Title: All Things Bright and Beautiful Author: phobosgirl (phobosgirl@hotmail.com) Date: 11/21/05 Rating: R Authors notes: Feedback is more than welcome and can be sent to phobosgirl@hotmail.com. This is only for fun. None of this is real nor should any implication be made based on this manuscript that I have any insider info on either of these two fine men. Complete: yep All Things Bright and Beautiful "Oh, I ate too much." A loud, dramatic groan resonates through the phone and into his ear, making him grin. "You always eat to much." "Fuck you. Simon's family is Italian, and I swear, that's all they do! And you always eat to little." "Kim's family is French." Gale shrugs, knowing Randy knows he does it even though he can't see it. Familiarity might breed contempt, but for them it was always something else, entirely. Something a lot more like a marriage between friends. "To the French, thin is in." "They aren't French, fucktard, they're French Canadian. There's a difference, yanno. If you're gonna marry them, you should learn that." "I'm not gonna marry them. Only her." There is silence on the line and Gale pretends that it's not a heavy sound. He knows Randy is pretending, too. Just a couple of friendly marrieds. Finally, Randy groans again. "Ate too much?" "Fuck you, Gale. I bet that today while everyone else in the country was stuffing themselves on… well, stuffing… you were nibbling a salad, right?" "Was not," Gale lies. Why he even bothers is no longer an issue. Randy sees, Gale ducks. It's what they do. "You're so full of shit." Gale can hear the affection in Randy's voice. "Does poor Kim even know what she's getting herself into? Put her on the phone, I'll warn her off." Gale makes up his mind in an instant. "I have to be in your neck of the woods next week," he lies, for the second time. "A few days of meetings with producers. You gonna be around? Lemme me take you and Simon to dinner, or something?" He types quietly while he anxiously awaits Randy's response, bringing up the airline web site, checking his windows calendar, and tapping the dates into the database. He winces when he sees the outrageous price he's gonna pay, but he remembers what the real pay-off will be, and knows that if Randy is there, it will be worth it. "Seriously?" Randy sounds excited and Gale breathes softly in relief. "Yep," Gale confirms, reading the dates off his monitor, "I'll be arriving on the 29th and I'll be staying three, maybe more, days. Will you guys be there?" "Yeah. Well, I will. Simon has something he's flying to Denver for. What the hell's even in Denver, anyway?" 'De-criminalized dope,' Gale thinks with a grin, but he doubts that's what's motivating Simon's trip. Still, he's relieved. "I'll be sorry to miss him." Gale wonders when the lightening bolt will come out of the air over his head to strike him down for all the lies he's telling, but feels a little better when Randy snorts in obvious disbelief. It's well known that he and Simon have never seen eye to eye on much of anything. For one thing, the guy would have to be wearing 12-inch platform shoes just to come close to Gale's eye level. He passes a hand over his face, his cheeks coloring in shame. He never used to be so bitchy. Or so jealous. "So, can we get together? Share some sushi?" Randy groans again. "How can you think of food when I'm so fucking full," he complains, making Gale laugh, apologizing. "Maybe you'll come see one of my rehearsals?" Randy sounds excited again, and Gale's heart skips a full beat and a half. "And yes, I'll have sushi with you, have I ever turned down raw fish? Oh! And a friend of mine is in a play off-off Broadway, and it's not half bad, should I get us tickets?" Gale loves that Randy is already planning out their time together. What a shame, Gale thinks with a smirk, that the producers will suddenly have to cancel their meetings with Gale and fly back to the coast. "Yeah, do, that sounds great." He is grinning and he knows Randy is too, and Gale realizes suddenly that the last time he had his arms wrapped around Randy's small, dynamic form was exactly eight months ago, today. He glances at his watch. Almost to the minute. Too fucking long. "I can't wait to see you, Gale." Randy was never afraid to say what was in his heart, even when it could land him in a world of trouble. Gale's admiration knows no bounds. "Me too," he answers softly, overcome. The comfortable quiet spins out between them once more until Gale finally breaks it, and pushing the "purchase" button on his browser, says, "I'll email you my schedule and the phone number of my hotel, 'kay? I'll do that tonight." "Great," Randy tells him in the same soft tone. "It'll be so good to… you know…" "Yeah, it will." Gale remembers the taste of full, soft lips. "So… ummm… happy Thanksgiving, Randy." fin