TW: Slight angst and fluff

"You're an idiot."

Lalna doesn't get chance to respond as he's roughly pulled away from the computer and into somebody's tight embrace. His face is pressed awkwardly into the other person's shoulder and he lets out an embarrassing squeak. The strangely comforting scent of honey and metal lets him know that the other person is his coworker: Xephos. He instantly relaxes, though he's slightly concerned at Xephos' unusual display of affection.

"I didn't do anything and you're calling me an idiot!" Lalna chuckles before he trails off, the fact that Xephos doesn't return the laugh causes unease in his stomach. "Xephos? What's wrong?" he asks, instantly worried when the other man tightens his grip.

"I told you. You're an idiot," Xephos mumbles into Lalna's hair. "For someone so smart, you really are dumb."

Lalna's eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Have I done something wrong?" His arms finally move as he pats Xephos' back. Well, the best he can with his arms pinned to his side. "If it's the golf course then-"

"No, it's not the golf course." Xephos takes a deep breath and pulls away. His eyes are shining with unshed tears. He scrubs them away with the back of his hand, causing his eyes to redden. "I don't care about the bloody golf course."

The scientist ignores the insult to his pride and joy and instead continues to stare at Xephos in a silent prompt for him to spill what was on his mind.

Xephos lets out a shaky breath and the words tumble from his trembling lips.

"You nearly died on the moon."

Lalna's eyes widen in surprise. "You're still thinking about that?" he asks with his usual large grin, not one for taking his near death experiences seriously. "Come on, Xeph'! That was months ago!"

"I don't care!" Xephos bites back, eyes glowing a darker blue for a short blink and you miss it moment. "You were stranded and I wasn't there to help you! You could have died and you would have been alone and-" His voice breaks and he looks down to the ground. "You're so stupid! You're an idiot!" His eyes flicker up to glare at Lalna. "Why did you go up without a parachute?!"

He resists the urge to hold his arms up in surrender and just watches as an array of emotions flash across Xephos' face. His heart drops as Xephos looks at him with what could only be described as pure anguish. "Why do you keep getting yourself into trouble? Can't you just be safe at home for once instead of risking your life for no reason?"

"Xephos?" Lalna reaches out to grab his arm. Xephos jerks away the first time but allows Lalna to catch his arm the second time. "Xephos, come on, you need to calm down."

"No!" Xephos growls, more tears leaking from his eyes. "I don't need to be calm, I need to know you won't die on a pointless mission!"

"Follow me, please." Lalna waits until Xephos nods. He begins to pull him out of the left leg of the tower, over the oxygen gear that is carelessly strewn across the yard and towards the shack containing their beds. He gently pushes the other man down onto the large bed and moves to sit next to him. Lalna tries to hide his shock as Xephos leans over to rest his head on his shoulder. He recovers quickly and slings his arm around the other man's shoulders.

"What's up with you?" Lalna asks quietly and allows Xephos to move closer. "Not that I'm adversed to cuddles but this isn't like you to come to me."

Xephos forces out a laugh that comes out more like a sob. His eyes close and the hand closest to Lalna reaches out and grabs a handful of Lalna's oil stained shirt.

"I'm sorry, you probably think I'm insane," he says, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. "I mean who walks up to someone, hugs them, shouts at them, and then starts to cry?"

Lalna doesn't speak and waits for Xephos to continue patiently. After what seemed like hours, Xephos finally continues.

"I don't know," he sighs and tightens his grip on Lalna's shirt. "I was thinking about the moon incident and all the things that have gone wrong and then I started to think of what life would be like if you weren't around anymore." He shrugs the best he can pressed against Lalna's side and with tears still drying on his cheeks. Lalna rests his cheek against Xephos' brown mop of hair and lets out a low chuckle.

"I didn't know you cared, Xeph'" Lalna teases, his fingers splaying out on Xephos' shoulder. "Have you gone soft in your old age?"

"Shut up," Xephos mumbles. "I've always cared."

"Well you shouldn't bother," Lalna says with a shrug and Xephos groans when the movement jolts his head. "I make it out okay."

"Okay isn't slowly asphyxiating alone on the moon," Xephos says and his voice cracks as if he could continue crying at any moment. "Okay isn't-"

"I get it," Lalna interrupts. "But you still shouldn't worry! Even if I did die I'd just respawn, right? It's not like we stay dead."

The beat of silence causes panic to rise up in Lalna. "Xephos?"

"No, you're right," Xephos rushes out. "It was silly and I shouldn't have worried."

Lalna stares at Xephos, his gaze unwavering as his heart beats faster.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"No!"

"Xephos." Lalna says his name with a tone of finality that causes Xephos to sigh and slump into himself.

"The respawn is faulty," Xephos finally says, his voice deadpan and distant. He says it so quietly that Lalna isn't sure exactly he's heard correctly until Xephos continues talking. "I have my best scientists on it but the server just keeps on glitching." He runs a trembling hand through his messy brown hair. "We just don't know what's causing it but it's not working."

