Showing up is Not Enough - Kyle/Fish, PG-13
Title:Showing up is Not Enough
Author:glitterfey
Pairing:Kyle/Fish
Rating:PG-13
Warnings: I'm ignoring Schuyler spoilers. Also, future fic, somewhere around 2015.
Summary: Fish is hurt. Kyle is upset. Barbara Fish is present.
AN: This is based on the Kishfest (kyle_fish) prompt about Fish's parents coming back years later.
"…so then Uncle Nick and I went to the park and we flew kites and got ice cream and I only spilled a little bit, and then we went home and Daddy was there and we watched Aladdin, but I fell asleep before it was over. But Beaver," Sierra Rose continued, stroking the stuffed animal's fur, "I can tell you a secret, right?" She looked around the hotel lobby from her perch on the registration counter, and, satisfied that no one could overhear, she turned back to her friend, leaning over to whisper in its ear. "Daddy was crying last night. I had a bad dream and I went to find him, and he was sitting on the couch by himself, all upset and holding Daddy's shirt. So I gave him a hug and he kissed my head and said I made him feel all better. And oh," she continued excitedly, "today--"
"Excuse me, miss?" Sierra jerked away from the animal, startled to see two adults standing at the counter. "Do you know where we can find the proprietor of this establishment?" The girl looked at the older man blankly, confusion clear on her face.
"George, really," his female companion began, "you act like you've never spoken to a child. Hello, dear," she said to Sierra. "I'm Barbara, and this is my husband, George. What's your name?"
"My name is Sierra Rose Morasco, and I’m six years old. This is my friend, Beaver. I go to Llanview Elementary School, and my teacher is Miss Manning. My favorite color is green and I like macaroni and cheese for dinner, but Daddy won't let me have it very often."
"That's wonderful, sweetie. I like macaroni and cheese, too. Honey, why are you all alone? Where are your mommy and daddy?"
Sierra looked away from the woman and spoke softly. "My mommy died, and my daddy's in the hospital. He's sick."
"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry." Barbara hugged the small child, tears in her own eyes.
"Get the hell away from my grandkid, woman!" Roxy swept around the corner, grabbing Sierra away from the couple. Placing the girl on the ground, she gave her a once over. "You okay, doll? They didn't try to hurt you or nothing, right?"
"I'm fine. That's my new friend, Barbara. I was telling her about daddy being sick, and she made me feel better."
"All right. Go wait on the couch for me, babe. We gotta leave here in a few minutes." Roxy watched the little girl walk across the room. Once Sierra was settled, she walked behind the registration desk, glaring at the older couple. "Look," she stated, "I don't want to be rude, but no stranger is gonna be touching my grandkid, good intentions or not."
Barbara opened her mouth to respond, but George cut her off. "Look, we don't have time for this. You're the owner of this hotel, right? I remember you from the last time we were in this damn town. Just get us a room, I'll give you my credit card, and we can get all this over with."
"George…"
"Don't 'George' me, Barbara. You wanted to come, and here we are. You've got four hours. Best make them count. Meet me here when you're finished." He glanced at Roxy. "The room?"
"Hold your horses, man, I'm getting it. Why so gloomy? I didn't think the feminist convention came into town until next week."
"It's our--" Barbara trailed off, looking to George. "It's my son. He's in the hospital."
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, babe. What's he got?"
"He's in a coma."
"Holy shit," Roxy breathed. "You're Trout's parents?"
"I'll thank you not to speak to my wife or me in that manner. Now, here's my credit card. Book the room under George Fish."
"Right, right," Roxy replied, slowly stepping away from the counter. "George and Barbara Fish."
A tug on her coat brought Barbara's eyes down to where Sierra was standing. "Is your name Fish, too?" Sierra asked. "'Cause that's my daddy's name! Do you know him?"
***
"So, Oliver, what do you want to hear about today? I'm getting a little tired of reading the paper, and we finished that John Grisham book a few days ago. Next time you plan on winding up in a coma, maybe give me some advance notice, yeah, or at least an idea of how long it's going to last so I can round up some reading materials. "
Kyle pulled a chair and reclined, resting his feet on Oliver's bed. "Let's talk about Sierra, okay? Nick took her after school yesterday. They went to the park and flew kites, and I'm pretty sure he gave her ice cream, even though I told him not to. She's with Roxy right now doing God knows what. We've got some really good friends, Ollie. Without Nick and Roxy and Layla and Gigi--you know even John took her for an afternoon? I assume he taught her how to shoot or brood or something."
He leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. "Sierra's so perfect. Every day I look at her and think, man, I'm so glad Oliver pretended to be straight and got drunk and slept with Stacey." He looked at the other man, who remained still. "Nothing? I thought for sure you'd have something to say about that one. Anyway, Sierra's adorable. She can't stop talking about Starr--she really loves her as a teacher. Hard to believe something that came from Todd could be so good with kids. Or people, really."
"Oh, and you'll love this. When Nick brought her home last night, she wanted to watch Aladdin again. I blame you for that, you know. Every time I hear Robin Williams sing that stupid genie song I want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon, but it makes her happy. And don't think I don't know that it makes you happy, too."
Kyle dropped his feet from the bed, leaning forward to cup Oliver's face in his hands. "I would, and will, do anything to make you happy. I love you. I pretty much always have, I think. You know, the first time I saw you in college, I got this funny feeling inside. Granted, I was pretty drunk, but I think it's still valid. And let's get serious, bud. I need you to snap out of this coma because I need sex. It's been too long since I've felt you against me, in me. Maybe it's not an issue for you right now, but I'm pretty sick to death of my own hand. So look, if you don’t wake up right now, I'm going to go find a hooker or something. Or, I don't know, maybe if I got Schuyler drunk enough…"
Kyle leaned down and placed a kiss on Oliver's unresponsive lips. "Okay, you called my bluff on that one. Seriously, though, when you're awake, we're going to talk about Schuyler. I don't think he'd be against a good time or two." Kyle stood up then, pacing around the small hospital room. "All right, your silence seems to suggest I should talk about something else. I don't really have any good gossip. Rex and Gigi are off again, but I don't think that'll last much longer. Kim sent an email a few days ago asking how you and Sierra were doing. She wasn't really interested in me, but she did manage to toss out the name of some rich casino owner that she's hooked up with now. I invited her to come visit sometime this summer. I know you don't like her, and I sure as hell don't either, but it'd be good for Sierra. And shoot, maybe Kim'll bring a toddler sized leopard print skirt."
Kyle walked back to the bed, touching Oliver's cheek. "I'm going to go grab some coffee, babe, and then check on Sierra. Don't go anywhere, okay? All right, not funny, got it."
***
Kyle had just opened his cell phone when Roxy barreled around the corner, grabbing his arm and hauling him into a corner.
"Roxy, what the hell?"
"Look, Kyle, baby, we got an issue."
"Roxy," Kyle started, speaking slowly and clearly, as he often had to do with her, "what's going on, and where is Sierra?"
"She's coming, but she ain't alone."
"What? Roxy, come on!"
"Daddy!" Sierra shouted, running up and wrapping her arms around Kyle's middle. He picked her up and hugged her, kissing her forehead. "Sierra! Did you have fun with Grandma Roxy?"
"Kyle, we talked about the 'G' word," Roxy groused.
"Right, right. Sorry, Roxy. So Sierra, did you have a good time?"
"Uh-huh! I talked with Beaver, and I made a new friend!"
"Oh, yeah? Who's that?"
"Hello, Kyle."
Kyle turned toward the voice, shock and anger warring in his expression. "Mrs. Fish."
"Her name's Fish just like Daddy's is!"
"It sure is, sweetie. Roxy--"
Roxy came over, taking Sierra from Kyle's arms and placing her on the ground. "Sierra, why don't you and I go get some ice cream in the cafeteria? What do you think?" Before the girl could answer, Roxy was hurrying her along, leaving the other two alone in the hallway.
Kyle watched until Sierra was out of sight and then turned to the woman. "Barbara," he said icily, "so nice to see you again. It's been, what, almost six years?"
"Kyle, please. I need to see my son."
