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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: And a Redhead in a Cocktail Dress…
Fandom: Romani Detective original fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/James Rosewood/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,809
Summary: Andrej overhears a rather unusual conversation between James and Zayne.
Author’s Note: Written for the weekend challenge at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
1_million_words. My prompt was nine ladies dancing and while there are no ladies dancing… I think this still might apply. And if not… eh, words.
“I will not,” James shouted, drawing Andrej’s attention to the living room. “And you can’t make me.”
Setting down the knife he was using to chop bell peppers, he waited. Zayne and Jay’s arguments had softened over the last few weeks, containing less harshness and more playful banner, so Andrej didn’t expect this one to explode into something awful. On the other hand, they had been watching football when he’d left to start lunch. More fights had begun during a game than any other time in their rocky relationship.
“Aw, c’mon, narco,” Zayne teased in a singsong voice. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“Apparently I left it in my other pair of pants, cowboy,” James deadpanned. “Because no.”
Relieved that their quarrel wasn’t an actual argument, Andrej returned to his chopping. Zayne had, as usual, requested ‘something out of that damn wok of yours, baby’ so he’d pulled out his tried and true fried rice recipe. Zayne had always liked it and it made Jay happy as well. Piling the veggies in a bowl beside the beaten eggs, chopped chicken, and stir-fry sauce, he bent to drag the wok out of the cupboard.
“So, you won’t even consider wearing a dress,” Zayne asked.
Jerking upright, Andrej smacked the back of his head into the countertop. For the first time since moving in, he regretted spending the extra money on granite. He rubbed the back of his skull and set the wok on the stove. What had he just heard?
“Nope, not a chance,” Jay said. “Not a dress, a skirt, or even a skort. Whatever in the hell a skort even is.”
“I think they’re this weird thing that look like a skirt but are actually shorts.”
“Why the hell would you wear something like that,” James asked, true curiosity in his voice.
“No clue,” Zayne said, speaking for them all right then. “Women are strange.”
“Says the man trying to get me in a dress.”
“Aw, but you have such nice legs, narco,” Zayne teased.
Andrej smiled because Jay did have nice legs. A strong and lean pair honed through regular runs on the weekends. Andrej poured the eggs into the wok and started to scramble them, wondering why on earth Zayne wanted Jay in a dress. If anything, Andrej would like to see James in a suit, but Zayne’s tastes ran to the more natural.
Meaning, naked, of course.
He lifted the eggs out of the wok and put them in a clean bowl. Drizzling a bit of sesame oil into the wok, he began working on the chicken.
“You know this is for a good cause, right?”
Zayne was trying the diplomatic approach it seemed. Lifting the heavy wok off the burner, Andrej gave it a good, hard shake, then set it back down. The chicken was nicely browned and starting to smell like food. It wouldn’t be long before Zayne abandoned his argument for the kitchen. He added the veggies to the skillet and glanced at the rice cooker. Two minutes left, perfect.
“You say it’s a good cause, Reyes,” Jay laughed. “But I know the truth of it. You and those two insane women are setting me up.”
What? It wasn’t ever good when Zayne and the girls started plotting. They had a tendency to take things way too far, way too often. He scooped the chicken and veggies into the bowl with the eggs and popped open the rice cooker. Dumping mounds of fluffy, brown rice into the wok, he gave it a good stir. Adding the other ingredients on top of the rice, he poured his magic stir-fry sauce over the top. The sauce was Zayne’s favorite part of the whole mess. It was a simple mixture of soy sauce, hoisin, and chile paste, but Zayne swore there was something magical about it. It made Andrej roll his eyes anytime Zayne referred to it as magic, but as long as he didn’t complain, Andrej could live with it.
“Naw,” Zayne denied. “Like I said, it’s for a good cause. The girls donate half of the money they make from the crazy Christmas outfit contest to Three Square, so see? It’s a good cause.”
