crack_van | Up, Up and Away by Tinx

Halfway through the tour, folks. Are we having fun yet? ;-) Hang on now, it’s Collision Day!

Fandom: STARSKY AND HUTCH/RIPTIDE
Pairing: none
Length: 8,611 words
Author on LJ:

tinx_r
Author Website: tinx_r at AO3
Also, tinx_r at the Starsky and Hutch Archive
Why this must be read:

Why? Not one, but two pairs of handsome, dashing men, that’s why.

What, you need more incentive than that? :) Well, alright then. Here we have a case story, whereby our Bay City boys have taken up some private investigating work after their retirement from the force, post-Gunther. They meet up with a couple of Vietnam vets, former MPs who still haven’t quite figured out what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives.

I love how this just makes so much sense to me. It slides in oh so nicely in the space between post-S&H canon and pre-Riptide canon, and is lovingly faithful to both. Tinx writes primarily in the Riptide fandom (and marvelous writing it is), but there’s no denying she knows her S&H as well, making for a story that is a delight to read for fen of either show.

The dark guy, the one called Starsk, was leaning against his partner, hip and shoulder. Nick traded a glance with Cody, and Cody moved his head in agreement. The guy was hurt or sick, and Nick moved closer to Cody instinctively.

The tall blond helped Starsk to a booth towards the back, and as the two men slid in close together, Nick wondered for a moment if they were vets too. They had the look of guys who had each others' backs.

"Cops," Cody disagreed quietly, and Nick glanced at him with a rueful grin. His partner had been reading his mind for years.

"Why d'you say that?"

"What they said this morning. And check out how they're scanning the bar."

"We scan the bar," Nick pointed out.

"We were cops too." That was unanswerable and Cody knew it, and Nick chuckled at his partner's self-satisfied expression.

"We sure were, big guy," he agreed, and finished his beer.

***

"There's those two bums we were locked up with this morning." Starsky gulped his beer, watching the two men thread their way through the crowd. The blond was leading the way, pausing every three or four steps as though to make sure his partner was behind him, and every time he did, the dark guy's hand touched his hip, light and sure. It sent a chill up Starsky's spine and he looked away, moving closer to his own partner.

"Vets," Hutch said, too quietly.

Starsky nodded without looking back. He didn't need to hear the word to know.

[...]

"So now what?" Starsky leaned forward, staring into Hutch's serious blue eyes. "They're vets and we're private dicks with a wrapped-up case. I don't see - "

"Ryder's a pilot." Hutch slid a hand across the table and rested it against Starsky's, fingers lightly touching the back of his partner's hand. "Dobey's interested. I told him we'd stick around a day or two and just... watch."

Hmm. The plot thickens. :)

Oh, and remember the Screaming Mimi? The other love of Nick’s life, that big pink helicopter? Don’tcha want to find out how she got her name? Go read and see! :D

Up, Up and Away

(Full disclosure: this story was written, in part, as a gift for me, but even if it wasn’t, it would still be my crossover pick *g*)

Up, Up and Away by Tinx_r (teen and up)

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