Hazel '05: Salmon

Inspiration: "Oh, what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive."
which isn't Shakespeare at all. It's Sir Walter Scott.
In reference to deception, ole Shaky had a few lines of his own:
"For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright, who art as black as hell, as dark as night."
or, more plainly, "False face must hide what the false heart doth know."
A commonly misguided attribution led me to writing this. And there you have it. My inspiration.

"I see you drove yourself here today."

"Of course I did. When's that anything new?"

Brow raised, lips pinched to the side.

"Um-hum. Did you drive yourself to get lunch?"

"No."

Mild defiance.

"No -and?"

"Ezra drove us. Me and him and Josiah and JD. Realized we all wanted same thing so we went together."

Lips pressed then a sigh. Stress on the first, finger fidget. Dismissive shrug for the rest.

"Right. Where was that?"

"You know where."

A snort. More mild defiance.

"Tell me anyway."

"Trina's Kitchen. Soul food. You know - fried something and collards and biscuits and gravy on everything."

Long-suffering look. Imagines me to be stupid.

"Um-humh."

"So?"

Brow tips up. Eyes dart about one second too long.

"Let me ask the questions here."

"Fine. Ask away."

Wave of hand. Dark look.

"Where are you having dinner?"

"Nowhere. My place. My house. Same as always."

Pause.

Wait for it.

"What's my eating got to do with anything anyway?"

Sudden straightening of posture. Hands outstretched on table.

"I'm asking the questions, remember?"

Silence. A nod. More unamused silence.

"Right. Back to the questions. What are you doing with yourself this evening?"

"I dunno. Nothing special. Go for a run, eat some of that danged interesting food, try and get some sleep."

Normal. Determinedly vague.

"Are you not getting enough?"

"What?"

Surprise. Hidden well. Not quite well enough.

"Sleep."

"Oh. No, I'm getting it … I'm fine. Sleep that is. Just been a long week."

Hesitancy in answering. Search for correct words.

"Glad it's Friday then?"

" 'Course. Who isn't?"

Over-casual

"Um-hum. Where were you three Fridays ago at seven p.m.?"

"Shit. How the hell am I supposed to know? You sure you need that?"

Mild defiance. Definite annoyance.

"Just answer the question, best you can."

"Okay. Fine. A month ago Friday- "

Sarcasm - how novel.

"Three weeks is all I asked."

"Sure. Like I was saying, a month ago Friday I was… Aw hell! You know the damned answer."

Rolled eyes. Almost concealed slump of relief.

"Tell me anyway, please."

"At your house."

Body language: 'duh.'

"Um-humh. Who did you arrive with?"

"Me."

Body language: 'duh.'

"Who did you leave with?"

"Me."

Body language: 'duh.'

"Right. What car did you drive?"

"My brand spankin' newly fitted out Mustang, complete with spoiler and nitro-boost."

Sarcasm. Again.

"You don't own one of those."

"I know that!"

Exasperation. Hands tighten briefly on tabletop.

"Hmm. Right. So, what car did you drive."

"Shit. This is useless."

Shakes head. Tosses hands in dismissal.

"Not to me. Answer the question."

"My damned Jeep and you know it. Geez."

Again, shakes head. Again, imagines me stupid.

"Okay. Great. We're almost done here."

"About time."

Crosses arms over chest.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Nuthin'. Forget it."

Falsely contrite. 'I should fire him' smile.

"Um-humhm. What's Ezra favorite color?"

"Blue."

No thought before answer. Complete certainty.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. He- I had to- yeah. He told me once."

Bites lip. Annoyed. Intake of air and shake of head.

"Blue. Good."

"We finished? Can I go get some actual work done now?"

Anticipation. A bit too much.

"Hold on." Chris stood up from his chair and took the few steps to the door in a quick pace. He leaned in, hand on the doorknob, face plunged in the darkness between the interrogation rooms and the one-way mirrors.

"Get anything?" he asked.

