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!Joe Flanigan (![[info]](http://www.journalfen.net/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} dr_dolittle) wrote,@ 2008-09-07 17:14:00 |
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Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett, with (NPC) Kate Hewlett. Outed.
[Back in 2000, when Kate is meeting Joe for the first time. Crossposted togeekshop]
"We're back!" Joe calls out as the door opens, letting the dogs off the leash as soon as they're inside.
Lasagne! Max goes tearing for the kitchen.
"Oh, God, smell that!" Kate slips out of her shoes. "It's glorious."
"It makes me weak in the knees," Joe admits, losing his own shoes and heading right for the kitchen. "And then there's something else that makes me weak in the knees," he grins.
"Hey, now," David says. "Flattery won't get you dessert before dinner."
"I can always try, can't I?" Joe says, going up behind David and wrapping his arms around his waist, kissing him on the neck. "It smells amazing."
"Well, thank you," David replies. "Hey, you want to slice up the French loaf for garlic bread?"
"We trust me with knives? Are we sure about this?"
"You're right. You can set the table, Kate can help with the bread."
"Clever and sexy. How'd I get so lucky?"
"You like my pets," David says, smiling and kissing Joe's cheek. He swats him lightly on the backside. "Go set the table."
"Ow," Joe says mildly, sneaking one more kiss of his own, then starting to gather plates and cutlery. "Max was snacking on the way."
David groans. "Max!"
Max curls up in a little ball on his mat, looking so pathetic that Kate swats David's shoulder. "You don't have to be mean!"
"I'm not being mean," David protests.
"Yes, you are. He's just a puppy."
"He's four years old, he's not a puppy!"
"The man does have a point," Joe spoke up, setting out forks and going back for glasses. "But at the same time, he's really not all that likely to give it up at this point, David."
David covers his ears. "La la la, I can't hear you!"
"Denial. So sad in a man your age," Joe sighs and shakes his head. "Riley and Angel almost came to blows over a stick."
"Again? Those two need to get a new routine."
"It's my fault, really. I should have taken a kong with me, but I forgot. They really thought it was quite the special stick though," Joe sighs.
"It was a very special stick," Kate says, handing the slices of bread over for David to prepare. "It was almost as big as Max."
"More like a tree branch, really. I'm not sure Max could have lifted it, although he probably would have tried if he wasn't occupied," Joe grins, giving Max a little poke with his foot, then going back to setting the table.
Everybody's making fun of me! Max buries his nose between his paws.
You eat shit, stupid. Of course they are. Templeton wanders under the table, taking up position to watch for scraps.
Max whines.
"Templeton!" Joe reacts without thinking, thunking the plates down on the table, crouching down and grabbing Templeton. Dragging him out, he stands up again, holding the ferret at eye level and glaring at him. "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to Max like that?"
I'll beat him up for you. Pixel's fixed a fierce little kitty look up at Templeton, her tail swishing back and forth angrily on the linoleum.
"Uh..." Kate clears her throat softly.
"What the hell did he say?" David demands, turning away from the garlic bread and planting his hands on his hips.
No, really. Pixel's very determined. I'll take him out to the backyard and show him once and for all...
I'd like to see you try, pint-size. Templeton thrashes in Joe's grasp.
Max whines louder then gets up and runs for David, who crouches down and scratches his ear. "Hey, hey, you're not the one in trouble, buddy."
"Um." Kate clears her throat louder.
Joe's forgotten that Kate's even in the room. "Max was upset because we were making fun of him, and Templeton called him stupid, and said of course we were," Joe says, still glaring at the ferret. "Pixel, honey, you're not helping. Let us handle this, okay?" he says, much more gently.
"Max, Max," David says, soothingly. He takes Max's face between his hands and leans in and kisses his nose. "You've got to not listen to the little guy. He's just a big jerk."
He's a little jerk. Pixel gets to her feet, though she doesn't move away from Joe. And I'll show him, I will, I'll show him not to pick on my Max!
