elbow grease
Author: Nathalia
Rating: PG-13
Challenge:
Candy Bar Crunch #12 - elbow grease
Red Velvet #8 - red carpet
Extras / Toppings: malt (birthday: Roisin: Rimmer: "You don't think there's anything amiss? I'm sitting here wearing a red and white checked gingham dress and army boots and you think that's un-amiss?"), malt (Easter Eggs: Sylv: "The fog comes in on little cat feet." -- Carl Sandberg)
Word Count: 1,046
Story: Misfits
Summary: After a bad and very long day at work, Hobbie goes home.
Notes: I’m sorry I’m totally cheating with the Red Velvet prompt but I can’t look at it anymore. I’m still trying to figure out all the details of this relationship -- obviously, it wasn’t always happy -- but it’s a lot of fun to write, so expect more?
On the way back to the apartment, standing on the other side of the road, Hobbie looked up. It was already late and the walk hadn’t been a particularly long one but he was still feeling uncomfortable at the idea of going home tonight.
He started counting the rows of windows that were either lit up or completely dark until he reached the windows of the apartment in the middle of the forth floor. The lights in the bedroom -- always the place he checked first -- were turned off but he could still make out at least a little bit of light in the three living room windows though they often left on one of the smaller lamps on for easier navigation around the apartment at night and so it was hard to tell if Robert was still awake.
He crossed the road without having a definite answer to his question since the kitchen and bathroom window were in the opposite direction of the six storey apartment building. It took him longer than usual to unlock the door because of the pain from the abrasions on his hands. He’d have to tend to those before bed. He took the flights of stairs slowly. It was already past midnight and this wasn’t how he had planned to come home tonight when he had assumed he’d be done with work rather soon.
A look through the peephole didn’t clear up the whole matter and when he entered the apartment, he steered in the direction of the bathroom only to be stopped by Robert immediately.
The look the other man who was sitting in an armchair gave him was a bit confounding but not judging.
“You’d better get out of those clothes before you bleed on the carpet,” he greeted Hobbie, slowly rising to his feet.
“I thought that was why ours was red,” Hobbie reminded him, relieved that the carpet was Robert’s only worry right now. He went into the bathroom, shedding his sweaty clothes that were drenched in blood and dropped them on the floor. He felt better instantly once out of the clothes as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He’d barely peeled out of his clothes and gotten into the shower -- the water wasn’t even warm yet -- when Robert came in and started picking everything off the floor.
“I’ll drop it all the washer or it’ll be hell to get those stains out. We don’t want to throw of one of your beloved yellow shirts out now, do we?”
Hobbie didn’t answer but it was good to know that Robert was in a good mood tonight. It wasn’t as good as if he’d already been asleep but at least they wouldn’t get into a fight.
It always took a long time to wash away the blood that clung to his body, especially his hands and arms. The abrasions on his knuckles were so bad he’d probably be able to pass off as a bare-knuckle boxer tonight and he’d probably feel the pain for quite a few more days.
When he finally got out of the bathroom, wearing boxer shorts and his bathrobe, Robert was back in his armchair and Hobbie sunk into the couch, happy to finally be able to lean back a little.
“Hard day?”
“You have no idea,” Hobbie confirmed. “There was no need for you to wait up for me though. I thought the guy would never talk.”
“I only got back about half an hour ago myself,” Robert explained with a shrug, getting up from his place to come sit on the couch with Hobbie. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all this paper work.”
“I’ll do it for you if you do my job,” Hobbie offered but Robert shook his head.
“You know I only date you so that whenever I need someone tortured, I can rely on you and don’t have to do it myself,” Robert teased. “I don’t think I could do that job.”
“Everything’s got a price and you know that.” Hobbie relaxed against Robert’s shoulder. Robert took his hand and started to examine it with a grim face, obviously not happy about how it looked. They both knew that this wasn’t how normal, rather one-sided torture was supposed to look but Robert seemed to be going for appeasement tonight because he didn’t point it out. He just let go of the hand that slid back to Hobbie’s lap.
Hobbie glanced up his boyfriend’s watch in an attempt to come up with something to talk about. It was even later than he had thought it was -- he must have lost track of time again; for all he knew, he could have been working nonstop for two days. “And you probably should go to bed now. Unlike me, you have to get up at a reasonable time tomorrow.”
“You could come keep me company in bed then.”
There was a short silence and Hobbie wasn’t sure if Robert took that as a yes but he didn’t get up.
“You’ll stay up watching TV till sunrise, won’t you?” Robert asked hesitantly after Hobbie didn’t answer.
Hobbie knew Robert didn’t understand it but it was so hard for him to go to sleep after a job of this nature. He still had all those impressions in his mind that he had to deal with and no matter what time of the day it was, the last thing to ever cross his mind afterwards was sleep although he longed for it often enough. Right now, he wished he could.
“Sorry, I know this wasn’t what we had planned for tonight but I think I need to just sit around doing mindless stuff for a while.”
“It’s okay. Would you mind me hanging out for a bit though? I’ll be quiet and won’t question anything you do.”
“If you’re okay with me smoking and watching porn,” Hobbie said with an innocent grin and Robert’s eyes widened and he withdrew a little.
“You’re just sick. I can’t believe you get turned on by this shit.”
“It doesn’t,” Hobbie laughed, immediately feeling much better about everything. “I just wanted to see your face. What I really need is something really dull like a romantic comedy.”
