Title: Playing the game
Fandom: Mad Men
Characters: Don/Joan, Pete
Rating: T
Summary: Detective Don Draper has a bad, bad day.
Word Count: 419
Prompt: hardboiled detective AU
Warning: Ok, mention of sex and violence. Oh and swearing.
It was a normal day. Some bad guys had commited a crime and some good guys had payed for it. A day like everyday. Detective Don Draper hates his job from time to time. Ok, he hates his job every fucking day. He plays every damn day a game he could never win. Not against the mafia. Not against all the crime.
He takes a sip from his scotch and looks next to him. His partner Peter looks satisfied. Don has now for a long time the suspicion that Peter works for the mafia. One day he came with better suits and his arrogant look becomes even more arrogant. Don could never prove it. He knows that working for the mafia was attractive. The tons and tons of money and connections. It was so damn easy to say yes and close your eyes when another crime was commited. Maybe he should say yes. He broke every single rule of policework to get the bad guys into prison and never succeeded in the end. All he got was a suspension and the hint to play the games by the rules when he wants to stay a detective.
"You look tired, honey." Joan, the lovely lady who owns the bar stays in front of him.
"Maybe because I am tired."
Joan looks at Peter, who still drinks his Scotch with a satisfied look in his eyes.
"He looks better, honey."
Don just smiles weakly and orders another drink. When he looks at Peter, Peter shakes his head.
"Not for me. My wife is awaiting me."
His wife. Don knows that Peter was a good guest in one of the many guesthouses the mafia owns. Rumor said he preferes blond.
Don just nods and looks after him when Peter leaves the bar.
"Your drink, chérie." Joan smiles. "Want to talk?"
Don shakes his head again.
"Want to fuck?" Joan looks at him with that special expression in her eyes. Don does not answer but they both knows that they would fuck. Don would stay in the bar until it closes and would follow Joan in her tiny little appartment. They would pretend they care for each other and the next morning he would be gone and would again fight against all the crap in the streets. He had nothing else he could do. He would play this game that has no rules until he would die in it. And after nights with Joan he felt at least that it was worth it.
