A Balance of Harmonies: Party, part 1
Jun. 8th, 2013 01:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
frogs_of_warLast week, I spent Monday doing all the stuff that needed to get done, so I could write on Tuesday with no interruptions. Only one of the things I did on Monday was make an appointment, which turned out to be on Tuesday. And with an hour plus commute each way, I wasn’t going to be well after noon. But I still had Thursday.
Only I didn’t end up having Thursday off. Or Friday morning. And today my son graduates, tomorrow we have a Mother’s Day/double birthday/graduation party. Then my mom comes to visit for a week that I’ll be working twice as many hours as I expected. Then my kids are out of school. And this is all I’ve written of Harmonies. When am I going to find the time?
I saw Iron Man 3 for my daughter’s birthday. I don’t think these are spoilers: There were only three trailers before the movie and then the red Marvel screen flashed (just like it had for Thor and Wolverine) and Tony Stark talked over a black screen. The opening credits rolled at the end. And the after credits scene was Tony being Tony and explains why the story was told the way it was. A lot of fun all around.
Title: Party, part 1
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred twenty-four of hopefully not to many more
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: stress, distraction, shower, slow mornings, guests, discussions, cleaning, more family, sketching, chatting, guests, games, introductions, tears
Length: about 2,400 words
Summary: Emil worries. Peregrine introduces. And Kurt comforts.
Master list
Emil stared at the ceiling. “I keep thinking I forgot something.”
“Don’t stress.” Peregrine cuddled up against him. “Everything will work out.”
Emil sighed. “Have you seen the guest list?”
“They won’t all be here at once.”
Kurt got into bed beside Emil. “I hate to see you worried. I would have said no if I’d known you’d be like this.”
“No. No. A few more won’t make any difference. Five or fifty. It doesn’t matter. I’d be just as stressed.”
Peregrine propped his head on his arm. “It might not be a cure.” He ran his arm down Emil’s side. “But a distraction?”
Emil closed his eyes. He loved the feel of his men’s hands against his skin. “But you’ve had an exhausting day.”
“What if I just lay here and watch until I feel like joining in?”
Kurt rested a hand on Emil’s hip. “Do you think you’ll feel like it?”
Peregrine grinned. “Maybe. Depends on how enthusiastic you are.”
Kurt spread his hand across Emil’s lower belling and nibbled Emil’s ear. “Should we be? Enthusiastic?”
“Very.” Emil wiggled around until his face was over Kurt and he kissed him like tonight was all they had. Tomorrow didn’t have to come. Tonight was forever. Sometime in the middle of the fun the two became three. The when and the where didn’t matter, only the who. With Peregrine they were complete.
--
Kurt really enjoyed the new shower. He didn’t have to stoop to get his head wet and he didn’t hit the curtain or the wall every time he moved his arms. But the best part was that Peregrine had decreed this shower stall had enough space for three and the things he could do with wet, soapy hands… Kurt was in heaven.
--
Peregrine rubbed his face. They had woken up on time, this morning. He knew they had. So why had the doorbell rung before they’d had a single bite to eat? He had meant to take the morning slow, but he hadn’t meant quite this slow.
Olivia spun up to him and gave him a bear hug. She was in a Christmas dress of red and green with pockets shaped like presents. “I’m so glad today is here.”
He patted her back. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Are you sure?” Willow laughed. “You look like we woke you up.”
“I’ve been awake for hours. But we got distracted while getting out of bed this morning. Please make me some food.”
“Can do.”
“And keep everyone out of the bedroom until Kurt opens it himself.” He was still sleeping off their little after shower rendezvous in the room-sized closet.
“Good morning.” Liam carried in two orange boxes and three garments bags. Hunter had two smaller boxes. Peregrine wasn’t even going to ask.
Keith brought up the rear. “I’m sorry for the houseful.”
“No. Emil will feel better with you guys helping out. He needs people around him when he’s stressed.”
Keith nodded. “Happy to help.”
