[#152] Accidental Honesty (FAKE)

[badly_knitted]

Theme Prompt: #073 – Honesty
Title: Accidental Honesty
Fandom: FAKE
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Randy Lane is so tired of being badgered by a chat show host that the truth accidentally slips out.




Appearing on chat shows was a necessary part of working in the entertainment industry. It was good publicity, and besides, it was expected. People, especially fans, were naturally curious; they wanted to know more about their favourite stars, the ones they spent their hard-earned money on, buying CDs, t-shirts and other merchandise, going to movies and concerts…

Not that Ryo Maclean, known to country fans the world over as Randy Lane, ever gave much away during interviews. He was known to be an intensely private person, happy to talk about his music, and his views on certain subjects, but reticent when it came to his personal life.

He had good reasons for that; there were events in his past that were painful for him to talk about, but it made him intriguingly mysterious, which was unfortunate since it led to wild speculation and unfounded rumours, especially regarding his love life. Five years into his music career, and if you could believe the tabloids, he’d been romantically involved with every female singer and movie star he’d ever met. None of it was true, and he denied it every time, but that didn’t stop the rumours. People believed what they wanted to believe.

On the whole, Randy quite enjoyed the radio interviews and television appearances. They weren’t his favourite part of the life he’d stumbled into by chance, but they were usually pretty painless. The majority of the interviewers were pleasant enough to talk to, live audiences were always fun, and on most occasions he also got to sing, something he was always happy to do.

Once in a while though, he’d find himself stuck talking to a complete asshat, and this was one of those times. Eric Donaldson was an idiot with a fake tan who looked and acted more like a smarmy, insincere politician campaigning for votes, and Randy was going to be having words with his manager for booking him on Donaldson’s Midweek Special. On the other hand, it was a relatively new show, still riding high in the ratings; half the country might be tuning in, and his new single had just been released… Getting to perform it on live TV couldn’t hurt.

“So, Randy,” Donaldson was saying. “You were here in New York for a couple of sell-out shows and some public appearances only last month, and here you are, back again so soon. What’s with that?”

“What can I say? I love New York, it’s a great city, and I didn’t have time to see much the last time I was here.”

“Oh, come on, you expect anyone to believe that? Be honest, you’re back because Jenna Austin is currently appearing in Chicago on Broadway.”

“Is she? I didn’t know that. Can’t say I’m surprised though; she always was ambitious.”

“No need to play coy. Everyone knows you two have been secretly dating since you did that movie together three years ago. When are you going to make an honest woman of her? The girl’s been waiting forever!”

Ryo always tried to be polite, but he couldn’t hold back an exasperated sigh. “How many times do I have to tell people we are not, and never have been, a couple? She’s a nice enough girl, a very talented actress, and she taught me a lot about acting, but we were never more than casual friends.”

Donaldson just smirked at him. “Give it up, Randy, all your denials aren’t fooling anyone. Jenna is a serious hottie. Any guy would be over the moon to snag a girl like that.”

“I wouldn’t know about that; I’m gay.” The words were out before Ryo could stop himself. Later, once the show was over, he’d have time to be impressed with himself for neither wincing nor blushing at the realisation that he’d just accidentally outed himself on live TV. Yes, he’d fully intended to come out, when he was ready, but this wasn’t the time or the place he would’ve chosen.

Something his dad had told him once years ago flashed through his mind: “You make decisions, you have to live with the consequences.” Well, it hadn’t been a conscious decision, but it was done, a completely honest answer to a series of intrusive questions and demands, and it was sort of funny the way Donaldson, who’d been leaning forward, recoiled at his words. Ryo belatedly remembered the asshole had made a number of homophobic comments that had been published in the media.

Okay then, it was done now, he couldn’t take his words back; by morning the news would have spread like wildfire. Ryo thought of Dee, watching the show from his apartment, the apartment they’d been sharing for the last blissful month. He could almost hear his lover whooping and applauding, and he smiled slightly.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m not gonna hit on you; you’re not my type.” The grin widened in a flash of white teeth, and he shook his head. “Sorry, guess my boyfriend’s a bad influence on me.”

“You… you’re gay?” Donaldson stammered.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell anyone? Are you ashamed?”

“No. I didn’t say anything before for two reasons. One: it’s nobody’s business, it doesn’t affect my ability to write songs and sing them, and two: nobody ever asked. For five years I’ve been denying relationships with one woman after another, and nobody ever figured out that I’m just not interested in women. If anyone had asked, I wouldn’t have denied being gay, but why should anyone volunteer information they know will open them up to prejudice and discrimination, not to mention all the homophobia that still exists?”

“If that’s true, why are you coming out now?”

“You mean beside the fact that I’m tired of being badgered for details of non-existent relationships with women I barely know? I’ve known I’m gay for my entire adult life, but until recently I was single, there was no one, never had been. Now there is. I’m proud to be who I am.”


The End

 

Comments

[wickedlittletown]

Ohhh another part of the musician AU.
A tricky topic to present in a realistic way but you've done a great job.

[badly_knitted]

Thank you! I've been mulling it over for weeks, so I decided to just go ahead and write it. Glad it works for you!

[wickedlittletown]

Some topics need a lot of thinking and sometimes the best you can do is take your time with them.

Personally I know that I would struggle with that topic too especially in a FF where I have to stay ic as good as possible.

[badly_knitted]

I think about this AU a lot, making up stories, going over different versions, but rarely writing them down, it's a bit of a self-indulgent project that has two very distinct versions.

When Ryo is being Randy Lane, either in interviews and public appearances or on stage, he's a lot more confident than he is the rest of the time. When he gets home to Dee he'll just want to curl up and die of embarrassment at what he did.

[wickedlittletown]

I like the idea of him being a different person when in public.
Reminds me of the RPF stories I wrote at the beginning of the year ... It was so much fun to switch between the 'public version' and the 'private person', especially when the line between them was a bit fuzzy

Self-indulgent AU's are the best. Working on them can bring you so much joy.
Mine is the Dancer-AU. There are moments when I want to put it on AO3 but then I remember that stuff like that doesn't get lots of attention there and just let in on here.

I am so protective of it that I couldn't look at low stats for it.

[badly_knitted]

My stats for anything FAKE are usually pretty low on AO3, there aren't a lot of people still into the fandom these days sadly. Can't have everything I guess.

I think a lot of entertainers have a public and a private persona. Ryo puts Randy Lane on along with the outfit and the hat. Take them off and he's just Ryo again.