Work Text:
Den
by Scribe
"What would you think about a den?"
Blair, sitting at the dining room table, looked up from his laptop. "What kinda den, Big Guy? Cub Scout? Lion's? Opium?"
Jim was standing in front of the door that led into the small room under the stairs--the one that Blair had occupied before they'd come together as a couple. "A DEN, Genius. You know--comfy chairs, fireplace, desk, walls of books..."
Blair blinked. "In there? Jim, do I have to remind you that it was crowded with just my futon and a nightstand? And we HAVE a fireplace out here."
"Okay, but if we put the futon in the basement there'd be room for a desk and one more good chair. It could be your own little place. I could put in some shelves for your artifacts, you could hang your posters..."
Blair felt a twinge. Was this Jim's way of saying that he was tired of having Blair sprawl his things all over the loft? "Look, I could go up to the bedroom, or maybe to the coffee shop to do this work."
"What?" Jim looked back over his shoulder at him, frowning. "Why would you want to do that?"
"That's what this is about, isn't it? I'm in the way, distracting you." Jim turned toward him, his frown deepening. "Hey, I understand. After all, you lived alone a long time, and you got used to having things exactly your way. It's a big adjustment to have someone else in your space 24/7, so if you need more space..."
"What the hell brought this on?"
"The den thing. You don't have to go through that much trouble just to get me out of your hair for a little while. I'll..."
"Damn, Blair--for a perceptive guy, when you get the wrong end of the stick you do it in a pretty spectacular way." Jim walked over and sat beside him. "You thought I was suggesting a den because I want to get you out of the way?"
"Like I said, I can understand, and..."
Jim talked over him. "Shut up a minute, and let me explain. I mentioned the den idea because I thought YOU might like it. From listening to you, you haven't ever had much space you could really call your own. You had to share rooms when you were travelling with Naomi, then you had roommates through college and on your expiditions. The first place of your own got blown to smithereens, then you came here. You had the room, but it was in MY place. Now this is OUR place, and I thought you might like to have your own little place, just for you. You know--a sanctum sanctorum? A place no one else went unless they were invited? A place you could work, or just sit and think."
Blair was touched beyond words. This was Jim, all right--wanting to make a place for Blair, wanting to make the loft even more a home for him. He shut off his laptop, saying, "I tell ya what. The futon is still on the floor in there, right?" Jim nodded. Blair reached over and gripped the back of Jim's neck, then leaned to him and kissed him deeply. Pulling back a fraction, he gazed deep into Jim's eyes, wiggled his eyebrows, and said, "What say we go and turn the room into a den of iniquity?"
end