Kind of connected drabbles. In & Out
Title: Changes for the better
Kind of connected drabbles.
In & Out
Peter\Howard (who else?)
Fluff, romance, humor...
Nothing belongs to me.
“I quit, John.” Peter said somewhat hesitantly into the phone, standing in his hotel room, looking at the window.
“What!” the voice shouted at the other end, making Peter wince at the volume of its sound.
The boss of the Inside Entertainment wasn't happy at all having Peter leaving his company. He was an experienced journalist, bold and shameless enough to get the needed information covered. He was a good reporter and an essential part of his boss's team.
“What you mean you quit? Are you out of your mind? Peter, what's going on?”
Peter sighed, realizing that John would not let him go that easily. He took a deep breath and sat into the chair, with the phone in his hand.
“I've met someone...” he begun.
“Nonsense!” the boss protested, refusing to understand and even to listen, “What the hell are you talking about? Your career is what important. Have you forgotten your own words, Peter?”
“This time it is... something more important that a career...” Peter's voice failed him, making it seem as if he didn't believe his own words.
“Give me a break! You can date here too. Bring him here! And don't piss me off. It's not my style to over-talk someone to make them stay. I am not into saving jobs for those who don't want it. ”
“John... thank you. But I quit. You need to look for a new reporter.” Peter finally managed and hung up.
“Hello?... Hello!?” a panicked voice shouted from the phone, as Peter put it on the table.
“I hope I am doing the right thing”, he thought to himself, exhaling and standing up from the chair.
***
The next day he met Howard at the cafe where he had confronted him the very first time.
“So you're gonna leave for LA tomorrow?” Howard asked, sipping at the glass.
“Actually, I wanted you to...” Peter was interrupted by the waiter, bringing Howard a second course.
Peter smiled politely, and waited for the waiter to leave.
“So? You wanted me what?” Howard asked cheerfully, as he forked a piece of fish from his plate.
“I wanted to tell you that I quit.” Peter looked doubtful and even frightened, as if he started to regret his actions.
“Oh my God! Peter...” Howard chewed on, trying to show sympathy though. “I am sorry... Or should I not be sorry?”
“I am over with journalism. Do you think I can find a job in Greenleaf?” he looked up at Howard, smiling with a little hope.
“Teaching kissing?” Howard suggested with a deadpan face. Peter laughed. They both laughed. “We have a drama club as you know. You can teach acting. I mean, you look pretty confident in front of camera, many people would be glad to learn how to stay cool when they meet a TV reporter like you...” Howard went on in a cheerful tone, as Peter watched him attentively, grinning a little.
“That would be great indeed. Not sure if I can explain how I stay cool among cameras, but I'd like to try.” Peter said, smiling gratefully.
Howard grinned back and raised a glass, “To your new life. And hopefully a job!”
Peter chuckled and raised his glass too.
***
The next day.
“I don't even know, Howard...” Peter was nervous, standing at the door, whispering to his friend.
“You better relax, otherwise they will not believe you're capable of teaching...” Howard said gently, joking, hoping a small laugh will relax Peter.
They entered and Peter smiled his most beaming smile.
“Class, class...” Howard announced to the students, “Please, meet Mr. Malloy, I am sure many of you remember him from my wedding... um, my canceled wedding. Anyway, Mr. Malloy is a former tabloid leech and a present teacher in drama club,” the class laughed. “He will be teaching you acting. It will be useful for those of you who are afraid of performing in front of an audience.”
Peter smiled, raising his eyebrows and waved at the class.
“I hope I will be useful. I quit my job at LA two days ago and I'd be glad to stay in Greenleaf and do something good for the people of this town.”
After this tirade he turned to Howard, half whispering “That sounded a bit cheesy, didn't it?”
Everyone laughed again.
“Welcome to Greenleaf school,” a girl in a class finally said, “Are you a boyfriend of Mr. Brackett?”
A class gasped, chuckling; Howard blushed, but quickly recovered; and Peter was simply speechless.
“Um... I... I suppose, I am.” He replied, as he felt Howard's encouraging hand place onto his shoulder, squeezing it.
“Yeah, but we haven't planned a wedding so far.” Peter added, smiling.
***
The night after.
Peter and Howard were lying in bed, the TV set flickering in the corner.
“You know what?” Howard heard Peter ask, and turned back to him, rolling into his friend's embrace.
“Hmm?” Howard grinned and looked up at Peter, who was smiling too, putting his arms tight around Howard.
“Thank you.”
“What for? The work? Don't worry about it, it's just...” Howard was silenced by Peter's kiss. He continued to hum for a moment, moaning the words as Peter pressed his lips tighter to Howard's.
“For being yourself.” Peter said quietly, as he gently retreated from the kiss.
Howard turned back, shifting deeper into Peter's warm embrace, hiding his grin into the pillow.
