A Balance of Harmonies: Readings
Jan. 29th, 2013 10:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warWith effort, I’ve lost 25% of my body weight in the last just over two years, but I haven’t bought many new clothes during that time. My jeans were huge on me. So I went to a charity store and spent just under a hundred dollars for seventeen items (not all were for me) many of which still had their labels from whatever store had donated them. I now have two pairs of jeans that fit and when I see them in the laundry I have to double check that they are mine because they are so much smaller than I am used to my pants being.
Title: Reading
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred seven of maybe a hundred fifty
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: need, feeling loved, morning, coffee, kids, concern, waking up, memories, not waking up, welcome, snuggling, last time
Length: about 2,100 words
Summary: Kurt’s plans go awry. Peregrine can’t wake up. Emil feels useful.
Master list
Peregrine waited until Emil’s breathing evened out to get up. He hadn’t planned on sleeping, but since he and Kurt had somehow broken Emil’s heart ever thought of lust floated away.
Kurt looked up. Peregrine rubbed his ankle as he passed by. He needed a sketch book.
He needed his painting equipment. He needed to paint Emil lying so sexily across the dining room chairs; only Peregrine would put him on a chaise lounge and cover the wall with rich brocade. Or maybe a simple wall was best to showcase Emil’s beauty. Maybe he could paint both and sell the only he didn’t like.
Peregrine found several new sketchbooks in his bag. Emil must have bought them while Peregrine was gone. That made Peregrine feel loved.
Maybe Emil didn’t feel loved at the moment. What if Peregrine and Kurt made him feel unloved? What had they done? Peregrine wasn’t going to let it happen again.
--
Kurt tucked Emil into the spare room bed beside Peregrine and covered him up. They needed to talk. Maybe he should take his men out to dinner. Peregrine needed his paint stuff, too. If they had access to two bedrooms, why should Peregrine have to be without a space of his own?
Keith’s shower had not been meant for a person of Kurt’s size, but then most weren’t. Just a few more days and Kurt and his men would move into their new bedroom with its new shower. He dressed quickly and peeked in at his men before leaving through the other bedroom. Emil and Peregrine were both sound asleep.
Dakota greeted him on the stairs and they went down together. Tyler and Keith were already in the kitchen. Keith pointed at the coffee pot. “Mugs are in the cupboard and the cream’s in the fridge.”
Kurt poured himself a huge mug of coffee and was generous with the cream and sugar. Dakota laughed. “That is supposed to be a soup cup.”
The mug was big enough for a large soup. “I like my coffee.”
Dakota laughed. “You do.”
They ate breakfast slowly. No one else came down. Kurt refilled his mug. “When does everyone else get up?”
Keith restarted the coffee maker. “I’ll get the younger two up when these two leave. I like to have time with all my kids.”
Dakota nudged his arm. Keith gave him a hug. “The rest of the day is busy, but I like to take mornings slow.”
Kurt could understand that.
After a bus came for Dakota and Tyler, Olivia and Hunter came downstairs. Olivia rubbed her eyes. “I wanted to show Peregrine my nightgown.”
Kurt smiled. “Peregrine doesn’t sleep normal person hours. He was still awake when I woke up at three.”
Keith frowned. “You didn’t sleep well.”
Kurt shook his head. “I slept fine. I was only awake long enough for Peregrine to tell me to go back to sleep. And then he slept through my phone this morning.”
Avoiding that alarm might have been why he was in the bedroom they’d started in, but then he’d slept though Kurt sliding Emil in beside him, so the phone alarm probably wouldn’t have woken him anyway.
Keith sent Olivia back up to get dressed.
Casey came down, kissed Keith, and left with the travel mug of coffee Keith had filled for him. Keith smiled after him. “Casey doesn’t like mornings. He wakes up at the last possible moment to get to work on time.”
Kurt checked the clock. He had better leave soon. “Thanks for breakfast.”
Keith smiled. He was glad they were staying even if Emil wasn’t. Only Emil counted more in Kurt’s heart. He went upstairs and kissed both his lovers without waking them and then left for work. He wanted to fix whatever was the matter, but he didn’t want to tinker until he knew what the problem was.
--
Emil sat up and stretched. He was back in the first bedroom. He’d thought Kurt carrying him had been part of a dream. Peregrine slept soundly on the other side of the bed. Emil got up without waking him.
He dressed and went downstairs. Willow smiled and set a plate of waffles in front of him. “I’m glad you’re up. Dad just left and I’ve got to go in early today, so Liam is taking me when he goes and I hate to leave these two alone.”