Three Square was a local charity that helped people in need get food year round. It was a wonderful program and the girls did indeed donate the money raised during their annual joint Christmas party to the charity. It was always an interesting event with all the attendees placing bets on who would wear the zaniest outfit as well as a healthy side bet on who would get drunk and pass out first.
But.
The question still remained: why did Zayne want Jay in a dress?
“I don’t care,” James said. “I’ll donate double into the winner’s pot if I have to, but I am not wearing a goddamned dress, Reyes!”
“He’s no fun, Zek,” Zayne said, wandering into the kitchen. “Is lunch almost ready?”
Focusing on the fried rice, Andrej gave it a good stir. “Yes, please get the bowls out of the cupboard, Zayne.”
Andrej felt James’ lips on his neck before he realized the redhead was behind him. “Did you hear what that crazy ass wants me to do for the party?”
“I did,” he murmured, leaning into Jay’s touch. “I still do not understand why.”
“I put money on the narco,” Zayne grunted, pushing the lovebirds out from in front of the food. “I figured he’d be easy to coerce if I sweet talked him enough.”
“If you think that’s sweet talk, baby, it’s no wonder you couldn’t keep a girlfriend.”
“Hey,” Zayne pouted, spoon in hand. “That’s not very nice.”
It didn’t keep him from piling his bowl high with fried rice and all the accoutrements. Bowl adequately stuffed, he stuck his tongue out at James and exited the kitchen.
Shaking his head, James grabbed a bowl and started filling it. “He’s insane.”
“You know,” Andrej said, watching the muscles in Jay’s arms work as he filled his bowl. “You can make him happy and not wear a dress.”
“Yeah,” James laughed. “All I have to do is humiliate myself. No thanks.”
“Maybe not.”
Andrej looked up from the wok and frowned at Zayne. “What do you mean?”
Zayne grinned and Jay flinched. “We can go as twinsies.”
James scooped a half spoonful into his bowl before glancing at the Texan. “You can’t be serious.”
“But I am,” he said, setting his bowl on the counter. That he’d relinquished his grip on the food said a lot. “We can find some crazy sweaters online and wear them to the party. Say we’re a package deal and win it all.”
“Do not look at me,” Andrej said when James turned his pleading blue eyes on him. Grabbing a bowl for himself, Andrej shook the serving spoon at them. “He’s already asked if I would.”
“And you said no?” James cackled with glee. “I guess he doesn’t love you as much as he thought, cowboy.”
“Oh shut up,” Zayne growled, grabbing his bowl and storming out. “I’ll just call Hil and have her change my bet from you to someone else. And I thought I could count on you. Hmph!”
“Shit,” Jay said. “Now I feel bad.”
“He is very good at that tactic,” Andrej sighed. “You do not have to do anything he asks you to, Jay.”
He shoveled a forkful of rice into his mouth and chewed, nodding approvingly. “This is good. Even better that usual, Andy.” James ate a couple more bites before putting the bowl on the counter. “Did he show you the sweaters?”
“He did,” Andrej said, a smile touching the corners of his mouth.
“And how bad are they?”
“Not… not so bad,” Andrej lied.
“Oh hell.”
“Yes,” Zayne shouted from the living room. “I knew you’d come through for me, red.”
Zayne flew into the kitchen and threw his arms around James, squeezing tight. James stood ramrod straight, arms to his sides, and waited the cowboy out. With a sloppy kiss to the cheek, Zayne let the redhead go.
“You’re pushing your luck,” James said through clenched teeth.
“I think he’s warming up to me,” Zayne told Andrej with a wink.
“I think you are misreading his body language,” Andrej corrected.
“Whatever,” Zayne said, waving a hand in the air. “He said he’d do it, that’s all I need to know.”
Reyes vanished into the living room to eat, leaving Andrej and James alone in the kitchen. James looked at Andrej, waiting.
“I – I’m sorry?” He shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what else to say. Andrej had suspected that Zayne was going to use his refusal to trap James into going along with his plan, but he hadn’t had any proof. On the other hand, Jay should be wise to Zayne’s tricks by now.
“Why are you sorry,” James asked, picking his food back up and heading towards the living room. “I’m the one who let him sucker me.”
