RPF: "Fishponies"

[cyus]

Title: Fishponies
Pairing: TW RPF, JB/SG
Rating: PG
Length: 4000 words
Disclaimer: The events in this story are fiction, as much as the interpretation of the real people as shown in the story is a fictionalization of them and their lives. It should not be inferred that this is an attempt to represent reality.
Summary: They'd planned a day off, but John's on the phone sorting business, and really, that's okay, it's the life they have and it's good.
Notes: For amand_r as part of the help_haiti auction. I did manage to write neither of your prompts really, um, sorry for that. Thanks to misswinterhill for the beta.
Header Art: by laurab1 here

"Yeah, I wasn't sure either how that had slipped there. I talked to Rhys... yeah..." John trailed off, shrugging out of his jacket as he called up the schedule on his laptop.

It was Monday, John was off work (no commitments, as they called it), and they'd been nearly out of the door. They'd coordinated this a few weeks ago, having a day to themselves, day trip plans to drive up north and everything, before Scott was off to London for a number of meetings the next day. Part of Scott wanted a family calendar with a You, an I and a You + I column. They sold those alongside the ones for families with children. He hadn't brought that up since before Christmas.

Scott motioned to his watch, shrugged in how long? and can we scrap this then? but John only had a shrug with no vocal activity in reply. Scott's fingers twitched for his own laptop. He could easily use the minutes to firm up a few loose ends or call a few clients he'd have contacted from the phone in the car tomorrow otherwise.

Scott's mobile rang and he picked it up, shaking his head no when John mouthed work? at him.

"Haven't heard from you in a while," Scott said after the hellos. He settled on one of the dining room chairs, smoothing his fingers over the stack of shirts on the table. He'd still have to pack. A friend of his and John's, they'd have to meet up for dinner when they were in London next, Scott nodded his agreement. "I'm headed out there tomorrow, we could meet out in... yeah." He laughed. "Yeah. No, he's busy. We meant to spend today... yeah... send him an email, he'll slot you in." John raised his eyebrows from the other side of the room, Scott mouthed later. "You should come down for it. No, we spent it here, John was at the theatre until nine, didn't feel much like heading out after that... he made videos, yes." John groaned something about tour dates, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose. "I'll give you a call tomorrow, but I think seven should work. He says hello." John shouted Hi from across the room, Scott rolled his eyes. "You heard him, he'll give you a call. Tomorrow then. Yeah. Bye."

At a loss with John still on the phone to Gavin, Scott shrugged out of his jacket too and made his way into the kitchen, preparing a tea for himself, a coffee for John. John pulled him down for a quick kiss and a sorry as Scott set the coffee down before he flung himself on the other sofa, picked up the book from the coffee table and settled in to read.

John found one of the dogs' balls after a while and kept throwing it for CJ along the hallway for entertainment. Scott had read the same line in his book ten times now to the background of clicking nails, skittering paws, the crash of a dog into a wall and clicking nails again. Scott pushed himself off the couch when the ball bounced next and wrestled CJ for it before he could drop it back at John's feet for another go.

Life should have weaned them off the idea of classic weekends, Saturdays and Sundays to spend with a book, the dogs, maybe going out for dinner. But between John's schedule and his own project-oriented work, John spent every Sunday he had a show moaning about the unfairness of life (panto kicked his arse there) because he couldn't spend the day in PJs roughhousing with the dogs. John was five sometimes. That said, Scott couldn't deny missing it as well, that idea of sharing the world's rhythm and reading the Sunday paper on the day off, a slow breakfast and Top Gear in the evening because it made John happy. Missing it, well, he'd lived this for more than a decade, the odd days of the week off for leisure, or, like today, phone calls.

"We should take the dogs out, then," Scott said, tossing the ball from one hand into the other. "No sense in driving up there now." He was watching CJ's snapping jaws and how his tiny feet catapulted him through the air. He was watching John through that, fingers rubbing at eyes, forehead and the coffee spill along the rim of the cup where it had slipped past lips.

