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Gray, gray is all Rhett could see when he woke up one day on an August morning. Perhaps he’s dreaming, a horrible joke of a dream. His eyes dart all over his room, light gray, dark gray, and an even darker gray. Quickly he raises himself from the oddly freezing bed. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, maybe that could fix it, alas no, still gray, everything is gray, the brown, now a medium gray, night table is looking dull with no life. The digital clock where it sits on the night table, its iconic eye-blaring bright red light is now a soft gray lighting, proudly showing the time of 8:32 AM.
Still a dream, if only he could hope, maybe going to bed at an unruly time could be the reason why his brain is not processing things as he knows it should. Maybe a shower could wake him up.
In the bathroom, the light gray walls still show not much of a difference, except his precious warm lighting looks like he is in a hospital setting with the warm colors now being desaturated to a cool light. What is going on?
He slowly removes his clothing, now noticing his bright green boxer shorts are now a light gray, almost to the point of being white. His NC State red shirt he occasionally wears to bed on a breezy night, is now a medium gray. His skin is also affected with showing a gray as well, his hair looks like it’s a darker gray, almost as dark as his best friend’s hair when his hair started to show peaks of soft gray.
He steps into the shower, not much of a difference except how nearly all of his colorful hair products are now a boring gray, it’s already getting to the point of such annoyance, why must the brain do this? When will he wake up?
It took stubbing his toe a hit to realise that this isn’t a horrible nightmare.
–
Link’s phone flashes in light as it shows Rhett to be the one calling. Link, who has been up for sometime to water his plants, picks up his phone and answers the call.
“Hey man, what’s up?”
“Link. I can’t see color.”
“Huh?”
“Color.”
“What does that mean you can’t see color..?”
“What do you think it means? I only see gray, man!”
“Okay, dude, sorry, I just don’t really expect this prank this early in the morning.”
“Link, I’m seriously not joking about this.”
“How am I supposed to know you ain’t jokin’? That’s what you say all the time.”
“Okay, okay call me the boy who cried wolf-”
“Says the wolf- okay sorry continue-”
“Link, please come over to my house in an hour.”
“Oh shit you are serious.”
“I wasn’t prankin’ you. Seriously dude I feel like I did something to screw this up.”
“Okay you know what I was gonna go walk Jade and Jasper but I’ll just head over right now, I’m gonna bring them so the dogs could play, how do you feel about that?”
“Please.”
20 minutes later and Link arrives at Rhett's house, with each dog in his hand, Jasper was slightly restless on the drive due to not getting his needed walk in, Jade as jaded as ever.
Link didn’t even have a moment to knock on the door before Rhett yanked it open.
“Hey, man, so something up with your eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Can I have them play with Barb and Sean?” He lifts both Jade and Jasper slightly.
“Yeah sure, I’m sure they missed playing.”
Another 20 minutes have past, Rhett and Link are in Rhett’s room, Link is sitting on his plush bed, playing a bit with the stitchings of the comforter.
“And I came out of the shower and it is still freakin’ gray.”
“You think it's because of your red eyes, maybe that did something?”
“I searched it up and nothing says it would make me not see any color.”
“Like dog-sight, huh?”
“Well more so just seeing grays, at least our dogs could see yellow and blue.”
“Ah, man, do you think it’ll just wear off?”
“I doubt it, it’s been an hour now since I woke up.”
“Let’s take you to the hospital, or call up your doctor.”
“I tried, they’re not picking up, and we don’t got that kind of time cause today’s the Emmys. And we got to be there.”
“Rhett, I don’t think people would be upset if we can’t make it cause of something with a medical-”
“Didn’t we plan to meet up with some producers to help us out with a show? We can’t miss this opportunity. I can deal with not seeing color for a couple more hours.”
“Woah, wait are you serious? You were calling me to come over here, worried about your eyesight, now you want to wait it out cause some opportunity? Cut the shit out dude-”
“I just needed someone here in person man, look-”
“Rhett, I care about you man, I can tell this is worrying you, and you look like you haven’t been sleeping, actually, what time did you go to bed?”
“Maybe 2, or 3 AM.”
“Gosh, okay well maybe you should go back to sleep, maybe it’ll magically turn on your color sight or somethin’.”
“Well, I am tired, ugh- What am I doing? I shouldn’t have made you come over here.” He covers his face with his hands in full shame and embarrassment.
“I’ll stop you right there, I’m here to help you, and that’s what I’m going to do, I’ll take watch over the dogs while you get some rest, okay?”
“That-” Rhett pauses, “That sounds like a good idea. T-Thank you, Link.”
“No problem, Rhett, sweet dreams, ya’ Sleeping Beauty.” That’s all Rhett could remember before falling asleep once more.
