Back to the main page
Back to Sentinel Fic
INSTRUCTION
you must learn to stand up for yourself, `cause i can't always be around
--tori amos, winter
It wasn't that Jim didn't know Blair was in the loft. He'd heard Blair's heartbeat from the street, and had a feeling all day. But it was one thing to expect Blair's presence, and another to open a door and be leapt upon. Jim took a step back to steady himself, then wrapped both arms around Blair and held on.
Six weeks. That was how long Blair had been at the academy, how long it had been since they'd seen each other. It might not have been a very long time, but it felt like a year.
Jim set his partner down and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Blair laughed and pulled away, then stood there grinning so broadly it had to hurt.
Jim took a look at him. About the same as he'd been before he left. A few more muscles, maybe. The bruise along his jaw was new.
"How'd you get this, Tiger?" Jim inquired, running his fingertips an inch above the skin. Blair rolled his eyes.
"I think it's the hair."
"The hair?"
"Yeah." Blair leaned against the back of the couch. "The instructors, man, they are *vicious*. I mean, they're not too friendly with anybody, but they have really got it in for me. Everyone else has to run nine miles; I have to run ten. The guy next to me gets a near-perfect score on the shooting range; that's great, but it's not good enough when I do it. You would not believe the extent to which those guys are on my case. The only thing I can think of is the hair. But the hell with them, because I am *not* cutting it."
"Good to know you haven't changed," Jim said warmly.
Blair laughed.
"I'd better dump some clothes in the laundry, or I won't be changing all weekend. While I'm gone, think about where you're taking me for dinner."
As Blair headed for the laundry room, Jim reminded himself that he had no way of knowing the names of Blair's instructors ... or a whole lot else about this academy, which wasn't the one he'd attended.
Eventually he planned to give away almost all of the secrets he was keeping from Blair. For example, he intended to cup Blair's face in his hands and give him the sort of kiss that couldn't be laughed off.
But some secrets he was going to take to his grave.