Angst At The Start - Tumblr Posts

Nothing Feels Better Than This

Listen to “Better” by Khalid as you listen to this, it’ll make the story better.

Feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments, as I’ve never written for Yancy before but I’m willing to learn. As always, I don’t own anything having to do with AHWM except for this story. Enjoy!

===

You knew leaving him behind was going to be hard, but at the time you knew you couldn’t stay. There was still so much you had to do with the box and Mark, and you weren’t ready to settle down anywhere, nonetheless in a prison. 

Watching him leave to go back to his cell hurt. You could feel your heart hurt as you turned away from him, unable to keep watching him leave, just as you were leaving him. 

Once he was out of sight you opened the box, and the skeleton key now in your hand was practically taunting you. There had been a way for you both to get out, and now you wouldn’t be able to use it. Looking back at the gate one more time, you debated on going back for him. For Yancy. But you knew that no matter how comfortable prison life would be with him, you would just feel stuck. Settling down in one spot wasn’t for you. Not yet at least. So you turned and walked away, feeling just as much a prisoner of your own heart as you were a free person.

---

That had been years ago. Not many, but a small handful. Over that time you never gave up the potential you had with Yancy. The both of you knew that visiting him would be too risky, even if you were to wear a disguise of some sort, but there was still contact through the phone calls you made to each other.

Neither of you would waste time with formalities of ‘How’ve you been’ or anything of that nature; you did have a time limit after all. You both would just jump into conversations as if you never stopped them, talking about anything and everything until a guard told Yancy that his time was up. In all of this time you never mentioned your life outside of prison and he never mentioned his life inside of it unless it related to the conversation in some way. Neither of you had wanted to let the other know that life without the other wasn’t as bright as they thought it would be.

Damn you both for falling in love with a person you seemingly couldn’t have.

---

You were in the shower scrubbing up when the music on your phone was interrupted by the sound of your ringtone. Grabbing it, you checked the number and chuckled a little. The one pitfall of contacting each other via phone was that you could be doing anything when he would call. Pressing the answer button, you put the phone on speaker and put it back on the sink where you had it. 

“Hi Yancy.” you said as you washed the soap off of your body.

“Hey. Are youse okay, youse sound far away?” he asked, sounding confused and slightly concerned. 

“Yeah I’m fine, I was just showering when you called.” you said as you rinsed conditioner out of your hair, having left it in for a little bit so your hair could soak the moisture in.

“Oh! Sorry ‘bout that. Kinda hard to tell what youse doin’ these days.” the  apologized, a slight chuckle laced in his voice.

“It’s fine hun, I’m almost done anyway. So what’s up?” you asked him, shutting the water off and grabbing a towel to dry your body off. 

“Ah, well I thought youse should know...my chance at parole is coming up.” he brought up awkwardly.

“Oh. And?” you asked cautiously, stopping what you were doing to hear him properly. 

“And...I’ve decided to take it.”

And damn if those words didn’t make you the happiest person in the world. 

“Really? That’s amazing hun, I’m so glad.” you said eagerly as you moved to towel dry your hair. 

“Yeah, uh, I was also wondering if youse would be willing to, yanno, let me stay with youse until I could find some place to go?” he asked, his voice sounding awkward and slightly strained. You could tell that it was hard for him to ask for your help with this, but it didn’t deter you in the slightest.

“Of course you can stay. I’ll set up the guest room for you and make sure I have enough food for the both of us. Just be sure not to shower for hours like you do there, as I’m actually paying the water bill.” you replied with a chuckle at the last part.

The relief in his voice was tangible in his voice. “Thank youse. My hearin’ is next week, so I’ll call and let youse know more about it then.”

You agreed, and then when you had put on your robe you grabbed your phone and turned it off of speaker phone to continue having your conversation with the Ohioan.

---

As he had promised, the next week he called to tell you about his parole hearing.

“So I got granted for my’s parole. I met with my parole officer this mornin’.”

“That’s awesome! When are you getting let out?”

“Three days from now. Youse got everythin’ ready for me?” he asked curiously.

“I’ve had everything ready since you first mentioned your hearing.” you admitted sheepishly.

He gave a chuckle at the admission. “Good to know youse still lookin’ forward to seein’ me.”

