A Balance of Harmonies: Social Skills
Jul. 25th, 2012 02:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warI posted a few stories recently that I'm not sure everybody saw: a one shot and a Micah/Aksell story and the start of the rearrangement of the Seth and Steven drabbles, so even if you're really behind, you won't be missing anything if you start with one of them. Just a heads up.
Edit: I added a bit more about the aunts, making them more like I imagined them (and more like my own)
Title: Social Skills
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter eighty of
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: hugs, an apology, uncomfortable questions, cross examining, lunch, company, John’s plan, introductions, enthusiasm, praise, being accosted, making plans
Length: about 2,500 words
Summary: Peregrine deals with family. Kurt gets to the truth. And Emil takes comfort in his men’s arms.
Master list
Emil sat down beside Kurt and sighed. Kurt hugged him close.
John frowned. “What is going on?”
Emil closed his eyes. “Sam got an invitation from Mr. Matheson, I guess, and a job offer.”
“What?” John growled. “Sam is in college.”
“I don’t think so. At least he hasn’t said anything about it.”
“But he was going to go this year.”
Emil shrugged. “Don’t ask me.”
Kurt leaned Emil against his chest and kissed his forehead. “We don’t really know what’s going on. I’m just surprised you don’t.”
Emil wasn’t.
John cleared his throat. “Sorry, boys. I just hate being the last to know.”
“That’s all right, John.” Kurt’s voice rumbled through his chest and into Emil. In Kurt’s arms was really the best place on earth. “We can take you back into the house if you want.”
Sam came around the corner and picked up some stuff his girls left in the grass. He walked up to his dad. “Mr. Matheson offered me a job.”
“Don’t you have a job?”
Sam looked at the ground. “My boss wouldn’t give me time off to see you. I had to quit.”
John sighed. “I’m sorry I cost you your job.”
Sam shook his head. “You’re worth it.”
John looked away. Then he looked up at Sam. “Have I hurt you, Sam? Do I say things that cut, but you’re just too polite to tell me?”
The items in Sam’s hands held all his attention. Emil sympathized. Saying no would be a lie and saying yes would hurt John.
“What I’m asking is: are you the other gay child Peregrine tells me I have?”
Emil sat up. “John.”
Sam gritted his teeth. “So what if I am!”
He stomped off.
John frowned.
Emil sighed and sat back. “Is this what Lisa meant when she said you always say something that upsets him and he leaves?”
John shook his head. “I’m not trying to hurt him. I just do.”
Kurt ran his fingers through Emil’s hair. “Why are you so curious about Sam’s sexuality? Why couldn’t you leave him be?”
John sighed. “I just can’t. I have to know.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could who your son is attracted to make a single difference to you?”
“But Sam has kids.”
This was going to be one of those conversations. Emil wanted to take his men back to the hotel. Today was already too long and it wasn’t even lunchtime. “Mr. Matheson as three grandsons and his son is gay.”
John lifted his finger. “That reminds me. Sam shouldn’t go live there. Markus is gay.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Kurt asked. “Just because someone is gay, doesn’t mean they are going to make the moves on any young thing.”
Emil bit his lip. Kurt was right, but not in this case.
“But those two make no effort to hide their interest in my young, innocent boy. They even do it in front of each other, if you can believe it. I thought he was safe because he’s had girlfriends, but it seems I was wrong. They will try to seduce him.”
Kurt pulled Emil closer. “John, are you saying that there is something inherently wrong about with a ménage a trois?”
John did a double take. “No… I mean...”
And for the first time, Emil got to see Kurt use his lawyer skills as he questioned John’s way of thinking. Kurt kept poking until he got real answers to his questions. John had met his match, but as he was smiling, he must not mind. Maybe Kurt could stretch John’s way of thinking. That would help everyone and speed Peregrine and Emil’s trip home.
--
Kurt finished the last of the food on his plate. He was still hungry, but he could snack later. He didn’t want to eat Peregrine’s parents out of house and home.
“Are you sure you don’t want anymore?” asked Lisa’s mother. He’d taken her up the first two times, but now he shook his head.
Peregrine rested a hand on Kurt’s thigh and grinned. Maybe a snack was in Kurt’s future.
Emil stood up and carried plates into the kitchen. “Lisa, I can do the dishes.”
“No,” said Peregrine’s mother. “Go enjoy the sun.”
Peregrine took the towel from his mother’s hand. “You go enjoy the sun. We can clean up.”
He looked through the house and out the front window. “Looks like you have company.”
