Making Amends

[mistersmith_tm]

Rose had not been happy with him. Not at all. And she let him know exactly how upset and worried she'd been about his getting himself hurt so badly -- again! -- right after she hugged him and kissed him and squealed with glee to find him up and about. Rose hadn't been very surprised to find him suddenly (miraculously) healed literally overnight or that the Voice had finally gone, and that worried him a little bit. Even more than her scolding him. Still, there'd been a lot of crying and apologies followed by more hugging and kissing. And promises, of course. Promises that he meant from the bottom of his heart and would keep as best he could. Rose accepted them on faith and love and, as far as her little 6 year old mind was concerned, that settle everything.

Except. Mister Smith still needed to find Bliss and apologize to him as well.

He passed quite a number of surprised (and apparently relieved) servants, none of whom expected to see him out of bed for a month at least, but not Bliss. Apparently the god had gone out early that morning to attend to some business.

"But," said Samual, trying to hide how happy he was to see the young man up and walking around, "You will probably find him out by the playhouse. He hasn't stopped working on it since . . . before."

The playhouse he and Bliss had started over a month ago had grown considerably since last he saw it. Bliss must have been working on it every day, and that made Mister Smith feel even more guilty and sad. It was hidden from childish eyes by a glamour but Smith could see it clearly. Just as he could see his best friend standing off to one side, mixing a bucket of bright blue paint.

"Can I help?" he asked a bit hesitantly.

Comments

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

Bliss looked up from what he was doing with a look of surprise on his face, Smith shouldn't be out of bed for at least another week from what his sister had said. And it wasn't that he was avoiding him... not really... but he'd kind of been scared to go into the room and find himself unable to restrain himself from either yelling at the man or hugging the stuffing out of him.

"Smith?" Blue paint dripping onto himself, "Are you? Are you okay?" His sister would kill him if he didn't send the man right back to bed if he wasn't, but it was good to see him up and about.

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

He hadn't seen much of Bliss while he was bedridden. Usually just fleeting glimpses between fitful wakings. He wasn't certain if he just kept missing Bliss's visits or if he'd been staying away.

"Better than okay," he admitted. "Good as new. Well, mostly." He wouldn't be completely well and whole until he apologized to Bliss. "Um . . . shouldn't that be for the playhouse?" he asked, nodding toward the bright blue paint Bliss was now wearing.

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Good as new..." it was bairly a whisper, he looked good as new, walking... breathing right...and Bliss could feel it too, dampened because he hadn't wanted him to know just how worried he'd been. "Screw the playhouse..." he dropped the paint brush on the ground and started to walk towards his friend.

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"I think it's kind of farewell gift. Or apology. Or something like that," he explained, not really certain himself.

Bliss's expression was unreadable as he walked toward Smith. Was he happy or disappointed? Smith didn't quite know what to expect. How angry was Bliss with him? Upset enough to start scolding him right off the bat?

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

Oh he was still angry with Smith, however there was something more important to do first before he let Smith know exactly how he felt.

Stepping right in front of him, Bliss pulled Smith in for a huge hug, squeezing until the man squeeked and still not letting go. Wings wrapped around the both of them, so it looked more like feathers and two heads than anything else. If there were tears in his eyes? Well, who was going to tell on him?

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

It was the sort of hug that he felt with the whole of his body and right to the very heart of him. The sort of hug that spoke volumes of how much Bliss cared as well as how worried he'd been. Mister Smith hugged him back as tight as he could while tears spilled down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he finally managed, his voice choked with emotions.

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

He wasn't letting go, not for the world, he'd almost lost his best friend again. He'd gotten as close as he could without going back to Hades again and this time he wouldn't be able to get him back. "Don't EVER do that again!" He didn't know what to say, Gods... it scared the crap out him to carry Smith back here to the temple. "Please...." all his words were whispered, from the heart.

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

Wrapped in Bliss's arms and wings, he felt as guilty and sad as if he were a truant child come safely home. "It won't happen again," he said softly, so softly he wasn't certain Bliss could hear him. "I promise."

He closed his eyes and felt for the mystical connection that they shared. Bliss had been closed off from him since his return, and that saddened him. He didn't quite understand why. But he wanted his best friend to feel how truly sorry he was, more effectively than words. He doubted it would save him from the scolding he knew was coming.

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Better not," it was as quiet as Smith's but it was just as deeply meant.

Bliss had opened himself back up almost as soon as Smith was wrapped in his arms. His love... hurt... joy to see him alive. "Missed you."

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

He hugged Bliss all the more fiercely as he felt that wash of emotions and realized even more how much he'd hurt his dearest friend. Just because he hadn't meant to didn't mean he wasn't responsible.

"I've missed you, too," he admitted softly. Just as he'd missed holding his wife and his children, and the smiles on their faces. They'd been so afraid for him and worried that there had been few smiles lately. "Things are going to be different," he promised, blinking away tears. "No more messages. From now on. None."

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Good, because I don't want you hurt like that again. EVER!" He just held on with all his might, tears trickling down his face for a few minutes longer, silence loud around them.

After a while he pulled away, whiping at his nose with his arm, "So you wanted to help with the painting?"

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

Mister Smith nodded silently and silently vowed that he would be more aware of the people around him and how his actions affected them.

As Bliss pulled away, he wiped his own tears with the cuff of his sleeve and took a deep breath. Then, trying a smile on for size, he replied, "I thought you'd never ask." He reached out and gently prodded a spot of blue on the god's shirt. "Would you like some red to go with that?"

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

Laughing a bit, "And yellow too... I was thinking doing one of the rooms downstairs all in primary colors." Grinning, there was already a design on the wall, overlapping squares, triangles and circles. "But I didn't know what to do with the others... maybe a Disney room? They seem to like the movies..."

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"Disney would be good. But there are so many characters to choose from. And, um, I'm a lousy artist."

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

Laughing even more, "I don't think they'll care as long as they get to play."

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"Do you have a favorite? Disney character?"

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Not really, I haven't watched all that many Disney movies... but I do like the Winnie the Pooh series."

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"Ah. I've read the books. Never saw the Disney version. But Rose tells me I remind her of Owl and sometimes Eyore. Maybe we can paint Pooh characters then?"

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

Grinning, "Pooh, Eyore, Piglet, Rabbit and Tigger too." Giggling, "With of course the other ones too, like Kanga and Roo, and Owl. We'll have to sit down and watch it. Maybe do a movie afternoon with the kids?"

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"I'd like that." He smiled. "But don't forget Christopher Robin. Or maybe an outline of the Hundred Acre woods? What do you think? We can paint one of the doors to look like the opening to Rabbit's hole."

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"And put a hole in it, so they can climb though instead of opening the door." Yeah, he really liked that idea.

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"I think the kids will like that. Maybe, when we have that movie afternoon, we can ask them for suggestions. Well, without giving away why we're asking."

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Like who their favorite character is? Or if they want huney pots all around."

[mistersmith-tm.livejournal.com]

"Something like that. They may want honey pots with real honey inside, though."

[littlebitobliss.livejournal.com]

"Oh no... nothing that will attact bugs... I don't think food is going to be allowed in here either. I'm going to have to us my powers to clean it every night as it is." Moving back over to the paint and handing Smith a couple cans of red and one unopened blue, while he picked up the open blue and two yellow. "Do you want to see what I've done so far?" From the outside it looked like a normal house... except for the fact none of the windows were square... they were round, oval, triangular, and even wavy, but no squares in sight.