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"You're shitting us."
"Are you serious?"
The look on Yancy and Scott's faces would almost be comical if this wasn't actually a serious matter. Raleigh's holding his breath as he looks between his brother's shocked face to Scott's equally shocked one, making sure to convey how serious they are through his gaze, until Yancy stands up from his chair to drag him back inside the house. Raleigh throws a glance over his shoulder at Herc, the latter joining Scott at the candle-lit table, most likely to have a talk of their own. Their dinner had stretched into a long evening of wine drinking and talking on the deck out in the back of the house, with the beach just in front of them, Chuck having gone to bed an hour ago or so. That's when Raleigh and Herc decided to tell their brothers about their engagement.
"Yance—"
"Rals, is this true?" Yancy asks him once they're inside, sliding the glass door to the patio shut. Raleigh follows his brother into the kitchen, watching the latter closely. Yancy takes a water bottle from the fridge, opening it only to put it down on a counter, and starts pacing. His brother's freaking out, Raleigh realizes, and so he grabs Yancy's shoulders to stop him.
"It is," Raleigh confirms, looking Yancy straight in the eye, not liking the disappointment he can see in the latter's gaze.
"How long have you two been together?" Yancy continues as he taps his foot, frown firmly in place now, letting out a ragged breath. "I mean, this is a shock, Rals, I'm trying to understand."
"We, uh, technically, we actually just got together yesterday," Raleigh says, pursing his lips, and averts his gaze away. Raleigh doesn't need to look at Yancy's face to know his brother is disappointed—pissed, even.
"Yesterday? Rals—"
"I know!" Raleigh cuts his brother off before the latter can go on an unstoppable rant. "I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn't do this if I wasn't absolutely sure it was the right decision. I'm in love with Herc, Yance, I have been for a while now."
"All right," Yancy says with a sigh, his shoulders slumping down as he rubs his face. "This is happening fast, don't you think?"
"Yance, you know better than anyone how I've been struggling to find someone," Raleigh starts saying, taking a deep breath before continuing, "And I'm telling you, Herc is my someone."
"That doesn't change the fact that you two are rushing things. Why don't you just try to see how you two fare as an actual couple first?" Yancy argues, pointing out relevant elements like the good lawyer he is. Raleigh, however, had expected this, and hasn't come unprepared. Yancy is giving him his intense 'lawyer look', as Raleigh has come to call it, the one he uses to make people cave. Raleigh has been subject to it often enough to be mostly immune now.
"We've lived together for a whole year, and I think Herc's felt the same way about me for quite some time too," Raleigh explains, hoping Yancy will come to understand, and perhaps even give them his blessing. With both their parents passed away since they were both just kids, Yancy's approval is something Raleigh's always sought, especially for big decisions like this one. "I know it's a big commitment, but it's one we are both ready to make, because we have been together, more or less."
"What does that even mean? More or less together?" Yancy scoffs, going as far as rolling his eyes at Raleigh. It stings a little, to see Yancy reacting like this, even if this is the one scenario Raleigh had deemed most likely to occur.
"It means we were already partners, in a sense, what with living together, raising Chuck together," Raleigh clarifies, and folds his arms over his chest, licking his lips . "I know you're worried, but Herc and I will be fine—better, even."
Yancy stares at him, bottom lip caught between his lips, hands on his hips, looking as torn as Raleigh has ever seen his brother. He understands Yancy's concerns—Raleigh would be a fool not to have doubts himself, but he and Herc have talked extensively on the drive up to the house. They've both agreed they want to spend the rest of their lives together, have even confessed their love for each other, and see no point in delaying something they're convinced is going to happen anyway.
"All right," Yancy concedes at last, sighing heavily before taking Raleigh in his arms. Silence falls between them, and Raleigh's too relieved to break it, squeezing his brother tighter in his arms instead.
"Why didn't you tell me anything?" Yancy asks eventually as he lets go of Raleigh. "You always tell me everything, kid."
It hits Raleigh then, that Yancy might have been more hurt because of the shock the news brought him rather than the news itself. It's surprised even Raleigh, that he's managed to keep his feelings about Herc for himself for so long, that he's managed to hide them even from his own brother.
