By Pollitt
12.14.03
By Pollitt
12.14.03
Disclaimers: Some slickster cool cats wrote the story in '60s. Clooney, Soderbergh, Pitt and Roberts took up the action and the camera 40 years later. They have ownership, I'm just playing with a what could have happened.
Rating: PG-13 for post-coital suggestion of the m/m kind.
Requests and dedications: To Anne, Linda Pam and Star for their beta work, hand holding and amazing support. To Actizera who read it and then wanted to see the movie. And to Mei, who gave her time and some extra added support with one final read-through.
Author's Notes: This is what happens when Oceans 11 plays on a near constant loop on the HBO channels, I finally succumb and write a story (it's been waiting to happen since Christmas of '01). This is a bit of a departure for me, mood-wise, and I have to give thanks to my friends again for yelling (lovingly, of course) at me to not rework it to death. This wasn't the story I was expecting to write, and it's not typically how I think the guys would have gotten together, but who am I to argue with the muses? I think it worked for this story.
Tess knows a lot of things.
She knew when she was still a young girl that she would fall in love with a handsome prince who would fight dragons and sweep her off her feet. She knew the day she met Daniel Ocean -- who took on a drunken businessman and ended up with a black eye and her on his arm -- that she had found her prince.
She knows how to tell an original piece of art from an expert fake, little things that most people don't notice -- she does.
She knows she needs to have better taste in men - Terry and Danny aren't the most upstanding of citizens, but she knew she would love them all the same.
She knows she never doubted the lengths Danny would go to win her back and she knew she would go with him, that she would wait. She knew that Rusty would be there too, waiting, because she knows what it's like to love Danny Ocean.
She knows she will never be a part of the boys' club and she knows there are parts of Danny that she'll never see. And she knows Rusty has and does. She knows that look when someone else has Danny's attention - she knows because she's worn it herself. She knows what that hollow ache feels like because she knows what it's like to be in love with Danny Ocean.
Tess isn't supposed to be home for another day and a half when she unlocks the door to the apartment and steps inside. She sees the trail of clothing first and the bodies on the couch second. It takes almost a full, silent minute to determine what arm and leg belongs to whom, although it shouldn't be that difficult. It's Danny's arm that's wrapped around Rusty's shoulder with his elegant fingers - those who have touched her time and time again - holding Rusty's bicep as if to keep him close in sleep. And it's Rusty's thigh that's pressed against her husband's, his hand resting on Danny's chest.
She's not a fool, she knows what happened although when or for how long... she's not sure she wants those answers.
She's certain she's made no sound, but Danny opens his eyes and turns his head to look at her. She's not sure what she expects, and she's surprised the pain isn't as sharp as it could be when Danny protectively moves his free arm to cradle Rusty's head, pulling him closer. There's an apology in his eyes coupled with what might be regret, but she can also see the look of resolve that tells her where his heart is. When Rusty, still asleep, lets out a sigh, his fingers curling on Danny's chest, Tess feels a hotness build behind her eyes.
Tess knows a lot of things. She knows Daniel Ocean has never held her so close, never held her in sleep as though he were afraid she might be gone when he awoke.
And she knows when she's lost.