Olivia pouted. “We’re old enough.”
Willow patted her head. “I’m sure you are. You two can lock of the house nice and tight and still get to school on time, but I feel more comfortable if someone is here.”
Emil nodded. “I used to get myself ready for school while my mother slept. I would lock up and hope she’d been home when I got back.’
Olivia frowned. “Was she?”
Emil leaned back in his chair. “Sometimes.”
Sometimes he came home to an empty house and fended for himself. And sometimes she was still sleeping exactly where he’d left her.
“My mother,” Willow picked up the empty plates, “used to work nights. She’d tuck me in and leave for work. She got home in time to wave to me as I waited for the bus. I hated falling asleep in an empty house and waking up alone. Middle school started later and we saw a bit more of each other, but I wound up not being the child she’d thought she had. I wore my jeans and t-shirts too tight. I talked like a girl. I gestured when I spoke. I attracted boys, even at twelve. By fourteen, she’d thrown me out. I used to be angry that she expected me to grow to her specifications if she was never around, but now I’m glad she didn’t interfere with me being who I am.”
Olivia hugged Willow. “I love you just as you are.”
Willow patted her back. “I love you, too.”
Liam set the last plate in the dishwasher. “We’ve got to go. Olivia and Hunter leave in twenty minutes.”
He started the machine. “We’ll be back a little after one, but fell free to make yourselves lunch if you don’t want to wait.”
Emil assured Liam and Willow that he could take care of everything before they left. Olivia drew a picture for Peregrine. Hunter walked up to Emil slowly, carrying a book. “I have to practice reading.”
Emil followed him to the couch. Hunter’s reading skills were well below what Emil’s had been at the same age, but then Hunter hadn’t had the option of hiding from the world in a good book. Sometimes that had been Emil’s only solace. He listened patiently to Hunter’s halting words and gave encouragements. He wanted his newest little brother to learn and thrive.
--
Peregrine opened his eyes and closed them again. Too many nights with not enough sleep. He woke up again with light streaming between the curtains. His stomach rumbled. He needed to get up.
His fingers itched to paint. Maybe he could carve out a little piece of the condo’s guest room. His eyes didn’t want to stay open. He’d never get anything done today if he didn’t get up. He sighed and dragged himself out of bed. A shower helped his body wake up, but his brain was still half sleep.
He dragged himself downstairs. Emil set a mug of coffee in front of him. “Sleep well?”
Peregrine rubbed his face. “I slept. What time is it?”
His eyes weren’t working well enough to read a clock.
“After noon. Liam and Willow will be back soon, but I can make you something.”
Peregrine laid his head on the table. “I’ll just sleep until they get back.”
Emil caressed Peregrine’s back. Peregrine sighed and his eyes closed. He could get up later.
--
Kurt stepped up on Keith’s porch. He’d never opened Keith’s door before, but since he was living here for the week, knocking felt just as weird. The door opened. “Kurt,” Olivia tugged him inside. “You’re home.”
He was.
Emil was in the kitchen. Kurt stopped by to kiss him. He was well into making dinner. So much for Kurt taking his men out.
Emil nodded toward Peregrine, his attention on his sketch book. “I think he needs his paint.”
Kurt wrapped his arms around Emil’s waist loosely, so he could pull away if he wanted to. “I was thinking the same thing. The second bedroom would work…”
If Emil didn’t want them to move out tonight.
Emil nodded. “I already talked to Dad. He sort of assumed that’s what we’d use the second bedroom for.” He kissed Kurt again. “I guess I’m glad we’re staying here.”
If Emil was glad, Kurt was too. “When should we get it? After dinner?”
“Tomorrow.” Peregrine set down his sketch book. “I’ll borrow Mike’s van after I’m done at the shelter.”
Hunter bit his lip. “JJ?”
Peregrine rubbed Hunter’s head. “I’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow.”
Hunter nodded slowly.
“Dinner’s almost ready.” Willow poured milk into a pan. “Hunter, why don’t you do your reading with Kurt?”
Hunter looked at the floor. Kurt steered him out of the kitchen. “What is your book about?”
This was a book about a man with penguins. Kurt was pretty sure he remembered it from grade school. His inside ached with the effort not to help Hunter, so to relieve the pressure, he took the even numbered pages while Hunter read the odds.
Together they read a whole chapter before they were called to the table. Maybe after dinner, they could read more.
--
Emil snuggled between his men in the borrowed bed. He kissed Kurt’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Kurt pulled him closer. “You forgive me?”
