Have You Ever or Are You Now? (RP with Detective_Bear)
Mike leaned next to the snack machines, staring off into the Major Case squad room as he drank his morning coffee. Funny how even Major Case NYPD coffee tastes like crap, he thought. Ah, the NYPD special blend.
Goren was back. There he was, at his desk, a little grayer, a little chunkier, and looking stunned. More stunned than usual, actually. Not that Mike knew how the Great Genius of One Police Plaza normally composed himself - he rolled his eyes involuntarily - but the big guy looked wrecked.
Listening to a dull burr of conversation behind him, Mike wondered whether the last few months had sunk Goren. He knew what the bottom looked like - been there a few times himself, and you never got used to that.
Suddenly, the words "rat" and a few unpleasant laughs broke through his thoughts. He turned to the small knot of guys, some of them, he realized with shock, the same ones who'd been so sympathetic to him when he'd shot that poor kid.
For a second, his mouth just hung slightly open, then he narrowed his eyes. The conversation died out under his glare, the other detectives realizing Mike wasn't in on the joke. "Hey, Logan," someone began weakly, before Mike turned and lumbered back to his own desk.
Royally pissed, he started his computer, even glaring at his own reflection. He wasn't sure he was going to make it the rest of the day without taking a swing at someone. Now he felt like shit, too.
He hunched forward, calling out to the figure a few desks away. "Goren. Hey - "
Goren was back. There he was, at his desk, a little grayer, a little chunkier, and looking stunned. More stunned than usual, actually. Not that Mike knew how the Great Genius of One Police Plaza normally composed himself - he rolled his eyes involuntarily - but the big guy looked wrecked.
Listening to a dull burr of conversation behind him, Mike wondered whether the last few months had sunk Goren. He knew what the bottom looked like - been there a few times himself, and you never got used to that.
Suddenly, the words "rat" and a few unpleasant laughs broke through his thoughts. He turned to the small knot of guys, some of them, he realized with shock, the same ones who'd been so sympathetic to him when he'd shot that poor kid.
For a second, his mouth just hung slightly open, then he narrowed his eyes. The conversation died out under his glare, the other detectives realizing Mike wasn't in on the joke. "Hey, Logan," someone began weakly, before Mike turned and lumbered back to his own desk.
Royally pissed, he started his computer, even glaring at his own reflection. He wasn't sure he was going to make it the rest of the day without taking a swing at someone. Now he felt like shit, too.
He hunched forward, calling out to the figure a few desks away. "Goren. Hey - "