess if yancy and naomi would've fallen in love. even if they hadn't, raleigh's certain she wouldn't have ended up with him.
the thought leaves him with mixed feelings. they're his family, they give him life and love and purpose. he is so fucking grateful that he has them in his life. but his brother had to die for that to happen and he can't help but feel a little guilty because of that. at least for today.
but even so, he can't help but murmuring a quiet, ] I love you both so much, [ into naomi's shoulder. because he does, and he needs to tell them. just in case the sea takes them from him too. ]