Summary: The boys join the Hawkes for Sunday Brunch. And Leandra is awesome - Part 2.
Chapter 11 – The Hawke Sunday Brunch
There are two weekly traditions that Garrett Hawke holds near and dear to his heart, ones he has maintained religiously for years.
The first is Poker Night on Fridays, which started years ago with Aveline and then husband Wesley and over time has expanded to include his siblings, his close friends, his close friends' dates (on rare occasions) and his parents (on less rare occasions). They rotate between each others' homes, poker and alcohol a convenient excuse to gather and just be, to enjoy the company and share both the good and the bad happening in their lives each week. A lot of important things have been celebrated on Poker Night – Bethany's graduation from Medical School; Isabela starting her own PR company; Varric's first novel to make the New York Times' Best Seller List. The list of important things they've weathered is equally long and impressive, including Garrett's own rather long drawn out period of "Oh my god I'm going to die alone I've lost the man of my dreams".
Actually that was weathered over many, many Poker Nights.
The second is the Hawke Sunday Brunch, a Leandra Hawke instituted (mandated) family event that Garrett not so secretly loves. He knows he is incredibly lucky to have the family he has, with loving, devoted parents and younger siblings he adores on most days. And no matter that Garrett is now 37 years old, he still feels like a kid every time he comes home and sees his family gathered around the kitchen, laughing and eating and picking on one another (mostly Carver). It's an opportunity to recharge, a cocoon of safety and warmth his mother extended to all of Garrett's friends so it's never a surprise now when one of them just pops up for Sunday Brunch.
Garrett arrives this Sunday a bit early; he was up first thing in the morning anyway, having spent most of the night tossing and turning, thinking up increasingly disturbing scenarios in his head of what was happening over at Andy's. He'd even gotten around to rating them based on the likelihood it would happen – passionate, reuniting best friends sex? 90%; Fenris murdering Andy and framing Garrett? 5% (7% if Fenris woke up with a wicked hangover).
He finds everyone gathered around the kitchen island, his father and Orana, the Hawkes' cook/nutritionist/personal trainer, putting the finishing touches to brunch.
Beth is the first to see him, "Hello Big Brother! How's it going?" She's grinning and looking very smug; like she knows he's been up to something naughty and can't wait to hear all the details.
"Morning Beth." He leans over to give her a kiss, then walks over to help his mother who is setting the table. "Hello Mother."
She tugs his shirt lightly, making him bend down slightly so she can kiss him and then pat him on the cheek. "Orana made your favorite banana chocolate chip muffins today."
Garrett sighs, "Why haven't you agreed to marry me yet?"
"I'm sure she could do much better than you Garrett, even if you didn't just like men." Oh right, Carver's here too.
Orana laughs, "Ask me again if things don't work out with that gorgeous boyfriend of yours." Garrett tries really hard not to twitch.
His dad looks up from the frying pan, "Where is Fenris by the way? I thought you two were coming over together?"
That had been the plan of course, until Garrett confessed to being in love with his best friend last night. So family brunch...not so much.
He'd gotten a text this morning, sent before he'd even woken up.
Need some time to think. I'll call you later.
At least Fenris didn't tell him to fuck off.
Yet.
"Sorry he can't make it. He's...busy." Garrett really needs to work on his lying.
"Jesus Garrett, what did you do now?" Carver has always been oddly protective of Fenris, the younger man looking up to the cop as a role model and mentor.
Beth jumps in before he can answer, "You told him didn't you? You finally told him how you feel about Anders!"
Carver glares at his sister, "Did you put him up to this? Why would he mess things up with a great guy like Fenris? Over some obsession he should have gotten over ages ago?"
"He's not obsessed! He's been in love with Anders since Aveline's wedding! And he needs to figure out what he wants! Or do you want him to stay with Fenris when he wants to be with somebody else?"
"You just want him to be with Anders 'cause he's your new best friend at the hospital! Why don't you date him instead if you think he's so great!"
"I don't want to date him, he's Garrett's...ugh that's gross Carver!"
Garrett feels a headache coming on. It's a little surreal, watching his siblings argue about his love life over Sunday Brunch.
Malcolm frowns at the scene in front of him and interrupts. "Let's not talk about Garrett like he's not standing right here. And it's not our decision who Garrett chooses to be with, it's his business not ours."
"They're both such lovely young men, " Leandra smiles – and Garrett knows he's in trouble. "And they should be here in about 10 minutes."
Everyone turns and stares.
Leandra picks up her coffee and takes a sip, then grins at the 5 faces gawking at her. "I talked to Fenris this morning to make sure he was coming for brunch. He said he was with Anders so I asked Fenris to bring him along."
"You...I...what..." Garrett can't quite articulate what a terrible idea it is for the three of them to be in the same room together right now.
Malcolm quirks his eyebrow at Leandra and grins, shaking his head. Garrett thinks his dad should be a little less amused at his wife's blatant meddling in his love life.
"Mother, things are a little...complicated right now. This is a bad idea..."
She hasn't stopped smiling, serene and not at all anxious at the soon to be disastrous Hawke Sunday Brunch. "Hush dear. Fenris wouldn't have agreed to come or agreed to bring Anders if things are as bad as you seem to think right?"
