Work Text:
"Can I ask you something?"
Jim turned his head to look at Blair, who was studying him with curiosity in his eyes. "Ask away," he replied, hiding his annoyance. Of all the times to want to ask something... He wasn't promising he'd answer, of course -- with Sandburg that was always a risk -- but he was curious about what the anthropologist wanted to know, and wanted to know so badly that he couldn't wait.
"When you agreed to let me... work with you, did you ever think that things would turn out this way?"
The pause-and-rephrase didn't pass the Sentinel by. Blair had probably been about to say 'study' but changed the word in case he'd offend Jim. But it was a strange question.
"This way?" he asked back, giving Blair a slightly disbelieving stare. "No, I can't say I did. Did I ever think that you'd be fool enough to be likely to do something like this? Maybe, but I kept hoping I was wrong." He knew he hadn't really answered the question Blair was asking him, but it would have to do. For now. He wasn't going to tangle himself in philosophical discussions about what-ifs and might-have-beens until he was back home, a beer in his hand as he relaxed after a warm shower.
Blair winced a little, but whether it was from more from embarrassment or physical discomfort was hard to tell. "Well, I guess I proved you right."
"I guess you did," Jim replied with a slight air of nonchalance, and then continued with what he was doing. "Now shut up."
"Sorry," Blair said with a quick smile. "I tend to talk a lot when I'm in a tight spot, you know?"
No shit. Jim snorted at the quip. With a deep breath in anticipation of exertion, he grabbed the last piece -- the largest one by far. "Get ready," he said, and waited a second or two to make sure the words had been heard. Then he lifted the tree trunk high enough to allow Blair to crawl out from under it. As soon as the scrawny guy was clear, he let go. The trunk fell down with a deep thud, sending vibrations through the ground and dirt and dust through the air.
"God, Jim," Sandburg groaned as the detective crouched down next to him again, Sentinel-sensitive fingers ghosting over his ribs to assuage the damage. "Remind me not to do that again." He hissed and winced as Jim found an especially sore spot. "Ow," he complained. "That hurts."
"Should teach you to be more careful," Jim pointed out.
Blair conveniently didn't listen. "Man," he moaned as the last of his adrenaline gradually faded, leaving in its wake only a too deep realization of the many bruises he had, "Oh man, I am going to be black and blue forever!"