First Round's On The Tower

Kyle Crane had just returned from collecting a drop and his muscles were aching from the exertion. Brecken had him running all over Harran in order to help communications by powering up electrical towers. Crane was not a fan of heights, but he was the best runner the tower had, so he kept his complaints to himself. Now that he was home for the night, it was time to unwind with a beer on the roof. He knew that Rahim would be there waiting. He almost always spent his downtime on the roof. Rahim was the only reason Crane ever went up to the roof–again, heights... not his thing.

However, Rahim seemed to get a sort of thrill out of it. He liked to live life dangerously, to the chagrin of his sister, Jade. It always came down to Crane being the one to talk Rahim out of his crazy schemes, even though they were usually extremely beneficial to the Tower dwellers. Crane had to admit, the kid was a genius. Only twenty-two and already second-in-command of the Tower. His plans were solid, but always risky, usually involving detonations of mass proportions to the delight of Artie. Artie had been bitched out by Jade for giving Rahim ideas, but Artie had nothing to do with the young man's unyielding conviction. Once he had a plan, it was hard to dissuade him from it, which is where Crane's influence came in. He wouldn't listen to his sister's words, but Crane? He was the voice of reason.

Crane opened the door to the roof, two beers in hand. He looked to his left where an abandoned passenger car seat sat with Rahim in it. He was tinkering with a handheld radio–probably trying to expand its communication range.

"So how goes the radio?" Crane asked as he approached. Rahim looked up and smirked.

"One of the runners said this thing was done for, but I know I can fix it and make it even better than it was before—thanks to your recent raid of mechanical parts."

Rahim reached out and took the beer that Crane offered. He put the bottle to his lips and took a long drink.

"I bet you'll have it up in twenty minutes," Crane said as he leaned against the wall next to the car seat.

"Twenty?! It's like you have no faith in me at all! Ten. Easy."

"Damn—okay, kid. Let's see whatcha got." Crane drank as he listened to Rahim talk about the goings-on in the Tower. They were never short of interesting drama around here.

"Ha! See? I'm picking up from the south tower which this thing couldn't do before. I'm a prodigy!"

"You really are a natural, kid," Crane said, nodding. He was impressed.

"Bah! Quit calling me that. I'm not a kid," Rahim spat.

Crane quipped, "Younger than me."

"You're only thirty-one."

"Well, I'm still feeling it more than I used to." Crane stretched and rubbed at his shoulder.

"Then maybe I should start calling you Old Man," Rahim laughed.

"I'm not that old," Crane mumbled and took another drink. A silence fell over them and they watched as the sun was beginning to set. Pinks and oranges painted the sky, if only its backdrop wasn't so horrid.

Rahim suddenly spoke up. "One of these days, I want to go out there with you."

"You—what?"

"I don't want to be just left here all the time. I can run—I'm the one that showed you how to do it."

"Yeah, but this shit is nothing to mess around with," Crane countered. "You know Jade would never go for it."

"Ah, what does her opinion matter? We always need runners, and Brecken's opinion is what counts."

"Brecken also knows how invaluable you are. You are worth more to the Tower here working on radios and other mechanicals than out there running."

Rahim sighed. "Fine, I guess." Once again, Crane was talking him out of it, and he knew Crane was right. "Just once would be nice though."

"Look, maybe we could go out some time just the two of us on something small. Maybe a delivery run or Antizin bottle collection?" He felt bad, knowing how much Rahim wanted in on the action but Crane did not want to face the heat from Jade after the fact. But maybe if it were something easy, she would relent.

Just no explosives.

"Better than nothing," Rahim grumbled as he got up and walked over toward the edge of the Tower. He took another gulp from the bottle. Crane walked over to make sure he didn't fall. This wasn't the first time Rahim had combined drinking and high rise for fun. He really liked to chase the thrill.

"Can you please back up? You make me nervous being so close to the edge like that." Crane yanked the back of his shirt and pulled him close. Too close.

He was suddenly staring into deep, green eyes.

"What would you rather I do instead?" Rahim spoke softly in a teasing sort of manner. Crane tried not to blush but cleared his throat before answering.

"I just don't want to have to explain to Jade that you fell off the Tower while drinking." Rahim was still leaning against him.

"So let's not tell her how you saved me by pulling me into your heroic arms." He smirked and stepped away. "She might like that even less."

Crane scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat again. Rahim always had a way of making him feel flustered and embarrassed from all the teasing he did. He couldn't admit how he actually felt about him. Wasn't even sure if it was reciprocated. Harran wasn't exactly known for its progressiveness where marriage was concerned. Marriage? Crane wasn't thinking that far ahead. Rahim was staring at him expectantly.

"What?"

"I knew you weren't listening. Probably running even in your head."

"No really, I'm sorry. What did you say?" Crane asked. Rahim just looked at him with his arms crossed. He looked a lot like Jade when he was upset. Crane really wanted to know.

"It's nothing–" Rahim walked passed him. "Just good luck, today." Crane felt a slap on his ass and yelped as he spun around. Rahim snickered as he walked back into the Tower. Crane flushed as he chuckled and shook his head.

This kid is going to be the death of me. He took another long swig of his beer and sighed as he watched the color beginning to change in the sky.