A Balance of Harmonies: Predator and Prey
Oct. 3rd, 2011 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warTitle: Predator and Prey
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter forty-one of a multitude
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: waking, enjoying nakedness, toast, being revved up, predator and prey, a glorious kiss, interruptions, introductions, bets, more information than is comfortable, admiration, memories, complaints
Length: about 3,200 words
Summary: Emil has the perfect morning. Kurt is out at work. Peregrine discovers something.
Master list
Emil woke up warm and achy. He could hear the other two talking over their coffee. What time was it? Why wasn’t Kurt on his way to work?
Emil rolled out of bed and picked Kurt’s shirt off the floor. He was really liking sleeping skin to skin with his lovers and so far Peregrine hadn’t objected. He stood in the doorway and stretched out with a yawn. When he opened his eyes, Kurt was watching him hungrily. Peregrine put some bread in the toaster. “We didn’t expect you up yet.”
Emil leaned against Kurt. He still felt warm and well loved from yesterday. “I thought you’d be gone already.”
Kurt fed Emil a bite of his toast. “I can’t see it taken longer than ten minutes to walk the three blocks. I was about to wake you.”
He slid his free hand up Emil’s back. Yes, Peregrine no longer being annoyed by nakedness had its perks. Kurt’s lips covered Emil’s and Emil’s body cried with need, bound to go unfulfilled because Kurt had to leave for work.
Inevitably Kurt pulled back, looking in as great of need as Emil felt. “What are you going to do today?”
Emil felt docile and compliant. “What do you want me to do?”
“I supposed you were going to move a bit today, but if you’re in the area, we can lunch together at the food carts.”
Emil licked his lips. He was hungry right now, but not for food.
Kurt chucked. “I love you too.”
He kissed Emil forehead and then Peregrine’s lips. “I leave him to you.”
“Thanks,” Peregrine said as if he didn’t mean it.
The door closed after Kurt. Emil sank into a chair with a sigh. He chewed the toast Peregrine had made him, but it didn’t fill the need in his soul.
Peregrine’s hand slid up Emil’s thigh. Emil blinked to make sure he was awake. He glanced at Peregrine’s face. Peregrine didn’t look like he really wanted to do this. Emil shifted his leg away. “You don’t have to.”
“Princess,” Peregrine’s one simple word stirred up Emil’s blood. “Finish eating your toast, then get ready. I’ll meet you on the bed in seven minutes.”
Emil could hardly wait.
--
Peregrine filled his lungs with the scent of Emil and Kurt’s sweat and seed, along with a little of his own. The room was much better now that they’d played in it. And the room was much better with Emil sitting in the middle of the bed, playing with his long hair as if he were the nervous one. But the unease that Peregrine couldn’t satisfy what Kurt had so masterfully revved up, dissipated when his beautiful lover looked up at him.
“Princess.”
Emil’s pupils were wide with desire. His knees were together and his feet modesty tucked to the side. The slightest brush would send Emil toppling over and spread his legs wide, revealing what Peregrine longed to claim.
But not yet.
He stalked around the bed, taking note of Emil’s smallest movements, of his breaths, and the swish of his hair against his shirt collar as he strove to keep Peregrine in view; Peregrine had taken the opportunity to move the bed away from the wall while Emil was in the bathroom. Peregrine was the tiger, strong and tall, and without fear. Emil was the prey, destined to be gobbled up, dominated, conquered. He had no escape, not now, not ever.
Peregrine swayed closer to the bed. Emil gasped and leaned away. He was so beautiful, so full of need and fear. Peregrine would paint him such with a minotaur or werewolf, or even a tiger as predator. He needed this, Emil on the bed, not even trying to get away. He wouldn’t leave Peregrine, would he? Not with all the gifts Peregrine gave him. Not with how devastated Peregrine would be if he did. Not now that Kurt was with them, filling in all the corners that Peregrine couldn’t find enough of himself to fill.
But Peregrine needed to be more. He needed to be this tiger, to be big and strong and sure and active and fit and smart and determined and so very huge; he would fill all those empty corners to overflowing, fill them with himself and allow Emil to fly while keeping him firmly tethered, with love and hope, and safe from the wild winds.
