A Not-So-Divine Intervention
Title: A Not-So-Divine Intervention
Characters: Kevin, Scotty, barkeep, Nora, Marcus
Pairing: Kevin/Scotty, Scotty/Marcus
Rating: PG
Summary: Yet another way to have avoided The Incident.
Spoilers: References to the latest Kevin/Scotty storyline.
Word Count:1,192
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: If the beginning seems familiar, it was inspired by Kenny Chesney's "The Good Stuff".
“What meeting?” the barkeep asked as Kevin ended the call on his cell phone.
“There is none. It’s the biggest night of my husband’s career, and I liked about not being able to make it.”
“Can I tell you a story?”
“You’re supplying the booze, who am I to stop you?”
“I was married for twenty years. My wife died of cancer four years ago. Two years of that I spent in the bottle, not because I was trying to cope with the loss, but because I felt guilty. All I could think about were the lost moments. The nights I spent out with the boys while she spent them home alone. The long hours I put in at work rather than into our marriage. But I learned I can’t change who I was. Now, I just try and hold on to the memories.”
“I thought we had the perfect marriage,” Kevin said. “But I’ve been in such a dark place lately, I don’t know. It feels like our marriage is crumbling.”
“Do you still love him?”
“Of course.”
“Would you be furious if he cheated on you?”
“Scotty never would.”
“Pretend. Or, how about, if another man flirted with him?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here? Why aren’t you fighting for your marriage?”
“But. . .”
“No. If you can’t find it in yourself to be supportive of him because you are so self-obsessed with your own failures, then go pretend. If you can’t even act supportive, then why the hell did you even marry him? He could have done so much better than you. If you want, you can stay here and continue to pay my rent and watch your marriage fall apart, or you can have that last drink on the house and go fight for what you want.”
Maybe it was just the liquor, but Kevin finally felt something inside of him. He dumped some money on the bar, told the barkeep to “keep the change” and rushed to the restaurant.
“Have you seen Scotty?” Kevin asked the first person he saw, a waiter.
“Who?”
“Scotty. Scotty! The head chef! You work here and you don’t know your boss’s name?”
“Oh, him. Don’t tell anyone, but him and I are shacking up after this event’s over.”
“No you’re not,” Kevin said and punched him in the chin, causing waiter and tray to fall to the floor.
The sound of breaking dishes caused the room to become silent.
“Kevin, may I see you in the back?” Scotty asked, now standing in the door. “Nora, can you help Marcus?”
Kevin followed Scotty outside.
“What the hell Kevin?”
“He said you two were going to hook up tonight.”
“Don’t you have faith in me?”
“Of course. It’s just. . .I haven’t been giving you much of a reason to stay faithful. Not since the crash. I’ve been a lousy husband. I’ve been the worst.”
“I really don’t have time for your melodramatics,” Scotty said, walking past Kevin and back into the restaurant.
Kevin stood stunned, staring at the closed door. He headed back to the dining room and found his family.
“What the hell Kevin Walker?” Nora greeted him. “You’re supposed to be supporting your husband, not trying to kill his workers. What has gotten into you?”
“I’m sorry Mom, but when you find out your father was a cheating bastard, you swear to yourself that you’ll never do that. But when you realize you’ve become something worse, you decide to try and fight for your marriage. Apparently that’s not what you’re supposed to do? Then what? What do I do? Do I let someone half my age come in and woo my husband, because I have been so damn egotistical I’ve forgotten to tell him I love him? I don’t want to lose Scotty, but maybe I already have.”
Kevin headed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He splashed some cold water on his face and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked so old. And because he couldn’t think of anything else to do, he sat on the edge of the bathtub and began to cry.
He heard a knock at the door, causing him to jump.
“Sorry, I’ll get out,” Kevin said and opened the door.
He walked past Scotty, heading for the bedroom.
“Wait,” Scotty said.
Kevin turned around. And for a few moments neither man said anything.
“Have I lost you?” Kevin finally asked.
“What?”
