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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: No Shame
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,394
Summary: It’s almost Christmas and all Andrej wants is a quiet weekend to himself. He’s asking too much, as usual.
Author’s Note: Written for the Say What Challenge at 1_million_words. The prompt was: "Never regret anything you have done with sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart." – Basil Rathbone. This obviously made me think of Andy and Zayne pre-relationship. God only knows, Andy heaped sincere affection onto that idiotic, oblivious cowboy, never dreaming he’d one day reap the benefits of it all.
All he’d wanted for his weekend was to curl up and read without interruption. Those moments were few and far between since he’d become a detective, but with Christmas only a few days away, Andrej was secure in the knowledge that he’d get a weekend to himself. It was one of the very few times he wouldn’t get called in to work.
Unless another body turned up.
“Don’t say that,” he muttered to the empty room. “You’ll jinx yourself.”
It was the familiar sound of a truck’s engine that drew Andrej’s attention away from his novel. Holding his place with a finger, Andrej lowered his book to his lap and watched the door. He knew it wouldn’t be long before the handle jiggled and a key was inserted. With a sigh, he stuck a bookmark into his paperback and set it on the coffee table.
As it turned out, the body that turned up wasn’t a corpse, for once. No, it was the living, breathing, gorgeous form of his partner that stood on Andrej’s doorstep, letting himself inside. Why Zayne was here, at seven o’clock on a Friday night, Andrej had no idea. Sadly, he found he was more excited than disappointed to hear that sultry Texas drawl calling his name. God, he needed an intervention.
“Zek, are you home,” Zayne called as he pushed the front door open.
“I am,” he replied from his place on the couch. “The question is why are you in my home? Do you not have a date?”
He really didn’t want an answer to that question. Honestly, Andrej would rather not know the details surrounding Zayne’s arrival tonight. It would be more enjoyable to simply bask in the warm glow of Zayne’s presence than dwell on whatever woman he was planning on spending the night with.
Zayne ran a hand through his thick curls, frowning. “I do have a date, actually.”
Of course he did, Andrej thought. Because it was Friday and this was Zayne. The only times Zayne did not have plans for the weekend were when he was too sick to function. Not something that occurred very often.
“And?” Andrej sat forward on the couch, not wanting to seem eager, but unable to keep his body’s reactions in check. On second thought, he didn’t need an intervention, he needed a date of his own.
A shuffle of booted feet on carpet. “I need your help.”
He felt his heart drop into his chest. “I do not know what I can do to help you with your date, Zayne.”
As far as anyone knew, Andrej was simply awkward and uncomfortable around attractive women. Painfully shy, he’d once heard Hilary tell Trish in explanation. That lie suited Andrej just fine. After all, he’d made it a point not to let anyone know the truth, especially his exceedingly handsome, walking, talking sex-on-a-stick partner. Heaven only knew, Zayne would make an issue out of it. Not in an awful, homophobic sort of way, but in a much worse manner: Zayne would flirt with him relentlessly. Andrej knew there wasn’t a chance in heaven or hell he could survive that.
Cocking his head to the side like a curious puppy, Zayne eyed him. “You’re joking, right?” He waved the question away with a hand. “Never mind, let’s just say you clean up a so much better than I do. Hil’s told me a million times that I have zero style. This girl, I like her a lot and I need to know what to wear to impress her. Since I can’t ask Hilary, you’re my next best option.”
“You will not fit into my clothes,” he said, ogling those broad shoulders and thick chest muscles, wishing he could undress Zayne and keep him here for the weekend.
Zayne waved a hand in the air. “No, that’s not what I meant. I have some clothes in the truck and I want to know what makes me look less like… well, me and more like the kind of guy you want to take home with you.”
That was a harder task than Zayne imagined because he was everything Andrej wanted to take home every night. There was a lot about Zayne that annoyed the hell out of Andrej, but there was so much more that endeared the Texas native to him. Reyes was warm-hearted, jovial, and sexy as sin. But he was also loyal and caring and an absolute bulldog when the situation called for it. More than once, Andrej had wondered how it all came together in the bedroom, but it wasn’t something he’d ever have a chance of knowing for fact.
