A Companion to Carpentary Happens To Other People
Title: Carpentary Tools Are Not For Fencing
Author: melliyna and m_buggie
Fandom: Band of Brothers/Generation Kill
Pairing: Speirs/Lipton, Colbert/Fick, Nixon/Winters
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,000 (cut down from about 7,000)
Disclaimer: Not mine, no disrespect meant. Please don't sue.
Warnings/Timeline/Spoilers: Big Damn Modern Day Crossover AU of Doom
A/N: This is the companion piece to Carpentry is Something That Happens to Other People, just for reference purposes. Quotes from The West Wing (Debate Camp, Crackpots and These Women) and Shakespeare.
"Shall I compare thee, to a paint splattered zombie?"
Nate Fick grinned as he entered the Winters-Nixon residence, which was currently more than slightly drowning in paint, wood and tools of the carpentary trade. Lipton, who he was addressing merely gave him a friendly grin in greeting, from the pile of paint cans he was currently contemplating.
"I'd prefer a weary carpenter, but concede the accuracy of your description."
The room that would eventually become a nursery, was to be honest, not looking much like a nursery at that point in time. Stripped of everything, the wallpaper scrapped back and
the floor covered with old newspapers and sheets, it looked, well slightly desolate. But the three polite young men currently crowded in to it were determined to change that. Paint fumes or no paint fumes.
"Nate, greetings. I'm sorry I missed you there, amongst the crowd of paint cans." Richard Winters came over. "I'd greet you properly, but you'd just end up covered in paint. For
myself, I'm counting how many new colors of freckles I can acquire." He gestured to his face, which was now a decided rainbow of paint splatter. Nathaniel made a remark about it being a very interesting new modern art movement and the trinity grinned and got to work.
Richard and Carwood were the ones coordinating the carpentary side of the nursery project - while Nate was the one in charge of the painting aspects. It was a good system, all told and they kept up a good conversation while working on it.
"So, I think I may have given our three significant others the impression that we talk about which one looks better in leather and other such sordid things." Nate Fick, who had already managed to acquire a spot of yellow paint (it wasn't yet buttercup enough) on his noise, remarked with an amused look.
"Please tell me they didn't buy it."
"Well Lip, Speirs blinked, Nix just laughed and Brad, well Brad was definitely cursing the NY obscenity law. Which, when I think about it, was the affect I was going for."
Richard grinned at his friend. "Well done, I think. Personally I'm just glad that Nix wasn't still going around the bend from the paint fumes still. " At the pause in his words, Lipton found himself asking a gentle question, a concerned note in his voice.
"Do you think, I mean, Lew is okay with all this whole thing."
"He is." Richard Winters voice was decidedly firm, without doubt. "I love him, he's not leaving anytime soon." His voice softened, that rare half smile coming in to his expression. "I think he understands I'm not leaving now, but he definitely worries about himself, about whether he's going to be up to this. But then, I think he still spends a fair bit of time wondering how he got here. I do myself, sometimes."
The three young men stopped for a moment, glancing at each other with a look of shared understanding amongst the paint brushes and various pieces of carpentary equipment. They all knew, what it meant to be attached to guys who, were various charming, badass motherfuckers, playboys (well that was Nix) or termed more than a bit unstable by people who
didn't know them. And then there was the whole issue of various people assuming that these quiet, polite, young men were weak simply because they were polite and had the significant others they did. And then they got on with the painting and carpentary for a while, before by mutual consent, a tea and biscuit break was declared and they made themselves as comfortable as possible in the room, trying to avoid trailing paint and sawdust everywhere.
"Be assured, Dick I understand where you're coming from every step of the way. I mean, Brad and I? I never would have picked that one in a million years. Firstly, I never thought I would be remotedly interesting to him, for the simple reason that Brad is.." Nate trailed off, as Winters gave him an understanding look.
"Someone who you feel is above you, in the societal perception of cool stakes. I know a certain amount about that one."
"For myself," Lipton said with a smile, "There's the fact that your boyfriend is an expert in several forms of violence and people don't expect you to want to be around him, let alone comfortable with him."
"Yes, that and the stream of well meaning friends who think you've made the worst mistake of your life."
