Drinking and Dining 12.04
Title: Drinking and Dining
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Press Run 12.04
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 37 Champagne
Word Count: 1612
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Lisa tries to get to the bottom of things while she helps Robert get to the bottom if a wine bottle.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Numb
Robert stood outside Lisa’s door, finger out and poised over the doorbell. What am I doing here? he asked himself. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, heavily considering just turning around and going back home, but the thought of the memories and snatches of conversations long past that were waiting for him kept him rooted to the spot.
Maybe if he just sat tight and let Lisa lead the conversation. He could pretend like everything was fine and dandy, that he wasn’t breaking and beating himself up for something that he wasn’t even sure he could define at this point He knew he had screwed up, big time. But for Alan to believe the tabloids over him?
He rang the doorbell and heard the click click of shoes as Lisa approached. He plastered on a smile just as she opened the door and he followed as she beckoned him in.
“You have perfect timing. Dinner is almost ready,” Lisa said, then turned and walked into the house, not waiting for Robert to catch up. She kept talking, voice loud so he could hear her, as she walked towards the kitchen. “Just baked eggplant tonight and set out some white wine. Hope that’s okay?”
Robert stopped in her foyer, watching her puff of black hair bounce behind her as she walked, her right hand in the air as though she were conducting a symphony. “That sounds fine. I’m not very hungry.”
Lisa stopped and turned around at the entranceway to the kitchen. She was struck by the shadow of the man she knew standing in her foyer. He was looking down at the floor, shoulders slumped, big t-shirt that hung on his body, and tennis shoes, not the usual loafers. His glasses rested on his face and, tonight, even they looked too big. Less than 12 hours and already he seemed to be wasting away. “Robert, you need to eat. Come on, before it gets too cold.”
Robert looked up, as though joining the room again, offered her a small smile, and followed her to the kitchen, trying to put on a happy face and ignore the fact that the man he loved doubted that affection. He stopped at the island, taking in the warmth in her kitchen. “This is really nice. Homey.” Robert tried to make small talk.
“Robert, sit down, have a glass of wine or ten.” Her eyes twinkled and she sat down at the small table, gesturing to an empty chair.
He joined her and looked down at the food. He had no desire to eat. He only wanted to go someplace and cry.
Lisa watched him carefully and tried to hold up the conversation while keeping Robert’s wine glass full as they ate dinner. Actually, Lisa ate while Robert just pushed the food around, taking small bites here and there and sips of his wine as a substitute for talking. He looked up from time to time and smiled weakly, trying to laugh at a witty remark or aside that Lisa would offer up over the risotto and eggplant.
Lisa finished her dinner and tried to encourage Robert to eat some more. When it was evident that he was not going to eat anymore, she poured the last of the white wine into the glasses and stood to lead him into the living room.
Robert looked around, the room distorting as he started to feel the effects of the wine. He puzzled as to how a single glass of wine had left him so relaxed. He flopped on the couch, sinking into the plush cushions, almost spilling his wine. He tipped back and drink the last half glass, then leaned forward and put the glass on the table before sitting back. Robert closed his eyes and all he saw were swirling colors.
Lisa had gone to the kitchen to get more for them, namely Robert, to drink, patting herself on the back for getting Robert to drink the majority of it so easily, but all she could find was a bottle of champagne and a couple bottles of red wine. She grabbed the champagne, figuring it went better with self-loathing than the red. And it was much easier to get off her sofa if Robert started to get sloppy. She left the kitchen and laughed at the sight of Robert leaning back, mouth slightly gaping open. “Robert, more to drink?”
Robert sat up and blinked a few times. “Yes ma’am.” He reached forward and picked up his glass.
Lisa sat down and opened the champagne, pouring Robert a glass and leaving the bottle on the table. “Robert,” she asked gently, “are you ready to tell me what happened?”
Robert looked up and his eyes became glassy. He swallowed hard and looked down at the bubbles. “We never had champagne. Never celebrated what we had.”
Lisa looked up at him and just rested her hand gently on his arm, encouraging him, giving him the rambling space to just talk.
“Everyday was a gift and I took it all for granted, thinking he would always be there, my support, my friend and then poof he is gone, over nothing, there is nothing happening, nothing going on… he just walked away from me, from all that we had.”
Lisa wanted to know what had gone wrong between them when they had seemed to happy, so she gently asked, “What happened this last month that was different? Besides the picture.”
“He told me that he loved me and I froze, looking for the perfect moment to tell him I felt the same way. Never taking the leap and just being honest. I wanted it to be perfect, but he just needed to hear it. Fuck, I’m so stupid. He knew that I would freeze, he knows me better then I know me, maybe this is what I needed.”
He was making less sense, but Lisa was happy that she had plied him with enough wine to loosen his lips. She leaned back and smoothed out her cotton slacks, she crossed her legs at the ankle, “Robert, you love him. We could all see that, why not tell him?”
“But, I am suppose to get married to a girl, how could we have anything? I took him, what we have, for granted. I think I was scared.” He sloshed his glass around. “No, that’s wrong, I am scared, I have always been.”
