A Balance of Harmonies: Stepping Up
Dec. 30th, 2012 12:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warI have some pictures up of toys I made for Christmas while working all those hours. I still can believe I managed it.
Title: Stepping up
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred two of
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: furniture, kisses, beauty, stretching, pain, invitation, questions, advice, interruption, definitions
Length: about 1,700 words
Summary: Kurt gets advice. Peregrine gives advice. Emil didn’t get a name.
Master list
Emil and Kurt weren’t through moving the furniture to the far side of the living room when the workmen arrive Friday morning. The building didn’t have a policy on when the workmen arrived only that they couldn’t start making noise until eight. Emil looked at the clock. Kurt still had a few minutes before he had to leave to get to his own job by eight.
Tom grinned at Emil then looked away and kept his eyes down under his uncle’s watchful gaze, but Emil was fairly sure Tom had something to tell him. Or maybe he had more books for Emil to sign.
Kurt set his end of the second couch in front of the door to the guest room. “Anything else?”
Emil surveys the space. The room looked smaller with everything in the corner. “I guess we are done.”
He could write at the table which was now against the wall of windows. Or maybe he could find a café or even a park bench if the weather held. Or just write on the stone balcony. That might be fun.
Kurt wrapped his arms around Emil. “I love you.”
Emil grinned. “I love you too.”
He stood on his tip toes to get his mouth closer to Kurt’s. Kurt lowered his lips and Emil took full advantage. He would have let Kurt step away when workmen walked through the room, but Kurt acted like he didn’t notice, like Emil was the only person in the world. Kurt really was a great guy to love. Emil felt so loved and cared for every second of every day.
Emil stepped away with a sigh. “I don’t want to make you late for work.”
Kurt looked at the clock. “I guess I should be going.”
He let go of Emil’s had slowly. Emil sent him a sexy smile. “Until tonight.”
Kurt sighed. “Until tonight.”
And Emil patted Kurt’s ass as he walked out the door to remind him what he was waiting for. Emil whistled as he set up his computer. Today was a beautiful day.
--
Peregrine stretched out the muscles in his father’s calf. “They are not as tight this morning.”
Dad grunted, but the tears were gone and that’s what counted.
“Markus is coming over tonight for your evening exercises. He needs to practice for when I am home.”
Dad grunted again. “Is Sam coming?”
Peregrine moved down to Dad’s ankle. “I don’t know.”
Dad gasped and clenched his teeth. Peregrine tried to be gentler, but not so gentle that he wasn’t doing any good. “He hasn’t been over this week.”
Dad threw a hand into the air. “He hadn’t been over since Ed Matheson took him and the girls away.”
He grumbled on and on how he was being ignored by his perfect son and how the Mathesons and particularly Jad must be a bad influence on Sam since he hadn’t come home. When he started in on a conspiracy theory about Sam being kept away, Peregrine held up a hand. “I saw them on Wednesday. Sam didn’t look coerced into anything. He’s getting along well with everyone and the girls are very happy.”
“Sure he is. Then why hasn’t he come home?”
Peregrine pushed on Dad’s toes and then pull then forward. Pointing out that Dad’s house was not Sam’s house and hadn’t been for years would get him nowhere. “Have you invited him over?”
“Why should I have to invite his over? He should want to see us.”
“When was the last time he just stopped by before your accident?”
Dad looked away.
“Mom?”
Mom stepped out of the kitchen. “The fourth of July. And before that Father’s Day.”
Dad nodded. “And Easter and Mother’s Day.”
“And before that?”
Mom and Dad looked at each other. Mom shrugged. “Christmas, I think?”
“So, holidays?” Peregrine set Dad’s foot down and lifted the other. “The next ones are Halloween and Thanksgiving.”
“But he right here in town.” Dad banged his hand against the arm of his wheelchair. “He shouldn’t have to wait for a holiday. It’s not like he has to get time off work or anything.”
“All the more reason you should invite him over.”
“I don’t see why.”
Dad didn’t and neither did Mom from the frown on her face. Peregrine stifled a sigh. “When was the last time you visited him?”
“I can’t. I’m in a wheelchair.”
“Then before the accident?”
Mom shook her head. “We offered once, but he said no, his apartment was too small for all of us.”
That apartment had been too small for Sam and his girls from the sound of things.
“And now he’s living with the Matheson’s, we can’t just drop by.”
“Mom, I’m sure Mrs. Matheson wouldn’t mind. She never minds when I show up at her door.”
