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"Do we really have to drive for twenty minutes back and forth everytime we need to buy something? There's fine supermarkets down the road!"
Karl spoke loudly, Ethan by his side in the driver's seat, pouring his attention to the phone steadied by a grey phone stand, the only thing between him and his partner.
“These ‘supermarkets’, Karl, are not Walmart and I can surely not buy another chair from there.”
“It's just one chair Ethan!”
The engineer replied, annoyed.
The blonde glanced at him then brought his attention to the wheel before speaking,
“Well, if you broke one, you'll break another.”
“I didn't break it! I told you, my exquisite unique personality is too big to handle.”
Winters rolled his eyes as he huffed a laugh.
“Yeah, right.”
Their conversation ended and silence took over. It wasn't uncommon, nothing really was that entertaining anymore, even the arguments.
Karl leaned against the window while Ethan kept driving.
They never took this route before but to Heisenberg's surprise, it was somewhat mesmerizing.
The road was a straight long line with grass and flowers at its sides, no one was there except for them and some birds flying above so he just kept staring at the view.
As they passed along the street in rapid speed, the ex-lord noticed something, at the corner of his eye, He looked back for a second, just a moment and his eyes widened behind his glasses like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Ethan was suddenly startled by a loud gasp and a violent shake.
“Ethan! Ethan, stop!”
Without hesitation, Winters hit the brakes immediately, not thinking about the impact till they were jolted from their seats, almost crashing the glass, thanks to the seat belts.
“AUGH!- wh-what did I hit?!”
He instantly looked around, afraid that a wild animal jumped stupidly in front of a moving car to end its stupid life and now they might be in trouble because of a-
“Horses!”
“... What?!”
The blonde stood up in horror, his hair rubbing against the car's roof as he leaned forward, his eyes jumping from one side of the road to another, searching for a horse's corpse but, there was nothing. They were the only ones here.
“There's nothing you stupid fuck!”
Ethan exclaimed, his voice shaking a little due to the sudden surge of adrenaline then faced his lover who looked at him like he just said the earth was flat.
“Pffftt!”
Heisenberg bursted out laughing, meanwhile Ethan looked at him in a pure dumbfounded stare.
“You didn't kill any of the horses, idiot.”
He clarified and got out of the car with a grin.
“Wait, where are you-”
The blonde followed him, noticing how vast the land was and then he saw it. A fenced land, possibly a farm with three brown and black horses wandering around.
He mentally face palmed himself at the realization. His heart was gonna fall out of his ass for a goddamn farm-?!
“— sigh—”
If it wasn't rage building up in his brain right there that's making him regret his life's decisions, he didn't know what it was.
He followed his spouse, looking at his stupid giddy walk that he definitely didn't chuckle at.
“You folks alright there?”
An older looking guy spoke, standing behind the wooden fence with a slight squint against the sunlight. He was dressed in a classic sixties button up shirt and jeans with a beige winged hat on his head, adding to his southern accent and making him look like a cowboy.
“Oh, we don't mean to bother, I was just taken away by the horses’ beauty!”
The ex-lord replied with this cocky fancy tone Winters hates. He rolled his eyes, ignoring the overly confident grin.
“Oh, a real horse admirer~ I like that.”
“Thank you. Mind if I?”
Karl waited for an answer, the cowboy gave him a raised brow before answering.
“What? Pet the horses?”
“Yes.”
The man huffed a chuckle.
“Ye sure, com’on.”
He agreed, yanking his open palm towards his chest, gesturing for the engineer to step closer.
“Alright, Just…”
Heisenberg hopped over the fence, his coat slid above the wood with protest, catching on a nail’s tip before letting go.
Ethan stood behind the fence, his arms crossed over his chest.
He would usually be too tired, irritated or overthinking but he found this moment adorable.
A past feared man with abnormal super powers and quite literally a biohazard acting like a child seeing snow for the first time.
He watched his husband approach a black horse carefully, patting its skin with no fear and with such care, it made him wonder if Karl had any past experiences with horses.
The old man chuckled at the scene in front of him, his horse ‘Baldwin’ pushing his nose against the engineer’s hands, trying to get more pats and love.
“Oh you're so lucky he didn't kick you, this bad boy is usually aggressive.”
The rancher laughed, amused more than anything else.
