"Party" (Out of the Dark, 2006)
Oct. 16th, 2009 09:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
riptide_asylumTitle: Party
Rating: PG
Summary: Someday, Nick will learn to enjoy a party.
Nick watched Cody work the crowd. Everyone was there: Murray and his daughters, Tammy and Jo and Erin and everyone in this world who loved Cody even a tenth as much as Nick did.
At Cody's elbow, Nick hovered. His hugs were a little less heartfelt than Cody, a little quicker, his eyes already on the next person coming at his partner with open arms, assessing them as a threat rather than a guest. Cody caught his eye and gave him a half-hearted glare, and Nick grinned, trying to relax.
Cody pulled Dooley into a bear hug, his arms already open for Mrs. Dooley and the Doolettes, as they privately called them, as Nick looked around Straightaways and fought hard to relax.
Half-hearted. Some fucking joke.
Cody's 48th birthday, a good reason for everyone to celebrate the long, gray dormant California winter, and none of them, Nick was willing to bet, none of them, had even the faintest--
Cody put his hand on Nick's arm, pulling him close, here in front of sixty of their closest friends. Time was, Nick would have shied from the attention. Hell, they both would've. But now, Cody barely out of the hospital, ignoring all Nick's protests, enjoying the limelight, Nick didn't care if the whole world was watching. Pitbull. His mother. Mama Jo, God rest her soul in pace eternam, amen. It had been too long, with too many close calls for Nick not to let himself be pulled into those arms, his mouth automatically anticipating the kiss Cody offered, even as everyone else hooted and called around them. Nick opened his eyes as Cody' pulled back just enough for a free breath.
His.
All these people, the string quartet, Max herself come down from Chico to preside over the gathering and everything, all Nick could think was: I've gotta get him out of here.
He trailed round after Cody, from knot to knot of all the people filling the waterfront restaurant and by dint of long practice said all the right words, made all the right gestures. Even knowing the Hightide was just beyond the wide glass windows, berthed just a few hundred feet away, still at Slip 7, gave Nick no relief. His brain whirled, taking in all the noise and heat and well-meaning hands outstretched, and returned again and again to him and Cody on the bathroom floor, Cody grey and terrified, terrified beyond anything they'd seen in Nam, holding onto Nick with everything he had. Everything they both had.
Eventually Nick fled for the relative safety of the outdoor terrace, the wide night sky offering absolution. He tilted his head to it gladly. He wanted to leave when Cody was ready, despite what his base instincts told him.
Cody arrived at the sliding glass doors to the terrace maybe a minute later, trying to cover being out of breath. "Nick?" he hazarded. "Buddy?"
Nick took a deep breath, filling his lungs with sweet air unsullied by walls and doors and roofs. At that moment, Nick wanted to be strong. He wanted to be what Cody wanted: strong and silent and perfectly supportive of this outpouring of emotion. All these people who loved Cody, and wanted to show him, show them. But Nick could only be him, and trust that as he was Cody's, Cody could forgive him. He wrenched his tear-filled eyes from the star-pecked sky, mute and apologetic.
There was no need of words. There never had been.
Nick shook against Cody's chest, and Cody hung on tight; it took only a few moments for Nick to give in, releasing all the love he felt for Cody, willing him to take it, let it serve as explanation for behavior even he recognized as bizarre.
"Cody," Nick began softly. "I've loved you since the day I met you."
"Nick..."
"But baby, sometimes..."
Cody stepped in close. "Love you, Nick. Love you," he said softly. "You ready to go home?"
Nick's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Cody pulled Nick into his arms in a rough, tight hug. "Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?"
Cody harrumphed.
Nick suspected for once it was the other way around, and tightened his arms, laying his head on Cody's shoulder with a soft noise like a growl. Cody moved one hand to the back of Nick's head, rubbing softly. "Thirty years, Nick. Jesus, where did the time go?"
A wind sprang up and toyed with the boats at the pier, bumping them against the wood-swollen dock. Nick listened, eyes closed. "Good years," he murmured contentedly.
"The best." Cody kissed Nick's head, carefully avoiding his ear. Nick grinned at his partner's reticence. Cody took a deep breath that swelled his chest against Nick's own. "So much, Nick. Wanna go back to the party?"
"No." Nick held on.
Cody chuckled. "C'mon, let's go back to the boat. I'll throw you your own party, big guy."
Nick stepped back, tears still unshed in his eyes. "You can't leave, you're the guest of honor."
"S'exactly why I can leave, Nick." Cody leaned forward and nipped gently at his lover's full bottom lip. Nick claimed his mouth, gentle but firm.
"Hey guys! Guys! You'll never guess who--" The door burst open and Murray came charging through, Joanna hard on his heels. They both stopped short at the sight of Nick and Cody and Murray made a raw gasping noise. With difficulty, he collected himself. "I'm sorry, guys. You'd think I'd have learned to knock by now." He turned, a hand on Joanna's arm. "Jo, let's just leave them--"
"Murray, Murray, it's okay." Cody let go of Nick, but remained pressed against him. "Actually, we're just on our way out. Nick's kind of tired, so I'm gonna take him back to the boat."
