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numb3rsflashfic2008-04-05 06:17 pm
iniq.livejournal.com) wrote in numb3rsflashfic2008-04-05 06:17 pm
Entry tags:
"cordially invited" by iniq (#61: clue)
Title: Cordially Invited
Pairing/Characters: all main characters, Don Eppes/Michael the Poker Buddy
Rating/Category: gen
Word Count: ~ 650
Spoilers: none, but it's a tag to the ending of 413 ("Black Swan")
Summary: Someone is missing from the family round and Don gets a clue.
Notes: third in a kind-of-series. in his bed, a father's worries.
Cordially Invited
The dinner was fun, even though eating waffles before the main course was a bit weird. But then it was a sweet gesture, once Amita had told them the story behind it.
Looking into the round that had gathered around the table, Alan had to frown. They had assembled what were close friends, practically family – and yet, someone was missing. Speaking loud enough that the others could hear him instead of leaning in close, he asked Don. "Where's Michael?"
"Yeah, where is he?" David followed. Even Charlie looked up from his conversation with Amita.
Don poked at his waffle. "He couldn't get off tonight."
"Can he come by later?" Colby asked. "I could use some money." He grinned slyly at David, who huffed.
"We're not that bad," David defended himself and Don's boyfriend.
Colby snorted. "Ah, David. You are and you know it."
Larry nodded in agreement. "Especially now that Charlie has gotten better," he added. "I wouldn't mind playing around either," he said. Megan agreed. She was no big poker player, but it was fun watching Larry beat her teammates.
Colby met Don's eyes and smiled. "Tell him to come by. We'll play for snack pretzels if he's worried."
"The waffles not enough for you?" Alan asked. He knew what they were doing and he approved of their tactic. Don needed to be told and reassured, as ridiculous as it sounded to say that about someone of his son's calibre. Seeing the look on Don's face, it was working.
Colby nodded at Alan, confirming his suspicions. "They're waffles. Dessert. Only stuff that has salt as an ingredient is real food," Colby claimed. "But they're damn good," he added, raising his full fork in Charlie's direction.
"Hear, hear," David followed and raised his. "To the cook," he said.
Charlie graciously took the well wishes he got from the group of people with a bow.
"Excuse me for a minute," Don said then, grabbing his cell phone from the table. "I'll go see if the chicken is about done."
"Tell him to come as soon as he can, or there won't be any food left," Alan shouted after him. He leaned back and looked into the round. "Thanks, guys," he said.
"You think he lied?" Megan asked.
Alan shook his head. "I talked to him yesterday and he apologized for not being able to make it. I just wanted Don to…" he broke off, not sure how to finish.
"It's all right, Alan," Larry said. "I think he needs to know that it's okay."
"And we'll continue to tell him," Megan added.
+
An hour later, a couple of rounds of poker played and a couple of beers drunk, the doorbell rang and Alan glanced at his eldest when Don eagerly got up and went to get the door. He watched them kiss hello and made note of the way Michael was greeted by Don's friends and the rest of the family. He was already part of the family. Don had worried needlessly.
He got up then and gave Michael a hug. "You hungry? We defended some chicken from Colby," he said.
Charlie grinned behind the rim of his beer. "We had to pin him. David almost lost an eye."
"We saved you some of Charlie's waffles, too," Amite added with a smile.
Alan found that Don watched the banter with something akin to fascination. He realized then that Michael had never met the whole family at once. They usually met in bits and pieces of them at outings or poker games. And there had not been a get-together since he and Michael had made it semi-official. Don really had worried.
But he seemed to be getting a clue now. Good.
+
End.
Pairing/Characters: all main characters, Don Eppes/Michael the Poker Buddy
Rating/Category: gen
Word Count: ~ 650
Spoilers: none, but it's a tag to the ending of 413 ("Black Swan")
Summary: Someone is missing from the family round and Don gets a clue.
Notes: third in a kind-of-series. in his bed, a father's worries.
Cordially Invited
The dinner was fun, even though eating waffles before the main course was a bit weird. But then it was a sweet gesture, once Amita had told them the story behind it.
Looking into the round that had gathered around the table, Alan had to frown. They had assembled what were close friends, practically family – and yet, someone was missing. Speaking loud enough that the others could hear him instead of leaning in close, he asked Don. "Where's Michael?"
"Yeah, where is he?" David followed. Even Charlie looked up from his conversation with Amita.
Don poked at his waffle. "He couldn't get off tonight."
"Can he come by later?" Colby asked. "I could use some money." He grinned slyly at David, who huffed.
"We're not that bad," David defended himself and Don's boyfriend.
Colby snorted. "Ah, David. You are and you know it."
Larry nodded in agreement. "Especially now that Charlie has gotten better," he added. "I wouldn't mind playing around either," he said. Megan agreed. She was no big poker player, but it was fun watching Larry beat her teammates.
Colby met Don's eyes and smiled. "Tell him to come by. We'll play for snack pretzels if he's worried."
"The waffles not enough for you?" Alan asked. He knew what they were doing and he approved of their tactic. Don needed to be told and reassured, as ridiculous as it sounded to say that about someone of his son's calibre. Seeing the look on Don's face, it was working.
Colby nodded at Alan, confirming his suspicions. "They're waffles. Dessert. Only stuff that has salt as an ingredient is real food," Colby claimed. "But they're damn good," he added, raising his full fork in Charlie's direction.
"Hear, hear," David followed and raised his. "To the cook," he said.
Charlie graciously took the well wishes he got from the group of people with a bow.
"Excuse me for a minute," Don said then, grabbing his cell phone from the table. "I'll go see if the chicken is about done."
"Tell him to come as soon as he can, or there won't be any food left," Alan shouted after him. He leaned back and looked into the round. "Thanks, guys," he said.
"You think he lied?" Megan asked.
Alan shook his head. "I talked to him yesterday and he apologized for not being able to make it. I just wanted Don to…" he broke off, not sure how to finish.
"It's all right, Alan," Larry said. "I think he needs to know that it's okay."
"And we'll continue to tell him," Megan added.
+
An hour later, a couple of rounds of poker played and a couple of beers drunk, the doorbell rang and Alan glanced at his eldest when Don eagerly got up and went to get the door. He watched them kiss hello and made note of the way Michael was greeted by Don's friends and the rest of the family. He was already part of the family. Don had worried needlessly.
He got up then and gave Michael a hug. "You hungry? We defended some chicken from Colby," he said.
Charlie grinned behind the rim of his beer. "We had to pin him. David almost lost an eye."
"We saved you some of Charlie's waffles, too," Amite added with a smile.
Alan found that Don watched the banter with something akin to fascination. He realized then that Michael had never met the whole family at once. They usually met in bits and pieces of them at outings or poker games. And there had not been a get-together since he and Michael had made it semi-official. Don really had worried.
But he seemed to be getting a clue now. Good.
+
End.