by LilyK

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“Thanks, Chief,” Jim Ellison said with a smile. Taking the proffered bottle of cold beer from his roomie's hand, he gave said roomie another warm smile.

“Sure,” Blair said with a shrug and an answering smile of his own. He flopped down beside his partner and with a sigh, settled into the sofa. Propping his feet on the coffee table, Blair took a pull of his beer and sighed again.

“Good?” Jim asked with a chuckle.

“Yeah.”

“Tired?”

“Nah.” After another sip, Blair added, “Maybe a bit. It was a rough one, wasn't it?”

“No shit,” Jim muttered, sipping the cold brew with relish.

“Game on?”

“Almost. Five minutes.”

“Cool.”

Silence descended while the men watched the last few minutes of the nightly news and a couple of commercials before the Jags game started. They drank a few more beers and watched the game with half an eye, relaxing after a tough day.

Half-time found Jim and Blair pleasantly full of green pepper and mushroom pizza, washed down with another bottle or two of New Castle Brown. While the commercials ran, Jim tossed the empty pizza box and opened a bag of Oreos. Blair rinsed the empty bottles and stowed them in the recycling bin under the sink. Drying his hands on a towel, he rolled his eyes when he saw the bright blue bag that Jim clutched with glee.

“Those the regular or double stuffed?” Blair asked.

“Why?” Jim's eyes narrowed and he tucked the bag under his arm, turning his body slightly as if protecting his kill.

“The ones with the double filling are too sweet for me.”

“These are the regular Oreos.”

“Give me a couple.”

Jim raised an eyebrow and tentatively held the bag out to his roomie as if he expected Blair to yank it from his hands and throw the offending sweets in the trash.

Blair chuckled. “Relax, Jim. After today, you deserve a treat.”

Jim stared into his partner's face for a few moments before he smiled. “You deserve a treat, too, Chief. You were there, also.”

“I know.”

“I couldn't do it without you, you know?” Jim turned off the kitchen light and made his way back to the sofa. He laid the bag of cookies against his chest and dove in. Twisting the chocolate wafers apart, he licked at the creamy center.

“These are good.” Blair bit into his cookie.

“You're not supposed to bite them! You have to take off the cookie and lick the cream first! Geez, Chief. Don't you know anything about eating Oreos?”

Blair laughed. “I like dunking them in milk.”

“We don't have any milk. You could dunk them in beer.”

“Ewww. That's gross.” Blair popped the cookie into his mouth and chewed happily. “These are great.”

“Told you.”

“Smart mouth.”

More cookies disappeared before Jim finally held the bag out to his partner. “Want another?”

“Nah,” Blair said, patting his tummy. “I'm full. Thanks.”

Jim rolled the bag closed. “We're a good team.”

“Yeah, we are.”

“The kid was okay.”

“That's because you found him so quickly.”

“You helped me focus.”

“You don't fight your senses any more. You work with them. You could probably do it alone.”

“Don't want to,” Jim said softly. “I don't want to work alone any more. I'm... getting old, I guess,” he said with a chuckle.

“Not you, Jim. You're still young and vital.”

“Not hardly. I'm over forty.”

“So?”

“So... I don't want to work without you,” Jim said a bit petulantly.

“Okay. Okay. Don't get upset.”

“I'm not upset. I'm just stating a fact.”

Blair smiled. “The fact is that I want to work with you too.”

“Good. Besides, it was your idea to focus on the crayons. The scent of them... I'd never have thought of it.”

“Sure you would.” Blair gave Jim a warm smile. “And we found him and he's safe and sound, back home in his own bed tonight. His folks were happy.”

“Yeah. I like when it ends like that.”

“Me, too.”

“You are such a...” Jim shrugged, his hand waving through the air as he searched for the right word.

“What?” Blair asked, interested.

“Inspiration? You always think of something! Dials. Piggybacking... Hell, Chief, you're so fucking smart.”

“Geez, Jim. Thanks,” Blair said, blushing lightly. “It just comes to me. I don't -- do anything special.”

“You are special.”

“I am?”

“You are,” Jim said emphatically. “At least, I think so.”

“Thanks,” Blair said softly, pleased.

