this is set in late season three, before Hap and Toby get married.
Sly's face contorted as he scribbled several more numbers onto the whiteboard in front of him. He struggled to focus, the variables which left his fingertips failing to fully process in his mind first. The words he'd been wanting to say were lodged in his throat, sticking like glue.
And Paige apparently noticed. She walked to him almost silently, putting a hand on his shoulder and keeping her voice low enough for only him to hear. "Sly? Is everything okay?"
He turned to her, forcing a smile that she immediately knew was false. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"
"You seem...off. Are you sure you're okay?"
The genius stared at her for a minute, a breath leaving his lips as he shook his head. He slumped his shoulders. "There's something I've been wanting to say, but I-I don't know if I can say it."
"Well, who do you have to say it to?"
"Happy."
"And you can't just go up and say it to her because…?"
He widened his eyes. "Because she's Happy. And she'll hit me...or something."
Paige raised a brow. "Sly. You know she loves you like a brother. And if you have something to tell her, she'll listen."
Sylvester stared at her, blinking behind his glass lenses. His lips parted. Paige's look remained.
He huffed.
Sly fidgeted nervously with the band aid ring. He took a few steps ahead.
His breathing couldn't quite grasp a steady pace. "Happy?"
She turned from the kitchen cabinet, abandoning the box of oyster crackers. "Yeah?"
Sylvester tried to inhale. "I um...I have something I uh, I need to…"
Her back straightened, head moving forward with each word he said. "Spit it out, Sly."
His face scrunched. "Um...I have something I...need to tell you."
She cocked an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"There's just...there's something you need to know."
"Okay…"
Sylvester exhaled again.
He swallowed, crinkling his nose. "Well, you're like...my sister. And...Toby's one of my best friends…"
"So?"
"Well...he-he loves you, and you love him-but if he ever...y'know hurts you or anything…"
Happy visibly repressed a smirk. "Is this supposed to be threatening? Because, as much as Toby sucks, it's not like you can throw a punch any better. Watching you two go at it would be like a pathetic battle with pool noodles."
"No, not exactly." He pushed the bridge of his glasses against the space between his eyebrows. "But I'd...be there for you."
"Thanks, Sly. But I'm a big girl." Giving him a short pat on the arm, she turned on the heel of her boot. "I can take care of myself."
His touch returned to the white strip across his ring finger while he forced his feet to follow her. "Well-yeah, I know."
Happy shifted her head slightly to glance back at him. "So, what's your point?"
Sylvester stumbled on both his feet and his words. His eyes flickered towards Paige across the room. Her gaze steadied on him, despite whatever Walter was presenting to her on his computer. She raised her brows in response to his lack of talking.
Sly replied with a helpless expression. Paige gestured at the engineer as she stepped further away. He retained a groan he was sure would've emerged a whimper.
"Hear me out, Happy," he said, swallowing.
Reaching her worktable, she hopped on its edge. "Sly, I'm only gonna listen if you spit it out."
He exhaled. "I know, I know. I just…" Spit it out. He glimpsed his makeshift ring. "I wasn't married for long. And the idea only came up in the first place because she needed it to. But not once have I ever regretted that decision. I mean, marriage is a great thing. You can announce your love for someone without saying a word, people just have to look at your hands, and they can see your devotion to each other. Marrying Megan...it was the best thing I ever did." Sylvester gradually returned his line of sight to her. "It's clear how much you and Toby love each other. But every marriage is about compromise and sacrifice. You can't figure all your problems out with an equation or a formula. Because, all of the sudden, one person plus another equals one unit instead of two. The only explanation is...you love each other, there's not really anything logical about it. And I know you're not big on sharing, but if you ever need an ear, mine work pretty well."
She nodded, the corners of her mouth unfolded, pulling a genuine smile from cheekbone to cheekbone. "I'll keep that in mind." Her voice deepened to a more serious tone. "Thanks, Sly."
Though nearly matching her expression, his smile lacked the appreciation, instead possessing pride. "You're welcome."