"'Kay, I think that was the last box," Starsky stated when Hutch practically threw a large box onto the couch in the middle of the room. He leaned against the piece of furniture, panting. "For me, anyway," he managed to gasp and slid down to sit on the ground, totally spent. "I'm not carrying one more thing up these stairs."

Grinning, Starsky handed him a beer, and opened yet another one of the many boxes standing around to peek into it. "Your timing's perfect as always, Hutch."

Hutch shot his friend a glance that let him know he'd be risking his life if he himself wasn't on the verge of breaking down from exhaustion, then leaned his head back, closing his eyes, only to be roughly awakened from his dozing state a second later.

"Hey!" he managed to call out, before hitting the floor.

"Oh," Starsky blurted, his eyes glittering with amusement, looking over the couch he had just started to shove backwards. "Oops. Sorry."

Hutch grumbled something as he slowly came to his feet again, turned around the couch and fell down on it with a contend smile. "No problem," he grinned. "Go on. Tell me if you need any help."

Now it was Starsky's turn to grumble as he shoved the couch to stand with its back facing the door. Taking a few steps back to check the look of that arrangement, he nodded satisfied, then approached it again and, lifting Hutch's feet, sat down next to his partner, taking the beer out of his hands.

"So?" he finally asked excitedly.

"So what?" Hutch asked, opening one eye briefly.

"So how d'you like my new place?"

"I already told you, Starsk. It's really nice. And I bet it's even nicer when I don't have to carry half your old apartment up the stairs."

Starsky didn't really listen, he was too busy enjoying the view from his new living room. "I like it," he stated after a short pause.

Hutch rolled his eyes under his closed lids.

"D'you like it?"

"Yes, Gordo, I love it! Now stop asking me and get off the couch," the blond added, playfully kicking his partner off it. "Go unpack or something. I'm tired."

Ducking when Starsky threw practically all of his blankets and pillows onto him, Hutch turned, snuggling up on the backrest. Though he would never talk Starsky into moving into another apartment, he was extremely relieved at his partner's decision. Ever since the incident with Bellamy, the blond had made an irritating habit out of calling Starsky at night after he'd woken from yet another nightmare, to remind him to lock his door. And of course, he had sensed that his friend didn't feel safe and content in his old apartment anymore, yet he also knew Starsky needed to stay there long enough to prove to himself that he COULD if he wanted to, that he wasn't running from his fears. Then he would be able to make himself believe that he had wanted to move out before all of that happened, anyway.

And that was what happened.

"Hey Hutch, where's my key?"

"Huh?" the blond mumbled, rolling over sleepily to look at his friend who'd been unpacking some of his stuff, placing every item on the floor in neat, obviously organized rows. Once more it surprised Hutch how very tidy Starsky actually was. A fact that no one who'd met him for the first time would have considered.

"My key," Starsky repeated from where he was standing next to the couch now, looking down at his partner who still lay half buried under a bunch of blankets. "Where'd you put it after you brought in the last box?"

"Ah..." Hutch muttered, frowning as the tried to recall, then looked up at Starsky apologetically. "Door-frame."

Starsky rolled his eyes and went to get the key.

"Sorry pal," Hutch called after him. "Reflex. 'Sides," he added when Starsky returned with the key, "maybe you ought to consider leaving it there. I mean..."

"No, Hutch. I'm not putting my key on my door-frame, okay? Forget it. And I would highly appreciate it if you could at least try not to leave your spare key there every time you use it, too. Yeah, I know," he nodded in mock understanding, when Hutch opened his mouth to reply something. "Reflex. Try anyway."

"You know what your problem is?" Hutch asked, shoving the blankets off as he turned around fully now. "You're too distrustful."

"Hutch, according to you everyone's distrustful who's not living with an 'Open 24 Hours!' sign on the door."

"I just don't like the thought of locking myself in."

"And I don't like the thought of my key laying on my door-frame, okay? I don't like the thought of YOUR key laying on YOUR door-frame, either, by the way."

"Don't start," Hutch sighed, rolling his eyes. "I like it that way. At least I never run the risk of losing it or something."

"No. But then losing it would probably reduce the risk of burglary. Then there'd be only one person who'd have access to your place," Starsky said with a wry smile.

Once more, Hutch sighed. "I feel perfectly safe the way it is."

"Says the Burglary Record Holder of Bay City."

"No, says the guy who'll think twice before he carries any boxes the next ti..."

"Okay, okay," Starsky hurried to interrupt him, handing him back the beer he'd taken from him before. "I didn't say anything about your Open 24 Hours place. Uh uh. Did you?" he asked a plant that peeked out of one of the boxes.

As Hutch's eyes widened in anticipation, Starsky frowned slowly.

"Uh... Hutch?"

"Yes, buddy?"

"What's the plant doing in my box?"

"That's not one of your boxes, Starsk."

"Then what's it doing here?"

"I brought it. For your new place."

A childlike smile spread on Starsky's face, before he dragged the box in front of him and opened it fully.

"Wow," he stated dryly after a brief look.

"I knew you'd like them," Hutch exclaimed happily.

"No, I was just stunned at how many plants fit into a box this size."

"Yeah, well, there's another one in the kitchen." Ignoring Starsky's wide-eyed stare, he went on, "I thought those would fit in here. They're the light-needing type."

"Light-needing..."

"Oh," Hutch interrupted him, pointing at the box, "and there's a list somewhere in there too."

"List?"

"Yeah, how to water them."

Reaching inside the box with an almost disgusted expression on his face, Starsky produced the list, shooting Hutch a puppy dog look when he noticed it was four pages long.

"I know, it looks complicated at first," Hutch assured. "But after a while you'll learn."

"Great," Starsky mumbled tonelessly. "Thanks so much, Hutch."

"You're welcome, buddy," Hutch grinned, sprawling a little more on the couch. "And you know" he added after a short pause, opening his eyes once more, "they live longer when you talk to them."

"Oh is that so?" Starsky asked, lifting his brows.

"Yep," Hutch nodded, then closed his eyes again, rolling over, missing his partner's quiet reply.

"I'll keep that in mind..."

 

THE END

 

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