How Not To

“Why the hell would you do that, crocodile?” Wiley groaned lowly, his hand coming down to thump Denahi lightly in the back of his head.
The other night Breccan had invited Denahi over for dinner. It was the first time they were hanging out since Breccan had left him for Roci and Denahi did not want to go alone. So he forced Wiley to come with him. Wiley hadn’t expected to enjoy himself but Breccan’s father… was something else. The man was gorgeous and the first time he’d smiled Wiley had had to look away so he didn’t damn trip over himself. He’d spent the rest of his night trying to avoid the man’s smile.
And now Denahi had just informed him that he and Breccan had decided to set them up. They’d both seen the way the two men looked at each other. It was perfect. Breccan just wanted his father to be happy and Denahi wanted the same for Kwanita. Both of them had been given a rough hand in life. It was about time something good happened for them.
Plus, it seemed too perfect that Rigby just happened to need a new physical therapist while Wiley was searching for some job experience.
"I'm gonna act like an idiot." Wiley whined at the Native, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest.

"Kwanita is getting worked up for nothing. This is a good thing." Denahi wrapped a comforting arm around the boys shoulders, feeling it his duty to do everything in his power to see Wiley find happiness. Losing Kenai had been his fault after all. If not for Denahi's foolishness, the boy would still have his soulmate. He and Kenai would probably be starting a family by now, in a house built under that damned willow tree he loved so much. Their little bird had always wanted a big family. He used to say he'd be even better than Sitka when he had kids of his own. Now there will be no little natives running around. He wont be an uncle to his little birds children. Instead he's here, trying to hook Wiley up with another man while Kenai is buried under that fucking tree. Denahi knows it's impossible to make up for that. The least he can do is look out for Wiley now. Kenai had loved that boy more than anything.
"Father sunshine is good. He likes Kwanita, and he would never hurt Kwanita. Crocodile thinks Kwanita should give this a chance."

"I know, it's just..." Wiley sighed as he fidgeted with his fingers, picking at the nails, a nervous habit he had picked up since Kenai's death. Before, he had never had anything to be nervous about. Kenai had always fixed it. "I'm not exactly looking for a date." This was true. But even he stopped to think, maybe he needed one. He was miserable when all by himself. The brief "relationship" with Denahi had helped for the time being but after he had decided to end things, it'd only made them even worse, the loneliness even more suffocating.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have someone in his life, even if it ended up being just a client, or if he was lucky, a friend. It would at least give him something to look forward to, the next appointment. Maybe Denahi was right.

Meanwhile, Breccan was going through the same thing Denahi was with his father.
"Dad, listen. You needed a new physical therapist, right?" He prodded, grinning at the man as he hoped he wouldn't really be upset with him. "And now, even if he's a bitch, at least you've got something cute to look at for a couple of hours, right? I know you thought he was cute, you're too obvious." He was chuckling at the man now, teasing in the hopes to soften the man on the idea.

"Crocodile knows that Kwanita is not looking for a date. So crocodile is looking for him." Denahi knew that this would be good for the boy. Wiley needed more support in his life. Even if Rigby didn't work out as a lover, the man would still be a good friend. Denahi wanted him to have friends like that, people he can count on.
"Listen Kwanita, you must give this a chance. This could be happiness. Surely Kwanita wants to give it a try." The native gently ruffled Wiley's golden curls. "Little bird would want Kwanita to give it a try."

"Sunshine, please. " Rigby was obviously exasperated by this point, carefully rubbing the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. He didn't want to tell the boy no. Breccan was obviously worried about him. But he also didn't want to agree. The man never spoke to his son about how he was doing physically. It was embarrassment that kept him silent. How was he to tell Breccan that the reason for his not wanting Wiley as physical therapist was pride? He was a man, dammit. He'd been strong and able-bodied once. It had been easy to get a date.
But then he'd met Bane. He'd fallen in love-
And he'd paid the consequences.
Now? Now no one would take a second look at him. Unless they were staring at his scars. People loved to stare.
Wiley was gorgeous. He was beautiful and kind and he'd pity Rigby. The southerner didn't want to disappoint his son, but he didn't think he could bare having this beautiful boy view him as a cripple.
"Ah know that ya mean well. But this...well this jus' ain't gonna cut it. Ah don't need another therapist. Therapy isn't helpin' anyhow." Rigby offered the boy an apologetic smile, hoping Breccan would understand and let go.

