The Thief and the Commander : 11
Jan. 13th, 2001 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
manicdakChapter 11: A Token
"Beatriu's going to kill me," Robin muttered as he stumbled into his trousers.
"If she's going to kill you, imagine what she's going to do to me," Ehren said from his vantage point on the bed. He was closely examining his boots for the proper amount of sheen having already gotten dressed.
"No, you don't understand." Robin chuckled as he inspected himself in his mirror. "She's just about my only friend in the world. She'll be harder on me."
Robin watched Ehren approach him from the reflective surface. He stood next to Robin at his right hand and frowned at the mirror.
"Is that so?" He said.
Robin looked away to his left and sighed. "You and I?"
"That's fine," Ehren muttered. "I don't expect for you to call me a friend. We hardly know each other after all. I shouldn't expect it."
"Ehren..."
"I said that's fine," he grumbled a reply. "We aren't in a relationship. We're a string of unfortunate circumstances. I know that."
"I'm an unfortunate circumstance?" Robin arched an eyebrow at him, but Ehren was looking down at his own boots.
"You know what I mean," he said. "And it is what it is."
"I don't have time for your strange Earthian idioms right now," Robin said. "I didn't mean it."
"Didn't mean what?"
"Nevermind," Robin muttered. "Just...I...don't know. I think I'd like to get to know you."
"Okay," Ehren said.
"So what now?"
"Well..." Ehren proceeded with caution as he spoke. "First of all, let's stop sucking on my ear in public."
"But you get off on it!" Robin grinned mischievously and laughed as Ehren tried to cuff him but missed.
"C'mon," Ehren whined. "Where will that leave us if we both get fired?"
"Free to date?" Robin guessed.
"No." Ehren shut down that argument quickly. "I will be a detective. Even if it kills me."
The teasing smile abruptly fled Robin's face, and he glanced quickly at the photograph that Ehren had given him in the mess hall. He had hastily taped it to the mirror when they'd arrived at the room, and his glance didn't go without notice.
"That's your father isn't it?" Ehren said softly.
"Uh-huh," Robin replied. "It might kill you. It has a history of happening to my family."
"Well, I'm not your family, am I?" Ehren said.
"I suppose not," Robin said.
"So don't worry about it, old man. I'll be outliving you!" Ehren replied with a smile. He gave Robin a pat on the back and stood on his tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek before departing.
****
Beatriu stood in the middle of the room eying Robin's squadron. At least it was Robin's squadron in theory. As far as she could tell the Commander was nowhere to be seen, and when he finally did appear more than forty minutes late for his shift, he was followed suspiciously closely by his fellow truant, Ensign Ehrenfried Beherendt.
Something had happened between them on Utopia, and it hadn't escaped her notice. She hadn't acquired her position in the organization for being unobservant. Though, she was sure it wouldn't have escaped her either way. In the short time she had been with the squadron she had noticed that Ehren was more or less Robin's right hand man. Robin had even put him up for a promotion. Once they had returned, Robin actively had gone out of his way to completely ignore him to the point where Beatriu was no longer a mere observer, but rather, a go between to relay instructions back and forth.
She wouldn't have abided by such a thing had Robin not been one of her oldest and closest friends. Still, it was suspicious, and his being late gave her a reason to call him on it.
He was sitting in his office the next afternoon, shuffling through paperwork and humming to himself when she entered and sat across from him.
"Are you having sex with him?" She said without hesitation or pause.
"That would be a trick," Robin said without bothering to look up from what he was doing. "With Feliu under heavy guard on another planet, and the fact that I fucking hate him more than you could ever know right now..."
He frowned at the papers on his desk then clenched them in his fists as he tried to control the rage that welled up inside him just by mentioning Feliu's name. Things had been going well. Being with Ehren had certainly dulled the pain into an numb spot in the back of his brain, but saying it out loud seemed to open the wounds fresh like a knife to the gut. He bit the inside of his lip to stop the scream that was trying to claw its way suddenly out of his throat.
