Moonlight
on Snow
"A
trip for two to a romantic snow bound chalet, and it's Egon's turn to take the
freebies? No fair!" Peter Venkman scowled theatrically. They had finally
decided to parcel out the 'fringe benefits' their job sometimes attracted from
grateful customers by using a roster. The four Ghostbusters could swap for the
goodies or share on the rare occasion there was enough of whatever it was to go
round.
Actually, despite his complaints to the contrary, Peter thought it was good
timing for Egon to get this; his tall friend had been brooding over something
lately and needed a break.
"Maybe he'll swap it for that free Oreo's gift pack I got on Tuesday."
Winston speculated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Don't hold your breath, he's been on that diet, remember?" Ray chimed
in. He had his eye on the Oreo pack himself and was just waiting till he got
something Winston wanted to swap for.
"Don't see why, he's skinny enough if you ask me." Zed grumbled. He'd
have liked to take his girlfriend off for a vacation in a snow bound cabin.
Sounded nice, with little possibility of ghostly intervention. He sighed
regretfully.
They grumbled some more, but accepted the inevitable and Peter took the news of
the free holiday up to his friend. He mentally prepared a list of reasons why
Egon should go should the guy prove reluctant. Egon could be stubborn, not to
mention a bit of a workaholic. Weren't they all?
Egon was reading in the TV room, looking rumpled, famed hairdo only loosely
curled instead of having that tight spiral, chin darkened with stubble. There
was something eminently adorable about the guy when he was all tired and
disheveled like that. Peter plunked down bonelessly besides him on the couch,
barely earning himself a flicker of a glance. Yep, the guy was shagged, and not
just from the 48-hour test he had just run.
Slipping an arm around his friend's shoulders Peter gave him a quick squeeze and
told him the happy news.
"You're gonna need a date. It is a 'romantic' holiday after all. Guy said
he'd pop for champagne, chocolates: the works. There's a Jacuzzi, nice
restaurants close by - everything a budding couple could want. Wish all our
customers were like him."
Peter mused. "Now as for a date - I can contact Tanya, or - no -
Candy!"
"Actually, Peter, I was hopping you would come with me." Egon's voice
was an oddly toneless rumble. The blond physicist kept his eyes on the book in
his hands but the way he tightened his shoulder muscles told Peter this was not
a casual request.
At first Peter didn't get it, his mind had been too busy trying to think up the
names of suitable girls to be Egon's date. Then it did register and he sat there
with his mouth open. Wow. Spengler wanted to take him away for a dirty weekend!
Blink. Blink.
Nah, that's not it. He probably just wants to corner me out in the snow and
talk about the lab budget, or getting more storage room, or… So why was
Egon sitting there so tense you could have used him for a resonating board?
It certainly explained Egon's mood lately. Damn, Peter knew he should have
pushed him about it. Still, Egon'd worked through his feelings enough to ask him
out, which was a good sign.
So...so...oh. Ask him out. On a date. Well, more like a...romantic weekend. Oh
boy. He turned and regarded his friend. Egon looked, he looked...wow. Egon had
stopped pretending to read the book and was waiting anxiously for Peter to
answer his question.
No, Egon. Don't look at any one like that. People can hurt you if you look at
them like that. Peter thought sorrowfully. It hurt to see him look so
vulnerable. But Peter suddenly realized if Egon was safe to look at any one like
that, he would be the one. The one he could turn to. Because he'd never hurt
Egon, ever. He'd die rather than betray that trust.
"I'll go with you." Peter answered softly. Relief flooded Egon's eyes,
the tense shoulders under Peter's arm relaxed and the physicist smiled. It was a
nice smile. "We'll pack for snow." Peter added. And prepare for
romance, he thought. Egon nodded and went back to reading his book. Nobody
would ever complain that Egon Spengler didn't push for things to go his own way.
But when they did he accepted it without fuss. If he wasn't so fond of the guy
Peter could easily find that habit insufferable.
The night had been perfect. The ride to the restaurant in the reindeer pulled
sleigh, the cozy, intimate table by the fire. Talking, eating, sharing long
meaningful looks. The hot toddies before setting out, the cheery farewell to the
proprietor at the door as the sleigh whisked them away into the night once more.
Perfect.
If he didn't get a kiss at the door to their chalet tonight then his name wasn't
Peter Venkman!
They had already wasted so much time; Peter had seen Egon looking at him
strangely for ages now. Jeez, if only he'd known what the guy had been thinking!
Talking of thinking - and worrying - Peter had been interested to hear Egon had
talked to Ray about his hopes and fears for the weekend. Ray had sent him to
Winston, second most date savvy of the Ghostbusters, then gone to have a quiet
word with Peter.
Ray was kind of protective of Egon and had gone to pains to make sure the
psychologist understood what Egon was expecting. He'd wanted to be certain there
were no misunderstandings that might lead to trouble between them later.
Peter had reassured him that he and Egon were reading from the same page and
that he was going to take it easy, no rushing in where scientists feared to
tread.
All the time he'd been wondering what Egon was saying to Winston and vise versa.
Since then he'd been tying himself up in knots about whether or not Egon would
ever talk to 'him' about the coming weekend. But besides from making
arrangements for the journey out here Egon hadn't said a word.
Which was good in a way, because ol' Petey Venkman had been in no state to
discuss 'anything' rationally, despite being desperate to know what was going on
in that blond head. He'd been too shocked and hadn't really come to grips with
how he felt until they arrived at the snow-shrouded airport. Then stuff had
abruptly come into focus.
Damned if he couldn't have saved Egon some soul searching. Because if he had
thought about it he would have been the one asking Egon out. If
only he'd taken the time. It, them, as a couple; it made a lot of sense.
