Work Text:
“I’m off to work!” called Riz as he opened the front door of the apartment he shared with Fabian.
“See you later. Be safe!” called back Fabian. I love you.
“As always,” replied Riz as he walked out and shut the door.
Riz was lounging on the couch when Fabian returned home, both hands clutching a coffee. He walked up to the back of the couch and dangled one in front of Riz, who snatched it out of his hand and took a long pull of the nutty-flavored drink.
“Mmm, pistachio!” he sighed contentedly.
“I know it’s your favorite,” explained Fabian. “And I just happened to be walking by the coffee shop.” I love you.
“Thanks a ton, I needed a pick-me-up!”
Fabian smiled and sat down next to him, sipping his own drink. “So, how was work today?” I love you.
Riz divulged what he could about his job and Fabian watched him with unabashed interest, listening carefully to everything that he had to say.
Riz came home late one evening to smell of aromatic herbs and something sharp and fruity. As he announced his return and poked his head into the kitchen, he caught sight of Fabian frying up some rice.
“I made it the way you like it!” Fabian said excitedly. “With pineapple!” I love you.
“You hate pineapple in fried rice,” stated Riz, confusion spreading across his face.
Fabian waved a hand dismissively. “I can pick it out; don’t worry about it.”
“OK… well, thanks! It smells great!”
“It’s almost ready, so go wash up.”
“Yessir.”
As they sat down and ate, Riz kept a careful eye on Fabian, noticing that despite what he said, he ate the pineapple anyway.
Riz sat curled up on the couch, watching a movie next to Fabian. It was a cold evening, and a draft wafted across the living room, causing Riz to shiver. Immediately Fabian reached behind them and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. He wordlessly unfolded it and spread it out across Riz before settling back down in his place.
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t have to. I could see you were cold.” I love you.
Riz shifted, feeling a little awkward, but the blanket was warm and he was actually freezing. “Well… thanks,” he mumbled.
“Of course.” I love you.
The movie continued to play.
It had been five days since Riz came home. He had sent a cryptic message stating that he was alive and fine (whatever Riz’s definition of ‘fine’ was, Fabian had no clue) three days ago, but there was radio silence since then. Not even the Council had any clue on how he was actually faring.
Without any announcement, he finally showed up that night, quietly unlocking the front door and sidling inside with the minimum of noise. It was the click of him placing his keys upon the kitchen table that woke Fabian from his fitful slumber on the couch, and he rocketed up to a sitting position and looked around wildly to see where the noise came from.
There was Riz, standing in the kitchen looking exhausted and worse-for-wear.
Fabian couldn’t contain himself and rushed over to him, pulling up short of actually touching him, but his eye roamed his body, taking in the bruises and torn clothing.
“ThankCassyou’reokay-!” he breathed. I love you! I love you! I love you!
“Yeah, I told you I was fine-” Riz began, but Fabian cut him off.
“How can you call this ‘fine?!’ Look at all these tears and bruises! You clearly just got healed by the Council before coming home! The blood on your shirt is still damp!”
Riz hung his head. “OK, so maybe I got a little sloppy on my last job and had to lay low for a while.”
“This is ‘a little sloppy?!’”
“Yeesh, lay off me! Quit worrying about me so much; I’m a grown man!”
“Quit worrying about you? Quit worrying about you?! I couldn't stop thinking about you!” I love you!
Riz shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I’m back now so you can stop.”
“It’s not that easy, The Ball,” he huffed.
“Well, what do you want me to do, quit my job?”
“No! I just… I wish you wouldn’t scare me like that. Don’t give me an “I’m fine” and then disappear for days at a time!”
“...Sorry.”
“I’m just glad that you’re alright and back in one piece. Please, don’t scare me like that again.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Riz knew it was dangerous making a call while on the job, but things were looking dire and he had a growing feeling that he wasn’t going to make it out alive. Making the call would be risky, but he was compelled to do so and he found his fingers flying over his contact list, selecting a name, and holding his breath as it began to ring.
It picked up before the second ring.
“The Ball?!”
Riz’s heart beat sped up at the sound of that voice, those words. I love you.
“Hey. Fabian. I. Um. I’m on a job right now. It’s- I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know that I’m really busy. With my job. And I might not be home for a while. But I’m fine.” I love you.
He was prioritizing Fabian over his mother or the Council when he only had the single chance to make a call, and he should feel guilty, but if he wasn’t long for this world there was only one voice he wanted to hear before it was all over. Riz winced as he blatantly lied to him, but all he wanted was to give him that comfort, that idea that it would all be alright as he whispered his words to his best friend.
“Where are you? What’s going on? What do you mean you’re ‘fine!?’”
“I was just calling so you didn’t have to worry.” I love you. “I can’t give away any more info. I’ll see you when I get home. Bye.”
He hung up and turned off his crystal before Fabian could say anything else. Feeling bolstered by hearing his voice, Riz gritted his teeth and cocked his gun. He was doing this job to protect his country, yes, but he was determined to get home alive for Fabian.
I love you.