Disclaimer: I do not own Psych
Five Times Burton Guster Just Needed a Friend
(And one time he could've done without)
I.
"Shawn, will you please listen to me?" Gus insisted, chasing his friend around the apartment and into the bathroom.
"Can't, Gus," Shawn replied, adding more gel to his hair before pushing past Gus and out to his living room. "I've got a big date." He snatched his jacket from where he'd thrown it on the couch and pulled it on, turning to face his friend.
"Shawn-"
"Not now, Gus!" Shawn snapped. He grabbed his keys and headed for the door. "There's a pineapple in the fridge, in case you get hungry," he called out as he left, shutting the door with a bit of a slam; leaving Gus alone and annoyed, with naught but a (half-eaten) pineapple for company.
II.
"Hey, you've reached the offices of Psych. Neither Shawn Spencer nor his side-kick, Magic Head Guster, are available to take your call. Please leave a message at the tone and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Probably before we get the message, since I'm Psychic and all."
Gus sighed and closed his phone, setting it down on the coffee table beside him. He's already tried Shawn's cell, his home phone, his dad, and now the office; no luck anywhere. Why was it that when he needed Shawn, he couldn't get a hold of him, but when he wanted to be left alone, Shawn was constantly around?
It was aggravating.
III.
"Hey, Gus," Juliet called out. "Did the chief call you?"
"No, no," Gus said, shaking his head and shifting his weight as the detective stopped in front of him. "I'm looking for Shawn, have you seen him?"
Juliet shook her head. "Nope, sorry," she said, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder and crossing her arms over her chest. "Have you tried calling him."
"Yeah, I'll do that," Gus said, before turning on his heel and leaving the station as quickly as he could.
IV.
Gus was counting knocks again. A habit he thought he'd grown out of, but he should've guessed it would resurface. Working with Shawn had made nearly all of his old habits show up, why should this one be any different?
He'd reached twenty by the time Henry opened the door.
"Gus?" The man was surprised, Gus didn't blame him. "I thought you and Shawn had a case…"
"I need some advice, Mr. Spencer," Gus said, avoiding the questioning looks his friend's dad was giving him and pushing his way into the house.
"About?"
"I…I want to ask someone out, but I'm not sure how to go about it," Gus stammered. Henry nodded slowly, then gestured to the table.
"Take a seat, Gus, this may take awhile."
V.
"Shawn, I need my car," Gus insisted.
"For what? Your rounds?" Shawn queried. "God, Gus, you have no sense of adventure."
"No, Shawn, really, I need my car, get out." Gus pulled at the door handle, but Shawn had locked himself in, and the window wasn't down far enough for Gus to even try to reach through and unlock it.
"No such luck, Gus, ol' buddy," Shawn said, grinning. "I've got a case."
Gus rolled his eyes. "Why can't you take your bike?"
"I have to look respectable," Shawn replied, the distaste obvious in the tone of his voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" With that, he drove off, leaving a very annoyed Burton Guster standing in the parking lot.
VI.
"You went to my dad for advice?" Shawn asked, doing nothing to hide the indignation in his voice.
"Can we have this conversation later, Shawn?" Gus asked, casting an apologetic glance across the table. "I'm kind of busy right now."
"Gus."
And then, Gus did something he'd wanted to do for years: he hung up, slipped his phone in his pocket, and returned all his attention to the moment at hand.
"Where were we?" he asked.
"A toast, I believe," Juliet replied, raising her glass.
"Ah, yes," Gus said, raising his own glass and tapping it lightly against Juliet's. "To a quiet night," he said, sparing a glance at his buzzing pocket.
Juliet laughed. "I'll drink to that," she said.