"Pixel," Joe repeats, holding back a sigh. "Templeton's just being Templeton. Not that it matters if it's just your chronically bad attitude or not," he adds, looking at Templeton. "You know better, and I don't want to hear it, so you're going to apologize, and then you're going to leave the room, before I let Pixel go to town on your ass."
It's hard to tell, what with their beadiness at all, but it's highly likely that Templeton rolls his eyes. FINE. Max, I'm sorry I called you stupid.
Max hides his nose in David's armpit.
"Max," David says, gently, coaxing him away.
No. Max refuses to move. He whines, muffled.
That's about as good as they're going to get from Templeton, so Joe sets him on the ground, and picks up Pixel before she can pounce on the little bastard. "Okay, just go. No stealing food from here tonight--go to your bed," he orders, tucking Pixel into the corner of his arm.
Pixel mewls and wriggles. I'll make sure he stays in his bed!
David sighs heavily and moves Max away from him. "I've gotta finish our dinner, bud, but I promise if you go to your mat, there'll be cheese in it for you."
Max looks at him like he really doesn't want David to go anywhere, but he dutifully goes and curls up on his mat. When David stands again, he turns around and finds Kate staring at him with a look of utter incomprehension on her face.
"Uh," David says. "Hi."
"David," she replies.
"Well."
"Yeah."
"I guess... er." David looks at Joe for help.
"Pixel... I think you'd be better off staying here with Max, don't you think?" Joe suggests, still focused on the animals. "He seems pretty upset, and I think he needs some looking after." The room all of a sudden seems very quiet, and Joe looks up to see Kate looking confused, and David looking plaintive. "Um."
"You're both nuts," Kate declares.
"That's not... completely true, although I can see why you'd think that," Joe says.
"Kate," David says, looking from Joe to his sister, "he's like me. I mean--not just like me, he can't do exactly what I can do, but he's got a gift, too. Really."
"He's telling the truth," Joe says, backing David up and setting Pixel on the floor near Max. "I know what David can do, and, well... he knows what I can do."
Kate looks up at David, aghast. "You told him?"
"I live with him--he kind of had the right to know, Kate," David says.
"Mom's gonna kill you!"
Joe moves over to David and takes his hand. "I told him first," he says, defending David's decision... and getting a little more afraid of the Hewlett women every moment. "He told me after I told him."
David squeezes Joe's hand. "He knows what I can do, Kate. He has to, if we're gonna share everything. I can't keep secrets from Joe. I won't."
Kate crosses her arms and glares up at Joe. "So, what--you're Doctor Dolittle?"
"Those movies are really, really inaccurate," Joe mutters.
Kate's eyebrows pop up.
"With the mouths moving, and the animals..." Joe trails off when he sees her eyebrows go up. "Um. Yes. Pretty much. I can communicate with animals. I understand them, and they understand me."
Kate stares at them for a while, then shakes her head and turns away to finish up the garlic bread for David. "Madhouse," she mutters. "Mum'll kill you for telling someone, David."
"Why?" Joe asks, following after Kate. "We're both different--I've got as much to lose as he does if anyone finds out. And I would never, ever tell anyone what David can do."
"Because he shouldn't have ever told anyone!" Kate fumes, yanking open the oven door (hard enough that David winces) and shoving the baking tray inside.
"I'm not 'anyone'," Joe shoots back, his hand tightening on David's. "I'm his lover, and his partner, and his friend, and he means more to me than anyone else in the world. And I'd do anything I had to to keep him safe."
Kate turns and stares up at him, then suddenly she lets out a sob and flings herself at the both of them. "If you hurt him I swear I will hunt you down and kill you horribly!" she wails.
Joe turns his head to look at David, eyes wide, and arms full of weepy-sister.
"Welcome to the family," David says with a little grin.
*
"So... Max is basically a hyperactive and highly sensitive child, Pixel's overly protective and has no concept of the fact that she's itty bitty, Angel and Riley are kind of like Max's big brothers, and Templeton's a... a bastardly little bastard?" Kate sips her coffee, curled up in a corner of the loveseat, staring across at Joe and David on the couch.
