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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Looks Can Be Deceiving
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,018
Summary: Zayne debates whether he’s really grown or not.
Author’s Note: Written for weekend challenge at 1_million_words. My prompt was: Rule 6: You were not put on this earth to be the personification of the grand delusion. I’m not sure I really understand what this even means, but hopefully this fic works.
“For the love of god, Reyes,” Detective Winslow grunted as Zayne ambled past with a donut sticking out of his mouth, “will you ever grow up?”
Zayne took the donut out of his mouth and looked at the detective from the major crimes bureau and frowned. “What have I done now? I’m even on time or I was until you stopped me.”
Winslow’s partner snorted. “And here we all thought that you hooking up with the most straight-laced detective to ever work for Metro would have matured you a little.”
“I’m still confused,” Zayne said, taking a bite of his donut. He figured he might as well do something while stuck talking to these two idiots.
“Zeklos,” LeMay said.
“What?” Zayne shook his head. “No, I know who I’m sleeping with you dumbass. What I don’t understand is what did I do to be called out for being immature? I’ve been here like five minutes.”
Winslow waved a hand at Zayne’s donut. “What kind of detective has a breakfast like that?”
“What’s wrong with a donut,” he asked, knowing full well what Zek would say about it. Somehow, he was sure that wasn’t what these guys were getting at.
“Look at that thing,” LeMay commented. “Couldn’t you have gone for a maple bar or something?”
Zayne looked at the donut he was holding. It was your usual raised glazed with pink frosting and sprinkles. Pretty standard fare. “What’s wrong with this?”
“It’s fucking pink, Reyes,” Winslow cackled.
He looked at his donut again and shook his head. “Fine, whatever. So, I’m a child for eating a donut with pink frosting and sprinkles. I can live with that. Can I go now? My partner is probably thinking I was kidnapped on my way from the car.”
“Zeklos couldn’t get that lucky,” LeMay said as he and Winslow continued down the hallway towards their department.
Sighing, Zayne took another bite of his donut and headed off towards homicide. Zek was at his desk, head down, writing something on his notepad. “Sorry it took me so long to get here,” he said, rolling his chair back and sitting down. “I got waylaid in the hall by Winslow and LeMay.”
“I was beginning to think you had gotten lost,” Andrej said, glancing up long enough to smile at his boyfriend.
“Yeah, sorry,” he repeated. “Hey, does this donut make me immature?”
Andrej directed his gaze up farther this time and shook his head. “I do not understand, why would your breakfast choices make you immature?”
“That’s what I was wondering,” Zayne said, stuffing the last bit into his mouth and chewing. “But Winslow said the frosting and sprinkles were childish.”
“Did you not tell him why you picked that donut?”
“No,” Zayne said, sighing. “I didn’t think it would matter. He’d probably just accuse me of lying anyway.”
“That is probably true,” Andrej said. “But you certainly made that little girl smile this morning.”
The corner of Zayne’s mouth curled up as he remembered her sweet little face. She’d had the cutest freckles and her bright red hair pulled back into a pair of pigtails. “Yeah, she was pretty amused by the fact I chose that donut,” he chuckled. “But doesn’t that only prove their point?”
“I do not understand.”
“I made the same choice a four-year-old girl would have made, Zek.” Zayne leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands across his face. “Time to face the facts – I’m never going to grow up and you’re forever stuck with a boyfriend who is a child.”
“I am not stuck with anything,” Andrej said. He picked up his pen and tapped it on the edge of the desk. “If I did not want to be with you, we would not be together, Zayne.”
“Yeah, maybe, but you’ve been under my spell for a long time now. You’re hopeless.” He smiled at Andrej sadly and batted his dark lashes.
“I cannot deny that,” he grumbled.
“Sometimes I feel like it’s not worth the effort to prove to people that I’ve changed,” Zayne said. “I know I’m not the same person I was a year ago. Hell, I’m not even the same person I was a month ago. Being with you and the ginger, I feel like I’m constantly evolving. Into what, I’m not sure yet, but I know I’m not that irresponsible jackass that I was. But it’s not like anyone is willing to believe that.”
“Hey, numbnuts,” Trish said, stopping beside Zayne’s desk. “Who cares what those jerks think? You are not here to prove them right. You’re here to be the best damn person you can be. And even when you were at your worst, breaking Hil’s heart and acting the fool, you were still a damn good person. Got it?”
He tried to stop the smile that was tugging at his mouth, but he couldn’t. “You actually admitted to thinking I was a good person,” he teased. “I can die a happy man now.”
