A Balance of Harmonies: Home Visit
Sep. 16th, 2011 09:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warI finished three chapters of this during my five days off, and somehow I still don't feel like I got anything done.
Title: Home Visit
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter thirty-eight of much
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: an ice cream feast, inappropriate thoughts, explanation and advice, vagueness, a drop off, a request, a decision, enthusiasm, a pep talk, Mother and Child, parting
Length: about 2,400 words
Summary: Emil wants Kurt to leave his mark on him. Kurt wants to be a good friend. And Peregrine has a need.
Master list
Emil leaned back against Kurt, who was on his third bowl of ice cream. Emil had only had one, plus enough bites of Kurt and Peregrine’s choices to be considered another bowl.
The day was good and wondrous. None of his annoying brothers had shown up. JJ had unstiffened considerably after Zan and Autumn had arrived. They had enough food and ice cream for everyone to stuff themselves silly. Peregrine was back in his long sleeved shirt, under his tie dye of course, now that Hunter wished to show off Kurt’s designs.
Kurt was a really great artist. Emil looked up at his wonderful lover. Maybe he could get Kurt to draw on him like that, but in a more intimate setting.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Kurt whispered.
Emil sat up. “Why not?”
“Because,” Kurt ducked his face close to Emil’s ear. “It gives me thoughts inappropriate to the setting.”
Emil moaned.
“Careful there, boy,” said Keith. “Kurt looks like he’s about to pounce.”
“Pounce?” asked Olivia. “Is that fun?”
Emil felt Kurt sigh. Emil put his hand on Kurt’s knee. “I owe you.”
“You do.”
And he’d pay in full just as soon as they could politely leave.
--
Kurt carried the extra bags of charcoal to Keith’s truck. Keith opened the tailgate to put in the picnic blankets. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Casey slid in the BBQ. He looked at Keith then at Kurt and then shrugged. Keith cleared his throat.
Kurt watched Casey walk back to the group. He felt he should help move, but he owed it to his pseudo-father-in-law to hear what he had to say.
Keith sat on the tailgate. “Do you have a minute?”
Kurt nodded and leaned against the side of the truck.
“I,” said Keith. “I don’t want you to get me wrong.”
Kurt looked up.
“Not saying you do or anything. I don’t want you to think I spoil Olivia and neglect Willow.”
“I don’t.” But really Kurt kind of did.
“I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons raising foster kids. I like to think I make a difference, but I’m not perfect. No one is. I do my best, but sometimes my best isn’t enough. You know I have adopted seven kids, right? Not including Willow because Willow moved in with Liam the day Willow moved in with me and I already had a set of sons who can never get married because I adopted both of them. See, far from perfect.”
Kurt nodded, not knowing what to say.
“I tried and failed with my older boys as often as I succeeded. I have one that won’t even talk to me. His wife sends me Christmas cards, so I can’t have failed too spectacularly. But the road’s been rocky. I started out giving them everything they needed, but that didn’t work. They didn’t trust it. Or me. By Liam I’d learned to give generous allowances. Willow has everything plus enough to buy presents for others. Willow’s good with money and always gets good deals, but I’d give the same amount even if it was spent on concerts and expensive food because anything Willow buys with that money belongs to Willow. It isn’t a gift that can be taken. Everything bought, every dollar spent, is another tie to me, my house, and my family. I worried for months that even that wouldn’t be enough. Willow was my little fairy, fluttering away on the wind. But the day Willow and Liam bought a bed together, I knew I’d made it, that everything had worked out this time. That I hadn’t failed.”
Casey passed Keith a box. “You’ve never failed. They are all good kids.”
Kurt turned away to give them a moment of privacy. When he turned back their hands were still in each other’s hair, and their gazes locked. Casey squeezed Keith’s knee and walked away.
Keith’s back was straighter and he looked much happier. Kurt nodded at Casey’s back. “You two are good together.”
Keith grinned. “You have no idea how long it took me to convince him of that. Where was I? I’d figured it all out with Willow… and then I got Olivia and the rules changes.”
“She’s a special girl.”
