#burtstick

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His Translator Doodle

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His Translator. Part 14

 Burt walked through the halls of the space station, he felt a little nervous, but that was okay. He knew Henry. He knew that even if Henry rejected him he would let him down gently at least, so it wouldn't be too bad. He just had to find him, and tell him how he felt. Burt recited his confession in his head, trying to figure out the best phrasing to go with. 

Eventually he found Henry in the conference room of the station, he was sitting at the large round table by himself. He appeared to be marking important places on the world map. Henry noticed Burt's presence and waved at him, smiling. Then he rested his hands on the table, pausing whatever work he was doing. "Hi Henry uh… can I… talk to you for a bit?" Henry nodded and gestured towards the chair across from him at the table. Burt quietly moved to his seat, still uneasy at the thought of confessing his feelings for Henry. But he wanted to take that chance. "Henry. There's something I want to tell you. It's um, a little personal." Henry nodded. "Okay uh.." Burt trailed off a bit, then cleared his throat and continued. "Henry I… I'm not good at these things but I just wanted to tell you that I-" Burt froze slightly, he wanted to continue but he wasn't sure how. What was he supposed to say? His hands fidgeted. Burt thought about his previous conversation with Sven.

 "There's no better confession than an earnest one."

Burt took a deep breath.

"I just want to say that I really like spending time with you and I appreciate you." Burt decided to be a little bold, he reached out in front of him and gently held Henry's hand. He avoided eye contact as his cheeks turned pink, then continued to speak. "I feel so… safe around you. You're so fun and gentle. I like spending time with you. I love it when you visit me during work. I love your determination, you're always up to something and you're so motivated. You make me feel happy whenever you're around. I feel like I can trust you Henry, I just want to say that I… I love you. I really love you."

Burt avoided looking Henry in the eyes. "I'd really like to get to know you more in a… romantic setting? If you uh, you want to try that too."

 Burt began to pull his hand away, fearing he had made Henry uncomfortable. Before Burt could fully break the contact between the two of them however, Henry's grip on Burt's hand tightened. Burt jolted in surprise, then looked Henry in the eyes. Henry was smiling at him…

Henry gave a nod and thumbs up and let go of Burt's hand so he could sign more clearly. "I had no idea you felt that way. Though maybe I should have." The both of them chuckled. "So… What do you say Henry? Wanna go on a date sometime?" Burt asked, having a bit more confidence. Henry gave Burt a nod. "What do you want to do for our date?" Henry asked. 

"I uh… shit. I didn't think this far ahead." Burt admitted, slightly embarrassed. Henry chuckled. "How about a movie in the station theater?" He signed, figuring it was a good place to start. "Uh, yeah! That sounds good." Burt agreed, still a little bit flustered. "What time works best for you?"  "7 okay with you?" Henry asked. "Yeah! Sounds good Henry." Burt replied sheepishly. Henry beamed "Great! I will see you then!" Then he took off, some other Toppat was yelling for him. Honestly Burt was grateful that someone interrupted their conversation, because that meant no one would see the excitement and panic taking over him. For once it was hard for him to keep his signature blank face. 

Burt pulled out his phone and texted Sven.

"I did it."

…

Burt wished he could focus on the movie, he really did. But he was too tense. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't help it. His nerves were getting the better of him. Henry, on the other hand, appeared totally relaxed. Burt wondered how Henry felt about all of this. Burt's grip on the armrests was tight, a failed attempt to help himself relax. It was kind of ironic, if you'd ask Burt a year ago how he felt around Henry, he probably wouldn't have said much. He would've reacted the same way he did with every other boss he's had, complete indifference. But now, he felt like a teenager in a romcom, practically having a heart attack over the smallest ounce of romance. Burt's wrists started to ache from the constant tension in his body. Why was he freaking out!? He was on a date with Henry! This is what he wanted! 

