Friends and Family: Dinner With Dad (2/2)
Title: Dinner With Dad (2/2)
Author: Aeon Cole
Beta: sharpiesgal/Dino
Rating: FRT
Warnings: Slash
Fandom: CSI Miami
Pairing: Horatio/Speed
Challenge: 20_est_relships // table
Prompt: #10 Hope
Word Count: 1680
Summary: Tim invites his father over for dinner.
Disclaimer: I don’t own them and I’m not making any money from this.
Author’s Note: This is part of the Friends and Family Series. It follows Reconciliation. This is just a bit of fluff for this series. After six months of researching and writing Club Descent, my head was in a weird place, hence the fluff to clear it.
Horatio pulled some plates down from the cupboards and took some silverware out of the drawer. He set the dining room table for three. In the kitchen Michael was playing with Cloe. She seemed fascinated by his cane and had hopped up into his lap and was currently sniffing around the handle.
“Can I do anything to help?” Michael asked as he stroked the little cat’s back.
Tim shook his head. “I’ve got it under control,” he said as he took the garlic bread out of the oven. “Why don’t you go join Horatio in the other room? I’ll be right there with the food.”
Michael lifted Cloe off of his lap and placed her on the floor. He stood up leaning heavily on his cane and made his way to the dining room.
“He tossed you out too?” Horatio asked.
He was trying his best to be friendly with the older man and was surprised to find that it wasn’t all that difficult once he let himself relax a bit. The more time he spent with Michael the less he thought of him as the man Tim had originally told him about. If Tim could put the past behind him, maybe he could too. Michael really did seem to have come to terms with everything.
“It would seem so,” he said as he sat down. Cloe was right on his heels and hopped up into his lap as soon as he was sitting.
“She seems to like you,” Horatio commented.
Michael smiled. “I love cats, but my wife never wanted any pets in the house. She always said she had enough to deal with, with me and Tim.” Horatio chuckled. Michael thought for a moment then asked, “How is she around other cats?”
“She seems to get along with the neighbor’s cats okay. They’re both females. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Why do you ask?”
Michael sighed. “I don’t know. I was thinking that it would be nice to have a cat around me again, a little companionship. You know? I’ve hesitated because I know it would outlive me. But if I knew someone who could take it after I’m gone…”
Horatio understood. “I’m sure we could do that for you,” he said. “And if Cloe didn’t get on with it then I have a ten year old nephew that I’m sure would love a cat.”
“Thanks,” Michael said. He thought for a moment then added, “Any chance we could keep that last bit between you and me. No need to upset Tim with the thought of me, well, you know.”
Horatio nodded. “I agree. So, we could take you down to the shelter and you could pick out an older cat, if you like. That way you won’t have to deal with training it or anything.”
Michael smiled. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said just as Tim walked into the room.
“What sounds like a good idea?” he asked as he placed the tray of shells on the table.
Horatio and Michael exchanged a glance. “Taking your father down to the animal shelter so he can pick out a cat to keep him company.”
Tim looked at his father. “You really want a cat?” he asked.
Michael nodded. “Horatio suggested the shelter. I think it’s a good idea.”
Tim locked eyes with Horatio and smiled. “That does sound like a good idea. We’ll have to pick a time.”
He was pleased that Horatio seemed to be making an effort to make a connection with his father. The evening was so far going better than he’d hoped. He served his father and himself then passed everything over to Horatio. Michael waited until they all were served before trying the now infamous shells.
“These are good,” he said.
“Thanks,” Tim replied. “Horatio showed me how to make the filling. Did it from memory too.”
“My mother always cooked by taste,” Horatio said. “She never wrote a recipe down, that I recall.”
“And you?” Michael asked.
“Tim does most of the cooking. I’m just a passable cook compared to him,” Horatio answered, smiling over at his partner.
Michael knew that Horatio didn’t like to talk about his family much, and from what little he knew he understood why, but since he seemed to be in a more open mood at the moment, he thought he’d chance a question.
“Did your mother teach you how to cook when you were a kid?” he asked.
Horatio nodded. “Yeah, some. My mother was Italian. She had her whole family recipe book in her head. When I was little, until maybe age eight or nine, I used to love to be in the kitchen with her, especially when she cooked Sunday dinner.”
