Dolce - Part Six: An Island Getaway

[churbooseanon]

I’m hoping the next one doesn’t takes so long to post because I’m already quite far into the editing. This and part seven were originally one portion, but it was getting too long and to a size that Tumblr has problems handling.

Dolce - Part Six: An Island Getaway

It was a perfect moment. The smell of the sea and sand. The soft rasp of waves licking against the shore. The gentle giggle of air through the palm fronds high overhead. A dark sky lit with more stars than really should have been possible on this world, and a warm yellow-glow cast all around him by the dimmed lights in the villa. He could taste the salt of the air in his mouth, and that taste was more of his childhood than Locus really knew how to explain. There was even that ever present sensation of wet sand between his toes, sand and salt drying onto his legs from his walking along the beach.

It was a perfect moment.

Of course his phone would start ringing with the annoying tone Locus had selected for Felix. Who else would manage to disturb a perfect moment, and yet leave Locus yearning for their presence?

With a sigh Locus pulled his cellphone from the pocket of his robe, though he didn’t break stride as he strode along the sand, the water occasionally coming up far enough to lick at his toes and put a chill in them. Maybe that wasn’t the only thing that made Locus shiver, though.

“I’m assuming you have questions,” he answered. No doubt the call was regarding the fact that they’d be meeting in the morning for their grand charade, or maybe over some detail in the files that Doyle had sent which had laid out the story they were going to tell a while back. “Ones that Doyle could not provide you with answers for and which are too pressing to wait until I see you tomorrow?”

“Shut up,” was the snapped response from Felix. “He’s provided me enough. More than, even! But I just…”
 

There was a tension, a nervousness in Felix’s voice that kept Locus silent, and left his heart bordering on racing.

“He can’t tell me it’s gonna be fine. So? What do you think? Will it be okay? I mean, I’ve lied about a million things. Who I was, what I do, what I am, but this is… this is a whole other life we’re lying about.”

“You’ll have the better part of a day to prepare for it,” Locus assured Felix with a sigh, coming to a stop along the beach and letting the sea water rush up over his ankles. Was it wrong to reassure Felix when he had the same concerns? “Ultimately this will only be lying on a slightly larger scale than you’re used to, for a slightly longer period of time. But if that is not enough, find the parts of it you would like to be true, and cling to them. For instance, you seem quite fond of wealth and displays of it, so I believe you should have no issue enjoying the thought of my summer home as your own.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” Locus heard Felix mutter. “Okay. I just… had to make sure. Like you said, a little larger scale than I’m used to. And I don’t know anyone who has a god damn summer home. Fuck, do you really go to it in the summers? What the fuck is with you rich ass people?”

It was a story that Locus didn’t even remotely want to get into, so he just let the question hang until Felix spoke up again, likely to fill the silence. The escort seemed less comfortable with quiet than Locus was.

“So… I guess I’ll meet you there? Or at the airport or what? What are we doing again?”

“A car will be by your apartment to pick you up tomorrow morning. There will be a packet with your plane tickets and everything you need for the flight. I have you booked first class, so you will be comfortable and free to drink to calm your nerves. I don’t recommend it, though. I will meet you at the baggage claim when you land. From there we will drive to the port and I’ll ferry you to the island myself. Really, it’s a simple thing,” Locus shrugged.

The silence was longer this time, to the point where Locus actually lowered the phone to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. Sometimes it did that in the strangest places on the island, which really wasn’t too surprising. He managed to get it back to his ear just in time to hear Felix start speaking again.

“This is the most elaborate lie I’ve ever lived and I gotta say, I’m kind of excited. I mean… Well, I’ve been around, yeah, but this just sounds like something from Old Earth movies. Well, whatever. You have successfully calmed my nerves, don’t let it go to your head, though.”

Like he would ever let himself believe something he did really helped Felix. He was still shocked that Felix wasn’t demanding insane rates for the time they were going to spend together. But maybe that wasn’t fair to the other man. Felix had helped him before with Lily. Then again, someone could suggest that Locus had paid Felix with his body, but that really hadn’t been an agreement so much as something that had happened. Right?

“It may be your most elaborate lie, but the better part of it is my life,” Locus sighed. “This is something I’ll manage to pull off even if you can’t. Is that all Felix?”

“One last thing… What are you wearing?”

