Ene (impotentwaffle) wrote in politico,
@ 2010-01-04 13:12:00

Entry tags:

To Callaway, Backdated
"Are you sure I can't talk to him?" Parker said, clutching his manuscript to his chest. The publishing company had sent it back with a rejection letter and this was the last one Parker was going to take sitting down. He hadn't ever thought of getting an agent to do this sort of thing. All he knew about the writing industry was that he wanted in and damn if these people didn't tell him why his work wasn't good enough to get published when things like Twilight were being printed.

"No, Mr. Reigh. Mr. Sanders is in a meeting right now and even if he wasn't, it isn't likely that he would be able to take your request. He's very busy. Please, resubmit your manuscript at a later time." The woman was used to dealing with desperate writers who had been recently rejected by the company. Parker grit his teeth together and could hardly keep from slamming the stack of papers and the deceptively blithe manila envelope in which they'd sent his rejection down on the desk. He stood there, refusing to leave and the receptionist looked up at him blankly, stubbornly as their stand off began.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 03:57 am UTC (link)

Callaway had just come in to drop his latest revision off. He was feeling a little tired, mostly because he'd reached a moment of pure inspiration a few days earlier and had been writing nonstop. His button up shirt was thin and a little rumpled, the cuffs left undone and some of the last and first few buttons were left undone as well. His hair was messy, but not in a bad way, and he walked into the office with ease.

"Hello, Grace. Can you give this to Mr. Sanders for me?" he asked as he handed her a mamilla envelope that looked a lot like the one Parker was holding. He offered a smile to the woman behind the counter as she took it before he glanced over at the young man standing next to him. "Hi."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 05:03 am UTC (link)

The way the receptionist just took the envelope, stood right up, and waltzed into Mr. Sanders' office made Parker turn an angry glare onto Callaway. "Who the fuck are you?" he said bitterly, not even about to feel guilty for his language or his general lack of social grace. His own hair was messed, his own clothes were crumpled, but not nearly so artfully as the man who stood before him. Even though Parker was pissed off, he could recognize a ridiculously attractive man when he saw one, but that only seemed to make him more put out. "If you tell me you write about sparkly vampires, I'm going to have to shoot you."

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 05:35 am UTC (link)

Parker's mouth was the first thing that got Callaway's attention, and not because of the profanity that was coming out of it. He arched a brow as his gaze lifted from the younger man's mouth to focus on his eyes, and he furrowed his brows a bit in a puzzled expression.

"I write about historical mysteries," he replied simply. "Is this yours?" he asked as he took the manilla envelope. When the receptionist came back out, Callaway held it out to her. "Tell him this is from me and to read it too," he told her.

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 05:48 am UTC (link)

Parker's hand darted forward and took the big orange envelope before Grace could take it. "No. No, I don't need help with this." But the gesture had softened Parker a little and even as he pulled the manuscript away from Callaway, it was a gentle movement rather than an angry one.

The woman looked between them, eyebrow arched as she sat back down at her desk. Writers, she thought to herself with exasperation. They were a strange lot. She sort of wished she worked someplace normal, like a dentist office.

He turned and headed out of the office, a little perplexed at how that had made him feel. He was a staunchly independent person, but when that perfect stranger had offered help so easily it had sent Parker's head spinning so much that he'd wanted to accept, use an 'in' to make his lifelong dream come true. Then again, maybe it was just nice to get attention from someone so good looking.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 06:02 am UTC (link)

Callaway arched a brow as Parker snatched the envelope back, and he turned to watch the young man go before he turned back to Grace and smiled.

"Have a good afternoon, Grace," he told her before he pushed away from the desk and slipped out of the office. "Hey," he called out to Parker when he saw the young writer's retreating back. "Wait up... What's that you have? What's it about? Maybe I can read it."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 06:11 am UTC (link)

When he heard the smooth voice behind him, Parker's footsteps sped up briefly before he finally slowed and turned around to see the man who was following him. "Is that really who you are? You write historical mysteries? I was going for a name rather than a genre. I think it's interesting that you told me what you write. Maybe that is who you are though, so maybe you gave me more than I asked for."

He didn't answer right away about his own writing. The idea of letting this stranger read it was preposterous to him, though he'd sent it to over twenty publishers who were also strangers.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 06:31 am UTC (link)

For a moment, Callaway frowned, afraid that Parker was just going to ignore him and disappear out into the hustle and bustle of the street. When the young man turned around, he looked a little surprised, and he smiled warmly at Parker's words.

