FIC: Burnout
Title: Burnout
Pairing: Neil/David
Author: blackmustache
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This is RPF. I am in no way implying that the following ever took place. It is a work of fiction.
Summary: Neil and David have a very rare week off.
Author’s Note: I don't know where this came from, but I had an idea when I was in bed one night, got up to write it down, and then ran with it.
David blinked as the sun streamed through the blinds. A glance at the alarm clock told him it was just gone eight in the morning, and he smiled as he rolled closer to Neil. For the first time since their Christmas break, neither of them had anywhere to be. How I Met Your Mother was on a hiatus week, and David had purposefully not made any plans of his own, work related or otherwise. For the whole week, they could do whatever they wanted.
He loved their life, and he especially loved their friends, but he was beyond glad that this particular week, not a single one of them was having a party. Apart from anything else, Neil needed the break. He was too accommodating to ever say no to anybody, especially friends, but he was burning out, and David could tell.
So he had absolutely no intention of being the one to wake Neil up today. Snuggling closer and closing his eyes again, he imagined they would get up around lunchtime, feeling refreshed, maybe walk the dogs, and then probably not leave the house for the rest of the day. He hoped, anyway.
He'd just started to doze off again when a familiar buzzing broke through his consciousness. Opening one eye, he could see Neil's iPhone had lit up and was trying to vibrate itself off the bedside table. Neil wasn't stirring, so David attempted to lean across him and make it stop before Neil noticed.
It didn't work. David was balanced precariously, holding himself up on one arm so that he didn't touch Neil's body, when Neil's arm shot out from under the covers and clamped down on the phone. Sighing, David rolled back over as Neil cleared his throat and sleepily answered the call.
It didn't take more than three words of Neil's side of the conversation for David to figure out it was somebody from his manager's office calling. At - he looked at the clock again - 8.43am on the first day of their week off. Figures. He closed his eyes again and let the conversation wash over him, wincing a little with every "yes, sir" or "of course, I'll be there" that came from Neil's mouth.
After a few minutes, he climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen. Even if this ended up being a short call, David knew their lie in was done. He may as well make the best of it and cook something for when Neil got off the phone, instead of lying there wishing he could grab the phone and hang up, and then throw it out of the window just to be sure that nobody else would bother them.
By the time Neil shuffled into the kitchen, David was almost done cooking. Neil hovered in the doorway, wanting to try to judge David's mood before tackling the subject of the call.
“Morning,” he tried, tentatively. He could smell bacon and he could see pancakes, so he couldn't be in too much trouble.
“Morning,” David replied. He wasn't giving anything away. As he brought the food to the table he avoided Neil's gaze, and took a seat. Finally he looked up, holding out a knife and fork as some kind of chef version of an olive branch. “I thought we were turning our phones off.”
“We were!” Neil exclaimed, taking the cutlery and taking the seat next to David. “I mean, we are. I just forgot. It's off now.” He held it up to demonstrate. “See?”
David nodded, biting his lip. Neil had seen this often enough to know this meant that whatever David said next, it wasn't what he was really thinking. He was just trying to avoid an argument. “Eat up before it gets cold.”
Neil loaded up his fork and then paused, glancing at David. This was not the start either of them had planned to their week of relaxation. “They want me - us - to fly to London for that Cube thing. At the start of next month. They know it's short notice but the studios don't have a lot of availability for filming and they're shooting a Saudi version too. They want to do them both as close together as they can.” He paused again - he didn't think David would turn down a trip to London, but the next bit was the big hurdle. “We'd have to cancel Sketchfest. They want us to fly on the 29th.” David still wasn't speaking - he just carried on eating his breakfast, taking in Neil's words without showing any emotion one way or the other. “I mean, you don't have to come with me. I just thought you'd want to. But if you want to carry on and go to San Francisco, I'd understand. I don't like that we'd be letting Janet down.”
David put down his fork and tried to choose his words carefully. He knew that hosting a gameshow was a dream of Neil's, which was why he'd tentatively agreed to the job when CBS had first brought it to the table. There was no contract yet, nothing set in stone, but David knew he wouldn't turn an opportunity like this down. Neil saw everything as a step to something bigger, like turning down a guest hosting spot on Regis & Kelly would cut his chances of a talk show of his own some day, or like saying no to The Cube would mean he'd be less likely to be considered for some other game show that he genuinely wanted to do.
