Work Text:
one
18 October 2006
An advantage of knowing Geno all these years, Sid thinks, is that he’s able to read him better than anyone he knows, is able to gage his mood, to know if he has to steer clear of him or welcome him with open arms. He knows when Geno wants to tell him something, when something he’s been thinking about has been keeping him up at night, when the stress of the prospect of running their own restaurant soon has finally caught up to him.
Sid knows all this because he’s the same in many ways. So when Geno plops down next to him one night, Sid mutes the tv and waits for Geno to start talking.
“What if restaurant not work out?” Geno finally asks; he’s looking at Sid, which means he wants Sid to look at him too. “All life savings go into this - what if not work out?”
Sid sighs, he’s not about to deny he hasn’t thought about this either; he has, it’s been keeping up some nights too. After all, he put his life savings into the restaurant as well. He looks over at Geno, his hangdog expression even more visible now. He knows how much the restaurant means to him, how much thought and effort he’s put into it. Sid just wants to tell Geno that it’s all going to work out, that everything is going to be ok. But he can’t - there are no guarantees in life, especially not when it comes to money or success.
“I can’t guarantee you anything,” Sid says, grabbing Geno’s hand in his. “I can’t guarantee you that this restaurant is going to work out the way we want it to, can’t guarantee that people will even like it. But there is one thing I can guarantee you, and that’s that I will always be by your side no matter what, ok? Do you trust me?”
“Always.”
//
When Sid’s sure Geno’s asleep, he calls his father.
“Sidney,” his father greets him. “I’m so glad you called. What can I help you with, son?”
“Dad,” Sid says, biting his tongue so he doesn’t say I told you to call me ‘Sid’, ok? “How are you?”
“Come on, Sidney, you and I both know that’s not why you called me so late.”
“You’re right. I need to ask you a huge favor.”
“And what is that?”
Sid swallows his pride and replies, “I want you to promise me, that no matter what goes on with the restaurant, I want you to promise that you’ll give G his money’s worth if things don’t work out.”
“And why would I do that?” his father asks.
“Because I love him.”
His father sighs - Sid can practically hear him shaking his head - and stays silent for a long time.
“Alright,” he finally says. “You have my word.”
//
“Well, you look like shit,” Tanger says as soon as Sid opens the door. He walks in before Sid can make space for him to come inside. “Did you and Geno have another fight? It’s ok, Catherine and I have arguments sometimes too, it’ll get better.”
Sid rolls his eyes and closes the door, “I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer,” he says. “So did you get the answer from Cat and her sister?”
“They’re in, baby! You, Geno, Cat, Jenna, and me are going to have the best damn restaurant in Pittsburgh that you and Geno will be able to tell your children about, like your father and-”
Sid cuts off Tanger with a swift punch to the shoulder. When his friends are going to stop acting like he and Geno are an item, he’ll never know.
two
31 December 2008
For some reason or another, the restaurant is the busiest on New Year’s Eve. It’s maybe the low prices, or maybe it’s because it looks like the inside of somebody’s house, or who knows what. They don’t mind though, as long as the people look like they’re having a good time, it’s more than worth it.
Sid’s wiping down the counter after a customer when Geno scares the life out of him. He’s so focused on making sure that damn sticky spot goes away, that he doesn’t really feel Geno approach him.
“If you do that one more time,” Sid warns, pointing an accusing finger towards Geno. “You’re not going to have a right hand man. You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“Sorry Sid,” Geno says, but he doesn’t look very sorry. “But, very special friend from Russia come over to eat tonight, says he and boyfriend celebrate new year here this time. You think we have place for them here?”
Sid takes a look around - there really aren’t many tables open. There is a booth all by itself, near the windows with a really amazing view of the city. It’s the booth where he and Geno ate their first meal after the first day, just simple pasta with chicken. Nothing too special, but Sid’s sure meant the world to both of them. He reaches over the counter and grabs the special reserved sign. Geno’s eyebrows are near his hairline, but Sid shakes him off, and walks over to place the sign on the booth’s table.
The bell that signals a new customer rings.
It’s just Catherine and Tanger.
“What happened to ‘no reservations’ Sid?” Tanger asks. “Is this booth for us?”
“No,” Sid replies. “It’s just G’s friends are coming to dinner and we wanted to make sure they had a good spot to sit.”
Catherine and Tanger look at each other.
“Ah, the things we do for love,” she says, and reaches over to squeeze Sid’s shoulder.
//
Geno’s friends arrive a couple of hours later. One is a tall man with grey almost completely peppering his hair, and a gap where a tooth should be. The other has golden hair that goes down to his shoulders and green eyes that could make anyone stop dead in their tracks. They’re holding hands, a little like they’re holding on to dear life, but maybe that’s just how they hold hands.
Geno introduces them - the one with the grey hair is Alex, and the one with the striking green eyes is Nick. Sid lets Geno handle them, while he goes to tend to other customers.
Sid watches from afar, wishing what Alex and Nick have is what he and Geno had.
//
“Do you think we’ll ever get that?” Sid asks on their way back home. “I don’t know how long your friends have been together but-”
“-two years, but they know each other since seven years old,” Geno interrupts.
“I kinda want what they have.”