Lalna swallows and asks "Not working how?"

"Some people...." Xephos' breath shakes as much as his hands. "Some people don't respawn. We don't know if there's a pattern but sometimes people take longer to respawn and some just...don't."

Xephos grips Lalna's shoulders and tries to stop his eyes from tearing up once again.

"Do you understand now? Can you see why I'm so upset? It could fail at any moment, causing your actual death! You could have died on the moon alone and I would never have been able to..."

He trails off.

"Why...why not tell anyone?" Lalna begins to ask, a million questions rushing through his head. "I mean, we could have helped! We would have been more careful if we knew!"

His grip on Lalna tightens and he pulls Lalna's face towards his own. Lalna resists the urge to bite his bottom lip.

"I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want them to worry. Can you imagine the panic if everyone found out?" Xephos lets out a humourless laugh. "I thought I could figure out what was wrong before anyone else died but I guess didn't think that you would be such a reckless idiot!"

Lalna opens his mouth to respond, to say the first thing that comes to mind, but suddenly lips are on his own and Lalna's brain short-circuits almost as fast as the base computer had done when Lalna spilt beer over the console.

"So fucking stupid," Xephos whispers against his lips and wraps his arms around Lalna's waist before burying his face in his shoulder. "You could have died."

Lalna blinks in shock. "I...I'm sorry?" he tries as his brain rushes to process what's happening. "I didn't know?"

Lalna raises his hand, not sure what to do, but it seems to jolt Xephos out of his thoughts.

He hears a sharp intake of breath before Xephos lets go of Lalna and pushes himself off of the bed.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Xephos rushes, wiping at his eyes even though no more tears were there. "I just...I would have really missed you, okay? You're my friend and- oh god." He groans and hides his face in his hands. "I've just ruined it, haven't I?"

"Xeph-"

"I didn't mean it, I wasn't thinking and I just...I'm so sorry, I ruined everything!"

"What? No, I mean," he gets up and grabs Xephos' shoulders to prevent him from leaving. "You haven't ruined anything."

Xephos steps back and Lalna's hands fall back to his sides, hanging there uselessly. "Just...don't be so careless." Xephos says, refusing to look at Lalna. "And forget about this."

Lalna doesn't get chance to speak, to ask what 'this' is, before Xephos is hurrying off and out of the shack. He considers chasing after him but he falters. What exactly would he say or do? For once in his life, Lalna decides to actually think before he acts.

—

"You're an idiot."

Lalna doesn't give himself time to enjoy the fact that he threw Xephos' words back at him as he's pushing Xephos against the wall, pinning him to it with his body. Xephos looks panicked and his hands clench by his sides.

"I said I was sorry!" he squeaks and tries to worm out of Lalna's hold. "If I could take it back I would but-"

"Tell me the truth," Lalna demands, cutting off Xephos' rant. "Why did you kiss me?"

Xephos flushes a shade of red that almost matched his jacket and Lalna has to resist smiling at how cute it is. "I..uh..." he splutters and avoids eye-contact with the scientist. "Lalna please just forget about it, please!"

"No, not until you give me the truth."

The spaceman's words rush out all at once and Lalna has to strain to understand the jumble of words. "Ilikeyouokay," Xephos mutters quickly, blinking down at the ground. "IkissedyoubecauseIlikeyou."

Lalna grins. "I'm sorry," he teases and steps back. "I didn't quite catch that."

"Oh you're insufferable!" Xephos hisses, glaring up at Lalna but it's hardly intimidating when his face is bright red. His cheeks heat up even more at Lalna's smile. "And stop laughing at me, it's not funny!"

"It's a bit funny." Lalna leans in and enjoys the way Xephos' eyes flicker to his lips. "Go on, say it again."

"I like you, okay? Now if you can just forget all about this and get on with our lives then-"

Xephos doesn't get to finish his sentence because Lalna thinks it's a perfect time to kiss him. The kiss is short and sweet and Xephos pulls away with a confused look.

"Why?" he asks, eyebrows furrowed. His features soften as Lalna's hand lazily combs through Xephos' hair.

"Well I thought I'd get you back for kissing me by surprise before," Lalna teases. He stops messing around at the look of disappointment on the spaceman's face.

"Also..." his drags out the word with a smile. "I like you, too."

"You really annoy me sometimes!" Xephos sighs but even he can't hold back the smile on his face. "You really are-"

"An idiot?" Lalna finishes with a wide and contagious grin. "Yeah, so you've said."

"Shut up!"

Lalna lets out a glorious laugh before leaning up and gently kisses Xephos' cheek. He smiles before his face takes a more serious expression.

"And don't worry about the respawn thing," Lalna says, his eyes leaving no room for Xephos to doubt his words. "I will fix it, believe me."

"I believe you." Xephos reaches out with a hesitant hand to grab Lalna's. "Just...promise to be careful until then?"

"I promise."

Credit to xephin on tumblr