100 Ways to Say "I love you" - Sprace (NEWSIES)

10- "I'm sorry for your loss."

The one thing Spot was not expecting to see as soon as he returned from the gym was Race sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall of their kitchenette in front of him. Spot dropped his bag and slid his trainers off, awkwardly leaning on the wall, and made his way over to Race. Halfway there, he noticed that Race's eyes were bright red and still wet, tear tracks still visible down his cheeks. In seconds, he was kneeling in front of his best friend, a comforting hand on Race's knee.

Race didn't look down at him, but kept staring at the wall. His knuckles were white from how tightly he was gripping his phone. Spot took a second to think about what to do, he had rarely seen Race in this state, and he didn't want to make whatever was wrong even worse. One step at a time. He started by slowly moving his other hand over to Race's phone. The light brush of his fingers over Race's seemed to be enough to cause his grip to loosen. He still hadn't looked at Spot, but this was a start. Spot gently lifted Race's phone out of his hand and set it screen-down on the coffee table behind him. He hoped that in taking away Race's distraction, he would come to. He moved his hand back and held Race's in it, tracing light circles on the back of it. Fresh tears filled Race's eyes. He slowly turned his gaze down towards Spot, and broke down as soon as he met Spot's concerned face.

Spot brought Race into a tight hug, holding Race's head into the crook of his neck. If smelling him comforted Race in his sleep, then he hoped it would do at least something now, even if he did desperately need a shower.

"It's okay Toni. It's okay, I'm here."

He kept muttering to Race until he felt the crying subside and the sniffles start. He pulled away from the hug slowly, reaching for the box of tissues on the coffee table and placing them on the sofa next to Race.

Race took some breaths to try and steady himself.

"I... I got a call from my Ma...it's my Nonna." Race's voice began dropping off again, and a sudden sinking feeling overcame Spot.

Race's grandmother had been sick on and off for a little while, but she had still seemed so full of life the last time Spot had seen her. She always baked the boys some treats whenever they were facing exams or a new job - the sweetest, yet sternest, woman Spot had ever met. He'd seen Race break enough of her rules (like not eating raw dough - cookie, pizza, bread; you name it, he used to sneak it) to know her less angelic side. Regardless, Race had always been incredibly close with her; he came out to her years before his own parents, and he loved her more than anyone else in his family, despite his close relationship with his own folks. But a phone call that had him this upset? This meant that her sickness had gotten worse or...

Race barely had any sound escape as he spoke, beginning to cry heavily again.
"She's gone."

Spot moved himself up onto the sofa so he could hug Race properly, holding him as close as he could. He didn't know what to say, and so he found himself repeating the one phrase he swore he never wanted to hear again. Too many times he had had this said to him with the half-arsed sincerity people mustered up when there was a 'tragic' death in a family. The people who had said this to Spot didn't actually care - they barely knew him - and that drove him more insane than anything.
As much as he hated the words he said for his own associations with them, he meant every word as he told Race:

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Race's grip on Spot tightened, and he sat there crying in his arms for a long while. Spot took notice when his tears had died down again, and gently got up to get Race some much needed water.

"I know you probably feel like utter shit right now Toni, so how about we chill and watch a show in my room? My bed's comfier than the couch - plus I'll give you free reign with what we watch."

For the first time since Spot had been home, Race pulled a face that looked something like a smile as he took the water and nodded.

"That would be nice."

Race got up, with Spot's help, and walked into Spot's room, all but collapsing on his bed (after putting the water down - he was tired and upset, not a dick). Spot knew he would be exhausted, and at least being in his room meant that when Race inevitably fell asleep he'd be able to get some work done without disturbing him by having to get up, while simultaneously keeping an eye on him. Spot followed him quickly, pulling his laptop out and cuddling up close to Race, who had already made his way under the covers.

It only took about 15 minutes for Race to drift asleep, having snuggled himself up into Spot, using his chest as a pillow.