Burt jolted when he felt a sudden but gentle touch on his hand. He realized Henry was caressing Burt's hand with his thumb. Henry entwined their fingers together, he gave Burt a sympathetic look before leaning closer to him. "Hey Burt." Henry's forever raspy voice whispered into Burt's non-existent ear. "You alright?" Burt was glad the theater was mostly dark, that meant Henry couldn't see how red his face was for once. "Yeah, I'm fine." Burt whispered back quickly. "You sure? You seem tense. Why don't we head out and get some dinner instead?" Henry whispered caringly. Burt felt bad that he was ruining the moment, but maybe some food would do him some good. "You know what? Sure. Let's do that… Thank you, Henry." Henry nodded, and the two left, doing their best not to bump into anyone else in the theater. 

…

The two men sat across from each other at a small table, next to them was a large window that gave them a perfect view of Earth and the vast sea of stars that surrounded it. They began eating a nice dinner. Burt felt much more relaxed in this environment, though he wasn't sure why. 

Looking at Henry in this moment, awestruck with the stars and smiling slightly with every bite he took. Burt noticed that whenever Henry ate the food on the Toppat station, he closed his eyes and savored the flavor. Like it was his own little slice of paradise. Through the subtlety of Henry's movements and facial expressions, Burt could see how much Henry just… genuinely enjoyed this. It was yet another thing Burt liked about Henry. 

Henry waved to get Burt's attention. "Yeah Henry? What's up?" Henry raised his hands, tilting his head to the side as he signed. "Are you feeling better?" Burt smiled and nodded. "Much. Thank you for this, I'm sorry for making you leave the movie with me. I didn't mean to spoil the fun." Burt apologized, feeling a bit guilty. Henry waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I prefer this anyway. It feels…" Henry pauses for a moment, seeming to think what to sign next. "... Natural." Burt let out a breath of relief. Glad he was on the same page. "I like just eating and talking with you, Henry." Burt rubbed the back of his head, slightly nervous still. "I… I'm not really accustomed to this sort of thing. Dating, you know? I rarely ever feel this way about someone. I'm glad that I feel this way, but I'm still adjusting, I guess." Burt admitted, once again pouring his heart out to Henry. Henry nodded, seeming to sympathize with Burt's problems. 

"Well, I still appreciate you coming to dinner with me, it's nice spending time with you." Henry signed to Burt with a smile. "You're great company and I like having you around." Henry reached across the table, gently gripping Burt's hand. Burt smiled back. "Thanks, Henry. I… I enjoy spending time with you too." This was nice, just having a calm moment between the two of them. After all the craziness that transpired, it was a relief to have this night. The two of them paused for a bit, seeming to run out of things to say. Henry gently lifted Burt's hand, and leaned forward to get closer, closing his eyes. Henry gave it a kiss, Burt's face turned pink at the action, he could feel Henry's lips on his knuckles. Henry's eyes fluttered open, locking with Burt's. "Let's make sure to do this again, yeah?" Henry said out loud, as gently as his scratch voice would allow. "Y-Yeah." Burt agreed with a flustered tone. 

"I'd like that."

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His Translator Burtmin fluff!

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"His Translator" Teaser

(Tell me Burt isn't the kind of guy to wear casual clothes to work)

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His Translator Part 13

Burt woke up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes. He attempted to get up but realized that there was something weighing him down a bit. Burt opened his eyes, blinking the sleep away. Now it all made sense. Henry was sleeping right next to him. His arm was wrapped around Burt, and their legs were tangled together. How could Burt forget that he had fallen asleep on his boss's shoulder the previous night? 

Burt wasn't sure what to do. So he just… didn't do anything. It was easier to just stay. Wrapped up in Henry's warmth. Even in his sleep Henry was cuddly. Burt rested his head on his pillow. He probably wasn't gonna get back to sleep anytime soon, so he just decided to enjoy this moment as much as he could. It wasn't like Henry was bothered by this, if he was he would've left while Burt was sleeping. Besides, this wasn't the first time they had fallen asleep together, but it was the first they slept so… close together. Burt felt so comfortable like this, yet so nervous. He knew why. He was confident that he had feelings for Henry. He knew he did. He just… wasn't sure what to do with them. Would it be better to just remain friends? Or should he take a chance with a relationship? Would Henry want a relationship? Burt let out a quiet sigh. He could worry about that later, right now he just wanted to enjoy this.

