"I'll take a banana daiquiri, extra cherries and one of those umbrella thingies," the voice spoke from the bar behind him, Fuse nearly dropping the glass he was cleaning. "Oh! And make it virgin - I'm technically on duty."
Spinning to confront his new patron, the ex-demolitions expert was surprised to see the mustached face didn't quite match the voice. On further inspection, however, he realized it did and the disguise was horrendous, "Squid, the hell, man! What are you doin' here?" His gut twisted with a mix of apprehension and concern, but also the joy of having his friend in such close proximity. How long had it been since their last meet up? Right, pregnant wife/spy chasing him off. Good times.
Gordon gave a toothy smile that made the fake mustache look even more ridiculous, "We were in the area. Don't worry, no ones gonna crash your bar, which is pretty amazing if I might say." For emphasis, he turned to gesture over the ocean front setting, open windows sending a tropical breeze to ruffle the blonde's hair. When he turned back, the grin was still on his face.
"Thanks - caught me at a slow hour," Fuse leaned against the counter, arms folding over his chest. "Come back in a couple hours and it'll be packed."
"Ah, no thanks," his fingers tapped the water-ringed wood. "I'm just visiting. Wouldn't want to waste it watching you make drinks."
"Yet, you did order one," a chuckle, but he didn't move to fulfil the request.
"'Cause it was an intense rescue and I could really use one," Gordon gave a hopeful pout.
"Fine, but you owe me - wait… I don't have any bananas," Fuse grinned at the dejected expression.
"What do you have?" The blonde leaned over the bar, pillowing his hands under his cheek.
"Beer."
"Pass, what else?"
"Tequila," his grin grew wicked, "I could make ya a Sunrise? I'm sure those brothers of yours can handle things well enough on their own."
"Don't tempt me, but I'll take one without the tequila, please," amber eyes narrowed slightly above the smile, suspicious of his enemy turned friend.
Fuse shook his head, reaching for the minifridge to pull out the orange juice, "One of these days, you'll have to visit without the restrictions. Definitely before your lady pops and you're stuck in Dad land."
"Man, she's close," the worry etched on the blonde's face did little to hide the joy in his smile as he pushed himself back on the stool to sit up. "Scott already set a new rotation for Thunderbird 4 once the baby gets here."
That peaked his interest and Fuse paused mid-pour to quirk a brow at the aquanaut, "You'll be off rescues? For 'ow long?"
"Three months," Gordon's lips thinned as though relaying the information made it all the more real.
"What are ya gonna do for three months?" He went back to his task.
"Take care of my wife and our child, obviously," though he didn't seem convinced of that answer himself.
"Doesn't she have staff for that? Y'know, that old guy - what's 'is face," a cherry was skewered by the tiny umbrella, followed by another before being placed on the rim of the glass. He slid it towards his guest, watching the red and orange blend, dredging up old memories of an earthquake and the fateful trip back to base.
"Straw?" Amber eyes blinked at him with fained innocence.
"Ch - you're extra, you know that?" Fuse groused as he tossed a straw into the beverage.
"Yes, yes I do," a cheeky grin preceded a tentative sip. "Anyway, Parker says he's not allowed to take care of babies. Penny thinks he's just nervous, but I bet it has to do with his old job."
"Right," he shook his head, watching the iR operative wriggle his upper lip, clearly uncomfortable with the attachment that wasn't fooling anyone. "Well, you get bored, ya know where to find me. Next time, maybe bring a better disguise."
Gordon ran a finger over the mustache, "What? I thought I did a pretty good job with this thing."
"Yeah, but you still look like a damn Tracy," he chuckled at the sour expression, stepping over to the edge of the bar to grab a beach hat one of the drunk tourists had left. Returning, he jammed the straw hat over the unruly blonde waves, much to Gordon's annoyance.
"Great, now I'll have hat hair," but he didn't remove it. Like it or not, the aquanaut was trying to keep a low profile and any little bit helped.
