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"Was a tough day, huh boss?" Reggie closed the door behind them and locked it properly, checking it three times like he always did before following the other man into their private quarters behind the office and taking off his gloves. Fontaine only grunted, agreeing as an answer.
It was winter in Rapture and besides the beginning of the Christmas spirit filling the air nothing was good about that. The heating system had broken down unsurprisingly after having to heat up a whole city for weeks and turned the place into a winter wonderland, raising the prices for coats and gloves. Only thing missing was the snow but they had plenty of frost instead.
Some ports in Fontaines fisheries had gotten blocked by ice overnight making it impossible to leave and the workers had gotten into a huge fight having nothing better to do which resulted in the owner himself having to come over and solve the problem personally. Not that Reggie had minded the little trip, he always would prefer the streets of the sunken city over the stuffy office even though it was warmer there now. The place made him feel trapped after a while.
But today it had taken them way too long to get the fishery back on track and now it was already late evening. They had barely gotten anything else done and it was tearring clearly on his boss' mood. Those things always seemed to happen when you didn't need them. He was just about to start a new business and had not really time for anything else but all the paperwork and organization. And Reggie knew without some alcohol to ease his nerves Fontaine would be soon insufferable complaining about the waste of time today has been.
Always on the run his friend…
Luckily it seemed like Frank for once agreed on his plan of taking their minds off a little and walked without a word spoken between them over to the armchairs by the huge window to the ocean, letting himself sink into one of them. Or more stumbling and catching himself with the furniture piece so he wouldn't hit the floor. Well, that certainly was unusual.
"You're alright, Frank?" Reggie asked, allowing himself to use his friends first name now that they were alone and walked concerned over to him instead of to the bar to get some drinks like he had planned. All the color seemed to have left the other man's face and even though his one foot was in a seemingly uncomfortable position; he didn't seem to want to change it.
The sight made the bodyguard remember that he saw him trip today over some frozen stairs but he hadn't thought anything had happened. Frank had looked just fine and had said nothing but on the other hand he was an excellent actor and Reggie shouldn't only trust what he saw and heard from him.
Fontaine just made a dismissive hand gesture at the question and sunk deeper into the pillows and his fluffy coat, breathing controlled out of his nose like he wanted to weaken some upcoming pain.
Not even saying anything? That surely didn't ease the bodyguards' worries. "Mind if I check?" He asked and kneeled down in front of him.
Reggie wouldn't let go of him so easily. He did his job well of looking after Frank and making sure he was safe and his personal well being was included in that. Sometimes it annoyed his boss greatly but on other days he was thankful for it. He wasn't sure yet what day today was.
"Do whatever." Fontaine grumbled deciding it wouldn't be all that important what his old friend would end up doing but the second he had his hands on his boot he regretted that immediately. A piercing pain went through his whole right leg and he nearly kicked Reggie with the other foot to defend himself.
Surprised, the bodyguard blocked him off and looked up to meet his eyes more worried than the other man had liked. Now he could forget getting away with another lie.
"A reflex." Frank only mumbled as an explanation and disappeared annoyed over his loss of control even more in his coat hiding his face partially.
"I will be very careful now. I promise." Reggie said nearly softly and gave his friend an assuring smile before focusing back on the task at hand. Very carefully he pulled the leather boot and sock off and rested the foot on his knee to not strain it too much and cause another defensive reaction from his friend.
It was nearly scary how Frank let loose around him, let him close and not tried to keep the image of a cruel businessman up by all cost. They knew each other so well and trusted each other to carry their secrets to an extent that sometimes Reggie was sure he would wake up with a gun pointed to his head as his friend had decided it was too much. So far that hadn't happened yet and there weren't even signs that his friend had gotten cold feet. It seemed like even people like him needed at least one person they could trust blindly on their way and Reggie would do everything to keep that position by his side. To stay by his side until the end.
Carefully the bodyguard started to examine his boss' ankle, considered to not move anything too harsh and even though he was no doctor he immediately could tell something was wrong as blue and swollen the foot was already. "This looks very bad, Frank." He stated and wanted to add something but got interrupted by the other man moody. "Well you tell me-" "How could you walk around like this? You should have said something. No one would have minded if we had left. We have enough other things to do that would have served as an excuse." Reggie shut him up not putting up with his bratty energy at this serious moment and looked at him reproachfully.