“I’ve been wanting to see you since the night I left.” you admitted, a blush blooming on your cheeks.

The other side of the line was quiet and you couldn’t help but assume the worst. Neither of you talked about that night. Until now.

“Yeah. Yeah, me too doll.” Yancy finally admitted, sounding relieved.

You both continued to talk about anything and everything, and an idea popped up in your head. You asked about who his parole officer was, and while he was slightly confused on why you’d want to know he gave you the officer’s name. Before long he had to go, and you wished each other a goodbye. This goodbye was easier than the rest though, as you knew you’d be seeing him in three days.

In the meantime you looked up his parole officer, got their number, and decided to make a call. You explained your idea to them, wanting to get permission first just in case it would violate his parole, mainly with him not being allowed to leave after a specific geographic point. With a bit of a chuckle, his parole officer granted the permission needed to put the idea into effect and promised not to tell him. Thanking him, you hung up and started to plan Yancy’s first day as a free man. Or, as free as he would be for a while.

---

I love to see you shine in the night like the diamond you are

No one's got to know what we do, hit me up when you're bored

Three days later you pulled up to Happy Trails Penitentiary, got out of your car and waited for him to walk out the gate. Seeing him walk out was such an overwhelming sight, and before you knew it you ran over to him and hugged him tightly. It had been years since you had seen him last, but he hadn’t changed one bit. Yancy stumbled under the force that you ran to and hugged him, but he kept his balance and awkwardly moved an arm around you.

“Hey doll, it’s good to see youse.”

“It’s so good to see you too Yancy.” you replied before pulling away from him. Noticing his clothes, you saw he wore a pair of black pants and a black and red plaid flannel. It looked good on him, and he would fit right in with everybody else. “Come on, we’ve got your new life to start.” you said as you grabbed his hand and tugged him to follow you to your car. He chuckled and followed after you, not that he had a choice in the matter.

Getting in, you both put on your seat belts and you started driving, not to home, but to start your plan. Yancy played with the radio until he found the type of music he liked, and turned it up to be able to listen to it but not loud enough to distract you.

All I hear is... Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

 He then watched out the window for a while as you drove. When you guys reached a specific point, he looked over at you.

“Uh, doll I’m not allowed to goes past this point.” he said, sounding very concerned and slightly scared. He had decided to try out parole to be able to see you and be with you, and he didn’t want to be thrown back in the same day he got out.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it handled.” you reassured him as you drove past his parole limit to continue to the setting of your plan.

It took some time, but you pulled up to the closest beach and parked in the parking lot. 

“Doll, whatcha doin’?” Yancy asked as you both got out of the car.

“I want your first day out to be a good one. Prove that it’s not all that bad out here.” you told him with a small smile.

He gave a small and shy smirk as he looked at you. “Youse didn’t have to go to all the trouble. It was already worth it to see youse’s face again.” he admitted, causing a small blush to appear on his and your face.

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Well come on, we’ve got the rest of our day ahead of us.” you told him as you led him to a restaurant that was across from the beach. It was mainly seafood due to its location by the sea, but there were also options of burgers, fries, and even pizza. They also had a nice selection of desserts for after the main meal. You both ended up ordering burgers, fries, and some colas, and you both talked while waiting for your food to be ready. When it was served, you thanked the server and dug into your meals. The burgers were hot and juicy, the fries were crispy and delicious, and the colas were refreshing. Once you were both done you asked him if he wanted a dessert and he seemed hesitant. 

“It’s okay Yancy, I don’t mind it if you do.” you told him.

“I kinda wanna try one of those milkshakes, but I dunno if I would be able to finish it.” Yancy told you as he watched a server making a milkshake.

“We could always share one.” you suggested. He looked back at you in surprise and you shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind trying one either, but we’re in the same boat. I wouldn’t be able to finish one by myself.”

“Alright, if youse sure.” he agreed after a moment. You nodded in response, and when your server came back over you asked if you could have a milkshake. You both had agreed on a chocolate one, though he liked chocolate more than you did. But this was his day, not yours. The server made your milkshake, put whipped cream on top and a cherry and brought it to you, handing over two straws. “Enjoy.” they said before leaving again.

You say we're just friends, but I swear when nobody's around I keep my hand around your neck, we connect, are you feelin' it now?

