Title: He Tricked Ya

Summary: Set after the movie. Baby Herman narrowed his eyes. "I tried to lure ya with money and I'm sure Jessica tried to lure ya with something. So how did Roger convince ya?"

"You're my friend-in-law."

Eddie lazily turned his head to Baby Herman. It's funny how they're now in the shores of Catalina weeks after Roger was proven innocent.

A seagull cawed in the background. "Friend-in-law, huh? Is there something you and Roger ain't telling Jessica?"

"The same thing you and Roger ain't telling Doris, meathead."

Eddie rolled his eyes, turning his eyes back to the sea. "Hey, I don't judge. Alright, friend-in-laws."

Their thoughts briefly go to Roger who's probably burying himself in the sand right now. Or probably digging his way to China. Whatever trouble that would end up Herman or Eddie to rescuing him from.

"I wouldn't have invited you over, pal. If it wasn't for the rabbit," Herman said calmly. To emphasize his point, Herman took a long leisurely draught in his whiskey. Eddie grudgingly averted his eyes.

"You did knock off my stogie for no good reason."

Eddie shrugged, giving him a look that said "Fair enough". He popped a jellybean into his mouth. His personal substitute to alcohol.

"I've been meaning to ask," Herman propped himself on his elbows, "How did Roger convince ya to help him?"

"Hmm?" The sun was already making his mind hazy and all Eddie wanted to do is to settle down comfortably and take a nap.

"I tried to lure ya with money and I'm sure Jessica tried to lure ya with something. So how did Roger convince ya?"

Eddie snorted, his eyes close as he puts his arms on the back of his head. A summer breeze wafted his unbuttoned shirt.

"He didn't convince me. I got stuck with him while he was fooling around."

A silence passed between them. That silence stretched so smugly that Eddie cracked his eyes open.

Lo and behold, Herman was wearing a vindictive smirk that was begging to be removed.

"He tricked ya."

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

But Herman just laughed, finally making himself comfortable in his lounge chair.

Eddie snorted, glad that Herman was finally off his back. Jessica, Doris and Herman's nanny returned with drinks they've bought from the stand, filling the air with chatter.

He closed his eyes.

He tricked ya.

His brows met with annoyance. A fly could travel between Roger's ears. And Herman's saying the rabbit had gotten him hoodwinked? Please. Roger had been able to slip his hand off the handcuff only when it was funny.

But it could have been funny any time. Especially after the Weasels left.

Eddie's closed eyes twitched.

Why only let it be known when they were in a safehouse? When Eddie had gotten himself too involved?

He rubbed his face with a hand, wiping away the silly questions. But the little detective voice called out before Eddie could successfully shut it.

Had it been motive? Or pure dumb luck?

A huge snort interrupted the ladies' conversation. Eddie gave a sheepish look at Doris' disapproval before closing his eyes again.

Because who cares, right?

XOXOXO

"Did you trick me?"

"Huh?"

Levels of irritation rose at those wide blue eyes. Eddie rubbed his face, exhaling loudly through his nose. Without a new case in his hands, Herman's words were like a demon whispering in his sleep: He tricked ya.

Eddie would scoff it off every time those words would echo. Yet the stupid, detective part of him traitorously sided with mental-Herman.

"Back when you first asked for my help." He nailed the rabbit with a stare. "Did you trick me?"

Why fool around when he knew he's a wanted rabbit? Why fool around with handcuffs… when Eddie, himself was kicking him out?

What if, the detective in him pressed, Roger manipulated him into taking his case?

He glowered at the startled expression on Roger's face, his whiskers drooped in confusion. All his senses zeroed into the rabbit's minute reactions, detective mind pinging for truth and lie.

"Tricked ya?" Roger put a yellow-gloved hand on his chest. "Tricked ya?" he asked louder.

"Yes, Ro-"

"Are you calling me a lyre?" he demanded indignantly, suddenly playing a lyre furiously on his office table. "I can never be that un-honest!"

"Dishone-"

"Do you have trombones to pick with me?" his words trembled with hurt. A pair of trombones slid out of his earholes, rabbit ears catching them. Against the cacophony of the lyre, his ears blew through them.

A saxophone appeared by his side and Roger blew a tune that sounds like "Because that sax!"

All while still playing the lyre. And trombones. Badly.