John glanced up from his notebook, phone to his ear, blinking as he visibly tried to sort the threads of conversation in his mind. "Busy. Maybe later."

By the same reasoning adoption kept being slotted back years at a time, even now that they were both in the same book if not on the same page about it. Scott had not pulled the nearing-50-here card yet. The topic only came up in too-dark nights and apparently during John Barrowman's press dates.

"Want another coffee?" Scott let CJ have the ball and fetched his cup of tea from the coffee table.

John gave a nod and a smile, holding out his cup before he launched into an explanation for Gavin on the other end of the line about something conflicting with something else and if they could just shift one over there he could keep doing both after all.

In the kitchen Harris danced around Scott's feet, begging for a dog biscuit. With none of the others around Scott slipped him one and crouched to pet him before he poured the coffee, poured water over his tea leaves. He carried the mugs back into the living area, deposited the coffee next to John and took the tea with him to his sofa.

"I'm free this afternoon," John said.

Scott looked up, held back a catty remark about that being something new, and nodded at the phone in John's hand, rediscovering politeness along the way, somewhat.

"He's looking something up. I'm free this afternoon, we could drive in to Cardiff and-"

"No."

"You didn't-"

"No." Scott smiled. "Barry. Let's take the dogs."

It was one of the few indulgences. A pub lunch in Bridgend or St David's Centre! Scott! (which on the first veto tried to sneak back with I need a new shirt, I really do, nevermind he could have got it on Regent Street the week before) were out most of the time, out of necessity and common sense, the latter more than the former, and because they'd turned into middle-aged homosexuals, comparatively well-off and comparatively happy to spend any leisure time stretched on the sofa or snorkling on the Bahamas or off the coast of South Africa or wherever took their fancy next. Trips to ASDA were excitement enough for a day, and Costco still made John cream his pants every single time. Anything else, Scott preferred London for that with its smaller chance of being interrupted by a request for an autograph with his fork halfway to his mouth, John smiling at whoever asked even as he was chewing on his fish or chicken. Insipid smiles, Scott called them. Admittedly, Scott's thoughts tended to run more towards the homicidal. He tried not to let it show on his face as he stabbed the next bite.

It's not the chicken, it's the thought behind--

--indeed.

"Barry, fine." John visibly deflated as he turned his attention back to the computer screen.

"I'm not spending two hours in a shopping centre in Cardiff." It wasn't exactly difficult to envision the ball of attention John would garner and it wasn't Scott's idea of free time. He was still proud of John's success (there was the money, and neither of them was naive enough to discount that), but he'd stopped being entertained years ago by watching John entertain when they wanted to have a quiet dinner or catch a film. John disagreed, of course he did, and they'd talked about things and some things were good for business, and, granted, it wasn't a hardship to kiss for a camera even if he preferred to do it without.

John waved his hand in slightly peeved and I'm ignoring you for the next ten minutes. "We can just walk them here. No need to drive out to Barry."

"I thought you wanted to go somewhere. It's hardly far."

"Easier to walk them here."

"We could, if you weren't busy." Scott plopped down on the sofa.

"I said I was free this afternoon."

"I heard you." Scott glared at John across the room.

John shrugged. "Just saying I said. Yeah, still here." He then turned his attention back to the phone and whatever crisis in celebrity land was waiting for him. Scott leaned back on the sofa, fully stretched out and head on the arm rest, hand dangling by the side. Charlie came over to snuffle at him, pushing his head against Scott's hand.

CJ brought the ball and Scott gave up any pretense of reading the book (Carole had told him to grab it and it was good enough, possibly) and instead threw the ball for all three of the dogs across the living room, chuckling a little when Charlie started up an angry diva bark about never getting the ball. He became more like John every day.

"Sorry," Scott shouted and called Charlie to him, soothing the angry barking amidst his own laughter as he stuffed the ball between cushions while John was going about sorting the scheduling business. Scott found the line he'd left off on in the book and read a few more pages, Harris bathing his hand with his tongue for leisure, the others trotting for pets between him and John.

"Go on, go get him," Scott told CJ who bounded over and barked at John. Scott hid his face behind his book, laughing into the pages.