“Thanks.” As Peregrine walked with Keith into the house and explained about Lauren and JJ. She might not come, but if she did, he wanted her get a chance to talk to Keith.
The kitchen smelled of doughnuts. His stomach responded with a rumble. Olivia licked chocolate frosting from her lips. “Everybody gets two.”
He could probably eat two before Willow and Emil were done with whatever they were cooking. “Good. What should I choose?”
“My favorite are the kind with sprinkles.”
He could have guessed that. “Then I’ll take a plain and leave more sprinkles for you.”
Hunter’s hand hovered over the box.
“What kind do you like?”
Hunter hesitated.
“How about if you pick four and we cut them in half, so we have two each? Then you’ll get a wider selection.”
Hunter looked at the floor. “You don’t mind.”
“No.”
Hunter smiled. All was right with the world.
--
Kurt spun Olivia so her skirt spread out like a circle. She laughed and fell against him. The doorbell rang.
Olivia jumped up. “Everyone else is here.”
Kurt hoped not everyone. He followed her to the front door. Casey grinned. “I heard there might be food here, so I wrangled up two hungry strays and headed on out.”
“Casey!” Olivia bounced up to him.
Dakota and Tyler said hello and went straight around the corner. A moment later Dakota shouted, “Your room!”
Emil laughed. “We haven’t got that far.”
“Let me.”
By the time Kurt got to the bedroom door, the bed was stripped. The sheets went into the washer. Dakota went into the closet. He came out with his arms full of towels. “You didn’t even try to clean up.”
“If they had, what would you find to do?” Casey ate a doughnut in the doorway.
“He’d find something.” Tyler sat on the bed.
“Get up. We need to make it.” Dakota went in the laundry room and came out with clean sheets. He was a kid whose house would always be clean.
The doorbell rang again. Kurt opened it for Zan and Autumn. Zan kissed his cheek. “I hope we aren’t too early?”
“No. Family doesn’t count in the guest column.”
“Good. How much family is here?”
“Ten, counting you.” That wasn’t bad for a party even if no one else showed up. He was pretty sure they could find ways to keep themselves occupied all afternoon.
--
Peregrine stepped out onto the balcony. He looked out over the city and back at the condo fill of laugher. He just needed a notebook. Emil smiled at him through the glass. Hunter took the notebook and pencil from Emil and brought them outside.
Peregrine flipped to an empty page. “You can stay if you like.”
Hunter relaxed and slid against the glass until he was sitting on the ground.
“Is it cold down there? Do we need chairs?”
Hunter shrugged.
Peregrine sketched the cheery condo with the little boy looking out. “Is it nice knowing they’re there?”
Hunter looked up.
“Inside, ready to care for you and feed you and dry you off. When you need it.”
Hunter nodded. “I… Sometimes it’s all too much. Dr. Bakon says I can take time alone. Dad always asks if I want to come. I say yes.”
“Always?”
“They want me to come.”
“Did you want to come?”
“Here? Yes.”
“Other places? They will still love you if you don’t want to. And they will ask again.”
“I know.”
“But you’re scared?”
Hunter nodded. “I dream that I wake up all alone. I’m alone again and wet and cold and hungry.”
Nightmares or old memories? “Are you little in these dreams?”
“Sometimes. Dr Bakon says being safe means my mind is dealing with all the old things it couldn’t before. It’s not fun.”
“No.” Peregrine ruffled his hair. “If you ever want to spend a few days with us, or Zan and Autumn, just ask.”
“I scream sometimes.”
“That’s totally ok.” He gestured for Hunter to sit beside him and he drew with a little head against his side.
--
Emil took the glass Zan offered. Cranberry and orange weren’t flavors he would have thought went together. Tyler was teaching Dakota, Olivia, Kurt, and Autumn a card game on one of those little round tables Autumn had brought over. If this was a party, he’d been stressed over nothing.
“Christmas music?” Zan held up a CD.
“No.” Emil put on something peppy. He was going to keep control of the stereo as long as he could.