Garrett doesn't answer, but he knows Fenris only agreed because it was Leandra asking and he'd always had a soft spot for Garrett's mom. Plus she had an uncanny knack for getting her way and making things happen, a skill likely stemming from a crazy but lethal combination of her Amell high-society upbringing, PhD in psychology and finely honed mother's guilt.
And really, Garrett can't help but think, how bad could it be? At least they can't kill him in front of his parents.
###
They're all sitting around the beautiful, antique oak table Garrett loves by the time Andy and Fenris arrive 15 minutes later. This eating area attached to the massive kitchen is actually Garrett's favorite room in the mansion, smaller and cozier than the formal dining room that is rarely used except on more formal occasions. There are large bay windows that surround the space, letting the sunlight filter in and bathe the room in a soft, warm glow. It never ceases to fill Garrett with a sense of peace and happiness when he's sitting here, surrounded by the people he loves.
The two men arrive for Sunday Brunch looking deliciously put together and at ease, Fenris looking only slightly rumpled from an undoubtedly awful beer & scotch hangover. When they say hello to the Hawkes there's none of the tension Garrett saw between Andy and Fenris last night and he can't help but wonder what's happened in the hours since he saw them last.
Malcolm is seated closest as they enter and stands to greet them. "Morning boys! So glad you made it! Orana made a delicious spread for us today." He pats Andy on the back and grins, "Here, sit. I want to tell you more about the expansion to the Pediatrics wing we're planning."
Leandra sighs loudly, pretending to be annoyed, "Malcolm dear, do at least offer Anders something to eat and drink before you start going on about the hospital." She smiles at Andy, who offers her one of his charming grins and a wink.
Oh god, Andy just flirted with his mother.
She looks over at Fenris, who is making his way around to greet her, bending over to kiss her on the cheek. "Hello Leandra. Thanks for inviting us."
"You know you have a standing invitation to brunch. You're family Fenris. Now sit here and tell me about your week." His mother pats the empty chair between her and Garrett and gazes adoringly at his boyfriend.
And now his mother is flirting with Fenris.
It's all a bit bizarre and he's not sure what to say or how to act, given how things ended up between them last night. So Garrett sort of sits there awkwardly, trying hard not to lean too closely but not move too far away. He doesn't say anything and he doesn't realize he's holding his breath until Fenris turns towards him and says, "Good morning," and gives him a quick kiss on the lips.
Garrett feels like he can breathe again. He gives Fenris a small, slightly awkward smile, "Morning. How are you feeling?"
Fenris chuckles, "Hung over but it's getting better. Should be fine after some food and lots of coffee."
And that's all the conversation he's able to have with Fenris before Carver interrupts, "Hey Fenris, I was just telling Mother about the latest case you're working on. You know how much she likes to analyze the whack jobs that always end up on your plate."
At least this part isn't strange or new to Garrett; Fenris is almost always drawn into deep conversations with Carver and his mother at Sunday Brunch, the former fascinated by the high profile cases that fall to Fenris and the latter keen to share theories with a fellow psych. major. Fenris himself is rather impressed by Leandra's experience, intuition and analytical skills and has spent hours bouncing ideas off her and sharing stories of past arrests over expensive, imported coffee.
He's somewhat startled to find a similar scene when he looks over at Andy; his dad and Beth are both looking intently at him, Malcolm with something like pride as Andy recounts some of the surgeries he performed in Africa and Beth staring adoringly like he's some kind of superhero sitting in her kitchen.
Orana leans over and whispers in his ear, "Looks like your family can't decide either."
Garrett sighs and stabs his scrambled eggs with his fork.
###
They never get a chance to talk.
As brunch is winding down, Fenris looks at his watch and says, "I'm sorry but we need to go. Andy and I are supposed to meet my sister in 20 minutes."
Garrett looks at him and then at Andy. "I didn't know she was back from her vacation in Mexico."
Fenris just smiles and shrugs, "She just got back last night but she's dying to see Andy. She called first thing this morning and asked me to bring him over." He looks a bit unsure when he continues, "Do you want to come with us?"
He knows he needs to talk to Fenris, to both of them really, but not in front of Varania who probably wouldn't appreciate Garrett dumping this epic mess of a situation on her lap the minute she's back from sunning herself on the beach for a week. So he hesitates for a moment and then answers, "No, you two go ahead. Just give Vanny my love okay?"
Garrett's not sure if he's imagining it but Fenris looks...relieved? "Alright. Why don't I call you when we're done and we can talk later tonight?" And then he leans over and gives Garrett another kiss, a perfectly normal kiss like any other day, like Garrett didn't admit last night to also being in love with another man and Fenris hadn't stormed off in anger.
It's unsettling.
And it's making Garrett a little paranoid.
After the two friends leave, the others also make their way from the kitchen, leaving Garrett and Leandra to clean up after brunch.
They work in silence for a while, clearing the empty plates and loading the dishwasher, until Garrett can't hold it in any longer, "Fenris is going to dump me for Andy."
Leandra looks up at Garrett and then waves her hand, "Nonsense, Fenris loves you. He's not breaking up with you."
