hi again lux!! Ur local Vice City DJ coming in with another hit for the Money Inc AU ... Blue Morning, Blue Day by Foreigner!! Would love to hear ur thoughts :3c
"Somehow We Keep It Together"
[Money Inc. x Vice City AU- 1019 words]
Summary: Ted doesn't realize how much he's been pushing Irwin until the latter starts becoming increasingly hard to get a hold of.
[6:38 am, Ocean Heights Apartments, Ocean Beach, Vice City]
It was unlike Irwin to mess up on a job.
A shaky hand, a twitch in his trigger finger.
Recently, deals have been going south and Irwin hated to admit how it was starting to affect him. He always fancied himself as a machine, or something close to it– unrelenting, unstoppable, averse to mistakes other people would make.
But still he needed rest.
His head turned, shying away as the morning light hit his eyes; it served as a reminder that he too can bruise, hurt, and fail.
Three cups of bitter coffee were gone; a couple of cigarettes were reduced to smashed filters in a crystal ashtray. His gun sat beside the pristine white mug and saucer. Unused in three days, it looked so odd laying down on the table. The handle caught a bit of the sunlight and reflected onto his glasses. It was practically begging for something to do.
He took a long drag from his third morning cigarette, sighing through his nostrils. Ruffling a hand through his tousled hair, he looked down his balcony beyond the palm trees to observe the citizens of Vice City start their early morning routines. Joggers, rollerbladers, and tourists started to populate the sidewalks. God— so many tourists…
Irwin thought about taking a vacation, but then the pressing issue of a potential destination escaped him. He was technically already in paradise– Vice City: the place where you could do and get anything your heart desired. His desire was simple: a night of uninterrupted sleep. Just one.
He settled on a week-long “staycation”. He just needed to retreat, be away from demands, prying eyes, and—-
*click*…*creak*
Irwin grabbed his gun as soon as he heard his door open, pointing it at the door and squinted, ready to kill whoever stepped foot inside. His cigarette was rigidly clamped against his sealed lips.
”Whoa…hey, big guy, it’s just me.”
Irwin still had the gun pointed forward despite registering the gruff low voice as Ted.
”Is that how you greet someone in the morning? You’re not picking up your phone, I feel like you’re avoiding me.” Ted held his hands up in a half-hearted surrender. He knew Irwin wouldn’t kill him. Maybe.
He wore his white linen suit and a collared shirt with buttons that were there as a suggestion– his worst Sonny Crockett cosplay yet.
There was an uncomfortably long pause before Irwin set the gun back down on the coffee table and scoffed. Irwin cursed himself; he had forgotten that he gave a spare key to Ted months ago. Damn it. He’d have to cross out wallowing alone in self-pity off of his day’s to-do list.
”What do you want?” Irwin inquired without moving out of the corner chair. Lighting another cigarette was tempting to him…
”Blech. You look horrible.” Ted cooed as he sat in the chair opposite Irwin.
His eyes scanned the disheveled accountant up and down. As the sun continued to rise, Ted was able to see more of his face. Dark circles, days old stubble, the messy hair. Despicable…yet, still handsome. There was something so endearing about Ted’s bluntness that Irwin couldn’t help but appreciate.
“You could use some sunlight...” Ted waved a hand in front of his nose, trying as hard as he could to direct the smoke away. “…and some fresh air.”
”No. Leave.”
”You’re still mad about the meet-up? You shouldn’t be. I was able to retrieve most of the product.”
”It’s not that. I don’t care about your arms dealing.” Irwin scratched between his eyebrows with the back of his thumbnail; he felt a strong headache coming on. “There were more casualties than necessary, Ted. You just had to…provoke them.”
”They were going to cheat me. I would have lost a sizable fortune—“
“They could have killed you—“
“—-I knew you were watching me.”
There was a pause. Irwin wasn’t expecting this curveball of a reason.
”You…shouldn’t abuse that.” Irwin stammered, looking away from Ted’s stare. “Luckily Tommy was able to back me up but-…fuck it, whatever. Profiting from an embargo is worth more than your stupid life, I guess.”
”Watch it.” Ted hissed.
”…”
Whenever Ted dragged his tongue along the insides of his cheek, it meant that he started to get ticked off. Ted hated it when he felt like his money making dealings were dismissed and belittled, as if he wasn’t trying to make enough for the both of them.
Irwin would sometimes trail off in a way that highlighted his regret, like going after Ted’s bounty was the correct choice and he wasted it. Irwin’s life might’ve stayed consistent, stayed sensible if only he just—
Ted stood up. He reached his hand into his inner breast pocket and pulled out an envelope. The corners were bulging, stressed and ripped from the stack of cash stuffed within. Dropping the envelope carelessly onto the table, almost knocking over the mug, Ted scowled as Irwin looked up at him.
”Your cut. A little extra thrown in for saving my ass. Again.”
Irwin blew smoke in his direction. A displeased look washed over his face.
”What? Not enough?” Ted crossed his arms.
”This plus a week off. If you want to work, that’s your choice. Ask Tommy if can play guardian angel for you. But leave me out of it until then.”
Ted’s shoulders slumped. “A week? I already told Carrington that we’d—“
Irwin turned his head away, uninterested in whatever job Ted booked for the both of them. The sun shined brighter, lighting up more of Irwin’s appearance– he looked so tired. So worn. Those sleepless nights were starting to manipulate his features. Ted noticed a slight tremor in Irwin’s right hand…
”Fine.” Ted conceded. “One week. But you better—“ He paused as he saw Irwin bounce his leg up and down in annoyance.
“Just…take it easy. Take care of yourself.”
”…”
Having enough of the silent treatment, Ted turned away. Already guiding the door closed, a small “…because I need you” escaped his lips and echoed in the hallway.