Emil burrowed his face into the space between Kurt’s shoulder and his neck. “There is nothing to forgive.”
Peregrine patted his leg. “You were pretty upset about something.”
Emil sighed. “I was pretty upset about nothing.”
Kurt rubbed his back. “If you were upset, it wasn’t nothing.”
“I…” Emil felt so selfish saying that he hadn’t wanted to come. What hotel would let Peregrine set up a studio on their expensive carpets? “I felt useful today.”
He’d done a few load of laundry and helped with meals and watched the kids and looked over homework, even Dakota’s which was so far over his head, that he’d only been able to check for misspellings. He left the math and physics reviews to Liam.
Peregrine put his chin on Emil’s arm. “You are always useful.”
Emil sighed. “Last time I stayed here Casey was going through a rough spot at work and Sean and Aaron where here.”
Peregrine groaned. “Sean is easier to take at a distance.”
“He is. Layton had just moved out to make his way in the world with Dad’s support, but Leon was still here being homophobic at us.”
Kurt rubbed his arm. “I have the feeling I lucked out only meeting the younger batch of Keith’s kids.”
“You did.” Peregrine tucked himself against Emil’s back. “Anyone else here yet?”
“Liam, back when he was Will. He was a smart kid, even then, but much more shy than he is now. I was alone in a house full of people. If I was going to be alone, I might as well do so by myself.”
“And Keith?”
Emil closed his eyes. “This was before I met Peregrine, so Dad’s number one concern was that I was going to catch something from one of my one night stands and die horribly. He talked about it all the time. Sean and Aaron were an item since we were all kids, so Dad didn’t have to worry about them, Leon was straight and so not in a risk category, and Layton was having his flings out of Dad’s line of sight. Every evening I found a better place to be than here, Dad waited up for me. I moved out in self defense.”
Kurt rubbed Emil’s arm. “That’s understandable. But you said useful.”
Emil sighed. “According to my brothers I was incompetent when it came to housework. I couldn’t even vacuum right. I didn’t even want to clean up after them, but it gave me something to do. Only they rewashed every load I did, using up twice the soap and water.”
Peregrine’s hand snaked over Emil’s waist. “I find you very useful.”
Emil grinned. “Do you?”
“Very.” Peregrine nibbled Emil’s earlobe.
Emil found Peregrine very useful too. Emil raised his eyebrows at Kurt. Kurt answered with a grin. Emil rolled over and proved just how useful he could be.
Title: Reading
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred seven of maybe a hundred fifty
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: need, feeling loved, morning, coffee, kids, concern, waking up, memories, not waking up, welcome, snuggling, last time
Length: about 2,100 words
Summary: Kurt’s plans go awry. Peregrine can’t wake up. Emil feels useful.
Master list
Peregrine waited until Emil’s breathing evened out to get up. He hadn’t planned on sleeping, but since he and Kurt had somehow broken Emil’s heart ever thought of lust floated away.
Kurt looked up. Peregrine rubbed his ankle as he passed by. He needed a sketch book.
He needed his painting equipment. He needed to paint Emil lying so sexily across the dining room chairs; only Peregrine would put him on a chaise lounge and cover the wall with rich brocade. Or maybe a simple wall was best to showcase Emil’s beauty. Maybe he could paint both and sell the only he didn’t like.
Peregrine found several new sketchbooks in his bag. Emil must have bought them while Peregrine was gone. That made Peregrine feel loved.
Maybe Emil didn’t feel loved at the moment. What if Peregrine and Kurt made him feel unloved? What had they done? Peregrine wasn’t going to let it happen again.
--
Kurt tucked Emil into the spare room bed beside Peregrine and covered him up. They needed to talk. Maybe he should take his men out to dinner. Peregrine needed his paint stuff, too. If they had access to two bedrooms, why should Peregrine have to be without a space of his own?
Keith’s shower had not been meant for a person of Kurt’s size, but then most weren’t. Just a few more days and Kurt and his men would move into their new bedroom with its new shower. He dressed quickly and peeked in at his men before leaving through the other bedroom. Emil and Peregrine were both sound asleep.
Dakota greeted him on the stairs and they went down together. Tyler and Keith were already in the kitchen. Keith pointed at the coffee pot. “Mugs are in the cupboard and the cream’s in the fridge.”
Kurt poured himself a huge mug of coffee and was generous with the cream and sugar. Dakota laughed. “That is supposed to be a soup cup.”
