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L.A. Confidential Fic - Bud/Ed - Within Reach
For the Slow Sated Sunday prompt at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
1_million_words "Crisis Over: You're Not Out of Reach Anymore"
“White?” Higgins asked, blinking at the familiar figure who entered the police station.
Bud nodded.
“Thank God. You need to get hold of your boy.”
“Cleaned house, has he?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Neat, tidy, and by the book, no doubt.”
“Actually...”
Bud let out a chuckle. Ed never failed to surprise him. Must have gotten a taste for it.
After the Victory Motel.
After Dudley.
Well, somebody needed to pick up where Bud left off. Why shouldn't it be Ed?
“Where is he?”
“Who the fuck knows.”
Bud had a few ideas. None of them good for a guy with a limp and no piece. He headed back toward the door.
“Hey, are you back?” Higgins called after him.
“We'll see.”
Bud got in his car and drove through his old stomping ground, keeping one eye open for Exley's car. No need to court trouble, a voice sounding suspiciously like Lynn's sounded in his head. She was one of his better angels, saving him from himself more often than not.
Couldn't keep him from this though.
Couldn't keep him from Ed.
He found Ed at the Formosa. Ed was at the bar, nursing a cocktail. He frowned at Bud's reflection.
“Thought I told you to wait until it was safe,” said Ed.
“And when have I ever listened to you?”
“What about Lynn?”
“She tried. It didn't work. As far as I'm concerned, this crisis is over.”
“So you're back?”
“For as long as you'll have me.”
Ed set his half-empty glass on the bar and headed for the exit.
Bud followed him to the parking lot, then home.
“I'll have someone put through the paperwork to reinstate you Monday morning, is that soon enough?”
“For the job, yes.”
“What else is there?”
“Exley.”
“White.” Ed looked like he had a grin that was threatening to form.
“Fuck it,” said Bud, surging forward fast enough that their foreheads knocked together.
“Ow,” said Ed, drawing back, running his fingers over his face, checking for damage.
“Shit. Are you...?”
“I always knew you were hard-headed, but seriously... just stay still for a minute.”
Bud stayed where he was. Ed gently touched Bud's forehead, then traced the line of his cheekbone.
“Don't move,” ordered Ed as he inched forward and brushed Bud's lips with his own.
He drew back and Bud blinked at him. “Can I...?”
“Yeah,” said Ed, smiling. He got to his feet and held a hand out for Bud.
Bud followed him into the bedroom and closed the door behind them. The two men moved together, a seemingly endless game of pursuit and retreat, until Ed finally capitulated. Ed let out a breathy laugh.
“Jack was right.”
“You're talking about Vincennes at a time like this?”
“He said 'Bud White will fuck you for this if it takes you the rest of his life.'”
“I'm not sure this is what he had in mind.”
“No, but I'm pretty sure all I heard was 'Bud White will fuck you.' It made for some pretty good late night material.”
“Really?”
“Lynn knew too.”
“She has a sense for it. Figured out about me soon enough. She helped me pack.”
“I should thank her.”
“Not now.”
“No, not now. Maybe... in the morning... if I can move.”
“If you can't, we'll have to stay right here.”
“That might not be too bad.”
1_million_words "Crisis Over: You're Not Out of Reach Anymore"“White?” Higgins asked, blinking at the familiar figure who entered the police station.
Bud nodded.
“Thank God. You need to get hold of your boy.”
“Cleaned house, has he?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Neat, tidy, and by the book, no doubt.”
“Actually...”
Bud let out a chuckle. Ed never failed to surprise him. Must have gotten a taste for it.
After the Victory Motel.
After Dudley.
Well, somebody needed to pick up where Bud left off. Why shouldn't it be Ed?
“Where is he?”
“Who the fuck knows.”
Bud had a few ideas. None of them good for a guy with a limp and no piece. He headed back toward the door.
“Hey, are you back?” Higgins called after him.
“We'll see.”
Bud got in his car and drove through his old stomping ground, keeping one eye open for Exley's car. No need to court trouble, a voice sounding suspiciously like Lynn's sounded in his head. She was one of his better angels, saving him from himself more often than not.
Couldn't keep him from this though.
Couldn't keep him from Ed.
He found Ed at the Formosa. Ed was at the bar, nursing a cocktail. He frowned at Bud's reflection.
“Thought I told you to wait until it was safe,” said Ed.
“And when have I ever listened to you?”
“What about Lynn?”
“She tried. It didn't work. As far as I'm concerned, this crisis is over.”
“So you're back?”
“For as long as you'll have me.”
Ed set his half-empty glass on the bar and headed for the exit.
Bud followed him to the parking lot, then home.
“I'll have someone put through the paperwork to reinstate you Monday morning, is that soon enough?”
“For the job, yes.”
“What else is there?”
“Exley.”
“White.” Ed looked like he had a grin that was threatening to form.
“Fuck it,” said Bud, surging forward fast enough that their foreheads knocked together.
“Ow,” said Ed, drawing back, running his fingers over his face, checking for damage.
“Shit. Are you...?”
“I always knew you were hard-headed, but seriously... just stay still for a minute.”
Bud stayed where he was. Ed gently touched Bud's forehead, then traced the line of his cheekbone.
“Don't move,” ordered Ed as he inched forward and brushed Bud's lips with his own.
He drew back and Bud blinked at him. “Can I...?”
“Yeah,” said Ed, smiling. He got to his feet and held a hand out for Bud.
Bud followed him into the bedroom and closed the door behind them. The two men moved together, a seemingly endless game of pursuit and retreat, until Ed finally capitulated. Ed let out a breathy laugh.
“Jack was right.”
“You're talking about Vincennes at a time like this?”
“He said 'Bud White will fuck you for this if it takes you the rest of his life.'”
“I'm not sure this is what he had in mind.”
“No, but I'm pretty sure all I heard was 'Bud White will fuck you.' It made for some pretty good late night material.”
“Really?”
“Lynn knew too.”
“She has a sense for it. Figured out about me soon enough. She helped me pack.”
“I should thank her.”
“Not now.”
“No, not now. Maybe... in the morning... if I can move.”
“If you can't, we'll have to stay right here.”
“That might not be too bad.”