Promises, Promises
"What's going on, Hutch?"
Detective David Starsky said softly, not looking at the man slumped beside him in the passenger seat of the car. Starsky heard Hutch take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ever since Starsky had gotten shot and nearly killed three years before by James Gunther, both men had been working at not taking the frustrations of their job out on each other. It had been a promise both had made: to not hurt each other again by not truly talking to each other. Hutch let his head thump back against the headrest and closed his eyes.
"I'm tired, Starsk. Just tired. Wore out." Hutch said softly.
Starsky remained silent, waiting to see if Hutch said more. When Hutch didn't add anymore, Starsky nodded. He'd noticed that Hutch had been distracted for the past few weeks; more irritable with his co-workers; harsher with the perps.
"Let's get supper and eat at home, ok. What do you feel like?"
Hutch thought for a moment.
"Burgers from Huggy's sound good."
"Burgers it is."
Starsky turned the car in the direction of Huggy's. When they arrived, both men got out and went into the bar to order and to talk to their friend, and the proprietor of the bar, Huggy Bear. As they waited for their supper, they spent some time chatting with Huggy and getting all the news from him. One of Huggy's girls brought out their burgers and they took their leave.
They arrived at the house they had bought together a year ago. Starsky had brought his idea up to Hutch: they spent more time together at each other's places, neither of them seemed to have an interest in women, and they just wanted to be together; why not get a house together? Between the two of them, they could save on rent, and use the rent for house payments. Hutch had just looked at Starsky and agreed. It had taken them almost three months to find a house they both liked, which had taken some compromise between them.
As they entered their house, Starsky toed off his shoes and pushed them up against the wall with his toes. He ambled into the kitchen to get a couple of beers and returned to the living room to find Hutch had set the bag of burgers down on the table in front of the sofa. He handed Hutch a beer and plopped down onto the sofa. He watched as Hutch did the same. Both men reached for the bag of burgers at the same time. Hutch grinned and handed Starsky a burger before taking one for himself.
They got a couple of burgers in them before Starsky spoke.
"So, you wanna tell me what's going on? What's got you thinking so hard?"
Hutch sighed and abruptly leaned towards Starsky to wrap his arms around his curly-haired partner. Starsky responded and hugged Hutch back tightly. Hutch's voice was soft against Starsky's ear.
"I said before that I'm tired. I am Starsk. So very tired. I think I want to stop being a detective. But I don't want to leave you with another partner."
Starsky hugged Hutch tighter. He wasn't really surprised by the words Hutch spoke. He spoke just as softly as Hutch had.
"You wouldn't be. Hutch, I've been thinking. I think I want to take the Captain's Test."
Hutch sat back to stare at Starsky with surprise and burgeoning relief. Starsky stared right back at Hutch and knew that this was a good idea for the two of them.
"What do you plan on doing if I make captain? Will you quit the force completely or go to another department?" Starsky asked curiously.
"I was thinking Forensics. I like figuring out the different pieces of the crime being committed and putting them in place. I'm just tired of being on the streets and being in the line of fire."
Starsky nodded in agreement and took a drink of beer, only to find that the bottle was empty. He stood to get another and Hutch tapped his empty bottle to Starsky's. Starsky grinned and disappeared into the kitchen and soon returned with a few more bottles. As he handed two off to Hutch, he settled into the corner of the couch and opened his arms in invitation for Hutch to settle against his chest. Hutch went a little red in the face, but shifted around to lean back against his partner.
Starsky still thought it was kind of enduring how shy and flustered Hutch got about affection from him, even with all the years of being his friend and partner and, as of a year ago, lover.
"Hey, Starsk. You aren't upset at all about not being a detective, are you."
Starsky smiled at the statement. He shook his head slightly.
"No, not upset, or angry, or even surprised. Honestly, Hutch, neither one of us is getting younger and you know how mornings are for me. You've seen how difficult it's become. And I know that your headaches have gotten worse. It's time for a change."
Hutch sighed and leaned back against his lover and felt relief wash through him. He should have known that Starsky would be on the same wavelength as him. Starsky wrapped his arms around Hutch's shoulders and pressed a light kiss to Hutch's soft, blond hair. He thought for a moment.
"I love you, Hutch. And I don't want to be anywhere that you aren't. I'm okay with this plan of ours. I'll be happy because you are and because this is something I want too. I'm committed to you and our life together."
Hutch closed his eyes against the sudden rush of tears. Oh, how he wondered at the gift that was his partner. And how he'd managed to have this man's friendship and love. Hutch shifted so that he was kneeling between Starsky's legs, cupped Starsky's face gently between his hands, and kissed him thoroughly and with heat. As Starsky slid down the couch to stretch out, Hutch did the same above him, and both men knew that they could handle the change that was coming for them. They had each other and that was all that mattered.
