A Balance of Harmonies: Truce
Feb. 25th, 2012 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warSo I looked up all the names I use from the stories that I’ve posted places (ones just sitting on my computer don’t count) and I found 450 unique names out of a little over 500. John appears the most, five times. But many of these names are for people who never appear and if they do appear, never speak and if they do speak, they only have one line (in one story has two characters, but fifteen ex girlfriends are named in passing). The least number of names I’ve used in a story is three (two mains and a mother) and Harmonies looks like it’s going to surpass Together for most names even before I add the characters from the three side stories.
Title: Truce
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter fifty-eight of many
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: bad acting, playing nice, no blood, smiles, a truce, resting, signing, kisses, flowers, good news, sleep, ringing, demands, a tinge of jealousy, exercise, call, happiness, morning, tattoos
Length: about 2,000 words
Summary: Peregrine makes peace with his dad. Kurt gets good news. And Emil gets a lovely phone call.
Master list
Peregrine sat beside Dad’s bedside as Mom kissed Dad goodbye. She was going to pick up the kids from school and bring them up to the hospital. After that, Peregrine was going to find some place for him and Emil to sleep for a few hours. When was the last time he’d slept? And for how long?
Mom smiled at him. “Be good, you two.”
Peregrine tapped his foot on the bed. “I’ll be as good as he will.”
“I’ll be an angel,” Dad said, his eyes wide with bad acting.
“You two.” Mom laughed. “Emil, watch over them, will you? And break up any fights.”
Emil raised his eyebrows. Peregrine took his hand and kissed it. “I promise not to cause you any problem.”
Emil smiled. “Your problems are all worth the effort.”
Dad sighed loudly. “Will you two quit flaunting—”
Mom raised her hand. “I’ve got to go. No blood, ok?”
Dad sighed. “No blood.”
Mom turned toward the door.
“Lisa,” Dad sat up, grunted, and lay back on his pillows. “You didn’t make him promise.”
Peregrine sighed and turned away. Emil wrapped his arms around Peregrine’s shoulders. “I think she means not ripping out any of your stitches, and not a knock out, drag out fight. Do you actually think Peregrine would hit you?”
Emil was so wonderful, Peregrine could never deserve him.
Dad leaned back. “No.”
Mom sent Emil a very happy smile and walked out the door.
Peregrine leaned against Emil. “Truce.”
Dad stared at his blanket. “Truce.”
“And as terms of the peace treaty, I promise not to flaunt my sexuality if you agree not to flaunt yours.”
Dad stared at him. “I never flaunt mine.”
“You kissed Mom.”
“Yeah, but…”
Peregrine smiled. He’d already won.
--
Emil snuggled into the comfortable-to-sit-in-but-not-to-sleep-in easy chair. He was so tired. Peregrine and his father were ironing out the details of their truce. John didn’t seem to realize all the things he would be denying himself. Emil had promised to type the whole thing out once they finished so they could both sign it.
That seemed a bit too far to Emil.
But then, during his time in foster care, he’d realized that all families were different. He was really very lucky. Dad was a great father to have.
--
Peregrine signed his name, with its added falcon then handed the pen to Dad. Dad pointed at the bird. “So you like your name.”
“What’s not to like?”
Dad signed and Emil taped the contract to the bottom of one of the monitors, where it could easily be seen by all.
Peregrine’s littlest siblings burst through the door, Mom not far behind. She walked over to Dad’s bed and he raised his face to hers.
“Mom,” Peregrine held up his hand. “Dad and I came to terms. You might want to read it.”
She smiled and then kissed Dad.
Peregrine pointed at the treaty. “According to article seven, that kiss means I get to kiss Emil.”
And he did.
“Hey, wait,” Dad said, “your saying that says I can’t kiss my own wife.”
Mom looked over the paper. She turned to Dad. “You signed away the privilege of holding my hand?”
“Mommy,” said Tinúviel, “I’ll hold your hand.”
Mom took her hand. “Thank you. My hand was very lonely.”
“That only applies when we are both in the room. So we will leave you now.”
Peregrine gestured for Emil to follow him. He needed sleep beside Emil. What time was it? Was Kurt home from work yet? If not, they always had the message he’d left this morning.
