Sure Be Cool (Common Law Fic)
Oct. 9th, 2015 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Sure Be Cool
Fandom: Common Law
Pairing: Travis Marks + Wes Mitchell
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3,010
Beta: None. I often tell my lovely beta that if I sent her everything I wrote before posting, she'd never get anything done. Um, kind of case in point here, baby.
Summary: Travis has conned Wes into attending a party for a fellow officer. Against his better judgement, Wes agrees. About the time he figures he’ll forever be a wallflower, Wes runs into someone he knows, sort of. When Travis sees his partner with another man, chaos ensues.
Author’s Notes: Jealous!Travis anyone? It’s mild, but I love it when Travis gets a little jealous and goes all protector!Travis on Wes. It’s so much better when those jealous moments lead to actual emotional growth on Travis’ part. Written for the October SongFic Challenge at 1_million_words and written to the tune of Blake Shelton’s “Sure Be Cool if You Did”.
I was gonna keep it real like chill like only have a drink or two
But it turned into a party when I started talking to you
Now you're standing in the neon looking like a high I wanna be on
Baby it's your call, no pressure at all
Leaning against the wall, he tracked his partner with his eyes. It had been Travis’ idea to come here in the first place and, despite his usual reticence where parties were concerned, Wes had followed Marks like a puppy followed his master. In that moment, Wes hated Travis for the power that he held over him.
They’d agreed to stay for just an hour, long enough to mingle and have a couple drinks, nothing more. Had Wes’ brain been in operating order, he’d have realized that there wasn’t a chance in hell of getting Travis out of this place until he’d made his way through each and every eligible female in the building, taking names and notes for the future. Sighing, Wes cursed himself for having been such a fool.
And yet…
“Excuse me,” a voice said from Wes’ immediate right, “but aren’t you Wes Mitchell?”
Blinking, Wes turned towards the sound of the voice and ran smack dab into the softest pair of brown eyes he’d ever seen. “Yes, I am,” he said, taking in the handsome face. “But I’m afraid I have no idea who you are.”
“Anderson,” he said. “Connor Anderson. I’m from, well, I work at the county courthouse.”
Suddenly, it dawned on Wes that he had seen this guy before, that the dusky brunette had even garnered a few moments of his precious attention even. “You’re one of the officers stationed at the entrance to the building, aren’t you?” He hadn’t recognized him out of his uniform. “What are you doing at a party like this?” They’d exchanged a few friendly comments over the years, even a couple that Travis had declared to be ‘flirty’, but never anything more. Connor shrugged, giving him what Wes believed was his best smile. He had to admit, it sure lit up his face when he smiled like that.
“Kendall lives in the apartment next door to me, she asked if I wanted to come and keep her company.” Anderson’s cheeks flushed a touch with his admission.
Wes looked around. “And where is the little computer geek now?”
“No clue,” Anderson said. “Which is why I glommed onto the first person I recognized. Congratulations, Detective Mitchell, you’ve won yourself your own person security detail for the evening.”
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Wes reminded himself that at least he was easy on the eyes if nothing else. And a pretty face got you pretty far these days. If his luck held, maybe this Connor guy wouldn’t be half as annoying as the yokel he was generally forced to work around.
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Saying goodbye to the pretty blonde with the perky breasts, Travis looked around for the not-so-perky blond he’d arrived with. Breasts or not, he had promised Wes they wouldn’t stay long. Finally, his eyes caught on that familiar form. “Ah, there you – wait.”
He broke away from the group he’d been standing with and moved in the direction where he’d spotted Wesley. The closer he got, the clearer the picture became. Wes was not alone and, wait for it, he was smiling? No way, Wes didn’t ever smile, and never, ever at a party. His partner had to be humoring the guy, it was the only rational explanation for that grimace on Wes’ face. “What the hell is going on?”
“Talking to yourself again, Travis?” Kendall stopped by his side, sipping from her umbrella drink. Her auburn hair was tied into a youthful ponytail behind her head. On anyone else it would look cheesy, but on Kendall it fit.
“Naw,” he said, shaking his head in the negative. “I was just…” Talking to myself, damnit.
“See, I knew it.” She looked around the room, giving it a quick scan. “Where’s Wes?”
“That was my question,” Travis growled. “And there’s my answer.”