Burt buried his face into Henry’s chest, listening to the sounds of his breathing and his heartbeat. His breathing was steady, and deep. Just a simple in and out pattern, but it was so relaxed. This wasn’t like last time when Henry was tense and fearful. He was still, sleeping in tranquility. Burt listened to Henry's heartbeat. It was rhythmic. Burt smiled a bit and let out a content sigh. Suddenly, Henry shifted.

"Mmmmngh." Henry hummed. Slowly waking up.

Well, the cuddling was nice while it lasted, but Burt knew he and Henry had things to do. They had jobs and needed to get up anyway. Henry's eyes fluttered open, immediately locking on Burt's own eyes. "Hey Henry." Burt greeted gently, doing his best to not be nervous or get embarrassed. This was just a nice moment between the two of them. No need to be embarrassed. 

Henry smiled, then his eyes wandered. He realized the unintentional cuddling that had happened. Honestly, he thought it was nice. Holding Burt in his arms felt… nice. Henry dismissed his desire to cuddle Burt more. They had to go to work. Henry gently unwrapped himself from Burt, figuring that he would like to not be unconsciously held down anymore. When the two separated from the embrace, Henry signed a "good morning" to Burt, then got up to get ready for the day in his own room. Henry waved at Burt and flashed a smile before leaving.

Burt too, got ready for the day. Doing all those mundane morning routine things. He held the little topaz tophat Henry had given him the previous day. He would treasure it. Burt set the beautiful little gem on his drawing desk, then, he left. It was time for work.

…

Burt sat with Sven at lunch that day. Henry was busy and Sven was on break for once (Henry and Reginald had banned him from doing any work until he ate lunch). Sven was grumbling about how he didn’t have time for breaks while eating his lunch. “It is inefficient for me to do this,” Sven murmured. “Pretty sure it’s less efficient to have you face plant at your desk from lack of energy than it is to just take a break once in a while” Burt replied in his usual blunt tone. Sven stayed quiet for a moment. “I don’t like how right you are.” Sven said, avoiding eye contact. “Just try not to keel over from stress, Sven.” Burt half joked, teasing his workaholic friend. It was nice to hang out with Sven again, they hadn’t done so in a while. “Other than being a grump, how are you?” Burt asked, taking a bite of his sandwich. “Fine I guess. The paperwork is tedious, but it is my job to get it done.” Sven sighed. “Would you rather go on a heist or something? I’m sure Henry would let you if you asked him about it.” Burt suggested. He knew Henry loved teaming up with people on missions, it could be good for Sven to get out more. “Not everyone is all buddy-buddy with the boss like you are Burt” “So?” Burt asked. "He doesn't bite, just talk to him." 

Sven seemed hesitant, not sure what to say. "Trust me Sven, it'll be fine." Sven smiled a little at Burt's reassurance, he kind of needed to hear it that day.  "I'll think about it… Speaking of the boss, I've been hearing some… rumors about you and him lately." Burt rolled his eyes at the blonde. "Since when were you so interested in random rumors and gossip?" Burt asked with a slight hint of annoyance in his tone, it just seemed silly to listen to random gossip. "I wasn't until they were about you" Sven replied curly. Burt only hummed dismissively in response. "Will you just listen!?" Sven asked impatiently.

Burt sighed. "Alright fine. What are these rumors you're so obsessed about?" he asked, deciding to humor his friend. “There is this rumor that you and the boss are… together?” Sven got a little quieter towards the end of his sentence, seemingly growing more awkward. Burt’s cheeks turned a little pink. He wasn’t ashamed of the fact that he was attracted to his boss, but it was weird to know that people were talking about the possibility of him being in a relationship with Henry. “Are.. these rumors true?” Sven asked, he didn’t want to make Burt uncomfortable, but he was curious. He had never seen Burt really be attracted to anyone. However, he had noticed changes in Burt’s behavior; he saw how Burt seemed to work harder whenever Henry asked him to do something in contrast to how he usually would half-ass whatever was asked of him. He noticed how Burt spent a lot of time practically following the boss when he wasn’t working. He noticed that Burt stopped referring to Henry as “boss” and instead referred to him by name. And he noticed the change of color on Burt’s face…

Burt avoided making eye contact with Sven, but still answered the question. “No.. Henry and I aren’t dating. We just hang out sometimes.” Burt replied shyly. Sven tilted his head in curiosity. Did Burt sound disappointed? He seemed a bit sad all of the sudden. “Burt. Are you alright?” Sven asked, feeling a little concerned. “Yeah? Why?” Burt replied, a little unsure.

