AN: Basically, I believe that at some point Ryan and Esposito must've kissed. Because, y'know. My timeline in terms of canon is kind of messed up, because I wanted this to be before they worked in homicide, and yet Espo calls him honey milk. To be honest, it was a weird one shot I wrote because of brain crack so DON'T BLAME ME. Or do. Whatever.

'Dude...dude, I should get you home.' Esposito looked up drunkenly at his best friend, Kevin Ryan, who was staring at him anxiously, a hand outstretched. Esposito raised an eyebrow.

'Bro, you're twice as drunk as me.'

'Prove it.' Ryan sat back down in his bar stool, his blue eyes flashing with determination.

'Fine.' Esposito turned in his chair and squared his shoulders, and they stared each other out, the barman watching them carefully. They were the only two in the bar tonight, although it was rarely busy. It was frequented by cops, and it was one of the most peaceful bars in NYC. The barman was an ex-detective, and he almost pitied Ryan and Esposito. They were young, and naive to the world of policing. Probably single, turning up to bars to wash away the regularity of the beginnings of their lives. He felt bad for them. Felt bad for the days to come, the comrades lost and the friends alienated, and the girlfriends who spent every night wondering if they'd have someone to hold close the next day. He couldn't keep them here any longer.

'Sorry boys, closing the bar early tonight.' They both turned, glowered at the barman, and slipped off their chairs.

'Let's take this outside, bro.'

'Okay...honey milk.'

Ryan turned sharply. 'Not cool, dude.'

Esposito grinned and motioned him outside. They walked home together on the evenings they spent at the bar, and tonight was no exception. Shoulder to shoulder, they began to walk in the crisp city was a silence between them for a while, until they turned onto the corner of Esposito's street.

'I think you're crazy drunk, Javi. I can tell by the eyes.' Esposito turned on his heel.

'Again with the eyes? Bro, we are so close to my flat, and you want to carry on this fight?' Ryan nodded, a smile lighting up his face.

'Fine.' They stood facing each other once again, almost nose to nose as they scrutinised each other's faces, looking for a way to prove who was the drunkest. They were detectives, this was their job. To take in every detail of every face, to observe and to see. Esposito suddenly noticed that Ryan's eyes were a wonderful clear, deep blue, and Ryan marvelled at the delicate, dark eyelashes that framed Esposito's eyes-almost feminine, but not quite. Suddenly, their lips collided, for only a heartbeat, and everything was silent in New York City. They broke it off and stared at each other.

'Woah.'

'Nope.' Simultaneously, they wiped their mouths and turned away from each other.

'Dude...'

'Yeah.'

'Well...' Esposito jerked his thumb towards his building. 'I should go.'

'Okay, we're obviously both reeeeeally drunk.' Ryan turned, and waved goodbye to his partner. 'Oh, and by the way, Esposito-' His friend looked up expectantly from the entrance to his building. '-you're a terrible kisser.