My Harry/Bob universe was skewed and needed to be set right again.
Title:Happy Hallow-birthday
Author:stormyd55
Pairing/Characters:Harry/Bob... sorry, only implied smut.
DisclaimerNot mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Rating:PG-13
Summary:Bob is determined to give Harry a Happy Birthday. Harry needed and deserved a break. And if he wouldn't take one, Bob would just have to be sneaky and arrange for one.
Warnings:Kissing. Snuggling. A little dirty talk.
Word Count:approx. 2200
Author's Note:Yes, I know it's late, but this is for the October challenge. I know October is over, but after writing Betrayal and Broken, I felt this overwhelming need to write something loving and sweet. My Harry/Bob universe was skewed and needed to be set right again.
October challenge
Happy Hallow-Birthday
It was early. Bob smiled as he looked down at Harry, who was still sleeping. It always amazed Bob how young and innocent Harry looked as he slept. There were times that Bob would rise early just for the chance to watch his lover sleep. Ah well, as much as he enjoyed it, he didn't have time to indulge today.
He slipped out of bed and shut off the alarm clock before it could sound. Today, he wanted Harry to sleep in. He picked up his clothes and tiptoed downstairs.
Once dressed, he fed Mister so that the furry beast wouldn't disturb Harry, then he hurried out the door. He wanted to finish his errands quickly. With a little luck, he'd be back before Harry woke up.
The trip to the grocery store was a necessary evil. He hated driving. Early morning, before rush hour traffic, was the only time he'd attempt it. Fortunately, the grocery store was open that early and it was fairly close.
It didn't take him long to get everything he needed. He'd decided to cook Harry a real meal for his birthday dinner, no spaghetti or pizza tonight. He also wanted to get Harry a birthday cake. The clerk in the bakery department quite cheerfully wrote 'Happy Birthday Harry' on it.
Bob felt a little thrill of excitement building as he went through the grocery store, collecting things he'd need. Harry's birthdays while growing up at the Manor had always been a little disappointing. Justin's idea of a birthday present was usually a new spellbook or some other bit of magical paraphernalia that only meant more homework and study. The only exception had been a bicycle for his twelfth birthday. Bob had suggested it to Justin as a way of helping Harry stop being late for school. Of course, that was just an excuse. Bob knew that Harry had wanted a bicycle and had figured out a way to convince Justin.
He hadn't been so lucky with the other birthdays, but there had been one very special day. It was Harry's fourteenth birthday. Justin was away on Council business. As usual, Harry had found his birthday present sitting on the dining room table when he'd come down for breakfast. It was another copy of some old wizard's grimoire, boring spells, not particularly useful. The look of disappointment on Harry's face had Bob deciding right then and there that something had to be done.
That night, just after dark, Bob told Harry to get his skull, collect a few items from the lab and go out into the garden. Even though it was Halloween, he knew they wouldn't be disturbed by trick-or-treaters. They knew better than to come to Morningway Manor.
Once in the garden, Bob talked Harry through an incantation. Suddenly, the dark gardens were lit up with tiny lights. But not just lights, these lights creeped and crawled. They had shapes. Upon closer inspection, Harry found that every insect in the gardens was glowing, even the spider webs in their intricate patterns were glowing softly. Harry was delighted. He carried Bob's skull all through the gardens, pointing out this strange bug or that huge beetle. It took two hours for the spell to wear off and they'd enjoyed every minute of it.
Bob smiled as he remembered that night. He was in the checkout line and glanced at a display of children's toys. His eyes fell on a container of plastic toy bugs and an idea came to him. He grabbed the container and two more like it and tossed them into his cart.
When he returned home, Bob was pleased to find Harry still sleeping. Knowing that he wouldn't stay asleep much longer, Bob began making breakfast. Before long, a sleep rumpled Harry shuffled into the kitchen. He was only wearing his boxers. He obviously hadn't showered or shaved, yet, and his hair was sticking out at all angles. As far as Bob was concerned, he was utterly adorable. He looked like a little boy, except for the five o'clock shadow.
