BAD TIMING
An old girlfriend of
Starsky’s is back and has plans to pick up where they left off.
Slash/Committed
relationship
Beta read by
ProvencePuss
Starsky was busy fixing a special dinner for himself and Hutch. It was their third month anniversary as lovers and Starsky had never been happier in his life. The only drawback was being forced to keep their relationship a secret from everyone except their closest friends and Starsky’s mother. But society and the police force wasn’t ready yet to accept a love like theirs. They had bought a small cottage together on the beach and set up housekeeping just like any other couple.
After Starsky’s shooting in the police garage, Hutch had devoted almost a year of his life to helping Starsky recover and reclaim his place on the force. It was during that time that they discovered that their feelings for one another had changed into something much more intimate and special. Inspired by Hutch’s devotion to his partner during his long recovery from his injuries, nobody had batted an eye when the two partners continued living together and bought the cottage. The only two people at headquarters that knew their secret was their Captain and their close friend and colleague, Minnie Kaplan.
After years of searching, Starsky had finally found the love of his life. He had just never expected to find that love in the form of his best friend of almost fourteen years. Neither of the two men had ever been sexually attracted to other men, so the change in their feelings for each other had come as a surprise to both of them. Their first time together had been both awkward and sweet as they discovered how to pleasure another man. Their technique had improved dramatically since then and their off duty hours were spent in the privacy of their home making love to each other. There were a few things they hadn’t done together yet but Starsky had no doubts that eventually they would when the time was right.
A light knock at front door caught his attention. Assuming that Hutch had forgotten his key again, Starsky opened the door with a huge grin ready to tease his friend for his carelessness. The words died on his lips when he saw the woman standing on the front deck. She was very pretty with long reddish brown hair and big brown eyes. She was casually dressed in blue jeans and a tight light blue tank top that showed off her full firm breasts to perfection.
“Angie!” Starsky said in a stunned voice, surprised to find one of his ex-girlfriends on his doorstep.
“Hi, Dave,” Angie said with a giggle, throwing herself into his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. She covered his mouth with hers, kissing him seductively, as she pressed her body firmly against his. Starsky was too stunned to react immediately, allowing her to kiss him.
Regaining his composure, Starsky
gently pulled her arms from around his neck and stepped back slightly, putting
some distance between them. “What are you doing here?” he asked in a surprised
voice. Angie had left
“I’m back in
“Uh…yeah, that’s fantastic.” Starsky said, at a loss for words and not really sure what she expected him to say.
“I’ve missed you, Dave and I couldn’t wait to see you again.” She smiled coyly “Did you miss me?”
“Of course I did.” He told her cautiously. “But, it’s been three years since you left, Angie. I’ve moved on with my life.”
“Is that your subtle way of telling me that you’re involved with someone else?” Angie asked with a thin smile.
“As a matter of fact I am.”
“Lucky girl.” Angie said, “Is it serious?”
“Very serious.”
“I must say I’m surprised. I never thought any woman would be lucky enough to catch you.”
“I think it’s the other way around. I’m the one who’s lucky.” Starsky said with a soft smile, thinking of the love he shared with Hutch.
“Something sure smells good. Am I interrupting your plans for the evening?”
“Sort of.” Starsky admitted, not wanting to appear too rude but wanting to get rid of her before Hutch arrived. Angie and Hutch had never really cared for each other.
“Well, then I guess I’ll leave you alone for now. Maybe we can get together soon and talk about old times.”
“Yeah…maybe.” Starsky said evasively without committing himself. He just wanted to get rid of her. He closed the door as she turned to walk away. It wasn’t until after she’d left that he thought to wonder how she had found out his new address.
He didn’t have time to dwell on it as the front door opened and Hutch’s voice cheerfully called out, “Honey, I’m home.”
Starsky turned with a happy grin as Hutch closed the distance between them in two easy steps, wrapping Starsky in his arms and pulling him close. Starsky tipped his head, eager for Hutch’s kiss. He sighed in contented bliss as Hutch devoured his mouth, as if they’d been separated for days instead of just a few hours. Even after three months, Hutch could still turn him on with just a kiss.