“That she is. My special girl, obeying none of the rules I worked so hard to figure out and obey. She likes presents. Peregrine fills that role perfectly. I give her money, but she doesn’t spend it. If I take her clothes shopping she still expects me to pay for everything.”
“Sounds like my sister.”
“Maybe. But I do have a point. And I’m talking to you and not Peregrine because he wears rose colored glasses. I love Emil. I worked so hard for years trying to keep him from self destruction. Peregrine does keep him from that, but he… What I’m trying to say is if Emil doesn’t own the house you live in he will never be more than a guest. If you can’t get him to spend his hard earned money on something for all of you, it’s because he’s saving it for the day there is no all-of-you anymore. He pays utilities and not rent in the place they live in now. And even though he’s never come out and said it, I know he was just waiting for the day that Peregrine kicks him out. So what I’m saying is please, please make him own it. No matter what you have to do. Even if it’s just a couple bucks a month. He’s never been so happy in his life. I want him to stay this way.”
Keith’s eyes were wet with tears. Casey rubbed their cheeks together. Kurt stepped away. He would carry the rest of the stuff to the vehicles. He had a lot of thinking to do.
--
Peregrine stood by Autumn’s car. “You will tell me if they need anything?”
“And what would you do?” Zan asked. “Volunteer for diaper duty. Aren’t you saving up for something? Mike was going on about it.”
But some things were more important that showing up a banker. “Kurt is Diego’s honorary brother-in-law, now that Lavender and Emil are honorary siblings.”
“When did this happen?”
“And why didn’t you tell us?
After Lavender realized the getting to know Emil wouldn’t lead her family to show up and ruin the beautiful life she was living. Peregrine waved his hand. “Last week? The week before? After your birthday.”
Zan sighed. “You are just too vague.”
“No. I think I’m just the right amount.”
Autumn laughed and draped herself around Zan’s shoulders. “You can’t win this one.”
Zan smiled.
“I have to paint her. Lavender, Piper, and the little one.”
Autumn grinned. “What about Diego?”
“Later.”
“You have it all planned out?”
“Of course he does,” said Emil. “He has everything planned out. How soon can we visit? And what should we bring?”
“Piper is used to cloth diapers. Her birth mother’s family ran a service. Diego would really like to use a different one. They are still worried that this is a dream they will wake from. Or a nightmare when her birth mother asks for her back. Piper already calls Lavender mama.”
“So we could get them set up with a diaper service?” asked Kurt. He pulled out his phone.
“We are going to see them.” Peregrine would never forgive himself if he missed the chance to draw Lavender and her baby, even if she didn’t get to keep her.
“I don’t think they’re home. They had planned on spending the day with his parents.”
“Did they?” asked Emil, “with a new baby?”
“I’ll call.” Kurt wandered away, looking at his phone.
“What about us?” asked JJ.
“We could drop you off.” Autumn grinned. Hunter shrank in on himself and slid his arms up his sleeves. Peregrine wrapped his arms around him. “Emil, where is Hunter’s hoody?”
Emil pulled it out of one of his bags. Hunter slid into it as if it were twenty degrees colder. Then he cuddled against Peregrine again. No matter what JJ said, Hunter wasn’t interested in Peregrine sexually. He probably wasn’t interested in anyone like that. Maybe after a few years with a loving family and more counseling. He was attracted, sure, to Emil with his shirt off, but then who wasn’t?
--
Kurt stopped in front of the youth shelter. All the parking spots were full, but the boys opened the door and slid out. Kurt pulled back into traffic and glanced at Peregrine in the rear view mirror. “How do you think today went?”
Peregrine sighed. “As good as I could have hoped for.”
“Hunter seemed to fit in.” Emil reached behind him.
Peregrine squeezed his hand. “He did.”
“And I found out Kurt can draw really well.”
Kurt grinned. “Would you like that? Me drawing on you.”
He would quite enjoy leaving his mark on Emil’s prefect skin.
“Well,” said Emil, “you did it before in syrup, so I didn’t get to see your handy work.”
Peregrine nodded. “Just be careful with the sheets.”
“Yes, dear.”
Peregrine rolled his eyes at Kurt.
Emil frowned. “Does this mean you are not joining us?”
“I’ve got something to draw. It’s boiling up inside me.”
