Work Text:
The first call
“Hey Rand, it’s me… I, uh… figure I’ll come see you in Edward Part Two… sorry, kidding… uh, soon… maybe next week? You let me know when’s the best day for you, and I’ll be there… I’m looking forward to it… Not so much the you getting killed part, but… seeing you… Call me, okay? Bye.”
***
The second call
“Rand, it’s me again… Gale, in case that’s the problem… you didn’t know who the message was from… *laughs*… Just a reminder… I need to book my flight and shit, so… call.”
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The third call
“Hey fucker, why haven’t you called me back? I know you’re busy, but… I dunno… I should probably just show up whenever, not give you a choice, but… especially if I’m, you know… braving the fangirls, or whoever… I wanna know you actually want me to be there… and not calling makes me think you don’t… You were the one always telling me how supposedly vulnerable I fucking was… am… so be nice and stop proving yourself right…”
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The fourth call
“You really are fucking busy, aren’t you? I heard about Antony and Cleopatra… Shit, you just got going with one play, and you’re already starting on another one?… I worry about you… I’ve seen you nearly make yourself sick from overworking before, and that was from work you didn’t even like… But you put so much of yourself into these plays, you’re gonna… Fuck, just… take care of yourself, Rand… And a call to let me know you’re alive would be appreciated.”
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The fifth call
“Well, you’re alive… but I only know that from the reviews… I’d say congratulations, but I’m too pissed at you… You’ve reduced me to going on-fucking-line, Rand…… What is this about? The working non-stop, and the not talking to me?… Something’s not right with you… What are you trying to avoid?”
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The sixth call
“Rand… *sigh*… I know why all the avoiding… I know you and Simon broke up… Maybe you forgot that you gave me his cell phone number once, but you did… I was getting desperate, so I called him… and he told me… He told me it wasn’t anything nasty or dramatic, just… well, he said his time ran out, but I don’t know what that… Look, no matter how it happened, you’ve been with him so long… I know it’s a shock to your system… and working helps you not focus on it so much, so okay, do what you need to… But… why didn’t you tell me?”
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The seventh call
“You didn’t tell me because you’re avoiding, what? The hope of…? Damn it, Rand, I know how you think… I know you feel like you should try being on your own for a while… I know you feel like it wouldn’t be fair to Simon to go right from years with him into another man’s arms… I know maybe you feel like that’s not even an option… because maybe somebody was fucking scared and never let you know how much he really wanted that… enough to make it happen… but he does…… I do.”
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The eighth call
“Rand, I think I’ve talked more on your voice mail these past fucking couple of weeks than I’ve spoken in my life, ever… and I don’t like it… You’re the only one I can talk to and… at least half the time not sound like a dumbass… which is what I’m gonna sound like now…… This is our chance… You’re finally… shit, you’re finally free… It doesn’t make sense to me that we’re not together right now… but it has to be what you want… I’m not gonna push you…”
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The ninth call
“Pick up the fucking phone when I call, Rand! Pick up the phone and… fuck, be with me… Just say the word and I’ll be there and I’ll stay and it’ll be real and ours… Just say it… Say yes.”
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The tenth call
“Hello?”
“Didn’t look at your caller ID, did you?”
“…Rand?… Shit… no, I didn’t, I…… You called me… fucking finally.”
“Yes.”
“So… what did you have to say?”
“I just said it, Gale… Yes.”
“……”
“And… I’m sorry I-…”
“Shhh… No more over the phone. Tomorrow, I’ll be there. And I’m never letting you go again.”