Mom smiled. “Of course she doesn’t, dear. I know about your secret cookie trysts.”
Of course she did. Moms know everything.
“What’s that?” Dad frowned.
Mom patted his shoulder. “Why don’t we invite Markus and Sam over for dinner?”
Dad scowled. “He should come over without needing to be invited.”
“Dad, you are being obstinate for no reason again. Is this how you were with me, waiting a dozen years for me to call you first?”
Mom looked away as well this time. Peregrine sighed. He would step up to the plate if he had to. Only he didn’t want to have to.
He really was a lot like his parents.
--
Kurt set his coffee cup down on the meeting table. The brainstorming session had gone well and Veronica and Chambers would each pursue different ways to get what the client wanted. The meeting was over, but no one had gotten up yet. The cookies and coffee might be contributing to the fact no one had run off to lunch yet. Kurt meant to take advantage.
“Veronica, have you heard anything back yet?”
She frowned and looked pointedly at Chambers and back at Kurt. Beka leaned forward. “Not really. We can handle it.”
Kurt nodded. “I’m sure you can.”
Zawadzki leaned across the table. “What’s this?”
Veronica frowned deepened, but Kurt needed some advice. He turned to Zawadzki. “You know how I was recruited to play chaperone at a client lunch? We went out for drinks afterward and someone saw me come back with Beka and Veronica and they were trying to make Emil think I was cheating on him.”
Beka sat up. “Give me his number. I’ll explain.”
Veronica nodded.
Kurt shook his head. “Emil’s met you two and he trusts me, but I can’t just let Tettle get away with that. If it was Tettle.”
Zawadzki nodded. “First find out who was involved. Then we’ll figure what you should do.”
Chambers smiled. “I have an idea for finding out who’s involved.”
Everyone stood up. Zawadzki patted Kurt on the back. “And don’t worry. You have the best minds in the company in your corner.”
Kurt grinned. Even if they weren’t the best minds, they were certainly the right ones for his purpose.
--
Emil looked up when the doorbell rang. Who could that possibly be? The workmen just inside the front door turned to look at Emil. He got up with a sigh. The younger workman nodded toward the doorbell box. “My in-laws have a fancy new doorbell that only goes off once no matter how much of a maniac is outside.”
The maniac at Emil’s door must be leaning on his. “Get me the name and I’ll buy one.”
The workmen laughed.
Emil opened the door to a small man, but was he the same small man as last time? His doorbell skills said yes, but his hair looked different somehow. Emil stepped outside to let the workmen pass. The small man scowled at them. “What are they doing here?”
Emil shrugged. “We’re remodeling.”
“So you haven’t left him.”
What was this guy talking about? “Left who?”
The man stamped his foot. “How could anyone be that stupid? Your boyfriend of course.”
A workman stepped by carrying the front of a long, thin box with a picture wood grain on the side. The guy carrying the other end grinned. “Which of his boyfriends?”
The man behind him set one of his two big buckets down and swatted that guy with his hat. “No gossiping about the clients.”
The guy grinned at Emil. “He wasn’t hiding anything.”
The man put his hat back on. “That’s beside the point.”
The small man glared at the workmen until the door was shut behind them. Then he turned to Emil. “What was that about?”
Like Emil was going to tell him anything. “Are we done here?”
The man nodded. “Yesterday my cousin went out of his way to tell you your man was cheating and today you go on like that never happened.”
“Nothing did. I don’t think you or your cousin know who I live with.”
“You live with that artist guy and Kirk Styles. Mr. Styles is your boyfriend. I’ve seen your vulgar behavior myself.”
What did Kurt’s signature look like? Because the way his guy was pronouncing it traded the t in his first name with the k in his last. If he was the guy at the head table for the last Homeowners Association meeting, wouldn’t he have at least heard Kurt’s name? Kurt had introduced himself, hadn’t he?
“By vulgar do you mean general used and accepted or common? Because I think they both might apply.” He and Kurt did what any couple did. Except they might have more sex. Emil liked that thought.
“No!” The man sputtered. “I mean vulgar. Dirty. Unexceptable. You same sex couples parading yourselves around like you are normal people.”
Emil smiled. He kind of like the idea of parading himself around with his men. “So you meant ostentatious.”
“No. I meant vulgar. That’s what vulgar means.”
“I think that maybe you should look of the definitions of a word,” Emil crossed his arms, “before you start throwing it around.”
The man glared at Emil. The front door opened and the man turned and walked away. A workman watched him go. “Who was that?”