“You smell almost as good as whatever it is you’re cooking.” Hutch whispered against his dark curls as they finally pulled apart.
“I’m making garlic chicken and braised potatoes.” Starsky told him.
“Sounds good…do I get you for desert?” Hutch asked suggestively.
“Anytime you want, Blondie.” Starsky said with a wicked chuckle, grinding his groin against Hutch causing them both to moan in anticipation.
“Do that again and supper will have to wait.” Hutch warned him.
“No way, Blintz. I’m starving.”
Hutch chuckled as he followed his lover into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Food and sex often seemed interchangeable in Starsky’s list of priorities. As the brunet started to fix their plates, he said,
“Hey, you’ll never guess who’s back in town.”
“Who?” Hutch asked only mildly interested. He had other things on his mind and they all involved getting Starsky naked as soon as possible.
“Angie Sullivan.”
“Angie?” Hutch said with a snort “When did she get back?”
“Just a couple of days ago I guess.”
“How did you find out she was back?”
“She stopped by just before you got home.”
“She was here?” Hutch demanded, a slight edge creeping into his voice. “What did she want?”
“Yes, she was here.” Starsky admitted, catching the subtle disapproval in Hutch’s voice. “I guess she just wanted to let me know that she was back in town.”
“I’m sure she did” Hutch said, his voice a bit sharper than he intended.
Starsky turned and arched an eyebrow at his lover questioningly. “Hey, what’s up?” he asked, “You’re not jealous, are you?” He smiled faintly at the thought of the big blond being jealous of his previous relationship with Angie. He had never given Hutch any reason to be jealous and he didn’t intend to. Starsky was usually the possessive one when it came to his lovers, not Hutch.
“No, I guess not.” Hutch said with a sweet smile that made Starsky shiver with desire. “I’m just surprised she’s back, that’s all.”
“Hey,” Starsky said softly, stepping closer to his lover and reaching out to cradle Hutch’s beard roughened cheek in his hand. “You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re the only lover I want for the rest of my life.” He knew that Hutch often felt insecure about their newly discovered love for each other, afraid that Starsky would change his mind about them being together.
“Let’s eat.” Hutch growled, “Cause I got plans for you.”
“I’m all yours.” Starsky said, sitting Hutch’s plate down on the table in front of him with a huge grin. The two men ate quickly and placed their dishes in the sink. Hutch grabbed Starsky’s hand and pulled him down the hallway towards the bedroom they shared. They discarded their clothes along the way so that they were naked by the time they reached their king sized bed.
Starsky allowed Hutch to shove him back onto the bed, smiling as Hutch pinned his wrists to the bed as he straddled the brunet’s hips, his heavier weight holding Starsky down. Their heavy hard cocks rubbed enticingly against each other, sending shockwaves of pleasure through both men. Hutch leaned forward and claimed Starsky’s mouth in a hungry, demanding kiss.
Starsky moaned, his tongue eagerly seeking entrance to his lover’s mouth, deepening the kiss. He began to rock his hips as his passion mounted, his cock throbbing with need. But, Hutch wasn’t going to let him off that easy. He lowered his head, nuzzling the side of the brunet’s neck, seeking out the sensitive spot just below Starsky’s left ear that he knew drove his lover crazy. Starsky whimpered, making that special sound deep in his throat that he only made in the midst of passion. It always thrilled Hutch to know that he was the one responsible for bringing his partner such pleasure.
After several minutes of teasing Starsky’s neck relentlessly, he turned his attention to the dark nipples hidden in his partner’s dark curly chest hair. He licked his tongue over the hard little nubs before closing his lips over the left nipple. He nipped lightly, then gently loved away the sting before beginning to suckle at the hot hard bit of flesh. Starsky thrashed his head from side to side on the pillow as Hutch’s talented mouth aroused him to unbelievable heights of pleasure. Just when he thought he couldn’t stand it anymore, Hutch turned his attention to the other nipple, repeating the torment.
Starsky began bucking his hips almost frantically, trying to generate enough friction to bring himself to release but Hutch quickly shifted positions, spoiling his plans.
“Oh, no, you don’t…” Hutch chuckled against the skin of Starsky’s chest. “You’re not getting off yet…”
“Hutch…please…” Starsky whimpered in a pleading tone. “I need to come…”
“Soon, baby….soon. I promise.”
