A Fluffy Tale 2: Warm & Fuzzy

by Ann Somerville

  Spen held his hands up. “Just trying to be polite.”

  “Thank you, but so am I. You can help me carry the bags, though.”

  “I thought that was why you brought Alex.”

  Alex’s kem squeaked in amusement as his human pouted at the remark. Still, Alex grabbed two bags without being asked, and Daniel ruffled his hair, thankful there wasn’t an ounce of real meanness in his body.

  Though Daniel and Spen insisted they were preparing the supper, Dee came in to watch. “My brain’s full. I keep looking at the words, and nothing’s going in.”

  “Then stop,” Spen said. “I get like that at work. I stare at code and it’s gibberish. The only thing to do is go home, try it again the next day with a fresh brain. You can’t force it.”

  “You know the stuff, DeeDee,” Daniel said. “You’ve had good results in these subjects for two years. So it’s in your head. Spen’s right.”

  “I know. It’s about psyching myself.”

  “Even top athletes rest the day before a big competition,” Spen said. “Can’t do your best if you’re tired. So you shouldn’t work so long tomorrow. Stop earlier, do something different, go to bed early.”

  “You sound like Mum.”

  “There’s a reason for that. She was right and so’s Spen.” Daniel put his arm around her shoulders. “Why don’t you make some tea, and watch how this is made so you can remind me next time.”

  She glanced in the direction of the stairs. “I should be packing....”

  “Next weekend. Relax. Talk to Spen. Poor guy’s had to listen to me and Alex bending his ear all day.”

  She grinned at them, before picking up the kettle to fill at the sink. “Oh like that’s such a hardship. I bet Spen could listen to you talk all day and all night.”

  “Not true,” Spen said, waving the paring knife at her. “I need to sleep too.”

  “Oh right. That’s why I heard Daniel talking in his bedroom until one in the morning. Talking to himself, was he?”

  “Oh, burn, Daniel,” Alex said, grinning madly. “You’ve got it bad.”

  “You don’t have any idea what that even means,” Daniel said, resolutely ignoring the teasing, even though his face was heating up again.

  “I do. I had to watch you two kissing all day. Smooching.” He made an exaggerated kissing sound until Daniel swatted at him to stop.

  “And I missed it,” Dee said, sighing dramatically.

  Daniel rolled his eyes. “Spen, do you want to go out for supper?”

  “Oh toughen up, kid.” Alex hooted with laughter, until Spen smacked him on the arse. “And you knock it off too, brat. Leave your brother alone. We don’t exist for your amusement.”

  “Well, what good are you?”

  Dee put her hands on her hips. “Alex, do you want to eat on your own? Beans on toast?”

  Daniel and Spen looked at her in surprise. Alex wrinkled his nose. “You can’t make me, duh.”

  “No, but I can ask Daniel and Spen to not give you any of this lovely meal they’re making, and we can all go out over to his place and eat it there. Right, Spen?”

  “Absolutely. In a heartbeat. In fact, Danny, we should pack it all up. Mum won’t mind.”

  Daniel pretended that he was indeed going to do this. Alex wailed, “But I’m hungry!”

  “Then you better choose. Food or fun,” Spen said.

  “Food!”

  “Dee? What’s your decision?”

  “Going to behave, Alex?”

  “I was only teasing,” he muttered. “Okay.”

  “Fine, then we can keep on cooking,” Daniel said. But then he hugged Alex. “We’re only teasing you too,” he whispered, before kissing his brother’s head. “Just lay off Spen a little, for me, okay?”

  Alex nodded. Dee continued her tea-making as if nothing had interrupted her at all, and by the time she set out mugs and a couple of biscuits apiece for everyone, Alex was back to normal, and Spen chatted to him cheerfully as he had done all afternoon.

  The food met with everyone’s approval, and there was enough for a second meal, which was a nice bonus. After supper, they sat on the floor in the living room, while Alex hauled out one of his interactive games for them all to play on the TV. It was now sadly outdated, with no prospect of newer ones to replace it until Christmas, but Spen declared it to be one he hadn’t played before, so he and Dee took one side, Daniel and Alex took the other. Daniel didn’t really like computer games much, but he found himself getting into this one. The two teams ended up being fairly evenly matched, Daniel and Alex losing the first three rounds, until finding their stride and running away with the game in the end. He gave Alex a high five and grinned at Spen and Dee. “Looks like brains beats beauty every time.”