Bob gave him a quick kiss and pushed him toward the kitchen table for breakfast. Harry grumbled something about oversleeping and having to open the shop, but Bob assured him that he'd take care of it and that Harry should just relax. After all, it was his birthday.
"Uh, Bob, it's Halloween. Bad things happen on Halloween. Stupid things happen on Halloween. As soon as we put that open sign in the window, every nut-job in the city is gonna come around here looking for entertainment for a Halloween party or a seance, somebody wanting to call up Elvis or Marilyn Monroe. Then there are the legitimate cases, like that woman last year who had a ghost show up every Halloween for the last ten years to wreck her house. You remember. Turns out the guy had died fifteen years earlier in a Halloween prank gone wrong. And how about two years before that when that necromancer wanna-be started raising the dead in that graveyard. If Father Forthill hadn't called me when he did, we'd still be knee deep in walking corpses."
"Harry, Harry, my boy." Bob cupped Harry's face in his hands and gave him a light kiss to calm him. "Shhh. Now listen to me. I want you to eat your breakfast, then get cleaned up and dressed. Then I want you to go into the livingroom and relax with that book you've been trying to read for days. I'll handle any clients that show up, and, if any cases seem legitimate, I'll let you know. Until then, you are to relax and enjoy your birthday. Am I understood?"
Harry secretly loved it when Bob got bossy, so he just looked up at his beautiful light blue-green eyes, smiled and said "Yes, sir." He knew that eventually the day would go to hell-in-a-handbasket, so he might as well relax while he could.
Once he was showered and dressed, Harry felt a little more able to face the day. He started to go into the kitchen, but Bob headed him off. "Harry, I'm serious. Go into the livingroom, sit down and relax. If you want anything, as long as I'm not with a client, I'll get it for you. Today, I'm going to spoil you, just as I've wanted to for years. No arguments. Now, what did you want from the kitchen?"
Bemused, Harry told him and Bob left him to go get his coffee. Harry went into the livingroom, as ordered, and sat down on the sofa. When Bob returned with his coffee, Harry had him set it on the coffee table. Then he grabbed him and pulled him into his lap.
Bob allowed himself to be captured in Harry's arms and settled down for a snuggle. He wasn't concerned about a client showing up. Earlier, he'd placed an aversion spell on the office door. Anyone who got close to it would be overwhelmed by a feeling of unaccountable creepiness. They would want nothing more than to get away from the shop as quickly as possible. He'd also unplugged the phone. These meassures may cost them a few paying customers, but Bob felt that giving Harry a nice birthday was well worth it.
Harry seemed to feel that every little supernatural problem that popped up was his responsibility to solve. And, yes, supernatural problems tended to crop up on Halloween more than any other night of the year. But the way Bob saw it, the world had survived tens of thousands of Halloweens or Samhains or whatever one wanted to call them. And it would survive many more. Harry needed and deserved a break. And if he wouldn't take one, Bob would just have to be sneaky and arrange for one.
Harry made no move to kiss Bob. He seemed content to hold him tight and run the fingers of one hand through Bob's white hair as he gazed at his face, his eyes taking in every detail of the older man's features. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
Bob smiled and rested his forehead against Harry's. "I believe you mentioned something along those lines the night before last. Right after you finished grinding me into the mattress."
Harry smiled and whispered softly in Bob's ear, "I love you."
Bob sighed in utter contentment. "I love you, too." Then, reluctantly, he stood, handed Harry his book and kissed him on the top of his head. "I have things to do, my boy. But, if the office bell chimes, you are to allow me to answer it. You are not to go near that office. Am I clear?"
Harry leaned back and and said submissively, "Yes, sir." There was a twinkle in his eye. If he was lucky, once the day was over, Bob might get bossy in the bedroom. After all it was his birthday.
After Bob left the room, Harry sighed and picked up his book. He began reading and before long, lost all track of time. He slowly became aware of the fact that he was lying down. He opened his eyes and realized that he was sprawled out on the sofa and his book was lying on the floor. Apparently, he'd fallen asleep. He stretched his long frame and groaned. He couldn't believe it when he looked at the clock. 7:30? He'd slept the entire day away.