"You think so?" Wiley questioned, glancing up at the Native with hope in his eyes, his voice softer now. It was clear that this had been the right thing to say. Little bird would want him to give it a try? Then it was alright. As long as his Kenai would not be hurting because of him trying to find someone new. He knew he had to move on eventually but it was just so hard. Especially because he was still not fully convinced he would ever find someone who gave him sparks when they touched like Kenai had. Denahi had done it but Wiley was fairly sure that's because he was pretending it was his little bird most of the time. "...Maybe I could give it a shot." He nodded slowly.

But of course, Breccan did not let it go. He got his stubborn nature from both his mother and his father. There was no way in hell he was letting this go. He never saw his father look at men anymore like he had looked at Wiley the other night. It meant something, Breccan was certain, and he was not letting it go.
"I love you, daddy. But I'm not gonna let it go this time. You keep pushing away these therapists and I know why, I get it. I really do. But this... this is like fate, dad! Can't you see it? What are the chances an adorable Southern physical therapist looking for a job ends up at our dinner table with little hearts in his eyes every time you talk? It means something, I know it does. And don't give me that shit about it not helping, I've watched it help." It was true. Breccan had watched his father improve over the years. There was still a lot of work to go, but Breccan was convinced they just needed the right therapist, someone who could get through to his father and was just as stubborn as him. According to Denahi, Wiley was perfect. "Just give it a chance, okay? One appointment and then you don't ever have to see him again if you don't want to. Please, daddy, for me?" He knew it was a low blow but his daddy could never turn him down when he pulled out the sad batting of his eyelashes.

"Crocodile knows so. There is nothing Little Bird wanted more than for his Kwanita to be happy. Kwanita seems sad, and so Crocodile is going to see that things get better." He had known that bringing Kenai into the conversation would be the selling point. They were still vulnerable to the very mention of his name.
"Also Crocodile believes that Little Bird would like Father Sunshine." Kenai liked everyone. He didn't have a mean or hateful bone in his body. And Rigby was kind and honorable. He was the kind of man Kenai would have looked up to.
The native moved to stand in front of Wiley, bowing until he was eye level with the boy.
"So, does this mean that Kwanita is going to give this a chance?"

Rigby hadn't expected his son would actually let him off the hook, but god, he had hoped. The boy wasn't all wrong. Physical therapy had helped him, but the progress wasn't happening fast enough. Rigby understands he should be grateful for every small victory he wins, but he still has the mindset of a man who believed he could take on the world.
So he was going to tell Beccan no. He really, really was.
But then the boy was batting his eyelashes and calling him daddy as though he were four years old again, knowing full well that Rigby could never turn him down. Breccan had the man wrapped around his finger, it had been that way since his very first breath.
"Alright, okay. Ah'll give it a chance. But ah'm telling ya son, if this doesn't go well it wont be happenin' again." Rigby wanted his son to be happy, but he didn't think he could bare any further embarrassment.

"Kwanita is going to give this a chance." Wiley repeated. "For little bird and for crocodile." He spoke gently, caressing the back of the man's hand. "Just one chance. How bad can it be?" He smiled softly at the thought. Really, what was the worst that could happen in just a few hours? He already could think of several reasons it might not be so bad, one of them being that he would get to see the Southern man's smile again.
Yes, he would do this for the crocodile. He would try to be happy again. Maybe he would even succeed.

