No Fairy Tale Ending 6.6
Title: No Fairy Tale Ending
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Asynchronous Communication 6.6
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 71 Magical
Word Count: 1182
Rating: PG
Summary: Robert is confused about his feelings for Alan, so he gives him a call.
Authors’ Notes:
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Reflecting Reflections
“Hey Alan. This is tremendously hard for me. I just need you to listen and let me get this out before I loose my nerve.” Robert took a deep breath, closing his eyes and speaking slowly. “The last eight months have been like a dream. It’s hard to believe that I only met you in July. It feels in so many ways like you have always been in my life. But I am so confused right now. I know that I want to be with you, more than anything. You have become the most important person in my life. I spend nights worrying that I am going to do something stupid and ruin what we have, losing you forever. I stopped telling Gabby and she walked away. She was the center of my life for eleven years, I hope I have learned from those mistakes. I want there to be an us in the future, but I’m just not good at this. Sometimes I think we should just walk away now so that I don’t ruin your life by sheer stupidity in the future. I’m sorry for thrusting all my doubts at you…It is crazy really, you would think that someone who has read as much as I have could be more poetic with my choice of words, but they seem to fail me when I need them most. I am so sorry to be…”
Robert sighed and opened his eyes, frowning at his reflection. He had run through three different variations of what he wanted to say to Alan in the past hour, and none of them were too useful. Maybe he should just call and wing it? Or continue stalling until it would be too late to call Alan and catch him at a decent hour? He grabbed up the phone, resisting the urge to hurl it across the room in a bout of frustration, and hit the speed dial.
“Hullo?”
“Hey, Alan.”
“Robert! What the devil are you calling at this time for? Is everything alright?”
Robert hesitated. “I…I just wanted to hear your voice.”
"Long day at work, Love?"
"Yeah. Missed you." Robert settled back on the couch, closing his eyes, well rehearsed words vanishing in an instant. "Tell me a story," he asked suddenly.
"A bedtime story before I head to bed? Sure, Love, anything you want. Have a particular topic?"
“Anything.”
Alan cleared his throat and began: “One day, a king was hard at work building a castle. He wanted to make sure it was strong and would protect everyone he knew in these troubled times. As he was putting a beam up, it slipped from his hold and landed on him. He fell into a deep sleep. Calls went out throughout the kingdom to tell of this great tragedy, for he was loved by all.”
"Alan, this sounds familiar. Is a fair prince going to come to his rescue?"
"I thought I was telling this story? If it is boring you, I can stop."
"No no no. Please continue."
"So, where was I? Yes a call throughout the kingdom. Many princes stopped by to see if they could wake the king, but it was useless. He slept and slept and slept.
“One day, a stranger rode into town from far away and had not heard of the sleeping king. He had come to the kingdom seeking trade. He was beckoned to the bedside of the now frail king. He looked down upon him and touched him gently on the cheek. Color returned to the king's face and the fair prince sat next to him... Robert, are you still there?”
"Yes. See? I am behaving...What happened next?"
"So, the fair prince sat with the king and told him tales of his travels and of all the wonders he had seen outside the kingdom. The king grew stronger and stronger. The end."
“What, there was no kiss to wake up the king?"
"Well, I did not want it to be too predictable."
"Is that really the end? I am a little disappointed."
"Well honestly, I was expecting you to fall asleep before I got to needing a decent ending."
"That was your first mistake; it’s the middle of the day."
"Want me to continue? Or I could talk about my recent trip to the market."
Robert heard Alan yawn. "You can finish, but you are tired, you need some sleep."
"I had not really thought far enough ahead to have a second ending all prepared. Didn’t know I was on the phone version of Whose Line. Let me think…"
Robert listened to Alan breathe. He wanted to add to the conversation, tell Alan something, but words froze in his lungs. He felt it was his last chance to mention his feelings that were keeping him awake and invading his dreams. If Alan noticed the silence, he made no mention.
"Alright, I think I found the ending you wanted. You know you are pretty mushy for a bloke:
"The king kept getting stronger and asked for the fair prince to visit him every day. The prince was happy to have someone listen to his endless stories, he no longer felt the need to travel and see strange new worlds; he was content to sit by the king and keep him company."
"They just talked?"
"Patience, Love. Patience:
“When the king was able to leave the hospital, he asked the fair prince to stay with him and live out his days in the Court, by the king’s side. The prince thought this was a fair deal and he sealed it with a kiss. When the Princes' lips touched the king’s, trumpets sung out throughout the land and everyone rejoiced. After that day, all the days in the kingdom were full of stories and adventures. Princes left to find new stories to impress the king, but the king was happy with his fair prince and the old stories told over and over. Better?"
"Yeah, I think the king made a good decision," Robert replied quietly.
"I am sure you did. I need to sleep, Love. Are you better?"
"Yes, it is just what I needed. Alan?"
"Yes, Robert?"
"Thank you. Always."
"Of course, Love. Any time."
Robert pressed end on his cell and closed his eyes. He rubbed a hand across them and tried not to berate himself for his cowardice. He sat for a few minutes and then, sitting up, he rested his elbows on his knees and ran his hands across his face, rubbing his eyes under the thin glass. And then the idea struck him; he could tell him in person. That would be better, to face him and look in those hazel gray eyes and confess it all to him, London was a much better idea. Feeling better, Robert stood up and stretched his arms, he looked over at his cell and smiled, congratulating himself in finding yet a new way to delude himself that he was making the adult choice, the right choice, and that he could have his own fairy tale ending.
