Work Text:
Dr Ratio was stuck, very stuck. This project was supposed to be an easy filler for his time over the summer holidays as his students went home for the end of the school year but it was proving to be more of a thorn in his side then sorting through feedback forms for his module. He was losing sleep over this, spending hours in his lab and even swapped to showers as to not break his constant line of thought. The project started off simple with some testing and calculations but as he got further into it the simplicity died along with his perfectly curated routine.
It was only a few months ago that everything went down in Penacony and he was thankful to see Aventurine recovered with minimal side effects apart from the persistent nightmares that were easily solved with melatonin supplements. Even after the extensive deliberation over his role and what Aventurine has asked him to say he felt guilty for his comments. Perhaps that was the reason for his struggle, his mind was split between his feelings and his work which was a combination he tried to stay away from but with that gambler in the equation his logic tended to go out of the window.
He was practically living in his lab at this point when Aventurine decided to visit him. Waltzing in with his usual swagger he plopped himself down on one of the stools before starting his nosiness. “So doc, what you working on these days?” Rubbing his temples Ratio started explaining his project going into depth on the procedures and equations, Aventurine wasn’t a genius in the typical sense but he understood enough of Ratio’s work to hold a conversion even offering help with statistics and probability calculations. Once he was finished Aventurine looked at him, really looked at him. Taking in the loose laurel in his hair, the dark circles plaguing his under-eyes, the shakiness in his hands and the lab coat that fell off his shoulder. “Are you going to tell me what’s got you stuck or are we going to be playing guessing games all day?” Aventurine leaned back in the stool giving the man his full attention. “Yes I’m indeed stuck as you put it. The predicted results are not following what I’m finding and I cannot work out if it’s an issue with the experiment or my original equations.”
“Ah. So the great Doctor does get stumped time to time.”
“I’m not stumped I’m experiencing a momentary issue which is to be expected in new research.”
“Well don’t get all worked up about this ‘momentary issue’ I’m sure it will solve itself soon enough. Moving on, how’s the course planning going? You ready to put the next generation of scholars through the wringer as normal?” Ratio pauses, of course he hadn’t even started going through his course changes. How did he forget that? “I am behind on my course evaluation.” Aventurine’s eyes widened, Ratio was never behind on his University work. He really was stuck. “Are you sure you should be devoting this much time to your project, isn’t it you that always says that I should be taking adequate breaks when I’m overworking myself-“
“Our situations are hardly comparable, scholarly pursuits are vastly different from your paperwork!” He snapped, it was rude and he knew that but Aventurine’s incessant prying was getting on his already fried nerves. “If you say so doc.” With that he left Ratio to his work as he sauntered out.
Sitting back down at his desk he put back on his glasses and started redoing the equations from earlier hoping they would match his results so he wouldn’t have to redo the whole experiment. Ratio hadn’t thrown himself into his research quite like this since his interplanetary weapon project. He was so sure that it would be ground breaking and to the normal man it was, but his work wasn’t directed at the average man. It was supposed to be the crowning jewel of his career and be enough to be gazed upon by HIM. He’d long moved past this goal and changed his focus to teaching and bettering the world around him instead of the selfish motivation he was often pushed to achieve. Humanity mattered far more than an Aeon and he—
His phone started to buzz from across the room as he stormed over answering it. “Aventurine if this is you calling I am very busy.”
“I don’t know who this ‘Aventurine ‘ person is but that is no way to speak to your mother.”
“Hello mother. I apologise for being so rude.”
“It’s quite alright even more so that you’re conducting research.” This was not what he needed even on a good day his mother was annoying to deal with. “I’m happy to see you back to what you’re good at, teaching is honestly beneath you.”
“Teaching is important to me you know that.”
“But it is a waste of your intelligence me and your father are worried about you.”
“Is father worried or is it just you that feels this way.”
“I don’t like this new tone of yours Veritas.” Ratio apologised as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Why are you calling me?” His mother started going on and on about how she wishes he would use more of his time for something more productive, by ‘productive’ she always meant something that would be worth bragging about to her friends. Eventually the call ends with her telling him to take care of himself and good luck on the project.
