Dolce - Part Nine: The Main Event

[churbooseanon]

The guests arrive and the party plays out. What will Lily do?

Dolce - Part Nine: The Main Event

Truth be told there wasn’t much chance to think on the way back to mainland. It wasn’t that he didn’t have much he wanted to think about, almost all of it involving Felix, but the last thing he wanted was to dig himself a deeper pit with that one. For instance he could dwell over what happened in the bedroom between them, that moment of weakness that had been so wonderful. He couldn’t help but think he could still taste Felix on his tongue, and while the thought was interesting, having done this trip as many times as he had wouldn’t guarantee he could do it while unfocused. So Locus just focused on managing the massive yacht on the way back to the docks where their guests would be waiting.

Sure enough they were there when he arrived, or so he assumed from the small group of limos sitting in the distant parking lot. Part of him wanted to just turn around and head back to the island and the beautiful man he had left behind him, leaving these interlopers here and letting Felix just relax. Which, of course, would just mean the whole weekend had no point to it. How would he explain that to Felix?

With a sigh Locus finally jumped to the dock and headed up them toward the shore. Before he made it all the way out there the doors of the limos started to open, and before Locus had a chance to steal himself Lily was extracting herself from the solitary snow-white limousine and sashaying toward him. Locus wanted to grab the woman by her shoulders and shake her for what she was wearing, which started with a form-fitting white cocktail dress  and was topped off with white stilettos. Was the woman completely daft? Already Locus could tell that she was going to have trouble walking over the planking of the docks, not to mention keeping herself stable walking over the sandy path to the house on the island. Why did she have to be so foolish?

“Locus!” she cooed, reaching out and pulling him into her arms. It was an overly familiar gesture given the situation, especially with how she kissed his cheeks. Still, she didn’t cling to him too long, and Locus breathed a sigh of relief and took a step back when she released him.

“Miss Johnson,” he greeted her properly, taking her hand and bowing slightly over it. With anyone else he would have brushed his lips over the back of their hand, meaning to charm, but something like that would be taken poorly by this woman. There was plenty of time until he would have to treat her the way she would desire of him. Until then he intended to keep the space between them professional.

 When he moved past her to meet her mother he could hear the annoyed sound, the stomp of her shoe on the pavement, but Locus ignored her and continued forward to meet the older woman before him. Joyce smiled warmly up at him, and Locus didn’t hesitate to skip the polite greeting to instead hug Joyce to him. If nothing else, working with her over the years had made them close, and this chance to meet her outside of any professional or societal function made him quite happy to greet the old woman with the firm hug.

“Ah, Locus,” she smiled softly as she pulled back and gestured her driver forward. The suited man held out a long, thin box that Locus knew was going to hold a bottle of some expensive wine. “I found this old thing in our wine cellar and decided it would better serve a young man like you who would truly appreciate it.”

“You are too kind,” Locus smiled, taking it from her and leaning down to kiss her cheek. “If it fits with tonight’s meal, I will have it served to us and only us.”

“Not even your husband?” she chuckled, covering her mouth politely with her hand.

“Felix, sadly, doesn’t appreciate fine wines quite so well as this will likely merit,” Locus answered with a smile. “Now, if you will forgive me, I have to greet my other guests before I show you all to my yacht. I do believe I’ll have some treats for you to munch on as well. There should be…”

He trailed off and nodded as a pair of men in uniforms climbed out of a familiar supply truck and moved to carry some coolers down the docks.

“If I’m not mistaken, those gentlemen are bringing fresh supplies on board, and the last thing they bring on should be supplies for me to make you a nice mimosa,” Locus offered, and Joyce smiled, nodding in agreement.

“Don’t worry, dear, I understand your responsibilities,” Joyce laughed, shaking her head. “In fact, I’ll ask those gentlemen to escort me and Lily down to your boat and we’ll get ourselves settled while you greet the others.”

Locus smiled thankfully at her and moved aside to greet the others present. Soon enough he had managed to meet with the other visitors, spare them a bit of time for pleasant chit-chat, and had shuffled everyone to the yacht. Another half an hour had to be spent getting them situated, giving out anti-nausea medications to those who might need it, making drinks, and sorting out the foods and instructions before Locus was free to cast off. Once they were moving, he thought, he would be free to relax, to enjoy the last moments he had to relax before the act was on in full.

What he hadn’t expected, and probably should have, was the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind him about half an hour off of shore. Given the way they clicked heavily, Locus was certain of who it was, and that was a bit foreboding.

