Title: Opponents
Author: sarcasticsra
Summary: One-upmanship. Fighting. Absolutely no losing.
Pairing: Ecklie/Hodges
Claim: Conrad Ecklie
Fandom: CSI: Vegas
Theme: Set one, theme #2: forensics.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: [Insert witty/sarcastic disclaimer here that otherwise says I own squat.]
Author's Notes: Thanks for the beta, Kelly.

They’re opponents.

It’s a debate of manipulation, an argument over control. Conrad has the deft ability to use his words to distract without ever speaking an untruth; David has mastered the art of cutting sarcasm that has lesser men running in fear.

Conrad’s words are sly and pretty, full of promise if only you’ll just look over there; subtly they coil around you, trapping you before you know what you’ve gotten yourself into. The verbal sleight of hand tricks and stuns most, confuses others, and frustrates the rest.

David manages to avoid his entrapments, somehow, and uses his own words as weapons. He isn’t quite as masterful at subtlety, but the caustic barbs he always deploys are enough to disrupt the slow, sickening swirl of slick speech as it tempts and tries to ensnare.

It’s a matter of one-upmanship, warfare consisting only of language. They tread the edge precariously, stuck in a stalemate, neither daring to push the other off lest they fall themselves.

They meet each other at every turn, each disarming barb meeting more acerbic wit, and as much as they don’t get ahead, they refuse to fall behind as well. Losing is just not an option; it never has been and never will be.

The only thing more dangerous than their verbal battle is their nonverbal one.

When words fail there is nothing but silence as the two rivals continue their game, their struggle, their war, using smoldering looks, scorching touches, and searing kisses as their artillery. A hard kiss on a jaw line, a small bite on a collar, a teasing tongue against sensitive skin—these are all unfair tactics, but fair has long since become a fanciful notion to be saved for story time. It has no place in this competition.

The ragged breaths that fill the air eventually become more regular, and a long silence stretches between them. They look at each other and know that it’s another tie, another stalemate, another reason to keep fighting.

Silky, deceptive words come back to Conrad not a moment before bitter sarcasm returns to David. Their combat defaults back to language; it returns to sneers and flowery phrases. Entrapment, avoidance, attack—the pattern continues.

They’re opponents. To lose is unacceptable.

To win, though, is just as unappealing.

The fight is what keeps them going.

-End