Now, this one came to my mind and I thought, why not give it a try?
It's an offspring of the Copper-verse, a little something about Stephen and Randy being partners and, you know, the attraction between them. Will be a two or three part fiction, not sure yet.
It has nothing to do with Tainted and Twisted, totally different style and mood in here.
Maybe you'll like it nevertheless :)
Enjoy, everybody!
And: Hope it can lighten your mood a bit, Sunshine :-*
… homo… queer…
Fag.
Pervert. Sick.
… don't let him get close to your ass…
… if he comes too close just say a word and we'll remind him to keep his dirty hands to himself…
Voices, hushed, urge him and heads, nodding subtly yes to make him agree.
His eyes… finding a person on the other side of the room, sitting in his office. Grey eyes that meet his. Now sharp, clear and knowing eyes. Yet with a gaze so gentle. Eyes which belong to a man who no one wants to be partnered up with. A man who openly admits to be gay.
The man who has just been named to be his new partner.
A smile, so soft. A smile as soft… on his own lips.
Special… a small voice makes itself known in his mind, whispering to him through the voices around him.
The gaze of those grey eyes… breaking away… the shyness of a newborn friendship echoing between them.
He looks back to the faces surrounding him. Faces he's known for years now. Colleagues. Some of them so-called… friends.
His voice is low as he speaks, like a faint, threatening soundtrack that carries words that leave no room for misunderstandings.
"Touch him and I'm gonna make yer regret it for the rest of yer life."
And the voices around him… fall silent…
"I know this sounds cheesy, but thank yer for being the best partner one could wish for and the best friend I've ever had." Stephen said quietly but with all his heart as he held his beer out towards Randy to clink glasses. "Sláinte, bro …"
There was a clicking sound as Randy brought their glasses together, smiling that very smile that never ceased to warm Stephen heart. It was their anniversary today. One year had passed since they had been partnered up and it had been a goddamn good year. In fact it had been the best year of his life. Within a ridiculous short time they had become best friends, Siamese Twins practically.
Randy was… special.
"No, thank you," Randy replied as quietly, emotions quivering underneath as spoke. "Thank you for being the best partner in this world. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being there for me…" He cleared his throat but he did not break gazes. "Sláinte."
What got most to Stephen in moments like this one was that it made him even more aware that when it came to him, Randy let all his walls down. When no one else was around them, his friend allowed himself to be vulnerable.
I trust you. I know you're gonna be there to catch me. Always.
"It's been a rough year, huh?" Randy mumbled absentmindedly, looking down at his glass, yet not because his eyes seemed to gaze into the past.
Stephen let his eyes roam his friend's face, a thing he'd done uncountable times already. A thing that happened more often lately. He knew every line, every mark on Randy's face. He knew how those grey eyes seemed to become cutting sharp when Randy was deeply focused, as if he wanted to cut the truth out of a picture, out of words or a suspect. He knew when Randy didn't believe something, because his eyebrow would furrow barely noticable and his nostrils would flare a bit. And he also knew that when the right corner of his friend's mouth twitched ever so slightly, that he was uncertain about something. Stephen knew all those little things and so much more about this man, knew him in and out, just as Randy knew him.
"Yeah, it was," he agreed, because it hadn't been easy. "But it has been the best year of me life. Thanks to yer."
Randy looked up to him, the grey orbs glinting at him from under dark lashes, speaking to him, whispering that Randy felt the same. These eyes could be like doors to Randy's soul if he only allowed those doors to open.
It had already been rather quiet in the pub and the table they were sitting at was in a quite shielded corner of the room, but now the whole room seemed to quieten even more as the lights faded off to a half-light. The music changed to Irish Folk. It was an Irish pub after all and that little piece of home, even if it was only a beer from his home country or some music, was a bit of a getaway for Stephen. The mood of dimmed light, hushed surroundings and floating music softened the mood in the room to a point where it became… lulling.
Stephen didn't hear it, but he saw Randy sigh, watched as his friend's chest rose in a deep, deep breath and fell then, those grey eyes closing as Randy breathed out. And Stephen watched his partner. His friend. Watched him with affection humming in his chest, strong enough to make his whole body sing. And he watched as the features on the handsome face became smooth. Happiness and contentment radiated off his friend.
He watched him. Because he could not not do it.
Handsome. Well-built. Intelligent. Funny. Caring. Warm-hearted. Loyal. Reliable. This all came to Stephen's mind when he thought of this man, this and so, so many more things.
It still wouldn't get into his brain why some people hated Randy because he was gay. How could an unimportant fact like this outweigh all the beautiful things Randy was?
"What's wrong with you, Farrelly? Defending a fucking pervert like him? We don't need fags like him here!"
Stephen hears the words, hears a man he has called a friend ever since he has put his foot in this department say this… about the man who is his partner, his friend now.
"Shut yer puss!"
