international relations (SG RPF; Michael/Chris/Casting Spoiler)
I wrote RPF again! Though this wanted to be David/Joe so bad, I cannot even tell you.
Michael/Chris/Casting Spoiler. So, you know, keep that in mind.
international relations
By Gale
SUMMARY: Canada says howdy. America (and Australia, retroactively) respond in kind. Ben/Michael/Chris, Ben/Claudia, hints of Michael/Chris/Lexa and Michael/Lexa/Chris/Ben. No one can pick just one!
“But you’re *married*,” Ben said, trying to ignore the little red “hypocrite” sign that had to be flashing on his forehead as he spoke. “You have a *kid*.”
”I have two kids,” Michael said, beaming. It made his eyes go all squinty. And that was certainly not attractive, oh no. That was the Molson talking. “And the most beautiful woman in the-“ He suddenly narrowed his eyes. “This isn’t going to degenerate into shit-talking about my wife, right? Because I like you and everything, Ben, you seem like a very nice man and you have a fantastic ass, but I would have to punch you if you talked shit about
”I’m not - no!” Ben waved a hand and tried again. “You’re married.”
Michael nodded. “yes.”
”And you have a - you have *two* children, one of them with her.”
”Right so far.”
”And you just asked me to have sex.”
”No, no, no.” Michael shook his head. “*Judge* asked you to have sex. I offered to blow you. Big difference.”
”Not particularly,” Ben said. “It’s still, you know. Extramarital.”
Chris narrowed his eyes. “You mean you’ve never cheated on Fran?”
”Never. Not once.”
”That weekend in Sydney,” Michael singsonged. Ben goggled at him. Michael shrugged. “Claudia gets chatty when she’s drunk. And she likes to arm-wrestle.” He reflexively rubbed his bicep. “That woman’s strong, you ever noticed?”
Ben just sat there, blinking. How - why had she-
“Don’t scare him,” Chris said, and turned to Ben. “It’s not - Fran knows, right?”
”Of course Fran knows,” Ben snapped. “She was - she’s okay with it.” It’s not the kind of thing you explain to other people, or even yourself, but…it worked, for them. He loved his wife, would never think about leaving her, but sometimes you connected with other people. It was asinine to think you could only ever love one person in your lifetime. Fran knew that; had known that, since back in England. It had been a while since she’d done anything, but she liked hearing his details.
”Okay.” Chris finished his beer and looked at him steadily. “So why would you think that no one else, in the history of the world, thought the same way?”
There was a very long silence. Ben stared at the tabletop.
”It doesn’t have to be a big deal,” Michael said, making Ben glance up at him. He didn’t look drunk at all, barely even tipsy. Damn Canadians and their tolerance levels. He just looked warm and amused and slightly rumpled. His mouth was a little red, and - and that was just the sort of thought that had gotten him into this mess. “Amanda’s only done it a couple of times, and that was-“ He waved a hand. “Extentuating circumstances. Puppy pile. You know.”
”Puppy pile?”
”It was years ago,” Chris said, drinking some of Michael’s beer. He just grinned when Michael punched him in the arm. “Us and Amanda and Rick. Long ago and far away, and all that jazz. But now Amanda’s got the baby-“
”Which reminds me,” Michael muttered, digging for a pen. “Baby gift-“
”Backseat of your truck,” Chris said automatically. “If you don’t want to do anything, that’s fine, but if you do…“
”I.” Ben looked at his beer, then finished the rest of it in one swallow. Might as well start working on his tolerance now. “Not tonight, I don’t think. We’re still trying to get moved in.” He cleared his throat. “But. Um. Friday?”
”Friday,” Chris said, grinning. “It’s a date.”
”Oh, God,” Michael said faintly. “We’re *dating* again? I hate the dating part. See, that’s why I like being married.”
”You like lots of things about being married,” Chris said, getting up from his chair. “Not least of which is having people to share your bed with.”
”People”, not “person”. Oh, this was a whole mess of worms he’d stepped in, right here. This was way, way more complicated than sitting down with seven seasons’ worth of DVDs.
“I like everything about being married,” Michael said, pushing his chair back. “And everyone. But mostly Lexa. And you.” He narrowed his eyes and stared across the table. “And Ben, if he’s good.”