Kendall’s eyes followed the direction Travis’ finger was pointing. When her gaze landed on Wes and the person keeping him company, she couldn’t contain a gleeful little giggle. “Oh good, Connor found him.”
“Dude, you do not buy my partner a martini! Don’t you know anything,” Travis muttered, not hearing a thing Kendall had said. When her words penetrated the haze surrounding his brain, Travis’ eyes flared with pent up frustration and a hint of something more. “Wait, you know this guy? How the hell do you know this guy?”
“Yeah. He’s my neighbor and a nice guy.” She looked from Travis’ flushed face to the two officers having a chat by the back wall. Wes was swirling the martini in his glass and studying Connor’s face like he was preparing for an exam. “Travis, are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay, Kendall. Wes drinks Scotch and nothing else. And only good Scotch at that. Never a martini or a mojito or – god forbid – a beer. This guy’s nuts for even thinking to offer him something else.” He huffed out a breath then gave Kendall a quick hug. “I need to go save Wes.”
“But Travis,” she began, watching the detective saunter away. The obvious retort of ‘but he doesn’t look like he wants to be saved’ never made it off the tip of her tongue.
You can’t shoot me down cause you've already knocked me dead
Got me falling apart with my heart talking out of my head
Let your mind take a little back road
Just as far as you wanna go
Baby I’ll do whatever you wanna do
Wanna do
“I have to admit,” Wes said taking a second sip of the martini, “that this isn’t as awful as I thought it would be.”
Connor grinned. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be insulted or not by that comment.”
Wes felt an embarrassed blush rising to his cheeks. “I just meant that I don’t normally drink martinis. Too James Bond-ish for my tastes,” he said, taking another sip from the glass. “But it’s actually very tasty.”
“Always happy to broaden someone’s horizons,” Connor said.
The words hung heavy between them, like Connor had left something unsaid. Wes knew he wasn’t very good at this – flirting and making connections with others – but even he could tell there was something more that he was missing. “I like new experiences,” he said, cringing at how the words sounded. “That didn’t come out right.”
Anderson laughed and it was a hearty, joyful sound. “What I’ve heard about you is true then.” He shook his head, smile stretching his lips. “I kind of like it.”
Wes’ brow furrowed. “What have you heard about me?” It couldn’t be good, the things that were said about him never were, and yet, Connor stood here, chatting like they were old friends.
“Just that you’re very precise and methodical. That you pointed out what you said didn’t come out right, even though I think we were both aware of the fact the second you said it, confirmed it.”
Running his fingers through his hair, Wes sighed. Even his finer character flaws were still flaws it seemed. Ones he wasn’t ever going to be able to live down. “I’m sorry. I –”
Connor held up a hand. “Don’t apologize,” he said. Lowering the hand he’d held in the air, he rested it on Wes’ shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. “I like that about you, it’s charming. It’s refreshing that you’re so aware of everything you say and do. Too many men these days say whatever comes to mind and do whatever feels best and damn the consequences.”
Travis suddenly sprang to Wes’ mind, making him first chastise himself for thinking such a thing and then wonder how he’d managed to forget about his partner for so long. “I know a few guys like that.”
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Kendall grabbed hold of Travis’ arm, tugging on it until he looked at her. “Can’t this wait? I have to go save Wes from this asshole.”
“Travis Marks,” she scolded him. “Connor is not an asshole, he’s my friend. And between you and me, Wes doesn’t look like he needs to be saved.”
“But Wes,” Travis said, tearing his gaze away from his partner and the interloper. Wes did look rather relaxed, considering he’d put his partner into a situation where he’d normally be uncomfortable. But he couldn’t be enjoying himself, could he? Not without Travis by his side.
“But Wes what,” she asked, her voice gentle and probing.
Confused, Travis looked down at her sweet face and frowned. What was she getting at that he kept missing? He shook his head, forcing the uncertainty away. “But Wes doesn’t drink martinis, Kendall. I need to get him a Scotch before he gets cranky.” And before this guy thinks that Wes is something – someone – that’ he’s not.
“He’s drinking the martini,” she pointed out. “I’d also like to point out that he seems to be enjoying it.”
Travis looked back at where Wes stood with that Connor guy and winced when his hand landed on Wes’ shoulder. “It’s just not right, Kendall.” He pulled his arm out from her grip and stormed off to reclaim his partner and get the hell out of Dodge.
