Ficlet: In Between the Sheets - Family Album

[katikat]

Title: In Between the Sheets
Fandom: Family Album, The Movie
Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply here.
Genre: Slash
Characters: Paul, Lionel
Words: ~400
Summary: It's been exactly six months since he drank his last glass of scotch...
Beta: yami_tai *smooch*


In the beginning, Lionel's father, Ward, told Paul that there was no one more fiercely loyal than Lionel. Back then, Paul didn't really understand. Now, he did.

---

It's been exactly six months since he drank his last glass of scotch, since he tasted coke. Paul can't believe it, not really. Just half a year ago, his life was in ruins, he had no job, no friends worth mentioning and no real family either. He was teetering on the edge of self-destruction and he knew it. How profoundly can things change in a few short months…

Paul knows that he owes everything he has now to Lionel who refused to give up on him even in moments when Paul felt like giving up on himself, in moments when he yelled and cursed and threw things at Lionel, caught in withdrawal. Not a heavy drinker, Lionel had no problems giving up alcohol altogether for Paul's comfort without even being asked, going to great lengths to be there for Paul whenever he needed him. It was really strange to have someone so unquestioning on his side, always.

Paul has known Lionel for years, he knew him when Lionel was still nothing more than a boy just out of high school, and even though Paul had the reputation of a playboy who didn't really differentiate between the genders, there was just something about Lionel that held him back all the years, that made the young man untouchable. Maybe it was his sweet smile, maybe the strange innocence and vulnerability…

And now he holds Lionel in his arms, spooning behind him, chest pressed to the younger man's back, legs entwined between the rumpled sheets. Lionel is so warm in his sleep, pliable and relaxed, trusting and Paul still can't really believe the good luck that brought this man back into his life. For a moment, he presses his hand to Lionel's chest, feeling the other man's heart beat, then he rubs his knuckles over Lionel’s skin gently, making him huff a little in his sleep and push even deeper into his lover's embrace.

The mumbled words take Paul by surprise. "Y' think too much," Lionel slurs sleepily and pats Paul's hand that's still curled up on his chest. "Sleep."

Paul grins and kisses Lionel's tousled mop of dark hair. "Okay," he whispers, hugging Lionel tight, but the younger man is already asleep again, comfortable and happy.

Okay.

The End

Comments

[tinx_r]

You rock :)

btw I recced your Riptide ficlet last night, hope that was ok :) *loves*

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. And of course it was ok :) I have your fic marked as to-read but my eyes are burning too much to read anything today anymore. But I have not forgotten :)

[tinx_r]

:) Thank you! *loves*

[glorified-moron.livejournal.com]

Wot is this Family Album that you've been talking about?

[katikat.livejournal.com]

It's a movie based on a Danielle Steel novel that features, among others, an oh so cute gay character! I made a visual aid:

http://katikat.livejournal.com/536316.html

I just love the movie.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Awww, Paul was Lionel's first love, and I'm glad to see them get back together in this universe.

Thanks for bringing back fond memories of 'Family Album' :)

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) I just love those two together.

And actually, I checked out the book - in ebook form that is - and there isn't said that they didn't get together. There's a sentence where Lionel says that he suspects that it'll be a long time before he sees Paul again. Then he gets together with John. But in the end, there's some party and he comes to the party with an actor, someone with whom they worked a long time ago, and Lionel is all happy and bright eyed, but the actor's name isn't mentioned. So it could be Paul... I think that the teleplay author understood it that way.

Well, at least I think so. I have yet to read the whole book :D

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Yes! Do go read the book. Danielle Steele has a way with words, and while I no longer read her books, her old ones are still precious to me, and FA is one of them.

Btw, I saw your comments over at Sazzlette's, about Dean being a woman-hater and all that. Maybe you'd like to read this (http://oselle.livejournal.com/322141.html). It's extremely well-written!

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I decided to stay way away from the wank in the end. It's futile to argue that Dean is not a chauvinist or whatever. I even de-friended someone who went all about how she would slap Dean silly for using such language in front of her, what a racist and sexist Dean is etc. I just want to enjoy my show without overanalyzing everything *sigh*

Thank you for the link!

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I defriended somebody, too. I enjoyed her posts before this. Yes, she had been wanky prior to this, but this wank has escalated into something else altogether, and I couldn't take it when Dean was ripped apart like that. It's enough to have Kripke doing it to him - physically - on the show :(