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p_r_i_s_c_a2025-01-06 08:50 pm
prisca) wrote in p_r_i_s_c_a2025-01-06 08:50 pm
The Faculty + RP = AU (Part1) - written for Livejournal
Title: Penny Dreadful ( 1 / 3 )
Fandom: The Faculty ( + a touch of Penny Dreadful) AU
Characters: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor, Reeve Carney
Words: 4111
Rating: PG13
Casey closed his laptop with a loud snap and stared back at the long table. Zeke and Reeve Carney were still sitting together, their heads close together, joking and laughing, while John Logan, the creator of the series, and Harry Treadaway, their co-actor, had already left the stage.
It was an understatement to say that he felt confused. Suddenly, he was not sure what he was actually doing here anymore. Why had he suspected coming to San Diego would be a good idea? But the moment he noticed Zeke's name on the guest list, the thought crossed his mind. It would be great to meet him again, wouldn't it?
To convince the editor of the 'Herrington Post' hadn't been difficult. He trusted him when it came to the week's main stories. And this was well-deserved, Casey was working hard for the paper and the circulation had almost doubled during the last year.
Under other circumstances, he would probably enjoy being here at Comic-Con, combining the job with just being the geek he still was. But it was not half of the fun he had expected. He wondered if there was a chance to talk with Zeke, at least for a short moment. The guy was pretty busy. Yesterday's press conference was where Casey was banished into the last row of the hall, along with some other reporters from unknown local newspapers. Probably, Zeke hadn't even noticed him. Today panels, autograph sessions, in the evening the big party. Of course, Zeke had to show up everywhere and promote the series he was one of the stars of. And obviously he didn't mind all the attention he got.
Thoughtfully, Casey looked at him. Was this still the Zeke he had known once? Although they had been close during their last months at Herrington High, they had been so different. Casey was a good student, and besides his computer, he was only interested in photography. Zeke … was just Zeke. He didn't give much about rules. To have fun was so much more after his fancy than to come to school regularly, he liked parties as much as girls and refused to think much about his future.
After graduation and a long, hot summer, they had spent a lot time together with trips to the near lake, star-gazing, just hanging around at Zeke's house, life started to go on for them. In very different directions. It had been quite a long time since they had met. Of course, there was no reason for Zeke to come back to Herrington. His parents were still jetting around the world, the Tyler's house was rented, and most of his old buddies had started to move on and left the town.
Zeke's life changed a lot when a commercial agency discovered him. Hard to believe that a boy from a small town in Ohio who had once sold drugs and porn at the school's parking lot had turned into a shooting star.
Without Mary Beth, this would probably never have happened. But if you save your hometown from an alien invasion, it is all but sure that you will be famous, at least for a short time. Zeke had learned quickly to remain off stage; Delilah and Casey had taken over all the interviews and TV appearances. It was not that Casey had been crazy about standing in the center of the interest, but Delilah enjoyed the spotlight and wanted him by her side. The hero who had saved the world, her boyfriend. It had been some thrilling months. But then the media started losing interest; the fame faded, and Delilah's love for Casey, too. Honestly, he had felt neither surprised nor disappointed when she finally told him that he couldn't give her what she wanted, that they could stay friends. But actually, they had barely talked since then.
Zeke had said that she was a fucking bitch who had just used him, but Casey had smiled and told him that he would be okay. Which was true.
Sometime after graduation, he had left his hometown to visit the School of Journalism in Boston, while Zeke stayed back in Herrington, still unsure of what to do with his life. But one day, Casey got a phone call from Zeke. Laughing, he told him that a guy from a casting agency had approached him some days ago.
“He found my photo in the Time Magazine, remember that? It was the time after the invasion when we could go nowhere without running into a camera. He told me I would be the guy he was looking for.”
“Let me guess. He wants you for some stupid TV show? Like, the biggest heroes of the year?”
Zeke grinned wide. “No. He wants me as the new face for a publicity campaign by Armani.”
“You, a model?” Casey giggled. “Is this a joke?”
“I still don't know what to think about it,” Zeke admitted. “But they are willing to pay for the flight to New York, first class, and anything else. So, I guess at least I could have a look at it. Might be fun.”
When Zeke sent him some of the photos from the first shooting only a week later, it hit him like a bolt out of the blue. How was it possible that he had been blind for so long? He was a photographer; he should have noticed it. But Zeke was his friend. He had never thought about him when he dreamed about sexy guys. Probably, it had been better that way.
For hours, he had stared at the photos. He was sure: Zeke would break every woman's heart. Probably not only the women's. His warm, brown eyes. His smile smart, self-confident, young. His body so masculine and sexy. Had there ever been a more perfect model?
The agency came to the same conclusion; they promoted him intensively, and within some weeks, Zeke was one of the most-wanted newcomers on the scene. And this was just the beginning.
