[The second Stanley says Stella's name, he realises he's going to regret even asking after her. Even seeing Vecchio turn to watch her with those doe eyes is enough to set him on edge, muscles twitching in his face as his jaw clenches tightly. If this were a few days ago, or even earlier this morning, he's not sure he would have been able to stop himself from punching Vecchio square in the jaw out of some ridiculous sense of battling for the woman, even if he already knew Ray had won this one. Stella wasn't his any more. Stella had moved on and it was time for him to.
Except... Except there's Vecchio standing there and saying she still loves Stanley and he's not sure whether to laugh or punch the guy in the face. Or maybe find a corner to cry in for the next few hours.
Stella still loved him. God, he'd waited to hear that for years and yet now it was a virtually useless piece of information. Knowing it changed nothing. He loved her and she loved him but they both knew that it'd never worked. They'd try to make it work for twenty-odd years and if they couldn't do it then, then what difference would a few more years do? Today had already made him realise that he could never give her what she wanted, that his life of dirty streets, greasy engines and love for kicking things was never going to meet her Gold Coast Girl standards. He's spent his whole childhood lying to impress her and he just couldn't keep that charade up forever. Vecchio, though? Vecchio was classy, he liked expensive things and knew how to treat a women right, and as much as Stanley might hate to admit it, Vecchio was a good guy. Maybe, just maybe, he was the better choice after all.]
Don't.
[A single word, sharp to his ears as he finally dares to look towards Stella, lingering there for only a second before his attention switches to Fraser. Benton Fraser, the one person who'd stood by him through thick and thin. The one person who could deal with every bit of him. The one person he didn't have to lie to to impress, where he could be himself no matter. Maybe he wasn't such a bad choice after all, handsome as he was in that casual get up, blushing as he's surrounded by swooning women (nice try, ladies, but you've got no chance), and looking far too humbled by everything around him.
It's that sight of Fraser, not Stella, that finally gets Ray smiling again as he looks back to Vecchio, shrugging a single shoulder lop-sidedly.]
Guess I only came out of curiosity. And maybe to keep a certain Mountie in line- although I sure as hell failed at that. But uh. He's right, y'know. What he said. Maybe not about huntin' Stella to her grave, but about me and him going off back to Canada. And uh. Maybe some of the other stuff.
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Except... Except there's Vecchio standing there and saying she still loves Stanley and he's not sure whether to laugh or punch the guy in the face. Or maybe find a corner to cry in for the next few hours.
Stella still loved him. God, he'd waited to hear that for years and yet now it was a virtually useless piece of information. Knowing it changed nothing. He loved her and she loved him but they both knew that it'd never worked. They'd try to make it work for twenty-odd years and if they couldn't do it then, then what difference would a few more years do? Today had already made him realise that he could never give her what she wanted, that his life of dirty streets, greasy engines and love for kicking things was never going to meet her Gold Coast Girl standards. He's spent his whole childhood lying to impress her and he just couldn't keep that charade up forever. Vecchio, though? Vecchio was classy, he liked expensive things and knew how to treat a women right, and as much as Stanley might hate to admit it, Vecchio was a good guy. Maybe, just maybe, he was the better choice after all.]
Don't.
[A single word, sharp to his ears as he finally dares to look towards Stella, lingering there for only a second before his attention switches to Fraser. Benton Fraser, the one person who'd stood by him through thick and thin. The one person who could deal with every bit of him. The one person he didn't have to lie to to impress, where he could be himself no matter. Maybe he wasn't such a bad choice after all, handsome as he was in that casual get up, blushing as he's surrounded by swooning women (nice try, ladies, but you've got no chance), and looking far too humbled by everything around him.
It's that sight of Fraser, not Stella, that finally gets Ray smiling again as he looks back to Vecchio, shrugging a single shoulder lop-sidedly.]
Guess I only came out of curiosity. And maybe to keep a certain Mountie in line- although I sure as hell failed at that. But uh. He's right, y'know. What he said. Maybe not about huntin' Stella to her grave, but about me and him going off back to Canada. And uh. Maybe some of the other stuff.
He's gonna miss you. More than you think.