"Well, I hadn't thought of that. Funny that he's the first thing your brain jumped to," Beatriu said with a shrug. "You know I mean Behrendt. What the hell are you thinking Robin? He's just a kid!"
Robin's scowl deepened.
"Trust me. He is a fully formed adult," Robin said.
"So you are sleeping with him?" She settled back in her seat with her hands folded in front of her and a smirk on her face.
"The burden of proof is yours," Robin replied.
"Oh, please," she scoffed. "All I'd have to do is camp out in front your bunk for five minutes and I'd catch one of you coming or going."
"Official I-GAS business," Robin replied. "Please, Beatriu. Let it go."
"Do you know how much trouble we both could get in if I do that?" She said.
"Of course," Robin replied. "But like I said...prove it. There's nothing going on between Behrendt and I."
"Oh, come on!" She rolled her eyes. "You are aware that I'm not stupid, and I know when you're lying, right?"
He shrugged.
Beatriu let out a frustrated and strangled yell as she jumped up, the chair kicking out behind her and startling Robin into finally looking up at her with his mouth slightly ajar.
"Are you actively trying to torpedo your career?" she asked. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"My career?" Robin laughed. "That's been over for a while now... That's not an admission of guilt by the way."
Beatriu rolled her eyes then threw herself back down in the chair.
"What am I supposed to do here, Robin? You put me in a terrible position. If nothing's going on, and frankly that's a big 'if', then please explain to me how you can ignore him one week then the next he's your right hand. What is that about?"
"Look, Behrendt and I have had our differences," Robin said. "He's curious and eager to prove himself though, and he's smart. He offers valuable assets, and I will consult him if I see the need. He is the second highest ranking person in this squadron. You don't count. Why are you still here anyway? Shouldn't this probationary period have expired by now?"
Beatriu frowned at him.
"Sorry, Grey. Unfortunately you're stuck with me indefinitely. Especially after that report Behrendt turned in," she said.
Robin's sour frown remained even though he couldn't really bring himself to be angry with Ehren for reporting on his meeting with Feliu. It was an inevitability, and Ehren couldn't be blamed for doing his job.
"How bad was it?" He muttered.
"Oh, you should probably send him a basket of plears. He sneaked in a small mention of you having a little visit with a murderous criminal couched in the most complimentary terms humanly possible," she said. "It wasn't enough to keep IDS from breathing down your neck, but his big glowing words dazzled them enough to keep you from getting fired outright. He really escorted you on this trip to the detention facility?"
"Oh..." Robin scratched at the back of his neck and chuckled to himself. "Yes, he was definitely there. Feel free to investigate."
"You are such a liar," she muttered.
"He was there," Robin said. "He was annoyingly clingy almost the entire time. Thank you for that, by the way."
"Ok," she said cautiously.
"Is that all?" He said.
"For now." She stood up from her seat and made her way to the door. "I'm keeping an eye on you, Robin."
***
Ehren didn't relish the thought of Beatriu knowing what was going on. Despite Robin's reassurances that they were safe from the prying eyes of IDS in their downtime, he couldn't help but be nervous.
Even though he'd told Robin that he wouldn't have minded going back to Earth should he be dismissed, he preferred to keep his post at I-GAS. He knew he hadn't been the model of good behavior, and they had every reason to dismiss him should they find out that he was having an affair with Commander Grey, but when he was lying in a tired, sweaty heap on Robin's bunk watching him breath as he slept, he couldn't bring himself to break it off. He didn't want to. In those quiet moments not even the threat of impending dismissal could ruin his good mood. There was only one thing that could put a damper on it, and it stared him in the face every time they were together.
"Robin?" He timidly asked one night as he sprawled out atop the commander.
"Are we going to keep doing this?" he asked quietly. He rested his head upon Robin's chest. It wasn't the possibility of dismissal that cast doubt in his mind about his actions. No; it was the shining piece of diamond and metal that rested on a chain around Robin's neck at all times.