And if that wasn’t a challenge, Ben had never heard one before. Friday couldn’t get here fast enough.
Michael/Chris/Casting Spoiler. So, you know, keep that in mind.
international relations
By Gale
SUMMARY: Canada says howdy. America (and Australia, retroactively) respond in kind. Ben/Michael/Chris, Ben/Claudia, hints of Michael/Chris/Lexa and Michael/Lexa/Chris/Ben. No one can pick just one!
“But you’re *married*,” Ben said, trying to ignore the little red “hypocrite” sign that had to be flashing on his forehead as he spoke. “You have a *kid*.”
”I have two kids,” Michael said, beaming. It made his eyes go all squinty. And that was certainly not attractive, oh no. That was the Molson talking. “And the most beautiful woman in the-“ He suddenly narrowed his eyes. “This isn’t going to degenerate into shit-talking about my wife, right? Because I like you and everything, Ben, you seem like a very nice man and you have a fantastic ass, but I would have to punch you if you talked shit about
”I’m not - no!” Ben waved a hand and tried again. “You’re married.”
Michael nodded. “yes.”
”And you have a - you have *two* children, one of them with her.”
”Right so far.”
”And you just asked me to have sex.”
”No, no, no.” Michael shook his head. “*Judge* asked you to have sex. I offered to blow you. Big difference.”
”Not particularly,” Ben said. “It’s still, you know. Extramarital.”
Chris narrowed his eyes. “You mean you’ve never cheated on Fran?”
”Never. Not once.”
”That weekend in Sydney,” Michael singsonged. Ben goggled at him. Michael shrugged. “Claudia gets chatty when she’s drunk. And she likes to arm-wrestle.” He reflexively rubbed his bicep. “That woman’s strong, you ever noticed?”
Ben just sat there, blinking. How - why had she-
“Don’t scare him,” Chris said, and turned to Ben. “It’s not - Fran knows, right?”
”Of course Fran knows,” Ben snapped. “She was - she’s okay with it.” It’s not the kind of thing you explain to other people, or even yourself, but…it worked, for them. He loved his wife, would never think about leaving her, but sometimes you connected with other people. It was asinine to think you could only ever love one person in your lifetime. Fran knew that; had known that, since back in England. It had been a while since she’d done anything, but she liked hearing his details.
”Okay.” Chris finished his beer and looked at him steadily. “So why would you think that no one else, in the history of the world, thought the same way?”
There was a very long silence. Ben stared at the tabletop.
”It doesn’t have to be a big deal,” Michael said, making Ben glance up at him. He didn’t look drunk at all, barely even tipsy. Damn Canadians and their tolerance levels. He just looked warm and amused and slightly rumpled. His mouth was a little red, and - and that was just the sort of thought that had gotten him into this mess. “Amanda’s only done it a couple of times, and that was-“ He waved a hand. “Extentuating circumstances. Puppy pile. You know.”
”Puppy pile?”
”It was years ago,” Chris said, drinking some of Michael’s beer. He just grinned when Michael punched him in the arm. “Us and Amanda and Rick. Long ago and far away, and all that jazz. But now Amanda’s got the baby-“
”Which reminds me,” Michael muttered, digging for a pen. “Baby gift-“
”Backseat of your truck,” Chris said automatically. “If you don’t want to do anything, that’s fine, but if you do…“
”I.” Ben looked at his beer, then finished the rest of it in one swallow. Might as well start working on his tolerance now. “Not tonight, I don’t think. We’re still trying to get moved in.” He cleared his throat. “But. Um. Friday?”
”Friday,” Chris said, grinning. “It’s a date.”
”Oh, God,” Michael said faintly. “We’re *dating* again? I hate the dating part. See, that’s why I like being married.”
”You like lots of things about being married,” Chris said, getting up from his chair. “Not least of which is having people to share your bed with.”
”People”, not “person”. Oh, this was a whole mess of worms he’d stepped in, right here. This was way, way more complicated than sitting down with seven seasons’ worth of DVDs.
“I like everything about being married,” Michael said, pushing his chair back. “And everyone. But mostly Lexa. And you.” He narrowed his eyes and stared across the table. “And Ben, if he’s good.”
And if that wasn’t a challenge, Ben had never heard one before. Friday couldn’t get here fast enough.