Two women walked up the sidewalk. Peregrine’s mother looked from them to Peregrine. “You can just leave everything in the sink.”
“Lisa,” Emil put his hand on her shoulder. “Peregrine actually likes to do the dishes. You are taking away his joy.”
Lisa smiled. “Well we can’t have that. Have fun boys.”
She hurried to the front door.
A preteen girl leaned on the counter. “Uncle Peregrine…”
“After I do the dishes.”
“But…”
“You could help.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be outside, watching the boys.”
“Kurt,” said John. “Can you wheel me out there? The house feels so muggy compared to the shade.”
Peregrine smiled. “You just want to avoid Aunt Susan and Aunt Donna.”
John nodded. “Outside. Now if possible.”
Kurt grabbed the wheelchair handles. But the back door didn’t have ramp. “We’ll have to go out past them.”
“Exactly my plan.”
Kurt shrugged and pushed John into the front room where the Lisa sat with two women. They greeted John and asked after his injuries and how much the accident was costing him. He downplayed how much hurt and thanked them for asking without mentioning money at all. “Kurt and I are just on our way outside. The air is supposed to be good for me.”
“Kurt?” asked one of the two women. “Is he a nurse? Can you afford one? What with you not being able to work and your medical bills and all. Lisa, can you afford an extravagance like that at a time like this? Surely you felt you needed one you could hire someone in the family. Ted is out of work, so is Debbie. You should hire one of them. Lisa, really.”
John lifted a hand. “He’s one of Peregrine’s boyfriends and just came down to visit for the weekend.”
“One of his boyfriends?”
“Yes. The other is in the kitchen. See you later, Susan, Donna.” He patted Kurt’s hand. “Now get me out of here before the house explodes.”
Kurt did. A couple, holding hands, met them at the driveway. The woman looked a lot like Peregrine. Or maybe more like Sam. John held up his hand. “You don’t want to go inside.”
The women nodded. “I saw Aunt Susan’s car.”
“And she’s got Donna with her and I just introduced Kurt here and told them Emil is in the kitchen. I expect sparks to fly.”
“Da-ad.”
The man put out his hand. “Kurt? Harrison McKendrick. I was Peregrine’s friend in school.”
Harrison’s grip was firm and sure. “Now I’m his brother-in-law. My wife, Éowen.”
The woman nodded her head. Kurt took her hand and kissed her fingers. She smiled. “You are bigger than you used to be.”
“I kept growing and growing.”
“That shade,” said John. “If you please.”
They all moved around the house. The grass in the back was hard to move over, but Kurt was strong enough to conquer it. He parked John in the shade. Éowen and Harrison headed straight towards the kids. Several of them must be theirs. Harrison carried a small boy over to the blanket and sat down. Éowen followed a minute later. The preteen girl headed toward the side of the house to where the kitchen door was.
“Lúth, I wouldn’t if I were you,” John called. “Grandma’s sisters are going to give Peregrine the third degree. He’ll come out when he’s free.”
Lúth pouted. A teenage girl ran around the house out of breath. She looked at Kurt and stopped short. Then she smiled. “Kurt, you’re here. I thought I was going to miss you. Cami just wouldn’t stop talking about her hair and outfit and the guy she likes long enough for the rest of us to finish our project. We have to do our presentation on Monday, so we couldn’t just leave.”
“High school is rough,” said John.
“It is,” said the girl. “Kurt, stand up and let me look at you.”
Harrison grinned. “You might start by introducing yourself.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “I’m Arwen, Peregrine’s little sister. I was only a baby when he left. But we’ve had great fun and he took me shopping for his art stuff and I’ve got to see his drawings of you.” She threw her arms around Kurt and squeezed him. “He loves you so much. I can tell from his sketches. And that means I love you too.”
Kurt patted her back. “Thank you.”
She smiled up at him and then turned to Harrison. “See, this is what he left you for.”
Harrison laughed and the boy turned on his lap. Éowen smiled, “Kurt is who he left all of us for.”
Harrison nodded. “But I can see why he fell for you. You are a big piece of man.”
Kurt sat down again. He felt silly standing when everyone else was on the ground. Arwen sat beside him. “Harrison had a crush on Peregrine years ago.”
“We all did, I’m afraid. I hope you aren’t the jealous type.”
Kurt looked him over. “That all depends on what I might be jealous of. If I gave the evil eye to everyone who had a crush on my men, that’s all I would be doing. Peregrine and Emil are hot.”
