Learning Curve (4/9)
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Marriage, Scotty was beginning to realize, meant sometimes you just had to bite your tongue. And really, Scotty was about to bite his tongue clean off. It was one thing for his husband to suddenly chuck everything and begin working for someone with opposing politics (not least of which was his past support of legislation that took the power, if not the meaning, entirely out of the phrase "his husband"). It was quite another thing to find out that said Republican was going to run for governor with the help of his husband.
The entire time Kevin was telling him about the situation, and about how Kitty didn’t know (because Kevin lied to her), Scotty stared at him, nodding and making appropriate sounds periodically. And then he went into the kitchen to make dinner. He didn’t think he had ever pounded filets so flat.
For some reason, Scotty reminded himself, Kevin liked his job. He needed to do this. He wanted to do this. So, for now at least, Scotty was going to support him. But that didn’t mean he was going to like it.
Or maybe he was, because a few days later, Kevin walked into the apartment wearing...something from the Elmer Fudd fall collection. Scotty was lying on the couch reading a magazine which he slowly lowered to his lap as he stared at Kevin. He blinked once, mouth agape.
"What are you wearing?" he finally asked.
Kevin looked down at his clothes and sighed. He held up a long case.
"Is that a gun?" Scotty asked.
"I have to go quail-hunting this weekend," Kevin explained in a slightly dead-sounding voice.
Scotty stared for a few more beats. "No."
Kevin looked confused. "No?"
Scotty shook his head. "No. You’ll be killed."
"I’ll be fine. I’ve been quail-hunting plenty of times."
"You have?"
"Yeah, my dad used to take us. It’s been a while, but I know what I’m doing." Kevin put the case down on the coffee table, opened it and removed the rifle. He checked to make sure it was clear of ammunition and then pointed it down at the floor, looking through the sight. "I just need to remind myself how it feels to hold something like this."
And Scotty felt his blood rush through him. His face flushed and heated, and his breathing grew shallow. He shifted slightly, feeling his arousal grow. He cleared his throat.
"It looks like you can handle it pretty well," Scotty said, his voice betraying his body’s response.
Kevin glanced up, startled at his tone. "Scotty?" he asked, a slow smile coming to his face.
"I don’t - I don’t know what’s happening here. It is really disturbing that I find this so hot."
Kevin made a quick amused face even as his neck and ears turned red. He slowly put the gun down on the table. "I’ll just practice later."
Scotty inhaled quickly, nodding almost uncontrollably. He stood as Kevin stepped onto the table and over it, landing next to Scotty and pulling him into an embrace.
***
"Hello?"
"Hi! It’s Julia!"
"Hey!"
"Are you working tonight?"
"No, I’m off."
"Great. Tommy’s up at Ojai, and as I understand it, Kevin’s killing defenseless animals this weekend."
"Indeed."
"I was just thinking, it’s been a while since we had a Walker-in-Law Night Out."
Scotty grinned. "It has been a while; you’re right."
"I’ve already called Saul. He has plans with his secret boyfriend - "
"Have you been able to get anything out of him? I tried Nora the other day, but whatever she knows, she isn’t sharing."
"No, nothing."
Scotty made a frustrated noise.
"Anyway, so since it’s just us, I thought...dinner, drinks, dancing, and innocently yet shamelessly flirting with barely-legal boys."
Scotty thought for half a second. "I could really be into that."
"Great! I’m waiting for the baby-sitter, so I’ll pick you up in a half-hour or so?"
"See you soon!"
***
It took all of Scotty’s concentration to fit the key into the lock. Since it had been Julia’s turn to drive, he had maybe one or two more drinks than he really should have. But he almost always ended up being the designated driver, so he felt like he earned it. Finally, the key slid into place, and Scotty opened the door, stumbling into the loft.
It had been a fun night, and Scotty was always happy to hang out with Julia. By the end of the night, though, he was more than ready to leave. It really drove home the fact that he was so finished with that scene. Sure, he danced and flirted, and several guys made obvious passes at him. But it got old fast, and all he really wanted was to be at home. With Kevin.
Scotty sighed, cracking his neck as he walked through the dark living room and into the bedroom. Just then, his cell rang. Scotty pulled it out of his pocket, looked at the screen and smiled.
"Hi, hon," he said as he answered.
"Hi. How was your night?"
"Fine. Went out with Julia."
"Ah. And exactly how many hearts did you break?"
Scotty was silent for a few moments, his brow furrowed in confused surprise. Finally, he asked, "How did you know about that? Did you bug the phone?"
Kevin laughed. "No, that was a guess which you just confirmed."
"Are you mad?"
"Mad? I’m jealous!"