You and Yancy each grabbed a straw, removed the paper on it and stuck it into the milkshake. Due to the single serve cup for the milkshake, you each had to take turns taking a sip of the cold treat, though you both fell into an easy rhythm. You always did, and this was no different.

“So, what else does youse have planned for this adventure?” Yancy asked, making conversation as you both drank the milkshake. You finished your momentary sip and he went in for his as you answered.

“It’s supposed to get dark in a bit and I was thinking we’d watch the sunset, and there’s supposed to be music at the pier tonight. I thought we could maybe take a listen.” you told him as he drank his milkshake. When he came up from his momentary sip, he swallowed and nodded.

I get so high that I ignite, I swear to God, feel my feet leave the ground Ooh, yeah Your back against the wall, this is what you been talkin' about In my ears

“Alright, sounds good.” he said, and as he watched you take another turn at the milkshake he couldn’t help but think that you were amazing. You did all of this just for him and he couldn’t be anymore grateful to have you in his life. Ever since that day you went into prison you had changed his life, and now he was going to be spending it with you. What could he have possibly done to be so lucky?

You both finished up the milkshake and talked some more. You were given the bill and paid for your meals because he didn’t have any money yet due to it being his first day out. He felt bad about that, but you reassured him that him being around and out of prison more than made up for it. You both walked out and walked back across the street to the beach, walking across it as the sun set. 

“It’s beautiful tonight.” Yancy commented as he watched the sunset. You nodded in agreement.

“It sure is.”

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

When the sun left the sky and the stars came out shimmering in the black sky, some music started to play at the dock and you smiled, taking his hand to join in on the fun. There was a small band set up on the pier and playing music people could dance to. Looking at him, you tilted your head towards the music in a silent offer to dance, which he agreed to with a hesitant nod. 

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Just follow my lead.” you told him as you placed a hand at his waist and connected your left hand to his right one. 

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like that, oh yeah

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like

As you led, you moved left a couple of steps, moved back a couple of steps and then made you both sway from side to side a little before having him move left and you move right a couple steps, made him move back a couple steps, then sway side to side again. It was a cute and slightly elaborate square you were dancing in, but it was perfect for the both of you. 

Soon enough you grew tired and he did as well, and you both walked back to the car, him grabbing the keys off of you and getting in the drivers seat to go home. Home. It felt odd calling somewhere that wasn’t the prison home, but he knew that being with you would give him the best home he ever had. Because you were there, and you were on his side. Looking over at you in the passenger seat he saw you had fallen asleep and he smiled a little before paying attention to the road again. Yeah, life on the outside was definitely going to be okay.

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this (Nothing feels better) ooh now, now We don't gotta hide (This is what you like, gotta admit) Nothing feels better than this (Better than this) Nothing feels better than this

Nothing Feels Better Than This

Listen to “Better” by Khalid as you listen to this, it’ll make the story better.

Feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments, as I’ve never written for Yancy before but I’m willing to learn. As always, I don’t own anything having to do with AHWM except for this story. Enjoy!

===

You knew leaving him behind was going to be hard, but at the time you knew you couldn’t stay. There was still so much you had to do with the box and Mark, and you weren’t ready to settle down anywhere, nonetheless in a prison. 

Watching him leave to go back to his cell hurt. You could feel your heart hurt as you turned away from him, unable to keep watching him leave, just as you were leaving him. 

Once he was out of sight you opened the box, and the skeleton key now in your hand was practically taunting you. There had been a way for you both to get out, and now you wouldn’t be able to use it. Looking back at the gate one more time, you debated on going back for him. For Yancy. But you knew that no matter how comfortable prison life would be with him, you would just feel stuck. Settling down in one spot wasn’t for you. Not yet at least. So you turned and walked away, feeling just as much a prisoner of your own heart as you were a free person.

---

That had been years ago. Not many, but a small handful. Over that time you never gave up the potential you had with Yancy. The both of you knew that visiting him would be too risky, even if you were to wear a disguise of some sort, but there was still contact through the phone calls you made to each other.