 “You look sad,” “I’m not sad. I’m just… I don’t really know what to do right now" Burt gave up on the excuses. There was no point. “Don’t know what to do? About what?” Sven asked. "The boss and I… we aren't together, but I… guess I want us to be?" There it was. He finally said it out loud… and it wasn't even to Henry. "Oh… wait, really?" Sven asked, surprised. Since when had Burt started feeling romantic towards anything?? He really missed out on a lot when they didn't talk. "Yeah. I like him." Burt admitted, in his slightly embarrassed but mostly blunt tone. "Does the chief know about this? Like, at all??" Sven questioned, how did he miss this? He really missed a lot when he was working. "I mean, probably not? I've never said anything about it but.. there are moments where I wonder if he feels the same way or if he's just being friendly. I'm honestly not sure." Burt shrugged. Henry's behavior was a mystery sometimes. "I've thought about asking him, but I guess I'm just not sure how I want to." Burt avoided eye contact with Sven. He felt so silly talking about this. It wasn't the worst situation to be in, but it was a bit tricky. 

"Huh." Was all Sven could manage. He didn't necessarily have a problem with this. He was more surprised by the fact that Burt liked someone at all. Not to mention Henry of all people. It's not that Sven disliked Henry or anything, but it seemed odd that he was the object of Burt's affection. What was the draw there? Sure, Henry's nice and all, but that couldn't just be it. Regardless of the reason though, he couldn't argue the fact that Henry made Burt happy, and Sven wanted him to be happy. But how could he help? He wasn't some sort of matchmaker. The two had sat there in silence for a minute when Sven got an idea. 

"What do you like about the chief?" Sven asked. Maybe if he could help Burt put how he felt into words, he could tell the boss the same thing. "I uh… I dunno..er.." Burt seemed to grow shyer by the minute. He was never really that open of a person when it came to feelings except when he was around Henry. Wait.

 "I uh.. I like how he makes me feel...safe? Like I can just be who I am and he'll just be who he is and it's comfortable between us." Sven smiled a bit. That was a good start! "What else?" 

Burt fidgeted with the microphone on his headset, a small nervous habit of his. "I like.. How he visits me when I work, and how he'll bring me snacks or meals. And he'll just hang out for a bit." Burt started smiling as he continued to think about Henry. "I like it when he comforts me, and I like being there to comfort him. I like how he trusts me enough to be vulnerable around me." Burt felt a bittersweet sensation when he recalled Henry's nightmare after spending so much time in recovery. How broken Henry looked, and how much better he felt when Burt was there for him. He remembered how Henry was there to celebrate his birthday when no one else did. "I like his dedication." Henry was always so determined to help the clan even when he could barely stand. "I like how affectionate he is. Even if it took some getting used to." Henry's hugs were always so warm and welcoming. "I like how when a situation gets awkward, he'll do whatever he can to make people feel comfortable again." Burt almost cringed at the memory of when Henry showed him his scars and put his hand on his scarred chest, but he also felt a little amused at how Henry did the same thing to him so that they would be even. "I like a lot about him." Burt smiled, his cheeks were definitely pink but he didn't care this time. "He just makes me happy to be around him." 

"That's what you should tell him!" Sven nearly yelled in excitement. "Huh?" Burt jumped a bit then tilted his head to the side, it wasn't often that Sven yelled like that. "You should tell the chief everything you just told me. There's no better confession than an earnest one like that." Sven reached across the table and held Burt's hand supportively. "If that would make you happy, why not do it?" Sven gave his friend an encouraging smile. Burt stared at Sven for a moment before nodding.

 "Thanks Sven…." Burt smiled, gripping Sven's hand gently, before pulling away. Burt stood up, the two of them nodded to each other in acknowledgment. Burt took a deep breath. He felt nervous, but encouraged at the same time. He could do this. 