"Kevin, I didn’t do anything; it was just - "
"No, I know. I trust you." Kevin sighed. "I’m jealous because I spent my day with old Republican jerks, and you spent the night surrounded by hotties."
Scotty laughed. "I didn’t really like it that much, to be honest. I missed you."
"Awww."
"How was your day?"
"Um, I threw a fit after one too many pansy-democrat jibes, and then I had to apologize."
"What did you say?"
"You know, that I shouldn’t have - "
"No," Scotty said, interrupting with a laugh, "what did you say during the fit?"
Scotty could hear the grin in Kevin’s voice as he answered. "Oh, that I liked meat and smoked the occasional cigar and kicked all their asses."
"Nice."
"Thank you."
"You should have ended with ‘and I’m the only one here who will get hot phone sex with my trophy spouse tonight.’"
There was a pause. "Trophy spouse?"
"That’s what you’re focusing on?"
Kevin cleared his throat.
"Though I suppose," Scotty continued, "seeing as you’re an underpaid government employee, I’m really the sugar daddy now instead, aren’t I?"
"Exactly how much did you have to drink tonight?"
"Don’t worry, Kevin," Scotty said gruffly, reaching down to undo the button and zipper of his pants. "You won’t be taking advantage of me."
Kevin made a small noise, and Scotty smiled.
"Kevin?"
"Huh?"
"What are you wearing?" Scotty licked his lower lip before exhaling roughly and adding, "Please tell me you’re still in that outfit."
Kevin laughed joyfully. "I can put the orange vest and cap back on."
"Oh baby."
***
"You should go easier on him," Scotty said, before taking a bite of his meal.
Kevin rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Come on. He’s been dating this guy for at least two or three months, and we just learned his name? That is not how the Walker family does things."
"You should let people mature on their own terms, remember?"
Kevin stared up at Scotty in shock. Then he shook his head quickly, closing his eyes and opening his mouth in surprise. Finally, he said, "First of all, at this rate, we’d all be dead before Saul was ready to introduce Henry to us. And second, I can’t believe this is coming from you. How much grief did you give me for ‘trying to pass’ and being half in the closet?"
Scotty shrugged, lowering his elbows and holding his silverware up on the table. "Kevin, Saul wasn’t closeted. Saul was..." he paused, trying to find an appropriate description. "Saul was in Narnia. It wouldn’t kill you to cut him some slack."
Kevin sighed. "Fine," he said. "I’m just pissed because he got out of this damn baby shower."
Scotty looked up, eyes narrowing in warning. "If I have to go, you’re going."
***
Scotty applauded as he and Paige finished watching the "welcome, baby cousin" video (for the fifth time). "Very good job," he said.
Paige ducked her head, smiling in embarrassment. "Thanks, Uncle Scotty."
"How long did it take you to make?"
"Not very long." Paige said as she hopped off the couch and removed the DVD from the player. She glanced over her shoulder and turned away again. "Now that I know how it works, it will be easy enough to make new versions."
Scotty laughed. "In case there’s a surprise twin?" he teased.
"Noooo," Paige said, sounding suspiciously like her mother. "For any...future cousins."
Scotty furrowed his brow. "What are you getting at?"
Paige sighed exasperatedly. She ran back to the couch and flopped next to Scotty. "My friend Amy’s uncles just adopted a baby."
Scotty’s mouth dropped open. "Oh," he finally said.
"Do you think you and Uncle Kevin...?"
"Well," Scotty began, clearing his throat. "You know, it’s a big responsibility, and...and we haven’t been married that long."
"Only a few months less than Aunt Kitty and Uncle Robert."
"Yes, but - "
"And Mom said that Grandma was pregnant with her right away."
Scotty nodded. "That was a different time, though, Paige."
Paige shrugged. "I think Uncle Kevin might want a kid."
Scotty stared at her. "Why do you say that?"
"I don’t know; just a feeling. He was looking funny at the gifts earlier."
"Well...someday, I think we will. But not for a while," Scotty said firmly.
Paige looked back at him skeptically.
***
Scotty glanced up as the phone rang. He moved the laptop off his legs and placed it on the coffee table. He checked the caller ID and then answered the phone.
"Hi Sarah, how are you?"
"No time for small talk! Operation Baby is a go. Kitty and Mom are on their way to the hospital; I need you over at the house getting post-birth transportation ready."
"Whoa, really? OK, I’ll call Kevin."
"Great. Oh, and Scotty? Do you guys have any sandalwood candles? They’re on Trish’s list."
"Ugh, gross. Yeah, I think there’s one in a gift bag around here somewhere. I’ll check."
"Excellent! Stay in contact."
"Yep. Bye."
Scotty hung up, then immediately pressed the speed-dial for Kevin’s phone.
