Under the Influence by InSilva

Disclaimer: oh, do not own anything Ocean's Eleveny but it's so very nice to dream.

Summary: One-shot. In which Linus discovers a thing or two about the limits of friendship.

A/N: hypothetically, if someone had a birthday and that someone was asked if there was any particular fic they wanted, this might result. ;) Unhypothetically, happy birthday, mate!

Like an Act of God, DannyandRusty whelmed over you; swamping like a monsoon, consuming like a tornado, crushing like an avalanche. They dazzled like the midday sun, blinding and brilliant and you gravitated round them, happy to spend time in the warmth. And normally, all that was fine and wonderful. Once in a while…

There was a heavy knock at the door. Actually, not really a knock. More of a heavy thump. Instincts made him vaguely worried right up to the point where he heard the giggle: then, he wrenched the door open.

"Linus!"

"Look, it's Linus!"

"I said that. I told you."

"It's Linus!"

"You said that already. Don't you listen to you?"

"I listen to you. Doesn't that count?"

"Guys…" Linus stood helplessly as first Rusty and then Danny smiled at him and edged into the apartment. "Guys…"

"Good to see you too, Linus," Rusty nodded and then darted forward and picked up an object from the side of the couch. "Is this a unicycle?"

"Yes," Linus frowned. Not the point. "What are you doing here?"

Danny beamed. "We thought we'd look you up. Let's look Linus up, we thought. So we did. We do. We are. We're here."

He smiled proudly to himself as he reached the end of the speech and an expression of disbelief waved over Linus's face. Surely not…

"You're drunk…" he breathed.

"He's not."

"You're drunk!" he repeated with more conviction.

"Am not!" Danny denied.

With fascinated horror, Linus watched him concentrating on not swaying, then Danny gave up the battle and leaned against the open door.

"Maybe 'm a little bit drunk," he whispered and held up his thumb and forefinger, indicating how much he thought a little was. "Don't tell Rusty. Hey!" Danny wandered in mostly a straight line over to the couch and Rusty. "Is that a unicycle?"

"Yes." Still not the point. Linus checked his watch. "It's nearly seven o'clock in the evening. When did you start drinking?"

Rusty squinted at Danny. "Six o'…?"

"Six o'clock," Danny confirmed.

"This morning?" Linus checked.

"Yesterday morning," Rusty corrected.

"It was a different timezone," Danny added as if that helped clear things up.

Rusty was staring at the unicycle in his hands. "You know-"

"I do know," Danny interrupted indignantly.

"Of course, you'd have to think about-"

"Exactly!"

"And then again-"

"-less wheels. I know."

The indignation suddenly seemed to register and Rusty broke off from unicycle contemplation to blink at Danny.

"I was talking to Linus," he said patiently.

"Huh." Danny sounded mollified. "Well, alright then."

OK. The strange and the extraordinary and the weird (the usual) and he'd been slightly sidetracked (as usual) but enough.

"Guys, it's really good – great – to see you again," Linus began.

"But."

"But?"

"It's really not a good time."

There was silence and Danny and Rusty stood and looked at him and he felt the weight of explanation expectation.

"I've got a date," he said eventually, rather lamely, and he waited for some sort of… something. A bit of banter, a quick remark, an aside, a-a something.

"Wow," Danny said. "That's nice."

"It is nice," Rusty agreed. "What's her name, Linus?"

Her name was Georgia. She was ginger curls and blue eyes and freckles and she said she didn't think she looked anything special but she looked special enough to Linus. She was special.

They'd met at an auction where he'd been discreetly buying a painting for his mom's birthday. Georgia'd been in his life for two solid weeks now and the two weeks had been wonderful and two days had been long enough for him to be halfway in love and to take her to Rome for a weekend. He'd followed up with flowers every day and taken her for meals in fun restaurants and tried to find even more fun things that he thought she'd like as a present. A package to adopt a penguin, a Harry Potter first edition, a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon… Spending money had never been so enjoyable.

He'd surprised her with orchids as she'd sat on the park bench, bestickered laptop on her knee.

"You mustn't spend all your lottery win on me, Linus."

"It's nice to share."

He'd loosened up. Georgia had loosened him up. Not that his parents understood.

"Linus, dear-"

"What your mother's trying to say is-"

"I don't want to hear it!" he'd snapped.

They didn't want to hear that he didn't want to hear. And he knew they were protective – overly protective – and they wanted the best for him. His happiness. Just that he didn't understand why they didn't understand.

