Cuffed and Cursed Part 2
They were smiling at each other and chuckling, and Connor was hopeful. He didn't want to fight with Becker, but he felt he wasn't in the wrong on this, and he'd defend his point of view. But he was hopeful that they wouldn't need to tlak about it, that they were fine and could go on like the fight hadn't happened…
But Becker's smile faded after a moment and he looked away, frowning at the doorway as if Danny was still standing there. Which, of course, he wasn't.
"We need to find Quinn. This is unacceptable." Connor winced, and Becker seemed to catch it, because he hastily amended, "Quinn's behavior is unacceptable. I understand his intentions, but this won't solve anything." Becker said, shaking his wrist so the cuffs clinked against each other. Connor gestured towards the door with one hand- he remembered in time to use the one not handcuffed to Becker's wrist.
"Maybe we should-" Becker nodded, and started walking, leaving Connor to yelp and attempt to keep up. "Hey! Slow down, yeah, Becks?"
"Sorry."
Connor wished that the 'sorry' was about the fight, despite the unlikliness of that.
They made it to the Hub before anyone noticed that they were handcuffed, and Becker glared at the SF's who snickered. Connor felt his cheeks grow warmer, but did his best to ignore it. Matt was entering the room, heading to Jess and the ADD, when he glanced at the captain and geek.
"Jess, no alerts?" Matt said, putting a hand on the back of the field coordinator's chair and looking at the screens. Becker was looking around for Danny, eyes narrowed, while Connor leaned against the wall and tried to listen in to Matt and Jess' conversation.
"Nope, not a single blip on the ADD."
"Well, let's not jinx it. I've got plans with Emily for this evening." Matt sounded really pleased with himself, though as usual it was hard to tell any emotion in his voice at all. Connor couldn't help a small chuckle, which made Becker look at him, brow raised.
"Ah, Matt's going on a date with Emily tonight." Connor explained.
"Why is that funny?"
"Because it's rare that he sounds so…" Connor searched for the right word. Before he could, Matt had noticed them, and headed over. Connor was right, Becker conceded, there was a certain bounce to their team Leader's step that wasn't usually there.
"Captain, Connor. Have you seen…" They didn't get to hear who he was asking for, as Matt raised his eyebrows, noticing the handcuffs. Rather than continue to try to hide them - which would just make Matt smirk more than he already was - Becker cut off Connor's lightning-fast stammer.
"Quinn decided we needed to be cuffed to sort out an… issue."
"I see. Well, you'd best solve it then, boys."
"Yeah, we really wouldn't want an anomaly with us like this!" Connor put in, then slapped his free hand over his mouth, lookign at the ADD as if he expected it to start beeping then and there.
Becker shot Connor a glare that would've been a lot more intimidating if the corners of his lips weren't lifting in a smile. Connor moved his hand from his mouth and shrugged helplessly.
"I'm going to go check on Abby in the menagerie, give you two some space…" Matt said, chuckling, as he turned to walk away.
"Wait, Matt!" Connor called, waiting until he'd turned around. "We're wonderin' if you'd seen Danny…?"
"Unfortunately not - I was going to ask you lot, but I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Probably testing security again."
Becker looked beyond irritated with Danny, so Connor smiled at Matt.
"Thanks anyway. If you do find him, can you try and convince him… y'know…?" Connor gestured at the cuffs, making a face when Matt smirked.
"I make no promises, Connor." The Irishman told him, leaving the Hub. Becker had gone back to glarign at the SF's, though after a moment he looked at Connor, who bit his lip.
"So…"
"We need to find Danny. Being handcuffed to you is a hindrance." Becker didn't seem to notice Connor's flinch, or notice the way his eyes dulled and his shoulders slumped. Of course. He'd thought- both Becker and Abby, and in fact the rest of the team, had told him- that he was a valued member of the Team, that they didn't blame him for the Burton fiasco, that he was important. But he should have known it wasn't really so. He was still a hindrance, and there was nothing he could do about it.
He wondered why he'd decided to challenge Becker about.. well, about the thing they were fighting about, that he was determinedly not thinking about! He should just apologize for fighting, and surely Danny was listening, so he'd appear out of some vent somewhere and unlock them, and Connor could stop being a hindrance to Becker.
At least for a little while.