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August in the Pacific Northwest was always hot and dry, and this year was no exception. The high temperatures were making everyone short tempered and irritable. Jim fit that description perfectly. An irritable Sentinel was not something his co-workers or roommate wanted to deal with. Which was why Simon gave him a couple days off and why he was now sitting in a darkened loft wearing nothing but an old pair of threadbare khaki shorts and drinking a cold beer. Not even the ceiling fans he'd installed last year were helping, they were just pushing the warm air around.
Knowing he'd been snapping, and at Blair in particular, Jim had wanted to do something special for his friend. He'd left the coolness of the station and went shopping in an equally cool shopping centre. Truth be told that was one of the few times he didn't mind going into the overcrowded and noisy shops, they at least had their air conditioning turned up on high, making the stores cool and comfortable. By the time he left he was carrying several bags of what were probably unorthodox gifts considering the month and temperature outside. Jim smiled thinking about the reaction his gifts would get.
Digging through the refrigerator, he pulled out the last cold beer. He put the remaining cans of the 12 pack in to cool, knowing that Blair would want one when he got home. He took his own bottle and went to sit on the balcony, turning his senses down so he could relax in this weather. He enjoyed the stillness of the evening, even if it was to hot to move.
Because he had his hearing turned down he missed hearing Blair's Volvo as it sputtered into it's parking spot. He also missed hearing his roommate come through the door five minutes later until he touched Jim on the shoulder.
"Hey Jim. You okay?" Blair asked, concerned look on his face as he took the seat next to Jim.
"Yeah, I just turned everything down."
"Why?"
"Too hot," Jim explained, looking over at Blair, still dressed in jeans and a shirt and tie. He knew Blair had a department meeting today that required him to dress respectably. "Go change and get comfortable."
"Good idea. It was a long day." Blair rose and started through the loft, "Oh Jim, I know it's late but do you want dinner?"
Jim leaned his chair back and looked in the french door of the balcony, "No it's too hot to eat unless it's ice cream."
Blair laughed at Jim's sweet tooth. Three years of living together and he still hadn't instilled good eating habits in his junk food loving partner.
Jim listened as the bathroom door opened, closed and the shower came on. He heard the quick intake of breath as Blair stepped under the cold spray and a few minutes later he heard the soft brush of the terry cloth towel against Blair's lean body. He kept his hearing turned up so he wouldn't miss the first reaction to the gifts piled on Blair's bed.
Now he waited as the soft sound of Blair's footsteps crossed the floor to his room. There it was, just after the slight squeak of the door hinges, the gasp, as Blair discovered his gifts.
Jim listened as Blair hurriedly threw on a pair of short. Then came the soft "Jim."
"Yeah Chief?" Jim answered as he stood. He walked back into the loft and headed to Blair's room.
"Jim what is this?" Blair questioned, waving his arm towards the pile of presents on his bed.
"Gifts?"
Blair looked at him with a 'no duh' expression on his face, "Well yeah, why?"
"Call it Christmas in August, or maybe, late birthday. Or how about a thanks for putting up with me gift." Jim knew he'd gone over board with the shopping but he'd had fun and knowing how much Blair would appreciate the gifts come winter made the shopping experience even better.
Blair finally tore into the nearest and smallest package. Jim watched Blair's confused expression grow as Blair unwrapped each gift and set it aside for the next one.
"Ah, Jim. I don't understand."
Jim smiled, it wasn't often that he could leave Blair in this much of a state of confusion. "Well I figured that since you are always cold from about September on, I'd get you your Christmas presents early so you could enjoy them all year. Besides then I won't have to listen to you complain about how cold Iable Sentinel was not something his co-workers or roommate wanted to deal with. Which was why Simon gave him a couple days off and why he was now sitting in a darkened loft wearing nothing but an old pair of threadbare khaki shorts and drinking a cold beer. Not even the ceiling fans he'd installed last year were helping, they were just pushing the warm air around.
Knowing he'd been snapping, and at Blair in particular, Jim had wanted to do something special for his friend. He'd left the coolness of the station and went shopping in an equally cool shopping centre. Truth be told that was one of the few times he didn't mind going into the overcrowded and noisy shops, they at least had their air conditioning turned up on high, making the stores cool and comfortable. By the time he left he was carrying several bags of what were probably unorthodox gifts considering the month and temperature outside. Jim smiled thinking about the reaction his gifts would get.
Digging through the refrigerator, he pulled out the last cold beer. He put the remaining cans of the 12 pack in to cool, knowing that Blair would want one when he got home. He took his own bottle and went to sit on the balcony, turning his senses down so he could relax in this weather. He enjoyed the stillness of the evening, even if it was to hot to move.
Because he had his hearing turned down he missed hearing Blair's Volvo as it sputtered into it's parking spot. He also missed hearing his roommate come through the door five minutes later until he touched Jim on the shoulder.
"Hey Jim. You okay?" Blair asked, concerned look on his face as he took the seat next to Jim.
"Yeah, I just turned everything down."
"Why?"
"Too hot," Jim explained, looking over at Blair, still dressed in jeans and a shirt and tie. He knew Blair had a department meeting today that required him to dress respectably. "Go change and get comfortable."
"Good idea. It was a long day." Blair rose and started through the loft, "Oh Jim, I know it's late but do you want dinner?"
Jim leaned his chair back and looked in the french door of the balcony, "No it's too hot to eat unless it's ice cream."
Blair laughed at Jim's sweet tooth. Three years of living together and he still hadn't instilled good eating habits in his junk food loving partner.
Jim listened as the bathroom door opened, closed and the shower came on. He heard the quick intake of breath as Blair stepped under the cold spray and a few minutes later he heard the soft brush of the terry cloth towel against Blair's lean body. He kept his hearing turned up so he wouldn't miss the first reaction to the gifts piled on Blair's bed.
Now he waited as the soft sound of Blair's footsteps crossed the floor to his room. There it was, just after the slight squeak of the door hinges, the gasp, as Blair discovered his gifts.
Jim listened as Blair hurriedly threw on a pair of short. Then came the soft "Jim."
"Yeah Chief?" Jim answered as he stood. He walked back into the loft and headed to Blair's room.
"Jim what is this?" Blair questioned, waving his arm towards the pile of presents on his bed.
"Gifts?"
Blair looked at him with a 'no duh' expression on his face, "Well yeah, why?"
"Call it Christmas in August, or maybe, late birthday. Or how about a thanks for putting up with me gift." Jim knew he'd gone over board with the shopping but he'd had fun and knowing how much Blair would appreciate the gifts come winter made the shopping experience even better.
Blair finally tore into the nearest and smallest package. Jim watched Blair's confused expression grow as Blair unwrapped each gift and set it aside for the next one.
"Ah, Jim. I don't understand."
Jim smiled, it wasn't often that he could leave Blair in this much of a state of confusion. "Well I figured that since you are always cold from about September on, I'd get you your Christmas presents early so you could enjoy them all year. Besides then I won't have to listen to you complain about how cold I keep the loft." Jim teased.
Blair stood there grinning and without regard for the temperature he tried on all 4 of the heavy brushed cotton flannel shirts from Eddie Bauer. And the Connamara socks from Gaelsong. He was even tempted to put the navy flannel sheets on his bed but he contented himself to just stroking the soft cotton. He gave the down comforter a squeeze of appreciation.
"What you aren't going to put the sheets on the bed and try them out too?" Jim teased.
"Naa, it's too hot. I'll just wait for that pleasure when it gets cold out." Blair paused then looked up at Jim where he was still lounged against the doorframe. "Hey man, thanks. It means..."
Jim held up a hand, "I know Chief, I know."
FINIS