Fic: Appearances (Part Nineteen) by Mikey, brown cortina
Title: Appearances, Part Nineteen
Authors: mikes_grrl, with angeweeks on ‘Gene dialogue duty’ and more than a little credit to draycevixen for plot assistance.
Rating: Brown Cortina (NC-17)
Pairing: Gene/Sam
Warnings: AU, post-2.08, and probably not in character.
Disclaimer: All owned by Kudos, kudos to them. I’m just having fun.
Word Count: 50,000~ total (part Nineteen, 1,500)
Summary: Sam tries to broaden Gene’s horizons but Gene won’t listen to reason (surprise) and sure as hell won’t ‘dialogue’. Meanwhile the city is experiencing a rash of hate crimes, a few of which are perpetrated against gay men, just as queer activism hits Manchester.
NOTES to Part Nineteen: David returns! Or shows up, whatever. It's the David and Gene show! Hope you like it, especially since it might surprise you. Now we get to find out which of you has been reading along with your small-detail memory settings on 'high'! I'd like to note that I don't think this story goes in the direction everyone seems to expect it to; just warning you now, so you can prepare yourself. *tries not to act guilty*
Appearances:
Prologue; Part One; Part Two; Part Three; Part Four; Part Five; Part Six; Part Seven; Part Eight; Part Nine; Part Ten; Part Eleven; Part Twelve; Part Thirteen; Part Fourteen; Part Fifteen; Part Sixteen Part Seventeen; Part Eighteen
( Undercover-AU:
I. Undercover
II. Exposed
III. Smirk )
Appearances, Part Nineteen
Gene waited patiently and twenty minutes later David walked in, stopping the place dead as he howled for the location of ‘the massive drunken wanker.’ Gene did not even look for Larry as David manhandled him out of the Pig, stopping once to get the phone number of a young dock worker on leave. On the drive Gene just looked out the window, mostly rolling the words ‘you’ve betrayed Sam’ over and over in his head, trying to figure out exactly what the implications of that phrase were, and deciding that he did not want to know. Eventually they made it to David’s house, which sat at the end of a long drive on the upscale side of town. David shoved him out of the car towards the elegant two story house settled amid very well trimmed shrubbery and a few tasteful marble statues around the side. It had been several years since Gene visited, and he snorted a giggle as David pulled him through the large, solid double front doors.
“Hollywood queer.”
“Shut it, yer just jealous.” David shoved him inside. “Your usual.” David waved at the stairwell off the large foyer, pointing up towards the first guest bedroom. Instead, Gene detoured for the parlor. “Hey. Wait, you drunken sod…”
Gene aimed for the bar and poured them both drinks as David sprawled out on one of the sofas in defeat. Gene handed one over as he sat down next to him. They sat in comfortable silence, sipping, and staring at the empty fireplace.
“Dave?”
“What?” David growled.
“Kicked Sam to the curb.”
“Bloody brilliant, you are.”
Gene nodded.
“Any good reason?”
“I think…no.” Gene sipped his drink. “The usual. Just…more than a man needs to worry about.”
David grimaced. “I can’t say, Gene. Can’t say if that is good or not.”
“Thought you were the romantic, here.”
David looked at him critically. “You of all people know better than that…I’m just saying, Gene, the situation is got out of hand. Maybe you did the right thing.”
Gene stared at his drink. “No.” He paused and looked at the empty, cold fireplace in front of them. “No, I did wrong, David. The right thing wouldn’t get me pissed at the Pig and crying on Larry’s shoulders, for fuck’s sake. No. I’m going to have to fix this, get it set back right between us.”
David snorted and kicked him lightly. “Good time to figure this out, when you tossed him out on his ear…Christ, Gene, you expect too much. You expect everything, you want it all, always have…”
“And you were always right there to tell me I couldn’t have it!” Gene snapped.
David just stared at him, stricken, and Gene pulled in a large breath to calm down.
“You remember ’48?”
David’s expression turned dark. “Yeah.”
“Could it have been different?”
“No.”
“Maybe.”
“No. Gene, no. We both know that. Now is not the time to second guess anything. Not now.” David’s voice took on a brittle air and he was talking too fast.
Gene reached out and ran a hand over David’s face to calm him down, and David closed his eyes as if willing off a bad stomach cramp.
“We were eighteen, Gene.”
“You bailed.”
“On what? Nothing to bail from. Boys being boys.”
