Chapter Four:
In another part of town, in another loft, a phone rings. There is no one there to answer it. The phone is located beside a picture frame, which shows a tall tan man with wavy dark brown hair and vibrant green eyes hugging a shorter man with a seemingly perpetual scowl, a rather long curl jutting from his forehead.
The phone call goes to the answering machine. An automatic message plays. A deep voice with a slight Spanish accent is heard. One could practically hear the grin on the man's face.
"Hello~! You've reached Antonio and Lovi! We are not here at the moment so please leave a message and don't forget, 'Encima La Luna' – my passionate performance, protesting the eviction of the homeless and the artists from the Eleventh Street Lot tonight at midnight in the lot between A and B. Party at Life Café to follow – you're all welcome to join! What's that Lovi? What do you mean you don't want-BEEP!"
"Hello, Lovino? I'm not sure when you'll get this but this is from your grandfather, Marcus!" a jovial voice says into the answering machine. "And my boyfriend Adalbert! You remember him, don't you? I met him on my trip to Germany?"
"Weren't you supposed to remind him that those unwed mothers in Harlem need his legal help?" a cool male voice says in the background.
"Oh that's right! Call Matthew for our itinerary or Alfred at Pound Ridge or Mei Ling at the State Department in a pinch! Adalbert and I will be at that fancy new 5-star hotel for New Year's… unless the senator changes his mind," Marcus says, grumbling the last bit to himself.
"The hearings?" Adalbert reminds him.
"Oh yes – Lovi, Bertie's confirmation hearings begin on the tenth! We'll need you – alone preferably – by the sixth," Marcus says.
"Marcus…" Adalbert says warningly.
"Oh right – Bertie hopes that you will come in a suit this time – no ragged jeans this time I'm afraid. Oh and Lovi – have a Merry Christmas!" Marcus exclaims just as he runs out of time. The phone beeps again and falls silent.
Gilbert is back in the loft, adjusting his camera so he can take various shots of the tent city next door to their apartment. Arthur is strumming away at his guitar again, a faint blush still on his cheeks – the only reminder of his earlier encounter with the charming Frenchman Francis.
"Merry Christmas, bitches!" a voice exclaims, kicking the door open dramatically. Gilbert lets out a whoop, turning the camera to the newcomer.
"Enter Mathias Køhler, computer genius, teacher, Viking and vagabond anarchist who once ran naked through the Parthenon!" Gilbert exclaims as Mathias gives him a one-armed hug. Mathias winks at the camera.
"I was bored and it was hot outside so I decided, hey why not?" he says into the camera, joining Gilbert in laughter. He holds up a pickle tub filled with provisions.
"Is that Bustelo?" Gilbert demands, putting his camera down momentarily to pull the container out of the tub and admire it.
"Marlboro too," Mathias says, laughing at the delighted look on Gilbert's face as he pulls out the pack of cigarettes excitedly. "Bananas by the bunch," he continues, pulling the bananas out and tossing them to a surprised Arthur. "And a box of Captain Crunch to top that off will taste so good!" he says as he tosses the cereal box to Arthur, laughing as the box hits the Brit in the face.
"Stupid Dane, can't aim," Arthur mutters, grinning in spite of himself.
"And some firewood too – thought you guys might need it, since its freaking cold in here," Mathias continues, taking the firewood out of the pickle tub and tossing it near the stove.
"Hey look – it's Santa Claus," Gilbert teases, punching Mathias lightly in the arm.
"Hold your applause," Mathias says, winking.
"Oh… hey," Arthur says awkwardly as Mathias stands in front of him, arms outstretched, waiting for a hug.
"Oh hey after seven months away from me?" Mathias demands, grabbing Arthur and pulling him into a hug. Arthur laughs.
"Sorry," he says. Mathias pulls out a small bottle from his pocket and holds it in front of Arthur's face.
"This boy could use some of the Stoli I got from a big breasted Ukrainian chick!" Mathias says. Gilbert makes a noise of indignation.
"Hey what about me?" Gilbert demands. Mathias pulls him into the hug.
"You get some too," Mathias promises.
"Oh holy night!" Gilbert sings out, laughing as Mathias and he begin to dance. Arthur rolls his eyes and frees himself from Mathias's bear hug.
"You struck gold at M.I.T?" Arthur asks curiously. Mathias rolls his eyes.
"They expelled me for my theory of actual reality, which I'll soon impart to the couch potatoes at New York University!" he exclaims, twirling around Arthur. Arthur grins. He pauses to face Arthur. "Still haven't left the house?"