“Locus, dear,” Lily’s voice wafted up to him. It was too much to ask, apparently, that the wind would catch it and carry it away, sparing him the noise and the encounter that was undoubtedly about to happen.

“It really is better for you to be in the cabin, Miss Johnson,” Locus observed as he listened to her walking up behind him.

“But then I wouldn’t be at your side,” Lily’s voice whispered in his ear, and Locus had to be careful not to jerk the wheel at her voice so close. How in the world had she gotten that close? “Don’t you want me close?”

Fingers brushed over his neck, and Locus had to admit that he flinched at that. Not that the action made the touch go away. No, Lily’s hands continued around his neck, slowly sliding around until her fingers were brushing over his collar, her other arm wrapping around him from behind. Of course, Lily being Lily that wasn’t nearly enough for her. Locus grit his teeth and steeled himself as the arm wrapped around him found it’s hand settled over his stomach and sliding downward.

That was the last straw. Locus tore a hand from the wheel to grab Lily’s wrist and pull her hand away from him. Nor did he stop there. Locus actually growled as he pulled Lily up beside him, thus tearing her other hand away from him. Lily stared at him with wide eyes, but the way her lips curved in satisfaction as she faced him said she thought this was more than Locus knew it was supposed to be. Damn the girl.

“I like that fire you have, Locus,” Lily purred, her voice pitched low and to what he thought she must see as sultry. All it did was make his skin crawl. “It’s wasted on that cad you…”

“Married,” Locus reminded her, voice sharp. “That man is my husband, and I am faithful to him. And I would have you remember that.”

“Oh come now,” Lily countered, snatching her hand away from him and moving to sit primly in the seat nearby. “You know I can do so much more for you than that boy. After all, there is his background to consider.”

Locus did his best not to go rigid at that reference. Assuming she knew the truth could mean a slip up that would ruin everything. Better to play dumb, or fall back on the story that they had created. Trust the story, trust Doyle, and trust that there was no way that Lily could possibly know just what Felix actually was. The only reason Doyle did, after all, was because Doyle had been the one who had found the escort in the first place.

“And what background would that be? The one where we have knew each other most of our lives, and thus the moment we met again was perfect?” Locus asked, putting his best annoyed tone on in hopes of selling the story.

Lily only rolled her eyes and shook her head at that. “I mean he’s…”

Her pause was dramatic, weighty, as if she was inviting Locus to interrupt her and blurt something he shouldn’t. As if years in the upper echelons of society would allow for that. As if he hadn’t learned the hard way over the years how important it was to keep ones’ tongue in the company of your equals or betters, or just around ambitious subordinates. So Locus let her have her drama, Lily did seem to revel in it in ways that other people around him did not. Well, no. Felix enjoyed it as well, but when he took the stage Locus felt like he was watching a master, not a bumbling fool.

The very thought of his ‘husband’ made Locus smile warmly to himself, which must have annoyed Lily or something, for she quickly got to her feet, hands on her hips and lips pouted as she finally continued.

“He’s a nothing, Locus. No value, no wealth brought to your enterprises, nothing but a pretty face and a manner that works well with other people. Whereas I’m worth tons, I know this sort of business well, I have contacts that could send your business through the roof. Together we’re not just a power couple, we’re a force to be reckoned with that would make the better part of this planet bow to us, especially after mother passes on,” Lily told him, voice fiery and eyes dancing with intent.

That actually made him laugh. Yes, one day he would do just that. For now, though, he had other intentions. And those involved Felix, until such time as he couldn’t do anything with the other man anymore. God help him, he wanted that to be a very long time from now, even as unlikely as that was.

“I didn’t marry for wealth or power, Lily,” Locus chuckled, shaking his head. “I married for something far more important than either of those things.”

“And what in the world could be more important than those?” Lily demanded. “What, does he give good head or something?”

Locus actually had to stop to stare at her in shock. Of course he could feel the heat that rose to his cheeks, and the way that made her face turn red was almost priceless, but that didn’t mean the question wasn’t insanely offensive. And in poor taste to be honest. The latter, at the very least, seemed to occur to her. No, not that Locus realized after a long second. The thing that was bothering her was the fact that he was reacting in a way that she read as confirming that statement.

“You know, I’m good at…”

It was a kindness, he thought, to cut her off before she could do anything so stupid as finish that thought. So he allowed himself to give her that.

“Love, Lily,” Locus smiled, shaking his head. “It’s about love. I care for Felix deeply.”

