Ice Princess: "Conversations and Memories" by semirose
Title: Conversations and Memories
Author: semirose
Fandom: Ice Princess
Pairing/characters: Gen/Casey
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Disney owns them, not me.
Prompt: 466. Ice Princess: Casey Carlyle/Gen Harwood. If anything, Casey's mother is too supportive.
Summary: Casey and Gen give a talk and remember.
Author's Notes: Thanks to ximperfecti0n for the fabulous eleventh hour beta.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Gen said as she and Casey practically ran into the room. “I’m so sorry we’re late.”
The woman, who was obviously the leader of the group, stood up and announced, “That’s alright, girls. We were having a conversation about coming out, and I’m sure you two have some great insights into that.” She turned back to the group of girls sitting in a circle.
“Alright ladies, as I’m sure you remember, tonight we have a couple of special guests: Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood.” There was a smattering of applause, and Gen put on her friendly presenter face.
“Hi, I’m Gen Harwood, and I’m sure lots of you recognize my lovely girlfriend, Casey Carlyle.” Gen gave Casey a little squeeze as Casey gave the room a little wave. It amazed and endeared Gen that even after years of being on TV, skating in front of thousands, and giving these little talks that Casey was still so shy about it.
“We’re probably not the best people to talk to you about coming out since ours was hardly normal in any sense of the word” and that had the room giggling.
“I remember that,” one of the girls declared.
“Me, too. It was so sweet.”
Gen smiled as Casey went beet red. Years later and just mentioning it still made Casey blush. At least she was smiling, though.
“Tell us about it, Casey!”
“Pleeeeease.”
“I’m sure you guys saw it on TV, they replayed it enough” Casey said, trying to back out but knowing she’d be telling the story. It was good for her, anyway. Once Casey started talking, she started loosening up. There were times when Gen spoke nearly the whole time, and Casey just nodded, smiled, and answered questions directed straight at her.
“Yeah, but it’s not the same!”
“Alright, so it was the 2006 Olympics, and I’d made the team by the skin of my teeth-lucking out when someone else ended up getting injured. I skated a rather disastrous short and took a spill, and they were interviewing me, and Gen decides at that moment to sneak down and comfort me, ignoring the cameras, which happen to catch it all on tape, and the rest is history.”
“And now that you’ve heard that, any questions of a less international news sort? Do we want to go back to what you were talking about before we rushed in all late?” Gen asked, taking over after catching Casey’s ‘please save me’ look.
“Did you guys have boyfriends before you got together? And how’d they take finding out?”
Gen smiled. “Actually, both of us had boyfriends when we got together. It was really unexpected, but it just felt right. And Casey’s boyfriend is actually the reason we’re together.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Really?”
“How does that work? How’d you break up with him?
”
Casey blushed. “Actually, Gen kind of broke up with him for me-not that I knew she was doing this or anything. I suppose the first thing you need to know is Teddy is Gen’s brother.”
“And that he knew before I did that I liked Casey.”
“Oh, my God, Teddy, what am I doing?” Gen asked, barging into his room and flopping onto his bed.
“I’d say you’re dating my girlfriend,” Teddy said, getting out of his computer chair and stretching out on the bed.
“We’re not dating, we just kissed. A lot. A lot a lot. And you told me too,” Gen said punching him. “Why’d you tell me to? Things were simple before.”
Teddy sighed. “I don’t see what the problem is. You like her, she likes you, you kissed on the ice, you went off somewhere to kiss more. Everyone’s happy.”
“Except I’m not gay.”
“No, you just kiss girls.”
“TEDDY.”
“Look, we already had this conversation, remember? You like her. She obviously either likes you or likes kissing Harwoods. What else does it matter?”
Gen was quiet. Was it honestly that simple? Teddy rolled his eyes and went back to his computer, letting his sister have her crisis of orientation on his bed.
After awhile, Gen spoke up again, “Teddy, I think I might be gay.”
“Ok.”
“And I have a girlfriend.”
“Ok.”
“And Casey’s breaking up with you.”
“Thanks for the memo, Gen.”
“Anytime.” And then Gen jumped off the bed and gave Teddy a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Anytime,” he whispered back. “Just try not to steal any more of my girlfriends.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet.”
“You’re so lucky you have a brother like that.”
“How did you two get together anyways?”
“It’s pretty simple, really. I was watching Casey skate, and Teddy noticed and told me that I liked her. I denied, denied, denied, but then Casey asked me to skate with her, and we did something ridiculously stupid and ended up falling, and I couldn’t help but kiss her.”
There was a chorus of ‘aww’s from the room.
“So, how did your boyfriend take it?”
“Like a boy.”
“Brian, we have to break up.”
“Yeah, wait, WHAT?”
Gen sighed and sat next to Brian, “I’m sorry, but it’s not working out.”
