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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Things They Don’t Know
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: It’s all over the place.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,026
Summary: What’s apparent to the masses isn’t always apparent to the few.
Author’s Notes: Written for the Rainy Days and Mondays challenge at 1_million_words. It’s not as angsty as it could be, and while it started to drift that direction, I kind of lost the plot, and therefore went back and cut out a huge chunk of words. So, um, I’m sorry?
It was apparent to everyone with two eyeballs that this contentious relationship of theirs was nothing more than an act. That they really didn’t hate each other, not like they thought they did. Obvious to everyone but the two dumbass detectives currently engaged in a shouting match on the far side of the cafeteria. The thing that bound the two of them together, even more than their mutual desire for each other, sat, watching the public display of stupidity with a casual eye. He’d seen too much of this exact behavior before to let it bother him now. Besides, he was nearly finished with his book and the longer they argued, the more time he had to reach that last page.
“What are they fighting about now,” Hilary asked, taking the chair across from Andrej. He’d secured a table big enough for them all, in case Zayne and James decided to give up the fight and come have lunch like civilized people. So far, no luck.
Turning the page, he stuck his bookmark into the paperback before closing it. Andrej glanced over his shoulder and watched his boyfriends for a moment. Zayne’s hands were flying all over the place while James’ arms were crossed firmly over his chest. Neither looked like they were about to budge an inch on whatever point they were trying to make.
“I do not know,” he said, stuffing his book into his messenger bag before anyone saw the cover. He really needed to upgrade his e-reader; it was much less conspicuous when he decided to read something less than masculine in public. “I have learned the hard way that if I do not ask, they cannot drag me into the middle of it.”
“Smart man,” Trish said, setting a tray down between Hilary and an open seat. She sat in the empty chair and started dividing food up between herself and her partner. “Do you think they’ll ever figure it out?”
“Figure what out,” Andrej asked. He took the fry Hilary offered him although it didn’t quite compliment the veggie wrap he’d been eating.
“That they’re crazy about each other,” Hilary said. “Even though they’d staunchly deny it if asked.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Andrej’s mouth. Oh, if they only knew, he thought. While neither James nor Zayne would or could ever admit to their feelings in words, they more than made up for it with action. Sometimes that action started with a screaming match, much like the one that had just concluded, but more often it started with affectionate verbal sparring. However, he was beginning to worry that this disagreement would result in a bodily fluid other than the one he was used to being spilled.
God only knew, one was easier to get out of clothing than the other.
“His face just took a weird turn,” Trish said.
“I often wonder what goes through his mind, considering he’s generally playing referee for those two, but other times? I don’t think I want to know.”
“For the same reasons,” Trish asked.
“For the same reasons,” Hilary confirmed.
Andrej scowled at them. “Please stop, Zayne is on his way over here.”
“He looks pissed,” Trish observed.
“Which is why I beg you both to drop it for now.”
“Got it,” Hilary said. “You okay, Zayne?”
Zayne yanked a chair out from the table and dropped heavily into it. “Yeah, fine, Hil. That narco annoys the shit out of me sometimes.”
“Then stay away from him,” Trish said with a wicked grin.
“Kinda hard when we work together, Rollins,” Zayne said. He looked at Andrej. “Where’s your book? You said you were eager to finish it.”
His eyes drifted to his bag. “I put it away so I did not appear rude.”
“You’re never rude,” Hilary said, piling what was left of her lunch onto the tray. “We’ve got an appointment at one, you ready, Trish?”
She shoved the last bite of her burger into her mouth and nodded. “Let’s go.”
“See you later, Andy,” Hilary said. “If you’re not in lockup, I’ll see you later, too, Reyes.”
Zayne grinned at her. “Trust me, if I’m going to strangle his scrawny, pale neck, it won’t be at work where there are witnesses.”
Andrej waited until the girls were out of earshot before he spoke. “You and Jay need to work out your issues.”
Zayne scoffed. “We don’t have any issues; we just hate each other.”
“If you hate him,” Andrej asked, neatly piling his trash onto his plate while avoiding Zayne’s eyes, “then why do you continue sleeping with him?”
He opened his mouth, thought about what he was about to say, then shut it again.
“That is what I thought,” Andrej said. He rose and hiked the strap of his bag onto his shoulder. “And do not try and say it is because of me or for me. I am not that stupid nor am I that gullible.”
Nodding, Zayne watched him, eyes wary.
“Get some lunch,” he said. “We have nowhere to be this afternoon so do not rush. Maybe call Jay and ask him to come back.”
“Nah, that would only end in another fight,” Zayne said.
“What were you arguing about before?”
“Stupid shit like usual,” he admitted. “Started with the hockey game last night and went downhill from there.”
“The sooner you both realize that you only fight so that you can make up, the better you’ll both be.” He resettled his bag on his shoulder. “Go, eat. I’ll be in the squad room when you’re done.”
He watched his partner walk away, too distracted by Andrej’s words to admire how fit and fine the man was. What the hell had he meant by that parting shot? No matter, he could worry about it once he filled his belly. Time enough for the navel gazing later.
“Hey,” Zayne said, catching the attention of a detective out of missing persons. “What’s good in this place?”
“I’m partial to the subs,” the detective said, pointing towards a counter off to the left.
“Well, a sub it is then,” he said, strolling off to get his lunch.
