Fic: A Private View

[rusty_armour]

Title: A Private View
Author: Rusty Armour
Fandom: A Room with a View (Merchant Ivory)
Pairing: Freddy Honeychurch/George Emerson
Category: Slash
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Contains shades of dubcon.
Word Count: 1,716
Summary: Freddy has a defining moment at the Sacred Lake.
Notes: This was written for the dilestrade Rupert Birthday Meme. It’s set after the scene in A Room with a View where George declares his love for Lucy, and Lucy orders him to leave the house. In fact, it takes place later that same day (in the evening) shortly after Lucy breaks off her engagement to Cecil. I’m assuming that Freddy doesn’t learn the news until the following morning.

Disclaimer: Neither the characters nor the Sacred Lake are mine, no matter how much I might wish it. They are the brainchild of Mr. E.M. Forster.

This fic can also be found here on AO3.

---

It seemed to Freddy that there was very little that couldn’t be put right with a bathe. Take Cecil, for example. Instead of blathering on about Italian art, Beethoven, and the prose style of Eleanor Lavish, he should dash off to the Sacred Lake and leap in, monocle and all. A bathe would do Cecil a world of good, and, judging by the scathing looks that had been directed at Cecil during dinner, Lucy agreed.

After his recent bathing fiasco, Freddy had taken to visiting the pond at night. After sunset, you were much less likely to encounter any ladies taking a stroll in the woods. Of course, the trouble with a nocturnal bathe was that it was so terribly dark. The night before, it had taken him and Floyd over a quarter of an hour to find their clothes, which might explain why Floyd had declined Freddy’s latest invitation to bathe and had chosen to stay behind at Windy Corners instead. However, as soon as Freddy heard the soft lapping of the water, he forgot the trials of the previous evening and eagerly began to strip off his clothes. He was completely naked when he reached the bank and plunged into the Sacred Lake.

Emerging from the depths of the pond, Freddy threw back his head, shaking beads of water from his hair. He swam a couple of laps, swinging his arms lazily, before he drifted on to his back and gazed up at the stars. The Sacred Lake was one place where Freddy didn’t have to follow society’s rules or meet anyone’s expectations. He wasn’t criticized for his bone collection or his comic improvisations on the piano. Paddling around the pond, Freddy didn’t have to display a proper sense of decorum. He could be wild and boisterous and not offend anyone.

As Freddy bobbed in the pond, he was only aware of the sound of crickets and rippling water. Then there was a loud plop – the sort of noise you might expect if someone had thrown a stone from the bank. Freddy stood up.

“Hello! Is anyone there?” Freddy swept wet tendrils of hair out of his face and tilted his head, but he couldn’t hear anything. He shrugged, deciding it must have been a frog or a toad. He was about to start swimming around the pond again when he was grabbed around the waist and hauled off his feet. Before Freddy could scream, a hand was clamped over his mouth. For a moment, he stood frozen, too terrified to do anything but listen to the pounding of his heart. Then his arms began flailing and his feet thrashed as he fought his attacker.

“Shh,” a voice whispered in his ear. “Calm down, Honeychurch. It’s only me. Emerson.”

The arms released Freddy, and he spun around, almost slipping as his feet sought purchase in the shifting sand. Freddy squinted at the taller man in front of him, recognizing him instantly by the pale head that shone in the moonlight.

“I say, you certainly know how to frighten a chap!” Freddy punched George in the arm then splashed him in the face for good measure.

“I’m awfully sorry,” George said. “I should never have startled you in such a beastly fashion.” He hiccoughed then grinned, swaying slightly.

Freddy stared at George, his eyes growing wide. “You’ll forgive me for saying this, old chap, but you seem a bit…squiffy.”

“Oh, I’m a good deal more than that!” George hiccoughed again. This time, there wasn’t the flash of teeth in the dim light, but something that sounded like a sob. “You reminded me of Nerites, floating there so beautifully in the water, and I felt so very lonely with only a bottle of the Reverend Beebe’s elderberry wine to keep me company.”

Freddy swallowed nervously. “I-I see.”

