A Balance of Harmonies: Watching Chaos
Feb. 5th, 2013 10:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warMy boss hasn’t got the floral schedule printed for next week so I don’t know if I’ll start working tomorrow and not get a day off until next Friday. I like advance notice on these things so I can ease my way into them. I hope for a day off in there somewhere though because five days in a row makes me tired, six makes me dippy, and seven makes me slow and stupid. I don’t want to survive nine.
Title: Watching Chaos
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred eight of gobs
Genre: m/m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: work, listening, knowledge, tea and biscuits, workmen, moving, worry, joy, Emil’s little friend, going outside, similarity, leaving
Length: about 1,400 words
Summary: Emil makes a visit. Kurt lays his claim. And Peregrine has something brought to his attention.
Master list
Peregrine pedaled into the shelter yard and parked his bike. The drizzling rain had soaked through his clothes, but a quick shower and a change would fix that.
Although class was in session, not everyone was in attendance. Peregrine stopped to talk to a kid outside Andre’s door. Andre was on the phone while a woman sat in his office with a binder clutched on her hip. The kid just needed someone to vent to about the kid in the bunk over him who wiggled all night. Peregrine promised to figure out what could be done, while his skin got colder and colder.
He finally got in a warm shower. When he came out, someone had put a ‘wet floor’ cone where he’d been standing. He hadn’t thought he’d dripped.
Andre hailed him on the way by. The woman was an auditor. She had been sent to look over their accounts. Andre was sure she was only here because a company was interested in the plot of land the shelter owned. He knew their accounts were in order, but that she would make a huge deal over every missing comma. Peregrine was to pass word to the other adults and make sure the children weren’t stressed.
Peregrine agreed. Their lives were hard enough.
He went the long, drier, way to the classroom. The boys looked his way when he entered. He gave them a cheery way. He’d be away too long. He talked to Kit about the auditor while they boys were turning in their papers and then explained that the lady in Andre’s office was an auditor and that Andre might be busy for most of the day. He let Kit explain what an auditor was and why they were useful and how they were used both for and against the person or place being audited. Teachers had to know a lot.
Peregrine spent the time getting ready for their next project. After listening to Hunter read, he’d come up with an idea. Although a picture was worth a thousand words, the artist couldn’t guarantee that his thousand words were what the viewer would see. He was going to prove this the fun way.
--
Emil rang Janine’s doorbell. The dog inside barked. As the door opened, James poked his nose onto the hall. Emil bent down and scratched James between the ears. Janine had lived in these condos since the beginning. Emil hoped she would know if Emil’s harasser was Tettle and if Tettle had a cousin. Or maybe she’d know who’d know.
Janine opened the door with a grin. “You came to see James.”
“And you.” He lifted the gift basket he’d made of teas, cookies, and dog biscuits. She welcomed him in and heated her kettle. Even if she couldn’t help him, he wouldn’t mind spending the afternoon with a lonely old woman and her little dog.
--
Kurt pulled into his parking spot at the condo. Mike’s van was in Rowe’s old spot. Was Mike here, or had Peregrine only borrowed the van? Peregrine hadn’t said in any of his texts. Kurt hurried upstairs. Mike stepped out of the condo with one end of a long canvas. “Hey.”
He set the end down and enveloped Kurt into a hug. “My man.”
Workers backed up on each side of the door. Kurt picked up the end. Peregrine was holding the other. He nodded to the trolley in the hall. Kurt helped maneuver the canvas to the trolley and then followed Peregrine into the condo and then Mike back out with the second canvas. The third followed and the forth before he saw Peregrine again. Workmen were everywhere. Hadn’t Emil made it back?
Once the trolley was full, Mike took it down the hall to the elevator. Peregrine kissed Kurt. “Follow him. He’s so excited, he might drop something.”
Kurt sighed and did. Mike chattered all the way to the van. He was happy to see Peregrine so motivate and he hoped for enough painting for a show before they sold. Kurt slid a canvas into the back of the van. “Mr. Zawadzki.”
“Him.” Mike sighed. “He drools over Peregrine’s work, but never buys any.”
Kurt raised his eyebrows. “None.”
“No.” Mike moved the last canvas into position. “He owns one, but he comes in several times a week to see if we’ve lowered the price on his obsession of the moment and he keeps me or Hana talking when we could be helping actual paying customers, but we can’t ignore him because he has actually paid. Once.”
“He’s my lawyer.”
“I feel sorry for you.”
Personally Kurt thought he had done a good job. “We are paying him in art.”
Mike froze. “You can’t mean…” He pulled on Kurt’s lapels. “You don’t mean he’s getting paintings I haven’t seen.”
Mike looked ready to cry.
Kurt dislodged Mike’s fingers. “He wants the painting to hang in your gallery.”
Mike inhaled. “How long?”
Kurt shrugged. “A while. He said he wanted to go in and see them there and know they were his.”
“They. How many?” Mike rubbed his hands together.
Kurt shrugged again. “You know how much Peregrine’s painting are worth more than I do.”
Mike frowned. “How much is he doing for you?”
