smokingmirror | 100 Original Fics: 090: Killing Time (1/1)

Title: Killing Time
Series: 100 Original Fics
Character: Fox Maharassa
Author: Avarice
Prompt: 090 - Home
Rating: G
Pairing: Fox/Collin
Spoilers: -
Summary: Fox arrives home early to find no one home.
Word Count: 1686
Date First Posted: 24-05-2009
Date Revised: 02-06-2011
Beta: -
Awards: -
Notes: Written before its posting date, I estimate around 2006? I really like Fox and the Demon hanging out together.
I don't know whether I ever did a good job of it, but I wanted this piece to be a little bit of foreshadowing as to what would come. Fox was getting more and more consumed with his job at The Daily Warning, and Collin finally had a good friend outside of Fox, so he was starting to entertain himself when Fox wasn't available, which was frequently. There's also that element of Fox just expecting Collin to be there for him, and the odd realisation when he's not.
Feedback: always welcome, as is constructive criticism.
Also Archived At: LJ

Fox opened the door, not without a little exuberance. After an entire week of late nights with his job, and classes during the day, he had gotten the night off.

As much as he soaked up his new employment and loved everything about it, it was hard going. It seemed as though he hardly saw Collin or his family or friends anymore, just Derringer and Mr Rudd.

So walking in at 7pm was both a joy and a privilege. The idea of a night in with Collin was mouth-wateringly appealing. "Honey, I'm home!" Fox warbled cheerfully as he shut the door. "I thought we could order in. You feel like Thai?"

Fox dropped his bag and turned around. The apartment was disturbingly quiet. The alcove light was on, but they always left that on so they could navigate around. Fox poked his head into the bedroom. The bed was made neatly; even a few piles of clothes he'd left at the foot had been tidied away.

With a shrug, Fox walked to the fridge. There was no note pinned to the board stuck on front, no message written on the whiteboard (unless the 'Fox is a douchebag' note from 2 nights ago counted). He opened the fridge.

There was plenty of beer, though.

Fox closed the fridge with a wispy sigh, feeling momentarily hurt that Collin hadn't left a message. Fox instantly berated himself for the thought. As far as Collin knew, he was going to be out until after 11pm. There was no reason to leave a note if he'd expected to be home before Fox got back.

Fox reached into his pocket and took out his cell. Perhaps it was a little selfish, but maybe if Collin knew he was home, he might come home a bit early so they could spend some time together. He flipped open the phone and pressed his speed dial.

A trill sounding from the bathroom made one of Fox's eyebrows rise. He walked in to find Collin's phone ringing and vibrating merrily on the counter. Fox sighed and snapped his phone shut. The ringing stopped a few moments later, but Fox was already walking out.

It was times like this Fox was grateful that the back of his belt buckle had a bottle opener on it. He moved back to the fridge and retrieved a cold beer. Popping the top off, he took a long draught.

The doorbell rang, and Fox lowered the bottle immediately, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He couldn't help the hopeful grin that appeared on his face as he approached the door. Maybe Collin was home and he'd forgotten his keys. Maybe they still had time to shoot up to Blockbuster and rehire 'Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter' and 'Army of Darkness'.

Fox nearly threw the door open in his eagerness. His smile diminished like a fading star when he saw the Demon standing in their hall. He wore worn but clean jeans and a shirt with a few pale grease stains on it.

"Hey Fox," he greeted.

"Hey," Fox replied with as much enthusiasm as he could muster -- which wasn't much.

"I was wondering if I could borrow your monkey wrench?"

"Sure, come on in." Fox stepped back from the door, allowing his friend entry.

"I'm doing a little bit of handyman stuff," he said by way of explanation. "I remember your tool kit had one."

Fox led him to a closet. At the bottom, under a pair of Collin's sneakers was a red metal toolbox that had 'K. Maharassa' written in bold black on the lid. It had been an apartment-warming present from his dad, full of useful things like hammers, screwdrivers and wrenches. It also had its share of the impractical, but his dad had been solemn when he'd given it. Fox hadn't the heart to tell him he couldn't conceive of ever needing an electric wick-trimmer.

Fox found the required wrench and handed it to the Demon. "Thanks," he said. "I wasn't expecting you to be home this early, but I saw your car on the way past."

"I wasn't expecting to be the only one home," Fox said. When he received a funny look, he belatedly added, "this early."

"Anne told me earlier he'd gone out to a movie with his friend," Fox didn't like the tone to the Demon's voice. It was just on the side of too gentle.

"I'm fine, man. Really. Peace and quiet time."