Her calls always brought up feelings he had long moved past, it rubbed salt into wounds he hoped had healed and scarred over. Receiving that letter back then had been a punch in the gut, he was so sure it would work that it was finally his chance to be recognised. Alas it wasn’t meant to be and he was fine with that, completely fine. The laurel in his hair was heavier than before. It was a gift from his parents when he joined the Intelligentsia Guild, well gift was a strong word for what it meant. Of course now it showed his humility and mundanity but at the time it was meant to humiliate him for failing. An incomplete goal he couldn’t achieve. Backhandedness what something his mother succeeded at, she never was cruel but her actions and words always speaking implicitly making him read between the lines. But never mind that now he had work to do.
A few days passed and he had apologised to Aventurine for snapping, thankfully he had accepted it and also apologised for prying into him when he knew he was stressed. The mention of his stress did leave him prickled, he wasn’t stressed this wasn’t stress he was just working it out and he would get it done. He had taken a break from the project but it hardly counted when he had taken the break to work on the Divergent Universe with Screwllum. It was only over call so he didn’t have to leave his lab so it made working the background much easier except when he groaned at the results. “Question. What are you working on?”
“Just some project its nothing exciting but my results are refusing to match my calculations which is becoming increasingly bothersome.”
“I often find a problem shared is a problem halved.”
“Have you been reading those self help books again.” He chuckled.
“They are indeed helpful in understanding human patterns especially when I’m working with them.” Ratio took off his glasses and rubbed his temple, these migraines were really starting to affect his productivity.
“Observation, you have not been taking care of yourself due to prioritising your research.” That was always the problem with talking to Screwllum, he could pick up on these things better than anyone could even if Aventurine was better with emotional cues, what a loathsome pair they were. “Question, would you require assistance for this project? If so my calendar is free apart from the Divergent Universe but with that project being mine I can temporarily leave it if you need help.”
“That is quite unnecessary I am handling this project just fine.”
“If not help than a repayment for your help on my own project, I believe it is your friend’s ideology of equal exchange. For it to be truly equal I will also take no credit for anything I offer to your project.”
“Nonsense, you will be fully credited as a joint researcher.”
“So you accept my offer?” Ratio realised how his words must have sounded like acceptation but it was too late now and the help would be appreciated even if he was adamant he didn’t need it.
Screwllum did indeed stay to his word and made quick haste to arriving to Veritas Prime. It was always weird to Ratio when he worked alongside a Genius Society member, even when he stayed on Herta’s Space Station for sometime and observed some of Ruan Mei’s research their methods were different. It’s not that he disagreed with the methods and how they conducted experiments it was more of a disagreement with their motivations, no matter the project they always focused on the outcome not the affect their projects had on the world around them. When Screwllum arrived he was fully briefed on the project along with the issues Ratio was facing use to it. Annoyingly it only took a few glances at his work for Screwllum to identify the problem and start on the solution.
They both spent two days solely in the Lab not only finishing the project but working on expanding it to include more variables. Unfortunately working with a non human meant Ratio wasn’t great at realising his own limited as he tried to match Screwllum’s work output which lead him to worsen.
Just as the third day was starting Screwllum looked over at Ratio seeing the lack of work before asking what was wrong. Ratio was unable to reply due to the ringing in his ears along with his vision tunnelling. “I do….believe I am about to pass…..” He hardly had anytime to respond before he fell back landing on the floor. Screwllum picked up his unconscious body and placed him on one of the work benches before going over to his computer to call his emergency contact only to find it to be Ratio himself. Upon finding this out he looked through his recent call logs to find a surprising amount of calls to Aventurine. He connected the call and saw the blonde mans face appear in view. “Ratio what have I done to deserve such a privilege of you calling first- you’re not Ratio why are you on his computer?” The cheerful tone in his voice died and settled into something far colder. “Yes I am not Mr Ratio but he is in the room with me in some capacity.” This did nothing to settle the expression on Aventurine’s face but he was listening.
“Then if he is in the room then put him on the phone.”
“I am unable to.”
“And why is that I wonder.”
“He is currently unconscious after passing out but I need someone to come collect him as I do not have the training necessary to take care of him and his emergency contact is himself.”
“Of course he didn’t put anyone down. Alright I’ll come to collect him tell me if he wakes up but I’ll be there as quick as I can.” Aventurine hung up and clocked out of the office early under family emergency, of course no one bought that but who would question a Stoneheart about where they were going.