Kurt put his hand on Emil’s knee. “Let him to this. He’ll come back to us when he’s done.”
Peregrine leaned back. “Oh, I didn’t tell Zan our new address. Are we sleeping at the old or new place?”
“The new one has air conditioning.” Kurt pulled into Diego’s neighborhood.
“Then let’s sleep there.”
Emil pressed his lips together. Kurt would have to figure out what was wrong.
--
Emil got out of the car first. Diego was already by the front door. The house was adorable with enough lawn around it for children to play in. Peregrine asked where his charcoal pencils were as if he expected that Emil would pack them. Emil had. But maybe that’s why Peregrine kept him around.
Kurt walked up and shook Diego’s hand. Diego talked a mile a minute about getting their daughter and how wonderful she was and how scared they were that her birth mother would change her mind. “She’s fifteen and the niece of someone my mom knows. The baby-daddy is Hispanic, the same for both kids, so she, Piper looks just like she’s ours.”
And all the energy drained out of him. Kurt put a hand on his back. “Whatever you need. A lawyer, a hand, a friendly ear. I’m here. And if you haven’t started a diaper service yet, let me. I called one of the ladies at work and she gave me a good recommendation.”
“But...”
Kurt held up his hand. “I insist.”
Diego sagged again. He was probably wondering what they’d do with the diapers and all the other baby stuff if Piper was taken from them. Time for a diversion.
“Can we see her?”
Diego’s smile lit up the night sky. He turned and put his hand on the door. “She might be sleeping. All this new stuff has tired her out. Her birth mother was so young, she… she didn’t give Piper as much attention as she thought Piper needed. We haven’t put Piper down since we got her. We even took turns holding her last night. We don’t want her to be spoiled, but…”
Emil grinned. How different would his life be if someone had swooped in and rescued him when he was tiny? “I don’t think babies can be spoiled. You’re just making up for lost time.”
“And when the next one comes, you’ll be juggling both of them,” Kurt said. “You’re just making sure she feels loved.”
Diego grinned and squared his shoulders. “You think so, too.”
“Trust your heart on this.”
Did Kurt always know how to make people feel better? Emil was feeling the love and the words weren’t even being directed at him.
Kurt’s hand rested on his back as he stepped inside. He leaned into it. He missed his men so much; he wanted to be spoiled for a while.
Lavender was sitting in a rocking chair with a baby at her breast. She blushed. “I’ve got no milk and she never nursed before, but it calms her down. And his mother,” she smiled at Diego, “said she used to nurse him even though he was already weaned when his first mother died.”
She looked down at her baby as if the little girl was the most perfect creature on earth. And what Emil could see of her was cute. She had long fingers on tiny hands, just a shade lighter than her mother. And her curls were just as dark. Diego beamed at them.
Emil touched Kurt’s arm. It was time to leave them in peace.
Peregrine cleared his throat. “I’ll stay a while, if you don’t mind. I want to draw you.”
Lavender blushed.
“What should she do?” asked Diego.
“Nothing.” Peregrine sat down his bag. “Are you comfortable?”
“Do you need anything?” Diego grabbed a chair then set it down.
Peregrine, busy with his sketch book, didn’t notice. Emil moved the chair behind Peregrine and he sat in it like it had always been there.
“Give him a table of some kind, like a TV tray, and keep water beside him. Bottled if you have any.”
Diego shook his head.
“Kurt, can you get the bottles out of the car? Peregrine doesn’t care if it’s tap water, but bottles with lids are less likely to spill. Fill up an extra and put it in your fridge.”
“And don’t be surprised if Peregrine doesn’t react to anything you say or do.” Kurt kissed the back of Peregrine’s head. Peregrine didn’t even blink.
Emil smiled. “He’s in his own world.”
“Have him call when he’s done.” Kurt stepped to the door. “I’ll come get him.”
“No,” Diego opened the door. “I’ll take him home. You have work tomorrow and I think I have family leave coming.”
Emil kissed Peregrine’s cheek. “Good night, love.”
Peregrine grabbed his arm. “Lock up. I have a key.”
“Yes, dear.” This time Emil kissed him on the lips.
