“You’re home early!”
Teekay had been cutting vegetables and slices of bacon when the door slipped open, revealing a rather weary Elkay, who skulked in, slamming the door shut behind him and throwing himself on the nearest pile of cushions.
“I am…” Elkay grunted.
Teekay stopped what he was doing, bounced over to the fridge and grabbed two silver bottles, taking them over to where Elkay was lying and handing one to him.
“Did something happen? You’re not normally back until much later.”
Elkay grunted some more, sipping the drink. It was just water, but it felt incredibly refreshing. Within seconds, Elkay had emptied the bottle and was tempted to get up and get more. He remained on the pile of cushions though, too comfortable to move.
“Is it to do with that Banikan?” Teekay asked.
“How do you know about that?” Elkay eyed Teekay.
“It was on the news. Small place, news clearly spreads fast…” Teekay’s tone suddenly changed. “By the way, you are fucking insane, standing up to a Banikan and somehow talking it down! You could have been hurt! That Banikan could have turned you into Rethan souvla!”
Elkay sighed, then closed his eyes, grunting some more. Teekay sighed too, then got up off the cushions, heading back into the kitchen to finish the meal he was cooking. After a rather long, awkward silence interspersed with the odd sigh or grunt, Elkay decided to explain himself.
“You and I both know that I have dealt with Banikans before. I knew that one was not a threat. I could sense it. I could feel his emotions. If he HAD been a threat, there would have been far, far more casualties injuries today, rather than the grand total of two: one tattered Banikan and one person breaking their toe after tripping over a concrete bollard.”
“But…” Teekay stuttered, taking a break from chopping vegetables. “But it’s a Banikan! Half a ton of dangerous muscle, teeth, claws and horns!”
Elkay tutted. “You say that, forgetting that Rethavok are quarter-ton masses of muscle that come in their own traditionally bulletproof armour.”
Teekay paused, then shrugged. “I’ll be honest, you got me there. I just tend to forget, considering that you’re just so, so much more… uh…” Teekay paused again, then stared at Elkay. “Are you alright? You’re pulling… a face. You’re… not annoyed at coming home early, are you?”
Elkay stretched out across the cushions, still sighing and grunting. “I am annoyed, yes. Just being sent home all of a sudden is embarrassing. I feel like I did something wrong and that I am not doing enough. I want to keep my job an enable us to have plenty of money so we can live comfortably. But I have done a week’s work and now this happens.”
“Why were you sent home?”
“The Raptor’s orders.”
“Did she say why?”
“No.”
“Was anyone… angry at you?” Teekay asked.
Elkay shook his head. “No, not at all. Everyone was rather impressed, actually.”
“So… maybe you were let off early because you did well?”
I… I do not know… and the uncertainty bothers me…”
Teekay stopped what he was doing and went and sat next to Elkay, holding him tightly. “Well, don’t stress yourself out over nothing, worry about the certainties later…”
Elkay sighed, then hugged Teekay back. “Yes, of course, dear, of course…”