Starsky heard the rattle of the drawer on the nightstand being opened and knew that Hutch was reaching for the lube they kept there. He shivered in anticipation knowing what Hutch had in mind. Hutch had only put his fingers inside of Starsky once before and it hadn’t been unpleasant. The sheer intimacy of the act itself had been a turn-on.
Starsky’s breathing deepened as he felt Hutch’s index finger probing gently at the hidden entrance to his body. He inhaled sharply when he felt the long thick digit pushing inside. There was no discomfort, just a sense of fullness that felt strangely arousing. Hutch gently moved his index finger in and out, while his opposite hand stroked Starsky’s erection, bringing the brunet closer to the edge but not close enough to fall over the edge. Hutch added a second finger and then a third, stretching Starsky further then he ever had before.
Then Hutch shifted his fingers slightly and Starsky’s eyes widened in surprise, yelping and bucking, his fingers clawing at the sheets as a wave of incredible pleasure stronger then he had ever felt before swept over him. “OHGODOHGODOHGOD…” he cried out almost incoherently, as his whole body seemed to convulse with the intensity of the pleasure that was overwhelming him repeatedly. His cock quivered as his body exploded, bathing Hutch’s left hand and Starsky’s stomach with thick streams of come. His orgasm seemed to last forever, leaving Starsky drained and exhausted, his muscles quivering in the aftermath.
“Hey, babe…” Hutch whispered gently, running his fingers through Starsky’s thick curls. “You okay?”
“God, Hutch…that was incredible.” Starsky gasped when he finally found the strength to talk. “What the hell did you do?”
“Made you fly, babe…made you fly.” Hutch said, stretching out beside his partner and pulling him into his arms. Starsky nestled his head against Hutch’s broad shoulder, struggling to stay awake.
“You got that right, baby blue.” He murmured as he lost the fight to keep his eyes open any longer. Hutch chuckled softly, as he cuddled up against his sleeping lover. He’d done some reading about the male prostate and it’s role in homosexual sex but the intensity of Starsky’s reaction when he found it and rubbed against it with his fingers had surprised Hutch. He looked forward to the time when Starsky would be able to return the favor, anxious to feel that same intensity himself. He closed his eyes and let himself join his partner in a deep slumber.
As usual, Hutch was the first one up the next morning. He made his usual health shake and drank it before taking his two mile run. When he returned from his run, he woke up his soundly sleeping partner. While Starsky took his shower, Hutch made breakfast so that it was waiting when Starsky finished his morning routine and joined Hutch in the kitchen. They shared a long, lingering good morning kiss before sitting down to eat. It was an established routine which worked well for both of them. Starsky complained mildly, as was expected, when Hutch reminded the brunet that it was Hutch’s turn to drive to work that morning.
Their morning was taken up with testifying in court against a rapist they had arrested six weeks before. After a quick lunch at a nearby taco stand, they returned to headquarters where they planned to spend the afternoon working on their overdue reports. As they entered the squad room, Starsky picked up a stack of messages from the top of the desk he shared with Hutch and glanced through them. He frowned when he noticed that most of them were from Angie.
“Anything important?” Hutch asked as Starsky tossed the message slips into the trashcan under the wide table that served as their desk.
“No.” Starsky said, not wanting to upset Hutch by telling him about the messages from Angie. He had no intention of calling her back so he didn’t think anything more about it. That’s why he was surprised when Angie entered the squad room later that afternoon.
“Hi, Dave.” She said with a grin as she sauntered up to where the brunet was sitting at the desk. She glanced at Hutch and said, in a cooler tone, “Hi, Hutch.”
“Hi, Angie.” Hutch said “Starsky said you were back in town.”
“Yeah, and I’m hoping I can talk your partner here into having dinner with me tonight.” She looked at Starsky expectantly. “Didn’t you get my messages?”
Starsky felt the heat creeping into his face when he caught Hutch’s sharp glance in his direction at Angie’s mention of the messages. “Uh…I’ve been busy. Sorry.” Starsky said evasively.
