Chuck fic: There's Something About Casey (PG)
Fandom: Chuck
Title: There's something About Casey
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2698
Characters, pairings: Casey/Anna, Chuck, Morgan, Ellie
Summary: Chuck freaks out when he learns Anna is interested in dating Casey.
Author's note: Not so much about the Casey/Anna, but really it turned out to be more of a study of Casey from different characters' points of view.
There's Something About Casey
Chuck sat in the break room of the Buy More eating a slice of cold pizza with one hand and flipping through the latest issue of “Starlog” with the other. Anna plopped down in the plastic chair across from him.
“You're like John's neighbor, right?” She asked.
Chuck glanced up from his magazine, still chewing. “Who's John?”
“You know, that newest Green Shirt. Morgan said he lives next door to you.”
Chuck's eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, you mean Casey!”
“See? You know he likes being called by his last name.” She leaned closer over the table. “What else do you know about him?”
Chuck's pizza slice was halfway to his mouth and stayed there as he stared at her. “I'm getting the awful feeling that you're about to ask about his availability in a dating sort of way.”
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Is he available?”
Chuck's brain was still trying to deal with the notion that Anna was even asking him about this, and therefore slowing his response time. “Uh...well...”
“Come on, he's not married is he?”
Chuck frowned. He assumed not. Never saw a ring on Casey's finger, but then he knew very little about Casey. For all her knew, Casey had some secret wife somewhere in a suburb thinking her husband is always away on long business trips. But that depth of deception made Chuck feel queasy, so he decided he was letting his imagination run away from him. “Pretty sure he's not married.”
“Seeing anyone?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“Gay?”
For a moment Chuck considered telling her “Yes” just so maybe she wouldn't pursue him. But then he thought of what would happen if she went to Casey and told him Chuck told her he was gay. The broken arm that would no doubt ensue was not worth it. Instead he said, “I don't think so.”
Anna smiled. “Cool.”
She started to get up with purpose. “Anna, wait!”
She sat back down, her exasperation evident. “What?”
“I just don't think it's a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Well...” Chuck waffled and stuttered a bit. “You don't have similar interests! You know, whenever I start talking geek around him he just gets bored and kind of angry. And, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who'll be able to appreciate hearing about your latest slash fic, or the new outfit you designed for your Sims.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Please, Chuck. I never discuss slash or Sims on a first date. That's more like...fourth date material.” She wiggled her fingers in farewell and headed back to the sales floor.
It was a slow afternoon at the Buy More. Anna was bent over the Nerd Herd counter, head resting on her arm as she lazily doodled on a piece of scrap paper. A flash of green and khaki passing by distracted her from her kanji and skulls. She watched Casey as he slid the barcode scanner out of its holster strapped to his thigh. Her imagination flashed and she could see him as some sort of gunslinger, removing his revolver preparing to take out the bad guys. Anna bit her lower lip.
Casey took a pen out of his pocket and bit the cap. But he fumbled the pen as he took it from the cap, and it dropped to the floor. Anna smiled. “Whoops,” she said softly to herself. “Now you're going to have to pick it up.” She leaned to get a better view as he bent over, but her vision was suddenly obscured by a mop of dark hair and beard.
“Dammit, Morgan!”
“What?”
“You're blocking my view!” She shoved his head aside, but the moment was lost. She clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“Your view? Your view of what?” Morgan turned around and spotted Casey inventorying the CDs. “Casey? Oh come on, what's he got that I don't?”
“Let's see, more than a few extra inches, and I'm sure not just in height. Not to mention he looks like he could bench press me, with the stamina to do it for hours.” She winked at Morgan.
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah well, other than that. Don't tell me you're thinking of asking him out.”
“Chuck had the exact same reaction when I was asking him about Casey. What is your guys' problem with him?”
“He creeps me out.”
“And by that you mean he intimidates you.”