Nick shot Cody a look. It had nothing to do with being tired and everything to do with being Cody.
"Oh. Oh! Okay. Nick, did you want to try my Bozkaseltzer? It's still in development, but the initial round of testing has been--well, I'd call it encouraging, despite the crying and the seiz--you know what? Just try it and--"
Joanne tugged gently at Murray's sleeve with a silent shake of her perfectly coiffed, blonde head.
Nick looked at Cody and knew at once that what Cody wanted, more than anything else, was to go home and hold him tight in their dark den of a stateroom. Even if it was the last thing he would've admitted to Boz and Joanna.
Entire volumes of conversation passed between the two of them in a few short moments, carried away by the wind and the dark, into the Central Californian night.
"You know what, Murray?" Cody smiled wide. "I'm gonna take good care of Nick. I think maybe he just needs a little peace and quiet, maybe some sleep, he'll be as good as new."
"Murray, I'd have to agree." Joanna's voice was low and softly accented still. "I think they're going to be just fine." She cleared her throat. "Besides, there are some people I want you to meet. Let's let them be, okay darling?" She placed a gentle kiss against Murray's cheek and his blush made Nick frown in bewilderment. Maybe that way how people felt watching him and Cody together.
"Hey."
Nick returned his attention immediately to the beautiful fey blond at his side. His beautiful fey blond. "Hey yourself." He looked Cody up and down. "You sure?"
Cody grinned. "Never surer."
"I'm not sure that's even a word." Nick leaned in and stole a kiss. One turned to two, turned to more; in those kisses, Nick heard Cody's truths. Felt it in the way he leaned into Nick, reluctant to leave the moment.
"Home," Nick said softly. He gave Cody's jaw a soft nuzzle.
Cody nodded.
"We good? You said your good-byes?"
"Don't want to." Cody looked at him through heavy eyes. At that moment he looked every minute of fifty-three years and one heart attack old, much as Nick would have loved to argue the contrary. Instead, he slung an arm round Cody's shoulder and guided him deftly towards the gate leading from the Straightaway's patio to the long, sloped concrete switchbacks leading down to the slips. They walked together, hip to hip, and for once, Nick had no second thoughts about sliding his arm around Cody's back, pulling him close, taking on his weight under the full view of the public eye and the wide black heavens above the Pacific Ocean.
Rating: PG
Summary: Someday, Nick will learn to enjoy a party.
Nick watched Cody work the crowd. Everyone was there: Murray and his daughters, Tammy and Jo and Erin and everyone in this world who loved Cody even a tenth as much as Nick did.
At Cody's elbow, Nick hovered. His hugs were a little less heartfelt than Cody, a little quicker, his eyes already on the next person coming at his partner with open arms, assessing them as a threat rather than a guest. Cody caught his eye and gave him a half-hearted glare, and Nick grinned, trying to relax.
Cody pulled Dooley into a bear hug, his arms already open for Mrs. Dooley and the Doolettes, as they privately called them, as Nick looked around Straightaways and fought hard to relax.
Half-hearted. Some fucking joke.
Cody's 48th birthday, a good reason for everyone to celebrate the long, gray dormant California winter, and none of them, Nick was willing to bet, none of them, had even the faintest--
Cody put his hand on Nick's arm, pulling him close, here in front of sixty of their closest friends. Time was, Nick would have shied from the attention. Hell, they both would've. But now, Cody barely out of the hospital, ignoring all Nick's protests, enjoying the limelight, Nick didn't care if the whole world was watching. Pitbull. His mother. Mama Jo, God rest her soul in pace eternam, amen. It had been too long, with too many close calls for Nick not to let himself be pulled into those arms, his mouth automatically anticipating the kiss Cody offered, even as everyone else hooted and called around them. Nick opened his eyes as Cody' pulled back just enough for a free breath.
His.
All these people, the string quartet, Max herself come down from Chico to preside over the gathering and everything, all Nick could think was: I've gotta get him out of here.
He trailed round after Cody, from knot to knot of all the people filling the waterfront restaurant and by dint of long practice said all the right words, made all the right gestures. Even knowing the Hightide was just beyond the wide glass windows, berthed just a few hundred feet away, still at Slip 7, gave Nick no relief. His brain whirled, taking in all the noise and heat and well-meaning hands outstretched, and returned again and again to him and Cody on the bathroom floor, Cody grey and terrified, terrified beyond anything they'd seen in Nam, holding onto Nick with everything he had. Everything they both had.
Eventually Nick fled for the relative safety of the outdoor terrace, the wide night sky offering absolution. He tilted his head to it gladly. He wanted to leave when Cody was ready, despite what his base instincts told him.