Brian sat there looking completely baffled. “You’re breaking up with me?”
“I’m breaking up with you.”
“But, it’s me.”
“Yeah, I’m really sor-”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why are you breaking up with me?”
Gen stared at him, trying to decide what to say, before finally deciding on “I’m seeing someone else.”
Brian sat there for a moment, stunned and then mad. “Who?” he demanded standing up, “Come on, tell me.”
“It’s Casey.” Rage flickered across Brian’s face before confusion settled in.
“Casey?”
“Carlyle. She’s a skater.”
“She? You’re? What?”
“Look, I have to go,” Gen said, standing up, “You’re a great guy and everything but…yeah.” She started walking away when Brian called out, “Wait.”
Turning around, she waited.
“Umm, can I watch?”
“Can you, what? No!”
“Oh, come on, Gen, I remember her now. That’s gotta be hot.”
“Oh, my God,” Gen huffed before stomping off. Boys.
“So, like I said, he reacted like a boy.”
“That’s crazy.”
“Did you slap him?”
“What about your parents? How did they take it?”
“Well,” Gen started, “my mom took it like a business woman. She wasn’t happy because I’m a ‘distraction’ that Casey didn’t need.”
“Her mom is my coach,” Casey said, butting in.
“Right, so, she was about as thrilled with that as she was when she found out I was dating Brian and Casey was dating Teddy. And then she took this as an opportunity to hit up sponsors who were looking to support a gay skater. She calmed down after a few started jumping at the chance to sponsor Casey, but she still doesn’t really acknowledge it, and we don’t really force it.”
There was nodding around the room before the next question came.
“What about your mom, Casey?”
Gen squeezed Casey’s hand as Casey steeled herself to speak. “My mom is actually the reason we’re here. The minute she found out, she was already planning on having us be poster children for young gay women, and let’s just say I wasn’t too receptive to the idea.”
“Good news, Casey, I managed to get back OH.”
“MOM,” Casey screeched as her mom came into her room.
Everyone froze-Casey and Gen on the bed, clearly having been engaged in more than friendly activities, and Joan in the doorway, her eyes darting between the two girls.
And then she smiled, clapped her hands, and sat on the bed hugging both girls.
“Oh, this is fabulous. Casey, how long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“So, you’re not…mad?” Casey whispered.
“Mad? Oh, sweetie, this is wonderful. I was so worried when she started skating, you know,” Joan said to Gen, “thought she’d turn into a bimbo who only cared about looking pretty and boys-not that I think that’s what you are, dear, and then you started seeing that boy, and well.”
“Mom, you know I’m not like that.”
“Oh, I know, but still, a mother worries. And that’s all over because, oh, you two are so cute.” Joan stood up, going to leave the room, “Alright, girls, I’ll leave you two alone. I’ve got calls to make. Gen, are you staying for dinner? I think something celebratory is called for.”
“Yeah, Ms. Carlyle, I’m staying.”
“Call me Joan. I’ll get you two when it’s ready.” Joan left quickly.
“Oh, God,” Casey moaned, burying her head in her pillow.
“She took it really well,” Gen said, rubbing Casey’s back.
“…did she say she was going to make calls?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, God,” Casey exclaimed, jumping out of bed. “Mom,” she yelled and ran out with Gen following her.
“I know, she’s an ice skater, you know. They’ll be perfect. Casey’s a little shy, but I’m sure her girlfriend will-”
“Mom, who are you talking to? Are you telling people about us?”
“I’ll call you back, Alice,” Joan said, hanging up the phone. “Casey, that was just Alice. She’s head of the local PFLAG chapter, and she thinks it’s wonderful. Suggested having you two maybe do some talks, and I was thinking maybe having a focus on GLBT people in sports for a class. It’s a big thing to do now and-”
“Mom, I don’t care. I’m not going to be your little gay poster child.”
“Casey, you have an opportunity to be role model. You’re an ice skater, a good one, and little girls already look up to you. You have a chance to show them that it’s ok to be different and to want things that aren’t what society thinks they should want.”
“Mom, I just want to kiss my girlfriend and skate.”
Gen had stayed quiet throughout the argument, but ever since the night in Teddy’s room months ago right after they’d gotten together, she’d been thinking about issues like this, and once she’d accepted being gay, wanting to raise awareness had been something that interested her.
“I think it’s a good idea.”
That froze both of the Carlyle women, and Casey gave her a little hurt look while her mom gave her a smile.
“It’s not like I’m going to have you leading marches or anything, Casey. I’m talking about small group talks and some local things. We have a real opportunity here, and I think we should grab it.”
“I hated it at first, and it was really Gen and my mom’s thing, especially in the beginning, but, as you can see, I’ve grown to love it. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be standing here today.”
Gen smiled and gave Casey a little kiss. "Alright, any more questions? Maybe ones that don't send us down memory lane?"