"That's the thirty-second version, yeah. And Buffy and Faith, they're pretty insular, kind of into themselves. I should have named them Willow and Tara," Joe adds in a mutter.
"And you're almost as dorky as my brother," Kate says. "Has he got you watching Doctor Who?"
"Well... I'm not gonna leave him to watch TV all on his own while I go hide in the garage," Joe says, squirming beside David.
Kate laughs. "That's adorable," she declares. She takes another sip of her coffee. "So when did your... gift... develop?"
"Honestly? I'm not exactly sure," Joe admits. "I don't remember when I didn't talk to animals, and as far as I remember, they've always responded. My parents thought I was just overly imaginative."
"That's really too bad," Kate says. "What David can do--I mean, you can see it plain as day when he's standing next to your computer and touching it and fixing it just by doing that."
"Exactly. How do you prove that you're able to communicate with a ferret?"
"Are all ferrets like Templeton?" Kate asks, reaching up and absently scratching Pixel's head when the little cat climbs up onto the back of the couch and purrs into Kate's hair.
"Templeton's a special case," Joe admits. "I probably should have gotten a friend for him, but then, they might have just bitched at each other all the time, and he's bad enough."
"Oh dear," Kate says. "So it's a good thing you've only got him."
I should've hurt him. Pixel bounds down onto Kate's lap.
"Pixel, we don't hurt people for what they say," Joe reminds her.
Pixel sighs and curls up in a little grey ball on Kate's lap.
Kate looks curiously at Joe. "She's a vicious little thing?"
"She's very protective of Max. She has been since I first gave her to David," Joe explains.
"It's adorable," David says. "Because... well, they're both rather little, but she just adopted him."
"I think she's always known he needed some looking after. And he was missing Fable too," Joe adds, squeezing David's hand.
"We really missed Fable," David says, quietly. "We still do."
Kate frowns a little, picks up Pixel, and goes to sit on David's other side, resting her head on his shoulder.
Joe clears his throat, still holding David's hand tightly. "Besides... it was Pixel and Max who gave me the intel I needed to hit on David."
"Really?" Kate grins. "Blabbing all his secrets about his big crush on you?"
"Well..." Joe wasn't quite ready to admit that part, "they definitely let me know that I wasn't barking up the wrong orientation."
She laughs. "Oh, the little snitches."
Pixel rests her chin on Kate's bosom. We made their lives better!
"Yes, yes... you're miracle workers, you are," Joe says indulgently, managing to stroke the very top of Pixel's head... without groping David's sister.
"Watch where your hands are going," David says, frowning impressively.
"Fingers are well, well away from any part of anyone related to you," Joe protests.
David squints at him.
Joe leans his head on David's shoulder and gives him his very best Max-look. "I love you?"
David laughs. "Oh dear God, how do I deny that face?"
"Max taught me everything I know about that face."
"I can tell," the Hewlett siblings say at the same time.
"Okay, now that's just scary!" Joe says, eyes going wide.
Kate and David grin at him. "We're very good at doing that given the right circumstances," David says.
"Used to freak Mum and Dad right out sometimes," Kate adds.
"I can imagine. And a whole room full of Hewletts must be completely overwhelming." Joe shakes his head.
"Only a little," says Kate.
"If by 'a little' you mean wow that's a lot of Hewletts."
"I guess I can't really talk... I've got a pretty big extended family. Irish Catholic, and all that," Joe explains.
Kate goes thoughtful for a moment. "I just wonder what Gramma Hewlett would think about you dating an Irishman, David."
"He's not Irish, he's Irish-American," David protests.
"Because that makes all the difference in the world."
"It actually might be worse."
They're quiet a moment, then both say, "Good thing she's in England!"
Joe takes a break from being weirded out by the Hewlett chorus to take that in. "Oh lord... I'm not telling Granny Flanigan you're English. Canadian. Maybe."
