Note: Not to be confused with my cyber sis Betty, this Betty is created for Betty Profit who described her teen years to me and it sounded so much like Naomi that I had to use her for Michelle's mother.
James Ellison gazed down affectionately at the curly head that rested comfortably in his lap. The kid was exhausted.
It had been an interesting evening to say the least. The party that Simon had thrown for what seemed like half the population of Cascade celebrating Blair receiving his PhD had finally come to a finish. Then there was the aftermath.
All Jim had wanted was the opportunity to toast the new professor and tell him how proud he was of him. The champagne was chilled. He'd invited Michelle and her mother Betty. His error was in inviting Naomi to join them. But how could he not invite Blair's own mother.
Earlier that evening...
While Jim struggled to uncork a bottle of champagne his sentinel hearing picked up on the conversation across the loft.
"Is Jim going to kiss you again?" Naomi was asking her son. The woman had all but had a stroke when earlier at the party Jim, in enthusiastic overdrive had grabbed his friend and planted a smacker on his lips.
"I don't know...probably." was Blair's answer.
The cork flew perhaps coming loose at Jim's frustration. Pouring the sparkling liquid into flutes Jim recapped the exchange to Michelle. "I swear I have half a mind to grab him and give him the biggest lip lock..."
"Fortunately," Michelle interrupted, retrieving the cork. "The other half of your brain is prevailing."
"What?"
"Jim, there is nothing wrong with showing affection to someone when the purpose is letting that person know how you feel about them. Just remember you don't show it to prove a point to anyone else."
Jim replaced the plastic cork that Michelle handed him. "Yeah, you're right." He grinned. "But, I would love to see the look on her face."
"The look on whose face?" Blair approached tiredly and leaned on the counter.
Jim offered him a glass of champagne. "Naomi's"
"Oh, please," Blair sighed. "You know what really gets on my nerves? She seems to think that any physical affection between us is something that you do to me, rather than with me. Like I have no say in the matter at all." There was a pause. "Sorry, what were you guys talking about?"
Michelle selected a glass for herself and one for her mother. Blair grabbed one for Naomi and the three headed to where the two mothers were chatting.
"I think that Jim is demonstrating perfectly normal mammalian behavior," Betty was saying.
Jim looked from Betty to Michelle to Blair. "What kind of behavior?"
Betty smiled. "Mammalian. We all tend to forget sometimes that human beings are mammals."
Blair leaned to Jim. "Michelle's mom is an ethologist."
"A what?"
The young man chuckled. "It's kind of like an anthropologist for the four-legged species'."
Jim decided it best to let it drop. "I'd like to make a toast," he announced as Naomi and Betty were handed goblets. He gazed down at Blair. So many things he wanted to say. But, Naomi's eyes were on him, watching him as though he was about to propose marriage instead of offering heartfelt congratulations to the man whom he had come to consider his brother.
Blair glanced at his friend with empathetic eyes. He, too, could feel the weight of his mother's stare. The shared moment of silent understanding passed between them and Jim said simply, "Here's to those three little letters."
Somehow everyone else got the feeling that Naomi was sorely disappointed.
"You know, I am just so worn out," Betty said apologetically. "It has been such a long day..."
"She's right, " Michelle agreed. "We really should get going."
Jim mouthed, "Thank you."
They were all moving toward the door when Naomi chirped, "I think I'll just stay here."
Blair's eyes about fell out of his head.
"Now, Naomi," Betty coaxed. "You know you're staying at Michelle's place with me." She had am arm around her shoulder and was steering her in the right direction. "I mean it has been so long since we've been together. There's so much to catch up on..."
"But..."
"Besides," Blair's voice cut through everything. "Jim and I want to cuddle."
Jim and Michelle choked. Naomi gasped and attempted to free herself from Betty's grip. But Betty was successful in dragging her to the elevator above the protests.
Michelle stood in front of Jim. She let out a relieved breath. "My mother has her work cut out for her tonight." She and Jim kissed briefly. Then she turned to Blair.
"Let me know if Naomi has heart failure," he said matter-of-factly.
Michelle nodded. "Congratulations." She gave him a quick hug and kissed his cheek before leaving the loft.
Jim closed the door after her. Shaking his head he laughed, "She thinks I'm going to rape you."
"Is that really what she said?" Blair knew his friend had been tracking the conversation.
Jim folded his arms. "No. What she said was, 'Heaven knows what he's going to do to him up there." There was a pause as Jim contemplated his friend and the whole evening. "Look, I know you said what you did because you wanted to get Naomi's goat but... you wanna cuddle?"
Blair got sheepish. "Um, big guy, I'm really beat. I just want to crash, you know?" He stopped to notice the look on the detective's face. "This means a lot to you tonight, doesn't it?" At Jim's slight nod he acquiesced. "Okay, but let me go change into some sweats. I've been in this monkey suit way too long."
Jim grinned. "Me too. Meet me on the couch in five."
**********************************************************
James Ellison gazed down affectionately at the curly head that rested comfortably in his lap. The kid was exhausted.
"Don't take it personal if I doze off here, big guy."
Jim ran his hand over Blair's forehead. "I won't. I know you're tired. I just really wanted some close time with you. We've been in a crowd all night."
Blair smiled. "Yeah, the party was great. There were just so many people. Where did Simon find them all?"
Jim nodded. "I was thinking more of the crowd here at the loft, " he said absently.
"Just three people."
"A crowd's a crowd no matter how many people are in it."
"Kerouac?"
Jim shook his head. "Gidget." He reached to take one of Blair's hands in his. "Look, Chief, I know you're fading on me here. I just wanted to tell you... I'm very proud of you." Blair squeezed the hand that held his. Jim stared into the blue depths of his guide watching the eyelids flutter then close. "Do you know how much I love you," Jim said quietly.
The statement was more rhetorical than anything. He figured he'd timed it so it would be the last thing his friend heard before falling completely asleep. The sentinel was surprised to see Blair's eyes pop open. "Yes, Jim, as a matter of fact I do," he said, deadly serious.
The simple unexpected edification caused Jim's heart to swell and he blinked back the tears that were forming as a result of the overflow in his chest. Blair squeezed his hand again. "I didn't mean to make you cry," he offered sleepily.
Jim responded by raising their joined hands to his lips and placing a kiss on Blair's. In turn Blair drew the union to his lips as well, kissing Jim's hand. Their eyes met, the gaze speaking volumes. Finally, as Blair's eyelids slid shut, Jim whispered, "Goodnight, Professor."
THE END
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