“So? How about it? You gonna have dinner with me tonight or not?” she persisted, trying to pin Starsky down. “I promise not to keep you out too late.”
“Uh…Angie, I told you…I’m already involved with someone.” Starsky said, shooting a worried glance at Hutch but the big blond had his head bowed, pretending to be absorbed in the report in his hands.
“Can’t be as serious as you said it was…you ain’t wearing no ring yet.” Angie said with a chuckle.
Hutch’s head jerked up at that comment but Starsky was the only one who saw the pain reflected in the ice blue gaze. Starsky knew the comment had hit a nerve with his lover. The two of them had talked about the fact that they couldn’t even exchange rings like any other couple to confirm their commitment to each other.
“Go ahead, Starsk.” Hutch said in a tightly controlled voice. “You and Angie can talk about old times and catch up.” He locked eyes with his lover “It’s not like you’re gonna jump in bed together or anything like that.”
“Not unless you want to…” Angie said with a giggle. “Come on, Dave. It’ll be fun and I won’t bother you again. I promise.”
Feeling as if he were being backed into a corner, Starsky sighed heavily and nodded his head. “Okay…but just dinner, that’s all.”
“Great. Here’s my address.” She took a folded piece of paper from her pocket and slipped it into Starsky’s shirt pocket, her fingers lingering a bit longer than necessary. “Pick me up at seven.” Flashing a grin at the uncomfortable brunet, she left the squad room, the scent of perfume lingering in the air.
“I wanna go home.” Starsky declared, shoving himself to his feet. “You ready to leave?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Hutch said, feeling guilty that he had encouraged Starsky to go out with Angie that evening. He knew that Starsky was upset with Hutch and with himself for agreeing to have dinner with his old girlfriend. An uneasy silence fell between the two friends as they left the building and climbed into Hutch’s latest clunker.
They were almost halfway home before Hutch finally broke the silence. “Why didn’t you tell me that those messages you threw away were from Angie?” he demanded.
“I didn’t want to upset you.” Starsky admitted quietly, staring dejectedly out the window at the passing scenery. “I don’t wanna go to dinner with her, Hutch…” he whispered. “I wanna stay home with you.”
“I think you need to go, buddy.” Hutch told him with a heavy sigh. “I don’t think she’s gonna back off until you do. You’re just gonna have to make it real clear to her that you’re not interested in picking up where you left off.”
“I don’t want this to cause problems between us.” Starsky admitted, turning his head to look at his best friend and lover sadly. “God, Hutch…I feel like I’m planning on cheating on you.”
“But you’re not.” Hutch said firmly. “I trust you. It’s Angie that I don’t trust. God, if she could have she’d have crawled in your pants right there in the squad room.”
“I’m sorry she made that crack about me not wearing a ring.” Starsky said softly. “I know that had to hurt.”
“Yeah, it hurt.” Hutch admitted, “I’d marry you in heartbeat if I could. You know that, don’t you?”
“I’d marry you too, Blondie.” Starsky said seriously. “I wish that things could be different for us.”
“But they aren’t. We both knew it would be like this going in.” Hutch looked at his lover seriously. “You’re not h..h..having second thoughts, are you?” his nervous stutter gave him away, betraying Hutch’s level of anxiety.
“NO!” Starsky exclaimed, raising his voice slightly. “Of course I’m not having second thoughts. Are you?”
“Never. It’s just sometimes…I feel guilty because of all the things you’re giving up to be with me.”
“What? Women?” Starsky questioned “I have more with you then I’ve ever had with any woman. I’ve never loved anybody as much as I love you.”
“What about kids? What about being able to tell people that we’re a couple? That we’re in love?”
“I don’t care about any of that.” Starsky insisted. “All I care about is being with you.”
“Okay…” Hutch said with a deep sigh. “So, just go out to dinner with Angie tonight and read her the riot act.” He looked at Starsky with a faint smile. “Try telling her that your lover is a tall blond with a gun that’s insanely jealous.” They both chuckled at that as Hutch pulled up in front of their little cottage.