When a shadow fell over him, Scott glanced up to John.

"You're being a bitch," John declared, arms folded across his chest.

Scott dug between the cushions. "But I have the ball," he said, holding the dog toy up to John's face. He managed to keep a straight face for all of two seconds before it turned into a laugh.

"You're mad," John said, and pushed Scott's legs aside to sit down on the sofa himself.

"Didn't strip dance to distract you," Scott offered, sliding the book back onto the coffee table.

"I wish you would have." John curled his fingers around the closest of Scott's ankles. "That would've been hot. You're going out for dinner tomorrow?"

Scott nodded, wriggled his toes in John's grasp. "Since today's a bit of a lost cause."

John offered a sorry but Scott shrugged it away. It was what it was, they'd lived this life long enough, it had happened before and it would happen again, and their family planner with or without child would probably be a mess of multi-colour struck-out things to do, scribbled into margins and over the flower print, entirely losing its purpose to instead become a colouring board that John would scribble on whenever he passed by it.

"We could still go to Cardiff and-"

Scott groaned, dropping his head back against the sofa. John revelled in it: the lights, the audience, the stage. That made one of them.

"You know you love it," John said, dropping Scott's foot and crawling on top of Scott's body, half lying between his legs, keeping his weight on his elbows as he stared down at Scott's face. John kissed him under his chin and along his jaw. "I know you love it."

The angry words about whoring out your arse to the whole word had fallen between them earlier in their relationship. Now it was just life, and it was life John enjoyed and life Scott was not too disconcerted by most of the time and let himself be dragged into for a laugh, a prank and really good sex afterward.

Scott conceded with a smile and rested his hand on John's hip, palm along the waistband of his jeans, thumb pushing up the poloshirt. CJ barked once and jumped onto the sofa behind John, making Scott laugh first, then John. When Charlie's paws ended on Scott's chest, tongue trying to bathe both of their faces, Scott pushed at John's chest.

"Oh come on, gimme a kiss, Scottie."

Scott rolled his eyes and shoved John back. "Idiot."

John rolled off the sofa and wandered back to his laptop still open, took a sip from his cup. "We're starting to talk about next year." He bent down, stared at the screen, fingers of his left hand moving on the keys.

Scott managed a non-committal sound in reply. He'd be happy if that time next year he wasn't still dealing with the current project, handing in corrections only to have it land on his desk again for another permission not acquired correctly. "The US, then?" He glanced at John over his tea cup. The topic wasn't sore; but middle-aged and well-off and middle-aged and settled didn't go well with jumping continents and he'd like a warning about anything permanent more than a few weeks in advance.

"Still talking."

"That's hedging."

"It's the truth. I don't know yet and even if, I don't know."

"Your decision to make." Scott drank down the last of the tea, grimacing at loose leaves that stuck to his teeth. He took John's cup, empty anyway, from his hand, offered a smile of we're fine and you know it. John talked about superlatives of dreams to the press and in superlatives of dreams when high from a meeting or a show or something that made it sound like conquering the world was next. Then it came to the cold, hard reality of signed contracts and they'd have conversations in the dark with John going science-fiction on him about parallel universes and choices, and Scott fell asleep before it was anything other than "I want fishponies. It would be amazing," and he'd missed the right moment to ask what fishponies even were.

"I only wanted you to know it's not fallen through," John said, barely audible over the water as Scott was rinsing their cups.

John thought in fishponies and, well, Scott grinned, pound notes. Scott thought in children with two legs and minimum responsibility time of eighteen years and relocating and driving cars on the other side of the road and visas. Not that that was entirely fair; they both thought about pound notes and investments and family, only in different ways.

"It would build your profile," Scott offered, stepping out of the kitchen to lean against the doorframe. Scott had picked up some show business phrases and the patience to mean them. He watched John be dramatic in thoughtful pose, backlit by the sun coming in through the windows.

John nodded, crouching with CJ and Harris, playing Daddy plays 'tug of war' and lets his hands be chewed on with both of them while Charlie watched with neurotic barking.

