In Sunshine or In Shadow

"It might be embarrassing to say that," said Kieran, whose green eyes looked almost gray.He suddenly shifted his gaze to the small bowl of peanuts placed between the two of them, his golden eyebrows were slightly furrowed at this moment.Obviously, picking the perfect peanut is important.

Rick smiled indulgently.He and Gere are homicide officers and have been partners for five years.If he said that he knew Keir very well, others should understand.Rick knew that Keel liked to eat whole peanuts.He had an annoying habit of picking out the whole ones whenever there was a plate of peanuts in front of him.Rick also knew that Kiel was prone to cranky thoughts.Fortunately, he never brought this habit to work.Keir's intuition and reflexes are good, but after three beers, he becomes morose and starts lecturing on half-baked theories he's learned in college philosophy classes.

Five years is a long time.Rick knew that many marriages ended before five years.

"So, what are you trying to say?" He took a swig from his beer glass, watching Keel over the rim.

Keel gave a slightly sarcastic smile.He picked up a peanut and threw it into his mouth, then chewed it irritably, as if the peanut broke the law and he was caught on the spot.

"I've been thinking about..."

"I told you it's okay, don't think about it."

Keel twitched his lips perfunctorily.

After draining the beer in his glass in one gulp, Rick stood up, "Another glass?" It's Friday night.After working overtime for two weeks without sleep, they finally looked forward to a leisurely weekend.Their old hangout was "Vannus," a police bar with a good selection of drinks and a lot of "Rolling Stones" songs on the jukebox.Here, they can drink with peace of mind, because the guests around are either working in law enforcement agencies, or have worked in law enforcement agencies.In short, this bar can be said to be a safe haven for the police.

Keel raised his eyes and looked at Rick with a strange, unsettling expression.He shook his head, and Rick made a beeline for the bar.Yet Kiel's expression was stuck in his mind, like an annoying finger that kept tapping on his shoulder.

Rick ordered two Harp beers at the bar.He quietly observed his partner while chatting with his homicide colleague Bill Suzuki.

"You guys did a good job on the Martinez case," Suzuki congratulated.

"That is. We are also very happy to be able to send that scum of Oremus in."

"What's wrong with Quinn?"

"Nothing." Rick replied curtly.Although he didn't want to gossip about his partner, he couldn't help but glance at Keel.

Keel is anxious again, his eyes are empty, and he is biting his lower lip.What is he thinking about?This week's work has been going well, and the villain has not been exonerated openly.Tomorrow, Keel's hard-earned two-week vacation starts, what the hell is he bothering about?Rick sighed secretly.Anyway, when he goes back, Keir will definitely tell him everything.

After all, he should be the one upset.This is the first time in three years that they have been on vacation separately.Last week, Keir suddenly announced that he was going to take a leave of absence without prior notice or consultation with him.Not that he had to discuss his vacation plans with Rick, but... they were partners, and good friends.After all, they were the only gays in the Homicide Squad, so it was only natural that they became buddies.When not working, they often get together to do something.

Rick returned to the table with the beaded bottle, stretched out his foot, pulled the chair away, and sat down.Keir seemed to have lost his mind and walked a hundred and eight thousand miles away, and he was taken aback by Rick's actions.Rick eyed Keel, then started pouring into his half-full glass.

"So, what have you been thinking about these days?" he urged.

Keel stares at him blankly, before realizing Rick is referring to something he didn't finish earlier.Rick saw that Keir's expression changed, but he couldn't figure out what he was thinking.He panicked a little.what is happening?

In retrospect, Keel's strange look has been going on for weeks.He's been like that since they took Martinez's case.No wonder, no one likes this kind of case, because the victim is a child after all.Even if this kid is a member of a gangster, he is suspected of being a member of a gangster.But gangsters also have parents.Uh, or most of the cases are single parents.Their mother was the kind of woman who was always at work and never seen.But in this case, the mother was a good woman.Her children are tattooed, stinky and hard-tempered, living at home like strangers.Although she can't control her children, and she can't talk about understanding them, her love for them is beyond doubt.

No, Keir's state was not right before that.Before taking on Martinez's case, his mood had alternated between grumpy, aloof and absent-minded.The anomalous behavior lasted for a month, followed by a sudden vacation.

"Quinn, are you okay?" Rick asked abruptly, "You, um, aren't you sick?"

"Me? I'm fine."

Although his tone sounded reassuring, upon closer inspection, Rick noticed that Keel looked tired.Even though everyone was a little tired on a Friday night, there was something unusual about his tiredness.He has lost weight recently, he is a bamboo pole, and now he is even thinner.There are shadows under his eyes, and those full lips seem to have not smiled in a long time.

That's right, Gere's lips are full and beautiful.That smells great on the lips too.It's funny to think about, everyone tastes in their own unique way...

Rick definitely had no intention of thinking in that direction, however.He and Keir had tried it, and they both felt that relationship was a disaster.

"If there is anything, you will tell me?"

Keel reached for his glass, "Yeah."

Rick picked up his own glass and tilted the rim so the beer ran down the sides of the glass.That's when Keel said, "I'm quitting." Rick almost dropped the bottle on the floor.

"you want……"

"I'm going to resign. Actually, I've already submitted my resignation."

"why?"

Keir shook his head - what does that mean?Too complicated to explain?