George grasped Freddy by the shoulders, pulling him closer. “No, I must make you understand. I thought I wanted to be alone, but, when I saw you, I couldn’t be by myself anymore. Being alone had become simply unbearable.”

Freddy laughed, though he knew it rang false. “Well, it’s a good thing you joined me, Emerson. You’ll feel better with a bathe. It’s bound to sort you out.” He almost sighed in relief when George’s hands dropped from his shoulders. Then he tensed as one of those same hands reached out to cup the side of his face.

“You’re so very much like your sister, with your dark eyes and pretty face,” George said. Then he leaned in and kissed Freddy.

Freddy squawked in alarm and tried to push George away, but one of George’s arms had snaked around his waist, holding him firmly in place.

Freddy had never been kissed before. Oh, he had kissed a few girls himself, which had resulted in two slaps and the threat of a good thrashing, but he’d never been on the receiving end. It was different than he’d expected. Instead of being hard and demanding, George’s lips were surprisingly soft and gentle. Even as George began to nibble along Freddy’s bottom lip, the nips were light and playful. And when George’s tongue coaxed its way inside Freddy’s mouth, Freddy moaned around it.

When George finally pulled away, Freddy was panting and half hard. He gave a startled cry when George’s hand wrapped around his cock, and George shushed him again.

“Wh-why are you doing this?” Freddy asked.

George bent his head and bit down on Freddy’s neck, tightening his hold on that other part of Freddy’s anatomy as Freddy squirmed and whimpered. “I realized today that I will never again know love – that celestial power that transcends all things. No, that door has closed and will remain barred to me forever. My only solace must come from the joys derived from an earthly and physical union.”

Freddy gulped. “An earthly and physical union?”

George looked up from the tiny kisses he’d been planting along Freddy’s jawline. “Sexual intercourse, Honeychurch.”

“But-but we can’t,” Freddy said. “We’re both men. Biologically speaking – Oh, God! Oh, oh, Jesus!”

George had started stroking Freddy’s penis, tugging forcefully enough for Freddy to end up on his tiptoes, struggling to keep his balance. Then George swept him up in his arms and started walking towards the bank.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Freddy tried to sound calm, but the high squeak in his voice betrayed him.

George was silent as he set Freddy down on the bank. Shivering, Freddy looked up at George and took in his fully erect cock for the first time. He tried to quell the fear that was beginning to crash over him in waves. Freddy was on the verge of making an escape attempt when George lowered himself on top of him, his full weight bearing down on Freddy, his hands grasping Freddy’s wrists and pinning them above his head.

“No, we mustn’t, Emerson. Please-please don’t – ” Freddy gasped as George thrust his pelvis and his hard length jutted against Freddy’s groin. Freddy’s own cock lay trapped between their bellies, though it hardly felt neglected as it was squeezed with every jerk of George’s hips. The friction created by their wet goose-pimpled flesh as George rocked against him was more than Freddy could stand and, yet, not nearly enough.

Desperate to touch himself, Freddy tried to free his bound wrists, but George refused to let go. Freddy wiggled beneath George, groaning as he experienced an even stronger jolt of pleasure. “Please, Emerson. Ge-George. More. I…I want more.”

“Then you shall have it,” George whispered. He released Freddy’s wrists and then reached between them to seize both of their cocks in one hand. Freddy wailed and dug his heels deeper into the bank.

George’s grip was taut and his pace relentless as he pumped their swollen members. Freddy’s hands scrabbled on the bank, clutching the grass in both fists. With each stroke of his hand, George gave a sharp snap of his hips, and Freddy soon found himself meeting those thrusts. They were both panting harshly, their sweat mingling with the water dripping off them. Then Freddy threw back his head, shouting as his climax claimed him. George shuddered and whined then collapsed heavily across Freddy.

Freddy lay on the bank, his eyes closed and his chest heaving. He wondered if he should say something or if it would be better to wait for George to speak first. Perhaps George would simply fade into the woods and there would be no need for words. But what if George fell asleep? Freddy opened his mouth then snapped it shut again when he heard a strange keening noise. It took an instant for Freddy to realize that the sound hadn’t issued from his lips, but must have come from George.