Neither of you would waste time with formalities of ‘How’ve you been’ or anything of that nature; you did have a time limit after all. You both would just jump into conversations as if you never stopped them, talking about anything and everything until a guard told Yancy that his time was up. In all of this time you never mentioned your life outside of prison and he never mentioned his life inside of it unless it related to the conversation in some way. Neither of you had wanted to let the other know that life without the other wasn’t as bright as they thought it would be.

Damn you both for falling in love with a person you seemingly couldn’t have.

---

You were in the shower scrubbing up when the music on your phone was interrupted by the sound of your ringtone. Grabbing it, you checked the number and chuckled a little. The one pitfall of contacting each other via phone was that you could be doing anything when he would call. Pressing the answer button, you put the phone on speaker and put it back on the sink where you had it. 

“Hi Yancy.” you said as you washed the soap off of your body.

“Hey. Are youse okay, youse sound far away?” he asked, sounding confused and slightly concerned. 

“Yeah I’m fine, I was just showering when you called.” you said as you rinsed conditioner out of your hair, having left it in for a little bit so your hair could soak the moisture in.

“Oh! Sorry ‘bout that. Kinda hard to tell what youse doin’ these days.” the  apologized, a slight chuckle laced in his voice.

“It’s fine hun, I’m almost done anyway. So what’s up?” you asked him, shutting the water off and grabbing a towel to dry your body off. 

“Ah, well I thought youse should know...my chance at parole is coming up.” he brought up awkwardly.

“Oh. And?” you asked cautiously, stopping what you were doing to hear him properly. 

“And...I’ve decided to take it.”

And damn if those words didn’t make you the happiest person in the world. 

“Really? That’s amazing hun, I’m so glad.” you said eagerly as you moved to towel dry your hair. 

“Yeah, uh, I was also wondering if youse would be willing to, yanno, let me stay with youse until I could find some place to go?” he asked, his voice sounding awkward and slightly strained. You could tell that it was hard for him to ask for your help with this, but it didn’t deter you in the slightest.

“Of course you can stay. I’ll set up the guest room for you and make sure I have enough food for the both of us. Just be sure not to shower for hours like you do there, as I’m actually paying the water bill.” you replied with a chuckle at the last part.

The relief in his voice was tangible in his voice. “Thank youse. My hearin’ is next week, so I’ll call and let youse know more about it then.”

You agreed, and then when you had put on your robe you grabbed your phone and turned it off of speaker phone to continue having your conversation with the Ohioan.

---

As he had promised, the next week he called to tell you about his parole hearing.

“So I got granted for my’s parole. I met with my parole officer this mornin’.”

“That’s awesome! When are you getting let out?”

“Three days from now. Youse got everythin’ ready for me?” he asked curiously.

“I’ve had everything ready since you first mentioned your hearing.” you admitted sheepishly.

He gave a chuckle at the admission. “Good to know youse still lookin’ forward to seein’ me.”

“I’ve been wanting to see you since the night I left.” you admitted, a blush blooming on your cheeks.

The other side of the line was quiet and you couldn’t help but assume the worst. Neither of you talked about that night. Until now.

“Yeah. Yeah, me too doll.” Yancy finally admitted, sounding relieved.

You both continued to talk about anything and everything, and an idea popped up in your head. You asked about who his parole officer was, and while he was slightly confused on why you’d want to know he gave you the officer’s name. Before long he had to go, and you wished each other a goodbye. This goodbye was easier than the rest though, as you knew you’d be seeing him in three days.

In the meantime you looked up his parole officer, got their number, and decided to make a call. You explained your idea to them, wanting to get permission first just in case it would violate his parole, mainly with him not being allowed to leave after a specific geographic point. With a bit of a chuckle, his parole officer granted the permission needed to put the idea into effect and promised not to tell him. Thanking him, you hung up and started to plan Yancy’s first day as a free man. Or, as free as he would be for a while.

---

I love to see you shine in the night like the diamond you are

No one's got to know what we do, hit me up when you're bored

Three days later you pulled up to Happy Trails Penitentiary, got out of your car and waited for him to walk out the gate. Seeing him walk out was such an overwhelming sight, and before you knew it you ran over to him and hugged him tightly. It had been years since you had seen him last, but he hadn’t changed one bit. Yancy stumbled under the force that you ran to and hugged him, but he kept his balance and awkwardly moved an arm around you.

“Hey doll, it’s good to see youse.”

