✔️RK Café

34^ Cassius - Before Mark9

September 26, 2040, 12:38 PM

Creed twitches beneath me. I rub my hands along his back as I give him a massage. He had a stress-induced break down today, so I'm helping him relax. He's finally broken, and I'm helping him pull himself back together.
"I'm sorry," he whimpers. "I shouldn't be wasting your time. I have things to do. I don't have time to relax. I can't stay here and-"
"Creed." I lean into him, pushing at his synthskin. "You're not wasting my time. You're never wasting my time. You really need to relax, Creed. You have so many responsibilities now. You need to give yourself some time to relax."
"I take a bath for an hour every day. That's enough."
He's so stubborn. "It's clearly not enough. I was literally right there, and you were looking at papers and stuff, and you just started sobbing uncontrollably. You're stressed." I lean down and kiss his back. "I love you."
"I love you, too. But, I have work to do, Cass." He rolls over and sits up. "I'm fine. I need to keep working. I have to keep pushing myself. It's the only way I'll get anything done."
I cross my arms. "Give me a list of everything you need to get done. Give me a list of everything you have planned."
"Well, I need to make sure my army is taken care of, make sure the café is taken care of, make sure the café is stocked with all the goods and stuff it needs, make sure my horses are taken care of, take care of my dogs, pay bills, work on transferring the red box Androids to the Cyber Scape, check up on the Cyber Scape, keep an eye on Conan, make a body for Gavin, work on upgrades for my Androids, prepare them for war, take over the world, etcetera, etcetera." He sighs. "I have a lot I need to do. And, all of this is on a daily basis. I've gotten a lot done today, but I need to keep working."
I open my mouth to speak, but he cuts me off.
"Oh, and not to mention the fact that a large portion of my subconscious is taken up by my predictions, plans, guesses, and daily schedules. I have a lot to balance."
"Which is why you need to chisel out a little spot for relaxation!" I sigh in exasperation.
"I will. Eventually. But, our wedding is tomorrow, and I need to cram as much work into today as possible," he insists.
"What, so you can collapse from exhaustion when it's time to marry me?"
"No. So, I can feel good about not working for a week because I'll be taking you to my private island for our honeymoon." He pulls his shirt on. "I'll have all the time in the world to cry about how stressed I am, then. But, not until then. I have to go back to work. Connor is downstairs. Maybe, you could talk about wedding things with him."
"Do you even care about our wedding?"
That stops him in his tracks. "How could you even ask that?" He glares at me. "Our wedding is the most important thing that will ever happen to me. Of course, I care!" he snaps.
"Don't snap at me!" I get off the bed. "It just sounds like you care more about your work than you do me."
Creed takes my hand. He has that look in his eyes that tells me he's about to start begging for me to not leave. He does that a lot. "Look, I just need to finish a few more things. Putting myself to work is what keeps me sane, Cassius. I just need to finish a few things. When I'm done, we can do whatever you want. I'll let you sleep with me tonight."
Of course. Now, he's bargaining with me. I don't know why he's so dead set on the idea that he has to bow to my every wish or I'll leave. I'm not like him. I'm used to not getting my way. I won't leave him just because he has work.
I sigh softly. "You don't have to bargain with me. I don't need it."
"I just want you to be happy." He takes my hands.
"I am happy. I'm just worried for you. I've never seen you break down like that. You're starting to crack under all this pressure. I know that you're not good under pressure." I hug him. "I understand. But, please, take a break."
"I... can't. Ok, how about this? I'll work for another hour, then I'll take a break. How's that?" His eyes are full of hope.
I won't get anything better than this out of him, so I agree. It always comes down to bargaining with him.
"Thank you. I'll come find you in an hour." He turns and leaves me by myself. He's so stubborn. All I ever asked for was for him to take a break, but no. I shrug.
I wander the halls, but I know where I'm going. I go into the living room to find Connor working on ironing my suit. He looks up at me.
"You don't have to do that..." I blink down at the freshly ironed suit.
Connor hugs me. "Hush. You're getting married tomorrow. The least I can do is help you look good."
"Thank you," I whisper, tightening my arms around him.
"I've watched you grow, Cassius. I watched you go from being stuck in your shell, to emerging and becoming an independent person. You've grown so much..." Connor pulls away and looks me up and down. "And, now, you're getting married. I'm so proud of you."
"Don't even start getting emotional. Don't. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry today." I push my face into the crook of his neck.
"Shh... It's ok to admit that you want to cry."
"Maybe, I do. But, only a little bit."
"A little?"
"Ok. A lot."