“Well yes! I am both intimidated and creeped-out by him. In that way he could easily kill me with his bare hands, and/or possibly has a stash of guns and knives in his house. He could be a hit man.”
“Hit men get tons of money per target. If he were a hit man, why would he be working at a Buy More?”
Morgans eyes grew comically wide. “Maybe he has a contract on one of us!”
“Who could he possibly-”
“Oh my God, and he's moved in next to Chuck. He's gonna kill Chuck!” Morgan ran off, presumably to tell Chuck of his revelation.
Anna stood and straightened her shoulders. “Okay, I'm going in.”
Anna had chosen her strategy carefully. She decided Casey wasn't a man to go for the overt sultry seduction. Those arms said he wanted a woman to protect. So she decided on the sweet-and-innocent route.
She stood behind him, hands clasped behind her back. She cleared her throat and said, “Hi there.”
Casey turned around. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Anna lowered her eyes and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear. “I was wondering if you were free this weekend. Friday maybe?” She looked back up at him through her eyelashes.
“Are you asking me out?”
Anna smiled coyly. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Casey opened his mouth to respond, but both he and Anna were distracted by Chuck's voice. “No, Morgan, I am not moving and changing my name!”
“But it's the only way you'll be safe!” Morgan was keeping pace with Chuck as Chuck walked back to the Nerd Herd kiosk. Morgan was gesturing excitedly. Chuck looked like his patience with his best friend was starting to wear thin.
“Morgan you're just paranoid. Casey isn't going to kill me in my sleep.”
“No, moving away won't work. We will have to fake your death. That way you can go about unhindered as you try to find out who originally put this contract out on you. Though I'd bet you anything it was Harry Tang.”
“Morgan, where would Harry even get the money to pay...” Chuck trailed off when he noticed Anna and Casey standing together. All the color seemed to drain from his face as he realized the implications.
Anna spun back around to Casey. “So?”
Casey looked past her a moment at the shared expression of dread on Chuck's and Morgan's faces. He smirked at them then smiled at Anna. “Sure. Name the place.”
Sarah sat outside the Weinerlicious on her lunch break. She really needed to start packing her own lunch. The awful hot dogs and fries were not exactly conducive to keeping in top physical form. Her astute and trained hearing picked up the sound of Chuck's shoes running on the pavement before she ever heard him shouting. “Sarah, you've got to stop him!”
She was immediately out of her seat. Her muscles tensed in preparation of a fight and she made a mental check list of the weapons she had secreted on her body as well as what in her environment could also be used for offensive and defensive purposes.
She grabbed Chuck by the arms before he ran smack in to her. “What, what is it? Did you flash on someone?”
“No!” Chuck panted for breath. “It's Casey.”
“Casey? What'd he do now?”
“He's,” breath, “going,” breath, “onna,” breath “date,” breath, “with Anna.” He took one long gulp of air.
Sarah still held on to his arms. She stared at his red and panic-stricken face. Sarah couldn't help herself. She laughed.
“What? No! Sarah, this isn't funny!”
Sarah let Chuck go and sank back into her chair, her body relaxing. “Is that all?”
“All!?” Chuck slid into the seat across from her. “Sarah, this is serious!”
“So, Casey's going on a date. So what?”
“But, with Anna! My Anna!” Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Well, not my, but Nerd Herd Anna.”
Sarah dipped a fry in ketchup and shook her head. “Well, it'll be good for his cover. Lots of people date coworkers. He's single and attractive, she's pretty. It'll lend an air of normalcy to him.”
“Nothing can make Casey seem normal... Did you just say you found him attractive?”
“Did I?”
“You did!”
Sarah shrugged. “It's just a casual observation. He's hardly the Elephant Man.”
“Yeah, well, even fake boyfriends don't like knowing their girlfriends think other guys are hot.”
“I never said he was hot. I said he was attractive in a very general sense.”
“Okay, okay. I still don't like the idea of him dating Anna. He's dangerous!”