Peregrine took it then shooed Emil away. “The faster I finish, the sooner I’m home.”
Emil certainly hoped that was true.
Title: Home Visit
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter thirty-eight of much
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: an ice cream feast, inappropriate thoughts, explanation and advice, vagueness, a drop off, a request, a decision, enthusiasm, a pep talk, Mother and Child, parting
Length: about 2,400 words
Summary: Emil wants Kurt to leave his mark on him. Kurt wants to be a good friend. And Peregrine has a need.
Master list
Emil leaned back against Kurt, who was on his third bowl of ice cream. Emil had only had one, plus enough bites of Kurt and Peregrine’s choices to be considered another bowl.
The day was good and wondrous. None of his annoying brothers had shown up. JJ had unstiffened considerably after Zan and Autumn had arrived. They had enough food and ice cream for everyone to stuff themselves silly. Peregrine was back in his long sleeved shirt, under his tie dye of course, now that Hunter wished to show off Kurt’s designs.
Kurt was a really great artist. Emil looked up at his wonderful lover. Maybe he could get Kurt to draw on him like that, but in a more intimate setting.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Kurt whispered.
Emil sat up. “Why not?”
“Because,” Kurt ducked his face close to Emil’s ear. “It gives me thoughts inappropriate to the setting.”
Emil moaned.
“Careful there, boy,” said Keith. “Kurt looks like he’s about to pounce.”
“Pounce?” asked Olivia. “Is that fun?”
Emil felt Kurt sigh. Emil put his hand on Kurt’s knee. “I owe you.”
“You do.”
And he’d pay in full just as soon as they could politely leave.
--
Kurt carried the extra bags of charcoal to Keith’s truck. Keith opened the tailgate to put in the picnic blankets. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Casey slid in the BBQ. He looked at Keith then at Kurt and then shrugged. Keith cleared his throat.
Kurt watched Casey walk back to the group. He felt he should help move, but he owed it to his pseudo-father-in-law to hear what he had to say.
Keith sat on the tailgate. “Do you have a minute?”
Kurt nodded and leaned against the side of the truck.
“I,” said Keith. “I don’t want you to get me wrong.”
Kurt looked up.
“Not saying you do or anything. I don’t want you to think I spoil Olivia and neglect Willow.”
“I don’t.” But really Kurt kind of did.
“I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons raising foster kids. I like to think I make a difference, but I’m not perfect. No one is. I do my best, but sometimes my best isn’t enough. You know I have adopted seven kids, right? Not including Willow because Willow moved in with Liam the day Willow moved in with me and I already had a set of sons who can never get married because I adopted both of them. See, far from perfect.”
Kurt nodded, not knowing what to say.
“I tried and failed with my older boys as often as I succeeded. I have one that won’t even talk to me. His wife sends me Christmas cards, so I can’t have failed too spectacularly. But the road’s been rocky. I started out giving them everything they needed, but that didn’t work. They didn’t trust it. Or me. By Liam I’d learned to give generous allowances. Willow has everything plus enough to buy presents for others. Willow’s good with money and always gets good deals, but I’d give the same amount even if it was spent on concerts and expensive food because anything Willow buys with that money belongs to Willow. It isn’t a gift that can be taken. Everything bought, every dollar spent, is another tie to me, my house, and my family. I worried for months that even that wouldn’t be enough. Willow was my little fairy, fluttering away on the wind. But the day Willow and Liam bought a bed together, I knew I’d made it, that everything had worked out this time. That I hadn’t failed.”
Casey passed Keith a box. “You’ve never failed. They are all good kids.”
Kurt turned away to give them a moment of privacy. When he turned back their hands were still in each other’s hair, and their gazes locked. Casey squeezed Keith’s knee and walked away.
Keith’s back was straighter and he looked much happier. Kurt nodded at Casey’s back. “You two are good together.”
Keith grinned. “You have no idea how long it took me to convince him of that. Where was I? I’d figured it all out with Willow… and then I got Olivia and the rules changes.”
“She’s a special girl.”
“That she is. My special girl, obeying none of the rules I worked so hard to figure out and obey. She likes presents. Peregrine fills that role perfectly. I give her money, but she doesn’t spend it. If I take her clothes shopping she still expects me to pay for everything.”
