He stretched out across the couch with a soft groan, burying his face against a couch cushion as he let the tv drone on in the background. Eddie didn't really care what was on by this point. His feet were killing him and his back hurt from hauling in the newest shipment. Of course Oz would over order stock on the newest hit band. He knew it was a money maker and was going to get what he could out of it.
It just meant his employees had to work harder to bring in the stock and make sure customers saw the new CD's. Motor Forge was going to get rid of all of those CD's somehow. The thought of those damned CDs just made the roadie grumble. He never wanted to see DeathSwingers CD cover ever again. April was the month of too many DeathSwinger CD's.
He only shifted where he lay when he felt his phone buzz. Excitement rolled through the roadie as he pawed at his pocket, wondering if it was Sasha. Disappointment settled in just as quickly when he realized it was just his phone telling him he got a text from Kage. He dropped his phone lazily on the couch not bothering to read the text at all.
Eddie grumbled, closing his eyes and mulling over why he was so disappointed. 'Getting a text from Kage ain't that bad, damn. Sides Sasha's got shit to do, settle back in.. catch up with Milla, hang out with other people.' He squished his cheek further into the pillow. '…I hope Sasha does text me soon though. I miss him' As the thought sunk in, Eddie jerked up slightly, eyes widening.
"Christ- don't tell me. Fuck-" He covered his face with his hands. "Don't tell me I have the fucking hots for Sasha Nein-?" He slumped back into the couch. The thought making his mind spin. "He's not even my type either, shit."
Eddie wasn't… opposed to the idea, Sasha was attractive and had a great sense of humor. His smile did things to Eddie that he wasn't quite sure how to describe. "Why do I always fall for the most straight guys on the fuckin' planet?" He groaned aloud, rolling over and off of the couch.
####
"Okay- what the hell is goin' on here?!" Eddie's voice cut through the murmuring of the crowd, quieting them as he pushed forward. He resting a hand on his hip as he scowled tightly back at the gangly plaid wearing teenager standing in the middle of the crowd. He clutching several records to his chest, his glasses sliding forward slightly as he blinked back at Eddie.
"He was trying to take those records without paying!" A regular customer cut in, others chimed in with the same sort of sentiment. Eddie glad for the honesty as he moved forward, "Okay, kid. Drop the records, you hear?"
The acne covered teenager twitched. The best Eddie could figure was the teenager was a little high strung. "No."
"No?" Eddie just raised a brow at that, "Want to elaborate on that, skippy?"
The teenager breathed heavily, simply clinging to the records as a few regulars very slowly and calmly moved to block his path to the doorway. Not that teenaged boy noticed, his wide eyes were focused on Eddie. He just staring blankly before anger rose to the surface. "They're mine, now. Mine,"
"Unless you paid 50 bucks for all that shit, no, no it ain't," Eddie could hear a co-worker calling the police in the background. Mangus nervously trying to stay out of the way whilst ushering people out of the back entrance for their safety. It was a little paranoid, but Eddie couldn't exactly tell Mangus to chill right now.
"No one can bully me again, never- ever." He hissed at the roadie, his loose limbed body language snapping into something tense as he pressed a hand to his forehead. Sweaty fingers pressing down hard enough to leave a indent on his skin. "I'm a psychic, no one can ever give me shit again!"
His words earned a stare from Eddie, the roadie wrinkling his nose disapprovingly. "Right, sure. I am not bullyin' you, kid. I'm tellin' you to put the records down. They belong to The Motor Forge until you pay for them."
"No, no! They're MINE!" The teenager screamed back at Eddie, swinging his arm out limply. Eddie was about to comment on the teenager missing him- only to be distracted by the sudden ringing of yelps from behind him. "what-" He whipped around, surprise written across his features at the sight of several people having somehow been bowled over.
What silence had come with Eddie's arrival was cut off by panic. People started running off, others merely backing off in shock or scrambling to their feet.
"What the fuck!?" Eddie shifted his attention fully to the crowd, trying to sooth them. He knew if panic kicked in, any attempt to contain the situation would go to shit. "Guys, calm the fuck down-" His words were cut off mid sentence as he was yanked upwards into the air before flying forward into a rack of CD's.