And the main reason picked that exact moment to walk through the side entrance of the bar.
"Hey, Fuse?" Havoc took no notice of the figure that had frozen in place, too used to her brother having a patron or two in the off hours. She'd even sidled up next to him, leaning over the bar to grab a cherry from the open container, "Got any extra cash? I'm headin' into town."
Fuse's mind was screaming with alarms, his mouth dry as he tried to remember what his usual response would be. Act natural! Don't freak out! Just get her out of here, his inner voice tried to sound calm, but all he managed was a grunt before sticking the lid back over the garnishes.
"Right, sorry," she rolled her eyes as she chewed on the stem. "May I please have some money."
The roles had flipped and now he was in charge of their finances, but that wasn't important. He couldn't argue with his sister - not right now. Reaching under the counter, he pulled out the tip jar. It was full of different types of currency, all of which were accepted on their island. It just made life simpler.
"Thanks, bro," Havoc didn't hesitate to reach in and grab a handful, heading off with a grin that was meant to annoy.
Fuse didn't take his eyes off the doorway for a few seconds after she'd disappeared, wanting to be sure she was gone. Another second, just to be absolute - he turned back to regard the statue and knew in that instant they were both in trouble. Gordon was gone. Sure, he was still on the stool, stupid straw hat plastering his sandy blonde hair to his head, but the man himself was somewhere else. Fuse could assume it was a nightmare world created by his sister or, more likely, the Hood. The villain was still comatose, rotting in a GDF prison last he checked, but the damage had been done.
"Hey, Squid. You're safe, man," he reached out and placed a hand on the smaller figure's shoulder - a mistake.
Amber eyes went wide, muscles tensing as he sprang backwards and sent the stool clattering to the floor. Fuse wasn't certain why he was shocked by the reaction, but his brain seemed to catch up as he lifted his hands to try and calm his friend. He didn't need Gordon running off in a state of disorientation that could get him hurt - or draw attention to his establishment. It had taken longer than he would have liked to get it set up to begin with.
If Fuse had bet that the blonde would bolt the moment he took a step forward, he would've lost. If he'd been given a moment to really think, running had done little to improve Gordon's situation back at the Hood's base. Running wouldn't save him.
So it came as a shock when the aquanaut reached down and lifted the bar stool, tossing it forcefully at the ex-demolitions expert.
"Oi!" Fuse caught the chair before it could reach its intended target and went to place it on the ground when a blur of yellow and orange launched over the bar, a fist connecting with his jaw and sent them both stumbling back into the display of alcohol bottles. Fuse cursed as his arms wrapped around the smaller man, glancing over his shoulder to ensure his only source of income was safe. A few bottles jiggled in place and he felt safe enough to redirect his attention as a sandaled foot connected with his shin, "Och! Squid! Quit - it's me!"
Still, Gordon remained trapped in the images, growling as Fuse's arms tightened around his chest. One arm was free, however, and he desperately attempted to pry the appendages apart. Without hesitation, the larger man began dragging them around the bar, wanting to get as far away from anything breakable as he could. Gordon fought back, his elbow slamming into Fuse's gut to draw out his own growl of irritation.
"Ya need - to chill," the words only managed to make Gordon twist more, his legs knocking into chairs as Fuse walked them towards the exit. It wasn't anything new for the bar owner, accustomed to physically removing unruly patrons, but this time felt dire. He was rescuing Gordon - again - from a situation he'd been a part of. It brought with it his own tortured memories of being under the Hood's control - of attacking his friend. Of dying.
Their feet sank into the warm sand, sending them off balance and Fuse scrambled to maintain his hold on the blonde as they fell. What Gordon lacked in width, he gained in maneuverability, somersaulting back to his feet before turning to confront his "attacker".
"Dude!" The cry went unnoticed as Fuse found himself pinned by a knee on his chest, hands coming up to fend off another blow. The first bounced off his arm before the second found his chin, aggravating the earlier blow and sparking enough anger to send his own fist into the blonde.
