The Trouble with Drakes
Title:The Trouble With Drakes chapter 1
Author:stormyd55
Pairing/Characters:Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
DisclaimerNot mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Rating:PG-13...sorry, no smut.
Summary:Bob makes a bet with a local witch and loses.
Warnings:Hints of Bob's feelings for Harry and Harry's feelings for Bob. Some suggestive thoughts about dirty books.
Word Count:Approx. 3500
Author's Note:When referring to Wicca, I'm operating with very little knowlege. So, if I get something just totally wrong, I do appologize. Also I'm introducing a new character, Kendra York, she's kinda sweet and motherly.
Title: The Trouble With Drakes chapter 1
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG-13...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Hints of Bob's feelings for Harry and Harry's feelings for Bob. Some suggestive thoughts about dirty books.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: Approx. 3500
Summary: Bob makes a bet with a local witch and loses.
Author's Note: When referring to Wicca, I'm operating with very little knowledge. So, if I get something just totally wrong, I do apologize. Also I'm introducing a new character, Kendra York, she's kinda sweet and motherly.
*****
It was early, well before six in the morning. Warden James Mason stood in the mouth of an alley and stared at the house across the street. It looked like every other brown-stone in the neighborhood. A normal house in a normal neighborhood, but there was one occupant that wasn't normal. He'd been tracking the use of dark magic for a week. It wasn't quite Black magic, but it was pretty close. It was another teenager pushing the boundaries. If he played his cards right, he could get the kid into training before it was too late.
He hated it when they discovered a kid with the gift too late and ended up having to kill him or her. Sometimes the gift skipped a couple of generations, so there's no one in their lives to see what's going on and train them properly. They realize on their own that they can do something extraordinary and start experimenting and pushing the boundaries until they go too far and end up breaking one or more of the laws of magic. Once they do that, it's too late, they're doomed.
Black magic had its own signature. Its own feel. Wardens were trained to sense it, and James had a real talent for tracking down early users of dark/Black magic. It felt different to different people. To James, it felt oily, slimey, disgusting. It was the kind of feeling that made him want to bath over and over and still he didn't feel clean.
Dark magic felt similar to Black magic but not as bad. It broke the spirit of the law without breaking the letter of the law. For example, using magic to kill an animal was dark magic. Using magic to kill a human was Black magic. As far as James was concerned, the line between the two was far too thin. In many cases, only a soulgaze could help determine if the perpetrator could be salvaged. It was no wonder that so many wardens became cold and disillusioned at a relatively early age. A soulgaze stayed with you forever. You never forgot the beauty or the horror that hid inside a person's soul. Unfortunately, there was usually more of the latter than the former. But for James, the few good kids he could salvage made the rest of it worth it.
He waited patiently. He'd approach the young man as he went to school. He knew what he'd say. They had a pretty set routine for approaching potential wizards that had proven fairly successful.
He was feeling confident. His attention was on the house. He didn't notice the creature gliding towards him, about a hundred feet in the air. He didn't see as it flapped enormous wings to pick up speed, but he heard them. He glanced up curiously. He froze for a split second in fear, then dove into the alley, narrowly avoiding the green flame that hit the place he'd just been standing.
James ran for his life down the alley and stopped at its dead end. He searched frantically for a way of escape, finding nothing. He turned back to the open end, readied a few defensive spells, and waited. Nothing came down the alley. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he heard the hiss from above. Slowly, he looked up and saw the Drake clinging to the edge of one of the roofs above. It glared at him for a second and appeared to be almost smiling.
James didn't even have time to scream as th green flame washed over him.
*****
Two days later.
Bob did what he did best... hovered. He watched as Kendra pulled the baking pan out of the oven and set it on the stove top.
Kendra York was head of the local New Life Coven. She was a lovely woman, fortyish with long brown hair and big brown eyes. She was almost as tall as Bob and tended to wear light, flowy dresses that showed off her figure, which Bob thoroughly appreciated.
New Life Coven was more of a live-in training center for young women new to the craft. Most of them were in college and, like all college students everywhere, they could be a little wild. Kendra made sure that they not only learned to use magic, but that they learned the proper ethics and responsibilities that go with the use of power.
Three months earlier, Kendra had sought Harry's help in locating one of her charges who'd gone missing at a frat party. The girl was heavily warded and even Kendra's considerable abilities couldn't narrow down an exact location.
With Harry's help, they located and rescued her from a Hellion that had decided that she was going to be his girlfriend whether she liked it or not. The bottom line - girl was saved, Hellion was toast, Harry got paid, and everybody was happy... except the Hellion.
A bonus to the whole affair was that Kendra had taken a real liking to Harry and Bob. Since the incident, she had made it a point to come by at least once a week to chat with Bob and to feed Harry. Honestly, she thought, that boy would not know a vegetable if it jumped up and bit him on the nose. She supposed she was fond of them because they reminded her of two of her sons. They were long dead and gone, now. All of her children were.
