near the end of a long year

[tactician]

Rare was the day where the political sphere wasn't abuzz, even all the way down to the lower echelons of the profession, with secretaries and agencies worming their way into last minute flights for their significantly more powerful supervisors, but even on Ennaspie, Christmas morning was a quiet one. Rarer were still was a quiet morning where Weiler wasn't sound asleep when Locke woke to a room bathed in early light.

Instead, though Weiler had stayed in bed by Locke's side, he was sitting up against the headboard, blankets pulled up to his waist as he looked at something through a sliver of window behind the drawn curtains, a soft ivory they had settled on after (admittedly not much) consideration. He was sleepy-eyed when he noticed the shift in Locke's breathing from slumber to waking and looked down, but he didn't say anything quite yet.

He only smiled, in fact, and said nothing at all.

Comments

[tactician]

There was a moment's hesitation before Weiler answered, barely a pause long enough to register and noticeable only when one knew Weiler well enough that even a second's delay was a little odd.

"There's somewhere I'd like to go with you."

[aphelionix]

He raised an eyebrow. "Where's that?"

[tactician]

Weiler smiled. "A surprise. Will you come?"

[aphelionix]

His glance turned into a look of suspicion, but he nodded. "Of course."

[tactician]

He'd reward Locke for that act of trust and discretion later, but for now he stood up, disappearing briefly to retrieve something from their room and the table beside their messy, unmade bed.

Weiler returned with Locke's phone in tow and set it on the kitchen counter, flipping it open to initiate the encryption code they used for any form of communication that they didn't want to be traced.

"Do you want to call your family now?"

[aphelionix]

By the time Weiler returned, the eggs were almost done, made into omelettes with ham pieces and cheese (extra on Weiler's). Locke reached over Weiler's head to grab two plates, raising an eyebrow down at the phone. The time there in Bayside was getting close to evening - it'd probably be a good idea.

"Couple more minutes," he said.

[tactician]

Weiler sat down with the omelette in front of him, still fiddling with Locke's phone.

"Don't want to speak to your mother with food in your mouth?" he teased.

[aphelionix]

"I'm sure she'd love such a rude call on Christmas," Locke joked back, serving up the second omelette and joining Weiler, handing him a fork.

[tactician]

"Your mother would love any call from you," Weiler pointed out, setting on Locke's prepared breakfast with an eagerness that was indicative of almost all kinds of food Locke served up. So far, the man hadn't struck out even once.

[aphelionix]

Locke smiled, nudging his elbow gently against Weiler's, slicing a piece of omelette with the side of his fork.

"She'll get it soon," he said, taking his first bite of breakfast when he remembered something. He got up to serve their cups of coffee, sliding Weiler's to him, sipping his own before sitting back down.

[tactician]

In turn, Weiler retrieved the milk from the refrigerator unit and set it by their plates, mixing it into his coffee only after settling back down. They moved around each other easily in the small kitchen; this much was routine by now.

"Your sister might think you off and disappeared again," Weiler warned, only half joking as he took a sip of the aromatic drink. It warmed him the way only a hot drink could, replacing the chill that had set in after leaving their warm cocoon of blankets with something much easier to manage. "And no one wants that."

[aphelionix]

"She knows better," he scoffed, vaguely wondering what Weiler's sudden focus on his family was all about. Locke looked over at him. "Do you want to talk to my family?"

[tactician]

Weiler shrugged, mouth closed around the prongs of his fork. "I thought I'd say hi, at least."

[aphelionix]

"You're not trying to move in on my sister now, are you?" Locke kidded.

[tactician]

"I don't go after married women anymore," Weiler said, knocking his shoulder into Locke's. "It's more like I'm trying to make a good impression on your family."

[aphelionix]

"You've already done just that." He smiled, patting Weiler's shoulder, before turning to his food again. That made him wonder about something they hadn't talked about, but wasn't sure how to ask. The routine and life they had built here had become a comfortable one as it was. It was hard to believe they'd been here almost a year already.

And still no iguana. Maybe in the coming year.

[tactician]

"It's not a one time deal," Weiler chuckled, putting his used utensils back on the empty plate before taking it to the sink. "It's a continuous effort, especially for their dear, lost son Cupid."

[aphelionix]

Locke rolled his eyes. "That was a long time ago already, Heine."

[tactician]

Weiler nodded, facing Locke with his back as he ran the sink and rinsed off the plates before depositing them in the automatic washer.

"Doesn't make you any less important, though. And it doesn't hurt to keep myself in their good graces."

[aphelionix]

"I hope you're not worrying about that, though," Locke said, sipping his still half-full coffee. The other hand pulled the phone back up, readying it to place a call. "They like you."

[tactician]

"I know they do," Weiler said, drying his hands and crossing over to Locke with a grin. He draped his arms over the man's shoulders and bent forward to brush their mouths together, smiling as he focused on Locke's face at such close proximity. "But I want them to love me."

[aphelionix]

Grinning up at him, Locke moved in for one more kiss.

"Ambitious," he stated, setting up the number to dial. The speaker was on, the dial tone going for a few seconds before it clicked.

"Hello?" a young voice answered; an excited Jenna.

"Hi, Jenna," Locke greeted, the smile in his voice. "Merry Christmas."

[tactician]

"And Scott with her, no doubt," said Weiler quietly, but loud enough for it to be audible from the phone's other end. Jenna's brother was famously quiet, though lately he had begun to speak more and more, slowly opening up to the world around him. It was a solid piece of guesswork - the two siblings were rarely found apart.

He rest his chin on Locke's shoulder and looked down at the phone, half of his attention on the device and half on Locke's profile. The man was always so unguarded and happy when interacting with his family.

[aphelionix]

"H-hi," came the small voice of Scott.

"Hi Scott," Locke said. "Are your mom and grandma there?"

"Yes!" Jenna filled in, and her voice faded to the background. "Maaa! Grandma! It's Uncle Locke and Uncle Weiler!"

That drew a wide smile from Locke, leaning into Weiler a little more, wearing the title with pride. He rested a hand on his arm, caressing mindlessly.

"Merry Christmas Rhys and Weiler!" a chime of about three voices called out; Diana and his parents.

[tactician]

"Merry Christmas," Weiler chimed in with Locke, breaking off from the chorus as Locke began to address each family member in turn in favor of tucking his face a little closer to Locke's neck to chuckle. He was an 'Uncle' now, too, and sometimes the ease with which the family had invited him into the fold was both surprising and humbling.

Locke's family sounded well and happy, as a family should near this time of year. As the adults spoke, the laughter of children could be heard in the background. Apparently, the family was in the middle of preparations themselves, a special holiday meal in the works over at their Boriniat household. Locke no doubt would have loved to be there and maybe one day, soon yet, he would.