Relentless-BoyxBoy ✔

Chapter 5: Memory Lane

Thank you for reading and enjoy the chapter (:

Ace's Pov:
After a few months in rehab following multiple leg surgeries, I was medically discharged from the army. To say I was shocked would be understatement but there wasn't really anything I could do.

I knew why, regardless of what they had claimed, but I didn't fight it. It wasn't worth it to me anymore. The army wasn't anything I thought it was going to be, I was disappointed in the way people were treated. I was there for five years with the sole purpose of helping my country, I never got that feeling. All I felt was failure. A dull empty feeling.

All I did was think as I flew back to Seattle. The only person I had told of my return was my best friend Phoenix, I couldn't trust anyone else not to judge me. I didn't even want to consider the shame and disappointment that would come across my mother's face.

I fell asleep on the plane due the overwhelming amount of pain killers. Suddenly, I was being shaken by the flight attendant informing me to return my seat to it's position. I waited to get off the plane last, I had a little limp every now and again and I didn't need to hold anyone up. That caused more unnecessary embarrassment than I was prepared for. Almost like that feeling you get when you're trying to pay with cash at a register, shoot me now.

I went through baggage claim and looked around for Phoenix. He wasn't exactly someone who blends in with the crowd. I glanced around until I caught sight of a man with tattoos all over him. His hands even had distinctive markings on them. I smiled wide, it actually felt really good to be home.

"Phoenix! You inked motherfucker!" I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He was my brother and I couldn't even begin to describe the feeling of knowing he was okay and looked stronger than ever.

Phoenix had been through more in his twenty three years than most people do in their lives. He deserved more than happiness, he deserved the whole world.

~

We had dinner, it was actually the first dose of normalcy I had gotten in a long time. Of course I had to explain to him as to why I was home and wasn't going back. On the bright side of our first time together in years, he had a girlfriend. Phoenix had flings and even those were rare, never in a million years did I expect him to have a serious girlfriend. I honestly couldn't be happier, the man deserved a good woman he could trust.

But I wanted to meet her and decide for myself.

She was eighteen and wild, just getting out of high school and jumping into something so serious. For me that raised red flags, I trusted Phoenix's judgment but I still needed to be sure she didn't have malicious motives.

The next day we went out to eat so I could meet her. He wasn't kidding when he said she was beautiful, she had bright red hair and a body to kill for. After the initial warning I gave her not to hurt Phoenix, I knew she was being truthful, I knew she wouldn't hurt him. She seemed too sweet, too innocent.

Just observing the two together gave me a pretty good idea of how much they already loved each other. It actually made me a little sad, I likely would never be able to show such affection in public let alone find someone I could truly be myself with.

I fell in love once, I couldn't imagine ever falling like that again. The thought of love peaked my interest, I wanted to know what it would be like after so long. It was just so hard to trust another person, let alone myself in a relationship.

"It was so nice to meet you. I know you'll take good care of our boy, here." I gave Scarlett a hug.

"It was nice to meet you too, we should do this again soon."