Work Text:
last call
by tigriswolf
“Hey, Boss.” He sounds upbeat, over-the-top. But underneath, he’s desperate. “So, uh, I know you don’t check your voicemail, but I hope you’ll give your cell to Abby. I just…” He sighs and cuts off a little gasp. “I wanted to tell you goodbye. I wish you’d answered your phone. I mean, even if you had—” He pauses. “You’d have never got here in time, Boss, so don’t think that. It’s my fault, anyway.” He coughs for a moment, and it sounds painful. “I should’ve been smarter and faster. Better. I walked into it, Boss. Like a rookie, a probie. Man, it was fuckin’ stupid. Gotta say, I deserve this. Sorry I let you down. Again.” Silence, except for labored breathing, and then he mutters, “Fuck, it’s cold.” He coughs again, wet and broken. “Boss, just want you to know… workin’ for you… best thing I ever did.” He doesn’t say anything else, just gasps for breath until he can’t anymore.