Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Wednesday Briefs: One Night Part 26

 
And .... It's Wednesday again! Welcome to the Wednesday Briefs, a series of authors posting flash fiction for your reading pleasure! This week my prompt was: "You're treading a fine line here ..." Enjoy!

One Night Part 26


Bear and Kameron curled up on the couch together watching a movie, a pizza box balanced haphazardly on the coffee table surrounded by a few empty beers. Bear didn’t drink often, but even he’d felt the need to have a drink after the last few weeks they’d had.

Kameron belched and Bear rolled his eyes. “Pig.”

“Hey, I’m relaxing. We’re at home, who’s gonna care?”

It was said so casually Bear didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but he loved how Kameron said ‘we’re home’. Trial by fire didn’t begin to cover their relationship, but Bear wouldn’t give up Kameron’s love for anything. They’d made it through everything, though not unscathed. They’d survive anything else thrown at them too.

“What are you going to do?” he asked. The movie ended, but Bear kept his head on Kameron’s lap, staring up at him.  Kameron paused mid-stroke through Bear’s hair.

“Do we have to talk about this now?”

Bear raised one eyebrow. “It’s not going to go away.” He knew Kameron had stewed over the situation since they left the courthouse … aside from when Bear had successfully distracted him. “Besides, you barely watched the movie you’re thinking so hard.”

“I don’t think I can do it.” Kameron’s shoulders slumped. “It’s not just the lying; they didn’t trust me professionally. I can’t work with a squad I can’t trust either. And no matter what Jimmy says, he put you at risk. I won’t forgive that.”

Jimmy was my brother; that would never change. “Is he going to be a problem, between us?”

Kameron’s eyes widened. He cupped Bear’s head, shaking it gently. “Of course not! I won’t say I can’t forgive your brother; I just … I’d always wonder what they weren’t telling me.”

“What’ll you do?”

“I guess I’ll ask for a transfer. Maybe to Homicide or Vice. The captain will have to put the paperwork through. He’s damn lucky I’m not complaining to my rep.”

***

Bear was standing on Kameron’s apartment balcony, taking a break from his work demands. He’d gotten several referrals, enough that he really didn’t need to work at Loren’s bar anymore. He’d talked to Loren and told him to keep on the temporary employee he’d hired when the drama hit. Capstone didn’t need him anymore and Bear was ready to a new phase in his career, and his life.

Good thing he’d never gotten to go furniture shopping.

“Oh shit,” he said under his breath. Kameron had put in his request for a transfer that morning. He’d avoided the squad room, leaving the paperwork with the desk officer at the precinct.

Now Jimmy had showed up.  

Bear went inside. “Kameron!”

He ducked through the bathroom door, naked, toweling off his hair. “Yeah?”

“We need to move into a new place,” Bear said.

Kameron blinked. “You yelled my name to tell me that?”

“No.” Bear felt his face heat up. “I called you out here to tell you Jimmy’s in the parking lot.”

“Fuck!” Kameron narrowed his eyes. “Fine. Let him in, will you?”

He licked his lips Kameron walked to the bedroom, the taut muscles in his ass flexing. Damn, he was hot.

Bear was waiting at the door when Jimmy knocked.

Undoing the three different locks Kameron had installed, Bear swung the door open and spoke before his scowling brother could. “You’re treading a fine line here just showing up, Jimmy. Watch what you say.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and refused to move when Jimmy didn’t speak. “Or you can leave.” He’d forgiven his brother for what he did to him, but what he’d done to Kameron was worse and it pissed Bear off to see him there, acting like he had the right to be mad.

Jimmy blinked. “Yeah, I got it.”

Bear grudgingly let him in.

Tension was high when Kameron came out of the bedroom and they sat down. Jimmy stared at Kameron who looked back at him steadily.

“Why?” he finally asked.

“Why what? Why’d I ask for a transfer?”

“Yeah. That’s total bullshit.”

“Jimmy!” Bear glared at him.

“Not trusting me was bullshit. You guys made the choice to keep me in the dark. That means I can’t trust you. I won’t work like that. You’re a good guy, Jimmy, but you fucking suck as a coworker. Bear and I,” Kameron glanced at him and Bear nodded at him, “we’re staying together. It’d be better if I don’t work with you anyway.”

“So you’re really leaving the squad for my brother.”

Kameron shrugged. “If you want to see it that way, whatever.” Bear shook his head but didn’t say anything.

Jimmy blew out a breath. “Okay.”

“Aren’t you even going to say you’re sorry?” Bear asked. His voice rose. “What you guys did to him was fucking wrong Jimmy.”

His brother rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.

“And don’t try to tell me I don’t understand. I get the responsibility and the pressure you guys are under. You guys still treated Kameron like shit.”

“Bear,” Kameron said quietly. “I don’t want you fighting with Jimmy over this. Let it blow over.”

He wasn’t one to let stuff blow over. But for Kameron ….

“We’re going to move into a new place. We’re thinking a house,” Bear told Jimmy. “Would you help us move when we find one?”

Jimmy’s shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, bro. Of course!”

After Jimmy left Bear took his turn in the shower. He was rinsing his hair when the shower curtain opened.

“I thought I’d give you a hand.” Kameron was so big he took up most of the shower, but Bear didn’t mind the close quarters when Kameron leaned against his back to get the soap. “We should look for a place with a bigger shower.”

Bear leaned forward and rinsed the last of the shampoo out, coincidentally pushing his ass against Kameron. He glanced over his shoulder. “Now where would the fun be in that?”

 The End
 
Yep, the end. I thought this was a good place. We have resolution for the situation with the gang, with the heavy hitters all in custody, and the explanation-shitty as it was-about Paolo. Damn my characters for not always acting the right way and not being dumbasses, lol. Bear and Kameron have their happily ever after too. I hope you enjoyed the story.
Now check out the other great flash pieces from the rest of the Briefers!
Lily Sawyer      
MC Houle     
MA Church     
 

 

 

 

4 comments:

  1. I loved these guys. :) I'm sad to see it end. But all good things must come to an end. (Boy don't I sound like a sap lol)

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    1. I did too! But, all good things must end, yes. I already have plans for my next story though, which I hope will make people happy!

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  2. I enjoyed the story, but the ending bothered me, because Jimmy never apologized. He didn't even seem to understand why they were upset. And then Kameron and Bear were supposed to just ... get over it? The invite to have Jimmy help in a move surprised me, too. They did all the giving and Jimmy just took, without truly acknowledging his cold deception.

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    1. Ahh, but that's part of it. I didn't want to him to redeem himself. He's an ass. He doesn't get it. He didn't get it really when he did it to Bear. Jimmy's all about 'I know what should happen and anything else is stupid'. I was trying to keep him in character. Still, I'm glad you enjoyed the rest of the story. Thanks so much for commenting Geemeedee!

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