The Premiere

What if the movie Starsky and Hutch was made in the universe of the real Starsky and Hutch? An answer to a 20 minute challenge to use the words Spot and Set

“You ready for your debut?” Ben grinned at both Starsky and Hutch.

Starsky looked at Hutch who had a decidedly nervous smile. “I thought we had our debut on set for our cameo.”

Owen laughed. “Get used to it. After the premiere, there’s gonna be lights flashing in your eyes all night long.”

“I can hardly wait,” Hutch muttered. “Remind me why we had to be here again?”

“Commissioner Thomas couldn’t wait to put Bay City on the map again,” Ben began.

“And everyone wants to see the real Starsky and Hutch. We’re just actors. We pretend. That’s our job. Your job was keeping the city safe.”

“You ready, babe?” Starsky said.

Hutch took a deep breath before leaning in to give Starsky a kiss. “As I’ll ever be. Fighting crime was less nerve-wracking than this.”

They stepped from the limo onto the red carpet—lights flashing, roar of the crowd in their ears, and followed Ben and Owen into the renovated Rivoli for the movie premiere.

“What’d ya think?” Starsky whispered into Hutch’s ear as the credits rolled.

“Not what I thought it’d be,” Hutch muttered. He straightened in his seat and bit back a groan as back muscles twinged.

“I can give you a nice massage when we get home tonight,” Starsky whispered again. He let his fingers rest on Hutch’s nape—familiar, second nature after over thirty years of partnership, of loving each other. “Sound good?”

“Do I ever pass up one of your mas…” Hutch put his finger to his lips as Ben and Owen went up on the stage. “Shh.”

Ben and Owen gave a little speech thanking everyone and then Ben smiled.

“We’d be amiss if we didn’t bring up the real stars of the movie. C’mon, Starsky, Hutch. Everyone wants to see you.”

They both blinked against the spotlight suddenly on them and made their way up onto the stage.

Ben threw his arm over Starsky’s shoulders. Owen put his over Hutch’s.

“I know we made a parody of these guys’ lives, a comedy. But I want everyone to know, to not forget, just what David Starsky and Ken Hutchinson have accomplished in their long careers as Bay City detectives. I want everyone to remember that Dave was cut down in the parking garage of Metro, and that Ken brought down James Gunther and saved countless lives in doing so. Our thanks, my thanks, can never be enough.” Ben passed the microphone to Owen.

“And I’d like to go on record saying that Hutch never once complained about my portrayal of him. Even though I know he didn’t live in a motor home and wasn’t the jerk I made him out to be.” He pressed the microphone into Hutch’s hand.

“Uh. Thank you?” Hutch looked at Starsky. “What am I supposed to say?”

Starsky grabbed the mike. “You’re supposed to say how I made an honest man of you years ago, and I’m supposed to say that if you ever ever try to sell my Torino, I will divorce you.” He smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling at the corners and Hutch knew in an instant why he loved Starsky so deeply.

“How about I love you?” Hutch said, a sudden courage making him brave, not caring they were in front of a packed theater.

“That’ll do too,” Starsky said and pulled him in for a kiss on the spot to the sound of applause and a standing ovation.

One of my convoluted head canons is that the movie Starsky and Hutch takes place in the universe of the real Starsky and Hutch so everyone already knows who they are and that they are a couple. And they are because you can’t sell a car you aren’t on the title of–unless you fradulently sign the other person’s name. Let’s face it-Hutch wouldn’t do that!