Lisa watched Robert crumple in front of her as he sagged forward. She lifted his head up to look him in the eye. “Why are you scared?” Lisa tilted her head back and forth, trying to help Robert to focus on her.
“I don’t want to screw it up…want to have what my parents have but I feel so incapable of doing that, achieving it…I look at Alan and I want to believe that he can be my constant companion, but then is he the one? Is someone better for me out there? I don’t want to disappoint everyone and make a bad decision. Gabby left, and Alan did too.” He put the glass to his lips and frowned when he realized it was empty.
Lisa picked up the bottle and poured champagne into the glass, pulling back right before it spilled over the edge.
Robert raised the glass in a mock toast and rubbed his face, the way Lisa had watched Alan do when he was tired. She smiled. They needed each other.
“I always wanted to be loved, but I never felt I could do it right. I walked the edge of wanting to stay and wanting to flee. Alan is lucky that he figured that out before I made his life worse.” Robert brought the glass up to his lips and tried to take a big sip and ended up inhaling some champagne and coughing wildly.
Lisa grabbed the glass from his hand and waited for him to stop coughing. “Robert, we all saw it. Alan loves you. Why can’t you tell him?”
Robert ignored the bigger question, answering the more obvious, ”He won’t answer my calls. All I get is voice mail, maybe I should try now again.” He leaned back and put his hand in his front pocket digging for his phone. He felt a hand on his wrist, and looked up to see what was stopping his progress.
“Robert, maybe you should wait a day or two, give him time to cool down?” Lisa figured that a drunken phone call would not be the way to get Alan back.
“You’re right, I should go, I’ve been here long enough,” Robert tried to stand, and wobbled. He felt a hand steady him while pulling him back towards the cushions.
“You’re not going anywhere, you are in no shape to drive. You can sleep it off here.” Lisa sprung up and left to get some bedding before he could argue with her.
She selected a set of linens and two pillows, before heading back to the living room. She stopped when she entered. A break in all the action and Robert had fallen straight asleep. She took off his glasses and carefully turned him so he was lying down before she tucked the pillows behind him. Then she gently tugged off his shoes and started to tuck a blanket around him.
“Lisa,” Robert mumbled. “I miss him so much it hurts.”
Lisa pushed his hair off of his forehead and gave him a gentle kiss. “I know, sleep well. You can fix this, when you are ready to.”
Robert turned over on the couch, burying his face into the pillows and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
12.05 Time Keeps on Slipping
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Press Run 12.04
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 37 Champagne
Word Count: 1612
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Lisa tries to get to the bottom of things while she helps Robert get to the bottom if a wine bottle.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Numb
Robert stood outside Lisa’s door, finger out and poised over the doorbell. What am I doing here? he asked himself. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, heavily considering just turning around and going back home, but the thought of the memories and snatches of conversations long past that were waiting for him kept him rooted to the spot.
Maybe if he just sat tight and let Lisa lead the conversation. He could pretend like everything was fine and dandy, that he wasn’t breaking and beating himself up for something that he wasn’t even sure he could define at this point He knew he had screwed up, big time. But for Alan to believe the tabloids over him?
He rang the doorbell and heard the click click of shoes as Lisa approached. He plastered on a smile just as she opened the door and he followed as she beckoned him in.
“You have perfect timing. Dinner is almost ready,” Lisa said, then turned and walked into the house, not waiting for Robert to catch up. She kept talking, voice loud so he could hear her, as she walked towards the kitchen. “Just baked eggplant tonight and set out some white wine. Hope that’s okay?”
Robert stopped in her foyer, watching her puff of black hair bounce behind her as she walked, her right hand in the air as though she were conducting a symphony. “That sounds fine. I’m not very hungry.”
Lisa stopped and turned around at the entranceway to the kitchen. She was struck by the shadow of the man she knew standing in her foyer. He was looking down at the floor, shoulders slumped, big t-shirt that hung on his body, and tennis shoes, not the usual loafers. His glasses rested on his face and, tonight, even they looked too big. Less than 12 hours and already he seemed to be wasting away. “Robert, you need to eat. Come on, before it gets too cold.”
Robert looked up, as though joining the room again, offered her a small smile, and followed her to the kitchen, trying to put on a happy face and ignore the fact that the man he loved doubted that affection. He stopped at the island, taking in the warmth in her kitchen. “This is really nice. Homey.” Robert tried to make small talk.
“Robert, sit down, have a glass of wine or ten.” Her eyes twinkled and she sat down at the small table, gesturing to an empty chair.
He joined her and looked down at the food. He had no desire to eat. He only wanted to go someplace and cry.
Lisa watched him carefully and tried to hold up the conversation while keeping Robert’s wine glass full as they ate dinner. Actually, Lisa ate while Robert just pushed the food around, taking small bites here and there and sips of his wine as a substitute for talking. He looked up from time to time and smiled weakly, trying to laugh at a witty remark or aside that Lisa would offer up over the risotto and eggplant.
