Title: Idle Conversation with Southern Gentlemen
By: goosie
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: David Hodges/Bobby Dawson
Warnings: Certain stereotypes about Georgians.
Status: 33 of 50 (csi50 challenge)
Summary: David Hodges' first shift at the Clark County crime lab is over and he needs a ride home.
So you don't know were you're going, and you wanna talk
And you feel like you're going where you've been before
You tell anyone who'll listen but you feel ignored
Nothing's really making any sense at all
Let's talk, let's talk
Let's talk, let's talk
Talk - Coldplay
When David Hodges fled Los Angeles for Las Vegas he'd left behind just about everything he owned including his car. He really hadn't thought much of it at the time. One didn't tend to worry about much when they were fleeing except... fleeing. However, this ignorant bliss only lasted up until the end of his first day of work at the Clark County crime lab and he found himself standing outside the building huddled under its entrance trying his damnedest not to get rained on.
Apparently he had left his umbrella in L.A. as well.
He'd been so focused on the task of listing all the useful things he'd left in his former apartment he'd have to replace, he hadn't even noticed the man standing in from of him. Or that this man had apparently been talking to him.
"Hey!"
When he looked up he found the grinning face of the graveyard shift's ballistics technician, Bobby Dawson. He'd been introduced to the tech at the beginning of his shift. The blond had been one of the more friendly people he'd met so far. He'd introduced himself with a handshake and a warm smile and warned David to stay as far away as possible from the break room fridge.
"You know that blood the boss man took from you earlier? He keeps it in there. I think he's got a colony of vampire aphids or something in his office he feeds it to."
David had blanched at the mere idea causing Bobby to smile wider and elbow him in the arm.
"Oh and besides, Greg's egg loaf is in there. That's stuff gets a bit volatile after two months and I'm pretty sure it's been four."
David remembered just staring after Bobby as he walked out and inching a little further away from that fridge. Things had been so busy last night he hadn't run into other tech since then.
"David Hodges, right?"
David stood up a little straighter at the sound of his own name and tried to paint on at least some semblance of a friendly expression. He was the new guy and it was best not to make any bad impressions just yet. When he'd left L.A. he'd promised himself that he'd be more sociable and less caustic. "Nice, nice," and Gentle, gentle," had become his new mantras. Even if most everyone last night had pissed him off by constantly referring to him as "The New Guy" and not even bothering to try and learn his name. He'd taken the time to learn theirs.
"Dawson, right?"
"Yeah, but Bobby'll do just fine though."
The other man's voice carried a bit as he tried to make himself heard over the sound of the rain. It was pouring out and still didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon. Great, just great—he must look like an idiot huddled up at the door like some rain fearing cat.
"Hey, we could share ‘til you get to your car if you want." The ballistics tech said as he shifted his umbrella in David's direction. "It's plenty big enough for the both of us."
David had been so surprised by the gesture that he'd ended up tripping on his own words.
"I... wha... no... no, I'm fine. I'll be fine. This can't last too much longer anyway, right?" David said, shrugging off the offer.
"Famous last words." The blond laughed. "Now, c'mon, if you're anything like me, you're dog tired and ready to head home and hit the sack."
The man did have a point, but that didn't mean David was going to take him up on his offer. He'd have to be at the very least shoulder to shoulder with Bobby for both of them to fit under the umbrella. And that would just be... awkward. David's distress apparently hadn't gone unnoticed because before he knew it, the blond was rolling his eyes, grabbing on to his arm and dragging him forward.
"I see you're the stubborn type." Bobby said cutting his eyes in the other man's direction and smiling.
By the time David had gotten his bearings again they were already too far away from the relatively dry safety of the lab entrance for him to make a graceful retreat backwards. It would be kind of difficult anyway with the other man's arm draped around him and the hand on his shoulder. Bobby ensured that the two of them stayed under the protection of the umbrella (which turned out to be barely big enough to cover the two grown men) as they shuffled through the parking lot. In any other situation David would probably be sprinting back through the rain like an idiot and definitely offending the other man.
"Couldn't have that," he thought bitterly.
"Look, Dawson," he tried, forcing his voice not to sound as annoyed as he felt.
"Bobby." The other man corrected.
"Alright, Bobby," David amended. "I appreciate the offer and all, but, I don't have a car for you to lead me to."
"Well, why didn't you just say so?" Bobby half laughed. "I'd be more than happy to drive you home."
Okay, that hadn't gone how he'd planned at all.
