oh captain, my captain

Franklin smiled as Damian sat down next to him. “I’ll leave a little money on the counter. You don’t have to use it all if you don’t want.” He would probably leave around 300. That had to be enough for whatever Damian wanted to stock the apartment with. Franklin never had the time to eat at home. He always ate at the office, and even then it was one or two meals a day. Nothing like he was supposed to. “It’s no trouble. I don’t get much use out of it.” Franklin was only ever home to eat and shower, even though he wished he was home more. Maybe if he had something or someone to come home to he would, but at the moment, there was no reason for him not to be at the office 24/7.

Franklin smiled to himself. He was happy that he could make his ex-boyfriend smile, no smirk. It was something he hadn’t really done in a long time, and it shouldn’t have made Franklin as happy as it did. “Some water will be fine.” Honestly, water was probably all Franklin had in the house, except maybe some milk, but he wasn’t even sure if he had that. “Feel free to get yourself something too.”

Franklin followed Damian to the kitchen and sat at the breakfast bar with paperwork in hand. “With you around, I don’t think that will be much of a problem.” He knew how to read people, but with the Dauntless trying to intimidate him, Franklin had to admit that he needed someone there to make sure he was reading the signs right. Damian always fit the bill, seeing as he had grown up in Dauntless.

This would be a long month. Franklin couldn’t get used to seeing Damian every day when he walked through the door. It almost felt like nothing had changed, and that hurt Franklin more than he would ever admit. He couldn’t believe how badly he had fucked things up between the two of them. It was his fault that they weren’t married. It was his fault that they were only living together permanently. Franklin couldn’t do it for too long. “Just because they control the fence, doesn’t mean they control the entire city.” He kind of rolled his eyes and went to thumb through the paperwork.

“I don’t care what you eat, as long as you buy some food here and there, and if it’s a big dinner, make enough for me too.” Franklin was a terrible cook. He knew that; his family knew that; Damian knew that; everyone knew that. If Franklin was able to eat something that he didn’t make on his own, and that actually tasted good, he didn’t care if it was made from the staple foods he bought for himself. “That’s one thing I won’t give them, unless crime rates rise, which I don’t see happening around here any time soon.”

It was much earlier than normal when Franklin came home. Damian had taken much of the work that Franklin needed to go over with him when he went home. Well, to Franklin’s apartment. Originally, he had wanted him and Damian to move into the apartment together after graduation, but it didn’t really work out that way, as much as he wanted it to. When he walked in the door, he saw his ex-boyfriend on the couch, going through the paperwork, definitely freshly showered. “I assume you found the shower on your own then. Did you make dinner for yourself? Or do you want me to make extra, when I cook my own?”

Franklin didn’t feel like he had to help Damian. He wanted to, more than anything. He hated seeing his envoy friend struggling with anything. “Exactly. You’re not staying in a car. That’s just ridiculous. You have to be hurting all over. I’m giving you a choice. But at least go shower during your lunch break. I’ll lengthen it.” Franklin took out his keys and placed the apartment key in front of Damian. “You can keep it if you choose to stay.”

Franklin kept Damian’s gaze. “You can have it until you find a place of your own. Or at least use the shower. I mean, seriously Dames, you stink.” It took him a moment to realize that he had used one of his old nicknames for his ex. He hadn’t done that since they had broken up, at least he didn’t think he did. “You need a place to stay… that’s not…. Where have you been staying anyway?” That was probably the first thing he should of asked

Franklin lifted his travel cup up. “I already have some. Don’t try to change the subject.” He didn’t think his next words through. It seemed like it was a good idea at first. “I have an extra room. It’s yours.” As soon as Franklin said it he almost regretted it. Living with an ex probably isn’t the wisest idea, but he couldn’t leave Damian out on the streets.

“It probably would, but you’d be staying at their compound a lot.” Franklin had thought of promoting Damian to the ambassador job. It had been vacant for about a month, but Franklin didn’t think he could do it. Damian was qualified, and he knew the Dauntless and their compound, but Franklin didn’t want to not see him anymore. Franklin was used to seeing Damian every day now, and he didn’t want to lose that. “Three weeks? The hell? What happened?” Franklin was really concerned now. Three weeks was way too long, something was really wrong.