Lisa finished her dinner and tried to encourage Robert to eat some more. When it was evident that he was not going to eat anymore, she poured the last of the white wine into the glasses and stood to lead him into the living room.
Robert looked around, the room distorting as he started to feel the effects of the wine. He puzzled as to how a single glass of wine had left him so relaxed. He flopped on the couch, sinking into the plush cushions, almost spilling his wine. He tipped back and drink the last half glass, then leaned forward and put the glass on the table before sitting back. Robert closed his eyes and all he saw were swirling colors.
Lisa had gone to the kitchen to get more for them, namely Robert, to drink, patting herself on the back for getting Robert to drink the majority of it so easily, but all she could find was a bottle of champagne and a couple bottles of red wine. She grabbed the champagne, figuring it went better with self-loathing than the red. And it was much easier to get off her sofa if Robert started to get sloppy. She left the kitchen and laughed at the sight of Robert leaning back, mouth slightly gaping open. “Robert, more to drink?”
Robert sat up and blinked a few times. “Yes ma’am.” He reached forward and picked up his glass.
Lisa sat down and opened the champagne, pouring Robert a glass and leaving the bottle on the table. “Robert,” she asked gently, “are you ready to tell me what happened?”
Robert looked up and his eyes became glassy. He swallowed hard and looked down at the bubbles. “We never had champagne. Never celebrated what we had.”
Lisa looked up at him and just rested her hand gently on his arm, encouraging him, giving him the rambling space to just talk.
“Everyday was a gift and I took it all for granted, thinking he would always be there, my support, my friend and then poof he is gone, over nothing, there is nothing happening, nothing going on… he just walked away from me, from all that we had.”
Lisa wanted to know what had gone wrong between them when they had seemed to happy, so she gently asked, “What happened this last month that was different? Besides the picture.”
“He told me that he loved me and I froze, looking for the perfect moment to tell him I felt the same way. Never taking the leap and just being honest. I wanted it to be perfect, but he just needed to hear it. Fuck, I’m so stupid. He knew that I would freeze, he knows me better then I know me, maybe this is what I needed.”
He was making less sense, but Lisa was happy that she had plied him with enough wine to loosen his lips. She leaned back and smoothed out her cotton slacks, she crossed her legs at the ankle, “Robert, you love him. We could all see that, why not tell him?”
“But, I am suppose to get married to a girl, how could we have anything? I took him, what we have, for granted. I think I was scared.” He sloshed his glass around. “No, that’s wrong, I am scared, I have always been.”
Lisa watched Robert crumple in front of her as he sagged forward. She lifted his head up to look him in the eye. “Why are you scared?” Lisa tilted her head back and forth, trying to help Robert to focus on her.
“I don’t want to screw it up…want to have what my parents have but I feel so incapable of doing that, achieving it…I look at Alan and I want to believe that he can be my constant companion, but then is he the one? Is someone better for me out there? I don’t want to disappoint everyone and make a bad decision. Gabby left, and Alan did too.” He put the glass to his lips and frowned when he realized it was empty.
Lisa picked up the bottle and poured champagne into the glass, pulling back right before it spilled over the edge.
Robert raised the glass in a mock toast and rubbed his face, the way Lisa had watched Alan do when he was tired. She smiled. They needed each other.
“I always wanted to be loved, but I never felt I could do it right. I walked the edge of wanting to stay and wanting to flee. Alan is lucky that he figured that out before I made his life worse.” Robert brought the glass up to his lips and tried to take a big sip and ended up inhaling some champagne and coughing wildly.
Lisa grabbed the glass from his hand and waited for him to stop coughing. “Robert, we all saw it. Alan loves you. Why can’t you tell him?”
Robert ignored the bigger question, answering the more obvious, ”He won’t answer my calls. All I get is voice mail, maybe I should try now again.” He leaned back and put his hand in his front pocket digging for his phone. He felt a hand on his wrist, and looked up to see what was stopping his progress.
“Robert, maybe you should wait a day or two, give him time to cool down?” Lisa figured that a drunken phone call would not be the way to get Alan back.
“You’re right, I should go, I’ve been here long enough,” Robert tried to stand, and wobbled. He felt a hand steady him while pulling him back towards the cushions.
“You’re not going anywhere, you are in no shape to drive. You can sleep it off here.” Lisa sprung up and left to get some bedding before he could argue with her.
She selected a set of linens and two pillows, before heading back to the living room. She stopped when she entered. A break in all the action and Robert had fallen straight asleep. She took off his glasses and carefully turned him so he was lying down before she tucked the pillows behind him. Then she gently tugged off his shoes and started to tuck a blanket around him.
“Lisa,” Robert mumbled. “I miss him so much it hurts.”
Lisa pushed his hair off of his forehead and gave him a gentle kiss. “I know, sleep well. You can fix this, when you are ready to.”
Robert turned over on the couch, burying his face into the pillows and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
12.05 Time Keeps on Slipping