How about #7 ('All I see is you') of the Song Lyric Prompts for ConHayth? uwu
pairing: Conhaythwarnings: father/son incest, modern AU, CEOxVet AUwords: 2,884
@balsaminaceae
summary: Haytham visits Connor at work
Connor was having lunch in the breakroom of the research facility that he’d been working in for the better part of a year and a half. His father’s plans for having Abstergo offer some low-cost veterinary clinics in New York City – as well as in a couple of other cities were well on their way to being fully implemented – and they were starting to hire staff for it, and while Connor wanted very much to apply for one of those positions… He’d bonded with Corbin – one of the eagles that the research facility was doing behavioral studies on. The fact that he could see through the eagle’s eyes was something of a great deal of interest – not just with his supervisor, but with the rest of the research team. They had asked him an awful lot of questions –many of which were dizzyingly confusing and others he refused to answer without asking Haytham if he should answer first… As they pertained to the strange second sight ability, and as Connor suspected that his father had it as well, the young man was… Unwilling to speak of it, without Haytham being fine with him answering those questions as well.
His uncertainty and reticence hadn’t gone well with his research partners – and he had noted more than a couple of suspicious glares from his supervisor as well. Although what they thought that he was hiding beyond not being comfortable answering what little he did know about the strange ability… Connor had no idea, and while the young man would normally just ask Haytham outright – as the two of them had been living together for the better part of six months now… His father was half-way across the world, taking part of an international business conference that many high-powered CEOs were attending, and had been for over a week. Connor missed his beloved dearly, and though they had been able to text one another occasionally – it wasn’t anywhere near close to what he wanted… Especially since they weren’t able to have texting conversations for more than an hour or two, as the time zones that the two of them were living in were so badly mismatched. Haytham wasn’t sure how long the conference was going to be – and to make matters worse his father had also implied that he might be staying longer than the end of the conference, depending on whether or not he was able to make connections with one or more of the CEOs who were based in that city or country… So then he would stay and hammer out some sort of business thing that would be beneficial to both of their companies.
The radio was playing quietly in the far corner – it was set to an older music station, and the world seemed to be out to make him miserable – as a maudlin love song started to play – just as Connor was checking his phone, in the hopes that Haytham had answered his phone – which the other had yet to do so… Prompting a long, unhappy sigh to leave him as he stared morosely at the delicious lunch that he had been picking at for the better part of ten minutes, unwilling to eat and not hungry anyways. The young man sighed again, pushing the salad away from him as he folded his arms on the table as he pressed his cheek against one of his forearms, as he continued to stare at his phone, willing Haytham to suddenly respond to him. With his colleagues exiling him socially for reasons the young man could only vaguely guess at, and his father being so unavailable (though for good reasons…) he was terribly, terribly lonely…
“Hey, are you alright Connor? You look a little down.” Salai asked, frowning a little at him as the other moved closer. They were a new addition to one of the other research teams – and the only person who would actually talk to him, since he’d been unable and unwilling to answer his own team’s questions about the strange ability he had – as he didn’t know how he’d been able to bond with Corbin, only that he’d managed to do so accidentally.
“Oh… It’s just… I miss my boyfriend. He’s been at a business conference for a while… It’s out of the country so it’s not like we can really talk and…” Connor answered with another unhappy sigh. With a concerted effort of will, he straightened up, looking at the other and asking “How are you, Salai?”
"I… Oh… I understand what it’s like to miss your beloved. I… I had been dating someone for years – he was a few years older than me, but oh… He was brilliant, warm and amazing. But I… I found out that he was in love with another, and though he was… Fond… Of me… It was this other person who held his heart so completely. I… I broke things off with him, as it was terribly unfair of me to ask him to stay with me, as though he did love me… I didn’t seem to be quite enough for him.“ The Italian responded, looking utterly miserable and unhappy.
Connor’s heart lurched painfully, and he shoved away any anxiety or worries that started to spring to mind “I… Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that, Salai… I know that it’s a rather trite thing to say…”
“But I know that you genuinely mean what you say.” Salai responded, sitting down next to the empty chair next to him, answering with a tiny smile “I… I broke up with my former boyfriend several months ago. I’ve heard rumors about your mysterious boyfriend from the others. How you talk so happy about him, but you never mention a name.”