Emil shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Emil had forgotten to ask his name.
Title: Stepping up
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred two of
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: furniture, kisses, beauty, stretching, pain, invitation, questions, advice, interruption, definitions
Length: about 1,700 words
Summary: Kurt gets advice. Peregrine gives advice. Emil didn’t get a name.
Master list
Emil and Kurt weren’t through moving the furniture to the far side of the living room when the workmen arrive Friday morning. The building didn’t have a policy on when the workmen arrived only that they couldn’t start making noise until eight. Emil looked at the clock. Kurt still had a few minutes before he had to leave to get to his own job by eight.
Tom grinned at Emil then looked away and kept his eyes down under his uncle’s watchful gaze, but Emil was fairly sure Tom had something to tell him. Or maybe he had more books for Emil to sign.
Kurt set his end of the second couch in front of the door to the guest room. “Anything else?”
Emil surveys the space. The room looked smaller with everything in the corner. “I guess we are done.”
He could write at the table which was now against the wall of windows. Or maybe he could find a café or even a park bench if the weather held. Or just write on the stone balcony. That might be fun.
Kurt wrapped his arms around Emil. “I love you.”
Emil grinned. “I love you too.”
He stood on his tip toes to get his mouth closer to Kurt’s. Kurt lowered his lips and Emil took full advantage. He would have let Kurt step away when workmen walked through the room, but Kurt acted like he didn’t notice, like Emil was the only person in the world. Kurt really was a great guy to love. Emil felt so loved and cared for every second of every day.
Emil stepped away with a sigh. “I don’t want to make you late for work.”
Kurt looked at the clock. “I guess I should be going.”
He let go of Emil’s had slowly. Emil sent him a sexy smile. “Until tonight.”
Kurt sighed. “Until tonight.”
And Emil patted Kurt’s ass as he walked out the door to remind him what he was waiting for. Emil whistled as he set up his computer. Today was a beautiful day.
--
Peregrine stretched out the muscles in his father’s calf. “They are not as tight this morning.”
Dad grunted, but the tears were gone and that’s what counted.
“Markus is coming over tonight for your evening exercises. He needs to practice for when I am home.”
Dad grunted again. “Is Sam coming?”
Peregrine moved down to Dad’s ankle. “I don’t know.”
Dad gasped and clenched his teeth. Peregrine tried to be gentler, but not so gentle that he wasn’t doing any good. “He hasn’t been over this week.”
Dad threw a hand into the air. “He hadn’t been over since Ed Matheson took him and the girls away.”
He grumbled on and on how he was being ignored by his perfect son and how the Mathesons and particularly Jad must be a bad influence on Sam since he hadn’t come home. When he started in on a conspiracy theory about Sam being kept away, Peregrine held up a hand. “I saw them on Wednesday. Sam didn’t look coerced into anything. He’s getting along well with everyone and the girls are very happy.”
“Sure he is. Then why hasn’t he come home?”
Peregrine pushed on Dad’s toes and then pull then forward. Pointing out that Dad’s house was not Sam’s house and hadn’t been for years would get him nowhere. “Have you invited him over?”
“Why should I have to invite his over? He should want to see us.”
“When was the last time he just stopped by before your accident?”
Dad looked away.
“Mom?”
Mom stepped out of the kitchen. “The fourth of July. And before that Father’s Day.”
Dad nodded. “And Easter and Mother’s Day.”
“And before that?”
Mom and Dad looked at each other. Mom shrugged. “Christmas, I think?”
“So, holidays?” Peregrine set Dad’s foot down and lifted the other. “The next ones are Halloween and Thanksgiving.”
“But he right here in town.” Dad banged his hand against the arm of his wheelchair. “He shouldn’t have to wait for a holiday. It’s not like he has to get time off work or anything.”
“All the more reason you should invite him over.”
“I don’t see why.”
Dad didn’t and neither did Mom from the frown on her face. Peregrine stifled a sigh. “When was the last time you visited him?”
“I can’t. I’m in a wheelchair.”
“Then before the accident?”
Mom shook her head. “We offered once, but he said no, his apartment was too small for all of us.”
That apartment had been too small for Sam and his girls from the sound of things.
“And now he’s living with the Matheson’s, we can’t just drop by.”
“Mom, I’m sure Mrs. Matheson wouldn’t mind. She never minds when I show up at her door.”
Mom smiled. “Of course she doesn’t, dear. I know about your secret cookie trysts.”