Now, about four years later, he was a guest star at Comic-Con because he had taken over one of the star roles in a TV series. Penny Dreadful. And in Casey's eyes, he looked better and more relaxed than ever before in his dark blue shirt.
+++
Enthusiastic applause tore Casey out of his thoughts. Yes, the audience did love this new series and the actors. An intelligent series with a lot of mystic and secret twists. It took place in the Victorian era in London, and some of the most frightful, charismatic literature characters were embroiled in it, brilliantly shown in a new light. Dr. Frankenstein. Dracula. Dorian Grey. Some newly created characters, too. Like Ethan Chandler.
Zeke. After the first glimpse at some trailer, Casey knew he would fit perfectly in this role. Ethan was young, charming, and funny. Sometimes a bit broody, something dark was sparkling in his eyes now and then. He did hide more than just one secret. No, Zeke didn't need to play this role; Ethan was much like him. And, of course, the women in the series had to fall for him like they did in real life … and not only them.
Dorian Grey. Aka Reeve Carney. The scene with the two of them making out under the influence of absinthe. Like everything Zeke did, he also played this scene with all his heart. And body. Though the series did not only include a lot of horror but also sex, this caught Casey entirely by surprise. All he could do was to stare at his laptop, gasping for air. He needed some time to calm down again. Finally, after watching it several times, he came to the conclusion that he was overreacting. It was just a TV series. Zeke and Reeve were actors; even if they played their roles as if their lives would depend on it. It didn't mean anything.
However, at the moment, he was not so sure about this anymore. He stared over to the table on the stage.
Zeke and Reeve were standing now, Zeke put his arm around Reeve's shoulder and looked at him with his biggest smile, Reeve turned his head and whispered something in Zeke's ear. The two were really close. All just for show, Casey reminded himself.
The audience was hooting and clapping, someone yelled: “A kiss, a kiss. Please, do it again!” A loud sound of a gong saved them - and Casey.
“Sorry, guys,” Zeke said and waved for a last time.
“We have to go now. Thanks for being such a great audience. Love you all!”
Reeve blew some kisses into the hall, then they left the stage, holding hands, still laughing.
:::
One day later, Casey was sitting alone at one of the small tables of the diner, a salad with a baguette in front of him; the laptop opened. He reviewed his notes, some general impressions of the Con, and some talks he had had with visitors, but his main focus was on Zeke. Of course. Herrington was his hometown, and most people would still remember him. He had had his rep, even before Mary Beth had happened. But this turned out to be more difficult than expected; this 'new' Zeke got deeper under his skip than he was willing to admit. What the hell was going on with him? He was not an awkward Highschool boy anymore, he was grown up, he was successful in his job … and he had had a longer relationship with another guy.
It was over though, they did fight more and more often lately, Mike wanted him to stop to work so much. And when Casey told him that he would go to San Diego for two weeks, he had asked him to make a decision: his job or his life with Mike. He didn't need to think about the answer … all he hoped for was that Mike had already left the apartment when he would return next week.
When someone dropped down onto the chair opposite him, he groaned inwardly. Couldn't he look for a seat somewhere else? The last thing he was interested in was some small talk with a stranger.
“Hey. So busy? Time for a rest?”
The voice almost made him jump. He looked up, and there he was. He was still wearing this deep-blue shirt with the stripes, and his smile was wide and genuine.
“Hey, Zeke,” Casey said, fighting down his uneasiness. “What are you doing here?”
“I've noticed you leaving the con area. Thought it would be a good idea to meet you here. What's wrong, Case? Two days and not even a hello? Are you trying to avoid me? What kind of reporter are you that you don't want an interview with one of the most wanted stars of the Con?“
This made him smile. Most wanted star? Well, at least his fans would agree with this, and he had many of them. So often he was asked for autographs and photos, and unlike the one or the other 'big name,' he was always nice to them, and he laughed and joked. Like the Zeke he had known at Highschool. Maybe he hadn't changed that much.
“It doesn't look like you have much time,” Casey finally said. “And I'm just a reporter of a local paper no one out of Herrington cares about.”
„Hmpf! You should know me better.“ Zeke eyed him thoughtfully. „So, you've decided to go back to good, old Herrington, huh?“
Casey nodded. „Yeah. I guess I never was an adventurous guy. Boston was okay, but Herrington is where I feel at home. When I inherited the apartment from my grandfather two years ago, it was like a hint of the future.”