“When is your date,” Andrej asked, coercing his thoughts back to the job at hand.
“Nine,” Zayne said, shrugging. “She works late.”
Kicking himself internally, Andrej put on a brave face. “Go get your clothing and let me see. We might have to make a trip to the mall.”
Zayne made a face. “I really don’t want to do that, Zek. You know how much I hate shopping.”
“You may not have a choice,” Andrej said, holding out a hand. “Bring me your clothing, Zayne.”
A trip to the mall had been necessary in the end. The clothes Zayne had brought consisted of one pair of pants – black Wrangler jeans with a worn spot in the back right pocket from a wallet – and two polo shirts in varying shades of blue. Deciding that neither would do much in the way of impressing a girl, Andrej had made the call and dragged Zayne out of the house.
He stood outside the changing room in Macy’s waiting for his partner to stop preening and emerge. This was their third try, Zayne having rejected both of Andrej’s first two choices. What had been wrong with charcoal slacks and a nice button up, Andrej couldn’t fathom. But reject them Zayne had. Reassessing his subject, Andrej tried a different tack for this third try.
“I’m still not sure about this,” Zayne said, finally resurfacing from the depths of the changing room.
Swallowing hard, Andrej took in the glorious sight before him. The grey bootcut jeans were the only concession he was willing to make to Zayne’s casual tastes. Andrej had found an ivory button up with a subtle swirling design embroidered in silver and navy up one side. Knowing Zayne wouldn’t give up his battered old boots for anything, Andrej settled for adding a new belt to the outfit and calling it good. In this much, he’d been right, because Zayne looked amazing. If he were a woman, he’d happily take him home.
Like he wouldn’t do it anyway.
“You look very handsome, Zayne,” Andrej assured him around the lump in his throat. One of these days, he’d learn to tell Zayne no, lessening the self-inflicted torture. But today was not going to be that day apparently. “I think she will be very happy.”
Zayne looked down at himself and frowned. Turning him towards the trifold mirror, Andrej stood behind Zayne and watched his partner observe himself. It was obvious he was feeling out of his element but was refusing to let anyone know it. That was pretty typical for Zayne after all.
“I don’t know if I can afford all this, Zek,” he said after long moments of silence. “These jeans are sixty bucks by themselves.”
He’d been prepared for this, knowing it was the real reason Zayne hadn’t wanted to go shopping. “It is my treat, Zayne,” he said. In expectation of Zayne’s imminent refusal, he added, “Merry Christmas.”
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Zayne stared at his sock covered feet. It stirred something in Andrej to see him standing there, barefoot and vulnerable. He wanted to reach out and hug Zayne to his chest, reassuring him that it was fine, that friends did these things for each other. But Andrej knew it was a lie. He did it because he loved this infuriating, amazing, annoying, wonderful man.
“I don’t have anything for you,” Zayne said, rubbing the palm of his hand against his chin.
“Do not worry about it,” Andrej replied. “You are my friend, a present is not required.”
Besides, what he wanted from the man wasn’t up for negotiation.
“Thank you,” Zayne said, pulling Andrej into the hug he’d waited so long for. “I don’t know how to repay you, but I will.”
“Go have fun,” Andrej said. “And be happy, it is all I want for you.”
He poured himself a cup of coffee, looking longingly at the cupboard where he kept his carefully guarded bottle of țuică, a high octane spirit from his homeland. It was costly to import and therefore reserved for special occasions. Eight in the morning on Christmas Day didn’t exactly qualify.
Some days he regretted his vow to leave his drinking ways behind him. If he were home, in Romania, his brothers would have already broken out a bottle and shared it with everyone gathered. But he was far from his home and ideally, much warmer than his family was at the moment. When he’d spoken with his sister an hour ago, it had been thirty-three degrees and raining. It could be worse.
“Zekloooos! Where are you hiding, you pain in the ass?”
The sound of Zayne’s voice startled Andrej. “In the kitchen, Zayne. Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, please,” he said, coming into the kitchen. “The hotter the better, it’s damn cold outside.”
