Work Text:
"Very well, I will take the communication," Emperor Mollari said with a wave of his hand. A servant took his drink as he stood, swaying, and made his way toward his private quarters.
Once there, he was less than surprised to see G'Kar's face flash onto the screen in front of him. "Hmm. What do you want with me, old friend?" Londo said, sitting down in a sumptuously appointed chair.
"It's a special day," G'Kar said, eyes alight. "Ten years ago, we met on Babylon 5."
Londo made a faintly dismissive noise. "You called me up just for old times' sake, G'Kar? I never thought you were the sentimental type! Hah!" He laughed, but the laugh was awkward, unforgiving. G'Kar just looked at him, silent, and for a moment Londo was afraid that he knew, that all the pretences had been wasted on this most perceptive of Narns.
There was a curious gentleness in G'Kar's voice when he spoke next. "Despite the fact that when we met, you were a buffoon and I was a fool, they are...pleasant memories."
"Narn, sometimes I think you might still be a fool," Londo said, unable to make the remark sting quite as much as he would have liked to.
"I know that you sometimes still think you can play the buffoon and believe no one will see behind the mask." G'Kar's voice was low now. "Of all the things that I have lost, I miss what might have been the most, do you find that strange?"
"Not at all," Londo said, almost too sober now. "Not at all, G'Kar." Their eyes met, and Londo knew that G'Kar could see right through him, straight to his too-small heart and his feet that had long ago forgotten how to dance.
"No matter the loss," G'Kar said, a faraway look in his eyes, as if he were quoting from something. "And yet...I wish..."
Londo couldn't see any harm in just saying the words, the ones that G'Kar had clearly wanted to say. He stood and held out a hand, wishing for a moment that he wouldn't be touching just a screen. "Happy anniversary, old friend," he said softly, and turned away, reaching for a bottle that stood nearby.
From the screen, G'Kar made a soft, incoherent, sound. "Happy anniversary, Londo." As Londo looked up, the screen went dark. He pulled the stopper from the bottle, sitting back down in his chair, and just sat there, silent, staring at the blank screen, until the room began to grow dark.