A Million Reasons Reasons #236 & 286
Apr. 3rd, 2020 06:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asphaltcowgrrlTitle: A Million Reasons: Reasons #236 & 286
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,173
Summary: Andrej’s making himself something warm and comforting on a cold, rainy night when he gets a visitor.
Author’s Note: Written for the numbers challenge at 1_million_words. I combined two into this one because these two bad habits of Zayne’s go hand in hand.
Reasons 278 & 286
Some things went hand-in-hand, Andrej thought as he pulled a soft, worn t-shirt over his head. Bacon and eggs. Peanut butter and jelly. A rainy night inside with a bowl of something hot and comforting.
He wasn’t sure what tonight’s dinner was going to consist of yet, but he had a craving for something carb-laden and filling. Peeking in his pantry, he discovered what he’d been hoping for – a package of udon noodles. Grabbing them, he put them on the counter while he rummaged through the refrigerator to see what else he had on hand.
Baby bok choy, garlic, ginger, snow peas, carrots, and mushrooms joined the noodles on the counter. He added a bottle of chile garlic sauce, soy sauce, and a box of vegetable broth. Andrej hesitated before reaching back into the refrigerator and grabbing the carton of eggs. A bit of protein in the form of a poached egg would be the perfect touch.
As Andrej moved around his kitchen, gathering the equipment needed to make his dinner, he briefly wished Zayne was with him. Not just for the companionship, but because he knew how much his partner loved udon noodles. There was something about the fat noodles that drew Zayne in like a magnet. Despite the relatively healthy nature of the soup he was preparing, Andrej was positive that the Texan would love it, too.
“I am surprised he has not shown up yet.” He glanced down at the department-issued sweatpants and his old t-shirt and figured it was probably best that Zayne had stayed away. “I am not even wearing socks,” he muttered.
Removing the cutting board from it’s resting spot, Andrej sorted his vegetables and then started a pot of water to boil for the noodles. He was halfway through slicing the mushrooms when he heard a noise behind him. Turning, he found the one thing he both wanted and didn’t need that night.
“Hey,” Zayne said, sliding onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “Man, it’s wet out there tonight, isn’t it?”
He ran a hand across the top of his head, sending droplets of water everywhere. Zayne’s usual happy curls were flattened from the rain. But he looked less disheveled and more fresh out of the shower, a look that stirred Andrej’s repressed libido. And those green eyes, always so alert and eager, took on a smokier, more intense look when Zayne was drenched like this.
“You’re cold,” Andrej realized suddenly. He put his knife down and wiped his hands. “I will be right back.”
“I’m fine,” Zayne said, grabbing Andrej by the arm as he walked past. “Plus, your clothes aren’t going to fit me, Zek.”
Andrej looked down to where Zayne’s fingers were wrapped gently around his arm. “I have some of your clothes,” he said, trying to focus. “You left them here the last time you stayed. I washed them and put them away in case you ever needed them.”
“Oh,” Zayne said, releasing his hold on Andrej. “Okay then. I am kinda wet so, thank you?”
Rolling his eyes, Andrej went into his room to retrieve the clothes Zayne had left at his house a few weeks prior. He set them on the counter in front of Zayne. “Here, go change and get warm.”
“And then dinner,” Zayne asked hopefully.
Andrej frowned. “You show up here unannounced and expect dinner, too?” He shook his head, angry although he should have known better. Why else would his handsome, player of a partner show up at his house on a night when he could be out with a pretty woman? “Yes, dinner, too. If you want, you can shower to warm up. Dinner should be ready by the time you’re done.”
“You’re the best,” Zayne said, picking up the clothes and planting a sloppy kiss on Andrej’s forehead. “I don’t deserve you.”
Zayne was right, Andrej didn’t deserve all the frustration and heartache his partner gave him. But, because he was hopelessly in love with the jackass, he put up with it all. He returned to the kitchen and worked on finishing dinner. Just as he was topping the bowls of soup with a poached egg, Zayne reappeared looking fresh and happy.
“God that smells good,” he said, sliding back onto his favorite stool. “And I’m starving.”
“You are always hungry,” Andrej reminded him.
“Yeah, maybe, but you’re one hell of a cook so even if I wasn’t, I would be as soon as you put food in front of me.”