"He won't eat it." Bob said with a knowing smirk. "Oh, he might eat the chicken but all those little vegetables so cleverly hidden within are destined for the garbage, or the belly of that beast he calls a cat."
"Hrothbert, I have raised eight children, twenty-two grandchildren and countless great grandchildren. Believe me when I say, I know how to get a boy to eat his vegetables."
Bob's eyes narrowed as he looked at her and smiled. "My, you've aged well. I knew you were older than you appeared, but I had no idea you were old enough for that kind of brood." He sighed and continued, "But, be that as it may. The only vegetables to pass Harry Dresden's lips in the last decade were either attached to a greasy slice of pizza or were tiny bits of greenery mixed into the liquified tomatoes that he likes to drown his pasta in. I've tried to tell him that the tomato is not a vegetable but a fruit. Does he listen to me? No!" He rolled his eyes expressively.
Bob tried not to look at or even think about the pan of lightly breaded, golden brown chicken breasts, stuffed with a variety of green vegetables and cheeses. He could feel his mouth water at the thought of what it might taste like. As much as he missed the sense of touch, there were moments that he missed the ability to taste even more.
There were times he would see Harry sigh and smile after his first sip of coffee in the morning or close his eyes and moan with pleasure when he first bites into a slice of pizza. When he'd been alive, six hundred years ago, the variety of foodstuffs had been limited compared to the modern world. Even the herbs and seasonings used to flavor their meals were of a limited variety. There were so many different flavors and tastes available to the common man, today. People tended to take them for granted.
There were moments that Bob found himself willing to do almost anything, even divulge the secrets of necromancy just to be able to taste again. He had only two regrets from when the Justin's copy had made him corporeal. The first was that he hadn't kissed Harry senseless. And the second was that he hadn't had the opportunity to eat or drink anything during those few short hours he'd been alive. But, perhaps it was just as well. Had he been able to indulge in either, the yearning for more most likely would have driven him insane. But, oh, the longing to taste again, the longing to taste new things that he couldn't even imagine,... the longing to taste Harry.
Yes, it always came back to Harry. No matter what he was thinking or feeling, it always came back to him.
Bob turned his attention back to Kendra. She was looking at him as she leaned against the counter, her arms crossed. She had a soft expression on her face and there was concern and a deep understanding in her eyes. Bob knew that she was a perceptive woman and wondered if she knew of his feelings for Harry but chose not to persue the matter.
He smiled at her and said again, "He won't eat it."
A mischievious look came into Kendra's eyes. "Are you willing to make a wager on that?"
Immediately interested, Bob asked, "What did you have in mind?"
"I bet he will not only eat it, but he will ask for seconds."
Amused, Bob said, "Oh, you are confident. And if he doesn't, what do I get?"
"What do you want?" Then she quickly held up her hand to stop him. "Within reason! I'm not going to parade my girls in front of you naked."
"Who would be naked? Me or the girls?" he smirked.
"Hrothbert!"
"Ok, ok. Actually, what I had in mind was for either you or Harry to take me out for walks, now and then. I can't begin to tell you how sick and tired I am of this apartment. At least at the manor, Harry took me on regular strolls through the gardens. And when he wasn't there, I could look out the window. It was a better view than the street and I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me." There was more than a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Oh, my dear Hrothbert, you should have said something weeks ago. Well, despite the outcome of the wager, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, m'lady. And if, by some miracle, you should win? What can this old ghost do for you?"
Without hesitation she said, "I would like you to give a series of lectures to my girls."
Bob's eyes went wide and he actually got even paler than usual. "I... Kendra, what would I lecture on? My knowledge of your form of magic is vague, at best. Its more of a religion. I wouldn't know where to begin."
Enthusiastically, Kendra grinned. "Lecture on whatever subject you want. I don't care if you lecture on history, ethics, the dangers of summoning, or epic poetry. I'm sure that whatever you choose will be informative and useful. Harry says that you were an excellant teacher, even if he was a less than perfect student."
Bob smiled at the praise he received from his former student. "Well, he wasn't that bad, despite his habit, in his teens, to daydream. His essays were always interesting, even if his theories were more the result of a wild imagination than actual study." Bob's expression softened as he remembered some of the more entertaining essays Harry had written.
Kendra tilted her head and asked pleasantly, "So, do we have a bet?"
Bob thought for a moment. He really didn't relish the idea of lecturing to a room full of silly girls. Some would say a room full of lovely, nubile, college aged women would have a certain appeal for the more lecherous side of his personality. Others would say that it was an opportunity he couldn't refuse. However, that was the old Hrothbert. These days he'd rather spend a quiet afternoon with Harry than with a hundred beautiful, young women. Now, if they were naked, that would be a different story.
Not that it mattered. He knew Harry. The bet was a sure thing. "Alright." he said cheerfully. "But, when you take me for those walks, I expect a variety of locations, not just the same old patch of grass used regularly by someone's dog."
