Lance didn't acknowledge them as they sat at the dinner table, hands folded tightly in front of them. Lin didn't acknowledge Lance as he sat across from them.

"I'm sorry," Lin spoke after almost five minutes of nothing. "I shouldn't have said those things. Not in that moment, at least."

"I forgive you."

"Thank you." Lin sighed a breath of relief and leaned back in their chair. "If you have the space, I may have a solution to you being fired."

"You found a job for me?" Lance crossed his arms, tension building up again. "I could have done that."

"I wasn't actively searching for one," Lin explained, "I came across it by chance."

"What is it?" It was hardly a question. Lance just wanted this to end. He was tired - both physically and of Lin.

"You remember my boyfriend, Aiden," Lin spoke slowly, and carefully. "He's a teacher at the high school across town. They've been searching for a genetic experimental science teacher for months, and you fit the bill."

"I don't have a teaching license."

"You can get one. Or at least a certification. I don't know the difference."

"That'd take a long time."

"You'd be a specialty teacher, which means you can teach as you work to get a certification."

"So when you said you found me a job-"

"Came across it."

"Whatever. Don't interrupt, please." Lance ran his fingers through his hair, "When you said you found me a job, what you meant was I'm going back to school. To learn how to teach at a school."

"You could put it that way." Lin looked nervous, "That's an odd way to put it, but I guess it works."

"I'll consider it," Lance decided, "I want to take a week or two to look at other jobs. Maybe I can get another lab job."

"Whatever you do, I'll support you."

"Thanks."

The two separated - Lin returned to the living room and Lance went to his bedroom. He lied on the floor, looking under his bed. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, that was just where his gaze landed. His eyelids were heavy, and his breathing evened out.

Somebody knocked on his door. Lance jolted awake from his nap, holding himself up by his elbows.

"What?" His voice was groggy with sleep, and his eyes weren't completely open.

"I got dinner." Lin's voice was soft, "Do you feel up to eating out here? Or do you want to eat in your room?"

"Give me five minutes. I'll be out soon."

Lin left and Lance sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Lance sat silently for a moment, blinking rapidly as his vision cleared.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted," Lin said as Lance entered the living room, "So I got more than I should have, but now we'll have leftovers for a while."

The coffee table was covered in take-out boxes from the small Thai restaurant down the block. Lin knew the owner on a personal level and was usually able to get a discounted price on its orders. Lin offered Lance a box, smiling brightly.

"Mr. Saelee misses you."

"I was busy. Work kept me from going there every other night." Lance crossed his legs and took a bite of his food, Lance wasn't sure what he was eating, but it seemed to be a curry of some sort. "Maybe I could get on his good side - start visiting more. Double discount." 

"Being the discount is my job!" Lin argued. Their tone was playful as they nudged Lance, "I'm good at it, too - we don't need a double discount."

The two continued arguing about it, laughing and shoving as Lance described the fantasies of having an even better discount on their Thai food. 

"Mr. Saelee is my friend!"

"He can have more than one!" Lance pointed out, "He loves me!"

"Only because you're my friend!"

"Oh, sure!" Lance pushed Lin from its face, laughing. "I go in alone all the time!"

"I've been in that restaurant more times than you could count!"

"I can count pretty high!"

Lin fell off the couch, shrieking as they landed on the floor. Lance laughed at them, only causing himself to slide off the couch too. The two paused for a moment before making eye contact and breaking out into laughter again.

Lance pulled himself back up onto the couch, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Lin continued to giggle on the floor, taking heaving breaths and holding their ribs.

It was nice. After what felt like the longest day of his life, Lance found it comforting to see Lin laughing themself into a fit of pain. As crazy and cruel as it sounded, it was reassuring to know they would stay with him.