"American, Canadian, Irish, English... Catholic, Protestant." Kate giggles. "Our grandparents will all be having ulcers."
"You know what's the really strange part?" Joe says, answering the question without waiting for an answer. "All of that's going to be what's the big deal in my family--not me bringing home a man."
"Oh, yeah, same for me," David says. "I mean, everyone knows I'm gay."
"I didn't... at first. I figured it out eventually!" It's not so much Joe's gaydar that doesn't function, although it's never been all that great. He never, ever seems to notice when someone might be interested in him, male or female.
Kate laughs. "Which I still think is very, very funny."
"I usually have to be slapped upside the head by someone," Joe sighs. "I'm not good with reading people. Animals are much easier."
Poor Joe. Max abandons his rawhide bone and comes over to Joe, front paws up on his knees. Poor Joe. Do you want to share my bone? I don't mind. Just for a little bit.
"Oh, thank you Max, but that's all right," Joe assures him, managing not to laugh. "Thank you for offering though. That was very generous of you."
David looks sidelong at him. "Did he just offer to share his bone with you again?"
"Yes. I think I looked like I needed it," Joe murmurs, ruffling Max's ears.
Anytime you want, Joe. You just have to ask.
"Anytime I want. Now can you beat an offer like that?"
Kate laughs. "Oh, he's so sweet. He's the sweetest boy in the world." She yawns widely, and closes her eyes as she settles more comfortably against David's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, don't fall asleep there. We can't all sleep on the couch," David says.
"Mm. Not sleepy," Kate insists.
"Miss Pixel is... she's nodded off completely," Joe says, pointing at the small cat in the cleavage.
Kate smiles and lifts a hand blindly to stroke Pixel's back. "She's obviously very comfy. I understand boobs are great to sleep on. Ask my last boyfriend."
David lets go of Joe's hand and covers his ears. "La la la la."
"She's not wrong, but you're even more comfortable," Joe says, laughing at David. "Come on... you may be lucky enough to score a day off, but I've got surgery tomorrow morning," he says with a groan.
"The corgi?" David asks, gently, reaching for Joe's hand again.
"Mmm hmm." Joe's brow creases in concern, as much as he's trying to hide it. "We've done all the tests we can, but nothing's clear enough. I honestly don't know how it's going to go," he admits.
David sighs softly and kisses his cheek. "You'll take good care of him. You always do, baby."
"I'll call you when it's over," he promises, taking David's hand and linking their fingers together. "And I'll be home for dinner." If possibly a little late.
"And I'll take good care of you tomorrow," Kate adds. "I mean, you're taking me shopping. It's the least I can do." She yawns again. "Okay, it's time for somebody to put me to bed." She strokes Pixel's head again, then asks, "I guess I can't take her to bed with me, huh?"
David shakes his head. "No, sorry. Animals sleep in their own beds."
Kate sighs and gently puts Pixel down on the floor. Max promptly picks her up by the scruff of the neck and carries her, rather awkwardly, out of the family room.
"He's lucky she's little," Joe says, shaking his head and watching Max carry Pixel out of the room. "For the record, the no animals in people beds rule is David's. He's the mean one."
"Terribly mean," Kate agrees, getting up and stretching. "Okay, boys. C'mere and give little sister hugs and kisses, because it's time for bed."
Joe smiles at her, letting go of David's hand for long enough to give Kate a big hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too," she says. She holds her hands out to David and he gathers her up in a big hug. "I've missed you so much," she says, muffled against his shoulder.
"I've missed you too. Sleep tight, sweetie."
"Don't do anything noisy," Kate says.
"Ohmygod." Joe looks aghast.
She giggles and hurries away.
David groans and throws his arms around Joe. "Take me to bed," he says.
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure she just frightened everything external away," Joe says, muffled against David's neck.
"Oh, mine too," David says. "I just... want you to take me to bed. Not take me in bed."
Laughing, Joe kisses David's cheek, then pulls away and starts leading him off to bed. "Hey, David?"
"Yeah, Joe?"