Prying his eyes open, Freddy looked down at George and, seeing his shoulders shaking, knew that George was crying. Freddy slowly lifted a hand to rub George’s back. “You’re in love with Lucy, aren’t you?”

Sobbing too hard to speak, George nodded his head against Freddy’s chest.

Freddy sighed and shook his head. “Silly sod. Why did you have to go and fall in love with her?”

It was a few minutes before George regained his composure and, even then, his voice was hoarse and halting. “I couldn’t help it. You-you can’t flee destiny. One day, it will happen to you, Honeychurch, and then you’ll understand.”

Not if I can bloody help it, Freddy thought. After what he’d just seen of love, he’d rather pass, thank you very much.

George rolled off Freddy and sat up, sniffing and scrubbing at his face. “Freddy, I’ve behaved appallingly,” he said. “I’d ask you to forgive me, but how can I when I know I shall never forgive myself?”

Freddy rose to his feet and held out a hand to George. “Come on. We’d better get cleaned up and dressed before we’re both missed.”

As they were leaving the woods, Freddy couldn’t help glancing back at the Sacred Lake. He knew they would never speak of this again. Their coupling had been but a fleeting moment, as brief and indistinct as a half-remembered dream – or, at least, that was what the experience would probably be for George. As for himself, Freddy suspected that he would never be the same again.

Comments

[2ndskin.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for this ever since you mentioned it--and it is wonderful and surprising! I love the combination of a bit of light, slightly comic Freddy at the start--you show him so in character from the film and so much a teenage boy--nothing can't be solved with a bathe (!) and wanting to escape all the rules and strictures of life with his mother and Lucy . . . but I really was caught up in the surprising and also very in character turn toward a bit of angst and sadness at the end. Freddy's reaction is perfect--and complicated--there is a lot going on in those few lines of dialogue, which I absolutely love. He's confused, excited (always slightly smitten by George, wasn't he?) , resolute (none of this love stuff, thank you very much) and then thinking about his future . . . (just an under gamekeeper????!) as well. This just such a fantastic way of writing a "first-time" and spinning it into a lovely story that I was not expecting. Mwah!!!! (and thanks for the mention of the piano playing--I love that scene so much!)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for this ever since you mentioned it--and it is wonderful and surprising!

Oh, thank you! I'm very happy you enjoyed it! :-) I would have hated to disappoint you considering that you've been waiting for the fic for over a week.

I love the combination of a bit of light, slightly comic Freddy at the start--you show him so in character from the film and so much a teenage boy--nothing can't be solved with a bathe (!) and wanting to escape all the rules and strictures of life with his mother and Lucy . . .but I really was caught up in the surprising and also very in character turn toward a bit of angst and sadness at the end.

I hadn't originally intended for this to be angsty at all. I assumed it would be light, comical, and a bit porny. However, when I sat down to write the fic, it ended up being surprisingly dark. I briefly considered changing that, but then decided that this was the story I was meant to tell and left it alone. Anywaaaay, I'm glad the combination of slightly comic Freddy and the darker material worked for you. :-)

Freddy's reaction is perfect--and complicated--there is a lot going on in those few lines of dialogue, which I absolutely love. He's confused, excited (always slightly smitten by George, wasn't he?) , resolute (none of this love stuff, thank you very much) and then thinking about his future . . . (just an under gamekeeper????!) as well.

To be honest, even I'm not sure of everything that's going on with Freddy at the end, which is probably a good thing. I wanted to leave it open to interpretation based on how the reader sees Freddy and interprets the events of this story. BTW, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that Freddy is slightly smitten by George in the film. *g*

This just such a fantastic way of writing a "first-time" and spinning it into a lovely story that I was not expecting. Mwah!!!!

I'm really delighted that you enjoyed this as it wouldn't have been written in the first place if you hadn't issued the birthday meme challenge. :-)

(and thanks for the mention of the piano playing--I love that scene so much!)

