Mind Your Own Business

Sydney Chase didn’t usually drink. But that morning… well, mid afternoon, really… was a special occasion. A particularly grotesque special occasion. And particularly grotesque special occasions deserved whisky. Lots of whisky. Except that… well… Sydney didn’t usually drink. So lots of whisky turned into about a glass and a half of whisky before not even the worst fucking day of his life could make him drink anymore. Which was where he was now; sitting at his desk, staring at a glass of amber color liquid sloshing about as he moved his hand, trying to convince himself that it was half full. Half full. Maybe. Only not. More like half empty.



“Yeah.” He mumbled to no one in particular. That makes more sense. “Half empty.” Following his incoherent string of thought, Sydney glanced to the right of his desk and began slowly, carefully pouring the rest of the contents of the glass into the small waist basket waiting for him there. “All empty,” he frowned, returning the glass to the drawer from whence it came and shutting it with more than a little contempt. And just as helpful. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, sorting through the damage for the umpteenth time. It was all he could do to keep himself from going crazy over it, really.



The company was in danger of losing its biggest financial break since he’d taken the reigns from his mother. Check.



It was all because of a mole working within the company to gather information on the deal. Check.



That mole was his secretary. Check.



And his boyfriend. Or whatever. Check.



Who he’d been sleeping with for months, indirectly allowing the bastard to distract him from the eventual and probably unsalvageable attack on his company. And his heart. Fucking check.



And now I sound like a bad Boy’s Love romance novel. Fuck my life.



“Mr. Chase?” The sound of a woman’s voice---his mother’s secretary, he made himself realize---echoed over his intercom, startling him out of his musings. He frowned. It was weird not to hear Cas on the other end… And this sort of shit is exactly why you’ll never be the “Chase” in “Chase Advertisements,” you pathetic, whiney, love-sick prat. He groaned, pinching at the bridge of his nose for a second before answering.



“Yes, Jenna? Can I help you with something?”



“Your mother just called, sir.” Jenna went on matter-of-factly; indifferent as always. “She wants you to meet her at DeVonte’s for lunch.”



Sydney blinked, picking up the receiver and holding it to his ear, as though it could make him hear her better; understand her better. “My mother?” He stammered, suddenly nervous despite the fact that he knew he had no reason to be. What is she doing here? “When did she get back from Fiji?”



“She requests you be there in twenty minutes,” Jenna ignored him. “Should I have a car waiting for you in ten?”



“Um, sure. But I-” he tried, but she cut him off once again.



“Very good sir,” She said, dropping the line before had the chance to say anything else, much less process this rather unexpected turn of events. Slowly, giving Jenna’s words a chance to register as best he could, Sydney hung up the phone.



Mom…? But why would she…?



He ran a hand over his face, gathering his things in a robotic sort of daze. It made no sense for her to visit so suddenly. And she would never cut her retirement short. Unless…



Unless she decided that she doesn’t trust me with the company after all.



Sydney aimed to grab distractedly for his briefcase and missed, stumbling awkwardly into the corner of the desk, the sudden sharp pain in his thigh wrenching him back to the present. Sydney swallowed back a curse, hissing through his teeth.



Stop jumping to conclusions! He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He didn’t need this shit right now. Whatever her reason for being here, it’s not to take the company back. So stop worrying. It’s just lunch. He nodded absently to himself and opened his eyes, barely stifling a groan as he grabbed his briefcase and headed to the parking lot.



---



She was already seated at her usual table by the time he got there. Taking a moment to make sure he was properly composed, he walked over, noticing once he was closer that there was a mysterious third place setting directly to his mother’s right.



“Sydney!” Verona Chase called out the moment he was within in earshot, getting to her feet to greet her son. He hugged her briefly, smiling when she kissed him on each cheek before letting him go.



“So how was Fiji?” Sydney asked as he took his seat. She followed suit, shrugging.



“Green. Hot.” She said through her usual smirk, balancing her chin on her fingers. “Islandy. How’s the company? Still running?”



“Of course,” Sydney replied, though he couldn’t help looking away for a second or two. If Verona noticed, she didn’t act like it, raising her glass of wine to her lips as though simply enjoying the lull in conversation, oblivious to her son’s discomfort. Sydney cleared his throat. “New boyfriend?” He said offhandedly, shifting his gaze to the still as of yet unused place setting. Verona’s smile faded some.



