Fake News: The Interview

[ptahrrific]

Title: The Interview
Rating: PG
Characters/pairings: Stephen(/Jon), Tracey(/Jon)
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.

Summary: Stephen brings on a special guest to discuss tonight's top story.

(How it went down in the Expectingverse.)


The Interview


"But, Nation, we all know the top story tonight: Me.

"Now, I know I say that all the time anyway, but today it's actually true. The tabloids broke it, the blogosphere ran with it, and the mainstream media is still complaining about why it always hears the good gossip last.

"I am talking, of course, about my secret long-time affair with fellow late-night host and noted liberal, Jon Stewart."

A nervous titter ran through the audience. Nobody was quite sure whether to laugh or boo, cheer or aww.

"We all know this kind of salacious scandal is hardest on the poor beleaguered wife," Stephen continued. "Joining me now, the poor beleagured wife: Tracey Stewart!"

The audience burst into enthusiastic applause, partly out of relief that they actually knew what to do. No matter what the circumstances, when a guest comes on, you clap.

Tracey favored them with a gracious wave before shaking Stephen's hand. "Glad to be here, Stephen."

"We're glad to have you," agreed the host, before getting right down to business. "Now, Tracey, were you shocked to hear about this secret affair?"

"Not particularly," said Tracey with a shrug. "I've known about it for years."

"Oh — you mean in the sense that the wife always knows something is wrong?"

"No, I mean in the sense that I agreed to it before it started."

A gasp went up from the crowd.

Tracey ignored them, keeping her attention on Stephen's shrewd gaze. It wasn't hard. He had a way of looking at you that made it feel like there was nothing else in the world but the conversation he was having.

"You agreed to it!" he exclaimed. "So the Stewarts are into three-ways, then? Or freaky orgies where you have no idea whose toes you might be sucking?"

"That sounds a little out-there for me," laughed Tracey. "Besides, between the two of us, he's the only one who wants you that way. And you don't particularly want to sleep with me, do you?"

"God, no!" said Stephen quickly. "Uh, no offense."

"None taken."

(Okay, there had been at least one night when some good-natured teasing between her and Stephen had turned into a surprisingly sexy contest. But that probably didn't count, because their full attention was on, not each other, but the man helplessly panting fragments of both of their names in the middle.

And anyway, the general public didn't need to know about that.)

"To be honest," she added, "back at the beginning, I was a little hesitant to even let you get involved with Jon. Partly because of the general idea, and partly because...well...."

"You knew I wasn't very good at sharing," offered Stephen ruefully.

"Exactly." She smiled. "But you promised to do your best. And, of course, Jon loved you. So I decided to give you a chance — and I'm glad I did. You've made us very happy, Stephen."

Stephen ducked his head to hide a blush. The audience broke into a chorus of awws.

"Well, of course," he stammered, hastily flipping through his note cards for the next question. "I make everyone happy. Obviously. Unless they hate America, or something."

He found the card and looked up again, mostly composed. "So, ah...does it bother you that you can't withhold sex as a weapon any more? I mean, since Jon can just get it on with me if you won't put out."

"I didn't do that in the first place," pointed out Tracey. "But, listen, we're not exactly a free-love commune. If Jon were to sneak off to you on one of my nights, that would be cheating. We do have rules, even though they're not the traditional ones, and we've all agreed to follow them."

Stephen's eyebrows flew upwards. "And that works?"

"It has for the past four years."

Stephen nodded thoughtfully. "So, just to be clear," he said, gesturing with his pen, "you're totally cool with the fact that I'm sleeping with your husband."

"If you can keep sharing him, I can."

"It's a deal." Stephen turned to the camera with a broad grin. "Tracey Stewart, everybody! We'll be right back."

Comments

[seagullsong.livejournal.com]

...I...I would do a heck of a lot to be Jon right now. Lucky bastard.

Yay, you wrote happy!

[gaelic-grl.livejournal.com]

This was nice, I needed this. Haven't smiled a lot in the past few hours.

[deepad]

I.... what? WOT?

::blinks::

This is utterly insane and... um.
Perfect?

Wait, you wrote Stephen? Not "Stephen"?
And its happy?

I realise this comment is incoherent, but its because my mind is caught between 'NGH OMG HAWT' and "WOT THE HELL"

::blinks some more::

Ok, since you're into suddenly doing what I tell you, could we get that threesome scene? Because... YOWZA.

[mynx42.livejournal.com]

You know...it would be six degrees of awesome if this turned into something longer... ::looks hopeful::

[sinstralpride.livejournal.com]

WIN! EPIC WIN. OMFG YES! THIS IS TOTALLY BRILLIANT!!!

