.convictions. and BARS [benjamin]

[brandon]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,300,true] It was late afternoon and finally, the job was finished. Brandon grabbed his phone from his pocket as he walked out of the Police Department. His favourite companion was at the top of his speed dial list. “Hey, buddy, just convicted some guy of abusing his wife. But anyway, the point is, I’m bored and I need my B2. Meet me at the bar, ASAP.” Hanging up Brandon walked along the streets. The bar was their usual hangout. Although most of the time it was only because that’s where Brandon ended up after a bad break up and Benjamin had to drag him away before he did something stupid. Of course, Brandon hadn’t been there in a long while, mainly because he hadn’t been through a bad break up in a long while. It was good to be a free man; at least, that’s what he liked to tell himself. In truth he was more or less lying to himself. In a few minutes he was at the bar. Taking his usual seat he waved over the bartender. “Something strong,” he muttered, before grabbing his phone and checking it. Sighing, his features were creased by a frown. “Where are you B2?” Brandon whispered to himself as he waited for both his drink, and his friend. Last time he checked Benjamin hadn’t been doing anything in particular and there was no reason for him to be late. Of course, being Brandon, he did not take into account the time it would take to travel to the bar. Shaking his head with impatience he started on his drink and tried to resist the impulse to call Benjamin again.

[bim]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,315,true] Ben was frustrated. He had the day off work, so he had planned on working on his new book. Thing was, he was at a dead end. Writers block had set in badly, and he was even starting to question if his plot and characters were even any good. He wasn’t sure if it was best to take a break and clear his mind, or just push through it and try and make a breakthrough in his block. His question was answered for him though when he got the text from Brandon. Running his fingers through his hair, Ben let out a sigh before closing his laptop and getting up. The young man spent a few moments clearing up the plates and cups he had used during the course of the morning, before he ducked into his bedroom to find some clothes. Once he was ready, it didn’t take him too long to get to the bar, nor to find his best friend. Sitting down besides Brandon, he grinned. “Hey, sorry, had to get changed.” He nodded at the bar-tender, silently ordering his usual beer.

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[brandon]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,300,true] Turning towards his friend, a large grin spread across Brandon’s face. “Hey buddy,” he greeted the man cheerily. “You took your sweet time,” Brandon added in his usual sarcastic style. Turning back to the bar he took the final sip of his drink. It was strong, definitely. It was exactly what Brandon had been aiming for. After the day he’d had, he needed something strong to drown it all out. He waved the bartender over, nodding slightly. “Hey, can I get another…well, whatever the hell this is?” Brandon grinned and turned back to his friend. Slapping him on the back playfully he eyed the man. “So, what did you get up to today? Certainly could not have been as hectic as my day.” Winking, he moved back and took another sip of the drink that was now in front of him. It was a good way to drown out the annoying hum of the day. Arresting people, while exciting, was not always fun. It was certainly not fun when the person you were trying to arrest points a gun at you. For a detective, his life was a lot more dangerous than one would think.

[bim]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,315,true] Ben rolled his eyes at his best friend’s sarcasm. “Oh you know, I took a leaf out of your book and spent an hour on my hair.” He teased light-heartedly. It was funny, anyone getting upset at Ben for being late. Usually he was annoyingly on time for everything. Ben raised an eyebrow as he was slapped on the back. “My day was okay, wrote some- How many of those have you had?” He tried to keep his tone casual, but he couldn’t mask the fact that he was worried that his friend already seemed a bit... happy, for someone he hadn’t been at the bar for that long. Picking up his own drink, Ben took a sip. Still watching Brandon.

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[brandon]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,300,true] Grinning at the joke, Brandon was glad that his friend was still on the ball with his jokes. “I wondered when you’d start taking my advice,” he shot back. Still, he did worry about his friend. It was strange for his B2 to be late. Usually it was Benjamin that was always on time. It was annoying, especially to Brandon, but he tried to ignore it. Besides, he was used to each and every one of his friend’s strange qualities. They had been friends for years and so far they had put up with each other fine. Brandon was just taking another sip of his drink when his friend asked the question. He swallowed quickly and joked a bit before turning to his friend. “I don’t know. I stopped counting. Besides, what does it matter to you how much I drink? My father certainly never held back.” Raising one eyebrow, he watched his friend nervously. He knew that there were multiple answers to what he had just said and it led him to wonder which of those Ben would voice.

[bim]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,315,true] Ben let out a low sigh. He should have been expecting that sort of an answer from B1. They’d had this conversation a million times before. In fact, Ben was sure Brandon had once told him to stop nagging like he was his wife. That had certainly taken b2 back enough to drop the topic. Clearing his throat, Ben chose his least nagging tone. “You’re not your father Brandon.” He said softly, looking at his best friend for a few minutes with a solemn expression. However, he soon broke that to turn the thing into something of a joke. “Plus, I’m the only who needs to get your drunk ass home if you pass out bro.”

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[brandon]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,300,true] Brandon turned to his best friend. For some reason it was always the two of them. They were always ready to help each other out of anything and everything. When one of them got into trouble – usually B2 – the other was always there to get them out of it. Benjamin always seemed to have an answer for everything, which quite often pissed Brandon off, but made him realise how amazing his best friend was. Throughout his life, his whole family had screwed things up for him, and Benjamin hadn’t. “No, I’m not an idiot like my dad,” Brandon muttered before taking another sip of his drink. He laughed slightly at his friend’s next remark. “When have I ever passed out?” He paused. “Wait, don’t even think about answering that mate.”