“So am I.”
“At least I know that. On this date she'll be asking stuff about him, and everything he tells her is going to be a lie.”
“Yes.”
“That's just wrong. Because then she might start liking him under completely false pretenses, and I don't want to see her get hurt.”
Sarah reached across the table and covered Chuck's hand with her own. “It's only one date, Chuck. And maybe she'll decide she doesn't like him. Or have you considered that Casey agreed to just one date because he knows how much it's freaking you out?”
Chuck thought about that. “He is sadistic like that.”
Sarah nodded and smiled reassuringly. “But if they start talking about china patterns and what to name the baby, then we can worry.”
Chuck shuddered.
Friday
“Did you order a pizza?”
Chuck looked at his sister over his shoulder. “What?”
“You've been staring out the window for some time now, like you're waiting for something.”
“Oh no, just...thinking.”
Ellie put a hand on his shoulder and looked outside with him. “Anything you want to talk about?”
“Don't worry, it's nothing soul-searching. Honestly.”
“Okay, if you say so.” She gave his shoulder a pat and started to walk away.
“Hey, Ellie?”
She stopped and turned around. Chuck had turned his back to the window to face her. “What do you think about Casey?”
“You mean John, that guy who moved in a couple months ago?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I don't know. You work with him, so you probably know him better than I do.”
“But do you think he's attractive?”
Ellie laughed nervously. “Okay, Chuck, what is this about?”
“It's just a question. You know, as a girl you would know what other girls would see in a guy like that.”
“Honestly, I don't think about him very much. But you are cute, charming, and have a wonderful girlfriend. There is no reason for him to make you feel inadequate.”
“Whoa, wait, who said anything about feeling inadequate?”
“Why else would be wondering about what girls see in a guy like that? If you must know, yes, there are some that'll fawn over the tall, muscular, chiseled-jaw types. But then there's the girls who like guys like my brother. And those girls are far better than any of those girls who'd prefer a guy like John Casey.”
“Wow, thanks sis. I really wasn't needing a self esteem boost, but thanks anyway.”
Ellie smiled. “Okay.” She went down the hall to her and Devon's bedroom.
Chuck turned back to the window. He looked at his watch. It was eleven o'clock. Surely, Casey should've been home by now. Chuck contemplated calling Casey on his cell just make sure they weren't attacked by ninjas or something.
He didn't have the time to tell himself that calling would have been very stupid and silly, because at that very moment he was more concerned about the 90 pounds of Morgan that jumped on him and tackled him to the floor.
“What are you doing?”
“What am I doing? What are you doing? You can't just be standing in windows like that! You're an open target. He could be on the roof right now with a sniper gun!”
Chuck shoved Morgan off him and stood up. “Casey is not trying to kill me, Morgan.”
“That's what he wants you to think,” Morgan said from the floor.
“Morgan, let's think about this logically. If he was going to kill me as part of some contract, he's had ample opportunities in the past couple months. Why wait until now? Also, he doesn't even like me that much, and lets me know it. If he was here under some cover, wouldn't he be trying to be my friend?”
“He's a professional. It's a double bluff.”
“Morgan, go home.”
“I brought Halo 3 with me.”
Chuck glanced at his watch and then the window one more time. If they set the TV up right he could still keep an eye out for Casey's (hopefully by himself) return.
Ellie woke him up Saturday morning, let him know that she found him and Morgan leaning against each other, Morgan drooling on Chuck's shoulder, both of them loosely holding video game controllers and the Halo 3 start screen on infinite loop.
Chuck frowned at the wet spot on his shoulder. He got up, stretched, and switched off the TV and Xbox. He found Morgan in the kitchen with Froot Loops and coffee. Chuck blearily sat down and poured himself a mug of coffee. He took one sip and reached for the cereal box.
“So,” Morgan said, mouth full of colorful rings, “how'd you think Anna's date went?”