Gene ran his hands through David’s hair. “Most of our school pals, they was getting married already. Planning families.”
“Right. Gay boys like us, we were going to announce our engagement and start buying prams.”
“It’s what boys do, David. Plan for the future.”
“We did. I got school and you became a policeman…really, you did look good in the uniform…”
“David…” Gene growled in frustration and wrapped his hand around the back of David’s neck, but did not pull at him. “We coulda’ left, gone to London, like Jeff did. He did good with that club on the East Side, set up house and all with some photographer. We…”
“No.” David sighed, his eyes still closed, as Gene’s thumb began rubbing small circles on his neck.
“Can’t say…”
David crumbled and Gene pulled him in, turning him so he was facing him and holding him to his chest. David sighed weakly. “I know you was thinkin’ it, when you got back from National Service and Jeff hauled out.”
“I was just out the service…coulda’ gone anywhere, done anything…we…”
“Couldn’t allow you to do that, couldn’t let you throw yourself away. Not for me. You belonged on the force, like yer uncle, you belong here. You’d be diggin’ ditches to help me through uni down south, I knew it…” David shook his head as he talked into Gene’s shoulder, his fingers digging into Gene’s arm. “I knew what you would do, Gene. I couldn’t let you…don’t tell me now it could have been different, you bastard…”
“…That fuckin’ boxer from Bramhall,” Gene said softly, understanding that miserable year for the first time. David gave him the reason to break off, then, and Gene took it despite the cost because it was easier than to try for something they both knew was impossible, far easier than to give up future goals and dreams for the sake of another boy’s love. David’s betrayal destroyed so much of Gene’s youthful dreams but set them both up to take the only chance for ‘normal’ they ever had, and finally Gene understood the toll it took on David to do it. “Jesus, David…” Gene sat in shock, remembering the years that passed before he even spoke civilly to David after that - years David gave up to for the sake of their careers, their lives. But in hindsight he saw how foolish they were, even if David did not want to, because his life had only circled around to the same damn choice.
“The way it had to be. We’ve done good.” David curled up further next to Gene, resting in his embrace for the first time since they were boys, and it was true, they had done well. But Gene finally realized that it would never be enough. He held David closer, feeling the other man’s slight tremors, and decided to let the matter rest. They lived hard lives with hard choices, and he did not want to judge them both for past mistakes now.
“Damn good. Proud of ya’. Your nice big house, it’s everything you talked about back then. Tall ceilings and that big staircase, like in the movies…bet you got that canopy bed, all Hollywood like Cary Grant…” Gene talked aimlessly and let David tuck his head into his shoulder as Gene rested his jaw against the back of his neck.
“Not like the nights we camped out in the sheds at the railway yard. Cold, wet…”
“Safe.”
David nodded, and pressed into Gene. “You love him?”
“Sam?”
“No, David Cassidy.”
“Smart arsed fairy.” Gene slapped David’s arse lightly, then frowned, tightening his grip around David. “Don’t think he’ll take me back after this muck up.”
“If not, can I have him? The least you owe me…”
“Want me to dip him in strawberry jam first?” Gene snorted and rolled his eyes.
“…didn’t think you’d remember,” David said softly.
“I do.”
“You mind if I cry like a girl, now?” David tried to laugh but Gene could tell it was forced.
“Still can’t eat the muck without getting a stiffy.”
“So not all is lost.” David said lightly, but ran a hand over his shoulder and down his arm, and memories flooded Gene’s body.
“…You want me to stay, Princess, I will.” Gene said softly, and stroked David’s back, slowly, the way he remembered David enjoyed it, his offer and meaning clear.
“Fuck me and leave me in the morning? We’ve been there before. No. Anyway you’re too old for me now.”
Gene nodded, unsure if he was relieved by the refusal or not. This could be easy now, the two of them, older and wiser and cautious and settled in their separate ways. David was as old fashioned as he was, and had even fewer expectations from relationships like this. A simpler life, with him, away from Sam’s high minded expectations and Sam’s demands on him and Sam…
No, it would not be easier at all. Gene sighed, his relief mixed, and David squirmed in his lap. Gene looked down at him, frowning.
“Going after the boys don’t keep you young, Princess.”
“No, but it does keep me limber.” David huffed into Gene’s chest, then yawned.
He leaned backwards and relaxed into the couch, holding David familiarly. He felt David’s breathing even out and his tight, thin body unwind in his arms and Gene did not remember falling asleep.