Two hours later, Starsky left for
his dinner with Angie. He still wasn’t happy about it but he knew that he was
going to have to be firm with her and make it clear that he didn’t want to see
her again. Her apartment complex was in a middle class neighborhood near
downtown
Starsky opened the door and stepped into the tastefully decorated apartment. Angie came out of an adjoining room. She was dressed in a low cut dress that left very little to the imagination and barely covered her lovely ass. Starsky began to have a bad feeling about this evening. Angie was definitely dressed to seduce. Starsky made the decision to call off the dinner while he still could.
“Look, Angie…” he said firmly “I think you got the wrong idea here. I told you that I’m involved with somebody and I don’t intend to cheat on them. I think I’d better just leave.”
“Just have one drink with me before you go…” Angie pleaded, “I promise I’ll be good. I won’t try anything…then if you still want to leave…I won’t try to stop you.”
Starsky hesitated and then nodded his head slowly. One drink and then he’d go home to Hutch where he belonged. Angie hid a satisfied smile on her face as she went into the kitchen and prepared two drinks. Starsky sat down on the sofa, failing to notice as Angie spilled a white powder into his drink.
She picked up the drinks and came back into the living room, carefully handing one of the glasses to Starsky. Keeping the other one for herself, she sat down on the sofa beside him, carefully keeping her distance.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Dave.” Angie said quietly, watching as he took a swallow of his drink. “I was really hoping we could see each other again. I always had a good time with you.”
“I had a good time with you too.” Starsky admitted, remembering how wild and uninhibited Angie was in bed. Sex was the only thing they’d ever had in common. He took another long swallow of his drink, wanting to finish it quickly so he could go home.
Angie smiled as he finished his drink and took the empty glass. “How about another one?” she asked politely.
“No, I’d better go.” Starsky said. He started to stand up, slumping back down on the sofa as a wave of dizziness suddenly swept over him. He turned his head to look at Angie with a puzzled frown. He knew that one drink shouldn’t have hit him this hard even if he hadn’t eaten yet. Putting two and two together, he suddenly realized that Angie must have slipped something into his drink. “What did you give me?” he slurred, his body suddenly feeling heavy and awkward.
“Just something to make you relax.” Angie said with a smirk as she sat the empty glasses on the coffee table and moved closer to the incapacitated brunet. “I just wanted one more night with you, David…then you can go back to your new girlfriend,” she smiled smugly “Assuming she still wants you after I get through with you.”
“Please…don’t do this…” Starsky slurred as Angie’s fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. He tried to raise his hands to push her away but his body refused to obey the commands from his brain. He closed his eyes as he felt Angie’s lips on his throat, sucking hard. He knew that she was marking him deliberately, staking her claim. His foggy mind wondered how he was going to explain this to Hutch when he got home. He moaned as he felt Angie’s hands pulling at his belt and opening his jeans. He jerked involuntarily as he felt her fingers wrapping around his flaccid penis. “No…no…” he groaned, shaking his head from side to side, trying to deny what was happening to him.
He felt Angie’s mouth moving down across his chest, biting and licking, combining pleasure with pain. A sound almost like a sob caught in his throat as he felt her lips close around his manhood. Using her mouth and tongue, she coaxed his rebellious cock into an erection. Although he knew that his physical reaction was perfectly natural, he still felt like he was betraying his blond lover and cheating on him. He felt Angie’s fingernails digging painfully into his skin as she sucked at him harder, urging him to an orgasm. He muffled the scream that wanted to rip from his throat as his body exploded, filling her mouth with his semen.
Angie straightened up, giving him an almost predatory smile, as she licked her lips. “Still sweet and creamy.” She whispered, leaning forward to kiss Starsky, forcing her tongue into his mouth. He forced himself not to gag when he tasted himself in her mouth. Pulling back, Angie grinned and said, “Now…you can go back to your precious girlfriend, David. Just remember the next time you fuck her what happened between us tonight.”
With those
final words, Angie stood up and rearranged her rumpled clothing. She
disappeared into the bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her. Starsky felt
his stomach rolling with nausea as he finally managed to move his hands,
tucking his cock back into his jeans and zipping them closed. Bracing himself
against the back of the sofa with one hand, he forced himself to his feet.
