#if only for the azzy and col interactions

[cmaculatum]

they’re my favorite terrible duo

azzy waits until he hears prolonged silence behind the door, and then elects to shove his way in. col doesn’t even look up from behind his desk, unbothered or distracted or both. the man in one of the other chairs, however, jolts in surprise. “sir -”

“you’re done,” azzy tells him, picking up the back of the chair and dumping him out of it. “I need the room.”

“sir,” the man tries again, flustered.

“my associate told you to leave,” col says, toneless, as he flips a pen between ink-smudged fingers. distracted, it is. 

brows furrowed and mouth thin, the man leaves. azzy doesn’t bother watching him go. instead, he slams himself down into the empty chair (still warm. gross) and drapes his arms over his bouncing knees.

“stop that,” col tells him, finally looking up. he blinks, as if realizing who it is, and then promptly hands over a yellow legal pad with a list of names. “they’re building a new ship. some of your handlers would like to retire permanently from the field.”

azzy takes the pad, leans forward to grab the pen out of col’s other hand, and immediately crosses out three names. “none of them have experience in venator,” he explains. col just hums.

“why are you here?” he asks, turning his attention instead to a pair of computer monitors. azzy sits back, knee starting to bounce again. he’s gathering his thoughts, and he knows that col knows this. the sound of a mouse clicking fills the room.

---

“io,” col corrects. “we aren’t related.”

azzy rolls his eyes towards the ceiling. “uh-huh.”

---

col puts a hand out. “do you really think they would have taken out io?”

io. col always calls them io. it’s annoying. azzy grits his teeth, “this time? yeah. yeah, they would have.”

“stop that,” col’s voice carries an edge this time, “and tell me the truth.”

“I’m not delusional! I really think they would have.”