No Kingdom Needed

138

This time, they both have some obscure stuff to talk about.

 

For Silver Chipmunk

Starsky/Hutch the Original bRomance Fic Challenge for 29 July 2021: Trivia

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“Starsk, what’s with the big stack of books?” Hutch asks on his return from running errands.

Starsky is perched on the sofa, feet on the coffee table, book in hand with a finger holding his place. “Went to the library. That cute new librarian -”

“Nikki?”

“Yeah, her. We talked about my interests for a while, and she set me up with these. She knows her stuff, Hutch. Ya know, she could be a detective. Got a way with questions. And she’s fun.”

“I’ll have to ask her for recommendations next time I’m there. So, I ask again. Why so many books? You’ll only be out a week before you return to work and there’s no way you can finish all of ‘em before they’re due.”

“Yeah, to good ol’ desk duty,” Starsky grumps.

“Don’t cry in your beer, babe. You know I got the same crappy duty until you’re ready to hit the streets again.”

Starsky shrugs. “Yeah. Sorry about that. Shouldn’t’ve pushed myself at the gym. And you gotta pay for it too.”

“Actually, I’m kind of looking forward to a slower pace for a few weeks. No overtime. Regular hours…” Hutch says wistfully.

“We have been goin’ at it pretty hard, haven’t we? Guess it’ll be okay for a couple weeks.”

“I knew you’d see it my way.” Hutch sits on the couch next to Starsky, slinging his arm around the broad shoulders.

Starsky pulls a face before kissing his lover on the lips. “What I don’t understand is how a man my age can get a hernia. I ain’t old.”

“You aren’t old, Starsk; you’re middle-aged.”

Starsky glowers at him but it does nothing to wipe the smirk from Hutch’s face.

“Anybody can get a hernia at any age, Starsk. Even babies.”

“In my book, only old guys get ‘em.” Starsky peers at Hutch. “How dja know that about babies?”

“That little piece of useless knowledge is from my research on inguinal hernias. You knew I wouldn’t let you go under the knife without knowing everything I could about your… problem and how to take care of you.”

Starsky grins. “You’re the best everything a guy can have, ya know that, beautiful?”

Hutch returns the grin then rests his forehead on Starsky’s. “Right back atcha, handsome.”

They stay in that position for several breaths, savoring the closeness.

Hutch pulls back. “Which one are you reading now?”

Starsky shows him the cover and says, “Weird Myths and Legends.”

Hutch snorts playfully. “Nikki really did get to know you. So what have you learned?”

“The weirdest one so far is that Catherine the Great of Russia used to bonk her horse and she died when he fell on her while trying to do it.”

Hutch laughs uproariously. “That’s absurd!”

“And weird, too, huh?” Starsky snickers. “They think she really croaked from bleeding in her brain one morning in her quarters.”

“That beats getting crushed by a horse.” Hutch pauses. “I just can’t picture any way a woman could — what’s that word?”

“Uh, bonk?”

“Yeah. How could a woman bonk a horse?”

Starsky smiles wickedly. “Don’t know, don’t care. But I’ve bonked a horse lots of times.”

“WHAT?” Hutch shouts in disbelief.

Starsky puts his book aside then rests his hand on his lover’s crotch, squeezing it gently yet provocatively. “Got my horse right here.”

A beat passes before a laugh erupts from deep within Hutch’s belly. Starsky simply looks pleased with himself.

“Okay, Gordo, you up for a wild ride?” Hutch says before he does a fair nicker.

“Oh, yeah, bronco. Ready to saddle up and mount my very own stallion. And I didn’t even need a kingdom to get one.”

Hutch laughs again. He stands and hauls Starsky off the couch. “Giddy up go, Shakespeare.”

“I was thinkin’ more like giddy up come…”

the end

July 2021