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palace_martonJohnny got out of the shower, towelled off and slipped into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. It promised to be hot today -- that had been obvious even first thing in the morning when he'd snuck over to Palace Proper to swipe some muffins out of the dining room -- and he planned to shuck the shirt as soon as it got uncomfortable. Obie bounced back and forth next to him when he headed for the kitchen. He got his morning cookies after Johnny got dressed and wanted to make sure they weren't forgotten. Johnny handed him one, then followed him to his bed and dropped a handful. Happy crunching followed him back across the room, where he handed Shannon her cookie. She ate it politely and wagged her tail a couple of times, but her heart clearly wasn't in it.
"Sorry, love. I'm still working on that haunch of elk, okay?"
Shannon licked his knee and wagged a bit faster.
Christian's heart was still racing from the workout in spite of the time he'd spent coming up in the lift and he was sweating like crazy, anxious to get into a nice cool shower and then get some food. He waved bye to Will who had only this morning rejoined him in their exercise regimen and trotted across to the Shack, still rubbing the worst of the dampness of exertion out of his hair as he came out of the hallway and into the living area. "Morning," he told the pooches with a grin, bending down to kiss his lover. "Morning to you, too. You'll never guess what?" He flopped down onto the couch. "Oh. Shannon." The dog looked up at him. "Jason's waiting. Off you go." Shannon's tongue lolled out in a doggy grin and she headed off out the front door.
Christian no longer had to take her downstairs to get her morning run with Jason. The ingenious wolf had watched and learned and could now manage the first lift on her own, jumping up and pressing a paw to the down button. However, the second lift was beyond her and an affable security guard had offered to meet her off the P.P. lift and press the second down for her, a compromise which worked admirably for all concerned. Although, Christian sometimes wondered what folk thought if they happened to step into a downward moving lift with a rather large unaccompanied... dog. But there'd been no complaints so....
Johnny tapped a scroll on his bracelet to let Shannon through the fence, something Christian still forgot to do most mornings, and replied, "Does it to have anything to do with that truly impressive shiner your dad has?"
"Dad has a...?" Christian shook his head in disbelief. "No. I was gonna rag on him cause I've just been down the stables and Steward is back! A shiner, eh?" He sat up straighter, grinning. "Sounds like the boys' night was a roaring success."
"Boys' night?" Johnny blinked a couple of times, then the light dawned. "Oh, he went out partying? Wow, he can do that? We can't even go shopping without getting mobbed -- how'd Marton manage to get enough freedom for someone to take a swing at him?" He grinned and added, "And what dungeon is the guy who hit him rotting in this morning?"
"Oh no. That's not how it works at all!" Christian got up, headed into the kitchen to grab something to eat and spoke through the opening. "See, thing is, they go all disguised and stuff. Not over the top, just scruffy, Sean puts some kind of icky stuff in his hair to make it darker. Wash-out dye of some sort. Dad was scruffy anyway this time because of our little holiday but usually, once Sean and Harry have strong-armed him into it, he quits shaving, lets his hair do the curly thing, et cetera. It's the only time those hideous plaid shirts are allowed light of day anymore." He walked back around, a glass of milk in one hand and a muffin in the other and sat back down, waving the muffin as he talked. "And the shadows are under strict orders. They have to stay out of it unless it gets life-threatening. Which I guess explains the black eye."
"Huh." Johnny had a thoughtful look on his face and was giving Christian a speculative eye.
"What?" Christian took a big bite of muffin and returned the look.
"I'm trying to figure out what you'd look like as a blond. With maybe a mustache...?" Johnny squinted at him.
"What!?" Taking a hurried gulp of milk to settle the crumbs threatening to choke him, Christian pulled a face. "Fairly horrendous, I'd think. We kiddies don't get invited to Big Boys' Night Out," he told him. "We'd have to start our own. Or are you thinking of more ordinary stuff? Trips out and such?"