“Don’t push your luck, Zayne,” Trish laughed. She ruffled his hair and gave his neck a squeeze. “I know it sucks to make as much progress as you have and not be recognized for it, but embrace your change and fuck the haters.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Hilary said. “Andy’s been good for you, giving you a reason to stop being an idiot and becoming a real boy.”
“I hate you both,” Zayne laughed. “But I love you, too.”
“Right back atcha, Reyes,” Trish said. “Now, can we get to work?”
“I am in agreement with Trish,” Andrej said. “We have a new case, Zayne.”
“Well, lay it on me then, baby,” Zayne said. He rested his arms on the desk and focused on his partner’s handsome face. “What did we draw this time? It’d better be good.”
Andrej chuckled and shook his head before launching into a brief description of what the case file had read. Zayne never once took his eyes off him, absorbing every detail and committing it to memory. It was, after all, what a responsible, mature detective would do. Right?
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,018
Summary: Zayne debates whether he’s really grown or not.
Author’s Note: Written for weekend challenge at 1_million_words. My prompt was: Rule 6: You were not put on this earth to be the personification of the grand delusion. I’m not sure I really understand what this even means, but hopefully this fic works.
“For the love of god, Reyes,” Detective Winslow grunted as Zayne ambled past with a donut sticking out of his mouth, “will you ever grow up?”
Zayne took the donut out of his mouth and looked at the detective from the major crimes bureau and frowned. “What have I done now? I’m even on time or I was until you stopped me.”
Winslow’s partner snorted. “And here we all thought that you hooking up with the most straight-laced detective to ever work for Metro would have matured you a little.”
“I’m still confused,” Zayne said, taking a bite of his donut. He figured he might as well do something while stuck talking to these two idiots.
“Zeklos,” LeMay said.
“What?” Zayne shook his head. “No, I know who I’m sleeping with you dumbass. What I don’t understand is what did I do to be called out for being immature? I’ve been here like five minutes.”
Winslow waved a hand at Zayne’s donut. “What kind of detective has a breakfast like that?”
“What’s wrong with a donut,” he asked, knowing full well what Zek would say about it. Somehow, he was sure that wasn’t what these guys were getting at.
“Look at that thing,” LeMay commented. “Couldn’t you have gone for a maple bar or something?”
Zayne looked at the donut he was holding. It was your usual raised glazed with pink frosting and sprinkles. Pretty standard fare. “What’s wrong with this?”
“It’s fucking pink, Reyes,” Winslow cackled.
He looked at his donut again and shook his head. “Fine, whatever. So, I’m a child for eating a donut with pink frosting and sprinkles. I can live with that. Can I go now? My partner is probably thinking I was kidnapped on my way from the car.”
“Zeklos couldn’t get that lucky,” LeMay said as he and Winslow continued down the hallway towards their department.
Sighing, Zayne took another bite of his donut and headed off towards homicide. Zek was at his desk, head down, writing something on his notepad. “Sorry it took me so long to get here,” he said, rolling his chair back and sitting down. “I got waylaid in the hall by Winslow and LeMay.”
“I was beginning to think you had gotten lost,” Andrej said, glancing up long enough to smile at his boyfriend.
“Yeah, sorry,” he repeated. “Hey, does this donut make me immature?”
Andrej directed his gaze up farther this time and shook his head. “I do not understand, why would your breakfast choices make you immature?”
“That’s what I was wondering,” Zayne said, stuffing the last bit into his mouth and chewing. “But Winslow said the frosting and sprinkles were childish.”
“Did you not tell him why you picked that donut?”
“No,” Zayne said, sighing. “I didn’t think it would matter. He’d probably just accuse me of lying anyway.”
“That is probably true,” Andrej said. “But you certainly made that little girl smile this morning.”
The corner of Zayne’s mouth curled up as he remembered her sweet little face. She’d had the cutest freckles and her bright red hair pulled back into a pair of pigtails. “Yeah, she was pretty amused by the fact I chose that donut,” he chuckled. “But doesn’t that only prove their point?”
“I do not understand.”
“I made the same choice a four-year-old girl would have made, Zek.” Zayne leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands across his face. “Time to face the facts – I’m never going to grow up and you’re forever stuck with a boyfriend who is a child.”
“I am not stuck with anything,” Andrej said. He picked up his pen and tapped it on the edge of the desk. “If I did not want to be with you, we would not be together, Zayne.”
“Yeah, maybe, but you’ve been under my spell for a long time now. You’re hopeless.” He smiled at Andrej sadly and batted his dark lashes.
