Current mood:	nervous
Entry tags:	character:archie, character:bobby, character:greg, character:hodges, fic:crush (coreopsis), rating:g

Bobby...Archie...Greg...David
Title: Crush
Pairing: none really, you'll see
Rating: G
Summary: Sometimes gaydar doesn't really work.
Disclaimer: They're not mine and I'm not making anything off 'em.
Notes: Thanks to nemoinis for the beta. This takes place pre-4th season, so as far as we know everyone is single. Also, I wrote a dopey little crossover ficlet involving Nick, that doesn't warrant its own entry but you can check it out here in my journal. :-)




Bobby sipped at his orange juice and picked at his bacon and eggs. He'd come to the diner for breakfast with some of the other guys from work, like they did a couple times a week after shift. It was usually four but not always the same four. Leah or Jacqui dropped out and David the coroner stepped in. Ronnie couldn't make it but Greg could. Hodges never came and nobody really minded because none of them liked him--not even Bobby and he pretty much liked everyone he worked with on nights. Whatever, it was always him and Archie at breakfast, always on the same side of the booth, every two or three days for ages.

Always Archie, since that very first morning they'd decided to end a particularly rough shift at the same diner the CSIs often ended up at. Since their professional areas of expertise rarely crossed, that's when Bobby'd really discovered the painfully geeky, shockingly hot Archie, who now happened to be sitting close to him in the booth talking to Greg about some new video game as if he didn't even notice that his thigh was nearly pressed against Bobby's. And really, that was the problem. Archie didn't notice much. He certainly didn't notice the quiet little crush that Bobby'd been fighting for the last ever how many months. Bobby wasn't even sure when it started himself, so he shouldn't be surprised that Archie didn't notice. Didn't notice that Bobby took his breaks when Archie did, work permitting of course. Didn't notice that Bobby never missed a breakfast no matter how tired he was. Didn't notice the significance of Bobby's new interest in science fiction. Bobby'd only started watching because Archie was so enthusiastic about the various Star Trek shows and his eyes always lit up whenever he could work them into conversation.

But Bobby couldn't help being just a little disappointed. He could have said something, he still could, any time now. But then Archie laughed at something Greg said and Bobby wondered if there'd be any point. Archie had more in common with Greg, always had more to talk about with Greg. They were similarly ambitious to be CSIs, and he always seemed more interested in what Greg was babbling on about than the things Bobby had to say. Jealousy didn't sit well with him, but there it was all the same.

While Bobby did tend to crush, especially on smart guys with a sense of humor, he wasn't much for pining, not even over pretty dark eyes and a great smile. He was usually too pragmatic for that. He'd just say he was interested and if the feeling was mutual then great and if it wasn't he'd be disappointed and move on. But this thing with Archie was different. Not because he was certain that Archie was straight, but because he absolutely couldn't tell. Archie never gave him any clue one way or the other, but then maybe Archie had figured out the crush and was trying not to encourage it while not actively discouraging it either. But why would he do that? Bobby found himself getting really annoyed at Archie, himself, the whole situation. He glanced at Archie sharply, but then his attention was drawn across the table.

David was staring at him through the reflected glare on the lenses of his glasses, a quizzical half smile playing over his mouth. Bobby wiped the scowl off his face and tried out a smile of his own. "What?"

David shrugged and picked up his coffee. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

Bobby nodded and smiled a bit more naturally. Thinking he certainly understood. He seemed to be doing too much of it himself these days. Not that thinking was bad, just the things he thought weren't doing him any good, like how to get Archie to pay attention to him and notice how much he was interested. Maybe he'd just break down and say something directly. They didn't *have* to see each other at work that much. Bobby just tried to make sure they did, but he could stop if Archie turned him down flat.

Greg said something about needing a ride again and Archie was quick to offer since "It's not out of my way."
He slid out of the booth and stuck one beautifully long-fingered hand into the pocket of his jeans--the tight faded ones that looked so good on him--for money to toss on the table.

Bobby bit back his envy and longing and said "See y'all later" just like every other morning and watched them walk away. He turned back with a sigh and met David's eyes again. Something tenuous moved between them. Perhaps it was understanding, perhaps it was something else, but whatever it was made Bobby shrug and grin. "It's...you know..."

"One of *those* things?" David said with a curious little smile that Bobby might have questioned if he wasn't still thinking about Archie.

"Yeah," Bobby snorted. "He could be straight anyway. It can be hard to tell sometimes." He finished his juice and started to take his wallet out of his back pocket.

"I guess so." David reached across the table and put a hand on Bobby's arm, fingers clutching briefly before releasing him. "I'll get it."

"Oh. Thanks. Well, I'll pick up next time then." Bobby slid across the vinyl seat and stood up. "Have a good day, David."

"You too." David nodded.

Bobby walked away wondering how he could get a bead on Archie's sexuality and availability. Invite him to a Celine Dion show? Maybe mention having tickets to see Elton? Or he could invite him out for a drink on one of their days off and take him to a gay bar. He could always just ask directly and hope it didn't make things awkward, and maybe that would be the best way. He wouldn't really lose much if Archie turned out to be completely straight or in a relationship he'd never mentioned.

Slipping his sunglasses on as he pushed the door open, Bobby stepped out into the brilliant Vegas morning. If David had watched him leave, he didn't notice.


The end.