Chapter Text
1. Invite Ratio for lunch without having an IPC meeting beforehand
… Aventurine had never dared to do this. While they’ve had meals together after lengthy meetings together, they have never been to lunch or dinner simply because they wanted to personally chat. He had dreamed of asking the man out for ages , even as friends – if you could call them that, he doesn’t think Ratio would want to associate Aventurine of all people as one of his friends, after all – but since the other had never tried to ask him out for a day out together, and Aventurine would rather die than take the initiative out of the fear of overstepping boundaries, they have never truly hung out outside of professional settings.
Would rather die than do so. Aventurine internally laughed at himself for the pun – it was precisely because Aventurine is choosing to die that he is trying to take the initiative for once.
He opened up his chatroom with Ratio. Ratio, I was wondering if you were free, he typed, then deleted the text before sending it. No. He sounded like he was merely free at the moment, and therefore thought of Ratio, whom he would think was free all the time due to his academic career. No, that made him sound incredibly insensitive. Ratio is a professor. He must be incredibly busy. What if Ratio thought that Aventurine was making fun of him for focusing on academia?
Ratio, hey. When are you free? It would be nice if we could have lunch and chat together. No. He deleted the text before sending it. It sounded demanding, like he was demanding Ratio to list out all his free time so that Aventurine could pick one out and force the man to have lunch with him. Aventurine was only his work partner; under no circumstances can he lord Ratio around like he does with his subordinates. And if Ratio misunderstands the tone, well – he can blow his IPC career a goodbye kiss if he ruins the partnership with the Intelligentsia Guild. Not that he wasn’t already doing that by counting down his days, but, y’know. It would be nice to keep a good image even before getting sent to hell.
What could he send the man without being seen as strange, awkward or demanding? He put on a random movie – Belobog Romance – and watched until he saw the main protagonist send a text to his love interest.
‘Are you free for tomorrow? Let’s have lunch together.’ he muttered as he copied the text word for word onto his phone and sent it.
He swung his phone onto his bed as he hid under the many pillows, hugging one of his cat cakes – ‘What if he says no?’ he asked the cat cake in his arms. It purred in confusion, like What are you talking about?
He sighed, and continued watching the movie with disinterest until somewhere under his duvet, his phone chimed, the sound barely audible under the layers of silk. He immediately paused the movie, released his tight grip on the cat cake and scrambled for his phone – ‘Where is it, where is it, where is it …’
One message from Ratio
Yes. Should I wait for you at the IPC Grand Entrance Hall at 11:30am?
His eyes widened. The movie didn’t tell him how to reply to that ! ‘How should I reply to him, baby?’ he mused to the cat cake, who stared at him with its beady eyes. I don’t know, mister. Maybe with your phone.
He sighed. ‘Yeah, I know that.’
To Ratio: That would be great!!
-
‘So,’ Ratio raised an eyebrow as they sat down at the table, ‘what’s the special occasion? Mandatory team building?’
‘Ah,’ Aventurine smiled, resting his chin on his hand, ‘can’t a guy miss his work partner?’ I wish I could call myself as your friend.
Ratio shook his head. ‘Am I supposed to believe you, Gambler?’
Aventurine just shrugged. But I did miss you.
-
Of course, it didn’t take long before his incredibly intelligent friend noticed that something was off with him.
‘Aventurine. Cut it out. I’m tired of charading with you. What’s going on?’ In this light, Ratio’s eyes even seem … soft. Concerned.
Ratio wasn't concerned about him , was he? Hesitant, Aventurine put on his most convincing laugh, waving his hands wildly as if he could sweep away all the illusions of concern he was seeing. ‘You overthink too much, Doc. I do not require your concern – I’m sure there are other matters that require your immediate attention, no?’
The doctor’s eyes narrowed. ‘Do not think you can fool me, Gambler. If there is one thing you should not gamble on, it is your friends’ emotions.’
Aventurine felt his heart stop and stutter. His friend ? He couldn’t contain his giddy smile, so he pretended to laugh at the man’s comment to cover it up. ‘Oh? Then I bet that you have no idea about anything going on right now.’
‘Oh, so there is something going on.’ Ratio crossed his arms. Aventurine – no, Kakavasha panicked. Fuck, fuck, oh fuck, he said the wrong thing.
He abruptly stood up. ‘Lunchtime’s almost over,’ Kakavasha said hastily, gathering his things. ‘Send me the receipt later; I’ll pay for it. Consider it as my token of thanks for making you go out of your way to talk with me.’
Ratio nodded as he looked at the time. ‘We’ll talk over text later.’
‘Yup.’ Kakavasha practically ran out of the restaurant and back to his own office, where he buried his face into his hands, breathing heavily.
He caught sight of the watch on his wrist. It was barely 12:30pm. Ratio must’ve known that.
And he still let him go.
Aventurine couldn’t deny the fact that it left a hollow feeling in his chest.
-
Two messages from Ratio
I covered the cost; there is no need for you to pay me back. It was a pleasure to talk to you outside of professional settings.
Another thing – if you ever require anything, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Aventurine, I am always here for you. I hope you know that.
At least Aventurine didn’t fuck up so badly that Ratio never wanted to talk to him again. Stupid, stupid Kakavasha. He was a fool for thinking that his acting was so good that it could fool people.
Not when the only person it fooled was himself.