BECAUSE OMG THEY'RE HAVING AN "AFFAIR" AND THE NEWS FOUND OUT AND TRACY AND STEPHEN ARE SHARING AND THE MENTAL IMAGES ARE SOME OF THE BEST FUCKING THINGS THAT HAVE EVER HAPPENED TO MY BRAIN! PLEASE TELL ME YOU WILL BE EXTENDING THIS SOMEHOW? EVEN IF IT'S JUST JON AND STEPHEN FLIRTING DURING A TOSS!!

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

YOU OWN MY SOUL.

♥ Sin

[srevans.livejournal.com]

zomg, because REAL Stephen can SHARE, it works! And then fake Stephen gets to deflect from his personal life by addressing it as character and asking pointlessly absurd questions highlighting the silliness of traditional monogamy!

Also he gets to break character and blush. D'AWW. ♥

[stellar-dust.livejournal.com]

TRACEY!!!! :: ♥!


(This is character!Stephen? I read it as -- well, me being me, I clearly read it as very like SoG!character!Stephen. But the rest of the commenters see real!Stephen ...?

"You knew I wasn't very good at sharing," offered Stephen ruefully. -- "Exactly." She smiled. "But you promised to do your best...."

^^ "Stephen" all the way. A happy, healthy version, but "Stephen".

C!Stephen's allowed to have flustered moments on his show, too - blushes don't always have to mean "character break."

Hmm. I'm not wrong, am I?)

[sarcasticsra]

I, too, read this as stellar_dust did: "Stephen", but clearly a less, uh, emotionally unstable version. He's just matured a little. =P

And it was, of course, completely awesome.

Okay, there had been at least one night when some good-natured teasing between her and Stephen had turned into a surprisingly sexy contest. But that probably didn't count, because their full attention was on, not each other, but the man helplessly panting fragments of both of their names in the middle.

...ooooh, lucky Jon! Of course, being Jon, I'm sure appreciates that. =P

[nova-mist.livejournal.com]

Dear God, girl! A happy fic! I'm shocked! ;)

No, in all seriousness, that was lovely! As always, your wonderful dialogue and characterisations make your work a delight to read! The interaction between Tracey and Stephen was sharp and funny, too!

All round, great work! :)

[nenya_kanadka]

Happy, happy fangirl! I have such a kink for happy!sharing, and this fandom gets so very much angst. So YAY. :D

And this?

Okay, there had been at least one night when some good-natured teasing between her and Stephen had turned into a surprisingly sexy contest. But that probably didn't count, because their full attention was on, not each other, but the man helplessly panting fragments of both of their names in the middle.

Gives such lovely mental images. Somebody want to write this out? *bats eyelashes* Y'all know there's a kinkmeme going on right now, right....?

[pr-scatterbrain.livejournal.com]

I so heart this fic (and the Expecting 'verse this is secretly related too); it was sweet, funny, and rather touching in parts. Wonderful work.

[klaudyna.livejournal.com]

Okay, there had been at least one night when some good-natured teasing between her and Stephen had turned into a surprisingly sexy contest. But that probably didn't count, because their full attention was on, not each other, but the man helplessly panting fragments of both of their names in the middle.

Oh, the mental image... That was absolutely lovely and made me happy. And personally I'm with those who see it as c!Stephen who's matured a bit but I could get behind both interpretations.

[daydreamer64.livejournal.com]

dajfnlknsf HAPPY FIC WAS HAPPY. I'M IN LOVE. ♥

"Stephen" sharing? Tracey totally still being a dom about the rules? Jon=luckiest man on Earth? THIS IS WHY YOU'RE AMONG MY FAVORITE WRITERS.

And sdnalaksnv damn do I want to see that threesome. *A*

[slash4femme.livejournal.com]

wow. That's a really interesting and intriguing idea and you pulled it off so well.

[bleeding-iris.livejournal.com]

I love how you make Tracey someone likable, because so often in affair fics the wife is the one who becomes the villain. And adorable!Stephen is, as always, adorable.

[punkishgrin.livejournal.com]

"Joining me now, the poor beleaguered wife: Tracey Stewart!" LOL, I love it when he does that:)

Yay, happy story(albeit it was a long, angsty time coming in this universe, but still...) And just to join the Stewart/Colbert sandwich squee

OMGSTEWARTCOLBERTSANWICHOMGTHATWASTHEHOTTESTIMAGEIVEHADINALOOOOOOOONGTIME!!!!!!!!!!111

[whiterabbit1613.livejournal.com]

EPIC WIN! :D :D :D

[holly-cullen.livejournal.com]

Happyfic? From YOU? The one who wrote "Grey, and oh so soft" and "State of Grace"? *implode*

It was great, though. :)

[pwink--dolphin.livejournal.com]

This made made me happyyyyyy. Actually, anything with Tracey makes me happy, because the wives rock my socks off, but THIS. It's like combining my two favorite pairings into one. Like twist ice cream.

The part in parenthesis? Made me extremely happy. Like, I was smiling and about to jump up and down. And I'm normally quite a reserved person.

Jon contest between Tracey and Stephen pleeaase? *puppy eyes*