--
Kurt’s phone rang, but he didn’t answer it. He had forgotten to thank the secretaries adequately for their help getting Peregrine safely and quickly to California, so today he’d brought flowers and chocolates to them. Two, who he sadly couldn’t name, thanked him for brightening the office.
He waited until they had gone before he pulled out his phone. He’d missed a call from his realtor. His phone rang again. She’d called back. He stepped to the side of the hallway and answered it.
“Hello! Kurt Skyles? You got the condo!” Sarah sounded like she was bouncing. She hadn’t seemed like a woman that bounced. “The short sale is going through! I hadn’t expected to hear for weeks! I’m so glad!”
Of course the sale would go through now that Emil wasn’t around to sign it. “When can we sign?”
She pulled herself together. “Not until Friday at the earliest.”
Friday. Once they signed, they would need to give Rowe time to move, and then holes had to be knocked out between the condos. And they still hadn’t decided what they wanted the condo to look like.
But maybe he should look into contractors.
And tell his men.
He thanked her and walked down to his office with a spring in his step.
--
Emil blinked his eyes open. Had something woken him up. He couldn’t have gotten enough sleep; the sun was still up. The phone rang in the hall. Emil carefully climbed out of bed. Peregrine didn’t wake up enough to roll over into the empty space. Good. He needed his sleep.
The phone stopped ringing as Emil pulled his shorts on, but he finished getting dressed. The bed was tempting, but he might accidentally wake Peregrine up.
He walked out into the living room. The house felt weird empty, like it was impatiently waiting for its family to get home.
Emil pulled out his lap top and looked over his draft of the picture book. Monkey finds that his friend Phoenix is playing with Dragon, not on the ground like Peregrine prefers, but up on the cliff tops. Phoenix won’t even sit in a tree with Monkey. Why will Phoenix go up near the sky with Dragon, but not will Monkey?
Should the first page be Phoenix and Monkey playing on the ground to establish normal or Monkey looking for his friend who he hasn’t seen in while? Maybe that second. Monkey can be lonely because Phoenix hasn’t been by to play in a while, and then he’ll see Phoenix and Dragon and go sit in a tree and look at the sky.
The house phone rang again.
Emil felt weird answering it, but he didn’t want Peregrine to wake up. “Jones residence.”
“Uncle Emil,” said Lúth, “I thought you were coming over for dinner.”
“We’ll need a rain check. Peregrine is still asleep.”
“Then wake him up!”
Emil closed his eyes. “Can I talk to your mother?”
But Lúth didn’t want to give up the phone. Emil tried to be nice about it, but when she wouldn’t pass the phone over he hung up. She called back. He asked her to pass over the phone. She wouldn’t. He hung up. The next phone call was from Harrison. “Sorry about that. Lúth had been banned from the phone. Peregrine is asleep?”
“Yeah, as he hasn’t slept since he found out his dad was injured, so I think he needs his rest.”
“Then we will see you tomorrow.” Harrison said his daughter’s name and the whining in the background stopped. “I know you’ll take good care of him.”
Emil thanked him and hung up. He would try not to be jealous because Harrison was being so nice about it. Peregrine had this whole world that Emil wasn’t a part of.
He needed food then maybe a talk with Kurt. After that he’d feel better.
--
Kurt wiped sweat off with a towel. Exercise had done him good. Rowe might be home by now, but Kurt needed a shower before he shared the good news. If that news was good to Rowe.
He ran up the stairs. He didn’t want anyone trapped in an elevator with him in his present condition.
The house was empty, but Kurt had too many endorphins in him to feel the sadness. He jumped into the shower. He had enough space to wash himself easily and bend down to wash his head and shoulders, but he missed Emil badly.
He toweled himself off and picked up his phone. Emil had just texted him and asked him to call. He did. Emil’s voice sounded so good in his ear. “Beautiful.”
Emil laughed. Kurt was getting hard just listening to him. Kurt sat down on the couch and told Emil just how much he was missed. Emil responded in kind. With judicious use of the towel, Kurt kept himself from having to take another shower. Emil did not sound so lucky.
Kurt couldn’t surpass as smile as Emil got up to wash his hands. When Emil was back, Kurt asked him how long they be in California. Emil sighed. “John is out of danger, but Peregrine’s family deserves time with him.”
“Can you get away this weekend?”