Then he became concerned. If Bob had gone out on a case without him, he was going to be royally pissed. Then he caught the smell of what had to be dinner. He rose and followed his nose to the kitchen. "Um, smells good."
Bob looked up from the pan he'd pulled out of the oven and grinned. "Well, hello, sleeping beauty." He stepped up to Harry and began combing his fingers through his hair, making it look a little less like Harry had stuck his fingers in a wall socket.
"More like 'Rip Van Winkle'. I feel like I've slept a hundred years." He put his hands on Bob's waist and pulled him flush against his body. "Tell me you did not go out on any cases without me."
"I swear I didn't." He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and neck. "As a matter of fact, no one came in today. And I've pulled all the blinds, so I don't expect any trick or treaters, either."
Harry tilted his head and gave Bob a crooked, puzzled smile. "No one came in? No one at all? That's odd."
"Harry," Bob chided, "you act as if it's impossible for there to be a Halloween without a disaster. Now, relax and go wash up for dinner. I have a surprise for you later."
"A surprise, uh? What'd you do?" His arms tightened around Bob waist and he began to nuzzle his ear.
Bob bit his lip and hummed in pleasure, halfway tempted to forego dinner. But he decided that there would be time later for such delights and reluctantly extricated himself from Harry's embrace. He gently pushed Harry toward the sink. "Go. Wash. Then we eat. Then we play."
Harry groaned, but obeyed. Bob had obviously put a lot of thought into doing something nice for his birthday, so he wasn't going to ruin it.
They sat down and ate dinner quickly. Partly because they were both looking forward to an evening of passion and partly because the food was excellent. Not long after he'd rejoined the world of the living, Bob discovered that he had a talent for cooking. It seemed that being deprived of the ability to taste for so long had given him a whole new appreciation for the culinary arts.
After dinner, Bob brought out the birthday cake and enjoyed watching Harry try to blow out the trick candles that wouldn't go out. All the while, they talked, laughed and enjoyed each other's company as long time companions do.
Finally, Bob stood and told Harry to close his eyes and wait in the kitchen until called. Then he left the room. Harry could feel a surge of magic and, after a moment, felt Bob take his hands. "Come on now. Keep your eyes closed and come with me. That's it. Nice and slow. No peeking."
Trusting Bob, Harry let himself be led into the livingroom. He grinned as he wondered if this was going to end up being a new sex game. Bob liked games and he always made sure that Harry had a good time as well.
He felt Bob stop and waited in anticipation. "Ok. You can open your eyes, now."
It took a second for his eyes to adjust. All the candles had been put out. At first, it appeared that the entire apartment was in darkness. Then his eyes could see the small lights. All around the apartment, on banisters and shelves, on top of books and the mantle above the fireplace, even on the beams crossing the ceiling, there were small glowing, oddly shaped objects. Puzzled, Harry took a closer look at one of them sitting on the mantle. It was a small plastic beetle, glowing softly.
Grinning ear to ear, Harry spun around, grabbed Bob and picked him up in a near crushing hug. "Stars and stones! I can't believe you remembered. Oh Bob, I don't know what to say." He set Bob down and stared round at the display. He said softly, "You have no idea how much that night meant to me."
Bob put his arms around Harry's waist and whispered, "Oh, I think I have an idea. I know how sentimental you are about such things and I thought I'd let you know that such memories are as important to me as they are to you." He lightly caressed Harry's cheek. "After you lost your father, you were given so little affection. I wanted to give you that affection so much and wasn't able. Little things like that night in the garden were all I could manage. I hope it was enough for you." He sounded truly worried that it wasn't.
Harry cupped Bob's face in his hands and said, "You gave me everything I needed. You give me everything I need. You are everything to me and I love you." Then they kissed.
Bob came up for air just long enough to say, "Happy Birthday, Harry."
Harry nuzzled Bob's neck and replied, "You know, this was a pretty good birthday, after all. Thank you, Bob." They spent the next few hours making love with each other in that room, surrounded by little glowing lights like stars in the sky.
