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~*Happy Birthday, Ms. layne67!*~
I SO hope I'm not too late by your time, and that you've been having a FABU DAY! :D Here is a quick, tasty boy-treat for you!!
*HUG*!
Title: Two Teacups
Pairing: C/Z
Rating: PG-13, barely
Disclaimer: Don't own!
Synopsis: Casey makes a call back home to get answers. Mrs. Connor helps out.
Casey stared at the phone, his stomach rolling. He looked back to Zeke, who was munching on chips and watching Wheel of Fortune. “But I can't just... accuse him. Y'know?” Casey said.
“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Zeke blandly replied.
“Well, what would YOU do in my situation?”
With a great, tired sigh, Zeke turned away from the game show to face the boy. “I can't say. I mean, if a cousin of mine had been in juvie for stealing shit? He'd be MY first suspect, too,” he said. “But it's been a week. It'd look weird, you calling him now.”
“I know. But-it's 'cause...” Casey bit his lip and stared at the phone. “Maybe I shouldn't have told my mom to bring half the family to the housewarming. Too many friggin' criminals on my dad's side...”
“Or maybe you shouldn't have bragged about finding a silver-plated tea set at a tag sale that some poor sucker sold you for five bucks,” Zeke said with a smirk.
“C'mon! That was such a fucking steal!”
“The antique shops, flea markets, constant trips to auctions... how IS it your family doesn't know you're gay as they come?”
Zeke's chuckling annoyed Casey. “Be happy they don't; my dad would probably string you up by your balls,” Casey said. “Never mind let us move in together.”
“Yea, 'let us'... cos' we ain't twenty-two and twenty-one,” Zeke said, still chortling away.
“You are NO fucking help right now...”
“Just call your mom, talk to her about it.”
Casey paused to think about that. He had to agree; his mother knew what her husband's family was like. She'd warned Casey many times to keep any expensive toys and games under surveillance at family gatherings, joked with him... it was his best-and only-option. Nodding, Casey sighed, dialed his Mom's cell and wandered into the kitchen for privacy.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mom.”
“Oh, hi sweetie! How are you?”
“Pretty good. You?”
“Ah, getting ready to chow-down on Chinese food with Dad,” she said. “He just left to get it.”
Casey frowned. “Y'know, we NEVER ate-out as much as you do now when I lived there,” he said.
“It helps with the 'Empty Nest' complex,” Mrs. Connor replied with a chuckle.
“Yea, yea...” Casey took another deep breath, steeled himself then said, “I actually called for a reason; a question.”
“What?”
“I... I don't wanna jump to conclusions or anything, but... you know... that silver tea set I showed everyone?” Casey haltingly asked.
“Mmhmm. What about it?” Mrs. Connor asked.
“Well... okay, just gonna say it, two of the six cups are missing,” Casey said in a rush. “And I DON'T wanna think that Mark did it, or anyone else, but after everyone left-I noticed two were missing. I've looked everywhere and can't find 'em.”
“Hmm... two teacups?”
“Yea.”
“Did you check the kitchen counter?”
“Uh huh.”
“What about the case where you kept them?”
Casey rolled his eyes but said, “Yea, 'course.”
Mrs. Connor made a thoughtful-sounding hum then said, “How about your bedroom?”
“Huh?” Casey glanced to the doorway leading down to the bedroom hallway. “I... why the heck would they be in my room? I don't use 'em everyday for coffee or... whatever.”
“Just check,” Mrs. Connor said.
“Mom, they aren't--”
“Would you like to know where I put them, Casey?”
A shiver coursed through Casey's body. This was strange, even for his oddball-mom. “What? What, you know where they are?”
“Go down the hall to your room,” the woman instructed. Reluctant but curious, Casey did so. He entered his bedroom and glanced around. “Are you there?”
“Yea...?”
“Go to the bed and pull the covers back.”
The mystery began to unfold. Oh no. Feeling squeamish, Casey pulled the sheets and comforter back and there, tucked below the pillows sat the two teacups. “I... I-I...”
“In all the time I've been your mother, never once would you make your bed without the threat of being grounded. I mean, I've always suspected, but when I saw how pristine and perfect your bed looked? Oh, Casey... it was obvious,” Mrs. Connor said. “Especially when we passed by Zeke's room and his bed looked like it'd been ripped apart by wolverines.”
“Sus... s-suspected what?”
Mrs. Connor sighed, long and loud. “Are you sitting down?”
“Um...” Casey moved to his bed and sat. “Yea.”
“I know it may come as a shock, sweetie, but... you're gay.”
All the blood in Casey's body fell to his feet. “How... how'd you... Mom!”