Locus could hear the grin in Felix’s voice, and rolled his eyes at the question. He should hang up for something so stupid as that, but…

But he couldn’t help but think of those moments in his apartment, pressing Felix into the bed below him, his heart in his throat and pounding in his ears as he took what he wanted. Gave what he was desperate to give. Enjoyed the wonders of Felix’s body for the only time he would ever let himself indulge in it. Right?

“A green silk robe,” Locus provided, smiling himself. “I have a matching orange one in your size, a hideous thing, for you to use while you’re staying here. Doyle believes the lie will be easier if you treat it like a truth.”

The answer made Felix snort, “Wow I didn’t think you’d answer that. And really? Holy shit, my thanks to Doyle. Again. Gotta send that guy a fruit basket or something. It’s really funny how whipped that guy has you. But really? That’s it, a silk robe? God, I have the funniest image in my head right now of you. Are you wearing slippers too? Maybe fuzzy or plaid? Oh, and a pipe?”

“I don’t smoke,” Locus chuckled to himself, “and no slippers. They would get wet from walking in the surf, if the sand didn’t ruin them first. Besides, I quite like the feeling of sand between my toes. But yes, just a robe. Nothing else.”

“Advice,” Felix answered after whistling, though whether or not it was in appreciation was something Locus couldn’t figure out. “Put some shorts or something on under it if you’re going to sit down or go back to your place and clean near windows or anything. You… probably don’t want sand anywhere other than your toes.”

“I know how to be mindful of myself,” Locus countered, shaking his head. “I don’t need to be nagged by my not-husband. I’m also certain of my privacy here. The minimal staff that has come with me to help deal with the insanity of this weekend has withdrawn to the guest house. I’m perfectly fine here like this. I’ve been doing it for years.”

“Okay, if you say so then I’ll believe you, not-husband. I’ll see you tomorrow, dear. Early in the morning.”

“Tomorrow night I’ll show you the stars, love,” Locus smiled, letting his gaze go upward. Yes. This was the most beautiful sight on the island, and he wanted to share it with Felix. “They’re breathtaking from here.”

“Whatever, bye,” Felix laughed, and Locus was left with a silent phone to his ear and the sound of the waves and the wind ruling his world again.

For a moment it had almost been like Felix had been standing at his side, enjoying this place. The very thought made him smile. At least, for a short time, he could give this place to Felix. Could share this and his love of this place, and maybe make the other man smile.

“Don’t let yourself get caught up in this,” Locus whispered to himself before dropping the phone back into his pocket and turning to make his way back toward the villa.

He couldn’t even begin to know that many miles away Felix was smiling as well, wondering what the fuck he was doing and how he’d managed the complete opposite of getting Locus out of his life.

* * * * * *

There were a lot of things Felix hadn’t expected to happen in his life. Becoming an escort was one. Actually being able to buy a flat screen television that took up an entire wall in his bedroom was another. Coming down the escalator at the airport to find an insanely handsome, insanely wealthy, insanely stupid man waiting there, looking half bored and holding a bouquet of tiger lilies had never even been on the list.

And yet here Felix found himself, stumbling over the end of the escalator, trying not to drop his bags as he stared. Nope, no amount of blinking or fumbling took away the image of the man waiting for him. Worse, said man was now approaching, holding the flowers out even as he took Felix’s bags away from him.

“Morning,” Locus greeted, his voice low and warm as Felix gingerly took the flowers and stared at them.

“Morning,” he agreed quietly before looking up at Locus. “Starting early aren’t we?”

Still, if Locus was going this far—not like Felix wasn’t already wearing his own ring—he had to meet him there, right? So Felix leaned up and kissed Locus’s cheek. Fine. Locus could lead, he would follow.

“As Doyle said, it might be easier if we treat this like it is what we’re coming,” Locus pointed out as he brought Felix’s backpack over his shoulder. “Easier for us both. We’ve got a bit over a day to adjust to this act, and it’s better to throw ourselves into it. But if you desire, I can stop until we reach the villa.”

“No,” Felix said, shaking his head as he followed Locus through the airport and outside, “no, it’s fine. I guess I was just… unprepared. But, yeah, right, we can go right on into it.”

To emphasize his point he darted forward to catch up with Locus and made a grab for his hand. The first missed, but the second not only found his hand in the warmth of Locus’s, but even squeezing it as Felix stared at the flowers rather than think about what he was doing.

“Don’t push yourself,” Locus insisted, as he pulled Felix across the street and into the parking structure on the other side. “There is plenty of time later. We’ve got a day for you to get into the swing of this. More than that. Now, do you know if you get sea sick at all? I have some pills in the car that will help if you do.”