"Don't you think it's all a little sudden?"

"It wasn't too sudden for you and Dad, was it?" he'd pointed out.

"Look, Linus, just because she doesn't have a record-"

"You pulled a sheet on her?" He'd stared, horrified at his father. "You investigated her?"

He'd stopped taking their calls. He'd told them he didn't want to see them at the moment because at the moment, all there was was...

..."Georgia. Georgia Langley. She's an art teacher."

"She's also stood right here," said an amused female voice behind him. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Georgia was indeed standing in the open doorway, smiling at Danny and Rusty. Oh, God. They didn't need any encouragement at the best of times. Their smile was immediate and captivating, intense enough to be scary and thrilling enough to turn a girl's head.

"Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan," Linus muttered.

With a sense of dread and through half-screwed up eyes, he looked in Georgia's direction, wondering if she was looking frightened or interested: he worried that he was secretly hoping for the former. Georgia wasn't looking anything of either sort and her smile hadn't disappeared. It had widened.

"You friends of Linus?"

"Good friends," Rusty said.

"Old friends," Danny added.

"So I see," Georgia smiled. "What's with the unicycle?"

"I'm running away to join the circus," Rusty said with a straight face and she giggled.

"Actually, the guys just called by to say 'Hi'," Linus said hurriedly. "Guys, Georgia and I are going to go out for a meal-"

"Oh, we'd love to come!" Danny said heartily, crossing to Georgia and kissing her hand effusively. "Rusty and I adore eating. Him more than me."

Georgia giggled again.

"It's kind of a private thing," Linus explained and there was an edge to his voice that he couldn't keep out.

"We are the souls of discretion," Rusty announced. "And I just bet Georgia wants to hear all the good stories."

"We know all the good stories," Danny said solemnly and his eyes were twinkling.

"And all the other stories," Rusty added and his eyes were sparkling.

The twinkle and the sparkle were irresistible. Dully, Linus watched the effect on Georgia.

"They have to join us, don't they, Linus?"

Apparently, they had to.

The brief walk to the restaurant was one that Linus had hoped would be romantic and full of hand-holding and sweet nothings. Instead, as he trudged along, half a step behind the other three, it turned into the Danny-and-Rusty show.

Story after story, joke after joke. Georgia's laughter floated through the air and Linus tried not to mind too much. They couldn't help it. A new audience and someone to impress and it wasn't as if they probably even knew what they were doing. Charismatic and people people and Georgia was obviously drawn to them like a flame, like a hundred others would be.

"Linus helped us trap a cougar once," Danny said.

"Real man-eater," Rusty embellished.

"It was a close thing."

"But Linus won by a nose."

And that didn't even make sense as a story and it was a huge in-joke anyway and still there was something in their delivery that made Georgia laugh loudly.

He hadn't heard her laugh like that before.

He tried not to mind too much.

Sitting across the dinner table from Danny and Rusty, Linus smiled plasticly as the fast and the funny fell out of them. The charm was out in full force and Georgia wasn't even looking at him.

There was one tiny point that Linus would grudgingly admit he was pleased about. Danny and Rusty weren't completely monopolising the conversation. They were quickfire and questioning and interested in Georgia. They were doing what Mom and Dad had failed to do and actually meet Georgia and find out about her. (They were finding out things that even he didn't know – her first pet had been a chinchilla called Arnold…her mother's full name had been Jennifer Genevieve Adams…). They were asking her about her work. (And that was a really socially awkward condition for Monet to die from). Yes, that side of things, Linus was definitely OK with.

And he was OK with Georgia keeping up with them, matching them, throwing back answers and questions of her own.

"So, any allergies?"

"Danny's allergic to manual labour."

"Rusty's allergic to the truth."

More giggles. Linus sighed to himself. The guys were just the guys. It was the way they were…they way they always would be. He couldn't blame them and he certainly couldn't blame Georgia. Just that…

Just that he hadn't wanted this tonight. The little velvet box with the large diamond ring inside sat in his pocket like a lead weight. Tonight had been about asking Georgia, wonderful, adventurous Georgia to join him on the biggest adventure of all. And instead, he was a spectator at his own engagement dinner.

Linus sighed again. There'd be later, back at his apartment. Not quite so romantic, maybe, but still…

He tried not to mind too much.

By the time dessert arrived, he was past trying. He minded very much and he wasn't above showing it. It had become obvious that Danny and Rusty had invited themselves to stay with him and equally obvious that he couldn't deny them without coming over as unreasonable and ungracious in front of Georgia.

