Work Text:
December 13, 2001
"daddy? poppy?"
Jake looked around, feeling lost and silly - like a baby. But he knew the rules and, spotting a chair, moved toward it. When he'd almost reached it, he paused, cocked his head and waited a moment, as if his daddy might magically appear, but when nothing happened, he sat down and made himself comfortable. He wasn't supposed to move now, had to stay put, because he'd be found, but the instinct to search for himself was strong.
He should never have gone after Santy. He knew better than to leave his daddy's side.
He knew better.
But when they'd visited Santy's village but there was no Santy, he'd been crushed, but then, later, from a distance, he'd spotted the furry red coat, just a mere glimpse, moving through the crowd, and it had to be Santy and it pulled like magic, drawing him further away as he tried to catch up, to actually see him. The next thing he knew, there was no red jacket and, more importantly, no daddy. And if that weren't enough, he was in a part of the mall he'd never been before, so was totally lost. The only good thing, though, was this part of the mall had soft chairs every few feet down the center, instead of hard benches. Unfortunately, while the chair was soft and comfy, and even though he was five and big, the chair was way bigger and he was virtually lost in it. Still, it gave him a good view of this part of the mall and there was another Christmas tree too, and it was huge but way different from the other one and he could look at it all he wanted - in between bouts of looking for his daddy and watching people scurrying past in their effort to get as many pressies as possible.
He scrunched up his face at that thought because it puzzled him. After all, why bother shopping for Christmas pressies when Santy could bring everything? Why not just stay home, bake cookies, drink hot choc-co-latty, light the menorah and watch The Santa Clause?
Oh, yeah, he knew why because now he remembered his unca simon had explained it: this was like the Three Wise Men.
Jake nodded his head in punctuation to his thoughts even as he kept a close watch on the grownups hurrying past. Yep, the Three Wise Men bringing gifts to baby Jesus, that's what they all were, including him. Just like last year, he had to find gifts for Cork and Cherry, and this year, for his new buddies, Bobbie and Trace. Then there was his nomi, both grampas and his sally. Although…his poppy suggested he get one gift for his grampa william and sally, but he didn't really like that idea. His daddy suggested he make something for all his grandparents and he was definitely warming to that idea. He'd learned to make all sorts of interesting art using pinecones and leaves so maybe he could put together a kind of colle…cola…cola-age, that was it. Yeah, a cola-age, especially considering the fact that he hadn't found anything within his budget for all four of them - so yep, a cola-age was looking better and better.
Suddenly his stomach grumbled and he slapped his hand over it as if to quiet it down, which was silly, because everyone knew that your tummy had a mind of its own and right now, it was hungry. He twisted onto his right side and started to pull out his wallet - the one he and his daddy and poppy had made before Thanksgiving - to check his money, but stopped. If he used any of it to get something to satisfy his tummy - he might not have enough for pressies and he couldn't forget pressies for his parents….
***
December, 1974
Blair wasn't worried - not really. He might be lost, but he knew he'd be found. It was that simple. It might not be his mommy who did the finding, but it would be someone special because he just didn't get lost, so if he was lost, it had to be for a reason and he figured that reason was so that someone could find him. Not because he needed finding, but because they needed to find him.
He shook his head at his own thinking and decided that some of Timmy Maldonado's marbles had made their way into his brain, which would be pretty funny because people were always supposed to be losing their marbles, not gaining them.
Wow, it was cold. He was glad he had his mittens - really glad. For once, without his mommy even reminding him, he'd remembered not to go outside without them. Would wonders never cease. He smiled at that. He didn't know what it meant, but Greg, his mother's newest boy friend, said it all the time.
Okay, he could blow air out and try to make shapes the way Greg did when he blew smoke rings. Yeah, that would keep him busy until he was found.
"Little boy, are you lost?"
Blair looked up…and up…and into the brown eyes of a jogger. Here was his chance, he supposed. He could say yes, and the man would probably get help…and he could tell the man was nice, not a bad man…but still, he had this feeling….
"no, i'm not lost," he finally said. "i'm just waiting."
Worried, the man looked around and said, "Are you sure? It's going to be dark soon."
"i'm very sure, but thank you."
Suddenly the man's expression cleared as he said, "Oh, I bet your father is jogging too - another brave soul trying to beat the snow?"