"I was waiting for you, don't you know?" Arthur teases, punching Mathias lightly. Mathias beams.
"Well, tonight's the night – come to the life café after Antonio's show," Mathias tells him, grabbing Arthur's hands and spinning him around. Arthur pulls his arms away.
"No way," Arthur responds. Mathias makes a face at him.
"Hey man, where'd you get all this stuff from anyways if you got expelled?" Gilbert asks curiously, taking a swig of Stoli. Mathias grins.
"That reminds me! Gentleman and Gilbert," Mathias says, getting a laugh out of Arthur and a scowl from Gilbert, "Our benefactor on this Christmas Eve, who charity is only matched by talent, I believe. A new member of the Alphabet City – Feliks…with a really difficult to pronounce last name!" Mathias says dramatically, blushing slightly as he runs to the door. He opens it to reveal what looks to be a blonde flat-chested girl with a small shirt, exposing her pale white midriff with designs of bunnies along the short skirt. Gilbert raises his camera up to begin recording.
"Like, today for you – tomorrow for me!" she exclaims and Arthur and Gilbert both realize at that point that they are indeed looking at another man. "Today for you, tomorrow for me!" he sings out.
"And you should hear his beat!" Mathias says, nudging Arthur and Gilbert.
Feliks beams at them and hands them each a twenty dollar bill. Arthur looks astonished; Gilbert lets out a whoop.
"You earned this on the street?" Arthur demands in shock.
"Like, of course not. It was my lucky day today on Avenue A when this really posh, glamorous lady in a limousine drove my way. She was all 'dahling be a deah – I haven't slept in a ye-ah' – in that exact New Yorker accent – 'I need your help to make my neighbour's yappy dog dissapeah!'" Feliks grins. "Apparently it was like this akita named Evita and it wouldn't shut up and she was all 'I believe if you play non-stop that pup will breathe its very last high strung breath – I'm certain that cur will bark itself to death!' So of course I was all 'Why not? Today for you, tomorrow for me, right?' so I agreed. So like we negotiated a fee – a thousand dollar guarantee, totally tax-free – and a bonus if I trim her tree!" Feliks continues to explain.
Gilbert grins. "Not her bush?" he asks and gets elbowed by Arthur. Feliks rolls his eyes.
"Like, of course not! Even I wouldn't go there," he says and the men laugh. "Anyways, like, nobody could foretell that it would go so fabulously but since I'm here right now talking to you guys that dog is now in doggy hell!" Feliks says cheerfully, a rather evil glint in his vibrant green eyes. "After an hour, Evita, in all her doggy glory on the window ledge of her 23rd story – like Thelma and Louise did when they got the blues – the little bitch swan dove into the courtyard of the Gracie Mews!" he exclaims. Arthur, Gilbert and Mathias cheers and Feliks beams at them.
"What happened next?" Gilbert asks.
"I was like, totally getting to that. Hang on – will ya? Anyways it was like, back on the street when I met this cutie here," Feliks continues, motioning to Mathias. Arthur and Gilbert exchange gleeful looks and make catcalls. Mathias glares at them and punches the nearby man – Arthur. "He was all moaning and groaning on the cold concrete," Feliks says, collapsing to the ground dramatically, making noises that really didn't sound like Mathias had been in pain. Gilbert bursts out laughing as Mathias blushes pink.
"I didn't sound like that," he mutters as Arthur joins Gilbert in laughter.
"The nurse – meaning moi – took home for some mercurochrome," Feliks continues, winking at Mathias. Gilbert's and Arthur's grins are even wider then ever. Mathias was blushing even harder now. "And then I dressed his wounds and got him back on his feet singing today for you – tomorrow for me!" Feliks sang the last words out. Gilbert and Arthur rise to their feet, applauding loudly. Feliks beams and curtseys. Mathias gets over his previous embarrassment and hugs Feliks, cheering as well.
"That was epic!" Gilbert exclaims, fanning himself with the twenty dollar bill from before. Feliks beams.
"Like, of course it was," he replies.
There is a curt knock at the door. Before any of them can move, a tall man with slicked back blond hair strolls in. He is humming 'Joy to the World' under his breath. He begins to approach the men, before spotting something through the nearby window and walks to it.
"Hey!" he exclaims as he spies a homeless man trying to wash his Range Rover. "Hey you – bum!" he roars. The homeless man looks up, confused. "Yeah you – get yourself off of my Range Rover!" he exclaims. The other men in the room exchange a look.