Kendall watched Travis stomp off and wondered if he had even the slightest clue as to how crazy ex-girlfriend he was acting right then. Figuring he hadn’t the foggiest idea, she got herself another drink and settled in to watch the fireworks. Because the minute he intruded on Wes’ quiet moment with Connor, it was going to get real.
Have a night that you'll never forget
And now you're standing in the neon
Looking like a high I wanna be on
“Dude,” Travis said, stepping between Wes and this other guy. “Rule number one: Wes only drinks Scotch.” He reached for Wes’ martini. “Let me get you some Johnnie Walker.”
Wes pulled his hand back before Travis could take his drink. “Back off, Marks. I’m actually enjoying this martini.” And the company, too, but he wasn’t sure if that was the smartest thing to add at that moment or not.
“Who are you,” Travis said, voice soft. “I feel like I don’t even know you right now.”
Connor laughed, patting Travis on the shoulder, earing himself an evil glare. “Your partner’s expanding his horizons and trying new things. How about you? Want to step outside your comfort zone and try something new, too?”
“Oh, I’m about to step outside my comfort zone all right,” Travis muttered, taking a step towards Anderson.
“Travis,” Wes said, holding his arm out in front of Marks. “Stop acting like a child.”
“I’m not,” he protested, a pout on his lips.
“Oh but you are,” Wes said, sipping his drink. “But what I don’t understand is why.”
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Yeah, it'd sure be cool if you did
“That’s an easy one,” Connor said, catching the attention of a nearby cocktail waitress and signaling for another drink. “He’s an idiot.”
“Hey,” Travis snapped, taking another step forward. “Watch it there, pal.”
“I’m on Travis’ side here,” Wes added, looking between the two men. “And only I get to call him an idiot.”
“Fair enough,” Connor agreed, picking a stray hair off Wes’ tie. “So, let me rephrase. He’s in love with you and seeing you standing here with me is making him into an idiot.”
Wes blinked, unable to absorb that bit of information.
“What?” Travis held his hands out, waving them back and forth like he was shooing flies or something. “No way man. You’re crazy. I’m not in love with blondie here.”
“Am I?” Connor arched an eyebrow and waited. “According to Kendall, you two are all over each other verbally twenty-four-seven. Sometimes, even physically. Anytime you are in a room together, the sexual tension skyrockets. Kendall’s never wrong about these things either.”
“Wes,” Travis said, a plaintive sound weaseling its way into his words, “tell him he’s crazy.”
As much as he hated to admit to it, Wes knew Connor was right. Or, at least, half right. They did fight like a married couple and some days, they did have a hard time keeping their hands to themselves. Even playing it off as being too at ease with each other, he knew they often crossed the line as partners. Wes had no doubts in regards to how he felt about Travis, but was the feeling mutual? He had no idea. “I can’t do that, Travis.”
“What?” Connor sounded nearly as surprised as Wes felt at the admission.
“What the hell, man? You doing this on purpose, just to screw with me or what?” Travis’ eyes were wide, his mouth pulled down in a disbelieving frown.
“Travis, don’t be such a jerk,” Kendall said, pushing her way towards them. “All Wes is saying is that he can’t agree that Connor’s crazy because he knows the truth.”
“What truth?” Travis folded his arms over his chest, glaring at Kendall, daring her to say something more. “I haven’t heard one true thing yet.”
She shrugged. “Maybe you should ask Wes.” All three of them turned to look at the blond.
“Wes?” The single word from Travis was more a demand than a question.
He ruffled his hair with his fingers again, stalling for time. “He’s not crazy because he’s not exactly wrong.”
“Hah,” Kendall laughed, covering her mouth at the last minute. “I knew it.”
“Knew what?” Travis looked around the group of people he stood with, confusion etched on his face. “Wes?”
“I can’t vouch for your feelings,” Wes said slowly, drawing each word out. “But I can speak on my own, and he’s not wrong.” Connor was actually pretty dead-on with his assessment, too right for Wes’ comfort.
Travis took a step back, looking from Wes to Kendall to Connor and then back to Wes. The blond had turned his face away from the group, a hint of pink coloring the crests of his cheekbones.
“Travis,” Kendall said, reaching out and taking hold of Marks’ hand. “Come back here. Wes is trying to tell you something important and I think you should listen.”