“It's okay. I mean it.”

They watched the forgotten basketball game for a few minutes before Jim asked, “Do you ever regret it?”

“What? Leaving Rainier?”

“Yeah. Becoming a detective. Being my partner.”

“No. Not for a second. Do you?”

“No! Although sometimes I feel a bit -- guilty.”

“Guilty? Why?”

“Because you didn't have much of a choice after that press conference. Hell, you had to take Simon's offer.”

“Why's that?”

Jim didn't mean for it to sound so -- cold, but before he even thought about it, he had blurted out, “Because you didn't have anywhere else to go.” The words had no sooner left his mouth when his eyes widened and his hand clamped over his lips. “God, Chief!” he blurted out from behind his hand. “I'm so sorry!”

Blair looked at Jim with surprised eyes before he started to laugh. The laughter bubbled up and out, growing louder and louder with each passing second, until he was laughing so hard that tears leaked from his eyes and he had a cramp in his side.

Jim sat very still, looking stricken in spite of Blair's reassurances to Jim's unintentionally hurtful comment. “Sorry...” he repeated over and over. “That was mean.”

Nodding, Blair hiccupped. “Yeah, Jim. It was.”

Jim blushed bright red. “I'm so sorry!”

“It's okay. Really,” Blair said, giggling. He put a hand on Jim's arm. “Honest. It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything by it, but still...”

“Why are you laughing? I'm sorry,” Jim said yet again. “That was uncalled for. Sometimes I know why I don't like talking about -- stuff. I'm an asshole.”

“Quit beating yourself up. I'm fine. Really.”

“I can see that, but still...”

“Jim!”

“Okay. Sorry...”

“You apologize once more and I'll do something we'll both regret.”

“Okay. Sor--” Jim bit his lower lip.

Blair laughed.

Jim gave Blair a puzzled look. “I say something incredibly -- condescending, and you laugh?”

“It's because you don't have a clue.”

Jim shrugged. “And this is news?”

“No, man. It's not news.”

“Geez, Sandburg, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Jim, your being clueless is part of your charm.”

“So, enlighten me, Einstein.”

Blair chuckled. “Nah. It's not important.”

Jim slid closer to his partner and said softly, “It's important to me. If you'd like to tell me, that is.”

Blair smiled. “Listen. I didn't want to bother you afterwards. I know you were -- upset about Simon and Megan being shot, feeling it was your fault. I know you don't like big discussions about feelings and stuff, so I handled it.”

“Maybe I was wrong.”

“About...?”

“I should have asked. We didn't talk much about your taking Simon's offer. I asked you what you wanted. You said the Academy. That was about it, but I never asked you how you arrived at your decision. I just figured...”

“...that I didn't have any other offers?” Blair shook his head and smiled. “It's okay. I explored all my options and I made a decision.”

“What options?” Jim rubbed his temple. “That remark about your not having any other place to go. That wasn't -- nice. I made it sound like you took the badge because nobody else would want you. It was a stupid thing to say.”

“Jim, please. Listen. I had other offers. I chose you. I chose to be your partner. Eli offered me a job, and so did two or three other places. There were other people who kind of figured out what was going on. Eli knew I wouldn't -- lie about something that important, but I asked him to keep it quiet. He understood what I was doing, and he agreed. I had choices and I chose you.”

“Your mentor knew about me? You didn't tell me. You never said...”

Blair shrugged. “I trust Eli; he's an honorable man. I had to keep you safe. Besides, you're what I wanted.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, man.”

“Really?”

“Would I lie?”

“Well...”

Blair smacked Jim's arm.

“Hey!” Jim cried, rubbing his flesh. “That hurt.”

Blair's eyes sparkled and his lips pursed for a moment before he said, “I could kiss it and make it better.”

Jim's eyes narrowed. “You would?”

“Sure, man. Anything for you. You're my partner, remember?”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what? Okay, I'm your partner, or okay, I can kiss it.”

“The second one,” Jim said, offering his arm.

Blair leaned forward and lightly kissed the reddened spot. “Better?” he asked after the light smooch.

“No.”

“No?”

“It needs -- more.”

