by Lara Bee, with Macx
*humor warning* g>
It was Christmas.
Well, not quite, it was two days before Christmas, and four of the
Chimera team had been invited to celebrate the holidays at the Larabee
ranch. After Thanksgiving, the invitation for Christmas had been only a
small surprise. In the last few years, Chris had tried not to go home,
be reminded of Sarah and Adam throughout the Christmas season because it
always made him one mean, depressed, ill-tempered sob. Since Ezra, most
of that had changed, but Christmas aboard the station was slightly different
from a Christmas at home. So when his parents had invited him, Buck and
their respective partners, he had been only too happy to accept.
Reluctance on Ezra's part had been short-lived and while the thief
was still trying to cope with all the festivities, the holidays, the general
feel of celebratign something, he had willingly boarded the shuttle to
Earth.
The welcome at the ranch had been warm and familiar, Chris's mother
giving Ezra an unexpected hug that left him stunned and speechless. Ever
since the birthday present, Ezra had been in silent awe and while Chris
had tried to explain to his lover that, yes, his mother was a famous painter,
he didn't have to put her on a pedestal. He doubted that it was that anyway.
Ezra could accept famous family members. What he had a hard time with was
the fact that he had been so easily and readily accepted into the Larabee
family after the problems around Thanksgiving.
Everyone had helped decorate the rooms, the tree, the had drunken egg
nog, and laughed about the old-fashioned mistletoe – which Buck and Vin
had tried out immediately. Buck had voted for one over every door.
Now Chris and Ezra were returning from town where there had been a
Christmas fair. Ezra was familiar with fairs, having been to many, but
never to just have fun. He had been there to check out the money. Both
men had had fun, especially at the shooting range, which was where Chris
had won this … well, Ezra still had difficulties to believe what he saw.
Sitting on the passenger seat of the old-fashioned jeep, Ezra gave
his partner a critical look.
"Chris?"
"Yes, Ezra?"
"You know what that is?"
"'course I do."
"Chris?"
"Hm?"
"You know that's supposed to be for children?"
"And?"
"You are not a child."
"Ever heard of the inner child?"
"Hm."
"Ezra?"
"Hm?"
"He's cute."
"Oh?"
"Yep. He looks like you."
"Hardly."
"He does. Same lost puppy look."
"I don't look like a lost puppy!"
"You do."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"No way!"
"Okay."
Now that was something new, Ezra mused. Chris Larabee giving
in that soon. Maybe there really was something about these holidays.
"Chris?"
"Hm?"
"You're not… you know … keeping it?"
"Stop calling him 'it'. "
"Come again?"
"He, Ezra, not 'it'. "
"Chris?"
"Hm?"
"Is there something you might want to tell me?"
"Huh?"
"About your childhood maybe?"
"Uh-oh, Dr. Standish is in."
"Chri-is."
"What?"
"This is ridiculous."
"Nope."
"Oh yes, it is. I mean, we're talking about… you know… playthings?"
"So?"
"This is ridiculous."
"Nope."
"Do I have a déjà vu?"
"Possibly. Ez?"
"Hm?"
"Don't you think he looks like a Rodney?"
"What???"
* * *
Dinner had been a light affair of something made out of potatoes, vegetables
and ham, which had been delicious. Ezra could see where Chris had his talent
for cooking from. His mother was a genius, he decided.
Swapping stories and tales, reliving outrageous cases, embarrassing
Buck who had sailed off a building and landed in a trough full of pink
paint, passed as the evening entertainment. Ezra felt comfortable, enjoying
himself, feeling sleepy from the food, the wine and the warmth. Since they
had planned to go for a ride in the snow, which had been tempting both
men – and the Kiowata inside – Chris and Ezra called in an early night.
Buck and Vin had decided to follow.
"Chris?"
"Yes, Ezra?"
"I .. can't…"
"What?"
"I just … you know … I can't."
"Why? Getting old?"
"That's the pot calling the kettle black …"
"Who? Me? Getting old? No way …"
"Arremph … actually it appears you're getting younger."
"That's my boy."
"Chris?"
"What?"
"I still can't."
"Why?"
"It."
"What?"
"Rodney."
"What about him?"
"He's watching."
"He's … oh."
"Don't you think you could … you know…."
"What? Turn off the light?"
"No."
"Well, what?"
"I mean… turn it? Just a little?"
"Him, Ezra."
"Chri-is!"
"What?"
"Do it!"
"I love it when you say that …"
"CHRIS!!"
"What?!"
"NOW!"
"I love that even more…"
"I don't believe this… "
"What?"
"We're talking about a stuffed animal here, for goodness sake!"
"So? You never had a teddy bear before in your life?"
"Nope. You?"
"Well…"
"Okay, that does it. Tomorrow I'm going to have a loooong talk with
your mom."
"You aren't …"
"I am."
"You probably wouldn't …"
"I will. And would you – please – turn him around NOW?!"
"Ez?"
"What?!"
"You called him 'him'."
"Chris?"
"Yep?"
"You ARE aware that I will talk with Buck about this?"
"Oh no… Ezra… you… Ezra… oooohhh."
Line, hook and sinker, Larabee>