Blair bent over his laptop, pecking away at the keys with studied concentration. "Humanity has long dug into its past in the hope that it will shed light on its future," he wrote. "Perhaps what this reveals is that it is the best of ourselves that will survive and lead us through the next millennium. Watching our every step will be our tribal protectors, The Sentinels, and their insight will further illuminate the spiritual connection of all things. THE END."
Jim walked up behind the concentrating anthropologist and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, leaning down to whisper into an ear. "How's it going?"
Startled, Blair jerked backed, whacking Jim's chin with the back of his head. "Oh, geez, I'm sorry, Jim! Are you okay?"
Jim rubbed at his aching jaw. "I'll live. How's the dissertation?"
"Finished! Can you believe it? I still need to do a little refining, some tweaking here and there, but it's essentially done ... finally!"
"Do I still get to read it?"
"You bet. Just like I promised. Let me go get my printer and I'll print you a copy." He tried to push up off the couch, but fell back against the cushions. A second try wasn't any more successful. "Um, Jim?" He looked up at the amused Sentinel. "You're either going to have to help me out here, or get the printer yourself."
"Where'd you store it?"
"In my old bedroom," Blair told him with a knowing smile.
Jim reached down and grabbed hold of Blair's hands. "In that case, I guess I'll help you haul butt. There's no way I'm going into that wasteland!" He chuckled as he pulled Blair to his feet. He watched with barely-contained amusement as his very pregnant lover waddled across the floor to what had once again become a storage room.
Blair emerged a few minutes later carrying the printer. Jim was at his side almost immediately. "Here, let me take that. You shouldn't be carrying anything heavy."
"The printer's not that heavy," Blair protested weakly, allowing Jim to take it from him.
After the device was settled next to the laptop, Blair began making the connections, then hit "print." The machine clacked and clattered as it began spewing out the pages that represented the young anthropologist's life work. It took nearly forty-five minutes and almost a ream of paper before silence finally reigned once more in the loft.
Blair put a password on the file and closed it out. After turning off the laptop, he gathered the papers in the printer and tapped them into a neat pile. "Here you go," he said, presenting his pride and joy to Jim. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to mask our identities without compromising the data. I hope they'll buy it."
"When do you have to turn it in?"
"Beginning of spring term," Blair answered nervously. "They'll want me to defend it shortly after that."
"Is that going to be a problem?" Jim had cued in on his lover's nervous energy.
"No. Oh, no, not a problem," the young man answered, bouncing from foot to foot.
"Then what's the matter?"
"Will you just read it, please?" Blair begged. "You know your opinion is more important to me than any committee's. I need to know if you approve, or if there's anything you want changed."
~oO0Oo~
It was three o'clock in the morning when Jim finally put down the paper. Blair had fallen asleep beside him, pillowed on his shoulder. "Blair?" He shook the young man gently. "Time to get up and go to bed."
Dark blue eyes blinked sleepily. "What time is it?"
"After three in the A.M.," he was told. "Way past time for your beauty sleep." Jim stood up and reached down to help his lover off the couch.
Blair wavered slightly before gaining his balance. As they started for the stairs to their bedroom, he asked, "What did you think? Of the dissertation?"
"I thought it was a work of art, worthy of a multimillion dollar book signing, movie rights and, heck, maybe even a Nobel prize."
"You are so full of bullshit," Blair chuckled. "What did you really think?"
"Well, you know that I'm uncomfortable with that fear-based response thing...."
"But, Jim, it's the fear that motivates you. It's not a bad thing," Blair began the old argument.
"I'm not arguing with you tonight, Chief," he said, pulling back the covers and helping Blair find a comfortable position lying on his side. "I really think you did a good job with it. If the committee doesn't award you that Ph.D. in the spring, they'll have to answer to me."
"Thanks, Jim," Blair mumbled, already half asleep once again.
"Good night, Love." Jim bent down to kiss Blair's cheek, then crawled into bed and spooned himself around his lover.
~oO0Oo~
"Do you want to tell anyone about it?" Jim asked over breakfast.
Blair pondered the idea over a bite of eggs, then shook his head. "I think I'd like to keep it a secret for now. I locked up the printed copy this morning, and the computer file is password protected. I've still got a little polishing to do, and besides, it's going to be another five months before I defend it. I think I'd like to just keep it all under wraps for the time being."
"I yield to your wisdom, oh great soon-to-be-Doctor Sandburg."
"You are so full of shit," Blair said lovingly and smiled.
[Reviews - 0] [Kudos - 114]
Download story PDF format or ePUB format or MOBI format
Table of Contents
Download story PDF format or ePUB format or MOBI format
Table of Contents