Again she opened her mouth to protest, but Locus just shook his head, letting his reigns on his feelings for Felix slack. With that he could feel his smile growing, feel it warming his chest and soften his expression. What could he say? He was truly in love with the man. Keeping that feeling close to him as if to protect himself, Locus turned his attention to Lily, or as much of it as he could spare from his task.

“That’s all I need from him, Lily. His love, his devotion, his support, his affections. There is nothing in this world that is worth more to me than Felix is,” Locus insisted firmly. “And that, Lily, is all that matters. There is nothing you can give me that would compare.”

The woman narrowed her eyes at that, and Locus couldn’t help but smirk as she flounced off, apparently not taken with his admission. Oh well, she’d have years to rub his face in it, and he would forever have the memory of the look on her face when he admitted his love to Felix to her. He would always have that. Always.

* * * * * *

There was no end to the motion in the beach house. While Felix’s first inclination upon Locus’s departure some hours ago had been to retreat to the bedroom and peruse his file once more, there had been something about that room that had kept him from staying. Maybe it was the fact that it was the one he had seen the most and he needed to know his way around this place to make it seem like they had spent their time here together. Maybe it was the fact that the cleaning staff had finally come in to sort things out in there as well. Honestly, though, it had been the fact that mo natter how long he looked at the folder, he always kept looking up at the bed and remembering what had happened there and how Locus had made him feel 'just because.’ That made it impossible to be in that room.

So at some point, he didn’t even remember how long ago it was, Felix had instead fled to the sunny living room—or he guessed it was the living room because it had a number of couches in it but no television to be seen—and settled himself on a couch. Since then all he had to do was watch Doyle bustle back and forth like some warped kind of metronome, calling after different members of the rushing staff. Well, at least he’d taken the time to dress up for dinner, because otherwise he’d have to give up the safe spot that no one had dared to move him from until this point. One he doubted anyone would dare to shift him from now either, seeing as this room seemed mostly gone with whatever magic people had intended for it.

Still, boredom held him, and so when Doyle passed him again, Felix found himself calling out.

“Hey Doyle, question. How long have you been working with Locus?”

How long shouldn’t matter to him, but he still found himself compelled to find out more about Locus. He told himself he was trying to find out more about Doyle, but even that lie was pathetic right from the start. Didn’t mean he didn’t hold on to it with both hands.

Doyle did freeze and look to him, tiling his head curiously. At length he shook his head, apparently unhappy with whatever answer he had come up with for himself.

“Some years now, though I believe have quite lost count. May I ask why you’re curious?”

With a sigh Felix laced his hands together over his stomach, leaning his head back on the couch. “Just wondering. So, like… in the time you’ve worked with him, has he ever gone out with anyone, or…?”

When he looked up at Doyle he found the man staring at him, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I make it a point not to look into my boss’s love life, unlike…”

The way Doyle trailed off, staring at him, said more than Felix liked before Doyle continued on. “So I can’t say.”

“Okay, well… carry on then,” Felix dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Surprisingly enough Doyle didn’t walk away. Instead he hesitated, and even stranger than that, he continued speaking. “To be honest, I do so hope you know what you’re doing.”

Felix had to laugh as he gestured to the place around them. “This? This is child’s play.”

The confidence was feigned, but it still seemed to convince Doyle because with that the man shook his head and continued about his business. No, wait, again he didn’t do that. Seriously, what was up with the apparently indecisiveness of this man? Felix twisted his head just enough to catch Doyle in the corner of his eyes and hold him there, waiting for whatever the butler, secretary, valet man wanted to say.

“That was not exactly what I meant. I am concerned that you…”

What he was concerned about was apparently never going to be aired because Felix got to watch Doyle’s attention turn away and his eyes go huge before he was speaking again, his voice energized and excited.

“Oh, they’re here! Everyone finish up they are approaching the house!”

It was like a director calling actors to places, which of course meant it was Felix’s time to shine. With a sigh he pushed to his feet, straightened his clothes, and started toward the door. He could see a group of maybe six people approaching through the massive glass windows, led of course by Locus. Part of him smiled to see Locus there, his face soft in the strong tropical light, and another part only beamed wider when he caught sight of Lily, all in white, lingering at the end of the group with a distinct pout on her face. Whether something happened on the boat or it was just the fact that she couldn’t have the piece of meat she was after that put her in a sour mood Felix didn’t know, but he also found himself not caring.

Acting like the eager husband he was supposed to be Felix made for the door, smiling to himself even as he called out to Doyle. “I thought it’d take longer.”