"No you don't understand," Garrett shakes his head, "Those two have been in love since they were kids. And now Andy's back and he wants to make things work with Fenris and I can't make a decision because I want them both and I'm going to lose them because I can't make up my damn mind!"
His mother smiles at him, seemingly unconcerned with his insistence he'll soon have his heart handed to him in a million little pieces. "Well they may have feelings for each other yes but I saw the way Fenris was looking at you. He loves you Garrett, he's not going to end things." She quirks an eyebrow at him and adds, "And he's not the only one who feels that way. Andy seems quite taken with you too."
Garrett deflates completely; he's drained, a week of his feelings being in constant turmoil has taken a toll on his sanity. "I know they both have feelings for me. But I can't seem to figure out what I want. I can't choose, and if I don't, I'm afraid I'm going to lose them both."
"Why do you have to choose?"
"What, just let them decide what to do? Shouldn't I have an idea what I want?"
Leandra pulls him over to the counter and pours him a fresh cup of coffee. "No dear. Have you considered that maybe you don't have to choose? That you could be with both of them?"
Garrett stops, his cup of coffee half way to his mouth as he gapes openly at his mother's words. "Both of them? Is my mother suggesting that I have a threesome?"
"Oh no. Nothing so short-sighted, though of course the sex would be hot wouldn't it?" She winks at him and his jaw drops even more. "I'm suggesting that you have a loving, healthy, three-way relationship with two men you love very much and who seem to love you and each other as well."
He's still stunned and can't think of a response so he takes a sip of his coffee and stares at her for a minute. She just watches him and smiles.
"You...isn't that strange? Shouldn't I devote myself to just one person, like you and dad?"
"Garrett, your father and I are very lucky and we love each other very much. But our relationship is only one example of how it can work." She takes a sip of her own coffee and continues, "Monogamy might be the norm in most societies but it's not the only form that relationships take and I don't see why you should let that dictate what's right for your specific situation."
"But how would everyone react? Even if you're okay with it, what about Dad and Beth and Carver? What about my friends? And I don't even know what Fenris or Andy would think of something like this."
His mother reaches over to hold his hand, "It's nobody's business but yours and Andy's and Fenris' if that's what you choose. And everyone will be happy for you if you're happy. As for what the boys will think...well you'd have to ask them won't you?"
Garrett takes a moment to consider his mother's words, to really think about it. Because as much as he's aware of his feelings for Fenris and Andy he's never really considered being with both of them; that it was even an option. But the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes it's exactly what he wants. He wants them both in his life, to share his bed and his work and his family & friends. He thinks back to brunch just a little while ago and he sees the possibilities; his family already likes both men and he can't help but hope for Sunday Brunches like this every week, surrounded by the people he loves most in the world.
"What if I want to get married some day?"
"Oh Garrett," his mother squeezes his hand and shakes her head at him, "One thing at a time dear."
###
Garrett is in his office, catching up on paperwork when Fenris calls him and tells him to come home; Fenris is already there, and thinks they should talk. He doesn't say anything about Andy and Garrett doesn't ask. He grabs his things and sprints out the door.
When he gets home, he finds Fenris lounging casually on his couch. Garrett plops down next to him and pulls him into a kiss and then launches into the speech he's been working on all afternoon in his head.
"Please Fenris, I need you to listen to me." He stares into emerald green eyes that are giving him an inscrutable look. "I'm sorry I hurt you, I never meant to do that. And I do love you, very much and I don't want to lose you. If you tell me you still want me, it would make me so happy and if you tell me you want to be with Andy, well it would hurt but I'd understand. But I think I need to tell you what I want first, before you decide, because I think I've been handling this whole thing badly and I didn't really know myself until today."
He takes a deep breath and watches as Fenris' lips curl into a soft smile, "Tell me what you want Garrett."
Okay, here goes. "I want you. And I want Andy. I want both of you. And me. To have a relationship. The three of us."
"You want a threesome?" Fenris sounds amused, not pissed off which is a good sign.
"No! I want a loving, healthy, three-way relationship with two men I love very much."
Fenris doesn't freak out, or yell, or make any demands. He continues smiling at Garrett and chuckles a bit before he says, out of the blue, "I have a birthday present for you."
Garrett is totally thrown by Fenris' change of subject. "What? You already gave me a new watch for my birthday."
He gets up off the couch and pulls Garrett up after him, leading him towards the bedroom. "I think you're going to like this better than the watch."
Fenris opens the door and Garrett freezes at the sight of Andy, sitting on his bed, propped up on his pillows reading a book. He looks up at them both and smiles, "Hello Garrett. Happy belated birthday."
"What..." Garrett's mental faculties have completely deserted him.
"You said you wanted a relationship with us both." Fenris moves over and sits at the end of the bed. "We can talk about that later. But right now, we're going to have sex."
Andy sits up and pats the space in front of him, "Come here and join us." He runs his hands across the bed and grins, "I missed your red sheets."
Garrett just stands there, his mouth still hanging half open.
"Garrett," Fenris snaps at him with the detective voice he uses when he's giving orders, "Come here." He points to Andy, "And strip him, now."