“Is this is? Do I begin sleeping in my office? Are we separated, or divorced, or broken up or whatever it is that people who aren’t legally married do when they change their minds? Have you given up on us?”
“No. Kevin, I’m sorry I acted the way I did. I’m not perfect. But that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on us. What about you? You haven’t told me -“
“I know. My dad cheated on my mom, and still found time to tell her he loved her. Still found time to kiss her. I’m so sorry. That’s why I’ve become worse than my father. I’ve taken such advantage of you. I’m so sorry. I love you. I really do. I know I shouldn’t have punched that waiter, but the thought of another man touching you, kissing you, makes me see red.”
“He did flirt with me. He played me. He said everything I’ve been longing to hear from you.”
“I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I said there was a meeting when there wasn’t. I’m sorry for not supporting you. I’m sorry for saying your restaurant wouldn’t work out. I was jealous. I’ve never been very good with celebrating other people’s successes when I was failing. I never meant to jeopardize us. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world, and I’m petrified of losing you. I came back to fight for you like I should have from the beginning.”
“I wish you would talk to me Kevin. I love how much you make me feel needed. But sometimes I feel like you’re not telling me what’s most important. I wish you would feel comfortable telling me when you’re scared, instead of just. . .suffocating me with demands to make everything better.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been like that. I am freaked out about losing Robert. I am pissed we can’t have a child. I know it’s no one’s fault. It’s just frustrating how two reckless people can sleep together and have a child, but even with much planning and saving, we can’t have a child.”
“What about adoption?”
“What?”
“The state of California will let us adopt. And, we could make one of those unloved children feel loved.”
“Let’s talk in the morning, but I do like the idea. And Scotty, I want you to know, as much as I’m mourning Robert, I’d mourn losing you twice as much.”
“Really?”
Kevin walked closer to Scotty.
“Mmm-hmm,” Kevin said, brushing Scotty’s cheek. “And I promise to be a better husband. It’ll take time, but I will be one.”
“I love you Kevin.”
“I love you too,” Kevin said and kissed Scotty.
Characters: Kevin, Scotty, barkeep, Nora, Marcus
Pairing: Kevin/Scotty, Scotty/Marcus
Rating: PG
Summary: Yet another way to have avoided The Incident.
Spoilers: References to the latest Kevin/Scotty storyline.
Word Count:1,192
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: If the beginning seems familiar, it was inspired by Kenny Chesney's "The Good Stuff".
“What meeting?” the barkeep asked as Kevin ended the call on his cell phone.
“There is none. It’s the biggest night of my husband’s career, and I liked about not being able to make it.”
“Can I tell you a story?”
“You’re supplying the booze, who am I to stop you?”
“I was married for twenty years. My wife died of cancer four years ago. Two years of that I spent in the bottle, not because I was trying to cope with the loss, but because I felt guilty. All I could think about were the lost moments. The nights I spent out with the boys while she spent them home alone. The long hours I put in at work rather than into our marriage. But I learned I can’t change who I was. Now, I just try and hold on to the memories.”
“I thought we had the perfect marriage,” Kevin said. “But I’ve been in such a dark place lately, I don’t know. It feels like our marriage is crumbling.”
“Do you still love him?”
“Of course.”
“Would you be furious if he cheated on you?”
“Scotty never would.”
“Pretend. Or, how about, if another man flirted with him?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here? Why aren’t you fighting for your marriage?”
“But. . .”
“No. If you can’t find it in yourself to be supportive of him because you are so self-obsessed with your own failures, then go pretend. If you can’t even act supportive, then why the hell did you even marry him? He could have done so much better than you. If you want, you can stay here and continue to pay my rent and watch your marriage fall apart, or you can have that last drink on the house and go fight for what you want.”
Maybe it was just the liquor, but Kevin finally felt something inside of him. He dumped some money on the bar, told the barkeep to “keep the change” and rushed to the restaurant.
“Have you seen Scotty?” Kevin asked the first person he saw, a waiter.
“Who?”