“It’s so good to see you too Yancy.” you replied before pulling away from him. Noticing his clothes, you saw he wore a pair of black pants and a black and red plaid flannel. It looked good on him, and he would fit right in with everybody else. “Come on, we’ve got your new life to start.” you said as you grabbed his hand and tugged him to follow you to your car. He chuckled and followed after you, not that he had a choice in the matter.

Getting in, you both put on your seat belts and you started driving, not to home, but to start your plan. Yancy played with the radio until he found the type of music he liked, and turned it up to be able to listen to it but not loud enough to distract you.

All I hear is... Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

 He then watched out the window for a while as you drove. When you guys reached a specific point, he looked over at you.

“Uh, doll I’m not allowed to goes past this point.” he said, sounding very concerned and slightly scared. He had decided to try out parole to be able to see you and be with you, and he didn’t want to be thrown back in the same day he got out.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it handled.” you reassured him as you drove past his parole limit to continue to the setting of your plan.

It took some time, but you pulled up to the closest beach and parked in the parking lot. 

“Doll, whatcha doin’?” Yancy asked as you both got out of the car.

“I want your first day out to be a good one. Prove that it’s not all that bad out here.” you told him with a small smile.

He gave a small and shy smirk as he looked at you. “Youse didn’t have to go to all the trouble. It was already worth it to see youse’s face again.” he admitted, causing a small blush to appear on his and your face.

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Well come on, we’ve got the rest of our day ahead of us.” you told him as you led him to a restaurant that was across from the beach. It was mainly seafood due to its location by the sea, but there were also options of burgers, fries, and even pizza. They also had a nice selection of desserts for after the main meal. You both ended up ordering burgers, fries, and some colas, and you both talked while waiting for your food to be ready. When it was served, you thanked the server and dug into your meals. The burgers were hot and juicy, the fries were crispy and delicious, and the colas were refreshing. Once you were both done you asked him if he wanted a dessert and he seemed hesitant. 

“It’s okay Yancy, I don’t mind it if you do.” you told him.

“I kinda wanna try one of those milkshakes, but I dunno if I would be able to finish it.” Yancy told you as he watched a server making a milkshake.

“We could always share one.” you suggested. He looked back at you in surprise and you shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind trying one either, but we’re in the same boat. I wouldn’t be able to finish one by myself.”

“Alright, if youse sure.” he agreed after a moment. You nodded in response, and when your server came back over you asked if you could have a milkshake. You both had agreed on a chocolate one, though he liked chocolate more than you did. But this was his day, not yours. The server made your milkshake, put whipped cream on top and a cherry and brought it to you, handing over two straws. “Enjoy.” they said before leaving again.

You say we're just friends, but I swear when nobody's around I keep my hand around your neck, we connect, are you feelin' it now?

You and Yancy each grabbed a straw, removed the paper on it and stuck it into the milkshake. Due to the single serve cup for the milkshake, you each had to take turns taking a sip of the cold treat, though you both fell into an easy rhythm. You always did, and this was no different.

“So, what else does youse have planned for this adventure?” Yancy asked, making conversation as you both drank the milkshake. You finished your momentary sip and he went in for his as you answered.

“It’s supposed to get dark in a bit and I was thinking we’d watch the sunset, and there’s supposed to be music at the pier tonight. I thought we could maybe take a listen.” you told him as he drank his milkshake. When he came up from his momentary sip, he swallowed and nodded.

I get so high that I ignite, I swear to God, feel my feet leave the ground Ooh, yeah Your back against the wall, this is what you been talkin' about In my ears

“Alright, sounds good.” he said, and as he watched you take another turn at the milkshake he couldn’t help but think that you were amazing. You did all of this just for him and he couldn’t be anymore grateful to have you in his life. Ever since that day you went into prison you had changed his life, and now he was going to be spending it with you. What could he have possibly done to be so lucky?

You both finished up the milkshake and talked some more. You were given the bill and paid for your meals because he didn’t have any money yet due to it being his first day out. He felt bad about that, but you reassured him that him being around and out of prison more than made up for it. You both walked out and walked back across the street to the beach, walking across it as the sun set. 

“It’s beautiful tonight.” Yancy commented as he watched the sunset. You nodded in agreement.

“It sure is.”