"Honestly, the first time I really knew I was in love with Nix? It was when I realized he was actually, genuinely talking to me. I mean really talking, not just charming" Dick Winters smiled, as he selected a biscuit, looking happily at his momentarily paint free hands. "You know how he is on first meeting - charming, rich playboy. And his family are something else entirely."
Nate grinned at him. "Yes, the Nixon family soap opera - I'm still not entirely sure how you didn't go completely insane on the lot of them, but your powers of serenity are sometimes beyond mine."
Dick smiled back. "I'd say it helps to be in love with Nix, but really it was being in love with Nix that helped me hold on to my sanity. The rest of it was just a matter of attempting to be tactful and reminding myself that no, it wasn't personal. And truly, his mother has been very generous, even if her husband and Lewis largely don't want anything to do with each and he wants even less to do with me." In any other person, you might have heard bitterness but Dick Winters was as serene as always, though with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I admit though Nate, it would have been nice if she'd acknowledged her grandchild to be with more than a cheque, but at least she isn't like Lew's father."
"Speaking of the subject of the nursery creation, do you have a name yet?"
"Well Carwood, I can tell you that we have a definite list of names we don't want." Dick lifted one hand up, ticking them off against the opposite palm with a finger. "No virtue names, no names that reference aspects of pop culture involving any kind of popstars, no flora or fauna and nothing that the poor kid can't spell. At least, that's Nix's contribution. He may have also said something about how opining the negative was slightly more fun than being constructive."
The other two men shared a knowing look, being used to Lewis Nixons' habit of making highly sarcastic remarks about the universe in general, but particularly the part of the universe that he'd inhabitated while growing up, in which many parents would compete to see which of their children had the most unique and individual name, thus leading to more
horrendous butchery of the English language and therapy bills than could possibly be calculated. Brad had made a cruder suggestion involving the fruit of the loins of some
inbreed sandy vagina tightass modern day astriocrats, which had made Lewis Nixon snort with laughter (Henry Jones, who'd been there at the time had merely snorted in an irritated manner but that was normal practice when he and Brad Colbert ended up in the same space together).
"Though, thinking about it, we do have a shortlist." The red haired half of the trinity smiled, as he offered Nate and Carwood another biscuit. "I think at one point we just
decided that we were going to wait until we've met her, so whatever name it is, it suits her." Richard gave a slightly amazed chuckle, "I still can't entirely believe we've gotten to this point though. I mean, parenthood in general and Lewis Nixon agreeing to it in particular."
"Definitely strange, the way fate works out. I mean," Nate Fick gestured, "Just think about how we all met. I moved across the hall with Henry, just after returning from my own
Peace Corps adventure and ended up working in the same office as Dick, as well as living across the hall from you two. And then it turned out Henry knew Web, who knew your Nixon and somehow, it all came together."
"And Brad came back." Lipton, smiled at that. "Which was all down to Luz, in a weird way."
"You know, I really do owe Luz a thank you." Nate Fick grinned, as he stretched out for one of the few remaining chocolate chip cookies. "If he hadn't forgotten what Ray had warned him about and dropped my name in the picture, Brad never would have come back at all. And that, that definitely deserves a thank you."
"I owe Luz a lot." Lipton shrugged, slightly awkwardly. "What with the being on a date with him when we ran in to Ron. Which I still can't entirely believe, sometimes. Except, I
do, because he's still here, incredibly enough. And Luz is still friends with both of us."
"George Luz is a good guy like that. But then, so are you and Ron." Richard, dropping a hand on Liptons' shoulder in that wordless way he had of making his friends feel better about the world and themselves simply by the way he spoke and looked. It was a talent they all shared, to a certain extent, but this easy friendship, brotherhood between the three of them enhanced it, strengthened it, along with the easy familiarity they shared, almost as though they had been friends all their lives. And with that, they got back to applying the second coat of paint. Lipton got back to sanding the wood they'd picked for the cradle, feeling he needed a break from painting.
"You know," Nate remarked "it just occurred to me that there's another thing we have in common, here in this little discussion/DIY project group of ours. The possessive significant other syndrome."
