Gus sighed and looked at his watch for what was probably the thirtieth time in half as many minutes. This was getting seriously ridiculous.

“Shawn!” Gus yelled, his patience beginning to wear thin.

“What?” Came Shawn’s rather frantic yelp from behind the closed bathroom door in the Psych office.

“Would you get out of the bathroom already,” Gus said, looking at his watch again even though Shawn couldn’t see him. “You’ve been in there for over half an hour.”

“Have not!” Shawn shouted back, his voice a slightly higher pitch than normal. Gus distinctly heard the sound of him clearing his throat so when he spoke again it was no surprise he sounded more like himself, “When did you start looking at your watch?”

“How did you…?”

“Gus, please don’t embarrass yourself further by asking that question.”

He sounded so overly confident that Gus simply had to retort in the most obvious way possible.

“Well, buddy, I’m not the one who's still getting dressed after half an hour,” Gus said with a smirk, so sure that he’d win this argument that he continued, “you’re taking longer than my last girlfriend.”

He should have known bringing the conversation (argument) in that direction was a bad idea.

“Was that the one with pigtails?”

“She didn’t have pigtails, Shawn.” A scowl was now slowly forming on Gus’s face.

“Oh, I’m sorry you’re right,” Shawn responded, his voice dripping with sincerity, “her wig did.”

“She wasn’t wearing a wig!”

“How hard did you pull to get her hair off then?”

“I didn’t pull her hair off!”

“Maybe not all the way…”

“Get out of the bathroom, Shawn!”

“No.”

Gus took a much needed deep breath, trying to block out the urge to hurt his friend. He spotted the pineapple sitting on the counter in the kitchen and it took a huge amount of self-control not to go over there and dump it in the trash. That would be a waste of his money after all.

“Shawn,” Gus said, his tone slow and collected as he was still trying to resist the urge to strangle his friend as soon as he set foot outside of the bathroom, “why are you still in the bathroom?”

He didn’t receive an answer and his already wearing patience was drawing to an end. Gus pushed himself up from his chair and with slow and calculated steps made his way towards the bathroom door. No sound was heard as he made his way stealthily across the floor, finally able to press one ear against the door. He listened intently, trying to decipher any sound that could give a clue as to why Shawn wasn’t coming out.

“Gus, you look like an idiot.”

The statement caught Gus by surprise and he jumped away from the door, quickly checking his tie to cover for the embarrassing moment.

“How would you know? You can’t see me,” Gus said casually.

“You were standing with your ear against the door,” Shawn answered, a slightly higher pitch noticeable in his voice, “I could hear you breathing.”

“No you couldn’t,” Gus said immediately, certain that Shawn was bluffing, but at the same time inwardly knowing that his friend wasn’t.

“Oh really?”

Gus recognised that as Shawn’s I’m-ready-for-a-challenge tone, which meant it would take even longer to lure him out of the bathroom.

“You’re right,” Gus said without a moment’s hesitation.

“Come again?” Shawn almost sounded disappointed.

Gus smirked and stepped away from the door, walking back and settled in his chair behind his desk once more. He brought the screen on his computer to life and attempted to at least look busy, even though he was watching the bathroom door, waiting for the moment Shawn stepped out. It was pressing on forty minutes now. It was beyond ridiculous.

“Don’t laugh.”

The remark was said so pathetically childishly that Gus didn’t know whether to smile at his friend’s sudden insecurity or laugh at his expense. He ended up going for the first seeing as the door was finally opening.

“That looks uncomfortable,” Gus stated as he look Shawn up and down.

Shawn squirmed on the spot, for once not enjoying the moment of attention at all.

“It rides up in the crotch.”

Gus couldn’t help it. He laughed.

Shawn scowled at him, tucking slightly at the soft, black leather sleeves before looking down at himself, taking in the tight fitting leather pants as well as the leather boots.

“I hate you,” Shawn mumbled half-heartedly before turning and walking towards the exit of the office, the leather creaking slightly as he walked.

“Hey!” Gus called after him, making him stop and turn to look at his friend with his eyebrows raised, clearly waiting for Gus to continue. “Don’t forget the gloves and your helmet. I’m following behind in the car.”

Shawn scowled at him again, but with a defeated sigh he walked back to his desk, opened one of the drawers and drew out a pair of black, fingerless, leather gloves. He waved them before Gus and then proceeded to draw one on at a time, his expression growing more pained by the minute. In the end he turned to look at Gus with a clear, “Happy?” written all over his face. Gus smirked and nodded once. Shawn glared at him, picked up his helmet and headed out of the office, leaving Gus to quickly gather his keys before following him.

By the time Gus had locked the office Shawn had already straddled his bike and put on his helmet. Gus watched as his friend flexed his fingers in the gloves as though testing the unfamiliar feel of them. Shawn looked down at himself once more, no doubt taking in the diagonal zip on the jacket which clung tightly to him. His shoulders slumped slightly before he finally turned the key and the motorbike came to life underneath him.

As Shawn pulled away, Gus hurried towards the Echo to follow him as quickly as possible. He wanted to make sure Shawn went all the way through with his dare. After all, Shawn was the one who’d wanted to play truth or dare, but he probably hadn’t expected Gus to challenge him to go the all-leather look and walk into the police station.

Gus parked the car outside the police station, immediately spotting Shawn sitting on his motorbike waiting either impatiently or obediently for him. Gus wasn’t sure which but knowing Shawn it was more likely it was the first.

“Ready to go?” Gus asked needlessly as Shawn stepped off the bike, helmet in hand, and headed towards the steps of the station, Gus following behind.

Shawn paused before the door, briefly looking at Gus before his jaw set determinedly and he pushed the door open and headed inside.

They entered the bullpen, spotting Juliet and Lassiter instantly. Both were working by their desks, actually looking incredibly bored. When Shawn’s steps faltered, Gus gave him a determined shove forwards which Shawn returned with yet another glare. It worked, however, and he was soon walking without Gus’s assistance towards Juliet’s desk.

“Hey, Jules,” Shawn said, clearly trying to sound as nonchalant as he usually did.

“Hi, Sha…” Juliet’s voice faltered as she looked up from her computer screen and actually took in the sight before her.

Gus hung back, not wanting to disturb the moment. A slow blush was creeping into Juliet’s cheeks as she looked at Shawn, her eyes glued to his body, her mouth slightly agape. Gus had no doubt in his mind that it wouldn’t be long now before it dawned on Shawn exactly how the dare could play to his advantage. As a smile appeared on both Shawn and Juliet’s faces, Gus turned around and headed back out of the station, a smile playing on his own lips.

He’d done his part – set the plan in motion. It looked to be working perfectly.