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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Secrets & Lies
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/James Rosewood/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,252
Summary: Zayne has a secret and James knows it. But does Andrej?
Author’s Note: Written for trope_bingo Round 10 and fills the extortion/blackmail spot. Well, sort of. Not exactly sure it fulfills the prompt, but hey, I tried.
“You know Andy’s going to be pissed when he finds out.”
Zayne glared at the redhead. “Shut up.”
“You can’t make me,” James said.
Rosewood sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. He had this big, shit-eating grin on his face that made Zayne want to punch him. Well, more than usual anyway. It seemed like he always wanted to pop the annoying redhead in the mouth these days. One more item to add to the list of ‘shit I can’t tell Zek’ he supposed.
“He doesn’t need to know about this,” Zayne said, trying to act like it wasn’t a big deal. “I mean, he’s not going to care, really. You just think he’ll be pissed.”
“I’d be pissed,” James said.
James’ arms dropped from his pectorals and his hands found their way to his knees. The narco could be really intimidating when he wanted to be, Zayne realized. This was one of those times. He wasn’t acting threatening, but the look on his face and the body language was telling him more than he needed to know.
“Of course you would,” Zayne said, trying to diffuse the situation. “So would I. But we’re assholes, Zek isn’t.”
“You’ve got that much right,” James laughed. “But I still think he’s not going to be happy.”
Zayne sighed. The ginger might be right but then, he might not be, too. Zek was always telling him to branch out, find friends, be the best Zayne he could be. So, why would he get upset over something like this? He snuck a peek at the narco and frowned. The idiot was really good at judging how people would react to certain situations so maybe he was onto something?
“You might be right,” Zayne finally said. “But I still don’t think he needs to know.”
“Who does not need to know what,” Zeklos said as he came into the living room.
“The cowboy is keeping something from you,” James offered a little too gleefully.
Smiling, Zeklos turned to Zayne. “What do you have to tell me, Zayne?”
Fucker. Now he really wanted to dot the asshole’s eye. “It’s nothing, Zek. Rosewood’s being a drama queen.”
“Not true,” James said. “He has a secret that I think you should know about.”
Moving his eyes from the redhead, Zeklos studied Zayne for a moment. “Jay,” he said, never taking his eyes off Zayne, “go home.”
“What?”
Zeklos glanced over his shoulder. “You heard me. It is obvious to me that Zayne does not want to tell me whatever it is you’re hinting at. If you go home, he might open up.”
Damn, but his baby made him proud sometimes. As good as the ginger was at anticipating reactions, Zeklos shamed them all with his ability to read people. That and he knew that Zayne was a sucker for those big, blue eyes.
“Reyes,” James growled as he rose to his feet. “I hate you.”
Shrugging, Zayne pasted on his most saccharine smile. “You know, if you’d accepted Zek’s offer to move in and live here full-time, he couldn’t kick you out.” Rage flamed behind the narco’s eyes and Zayne felt the tiniest bit of remorse for his comment. James had not moved in full-time, but he was spending more nights with them than at his apartment. “Just sayin’.”
“Asshole.”
“Pasty ass,” Zayne shot back.
“Jay,” Zeklos warned. “Go home.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered. “But if you don’t tell him, Reyes, I will. And that’s a promise. Don’t forget – I have proof.”
“Jay, go. I will call you and let you know when you can come back,” Zeklos said, but it didn’t seem to assure the redhead any.
Once the door had closed behind Rosewood, Zeklos focused his attention back on Zayne. “Now you must spill.”
A grin crossed Zayne’s face. He loved it when Zek tried to use American slang. “Look, it’s nothing, not really.”
“And yet, you do not want me to know?”
“It’s not that,” he said. “It’s just… embarrassing.”
“How?”
Zayne lifted a shoulder, let it drop. “I don’t know. I told Rosewood because I was excited but he thinks you’ll be pissed.”
“What are you doing that might upset me, Zayne?”
The worried look on his boyfriend’s face nearly broke Zayne. “Nothing, not really. At least, I don’t think it’s something that would upset you. But…”
“But what?”
“I would kind of be moving in on your territory,” Zayne finally said. He had to come up with something or the narco would out him the next time he spoke to Zeklos.
“How so,” Andrej asked.
Rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, Zayne made a face. “I’m taking a cooking class,” he finally admitted. “I wanted to help out more but…”
“Jay thought you were taking my job?”
“In a sense,” he said.
“How is this embarrassing,” Zeklos asked.
“How isn’t it,” Zayne said. He threw his hands in the air before roughly running them through his hair. “I’m thirty-something freaking years old and I can’t damn well cook, Zek.”
“You have always had someone to take care of you,” Zeklos said, sitting on the couch beside Zayne. He put a hand on Zayne’s knee. “First your mother, then Hilary. Now me. It is no wonder you can’t always do what any other adult male can.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It was not supposed to be,” Zeklos said. “But I am proud of you for trying. I do have an idea.”