Okay, that sounded real good, so Blair happily nodded. Satisfied, the man smiled and jogged away. Blair settled back to wait in the Cascade park. He liked Cascade and, even though they wouldn't be here much longer - he still liked it. Maybe he'd come back someday….
***
December 13, 2001
Jake didn't know how long he'd been sitting and waiting, but it seemed like forever - especially to his tummy, which was still complaining. He sighed dramatically. Really, his daddy should have found him by now - he was, after all, a detective, and of course, if he called poppy….
He wiggled a bit, gave his tummy a stern talking to, and resettled to await his parents, but he sure hoped they'd come soon - and when they did - they'd better take him out to dinner for making him wait so long and they'd better get home in time to light the fifth candle on the menorah! Only three more days and he'd get his gelt (although why this year he had to wait until the eighth day, he'd never understand), which would certainly help with the buying of pressies, right?
Right.
***
December, 1974
"Hey, you shouldn't be out here alone, kid."
Blair jerked himself awake, blinked sleepily, and found himself staring up at a boy - a teen - with bright blue eyes like his own. He yawned, remembered to cover his mouth, and then blurted out without thinking, "i'm lost and i'm waiting for the right person to find me."
The teen cocked his head and stared at him as if he might be slightly crazy. Blair just smiled winningly because he'd decided this boy was the right person.
"Do you know who the right person is?" the boy asked suspiciously.
"'a course."
"So…your mother or father?"
Blair shook his head adamantly. "nope. my mommy doesn't even know i left - she won't know for a loooooong, loooooong time, and i don't have a daddy."
"So you're out here alone, your mother doesn't know you're gone…and how could that be? Oh, by the way, my name is Jim."
"i'm blair and my mommy is meditating with her friends and i wanted a bagel with butter and i earned enough of my own money doing errands so i put on my coat and took my mittens and - after peeking in and seeing that they were all still communing with their spirits - i left." He ducked his head in shame as he muttered, "i could a sworn i knew the way to lenny's bagel shop, honest. but i musta taken a wrong turn cuz here i am and i don't know where here is, but i knew someone would come along, the right someone, and they'd be able to get me to lenny's and then home." Blair dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a small wad of bills. He held them out. "see? i have enough for both of us if you want a bagel - an maybe hot chocolate too?" he added slyly.
Jim scratched the top of his head as he regarded the small boy with the curly hair and big blue eyes. He was angry - had left home angry - thanks to another fight with his father, and he had no intention of returning - ever again. He was almost sixteen, a hard worker - and not a freak - and could find a way to support himself - even on the streets if that's what it took. All of which meant that he sure didn't have time for some lost kid. All he wanted to do was find a quiet place, a spot where he could experience some peace, where the sounds that banged against his brain would recede enough to let him think about how to get out of Cascade tonight. He glanced down at the small mittened hand; at the money sitting in it, and something warm started in his stomach and traveled upward.
Jim sighed deeply because he knew darn well that he was going to take this boy to get bagels - because he'd always been a soft touch and the kid reminded him of Stevie when he was little….
"so…you wanna go now? can we?"
"Put your money away, kid, and let's go."
Blair happily stuffed the money back into his pocket and held out his hand. Jim, after a moment of hesitation, took it, and Blair jumped off the bench.
"you gotta follow your nose to lenny's bagels, 'kay? i bet you can smell better an me cuz you're so much bigger an all, you know? so concentrate on lenny's onion bagels, 'kay?"
Jimmy rolled his eyes even as he sniffed the air and the boy went on talking - non-stop.
***
December 13, 2001
Jim sighed loudly - even though there was no one to hear, let alone ask about it. It had been that way all day - hell, all week. Just him and crime 'a la Cascade'. No Robin by his side, no Jimmy Olsen, no Nora Charles…scratch that, Sandburg would kill him. Okay, who else had a sidekick?
Wait - come to think of it - maybe he was the sidekick. Oh, yeah, that made way more sense and explained everything, including why he felt so rudderless without his partner, who was recovering from a bout of bronchitis. Jim still couldn't believe how much not having Blair around had affected him. There'd been no Blair at his side to offer up bits of Sandburgian wisdom, or the usual reminders to, "Turn it down," "Turn it up" or "Concentrate, Jim," not to mention the total lack of touching that was apparently a very necessary component of his daily requirements - kind of like that first cup of coffee at the station.