"You're done then?"

John shook his head and settled on all fours on the floor, staring straight at CJ who glared back, ball in his mouth. "Gavin's going to call back," John said over his shoulder, crouched further and advanced on the dog in playacting. "I'm going to get it," he said in daddy voice. "I'm going to get you, CJ!" John bounced forward on all fours, lounging for dog and ball, Harris and Charlie barking at the display, jumping excitedly in a half-circle around John rolling on the floor. "I have it!" Triumphant. CJ didn't give up quite that easily and tugged on the red bit of rubber.

Two years ago Scott didn't want a kid in more than the abstract of a half-mumbled comment over a glass of wine or a vodka tonic while someone on one of John's celeb shows showed off their baby to the camera. Sometimes now he remembered why. When you were an uncle you could just hand them back, and John was better at this. Scott was too busy making sure no-one got hurt during John's ideas of I'm Captain Jack and you can help me! to know what to do with something living that threw itself at you with crayons and its head making up random things.

John had written it on top of this year's schedule across everything in one of his moods when they'd first drawn it up and slotted in commitments. Scott had never checked if it was still there in the upper right corner. To be fair, he was content to accept the You + I column as all that they would have, without additional flower-captioned columns for football trainings or school activities or what it was that children did. Him more than John maybe.

Under the cacophony of sounds, the ring of John's phone was easily drowned out. Scott left him to play and picked up the phone himself when the display lit in white glare. Oblivious to him stepping out into the hallway and then into the kitchen, John kept on talking to the dogs, pulling Harris into the fray.

"It's Scott," Scott answered Gavin's call. Phone to his ear he refilled the dogs' water bowls while he was there, nodding to Gavin. "We did, but don't worry. He'll be-"

"Hey, where did you go?" John poked his head around the kitchen door frame, breathing hard, dogs excited, their feet stamping around him, CJ still jumping for the ball in John's hand.

"-he's here now. I'll hand you over." Water bowls in his hands, Scott waited for John to pick the phone from between his shoulder and head before he set down the bowls. Water refilled, he grabbed the red rubber ball from John. It took CJ a moment to catch on, but then his attention was focused away from John, and he and the others followed Scott out into the yard for a game of fetch. The air was cold enough to fog theirs breaths as the dogs ran for the ball. A quiet Monday morning, it was him and the dogs and the beach behind him, and he could grow to like this and retire, maybe.

When Scott made it back inside some twenty minutes later with his hands red with cold, John was still on the phone. The dogs went straight for the kitchen and their water bowls with hanging tongues, barely endured being petted as they trotted past John. John glanced up at Scott, ignoring the laptop screen for a moment. Scott stood in the middle of the room with his back to the windows and the sea and let John look his fill. He drew the line at twirling on the spot with a snort caught between derision and amusement when John motioned a turn with his finger and an arse-shake by moving his shoulders in car seat dancing fashion. Scott took off his coat instead and draped it across one of their sofa seats, leaned against the back of the seat, waiting for a break in conversation.

"I'll be happy to sign it," John said to Gavin, looking down at a notepad, "but I was under the impression that they..." he paused to listen. "But that's not what they said in the meeting. We went over the terms, I laid out my ideas, they -- you were there -- they laid out theirs... no, I know that's how it is."

Scott glanced at his watch. The time window for a trip up north was about closed now. He pushed off the sofa seat and made his way upstairs and began to sort the documents he would need for London the next day, thumbing through the drawings again and checking them against the list of corrections. He was fairly sure he'd thought of it all. The drawings and print-outs stuffed into appropriate folders, Scott took his laptop downstairs and settled at the dining room table amidst the stacks of clothes he pushed aside. He pulled up correspondence, answered a few emails as John talked on the phone in the background, dealing in his own business.

"I should take a few months off," John said as Scott was typing '...received your specifications.' "Spend them with you. On Hawaii."