Buck shook his head. "Not a lot. Wanna review?"

"Make it fast."

The answers came rapid-fire, Buck's voice clipped as he marked off the verbal list.

"Right. Nothing special tonight. Nothing special tomorrow night. Hell, nothing special this whole weekend. Oh, of course he's happy it's Friday, Trina's, maybe go for a run, tired but sleep's been okay, your house Friday - he drove. Um, Blue-"

"Wait, Ezra's favorite or -"

"Both favorites, I guess."

Chris nodded. "Thought so." He paused. "What's he having for dinner Sunday?"

"Steak. With twice baked potatoes, fresh asparagus tops and a salad. And some fancy wine I can't remember to pronounce."

Chris ducked his head and nodded a few times. "Perfect. Thanks."

Buck nodded back and closed the door behind him.

He strolled to the table and stood with his arms crossed, staring hard.

"One more thing."

"Yeah?"

Charmingly surly.

"What'll you be eating on Sunday night?"

"Steak."

Sharp, staccato.

"Steak. You are sure, steak?"

"Yeah I'm sure. Can't I be sure of what I'm gonna be feeding myself?"

Back to 'duh' mixed with annoyance and an eye roll.

"Um-hum. Yes. Okay. That's all."

"I can go?"

Relief. Pissed off in that friendly way.

"You can go. Thank you."

"I'll give ya thank you…"

Dark mutterings. Maybe a curse.

Vin sighed and shook his head then shouldered his way out of the interrogation room, muttering further things about unfairly enforced subordination and abuse of power and stupid useless training sessions.

Chris kneaded his neck then fell forward, planting both hands on the cool tabletop. He rolled his shoulders and winced then sighed when they popped.

Oh yeah. That felt good.

A few moments later Buck was edging to sit on the table next to him, thigh not quite crushing his pinkie and the side of his hand.

Chris' face pulled wry and he dislodged his hand. He turned and looked over at Buck then nodded.

"What are you thinking?"

Chris pursed his lips. "Sunday. We go in Sunday."

"Doesn't give us much time."

"Nope," was all he answered.

"You sure about this? Sure it's Sunday?" Buck's tone wasn't disbelieving. Hopeful, yes. Disbelieving, not so much.

Chris stood up. He squared his shoulders, drew in a long pull of air, resettled his carriage to one of leadership and determination and - most of all - confidence in surety - and bobbed his head once smartly.

"Oh hell yes it's Sunday," he said tightly, turning on his heel to exit the room, Buck hopping off the table to join him.

"How can you be so sure? What gave it away?" Buck was starting to become short of breath. Chris had set a fast pace as they turned corners and charged briskly down the halls.

Chris' eyes narrowed. "The damned same. All of it. Always." Chris grinned - it wasn't in fun. "But this time - one too many things." The grin bent wolfish. "It all adds up," he finished simply.

Buck shook his head. "If you think so, I'm in. You know that. I want this bad as you do. I'll follow you even if I can't make heads or tails of your logic."

Chris put his hand on Buck's shoulder and stabbed the button to call the elevator. "That's all I need," he said, eyes alight with the grim purpose of the mission to come.

Vin whistled as he flipped the steaks. Another few minutes, they'd be done. He smiled.

Perfect.

He grabbed his beer and closed the lid without thought, steps taking him by rote into the kitchen to see how everything else was coming along.

The beer thunked on the counter and he came behind Ezra, pushing his cool and wet hand up his lover's shirt, his other arm wrapping around to pull Ezra into a sound - if somewhat awkward - kiss.

Ezra tensed at the cold then settled into the kiss.

Vin's eyes closed. Ezra tasted like salad dressing and wine and the marinade for the steaks. Best of all he tasted like he should - he tasted like Ezra.

When the kiss ended, Vin rested his chin cupped over Ezra's shoulder, his arms falling to hold snugly around the waist, fingers interlocking just above the groin.

"How's it coming?" he asked, feeling sleepy and yet not and happy and satisfied with everything.