"Thank you!" Breccan was beaming, squeezing his father tight as he pressed kisses to the man's cheeks. "I love you so much, daddy. You're not gonna regret this, I just know it. What if this is really good for you?" Breccan was always so hopeful when it came to new physical therapists but this time especially, it was different. He seemed to be able to sense that this boy would be the one to finally make the difference, the one to save Rigby from his self. How he knew this? He had no clue, he could simply feel it in his gut.

"Kwanita has made the right decision." Denahi was relieved. For a moment he'd been afraid that Wiley would turn him down. It would break his heart if the boy continued to be so miserable.
"Crocodile will call the strong jawed one and set up a day and time." He wasn't worried about Rigby turning them down. He'd already learned that the man could never deny Breccan.
"Wiley gave us a green light. Now all we need is a date." Denahi sent a text before glancing up to give his Kwanita a toothy grin. "Now, let Crocodile take you out for lunch, yes?"

Rigby pressed a kiss to Breccan's forehead, still completely adoring of his son even despite his inability to be hopeful about their arrangement. He wanted to be excited for his child, but years of struggling with his limitations had taught him not to get his hopes up. There was a time when he was younger that Rigby did everything with hope. He was a happy person, with the kindest heart. Years had stripped that away from him. This was his life now, and Rigby was trying to accept it.
"What if this is jus' another bad experience? Somethin' fer me to dread all week?" The man looked haggard and suddenly exhausted by the thought of it. "Ah used to be a man. Beautiful guys like Wileh make meh miss that even more."

"What are you talking about, dad? You're still a man. Hell, you're the toughest man I know." Breccan assured his father, moving to hug the man as he spoke. "And I know you've had a lot of bad experiences... He sighed, thinking of the hardships his father had gone through. He always wondered why. Why was it his father, possibly the sweetest person he'd ever known, who had to deal with all of this? "And this could end up being another to add to that list but... what if it doesn't end like that? I'm sorry dad, I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. I think it's worth it to take the risk if there's a chance you could end up being happier. Even if he doesn't end up being some great love of your life, who knows? Maybe he could be a good friend or just the physical therapist you need to get you back on track. There are so many ways this could go, some bad and some good. And you're the one who always taught me to take chances and not to be scared of new things." Breccan smiled almost shyly at his father before looking down at his text from Denahi, grinning and responding immediately.
"Thanks crocodile. Friday at noon." He didn't bother asking his father. He knew the man's schedule wasn't exactly full and he'd just keep doubting himself if he had to think about it more.
"You're in luck. Wiley says he can see you Friday at noon."

Rigby took a moment to count his blessings, Breccan being the most precious of them all. He counted the boy over and over, unspeakably grateful to have the boy in his life. Breccan was by far the best thing he'd ever accomplished in this life.
"You're mah sunshine, ya know that? You make all the dark things bright." Just hearing his son reassure him that he was the toughest man made everything better. A weight had lifted, leaving Rigby feeling as though he could conquer the world. He hadn't felt this in years. If not for Breccan, he may have never felt it again.
And then the boy was smiling, and the feeling only grew. Breccan was too busy reading whatever had popped across his screen to notice his father saying a soft prayer, thanking God for bringing the boy into his life.
It had evidently been a text about Wiley. Breccan gave him the time and instead of complaining, Rigby grinned back at him.
"Well that's good, I reckon. I'll see em' then." The man reached out to bring Breccan in for a tight hug, holding the boy close as he spoke.
"Thank ya for never givin' up on me."

"I could never give up on you, dad. Just like you never give up on me. We gotta stick together, us fine Rollerson men." Breccan chuckled softly, taking a moment to hug his father again, hiding his face in the man's chest. Really, he didn't know what he'd do without his father. But he was getting older. Eventually, he knew, he'd move out and start a family of his own with Rocinante. He couldn't let his father be stuck here all alone again. He refused to. As much as he loved being the center of the man's life, he knew Rigby needed more. He deserved that big happy family he'd always wanted.
Breccan was going to make it happen. Whether it was with this Wiley boy or not, it was going to happen someday. He would make sure of it.