The cases clattered across the floor in a shower of broken plastic shards. "Jesus fuckin' christ." Eddie groaned, curling into himself in shock. He barely started to sit up before he found himself in the air again, the teenager's gaze burrowing into him as the roadie was tossed into another display. The cardboard display crumpled from Eddie's weight. His back slamming into a metal wiring that had been set up behind the cardboard one. The force hard enough that Eddie already knew he was going to be feeling this tomorrow.
"Fuck-" Eddie struggled to get up, he slipping on a CD and managing to stumble into one of the counters. Clutching at the corner of it as braver regulars moved in to try and wrangle the teenager. They weren't sure what was going on, but they were going to help.
The teenager shrieked angrily at his attackers, he flexing his powers and sending a few others bumbling back into one another alongside knocking over tables alongside displays. "Fuck- try to pin him down keep him from doin' what he's doin'!" The roadie ordered as he moved to join the crowd corralling the teenager. That only causing the lanky teenager to freak out further, he sending a woman toppling into the main counter of the store. A man soon being thrown into a table full of boxed records, sending the man and boxes sliding back across the smooth floor. Something hit a window, Eddie wasn't really sure what it was, but the glass shattering and people being tossed around did little to help the ensuing panic. The chaos making Magus's job of herding people to safety so much harder as people flooded the front entrance to get out. Eddie had to curse, a knot forming in his stomach as he grabbed the kid by the collar of his shirt, "You snot nosed brat-" His words getting the air knocked out of him by an unseen force, he losing his footing and nearly falling over again. The open space where he had been was filled up soon enough by someone fleeing.
A psychic fist reached out, glowing brightly in the room as it grabbed at people, eventually yanking Eddie up by the front of his shirt. The roadie gave a startled sound, he struggling against the glowing fingers. "I'm a brat, huh? Well- you're a big bully! That's what you are! I see you glaring at me all the time! I see you! I see you!" The redheaded teenager was babbling, anger filling his words as he shook Eddie like a rag doll. The roadie struggling to breath as the grip tightened. "The fuck-?" Eddie didn't even remember the kid, much less remember glaring at him. All he knew right now was his lungs were on fire.
"Bullies get their just desserts you know! They always do!" The hand shook Eddie roughly back. The roadie feeling dizzied and finding it hard to stay focused. The shaking ceased as quickly as it started, Eddie finding himself on his ass on the tiled floor. He blearily blinking as he clutched at his head, cursing disjointedly as his vision swam. "Holy fuck." He forced himself to look up, needing to know what had caused the sudden stop.
Surprise hit Eddie when he saw Sasha standing shop's door way, a terse frown settled on his features. "You've made a grave mistake, young man." With his words, another psychic hand flexed, glowing fingers tapping against the teenager's bony body.
The teenager wheezed a little, "Fuck you, you're the establishment, you're why they bully me-"
"Quiet." This was the angriest Eddie had ever actually seen Sasha, Mr. Calm and Collected wasn't quite so- cool anymore. "You are a child with no perspective of the world around you, bullied or not, you do not become the abuser when gifts are granted to you,"
"No, fuck you-" The teenager didn't get a chance to continue as he crumpled to the floor. Sasha calmly strode further into the store, standing next to the slumped over teenager. Eddie just managed to stare for a moment, dropping his gaze to try and re-center himself. All he could think about was how long it would take to clean up the store. 'Man I just cleaned that counter top, now there is glass everywhere.'
"Eddie?" Sasha's voice pulled him out of his stupor, the roadie blinking again as he looked up. "Yeah?"
"Are you injured?" Concern was clear, though the German man hid it as quickly as it appeared. Eddie felt appreciative about that at least, he trying to gauge how he felt. Ignoring the flush starting to creep its way across his face. "M'okay. Kinda bruised far as I could tell."
"When the paramedics get here, we can have them look you over."
The roadie grimaced, due to a mixture of his bruised ribs throbbing and the possibility of a hospital bill in his near future. His highest paying job of the moment was this record store and it was going to be out of commission for awhile. So the idea of going to the hospital wasn't quite something he wanted to deal with. "I'm probably fine, man. Might need to ice my side a little 'fore we go to lunch."
