(no subject)
Fandom: Everwood
Title: A Private Little War
Rating: PG
Summary: It doesn't make any sense, but neither does the way Ephram smiles, so Bright calls it even.
Pairing: Bright/Ephram (Bright/Colin)
Warnings: Slash
Spoilers: Episode 2.1
Notes: This is for the Trek Title Everwood Fic Challenge
Date: September 2003
Thanks to searchyoursoul for the beta, all lyrics from Death Cab For Cutie's Something About Airplanes.
A Private Little War
i think you caught me on the downslide
Ephram considers himself the king of bad timing, so it's no real shock he's at Colin's visitation when he figures out that Bright wants to kiss him. Not right then, but Ephram can see it in Bright's face. Right behind the pain, there's a haunted confusion that Ephram's seen before. It's an Abbott trait, maybe, because before her eyes only showed soul-deep anguish, Amy used to look at him the same way.
Ephram is only talking to Bright because the whole town is avoiding them both. Ephram knows bearing the brunt of the town’s animosity towards his father and he'd be more hurt if he actually gave a fuck about anyone in Everwood anymore. He's more worried now about Bright and how no one's meeting his eyes. Ephram has the irrational urge to say something like "it’s not your fault," but he knows it’s not his place.
i think i'm drunk enough to drive you home now
The first time Bright kisses Ephram, which is not the first time he's kissed Ephram but the first time that counts, he's incredibly sober. The first time he really kissed Ephram was the night of Colin's funeral and Bright was drunk beyond coherence. Ephram was just trying to help him stand. This time Bright's standing awkwardly on his own in the Brown's kitchen while Ephram tries to offer him something to drink. Ephram's face looks pinched and awkward, his trademark scowl giving in to something like pity. He starts to say something that sounds like a way out, and Bright thinks about taking it, but just leans forward instead. Ephram meets him about three-fourths of the way and Bright thanks God for small miracles.
After about forty-five minutes of Ephram against the kitchen counter, Ephram's hands in Bright's hair, Ephram's eyes getting glassy, Bright abruptly stops. He doesn't hear Ephram sighing as he fumbles to get the door open. "Fuck, this is going to be awkward" he thinks, as doesn't let himself look back. He pauses a minute, staring out the window of his truck at the street-lights as they turn on, before he peels out of the driveway to go get very, very drunk.
he's unresponsive 'cause you're irresponsible
Ephram never really thought being in a "relationship" with Bright Abbott would be easy, but he didn't think it'd be this annoying.
Ephram expected heavy denial and sneaking around and all the other underpinnings of a small-town closeted affair, but he figured he'd actually get something out of it. As is, Bright would show up randomly at his house and they'd maybe make out for a while before Bright would freak out and run. Ephram tries playing it off like it's No Big Deal, but mostly he's annoyed as fuck.
Bright never sticks around long enough for Ephram to attempt a "it's OK to be freaked out about being kinda gay" conversation, and Ephram's not about to make Bright stop sucking on his collarbone in order to have a "we have to talk" moment. Relationships make Ephram masochistic, but not so masochistic that's he's not going to take advantage of Bright when he has him.
i think your bruise was understated
Bright is trying to get Ephram to break up with him, which is stupid because it's not really a relationship anyway. He feels like since he started this whole mess, that he shouldn't be the one who has to end it. It doesn't make any sense, but neither does the way Ephram smiles, so Bright calls it even.
When he's being charitable with himself, Bright thinks that this is all about Colin. He lets himself pretend that he's really just into Ephram because he was into Colin, and Ephram seems hell-bent on taking Colin's place now he's gone. But the more damning truth and the one Bright only dwells on occasionally, is that he actually likes Ephram for Ephram.
When he’d kissed Colin that once, Colin had said "you're my best friend" and made it a rejection. When Bright kissed Ephram, he said "you're crazy" and it made Bright's heart jump. Bright knows that he's being an asshole, but he doesn't know what might happen if he stops.
don't stand too close without apologies
Ephram starts counting their relationship from the time they break up for 3 hours. It's a stupid fight, they both know it's a really really stupid fight but they can't stop. Ephram goes into the wounded "you're afraid to be with me" stance and Bright picks up the "you don't know what it's like being me" line and they go at it for hours until Ephram says "that's it, we're over."
They end up going to a movie together-but-not-together, which Ephram will never be able to remember the name of. It's stupid and boring because Bright picked it out and he has horrible taste, but Ephram's not really paying enough attention to care. He's instead thinking about all the reasons that he should be happy it's all over. Topping his list is, of course, the fact that he's still in love with Bright's sister.
But the more he thinks about it, the more stupid and petty and worthless his list seems. He can stop lying all the time now, but to who was he lying in the first place? Amy hasn't asked about him, cared about him, looked at him since Colin died. His father had actually been minding Ephram’s "don't ask" stance recently and Delia's still too nine-years-old to even think about asking after Ephram's love life. He hadn't lied once, to anyone about Bright.
Halfway through the movie he looks over to see Bright looking back at him. They don't make up until after the movie and half-way through cheap Italian food, but it's a stronger foundation than they had before. Bright gets marinara sauce on his upper lip and never notices, but Ephram just thinks it's cute. He figures that's as good a sign as any.