Gordon fell to the side, propelled by the punch and Fuse throwing him off in his disorientation. The ex-demolitions expert felt a pang of regret as he took advantage of the moment, catching the terror in the bright amber, pupils blown wide. There was nothing for it, though. Fuse wasn't in the mood to get hit again and there were people watching.
The larger man had Gordon off the ground and swung over one shoulder before he could fight back and Fuse's gaze fell on the only option he could think of to wake his friend. He held tight to the flailing legs, ignoring the fists that slammed into his back. The sand grew firm the closer they got and as Fuse found his footing, he ran, letting the spray of a dwindling wave fuel his muscles. They didn't need to be too deep, another wave crashing into his shin.
"Time for a swim, Squid-boy," a grunt and Fuse flung his charge off his back and into the crystal blue water. The yelp that sounded from the aquanaut was short-lived as his head went under, arms pinwheeling to orient himself.
Fuse took a step back, watching the struggling subside before the blonde's head popped back up, eyes scanning his surroundings as saltwater dripped from his hair. Eventually, his gaze found the man who'd thrown him in, "Fuse? What-"
"You back with me?" He offered a hand to help his friend up.
Gordon took it, standing on unsteady legs as his other hand shoved his bangs back, his expression still holding some of the fear from before, "I - I was -"
"Oi," Fuse held up a hand to halt the explanation, "let's get outta the water before you get into that particular bit of hell."
Gordon didn't argue - or couldn't - letting strong hands lead him back to the beach where they both collapsed. They fell into a silence that allowed nerves to calm, breathing to steady and Fuse watched the shaking slow in the blonde's hands. He didn't push for the man to open up, content to sit and enjoy the island sun until it was time for the afternoon crowd. Gordon seemed to be feeling the same, eventually laying back with an arm hung over his eyes.
And then, quietly, "Sorry."
"Ch - nah, wasn't your fault," Fuse chuckled despite the situation. "You've got a mean right hook though." He rubbed his jaw for emphasis.
At that, Gordon shot up, his own hand finding the spot Fuse had returned the favor, "You hit me."
"Yeeeah, sorry about that," though part of him knew his friend could take it.
He turned, gesturing to the spot, "Does it look bad? I mean - do you think anyone'll notice?"
Quirking a brow, Fuse looked over the reddened area, noting the already forming bruise, "I'd suggest some good concealer, but it shouldn't leave anything permanent."
The news did nothing to improve Gordon's mood, his face falling into his hands as they perched on bent knees, "Scott's gonna kill me."
"What big brother doesn't know -"
"He's gonna notice this."
"Then come up with an excuse or tell 'im the truth. Doesn't matter to me," he shrugged as amber eyes appeared, glaring at his nonchalance.
Gordon deflated, resting his chin on his arms, "My family barely trusts you. I come home with this and we can kiss another meet-up goodbye."
He nodded, letting that sink in. It wasn't like their time together was all that often or even longer than an hour or two, but it was important. They shared a trauma that no one else would ever understand. Not Havoc. Not the Tracys - save their father. Especially not the guys he played cards with on a semi-regular basis. The thought of losing whatever this relationship was sent his gut twisting and he suddenly regretted his earlier actions. He could've handled anything the blonde managed to throw at him. This - this almost made him feel helpless.
A sigh from beside him drew Fuse from his own turmoil, "Got any makeup?"
He blinked, unsure if he'd heard correctly, "Seriously?"
"This isn't my first bruise after a fight - and what other choice do we have?" Gordon tried to smile, failing only because of the swelling at the corner of his mouth.
Fuse considered taking Havoc's since this was technically her fault, but how was he supposed to explain if she found out? He glanced back to the bar as Gordon began slowly getting to his feet, remembering a bag or two that hadn't been picked up from the lost and found. It was worth a shot, "C'mon. I might have something."