„Kinda strange, though,“ Zeke said. „I was always sure I would stay in Ohio forever, working my ass off as a mechanic in some small garage. And you would get famous, write for one of the great magazines, like Life or National Geographic. Maybe get the Pulitzer Prize one day.“
„No, thanks, I've already gotten a great deal of attention because of Mary Beth, that's enough for a lifetime.“ Casey smiled. “I like it a bit more steady. My editor gives me plenty of rope. I can write about everything I'm interested in and do it my way. Writing for a big magazine is different. Many people want to have the final say, and most don't even know what they are talking about. That's not how I like to do my job.”
A waitress stopped at their table with a coffeepot. “Can I refill,” she asked Casey, and he nodded. Then she turned around to Zeke and stopped shortly, but finally, she seemed to remember her job. “Ähmm. What's with you? Can I get you something?”
“Yeah, thanks!” Zeke grinned. “One of these burgers would be great. With extra cheese and pepperoni, please. And fries.”
She nodded. “Fine. Unfortunately, it lasts a few minutes, sorry, but during Comic Con, we always have a great deal to do.”
“That's okay,” Zeke assured her. “I'm not in a hurry.”
She left, and Casey looked amused. “Still a fast food junkie?”
Zeke laughed. “Some things never change. I still love burgers and fast cars. And if you want to believe my agent, I'm still turning into a dickhead when someone tries to tell me what is good for me. He says if I would grab the given chances, I would be in Hollywood in an instant and earn a shitload of money. Who am I, Brad Pitt?”
Casey chuckled. “Well, you are playing with James Bond and a Bond Girl. It's a beginning, I would say.”
“Penny Dreadful, oh yeah. I actually got the role by a fluke. It was at one of these parties where everyone pretends to have a lot of fun, having a drink or two and making small talk with people you don't even know. Show business. It's not that I'm crazy about it, but sometimes I need to make my agent happy and play along.
This evening, John was there too, and we started to talk. He told me about his newest project. Interesting plot, so I joked around and asked him if there would be a chance for me to take over a small part. He grinned and said: 'If you don't mind to strip in front of a camera.'
You know me, I could never resist a good dare.”
Casey laughed. Yes, he did know him. Despite distance, fame, and Reeve Carney. The old familiarity was still there. Only now, he noticed how much he had missed all this. He was not the lonely geek from Highschool anymore, but no one had ever been as close to him as Zeke. Maybe it was not a surprise that his relationship with Mike hadn't last. He had probably never loved him with all his heart and had used his job to keep him at a distance. Maybe it was not only Mike's fault that they finally did break up. Then Casey shook off every thought about him, his job, and Reeve and Comic Con. All that counted was that Zeke was back.
+++
Time seemed to fly. The waitress finally interrupted their chatting and laughing when she returned with Zeke's burger and fries. “Enjoy your meal,” she said. Then she seemed to hesitate, unsure if she didn't overstep a line. “Excuse me … Mr. Tyler?!”
“Just Zeke!”
Her eyes widened. “Oh,” she muttered. “Oh! I knew it. Sharon, my best friend, she went to your panel yesterday. I wanted to go, too, but there is no way that we get a day off during Comic Con. Sharon says you are such a nice guy. Even more than Ethan. As if this is possible. We did watch every episode of Penny Dreadful at least three times. Ethan is our favorite character. And the fourth episode … it literally took my breath away.”
She licked her lips flutteringly, suddenly looking slightly abashed. “I guess, I should call her. She won't believe me when I tell her that Ethan Chandler had a burger at the Star's Diner. That's so cool.”
“I'm glad that you enjoy the show.” Zeke smiled his most seductive smile, and she blushed. “Hey, Case, do you mind when I borrow a sheet of paper?” He grabbed the pen from the table. “What's your name,” he asked the waitress.
“Ähm … Oh ... Penelope.”
Zeke chuckled slightly and wrote: For Penny, the nicest waitress of the Star's Diner. Zeke, aka Ethan. He added the drawing of a little heart, then pushed the paper over to her. “Sorry, I don't have a photo at hand, but take this as a proof.”
“Oh, thank you,” she murmured, almost breathless. Then, she noticed two other guests sitting at a table nearby, looking over to her. She sighed slightly. “I guess I should go now, the duty calls.”
“It was nice to meet you, Penny,” Zeke said and winked while taking a first bite of his burger. “Hmmm … it's good.”
“You deal with all this quite well, huh,” Casey said, watching him.
“Back then in Herrington, you've tried to avoid every camera.”
“Well, it's Comic Con. The fans want to get in touch with their stars.”
Zeke looked over to Penny, the waitress, who was now rushing back and forth between the tables, and he smiled. “I don't mind. Most of them are okay; give them a smile and a few words, and they are happy. Only a few of them don't know how to accept the line. That's showbiz; you learn to deal with that.
However, I must admit, the attention I get because of Penny Dreadful is different. Of course, people did recognize me as a model, too. But there is always be some distance between you. As actors, they identify you with your role and think to know all about you.”