He was there in a few hours and Ratio was no longer unconscious in a typical sense but he was now asleep. Aventurine managed to get him out to the car with the help of Screwllum, well mainly Screwllum someone had to be stronger than Ratio himself to pick up a man of his size. Aventurine had some property near Veritas Prime that he didn’t use but had bought due to a mission on the planet and it seemed like a no brainer to not purchase something instead of getting a hotel room with the length of said mission. They arrived within the hour and Aventurine now faced the task of trying to not wake him up as he got him out of the car, upstairs and into bed. Waking a sleeping Ratio was never a good idea because you never knew what you were going to get from him whether it was a grumpy Ratio, calm or even worst a startled one where he would need dodge a piece of chalk. Eventually after much deliberation he heaved him onto his shoulder as his legs were awkwardly dragging on the ground behind him. It took 15 minutes to get him up the stairs and into his bed, afterwards Aventurine caught his breath, swearing to increase his workout and he finally got into his at home office to keep working.
Having slept in the spare room Aventurine woke up bight and early to send off an email taking the rest of the week off. The apartment felt empty without his cat cakes to wake up next to but he was used to sleeping in different apartments and hotel rooms when work needed it. He heard clattering from the kitchen and there was only one person that it could be coming from. Leaving his room he found a very dishevelled Ratio trying to find coffee filters along with some painkillers. “What are you doing out of bed?” Whipping around to see Aventurine he mumbled.
“Why do you have nothing here your kitchen is severely under stocked…”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“I am getting a coffee and some pain relief before heading back to my lab to finish my project with Screwllum.”
“No you're not.” He walked forward and started guiding an unstable Ratio back to bed.
“This is complete nonsense I can work just fine now let me get my coffee and pain relief so I can be on my way.” He was pushed to sit down on the bed before Aventurine lifted his legs on.
“You’re not getting coffee but I can get you some water then you are resting.”
“I’ll have you know I’m very busy—“
“Veritas Ratio you will stay in this bed till you finish resting then you are going to eat, bathe and change your clothes.” Aventurine had decided to use a bossier tone that he reserved only for his subordinates but something about it made Ratio settle back in bed. “Well I can’t sleep with you here.” Aventurine nodded before he left Ratio to rest.
Over the next few hours he worked from home, joining meetings remotely and micromanaged from his apartment. He even took the liberty of involving Screwllum in the situation so he could deal with Ratio when he was back at work. Eventually, he did wake up and made his way over to the ensuite to take a bath. Aventurine heard water running and went to go check on him only to be greeted with complaints about the lack of products, space and the temperature of the water being inconsistent. He laughed to himself before looking through his limited wardrobe for something in Ratio’s size which proved to be an impossible task. When he did find something he was met with a dripping Ratio scratching at his bathrobe. “For being one of your apartments it is shockingly under supplied.”
“Well don’t you look better.”
“As much as it pains me to say your advice was needed so thank you.”
“So how did you let yourself get that bad I’ve never seen you so disheveled?” With a sigh Ratio sat down on the bed before responding. “Unfortunately even I am not immune from something as mundane as over exhaustion, I wanted this project to be done with as soon as possible but I neglected myself in the process,”
“I get it, sometimes you get so obsessed with something and you can’t think of anything else. I’ve had missions like that but thankfully I’ve had you to pull me out of it.” Aventurine wasn’t one for being deep or break his usual facade. It normally happened on nights they would drink together but even then it was a rare occurrence. It was always nice to see Aventurine being himself instead of the act everyone else saw. At the start of their friendship Ratio lost any hope of seeing Aventurine as anything but the Stoneheart. But he was still a person after all and no one can keep it up 100% of the time. He touched his shoulder before saying, “Anyway I found some clothes that should fit you so get changed out of that robe before you tear your skin off.”
The next day Ratio said his goodbyes to Aventurine and headed back to the lab so he could finally get this over with. In his absence Screwllum had completed one of their experiments leaving the finally one for Ratio to finish with him. It was the easiest one so they were able to get is over with in that night which meant once the paper was written it would be over. Screwllum had Ratio on a new schedule that included wellness breaks for anything he needed but there was absolutely no work to be done during them. The next night and into the morning they finished their paper and had it published in the afternoon.
Of course when a Genius Society member completed a project the publicity was a given but even though Ratio had dealt with interviews before nothing could prepare him for what was going to happen. Emails, phone calls, people at the university and even at his home people wanted to ask about this damn project that had already caused him enough grief already. They were both invited to a conference next week as guest speakers along with other academics from the Intelligentsia Guild and other independent researchers that had published papers over the past month. But it was clear that Screwllum and in turn Ratio were the main speakers that people would come for.
