Cut and Run 1 - Cut and Run

as he rubbed his chest where Zane's class ring had thumped against his sternum.
    "I must be out of practice. You're the first partner I've had in a long time,” Zane said, trying not to think about the last one. A real partner. Not an assigned one.
    "Pft,” Ty responded with a roll of his eyes and another yawn he tried and failed to repress.
    Zane halted the car at a stoplight and turned his chin, eyes glancing over Ty. His eyes were sunken and dull, and he still looked exhausted. “You need some more rest?” he asked. “Won't be able to concentrate for shit if you're tired."
    "You worry about your own self,” Ty griped.
    He thought some of the sharpness hadn't returned to Ty's voice, so Zane didn't push. Seeing a sign for a diner, he turned the corner and parked in a Police Only space on the side of the street. “Food,” he said happily.
    "What the hell?” Ty muttered as he stared out at the diner. “Can't you eat stale bagels and shit like normal people?"
    "We all have our vices. You want to eat a stale bagel and brighten your oh-so-lovely disposition with constipation, be my guest,” Zane invited as he got out of the car.
    "Kiss my ass,” Ty shot back as he sat in the seat and huffed.
    "Maybe after breakfast,” Zane answered with saccharine sweetness as he shut the door and walked toward the diner, lighting up and pausing just around the corner to smoke.
    After a couple minutes, Ty got his holster redone correctly and his jacket collar straightened, and he trudged after Zane into the greasy spoon. “I think I just got heartburn by osmosis,” he grumbled as he sat down opposite Zane. He didn't trust New York eateries as far as he could fling one.
    Zane ignored him, looking over the menu with a content expression. “Mmmmm. Waffles,” he murmured, giving them proper consideration.
    Ty just rolled his eyes and waved his hand at the waitress. “Eggs, bacon,” he ordered. “And my idiot friend here would like a stale bagel,” he said with a wave of his hand at Zane.
    The waitress raised her eyebrow and looked over at Zane questioningly, who just rolled his eyes. “Waffles and sausage links. And orange juice.” The waitress nodded, chewing her gum, and took off after making note of their orders.
    "I appear to be moving up in the world,” Zane pointed out, deliberately prodding at Ty all he could while the man was tired and not as snappy with the comeback as yesterday.
    "By being an idiot?” Ty asked with a tilt of his head. “Yeah, I suppose that is a step up from your usual state."
    "Better than a prickly ass,” Zane commented, turning his head to look out the window.
    "Other than the little bit of buckshot still left in it, my ass is perfectly smooth, I'll have you know,” Ty replied easily.
    "I hope so, since I'm supposed to kiss it after breakfast,” Zane said facetiously as the waitress arrived with his drink.
    "I don't do that before lunch,” Ty cautioned. “Can I have an orange juice, please?” he asked the waitress with a brilliant smile that fell back into a tired frown immediately after she turned away.
    Seeing the wide-spectrum mood shift on Ty's face, Zane let the odd moment of teasing die and instead watched MSNBC on the television over Ty's shoulder.
    "See? I can be nice,” Ty pointed out as they sat there.
    Zane's eyes shifted to Ty, and he nodded. “Yeah. I'm only a little suspicious of what you're going to want, but nice is good. For a change. Occasionally."
    Ty sat there looking at him for a long moment, face expressionless. “Shut up,” he finally muttered.
    Lips twitching, Zane did, until the waitress came over with their food. He thanked her politely.
    "So, aside from being annoying and shaving every four hours, what is it you do, exactly?” Ty asked Zane as he picked up a piece of bacon and crunched into it.
    "I just finished six months in a stock market brokerage's computers,” Zane answered evenly.
    "Is that a euphemism for Hell?” Ty asked seriously.
    "Very nearly,” Zane said, voice dark. “I have new respect for the nice, plain insanity of terrorists after those cyber freak bastards."
    Ty hummed noncommittally and crunched another piece of bacon, finally waking up some more and shaking off the last of the exhaustion. “What'd you come up with last night, anyway?” he asked finally. “Did I ask you that?"
    Zane smiled a little. “Yeah. And the answer was noth—” The smile fell off his face as his eyes focused totally over Ty's shoulder, and without