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ladykfAnon asked: Misery Loves Company with Hojo and Veld?
This took a LOT of thinking, anon. A lot. Because they are angry
It could be argued that it was something of an ego thing, of the boss refusing to be seen at anything less than their best. Veld, certainly, fell into that camp. Perhaps for him part of it was ingrained from when he was an active operative himself and couldn’t afford to be off his game on the job. If someone had managed to get him to talk about it, he might have said that was still the case, moreso even.
There weren’t a lot of people he ever would have even let broach the subject and get more than a glare, however tired it may have been. And damned but he was tired, which is what got him into the mess. Over stressed, under rested, too long hours, some more physically demanding work and being that time of year when people were all boxed in and passing bugs around like party favors. Not normally a problem for him, but statistically it had to happen.
There was some probably inappropriate amusement in seeing he wasn’t the only one suffering on the trip, though. He recognized the faint squint Hojo had going on behind his glasses, the slightest glassiness to his eyes. Whatever it was obviously wasn’t enough that he’d call off either, but then, the professor was his own breed of stubborn anyway. Obstinate wouldn’t be a far cry either. But it also made his company somewhat safer than the other executives, because even if they both knew what was up, it wasn’t like one was more vulnerable than the other. And if you couldn’t have the advantage, a level playing field was the next best thing.
Hojo glanced at him briefly, momentarily irritated with having someone else there before recognition hit and a small smile flit over his lips. “It’s not like you to go hiding away.”
“Oh is that what we’re doing?” Veld asked, amused. He hadn’t planned to say anything, but the topic was somewhat entertaining. “Here I thought it was avoiding loud people.”
“Fair.” Hojo shrugged slightly, arching a brow when Veld cleared his thoat, the sound a little harsher than usual. “I don’t suppose you’ve taken anything for that.”
Veld’s chuckle rumbled slightly in his chest, voice just a note lower, not quite hoarse but enough to tell something wasn’t right if you knew him. “Were you going to make a suggestion?”
“Would you take it even if I did?” Hojo arched a brow, turning a little to look at him.
“Maybe.” Probably not, but ‘probably not’ was still a maybe. Veld shrugged; he never liked taking something for anything, honestly, and didn’t generally need to. He wasn’t expecting this to be an exception.
Hojo snorted, tilting his head in lieu of a shake that probably would have hurt. “You’re not particularly convincing.”
“Wasn’t trying for it.” The view off the back of the ship was nice, even if it was a little cooler back there. It was a good sign that the temperature still felt like it should, though; no fever. “Just looking for a little peace before we’re all stuffed in a meeting room.”
Hojo nodded, not bothering to say anything. They watched the waves a little longer, the silence surprisingly companionable given respective discomfort. There was something to be said for the simplicity of knowing where you stood with someone. One less thing to worry about.
The captain announced they were coming back to Junon over the speakers, getting a faint wince from the professor as they both moved away from the rail. “Well that’s that, then.”
“So it is.” Veld stretched a little, rolling his shoulders, one catching in the annoying imbalance to the other’s unnatural smoothness. A sigh caught in his chest and he turned, coughing briefly against a gloved fist before getting ready to go.
“Veld.” Hojo was watching him with a vague frown, arching a brow. “Try something better than a suppressant. They’re worthless.”
The advice made him smile faintly. “Thought you weren’t that kind of doctor.”
“I don’t need to be to have more sense than you about minding one’s health,” Hojo retorted evenly, getting his coat and shrugging into it. “Do as you like.”
Veld almost had something to say to that, but let it go. Regardless of motivation, it was decent advice. Maybe once he was off the clock.
