Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationship:
Language:
English
Collections:
Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
Stats:
Published:
2020-11-05
Words:
1,736
Chapters:
1/1
Kudos:
9
Hits:
1,099

Role reversal

Summary:

A little ditty about Christmas and how sometimes even starsky can feel a little down at that time of year.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Title: Role Reversal
Usual Disclaimers;

Details: Christmas ditty - sometimes-even Starsky feels lonely during the holiday season.
Role Reversal

Starsky sat on the couch in the living room of his apartment, surrounded by all the gaudy trappings of the holiday season. In the far corner of the room stood a real fir tree. It was bedecked with glass ornaments and tinsel and gave off an earthy scent of pine which filled the whole room with its' rich aroma. On the window sill in the room stood a small stable complete with crudely carved nativity figures and beside it stood a beautiful hand cut glass Star of David. Both items stood, as a reminder of different traditions but neither seemed out of place, in fact they complimented each other. The rough edges of the small wooden figures seemed to soften in the light that was reflected off the planes of the crystal glass. The items were both a contradiction and a celebration of the diversity of traditions that made up the dark haired man who sat motionless in the room.
Starsky held the silver framed picture of a pretty girl with laughing eyes in his hands and tears glistened in his azure blue eyes. He sat for a long time staring at the picture without moving. The silence in the room broken only by the sound of his breathing. The sun rose higher in the sky and the room filled slowly with more light but still he continued to sit almost motionless. The ringing of the telephone broke the silence and with a startled look Starsky rose from his seat and taking the picture with him entered the kitchen area and lifted the telephone receiver from its hook on the wall. Before he could say anything Huggy's voice came over the line.
"Starsky, my man, merry Christmas. Just checking in to see what time you and Hutch will be dropping in on our festivities?"
"Oh yeah, Huggy, thanks and many happy returns. Hutch and I are going to the Dobeys about noon and we'll drop in to "The Pits" about four, if that's okay?" Starsky put the picture down on the kitchen counter as he spoke.
"Four o'clock is cool, the party here should just about be beginning to rock by then. Make sure that partner of yours brings his guitar. I tried to reach him before I called you but he must already be on his way over to your place. See you later Bro. And by the way Starsky be sure to leave some food for my guests." With those words Huggy hung up.
Starsky looked at his watch. It was ten thirty that meant Hutch would be here any minute. Starsky rubbed his eyes with his hands. Time to get the show on the road. Hutch can't and damn well won't see me like this. He hates Christmas and only makes an effort for me. Now, let's see, what are the plans again? Hutch is due here any minute then we head to the Dobeys for drinks and then on to "The Pits" to have dinner with Huggy's homeless guests. I'm the one who loves Christmas. I don't want Hutch to see me like this.
Shaking himself out of this reverie Starsky ran his finger gently over the face of the girl in the picture then he left the kitchen and headed for the bathroom. Starsky tried to ignore his appearance in the mirror as he shaved. He had slept very little last night and in reality for the last few nights and the shadows under his eyes were becoming more pronounced daily. He had entered into the Christmas spirit two weeks ago with his usual childlike enthusiasm. He had bedecked his Torino with the usual gaudy display. He had even dragged his very grumpy partner to a Christmas tree lot where he had chosen the large tree that now stood in his living room. He had started out his Christmas plans with real enthusiasm but as the day it self drew nearer the nightmares had begun and the joy he had felt evaporated and he had been forced to play along with everybody's belief that he was the spirit of Christmas personified.
He stood under the spray of water in the shower and gave a bitter little laugh at that thought. "Christmas Spirit" - it held nothing for him this year except visions of what might have been. He had never got to spend a Christmas with Terry. Prudholm had seen to that. The images of what might have been merged in his dreams into the images of what had been and became nightmares. Images of Terry, laughing and running towards him, by her side a small dark haired boy and girl but as they approached Starsky's apartment which was bedecked with Christmas lights the image changed. All he could see was his Terry with the small white dressing on her head covering the entrance wound of the bullet that killed her. The children were fragments of the dreams he held in his heart. Dreams of the future he might have shared with his lady but in reality they had never even shared a Christmas together. He had met her in the spring and she was dead by the autumn. Not even a year together but in his dreams he had a lifetime with her and it was still not long enough.