"I will."

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Addicted Part 7

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His Translator Part 12

This will mostly be a fluffy chapter

Burt sat at his desk, typing away. Checking the solar panels, engines, and various programs on the station. Henry was out on a heist for the first time since the incident at the Wall. Burt's chest tightened when he thought about it. What if Henry got hurt again? The thought unsettled Burt. The image of Henry hooked up to life support, bruised and beaten, crept its way into Burt's mind, making his stomach tie itself into knots. 

Breathe. He needed to take a breath, and just calm down. This mission wasn't related to the Wall, Henry would be fine. He'd be okay. Burt shook his head. When had he become so paranoid? Henry's been on tons of heists. He'll be fine. Burt just had to wait and listen for when Henry and Ellie told him to beam them up to the station, no big deal. Burt thought about how excited Henry was to go on this heist, how his blue eyes lit up at the idea of stealing all those jewels and treasures. Henry looked so happy, it was as though all the intensity of the past few months had never happened. The way Henry smiled at Burt, the way he held Burt's hand and leaned closer to him… they were just a few inches apart. Burt's cheeks once again wore the color pink at his thoughts. He had come to terms with the fact that he had feelings for his boss, but now he didn't know what to do about his feelings. He didn't have a lot of experience with dating, it was always difficult for him. He wasn't sure how to approach the situation, if he even should at all. Would Henry want Burt the same way Burt wanted Henry? Burt heard rumors that Henry was bisexual, but he hadn't heard a confirmation from Henry about whether or not it was true. Damn it. Why did this have to be so… complicated? Was it even that complicated? All he had to do was ask, right? 

… 

No. Not yet. Soon, maybe, but he wasn't ready just yet. For the time being, he was fine with being Henry's friend. 

"Hey Burt!" Ellie's voice rang through Burt's headset. "We're ready to come back, beam us up!" Ellie instructed. "Yes ma'am." Burt replied as he followed orders. Just like that, Henry and Ellie were home. About twenty minutes after Burt beamed Ellie and Henry back to the station, he heard a knock on his door, and there stood Henry with a gift box in his hands. “Hey bo- Henry. Welcome back.” Burt corrected himself mid-sentence. He was still adjusting to calling Henry by name. Henry smiled, handing the wrapped box to him. Burt took the gift in his hands and saw a card attached that read "Happy Birthday". He remembered… 

Burt looked up at Henry once more, he was still smiling. Burt tore the wrapping off the box, feeling excited. He pulled out a Topaz crystal. His birthstone. It was carved into the shape of a top hat. It was orange, his favorite color. It was beautiful. Burt felt his chest tighten. He wasn't expecting this, but he appreciated it nonetheless. People didn't usually pay much attention to him outside of work-related boundaries. But Henry did. He always did. Henry was just so… good to him. So appreciative. Burt's vision became slightly blurry, as if he had just opened his eyes underwater.

 Wait.

Burt lifted his hand to rub his eyes, slightly surprised when he discovered the moisture present on his face. Tears. When had he started crying? Henry cupped Burt's cheek with one hand, using the thumb on his other hand to gently wipe away the tears. Concern etched on his face. "Ah, I'm okay, Henry. I just… got emotional there. I don't usually- people don't- I'm not really… I'm not accustomed to this kind of stuff. You know? Birthday gifts and whatnot…" Burt wiped his eyes with his wrist, attempting to dry out the little drops of emotions oozing from them. Henry hugged Burt. Then whispered something very quietly in his raspy voice. "...let it out.."

Burt felt his hands tremble, reaching his arms up to return Henry's embrace. He realized just how much he needed this. Needed him. Henry's encouragement and support made him happy. Whenever his life felt monotonous, he could look forward to Henry giving him something to enjoy at the end of the day. "Thank you… Henry." "Mhm!" Henry hummed, happy he could help Burt like Burt had many times before. After a few minutes, the two parted from the embrace. As Burt regained his composure, he held the topaz top hat, inspecting it more. It fit so well in his hand, it was about the size of a computer mouse, albeit denser since it was carved from a crystal. Burt smiled slightly. "It's beautiful Henry, I love it." Henry smiled back, excited. 'Happy Birthday Burt!' Henry signed. His goofy grin made Burt's cheeks tinge pink. With how much Henry makes him blush he might as well tattoo them pink by now. 'Since it's your birthday, why don't you take some time off and do something fun?' Henry's signed in question. "Sure. Why not?" Burt replied, placing his gift in his pocket. Burt stood up, and almost immediately Henry held his hand. 'What do you want to do?' Henry questioned, signing with his free hand. "Uh… I don't know.. What do you want to do?" 

