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"How was your hamburger?"
Sebastian stared across the table at his partner, eyes unfocused. It wasn't until Joseph's brow quirked expectantly that he'd realized he was speaking.
"Oh, yeah. Sure."
Joseph sighed, removing his paper napkin from where it had been neatly folded in his lap, and placed it on the table. Damn. That look said it all. Wrong answer.
"You weren't listening to a word I said, were you?"
Sebastian shrugged, leaning back in the booth. He used his own napkin to wipe his mouth, before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it upon his empty plate.
"Not really. Listen, it's just been a long day."
Rubbing at his dry eyes, Sebastian glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind the diner's counter. Two o'clock in the goddamned morning. There were some days where all he truly wanted was a full stomach and a restful night's sleep... and this was one of them. Even if he didn't get both, it was at least a fifty percent success. The old diner wasn't the classiest place, but it was cheap, and the food was decent. It was also one of the few restaurants open at such an ungodly hour. The only other occupants were a young couple making out in the far corner.
"I know," Joseph said, with a hint of exasperation. "I was there. Remember?"
"Yeah. Thank god for that."
Though Sebastian's deadpan tone might have sounded sarcastic or half-hearted, he knew that the other man, from many years of experience, realized that he was being nothing but sincere. It was his way of making up for ignoring him... giving him credit where it was due. He watched Joseph's rigid posture relax somewhat, though one of his palms was placed upon the table, a pale fingertip tapping.
It had been a trying day for the both of them. Long hours worked overtime, and a pile of cases that never seemed to grow any smaller. To top things off, Joseph had taken one hell of a hit from a suspect that they had no choice but to apprehend during their investigation. Some crazy had smacked him upside the head with their pistol. Thankfully, they'd chosen to use it as a blunt object rather than unload any bullets. Yet another example of the stupidity that criminals often possessed. Never thinking far enough ahead...
It worked out in their favor, in any case.
The distraction on Joseph's part had given Sebastian enough time to shoot through the suspect's calf, instantly incapacitating them. Sebastian would never admit it, but he could have easily cuffed the offender without any bodily harm. Joseph didn't need to know that, however. He really owed him one. If not for him, they probably wouldn't have gotten the guy... or worse, one of them would have been pumped full of lead.
Sebastian realized that he was staring off into the void again, so he refocused his attention back to Joseph. Giving a nod, he gestured towards him.
"How's the head?"
The only indication of his partner's ordeal was a square bandage taped to the left side of his forehead, close to his hairline. Only six stitches, but it had bled like crazy. The image of Joseph with blood dripping down his face and into his eye would stick with him for a while.
Joseph raised a hand to his head, gingerly smoothing down the bandage.
"Better, now that I've eaten."
His half-eaten breakfast food as he poked at it with his fork wasn't the most impressive display of an appetite, but then again he couldn't really blame him. Not everyone could eat two hamburgers and a basket of fries. Especially after midnight.
"You should take one of those pills the Doc gave you," Sebastian urged, in the most casual of ways. "Full stomach and all."
"I'm sure I'll be fine."
Sebastian scoffed. "You say that now. Just wait. You'll be feeling it later."
"I can hardly wait."
Their waitress, a young woman probably not older then twenty, came by to check on them as Sebastian greeted her. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Joseph reaching into his pocket for something, bringing a hand to his mouth and then taking a sip from his glass of water. He was sure that he assumed he wasn't paying any attention to him... but he was.
"We're all set," Sebastian said to the waitress. "One check is fine, thanks."
He heard a brief sputter from Joseph, replacing his glass on the table. "Seb, I've got it..."
"Oh, and here..." Sebastian paused to retrieve his wallet from his pocket, pulling out a twenty dollar bill as a tip. The waitress beamed, thanking him profusely. "That's for you."
"Sebastian! I can pay for myself."
"And before you ring us up, a couple of those lemon squares to go would be great. You want anything, Joseph?"
At last, Sebastian regarded his partner as the waitress rushed off to the counter with a new spring in her step. Joseph stared, open-mouthed as he huffed. Both of his hands were on the table, now, leaning across it for emphasis.
"I want you to listen to me."
Mouth twitching into a self-satisfied grin, Sebastian didn't miss a beat: "I'm sorry, were you saying something?"
Bringing a palm to his forehead in what appeared to be deep frustration, Joseph soon regretted the gesture. He quickly retreated his hand and winced at the pain he'd inflicted upon himself.
"Come on," said Sebastian, stifling a rare chuckle while Joseph tried to play it off. "Let's get the hell out of here before you hurt yourself. I'll drive you home."
"Not the usual way of things," said Joseph, in that matter-of-fact manner he was so accustomed to. The crack wasn't at all subtle, and Sebastian shrugged it off. He could tell that he was getting worked up in his own, quiet way. "But... I suppose I'm in no condition to be driving."
"Told you."
Sebastian rose from his seat, slipping his trench coat on as he walked over to the counter to pay for their meals while Joseph followed suit. His partner replaced his leather gloves on his hands as he stood beside him. He wondered when he'd start to feel loopy from the painkiller. Given the fact that he was a total lightweight, probably sooner rather than later.
He gave a nod to Joseph once he was finished paying, with his to-go box of desserts in hand, and they exited the quaint diner in companionable silence. The summer sky was black, the Krimson City smog and streetlights obscuring any stars. Somehow, it felt even darker than usual.
They made their way down the sidewalk towards the car, which was parked a few blocks away.
"So, probably gonna be a slow day tomorrow..." Sebastian said, after some time had passed, as their shoes clacked out an even rhythm. He regarded Joseph out of the corner of his eye. "After apprehending that suspect and all."
"Well, not every day can be so exhilarating." Again, he brought a gloved hand to his forehead, but this time he offered a mild smile. It was apparent that he was starting to feel a bit better. Thank god for modern medication.
"You taken any vacation days yet?"
"Not yet, why do you—" Joseph paused as he quickly caught onto him, turning to face his partner. The street lamps poured light upon them, casting elongated shadows on the sidewalk as Sebastian stopped, too. "Wait, are you trying to get rid of me?"
Standing face to face, Sebastian remained firm. It wasn't often a habit that he slipped into, pulling the "senior detective card," but sometimes it was necessary. Joseph would work himself down to the bone if he could. Their excellent work ethic was one few habits that they shared... a splotch of gray in their otherwise black-and-white personalities.
"Do yourself a favor and take the day off," he said, attempting to make it sound more like a suggestion, rather than an order.
Joseph shook his head. "I can't do that. What about the case files?"
"I'll take care of it. You get some rest."
"Seb—"
"When's the last time you gave yourself a break?"
Silence lingered in that humid air, the two men solemnly standing face to face. They both knew the answer... likely down to the precise day, hour and minute. The day that Sebastian's world had ultimately been torn apart at the seams. Since then, Joseph had done everything he could to help stitch him back up again...
... but both of them knew that it would never work. Some wounds, unlike Joseph's injury, were far more difficult to mend.
When Sebastian tore his gaze away from the other man, settling for staring out into the empty street, Joseph crossed his arms over his chest.
"Fine," he sighed. "I'll call off, but on one condition."
"Name it."
"Next time, I get to pay for dinner."
Sebastian smiled, balling his hand into a fist to nudge his partner's shoulder as they carried off down the street. "Done deal."