Of course she did. Moms know everything.
“What’s that?” Dad frowned.
Mom patted his shoulder. “Why don’t we invite Markus and Sam over for dinner?”
Dad scowled. “He should come over without needing to be invited.”
“Dad, you are being obstinate for no reason again. Is this how you were with me, waiting a dozen years for me to call you first?”
Mom looked away as well this time. Peregrine sighed. He would step up to the plate if he had to. Only he didn’t want to have to.
He really was a lot like his parents.
--
Kurt set his coffee cup down on the meeting table. The brainstorming session had gone well and Veronica and Chambers would each pursue different ways to get what the client wanted. The meeting was over, but no one had gotten up yet. The cookies and coffee might be contributing to the fact no one had run off to lunch yet. Kurt meant to take advantage.
“Veronica, have you heard anything back yet?”
She frowned and looked pointedly at Chambers and back at Kurt. Beka leaned forward. “Not really. We can handle it.”
Kurt nodded. “I’m sure you can.”
Zawadzki leaned across the table. “What’s this?”
Veronica frowned deepened, but Kurt needed some advice. He turned to Zawadzki. “You know how I was recruited to play chaperone at a client lunch? We went out for drinks afterward and someone saw me come back with Beka and Veronica and they were trying to make Emil think I was cheating on him.”
Beka sat up. “Give me his number. I’ll explain.”
Veronica nodded.
Kurt shook his head. “Emil’s met you two and he trusts me, but I can’t just let Tettle get away with that. If it was Tettle.”
Zawadzki nodded. “First find out who was involved. Then we’ll figure what you should do.”
Chambers smiled. “I have an idea for finding out who’s involved.”
Everyone stood up. Zawadzki patted Kurt on the back. “And don’t worry. You have the best minds in the company in your corner.”
Kurt grinned. Even if they weren’t the best minds, they were certainly the right ones for his purpose.
--
Emil looked up when the doorbell rang. Who could that possibly be? The workmen just inside the front door turned to look at Emil. He got up with a sigh. The younger workman nodded toward the doorbell box. “My in-laws have a fancy new doorbell that only goes off once no matter how much of a maniac is outside.”
The maniac at Emil’s door must be leaning on his. “Get me the name and I’ll buy one.”
The workmen laughed.
Emil opened the door to a small man, but was he the same small man as last time? His doorbell skills said yes, but his hair looked different somehow. Emil stepped outside to let the workmen pass. The small man scowled at them. “What are they doing here?”
Emil shrugged. “We’re remodeling.”
“So you haven’t left him.”
What was this guy talking about? “Left who?”
The man stamped his foot. “How could anyone be that stupid? Your boyfriend of course.”
A workman stepped by carrying the front of a long, thin box with a picture wood grain on the side. The guy carrying the other end grinned. “Which of his boyfriends?”
The man behind him set one of his two big buckets down and swatted that guy with his hat. “No gossiping about the clients.”
The guy grinned at Emil. “He wasn’t hiding anything.”
The man put his hat back on. “That’s beside the point.”
The small man glared at the workmen until the door was shut behind them. Then he turned to Emil. “What was that about?”
Like Emil was going to tell him anything. “Are we done here?”
The man nodded. “Yesterday my cousin went out of his way to tell you your man was cheating and today you go on like that never happened.”
“Nothing did. I don’t think you or your cousin know who I live with.”
“You live with that artist guy and Kirk Styles. Mr. Styles is your boyfriend. I’ve seen your vulgar behavior myself.”
What did Kurt’s signature look like? Because the way his guy was pronouncing it traded the t in his first name with the k in his last. If he was the guy at the head table for the last Homeowners Association meeting, wouldn’t he have at least heard Kurt’s name? Kurt had introduced himself, hadn’t he?
“By vulgar do you mean general used and accepted or common? Because I think they both might apply.” He and Kurt did what any couple did. Except they might have more sex. Emil liked that thought.
“No!” The man sputtered. “I mean vulgar. Dirty. Unexceptable. You same sex couples parading yourselves around like you are normal people.”
Emil smiled. He kind of like the idea of parading himself around with his men. “So you meant ostentatious.”
“No. I meant vulgar. That’s what vulgar means.”
“I think that maybe you should look of the definitions of a word,” Emil crossed his arms, “before you start throwing it around.”
The man glared at Emil. The front door opened and the man turned and walked away. A workman watched him go. “Who was that?”
Emil shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Emil had forgotten to ask his name.