“I've known since your voice started changing. I can't tell you how or why, just-that I'm your mom,” Mrs. Connor said. She didn't seem angry or uptight-she actually sounded amused. “Zeke was a hard nut to crack, I admit. But after seeing you two together a handful of times, when he'd come over for dinner or stay overnight... I mean, really, he's not that great at hiding how he feels for you. So, I figured I'd see if you actually slept in that bed or if it was all a ruse.”
“W-What?”
“Please forgive me for this trick I played, sweetheart. I just...” The woman chuckled and sighed again. “...Oh, I SO knew it. Knew it, knew it, KNEW it.”
She was all but cheering in triumph. As unsettling as this still felt, Casey couldn't help a small smile. “Mom, that was dirty-pool,” he said.
“Yea, and?”
“Really...” Casey chewed his lip nervously a moment before asking, “Does Dad know, too?”
“He suspects, but doesn't know. Don't worry about him, dear; he's not as macho-man as you think,” Mrs. Connor replied. “If you told him, he'd deal with it okay.”
Casey groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. “I'd... rather not, not right now,” he said.
“Mmm, it's up to you. Oh...” Mrs. Connor paused then said, “He just pulled in, actually.”
“Yea, um-don't say anything,” Casey said.
“I won't. Our little secret, for now,” Mrs. Connor replied.
“'K. Thanks, um... for... whatever,” Casey said.
“No problem, dear. What are you doing this weekend?”
“Um... why?”
“It might be nice to have you over for dinner. We DO miss you, sometimes,” she said. “You can bring Zeke?”
“God, shut up...” Casey said, chuckling.
“I'll let you go now. Call me back?”
“Uh huh. Bye.”
“Love you, sweetie.”
“Yea, yea... love you, too,” Casey said back before hanging up the phone. He stared at the two cups for a long time before picking them up and groaning his way back to the kitchen. Zeke glanced to him as he passed by.
“What'd she say?” he called out.
“Everything,” Casey replied as he went to the fridge, brought out the new bottle of wine he'd picked up that afternoon and brought it over to the counter. Smirking, he opened it, filled the teacups with the red, fragrant liquid then brought it all out to the living room.
“What's... oh hey, you found 'em,” Zeke said when Casey placed a cup in front of him.
“Yup.”
“Where the fuck were they?”
Casey sighed, sipped then replied, “In the closet. Figuratively speaking.”
“Huh?”
“Let's get wasted, THEN I'll explain.”
I SO hope I'm not too late by your time, and that you've been having a FABU DAY! :D Here is a quick, tasty boy-treat for you!!
*HUG*!
Title: Two Teacups
Pairing: C/Z
Rating: PG-13, barely
Disclaimer: Don't own!
Synopsis: Casey makes a call back home to get answers. Mrs. Connor helps out.
Casey stared at the phone, his stomach rolling. He looked back to Zeke, who was munching on chips and watching Wheel of Fortune. “But I can't just... accuse him. Y'know?” Casey said.
“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Zeke blandly replied.
“Well, what would YOU do in my situation?”
With a great, tired sigh, Zeke turned away from the game show to face the boy. “I can't say. I mean, if a cousin of mine had been in juvie for stealing shit? He'd be MY first suspect, too,” he said. “But it's been a week. It'd look weird, you calling him now.”
“I know. But-it's 'cause...” Casey bit his lip and stared at the phone. “Maybe I shouldn't have told my mom to bring half the family to the housewarming. Too many friggin' criminals on my dad's side...”
“Or maybe you shouldn't have bragged about finding a silver-plated tea set at a tag sale that some poor sucker sold you for five bucks,” Zeke said with a smirk.
“C'mon! That was such a fucking steal!”
“The antique shops, flea markets, constant trips to auctions... how IS it your family doesn't know you're gay as they come?”
Zeke's chuckling annoyed Casey. “Be happy they don't; my dad would probably string you up by your balls,” Casey said. “Never mind let us move in together.”
“Yea, 'let us'... cos' we ain't twenty-two and twenty-one,” Zeke said, still chortling away.
“You are NO fucking help right now...”
“Just call your mom, talk to her about it.”
Casey paused to think about that. He had to agree; his mother knew what her husband's family was like. She'd warned Casey many times to keep any expensive toys and games under surveillance at family gatherings, joked with him... it was his best-and only-option. Nodding, Casey sighed, dialed his Mom's cell and wandered into the kitchen for privacy.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mom.”
“Oh, hi sweetie! How are you?”
“Pretty good. You?”
“Ah, getting ready to chow-down on Chinese food with Dad,” she said. “He just left to get it.”
Casey frowned. “Y'know, we NEVER ate-out as much as you do now when I lived there,” he said.
“It helps with the 'Empty Nest' complex,” Mrs. Connor replied with a chuckle.