Drops fell from the sky. Peregrine stood up. Emil refilled Peregrine’s coffee mug and handed it to him when he got inside. Hunter looked even colder than Peregrine did. Emil lifted an empty mug. “Cocoa?”
Hunter nodded. Emil made some up. “Whipping cream? I’ve got several flavors.”
Hunter chose chocolate, but he only put in a quick burst. Did he only want that much or was he worried about using it up? Then he put in a dab of peppermint and another of vanilla.
“Smart thinking.” Peregrine rubbed Hunter’s hair.
Hunter grinned at both of them.
Willow swished into the room. “I like the music. Liam, dance with me.”
They set their boxes on the table and twirled around it. Hunter ducked out of the kitchen and leaned against Kurt’s chair. Peregrine laid out his sketchbook at Zan’s request. The sketches were full of life. Emil tugged a new sketchbook from its place behind the bread flour canister. Peregrine could draw while other people looked at the other book.
Emil counted heads. Where was Dad? Shouldn’t he have come back with Willow and Liam when they walked Casey to his car? Unless Dad took a little extra time to say goodbye.
Emil walked around into the entry room. The front door was open. Dad stood outside with his hand on the knob as he talked to two women in their early thirties. Emil stepped out. “Hello.”
The blonde woman looked away, but the East Indian put out her hand. “Bhamini Sodhi. Lauren and I came by to talk to someone about JJ. Peregrine,” she held up an invitation, “invited us.”
“Dad, probably.” Emil put his hand on Dad’s back. “Come in, come in.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t.” Lauren turned back towards the elevator. She must have really cared about JJ if every new thing was this much trouble for her.
“Just come inside. Have some tea or coffee. You don’t need to join the party if you don’t want to.” Emil got them all inside and closed the door. “Take a seat.”
He opened the cupboard that went into the kitchen and got out mugs. “Dad, Lauren is the lady Peregrine was talking about over breakfast. Coffee?”
Everyone nodded.
Dad grinned. “Hunter would be so pleased to know JJ was being taken care of.”
Lauren frowned. “After what JJ put him through.”
“Hunter doesn’t see it that way at all. You can ask him. He’s in the other room.”
“We will.” Bhamini took the offered mug. “But first: what kinds of problems have you dealt with? Peregrine made it sound like you’d adopted several kids.”
“My oldest is thirty and was twenty when he came to live with me. But since I’ve got ten years under my belt, I’d say I had some experience. Would you like a general overview? Specifics in my case? Or what I think you might have to worry about with JJ?”
Lauren sighed. “The last one first. I think I’m already over my head.”
Bhamini patted her hand. “He might not even want to live with us.”
“After learning more about him,” Lauren held her cup with both hands. “That’s what might have me worried the most.”
Emil got up. Peregrine would want to know they were here. He’d been worried that they wouldn’t show up and that Lauren’s interest in JJ would wane. Now that wasn’t going to happen. Emil checked off another party success.
--
Kurt shifted Hunter on his lap. They were playing as a team this first round because Hunter hadn’t heard all of the instructions. They were losing, but then Dakota probably won every game he played.
Peregrine walked around the corner with Keith and two women. He introduced Zan as Kurt’s little sister of the heart. Zan laughed. “He’s a good big brother to have. Just look how good he is with kids.”
Autumn sent Zan a look. “Does that make me one of the kids?”
Kurt grinned. “Maybe that means I’m not good with you.”
Autumn rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand. “Which is it?”
“Babylove,” Zan swept into her lap. “I am so very contrite.”
Autumn laughed and pushed her off her lap. “Bring me a drink.”
Zan bounced to her feet. “Anything for you two? Nonalcoholic only. We are in the house of a teetotaler.”
Emil bowed.
Olivia laid down her cards. “This means I won.”
“Yes! Good job.” Dakota reached across the table and tugged one of Olivia’s curls. She giggled.
“That was a good hand.” Tyler gathered up the deck.
Olivia put her hands in her pockets and swung side to side. “Autumn helped.”