“Regardless, they are here, and they are here now,” Doyle insisted cheerfully, hurrying the staff that wasn’t needed into leaving through another door, and chiding those who were to remain into new tasks like arranging  hors d'oeuvres on silver trays or pouring drinks.

Felix sighed and straightened himself out as everyone else did productive things. Here he was, at the last possible moment before the show began, and he had nothing to do but stand here and look eager. Which he did to the best of his ability as the first nicely dressed person came out of the kitchen carrying a tray. Then all he had was to focus on the people on the deck, to listen to the warmth of Locus’s low tones running an easy undercurrent to the variety of higher female voices and the few male. It sounded beautiful, like an artfully arranged performance, but Felix had no more time to ponder that as the door finally opened and Locus was stepping through, pulling Felix immediately into his arms.

“Hello love,” Locus greeted him, and Felix only barely had time to put on a charming smile before there were lips pressed to his in a warm, but relatively chaste kiss. A show, but not too much of one then. Not that he begrudged the action, it was a change in behavior from how they normally acted at parties and thus one that Felix welcomed for the purpose of selling the show. If he hummed in pleasure at the contact it was clearly only to make it more believable, not because he loved the way Locus’s hand fitted to the small of his back, or how warm that arm around him was, or how genuine it seemed to feel for the long moment until Locus pulled back.

The annoyed huff from the back of the group did amuse him, though. Nothing like Lily’s displeasure to make him happier than he already was.

After a moment, pretending to need to catch his breath, Felix smiled at Locus.

“Hey,” he allowed himself, honestly a touch buzzed from the kiss. Then he finally turned his attention to the other guests at the door. He smiled as he moved straight to Joyce and took her hand, shaking it warmly before kissing the back of it. “It’s so good to see you, Joyce. I’m glad you were able to make it out here. It means a lot to us, really.”

“You are always so very sweet,” Joyce chuckled, and Felix had to keep himself from frowning. Locus had said something about her not doing so well, but that hadn’t meant he’d expected to hear her voice so tired, or her all of her so weak. Well, maybe not too weak with how firmly she squeezed his hand.

“Only for you,” Felix confessed, winking to punctuate it, drawing a laugh from her. That done he turned his attention to the other guests, smiling warmly. Some faces he recognized from parties, others he was certain he hadn’t seen, and last of all there was Lily.

“Lily, very nice to see you as well.”

The smile she gave him was so far from genuine that he had to wonder how no one else saw it. The strain of Lily holding it almost made it look like she was going to vibrate so hard that she’d shatter.

“Nice home,” she answered, voice flat and annoyed.

Her frustration made everything else seem so simple. Within moments Locus had his arm back around Felix’s waist and he was being introduced to everyone in turn, sharing pleasantries that he knew were only there to serve as further entertainment for their guests of honor, the Johnsons. Everyone else was just an audience for the display of their feigned—and it certain was feigned—love for each other. An audience for a masterful play, and Felix had always thrived on a stage.

They worked together well, Felix realized as they went through the motions of the evening. Locus was a prop, a stage dressing that showcased Felix’s own smiling, self-possessed confidence that he graces them all with easily. There were almost moments where Felix thought Locus was even buying the act, because the affectionate words came more often than expected, the touches seemed to linger a bit longer, and there seemed to be more warmth to the smiles Locus gave him than ever before. Then again, Locus knew the truth of them, and everyone else was buying a story they wanted to hear. In the end they were just players, with him the charm and confidence, and Locus as the power and control. But it was enough that by the time they split up and moved among their guests independently, Felix felt like he was carrying Locus’s strength about him like a shield.

It was even easy to see that the purpose was being met, because as the evening progressed he got more and more smiles from Ms. Johnson. On the other hand, there were countless dark looks Lily sent him.

It was easy, almost too easy, to make it through until just before dinner without any real incident. Truth be told it all seemed easy until Felix pulled away from Locus, kissing his 'husband’s’ cheek before going to 'check up’ on the work in the kitchen.

Which, of course, was where Lily cornered him somehow alone.

“I must know,” she said, voice low and dark, “just what do you think you’re playing at?”

Part of him wondered just what had brought this up, but Felix shifted easily into an easy pose, smiling at her. “Playing at?”

For longer than he can remember he had been lying through his teeth and reading people, to the point where both were second nature. Still, the deep frown she graced him with, the arms crossed over her chest, and how she was blocking the way from the kitchen said something was about to happen. All he could do, though, was lean back against the counter, listening carefully for the guests in the other room to see if they were going to come in.

“You’ll have to be more specific, please.”

