Current location:	Austin
Current mood:	uncomfortable
Entry tags:	austin, butterfly, fiction, muse playground, un_love_you

For muse_playground and un_love_you
Title: Lying Games
Characters: Stuntman Mike and Butterfly
Fandom: Grindhouse/Death Proof
Word Count: 494
Rating: PG
Prompt: un_love_you 23. You remind me of me..
and muse_playground 158. If you want to keep a secret you must also hide it from yourself.
-George Orwell, Ninteen Eighty-Four (1949)
Summary: Mike in Austin at Christmas time.


It was Christmas Eve when Mike finally rolled back into Austin, back to Butterfly. He hadn’t even known the day until he heard it on the radio in the Tex-Mex he’d had lunch in. It was an odd line of thought and feelings that followed that revelation. Confusion that the day had come so quick and more confusion when he thought about the coincidence of coming back here on this particular day.

Mike sat there in the booth for a long time milling over why he was here. The honest answer wasn’t the one he wanted to imagine. No, Mike wouldn’t admit he missed her or that he didn’t want to spend the holidays alone. The best course of action was to just show up like nothing had happened. He was just rolling through town again on his way to who knew where. He could play it off. He was sure of it.

That was the plan that he went over and over as he drove to the bar. It was a solid plan that she would never expect. The rain was welcome as it started coming in sheets. The falling water on the windshield always calmed him. At this moment he needed it more than ever. The flutter was there in his stomach when he pulled in and saw her standing on the porch. That was the feeling he hated the thing the lie was meant to cover.

Arlene saw his car. He watched her staring at the windshield as she smoked under the awning. He could see the hint of a smile. That was her lie and it was very much like his lie only not so well hidden. She had no need to bury it away as he did. The space beside the steps was open. For once, Mike left his usual spot empty and pulled into the one close to the porch.

Rain pelted down in the dark but he could see her in the bar light. She’d followed the car and was now half way to this side of the porch. Mike stared at her from the dark car, watching her lean on the rail post. The rain was getting harder and in another unusual act Mike got out in the rain and hurried to the cover of the porch. He tried to keep up his game. Act surprised to see her there he told himself over and over as he stepped into the sheltered area.

It wasn’t working. He could feel the smile spreading in his expression and she saw it. There was a smile hidden behind the hand holding her cigarette. He could see it. Mike wondered if she knew what he was lying about. It was hard to say and so he stood there just out of the rain staring at her and hoping she believed this was all on chance.