that next morning

[wildrover]

Ryan fell asleep quickly after letting Esposito crash in the bed with him, their brief banter wearing him out once again. Like he had admitted to Javier, the day had been long and hard, their current case exacting a toll on Kevin mentally if not quite so much physically. A lot of shifting through useless data and trying to find the useful. At least they'd put this one behind them already, solving it through a fluke of luck and rendering most of Ryan's work obsolete. But it was done and for that Ryan was thankful. Now he just wanted to sleep.

So he did, and heavily too. He didn't shift often in his sleep at least and neither did he snore. And if Esposito did either of those two things then Ryan didn't notice them, not tonight.

Morning came and sun started to peek through the window. One bad thing about having an apartment on the eastern side of the building: the sun always got to the window early in the morning. Ryan shifted slightly but he still wasn't ready to get up just yet. The bed was comfortable, and the body pillow he'd snuggled into was warm and compliant to his needs. He was blissfully content to just stay where he was all morning until the afternoon. Maybe longer.

If only.

Comments

[specialforces]

"See, that sounds even better."

[wildrover]

"Pizza it is then," Ryan confirmed as fished for the phone in his pocket. He made the order based on past experience--he knew what Esposito wanted just as readily as he knew what he wanted--and went back to watching the TV while they waited for the food to come to them.

[specialforces]

He settled back to wait for the pizza. "You know, we would be awesome at this show."

[wildrover]

Ryan blinked and tilted his head thoughtfully. "You mean you'd have fun bossing the rest of us around because you have the most survival training," he eventually replied but with a small smirk.

[specialforces]

He smirked right back. "You mean I'd offer encouragement when needed to help you guys get through? Absolutely."

[wildrover]

"Ha!" Ryan gave Espo a challenging stare. "Beckett and I could handle it even without your encouragement. Might even get a little further without you slowing us down."

[specialforces]

"Oh, c'mon, we all know who'd be slowing us down. It's not either of us."

[wildrover]

"True, but I was basing the argument off the assumption that he would be the first to go," Ryan countered.

[specialforces]

"Fair enough. I'd still smoke you."

[wildrover]

"Hey. I can handle myself in any situation just fine. I'll take that bet if the circumstances arise to really find out who would survive the wilderness alone."

[specialforces]

"For real? Because I bet we could totally have an actual competition. Make it interesting."

[wildrover]

"Fine. What do you have in mind?"

[specialforces]

"We get Beckett to design a list of challenges, so that neither of us biases it. She can judge, too. Loser... buys lunch for the entire precinct one day."

[wildrover]

That was a heavy toll but if Javier was willing to risk it then so was Kevin. "You're on."

[specialforces]

He nodded, satisfied. "Shake on it?" He held out a hand.

[wildrover]

Ryan shook on it. "I am so going to put you in your place once and for all. Bro."

[specialforces]

"Oh, believe me, I'm looking forward to it."

[wildrover]

"Me too."

That settled, more or less for the time being, Ryan settled back into the couch.

Forty minutes later the pizza arrived. Ryan paid for it and brought it to the kitchen just to make Javier get up to get some.

[specialforces]

"Really, bro?"

Still, he stood up and went to go get himself some pizza, popping a few pieces on a plate before he went to flop back down on the couch.

[wildrover]

Ryan stopped his partner before Espo could leave the kitchen and pointed at his empty glass, now sitting on the kitchen counter-top. "You should have seen that one coming," he said with a slight smirk.

[specialforces]

He set his plate down and headed for the fridge. "My refills are world class."

[wildrover]

"Thanks, Javi." Ryan snatched up some pizza for himself while he watched Javier refill his glass. Then headed back towards the couch when he had both in hand. "Ready to get tromped in Madden?"

[specialforces]

He followed with his own. "Am I ready to hand my partner's ass to him in Madden? Absolutely."

[wildrover]

"Dibs on the Giants," Ryan called while reaching for a pair of controllers. He tossed one onto the couch for Javier and then turned on the system before returning to the couch and plopping down.

[specialforces]

Javi sat and grabbed his remote with one hand, and took a bite of pizza with the other.

"Whatever, man, I'll smoke you anyway."