“Why?” Emil sounded very happy.
“Because I need you. And because we can sign the papers for the northwest condo on Saturday.”
Emil gasped. “Really? I’ll be there. If I can find a way home.”
Home. The condo was home.
“I’ll find you a way.” Kurt made a note. He was going to get his man home. “Do you think Peregrine will be all right for a few days alone?”
“He’s surrounded by family.” Emil sighed.
Kurt wanted to hold Emil tight. “But they can’t take your place.”
Emil hummed. Kurt laughed, remembering what Peregrine was like without Emil. “They will just see how much he needs you.”
“That’s nice to think…”
“It’s true! I’m dying here without you and I’ve only know you a few months.” If that long.
“You say the nicest things.”
“Come home for the weekend and I’ll do the nicest things.”
Emil laughed. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Kurt wanted to take Emil right then, but he could be patient. He asked after Emil’s day and told about his. Emil sighed in happiness. “Peregrine hardly ever tells me about his boys.”
Kurt’s heart warmed. He had done the right thing.
He stayed on the phone as he made food for his growling stomach, but by then Emil’s food was done and they said goodbye. Maybe he should go down and visit. The weekend after this one maybe. He scarfed down his food. He had plane tickets to buy.
--
Peregrine woke up when his mother knocked on the door. “Théoden, time to get up.”
Sun was coming in the window and birds outside were singing. It really couldn’t be morning already. Why had they let him sleep? Where was Emil?
Peregrine pulled back the covers. He was naked and his little brother was on the bunk below. Was he going to have to wait until Théoden left the room?
He leaned back on his pillow. It crinkled. His pants were under it with a small note saying Emil was at the hospital with Dad. Peregrine pulled them on and dropped to the floor. Where was his shirt?
“Why do you have drawings on your skin?” Théoden’s eyes were huge.
Peregrine found his shirt. “I like them.”
“Dad says that they will look old and faded someday.”
Peregrine nodded. “If you don’t take care of them. This one,” he pointed at the green dragon on his chest, “is older than you are. It’s not as bright as this one,” he touched the Ivy on his bicep, “Because ink technology keeps getting better.”
He turned around and put his shirt on.
“I like that one.”
“Which one?”
“The shiny dragon.”
Peregrine smiled. He’d added that one just last spring while he was trying to pretend that thoughts of Kurt weren’t haunting him. Only why else would he cover himself in green dragons?
Title: Truce
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter fifty-eight of many
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: bad acting, playing nice, no blood, smiles, a truce, resting, signing, kisses, flowers, good news, sleep, ringing, demands, a tinge of jealousy, exercise, call, happiness, morning, tattoos
Length: about 2,000 words
Summary: Peregrine makes peace with his dad. Kurt gets good news. And Emil gets a lovely phone call.
Master list
Peregrine sat beside Dad’s bedside as Mom kissed Dad goodbye. She was going to pick up the kids from school and bring them up to the hospital. After that, Peregrine was going to find some place for him and Emil to sleep for a few hours. When was the last time he’d slept? And for how long?
Mom smiled at him. “Be good, you two.”
Peregrine tapped his foot on the bed. “I’ll be as good as he will.”
“I’ll be an angel,” Dad said, his eyes wide with bad acting.
“You two.” Mom laughed. “Emil, watch over them, will you? And break up any fights.”
Emil raised his eyebrows. Peregrine took his hand and kissed it. “I promise not to cause you any problem.”
Emil smiled. “Your problems are all worth the effort.”
Dad sighed loudly. “Will you two quit flaunting—”
Mom raised her hand. “I’ve got to go. No blood, ok?”
Dad sighed. “No blood.”
Mom turned toward the door.
“Lisa,” Dad sat up, grunted, and lay back on his pillows. “You didn’t make him promise.”
Peregrine sighed and turned away. Emil wrapped his arms around Peregrine’s shoulders. “I think she means not ripping out any of your stitches, and not a knock out, drag out fight. Do you actually think Peregrine would hit you?”
Emil was so wonderful, Peregrine could never deserve him.
Dad leaned back. “No.”
Mom sent Emil a very happy smile and walked out the door.
Peregrine leaned against Emil. “Truce.”
Dad stared at his blanket. “Truce.”