  Dee launched herself at him, knocking him over. “Grrrr, are you calling me dumb, brother of mine?”

  “Well, compared to me and Alex.... Ow, you little...Spen, help!”

  “What’s that? Alex, did you hear something?”

  “No, don’t think so.”

  “Alex, help me or I’ll tell her what you said this morning.”

  Alex grabbed Dee around the waist and hauled her off. “Careful, Dee, he’s the only Daniel we’ve got.”

  “So he’s got the goods on you, huh? Men.” She stood up and dusted herself off. “Took two of you to beat me.”

  “Only because I didn’t want to hurt a girl,” Alex said.

  “Ooops,” Spen murmured.

  “Better start running, Alex.” Daniel grinned as Dee chased him into the kitchen. “Don’t suppose you could make us a cup of tea while you’re up?” he called after them. “Don’t kill each other!” No reply. “Oh well.”

  “They’ll be fine.” Spen crooked a finger at him. “Hey, come here.”

  Daniel raised his eyebrows but obeyed. “What?”

  “Haven’t kissed you in ages.”

  “Oh. Well, get on with it.”

  Spen tasted like apples and pork and cider and cheesy toast. Daniel liked it. “Mmmm, yummy.”

  “So are you. How are you doing?” He pulled Daniel against him, arm around him possessively as they leaned against the sofa.

  “I’m...happy. I’ve had a wonderful day, thank you. Supper was lovely.”

  “You bought it and made it. I just helped. I had a great day too.” He kissed Daniel’s temple. “Think you’ll sleep all right tonight?”

  “If you’re with me, I will. Don’t know about when I’m alone.”

  “We’ll have to see how it goes. No reason I can’t be with you whenever you need me, at least in the short term.”

  What did he mean by that? “Are you going to stop coming over?”

  “No, Danny. I just meant, sometimes I might not be able to come over, or you’re busy or whatever. We don’t have to live in each other’s pockets. Not that your pockets aren’t a lot of fun,” he added, tickling Daniel a little and making him squirm. “I’ll be here as much or as little as you need me. As you want me. Okay?”

  “Okay.” They kissed again, Daniel running his hand lightly over the back of Spen’s head, enjoying the feel of hair so very different from his own. “Things have gone awfully quiet in there.”

  Spen sniffed the air. “No blood, no smoke. It’s always possible they’ve strangled each other....”

  “At least that’s quiet. Spen, don’t let me take up all your time. I don’t want to be one of those clingy boyfriends.”

  “I thought you didn’t know about boyfriends.”

  “I said I hadn’t had one before. I’ve seen plenty of people with them, girls and boys. Some guys are dopey.”

  Spen laughed. “Yes, they are. I promise I’ll tell you if I have something else I need to do, or even if I just need to be alone for a bit—so long as you promise not to take that as a hint that I’m trying to break up with you. If I feel I don’t want to be with you, I’ll tell you to your face. I want you to do the same. I don’t do messing about or passive-aggressive bullshit. Can’t s
tand that kind of thing.”

  “I’ll try to be straight with you.”

  “Not too straight,” Spen said deadpan. Daniel poked him for the terrible joke. Spen had hundreds of them, and he wasn’t afraid to use them.

  Chapter 14

  Spen stayed the rest of the weekend, though they all came over to the Reardons’ house for supper at Mrs Reardon’s invitation. Despite all the advice she’d had, and despite Daniel’s reassurances, Dee had worked herself up into a bit of a state by four on Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, Mrs Reardon had raised three sons through the stress of exams, and had dealt with hundreds of students, so she knew exactly what to do, taking Dee in hand, distracting her, and giving her tired, overloaded brain a chance to refresh and rest.

  Spen came over every night that week too, eating with them, sometimes cooking, sometimes bearing a dish he’d made at home. Daniel couldn’t believe how quickly they fell into an easy, relaxed routine, and how readily he became part of their evenings. It helped Dee, having someone to take her mind off the pressure she was facing, and Alex calmed down too. Their little brother was worried about Dee, and about Daniel’s job, but Spen had a way of putting things that made it all seem reasonable and bearable.