Emil the bird. Some small or delicate bird. Nothing as durable as a crow. A swan, with its long, graceful neck. Or crane, or something. The image was wrong, but right at the same time. Peregrine would find it. He would find it and draw it. He would be bigger, stronger, better than himself, more than he ever thought he would be.
Emil shivered, but not from cold for his skin had the blush of pleasure upon it. He was beautiful and he was Peregrine’s to play with and tease into ecstasy before Peregrine took him completely.
--
Kurt grinned as Emil nearly skipped around the corner. He carried the afterglow with him from last night and this morning, so whatever Peregrine had done with him after Kurt left hadn’t disappointed. Emil slid into his arms as if he’d never left and the kiss was glorious beyond imagining, making Kurt forget for several gasps for breath, that they weren’t alone.
When Emil finally deflated, he looked almost drunk with lust.
“A good morning?”
“Delicious. You should have been there.” He licked his lips as if they were delicious, too, and Kurt would miss out if he didn’t try them for himself. Emil was too tempting by half.
Someone cleared their throat. Emil turned off the sex like a snap, stood up on his own, and grinned at everyone like he hadn’t just done in public what people paid good money to see. And Kurt got every night for the price of love and affection. “Hello. Am I late?”
“No,” Beka fanned herself, “no. That’s quite all right.”
Chambers laughed and reintroduced himself. Emil nodded politely. Did that mean Emil didn’t like him? Or had he still not forgiven him for showing up the other night?
Emil guessed Zawadzki’s and Ezra’s names. “Peregrine has sketches of you.”
Ezra blushed. “We saw your picture.”
Zawadzki laughed and kissed the back of Ezra’s hand. “We weren’t sure how accurate it was, but we are now.”
Emil snuggled into Kurt’s arms and Kurt could see a barest touch of a blush on his cheeks. “Peregrine is a great painter.”
“He is.” Kurt looked towards the food carts. “Is anyone as hungry as I am?”
Zawadzki slapped Kurt’s back. “No one ever gets as hungry as you.”
“True, true. Emil, what would you like?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“Are you sure?” asked Zawadzki. “He eats some weird stuff.”
“I do not.”
“That’s all right.” Emil met Kurt’s gaze. “I have… diverse tastes.”
Zawadzki laughed and raised his eyebrows at Ezra, who smiled and blushed.
Chambers looked from Zawadzki to Kurt and Emil. “What am I missing?”
Zawadzki laughed even harder.
Kurt stepped over to buy food. Emil tasted each wrap, but he seemed to like the meatball one best. So did Kurt. Kurt got another just for Emil. Zawadzki and Ezra had Thai. Kurt was grateful that they were together. It made lunch so much easier. Chambers got a hamburger and chips. Beka looked over the food and picked Thai because, she said, it was the prettiest. As if looks had anything to do with taste. Kurt looked down at Emil eyeing him. Maybe it did. Emil was the prettiest, tastiest person he’d ever met.
--
Emil walked slowly back toward Kurt’s work, his hand in Kurt’s large one. Peregrine wasn’t the type for public affection even if that affection was simply holding hands. Kurt, on the other hand, held him like he was never going to let him go. The group stopped at a crosswalk. Emil leaned against Kurt’s arm. Kurt grinned and stole a kiss.
The group crossed the street. Kurt’s coworkers were very nice and involved him in the conversation, talking about their weekends rather than work or people every knew but him. Beka has a particularly funny story about her niece and grandmother. Chambers piped in about his pursuit of a guy he’d just met. Ezra and Noah finished each other’s sentences as they explained their baseball tournament and their parents’ reactions to the news they were dating.
Ezra was an outsider too. He worked for the same company as Kurt and the others, but not with them. And a few times he rolled his eyes at Emil and nudged the conversation into a less work-related direction. Emil told them about his convention and was part way through the story of Dalya Hackett and her book idea when he remembered that Kurt wasn’t out about the three of them at work. He couldn’t very well say that his boyfriend was an artist, but calling Peregrine a friend or roommate was just wrong. His words petered out.
