Work Text:
April 1st. Clockwork falls asleep to the comforting weight of Doombringer beside him. The day had passed as usual. Doombringer plants a small kiss to the top of his head as he rests.
The next morning, Clockwork woke up feeling cold. The fan spun above them, on the highest setting - the way he likes it, as Doombringer usually balanced out the gusty chill carried by those blades. But Doombringer wasn't there.
Clockwork frowns, sitting up and groggily calling out: "'Ey, Doom..? Ya here?.."
The only response was the quiet ticking of the clock. He groans, grabbing his phone and knowing what he would see, even before the blue light hit his eyes. One text - 'sorry clock, had to go on duty early today. tela wanted me patrolling hq early today, smth abt John n Jane... dunno. left u a cheezburger from last night iyw it. love u, see u @ usual time.'
Fuck.
Clockwork sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted to see Doombringer at least once before he left. Just to know he exists. That he was safe. He's asked Telamon to free Doom's hours up at least a little bit!
Clockwork groans as he swings a leg over the side of the bed, grabbing a random set of clothes from the closet and putting them on. He hums to himself as he gets dressed, the tune dying off as he grabs his phone and sees the message again.
He walks out of the bedroom, stopping by the bathroom to grab some painkillers for his suddenly aching head. He walks over to his office, gripping the knob tightly before he growls and shoves the door open. Right. Work.
The walls are covered with ideas. He's proud of them - at least, he would be on a normal day. Now all he feels is disgust. He grabs a paper from the wall. He doesn't care what it is, he just needs to design something. Anything.
The paper reads 'Teapot Turret'. Teapots. Tea. Doombringer. Fuck.
He shoves the paper off his desk. Next. 'Gravity Hammer's. Some stupid thought from years ago. He skims over his brainstorming from years past with a vacant mind, brainlessly sketching out a design for it. Tick. Tock. 3 hours later, he's clutching his pencil so hard it might break under the bronze gauntlet. Papers litter the trashcan. He'll think on it while he eats.
He stands up, taking off his noise-cancelling headphones and picking up his phone. 4 missed calls from Telamon. He doesn't bother answering, just punching out a message. 'fuck u.' He's going to get fired. He doesn't care.
He marches down the hallway, the path he's tread so many times before feeling unusual without the lights on. He stomps into the kitchen, opens the fridge, and sees it.
One cheezburger. Sitting in a small container. Doombringer kept it for him, how kind.
And he breaks.
It starts off slow. He takes the box in his hands. Puts it back. Takes it again. Why did Doombringer have to leave? Why is he overreacting so much? He's being pathetic. He's not going to die just because Doom isn't here. Calm down.
But he doesn't. He holds the box gingerly, tears streaming down his face. Why does this always happen? He just hates it. He needs to leave. He throws the box onto the counter before he stomps to his bedroom. He'll be fine. He throws himself into his bed, curling up. Uncurling. Curling up. He eventually stops, shaking in his bed. The shaking turns to quivering, and the quivering to shaky breaths. He just wants to run. He needs something. Someone. Anything.
He grabs his phone. Puts it back. Grabs it again. He goes to Doombringer's contact, his finger lingering over the call button. He's going to hate him. He's pathetic. Clingy. Disgu-
He presses it.
Doombringer picks up after the first ring. His voice fills the room, grumbly and rude as though Clockwork had disturbed something.
"Yeah? What is it?"
Clockwork almost instantly relaxes as he hears his voice. He feels warmer. More.. complete.
He's pathetic.
"..I.. Doom.. can you.. c-come home?.. " He croaks out. His voice is weak, shaky. Like a shack that had suffered through a storm.
Doombringer sighs. "Why? What happened? Did you get hurt?" His voice is imbued with a twinge of concern.
"..I.. uh, I.." "...Panic attack.." He mumbles.
"Ah, shi- Are you alright??" Doombringer sounds much closer to the phone. Voices can be heard in the background.