"It's that and a passion for tea." Lipton contributed.
"Changing the world, because you believe in the better angels of humanity."
"Because it's a country that's way too big for ten word answers."
Richard Winters gave Nate one of his rare and brilliant smiles that weren't. "You know, you'll make a great President someday." At Nate's slightly shy look, Lipton gave him a firm nod of endorsement. "Dicks' right, actually. Though somehow I can't image Brad going on Oprah and swapping cookie recipes."
"You know, neither can I." Nate grinned mischieviously. "Though he's more of a pancake person, anyway. Absolute genius with them in fact. And you know, that's one of the things that people would never even think about when they think about Brad."
"That's because people only see the Iceman. Or in Dicks' case, the charming, slightly drunk playboy. Or in mine, the special forces guy." Lipton gave a slightly frustrated look.
"I admit, my family took a while to take to Ron but I'm glad they worked through it."
Richard Winters gave a slightly sad look then. "Abbie's been wonderful, but well..." He trailed off, as Lipton mentally kicked himself for bringing that subject up. Richard
Winters parents had still not come round to who their son was, even despite imminent arrival of their first grandchild. "Sorry. I need to devise a system for better sending memos from my brain to my mouth."
There was a short silence, before Winters turned to Nate with a smile and asked if he and Brad were going to be off travelling the globe this summer.
"Not this time, actually. I think we might just be taking the motorbike to a beach somewhere for a week of debaunchery, romance and water. Though he seemed rather quiet about it this time round. Almost as though he had something else on his mind." Nate shrugged, giving that mona lisa smile that did obscene things to Brad Colberts' brain.
Later, when Lipton had left for the moment, in search of some more carpentary supplies and Richard and Nathaniel were alone and taking a proper break, much of the painting done. As was often usual with them, their conversation found its way on to the subject of politics, policy and changing the world. Both of them were working on it in their differing ways. Nate was beginning Grad School,looking in to the possibilities of political office and dreaming, perhaps of being able to run himself. But what Nate Fick eventually got round to talking about with his friend was the dark side, the inherent risk that was added to, simply because of who he had fallen in love with.
"I'd risk my life in a heartbeat, Dick. That's the way I've always felt." There was passion in Nate Ficks eyes, as he talked. "Because there are causes, ideals more important than one single person, one single life. I don't want to die, but a long time ago I accepted that was one of the prices you paid for wanting to change the world. Except with Brad."
"You've found the price you can't pay."
Nate looked up, barely noticing Dick Winters gentle tone. "Nightmare scenarios, playing through my head. I suppose it just got worse, after what's happened in the past to so many of my political heroes. And what scares me more is that I still...I want to stand up, Dick. I don't want to let them win, I don't want to let fear win."
"There's nothing wrong with that. Brad Colbert is a good man, who loves you and knew what he signed up for. Besides, I think we all know by now he can take care of himself." Dick Winters gave his friend an attempt at a smile. "Not saying not to worry, just don't feel guilty for being who you are Nate, because that's who Brad feel in love with as well."
"He did at that" Nate chuckled. "Though I sometimes wonder about our respective sanity."
"Well, there's no way I can argue from a position of strength. I mean Lewis Nixon and I have been called more than a bit impossible."
"Not impossible, just a bit unlikely. And I return, bearing more paint cans." Carwood Lipton remarked, as he dumped the cans of paint next to the other cans of paint. "And having forgotten how many stairs there were in this place. Also, is that a crashing sound I hear?"
*******
"You know, I continue to forget the numerous number of motherfucking floors in this apartment complex."
"No Colbert, that's just because you're drunk."
"Ron, smack him for me will you."
"I don't practice violence on defenceless fluffy Ivy Leaguers."
"Not fluffy." Lewis Nixons' voice was firm about this. "Happily replenished the alcohol in my blood, yes. Ivy Leaguer, yes. But not fluffy."
"You've been spending most of the past couple of weeks looking at fabric swatches and honing your interior decorating skills."
Brad Colbert smirked wickedly. "Usually I'd feel the need to confer with Ronald here on an appropriate comeback, but you know, I think he just nailed it. And you forgot
'purveyor of metanarrative, pseudo intellectual camel droppings' in there."
