{"id":492,"date":"2019-12-24T05:51:22","date_gmt":"2019-12-24T05:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=492"},"modified":"2020-11-27T20:48:43","modified_gmt":"2020-11-27T20:48:43","slug":"december-24th-the-gift-of-the-maggie-by-m-butterfly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/?p=492","title":{"rendered":"December 24th- The Gift of the Maggie by m. butterfly"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re on a date with a beautiful blonde and she says you remind her of her brother, your chances of going out with her again aren\u2019t very good.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour brother, huh?\u201d Starsky sat back, increasing the distance between Deputy District Attorney Maggie Wiseman and him. \u201cTerrific.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The night had started well enough, with dinner at a new Greek restaurant he\u2019d been bugging Hutch to try with him. While Starsky was taking care of the check, Maggie had suggested they go back to her place so they could \u201chave some privacy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t for the reason he\u2019d thought she\u2019d meant, but at least she\u2019d spared him the humiliation of being dumped in public.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he is,\u201d Maggie said from the flower-patterned upholstered chair she was curled up in. \u201cMy brother. Sam. He\u2019s terrific. Like you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, thanks. I think.\u201d He raised his arms and stretched theatrically. \u201cLook. It\u2019s getting late, so I\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d She untucked her legs from beneath her and held out her right hand, palm toward him. \u201cNo. Please. There\u2019s something I should\u2014uh, something I want to talk to you about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky cocked an eyebrow. \u201cAbout how I remind you of your brother?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yes.\u201d She rested her elbows on her knees and clasped her fingers together. \u201cFrom the day we met in your captain\u2019s office, there was something\u2026 comfortable<\/em> about you. Familiar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t until we were on our first date that I had an inkling of what that was. But now, after tonight, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He folded his arms over his chest and, annoyed but curious, gave her a slight nod.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie looked down at the rich brown shag carpet for a few beats. When her head came back up, the warmth and kindness of her expression had Starsky thinking that her brother must have a severe learning disorder or something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDave,\u201d she said softly, \u201cthis is only our second date, so it\u2019s not like I should know every little thing about you. But what I didn\u2019t expect was that I\u2019d know so much about Hutch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? What\u2019s Hutch got to do with anything?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m getting there. Do you realize that you talk about him all the time?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky wiped his hands on his chinos. \u201cNo. Because I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie started counting on her fingers. \u201cHe grew up in Minnesota. Duluth. He went to college. He goes for a run nearly every day. He plays guitar. He\u2019s a good singer. He\u2019s not much of a dancer. He\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo what? So what if his name comes up in the conversation a few times?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA few<\/em> times?\u201d She sat up straight and fixed her gaze on him. \u201c\u2018Hutch has had a rough year,\u2019\u201d she said, affecting a lower octave. \u201c\u2018He was accused of murdering his second ex-wife, Vanessa, in his apartment, so I want to get him something really special for Christmas even though he thinks Christmas has gotten too commercial and\u2014\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay! Okay! You\u2019ve made your damned point.\u201d He ran his hands through his hair. \u201cI\u2019d have thought someone in your line of work\u2014someone who spends so much time around cops\u2014would understand how close<\/em> partners can be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maggie bobbed her head. \u201cI\u2019ve also spent a lot of time around gay men, especially since my brother came out of the closet, so\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa, whoa, whoa!\u201d He waved his hands frantically. \u201cI\u2019m not\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Sam was a teenager,\u201d Maggie plowed on, \u201che had a best friend named Jason, and it was always \u2018Jason this\u2019 and \u2018Jason that.