Casey kept quiet, thinking about Zeke's behavior during the last days. How close he was with his co-actors. How open and relaxed. What did John Logan tell them during the press conference on Monday?
'It's so much fun to work with this team. We are not just doing another horror series. It comes to life because the actors have a real bond.
The panel today. The chemistry between Zeke and Reeve. How they laughed together, whispered, and touched each other. They were very close in the series. And they seemed to be just as close in real life. It was almost impossible to meet one of them alone at Con. They shared an autograph table; they sat together during the interviews and panels, and in their free time, they hung around at the gaming area at Con, playing the newest video games. And they visibly had a lot of fun. No wonder that their fans didn't know where to draw the line between fiction and reality, that they were even asking for a kiss, a real kiss.
Casey was still not sure what to think about this. In Herrington, Zeke had been known as the biggest heart-breaker at school who could get every girl he wanted. Never before had Casey questioned that Zeke was straight. But things could change. Back then, he had been together with the school's cheerleader queen. And it had needed some time until he was ready to be honest, at least to himself.
“Well, I can understand why,” Casey finally murmured. “You two do a really convincing job.”
“Huh?” Zeke looked at him, questioning.
“You and Reeve.”
Zeke chuckled. “Oh, yeah, we get a lot of attention because of this one scene. It was a risk, but like John said at the press conference: It's a series about horror and dark creatures, and there is no reason to keep out gay sex as long as it fits into the storyline.
John is great; he gives us plenty of room to develop the characters. Shooting a scene like this isn't difficult when working with people like him or Reeve. We had a hell of a lot of fun.”
“That's obvious. And it looks like you get really well with Reeve off-screen, too. It's not a big surprise that people are starting to wonder what's going on between you two.”
“My agent would tell you now that it's always a good thing to arouse public interest,” Zeke said and grinned. “But it's not that alone. We are on the same wavelength. Like me, Reeve is always looking for a new challenge.
He's not a trained actor, too; he's a musician. He was standing on stage at Broadway for the musical Spiderman for a long time. He's still playing in his own band, Carney, which he built at the age of seventeen together with his brother. You should go and visit a gig of them one day; I'm sure you would like the music. He wrote a lot of songs by himself. And at the moment, he's working on a soundtrack for a movie.
And besides all that, he's a nice guy you can count on whenever it's needed. I'm lucky to work together with someone like him and the rest of the team. Showbiz can get pretty rough sometimes.”
Casey kept quiet pensively. Of course, all this was nothing new to him. He had looked up the name Reeve Carney the moment he had watched the first trailer with him and Zeke. The bond between them had been evident even back then. And what he had seen during the last few days - maybe it was time to accept it.
One couldn't turn back time. Reeve was the one close to Zeke now, maybe as his friend or lover; it didn't matter. There were others, too, in Zeke's life now. Actors, musicians, models. Casey was history. No matter how good it had felt with him only some minutes ago, it was just a nostalgic flare-up of a shared past. Zeke was living a different life now, an interesting one, which could give him what he had always been looking for.
But Casey's life was not that bad, too. He needed to remember this. He was successful in a job he loved; he had some good friends and his family around, and he had his own apartment. This suddenly made him think of Mike. He tried calling him yesterday, but he hadn't picked up the phone. Which hopefully meant that he already left the apartment. It would be strange, though, to return to an empty home that he had shared with his former boyfriend for almost two years. Maybe he would make some changes, paint the walls more colorful, rearrange the furniture, and finally visit his favorite gallery in Columbus and buy some new pictures. Mike didn't like modern art; he was somehow old-fashioned with everything in his life and enjoyed it quiet and steady, without many ups and downs. So different from Zeke.
“Hey, earth to Casey.” He could hear Zeke's laughing. “You are still a daydreamer.”
He forced himself to shake the uneasiness up. “Sorry,” he said. “Just thinking about the article I need to write. My editor wants a first draft tomorrow.”
“Always busy, huh? I'm afraid I need to go back now, too. One of the prizes at the costume contest yesterday was a Meet-and-Greet with me and John.“
“So don't let them wait!” Casey smiled. “But, hey, it was great to see you again. I'm glad that we did find some minutes to talk.”
“Yeah!” Zeke stood up, suddenly looking pensive. “Hey, Case, what are you doing this evening? Enjoying the big party?”
“No!” Casey smirked. “ I never got crazy about wild parties nights. So I guess I will return to my hotel soon, over-read my article, and then go to bed early. It was a long day.”
“That's too bad!”
“That I don't come to the party tonight? I'm sure you will have much fun even without me.”
Zeke shook his head. “That you feel so worn out. I had hoped we could meet in my suite later. Having a beer or two. Watching a cheesy movie. Chatting until dawn.”
Casey laughed, surprised. “Like back then, when I did spend a night with you secretly while my parents had left over the weekend?”
