Polar Opposites
Some people found the polar opposites of his partner's personality irritating, or downright unnerving, but Starsky revelled in them.
Hutch could be like sunshine; his smile as bright as golden beams slanting down on sparkling waves. A moment later, his frown would be the approaching storm cloud that you wouldn't want to get caught in.
He could be as solid as a rock blocking your path, unyielding, unforgiving, when the need arose. Or he could be as soft as the gently swaying, feather light leaves of a weeping willow tree; there for all to see but softly accommodating, easy to move past, yielding and forgiving. The former attribute was useful when dealing with hardened criminals that needed to be broken into offering a confession. The latter was the trait that drew children to his partner and made those that were hurting turn towards him for comfort.
Even his eyes didn't escape the duality that was Hutch. They could be cold chips of blue diamond boring into the soul, demanding truth and justice. Many were the times some hard-nosed thug had cracked under the pressure of those silent orbs drilling into him. And yet, they could also be the blue of a summer sky, flooding your soul with warmth and joy as you basked in the glow of his fond regard.
Starsky looked through the window at his restlessly moving partner. Even in sleep, he was moving constantly. Pain etched into his brow and leaking out of his clutching hands.
Hutch's hands were large and strong. And yet so gentle and kind. Usually, they were used to reassure, to calm, to offer comfort or strength. Very occasionally, they were used to restrain. Starsky had grown to love his partner's hands. Strength and reassurance flowed out of them when he was in need himself. And yes, they'd been used to restrain him when he was in danger of stepping over a line they both knew he shouldn't cross. He'd been grateful for that restraint on more than one occasion.
Only twice had they been used as weapons. Once when Hutch had lashed out in bewildered agony as his dreams died along with Gillian. Once they'd been used against a fellow officer who was wounding Starsky with his vituperative words. Then Hutch's hands had been a shield protecting Starsky and he'd been grateful for that too.
Now as he watched his partner as he lay dying, from a plague that needed stopping for more than just Hutch's sake, Starsky knew he needed to be with his partner and touch those hands. It was his turn to give Hutch all the strength, hope, caring, reassurance and love he could to help his best friend keep on fighting.
Hutch knew that their Me and Thee bond meant Starsky wouldn't give up; that he would do his utmost to find a way to bring Callender in in time to save Hutch. But knowing it wasn't the same as feeling it. Hutch needed to feel Starsky's promise through his hands; the vow that he would use every last breath to find a way to save his partner.
It was time to push aside the medical staff's cautions and force them to let him in to see his partner; to see those ice blue summer sky eyes; to sit next to that soft and yielding, unrelenting rock; and hold those strong yet kind hands until Hutch could feel Starsky's hope filling him and giving him the strength to hold on for a cure.