“You’re an escort,” she said, the word falling like an insult from her suddenly smiling lips. “An expensive one, yeah, but an escort nonetheless. Don’t you even dare deny it. I know someone who has hired you before. You don’t belong here, much less at his side. So just what are you playing at? Are you just trying to convince him you care for him to get at his money, or is Locus in on this as well?”

All Felix could do was keep a pleasant smile on his face. Truth be told, he wasn’t even panicking. He was a master of this sort of thing. There wouldn’t be such a high demand for him if he wasn’t capable of handling something like this.

“Is that really what you think?” Felix asked quietly. “So what you’re telling me is that this person who 'hired me’ told you I was an escort? Because you would be surprised what people will say about others if things don’t go your way. I’m sure you can relate. Ever have someone cross you and you just, I don’t know, twist the truth just a little bit to make it work in your benefit?”

“I care about Locus,” Felix continued, as affronted by her statement as he was surprised by how much sincerity he found as he spoke them. It was almost like he wasn’t even lying. “Whether you want to believe it or not, I do. And he cares about me too. That’s all I’ll say about this to you, because frankly what happens behind our closed doors is between me and my husband.”

“Twisting the truth a little would be someone claiming you were good company,” Lily dismissed his protests with a wave of her hand, like she was shooing something distasteful away from her. “You’re an escort, and all you care about is how much money you can get out of Locus. So tell me, Felix, how much to get you to drop him here and now?”

Felix told himself that the way he was crossing his arms over his chest was because he was affronted, not because he was feeling a little uncomfortable. “Okay, let’s go along with your idea, crazy as it is. What is it to you whether I am or not? Why would you care?”

“Because I don’t like how he’s using you to manipulate my mother,” she answered quickly. “And I have no stomach for your clearly empty displays of affection. It’s annoying me and since I can’t tell him to stop, I’m going to tell you.”

For a moment Felix just looked at her, running everything through his mind. Thankfully he didn’t have to respond, because he heard one of the other guests approach the kitchen, smiling.

“Apparently dinner is about to be served,” the man, something Grayson or other if Felix remembered properly and of course he did remember properly, said, freeing Felix.

“We’ll be right there,” Felix smiled, looking to Lily when they were left alone again. When he spoke next his voice was curt, dismissive, and his words chosen deliberately to neither confirm nor deny anything. “I’m sure you can handle on night for the sake of your poor mother.”

With that he pushed past her, intent on trying to corner Locus for a moment so they could speak. Of course as he passed Lily could not help but get a stupid word in edgewise. Something that Felix thought sounded like 'the old bag just needs to keel over already.’ He didn’t comment, just kept moving, Lily trailing after him until Felix made his way into the large dining room so he could pull Locus aside. He tried his best to hide his unease as he pulled Locus close and kissed his cheek.

Locus, of course, took the chance to whisper quietly in his ear. “Is everything okay? I don’t like her cornering you like that.”

Felix spared a moment to glance around, take stock of the situation. Finding enough people focused elsewhere, mostly trying to find seats for themselves at the table, Felix grabbed Locus’s arm and pulled him back into the kitchen, far from where they might be heard if they spoke quietly like he had been doing with Lily. Once there he leaned back against a counter and started to nibble on his thumbnail.

“She knows,” he whispered. “Apparently I’ve been out with someone she knows. Which must have been months ago, because you’ve been my primary client since getting back on-planet. No one upper-crust at least.”

He stared up at Felix for a while, waiting for something to come of his statement. At last Locus sighed and shook his head, which didn’t tell Felix anything dammit.

“Did you confirm it for her? If not, carry on as if nothing has changed. It wouldn’t be the first problems he tried to create today. She was feeling me up on the boat, trying to win me away from you. If she was anywhere near certain she would have brought it up to me then. But… I suppose I will deal with her again if I must. I fear our 'divorce’ will come as less of a shock to her if she is not dissuaded. In the mean time…”

Felix barely had time to react before Locus was there, kissing him yet again. The whole night had been full of them, and by now it was more than habit to return it. To let his eyes linger closed for just a moment after Locus had pulled away and to just revel in the feel of it, so warm and sweet for how brief it was.

“You’re doing a beautiful job, love. Even if Lily is suspicious for unfair reasons, everyone else here seems quiet taken by you. I’ve received no end of compliments on my choice in men.”

His mind was still a million thoughts at once, flitting through his head. So many scattered thoughts dancing through his head that he just grabbed the first one that rushed past. “No. I didn’t confirm anything to her. But… this is good.”