That made Andrej chuckle. It was indeed chilly this morning, however it was going to warm up to a decent temperature for late December. “My family is getting rained on,” he said. “It might even snow.”
“Now that’s bad luck,” Zayne said, hugging his arms around his chest. “Ah, coffee. Thank you.”
Andrej handed the mug over and watched Zayne take a drink. His eyes closed, savoring the taste and heat, sending a shock of desire through Andrej. “You are wearing a new sweater,” he noticed.
“Yeah,” Zayne said, leaning against the kitchen counter. “My sister sent it to me, said she thought the color would bring out my eyes. She’s ridiculous.”
But she was right, Andrej thought. The sweater was a pale sage green and not only set off Zayne’s jade colored eyes, but also his caramel colored skin. “It is very nice, your sister has excellent taste.”
Zayne snorted. “I guess,” he said. “I have to trust her. It’s warm anyway, so there’s that.”
“Do you now own a jacket,” Andrej asked, remembering the trouble he’d had in the past in getting Zayne to dress properly for the weather.
“I do,” he said. “It’s new, too, thanks to my mother. It’s on your coat rack.”
“I am happy to hear it,” he said. “And do not misunderstand me, I am happy to see you but –”
“But you’re wondering why the hell I’m here so early on Christmas morning?”
“Yes,” Andrej confirmed. Zayne always came by on Christmas, but never this early. He usually arrived right around dinnertime.
Zayne set his coffee down and shrugged. “I wanted to say thank you again. I brought your present, too. I should go get it.”
“You did not need to do that,” Andrej said, but Zayne was already in motion. Sighing, he followed his partner into the living room.
“It’s not much,” Zayne said by way of apology, “but I think it’s something you’d like anyway. You’re one of the few people who legit don’t care what something cost.”
That’s what happens when you grow up poor as dirt, Andrej thought. He took the package from Zayne and turned it over in his hands. “Thank you,” he said.
“Ya gotta open it,” Zayne grinned.
Slowly, he unwrapped the paper, both eager to see and wary of what might be inside the box. Zayne took the colorful wrapping from Andrej and flicked his fingers at the box. “Come on, you’re killing me here, Zek.”
Shaking his head, Andrej pulled the lid off the box and smiled what he saw inside. It was a lapel pin in the shape of the state of Texas, painted to look like the state flag. It was old and a little worn around the edges, leading Andrej to believe it was something that Zayne had had for a long time.
“I know what you must be thinking,” Zayne said before Andrej could comment. “But hear me out – it was one of the things that I got when I won my first rodeo in high school. My mom insisted on keeping the trophy, my dad had the buckle mounted onto a plaque. I got the pin.” He gave a little laugh and smiled at Andrej. “I wore it every day until I moved here.”
Andrej looked up from the pin. “Why’d you stop wearing it?”
Zayne made a face. “I got teased about it all the time. Stupid shit, too, like ‘isn’t your accent enough, you gotta wear that, also’? Made me want to punch someone. So, I stuck it in a box and left it.”
“People can be so mean,” Andrej said, understanding where Zayne was coming from. At least a southern accent was something people were used to in these parts. An Eastern European one, on the other hand, drew entirely too much attention. “Thank you, for this piece of you,” he said, unable to articulate all that he was feeling.
“I know how much you love the idea of the old west, I thought you might appreciate adding a little Texas to your life.”
“I do,” Andrej said, although the best part of Texas was already in his life. “Thank you. I will have to take a picture and send it to my sister. She will be excited.”
“So,” Zayne said, rocking back on his heels. “You have breakfast yet?”
Laughing, Andrej shook his head. “I was just thinking about what I was going to have when you showed up. Come on, let me fix you something to eat.”
“You’re the best, Zek,” Zayne said, slinging an arm over Andrej’s shoulders and giving him a squeeze. “You know that, right?”
No, he had no idea, but he’d take it and run with it. Little moments like these made all the pain and heartache he suffered daily worth it. He leaned into Zayne’s solid form and soaked up every second he could get.
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,394
Summary: It’s almost Christmas and all Andrej wants is a quiet weekend to himself. He’s asking too much, as usual.