The question woke Chuck up faster than any amount of caffeine could. He ran out the kitchen, straight through the living, and out the door.
Chuck banged on Casey's door incessantly. He kept it up for five minutes. Finally the door was flung open. Casey stood in front of him, glowering down at him. That look alone had made grown men cry and beg for mercy. Chuck could feel the tears starting to well in his eyes. “What happened?” Chuck flinched at the way his voice broke.
Casey's hateful expression lessened a little and became more confused. Chuck relaxed a little. “What do you mean?”
“Last night, with Anna.”
“Don't you think that's very much none of your business?”
Chuck ducked under the arm Casey had braced against the door frame to go inside. “I think it's only fair that I get to know some of your business, since you get to know all of mine!” Chuck held up the earphones to Casey's surveillance equipment.
“If I honestly had a choice, I wouldn't be knowing your business.”
“That doesn't change that fact that-”
“You know what, Chuck?” Chuck took a step back as Casey came closer, “I am getting sick of you acting so persecuted. As if yours is the only life that got screwed around because of that damn computer in your brain. I don't like babysitting jobs. Do you honestly think that listening to a pair of geeks prattle on about Angelina Jolie and spending nine to five in a stupid green shirt, surrounded by techno-yuppies is my idea of protecting and serving?”
“I-I guess not.”
“No, it isn't. So I don't see the problem if I decide to accept a pretty girl's invitation to dinner just to keep my sanity, even if she happens to be a friend of yours. In fact, because she's a friend of yours, it's all the more reason for me to make sure nothing bad happens to her, if that was also what you were so concerned about.”
Ah, well. Chuck was now feeling utterly awkward and put in his place. He shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry.” He squeaked out.
Casey backed off, his shoulders noticeably relaxing. “Yeah, well.”
Neither man said anything as Chuck shuffled his way towards the front door. He grabbed the handle, but turned back around. “Oh, Casey? If you ever go out with Anna again, be sure to ask her about slash.” With that he left, smiling.
Title: There's something About Casey
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2698
Characters, pairings: Casey/Anna, Chuck, Morgan, Ellie
Summary: Chuck freaks out when he learns Anna is interested in dating Casey.
Author's note: Not so much about the Casey/Anna, but really it turned out to be more of a study of Casey from different characters' points of view.
There's Something About Casey
Chuck sat in the break room of the Buy More eating a slice of cold pizza with one hand and flipping through the latest issue of “Starlog” with the other. Anna plopped down in the plastic chair across from him.
“You're like John's neighbor, right?” She asked.
Chuck glanced up from his magazine, still chewing. “Who's John?”
“You know, that newest Green Shirt. Morgan said he lives next door to you.”
Chuck's eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, you mean Casey!”
“See? You know he likes being called by his last name.” She leaned closer over the table. “What else do you know about him?”
Chuck's pizza slice was halfway to his mouth and stayed there as he stared at her. “I'm getting the awful feeling that you're about to ask about his availability in a dating sort of way.”
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Is he available?”
Chuck's brain was still trying to deal with the notion that Anna was even asking him about this, and therefore slowing his response time. “Uh...well...”
“Come on, he's not married is he?”
Chuck frowned. He assumed not. Never saw a ring on Casey's finger, but then he knew very little about Casey. For all her knew, Casey had some secret wife somewhere in a suburb thinking her husband is always away on long business trips. But that depth of deception made Chuck feel queasy, so he decided he was letting his imagination run away from him. “Pretty sure he's not married.”
“Seeing anyone?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“Gay?”
For a moment Chuck considered telling her “Yes” just so maybe she wouldn't pursue him. But then he thought of what would happen if she went to Casey and told him Chuck told her he was gay. The broken arm that would no doubt ensue was not worth it. Instead he said, “I don't think so.”
Anna smiled. “Cool.”
She started to get up with purpose. “Anna, wait!”
She sat back down, her exasperation evident. “What?”
