Difference of Opinion 8.7
Title: Difference of Opinion
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Pacific Coast Highway 8.7
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 42 Trapped
Word Count: 1122
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Alan wants to visit the House set. Robert thinks that would be a bad idea.
Authors’ Notes:
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Attempted Deflection
“What are your plans tomorrow?” Robert asked, slipping his hand into Alan’s as they sat on the couch, home from a day spent shopping and seeing some of the sights.
“I thought I would go to the set with you.” Alan felt Robert’s hand go ridged. He had expected this reaction and tried to stay calm. “It has been two weeks. Everyone is in a routine. What is the big deal?”
“No one knows, and I just…it makes…” Robert stammered and stuttered. “Are you sure? It’s going to be boring. You know what sets are like.”
Alan shifted so he was facing Robert. “I know what it is like, and it is not as if I will be bending you over the director’s chair and buggering you for all the cast and crew to see. I would just like to spend the time with you, very platonically. You need to get over this.”
Robert pulled his hand free and was stymied. He had no idea how to express what if felt like when Alan was in the room and how much he wanted to stand right next to him, bodies touching, and how much he worried about people noticing and changing their opinions of him, eventually effecting jobs he could get. “I just don’t think it is a good idea.”
Alan closed his eyes and took a slow breath, banishing a whole slew of creative British curse words and insults, knowing that was not the way to approach Robert on his issue. He was just overreacting, scared and worried. “Robert, what is wrong about bringing a friend to the set? It happens, right?”
Robert was now flushed, his skin getting splotchy and Alan would have bet that his hands they would be sweaty if he touched them. But he knew touching wouldn’t be the best thing until he could find how to navigate these waters.
“But you are…well…how would I explain…people would guess.” Words poured out, unorganized and not making sense.
Alan really wanted to just lay things on the line, take a gamble. It had been a year, and he could at least meet Robert’s friends. Even if they were not honest about the nature of the friendship, there was no need to stay locked up in the house, even if they were still hanging out in a closet.
“Robert, slow down. You just tell them I’m a friend, and leave it at that, you know that there is no need to explain or justify. They respect you as an actor and a person. If they ask too many questions, tell them to fucking sod off. I may have scars,” he unconsciously touched his shirt front, tracing the raised skin through the fabric, “but at least mine are visible. I am tired of dancing around your sensitive issues, fearful that I am going to send you running. You have nothing to get so fucking uptight about!” Alan instantly regretted his outburst, but there was no way to unsay the words.
Robert looked shocked and felt like all he wanted to do was get out and go someplace different. He could understand where Alan was coming from, but not why he was pushing this issue. “I just don’t understand why you want to go. It is a set; you’ve been to dozens. It will be boring, uneventful, and I won’t be able to relax, which is hard enough as it is. I don’t need to be checking myself when I am near you.”
Alan dug his fingers into the arm of the couch and tried hard to be understanding and listen. But Robert was irrational, and they were both getting frustrated. He was worrying about things not worth stressing out about. “Honestly, Robert, you are making this a big deal, when in the reality of the bigger picture, it’s nothing. It is not like we are going to snog in front of the cast. We’re just two friends. It would be fun to see how an American series is taped.” Alan scooted closer and tried to put on his most endearing face. He looked up and cracked a small smile. “Just for a little while? If it gets uncomfortable, I will leave. I promise.”
Robert dropped his head back against the couch. This was a losing battle. Alan was right, it was his own discomfort that he was amplifying with his fear. It was what his life ran off of, the fear he was never good enough, that he was doing something wrong, that he would never live up to the perfection that he pushed himself towards. He looked up at Alan and slowly reached out his hand, brushing his fingers to Alan’s cheek.
Alan closed his eyes at the contact and leaned until Robert’s whole palm was resting on the side of his face. He slowly opened his eyes again and looked at Robert, waiting for the verdict.
Robert looked at Alan for a few beats. This person here, who accepted him and pushed him and demanded no more of him than he was able to give, wanted to be in his life, be a part of his life. Robert then realized that he was starting to do what he always ended up doing; pushing someone to the outer edge, letting them be part of his life but never in it. That was unfair to both of them. Robert leaned forward and pressed his lips to Alan’s temple, needing his strength, not realizing his own. “Fine, you win. Just behave.”
Alan laughed gently and pulled back, looking Robert solemnly in the eye. As seriously as he was able-not very-he said, “I will be the perfect platonic friend, and I promise not to snog you on Wilson’s desk, although I suspect you would like that.”
Robert playfully gave Alan a shove and laughed, realizing that snogging on Wilson’s desk sounded appealing, but he would never have the nerve to do it. Not even at 2 am, on a Saturday, when the set was empty.
Alan leaned back in and kissed Robert’s neck, moving up to nibble on his earlobe before whispering, “You have an early call tomorrow. I think we should turn in. Get some sleep.”
Robert shivered, and ran his hands down Alan’s back, finding a way under his shirt, dragging his nails softly across his lower back. Sitting back he looked at Alan, a glint evident in the corners of his eyes and stifling a convincing yawn. “You’re right, an early night for us then. I have two whole scenes tomorrow.” Robert held out his hand and Alan slipped his fingers into it and together they stood, Alan following behind down the short hall and into the bedroom.