Rigby pressed one last lingering kiss to the crown of his sons head, ruffling the boys hair and taking one more moment to thank God for bringing Breccan into his life before gently letting go. That part never got easier. No matter how old, Breccan would always be the bright eyed baby boy that made his life worth living. But he understood that his son was ready to go out on his own. All he needed now as to know Rigby would survive without him.
"Ah guess you can tell your friend that ah'll be lookin' forward to it." He was going to try his hardest, hoping that it would satisfy Breccan and allow the boy to have the peace of mind he needed.

Breccan beamed at his father's words, hugging the man tight to show his gratitude before darting off to text Denahi the good news.
Friday arrived sooner than Wiley thought it would, his stomach in knots as he got ready, preparing the bag of supplies he was going to bring over. He always preferred to come to his clients instead of them coming to him since he didn't have much space to work with in his tiny trailer. As nervous as he was, he was also determined not to act like some blushing little girl with a crush. He was here to help Rigby physically and he tended to be tough on his clients. Today would be no different, especially because Breccan had told Denahi how stubborn his father was when it came to his physical therapy. Wiley was going to get through to him, he was certain.

Early Friday morning Breccan found himself eating breakfast with his father, eager to help the man get ready and give him one last confidence boost before heading out for the day with Roci.
"So how ya feeling today, pops? Nervous or still looking forward to it?" He questioned hopefully.

Rigby was not looking forward to it. In fact, the man had spent his night counting down the hours with growing anxiety. "Ah don't get nervous anymore sunshine. Im about damn used to this process here." And he'd dread it every time. Rigby wore a bright smile for his son though, determined not to let the boy down or cause him to worry. He'd promised Breccan he'd try and he never broke a promise.
"Ah'm excited as ah can be ah reckon. Wileh is a nice kid. Ah'm sure it'll all turn out just fine." Now if only he could convince himself that was true.

At 11:58 Wiley was walking up the Rollersons front steps, taking a calming breath as he adjusted his shorts. He had been tempted to dress nicely to see the gorgeous man waiting on him inside but he decided against it. He always wore athletic clothing for his appointments and today would be no different. He was determined to treat Rigby like any other client, even if he made his stomach flip when he smiled. He was taking one last breath before opening the door when suddenly, it opened and Breccan almost barreled into him.
"Whoa! Sorry, Wiley, didn't see you there!" The younger boy laughed nervously, reaching out to grab the wolf's shoulders to make sure he didn't fall. "I was just getting out of here so you and my dad had the place to yourselves to work."
"No big deal." Wiley assured, waving it off as he regained his balance. "I'll see you in a few hours then?"
"Yep. Gotta be home right away to see how it goes. Dad's all picky about his therapists." He chuckled.
"Good to know." Wiley spoke sarcastically. "You're the worst at calming nervous people, know that?"
"Yeah well, what can I say? It's a talent." He paused before realizing something and smirking. "You're nervous too?" Well he hoped that would make Rigby feel slightly better. He wasn't the only one worried about this.
"Goodbye Breccan." Wiley nudged the boy on down off of the porch, waving him off with a laugh.
"I'll be back later!" Breccan called as he judged off, a bit nervous for his father as he watched Wiley knock on the door.

