A smile in purgatory 火海一笑 (BxB)

A drunk fight

After Mike badged them both in, Kexing just stood there totally shocked, at a loss for words, and staring at Hanson.

Hanson also stood there, cold and cool, as always.

~ ~

"Hanson... you... you... you quit?" Kexing asked, stuttering.

" ... "

"Why?"

" ... "

"Because... of me?"

" ... "

"Hanson, did you quit... because of me? Why didn't you tell me that you quit?" Kexing pressed.

Hanson took in a deep breath and finally answered. "I didn't want to tell you exactly because I didn't want you to be ... like ... like this... "

"Like what?"

"Like... in shock... and asking a million questions..."

"I only asked 2 questions, why you quit, and why you didn't tell me."

"Well I answered already why I didn't tell you."

"You still didn't tell me why you quit."

Hanson let out a heavy sigh and answered but chose his words carefully "... I quit ... because... I didn't want to ... to feel ... ditched. It's a crappy feeling. If I quit, then I'm the one deserting others, not the other way around."

"You felt ... ditched? After they fired me? Would you have felt that way if they fired Tom? Would you have quit for him? Like you did for me?"

Hanson hesitated for a moment, and then gave Kexing the answer he sought and longed to hear. "Probably... not."

"So you did quit because of me then."

"... If you want to put it that way."

"Why didn't you tell me that you quit?"

"What's there to tell?"

"You should have told me."

"So many things happen every day, am I supposed to tell you every single thing?"

"If it concerns me, then yes."

"Why does it concern you? It's my job, I quit. Am I supposed to tell you when I eat? When I sleep? When I poop?"

"YES!" Kexing answered with full certainty.

Hanson's face remained stern.

After a moment of awkwardness, the two of them staring at each other uncomfortably, Hanson changed subject. "Can we get back to work now? We both left early on Friday, there are many loose ends to tie, things to finish doing so we don't... get fired for good."

They walked to the cubicle where they share the desk, and Brian had left both their badges on Hanson's desk, along with the work cellphone.

Kexing grabbed the phone instead of his own badge.

"Why's your phone here with the badges?" He asked, curious.

"It's... a work phone. I had to return it with my badge." Hanson answered flatly.

Then gradually, a smile formed on Kexing's face. He realized Hanson didn't answer his calls because he had returned the phone, not because he was mad at him or didn't want to have anything to do with him. In fact, he's starting to believe that Hanson cared a lot more than he showed.

His smile grew bigger and he just stood there, smiling foolishly at Hanson, for no particular reason, other than, he's happy, very happy.

Hanson thought the silly boy looked funny. He wanted to smile back, but he didn't really know how. He hadn't smiled properly for so long, that he forgot how. So he gave Kexing another bizarre smile, more like a fifth of a smile. But Kexing loved it.