Chapter Text
SUMMER ROSARIES
by DesertDragon
1. FARMER'S MARKET
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Liz had been right.
Brandon remembered it vividly; their last knockdown-dragout before she was attacked. Liz had wondered how incredibly stupid he'd have to be not see that all his fawning over Darcy was pointless. Pointless because Darcy was clearly in love with someone else. Someone else - not him. She could see it happening; why the hell couldn't he?
He thought her delusional at the time, possibly trying to manipulate him as she always did. But then he had begun to see. After Kyle had gone away and the summer had begun to beat down all the nightmares, it was so clear.
Jake.
Today, they were at the Farmer's Market, getting lunch. Darcy had talked Jake into taking the afternoon off to have some fun. A mean feat. But coming from her, it had taken little convincing. Brandon stood back and watched the two of them. They were picking out veggies for sandwiches. And Jesus - Jake couldn't get enough of her. He was going to be a bear once summer was over and she was gone. Just grumpy ol' Jake once again.
He'd never seen Jake care for anything in the years he'd known him, like he did for Darcy.
"You jealous?"
Brandon ignored Elliott at first.
Was he?
"What are you talking about, man?"
"He needs her." Elliott patted him on the shoulder and disappeared again amongst the crowd, a slight smile on his face.
Brandon paused before discounting Elliott completely.
Darcy was tugging Jake along by his flannel shirt - as if anyone in their right mind would be wearing flannel on a sizzling day like this - and Jake countered by feigning disinterest, all the while giving in to her pleas to enjoy himself.
Yeah. So maybe he was a little jealous. And at the time of her great epiphany, he figured Liz might've been as well.
But then he saw something that made him smile, push his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose, and continue about his business, finally having knowledge of something that the two in question did not.
Neither Darcy or Jake seemed to be acknowledging their feelings for one another straight out. There was a closeness awake between them, sure. But Brandon knew he'd have a lot of time to get used to the idea himself before the two of them ever got close to figuring it out for themselves.
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