Ezra nodded. “Peregrine spoke about you. He wanted us to know you were there in spirit.”
“And,” said Noah, “He told us you were both his boyfriends.”
Noah glanced at Chambers, who perked up. “What’s this?”
Emil didn’t like him more than ever. What business was it of his who anyone dated?
“Didn’t you know?” Noah arched his eyebrow at Chambers. “Kurt has two boyfriends who also date each other.”
“Truthfully,” said Kurt. “Peregrine and Emil have been dating for six years. I’m the add-on.”
“But you dated Peregrine first?” asked Beka. “So the guy you were after when you first started working here wasn’t the one you caught?”
Chambers turned to her. “How do you make that out?”
“I caught them both.” Kurt pulled Emil closer. “Or they caught me.”
“But the guy you talked about at the beginning wasn’t the one you spoke about later, right?”
Emil looked up at Kurt. He took a deep breath and nodded at Beka. She shouted and danced in a little circle. Kurt laughed. “What’s that about?”
“I won. I totally won.” She held out her hands to Noah and Chambers. “Pay up.”
“That’s right.” Noah sighed and pulled out his wallet.
“I knew that the sweetie you were whispering sweet nothings to couldn’t be the guy I’d met at that party. That guy couldn’t have made you smile half as goofily.” Beka took the pile of bills from Noah and turned to Chambers.
“You’ve met Peregrine?” Emil asked.
Beka nodded. “At the fundraiser for the youth shelter. He was…” she cocked her head. “He’s beautiful, but not in the same way you are. Oh look at you blush, so cute.”
Kurt’s strong arms pulled him close, hiding his hot face from the others. He took a deep breath and got his composure back. He turned to her. “What did you think of him?”
“He totally owned Kurt. Kurt would have done anything for him, although he tried to pretend he wouldn’t. When Kurt talked to you, he was more in awe that such a wonderful person was bestowing their attention on him. Your voice perked him up in all sorts of ways.”
Everyone laughed, even Kurt.
“Now,” said Beka. “Just put your little fifty on top of my little fifty here.”
Chambers pulled out his wallet with extreme reluctance. He slowly counted out the tens and then perked up. “You saw Emil’s picture.”
“No,” she took the fifty from him and snapped the new hundred into her wallet. “You were so busy terrorizing Veronica with it, that I didn’t see it or I would have collected my money then. I think I’ll do a day spa. Thanks, guys.”
“But,” said Chambers. “That wasn’t fair at all. You should have offered me double or nothing.”
“And what would your wager be?”
“I’d say they weren’t a real threesome.”
Kurt grinned. “We are in the process of merging households. Our new place is up the block. But if you mean do we all have sex with each other…”
“I do.”
“…I’d say Beka just saved you fifty bucks by not taking your wager.”
“And how’s that?”
“Because in the last,” Kurt made a show of checking the time, “twenty-eight hours I’ve been with Peregrine, Emil, and both together. And unless I’m very much mistaken Peregrine entertained Emil very well this morning.”
Emil didn’t think anyone needed to know what went on in their bedroom. Or living room or kitchen for that matter, but he was going to stand by his man. He nodded. Beka sighed and lamented the fifty dollars she obviously didn’t need, while Chambers wheedled Kurt for specifics.
How had Kurt managed to stay in the closet while working with these nosy people anyway?
--
Peregrine looked over his canvas. He still had many to paint if he was going to pay off the mortgage at the end of the month. He hadn’t had a chance to dampen his brush today even though the new tutor at the youth shelter had the boys busy with tests and learning. Peregrine admired the way Christopher captured the boys’ attention even as he led several groups through different exercises.
Peregrine would come back tomorrow and talk to Christopher about his plans for school and where art fit in it. That’s what he was going to do today, because no one had expected Christopher to be ready to teach on his first day on the job.
But going to the youth shelter hadn’t been a waste of time. Keith had shown up after lunch to talk to Andre. Andre said that JJ’s mother refused to give up custody. A judge might be able to help them out, but that depended on how much time and expense Keith was willing to go to.