Me too! Freddy's song is one of the highlights of the film for me! :-)

Looking forward to checking out the other Rupert Birthday Meme treasures! :-D

[morganstuart.livejournal.com]

Wow - really well done! Kudos to you.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much, morganstuart! I'm happy you enjoyed it! :-)

BTW, I'm looking forward to reading your birthday offering (http://morganstuart.livejournal.com/8984.html) tonight when I have a bit more time.

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

Mm. I'd say this was definitely worth the time and effort you spent writing it. :) Very nice.

>Emerging from the depths of the pond, Freddy threw back his head, shaking >beads of water from his hair.

I just love the imagery.

It's been ages since I watched A Room With a View, but after reading this I can see Freddy and George in my mind's eye. Thanks :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Mm. I'd say this was definitely worth the time and effort you spent writing it. :) Very nice.

What an extremely kind thing to say! Thank you very much, crimsoncorundum! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! :-D

Emerging from the depths of the pond, Freddy threw back his head, shaking beads of water from his hair.

I just love the imagery.

Believe it or not, it took me about five or six tries before I was satisfied with that sentence. Mostly. *g* I'm very glad you like the imagery presented considering how much I struggled with the writing. Thanks for providing a specific example of what worked for you. :-)

It's been ages since I watched A Room With a View, but after reading this I can see Freddy and George in my mind's eye. Thanks :)

I'm very flattered that you were able to picture Freddy and George after reading this! It's nice to know that I was able to evoke some memories of the film! :-)

The whole movie used to be available on YouTube, but now there only seems to be clips. However, some kind soul put together the Rupert Graves highlights from the film, some of which include scenes with George:



I'd like to read the novel now. The whole book is actually online, so I have no excuse not to read it.

[crimsoncorundum.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the movie clip. :)

I'd like to read the book too now. It's good to know that it's available online. Thanks.

The other day I just realized that Dorothy Sayers' first Lord Peter Wimsey novel is available online too. I'm not sure if that's your kind of thing or not.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the movie clip. :)

No problemo. :-)

I'd like to read the book too now. It's good to know that it's available online. Thanks.

I don't know if there's a better version available, but here's the one I found: http://www.online-literature.com/forster/room_with_view/1/ (http://www.online-literature.com/forster/room_with_view/1/)

The other day I just realized that Dorothy Sayers' first Lord Peter Wimsey novel is available online too. I'm not sure if that's your kind of thing or not.

Well, I read The Nine Tailors some years ago and quite enjoyed that. At some point, I really should try to read the other Lord Peter Wimsey novels.

[jackycomelately.livejournal.com]

The solution to the world's problems—a bath! Hee!

"The night before, it had taken him and Floyd over a quarter of an hour to find their clothes..." Too too funny!

"Of course, the trouble with a nocturnal bathe was that it was so terribly dark." I love the way he states the obvious." Hilarious!

I really like Freddy's voice in this. He's charming!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

The solution to the world's problems—a bath! Hee!

Ironically, I just finished writing a comment in which I informed you that there was no rush to read this fic. *g* Thanks for taking the time to read and comment when you're so insanely busy. It's great that you agree with Freddy's philosophy about bathing. I have a feeling that you two might get along quite well. ;-)

"The night before, it had taken him and Floyd over a quarter of an hour to find their clothes..." Too too funny!

Oh, thank you! :-) I'm happy this gave you a laugh. For some reason, I could picture Freddy losing track of his clothes in the dark -- and subjecting his friend to the same ordeal. *g*

"Of course, the trouble with a nocturnal bathe was that it was so terribly dark." I love the way he states the obvious. Hilarious!

I'm glad this line worked for you too. I don't know if Freddy would actually think about things this way, but it was certainly fun writing him like that! *g*

I really like Freddy's voice in this. He's charming!

Oh, good! I wanted him to seem charming and light-hearted as this is how his character struck me in the film. I'm happy this is how he came across in the story. :-)

If you find Freddy's voice charming then you should see him perform on the piano. You can find it at around 4:20 in the vid below:



Thanks again for taking the time to read this! I really appreciate it! :-D

[karen9.livejournal.com]

So sorry I've only read this now. Since joining merlin_network I've had lots of posts and I forgot to come back to this.