“You know, I’ve been in space crafts, cars, planes, even one strange instance of a horse drawn carriage, but never a boat. So… I really don’t know,” Felix shrugged. “Hold on to those pills though. I might need them. Though I must admit, I’m really fucking excited to see this house of yours and the island you say it’s on.”

“Space crafts provide a far smoother ride. I prefer them myself. A very peaceful mode of travel. Unfortunately I, and my family fortunes, are rather tied up planet-side, and thus I must stay here,” Locus sighed, and Felix couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. Enough wealth to pretty much buy and sell Armonia, and he couldn’t even get off planet like Felix could.

“As for the place… well, it’s just a summer home, not very impressive. I suppose the only part which might qualify as such is that I own the island and the three residences on it.”

Felix stumbled a step at that bit of news. No one had told him. “A whole fucking island? To yourself? What the hell?” How could he not be impressed? Like, his great goals one day was getting a big apartment in a nicer part of town. But an island? “Well, whatever. I’m sure anything you own is better than my apartment.”

They finally passed into the cool darkness of the parking garage and Felix glanced around for something that might suit a guy like Locus. “Did you drive to get me, or is there a driver?”

“I drove myself. I hate having drivers,” Locus groaned in a way that made Felix wonder just why they kept having a limo take them to parties. A question that only grew stronger when Locus dropped his hand to pull keys from his pocket, and with a click of a button the lights of an expensive sports car a bit away flashed. Holy shit.

“I hate indulging in that level of service,” Locus continued easily, still sounding put upon. “As you may have noticed, I stay in an apartment rather than my family home outside of the city. There is too much empty space there. It’s lonely at the best of times. Oh, I hope you don’t mind my car. I don’t like to rent a car for the time I’m out here, so I drove down a few days ago.”

Mind? Oh hell no. How could he not appreciate the impressive car before him that he was eying? While he was pretty sure the lines of the car would be better complimented by a flashier color like red or orange, the forest green paint job was beautiful on the car he’d never seen the likes of before.
“I pegged you as a guy who would prefer no company And personally, I don’t need a car,” Felix admitted, moving to the side of the thing and letting his hand ghost along the body of it, his hand never quite touching lest he piss of Locus again. “But I can appreciate a beautiful piece of machinery, and damn. What is it?”

“Seeking no company and preferring no company are two different things,” Locus answered as he unlocked the passenger door for Felix before heading to the trunk with Felix’s bags. Felix was quite happy to slide into the seat, running his hands appreciatively over the cool, smooth gray leather of the seats. The whole interior was clean, smooth, sleek, a mastery of black and chrome with dark green lights highlighting buttons now that Locus had opened the trunk.

“Trust,” Locus announced after he had closed the trunk with a thump and circled back around to slide into the driver’s seat, “is a hard won commodity in my work. Too expensive to be bought. To precious to be sold. Even pleasure is more easily treated like business. Except, of course, with my beauty. The body is restored from a model called a Stingray. She was built back in the twenty-first century. What makes her run, though, is all new. She, like the money, has been in the family for a long time, but I put her through a complete overhaul about five years back. A full facelift if you will. There’s nothing like her on the roads. Sold off the rest of my father’s collection except for a few notable examples of Old Earth engineering and a reliable Charon Automotives convertible for use in the city, but this is my pride and joy.”

“I can see why,” Felix smiled as he buckled up. “On both the car and pleasure treated like business. Hell, I am a perfect example of the latter.”

The chuckle that he earned in response was a strange one. Felix knew he was normally so good at picking apart what someone meant by something. But this time? Well, he didn’t know how to read that. So he just looked out the window as Locus drove them from the parking structure and held his tongue for a while. Silent he enjoyed most of the ride, surprising as much with that as with how he still held his flowers and rubbed a petal between his fingers as he marveled at the sights. There just wasn’t anything that quite compared to the distant and constantly growing sight of the sea.

“This place looks like… well, stuff you’d see in Old Earth movies,” Felix shook his head as he rolled down his window and took in the smell of the air. “So clean. I mean… it’s actually like, blue. The sky, that is. I’ve never seen the sky so blue.”

“There are less factories and production centers here than where you are,” Locus pointed out as the car pulled off of the road and up to a guard station where the man present just nodded to Locus and let him pull through to a parking lot that was fronted by wooden walkways. “The wealthy pay quite a bit to not be inconvenienced by the poor or mundane.”