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

When the sun left the sky and the stars came out shimmering in the black sky, some music started to play at the dock and you smiled, taking his hand to join in on the fun. There was a small band set up on the pier and playing music people could dance to. Looking at him, you tilted your head towards the music in a silent offer to dance, which he agreed to with a hesitant nod. 

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Just follow my lead.” you told him as you placed a hand at his waist and connected your left hand to his right one. 

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like that, oh yeah

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like

As you led, you moved left a couple of steps, moved back a couple of steps and then made you both sway from side to side a little before having him move left and you move right a couple steps, made him move back a couple steps, then sway side to side again. It was a cute and slightly elaborate square you were dancing in, but it was perfect for the both of you. 

Soon enough you grew tired and he did as well, and you both walked back to the car, him grabbing the keys off of you and getting in the drivers seat to go home. Home. It felt odd calling somewhere that wasn’t the prison home, but he knew that being with you would give him the best home he ever had. Because you were there, and you were on his side. Looking over at you in the passenger seat he saw you had fallen asleep and he smiled a little before paying attention to the road again. Yeah, life on the outside was definitely going to be okay.

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this (Nothing feels better) ooh now, now We don't gotta hide (This is what you like, gotta admit) Nothing feels better than this (Better than this) Nothing feels better than this

Nothing Feels Better Than This

Listen to “Better” by Khalid as you listen to this, it’ll make the story better.

Feel free to leave constructive criticism in the comments, as I’ve never written for Yancy before but I’m willing to learn. As always, I don’t own anything having to do with AHWM except for this story. Enjoy!

===

You knew leaving him behind was going to be hard, but at the time you knew you couldn’t stay. There was still so much you had to do with the box and Mark, and you weren’t ready to settle down anywhere, nonetheless in a prison. 

Watching him leave to go back to his cell hurt. You could feel your heart hurt as you turned away from him, unable to keep watching him leave, just as you were leaving him. 

Once he was out of sight you opened the box, and the skeleton key now in your hand was practically taunting you. There had been a way for you both to get out, and now you wouldn’t be able to use it. Looking back at the gate one more time, you debated on going back for him. For Yancy. But you knew that no matter how comfortable prison life would be with him, you would just feel stuck. Settling down in one spot wasn’t for you. Not yet at least. So you turned and walked away, feeling just as much a prisoner of your own heart as you were a free person.

---

That had been years ago. Not many, but a small handful. Over that time you never gave up the potential you had with Yancy. The both of you knew that visiting him would be too risky, even if you were to wear a disguise of some sort, but there was still contact through the phone calls you made to each other.

Neither of you would waste time with formalities of ‘How’ve you been’ or anything of that nature; you did have a time limit after all. You both would just jump into conversations as if you never stopped them, talking about anything and everything until a guard told Yancy that his time was up. In all of this time you never mentioned your life outside of prison and he never mentioned his life inside of it unless it related to the conversation in some way. Neither of you had wanted to let the other know that life without the other wasn’t as bright as they thought it would be.

Damn you both for falling in love with a person you seemingly couldn’t have.

---

You were in the shower scrubbing up when the music on your phone was interrupted by the sound of your ringtone. Grabbing it, you checked the number and chuckled a little. The one pitfall of contacting each other via phone was that you could be doing anything when he would call. Pressing the answer button, you put the phone on speaker and put it back on the sink where you had it. 

“Hi Yancy.” you said as you washed the soap off of your body.

“Hey. Are youse okay, youse sound far away?” he asked, sounding confused and slightly concerned. 

“Yeah I’m fine, I was just showering when you called.” you said as you rinsed conditioner out of your hair, having left it in for a little bit so your hair could soak the moisture in.

“Oh! Sorry ‘bout that. Kinda hard to tell what youse doin’ these days.” the  apologized, a slight chuckle laced in his voice.

“It’s fine hun, I’m almost done anyway. So what’s up?” you asked him, shutting the water off and grabbing a towel to dry your body off. 

“Ah, well I thought youse should know...my chance at parole is coming up.” he brought up awkwardly.

“Oh. And?” you asked cautiously, stopping what you were doing to hear him properly. 

“And...I’ve decided to take it.”

And damn if those words didn’t make you the happiest person in the world. 

