not a hero

“Oh, I wasn’t- I mean you do look-” he cut himself off with a laugh. “I almost didn’t recognize you,” he admitted.

“--I’m sorry, what?”

“How long do you think until the majority of people here get wasted? I bet that would make things interesting.”

“Probably sooner rather than later, but I’m kind of hoping things don’t get interesting.”

“--That obvious, huh?”

        “Can’t help it - growing up in a household of boys; it’s gotta make anyone angry. Well did you at least win? Safety first - suppose its second nature to someone on the force, right? Oh please, they wouldn’t kill you … they’d go to jail and then how can they possibly flirt with anyone behind bars? Okay, then I’ll buy the next —– so how have you been? Hows life through Tristan Hale’s eyes?”

“Touche,” he replied chuckling. “Of course. I’m a winner.” Her words prompted another laugh, this time at her brother’s expense. “That’s probably true. I don’t think JD would survive in jail - he’s too pretty.” He nodded in response, but wasn’t going to let her pay for anything. “--Okay. I’ve been Fine. Life’s been- it’s been alright.” He didn’t want to get into all the details, what he went through. He didn’t need anyone else worrying about him. “What about you? How’ve you been? Staying out of trouble, I hope.”

“About eight months ago.”

“Then let’s just leave it at ‘you missed a lot.’”

“-Excuse me?”

       “Come on!” he screamed in Tristan’s face before wheeling around and pointing at the car “Don’t lie to me, man. Don’t fucking lie to me in what might be the greatest moment of my life.”

Flinching away from the yelling, he chuckled. “Have I ever lied to you?” Before now, but details. “That? That was the greatest moment of your life? I thought it would be the day you met me, but nooo,” he replied, also a little tipsy.

          “Did you fucking see that? Did. You. See. That?!” oh yeah, he was in hysterics and despite being slightly tipsy in the middle of the day, somehow the car hadn’t hit that pedestrian and had come down from its two wheels and actually fucking ended up in a parking spot, prompting him to jump out and grab the first person he saw “That’s some Evel Knievel shit!”

Yes. He did see it, and despite his guttural instinct to jump in and help- something (the uninjured pedestrian, or simply check on the driver) he was staring wide eyed, first at the almost accident, then at his friend. “No, I missed it.” he replied sarcastically.

“--I’m not here to judge, but I think I’ll stick to O.J.”

“This town’s more gloomy than the last time I was home. Did I miss something?”

“That depends- when was the last time you were home?”

          They were jumping. The Hale siblings were jumping up and down about the thought of Samantha joining their twosome; it literally was the best day. Kenzie couldn’t exactly tell her brother about her current love life so to hear about his was more than enough. His words had her grinning from ear to ear, though when he mentioned he was proud of her as well, of course it faltered slightly “— Really?” the vampire questioned, still unable to let him go “I honestly thought I was going to lose you, Tristan.”

The tone changed so rapidly, it almost gave Tristan whiplash. He bit his lips together, nodding slightly. “Of course,” he answered. The fact that she ever questioned that, even when he was processing the whole Supernatural thing, hurt. He grabbed onto both of her shoulders and looked down at his baby sister. “You could never and will never lose me,” he promised, looking into her eyes before pulling her in for a tighter hug.

        “Might make you think twice about trying to take me —- I’m basically the hulk. Eh, you’re so old now we can’t exactly rely on your memory; how is the old folks home treating you anyway?” easy banter came flowing back as Finley glided out of the shop, one hand placed firmly in her pocket as she spun around on her heel to face her friend once more. “Night? All I asked was if you’ve got time, and here you are already making plans for the entire night; Already don’t want to let me go huh? — come on, first rounds on me”

“I should have known, you are always angry.” He was joking, of course. Even Tristan enjoyed a Marvel reference. What he was not amused by was her comments about his age. “Just yesterday I got busted for racing scooters in the lobby.” He chuckled under his breath. “Well I do need to make sure you get home safely, even after one drink, or your brothers may kill me.” He gave her a look with one eyebrow raised. “I’ll buy the first round - so you don’t Hulk out on me.”

“I’m really appreciating the sarcasm, Tris. It’s really helping me find my phone.”

“I do what I can to help -Kidding. Where did you have it last?” he asked as he began to help her look.

             She couldn’t have been more happier for her brother and for Samantha — for as long as she could remember, she had known they were supposed to be together, despite what had happened between them in the past. Kenzie still had her arms wrapped loosely around her big brother, fully aware that she might have knocked the wind out of him a little but there was no keeping the excitement from her lips as she beamed up at him with pride “YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A WIFE!” she screamed while jumping slightly, not even thinking for a second that Samantha was going to say no. “ — Wow. That’s what its supposed to be like, isn’t it? I’m proud of you, Tristan. You have no idea how proud of you I am.”

He jumped with her because why the hell not? They were celebrating. “I’m- wow, yeah, I guess so. I hope so.” The logistics hadn’t been completely worked through in his brain, like the fact that Samantha was very likely going to be his wife. He was one lucky bastard. He bit down on his bottom lip and nodded slightly. “Yeah, I guess so. -I have an idea. I’m proud of you too, you know. I know I haven’t- I haven’t told you that enough lately, but I am.”

        “Well?” brows raised as she tried to pull away from him, a small punch to the stomach seemed to do the trick. “Well pipsqueak no longer - I can even wear heels without breaking an ankle —- Stop flirting with me, Tristan” she joked as she walked past him to observe something shiny in the shop. “I don’t think we’ve ever gone and got a drink together — got time?”

Grunting, he feigned hurt as he cradled his ‘hurt’ side. “Wow, that’s impressive,” he joked before rolling his eyes. “If memory serves, you were always the one flirting with me.” He stayed in place, but kept his eyes on the younger girl, then the shiny object. “I don’t think we’ve seen each other since you’ve been old enough to drink. In fact, can I see your I.D.?” he teased before nodding. “Sure, I don’t have any plans for the night.”