“Possibly,” She replied just as offhandedly, both of them taking a sip of their respective drinks before she went on. “Speaking of boyfriends,” she said at last. “Why didn’t you tell me you were gay?”



He nearly spit out his water, choking slightly as he attempted to swallow it back. “Excuse me?” He squeaked. Verona smiled, placing her glass back on the table and grabbing her son’s hand.



“You didn’t think I’d leave you in charge of my company without keeping an eye on you,” she winked. He paled. Jenna…



“S-So, you mean… You know about…” He put a hand over his mouth, panicking. “God, mom… I’m so sor-”



“Don’t,” she cut him off, letting go of his hand and sitting back in her chair, still smiling. “You have nothing to apologize for. This sort of thing happens sometimes. Foul play from the competition is just one of the many dangers you’ll face; and you’ll come out the better for it.” Her smile softened. “It’s nothing you can’t handle.”



Sydney shook his head, drained. And suddenly very confused. “Wait. So if you knew, and you’re not worried… Then why are you here?” At this, Verona laughed.



“I’m here to have lunch with my son.” She grinned. “Is that a problem?”



“No, of course not! I just,” Sydney sighed. “You wouldn’t come back in the middle of your vacation without a reason. So…” he let his worlds trail to nothing, hating how frazzled his mother made him. “So.” He repeated halfheartedly, looking down at his glass of water with more than a little frustration.



“So tell me about him.”



For the second time, Sydney almost choked on himself, sitting upright out of reflex. “About who?”



“Don’t patronize me, Sydney,” Verona frowned, but it was playful. Teasing. “Tell me about this boy of yours Jenna’s been keepin tabs on.” Sydney blushed, looking away.



“H-He’s not mine.” He frowned, dipping a finger into his water and running it around the edge of the glass. “Not anymore anyway. So it’s nothing.” He sighed, distracted, eyes softening under the weight of how hurt he still felt. Not like the wound’s fresh or anything… “It doesn’t matter.” He said finally, dropping his hand onto the table and leaning back in his chair, unaware that, while his mother’s smile never faltered, her focus had shifted to a few feet above Sydney’s head. And by the time he did notice, the subject of her attention had already made it to them.



“Have a seat,” Verona said suddenly, wrenching Sydney from his inner fuming. The place next to him was abruptly occupied, Sydney looking there automatically. To find Cas looking back.



“What are you-?!” Sydney blanched, getting to his feet in shock. Cas looked away, cutting him off.



“Ms. Chase,” He nodded at Sydney’s mother. “If I may, I was wondering the same thing.”



Sydney looked from Cas to his mother to Cas and back again. “You mean you invited him?” Verona chose to ignore him, answering Cas’ question instead.



“You gentlemen are here to find out if this miscommunication is salvageable.” She placed an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, lightly drumming her fingers on her cheek. “So, let’s see if we can’t handle this like businessmen, shall we?”



Sydney was furious. “There’s nothing that needs handling.” He looked square at Cas, all his anger directed at that fucking indifferent, too goddamn beautiful face. “And there was no miscommunication,” He spat out the word like a curse. “Unless I imagined the file on my desk this morning. Or… Or I heard wrong somehow. Let’s see: Did you or did you not agree to steal information from Chase Advertisements for our rival company.”



“Sydney, sit down,” Verona ordered, but he wouldn’t have it.



“Did you?!” He repeated, loud enough that some heads were turning, their conversation suddenly less than private. Cas glanced at him briefly before looking back at Verona, answering without emotion.



“Yes.”



“Then I see no reason to stay and listen to whatever shit he has to say.” Sydney replied venomously, pushing his seat back and taking a step towards the door.



“And did you give that company any of our information, Mr. Williams?” She asked, Sydney coming to a sudden halt. Not because the question was directed at Cas, but rather, because it was something he hadn’t thought to ask. Not once. He looked at Cas, waiting. But not hoping. Of course not. That would be stupid.



“No, ma’am. I didn’t,” Cas said simply.



