Fanfic: Quality-test
Quality-test
By Marea67
About: Mostly Robert, (yes, I'm shocked as well!), but rest assured, I haven't gone completely insane. It's all about Kevin/Scotty (Well, duh!) so that should make the world right again. :)
Rate: G.
Disclaimer: Brothers and Sisters doesn’t belong to me.
Summary: Robert and his thoughts on Kevin/Scotty/Jason, when he meets 'the competion' for the first time... Set between 2.08 (where Kevin asked Scotty back) and 2.09 (Robert and Kitty's wedding)
*****
“Oh. This is unexpected.” Nora says and Robert is surprised that she’s not her usual hospitable self.
“Don’t tell me that we should have called, not after the million times you told me that I don’t have to call first, but that I’m always welcome here....” Kitty frowns.
“You are, honey, it’s just…” Nora waves her hands about and only now do Kitty and Robert notice that they are not the only ones in the Walker house. In the living-room Robert can see Sarah, Justin, Tommy, Julia and Rebecca.
“What’s wrong, why is the gang all here, except us?” Kitty asks
That is when Robert sees Kevin walk in, followed by someone Robert has never seen before. Kitty makes a surprised sound, but immediately walks over to the young man.
“Scotty! How nice to see you again.” She says and Robert knows she means it and he can now understand why Nora is uncomfortable.
So, this is Scotty, the one who's responsible for Kevin and Jason breaking up. It’s not that Robert minds that it’s over between his brother and Kevin, but he does know that Jason is hurting and he holds Jason pain against Kevin… and Scotty.
“Scotty this is my fiancé, Robert McCallister. Robert, this is Scotty Wandell.” Kitty introduces cheerfully.
It’s only then, that she notices the stone-cold look in Robert’s eyes and that she realizes that, in her enthusiasm over meeting Scotty again, she forgot about Robert’s brother, Jason. Alright, so this is going to be awkward. For a moment, that is longer than usually required, neither of the men move, but then Robert reaches out.
“Nice to meet you.” He says stiffly. Scotty nods nearly invisibly.
“Likewise.” He says and Robert and Scotty shake hands. Robert feels as if the Walkers have been collectively holding their breath waiting for the outcome of this showdown, because for once they are remarkably quiet.
It isn’t until Scotty steps away from Robert that everyone can seem to relax.
“We planned a little welcome-dinner for Scotty…. But you’re welcome to join us for dinner?” Nora offers, but Kitty now understands why everyone had been so shocked and turns to Robert.
“Maybe we should eat elsewhere?” She suggests.
“That won’t be necessary. Kevin and I can leave… You two are hardly in town lately and I don’t want Nora to miss out on chance to see the two of you. Kevin and I can postpone…?” Scotty looks at Kevin, seeking approval.
“Yeah, of course…” Kevin replies with a little smile for Scotty. “We can always pick another day.” However, Robert can see from the frowns on the faces of Sarah and Justin that they don’t agree. He takes a deep breath.
“We can’t avoid each other forever; better just get it over with.” He says.
“Perhaps it would be easier, once the wounds are less fresh.” Scotty states and Robert means to snap at him that Jason’s wounds won’t heal so fast, but then he sees Scotty’s face and there’s a certain kindness there, that makes that Robert understand that Scotty is completely aware of Jason’s pain.
“I know what it feels like if someone, that you love, breaks up with you and I can understand that you’re siding with your brother right now. I agree that we can’t avoid each other forever, especially not if Kevin and I can make this new attempt work, but with everything still so fresh and recent…I don’t want you to feel chased away and I don’t want you to be annoyed with my presence either…”
The words are so simple, so understanding that Robert is taken aback by them. He had expected to see someone who’d be gloating over his victory, but instead Scotty’s words just hit the right note. Scotty is aware of his brother’s pain and takes his responsibility. He silently apologizes for hurting Jason, but not for loving Kevin. And though Scotty is willing to make a concession now, he won’t back away next time. Robert becomes curious as to whom this young man is.
“I see no reason why anyone should leave. We’re all adults and we should be able to behave ourselves as such….” Robert catches the little sarcasm on Scotty’s face and almost starts to laugh, when he considers the possibility, that both of them just had the same thought, that ‘adult behavior’ cannot be expected from a room full of Walkers.