"I hope so," Robin said. He was completely unaware of the root of Ehren's discomfit and kissed him softly on the forehead in an attempt at a gesture of reassurance.
"Can you do me a favor then?" Ehren asked.
Robin grunted a reply.
"Will you please not wear this?" He reached out and tugged lightly at the ring.
"It's just a ring," Robin muttered.
"Yeah, that your murdering fucking ex stole for you," Ehren grumbled in return. "Why do you even still have that?"
"None of your damn business," Robin said. He unceremoniously shoved Ehren off him and stood from the bed.
"I get it," Ehren said. "I guess I don't have a right to know."
"Ehren..." Robin glanced back at him where he was sitting on the bed with a sad look on his face.
"This is fun for you isn't it?" He said. "I'm just a distraction aren't I?"
"What else do you want?" Robin muttered. "You don't love me. I don't love you. Who cares?"
Ehren smiled ruefully up at him.
"I see. I guess I'll be going then," he said.
"No! Wait!" Robin held out a hand to stop the impending departure. He reached behind him and unclasped the chain from his neck.
"There. Happy now?" He muttered.
"Kind of."
"Kind of?"
"I don't think you mean it," Ehren said with a sigh. "I'm going to my room now, Sir."
"Suit yourself, Ehren," he said. "It's too late and I'm too tired to deal with you and your incessant talking about expectations."
"It's Ehrenfried, Sir. I don't have any expectations," Ehren said as he began to put his clothes back on. "It just kind of throws me. That thing." He gestured towards the ring that was still clenched in Robin's hand.
"It's just a ring," Robin repeated.
"Well," Ehren said carefully. "On Earth, those kind of tokens carry weight. You know?"
Robin shook his head even though he knew very well what Ehren was driving at.
"What do you mean?" He said instead.
"Look," Ehren said shortly. "I'm absolutely not going to ask you, because I already know the answer, and I don't want to hear it. Let's just be men and not talk about it right now."
"No, no. I want to hear this. What is it that you supposedly know?" Robin said as he rolled his eyes.
Ehren frowned to himself and placed his hand near the door sensor so that he could make a quick exit once he said his piece.
"You still love him," he said. "You stand there believing this man killed your mother, and you still love him. Seriously, Sir. Get some help, because that is really fucked up."
He waved his hand quickly over the motion sensor and darted out of the door before Robin could reply. This time there was no goodbye kiss.
****
It was another dismal day on Tarain. Robin sat in his office with the door locked. Beatriu hadn't been pleased with him and had threatened to beat the door down but was eventually spirited away by Seth and Axel. Robin knew they were only a temporary distraction, and she would be back at any moment.
He took the time to stare at the ring that he had taken to keeping in the pocket of his trousers instead of around his neck. It had been a few days since Ehren had walked out on him, but they were more or less back to where they had started. It couldn't be said that they had made up completely, though. Practically no words regarding the ring had passed between them after Robin had showed up at Ehren's door a few hours later on the same night that they had argued.
That night had seen the ring remain behind on Robin's dresser, and Ehren had seemed to take it at face value even though Robin could tell by looking in his eyes that he didn't believe it. He was tentative and suspicious, but he'd let Robin enter and they had fallen into bed as easily as ever.
Still, Robin could tell that there was a lingering doubt in Ehren's eyes whenever he looked upon him. It made him feel guilty, for it was not without reason. What Ehren had said that night about the ring was true. It was a token that meant something, and Robin just couldn't let it go.
Letting it go meant that Feliu was not the man he thought he knew. He wasn't the flawed but kind soul that he had met on the streets of the Golden Utopia as a child. He wasn't the person who saved up every scrap of spare time that he had to spend with Robin. He wasn't the man that Robin had fallen in love with.
No, despite the fact that he had proclaimed his own belief in Feliu's guilt, he still couldn't believe it, nor did he want to. The greatest love of his life just couldn't be a lie. He'd never had anybody else until Ehren had showed up in squad room, and Ehren seemed to do nothing more than further cloud his feelings. It had been simple before. He'd had Feliu, and he'd loved him. It was black and white and easy to process without words. Ehren's entire life revolved around words, and he was complicated.