That comment earned him a confused look from Locus, so Felix sighed and smiled softly.

“Look, she accused me of being an escort. She doesn’t know she’s right for sure, but whether I am or not is beside the point. It can go down like I brought this up to you, you got suspicious, we fought a lot and then decided to call it quits, you know? I mean, it’s a short version, but I’m sure with help from Doyle we can make it into a better story. In a way, Lily has given us something to work in our favor,” Felix suggested, ignoring the annoyed look briefly on Locus’s face. “She basically gave us an easy out. Good, right? Then that way you and her can, I don’t know, bond over my 'betrayal’ of you. Fucking problem solved. And I’m out of here tomorrow so, whatever.”

“That’s… a really good way out,” Locus agreed, smiling at Felix thoughtfully. Wow, for some reason that contented smile cut Felix more than he cared to admit. “But I’d rather not think about any of that tonight. You can spend your time on the ride back to shore tomorrow telling me all about how to cut you out of my life, but that is tomorrow. I need to not think about that to pull this off tonight.”

At that Felix held his hands up in almost amused surrender. “Like I said, you have me for two nights, so yeah. The show still goes on and she honestly can go fuck herself to be honest.”

His hand came up to run through his hair as he shook his head. “I would… just love to take a steak knife and just…”

No, that would only make a scene. So Felix took a deep, calming breath and shook his head. “Whatever. Okay. Yeah. Let’s so this thing.”

He reached for Locus’s hand, loving those long fingers wrapped around his hand, warm and firm. And for good measure he pressed up on the tips of his toes to get them about even height-wise so he could press another kiss to Locus’s lips, this one lingering a bit longer than was really necessary for the act. But god he was getting so much of them tonight that he almost felt addicted to the point of needing more.

Maybe Locus was too because then there was an arm around Felix’s waist, pulling closer as Locus leaned into him and deepened the kiss. For a long moment they were held there, Felix caught up in the warmth and pleasure of Locus all over again. Whether it was the tenth or ten hundredth time today Felix couldn’t be sure anymore.

What would stick with him, Felix decided as Locus pulled away, was the small smile on the other man’s lips, the satisfaction in his eyes, and the pleased edge to his voice as Locus whispered.

“You kiss like a dream that I hate waking up from.”

“Save it for when we’re in front of other people,” Felix laughed weakly, looking away. How could such empty words mean enough to make his mouth dry and his heart pound in it’s chest. God it was almost like he was falling in love with the man. But that wasn’t possible. Felix wasn’t the sort to be in love. So he really needed to stop doing that, stop being so honestly reactive.

Easier to turn away from Locus than to think about it, easier to pull him toward the dining room than to admit that he was already missing how that had felt. How it felt to be borderline honest when he spoke about Locus.

Dear lord, tell him he wasn’t falling in love.

No, Felix decided as he brought them back into the dining room and sat next to Locus. He kept their hands together, their fingers tangled on the table as they spoke and the meal was served. No he wasn’t falling in love. Just getting better at the job. Getting perfect at the smiles and warm banter and affection. Better at feeling possessive when Lily looked to him, better at feeling at home here with these people, because this was what someone who was telling the truth would feel. He was just a better actor than he had ever realized.

It was just that he was getting good. Nothing more. No amount of fantasy and longing as he wove stories about their firsts. First kiss. First date. First confessions and the first time he told Locus that he loved him, standing out on the balcony of his apartment, Locus’s arms warm and steady around his waist as they looked out over the city at night.

He was getting good.

And learning not to question how easy it all came.

* * * * * *

It was getting harder and harder to remember the distinction between the truth he knew he lived, and the lies Doyle had written for him, Locus mused throughout the dinner. Maybe it was because there was always a grain of truth to the stories they had written, a touch of longing in Felix’s voice as he made other ones up off the top of his head. They were so well crafted that Locus almost wondered if he hadn’t experienced them, but really it was just wistful thinking.

Still, how in the world was Locus supposed to keep the line between the truth and the fantasy clear when they were so close to each other? How had somehow their first date come from the first time Locus had hired Felix for a party? How had their first kiss happened to spring out of the time that Locus had actually almost kissed Felix after one of their meetings? He hadn’t even realized that Felix had noticed the balcony at his apartment, but the picture he wove was so perfect that Locus could almost feel the weight of it, both in how Felix would be in his arms, and how deeply such a confession would move him.

With Felix it was just always so forth and so on, to the point where Locus would have given anything to make it be as real as he smiles at these people. Instead all he could give anyone, even himself, was the beautiful lie of Felix.