Felix went still as Locus leaned across him, braced for the pending kiss, and did his best not to breathe a sigh of relief as Locus pulled open the glove compartment and pulled out a tag to hang from his rear view mirror.

“Come on, the boat’s waiting. I’ve got some breakfast for you in the cabin if you need something. Mostly stuff that isn’t so bad on the stomach, just in case. Oh, if you feel like you’re going to be sick, there is vanilla ice cream in the freezer.”

“Vanilla ice cream cures nausea?” Felix asked incredulously as he got out of the car.

“No. Makes vomiting less painful and the taste linger less,” Locus shrugged as he got out and circled to the trunk. “The dairy works against the stomach acid, the vanilla is a pleasant after taste. Your throat burns less too after.”

“How considerate,” Felix mumbled under his breath as he turned his attention past the wood and out to the water. It was just so… limitless. Even the boats he could see lining the docks looked small compared to it. At the same time, it was bluer than he remembered, whether it was from television or flying or even a shuttle up to a spaceship. “Water,” he chuckled to himself before moving to help Locus grab the bags.

“If this is how you business types live, then hell, sign me up with the next person who needs arm candy,” he joked. “How long until we’re, uh, home?”

“This isn’t how most business types live,” Locus pointed out as he passed the backpack to Felix and grabbed his proper luggage and a collapsible roller to that he loaded a few cardboard boxes onto. “This is how business types from powerful families that have been here practically since humans set foot on this planet live. Currently I’m the next person who needs you on their arm, by the way. And the ride out is about an hour. You’ll be alone for most of it if you want to stay in the cabin.”

“I think I want to explore your ship if it’s okay,” Felix admitted. “You can tag along too if you want. In case I sink the ship.”

His laughter, his joke, was met by a frown from Locus, and all he could do was just continue as if he hadn’t said it. “An hour isn’t bad and…”

“I would tag along, but I need to keep an eye on the helm,” Locus chuckled at last as he closed the trunk, got things arranged in his hands, and started to lead Felix along the docks. “I’d rather you stick in the cabin, or where I can see you. I’m not sure how strong of a swimmer you are, and I’d rather be aware if you go overboard.”

“You’re no fun,” Felix sighed, but he was smiling to himself. At least it was out of concern. He could live with that. “I’ll wait in the cabin to keep you from getting your panties in a bunch.”

Locus didn’t respond to that, just put the bags down and jumped easily onto a large boat, the Restive Days, and started to run out a board. Felix crossed his arms and stared at it as it rose and sank with the motion of the ship.

“This is it? This is how you’re getting me aboard?”

“What? Do you want me to carry you bridal style?” Locus asked, crossing back to the dock to carry the bags across.

“Well, you are my husband.”

That made Locus pause, and Felix smiled. He could still get a rise out of the other man. Good.

Truth be told, he hadn’t expected it to go beyond that. But there was Locus, back at his side with surprising speed, sweeping Felix literally off of his feet and into his arms. Felix just struggled to keep a hold on his backpack and to keep his hand from coming up to tangle into Locus’s shirt. He didn’t need the extra support or false security, and it might be just a touch too affectionate.

And he didn’t feel anything for this asshole.

At all.

Period.

In a matter of moments he was down in the cabin, being lowered to his feet, and left staring at a blow of fresh fruit and a plastic bowl filled with ice and cups of yogurt.

“Good enough, love?” Locus asked, amusement thick in his voice, and Felix didn’t turn to face him. He could still feel heat in his cheeks, and he had no intention of letting Locus know how much that had affected him.

“Yeah. Now stop being a pain in the ass and go do what you have to do,” Felix dismissed him, reaching absently for a strawberry vanilla yogurt and a spoon. He could occupy himself like that until his head was clear again.

Which from the sound of feet walking away, was sooner rather than later. With a sigh Felix continued past the counter and toward the bed he could see through a door further into the cabin. He contemplated not messing it up for a moment, before flopping down onto it and dropping the unopened yogurt next to him. So here he was, about to be left to his own devices and thoughts for the next hour. He sighed again before pulling out his phone and checking his messages. Nothing so far, just as it should have been.

“I cleared out the whole weekend for this bullshit, and for free! What was I thinking?” he demanded quietly of himself as he reached for the yogurt and spoon again and sat up to open it. “It better be worth it.”

* * * * * *

There were more than a few times in his life that Locus had heard the term ‘green around the gills’ to describe someone who water travel didn’t agree with. Never before had he seen someone it applied to so much as it seemed to for Felix. For the life of him Locus couldn’t really come up with a better description of Felix’s skin tone when Locus finally had the boat tied up to the dock than green.