A few more flights and several insults later, the three friends and drinking partners had managed to find their way to the Nixon and winters apartment and inside it. Mostly without damaging or otherwise knocking anything over.
"Nixon, I'm sorry about the vase, though looking at it I'm not entirely sure why."
A Lewis Nixon smirk, as he answered. "Don't be, that was one of my mothers attempts at a housewarming gift."
"In that case, it appears that the wheel of fortune does not favour me, for I have done you a service." Colbert made an attempt at a bow in Nixs' direction. "How will you repay me, oh you rich Ivy League dick sucker."
Lewis Nixon might have been about to snap back a retort but he was distracted by the appearance of a certain tall, handsome red haired man, blessedly free of paint.
"Well babe, I'm home."
Dick Winters just raised his eyebrows, as Nate Fick followed him out, to be swept in to Lewis Nixons' arms and rather thoroughly kissed
"Hey sweetheart."
"Well, it's nice to know you missed me."
"Let me prove that to you," Brad Colbert growled, pulling his hands around Nates waist and turning him around for a kiss.
"I hate to break it to you, the paragon of badass motherfuckery but you turn in to a romantic, lovestruck fool just as much as either of us when your polite young carpenter is around."
Carwood Lipton chose that moment to appear and inquire as to whether they wanted to see what the largely finished room looked like. "It all needs to dry, obviously and the furniture is only at the planning stages, but you have yourselves a painted nursery." And Ronald Speirs, his face had changed, eyes lighting up in happiness at the appearance of Lipton, which caused Colbert and Nixon to snicker and their respective boyfriends to give them A Look.
"Nathaniel dear, not that I'm denying your ability to sway me, but well, you seem to have developed pink highlights."
"Dick, I don't want to alarm you but your freckles have turned yellow with a slight hint of mint."
"Can't leave them alone for five minutes or they'll go and develop a genetic mutation on you" Ron Speirs smiled down at Lipton, who had mysterious ended up in the crock of his arms as well. "Though I still love you Carwood, strangely mottled hands and all."
"For once, Brad and I are in accord with you on that one."
Author: melliyna and m_buggie
Fandom: Band of Brothers/Generation Kill
Pairing: Speirs/Lipton, Colbert/Fick, Nixon/Winters
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,000 (cut down from about 7,000)
Disclaimer: Not mine, no disrespect meant. Please don't sue.
Warnings/Timeline/Spoilers: Big Damn Modern Day Crossover AU of Doom
A/N: This is the companion piece to Carpentry is Something That Happens to Other People, just for reference purposes. Quotes from The West Wing (Debate Camp, Crackpots and These Women) and Shakespeare.
"Shall I compare thee, to a paint splattered zombie?"
Nate Fick grinned as he entered the Winters-Nixon residence, which was currently more than slightly drowning in paint, wood and tools of the carpentary trade. Lipton, who he was addressing merely gave him a friendly grin in greeting, from the pile of paint cans he was currently contemplating.
"I'd prefer a weary carpenter, but concede the accuracy of your description."
The room that would eventually become a nursery, was to be honest, not looking much like a nursery at that point in time. Stripped of everything, the wallpaper scrapped back and
the floor covered with old newspapers and sheets, it looked, well slightly desolate. But the three polite young men currently crowded in to it were determined to change that. Paint fumes or no paint fumes.
"Nate, greetings. I'm sorry I missed you there, amongst the crowd of paint cans." Richard Winters came over. "I'd greet you properly, but you'd just end up covered in paint. For
myself, I'm counting how many new colors of freckles I can acquire." He gestured to his face, which was now a decided rainbow of paint splatter. Nathaniel made a remark about it being a very interesting new modern art movement and the trinity grinned and got to work.
Richard and Carwood were the ones coordinating the carpentary side of the nursery project - while Nate was the one in charge of the painting aspects. It was a good system, all told and they kept up a good conversation while working on it.
"So, I think I may have given our three significant others the impression that we talk about which one looks better in leather and other such sordid things." Nate Fick, who had already managed to acquire a spot of yellow paint (it wasn't yet buttercup enough) on his noise, remarked with an amused look.