Hunter, on the other hand, claimed he couldn’t remember his parents, leaving them out of the equation all together. The Jones Hunter went by was to share a name with Peregrine, who was the reason he’d come to the youth shelter to start with.
Peregrine had met Hunter and JJ for the first time on a rainy night in December. They were soaked to the skin, having been kicked out of their cubby hole by bigger boys, and the weather was only getting colder. Hunter was blue and his teeth chattered so loud that the noise had drawn Peregrine’s attention. Despite the boys’ protests, Peregrine picked Hunter up and carried him the six blocks to the youth shelter and stuck around until the boys were warm and dry with full stomachs.
He’d had no illusions that that would be enough to saves the boys. He’d been working at the youth shelter too long for that kind of naïveté. So he’d been surprised to see the boys there a few days later. He bought new hoodies for both and had Autumn wrapped them up for him. Hunter had reacted as if no one had ever bought him a Christmas present before.
Those two had been his shadows for the last eight months. He’d miss them if they moved in with Keith, but not too much. He’d see them on Saturdays after all.
The door opened but Peregrine couldn’t hear the handcart roll across the floor, but that noise had been Emil’s extra careful closing of the door that he used when he was in a bad mood. Peregrine glanced out his studio door. Emil sank unto the couch with a sigh. Peregrine walked into the living room to look at his face. He looked all worn out. Emil opened his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be home.”
Peregrine waved the apology away. “I unexpectedly got the day off. I go in tomorrow.”
Emil hummed like he didn’t have the energy to speak. Maybe he needed Peregrine’s attention. Peregrine lifted Emil’s feet and sat down on the couch. That’s how Kurt did it, didn’t he? Touch Emil and ask about his day? But what to asked? “Tired?”
Emil shook his head, but it lolled to the side, his eyes closed.
Peregrine wouldn’t give up and go back to his studio. “Did you have lunch with Kurt’s colleagues?”
Emil sighed. “How can four adults feel like a dozen kids?”
“That bad? I thought Noah and Ezra were… lovely.”
Emil grinned. “They were. Chambers on the other hand was like a dozen two year olds all by himself.”
“Don’t like him?”
“He’s callous and cavalier and had no sense of propriety and he asked about our sex lives.” Emil got up and paced the room. “I can’t believe it, out on the street as if it were any of his business and Kurt just answers him like it is.”
That was really the problem, wasn’t it?
Did Emil always talk his problems out with someone not involved and if so was there a person who knew every aggravating thing Peregrine had ever done? But that was a problem for later.
“Do you not like it when I draw us in bed?”
Emil stopped abruptly and turned to Peregrine. “I love your art.”
“But the pictures of us in bed. Kurt taking you on that country lane. You hated that painting.”
Emil looked down. “I thought it meant that you didn’t love me.”
Peregrine put out his hand and pulled Emil down beside him. “You are the reason I breathe. I have this idea to paint what we did this morning, but with animals.”
Emil grinned. “You as a predator.”
“With you as my prey. You as a bird of some sort, beautiful but fragile.”
“And you about to eat me up?” Emil showed a bit of his tongue.
Peregrine stole that wicked tongue. Emil melted under him. But Peregrine had used himself up last night with Kurt and this morning with Emil and he had nothing left except cuddles. He tucked himself next to Emil. “But if you don’t want me to draw it, I won’t.”
“Why wouldn’t I want that?”
“If you don’t like people knowing…”
“That’s different. Your art is different. That picture of us three in bed is wonderful and, Peregrine, I love you and your art. Please don’t change for me.”
“But you don’t like it.”
“No, I do like it. You could paint a thousand such pictures and show them to the world or stand on stage and call us your harem. I just… with it out there in the open in black and white.” Emil sighed. “It was sort of vulgar, coarse. It made our love feel indecent, like we were doing something wrong. A fetish or something, not real love and commitment.”
Peregrine cuddled him close. As much as he didn’t want to get involved in difference of opinion between Emil and Kurt, maybe this was the time to do so. “Would you like me to talk to him?”
“No. No, it will work itself out. Maybe I’m overreacting or something.”