The good news was that he was on his way home and wasn't returning until the new year, which should see him no longer partner-less on the job. Not that knowing that helped him now. He had a major headache and his muscles were bunched up like the top of Santa's sack of goodies, and yes, he was cursing his damn senses; the reason for his misery. At times like this, he couldn't help the blasphemous thought of why couldn't he just be a normal guy. Before his thoughts could go even darker, his phone chimed its rendition of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer - Jake's idea - and he plucked it out of his pocket. Hitting the speaker button, he barked, "Ellison."
"Jim, how far are you from the mall?"
"Sandburg, why are you asking that? Because I can hear things - as you well know - and what I'm hearing tells me you are not at home, resting."
"You know damn well that I could have come in today, but that seemed silly since it's the last day before our vacation, so no, I'm not at home - I'm in the middle of a very crowded mall and looking for our son. So I repeat, Mr. "I can hear anything", how far away are you?"
"I'll be there in ten."
"Meet you in front of the Cheesecake Factory."
"Done."
He stuffed the phone back in his pocket, hit the siren, stuck the light on the dashboard, and punched the accelerator - his dark thoughts - and headache - temporarily forgotten.
***
December, 1974
"slurrrrrrp."
Jim glanced up to see the boy - Blair - and what kind of name was that for a kid, anyway? The poor guy was doomed to a life of beatings and locker-stuffings. Damn, he'd lost his train of thought again. Oh, yeah, the kid slurping his hot chocolate. All right, so he was a softie and the slurping brought a smile to his face, so what? Who wouldn't at a tyke sporting a chocolate and whipped cream moustache?
"Hey, will you be able to get home from here?" he suddenly asked.
Blair put the cup down and picked up the last half of his toasted, buttered bagel and, before taking a whopping big bite out of it, said, "i'm not sure - you might have to help me."
"Kid, I don't know where you live, and if you don't either, we're kind of stuck."
Even as he chewed, Blair shook his head. He finally swallowed and said, "you could smell the incense, couldn't you? just like you smelt the bagels?"
Feigning disinterest, Jim gazed about the room as he asked, "Incense?"
"mommy and her friends always meditate with candles and incense. i think they had…mmm," he looked upward, bit his lower lip, and finally said, "sandlewood today? an…sage…cuz mom wanted to clean up the bad vibes. i don't know what bad vibes are, but they don't sound good so's i'm glad she's cleaning them up. anyway, you jest need to sniff them out, 'kay?"
Feeling a strange sense of home, a feeling that puzzled, but nevertheless comforted him, he said, "If I can smell the incense, than so can you, but I'll go with you, make sure you make it home, all right?"
Blair pushed his plate away, clearly done as there wasn't even a crumb left, and said with some impatience, "silly jimmy. i won't be able to smell it 'til i'm almost there which i won't be able to do because i don't know where there is, but you could smell it blocks away."
Fear immediately replaced the comforting feeling as the boy's words penetrated. How did he… How could this little boy - a complete stranger - know? Jim realized he was sweating and tried to calm down - because of course, the boy couldn't know.
He couldn't know.
Taking a strong grip on his emotions and wresting back some degree of control, Jim asked, again trying for some semblance of disinterest, "What makes you think I could smell this incense stuff before you?"
Looking thoroughly disgusted with him, Blair said, as if talking to a baby, "because, jimmy, you're older and smarter and you're special. way more special than me."
Jim pushed his cup of hot chocolate, only half empty, away with a bit more force than necessary as he said angrily, "You don't know that - you're just a baby."
He knew the moment he said the words, that they were hurtful words, wrong words, and he expected to see tears well up in those blue eyes across from him, but instead, the boy just reached a hand across the table and placed it over his own larger one.
"i'm little, i know, that's how come i can sneak out of the house or hide when the grownups are talking and they never see me, but i know you're special anyways but you don't trust yourself yet, but you will, honest. we have to grow into ourselves, that's what my mommy always says and if she says it - it's true, 'kay? you just need to grow into your specialness so don't worry, 'kay? just trust yourself and be patient, 'kay? i'm right, honest."
Jim Ellison didn't have a clue what the kid was really saying, but damn it, it sounded right, sounded…believable. Taking on a gruff demeanor, he shoved his chair back and said, "Come on, kid, let's find that incense and get you home. If I'm late for dinner, my father will tan my hide."
Blair scrambled up, grasped Jim's hand again, and said, "no, he won't, but i bet he'll be angry because he's worried, so i'll walk real fast, 'kay?"