"..Yeah.. I, uh.. I'm in bed right now."
"Good. Stay like that, okay? I'll be- TELAMON! I'M LEAVING EARLY! NO, I DON'T NEED TO CLOCK OUT! SHUT UP!.. Sorry. I'll be right there. Try 'n drink some water, alright?"
"..M'kay." His voice is a bit less broken.
There's an awkward silence. After a while, Doombringer speaks up.
"..I'm getting in my car now, okay? I'll be right there. I'm going to hang up now. Alright?"
Clockwork makes a sound of affirmation, busy getting comfortable in the sheets.
"..alright. I love you, okay? See you soon."
And he hangs up. Clockwork feels drained. He stares at his phone for a bit before putting it back on the nightstand.
A few minutes later, keys rattle on the other side of the front door. Clockwork perks up from under the weight of the blanket, just as Doombringer pushes the door open and closes it again, not caring to lock it. He stomps to the bedroom, staring at Clockwork from the doorframe for a second before moving to the bed and sitting down next to him, putting a hand on his head and combing the fur on the crown of his head.
"..Hey, Clock.." He hesitates. "..How you feeling?"
"..little better." He mumbles. He sits up, his body feeling sore. "..thanks for coming back.."
"Hey, anything for you. You don't have to thank me.." He chuckles.
They sit like that for a while. Clockwork leans against Doombringer, who pulls him partially into his lap. Clockwork feels comfortable, warm. Complete, once more.
"..Hey. Clockwork?" Doombringer rumbles out after a bit. "...You want some tea? I'm craving some myself, 'n-"
"Yes." He cuts in, relieved to have an excuse. "Absolutely. Pretty please?" He raises his glasses up, batting his eyelashes jokingly.
"Yeah, yeah. You just chill here, m'kay? I'll make some vanilla chai for us. Maybe I'll make a lil' more fo' me, heh.." He gives him a small kiss on the forehead, and Clockwork falls back into bed, blushing.
"Mm.. yeah, 'kay.. heh.." He mumbles, seeming blissful from the kiss.
Doombringer smiles down at him, before he pushes himself off the bed with a groan and stretches, before walking into the kitchen. He silently thanks whatever god is out there for Clockwork calming down while the tea's brewing. Finally, the time hits, and he throws the teabags away, bringing the teapot and cups to Clockwork on a platter.
"I'm back!" He exclaims, placing the platter on a nightstand and moving under the sheets with him. He pours them both a small cup of tea, warning him jokingly about the tea being hot, and taking a small sip.
"..mm. Damn, that's good. Guess the guy who made it's a real master at tea, hm?"
Clockwork grumbles. "I could've made it better.." But, contrary to his expression, he asks for more after he finishes his first cup.
"..So." Doombringer says, looking down at Clockwork.
"..You wanna tell me why ya had a panic attack?"
"..I.. uh." He looks up at him. "..You. I.. There was a lot going on.. I was.. scared. Scared, so scared.. and I couldn't do anything. And it just...it just got to a point." His voice is small again. Afraid of how Doom will react. God. He's so desperate. He-
His thoughts clear instantly as Doombringer places a hand on his shoulder.
"..Hey.. I'll.. I'll ask for Telamon to be lenient, okay? We can get through this. Alright?"
Clockwork takes a shaky breath. "..Yeah. Alright."
Doombringer lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Good. Good.."
After they had polished out the teapot of it's contents, Clockwork leans against his chest.
"..'m sorry for making you worried."
"Stop apologizing." Doom grumbles in response, his arms curling around his waist. "It's not your fault, okay? Stop saying it is." He pulls him close, guiding them both to lay down. "Now, I think you've had a long day. And as your boyfriend, I'm using my executive powers to make you sleep." He jokes.
"..M'kay.. m'kay." He laughs slightly, feeling a bit more comfortable.
In fact, he realizes as he drifts off to sleep.. He feels more comfortable than ever before.