(no subject)
Title: Kiss Good Night
Feedback: please?
Pairing: none, really, just friendships
Word Count: 548
Rating: PG
Genre: general/humor
Summary: Maureen lets Roger set her up on a date, but she dreads the kiss good night.
Special Thanks: Katie, for letting me get stuff done
Warnings: Homosexuality, mentions of teasing, Maureen punching Roger
Disclaimer: RENT is Jonathan Larson's.
As we walked down the street to my apartment, neither of us speaking, I felt his palm sweating against mine. My stomach churned, though not in any way a response to the restaurant. The food had been in many ways perfect: delicious, filling, and cheap. Usually, my cousin likes to tell me, this means a high use of fats and flour to pad a meal and spices to hide the true content, not completely unlike dumplings in broth.
When he starts talking like that, I pound him. The truth is, though, that I love him like a brother, so though I pull back and whop him one on the shoulder when he turns food into a survey of disgust, when he calls me and says something like "Will you come to my birthday party" (and of course I was the only guest) or "Can I come over after school tomorrow" (which means he's lonely and suicidal), of course I'll say yes.
In this case, what I said yes to was a date. No, I did not go on a date with my cousin. Well, once. I was his prom date. His mother insisted it was an important experience for any young person. He insisted he'd get pounded if he went alone, probably get pounded anyway, so I was sent as his prom date/protector.
And that thing about me sticking my tongue down his throat, well, a bunch of his classmates were humiliating him an saying he'd be a virgin for life. I couldn't let that happen, I mean, he was my cousin!
Tonight, though, I was dating his friend, and said friend was walking me home after a not-totally-unpleasant evening which had involved ineresting conversation, good food and fine company.
"Well." I paused, chuckled and bounced on my knees. My stomach clenched. "This is my place."
"Yeah." He had a nice voice. That at least I must allow. Sometimes during dinner, when he was talking, I stopped listening to his words and just listened to his voice.
He leaned in to kiss me, and the pain in my stomach threatened to overwhelm. I wouldn't upchuck on his face, that sort of thing could traumatize a boy. But what was there to traumatize? I knew if he didn't. He leaned near. I leaned back.
"Maureen?" he asked. He even sounded concerned. He was a sweet man with a nice body and a keen wit.
That could mean only one thing. I drew a deep breath. "Look, maybe you don't know this: you're gay," I said as kindly as I could.
He stopped trying to kiss me. In fact, he sighed in relief. "Thank you!" He slumped against the apartment building wall. "When Roger set me up, I thought he had a problem with it!"
I scoffed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He took one. "You kidding? Roger takes as much as he gives."
"He's bi?" he asked, lighting our cigarettes.
"Mm. Just stupid."
We laugh. "Yeah, say that for him," he muttered. "All right. Well thanks for the smoke, and I really did have fun tonight."
"Yeah." I smiled. It was good to get out. "Me, too." I offered my hand.
"Any time you need anything, let me know, ok, Maureen?"
"You too, Thomas."
Feedback: please?
Pairing: none, really, just friendships
Word Count: 548
Rating: PG
Genre: general/humor
Summary: Maureen lets Roger set her up on a date, but she dreads the kiss good night.
Special Thanks: Katie, for letting me get stuff done
Warnings: Homosexuality, mentions of teasing, Maureen punching Roger
Disclaimer: RENT is Jonathan Larson's.
As we walked down the street to my apartment, neither of us speaking, I felt his palm sweating against mine. My stomach churned, though not in any way a response to the restaurant. The food had been in many ways perfect: delicious, filling, and cheap. Usually, my cousin likes to tell me, this means a high use of fats and flour to pad a meal and spices to hide the true content, not completely unlike dumplings in broth.
When he starts talking like that, I pound him. The truth is, though, that I love him like a brother, so though I pull back and whop him one on the shoulder when he turns food into a survey of disgust, when he calls me and says something like "Will you come to my birthday party" (and of course I was the only guest) or "Can I come over after school tomorrow" (which means he's lonely and suicidal), of course I'll say yes.
In this case, what I said yes to was a date. No, I did not go on a date with my cousin. Well, once. I was his prom date. His mother insisted it was an important experience for any young person. He insisted he'd get pounded if he went alone, probably get pounded anyway, so I was sent as his prom date/protector.
And that thing about me sticking my tongue down his throat, well, a bunch of his classmates were humiliating him an saying he'd be a virgin for life. I couldn't let that happen, I mean, he was my cousin!
Tonight, though, I was dating his friend, and said friend was walking me home after a not-totally-unpleasant evening which had involved ineresting conversation, good food and fine company.
"Well." I paused, chuckled and bounced on my knees. My stomach clenched. "This is my place."
"Yeah." He had a nice voice. That at least I must allow. Sometimes during dinner, when he was talking, I stopped listening to his words and just listened to his voice.
He leaned in to kiss me, and the pain in my stomach threatened to overwhelm. I wouldn't upchuck on his face, that sort of thing could traumatize a boy. But what was there to traumatize? I knew if he didn't. He leaned near. I leaned back.
"Maureen?" he asked. He even sounded concerned. He was a sweet man with a nice body and a keen wit.
That could mean only one thing. I drew a deep breath. "Look, maybe you don't know this: you're gay," I said as kindly as I could.
He stopped trying to kiss me. In fact, he sighed in relief. "Thank you!" He slumped against the apartment building wall. "When Roger set me up, I thought he had a problem with it!"
I scoffed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He took one. "You kidding? Roger takes as much as he gives."
"He's bi?" he asked, lighting our cigarettes.
"Mm. Just stupid."
We laugh. "Yeah, say that for him," he muttered. "All right. Well thanks for the smoke, and I really did have fun tonight."
"Yeah." I smiled. It was good to get out. "Me, too." I offered my hand.
"Any time you need anything, let me know, ok, Maureen?"
"You too, Thomas."