"Hrothbert! Would I do that to you?" She actually looked hurt.
"Well, perhaps not you." he conceded. "But Harry is another story entirely. Getting him to take me out of this apartment is like pulling teeth, and in my day, we did that the hard way. I've only managed to persuade him four times in the five years we've lived here, and one of those was for a case."
While Bob was talking, Kendra was bustling about the kitchen, setting the table and finishing the meal's preparation. Casually, she asked, "Those other three times, where did he take you?"
Bob's expression soften. His sea-glass green eyes developed a far away look as he remembered those mornings. "Twice, he took me to a quiet part of the lake shore. It was early morning, both times, so there weren't any people about. It was spring and the flowers were in bloom everywhere. I believe that area has been developed into lake-side apartments, now." For a moment, he looked sad. Then he continued, "Then, last fall, he took me to a free, open air concert given by one of those small orchestras in one of the parks. It was in the evening, just after dark. We were in the back, of course, well away from the crowd. Couldn't see a thing, but that didn't really matter. The music was lovely." Bob closed his eyes, remembering.
Kendra stood in front of Bob and said tentatively, "So, he chose things that would stimulate your two remaining senses. It seems to me that Harry concentrates on quality rather than quantity."
Bob's smile grew a little bigger. "Perhaps you're right."
Kendra put the food on serving platters and set them on the table. When she cooked, she insisted that Harry eat like a civilized human being at the table, not leaning against the kitchen counter. She loaded up a plate of food for Harry and then fixed a more moderate portion for herself. She set the plates on the table just as the bell over the office door chimed, announcing Harry's arrival.
"Wow! What's that smell?" he called as he hung up his jacket.
Harry hurried into the kitchen. "Kendra, my angel of mercy." he said with a huge grin on his face as he kissed her cheek. Harry was always surprised by his reaction to her. She was pretty and only a little older then he was, but instead of being attracted to her, his feelings for her were more... grandmotherly. He'd never known his grandmothers but he imagined that she would have been perfect for the job.
Harry dropped a small package on the counter and reached into the refridgerator for a couple of cans of soda. "Your timing is perfect. How'd you know I'd be getting home about now?" he asked as he poured one of the sodas into a glass and placed it by her plate. He'd stopped trying to figure out how Kendra could get into his place without messing up his wards. He was just grateful for a nice Sunday dinner. Especially after the day he'd had. Murphy had called him in to look at a crime scene. Some kids had found a burned corpse in an alley, but when he got there, the corpse was missing and the cops who'd been guarding the entrance to the alley were dumbfounded as to how someone could have taken it. The only thing left were scorch marks and a tiny tingle of magic. Harry told Murphy that he'd do his best, but he didn't think he could help her without more to go on. At least he didn't have visions of roasted corpses to ruin his appetite.
"Magic." she smirked in answer to his question, then she pointed to the package. "What's that, if you don't mind my asking?"
Harry sat down. "Oh, nothing. Just something I picked up for Bob." He looked at Bob and smiled, "I'll put it with the others, later. Ok?"
Bob tipped his head at him and said, "Thank you, Harry. I appreciate it."
As Harry and Kendra began to discuss the meal she'd prepared, Bob glanced at the package on the counter. It bore the name of a local bookstore and Bob knew that Harry had gotten him another romance novel. Since business had picked up, Harry had been regularly buying new romance novels for him.
Bob sighed. He really had to find a way to get Harry to buy him some other kinds of books. Same subject matter, of course, but, since he'd come to terms with his feelings for Harry, Bob had found himself to be curious about romance novels involving homosexual males. Romentics, he thought they were called. Besides, the novels he'd read lately seemed to all follow the same plot line. Rich man meets poor, working class girl, falls for her innocent charms, saves her from the villian, and fucks her senseless. The same old plot gets old after a while. Still, he appreciated Harry's effort.
However, he decided not to bring up the subject of romentics to Harry. He didn't want him to suspect that his orientation wasn't entirely heterosexual. Although Harry had never shown any indication of negativity or condemnation of homosexuals or bisexuals, Bob didn't want to take any chance of making Harry uncomfortable. Perhaps, he could get Kendra to get him a few books like that. He could have her hide them on one of the bottom shelves that Harry never looked at, much less dusted.
Distracted from his musings, Bob looked up when he heard Harry exclaim, "Damn, this is good!" He was shocked to see that Harry had practically inhaled his plate of food and was in the process of snagging, not one, but two more stuffed chicken breasts from the serving platter.
"Dresden!" Bob shouted.
"What?!" he said around a mouthful of chicken and vegetables. "I'm hungry!" His expression was like that of a little boy who'd been caught doing something wrong, only... he didn't know what.
Kendra had one hand over her mouth, snickering.
Bob glared and grumbled, "I'll be in the lab... making lesson plans." And with that he turned and marched through the kitchen wall, a golden glow outlined him as he passed through.