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Marriage, Scotty was beginning to realize, meant sometimes you just had to bite your tongue. And really, Scotty was about to bite his tongue clean off. It was one thing for his husband to suddenly chuck everything and begin working for someone with opposing politics (not least of which was his past support of legislation that took the power, if not the meaning, entirely out of the phrase "his husband"). It was quite another thing to find out that said Republican was going to run for governor with the help of his husband.
The entire time Kevin was telling him about the situation, and about how Kitty didn’t know (because Kevin lied to her), Scotty stared at him, nodding and making appropriate sounds periodically. And then he went into the kitchen to make dinner. He didn’t think he had ever pounded filets so flat.
For some reason, Scotty reminded himself, Kevin liked his job. He needed to do this. He wanted to do this. So, for now at least, Scotty was going to support him. But that didn’t mean he was going to like it.
Or maybe he was, because a few days later, Kevin walked into the apartment wearing...something from the Elmer Fudd fall collection. Scotty was lying on the couch reading a magazine which he slowly lowered to his lap as he stared at Kevin. He blinked once, mouth agape.
"What are you wearing?" he finally asked.
Kevin looked down at his clothes and sighed. He held up a long case.
"Is that a gun?" Scotty asked.
"I have to go quail-hunting this weekend," Kevin explained in a slightly dead-sounding voice.
Scotty stared for a few more beats. "No."
Kevin looked confused. "No?"
Scotty shook his head. "No. You’ll be killed."
"I’ll be fine. I’ve been quail-hunting plenty of times."
"You have?"
"Yeah, my dad used to take us. It’s been a while, but I know what I’m doing." Kevin put the case down on the coffee table, opened it and removed the rifle. He checked to make sure it was clear of ammunition and then pointed it down at the floor, looking through the sight. "I just need to remind myself how it feels to hold something like this."
And Scotty felt his blood rush through him. His face flushed and heated, and his breathing grew shallow. He shifted slightly, feeling his arousal grow. He cleared his throat.
"It looks like you can handle it pretty well," Scotty said, his voice betraying his body’s response.
Kevin glanced up, startled at his tone. "Scotty?" he asked, a slow smile coming to his face.
"I don’t - I don’t know what’s happening here. It is really disturbing that I find this so hot."
Kevin made a quick amused face even as his neck and ears turned red. He slowly put the gun down on the table. "I’ll just practice later."
Scotty inhaled quickly, nodding almost uncontrollably. He stood as Kevin stepped onto the table and over it, landing next to Scotty and pulling him into an embrace.
***
"Hello?"
"Hi! It’s Julia!"
"Hey!"
"Are you working tonight?"
"No, I’m off."
"Great. Tommy’s up at Ojai, and as I understand it, Kevin’s killing defenseless animals this weekend."
"Indeed."
"I was just thinking, it’s been a while since we had a Walker-in-Law Night Out."
Scotty grinned. "It has been a while; you’re right."
"I’ve already called Saul. He has plans with his secret boyfriend - "
"Have you been able to get anything out of him? I tried Nora the other day, but whatever she knows, she isn’t sharing."
"No, nothing."
Scotty made a frustrated noise.
"Anyway, so since it’s just us, I thought...dinner, drinks, dancing, and innocently yet shamelessly flirting with barely-legal boys."
Scotty thought for half a second. "I could really be into that."
"Great! I’m waiting for the baby-sitter, so I’ll pick you up in a half-hour or so?"
"See you soon!"
***
It took all of Scotty’s concentration to fit the key into the lock. Since it had been Julia’s turn to drive, he had maybe one or two more drinks than he really should have. But he almost always ended up being the designated driver, so he felt like he earned it. Finally, the key slid into place, and Scotty opened the door, stumbling into the loft.
It had been a fun night, and Scotty was always happy to hang out with Julia. By the end of the night, though, he was more than ready to leave. It really drove home the fact that he was so finished with that scene. Sure, he danced and flirted, and several guys made obvious passes at him. But it got old fast, and all he really wanted was to be at home. With Kevin.
Scotty sighed, cracking his neck as he walked through the dark living room and into the bedroom. Just then, his cell rang. Scotty pulled it out of his pocket, looked at the screen and smiled.
"Hi, hon," he said as he answered.
"Hi. How was your night?"
"Fine. Went out with Julia."
"Ah. And exactly how many hearts did you break?"
Scotty was silent for a few moments, his brow furrowed in confused surprise. Finally, he asked, "How did you know about that? Did you bug the phone?"
Kevin laughed. "No, that was a guess which you just confirmed."
"Are you mad?"
"Mad? I’m jealous!"