Tyler patted her head. “That’s ok. Good job.”
“It’s not what you got, but what you do with it.” Dakota grinned. “Tyler, it’s stopped raining. Let’s go exploring.”
Tyler set the cards on the table. “Dad?”
Keith patted Tyler’s shoulder. “Go. Come back when you’re hungry.” He grinned at Lauren and Bhamini. “That works ever time.”
Hunter leaned against Kurt, which made shaking Lauren and Bhamini’s hands difficult, but not impossible. “And this is Hunter. JJ friend.”
Hunter hid his face against Kurt’s side. Keith ruffled Hunter’s hair. “They just wanted to meet you.”
“I don’t want to talk to them.”
Kurt patted Hunter’s back. “You don’t have to.”
“They’ll think horrible things about him, but he’s not horrible. I love him.”
Kurt got down on his knees. “I know.”
Hunter sobs into his shoulder. He picked the kid up and took him out onto Emil’s balcony. They were far enough away from everyone, but protected from the weather. “You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”
Hunter wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Tissues would come in handy right now.
“I…” Hunter took a deep breath. “We should go in.”
“Do you want to go in?”
Hunter shook his head.
“Would you mind if I went in for some tissues?”
“You’ll be right back?”
“Right back.”
Kurt hurried inside. Peregrine said, “like I said, everything is more complicated them it seems.”
Emil stepped into the conservatory doorway. “Napkins?”
They would do.
“I am.” Olivia bounced up to Bhamini. “I’m more complicated then I seem.”
“You are?”
Olivia nodded. “They thought I was a boy. Everybody did. But Daddy sees me just as I am.”
Kurt back outside. Hunter took a napkin. “Are they still talking about me?”
“No. Olivia as stolen the limelight.”
“Good.” He wiped his eyes and his cheeks. “I don’t want to think of sad things for a while.”
So they talked about Christmas and New Years and school and work and the trees across the street and the plays being put on next door and movies and books Hunter wanted someday read and places he wanted to go and thing he wanted to experience. Kurt would do what he could to help Hunter reach his goal. What else was a big brother for?
Only I didn’t end up having Thursday off. Or Friday morning. And today my son graduates, tomorrow we have a Mother’s Day/double birthday/graduation party. Then my mom comes to visit for a week that I’ll be working twice as many hours as I expected. Then my kids are out of school. And this is all I’ve written of Harmonies. When am I going to find the time?
I saw Iron Man 3 for my daughter’s birthday. I don’t think these are spoilers: There were only three trailers before the movie and then the red Marvel screen flashed (just like it had for Thor and Wolverine) and Tony Stark talked over a black screen. The opening credits rolled at the end. And the after credits scene was Tony being Tony and explains why the story was told the way it was. A lot of fun all around.
Title: Party, part 1
Series: A Balance of Harmonies (Three)
Status: Chapter one hundred twenty-four of hopefully not to many more
Genre: m/m romance, drama, city life, businessmen
Rating: R
Content: stress, distraction, shower, slow mornings, guests, discussions, cleaning, more family, sketching, chatting, guests, games, introductions, tears
Length: about 2,400 words
Summary: Emil worries. Peregrine introduces. And Kurt comforts.
Master list
Emil stared at the ceiling. “I keep thinking I forgot something.”
“Don’t stress.” Peregrine cuddled up against him. “Everything will work out.”
Emil sighed. “Have you seen the guest list?”
“They won’t all be here at once.”
Kurt got into bed beside Emil. “I hate to see you worried. I would have said no if I’d known you’d be like this.”
“No. No. A few more won’t make any difference. Five or fifty. It doesn’t matter. I’d be just as stressed.”
Peregrine propped his head on his arm. “It might not be a cure.” He ran his arm down Emil’s side. “But a distraction?”
Emil closed his eyes. He loved the feel of his men’s hands against his skin. “But you’ve had an exhausting day.”
“What if I just lay here and watch until I feel like joining in?”