Rigby opened the door just as Wiley was about to knock, peering down in amusement as the boy's hand gently thumped against his chest.
"Well howdy and good morning to ya." He'd been standing just inside the home, listening as Breccan spoke to the boy before darting off. His son's good humor had somehow elevated his mood, soothed the bundle of nerves that had kept him from following Breccan out to greet his new therapist. Rigby had been dreading the moment he and Wiley would be left alone together, but now looking into the boys kind eyes he found he was strangely calm. For whatever reason, he didn't feel as though this boy would judge him.
"Ah see you've already met Breccan this mornin'. He's a breathin' ray of sunshine, init he?" Rigby smiled warmly as he spoke of his son, moving out of the way and motioning for Wiley to step inside.
"Well come on in. Ah'll give ya a tour of the house and after that you're free to go wherever ya need to. If you're gonna be mah therapist you're gonna need to be comfortable here." Rigby still had a limp in his walk, but it had improved from his former hobble. He almost looked his height now, shoulders straight and towering with every step. Rigby no longer thought himself attractive, but to anyone else the man was a catch. Despite his physical setbacks, the man never let up on his rigorous schedule. He still ran the farm and cared for his crops. Spent time working on his tractors and leading livestock through the separate pastures. He was a southern adonis, wearing different shades of flannel and denim. All of his hard work keeps him in prime condition, but it also leaves him aching and miserable afterwards. It is his hope that Wiley can help him with that.
"Ah'm gon' warn ya now though, ah wont be an easy man ta treat. Ah'm hardheaded, and ah like ta push mahself as far as ah can go. Ah aint got a lick of patient left for this. Ah want ta be better and ah get frustrated when ah feel like im in ah rut. If ah don't scare ya off then welcome to the Rollerson Ranch. But if ya decide ah'm too much for ya, go ahead an' tell me."

"I've never met someone who was too much for me, Mr. Rollerson. I think we'll get along just fine." Wiley smiled pleasantly at the man as he was led around the home. "Breccan warned me though about how stubborn you are and I think you'll find you've met your match with me." He smirked, closely examining the way Rigby walked as they moved through the home, trying to get a good idea of his major problem areas and how they were affecting his movement.

"Is that right?" Rigby stops abruptly, turning to rake his eyes over Wiley again, as though seeing the boy in a new light. The kid seemed to have courage. That was something new. Most therapists let him walk all over them. Or limp. Whichever. Wiley though, this boy seemed like he might actually pose a challenge.
So maybe Breccan was right. Wiley was obviously different than anyone he's ever worked with before. Rigby finds himself hoping and praying that this boy will be the final step towards getting him back on track.
"Imma hold ya to those words boy. I ain't lookin to be pampered. I'll do whatever it takes to get better." Rigby lead Wiley all through his home, pointing out Breccan's room upstairs and his own on the bottom floor. There was a time when his room had been right next door to his sons. After his initial injury though getting up and down the stairs had become too much for him. He'd even suffered a few nasty falls, but thank God his son hadn't been around to bare witness to them.
"Im gonna take you on a walk of the property here in a minute." Rigby wanted Wiley to be familiar with the place, cursed the fact that he needed a moment to rest before showing him around the rest of the ranch.

"Why don't we take a minute and talk, then you show me the rest of the ranch?" Wiley arched an eyebrow, taking a seat on the living room couch, hoping Rigby would sit beside him. He could tell the man needed a break and he didn't want to make him feel like he noticed how hard it was for him to simply walk around his home. He would not take it easy on Rigby while they were working but there was no reason not to give him a break for now. "Come on, talk to me. Tell me what your goals are." As he spoke he pulled out a pad of paper and a pen from his bag, ready to make notes. "First, we need to establish an end goal. Then we'll come up with smaller goals that you can reach along the way to show how much progress you're making. So what do you want out of this? Breccan says you used to fight like him. Do you want to get back in the ring again? You want to just be able to do your old routine on the ranch without feeling pain? This part is all up to you." Wiley had been nervous that he wouldn't be able to concentrate with Rigby's handsomeness clouding his thoughts. But it was easier than he'd thought. He was filled with the desire to help this man and he was not going to stop until he succeeded.

Rigby hesitated before moving to take a seat beside Wiley. He knew he needed the break, but he never felt comfortable taking them anymore. There was always some underlying frustration towards his body, he could never relax. This boy was offering him a way to get better, and Rigby is damn well going to take it. He's no stranger to hard work.
"Ah think ah'd like to fight again. Jus' to know ah could. And all the farm work, ah like bein' able ta do it by myself. Breccan has been helpin' me, but ah don' want em to have to." Rigby looked at Wiley then, his gaze determined and hopeful. "Ah want ta be better than ah ever was." He knew he'd probably never truly be satisfied, but that didn't stop him from trying. "Do ya think we could swing that?"

