Party? What party?

Starsky and Hutch are exhausted after a hard case.

Prompt: Party? What party?

“How come you didn’t invite me to your party?” Starsky asked.

“Party?…What party?”

The confusion was clear on Hutch’s face as Starsky indicated the mess around the apartment. Bottles, plates, mugs, glasses, take-out boxes were mixed with newspapers, throw pillows and clothes. It looked like twenty people had descended on the place, eaten and drunk everything in sight and then left.

The two of them had just finished a non-stop ten day assignment, with barely enough sleep and meals taken on the run, and this was the result.

“Tell me your place looks any better!” Hutch grimaced.

Starsky went to open his mouth to say that actually his place was spotless and then stopped. He was too tired to argue with his friend and he could see Hutch was too tired to do anything at all.

“How about we tackle the chaos together?”

“No, it’s okay…I’ll get to it…” Hutch paused to yawn. “Let’s just sit and watch the game.”

“How? Where?”

Starsky looked pointedly at the mess on the couch and chairs. Hutch sighed and made a half-hearted attempt to move a pizza box off the couch and onto the coffee table.

“Won’t do, Blintz. Look, if we do it together, it won’t take long. You’ll feel better once this place is clean. I promise.”

Hutch yawned again. Starsky knew they had to get started quickly or both of them would just give in to fatigue.

“You take all the plates and mugs into the kitchen and wash up. I’ll get rid of all the trash,” Starsky said, taking his jacket off and rolling up his sleeves.

Hutch thought about refusing but he was too tired to argue.

“Okay,” he said, as he started collecting plates.

While Hutch got a sink of warm, soapy water ready, Starsky gathered up all the take-out boxes and took them down to the garbage can behind the building. When he came back, Hutch was humming quietly as he washed up. Starsky huffed a sound of approval before rounding up the oldest newspapers and also taking them out.

Hutch was washing mugs and glasses by the time Starsky came back. Starsky carried the last few dirty items through to the kitchen and left them where Hutch could reach them. He collected t-shirts and sweaters and threw them in Hutch’s laundry hamper.

“Want me to bring the dirty laundry through so you can start a wash?”

Hutch had just finished the washing up. “I’ll do it,” he said.

Starsky nodded and went back to tidying the living area. Throw pillows were put back in order. Blankets were neatly folded. Then he even pulled the vacuum cleaner out of closet and started vacuuming.

Hutch shouted something at him.

“What?” Starsky shouted back, indicating he couldn’t hear above the sound of the vacuum.

Hutch shook his head but smiled then went back to putting a load of laundry on.

Starsky put the vacuum cleaner back and went to dry the items Hutch had washed. He put everything neatly away in the cupboards and then collected two bottles of beer from the fridge. He tumbled onto the couch with a yawn. Hutch turned on the game and then sat down heavily beside him.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Good team effort,” Starsky said as they clicked bottles.

“You were right. I do feel better. Still exhausted but better…Do you need me to help you with your place later?”

“Nah, it’s not too bad,” Starsky said modestly. The army had taught him to keep things tidy – he was glad that he still had that habit. He yawned widely. “I may not have the energy to drive home.”

“You can sleep on the couch…as long as you don’t make a mess,” Hutch teased.

Starsky hit him with a throw pillow.