"Please tell me they didn't buy it."
"Well Lip, Speirs blinked, Nix just laughed and Brad, well Brad was definitely cursing the NY obscenity law. Which, when I think about it, was the affect I was going for."
Richard grinned at his friend. "Well done, I think. Personally I'm just glad that Nix wasn't still going around the bend from the paint fumes still. " At the pause in his words, Lipton found himself asking a gentle question, a concerned note in his voice.
"Do you think, I mean, Lew is okay with all this whole thing."
"He is." Richard Winters voice was decidedly firm, without doubt. "I love him, he's not leaving anytime soon." His voice softened, that rare half smile coming in to his expression. "I think he understands I'm not leaving now, but he definitely worries about himself, about whether he's going to be up to this. But then, I think he still spends a fair bit of time wondering how he got here. I do myself, sometimes."
The three young men stopped for a moment, glancing at each other with a look of shared understanding amongst the paint brushes and various pieces of carpentary equipment. They all knew, what it meant to be attached to guys who, were various charming, badass motherfuckers, playboys (well that was Nix) or termed more than a bit unstable by people who
didn't know them. And then there was the whole issue of various people assuming that these quiet, polite, young men were weak simply because they were polite and had the significant others they did. And then they got on with the painting and carpentary for a while, before by mutual consent, a tea and biscuit break was declared and they made themselves as comfortable as possible in the room, trying to avoid trailing paint and sawdust everywhere.
"Be assured, Dick I understand where you're coming from every step of the way. I mean, Brad and I? I never would have picked that one in a million years. Firstly, I never thought I would be remotedly interesting to him, for the simple reason that Brad is.." Nate trailed off, as Winters gave him an understanding look.
"Someone who you feel is above you, in the societal perception of cool stakes. I know a certain amount about that one."
"For myself," Lipton said with a smile, "There's the fact that your boyfriend is an expert in several forms of violence and people don't expect you to want to be around him, let alone comfortable with him."
"Yes, that and the stream of well meaning friends who think you've made the worst mistake of your life."
"Honestly, the first time I really knew I was in love with Nix? It was when I realized he was actually, genuinely talking to me. I mean really talking, not just charming" Dick Winters smiled, as he selected a biscuit, looking happily at his momentarily paint free hands. "You know how he is on first meeting - charming, rich playboy. And his family are something else entirely."
Nate grinned at him. "Yes, the Nixon family soap opera - I'm still not entirely sure how you didn't go completely insane on the lot of them, but your powers of serenity are sometimes beyond mine."
Dick smiled back. "I'd say it helps to be in love with Nix, but really it was being in love with Nix that helped me hold on to my sanity. The rest of it was just a matter of attempting to be tactful and reminding myself that no, it wasn't personal. And truly, his mother has been very generous, even if her husband and Lewis largely don't want anything to do with each and he wants even less to do with me." In any other person, you might have heard bitterness but Dick Winters was as serene as always, though with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I admit though Nate, it would have been nice if she'd acknowledged her grandchild to be with more than a cheque, but at least she isn't like Lew's father."
"Speaking of the subject of the nursery creation, do you have a name yet?"
"Well Carwood, I can tell you that we have a definite list of names we don't want." Dick lifted one hand up, ticking them off against the opposite palm with a finger. "No virtue names, no names that reference aspects of pop culture involving any kind of popstars, no flora or fauna and nothing that the poor kid can't spell. At least, that's Nix's contribution. He may have also said something about how opining the negative was slightly more fun than being constructive."
The other two men shared a knowing look, being used to Lewis Nixons' habit of making highly sarcastic remarks about the universe in general, but particularly the part of the universe that he'd inhabitated while growing up, in which many parents would compete to see which of their children had the most unique and individual name, thus leading to more
horrendous butchery of the English language and therapy bills than could possibly be calculated. Brad had made a cruder suggestion involving the fruit of the loins of some
inbreed sandy vagina tightass modern day astriocrats, which had made Lewis Nixon snort with laughter (Henry Jones, who'd been there at the time had merely snorted in an irritated manner but that was normal practice when he and Brad Colbert ended up in the same space together).