Kurt rested a hand on Emil’s hip. “Do you think you’ll feel like it?”
Peregrine grinned. “Maybe. Depends on how enthusiastic you are.”
Kurt spread his hand across Emil’s lower belling and nibbled Emil’s ear. “Should we be? Enthusiastic?”
“Very.” Emil wiggled around until his face was over Kurt and he kissed him like tonight was all they had. Tomorrow didn’t have to come. Tonight was forever. Sometime in the middle of the fun the two became three. The when and the where didn’t matter, only the who. With Peregrine they were complete.
--
Kurt really enjoyed the new shower. He didn’t have to stoop to get his head wet and he didn’t hit the curtain or the wall every time he moved his arms. But the best part was that Peregrine had decreed this shower stall had enough space for three and the things he could do with wet, soapy hands… Kurt was in heaven.
--
Peregrine rubbed his face. They had woken up on time, this morning. He knew they had. So why had the doorbell rung before they’d had a single bite to eat? He had meant to take the morning slow, but he hadn’t meant quite this slow.
Olivia spun up to him and gave him a bear hug. She was in a Christmas dress of red and green with pockets shaped like presents. “I’m so glad today is here.”
He patted her back. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Are you sure?” Willow laughed. “You look like we woke you up.”
“I’ve been awake for hours. But we got distracted while getting out of bed this morning. Please make me some food.”
“Can do.”
“And keep everyone out of the bedroom until Kurt opens it himself.” He was still sleeping off their little after shower rendezvous in the room-sized closet.
“Good morning.” Liam carried in two orange boxes and three garments bags. Hunter had two smaller boxes. Peregrine wasn’t even going to ask.
Keith brought up the rear. “I’m sorry for the houseful.”
“No. Emil will feel better with you guys helping out. He needs people around him when he’s stressed.”
Keith nodded. “Happy to help.”
“Thanks.” As Peregrine walked with Keith into the house and explained about Lauren and JJ. She might not come, but if she did, he wanted her get a chance to talk to Keith.
The kitchen smelled of doughnuts. His stomach responded with a rumble. Olivia licked chocolate frosting from her lips. “Everybody gets two.”
He could probably eat two before Willow and Emil were done with whatever they were cooking. “Good. What should I choose?”
“My favorite are the kind with sprinkles.”
He could have guessed that. “Then I’ll take a plain and leave more sprinkles for you.”
Hunter’s hand hovered over the box.
“What kind do you like?”
Hunter hesitated.
“How about if you pick four and we cut them in half, so we have two each? Then you’ll get a wider selection.”
Hunter looked at the floor. “You don’t mind.”
“No.”
Hunter smiled. All was right with the world.
--
Kurt spun Olivia so her skirt spread out like a circle. She laughed and fell against him. The doorbell rang.
Olivia jumped up. “Everyone else is here.”
Kurt hoped not everyone. He followed her to the front door. Casey grinned. “I heard there might be food here, so I wrangled up two hungry strays and headed on out.”
“Casey!” Olivia bounced up to him.
Dakota and Tyler said hello and went straight around the corner. A moment later Dakota shouted, “Your room!”
Emil laughed. “We haven’t got that far.”
“Let me.”
By the time Kurt got to the bedroom door, the bed was stripped. The sheets went into the washer. Dakota went into the closet. He came out with his arms full of towels. “You didn’t even try to clean up.”
“If they had, what would you find to do?” Casey ate a doughnut in the doorway.
“He’d find something.” Tyler sat on the bed.
“Get up. We need to make it.” Dakota went in the laundry room and came out with clean sheets. He was a kid whose house would always be clean.
The doorbell rang again. Kurt opened it for Zan and Autumn. Zan kissed his cheek. “I hope we aren’t too early?”
“No. Family doesn’t count in the guest column.”
“Good. How much family is here?”
“Ten, counting you.” That wasn’t bad for a party even if no one else showed up. He was pretty sure they could find ways to keep themselves occupied all afternoon.