The mug was big enough for a large soup. “I like my coffee.”
Dakota laughed. “You do.”
They ate breakfast slowly. No one else came down. Kurt refilled his mug. “When does everyone else get up?”
Keith restarted the coffee maker. “I’ll get the younger two up when these two leave. I like to have time with all my kids.”
Dakota nudged his arm. Keith gave him a hug. “The rest of the day is busy, but I like to take mornings slow.”
Kurt could understand that.
After a bus came for Dakota and Tyler, Olivia and Hunter came downstairs. Olivia rubbed her eyes. “I wanted to show Peregrine my nightgown.”
Kurt smiled. “Peregrine doesn’t sleep normal person hours. He was still awake when I woke up at three.”
Keith frowned. “You didn’t sleep well.”
Kurt shook his head. “I slept fine. I was only awake long enough for Peregrine to tell me to go back to sleep. And then he slept through my phone this morning.”
Avoiding that alarm might have been why he was in the bedroom they’d started in, but then he’d slept though Kurt sliding Emil in beside him, so the phone alarm probably wouldn’t have woken him anyway.
Keith sent Olivia back up to get dressed.
Casey came down, kissed Keith, and left with the travel mug of coffee Keith had filled for him. Keith smiled after him. “Casey doesn’t like mornings. He wakes up at the last possible moment to get to work on time.”
Kurt checked the clock. He had better leave soon. “Thanks for breakfast.”
Keith smiled. He was glad they were staying even if Emil wasn’t. Only Emil counted more in Kurt’s heart. He went upstairs and kissed both his lovers without waking them and then left for work. He wanted to fix whatever was the matter, but he didn’t want to tinker until he knew what the problem was.
--
Emil sat up and stretched. He was back in the first bedroom. He’d thought Kurt carrying him had been part of a dream. Peregrine slept soundly on the other side of the bed. Emil got up without waking him.
He dressed and went downstairs. Willow smiled and set a plate of waffles in front of him. “I’m glad you’re up. Dad just left and I’ve got to go in early today, so Liam is taking me when he goes and I hate to leave these two alone.”
Olivia pouted. “We’re old enough.”
Willow patted her head. “I’m sure you are. You two can lock of the house nice and tight and still get to school on time, but I feel more comfortable if someone is here.”
Emil nodded. “I used to get myself ready for school while my mother slept. I would lock up and hope she’d been home when I got back.’
Olivia frowned. “Was she?”
Emil leaned back in his chair. “Sometimes.”
Sometimes he came home to an empty house and fended for himself. And sometimes she was still sleeping exactly where he’d left her.
“My mother,” Willow picked up the empty plates, “used to work nights. She’d tuck me in and leave for work. She got home in time to wave to me as I waited for the bus. I hated falling asleep in an empty house and waking up alone. Middle school started later and we saw a bit more of each other, but I wound up not being the child she’d thought she had. I wore my jeans and t-shirts too tight. I talked like a girl. I gestured when I spoke. I attracted boys, even at twelve. By fourteen, she’d thrown me out. I used to be angry that she expected me to grow to her specifications if she was never around, but now I’m glad she didn’t interfere with me being who I am.”
Olivia hugged Willow. “I love you just as you are.”
Willow patted her back. “I love you, too.”
Liam set the last plate in the dishwasher. “We’ve got to go. Olivia and Hunter leave in twenty minutes.”
He started the machine. “We’ll be back a little after one, but fell free to make yourselves lunch if you don’t want to wait.”
Emil assured Liam and Willow that he could take care of everything before they left. Olivia drew a picture for Peregrine. Hunter walked up to Emil slowly, carrying a book. “I have to practice reading.”
Emil followed him to the couch. Hunter’s reading skills were well below what Emil’s had been at the same age, but then Hunter hadn’t had the option of hiding from the world in a good book. Sometimes that had been Emil’s only solace. He listened patiently to Hunter’s halting words and gave encouragements. He wanted his newest little brother to learn and thrive.
--
Peregrine opened his eyes and closed them again. Too many nights with not enough sleep. He woke up again with light streaming between the curtains. His stomach rumbled. He needed to get up.
His fingers itched to paint. Maybe he could carve out a little piece of the condo’s guest room. His eyes didn’t want to stay open. He’d never get anything done today if he didn’t get up. He sighed and dragged himself out of bed. A shower helped his body wake up, but his brain was still half sleep.
He dragged himself downstairs. Emil set a mug of coffee in front of him. “Sleep well?”
Peregrine rubbed his face. “I slept. What time is it?”