Andrej handed Zayne a bowl of the udon and told him to go sit at the table. He brought his own bowl and the bottle of siracha Zayne inevitably always asked for with him.
“Sorry for just showing up out of nowhere,” Zayne said, sipping at the broth. “Damn, it tastes even better than it smells. But I was bored and Hil’s out with Rollins tonight and…” He shrugged.
“You can call,” Andrej said, giving his soup a stir. “A bit of courtesy goes a long way.”
“Yeah, I know,” Zayne said, focusing on his soup again. “But I’m afraid that if I call, you’ll tell me to go to hell.”
The spoon stopped halfway to Andrej’s mouth. “When have I ever told you no?”
Zayne grinned. “Yesterday morning.”
“You wanted to go home at nine A. M., Zayne.”
“Yeah, well, you didn’t specify. You just asked.”
“If you need me,” Andrej began slowly, “and I am able to help you, I will never tell you to go to hell.”
Zayne gave him a sad smile. “Thanks, Zek. Sometimes, I feel like you’re the only one I can count on.”
“Eat your udon,” Andrej said, trying to ignore how Zayne’s shifting moods tugged at his heart.
“I promise to call next time,” Zayne said an hour later as he was getting ready to leave.
“No, you will not,” Andrej laughed. “I am not sure you are capable of not doing something on impulse. But I am used to it now. Go home, get some sleep. I will wash your clothes and bring them to you in the morning.”
“You can keep them here if you’d like,” Zayne said. “Just in case I get caught in another monsoon or something.”
“I can do that,” Andrej said, knowing full well they’d be in this position again soon. Either because his partner got caught in a rainstorm or because he’d been too drunk the night before to leave. “I will see you in the morning.”
“Night, Zeklos,” Zayne said, closing the door behind him, leaving Andrej with his thoughts.
“That is two things,” he muttered in Romanian, “to add to the list. He never calls and he always, always mooches food off of me.” On one hand, that Zayne loved his cooking enough to show up at dinnertime made him happy. On the other, it was expensive feeding his cowboy because god only knew, Zayne could eat. “He’s just lucky I care about him so much or he’d starve.”
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,173
Summary: Andrej’s making himself something warm and comforting on a cold, rainy night when he gets a visitor.
Author’s Note: Written for the numbers challenge at 1_million_words. I combined two into this one because these two bad habits of Zayne’s go hand in hand.
Reasons 278 & 286
Some things went hand-in-hand, Andrej thought as he pulled a soft, worn t-shirt over his head. Bacon and eggs. Peanut butter and jelly. A rainy night inside with a bowl of something hot and comforting.
He wasn’t sure what tonight’s dinner was going to consist of yet, but he had a craving for something carb-laden and filling. Peeking in his pantry, he discovered what he’d been hoping for – a package of udon noodles. Grabbing them, he put them on the counter while he rummaged through the refrigerator to see what else he had on hand.
Baby bok choy, garlic, ginger, snow peas, carrots, and mushrooms joined the noodles on the counter. He added a bottle of chile garlic sauce, soy sauce, and a box of vegetable broth. Andrej hesitated before reaching back into the refrigerator and grabbing the carton of eggs. A bit of protein in the form of a poached egg would be the perfect touch.
As Andrej moved around his kitchen, gathering the equipment needed to make his dinner, he briefly wished Zayne was with him. Not just for the companionship, but because he knew how much his partner loved udon noodles. There was something about the fat noodles that drew Zayne in like a magnet. Despite the relatively healthy nature of the soup he was preparing, Andrej was positive that the Texan would love it, too.
“I am surprised he has not shown up yet.” He glanced down at the department-issued sweatpants and his old t-shirt and figured it was probably best that Zayne had stayed away. “I am not even wearing socks,” he muttered.
Removing the cutting board from it’s resting spot, Andrej sorted his vegetables and then started a pot of water to boil for the noodles. He was halfway through slicing the mushrooms when he heard a noise behind him. Turning, he found the one thing he both wanted and didn’t need that night.
“Hey,” Zayne said, sliding onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “Man, it’s wet out there tonight, isn’t it?”
