#First Flash of Freedom|Brian and Beth

[brooklynislandgirl]

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

This Softness || Accepting "Okay so, we got a truck coming in to drop off the kegs, but the event coordinator's going to sign off on that, and for the wine and spirits. The ribs are marinating in the fridge along with the jack fruit wings, everyone's bringing a dish to round out the potluck. The food's going to be set up in the dining room, the music and most of the chairs are going to be down on the beach..." She sees him giving her an amused side-eye and tilts her head. "What?" But he doesn't get to say anything, does he? "No, don't even start! This is your seven year anniversary as friends and partners, and you're both still alive! I think that deserves to be celebrated!" The party had been in the work for months now, ever since Andy had made a snarky remark about their partnership having outlived his marriage by four years. Beth of course couldn't leave well enough alone and had invited everyone who seemed to know either man and had been busy making arrangements since. A blow out with booze, barbecue, music, the fire pit...every thing she could possibly think of. Riley tended to be the same way about Thanksgiving and Christmas, Saint Patrick's Day. Beth put her all into anniversaries, Halloween, and New Years. There were other random days she tended to make a big deal about. And when she wasn't busy with that, she was always dropping off snacks or full on meals for the SWAT team, organising charitable events in their name and for the Church she and Andy attended. Gifts were generous and never restricted for birthdays and major holidays, sometimes they would just randomly appeared. The two siblings could run the entire state power grid if only the energy they put into things like this could be harnessed for the overburdened infrastructure. Brian says he gets it, mostly, but asks her why. She looks up from her list and blinks, returning a wide-eyed stare from the other side of her glasses. There's a tightness to her mouth now that has nothing to do with the smile that'd slipped off her face when he voiced the question. She half turns away and fiddles with the Jenga tower on the deck's table. "Growing up, it was mostly just the two of us. What should have been big affairs with friends and family were usually...not. After a while, you either give up or decide to make the best of what you can, when you can, and I guess we... we're just trying to make up for all those years. And then the ones we spent apart." When she turns around, the smile is back on her face but it lacks a little of its previous lustre. "Come on. I need you and those muscles of yours to help me take these coolers down to the beach."

[brooklynislandgirl]

It's a good thing that she'd had time to make coffee and sip half a cup when he turns up when the sun is still mostly the idea of a perfect summer day on the horizon. She presses a still steaming cup into his hand and flashes him a radiant smile. "Nevah t'ought you aks me." Yes it's pidgin and she knows Brian isn't a fan most of the time but she's only being playful. She kisses his cheek. "Be right back." The flimsy little dress she wears can hardly be called that. And the flip-flops ~dey slippahs, Bri~ are not meant for bike riding but it's enough. It doesn't take much effort to add one of her short boards to rest besides his and the beach bag she's got has enough wax in it to coat her entire quiver of the ones she had shipped across the Pacific. San Diego sounds perfect. The Admiral is still on the east coast, and Andy tends to avoid anything remotely near Navy or Marine duty stations. She is surprised when they get there that the beach is empty. It makes it feel that much cosier, and she loves all the effort that Brian has put into the birthday surf. It only occurs to her far later that he'd put so much forethought and planning into it, from the sign in the sand that the ocean kisses away, to the light lunch and beers he just happened to have. And maybe by days end, when they eventually have to head back to LA, Beth's only regret is just how mad Andy's going to be for her spending the entire day with Brian. It probably wasn’t any surprise then, as the sun flirted with the horizon that Beth tugged Brian to a stop and stole a small, chaste little kiss as the perfect end to a perfect birthday.

"Happy Birthday, babe." Brian showed up at her house early that morning, his surfboard attached to his bike. "How about we ditch the warden and go check out the waves at San Onofre?"