"No!" he shouted. "No! You do not get to walk in here and get to see him, just like that. Where were you on Christmas, or his birthday, or Sierra's birthday, or our wedding? You haven't returned a damn phone call for six years, and now, out of the blue, you just show up? You rejected him, Barbara. He trusted you and loved you and you ignored him for six years. You don't get to just show up now." Kyle glared at her, body tense with anger. "If you'll excuse me, I have to be with my husband now. Have a safe trip home."
Kyle walked away.
***
He'd been sitting silently in Oliver's room for about five minutes, holding his hand and listening to the steady hum of the machines, when the door slowly opened. Without turning, he spoke. "Come in, Barbara. There's a chair for you on his other side."
"Thank you." She stood at the end of the bed, though, gazing at Oliver. "What happened, exactly?"
"Oh, you know Ollie, always the hero. Chased after the bad guy, followed him into a dark alley, got jumped by the guy's friends. They didn't grab his gun, thankfully, but they got in some good hits to the back of his head. It was touch and go for a few days, and he's had some setbacks, but now it's a waiting game. The doctors think he could wake up any time. It's been--"
"Two months."
"Right, two months. Two fucking months. And if you knew that, where the hell have you been? "
"Kyle…"
"You know what, it doesn't matter. All I need to know is if you're going to be around when he wakes up. Because if not, just get out now." Kyle's voice was soft, resigned. "I don't want Oliver and Sierra to get attached to you just to have you abandon them again."
"I love my son, Kyle. But I can't support--"
Kyle looked up at Barbara, meeting her gaze. "That's all I needed to hear. I won't tell him that you came, and you can go home, knowing that your son's alive but still a faggot. But you know what, Barbara? He's the best man I've ever known, and I'm sorry that you don't get to be a part of that."
She nodded and opened the room's door. "I'll pray for you both."
"Please don't," Kyle responded, and watched her walk away. He turned back to Oliver. "She's gone, baby. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," Oliver answered. "She made her choice six years ago, and so did I."
"Ollie?" Kyle gasped, looking down at his very much awake lover. "When did you--"
"A few minutes ago. Kyle, please, just let me hold you. She's gone, but you're here, and you're what I want."
"God, Oliver, I missed you so much."
"I know, babe."
Carefully, Kyle slid next to Oliver in the small bed, watchful of the many tubes and wires. And then they were holding each other for the first time in months, and Kyle couldn’t stop his tears.
***
Kyle woke to the sound of his daughter and his husband laughing, and he smiled, snuggling further into Oliver's side. He felt his daughter kiss him on his cheek and his husband on his forehead. "Go back to sleep," Oliver whispered. "Sierra and I will take care of you." So he did.
***
"Look, Oliver," Kyle said later, as Sierra slept at the foot of the bed, "this was a really shitty way to spend our anniversary. If you didn't have a present for me, you could have just said so."
Oliver laughed, a rough, raspy sound that left him coughing and gasping for air. Gratefully accepting the water Kyle handed him, he took a long drink and paused to collect himself. "Don’t make me laugh. My lungs can't take it."
"Yeah, you don’t do anything halfway, do you? Can't even get hurt like a normal person. Gotta be all dramatic and wind up on the brink of death."
Oliver shrugged his shoulders and made a face. "Well, you know me."
"Yeah, I do," Kyle responded. "And that's why I love you so much. God, Ollie, I was so scared. You can't do this to me again, okay?"
Oliver reached up, stroking Kyle's cheek. "We're not going to do that," he whispered. "I'm fine. Besides," he continued, "you think this is fun for me? They have me hooked up like a wanna be Locutus."
"No, no Star Trek jokes. It's gonna take a whole other level of hurt to get me to listen to those."
"Come on," Oliver replied, "just one more. Oh, how about this? I'll be Captain Kirk, and you can be the hot alien of the week."
"How about we save that one for a few weeks from now, yeah?" Kyle grinned and continued. "Wouldn't want you to sully the good captain's reputation when you pass out five minutes in."
Oliver's face contorted, but he sighed. "Yeah, you might be right. Sometime, though, yeah?"
"I'd do anything for you, Oliver. I love you. Even the weird, geeky parts."
Oliver reached over to pull Kyle's head down, touching their foreheads. "I love you, too. Even the weird, Star Trek hating part." Kyle's lips briefly met his own, and then the other man pulled away.