Sasha just stared at him disapprovingly for a moment, before shaking his head. "Eddie, I don't think that will be happening today. You were part of a crime scene, the police and Psychonauts will need to interview you."
"Can I just get drunk instead?"
Eddie couldn't fully tell if his question amused Sasha or irritated him, the most Sasha did was adjust his sunglasses and glance up as a woman in a suit walked in. She whistling at the damage inflicted on the store. "Damn, a class C. Late Bloomer, I see."
"A very late bloomer if anything." The German man quietly agreed. "Can you help contain the scene?"
She snapped a salute, a smile touching her lips. "Can do." Another one of those strange glowing hands appeared overhead to start closing the back entrance without the woman leaving her spot. She chatting with Sasha softly, it was quiet enough Eddie couldn't really decipher what they were saying. Some part of him wanted to know, another warned him he should just get up and act completely normal. Better not to think too deeply on the fact psychics somehow existed. First his weird boner for Sasha, now this.
"You okay, man?" Mangus's voice was almost a relief, Eddie having to smile a little at the pot bellied ex stage manager coming over to him. Mangus's presence was a comfort by this point, something nice after being shaken around like a doll. "Been better, kinda dizzy still."
"Explains why you're still on the floor," He offered Eddie his hand, the muscular man gladly taking it and getting up onto his feet. Mangus supporting his friend somewhat as they got out of the way of things. Eddie able to hear the distinct sound of camera's going off in the shop mixed with murmuring between the two psychics. The noise was soon joined by the shrill sound of a siren blaring down the block and getting louder as it approached.
"Shit, its the Po-Po," Kage hissed from his spot by the office, he clinging to the door frame nervously as Mangus and Eddie approached. Mangus offered some calming words in Kage's direction as he released Eddie onto a metal chair. "Calm down, Kage, nobody is gonna come here unless you kick up a fuss, ya know?"
"They'll smell all my lies and deceit!"
"Then get out, dude. You're gonna stress us out."
"Okay, okay, I'm going! I'll catch you guys on the flip side, this is way too crazy for me." Kage readily made his exit through the back entrance of the store. Leaving Eddie and Mangus to sit together by the office doorway as police swarmed the record store. "Oz is gonna be so frikkin pissed."
The roadie nodded back at that, "No shit, man. If Kage stuck around it'd be worse though."
"Yeah, the two of them aren't exactly buddy buddy," Mangus scratched his head a little in thought, brows furrowing as he flicked his gaze between the scene unfolding and Eddie.
"Especially when Kage smokes nearby." Kage usually didn't stick around in the record store for a reason, his tendency to smoke all day and come in reeking of it just made Oz lose his mind. Oz certainly wasn't a stranger to drugs, but he was clean as could be now that his wife issued an ultimatum over it. "It leads to some class A drama."
"Like this place needs any more of it, heh." The pot bellied man picked at his facial hair a little as he closed his eyes for a moment.
"You think Oz will be able to afford to fix this ole place up?"
That brought Mangus back to attention immediately. He paled a little at the thought of not having a job during the early year. "God, I hope so, otherwise we're out of jobs, Ed."
"Lets pretend shit will work out okay." The roadie intended on adding more to his statement until he saw a police officer headed their way. He resisting his urge to duck and run as the woman walked up to them. "Which one of you is Eddie Riggs?"
"That'd be me," The roadie volunteered, wobbly standing up to talk to the police officer. She giving a small nod back as she flipped open her notepad. "Can you tell me what happened today, Mr. Riggs?"
"Yeah, sure." He stretched a little trying to ignore the painful throb of his ribs as he recounted the tale of how a teenager lost his mind in the store. Eddie felt to tired for once to really put his all into telling the story. It all coming out very clinical. Not that the police officer seemed to mind, she nodded and 'Mmmh'd at appropriate points.
"Anything you would like to add, Mr. Riggs?"
"Uh, not really. Maybe call the kids parents? He sounds like he was havin' a rough time."
"Of course," She gave a smooth nod at his words, flipping the notebook closed as she eyed Mangus. "Can I speak to your other employees?"