Author: semirose
Fandom: Ice Princess
Pairing/characters: Gen/Casey
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Disney owns them, not me.
Prompt: 466. Ice Princess: Casey Carlyle/Gen Harwood. If anything, Casey's mother is too supportive.
Summary: Casey and Gen give a talk and remember.
Author's Notes: Thanks to ximperfecti0n for the fabulous eleventh hour beta.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Gen said as she and Casey practically ran into the room. “I’m so sorry we’re late.”
The woman, who was obviously the leader of the group, stood up and announced, “That’s alright, girls. We were having a conversation about coming out, and I’m sure you two have some great insights into that.” She turned back to the group of girls sitting in a circle.
“Alright ladies, as I’m sure you remember, tonight we have a couple of special guests: Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood.” There was a smattering of applause, and Gen put on her friendly presenter face.
“Hi, I’m Gen Harwood, and I’m sure lots of you recognize my lovely girlfriend, Casey Carlyle.” Gen gave Casey a little squeeze as Casey gave the room a little wave. It amazed and endeared Gen that even after years of being on TV, skating in front of thousands, and giving these little talks that Casey was still so shy about it.
“We’re probably not the best people to talk to you about coming out since ours was hardly normal in any sense of the word” and that had the room giggling.
“I remember that,” one of the girls declared.
“Me, too. It was so sweet.”
Gen smiled as Casey went beet red. Years later and just mentioning it still made Casey blush. At least she was smiling, though.
“Tell us about it, Casey!”
“Pleeeeease.”
“I’m sure you guys saw it on TV, they replayed it enough” Casey said, trying to back out but knowing she’d be telling the story. It was good for her, anyway. Once Casey started talking, she started loosening up. There were times when Gen spoke nearly the whole time, and Casey just nodded, smiled, and answered questions directed straight at her.
“Yeah, but it’s not the same!”
“Alright, so it was the 2006 Olympics, and I’d made the team by the skin of my teeth-lucking out when someone else ended up getting injured. I skated a rather disastrous short and took a spill, and they were interviewing me, and Gen decides at that moment to sneak down and comfort me, ignoring the cameras, which happen to catch it all on tape, and the rest is history.”
“And now that you’ve heard that, any questions of a less international news sort? Do we want to go back to what you were talking about before we rushed in all late?” Gen asked, taking over after catching Casey’s ‘please save me’ look.
“Did you guys have boyfriends before you got together? And how’d they take finding out?”
Gen smiled. “Actually, both of us had boyfriends when we got together. It was really unexpected, but it just felt right. And Casey’s boyfriend is actually the reason we’re together.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Really?”
“How does that work? How’d you break up with him?
”
Casey blushed. “Actually, Gen kind of broke up with him for me-not that I knew she was doing this or anything. I suppose the first thing you need to know is Teddy is Gen’s brother.”
“And that he knew before I did that I liked Casey.”
“Oh, my God, Teddy, what am I doing?” Gen asked, barging into his room and flopping onto his bed.
“I’d say you’re dating my girlfriend,” Teddy said, getting out of his computer chair and stretching out on the bed.
“We’re not dating, we just kissed. A lot. A lot a lot. And you told me too,” Gen said punching him. “Why’d you tell me to? Things were simple before.”
Teddy sighed. “I don’t see what the problem is. You like her, she likes you, you kissed on the ice, you went off somewhere to kiss more. Everyone’s happy.”
“Except I’m not gay.”
“No, you just kiss girls.”
“TEDDY.”
“Look, we already had this conversation, remember? You like her. She obviously either likes you or likes kissing Harwoods. What else does it matter?”
Gen was quiet. Was it honestly that simple? Teddy rolled his eyes and went back to his computer, letting his sister have her crisis of orientation on his bed.
After awhile, Gen spoke up again, “Teddy, I think I might be gay.”
“Ok.”
“And I have a girlfriend.”
“Ok.”
“And Casey’s breaking up with you.”
“Thanks for the memo, Gen.”
“Anytime.” And then Gen jumped off the bed and gave Teddy a hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Anytime,” he whispered back. “Just try not to steal any more of my girlfriends.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet.”
“You’re so lucky you have a brother like that.”
“How did you two get together anyways?”
“It’s pretty simple, really. I was watching Casey skate, and Teddy noticed and told me that I liked her. I denied, denied, denied, but then Casey asked me to skate with her, and we did something ridiculously stupid and ended up falling, and I couldn’t help but kiss her.”
There was a chorus of ‘aww’s from the room.
“So, how did your boyfriend take it?”
“Like a boy.”
“Brian, we have to break up.”
“Yeah, wait, WHAT?”
Gen sighed and sat next to Brian, “I’m sorry, but it’s not working out.”
Brian sat there looking completely baffled. “You’re breaking up with me?”