“Tim was the same way with me,” Michael said, glancing over at his son. “And with his mother,” he added. “He always wanted to know what we were doing.”
Tim hadn’t heard Horatio talk about this part of his life in any great detail before and was curious. “But you grew out of your interest in cooking?”
“Mmhmm,” Horatio muttered around a mouthful of food. He swallowed and continued. “When my father found out I was spending so much time in the kitchen he, um, he didn’t like it. He thought cooking was a woman’s job. Even at that age I’d knew better than to do things that he didn’t approve of, at least when he was around. I still snuck into the kitchen and helped when he wasn’t home.”
“That’s too bad,” Michael said. “Some of the world’s greatest chefs are men. But my father was the same way.”
Tim looked over at his father. “Grandpa didn’t want you to become a chef?” he asked. He was surprised since his grandfather used to spend time at the restaurant whenever he visited.
Michael shook his head. “He wanted me to go to school for business. Said I’d never make a living as a chef.”
“I didn’t know that about grandpa. How come you never told me before?” Tim asked.
Michael shrugged. “It wasn’t an issue between us anymore by the time you came along. I’d actually forgotten about it until Horatio mentioned his father’s attitude. But I think that’s part of the reason I never discouraged your interest in cooking.”
They lapsed into silence for a while as they ate. Michael spoke up next. “So, Horatio, Tim said I should ask you if I can come see where the two of you work.”
Horatio raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tim. “Yeah, sure, I can arrange that. We have visitors at the lab all of the time. Arya’s there a couple times a week.”
“Yeah,” Tim interjected. “But she’s there to see Alexx usually.”
“Alexx is your coroner, if I remember correctly?” Michael asked.
Tim nodded. “Medical Examiner actually. She and mom became fast friends,” he said.
“That’s because they have a son in common,” Horatio said with a chuckle. Seeing Michael’s look he added, “Alexx unofficially adopted Tim when he started working at the lab. She’s got this really strong mother hen thing going.”
Michael understood and added, “At least someone was keeping an eye on him.”
Tim rolled his eyes and shook his head. He was leaving that one alone. “Would you like some coffee, dad?” he asked as he finished his plate.
Michael chuckled, noticing that Tim changed the subject rather quickly. “Sure,” he said.
Tim got up and started clearing the table. Horatio took Michael’s plate and said, “We’ll be right back.”
“I’ll just stay here with my new girlfriend,” Michael said, stroking Cloe who had hopped up into his lap again.
Once they were in the kitchen, Tim placed the dirty plates in the sink then turned to Horatio. He wrapped his arms around the redhead’s neck and kissed him softly. Horatio smiled at him.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“For being so nice to my dad tonight. Thanks.”
Horatio leaned in and captured his mouth again. “Your welcome,” he whispered against his lips when he broke the kiss. “Do you think I could get him to tell some embarrassing stories from your childhood like your mom did?”
Tim groaned. “Doubt it. He was too much of a conspirator with me. My mom doesn’t know half the stuff he let me get away with.”
Horatio smirked. “Sounds like fun,” he said. “I think I’ll go ask him about it.”
Tim sighed. “This is so not fair.”
“How so?”
“There’s no one around to tell me embarrassing stories from your childhood,” he replied pouting.
Horatio kissed him quickly. “I’ll invite Dan Kelly down here one weekend. He’ll keep you entertained,” he said as he headed back out to talk to Michael.
Tim was glad that everything was working out between his father and Horatio. They seemed to be getting along and maybe even enjoying each other’s company. He would have to thank his father later as well. He knew if he could get them to relax around each other that they might actually find that that they liked each other. So there was hope. Maybe next he’d try inviting Arya over as well, he thought. Then he shook his head.
“Talk about being ganged up on,” he muttered.
***
Horatio stepped out of the elevator at CSI the next morning and passed Calliegh in the hall on his way to his office.
“So how was dinner with dad last night,” she asked.
He paused for a moment, fiddling with the sunglasses in his hand. “Good,” he said. “It was good.”
He smiled to himself. Michael wasn’t so bad, he thought. He’d even found out that they had a few things in common. Tim had been happy with the way the evening had gone and when Tim was happy, Horatio was happy. He made his way to his office with a smile on his face. When he got there he picked up the phone and dialed the operator.
“Yeah, hi. Could you give me the number for the animal shelter?”
Fin