  Each night they climbed into Daniel’s bed and held each other. Things hadn’t gone any further than that, and cuddling, and kissing. Daniel didn’t want any more yet. He worried sometimes that Spen wanted more than he was getting, but Spen gave him not the slightest hint that he did, and seemed to be perfectly content as they were. Kani and Myko were the biggest clues that Daniel didn’t need to fret—they settled down together every night at the head of the bed, curled around each other in a tight furry ball, and every morning they jumped on their humans to wake them up in good time to get on with the day. He had no doubt the hints if Spen weren’t happy would be as unsubtle as kem hints tended to be.

  And then it all changed, because it was suddenly time for Alex and Dee to fly away to their aunt. Spen took the morning off to drive them to the airport, though Daniel had said it wasn’t necessary, and then waited with him until it was time for the kids to head through security. Dee was crying. “I’m going to miss you, and be so homesick.”

  “For about a day,” Daniel joked, though his eyes were full too. “Then you’ll be having such a great time, you’ll forget about us completely.”

  She threw her arms around him. “Never ever,” she insisted. “I’d never forget you.”

  “That’s good, DeeDee,” he murmured in her ear. “Now wipe your face and cheer up, for Alex. I’m counting on you, remember.”

  “Won’t let you down, I promise.” She scrubbed her face on her sleeve, and tugged on Alex’s shirt. “Ready?”

  “Yeah.” Alex launched himself at Daniel. “You won’t die while we’re gone, will you?”

  “No, squirt. I promise. Spen’ll look after me.”

  “He better or I’ll...I’ll hurt him!”

  Daniel squeezed him. “None of that, Alex. You have a good time, look after Dee, and I expect an email once a week.”

  “Once a day!”

  “We’ll see. Now, off you go. Have a wonderful time.”

  Spen hugged Dee and ruffled Alex’s hair. “I’ll watch him for you, kids, don’t worry. He’ll be here in one piece when you get home.”

  “Promise?” Dee said.

  “Cross my heart and hope to be reborn a tapeworm if I’m lying.”

  Dee laughed, and that allowed Daniel to gently nudge her and Alex towards the security line. “Go on. Give my love to Aunt Lisa and Uncle George, and the cousins.”

  “Bye, Daniel. Bye, Spen.”

  Daniel and Spen watched until they passed through the metal detector, and were swept along by the crowds of waiting passengers behind them. Then Daniel wiped his eyes, and blew his nose. “God, I’m going to miss them.”

  Spen hugged him. “Yes, but it’s not forever. We better get going if you’re to have time to change and come back into town with me.”

  Today was the day when one of the several pending boots in Daniel’s life finally dropped. Mr Stern had called the previous week to talk to him about his employment, but on learning that Zachary was acting as Daniel’s legal advisor, the situation became much more formal. Letters and emails had been exchanged between Zachary and the company’s solicitors, and today was the meeting, at the company’s solicitors’ office, where Daniel’s future would be decided. He knew what had been offered, what had been counter-offered, and most of what had been rejected. What he didn’t know was what was the final offer on the table. He’d find that out today.

  He and Spen had a quick early lunch at the house, then Daniel changed into a suit, and they dropped the car back at Spen’s place before catching the bus into town. Daniel was grateful the meeting wasn’t to be at the company’s offices. He could imagine how nasty the gossip had become there since the report in the papers the week before about one Anthony Winton Noble, aged forty-nine, office manager, being charged with a range of offences including sexual assault and rape. Though Daniel’s name had been kept out of the reports as promised, the office rumourmongers would be able to piece things together without much help. Spen refused to confirm or deny what he’d heard. He said Daniel was well out of that situation and what a bunch of small-minded idiots thought, no longer mattered. He was right, of course, and on one level, Daniel didn’t care. On another, he hated that people who didn’t know him and didn’t like him, were making free with his private life, as if they had any business with it. It felt more violating in some ways than what Tony had done to him.