Harry's brow furrowed as he turned toward Kendra and asked pitifully, "What did I do?"
Kendra couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing out loud. By the time she was able to stop long enough to tell him about the wager, Harry had finished his third helping and was laughing with her.
After a while, Harry sobered at the thought of Bob being exposed to so many strangers. Kendra was practically a den-mother to fifteen, maybe twenty young women. And, although he trusted Kendra, he didn't know them.
He still had nightmares about Tara. The charge? Grand theft-Bob. Verdict? Guilty. Sentence? Death, curtesy of Justin's Copy. There were still moments that he wished he'd been able to wrap his hands around her skinny neck and kill her himself. After all, she'd literally stolen the person he loved most in all the world.
"Ok. I'll allow these lectures. But," he held up a finger to emphasize his point, "I have to be there. I don't want a bunch of college girls deciding that they're bored and it'd be a good idea to take Bob to a kegger."
Kendra took his hand in both of hers and smiled reassuringly. "My dear Harry, if you feel you need to, then by all means. But I assure you, I will make certain that they thoroughly understand how they should behave when it comes to Bob. We'll work out a schedual between the two of us. And if you can not attend, I will play chaperone. I promise I will protect him with my life. And really, Harry, I think it would do Bob a world of good. He's been so very alone. You're all he has." She paused and looked thoughtfully at him. "He's all you have, too, isn't he? Perhaps spending time with a room full of opinionated and imaginative young women would do you some good as well. Though, I'll thank you to keep your thirty-seven year old hands to yourself." There was a gleam in her eye as she said this last part.
"Kendra! I would never. Bob might, but I wouldn't. You know I wouldn't." Harry was sputtering and turning pink around the ears. He hated that he blushed so easily. It was embarrassing.
"I know, Harry. But I do so love to tease you. Come on, now, lets do the dishes and then I'll be on my way."
Working together, it didn't take them long to clean the kitchen. Kendra said her goodbyes and Harry kissed her on the cheek again. It really did feel like kissing his grandmother, if he'd had a grandmother.
When Kendra had left, Harry went into the lab and asked cheerfully, "So, what are you gonna teach?"
"I have no idea." he grumbled. "With you all grown up, I thought my teaching days were over. What is a Sorcerer supposed to teach to a bunch of Wicca girls?"
"I don't know. They're big on nature. What about the dangers of... weather control! I remember those lessons. You gave some really good examples how messing with the weather even a little bit can cause some major problems else where in the world."
"I'm pleased that you remember those lessons." Bob's face lit up and he said, "Maybe you should give the lectures. I could help you prepare them and you could deliver them."
"Oh no, Bob. This is your mess. You deal with it." Then Harry noticed that Bob seemed a little nervous under his bravado. "Bob? Are you alright?"
Bob looked a little sheepish. "I am a little uneasy, Harry. I only made the wager because I thought it was a sure thing. You haven't changed your eating habits in years. Who knew that today would be the day you'd decide to be adventurous."
Bob looked at the floor for a moment, then back up at Harry. "In the past several hundred years, the only occassions where I have been present and... acknowledged, in a large group of people,... well, it was not pleasent for me. More often than not, some of my more detestable masters would command me to entertain their guests with stories or songs like a court jester." He paused, then hurried on, "Young people in a group can be quite cruel. I do not want to spend an afternoon being taunted and having balled up wads paper thrown through me just because they can."
Harry came to stand in front of him. His voice was full of concern. "Bob? Were you ever actually treated like that? Used for target practice by kids?"
Bob sighed. "About two hundred years ago, I belonged to a wizard named Anders. The bastard had twelve children, whom I was expected to teach as I taught you. It was a nightmare."
"Bob," Harry said softly, "these are grown women, young but grown. They won't behave like a pack of wild animals,... I hope. Besides, neither Kendra nor I would ever allow anyone to mistreat you. You know that, right? In fact, I've already told Kendra that the only way I'd allow these lectures is if I'm there too. No one is going to show you any disrespect. Not on my watch."
Bob looked at Harry and gave him a little half smile. "Perhaps a lesson on the dangers of weather control would be a good idea. And Kendra did give me a few other ideas I could work on."
"Ok. I have some paperwork I have to do in the office. Let me know if you need any particular books or anything." Harry turned to go.
"Harry?"
When Harry turned back around, Bob said quietly, "Thank you."
"Any time, Bob. Any time."
As Harry walked towards his office, he thought, maybe Kendra was right. Maybe Bob did need to interact with more people. Well, people who were part of the magical community and who would be able to accept his noncorporeal nature. The trouble was that he just didn't trust a lot of people. But he did trust Kendra. Harry decided to just wait and see how things went with these girls. But if any of them showed Bob the least bit of disrespect or hurt him in any way, Harry
was going to blow a gasket and heaven help the little witch.
(To be continued.)
Author's Question: Does anyone else think that Bob was abused by more than a few of his masters? Is it any wonder that he fell in love with Harry?