"Oh- wow, I am not the owner, ma'am. I'm just the head manager. Oz is the owner of this join. He's in the office, ask him."
Mangus jerked his thumb in the direction of the office behind him as he spoke.
The woman blinked a little, she glancing over at the office door. Mangus stepped aside to let her walk inside the office, Eddie took that as his chance to flee as she walked inside. Eddie already knew this was going to get ugly, he didn't want to stick around and see it. Oz wasn't fond of the police. His spotty record certainly didn't make them very fond of him in return.
In his haste to escape the inevitable explosion, he nearly slammed into Sasha. Managing barely slow himself to a jerky stop. "Whoa- sorry, man."
Sasha shook his head, "It's fine, you seemed to be in a hurry."
"Yeah, I wanted to get out of the blast zone before Oz got all up on that police officer's grill."
The German man's brows went up at that, he spared a glance back in the direction Eddie had come from before looking back at the larger man. "I see, its best if we go then."
"To lunch?"
"To the ambulance waiting outside." Sasha corrected easily as Eddie pouted. The roadie really didn't want to have to deal with paramedics right now. Not when the thought of how much it could cost danced around in his head. "Dude, I'm okay. I don't need to see them."
"Eddie-"
He gently moved away from the shorter man, unawares of a loose CD on the floor where he was taking a step. "Like I said, Sasha I'm fine. Perfectly-" His words turned into a startled sound as he slipped, immediately falling and unable to get his traction back in time to catch himself.
Not that he met the floor, a pair of arms had snapped out and grabbed onto him, hauling Eddie half way back up onto his feet. Eddie blinked owlishly back as he gazed up at Sasha's face. The German man's sunglasses sat somewhat askew on his features, revealing his gray eyes. Eddie wasn't sure how he didn't notice those eyes sooner. The two men just looking at one another for a moment, Eddie feeling himself flush slightly. 'Why is my life a cliche gay romance novel this week?' Rattled through Eddie's head before his mouth began working again.
"Ah, uh." He breaking the moment with some awkward fumbling to say something. Sasha just went pink, tugging Eddie all the way up. The larger man gladly found his footing as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're, uh, stronger than you look, man."
"Thank you." Sasha seemed to look equally as red as Eddie was, it wasn't about to go away either. Even with all the awkward primping and adjusting of sunglasses.
"Can we please just skip the paramedics?"
"No."
"You suck."
"Mhmm." Sasha gently tugged the roadie back to the entrance of the record store. He waving down a paramedic with ease, "My friend here needs to be looked over."
"Certainly," The woman answered back, a polite smile present on her features. "Sir, please take a seat," She patting the back of them ambulance's steps, Eddie reluctantly took a seat. He wrinkling his nose a little as she asked a few probing questions. Eddie unhappily answering her as he stole a glance back at Sasha. The German man had been pulled away by a police officer.
The paramedic's voice cut through Eddie's distraction, he gazing back at her as she handed him an icepack to lightly press against his chest. "The good news Mr. Riggs is the fact your ribs are only bruised. As is everything else from what you've told me."
"Cool," He answered, "Not super bad at least."
"It doesn't mean you can start running around, you'll need to ice it when you get home." She gently chided back as she rattled off how to handle the bruised ribs. The roadie sighed a little as he listened to the woman.
Sasha freed himself from the police officers as he calmly walked back over, "How is he?"
"He's sustained bruised ribs and needs to stay off his feet for a few weeks." She answered in turn, as Eddie handed the ice pack back to her. He slowly rising from where he sat, able to not grimace as his chest continued to ache. The ice could only do so much at the moment. Sasha offered him a stern look, "I see, thank you."
She smiled somewhat as she nodded along with her words, "You're welcome, make sure he gets some rest." Sasha's lips quirked into a smile at that, "I will." Before motioning for Eddie to follow after him.
Sasha he gently rested his hand against Eddie's arm as they walked together through the slowly growing crowd on the sidewalk. Eddie's home not particularly far from the record store. "Bruised ribs certainly are something, Mr. Riggs,"
Eddie shrugged a little back. "Yeah, I guess, but they're not worth worryin' over."
"I would say they are- you need rest."