Connor shrugged a little, still somewhat distracted by the maudlin tone of the love song, reminded strongly of the years he'd spent on the small town run by anarchists, as he really had missed his father every day... and the only person he'd ever seen in a romantic sense was Haytham – not that had changed in the least. "No one's asked – besides... You know what Abstergo's policy is, regarding dating fellow employees is..."
"Ah, but I heard that your mysterious Vampire doesn't work in the building – that he was part of the business side? Or was he one of Abstergo's lawyers? Or so the rumors have whispered." Salai responded, a small smile appearing on his face "And, since no one has apparently asked... What's your boyfriend's name? I promise that I won't tell."
There was no good answer to that question, and Connor knew it. He shouldn't have spoken more about Haytham... But how could he not, when the source of his unhappiness stemmed from the fact that his beloved was so far away? "I... It's not that I don't trust you, Salai... It's just that... You know what the fraternization policy is with Abstergo and I'd rather not mess anything up, you know?" That and though he could technically use his father's middle name – Edward – instead of his first name, as the latter was much more common... Trying to call the other by his middle name, even as a not-quite lie to one of his coworkers felt... Wrong.
The Italian hummed a little, nodding and smiling amicably "If that's how you feel... I understand. But... And I'm not trying to say that your guy is doing the same that mine was... But sometimes some of the so-called business trips that he took weren't business at all... But rather visiting his other lover. Not that I blame the other lover – he was under the impression that the two of us were in an open relationship as he's poly, and the two of us had met before. Ezio thought that our initial meeting was him meeting me as one of my boyfriend's steady lovers."
Connor blinked a little in surprise, dark eyes widening a little as he connected the dots – as Salai had seemed vaguely familiar – as one of the anarchists who had several hunting dogs was named Ezio – and was dating both Sofia and Leo – and the latter had a boyfriend named Salai. The chances that this man and the one that he was thinking of were the same person were... Unusual – but Salai worked in the same field that the possible-other Salai did and... "… Your old boyfriend wasn't Leonardo Vince, was it? And his other boyfriend – Ezio Auditore – about six inches shorter than me, black hair, dark eyes and a grin full of mischief?"
"I... Yes... How did you...?" Salai sputtered, eyes widening a little "How did you know?"
"When two of Ezio's hunting hounds went into labor, I was the vet who delivered both litters. I also oversaw both litters' shots and vet visits, while I was working at that clinic. He really had no idea that the two of you were in a monogamous relationship as he's many things... But though he flirts with anything on two legs, he tries very hard not to be a homewrecker." Connor responded, a small smile appearing on his face. "Ezio found you to be quite charming, and spoke of you to me a couple of different times, actually."
"I... Oh... That's flattering. And you're absolutely right about Ezio... He was... Is, quite the charmer. I wouldn't have minded sharing Leo, if he had only talked to me." The Italian responded unhappily, shifting a little closer to Connor, looking as if he was about to start crying.
"Err..." The younger man responded, uncertain if he should try to reach out to Salai and lightly pat the other on one shoulder, or to politely look away so that he had a couple of moments to compose himself without being watched by someone.
Before he could decide either way, the head researcher of Connor's department poked her head into the breakroom and ordered, looking anxious, voice pitched low but tense "Salai – get back to your station. Hill come with me. Kenway himself is visiting the facility, and he wants to meet you – since you were the one who was able to bond with one of the eagles. Perhaps you'll answer his questions, if not ours."
The young man flinched a little, startled by the darkness in her voice, but nodded, getting up and following her out of the breakroom, startled that Haytham was actually here – and though he'd have liked a bit more forewarning by his beloved... It should be nice to see the other again... Besides, his surprise at the CEO being there was just as genuine as everyone else's. "Of course boss. And as I said earlier, it's not because I won't answer your questions... It's that I don't know how, and I can't answer them, ma'am."
~
As his boss had said, Haytham was there, looking unfairly handsome in a well-tailored suit, watching several of the eagles fly around in their large enclosures. Connor wanted very much to enthusiastically greet his beloved, it would be wildly inappropriate for him to do so in this setting, not in the least because his boss was starting to speak with Haytham, which was why he was staying quiet while listening attentively, catching the end of what she was saying.