Arwen fanned herself. “Emil is so pretty. He’s got a load of fans now, including, I heard, an eight-year-old girl with a crush. And he’s so nice. Peregrine is so lucky. What I wouldn’t give for even one guy as nice as either of you.”
Éowen smiled. “But you don’t know he’s nice yet. You just met him.”
“Well he’s nice on the outside.” Harrison dodged a mock jab from his wife.
Arwen crossed her arms. “I know he’s nice. Emil goes on and on about you and also the way Peregrine draws you; they both show how nice you are.”
Kurt grinned. All this praise embarrassed him, but how could he be anything put pleased to hear how much his men loved him? “So, what is you presentation about?”
Arwen’s eyes got wide and she explained everything with massive gestures and many changes in tone and pitch. Listening to how Arwen and the other student chose their topic and how they went about research and all the new thing she learned, told Kurt a lot about his new sister. Despite the mostly friendly welcome from everyone so far, Arwen made him feel like he was actually among family.
--
Emil stepped out the front door and took a deep breath. As Peregrine finished the kitchen, his aunts had invaded. No one had actually kicked Emil out, but the two older women made Emil feel unwelcome in the family conversation. Lisa’s face had been an unspoken apology. But people couldn’t choose their families. At least not most people. Emil had, but he still had a few brothers he could live without.
He walked around the house. The kids were busy playing on the play structure and the swing set. Éowen and Harrison had shown up at some point. They sat with John and Danny in the shade. Kurt sat there too, listening to Arwen. She was expressing herself with her whole body. What did she want to be when she grew up? Emil was sure she could do anything she set out to do.
“Hey,” said someone behind Emil. “Who are you and what are you doing watching my family?”
Emil turned. The scowling man — or rather boy — was Peregrine’s height and had brown hair and eyes like the rest of the family, but that’s where the resemblance ended. He was tubby around the middle, except calling him tubby was being generous. Everyone else in the family was medium sized to slim, including Éowen who was pregnant. This guy had to weigh as much as Peregrine and Sam together. He looked like one of those college age kids who lived in a basement on processed foods and pizza and only came out to get a new video game or maybe to play D&D in someone else’s basement.
“Who are you?” the man repeated.
Emil put out his hand. “Emil Bonsa-Faie. I’m here with Peregrine.”
The man stared at Emil’s hand like it was a foreign object. “I heard Peregrine was home.”
Emil went through the list of Peregrine’s siblings in his head. This might be Faramir or Gimli, but didn’t Faramir have a family? “Gimli?”
The man frowned. “Yeah?”
This conversation wasn’t going anywhere. ‘”Your dad is out here and your mom is inside with two of her sisters.”
“She only has two sisters.”
In Emil’s estimation, two was more than enough.
Peregrine popped out of the kitchen door. He skipped down the steps and wrapped his hands around Emil with a smile. Emil could survive anything as long as he had Peregrine’s love. Peregrine turned to Gimli. “Fat, aren’t you?”
Gimli crossed his arms. “You haven’t learned any social skills while you were away.”
Neither had Gimli.
“Nope.” Peregrine smiled. “Does Mom know you were coming home?”
“I was going to surprise her.”
Peregrine gestured to the door. “Be my guest.”
Gimli eyes the door. Determined voices were coming though the open window beside it. “Maybe I should go see Dad first.”
“Maybe you should.”
Peregrine took Emil’s hand and they walked towards Kurt and the others. If Gimli decided not to follow, that was more than all right by Emil. Only he did.
John called a greeting. Gimli grunted and then told his father what a fool he was to have gotten in the accident in the first place. John listened with much more patience than Emil would have given him credit for. Peregrine maneuvered Emil into Kurt’s lap and turned to Éowen. “We should probably be going.”
“So soon,” asked Arwen.
Harrison looked at his wife and then at Peregrine. “You should come over and have dinner with us before Kurt leaves.”
Arwen pouted. “But I want to see them too.”
Harrison grinned. “Then you’ll just need to come over.”
“Wait.” Kurt held up his hand. “Is there any place around here that we can eat out?”
Éowen leaned back. “We do eat meat, if that’s what you are worried about.”
“No.” Peregrine put his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “He’s worried about how much he eats. He has to eat a lot to stay this big.”
Kurt flexed his arm and then rested that hand on Emil thigh. Emil wanted his men with him alone. He sat up. “We’ll go now and meet you tonight. Just call us with the details.”
He got up and tugged Kurt up after him. Kurt wrapped his arm around Emil’s waist. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Where are you going?” asked John.
