Here we are, a Christmas fic with nothing to do with Christmas. I prepared a very cool , very Shawn-ish introduction, but then I talked with my wonderful BFF and my Lassie soul (the knight-like, emotional-but-serious one) kicked in. I planned this story after seeing a Community episode with random, blink-of-the-eye meetings between the characters before they actually meet, and then I decided to do a Psych festive version. It was simple: two of our favorite Psychos meeting each other for the briefest moment and before the real story begins. But actually it became a sort of declaration of hope. Everyone has a place made for him, and the roads to get there can be really weird. Or so now I want to hope.

Well, enough emotional crap. Let's begin.

Shawn and Gus - Eighty Bucks

Burton looked down at the Magnum P.I. Box in his hands, trying to suppress tears.

Eighty dollars. He had spent eighty bucks for that thing. He had not only sneaked away with the brand-new business car, skipped work to go to this absurd fair and turned off the cell, he had even spent half of his week meal-budget for that tight pack of Nerdness. Five DVDs remastered, director's comments and special cut scenes. He didn't even like Magnum P.I. It was, it was.

Oh, hell. It was a Gus thing. Most times he restrained him well. He had successfully been Burton for years, but he was still there. He was in the amateur sci-fi movies lined over his drawer, in the Michael Jackson costume accuratamente/guiltily hidden behind the charity fair sacks. Gus like Gus come right here what's that thing on your head, like Shawn and Gus.

Burton sighed, brushing Tom Selleck's face. He would not come back. It had been six years, he could be everywhere in the world. He was still Gus, but he would not come back.

I'm a late Eighties souvenir.

He sighed again, giving a look around. It was too late to bring the thing back, and anyway it was against Nerd Con Rules. There was no point in bringing it with him either. It was not something he would ever need.

He spotted a bench on his left and walked there. He placed the box on the bench, slowly, carefully, the box with five remastered DVDs and director's comment and special cut scenes, and he was done. He turned.

Burton made his way to the parking. Gus followed grudgingly.

Shawn was strolling along the Vintage-Con outskirts, sipping his Early Lunch Smoothie, when he noted something. Or better, his knee connected with the edge of a bench and he cursed and looking down he noted something placed on it. His eyes widened.

-No. Too cool.-

He took up the box, Magnum's inane flower shirt glimpsing through the packaging. He let a finger sliding along a side. Tight cellophane, greasy-fried film, authenticity badge pinned on the front. Shawn knew a collector's edition when he saw one.

He grinned. Too cool. Just too cool. It was, like, the next best thing beside Val Kilmer becoming president. He slumped on the bench, scrolling the special contents list. If he just thought about who could it'd gone with. Some chips-munching, acne-filled, forty-something geek trying to put it on eBay to buy Green Lantern dolls, or a Mom looking for a gift for his teen brat, or maybe a limp, skinny collector who never caught the magic of Tom Selleck's mustaches. Ah. Intolerable. Tragical.

Even if, they let it there. It had to have been a cool guy after all. One who knew. One who spent a tons of bucks and then gave it to the first guy passing after him. It wouldn't be bad, chatting a bit with that guy.

Shawn held the box with five remastered DVDs and director's comment and special cut scenes. The smoothie was too cold, because his throat suddenly clenched.

-Well, thanks. Man.-