“No,” Travis said, shaking his head. “You can’t feel this way, not about me. No. Idea rejected.”
“Why the hell not,” Wes demanded, his voice louder than he planned. The hurt he felt was sudden and unpredictable, slamming into his chest and settling in for the night.
“Because you said you couldn’t ever love someone like me,” he admitted, turning away from the three pairs of staring eyes.
There was a vulnerability in his words that Wes hadn’t ever heard before and it was heartening. To discover a chink in Travis Marks’ armor was a first. “That’s not what I said,” Wes denied, reaching a hand out to touch his partner’s wrist. “What I said was I didn’t understand how anyone could love someone like you.”
“What’s the difference,” Travis asked.
“The difference is, I get it now.” Wes tugged on Travis’ arm, forcing him to step closer. “Besides, you were being a bit of an ass that day, if I remember correctly. I could have been completely enamored of you and not understood it at the time.”
“Awwww,” Kendall squealed. “I can’t wait to tell Jonelle about this.”
“Don’t you dare,” Wes growled. “This stays here, between us.”
“You’re not nearly as mean as you think you are, Wes.” She giggled like the tipsy thing she was becoming and gave him a giant hug. “But okay, this will stay here for now. I’m giving you two weeks to figure it out, and then I’m visiting the morgue.”
“Oh yes he is,” Travis interrupted, a little late to their party, his brain having only just caught up. “He really can be mean. Don’t let those dimples fool you. There was this one time –”
But Kendall stopped him with an embrace. Patting him on the back, she whispered, “Listen to what he says, Travis, and give him time. He’s out of practice with this sort of thing.” She pulled away and motioned to Connor to come along with her. Shrugging, Connor blew Wes a kiss and followed Kendall off into the crowd.
“That was all very strange,” Travis said, turning his focus back onto Wes. “You want to get out of here?”
Wes smiled. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said. “You want to go get something to eat and…”
“Talk about this bullshit?” Travis lifted a shoulder and allowed it to fall. “Sure. We gotta start somewhere, right?”
“Yeah,” Wes said. “So why not start here?”
Fandom: Common Law
Pairing: Travis Marks + Wes Mitchell
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3,010
Beta: None. I often tell my lovely beta that if I sent her everything I wrote before posting, she'd never get anything done. Um, kind of case in point here, baby.
Summary: Travis has conned Wes into attending a party for a fellow officer. Against his better judgement, Wes agrees. About the time he figures he’ll forever be a wallflower, Wes runs into someone he knows, sort of. When Travis sees his partner with another man, chaos ensues.
Author’s Notes: Jealous!Travis anyone? It’s mild, but I love it when Travis gets a little jealous and goes all protector!Travis on Wes. It’s so much better when those jealous moments lead to actual emotional growth on Travis’ part. Written for the October SongFic Challenge at 1_million_words and written to the tune of Blake Shelton’s “Sure Be Cool if You Did”.
I was gonna keep it real like chill like only have a drink or two
But it turned into a party when I started talking to you
Now you're standing in the neon looking like a high I wanna be on
Baby it's your call, no pressure at all
Leaning against the wall, he tracked his partner with his eyes. It had been Travis’ idea to come here in the first place and, despite his usual reticence where parties were concerned, Wes had followed Marks like a puppy followed his master. In that moment, Wes hated Travis for the power that he held over him.
They’d agreed to stay for just an hour, long enough to mingle and have a couple drinks, nothing more. Had Wes’ brain been in operating order, he’d have realized that there wasn’t a chance in hell of getting Travis out of this place until he’d made his way through each and every eligible female in the building, taking names and notes for the future. Sighing, Wes cursed himself for having been such a fool.
And yet…
“Excuse me,” a voice said from Wes’ immediate right, “but aren’t you Wes Mitchell?”
Blinking, Wes turned towards the sound of the voice and ran smack dab into the softest pair of brown eyes he’d ever seen. “Yes, I am,” he said, taking in the handsome face. “But I’m afraid I have no idea who you are.”
“Anderson,” he said. “Connor Anderson. I’m from, well, I work at the county courthouse.”