Peregrine grinned. “Back to the hotel where we will entertain ourselves until dinner.”
Emil smiled. That sounded just right to him.
Edit: I added a bit more about the aunts, making them more like I imagined them (and more like my own)
Title: Social Skills
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter eighty of
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: hugs, an apology, uncomfortable questions, cross examining, lunch, company, John’s plan, introductions, enthusiasm, praise, being accosted, making plans
Length: about 2,500 words
Summary: Peregrine deals with family. Kurt gets to the truth. And Emil takes comfort in his men’s arms.
Master list
Emil sat down beside Kurt and sighed. Kurt hugged him close.
John frowned. “What is going on?”
Emil closed his eyes. “Sam got an invitation from Mr. Matheson, I guess, and a job offer.”
“What?” John growled. “Sam is in college.”
“I don’t think so. At least he hasn’t said anything about it.”
“But he was going to go this year.”
Emil shrugged. “Don’t ask me.”
Kurt leaned Emil against his chest and kissed his forehead. “We don’t really know what’s going on. I’m just surprised you don’t.”
Emil wasn’t.
John cleared his throat. “Sorry, boys. I just hate being the last to know.”
“That’s all right, John.” Kurt’s voice rumbled through his chest and into Emil. In Kurt’s arms was really the best place on earth. “We can take you back into the house if you want.”
Sam came around the corner and picked up some stuff his girls left in the grass. He walked up to his dad. “Mr. Matheson offered me a job.”
“Don’t you have a job?”
Sam looked at the ground. “My boss wouldn’t give me time off to see you. I had to quit.”
John sighed. “I’m sorry I cost you your job.”
Sam shook his head. “You’re worth it.”
John looked away. Then he looked up at Sam. “Have I hurt you, Sam? Do I say things that cut, but you’re just too polite to tell me?”
The items in Sam’s hands held all his attention. Emil sympathized. Saying no would be a lie and saying yes would hurt John.
“What I’m asking is: are you the other gay child Peregrine tells me I have?”
Emil sat up. “John.”
Sam gritted his teeth. “So what if I am!”
He stomped off.
John frowned.
Emil sighed and sat back. “Is this what Lisa meant when she said you always say something that upsets him and he leaves?”
John shook his head. “I’m not trying to hurt him. I just do.”
Kurt ran his fingers through Emil’s hair. “Why are you so curious about Sam’s sexuality? Why couldn’t you leave him be?”
John sighed. “I just can’t. I have to know.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could who your son is attracted to make a single difference to you?”
“But Sam has kids.”
This was going to be one of those conversations. Emil wanted to take his men back to the hotel. Today was already too long and it wasn’t even lunchtime. “Mr. Matheson as three grandsons and his son is gay.”
John lifted his finger. “That reminds me. Sam shouldn’t go live there. Markus is gay.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Kurt asked. “Just because someone is gay, doesn’t mean they are going to make the moves on any young thing.”
Emil bit his lip. Kurt was right, but not in this case.
“But those two make no effort to hide their interest in my young, innocent boy. They even do it in front of each other, if you can believe it. I thought he was safe because he’s had girlfriends, but it seems I was wrong. They will try to seduce him.”
Kurt pulled Emil closer. “John, are you saying that there is something inherently wrong about with a ménage a trois?”
John did a double take. “No… I mean...”
And for the first time, Emil got to see Kurt use his lawyer skills as he questioned John’s way of thinking. Kurt kept poking until he got real answers to his questions. John had met his match, but as he was smiling, he must not mind. Maybe Kurt could stretch John’s way of thinking. That would help everyone and speed Peregrine and Emil’s trip home.
--
Kurt finished the last of the food on his plate. He was still hungry, but he could snack later. He didn’t want to eat Peregrine’s parents out of house and home.
“Are you sure you don’t want anymore?” asked Lisa’s mother. He’d taken her up the first two times, but now he shook his head.
Peregrine rested a hand on Kurt’s thigh and grinned. Maybe a snack was in Kurt’s future.
Emil stood up and carried plates into the kitchen. “Lisa, I can do the dishes.”
“No,” said Peregrine’s mother. “Go enjoy the sun.”
Peregrine took the towel from his mother’s hand. “You go enjoy the sun. We can clean up.”
He looked through the house and out the front window. “Looks like you have company.”
Two women walked up the sidewalk. Peregrine’s mother looked from them to Peregrine. “You can just leave everything in the sink.”