Which meant that Peregrine and Kurt better have a little talk soon.
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter forty-one of a multitude
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: waking, enjoying nakedness, toast, being revved up, predator and prey, a glorious kiss, interruptions, introductions, bets, more information than is comfortable, admiration, memories, complaints
Length: about 3,200 words
Summary: Emil has the perfect morning. Kurt is out at work. Peregrine discovers something.
Master list
Emil woke up warm and achy. He could hear the other two talking over their coffee. What time was it? Why wasn’t Kurt on his way to work?
Emil rolled out of bed and picked Kurt’s shirt off the floor. He was really liking sleeping skin to skin with his lovers and so far Peregrine hadn’t objected. He stood in the doorway and stretched out with a yawn. When he opened his eyes, Kurt was watching him hungrily. Peregrine put some bread in the toaster. “We didn’t expect you up yet.”
Emil leaned against Kurt. He still felt warm and well loved from yesterday. “I thought you’d be gone already.”
Kurt fed Emil a bite of his toast. “I can’t see it taken longer than ten minutes to walk the three blocks. I was about to wake you.”
He slid his free hand up Emil’s back. Yes, Peregrine no longer being annoyed by nakedness had its perks. Kurt’s lips covered Emil’s and Emil’s body cried with need, bound to go unfulfilled because Kurt had to leave for work.
Inevitably Kurt pulled back, looking in as great of need as Emil felt. “What are you going to do today?”
Emil felt docile and compliant. “What do you want me to do?”
“I supposed you were going to move a bit today, but if you’re in the area, we can lunch together at the food carts.”
Emil licked his lips. He was hungry right now, but not for food.
Kurt chucked. “I love you too.”
He kissed Emil forehead and then Peregrine’s lips. “I leave him to you.”
“Thanks,” Peregrine said as if he didn’t mean it.
The door closed after Kurt. Emil sank into a chair with a sigh. He chewed the toast Peregrine had made him, but it didn’t fill the need in his soul.
Peregrine’s hand slid up Emil’s thigh. Emil blinked to make sure he was awake. He glanced at Peregrine’s face. Peregrine didn’t look like he really wanted to do this. Emil shifted his leg away. “You don’t have to.”
“Princess,” Peregrine’s one simple word stirred up Emil’s blood. “Finish eating your toast, then get ready. I’ll meet you on the bed in seven minutes.”
Emil could hardly wait.
--
Peregrine filled his lungs with the scent of Emil and Kurt’s sweat and seed, along with a little of his own. The room was much better now that they’d played in it. And the room was much better with Emil sitting in the middle of the bed, playing with his long hair as if he were the nervous one. But the unease that Peregrine couldn’t satisfy what Kurt had so masterfully revved up, dissipated when his beautiful lover looked up at him.
“Princess.”
Emil’s pupils were wide with desire. His knees were together and his feet modesty tucked to the side. The slightest brush would send Emil toppling over and spread his legs wide, revealing what Peregrine longed to claim.
But not yet.
He stalked around the bed, taking note of Emil’s smallest movements, of his breaths, and the swish of his hair against his shirt collar as he strove to keep Peregrine in view; Peregrine had taken the opportunity to move the bed away from the wall while Emil was in the bathroom. Peregrine was the tiger, strong and tall, and without fear. Emil was the prey, destined to be gobbled up, dominated, conquered. He had no escape, not now, not ever.
Peregrine swayed closer to the bed. Emil gasped and leaned away. He was so beautiful, so full of need and fear. Peregrine would paint him such with a minotaur or werewolf, or even a tiger as predator. He needed this, Emil on the bed, not even trying to get away. He wouldn’t leave Peregrine, would he? Not with all the gifts Peregrine gave him. Not with how devastated Peregrine would be if he did. Not now that Kurt was with them, filling in all the corners that Peregrine couldn’t find enough of himself to fill.
But Peregrine needed to be more. He needed to be this tiger, to be big and strong and sure and active and fit and smart and determined and so very huge; he would fill all those empty corners to overflowing, fill them with himself and allow Emil to fly while keeping him firmly tethered, with love and hope, and safe from the wild winds.
