Discalimer: I don't own them, and this is just for fun.
Notes: Enjoy the story and please send feedback.
Overworked and Under Appreciated
The bar was smoky, packed with people and so loud that you had to yell for the person next to you could hear. Yep, an overall great hangout. Hobbes leaned over the bar and yelled the order for two drinks to the bartender, who nodded in response. Two large men and one woman were watching him from the corner and he nodded to them. They smiled and went back to their own business, obviously the "secret" security of this place, blending in to not be noticed. He saw them every Wednesday night when he came here. Oh yeah, he was a regular.
His drinks arrived, filled to the rim, and he grabbed them, knowing they would be put on his tab. He walked, careful not to trip on anything that might be lying around. His hands dipped and twisted expertly away from moving bodies without spilling a drop, and he finally arrived at his destination; a booth tucked away in the corner.
He carefully placed his drinks on the coasters and took his seat, glancing around for any suspicious looking people. Not finding any at the moment he turned to look at his companion for this evening, and every other Wednesday night he came here.
"So, I feel like ripping somebody's esophagus out and feeding it to my fish."
"You have fish?"
"No, but if I did they'd be piranha's."
"I see. Again huh?"
"Are you kidding me? It never ends! With any of them! I mean, what the hell do they want? I get up every morning, after nights with practically no sleep, I go to work and actually try to be nice and the first thing that comes out of their mouths never begins like "Good morning Hobbes." No they prefer the where the hell have you been? Or, why weren't you here sooner, or quit being an idiot, or hey it's lithium Bob…" He took a gulp of his drink and growled at the memories. "One of these days I swear I'm just gonna leave, become one of those private eye type people."
"You'll never leave for that and you know it. You're to good at your job, you couldn't stand to be away."
"Yeah I know, but sometimes it just gets under my skin."
"Tell me about it."
"So, what happened this time?" Hobbes looked at the man across from him and grinned slightly. These were great meetings, better than any psychiatrists he'd ever paid.
"You know that meeting we had Monday morning?"
"Oh yeah."
"Well, I got called in for five that morning, just to organize the damn thing. Then the big man comes strolling in at seven, sits down, does all the talking, pretty much ignores me throughout the whole thing and then says that I don't matter! What the hell is with that, huh? Without me the place would probably fall apart in confusion. I do everything there!"
"You do, and don't think I never appreciate it."
"No, I know you know what it's like. Hell, we put up with the same BS every day!"
"Tell me about it. Then there's Fawkes. God I could kick him in the head sometimes. Do you have any idea how many times I end up draggin' him out of the path of on coming traffic? I swear the guy didn't grow up around roads, the way he runs around them. Then he goes around turnin'..." Hobbes paused thinking about how he should phrase that in public. "Turnin' that way he does." Eberts nodded knowingly. "And he runs off without telling me what the hell he's planning with the bad guys. I have to figure all that crap out and save his butt in the process. Then I get back to the Office and the boss yells at me for not being more careful with him! So it's my fault that I got a partner who seems to have a problem with the whole "partnership" aspect of the deal! What the hell is that?"
"Yeah, I noticed that. The guy marches around all high and mighty because he's the one with the gland, like we were put there to serve him." Eberts took a rather large swig from his glass. "The big man does it too. Acts like he rules the world sometimes. "Eberts, get me coffee. Eberts, where are the paper clips? Eberts, why aren't the phones working?" How am I supposed to know why the phones aren't working? I'm busy looking up all the "secret" files, and organizing case information, and digging into leads for possible jobs. It ain't easy!"
"I hear ya." They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, thoroughly enjoying their little talk. Eberts smiled suddenly, looking pleased with himself.
"What?" Hobbes questioned.
"I was just thinking what they'd do if we didn't show up to work for a few days."
"Heh, probably sit around and wait for us to show up so they could get something done." They smiled at the mental image.
"But," Hobbes continued. "I have to give the kid credit, he's catching on quick. He's smart to, even if he's lazy and thinks he's done all the work by putting the given information together."
"You know, you should take him on one of your information gathering rounds. Show him what he's missing."
"Nah. The kid goes through enough with the whole gland thing and being forced to work with us. Dragging him around at all hours of the night on possible leads will definitely not improve his view on us."
"Yeah, but it might give him a little more of an outlook into an agents life."
"It ain't going to happen. I'd appreciate it if you didn't let him in on that too. Don't want him feeling guilty over stuff that ain't his problem."
"You're to kind. I seriously think he's softened you up. Longest partner you ever had right?"
"Yep. Gotta give him credit for puttin' up with me."
"Maybe I'll make him a medal or something. The Official would get a kick out of that."
"Yeah. Well, I think that man should relax a little more. He's always so uptight about the smallest things."
"So you think." Hobbes looked up at Eberts's grinning face before Eberts continued. "That guy has one hell of a sense of humor. Do not get on his bad side."
"Too late."
"Well, I'll put in a good word. He does listen to me sometimes."
"Yeah. I still remembered what you two did to Peroskie." Eberts laughed.
"That was priceless. He'll think twice about messing with us again.
"Here, here." Hobbes replied and they downed the rest of their drinks in salute. Hobbes grinned again.
"We better be off. You'll want to get a good nights sleep so you can be in the office on time to catch that soap you guys watch." Eberts looked surprised
"How did you…" He looked at Hobbes who raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you're an agent, you know everything. Yadda yadda." The two men stood and pulled on their jackets. They felt one hell of a lot better now that they'd had their little complaint session of the week. Yeah, that's what Hobbes called it; the time when they blew off steam. Who would have thought that he and Eberts had stuff in common? They nodded a good bye to several people and headed into the night's humid air.
Pausing on the sidewalk a moment, nodding a silent thanks, and then headed to their cars. Tomorrow they'd act as though this never occurred, and they'd count the days to their next meeting. Wednesdays were definitely one of the best days in the week.
End