Sydney's jaw all but hit the floor. “You didn’t?” He whispered, slowly lowering himself back into his seat. Cas looked at him and frowned.



“It wasn’t worth it.”



Sydney could only stare, dumbfounded. “Wait. So you… You never…” Cas shook his head, shrugging indifferently.



“What they had to offer me wasn’t good enough anymore, so I told them to go fuck themselves,” Cas explained. “I’d planned on turning myself in and letting you know what happened, but when I got to work you already knew. So I left it at that.”



Sydney continued to stare, suddenly feeling a step and a half behind. “I don’t-”



“You know what Mr. William’s position was at Raymore’s company?” Verona cut in, grabbing both men’s attention, one with confused curiosity, the other with frsutrated distaste. “A coffee boy.” Sydney blinked, Cas frowned, Verona went on unfazed. “If I’m correct, and I don’t doubt that I am, this exchange that was meant to take place was at the cost of a promised position in the company, am I right? A better position.”



“Assistant manager of layout design,” Cas answered with barely a nod, not looking at Sydney when he added under his breath, “The position I’d applied for three years ago.”



“But you didn’t go through with it.” Sydney chimed in again. It wasn’t a question, but there was an air of disbelief nonetheless. Verona smiled, getting to her feet.



“I’ll leave you gentlemen to it.” She said, placing a hand on Sydney’s head tenderly. “I’m in town for another week and a half. We should have lunch again.” And that being said, she left them staring at each other, not sure how to take this new development.



“Why didn’t you give them what they asked for?” Sydney whispered finally. Cas rolled his eyes.



“Do you want me to sell your secrets to Raymore?”



“Of course not! I just don’t know why you wouldn’t. I mean,” Sydney looked back at his glass, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “They were offering you a much better position than I was. And probably better pay.”



“You’re quite the salesman,” Cas smirked, giving Sydney an opportunity to roll his eyes in return.



“I just want to know why you turned them down, that’s all.” Sydney mumbled.



Cas chuckled softly under his breath. “If you have to ask, then I probably made the wrong choice.”



Sydney let his eyes lock with Cas’ for a moment before lingering on his lips, stomach flipping. “You really told them to go fuck themselves?” Cas smirked.



“I also took a moment to pour coffee on them before leaving.”



Sydney laughed, not even bothering to ask if that was true. “So. Does that mean you’re out of a job?”



Cas let out a defeated, but otherwise amused sigh. “Only if you say I’m still fired.”



Without warning, Sydney burst out laughing, a great booming fit that had more people in the restaurant turning to look than before. When it finally settled, Sydney leaned over the table, grabbed Cas by the collar and pulled him in for a deep, long, probably publically inappropriate kiss, only breaking away when they were in dire need of some air. Which, when they could breathe again, he followed up with another brief, more chaste kiss.



“Is that a yes?” Cas smirked when they pulled away. Sydney let go of him, getting to his feet and grabbing his briefcase.



“Go fuck yourself.” He said with a grin, taking that as his cue to leave. Cas stared at his back in shock.



“Wait, what?” Cas shot to his feet once he finally caught up to himself. “Are you serious?!”



Sydney just waved over his shoulder, pleased with himself for not giving in so easily. Even though he really, really wanted to. But he'd save that for later.



---

A/N: So! I know this is lacking in some smut, but NOT TO WORRY! There's one more chapter, unlike Lessons Learned lol but in a similar fashion, it's a wrap up chapter of awesome. With yummy smutness. Did I mention the smut? So yeah! Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to review. It seriously means a lot to hear that you guys actually enjoy reading my brain vomit. You rock my sox! Love you bunchles ^_^



Oh! And shameless plug: I'm coming out with a new story soon after this one called All's Fair. It's going to be a bit different from my usual ones but hoepfully you'll enjoy it. And if you don't... Don't tell anyone, but I have ANOTEHR ONE post that one that will be EXACTLY THE SAME as the first two. Style and romance wise anyway. So if you're only sticking around for that shit, not to worry lol It'll be back. So yeah, All's Fair is still M/M but with a little more angst, a little more sexual tension, and a first person point of view. SHOCKING! xD Anywaysawhosawhatsits! Thanks... again *hugs you all* Final update coming SOOOOOOOOOOON!!! xP