Work Text:
Killian dropped down the stairs in the alleyway at the back of Libraria, pushing his way through the door at the bottom. He smiled, the warmth of the room and the relaxed hubbub of voices and music an ever welcome juxtaposition from the chill night outside. He made his way to his usual set of seats, stopping to settle a quick kiss on one familiar head of dark hair from behind. Reece looked up with a smile.
"Late night?" they asked. Killian grimaced.
"There was popcorn all over the floor, we get absolute animals sometimes," he said. Maria let out a laugh from a couple of seats over.
"Like you weren't worse," Maria said teasingly. Killian huffed.
"I never caused that level of nuisance. It took me an hour to clear up, honestly," he said. Reece rolled their eyes but smiled impishly.
"So does that mean no popcorn?" they asked. Killian produced a box of popcorn and placed it on the table.
"There's always more popcorn. All yours, I never want to see another kernel again," he said, groaning and burying his head in Reece's shoulder.
"Don't you have work again tomorrow?" they asked.
"Let me forget for the night," he pleaded, face still buried against their shoulder. They laughed. Maria grinned before getting up.
"I'll get you a drink, but you're getting the next," she said. Reece thanked her before setting a hand into Killian's hair to pat him gently. He raised his head, smiling at Reece before moving around to the empty chair next to them and scooting it closer to them. He looked at Maria, who had walked over to the bar and was deep in conversation with the bartender and Peter.
"Peter seems less tense tonight," he said absently. Reece followed his gaze and nodded.
"The bartender's been in an especially exhuberent mood today as well - they've been feeding him new concoctions all night. Some new coffee, rum and ginger experiment," they said. Killian hummed and turned back to Reece, threading his fingers through theirs.
"And how are you doing today?" he asked. Reece shrugged.
"Fine, work's been hectic but it's okay, it's nice being appreciated for my work even if it's not what I want to be doing," they said.
"But...?" Killian asked knowingly, squeezing their hand. Reece sighed.
"I was hoping we'd get more interest after the project last month. I thought it would be a big break for us," they said.
"Yeah, I was really happy with how that turned out. The client seemed happy too," he said. "We'll just keep going, it'll pay off some day. At least we both have income coming in." Reece nodded as Maria came back, sliding Killian a Liberty across the table.
"Oh, you're talking about your advertising company?" she asked. They both looked up at her curiously. "I gave someone your details a couple of days ago, parent of one of the kids I'm tutoring. She commented on my marketing and said she was looking for something for a project so I pointed her your way." Reece frowned and checked their portagram.
"I've not heard anything," they said. "But thank-you. Do you have a name?"
"Oh, yeah, Daria Rusu," Maria said. Killian paled.
"I do not want to work with Daria," he said, voice strained. Reece's eyes narrowed as they tilted their head.
"She's not the woman who you walked out on without paying for that prosecco, is she?" Maria said curiously. "She seemed around our age, but maybe a couple of years older..." Killian shook his head.
"Goddess no, Daria is my cousin," he said, disgusted. "Daria was the perfect heir for my family, runs a company that sells medical devices. Business and medicine prodigy all in one neat, perfectly behaved package. My parents couldn't be more disappointed I was their son instead of her." He sighed, before grabbing his drink and taking a sip, settling back into his chair.
The door opened behind them and Vincent wandered in, heading towards the bar. Killian watched as Peter's back stiffened, before he gave the bartender a quick kiss and left the bar with his drink unfinished. The bartender sighed, grabbing glassware and greeting Vincent, smile dimmed. Maria made a noise and Killian looked at her quizzically.
"What's going on there?" he asked. She frowned.
"Vincent screwed over the last bartender, who happens to be Peter's best friend. Peter's been avoiding Vincent since she uh, stabbed him," Maria said quietly. Killian frowned.
"Does he think Vincent will blame him for it?" he asked. Maria shook her head.
"More he still blames Vincent for what happened to his friend," Maria said.
"Her stabbing him wasn't enough?" Killian asked bewildered. "That's barbaric."
"Your cousin," Reece suddenly said frowning. "Why's there bad blood between you?" Killian gave them a tight smile.
"When mother cut me from the inheritance, her and father named Daria as their heir," he said, grimacing, before pausing and turning to Maria. "You're tutoring her kid?" Maria shrugged.
"I'm not vetting my clients for spats they may or may not have had with people I know," Maria said dryly. Killian shook his head.
"No no, I..." he paused and blushed. "I appreciate we're on cordial terms these days, I wouldn't ask anything like that of you. I'm just surprised that woman had a child."
"Your feud started long before you were cut off then, her son is six," Maria said. Killian frowned.
"We've never been close, no. I don't want to talk about it," he said. He finished his Liberty in silence, as Reece finished the drink they'd been drinking when he came in. He stood up. "Another drink anyone?"
