Title: Worthwhile Compromises
Author: HalfshellVenus
Characters: John/Matt (Slash)
Rating: K+
Summary: Opposites attract, and negotiations are never-ending.
Author's Notes: A Yuletide Madness extra for thewhiterose3, who wanted mouthy snark and domestic fluff.

x-x-x-x-x

"So, kid, I was thinking—" John began.

Matt looked up from his cup of coffee. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, it's—"

"Dark,"Matt said. "Dark means no talking and no big ideas."

"It's six o'clock!" John said. "Not exactly the unholiest of hours…"

Matt groaned. "God, stop yelling. Why did you get me up?"

"Sorry," John stage-whispered, with the kind of volume that could hit the back row of a Broadway theater. "I thought you'd gone to bed when I did. I didn't realize you were up so late."

"There was a thing. Online gaming. With some of the guys."

"Your buddy Walrus," John finished for him.

"War1ock!"Matt said, reflexively.

"Yeah, him. So you were up killing dragons until all hours."

"Saving Middle Earth."

"Whatever. Meanwhile, I've gotta be in Queens by seven."

"But you went to bed on time, so what's the big deal?"

"The deal," John said, leaning across the table, "is that most days, I work late and get up early. During the week, it feels like I hardly ever see you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'Oh.'So if you're still in bed when I go to work, we spend even less time together. It's kind of…"

"Sad…" Matt said.

John smiled softly. "Exactly."

Matt rubbed the table with his finger. "But you know I'm not really a morning person. I mean, a lot of our mornings might be like this, with me all stupid and cranky."

John reached out a squeezed Matt's arm. "I'll take you any way I can get you, kid."

Something flickered to life inside Matt's eyes. "Is that a promise, McClane?"

John twinkled that sideways smile that made Matt want to do stupid things like follow him into exploding traffic tunnels.

"You get up early enough, Kid, and it just might very well be."

- fin -