“Scotty. Scotty! The head chef! You work here and you don’t know your boss’s name?”
“Oh, him. Don’t tell anyone, but him and I are shacking up after this event’s over.”
“No you’re not,” Kevin said and punched him in the chin, causing waiter and tray to fall to the floor.
The sound of breaking dishes caused the room to become silent.
“Kevin, may I see you in the back?” Scotty asked, now standing in the door. “Nora, can you help Marcus?”
Kevin followed Scotty outside.
“What the hell Kevin?”
“He said you two were going to hook up tonight.”
“Don’t you have faith in me?”
“Of course. It’s just. . .I haven’t been giving you much of a reason to stay faithful. Not since the crash. I’ve been a lousy husband. I’ve been the worst.”
“I really don’t have time for your melodramatics,” Scotty said, walking past Kevin and back into the restaurant.
Kevin stood stunned, staring at the closed door. He headed back to the dining room and found his family.
“What the hell Kevin Walker?” Nora greeted him. “You’re supposed to be supporting your husband, not trying to kill his workers. What has gotten into you?”
“I’m sorry Mom, but when you find out your father was a cheating bastard, you swear to yourself that you’ll never do that. But when you realize you’ve become something worse, you decide to try and fight for your marriage. Apparently that’s not what you’re supposed to do? Then what? What do I do? Do I let someone half my age come in and woo my husband, because I have been so damn egotistical I’ve forgotten to tell him I love him? I don’t want to lose Scotty, but maybe I already have.”
Kevin headed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He splashed some cold water on his face and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked so old. And because he couldn’t think of anything else to do, he sat on the edge of the bathtub and began to cry.
He heard a knock at the door, causing him to jump.
“Sorry, I’ll get out,” Kevin said and opened the door.
He walked past Scotty, heading for the bedroom.
“Wait,” Scotty said.
Kevin turned around. And for a few moments neither man said anything.
“Have I lost you?” Kevin finally asked.
“What?”
“Is this is? Do I begin sleeping in my office? Are we separated, or divorced, or broken up or whatever it is that people who aren’t legally married do when they change their minds? Have you given up on us?”
“No. Kevin, I’m sorry I acted the way I did. I’m not perfect. But that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on us. What about you? You haven’t told me -“
“I know. My dad cheated on my mom, and still found time to tell her he loved her. Still found time to kiss her. I’m so sorry. That’s why I’ve become worse than my father. I’ve taken such advantage of you. I’m so sorry. I love you. I really do. I know I shouldn’t have punched that waiter, but the thought of another man touching you, kissing you, makes me see red.”
“He did flirt with me. He played me. He said everything I’ve been longing to hear from you.”
“I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I said there was a meeting when there wasn’t. I’m sorry for not supporting you. I’m sorry for saying your restaurant wouldn’t work out. I was jealous. I’ve never been very good with celebrating other people’s successes when I was failing. I never meant to jeopardize us. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world, and I’m petrified of losing you. I came back to fight for you like I should have from the beginning.”
“I wish you would talk to me Kevin. I love how much you make me feel needed. But sometimes I feel like you’re not telling me what’s most important. I wish you would feel comfortable telling me when you’re scared, instead of just. . .suffocating me with demands to make everything better.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been like that. I am freaked out about losing Robert. I am pissed we can’t have a child. I know it’s no one’s fault. It’s just frustrating how two reckless people can sleep together and have a child, but even with much planning and saving, we can’t have a child.”
“What about adoption?”
“What?”
“The state of California will let us adopt. And, we could make one of those unloved children feel loved.”
“Let’s talk in the morning, but I do like the idea. And Scotty, I want you to know, as much as I’m mourning Robert, I’d mourn losing you twice as much.”
“Really?”
Kevin walked closer to Scotty.
“Mmm-hmm,” Kevin said, brushing Scotty’s cheek. “And I promise to be a better husband. It’ll take time, but I will be one.”
“I love you Kevin.”
“I love you too,” Kevin said and kissed Scotty.