"You're working on your schedule for 2020?" Scott chuckled at his laptop screen, finished the email. He half-turned on the chair. "Even there as I'll suck," John's raised eyebrows only deserved an eyeroll, "my seafood, someone will practically perch themselves on your lap asking for a photo and a hug. Or your time. Or my time."

There was a sore point well-made.

John tapped his phone against his lips. "You don't mean it." The hint of worry almost turned it into a question. It might as well have been night time with them on either side of the bed playing with the conversations you could only have in the dark.

"If I never have to pose with another bear..." Scott offered, giving his socked feet a grin before he looked up at John.

It earned him a chuckle and a shrug. "Yeah."

Scott turned back to the screen, finishing the email he had started, then turned back around. "You know I don't mean it, but today it would have been nice to-"

"I know."

Scott fiddled with his email program.

"I know you would have loved to shop for clothes with me," John added, determined now to draw this back from whatever it was. Aging fishponies that snorkled along the ground with their heads stuck into the sand, maybe.

"Certainly," Scott said, reaching down to pet Harris. "I would have volunteered to hold the bags while you entertained." He caught his hand trying to do jazz before it quite could. He didn't need to look up to know John was grinning like an idiot.

"You would have loved it."

Scott glanced across the living room and John, taking in their house, their place in the world, who they had become together. It's who John was, and children and the grand plans of making it in the US and even a well-deserved free day together, they'd all just be extras to the You + I at the top of the column. Really, they should get married (dry thought, that, very dry). They could make do with scribbles and crossed-out dates and the quiet conversations when no-one else was listening or watching as John spun his dreams and Scott tried not to fall asleep over it. "Yes," he said eventually and shut his laptop.

"I know," John said. "You love the attention. I bet there is a Scott bear."

Scott groaned and for lack of something to throw he leaned down to Harris. "Come on, boy, get him. Get him." Harris looked at him stupidly and wriggled his tail in excitement.

"Barry for the afternoon then?" John asked, laughing.

"I'll get the dogs ready."

John was already jumping in a circle with CJ, getting him riled up and ready to go. Charlie stood between them barking at each of them in turn. Scott pocketed the sharpies from the dinner table, just in case they ran into anyone. Life as usual, then. You + I + the rest of the world most of the time for a little while.

Comments

[rm.livejournal.com]

Your RPF is always sort of surreal and awesome in its nuanced-ness. It's particularly surreal when I've been having a day that's mostly been Pitch Meeting vs. Romantic Weekend Getaway.

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Belated replying to comments, it seems like I'm incapable of writing without stuffing something full of details, I'm glad it works in this, mostly because relationships and interactions are never simple, there is always layers of expectations, wishes, rationalizations, respect, selfish neediness, love, etc. to them, and in something like that, I do believe it is even when you've settled into an arrangement, that it's still a re-negotiation of that agreement and the work-life balance (as much as you can even tell one from the other in this case) because people are people. But I did want to show Scott as someone who exists independent of John, with his own set of ideas and wishes and needs and expectations, rather than an extension of the guy he lives with because from what I can tell, they've got an arrangement down where Scott flips John off when he feels like it

There's a story while filming that Tonight's The Night variety show thing that JB did, that in the breaks between recording, to keep the audience all happy and excited, they'd do these little sing off competitions. Scott was in the audience, JB was wheedling from the stage for him to sing. Scott flipped him off and didn't do it. I laughed when I read it because it seemed utterly symptomatic of a partner who will pull JB aside at the end of the day and tell him to cut the crap if he's behaving like an ass rather than play sycophant -- so anyway, that was part of what I wanted to get into with this.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Okay so..whoa.

Yeah, this is what I wanted, and it's kind of...sad, you know. Like I feel bad for Scott, though obviously if he wasn't happy he would leave. and I just, I feel bad for him. But oh my god you got my fich ponies in there and John and the shopping and the schedules with I + You oh yes, and Jesus the dogs. Scott wants kids, yes please, and we'll drive to Barry. Oh honey.

Aging fishponies that snorkled along the ground with their heads stuck into the sand, maybe.

You are seriously, one of my favorite writers, and our email thing got lost, probably because it was my turn and I'm lazy, but this right here? This is why.