"Either," Johnny said with a shrug. "I mean, I'd love to be able to go out with you for the night, but even just for shopping or something. It'd be nice not to have to take half of Palace security with us, you know? We have all kinds of things to do right here, but it's nice to get away every now and then, like that trip to the zoo Will and I took. We could go see a vid in a theater, something just released with a big crowd of people laughing and clapping and gasping and booing and all. Or go to the beach -- I've never been in the ocean. Or just... go for a drink somewhere besides the pub downstairs. Maybe take Will and Caeline with us? But not have to be surrounded by shadows, or rent the place out for the night."
"Well jeez, dude, we can do that anytime." Christian leaned over and kissed the tip of Johnny's nose, wiping off the crumbs he left behind. "Only had to ask. I'm number one sneaky guy, remember? If I can't come up with something worthy of father then I'm not fit to be heir."
Johnny beamed up at him. "That'd be great!"
"And speaking of which... wonder how he's gonna explain the horse being back?"
"I don't know -- maybe you finally convinced him that he'd have more free time?"
"I thought I failed. Miserably." He scratched at the back of his head and shrugged. "Anyway. Forget that for now." Christian turned and looked at Johnny. "Where would you like to go? When?" Suddenly he was all eager for a bit of local R&R himself. "Caeline's back soon and we might be able to pry Will offa dad for an evening."
"Anywhere! I've been to the zoo and the mall and that's about it. Anything else is new and cool. We can ask Will what he'd like to do, and Caeline when she gets back -- when's that going to be?"
"Tomorrow or the next day," Christian told him. "She got delayed so we're not sure." He grinned suddenly. "Bet she'll be glad to get back here, though. From what she said the other day, she's fed up to the back teeth with being 'feted' for making her 'catch.'" He laughed. "Maybe the movies would be good for a start, eh? Must be something on worth seeing and it's been ages since I've had proper movie popcorn."
Johnny giggled and nodded, but then said, "Well, but if she weren't so nice you wouldn't have agreed, right? I mean, if she were really stuck up or nasty or something you wouldn't be marrying her so it kind of is good on her that you accepted. But yeah, we can find a nice, romantic vid -- or maybe something scary so she'll want to hide against your chest when the blood's spraying." He gave Christian a teasing flutter of eyelashes and made kissy noises.
Christian retaliated by pretending he was going to squish the remainder of his muffin into Johnny's face, pressing his lover back onto the couch and lying atop him, muffin poised menacingly. "Or we could watch a comedy," he said brightly. "Johnny Gets Squooshed. How's that sound?"
Johnny wrapped his arms and legs around his lover and pulled him down hard. "Mmm, so long as it's you doing the squooshing, that'd be just fine."
"You'd look good with a mohawk." Christian commented, dipping his head to steal a kiss.
"Nobody looks good with a mohawk, Christian."
Christian swung about, glancing over his shoulder. "Oh. Look. It's Sargeant Blackeye, Scourge of the 97th."
Marton pulled a face. Carefully. "Morning, Johnny," he greeted, ignoring his son. "Give you a hand with that pile of rubbish on your chest?"
"Awww, do you have to?" He grinned up at Marton, then craned his neck up and took a big bite of the muffin Christian still held threateningly over his head. "Mmm, chocolate chip!"
Marton, shaking his head, took a seat on the couch opposite. "You people are disgusting at this hour. Though I imagine you're disgusting at any hour." He shifted in his seat, seeking a more comfortable position.
Christian got off Johnny and sat back up. "You wanted something?" he asked, ignoring the insult for now.
Marton shook his head again, pointed at Johnny. "I want him, not you. After some... intelligent conversation this morning. Why don't you go...? Just go." He grinned.
Christian pretended to be offended, folding his arms and looking mutinously between the two of them. "Uh-uh."
Johnny scooted back and sat up against the arm of the sofa. He looked back and forth from Christian to Marton, then asked Marton, "What can I help you with?"
"I... umm...." Marton looked at Christian, knowing full well he was going to cop a mouthful for this one. He ducked his head. "It's about Steward," he said.