"It's just a stupid ring," he said to himself even though he knew it was more than that. He picked it up and placed it back around his neck for what he thought was the final time.
"I guess this is goodbye," he murmured. He placed his hand over the ring momentarily then moved to unclasp the chain but was interrupted by Beatriu banging on his door.
"You better open up this door, Grey. So help me!" She yelled through the barrier.
He grumbled to himself and hastily stuffed the ring under his shirt before he jumped from his desk and unlocked the door to reveal an irate looking Beatriu.
"Why is this door locked?" She asked.
"What does it matter?" He grinned at her. "What despicable things could I possibly be getting up to in the past five minutes?"
"You?" She snorted laughter at him. "My clipboard is in there. If we're going to be sharing an office you need to not be locking me out of it."
"Fine, fine," he said. "You have a point. Be my guest." He stepped aside and gestured towards the opening.
"Thank you, Sir," she said as she marched past him leaving him chuckling in her wake.
When he looked up he found that his eyes wandered involuntarily towards Ehren. He was distracted from his previous thoughts as he watched him work. He couldn't help but wonder what he would look like bent over that desk he sat at every day.
He left his post by the door and wandered up to Ehren's desk. Ehren looked up from his paperwork as he sensed Robin there and the look of distrust was still present in his eyes. Robin felt guilty for a moment then shoved his feelings aside.
"I'm going to need you to stay late and work on the Yarzfeld database tonight," he said as he sat on the corner of the desk and surveyed the area.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ehren yelped out his dismay.
Robin frowned at him.
"Do I have to remind you that these are working hours, Recruit?" He said.
“Sorry," Ehren muttered. "Are you fucking kidding me...Sir?"
"Stop it," Robin hissed. "Someone is going to hear you. I promise it will be worth it."
"I don't know if I really like the sound of that, Sir," he said as he glanced around the room hoping that nobody else had noticed them.
"You will," Robin said as he rapped on the desk and stood up. "Trust me."
Previous || Next
"Beatriu's going to kill me," Robin muttered as he stumbled into his trousers.
"If she's going to kill you, imagine what she's going to do to me," Ehren said from his vantage point on the bed. He was closely examining his boots for the proper amount of sheen having already gotten dressed.
"No, you don't understand." Robin chuckled as he inspected himself in his mirror. "She's just about my only friend in the world. She'll be harder on me."
Robin watched Ehren approach him from the reflective surface. He stood next to Robin at his right hand and frowned at the mirror.
"Is that so?" He said.
Robin looked away to his left and sighed. "You and I?"
"That's fine," Ehren muttered. "I don't expect for you to call me a friend. We hardly know each other after all. I shouldn't expect it."
"Ehren..."
"I said that's fine," he grumbled a reply. "We aren't in a relationship. We're a string of unfortunate circumstances. I know that."
"I'm an unfortunate circumstance?" Robin arched an eyebrow at him, but Ehren was looking down at his own boots.
"You know what I mean," he said. "And it is what it is."
"I don't have time for your strange Earthian idioms right now," Robin said. "I didn't mean it."
"Didn't mean what?"
"Nevermind," Robin muttered. "Just...I...don't know. I think I'd like to get to know you."
"Okay," Ehren said.
"So what now?"
"Well..." Ehren proceeded with caution as he spoke. "First of all, let's stop sucking on my ear in public."
"But you get off on it!" Robin grinned mischievously and laughed as Ehren tried to cuff him but missed.
"C'mon," Ehren whined. "Where will that leave us if we both get fired?"
"Free to date?" Robin guessed.
"No." Ehren shut down that argument quickly. "I will be a detective. Even if it kills me."
The teasing smile abruptly fled Robin's face, and he glanced quickly at the photograph that Ehren had given him in the mess hall. He had hastily taped it to the mirror when they'd arrived at the room, and his glance didn't go without notice.
"That's your father isn't it?" Ehren said softly.