Author’s Note: Written for the Say What Challenge at 1_million_words. The prompt was: "Never regret anything you have done with sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart." – Basil Rathbone. This obviously made me think of Andy and Zayne pre-relationship. God only knows, Andy heaped sincere affection onto that idiotic, oblivious cowboy, never dreaming he’d one day reap the benefits of it all.
All he’d wanted for his weekend was to curl up and read without interruption. Those moments were few and far between since he’d become a detective, but with Christmas only a few days away, Andrej was secure in the knowledge that he’d get a weekend to himself. It was one of the very few times he wouldn’t get called in to work.
Unless another body turned up.
“Don’t say that,” he muttered to the empty room. “You’ll jinx yourself.”
It was the familiar sound of a truck’s engine that drew Andrej’s attention away from his novel. Holding his place with a finger, Andrej lowered his book to his lap and watched the door. He knew it wouldn’t be long before the handle jiggled and a key was inserted. With a sigh, he stuck a bookmark into his paperback and set it on the coffee table.
As it turned out, the body that turned up wasn’t a corpse, for once. No, it was the living, breathing, gorgeous form of his partner that stood on Andrej’s doorstep, letting himself inside. Why Zayne was here, at seven o’clock on a Friday night, Andrej had no idea. Sadly, he found he was more excited than disappointed to hear that sultry Texas drawl calling his name. God, he needed an intervention.
“Zek, are you home,” Zayne called as he pushed the front door open.
“I am,” he replied from his place on the couch. “The question is why are you in my home? Do you not have a date?”
He really didn’t want an answer to that question. Honestly, Andrej would rather not know the details surrounding Zayne’s arrival tonight. It would be more enjoyable to simply bask in the warm glow of Zayne’s presence than dwell on whatever woman he was planning on spending the night with.
Zayne ran a hand through his thick curls, frowning. “I do have a date, actually.”
Of course he did, Andrej thought. Because it was Friday and this was Zayne. The only times Zayne did not have plans for the weekend were when he was too sick to function. Not something that occurred very often.
“And?” Andrej sat forward on the couch, not wanting to seem eager, but unable to keep his body’s reactions in check. On second thought, he didn’t need an intervention, he needed a date of his own.
A shuffle of booted feet on carpet. “I need your help.”
He felt his heart drop into his chest. “I do not know what I can do to help you with your date, Zayne.”
As far as anyone knew, Andrej was simply awkward and uncomfortable around attractive women. Painfully shy, he’d once heard Hilary tell Trish in explanation. That lie suited Andrej just fine. After all, he’d made it a point not to let anyone know the truth, especially his exceedingly handsome, walking, talking sex-on-a-stick partner. Heaven only knew, Zayne would make an issue out of it. Not in an awful, homophobic sort of way, but in a much worse manner: Zayne would flirt with him relentlessly. Andrej knew there wasn’t a chance in heaven or hell he could survive that.
Cocking his head to the side like a curious puppy, Zayne eyed him. “You’re joking, right?” He waved the question away with a hand. “Never mind, let’s just say you clean up a so much better than I do. Hil’s told me a million times that I have zero style. This girl, I like her a lot and I need to know what to wear to impress her. Since I can’t ask Hilary, you’re my next best option.”
“You will not fit into my clothes,” he said, ogling those broad shoulders and thick chest muscles, wishing he could undress Zayne and keep him here for the weekend.
Zayne waved a hand in the air. “No, that’s not what I meant. I have some clothes in the truck and I want to know what makes me look less like… well, me and more like the kind of guy you want to take home with you.”
That was a harder task than Zayne imagined because he was everything Andrej wanted to take home every night. There was a lot about Zayne that annoyed the hell out of Andrej, but there was so much more that endeared the Texas native to him. Reyes was warm-hearted, jovial, and sexy as sin. But he was also loyal and caring and an absolute bulldog when the situation called for it. More than once, Andrej had wondered how it all came together in the bedroom, but it wasn’t something he’d ever have a chance of knowing for fact.
“When is your date,” Andrej asked, coercing his thoughts back to the job at hand.
“Nine,” Zayne said, shrugging. “She works late.”
