After Lara's Return

[wizard_p_i]

Harry hadn't seen or heard from John for several days--since Lara had returned to the village, in fact. Feeling more than a little worried, he veiled himself and slipped down to the first floor to see if John was all right.

A few minutes later, he was knocking at John's door.

Comments

[wizard_p_i]

Continued from here.

"I'm sorry," Harry said, feeling a twinge of guilt. "I sent out a message to everyone from both Chicagos...except for Lara. But I don't suppose Hendricks read it.

"I'm really sorry that he's not talking to you. I never wanted--it's not right. He's your friend."

[gentleman_tiger]

"He is dealing with some very understandable issues. What I have chosen is not even remotely fair to him. He has thrown in his lot to me, pledged sweat, blood, tears, and sleepless nights to keep me alive. And I have repaid him by doing something that will only make his job, and his life, exponentially more difficult. ...I cannot change my mind, but I can hardly deny that he has every reason and right to be angry."

[wizard_p_i]

"I agree," Harry said with a sigh. "It's hard on him. That wasn't what I meant. I meant that I never wanted to hurt your friend this way. And that it's not right that two friends should be separated and hurting because of me.

"I can't change my mind either. And I don't want to."

[gentleman_tiger]

John brought the beer back, decapitating it and setting it on the table before he sat down and made a polite gesture, as if he were inviting a business partner to join him at lunch rather than a lanky wizard to sprawl out and use him as a pillow.

[wizard_p_i]

Harry lay back, placing his head in John's lap, and stretched. "Mmmm," he said, smiling as he reached up and briefly touched the other man's face. "Very comfortable. We should do this more often. Thank you, John."

[gentleman_tiger]

John slipped his fingers into Harry's hair and started to rub his scalp. With his unoccupied hand, he felt for, found, and handed Harry the remote. "Whatever you're in the mood for," was his only directive as far as television preferences went.

"And we should, true."

[wizard_p_i]

Harry turned on the remote gingerly, not wanting it to fry or explode. Then he skimmed the channel guide, and almost immediately spotted something he liked. He pushed a few buttons, and within seconds the opening credits of Mythbusters were rolling onscreen.

"I never had anyone give me a scalp massage before," he commented, taking care to keep his voice low so that they could keep track of what Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman were doing this week. Busting myths based on idioms, as it turned out.

[gentleman_tiger]

"How patently ridiculous," John scoffed as the two intrepid men announced that they would be trying to polish the not-so-proverbial turd. But he continued to rub Harry's head. "Massages are one of life's great luxuries, and an afternoon with a professional can be an amazing experience. I am not a professional, but I will try to mitigate your deprivation."

[wizard_p_i]

"Can you imagine what they must be getting paid to do something like that?" Harry inquired, putting the remote down on the table and then picking up the beer. "And believe me, you're mitigating. Where'd you learn to do this? You're good!"

[gentleman_tiger]

"Large sums of money, I am sure, or they would have walked." He caressed Harry's scalp. "It's not so difficult to take techniques applied to you and apply them to someone else."

[wizard_p_i]

"Maybe they'll be allowed to blow something up later. You know, to compensate for this."

He sighed and drank another mouthful of beer.

"So did you learn this from Stoshi or someone else?" he asked, contentedness fairly dripping from his voice." I know they give massages at the wellness center. Bob got that as a Christmas present last year."

[gentleman_tiger]

"From a young woman at a facility of mine called Executive Priority, in fact. It was a learning afternoon." Not perhaps in the way that many men at the combination gym and brothel assumed. John would NOT touch Helen's girls; it had connotations that left him distinctly cold.

[wizard_p_i]

"Good for her." Harry was not jealous; he knew from experience that John did not casually leap into bed with people. He assumed that the young woman was an accomplished masseuse whose touch helped John relax. "She's obviously very good at massage. I wish I were half as good."

[gentleman_tiger]

"You're probably as good as I am, since most of your enjoyment is because you immensely biased in my favor," John said with amusement, as he watched the young myth-aids dizzy and bruise themselves trying to hit the ground running.

[wizard_p_i]

Harry winced as he watched Kari, Tory and Grant dropping from a trapeze bar after they ran in air. That had to smart.

"Possibly," he said, answering John. "Or maybe you just have an unexpected talent that I notice more than you do.

"By the way, did I tell you that Hendricks gave me a great present for my birthday? I know he was kidding, like you were with the hat. But I love it just the same."

[gentleman_tiger]

"You didn't. He did mention it to me, though, rather puzzled that you hadn't been as offended as he'd meant you to be."