Emil the bird. Some small or delicate bird. Nothing as durable as a crow. A swan, with its long, graceful neck. Or crane, or something. The image was wrong, but right at the same time. Peregrine would find it. He would find it and draw it. He would be bigger, stronger, better than himself, more than he ever thought he would be.
Emil shivered, but not from cold for his skin had the blush of pleasure upon it. He was beautiful and he was Peregrine’s to play with and tease into ecstasy before Peregrine took him completely.
--
Kurt grinned as Emil nearly skipped around the corner. He carried the afterglow with him from last night and this morning, so whatever Peregrine had done with him after Kurt left hadn’t disappointed. Emil slid into his arms as if he’d never left and the kiss was glorious beyond imagining, making Kurt forget for several gasps for breath, that they weren’t alone.
When Emil finally deflated, he looked almost drunk with lust.
“A good morning?”
“Delicious. You should have been there.” He licked his lips as if they were delicious, too, and Kurt would miss out if he didn’t try them for himself. Emil was too tempting by half.
Someone cleared their throat. Emil turned off the sex like a snap, stood up on his own, and grinned at everyone like he hadn’t just done in public what people paid good money to see. And Kurt got every night for the price of love and affection. “Hello. Am I late?”
“No,” Beka fanned herself, “no. That’s quite all right.”
Chambers laughed and reintroduced himself. Emil nodded politely. Did that mean Emil didn’t like him? Or had he still not forgiven him for showing up the other night?
Emil guessed Zawadzki’s and Ezra’s names. “Peregrine has sketches of you.”
Ezra blushed. “We saw your picture.”
Zawadzki laughed and kissed the back of Ezra’s hand. “We weren’t sure how accurate it was, but we are now.”
Emil snuggled into Kurt’s arms and Kurt could see a barest touch of a blush on his cheeks. “Peregrine is a great painter.”
“He is.” Kurt looked towards the food carts. “Is anyone as hungry as I am?”
Zawadzki slapped Kurt’s back. “No one ever gets as hungry as you.”
“True, true. Emil, what would you like?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“Are you sure?” asked Zawadzki. “He eats some weird stuff.”
“I do not.”
“That’s all right.” Emil met Kurt’s gaze. “I have… diverse tastes.”
Zawadzki laughed and raised his eyebrows at Ezra, who smiled and blushed.
Chambers looked from Zawadzki to Kurt and Emil. “What am I missing?”
Zawadzki laughed even harder.
Kurt stepped over to buy food. Emil tasted each wrap, but he seemed to like the meatball one best. So did Kurt. Kurt got another just for Emil. Zawadzki and Ezra had Thai. Kurt was grateful that they were together. It made lunch so much easier. Chambers got a hamburger and chips. Beka looked over the food and picked Thai because, she said, it was the prettiest. As if looks had anything to do with taste. Kurt looked down at Emil eyeing him. Maybe it did. Emil was the prettiest, tastiest person he’d ever met.
--
Emil walked slowly back toward Kurt’s work, his hand in Kurt’s large one. Peregrine wasn’t the type for public affection even if that affection was simply holding hands. Kurt, on the other hand, held him like he was never going to let him go. The group stopped at a crosswalk. Emil leaned against Kurt’s arm. Kurt grinned and stole a kiss.
The group crossed the street. Kurt’s coworkers were very nice and involved him in the conversation, talking about their weekends rather than work or people every knew but him. Beka has a particularly funny story about her niece and grandmother. Chambers piped in about his pursuit of a guy he’d just met. Ezra and Noah finished each other’s sentences as they explained their baseball tournament and their parents’ reactions to the news they were dating.
Ezra was an outsider too. He worked for the same company as Kurt and the others, but not with them. And a few times he rolled his eyes at Emil and nudged the conversation into a less work-related direction. Emil told them about his convention and was part way through the story of Dalya Hackett and her book idea when he remembered that Kurt wasn’t out about the three of them at work. He couldn’t very well say that his boyfriend was an artist, but calling Peregrine a friend or roommate was just wrong. His words petered out.