Suddenly, it dawned on Wes that he had seen this guy before, that the dusky brunette had even garnered a few moments of his precious attention even. “You’re one of the officers stationed at the entrance to the building, aren’t you?” He hadn’t recognized him out of his uniform. “What are you doing at a party like this?” They’d exchanged a few friendly comments over the years, even a couple that Travis had declared to be ‘flirty’, but never anything more. Connor shrugged, giving him what Wes believed was his best smile. He had to admit, it sure lit up his face when he smiled like that.
“Kendall lives in the apartment next door to me, she asked if I wanted to come and keep her company.” Anderson’s cheeks flushed a touch with his admission.
Wes looked around. “And where is the little computer geek now?”
“No clue,” Anderson said. “Which is why I glommed onto the first person I recognized. Congratulations, Detective Mitchell, you’ve won yourself your own person security detail for the evening.”
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Wes reminded himself that at least he was easy on the eyes if nothing else. And a pretty face got you pretty far these days. If his luck held, maybe this Connor guy wouldn’t be half as annoying as the yokel he was generally forced to work around.
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Saying goodbye to the pretty blonde with the perky breasts, Travis looked around for the not-so-perky blond he’d arrived with. Breasts or not, he had promised Wes they wouldn’t stay long. Finally, his eyes caught on that familiar form. “Ah, there you – wait.”
He broke away from the group he’d been standing with and moved in the direction where he’d spotted Wesley. The closer he got, the clearer the picture became. Wes was not alone and, wait for it, he was smiling? No way, Wes didn’t ever smile, and never, ever at a party. His partner had to be humoring the guy, it was the only rational explanation for that grimace on Wes’ face. “What the hell is going on?”
“Talking to yourself again, Travis?” Kendall stopped by his side, sipping from her umbrella drink. Her auburn hair was tied into a youthful ponytail behind her head. On anyone else it would look cheesy, but on Kendall it fit.
“Naw,” he said, shaking his head in the negative. “I was just…” Talking to myself, damnit.
“See, I knew it.” She looked around the room, giving it a quick scan. “Where’s Wes?”
“That was my question,” Travis growled. “And there’s my answer.”
Kendall’s eyes followed the direction Travis’ finger was pointing. When her gaze landed on Wes and the person keeping him company, she couldn’t contain a gleeful little giggle. “Oh good, Connor found him.”
“Dude, you do not buy my partner a martini! Don’t you know anything,” Travis muttered, not hearing a thing Kendall had said. When her words penetrated the haze surrounding his brain, Travis’ eyes flared with pent up frustration and a hint of something more. “Wait, you know this guy? How the hell do you know this guy?”
“Yeah. He’s my neighbor and a nice guy.” She looked from Travis’ flushed face to the two officers having a chat by the back wall. Wes was swirling the martini in his glass and studying Connor’s face like he was preparing for an exam. “Travis, are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay, Kendall. Wes drinks Scotch and nothing else. And only good Scotch at that. Never a martini or a mojito or – god forbid – a beer. This guy’s nuts for even thinking to offer him something else.” He huffed out a breath then gave Kendall a quick hug. “I need to go save Wes.”
“But Travis,” she began, watching the detective saunter away. The obvious retort of ‘but he doesn’t look like he wants to be saved’ never made it off the tip of her tongue.
You can’t shoot me down cause you've already knocked me dead
Got me falling apart with my heart talking out of my head
Let your mind take a little back road
Just as far as you wanna go
Baby I’ll do whatever you wanna do
Wanna do
“I have to admit,” Wes said taking a second sip of the martini, “that this isn’t as awful as I thought it would be.”
Connor grinned. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be insulted or not by that comment.”
Wes felt an embarrassed blush rising to his cheeks. “I just meant that I don’t normally drink martinis. Too James Bond-ish for my tastes,” he said, taking another sip from the glass. “But it’s actually very tasty.”
“Always happy to broaden someone’s horizons,” Connor said.
The words hung heavy between them, like Connor had left something unsaid. Wes knew he wasn’t very good at this – flirting and making connections with others – but even he could tell there was something more that he was missing. “I like new experiences,” he said, cringing at how the words sounded. “That didn’t come out right.”
Anderson laughed and it was a hearty, joyful sound. “What I’ve heard about you is true then.” He shook his head, smile stretching his lips. “I kind of like it.”
Wes’ brow furrowed. “What have you heard about me?” It couldn’t be good, the things that were said about him never were, and yet, Connor stood here, chatting like they were old friends.