"I think we can swing anything you're willing to work for. And so far it seems like you are." Wiley nodded, friendly smile playing on his lips. "I won't lie to you. It's going to be hard and you're going to hurt worse than you've ever hurt before. It's not going to be quick either. It might take years to see any real progress. There will be days that you hate my guts for pushing you too far but I won't take it easy on you. Just trust that I know what I'm doing and I'll never really push your body past its limits. The point is that it's not going to be fun but we can get you to where you want to be. We've just got to trust each other." Wiley nodded, extending a hand to the other man. "We have a deal?"

Rigby was smiling at the boy now, his eyes seeming to sparkle as he did so. Wiley was proving himself to be different than all the other therapist he's gone through. Rigby hadn't wanted to hope. In most cases that only lead to disappointment. But this boy changed the game up on him. Now its impossible to squash the feeling. Wiley gives him hope. Its a dangerous thing, but Rigby finds that he likes it.
"You got yourself a deal boss. Ah ain't no stranger to pain. An' ah'm always ready to work." Rigby didn't need it to be fun or easy. All he needed was for it to be possible. "Lets go ahead an' look at the ranch so we can start."
Rigby takes a deep breath before rising, biting back a groan as his muscles flex and struggle beneath the weight. His face never changes though, pleasant smile still in place. The man was a pro at hiding his pain these days. He didn't like for Breccan to worry.
"C'mon. We can start with the horses and livestock. They need to be fed anyhow." Rigby offered Wiley his hand, genuinely excited to start the day. "One of mah mares had 'er first foal a couple days ago. Its a beauty. Ah think you'll enjoy it."

"I'd love to help you feed them." Wiley grinned as he took the hand Rigby offered him. "And to see the foal. I'm sure it's beautiful." He paused, letting them walk in silence for a moment before figuring it might be better for Rigby if he had conversation to distract him from the pain. "I grew up on a farm, you know. Not as big as this one but my daddy was one hell of a farmer." He smirked at the thought of his father, even though the man hadn't always been the best dad, he had still raised Wiley primarily by himself, with a little of Shiloh's help. For that, Wiley would always be grateful. "He passed away when I was pretty young though and me and my older brother ended up selling all the animals to make ends meet. Still though, if you ever need some help around here, I'm your guy." He spoke happily, the smile never leaving his face. It seemed like nothing could bring him down. It was how he had used to be. When he had his little bird constantly chirping by his side. For a long time after losing Kenai, it had been hard for him to smile at all. But now, ever since Denahi had came back into his life he was finding it easier again. He would never be as happy as he had once been, but he could damn sure try.

"Well no, ah didn't know that. Breccan never told me." Rigby didn't realize it but he was grinning down at the boy, genuinely excited to know that he had farm experience. He'd almost forgot with this felt like, to be so warm and interested in life. Wiley was giving it back to him in little pieces.
"But ah'm damn sure impressed now. It's been a long while since ah've had anyone to share my love of farmin' with. " At one time he'd enjoyed taking Bane up to the barn and kissing him senseless, riding the boy around on his tractor and showing him how to ride a horse. He'd loved Bane, and the boy had taken all the joy out of farming for him. And now here Wiley was, trying to give it back.
Rigby couldn't stop smiling.
"Tell me more about yourself. You seem to be jus' full of surprises."

"I hate to disappoint, but I'm not all that interesting." Wiley chuckled, running a hand through his mess of blonde curls as he glanced up at the taller man. "Right now I'm just a kid trying to get my master's degree. Before I had my bachelor's I worked odd jobs to pay the bills. Now I've got a steady income with this job so things are looking pretty good for me. I used to play a lot of sports too but I don't have a lot of time these days so I had to drop most of them. Still make time for track though. Between track, classes, and work, I don't have time for too much else. It's a pretty boring life." He admitted, a bit embarrassed as he realized how uninteresting he probably sounded to someone like Rigby. "How about you? Tell me all about Rigby Rollerson."