"Rest now, babe. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Always?"
"Forever."
Author:glitterfey
Pairing:Kyle/Fish
Rating:PG-13
Warnings: I'm ignoring Schuyler spoilers. Also, future fic, somewhere around 2015.
Summary: Fish is hurt. Kyle is upset. Barbara Fish is present.
AN: This is based on the Kishfest (kyle_fish) prompt about Fish's parents coming back years later.
"…so then Uncle Nick and I went to the park and we flew kites and got ice cream and I only spilled a little bit, and then we went home and Daddy was there and we watched Aladdin, but I fell asleep before it was over. But Beaver," Sierra Rose continued, stroking the stuffed animal's fur, "I can tell you a secret, right?" She looked around the hotel lobby from her perch on the registration counter, and, satisfied that no one could overhear, she turned back to her friend, leaning over to whisper in its ear. "Daddy was crying last night. I had a bad dream and I went to find him, and he was sitting on the couch by himself, all upset and holding Daddy's shirt. So I gave him a hug and he kissed my head and said I made him feel all better. And oh," she continued excitedly, "today--"
"Excuse me, miss?" Sierra jerked away from the animal, startled to see two adults standing at the counter. "Do you know where we can find the proprietor of this establishment?" The girl looked at the older man blankly, confusion clear on her face.
"George, really," his female companion began, "you act like you've never spoken to a child. Hello, dear," she said to Sierra. "I'm Barbara, and this is my husband, George. What's your name?"
"My name is Sierra Rose Morasco, and I’m six years old. This is my friend, Beaver. I go to Llanview Elementary School, and my teacher is Miss Manning. My favorite color is green and I like macaroni and cheese for dinner, but Daddy won't let me have it very often."
"That's wonderful, sweetie. I like macaroni and cheese, too. Honey, why are you all alone? Where are your mommy and daddy?"
Sierra looked away from the woman and spoke softly. "My mommy died, and my daddy's in the hospital. He's sick."
"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry." Barbara hugged the small child, tears in her own eyes.
"Get the hell away from my grandkid, woman!" Roxy swept around the corner, grabbing Sierra away from the couple. Placing the girl on the ground, she gave her a once over. "You okay, doll? They didn't try to hurt you or nothing, right?"
"I'm fine. That's my new friend, Barbara. I was telling her about daddy being sick, and she made me feel better."
"All right. Go wait on the couch for me, babe. We gotta leave here in a few minutes." Roxy watched the little girl walk across the room. Once Sierra was settled, she walked behind the registration desk, glaring at the older couple. "Look," she stated, "I don't want to be rude, but no stranger is gonna be touching my grandkid, good intentions or not."
Barbara opened her mouth to respond, but George cut her off. "Look, we don't have time for this. You're the owner of this hotel, right? I remember you from the last time we were in this damn town. Just get us a room, I'll give you my credit card, and we can get all this over with."
"George…"
"Don't 'George' me, Barbara. You wanted to come, and here we are. You've got four hours. Best make them count. Meet me here when you're finished." He glanced at Roxy. "The room?"
"Hold your horses, man, I'm getting it. Why so gloomy? I didn't think the feminist convention came into town until next week."
"It's our--" Barbara trailed off, looking to George. "It's my son. He's in the hospital."
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, babe. What's he got?"
"He's in a coma."
"Holy shit," Roxy breathed. "You're Trout's parents?"
"I'll thank you not to speak to my wife or me in that manner. Now, here's my credit card. Book the room under George Fish."
"Right, right," Roxy replied, slowly stepping away from the counter. "George and Barbara Fish."
A tug on her coat brought Barbara's eyes down to where Sierra was standing. "Is your name Fish, too?" Sierra asked. "'Cause that's my daddy's name! Do you know him?"
***
"So, Oliver, what do you want to hear about today? I'm getting a little tired of reading the paper, and we finished that John Grisham book a few days ago. Next time you plan on winding up in a coma, maybe give me some advance notice, yeah, or at least an idea of how long it's going to last so I can round up some reading materials. "
Kyle pulled a chair and reclined, resting his feet on Oliver's bed. "Let's talk about Sierra, okay? Nick took her after school yesterday. They went to the park and flew kites, and I'm pretty sure he gave her ice cream, even though I told him not to. She's with Roxy right now doing God knows what. We've got some really good friends, Ollie. Without Nick and Roxy and Layla and Gigi--you know even John took her for an afternoon? I assume he taught her how to shoot or brood or something."