“Lisa,” Emil put his hand on her shoulder. “Peregrine actually likes to do the dishes. You are taking away his joy.”
Lisa smiled. “Well we can’t have that. Have fun boys.”
She hurried to the front door.
A preteen girl leaned on the counter. “Uncle Peregrine…”
“After I do the dishes.”
“But…”
“You could help.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be outside, watching the boys.”
“Kurt,” said John. “Can you wheel me out there? The house feels so muggy compared to the shade.”
Peregrine smiled. “You just want to avoid Aunt Susan and Aunt Donna.”
John nodded. “Outside. Now if possible.”
Kurt grabbed the wheelchair handles. But the back door didn’t have ramp. “We’ll have to go out past them.”
“Exactly my plan.”
Kurt shrugged and pushed John into the front room where the Lisa sat with two women. They greeted John and asked after his injuries and how much the accident was costing him. He downplayed how much hurt and thanked them for asking without mentioning money at all. “Kurt and I are just on our way outside. The air is supposed to be good for me.”
“Kurt?” asked one of the two women. “Is he a nurse? Can you afford one? What with you not being able to work and your medical bills and all. Lisa, can you afford an extravagance like that at a time like this? Surely you felt you needed one you could hire someone in the family. Ted is out of work, so is Debbie. You should hire one of them. Lisa, really.”
John lifted a hand. “He’s one of Peregrine’s boyfriends and just came down to visit for the weekend.”
“One of his boyfriends?”
“Yes. The other is in the kitchen. See you later, Susan, Donna.” He patted Kurt’s hand. “Now get me out of here before the house explodes.”
Kurt did. A couple, holding hands, met them at the driveway. The woman looked a lot like Peregrine. Or maybe more like Sam. John held up his hand. “You don’t want to go inside.”
The women nodded. “I saw Aunt Susan’s car.”
“And she’s got Donna with her and I just introduced Kurt here and told them Emil is in the kitchen. I expect sparks to fly.”
“Da-ad.”
The man put out his hand. “Kurt? Harrison McKendrick. I was Peregrine’s friend in school.”
Harrison’s grip was firm and sure. “Now I’m his brother-in-law. My wife, Éowen.”
The woman nodded her head. Kurt took her hand and kissed her fingers. She smiled. “You are bigger than you used to be.”
“I kept growing and growing.”
“That shade,” said John. “If you please.”
They all moved around the house. The grass in the back was hard to move over, but Kurt was strong enough to conquer it. He parked John in the shade. Éowen and Harrison headed straight towards the kids. Several of them must be theirs. Harrison carried a small boy over to the blanket and sat down. Éowen followed a minute later. The preteen girl headed toward the side of the house to where the kitchen door was.
“Lúth, I wouldn’t if I were you,” John called. “Grandma’s sisters are going to give Peregrine the third degree. He’ll come out when he’s free.”
Lúth pouted. A teenage girl ran around the house out of breath. She looked at Kurt and stopped short. Then she smiled. “Kurt, you’re here. I thought I was going to miss you. Cami just wouldn’t stop talking about her hair and outfit and the guy she likes long enough for the rest of us to finish our project. We have to do our presentation on Monday, so we couldn’t just leave.”
“High school is rough,” said John.
“It is,” said the girl. “Kurt, stand up and let me look at you.”
Harrison grinned. “You might start by introducing yourself.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “I’m Arwen, Peregrine’s little sister. I was only a baby when he left. But we’ve had great fun and he took me shopping for his art stuff and I’ve got to see his drawings of you.” She threw her arms around Kurt and squeezed him. “He loves you so much. I can tell from his sketches. And that means I love you too.”
Kurt patted her back. “Thank you.”
She smiled up at him and then turned to Harrison. “See, this is what he left you for.”
Harrison laughed and the boy turned on his lap. Éowen smiled, “Kurt is who he left all of us for.”
Harrison nodded. “But I can see why he fell for you. You are a big piece of man.”
Kurt sat down again. He felt silly standing when everyone else was on the ground. Arwen sat beside him. “Harrison had a crush on Peregrine years ago.”
“We all did, I’m afraid. I hope you aren’t the jealous type.”
Kurt looked him over. “That all depends on what I might be jealous of. If I gave the evil eye to everyone who had a crush on my men, that’s all I would be doing. Peregrine and Emil are hot.”
Arwen fanned herself. “Emil is so pretty. He’s got a load of fans now, including, I heard, an eight-year-old girl with a crush. And he’s so nice. Peregrine is so lucky. What I wouldn’t give for even one guy as nice as either of you.”