The trip back to the bar went without incident, but as they stepped into the sitting area, they stopped to view their path of destruction. It wasn't as bad as his mind initially told him, but it was still more than he remembered.
"I'll clean up," Gordon didn't give him a chance to argue, already picking up one of the chairs that had been knocked over. Watching the blonde, he wanted to tell him to sit, his skin too pale and movements sluggish. Fuse didn't, however, letting Gordon have some control over the situation.
The lost items had been stored behind the bar - not the safest place, but who was he to care what happened to things left behind? A few purses held lipstick or lip gloss, a few tubes of mascara, but nothing else of use. Eventually, he found a backpack he'd ignored, having assumed it belonged to a man, but after a quick dig through, he came back with a pack of bottles and creams that looked to be just what they needed. A chuckle at himself as a saying about judging books by their cover berated him as he turned to find the aquanaut.
To his surprise, the bar was back to normal, chairs in place and tables straightened. He found Gordon at one of the tables, head resting on his arms as he lay against it in a chair. Fuse deposited the makeup kit on the table and took a seat across from him, "S'all I could find."
Eyes appeared from the pillow of arms, fatigue evident, but a smile followed, "Thanks."
His own grin pulled at his lips, "Just noticed you lost the hideous caterpillar."
Gordon blinked before running a hand over his mouth, "Man, my disguise is ruined." But there was enough of his jovial tone to let Fuse know he didn't mind.
Dumping the contents of the pack on the table, Fuse watched his friend sift through it until he found what he wanted. A moment later and the bruising was concealed under a thick layer of fleshy paint and powder.
"You're way too good at that," Fuse mused once Gordon had finished.
"Used to get in lots of brawls back in the day," the smile widened. "School was not my friend apparently."
Fuse could sympathize with that, having delivered his fair share of hard knocks back at Dr Sable's Children's Home. He laughed, "You? Mr Sunshine and Rainbows?"
"Hey, I didn't say I started them - not all of them anyway," he slid the bag over to the larger man. "Someone had to stand up for the kids being bullied."
That made a lot more sense and Fuse tsked as he picked up the supplies, "And there's your problem. Gotta look out for yourself sometimes."
Gordon shook his head, "No can do. Kinda my job to look out for people." The smile didn't waver, the aquanaut content with his life choices.
An exasperated sigh, "Suit yourself." Scrubbing a hand over his face and wincing at the forgotten bruise he also wore, he glanced back to the wall of liquid, "Still want that drink?" Surprisingly, the cocktail still sat untouched by their altercation.
Gordon followed his line of sight, brow perking with the same bewilderment, "I think I'm good, thanks," and if he turned a slight shade of green, Fuse didn't let on.
"So, what's your plan now? Keep touchin' up and hope no one notices?" He wouldn't put it past the blonde.
"Or get Kayo to put in a good punch during training - ooh, or Alan. He'd get a kick outta getting the upper hand for once," a bit of color returned with the lift in his mood, Fuse unable to hold in his own amusement at the idea.
"There better be footage."
"Of course," a cheeky grin before he stood. "I should get back. Sorry I messed up our visit."
"Nah, we'll pin that on my sister," Fuse followed, leaning against the entryway as Gordon stepped out into the sand. "See ya round."
"Hopefully, soon," a salute and he was off, leaving the bar as empty as it had been a short time ago and suddenly, it felt more than just empty. Something was now missing that he hadn't known it needed.
Fuse shook it off, knowing that the memories were creating their own warped emotions, but he couldn't help wishing his friend could have stayed longer. Next time - because there would be a next time.
A smirk tugged at his mouth as he headed back to the bar, stopping as a flash of yellow caught his eye. Turning, he found a pair of sandals that had been forgotten in the chaos. How Gordon had left without them was beyond him, but it didn't matter. Fuse bent down and picked them up, heading back around the bar and depositing them behind the lost and found items. A trophy of sorts.
Gordon would be back for them one day - or the next couple minutes. One could only hope.