Thankfully the meal itself went smoothly. Locus measured the passage of time through the courses. Honestly, one could almost measure the progression of their fictitious relationship through them as well. Their meeting again after all these years as the appetizer. Their kiss as the salad course, and earning such a pleased smile from Ms. Johnson. Their confessions, dating, kisses all part of the entree. The mood relaxed more for dessert as Felix went on at length about the wedding and alluded to much of their honeymoon without committing to anything.

Locus saw something else in the dessert as well… but he didn’t want to think about the end. Not of the meal, not of the weekend, and not of his time with Felix. So instead as the story played out Locus focused his attention on Felix, letting the other man speak for them. When Felix allowed himself a moment to breathe Locus would offer him morsels from his own plate, just because it was a true pleasure to see Felix fluster even slightly from the affection, from the attention.

Of course there was a bitter edge to the whole meal in the form of Lily. She was like straight black coffee. She came on too strong, lingered on the tongue in a bitter, unpalatable way, and cling long after something else should have taken the taste away. Through it all she asked probing questions. Often Felix turned them to his own advantage, but that didn’t keep Lily from fuming. Not that she ever did overtly, but Locus knew her enough to pick out the small signs, and it made him have to fight himself not to seethe. How dare the woman try to get under Felix’s skin. How dare she try to harass the man he loved?

But there was the simple answer, wasn’t it? She didn’t think they were something real, something genuine. Only Locus was, of course, but that didn’t make him any less upset by her behavior. Or any less pleased at how deftly Felix turned her jabs into new stories that made those around the table to chuckle.

When he could handle it no more Locus cleared his throat.

“Perhaps we should adjourn to the patio. I assure you all that the stars are divine from here, and the staff needs some time to clean up after our meal,” Locus suggested, and the agreements came quickly.

As he rose Locus offered his hand to Felix, and was surprised to see his supposed husband shake his head.

“It’s getting late,” Felix explained simply, getting to his feet on his own and smiling at their guests. “To be honest I’m a little tired. It’s been a very long day, getting everything ready. If it’s all the same, I’d like to leave you in my husband’s capable hands.”

“Of course dear,” Joyce spoke up before anyone else could say anything, whether to complain or agree. Given how powerful she was in her own way, no one was going to argue against her. Not even her own daughter.

So Locus caught Felix in his arms and kissed his brow lightly. “I promise to be in as soon as I can.”

Felix nodded, and Locus let the other man slip away from him, sighing as he stared after him as he fled. Because really, Locus was pretty certain that was exactly what Felix was going. Running. So unlike him, but it had been a long day so Locus let it slip.

“Let’s have that brief nightcap,” Locus offered his guests, herding them outside.

As desperately as he wanted to follow after Felix, he couldn’t justify it. Someone had to see to the guests, and as the only answer was him, he gave himself another half an hour on the porch with them. There wasn’t much conversation of any real value to be had, but everyone sipped at expensive scotch anyway and chattered about little things. How lovely the meal had been. How charming Felix had proved to be. What a wonder the island, the house, their story was. Truly it was all highly tedious, but Locus kept going until at last he caught sight of Joyce yawning the littlest bit. The perfect excuse to end the night.

“I believe it’s time for us to part ways,” Locus observed as he stood and started to accept glasses from the others. He could clean these on his own. No need for staff, because the second these people were out of his care he was free of them until the morning, and that was something he wanted more than he cared to admit.

“It’s still early,” Lily protested.

“Now girl, he’s clearly eager to be back to his husband,” Dr. Grayson said, rolling his eyes.

“And who could blame, him?” Joyce laughed. “To young love.”

“To young love,” others echoed as Locus smiled at the wonderful excuse and waved Doyle over from where the man was hovering at a polite distance.

“Indeed,” Locus chuckled as Doyle stepped up. “And I admit I’m going to hand you over to Donald. He will see you to the rooms prepared for you at the other house. I admit that we never had many here to share, so there was no where to put people.”

Lily’s face fell while other people smiled thankfully, and Locus realized just how narrowly he had accidentally gotten away from another attempt by Lily to get him alone. Well, maybe not an attempt, but clearly she had aimed to take advantage of the distance from Locus either on the way to or from the guest house. No, he was happy to avoid that conversation for now. All he wanted was to head inside to find Felix.