--
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction
Pairing: It’s all over the place.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,026
Summary: What’s apparent to the masses isn’t always apparent to the few.
Author’s Notes: Written for the Rainy Days and Mondays challenge at 1_million_words. It’s not as angsty as it could be, and while it started to drift that direction, I kind of lost the plot, and therefore went back and cut out a huge chunk of words. So, um, I’m sorry?
It was apparent to everyone with two eyeballs that this contentious relationship of theirs was nothing more than an act. That they really didn’t hate each other, not like they thought they did. Obvious to everyone but the two dumbass detectives currently engaged in a shouting match on the far side of the cafeteria. The thing that bound the two of them together, even more than their mutual desire for each other, sat, watching the public display of stupidity with a casual eye. He’d seen too much of this exact behavior before to let it bother him now. Besides, he was nearly finished with his book and the longer they argued, the more time he had to reach that last page.
“What are they fighting about now,” Hilary asked, taking the chair across from Andrej. He’d secured a table big enough for them all, in case Zayne and James decided to give up the fight and come have lunch like civilized people. So far, no luck.
Turning the page, he stuck his bookmark into the paperback before closing it. Andrej glanced over his shoulder and watched his boyfriends for a moment. Zayne’s hands were flying all over the place while James’ arms were crossed firmly over his chest. Neither looked like they were about to budge an inch on whatever point they were trying to make.
“I do not know,” he said, stuffing his book into his messenger bag before anyone saw the cover. He really needed to upgrade his e-reader; it was much less conspicuous when he decided to read something less than masculine in public. “I have learned the hard way that if I do not ask, they cannot drag me into the middle of it.”
“Smart man,” Trish said, setting a tray down between Hilary and an open seat. She sat in the empty chair and started dividing food up between herself and her partner. “Do you think they’ll ever figure it out?”
“Figure what out,” Andrej asked. He took the fry Hilary offered him although it didn’t quite compliment the veggie wrap he’d been eating.
“That they’re crazy about each other,” Hilary said. “Even though they’d staunchly deny it if asked.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Andrej’s mouth. Oh, if they only knew, he thought. While neither James nor Zayne would or could ever admit to their feelings in words, they more than made up for it with action. Sometimes that action started with a screaming match, much like the one that had just concluded, but more often it started with affectionate verbal sparring. However, he was beginning to worry that this disagreement would result in a bodily fluid other than the one he was used to being spilled.
God only knew, one was easier to get out of clothing than the other.
“His face just took a weird turn,” Trish said.
“I often wonder what goes through his mind, considering he’s generally playing referee for those two, but other times? I don’t think I want to know.”
“For the same reasons,” Trish asked.
“For the same reasons,” Hilary confirmed.
Andrej scowled at them. “Please stop, Zayne is on his way over here.”
“He looks pissed,” Trish observed.
“Which is why I beg you both to drop it for now.”
“Got it,” Hilary said. “You okay, Zayne?”
Zayne yanked a chair out from the table and dropped heavily into it. “Yeah, fine, Hil. That narco annoys the shit out of me sometimes.”
“Then stay away from him,” Trish said with a wicked grin.
“Kinda hard when we work together, Rollins,” Zayne said. He looked at Andrej. “Where’s your book? You said you were eager to finish it.”
His eyes drifted to his bag. “I put it away so I did not appear rude.”
“You’re never rude,” Hilary said, piling what was left of her lunch onto the tray. “We’ve got an appointment at one, you ready, Trish?”
She shoved the last bite of her burger into her mouth and nodded. “Let’s go.”
“See you later, Andy,” Hilary said. “If you’re not in lockup, I’ll see you later, too, Reyes.”
Zayne grinned at her. “Trust me, if I’m going to strangle his scrawny, pale neck, it won’t be at work where there are witnesses.”
Andrej waited until the girls were out of earshot before he spoke. “You and Jay need to work out your issues.”
Zayne scoffed. “We don’t have any issues; we just hate each other.”
“If you hate him,” Andrej asked, neatly piling his trash onto his plate while avoiding Zayne’s eyes, “then why do you continue sleeping with him?”
He opened his mouth, thought about what he was about to say, then shut it again.
“That is what I thought,” Andrej said. He rose and hiked the strap of his bag onto his shoulder. “And do not try and say it is because of me or for me. I am not that stupid nor am I that gullible.”
Nodding, Zayne watched him, eyes wary.
“Get some lunch,” he said. “We have nowhere to be this afternoon so do not rush. Maybe call Jay and ask him to come back.”
“Nah, that would only end in another fight,” Zayne said.
“What were you arguing about before?”
“Stupid shit like usual,” he admitted. “Started with the hockey game last night and went downhill from there.”
“The sooner you both realize that you only fight so that you can make up, the better you’ll both be.” He resettled his bag on his shoulder. “Go, eat. I’ll be in the squad room when you’re done.”
He watched his partner walk away, too distracted by Andrej’s words to admire how fit and fine the man was. What the hell had he meant by that parting shot? No matter, he could worry about it once he filled his belly. Time enough for the navel gazing later.
“Hey,” Zayne said, catching the attention of a detective out of missing persons. “What’s good in this place?”
“I’m partial to the subs,” the detective said, pointing towards a counter off to the left.
“Well, a sub it is then,” he said, strolling off to get his lunch.
--