"I kind of love your sister."
"Me too."
"She also kind of scares me."
"Me too, gorgeous. Me too."
[Back in 2000, when Kate is meeting Joe for the first time. Crossposted to
geekshop]"We're back!" Joe calls out as the door opens, letting the dogs off the leash as soon as they're inside.
Lasagne! Max goes tearing for the kitchen.
"Oh, God, smell that!" Kate slips out of her shoes. "It's glorious."
"It makes me weak in the knees," Joe admits, losing his own shoes and heading right for the kitchen. "And then there's something else that makes me weak in the knees," he grins.
"Hey, now," David says. "Flattery won't get you dessert before dinner."
"I can always try, can't I?" Joe says, going up behind David and wrapping his arms around his waist, kissing him on the neck. "It smells amazing."
"Well, thank you," David replies. "Hey, you want to slice up the French loaf for garlic bread?"
"We trust me with knives? Are we sure about this?"
"You're right. You can set the table, Kate can help with the bread."
"Clever and sexy. How'd I get so lucky?"
"You like my pets," David says, smiling and kissing Joe's cheek. He swats him lightly on the backside. "Go set the table."
"Ow," Joe says mildly, sneaking one more kiss of his own, then starting to gather plates and cutlery. "Max was snacking on the way."
David groans. "Max!"
Max curls up in a little ball on his mat, looking so pathetic that Kate swats David's shoulder. "You don't have to be mean!"
"I'm not being mean," David protests.
"Yes, you are. He's just a puppy."
"He's four years old, he's not a puppy!"
"The man does have a point," Joe spoke up, setting out forks and going back for glasses. "But at the same time, he's really not all that likely to give it up at this point, David."
David covers his ears. "La la la, I can't hear you!"
"Denial. So sad in a man your age," Joe sighs and shakes his head. "Riley and Angel almost came to blows over a stick."
"Again? Those two need to get a new routine."
"It's my fault, really. I should have taken a kong with me, but I forgot. They really thought it was quite the special stick though," Joe sighs.
"It was a very special stick," Kate says, handing the slices of bread over for David to prepare. "It was almost as big as Max."
"More like a tree branch, really. I'm not sure Max could have lifted it, although he probably would have tried if he wasn't occupied," Joe grins, giving Max a little poke with his foot, then going back to setting the table.
Everybody's making fun of me! Max buries his nose between his paws.
You eat shit, stupid. Of course they are. Templeton wanders under the table, taking up position to watch for scraps.
Max whines.
"Templeton!" Joe reacts without thinking, thunking the plates down on the table, crouching down and grabbing Templeton. Dragging him out, he stands up again, holding the ferret at eye level and glaring at him. "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to Max like that?"
I'll beat him up for you. Pixel's fixed a fierce little kitty look up at Templeton, her tail swishing back and forth angrily on the linoleum.
"Uh..." Kate clears her throat softly.
"What the hell did he say?" David demands, turning away from the garlic bread and planting his hands on his hips.
No, really. Pixel's very determined. I'll take him out to the backyard and show him once and for all...
I'd like to see you try, pint-size. Templeton thrashes in Joe's grasp.
Max whines louder then gets up and runs for David, who crouches down and scratches his ear. "Hey, hey, you're not the one in trouble, buddy."
"Um." Kate clears her throat louder.
Joe's forgotten that Kate's even in the room. "Max was upset because we were making fun of him, and Templeton called him stupid, and said of course we were," Joe says, still glaring at the ferret. "Pixel, honey, you're not helping. Let us handle this, okay?" he says, much more gently.
"Max, Max," David says, soothingly. He takes Max's face between his hands and leans in and kisses his nose. "You've got to not listen to the little guy. He's just a big jerk."
He's a little jerk. Pixel gets to her feet, though she doesn't move away from Joe. And I'll show him, I will, I'll show him not to pick on my Max!