He ran a hand across the top of his head, sending droplets of water everywhere. Zayne’s usual happy curls were flattened from the rain. But he looked less disheveled and more fresh out of the shower, a look that stirred Andrej’s repressed libido. And those green eyes, always so alert and eager, took on a smokier, more intense look when Zayne was drenched like this.
“You’re cold,” Andrej realized suddenly. He put his knife down and wiped his hands. “I will be right back.”
“I’m fine,” Zayne said, grabbing Andrej by the arm as he walked past. “Plus, your clothes aren’t going to fit me, Zek.”
Andrej looked down to where Zayne’s fingers were wrapped gently around his arm. “I have some of your clothes,” he said, trying to focus. “You left them here the last time you stayed. I washed them and put them away in case you ever needed them.”
“Oh,” Zayne said, releasing his hold on Andrej. “Okay then. I am kinda wet so, thank you?”
Rolling his eyes, Andrej went into his room to retrieve the clothes Zayne had left at his house a few weeks prior. He set them on the counter in front of Zayne. “Here, go change and get warm.”
“And then dinner,” Zayne asked hopefully.
Andrej frowned. “You show up here unannounced and expect dinner, too?” He shook his head, angry although he should have known better. Why else would his handsome, player of a partner show up at his house on a night when he could be out with a pretty woman? “Yes, dinner, too. If you want, you can shower to warm up. Dinner should be ready by the time you’re done.”
“You’re the best,” Zayne said, picking up the clothes and planting a sloppy kiss on Andrej’s forehead. “I don’t deserve you.”
Zayne was right, Andrej didn’t deserve all the frustration and heartache his partner gave him. But, because he was hopelessly in love with the jackass, he put up with it all. He returned to the kitchen and worked on finishing dinner. Just as he was topping the bowls of soup with a poached egg, Zayne reappeared looking fresh and happy.
“God that smells good,” he said, sliding back onto his favorite stool. “And I’m starving.”
“You are always hungry,” Andrej reminded him.
“Yeah, maybe, but you’re one hell of a cook so even if I wasn’t, I would be as soon as you put food in front of me.”
Andrej handed Zayne a bowl of the udon and told him to go sit at the table. He brought his own bowl and the bottle of siracha Zayne inevitably always asked for with him.
“Sorry for just showing up out of nowhere,” Zayne said, sipping at the broth. “Damn, it tastes even better than it smells. But I was bored and Hil’s out with Rollins tonight and…” He shrugged.
“You can call,” Andrej said, giving his soup a stir. “A bit of courtesy goes a long way.”
“Yeah, I know,” Zayne said, focusing on his soup again. “But I’m afraid that if I call, you’ll tell me to go to hell.”
The spoon stopped halfway to Andrej’s mouth. “When have I ever told you no?”
Zayne grinned. “Yesterday morning.”
“You wanted to go home at nine A. M., Zayne.”
“Yeah, well, you didn’t specify. You just asked.”
“If you need me,” Andrej began slowly, “and I am able to help you, I will never tell you to go to hell.”
Zayne gave him a sad smile. “Thanks, Zek. Sometimes, I feel like you’re the only one I can count on.”
“Eat your udon,” Andrej said, trying to ignore how Zayne’s shifting moods tugged at his heart.
“I promise to call next time,” Zayne said an hour later as he was getting ready to leave.
“No, you will not,” Andrej laughed. “I am not sure you are capable of not doing something on impulse. But I am used to it now. Go home, get some sleep. I will wash your clothes and bring them to you in the morning.”
“You can keep them here if you’d like,” Zayne said. “Just in case I get caught in another monsoon or something.”
“I can do that,” Andrej said, knowing full well they’d be in this position again soon. Either because his partner got caught in a rainstorm or because he’d been too drunk the night before to leave. “I will see you in the morning.”
“Night, Zeklos,” Zayne said, closing the door behind him, leaving Andrej with his thoughts.
“That is two things,” he muttered in Romanian, “to add to the list. He never calls and he always, always mooches food off of me.” On one hand, that Zayne loved his cooking enough to show up at dinnertime made him happy. On the other, it was expensive feeding his cowboy because god only knew, Zayne could eat. “He’s just lucky I care about him so much or he’d starve.”