“Oh,” Zayne said, hope flaring in his chest. “What’s that?”
“You can help me make lunch.” He laughed a small laugh. “Once we get the groceries in the house you can help me. Then we will call Jay and he can eat the food that you prepared.”
“You’ll teach me how to cook?”
“Of course I will. I do not understand why you did not ask sooner.”
“Because I’m ashamed that I can barely make a grilled cheese, baby,” Zayne chuckled. “But it’s a deal.”
“He really believed I would be angry,” Zeklos said on their way into the garage.
“Yeah, he did,” Zayne said, holding the door open. “He said he’d be angry if it were him and I agreed.”
“Why?”
“Because he and I are controlling jerks. You are not.”
“You make a good point,” Zeklos laughed. “But I do not think that, in the moment, either of you would be so angry over your partner trying to help the relationship be better. I could be wrong, however. You two do surprise me with what makes you fight sometimes.”
Zayne took a bag out of the trunk and grimaced. “Yeah, he and I have a lot to learn from you it seems.”
“You do,” Andrej said with a wink. “But we will start with beef and broccoli and go from there.”
“On one condition.”
Zeklos bent to lift a bag out of the trunk. “And what is that?”
“That you bought udon noodles to go with lunch.”
“Of course I did.”
“Have I told you lately that you’re the best?”
“Yes, you have, but you can tell me again,” Zek teased.
“Beautiful,” Zayne said.
He took another bag from Zeklos and headed into the house. Fuck, but he hated lying to Zeklos. Making a mental note to get to the narco before he got back to the house, Zayne carried the groceries inside. He knew that the ginger’s threat was real. He’d tell Zeklos and the shit would hit the fan. He couldn’t let that happen. Not again.
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/James Rosewood/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,252
Summary: Zayne has a secret and James knows it. But does Andrej?
Author’s Note: Written for trope_bingo Round 10 and fills the extortion/blackmail spot. Well, sort of. Not exactly sure it fulfills the prompt, but hey, I tried.
“You know Andy’s going to be pissed when he finds out.”
Zayne glared at the redhead. “Shut up.”
“You can’t make me,” James said.
Rosewood sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. He had this big, shit-eating grin on his face that made Zayne want to punch him. Well, more than usual anyway. It seemed like he always wanted to pop the annoying redhead in the mouth these days. One more item to add to the list of ‘shit I can’t tell Zek’ he supposed.
“He doesn’t need to know about this,” Zayne said, trying to act like it wasn’t a big deal. “I mean, he’s not going to care, really. You just think he’ll be pissed.”
“I’d be pissed,” James said.
James’ arms dropped from his pectorals and his hands found their way to his knees. The narco could be really intimidating when he wanted to be, Zayne realized. This was one of those times. He wasn’t acting threatening, but the look on his face and the body language was telling him more than he needed to know.
“Of course you would,” Zayne said, trying to diffuse the situation. “So would I. But we’re assholes, Zek isn’t.”
“You’ve got that much right,” James laughed. “But I still think he’s not going to be happy.”
Zayne sighed. The ginger might be right but then, he might not be, too. Zek was always telling him to branch out, find friends, be the best Zayne he could be. So, why would he get upset over something like this? He snuck a peek at the narco and frowned. The idiot was really good at judging how people would react to certain situations so maybe he was onto something?
“You might be right,” Zayne finally said. “But I still don’t think he needs to know.”
“Who does not need to know what,” Zeklos said as he came into the living room.
“The cowboy is keeping something from you,” James offered a little too gleefully.
Smiling, Zeklos turned to Zayne. “What do you have to tell me, Zayne?”
Fucker. Now he really wanted to dot the asshole’s eye. “It’s nothing, Zek. Rosewood’s being a drama queen.”
“Not true,” James said. “He has a secret that I think you should know about.”
Moving his eyes from the redhead, Zeklos studied Zayne for a moment. “Jay,” he said, never taking his eyes off Zayne, “go home.”
“What?”
Zeklos glanced over his shoulder. “You heard me. It is obvious to me that Zayne does not want to tell me whatever it is you’re hinting at. If you go home, he might open up.”
Damn, but his baby made him proud sometimes. As good as the ginger was at anticipating reactions, Zeklos shamed them all with his ability to read people. That and he knew that Zayne was a sucker for those big, blue eyes.
“Reyes,” James growled as he rose to his feet. “I hate you.”
Shrugging, Zayne pasted on his most saccharine smile. “You know, if you’d accepted Zek’s offer to move in and live here full-time, he couldn’t kick you out.” Rage flamed behind the narco’s eyes and Zayne felt the tiniest bit of remorse for his comment. James had not moved in full-time, but he was spending more nights with them than at his apartment. “Just sayin’.”
“Asshole.”
“Pasty ass,” Zayne shot back.
“Jay,” Zeklos warned. “Go home.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered. “But if you don’t tell him, Reyes, I will. And that’s a promise. Don’t forget – I have proof.”