"No, you don't have to do that. I was just going to call a cab and..."
"At this time of morning? Do you know how bad traffic probably is by now? It'd be forever ‘fore the guy even made it through that mess to even get to you, let alone get you home."
Yet another point in Bobby's favor—David was appalled. How he was continuously being out-smarted by a man with an accent like that?
Bobby snorted and David nearly stumbled out from under the umbrella into the rain when the ballistics tech stopped dead in his tracks.
Oh... he'd said that last bit out loud hadn't he? Damn. If the hand that grabbed his collar and yanked him back under the umbrella was any indication, maybe he hadn't completely alienated the other man.
"So I take it you're gonna need that ride, right?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure."
"Good. My car's right over here."
David stared down the SUV with an odd sort of trepidation. It was one thing to be nice and polite (or his unique version of it) when he was giving out results in the lab. It was a completely different thing when confined in a small space with a pushy bullet tech.
He sighed softly. He couldn't turn and run now. That would be... rude. David rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry none Dave, we southern folk aren't too bad behind the wheel," Bobby winked at him. "I promise to get you home in one piece."
The man had obviously been taking a jab at him for his earlier comment. Perhaps Mr. Dawson wasn't as sweet and innocent as he appeared. Though, the fact that the man had opened the door for him and even held the umbrella until he got in was making him think twice.
~oo0oo~
"So you transferred from L.A. right?"
He should've known he wouldn't make it through this ride without having to make conversation. "Yeah, the powers that be weren't too happy with me out there."
As soon as the words left his mouth he could've slammed his head straight into the dash board. The damned seatbelt probably would have stopped him though. And then Bobby would've thought he was some deranged psycho and put him out the truck... in the rain... without his barely big enough for two grown men but perfect for one grown man umbrella. So it was best he not inflict bodily harm on himself, well not right now anyway, so he just opted for clearing his throat.
"Well, it's not like it was this huge deal." David blurted before he could stop himself.
"Hm. Yeah, sure. I'm thinking y'just pissed off your boss with that mouth o' yours." Bobby grinned at him.
Hence why he hated being in enclosed spaces with anyone for an extended period of time. He had this annoying tendency to talk about things he didn't want to talk about when the silences got to be too oppressive—that and tapping his fingers absent-mindedly.
"How about this..." David said stuffing his twitching fingers under his arms. "Let's not talk about me," he groused, shifting in his seat.
"Alright, that's cool. Besides, I'll have plenty of time to bug you in the lab."
"Oh, so we are going to talk." Bobby said reaching for the volume on radio again.
"I recall saying that we were done talking about me, not you."
"Ah. Okay then," Bobby nodded. "I'm from Georgia."
"Hmm." David donned the smirk he'd been saving since he'd first came through the door of the Clark County labs.
"And it's Bobby." The blond cut his eyes in the smirking man's direction. "Why?"
"Oh, it's just I thought that all good little southern boys listened to country music."
Bobby snorted at that. "I listen to some country. I just happen to like R&B more."
"Ah."
"What?"
"Nothing." David smirked.
"You aren't from L.A. are you? Y'know like born and raised?" Bobby asked eyeing the other man.
"How can you tell?"
"You just don't seem like your from L.A. is all."
"Well, why not?"
"I'm just saying you don't act like you were raised there."
"You know a lot of folks from California, Dawson?"
The ballistics tech sighed yet again as David Hodges continued to refer to him by his surname. "No. It's just... I don't know. I can tell. I mean, people out there don't just blurt out anything that comes in their head do they? I mean that was your problem in the first place right?"
David's eyes widened at the remark. Well, damn.
Bobby turned to him noting his shocked appearance with a chuckle. "Well don't look like that. I don't think it's a bad thing. I mean, it's a good thing actually. At least I don't ever have to wonder what you're thinking about me."
David covered his previous moment of weakness with a feeble chuckle of his own. "Why would I be thinking about you anyway, Georgia-boy?"
"I dunno. You might."
David Hodges decided to ignore that grin.
The rest of the ride back to his apartment turned out not nearly as torturous as the beginning had been.
"You know, Dave. I don't think you got anything to worry about. I think you're gonna make out just fine. Just be yourself. The others will just have to get used to you."
For once David Hodges didn't have anything to say. It was like a weight had been lifted. He just watched from underneath the other man's barely big enough for two umbrella as Bobby Dawson pulled off, heading to his own home and his own bed.
David grinned easily.
Maybe he would be just fine.
