Work Text:
"Mercado..."
Jonah halted in his tracks, turning toward the voice. He was greeted with tired blue eyes and an eternally judgmental expression. Because truly, would it be Frank if he didn't look disappointed in everything you did?
"Yeah?" His back was board stiff as he replied, shuffling to the side to let another Sarif Industries employee past and to the kitchenette. The break room was mostly empty. Jonah had been forgetting to take his lunch breaks for the last week, and after passing out in David's office, Adam had been stopping by his work station to personally walk him over for food.
For such a gruff security guy, he sure was nice to hi-
"Let me guess," Frank began, and Jonah's eyes widened a little. Did he do something wrong? "David's too busy to get coffee, again, so you're ponying up to get him a fresh cup, again?"
Like a deer in headlights, it took a moment for Jonah to respond, and he did so with the rise and fall of his shoulders rather than his words. Was he breathing? No, he'd been holding his breath. But as he let it out, it left him in a nervous chuckle that spilled into a too-broad grin.
"W-well yeah! I'm just trying to-"
"To be helpful. Yes, I know.."
The tension was thicker than the Detroit fog on early winter mornings, and the cup in his hands was shifted in his grip awkwardly before Frank finally cracked a smirk. It was so brief, Jonah almost thought he imagined it.
"Why don't you just ask him out to lunch, already?"
The question hit like a sledge, so hard he choked up briefly and he swore the colour rose in his face. It felt hot. "Why don-.. I can't just ASK someone that!"
A brow lifted, though Frank's features were stony and unmoved otherwise. Jonah could hear the "and why not" without it ever needing said. Before Jonah knew it, he was lifting a hand to cover his lower mouth, turning away and fumbling for a reason. Any reason. Did "because he's my boss" count anymore? David was affectionate toward him, and it made him feel less wrong for returning it once that barrier broke.
"I can't ask him that... because..."
The other brow went up.
"... Because I'm nervous, actually."
It took a few seconds, but somehow - in a way Jonah couldn't explain - Frank's expression softened. "I want to say I'm surprised."
"I know you aren't. I don't think I'm even surprised, Frank. But he's been so nice and-"
"You'd better get his coffee to him while it's still hot, Mercado."
Jonah nodded, and turned to hurry away though he stopped short of the door. Pausing to glance over his shoulder, he considered briefly thanking Frank, but honestly he wasn't sure how he'd phrase it. Something about putting the thought in front of him, in a way he couldn't ignore, but also helping him admit out loud he was just nervous.
There was nothing preventing him from asking that question.
The elevator doors slid closed behind him, and Jonah mashed the floor button that would take him to David's office. All the while, he watched the smoggy city of Detroit descend as the elevator climbed, and at some point he was no longer looking at it.
"It's just a question. And if he says no, then that's that." He paused to breathe, and briefly his heart skipped. "What if he doesn't?" A bird in its cage, fluttering frantically at the bars and circling in an effort to get free. Was that anxiety? He hadn't felt this nervous in a long time, and he-
... startled, as the doors opened, expecting someone to walk in. No, he purposefully stopped at this floor. "I'm over-reacting."
Jonah insisted it was so as he walked down the hall and stopped by Athene's desk. He offered her a smile, lifting the cup and chirping cheerfully, "Just bringing Mister Sarif a fresh cup!"
Her eyes creased with the smile she wore. "You're sweet, Jonah. I think he'll be happy to have another. Why, I swore I saw him napping at his desk earlier when I stepped in to tell him something."
"Oh! I hope he's not too tired. He really does push himself sometimes."
"That's David for you. I'm trying to get him to go outside and take a break now and then. So far it's working." She lifted a hand in a hush motion. "I've gotten Adam in on it too. Maybe you can help," Athene teased, and Jonah smiled ear-to-ear.
"That was the plan!" Oh no, why did you say it like that? Now he felt obligated. The expression stayed on his face, but he was convinced he'd messed up. Athene was laughing, and he took it as a good sign.
"I'll buzz you in." Her hand moved to the switch and it unlatched the door.
Jonah murmured his thanks and stepped inside. His pace was quickened, right until his feet passed the end of the hall. He rooted in place the moment he could see David at his desk, typing away at his computer, and pulling a hand back occasionally to write something down.
