Work Text:
Quitting Time
by Lady Taevyn
The announcement is on the horizon and he can feel it. He's been getting better faster then the doctors expected, but it's not fast enough for Hutch. He's been antsy these past couple weeks. And every day Starsky expects him to come into his apartment and say `Well buddy, I want to get back out on the street and you're just not ready so Dobey went ahead and got me set up with a new partner.' So when Hutch comes home from work one evening and paces in front of the sofa for 20 minutes Starsky knows it's coming.
"I'm quitting the force." It's not at all what he was expecting and Starsky's world is tipped on its axis. He sits dumbly struggling to find words.
"What?" That's the best he can do.
"You heard me. Dobey wants to give me a new partner; I told him I already have one. He said with as long as it's taking you to get `street-ready' he just can't afford to have me on a desk any more. So I told him I'm quitting. I won't go out there without you backing me up. Do you feel up to going out for dinner, I figured we could head over to Huggy's." Hutch says only just then realizing that Starsky looks completely lost.
"You can't quit the job, just `cause I'm not ready to get back out there. Hutch, that's not fair to you. I won't let you do this." Starsky knows this is a weak argument. Once Hutch has made up his mind there's no changing it. The look on Hutch's face tells Starsky as much. "You are one stubborn son of a bitch, you know that?" He asks then struggles to lift himself off the couch. Hutch says nothing and crosses his arms in an effort to keep from reaching out to help his friend. The one time he'd tried that move he'd about gotten his head bitten off. He wasn't the only `stubborn son of a bitch' in the room.
"I'm not the only one partner." He mutters mostly under his breath, but he knows Starsky heard him when he puffs out a breath and holds his arm out for Hutch to grab. Hutch places a steadying hand at Starsky's waist, after pulling him up, waiting for him to get his bearings and equilibrium. A mumbled `thanks' is all he gets in return, but it's all he needs. He made the decision to quit without really thinking it through but as he watches his friend move slowly around the apartment he knows it was the right call. They can figure out the rest later.
end