“Hah! Guess I underestimated myself.”
Ethan closed his eyes, the sunlight now stronger, hitting his whole back and head. He's not sure why he likes warm temperatures now, maybe it's the mold? Or just sleeping beside Karl every night…don't know.
Heisenberg gave Baldwin one last pat then the cowboy-hat-guy fed him some snacks and pulled him away gently by the reins.
While waiting for the guy to finish his task, Karl checked back on his lover only to see him fully immersed in whatever thing he was doing.
“Sunbathing I see?”
He said playfully. The taller man chuckled, tired or maybe too relaxed? Karl didn't know the difference.
“It's rare to find people this gentle with these animals, let alone people from the city.”
The man said, walking back towards him.
“Oh, we're actually like 10 minutes away, my husband dragged me here for a ‘Walmart’.”
“Husband?”
The guy asked, a twisted expression of confusion and disgust on his face.
“Yup! See that Blonde?”
Karl turned back to point at him, their distance a little ridiculous, considering how close Ethan was to the fence.
A yawn escaped the mold man before he opened his eyes and noticed both people staring at him.
“Huh..”
The cowboy replied, his tone no more than an acknowledgement.
“Ahem! This was really a pleasure but I have to go, can't make him wait too long.”
Heisenberg announced, trying to end this, now awkward interaction.
“Ye, Understood. Y'all be careful..”
The engineer nodded, ignoring the change in the guy's tone then hopped off the fence.
“Hey.. you're done?”
“Yup! Come on fun-guy, let's get you your chairs.”
Ethan chuckled whilst following his steps.
“ In a better mood now?”
“You could say so.”
They got in, buckled their seat belts, at least Ethan did, then continued moving according to the GPS. Heisenberg tilted his head to watch the grass move with them, the farm slowly fading away with the rest of the road.
—————
—ping!—
Ethan stepped in first, the lights hitting his face and making him squint a bit. He looked back at his spouse to see him standing his ground, a frown on his face while rubbing the corners of his eyes with his glasses elevated.
He remembered how Karl could feel the electricity and hear the static flowing through the walls, or electrons flowing or something like that- and the metal in every corner and the moving carts and the sounds-!
Worry slipped to his mind as he considered every shitty thing this meant to Karl and he just- felt horrible..
“Are you okay? I'm so sorry, It didn't hit me that this would be a trip to hell to you..”
Winters started, walking back to where the ex-lord stood.
“What?”
Heisenberg asked, looking at the taller man in confusion, his frown still present.
“If you want to stay in the car, it's alright, I'll be quick-!”
“Ethan.”
The engineer interrupted, his voice shaking his lover out of his thoughts as he cupped his face with both hands.
“It's alright. I'm okay, I just need a smoke and some food. Nothing you have to blame yourself for.”
“Oh..oh okay-! sorry..”
The blonde exhaled a reliving sigh with a smile.
Karl huffed a chuckle and kissed his forehead.
“So the electricity isn't bothering you?”
His lover asked, just to make sure.
“I mean..,Yes. But it's not going to kill me, if I can ignore my factory’s sounds, I can surely ignore some subtle electic movement.
Don't worry papa~”
The taller man took a deep breath,
“Okay, let's go then.”
They took some time to find the furniture’s aisle. Karl kept following his ‘wife’ who had to walk around the whole place’s diameter to find the aisle he needed so he could get some extra things that slipped his mind.
“Okay, we have eggs, bread and dish soap.., I think that's good, do you need something?”
“No, let's get the chair already…”
Heisenberg's headache was getting worse now, he just wanted to get out already.
“Okay, sorry, let's go.”
The shopping cart decided to be a sudden embarrassment and creak in the middle of the aisle. Everyone seemed so quite all of a sudden and Ethan tried not to overthink about one of the wheels dragging against the ground which he completely failed at.
Karl huffed in annoyance, why does everything have to be socially approved?..
He thought, already imagining how he'll sleep for the next 5 centuries when he goes back home.
“Here, let me handle it.”
The ex-lord said, although so done but still willing to help. Ethan gave him such a relived look, he almost thought he said ‘thank you’ but didn't.
“Oh! Micro-fiber towels! Should've gotten some before.”
“Are you going to get them?”
“Mmm… yeah sure, why not.”
The blonde answered then tossed them in the cart.