'It's your birthday, it's up to you.'

Burt squeezed Henry's hand.

"Oh. Right. Uh.. I guess we could get some food and watch a movie or something. I'd like to just keep things low key." Burt replied with slight embarrassment. He just wanted to spend time with him. Henry gave a thumbs up with his free hand, and the two of them walked to Burt's room. Burt felt a little nervous when he realized that this would be the first time Henry had seen his living quarters, but it faded a bit when he thought about everything the two of them had been through together. 

Henry observed the space Burt called home. Burt's room wasn't huge or fancy, but it was comfortable. There was a tv in front of Burt's bed that was set up on its own shelf with a row of DVDs on display. The comforter on Burt's bed was a gradient of yellow, orange, and red, it reminded Henry of a sunset. There were a few comic strips taped to a wall above a desk which had what appeared to have drawing supplies on it. The nightstand next to Burt's bed had a small lamp on it. Burt's closet was in the corner, it was one of those wooden closets with two doors that folded open. Overall, it was nice. It was calm and simple with a warm atmosphere. Henry let go of Burt's hand and moved to sit on Burt's bed, "Nice room" he signed. "Thank you. I'm.. Glad you're comfortable here. Anyway, I've got a few movies here… let's see.." Burt trailed off a bit looking at the DVD cases on the shelf beneath the television screen. What kind of movies did Henry like? He wanted to pick something they'd both enjoy. Did Henry like horror movies? Burt realised he had a lot of those, maybe even too many, but hey, you like what you like. “Hey Henry, do you like scary movies?” He asked, glancing behind him to see Henry’s response. Henry gave him a thumbs up. Burt turned back to the shelf, he decided to go for a movie Sven gave about a week ago. He hadn't watched it yet, so he figured it could be fun for him and Henry to experience the jumpscares for the first time. After pressing play, Burt took out a bag of chips he had hidden under the bed, and their movie marathon began. 

*Several movies later*

       Burt found himself struggling to stay awake, he leaned his head on Henry's shoulder. He was just so… cozy like this. He just wanted to be smothered in Henry's embrace. They've spent the night in the same room before, so it wouldn't be weird. Burt stayed there trying his best to justify his desire to cuddle in his head. But luckily he didn't need to, as Henry leaned his head on top of Burt's, seeming tired as well. Burt felt a wave of relief, and closed his eyes. Him and Henry being intimate and supporting of each other just felt so… right to him. Maybe he should ask Henry if they could be more than friends? Burt figured that he should ask Henry about those rumors concerning his sexuality first before asking him about dating. All of that could wait until the next day though; at the moment, Burt just wanted some sleep. Burt could feel himself drifting off, and just before everything around him faded he heard Henry whisper.

"Happy birthday Burt, sleep well."

Burt yawned. "Thanks… you too.."

And just like that, he was off. Away wherever his dreams (or lack thereof) would take him for the night. 

To be continued...

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 11

(This is mostly a fluffy chapter, not much plot development. Enjoy Burt's pinning)

         Henry and Burt ate together in the station's cafeteria, just to unwind and enjoy themselves. Henry especially wanted to just enjoy himself for a bit, what with everything that had transpired earlier. Although things had been stressful, he had to admit he was feeling better. Talking to Burt just.. Helped him. Burt made him feel comfortable and secure. He made communication more comfortable for Henry. Burt was there for Henry to during his recovery. He comforted Henry multiple times. Henry appreciated everything Burt had done for him. 

'Hey.' Henry signed. "Yeah boss?" Burt asked, before taking another bite of his muffin. 'I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for me. You've made my life a lot easier, I appreciate it. Just so you know, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, you can come to me as well.'  