Christian snorted. "Ah. The go-away-come-again horsie. What? You want Johnny to...." He got a clue and shot to his feet. "Oh no. No more. I'm taking a shower. Bye!" He shot off up the hallway, leaving Marton and Johnny alone.
Johnny stared after his lover's hastily retreating back, then grinned at Marton. He settled down more comfortably in the corner of the sofa and said, "So, you want to talk about dressage? I can't think of anything else that'd send him out of here like a bolt of lightning was on his tail."
"Actually...." It was a lot easier to discuss this without his son's hovering, Marton found. "I want to hire you," he said. "To school Steward. Liam kinda thought... sorta said... and I...." He waved a hand in the air, courage suddenly deserting him as he realized that this really was a big ask for someone who was studying.
"Oh!" Johnny popped up straight again and bounced on the edge of the cushion. "I should've thought of that before! That's a great idea!"
"It... it is?"
"Of course it is! I worked with Hurricane and Typhoon while I was at Liam's -- he told you about that, right?" At Marton's nod, he went on with, "I like doing it. I work with Hera some, but since Christian just sort of hacks around with her it's not for anything, you know? But you compete Steward, don't you? Or you used to? So there's a purpose and something to plan for. It'll be great!" Johnny beamed sunny enthusiasm.
"Yeah?" Marton's face brightened. "I mean, I was going to retire him because I don't have time for all the work you have to do for competition but there's nothing wrong with Steward, he's a champion. I just felt bad and, well, like I said, I don't expect you to do it for nothing." Marton had woken up this morning with all manner of other things weighing on his mind and had chosen to come over to the shack hoping to get his mind off last night. He was succeeding admirably and, despite his various aches and pains, his renewed enthusiasm was plain to see.
Johnny nodded and bounced some more. "So you'd compete him if he were in condition but you don't have time to work with him and keep him schooled and in shape. So I can do that part for you and then you only have to make time for events."
"Yeah." Marton rubbed his hands together, his mind already flying ahead to event dates and schedules and.... He stopped for a second with his indulgences and named an amount he figured would cover Johnny's expenses.
Johnny flushed and shook his head. "You don't have to pay me, really. Family helps each other out. And besides, I love doing it, it's fun."
"I know." Marton realized he might be on the edge of a mistake here and he needed to clarify. "But there are expenses and I'd rather have you than someone I hired. Besides," he said with a wink, "Christian gets an allowance, why shouldn't you?"
Johnny tried to stifle it, but the thought of Christian being handed an allowance like an eight-year-old getting a couple of coins from his da every Saturday made him sputter with laughter. "All right, you win. That's just too funny, but if you really want to then okay. I'll just have to be sure you make it back in prize money." He curled up into the sofa and gave Marton a cocky wink.
Marton looked right back at him. "And if I'm busy that day, you ride," he told him. "So the pay will come in handy, no?" It wasn't just that though. Johnny was an official member of the family, especially now he wore Christian's ring, and a remuneration was standard. This was just a neat way of doing it without embarrassment.
Johnny sat back, his spine stiffening up. "Umm, I've never competed. I mean, I can do all the tests and stuff but I've never actually gone into the arena with judges and all. I just... I'd hate to mess things up for Steward. And for you, I mean, if I'm riding for you and I made some stupid beginner mistake...." Johnny was squirming by the time he wound down, imagining all the things that could go wrong for a new and nervous rider at a high-test competition.
"Johnny." Marton leaned across and laid a hand on Johnny's knee. "I was kidding. If and when you feel ready to compete, you can ride Steward under your own name, okay?"
Johnny tried to smile and mostly succeeded. "Maybe I could start with Hera? She's never competed either and doesn't have a reputation to ruin, you know? I might have to start at the beginning anyway -- I don't know, I never asked -- so she and I could learn about competitions together, until I'm good enough for Steward? She's really not bad, she got some great schooling before Christian got her; she's just sort of rusty."