Title: A Private Little War
Rating: PG
Summary: It doesn't make any sense, but neither does the way Ephram smiles, so Bright calls it even.
Pairing: Bright/Ephram (Bright/Colin)
Warnings: Slash
Spoilers: Episode 2.1
Notes: This is for the Trek Title Everwood Fic Challenge
Date: September 2003
Thanks to searchyoursoul for the beta, all lyrics from Death Cab For Cutie's Something About Airplanes.
A Private Little War
i think you caught me on the downslide
Ephram considers himself the king of bad timing, so it's no real shock he's at Colin's visitation when he figures out that Bright wants to kiss him. Not right then, but Ephram can see it in Bright's face. Right behind the pain, there's a haunted confusion that Ephram's seen before. It's an Abbott trait, maybe, because before her eyes only showed soul-deep anguish, Amy used to look at him the same way.
Ephram is only talking to Bright because the whole town is avoiding them both. Ephram knows bearing the brunt of the town’s animosity towards his father and he'd be more hurt if he actually gave a fuck about anyone in Everwood anymore. He's more worried now about Bright and how no one's meeting his eyes. Ephram has the irrational urge to say something like "it’s not your fault," but he knows it’s not his place.
i think i'm drunk enough to drive you home now
The first time Bright kisses Ephram, which is not the first time he's kissed Ephram but the first time that counts, he's incredibly sober. The first time he really kissed Ephram was the night of Colin's funeral and Bright was drunk beyond coherence. Ephram was just trying to help him stand. This time Bright's standing awkwardly on his own in the Brown's kitchen while Ephram tries to offer him something to drink. Ephram's face looks pinched and awkward, his trademark scowl giving in to something like pity. He starts to say something that sounds like a way out, and Bright thinks about taking it, but just leans forward instead. Ephram meets him about three-fourths of the way and Bright thanks God for small miracles.
After about forty-five minutes of Ephram against the kitchen counter, Ephram's hands in Bright's hair, Ephram's eyes getting glassy, Bright abruptly stops. He doesn't hear Ephram sighing as he fumbles to get the door open. "Fuck, this is going to be awkward" he thinks, as doesn't let himself look back. He pauses a minute, staring out the window of his truck at the street-lights as they turn on, before he peels out of the driveway to go get very, very drunk.
he's unresponsive 'cause you're irresponsible
Ephram never really thought being in a "relationship" with Bright Abbott would be easy, but he didn't think it'd be this annoying.
Ephram expected heavy denial and sneaking around and all the other underpinnings of a small-town closeted affair, but he figured he'd actually get something out of it. As is, Bright would show up randomly at his house and they'd maybe make out for a while before Bright would freak out and run. Ephram tries playing it off like it's No Big Deal, but mostly he's annoyed as fuck.
Bright never sticks around long enough for Ephram to attempt a "it's OK to be freaked out about being kinda gay" conversation, and Ephram's not about to make Bright stop sucking on his collarbone in order to have a "we have to talk" moment. Relationships make Ephram masochistic, but not so masochistic that's he's not going to take advantage of Bright when he has him.
i think your bruise was understated
Bright is trying to get Ephram to break up with him, which is stupid because it's not really a relationship anyway. He feels like since he started this whole mess, that he shouldn't be the one who has to end it. It doesn't make any sense, but neither does the way Ephram smiles, so Bright calls it even.
When he's being charitable with himself, Bright thinks that this is all about Colin. He lets himself pretend that he's really just into Ephram because he was into Colin, and Ephram seems hell-bent on taking Colin's place now he's gone. But the more damning truth and the one Bright only dwells on occasionally, is that he actually likes Ephram for Ephram.
When he’d kissed Colin that once, Colin had said "you're my best friend" and made it a rejection. When Bright kissed Ephram, he said "you're crazy" and it made Bright's heart jump. Bright knows that he's being an asshole, but he doesn't know what might happen if he stops.
don't stand too close without apologies
Ephram starts counting their relationship from the time they break up for 3 hours. It's a stupid fight, they both know it's a really really stupid fight but they can't stop. Ephram goes into the wounded "you're afraid to be with me" stance and Bright picks up the "you don't know what it's like being me" line and they go at it for hours until Ephram says "that's it, we're over."
They end up going to a movie together-but-not-together, which Ephram will never be able to remember the name of. It's stupid and boring because Bright picked it out and he has horrible taste, but Ephram's not really paying enough attention to care. He's instead thinking about all the reasons that he should be happy it's all over. Topping his list is, of course, the fact that he's still in love with Bright's sister.
But the more he thinks about it, the more stupid and petty and worthless his list seems. He can stop lying all the time now, but to who was he lying in the first place? Amy hasn't asked about him, cared about him, looked at him since Colin died. His father had actually been minding Ephram’s "don't ask" stance recently and Delia's still too nine-years-old to even think about asking after Ephram's love life. He hadn't lied once, to anyone about Bright.
Halfway through the movie he looks over to see Bright looking back at him. They don't make up until after the movie and half-way through cheap Italian food, but it's a stronger foundation than they had before. Bright gets marinara sauce on his upper lip and never notices, but Ephram just thinks it's cute. He figures that's as good a sign as any.