Work Text:
Cesare stared out into the dark roof of the Zomburger truck. The metal flooring bled a chill into Cesares spine.
What time was it? God, nights like this were the worst. He sat, and he waited.
And waited.
And... something moved out of the corner of his eye. A blue light, or maybe a gloved finger?
He froze, eyes glued to where he thought he saw... it. Nothing else happened.
Slowly turning back to face the ceiling, he could clearly see a bright blue splat on his opposite side.
Cesare suddenly lost all ability to move. If he was in the right headspace, he might think "God, this again? Doesn't he ever get sick of it?" But, no. Cesare couldn't feel his feet, his fingers, he could hear blood that wasn't there rushing in his ears.
And then he was falling.
Cesare fell for what felt like forever. He felt more than saw big, gloved hands move his arms around, poke at his ribs, under his knees. Bright blue veins over cold, dark stone passed him by as he was poked and prodded and played with by it.
He felt something sharp in one palm, then the other, and then he was strung up. The walls stopped moving, his body went limp. He felt drenched in freezing cold water despite being perfectly dry.
Cesare saw the faces of his loved- well, his employees. He saw Frances, Conrad, Doctor... no, he saw Allen. With that sickening stare, that- concern was spread over his face, as he stared at what Cesare had become.
"Boss?"
Blinking, Cesare found his surroundings bleed away. As he began to register Doctor- not Allen, the veins pulsing blue melted off the walls of the Zomburger truck.
"What-" Cesare started, breathless, eyes wide and mind not fully here yet. As he began to really see the faces, the looks of concern and confusion upon his employees, Cesare became a little startled.
"What's a man gotta do to get some beauty rest around here? Jeez, it's like working with kids on Christmas in here," in an attempt to save himself from prying questions, Cesare quickly began talking.
He supposes that he noticed the tears drying on his cheeks too late.
"Boss... you were-" Doctor tried, but Cesare cut him off.
"I know, it uhh... it's a condition I have?"
Frances decides to chime in unhelpfully, "You were sobbing, man."
Well, shit. There goes that plan.
Cesare waved Doctor away from his position on his knees, nearly over his boss.
'Doesn't matter! We got shit to sell! Burgers, and... yeah," He got up, climbing into the drivers seat.
Once the crew was set up, Doctor went to join Cesare. As soon as he turned to him, though, Doctors expression went from ready, to confused, and back to concern.
Fed up with it, Cesare prompts him. "Alright, spit it out. You look like you ate a mystery jellybean."
"I just... you seemed really upset. Earlier."
"Ugh, yeah. So what? Bad dreams happen."
Cesare kept his eyes on the road as he began to drive, though not omitting his hand gestures.
"I've just never- hang on," Doctor takes on a much more confused rather than concerned expression, "You sleep in the truck? On the bare floor?"
Cesare scoffs, not really seeing the issue. "So what? Usually I'm in a little box."
This doesn't help the issue.
"Boss, you're..." Doctor thought for a moment, trying to come up with the right words, "My place is always open if you need somewhere."
Cesare barked out a laugh, momentarily throwing his head back and nearly hitting a bird. "I don't need anywhere, Doctor. I've got bones of steel. I'll..." He paused, Doctor seemed to notice, "live."