“You know it, baby,” Zayne hollered from in front of the television.
“God, he’s impossible,” James said. “Good damn thing he’s good looking, eh?”
“That is something I know better than anyone,” Andrej said. Heaven only knew he reminded himself of that very fact on a daily basis.
“Yeah, yeah,” James grumbled, “I’ll be more careful next time.”
Andrej watched James leave the kitchen and heard him say something to Zayne in regards to the game’s score. Whatever Zayne said in response made them both laugh, allowing Andrej to relax the tiniest bit. Some days, both of his men impressed and inspired him and others… Well, other days they both made him want to bash his head into the granite countertops lining his kitchen. Today was one of those rare times when he wasn’t sure if he should hug them or shoot them.
He was leaning towards shooting them. Both.
“Dude,” Zayne called from the couch. “We’re going to watch a movie if you ever manage to get your ass out here.”
“We’re done fighting, Andy,” James added. “Promise.”
“For now,” Zayne added.
Yeah, he was definitely leaning towards shooting them. Or smothering them in their sleep. But he probably should eat first. “I’m on my way,” he said, resisting the urge to smile. “Go ahead and start the movie.”
He also refrained from asking which movie they planned on watching. It was a sure bet it wasn’t anything Andrej would have chosen, but one that they both secretly wanted to watch, no matter who picked it. They were pretty predictable that way.
“Zek,” Zayne called.
“Hold your horses,” he called back, stopping long enough to grab his coffee mug. “I’m five feet away from you.”
“Then move your ass, baby. We’re wasting precious time!”
Maybe he should lock his gun in someone else’s gun safe for a few days…
--
End note: I'd pay to see James in a little black dress but then... I have issues. Just ask Wes.
Fandom: Romani Detective original fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos/James Rosewood/Zayne Reyes
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,809
Summary: Andrej overhears a rather unusual conversation between James and Zayne.
Author’s Note: Written for the weekend challenge at
1_million_words. My prompt was nine ladies dancing and while there are no ladies dancing… I think this still might apply. And if not… eh, words.“I will not,” James shouted, drawing Andrej’s attention to the living room. “And you can’t make me.”
Setting down the knife he was using to chop bell peppers, he waited. Zayne and Jay’s arguments had softened over the last few weeks, containing less harshness and more playful banner, so Andrej didn’t expect this one to explode into something awful. On the other hand, they had been watching football when he’d left to start lunch. More fights had begun during a game than any other time in their rocky relationship.
“Aw, c’mon, narco,” Zayne teased in a singsong voice. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“Apparently I left it in my other pair of pants, cowboy,” James deadpanned. “Because no.”
Relieved that their quarrel wasn’t an actual argument, Andrej returned to his chopping. Zayne had, as usual, requested ‘something out of that damn wok of yours, baby’ so he’d pulled out his tried and true fried rice recipe. Zayne had always liked it and it made Jay happy as well. Piling the veggies in a bowl beside the beaten eggs, chopped chicken, and stir-fry sauce, he bent to drag the wok out of the cupboard.
“So, you won’t even consider wearing a dress,” Zayne asked.
Jerking upright, Andrej smacked the back of his head into the countertop. For the first time since moving in, he regretted spending the extra money on granite. He rubbed the back of his skull and set the wok on the stove. What had he just heard?
“Nope, not a chance,” Jay said. “Not a dress, a skirt, or even a skort. Whatever in the hell a skort even is.”
“I think they’re this weird thing that look like a skirt but are actually shorts.”
“Why the hell would you wear something like that,” James asked, true curiosity in his voice.
“No clue,” Zayne said, speaking for them all right then. “Women are strange.”
“Says the man trying to get me in a dress.”
“Aw, but you have such nice legs, narco,” Zayne teased.
Andrej smiled because Jay did have nice legs. A strong and lean pair honed through regular runs on the weekends. Andrej poured the eggs into the wok and started to scramble them, wondering why on earth Zayne wanted Jay in a dress. If anything, Andrej would like to see James in a suit, but Zayne’s tastes ran to the more natural.
