Chapter Text
"Just ask him," Good Cop urged.
"You ask him," Bad Cop insisted in return.
"It was your idea."
"Doesn't mean I want to do it."
"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to do this for once," Good Cop pointed out, his tone noticeably annoyed.
Bad Cop cringed. "But doing that? With him? Why can't you ask him?"
"Oh, fine, you big baby."
"You okay?" Benny asked, poking him in the side. "You don't look like you're paying attention to the TV show."
Good Cop nodded and grinned at him. "Don't worry, Benny. I'm okay. Bad Cop has something to ask you, though."
"Traitor," Bad Cop hissed under his breath.
Benny lifted his brow stoically. "Yeah…?"
Bad Cop let out a sharp breath and then focused on Benny. "Look, would you like to…"
"Yes?"
"To go…"
Benny watched him, waiting patiently for him to finish.
He took a deep breath and finished the question as fast as he could "Go meet my parents in the country?"
"Oh!" Benny's face brightened and he nodded. "Yeah, I'd love to! You really had me worried there. I thought you'd ask…" He shook his head. "Penny's been making weird suggestions again, but whatever."
Bad Cop ignored Good Cop's laughter in the back of his mind and he slipped his hand under his glasses. "I don't even want to know."
"When will we be going to see them?" Benny asked.
"I was thinking next weekend," Good Cop offered.
"So soon?" Benny shrugged. "Sure, why not? For how long?"
"About the same time we were at the astronaut reunion last month," Good Cop said. "Give or take a few days, but we'll see."
"Sounds fun!" He hummed a bit, glancing at the TV before looking at Good Cop again. "Wait, is this a special occasion or something like that? Should I be prepared for something?"
"No," Good Cop answered, laughing. Bad Cop tapped the armrest nervously. "I just figured it'd be... Nice for you to meet them eventually…"
That weekend, they made the long trip to the country, with Benny singing along to 80s songs again and trying to get Bad Cop to sing too. Bad Cop grumbled and halfheartedly sang along, ignoring Benny's annoyed look and insistence that he could do better. Eventually, Benny grew preoccupied with the change of scenery, watching as farmland stretched around. He gasped and pointed out the window.
"Cows!" he laughed.
"Yeah, that's a thing they have here," Bad Cop mumbled.
Sometime later, they pulled into a small town, up to a quaint little house on the edge, and as soon as the keys were pulled from the ignition, Good Cop was out of the car and walking to the front door. An older pair of police officers stepped out to greet him and Good Cop hugged them both.
"Hello Mummy, hello Daddy," Good Cop greeted, planting a kiss on his mom's cheek.
"Good to see you, son," Pa Cop said, reaching up to pat Good Cop on top of his helmet fondly.
Benny stepped out of the car and waved, and Ma and Pa Cop waved back at him.
"Who's your friend?" Ma Cop asked Good Cop, smiling warmly at him.
"My name's Benny," he answered, beaming at them. "I'm a spaceman."
"Nice to meet you," Ma Cop said, pulling Benny into a hug as well. "It's good that Danny's brought home a friend for once."
Benny looked over at Good Cop and squinted. "Danny?"
Bad Cop cleared his throat. "Uh… Mummy, Daddy, why don't you take Benny inside while I get our things."
"Sure thing, son," Pa Cop nodded, leading the way inside
"Danny…?" Benny repeated, scrunching up his face as he was led through the door. As his voice faded, Bad Cop could hear him add "That's such a cute name!"
Bad Cop sighed and went to grab their bags from the trunk again, taking as long as possible. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" he asked his other self.
"Maybe," Good Cop answered. "But maybe not. I'm sure he and our parents will love each other."
"That's not what I'm worried about," Bad Cop thought, scowling as he closed the trunk.
"Then what…?" Good Cop trailed off while Bad Cop stared at the ground. "Oh…" Good Cop hesitated. "You want to tell him, don't you?"
"Are you okay with that?" Bad Cop asked.
"I am. Are you…?"
"I was hoping you could tell him it… You know more about it anyway. It was my fault after all."
Good Cop sighed and shook his head. "It wasn't your fault… But I'll tell him anyway. Just tell me when."
Bad Cop nodded and brought the bags inside. He found his dad and Benny seated at the kitchen table while Ma Cop poured iced tea. Good Cop set down the things and helped pass out the glasses while Ma Cop got a tin of cookies.
"So how did you two meet?" Pa Cop asked Benny.
Benny grinned but glanced nervously across the table at Good Cop for help. Good Cop looked just as awkward and glanced at the ceiling while sipping his tea. "Uh…" Benny shrugged. "I don't know…" he lied. "I have a bad memory."
"At your age?" Ma Cop asked, setting down the cookie tin before sitting down as well.
"I'm… I'm sixty."
"Shoot, son," Pa Cop answered, his eyebrows lifting in surprise. "That's my age. What do they feed you space boys?"
Benny shrugged and smiled instead of answering. "I bet you guys get a great view of the stars at night," he said. "I would have set up my home somewhere out here, but most of my friends live in the city."
"There's a better view out in the field outside of town," Bad Cop answered quickly. "I can show you tonight."
"Tonight?" Good Cop asked. "Then, right?"
"Yes…"
"Sounds great," Benny answered.
"How long will you boys be staying for?" Ma Cop asked. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want." She reached over and pinched Bad Cop's cheek. "You really should visit more often."
Good Cop smiled her. "Bad Cop's actually the one who decided to come visit this time. We'll be staying for a few days or so."
Pa Cop reached for a handful of cookies, but dropped a good number of them when Ma Cop smacked his hand. He bit into a cookie and glanced at Benny and Good Cop. "So… Are you two dating?"
Benny choked on his tea, and he left the glass and drink floating in the air as he turned to the side to clear his airway. Good Cop smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
"No, Daddy, we aren't dating," he told him.
"There's nothing wrong if you are," Pa Cop assured him.
Benny sat up again and shook his head. "No, dating's weird. I don't think I'd date anyone."
"Isn't that what your other self said, Danny?" Ma Cop asked Good Cop.
Bad Cop frowned. "I'm… Too busy with my work to date anyone, Mummy."
"And when you're not busy, you're watching cop dramas or training to go into space with me," Benny added grinning. He glanced at the glass still floating in the air and pulled it down, only for the liquid to remain in place. "Oh, uh… Do you have a straw?"
Ma Cop giggled and got up to get him one and Pa Cop reached over to poke the tea.
"You space boys really are something," Pa Cop mused. "Were you one of the ones on the moon missions, then?"
"Yeah, apparently," Benny nodded. He thanked Ma Cop for the straw and then turned the glass over and swiped it down the floating tea, doing his best to get every drop. He carefully turned the glass upright again and then used the straw to suck up the remaining drops before setting the straw in the glass. He glanced at the others and chuckled nervously. "It's very delicious tea."
Ma Cop giggled and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it, Benny."
Good Cop grinned and grabbed a cookie. "It's going well so far, at least," he thought as he bit into the snack.
"It better stay that way…" Bad Cop replied. "And don't eat too many cookies."
"We're visiting our parents. Certainly this once…"
"No."
He turned his head down to hide his rolling eyes and finished off the cookie before grabbing another.