Still, once the guests were out of sight he found himself deflating. There was a part of him that didn’t want to go back to Felix, for fear of what he would find. What he found when he turned around and headed inside was Felix there, leaning against the wall of the hall that led back toward the room they were staying in. Locus didn’t even bother to ask him how long he’d been there, just gestured for Felix to join him in gathering the glasses and carrying them to the kitchen. Surprisingly the other man didn’t even protest it, just obeyed.

“You did a wonderful job tonight,” Locus observed conversationally, not comfortable with the silence between them. “Almost makes me think you short changed yourself in asking for so few favors.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Felix grinned in response as he put the glasses in the sink.

Then Locus was shocked to find Felix’s hand held out to him. His own settled so easily, so warmly in his own, and Locus smiled in spite of himself at the contact.

“You didn’t do so bad for yourself,” Felix said as he pulled them deeper into the beach house, leading Locus undoubtedly toward the bedroom. “Tomorrow, though, we say adios to those fuckers, and then I’ll be on my way as well. Sucks in a way. I kind of like it here.”

Felix smiled over his shoulder at Locus as he pulled him along. “But as far as I can tell, everyone but Lily ate the shit I fed them up so you’re still going strong. Tomorrow morning we’ll… smooth out the plans for our divorce.”

Locus almost stumbled over his own feet at how easily Felix said that, and stayed silent until the point when Felix got them to the bedroom and had them through the door and it closed behind them. Okay, so he paused a bit longer than that, his attention caught up in Felix as the other man started to remove his shirt. Just seeing that, seeing skin being uncovered as the fabric slid over his beautiful shoulders, made Locus step forward to catch Felix in his arms.

“Not all of them are that bad,” Locus insisted, pretending that they weren’t standing there, that he wasn’t working so hard to get in the way of Felix’s clear desire to throw the wall back up between them then and there. Just another moment of this, just another sweet moment of the lie before it was all over. “And you almost sold me on the story to be honest.”

He couldn’t help but lean in, to brush his lips in a not-quite kiss over the back of Felix’s neck. The small shiver it sent through the man in his arms was enough to finally get him centered back in the moment though. With that Locus released Felix and strode away, moving to the dresser to find something to change into even as he started to strip himself.

“You could always use one of our favors to have this place to yourself for a few days or so over the summer,” Locus suggested as he pulled his shirt off and pulled on a light t-shirt to replace it. “Anyway, I’m taking them out of here around six tomorrow. Business types wake early, at least from my experience. Many early flights to get back to work. Your own is mid-afternoon, so I figured to return you separately. It would allow us a final chance to talk privately, and spare you further acting.”

And deprive Locus of a chance of any more of their lie, which was already leaving a hollow ache in his chest.

“No,” Felix said as Locus shimmied out of his pants and grabbed some boxers to throw on to sleep in. “I’ll save those favors for a rainy day. That’s the point. But some of those stories were nice, you know? A few I told about myself were even true. But yeah, I’m good for leaving early.”

Locus turned back around to look at him, happy to find Felix had already made the change to sleep clothes. In fact, Felix had managed to sit on the edge of the bed and was stretching almost luxuriously from the look on his face. It didn’t sound like it though from the way his back cracked.

“God, only one more day of this. I think we should both get so many awards after tonight. I admit I almost convinced myself half the tings you and I said were real. So, good job out there. And I’m not being a dick this time when I say it.”

Maybe part of it was because Locus had genuinely believed about half the things he’d said to the others, but he wasn’t going to bring that point up to a man that he would never see again in less than twenty-four hours.

“I believe I’ll resist the urge to play 'guess which stories were real’ with you,” Locus sighed as he crossed to the bed and stretched out on it. The sheets were cool against his too warm skin. He told himself it was because the day had been long, he was worked up from everything. Truth be told, he thought it was because of how close he was to Felix. And even warm as he was it didn’t kill the chill in his gut.

“So… you were being a dick last time you told me? I should have known it would be in character for you. Anyway, get some rest. You’ve earned it. And now you don’t even have to pretend anymore.”

With that Locus shifted under the sheets and rolled so his back faced Felix before he turned out the lamp on his side of the bed. It took so much to not roll over and watch as Felix settled himself. More to not move to hold him.

“Bet you’re happy about it. Fuck knows I am,” Felix yawned behind him, and Locus swallowed back the pain in his chest and the sickness in his gut.

“Happy,” Locus agreed weakly, leaving it at that. Which was well enough because within moments he could hear Felix’s breath even out in sleep.

For him, though, sleep was a lot longer in coming. And when it did he found himself dreaming each those little stories. Perfect little glimpses into a life he would never know, and a love he would never possess.