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Look, I'm replying to comments. Hmm. Yeah, I get what you are saying about Scott, and how he seems to be the one who has to accommodate John in a way, in terms of them having to plan their lives around John's schedule and John's career plans. I assume he's happy, I assume they have some way of making it work, I somewhat assume it hasn't quite sunk in yet for either of them how or why John's fame should affect their lives in any drastic way more now than it did six or so years ago when JB was happy doing musicals 8 shows a week.

Mostly, I like to think that they are both independent men who do their own shit and share a life, I think that's how it works, and well, that's pretty much what JB wrote his fan fiction book. And then they have one vacation a year for utter alone time and I guess that works for them.

I have hot love for the You + I calendar idea, because it would never work, and it'd be LOL for that.

But yeah, this is me hypothesizing about relationships of other people.

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I get what you are saying about Scott, and how he seems to be the one who has to accommodate John in a way, in terms of them having to plan their lives around John's schedule and John's career plans.

I love Scott for this aspect of his personality...that he is happy to do this, because, in the simplest of terms, he loves his man.

I think you did an amazing job capturing how though it isn't easy for him at times and he has sometimes to put his own plans aside, he is there for JB in all he does, is there to support him, and also has realized that he has the best seat in the house. I like to think (cuz I am a romantic at heart) that without Scott's support and belief in his partner, JB would not have the level of happiness he has. I love that. I love that! And JB appreciates it--and knows and understands that Scott both gives up for him, but also loves JB's accomplishments just as much as JB does.

I just can't get Scott's simple "it brings him joy" out of my head, because that's exactly what it is. I absolutely get that. It brings ME joy to see my partner discover new things, accomplish goals, to be able to do what he really wants to do no matter what it is, even if it makes me shake my head sometimes. I like him having that joy in whatever he does, and I love experiencing that sweet kind of joy I experience as a result.

It is awesome, and addicting, and a beautiful thing.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is, kiddo. I BET THEY USE THE CALENDAR.

Also, did you see there's a new study out that says that couples who use "we" statements instead of "me" statements or "i" or "my" statements have longer and happier relationships. Wooooo!

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Makes sense. Because "we" indicates a shared identity, meaning, yknow, that all of us have our own identities and do our own things and as soon as you have a "we" you have a group identity, a shared identity with shared norms, values, and it changes how you perceive your own little group and how you perceive the others outside your group, generally seeing your own little group as more positive and etc and so on. So yeah, shared identity, makes sense they would have longer relationships, also because the alternative, ie. when you get out, you stand to lose more than you'd do if you'd still primarily define yourself through yourself, you stand to lose intimacy and shared space and a shared world view you've built up. And... anyway, I CAN SEE WHY THAT WOULD BE WITH THE "WE" VS THE "YOU AND I" -- also shared responsibilities and shared pleasure and shared pain and...

anyway. I hope they have a "we".

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

I AM SURE THEY DO. "WE ARE WALKING THE DOGS. WE WENT ON VACATION. WE ARE HAVING BUTTSEX."

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

Also, did you see there's a new study out that says that couples who use "we" statements instead of "me" statements or "i" or "my" statements have longer and happier relationships. Wooooo!

This is kinda proving profound in my head.

I kinda believe that, based on past and present experience.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Yeah. On the other hand, doesn't that feel like common sense? Did we need a study on it?

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL they sure indeed do often do studies on the weirdest things.

I have to watch my 'we' usage though. Raises questions I don't want to answer. But it is what is natural to me. :)

You and N are now a 'writing we' you know, so I believe it could applicable not just to romantic relationships, think? Grin.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

FISHPONIES RULE!

[paragraphs.livejournal.com]

LOL they do, and make good passwords too. Did that.

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

LOLLERSKATES.