“Really? That’s amazing hun, I’m so glad.” you said eagerly as you moved to towel dry your hair. 

“Yeah, uh, I was also wondering if youse would be willing to, yanno, let me stay with youse until I could find some place to go?” he asked, his voice sounding awkward and slightly strained. You could tell that it was hard for him to ask for your help with this, but it didn’t deter you in the slightest.

“Of course you can stay. I’ll set up the guest room for you and make sure I have enough food for the both of us. Just be sure not to shower for hours like you do there, as I’m actually paying the water bill.” you replied with a chuckle at the last part.

The relief in his voice was tangible in his voice. “Thank youse. My hearin’ is next week, so I’ll call and let youse know more about it then.”

You agreed, and then when you had put on your robe you grabbed your phone and turned it off of speaker phone to continue having your conversation with the Ohioan.

---

As he had promised, the next week he called to tell you about his parole hearing.

“So I got granted for my’s parole. I met with my parole officer this mornin’.”

“That’s awesome! When are you getting let out?”

“Three days from now. Youse got everythin’ ready for me?” he asked curiously.

“I’ve had everything ready since you first mentioned your hearing.” you admitted sheepishly.

He gave a chuckle at the admission. “Good to know youse still lookin’ forward to seein’ me.”

“I’ve been wanting to see you since the night I left.” you admitted, a blush blooming on your cheeks.

The other side of the line was quiet and you couldn’t help but assume the worst. Neither of you talked about that night. Until now.

“Yeah. Yeah, me too doll.” Yancy finally admitted, sounding relieved.

You both continued to talk about anything and everything, and an idea popped up in your head. You asked about who his parole officer was, and while he was slightly confused on why you’d want to know he gave you the officer’s name. Before long he had to go, and you wished each other a goodbye. This goodbye was easier than the rest though, as you knew you’d be seeing him in three days.

In the meantime you looked up his parole officer, got their number, and decided to make a call. You explained your idea to them, wanting to get permission first just in case it would violate his parole, mainly with him not being allowed to leave after a specific geographic point. With a bit of a chuckle, his parole officer granted the permission needed to put the idea into effect and promised not to tell him. Thanking him, you hung up and started to plan Yancy’s first day as a free man. Or, as free as he would be for a while.

---

I love to see you shine in the night like the diamond you are

No one's got to know what we do, hit me up when you're bored

Three days later you pulled up to Happy Trails Penitentiary, got out of your car and waited for him to walk out the gate. Seeing him walk out was such an overwhelming sight, and before you knew it you ran over to him and hugged him tightly. It had been years since you had seen him last, but he hadn’t changed one bit. Yancy stumbled under the force that you ran to and hugged him, but he kept his balance and awkwardly moved an arm around you.

“Hey doll, it’s good to see youse.”

“It’s so good to see you too Yancy.” you replied before pulling away from him. Noticing his clothes, you saw he wore a pair of black pants and a black and red plaid flannel. It looked good on him, and he would fit right in with everybody else. “Come on, we’ve got your new life to start.” you said as you grabbed his hand and tugged him to follow you to your car. He chuckled and followed after you, not that he had a choice in the matter.

Getting in, you both put on your seat belts and you started driving, not to home, but to start your plan. Yancy played with the radio until he found the type of music he liked, and turned it up to be able to listen to it but not loud enough to distract you.

All I hear is... Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

 He then watched out the window for a while as you drove. When you guys reached a specific point, he looked over at you.

“Uh, doll I’m not allowed to goes past this point.” he said, sounding very concerned and slightly scared. He had decided to try out parole to be able to see you and be with you, and he didn’t want to be thrown back in the same day he got out.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it handled.” you reassured him as you drove past his parole limit to continue to the setting of your plan.

It took some time, but you pulled up to the closest beach and parked in the parking lot. 

“Doll, whatcha doin’?” Yancy asked as you both got out of the car.

“I want your first day out to be a good one. Prove that it’s not all that bad out here.” you told him with a small smile.

He gave a small and shy smirk as he looked at you. “Youse didn’t have to go to all the trouble. It was already worth it to see youse’s face again.” he admitted, causing a small blush to appear on his and your face.