Author:stormyd55
Pairing/Characters:Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
DisclaimerNot mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Rating:PG-13...sorry, no smut.
Summary:Bob makes a bet with a local witch and loses.
Warnings:Hints of Bob's feelings for Harry and Harry's feelings for Bob. Some suggestive thoughts about dirty books.
Word Count:Approx. 3500
Author's Note:When referring to Wicca, I'm operating with very little knowlege. So, if I get something just totally wrong, I do appologize. Also I'm introducing a new character, Kendra York, she's kinda sweet and motherly.
Title: The Trouble With Drakes chapter 1
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG-13...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: Hints of Bob's feelings for Harry and Harry's feelings for Bob. Some suggestive thoughts about dirty books.
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: Approx. 3500
Summary: Bob makes a bet with a local witch and loses.
Author's Note: When referring to Wicca, I'm operating with very little knowledge. So, if I get something just totally wrong, I do apologize. Also I'm introducing a new character, Kendra York, she's kinda sweet and motherly.
*****
It was early, well before six in the morning. Warden James Mason stood in the mouth of an alley and stared at the house across the street. It looked like every other brown-stone in the neighborhood. A normal house in a normal neighborhood, but there was one occupant that wasn't normal. He'd been tracking the use of dark magic for a week. It wasn't quite Black magic, but it was pretty close. It was another teenager pushing the boundaries. If he played his cards right, he could get the kid into training before it was too late.
He hated it when they discovered a kid with the gift too late and ended up having to kill him or her. Sometimes the gift skipped a couple of generations, so there's no one in their lives to see what's going on and train them properly. They realize on their own that they can do something extraordinary and start experimenting and pushing the boundaries until they go too far and end up breaking one or more of the laws of magic. Once they do that, it's too late, they're doomed.
Black magic had its own signature. Its own feel. Wardens were trained to sense it, and James had a real talent for tracking down early users of dark/Black magic. It felt different to different people. To James, it felt oily, slimey, disgusting. It was the kind of feeling that made him want to bath over and over and still he didn't feel clean.
Dark magic felt similar to Black magic but not as bad. It broke the spirit of the law without breaking the letter of the law. For example, using magic to kill an animal was dark magic. Using magic to kill a human was Black magic. As far as James was concerned, the line between the two was far too thin. In many cases, only a soulgaze could help determine if the perpetrator could be salvaged. It was no wonder that so many wardens became cold and disillusioned at a relatively early age. A soulgaze stayed with you forever. You never forgot the beauty or the horror that hid inside a person's soul. Unfortunately, there was usually more of the latter than the former. But for James, the few good kids he could salvage made the rest of it worth it.
He waited patiently. He'd approach the young man as he went to school. He knew what he'd say. They had a pretty set routine for approaching potential wizards that had proven fairly successful.
He was feeling confident. His attention was on the house. He didn't notice the creature gliding towards him, about a hundred feet in the air. He didn't see as it flapped enormous wings to pick up speed, but he heard them. He glanced up curiously. He froze for a split second in fear, then dove into the alley, narrowly avoiding the green flame that hit the place he'd just been standing.
James ran for his life down the alley and stopped at its dead end. He searched frantically for a way of escape, finding nothing. He turned back to the open end, readied a few defensive spells, and waited. Nothing came down the alley. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he heard the hiss from above. Slowly, he looked up and saw the Drake clinging to the edge of one of the roofs above. It glared at him for a second and appeared to be almost smiling.
James didn't even have time to scream as th green flame washed over him.
*****
Two days later.
Bob did what he did best... hovered. He watched as Kendra pulled the baking pan out of the oven and set it on the stove top.
Kendra York was head of the local New Life Coven. She was a lovely woman, fortyish with long brown hair and big brown eyes. She was almost as tall as Bob and tended to wear light, flowy dresses that showed off her figure, which Bob thoroughly appreciated.
New Life Coven was more of a live-in training center for young women new to the craft. Most of them were in college and, like all college students everywhere, they could be a little wild. Kendra made sure that they not only learned to use magic, but that they learned the proper ethics and responsibilities that go with the use of power.
Three months earlier, Kendra had sought Harry's help in locating one of her charges who'd gone missing at a frat party. The girl was heavily warded and even Kendra's considerable abilities couldn't narrow down an exact location.
With Harry's help, they located and rescued her from a Hellion that had decided that she was going to be his girlfriend whether she liked it or not. The bottom line - girl was saved, Hellion was toast, Harry got paid, and everybody was happy... except the Hellion.
A bonus to the whole affair was that Kendra had taken a real liking to Harry and Bob. Since the incident, she had made it a point to come by at least once a week to chat with Bob and to feed Harry. Honestly, she thought, that boy would not know a vegetable if it jumped up and bit him on the nose. She supposed she was fond of them because they reminded her of two of her sons. They were long dead and gone, now. All of her children were.
