day nine - making out? (kissing, really)
Um, so, this was supposed to be making out, but instead it's just kissing. But the kissing story was more making out, so I feel like it all ends up a wash? Oh whatever. This takes place before the shopping bit on Day Seven. (Also, the tomato bit is straight out of my dad's gardening methodology.)
***
making out (but really kissing) (~400)
***
Erik is in the garden when Charles takes the call from the Senator.
The garden started as Charles' project, a casual hobby to keep him busy that, paired with a mild antidepressant and ample sunlight, has kept him from sliding back into the black moods that plagued him all winter. Erik, though, has taken to it with the same gruff determination he takes to everything. Erik doesn't do things in halves and he can't stand to see something done sloppily or improperly. In this regard, he reminds Charles of a housekeeper that they once had at the school. "Any job, big or small, do it right or not at all," she used to say. He's been waiting for a chance to pass that resemblance on to Erik, saving it for a day when he can have a good laugh at Erik's inevitable vexation and make up for it later.
Today won't be that day--he can tell already. You can't love a man for fifty years without being able to generally predict the sort of news he'll take badly.
When Charles approaches the garden, wheeling down the ramp and over the concrete path, Erik is lecturing one of the tomato plants.
"I don't know why you insist on being like this," he says. "The rest of them have no problem staying upright. That one doesn't even need a trellis. Keep this up and you'll find yourself uprooted to the compost heap before long."
"Unless you've developed a second mutation that I'm unaware of," Charles says, "they can't actually hear you, my dear."
"There are all sorts of studies about plants responding to music," Erik says. "Why not threats?" Still, he secures it more firmly to the trellis already in place and turns back to Charles, sitting on the edge of the garden table, built by Erik to be the perfect height to allow Charles to tend to the plants in his chair.
Erik has done countless little things for Charles in the past year. From the construction of this house to the meals he prepares every day, Erik has shown his devotion the best way he knows how--through actions rather than words.
Charles doesn't mean this as a betrayal, though he fears Erik will see it as one and he doesn't want to have that conversation right now. He's happy here, happy with Erik, happier than he ever thought he could be. It's not his whole life, though, and that's a conversation they'll need to have. They'll have it tonight, they will, but the sun in shining through the trees, the birds are singing, and Erik is smudged with earth and sweat and smiling at Charles sweetly. He'd like to hold on to this for jut a little bit longer.
"Come here," he says, and Erik does, Erik always does, Erik leans over and kisses him.
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and Erik's mouth, warm against his own, is reason enough to put off all talk of Washington until after dinner.
*
the rest of the days:
1. Holding hands
2. Cuddling somewhere
3. Gaming/watching a movie
4. On a date
5. Kissing
6. Wearing each others’ clothes
7. Shopping
8. Hanging out with friends
9. Making out
10. Eating icecream
11. In a different clothing style
12. During their morning ritual(s)
13. Spooning
14. Doing something together
15. In formal wear
16. Dancing
17. Cooking/baking
18. In battle, side-by-side
19. Arguing
20. Making up afterwards
21. Getting married
22. On one of their birthdays
23. Doing something ridiculous
24. Doing something sweet
25. Doing something hot
***
making out (but really kissing) (~400)
***
Erik is in the garden when Charles takes the call from the Senator.
The garden started as Charles' project, a casual hobby to keep him busy that, paired with a mild antidepressant and ample sunlight, has kept him from sliding back into the black moods that plagued him all winter. Erik, though, has taken to it with the same gruff determination he takes to everything. Erik doesn't do things in halves and he can't stand to see something done sloppily or improperly. In this regard, he reminds Charles of a housekeeper that they once had at the school. "Any job, big or small, do it right or not at all," she used to say. He's been waiting for a chance to pass that resemblance on to Erik, saving it for a day when he can have a good laugh at Erik's inevitable vexation and make up for it later.
Today won't be that day--he can tell already. You can't love a man for fifty years without being able to generally predict the sort of news he'll take badly.
When Charles approaches the garden, wheeling down the ramp and over the concrete path, Erik is lecturing one of the tomato plants.
"I don't know why you insist on being like this," he says. "The rest of them have no problem staying upright. That one doesn't even need a trellis. Keep this up and you'll find yourself uprooted to the compost heap before long."
"Unless you've developed a second mutation that I'm unaware of," Charles says, "they can't actually hear you, my dear."
"There are all sorts of studies about plants responding to music," Erik says. "Why not threats?" Still, he secures it more firmly to the trellis already in place and turns back to Charles, sitting on the edge of the garden table, built by Erik to be the perfect height to allow Charles to tend to the plants in his chair.
Erik has done countless little things for Charles in the past year. From the construction of this house to the meals he prepares every day, Erik has shown his devotion the best way he knows how--through actions rather than words.
Charles doesn't mean this as a betrayal, though he fears Erik will see it as one and he doesn't want to have that conversation right now. He's happy here, happy with Erik, happier than he ever thought he could be. It's not his whole life, though, and that's a conversation they'll need to have. They'll have it tonight, they will, but the sun in shining through the trees, the birds are singing, and Erik is smudged with earth and sweat and smiling at Charles sweetly. He'd like to hold on to this for jut a little bit longer.
"Come here," he says, and Erik does, Erik always does, Erik leans over and kisses him.
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and Erik's mouth, warm against his own, is reason enough to put off all talk of Washington until after dinner.
*
the rest of the days:
1. Holding hands
2. Cuddling somewhere
3. Gaming/watching a movie
4. On a date
5. Kissing
6. Wearing each others’ clothes
7. Shopping
8. Hanging out with friends
9. Making out
10. Eating icecream
11. In a different clothing style
12. During their morning ritual(s)
13. Spooning
14. Doing something together
15. In formal wear
16. Dancing
17. Cooking/baking
18. In battle, side-by-side
19. Arguing
20. Making up afterwards
21. Getting married
22. On one of their birthdays
23. Doing something ridiculous
24. Doing something sweet
25. Doing something hot