---
Killian gently placed the last of his lenses back into his bag before hauling it onto his back, exchanging a few quick goodbyes with the small group of friends he'd made on his course before heading out into the crisp spring air. He grimaced slightly, still not used to the mass of weight on his back as he trudged towards the tram stop in the middle of the college and it not helping that the lingering headache from the drinks the night before wasn't quite gone. He sighed at the waiting cars by the arts building. Some days he could tell himself he wasn't envious, that he didn't miss the luxury of his parents' chauffeur. Today, having been back and forth more than usual the last week, was not one of those days. His eyes caught a familiar car and he froze before turning his head pointedly away from the cars and marching with a new speed towards the tram.
"Killian," a voice said firmly from the bench along the path. He stopped, gritting his teeth and turning towards the voice.
"Daria," he said, unemotionally. He wasn't sure what to think. All he wanted right now was to get home and grab a coffee before him and Reece were due to head out. She looked him up and down and he just stood there. He sighed. "Can I help you?" he asked.
"I was curious what my favourite cousin was up to. I heard you were going through some bohemian rebellion, which would check out with you wandering a second rate college like a pack mule, but I also heard you're the co-owner of an up-and-coming advertising company. Working for everything from boutique shoe stores to chess tutors no less," she said, lip curling and voice lowering at the end of her sentence. He blinked.
"Did a chess tutor piss in your morning coffee?" he blurted out, not even sure where the words came from. Daria frowned.
"How uncouth, who have you been spending time with? Uncle Maurice should have confined you to the house instead of letting you roam free," she said. Killian shrugged.
"They couldn't stand the reminder I wasn't much for academics. I could have been the most ghastly person so long as I was a doctor or lawyer. As neither, I might as well be dead to them," he said. "It's almost refreshing to know I've appalled someone in the family by something I've done and not just who I am. Almost. Are you done?"
"No, I decided we were due a chat, would you come with me? My chauffeur is waiting," she said stiffly. Killian shook his head and smiled.
"I have to get going, I have plans for the evening," he said, straightening his back. She smiled tightly, face strained.
"Luca can drop you off afterwards," she replied.
"My house is directly next to the tram stop, but thank-you for the offer," he said. "Have a good evening, cousin." He started walking when she grabbed his wrist. He stopped.
"Killian," she hissed, furtively looking around. "I'd like to discuss business." Killian shrugged.
"You have my partner's contact information, I'm sure. Feel free to send them the information so we can turn it down," he replied, twisting his wrist free. "I'd keep my hands to myself if I were you, I'm disowned all but legally; mother couldn't stand the idea of the gossip, which would make this awkward if the police got involved, no?" Daria grit her teeth.
"You're unhinged. I can't believe you'd stoop so low as to threaten your family," she said. Killian blanched and he looked away.
"It was made fairly clear to me I don't have one of those anymore. Perhaps you missed that announcement," Killian said, taking a breath before resuming his quick walk to the tram stop, pain of the weight of his bag forgotten.
---
"Killian!" Reece's voice called as he entered the house. "I made these little garlic knots, we had a pile of garlic that was about to sprout and I thought they might be okay." Killian set his stuff down gently in his room, eyes catching uncomfortably on the velvet lampshade Reece had always hated. There was a bone deep heaviness setting in, an exhaustion he hadn't felt even in far busier weeks. He slumped down on the floor as Reece called his name again, worried, and the sound of footsteps came from the kitchen. They stopped behind him.
"Uh, are you okay?" they asked, uncertain. Killian shrugged. Reece walked around to his side and sat next to him, awkwardly wrapping an arm around him. There was a brief silence. "Do you want to talk about it?" Killian sighed.
"No, yes, I don't know, I... Daria came to see me at college," he said.
"That was... nice of her?" Reece asked. "She didn't contact us yet, I guess she wanted to talk directly." Killian huffed.
"It wasn't a welcome conversation," he said. He leant his head down on their shoulder. "I hope I was never like her, she's so... self important." Reece snorted lightly.
"You had your moments. We all do though," they said, lightly patting Killian's hair. He kept staring at the lampshade.
"We could burn the lampshade if you want. You're right, it is tacky," he said. Reece's hand stopped, resting on his head.
"I do want that. If I heard those words any other night I'd be enthused. But you don't want to get rid of it. You'd regret it tomorrow," they said. Killian didn't respond, still staring ahead. A few minutes passed before Reece spoke again. "Did you still want to go tonight? I could call it off." Killian took in a deep breath and sat up.
"No I do, I think I need it. I grabbed a quick lunch between work and college but you said something about garlic knots?" he said with a smile. They nodded, and Killian got up, offering Reece a hand. Reece huffed and took it, and they shuffled off to the kitchen together. Killian didn't doubt that was the last they'd hear from Daria. And that was okay.