“I just don't think it's a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Well...” Chuck waffled and stuttered a bit. “You don't have similar interests! You know, whenever I start talking geek around him he just gets bored and kind of angry. And, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who'll be able to appreciate hearing about your latest slash fic, or the new outfit you designed for your Sims.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Please, Chuck. I never discuss slash or Sims on a first date. That's more like...fourth date material.” She wiggled her fingers in farewell and headed back to the sales floor.
It was a slow afternoon at the Buy More. Anna was bent over the Nerd Herd counter, head resting on her arm as she lazily doodled on a piece of scrap paper. A flash of green and khaki passing by distracted her from her kanji and skulls. She watched Casey as he slid the barcode scanner out of its holster strapped to his thigh. Her imagination flashed and she could see him as some sort of gunslinger, removing his revolver preparing to take out the bad guys. Anna bit her lower lip.
Casey took a pen out of his pocket and bit the cap. But he fumbled the pen as he took it from the cap, and it dropped to the floor. Anna smiled. “Whoops,” she said softly to herself. “Now you're going to have to pick it up.” She leaned to get a better view as he bent over, but her vision was suddenly obscured by a mop of dark hair and beard.
“Dammit, Morgan!”
“What?”
“You're blocking my view!” She shoved his head aside, but the moment was lost. She clicked her tongue in disappointment.
“Your view? Your view of what?” Morgan turned around and spotted Casey inventorying the CDs. “Casey? Oh come on, what's he got that I don't?”
“Let's see, more than a few extra inches, and I'm sure not just in height. Not to mention he looks like he could bench press me, with the stamina to do it for hours.” She winked at Morgan.
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah well, other than that. Don't tell me you're thinking of asking him out.”
“Chuck had the exact same reaction when I was asking him about Casey. What is your guys' problem with him?”
“He creeps me out.”
“And by that you mean he intimidates you.”
“Well yes! I am both intimidated and creeped-out by him. In that way he could easily kill me with his bare hands, and/or possibly has a stash of guns and knives in his house. He could be a hit man.”
“Hit men get tons of money per target. If he were a hit man, why would he be working at a Buy More?”
Morgans eyes grew comically wide. “Maybe he has a contract on one of us!”
“Who could he possibly-”
“Oh my God, and he's moved in next to Chuck. He's gonna kill Chuck!” Morgan ran off, presumably to tell Chuck of his revelation.
Anna stood and straightened her shoulders. “Okay, I'm going in.”
Anna had chosen her strategy carefully. She decided Casey wasn't a man to go for the overt sultry seduction. Those arms said he wanted a woman to protect. So she decided on the sweet-and-innocent route.
She stood behind him, hands clasped behind her back. She cleared her throat and said, “Hi there.”
Casey turned around. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Anna lowered her eyes and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear. “I was wondering if you were free this weekend. Friday maybe?” She looked back up at him through her eyelashes.
“Are you asking me out?”
Anna smiled coyly. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Casey opened his mouth to respond, but both he and Anna were distracted by Chuck's voice. “No, Morgan, I am not moving and changing my name!”
“But it's the only way you'll be safe!” Morgan was keeping pace with Chuck as Chuck walked back to the Nerd Herd kiosk. Morgan was gesturing excitedly. Chuck looked like his patience with his best friend was starting to wear thin.
“Morgan you're just paranoid. Casey isn't going to kill me in my sleep.”
“No, moving away won't work. We will have to fake your death. That way you can go about unhindered as you try to find out who originally put this contract out on you. Though I'd bet you anything it was Harry Tang.”
“Morgan, where would Harry even get the money to pay...” Chuck trailed off when he noticed Anna and Casey standing together. All the color seemed to drain from his face as he realized the implications.
Anna spun back around to Casey. “So?”
Casey looked past her a moment at the shared expression of dread on Chuck's and Morgan's faces. He smirked at them then smiled at Anna. “Sure. Name the place.”