“And as terms of the peace treaty, I promise not to flaunt my sexuality if you agree not to flaunt yours.”
Dad stared at him. “I never flaunt mine.”
“You kissed Mom.”
“Yeah, but…”
Peregrine smiled. He’d already won.
--
Emil snuggled into the comfortable-to-sit-in-but-not-to-sleep-in easy chair. He was so tired. Peregrine and his father were ironing out the details of their truce. John didn’t seem to realize all the things he would be denying himself. Emil had promised to type the whole thing out once they finished so they could both sign it.
That seemed a bit too far to Emil.
But then, during his time in foster care, he’d realized that all families were different. He was really very lucky. Dad was a great father to have.
--
Peregrine signed his name, with its added falcon then handed the pen to Dad. Dad pointed at the bird. “So you like your name.”
“What’s not to like?”
Dad signed and Emil taped the contract to the bottom of one of the monitors, where it could easily be seen by all.
Peregrine’s littlest siblings burst through the door, Mom not far behind. She walked over to Dad’s bed and he raised his face to hers.
“Mom,” Peregrine held up his hand. “Dad and I came to terms. You might want to read it.”
She smiled and then kissed Dad.
Peregrine pointed at the treaty. “According to article seven, that kiss means I get to kiss Emil.”
And he did.
“Hey, wait,” Dad said, “your saying that says I can’t kiss my own wife.”
Mom looked over the paper. She turned to Dad. “You signed away the privilege of holding my hand?”
“Mommy,” said Tinúviel, “I’ll hold your hand.”
Mom took her hand. “Thank you. My hand was very lonely.”
“That only applies when we are both in the room. So we will leave you now.”
Peregrine gestured for Emil to follow him. He needed sleep beside Emil. What time was it? Was Kurt home from work yet? If not, they always had the message he’d left this morning.
--
Kurt’s phone rang, but he didn’t answer it. He had forgotten to thank the secretaries adequately for their help getting Peregrine safely and quickly to California, so today he’d brought flowers and chocolates to them. Two, who he sadly couldn’t name, thanked him for brightening the office.
He waited until they had gone before he pulled out his phone. He’d missed a call from his realtor. His phone rang again. She’d called back. He stepped to the side of the hallway and answered it.
“Hello! Kurt Skyles? You got the condo!” Sarah sounded like she was bouncing. She hadn’t seemed like a woman that bounced. “The short sale is going through! I hadn’t expected to hear for weeks! I’m so glad!”
Of course the sale would go through now that Emil wasn’t around to sign it. “When can we sign?”
She pulled herself together. “Not until Friday at the earliest.”
Friday. Once they signed, they would need to give Rowe time to move, and then holes had to be knocked out between the condos. And they still hadn’t decided what they wanted the condo to look like.
But maybe he should look into contractors.
And tell his men.
He thanked her and walked down to his office with a spring in his step.
--
Emil blinked his eyes open. Had something woken him up. He couldn’t have gotten enough sleep; the sun was still up. The phone rang in the hall. Emil carefully climbed out of bed. Peregrine didn’t wake up enough to roll over into the empty space. Good. He needed his sleep.
The phone stopped ringing as Emil pulled his shorts on, but he finished getting dressed. The bed was tempting, but he might accidentally wake Peregrine up.
He walked out into the living room. The house felt weird empty, like it was impatiently waiting for its family to get home.
Emil pulled out his lap top and looked over his draft of the picture book. Monkey finds that his friend Phoenix is playing with Dragon, not on the ground like Peregrine prefers, but up on the cliff tops. Phoenix won’t even sit in a tree with Monkey. Why will Phoenix go up near the sky with Dragon, but not will Monkey?
Should the first page be Phoenix and Monkey playing on the ground to establish normal or Monkey looking for his friend who he hasn’t seen in while? Maybe that second. Monkey can be lonely because Phoenix hasn’t been by to play in a while, and then he’ll see Phoenix and Dragon and go sit in a tree and look at the sky.
The house phone rang again.
Emil felt weird answering it, but he didn’t want Peregrine to wake up. “Jones residence.”
“Uncle Emil,” said Lúth, “I thought you were coming over for dinner.”
“We’ll need a rain check. Peregrine is still asleep.”
“Then wake him up!”
Emil closed his eyes. “Can I talk to your mother?”