His eyes weren’t working well enough to read a clock.
“After noon. Liam and Willow will be back soon, but I can make you something.”
Peregrine laid his head on the table. “I’ll just sleep until they get back.”
Emil caressed Peregrine’s back. Peregrine sighed and his eyes closed. He could get up later.
--
Kurt stepped up on Keith’s porch. He’d never opened Keith’s door before, but since he was living here for the week, knocking felt just as weird. The door opened. “Kurt,” Olivia tugged him inside. “You’re home.”
He was.
Emil was in the kitchen. Kurt stopped by to kiss him. He was well into making dinner. So much for Kurt taking his men out.
Emil nodded toward Peregrine, his attention on his sketch book. “I think he needs his paint.”
Kurt wrapped his arms around Emil’s waist loosely, so he could pull away if he wanted to. “I was thinking the same thing. The second bedroom would work…”
If Emil didn’t want them to move out tonight.
Emil nodded. “I already talked to Dad. He sort of assumed that’s what we’d use the second bedroom for.” He kissed Kurt again. “I guess I’m glad we’re staying here.”
If Emil was glad, Kurt was too. “When should we get it? After dinner?”
“Tomorrow.” Peregrine set down his sketch book. “I’ll borrow Mike’s van after I’m done at the shelter.”
Hunter bit his lip. “JJ?”
Peregrine rubbed Hunter’s head. “I’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow.”
Hunter nodded slowly.
“Dinner’s almost ready.” Willow poured milk into a pan. “Hunter, why don’t you do your reading with Kurt?”
Hunter looked at the floor. Kurt steered him out of the kitchen. “What is your book about?”
This was a book about a man with penguins. Kurt was pretty sure he remembered it from grade school. His inside ached with the effort not to help Hunter, so to relieve the pressure, he took the even numbered pages while Hunter read the odds.
Together they read a whole chapter before they were called to the table. Maybe after dinner, they could read more.
--
Emil snuggled between his men in the borrowed bed. He kissed Kurt’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Kurt pulled him closer. “You forgive me?”
Emil burrowed his face into the space between Kurt’s shoulder and his neck. “There is nothing to forgive.”
Peregrine patted his leg. “You were pretty upset about something.”
Emil sighed. “I was pretty upset about nothing.”
Kurt rubbed his back. “If you were upset, it wasn’t nothing.”
“I…” Emil felt so selfish saying that he hadn’t wanted to come. What hotel would let Peregrine set up a studio on their expensive carpets? “I felt useful today.”
He’d done a few load of laundry and helped with meals and watched the kids and looked over homework, even Dakota’s which was so far over his head, that he’d only been able to check for misspellings. He left the math and physics reviews to Liam.
Peregrine put his chin on Emil’s arm. “You are always useful.”
Emil sighed. “Last time I stayed here Casey was going through a rough spot at work and Sean and Aaron where here.”
Peregrine groaned. “Sean is easier to take at a distance.”
“He is. Layton had just moved out to make his way in the world with Dad’s support, but Leon was still here being homophobic at us.”
Kurt rubbed his arm. “I have the feeling I lucked out only meeting the younger batch of Keith’s kids.”
“You did.” Peregrine tucked himself against Emil’s back. “Anyone else here yet?”
“Liam, back when he was Will. He was a smart kid, even then, but much more shy than he is now. I was alone in a house full of people. If I was going to be alone, I might as well do so by myself.”
“And Keith?”
Emil closed his eyes. “This was before I met Peregrine, so Dad’s number one concern was that I was going to catch something from one of my one night stands and die horribly. He talked about it all the time. Sean and Aaron were an item since we were all kids, so Dad didn’t have to worry about them, Leon was straight and so not in a risk category, and Layton was having his flings out of Dad’s line of sight. Every evening I found a better place to be than here, Dad waited up for me. I moved out in self defense.”
Kurt rubbed Emil’s arm. “That’s understandable. But you said useful.”
Emil sighed. “According to my brothers I was incompetent when it came to housework. I couldn’t even vacuum right. I didn’t even want to clean up after them, but it gave me something to do. Only they rewashed every load I did, using up twice the soap and water.”
Peregrine’s hand snaked over Emil’s waist. “I find you very useful.”
Emil grinned. “Do you?”
“Very.” Peregrine nibbled Emil’s earlobe.
Emil found Peregrine very useful too. Emil raised his eyebrows at Kurt. Kurt answered with a grin. Emil rolled over and proved just how useful he could be.