@brooklynislandgirl

[brooklynislandgirl]

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

This Softness || Accepting

Beth picks up her phone the minute that the text comes in. She'd made him promise that he'd let her know when he got to Reno safely, with undertones of disappointment that she had a double shift to look forward to instead tagging along on a couple day excursion to Tahoe. Brian had teased her, making light of the situation saying it wouldn't be the end of the world if she lost her job, she'd always have her looks to fall back on. And that huge pile of money in the bank didn't hurt either. They both know as tempting as it is, it's the principle of the matter. Just like he wouldn't retire until they forced him out because of departmental rules; like Andy, Brian thrived on the adrenaline of it all. She replies with a kissy-face emoji that he'll ignore or mock, but that conveys her happiness that he's made it safe and sound. She does get a little sappy though as she thinks back over the previous weekends when for hours the only thing in the world is the feel of the sun warm on his leathers or the plaid shirt thrown over a cotton tee-shirt. Her knees flirting subtly with his hips, the taste of the wind carrying the scent of his cologne over her face while her eyes are closed and her arms are wrapped around his chest. She loves those times when he pokes back at her mood, whether it's teasing to her playfulness, tap-dancing on boundaries between appropriate and beyond the pale ~dancing with her despite the daggers Andy shoots at his back, his brow and nose pressed to her so that they could get drunk on the tequila on each other's breath~ and maybe just maybe... That time he got in her face when she was spoiling for a fight, despite there being no chance she could really hurt him. Her fists are a lot weaker in practice than in belief. The phone buzzes in her hand again and draws her out of her slide-show memories of Brian. The sign is hilarious. And she already misses him.

[brooklynislandgirl]

So what does it tell you when a man has a few books and magazines in the oven?

"That he needs to maybe get out a little more, expand his horizons, or have a reason to cook for the person in his life." She makes a little face, knowing he was talking about himself, then she laughs softly, briefly. "But in your case it tells me you don't really have a whole lot of introverted tendencies, that the women you're interested in aren't really the kind you plan on keeping around, and that you don't need to cook because you mostly eat with us nowadays and nobody's as awesome a cook as my brother. I'm surprised you haven't proposed to us already."

[brooklynislandgirl]

@therealgamble {{xx}}

She regards him around careful bites. "Happens with Andy, too," she murmurs and nods in the vague direction of the stairs and her brother's very occupied bedroom. "He doesn't like to talk about it, not with me any way but it always puts him in such a mood. I'm gonna assume you don't wanna talk about it either, but if you do I could put on some coffee, or grab you a drink." She hesitates a moment then offers him a tired smile. "Or we could go and watch something mindless on any of a dozen streaming services. Like the worse the better."

[brooklynislandgirl]

@therealgamble {xx}

"Oh yeah? I figured I'd have to resort to vegan burgers or something." He grins and gives her a wink. "But we're getting separate pizzas - I'm not eating that cracker crust shit." He pulls his keys out of his pocket, letting them jingle.

"Wow. Don't know if I should be proud or incredibly offended. I do like veggie burgers but I'm not a full vegan. I also feel like PETA is an abomination." She tries to look hurt but can't manage to fake it in the aftermath of the genuine grin. "Okay so double cheese, light sauce, thin crust and...let me guess...all the meats supreme deep dish?" The keys get almost the same reaction out of her as a cat toy does to an army of felines. She pops up right behind him, hands on his hips. "How we gonna get it back here, if we take your bike?"

[brooklynislandgirl]

@therealgamble {{xx}}

She can't tell if Brian's kidding or not, about the money at least. It's something Andy has threatened a hundred times in the past if he's done it once, and she knows that he'd at least make the offer to Brian in jest. But there's something to his tone that suggests it isn't as funny as it might seem and that maybe Andy had tried and they had words about it. "Yeah but at least with death, I'd be out of my misery and you'd be free to hook up with a flight attendant of your choice. At least three of them were fawning over you near Reno. The one with a better skin care regime than my brother, while not quite as tall, was pretty cute. Sergei I think was his name." It was Sergei but he wasn't actually hitting on Brian, not that Beth could tell any way. She turns her head to face him. All the better to read his lips. She's satisfied somewhat that she almost makes him laugh. "Yeah but you know he'd call one of his friends and you would be suspiciously unalived if I did that. Plus I'd be stuck on the phone for hours while he yelled at me for not being better organised and if I'd have just followed his itinerary--" Beth cuts herself off, shapes one hand into a gun shape, and pretends to shoot herself in the head. Once he's on his feet, she holds up a lazy hand in his direction so he can pull up her body, and her will to live. "Mmhm. Pizza first and the beer we both know we need…and then a hotel room. I need to soak in a hot bath for at least an hour to get this smell off me. Everything just feels like the bottom of someone's really NASTY gym bag. Then drive in the morning. You could always join me in the tub, you know."