\u2019 He also dated girls, but he rarely talked about them. And when he did, it was never with the same kind of warmth and passion he used when he talked about Jason. He didn\u2019t tell me he was gay until he was in his twenties, but I\u2019d already figured it out by then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky jumped to his feet. \u201cYou got me all wrong, lady. Dead wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She remained seated and shrugged her shoulders. \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re crazy. You know that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now she stood. \u201cIf you\u2019re afraid to tell Hutch how you feel, don\u2019t be. I\u2019d bet anything that he\u2019s just as love struck\u2014and scared to death about it\u2014as you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u201d Starsky threw up his hands. \u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Maggie persisted despite the fact that her guest was bolting for the front door. \u201cWhen I met you at work the other night for our date, I thought that maybe he didn\u2019t like me\u2014didn\u2019t think I was right for you\u2014because of the way he wished us a good night. The way he was smiling at you. It just didn\u2019t seem genuine. Then, you held the door open for me, but something\u2014I have no idea what\u2014but something made me look over my shoulder at him, maybe to see if he was glaring at me. I know; call me paranoid. But I may as well have been invisible. He was completely focused on you, and he looked so sad and miserable. Just how Sam used to look whenever Jason was with a girlfriend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky didn\u2019t understand why he was still in Maggie\u2019s apartment. He flinched when he felt a light touch on his arm but remained rooted to the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDave.\u201d She swallowed. \u201cI\u2019ve seen how difficult it is for two men who want to be together. Especially for nice Jewish men whose families expect them to marry nice Jewish girls and have lots of kids. And if you\u2019re a cop, too? Oy vey<\/em>, as my mother would say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky managed to get his feet moving again and reached for the doorknob.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWant to give him the best Christmas present ever?\u201d Maggie asked. \u201cTell him how you really feel about him. Sure, you\u2019ll have to be extremely careful at work, and maybe go on some fake dates with women, but it\u2019ll be worth it. Don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014You\u2014Dammit! We\u2019re done here. \u2019Bye, Maggie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky\u2019s hands were shaking, and no matter how hard he gripped the Torino\u2019s steering wheel, they shook all the way home. And while he kept trying to tell himself it was because he was furious with Maggie, even he didn\u2019t believe it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was the kind of Sunday morning Starsky normally loved, but he was too anxious to appreciate how spring-like it felt this late in December.<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019d parked in front of Venice Place and was leaning against the driver\u2019s side door, arms and ankles crossed. Three times he\u2019d started the short walk to Hutch\u2019s, and three times he\u2019d retreated to the safety of his car. Attempt number four was about to get underway when Hutch came into view. He slowed his pace from a jog to a walk and, for no obvious reason, began scanning his surroundings before spotting Starsky.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsk!\u201d he called, loping over to his partner. \u201cWhat are you doing up so early on a Sunday?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch was wearing abbreviated running shorts that emphasized how long and muscular his legs were, and Starsky found himself wondering if they were the kind that had built-in underwear. \u201cUh\u2026 what\u2019d you say?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t you have a date with Maggie Wiseman last night?\u201d Latching on to Starsky\u2019s shoulder, Hutch grabbed his right ankle to stretch his quads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky blinked a couple of times. \u201cUh, yup.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thinking it didn\u2019t go so well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not my type, apparently,\u201d Starsky said, fighting the temptation to look down and check out those damned tiny shorts again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch sniggered. \u201cSmart?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one way of putting it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, pal.\u201d Hutch\u2019s grin vanished and he squeezed Starsky\u2019s shoulder. \u201cLet\u2019s go inside. Have you had breakfast? I\u2019ll make you breakfast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky made a face. \u201cJust coffee, thanks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Once inside the apartment, Starsky followed Hutch\u2019s every action with new eyes, from wiping his face and neck with a towel to padding off to the kitchen. And he liked what he saw\u2014so much so that he high-tailed it to the window and pretended to be interested in the scenery. By the time he heard Hutch approach from behind, he\u2019d managed to regain some semblance of control over his stupid body.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere,\u201d Hutch said, wrapping an arm around Starsky. \u201cDrink this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mumbling his appreciation, Starsky turned around and accepted the offering. \u201cHey! I thought you were making coffee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hutch punched his arm playfully. \u201cAnd how long do you think that takes, mushbrain? Ten seconds?