There was an uncomfortable silence, in which the two stared at the space just above each other's heads. The Demon cleared his throat and took a step towards the door. "I'd better go."

"Wait," Fox took a step forward, holding his half-empty bottle. "You want a beer?"

There was a long pause, before the Demon answered. "You have Lite?"

Fox grinned, showing a hint of eyetooth. "I'm sure I can dig some up."

For the next hour, Fox and the Demon sat on the sofa and watched Scottish caber tossing on ESPN, periodically breaking into colourful arguments about scoring and technique. Fox ended up drinking three beers, the Demon two.

Eventually, the Demon sighed and ruffled his red hair. "That was fun, but I'm really going to have to go now."

Fox nursed his third beer thoughtfully. "Ok, man." They both got up off the couch and headed towards the door.

"Thanks for the loan and the beer," the Demon smiled.

"No problem. Don't be a stranger." Fox returned the smile.

His friend made a gesture with two fingers, as though he tipped an invisible hat, and left down the hall. Fox shut the door with a quiet 'click'.

He glanced back at the television. Caber tossing was only fun to watch with company or when significantly drunk. Since neither set of requirements fit his current circumstances, he hit the 'power' button on the remote control, and the room was silent.

Fox drained the last few drops of beer and collected the other four bottles for the trash. He rubbed the pads of his index finger and thumb over his eyeballs. It blurred his vision for a few moments, making him a little dizzy. It was only 9.30pm, but he'd had enough. Fox knew he should probably eat something, but he couldn't drum up the energy to fix anything.

In the bedroom, he shrugged off the day's clothes, shoving them unceremoniously into the hamper. Fox thought a bath might make him feel better, but he didn't have the stamina for it. His mother always got cross when he took baths alone. He tended to fall asleep in them. Once when he was eight and had insisted on doing it himself, she'd walked into the room to find him sound asleep, his nose only an inch above the waterline.

As far as ways to die went, accidentally drowning in the bath didn't even rate in the top 25, so he decided to take a shower instead. The warm water felt good on his skin, the hot even better on the back of his neck, helping him massage out any muscle kinks. Once finished, he brushes his teeth and towel-dries his hair.

Fox entered the bedroom naked, with Collin's phone in his hand. He placed it on the blonde's bedside and went to his chest of drawers in the wardrobe. He pulled a pair of shorts and a loose tank from the top drawer -- standard warm weather nightwear.

Fox climbed into bed with a sigh and turned his lamp on, squinting when it lit the previously dark room. He pulled the thin sheet up to his waist and rearranged his pillows to support his back, borrowing some from Collin's side of the bed. Rummaging through the bedside drawer through loose change, catalogues, a tube of lube and a near-empty box of cigarettes, Fox found the 99c pulp detective novel he'd bought.

It was fun, even if corny, and Fox allowed himself to become engrossed in it for the better part of an hour. In that time he was actually able to finish most of the book. Dog-earing the beginning of chapter fourteen, Fox put the book back into his drawer, promising himself he'd finish it tomorrow.

Pulling the extra pillows out from behind his back, he replaced them and turned off his lamp. Fox lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. He was tired, but sleep was somewhat elusive.

As per Murphy's law, just as his eyes began to flutter closed, a creak and a bang of the front door woke him again. Fox heard the tinkle of keys on the dining table, and saw a shaft of light that strayed into the bedroom from outside disappear. A second later, the bedroom light was turned on and Fox squinted.

"Oh, hey," Collin said as he entered, stripping his t-shirt off and heading straight into the bathroom. "I thought you were going to be late," Collin's voice echoed slightly in the tiled room.

"I finished a bit earlier than expected," Fox said, rubbing his eyes. The sound of the running tap and brushing teeth most likely muffled his answer.

"Why didn't you call me when you got home?" Fox heard Collin say after a delicate spit into the sink. Collin entered the bedroom again, looking dressed for bed in grey-blue summer pajamas. He detoured to flick off the overhead light, before pulling back the sheet to slide into his side of the bed. Fox pointed to Collin's bedside, and Collin saw his cell there. "Oh."

Collin gave Fox a minty kiss and settled himself into the mattress. Fox held his left arm up and Collin settled underneath.

"Enjoy the movie?" Fox asked.

"Mmm. You would have hated it. No explosions or girls."

"Ah," Fox paused, his hand separating strands of Collin's fine hair. "What was it about, then?"

Collin yawned. "Ok if I tell you about it tomorrow? I'm exhausted."

"Sure," Fox answered. Collin patted Fox's chest absently and yawned again. Fox kissed the top of Collin's head and finally began to drift off.

~finis