"He won't eat it." Bob said with a knowing smirk. "Oh, he might eat the chicken but all those little vegetables so cleverly hidden within are destined for the garbage, or the belly of that beast he calls a cat."
"Hrothbert, I have raised eight children, twenty-two grandchildren and countless great grandchildren. Believe me when I say, I know how to get a boy to eat his vegetables."
Bob's eyes narrowed as he looked at her and smiled. "My, you've aged well. I knew you were older than you appeared, but I had no idea you were old enough for that kind of brood." He sighed and continued, "But, be that as it may. The only vegetables to pass Harry Dresden's lips in the last decade were either attached to a greasy slice of pizza or were tiny bits of greenery mixed into the liquified tomatoes that he likes to drown his pasta in. I've tried to tell him that the tomato is not a vegetable but a fruit. Does he listen to me? No!" He rolled his eyes expressively.
Bob tried not to look at or even think about the pan of lightly breaded, golden brown chicken breasts, stuffed with a variety of green vegetables and cheeses. He could feel his mouth water at the thought of what it might taste like. As much as he missed the sense of touch, there were moments that he missed the ability to taste even more.
There were times he would see Harry sigh and smile after his first sip of coffee in the morning or close his eyes and moan with pleasure when he first bites into a slice of pizza. When he'd been alive, six hundred years ago, the variety of foodstuffs had been limited compared to the modern world. Even the herbs and seasonings used to flavor their meals were of a limited variety. There were so many different flavors and tastes available to the common man, today. People tended to take them for granted.
There were moments that Bob found himself willing to do almost anything, even divulge the secrets of necromancy just to be able to taste again. He had only two regrets from when the Justin's copy had made him corporeal. The first was that he hadn't kissed Harry senseless. And the second was that he hadn't had the opportunity to eat or drink anything during those few short hours he'd been alive. But, perhaps it was just as well. Had he been able to indulge in either, the yearning for more most likely would have driven him insane. But, oh, the longing to taste again, the longing to taste new things that he couldn't even imagine,... the longing to taste Harry.
Yes, it always came back to Harry. No matter what he was thinking or feeling, it always came back to him.
Bob turned his attention back to Kendra. She was looking at him as she leaned against the counter, her arms crossed. She had a soft expression on her face and there was concern and a deep understanding in her eyes. Bob knew that she was a perceptive woman and wondered if she knew of his feelings for Harry but chose not to persue the matter.
He smiled at her and said again, "He won't eat it."
A mischievious look came into Kendra's eyes. "Are you willing to make a wager on that?"
Immediately interested, Bob asked, "What did you have in mind?"
"I bet he will not only eat it, but he will ask for seconds."
Amused, Bob said, "Oh, you are confident. And if he doesn't, what do I get?"
"What do you want?" Then she quickly held up her hand to stop him. "Within reason! I'm not going to parade my girls in front of you naked."
"Who would be naked? Me or the girls?" he smirked.
"Hrothbert!"
"Ok, ok. Actually, what I had in mind was for either you or Harry to take me out for walks, now and then. I can't begin to tell you how sick and tired I am of this apartment. At least at the manor, Harry took me on regular strolls through the gardens. And when he wasn't there, I could look out the window. It was a better view than the street and I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me." There was more than a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Oh, my dear Hrothbert, you should have said something weeks ago. Well, despite the outcome of the wager, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, m'lady. And if, by some miracle, you should win? What can this old ghost do for you?"
Without hesitation she said, "I would like you to give a series of lectures to my girls."
Bob's eyes went wide and he actually got even paler than usual. "I... Kendra, what would I lecture on? My knowledge of your form of magic is vague, at best. Its more of a religion. I wouldn't know where to begin."
Enthusiastically, Kendra grinned. "Lecture on whatever subject you want. I don't care if you lecture on history, ethics, the dangers of summoning, or epic poetry. I'm sure that whatever you choose will be informative and useful. Harry says that you were an excellant teacher, even if he was a less than perfect student."
Bob smiled at the praise he received from his former student. "Well, he wasn't that bad, despite his habit, in his teens, to daydream. His essays were always interesting, even if his theories were more the result of a wild imagination than actual study." Bob's expression softened as he remembered some of the more entertaining essays Harry had written.
Kendra tilted her head and asked pleasantly, "So, do we have a bet?"
Bob thought for a moment. He really didn't relish the idea of lecturing to a room full of silly girls. Some would say a room full of lovely, nubile, college aged women would have a certain appeal for the more lecherous side of his personality. Others would say that it was an opportunity he couldn't refuse. However, that was the old Hrothbert. These days he'd rather spend a quiet afternoon with Harry than with a hundred beautiful, young women. Now, if they were naked, that would be a different story.
Not that it mattered. He knew Harry. The bet was a sure thing. "Alright." he said cheerfully. "But, when you take me for those walks, I expect a variety of locations, not just the same old patch of grass used regularly by someone's dog."