Zeke smiled. “One of the rare things from my old life I miss. Hanging around with you."
TBC
Fandom: The Faculty ( + a touch of Penny Dreadful) AU
Characters: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor, Reeve Carney
Words: 4111
Rating: PG13
Casey closed his laptop with a loud snap and stared back at the long table. Zeke and Reeve Carney were still sitting together, their heads close together, joking and laughing, while John Logan, the creator of the series, and Harry Treadaway, their co-actor, had already left the stage.
It was an understatement to say that he felt confused. Suddenly, he was not sure what he was actually doing here anymore. Why had he suspected coming to San Diego would be a good idea? But the moment he noticed Zeke's name on the guest list, the thought crossed his mind. It would be great to meet him again, wouldn't it?
To convince the editor of the 'Herrington Post' hadn't been difficult. He trusted him when it came to the week's main stories. And this was well-deserved, Casey was working hard for the paper and the circulation had almost doubled during the last year.
Under other circumstances, he would probably enjoy being here at Comic-Con, combining the job with just being the geek he still was. But it was not half of the fun he had expected. He wondered if there was a chance to talk with Zeke, at least for a short moment. The guy was pretty busy. Yesterday's press conference was where Casey was banished into the last row of the hall, along with some other reporters from unknown local newspapers. Probably, Zeke hadn't even noticed him. Today panels, autograph sessions, in the evening the big party. Of course, Zeke had to show up everywhere and promote the series he was one of the stars of. And obviously he didn't mind all the attention he got.
Thoughtfully, Casey looked at him. Was this still the Zeke he had known once? Although they had been close during their last months at Herrington High, they had been so different. Casey was a good student, and besides his computer, he was only interested in photography. Zeke … was just Zeke. He didn't give much about rules. To have fun was so much more after his fancy than to come to school regularly, he liked parties as much as girls and refused to think much about his future.
After graduation and a long, hot summer, they had spent a lot time together with trips to the near lake, star-gazing, just hanging around at Zeke's house, life started to go on for them. In very different directions. It had been quite a long time since they had met. Of course, there was no reason for Zeke to come back to Herrington. His parents were still jetting around the world, the Tyler's house was rented, and most of his old buddies had started to move on and left the town.
Zeke's life changed a lot when a commercial agency discovered him. Hard to believe that a boy from a small town in Ohio who had once sold drugs and porn at the school's parking lot had turned into a shooting star.
Without Mary Beth, this would probably never have happened. But if you save your hometown from an alien invasion, it is all but sure that you will be famous, at least for a short time. Zeke had learned quickly to remain off stage; Delilah and Casey had taken over all the interviews and TV appearances. It was not that Casey had been crazy about standing in the center of the interest, but Delilah enjoyed the spotlight and wanted him by her side. The hero who had saved the world, her boyfriend. It had been some thrilling months. But then the media started losing interest; the fame faded, and Delilah's love for Casey, too. Honestly, he had felt neither surprised nor disappointed when she finally told him that he couldn't give her what she wanted, that they could stay friends. But actually, they had barely talked since then.
Zeke had said that she was a fucking bitch who had just used him, but Casey had smiled and told him that he would be okay. Which was true.
Sometime after graduation, he had left his hometown to visit the School of Journalism in Boston, while Zeke stayed back in Herrington, still unsure of what to do with his life. But one day, Casey got a phone call from Zeke. Laughing, he told him that a guy from a casting agency had approached him some days ago.
“He found my photo in the Time Magazine, remember that? It was the time after the invasion when we could go nowhere without running into a camera. He told me I would be the guy he was looking for.”
“Let me guess. He wants you for some stupid TV show? Like, the biggest heroes of the year?”
Zeke grinned wide. “No. He wants me as the new face for a publicity campaign by Armani.”
“You, a model?” Casey giggled. “Is this a joke?”
“I still don't know what to think about it,” Zeke admitted. “But they are willing to pay for the flight to New York, first class, and anything else. So, I guess at least I could have a look at it. Might be fun.”
When Zeke sent him some of the photos from the first shooting only a week later, it hit him like a bolt out of the blue. How was it possible that he had been blind for so long? He was a photographer; he should have noticed it. But Zeke was his friend. He had never thought about him when he dreamed about sexy guys. Probably, it had been better that way.
For hours, he had stared at the photos. He was sure: Zeke would break every woman's heart. Probably not only the women's. His warm, brown eyes. His smile smart, self-confident, young. His body so masculine and sexy. Had there ever been a more perfect model?
The agency came to the same conclusion; they promoted him intensively, and within some weeks, Zeke was one of the most-wanted newcomers on the scene. And this was just the beginning.