  The meeting was at two. Zachary met him in the foyer. As usual he looked cool, superior and gorgeous. Daniel felt rumpled and gauche next to him. “Your brother and sister departed safely?”

  “Yes, thank you. Uh, is this going to be awful?”

  Zachary gave him one of his enigmatic smiles. “Have more faith in my abilities, Daniel. Why is Kani not out?”

  Linis was, as he nearly always was, draped regally across Zachary’s shoulders. “I thought he might, uh, give the wrong impression.”

  “On the contrary. Not showing your kem indicates insecurity and fear.”

  “Then that’s accurate.”

  “Come now, Daniel. You’re in a position of strength if only you’d realise it. Call Kani out, and let him ease your nerves.”

  Daniel did as he suggested, and damn the man, he was right. Kani’s presence on his shoulder, the gentle encouraging chirps in his ear, did help. “Are we ready?” he said after he gave Kani a prolonged petting and cuddle to apologise for misreading things so badly.

  “Of course. I’m always ready. This way.”

  Julian was a lucky man, Daniel thought. But Daniel was luckier.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Daniel was already in the pub when Spen arrived at five. The kid was nursing a half pint of bitter, although he’d barely touched it. Did the alcohol mean things had gone badly, or did the fact that he hadn’t drunk much mean it was just cover? Kani sat on Daniel’s shoulder, but Spen couldn’t read anything from the little kem’s posture, and Myko’s greeting didn’t indicate anything either.

  Spen slid in on the seat beside him. “Hi.” Myko hopped down onto the table and Kani joined him to be groomed. Still no sign of distress. Had to be a good sign, right?

  Daniel smiled tiredly. “Hi. Why don’t you get yourself a drink?”

  “In a minute. Well?”

  “It’s good. Really good. Get your drink and then I can tell you.”

  Spen waited impatiently for his pint to be poured, then came and sat next to Daniel again. “Spill.”

  “Oh, before I start, Zachary says we’re to go over to his place for supper. I gather it’s more of a command than an invitation.”

  “He just tends to put things like that. Julian called. It’s okay with me—you?” Daniel nodded. “Right, no more delays. Tell me.”

  “Well, the company were being bastards until Zachary started making serious noises abou
t a sexual harassment suit—and he’s working with Jan to seek compensation too, did you know? Anyway, once he started talking about the figures he’d be seeking on my behalf, their solicitors got worried. So the upshot is that I get a favourable agreed reference, four months’ salary and pension contributions, plus fifteen thousand as compensation for the ‘pain and suffering’,”—he made the quotes with his fingers while rolling his eyes—“Zachary’s legal fees to be paid, and all medical and counselling costs to be covered, no matter when they come up.” He took a long slurp from his beer while watching Spen over the rim of his glass.

  Spen sagged in relief. “That’s great! Is that what you wanted?”

  “Considering they were only talking about a reference and a month’s salary before, yeah. Zachary said we’d get more if we sued and won—”

  “But you can’t guarantee you’d win, and the stress would be awful.”

  “Exactly. He said the case was as strong as he and his colleagues had ever seen, but sexual harassment suits are often hard to predict. Most are settled before they come to court. He’s pleased. I’m pleased because it means Jan’s position is stronger now. They’ll have to offer him something similar, and he needs it, poor guy. Zachary says he’s actually more screwed up than I am about it because he couldn’t tell anyone. Apparently he cried all over Julian, did he tell you?”

  “Yeah, he said. Oh good.” He lifted his glass. “And you never have to go back to the company again.”

  Daniel touched his glass to Spen’s. “No, thank God.” Kani chirped happily and Myko did a somersault. Spen stared at his kem in amazement. “They approve.”

  “Yeah, they do. I’m so pleased, Danny.”

  “Oh, and get this. Stern wanted me to sign a non-disclosure agreement but Zachary told him to bugger off because we were talking about criminal acts, and I couldn’t be forced not to disclose details of a crime. So in theory I can go to the press and make a big stink but there’s no way in hell I’m going to. Jan might, though. Wouldn't blame him at all.”

  “He’ll probably want to keep it quiet too. Even if he’s in the right, companies can be really old-fashioned about hiring staff who sue employers.”