“You wanna buy the stupid chair now?”
Heisenberg asked, his voice a bit muffled as he stood behind the blonde and hurried his face in his shoulder.
“Mmm, yeah, I don't think I missed anything.”
“Good.”
The bearded man replied, irritation tracing his voice before he followed his love.
They walked back to the furniture aisle and Ethan stood in the middle, eyeing everything with a critical look. Heisenberg sighed deeply, knowing that it'll take them another business day to go home.
“Okay. I'll help you, but! You can only choose maximumly three top chairs you're considering and if you don't absolutely love every single one, we don't get it, got it?”
Ethan smiled awkwardly at the angry tone, he really wanted to go home just as much as Karl seemed to but shopping for everything every single week while trying to remember the list he forgot in the kitchen surely wasn't making this less stressful.
The ex-lord went ahead and speed ran every piece.
“Is this one nice?”
“.. mm not really..”
“This one?”
“Nope.”
“This?”
“Oh this one is nice!”
“Great. Okay, how about that one?”
“I like it.”
“Okay and this?”
“I'm…not sure about it..”
“Alright! We have 2 chairs instead of three, just pick one and let's go because my head just wants a big surge of nicotine and a good cuddly nap.”
Winters chuckled nervously, his mind trying to make a final decision already.
“Erm… I don't know, this one is nice but it wouldn't look good with the table.”
The blonde man answered, ignoring the mild grunt in his lover's voice.
“Liebe, if we keep looking for the prettiest one, we'll never get out of here! Be efficient. We have to buy a chair? Then let's buy a goddamn chair!”
“I know! I just- I can't pick yet! Just- give me a minute, I'll not take long.”
Karl huffed again, this time louder while he walked around to blow off some steam.
Ethan ended up choosing a light brownish classical dining chair or at least that's what the description said.
“finally!” His spouse exclaimed dramatically. But just as he was heading to the cashier, Winters turned back.
“Hold on, I think I need to get something-”
“No! Absolutely not! Give me your card, I'll pay. I'll wait for you in the car, you go get whatever you want, I'm not waiting.”
“Oh..”
Winters turned back, not registering the sudden outburst but gave him the card anyway. He watched him run towards the cashier,
“Dumbass.”
Ethan mumbled then went to search for the merchandiser fridges they usually kept milk in, it didn't take him long despite getting a little lost.
Karl sat in the car, puffing a cigar with his arm out the window so he doesn't stink up the car with the smell, or whatever his partner says.
He turned on the radio to listen to something but for some reason the channels either had news, stupid advertisments or some podcasts he really questioned if people listened to them. He turned it off and preferred to look out the window.
That was mean. He was probably anxious already. Stupid mold guy, why are you making me feel bad..?
He let the building ash fall on the street's side then took a long inhale, holding it a bit before puffing it out.
“What's taking you so long, Winters?”
He muttered to himself, leaning backwards into his seat, the cigar still sitting outside of the car’s window.
He suddenly heard footsteps approaching the car, his head jerked immediately to see that, it wasn't Ethan…,but a very old lady dressed in a long cheap black fur jacket. Her hair was short and grey, on top of it was a matching fur hat.
She looked pissed off, her thin, almost disappearing eyebrows frowning at him, her thin wrinkled lips pressing hard, making her mouth look like a thin line that even her deep tyrian lipstick couldn't save.
She stood beside the car, not speaking a word. Karl wondered how her thin bones still held her pathetic arched posture, god knows how old she was.
Heisenberg casually took another inhale, the end of the cigar lighting up. The woman still glared at him but he couldn't give less of a shit.
He puffed the cloud of smoke out and right there, he saw her tremble before opening her mouth.
“You know, this is very rude of you! People are walking here and they have to breathe in all of this smoke? it's a biohazard!”
Her accent was closer to a British one yet not enough to be one, almost like how the duke spoke.
“And who the fuck are you?”
Karl replied nonchalantly, his usual sassy tone taking over.
“Ah! How dare you?! This is unacceptable!”
She sounded so offended which is what the engineer wanted, she walked away slowly, trying to avoid the other cloud of smoke he let out.
“I would call the police on you, Mister!”
“Yeah, yeah. Go home!”
He replied, shouting out at her back, his head out of the window in an uncomfortable position.