Now, about four years later, he was a guest star at Comic-Con because he had taken over one of the star roles in a TV series. Penny Dreadful. And in Casey's eyes, he looked better and more relaxed than ever before in his dark blue shirt.
+++
Enthusiastic applause tore Casey out of his thoughts. Yes, the audience did love this new series and the actors. An intelligent series with a lot of mystic and secret twists. It took place in the Victorian era in London, and some of the most frightful, charismatic literature characters were embroiled in it, brilliantly shown in a new light. Dr. Frankenstein. Dracula. Dorian Grey. Some newly created characters, too. Like Ethan Chandler.
Zeke. After the first glimpse at some trailer, Casey knew he would fit perfectly in this role. Ethan was young, charming, and funny. Sometimes a bit broody, something dark was sparkling in his eyes now and then. He did hide more than just one secret. No, Zeke didn't need to play this role; Ethan was much like him. And, of course, the women in the series had to fall for him like they did in real life … and not only them.
Dorian Grey. Aka Reeve Carney. The scene with the two of them making out under the influence of absinthe. Like everything Zeke did, he also played this scene with all his heart. And body. Though the series did not only include a lot of horror but also sex, this caught Casey entirely by surprise. All he could do was to stare at his laptop, gasping for air. He needed some time to calm down again. Finally, after watching it several times, he came to the conclusion that he was overreacting. It was just a TV series. Zeke and Reeve were actors; even if they played their roles as if their lives would depend on it. It didn't mean anything.
However, at the moment, he was not so sure about this anymore. He stared over to the table on the stage.
Zeke and Reeve were standing now, Zeke put his arm around Reeve's shoulder and looked at him with his biggest smile, Reeve turned his head and whispered something in Zeke's ear. The two were really close. All just for show, Casey reminded himself.
The audience was hooting and clapping, someone yelled: “A kiss, a kiss. Please, do it again!” A loud sound of a gong saved them - and Casey.
“Sorry, guys,” Zeke said and waved for a last time.
“We have to go now. Thanks for being such a great audience. Love you all!”
Reeve blew some kisses into the hall, then they left the stage, holding hands, still laughing.
:::
One day later, Casey was sitting alone at one of the small tables of the diner, a salad with a baguette in front of him; the laptop opened. He reviewed his notes, some general impressions of the Con, and some talks he had had with visitors, but his main focus was on Zeke. Of course. Herrington was his hometown, and most people would still remember him. He had had his rep, even before Mary Beth had happened. But this turned out to be more difficult than expected; this 'new' Zeke got deeper under his skip than he was willing to admit. What the hell was going on with him? He was not an awkward Highschool boy anymore, he was grown up, he was successful in his job … and he had had a longer relationship with another guy.
It was over though, they did fight more and more often lately, Mike wanted him to stop to work so much. And when Casey told him that he would go to San Diego for two weeks, he had asked him to make a decision: his job or his life with Mike. He didn't need to think about the answer … all he hoped for was that Mike had already left the apartment when he would return next week.
When someone dropped down onto the chair opposite him, he groaned inwardly. Couldn't he look for a seat somewhere else? The last thing he was interested in was some small talk with a stranger.
“Hey. So busy? Time for a rest?”
The voice almost made him jump. He looked up, and there he was. He was still wearing this deep-blue shirt with the stripes, and his smile was wide and genuine.
“Hey, Zeke,” Casey said, fighting down his uneasiness. “What are you doing here?”
“I've noticed you leaving the con area. Thought it would be a good idea to meet you here. What's wrong, Case? Two days and not even a hello? Are you trying to avoid me? What kind of reporter are you that you don't want an interview with one of the most wanted stars of the Con?“
This made him smile. Most wanted star? Well, at least his fans would agree with this, and he had many of them. So often he was asked for autographs and photos, and unlike the one or the other 'big name,' he was always nice to them, and he laughed and joked. Like the Zeke he had known at Highschool. Maybe he hadn't changed that much.
“It doesn't look like you have much time,” Casey finally said. “And I'm just a reporter of a local paper no one out of Herrington cares about.”
„Hmpf! You should know me better.“ Zeke eyed him thoughtfully. „So, you've decided to go back to good, old Herrington, huh?“
Casey nodded. „Yeah. I guess I never was an adventurous guy. Boston was okay, but Herrington is where I feel at home. When I inherited the apartment from my grandfather two years ago, it was like a hint of the future.”
„Kinda strange, though,“ Zeke said. „I was always sure I would stay in Ohio forever, working my ass off as a mechanic in some small garage. And you would get famous, write for one of the great magazines, like Life or National Geographic. Maybe get the Pulitzer Prize one day.“
„No, thanks, I've already gotten a great deal of attention because of Mary Beth, that's enough for a lifetime.“ Casey smiled. “I like it a bit more steady. My editor gives me plenty of rope. I can write about everything I'm interested in and do it my way. Writing for a big magazine is different. Many people want to have the final say, and most don't even know what they are talking about. That's not how I like to do my job.”