"Hrothbert! Would I do that to you?" She actually looked hurt.
"Well, perhaps not you." he conceded. "But Harry is another story entirely. Getting him to take me out of this apartment is like pulling teeth, and in my day, we did that the hard way. I've only managed to persuade him four times in the five years we've lived here, and one of those was for a case."
While Bob was talking, Kendra was bustling about the kitchen, setting the table and finishing the meal's preparation. Casually, she asked, "Those other three times, where did he take you?"
Bob's expression soften. His sea-glass green eyes developed a far away look as he remembered those mornings. "Twice, he took me to a quiet part of the lake shore. It was early morning, both times, so there weren't any people about. It was spring and the flowers were in bloom everywhere. I believe that area has been developed into lake-side apartments, now." For a moment, he looked sad. Then he continued, "Then, last fall, he took me to a free, open air concert given by one of those small orchestras in one of the parks. It was in the evening, just after dark. We were in the back, of course, well away from the crowd. Couldn't see a thing, but that didn't really matter. The music was lovely." Bob closed his eyes, remembering.
Kendra stood in front of Bob and said tentatively, "So, he chose things that would stimulate your two remaining senses. It seems to me that Harry concentrates on quality rather than quantity."
Bob's smile grew a little bigger. "Perhaps you're right."
Kendra put the food on serving platters and set them on the table. When she cooked, she insisted that Harry eat like a civilized human being at the table, not leaning against the kitchen counter. She loaded up a plate of food for Harry and then fixed a more moderate portion for herself. She set the plates on the table just as the bell over the office door chimed, announcing Harry's arrival.
"Wow! What's that smell?" he called as he hung up his jacket.
Harry hurried into the kitchen. "Kendra, my angel of mercy." he said with a huge grin on his face as he kissed her cheek. Harry was always surprised by his reaction to her. She was pretty and only a little older then he was, but instead of being attracted to her, his feelings for her were more... grandmotherly. He'd never known his grandmothers but he imagined that she would have been perfect for the job.
Harry dropped a small package on the counter and reached into the refridgerator for a couple of cans of soda. "Your timing is perfect. How'd you know I'd be getting home about now?" he asked as he poured one of the sodas into a glass and placed it by her plate. He'd stopped trying to figure out how Kendra could get into his place without messing up his wards. He was just grateful for a nice Sunday dinner. Especially after the day he'd had. Murphy had called him in to look at a crime scene. Some kids had found a burned corpse in an alley, but when he got there, the corpse was missing and the cops who'd been guarding the entrance to the alley were dumbfounded as to how someone could have taken it. The only thing left were scorch marks and a tiny tingle of magic. Harry told Murphy that he'd do his best, but he didn't think he could help her without more to go on. At least he didn't have visions of roasted corpses to ruin his appetite.
"Magic." she smirked in answer to his question, then she pointed to the package. "What's that, if you don't mind my asking?"
Harry sat down. "Oh, nothing. Just something I picked up for Bob." He looked at Bob and smiled, "I'll put it with the others, later. Ok?"
Bob tipped his head at him and said, "Thank you, Harry. I appreciate it."
As Harry and Kendra began to discuss the meal she'd prepared, Bob glanced at the package on the counter. It bore the name of a local bookstore and Bob knew that Harry had gotten him another romance novel. Since business had picked up, Harry had been regularly buying new romance novels for him.
Bob sighed. He really had to find a way to get Harry to buy him some other kinds of books. Same subject matter, of course, but, since he'd come to terms with his feelings for Harry, Bob had found himself to be curious about romance novels involving homosexual males. Romentics, he thought they were called. Besides, the novels he'd read lately seemed to all follow the same plot line. Rich man meets poor, working class girl, falls for her innocent charms, saves her from the villian, and fucks her senseless. The same old plot gets old after a while. Still, he appreciated Harry's effort.
However, he decided not to bring up the subject of romentics to Harry. He didn't want him to suspect that his orientation wasn't entirely heterosexual. Although Harry had never shown any indication of negativity or condemnation of homosexuals or bisexuals, Bob didn't want to take any chance of making Harry uncomfortable. Perhaps, he could get Kendra to get him a few books like that. He could have her hide them on one of the bottom shelves that Harry never looked at, much less dusted.
Distracted from his musings, Bob looked up when he heard Harry exclaim, "Damn, this is good!" He was shocked to see that Harry had practically inhaled his plate of food and was in the process of snagging, not one, but two more stuffed chicken breasts from the serving platter.
"Dresden!" Bob shouted.
"What?!" he said around a mouthful of chicken and vegetables. "I'm hungry!" His expression was like that of a little boy who'd been caught doing something wrong, only... he didn't know what.
Kendra had one hand over her mouth, snickering.
Bob glared and grumbled, "I'll be in the lab... making lesson plans." And with that he turned and marched through the kitchen wall, a golden glow outlined him as he passed through.
