Work Text:
It was past midnight when the cell phone rang. It wasn't usual for Oscar to receive calls at that hour, so when he answered the phone he already expected bad news, what he found on the other end was the slurred voice of one of his co-workers.
“Oscar, Oscarino, Oscarito.” Andy said.
“Andy?”
“Yes, good old Nard-Dog”
“Why are you calling me at this hour?”
“Because the bartender at Poor Richard’s took away my keys, and said I couldn’t drive in this state, and then he gave me a call to a friend as is my right.”
“You had too much to drink to drive so the bartender took your car keys and said to get someone to pick you up, do I understand that right?”
“That's a good summary of the situation. Can you come ?"
Why me? Oscar thought in exasperation, but already grabbing his keys and coat.
"Yes."
About twenty minutes later he was there in front of the bar, and Andy was sitting on the sidewalk.
"You came!"
“I said I would.”
“People sometimes say things but are not telling the truth. Things like am I going to come get you, or I love you and I want to marry you and not some weird beet farmer.”
On the way to the apartment Andy kept talking about short mean blondes, and about love, or the lack of it. Oscar in some ways was expecting something like that to happen, in the day to dayAndy was showing surprising professionalism and a certain level of poise regarding the end of his engagement and the circumstances of it, but underneath he was probably a mess.
Andy’s apartment was basically what Oscar had been expecting, lots of Cornell ornaments strewn across the shelves and walls, a few musical instruments, and a bunch of CDs with soundtracks from Broadway musicals.
“Thanks for picking me up…you're a good friend Oscar.” Andy said lying down on the sofa.
The word surprised Oscar a little, though it probably shouldn't have. Ever since the trip to Canada he and Andy had been more or less friends.
"You are welcome. See you tomorrow."
“Don't go, please. Just stay until I sleep, please?”
“Andy...”
“Please”
“Okay…why did you call me?”
“I don't know, I guess because I knew you'd probably be alone so it wouldn't be as inconvenient as calling Tuna…that come out wrong.”
"It’s fine."
"No, it's not. You are a great guy and I should have considered that maybe you had someone with you there.”
"I didn’t, I haven't for a long time"
“You should, you're great and you deserve to have fun…you know if you kissed me right now I wouldn't stop you.”
Such a request didn't even merit consideration, but for a second Oscar found himself considering it.
Of course Andy was a bit ridiculous like most of the people Oscar worked with, but he was also sweet and that was something Oscar didn't have enough of in his life. And he was literally asking, and it could be fun. But as the second wore on, Oscar remembered that Andy was a heartbroken man who was very lonely that night and who most of the time identified as straight. So yes, he had to be responsible in this situation.
“Go to sleep Andy.”
"Okay...I was just kidding, you're not going to mention it tomorrow right?"
"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."
“Thanks…you really are a good friend.”