"What I need is lunch."
The german man squinted disapprovingly back at Eddie, gently squeezing his arm in disapproval. "What you need is common sense."
Eddie wasn't fully sure what to make of the squeeze, not particularly minding it as they walked up the familiar apartment complex. The sidewalk unsurprisingly empty since. "I got plenty of common sense, Sasha. I'm just really hungry."
"We'll order pizza and ice your chest."
The roadie paused, thinking of a rebuttal but letting it fall away as he nodded. "…You run a hard bargain, Mr. Nein."
"I know, I am the best for a reason,"
He dramatically shook his fist back at Sasha. "One day I'll remember that, man. One day." For once Eddie opted to use the shitty elevator in his building to get to his room, really not feeling up to trying to scale stairs, especially not when he had Sasha watchdogging him like this. The German man hovering closer than Eddie was used to. He wasn't really sure what to make of it. The closeness was…. nice. Eddie had no complaints about it honestly.
It was almost a relief when the two arrived at Eddie's apartment, the roadie unlocking his door and ambling inside. He awkwardly settled on the couch with a low pained grunt, lulling his head back against the arm of the couch. Eddie let his eye slip closed for a moment, breathing slowly in and out to try and distract himself before Sasha's words jerked him back to the present. "Here," He held out a plastic bag of ice wrapped crudely in a towel.
Eddie gladly reached up to take the ice pack, a smile rising on his features. "Thanks." He gently laying it over the most painful section on his chest as he gave a small sigh. Okay maybe Sasha was right about the whole staying still thing. The German man uncertainly hovered by the couch, clearly debating what to do next until Eddie spoke again. "I got the pizza menus tacked up on my fridge."
"Oh, right."
"Pick a pizza place, they all know me by now." He let his eyes droop shut for a moment, surprised at how tired he suddenly felt as he dozed off a little. Half listening to the one sided conversation Sasha was having with the pizza place. Eddie able to pick out a few words here and there, mostly focused on how nice the ice felt against the smattering of bruises across his chest. The coolness and the low baritone of Sasha's voice surprisingly comforting. He wouldn't mind hearing Sasha's voice more often.
The feeling of a warm hand touching his forehead was what woke the roadie up from the light drowse he had fallen into. It was odd to actually feel Sasha's skin, with the German man's tendency to wear gloves, Eddie had to admit he wasn't used to the feeling.
Sasha's knuckles gently pressed against Eddie's forehead, smoothing over the skin idly. Eddie blinked blearily upwards at the German, just earning an amused smile from Sasha. "I just ordered the pizza, they should be here soon."
"Awesome, my wallet is in my pocket-" He squirmed to try and grab it, only succeeding in aggravating his injury. Sasha gently grabbed him by the shoulder and trying to keep him still as he spoke sternly back.
"I can cover it, Eddie."
"Hey, no way-"
"Yes way, don't fight with me, Mr. Riggs."
He struggled to sit up so he could argue more comfortably with the psychic. The roadie frowning tightly back at the lankier man. "I can and will, you saved my ass today. I at least owe you a pizza-"
"You don't owe me anything, Eddie, it's fine."
"C'mon!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"No."
"Yes!"
Sasha sighed, clearly losing patience with the whole argument as he combed a hand through his dark green hair. Annoyance leading to him not really thinking his next words through clearly as he continued. "If you're so insistent on owing me something- then kiss me." Sasha went stiff when he realized what he said, backing of in embarrassment as he rambled. Clearly trying to cover his mistake with more words. "Eddie- I'm so sorry, that just came out of nowhere."
All Eddie could do was blink a little, surprised by the other man's words as he tilted his head a little back. Sasha wasn't as straight as Eddie had originally thought. "Kiss you? Is there somethin' you're not tellin' me?"
The psychic's mouth opened and closed, he clearly struggling to form anything coherent as he protectively held his hands against his chest. "No- yes, I, I'm not sure,"
"You know I ain't goin' to judge you, Sasha. Not exactly who I am."
Eddie's patience brought the honesty out of the German man. "I, am very attracted to you, I have been for awhile."
"Shit, seriously?"