08.08 Seeing Things
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Pacific Coast Highway 8.7
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 42 Trapped
Word Count: 1122
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Alan wants to visit the House set. Robert thinks that would be a bad idea.
Authors’ Notes:
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Attempted Deflection
“What are your plans tomorrow?” Robert asked, slipping his hand into Alan’s as they sat on the couch, home from a day spent shopping and seeing some of the sights.
“I thought I would go to the set with you.” Alan felt Robert’s hand go ridged. He had expected this reaction and tried to stay calm. “It has been two weeks. Everyone is in a routine. What is the big deal?”
“No one knows, and I just…it makes…” Robert stammered and stuttered. “Are you sure? It’s going to be boring. You know what sets are like.”
Alan shifted so he was facing Robert. “I know what it is like, and it is not as if I will be bending you over the director’s chair and buggering you for all the cast and crew to see. I would just like to spend the time with you, very platonically. You need to get over this.”
Robert pulled his hand free and was stymied. He had no idea how to express what if felt like when Alan was in the room and how much he wanted to stand right next to him, bodies touching, and how much he worried about people noticing and changing their opinions of him, eventually effecting jobs he could get. “I just don’t think it is a good idea.”
Alan closed his eyes and took a slow breath, banishing a whole slew of creative British curse words and insults, knowing that was not the way to approach Robert on his issue. He was just overreacting, scared and worried. “Robert, what is wrong about bringing a friend to the set? It happens, right?”
Robert was now flushed, his skin getting splotchy and Alan would have bet that his hands they would be sweaty if he touched them. But he knew touching wouldn’t be the best thing until he could find how to navigate these waters.
“But you are…well…how would I explain…people would guess.” Words poured out, unorganized and not making sense.
Alan really wanted to just lay things on the line, take a gamble. It had been a year, and he could at least meet Robert’s friends. Even if they were not honest about the nature of the friendship, there was no need to stay locked up in the house, even if they were still hanging out in a closet.
“Robert, slow down. You just tell them I’m a friend, and leave it at that, you know that there is no need to explain or justify. They respect you as an actor and a person. If they ask too many questions, tell them to fucking sod off. I may have scars,” he unconsciously touched his shirt front, tracing the raised skin through the fabric, “but at least mine are visible. I am tired of dancing around your sensitive issues, fearful that I am going to send you running. You have nothing to get so fucking uptight about!” Alan instantly regretted his outburst, but there was no way to unsay the words.
Robert looked shocked and felt like all he wanted to do was get out and go someplace different. He could understand where Alan was coming from, but not why he was pushing this issue. “I just don’t understand why you want to go. It is a set; you’ve been to dozens. It will be boring, uneventful, and I won’t be able to relax, which is hard enough as it is. I don’t need to be checking myself when I am near you.”
Alan dug his fingers into the arm of the couch and tried hard to be understanding and listen. But Robert was irrational, and they were both getting frustrated. He was worrying about things not worth stressing out about. “Honestly, Robert, you are making this a big deal, when in the reality of the bigger picture, it’s nothing. It is not like we are going to snog in front of the cast. We’re just two friends. It would be fun to see how an American series is taped.” Alan scooted closer and tried to put on his most endearing face. He looked up and cracked a small smile. “Just for a little while? If it gets uncomfortable, I will leave. I promise.”
Robert dropped his head back against the couch. This was a losing battle. Alan was right, it was his own discomfort that he was amplifying with his fear. It was what his life ran off of, the fear he was never good enough, that he was doing something wrong, that he would never live up to the perfection that he pushed himself towards. He looked up at Alan and slowly reached out his hand, brushing his fingers to Alan’s cheek.
Alan closed his eyes at the contact and leaned until Robert’s whole palm was resting on the side of his face. He slowly opened his eyes again and looked at Robert, waiting for the verdict.
Robert looked at Alan for a few beats. This person here, who accepted him and pushed him and demanded no more of him than he was able to give, wanted to be in his life, be a part of his life. Robert then realized that he was starting to do what he always ended up doing; pushing someone to the outer edge, letting them be part of his life but never in it. That was unfair to both of them. Robert leaned forward and pressed his lips to Alan’s temple, needing his strength, not realizing his own. “Fine, you win. Just behave.”
Alan laughed gently and pulled back, looking Robert solemnly in the eye. As seriously as he was able-not very-he said, “I will be the perfect platonic friend, and I promise not to snog you on Wilson’s desk, although I suspect you would like that.”
Robert playfully gave Alan a shove and laughed, realizing that snogging on Wilson’s desk sounded appealing, but he would never have the nerve to do it. Not even at 2 am, on a Saturday, when the set was empty.
Alan leaned back in and kissed Robert’s neck, moving up to nibble on his earlobe before whispering, “You have an early call tomorrow. I think we should turn in. Get some sleep.”
Robert shivered, and ran his hands down Alan’s back, finding a way under his shirt, dragging his nails softly across his lower back. Sitting back he looked at Alan, a glint evident in the corners of his eyes and stifling a convincing yawn. “You’re right, an early night for us then. I have two whole scenes tomorrow.” Robert held out his hand and Alan slipped his fingers into it and together they stood, Alan following behind down the short hall and into the bedroom.
08.08 Seeing Things