Title: A Love Story
Author: Stella
Type: Slash
Summary: A story of unrequited love for Starsky.
Disclaimer: Starsky and Hutch are not mine. I just took them down off the shelf, played with them a little and put them back.
Format: Story
Category: Other
Episode Related: Pilot
Rating: PG
Size: 12K
Date Added: 2004-07-07
A Love Story
by Stella
I'm not very good at words, or times, and places for that matter. I just know what I know, and I'll try to share it with you. If you'll give me the time.
It happened in the early seventies. I was living with Ma. Well, OK I'm still living with Ma now. I wasn't the sort of guy any girls would give the time of day to. Not that it mattered. I liked guys. Don't remember when I realised it. Just was always the way I guess. Turns out you don't have to wear flowered shirts and flared pants to be gay.
I had other things to think about. I was busy building up my business. I opened a bargain center, began to fence stolen items. I made money where I could. The police would come by occasionally, but I prided myself in my ability to appear innocent. I could tell a story; they'd go away with nothing.
I do remember where and when I first saw him. It was March 15th, 1971. A Wednesday. It was raining outside. He came walking into the shop behind his partner McGuire? McDonald? Anyway it was Mc something. Officer David Michael Starsky. I looked up and all I could see was him. His beautiful, blue eyes met mine. His partner introduced us. I reached out my hand, wanting him to take it, but he just looked at me and nodded.
The rain had made the curls on his head even tighter. His face was wet. Tiny drops of water on his face. I wanted to kiss them all away. It was love at first sight, for me. You should have seen him; you'd have felt the same way too. Before I knew it I was telling them who'd got some stolen merchandise they were looking for. A child's bike, that's it, Danny O'Brien had taken a kids bike. He'd tried to pawn it at my place. I would have bought it, but Danny was greedy, wanted more than I could get for it.
I'd look out for David then. All through the summer, I'd sit out front of my shop, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. I had it real bad.
There was another, shall we say entrepreneur? I like the word. Sounds French. Anyway there was another guy called Rolly. Skinny guy, used to do the numbers in the area. A couple of years ago, he was crossing the street, got knocked down by a bus. Well anyway, he was selling me a TV set one day, didn't ask where he got it from, and he started talking about David. I hadn't been listening. I started to listen when I heard his name. Apparently David and his partner, the Mc guy, they'd rousted this other Rolly and David called him Skinny Rolly. Suggested to his partner they go see Fat Rolly.
Fat Rolly. That's what he called me. Not very complimentary is it? Not that I minded. When you think about it, he'd noticed me hadn't he? Fat Rolly. Fat Rolly and David. Here comes Fat Rolly and David. It's got a ring to it. I got a guy I know who's a sign writer to write it up on the front of my shop. I was sitting outside when David drove by. I saw him grin at the sign. He liked it. Maybe he might start to like me.
I bought a couple of new suits. Second hand, new suits. I'd dress up smart, just in case. I wanted to show David how good I could look. I found out where he and his partner would call in for coffee. I used to go there too. Not too often. Didn't want to appear over eager, cause any suspicion. The waitress in there, Mitzi I think her name was, she'd pour herself all over him while she was pouring him coffee. David didn't seem to mind, I guess he likes girls. I hated her for it. Got her fired. But that's another story. I want to talk about David.
You know he has the cutest ass, and the sexiest way of walking. I just wished I could get rid of his partner, long enough to get him on his own. If wishes were horses huh? Or careful what you wish for might be more appropriate.
David did get rid of his partner. He made detective. He got a new partner, Hutchinson. I mean, I thought there was a God. Why would He do something like that to me? You put me next to Hutchinson, what chance have I got. Starsky. That's what this new guy Hutchinson started calling him. David would call him Hutch. I hated that.
I went into a depression at this point. Couldn't eat, which is unusual for me. Ask Ma; she'll tell you how I eat. I avoided David, but I missed him. Wished I had a photograph of him. I used to be good at painting. At school, art was my favorite subject. I bought some oil paints, painted a picture of David. It looked like him. I painted some green hills in the background, added some sunflowers. Like that guy who cut his ear off. I didn't want to keep it at home, thought Ma would wonder about it. So I brought it into the shop, stuck it in my office. I'd sit and gaze at it.
When I got the phone call off Henderson I saw it as my chance. He wanted me to be the go-between, between him and a couple of hit men. My heart went into my mouth when I heard it was David they wanted to hit. I wanted to warn him. Picked up the phone a couple of times to do just that. Then I told myself that I'd be better off without him. If he was gone, I could move on.
The night of the hit I was at home. I couldn't eat my dinner. Ma commented on it. I kept looking at the clock. At midnight I knew it would all be over. I was lying in my bed watching the clock. I cried like a baby when midnight came around. Cried myself to sleep.
Next day, I didn't want to get out of bed. It was mid-day by the time Ma shouted at me to get up. I didn't go to the shop; I just wandered the streets in a daze. Until I looked up and there was David. I had to look twice. He was in Hutchinson's car. David and his partner were looking at me. I raced into the nearest bar; I needed to get a grip of myself.