“I cannot deny that,” he grumbled.
“Sometimes I feel like it’s not worth the effort to prove to people that I’ve changed,” Zayne said. “I know I’m not the same person I was a year ago. Hell, I’m not even the same person I was a month ago. Being with you and the ginger, I feel like I’m constantly evolving. Into what, I’m not sure yet, but I know I’m not that irresponsible jackass that I was. But it’s not like anyone is willing to believe that.”
“Hey, numbnuts,” Trish said, stopping beside Zayne’s desk. “Who cares what those jerks think? You are not here to prove them right. You’re here to be the best damn person you can be. And even when you were at your worst, breaking Hil’s heart and acting the fool, you were still a damn good person. Got it?”
He tried to stop the smile that was tugging at his mouth, but he couldn’t. “You actually admitted to thinking I was a good person,” he teased. “I can die a happy man now.”
“Don’t push your luck, Zayne,” Trish laughed. She ruffled his hair and gave his neck a squeeze. “I know it sucks to make as much progress as you have and not be recognized for it, but embrace your change and fuck the haters.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Hilary said. “Andy’s been good for you, giving you a reason to stop being an idiot and becoming a real boy.”
“I hate you both,” Zayne laughed. “But I love you, too.”
“Right back atcha, Reyes,” Trish said. “Now, can we get to work?”
“I am in agreement with Trish,” Andrej said. “We have a new case, Zayne.”
“Well, lay it on me then, baby,” Zayne said. He rested his arms on the desk and focused on his partner’s handsome face. “What did we draw this time? It’d better be good.”
Andrej chuckled and shook his head before launching into a brief description of what the case file had read. Zayne never once took his eyes off him, absorbing every detail and committing it to memory. It was, after all, what a responsible, mature detective would do. Right?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2020-01-13 01:23 am (UTC)Zayne is a decent partner and a good boyfriend.
Besides he has Jay and the girls to keep him straight.
Nice story.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-13 01:44 am (UTC)He definitely tries. He might fail now and then, but his successes outweigh the failures by a lot. Now anyway. :D
This is so true. While Andrej might never be able to kick him to the curb, Trish would haul his ass out in a hot second.
Thanks. :)
no subject
Date: 2020-01-13 02:54 am (UTC)The fact that he's actually concerned with acting like a child shows that he's mature.
This was a great look into Zayne's psyche. And yay him for choosing a donut that would make a little girl smile!
no subject
Date: 2020-01-13 04:02 am (UTC)I agree. He's come a long way.
Thank you. I'm feeling rather introspective lately and I love delving into his character when I'm in these moods.
The donut thing was inspired by something that happened to me once. I used to occasionally go into this combo Subway/Winchell's Donuts on my way to work to get a sandwich for my lunch and a donut just because. Well, I'm in line one morning and this little girl behind me whispers to her mom, "There's only one sprinkle donut left! I hope no one takes it!" She sounded so worried that I turned around and said, "I like the maple, so I promise not to take your sprinkle donut!" It made her so happy and her mom just shook her head. LOL
no subject
Date: 2020-01-18 10:33 pm (UTC)He has it's so awesome. Andy needs to notice it... or something.
That's good. And understandable. I enjoy them... just have to structure my reading right now.
LOL aaawww that's adorable. Hey, I like maple too! But Krispy Kreme (which is my favorite) doesn't sell them and Dunkin' Donuts is hard to find them.
no subject
Date: 2020-01-19 12:22 am (UTC)Thanks. And I can understand that - you have a lot going on right now.
Plain glazed are my favorites, but I love a maple frosted. Ah, Krispy Kreme has the best pumpkin donuts during the fall. They taste just like my mom's pumpkin bread.
no subject
Date: 2020-02-09 11:22 pm (UTC)Yeah. A lot of time I'll read and then not comment.
Yum. I love maple frosted. My favorites at KK are raspberry filled (I love that they make a jelly donut I can eat) and chocolate frosted but vanilla cream.
no subject
Date: 2020-02-09 11:38 pm (UTC)Yeah, I get it. No biggie though.
Mmm... love maple too. Darn, now I want a donut.
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Date: 2020-02-10 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-02-10 06:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-15 04:03 pm (UTC)Those sound... intriguing. But I hate cauliflower.
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Date: 2020-03-16 05:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-22 01:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-22 08:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-22 10:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-22 11:52 pm (UTC)You'll just have to cook the tater tots a bit longer than the recipe says.
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Date: 2020-03-24 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-24 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-01-15 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-01-15 06:59 pm (UTC)