I think you capture Freddie and George's characters so well. I like Freddie's thoughts before and during his swim.

I like Freddie's sympathy for George despite the awkwardness of the situation. I also like the darker tone at the end.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

So sorry I've only read this now. Since joining merlin_network I've had lots of posts and I forgot to come back to this.

No worries. I know what it's like to fall behind with your flist, especially when it comes to particular communities. *g* Not that I was expecting you to read this. I mean, I can understand why it might not be to everyone's taste. I really appreciate you taking the time to check this out and leave feedback. Thank you very much, karen9. :-D

I think you capture Freddie and George's characters so well.

Thanks again! I'm happy to hear that they both seemed in character to you! :-)

I like Freddie's thoughts before and during his swim.

I'm really glad you enjoyed this aspect of the fic. I'm not sure if I got his voice exactly right, but I had a lot of fun writing his thoughts.

I like Freddie's sympathy for George despite the awkwardness of the situation.

It's great to hear that the sympathy worked for you. Freddy struck me as being good-natured enough to show sympathy, despite the awkwardness of the situation. I'd like to think that he has a pretty big heart.

I also like the darker tone at the end.

I have to admit that I've been concerned about the darker tone, so it's really nice to know that you liked it. I hadn't meant for the story to have that darker tone when I started out -- it just seemed to write itself that way. ;-)

[fengirl88.livejournal.com]

the crosscurrents here make such emotional sense - can just see these two in that nineteenth-century tradition of misdirected desire that's routed through a brother or sister of the beloved. I like the way we're left with Freddy changed, but not sure how.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

the crosscurrents here make such emotional sense - can just see these two in that nineteenth-century tradition of misdirected desire that's routed through a brother or sister of the beloved.

Thank you very much, fengirl88! I have to admit that I wasn't consciously upholding this tradition, but maybe it was lurking somewhere in my unconscious. In any case, I'm very happy that this nineteenth century tradition is apparent and the crosscurrents do make sense on an emotional level. :-)

I like the way we're left with Freddy changed, but not sure how.

I think there may be more than one issue here for Freddy. And I wanted to leave it open to interpretation as to just what might have changed. To be honest, I'm not even sure if Freddy is entirely sure what (and how much) has changed.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment! :-)

[kim47.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful ♥ I'd say more, but scrolling through the comments, I think everyone else has it covered :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'll accept "beautiful" -- whether the fic deserves the adjective or not! *g* Thank you very much for your kind words and for taking the time to comment in the first place, kim47! :-D

Love your icon btw! :-)

[grassle.livejournal.com]

Can't believe I've just found this, after rewatching the film! It's wonderful. I love the Sacred Lake being the equivalent of a wood near Athens in 'Dream', or the wilderness in 'Park'. The dialogue and characterisation is spot on.
Love the 'oops' icon!

(Am I correct in thinking this was RG'S first film role?1)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Can't believe I've just found this, after rewatching the film! It's wonderful.

Thank you so much, grassle! I'm very happy you found it! :-D It looks like this was a bit of awesome timing on your part and mine (as I only wrote this about a month ago). *g*

I love the Sacred Lake being the equivalent of a wood near Athens in 'Dream', or the wilderness in 'Park'.

You know, I hadn't thought of the Sacred Lake that way, but you're absolutely right about the parallels. Thanks for pointing that out. :-)

The dialogue and characterisation is spot on.

I'm so glad you think so! Thanks! :-) I tried to be faithful to Forster in that respect.

Love the 'oops' icon!

Ooooh! Thanks again! It turned out better than I'd hoped! :-)

(Am I correct in thinking this was RG'S first film role?)

I'm pretty sure that it is. If it isn't then I'd say it must only be his second or third. I mean, he was so young at the time...Okay, I just visited IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001291/) and A Room with a View is his first big screen film. He was in three TV movies before that.

While I still haven't started the actual writing process for the Charles II: The Power and the Passion parody, I've written down a lot of ideas. I've also made bad cover art as my brain didn't seem to be up for much else earlier in the week. *g*