"I was just letting you know that I didn't write about vampires that sparkle so you wouldn't have to shoot me," he said without missing a bit as he kept on walking, finally catching up to the younger man. "But if it's my name you want, I can give that to you, too. I'm Callaway Martin, and what might your name be?"

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 07:25 am UTC (link)

"Callaway Martin?" Parker stared starkly at the man, his doe-eyes taking on the visage of a deer in headlights. "The author." Duh. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly at how stupid he knew that sounded considering he'd just met him at a publisher's office. "You wouldn't want to read this," he said firmly and tucked it underneath his jacket so that he could stretch his hand forward for a shake. "I'm Parker Reigh." As if his name would mean anything to the man.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 07:33 am UTC (link)

Callaway couldn't help but feel a bit surprised at the fact that this young man knew who he was. Then again, they had just been in a publishers office. But had Parker read any of his books?

"It's nice to meet you, Parker," he said as he took the offered hand and gave it a shake. He liked how well it fit against his own, and how soft Parker's skin was. He had been instantly attracted in the office, but now he felt even more so, if that was even possible. "I still think I'd like to read what you have there," he added before he gently released Parker's hand. "Maybe I can take you to lunch and convince you to let me read it."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 07:53 am UTC (link)

His hand lingered against Callaway's and Parker hadn't realized it until the man let go. He was already charmed and while he liked the feeling very much, his brain went on red alert lock down. Whenever he wanted something, it was bad for him, or it ended poorly. More to the point, he destroyed it somehow, so it was easier just to sabotage it now.

"Don't do that. Don't use the fact that you're an amazing writer and you're all successful to get laid. I'm not going to have lunch with you just in hopes that you'll get me in with Sanders."

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 08:09 am UTC (link)

Callaway blinked in slight surprise. Well, this one was a sour one, wasn't he? He smiled a little and a quiet laugh escaped him before he shook his head some.

"I want to take you to lunch because I think you're cute," he said honestly. "And I want to read what you wrote to see if you're any good, that's all. But all right, have a good day, Parker Reigh. Goodluck with your writing."

With that, he slipped past Parker and headed for the door as he fished his keys out of his pocket.

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 08:33 am UTC (link)

So often Parker made an ass out of himself with his sharp tongue and his distrust of people. Most of the time he didn't do a damn thing to rectify it, but this time trotted after Callaway and caught his arm. "I am good. And since I'm sure you don't think I'm cute anymore, maybe I can take you to lunch instead." He kept his hand on the man's arm, thinking that the contact was nice, especially since he didn't think Callaway was going to say yes to his request now that he'd treated him like a complete jerk.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 09:07 am UTC (link)

The last thing Callaway expected was for Parker to come after him after he'd all but dismissed his interest with a snappy comeback, but it was a welcome surprise. When he felt the young man's hand on his arm, he paused and turned with ease to look down at him.

"I still think you're cute," he said with a faint smile, but it was still very warm. "And all right, you can take me to lunch."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 05:56 pm UTC (link)

He wanted Callaway to think he was cute--or more accurately he wanted him to think he was attractive. Cute didn't always mean attractive and perhaps the man just meant cute in the way that puppies were cute. Sure, sometimes they peed on your shoes, but they were still just so damn adorable. He bit his bottom lip as he considered this, dropping his hand away. "Really?" he didn't hide his surprise at the fact that Callaway was still agreeing to spend time with him. "I'm kind of a dick. Just a fair warning."

But he didn't quite wait for a negative response because he started to walk again and looked over his shoulder for the man to follow. "I took the bus here. Do you want to walk to the cafe down the road?"

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 09:42 pm UTC (link)

"I think you've all ready warned me," Callaway said, and his smile was warming up. "We can walk," he added as he caught up to Parker, his long legs moving with ease instead of awkwardness. "What's your book about?" he ventured to ask as he looked down at the envelope that Parker had tucked away beneath his arm. "You know they really don't read everything they get. They probably just put a stamp on it and sent it back, I could get it in a pile where it'll be read fairly, like it should be. That's all I was trying to do. It's not like I have any real pull as to what Sanders chooses to publish or not."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-05 10:34 pm UTC (link)

"I'll bet you have more pull than you realize. I mean, you're a successful author, probably one of the best selling at that particular publisher." Parker had done his research and that's why he was getting so frustrated. Even though he felt as if he'd worked his ass off, he still wasn't cutting any breaks, or at least the kinds of breaks he wasn't too proud to take. Maybe he should rethink his strategy.