[brooklynislandgirl]

📸

I see your face every time I dream || Accepting

[brooklynislandgirl]

[brooklynislandgirl]

@therealgamble  {{xx}}

“..S’because I’m really very clever,” she replies lightning fast. She wishes it were true, but she’s always going to have a part of her that’s soft on him. No matter how many times they tell each other that nothing is going on. No matter how hard her brother wants to believe that. “Because we’re out of vodka and you, sweetheart, are afraid to, no matter how much you say you aren’t.”

[brooklynislandgirl]

Brian smoothed the black paint under his eyes and pulled on a black hat. “Where are you going?” Jim asked, fighting back a laugh. Brian fixed him with a steady gaze, “Over to Beth’s to steal back my clothes.”

Beth's closet is a catch-all sort of affair, half run-way fashion show ~designer dresses enshrouded in plastic, specifically hung in an order that makes no sense to anyone but her all put as far back in the walk-in as possible. Next is a mix of every day clothes; her skirts and blouses, the incredibly rare pair of jeans, and a collection of tee-shirts and sweat-shirts far too large to be her own. There are pictures all over the house that prove they belong to Andy. On and on it goes. Everything in place; shoes, jewellery, beachwear, undergarments. Not a single trace of Brian's stolen clothing. The search ends at her bed, and the sea bag under it. There, perfectly folded, are all items that had been missing for...months. Before he can leave, victorious, though, she appears. As if the disturbance of the hoard had summon the tiny, inconsequential dragon. "Uh...Bri? Why you in my room?"

[brooklynislandgirl]

On the one hand, they say opposites attract. On the other, at least Drewski will love this. ~*~

“I dunno, ya never complained when I bit ya before.” She gives him a particularly studying look, almost daring him to contradict her. She knows for a fact that there are a few things he didn’t check off that he easily could. She’s seen him go out of his way to do charitable things at her behest or Andy’s. She knows that he’d sooner choke than admit that he gets something out of her hugs, her insistence on draping herself over him. He’s shown no end of patience with her. And if he’s jealous of Eddie Vedder, he didn’t say a word about it, especially when she almost sobbed in Beatles-like hysteria when she saw him at the Surf Foundation dawn patrol. He also kept her from ending up on the police blotter. “And yeah, Andy’s gonna laugh but... aren’t you always telling me I need to start making my own choices?”

[brooklynislandgirl]

"What you really need is someone who is the exact opposite of your brother and me. Someone who's never been in the military or worked in law enforcement. Who doesn't have trust issues or treat you like a fragile doll."

A Million Reasons || Accepting

....Or maybe I should be grateful for anyone who shows interest in me, because its few and far enough between. Most people never make it past Andy, you know that. Ones that do? Don't really stick around when they realise I'm not a one night stand kind of person and I don't really feel things the way they do.

But she doesn't say that. "So you're thinking a doctor or another nurse, because besides people at work, the only other people I know are military or law enforcement. And maybe you should marry both me and my brother. Him so it isn't weird that we all spend so much time together, and me for the obvious reasons." A pause. "Or we do like American Idol, and we all get a vote."

[brooklynislandgirl]