He leaned back, resting his hands behind his head. "Sierra's so perfect. Every day I look at her and think, man, I'm so glad Oliver pretended to be straight and got drunk and slept with Stacey." He looked at the other man, who remained still. "Nothing? I thought for sure you'd have something to say about that one. Anyway, Sierra's adorable. She can't stop talking about Starr--she really loves her as a teacher. Hard to believe something that came from Todd could be so good with kids. Or people, really."
"Oh, and you'll love this. When Nick brought her home last night, she wanted to watch Aladdin again. I blame you for that, you know. Every time I hear Robin Williams sing that stupid genie song I want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon, but it makes her happy. And don't think I don't know that it makes you happy, too."
Kyle dropped his feet from the bed, leaning forward to cup Oliver's face in his hands. "I would, and will, do anything to make you happy. I love you. I pretty much always have, I think. You know, the first time I saw you in college, I got this funny feeling inside. Granted, I was pretty drunk, but I think it's still valid. And let's get serious, bud. I need you to snap out of this coma because I need sex. It's been too long since I've felt you against me, in me. Maybe it's not an issue for you right now, but I'm pretty sick to death of my own hand. So look, if you don’t wake up right now, I'm going to go find a hooker or something. Or, I don't know, maybe if I got Schuyler drunk enough…"
Kyle leaned down and placed a kiss on Oliver's unresponsive lips. "Okay, you called my bluff on that one. Seriously, though, when you're awake, we're going to talk about Schuyler. I don't think he'd be against a good time or two." Kyle stood up then, pacing around the small hospital room. "All right, your silence seems to suggest I should talk about something else. I don't really have any good gossip. Rex and Gigi are off again, but I don't think that'll last much longer. Kim sent an email a few days ago asking how you and Sierra were doing. She wasn't really interested in me, but she did manage to toss out the name of some rich casino owner that she's hooked up with now. I invited her to come visit sometime this summer. I know you don't like her, and I sure as hell don't either, but it'd be good for Sierra. And shoot, maybe Kim'll bring a toddler sized leopard print skirt."
Kyle walked back to the bed, touching Oliver's cheek. "I'm going to go grab some coffee, babe, and then check on Sierra. Don't go anywhere, okay? All right, not funny, got it."
***
Kyle had just opened his cell phone when Roxy barreled around the corner, grabbing his arm and hauling him into a corner.
"Roxy, what the hell?"
"Look, Kyle, baby, we got an issue."
"Roxy," Kyle started, speaking slowly and clearly, as he often had to do with her, "what's going on, and where is Sierra?"
"She's coming, but she ain't alone."
"What? Roxy, come on!"
"Daddy!" Sierra shouted, running up and wrapping her arms around Kyle's middle. He picked her up and hugged her, kissing her forehead. "Sierra! Did you have fun with Grandma Roxy?"
"Kyle, we talked about the 'G' word," Roxy groused.
"Right, right. Sorry, Roxy. So Sierra, did you have a good time?"
"Uh-huh! I talked with Beaver, and I made a new friend!"
"Oh, yeah? Who's that?"
"Hello, Kyle."
Kyle turned toward the voice, shock and anger warring in his expression. "Mrs. Fish."
"Her name's Fish just like Daddy's is!"
"It sure is, sweetie. Roxy--"
Roxy came over, taking Sierra from Kyle's arms and placing her on the ground. "Sierra, why don't you and I go get some ice cream in the cafeteria? What do you think?" Before the girl could answer, Roxy was hurrying her along, leaving the other two alone in the hallway.
Kyle watched until Sierra was out of sight and then turned to the woman. "Barbara," he said icily, "so nice to see you again. It's been, what, almost six years?"
"Kyle, please. I need to see my son."
