He Didn't Have Time to Shave This Morning

Author's Note: Working off this writing prompt for Week 1 of Febressuary 2022. The title is a variation of the prompt given.

Let me know what you think.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

"Oh, uh, wow, that's different," Aram said as he watched Ressler walk into the post office in a heavy down coat and an untamed beard.

"I left as soon as I got the call," he said cutting short any comments Aram had.

"You certainly look different with facial hair, good, in that rugged back-country sort of way but…different," Aram said as he watched Ressler take off his heavy coat and throw it over a chair and stand there in a navy Henley shirt and old jeans. "You enjoyed your time at your cabin?"

"Yeah," Ressler said as he came around the back of Aram. "And I hope to get back there for the last few days I have of vacation."

"You're by yourself up there?" Aram asked him, intrigued by Ressler's personal life. They had known each other for a few years but Ressler had always kept information about his personal life personal.

"Yeah, why?" Ressler asked, slightly annoyed.

"Just asking if you have to get back because someone is currently abandoned in a remote cabin in the winter without a car," Aram explained with a slight chuckle.

"Where are Keen and Samar?" Ressler asked as he looked up at the intel posted on the screen at the front of the room.

"With Cooper they should be down any minute," Aram said as he looked at Ressler still amazed at how different he looked from the normal clean-shaven suit-wearing guy he saw every day. "It doesn't scare you being so remote and alone…if anything happened…?"

"No, I like it," Ressler said absently as he reached for a file sitting on Aram's desk. "I need to get away from all this sometimes."

"From work?" Aram asked, intrigued as he heard Cooper's door open, and they both looked up to see a pregnant Liz carefully navigating the stairs down from Cooper's office.

"From a lot of things," Ressler said under his breath as he watched Liz.

Aram swallowed hard. Ressler had recently been tasked with catching Liz, he'd saved her life, and she had come back pregnant and trying to make a fresh start with Tom. Ressler made no apologies for not liking her husband. Aram and everyone knew he thought Liz was making the wrong choice but Ressler, to his credit, kept those views mainly to himself.

"Oh my god I thought you were a consultant or one of Reddington's people," Liz laughed as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Look at you!"

Her hand immediately went for Ressler's chin, and with one hand she massaged down the side of his face and his chin as he turned a soft shade of red. She smiled at him, and, to Aram, the gesture seemed a little more intimate than he would have thought they would have been with each other. Sure, they were friends, but this was something else; her ease with touching him was surprising. Ressler letting her touch him this way was equally surprising. They were softly smiling at each other like Aram and everyone else around them wasn't there, and for a moment Aram felt uncomfortable observing this intimate interaction that seemed to indicate there was more to Liz and Ressler than anyone seemed to know. Then the moment ended, and Ressler stepped back from Liz.

"I didn't have time to shave this morning before I left," Ressler said, pulling back and stepping to the other side of Aram, making it clear he was done with Liz touching his face and beard.

"All I can picture is you chopping wood right now," Liz smiled at him, her face now red as well. "I've never seen you this rugged before."

"Well, you know me from work," Ressler said, absently not meeting her eyes and looking for a paper on the desk beside Aram.

Aram saw the look on Liz's face when Ressler made that cool comment. It seemed to sting. She seemed genuinely hurt that Ressler was creating physical and emotional distance between them.

"And now I know this Ressler," Liz said quietly as she eyed him carefully; she was hurt but his curtness and coolness toward her.

Ressler nodded and said nothing in return, pretending to be engrossed in the file he was looking at, but Aram knew he was just trying to not talk to her.

"I tried to convince Cooper not to call you," Liz said, trying to bridge whatever chasm had formed between them that Aram currently found himself physically and emotionally in the middle of.

"No, he was right to call me," Ressler said looking up at the screen and avoiding her eyes. "I know this case better than anyone."

"But still, you were on vacation…" Liz said stepping around Aram and toward Ressler, coming up on the other side of him and placing a hand on his back. Aram could tell that she was desperately trying to fix whatever was broken between them.

Aram caught Ressler's flinch when she touched him, and Liz immediately pulled her hand back.

"I said, it's fine Liz," Ressler said quietly. "Let's get to work so I can go back."

Aram watched Liz swallow hard and nod as Samar and Cooper came to the bottom of the stairs as well.

"Hello mountain man," Samar smiled at him.

Ressler smiled back, happy she was not holding their one-night stand and firing against him anymore. It had been over a month since then.

"Wow, you look like you could be living in yurt the Himalayas," Cooper chuckled. "Sorry, we called you in, but…"

"I know the case best," Ressler nodded, all business.

"You do," Cooper smiled at him. "Let's get to work people so Paul Bunyan here can get back to his cabin."

Everyone chuckled but Liz, she just watched Ressler; concerned and a little heartbroken that what had started between them had come to an abrupt end. He was still obviously hurt by her actions and choices and trying to get to a place where he wasn't anymore.

The end.

I sooo wanted Liz to see bearded Ressler because I know that she would love it. So, I gave her a chance here. Let me know what you think.