Title: Setting the Record Straight
Author: Semmi
Summary: Marc finds himself inexplicably worrying about someone.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Ugly Betty nor the characters that I'm playing with
Authors Notes: Written for Jennifew Yuletide 2007.
"I just don't know what to do about Justin; Hilda's lost in her own world and Justin's failing classes and acting out. Henry caught him kissing a girl."
"A girl? Wee Justin? Now that doesn't sound right."
"I know!"
Marc frowned clutching the Jimmy Choos he'd grabbed for Amanda (and not to try on at all). Not like he cared if the pauper and the seamstress knew he was there but it wouldn't do to look like he cared (which he didn't, except the thought of Justin kissing a girl evoked some emotion in him he wasn't quite sure of at the moment) so he stayed hidden behind the clothes rack and oh what were feathers doing on that outfit. As he moved to pluck them off he heard more.
"It's just, it isn't my job to look after Justin, but it's like he's trying to be something he's not."
"And we all know you're opposed to that. Are you sure it was a girl?"
"I think Henry knows the difference between a girl and a boy, and that's not the point."
"I think it is. Justin kissing a girl is like...imagining Marc kissing a girl."
Marc instantly felt his face scrunch up. It was a pretty automatic reaction to that thought at this point.
"I hate to say it, but maybe you should get Marc to talk to him."
There was silence and then both girls burst out laughing.
"Can you imagine that?"
"It's not like he'd ever do it anyways, besides Marc isn't exactly someone I want Justin hanging around."
And with that they both walked off leaving Marc alone with his shoes again. And some food for thought.
-------------
Marc was not a sit on the couch, eat bad Chinese food and watch bad movies while cuddling with his boyfriend kind of person. He just wasn't. Which did not explain why it was his third date with Cliff and they were still staying in. Ok, he knew why they were staying in, but that's not something you admit to the guy you're dating for personality. And the sad (and shocking) thing was, he liked personality, which is why he decided to bring up the subject he'd been thinking about for the last week.
"So there's this kid Justin-"
"If you're using the word kid to describe this guy you're thinking about dumping me for because he's hotter then you can stop now and hand me the lo mein." Cliff interrupted.
Marc smacked him, "Get your own lo mein, and he's like 12, I'm not that desperate," Marc studied the man on the couch next to him, "yet." And yeah, that got him a smack back.
"Well alright, this kid Justin,"
"Yes, I think I might be, what's the word, the one that's like when you show up at work in last seasons shoes because this bitch of a hag stole all yours and you think your boss will throw a fit."
"A freak."
"No! You've met Wili, she would throw a fit and make me eat carbs or something. It's the one that you feel when you think about someone trying to force you wear synthetic fibers."
"I wear synthetic fibers."
"Shut up you do not."
"I have a polyester suit hanging in my closet right now."
"I did not just hear that."
"And it's from 1995."
Marc snapped his fingers, "Worried! That's the word. I think I am worried about Justin. Also, I'm going to go through your closet and throw away everything now."
Cliff stared.
"What."
More staring.
"What?" Marc demanded in the voice that was about a 5 on the shrill-o-meter, used for obnoxious boyfriends who wouldn't stop staring and housewives who insisted that they needed the last cucumber scrub even though he'd clearly grabbed it first.
Cliff burst out laughing leaving Marc to glare at him.
"Sorry sorry, I thought you just said that you were worried about a kid."
"I did."
"I think I just entered Bizzaro World. Or maybe this is the real world now."
"Are you calling me nice? And the world square?"
"No I'm- HA! You read comics as a kid."
"No I didn't," except damn he totally did and why was he blushing. That was not a blush worthy admission. "Well ok, maybe I did, but hello, buff guys in spandex and every one knows Batman and Superman were together."
Cliff was grinning at him with that stupid big grin. "Maybe we can read some comics together sometime?"
And damn was that a grin forming on his own face. It was. What was happening to him? "Maybe."
Chinese food had been set aside, movie ignored and now it was just cuddling on the couch.
"So what is it about this kid?"
Marc sighed, not like he wanted to admit being concerned but this had been going around his head for too long (he did not like focusing on something for a whole week, especially something he wasn't actually supposed to care about)
"He's this great kid. Totally open and accepting about who he is, reminds me of me at that age I mean first time I met him he called out Amanda on wearing last seasons shoes, and he played assistant for a bit and was way better than anyone else but me of course. And then I found out he was kissing a girl."
Cliff gasped, big and theatric, "Oh no, not a girl."
Marc smacked him again, "Shut up this is serious."
Now there was a hand running through his hair and ooo that felt nice, "Maybe he's just experimenting. Lots of kids do."
"But he so obviously wasn't interested, I just," Marc hesitated, this was deeper territory than he wanted to get into, childhood territory, definitely not third date material, "I don't want him to suppress who he is, to deny it."
Cliff was staring at him again and Marc just knew the implied not like I did had been understood. It was so weird dating someone who could hear things like that.
"Why don't you go talk to him?" Thank god, he wasn't going to talk about that.
"He lives inQueens."
"The horror. So call him if you can't handle Queens."
"I-" Marc paused, he did have Betty's phone number. And maybe if he talked to the kid he could stop thinking about him and the world would be right again. "Ok."
He pulled out the phone and found Betty (Queens Cow - home)
"Suarez residence." Female but not Betty thank god, he didn't want to have to talk to her more than he had to.
"Hi, can I speak to Justin?"
"Justin, phone," the woman yelled, the hotter skankier one he remembered, "he'll be just a second."
"Thanks." Yes the word was in his vocabulary, he worked for Wilhelmina Slater after all and he had to say it for her.
"Hello?"
"Justin, it's Marc St. James from Mode. No, don't speak. Look I heard through the grapevine that you were kissing girls and I just wanted to tell you that that's not the way to go through things and you don't need to hide who you are because that's just dumb and the fact that you were always so open about it at your age, well, I kinda," Marc dropped his voice, "admired it."
Silence. Why was everything he was saying greeted with silence today?
"Umm thanks, but you don't have to worry, I'm better now. It was a thing and it's over and it made me miss the Music Man auditions so it's not something I'm going to repeat."
"Ok good, well not good that you're not going to be in Music Man because that would be fabulous, but that you're not succumbing to any other heterosexual urges, I was...worried."
Cliff was grinning so hugely at him now, well now he knew this phone call would be good for something.
"And you called? I'm shocked."
"Me too," Marc snuck a glance at Cliff, "my boyfriend made me." Just something to seal the deal.
"Oh oh tell tell, is he hot?"
"Believe it or not, I'm seeing him for his...personality."
"Personality? What's that?" Marc grinned, now he definitely knew the kid would be ok and it was time to leave Bizzarro World.
"Omg I know! But it seems to be a good choice so far, now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to explore his personality a bit more." And hung up. Goodbyes were so 5 years ago.
"So that was your Robin."
"You know people think Robin slept with Batman too?"
"Not when he was 12," and Cliff was definitely leaning in for a kiss now, something that Marc had no problem allowing. But he needed to get one last word in.
"So I guess that makes you Superman."