Loud Silences 12.12
Title: Loud Silences
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Press Run 12.12
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 25 Truth
Word Count:
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Robert phones Alan and is surprised when his call is finally answered.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
No More
Robert looked at his calendar, staring long and hard at a red star taking up the whole day-space from a couple weeks back. He remembered happily placing that mark there several months ago. Back before the whole breakup. Alan should be done filming and back home by now. Robert had been planning, all those months ago, to call him and give him a nice welcome home phone call. Robert lowered his eyes to his phone and started to reach for it, but then pulled back. What the hell was he thinking? He had been trying for the past month to get some message through to him, but all his calls went unanswered and his e-mails and letters disappeared as if into a black hole.
But it was the thought that counted, right? The worst that could happen would be that nothing would happen. That Alan wouldn’t pick up.
Robert nervously picked at his fingernail as he held the phone to his ear and listened to the ringing.
“’Ello?”
Robert almost dropped the phone. Obviously, Alan hadn’t checked the call id.
“Anyone there?”
“…Hi, Alan.”
Silence. Worse than the endless rings.
“Alan?”
“What do you want?” Alan’s tone was worse than the silence.
“My calendar says you are back home.” He could barely hear his soft-spoken words over the thudding of his heart and the voice in his head that was calling him all sorts of names for his lack of planning in the event that Alan would answer.
“Yeah. Two weeks ago.”
“I’m sorry--”
“Save it for your new significant other.”
“I’d only seen her once to tell her I couldn’t see her again. That I wasn’t seeing her to begin with…There is no other.”
“It’s not just the picture.”
Robert had guessed, but the admission hurt all the same. “I’ve tried--”
“18 months of trying! Didn’t you realize how sharp the eggshells were that I walked on every time I brought us up as a couple? You were just going through the motions, willing to do and say just enough to keep me going.” Alan’s voice was rising, getting louder. “Two people on your side of the lake knew about us, and over here my whole bloody family knows! They will have fun betting on the sex of my next partner!”
Robert could feel his eyes prickling and his stomach twisting. “Alan, I have tried, I have...”
“You can’t even say that you love me!”
Robert’s breath caught in the silence. After a moment, he started, “Alan, I--”
But it was a moment too long. “Goodbye, Robert.”
And the line went dead.
12.13 Drowning
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Press Run 12.12
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 25 Truth
Word Count:
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Robert phones Alan and is surprised when his call is finally answered.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
No More
Robert looked at his calendar, staring long and hard at a red star taking up the whole day-space from a couple weeks back. He remembered happily placing that mark there several months ago. Back before the whole breakup. Alan should be done filming and back home by now. Robert had been planning, all those months ago, to call him and give him a nice welcome home phone call. Robert lowered his eyes to his phone and started to reach for it, but then pulled back. What the hell was he thinking? He had been trying for the past month to get some message through to him, but all his calls went unanswered and his e-mails and letters disappeared as if into a black hole.
But it was the thought that counted, right? The worst that could happen would be that nothing would happen. That Alan wouldn’t pick up.
Robert nervously picked at his fingernail as he held the phone to his ear and listened to the ringing.
“’Ello?”
Robert almost dropped the phone. Obviously, Alan hadn’t checked the call id.
“Anyone there?”
“…Hi, Alan.”
Silence. Worse than the endless rings.
“Alan?”
“What do you want?” Alan’s tone was worse than the silence.
“My calendar says you are back home.” He could barely hear his soft-spoken words over the thudding of his heart and the voice in his head that was calling him all sorts of names for his lack of planning in the event that Alan would answer.
“Yeah. Two weeks ago.”
“I’m sorry--”
“Save it for your new significant other.”
“I’d only seen her once to tell her I couldn’t see her again. That I wasn’t seeing her to begin with…There is no other.”
“It’s not just the picture.”
Robert had guessed, but the admission hurt all the same. “I’ve tried--”
“18 months of trying! Didn’t you realize how sharp the eggshells were that I walked on every time I brought us up as a couple? You were just going through the motions, willing to do and say just enough to keep me going.” Alan’s voice was rising, getting louder. “Two people on your side of the lake knew about us, and over here my whole bloody family knows! They will have fun betting on the sex of my next partner!”
Robert could feel his eyes prickling and his stomach twisting. “Alan, I have tried, I have...”
“You can’t even say that you love me!”
Robert’s breath caught in the silence. After a moment, he started, “Alan, I--”
But it was a moment too long. “Goodbye, Robert.”
And the line went dead.
12.13 Drowning