porter_inc (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
porter_inc) wrote2006-03-07 11:58 pm
porter_inc) wrote2006-03-07 11:58 pm
FIC - A Call to Peter
Will finished checking his email, debated surfing for a little porn, then finally shut off his computer and went to his bedroom. He was getting used to living in a much smaller space than the house in Connecticut. Still, at least it was a condo and not some pathetic studio/bachelor unit with a community bathroom. If Talia kept up trying to drain him dry, that could quickly become a reality, though.
He sighed, feeling depressed, a little overly dramatic and completely homesick as he thought about his mother, his best friend and his dogs.
"I'll take 'things I miss most' for three hundred, Alex," he said aloud.
When he turned on the radio, one of his favorite songs was playing, earning a little smile from him as he undressed for bed. It didn't always feel this way; this lonely and empty. But the news from Talia had been a huge blow, and now he simply needed to curl up with either a good book or some good conversation.
Clad in his boxer briefs, he lay on top of the covers and reached for the phone. Peter had to be getting used to the late night calls, and if he ever minded, he never let on. That was one thing Will would always be able to say about his best friend: He'd never turn him away.
"Hello?"
The voice was sleepy and Will immediately cringed, feeling guilty. "Shit, I woke you."
"Hey, baby," Peter said, clearing his throat. "Don't worry about it. I rented this incredible movie and fell asleep in my armchair. You've saved me from waking up with a crick in my neck."
Will laughed. "You're so full of shit. You can tell me to stop calling you so late, you know."
"Nah, I like it. Makes me feel needed." Peter's chuckle was low and warm. "And you know how much I need to be needed."
Closing his eyes, Will nodded. Something in Peter's voice made Will miss him so much at that very moment, he ached for him.
"What movie is it?"
"'Crash.'"
"The one about racism or the one about getting turned on by car accidents?"
Another soft laugh. "The one about relevant social issues in this day and age."
Will waited a beat, then said, "That doesn't answer my question."
There was the soft creak of leather as Peter got up from his chair. "You so funny, Mr. Porter."
"That's why you love me."
"Must be. It's certainly not for that ugly mug of yours."
Listening carefully, Will could picture Peter turning off the lights in his living room and making his way to his bedroom. He smiled when he heard the squeak of Peter's bedroom door closing.
"You need to oil that. It's annoying."
"Hey, don't rag on the home security system. That squeak could alert me to someone sneaking into my room to molest me. Or even rob me."
"Sweetheart, you're the most valuable thing in that house, and any burglar would be lucky to attack you in your sleep."
Peter sighed, the sound blending with the swish of bedclothes being pulled back. "You're a strange little man, aren't you, Tobias?"
Will snickered at the use of his middle name. It was something Peter did in lieu of scolding him.
"Yes, I am, and soon, I'm going to be a strange little poor man."
"What is she doing now?" The tone of Peter's voice changed immediately to one of genuine disgust.
"She called to tell me that her lawyer is going to seek an increase in alimony."
"What? Can they do that?"
Rubbing at his eyes, Will let out a slow, tired sigh. "I guess they can, and if anyone knows how, it'll be her divorce attorney. Excuse me, her divorce attorney and the guy who's currently nailing her every night."
"They're dating?"
"It gets better, my friend. They're moving in together."
Peter was silent for a few moments, and just when Will was going to say something, there was sharp exhalation followed by, "I hate her so much, Will. You get to support her while she's living with a lawyer? What the hell is wrong with this picture?"
For the first time that day, Will felt okay that he'd gotten so angry about his ex. Somehow, if it was bad enough to make Peter mad, it deserved Will's upset.
"Do you think I should fight it?"
"You're damn right I think you should fight it. And I think I should talk to her. She's doing this to punish you, Will. She shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."
"I know, but to be fair, I did cheat on her."
"Bullshit," Peter snapped. "Your marriage was as good as over before I even entered the picture. She's using us as a way to make you pay for not keeping up the appearance of a happy home."
It made Will feel good that his friend was getting so worked up on his behalf, but he felt a little shame, too; shame for expecting no other reaction from him.
"Don't talk to her," Will said. "I don't want you getting dragged back into this."
"I can handle it, Will. She's being a bitch just for the sake of being a bitch. She doesn't even need your goddamn money."