>---------
Authors: mikes_grrl, with angeweeks on ‘Gene dialogue duty’ and more than a little credit to draycevixen for plot assistance.
Rating: Brown Cortina (NC-17)
Pairing: Gene/Sam
Warnings: AU, post-2.08, and probably not in character.
Disclaimer: All owned by Kudos, kudos to them. I’m just having fun.
Word Count: 50,000~ total (part Nineteen, 1,500)
Summary: Sam tries to broaden Gene’s horizons but Gene won’t listen to reason (surprise) and sure as hell won’t ‘dialogue’. Meanwhile the city is experiencing a rash of hate crimes, a few of which are perpetrated against gay men, just as queer activism hits Manchester.
NOTES to Part Nineteen: David returns! Or shows up, whatever. It's the David and Gene show! Hope you like it, especially since it might surprise you. Now we get to find out which of you has been reading along with your small-detail memory settings on 'high'! I'd like to note that I don't think this story goes in the direction everyone seems to expect it to; just warning you now, so you can prepare yourself. *tries not to act guilty*
Appearances:
Prologue; Part One; Part Two; Part Three; Part Four; Part Five; Part Six; Part Seven; Part Eight; Part Nine; Part Ten; Part Eleven; Part Twelve; Part Thirteen; Part Fourteen; Part Fifteen; Part Sixteen Part Seventeen; Part Eighteen
( Undercover-AU:
I. Undercover
II. Exposed
III. Smirk )
Appearances, Part Nineteen
Gene waited patiently and twenty minutes later David walked in, stopping the place dead as he howled for the location of ‘the massive drunken wanker.’ Gene did not even look for Larry as David manhandled him out of the Pig, stopping once to get the phone number of a young dock worker on leave. On the drive Gene just looked out the window, mostly rolling the words ‘you’ve betrayed Sam’ over and over in his head, trying to figure out exactly what the implications of that phrase were, and deciding that he did not want to know. Eventually they made it to David’s house, which sat at the end of a long drive on the upscale side of town. David shoved him out of the car towards the elegant two story house settled amid very well trimmed shrubbery and a few tasteful marble statues around the side. It had been several years since Gene visited, and he snorted a giggle as David pulled him through the large, solid double front doors.
“Hollywood queer.”
“Shut it, yer just jealous.” David shoved him inside. “Your usual.” David waved at the stairwell off the large foyer, pointing up towards the first guest bedroom. Instead, Gene detoured for the parlor. “Hey. Wait, you drunken sod…”
Gene aimed for the bar and poured them both drinks as David sprawled out on one of the sofas in defeat. Gene handed one over as he sat down next to him. They sat in comfortable silence, sipping, and staring at the empty fireplace.
“Dave?”
“What?” David growled.
“Kicked Sam to the curb.”
“Bloody brilliant, you are.”
Gene nodded.
“Any good reason?”
“I think…no.” Gene sipped his drink. “The usual. Just…more than a man needs to worry about.”
David grimaced. “I can’t say, Gene. Can’t say if that is good or not.”
“Thought you were the romantic, here.”
David looked at him critically. “You of all people know better than that…I’m just saying, Gene, the situation is got out of hand. Maybe you did the right thing.”
Gene stared at his drink. “No.” He paused and looked at the empty, cold fireplace in front of them. “No, I did wrong, David. The right thing wouldn’t get me pissed at the Pig and crying on Larry’s shoulders, for fuck’s sake. No. I’m going to have to fix this, get it set back right between us.”
David snorted and kicked him lightly. “Good time to figure this out, when you tossed him out on his ear…Christ, Gene, you expect too much. You expect everything, you want it all, always have…”
“And you were always right there to tell me I couldn’t have it!” Gene snapped.
David just stared at him, stricken, and Gene pulled in a large breath to calm down.
“You remember ’48?”
David’s expression turned dark. “Yeah.”
“Could it have been different?”
“No.”
“Maybe.”
“No. Gene, no. We both know that. Now is not the time to second guess anything. Not now.” David’s voice took on a brittle air and he was talking too fast.
Gene reached out and ran a hand over David’s face to calm him down, and David closed his eyes as if willing off a bad stomach cramp.
“We were eighteen, Gene.”
“You bailed.”
“On what? Nothing to bail from. Boys being boys.”
Gene ran his hands through David’s hair. “Most of our school pals, they was getting married already. Planning families.”