"Pixel," Joe repeats, holding back a sigh. "Templeton's just being Templeton. Not that it matters if it's just your chronically bad attitude or not," he adds, looking at Templeton. "You know better, and I don't want to hear it, so you're going to apologize, and then you're going to leave the room, before I let Pixel go to town on your ass."
It's hard to tell, what with their beadiness at all, but it's highly likely that Templeton rolls his eyes. FINE. Max, I'm sorry I called you stupid.
Max hides his nose in David's armpit.
"Max," David says, gently, coaxing him away.
No. Max refuses to move. He whines, muffled.
That's about as good as they're going to get from Templeton, so Joe sets him on the ground, and picks up Pixel before she can pounce on the little bastard. "Okay, just go. No stealing food from here tonight--go to your bed," he orders, tucking Pixel into the corner of his arm.
Pixel mewls and wriggles. I'll make sure he stays in his bed!
David sighs heavily and moves Max away from him. "I've gotta finish our dinner, bud, but I promise if you go to your mat, there'll be cheese in it for you."
Max looks at him like he really doesn't want David to go anywhere, but he dutifully goes and curls up on his mat. When David stands again, he turns around and finds Kate staring at him with a look of utter incomprehension on her face.
"Uh," David says. "Hi."
"David," she replies.
"Well."
"Yeah."
"I guess... er." David looks at Joe for help.
"Pixel... I think you'd be better off staying here with Max, don't you think?" Joe suggests, still focused on the animals. "He seems pretty upset, and I think he needs some looking after." The room all of a sudden seems very quiet, and Joe looks up to see Kate looking confused, and David looking plaintive. "Um."
"You're both nuts," Kate declares.
"That's not... completely true, although I can see why you'd think that," Joe says.
"Kate," David says, looking from Joe to his sister, "he's like me. I mean--not just like me, he can't do exactly what I can do, but he's got a gift, too. Really."
"He's telling the truth," Joe says, backing David up and setting Pixel on the floor near Max. "I know what David can do, and, well... he knows what I can do."
Kate looks up at David, aghast. "You told him?"
"I live with him--he kind of had the right to know, Kate," David says.
"Mom's gonna kill you!"
Joe moves over to David and takes his hand. "I told him first," he says, defending David's decision... and getting a little more afraid of the Hewlett women every moment. "He told me after I told him."
David squeezes Joe's hand. "He knows what I can do, Kate. He has to, if we're gonna share everything. I can't keep secrets from Joe. I won't."
Kate crosses her arms and glares up at Joe. "So, what--you're Doctor Dolittle?"
"Those movies are really, really inaccurate," Joe mutters.
Kate's eyebrows pop up.
"With the mouths moving, and the animals..." Joe trails off when he sees her eyebrows go up. "Um. Yes. Pretty much. I can communicate with animals. I understand them, and they understand me."
Kate stares at them for a while, then shakes her head and turns away to finish up the garlic bread for David. "Madhouse," she mutters. "Mum'll kill you for telling someone, David."
"Why?" Joe asks, following after Kate. "We're both different--I've got as much to lose as he does if anyone finds out. And I would never, ever tell anyone what David can do."
"Because he shouldn't have ever told anyone!" Kate fumes, yanking open the oven door (hard enough that David winces) and shoving the baking tray inside.
"I'm not 'anyone'," Joe shoots back, his hand tightening on David's. "I'm his lover, and his partner, and his friend, and he means more to me than anyone else in the world. And I'd do anything I had to to keep him safe."
Kate turns and stares up at him, then suddenly she lets out a sob and flings herself at the both of them. "If you hurt him I swear I will hunt you down and kill you horribly!" she wails.
Joe turns his head to look at David, eyes wide, and arms full of weepy-sister.
"Welcome to the family," David says with a little grin.
"So... Max is basically a hyperactive and highly sensitive child, Pixel's overly protective and has no concept of the fact that she's itty bitty, Angel and Riley are kind of like Max's big brothers, and Templeton's a... a bastardly little bastard?" Kate sips her coffee, curled up in a corner of the loveseat, staring across at Joe and David on the couch.