"Uh-huh," Robin replied. "It might kill you. It has a history of happening to my family."
"Well, I'm not your family, am I?" Ehren said.
"I suppose not," Robin said.
"So don't worry about it, old man. I'll be outliving you!" Ehren replied with a smile. He gave Robin a pat on the back and stood on his tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek before departing.
****
Beatriu stood in the middle of the room eying Robin's squadron. At least it was Robin's squadron in theory. As far as she could tell the Commander was nowhere to be seen, and when he finally did appear more than forty minutes late for his shift, he was followed suspiciously closely by his fellow truant, Ensign Ehrenfried Beherendt.
Something had happened between them on Utopia, and it hadn't escaped her notice. She hadn't acquired her position in the organization for being unobservant. Though, she was sure it wouldn't have escaped her either way. In the short time she had been with the squadron she had noticed that Ehren was more or less Robin's right hand man. Robin had even put him up for a promotion. Once they had returned, Robin actively had gone out of his way to completely ignore him to the point where Beatriu was no longer a mere observer, but rather, a go between to relay instructions back and forth.
She wouldn't have abided by such a thing had Robin not been one of her oldest and closest friends. Still, it was suspicious, and his being late gave her a reason to call him on it.
He was sitting in his office the next afternoon, shuffling through paperwork and humming to himself when she entered and sat across from him.
"Are you having sex with him?" She said without hesitation or pause.
"That would be a trick," Robin said without bothering to look up from what he was doing. "With Feliu under heavy guard on another planet, and the fact that I fucking hate him more than you could ever know right now..."
He frowned at the papers on his desk then clenched them in his fists as he tried to control the rage that welled up inside him just by mentioning Feliu's name. Things had been going well. Being with Ehren had certainly dulled the pain into an numb spot in the back of his brain, but saying it out loud seemed to open the wounds fresh like a knife to the gut. He bit the inside of his lip to stop the scream that was trying to claw its way suddenly out of his throat.
"Well, I hadn't thought of that. Funny that he's the first thing your brain jumped to," Beatriu said with a shrug. "You know I mean Behrendt. What the hell are you thinking Robin? He's just a kid!"
Robin's scowl deepened.
"Trust me. He is a fully formed adult," Robin said.
"So you are sleeping with him?" She settled back in her seat with her hands folded in front of her and a smirk on her face.
"The burden of proof is yours," Robin replied.
"Oh, please," she scoffed. "All I'd have to do is camp out in front your bunk for five minutes and I'd catch one of you coming or going."
"Official I-GAS business," Robin replied. "Please, Beatriu. Let it go."
"Do you know how much trouble we both could get in if I do that?" She said.
"Of course," Robin replied. "But like I said...prove it. There's nothing going on between Behrendt and I."
"Oh, come on!" She rolled her eyes. "You are aware that I'm not stupid, and I know when you're lying, right?"
He shrugged.
Beatriu let out a frustrated and strangled yell as she jumped up, the chair kicking out behind her and startling Robin into finally looking up at her with his mouth slightly ajar.
"Are you actively trying to torpedo your career?" she asked. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"My career?" Robin laughed. "That's been over for a while now... That's not an admission of guilt by the way."
Beatriu rolled her eyes then threw herself back down in the chair.
"What am I supposed to do here, Robin? You put me in a terrible position. If nothing's going on, and frankly that's a big 'if', then please explain to me how you can ignore him one week then the next he's your right hand. What is that about?"
"Look, Behrendt and I have had our differences," Robin said. "He's curious and eager to prove himself though, and he's smart. He offers valuable assets, and I will consult him if I see the need. He is the second highest ranking person in this squadron. You don't count. Why are you still here anyway? Shouldn't this probationary period have expired by now?"
Beatriu frowned at him.
"Sorry, Grey. Unfortunately you're stuck with me indefinitely. Especially after that report Behrendt turned in," she said.
Robin's sour frown remained even though he couldn't really bring himself to be angry with Ehren for reporting on his meeting with Feliu. It was an inevitability, and Ehren couldn't be blamed for doing his job.
