He’d hazed Lindsey on her first day with the angry recollection of how his last partnership had ended. She’d listened, nodding and obtained a fresh cup of coffee for him at the end of it, patted him on the shoulder.
Esposito thinks he’s been pretty lucky with his run of partners.
Esposito spots Ryan almost at the lift, a thick manila folder in his hand and he’s just about to step in when Esposito calls out, “Ryan!”
Ryan turns, frowning in soft confusion that melts into something stunned when Esposito comes to a stop in front of him.
“’Sposito….”
“Hey,” Esposito manages, catching his breath as Ryan watches him, curious, and it’s those same blue eyes. Of course, idiot, it’s only been three months. “It’s been a while.”
“Yeah.”
For a long moment they just look each other over, not awkward but unsure and Esposito finally gestures at the precinct offices.
“So, what are you doing here?”
Ryan motions with the manila folder in his hand marked ‘Classified’. “Oh. Well. One of your homicides has links to an ongoing white collar investigation. Our precincts will be working together on this one.”
Esposito hums in interest, but he honestly doesn’t care for anything except the way Ryan self-consciously glances over his shoulder at the lift. And the last thing Esposito wants him to think about is leaving so soon.
“Listen, man….” Esposito sighs and rubs the back of his head, “I wanted to apologise for all those months back. I mean, I wasn’t fair to you. I don’t want to leave things like that.”
There’s a beat of expectation when Esposito can’t bear to look his friend in the face, because that what Ryan is, that’s who he misses – his friend. When he does look up though, Ryan is almost smiling and the tightness in Esposito’s chest eases like a vice that's broken.
“Listen,” Ryan glances around them before taking a step closer, “I’m going to be this side of town for the next few days. You doing anything tonight?”
Esposito feels a slow grin spread that he can’t hold back. “Beer after work?”
Ryan cocks an eyebrow, smirking. “The usual meaning of beer?”
“Of course.”
Ryan’s chuckling when Esposito catches his hand and pulls him in for a close, one-armed hug. The manila folder is pressed to his back and Esposito is so grateful when Ryan holds on tight longer than he needs to.
“I’ve missed you, man,” Esposito murmurs.
Ryan snorts a laugh, affectionate. “It’s nice to be missed.”
PART 2 - Being Strangers, Ryan/Esposito, PG-13
Esposito thinks he’s been pretty lucky with his run of partners.
Esposito spots Ryan almost at the lift, a thick manila folder in his hand and he’s just about to step in when Esposito calls out, “Ryan!”
Ryan turns, frowning in soft confusion that melts into something stunned when Esposito comes to a stop in front of him.
“’Sposito….”
“Hey,” Esposito manages, catching his breath as Ryan watches him, curious, and it’s those same blue eyes. Of course, idiot, it’s only been three months. “It’s been a while.”
“Yeah.”
For a long moment they just look each other over, not awkward but unsure and Esposito finally gestures at the precinct offices.
“So, what are you doing here?”
Ryan motions with the manila folder in his hand marked ‘Classified’. “Oh. Well. One of your homicides has links to an ongoing white collar investigation. Our precincts will be working together on this one.”
Esposito hums in interest, but he honestly doesn’t care for anything except the way Ryan self-consciously glances over his shoulder at the lift. And the last thing Esposito wants him to think about is leaving so soon.
“Listen, man….” Esposito sighs and rubs the back of his head, “I wanted to apologise for all those months back. I mean, I wasn’t fair to you. I don’t want to leave things like that.”
There’s a beat of expectation when Esposito can’t bear to look his friend in the face, because that what Ryan is, that’s who he misses – his friend. When he does look up though, Ryan is almost smiling and the tightness in Esposito’s chest eases like a vice that's broken.
“Listen,” Ryan glances around them before taking a step closer, “I’m going to be this side of town for the next few days. You doing anything tonight?”
Esposito feels a slow grin spread that he can’t hold back. “Beer after work?”
Ryan cocks an eyebrow, smirking. “The usual meaning of beer?”
“Of course.”
Ryan’s chuckling when Esposito catches his hand and pulls him in for a close, one-armed hug. The manila folder is pressed to his back and Esposito is so grateful when Ryan holds on tight longer than he needs to.
“I’ve missed you, man,” Esposito murmurs.
Ryan snorts a laugh, affectionate. “It’s nice to be missed.”