Jim couldn't help it - he smiled. "Sure, kid, you walk real fast."
It was only once they were outside that Jim realized he'd decided not to run away.
Yet.
***
December 13, 2001
Jim spotted Blair immediately. He pulled up to the curb in front of The Cheesecake Factory, shut off the engine and jumped out. He ran around the front of the truck and over to Blair's side, but before he could say anything, Blair said, "You should be able to find him easily enough - I let him try on some Chrome."
Jim skidded to a stop and said, "Are you nuts? This is a goddamned mall just before Christmas. I can't possibly--"
Blair reached out and gripped his arm. "Don't make me say it, Jim. I know our son is in there, and I'm betting he's sitting down and just waiting for you to find him. He knows you will, Jim. Just trust yourself, all right?"
Jim stared at his partner as the years rolled away, leaving behind the picture of a small boy with a chocolate and whipped cream moustache. He shook his head in disbelief, pushed the vision away even as he said, "You're right, of course. You're always right. Let's get in there."
Clearly relieved, Blair nodded and, together, they moved inside, using the mall entrance next to the entrance to the restaurant.
***
"Got him," Jim said after less than three minutes of filtering out sounds and smells to concentrate on the scent of Chrome - a rather expensive men's cologne - which fortunately wasn't overly popular on the pre-Christmas crowd currently scurrying around like mice on the hunt for the perfect bit of cheese.
Again Blair followed, almost running alongside in order to keep up with his partner's longer strides. It felt somehow…familiar, and not in the usual way, but he tucked that thought away for later - right now, they had a lost, hungry five-year-old to find.
***
Jake scratched his leg, sighed heavily, and muttered, "my poppy and daddy are going to owe me big time for making me wait so long. i'm gonna get dessert too!"
***
Jim suddenly grinned and Blair, catching it, asked, "What's so funny?"
"We're in big trouble."
"We are?"
"Yep. It seems we've taken too long to find him and now he's decided he's going to have dessert too."
"Why that little…he's the one who ran off…he'll be lucky…."
Blair's voice trailed off as they rounded a corner and Jim put his arm out to stop Blair's forward movement.
"There he is," Jim said.
And sure enough, there was their son, just as Blair had known he would be, patiently awaiting their arrival, as if they were the ones lost. Blair smiled tenderly before looking up at Jim and saying, "Bless the modern day sentinel."
Stunned, Jim could only stand frozen as Blair moved toward their son. Eventually he was able to move and reached Blair's side just as their son spotted them.
Jake immediately scooted off the chair, put his hands on his hips and said, "poppy, what took you so long? i been waiting here forever!"
***
"He'll never finish all of it," Jim said as he looked at the platter of fried shrimp sitting in front of his son.
"Bets?" Blair said.
"Okay, but he won't have room for your Hanukkah donuts when we get home."
"Bets?" Blair repeated.
"Okay, so why are we rewarding him for running off and scaring the living daylights out of us?"
"Because he knows he did wrong and promised never to do it again, even if he saw," Blair made quote marks in the air, "'Supyman, Spideyman, Santy Claus and the Easter Bunny'."
In spite of the busy, noisy restaurant, and Jake's interest in his Shrimp Scatter rather than in any conversation at their table, Jim still lowered his voice as he said, "I don't suppose - I mean earlier - I kind of had this flash, like a memory, I guess...."
Blair put his fork down and cocked his head in interest. "Memory? What kind?"
"I…it's hard to explain…but you said something when you gripped my arm outside and I kind of had this flashback. There was a little boy…I'm not sure…but I think I got him home when he was lost…."
"Lost?" Blair asked, his expression changing from one of mild curiosity to an urgent kind of interest. "What do you mean…lost?"
Jim rubbed at his forehead, as if trying to rub the memory into greater clarity. "If it's real…a real memory, I mean…it happened when I… I was running away from home--"
"Running away from home? When did you--"
"I was fifteen, sixteen, something like that. I'd had a big fight with Dad, no news there, and decided to strike out on my own, even if it meant the streets - but - I think there was a park…."
"Mom was meditating with some friends and I wanted a bagel so I snuck out of the house, but I got lost," Blair suddenly said.
"And you ended up at the park on a bench," Jim added, his voice soft and full of wonder.
"I knew someone would find me - I think - I think - I thought someone needed to find me, so I waited."