Detective David Starsky said softly, not looking at the man slumped beside him in the passenger seat of the car. Starsky heard Hutch take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ever since Starsky had gotten shot and nearly killed three years before by James Gunther, both men had been working at not taking the frustrations of their job out on each other. It had been a promise both had made: to not hurt each other again by not truly talking to each other. Hutch let his head thump back against the headrest and closed his eyes.
"I'm tired, Starsk. Just tired. Wore out." Hutch said softly.
Starsky remained silent, waiting to see if Hutch said more. When Hutch didn't add anymore, Starsky nodded. He'd noticed that Hutch had been distracted for the past few weeks; more irritable with his co-workers; harsher with the perps.
"Let's get supper and eat at home, ok. What do you feel like?"
Hutch thought for a moment.
"Burgers from Huggy's sound good."
"Burgers it is."
Starsky turned the car in the direction of Huggy's. When they arrived, both men got out and went into the bar to order and to talk to their friend, and the proprietor of the bar, Huggy Bear. As they waited for their supper, they spent some time chatting with Huggy and getting all the news from him. One of Huggy's girls brought out their burgers and they took their leave.
They arrived at the house they had bought together a year ago. Starsky had brought his idea up to Hutch: they spent more time together at each other's places, neither of them seemed to have an interest in women, and they just wanted to be together; why not get a house together? Between the two of them, they could save on rent, and use the rent for house payments. Hutch had just looked at Starsky and agreed. It had taken them almost three months to find a house they both liked, which had taken some compromise between them.
As they entered their house, Starsky toed off his shoes and pushed them up against the wall with his toes. He ambled into the kitchen to get a couple of beers and returned to the living room to find Hutch had set the bag of burgers down on the table in front of the sofa. He handed Hutch a beer and plopped down onto the sofa. He watched as Hutch did the same. Both men reached for the bag of burgers at the same time. Hutch grinned and handed Starsky a burger before taking one for himself.
They got a couple of burgers in them before Starsky spoke.
"So, you wanna tell me what's going on? What's got you thinking so hard?"
Hutch sighed and abruptly leaned towards Starsky to wrap his arms around his curly-haired partner. Starsky responded and hugged Hutch back tightly. Hutch's voice was soft against Starsky's ear.
"I said before that I'm tired. I am Starsk. So very tired. I think I want to stop being a detective. But I don't want to leave you with another partner."
Starsky hugged Hutch tighter. He wasn't really surprised by the words Hutch spoke. He spoke just as softly as Hutch had.
"You wouldn't be. Hutch, I've been thinking. I think I want to take the Captain's Test."
Hutch sat back to stare at Starsky with surprise and burgeoning relief. Starsky stared right back at Hutch and knew that this was a good idea for the two of them.
"What do you plan on doing if I make captain? Will you quit the force completely or go to another department?" Starsky asked curiously.
"I was thinking Forensics. I like figuring out the different pieces of the crime being committed and putting them in place. I'm just tired of being on the streets and being in the line of fire."
Starsky nodded in agreement and took a drink of beer, only to find that the bottle was empty. He stood to get another and Hutch tapped his empty bottle to Starsky's. Starsky grinned and disappeared into the kitchen and soon returned with a few more bottles. As he handed two off to Hutch, he settled into the corner of the couch and opened his arms in invitation for Hutch to settle against his chest. Hutch went a little red in the face, but shifted around to lean back against his partner.
Starsky still thought it was kind of enduring how shy and flustered Hutch got about affection from him, even with all the years of being his friend and partner and, as of a year ago, lover.
"Hey, Starsk. You aren't upset at all about not being a detective, are you."
Starsky smiled at the statement. He shook his head slightly.
"No, not upset, or angry, or even surprised. Honestly, Hutch, neither one of us is getting younger and you know how mornings are for me. You've seen how difficult it's become. And I know that your headaches have gotten worse. It's time for a change."
Hutch sighed and leaned back against his lover and felt relief wash through him. He should have known that Starsky would be on the same wavelength as him. Starsky wrapped his arms around Hutch's shoulders and pressed a light kiss to Hutch's soft, blond hair. He thought for a moment.
"I love you, Hutch. And I don't want to be anywhere that you aren't. I'm okay with this plan of ours. I'll be happy because you are and because this is something I want too. I'm committed to you and our life together."
Hutch closed his eyes against the sudden rush of tears. Oh, how he wondered at the gift that was his partner. And how he'd managed to have this man's friendship and love. Hutch shifted so that he was kneeling between Starsky's legs, cupped Starsky's face gently between his hands, and kissed him thoroughly and with heat. As Starsky slid down the couch to stretch out, Hutch did the same above him, and both men knew that they could handle the change that was coming for them. They had each other and that was all that mattered.