Staggering as if he were drunk, he stumbled to the front door and let himself
out of the apartment. The cool night air helped revive him enough that he
managed to make it to the
It was almost four hours later before he finally opened his eyes. His head pounded relentlessly and his stomach churned uneasily. Throwing open the car door, he leaned out of the vehicle and gagged, throwing up in the parking lot. Taking a deep breath, he painfully straightened up and settled back beneath the wheel. Turning on the ignition, he slammed the door shut and pulled out of the parking lot. He drove home as quickly as he could without getting into an accident or getting pulled over.
Parking in front of the cottage he shared with Hutch, he sat there for several long minutes staring at the tiny house that he considered his home. Tears burned his eyes as he thought about confessing to Hutch what had happened tonight. Buttoning his shirt, he tucked the tail into his jeans and slowly walked to the front door. The lamp in the living room was on, casting soft light around the room. Starsky crossed the hardwood floor and shut it off, turning to walk towards the bedroom he shared with Hutch.
The big blond was in bed, sleeping peacefully, his arms wrapped tightly around Starsky’s pillow. Suddenly, Starsky felt dirty and used. He couldn’t face Hutch. Not tonight. Detouring into the adjoining bathroom, he pulled off his clothes and tossed them into the hamper. He made the mistake of glancing into the full length mirror hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He looked like hell. There was a large dark hicky on the left side of his neck and bite marks all over his chest. Long scratches ran across his stomach and down the outside of his thighs.
Hanging his head in shame, Starsky turned on the shower, adjusting the water until it was so hot that steam filled the air. He hissed as he stepped beneath the scalding hot spray, knowing that nothing would wash away his guilt and humiliation. He lowered his head, letting the water run over his curls, bracing his hands against the wall to keep himself standing upright.
Suddenly, the shower curtain was pulled open, startling him badly. He turned his head, his frightened eyes meeting his lover’s stony gaze. The welcoming smile faded from Hutch’s lips as his eyes took in the marks on Starsky’s body. Without a word, Hutch turned and stormed out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
“HUTCH! WAIT!” Starsky cried out frantically, as he stumbled out of the tub. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around his waist, following his lover into the bedroom. His heart jumped into his throat when he found Hutch furiously grabbing clothes out of the closet and jamming them into his suitcase. “W..W..What are you doing?” Starsky stammered, “Hutch, I can explain…it’s not what it looks like…”
“SAVE IT, STARSKY! I’M NOT INTERESTED IN HEARING ANY OF YOUR EXCUSES! IF YOU DECIDED TO FUCK HER YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST HAD THE DECENCY NOT TO RUB MY FACE IN IT BY COMING HOME COVERED WITH THE EVIDENCE!” Hutch’s expression was outraged and his voice was cold as ice but underneath his harsh words, Starsky could hear the hurt and betrayal.
“Hutch! Wait! We need to talk!” Starsky cried desperately as Hutch slammed the suitcase closed and started to walk out of the bedroom. He reached out for his lover’s arm, trying to stop him, unprepared for the wicked right cross that Hutch threw at him. His fist slammed into Starsky’s jaw and knocked him to his knees. Hutch hurried from the bedroom, leaving his devastated lover behind. “Huuuutch….” Starsky cried out in a long drawn out cry, burying his face in his hands as his body convulsed with sobs. He sank to the floor, curling up in a fetal position and wrapping his arms around his knees as he continued sobbing. The slamming of the front door echoed through the house, breaking Starsky’s heart in two.
The next morning found Starsky still curled up on the floor, his eyes vacant and empty. His tears had dried leaving behind the broken shell of a man who had lost the most important thing in his life. He didn’t bother calling in to work. He wasn’t ready to face anyone, especially Hutch.
When three days passed without Starsky showing up for work or calling in sick, Captain Dobey had had enough. He knew that something had happened between his two best men but he made it a point not to interfere in their personal lives. They needed to work it out between themselves. Dobey’s interference could make things worse. But, Starsky’s behavior was out of the ordinary. When Dobey ordered Hutch to check on Starsky’s welfare, the big blond readily complied. Secretly, he was starting to worry about his partner too.