–
Images of flowers all over in his sight, roses, tulips, lilies, and all the sorts he couldn’t name on the top of his head. The only difference is that it’s all the same boring gray his brain is getting exhausted looking at.
Except, a beautiful flower, a deep dark purple color at its peak bloom.
What a wonderful dream he ever so needed.
“Hey, Rhett, buddy.. Earth to Sir McLaughlin.”
Rhett’s eyes open slowly, all he sees is a figure above him, panic ensues.
Next thing is both him and the figure holding their own foreheads due to Rhett quickly getting up and bumping his head with the person. Which of course turns out to be Link.
“Oh crap! Augh. You got a hard noggin, man!”
“Oof, ugh, I’m sorry, Link, I thought you were a stranger.”
“If I was a stranger I would’ve left you with breakfast, you alright though?”
Rhett consciously ignores what Link said at first and answers his question, “Yeah, I had a dream, a pretty good one.”
“Oh yeah? That’s good, what’d you dream about?”
“Flowers, though they were all one color, except, purple.”
“Wait, in your dream you saw colors? That’s awesome.”
“Well one color, but that's an improvement.”
“But right now you still see gray?”
“Yep…”
“Damn. Well, how do you feel about the Emmys? We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“I think we should still go, or at least the after party, so we can meet up with those fellas.”
“Okay, that’s better, we’ll just go to the after party for that meet up, get connections and let’s then high-tail it out of there.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
–
Drinks, liquor, and alcohol, any type and they most likely have an unfair cost to each pour. Rhett would rather have just a beer just to calm his nerves but seeing everyone having cocktails or wine pressures his need to want to fit in and not look like a sore thumb. With his height and long luscious curly locks already give people a sight to look at; mostly positive, yet, Rhett would want to convince himself it's all just a fake LA facade. He misses his friend, where has he gone? They separated just for a bit for Link to go to the bathroom and Rhett to go find a bar that's quiet to grab both of them drinks; to then group up together at the bar to then talk with the producers. That plan went south real quick for both on their ends.
“Hey Handsome, want a drink?” A voice pierces his ear, he turns and sees someone he doesn’t recognize sitting oddly close.
“No, thank you, I already got my, uh drink.” As he looks at his barely drunk cocktail.
“Mm, you don’t sound as much of a party-goer as I want, later.” As the particular person walks away. Uneasiness is already in the air when folks would give him a glance. With the occasional surveillance, in search for Link, he is bombarded with gray once more, gray here, dark gray here, but the all too blinding lights of white is getting unbearable, he forgot to bring sunglasses to the event, he was too focused on making sure he picked out the right color for his outfit to then go to a classic black and white suit. It’s better not to risk it, perhaps it might look like a Yin and Yang effect when he and Link would stand next to each other, well, only he could guess if Link is wearing a particular hue or not.
Now curious, he then reaches into his pocket for his phone; noticing his extremely low battery life, he looks back at a recent picture he and Link took of their outfits for tonight. With a crop of the image and a drag over to a hue color picker site, it reveals a color. Isn’t that-
“Oh hey! Aren’t you Rhett?”
“What?-”
“Oh my gosh yeah! From that online show!” This person, obviously intoxicated, is leaning on the bar’s counter for support while leaning into Rhett’s space.
“Oh um, yeah, that’s me, how are you-”
“Where is that other cute guy? With em’ glasses?”
“He’s in the bathroom, he should be here in a minute-”
“That’s coooool.”
Rhett’s urge to run out of this situation is increasing. He wants to get out of here and now.
“So, you want a picture?”
“Oh! Yeah yeah, would absolu’ love that. But! Wait, I need one with the other guy.”
“Well. He’s not just ‘the other guy’, his name is Link.”
“Yeah, sure, sure, him, let’s waittt!”
“Um, actually, what if I could go grab my buddy and we can take that picture?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah even better! I’ll just wait here!!”
“Thanks.” Rhett quickly puts a bill that should cover his overly priced drink; he rather not think about how much it is. He quickly gets up from his chair and rushes out of the bar, the lights are blinding and all he can see is a dry-ice smoke filled room with dancing bodies, he tries going into the crowd but several times almost gets taken to go dance, no, he needs his friend. Every time he thinks he finds a weak spot of the crowd to go through he gets ambushed with more people that seem to be popping out of nowhere. He can’t do this, he needs somewhere safe and quiet. It’s getting too much with all this gray.
–
“Rhett! Where are you, man!” Link calls out in the sea of intoxicated people, spotlights located all over the location are overwhelming Link with too much saturated colors. Bodies keep bumping to each other, some trying to take his arm to encourage to dance along with them. If they asked an hour earlier it might be a different story but right now is not the time.