It went as any normal conference would, Screwllum was asked most of the questions and even with Ratio’s name coming first in the title they all assumed he was the head researcher. Ratio didn’t mind per se, he didn’t enjoy these things to begin with but it rubbed him the wrong way with how they all seemed to only want to stroke Screwllum’s ego. They were supposed to challenge the research, ask about factors they didn’t include or didn’t consider, make their own interpretation of the data. This interview was only further solidifying his belief that people were becoming increasingly dependent on Geniuses to solve their problems. After some time they did move to ask him questions but they weren’t about the project itself, not to Ratio at least.
“Dr. Ratio this project was yours to start with but based on the report it was only expanded and completed once Screwllum joined. Were you incapable of completing it on your own?” He disliked the question but he needed to answer it.
“Yes Mr Screwllum assisted with my research and together we expanded to project to include more variables. To say I could not complete it on my own is foolish in itself but another set of eyes on something helps you to see stuff that isn’t immediately obvious to us at that start.” They seemed happy with his response and shifted their focus back to the genius before it was sadly his turn once again. “Dr. Ratio did you seek out Screwllum as a collaborator in an attempt to gain the recognition of Nous?” The question made him pause. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be asked about this but it never made the answer easier.
“That is complete nonsense, my research has never been focused on gaining the gaze of an Aeon. To think I am still being questioned on my ideals and motivations is irritating in itself after the countless times I have been asked this only to get the same answer is wildly illogical. If there are no more questions then we are done here.”
He left the conference and went back home. But of course even on his own he was not truly free from the torment as his mother called him. Her shrill voice filled the car, “Veritas I’ve read your paper and I am very impressed. Seeking out a Genius Society member was definitely the right choice. Me and your father are so proud of you.”
“That was not my intent and you know it.”
“Don’t ruin my mood with your attitude I am trying very hard to glaze over what you said at that conference.”
“But it was the truth.”
“Please don’t argue with me.”
“No I am finished with this from you, if you cannot accept my goals then I don’t want to continue this conversation. Goodbye mother.” He hung up the phone and rested his head on the steering wheel as he pulled up to the red light. He needed a bath.
When he got home Ratio practically stripped off at the door way as he changed into a bath robe and started filling the bath. His hair was pulled back out of his face with a fluffy headband, he had a clay face mask on and his bath was completed with lavender and a few candles. Ratio took off his robe and slipped into the water enjoying the release of his tight muscles. Finally he could start decompressing after the day and dealing with his cluttered mind. He heard someone unlock the door but he wasn’t alarmed, after all only one person had the key. “Ratio! I heard about the paper and I’ve come to celebrate. One sec I’ll come in.” Aventurine pushed open the bathroom door and sat down on the lid of his toilet with a bottle of white wine in hand along with two glasses. “Of course I’ve read it through, most of it went over my head but from what I did understand you should be very proud my friend.” Though he loathed when Aventurine sold himself short he didn’t pull him up on it. Ratio watched as two glasses were poured and one was handed over to him. Now this bath truly was perfect.
“Yes the project was indeed a success and thank you for the wine it is much needed after today’s conference.”
“I have to say I didn’t catch the whole thing but they seemed far more interested in Screwllum’s contribution instead of yours.”
“It is to be expected with these things especially when a genius is involved it’s just how it goes.”
They both drank for a while sharing work stories Aventurine had encountered over the week. Ratio was never one for drinking, he did indulge in a glass of wine ever so often but it was small and definitely did not compare to Aventurine’s heavy handed pour. After he had poured the second glass Ratio swirled it before asking, “Do you think I am wasting my life pursuing something that the universe has told me time and time again that it is clearly not meant for me?” Aventurine laughed and looked at Ratio only to see him not smiling, he was serious. He waved around his glass before responding, “Where did this come from Ratio, the conference couldn’t have been that bad.” Ratio always disdained talking about himself, maybe it was the wine talking or maybe it was because Aventurine was with him. But he decided to open up.
“Ugh, it’s just this project. I was stuck well and truly stuck till Screwllum joined me. I have no clue why I’m comparing myself to a genius but watching him work whilst I was drowning was difficult to say the least.”