Ezra nodded. “Peregrine spoke about you. He wanted us to know you were there in spirit.”
“And,” said Noah, “He told us you were both his boyfriends.”
Noah glanced at Chambers, who perked up. “What’s this?”
Emil didn’t like him more than ever. What business was it of his who anyone dated?
“Didn’t you know?” Noah arched his eyebrow at Chambers. “Kurt has two boyfriends who also date each other.”
“Truthfully,” said Kurt. “Peregrine and Emil have been dating for six years. I’m the add-on.”
“But you dated Peregrine first?” asked Beka. “So the guy you were after when you first started working here wasn’t the one you caught?”
Chambers turned to her. “How do you make that out?”
“I caught them both.” Kurt pulled Emil closer. “Or they caught me.”
“But the guy you talked about at the beginning wasn’t the one you spoke about later, right?”
Emil looked up at Kurt. He took a deep breath and nodded at Beka. She shouted and danced in a little circle. Kurt laughed. “What’s that about?”
“I won. I totally won.” She held out her hands to Noah and Chambers. “Pay up.”
“That’s right.” Noah sighed and pulled out his wallet.
“I knew that the sweetie you were whispering sweet nothings to couldn’t be the guy I’d met at that party. That guy couldn’t have made you smile half as goofily.” Beka took the pile of bills from Noah and turned to Chambers.
“You’ve met Peregrine?” Emil asked.
Beka nodded. “At the fundraiser for the youth shelter. He was…” she cocked her head. “He’s beautiful, but not in the same way you are. Oh look at you blush, so cute.”
Kurt’s strong arms pulled him close, hiding his hot face from the others. He took a deep breath and got his composure back. He turned to her. “What did you think of him?”
“He totally owned Kurt. Kurt would have done anything for him, although he tried to pretend he wouldn’t. When Kurt talked to you, he was more in awe that such a wonderful person was bestowing their attention on him. Your voice perked him up in all sorts of ways.”
Everyone laughed, even Kurt.
“Now,” said Beka. “Just put your little fifty on top of my little fifty here.”
Chambers pulled out his wallet with extreme reluctance. He slowly counted out the tens and then perked up. “You saw Emil’s picture.”
“No,” she took the fifty from him and snapped the new hundred into her wallet. “You were so busy terrorizing Veronica with it, that I didn’t see it or I would have collected my money then. I think I’ll do a day spa. Thanks, guys.”
“But,” said Chambers. “That wasn’t fair at all. You should have offered me double or nothing.”
“And what would your wager be?”
“I’d say they weren’t a real threesome.”
Kurt grinned. “We are in the process of merging households. Our new place is up the block. But if you mean do we all have sex with each other…”
“I do.”
“…I’d say Beka just saved you fifty bucks by not taking your wager.”
“And how’s that?”
“Because in the last,” Kurt made a show of checking the time, “twenty-eight hours I’ve been with Peregrine, Emil, and both together. And unless I’m very much mistaken Peregrine entertained Emil very well this morning.”
Emil didn’t think anyone needed to know what went on in their bedroom. Or living room or kitchen for that matter, but he was going to stand by his man. He nodded. Beka sighed and lamented the fifty dollars she obviously didn’t need, while Chambers wheedled Kurt for specifics.
How had Kurt managed to stay in the closet while working with these nosy people anyway?
--
Peregrine looked over his canvas. He still had many to paint if he was going to pay off the mortgage at the end of the month. He hadn’t had a chance to dampen his brush today even though the new tutor at the youth shelter had the boys busy with tests and learning. Peregrine admired the way Christopher captured the boys’ attention even as he led several groups through different exercises.
Peregrine would come back tomorrow and talk to Christopher about his plans for school and where art fit in it. That’s what he was going to do today, because no one had expected Christopher to be ready to teach on his first day on the job.
But going to the youth shelter hadn’t been a waste of time. Keith had shown up after lunch to talk to Andre. Andre said that JJ’s mother refused to give up custody. A judge might be able to help them out, but that depended on how much time and expense Keith was willing to go to.