“Yea, yea...” Casey took another deep breath, steeled himself then said, “I actually called for a reason; a question.”
“What?”
“I... I don't wanna jump to conclusions or anything, but... you know... that silver tea set I showed everyone?” Casey haltingly asked.
“Mmhmm. What about it?” Mrs. Connor asked.
“Well... okay, just gonna say it, two of the six cups are missing,” Casey said in a rush. “And I DON'T wanna think that Mark did it, or anyone else, but after everyone left-I noticed two were missing. I've looked everywhere and can't find 'em.”
“Hmm... two teacups?”
“Yea.”
“Did you check the kitchen counter?”
“Uh huh.”
“What about the case where you kept them?”
Casey rolled his eyes but said, “Yea, 'course.”
Mrs. Connor made a thoughtful-sounding hum then said, “How about your bedroom?”
“Huh?” Casey glanced to the doorway leading down to the bedroom hallway. “I... why the heck would they be in my room? I don't use 'em everyday for coffee or... whatever.”
“Just check,” Mrs. Connor said.
“Mom, they aren't--”
“Would you like to know where I put them, Casey?”
A shiver coursed through Casey's body. This was strange, even for his oddball-mom. “What? What, you know where they are?”
“Go down the hall to your room,” the woman instructed. Reluctant but curious, Casey did so. He entered his bedroom and glanced around. “Are you there?”
“Yea...?”
“Go to the bed and pull the covers back.”
The mystery began to unfold. Oh no. Feeling squeamish, Casey pulled the sheets and comforter back and there, tucked below the pillows sat the two teacups. “I... I-I...”
“In all the time I've been your mother, never once would you make your bed without the threat of being grounded. I mean, I've always suspected, but when I saw how pristine and perfect your bed looked? Oh, Casey... it was obvious,” Mrs. Connor said. “Especially when we passed by Zeke's room and his bed looked like it'd been ripped apart by wolverines.”
“Sus... s-suspected what?”
Mrs. Connor sighed, long and loud. “Are you sitting down?”
“Um...” Casey moved to his bed and sat. “Yea.”
“I know it may come as a shock, sweetie, but... you're gay.”
All the blood in Casey's body fell to his feet. “How... how'd you... Mom!”
“I've known since your voice started changing. I can't tell you how or why, just-that I'm your mom,” Mrs. Connor said. She didn't seem angry or uptight-she actually sounded amused. “Zeke was a hard nut to crack, I admit. But after seeing you two together a handful of times, when he'd come over for dinner or stay overnight... I mean, really, he's not that great at hiding how he feels for you. So, I figured I'd see if you actually slept in that bed or if it was all a ruse.”
“W-What?”
“Please forgive me for this trick I played, sweetheart. I just...” The woman chuckled and sighed again. “...Oh, I SO knew it. Knew it, knew it, KNEW it.”
She was all but cheering in triumph. As unsettling as this still felt, Casey couldn't help a small smile. “Mom, that was dirty-pool,” he said.
“Yea, and?”
“Really...” Casey chewed his lip nervously a moment before asking, “Does Dad know, too?”
“He suspects, but doesn't know. Don't worry about him, dear; he's not as macho-man as you think,” Mrs. Connor replied. “If you told him, he'd deal with it okay.”
Casey groaned and rubbed his face with his hand. “I'd... rather not, not right now,” he said.
“Mmm, it's up to you. Oh...” Mrs. Connor paused then said, “He just pulled in, actually.”
“Yea, um-don't say anything,” Casey said.
“I won't. Our little secret, for now,” Mrs. Connor replied.
“'K. Thanks, um... for... whatever,” Casey said.
“No problem, dear. What are you doing this weekend?”
“Um... why?”
“It might be nice to have you over for dinner. We DO miss you, sometimes,” she said. “You can bring Zeke?”
“God, shut up...” Casey said, chuckling.
“I'll let you go now. Call me back?”
“Uh huh. Bye.”
“Love you, sweetie.”
“Yea, yea... love you, too,” Casey said back before hanging up the phone. He stared at the two cups for a long time before picking them up and groaning his way back to the kitchen. Zeke glanced to him as he passed by.
“What'd she say?” he called out.
“Everything,” Casey replied as he went to the fridge, brought out the new bottle of wine he'd picked up that afternoon and brought it over to the counter. Smirking, he opened it, filled the teacups with the red, fragrant liquid then brought it all out to the living room.
“What's... oh hey, you found 'em,” Zeke said when Casey placed a cup in front of him.
“Yup.”
“Where the fuck were they?”
Casey sighed, sipped then replied, “In the closet. Figuratively speaking.”
“Huh?”
“Let's get wasted, THEN I'll explain.”