"Though, thinking about it, we do have a shortlist." The red haired half of the trinity smiled, as he offered Nate and Carwood another biscuit. "I think at one point we just
decided that we were going to wait until we've met her, so whatever name it is, it suits her." Richard gave a slightly amazed chuckle, "I still can't entirely believe we've gotten to this point though. I mean, parenthood in general and Lewis Nixon agreeing to it in particular."
"Definitely strange, the way fate works out. I mean," Nate Fick gestured, "Just think about how we all met. I moved across the hall with Henry, just after returning from my own
Peace Corps adventure and ended up working in the same office as Dick, as well as living across the hall from you two. And then it turned out Henry knew Web, who knew your Nixon and somehow, it all came together."
"And Brad came back." Lipton, smiled at that. "Which was all down to Luz, in a weird way."
"You know, I really do owe Luz a thank you." Nate Fick grinned, as he stretched out for one of the few remaining chocolate chip cookies. "If he hadn't forgotten what Ray had warned him about and dropped my name in the picture, Brad never would have come back at all. And that, that definitely deserves a thank you."
"I owe Luz a lot." Lipton shrugged, slightly awkwardly. "What with the being on a date with him when we ran in to Ron. Which I still can't entirely believe, sometimes. Except, I
do, because he's still here, incredibly enough. And Luz is still friends with both of us."
"George Luz is a good guy like that. But then, so are you and Ron." Richard, dropping a hand on Liptons' shoulder in that wordless way he had of making his friends feel better about the world and themselves simply by the way he spoke and looked. It was a talent they all shared, to a certain extent, but this easy friendship, brotherhood between the three of them enhanced it, strengthened it, along with the easy familiarity they shared, almost as though they had been friends all their lives. And with that, they got back to applying the second coat of paint. Lipton got back to sanding the wood they'd picked for the cradle, feeling he needed a break from painting.
"You know," Nate remarked "it just occurred to me that there's another thing we have in common, here in this little discussion/DIY project group of ours. The possessive significant other syndrome."
"It's that and a passion for tea." Lipton contributed.
"Changing the world, because you believe in the better angels of humanity."
"Because it's a country that's way too big for ten word answers."
Richard Winters gave Nate one of his rare and brilliant smiles that weren't. "You know, you'll make a great President someday." At Nate's slightly shy look, Lipton gave him a firm nod of endorsement. "Dicks' right, actually. Though somehow I can't image Brad going on Oprah and swapping cookie recipes."
"You know, neither can I." Nate grinned mischieviously. "Though he's more of a pancake person, anyway. Absolute genius with them in fact. And you know, that's one of the things that people would never even think about when they think about Brad."
"That's because people only see the Iceman. Or in Dicks' case, the charming, slightly drunk playboy. Or in mine, the special forces guy." Lipton gave a slightly frustrated look.
"I admit, my family took a while to take to Ron but I'm glad they worked through it."
Richard Winters gave a slightly sad look then. "Abbie's been wonderful, but well..." He trailed off, as Lipton mentally kicked himself for bringing that subject up. Richard
Winters parents had still not come round to who their son was, even despite imminent arrival of their first grandchild. "Sorry. I need to devise a system for better sending memos from my brain to my mouth."
There was a short silence, before Winters turned to Nate with a smile and asked if he and Brad were going to be off travelling the globe this summer.
"Not this time, actually. I think we might just be taking the motorbike to a beach somewhere for a week of debaunchery, romance and water. Though he seemed rather quiet about it this time round. Almost as though he had something else on his mind." Nate shrugged, giving that mona lisa smile that did obscene things to Brad Colberts' brain.
Later, when Lipton had left for the moment, in search of some more carpentary supplies and Richard and Nathaniel were alone and taking a proper break, much of the painting done. As was often usual with them, their conversation found its way on to the subject of politics, policy and changing the world. Both of them were working on it in their differing ways. Nate was beginning Grad School,looking in to the possibilities of political office and dreaming, perhaps of being able to run himself. But what Nate Fick eventually got round to talking about with his friend was the dark side, the inherent risk that was added to, simply because of who he had fallen in love with.