Meaning, naked, of course.
He lifted the eggs out of the wok and put them in a clean bowl. Drizzling a bit of sesame oil into the wok, he began working on the chicken.
“You know this is for a good cause, right?”
Zayne was trying the diplomatic approach it seemed. Lifting the heavy wok off the burner, Andrej gave it a good, hard shake, then set it back down. The chicken was nicely browned and starting to smell like food. It wouldn’t be long before Zayne abandoned his argument for the kitchen. He added the veggies to the skillet and glanced at the rice cooker. Two minutes left, perfect.
“You say it’s a good cause, Reyes,” Jay laughed. “But I know the truth of it. You and those two insane women are setting me up.”
What? It wasn’t ever good when Zayne and the girls started plotting. They had a tendency to take things way too far, way too often. He scooped the chicken and veggies into the bowl with the eggs and popped open the rice cooker. Dumping mounds of fluffy, brown rice into the wok, he gave it a good stir. Adding the other ingredients on top of the rice, he poured his magic stir-fry sauce over the top. The sauce was Zayne’s favorite part of the whole mess. It was a simple mixture of soy sauce, hoisin, and chile paste, but Zayne swore there was something magical about it. It made Andrej roll his eyes anytime Zayne referred to it as magic, but as long as he didn’t complain, Andrej could live with it.
“Naw,” Zayne denied. “Like I said, it’s for a good cause. The girls donate half of the money they make from the crazy Christmas outfit contest to Three Square, so see? It’s a good cause.”
Three Square was a local charity that helped people in need get food year round. It was a wonderful program and the girls did indeed donate the money raised during their annual joint Christmas party to the charity. It was always an interesting event with all the attendees placing bets on who would wear the zaniest outfit as well as a healthy side bet on who would get drunk and pass out first.
But.
The question still remained: why did Zayne want Jay in a dress?
“I don’t care,” James said. “I’ll donate double into the winner’s pot if I have to, but I am not wearing a goddamned dress, Reyes!”
“He’s no fun, Zek,” Zayne said, wandering into the kitchen. “Is lunch almost ready?”
Focusing on the fried rice, Andrej gave it a good stir. “Yes, please get the bowls out of the cupboard, Zayne.”
Andrej felt James’ lips on his neck before he realized the redhead was behind him. “Did you hear what that crazy ass wants me to do for the party?”
“I did,” he murmured, leaning into Jay’s touch. “I still do not understand why.”
“I put money on the narco,” Zayne grunted, pushing the lovebirds out from in front of the food. “I figured he’d be easy to coerce if I sweet talked him enough.”
“If you think that’s sweet talk, baby, it’s no wonder you couldn’t keep a girlfriend.”
“Hey,” Zayne pouted, spoon in hand. “That’s not very nice.”
It didn’t keep him from piling his bowl high with fried rice and all the accoutrements. Bowl adequately stuffed, he stuck his tongue out at James and exited the kitchen.
Shaking his head, James grabbed a bowl and started filling it. “He’s insane.”
“You know,” Andrej said, watching the muscles in Jay’s arms work as he filled his bowl. “You can make him happy and not wear a dress.”
“Yeah,” James laughed. “All I have to do is humiliate myself. No thanks.”
“Maybe not.”
Andrej looked up from the wok and frowned at Zayne. “What do you mean?”
Zayne grinned and Jay flinched. “We can go as twinsies.”
James scooped a half spoonful into his bowl before glancing at the Texan. “You can’t be serious.”
“But I am,” he said, setting his bowl on the counter. That he’d relinquished his grip on the food said a lot. “We can find some crazy sweaters online and wear them to the party. Say we’re a package deal and win it all.”
“Do not look at me,” Andrej said when James turned his pleading blue eyes on him. Grabbing a bowl for himself, Andrej shook the serving spoon at them. “He’s already asked if I would.”
“And you said no?” James cackled with glee. “I guess he doesn’t love you as much as he thought, cowboy.”