"Whatever suits you is fine by me." Marton sat back a little, reassured. "Got any idea what you want to start with?" he asked. "He could probably use a good run through the basics again." Marton relaxed as Johnny began to run through ideas, perfectly comfortable and in no rush to move. Christian couldn't stay in that bathroom forever and Marton fully intended for the subject of the conversation to remain on dressage no matter when his pain-in-the-ass son emerged. Revenge, he decided, was sweet.
"Sorry, love. I'm still working on that haunch of elk, okay?"
Shannon licked his knee and wagged a bit faster.
Christian's heart was still racing from the workout in spite of the time he'd spent coming up in the lift and he was sweating like crazy, anxious to get into a nice cool shower and then get some food. He waved bye to Will who had only this morning rejoined him in their exercise regimen and trotted across to the Shack, still rubbing the worst of the dampness of exertion out of his hair as he came out of the hallway and into the living area. "Morning," he told the pooches with a grin, bending down to kiss his lover. "Morning to you, too. You'll never guess what?" He flopped down onto the couch. "Oh. Shannon." The dog looked up at him. "Jason's waiting. Off you go." Shannon's tongue lolled out in a doggy grin and she headed off out the front door.
Christian no longer had to take her downstairs to get her morning run with Jason. The ingenious wolf had watched and learned and could now manage the first lift on her own, jumping up and pressing a paw to the down button. However, the second lift was beyond her and an affable security guard had offered to meet her off the P.P. lift and press the second down for her, a compromise which worked admirably for all concerned. Although, Christian sometimes wondered what folk thought if they happened to step into a downward moving lift with a rather large unaccompanied... dog. But there'd been no complaints so....
Johnny tapped a scroll on his bracelet to let Shannon through the fence, something Christian still forgot to do most mornings, and replied, "Does it to have anything to do with that truly impressive shiner your dad has?"
"Dad has a...?" Christian shook his head in disbelief. "No. I was gonna rag on him cause I've just been down the stables and Steward is back! A shiner, eh?" He sat up straighter, grinning. "Sounds like the boys' night was a roaring success."
"Boys' night?" Johnny blinked a couple of times, then the light dawned. "Oh, he went out partying? Wow, he can do that? We can't even go shopping without getting mobbed -- how'd Marton manage to get enough freedom for someone to take a swing at him?" He grinned and added, "And what dungeon is the guy who hit him rotting in this morning?"
"Oh no. That's not how it works at all!" Christian got up, headed into the kitchen to grab something to eat and spoke through the opening. "See, thing is, they go all disguised and stuff. Not over the top, just scruffy, Sean puts some kind of icky stuff in his hair to make it darker. Wash-out dye of some sort. Dad was scruffy anyway this time because of our little holiday but usually, once Sean and Harry have strong-armed him into it, he quits shaving, lets his hair do the curly thing, et cetera. It's the only time those hideous plaid shirts are allowed light of day anymore." He walked back around, a glass of milk in one hand and a muffin in the other and sat back down, waving the muffin as he talked. "And the shadows are under strict orders. They have to stay out of it unless it gets life-threatening. Which I guess explains the black eye."
"Huh." Johnny had a thoughtful look on his face and was giving Christian a speculative eye.
"What?" Christian took a big bite of muffin and returned the look.
"I'm trying to figure out what you'd look like as a blond. With maybe a mustache...?" Johnny squinted at him.
"What!?" Taking a hurried gulp of milk to settle the crumbs threatening to choke him, Christian pulled a face. "Fairly horrendous, I'd think. We kiddies don't get invited to Big Boys' Night Out," he told him. "We'd have to start our own. Or are you thinking of more ordinary stuff? Trips out and such?"
"Either," Johnny said with a shrug. "I mean, I'd love to be able to go out with you for the night, but even just for shopping or something. It'd be nice not to have to take half of Palace security with us, you know? We have all kinds of things to do right here, but it's nice to get away every now and then, like that trip to the zoo Will and I took. We could go see a vid in a theater, something just released with a big crowd of people laughing and clapping and gasping and booing and all. Or go to the beach -- I've never been in the ocean. Or just... go for a drink somewhere besides the pub downstairs. Maybe take Will and Caeline with us? But not have to be surrounded by shadows, or rent the place out for the night."