Kicking himself internally, Andrej put on a brave face. “Go get your clothing and let me see. We might have to make a trip to the mall.”
Zayne made a face. “I really don’t want to do that, Zek. You know how much I hate shopping.”
“You may not have a choice,” Andrej said, holding out a hand. “Bring me your clothing, Zayne.”
A trip to the mall had been necessary in the end. The clothes Zayne had brought consisted of one pair of pants – black Wrangler jeans with a worn spot in the back right pocket from a wallet – and two polo shirts in varying shades of blue. Deciding that neither would do much in the way of impressing a girl, Andrej had made the call and dragged Zayne out of the house.
He stood outside the changing room in Macy’s waiting for his partner to stop preening and emerge. This was their third try, Zayne having rejected both of Andrej’s first two choices. What had been wrong with charcoal slacks and a nice button up, Andrej couldn’t fathom. But reject them Zayne had. Reassessing his subject, Andrej tried a different tack for this third try.
“I’m still not sure about this,” Zayne said, finally resurfacing from the depths of the changing room.
Swallowing hard, Andrej took in the glorious sight before him. The grey bootcut jeans were the only concession he was willing to make to Zayne’s casual tastes. Andrej had found an ivory button up with a subtle swirling design embroidered in silver and navy up one side. Knowing Zayne wouldn’t give up his battered old boots for anything, Andrej settled for adding a new belt to the outfit and calling it good. In this much, he’d been right, because Zayne looked amazing. If he were a woman, he’d happily take him home.
Like he wouldn’t do it anyway.
“You look very handsome, Zayne,” Andrej assured him around the lump in his throat. One of these days, he’d learn to tell Zayne no, lessening the self-inflicted torture. But today was not going to be that day apparently. “I think she will be very happy.”
Zayne looked down at himself and frowned. Turning him towards the trifold mirror, Andrej stood behind Zayne and watched his partner observe himself. It was obvious he was feeling out of his element but was refusing to let anyone know it. That was pretty typical for Zayne after all.
“I don’t know if I can afford all this, Zek,” he said after long moments of silence. “These jeans are sixty bucks by themselves.”
He’d been prepared for this, knowing it was the real reason Zayne hadn’t wanted to go shopping. “It is my treat, Zayne,” he said. In expectation of Zayne’s imminent refusal, he added, “Merry Christmas.”
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Zayne stared at his sock covered feet. It stirred something in Andrej to see him standing there, barefoot and vulnerable. He wanted to reach out and hug Zayne to his chest, reassuring him that it was fine, that friends did these things for each other. But Andrej knew it was a lie. He did it because he loved this infuriating, amazing, annoying, wonderful man.
“I don’t have anything for you,” Zayne said, rubbing the palm of his hand against his chin.
“Do not worry about it,” Andrej replied. “You are my friend, a present is not required.”
Besides, what he wanted from the man wasn’t up for negotiation.
“Thank you,” Zayne said, pulling Andrej into the hug he’d waited so long for. “I don’t know how to repay you, but I will.”
“Go have fun,” Andrej said. “And be happy, it is all I want for you.”
He poured himself a cup of coffee, looking longingly at the cupboard where he kept his carefully guarded bottle of țuică, a high octane spirit from his homeland. It was costly to import and therefore reserved for special occasions. Eight in the morning on Christmas Day didn’t exactly qualify.
Some days he regretted his vow to leave his drinking ways behind him. If he were home, in Romania, his brothers would have already broken out a bottle and shared it with everyone gathered. But he was far from his home and ideally, much warmer than his family was at the moment. When he’d spoken with his sister an hour ago, it had been thirty-three degrees and raining. It could be worse.
“Zekloooos! Where are you hiding, you pain in the ass?”
The sound of Zayne’s voice startled Andrej. “In the kitchen, Zayne. Would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, please,” he said, coming into the kitchen. “The hotter the better, it’s damn cold outside.”
That made Andrej chuckle. It was indeed chilly this morning, however it was going to warm up to a decent temperature for late December. “My family is getting rained on,” he said. “It might even snow.”
“Now that’s bad luck,” Zayne said, hugging his arms around his chest. “Ah, coffee. Thank you.”