Éowen smiled. “But you don’t know he’s nice yet. You just met him.”
“Well he’s nice on the outside.” Harrison dodged a mock jab from his wife.
Arwen crossed her arms. “I know he’s nice. Emil goes on and on about you and also the way Peregrine draws you; they both show how nice you are.”
Kurt grinned. All this praise embarrassed him, but how could he be anything put pleased to hear how much his men loved him? “So, what is you presentation about?”
Arwen’s eyes got wide and she explained everything with massive gestures and many changes in tone and pitch. Listening to how Arwen and the other student chose their topic and how they went about research and all the new thing she learned, told Kurt a lot about his new sister. Despite the mostly friendly welcome from everyone so far, Arwen made him feel like he was actually among family.
--
Emil stepped out the front door and took a deep breath. As Peregrine finished the kitchen, his aunts had invaded. No one had actually kicked Emil out, but the two older women made Emil feel unwelcome in the family conversation. Lisa’s face had been an unspoken apology. But people couldn’t choose their families. At least not most people. Emil had, but he still had a few brothers he could live without.
He walked around the house. The kids were busy playing on the play structure and the swing set. Éowen and Harrison had shown up at some point. They sat with John and Danny in the shade. Kurt sat there too, listening to Arwen. She was expressing herself with her whole body. What did she want to be when she grew up? Emil was sure she could do anything she set out to do.
“Hey,” said someone behind Emil. “Who are you and what are you doing watching my family?”
Emil turned. The scowling man — or rather boy — was Peregrine’s height and had brown hair and eyes like the rest of the family, but that’s where the resemblance ended. He was tubby around the middle, except calling him tubby was being generous. Everyone else in the family was medium sized to slim, including Éowen who was pregnant. This guy had to weigh as much as Peregrine and Sam together. He looked like one of those college age kids who lived in a basement on processed foods and pizza and only came out to get a new video game or maybe to play D&D in someone else’s basement.
“Who are you?” the man repeated.
Emil put out his hand. “Emil Bonsa-Faie. I’m here with Peregrine.”
The man stared at Emil’s hand like it was a foreign object. “I heard Peregrine was home.”
Emil went through the list of Peregrine’s siblings in his head. This might be Faramir or Gimli, but didn’t Faramir have a family? “Gimli?”
The man frowned. “Yeah?”
This conversation wasn’t going anywhere. ‘”Your dad is out here and your mom is inside with two of her sisters.”
“She only has two sisters.”
In Emil’s estimation, two was more than enough.
Peregrine popped out of the kitchen door. He skipped down the steps and wrapped his hands around Emil with a smile. Emil could survive anything as long as he had Peregrine’s love. Peregrine turned to Gimli. “Fat, aren’t you?”
Gimli crossed his arms. “You haven’t learned any social skills while you were away.”
Neither had Gimli.
“Nope.” Peregrine smiled. “Does Mom know you were coming home?”
“I was going to surprise her.”
Peregrine gestured to the door. “Be my guest.”
Gimli eyes the door. Determined voices were coming though the open window beside it. “Maybe I should go see Dad first.”
“Maybe you should.”
Peregrine took Emil’s hand and they walked towards Kurt and the others. If Gimli decided not to follow, that was more than all right by Emil. Only he did.
John called a greeting. Gimli grunted and then told his father what a fool he was to have gotten in the accident in the first place. John listened with much more patience than Emil would have given him credit for. Peregrine maneuvered Emil into Kurt’s lap and turned to Éowen. “We should probably be going.”
“So soon,” asked Arwen.
Harrison looked at his wife and then at Peregrine. “You should come over and have dinner with us before Kurt leaves.”
Arwen pouted. “But I want to see them too.”
Harrison grinned. “Then you’ll just need to come over.”
“Wait.” Kurt held up his hand. “Is there any place around here that we can eat out?”
Éowen leaned back. “We do eat meat, if that’s what you are worried about.”
“No.” Peregrine put his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “He’s worried about how much he eats. He has to eat a lot to stay this big.”
Kurt flexed his arm and then rested that hand on Emil thigh. Emil wanted his men with him alone. He sat up. “We’ll go now and meet you tonight. Just call us with the details.”
He got up and tugged Kurt up after him. Kurt wrapped his arm around Emil’s waist. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Where are you going?” asked John.
Peregrine grinned. “Back to the hotel where we will entertain ourselves until dinner.”
Emil smiled. That sounded just right to him.