Linus glared at Rusty. Alcohol might have dulled both Danny and Rusty's senses as far as the impact of their general conduct but it wasn't dampening those damn irritating orgasmic noises Rusty was making over the chocolate crème brûlée.

Georgia pushed her blackcurrant cheesecake to one side and grinned at Linus.

"I think I'd like what he's having."

Danny ordered her a portion. And Linus continued to glare at Rusty on full dazzle.

As coffees came, Danny excused himself and stepped away to the men's room. Linus glanced at Rusty, leaning forward across the table in the middle of one of those interminable tales, the narrative compelling and delivered by a master at work. Georgia's eyes were wide, her head bent forward over the table, mouth parted, thoroughly engrossed.

Of course, she was engrossed, Linus thought savagely. This was Rusty. The sex appeal was just throbbing from him. And Rusty's eyes were bright and his lips were glistening and this was his girl. There was a limit to how much Linus was ready to excuse on grounds of friendship and nature and alcohol. Linus's fists clenched tightly under the table. He counted to ten slowly, managed the anger and went to find Danny.

Danny was washing his hands in the otherwise empty restroom.

"Danny, please," Linus said and the so-many-emotions brought tears prickling to the back of his eyes and words failed him. Words failed him but that was alright because this was Danny and Danny could fill in the gaps-

"What is it, Linus?"

Danny was still swaying slightly and his smile was gentle and uncomprehending and Linus wanted to weep.

"Rusty…Georgia…" he made an inarticulate noise of pain. "Please, Danny."

Please, Danny, because Rusty didn't need to. Rusty was Jolene. Please, Danny, because this was Georgia and he'd never been quite so bewitched so quickly. Please, Danny, because this was Rusty and only one person had true influence over him.

Please. Danny, please.

There was the faintest hint of sympathy in the Danny's expression and then that disappeared and Danny was laughing.

"You're imagining things, Linus."

Danny sounded sure. Very, very sure. And reassured, Linus walked back to the table with him.

Rusty and Georgia had vanished.

"I was wrong, kid," Danny was mumbling in the back of the taxi-cab. "I'm sorry."

Linus said nothing and stared out of the window and thought about trust and betrayal and heroes with feet of clay.

Still wrapped up in his thoughts, he only realised that Danny had followed him up to the apartment when his key was already in the lock. He opened his mouth to object, to deny entry, to throw Danny out on the streets. To punish Danny for his part in the evening. Then his shoulders sagged.

"Come on in," he invited tiredly.

After all, he didn't have to like either of them again but he might yet be able to salvage a professional relationship. He'd heard about Gregg Norton who had fallen out with Eric Watts and who were still working together some fifteen years later. They didn't speak to each other outside of business but business itself was extremely profitable.

"You know where the spare bedroom is," Linus said over his shoulder. "I'm off to bed."

Sleep came surprisingly quickly.

Linus was woken up by the sound of a conversation being held at a volume just fractionally louder than it should have been. He knew those whispers. Flinging the bedroom door open, he hit the lights for the living room and found Rusty had indeed returned.

"Linus…" Danny began, his voice calming and soothing. "Linus, please…"

Linus wasn't listening. He strode up to Rusty and stared him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, kid," Rusty said quietly and Linus's fist had connected with Rusty's jaw before he knew it.

Rusty didn't fight back. Rusty knew what he had done. Linus pulled his arm back for another punch but Danny stepped in between them.

"We're sorry, Linus. Really, we are. We wish things could have been different."

Rusty had moved away to the kitchen worktop and was bending over a laptop covered in Betty Boop stickers.

"That's Georgia's," Linus said at once and at once, felt ridiculous. All things considered, it was likely that Rusty knew that.

The laptop flared into life and without hesitation, Rusty entered the password. Curious in spite of himself, Linus edged closer and read over Rusty's shoulder. He read the file name on the desktop.

"Girl About Town. What's that? A story she's writing?"

A sad smile flicked on and off Rusty's face. "Kind of."

Kind of. There was nothing kind about it. It was a diary.

"April 1st

So, intrepid readers, let me and my laptop share with you my latest conquest. He's pretty and he's rich and he's over thirty and still cares what his parents think. No, that's not an April Fool's joke.

My mission is to see how quickly I can get him to propose. Don't worry, readers. He's already taken me to Rome for the weekend. I don't think it'll be long before I have a ring on my finger. Of course, once I've got the ring, it's coming off my finger and straight down to a pawn shop...