The end.
Author:stormyd55
Pairing/Characters:Harry/Bob... sorry, only implied smut.
DisclaimerNot mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Rating:PG-13
Summary:Bob is determined to give Harry a Happy Birthday. Harry needed and deserved a break. And if he wouldn't take one, Bob would just have to be sneaky and arrange for one.
Warnings:Kissing. Snuggling. A little dirty talk.
Word Count:approx. 2200
Author's Note:Yes, I know it's late, but this is for the October challenge. I know October is over, but after writing Betrayal and Broken, I felt this overwhelming need to write something loving and sweet. My Harry/Bob universe was skewed and needed to be set right again.
October challenge
Happy Hallow-Birthday
It was early. Bob smiled as he looked down at Harry, who was still sleeping. It always amazed Bob how young and innocent Harry looked as he slept. There were times that Bob would rise early just for the chance to watch his lover sleep. Ah well, as much as he enjoyed it, he didn't have time to indulge today.
He slipped out of bed and shut off the alarm clock before it could sound. Today, he wanted Harry to sleep in. He picked up his clothes and tiptoed downstairs.
Once dressed, he fed Mister so that the furry beast wouldn't disturb Harry, then he hurried out the door. He wanted to finish his errands quickly. With a little luck, he'd be back before Harry woke up.
The trip to the grocery store was a necessary evil. He hated driving. Early morning, before rush hour traffic, was the only time he'd attempt it. Fortunately, the grocery store was open that early and it was fairly close.
It didn't take him long to get everything he needed. He'd decided to cook Harry a real meal for his birthday dinner, no spaghetti or pizza tonight. He also wanted to get Harry a birthday cake. The clerk in the bakery department quite cheerfully wrote 'Happy Birthday Harry' on it.
Bob felt a little thrill of excitement building as he went through the grocery store, collecting things he'd need. Harry's birthdays while growing up at the Manor had always been a little disappointing. Justin's idea of a birthday present was usually a new spellbook or some other bit of magical paraphernalia that only meant more homework and study. The only exception had been a bicycle for his twelfth birthday. Bob had suggested it to Justin as a way of helping Harry stop being late for school. Of course, that was just an excuse. Bob knew that Harry had wanted a bicycle and had figured out a way to convince Justin.
He hadn't been so lucky with the other birthdays, but there had been one very special day. It was Harry's fourteenth birthday. Justin was away on Council business. As usual, Harry had found his birthday present sitting on the dining room table when he'd come down for breakfast. It was another copy of some old wizard's grimoire, boring spells, not particularly useful. The look of disappointment on Harry's face had Bob deciding right then and there that something had to be done.
That night, just after dark, Bob told Harry to get his skull, collect a few items from the lab and go out into the garden. Even though it was Halloween, he knew they wouldn't be disturbed by trick-or-treaters. They knew better than to come to Morningway Manor.
Once in the garden, Bob talked Harry through an incantation. Suddenly, the dark gardens were lit up with tiny lights. But not just lights, these lights creeped and crawled. They had shapes. Upon closer inspection, Harry found that every insect in the gardens was glowing, even the spider webs in their intricate patterns were glowing softly. Harry was delighted. He carried Bob's skull all through the gardens, pointing out this strange bug or that huge beetle. It took two hours for the spell to wear off and they'd enjoyed every minute of it.
Bob smiled as he remembered that night. He was in the checkout line and glanced at a display of children's toys. His eyes fell on a container of plastic toy bugs and an idea came to him. He grabbed the container and two more like it and tossed them into his cart.
When he returned home, Bob was pleased to find Harry still sleeping. Knowing that he wouldn't stay asleep much longer, Bob began making breakfast. Before long, a sleep rumpled Harry shuffled into the kitchen. He was only wearing his boxers. He obviously hadn't showered or shaved, yet, and his hair was sticking out at all angles. As far as Bob was concerned, he was utterly adorable. He looked like a little boy, except for the five o'clock shadow.