"And I found you and you wanted a bagel--"
"But you bought it even though I had the money--"
"And Naomi always told you that people had to grow into themselves and you assured me that I was special and would grow into myself--"
"That you just needed to trust yourself and be patient--"
"And I found your house because of the sage and, instead of running away, I went home."
The two men stared at each other, both lost in the import of what they'd just said and realized. Finally Jim murmured, "I would have run away and it would have changed everything, Chief."
"Oh, my God," they said together.
Jake's head shot up and he asked, "poppy? daddy? you okay?"
They both looked at their son and smiled. "We're just fine," they said again, in almost perfect unison.
"good because now you can tell me what you want for chrismassy, 'kay?" Then he cocked his head and asked ingenuously, "do i get gelt again this year?"
"You know darn well you're getting it on the last day of Hanukkah. After all, it's a tradition," Blair answered.
Looking more devious than a five year old should, Jake said, "i love tradishuns…but could i - maybe - have an advance on my gelt?"
Stupefied, both men could only stare at their son.
***
They'd put all the packages away, lit the fifth candle on the menorah, indulged in their Hanukkah donuts stuffed with jelly, read Jake a story after his bath, and now it was time for bed.
Jim was just about to say the dreaded words when Jake pleaded, "can i go outside before bed and look at the lights again, poppy? pretty please?"
Jim glanced over at Blair, who shrugged, thus leaving the decision to Jim. Since he never tired of looking at their decorated home after dark, Jim said, "Sounds like a great idea, Hoss. Let's go."
He got up and held out his hand. Jake jumped up eagerly, took it and, glancing at his daddy, asked, "aren't you coming too, daddy?"
"Absolutely. You two head out and I'll be right behind you."
Nodding, Jake pointed at the front door and commanded, "onward!"
Laughing, Jim headed out with Jake while Blair picked up the empty donut plates and empty hot chocolate mugs and quickly carried them into the kitchen. By the time he got outside, Jake and Jim were at the end of the driveway, Jake in Jim's arms, his expression one of rapt wonder even though he'd seen the decorations on their new home since the weekend after Thanksgiving.
They'd chosen tiny white lights to trim the eaves of the yellow ranch-style home, with Jim doing the whole icicle effect with them. Green garland trimmed the railing around the porch, as well as the fence that bordered their property. In addition - and just as Blair had envisioned when he'd first seen the house - large red ribbons had been painstakingly and strategically placed on the garlands. Real pine wreaths adorned the front door and the windows that faced the street and, to top it all off, a family of 'twig' deer (all brightly lit) stood grazing on their lawn. Naturally Jake had given each of them a name, but he'd eschewed using any given to Santa's reindeers in an effort to avoid trespassing on Santa. Instead, the mommy deer was 'Holly' and her fawns were 'Tinsel' (the boy) and 'Mistletoe' (the girl). The daddy deer had proven a bit more difficult until his fathers had assured him that "Ivy" was a good nickname for "Ivan", at which time the buck received his moniker. Now the four of them glittered in the darkness, their lights blinking merrily.
In honor of Hanukkah, the window from which the Menorah could be seen was trimmed in small twinkling blue lights, but the final bit of holiday decoration had been Jake's brainstorm - after spotting them while on a trip to the craft store with his Nomi. It was a set of Santa's elves climbing up a red ladder that rested against the outer brick of their fireplace. According to Jake, they were climbing up in order to get the roof ready for Santa and his arrival.
"Looks mighty good, Hoss," Blair said as he rested his hand on Jake's leg.
"it's the bestest in the whole wide world, daddy," he whispered, still awestruck by what they'd created.
Jim shared a fond and loving look with Blair, both of their expressions confirming that purchasing the house back in September had been the best move of their lives. Okay, the second best move, Blair quickly amended. He looked at Jake again…and made another amendment: the third best move.
***
Blair relaxed back against the couch, legs splayed out in front of him, the floor littered with wrapping paper, ribbons, scissors and tape. It was hard to believe that there'd been years and years when the most he might have to wrap were two or three gifts. Not anymore. He looked at the finished pile that sat between him and Jim, who sat opposite him, mirroring his position, and shook his head in wonder. The stack of wrapped packages represented their friends and what Jim called "Obligatory Gifts", which meant they still had a lot of wrapping to do between now and the 24th.
And tomorrow…tomorrow his new family from Italy were scheduled to descend upon them.