"Well jeez, dude, we can do that anytime." Christian leaned over and kissed the tip of Johnny's nose, wiping off the crumbs he left behind. "Only had to ask. I'm number one sneaky guy, remember? If I can't come up with something worthy of father then I'm not fit to be heir."
Johnny beamed up at him. "That'd be great!"
"And speaking of which... wonder how he's gonna explain the horse being back?"
"I don't know -- maybe you finally convinced him that he'd have more free time?"
"I thought I failed. Miserably." He scratched at the back of his head and shrugged. "Anyway. Forget that for now." Christian turned and looked at Johnny. "Where would you like to go? When?" Suddenly he was all eager for a bit of local R&R himself. "Caeline's back soon and we might be able to pry Will offa dad for an evening."
"Anywhere! I've been to the zoo and the mall and that's about it. Anything else is new and cool. We can ask Will what he'd like to do, and Caeline when she gets back -- when's that going to be?"
"Tomorrow or the next day," Christian told him. "She got delayed so we're not sure." He grinned suddenly. "Bet she'll be glad to get back here, though. From what she said the other day, she's fed up to the back teeth with being 'feted' for making her 'catch.'" He laughed. "Maybe the movies would be good for a start, eh? Must be something on worth seeing and it's been ages since I've had proper movie popcorn."
Johnny giggled and nodded, but then said, "Well, but if she weren't so nice you wouldn't have agreed, right? I mean, if she were really stuck up or nasty or something you wouldn't be marrying her so it kind of is good on her that you accepted. But yeah, we can find a nice, romantic vid -- or maybe something scary so she'll want to hide against your chest when the blood's spraying." He gave Christian a teasing flutter of eyelashes and made kissy noises.
Christian retaliated by pretending he was going to squish the remainder of his muffin into Johnny's face, pressing his lover back onto the couch and lying atop him, muffin poised menacingly. "Or we could watch a comedy," he said brightly. "Johnny Gets Squooshed. How's that sound?"
Johnny wrapped his arms and legs around his lover and pulled him down hard. "Mmm, so long as it's you doing the squooshing, that'd be just fine."
"You'd look good with a mohawk." Christian commented, dipping his head to steal a kiss.
"Nobody looks good with a mohawk, Christian."
Christian swung about, glancing over his shoulder. "Oh. Look. It's Sargeant Blackeye, Scourge of the 97th."
Marton pulled a face. Carefully. "Morning, Johnny," he greeted, ignoring his son. "Give you a hand with that pile of rubbish on your chest?"
"Awww, do you have to?" He grinned up at Marton, then craned his neck up and took a big bite of the muffin Christian still held threateningly over his head. "Mmm, chocolate chip!"
Marton, shaking his head, took a seat on the couch opposite. "You people are disgusting at this hour. Though I imagine you're disgusting at any hour." He shifted in his seat, seeking a more comfortable position.
Christian got off Johnny and sat back up. "You wanted something?" he asked, ignoring the insult for now.
Marton shook his head again, pointed at Johnny. "I want him, not you. After some... intelligent conversation this morning. Why don't you go...? Just go." He grinned.
Christian pretended to be offended, folding his arms and looking mutinously between the two of them. "Uh-uh."
Johnny scooted back and sat up against the arm of the sofa. He looked back and forth from Christian to Marton, then asked Marton, "What can I help you with?"
"I... umm...." Marton looked at Christian, knowing full well he was going to cop a mouthful for this one. He ducked his head. "It's about Steward," he said.
Christian snorted. "Ah. The go-away-come-again horsie. What? You want Johnny to...." He got a clue and shot to his feet. "Oh no. No more. I'm taking a shower. Bye!" He shot off up the hallway, leaving Marton and Johnny alone.