“Sounds like my sister.”
“Maybe. But I do have a point. And I’m talking to you and not Peregrine because he wears rose colored glasses. I love Emil. I worked so hard for years trying to keep him from self destruction. Peregrine does keep him from that, but he… What I’m trying to say is if Emil doesn’t own the house you live in he will never be more than a guest. If you can’t get him to spend his hard earned money on something for all of you, it’s because he’s saving it for the day there is no all-of-you anymore. He pays utilities and not rent in the place they live in now. And even though he’s never come out and said it, I know he was just waiting for the day that Peregrine kicks him out. So what I’m saying is please, please make him own it. No matter what you have to do. Even if it’s just a couple bucks a month. He’s never been so happy in his life. I want him to stay this way.”
Keith’s eyes were wet with tears. Casey rubbed their cheeks together. Kurt stepped away. He would carry the rest of the stuff to the vehicles. He had a lot of thinking to do.
--
Peregrine stood by Autumn’s car. “You will tell me if they need anything?”
“And what would you do?” Zan asked. “Volunteer for diaper duty. Aren’t you saving up for something? Mike was going on about it.”
But some things were more important that showing up a banker. “Kurt is Diego’s honorary brother-in-law, now that Lavender and Emil are honorary siblings.”
“When did this happen?”
“And why didn’t you tell us?
After Lavender realized the getting to know Emil wouldn’t lead her family to show up and ruin the beautiful life she was living. Peregrine waved his hand. “Last week? The week before? After your birthday.”
Zan sighed. “You are just too vague.”
“No. I think I’m just the right amount.”
Autumn laughed and draped herself around Zan’s shoulders. “You can’t win this one.”
Zan smiled.
“I have to paint her. Lavender, Piper, and the little one.”
Autumn grinned. “What about Diego?”
“Later.”
“You have it all planned out?”
“Of course he does,” said Emil. “He has everything planned out. How soon can we visit? And what should we bring?”
“Piper is used to cloth diapers. Her birth mother’s family ran a service. Diego would really like to use a different one. They are still worried that this is a dream they will wake from. Or a nightmare when her birth mother asks for her back. Piper already calls Lavender mama.”
“So we could get them set up with a diaper service?” asked Kurt. He pulled out his phone.
“We are going to see them.” Peregrine would never forgive himself if he missed the chance to draw Lavender and her baby, even if she didn’t get to keep her.
“I don’t think they’re home. They had planned on spending the day with his parents.”
“Did they?” asked Emil, “with a new baby?”
“I’ll call.” Kurt wandered away, looking at his phone.
“What about us?” asked JJ.
“We could drop you off.” Autumn grinned. Hunter shrank in on himself and slid his arms up his sleeves. Peregrine wrapped his arms around him. “Emil, where is Hunter’s hoody?”
Emil pulled it out of one of his bags. Hunter slid into it as if it were twenty degrees colder. Then he cuddled against Peregrine again. No matter what JJ said, Hunter wasn’t interested in Peregrine sexually. He probably wasn’t interested in anyone like that. Maybe after a few years with a loving family and more counseling. He was attracted, sure, to Emil with his shirt off, but then who wasn’t?
--
Kurt stopped in front of the youth shelter. All the parking spots were full, but the boys opened the door and slid out. Kurt pulled back into traffic and glanced at Peregrine in the rear view mirror. “How do you think today went?”
Peregrine sighed. “As good as I could have hoped for.”
“Hunter seemed to fit in.” Emil reached behind him.
Peregrine squeezed his hand. “He did.”
“And I found out Kurt can draw really well.”
Kurt grinned. “Would you like that? Me drawing on you.”
He would quite enjoy leaving his mark on Emil’s prefect skin.
“Well,” said Emil, “you did it before in syrup, so I didn’t get to see your handy work.”
Peregrine nodded. “Just be careful with the sheets.”
“Yes, dear.”
Peregrine rolled his eyes at Kurt.
Emil frowned. “Does this mean you are not joining us?”
“I’ve got something to draw. It’s boiling up inside me.”
Kurt put his hand on Emil’s knee. “Let him to this. He’ll come back to us when he’s done.”
