FREE FLYING HEARTS -- A collection of short stories from Tonig73

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                                                                      ^^^^^  Avery  ^^^^^ 

Beth threw herself into her work, she didn't know what else to do.  Her life had changed so much since the Twins had come into her life.  She wouldn't wallow though, she wasn't a wallower.  If she did anything, she dove straight in at the deep end, business, family, friends, work.  She was just finding this whole thing with Laurent all very .... disconcerting.  They were building a good friendship, she thought, both of them being brave enough to swim out of the shallows and into something deeper.  But, should she risk swimming out into the depths of a relationship with Laurent, only to find she was drowning, and he wasn't emotionally equipped to help her.  Would he even try ?  She didn't know.  This was the first time in her life she had guarded her feelings, her emotions, because she was scared, and she didn't like it.

She worked 12 - 14 hour days if she could, her managers were used to her working hard, but she worked them just as hard too.  Zoom meetings took place anywhere from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Lists upon forms upon instructions were given out.  She was more brusque and demanding than ever.  All the while, she twisted Laurent's thumb ring constantly, stopping to smile once in a while at the nervous habit it had already become.  

She talked to Avery every day, which was more than when he lived and worked in London.  Then she was lucky if she heard from him once a week.  But he was happy, and he wanted to tell her about his happiness, and for her to hear it in his voice.  And she could.  And if her son was happy, then she was too. 

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"Larry, look at this !  It's amazing !"  Larry and Avery criss crossed each others' paths as they wandered around their beautiful new apartment, touching fingers or brushing arms or softly rubbing each others' back in awe.  They were in their newly rented, traditional Parisian apartment, the small rooms having been converted into larger ones, with floor to ceiling french doors opening out onto small wrought iron balconies, a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  Avery pecked Larry's lips lightly as they stood wrapped in each others arms, admiring the view.

"Can we afford this ?  The rent must be extortionate."

"Got it through a friend of a friend, who wanted workshop tickets.  Worth it, don't you think ?"  They hugged each other in the middle of the empty, but elegant apartment.  They both suddenly felt very grown up.  

"What do you think ?  Do you like it ?" Larry whispered into Avery's ear, pulling back slightly to read his eyes too.  Such a big step.  Such an amazing lifestyle to get used to.  Such an amazing man to share his life with.  Avery kissed Larry tenderly.

"I love it.  Is it us, though ?  Traditional Haussmann, parquet floors, no elevator ... "

"The bones are traditional, but we can make it our own.  Anyway, running up and down the stairs will be good exercise, not that we don't get enough exercise as it is."  He gripped Avery's ass cheeks, hard, pressing his chest and his hips into Avery's, kissing him harder too.

"Larry, stop.  God, you're insatiable."  Avery didn't care, however.  He loved Larry, desperately, sometimes.  Beyond all reason, certainly.  One could not reason with love, apparently, so he wouldn't even try.  He loved how his love for Larry was unreasonable.

They had lived in a hotel suite for a few weeks before they came across this place.  He worked for a few hours every day, then they spent the rest of their days together if Larry wasn't busy.  They would stroll arm in arm along the Seine, and shop at the local market stalls for fresh ingredients for an amazing dinner, courtesy of Larry.  Avery had been to one of the Twins' workshops too, and was absolutely floored by both Larry and Laurent's stamina and creativity on the floor.  How much they loved their fans, and how much their fans loved them too.  How they bounced off of one another, and knew each others' moves.  How much passion and love they had for their craft.  Larry had told Avery that he wouldn't be able to pay him too much of his usual brand of attention while they were there, but Avery knew that, and he was OK with it, of course he was.