Work Text:
The sound of sudden gunshots and explosions rang through his head, disrupting his already turbulent sleep, Naib had been tossing and turning all night in the little bunker, a familiar figure lay on another bed not so far from his.
His constant and frantic shifting must've woken him up, as Norton's eyes slowly peeked open, blinking several times before he sat up on his bed. "Naib? Why're you up again? This is the third time this week," Norton yawned, giving the other man an undiscernable look. "Sorry, sorry, just some late night terrors," Naib replied.
"You should go back to bed, Norton," Naib suggested, already tucking himself back under the covers. "Nah, already awake," Norton spoke between yawns, looking back at Naib with a sympathetic expression. "What're you gonna do if you leave the military?" Norton says as an attempt to start a conversation between them,
"I'm not sure, maybe I'll just begin working some boring old office job," Naib replied, scratching his head. "Personally," Norton took a sip of water from his bottle, "I think I'd be some kind of performance artist, I've always wanted to be one ever since I went to a play back when I was just seven years old." Norton reminisces about the first play he watched, walking into the theater and watching the big curtains part to reveal sights he had never even dreamed of, stories woven with whimsy, and a world he never knew existed.
"Do you think we'll still be by each other's sides in the future?" Naib's voice cuts through Norton's thoughts, bringing him back to the drab reality of his current situation.
'What a strange question,' Norton thinks.
"Even if we aren't, I'll never forget you, comrade." Norton smiles at him, to which Naib silently replies with a smile of his own. "Here, have one of these," Norton hands a piece of metal wire shaped into a bracelet over to Naib, who recieves it with gloved hands.
"Maybe if we part ways, we can find each other with these bracelets," Norton grins. Naib finds it a bit silly, but he does try it on, and it surprisingly fits him.
'What a strange thing,' Naib thinks.
-¤-
Here he is.
The large curtains part and the stage unfolds before him, the large spotlight shining upon the main actor, that actor being the renowned 'Ronald of Ness.' Although Mr. Inference's job left few windows of opportunity for leisure, he frequented the theater often, seeing the shows as a way to take his mind off things.
Besides, Lady Truth had been mentioning the upcoming play to him constantly, going on and on about all the insider information she managed to get on the plot of the play, all in typical Lady Truth fashion, and if Lady Truth was this interested in the play, then it must be worth the watch.
As the actor began moving through the stage, Inference couldn't help but notice a metal bracelet among the props on the stage. The bracelet looked crudely made, it was rusting in some parts, and it looked like it was made of some kind of wire.
It reminded him of something, a distant memory he had long since forgotten about. He knew it was familiar, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
His attention had been brought back to the stage, as Ronald picks up and dons the metal bracelet, holding his hands close to his chest as the spotlight fades amd the curtains close, sounds of the crowd cheering fill the theater, and Inference was left wondering.
And yet, as he returned home and put away his things, he noticed something in the very back of his bottom drawer.
A metal bracelet. Practically identical to the one he had seen at the play.
...
"The army." Inference recalls, finger tracing the picture frame on his bedside table, the picture is of him and another man, the two of them are smiling and have their arms around each other in a show of camraderie.
...
Norton Campbell, was it?
-¤-
"Mhm, that's him, thank you Lady Truth, I will be contacting him soon."
Inference puts down the phone, only to pick it up again and dial a new number.
He hums as he waits for the call to be answered, tapping his foot against the wooden floor of his house's living room.
...
"Hello?" A voice calls out from the phone in Inference's hand, even though he had been the one to call the actor, he didn't think about what he would actually say.
Was he strong enough to say anything at all?
"...Hello." Inference begins, shifting in his seat. "I'm Mr. Inference, a detective, I... noticed something during your recent play, I was wondering if I could arrange a meeting with you, at a preferably private place, I have an inquiry." Inference finishes, he held his breath, awaiting Ronald's response.
"Sure, we can meet up at the local cafe." Ronald responds. "Great, also, I'm not sure if you have it, but, could you bring the metal bracelet you wore at the end of the play?" After Inference had followed up, Ronald's figure stiffened completely, his eyes widening.
"Alright." That was all he could say, he could faintly hear Inference saying something, before the call had been ended.
Ronald gets up and dashes to his bedroom, sticking his hand through the first drawer of his bedside table until he felt something metallic graze his fingertips.
He stares down at the item after he had retrieved it from the drawer.
...
"The army." Ronald recalls, looking at the small picture frame on his desk, it's of a man with a hood over his head gently smiling at the camera.
...
Naib Subedar.
-¤-
The café was quiet, the customers usually minded their own business, not willing to chat with the others.
Inference and Ronald had sat themselves into a booth. Truth be told, Inference didn't have any intention to eat during their meeting, but Ronald insisted on ordering some tea for the both of them.
"So... uh, about the, uh, bracelet you mentioned." Ronald started, trying to get a conversation going between them. Ronald retrieved the bracelet from his pockets, placing it in the middle of the table "I have it-". "Norton Campbell." Inference cut in placing his own bracelet mext to Ronald's, he didn't mean to sound so... aggressive? Confrontational? He didn't know how to describe it, but his voice as he said that name was urgent, almost desperate.
...
"Naib? I... assume that's who you are, right?" Ronald Norton had replied, his voice slightly shaky. Inference Naib had taken a sip of his tea, letting the hot liquid flow down his throat and warm his chest. "Hello, Norton." Naib smiled, something he rarely did, so rarely in fact that his immediate thought was to revert to his regular, stoic face.
But he'd smile for eternity, if his smile was for Norton to view.
"Hello, Naib." Norton grinned, his cheeks flushing as he laughs, and it's the most beautiful sound Naib has heard in a while.
"Do you remember?" Norton doesn't have to explain further, he knows Naib understands, to which the other answers with a simple nod.
"I guess you did keep your word." Naib recalls the moment Norton gave him the bracelet, he can still envision Norton's face all those years ago, his cheery grin in that moment was not so different from the grin currently on Norton's face.
"Of course I would." Norton replies, his smile not faltering.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you, I've been hoping to see you again." Norton continues, placing his chin in his palm as he looked at Naib with a sort of fondness that the two of them only shared with each other.
The two men had felt like the world around simply ceased to exist, like the only thing that mattered to them in that moment was each other, and they solidified that by clasping their hands together.
The touch is reassuring, comforting, even.
Loving.
"I love you."
...
"I have been loving you, for the whole time you were gone."
...
"I love you too, Subedar."