SWAT Short Stories

[Stris] November Nights (+ author reveal!)

"I was born at night, Street," Luca started as a smile crept across his face. "But not last night."

*General*

"You're shivering," Jim said quietly as he wrapped his arm around Chris' lower back.

After their three-day mission that evening, the two of them had gone out with the rest of 20-David. Going out hadn't been in either of their plans, and Chris was criminally underdressed for a chilly November night out on the beach.

But she quickly pulled away from his casual embrace.

"They're already suspicious," Chris mumbled back as she took a drink.

Street just sighed and handed her his glass so he could pull his sweatshirt off.

"No one's paying attention to us," he assured her and took the two glasses from her hand. "Take the sweatshirt. You're cold. No one will blame you; we didn't plan on a night out at the beach."

Chris huffed and grabbed the sweatshirt he had been previously wearing to pull it over her petite frame.

""You didn't go home last night, they already know we randomly rode to work together today, and now I'm wearing your hoodie at a team outing. We're really good at this "on the down-low" thing.""

Just as Chris turned to head back towards the others, Jim grabbed her shoulder.

"Chris, I promise we're okay. No one is paying attention to us. They're all drinking and dancing on the deck," Jim let go over her shoulder and stuck his hand out for her to grab. "Now come dance with me."

Chris looked down at his hand and back up at him before she took the offer and his hand.

"Fine. Only because you're a nice guy that isn't letting me freeze to death."

---

After a while of dancing and chatting, Street excused himself to go inside the bar to warm up. While he hadn't been as poorly dressed as Chris, his thin long-sleeve shirt wasn't cutting it with the November cool air and the Long Beach breeze.

Street quickly found Luca sitting amongst a pretty crowded bar.

"Hey, Street," Luca said as he motioned to the bartender to order them another drink. "You get tired of dancing?"

Street waived the bartender away after Luca had ordered; he didn't want another drink.

"Just got a little chilly," Jim replied.

"You never struck me as the type to give your jacket away when you were cold, too," Luca said with a raised eyebrow, trying to edge his friend in the right direction.

Street rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"She was cold and far less dressed for the occasion. You know I can be a nice guy now and then, too," he replied defensively.

"When Chris is concerned- yeah, you can be," Luca said, annoyed as he turned his attention elsewhere.

"I guess I'll go rejoin Chris then," Jim mumbled mostly to himself.

Luca heard all of it and rolled his eyes. Street could be painfully oblivious, and Luca figured he'd finally have to embarrass the man and spell it out for him later.

---

While Street was inside, Chris propped herself against the deck railing to watch the waves crash over the beach. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there nursing her drink before Tan joined her.

"You've been hanging out with Street so much that now you're dressing like him," Tan said teasingly as he leaned against the railing beside her.

"Oh hush," she said as she elbowed him jokingly. "I was cold."