Fandom: The Invisible Man (TV 2000-2002)
Pairing: Arnaud de Foehn/Kevin Fawkes
PG-13 for language and dialogue concerning homosexuality
Conversation between two brothers in the Pilot when the truth of why Arnaud is in the QS9300 Project comes to light…
Disclaimer: I wish I owned the I-Man universe. Then I could pay off my vet bills… and the show would still be on the air...



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"Darien…"

"No."

"Darien…"

"Pay attention, man. I’m ignoring you."

"Darien…"

"I said NO." He heard nothing but a heavy and very pointed sigh.

"This is really quite childish of you."

"No it isn’t, and don’t change the subject."

"How can I change the subject when you won’t even let me talk about it?!"

"It’s sick, man. I mean… ew." He shuddered.

"Darien, I can’t believe that you of all people are homoph-,"

"AGH! I don’t wanna hear this!" He clapped his hands over his ears in an effort to drown out the other man’s voice, but they were suddenly slapped down.

"Darien, for Christ’s sake, will you shut up and let me have my say?!"

He stared in mild shock at the gray-blue eyes glaring at him. "You swore. You never swear."

Kevin rolled his eyes dramatically. "Of course I swear, you dipshit. I heard most of them from you."

Darien unintentionally chuckled. "Only my bookworm older brother would pick up all sorts of nasty crap from little ol' me."

Kevin’s mouth curved into a small smile. "Well, learning goes both ways there, bro."

Darien’s face froze. "You did not just say what I think you said, did you?"

"Jesus, Darien…" Kevin threw up his hands in complete frustration and turned away from his younger brother, pacing back and forth in the middle of the lab room. It was one of the few places where he could be sure that no one was monitoring their conversation. It was also one of the places where he and Arnaud liked to spend some "quality time" together.

Unfortunately, Darien had walked in on one of those intimate moments earlier that evening, and now there were a few things that needed to be explained.

At least, before the hot-headed con could get his hands on and rearrange certain portions of the Swiss scientist’s anatomy.

"Look… Darien… there’s something you need to know about me."

"No. I do not want to hear about this, Kev. You don’t understand…"

The scientist spun around on his heel and faced his brother with a glare. "What don’t I understand?"

Darien dropped his gaze, suddenly reticent. "Just ‘cause I went to the pen a few times doesn't mean I’d be open-minded about homosexuality," he murmured. His ears began to turn red as he grew quite discomfited from particularly graphic memories. "Some experiences are best… left alone." He swiveled around to face away from Kevin, his back stiff and expression haunted.

Kevin’s face fell, and concern filled his dazzling eyes. "I’m sorry, D," he replied softly. "I didn’t mean to bring up that stuff." He laid a comforting hand on his younger brother’s shoulder.

Darien merely shrugged the other shoulder, and hunched his back. "No offense, Kev, I just can’t deal with this right now. It just brings up too much bad shit for me."

Kevin’s face twisted a little. "I’m sorry, little brother, but you have to know this," he said quietly. "Darien, Arnaud and I have been lovers for quite some time now."

Darien shuddered, his eyes squeezing shut reflexively. Kevin gripped his shoulder reassuringly.

"How long?" Darien almost-whispered.

Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed a little, and he cocked his head to one side inquiringly.

Darien continued, as if aware of his brother’s expression. "How long have you known you were…"

"What, gay?" At the taller man’s jerked nod, Kevin smiled wistfully. "I’ve always known. I just… didn’t allow myself to act on it until recently."

"Until Arnaud, you mean," Darien gritted out, his suspicious nature rising to the fore.

Kevin heaved a great sigh and backed away from his younger brother, his hand dropping to his side, where he then promptly shoved both hands into the pockets of his lab coat. "Why are you so suspicious of him, Darien?" he asked, the tone in his voice plainly stating that he was at his wit’s end with his brother’s seemingly unreasonable attitude.

Darien turned around to face Kevin, his face set and determined. "I can’t explain it, Kev… it’s just… this feeling I have."

"Well, you’re wrong about him," Kevin returned firmly.

Darien stood and attempted a half-smile for the older brother he’d always secretly looked up to. "I hope so, Kev. I hope so."

Fini