Sarah sat outside the Weinerlicious on her lunch break. She really needed to start packing her own lunch. The awful hot dogs and fries were not exactly conducive to keeping in top physical form. Her astute and trained hearing picked up the sound of Chuck's shoes running on the pavement before she ever heard him shouting. “Sarah, you've got to stop him!”
She was immediately out of her seat. Her muscles tensed in preparation of a fight and she made a mental check list of the weapons she had secreted on her body as well as what in her environment could also be used for offensive and defensive purposes.
She grabbed Chuck by the arms before he ran smack in to her. “What, what is it? Did you flash on someone?”
“No!” Chuck panted for breath. “It's Casey.”
“Casey? What'd he do now?”
“He's,” breath, “going,” breath, “onna,” breath “date,” breath, “with Anna.” He took one long gulp of air.
Sarah still held on to his arms. She stared at his red and panic-stricken face. Sarah couldn't help herself. She laughed.
“What? No! Sarah, this isn't funny!”
Sarah let Chuck go and sank back into her chair, her body relaxing. “Is that all?”
“All!?” Chuck slid into the seat across from her. “Sarah, this is serious!”
“So, Casey's going on a date. So what?”
“But, with Anna! My Anna!” Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Well, not my, but Nerd Herd Anna.”
Sarah dipped a fry in ketchup and shook her head. “Well, it'll be good for his cover. Lots of people date coworkers. He's single and attractive, she's pretty. It'll lend an air of normalcy to him.”
“Nothing can make Casey seem normal... Did you just say you found him attractive?”
“Did I?”
“You did!”
Sarah shrugged. “It's just a casual observation. He's hardly the Elephant Man.”
“Yeah, well, even fake boyfriends don't like knowing their girlfriends think other guys are hot.”
“I never said he was hot. I said he was attractive in a very general sense.”
“Okay, okay. I still don't like the idea of him dating Anna. He's dangerous!”
“So am I.”
“At least I know that. On this date she'll be asking stuff about him, and everything he tells her is going to be a lie.”
“Yes.”
“That's just wrong. Because then she might start liking him under completely false pretenses, and I don't want to see her get hurt.”
Sarah reached across the table and covered Chuck's hand with her own. “It's only one date, Chuck. And maybe she'll decide she doesn't like him. Or have you considered that Casey agreed to just one date because he knows how much it's freaking you out?”
Chuck thought about that. “He is sadistic like that.”
Sarah nodded and smiled reassuringly. “But if they start talking about china patterns and what to name the baby, then we can worry.”
Chuck shuddered.
Friday
“Did you order a pizza?”
Chuck looked at his sister over his shoulder. “What?”
“You've been staring out the window for some time now, like you're waiting for something.”
“Oh no, just...thinking.”
Ellie put a hand on his shoulder and looked outside with him. “Anything you want to talk about?”
“Don't worry, it's nothing soul-searching. Honestly.”
“Okay, if you say so.” She gave his shoulder a pat and started to walk away.
“Hey, Ellie?”
She stopped and turned around. Chuck had turned his back to the window to face her. “What do you think about Casey?”
“You mean John, that guy who moved in a couple months ago?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I don't know. You work with him, so you probably know him better than I do.”
“But do you think he's attractive?”
Ellie laughed nervously. “Okay, Chuck, what is this about?”
“It's just a question. You know, as a girl you would know what other girls would see in a guy like that.”
“Honestly, I don't think about him very much. But you are cute, charming, and have a wonderful girlfriend. There is no reason for him to make you feel inadequate.”
“Whoa, wait, who said anything about feeling inadequate?”
“Why else would be wondering about what girls see in a guy like that? If you must know, yes, there are some that'll fawn over the tall, muscular, chiseled-jaw types. But then there's the girls who like guys like my brother. And those girls are far better than any of those girls who'd prefer a guy like John Casey.”