Rating: PG-13
Challenge:
Candy Bar Crunch #12 - elbow grease
Red Velvet #8 - red carpet
Extras / Toppings: malt (birthday: Roisin: Rimmer: "You don't think there's anything amiss? I'm sitting here wearing a red and white checked gingham dress and army boots and you think that's un-amiss?"), malt (Easter Eggs: Sylv: "The fog comes in on little cat feet." -- Carl Sandberg)
Word Count: 1,046
Story: Misfits
Summary: After a bad and very long day at work, Hobbie goes home.
Notes: I’m sorry I’m totally cheating with the Red Velvet prompt but I can’t look at it anymore. I’m still trying to figure out all the details of this relationship -- obviously, it wasn’t always happy -- but it’s a lot of fun to write, so expect more?
On the way back to the apartment, standing on the other side of the road, Hobbie looked up. It was already late and the walk hadn’t been a particularly long one but he was still feeling uncomfortable at the idea of going home tonight.
He started counting the rows of windows that were either lit up or completely dark until he reached the windows of the apartment in the middle of the forth floor. The lights in the bedroom -- always the place he checked first -- were turned off but he could still make out at least a little bit of light in the three living room windows though they often left on one of the smaller lamps on for easier navigation around the apartment at night and so it was hard to tell if Robert was still awake.
He crossed the road without having a definite answer to his question since the kitchen and bathroom window were in the opposite direction of the six storey apartment building. It took him longer than usual to unlock the door because of the pain from the abrasions on his hands. He’d have to tend to those before bed. He took the flights of stairs slowly. It was already past midnight and this wasn’t how he had planned to come home tonight when he had assumed he’d be done with work rather soon.
A look through the peephole didn’t clear up the whole matter and when he entered the apartment, he steered in the direction of the bathroom only to be stopped by Robert immediately.
The look the other man who was sitting in an armchair gave him was a bit confounding but not judging.
“You’d better get out of those clothes before you bleed on the carpet,” he greeted Hobbie, slowly rising to his feet.
“I thought that was why ours was red,” Hobbie reminded him, relieved that the carpet was Robert’s only worry right now. He went into the bathroom, shedding his sweaty clothes that were drenched in blood and dropped them on the floor. He felt better instantly once out of the clothes as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He’d barely peeled out of his clothes and gotten into the shower -- the water wasn’t even warm yet -- when Robert came in and started picking everything off the floor.
“I’ll drop it all the washer or it’ll be hell to get those stains out. We don’t want to throw of one of your beloved yellow shirts out now, do we?”
Hobbie didn’t answer but it was good to know that Robert was in a good mood tonight. It wasn’t as good as if he’d already been asleep but at least they wouldn’t get into a fight.
It always took a long time to wash away the blood that clung to his body, especially his hands and arms. The abrasions on his knuckles were so bad he’d probably be able to pass off as a bare-knuckle boxer tonight and he’d probably feel the pain for quite a few more days.
When he finally got out of the bathroom, wearing boxer shorts and his bathrobe, Robert was back in his armchair and Hobbie sunk into the couch, happy to finally be able to lean back a little.
“Hard day?”
“You have no idea,” Hobbie confirmed. “There was no need for you to wait up for me though. I thought the guy would never talk.”
“I only got back about half an hour ago myself,” Robert explained with a shrug, getting up from his place to come sit on the couch with Hobbie. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all this paper work.”
“I’ll do it for you if you do my job,” Hobbie offered but Robert shook his head.
“You know I only date you so that whenever I need someone tortured, I can rely on you and don’t have to do it myself,” Robert teased. “I don’t think I could do that job.”
“Everything’s got a price and you know that.” Hobbie relaxed against Robert’s shoulder. Robert took his hand and started to examine it with a grim face, obviously not happy about how it looked. They both knew that this wasn’t how normal, rather one-sided torture was supposed to look but Robert seemed to be going for appeasement tonight because he didn’t point it out. He just let go of the hand that slid back to Hobbie’s lap.
Hobbie glanced up his boyfriend’s watch in an attempt to come up with something to talk about. It was even later than he had thought it was -- he must have lost track of time again; for all he knew, he could have been working nonstop for two days. “And you probably should go to bed now. Unlike me, you have to get up at a reasonable time tomorrow.”
“You could come keep me company in bed then.”
There was a short silence and Hobbie wasn’t sure if Robert took that as a yes but he didn’t get up.
“You’ll stay up watching TV till sunrise, won’t you?” Robert asked hesitantly after Hobbie didn’t answer.
Hobbie knew Robert didn’t understand it but it was so hard for him to go to sleep after a job of this nature. He still had all those impressions in his mind that he had to deal with and no matter what time of the day it was, the last thing to ever cross his mind afterwards was sleep although he longed for it often enough. Right now, he wished he could.
“Sorry, I know this wasn’t what we had planned for tonight but I think I need to just sit around doing mindless stuff for a while.”
“It’s okay. Would you mind me hanging out for a bit though? I’ll be quiet and won’t question anything you do.”
“If you’re okay with me smoking and watching porn,” Hobbie said with an innocent grin and Robert’s eyes widened and he withdrew a little.
“You’re just sick. I can’t believe you get turned on by this shit.”
“It doesn’t,” Hobbie laughed, immediately feeling much better about everything. “I just wanted to see your face. What I really need is something really dull like a romantic comedy.”