It must have been nearly half a minute that passed before David piped up. "Don't recall Frank hiring you to be a paper weight but you're doin' a good job standin' there. C'mon in, son. Have a seat." The pen clicked down against his desk and he lifted that hand to rub at an eye.
Right. He... needed to move his feet to like, walk and go places. Why did everything feel like it was going in slow motion? "This is ridiculous."
"What is?"
Shit. Make something up. "Oh the uh... weather." Smooth save.
"It has been a little on the hot side, yeah," David said with a nod. He finally took his hands off the keyboard and leaned back. A hand lifted, mechanical fingers gesturing to the couch, and Jonah moved over to sit down. David clutched at the arms of his office chair, pushing up to a stand with a soft groan. "Been sittin' too long. I gotta start getting out and doing more presentations."
"A little exercise and sun doesn't hurt," Jonah offered. He held up the cup to David as he came over, and the grip of polished digits plucked it up gingerly. He wore a smile freely.
"Thanks Jonah."
"No problem. Athene said you've been tired? I hope you're sleeping alright."
"Yeah, mostly." David rested his palm on the back of the couch and lowered down onto his hip. Once he settled, he scooted his feet out until only his heels were resting on the floor. "I've got some concerns about this next meeting. One of 'em just rubs me the wrong way. I can't stand his smile. Just feels disingenuous, really."
Jonah nodded. He had no experience with the men David did business with, but after watching him come back to the office looking worse for wear after some of them, well... "Like he's not being honest?"
"Yeah, exactly. I'm not sure what about, though, and it's buggin' the shit outta me." He lifted the cup to take a sip off it, before swallowing down several more.
"Maybe it'll become more obvious later on. In the meantime, try to not let it get to you? I'd hate to see you stressed out over something that hasn't happened yet." Jonah's shoulders lifted in an apologetic shrug, as if to say he was sorry he didn't have any advice. A hand settled on his shoulder, and David rocked his head as he gently gestured with the other, careful not to spill his coffee.
"I'll be alright, Jonah. I'm already feelin' a little better about it." His hand came away to gesture to his computer. "Doing work takes my mind off what I can't solve right away, and puts the effort where it's applicable. It's always worked out for me."
The smile across Jonah's face eased David's own tension a bit, and he mirrored it. "Well, don't do what Pritchard does and live at work."
David laughed. Every time he did, it felt like the room lit up. The glow of positivity and warmth echoed in the sound. He was certain it was just bias at this point, but Jonah wondered if everyone felt better when David was lively and outgoing. It made working here seem tolerable.
"There's a new place that opened up downtown last week. I was gunna head over and get some lunch tomorrow." A hand settled on his jaw, and fingers smoothing across the spot as he murmured in anticipation, "Needa get my hands on one of those sandwiches."
"Oh, that sounds like a good idea. Is it the Tuscany place?"
"That's the one! Their menu looks promising." David's shoulders rose as he lifted his hand up to gesture to Jonah. "And, well... I was gunna ask if you wanted to come along and get lunch, too."
The bird was back, and its desperate beat of thinning wings painted an accurate portrait of his strung out heart. He sat in silence for too long, and David inquired worriedly, "Somethin' wrong?" His expression faded, brows hitching upward in that concerned slope.
"No! No, not... not at all." He was shaking his head without even realizing it and made himself stop. "I," he began, pausing for a breath to calm himself down. "I'd like that, actually."
David's smile was back, softer, kinder now... or perhaps Jonah imagined that. Maybe it always looked that way. "I figured. Maybe we can talk less work and more about you."
"About me?" Oh god. The walls were suffocating in this vast empty office.
"Yeah. I think D.C. put a rift between a lot of us. You've made things more bearable around here, ya know? Doesn't feel so impersonal anymore."
Why was he saying these things? Could he tell? "I just try-"
"To be helpful. Yeah. And you do a good job, Jonah. This is less about bein' helpful, though." David rolled a shoulder, and glanced away. "And, if you're okay with it, I'd like to close that rift a little more."
Jonah felt... overwhelmed. But it wasn't the anxiety this time.
No, it was relief. The flood of relief he felt was the weight off his heart, and he could breathe again. A nod, and he brightened
Yeah... just a little bit of a bias.