AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, that’s sweet. The break room is back here.” He didn’t have a dining area or a bathroom or a kitchen in his little garret, so he used them down here.
Rome followed him and he was hyper-aware of the man, and swore he could feel Rome’s gaze on him as they walked.
The break room was on the second floor in the back, and Fillion kept it clean. No one liked a dirty kitchen.
“No decorations?” Rome asked as he put his basket and bags on the little table.
“Just for me? No. That’s a waste of work.”
“Well, I happened to bring a little something to brighten things up. I hope you don’t mind—I did notice you hadn’t decorated your room upstairs.” Rome pulled out a string of fairy lights from one of the bags along with some clips.
“Oh…” His lips parted. “Oh, wow. Neat!”
“I think this wall here by the table, don’t you?” Rome started sticking the clips to the wall, then he hung the lights so they were scalloped near the top of the wall. He plugged them in and the place was lit up like, well, like Christmas, the wee lights twinkling red, green, yellow, and blue.
Fillion stared at the pretty lights, and he had to smile. “You made a hard day nicer. Thank you.”
Rome beamed at him. “You’re welcome—that’s exactly what I was going for.” Rome grabbed a bottle out of the other bag. “Do you like champagne?”
“I’ve never tried. Do you like it?” He did love things with bubbles.
“I do. I like how the bubbles tickle. It’s a cheerful drink, you know?” Two champagne glasses appeared next and once he’d set them down, Rome began to work on the cork.
“What do I need to do? I have some leftover pizza and some cereal to share?”
“I’ve got a meal for us in the picnic basket.” The cork popped off the bottle with a loud sound and Rome filled the champagne glasses immediately, not losing any as it fizzed up.
“I—Wow! Look at that. So pretty!” He was utterly taken aback.
Rome handed him one of the glasses and held his gaze. “Let’s make a toast. To new beginnings, new friends and new possibilities.” Rome clinked their glasses together.
“Yes. New possibilities.” He took a sip and the bubbles tickled his nose, making him smile.
“You have a lovely smile, boy.” Rome was looking at him, watching.
“Oh. I… thank you.” He hid his grin in his glass.
Rome had a few sips before turning to the picnic basket and taking out containers. “Have you heard of the feasts of seven fishes?”
“No. No, what’s that?” Fillion loved new things, new ideas, new experiences. He just hadn’t wanted to leave his store behind. Or his friends.
Did that make him bad?
No.
“It’s a tradition where on Christmas Eve you have a seven-course meal, each one featuring a different fish. The background is supposedly from Southern Italy, but no one can quite pinpoint that. But I think it’s a neat little idea and I’ve brought that along for us to share tonight.”
“Seven courses? For us? Really?” Oh, that sounded like heaven, but also a little scary, because what would they talk about for that long.
“Small courses so we don’t explode after eating it all.” Rome gave him a wink.
He nodded, because, of course, but still! This was the most fun he’d had in a long time.
“Would you like to sit in my lap?” Rome asked him.
His lips parted. “That—that’s okay?” He’d never just been asked like that.
“I wouldn’t have made the invitation if it wasn’t.” Rome had all the containers out. He even had utensils. He sat and pushed the chair partly away from the table so there was room for Fillion.