"How bad was it?" He muttered.
"Oh, you should probably send him a basket of plears. He sneaked in a small mention of you having a little visit with a murderous criminal couched in the most complimentary terms humanly possible," she said. "It wasn't enough to keep IDS from breathing down your neck, but his big glowing words dazzled them enough to keep you from getting fired outright. He really escorted you on this trip to the detention facility?"
"Oh..." Robin scratched at the back of his neck and chuckled to himself. "Yes, he was definitely there. Feel free to investigate."
"You are such a liar," she muttered.
"He was there," Robin said. "He was annoyingly clingy almost the entire time. Thank you for that, by the way."
"Ok," she said cautiously.
"Is that all?" He said.
"For now." She stood up from her seat and made her way to the door. "I'm keeping an eye on you, Robin."
***
Ehren didn't relish the thought of Beatriu knowing what was going on. Despite Robin's reassurances that they were safe from the prying eyes of IDS in their downtime, he couldn't help but be nervous.
Even though he'd told Robin that he wouldn't have minded going back to Earth should he be dismissed, he preferred to keep his post at I-GAS. He knew he hadn't been the model of good behavior, and they had every reason to dismiss him should they find out that he was having an affair with Commander Grey, but when he was lying in a tired, sweaty heap on Robin's bunk watching him breath as he slept, he couldn't bring himself to break it off. He didn't want to. In those quiet moments not even the threat of impending dismissal could ruin his good mood. There was only one thing that could put a damper on it, and it stared him in the face every time they were together.
"Robin?" He timidly asked one night as he sprawled out atop the commander.
"Are we going to keep doing this?" he asked quietly. He rested his head upon Robin's chest. It wasn't the possibility of dismissal that cast doubt in his mind about his actions. No; it was the shining piece of diamond and metal that rested on a chain around Robin's neck at all times.
"I hope so," Robin said. He was completely unaware of the root of Ehren's discomfit and kissed him softly on the forehead in an attempt at a gesture of reassurance.
"Can you do me a favor then?" Ehren asked.
Robin grunted a reply.
"Will you please not wear this?" He reached out and tugged lightly at the ring.
"It's just a ring," Robin muttered.
"Yeah, that your murdering fucking ex stole for you," Ehren grumbled in return. "Why do you even still have that?"
"None of your damn business," Robin said. He unceremoniously shoved Ehren off him and stood from the bed.
"I get it," Ehren said. "I guess I don't have a right to know."
"Ehren..." Robin glanced back at him where he was sitting on the bed with a sad look on his face.
"This is fun for you isn't it?" He said. "I'm just a distraction aren't I?"
"What else do you want?" Robin muttered. "You don't love me. I don't love you. Who cares?"
Ehren smiled ruefully up at him.
"I see. I guess I'll be going then," he said.
"No! Wait!" Robin held out a hand to stop the impending departure. He reached behind him and unclasped the chain from his neck.
"There. Happy now?" He muttered.
"Kind of."
"Kind of?"
"I don't think you mean it," Ehren said with a sigh. "I'm going to my room now, Sir."
"Suit yourself, Ehren," he said. "It's too late and I'm too tired to deal with you and your incessant talking about expectations."
"It's Ehrenfried, Sir. I don't have any expectations," Ehren said as he began to put his clothes back on. "It just kind of throws me. That thing." He gestured towards the ring that was still clenched in Robin's hand.
"It's just a ring," Robin repeated.
"Well," Ehren said carefully. "On Earth, those kind of tokens carry weight. You know?"
Robin shook his head even though he knew very well what Ehren was driving at.
"What do you mean?" He said instead.
"Look," Ehren said shortly. "I'm absolutely not going to ask you, because I already know the answer, and I don't want to hear it. Let's just be men and not talk about it right now."
"No, no. I want to hear this. What is it that you supposedly know?" Robin said as he rolled his eyes.
Ehren frowned to himself and placed his hand near the door sensor so that he could make a quick exit once he said his piece.