Dropping the envelope to his hand, Parker looked down at it. "It's about a king from a dying world being sent to ours to protect the lineage. He's reborn and lives a normal human life until strange things start to happen to him and he's called back to make a last stand for his home kingdom." It was a fantasy novel, but mostly it was about growing up feeling displaced somehow. When he talked about it, it was clear that it was personal.

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halloweenish
2010-01-05 11:11 pm UTC (link)

"Trust me, that doesn't mean he wants my imput on anything, he just wants this brain and these fingers to keep on typing," Callaway said. He was such an honest person that he hadn't even thought of threatening to leave if he didn't get his way about something, and he didn't realize that Sanders would probably do anything to keep him around.

Listening to Parker's summary, Callaway couldn't help but be even more intrigued. He'd had an inkling that the kid was talented, though he couldn't quite put his finger on way. Maybe it was something in the eyes, there was so much emotion in them that Callaway found it difficult to ignore. But hearing about the story, well, now he definitely wanted to read it.

"I'd very much like to read it, if you'd let me," he said softly, and earnestly.

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-06 05:52 am UTC (link)

He didn't know why he was hesitating so much. He wanted it published, right? That meant he wanted perfect strangers to read it, but something about the idea of this man in front of him reading it made him feel very exposed. His cheeks were taking on a rosy hue as he tried to imagine Callaway with his manuscript open on his lap, reading it. The man probably had a great flat, and a comfortable reading chair. He could picture him with knees bent, angular and drawn up to his chest as he flipped through the pages. It made him shiver a little. What if he didn't like it?

He still didn't answer the question, not quite ready to allow it. When they got inside the cafe, Parker sat down and wished he'd brought his messenger bag. Instead, he just had to sit the big old envelope on the table next to him and it stuck out like a sore thumb. "I've read all of your stuff," he commented as he looked at the menu.

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	halloweenish 2010-01-06 06:14 am UTC (link)
	Callaway settled down with ease, and even though his limbs were long, he was anything but awkward. He flipped open the menu and looked it over as he swept some of his hair away from his eyes. At Parker's words, he looked up and over at him, and he smiled warmly. "Dare I ask if you liked them?" he said as he arched a brow curiously. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

impotentwaffle
2010-01-06 06:27 am UTC (link)

"The last one felt a little rushed," he said honestly. "But even with that it was really good. All of your stuff is really good. It's not the normal mindless mystery novel stuff. I never really liked mysteries before but a nurse recommended it to me and I didn't have a lot else to do, so I read it and I was kind of hooked." Parker didn't pull any punches and could always be counted on not to sugar coat anything. He ordered a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

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halloweenish
2010-01-06 06:30 am UTC (link)

"Well, thank you very much," Callaway replied. He found Parker's honesty to be a breath of fresh air, and he liked it very much. He glanced up at the waitress after she'd taken Parker's order, and he asked for a BLT and a cup of tea. His attention quickly returned to Parker as he handed off the menu, and he folded his hands in front of himself on the table once they were free. "There's another I've been working on. No one's seen it yet. Maybe I can bargain it for yours, I let you read mine, you let me read yours."

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	impotentwaffle 2010-01-06 06:55 am UTC (link)
	"I'll leak it on the internet," he said flatly but after a couple beats, he smiled and it lit up his face with impish satisfaction. He was only teasing. The offer was extremely tempting. After a moment, he nodded and slid the envelope across the table, leaving his hand on top of it even though it was on Callaway's side. "Do you wear reading glasses?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

halloweenish
2010-01-06 07:02 am UTC (link)

The joke was the first real soft side of Parker that Callaway had seen, and he couldn't help but smile. He liked that there were layers about the boy in front of him, and that he couldn't just figure him out in one meeting.

"I do," he answered as he reached out to let his hand settle ontop of the enevelope, just beside Parker's hand. "That's an odd question to ask."

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impotentwaffle
2010-01-06 07:20 am UTC (link)

Parker retracted his hand as soon as Callaway's got too close, though he did stretch out his pinky as he pulled away just so that it would brush down the side of the man's hand. "I wanted a mental picture of you reading it," he said. His expression was sheepish, but he tried his damnedest to keep his tone wry.

"I don't suppose you're carrying a copy of your work around with you?"

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halloweenish
2010-01-06 07:30 am UTC (link)

Callaway liked the feel of Parker's pinky finger grazing against the side of his hand, and he had to resist the urge to turn his hand to the side and grasp a hold of the younger man's fingers.

"I have one in my car, it's just down the way," he replied. He liked to carry a copy around with him so that he could look it over and revise on the spot if he felt inspired. Usually he had a messenger bag he toted around, but he hadn't been expecting to run off to lunch with an attractive young man, so he'd left it in his car.