But Lúth didn’t want to give up the phone. Emil tried to be nice about it, but when she wouldn’t pass the phone over he hung up. She called back. He asked her to pass over the phone. She wouldn’t. He hung up. The next phone call was from Harrison. “Sorry about that. Lúth had been banned from the phone. Peregrine is asleep?”
“Yeah, as he hasn’t slept since he found out his dad was injured, so I think he needs his rest.”
“Then we will see you tomorrow.” Harrison said his daughter’s name and the whining in the background stopped. “I know you’ll take good care of him.”
Emil thanked him and hung up. He would try not to be jealous because Harrison was being so nice about it. Peregrine had this whole world that Emil wasn’t a part of.
He needed food then maybe a talk with Kurt. After that he’d feel better.
--
Kurt wiped sweat off with a towel. Exercise had done him good. Rowe might be home by now, but Kurt needed a shower before he shared the good news. If that news was good to Rowe.
He ran up the stairs. He didn’t want anyone trapped in an elevator with him in his present condition.
The house was empty, but Kurt had too many endorphins in him to feel the sadness. He jumped into the shower. He had enough space to wash himself easily and bend down to wash his head and shoulders, but he missed Emil badly.
He toweled himself off and picked up his phone. Emil had just texted him and asked him to call. He did. Emil’s voice sounded so good in his ear. “Beautiful.”
Emil laughed. Kurt was getting hard just listening to him. Kurt sat down on the couch and told Emil just how much he was missed. Emil responded in kind. With judicious use of the towel, Kurt kept himself from having to take another shower. Emil did not sound so lucky.
Kurt couldn’t surpass as smile as Emil got up to wash his hands. When Emil was back, Kurt asked him how long they be in California. Emil sighed. “John is out of danger, but Peregrine’s family deserves time with him.”
“Can you get away this weekend?”
“Why?” Emil sounded very happy.
“Because I need you. And because we can sign the papers for the northwest condo on Saturday.”
Emil gasped. “Really? I’ll be there. If I can find a way home.”
Home. The condo was home.
“I’ll find you a way.” Kurt made a note. He was going to get his man home. “Do you think Peregrine will be all right for a few days alone?”
“He’s surrounded by family.” Emil sighed.
Kurt wanted to hold Emil tight. “But they can’t take your place.”
Emil hummed. Kurt laughed, remembering what Peregrine was like without Emil. “They will just see how much he needs you.”
“That’s nice to think…”
“It’s true! I’m dying here without you and I’ve only know you a few months.” If that long.
“You say the nicest things.”
“Come home for the weekend and I’ll do the nicest things.”
Emil laughed. “I’m looking forward to that.”
Kurt wanted to take Emil right then, but he could be patient. He asked after Emil’s day and told about his. Emil sighed in happiness. “Peregrine hardly ever tells me about his boys.”
Kurt’s heart warmed. He had done the right thing.
He stayed on the phone as he made food for his growling stomach, but by then Emil’s food was done and they said goodbye. Maybe he should go down and visit. The weekend after this one maybe. He scarfed down his food. He had plane tickets to buy.
--
Peregrine woke up when his mother knocked on the door. “Théoden, time to get up.”
Sun was coming in the window and birds outside were singing. It really couldn’t be morning already. Why had they let him sleep? Where was Emil?
Peregrine pulled back the covers. He was naked and his little brother was on the bunk below. Was he going to have to wait until Théoden left the room?
He leaned back on his pillow. It crinkled. His pants were under it with a small note saying Emil was at the hospital with Dad. Peregrine pulled them on and dropped to the floor. Where was his shirt?
“Why do you have drawings on your skin?” Théoden’s eyes were huge.
Peregrine found his shirt. “I like them.”
“Dad says that they will look old and faded someday.”
Peregrine nodded. “If you don’t take care of them. This one,” he pointed at the green dragon on his chest, “is older than you are. It’s not as bright as this one,” he touched the Ivy on his bicep, “Because ink technology keeps getting better.”
He turned around and put his shirt on.
“I like that one.”
“Which one?”
“The shiny dragon.”
Peregrine smiled. He’d added that one just last spring while he was trying to pretend that thoughts of Kurt weren’t haunting him. Only why else would he cover himself in green dragons?