Harry's brow furrowed as he turned toward Kendra and asked pitifully, "What did I do?"
Kendra couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing out loud. By the time she was able to stop long enough to tell him about the wager, Harry had finished his third helping and was laughing with her.
After a while, Harry sobered at the thought of Bob being exposed to so many strangers. Kendra was practically a den-mother to fifteen, maybe twenty young women. And, although he trusted Kendra, he didn't know them.
He still had nightmares about Tara. The charge? Grand theft-Bob. Verdict? Guilty. Sentence? Death, curtesy of Justin's Copy. There were still moments that he wished he'd been able to wrap his hands around her skinny neck and kill her himself. After all, she'd literally stolen the person he loved most in all the world.
"Ok. I'll allow these lectures. But," he held up a finger to emphasize his point, "I have to be there. I don't want a bunch of college girls deciding that they're bored and it'd be a good idea to take Bob to a kegger."
Kendra took his hand in both of hers and smiled reassuringly. "My dear Harry, if you feel you need to, then by all means. But I assure you, I will make certain that they thoroughly understand how they should behave when it comes to Bob. We'll work out a schedual between the two of us. And if you can not attend, I will play chaperone. I promise I will protect him with my life. And really, Harry, I think it would do Bob a world of good. He's been so very alone. You're all he has." She paused and looked thoughtfully at him. "He's all you have, too, isn't he? Perhaps spending time with a room full of opinionated and imaginative young women would do you some good as well. Though, I'll thank you to keep your thirty-seven year old hands to yourself." There was a gleam in her eye as she said this last part.
"Kendra! I would never. Bob might, but I wouldn't. You know I wouldn't." Harry was sputtering and turning pink around the ears. He hated that he blushed so easily. It was embarrassing.
"I know, Harry. But I do so love to tease you. Come on, now, lets do the dishes and then I'll be on my way."
Working together, it didn't take them long to clean the kitchen. Kendra said her goodbyes and Harry kissed her on the cheek again. It really did feel like kissing his grandmother, if he'd had a grandmother.
When Kendra had left, Harry went into the lab and asked cheerfully, "So, what are you gonna teach?"
"I have no idea." he grumbled. "With you all grown up, I thought my teaching days were over. What is a Sorcerer supposed to teach to a bunch of Wicca girls?"
"I don't know. They're big on nature. What about the dangers of... weather control! I remember those lessons. You gave some really good examples how messing with the weather even a little bit can cause some major problems else where in the world."
"I'm pleased that you remember those lessons." Bob's face lit up and he said, "Maybe you should give the lectures. I could help you prepare them and you could deliver them."
"Oh no, Bob. This is your mess. You deal with it." Then Harry noticed that Bob seemed a little nervous under his bravado. "Bob? Are you alright?"
Bob looked a little sheepish. "I am a little uneasy, Harry. I only made the wager because I thought it was a sure thing. You haven't changed your eating habits in years. Who knew that today would be the day you'd decide to be adventurous."
Bob looked at the floor for a moment, then back up at Harry. "In the past several hundred years, the only occassions where I have been present and... acknowledged, in a large group of people,... well, it was not pleasent for me. More often than not, some of my more detestable masters would command me to entertain their guests with stories or songs like a court jester." He paused, then hurried on, "Young people in a group can be quite cruel. I do not want to spend an afternoon being taunted and having balled up wads paper thrown through me just because they can."
Harry came to stand in front of him. His voice was full of concern. "Bob? Were you ever actually treated like that? Used for target practice by kids?"
Bob sighed. "About two hundred years ago, I belonged to a wizard named Anders. The bastard had twelve children, whom I was expected to teach as I taught you. It was a nightmare."
"Bob," Harry said softly, "these are grown women, young but grown. They won't behave like a pack of wild animals,... I hope. Besides, neither Kendra nor I would ever allow anyone to mistreat you. You know that, right? In fact, I've already told Kendra that the only way I'd allow these lectures is if I'm there too. No one is going to show you any disrespect. Not on my watch."
Bob looked at Harry and gave him a little half smile. "Perhaps a lesson on the dangers of weather control would be a good idea. And Kendra did give me a few other ideas I could work on."
"Ok. I have some paperwork I have to do in the office. Let me know if you need any particular books or anything." Harry turned to go.
"Harry?"
When Harry turned back around, Bob said quietly, "Thank you."
"Any time, Bob. Any time."
As Harry walked towards his office, he thought, maybe Kendra was right. Maybe Bob did need to interact with more people. Well, people who were part of the magical community and who would be able to accept his noncorporeal nature. The trouble was that he just didn't trust a lot of people. But he did trust Kendra. Harry decided to just wait and see how things went with these girls. But if any of them showed Bob the least bit of disrespect or hurt him in any way, Harry
was going to blow a gasket and heaven help the little witch.
(To be continued.)
Author's Question: Does anyone else think that Bob was abused by more than a few of his masters? Is it any wonder that he fell in love with Harry?