Work Text:
Persuasion
The storm clouds were dark in White Pine Bay as Alex slumped up the stairs to the Bates home. He walked inside with a huff, taking off his jacket and hanging on the hook in the hallway. Soon enough, he heard Norma’s heels clicking down the stairs, a smile on her face reserved just for him.
“Hi,” she began, moving over to him so their faces were mere inches apart, her lips dropped a kiss on his cheek and she pulled away, “How was your day at work?”.
He left his hands at her hips as he shook his head, his mouth staying closed.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, immediately worried. Alex was a blunt person, the fact that he was being coy about something automatically caused her to be suspicious.
“Norma…” he began, another sigh leaving his lips as he struggled to connect eyes with her, “I lost the re-election.”
Immediately she pulled him into a hug, letting her lips attach to his neck. “Alex, I’m so sorry,” her voice was like a gentle coo against his skin. He basked in her tone of voice and tight grip on his body.
As much as he loved the way she held him, he pulled away, never one to be babied. “I’m just gonna go upstairs and clean up,” his voice was gruff as he walked up the stairs to the bathroom.
Norma felt so bad for him. He’d spent 10 years protecting the people of White Pine and investigating the toughest of crime. How could someone else just swoop in and take over his position? She’d bet they could never work as hard as Alex.
Alex reached forward and turned the knob on the shower handle. He watched as the water flowed into the clawfoot tub. He couldn’t believe the events of the day. There he sat in his office, when all of a sudden Mayor Woodriff came in and told him that someone else was going to take his place.
He couldn’t bare the thought, his town being taken and given to someone else. This town was his job, his responsibility. His fingers started peeling away his uniform and leaving it on the bathroom tile. He stepped in the tub and thought deeper about his issues. This town was like his livelihood.
With that, he let his body submerge under the water.
As she was making her bed, Norma noticed that Alex had been gone for a while. She walked to the bathroom with fast paced action and knocked. “Alex, I wanna talk to you about this,” she said, waiting for some kind of response.
“Alex, are you okay,” she asked, pressing her ear to the door to hear for any activity. She heard nothing, only the sound of bubbles surfacing to water.
Her heart rate shattered as she heard the bubbles, “Alex!” she called again, her voice more like a worried shrill than anything else. Still nothing. She quickly ran back and ran forward, her shoulder barging the bathroom door open.
The sight was something horrific. Alex was completely submerged underwater. “Oh my god!” she screamed, moving to the end of the tub, and pulling him up from the water. She heard him take a gasp of air before coughing. Without any hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him, “I need you to try and breathe,” she instructed, her voice a murmur in his ear.
His lungs gasped for any air they could as he turned to look at Norma. He was grateful that she took action, it showed someone really did care about him. “I’m okay,” he managed between large gulps of air.
Norma let her lips graze his cheek as tears leaked down her cheeks. She almost lost him. It was a close call and she was so thankful that she broke in to save him in perfect timing. The thought of anything happening to him was like a dagger to the heart. She clutched him tighter as her crying grew more prominent.
“Never leave me, Alex,” she cried, hugging his trembling body harder.
“Never leave me.”