Coffee brewed over a campfire

..Would Smell Just As... || Accepting

"Mmm." Five simple words that almost instantly curves her lips and has a little delighted hum purr at the back of her throat that flows around the idea of a smile. She can only and immediately picture in her head the last summer trip they took up to Tahoe, and sleeping a particularly warm night out under the stars. Of course Andy made his snide little comments. His joking threats. She can only assume that it was the bitterness of having to turn up a couple days later as he'd already had previous plans and a slightly different schedule but the reality of it was, none of it went the way he was afraid it would. The sun-warmed leather of his jacket had provided her with an easy cushion for her face as they rode his bike along the winding roads. She hadn't seen much of the scenery as they sped past because her eyes were closed and the wind not sheltered by her helmet wasn't conducive to sight-seeing. It isn't all hell-bent either. A few times he pulled over for a scenic overlook and sometimes steadied her with a hand respectfully placed on an arm or at her waist while she tried to take the perfect Instagram picture that she'll never post. Other times he'd stop at a diner or cafe to refuel their bodies as well as his bike, little hidden away gems that do several things; they made her feel special as if she were the only person he'd shared these places with even if she knew that wasn't likely true, it gave her a chance to listen to him tell her stories about how he'd come across the place that first time, and it was quiet. So vastly different than either LA or New York. Seeing Brian on what she would call Aloha Time. When they finally had arrived at the cabin, it had been a lot of unpacking and squaring away. After a refreshing doze that lasted only maybe an hour or so, Brian had gotten his fishing gear and gone out to the lakeside. While he caught what would be the base of their supper, she had made a picnic area on the beach with a fire pit, some blankets. She read her novel in the peace and beauty of nature. They never really made more than small talk but it hadn't felt like a strain when they lapsed into their own silences. Eventually the sun began to set in earnest and she found herself settled between his stretched out legs, back to his chest, his chin resting on her shoulder and his arms wrapped around her waist while she rested her own atop his. Anyone witnessing the scene could imagine all manner of sordid details but the truth of it had been a comfortable sort of embrace. They slept out under the stars that night and not the only time during the trip. When Andy finally turned up, she had the distinct pleasure of curling up between them.

But the mere mention of coffee brings to mind waking up that morning and seeing Brian pour her a cup from the percolator pot ~blue with white paint specs~ and a throaty Morning, Bean. "Makes me wanna go to Tahoe, again," she finally says aloud, tilting her head toward him. "Whaddya think? Maybe we go without my brother this time. See how long it takes for his head to explode?"

[brooklynislandgirl]

😘😘😘😘

A Kiss is Still A... || Accepting

Beth pours herself into Brian's lap as he relaxes on the wooden Adirondack chair by the lakeside. She does wait until after he's spent time idly casting his line into the placid, dark blue waters. Her legs wrap easily around his hips, and she tucks her head onto his shoulder. From a certain point of view anyone would be forgiven for imagining that there's something is incredibly suggestive about all of this. Her in just enough cloth to make the bikini viable, him in his swim trunks and maybe an amount of sunscreen she insisted on, he's too fair to go without. She isn't really trying to interfere with the fishing and his relaxation; the cabin here in Tahoe does so much for his spirit once he gets away from the filthy, loud, crowded, and ultimately dangerous confines of LA. One small hand makes idle designs along the back of his neck, flirting with the ends of his hair, nails occasionally straying up to graze his scalp lightly. The other rests on his shoulder, doing nothing but taking up space. So when she feels his jaw brush her collarbone, she's mildly surprised. And when he places soft, closed-mouth kisses at the base of her throat, along her shoulders, surprise grows into something far warmer. Gentler in its way. She tilts her head just a little to afford him greater landscape to roam if he wants, but she does smile against his skin. Returns the kisses along his shoulder, nips at his bones with lips rather than teeth, though there's always a little hint of them despite her best intentions. Then she sighs and reluctantly pulls herself away. "Want coffee or beer?"

She doesn't want to be greedy. She doesn't want to push his better sensibilities. She also knows where the line between teasing and trouble is when it comes to Brian. And it's so very thin.

[brooklynislandgirl]

𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐇   𝐎𝐑   𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒

I Can't Get Enough of You Baby || Accepting

"I mean, I'd certainly think about it. More than once or twice," Beth laughs and takes a swig of her beer. She's watching Brian grill burgers for himself and Andy, and veggie ones for her ~impossible meat or whatever is not really quite the same as Boca burgers, but not bad. Not likely to drive her brother up a wall~ and she admires him head to toe. "If you weren't Andy's partner and b-f-f, I'd absolutely have to say smash. Based on your forearms and calves alone. However, things being what they are and because I do care about you... and him, unfortunately... I'm gonna have to pass. 'Least for now."