“Just that you’re very precise and methodical. That you pointed out what you said didn’t come out right, even though I think we were both aware of the fact the second you said it, confirmed it.”
Running his fingers through his hair, Wes sighed. Even his finer character flaws were still flaws it seemed. Ones he wasn’t ever going to be able to live down. “I’m sorry. I –”
Connor held up a hand. “Don’t apologize,” he said. Lowering the hand he’d held in the air, he rested it on Wes’ shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. “I like that about you, it’s charming. It’s refreshing that you’re so aware of everything you say and do. Too many men these days say whatever comes to mind and do whatever feels best and damn the consequences.”
Travis suddenly sprang to Wes’ mind, making him first chastise himself for thinking such a thing and then wonder how he’d managed to forget about his partner for so long. “I know a few guys like that.”
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Kendall grabbed hold of Travis’ arm, tugging on it until he looked at her. “Can’t this wait? I have to go save Wes from this asshole.”
“Travis Marks,” she scolded him. “Connor is not an asshole, he’s my friend. And between you and me, Wes doesn’t look like he needs to be saved.”
“But Wes,” Travis said, tearing his gaze away from his partner and the interloper. Wes did look rather relaxed, considering he’d put his partner into a situation where he’d normally be uncomfortable. But he couldn’t be enjoying himself, could he? Not without Travis by his side.
“But Wes what,” she asked, her voice gentle and probing.
Confused, Travis looked down at her sweet face and frowned. What was she getting at that he kept missing? He shook his head, forcing the uncertainty away. “But Wes doesn’t drink martinis, Kendall. I need to get him a Scotch before he gets cranky.” And before this guy thinks that Wes is something – someone – that’ he’s not.
“He’s drinking the martini,” she pointed out. “I’d also like to point out that he seems to be enjoying it.”
Travis looked back at where Wes stood with that Connor guy and winced when his hand landed on Wes’ shoulder. “It’s just not right, Kendall.” He pulled his arm out from her grip and stormed off to reclaim his partner and get the hell out of Dodge.
Kendall watched Travis stomp off and wondered if he had even the slightest clue as to how crazy ex-girlfriend he was acting right then. Figuring he hadn’t the foggiest idea, she got herself another drink and settled in to watch the fireworks. Because the minute he intruded on Wes’ quiet moment with Connor, it was going to get real.
Have a night that you'll never forget
And now you're standing in the neon
Looking like a high I wanna be on
“Dude,” Travis said, stepping between Wes and this other guy. “Rule number one: Wes only drinks Scotch.” He reached for Wes’ martini. “Let me get you some Johnnie Walker.”
Wes pulled his hand back before Travis could take his drink. “Back off, Marks. I’m actually enjoying this martini.” And the company, too, but he wasn’t sure if that was the smartest thing to add at that moment or not.
“Who are you,” Travis said, voice soft. “I feel like I don’t even know you right now.”
Connor laughed, patting Travis on the shoulder, earing himself an evil glare. “Your partner’s expanding his horizons and trying new things. How about you? Want to step outside your comfort zone and try something new, too?”
“Oh, I’m about to step outside my comfort zone all right,” Travis muttered, taking a step towards Anderson.
“Travis,” Wes said, holding his arm out in front of Marks. “Stop acting like a child.”
“I’m not,” he protested, a pout on his lips.
“Oh but you are,” Wes said, sipping his drink. “But what I don’t understand is why.”
You don’t have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter and lean a little closer
You don’t have to keep on smiling that smile that’s driving me wild and when the night is almost over
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat and do a little bit of country song, hanging on
You don’t have to keep me fallin’ like this
But it’d sure be cool if you did
Yeah, it'd sure be cool if you did
“That’s an easy one,” Connor said, catching the attention of a nearby cocktail waitress and signaling for another drink. “He’s an idiot.”
“Hey,” Travis snapped, taking another step forward. “Watch it there, pal.”
“I’m on Travis’ side here,” Wes added, looking between the two men. “And only I get to call him an idiot.”
“Fair enough,” Connor agreed, picking a stray hair off Wes’ tie. “So, let me rephrase. He’s in love with you and seeing you standing here with me is making him into an idiot.”
Wes blinked, unable to absorb that bit of information.
“What?” Travis held his hands out, waving them back and forth like he was shooing flies or something. “No way man. You’re crazy. I’m not in love with blondie here.”
