At that point, Nik didn't even care, he just wanted something else to concentrate on. He took the mug from Cal and took a sip.

"No poison yet."

"Not quite how you make it, though," Cal replied as he sat down next to his brother and started to methodically take his guns apart. "What the hell happened, Nik? You should have been able to handle that in your sleep."

Nik shrugged. Honestly, Cal was probably right. But he also would not like the answer that Nik just didn't care enough right then to have paid enough attention.

Cal wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"Answer me, Nik," he said. "What happened?"

Nik shrugged again, still not looking at him. "I was distracted." That was true enough.

"By what?" Cal asked. "I'm usually the one screwing up like that, not you. I've never seen you do that before."

Nik scowled at him. "Just distracted." He put his leg up carefully, the expression on his face just daring Cal to keep digging.

"Damn it, Nik," Cal snapped, putting his gun down. "This isn't like you." He looked at his brother, not backing down.

Nik looked away first. "Yes, well. Things have changed." He grimaced.

"Bullshit, Niko," Cal retorted. "I don't buy that for a minute. You haven't changed in the last fifteen years, you're not going to change now. So why are you so distracted on a job?"

Niko shrugged. "Yes, things have changed." He was quiet for a few moments. "I don't have Promise."

That made Cal stop.

"Nik..." He sighed. "I know. And there's nothing I can do about that, or I would, you know I would."

"I know." Nik sighed, leaning back a bit. "I know." One corner of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile. "At least you won't have to worry about anything like this happening again."

"Yeah, because you're going to pay attention next time," Cal replied. He smirked. "Gotta make sure I don't get my fool ass killed, right?"

Nik snorted. "Something like that," he said, voice dry. "Go get something to eat. Pest."

Cal snorted but got up and went to go put in an order for some pizza. It was totally a pizza kind of night.

Nik rolled his eyes but settled in on the couch. He did, however, send off a text to Robin to let him know that they were back and the job was done.

Unfortunately for them, Robin had already caught wind of another job, and texted Niko the details.

Niko frowned as he looked over the details. That was something that actually needed to be taken care of.

"Cal."

"What?" Cal called back, leaning into the doorway. "Need something?"

"Robin just told me about another job. It needs to be handled immediately, unfortunately." Nik tossed the cell phone over to him.

Cal caught the phone, swearing.

"Nik, you can't go anywhere," he pointed out as he read the information. "And this definitely looks like it needs two people."

"I know." Nik wasn't stupid enough to think he could go on another job. "But it needs to be taken care of. And you aren't going alone."

"I'll see if Robin wants to go," Cal replied, shrugging a bit. "We might be able to not kill each other long enough."

"I doubt it," Nik said dryly. "Ish might know someone." Although he knew Cal wouldn't be comfortable working with a stranger.