--
Peregrine stepped out onto the balcony. He looked out over the city and back at the condo fill of laugher. He just needed a notebook. Emil smiled at him through the glass. Hunter took the notebook and pencil from Emil and brought them outside.
Peregrine flipped to an empty page. “You can stay if you like.”
Hunter relaxed and slid against the glass until he was sitting on the ground.
“Is it cold down there? Do we need chairs?”
Hunter shrugged.
Peregrine sketched the cheery condo with the little boy looking out. “Is it nice knowing they’re there?”
Hunter looked up.
“Inside, ready to care for you and feed you and dry you off. When you need it.”
Hunter nodded. “I… Sometimes it’s all too much. Dr. Bakon says I can take time alone. Dad always asks if I want to come. I say yes.”
“Always?”
“They want me to come.”
“Did you want to come?”
“Here? Yes.”
“Other places? They will still love you if you don’t want to. And they will ask again.”
“I know.”
“But you’re scared?”
Hunter nodded. “I dream that I wake up all alone. I’m alone again and wet and cold and hungry.”
Nightmares or old memories? “Are you little in these dreams?”
“Sometimes. Dr Bakon says being safe means my mind is dealing with all the old things it couldn’t before. It’s not fun.”
“No.” Peregrine ruffled his hair. “If you ever want to spend a few days with us, or Zan and Autumn, just ask.”
“I scream sometimes.”
“That’s totally ok.” He gestured for Hunter to sit beside him and he drew with a little head against his side.
--
Emil took the glass Zan offered. Cranberry and orange weren’t flavors he would have thought went together. Tyler was teaching Dakota, Olivia, Kurt, and Autumn a card game on one of those little round tables Autumn had brought over. If this was a party, he’d been stressed over nothing.
“Christmas music?” Zan held up a CD.
“No.” Emil put on something peppy. He was going to keep control of the stereo as long as he could.
Drops fell from the sky. Peregrine stood up. Emil refilled Peregrine’s coffee mug and handed it to him when he got inside. Hunter looked even colder than Peregrine did. Emil lifted an empty mug. “Cocoa?”
Hunter nodded. Emil made some up. “Whipping cream? I’ve got several flavors.”
Hunter chose chocolate, but he only put in a quick burst. Did he only want that much or was he worried about using it up? Then he put in a dab of peppermint and another of vanilla.
“Smart thinking.” Peregrine rubbed Hunter’s hair.
Hunter grinned at both of them.
Willow swished into the room. “I like the music. Liam, dance with me.”
They set their boxes on the table and twirled around it. Hunter ducked out of the kitchen and leaned against Kurt’s chair. Peregrine laid out his sketchbook at Zan’s request. The sketches were full of life. Emil tugged a new sketchbook from its place behind the bread flour canister. Peregrine could draw while other people looked at the other book.
Emil counted heads. Where was Dad? Shouldn’t he have come back with Willow and Liam when they walked Casey to his car? Unless Dad took a little extra time to say goodbye.
Emil walked around into the entry room. The front door was open. Dad stood outside with his hand on the knob as he talked to two women in their early thirties. Emil stepped out. “Hello.”
The blonde woman looked away, but the East Indian put out her hand. “Bhamini Sodhi. Lauren and I came by to talk to someone about JJ. Peregrine,” she held up an invitation, “invited us.”
“Dad, probably.” Emil put his hand on Dad’s back. “Come in, come in.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t.” Lauren turned back towards the elevator. She must have really cared about JJ if every new thing was this much trouble for her.
“Just come inside. Have some tea or coffee. You don’t need to join the party if you don’t want to.” Emil got them all inside and closed the door. “Take a seat.”
He opened the cupboard that went into the kitchen and got out mugs. “Dad, Lauren is the lady Peregrine was talking about over breakfast. Coffee?”
Everyone nodded.
Dad grinned. “Hunter would be so pleased to know JJ was being taken care of.”
Lauren frowned. “After what JJ put him through.”