The water was running cold now and he was once again back in the present. He dried himself vigorously and tried to get some order into the stray curls of hair that framed his face. He heard sounds from the living room. Hutch had arrived. He took a quick look in the mirror and pasted a smile on his face.
Hutch was standing at the breakfast bar, a glass of orange juice in his hand when Starsky emerged from the bedroom dressed in tight blue jeans, a pale blue shirt and a brown jumper on which several large reindeer appeared. He was singing.
"Santa Claus is coming to town." He stopped in mid bar and smiled at Hutch. "Well what kind of humour is my friend Kenneth Scrooge Hutchinson in on this Christmas morn?" Starsky reached over and took the glass of juice from his friend's hand as he finished speaking and drank back what was left in it. He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Hutch watched his friend and took up the silver framed photograph from where it lay on the counter and said very quietly.
"You never got to share a Christmas with her? You know, Starsk, I miss her and it makes me wonder that if I miss her this much how much are you hurting right now?" Hutch's eyes brightened as he spoke and he reached out his left hand and drew Starsky to him.
"How did you know, Hutch? I thought I had you fooled." Starsky stood within the warm embrace and the tears came.
"Easy, Buddy. Of course I knew. I wouldn't be half of the Me & Thee detective team if I didn't know how much you must be hurting right now. I can't make it better for you, Starsk, but I can be here and I wouldn't be any place else." Hutch placed the photo back on the counter as he finished speaking and embraced his friend with his right arm so that Starsky was enveloped in the blond's arms.
For many minutes wrenching sobs emerged from Starsky and his whole body shuddered in his friend's embrace but still strong arms continued to hold and support him and finally Hutch led him to the couch. Starsky's reddened eyes turned towards Hutch.
"I'm sorry, Hutch. I know how much you dislike Christmas and here I am making it even worse for ya." Starsky smiled weakly at his partner as he spoke.
"Ah. Starsk. I used to hate Christmas but over the last few years I've grown to like it and that's down to you. I'm sorry Terry can't be here to share the holidays with you but you know she entrusted you and Ollie to me and I take that trust very seriously. Ollie is setting on my bed with a tinsel hat so now it's time to get you in the holiday mood and to that end I suggest you open the present I brought for you." Hutch reached over and lifted a brightly wrapped package off the coffee table and handed it to Starsky.
Starsky smiled and sniffed. "Hutch, thanks. Your present is under the tree. It's the one with the blue wrapping paper and the gold bow." Starsky had begun to tear the paper off the gift, which Hutch had given to him.
Starsky started to laugh as he unwrapped the present and one by one figures emerged from the torn paper. First of all a wooden chessboard had come to light and then the white chess pieces or in this case the light blue ones. Each piece from the king down to the pawns was dressed in the blue uniform of a police officer and the black pieces were painted in black and yellow striped convict suits. It was a cops and robbers chess set and it was, in Starsky's eyes, perfect.
Hutch had waited to see his friend's reaction to his gift before he began to open his present from Starsky and when he saw the look of delight in his partner's eyes then he set about opening his own gift. Hutch was far more sedate in opening gifts than Starsky but slowly a large book emerged from the wrapping paper. Hutch held the hardback and very heavy book in his hands and smiled with genuine delight when he read the title. "Zen, and the Art of Keeping House Plants".
"Starsky, this is perfect, just perfect. Thanks so much, Buddy."
The two men rose from the couch. Starsky made his way to the tree and extracted several brightly covered gifts from under it. Then he joined Hutch as they headed out the door and made their way to the gleaming Torino. On the way to the Dobey family home, Starsky thought about the holiday season. He realised that it isn't always possible for the people we love to be with us in person but if they truly love us then they are always with us in spirit.

The end.

Notes:

This orphaned work was originally on Pejas WWOMB posted by author Avoca.
If this work is yours and you would like to reclaim ownership, you can click on the Technical Support and Feedback link at the bottom fo the page.