“He’s keeping my assets safe for Emil and Peregrine if the unthinkable happens. That peace of mind is worth a lot.”
Mike pulled out his phone. “Wholesale rather than retail… probably.”
He mumbled some more as they went back up to the condo.
Emil was home, but his little fan was following him around. Kurt laid him claim. Emil grinned up at him. “Back to work.”
Kurt reluctantly hauled the next load down to the van. He wanted to watch the boy so the kid didn’t get any ideas.
--
Peregrine closed his eyes. What was he missing?
Mike popped his head in the doorway. “Any place to smoke around here?”
Peregrine wiggled his fingers towards the front door. “The sidewalk.”
“Aw. With all your balconies, I’m relegated to the street?”
Peregrine rolled his eyes. He moved two boxes so he could get the living room balcony door open. Mike took a deep breath and then hunched over and lit his cigarette. “Not much of a roof.”
“I didn’t say there was one.”
“Come out and keep me company.”
“Why should I?”
“Harsh, man. Just come. Watch the chaos from outside.”
Peregrine turned to look inside. The window was like a giant TV screen. Workmen filled a landscape that had beams instead of walls. He could see all the way out the north side of the building. Their new bedroom needed a door. Another day and the wall between the new entryway and the kitchen would go up. He was glad they weren’t trying to live here through this part of the process.
“See him.” Mike pointed at the kid following Emil around. Kurt stepped between them for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. Emil wanted to take a few more of their belongings, so they were filling the trolley one last time with personal items. They had better leave before Kurt snapped.
Peregrine shook his head at Mike’s offered cigarette. “Yeah.”
Mike inhaled and then let out a cloud of smoke. “He looks just like Emil.”
Peregrine turned to look again. “Does he?”
Mike shook his head. “Not like Lavender looks like Emil, but well… like Hana looks like me. What does the rest of his family look like?”
Peregrine stepped closer to the glass. “He doesn’t know. I’m going to try to find his mother for Christmas, at least to know if she’s still alive.”
“Oh. But notice the kid’s straight hair. It’s really short, but when he takes off his hat… there. And his eyebrows are the same shape.”
They were. “And his eyes. Emil’s mother was blonde.”
“Real or bottle?”
Peregrine shrugged. “He was only eight.”
“Ouch. His cheekbone too.” He took another drag. “Emil could have looked just like that at eighteen. Only darker, of course.”
True. Peregrine needed his sketchbook. A drop landed on his cheek. No, he couldn’t sketch out here. He sighed. He didn’t have time anyway. Kurt was about to explode. Peregrine stepped inside. “Let’s go.” He turned to the kid. “Get your uncle.”
The kid disappeared and didn’t come back with the foreman. Kurt relaxed. Things were looking up.
Title: Watching Chaos
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred eight of gobs
Genre: m/m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: work, listening, knowledge, tea and biscuits, workmen, moving, worry, joy, Emil’s little friend, going outside, similarity, leaving
Length: about 1,400 words
Summary: Emil makes a visit. Kurt lays his claim. And Peregrine has something brought to his attention.
Master list
Peregrine pedaled into the shelter yard and parked his bike. The drizzling rain had soaked through his clothes, but a quick shower and a change would fix that.
Although class was in session, not everyone was in attendance. Peregrine stopped to talk to a kid outside Andre’s door. Andre was on the phone while a woman sat in his office with a binder clutched on her hip. The kid just needed someone to vent to about the kid in the bunk over him who wiggled all night. Peregrine promised to figure out what could be done, while his skin got colder and colder.
He finally got in a warm shower. When he came out, someone had put a ‘wet floor’ cone where he’d been standing. He hadn’t thought he’d dripped.
Andre hailed him on the way by. The woman was an auditor. She had been sent to look over their accounts. Andre was sure she was only here because a company was interested in the plot of land the shelter owned. He knew their accounts were in order, but that she would make a huge deal over every missing comma. Peregrine was to pass word to the other adults and make sure the children weren’t stressed.
Peregrine agreed. Their lives were hard enough.
He went the long, drier, way to the classroom. The boys looked his way when he entered. He gave them a cheery way. He’d be away too long. He talked to Kit about the auditor while they boys were turning in their papers and then explained that the lady in Andre’s office was an auditor and that Andre might be busy for most of the day. He let Kit explain what an auditor was and why they were useful and how they were used both for and against the person or place being audited. Teachers had to know a lot.
Peregrine spent the time getting ready for their next project. After listening to Hunter read, he’d come up with an idea. Although a picture was worth a thousand words, the artist couldn’t guarantee that his thousand words were what the viewer would see. He was going to prove this the fun way.
--
Emil rang Janine’s doorbell. The dog inside barked. As the door opened, James poked his nose onto the hall. Emil bent down and scratched James between the ears. Janine had lived in these condos since the beginning. Emil hoped she would know if Emil’s harasser was Tettle and if Tettle had a cousin. Or maybe she’d know who’d know.
Janine opened the door with a grin. “You came to see James.”