“Oh? Okay.” Blair leaned forward and kissed the same spot again before moving his lips slowly up Jim's arm, planting light kisses on the skin and then on the sleeve of Jim's t-shirt. When he reached Jim's shoulder, he stopped. “Better?”

“No,” Jim whispered, licking his lips. “It still hurts.”

“Where does it hurt?”

“Here,” Jim said softly, pointing to the side of his neck right above his collar.

Blair lightly kissed the spot. “Where else?” he asked invitingly.

“Here,” Jim said, touching his cheek.

Blair obligingly kissed where indicated. “Any place else?”

Nodding, Jim touched the edge of his mouth. “Here?”

Blair smiled and placed a lingering light kiss on the spot Jim touched. “Nice.”

“Yeah.”

“Any place else?”

Nodding, Jim said, “Everywhere.”

“Everything hurts?”

“Yes,” Jim whispered, turning his face so that his was aligned with Blair's.

“This reminds me of that movie. The one with that silly archaeologist, Indiana something or other... You remember?” Blair asked, not really expecting an answer. He moved forward a few inches until his mouth touched Jim's. Sighing softly, Blair brushed his lips against Jim's several times before pressing them just a bit more firmly. After a few seconds, he pulled back and repeated, “Very nice.”

“It feels much better.”

“Good.”

“Chief?”

“Yes?”

“I'm sorry.”

“I know. So make it up to me.”

“How?”

“Use your imagination.”

“Oh?” Jim's brow furrowed for a few moments before his face broke into a warm smile. “Oh! Okay.” Jim slipped an arm around Blair's shoulders and pressed their chests together. His lips found his partner's and he kissed Blair enthusiastically. After many minutes of mutual exploration, the panting men parted.

“God!” Jim said. “That's wonderful!”

“You taste like Oreos.”

“You, too. You taste good.”

“You, too.”

“You want to watch the game?”

Blair looked directly into Jim's eyes and said firmly, “No, I want you to make love to me.”

“Oh my God! Are you sure, Chief? I'm -- not good with one night stands.” At Blair's raised eyebrow, Jim had the grace to blush. “Not any more, that is,” he added with a shrug. “I know I've had a few of those, but you saw what happened. I need more. I couldn't take it if you -- fucked me senseless and then we were back to just friends in the morning,” Jim said softly. He turned his face away, embarrassed that he'd revealed so much about such a private matter but unable to stop himself. “I can't do that to myself any more. I couldn't do that to you, either.” Jim blushed deeper. “It hurts too much... Sorry,” he blurted out, starting to rise, but Blair's hand on his arm stopped him.

“You got more, Jim. If you want it. You've got me for keeps.”

Their eyes met and Jim could see the honesty there -- and the love.

“Good. Me, too.”

Blair laughed. “That's it? Our 'declaration of love'?” he asked, making quotation marks in the air with his fingers.

Jim looked at those sturdy fingers and licked his lips. Suddenly even more non-verbal than usual after the little little speech he'd just made, he nodded. “Yeah.”

Blair laughed louder. “Oh, man. Thanks, Jim.”

Realizing that that they had just pledged themselves to each other for life, Jim took in a shaky breath and asked, “For what?”

“For insulting me.”

“Blair!” Jim blushed deeply. “You're not ever going to let me forget that, are you?”

“No way, man. As long as I can get away with it and have you at my beck and call, I'm using any ammunition I have at my disposal. A guy's got to use what he has.”

Seeing Blair's eyes twinkle and hearing his merry laughter, Jim scowled for a moment before joining in Blair's laughter. “Touché, Chief. Your wish is my command.”

“Really? Okay, then.” Blair gleefully rubbed his hands together. “First, we're going to go and take a nice, hot shower together. Then we're going to make wild, messy, passionate love to each other until neither of us can walk. Then we're going to sleep for a week.”

Jim laughed and rose, holding out his hands. “Whatever you want, Blair. Just tell me and I'll do it.”

Blair slipped his hands into Jim's and rose also, leaning against Jim's chest. He tipped his face up just a bit and whispered, “Kiss me like you really, really mean it.”

Jim chuckled softly and followed orders.

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