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Round 2 Story Title: Loving You
Author: Niki
Fandom: The Birdcage
Rating: PG
Pairing: Armand/Albert
Spoiliers: Not many. Val and Barbara show up. Watching the movie first will help you better understand the fic.
Summary: Armand catches a cold and hides it from Albert until it’s worsens.
Bunny: #15

Loving You

Armand started chewing his third piece of gum that morning.  Usually he hated gum.  He found the chewing motion very cow like, and only put up with it when either his son, Val, or his house-boy, Agador, insisted.  But, this morning he was having a difficult time concentrating and, for the first time, Agador’s logic of gum helping him concentrate made perfect sense. He also figured if he continued chewing gum his ears would pop and his odd headache and dulled senses would go away.

“Let’s try it again, from the top,” he instructed Albert.  He cleared his throat and continued chewing.

Albert was wearing a dark blue sequined gown with matching satin gloves.  He wore his favorite pearl ring on his right hand, and fidgeted with it as he watched his partner, director, lover and friend chewing gum.  Armand never chewed gum.  In fact, Albert had stopped chewing gum himself because of Armand’s disdain for it.  “Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Armand?” he asked as he reset the stage and prepared himself to begin “All that Jazz” again.

“Yes, thank you, Albert, “Armand answered.  He wasn’t.  He knew he wasn’t.  And, the more he chewed his gum the more he realized that his headache wasn’t dissipating.  No, in fact it was getting worse.

“You taking pills?” Agador, the house servant, asked Armand, as he stared at him oddly.

“Yes, I have a splitting headache and I don’t want Albert to find out,” Armand answered.

“But, you don’t take pills,” Agador said, prodding for more information.  In the five years that he had worked for them, he had never seen Armand take pills.  In fact, Armand would often get upset with Albert for taking pills. 

“Yes, well,” he whirled around and brought his hand up to his face.  “Hissshhh!” he sneezed wetly.  “Damn!” he swore, pulling his handkerchief out of his pocket, and wiping off his hand. 

“Ah ha! You’re getting sick,” Agador stated.  It wasn’t a question. 

“I am not getting sick,” Armand said, folding his handkerchief and putting it back in his pocket.

“You are!  You don’t ever sneeze, and you don’t take pills.”

Frustrated that he had been caught, Armand stalked out of the living room. 

Not to be shut out, Agador followed him.  “Does Miss Albert know?”  He always called Albert by the feminine titles because, in this partnership, he took over the feminine roles.

Armand stopped in his tracks and turned around.  “No.  And you’re not going to tell him.  Val and Barbara are coming later and I don’t want him to put up a fuss.  You know the way he gets.”

Agador scratched the side of his face.  It was true that Albert would make a fuss, but he only did that because he loved Armand with all his heart.  “I’m not going to let you lie to her.  She needs to be treated delicately.  You know that,” Agador insisted.  He remembered a time when Albert had thought Armand was leaving him.  The stress was unbearable.  He couldn’t watch him go through that again.

“And that’s why I’m not telling him.  He needs to concentrate on the show tonight.”

“You’ll tell him after the show?” Agador demanded in a threatening tone.

“Do I have a choice?”

“No!” Agador took advantage of the question.  “’cause if you don’t tell him I will.”

Armand sighed, and felt his head fill with the blurriness of congestion as he admitted defeat.

The night was a perfect 74 degreen (F).  Albert had just taken the stage when he saw it.  Val and Barbara.

He did a double take, nearly missing his cue. 

Barbara smiled at Albert as she and Val were seated.  They weren’t nearly as regular of visitors as they would have liked, but neither of them was working late for once. 

Val went and got them drinks and the two of them settled in for Albert’s performance. 

After the performance, Albert went straight to their table.

“Valy!” he exclaimed, giving him a hug.  “Barbara! I’m so happy to see you.”  He kissed her on both cheeks and sat down at their table.

“Starina,” Val started, calling Albert by his stage name, since he was still in costume, “where’s my dad?”

A sad look crossed Albert’s face.  “Upstairs.”

“What do you mean upstairs? He always watches you perform.”  This didn’t sound right at all.

“Not tonight, Valy.  He… he’s been acting strangely.”  Albert was getting obviously upset. 

Barbara put her hand on Albert’s arm.  “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she soothed.  “Val, will you go talk to your dad?”

“Yea,” Val said getting up and going back stage.

“Dad?” Val asked entering the house.  Everything looked like it usually did.  The furniture and art was impeccably placed, dusted and polished. Agador was in the kitchen, half dressed, dancing to something on his walkman. 

Figuring that his dad was out on the veranda, Val walked through the living room and outside. Much to his surprise his dad wasn’t out there.