“Hey, you…”

“Nothing like a space craft,” Felix groaned as Locus held out his hand to help Felix onto the stationary dock. He, of course, then proceeded to stagger a few steps, trying to get his balance back, and Locus managed not to chuckle. “I didn’t throw up. I was, however, miserable in the bed. Thank god for land.”

That at least made Locus smirk as he reboarded the boat to start carrying supplies and bags onto the dock.

“It’s probably for the best to not have you hold anything important while you’re getting used to something under your feet that doesn’t rock. If you need to, you can lie down for a while in the bedroom.”

“Fuck that. I’m not sickly, geez,” Felix waved the offer off, standing on the dock and crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m going to stand here and watch my 'husband’ be all manly and shit. But, you know, flex a little. Put on a damn show.”

“Contrary to what you’ve decided, I’m not here to entertain you, Felix,” Locus rolled his eyes as he lifted the last box onto the stack on the roller and got everything situated in his arms and on his back before leading Felix over the dock, landward toward the only place he’d felt was home in a very long time.

“Oh yeah. That’s my job, isn’t… Shit,” Felix said, and Locus heard the quick footsteps that had been following him slow and stop as they got their first clear view of the house. “This… is just all you? By yourself?”

Locus looked toward the structure and smiled softly at it. It was a fairly modern style home, but with touches of classic. Most of it, he knew, was made of concrete, but the carefully done siding was all in wood that made the thing look like it had been hewn from a single, huge treat of dark wood. Of course, there wasn’t much of that to be seen from this angle, as their best view was of the sunny side of the house, which meant eight foot tall glass windows looking out onto a wrap around porch, hinting at a kitchen, and showing off a full dining room through the glass. Personally he loved the way it lit the place up, but suddenly he was worried about Felix running his fingers all over the windows just to annoy him.

Somehow he wouldn’t put it past the other man.

“Yes, these days it is,” Locus confirmed for Felix before starting forward again and listening to Felix stumble quickly after him. “My home away from home and people since my father passed. The size made more sense when it was for family use and entertaining. People would visit while we lived here for the summer months. As it is, I’ve had the place to myself for years. You’ll be the first person to stay in the house other than myself in years. Any staff that comes with me stay in one of the other, less lavish houses on the island.”

The only response he got from Felix was a long, thoughtful hum. The silence held until Locus lead them up the patio and through the door into the kitchen.

“That seems like a big deal, then. Sharing the home you grew up in. Well, sort of grew up in. Either way, sharing with a stranger. I mean… I’m not a stranger but…”

Locus turned to look at Felix, amused by just how terribly Felix’s mastery of the English language seemed to be today. Maybe his silver tongue only come out when it was after dark. Or at least in the afternoon, which it was only just beginning to brush up against.

“With an escort,” Felix finally said, his voice quiet enough that Locus almost didn’t catch it, began to wonder if he’d really heard it at all when Felix continued. “It’s nice though. Nicer inside than out. God, I’m totally going to have to go exploring later.”

“You’re more than welcome to,” Locus answered, hauling the roller with the cardboard boxes into the kitchen to put away while Felix was getting settled before returning to the other man and taking his hand to guide him down a hall to head deeper into the house. “In general, leave things where you find them. There is only one room you can’t enter, and I’ll point it out later. For now, well, there will be a number of people here tomorrow night, so we’re going to want you to seem familiar with this place.”

He pulled Felix outside of a door and pushed it open, showing him into a rather large and lavishly appointed bedroom by even Locus’s opinions. “If you’d like to use another room tonight you are welcome to, provided you make the bed when you wake up. But for the sake of prying noses, I want to leave your bags in here with mine. It would be expected that we’re sleeping together. The next room on this side of the hall is a bedroom you could use. The door after that is locked. Don’t go through there.”

“You say stay out, and I get curious,” Felix sighed as he wandered around the master bedroom, fingers trailing over a dresser as Locus watched him. “But I’m a good boy, and I won’t touch. You have my word as uh, whatever. You just have my word, okay.”

“That’s more than enough for me,” Locus admitted, wheeling the luggage toward the closet and lowering Felix’s bag to the ground by it.

“So… we’re sharing a bed then?”

The way Felix said it, the tension to the question, had Locus turning around to look at him in a moment of shock before he relaxed. How had Locus not even considered how suggestive this whole situation might look to Felix.

