Disclaimer: All characters and plots from the movie Miller's Crossing belong to the Coen brothers and a bunch of other people I am not aware of. I am making no money off this.
Author's Notes/Warning: I just recently fell in love with the Coens' film Miller's Crossing. I've had some ideas for MC fan fiction that just wouldn't go away so I've decided to attempt to write them. I doubt I can do the film justice but I'll try anyway. The following piece features the characters Eddie Dane (currently my favorite movie villain) and Mink from the film so obviously the fic will be slashy. If you do not like slash, don't read this.
The nervous, little odd-looking man standing by the window with a drink in his hand jumped when the phone rang. He quickly turned and, setting his drink down, picked up the phone from its place on the table. "Mink, here. What's the rumpus?" The voice on the other end was only a low muttering but Mink's head jerked around at whatever it said.
"Bernie? Jesus, Bernie, what're you callin' here for? What if The Dane were here? Jesus, Bernie, if The Dane found out we were talkin' he'd-" Mink's shrill tirade was interrupted by the voice on the other line. Mink was silent for a few minutes, staring out the window and fidgeting until the other voice finished.
"Yeah, Bernie," Mink finally said, his voice lowering an octave or two, "'course I talked to Tom. Why I saw him not too long ago at the Shenandoah." His voice gradually rose to a squeak again as he rambled on until he was out of breath. "Yeah, I said exactly what you wanted me to say. I told him that you'd asked me to ask him to ask Leo to watch out for you. I told him all about how you were nervous about this thing with Caspar. I told Tommy all of that. Just ask him if I didn't! Jesus, but I was scared to ask, but ask I did! Jesus! Ask Tom!"
The voice on the other end, still just a low muttering, spoke sharply and Mink flinched at whatever it said.
"'Course I told Tom not to mention it to anybody! Jesus, we never even spoke! You know Tom's all right; Leo will listen to him."
The voice quickly spoke up before Mink could continue and muttered something to the little man that in tone sounded calming. Mink slowly sank down into a chair at the table. He hunched over the phone as he listened to the voice go on.
"Yeah, Bernie, I hear you. I'll keep an ear out…yeah, I think there might be a fight coming up soon." Mink hunched further over the phone and lowered his voice as he spoke. "Yeah, real soon."
Mink almost jumped out of his chair at a sudden pounding on his door. "Jesus!" Mink's eyes widened at the volume of his yelp. The pounding came again and the doorknob rattled.
"Open the goddamn door, Mink!" a gruff voice barked from behind the door.
Mink's already pale face paled at the sound of the voice and he quietly squeaked into the phone, "TheDaneishereIgottagotalktoyoulater!" before slamming it down. Mink jumped out his chair and raced to unlock and open the door.
A tall, gaunt figure stormed through the doorway into the room. "Must you lock the goddamn door every time?" it growled at Mink as he closed the door. The Dane stopped and stared coldly at Mink. He looked tall and imposing standing in the middle of the small, bare room, but then The Dane always looked tall and imposing.
Mink's eyes flickered upward to meet The Dane's sharp gaze for a few seconds before flickering away again. "Sorry, Eddie, but you know how it is. You can't be safe anywhere, Eddie; not in this town."
The Dane didn't appear to notice Mink's response, instead scowling down at the shorter man with an expression that chilled him to the bone. "I hear you've been down to Leo's club, the Shenandoah, Mink."
Mink's eyes widened. "Yeah, Eddie, sure. I was down at the Shenandoah. I thought I'd get a drink and m-maybe get some business done." Mink gulped before grinning weakly. "Yeah, I was at the Shenandoah, sure."
The Dane studied the nervous sycophant coldly, the brim of his hat casting a shadow on his long face. "What for? There are other clubs you could've gone to."
A muscle in Mink's cheek twitched as he quickly answered, "It was just closest, that's all. I just wanted a drink and I thought I'd get one sooner if I went to the Shenandoah, y'know? There's nothing wrong with that, is there? I mean, just because you and Caspar have this thing with Leo, doesn't mean I have to have a thing with Leo, does it? I mean, we're friends and all, sure, but all your problems don't have to be my problems, do they? I mean-"
"I hear you talked with Tom Reagan at the Shenandoah," The Dane interrupted, his calm, low voice betrayed by the rising glare in his dark eyes.
"Wha-where did you hear that?"
The Dane sneered. "I know people, Mink. Now, why were you talkin' to Mr. Smart Guy? I thought he bet the ponies, not the fights."
"Nothin'! Nothin', Eddie. Jesus! We weren't talkin' 'bout nothin'! Jus', we were both there, and damn it, Eddie, you don't just see a guy you know and walk away without talkin' to him. We were just both there and saw each other and said hello. Jesus, Eddie, you know a guy and you see him, you say hello!"
The Dane didn't reply. Instead, he just stepped toward Mink, who hadn't moved far from the door. Mink in response stepped back, toward the door. Staring straight at him, his face a cold mask, The Dane slowly approached Mink, who in turn scooted backward. Finally, Mink's back brushed up against the door and The Dane stood so they'd have been face to face if they were the same height.
The Dane, towering over Mink, scowled down at him. "You've been avoiding me, Mink. Why?"
Mink barely managed to meet The Dane's eyes. "Avoiding you? Avoiding you? I haven't been avoiding you, Eddie! Jesus, why would I?"
"Don't get smart with me," The Dane growled. He raised a hand and Mink flinched. The Dane stopped and looked from his hand to Mink's face. Slowly, he touched Mink's cheek. "You thought I would hit you? You thought I'd hit this face?" The Dane grinned, the expression as cold and biting as a wolf's.
Mink stared up at The Dane, eyes still wide, for once not daring to speak.
The Dane's expression didn't soften-a rock cannot soften-but something in it changed. "No," he said, drawing the word out. "I won't hit you. I couldn't hit this face." He patted Mink's cheek with his hand and then slowly reached up and took off his hat, tossing it across the room, all the while keeping his eyes locked with Mink's. Maintaining eye contact with the shorter man, The Dane shed the coat he was wearing and tossed it across the room as well.
Mink remained silent, not daring to look away from The Dane's cold, dark eyes.
"No, you'll make it up to me some other way." Grasping Mink's chin in one hand, The Dane leaned down and kissed the other man roughly on the lips.