"That's the thirty-second version, yeah. And Buffy and Faith, they're pretty insular, kind of into themselves. I should have named them Willow and Tara," Joe adds in a mutter.
"And you're almost as dorky as my brother," Kate says. "Has he got you watching Doctor Who?"
"Well... I'm not gonna leave him to watch TV all on his own while I go hide in the garage," Joe says, squirming beside David.
Kate laughs. "That's adorable," she declares. She takes another sip of her coffee. "So when did your... gift... develop?"
"Honestly? I'm not exactly sure," Joe admits. "I don't remember when I didn't talk to animals, and as far as I remember, they've always responded. My parents thought I was just overly imaginative."
"That's really too bad," Kate says. "What David can do--I mean, you can see it plain as day when he's standing next to your computer and touching it and fixing it just by doing that."
"Exactly. How do you prove that you're able to communicate with a ferret?"
"Are all ferrets like Templeton?" Kate asks, reaching up and absently scratching Pixel's head when the little cat climbs up onto the back of the couch and purrs into Kate's hair.
"Templeton's a special case," Joe admits. "I probably should have gotten a friend for him, but then, they might have just bitched at each other all the time, and he's bad enough."
"Oh dear," Kate says. "So it's a good thing you've only got him."
I should've hurt him. Pixel bounds down onto Kate's lap.
"Pixel, we don't hurt people for what they say," Joe reminds her.
Pixel sighs and curls up in a little grey ball on Kate's lap.
Kate looks curiously at Joe. "She's a vicious little thing?"
"She's very protective of Max. She has been since I first gave her to David," Joe explains.
"It's adorable," David says. "Because... well, they're both rather little, but she just adopted him."
"I think she's always known he needed some looking after. And he was missing Fable too," Joe adds, squeezing David's hand.
"We really missed Fable," David says, quietly. "We still do."
Kate frowns a little, picks up Pixel, and goes to sit on David's other side, resting her head on his shoulder.
Joe clears his throat, still holding David's hand tightly. "Besides... it was Pixel and Max who gave me the intel I needed to hit on David."
"Really?" Kate grins. "Blabbing all his secrets about his big crush on you?"
"Well..." Joe wasn't quite ready to admit that part, "they definitely let me know that I wasn't barking up the wrong orientation."
She laughs. "Oh, the little snitches."
Pixel rests her chin on Kate's bosom. We made their lives better!
"Yes, yes... you're miracle workers, you are," Joe says indulgently, managing to stroke the very top of Pixel's head... without groping David's sister.
"Watch where your hands are going," David says, frowning impressively.
"Fingers are well, well away from any part of anyone related to you," Joe protests.
David squints at him.
Joe leans his head on David's shoulder and gives him his very best Max-look. "I love you?"
David laughs. "Oh dear God, how do I deny that face?"
"Max taught me everything I know about that face."
"I can tell," the Hewlett siblings say at the same time.
"Okay, now that's just scary!" Joe says, eyes going wide.
Kate and David grin at him. "We're very good at doing that given the right circumstances," David says.
"Used to freak Mum and Dad right out sometimes," Kate adds.
"I can imagine. And a whole room full of Hewletts must be completely overwhelming." Joe shakes his head.
"Only a little," says Kate.
"If by 'a little' you mean wow that's a lot of Hewletts."
"I guess I can't really talk... I've got a pretty big extended family. Irish Catholic, and all that," Joe explains.
Kate goes thoughtful for a moment. "I just wonder what Gramma Hewlett would think about you dating an Irishman, David."
"He's not Irish, he's Irish-American," David protests.
"Because that makes all the difference in the world."
"It actually might be worse."
They're quiet a moment, then both say, "Good thing she's in England!"
Joe takes a break from being weirded out by the Hewlett chorus to take that in. "Oh lord... I'm not telling Granny Flanigan you're English. Canadian. Maybe."
"American, Canadian, Irish, English... Catholic, Protestant." Kate giggles. "Our grandparents will all be having ulcers."