“Jay, go. I will call you and let you know when you can come back,” Zeklos said, but it didn’t seem to assure the redhead any.
Once the door had closed behind Rosewood, Zeklos focused his attention back on Zayne. “Now you must spill.”
A grin crossed Zayne’s face. He loved it when Zek tried to use American slang. “Look, it’s nothing, not really.”
“And yet, you do not want me to know?”
“It’s not that,” he said. “It’s just… embarrassing.”
“How?”
Zayne lifted a shoulder, let it drop. “I don’t know. I told Rosewood because I was excited but he thinks you’ll be pissed.”
“What are you doing that might upset me, Zayne?”
The worried look on his boyfriend’s face nearly broke Zayne. “Nothing, not really. At least, I don’t think it’s something that would upset you. But…”
“But what?”
“I would kind of be moving in on your territory,” Zayne finally said. He had to come up with something or the narco would out him the next time he spoke to Zeklos.
“How so,” Andrej asked.
Rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, Zayne made a face. “I’m taking a cooking class,” he finally admitted. “I wanted to help out more but…”
“Jay thought you were taking my job?”
“In a sense,” he said.
“How is this embarrassing,” Zeklos asked.
“How isn’t it,” Zayne said. He threw his hands in the air before roughly running them through his hair. “I’m thirty-something freaking years old and I can’t damn well cook, Zek.”
“You have always had someone to take care of you,” Zeklos said, sitting on the couch beside Zayne. He put a hand on Zayne’s knee. “First your mother, then Hilary. Now me. It is no wonder you can’t always do what any other adult male can.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It was not supposed to be,” Zeklos said. “But I am proud of you for trying. I do have an idea.”
“Oh,” Zayne said, hope flaring in his chest. “What’s that?”
“You can help me make lunch.” He laughed a small laugh. “Once we get the groceries in the house you can help me. Then we will call Jay and he can eat the food that you prepared.”
“You’ll teach me how to cook?”
“Of course I will. I do not understand why you did not ask sooner.”
“Because I’m ashamed that I can barely make a grilled cheese, baby,” Zayne chuckled. “But it’s a deal.”
“He really believed I would be angry,” Zeklos said on their way into the garage.
“Yeah, he did,” Zayne said, holding the door open. “He said he’d be angry if it were him and I agreed.”
“Why?”
“Because he and I are controlling jerks. You are not.”
“You make a good point,” Zeklos laughed. “But I do not think that, in the moment, either of you would be so angry over your partner trying to help the relationship be better. I could be wrong, however. You two do surprise me with what makes you fight sometimes.”
Zayne took a bag out of the trunk and grimaced. “Yeah, he and I have a lot to learn from you it seems.”
“You do,” Andrej said with a wink. “But we will start with beef and broccoli and go from there.”
“On one condition.”
Zeklos bent to lift a bag out of the trunk. “And what is that?”
“That you bought udon noodles to go with lunch.”
“Of course I did.”
“Have I told you lately that you’re the best?”
“Yes, you have, but you can tell me again,” Zek teased.
“Beautiful,” Zayne said.
He took another bag from Zeklos and headed into the house. Fuck, but he hated lying to Zeklos. Making a mental note to get to the narco before he got back to the house, Zayne carried the groceries inside. He knew that the ginger’s threat was real. He’d tell Zeklos and the shit would hit the fan. He couldn’t let that happen. Not again.
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no subject
Date: 2018-04-29 10:22 pm (UTC)Lying to Andy to get him off his back is only going to bite him in the ass in the end.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-30 08:15 pm (UTC)No joke though - never smart to lie to the man who feeds you and puts a roof over your head.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-30 12:09 am (UTC)But I like that he's willing to cook with Andy. That's cute.
no subject
Date: 2018-04-30 08:23 pm (UTC)Yay! Some of my fondest memories are cooking with people I love - mostly my mom and my younger daughter.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-06 06:33 am (UTC)Not last Christmas, but the year before... I requested cooking lessons from my gramma as a Christmas present. Not because I can't cook, but because I remember cooking with her when I was a kid. And I wanted to learn some of the dishes she makes that are family dishes.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-08 08:33 pm (UTC)That's awesome. I loved helping my grandmother cook when I was younger. Mom and I mostly baked together - she didn't have the patience to have anyone in the kitchen while she was making dinner.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-19 02:08 am (UTC)My gramma used to put us on a stool and let us do everything in the kitchen with her. Even if she just gave us like a piece of biscuit to play with while she cooked; she didn't mind us being in the kitchen.
no subject
Date: 2018-05-21 06:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-05-26 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-04 08:34 pm (UTC)My mother made sure we all knew how to cook, but while she was working didn't want us in the kitchen during the week. On the weekends she has more patience though.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-12 08:10 pm (UTC)*nods* I can understand that.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-12 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-12 08:40 pm (UTC)