Rick switched to an easier question. "When did you pay it?"

"Last week."

"Last week? You're telling me now?"

"I told Captain Friedman that I have a week to think about it."

Rick stares at him first, then he smiles in disbelief. "Are you joking?"

Keel looked at him blankly.

"What the hell is going on? You can't resign!"

Keel actually laughed. "I can't? Want a bet?"

"So you're resigning and taking a vacation?" It seemed safer to catch on to that, since Rick was still digesting other information.

"Hey, I'm entitled to this leave."

"I can not believe it."

"Feel sorry--"

"Sorry? You didn't even discuss it with me!"

Keel gave him a strange look. "I can make my own decisions."

"But we're partners. Let's just say we used to be. Are you trying to pretend that this matter won't affect me?" Rick asked in a low voice. After the shock, all he had left was a growing anger.

"I know. So didn't I tell you? I haven't been with anyone—"

"Ah, I thank you! It's so comforting."

Keel sighed. "Listen to me. I know you are not happy. When I come back from vacation, I will officially leave in two weeks. Let's talk then."

"Talk? I don't want to talk." I want you to withdraw your resignation letter. This is what Rick really thinks.But Gere just looks at him, as if Rick's reaction just confirms something he's been arguing with for a long time.What is it?What is he thinking?

"Then don't talk about it," Keel said quietly. "I don't care what you think anymore."

It's fucking.Both are.WTF?

Rick was really pissed off. "What do you mean? What do you mean you don't care? What do you make me think? What the hell are you doing?"

Keel, however, just looked at his watch and stood up. "I have a flight to catch. See you in two weeks."

As he turned, Rick stood up too.He grabbed Kiel's arm, and Kiel stood still.They were about the same height, but Rick had broader shoulders and a more muscular build.He is calm and low-key by nature, relying on his physique and obvious strength to suppress the murderer when confronting him.But Keir relied on his strength of character.Considering he's been a police officer for five years, that's pretty remarkable.

Rick let go of Keel's arm.He asked, "Where is the plane going? Where are you going?" His voice sounded so painful that even he was a little surprised.

"Ireland," Keel replied.

***

When Rick picked up the phone, he was very drunk.

After Gere leaves, Rick stays in "O'Malley" and continues drinking with the others.After the bar closed, he went home and drank a few more bottles.He hasn't made a few wise decisions recently, and drinking more bottles of wine is probably one of them.He felt that although his bed didn't fly into the air, it was slowly turning in circles.Rick figured that the best way to beat his morning hangover would be to call Gere—and he was pretty dazed to think that.

The phone rang.

"Hello?" At 03:30 in the morning, Keel sounded very awake, like he'd been waiting for Rick's call.Or maybe he's still packing for his mysterious trip to Ireland.Maybe he was getting ready to go out.

Ireland?

"Why go to Ireland?" Rick asked.The bedroom window was open, and the summer night breeze blew through the wind chimes in the foyer, making an eerie jingle.The branches of the old elm were rustled by the blowing.In the distance, cars roared across Interstate 405.Even at 03:30 in the morning, the highways in Los Angeles are still very busy - it doesn't take a second to know that the cars are heading to the airport.

Kyle chuckled, his voice hoarse. "We talked about Ireland."

It was amazing, he was obviously so drunk.But thanks to the low, lustful laughter, Rick's penis actually twitched, and the memory they wanted to erase was also awakened.

He stretched his hand down, but only scratched his belly, "Two old guys, one named Monaghan and the other named Quinn, it seems that going to Ireland is not a surprise."

"Well, no accident," Keir agreed.

"But it was a surprise tonight."

Kiel seemed to ponder Rick's retort, and finally said, "You should have thought of it a long time ago."

"What do you mean?" Rick's voice could not be concealed with anger.Yes, he must have had too much to drink.He's not used to getting drunk because he doesn't like the feeling of being out of control.But he obviously couldn't control himself.

"Because you haven't listened to me well in the past three years, that's why you're surprised today."

"Forget it," Rick said awkwardly, and a picture popped into his head: Keel, in his house...in his bedroom...on his bed.Brown skin, slender and strong body.He leaned toward him, his green eyes wide open under soft golden lashes.Those smiling eyes, those are Irish eyes.

Rick noticed that Gere was silent, so he spoke up, hoping to bring the conversation back to safety. "I heard that Guinness over there is like black silk foaming with milk."

"I'll get you a drink."

"Two cups."

"Stingy. Rick, listen to me..." There was a hint of emotion in Keel's voice, which made Rick a little at a loss. "You're not really leaving, are you?" Rick asked, not this sudden vacation anymore.He understood it himself, and knew that Keel understood it too.

"I'm leaving," Keel said.

They were silent, and Rick heard the hiss of the radio waves and the beating of wind chimes.The crisp and mellow timbre seems to have a hint of Celtic minor.

Rick suddenly changed into a rough accent, and he said briskly, "Two Irish policemen patrolled at night, and stopped halfway for a drink. At this moment, a melon whose head was chopped off , rolled towards them along the curb."

Keir burst out laughing, but he didn't answer.

Rick continued: "Monahan slid that head up, looked at the eyeballs, and said, Damn, that head looks like Murphy. Quinn said, how could it be Murphy What? Murphy is much taller than this thing."

"Say goodnight, motherfucker," Keel said.

"Good night, bastard."