“I guess that’s where we differ Ratio, I always find it a delight to be working along side Pearl. She gets the work done so efficiently, I can’t say the same about the others.” Ratio tapped the stem of his wine glass absentmindedly and Aventurine could tell he wasn’t finished. “There’s something else on your mind so out with it before I have to start prying again, and we both know how much you hate that.” Ratio muttered about how annoying his people reading was before starting to speak again. “I received a call from my mother after the conference. Our relationship has always been strained and she’s already called me during this project and—“ He noticed Aventurine’s face drop and he stopped talking, sinking down in the bath without another word aside from. “My apologies I got caught up.” Ratio always stayed away from talking about his parents and his childhood out of respect for Aventurine and with Penacony so fresh in both of their memories his words were poorly chosen. “I have a feeling I know why you’ve stopped talking and I don’t think my normal prompting will work here so let’s try a scenario. If someone had broken their leg but refused to go to the hospital because they are dealing with a car crash victim, should they continue to stay silent when the only reason is someone had it worse?”
“To even think that is a reason to not seek medical attention for any injury is preposterous. Any injury down to a scratch has the possibility of causing a number of infections. No injury is insignificant because someone might have…. I see what you mean.” Finishing off his second glass before plucking up the courage to talk again. “As I said the relationship I have with my mother is complicated. My siblings were smart as is almost everyone in my family but they didn’t want to use it like I did, they always found socialising and other trivial matters more important. So when my mother saw my potential she pushed me to achieve more and more nothing as ever enough if I didn’t succeed then it wasn’t worth mentioning. While it not to say I wasn’t interested in learning but I was far more interested in understanding than solving equations.” He paused again, the bath would be cold by now if he hadn’t installed heating panels in the sides of the tub. Even after Aventurine’s reassurance it felt foolish to complain about his childhood when the other man had suffered far more than he did.
“My parents were always supportive of me and it did come from a place of love. I don’t believe my mother intended to make me feel the way I did and I understand that now.”
“But actions have consequences Ratio and its fine to feel angry no matter what she was trying to do.” He could recognise his own words a mile away.
“I can’t say I had the same relationship with my parents whilst they were still around. No matter what was happening around us they always made light of the situation. I didn’t know how bad it was till they disappeared and my sister died.”
“It’s natural for parents to protect their children from the world around them, normally to preserve childhood innocence and to not burden them too young.” Aventurine chuckled leaning forward on his knees. “Yeah, as much as I wish I had known how limited my time was with my family I don’t think I would change anything before it all happened. Anyway enough about me it’s time for you to stop deflecting.”
“I sadly cannot say the same about my childhood, they always expected more from me expecting me to have the maturity of an adult. I had an interest in art when I was younger, sculpting to be specific. I would show them to my father and he was always happy with them but my mother’s praise felt shallow. It was normally followed by telling me she signed me up to another class afterschool.” Ratio smiled to himself before starting again. “It was Professor Rond that recommended that I skipped a few years in school, he encouraged my curiosity. I remember my first day in one of his classes and I struggled with the material but for once in my life I was challenged. It made me truly think about the content and instilled this need for knowledge in a way my mother never did.”
“So it’s his fault that you’re so stern with your students.” Ratio looked at him with false offence.
“I merely expect the most from my students and this idea that I’m unreasonable has no grounds whatsoever. I just hope that the students attending Veritas Prime and taking my module would have the level of commitment I expect of them.”
“I can hardly judge you too harshly. Some of the workers in my department are idiots to say the least.”
“From my own experience you are rather unforgiving when it comes to your own standards.”
“I never intended to teach even after receiving my First Class Honours degree. I had hoped to continue research and one day join the Genius Society, alas my Interplanetary weapon only gained me an invitation to the Intelligentsia Guild. After much deliberation I decided to start teaching and rejected the offer as you know.”
“Ah yes, and that started the whole debacle of trying to recruit someone who seemed only interested in turning down every offer he was give.”
“It is never a good thing to gain the interest of the Strategic Investment Department. Much less the attention of a Stoneheart.” Placing their glasses down they both leaned closer to one another enjoying the memory of their first encounter.
“I do believe it was you that approached me at that party.”
“I was intrigued by the last surviving Avgin as everyone was when you first joined the IPC.”
“You were so drunk that night I thought your rambling would never end, along with the endless string of questions.”
“To think you had me sign a contract whilst I was inebriated was foul play.” Aventurine leaned back laughing. “What can I say, you have to strike when the iron is hot. Or incredibly drunk.”