He skipped to the next entry.

April 2nd

Can you believe it? Today, my true love gave to me a penguin. He thinks he's being quirky and charming. The moron has no idea how to treat a woman. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, Linus. Get it right!"

There were other entries, many others, and white-faced, he read. Spiteful and cruel words and he recognised things he'd said and done, all held up to ridicule. The final entry was dated that day.

"I really think my cute little Linus!dork is going to pop the question soon. He keeps getting this dreamy look in his eyes. It makes me feel positively nauseous.

Never fear, readers! I will post a photo of the ring as soon as I have it. I bet it is huge and hideous!"

Feeling sick, Linus pushed the laptop away and looked at Rusty, a red mark blooming where Linus had hit him.

"I'm sorry, kid," Rusty said softly.

"We're sorry, Linus," Danny echoed.

"How did you know?" he heard himself ask.

"Little research," Rusty said.

"Like what?" he demanded.

"Tailed her for a couple of days," Danny explained. "She's a freelance writer. This is a column for one of the women's magazines."

"This is...?" He swallowed and Danny shook his head.

"This is a work in progress. It isn't published. But-"

"We read back issues-"

"We were worried-"

"We don't want to see you hurt, Linus."

"We don't want to see anyone hurt you."

"Bit fucking late for that," he muttered. He looked at Rusty. "And tonight?"

Rusty had the grace to look awkward.

"Danny tailed you to the jewellers earlier. We couldn't let you have any time alone with her, just in case."

"Rusty had already searched her place-"

"Couldn't find the laptop-"

"So we had to do what we did tonight."

Linus stared at Rusty. "You seduced her."

"Only up to a point." Rusty qualified. "I'm sorry, Linus. I had to get invited back to her flat so that I could start the fake fire."

Fake fire. To smoke out her most valuable possession.

"Had to see where she'd hidden the laptop. Once everything was calmed down again, I suggested she go and slip into something more comfortable and I took the laptop and slipped out the door."

Linus stared at him and saw guilt and anxiety and sorrow and caring in his eyes. He didn't need to look at Danny to know that his eyes held the same reflection.

"Mom and Dad put you up to this, didn't they?"

"They care about you, Linus."

"And they have good instincts."

He let out a shaky breath and thought he could taste the ashes of broken dreams.

"I thought I was in love. I thought it was the real thing."

Rusty and Danny looked at each other.

"Whisky."

"Chocolate."

"Movie."

It was later or possibly closer to early and the three of them were slumped on the couch watching "Sleuth" and putting the world and the film to rights.

"That cop looks like Michael Caine," Linus frowned.

"He is Michael Caine," Rusty told him confidently.

Linus shook his head. "Michael Caine's dead."

"Michael Caine's dead?" Danny queried with surprise.

"Not a lot of people know that," Rusty said.

There was a silence for a while as they all digested that thought.

"I'm glad you weren't jerks," Linus announced suddenly. "I wouldn't have liked you as much."

"I'm glad we're not jerks too," Danny agreed.

Rusty said nothing and they both turned to see him staring silently at the unicycle.

"Seriously, Linus, why?" Danny asked for both of them.

A faint rose-blush tinged Linus's cheeks.

"Linus!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Nothing like that," Linus hissed. "I got it a month or so back. There's a little boy down the hall and he's having a birthday party. His mom's promised him a clown. I bumped into her in the laundry and we got talking and I said I'd be the clown. I just thought I'd make a dramatic entrance."

"Can you ride it?" Rusty asked.

"How hard can it be?" Linus shrugged. "You never forget how to ride a bicycle."

"Yeah. You have counted the wheels, right?"

"Is she nice?" Danny was studying his whisky glass. "The mom, I mean?"

"She's very nice," Linus nodded. "Lives on her own. Kid's cute too. Takes after her."

His voice had grown softer and it was with a jolt that he realised Danny and Rusty were staring at him with almost identical smiles.

"Guys, there's nothing like that going on," he denied.

"Not yet," Danny agreed.

"Future's unpredictable," Rusty suggested.

Linus opened his mouth to protest further and was stopped by the memory of a shy blond woman looking up at him from under her lashes. Ginger curls suddenly seemed miles away. Huh. He popped two squares of chocolate in his mouth instead. This bore thinking about.

A/N: Yes, yes, I know. A little Irene Adler, a little Adelbert Gruner. Acknowledging the Holmesian influence. ;)