ATF Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: Not mine. etc.
Comments: I've been going through my notebook, which has gotten rather full, and I found this little snippet, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it. Hope you enjoy. The usual credit to Mog for the ATF thing.
"Chris?""Hmmm...?"
"I love you."
"Uh huh. Could you pass me the salt? Damn steak tastes like old shoe leather."
"Uh, sure." <pause> "Ya heard what I said, right?"
"Uh huh. Oh great. Can't even get damned mashed potatoes right. How's your food?"
"My food? Don't know. Aint tried it yet."
"Why not? Thought you were hungry? Although this food is enough to kill anyone's appetite."
"I've been kind of busy here, cowboy. And I aint real hungry, anyway."
"Busy? Doing what? Did I miss something? Are you feeling sick?"
"Miss something? Yep. You could say that. I've been trying to tell ya how I feel."
"Is it your stomach? Are you catching that weird flu thing JD had?"
"No. My stomach is fine."
"Then try your steak. I'm sending mine back to the kitchen and we can send yours at the same time if it's no good."
"Aint you got something else you want to say to me?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry about taking you to this dive for Valentine's Day. I haven't been here in years. But it used to be real top notch. Must have changed management or something. I'll make it up to you, though."
"That's it?"
"No. There's one more thing. Do you remember when the Wilson case comes up in court?"
"Vin? Vin? Where are you going? What did I say?"
+ + + + + + +
Vin Tanner stalked out of the restaurant, shivering a bit at the blast of frigid air which greeted him.
The young sharpshooter felt angry, confused, and more than a bit foolish. He'd been working up the courage to say those words to Chris since just about forever. And he'd thought tonight would finally be it. Valentine's Day. Three months to the day since their first night together. Hell. This is what he got for trying to be a romantic idiot. He should've known better.
Vin wished he knew what Chris' failure to return the sentiment indicated. That the older agent didn't feel the same way? He felt like someone had punched him in the gut at that thought. Or maybe Chris had somehow, someway, misunderstood, or not heard him? Yeah right.
Vin sighed. It was too damn cold to be standing around tryin' to figure out the whys and wherefores of his relationship with Chris Larabee. Or his lack thereof. Maybe he should just call a taxi and get the hell out of Dodge before Chris came looking for him. Go home and eat ice cream, watch mindless TV and curse men in general. Isn't that what girls did? It seemed to work for them. Maybe he ought to give it a try.
Too late. So much for his clean getaway. Vin could see the anger in Chris' face as the older man stomped across the snowy sidewalk towards him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Chris demanded, as he came to a stop just inches from the sharpshooter.
"Me?" Vin could feel the anger and frustration clamoring for release inside him. "You're the one who kept talking about his stupid dinner while I was pouring my heart out."
"Pouring your heart out? What are you talking about?" Chris sounded faintly bewildered.
"I'm talkin' about how I told ya that I love your sorry ass." Vin snapped, feeling his cheeks flush red with embarrassment and anger.
"How is that pouring your heart out? Aint exactly like that's the latest breaking news, cowboy." The bewilderment was fast turning into annoyance.
"It aint? How did you? I never said..." Now it was Vin's turn to sound bewildered. And a little annoyed that the older agent had apparently been so sure of him. Of his feelings. Vin hadn't been sure at all where Chris was concerned. At least not when it came to Chris' feelings towards him.
"Of course I knew, Vin. How could I not? You've said it in a thousand different ways every day for the past three years." Chris smiled at the sharpshooter's expression.
"You say it every time you make coffee the way I like it, instead of that industrial strength sludge you like to drink. Every time you remind me, for at least the fifteenth time, that I have to make an appointment for my physical. Every time you see beyond one of my moods to what's really bugging me. Every time you go to a ball game with me even though it bores you silly. Every time you're there, guarding my back. Do I really need to go on here?"
"Guess not. I was that obvious, huh?" Vin chewed his lower lip, eyes lowered a bit in evident embarrassment.
"Well, yeah. But no more so than I was. Am." Chris placed a gentle finger under the sharpshooter's chin and tilted his head up so he could look into the blue eyes.
"You don't think I give Buck or any of the others a foot massage, do you? Or get up early to make them breakfast? Or go to poetry readings for anyone but you, for godsake? Or get jealous every time Lizzy from Team 2 smiles at you like you're a damned canary and she's a cat ready to pounce? Hell, I didn't think I had to say it. I thought I was showing it. Being a man of action and all." Chris quirked his lips in amusement, but there was a seriousness underlying his words that touched the sharpshooter to the depths of his soul.
"Guess I wasn't payin' close enough attention." The sharpshooter finally smiled, secure in the knowledge that the older man really did return his feelings. "Maybe you could take me home and show me again? You being a man of action and all. Probably take all night though, seein' as how I'm such a slow learner."
"That's ok. It's a lesson that bears repeating. Over and over and over..."
Vin chuckled as he grabbed Chris' hand and began hurrying towards the parking lot where the Ram was.
"Come on, cowboy. Time's a wastin'."
Chris dug in his heels, causing the sharpshooter to pause, frowning.
"Vin?" he said softly.
"What?" the sharpshooter had just a hint of impatience sharpening his tone. He really wanted to get home now. And not to eat ice cream. Well, not unless he could convince Chris to serve as his dish. Use his tongue as a spoon. Hmmmmm....
"Happy Valentine's Day. I love you, too."
"Uh huh. Can we go now?"
THE END
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