Chapter Text
Happy 40th!! x
Robin sent the text and set her phone aside on her bedside table. An unexpected yawn took her over; she was bone-deep tired but also zinging awake despite not having had any coffee since about three o’clock in the morning.
She went through a rudimentary bedtime routine, knowing she'd sleep longer if she was comfortable and had brushed her teeth. She checked that her newly purchased blackout blinds were snug in the window, shutting out the growing dawn light, and imagined Midge, across town, doing the same. Barclay had arrived prompt at five to relieve them, looking like he hadn't slept himself - "the wean's teethin'" - and the two female detectives had relinquished the surveillance willingly and made their separate ways home to bed. It never ceased to surprise Robin that people were still spilling out of the clubs as she drove home, sandy-eyed and yawning. It seemed it was still Saturday night for the youngsters.
She crawled into bed and shuffled down under the duvet, and reached for her phone again. She was surprised but pleased to see an answering text from Strike. It wasn’t like him to be up this early on a weekend away, but she supposed a night with his uncle Ted and mate Dave Polworth at the Victory Inn for his birthday was hardly likely to have been a lengthy, drunken affair.
It had been Strike’s own idea to spend the weekend of his fortieth birthday in Cornwall, and Robin strongly suspected he’d only arranged it to prevent Ilsa from throwing him a party. They’d enjoyed Nick’s the previous month, but Strike had firmly shut down all suggestions of a repeat performance for his birthday despite having liked seeing old school mates from years ago. Nick had been better at keeping in touch with people than Strike had.
Thanks, his reply read. And thank you for the tickets. How on earth did you get them?
Robin smiled as she tapped her reply. You’re welcome. I had a little help from Nick. Apparently one of your old school mates supports them too?
Robin had managed to secure Champions League tickets for Arsenal’s home match against Borussia Dortmund that coming Wednesday, the closest date to his birthday she could find a home game. With their current cases involving large amounts of overnight surveillance, it had been tricky ensuring he had that night off too and not looking too suspicious about it, given that he’d just had the weekend off for his birthday and they were supposed to be going to the Herberts’ for dinner on Monday evening; she and Pat had been in cahoots over the complexities, making a rota that was fair to everyone and just happened to give their boss the nights off that he needed.
Well, they will be much appreciated. Want to come with me? This last was annotated with a winking emoji, and Robin giggled. Strike knew full well she would be able to think of many, many things she’d rather do on a cold Wednesday evening at the end of November than squeeze into a football stadium with tens of thousands of roaring fans.
It would be a whole evening with her big partner, though. For just a moment she seriously contemplated it, then she shook her head at herself and sent back the text he was expecting.
I’ll pass, thanks. This is why you have guy friends. Take Nick.
She snuggled her head into the pillow, but she didn’t put her phone down, and sure enough an answering text soon popped up.
Shame. Nothing like a baying mob on a weekday night.
A pause, then another text. Why are you still awake?
Robin grinned. I’m trying to sleep, but someone keeps texting me.
Another pause.
Rude. Tell them to sod off.
Robin chuckled. Sod off, Strike. Happy birthday x
Thanks. Night x
Robin set her phone down again and turned over to go to sleep, a smile on her face.