Date: 12/23/99
I've been watching those two a long time. Since Hairboy first started
here. I mean, I couldn't figure them out! And I watched other things,
too. Like Captain Banks ignoring the way they acted. Like Caro flinching
every time Jim deferred to Sandburg.
So, yeah, when the Sentinel thing came out, it made a hell of a lot of
sense. Lots of things made sense. And pretty much everyone stopped wondering
if Jim and Hairboy were, you know, a couple. I mean, obviously Sandburg
was there to help Jim with his senses, right? Only thing that made sense.
Only it didn't, really. So I kept watching. Because I still couldn't figure
it out, not until today, anyway.
I mean, Jim's *normally* all over the kid. That's nothing new. But
he's going out of his way to be all over him today. What's that all
about, if not protecting his newfound supply of nookie? Not that Hairboy's
just a supply of nookie. Hell, for all I know, there's no nookie involved.
But if there isn't, there will be soon.
I know a relationship headed toward horizontal action when I see one,
and brother, this is one.
I go over and lean on the desk that they share. I don't think anyone's
ever requisitioned one for Sandburg, come to think of it--this one has
two computers on it, and they're using the work table next to the desk
for their papers. After a minute, Jim looks up at me. "Hey, H," he says.
"Hey. Just came by to say congratulations."
I gotta give the man credit--him and Sandburg both. Jim doesn't react
at all, and Hairboy's shoulders are only marginally tenser than they were
a second ago. "Congratulations on what?" Jim asks.
Like he thinks if he just pretends he doesn't know what I'm talking about,
I'm going to stop noticing his fingers tangled in Sandburg's hair, which
is just now getting long again.
I just grin down at him, then lean over to tell him what he needs to
be told. I mean, I saw what the son-of-a-bitch did to Carolyn's ego
before she left him. "You hurt him, Ellison, and I'll kick your ass."
And damn if Jim Ellison doesn't look up at me and smile. "Thanks, H,"
he goes. "Thanks."
### The End ###