"You know what's the really strange part?" Joe says, answering the question without waiting for an answer. "All of that's going to be what's the big deal in my family--not me bringing home a man."
"Oh, yeah, same for me," David says. "I mean, everyone knows I'm gay."
"I didn't... at first. I figured it out eventually!" It's not so much Joe's gaydar that doesn't function, although it's never been all that great. He never, ever seems to notice when someone might be interested in him, male or female.
Kate laughs. "Which I still think is very, very funny."
"I usually have to be slapped upside the head by someone," Joe sighs. "I'm not good with reading people. Animals are much easier."
Poor Joe. Max abandons his rawhide bone and comes over to Joe, front paws up on his knees. Poor Joe. Do you want to share my bone? I don't mind. Just for a little bit.
"Oh, thank you Max, but that's all right," Joe assures him, managing not to laugh. "Thank you for offering though. That was very generous of you."
David looks sidelong at him. "Did he just offer to share his bone with you again?"
"Yes. I think I looked like I needed it," Joe murmurs, ruffling Max's ears.
Anytime you want, Joe. You just have to ask.
"Anytime I want. Now can you beat an offer like that?"
Kate laughs. "Oh, he's so sweet. He's the sweetest boy in the world." She yawns widely, and closes her eyes as she settles more comfortably against David's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, don't fall asleep there. We can't all sleep on the couch," David says.
"Mm. Not sleepy," Kate insists.
"Miss Pixel is... she's nodded off completely," Joe says, pointing at the small cat in the cleavage.
Kate smiles and lifts a hand blindly to stroke Pixel's back. "She's obviously very comfy. I understand boobs are great to sleep on. Ask my last boyfriend."
David lets go of Joe's hand and covers his ears. "La la la la."
"She's not wrong, but you're even more comfortable," Joe says, laughing at David. "Come on... you may be lucky enough to score a day off, but I've got surgery tomorrow morning," he says with a groan.
"The corgi?" David asks, gently, reaching for Joe's hand again.
"Mmm hmm." Joe's brow creases in concern, as much as he's trying to hide it. "We've done all the tests we can, but nothing's clear enough. I honestly don't know how it's going to go," he admits.
David sighs softly and kisses his cheek. "You'll take good care of him. You always do, baby."
"I'll call you when it's over," he promises, taking David's hand and linking their fingers together. "And I'll be home for dinner." If possibly a little late.
"And I'll take good care of you tomorrow," Kate adds. "I mean, you're taking me shopping. It's the least I can do." She yawns again. "Okay, it's time for somebody to put me to bed." She strokes Pixel's head again, then asks, "I guess I can't take her to bed with me, huh?"
David shakes his head. "No, sorry. Animals sleep in their own beds."
Kate sighs and gently puts Pixel down on the floor. Max promptly picks her up by the scruff of the neck and carries her, rather awkwardly, out of the family room.
"He's lucky she's little," Joe says, shaking his head and watching Max carry Pixel out of the room. "For the record, the no animals in people beds rule is David's. He's the mean one."
"Terribly mean," Kate agrees, getting up and stretching. "Okay, boys. C'mere and give little sister hugs and kisses, because it's time for bed."
Joe smiles at her, letting go of David's hand for long enough to give Kate a big hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too," she says. She holds her hands out to David and he gathers her up in a big hug. "I've missed you so much," she says, muffled against his shoulder.
"I've missed you too. Sleep tight, sweetie."
"Don't do anything noisy," Kate says.
"Ohmygod." Joe looks aghast.
She giggles and hurries away.
David groans and throws his arms around Joe. "Take me to bed," he says.
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure she just frightened everything external away," Joe says, muffled against David's neck.
"Oh, mine too," David says. "I just... want you to take me to bed. Not take me in bed."
Laughing, Joe kisses David's cheek, then pulls away and starts leading him off to bed. "Hey, David?"
"Yeah, Joe?"
"I kind of love your sister."
"Me too."
"She also kind of scares me."
"Me too, gorgeous. Me too."