“Am I?” Connor arched an eyebrow and waited. “According to Kendall, you two are all over each other verbally twenty-four-seven. Sometimes, even physically. Anytime you are in a room together, the sexual tension skyrockets. Kendall’s never wrong about these things either.”
“Wes,” Travis said, a plaintive sound weaseling its way into his words, “tell him he’s crazy.”
As much as he hated to admit to it, Wes knew Connor was right. Or, at least, half right. They did fight like a married couple and some days, they did have a hard time keeping their hands to themselves. Even playing it off as being too at ease with each other, he knew they often crossed the line as partners. Wes had no doubts in regards to how he felt about Travis, but was the feeling mutual? He had no idea. “I can’t do that, Travis.”
“What?” Connor sounded nearly as surprised as Wes felt at the admission.
“What the hell, man? You doing this on purpose, just to screw with me or what?” Travis’ eyes were wide, his mouth pulled down in a disbelieving frown.
“Travis, don’t be such a jerk,” Kendall said, pushing her way towards them. “All Wes is saying is that he can’t agree that Connor’s crazy because he knows the truth.”
“What truth?” Travis folded his arms over his chest, glaring at Kendall, daring her to say something more. “I haven’t heard one true thing yet.”
She shrugged. “Maybe you should ask Wes.” All three of them turned to look at the blond.
“Wes?” The single word from Travis was more a demand than a question.
He ruffled his hair with his fingers again, stalling for time. “He’s not crazy because he’s not exactly wrong.”
“Hah,” Kendall laughed, covering her mouth at the last minute. “I knew it.”
“Knew what?” Travis looked around the group of people he stood with, confusion etched on his face. “Wes?”
“I can’t vouch for your feelings,” Wes said slowly, drawing each word out. “But I can speak on my own, and he’s not wrong.” Connor was actually pretty dead-on with his assessment, too right for Wes’ comfort.
Travis took a step back, looking from Wes to Kendall to Connor and then back to Wes. The blond had turned his face away from the group, a hint of pink coloring the crests of his cheekbones.
“Travis,” Kendall said, reaching out and taking hold of Marks’ hand. “Come back here. Wes is trying to tell you something important and I think you should listen.”
“No,” Travis said, shaking his head. “You can’t feel this way, not about me. No. Idea rejected.”
“Why the hell not,” Wes demanded, his voice louder than he planned. The hurt he felt was sudden and unpredictable, slamming into his chest and settling in for the night.
“Because you said you couldn’t ever love someone like me,” he admitted, turning away from the three pairs of staring eyes.
There was a vulnerability in his words that Wes hadn’t ever heard before and it was heartening. To discover a chink in Travis Marks’ armor was a first. “That’s not what I said,” Wes denied, reaching a hand out to touch his partner’s wrist. “What I said was I didn’t understand how anyone could love someone like you.”
“What’s the difference,” Travis asked.
“The difference is, I get it now.” Wes tugged on Travis’ arm, forcing him to step closer. “Besides, you were being a bit of an ass that day, if I remember correctly. I could have been completely enamored of you and not understood it at the time.”
“Awwww,” Kendall squealed. “I can’t wait to tell Jonelle about this.”
“Don’t you dare,” Wes growled. “This stays here, between us.”
“You’re not nearly as mean as you think you are, Wes.” She giggled like the tipsy thing she was becoming and gave him a giant hug. “But okay, this will stay here for now. I’m giving you two weeks to figure it out, and then I’m visiting the morgue.”
“Oh yes he is,” Travis interrupted, a little late to their party, his brain having only just caught up. “He really can be mean. Don’t let those dimples fool you. There was this one time –”
But Kendall stopped him with an embrace. Patting him on the back, she whispered, “Listen to what he says, Travis, and give him time. He’s out of practice with this sort of thing.” She pulled away and motioned to Connor to come along with her. Shrugging, Connor blew Wes a kiss and followed Kendall off into the crowd.
“That was all very strange,” Travis said, turning his focus back onto Wes. “You want to get out of here?”
Wes smiled. “I thought you’d never ask,” he said. “You want to go get something to eat and…”
“Talk about this bullshit?” Travis lifted a shoulder and allowed it to fall. “Sure. We gotta start somewhere, right?”
“Yeah,” Wes said. “So why not start here?”