Scotty turns around and joins Kevin. Robert follows Kitty. Nora makes sure that Robert and Scotty sit nearly at opposite ends of the table, so that every opportunity for an argument is taken away. With Sarah, Tommy, Julia and Justin as a buffer between them Robert hardly has to speak or listen to either Kevin or Scotty.
It isn’t until nearly the end of the dinner that Robert purposely focuses his attention on Scotty again. He had wanted to disregard the young man, find faults in him, compare him to Jason and find Scotty totally useless, but if he’s honest to himself, he knows he’s being childish.
For Robert can bicker about Kevin all he wants, but he also knows that Kevin is not a fool and that he wouldn’t chose a fool for a boyfriend. The fact that he had previously chosen Jason proves that. So Robert quietly pays more attention to Scotty and he finds himself listening to a young man who seems to be well aware of his own identity.
He hears Scotty tell Tommy about the bad times he had been in and how deep he had sunk, but it’s not a whiny story laced with self-pity. It’s a levelheaded account that gives a lot of credit to Kevin for being the one to rescue Scotty, though Robert finds himself agreeing with Kevin’s shy declaration that Scotty probably hadn’t need ‘saving’.
He searches for qualities that make Scotty look like less than Jason, but instead he finds similarities between his brother and Scotty. Perseverance, the believe in his own abilities, while still searching for support and acceptance from those they love. Someone who’s eloquent enough to deal with the Walkers and Kevin in particular.
But the biggest difference lies in how open Scotty is about his sexuality and the effect it has on Kevin. Kevin openly displays how much he loves Scotty, to such a level that Robert feels slightly weirded out by it. He should not have been surprised. After all, he had even seen Kevin and Jason kiss each other on a few occasions.
Still the change in Kevin is too big to ignore. There are no grand gestures, it’s not like they’re sucking face in front of everyone. No, it’s more the subtle things. It’s in their eye-contact, in the way they smile at each other, the way that they so easily complete each other’s sentences, or how they seem to read each other’s mind.
He can see how Kevin’s hand gently touches Scotty’s and the little reward he gets when Scotty gives him a quick grin, only to focus his attention back on Justin. Of course, Jason had always been painfully aware of his place in society and his responsibility towards his congregation.
But Robert wonders if this hasn’t led to Jason perhaps being too distant, too unapproachable, for there’s certainly a big difference between how easy Scotty displays his affection for Kevin and the stiffer way that Jason had responded to Kevin. Perhaps not less loving, but definitely more guarded.
He would like to think it over some more, but Nora mentions the fact that the dessert will soon be served, and this is everyone’s cue to bring the dishes to the kitchen. Robert quickly catches up with Scotty.
“So, I assume I will see at our wedding?” he asks without further intro.
Scotty seems surprised by the way that Robert suddenly talks to him, but he answers nonetheless.
“I don’t think so. When Kevin asked me, it was because we were just friends and Kevin could have needed the emotional support. It’s bad enough to go to a wedding on your own.
However, now that our relationship has changed, we feel that it would be inappropriate. Besides, there’s no reason to rub it in for Jason. It would be most painful for him to see Kevin and me at your wedding… considering that he has more right to be there than I have.”
Robert looks up.
“Jason won’t be there and I don’t expect that he would want Kevin to be there alone, just because of him. I can filter the pictures that Jason will be see and avoid those that have either you or Kevin or the both of you in them.” Robert shrugs.
“So, … I insist that you come as well.” Robert knowns he's pushing the subject a bit.
“I will discuss it with Kevin first.” Scotty replies stiffly, annoyed that Robert doesn't accept the decision that Kevin and he had reached, after long deliberation.
But Scotty can't stay angry for long, instead he manages to produce a smile.
“Thank you for the invitation. It was very kind.” Scotty says politely. And with those words he turns away from Robert to help Sarah with the dishes.
Robert frowns and doesn’t know what to think. He takes a deep breath and decides to give this a chance. He will behave normally towards Scotty and, who knows, maybe one day he’ll even like him.
THE END