Henry reached across the table and held Burt's hand, giving him a smile.

"Thanks boss. That's uh- good to know." Burt stuttered slightly, his cheeks slightly pink. Henry's random bits of affection were nothing new to Burt, but every time they happened, Burt felt something. It was a foreign sensation to Burt, but still pleasant. Each time Henry hugged him or held his hand, he felt welcomed. And each time Henry pulled away, Burt kind of missed it (of course, he never told Henry that). 

         Now that Burt thought about it, he enjoyed a lot of things about Henry. He looked forward to Henry's visits to his office. He liked being the one to translate Henry's sign language. He just liked Henry; his reckless yet determined attitude, his silly antics, his smile, his scars, and his openness around Burt. He wished that he was more open like Henry, but he just wasn't. He wasn't an expressive person. He internalized pretty much everything, that was just his nature, yet somehow… Henry brought out the emotions that Burt had hidden, at least some of them. 

     "So uh… Are you gonna go on any heists soon? It's been a long time since you've actually gone on one. With the whole spine thing and whatnot." Burt asked, changing the subject. Henry let go of Burt's hand so he could sign a response. 'Actually, I'm planning on going on a heist next week! Can't wait!' Burt smiled slightly, Henry's excitement was adorable. Like a puppy being given a treat. "I'm glad you're excited, but are you sure you'll be alright?" Burt asked, nobody wanted a repeat of last time. 'Yeah, I'll be ok. Ellie insisted on going with me, so I won't be alone.' Henry replied with a smile. 'I'll be sure to bring back a souvenir for you! Your birthstone is topaz, right?' Burt's cheeks turned ever so slightly pink, his boss had remembered his birthday. "Uh, yeah it is. I'm surprised you remember that…" No one else does… Burt thought. 'I've been trying to remember people's birthdays, but there's a lot of us. I at least want to remember the birthdays of the people I spend a lot of time with. I'm glad I got your birth month right.' Henry beamed proudly and Burt looked away bashfully, fidgeting with the sleeve of his sweater. "Yeah… I see what you mean… Thank you." Burt's nervous demeanor caused Henry to tilt his head to the side, an expression of mild concern etched its way onto his features. Henry took a gentle hold of Burt's hand, his grip was gentle, and his palm was slightly calloused. "You..okay Burt?" Henry asked in his hushed, slightly scratchy voice. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I-uh just… I'm just not used to people… getting me birthday gifts and whatnot. Just never really took part in it much. Well, I guess except for you, boss." Burt stammered, his leader's presence making him comfortable and nervous somehow. Henry's grip on Burt's hand tightened slightly. He leaned forward over the table, slightly. "Burt.. You don't have to keep calling me boss, just Henry is fine." Henry whispered, he had talked more than preferred that day, so he was trying to avoid putting more strain on his throat. That being said, it didn't help Burt's nerves about his maybe-crush on his boss when he was leaning over a table whispering about how they don't have to be so formal. Burt's heart started beating harder, his cheeks felt warm, is this what having a crush is like? Switching between nervous and comfortable? Over and over again, back and forth, just feeling confused and yet… happy? Burt has never really felt like this before. This… giddy around someone. His stomach tied itself up into knots. Burt made eye contact with his boss… have Henry's eyes always been that blue? 

"Burt?" Crap. He got lost in thought while Henry was talking to him again. "Uh! Yeah bo- er, Henry. I was just thinking about something." Burt's cheeks continued to burn. Was that normal? Maybe, he wasn't sure. "Heh. It's gonna take some time for me to get used to calling you by your name." He stated bashfully. Henry pulled his hand away so he could sign again. 'Take your time.' Henry's sweet smile had once again made Burt's chest feel fuzzy. 

"Henry!" A voice interjected. Henry and Burt turned towards the source of the voice, revealing Ellie. "We still need to finalize the plan for next week's heist, aren't you coming?" Henry nodded, standing up, Burt followed. As the three walked together, Henry held Burt's hand. Burt gripped Henry's hand in return, the pinkness in his cheeks remained. Just then, Burt realized something. 

Shit. He did like Henry. He was in love with his boss.

To be continued...