He could still hear her saying something, her voice was pitchy and annoying but he didn't care.
“Woah, what happened?”
Heisenberg turned to the side fast as he heard his beloved husband’s voice.
“Ethan! You're back! God, took you so long.”
“Yeah, sorry.”
The blonde replied, putting the extra groceries in the back seats of the car before closing the door.
“But, first of all, you have to make some space for this guy.”
Winters put a small and fluffy horse stuffed animal in his lover's lap that had him gasping with a surprised amused face.
“It's a horse! Oh my god Ethan!”
He cracked laughing at the whole situation that in turn made Ethan laugh too.
“Do you like it?”
The blonde asked, a giggle tracing his tone.
“Yes! Yes I fucking love it!
Oh my god…come here.”
Heisenberg pulled him in for a kiss that turned into a physical affection shower. His beard tickled the father's face, forcing uncontrolled giggles out that vibrated through his body. It made them both laugh loudly at each other's reaction, ignoring the stares of rude people passing by.
“Haha! Okay, okay, let me get in the car at least.”
The taller one got in and closed the door, like usual, he made sure to put on his seat belt before taking off.
They were finally driving back home. The street was soundless as ever, Karl used his partner's focus on the task at hand and slowly slithered his hand along Ethan's thigh. Gently stroking back and forth, earning a chuckle from his man.
They stayed like this for some seconds, the familiar silence filling the air before Heisenberg broke it.
“Ethan?”
“Mm?”
He answered, his eyes still on the road as listened.
“I'm sorry for shouting there. I know you were already nervous and wanted to be done and go home just as much as I wanted, I just lost it I guess…”
The blonde man removed his gaze off the path for a minute and looked at the man to his side in surprise.
“Wow. That's…thoughtful.”
Karl chuckled to himself, weaving his hand in a ‘shooing’ gesture.
“Oh shut up.”
“No, really! That's nice.”
“Okay, papa~”
Winters chuckled, his eyes on the street again.
“You're really thoughtful sometimes, it's honestly cute.”
Heisenberg smirked with his eyebrows slightly raised,
“if you keep complimenting me like this you might become a nice ciulama de cuiperci tonight~”
Ethan chuckled,
“I don't even know what that is.”
“Creamy mushroom sou-”
Karl was playfully pushed towards the window, as Ethan laughed in surprise.
“Hey!”
—————
“Ahhh… Finally! sweet home.”
The engineer sighed in relief then shed his trenchcoat for the hanger to hold.
He walked through the hallway, the stuffed animal still in his hand, it almost looked ridiculous.
“Change your clothes before you sleep!”
“Got it!”
Karl answered, already at the end of the hallway.
Ethan sighed then went to the kitchen, already preparing for the dish he'll be making.
On the other side, the metal guy changed into sweatpants and whatever comfy shirt he had, leaving his outside clothes on the floor.
He plumped straight down on the bed, the frame creaking at the sudden impact. He knows that Ethan will give him the same talk about the clothes and how he shouldn't sleep on his stomach but all of that was fading away as his consciousness was pulled into deep slumber.
Two hours passed and the blonde has finally finished cooking. He was hungry before but now, he's more of exhausted. He dragged himself to the bedroom’s door and knocked gently.
“Karl?”
The door opened smoothly, Karl was snoring in the very position he told him to stop sleeping in, his clothes were scattered on the ground and he didn't even bother to pull the covers, just slept on it like a log.
“—sigh—”
The taller man looked at the small horse squeezed around the past Lord’s bicep and chuckled to himself tiredly.
“You're really making him look adorable.”
He said to the plushie as if it could talk back.
He got out, pulling the door slowly to close soundly so he doesn't disturb the man inside.
A yawn escaped his mouth and all he could think about is putting the food in the fridge and dropping down beside his partner to sleep.
“Uhhh…why do you always overwork yourself, Ethan..”
He muttered to himself then put the newly made food in the fridge. Hoping the shelf wouldn't crack from the heat.
He dragged himself to the bedroom again and layed down beside Karl before forceful pulling the blanket from under his heavy body. Heisenberg shuffled in his sleep but didn't wake up, good.
Ethan thought, then moved closer to cuddle with his partner.
Maybe that's why warm temperatures feel good, or maybe it's the mold?
He doesn't know.