“Right. Gay boys like us, we were going to announce our engagement and start buying prams.”
“It’s what boys do, David. Plan for the future.”
“We did. I got school and you became a policeman…really, you did look good in the uniform…”
“David…” Gene growled in frustration and wrapped his hand around the back of David’s neck, but did not pull at him. “We coulda’ left, gone to London, like Jeff did. He did good with that club on the East Side, set up house and all with some photographer. We…”
“No.” David sighed, his eyes still closed, as Gene’s thumb began rubbing small circles on his neck.
“Can’t say…”
David crumbled and Gene pulled him in, turning him so he was facing him and holding him to his chest. David sighed weakly. “I know you was thinkin’ it, when you got back from National Service and Jeff hauled out.”
“I was just out the service…coulda’ gone anywhere, done anything…we…”
“Couldn’t allow you to do that, couldn’t let you throw yourself away. Not for me. You belonged on the force, like yer uncle, you belong here. You’d be diggin’ ditches to help me through uni down south, I knew it…” David shook his head as he talked into Gene’s shoulder, his fingers digging into Gene’s arm. “I knew what you would do, Gene. I couldn’t let you…don’t tell me now it could have been different, you bastard…”
“…That fuckin’ boxer from Bramhall,” Gene said softly, understanding that miserable year for the first time. David gave him the reason to break off, then, and Gene took it despite the cost because it was easier than to try for something they both knew was impossible, far easier than to give up future goals and dreams for the sake of another boy’s love. David’s betrayal destroyed so much of Gene’s youthful dreams but set them both up to take the only chance for ‘normal’ they ever had, and finally Gene understood the toll it took on David to do it. “Jesus, David…” Gene sat in shock, remembering the years that passed before he even spoke civilly to David after that - years David gave up to for the sake of their careers, their lives. But in hindsight he saw how foolish they were, even if David did not want to, because his life had only circled around to the same damn choice.
“The way it had to be. We’ve done good.” David curled up further next to Gene, resting in his embrace for the first time since they were boys, and it was true, they had done well. But Gene finally realized that it would never be enough. He held David closer, feeling the other man’s slight tremors, and decided to let the matter rest. They lived hard lives with hard choices, and he did not want to judge them both for past mistakes now.
“Damn good. Proud of ya’. Your nice big house, it’s everything you talked about back then. Tall ceilings and that big staircase, like in the movies…bet you got that canopy bed, all Hollywood like Cary Grant…” Gene talked aimlessly and let David tuck his head into his shoulder as Gene rested his jaw against the back of his neck.
“Not like the nights we camped out in the sheds at the railway yard. Cold, wet…”
“Safe.”
David nodded, and pressed into Gene. “You love him?”
“Sam?”
“No, David Cassidy.”
“Smart arsed fairy.” Gene slapped David’s arse lightly, then frowned, tightening his grip around David. “Don’t think he’ll take me back after this muck up.”
“If not, can I have him? The least you owe me…”
“Want me to dip him in strawberry jam first?” Gene snorted and rolled his eyes.
“…didn’t think you’d remember,” David said softly.
“I do.”
“You mind if I cry like a girl, now?” David tried to laugh but Gene could tell it was forced.
“Still can’t eat the muck without getting a stiffy.”
“So not all is lost.” David said lightly, but ran a hand over his shoulder and down his arm, and memories flooded Gene’s body.
“…You want me to stay, Princess, I will.” Gene said softly, and stroked David’s back, slowly, the way he remembered David enjoyed it, his offer and meaning clear.
“Fuck me and leave me in the morning? We’ve been there before. No. Anyway you’re too old for me now.”
Gene nodded, unsure if he was relieved by the refusal or not. This could be easy now, the two of them, older and wiser and cautious and settled in their separate ways. David was as old fashioned as he was, and had even fewer expectations from relationships like this. A simpler life, with him, away from Sam’s high minded expectations and Sam’s demands on him and Sam…
No, it would not be easier at all. Gene sighed, his relief mixed, and David squirmed in his lap. Gene looked down at him, frowning.
“Going after the boys don’t keep you young, Princess.”
“No, but it does keep me limber.” David huffed into Gene’s chest, then yawned.
He leaned backwards and relaxed into the couch, holding David familiarly. He felt David’s breathing even out and his tight, thin body unwind in his arms and Gene did not remember falling asleep.
>---------