Andrej handed the mug over and watched Zayne take a drink. His eyes closed, savoring the taste and heat, sending a shock of desire through Andrej. “You are wearing a new sweater,” he noticed.
“Yeah,” Zayne said, leaning against the kitchen counter. “My sister sent it to me, said she thought the color would bring out my eyes. She’s ridiculous.”
But she was right, Andrej thought. The sweater was a pale sage green and not only set off Zayne’s jade colored eyes, but also his caramel colored skin. “It is very nice, your sister has excellent taste.”
Zayne snorted. “I guess,” he said. “I have to trust her. It’s warm anyway, so there’s that.”
“Do you now own a jacket,” Andrej asked, remembering the trouble he’d had in the past in getting Zayne to dress properly for the weather.
“I do,” he said. “It’s new, too, thanks to my mother. It’s on your coat rack.”
“I am happy to hear it,” he said. “And do not misunderstand me, I am happy to see you but –”
“But you’re wondering why the hell I’m here so early on Christmas morning?”
“Yes,” Andrej confirmed. Zayne always came by on Christmas, but never this early. He usually arrived right around dinnertime.
Zayne set his coffee down and shrugged. “I wanted to say thank you again. I brought your present, too. I should go get it.”
“You did not need to do that,” Andrej said, but Zayne was already in motion. Sighing, he followed his partner into the living room.
“It’s not much,” Zayne said by way of apology, “but I think it’s something you’d like anyway. You’re one of the few people who legit don’t care what something cost.”
That’s what happens when you grow up poor as dirt, Andrej thought. He took the package from Zayne and turned it over in his hands. “Thank you,” he said.
“Ya gotta open it,” Zayne grinned.
Slowly, he unwrapped the paper, both eager to see and wary of what might be inside the box. Zayne took the colorful wrapping from Andrej and flicked his fingers at the box. “Come on, you’re killing me here, Zek.”
Shaking his head, Andrej pulled the lid off the box and smiled what he saw inside. It was a lapel pin in the shape of the state of Texas, painted to look like the state flag. It was old and a little worn around the edges, leading Andrej to believe it was something that Zayne had had for a long time.
“I know what you must be thinking,” Zayne said before Andrej could comment. “But hear me out – it was one of the things that I got when I won my first rodeo in high school. My mom insisted on keeping the trophy, my dad had the buckle mounted onto a plaque. I got the pin.” He gave a little laugh and smiled at Andrej. “I wore it every day until I moved here.”
Andrej looked up from the pin. “Why’d you stop wearing it?”
Zayne made a face. “I got teased about it all the time. Stupid shit, too, like ‘isn’t your accent enough, you gotta wear that, also’? Made me want to punch someone. So, I stuck it in a box and left it.”
“People can be so mean,” Andrej said, understanding where Zayne was coming from. At least a southern accent was something people were used to in these parts. An Eastern European one, on the other hand, drew entirely too much attention. “Thank you, for this piece of you,” he said, unable to articulate all that he was feeling.
“I know how much you love the idea of the old west, I thought you might appreciate adding a little Texas to your life.”
“I do,” Andrej said, although the best part of Texas was already in his life. “Thank you. I will have to take a picture and send it to my sister. She will be excited.”
“So,” Zayne said, rocking back on his heels. “You have breakfast yet?”
Laughing, Andrej shook his head. “I was just thinking about what I was going to have when you showed up. Come on, let me fix you something to eat.”
“You’re the best, Zek,” Zayne said, slinging an arm over Andrej’s shoulders and giving him a squeeze. “You know that, right?”
No, he had no idea, but he’d take it and run with it. Little moments like these made all the pain and heartache he suffered daily worth it. He leaned into Zayne’s solid form and soaked up every second he could get.
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no subject
Date: 2017-12-27 06:54 pm (UTC)Yes he did! And then some since he made friends too!
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Date: 2017-12-27 07:34 pm (UTC)Oh, absolutely. Trish, Hilary, and Jake keep him sane, I think.
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Date: 2017-12-28 01:47 am (UTC)I think they do, even if Jake drives him insane sometimes.