Work Text:
It was getting late. Winter had proven to be harsher than last time. The snow had Javier worried. He had just finished the final touches on the canvas, and dinner was just about ready. While he didn’t know all the details, he knew Tony’s line of work was not for the faint of heart, and that’s putting it mildly. It wasn’t uncommon to see Tony with a few scratches and bruises when returning; even so, this did not comfort Javier. He couldn’t help but worry. Every time Tony returns, the common excuses are “It’s nothing” or “It’s just a part of the job.” Between you and I, dearest reader, that excuse is becoming more doubtful with every use.
Tony knows this as well. He hates lying to Javier, but vulnerability isn’t his strong suit. After all, for a mercenary, vulnerability is the deadliest poison there is. He trudged through the snow and realized his usual excuse wouldn’t cut it. The blanket of snow that is usually soft and white now had a trail of crimson where he stepped. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to clean the blood off of him.
I guess you’re wondering, how did these two meet? It was all a coincidence really. Tony had been out in town running some errands after finishing a job. He couldn’t help but notice someone sketching something oddly familiar. He had realized that the person being drawn was none other than himself. While he was momentarily captivated by the canvas, what really caught his eye was the artist. That artist ended up being Javier. While I’m leaving out a lot of details for times sake, you could say that Javier found his muse. From that point on, they’ve been together ever since.
I wonder how I’ll explain this to him, he thought as he unlocked the door.
He opened the door slowly, hoping that Javier wouldn’t notice.
“Tony!” Javier said excitedly, “You’re ba-” Javier’s excitement quickly died as he noticed the man drenched in blood.
The two stood silently, processing and analyzing the other’s reaction. What the hell happened to Tony? How do I explain this to Javier? Those were just a sample of the millions of questions running through their minds. The silence was slightly broken with soft footsteps. Javier approached Tony, caressing his face to confirm whether he was dreaming.
“Welcome home,” Javier said as he tried to sound chipper.
The ice cold feeling of the wind was nothing compared to the chill of seeing Javier’s disappointed face. Very few things manage to get under Tony’s skin. Other than people disrespecting God, seeing Javier hurt or upset is something that can rock him to his core. And unlike the former, this required a finesse he was not accustomed to. Tony could barely look Javier in the eye as the cigar continued to smoke.
“How bad was it?” Javier asked.
He took a bit to respond, “Nothing I couldn’t handle, obviously” Tony chuckled trying to lighten the mood. It was failed attempt unfortunately.
The blood was recent, as it trickled down Javier’s hands. On one hand, Javier’s glad that Tony is alive and safe. He knows that he isn’t dreaming. However, at the same time, he can’t help but frustrate over how reckless Tony was being. Knowing that Tony was in front of him, in reality, meant that the blood pouring down his face was real. He could only imagine what had happened.
Finally, the two decided to clean up a bit. After Tony put out the cigar, they went upstairs to the bathroom to wash up. It was painfully silent as they went up the stairs. The unfortunate thing is that Javier and Tony work very differently. Javier is used to ensuring that issues are addressed up front, as soon as possible, whereas Tony is used to putting his feelings on the shelf. It makes sense given their professions. An artist which relies on expression and a mercenary which relies on suppression. They got up to the bathroom and Javier started running some warm water while getting a rag.
After that, Javier was helping Tony get undressed. The silence was unbearable, but none of them knew how to end it. But sometimes, dear reader, words aren’t needed to get the point across. As Tony set down his necklace, the guilt was catching up to him. Just as he was about to say something, he felt a familiar embrace. It was tighter than usual. Javier didn’t care that the blood wasn’t fully removed, what mattered was that he felt Tony’s heartbeat, his warmth.
“I’m glad you’re safe Tony” Javier said as his breathing eased.
Tony returns the embrace and holds Javier close, “Me too, I’m glad I can be with you again”.
While Tony didn’t say much, Javier knew what he wanted to say. As he stared at his crucifix necklace, he pondered on his life and the blessings that God gave him, even after the blood on his hands. Tony would endure torture and run through fire before he would ever think of losing Javier. The same could be said for Javier, the two lovers having the same thought as they held each other in a warn embrace:
Forgive Me My Sins, Oh Lord. Please don’t take him from me just yet.