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Well come on, we’ve got the rest of our day ahead of us.” you told him as you led him to a restaurant that was across from the beach. It was mainly seafood due to its location by the sea, but there were also options of burgers, fries, and even pizza. They also had a nice selection of desserts for after the main meal. You both ended up ordering burgers, fries, and some colas, and you both talked while waiting for your food to be ready. When it was served, you thanked the server and dug into your meals. The burgers were hot and juicy, the fries were crispy and delicious, and the colas were refreshing. Once you were both done you asked him if he wanted a dessert and he seemed hesitant. 

“It’s okay Yancy, I don’t mind it if you do.” you told him.

“I kinda wanna try one of those milkshakes, but I dunno if I would be able to finish it.” Yancy told you as he watched a server making a milkshake.

“We could always share one.” you suggested. He looked back at you in surprise and you shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind trying one either, but we’re in the same boat. I wouldn’t be able to finish one by myself.”

“Alright, if youse sure.” he agreed after a moment. You nodded in response, and when your server came back over you asked if you could have a milkshake. You both had agreed on a chocolate one, though he liked chocolate more than you did. But this was his day, not yours. The server made your milkshake, put whipped cream on top and a cherry and brought it to you, handing over two straws. “Enjoy.” they said before leaving again.

You say we're just friends, but I swear when nobody's around I keep my hand around your neck, we connect, are you feelin' it now?

You and Yancy each grabbed a straw, removed the paper on it and stuck it into the milkshake. Due to the single serve cup for the milkshake, you each had to take turns taking a sip of the cold treat, though you both fell into an easy rhythm. You always did, and this was no different.

“So, what else does youse have planned for this adventure?” Yancy asked, making conversation as you both drank the milkshake. You finished your momentary sip and he went in for his as you answered.

“It’s supposed to get dark in a bit and I was thinking we’d watch the sunset, and there’s supposed to be music at the pier tonight. I thought we could maybe take a listen.” you told him as he drank his milkshake. When he came up from his momentary sip, he swallowed and nodded.

I get so high that I ignite, I swear to God, feel my feet leave the ground Ooh, yeah Your back against the wall, this is what you been talkin' about In my ears

“Alright, sounds good.” he said, and as he watched you take another turn at the milkshake he couldn’t help but think that you were amazing. You did all of this just for him and he couldn’t be anymore grateful to have you in his life. Ever since that day you went into prison you had changed his life, and now he was going to be spending it with you. What could he have possibly done to be so lucky?

You both finished up the milkshake and talked some more. You were given the bill and paid for your meals because he didn’t have any money yet due to it being his first day out. He felt bad about that, but you reassured him that him being around and out of prison more than made up for it. You both walked out and walked back across the street to the beach, walking across it as the sun set. 

“It’s beautiful tonight.” Yancy commented as he watched the sunset. You nodded in agreement.

“It sure is.”

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better, ooh now

When the sun left the sky and the stars came out shimmering in the black sky, some music started to play at the dock and you smiled, taking his hand to join in on the fun. There was a small band set up on the pier and playing music people could dance to. Looking at him, you tilted your head towards the music in a silent offer to dance, which he agreed to with a hesitant nod. 

We don't gotta hide This is what you like, gotta admit Nothing feels better than this

“Just follow my lead.” you told him as you placed a hand at his waist and connected your left hand to his right one. 

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like that, oh yeah

You know that if I left I'd take you back When you say it, you say it like

As you led, you moved left a couple of steps, moved back a couple of steps and then made you both sway from side to side a little before having him move left and you move right a couple steps, made him move back a couple steps, then sway side to side again. It was a cute and slightly elaborate square you were dancing in, but it was perfect for the both of you. 

Soon enough you grew tired and he did as well, and you both walked back to the car, him grabbing the keys off of you and getting in the drivers seat to go home. Home. It felt odd calling somewhere that wasn’t the prison home, but he knew that being with you would give him the best home he ever had. Because you were there, and you were on his side. Looking over at you in the passenger seat he saw you had fallen asleep and he smiled a little before paying attention to the road again. Yeah, life on the outside was definitely going to be okay.

Nothing feels better than this Nothing feels better Nothing feels better than this (Nothing feels better) ooh now, now We don't gotta hide (This is what you like, gotta admit) Nothing feels better than this (Better than this) Nothing feels better than this