“How can I not see this tall ass man? Did- did he leave without me?” Even saying this outloud is not grabbing anyone’s attention, or they seem to not care to help this worried man.
What am I even thinking, he would never do that.
Link kept pushing, trying to weave between crowds and dodging any hands with requests to dance. He sees a bar with luckily not many people packed in the seats, as more people are in the mood to move than be at this isolated bar.
Swiftly he approaches the bar, the bartender noticing Link and his face of concern, “What’d you need, Sir?”
“Hey, man, sorry to bother but have you seen this guy?” Quickly turning on his phone, the screen reveals a background photo of Link and his best friend. “He’s tall, he has that long hair and he’s wearing a black suit.”
“Hm, yeah I think I gave a fella that looks like him a drink, he didn’t even finish it, he just left to find a buddy.”
Heart-pitter-patterning from hearing this, “Y-Yeah we came together to this event so he is probably talking about me.”
“Oh, that’s cute, him still calling his husband ‘buddy’-”
“Woah hey! He’s not my husband, he’s-”
“Oh you ain’t the marrying type?”
“No! Well yes, but- okay, anyways, I need to go find him, thank you.”
Link rushes out of the pop-up bar and continues his search, the thought hits him that he should’ve asked the bartender which direction Rhett went. With a foot twist he runs right back to the bar, promptly the bartender yells out, “Your boyfriend went that way!” With his hand holding a cocktail shaker pointing to the further side of the party.
“He’s not my- Ah- Okay thank you!” Link yelps out before twisting himself back to running out to the direction. A lot less busy with people compared to the area he was just at. Mainly it’s just a dark lighting with a couple of individuals having a smoke or their lone time, with hints of couples doing what couples do best through this hidden area.
“Rhett! Hello? Where are you?” Link calls out, at this point he doesn’t care if people grunts in annoyance or peppered with curses from interrupted couples.
As Link keeps walking, he notices a familiar looking black jacket peaking out at the edge of a corner on the floor, which belongs to a man he knows all too well.
“Rhett…? Are you here, bud?”
“Link.” Rhett’s voice sounds weak. Link without a moment of hesitation rushes over to his friend, who is sitting down on the floor, his white collar bunched up in his fists.
“Rhett! What happened, did something-”
“No, no, just got too much to handle with only seeing gray. But here I can tell between the floor and my shirt, hell, I can barely tell your outfit if it’s gray or-”
He cuts off his own words due to being struck in awe.
“Purple. You’re wearing- I don’t, how- how is this even possible?”
“Wait, you can see my outfit’s color? Oh my gosh-”
“Yes, fuck. I really can see it. It’s just like in my dream.”
“Your flower one?”
“Yes, it was beautiful…” Rhett trails on, he shakes his head to bring himself back to reality, “I. Just… How?”
“Beats me, but, you can see purple now. Ain’t that some improvement?” Link with his best effort to help Rhett feel better.
“Well, of course, it’s my-”
“Favorite.” Link smiles. As he holds his hand out for Rhett to reach and grab, using leverage to help Rhett get up from sitting on the cold floor.
“You, you look really good in it.”
“Thank you, I tried, for you.”
“I sure am lucky, huh?”
“You’re smooth with that one, huh? Mr. McLaughlin?”
“Actually Neal sounds more fitting.”
If only Rhett could see how red Link’s cheeks are getting, though, he could see how his words are making Link get flustered, clear as day. The party music coincidentally changes to a slow-dance one.
“Shall we?” Link holds his hand with Rhett’s, their fingers naturally interlocking like it’s instinct at this point. With a curl of a smile Link could see beneath Rhett’s beard.
“Do you know what flower it was in the first place?”
“Mm, it has tiny petals? Like a bunch of thin petals all over it.”
“Ha, a lot of help there Sir. Hmm I wanna guess you might have seen a Chrysanthemum.”
“I have no idea, but it was pretty. Reminds me of you.”
“Tiny? What do you think of me, Sir?” Link couldn’t hold his laughter and so can’t Rhett. They start to slowly waltz, a little rusty but still full of charm.
“Hey.” Rhett says with full of sincerity and heart.
“Hey.” Link reciprocates back.
“You’re the Purple of my Eye.” Rhett whispers softly into Link’s ear while he continues to dance with him. A slight chuckle exhumes out of Link, it’s immediately calming to Rhett whenever he makes Link laugh. “Gosh, you’re such a dork, man.” He looks down with a smile still sculpted on his face, “Does the purple really keep ya’ going?”
“More than you know." Rhett’s hand cupping half of Link’s face, softly stroking his stubble. Link leaning into Rhett’s hands, exhaling slowly. Rhett tilts his head and leans down to softly press his lips against Link’s. Ever so gentle and kind. Link will need to go clothes shopping for more purple.