Page 77 of Static/Cling

“I didn’t call the transpo, though,” Sal said, in possibly the lamest attempt at an excuse ever.

“I did,” Roger told them.

“I would have heard you.”

“I turned off my unit.”

“How?” Sal and Leif asked together.

“Well, I did watch you turn them all on, didn’t I?” he said. And for the first time, Bjorn heard something in his voice other than complacence or worry.

“But I would have noticed it going offline.”

“Not if I only turned off the voice transmitter.”

“You can do that?” Bjorn asked.

“I didn’t know he knew how to,” Sal grumbled.

Roger snorted. “Anyway. I’m back now. I’ve called for evac, so you two go set off your fireworks and get Kassian back. Ping me when you’re ready to launch so Antony and I can go berserk out here.”

“Rog,” Sal said.

“What?” Bjorn hadn’t thought it possible for him to sound irritated with Sal.

“Be careful.”

“Always.” His tone softened instantly.

Sal pulled in a deep breath and Bjorn found himself emulating them.

“We all ready, then?” he asked.

“I don’t like it,” Leif said, but he also motioned for the other cuff, so Bjorn figured that was the extent of his protest. He fastened the second cuff on Leif’s wrist, then tipped his face up to kiss him.

“Be careful,” Bjorn whispered.

“You too.”

Bjorn nodded. “And don’t go farther than you have to. You’re not in top form.”

“I’m fine.”

Bjorn huffed, yanked him in close, and for a brief moment, was able to enjoy an embrace completely free of the static that usually snapped between them. And without all the bother of having to fuck it all out first.

“Kiss me again,” Leif prompted. “I like it without the zing, too.”

Bjorn grinned and did as asked. “Same.”

“Now go get our guy back.”

“Going.”

He didn’t look back as he snuck out into the hallway and hurried towards the elevators. He might not have been able to leave Leif behind if he had.

Sal directed him along the deserted hallways to the freight elevator on the east wall of the inner front block of offices, and the stairwell next to it. “Take the stairs down,” they instructed. “Safer than the elevator.”

“Is this because Leif mentioned I don’t like small spaces?”

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