"I'd risk my life in a heartbeat, Dick. That's the way I've always felt." There was passion in Nate Ficks eyes, as he talked. "Because there are causes, ideals more important than one single person, one single life. I don't want to die, but a long time ago I accepted that was one of the prices you paid for wanting to change the world. Except with Brad."
"You've found the price you can't pay."
Nate looked up, barely noticing Dick Winters gentle tone. "Nightmare scenarios, playing through my head. I suppose it just got worse, after what's happened in the past to so many of my political heroes. And what scares me more is that I still...I want to stand up, Dick. I don't want to let them win, I don't want to let fear win."
"There's nothing wrong with that. Brad Colbert is a good man, who loves you and knew what he signed up for. Besides, I think we all know by now he can take care of himself." Dick Winters gave his friend an attempt at a smile. "Not saying not to worry, just don't feel guilty for being who you are Nate, because that's who Brad feel in love with as well."
"He did at that" Nate chuckled. "Though I sometimes wonder about our respective sanity."
"Well, there's no way I can argue from a position of strength. I mean Lewis Nixon and I have been called more than a bit impossible."
"Not impossible, just a bit unlikely. And I return, bearing more paint cans." Carwood Lipton remarked, as he dumped the cans of paint next to the other cans of paint. "And having forgotten how many stairs there were in this place. Also, is that a crashing sound I hear?"
*******
"You know, I continue to forget the numerous number of motherfucking floors in this apartment complex."
"No Colbert, that's just because you're drunk."
"Ron, smack him for me will you."
"I don't practice violence on defenceless fluffy Ivy Leaguers."
"Not fluffy." Lewis Nixons' voice was firm about this. "Happily replenished the alcohol in my blood, yes. Ivy Leaguer, yes. But not fluffy."
"You've been spending most of the past couple of weeks looking at fabric swatches and honing your interior decorating skills."
Brad Colbert smirked wickedly. "Usually I'd feel the need to confer with Ronald here on an appropriate comeback, but you know, I think he just nailed it. And you forgot
'purveyor of metanarrative, pseudo intellectual camel droppings' in there."
A few more flights and several insults later, the three friends and drinking partners had managed to find their way to the Nixon and winters apartment and inside it. Mostly without damaging or otherwise knocking anything over.
"Nixon, I'm sorry about the vase, though looking at it I'm not entirely sure why."
A Lewis Nixon smirk, as he answered. "Don't be, that was one of my mothers attempts at a housewarming gift."
"In that case, it appears that the wheel of fortune does not favour me, for I have done you a service." Colbert made an attempt at a bow in Nixs' direction. "How will you repay me, oh you rich Ivy League dick sucker."
Lewis Nixon might have been about to snap back a retort but he was distracted by the appearance of a certain tall, handsome red haired man, blessedly free of paint.
"Well babe, I'm home."
Dick Winters just raised his eyebrows, as Nate Fick followed him out, to be swept in to Lewis Nixons' arms and rather thoroughly kissed
"Hey sweetheart."
"Well, it's nice to know you missed me."
"Let me prove that to you," Brad Colbert growled, pulling his hands around Nates waist and turning him around for a kiss.
"I hate to break it to you, the paragon of badass motherfuckery but you turn in to a romantic, lovestruck fool just as much as either of us when your polite young carpenter is around."
Carwood Lipton chose that moment to appear and inquire as to whether they wanted to see what the largely finished room looked like. "It all needs to dry, obviously and the furniture is only at the planning stages, but you have yourselves a painted nursery." And Ronald Speirs, his face had changed, eyes lighting up in happiness at the appearance of Lipton, which caused Colbert and Nixon to snicker and their respective boyfriends to give them A Look.
"Nathaniel dear, not that I'm denying your ability to sway me, but well, you seem to have developed pink highlights."
"Dick, I don't want to alarm you but your freckles have turned yellow with a slight hint of mint."
"Can't leave them alone for five minutes or they'll go and develop a genetic mutation on you" Ron Speirs smiled down at Lipton, who had mysterious ended up in the crock of his arms as well. "Though I still love you Carwood, strangely mottled hands and all."
"For once, Brad and I are in accord with you on that one."