“Of course I'll come with you. You know that. I just don't want you to take on too much. Do you even remember the last time you were still in bed at 8.30 in the morning, let alone fast asleep? Even when you've had a day off, you've been getting up early to go to the gym, or walk the dogs before work, or check your emails in case there was anything urgent. I don't know if you thought I hadn't noticed that it's still been dark out every day when you've woken me up to say goodbye, but I had.”
“I'm fine,” Neil insisted. “Everything is under control! And London would be practically a vacation. I'd only be working for one day out of a week.”
David laughed, drizzling some maple syrup on the remainder of his breakfast. “You know that's not how it would go. They're flying you there, they'd own you. There'd be appearances, or interviews, or photoshoots, or something.”
“No, no. You're right - I have been feeling tired lately.” He paused, ignoring the fact that his own breakfast was barely touched and now practically stone cold. “What if I got that put into the contract? No other professional engagements while we're there.” He noticed a disbelieving look on David's face. “I'm serious. I'm there for The Cube, so that's all I'll do. If that means they'll get somebody else to take the gig...” He took a deep breath. “Then so be it.”
David smiled, and his shoulders relaxed. He didn't know if it would work out to be that simple, but Neil had admitted he was working too hard and that was half the battle right there. They could get back to that later, when they had more details. “Your breakfast is cold.”
Neil grinned back, and shrugged. “It's not important.” He reached out and took the fork from David's hand and dropped it back onto the plate. Taking his better half's hand, he led the way back into the bedroom and closed the door. Pulling him close for a kiss, Neil let his arms rest on David's shoulders and smiled happily, nodding his head towards the bed. “Now what do you say we start this morning over again, the way it should have been all along?”
David beamed and ran his fingers down Neil's chest. “Fred and Watson need to go outside.”
Neil laughed and reached for the door handle. “Well, if you're sure...”
David caught Neil's hand with a laugh, kissing his fingers. “No. This more important.”
Pairing: Neil/David
Author: blackmustache
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This is RPF. I am in no way implying that the following ever took place. It is a work of fiction.
Summary: Neil and David have a very rare week off.
Author’s Note: I don't know where this came from, but I had an idea when I was in bed one night, got up to write it down, and then ran with it.
David blinked as the sun streamed through the blinds. A glance at the alarm clock told him it was just gone eight in the morning, and he smiled as he rolled closer to Neil. For the first time since their Christmas break, neither of them had anywhere to be. How I Met Your Mother was on a hiatus week, and David had purposefully not made any plans of his own, work related or otherwise. For the whole week, they could do whatever they wanted.
He loved their life, and he especially loved their friends, but he was beyond glad that this particular week, not a single one of them was having a party. Apart from anything else, Neil needed the break. He was too accommodating to ever say no to anybody, especially friends, but he was burning out, and David could tell.
So he had absolutely no intention of being the one to wake Neil up today. Snuggling closer and closing his eyes again, he imagined they would get up around lunchtime, feeling refreshed, maybe walk the dogs, and then probably not leave the house for the rest of the day. He hoped, anyway.
He'd just started to doze off again when a familiar buzzing broke through his consciousness. Opening one eye, he could see Neil's iPhone had lit up and was trying to vibrate itself off the bedside table. Neil wasn't stirring, so David attempted to lean across him and make it stop before Neil noticed.
It didn't work. David was balanced precariously, holding himself up on one arm so that he didn't touch Neil's body, when Neil's arm shot out from under the covers and clamped down on the phone. Sighing, David rolled back over as Neil cleared his throat and sleepily answered the call.
It didn't take more than three words of Neil's side of the conversation for David to figure out it was somebody from his manager's office calling. At - he looked at the clock again - 8.43am on the first day of their week off. Figures. He closed his eyes again and let the conversation wash over him, wincing a little with every "yes, sir" or "of course, I'll be there" that came from Neil's mouth.