Ratio remember their first contract and torture didn’t even begin to cover it. The IPC wanted him to continue his teaching but they also wanted project after project out of him to the point he was hardly out of his lab for a few hours till another email came in wanting his ‘expertise’ on one of their projects. Aventurine had drawn up a contract that would only benefit him and the company leaving Ratio to deal with the consequences of that. Being the vulture he was, Ratio’s value in his eyes only lasted whilst he was of use. It only took a few months and a few weeks of leave for Ratio to finally look over the contract and due to his state whilst signing it was void. He told him as much and practically ripped up the contract in front of him before quitting the guild. It was only thanks to Aventurine’s fantastic negotiation skills that he was rehired and a new contract was drafted the same day.
“You were so angry, I thought I wouldn’t leave that office without a few bruises from that chalk of yours.”
“While physical aggression is not my first choice, it was definitely an option when dealing with you.”
“But you are yet to hurt me so I think that’s a point on my side don’t you think?” They both laughed, alcohol had always been a great social lubricant for them both and conversion flowed easier. Sure they always found something to talk about but it was when they were both drunk, that was when they both came into their own.
Ratio got out of the bath pulling on his robe as they both migrated to the bedroom, the bottle was finished but they were not. Aventurine found himself in bed as Ratio rummaged around his kitchen searching for another bottle. Eventually he came back holding a bottle of expensive wine his parents had ‘gifted’ to him to be opened when he finally succeeded in their eyes. But after today’s events and standing up to his mother, Ratio had succeeded. “Now that’s a bottle of wine, and here I thought you weren’t the self indulgent type.”
“It was a gift but it holds no sentimentality now so no time like the present to drink this.”
“Speaking my language now are we? Life is too short to not indulge in what life has to offer.” The cork popped and both men sat in bed, Aventurine now in his shirt and trousers whilst Ratio was in his in pyjamas. “You wouldn’t believe the day I had, quarterly reviews suck. I’d normally pass such work off to someone else but the one person I could trust to actually complete it decided today was her day off. honestly you’d think the IPC was ran by animals bashing keyboards.”
“It doesn’t hurt to do your own work for once.”
“I do my missions but I did not sign up for paper work. We pay people for that nonsense, unlike someone here I can delegate my workload.”
“I use my assistant when I need him.”
“When he isn’t trying to get in your trousers.”
“It is highly bothersome watching him chase me like a puppy all the time.” Aventurine laughed taking a sip of his wine as Ratio’s head drooped a little on the headboard.
“Live a little doc why not embrace the opportunities in front of you.”
“I abstain from workplace relationships after the last time.”
“He wasn’t that bad surely.”
“He contaminated my lab, I couldn’t work there for weeks as the filtration system was cleared out.”
“Just stop dating crazy.” His point was true, Ratio had terrible taste when it came to relationships and his friendship with Aventurine proved that no matter how great at conversations he was.
This playful back and forth continued for a while till the bottle was half empty and Ratio’s head had now fallen on the other mans shoulder. “Aeons, after these few weeks Penacony feels like a life time ago.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, the effects of the nihility are still going strong. That chaos doctor wasn’t that helpful. But I have to say my performance might be the crowning glory of my career.”
“It was over the top.”
“Everything I do is.” They shared a glance before letting out a soft laugh.
“So what’s next for the trailblazer after defeating you and Sunday?”
“Well from my end there’s some plans in the work for recruiting the Astral Express to the IPC.”
“That will never work and after your betrayal in Penacony I very much doubt the that the Express will be ready to rally behind the IPC.” Aventurine looked at him cockily.
“I’m pretty sure you said the same thing before joining the Guild.”
“Fair point, but in my opinion wherever the Express heads next I have no doubt there will be just as much uproar as the last time.”
“I’ll drink to that.”
The bottle of wine soon emptied again and both men were prepared to settle in for the night. Aventurine had found a pair of his pyjamas in one of Ratio’s suitcases and he changed into that whilst they continued to talk. “Do you remember the mission these are from?”
“If my memory serves me correctly it was an undercover mission, tedious work. You played the high ranking official whilst you let me play the gullible assistant.” Aventurine chuckled as he buttoned up the shirt. “Well we couldn’t let you play anyone intelligent or they would have known it was you.”
“The wig itched and the contacts were uncomfortable.”
“But it worked didn’t it? The bumbling assistant who found himself in the wrong place at the exactly right time to hear everything.”
