Uh Oh
Gupta had been awaiting the knock on his door all morning. After one o'clock however, he decided to get on with his life because never once had he known Heracles to be on time. So what if he said he was going to be there around ten?
Gupta was never certain whether to be annoyed or relieved whenever Heracles finally did show up. This time he decided just to be pleased, because it had been a few months since he had last seen the other and he supposed there could be plenty of other reasons that Heracles was late. Not that Heracles was likely to be on time, but considering who it was and the distance he had to travel to get here, it was a surprise that he had even arrived today at all.
"Hey."
Gupta hugged him, the lazy librarian returning the movement after a moment of processing. Gupta took one of his bags and led him inside.
Absolute silence.
That is a description of most of their conversations. It was all facial expression and body language, unless something more complex needed to be specified, then a limited amount of words would pass between them. Gupta liked it very much, they wasted less time confusing each other with words which could be misinterpreted or used unwisely. Expressions were always so much more honest and they often could read each other like books.
The metaphor is only a pun if you let it.
Heracles lounged on his couch as Gupta set the other's things down in his guest room and returned in a few moments with tea. Slowly Heracles reached for the cup. This is the conversation that took place:
'How have you been?'
'The city has been too fast. You?'
'Fine.' "Kiku?"
Shrug. 'I'll see him later.'
Gupta smiled.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Blinking a few times, wondering who would possibly be showing up right now, Gupta rose to his feet and headed to the door. He knew who it was before he opened the door. If possible, he could see the hairs on the back of Heracles' neck begin to rise.
"Hello, Gupta!"
Sadiq walked right in before Gupta could stop him. Usually he did not mind, so he could not blame Sadiq's bluntness. Usually he let Sadiq stay here, because Elizaveta's ban on him from her inn. Usually it would be okay.
Just not now.
"You!" Heracles rose to his feet, fists clenched.
"What are you doin' here?" Sadiq responded, dropping his bags and folding his arms across his chest.
"Gupta invited me. I didn't just show up where no one wants me!"
"You kiddin'? You do everything where no one wants you, because no one wants you!"
They were both his friends, certainly. And they usually were both sensible. Except for around each other. Gupta opened his mouth to try and calm them down.
"Stupid. Then I wouldn't have been invited."
"Aren't your cats gonna die without you?"
"You sure you can even stand here? Maybe your allergies will start up. There are cats in the world."
"Horrid beasts. Loose your job? It's probably the only time you can take a vacation."
"I'm doing fine, no thanks to you!"
"Ungrateful– You wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for me!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Gupta knew he should tell Sadiq to leave, but the man did not have another place to stay. Then he should suggest to Heracles to stay with Kiku, but Gupta had been looking forward to this visit for a while.
Without the heart to tell either to leave, Gupta pulled them both apart and into separate rooms. Now he was going to have to sleep on the couch. Just to make certain the two were not escaping their rooms in the middle of the night to attack each other, of course.
Gupta looked at Heracles sadly, but the other man was too angry to notice.
Gupta sighed.
Notes:
Sadiq is allergic to cats. One of the many reasons that Heracles likes them so much.