6.7 Telling the Family
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Asynchronous Communication 6.6
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: coclaim100 71 Magical
Word Count: 1182
Rating: PG
Summary: Robert is confused about his feelings for Alan, so he gives him a call.
Authors’ Notes:
Where it all began:
Big table of prompts is here:
Order of the story is here:
Previous story:
Reflecting Reflections
“Hey Alan. This is tremendously hard for me. I just need you to listen and let me get this out before I loose my nerve.” Robert took a deep breath, closing his eyes and speaking slowly. “The last eight months have been like a dream. It’s hard to believe that I only met you in July. It feels in so many ways like you have always been in my life. But I am so confused right now. I know that I want to be with you, more than anything. You have become the most important person in my life. I spend nights worrying that I am going to do something stupid and ruin what we have, losing you forever. I stopped telling Gabby and she walked away. She was the center of my life for eleven years, I hope I have learned from those mistakes. I want there to be an us in the future, but I’m just not good at this. Sometimes I think we should just walk away now so that I don’t ruin your life by sheer stupidity in the future. I’m sorry for thrusting all my doubts at you…It is crazy really, you would think that someone who has read as much as I have could be more poetic with my choice of words, but they seem to fail me when I need them most. I am so sorry to be…”
Robert sighed and opened his eyes, frowning at his reflection. He had run through three different variations of what he wanted to say to Alan in the past hour, and none of them were too useful. Maybe he should just call and wing it? Or continue stalling until it would be too late to call Alan and catch him at a decent hour? He grabbed up the phone, resisting the urge to hurl it across the room in a bout of frustration, and hit the speed dial.
“Hullo?”
“Hey, Alan.”
“Robert! What the devil are you calling at this time for? Is everything alright?”
Robert hesitated. “I…I just wanted to hear your voice.”
"Long day at work, Love?"
"Yeah. Missed you." Robert settled back on the couch, closing his eyes, well rehearsed words vanishing in an instant. "Tell me a story," he asked suddenly.
"A bedtime story before I head to bed? Sure, Love, anything you want. Have a particular topic?"
“Anything.”
Alan cleared his throat and began: “One day, a king was hard at work building a castle. He wanted to make sure it was strong and would protect everyone he knew in these troubled times. As he was putting a beam up, it slipped from his hold and landed on him. He fell into a deep sleep. Calls went out throughout the kingdom to tell of this great tragedy, for he was loved by all.”
"Alan, this sounds familiar. Is a fair prince going to come to his rescue?"
"I thought I was telling this story? If it is boring you, I can stop."
"No no no. Please continue."
"So, where was I? Yes a call throughout the kingdom. Many princes stopped by to see if they could wake the king, but it was useless. He slept and slept and slept.
“One day, a stranger rode into town from far away and had not heard of the sleeping king. He had come to the kingdom seeking trade. He was beckoned to the bedside of the now frail king. He looked down upon him and touched him gently on the cheek. Color returned to the king's face and the fair prince sat next to him... Robert, are you still there?”
"Yes. See? I am behaving...What happened next?"
"So, the fair prince sat with the king and told him tales of his travels and of all the wonders he had seen outside the kingdom. The king grew stronger and stronger. The end."
“What, there was no kiss to wake up the king?"
"Well, I did not want it to be too predictable."
"Is that really the end? I am a little disappointed."
"Well honestly, I was expecting you to fall asleep before I got to needing a decent ending."
"That was your first mistake; it’s the middle of the day."
"Want me to continue? Or I could talk about my recent trip to the market."
Robert heard Alan yawn. "You can finish, but you are tired, you need some sleep."
"I had not really thought far enough ahead to have a second ending all prepared. Didn’t know I was on the phone version of Whose Line. Let me think…"
Robert listened to Alan breathe. He wanted to add to the conversation, tell Alan something, but words froze in his lungs. He felt it was his last chance to mention his feelings that were keeping him awake and invading his dreams. If Alan noticed the silence, he made no mention.
"Alright, I think I found the ending you wanted. You know you are pretty mushy for a bloke:
"The king kept getting stronger and asked for the fair prince to visit him every day. The prince was happy to have someone listen to his endless stories, he no longer felt the need to travel and see strange new worlds; he was content to sit by the king and keep him company."
"They just talked?"
"Patience, Love. Patience:
“When the king was able to leave the hospital, he asked the fair prince to stay with him and live out his days in the Court, by the king’s side. The prince thought this was a fair deal and he sealed it with a kiss. When the Princes' lips touched the king’s, trumpets sung out throughout the land and everyone rejoiced. After that day, all the days in the kingdom were full of stories and adventures. Princes left to find new stories to impress the king, but the king was happy with his fair prince and the old stories told over and over. Better?"
"Yeah, I think the king made a good decision," Robert replied quietly.
"I am sure you did. I need to sleep, Love. Are you better?"
"Yes, it is just what I needed. Alan?"
"Yes, Robert?"
"Thank you. Always."
"Of course, Love. Any time."
Robert pressed end on his cell and closed his eyes. He rubbed a hand across them and tried not to berate himself for his cowardice. He sat for a few minutes and then, sitting up, he rested his elbows on his knees and ran his hands across his face, rubbing his eyes under the thin glass. And then the idea struck him; he could tell him in person. That would be better, to face him and look in those hazel gray eyes and confess it all to him, London was a much better idea. Feeling better, Robert stood up and stretched his arms, he looked over at his cell and smiled, congratulating himself in finding yet a new way to delude himself that he was making the adult choice, the right choice, and that he could have his own fairy tale ending.
6.7 Telling the Family