Bob gave him a quick kiss and pushed him toward the kitchen table for breakfast. Harry grumbled something about oversleeping and having to open the shop, but Bob assured him that he'd take care of it and that Harry should just relax. After all, it was his birthday.
"Uh, Bob, it's Halloween. Bad things happen on Halloween. Stupid things happen on Halloween. As soon as we put that open sign in the window, every nut-job in the city is gonna come around here looking for entertainment for a Halloween party or a seance, somebody wanting to call up Elvis or Marilyn Monroe. Then there are the legitimate cases, like that woman last year who had a ghost show up every Halloween for the last ten years to wreck her house. You remember. Turns out the guy had died fifteen years earlier in a Halloween prank gone wrong. And how about two years before that when that necromancer wanna-be started raising the dead in that graveyard. If Father Forthill hadn't called me when he did, we'd still be knee deep in walking corpses."
"Harry, Harry, my boy." Bob cupped Harry's face in his hands and gave him a light kiss to calm him. "Shhh. Now listen to me. I want you to eat your breakfast, then get cleaned up and dressed. Then I want you to go into the livingroom and relax with that book you've been trying to read for days. I'll handle any clients that show up, and, if any cases seem legitimate, I'll let you know. Until then, you are to relax and enjoy your birthday. Am I understood?"
Harry secretly loved it when Bob got bossy, so he just looked up at his beautiful light blue-green eyes, smiled and said "Yes, sir." He knew that eventually the day would go to hell-in-a-handbasket, so he might as well relax while he could.
Once he was showered and dressed, Harry felt a little more able to face the day. He started to go into the kitchen, but Bob headed him off. "Harry, I'm serious. Go into the livingroom, sit down and relax. If you want anything, as long as I'm not with a client, I'll get it for you. Today, I'm going to spoil you, just as I've wanted to for years. No arguments. Now, what did you want from the kitchen?"
Bemused, Harry told him and Bob left him to go get his coffee. Harry went into the livingroom, as ordered, and sat down on the sofa. When Bob returned with his coffee, Harry had him set it on the coffee table. Then he grabbed him and pulled him into his lap.
Bob allowed himself to be captured in Harry's arms and settled down for a snuggle. He wasn't concerned about a client showing up. Earlier, he'd placed an aversion spell on the office door. Anyone who got close to it would be overwhelmed by a feeling of unaccountable creepiness. They would want nothing more than to get away from the shop as quickly as possible. He'd also unplugged the phone. These meassures may cost them a few paying customers, but Bob felt that giving Harry a nice birthday was well worth it.
Harry seemed to feel that every little supernatural problem that popped up was his responsibility to solve. And, yes, supernatural problems tended to crop up on Halloween more than any other night of the year. But the way Bob saw it, the world had survived tens of thousands of Halloweens or Samhains or whatever one wanted to call them. And it would survive many more. Harry needed and deserved a break. And if he wouldn't take one, Bob would just have to be sneaky and arrange for one.
Harry made no move to kiss Bob. He seemed content to hold him tight and run the fingers of one hand through Bob's white hair as he gazed at his face, his eyes taking in every detail of the older man's features. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
Bob smiled and rested his forehead against Harry's. "I believe you mentioned something along those lines the night before last. Right after you finished grinding me into the mattress."
Harry smiled and whispered softly in Bob's ear, "I love you."
Bob sighed in utter contentment. "I love you, too." Then, reluctantly, he stood, handed Harry his book and kissed him on the top of his head. "I have things to do, my boy. But, if the office bell chimes, you are to allow me to answer it. You are not to go near that office. Am I clear?"
Harry leaned back and and said submissively, "Yes, sir." There was a twinkle in his eye. If he was lucky, once the day was over, Bob might get bossy in the bedroom. After all it was his birthday.
After Bob left the room, Harry sighed and picked up his book. He began reading and before long, lost all track of time. He slowly became aware of the fact that he was lying down. He opened his eyes and realized that he was sprawled out on the sofa and his book was lying on the floor. Apparently, he'd fallen asleep. He stretched his long frame and groaned. He couldn't believe it when he looked at the clock. 7:30? He'd slept the entire day away.