A waitress stopped at their table with a coffeepot. “Can I refill,” she asked Casey, and he nodded. Then she turned around to Zeke and stopped shortly, but finally, she seemed to remember her job. “Ähmm. What's with you? Can I get you something?”
“Yeah, thanks!” Zeke grinned. “One of these burgers would be great. With extra cheese and pepperoni, please. And fries.”
She nodded. “Fine. Unfortunately, it lasts a few minutes, sorry, but during Comic Con, we always have a great deal to do.”
“That's okay,” Zeke assured her. “I'm not in a hurry.”
She left, and Casey looked amused. “Still a fast food junkie?”
Zeke laughed. “Some things never change. I still love burgers and fast cars. And if you want to believe my agent, I'm still turning into a dickhead when someone tries to tell me what is good for me. He says if I would grab the given chances, I would be in Hollywood in an instant and earn a shitload of money. Who am I, Brad Pitt?”
Casey chuckled. “Well, you are playing with James Bond and a Bond Girl. It's a beginning, I would say.”
“Penny Dreadful, oh yeah. I actually got the role by a fluke. It was at one of these parties where everyone pretends to have a lot of fun, having a drink or two and making small talk with people you don't even know. Show business. It's not that I'm crazy about it, but sometimes I need to make my agent happy and play along.
This evening, John was there too, and we started to talk. He told me about his newest project. Interesting plot, so I joked around and asked him if there would be a chance for me to take over a small part. He grinned and said: 'If you don't mind to strip in front of a camera.'
You know me, I could never resist a good dare.”
Casey laughed. Yes, he did know him. Despite distance, fame, and Reeve Carney. The old familiarity was still there. Only now, he noticed how much he had missed all this. He was not the lonely geek from Highschool anymore, but no one had ever been as close to him as Zeke. Maybe it was not a surprise that his relationship with Mike hadn't last. He had probably never loved him with all his heart and had used his job to keep him at a distance. Maybe it was not only Mike's fault that they finally did break up. Then Casey shook off every thought about him, his job, and Reeve and Comic Con. All that counted was that Zeke was back.
+++
Time seemed to fly. The waitress finally interrupted their chatting and laughing when she returned with Zeke's burger and fries. “Enjoy your meal,” she said. Then she seemed to hesitate, unsure if she didn't overstep a line. “Excuse me … Mr. Tyler?!”
“Just Zeke!”
Her eyes widened. “Oh,” she muttered. “Oh! I knew it. Sharon, my best friend, she went to your panel yesterday. I wanted to go, too, but there is no way that we get a day off during Comic Con. Sharon says you are such a nice guy. Even more than Ethan. As if this is possible. We did watch every episode of Penny Dreadful at least three times. Ethan is our favorite character. And the fourth episode … it literally took my breath away.”
She licked her lips flutteringly, suddenly looking slightly abashed. “I guess, I should call her. She won't believe me when I tell her that Ethan Chandler had a burger at the Star's Diner. That's so cool.”
“I'm glad that you enjoy the show.” Zeke smiled his most seductive smile, and she blushed. “Hey, Case, do you mind when I borrow a sheet of paper?” He grabbed the pen from the table. “What's your name,” he asked the waitress.
“Ähm … Oh ... Penelope.”
Zeke chuckled slightly and wrote: For Penny, the nicest waitress of the Star's Diner. Zeke, aka Ethan. He added the drawing of a little heart, then pushed the paper over to her. “Sorry, I don't have a photo at hand, but take this as a proof.”
“Oh, thank you,” she murmured, almost breathless. Then, she noticed two other guests sitting at a table nearby, looking over to her. She sighed slightly. “I guess I should go now, the duty calls.”
“It was nice to meet you, Penny,” Zeke said and winked while taking a first bite of his burger. “Hmmm … it's good.”
“You deal with all this quite well, huh,” Casey said, watching him.
“Back then in Herrington, you've tried to avoid every camera.”
“Well, it's Comic Con. The fans want to get in touch with their stars.”
Zeke looked over to Penny, the waitress, who was now rushing back and forth between the tables, and he smiled. “I don't mind. Most of them are okay; give them a smile and a few words, and they are happy. Only a few of them don't know how to accept the line. That's showbiz; you learn to deal with that.
However, I must admit, the attention I get because of Penny Dreadful is different. Of course, people did recognize me as a model, too. But there is always be some distance between you. As actors, they identify you with your role and think to know all about you.”
Casey kept quiet, thinking about Zeke's behavior during the last days. How close he was with his co-actors. How open and relaxed. What did John Logan tell them during the press conference on Monday?