“Oh shut up,” Zayne growled, grabbing his bowl and storming out. “I’ll just call Hil and have her change my bet from you to someone else. And I thought I could count on you. Hmph!”
“Shit,” Jay said. “Now I feel bad.”
“He is very good at that tactic,” Andrej sighed. “You do not have to do anything he asks you to, Jay.”
He shoveled a forkful of rice into his mouth and chewed, nodding approvingly. “This is good. Even better that usual, Andy.” James ate a couple more bites before putting the bowl on the counter. “Did he show you the sweaters?”
“He did,” Andrej said, a smile touching the corners of his mouth.
“And how bad are they?”
“Not… not so bad,” Andrej lied.
“Oh hell.”
“Yes,” Zayne shouted from the living room. “I knew you’d come through for me, red.”
Zayne flew into the kitchen and threw his arms around James, squeezing tight. James stood ramrod straight, arms to his sides, and waited the cowboy out. With a sloppy kiss to the cheek, Zayne let the redhead go.
“You’re pushing your luck,” James said through clenched teeth.
“I think he’s warming up to me,” Zayne told Andrej with a wink.
“I think you are misreading his body language,” Andrej corrected.
“Whatever,” Zayne said, waving a hand in the air. “He said he’d do it, that’s all I need to know.”
Reyes vanished into the living room to eat, leaving Andrej and James alone in the kitchen. James looked at Andrej, waiting.
“I – I’m sorry?” He shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what else to say. Andrej had suspected that Zayne was going to use his refusal to trap James into going along with his plan, but he hadn’t had any proof. On the other hand, Jay should be wise to Zayne’s tricks by now.
“Why are you sorry,” James asked, picking his food back up and heading towards the living room. “I’m the one who let him sucker me.”
“You know it, baby,” Zayne hollered from in front of the television.
“God, he’s impossible,” James said. “Good damn thing he’s good looking, eh?”
“That is something I know better than anyone,” Andrej said. Heaven only knew he reminded himself of that very fact on a daily basis.
“Yeah, yeah,” James grumbled, “I’ll be more careful next time.”
Andrej watched James leave the kitchen and heard him say something to Zayne in regards to the game’s score. Whatever Zayne said in response made them both laugh, allowing Andrej to relax the tiniest bit. Some days, both of his men impressed and inspired him and others… Well, other days they both made him want to bash his head into the granite countertops lining his kitchen. Today was one of those rare times when he wasn’t sure if he should hug them or shoot them.
He was leaning towards shooting them. Both.
“Dude,” Zayne called from the couch. “We’re going to watch a movie if you ever manage to get your ass out here.”
“We’re done fighting, Andy,” James added. “Promise.”
“For now,” Zayne added.
Yeah, he was definitely leaning towards shooting them. Or smothering them in their sleep. But he probably should eat first. “I’m on my way,” he said, resisting the urge to smile. “Go ahead and start the movie.”
He also refrained from asking which movie they planned on watching. It was a sure bet it wasn’t anything Andrej would have chosen, but one that they both secretly wanted to watch, no matter who picked it. They were pretty predictable that way.
“Zek,” Zayne called.
“Hold your horses,” he called back, stopping long enough to grab his coffee mug. “I’m five feet away from you.”
“Then move your ass, baby. We’re wasting precious time!”
Maybe he should lock his gun in someone else’s gun safe for a few days…
--
End note: I'd pay to see James in a little black dress but then... I have issues. Just ask Wes.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2016-12-18 02:43 pm (UTC)Nice to see the boys getting along, even if Zayne has an ulterior motive.
P.S. I'd pay to see Jay in a little black dress.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-18 03:57 pm (UTC)I think Zayne always has an ulterior motive, even when he doesn't know it. :)
NICE. I think I know what needs to come next (as soon as I finish the other thing I've been working on).
no subject
Date: 2016-12-18 05:29 pm (UTC)Yay, more fic!
no subject
Date: 2016-12-18 07:36 pm (UTC)Always more fic! :)