Once he was dressed Ratio headed to the kitchen to make them both tea but all Aventurine heard was the crashing of cups and stiffed laughter. “Everything alright in there?” He shouted through already standing up.
“Yes everything is fine, it seems my coordination is off for some reason.” When Aventurine found Ratio he was holding the cupboard door shut.
“For some reason hm?” He moved Ratio out of the way and took out the cups before placing a tea bag in each. He was used to the routine by now, as much as Ratio would deny this he was a handful when drunk especially because he refuses to admit how drunk he was. The kettle was boiled and the tea was left to steep as they sat at the table. “Am I going to need to help you back to bed or are you coherent enough to handle that on your own?”
“I am perfectly able to get myself to bed.”
“That’s good to hear, I don’t fancy using my Cornerstone to lift drunk people.”
“You’ve lifted me up before and had minimal problems.” He blew on his tea but it proved ineffective as he burnt his tongue whilst Aventurine laughed. Ratio ran his burnt tongue over his lips feeling the bumps that the tea had left behind. “It’s just been boiled it’s not going to be drinkable yet.”
“Yes I’ve found that out now.” After a couple more minutes the tea was finally cool enough for them to start drinking. “So, when are you actually going to start reevaluating your module for the next academic year.”
“I’ll get it started in the week I’ve put it off for long enough now.” He looked down at his tea as he spoke. “Do you believe that I’m too harsh on my students?”
“Well, everyone knows what they are signing up for when they take your module so if they can’t handle it why sign up in the first place. They aren’t exactly children they are all adults.”
“I know you are correct but my pass rate is very low and I would be a liar if I said it didn’t bother me to a degree. Im starting to think that some people choose my course just because it’s me teaching it not that they actually have an interest in the material. Of course I notice this at the start and prompt them to change majors. But it is becoming very annoying.”
“Why not start issuing entrance exams before they get accepted onto your module.”
“It goes against my morals to exclude students who might not be strong at the start of the course but come into their own once they progress further.”
“Those morals of yours seem to cause you a lot of problems.”
“Yes but they only cause problems for me unlike someone’s desperate need to self destruct every time the opportunity presents itself.”
“Is it really self destruction if I win every time.” He sipped his tea knowing he had Ratio in a sticky spot, while he did have a weird sense of self preservation. Aventurine never lost a gamble with his life. He was too greedy to die now.
They finished their tea and migrated back to the bedroom, climbing back into bed they stayed close to one another as Ratio fought sleep to listen to Aventurine’s ramblings. Eventually exhaustion won out and he fell asleep against his shoulder. They stayed like this for a while but Aventurine didn’t find sleeps as easy at Ratio did, he didn’t have his medication with him and he settled in his mind that he wasn’t falling asleep any time soon. Eventually Ratio rolled over leaving the other man to stay propped up against the head board playing with his chip to pass the time till dawn. Ever since feeling the Emanator’s blade nightmares plagued his sleep, it wasn’t like he slept great to begin with but he’d rather not wake up in a cold sweat every night if he could help it.
He left Ratio’s side at about 3am to go sit in the living room instead of staring at the sleeping man beside him. For as long as he had known him after spending a good 30 minutes soaking in the tub Ratio would be out like a light till exactly 6:00 in the morning. It was almost creepy how functional he was sometimes compared to himself. Aventurine found himself on Ratio’s laptop checking through his own emails it was true what he said earlier, quarterly reports were a pain to say the least. Thankfully Ratio had some great programs on his laptop so it was far simpler than usual to get them completed and then email over the links to the software so he could download them himself. Once that was finished he was even more bored than before, going as far to clean up the kitchen whilst he was in a productive mood. Unfortunately the noise had woken up the sleeping man as he stood in the doorway rubbing in eyes. It was strange seeing him look so vulnerable, he was sure that if anyone from his fan club had seen this they would have gone crazy. But Aventurine was civilised no matter how much money he would make if he ever shared any of the stories him and Ratio shared. “It is 4am what are you doing cleaning the kitchen…”
“Go back to bed I’ve got this, wouldn’t want you waking up to a messy apartment and a hangover now would I?”
“You can’t sleep can you?” Aventurine put down his cloth and looked at him smiling.