'It's so much fun to work with this team. We are not just doing another horror series. It comes to life because the actors have a real bond.
The panel today. The chemistry between Zeke and Reeve. How they laughed together, whispered, and touched each other. They were very close in the series. And they seemed to be just as close in real life. It was almost impossible to meet one of them alone at Con. They shared an autograph table; they sat together during the interviews and panels, and in their free time, they hung around at the gaming area at Con, playing the newest video games. And they visibly had a lot of fun. No wonder that their fans didn't know where to draw the line between fiction and reality, that they were even asking for a kiss, a real kiss.
Casey was still not sure what to think about this. In Herrington, Zeke had been known as the biggest heart-breaker at school who could get every girl he wanted. Never before had Casey questioned that Zeke was straight. But things could change. Back then, he had been together with the school's cheerleader queen. And it had needed some time until he was ready to be honest, at least to himself.
“Well, I can understand why,” Casey finally murmured. “You two do a really convincing job.”
“Huh?” Zeke looked at him, questioning.
“You and Reeve.”
Zeke chuckled. “Oh, yeah, we get a lot of attention because of this one scene. It was a risk, but like John said at the press conference: It's a series about horror and dark creatures, and there is no reason to keep out gay sex as long as it fits into the storyline.
John is great; he gives us plenty of room to develop the characters. Shooting a scene like this isn't difficult when working with people like him or Reeve. We had a hell of a lot of fun.”
“That's obvious. And it looks like you get really well with Reeve off-screen, too. It's not a big surprise that people are starting to wonder what's going on between you two.”
“My agent would tell you now that it's always a good thing to arouse public interest,” Zeke said and grinned. “But it's not that alone. We are on the same wavelength. Like me, Reeve is always looking for a new challenge.
He's not a trained actor, too; he's a musician. He was standing on stage at Broadway for the musical Spiderman for a long time. He's still playing in his own band, Carney, which he built at the age of seventeen together with his brother. You should go and visit a gig of them one day; I'm sure you would like the music. He wrote a lot of songs by himself. And at the moment, he's working on a soundtrack for a movie.
And besides all that, he's a nice guy you can count on whenever it's needed. I'm lucky to work together with someone like him and the rest of the team. Showbiz can get pretty rough sometimes.”
Casey kept quiet pensively. Of course, all this was nothing new to him. He had looked up the name Reeve Carney the moment he had watched the first trailer with him and Zeke. The bond between them had been evident even back then. And what he had seen during the last few days - maybe it was time to accept it.
One couldn't turn back time. Reeve was the one close to Zeke now, maybe as his friend or lover; it didn't matter. There were others, too, in Zeke's life now. Actors, musicians, models. Casey was history. No matter how good it had felt with him only some minutes ago, it was just a nostalgic flare-up of a shared past. Zeke was living a different life now, an interesting one, which could give him what he had always been looking for.
But Casey's life was not that bad, too. He needed to remember this. He was successful in a job he loved; he had some good friends and his family around, and he had his own apartment. This suddenly made him think of Mike. He tried calling him yesterday, but he hadn't picked up the phone. Which hopefully meant that he already left the apartment. It would be strange, though, to return to an empty home that he had shared with his former boyfriend for almost two years. Maybe he would make some changes, paint the walls more colorful, rearrange the furniture, and finally visit his favorite gallery in Columbus and buy some new pictures. Mike didn't like modern art; he was somehow old-fashioned with everything in his life and enjoyed it quiet and steady, without many ups and downs. So different from Zeke.
“Hey, earth to Casey.” He could hear Zeke's laughing. “You are still a daydreamer.”
He forced himself to shake the uneasiness up. “Sorry,” he said. “Just thinking about the article I need to write. My editor wants a first draft tomorrow.”
“Always busy, huh? I'm afraid I need to go back now, too. One of the prizes at the costume contest yesterday was a Meet-and-Greet with me and John.“
“So don't let them wait!” Casey smiled. “But, hey, it was great to see you again. I'm glad that we did find some minutes to talk.”
“Yeah!” Zeke stood up, suddenly looking pensive. “Hey, Case, what are you doing this evening? Enjoying the big party?”
“No!” Casey smirked. “ I never got crazy about wild parties nights. So I guess I will return to my hotel soon, over-read my article, and then go to bed early. It was a long day.”
“That's too bad!”
“That I don't come to the party tonight? I'm sure you will have much fun even without me.”
Zeke shook his head. “That you feel so worn out. I had hoped we could meet in my suite later. Having a beer or two. Watching a cheesy movie. Chatting until dawn.”
Casey laughed, surprised. “Like back then, when I did spend a night with you secretly while my parents had left over the weekend?”
Zeke smiled. “One of the rare things from my old life I miss. Hanging around with you."
TBC