Cody arrived at the sliding glass doors to the terrace maybe a minute later, trying to cover being out of breath. "Nick?" he hazarded. "Buddy?"
Nick took a deep breath, filling his lungs with sweet air unsullied by walls and doors and roofs. At that moment, Nick wanted to be strong. He wanted to be what Cody wanted: strong and silent and perfectly supportive of this outpouring of emotion. All these people who loved Cody, and wanted to show him, show them. But Nick could only be him, and trust that as he was Cody's, Cody could forgive him. He wrenched his tear-filled eyes from the star-pecked sky, mute and apologetic.
There was no need of words. There never had been.
Nick shook against Cody's chest, and Cody hung on tight; it took only a few moments for Nick to give in, releasing all the love he felt for Cody, willing him to take it, let it serve as explanation for behavior even he recognized as bizarre.
"Cody," Nick began softly. "I've loved you since the day I met you."
"Nick..."
"But baby, sometimes..."
Cody stepped in close. "Love you, Nick. Love you," he said softly. "You ready to go home?"
Nick's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Cody pulled Nick into his arms in a rough, tight hug. "Thank you," he whispered.
"For what?"
Cody harrumphed.
Nick suspected for once it was the other way around, and tightened his arms, laying his head on Cody's shoulder with a soft noise like a growl. Cody moved one hand to the back of Nick's head, rubbing softly. "Thirty years, Nick. Jesus, where did the time go?"
A wind sprang up and toyed with the boats at the pier, bumping them against the wood-swollen dock. Nick listened, eyes closed. "Good years," he murmured contentedly.
"The best." Cody kissed Nick's head, carefully avoiding his ear. Nick grinned at his partner's reticence. Cody took a deep breath that swelled his chest against Nick's own. "So much, Nick. Wanna go back to the party?"
"No." Nick held on.
Cody chuckled. "C'mon, let's go back to the boat. I'll throw you your own party, big guy."
Nick stepped back, tears still unshed in his eyes. "You can't leave, you're the guest of honor."
"S'exactly why I can leave, Nick." Cody leaned forward and nipped gently at his lover's full bottom lip. Nick claimed his mouth, gentle but firm.
"Hey guys! Guys! You'll never guess who--" The door burst open and Murray came charging through, Joanna hard on his heels. They both stopped short at the sight of Nick and Cody and Murray made a raw gasping noise. With difficulty, he collected himself. "I'm sorry, guys. You'd think I'd have learned to knock by now." He turned, a hand on Joanna's arm. "Jo, let's just leave them--"
"Murray, Murray, it's okay." Cody let go of Nick, but remained pressed against him. "Actually, we're just on our way out. Nick's kind of tired, so I'm gonna take him back to the boat."
Nick shot Cody a look. It had nothing to do with being tired and everything to do with being Cody.
"Oh. Oh! Okay. Nick, did you want to try my Bozkaseltzer? It's still in development, but the initial round of testing has been--well, I'd call it encouraging, despite the crying and the seiz--you know what? Just try it and--"
Joanne tugged gently at Murray's sleeve with a silent shake of her perfectly coiffed, blonde head.
Nick looked at Cody and knew at once that what Cody wanted, more than anything else, was to go home and hold him tight in their dark den of a stateroom. Even if it was the last thing he would've admitted to Boz and Joanna.
Entire volumes of conversation passed between the two of them in a few short moments, carried away by the wind and the dark, into the Central Californian night.
"You know what, Murray?" Cody smiled wide. "I'm gonna take good care of Nick. I think maybe he just needs a little peace and quiet, maybe some sleep, he'll be as good as new."
"Murray, I'd have to agree." Joanna's voice was low and softly accented still. "I think they're going to be just fine." She cleared her throat. "Besides, there are some people I want you to meet. Let's let them be, okay darling?" She placed a gentle kiss against Murray's cheek and his blush made Nick frown in bewilderment. Maybe that way how people felt watching him and Cody together.
"Hey."
Nick returned his attention immediately to the beautiful fey blond at his side. His beautiful fey blond. "Hey yourself." He looked Cody up and down. "You sure?"
Cody grinned. "Never surer."
"I'm not sure that's even a word." Nick leaned in and stole a kiss. One turned to two, turned to more; in those kisses, Nick heard Cody's truths. Felt it in the way he leaned into Nick, reluctant to leave the moment.
"Home," Nick said softly. He gave Cody's jaw a soft nuzzle.
Cody nodded.
"We good? You said your good-byes?"
"Don't want to." Cody looked at him through heavy eyes. At that moment he looked every minute of fifty-three years and one heart attack old, much as Nick would have loved to argue the contrary. Instead, he slung an arm round Cody's shoulder and guided him deftly towards the gate leading from the Straightaway's patio to the long, sloped concrete switchbacks leading down to the slips. They walked together, hip to hip, and for once, Nick had no second thoughts about sliding his arm around Cody's back, pulling him close, taking on his weight under the full view of the public eye and the wide black heavens above the Pacific Ocean.