Will had to smile at hearing all the things he'd thought, himself. He and Peter were always on the same wavelength, and for a brief moment, he wondered if they'd made a mistake by not trying to remain lovers. The thought faded, though, and Will reached to turn off his bedside lamp.
"I should have told her sooner," he said, his voice hushed in the darkness. "You said that, do you remember? Right after the first night we spent together; you told me I should be honest with her instead of trying to hide it."
"But there's no guarantee she wouldn't have done this to you, anyway," Peter said, his voice a little gentler. "Don't second guess yourself, sweetheart. You did what you had to at the time."
"Yes, but..." Will took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm so tired, Peter," he whispered. "I don't think I'm ever going to be happy. I miss you so much. I miss Mom."
"Hey, what about your new boyfriend?" Peter said, making his voice lighter. "And our grand plan to set your mom up with someone? I can't let you be unhappy when there's so much potential for you to have a good time with everything."
"He's not my boyfriend," Will mumbled, still cracking a smile. "We've fucked, that's all."
"And it was incredible, right?" Peter laughed. "At least your description of it was. Focus on that, Will. Focus on moving on with your life instead of your bitch ex-wife."
"Ooh, poetry."
"I'm gifted," was the wry reply. "And I love you, Will. Don't forget it."
Just like that, Will felt all right. He still had all of the same problems to deal with, but a few minutes on the phone with the one man he'd always love, no matter what, had managed to make them easier to take.
"How could I? You never let me."
"And I never will. I don't care if one day you're so pissed off with me you can't even see straight. I'm still going to tell you I love you."
"Sap," Will said, the word filled with affection for the other man.
"Yep."
"I should let you get back to sleep, shouldn't I?"
"Yes, you should."
Will smiled. "All right, sweetheart. Sleep well."
"I will, and you do the same, okay? Promise me."
"I promise." Will even crossed his heart when he said it. "I love you."
"Love you."
The call disconnected. Peter had stopped saying the word 'goodbye' to Will since he'd moved out to Seattle. He said that it felt odd - too permanent - to say it when he couldn't drive over at the drop of a hat to see him in person. Will hadn't questioned it, and now, if Peter were to say it, it wouldn't sound right to him.
Will put the handset back in the charger and got under the covers. As he rolled onto his stomach, pillow bunched up under his head, he heard one of Peter's favorite songs start to play on the radio. Smiling, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
He sighed, feeling depressed, a little overly dramatic and completely homesick as he thought about his mother, his best friend and his dogs.
"I'll take 'things I miss most' for three hundred, Alex," he said aloud.
When he turned on the radio, one of his favorite songs was playing, earning a little smile from him as he undressed for bed. It didn't always feel this way; this lonely and empty. But the news from Talia had been a huge blow, and now he simply needed to curl up with either a good book or some good conversation.
Clad in his boxer briefs, he lay on top of the covers and reached for the phone. Peter had to be getting used to the late night calls, and if he ever minded, he never let on. That was one thing Will would always be able to say about his best friend: He'd never turn him away.
"Hello?"
The voice was sleepy and Will immediately cringed, feeling guilty. "Shit, I woke you."
"Hey, baby," Peter said, clearing his throat. "Don't worry about it. I rented this incredible movie and fell asleep in my armchair. You've saved me from waking up with a crick in my neck."
Will laughed. "You're so full of shit. You can tell me to stop calling you so late, you know."
"Nah, I like it. Makes me feel needed." Peter's chuckle was low and warm. "And you know how much I need to be needed."
Closing his eyes, Will nodded. Something in Peter's voice made Will miss him so much at that very moment, he ached for him.
"What movie is it?"
"'Crash.'"
"The one about racism or the one about getting turned on by car accidents?"
Another soft laugh. "The one about relevant social issues in this day and age."
Will waited a beat, then said, "That doesn't answer my question."
There was the soft creak of leather as Peter got up from his chair. "You so funny, Mr. Porter."
"That's why you love me."
"Must be. It's certainly not for that ugly mug of yours."
Listening carefully, Will could picture Peter turning off the lights in his living room and making his way to his bedroom. He smiled when he heard the squeak of Peter's bedroom door closing.
"You need to oil that. It's annoying."
"Hey, don't rag on the home security system. That squeak could alert me to someone sneaking into my room to molest me. Or even rob me."
