Title: S is for Shadows
Author: stellaluna_
Rating: PG
Pairing: Don/Hawkes
Summary: Written for zekkass.
Disclaimer: None of these are mine. Characters are the property of Anthony Zuiker, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, CBS, and Alliance Atlantis.

***

Somewhere down the street a car backfires, or a truck goes by with a heavy load, and there's a sound like thunder in the room and the windows rattle, and Flack spills his drink before he can stop himself.

"Fuck," he mutters, and shakes vodka off his hand, and he keeps his gaze fixed straight ahead. He's aware that Hawkes is looking at him, but he doesn't turn around. If he ignores the look for long enough, he knows from experience, the moment will pass, and they'll be able to move on. He's done that with enough people by now, on enough different nights, that he should know how near to foolproof the trick is.

After a moment, Hawkes clears his throat, and Flack tenses, thinking that this would be the case, that Hawkes would be just that one person out of everyone to ignore the clear hint, but all he says is, "Let me refill your drink."

Flack nods and holds out the glass, and Hawkes takes it without saying another word. After a minute or two, he comes back and puts the drink in Flack's hand, then sits down beside him. "Always startles me, too," he says. "In my old building, my living room faced an alley, and the trucks went back and forth all day long. I never got used to it, either."

"Hell of a thing," Flack says, and he's pleased when his voice doesn't crack.

"Yeah," Hawkes says in a calm voice. "It is."

Flack wants to tell him that he hasn't always been like this, that he hasn't always jumped and trembled at every little noise, but he's too tired to even try to form the words. "Thanks," he says, instead, and Hawkes just nods, as if he knows what Flack means.

***