take care of him (rpf)
take care of him
matt & kaz : rpf
Karen slipped her round sunglasses on her face, shielding her eyes from the harsh light of the sun. This would be a holiday - if she wasn't so worried about Matt. He was the same goofy idiot that he always was, but she couldn't help but notice the pained look on his face when he was lost in his own head.
It was a rough break up. Karen was careful not to breach the topic with him.
Still, Matt and Daisy - Daisy and Matt - Karen didn't like the way her stomach twisted when she thought of their names together. They were friends.
Not like 'best friends'. But, friends. And Matt missed her.
That's why they were in Brazil in the first place. Fashion Rio. Matt was here for support and Karen was here to keep him from doing anything stupid. Like getting his heart broken again.
Karen made her way down to the hotel's pool, dressed in a pastel blue dress and heels. Her firey red mane twisted back in a long braid, still damp from this morning's shower.
"Kazza!" Matt exclaimed, his head resurfacing from the water. "Hi."
"Hey, stupid." She grabbed a towel from one of the racks, "C'mon. Play time is over."
He splashed water at her and she shrieked, taking a quick step backwards.
"Where we goin'?" He said as he pulled himself out of the water. Karen bit the inside of her cheek, Matt wasn't fit in a conventional sense. Still - half-naked and dripping wet, with that moronic grin tugging at his lips. It made her blood thump in ways that she wasn't ready to admit yet. Defiantly not yet.
"We're just going somewhere. I don't wanna stick around the hotel until the fashion show starts." Karen folded her arms across her chest.
"M'alright." He patted his face with the towel, wet tendrils of his floppy hair sticking to his forehead. "See you in the lobby in ten?"
"Not a minute later." Karen grinned and tossed another towel at him - just for the hell of it.
~*~
On their walk to the nearest cafe, they just had to pass her. The universe was against them. Karen saw Matt out of the corner of her eye. He opened his mouth to say 'hello'.
But she walked right by, her phone pressed to her ear and her pink lips moving rapidly as she spoke quickly, urgently, to the person on the other line. Her walk, her posture, all of it rang; I'm busy, piss off.
Matt ran his fingers through his hair. "That went well."
"C'mon," Karen sympathized with him. It was hard to see an ex, but even harder when they didn't even seem to notice you. "You'll see her at the show."
"Right."
But for the rest of the day - he was in a glum mood. Sure, he teased and laughed, but Karen could tell his smiles weren't reaching his eyes and his words were distracted and half-hearted.
~*~
Matt chewed on his thumb nail while waiting backstage. He had seen Daisy at the show, but she was on the runway. It wasn't exactly proper to shout "Hey! How've you been?" So, Matt drank his water and clapped and just you know - sat there. Supportive.
Kaz stood a few inches away from him, chatting excitedly with a photographer she knew from back when she modeled. He glanced at her from time to time.
Daisy came into view and his heart did a painful tug.
"Matt! How have you been, you look well!" She hugged him in a friendly manner, air-kissing both his cheeks.
"Fine - good show. How've you been?"
"Thanks. I've been really great." She glanced over at his red haired companion. Something in her expression shifted. "Glad you've got someone here with you. These things can get really tedious."
Matt opened his mouth to ask if she'd like to celebrate. It was a big event and she did a great job. Work had been the ultimate downfall of their relationship. He didn't want it to be the downfall of their friendship as well.
"Listen, love, I gotta run. Great to see you!" Daisy hugged Karen too (much to her surprise) and hugged Matt again and then she was off.
Matt pursed his lips together. Well, that was it then. She knew he had come and watched the show and that..yeah...that was it. He placed his arm around Karen's waist, Can we leave now?
Karen slipped her arm around him, her hand resting in between his shoulder blades.
Yeah, let's go.
Actions always spoke louder than words anyway.
~*~
"You okay?" Karen asked gently as they walked back to the hotel.
He shrugged, "Just tired."
"How tired?"
"Exhausted."
"Absolutely knackered?"
"Yes."
Karen smirked at him, slipping off her heels and took off running - and he chased after her. The muggy night air made her clothes stick and her hair become unruly. She didn't stop till she reached the hotel with Matt hot on her heels. Red faced, sweating, and laughing, they clutched their sides desperately trying to catch their breath.
"What was that all about?"
"I didn't think you were gonna chase after me, ya weirdo!"
Matt threw her shoes at her. He smiled, the first genuine smile he had given Karen in days, and she smiled right back.
It would take time for Matt to realize who he had all along. Who Daisy looked at that night and understood what she had known for months; Matt was in denial. She had loved him but he had always loved Karen. She let him go - hugged Karen and whispered 'Take care of him' in her ear, knowing she would.
It finally clicked a year and a half later. They were at Arthur's Birthday Party. Karen was making a stupid face at him, different from her normal stupid face, and he made a stupid face right back. Arthur groaned, shoving Matt into Karen, whilst shouting "I GIVE UP!" The pub erupted with laughter.
They shared a secret kiss in the dark corner of the pub.
Arthur, unbeknownst to the two, glared at Alex and took out his wallet. The bet they had made years ago could finally be paid. "And you thought it was going to take five years." Alex sighed, counting the pounds.
"I was close, wasn't I?"
"Yes - but I was closer. Fair is fair."
"Should we take bets on when the idiots gonna marry her?"
Alex laughed, her curls bouncing, "Oh sweetie, can't you tell? Those two have been married since day one."