Peregrine leaned back. “Oh, I didn’t tell Zan our new address. Are we sleeping at the old or new place?”
“The new one has air conditioning.” Kurt pulled into Diego’s neighborhood.
“Then let’s sleep there.”
Emil pressed his lips together. Kurt would have to figure out what was wrong.
--
Emil got out of the car first. Diego was already by the front door. The house was adorable with enough lawn around it for children to play in. Peregrine asked where his charcoal pencils were as if he expected that Emil would pack them. Emil had. But maybe that’s why Peregrine kept him around.
Kurt walked up and shook Diego’s hand. Diego talked a mile a minute about getting their daughter and how wonderful she was and how scared they were that her birth mother would change her mind. “She’s fifteen and the niece of someone my mom knows. The baby-daddy is Hispanic, the same for both kids, so she, Piper looks just like she’s ours.”
And all the energy drained out of him. Kurt put a hand on his back. “Whatever you need. A lawyer, a hand, a friendly ear. I’m here. And if you haven’t started a diaper service yet, let me. I called one of the ladies at work and she gave me a good recommendation.”
“But...”
Kurt held up his hand. “I insist.”
Diego sagged again. He was probably wondering what they’d do with the diapers and all the other baby stuff if Piper was taken from them. Time for a diversion.
“Can we see her?”
Diego’s smile lit up the night sky. He turned and put his hand on the door. “She might be sleeping. All this new stuff has tired her out. Her birth mother was so young, she… she didn’t give Piper as much attention as she thought Piper needed. We haven’t put Piper down since we got her. We even took turns holding her last night. We don’t want her to be spoiled, but…”
Emil grinned. How different would his life be if someone had swooped in and rescued him when he was tiny? “I don’t think babies can be spoiled. You’re just making up for lost time.”
“And when the next one comes, you’ll be juggling both of them,” Kurt said. “You’re just making sure she feels loved.”
Diego grinned and squared his shoulders. “You think so, too.”
“Trust your heart on this.”
Did Kurt always know how to make people feel better? Emil was feeling the love and the words weren’t even being directed at him.
Kurt’s hand rested on his back as he stepped inside. He leaned into it. He missed his men so much; he wanted to be spoiled for a while.
Lavender was sitting in a rocking chair with a baby at her breast. She blushed. “I’ve got no milk and she never nursed before, but it calms her down. And his mother,” she smiled at Diego, “said she used to nurse him even though he was already weaned when his first mother died.”
She looked down at her baby as if the little girl was the most perfect creature on earth. And what Emil could see of her was cute. She had long fingers on tiny hands, just a shade lighter than her mother. And her curls were just as dark. Diego beamed at them.
Emil touched Kurt’s arm. It was time to leave them in peace.
Peregrine cleared his throat. “I’ll stay a while, if you don’t mind. I want to draw you.”
Lavender blushed.
“What should she do?” asked Diego.
“Nothing.” Peregrine sat down his bag. “Are you comfortable?”
“Do you need anything?” Diego grabbed a chair then set it down.
Peregrine, busy with his sketch book, didn’t notice. Emil moved the chair behind Peregrine and he sat in it like it had always been there.
“Give him a table of some kind, like a TV tray, and keep water beside him. Bottled if you have any.”
Diego shook his head.
“Kurt, can you get the bottles out of the car? Peregrine doesn’t care if it’s tap water, but bottles with lids are less likely to spill. Fill up an extra and put it in your fridge.”
“And don’t be surprised if Peregrine doesn’t react to anything you say or do.” Kurt kissed the back of Peregrine’s head. Peregrine didn’t even blink.
Emil smiled. “He’s in his own world.”
“Have him call when he’s done.” Kurt stepped to the door. “I’ll come get him.”
“No,” Diego opened the door. “I’ll take him home. You have work tomorrow and I think I have family leave coming.”
Emil kissed Peregrine’s cheek. “Good night, love.”
Peregrine grabbed his arm. “Lock up. I have a key.”
“Yes, dear.” This time Emil kissed him on the lips.
Peregrine took it then shooed Emil away. “The faster I finish, the sooner I’m home.”
Emil certainly hoped that was true.