Hunter, on the other hand, claimed he couldn’t remember his parents, leaving them out of the equation all together. The Jones Hunter went by was to share a name with Peregrine, who was the reason he’d come to the youth shelter to start with.
Peregrine had met Hunter and JJ for the first time on a rainy night in December. They were soaked to the skin, having been kicked out of their cubby hole by bigger boys, and the weather was only getting colder. Hunter was blue and his teeth chattered so loud that the noise had drawn Peregrine’s attention. Despite the boys’ protests, Peregrine picked Hunter up and carried him the six blocks to the youth shelter and stuck around until the boys were warm and dry with full stomachs.
He’d had no illusions that that would be enough to saves the boys. He’d been working at the youth shelter too long for that kind of naïveté. So he’d been surprised to see the boys there a few days later. He bought new hoodies for both and had Autumn wrapped them up for him. Hunter had reacted as if no one had ever bought him a Christmas present before.
Those two had been his shadows for the last eight months. He’d miss them if they moved in with Keith, but not too much. He’d see them on Saturdays after all.
The door opened but Peregrine couldn’t hear the handcart roll across the floor, but that noise had been Emil’s extra careful closing of the door that he used when he was in a bad mood. Peregrine glanced out his studio door. Emil sank unto the couch with a sigh. Peregrine walked into the living room to look at his face. He looked all worn out. Emil opened his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be home.”
Peregrine waved the apology away. “I unexpectedly got the day off. I go in tomorrow.”
Emil hummed like he didn’t have the energy to speak. Maybe he needed Peregrine’s attention. Peregrine lifted Emil’s feet and sat down on the couch. That’s how Kurt did it, didn’t he? Touch Emil and ask about his day? But what to asked? “Tired?”
Emil shook his head, but it lolled to the side, his eyes closed.
Peregrine wouldn’t give up and go back to his studio. “Did you have lunch with Kurt’s colleagues?”
Emil sighed. “How can four adults feel like a dozen kids?”
“That bad? I thought Noah and Ezra were… lovely.”
Emil grinned. “They were. Chambers on the other hand was like a dozen two year olds all by himself.”
“Don’t like him?”
“He’s callous and cavalier and had no sense of propriety and he asked about our sex lives.” Emil got up and paced the room. “I can’t believe it, out on the street as if it were any of his business and Kurt just answers him like it is.”
That was really the problem, wasn’t it?
Did Emil always talk his problems out with someone not involved and if so was there a person who knew every aggravating thing Peregrine had ever done? But that was a problem for later.
“Do you not like it when I draw us in bed?”
Emil stopped abruptly and turned to Peregrine. “I love your art.”
“But the pictures of us in bed. Kurt taking you on that country lane. You hated that painting.”
Emil looked down. “I thought it meant that you didn’t love me.”
Peregrine put out his hand and pulled Emil down beside him. “You are the reason I breathe. I have this idea to paint what we did this morning, but with animals.”
Emil grinned. “You as a predator.”
“With you as my prey. You as a bird of some sort, beautiful but fragile.”
“And you about to eat me up?” Emil showed a bit of his tongue.
Peregrine stole that wicked tongue. Emil melted under him. But Peregrine had used himself up last night with Kurt and this morning with Emil and he had nothing left except cuddles. He tucked himself next to Emil. “But if you don’t want me to draw it, I won’t.”
“Why wouldn’t I want that?”
“If you don’t like people knowing…”
“That’s different. Your art is different. That picture of us three in bed is wonderful and, Peregrine, I love you and your art. Please don’t change for me.”
“But you don’t like it.”
“No, I do like it. You could paint a thousand such pictures and show them to the world or stand on stage and call us your harem. I just… with it out there in the open in black and white.” Emil sighed. “It was sort of vulgar, coarse. It made our love feel indecent, like we were doing something wrong. A fetish or something, not real love and commitment.”
Peregrine cuddled him close. As much as he didn’t want to get involved in difference of opinion between Emil and Kurt, maybe this was the time to do so. “Would you like me to talk to him?”
“No. No, it will work itself out. Maybe I’m overreacting or something.”
Which meant that Peregrine and Kurt better have a little talk soon.