“They suffer a lot to be together, you know, so many shit happen before they can be together. Don’t want you suffer like them so you can be happy, deserve better than that.”
three
06 January 2009
Sid’s sister comes down to visit, right before she has to go back to school. They haven’t seen each other in a long time, so when Sid picks her up at the airport, she runs at him so hard, she almost knocks him down. Thankfully, Sid knows how to hold his ground.
Taylor’s taller than the last time Sid saw her, prettier.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Taylor says, she’s crying into Sid’s shoulder now; he can feel her tears seep through his shirt. “I hate that you’re always so busy with your restaurant, but I’m also so proud of you.”
“I missed you too, you’re so tall now,” Sid replies, holding onto her as tightly as possible without hurting her. “I’m not the only one who missed you though; G wanted to come down to pick you up, but someone has to stay back to keep an eye on the place.”
Taylor finally pulls back, wipes the tears off her face with the back of her hand.
“You two planning to tie the knot any time soon?”
She looks so serious, which makes Sid think that she’s not kidding at all. He doesn’t answer her question. It makes her smack him on the shoulder.
“You big meanie,” she says, doing her best glare, which just makes her look like she’s squinting and pouting. “I can’t believe you didn’t invite me, your sister and confidant, to your own wedding. How could you?”
Sid’s really confused now. He doesn’t know what he or Geno could’ve done to make her think that they were married, as much as Sid wishes they were.
“Uh, Tay, we’re not married,” he says, which confuses her. “We’re not an item, I swear. If we were, you know you’d be the first one to know.”
Realization dawns all over her face.
“Well, for the way you act, you might as well be.”
four
10 January 2012
Alex asks Geno to come visit him in Russia; Geno asks Sid to come along with him. He says yes right away, of course, he’s not about to turn down a trip to see Geno’s home country with him. Sid’s never been to Russia before, not even in all the years they’ve known each other. It’ll be exciting and fun, and Sid’s sure Geno will be a pretty damn good tour guide.
They leave early - too early, Geno complains - but get to Russia in time for dinner. Geno wants to stop at his parents house before they have to drive almost a whole day to visit Alex in Moscow.
It’s worth it, seeing Geno’s parents’ face when they see Geno; smiling wide and arms even wider. They’re nice to him, they treat him like he’s another son. Sid suspects that they might think he and Geno are a thing, just like everyone else seems to these days, because Geno’s mom asks him something and Geno avoids Sid’s eyes and blushes; Geno replies quietly.
“Mama say she glad you are here,” Geno says, after the blush has gone down a bit. “Hopes next time you visit, not stay for so little time.”
Sid smiles and makes a promise to come back soon.
“Tell her I’d love to have her over in Pittsburgh too,” Sid tells Geno. “It’s been a while since she’s been over there.”
//
On their way out the door, Geno’s mom hugs him and says, “Best husband for best son. Take care, ok?”
Sid can only nod.
“Ok,” he says, hugging her back.
five
14 January 2012
Alex and Nick take them out to dinner on their third full day in Moscow.
They take them out to a place that would be perfect to take a significant other on a date to. In fact, most people around them seem to be on some sort of date. It’s nice, really, to be around other people who seem to be in love; the place doesn’t make Sid feel so lonely.
After dinner arrives at the table, Geno excuses himself and goes to the restroom. He leaves him with Alex and Nick.
“So when did you and Zhenya get together, finally?” Alex asks him, taking a piece of Nick’s key lime pie. He’s looking at Sid expectantly, and Sid almost feels compelled to say something.
“We’re not together,” Sid says, instead. “We’re just friends.”
Sid tries to not sound too disappointed about that.
Alex doesn’t believe him. He says something to Nick in Russian, and Nick only smiles and nods.
“But you live together, yes?” Alex asks.
Sid nods.
“Work together?”
“Yep.”
“No partner?” he asks, doubtful.
“No,” Sid replies. He’s looking for any sign of Geno now, just wants the questioning to stop.
“Hmmm.”
Sid wonders when all of their friends started thinking that he and Geno are a thing, when they started thinking they would ever become a thing.
plus one
31 July 2016
For Geno’s thirtieth birthday, he tells everyone he wants to go to Vegas. He wants to have his birthday party in a club, and then nurse his hangover in the casinos. Not that Geno ever has hangovers; Sid doesn’t even think he’s ever seen him even remotely drunk.
So, they celebrate his birthday, drinking and dancing the night away.
The rest of the night goes by in the blink of an eye, and all he knows is that he exits a building, holding his and Geno’s hands up high, the distinct feel of cool metal around his ring finger. They have a couple more drinks before Sid passes out in a taxi cab.
//
Sid wakes up with Geno wrapped around him, and a growing headache behind his eyes.
“What the hell did we do last night?” he asks himself, quiet; he doesn’t want to wake Geno and have him unwrap himself from him.
“Get married, Sid,” Geno mumbles, pulling Sid closer. “Been trying for long time, finally said yes last night.”
He closes his eyes and tries to process everything that Geno just said to him.
“Wait, you wanted to get married to me?” Sid asks.
“Since day we meet.”
The headache may still be there behind his eyes, but the fact that Geno’s always wanted to be with him, makes him feel a little better.
//
At breakfast, Geno has his arm wrapped around Sid’s shoulders. They get as much shit as they have always gotten from everyone there, but this time, there is a little truth behind it.