"No!" he shouted. "No! You do not get to walk in here and get to see him, just like that. Where were you on Christmas, or his birthday, or Sierra's birthday, or our wedding? You haven't returned a damn phone call for six years, and now, out of the blue, you just show up? You rejected him, Barbara. He trusted you and loved you and you ignored him for six years. You don't get to just show up now." Kyle glared at her, body tense with anger. "If you'll excuse me, I have to be with my husband now. Have a safe trip home."
Kyle walked away.
***
He'd been sitting silently in Oliver's room for about five minutes, holding his hand and listening to the steady hum of the machines, when the door slowly opened. Without turning, he spoke. "Come in, Barbara. There's a chair for you on his other side."
"Thank you." She stood at the end of the bed, though, gazing at Oliver. "What happened, exactly?"
"Oh, you know Ollie, always the hero. Chased after the bad guy, followed him into a dark alley, got jumped by the guy's friends. They didn't grab his gun, thankfully, but they got in some good hits to the back of his head. It was touch and go for a few days, and he's had some setbacks, but now it's a waiting game. The doctors think he could wake up any time. It's been--"
"Two months."
"Right, two months. Two fucking months. And if you knew that, where the hell have you been? "
"Kyle…"
"You know what, it doesn't matter. All I need to know is if you're going to be around when he wakes up. Because if not, just get out now." Kyle's voice was soft, resigned. "I don't want Oliver and Sierra to get attached to you just to have you abandon them again."
"I love my son, Kyle. But I can't support--"
Kyle looked up at Barbara, meeting her gaze. "That's all I needed to hear. I won't tell him that you came, and you can go home, knowing that your son's alive but still a faggot. But you know what, Barbara? He's the best man I've ever known, and I'm sorry that you don't get to be a part of that."
She nodded and opened the room's door. "I'll pray for you both."
"Please don't," Kyle responded, and watched her walk away. He turned back to Oliver. "She's gone, baby. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," Oliver answered. "She made her choice six years ago, and so did I."
"Ollie?" Kyle gasped, looking down at his very much awake lover. "When did you--"
"A few minutes ago. Kyle, please, just let me hold you. She's gone, but you're here, and you're what I want."
"God, Oliver, I missed you so much."
"I know, babe."
Carefully, Kyle slid next to Oliver in the small bed, watchful of the many tubes and wires. And then they were holding each other for the first time in months, and Kyle couldn’t stop his tears.
***
Kyle woke to the sound of his daughter and his husband laughing, and he smiled, snuggling further into Oliver's side. He felt his daughter kiss him on his cheek and his husband on his forehead. "Go back to sleep," Oliver whispered. "Sierra and I will take care of you." So he did.
***
"Look, Oliver," Kyle said later, as Sierra slept at the foot of the bed, "this was a really shitty way to spend our anniversary. If you didn't have a present for me, you could have just said so."
Oliver laughed, a rough, raspy sound that left him coughing and gasping for air. Gratefully accepting the water Kyle handed him, he took a long drink and paused to collect himself. "Don’t make me laugh. My lungs can't take it."
"Yeah, you don’t do anything halfway, do you? Can't even get hurt like a normal person. Gotta be all dramatic and wind up on the brink of death."
Oliver shrugged his shoulders and made a face. "Well, you know me."
"Yeah, I do," Kyle responded. "And that's why I love you so much. God, Ollie, I was so scared. You can't do this to me again, okay?"
Oliver reached up, stroking Kyle's cheek. "We're not going to do that," he whispered. "I'm fine. Besides," he continued, "you think this is fun for me? They have me hooked up like a wanna be Locutus."
"No, no Star Trek jokes. It's gonna take a whole other level of hurt to get me to listen to those."
"Come on," Oliver replied, "just one more. Oh, how about this? I'll be Captain Kirk, and you can be the hot alien of the week."
"How about we save that one for a few weeks from now, yeah?" Kyle grinned and continued. "Wouldn't want you to sully the good captain's reputation when you pass out five minutes in."
Oliver's face contorted, but he sighed. "Yeah, you might be right. Sometime, though, yeah?"
"I'd do anything for you, Oliver. I love you. Even the weird, geeky parts."
Oliver reached over to pull Kyle's head down, touching their foreheads. "I love you, too. Even the weird, Star Trek hating part." Kyle's lips briefly met his own, and then the other man pulled away.
"Rest now, babe. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Always?"
"Forever."