"That attitude to the homeless is exactly what Antonio is protesting tonight," Gilbert says, turning his camera to face the man. "Close up: Our ex-roommate – and my younger brother – Ludwig Beilschmidt who married the son of the Westport Edelstein Corporation then bought the building and the lot next door from his father-in-law in hopes of starting a cyber studio," he recites as Ludwig turns to glare at his older brother.
"Antonio is protesting losing his performance space. Not my attitude," Ludwig states curtly. Arthur sighs from beside Gilbert's side.
"What's happened to Ludwig – what's happened to his heart? And the ideals he once pursued?" he asks into the camera.
Ludwig frowns. "Any owner of that lot next door has a right to do with it as he pleases," he replies.
Mathias laughs dryly. "Happy birthday, Jesus!" he exclaims mockingly, lifting his bottle of Stoli and taking a swig from it. He offers the bottle to Feliks [who is leaning against him, watching the entire affair curiously], who takes a dainty sip from it.
"The rent," Ludwig says, extending his hand out.
"You're wasting your time," Gilbert shoots at him.
"We're broke," Arthur tells Ludwig.
"And you broke your word – this is fucked up!" Gilbert exclaims. "To your older awesome bro and your friends no less!"
"There is one way you won't have to pay," Ludwig begins and Arthur rolls his eyes.
"I knew it!" he exclaims, glaring at Ludwig.
"Next door will be the home of Cyber Arts and now that the block is re-zoned, our dream can become a reality," Ludwig says, a spark of excitement appearing in his blue eyes. He steps towards his former friends. "You'll see, men!" he says. Arthur scowls at him. "Imagine this – a state of the art digital virtual inter-active studio. I'll forego your rent and on paper guarantee that you can stay here for free… if you do me one small favour," Ludwig says and Gilbert stares at him.
"What?" Gilbert asks suspiciously.
"Convince Antonio to cancel his protest," Ludwig replies.
"Why not get an injunction and call the cops?" Gilbert asks.
"I did and they're on standby… but my investors would rather I handled this quietly," Ludwig admits. Arthur makes a sound of indignation and stomps over to the German.
"You can't quietly wipe out an entire tent city, then watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' on TV!" he exclaims. Ludwig glares at him.
"You want to produce films?" he asks Gilbert. "Write songs?" he asks, poking Arthur in the shoulder. "You need somewhere to do it! It's what we used to dream about – think twice before you reject it! You'll see the beauty of a studio that lets us do our work and get paid." Ludwig has a bit of a dreamy look in his eyes. "With condos on the top," he motions with his hands, "whose rent keeps open our shop – just to stop the protest and you'll have it made!" he exclaims, glancing at his friends hopefully. Mathias is taking another swig of Stoli and Gilbert and Arthur are determinedly not making eye-contact with their former friend. Ludwig sighs. "It's either that… or you'll pack," he says. "I have to check up on the other tenants," he says and exits the apartment.
"That boy could use like, some Prozac or something," Feliks remarks, gently tugging the bottle away from Mathias's hands for a sip.
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Or heavy drugs," he suggests.
"Or awesome group hugs!" Gilbert exclaims.
"Oh that reminds me – we have a detour to make tonight. Anyone who wants to come can come along," Mathias says.
"Yeah – Life Support's a group for people coping with life. Like, we don't have to stay for too long," Feliks adds.
"First I got a protest to save," Gilbert admits, putting his scarf back on already.
"Arthur?" Feliks asks curiously.
Arthur shrugs. "I'm not much company you'll find," he admits. Gilbert glares at him.
"Come on!" he exclaims in exasperation. Feliks waves his comment off.
"He'll catch up later – he's just like, got some other things on his mind. You'll see boys~!" he sings out. Gilbert and Mathias grin.
"We'll see, boys!" they exclaim, going up to Arthur and linking arms with him. Arthur scowls and pulls away.
"Let me alone, boys!" he adds the last word sarcastically. Mathias shrugs.
"I like boys," he admits cheekily, linking arms with Feliks. Feliks beams.
"Boys like me~!" he exclaim before the duo bid farewell to Gilbert and Arthur and exit to their meeting. Gilbert gives Arthur one last look before following behind them, leaving Arthur alone in the house once more.
A/N: "... or Alfred at Pound Ridge..." The script actually does say Alfred so I decided to just keep that in ;D Feliks's Santa costume is based off what he was wearing in the Christmas strips where France went on a 'bloodspree'.
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