No additional warnings for this scene.
Inspector Nicholas Angel was sincerely considering taking up sport hunting. Right at that moment, he really wanted nothing more in life than to shoot a few swans, or a whole lot of swans, or every damn swan on the planet.
Mr. Staker’s prize flock had run amok, tearing through Sandford’s village square and terrorizing everyone. Nicholas knew they looked very pretty in the pond but the bastards were mean creatures that liked to squawk, shit, and bite. Two children were already on their way to the doctor’s with bloody bill marks on their arms. As he stood next to the fountain with feathers flying and people hollering and his entire police department running around like Keystone Cops, Nicholas tried to resist the urge to start screaming.
“Chief!” Doris’ high pitched yell came from the pub, where a portion of the flock was currently corralled on the little front patio, inhibited from flying away by the low awning. Doris, Tony, Walker and Saxon were holding the beasts at bay. Nicholas spun around and ran for Staker, who was boxing up one swan that Danny physically tackled outside the news shop.
“Pub!” Nicholas yelled. Staker slammed the box shut and sprinted after him as he headed back around to help Doris et al. He saw Danny take off in the opposite direction, following the Andes, who were looking very much like they were going to shoot every swan on sight.
It was two more hours before the entire flock was chased to ground. Staker looked like he was going to faint from exhaustion, and most of Nicholas’ team was right behind him on that score. It was a nice, cool fall day but everyone was dripping sweat and gasping, the Andes of course doing so with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. They walked back to the station, entirely beaten down by events, and Nicholas tried to breathe deeply as his temples throbbed. They all collapsed in the main room, moaning or groaning or cursing and rubbing sore arms where they were all nursing bruised swan marks.
“Paperwork, chief?” Doris wrinkled her face in dismay as she said it. Everyone groaned louder.
Nicholas nodded, rubbing his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. The day was far too long and his nerves were shot. All he wanted was a backrub from Danny, some aspirin, and a good night’s sleep. Everyone stood around, trying not to look like they were just waiting for him to walk out so they could pack up, which he knew was exactly what they would do the minute he left. Even the Andes were lurking in the doorway to their own office, conspicuous in their silence. Danny sat at his desk playing with a pen.
“Right then. Good job everyone.” He stood up straight and nodded to them in general. Danny gave him a “boiyeee” look and smiled, and Nicholas decided to hell with it, his head was hurting and he was going home. “I think any paperwork can wait until morning.”
A small cheer went up as he headed for the door. Nicholas stopped when he felt Danny grab his shirt sleeve. “You okay, then?”
“Just a headache, I’ll be fine.” Nicholas smiled through the pain, feeling himself going light headed from the effort.
“Don’t need anything?”
Nicholas really smiled then, glad to have Danny right there, right then. “Just you.” He leaned over, kissing him on the cheek. “See you at the house.”
It was not until he hit the outer doors of the station that he realized in horror that he just kissed Danny in front of…everyone.