"You still love him," he said. "You stand there believing this man killed your mother, and you still love him. Seriously, Sir. Get some help, because that is really fucked up."
He waved his hand quickly over the motion sensor and darted out of the door before Robin could reply. This time there was no goodbye kiss.
****
It was another dismal day on Tarain. Robin sat in his office with the door locked. Beatriu hadn't been pleased with him and had threatened to beat the door down but was eventually spirited away by Seth and Axel. Robin knew they were only a temporary distraction, and she would be back at any moment.
He took the time to stare at the ring that he had taken to keeping in the pocket of his trousers instead of around his neck. It had been a few days since Ehren had walked out on him, but they were more or less back to where they had started. It couldn't be said that they had made up completely, though. Practically no words regarding the ring had passed between them after Robin had showed up at Ehren's door a few hours later on the same night that they had argued.
That night had seen the ring remain behind on Robin's dresser, and Ehren had seemed to take it at face value even though Robin could tell by looking in his eyes that he didn't believe it. He was tentative and suspicious, but he'd let Robin enter and they had fallen into bed as easily as ever.
Still, Robin could tell that there was a lingering doubt in Ehren's eyes whenever he looked upon him. It made him feel guilty, for it was not without reason. What Ehren had said that night about the ring was true. It was a token that meant something, and Robin just couldn't let it go.
Letting it go meant that Feliu was not the man he thought he knew. He wasn't the flawed but kind soul that he had met on the streets of the Golden Utopia as a child. He wasn't the person who saved up every scrap of spare time that he had to spend with Robin. He wasn't the man that Robin had fallen in love with.
No, despite the fact that he had proclaimed his own belief in Feliu's guilt, he still couldn't believe it, nor did he want to. The greatest love of his life just couldn't be a lie. He'd never had anybody else until Ehren had showed up in squad room, and Ehren seemed to do nothing more than further cloud his feelings. It had been simple before. He'd had Feliu, and he'd loved him. It was black and white and easy to process without words. Ehren's entire life revolved around words, and he was complicated.
"It's just a stupid ring," he said to himself even though he knew it was more than that. He picked it up and placed it back around his neck for what he thought was the final time.
"I guess this is goodbye," he murmured. He placed his hand over the ring momentarily then moved to unclasp the chain but was interrupted by Beatriu banging on his door.
"You better open up this door, Grey. So help me!" She yelled through the barrier.
He grumbled to himself and hastily stuffed the ring under his shirt before he jumped from his desk and unlocked the door to reveal an irate looking Beatriu.
"Why is this door locked?" She asked.
"What does it matter?" He grinned at her. "What despicable things could I possibly be getting up to in the past five minutes?"
"You?" She snorted laughter at him. "My clipboard is in there. If we're going to be sharing an office you need to not be locking me out of it."
"Fine, fine," he said. "You have a point. Be my guest." He stepped aside and gestured towards the opening.
"Thank you, Sir," she said as she marched past him leaving him chuckling in her wake.
When he looked up he found that his eyes wandered involuntarily towards Ehren. He was distracted from his previous thoughts as he watched him work. He couldn't help but wonder what he would look like bent over that desk he sat at every day.
He left his post by the door and wandered up to Ehren's desk. Ehren looked up from his paperwork as he sensed Robin there and the look of distrust was still present in his eyes. Robin felt guilty for a moment then shoved his feelings aside.
"I'm going to need you to stay late and work on the Yarzfeld database tonight," he said as he sat on the corner of the desk and surveyed the area.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Ehren yelped out his dismay.
Robin frowned at him.
"Do I have to remind you that these are working hours, Recruit?" He said.
“Sorry," Ehren muttered. "Are you fucking kidding me...Sir?"
"Stop it," Robin hissed. "Someone is going to hear you. I promise it will be worth it."
"I don't know if I really like the sound of that, Sir," he said as he glanced around the room hoping that nobody else had noticed them.
"You will," Robin said as he rapped on the desk and stood up. "Trust me."
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