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Right. Uh, cheers,\u201d Starsky said, clinking his glass of water against Hutch\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of Hutch\u2019s eyebrows rose. \u201cOkay. Cheers,\u201d he echoed, then started drinking. And although it was something Starsky\u2019d seen him do a million times, he was unexpectedly fascinated with the movement of Hutch\u2019s throat. The way his Adam\u2019s apple bobbed. How elegant his neck was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStarsky?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI said, why are you looking at me like that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike I have two heads.\u201d Hutch squinted. \u201cAre you okay? You\u2019re a bit pale. You coming down with something?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d Starsky began gulping down his water, hoping Hutch\u2019s detective skills were temporarily on hold.<\/span><\/p>\n

As if.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBabe,\u201d Hutch said, removing Starsky\u2019s glass from his shaking hand and setting it aside. \u201cYou\u2019re going to break a tooth. What\u2019s wrong? And don\u2019t tell me it\u2019s nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky groaned inwardly as Hutch felt his forehead, first with his palm, then with his own brow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re warm but not feverish. Did something happen last?\u201d He started taking Starsky\u2019s pulse. \u201cCould it be food poisoning? Because surely you can\u2019t be that upset that things didn\u2019t work out with Maggie…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not. And don\u2019t call me Shirley.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Hutchinson, evidently unable to provide a diagnosis, released his patient. \u201cOkay. Did she say anything, uh, insulting? Hurtful? She is <\/em>a lawyer, after all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and spoke to a spot directly under Hutch\u2019s chin. \u201cDid you\u2014are you glad I won\u2019t be seeing her again?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGlad? No.\u201d Hutch gripped him by the biceps. \u201cWhy would I be glad about that? She seemed to make you happy, and that\u2019s what I want. For you to be happy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou really care about me, don\u2019t you?\u201d Starsky asked quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

That produced an eye roll of epic proportions. \u201cOf course I care about you, dummy. Of all the people in the world, you\u2019re the one I care about most of all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d And before he could chicken out, Starsky leaned in and pressed his lips to Hutch\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he pulled back to assess the reaction to the kiss, Hutch was staring at him with mouth agape and bulging baby blues.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014oh, shit.\u201d Starsky started backing up. \u201cLook, I got some terrible advice and I\u2019m\u2014I\u2019m\u2014Just forget this ever happened, okay? I gotta go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But Hutch grabbed him before he could escape. \u201cI don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about, but you\u2019re not going anywhere. You can\u2019t just kiss and run.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Starsky made a half-hearted effort to break free. \u201cIt\u2019s not like you enjoyed it or anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Starsk,\u201d Hutch chided gently. He pulled Starsky in tight, buried his fingers in the dark curls, and gave Starsky a long, slow, deep kiss that was returned eagerly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you enjoyed that<\/em> one,\u201d Starsky panted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes,\u201d said Hutch as he pushed Starsky\u2019s windbreaker off his shoulders. \u201cBut who told you that should kiss me? It couldn\u2019t have been Maggie\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t get it.\u201d Now he was working on the buttons of Starsky\u2019s shirt. \u201cHow did she know\u2014?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Starsky touched his index finger to Hutch\u2019s mouth. \u201cThis is Starsky\u2019s new rule: talk a little, kiss a lot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

That Monday, a dozen white roses were delivered to the office of Deputy District Attorney Maggie Wiseman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for Saturday night,\u201d the note attached read. \u201cHutch loved his early Xmas present. Happy Hanukkah. XOXO, Dave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Click on the image to view it larger.<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re on a date with a beautiful blonde and she says you remind her of her brother, your chances of going out with her again aren\u2019t very good. \u201cYour brother, huh?\u201d Starsky sat back, increasing the distance between Deputy … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fic","category-sfw","category-slash"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=492"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":495,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492\/revisions\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/advent.starskyhutchcalendar.net\/2019\/calendar\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}