“As I said, it’s not necessary. The next room over was my bedroom when I was younger, so you could use that,” Locus shrugged. “It’s up to you. I’m just trying to keep up…”

He trailed off as he remembered something and even though Felix gave him a weird look Locus strode around the bed to the walk in closet and opened the doors. There on the back of one hanging from a hook next to his own robe was a smaller one, just like he’d promised Felix. Locus took down the length of orange silk and turned to present it to Felix. “As I said, your robe. When you want it, if you do of course, it will be hanging in here.”

“I’ll share a bed with you. I haven’t made my own bed since… Well, never actually. I never saw the point in making your bed when you just sleep in it again later.” Felix answered at last, moving to Locus’s side and trailing his fingers over the robe as he smiled over it. “Damn, it’s better than I thought. Looks reasonable as well. I thought it was going to be some obnoxious orange and like a lounge coat or something, but it’s actually tasteful. Let me guess… Doyle picked it out.”

“I did,” Locus responded, quite offended at that implication. “Doyle is quite capable in many areas, but he lacks true skills with fashion. If I had let him pick, there would have been ruffles at the collar or lace at the cuffs. The man is frustrating. Anyway, you’re welcome to keep the robe when you leave if you desire.”

There was a moment of surprise flashing across Felix’s face and Locus was left speechless when there were lips unexpectedly against his. It was a simple, chaste, and surprisingly sweet kiss that he barely had a chance to process. In fact, he only just started to press forward when Felix jerked back and laughed.

“Getting into the role,” Felix quickly explained. “You’re supposed to appreciate a good husband that gets you gifts, right? I’ll keep it, thanks.”

“Of course,” Locus agreed, doing his best to keep from licking his lips. God, why couldn’t Felix have given him something just a bit longer? “Consider it a gift for assisting me in this mess I’ve gotten myself into. But…” He took the robe back and hung it back up before guiding Felix to the door. “We should get back to that tour. Just a simple one for now. Your responsibility for today is reviewing the file Doyle prepared for your and familiarizing yourself with the place. There are, as you know, stories to go with the photoshopped pictures I’ve scattered around the place. We left out details, but please don’t embellish too much if you’re asked. I want to be able to follow the lies.”

There were too many of them and he was getting too comfortable with the main one.

“You can ask me questions about anything and everything here, and I will do my best to answer while I finalize arrangements for tomorrow.”

“What about you?” Felix asked as he followed Locus. “You all up to speed and confident with all this bullshit? Not, of course, that I’m doubting your amazing acting abilities or the stories you helped come up with, but you’re sure you’re not worried or anything?”

“I told you last night, Felix, I’m not worried,” Locus reminded him softly, and pointed to a set of photos of them in front of a waterfall on a side table as he walked. Felix nodded as he looked and Locus just kept talking. “We’ve played our parts well in the past. I’ve had time to study the story, and I know what I have to do do. I won’t require as much from me to sell the part. I haven’t exactly presented myself as overly affectionate or willing to talk about my personal life in the past. You have the harder task.”

“I guess I set myself up for that,” Felix groaned and Locus stopped to look at his 'husband.’ The pain on his face was almost heartbreaking. Almost. “Kimball always says my mouth will be the end of me. Maybe I should just go study. Unless this tour is really important?”

“I need to meet with Doyle about catering and lots of other details. You could join me for that if you wanted, but it won’t be nearly so entertaining as your likely natural proclivity to explore I expect,” Locus smiled at him, not liking the almost frustrated look on Felix’s face. “I’ll be back at six for dinner. If you can hold your questions until then I can answer whatever you need. Otherwise, make yourself at home. It is, after all, yours for the next two days.”

That drew a smile from Felix, a warm one as he looked around the place and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be here. Studying, poking around, you know, everything and anything.”

This time Locus saw the kiss coming, saw the resolve on Felix’s face before the man leaned forward and kissed his cheek before backing away with a wide smile and actually starting down the hallway entirely backwards.

“Have a good day, dear. Be safe. Say 'hi’ to Doyle for me.”

Locus just watched as the other man backed away and got halfway down the hall before turning and walking off.

There as just something, he realized, about seeing Felix in this setting that just felt right.

And whatever it was, it made Locus curse the fact that he had to walk all the way to the primary guest house to hunt down Doyle. The truth of the matter was that he would rather be here, following the smaller man, acting out the role he had agreed to play.

With a sigh he turned around and headed for the kitchen. He just had to get all the perishables put away and then he’d talk the long way around to the guest house. That should clear his mind.