Fic: At the Old One-Two (Barney Miller, Harris/Dietrich, 448 words)
Story title: At the Old One-Two link to fic on AO3
Author: Amedia
Rating: PG-13 (mildly spicy)
Fandom: Barney Miller
Characters: Harris, Dietrich, Luger
Ships: Harris/Dietrich
Summary: Harris and Dietrich settle an argument.
Word Count: 448
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 15).
"The Old One-Two" is Luger's nickname for the 12th precinct.
When I set out to write up this scene for the Spicy Advent Calendar, it took on a life of its own; the original outline didn't even include Luger here, but he strolled in, tucked the prompt "outside looking in" under his arm, and took over.
This ficlet is an excerpt from a longer fic in progress that begins with Harris and Dietrich fighting. Each of them takes the seldom-used back stairwell in order to avoid the other and they accidentally collide on the landing, each carrying a folder of paperwork.
Dietrich looked at the pile of papers intermingled on the floor. Mr. Brouwer's arrest sheet, Mrs. Brouwer's list of personal effects, Mrs. Brouwer's complaint against Mr. Brouwer, Mr. Brouwer's fingerprints ... and several more documents, all mixed together. "Well, damn," said Dietrich. "I'm sorry. For bumping into you, I mean."
Harris held a hand up to stop him. "I'm sorry for everything, Arthur. Including bumping into you, but also what I said before. I shouldn't--"
Dietrich cut him off with a hand on his arm. "What you said was true." He took a deep breath. "I was never really angry with you; I was projecting. I should be the one apologizing."
"Arthur," said Harris quietly before Dietrich could move away. "We have better things to do than argue about who should be sorry." He stepped in, closing the distance between them with a kiss.
Dietrich hadn't realized how much he missed Harris until that moment. He felt the tension drain from his body, replaced by warmth and pleasure spreading through him. He had just put his arms around Harris to pull him closer when a familiar gravelly voice said from the top of the stairs, "Ahem. Don't you two know enough to set a lookout? This stairwell isn't as private as you think."
Harris and Dietrich looked up to see Inspector Luger standing at the top of the stairs, and hastily disentangled themselves. Dietrich began picking up the paperwork while Harris called up, "Sorry, Inspector. This was something of an impromptu incident."
Luger chuckled. "Well, just be more careful in the future."
Dietrich stood up, papers in hand. "You're taking this very calmly, Inspector," he said as he and Harris began climbing the stairs.
Luger shrugged. "What, you think the old inspector doesn't know the ways of the world? I used to play lookout for Foster and Kleiner, you know, at the top of these very stairs, back in the day. They did a lot more than kiss, I can tell you that." Luger paused thoughtfully. "You know, that's the real reason I never got married."
Harris and Dietrich both paused on the stair. Harris asked in a disbelieving tone, "Wait ... are you telling us you're gay?"
Luger shook his head. "Not me. But I never could find a woman who looked at me the way those two looked at each other." He winked. "Or the way you two look at each other, when you think nobody's looking." Harris and Dietrich looked startled. "Don't forget, boys-the old inspector used to be a detective, too."
Dietrich nodded. "Credit where credit is due," he said. Luger patted him on the back as he ushered both detectives back into the hallway. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/489639.html.
Author: Amedia
Rating: PG-13 (mildly spicy)
Fandom: Barney Miller
Characters: Harris, Dietrich, Luger
Ships: Harris/Dietrich
Summary: Harris and Dietrich settle an argument.
Word Count: 448
Author's note: Part of this year's Spicy Advent Calendar collection (Day 15).
"The Old One-Two" is Luger's nickname for the 12th precinct.
When I set out to write up this scene for the Spicy Advent Calendar, it took on a life of its own; the original outline didn't even include Luger here, but he strolled in, tucked the prompt "outside looking in" under his arm, and took over.
This ficlet is an excerpt from a longer fic in progress that begins with Harris and Dietrich fighting. Each of them takes the seldom-used back stairwell in order to avoid the other and they accidentally collide on the landing, each carrying a folder of paperwork.
Dietrich looked at the pile of papers intermingled on the floor. Mr. Brouwer's arrest sheet, Mrs. Brouwer's list of personal effects, Mrs. Brouwer's complaint against Mr. Brouwer, Mr. Brouwer's fingerprints ... and several more documents, all mixed together. "Well, damn," said Dietrich. "I'm sorry. For bumping into you, I mean."
Harris held a hand up to stop him. "I'm sorry for everything, Arthur. Including bumping into you, but also what I said before. I shouldn't--"
Dietrich cut him off with a hand on his arm. "What you said was true." He took a deep breath. "I was never really angry with you; I was projecting. I should be the one apologizing."
"Arthur," said Harris quietly before Dietrich could move away. "We have better things to do than argue about who should be sorry." He stepped in, closing the distance between them with a kiss.
Dietrich hadn't realized how much he missed Harris until that moment. He felt the tension drain from his body, replaced by warmth and pleasure spreading through him. He had just put his arms around Harris to pull him closer when a familiar gravelly voice said from the top of the stairs, "Ahem. Don't you two know enough to set a lookout? This stairwell isn't as private as you think."
Harris and Dietrich looked up to see Inspector Luger standing at the top of the stairs, and hastily disentangled themselves. Dietrich began picking up the paperwork while Harris called up, "Sorry, Inspector. This was something of an impromptu incident."
Luger chuckled. "Well, just be more careful in the future."
Dietrich stood up, papers in hand. "You're taking this very calmly, Inspector," he said as he and Harris began climbing the stairs.
Luger shrugged. "What, you think the old inspector doesn't know the ways of the world? I used to play lookout for Foster and Kleiner, you know, at the top of these very stairs, back in the day. They did a lot more than kiss, I can tell you that." Luger paused thoughtfully. "You know, that's the real reason I never got married."
Harris and Dietrich both paused on the stair. Harris asked in a disbelieving tone, "Wait ... are you telling us you're gay?"
Luger shook his head. "Not me. But I never could find a woman who looked at me the way those two looked at each other." He winked. "Or the way you two look at each other, when you think nobody's looking." Harris and Dietrich looked startled. "Don't forget, boys-the old inspector used to be a detective, too."
Dietrich nodded. "Credit where credit is due," he said. Luger patted him on the back as he ushered both detectives back into the hallway. This entry was originally posted at https://amedia.dreamwidth.org/489639.html.