“And you.” He lifted the gift basket he’d made of teas, cookies, and dog biscuits. She welcomed him in and heated her kettle. Even if she couldn’t help him, he wouldn’t mind spending the afternoon with a lonely old woman and her little dog.
--
Kurt pulled into his parking spot at the condo. Mike’s van was in Rowe’s old spot. Was Mike here, or had Peregrine only borrowed the van? Peregrine hadn’t said in any of his texts. Kurt hurried upstairs. Mike stepped out of the condo with one end of a long canvas. “Hey.”
He set the end down and enveloped Kurt into a hug. “My man.”
Workers backed up on each side of the door. Kurt picked up the end. Peregrine was holding the other. He nodded to the trolley in the hall. Kurt helped maneuver the canvas to the trolley and then followed Peregrine into the condo and then Mike back out with the second canvas. The third followed and the forth before he saw Peregrine again. Workmen were everywhere. Hadn’t Emil made it back?
Once the trolley was full, Mike took it down the hall to the elevator. Peregrine kissed Kurt. “Follow him. He’s so excited, he might drop something.”
Kurt sighed and did. Mike chattered all the way to the van. He was happy to see Peregrine so motivate and he hoped for enough painting for a show before they sold. Kurt slid a canvas into the back of the van. “Mr. Zawadzki.”
“Him.” Mike sighed. “He drools over Peregrine’s work, but never buys any.”
Kurt raised his eyebrows. “None.”
“No.” Mike moved the last canvas into position. “He owns one, but he comes in several times a week to see if we’ve lowered the price on his obsession of the moment and he keeps me or Hana talking when we could be helping actual paying customers, but we can’t ignore him because he has actually paid. Once.”
“He’s my lawyer.”
“I feel sorry for you.”
Personally Kurt thought he had done a good job. “We are paying him in art.”
Mike froze. “You can’t mean…” He pulled on Kurt’s lapels. “You don’t mean he’s getting paintings I haven’t seen.”
Mike looked ready to cry.
Kurt dislodged Mike’s fingers. “He wants the painting to hang in your gallery.”
Mike inhaled. “How long?”
Kurt shrugged. “A while. He said he wanted to go in and see them there and know they were his.”
“They. How many?” Mike rubbed his hands together.
Kurt shrugged again. “You know how much Peregrine’s painting are worth more than I do.”
Mike frowned. “How much is he doing for you?”
“He’s keeping my assets safe for Emil and Peregrine if the unthinkable happens. That peace of mind is worth a lot.”
Mike pulled out his phone. “Wholesale rather than retail… probably.”
He mumbled some more as they went back up to the condo.
Emil was home, but his little fan was following him around. Kurt laid him claim. Emil grinned up at him. “Back to work.”
Kurt reluctantly hauled the next load down to the van. He wanted to watch the boy so the kid didn’t get any ideas.
--
Peregrine closed his eyes. What was he missing?
Mike popped his head in the doorway. “Any place to smoke around here?”
Peregrine wiggled his fingers towards the front door. “The sidewalk.”
“Aw. With all your balconies, I’m relegated to the street?”
Peregrine rolled his eyes. He moved two boxes so he could get the living room balcony door open. Mike took a deep breath and then hunched over and lit his cigarette. “Not much of a roof.”
“I didn’t say there was one.”
“Come out and keep me company.”
“Why should I?”
“Harsh, man. Just come. Watch the chaos from outside.”
Peregrine turned to look inside. The window was like a giant TV screen. Workmen filled a landscape that had beams instead of walls. He could see all the way out the north side of the building. Their new bedroom needed a door. Another day and the wall between the new entryway and the kitchen would go up. He was glad they weren’t trying to live here through this part of the process.
“See him.” Mike pointed at the kid following Emil around. Kurt stepped between them for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. Emil wanted to take a few more of their belongings, so they were filling the trolley one last time with personal items. They had better leave before Kurt snapped.
Peregrine shook his head at Mike’s offered cigarette. “Yeah.”
Mike inhaled and then let out a cloud of smoke. “He looks just like Emil.”
Peregrine turned to look again. “Does he?”
Mike shook his head. “Not like Lavender looks like Emil, but well… like Hana looks like me. What does the rest of his family look like?”
Peregrine stepped closer to the glass. “He doesn’t know. I’m going to try to find his mother for Christmas, at least to know if she’s still alive.”
“Oh. But notice the kid’s straight hair. It’s really short, but when he takes off his hat… there. And his eyebrows are the same shape.”
They were. “And his eyes. Emil’s mother was blonde.”
“Real or bottle?”
Peregrine shrugged. “He was only eight.”
“Ouch. His cheekbone too.” He took another drag. “Emil could have looked just like that at eighteen. Only darker, of course.”
True. Peregrine needed his sketchbook. A drop landed on his cheek. No, he couldn’t sketch out here. He sighed. He didn’t have time anyway. Kurt was about to explode. Peregrine stepped inside. “Let’s go.” He turned to the kid. “Get your uncle.”
The kid disappeared and didn’t come back with the foreman. Kurt relaxed. Things were looking up.
