gunsforhire | Log: I'll do what I can

Who: York (native) and Sigma Ai
What: Consolation over a lost brother
Where: The Ai household
When: Saturday night
Warnings: Possible swearing

York follows the directions to Sigma's home as fast as he can, his mind running at the same speed. He's going to have to lie. No way around it, he's going to have to act like this is the first time he's heard of the disappearance. Comforting Sigma will be easy, lying to him won't be.

This is so fucked up. He's holding too many threads and not letting too many people know which threads he's holding. Eventually he's going to get tangled in them.

But he can worry about that later. For now, his attention needs to be on Sigma.

At last, he arrives at what his HUD tells him is the correct destination. It's bigger than what he'd expected on the income he'd gathered was brought in, but then again it does have to hold eight people. Not quite big enough to do so with complete ease though. Hurrying up the path, he steps up to the front door and considers pressing the intercom, when he remembers what Sigma said about the kids being in bed. So instead, he sends Sigma a message on the comms.

I'm here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

'Try talking to him? I don't know him at all, so I have no ideea if it would be better to talk to a wall in that case or not.'

He looks down at Sigma at the man's next words and pulls him closer to his chest and kisses the top of his head. 'We can see each other during the day if neither of us are studying or working. Then, hopefully once things have settled down, we can take the evenings again.'

"I'm not sure who's less of a wall," Sigma admits. "If I could just quit my job, maybe I could make this work, but. . ." But they need the money. He's trapped.

Resting his head against York's chest, he whispers a soft "Thank you."

He slips his free arm around York's waist. "Can I tell you something?" he asks. "Not necessarily a secret, but something I've never told anyone else before?"

'I know.' Sigma doesn't need to finish the sentence for York to know what he's saying. He literally cannot afford to quit his job.

'Any time,' he says quietly, tucking Sigma's head under his chin.

He tilts his head, raising it from its rest and looking down at Sigma. 'If you want to, sure.'

"I never really wanted to get a job in forensics," he whispers. He's not sure why. He's safe here, with York's arms around him and his head above him and soft eyes watching him. "When I graduated, I planned to go get a job as a mercenary. It makes good money, and I--I wanted a way to look for someone, with my job and my degree."

"My oldest brother. He went missing a long time ago. I never thought that he abandoned us, but now, I'm not sure I blame him." Almost like Delta, really.

Fuck. Now what? He'd told Delta he wouldn't get Sigma involved in mercenary work, now he wants to get into it himself? Why can't just one thing go smoothly?

'Why do you think mercenary work would help you find him? There's other things you could do that could help track him down.' Safe things, less well paid, usually; but safer.

"I don't know," Sigma admits. "It. . . I guess it always just seemed like a good idea. I mentioned it to Omega last night. Now he wants me to team up with him after I finish school."

York bites his lip.

'If Delta is upset over Omega trying to become a mercenary, I don't think you teaming up with them is going to do do any good on that front.'

"No," Sigma says. "No, it won't. It would break Delta's heart."

"I mean. I have two years for him to come around, but. . . my brothers and I are stubborn. You might have noticed."

York pulls one of his hands free to rub the back of his neck, then returns it.

'I had noticed,' he replies. 'I'm guilty of stubbornness as well.'

"Now I'm wondering if I even want to, though." He sighs and sits up, still keeping one arm around York. "You told me last night that something might help me decide. Is it bad if I let this push me into making a decision? What if Delta comes back next week and I change my mind?"

'I don't know,' he admits after a moment of just their breathing. 'You've still got two years left, you can change your mind several times then. But I don't know about right here right now.'

"I can't believe he's gone," Sigma whispers. He looks at his empty palm as if he's lost something.

There's nothing York can say to that. So he just holds Sigma close and hopes that this will sort out in the end.

He can't do this. Not alone. He's only just found York and he's going to lose him, because how will he ever get Omega and Epsilon to cooperate?

Tears creep into his eyes again. He presses his hand against them, but they come all the same.

A tremor makes him look down again. Sigma is shaking slightly, hands pressed over his eyes and York can feel that he's tense. So he tugs him more firmly against his chest, still holding him. He doesn't know what to say, so for once he says nothing.

He lets himself cry this time. All day, he's kept up a strong face for the little ones. He broke down when he called Delta and when he called York, but nothing like this.

York doesn't say anything. York doesn't judge. York just holds him close, his touch the only thing holding Sigma together while his world falls out from underneath him.

God, Delta and Omega, look at this. Look at what's come of your fighting. ...Please sort out what you're going to do in the long run.

Sigma's shaking hard now and crying in his arms. York wishes there was an easy way to sort this all out, untangle the strings, but there isn't. At least not that he can see.

Even when he sobs, York doesn't let him go. Sigma clings to him, arms around his waist. He fears he will cry forever.

(Not forever. Eventually his weeping gives out and he falls asleep in York's arms.)

Sigma's sobs gradually quieten and York is just about to ask how he's doing when he realises the man has fallen asleep. Well, good. He damn right needs it. Only now there's no way York can get up without disturbing him.

He debates for a moment, then sighs and shifts slight to get more comfortable. But he underestimates how tired he is after the long day and soon drifts off himself.

Log: I'll do what I can

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