"I have a question, O Wise One," Jim suddenly said as he lightly tossed a small wrapped present onto the stack. "How the heck did our son even know what an 'advance' was?"
"Maybe they teach Banking 101 in kindergarten now," Blair suggested dryly.
"More like how to fleece your parents during the holidays."
"Nah, that's a seasonal gene inherited by children everywhere and, no, before you ask, there's no cure," Blair said with a grin.
"Dare we ask why our son needs 'an advance' on his gelt? Do you suppose he's in hock to some six year old playground hustler?"
Chuckling, Blair said, "Oh, I doubt that. It wouldn't take Jake long to have some playground bully eating out of his hand and paying him. No, I'd say that after a day at the mall, he realized how far his saved money wouldn't go."
"Ah. So it's homemade presents then."
"What, no loan for our son?"
Jim gave that some thought, stared at the growing pile of gifts, thought of the rest of them hidden in car and truck trunks, backs of closets and at both his father's home and Naomi's, thought of the additional gifts they still had to purchase, and finally said, "I'm thinking we grant him the advance at, say…twenty-five percent interest?"
"He'll find a way around it," Blair said knowingly.
"Damn, you're right. Okay, so we do the rest of his shopping for him."
"Ah, like last year and we lie while we cover the difference."
"Works for me," Jim said with a triumphant grin. "Although…I really liked that interest idea."
"Save it for when he wants a car."
"Oh, good idea. Must be why you're the genius in the family and I'm the sex god."
Blair, who'd been about to start wrapping another gift, stopped in the process of reaching for a roll of paper. "Excuse me? Sex god?"
"What, I'm not?"
Blair let his gaze travel from Jim's socked feet, up the jean-clad legs, whistled low, moved on up to Jim's chest…and said, "Okay, I'll give you sex god."
Preening, Jim decided to be generous. "Hey, don't worry, you qualify as a demi-god."
One eyebrow arched dangerously. "Demi-god? Are you sure you want to use that precise phrase? I only say that because, well, we demis don't like to fraternize with gods. We tend to hold them in contempt."
"Excuse me? Contempt? I'm a god and you're only a demi-god, and yet you hold me in contempt?"
Blair patted Jim's foot. "Silly Jim. You're only a god while I'm a god and a human. I'm twice the man you are as a result, see?"
Jim looked to the heavens - as represented by their ceiling - and muttered, "It will never matter how good, quick, or clever - I'll still never win against him. It's not fair. I'm a god!"
With great care, Blair managed to get on his hands and knees without disturbing the wrapping paraphernalia. He then, and just as carefully, moved the wrapped packages out of his way and crawled over to his partner and between his legs. "Silly god," he whispered against Jim's lips. "You may never win, but you can't exactly call this," he started to unzip Jim's jeans, "losing, now can you?"
"Er…no, no, this is definitely not losing. However, I am surprised by this move. I thought for sure we'd end up talking about the fact that we evidently met one another when we were kids - well, you were a kid anyway."
"You can't tell me you're really surprised, Jim. Didn't you feel you it in the hospital all those years ago when I first tripped into your life? Don't you think it might help to explain why you accepted me so readily? You, Mr. Lone Wolf Ellison?"
Jim stilled Blair's hand and searched the handsome face. Blue eyes stared back at him, fully accepting, calm and at peace. Slowly Jim smiled. "Damn, you're right." Then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "But why didn't you remember? You're good at that kind of thing."
Blair shrugged even as he turned his attention back to getting Jim's jeans undone. "Hey, I had a pretty weird childhood, you know."
"Point taken." Jim decided it was time he joined in the activity Blair was currently instigating. As he flipped Blair over - carefully - he whispered just before nipping at Blair's ear, "I think we need to tell all your new relatives about the gelt thing, since they're coming early specifically to be a part of Hanukkah with you."
"I like your thinking. That way, we'll never have to worry about Jake's finances again. He'll probably get enough to send him through four years of college and graduate school." He pinched Jim's butt, which was where his hand was at the moment, and added, "You be one smart god. For you, this demi-god will make an exception."
"You're so tolerant-"
Jim never finished the sentence and Blair was darn sure they'd never finish the wrapping duties for that night. But he also figured they had plenty of time and, since this might be their last opportunity for making love in their own living room, in front of the fire, until after the first of January, he was going to take full advantage of the solitude.
He was nothing if not a wise man.
Who suddenly had a hankering for toasted buttered bagels.