Kind of connected drabbles.
In & Out
Peter\Howard (who else?)
Fluff, romance, humor...
Nothing belongs to me.
“I quit, John.” Peter said somewhat hesitantly into the phone, standing in his hotel room, looking at the window.
“What!” the voice shouted at the other end, making Peter wince at the volume of its sound.
The boss of the Inside Entertainment wasn't happy at all having Peter leaving his company. He was an experienced journalist, bold and shameless enough to get the needed information covered. He was a good reporter and an essential part of his boss's team.
“What you mean you quit? Are you out of your mind? Peter, what's going on?”
Peter sighed, realizing that John would not let him go that easily. He took a deep breath and sat into the chair, with the phone in his hand.
“I've met someone...” he begun.
“Nonsense!” the boss protested, refusing to understand and even to listen, “What the hell are you talking about? Your career is what important. Have you forgotten your own words, Peter?”
“This time it is... something more important that a career...” Peter's voice failed him, making it seem as if he didn't believe his own words.
“Give me a break! You can date here too. Bring him here! And don't piss me off. It's not my style to over-talk someone to make them stay. I am not into saving jobs for those who don't want it. ”
“John... thank you. But I quit. You need to look for a new reporter.” Peter finally managed and hung up.
“Hello?... Hello!?” a panicked voice shouted from the phone, as Peter put it on the table.
“I hope I am doing the right thing”, he thought to himself, exhaling and standing up from the chair.
***
The next day he met Howard at the cafe where he had confronted him the very first time.
“So you're gonna leave for LA tomorrow?” Howard asked, sipping at the glass.
“Actually, I wanted you to...” Peter was interrupted by the waiter, bringing Howard a second course.
Peter smiled politely, and waited for the waiter to leave.
“So? You wanted me what?” Howard asked cheerfully, as he forked a piece of fish from his plate.
“I wanted to tell you that I quit.” Peter looked doubtful and even frightened, as if he started to regret his actions.
“Oh my God! Peter...” Howard chewed on, trying to show sympathy though. “I am sorry... Or should I not be sorry?”
“I am over with journalism. Do you think I can find a job in Greenleaf?” he looked up at Howard, smiling with a little hope.
“Teaching kissing?” Howard suggested with a deadpan face. Peter laughed. They both laughed. “We have a drama club as you know. You can teach acting. I mean, you look pretty confident in front of camera, many people would be glad to learn how to stay cool when they meet a TV reporter like you...” Howard went on in a cheerful tone, as Peter watched him attentively, grinning a little.
“That would be great indeed. Not sure if I can explain how I stay cool among cameras, but I'd like to try.” Peter said, smiling gratefully.
Howard grinned back and raised a glass, “To your new life. And hopefully a job!”
Peter chuckled and raised his glass too.
***
The next day.
“I don't even know, Howard...” Peter was nervous, standing at the door, whispering to his friend.
“You better relax, otherwise they will not believe you're capable of teaching...” Howard said gently, joking, hoping a small laugh will relax Peter.
They entered and Peter smiled his most beaming smile.
“Class, class...” Howard announced to the students, “Please, meet Mr. Malloy, I am sure many of you remember him from my wedding... um, my canceled wedding. Anyway, Mr. Malloy is a former tabloid leech and a present teacher in drama club,” the class laughed. “He will be teaching you acting. It will be useful for those of you who are afraid of performing in front of an audience.”
Peter smiled, raising his eyebrows and waved at the class.
“I hope I will be useful. I quit my job at LA two days ago and I'd be glad to stay in Greenleaf and do something good for the people of this town.”
After this tirade he turned to Howard, half whispering “That sounded a bit cheesy, didn't it?”
Everyone laughed again.
“Welcome to Greenleaf school,” a girl in a class finally said, “Are you a boyfriend of Mr. Brackett?”
A class gasped, chuckling; Howard blushed, but quickly recovered; and Peter was simply speechless.
“Um... I... I suppose, I am.” He replied, as he felt Howard's encouraging hand place onto his shoulder, squeezing it.
“Yeah, but we haven't planned a wedding so far.” Peter added, smiling.
***
The night after.
Peter and Howard were lying in bed, the TV set flickering in the corner.
“You know what?” Howard heard Peter ask, and turned back to him, rolling into his friend's embrace.
“Hmm?” Howard grinned and looked up at Peter, who was smiling too, putting his arms tight around Howard.
“Thank you.”
“What for? The work? Don't worry about it, it's just...” Howard was silenced by Peter's kiss. He continued to hum for a moment, moaning the words as Peter pressed his lips tighter to Howard's.
“For being yourself.” Peter said quietly, as he gently retreated from the kiss.
Howard turned back, shifting deeper into Peter's warm embrace, hiding his grin into the pillow.