Chapter Text
"Dude. You two are practically married - just go and get him a stupid card or something!" Ian frowned at his team mate, who currently sat at the kitchen table, griping and grumbling. "I don't understand why it's such a big deal, Bryan. It'll make him happy. Well, less bitchy. Probably. At least for a day or two!" He snorted, giving his friend a nudge as he walked past.
"It's a big deal because it's Tala." Bryan hissed, the chair clattering as it was shoved back under the small wooden table. "You aren't about to confess to your best friend of 15 years, and hoping it will work out! Hell knows what he'll do!! He could completely cut me off or kick me out...the list is endless!" Ian laughed and shrugged in sympathy, waving as Bryan stomped out the door. "Goddamn prick. He's the one pushing me to say something."
He shoved his hands in his pockets a he trudged through the dense snow that had amassed overnight. It was a good thing it snowed, because it snow had an almost hypnotizing effect on the Russian captain. This allowed Bryan some peace and quiet to dwell on his predicament. To be honest, Bryan had an overwhelming amount of ideas swimming in his head, but he was certain that they were all too...stupid. Cheesy. Over the top. Tala would throw a fit if he wasted too much time or money on anything. Tala deserved at least something nice every once and a while considering all he did for Bryan and the others day to day. Bryan would give him the world if he could, and if Tala would have it.
"Maybe I'll just get him a card and something stupid, just so he doesn't blow up at me." Bryan reached the small downtown area they lived by, and went into the first store he saw with Valentine's ads. The store was filled with people of all ages, it being the day before the holiday. "At least I'm not the only last-minute person..." He mumbled, weaving through other customers to reach the card section. There wasn't much left, and he cursed under his breath. "Of course. And all that's left are sappy gross ones too, I'll bet." A particularly sparkly one caught his eye. Out of sheer sadistic amusement, he picked it up and read it, hoping the contents were as awful as the exterior. "To my one and only." He rolled his eyes, a short laugh escaping him as he opened the card.
'You've given me a reason
For smiling once again,
You've filled my life with peaceful dreams
and you've become my closest friend.
You've shared your heartfelt secrets
And your trust you've given me,
You showed me how to feel again
To laugh, and love, and see.
If life should end tomorrow
And from this world I should part,
I shall be forever young
For you have touched my heart.
My debt to you, Beloved,
Is one I cannot pay
In any coin of any realm
On any reckoning day.'
Bryan paused, a frown crossing his face as he let the words sink in a little. "...shit." The card in his hand leered at him, it's glittery surface and delicate script gleaming as if it knew just what Bryan was thinking. It was sappy. Disgustingly so. But it was true. He'd never let the words pass his own lips, it'd be far too embarrassing. But it was stating pretty much everything he'd felt for Tala since they'd suffered hand in hand as children on the streets, the Abbey, and now as grown adults. He knew Tala was his best friend, but the two of them had never really mentioned being in a relationship before. With anyone. To Bryan, it seemed as though Tala didn't even want to be involved in anything deeper than friendship. Bryan had had more than 'friendly feelings' towards Tala for years. Yet he hadn't come to accept them until they had been freed from Biovolt's control, and were able to live on their own terms. They'd been to hell and back together, and Bryan felt he owed much of his success to his friend, if not his life. ---
"Ian! Are you still here?" Bryan shouted from the doorway, stomping the excess snow from his boots before removing them. The youngest team member's boots were still in their place on the mat, so he assumed Ian was somewhere in the house. "Good. Look's like Tala and Spence aren't back yet." The plastic bag in his hands held a variety of goods, including the card that had been all but ridiculing him since he purchased it. The cashier even mentioned she thought it was a very, very sweet card, and whoever the receiver was should absolutely love it. "IAN!" Bryan hollered again, this time receiving a response in the form of a groan, followed by an 'I'm coming I'm coming, Jesus!'
"What the hell Bryan I was in the middle of a game, and I was going to come after I found a place to save, yeesh." Ian hopped up onto a chair, curious about what Bryan had bought. "Oooh I see a lot of 'cutesy commercial shit' in there, Bry. I thought you wanted to make this as simple and not-cheesy as possible?" He pulled a small plush from the bag, inspecting it with an amused grin. "Really."
"Shut up. He likes wolves."
"Yeah but...it's a husky, not a wolf. It has glitter on it. And it has giant puppy eyes and a heart shaped patch..." Ian played with the toy, waving it's tiny paw at Bryan before it was snatched away. "Hehehe..."
"SHUT UP, OKAY? I thought a damn card wouldn't be enough so I got him something else. Fuck off." Bryan began extracting the remainder of his purchases, a few groceries and sweets for everyone to share. "Just please help me finish dinner so no one has a fit when they get home, hmm?! They should be back soon."
The shorter of the two snickered, shaking his head and making talking gestures with his hand. "Yeah yeah, I know. Should be just about done anyhow. I didn't hear the timer go off yet." Peering into the oven, he confirmed that their food was still there, un-burned and still cooking. "You should just go calm yourself down before you get too worked up. And don't say anything until after he eats, he doesn't need to skip dinner again this week..."
Bryan nodded, picking up his things and marching off to his room to prepare himself for what could be the one of the best or worst days of his life.