Then he became concerned. If Bob had gone out on a case without him, he was going to be royally pissed. Then he caught the smell of what had to be dinner. He rose and followed his nose to the kitchen. "Um, smells good."
Bob looked up from the pan he'd pulled out of the oven and grinned. "Well, hello, sleeping beauty." He stepped up to Harry and began combing his fingers through his hair, making it look a little less like Harry had stuck his fingers in a wall socket.
"More like 'Rip Van Winkle'. I feel like I've slept a hundred years." He put his hands on Bob's waist and pulled him flush against his body. "Tell me you did not go out on any cases without me."
"I swear I didn't." He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and neck. "As a matter of fact, no one came in today. And I've pulled all the blinds, so I don't expect any trick or treaters, either."
Harry tilted his head and gave Bob a crooked, puzzled smile. "No one came in? No one at all? That's odd."
"Harry," Bob chided, "you act as if it's impossible for there to be a Halloween without a disaster. Now, relax and go wash up for dinner. I have a surprise for you later."
"A surprise, uh? What'd you do?" His arms tightened around Bob waist and he began to nuzzle his ear.
Bob bit his lip and hummed in pleasure, halfway tempted to forego dinner. But he decided that there would be time later for such delights and reluctantly extricated himself from Harry's embrace. He gently pushed Harry toward the sink. "Go. Wash. Then we eat. Then we play."
Harry groaned, but obeyed. Bob had obviously put a lot of thought into doing something nice for his birthday, so he wasn't going to ruin it.
They sat down and ate dinner quickly. Partly because they were both looking forward to an evening of passion and partly because the food was excellent. Not long after he'd rejoined the world of the living, Bob discovered that he had a talent for cooking. It seemed that being deprived of the ability to taste for so long had given him a whole new appreciation for the culinary arts.
After dinner, Bob brought out the birthday cake and enjoyed watching Harry try to blow out the trick candles that wouldn't go out. All the while, they talked, laughed and enjoyed each other's company as long time companions do.
Finally, Bob stood and told Harry to close his eyes and wait in the kitchen until called. Then he left the room. Harry could feel a surge of magic and, after a moment, felt Bob take his hands. "Come on now. Keep your eyes closed and come with me. That's it. Nice and slow. No peeking."
Trusting Bob, Harry let himself be led into the livingroom. He grinned as he wondered if this was going to end up being a new sex game. Bob liked games and he always made sure that Harry had a good time as well.
He felt Bob stop and waited in anticipation. "Ok. You can open your eyes, now."
It took a second for his eyes to adjust. All the candles had been put out. At first, it appeared that the entire apartment was in darkness. Then his eyes could see the small lights. All around the apartment, on banisters and shelves, on top of books and the mantle above the fireplace, even on the beams crossing the ceiling, there were small glowing, oddly shaped objects. Puzzled, Harry took a closer look at one of them sitting on the mantle. It was a small plastic beetle, glowing softly.
Grinning ear to ear, Harry spun around, grabbed Bob and picked him up in a near crushing hug. "Stars and stones! I can't believe you remembered. Oh Bob, I don't know what to say." He set Bob down and stared round at the display. He said softly, "You have no idea how much that night meant to me."
Bob put his arms around Harry's waist and whispered, "Oh, I think I have an idea. I know how sentimental you are about such things and I thought I'd let you know that such memories are as important to me as they are to you." He lightly caressed Harry's cheek. "After you lost your father, you were given so little affection. I wanted to give you that affection so much and wasn't able. Little things like that night in the garden were all I could manage. I hope it was enough for you." He sounded truly worried that it wasn't.
Harry cupped Bob's face in his hands and said, "You gave me everything I needed. You give me everything I need. You are everything to me and I love you." Then they kissed.
Bob came up for air just long enough to say, "Happy Birthday, Harry."
Harry nuzzled Bob's neck and replied, "You know, this was a pretty good birthday, after all. Thank you, Bob." They spent the next few hours making love with each other in that room, surrounded by little glowing lights like stars in the sky.
The end.