[laeliacatt.livejournal.com]

I love the detail and imagery in this. And, yeah, it is a bit sad from Scott's POV but he has put up with John's LIFE (it really has to be capitalized, doesn't it?) for what, 16 years now? He has to have adapted by now or it would have driven him quite mad. :) Liked the mention of the bear, too. :D

[cyus.livejournal.com]

It's interesting, as I come back to this comment a little late, because your comment when I first read it made me think that really they've only had to put up with this level of fame/celebrity since 2006? So the last 3 or so years? Because before that, sure, John did his gigs and things and he did musicals and some projects in the US but it was all still comparatively under the radar and there were no people running up to JB in the street and wanting a hug or a photo.

So really, this level of celebrity, it is still quite new, and I'm actually intrigued by that, if it has even quite hit them yet what it means or if Scott ever adjusted his mindset about how to deal with things from musical theatre days or if he even thinks about it much. But certainly he got together with a guy who, it seems, has always been a workaholic, so I'm sure he's got used to the "No wait, I have to take this phone call" times and arranged himself with that.

And lol, the bear, yeah, I had to mention it. I know a lot of people love them. I don't quite get it. I can only imagine Scott being completely mystified by it, and it was too fun an opportunity to pass up on.

[blue-fjords.livejournal.com]

SO MANY DOGGIES!!! I AM OVERJOYED!!

MY MUM SAYS THAT SCOTT IS A VERY SYMPATHETIC AND WELL-DRAWN CHARACTER HERE, AND SHE REALLY LIKES THE YOU + I CALENDAR COLUMNS. I SAY, THAT'S NICE, BUT DID YOU SEE THE DOGS?!

AND IF I WERE SCOTT, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SIGN ANYMORE BEARS, EITHER.

[cyus.livejournal.com]

DOGS! I know. I love the dogs. They are fun to write and play with. Glad you liked it! And yeah, LOL about the bears. HAHA

[topgeargirl2.livejournal.com]

Yay, I finally got to read this.

Yeah I really enjoyed this.

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Finally replying, glad you enjoyed it, and thanks :)

[huesiemama.livejournal.com]

I love how you seem to capture and do portray John's and Scott's voices and your attention to detail.
And doggies!! :)

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! I can't seem to write without squeezing in a lot of details and thickening up a story, so I'm glad it works in the story's favour here and that the voices come across.

And dogs. Yeah, love the dogs, man.

[thought-ribbons.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Utterly belated reply, and apologies for that, but thanks :) I love writing them, I have to admit.

[spiderine.livejournal.com]

You write John and Scott so well, and you have Scott's resignation to middle age down perfectly. :) I like how this is all Scott and John is almost secondary, just another condition of chaos with the phone and the dogs as a background for Scott's thoughts.

I think "fishponies" has entered my vocabulary. I shall try to use it three times this week. :)

[cyus.livejournal.com]

I do like to play with middle age with them, because they are both wealthy and healthy and in a good position in life, but man, they are still getting older and I'm sure both of them miss the times when they were the hot stuff on London's clubbing circuit LOL. This is one way of looking at it anyway, and I think I have a thing for the aging homosexual "trope" of some sort, find it way too interesting not to use it in things.

And yeah, one intent of this was definitely to set Scott apart as a person who very much exists independent of John, as much as he probably has to organise part of his life around John's, but yknow, he does his own things and all that, like he should.

So yay, glad you liked it.

[electrogirl09.livejournal.com]

I loved this, Scott's pov is a little sad but very (what i would imagine) realistic with him being so private and having to deal with John The Entertainer all the time. Brilliant :)

[cyus.livejournal.com]

Slightly late reply, but thanks for the comment.

I like to think that they have worked out an arrangement that does work for both of them, and that they likely worked it out through a few shouting matches and whatnot to settle into a balance where both of them are happy and fulfilled and that it likely still happens that one of them gets annoyed with how things are. relationships, eh, constant re-negotiation, it wouldn't be any different for them, only possibly, with the work-life balance happening with work on a much larger scale and a much more public scale.

Like Mandr said above, Scott likely wouldn't be there anymore if he wasn't happy in the relationship, so yeah, I think they've found a way to make it work. Haha gosh, now I'm about to sound utterly romantic. But anyway, glad you enjoyed the story, and thanks for the comment.