"Sweetheart, you're the most valuable thing in that house, and any burglar would be lucky to attack you in your sleep."
Peter sighed, the sound blending with the swish of bedclothes being pulled back. "You're a strange little man, aren't you, Tobias?"
Will snickered at the use of his middle name. It was something Peter did in lieu of scolding him.
"Yes, I am, and soon, I'm going to be a strange little poor man."
"What is she doing now?" The tone of Peter's voice changed immediately to one of genuine disgust.
"She called to tell me that her lawyer is going to seek an increase in alimony."
"What? Can they do that?"
Rubbing at his eyes, Will let out a slow, tired sigh. "I guess they can, and if anyone knows how, it'll be her divorce attorney. Excuse me, her divorce attorney and the guy who's currently nailing her every night."
"They're dating?"
"It gets better, my friend. They're moving in together."
Peter was silent for a few moments, and just when Will was going to say something, there was sharp exhalation followed by, "I hate her so much, Will. You get to support her while she's living with a lawyer? What the hell is wrong with this picture?"
For the first time that day, Will felt okay that he'd gotten so angry about his ex. Somehow, if it was bad enough to make Peter mad, it deserved Will's upset.
"Do you think I should fight it?"
"You're damn right I think you should fight it. And I think I should talk to her. She's doing this to punish you, Will. She shouldn't be allowed to get away with it."
"I know, but to be fair, I did cheat on her."
"Bullshit," Peter snapped. "Your marriage was as good as over before I even entered the picture. She's using us as a way to make you pay for not keeping up the appearance of a happy home."
It made Will feel good that his friend was getting so worked up on his behalf, but he felt a little shame, too; shame for expecting no other reaction from him.
"Don't talk to her," Will said. "I don't want you getting dragged back into this."
"I can handle it, Will. She's being a bitch just for the sake of being a bitch. She doesn't even need your goddamn money."
Will had to smile at hearing all the things he'd thought, himself. He and Peter were always on the same wavelength, and for a brief moment, he wondered if they'd made a mistake by not trying to remain lovers. The thought faded, though, and Will reached to turn off his bedside lamp.
"I should have told her sooner," he said, his voice hushed in the darkness. "You said that, do you remember? Right after the first night we spent together; you told me I should be honest with her instead of trying to hide it."
"But there's no guarantee she wouldn't have done this to you, anyway," Peter said, his voice a little gentler. "Don't second guess yourself, sweetheart. You did what you had to at the time."
"Yes, but..." Will took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm so tired, Peter," he whispered. "I don't think I'm ever going to be happy. I miss you so much. I miss Mom."
"Hey, what about your new boyfriend?" Peter said, making his voice lighter. "And our grand plan to set your mom up with someone? I can't let you be unhappy when there's so much potential for you to have a good time with everything."
"He's not my boyfriend," Will mumbled, still cracking a smile. "We've fucked, that's all."
"And it was incredible, right?" Peter laughed. "At least your description of it was. Focus on that, Will. Focus on moving on with your life instead of your bitch ex-wife."
"Ooh, poetry."
"I'm gifted," was the wry reply. "And I love you, Will. Don't forget it."
Just like that, Will felt all right. He still had all of the same problems to deal with, but a few minutes on the phone with the one man he'd always love, no matter what, had managed to make them easier to take.
"How could I? You never let me."
"And I never will. I don't care if one day you're so pissed off with me you can't even see straight. I'm still going to tell you I love you."
"Sap," Will said, the word filled with affection for the other man.
"Yep."
"I should let you get back to sleep, shouldn't I?"
"Yes, you should."
Will smiled. "All right, sweetheart. Sleep well."
"I will, and you do the same, okay? Promise me."
"I promise." Will even crossed his heart when he said it. "I love you."
"Love you."
The call disconnected. Peter had stopped saying the word 'goodbye' to Will since he'd moved out to Seattle. He said that it felt odd - too permanent - to say it when he couldn't drive over at the drop of a hat to see him in person. Will hadn't questioned it, and now, if Peter were to say it, it wouldn't sound right to him.
Will put the handset back in the charger and got under the covers. As he rolled onto his stomach, pillow bunched up under his head, he heard one of Peter's favorite songs start to play on the radio. Smiling, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.