fic: a lesson in tightropes.
Title: A Lesson in Tightropes
Author: sugarpromises
Fandom: General Hospital
Characters: Maxie Jones, Sam McCaul
Rating: PG 13
Prompt: Teammates.
Summary: "No, I mean, you should have told him you were dying. That would have served him right."
Author's Note: Written for theechochorus. And cancanlaughs who said she would read anything I'd write. I'm sorry darling, but this is the disaster you got stuck with ;)
It was a bright summer day, a perfect afternoon for milkshakes at Kelly's. No, scratch that, a perfect afternoon for being slouched over a patio table with a milkshake in hand, contemplating the many ways to de-limb a boy. Out of the corner of her eye, Maxie Jones could see Sam McCaul turning the corner and heading her way. She immediately straightened up and stretched her leg to push the chair in front of her, indicating for her friend to take a seat.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Maxie greeted her.
"It went fine. It was all fine," was the reply. Short and discreet, not at all what Maxie was hoping for.
"Somehow I don't believe that. What did you guys talk about?"
"Nothing important, nothing of value," Sam said with a frustrated sigh. "Nothing we needed to talk about."
Maxie nodded, understanding what this situation called for. She quickly turned to indicate to the nearest waiter that more milkshakes would be needed. Turning her attention back to her friend, she carelessly swiped a yellow flower from the decorative vase in front of her.
"Face it, he's a man. You're never going to get what you want," she said, all the while, plucking the petals right off the flower. Just like limbs, she thought, just like limbs.
"He said everything was the same, that he couldn't believe nothing changes in a few weeks, no new stories."
"Of course he thinks that, because it's not like you're jumping forward to give him the juicy details of your fabulous life."
"Men."
"Ugh, men," Maxie agreed. She tossed the wilted petal-less flower down on the table and gave a flirtatious smile to the waiter serving their milkshakes. She waited until he blushed, stumbled with their drinks and scurried off before continuing. "You know... you should have just told him you were sick."
"But I'm not, I'm getting better," Sam replied, not wanting to think about the head cold she had several weeks back, but Maxie just shook her head.
"No, I mean, you should have told him you were dying. That would have served him right."
"Me dying is what he deserves?" Sam raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of her milkshake. "I'm not sure my karma can handle that. I'm pretty sure yours can't either." Maxie just waved it off.
"No, no, the thought of losing you is what he deserves."
"He can't lose me because he never had me. It doesn't matter anymore because he obviously doesn't care!" Sam's cracks were starting to show. She wasn't supposed to be this way over another man, the same man, over again. But here she was, more frustrated than she remembered being in the past.
Maxie barely flinched at the outburst. Sam was clearly going over the edge, but there are always two sides of a tightrope she could be heading down. She could tell, despite protestations, that it was going to be the side where the boy catches the girl in freefall. Lately, that's always been the side Sam has found herself in. And despite the need to de-limb boys, Maxie could agree that it was a good side to be on. Even if it'll take her friend some time to get there.
"Sam, of course he had you, I'm sure you guys had each other many times--"
"This is different," Sam interjected. "He doesn't even want me."
"Girl, if that's what you believe, you need to go back to bed. Your illness is clearly playing tricks on your mind."
"Drink your milkshake, Maxie."
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Yeah, it'll definitely take Sam some time to get there.
fin
Author: sugarpromises
Fandom: General Hospital
Characters: Maxie Jones, Sam McCaul
Rating: PG 13
Prompt: Teammates.
Summary: "No, I mean, you should have told him you were dying. That would have served him right."
Author's Note: Written for theechochorus. And cancanlaughs who said she would read anything I'd write. I'm sorry darling, but this is the disaster you got stuck with ;)
It was a bright summer day, a perfect afternoon for milkshakes at Kelly's. No, scratch that, a perfect afternoon for being slouched over a patio table with a milkshake in hand, contemplating the many ways to de-limb a boy. Out of the corner of her eye, Maxie Jones could see Sam McCaul turning the corner and heading her way. She immediately straightened up and stretched her leg to push the chair in front of her, indicating for her friend to take a seat.
"Hey, how'd it go?" Maxie greeted her.
"It went fine. It was all fine," was the reply. Short and discreet, not at all what Maxie was hoping for.
"Somehow I don't believe that. What did you guys talk about?"
"Nothing important, nothing of value," Sam said with a frustrated sigh. "Nothing we needed to talk about."
Maxie nodded, understanding what this situation called for. She quickly turned to indicate to the nearest waiter that more milkshakes would be needed. Turning her attention back to her friend, she carelessly swiped a yellow flower from the decorative vase in front of her.
"Face it, he's a man. You're never going to get what you want," she said, all the while, plucking the petals right off the flower. Just like limbs, she thought, just like limbs.
"He said everything was the same, that he couldn't believe nothing changes in a few weeks, no new stories."
"Of course he thinks that, because it's not like you're jumping forward to give him the juicy details of your fabulous life."
"Men."
"Ugh, men," Maxie agreed. She tossed the wilted petal-less flower down on the table and gave a flirtatious smile to the waiter serving their milkshakes. She waited until he blushed, stumbled with their drinks and scurried off before continuing. "You know... you should have just told him you were sick."
"But I'm not, I'm getting better," Sam replied, not wanting to think about the head cold she had several weeks back, but Maxie just shook her head.
"No, I mean, you should have told him you were dying. That would have served him right."
"Me dying is what he deserves?" Sam raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of her milkshake. "I'm not sure my karma can handle that. I'm pretty sure yours can't either." Maxie just waved it off.
"No, no, the thought of losing you is what he deserves."
"He can't lose me because he never had me. It doesn't matter anymore because he obviously doesn't care!" Sam's cracks were starting to show. She wasn't supposed to be this way over another man, the same man, over again. But here she was, more frustrated than she remembered being in the past.
Maxie barely flinched at the outburst. Sam was clearly going over the edge, but there are always two sides of a tightrope she could be heading down. She could tell, despite protestations, that it was going to be the side where the boy catches the girl in freefall. Lately, that's always been the side Sam has found herself in. And despite the need to de-limb boys, Maxie could agree that it was a good side to be on. Even if it'll take her friend some time to get there.
"Sam, of course he had you, I'm sure you guys had each other many times--"
"This is different," Sam interjected. "He doesn't even want me."
"Girl, if that's what you believe, you need to go back to bed. Your illness is clearly playing tricks on your mind."
"Drink your milkshake, Maxie."
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Yeah, it'll definitely take Sam some time to get there.
fin