Just thinking of being together gave him chills. They had probably been in love
with each other for months now; trust the egghead to notice first. It was
embarrassing.
Still, he'd caught up pretty fast. When Egon asked him to come on the romantic
holiday he hadn't had to think, he'd said 'yes' almost immediately, so his
subconscious at least was on the ball. And now...
Well, now they were rushing towards home full of a warm meal and sweet wine.
About them snow fell, the flakes large and fluffy. They sparkled in the
moonlight, drifting earthwards slowly, crystalline forms as unique as Egon's
hairstyle. The two men snuggled closer in the sled, their clasped hands hidden
under the complementary lap rug, as they shared body heat.
A frozen landscape rushed by them, painted in a thousand shades of palest ice
blue. Moonlight on snow turns everything magical and fey, it twinkles and
shimmers, as if they moved through a world of glass.
They entered a forest; it's bare branched trees looking like black lightning
reaching for the night sky. No sound broke the silence under the naked canopy.
There was little in the way of noise except for the whoosh of the sleds runners
and the jingle of the bells tied to the red harness of the laboring deer.
It would have been a magical trip anyhow, but being newly in love made the
experience unique. They happily pointed things out to each other about the
landscape, neither wanting the other to miss out on some new and magical sight.
The chalets eventually came into view and their twilight ride was over. Peter
reluctantly untangled his fingers from Egon's and they struggled out onto the
snow. Their driver tipped his hat courteously then cracked his whip and the
sleigh lurched away, jingling erratically into the distance.
"Well, that was a nice night," Peter commented, wondering if Egon was
going to lay one on him now or if he should do the honors.
"Um, Peter." Cool, Egon's gonna make a move! Peter puckered up
a little in readiness. "Peter, I've lost my watch."
Peter blinked at him. "Uh, the Mickey Mouse one Ray got you two Christmases
ago?" he asked hopefully, lips staying in puck mode, just in case.
"No, the Rolex Uncle Cyrus got me for graduation." Egon turned
mournful blue eyes his way.
Peter groaned to himself. Just his luck. Egon was still looking at him with
sorrowful eyes, so he dredged up a smile and pointed back the way they had came.
"Hey, after a dinner like that we need a walk, it'll do us good!" he
quipped. Egon's look lightened in relief.
They went inside first and Peter phoned the restaurant asking if they could do a
search for the missing item. The restaurant staff was sorry, but no watch was
found. So the intrepid twosome grabbed up their torches and headed back out
along the road.
They both knew that if they left the search till morning the normal traffic
would have covered the watch over, or new snowfall would have hidden it. They
remembered pointing things out to each other as they went through the forest,
with any luck the watch fell off then.
The shadows of the frozen trees blocked the moonlight and they walked closer
together in the still, breezeless gloom. An owl hooted and they jumped, then
grinned at each other in embarrassment. They were Ghostbusters, they weren't
afraid of no owl!
On a raise overlooking a tiny frozen lake they spotted a metallic gleam and
Peter whooped in triumph as he dug the ice away to reveal the valuable watch.
Egon held out his wrist and Peter fastened it on, checking the hasp had caught
with a certain amount of ceremony.
Smiling they turned back towards the chalets, Egon surprising his friend by
catching his hand and rubbing at his chilled digits. When he was sure they were
warm enough he stopped rubbing them, but continued to hold on with a shy but
determined air.
The clasped hands swung between them, uncommented on but highly significant.
Peter felt like he was walking six feet off the ground, walking on moonlight.
Egon too would have admitted to a slight giddiness if cornered on it; bottom
line--they were both very
happy.
Their feet were cold and they were wet from where snowflakes had settled on
their hair and shoulders, their noses were both red, steam streamed numbingly
from their mouths when they talked and yet this was one of the greatest nights
of their lives. Egon pointed at the sky, identifying some of the constellations.
Peter teased him by giving them silly
names, like Randy The Ram for the constellation of Aires. Egon just rolled his
eyes. They walked on and came to a part of the road completely in darkness.
Peter gave a tug at their joined hands and Egon stumbled into him.
"Well, Dr Venkman, you seem to have caught me." Egon leaned into the
arms that had wrapped about him.
"So I have." Peter smirked. He leaned in and found Egon cold lips,
doing his best to warm them up. Egon helped him, tightening his hold so they
kept each other's chests warmed as well. They didn't want to catch a chill out
here, after all.
"You are more beautiful than moonlight on snow, ya know that?" Peter
pulled back and looked at his friend with awe. "Hey, Egon," he
whispered. "Wanna go out with me?"
"Hmm, yes, I believe I do." Egon replied, deliberately sounding a
little astounded at the fact.
"You sure now?" Peter grinned. "Gotta be sure, I'd hate to have
taken a walk in the snow for nothing."
"Ah, well then, I do, most whole heartily wish to go out with you, yes. Was
that a more satisfactory answer?" Egon smiled, resting his forehead onto
Peters. It felt good to be able to do so, holding Peter this way, even if his
toes were going numb in the snow. He forgot all about his cold toes when Peter
kissed him again.
The lurker growled in frustrated anger. It had caused the blond ones trinket to
fall to the snow in order for it to come back and retrieve it. But the brown
haired companion had come too. The lurker could take on one, but never two. It
watched as the couple walked on into the night, never knowing how close they had
come to being separated forever. Sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight. There
would be others.
"No," came the whisper of a voice and a cold mist swooped from the
tree branches. With barely a struggle it caught the lurker in its depths and
pulled it back into the frozen earth from which it had escaped. All realms have
those who render the law, after all. With ice green eyes the being of mist
beheld the departure of the Ghostbusters, and wished them well.