“Just not tired yet.” Ratio left the kitchen and Aventurine thought that was the end of it and he was heading back to bed. But Ratio came back holding a small prescription bottle. “I am unaware of your exact medication but these helped me sleep a few years ago. While I am not a fan of medicated sleep I don’t have the time to draw you a bath so this will have to suffice.” He shook out the recommended dose and placed them on the countertop. “I won’t be giving you any more of these so don’t try asking.” Aventurine happily took the pills into his hand and swallowed them dry. “Thanks, I needed this.” His voice was noticeably quieter than usual, like the pills were the perfect life line he needed. “I didn’t realise you had trouble sleeping.”
“I had migraine induced insomnia, terrible thing. I had trouble with not thinking, it was why I started bathing so frequently. It gave me time to process the day and wind down before resting. I recommend you find something similar, taking pills to sleep doesn’t help as much as you think it might.”
“Well I could use a good game of cards.”
“Absolutely not you are not gambling before bed, it pumps too much adrenaline through your body.”
“I was talking about solitaire.”
“Oh, I see. Yes that would be beneficial. I have a deck of cards around here somewhere we can have a game.” Ratio pulled his robe tighter around himself and went to find two decks of cards that Aventurine had left behind on one of the many times he’s come over. Once he found them he handed one over to Aventurine to shuffled as they sat down in the living room. Of course Aventurine’s shuffling was far more experienced and flashy whereas Ratio stuck to picking up a section of cards and slotting it between the rest of the deck. He normally stuck to the online versions as they allowed him to undo his moves without ruining the game, Aventurine far preferred using a real deck of cards for every game he played whether it was gambling or solitaire.
When the cards were all positioned they both started playing, Aventurine moved a lot faster than Ratio as his luck turned up every time as he flipped the cards over and started his growing piles. He made it look effortless as the other man sat with his hand on his chin calculating every card to turn over. It wasn’t evenly matched even if luck was taken out of the equation, not every hand was winnable. 10 minutes passed only interrupted by the flipping of cards as the aces were found and moved above the stacks. While Ratio had long sequences of cards he was yet to find his final ace which would have finished the game. Aventurine eventually leaned over and moved a few cards around and showed him the position of the final ace therefore ending both of their games. “You need to rely on intuition more doc.”
“Not all of us were blessed with luck.”
“You still think too much about your move just go with the flow and the cards will be what they will be.”
“It’s a logical game that needs strategy.”
“Oh come on I’ve seen you play this with a notepad, noting down all your failed moves as you undo them.”
“Okay I might over think it but it is a good strategy and helps me review what I did wrong.” Aventurine gathered up both decks and shuffled them together before sorting them into their original packs. “I used your laptop earlier I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, theres nothing on there that would be worrying for you to find.”
“A little boring if you ask me, most guys would be a little scared of someone seeing their browser history.”
“Then I apologise for not being more interesting.” Both decks were placed back in their boxes and put back on the shelf next to his books. “Come on it’s late and we both need to rest.” Ratio had been holding off his own exhaustion so Aventurine actually went to bed instead of finding something to keep him busy. He signed before standing up with him. “Yeah those pills are starting to kick in now.” Aventurine followed Ratio back to his bedroom already yawning as his tiredness caught up to him.
When they were both settled back down the covers were pulled up and they laid back to back in bed. While sharing a bed wasn’t uncommon they still kept a respectable distance them as to not interrupt each others rest. Aventurine drifted off before he did, his breathing was even and he looked comfortable. It was good to see him resting properly after everything that happened. Ratio also felt he was finally at peace with what had happened over the last few weeks. Between the project and his mother it had all been too much for him as much as he would never admit that not even to himself. But having Aventurine there was good for him and his sanity even if he drove him crazy. In all fairness he was a good friend and Ratio wouldn’t have him any other way, maybe without all the things he had been through but he wouldn’t be Aventurine if they hadn’t. And Ratio wouldn’t be himself today if he hadn’t given up on joining the Genius Society and found comfort in his mediocrity. Sometimes the things in life that you wish never happened gives way for other things to come your way and without experiencing hardship in whatever form it came in then you cannot grow as a person. For Aventurine it was a life of hardship that he always managed to pull himself out of. For Ratio it was an overbearing mother. All the same he wouldn’t change his life, not at the moment at least. Ratio shook his head, this was too deep for right now, he needed sleep. But maybe it would make a good paper in the future if he collaborated with a psychologist, maybe he could take a course in psychology—
No he needed to sleep, that thought could wait for the morning and whatever hangover was waiting for him then.