Johnny stared after his lover's hastily retreating back, then grinned at Marton. He settled down more comfortably in the corner of the sofa and said, "So, you want to talk about dressage? I can't think of anything else that'd send him out of here like a bolt of lightning was on his tail."
"Actually...." It was a lot easier to discuss this without his son's hovering, Marton found. "I want to hire you," he said. "To school Steward. Liam kinda thought... sorta said... and I...." He waved a hand in the air, courage suddenly deserting him as he realized that this really was a big ask for someone who was studying.
"Oh!" Johnny popped up straight again and bounced on the edge of the cushion. "I should've thought of that before! That's a great idea!"
"It... it is?"
"Of course it is! I worked with Hurricane and Typhoon while I was at Liam's -- he told you about that, right?" At Marton's nod, he went on with, "I like doing it. I work with Hera some, but since Christian just sort of hacks around with her it's not for anything, you know? But you compete Steward, don't you? Or you used to? So there's a purpose and something to plan for. It'll be great!" Johnny beamed sunny enthusiasm.
"Yeah?" Marton's face brightened. "I mean, I was going to retire him because I don't have time for all the work you have to do for competition but there's nothing wrong with Steward, he's a champion. I just felt bad and, well, like I said, I don't expect you to do it for nothing." Marton had woken up this morning with all manner of other things weighing on his mind and had chosen to come over to the shack hoping to get his mind off last night. He was succeeding admirably and, despite his various aches and pains, his renewed enthusiasm was plain to see.
Johnny nodded and bounced some more. "So you'd compete him if he were in condition but you don't have time to work with him and keep him schooled and in shape. So I can do that part for you and then you only have to make time for events."
"Yeah." Marton rubbed his hands together, his mind already flying ahead to event dates and schedules and.... He stopped for a second with his indulgences and named an amount he figured would cover Johnny's expenses.
Johnny flushed and shook his head. "You don't have to pay me, really. Family helps each other out. And besides, I love doing it, it's fun."
"I know." Marton realized he might be on the edge of a mistake here and he needed to clarify. "But there are expenses and I'd rather have you than someone I hired. Besides," he said with a wink, "Christian gets an allowance, why shouldn't you?"
Johnny tried to stifle it, but the thought of Christian being handed an allowance like an eight-year-old getting a couple of coins from his da every Saturday made him sputter with laughter. "All right, you win. That's just too funny, but if you really want to then okay. I'll just have to be sure you make it back in prize money." He curled up into the sofa and gave Marton a cocky wink.
Marton looked right back at him. "And if I'm busy that day, you ride," he told him. "So the pay will come in handy, no?" It wasn't just that though. Johnny was an official member of the family, especially now he wore Christian's ring, and a remuneration was standard. This was just a neat way of doing it without embarrassment.
Johnny sat back, his spine stiffening up. "Umm, I've never competed. I mean, I can do all the tests and stuff but I've never actually gone into the arena with judges and all. I just... I'd hate to mess things up for Steward. And for you, I mean, if I'm riding for you and I made some stupid beginner mistake...." Johnny was squirming by the time he wound down, imagining all the things that could go wrong for a new and nervous rider at a high-test competition.
"Johnny." Marton leaned across and laid a hand on Johnny's knee. "I was kidding. If and when you feel ready to compete, you can ride Steward under your own name, okay?"
Johnny tried to smile and mostly succeeded. "Maybe I could start with Hera? She's never competed either and doesn't have a reputation to ruin, you know? I might have to start at the beginning anyway -- I don't know, I never asked -- so she and I could learn about competitions together, until I'm good enough for Steward? She's really not bad, she got some great schooling before Christian got her; she's just sort of rusty."
"Whatever suits you is fine by me." Marton sat back a little, reassured. "Got any idea what you want to start with?" he asked. "He could probably use a good run through the basics again." Marton relaxed as Johnny began to run through ideas, perfectly comfortable and in no rush to move. Christian couldn't stay in that bathroom forever and Marton fully intended for the subject of the conversation to remain on dressage no matter when his pain-in-the-ass son emerged. Revenge, he decided, was sweet.
