Work Text:
Unlocking the lab door, Faysal slipped in and dropped his coat onto his desk. It had been a rough morning already, between accidentally dropping and shattering the container his lunch had been in and getting into an argument far too early in the day for his liking.
Not that he liked arguing anyway, but only half an hour after waking up was not exactly the best time to try to resolve anything bigger then deciding what color to wear for the day. Yet that’s where he found himself, the fight that had started the night before between himself and Ash continuing into the morning light.
Faysal sighed. The argument was dumb to start with, he realized, but it was hard to let go of it in the moment. It had started with an offhand comment about something burning in the kitchen and devolved into a full fledged argument over every minor comment either of them had made over the past month.
The reality was they both were stressed and not handling it well. They never seemed to when it came time for one of Ash’s longer assignments, and within the week he was going to be leaving to assist with a case in Australia. One they anticipated being a few weeks long, if not longer.
Pulling the stack of folders over, Faysal sat down at his desk to look over what he needed to do for the day. It was hard to focus on them as he looked over at the photo sitting next to the monitor of Ash, Jessica, and him at the summer festival, all smiles.
No, the argument had nothing to do with dinner burning or even about either of them feeling like the other was being critical. It was firmly about neither of them wanting to admit that the idea of being separated again was upsetting.
Faysal frowned. As he yanked out the samples he needed from the refrigerator, he set them on the counter and stared down at them. Pulling his phone out, he quickly typed a message out: What’re you up to today?
As he was loading one of the samples into the microscope, his phone beeped. Faysal picked it up again, frowning. Trying to teach. What do you want?
He rolled his eyes. “What the hell, Ash,” Faysal muttered, responding Nothing. Just worried.
Faysal was barely able to set the device down before it went off again. Don’t be.
He scowled at the words, throwing his phone back onto the counter after responding back with Fine. There was no point in bothering messaging any longer, not when it would likely just continue to devolve into more vague bickering and leave them both even more pissed off.
Ignoring the next chirp, Faysal bent to look into the lens. Their personal drama didn’t mean he could put off his responsibilities, though he was sorely tempted to march downstairs and over to the training hall.
Pausing to consider doing just that, Faysal angrily ran a hand through his hair. “Focus for another hour at least…”
An hour turned into two, then three. Periodically he’d glance up from his work as another chirp alerted him to more messages awaiting him.
Then another.
Then another.
And yet another.
Faysal frowned, sighing as he picked it up to look at the damage.
Are you mad?
Fay?
Why aren’t you responding?
Seeing several more following that was just his name, over and over, he typed out Would you please stop? and sent it.
Looking at the immediate response, a sad emoji, Faysal rubbed a hand down his face in frustration. “Dammit,” he muttered, opening his laptop to work on his documentation, “I can’t deal with this right now.”
Hunched over the keyboard, Faysal groaned as there was a quiet knock at the door only half an hour later. “Not now!” he shouted at the visitor, keeping his eyes focused on the form he was working on.
Another, even more quiet knock.
“Fine, I’m coming.” Faysal sighed, standing and opening the door. “What do you-”
Faysal stopped short. Ash looked up at him with a scrunched frown, his nose and cheeks pink from the cold he had only moments previously exited. Without saying anything, he lifted up the bag he held and waited, gold eyes downcast.
Taking it, he opened his mouth to speak until Ash turned away silently and started back down the hall. Hesitantly, Faysal peered into the vessel.
Lunch.
From his favorite restaurant.
One that’s clear on the other side of the city.
He nearly cried.
Throwing it onto the counter, Faysal bolted down the hallway after him. Ash yelped as Faysal grabbed him around the middle, pulling him back into a tight hug. “You didn’t have to do this,” he said, pressing his face into the top of Ash’s head.
“You weren’t able to bring anything to eat because of…” Ash mumbled, going quiet as he tensely twisted to look at him. He shook his head. “…I didn’t want you to be hungry because of me.”
“I….” Groaning, Faysal grabbed Ash’s face and kissed his forehead, holding it for a long moment. “I shouldn’t be taking my…my anger out on you. You’re already having a hard time and I’m not making it any better, yet here you are doing something incredibly sweet. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” Looking up at him, Ash frowned. Faysal gently wiped away the hint of tears that had appeared along his lashes. “I hate having to leave you. I’m sorry I always do this to you.”
“I know, beloved.” Holding onto each other, they morosely stood silently until Faysal pulled Ash’s face up by the chin to kiss him. “I’m sorry I seem to always pick these stupid fights with you.”
“I’m sorry that I do that, too.”
The elevator dinged and opened. As another Agent, a lanky older woman, exited she gave them a half smile as she passed. “Get a room, you two,” she gently chided.
“Sorry,” Ash sheepishly responded. Faysal quietly laughed.
“Come have lunch with me?” he asked earnestly. Ash looked up at him, a tired smile turning the corners of his mouth up. “Please?”
“I’d like that.” Stealing another kiss before taking Faysal’s hand, Ash led him back toward the lab. Once the door was closed and locked, they settled on the floor with the meal in front of them. Faysal pulled Ash over to sit on his lap, nuzzling against his neck.
As they cuddled quietly, food barely touched, they glanced over as there was a knock at the door. Faysal leaned forward to press his lips against Ash’s ear, holding him around the waist as Ash looked concerned. “They can wait,” Faysal whispered, voice low.
Ash smiled at him. “Can you?” he asked softly, getting a matching grin in return.