Ezra chuckled, warm and deep and quiet, and lifted the colander of asparagus from the sink.

"Just about finished. The steaks?"

Vin grinned and kissed Ezra's neck. "Just about finished," he said between kisses.

Ezra nodded and the two hobbled to the stove so the asparagus could be put in the boiling water, Vin unwilling to let go and Ezra unwilling to make him.

They watched it cook and Vin's hands explored, touch light, fingertips skimming, the whole of him enjoying this intimate, familiar thrill.

Ezra felt so good.

He was glad he'd already set the table. He held it against the steaks that he'd have to let go soon to retrieve them before they overcooked.

Vin nuzzled into Ezra, mollified by the notion that would be another few minutes yet.

Ezra leaned back into him, soft sigh meeting his ears, strong hands meeting his.

Three weeks ago. That's when this had started. Not their relationship - that'd been going on for awhile now - but this. This domesticity. This nesting. This togetherness he couldn't get enough of and didn't care a whit if that was smarmy of him.

After the Friday evening spent at Chris' they'd gone to his apartment.

Spent the night - Vin smiled - yet another great one for the books.

The next day they'd gathered the last remnants of his belongings and he'd closed the door to his former home for the last time.

Next week it'd be a month since they'd moved in together, since they both called Ezra's townhouse home.

Vin kissed Ezra's neck again. Was it equally smarmy he was looking forward to celebrating the event?

The asparagus came to a full roil and Vin reluctantly stepped away. He watched for a moment as Ezra puttered then shook himself, turning with quick steps to overtake the eating area and was on the back patio in seconds.

He returned with the steaks and let the plate ease onto the table, already distracted from eating twice baked potatoes and fresh asparagus tips and salad with homemade dressing and the musky, fruity Shiraz they'd selected for the evening.

Ezra was waiting for him.

Much better than wine.

Vin gathered Ezra into his arms and they grinned as they kissed, Vin thinking on each day past like this and each tomorrow and other such smarmy things.

One day soon they'd tell the boys. Break it gently they'd been seeing one another and for how long. That would probably be the hardest. They'd been hiding it for a while. But it was new and so good at first they didn't want that broken; inertia had set in and now they were reminding themselves that Vin's moving in really ought to be the spur they needed.

He tightened his arms and deepened the kiss.

Maybe that one month anniversary.

Ezra's hands slipped into his shirt and Vin moved into the caresses and sigh-moaned happily, the dinner he'd been looking forward to since Friday steaming and sitting forgotten, waiting them out.

Then Ezra bit his tongue and his eyes flew open in protest.

Not too many seconds after it came tumbling into his awareness, a yelled word that had him doing exactly that.

"Freeze!"

A breath of stunned, airless silence then they lurched into motion. They scrambled for weapons they didn't have. They clunked heads, oofed, started again and clunked heads once more.

Ezra's hand found his and they grappled and managed to get turned around, legs tangled, arms banging and still loosely embraced. Vin gritted his teeth and wrenched himself away, righting too quickly and the room spun.

When it came back into focus he sighed, Ezra's hand tightening in his.

Well. Crap. Now they'd have to share dinner.

Ezra's jaw gritted in time with his.

And dinner wasn't all. Damn. This was going to be so much fun.

Vin's nostrils flared.

The rest of the team stood there, a little tactical army line, all in position and trying hard not to burst out laughing. They all looked particularly pleased with themselves and Vin knew two things for sure: they were never, ever going to be allowed to live this down and the boys had been onto them for a long, long time.

Chris was looking especially smug and triumphant. Vin bit the inside of his cheek in chagrin.

Ezra sighed then looked at Vin and shrugged half-heartedly. Vin smiled weakly back. True - at least they weren't angry.

Just shit eating grinning cats with canaries gloating rights to make their every breathing second hell for the next millennia was all.

Vin's head fell back and his eyes closed and he sighed too.

He was supposed to say he was having salmon for dinner.

End