“Wow, thanks sis. I really wasn't needing a self esteem boost, but thanks anyway.”
Ellie smiled. “Okay.” She went down the hall to her and Devon's bedroom.
Chuck turned back to the window. He looked at his watch. It was eleven o'clock. Surely, Casey should've been home by now. Chuck contemplated calling Casey on his cell just make sure they weren't attacked by ninjas or something.
He didn't have the time to tell himself that calling would have been very stupid and silly, because at that very moment he was more concerned about the 90 pounds of Morgan that jumped on him and tackled him to the floor.
“What are you doing?”
“What am I doing? What are you doing? You can't just be standing in windows like that! You're an open target. He could be on the roof right now with a sniper gun!”
Chuck shoved Morgan off him and stood up. “Casey is not trying to kill me, Morgan.”
“That's what he wants you to think,” Morgan said from the floor.
“Morgan, let's think about this logically. If he was going to kill me as part of some contract, he's had ample opportunities in the past couple months. Why wait until now? Also, he doesn't even like me that much, and lets me know it. If he was here under some cover, wouldn't he be trying to be my friend?”
“He's a professional. It's a double bluff.”
“Morgan, go home.”
“I brought Halo 3 with me.”
Chuck glanced at his watch and then the window one more time. If they set the TV up right he could still keep an eye out for Casey's (hopefully by himself) return.
Ellie woke him up Saturday morning, let him know that she found him and Morgan leaning against each other, Morgan drooling on Chuck's shoulder, both of them loosely holding video game controllers and the Halo 3 start screen on infinite loop.
Chuck frowned at the wet spot on his shoulder. He got up, stretched, and switched off the TV and Xbox. He found Morgan in the kitchen with Froot Loops and coffee. Chuck blearily sat down and poured himself a mug of coffee. He took one sip and reached for the cereal box.
“So,” Morgan said, mouth full of colorful rings, “how'd you think Anna's date went?”
The question woke Chuck up faster than any amount of caffeine could. He ran out the kitchen, straight through the living, and out the door.
Chuck banged on Casey's door incessantly. He kept it up for five minutes. Finally the door was flung open. Casey stood in front of him, glowering down at him. That look alone had made grown men cry and beg for mercy. Chuck could feel the tears starting to well in his eyes. “What happened?” Chuck flinched at the way his voice broke.
Casey's hateful expression lessened a little and became more confused. Chuck relaxed a little. “What do you mean?”
“Last night, with Anna.”
“Don't you think that's very much none of your business?”
Chuck ducked under the arm Casey had braced against the door frame to go inside. “I think it's only fair that I get to know some of your business, since you get to know all of mine!” Chuck held up the earphones to Casey's surveillance equipment.
“If I honestly had a choice, I wouldn't be knowing your business.”
“That doesn't change that fact that-”
“You know what, Chuck?” Chuck took a step back as Casey came closer, “I am getting sick of you acting so persecuted. As if yours is the only life that got screwed around because of that damn computer in your brain. I don't like babysitting jobs. Do you honestly think that listening to a pair of geeks prattle on about Angelina Jolie and spending nine to five in a stupid green shirt, surrounded by techno-yuppies is my idea of protecting and serving?”
“I-I guess not.”
“No, it isn't. So I don't see the problem if I decide to accept a pretty girl's invitation to dinner just to keep my sanity, even if she happens to be a friend of yours. In fact, because she's a friend of yours, it's all the more reason for me to make sure nothing bad happens to her, if that was also what you were so concerned about.”
Ah, well. Chuck was now feeling utterly awkward and put in his place. He shifted uncomfortably. “Sorry.” He squeaked out.
Casey backed off, his shoulders noticeably relaxing. “Yeah, well.”
Neither man said anything as Chuck shuffled his way towards the front door. He grabbed the handle, but turned back around. “Oh, Casey? If you ever go out with Anna again, be sure to ask her about slash.” With that he left, smiling.