“Excuse me,” Agador said behind him.  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be here.”

But, when Val turned around, his attitude switched immediately.  “Oh! I’m so sorry.  Does your father know you’re here?”

“No, I haven’t seen him yet,” Val answered.

“Ohhh…” Agador said, his voice trailing off.  He started scratching behind his neck and fidgeting uncomfortably. 

“Agador, what’s going on?  My dad’s never missed one of Albert’s shows.  What… just….” He started getting flabbergasted, and slightly worried.

Agador scratched his head.  “He’s in his bedroom.”

“Is he okay?” Val asked, more than just slightly worried.

“Go,” Agador said before he went back into the kitchen.

“Dad?” Val asked, slowly entering his dad and Albert’s bedroom.  He was surprised to see Armand, fully dressed and sound asleep on top of his covers.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and shook his dad awake.  “Dad?” he whispered.

Slowly, Armand pulled his eyes opened.  “Val? What are you doing here?”  He tried to push himself up, but found himself weaker than he remembered being before he went to sleep. “What time is it?”

“Late.  You missed Albert’s performance.”  He watched his father struggle to get up, and felt like his heart was breaking.  “Dad, what’s going on?”

“Heh-eeshissh!” Armand sneezed to the side, putting his hand up to guard his son.

“You’re sick,” Val said.

Armand sighed.  There was no use arguing.  Val knew him better than anyone else.  He could read him better and faster than anyone – even Albert.

“Does Albert know?” Val asked.  He knew what the answer would be. If Albert knew, Barbara’s situation right now would be so much easier.

“Come now, Starina, I’m sure it’s nothing to fret over.”  She and Albert had retreated to the restroom when he started to cry.

Several adoring fans tried to help by giving tissues and pats on the arm.  But, what he needed was to know that Armand was still in love with him and that he wasn’t being shut out.

“Oh Barbara,” Albert said, trying to repress the tears, “my dear sweet Barbara.  Valy did right by marrying you.”

“And Armand did right by signing the palimony papers with you.  He loves you, Starina, he does.”  Albert could be dramatic, but she had never seen him this worried before. 

“You’re sweet dear.  But, you’re young.  If Val leaves you, you’ll find somebody else.  Who’s going to take me?  Who’s going to love a fat old … he-she like me?!”  He burst into tears and folded into Barbara’s welcoming arms.

Armand and Val had moved to the dining room and Agador brought them tea.

“Are you going to tell Miss Albert now?” Agador prodded.

Armand sniffed heavily.  “I have to.  I missed his show.”  Quickly he brought his handkerchief to his face.  “Hehshump!”

“Bless you,” Val said.

“Don’t.” Armand said, his voice heavy with congestion.  “No blessings.  Just a look.”

“Sorry.  The Keely’s are just…”

“The Keely’s,” Armand finished for him.  “Eh-Shump!”

“Come on Albert,” Barbara prodded.  She had gotten him up the stairs and into the hallway.  But, he was set against going into their home. “Albert,” she pulled him close again and let him simper into her shoulder. “It’s okay.  He loves you. I know he does.”

When he started to cry harder she changed her tactic.

“I’ll stay with you.  You don’t have to face him along.”

Albert looked into her caring brown eyes. “You’re a dear.  I can face Armand.  Come, let’s go in.”

As soon as they opened the door, Albert saw him.  Instantly, the tears stopped. “Armand.  You’re sick,” he said rushing up to him.

“Wha?”  His breath started coming in pants again.  The tea was doing it’s job.

“The tea, the way you’re sitting hunched.  Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Heh-Shump!” Armand sneezed into his handkerchief.

“My poor dear.  To bed with you.”

Val and Barbara gave each other knowing looks as Albert hustled Armand into their bedroom.

“Armand,” Albert said, sitting next to him on the bed.  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to worry.  You had a show.”

“Which you missed…”

“You’ve been crying.”

“What?” Albert asked, his train of thought having been derailed.

“You’re eyes… you’ve been crying.  What happened?  Was it Mongo?”

“Mongo?” then Albert remembered the young Brazillian who had issues with keeping his hands to himself.  “No, it’s not that.”

Tracing his fingers down the side of Alberts’ face, he felt a twinge of guilt. “It was me then? My erratic behavior?”

Albert nodded. 

Armand opened his arms.  “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.  But, then I fell asleep. And by that time, I didn’t feel well enough to go downstairs.”

“You still love me?” Albert asked.  “Even though I’m an old insecure fool?”

“I still love you.  I can’t picture my life without you,” Armand said as he wrapped his arms around Albert and held him close.
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