The room was dimly lit, curtains swaying slightly with the cold breeze sneaking in from a cracked window. Kieran stirred beneath the sheets and faint traces of alcohol on his breath.
Caelum sat on the edge of the bed, unsure if he should stay. He'd taken the couch at first, but Kieran's tossing and turning had kept him awake. He got up, finally deciding to leave.
"Don't leave," Kieran muttered.
Caelum froze. It wasn't loud, but it was real.
He turned slowly to face him. Kieran's brows were furrowed in sleep, lips barely moving. Was he dreaming? Remembering? The voice sounded like a child's — soft, scared, tired.
Caelum exhaled quietly and leaned back in the chair beside the bed.
"I'm not going anywhere boss," he whispered. "Not tonight."
Kieran kept mumbling in his sleep and Caelum kept wondering who had hurt him this much.
Caelum finally leaned back to get some rest but his phone violently vibrated in his pocket. The ringtone pierced the quiet, making him wince.
"Boss, I finally—"
"Do you not know when to call, you idiot?!" Caelum hissed.
"Do you want to die? You want me to personally kill you?!" He said as he looked at Kieran, trying his best not to wake him up.
"I'm sorry boss, but we finally found Lydia. The wife of your enemy.... what should we do with her?
"Anything you want, but just make sure she's dead by morning " Caelum said as he hung up.
He sat still for a moment, listening for any shift in Kieran's breath.
Nothing.
Caelum exhaled. He was glad.
He didn't want to wake him. Not now. Not after that.
Kieran wakes up, hungover and confused. His mind, still foggy as he struggled to find Caelum's number on his phone.
He looks to his left and pauses.
There...on the couch...Caelum's jacket was sitting there.
He stayed.
He's shocked as Caelum walks in
"Sorry if I got too comfortable" he said casually, "but I made coffee"
"So... you stayed?" Kieran said
"You asked me not to leave " Caelum said, handing him his cup.
Kieran snapped"I would never say that! By chance I did, I was drunk!"
"But you were honest" Caelum gave a small smile that seemed to put Kieran at ease.
Kieran looked at him and maintained his gaze. Something about Caelum made the silence feel safe.
Caelum's phone rang out and he looked displeased.
"I'll go take this boss" he said while forcing a smile.
As Caelum walked to another room, he answered the call.
"This better be urgent " Caelum said, his voice thick as the silence.
The voice trembled "We just got the drugs boss. We're sending it across the states now. I'm letting you know what's happening now"
Caelum's eyes lit up.
"That's great! Take an extra gun on your way out. I might just tag along for unfinished business." He said cheerfully.
He turned around only to find Kieran behind him.
"Who were you talking to? You seemed pretty excited...." Kieran said slowly, looking into Caelum's eyes.
Caelum's breath becomes thin. How much did he actually hear.
"Oh it's nothing boss. I just got an important call. That's all" he said as he walked pass Kieran.
"I already called Ness. You'll be working from home today. " Caelum smiled. "But I'll be with you. I'm working with you too, aren't I, boss?" Caelum's grin didn't quite reach his eyes.
The apartment was quiet, but not empty. Not the way it used to be.
Kieran hasn't worked from home in a long time.
He sat the dining table, half lost in a report he didn't remember starting. Caelum kept providing him with coffee and this cut was still warm.
Somewhere in the kitchen, there was soft movement...like the click of a spoon on a pan and the low hum Kieran liked very much.
This should have annoyed him, but he found himself humming to it as well. A smile ran across his face as he struggled to continue his report.
"You filed the invoice folder" Kieran asked while glancing slightly over his laptop.
Caelum walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands with a towel. His sleeves were rolled, a few buttons undone, exposing his chest.
"And organised you calendar. You've got a meeting by two, I set it as a virtual meeting so you won't have to leave. I also pushed the others back."
"You didn't have to do all that" Kieran muttered.
"I know." Caelum said "but I felt like"
Then silence followed, not tense, just full.
"You don't talk much boss" he said softly as he leaned on the counter. "But your silence feels very different today. Like it's finally calm"
There was a ring and Caelum walked back to the kitchen.
Kieran's eyes were fixed on him and Caelum walks back him with rice and eggs.
"I prepared breakfast boss" he said with a smile.
And Kieran sat there as he was served.
Kieran blinked down at his plate.
This... wasn't routine.
This felt like something else. Something he wasn't sure he deserved.
They both smiled and had breakfast. The silence wasn't was no longer awkward, just easy.
"Since I'm spending the night here again" Caelum said, casually testing the waters "wanna get drunk?" Caelum said casually, hoping Kieran wouldn't get upset.
Kieran arched a brow "I should reprimand you for your informal tone" he said then chuckled "we're way past that, aren't we? Let's get drunk, Caelum."
Caelum was shaken so he stared at Kieran in admiration.
"You're beautiful, boss" Caelum said quietly, like he didn't think it through.
Kieran, shocked "Are you crazy?" , voice sharp with confusion, not anger.
Caelum smiled. A little too knowingly.
"Maybe I am" he said as he ate "but I meant it."
"Let's get drunk after my meeting, Caelum "