Fic: Birthday Presence
Title: Birthday Presence
Rating: For All Ages
Fandom: I Want to Go Home!
Summary: Mike is 30. Rudy isn't there. Unfortunately, Rudy can't do anything about the first.
Written for calathea's birthday back in '08. Posted here for posterity.
Rudy had informed Mike once, many years ago, that he didn't do birthdays. He gracefully purchased Mike presents for his birthday, but refused to attend the party and claimed an allergy to butter cream.
Mike had once tried to throw Rudy a birthday party, but the cake started a fire that consumed most of Rudy's presents, and Mike had given up on the whole endeavor.
Mike tried to take it in stride, because all in all, Rudy was good to him, and what was the point of a marriage without some compromise?
Still, he couldn't help but feel a little dejected tonight. He was 30, and beginning to feel old, and even though Rudy was waiting for Mike at home, it made him feel a little depressed being so obviously alone at his own party.
Jeff had made several off-color comments before Mike dumped the punch over his head and stormed to the other side of the room to fume at Vicky. She was almost worse, because she always brought an unattached gay man around Mike's age to his birthday parties. But at least Mike had experience rebuffing interested guys, while he'd never gotten the hang of getting the better of Jeff. Millers seemed to have an inate ability to win arguments.
Vicky's date this time around was grabby, though, so Mike excused himself five minutes later to duck into the kitchen for a break from the crowd. He ended up bent over the sink, feeling deflated. He hated crowds, and his birthday party always ended up crowded. What he really wanted was to be spending the evening with Rudy, but Rudy was boycotting.
A pair of arms wrapped around Mike's waist. Mike froze, panicking. "You've got two seconds to let go of me," he warned.
"Mm, I don't think I will," the man behind him murmured.
Mike sagged in relief at the voice. "Rudy?" He tried to turn, but Rudy's grip was ironclad, and a moment later, Rudy buried his face into Mike's shoulder.
"I wouldn't think you'd let anyone else hold onto you this long," Rudy replied.
"What are you doing here?" Rudy didn't reply for several moments. "Rudy?" Mike asked.
"I realized that since you're old now, you might be losing your self-confidence and feel tempted by the eye candy your sister dragged along."
"So you came along to make sure I didn't make out with any of the party guests?" Mike pushed Rudy back several inches and folded his arms, glaring at his husband.
"I came here to make sure they didn't take advantage of you," Rudy replied. "I saw the way that tramp was grabbing at you. If you're not going to be assertive, I'm going to have to make sure no one else gets any ideas."
Mike didn't move, just raising one eyebrow. He could sense Rudy on the defensive, a small crack in his facade that few people would notice, much less take advantage of. Rudy had skipped 18 of Mike's birthdays; Mike felt justified in making him squirm when he finally decided to show up.
Metaphorically. Rudy hadn't squirmed when he'd been waiting for Mike to accept his proposal; Mike doubted he would now.
He did, however, slump imperceptibly. "And I decided that I could weather the presence of your friends if it means I can devote my time to keep you from falling apart over being old."
It was the nicest thing he could expect from Rudy, who was two months younger than Mike and loved reminding him of that fact, under the circumstances. So Mike dragged Rudy closer and kissed him.
"Thanks," Mike murmured. "This means a lot to me."
"I know," Rudy said.
Mike pushed Rudy back to arms' length, annoyed again. "Then why do you always hide at home rather than come to these things?"
"You don't need me to have a good time," Rudy replied.
"But I want you here," Mike said, aware and not caring that his voice was creeping up to a whine. It was his birthday, and he was going to get what he wanted, damn it.
"I'm going to stop buying you birthday presents," Rudy warned.
"On a per-hour basis, I think that means I'm still getting a good deal," Mike replied.
Rudy nodded. "I suppose I'll just have to spoil you," he concluded.
Mike couldn't help grinning. "You won't regret it," he said, and dragged Rudy in for another kiss. The door to the kitchen chose that moment to swing open. There was a gasp behind them.
"Oh my god! Mike's kissing some guy in the kitchen!"
"I'll kill him!" Jeff screamed from the living room. There was a crash that heralded the destruction of something valuable, and Mike began laughing. Rudy pushed Mike far enough away that he wasn't in immediate danger of being elbowed, but kept a protective hand on his shoulder as the kitchen filled with a curious crowd and, ultimately, someone to retrieve ice for Jeff's ankle.