"Kevin, I didn’t do anything; it was just - "
"No, I know. I trust you." Kevin sighed. "I’m jealous because I spent my day with old Republican jerks, and you spent the night surrounded by hotties."
Scotty laughed. "I didn’t really like it that much, to be honest. I missed you."
"Awww."
"How was your day?"
"Um, I threw a fit after one too many pansy-democrat jibes, and then I had to apologize."
"What did you say?"
"You know, that I shouldn’t have - "
"No," Scotty said, interrupting with a laugh, "what did you say during the fit?"
Scotty could hear the grin in Kevin’s voice as he answered. "Oh, that I liked meat and smoked the occasional cigar and kicked all their asses."
"Nice."
"Thank you."
"You should have ended with ‘and I’m the only one here who will get hot phone sex with my trophy spouse tonight.’"
There was a pause. "Trophy spouse?"
"That’s what you’re focusing on?"
Kevin cleared his throat.
"Though I suppose," Scotty continued, "seeing as you’re an underpaid government employee, I’m really the sugar daddy now instead, aren’t I?"
"Exactly how much did you have to drink tonight?"
"Don’t worry, Kevin," Scotty said gruffly, reaching down to undo the button and zipper of his pants. "You won’t be taking advantage of me."
Kevin made a small noise, and Scotty smiled.
"Kevin?"
"Huh?"
"What are you wearing?" Scotty licked his lower lip before exhaling roughly and adding, "Please tell me you’re still in that outfit."
Kevin laughed joyfully. "I can put the orange vest and cap back on."
"Oh baby."
***
"You should go easier on him," Scotty said, before taking a bite of his meal.
Kevin rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Come on. He’s been dating this guy for at least two or three months, and we just learned his name? That is not how the Walker family does things."
"You should let people mature on their own terms, remember?"
Kevin stared up at Scotty in shock. Then he shook his head quickly, closing his eyes and opening his mouth in surprise. Finally, he said, "First of all, at this rate, we’d all be dead before Saul was ready to introduce Henry to us. And second, I can’t believe this is coming from you. How much grief did you give me for ‘trying to pass’ and being half in the closet?"
Scotty shrugged, lowering his elbows and holding his silverware up on the table. "Kevin, Saul wasn’t closeted. Saul was..." he paused, trying to find an appropriate description. "Saul was in Narnia. It wouldn’t kill you to cut him some slack."
Kevin sighed. "Fine," he said. "I’m just pissed because he got out of this damn baby shower."
Scotty looked up, eyes narrowing in warning. "If I have to go, you’re going."
***
Scotty applauded as he and Paige finished watching the "welcome, baby cousin" video (for the fifth time). "Very good job," he said.
Paige ducked her head, smiling in embarrassment. "Thanks, Uncle Scotty."
"How long did it take you to make?"
"Not very long." Paige said as she hopped off the couch and removed the DVD from the player. She glanced over her shoulder and turned away again. "Now that I know how it works, it will be easy enough to make new versions."
Scotty laughed. "In case there’s a surprise twin?" he teased.
"Noooo," Paige said, sounding suspiciously like her mother. "For any...future cousins."
Scotty furrowed his brow. "What are you getting at?"
Paige sighed exasperatedly. She ran back to the couch and flopped next to Scotty. "My friend Amy’s uncles just adopted a baby."
Scotty’s mouth dropped open. "Oh," he finally said.
"Do you think you and Uncle Kevin...?"
"Well," Scotty began, clearing his throat. "You know, it’s a big responsibility, and...and we haven’t been married that long."
"Only a few months less than Aunt Kitty and Uncle Robert."
"Yes, but - "
"And Mom said that Grandma was pregnant with her right away."
Scotty nodded. "That was a different time, though, Paige."
Paige shrugged. "I think Uncle Kevin might want a kid."
Scotty stared at her. "Why do you say that?"
"I don’t know; just a feeling. He was looking funny at the gifts earlier."
"Well...someday, I think we will. But not for a while," Scotty said firmly.
Paige looked back at him skeptically.
***
Scotty glanced up as the phone rang. He moved the laptop off his legs and placed it on the coffee table. He checked the caller ID and then answered the phone.
"Hi Sarah, how are you?"
"No time for small talk! Operation Baby is a go. Kitty and Mom are on their way to the hospital; I need you over at the house getting post-birth transportation ready."
"Whoa, really? OK, I’ll call Kevin."
"Great. Oh, and Scotty? Do you guys have any sandalwood candles? They’re on Trish’s list."
"Ugh, gross. Yeah, I think there’s one in a gift bag around here somewhere. I’ll check."
"Excellent! Stay in contact."
"Yep. Bye."
Scotty hung up, then immediately pressed the speed-dial for Kevin’s phone.
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