It grew uncomfortably quiet in the room. The atmosphere tense as Fontaine was silently staring at the floor tiles while Reggie was expecting an answer from him. He wouldn't get any and he knew that but it didn't stop him from trying. His friend never had been good at showing vulnerability, not even when it was his own body which he couldn't control and his bodyguard had made his task to show him that it was alright. He was probably pushing his luck here but he wouldn't give up. Or at least in the long run. Today this would bring him nowhere and just make the other suffer unnecessarily.
"I will get you some ice and painkillers and I swear if you dare to walk anywhere I will drag you back on your collar." Reggie threatened jokingly and softly placed the others foot on a stool that stood nearby, before getting back up stretching lightly. Frank only snorted the tension falling off of him. "Don't forget who's the boss around here." He reminded his bodyguard half-heartedly and lifted one hand letting it fall back down and chuckled dryly.
When Reggie returned he could swear his boss had dozed off exhausted half sitting half lying in his armchair, his bad ankle up and his eyes closed. It was quite the soft sight and it made his heart ache for a place where this wouldn't be unusual, where allowing himself to rest was just as normal as breathing but this was Rapture and rest was for the lazy and weak.
When he got closer Frank opened his eyes back up and tried to sit up properly but only fell back down hissing in pain. They really should go to a doctor tomorrow. This wasn't looking good in any way and there was no need to get blood poisoning or something similar. Maybe Tenenbaum would have time; she wouldn't even say a word to anybody if Fontaine did not want her to, which might help getting his friend to see her in the first place.
Gently Reggie placed the cloth with ice on Fontaines bad foot and gave him a few pills and a glass of water before sitting down across from him and grabbing the liquor flask that had stood by the wardrobe. "Tomorrow we should go to a doctor. I know you want to get things done but that's not going to work." He said rather sternly and filled himself a glass leaning back. Frank only grumbled something to himself and swallowed the medication as well as all the water and then handed the empty glass to his bodyguard who made him a drink. "I know. Ain't that blind." Fontaine agreed and looked grumpy down at his bad ankle. "Won't walk around with crutches tho. You can forget that. The newspapers will tear me apart and Ryan will drink on it." Reggie had to suppress a chuckle at the image. "I could carry you." He offered jokingly and got hit by his friend's coat which he finally had taken off, nearly knocking his glass over. "Don't you dare to even think about it!" He snarled but the bodyguard could see the smile tugging on the corners of his lips.
It was nice to know that this light banter never would turn serious between them. That no matter what got said in the end the other still stood behind you and would carry you through hell and back. It gave you a certain safety that could be dangerous, they knew that, but also oh so sweet.
"Alright. Alright. I won't…" Reggie said and lifted his hands defeated, taking a sip from his glass. "-for now." He ended his sentence and earned a glare from the other who had just wanted to down his drink. "What have I done to deserve this?" Frank made an overly dramatic pose leaning over the armrest of his armchair and then lifted one finger. "No, I don't want an honest answer." His friend snorted and laughed. "Cheers to that!"
They drank a few more glasses and joked about one or the other thing forgetting the pain and cold until it was long past midnight and they had to get to bed, to be early enough on their feet to meet as few people as possible on their way to Tenenbaum. If Reggie was lucky Frank would also be still a bit drunk and so more collaborative. Just like right now where he actually could pick him up and carry him to bed to not put unnecessary pressure on his injured foot. He was struggling a bit but managed to fall into the cushions without causing his friend any pain. They both chuckled and crawled under the blanket deciding it would simply be warmer if they stayed in the same bed and would save some heating costs. Frank rested his head on Reggies chest and ankle on the pillow and sighed, closing his eyes. "Don't you dare to knock my foot off." He grumbled and Reggie smiled to himself. What an interesting way to say please be careful…
"No worries, Frankie." He assured him and brushed softly his lips against his forehead like some might have called a kiss. "I will be careful."