It was the best birthday ever.
Rating: For All Ages
Fandom: I Want to Go Home!
Summary: Mike is 30. Rudy isn't there. Unfortunately, Rudy can't do anything about the first.
Written for calathea's birthday back in '08. Posted here for posterity.
Rudy had informed Mike once, many years ago, that he didn't do birthdays. He gracefully purchased Mike presents for his birthday, but refused to attend the party and claimed an allergy to butter cream.
Mike had once tried to throw Rudy a birthday party, but the cake started a fire that consumed most of Rudy's presents, and Mike had given up on the whole endeavor.
Mike tried to take it in stride, because all in all, Rudy was good to him, and what was the point of a marriage without some compromise?
Still, he couldn't help but feel a little dejected tonight. He was 30, and beginning to feel old, and even though Rudy was waiting for Mike at home, it made him feel a little depressed being so obviously alone at his own party.
Jeff had made several off-color comments before Mike dumped the punch over his head and stormed to the other side of the room to fume at Vicky. She was almost worse, because she always brought an unattached gay man around Mike's age to his birthday parties. But at least Mike had experience rebuffing interested guys, while he'd never gotten the hang of getting the better of Jeff. Millers seemed to have an inate ability to win arguments.
Vicky's date this time around was grabby, though, so Mike excused himself five minutes later to duck into the kitchen for a break from the crowd. He ended up bent over the sink, feeling deflated. He hated crowds, and his birthday party always ended up crowded. What he really wanted was to be spending the evening with Rudy, but Rudy was boycotting.
A pair of arms wrapped around Mike's waist. Mike froze, panicking. "You've got two seconds to let go of me," he warned.
"Mm, I don't think I will," the man behind him murmured.
Mike sagged in relief at the voice. "Rudy?" He tried to turn, but Rudy's grip was ironclad, and a moment later, Rudy buried his face into Mike's shoulder.
"I wouldn't think you'd let anyone else hold onto you this long," Rudy replied.
"What are you doing here?" Rudy didn't reply for several moments. "Rudy?" Mike asked.
"I realized that since you're old now, you might be losing your self-confidence and feel tempted by the eye candy your sister dragged along."
"So you came along to make sure I didn't make out with any of the party guests?" Mike pushed Rudy back several inches and folded his arms, glaring at his husband.
"I came here to make sure they didn't take advantage of you," Rudy replied. "I saw the way that tramp was grabbing at you. If you're not going to be assertive, I'm going to have to make sure no one else gets any ideas."
Mike didn't move, just raising one eyebrow. He could sense Rudy on the defensive, a small crack in his facade that few people would notice, much less take advantage of. Rudy had skipped 18 of Mike's birthdays; Mike felt justified in making him squirm when he finally decided to show up.
Metaphorically. Rudy hadn't squirmed when he'd been waiting for Mike to accept his proposal; Mike doubted he would now.
He did, however, slump imperceptibly. "And I decided that I could weather the presence of your friends if it means I can devote my time to keep you from falling apart over being old."
It was the nicest thing he could expect from Rudy, who was two months younger than Mike and loved reminding him of that fact, under the circumstances. So Mike dragged Rudy closer and kissed him.
"Thanks," Mike murmured. "This means a lot to me."
"I know," Rudy said.
Mike pushed Rudy back to arms' length, annoyed again. "Then why do you always hide at home rather than come to these things?"
"You don't need me to have a good time," Rudy replied.
"But I want you here," Mike said, aware and not caring that his voice was creeping up to a whine. It was his birthday, and he was going to get what he wanted, damn it.
"I'm going to stop buying you birthday presents," Rudy warned.
"On a per-hour basis, I think that means I'm still getting a good deal," Mike replied.
Rudy nodded. "I suppose I'll just have to spoil you," he concluded.
Mike couldn't help grinning. "You won't regret it," he said, and dragged Rudy in for another kiss. The door to the kitchen chose that moment to swing open. There was a gasp behind them.
"Oh my god! Mike's kissing some guy in the kitchen!"
"I'll kill him!" Jeff screamed from the living room. There was a crash that heralded the destruction of something valuable, and Mike began laughing. Rudy pushed Mike far enough away that he wasn't in immediate danger of being elbowed, but kept a protective hand on his shoulder as the kitchen filled with a curious crowd and, ultimately, someone to retrieve ice for Jeff's ankle.
It was the best birthday ever.