Aspirin, his mind begged against the noise. Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough with the band puns!"

"But they're cymballic!" Roger yelled through the cymbals being clanged by his feet. He grinned. "Get it?"

Eddie began to take a deep breath. The needle of his patience-o-meter hovered slightly away from calming down and pretty much to blowing up. But then Roger leapt for him.

"But still, how could you say that, Eddie?" he inquired, wounded. While also scrambling Eddie like an unwanted squirrel. "I'm a saint! A martyr! An angel by your shoulder!" he cried, using Eddie's face as a footstool.

With a forceful yank, Eddie pried him off his shoulder. Only to be blinded by a glowing band of light around Roger's ears.

"Roger! What the hell is that?!"

"My halo?"

"Well, turn it off!" he yelled as the light seeped into his closed lids.

"Whaaaaat?! I can't hear you! It's too bright!"

With a grunt, Eddie swatted it away. The halo clattered to the floor and dimmed. He pulled Roger by the ears to his eye level.

"Did you or did you not cuffed me to you on purpose?" he growled, all hard-boiled. Talking to Roger is like riding a merry-go-round breaking down. Loud noises, bright lights and too many times going around in circles.

Roger looked at those eyes that meant business. He suddenly drooped with a sigh. Taking this as a sign of compliance, Eddie dropped him back to the table.

"Back then… one thing led to another." Roger shrugged, fiddling with his bow tie. "And before we knew it," Eddie abruptly lurched forward when Roger tugged his hands close. "We're suddenly connected in a way I've never connected with a Joe before," he hushed earnestly.

Eddie reeled back, trying to tug his hands away. First the rabbit's wife, now the rabbit. But Roger held on, being pulled towards him. "It could've been forever," he added, his oblivious stare boring deeply into Eddie's discomforted eyes.

Eddie repressed a shudder, yanking his hands free. "Eurgh!" His chest rose to shout one word, hand already pointing to the door-

Wait.

What was he asking Roger again?

Through the stunned, pissed state of his mind, his eyes locked down on the rabbit again. His mind traveled back to his days before he was a detective.

Misdirection. The common art of all comedians, magicians and pickpocketers.

His eyes narrowed through his burgeoning headache. Was Roger doing this on purpose?

His chest rose with another breath. This time, to calming down. Whatever Roger was doing, he's not going to let it get him.

"Roger," he bit down. "When you first asked for my help," his eyes looked at him clearly for any reaction. "Did you trick me into helping you by cuffing me?" he interrogated.

Roger beamed. "Oh that? Why didn't you say so?"

Eddie bit down a scream. Stupid melodramatic son of a gun with the attention span of Jiminy's nose hair.

Roger wondered why Eddie is rubbing his own temples. "No," he simply said.

A brow rose in Eddie's stoic face. "You didn't trick me?"

Roger shook his head. "Nuh-uh. I would never lie to you, Eddie."

Eddie kept silent. He learned long ago, people often say more when he doesn't respond.

"You didn't help me because I tricked ya," Roger gently reminded. "You helped me because I know the man who helped all those toons," he patted the dusty new clipping memoirs, "is still the man today."

He sat cross-legged on the table. "I just made you remember what you fight for."

Eddie mulled it over. Remembering how Roger stood on the same table, pleading. "P-p-please Eddie. You know there's no justice for toons anymore."

Roger beamed when Eddie met his eyes. "Everybody knows when a toon's in trouble there's only one place to go. Valiant and Valiant," he chirped. He glanced at the dusty end of his brother's work space. Though Eddie's brother is gone, his spirit lingers on.

His chest twinged. But the lines around Eddie's eyes furrowed slightly as he stared at the rabbit. Roger sounded at least sincere.

He dropped his gaze. "You're such a softie, Roger."

The rabbit grinned, tilting his head a little. "Sure I am."

Eddie sighed, chugging down an aspirin for his headache. But at least he banished the demon inside his head. No, Herman. He didn't.

He heavily sat down on his office chair.

Only for a fart to erupt inside the room.

His hand yanked a whoopee cushion from underneath him. His eyes zoomed for Roger, only to see the office door open and no rabbit in sight.

Wait, when did-

But Eddie brushed the questions off, flopping the gag with a laugh.

Author's Notes: Did Roger really manipulated Eddie into helping him? Or did he just appealed to his better nature alone? You decide ;)