"Why, do you think? I never thought he'd return my feelings," Raleigh answers. "And I thought that it would just go away eventually, if I kept it to myself. But Herc does love me, and I may not have told you how I really felt about Herc, but you at least know how happy I've been, living with them. And it's all thanks to you."
Yancy's features soften, at last, and Raleigh's feels the ball of fear in his chest vanish when his big brother's kind gaze meets his. Raleigh can't help but embrace Yancy into another hug, burying his nose in his brother's neck, soothed by the circles the latter's massaging into his back.
"You do realize I now have to give Herc the talk, right?" Yancy says, pulling away from him.
"Knock yourself out," Raleigh returns, letting out a chuckle. "But my fiancé is a badass firefighter, I doubt you intimidate him much."
"Are you kidding? I'm a lawyer, I don't need fists to make his life hell," Yancy protests, his face a mix between a pout and a scowl, which is something Raleigh hasn't seen a while, and it makes him laugh even harder. "Hey! I'm serious!"
"So? Scott's a lawyer too," Raleigh says with a shrug. "He'll defend Herc."
"Oh my God, if you two end up ruining my relationship with Scott, I will actually kill you," Yancy declares, poking his finger into Raleigh's chest.
"You two have been together for two years now, by the way," Raleigh points out. "When are you going to tie the knot?"
"Shut up, kid."
"I'm serious—"
"Hey, you two good?" Herc's voice interrupts them, he and Scott walking in the kitchen to join them just in time to save Yancy, much to Raleigh's disappointment. He doesn't stay mad for long though as Herc comes to his side, the latter's arm settling comfortably around Raleigh's waist.
"Yeah," Raleigh says, placing a soft peck on Herc's cheek. "You?"
"Welcome to the family, kid," Scott tells Raleigh, opening his arms in invitation. With a slight push from Herc, Raleigh goes to hug his future brother in law—though he has considered Scott as such ever since Yancy and he became serious. Raleigh catches Yancy shaking Herc's hand from the corner of his eye, a nod exchanged between the two of them.
"Treat him right, ok?" Yancy tells Herc, with no real threat to his tone.
"I do, and I always will," Herc replies, and with that, they give each other a one-armed hug. It's more than enough for Raleigh, he's not too worried. Yancy does like and respect Herc, after all, Raleigh is certain of it; his brother just needs time to accept this new installment in their lives. They part to their rooms, deciding to turn in for the night, and so Herc and Raleigh retrieve the bags they left in the foyer upon arrival, carrying them up to their room. The house having only three bedrooms, the original plan was for Herc to share a bed with Chuck and for Raleigh to take the only single bed. Chuck didn't even question Raleigh when he tucked him in the single bed earlier tonight, probably too tired after his long day.
They drop by Chuck's room to check on him, Herc giving his son a kiss to the head before they go to bed. Raleigh can't stop smiling from the moment he steps into the room—their room—his smile plastered on his face as he brushes his teeth, as he unpacks, as he climbs into bed with Herc. They settle comfortably in each other's arms, Herc lying on his back, Raleigh clinging his side, one arm and leg slung over Herc's, cheek resting on the latter's shoulder.
"How'd it go with Scott?" Raleigh inquires, breathing in Herc's soothing scent.
"Pretty well," Herc replies, his fingers carding through Raleigh's hair, fingertips massaging his scalp. "You?"
"Went ok," Raleigh says, heaving a sigh. "Yancy's worried, he can't help it. He knows you're a good man."
Herc hums in acknowledgment, a moment of silence passing between them as they just relax into each other's arms. Raleigh thinks back on the last 24 hours' events, thinks about how much has changed, so quickly. The transition from friends/roommates to lovers is effortless with Herc, and Raleigh takes it as further proof that this is meant to be, that their relationship had been evolving to get to this point.
"Hey," Raleigh whispers as he looks up at Herc, scooting up on the bed to be at eye level with him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Herc returns, cupping Raleigh's cheek to give him a kiss, one that Raleigh welcomes all too happily. They stop before it can lead to anything more, not feeling comfortable with Chuck being so close to their room, the long drive today having tired them both anyway. They move back to their earlier position, the exhaustion from the day catching up to them. Now that they've told both their brothers about them, things feel official now. Raleigh feels that much lighter—even happier than he already was—and, looking into Herc's beautiful eyes, Raleigh is confident his future is finally looking bright, for his heart has finally found home.