I hurried over to the phone at the end of the bar. I needed to call Henderson. I needed to find out what happened with the hit. And then he was there. So close. He looked so much better out of uniform. Not that the uniform didn't suit him. Maybe it's true what they say; absence makes the heart grow fonder. But those jeans, the cardigan. I just wanted to hold him. I couldn't take my eyes off him. The nearness of him was doing things to me. I know this'll sound corny but all I could see was him.
Turns out, I wrote down what they were looking for. I didn't mean to. Guess I was still trying to warn him. His partner got some drinks. My heart was beating so fast; I just grabbed those drinks and swigged them down. I'd really messed up. I wanted David to love me. That was all. He looked so good. Hutchinson did most of the talking. Arrested me for drinking. Can you believe it? If I was drunk on anything it was David.
Being arrested on anything isn't meant to be a pleasant experience. I mean, being taken to a police station and charged. Even on the smallest misdemeanour it ain't pleasant being held in the cage. I got a kick out of it though. I got to sit in the back of the car, and watch David. Watch him laughing and joking, talking to his partner. Sort of imagined what it would be like between the two of us. Pictured myself driving the car while he looked that way at me. Then I saw it. Saw the look between the two of them.
When we got to the station David took me in and booked me. I was alone with him. It was what I'd wanted. I didn't know what to say. Told him my Ma made great lasagne. That he should come over some time and try it. I wanted to kiss him. You know how you look at some guys and just want to kiss them? When I said about the lasagne, he gave me a look. I could have kissed him then. Right there in front of everybody. I actually felt myself lean forward to do it. But he was gone. Hurried back to that blonde haired partner of his. Perhaps I should have got my hair dyed blonde. Perhaps something might have happened then.
I still wanted to call Henderson. Minute I was released I found a phone. Went to call him when Hutchinson appeared. Think he'd been waiting for me. Told him I was calling Ma. I couldn't help but smile. I wanted him dead. I wanted him out of David's life. I stood no chance while he was around. I came out of the station, found the nearest phone booth. Henderson wanted another hit, told me where and when. Told myself that I'd be better off.
Can't believe how useless those hit guys were. Either that or someone up there was listening to my prayers. Turns out they missed again. Can you believe it? Then the very next day David and Hutchinson are on to them. One's killed the other injured. Henderson? He gets blown away. Rather him than David. I'd got the money for my part. That's all I cared about. That, and David.
I'd see David around occasionally then. Not so much as before. It was difficult to know when to dress up. Next time they came calling was a few months later. I knew they'd arrived when Lenny came crashing through the door. Lenny, one of the two useless guys I had working for me. I looked up and there was Hutchinson in the doorway. I caught my breath, knew David wouldn't be far away. Then there he was.
Hutchinson went and fetched a chair. I almost died. The picture I'd painted of David was right behind it. He didn't notice. Was too focused on me I guess. I was watching David. He'd picked up a food mixer I was going to take home for Ma, was walking around with it. He and Hutchinson were good. Working as a team. Threatening me about a missing necklace. David spotted a snow tire. They were too close to the truth. David dropped the food mixer. He did it on purpose. Leaned in close to me. I could smell his aftershave. He smelt good. His hair was longer. He looked good.
Took me a while to recover after they left. My heart was racing. Not from the threats. From those blue eyes of his. I called Lillian. Lillian? She's some married lady. Married to a gorilla it turned out. She came into the shop one day and we got talking. I told her about David. I wanted to talk to someone about him. She was a good listener. I gave her discount on a record player she had her eye on. We'd meet up for a drink. She liked to drink, and I was buying. Talking to Lillian calmed me down.
I decided I should tell David and his partner I had the necklace they were looking for. Got in touch with Huggy Bear. I hated Huggy. Think I was jealous of the time he got with David. I'd just put the phone down when I heard a commotion out front. It was Lillian's husband come looking for me. Thought we'd been having an affair. I stepped out of the office cause Lenny and Leo were there, they'd see to him. That's when I saw how big he was. Just for the moment. Just before he grabbed me.
I remember at one point opening my eyes, seeing David looking over me. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Then I felt the pain before it all went black.
I spent some time in hospital. Food was bad, but I was too sick to eat it. Only saw David once more. He came to my room with his partner. Still looking for the guys, the guys with the necklace. I was going to tell him anyway. What was Ma going to do if I was sent to jail? She was upset about the shop getting smashed up. Wanted me to sell it, move away. Go stop with Uncle Ernie for a while till we could get somewhere.
So after David left my room I realised that was it. I'd never see him again. Had to stop myself from blubbing like a baby. All the years I'd loved him. Still do love him. But I'd seen that look between him and Hutchinson. I'd seen Hutchinson looking at him. Hutchinson loved him too. I could tell. I'd also seen David looking at Hutchinson. My David loved his partner. The two of them hadn't realised it yet. Realised they both felt the same way. But they would one day. I just didn't want to be around to see that.
Ma and me packed up and moved in with Uncle Ernie. The only thing I kept was the picture. I hung it on the wall of my room for a while. Then every time I looked at it I'd imagine David and his partner together. So I took it down and put it in the closet. It stayed in the closet. Just like me.
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