No MoreGames

Writing Assignment Challenge. Where do Starsky & Hutch take their relationship now that they’ve acknowledged their feelings for one another.

It was a crisp early Winter evening when the two men stepped out of the steakhouse. The sun had just set and the sky was darkening to a clear midnight blue. Glimmers of stars could be seen through the thin film of smog. Almost like looking into Starsky’s eyes, reflected Hutch as he glanced sideways at his darker haired companion.

The relaxed dinner consisted of easy conversation on their growing relationship and the past year’s frustrations with both men’s feeling of confusion toward each other and their job.

“So where’re we headed?” Starsky looked over at the blond shimmering in the light of the street lamps, weird to be thinking of Hutch like that, as they approached Starsky’s newest idea of an undercover car: A 1979 Pumpkin orange Chevy Camaro, with black pin stripes.

“Um, I don’t know Starsk. But I’d like to take it slow. This whole thing is a little weird for me right now; I’m just getting used to the idea of you as a… I’m worried about performance anxiety.” Hutch attempted levity, the smile on his lips wavering slightly.

“That’s okay. Slow and easy, right?”

“But what I meant dummy, was where to right now? Your place, mine, Huggy’s, the beach, San Francisco?”

Feeling like an idiot, Hutch dipped his head and scuffled his feet on the cement sidewalk. “Oh. How about Huggy’s for some pool and beer?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Starsky elbowed Hutch lightly in his side. “I know we gotta talk more. I don’t want to ruin this either. It’s too important to me.”

At Huggy’s, the two settled into a routine they hadn’t been able to do in months. Starsky moved smoothly and stealthily around the pool table, trouncing Hutch in three out of four games, so far. Deciding this would be the last game, Starsky settled in to beat his partner once more, and win the bet.

Hutch was in high spirits; his belly was full of good food and beer, his heart was expansive with love, his spirit was happy, and his senses were on full alert to his partner’s presence. Watching as Starsky took his shot, Hutch leaned back against the empty pool table next to them, and crossed his ankles as he smiled to himself over his partner’s concentration of getting the colored balls into the respective pockets.

The striped ‘9’ went in the right corner pocket with no effort, and Starsky turned his head and flashed Hutch a grin of triumph as he walked to the back end of the table to take his next shot.

Calling the left corner pocket at the other end by tipping his cue stick, Starsky settled in and shimmied a bit before hitting the cue ball just on the side, which in turn smacked into the five, rolling it into the stated pocket.

The off-white cue ball lined up just behind the last striped ball on the table, but not in a direct angle to any pockets. In order to make any kind of shot, Starsky would have to bank the ball off the side into the rear corner pocket.

And the only place to lean over the table to make the shot was right in front of Hutch, Starsky thought with glee and wickedness.

Doing an exaggerated shimmy, Starsky leaned over, letting the tail of his shirt pull out of his waistband.

Sashaying buttocks and hips in tight jeans was more than enough to draw attention from anyone who happened to be in view, however to Hutch’s eyes it was like a moth drawn to a flame.

Unconsciously the tip of Hutch’s tongue came out to lightly touch his upper lip, and he grasped the cue in his hands tighter.

A thin dark hand reached out and grabbed the pole from Hutch, startling him.

“I’d be careful ‘o the way you grabbing that stick, my man. Grab it too hard and it might snap, if you get my drift.” Huggy’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, and you might wanna be careful what you’re gazin’ at. It’s written all over your face.”

Hutch’s expression changed from one of desire and longing to wide-eyed alarm. Just by the look in Huggy’s face, he knew that Huggy knew. “But…but I didn’t…I didn’t say anything. How…”

“How’d I know your heart goes pitter patter at a certain pair of tight jeans?”

Gulping, Hutch nodded. “Uh, yeah.”

“Like I said. Your baby blues give you away. They’re practically stripping that denim off right now. And if I may say so, it’s more than mutual.”

“And this doesn’t bother you?”

“Hell, man. I can’t believe you two haven’t been doin’ the bed shuffle before this. Ain’t no one ever been able to get closer. Besides, who else’d have you?” Huggy added with a broad grin. “It’s obvious you want it, so what the hell you hanging ’round here for?”

At that moment the ’13’ ball skipped off the side of the green felted table and not into its intended target.

“Aw, darn. Now I guess you get a shot at trying to catch me.” Starsky said with hidden meaning, as he tipped his cue stick toward his partner to tap his shoulder with the blue edge.

Hutch grabbed the stick on the first tap and set both sticks aside. “I’ve had enough tonight, how about you?”

“I haven’t won yet, Hutch.”

In one long stride, Hutch stepped up to the table they were playing on, and knocked both the black ‘8’ ball, as well as the cue ball. “There. I’ve scratched on the ‘8’. You win.”

“What’s that all about?”

Hutch’s voice got husky as his eyes darkened in love and lust while looking deeply into Starsky’s matching eyes. “Let’s go home.”

Picking up the unspoken message, Starsky placed his hand over the larger ones still holding the cue sticks. “You sure?” He didn’t want Hutch to be forced into anything too soon.

A soft smile lit Hutch’s face, as he nodded. “Yeah. I’m sure.” The quiet voice spoke with confidence and huskiness masking a hint of desire to anyone who may have heard it, except Starsky.

As Hutch opened the passenger door of Starsky’s car and stepped behind it to get in, Starsky stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder and pulling him forward.

He skimmed his hand upward to Hutch’s neck, beneath the long blond hair, and pulled his head down for a kiss.

It was just a simple kiss, really. A light touch of delicate muscles. More of a kiss between friends, than lovers.

But to Hutch, it was a wonder. The kiss was more than natural. It was right. And without realizing it he bent in for a deeper kiss, pressing just a bit harder on the lips beneath his.

His hand released Hutch, and Starsky stepped backward, grinning to see his partner’s head try to follow him abstractedly.

While Hutch settled in the passenger’s side with his thoughts Wow, who thought Starsky could turn me inside out like this?, Starsky skipped over to the other side of the car.

“So? Where to?” He asked as a turned on the ignition while looking over at his partner.

“How about my place?” Hutch suggested.

“Depends.”

Worried now, that after the kiss Starsky had changed his mind about the direction of their expanding relationship, Hutch warily asked “On what?”

“What you got for breakfast.” Face broadening in a bright, crooked smile, Starsky pulled the Camaro from the curb and into their future.