He had been angry and hurt when he left the cottage that night. He had checked into a motel to think things over and cool off. He was no longer angry but he was still deeply hurt by what appeared to be Starsky’s infidelity. He drove to the cottage, lost in his own thoughts. He dreaded confronting Starsky again but he knew that they needed to talk things out and make some important decisions about their relationship. Using his key, Hutch unlocked the door and went into the cottage.
It was quiet, too quiet. “Starsk?” Hutch called out softly, his gaze sweeping around the living room but seeing no sign of his wayward partner. Cautiously, he moved down the hallway to the bedroom. The sight that met his eyes tore at the sensitive blond’s heart. Starsky was splayed awkwardly in a corner of the room with his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was still naked except for the towel wrapped haphazardly around his waist. A nearly empty bottle of Jim Beam sat on the floor beside him. Hutch recognized the bottle. It had been a housewarming gift that had been sitting, unopened, in the kitchen cabinet since they moved into the cottage. But alcohol wasn’t Starsky’s only problem. Clutched tightly in his left hand was an empty bottle that had held the powerful pain killers that had been left over from when he was shot.
“Damn it, Gordo!” Hutch muttered as he rushed to his lover’s side. “What the hell did you do?” He quickly checked for a pulse in the brunet’s neck. It was weak and erratic but it was there. Hutch knew there was no time to waste. Slipping an arm around the brunet’s waist, Hutch heaved him to his feet, supporting most of his weight, as he started dragging the uncoordinated brunet towards the front door. “Come on, pal…” Hutch muttered, “You’ve got a date with a stomach pump.”
The next three hours were long and stressful as Hutch rushed his lover to the hospital and waited while the doctors pumped his stomach to rid his system of whatever he had ingested. Finally, a doctor came into the waiting room and informed Hutch that Starsky was in a room and resting comfortably. Hutch hurried down the hallway to sit with his partner until he woke up.
The brunet was lying on the bed, his face drawn and tired with dark circles under his eyes. The doctor told Hutch that they had to sedate Starsky when he became combative during treatment. He would sleep for a couple of hours until his body threw off the effects of the sedative. He would also be held for observation for seventy-two hours since the doctors were treating his case as an intentional overdose.
“What happened, Starsk?” Hutch whispered, gently brushing his fingers through the thick dark curls. “What the hell were you thinking, buddy? Why did you do something that stupid?” Hutch felt a flush of shame, knowing that he was at least partially responsible for Starsky’s rash actions. Hutch realized that he should have talked to him sooner instead of letting the brunet brood for the past three days by himself.
Two hours later, Starsky began to stir, showing the first signs of regaining consciousness. “Starsk? Hey, pal…you in there?” Hutch said quietly, gently brushing his knuckles against the side of Starsky’s face. Even though he was completely alert, Starsky instinctively leaned into Hutch’s touch. “Come on, Starsky…” Hutch coaxed him “Let me see those eyes…”
Starsky’s eyelids fluttered and slowly opened, his gaze automatically focusing on his partner’s face. “Hu’sh?” he whispered in a dry, cracked voice. He grimaced at the pain in his throat from having his stomach pumped. “Drink?”
“How about some ice chips for now?” Hutch asked, picking up the cup of ice he’d placed on the bedside table and spooning out some of the chips. He held out the spoon, smiling when Starsky opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed. He slipped the ice through the parched lips. Starsky sighed blissfully and closed his eyes as the ice melted in his mouth, soothing his aching throat.
“What are you doing here?” Starsky asked, his voice sounding confused and puzzled.
“Waiting for you to wake up so I can kick your ass for doing something so stupid.” Hutch told him sternly. “You know better than to mix alcohol with those pills! What the hell were you thinking? Were you trying to kill yourself?” Hutch saw the pain that filled the sapphire eyes and backed off. Starsky’s emotional state was fragile at best. Right now, he needed Hutch’s support not his criticism.
“It was an accident.” Starsky insisted. “I forgot how many pills I’d already taken…”
“You almost killed yourself, dummy!” Hutch said, a bit more sharply than he intended. “As it is, you’re going to have to talk to the department shrink before you can come back to work.” Hutch’s voice broke as he looked at his lover somberly. “God, Starsk…do you know how scared I was when I found you like that? I thought for sure I was going to lose you!”
“I’m sorry,” Starsky whimpered, lowering his head like a child who expected to be punished for his actions.