“I’m breaking up with you.”
“But, it’s me.”
“Yeah, I’m really sor-”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why are you breaking up with me?”
Gen stared at him, trying to decide what to say, before finally deciding on “I’m seeing someone else.”
Brian sat there for a moment, stunned and then mad. “Who?” he demanded standing up, “Come on, tell me.”
“It’s Casey.” Rage flickered across Brian’s face before confusion settled in.
“Casey?”
“Carlyle. She’s a skater.”
“She? You’re? What?”
“Look, I have to go,” Gen said, standing up, “You’re a great guy and everything but…yeah.” She started walking away when Brian called out, “Wait.”
Turning around, she waited.
“Umm, can I watch?”
“Can you, what? No!”
“Oh, come on, Gen, I remember her now. That’s gotta be hot.”
“Oh, my God,” Gen huffed before stomping off. Boys.
“So, like I said, he reacted like a boy.”
“That’s crazy.”
“Did you slap him?”
“What about your parents? How did they take it?”
“Well,” Gen started, “my mom took it like a business woman. She wasn’t happy because I’m a ‘distraction’ that Casey didn’t need.”
“Her mom is my coach,” Casey said, butting in.
“Right, so, she was about as thrilled with that as she was when she found out I was dating Brian and Casey was dating Teddy. And then she took this as an opportunity to hit up sponsors who were looking to support a gay skater. She calmed down after a few started jumping at the chance to sponsor Casey, but she still doesn’t really acknowledge it, and we don’t really force it.”
There was nodding around the room before the next question came.
“What about your mom, Casey?”
Gen squeezed Casey’s hand as Casey steeled herself to speak. “My mom is actually the reason we’re here. The minute she found out, she was already planning on having us be poster children for young gay women, and let’s just say I wasn’t too receptive to the idea.”
“Good news, Casey, I managed to get back OH.”
“MOM,” Casey screeched as her mom came into her room.
Everyone froze-Casey and Gen on the bed, clearly having been engaged in more than friendly activities, and Joan in the doorway, her eyes darting between the two girls.
And then she smiled, clapped her hands, and sat on the bed hugging both girls.
“Oh, this is fabulous. Casey, how long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“So, you’re not…mad?” Casey whispered.
“Mad? Oh, sweetie, this is wonderful. I was so worried when she started skating, you know,” Joan said to Gen, “thought she’d turn into a bimbo who only cared about looking pretty and boys-not that I think that’s what you are, dear, and then you started seeing that boy, and well.”
“Mom, you know I’m not like that.”
“Oh, I know, but still, a mother worries. And that’s all over because, oh, you two are so cute.” Joan stood up, going to leave the room, “Alright, girls, I’ll leave you two alone. I’ve got calls to make. Gen, are you staying for dinner? I think something celebratory is called for.”
“Yeah, Ms. Carlyle, I’m staying.”
“Call me Joan. I’ll get you two when it’s ready.” Joan left quickly.
“Oh, God,” Casey moaned, burying her head in her pillow.
“She took it really well,” Gen said, rubbing Casey’s back.
“…did she say she was going to make calls?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, God,” Casey exclaimed, jumping out of bed. “Mom,” she yelled and ran out with Gen following her.
“I know, she’s an ice skater, you know. They’ll be perfect. Casey’s a little shy, but I’m sure her girlfriend will-”
“Mom, who are you talking to? Are you telling people about us?”
“I’ll call you back, Alice,” Joan said, hanging up the phone. “Casey, that was just Alice. She’s head of the local PFLAG chapter, and she thinks it’s wonderful. Suggested having you two maybe do some talks, and I was thinking maybe having a focus on GLBT people in sports for a class. It’s a big thing to do now and-”
“Mom, I don’t care. I’m not going to be your little gay poster child.”
“Casey, you have an opportunity to be role model. You’re an ice skater, a good one, and little girls already look up to you. You have a chance to show them that it’s ok to be different and to want things that aren’t what society thinks they should want.”
“Mom, I just want to kiss my girlfriend and skate.”
Gen had stayed quiet throughout the argument, but ever since the night in Teddy’s room months ago right after they’d gotten together, she’d been thinking about issues like this, and once she’d accepted being gay, wanting to raise awareness had been something that interested her.
“I think it’s a good idea.”
That froze both of the Carlyle women, and Casey gave her a little hurt look while her mom gave her a smile.
“It’s not like I’m going to have you leading marches or anything, Casey. I’m talking about small group talks and some local things. We have a real opportunity here, and I think we should grab it.”
“I hated it at first, and it was really Gen and my mom’s thing, especially in the beginning, but, as you can see, I’ve grown to love it. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be standing here today.”
Gen smiled and gave Casey a little kiss. "Alright, any more questions? Maybe ones that don't send us down memory lane?"