"And as I have stated in my report, the only member of any of the teams who have been working with the eagles, only one of them has been able to bond with one of the birds as the... Long held rumors whisper is potentially possible. Ratonhnhaké:ton Hill, the young man behind me, is the one. He claims that he had contact with the eagle when the two of them had been younger – and has of yet, been unwilling – or unable – to explain how or why he was able to bond with the eagle – and to see through the eagle's eyes. He did once take Corbin out of the facility, although why he never did explain, beyond the apparent need of the other's ability to fly to search for something." His boss stated, her voice a little sharp with irritation.
Connor tried desperately not to fiddle with his hands, looking down and away from the both of them as he waited to be asked something to speak. The three of them were the only ones who were in the observation area, the young man noted.
"Anarchists – the very people who had kidnapped me almost two years ago – had taken something that I... Could not afford to lose. Connor used Corbin to find who had the Object in question, taken it back from said anarchist and took it to where I was – as another of their group had nearly managed to kill me." Haytham responded, voice firm, catching both of their's full attention. His boss gasped in shock and horror, and the younger man shivered, wincing in pain at the awful memories associated with that day – as his beloved had very nearly died that day.
"I... I see. But who is this Connor you are referring to, sir?" His boss asked, frowning a little in confusion.
Connor cleared his throat a little, scuffing one of his feet against the floor, answering uncertainly "Ratonhnhaké:ton is my middle name. My first name is Connor."
"And Hill is his mother's maiden name – which is the one on his Birth certificate." Haytham responded, bright blue eyes dancing with mischief. The young man realized moments before it happened what was about to – and couldn't help but blush a little – knowing that it would probably be easiest to get out of the trouble that he'd been increasingly under by his boss if this particular revelation was given now.
"But Hill is not my only last name. Rake:niiii we agreed that you wouldn't interfere with thing while I was working." Connor responded plaintively, unable to stop himself from pouting at the other, drawing out the second syllable of what he was calling Haytham at the moment to show his displeasure.
"Ah, but if I did not, your boss may have had you dragged away, as she thinks that you might be an anarchist, sent to try to ferret out the secrets of this facility, son." The older Kenway responded, voice light, but eyes serious and worried, showing just how serious the situation really was.
"And why the... There is no way in the coldest depths of hell that I would ever support anyone who wants to hurt you, father." Connor nearly growled, finding himself moving closer to his father, taking the other's hands in his own. "All... All I see is you. I love you, and I care for you, rake:ni. There's nothing that I wouldn't do to try to protect you... To make you happy."
"I know that, Connor. And I love you too." Haytham responded, gently squeezing his hands back, pulling him in for a hug, murmuring quietly "I've missed you."
"Missed you too, rake:ni. You were gone for too long." Connor answered unhappily, hugging his father tightly, relaxing into his beloved's touch.
"I... Ah... I'll leave the two of you to reconnect. I wouldn't want to... Erm. Intrude on this familial moment." His boss managed out, rushing off – the door on the far end of the hallway clicking shut as the both of them could distantly hear her hiss "Shoo, the lot of you!" And the sounds of confusion from Connor's research team – all of whom wanted to understand what was going on with something.
There were cameras recording everything that happened in the observation room – which was why Connor murmured quietly into his father's shoulder "Want to kiss you, but not here."
"I'll speak with your boss, see if I can't convince her to let you have the last couple of hours of work off, as I've only just arrived in the city. My phone died on the plane ride over here, and I was unable to charge it since." Haytham responded quietly. "When your boss's report came in, stating that there was a possible anarchist who had infiltrated this facility yesterday I... I arranged for a flight as soon as I could to investigate as I... I was worried for your safety – as well as the safety of your coworkers and the behavioral research that was going on here."
"I... I just wasn't sure how to tell them about... 'Bout the second sight and I wanted to talk to you about what I should tell them first and I don’t know how I was able to bond to Corbin – or why the bond is there in the first place... Just that it is." Connor responded quickly "And... I don't want special treatment although I... I really, really want to head back home with you."
Haytham sighed a little before answering "I understand – we'll speak about second sight later. And, though I would rather not admit to it, there are several things that I should do, and they will take me several hours to complete. See you home, after you get off of work? I will be working at home, finishing those things up."
"Alright." Connor responded, nodding a little as he slowly let go of his father. "I love you."
"And I... I love you too, Connor." Haytham responded, releasing his beloved and the two of them went their separate ways.