“No, I’m sorry.” Hutch said, cupping his friends chin in his hand and raising his head, forcing Starsky to look at him. “I should have listened to you what you had to say instead of storming out like I did. It’s just…I went crazy when I saw her marks all over you…when I thought about her touching you…”
“I didn’t do anything, Hutch…” Starsky whispered, his eyes flooding with tears. “At least not the way you think. I was got there and decided I couldn’t go through with it…I told Angie I was going home. She asked me to stay for a drink…and she must have slipped me something. The next thing I know, I can barely move and she’s all over me.”
“WHAT?” Hutch exclaimed, his voice rising with renewed anger. “You need to report what happened! It’s the same as rape!”
“NO!” Starsky cried out desperately, his fingers twisting in the front of Hutch’s jacket. “I don’t want anybody else to know what happened! It’s over and I’m okay…I just wanna forget about it. Please, Blintz….”
“Okay, Starsk. Take it easy.” Hutch said, gently unhooking Starsky’s fingers from the death grip he had on Hutch’s jacket. “If that’s what you want…I won’t say anything to anybody.” He reached out to gently cup Starsky’s beard roughened cheek. “Are you sure you’re really okay?”
“Yeah…as long as you’re here with me.” Starsky admitted in a small voice. His eyes darkened with remembered pain. “You automatically assumed that I fucked her…that’s what hurt the most, Blondie. You never even gave me a chance to explain. You just thought the worst of me.”
“I’m sorry, Starsk. I’m so sorry. I was wrong. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I’d never do something like that to you, Hutch. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I know. I just get so jealous sometimes and insecure when it comes to you.” Hutch admitted ruefully.
“Me too.” Starsky said, “I guess we both have some things to work on, huh?”
“I guess we do.” Hutch said with a fond smile. “Right now you need to rest so you can get out of here and come home where I can take care of you.”
“Sounds good to me.” Starsky whispered with an affectionate smile. They leaned towards each other, their lips meeting in a tender kiss of forgiveness.
Three days later, Starsky was released from the hospital and Hutch was there to take him home as promised. After talking to the brunet, the department shrink agreed to rule the overdose as accidental but warned Starsky that if anything similar happened in the future, he could lose his badge. At the cottage, Starsky was surprised to find that Hutch had prepared a candle light dinner for two.
The steaks were cooked medium well, just the way Starsky liked them, the potatoes fluffy and creamy, the salad crisp and fresh. For desert, Hutch had made another one of Starsky’s favorites, chocolate fluff. After they had eaten, Hutch looked at his partner, his eyes filled with love and devotion. “I have something for you, pal.” He said quietly.
Starsky’s eyes lit up with anticipation. He loved presents. He caught his breath as Hutch reached into his pocket and pulled out two small black velvet boxes. He handed one to Starsky, who opened it with trembling fingers. Inside he found a thick gold band.
“Read the inscription inside.” Hutch instructed him almost shyly.
Starsky took the ring out of the box and held it up so he could see the inscription which read “Me and Thee Forever. KH & DS.” Starsky’s eyes filled with tears and his voice trembled as he looked at his lover and said, “It’s beautiful, baby blue.”
“Mine’s just like it.” Hutch said, opening the second box and showing him the identical gold band. He took a deep shuddering breathe as he looked deeply into the eyes of the man he loved. “I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea again, Gordo. I want everyone to know that we’re both already taken.”
“What about work?” Starsky asked softly.
“Fuck work. I doubt if anybody will have the balls to say much and even if they do, we can fight ‘em if they try to fire us or split us up.” He reached out and took the ring from Starsky’s fingers, taking his left hand in his. “David Michael Starsky, will you commit yourself to me for the rest of your life?”
“Yes…” Starsky whispered, a single tear slipping down his cheek as Hutch slipped the band on the ring finger of his left hand. He reached out for Hutch’s ring and smiled. “Kenneth Richard Hutchinson, will you commit yourself to me for the rest of your life?”
“I will.” Hutch whispered, as Starsky slipped the ring on his left ring finger. Their lips met in a deep soulful kiss as they sealed their bond to one another. For eternity.
THE END