A Broken Sort of Broken

"Dr. Attkisson?"

Kyle ignored him, focusing on the blood cells he was looking at under the microscope.

"Dr. Attkisson who's on the table?"

"Jane Doe," Kyle lied, adjusting his view for a moment before looking towards his notes with a frown.

"Really? Because this looks like Willow's sister."

He hummed, making edits to his notes.

What Randall didn't know was that Willow was in one of the freezer lockers, waiting for him to start his other experiments.

Waiting for Randall to leave so Kyle didn't have to admit to his husband that he'd broken his promise.

Kyle wasn't facing him, refused to turn around really though he'd finished examining the sample he'd been looking at and how it reacted to the fungus he'd created a month ago.

But he could feel Randall's warmth behind him.

"Please... Please tell me you didn't Kyle."

"Your bleeding heart will be the death of me, dear."

Randall scoffed, grabbing Kyle's shoulders and forcing him to turn around to face him.

There were tears in his husband's eyes, and Kyle could feel rocks sinking in his stomach. He hated seeing his husband cry.

"You promised Kyle."

Kyle didn't answer, looking down at his hands wringing in his lap so he didn't have to face his husband's feelings of betrayal.

"I made a breakthrough, love."

"And? You promised me when you became a scientist you wouldn't let your desires to progress cloud your judgment."

"My judgment is fine, love," he answered, though his voice was hoarse and cracked on the last word.

The only sound Randall made in response was a disbelieving huff of laughter that held no real humor in it at all.

"I'm... I'm calling the police."

Kyle closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before nodding.

There was a time when he would have cut his losses and gotten rid of Randall too.

A time when he didn't love the man nearly as much as he did now.

He looked up from his wringing hands, wanting to watch as his husband pulled out his cell and made the call.

There was a moment where Kyle considered running. Not hurting his husband beyond maybe disorienting him so he could get away. But even as he sat there, listening to Randall turn him into the authorities he knew he wouldn't be able to harm a hair on his husband's head.

His mother had been right, Kyle really had gotten soft.