After a few minutes, he climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen. Even if this ended up being a short call, David knew their lie in was done. He may as well make the best of it and cook something for when Neil got off the phone, instead of lying there wishing he could grab the phone and hang up, and then throw it out of the window just to be sure that nobody else would bother them.
By the time Neil shuffled into the kitchen, David was almost done cooking. Neil hovered in the doorway, wanting to try to judge David's mood before tackling the subject of the call.
“Morning,” he tried, tentatively. He could smell bacon and he could see pancakes, so he couldn't be in too much trouble.
“Morning,” David replied. He wasn't giving anything away. As he brought the food to the table he avoided Neil's gaze, and took a seat. Finally he looked up, holding out a knife and fork as some kind of chef version of an olive branch. “I thought we were turning our phones off.”
“We were!” Neil exclaimed, taking the cutlery and taking the seat next to David. “I mean, we are. I just forgot. It's off now.” He held it up to demonstrate. “See?”
David nodded, biting his lip. Neil had seen this often enough to know this meant that whatever David said next, it wasn't what he was really thinking. He was just trying to avoid an argument. “Eat up before it gets cold.”
Neil loaded up his fork and then paused, glancing at David. This was not the start either of them had planned to their week of relaxation. “They want me - us - to fly to London for that Cube thing. At the start of next month. They know it's short notice but the studios don't have a lot of availability for filming and they're shooting a Saudi version too. They want to do them both as close together as they can.” He paused again - he didn't think David would turn down a trip to London, but the next bit was the big hurdle. “We'd have to cancel Sketchfest. They want us to fly on the 29th.” David still wasn't speaking - he just carried on eating his breakfast, taking in Neil's words without showing any emotion one way or the other. “I mean, you don't have to come with me. I just thought you'd want to. But if you want to carry on and go to San Francisco, I'd understand. I don't like that we'd be letting Janet down.”
David put down his fork and tried to choose his words carefully. He knew that hosting a gameshow was a dream of Neil's, which was why he'd tentatively agreed to the job when CBS had first brought it to the table. There was no contract yet, nothing set in stone, but David knew he wouldn't turn an opportunity like this down. Neil saw everything as a step to something bigger, like turning down a guest hosting spot on Regis & Kelly would cut his chances of a talk show of his own some day, or like saying no to The Cube would mean he'd be less likely to be considered for some other game show that he genuinely wanted to do.
“Of course I'll come with you. You know that. I just don't want you to take on too much. Do you even remember the last time you were still in bed at 8.30 in the morning, let alone fast asleep? Even when you've had a day off, you've been getting up early to go to the gym, or walk the dogs before work, or check your emails in case there was anything urgent. I don't know if you thought I hadn't noticed that it's still been dark out every day when you've woken me up to say goodbye, but I had.”
“I'm fine,” Neil insisted. “Everything is under control! And London would be practically a vacation. I'd only be working for one day out of a week.”
David laughed, drizzling some maple syrup on the remainder of his breakfast. “You know that's not how it would go. They're flying you there, they'd own you. There'd be appearances, or interviews, or photoshoots, or something.”
“No, no. You're right - I have been feeling tired lately.” He paused, ignoring the fact that his own breakfast was barely touched and now practically stone cold. “What if I got that put into the contract? No other professional engagements while we're there.” He noticed a disbelieving look on David's face. “I'm serious. I'm there for The Cube, so that's all I'll do. If that means they'll get somebody else to take the gig...” He took a deep breath. “Then so be it.”
David smiled, and his shoulders relaxed. He didn't know if it would work out to be that simple, but Neil had admitted he was working too hard and that was half the battle right there. They could get back to that later, when they had more details. “Your breakfast is cold.”
Neil grinned back, and shrugged. “It's not important.” He reached out and took the fork from David's hand and dropped it back onto the plate. Taking his better half's hand, he led the way back into the bedroom and closed the door. Pulling him close for a kiss, Neil let his arms rest on David's shoulders and smiled happily, nodding his head towards the bed. “Now what do you say we start this morning over again, the way it should have been all along?”
David beamed and ran his fingers down Neil's chest. “Fred and Watson need to go outside.”
Neil laughed and reached for the door handle. “Well, if you're sure...”
David caught Neil's hand with a laugh, kissing his fingers. “No. This more important.”