Work Text:
The coffee shop booms with conversation as Tony watches Kopi busy herself making multiple drinks at once while also keeping up with said conversations. Meanwhile, he dreads the conversation that waits for him. Abel asked to speak with him a while ago. He’s curious about what he has to say, but hates the waiting and hates not knowing what he’s going to say. The two of them don’t do anything together. The two interactions they had were of Tony fixing his leg and attempting at the roof. One interaction led to Tony replaying it in his mind for a while. He helped Abel and no gratitude came of it. He’s confused. Why? Why didn’t he get it and why is he so hung up about it?
“Medium two sugar?”
Tony raises two fingers letting her know that it’s his, and salutes a thank-you with a smile. She smiles back and continues working.
He sits at a table next to a window where an empty seat rests in front of him. She frees herself from the crowd and plants a coffee mug across from him. Before he can protest he just asked for one coffee, the bell rings announcing someone’s arrival, making her smile and wave at them before returning to her duties. Abel came in. Tony lightly claws at the surface.
“Kopi’s busy tonigh’,” Abel notes as he grabs his seat.
Tony sips his coffee. “Why’d you bring me out here? We never do anything together.”
“I just wanted to thank-you for fixing my leg,” Abel says, rubbing the back of his neck. Tony inhales sharply. “Been so busy with everyone, and admittedly,” he takes off his hat, “I judged you instead of thanking you which was rude of me.”
“Yeah, that kind of sucked. I should be thanked for what I do.”
Abel plants his elbow on the table and points at him. A stern look forms on his face. “That. Right there. Why do you do that?”
Tony blinks. “Do what?”
“Try to get everyone to give you what you want! If you keep it up you’re never going to get it.”
“I-I don’t do that!”
“Fix me Tony, please?” Abel quotes. “No one is going to respect you properly if you keep doing that. People might ask you to fix them! But not if you say it that way.”
Tony folds his arms and looks away. He can’t look Abel in the eye. “People should be thanking me,” he repeats. “I do so much for them, and they can’t say two words to show gratitude? Do people hate me that much? Hell, even you said you wish it wasn’t me to help fix you but you're welcome for being the only one who could or you’d be hobbling for a lot longer!” Tears threaten to come out. Dammit. “I’m part of the reason why that house got built! No one seems to care though! They’re just happy because they exist in it. Meanwhile I get migraines and muscle sores because of it!”
“Listen, son-”
“Don’t call me son!” Tony squeezes his eyes tightly as he shouts. His voice cracks and his chair screeches backwards loudly.
They go quiet. It feels as if a bubble surrounds them to keep their sounds isolated from the rest of the cafe. This is all because of a thank-you. Not because of Abel’s but everyone’s. He’s upset about two words that can mean a lot to someone. For Tony, it means a lot more than he thought it would. The jerk-face act? Abel can’t decipher for the life of him.
Kopi appears beside them. “Guys, I love you to bits, but if you don’t keep your voices down I will kick you out. I don’t want to but I will.”
His breath catches in his chest as he looks at Abel. He wants to tell Abel everything but keep it inside at the same time. Everyone loves Abel but Tony? Sure he does but at the same time he doesn’t want him to know everything. But he also wants to tell him everything. He said what he’s been thinking for a long time and told no one except for him right now. But calling him son? Abel isn’t his dad…
Is he trying to be?
For some reason the thought scares him and being with him now adds to the fear. Tony scrambles for some change in his pocket, patting himself down. He eventually finds it and plants it on the table, runs past Kopi and aggressively pushes open the door for the fresh air he needs.
Kopi looks at the seat then at Abel. “Uh… did I do something wrong?”
Abel sighs frustratingly. “It’s not your fault, Kopi. It’s mine. Trying to understand someone that might be difficult to understand. I want to, he just makes it so frustratingly difficult.”
Kopi puts her spoon to their chin. “You opened the idea to him. He knows that you’re there even if he doesn’t want you to be. Whether he accepts the offer or not is up to him now.”
The hotness of the cup gets to his hands and he lets go. “You’re right. I might also be trying to help someone who doesn’t need it. I just feel bad for not appreciating his work around the house. Got so caught up by his attitude instead of thanking him for his handiwork.”
“It’s a thing we all forget from time to time, not just a you thing Abel. Tony’s a tough nail, but I’m sure he appreciates you looking out for him.”
Abel sipped his coffee. He hopes so.