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Gradiva
Warnings:
Some chapters are heavy on smut, others are not. Overall, NC-17.
A fair amount of angst.
A little S&M, but nothing major at all.
Not beta-ed and written between midnight and 5 AM b/c of lack of sleep.
Random Meta:
lenajill
wanted Biblical references. Blame her.
I didn't put too many otherwise it would be a philosophy paper. If you really
want me to do that, I will, but not in a fic. I found my old notes on the Bible
and Nietzsche, so ... yeah, you REALLY don't want that.
viola69 and lenajill better be satisfied b/c I ain't rewriting this again. Also, they gave me the plot... or some of it. And pointed out stuff wrong with the original.
I didn't do the thing where Justin confronts Joanie, because:
(a) Justin is far too WASPY for a real smackdown with a woman, IMHO.
(b) Justin is fairly non-confrontational unlike, for instance, Craig.
(c) Randall and Cael are doing a fair amount of drama and smackdown, so not
going to steal their thunder.
I didn't want to RESOLVE the ending, so it's as Myrna would say "Hopeful,
if not happy."
References are from Nietzsche's "The wanderer and his shadow," "The Birth of Tragedy," and the "Antichrist." And of course, the Bible. And Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead."
* * * * * * * * *
When the phone rings, he knows he has to pick it up. There's only a few people
it can be, and if any one of them calls after 3 AM it's got to be important.
Besides, he's not the kind of person not to pick up a phone.
"Whaa." He can't always be coherent though.
"Mikey, come over."
"Why?"
"What are you doing?"
"Uh... sleeping?" he looks over his shoulder at Ben, snuggled up behind him
and holding his waist.
"Uh-huh. Come over. I have a new stash."
"I'm sleepy. Call Justin. What else is he there for?"
"Mikey... Justin doesn't remember the Beatles." It makes him smile, and he knows
that's why Brian said it, and that makes him smile even more.
"Teach him." It's the most he can say, and because it's such an odd hour he
can be generous. There's a short pause, and he almost falls back asleep.
"D'you remember when you were dating Scott Rayne?"
"And you said he was a jerk and to prove that he was full of bullshit you fucked
him yourself? Yes, painfully well. Why?"
"Why didn't you hate me for it?"
"Why would I?"
"Have you ever hated me for anything I've done?" He raises his head, instantly
alert.
"No." He wonders if it was emphatic enough. "What's wrong, did you and
Justin have a fight?"
"You'll always love me, right, Mikey?" He hears the desperation in Brian's voice
and his eyebrows crease in worry.
When he speaks, his voice is an urgent whisper. "Always. There's nothing you
could ever do to make me love you any less. Nothing... okay?"
There's silence at the other end and he starts to bite his nails. When Brian
speaks, he almost cries with relief. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"If I ever do something that makes you... not want... don't..."
"Tell me."
"Don't stop. Don't ever stop." He can hear the shaky breathing at the other
end of the phone.
"Never. You don't even have to ask me that."
There's another lull, and finally Brian says, "Thanks... good night, Mikey."
"You'll be okay?"
"No more attempts at levitation. I keep my promises."
"Damn straight." Michael grins into the phone, then turns serious and says,
"I love you."
"Night."
Ben grunts and repositions around him, and asks in his sleep, "You need to go?"
"No. He'll be okay. Think I should call Justin or Lindsey?"
"Not unless you want to meddle in Brian and Justin's non-relationship again
or have a hormonal Mel yelling at you for waking her up and stealing her wife."
Michael laughs and nuzzles into the embrace, falling asleep almost instantly.