"Yes." He paused, putting together his words, clearly attempting honesty, "I, didn't want to jeopardize our friendship over my attraction, so I kept my mouth shut."
"Well… damn." Eddie ran his hand through his hair in surprise, having never really expected Sasha to be even vaguely attracted to him. Apparently this wasn't a one way street after all.
Sasha by this point was a little pink behind the ears. "Indeed."
Eddie could only uncertainly shift the ice on his chest as Sasha stared at him. An awkward silence falling between them, Sasha seemed to be contemplating fleeing by this point if his wild eyed expression was anything to go off of. Eddie knew he had to do something otherwise he would more than likely never see Sasha again, the German man was a skittish guy if anything. Super powerful psychic dude or not, he didn't deal with interpersonal relationships well apparently.
"Well, c'mere."
The German man paused, awkwardly staring at Eddie for a moment. "What?"
"Come here and let me kiss you."
Sasha stared at him blankly for a moment, as if Eddie had somehow grown another head in the past few seconds. "…You must be joking."
The black haired man just gave Sasha a disapproving look. Vaguely annoyed Sasha wasn't taking him seriously. "I'd prove to you how serious I am, but I'm a little injured here, so get over here."
"…Right," He stiffly walked forward, coming to a stop in front the couch. His stiffness only fading away when Eddie pushed himself to sit up again, worry lining the German man's features in a way that made Eddie chuckle. "Even when you're feelin' all weird, you're still worryin' bout me?" He teased lowly back.
"You're injured."
Eddie waved his hand idly back, reaching out to lightly tug Sasha over. The German man didn't need much urging to go along with what Eddie was directing him to do. The two meeting lips after a moment of hesitation. Eddie lightly reaching a hand up to cup Sasha's cheek as they shared a rather chaste kiss. Eddie brushing his thumb along the fuzzy uneven line of Sasha's sideburn as he pulled away.
"Is that enough for you, hero? Or does savin' my ass require a little more?" He grinned back at Sasha's embarrassed sputtering, the German man offer Eddie a punch to the shoulder. "You're terrible."
"Just me in general or my kissin', I gotta know so I can work on my technique you know."
The German man simply went red, crossing and uncrossing his arms over his chest. Unsure of what to really do with himself. "You're kissing was… very good."
He playfully fist pumped at that, "Awww yeah, fuckin' nailed it," Sasha just frowned back, starting to feel a little hurt at Eddie's reaction to this. "Is this a joke to you?"
"What- no! I'm just teasin' you, christ, Sasha." He immediately made the hand motion of surrender at the severe frown on Sasha's features. "I honestly didn't think you could be attracted to me, man. You had Milla and had the 'I am so straight' guy card out. I was kind of disappointed since you're really cute." The frown died on Sasha's lips at the compliment, though he still looked incredibly conflicted at this whole conversation. It was enough to make Eddie continue his line of thought, "Like, shit, man. I wouldn't mind goin' out with you, you're damn cute and funny. Truth be told I was kinda- into you for awhile anyway."
"Really-?" Sasha's eyes widened at that, biting at his bottom lip before speaking again. "Going out… as in a date?"
"Yeah, a date. One of those things two people mutually attracted to one another do." Eddie gave a small oof as Sasha gently jabbed him in the shoulder for being a smart ass. Eddie knew he deserved that, but it didn't stop his grin from blossoming across his features. "Ey, just sayin'."
"That was terrible."
"Yeah, yeah, so, how about it, a date?"
"Yes, I would like that, a lot."
"Good." Eddie shifted a little to kiss Sasha again, his attention just making the German man turn red in response. "Cause I would too."
"I would require- more kissing before hand." Sasha stated after a quiet lull between then, his gaze moving across Eddie's features. "If you feel up to it."
"Course I would. You'll just have to be careful about my ribs, other than that, I'm all yours, hero." Sasha just snorted at Eddie's words, rolling his eyes slightly as he moved to more comfortably sit down next to the larger man on the couch. Cautiously reaching out to brush his fingers along Eddie's cheek. He shifted himself closer, gently pressing their lips together again. The larger man gladly let Sasha set the pace. Sasha was clearly a little leery when it came to kissing, so the roadie wasn't about to rush it.