“Hunter doesn’t see it that way at all. You can ask him. He’s in the other room.”
“We will.” Bhamini took the offered mug. “But first: what kinds of problems have you dealt with? Peregrine made it sound like you’d adopted several kids.”
“My oldest is thirty and was twenty when he came to live with me. But since I’ve got ten years under my belt, I’d say I had some experience. Would you like a general overview? Specifics in my case? Or what I think you might have to worry about with JJ?”
Lauren sighed. “The last one first. I think I’m already over my head.”
Bhamini patted her hand. “He might not even want to live with us.”
“After learning more about him,” Lauren held her cup with both hands. “That’s what might have me worried the most.”
Emil got up. Peregrine would want to know they were here. He’d been worried that they wouldn’t show up and that Lauren’s interest in JJ would wane. Now that wasn’t going to happen. Emil checked off another party success.
--
Kurt shifted Hunter on his lap. They were playing as a team this first round because Hunter hadn’t heard all of the instructions. They were losing, but then Dakota probably won every game he played.
Peregrine walked around the corner with Keith and two women. He introduced Zan as Kurt’s little sister of the heart. Zan laughed. “He’s a good big brother to have. Just look how good he is with kids.”
Autumn sent Zan a look. “Does that make me one of the kids?”
Kurt grinned. “Maybe that means I’m not good with you.”
Autumn rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand. “Which is it?”
“Babylove,” Zan swept into her lap. “I am so very contrite.”
Autumn laughed and pushed her off her lap. “Bring me a drink.”
Zan bounced to her feet. “Anything for you two? Nonalcoholic only. We are in the house of a teetotaler.”
Emil bowed.
Olivia laid down her cards. “This means I won.”
“Yes! Good job.” Dakota reached across the table and tugged one of Olivia’s curls. She giggled.
“That was a good hand.” Tyler gathered up the deck.
Olivia put her hands in her pockets and swung side to side. “Autumn helped.”
Tyler patted her head. “That’s ok. Good job.”
“It’s not what you got, but what you do with it.” Dakota grinned. “Tyler, it’s stopped raining. Let’s go exploring.”
Tyler set the cards on the table. “Dad?”
Keith patted Tyler’s shoulder. “Go. Come back when you’re hungry.” He grinned at Lauren and Bhamini. “That works ever time.”
Hunter leaned against Kurt, which made shaking Lauren and Bhamini’s hands difficult, but not impossible. “And this is Hunter. JJ friend.”
Hunter hid his face against Kurt’s side. Keith ruffled Hunter’s hair. “They just wanted to meet you.”
“I don’t want to talk to them.”
Kurt patted Hunter’s back. “You don’t have to.”
“They’ll think horrible things about him, but he’s not horrible. I love him.”
Kurt got down on his knees. “I know.”
Hunter sobs into his shoulder. He picked the kid up and took him out onto Emil’s balcony. They were far enough away from everyone, but protected from the weather. “You don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”
Hunter wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Tissues would come in handy right now.
“I…” Hunter took a deep breath. “We should go in.”
“Do you want to go in?”
Hunter shook his head.
“Would you mind if I went in for some tissues?”
“You’ll be right back?”
“Right back.”
Kurt hurried inside. Peregrine said, “like I said, everything is more complicated them it seems.”
Emil stepped into the conservatory doorway. “Napkins?”
They would do.
“I am.” Olivia bounced up to Bhamini. “I’m more complicated then I seem.”
“You are?”
Olivia nodded. “They thought I was a boy. Everybody did. But Daddy sees me just as I am.”
Kurt back outside. Hunter took a napkin. “Are they still talking about me?”
“No. Olivia as stolen the limelight.”
“Good.” He wiped his eyes and his cheeks. “I don’t want to think of sad things for a while.”
So they talked about Christmas and New Years and school and work and the trees across the street and the plays being put on next door and movies and books Hunter wanted someday read and places he wanted to go and thing he wanted to experience. Kurt would do what he could to help Hunter reach his goal. What else was a big brother for?
