Chapter 9
Mack got back from brunch and watched Fitz hard at work across the garage, his face a picture of concentration. He looked tired, he clearly hadn't stopped all morning. Occasionally Fitz lost control of his hand and it shook or didn't do quite what he needed it to, but he was learning to deal with the frustration a lot better and Mack didn’t learn half as many Scottish swear words as he had in the first few weeks.
Mack was thinking back on what Bobbi had told him, how Fits'z previous employers wanted him back. If Bobbi was involved then Fitz’s previous work was probably government, highly classified, and probably for the good of mankind; of course they needed his big beautiful brain back. The private sector was keeping Fitz busy, but it was not going to help save the world. At least Mack could make the most of the time they had together, but he felt a heaviness in his chest.
Fitz looked up, catching Mack staring at him, and blushed.
‘You’re back, I didn’t hear you come in,’ Fitz said, ‘how was brunch?’
‘Good,’ Mack lied, ‘how’s your work coming on?’
‘I’m working up to a break in about,’ and he looked at one of his screens, ‘12 minutes, if you can hang around?’
Mack smiled at him and nodded. He laid out on the sofa reading a magazine while he waited. Soon he felt Fitz move his legs so he could sit down, laying them back across his lap. Fitz placed his hands onto Mack’s knee and laid back, stretching out his neck to relieve the soreness caused by hours hunching over his workbench.
‘You work too hard Turbo,’ Mack said.
‘You should have seen me before,’ Fitz said, ‘this is nothing.’
‘You miss it?’ Mack asked, aware his answer might break his heart.
Fitz’s face darkened for a moment, before he rearranged it into something plainer, ‘Sometimes. There were things I did, things I got to see, magnificent things. But then there were other things, much-, much less pleasant things.’
Fitz’s hand started absentmindedly rubbing up and down Mack’s legs.
‘It’s okay Turbo, we don’t have to talk about it.’
Fitz gave a sad smile and a nod of relief. Mack knew something had happened to make Fitz leave, but Fitz was a hard book to read. He didn’t look like he was ready to run back to his old employers, not just yet. Maybe they would get a bit more time together, Mack felt a flutter of hope in his chest at the thought. He moved up to pull Fitz into an embrace and they lay there enjoying the feel of each other until Fitz jumped up at the sound of an urgent beeping from one of his computers.
They didn’t get a chance to spend any real time together after their moment of closeness on the sofa, not for a few days. Fitz really did work himself too hard and Mack wondered if he would eat and drink if he didn’t look up occasionally to find food and drink had appeared next to him unnoticed. Probably not. That man needed taking care of.
Fitz finally finished the machine, a complex looking thing with moving parts and lights and arms that served some unknown but clearly important purpose. A mysterious group of men in suits and sunglasses came and took it away in their black shiny SUVs. ‘Thank you, Doctor Fitz,’ the lead suit said, and Mack felt a flush of pride at hearing him addressed this way. His Fitz was smart.
Fitz went back to his flat, to sleep for at least twelve hours he said, leaving Mack instructions to come round ‘no earlier than eleven am.’
This would be their first real chance to spend some time together, now they were actually kind of ‘together’. Mack was excited, their date had been incredible, but it felt like a long time ago.
Mack checked his watch had ticked over to 11.01 before buzzing Fitz’s flat and making his way to the lift. He rapped on his door and after a few moments it opened, and a sleep ruffled face appeared. His curls dishevelled and clearly only just awake Fitz waved Mack inside wordlessly. He rubbed at his eyes, put a pot of coffee on, mumbled ‘shower’, and left Mack to entertain himself.
Clearly not a morning person, Fitz took his time in the shower and it was twenty minutes and one cup of coffee before he appeared, fully dressed and a little more awake. His phone rang and Fitz cancelled the call without looking, putting it straight in his pocket. He grabbed a cup of coffee before heading across to give Mack a quick kiss. He pulled back, as if to check that it was okay, but Mack reassured him by giving him a kiss back.
‘So, what’s the plan for today?’ Fitz asked.
‘I was going to let you choose,’ Mack said.
‘Not fair,’ Fitz said, ‘you’ve been awake longer. You have more brain cells firing right now, you choose, and I will follow’, he said leaning into Mack’s side. Mack’s arm came around him and he tried to think of something that Fitz would enjoy.
‘Okay, I have an idea.’ Mack sent a few messages on his phone while they finished their coffees. He smiled to himself, happy with the result, and said ‘let’s go.’
They left the flat hand in hand, Mack heading to the lift to push the button. Fitz just stopped facing the doors, his eyes wide and a blank look on his face.
‘It’s okay, it’s fixed, I used it again today,’ Mack said pulling him forward, but Fitz didn’t move. He just stood and stared, and his breathing started to become more noticeable. His chest was moving faster, and his hand started to tremble slightly.
‘Hey, hey, it’s okay,’ Mack lent down so their eyes were level. He laid his hand softly on the side of Fitz’s face, ‘we’ll take the stairs,’ and gently moved him in the right direction, Fitz dumbly nodded and let himself be guided.
Fitz walked down as if in a trance. Outside in the fresh air Fitz was calmer and on his way back to being himself. He looked over at Mack, his cheeks pink and seemingly embarrassed.
‘Sorry,’ he said looking at the floor.
‘Nothing to be sorry for,’ Mack said, meaning it, ‘no elevators. Not a problem.’
‘Can’t even get in a lift, pathetic,’ Fitz was saying, more to himself than Mack, ‘weak, stupid.’
Mack couldn’t bear to hear this from Fitz, he pulled him towards him. ‘No, please don’t talk like that Fitz, you are none of those things.’ Mack held him against his chest until he felt him relax and return the embrace. They stood like that for a few minutes until Fitz pulled back and smiled, clearly ready to change the subject, ‘so, where are we going?’
Mack linked their hands again as they took off, ‘it’s a surprise. Need to know only.’
Fitz laughed, ‘I can handle classified information.’