His own words as he takes a step closer. Threatening. Daring. To say something stupid again. But a hand on his chest stops him, the frame of his friend partly blocking his view as Randy steps between Stephen and the other man.
"It's okay, Stephen. He's not worth it."
Randy stands with his back to their… colleague… to show that he gives a flying fuck about the provocation, the insults, but Stephen doesn't like it. He fucking doesn't like it. He knows that here in the department will not happen anything, yet it's the feeling of not being able to block any kind of bodily attack on his friend the way they stand here now, with Randy's back vulnerable open to the other man.
It's Randy's voice that dims the rage that simmers in him, his eyes, knowing, pacifying, which soothe him.
He allows the hand on his chest to gently steer him backwards, away from the boiling tension which is close to snapping, but while he follows Randy's silent plea, his eyes stay fixed on the man who, although only verbal… for now… has dared to 'touch' Randy. Again.
Do this again. Touch him. With words, with your filthy hands. No matter how. Touch. Him. I dare you. I'm gonna make your life a hell.
It's what his eyes tell the other man and Stephen feels a certain satisfaction as the man pales…
The time before Randy had been transferred to the department had been hell for him and the first weeks at their department now hadn't been much better. Because he was gay. His… colleagues… had dissed him… had worked him over. And in the end they had won and Randy applied for a transfer.
In the first two weeks things had been okay, but his past had followed him and caught up with him. Two weeks. One partner. What happened then was a cop thing, one cop knew the other and suddenly everyone knew that the new guy was a fag and Randy… he faced the rumors and stood tall, simply stating that, yes, he was gay.
Another two weeks. Three partners. And with every day Randy looked more and more depressed. He took every side blow, every bitter insult and shrugged it off. Or at least he wanted to make people believe that he did. But Stephen had eyes and he'd watched the man nobody liked. He'd seen it… how it all cut deep, wore him down.
And once more Randy had been called to the captain's office, knowing that it meant he would get another partner. And he did.
Wary grey eyes meet open blue ones.
"This is your new partner, Orton. Detective Stephen Farrelly. Now haul your asses out of here and Orton, get your stuff to Farrelly's office."
He sees the wary eyes cloud over with resignationm sees the other man nod before he turns around to leave to office. Stephen follows his new partner in silence, stops for a second as Randy turns left to make his way to his own desk, watches him for another second, before he walks over to his own office. His eyes fall on the empty place at the big desk, the one that had been occupied until yesterday. By the man who had been his partner until yesterday.
He hears a quiet sound, turns around and finds Randy standing there, a small box with only few things in his hands and Stephen somehow knows that Randy doesn't have more stuff, because he has never gotten the chance to… be, to feel at home in this department. Like, to bring his own mug along and silly little potted plant like fern maybe. A book for a coffee break. Things like that.
He steps aside, gives the way to the empty place free and Randy walks up without looking at him. The box is set on the desk. And Randy runs a hand over the used surface, a silent sigh on his lips. Stephen says nothing, not yet, as he goes over to the door to close it but he thinks that the other man looks somehow forlorn, lonely. The expression on his face is a resigned one, as if he likes this new place but knows that he won't be here for long.
And then Randy flinches as the door falls shut and Stephen doesn't want to think what kind of experiences could make a tough looking guy like Randy flinch because of a door being closed.
The silence is thick, gets even thicker as his new partner looks up to him. Waiting. Probably to hear insulting words or even a threat.
"I know tha the past weeks have been tough for yer and I can't even imagine how it must've been at the department where yer've been before," Stephen begins quietly but friendly, hopes that his voice sounds trustworthy, but he sees the other man's eyes cloud over again with wariness. Randy crosses his arms over his chest but it's more a hugging himself than anything else. "But tha's over now, okay? I know those guys out there are bastards but I'm not one of them." He pauses. Smiles. Hopes that Randy can accept that there is someone who's not like the others. "I asked the captain to partner us up. Yer can trust me, Randy."
For the briefest of moments there is a flicker in the grey orbs and the wariness… slowly fades, leaving cautiousness behind, but also a tinge of relief.
"Uhm… how about I'll leave yer a few minutes alone in here so yer can breathe through? I'll go and get us some coffee. Yer like it black, one sugar, right?" he asks and into the cautiousness and the tinge of relief trickles surprise.
He knows how Randy likes his coffee because he has watched him for a while now.
"I… yeah," Randy replies almost shy and Stephen smiles a bit brighter, before he turns around to leave the room. The door already jumps open as he hears his new partner ask hesitantly: "Why?"
Why do you want me to be your partner? It may not be spoken out aloud but it's what clings to the single word.
"Because I like yer," Stephen simply states, his voice soft yet serious, because it's the truth.
He doesn't know this man, has never exchanged a word with him until now but what he knows, what he has known from the beginning is that he likes him. Why? Who cares, he surely doesn't and he also does not want to question it.
"And now sit down and make yerself at home. I'll be back in a few minutes with the coffee. Need anything else?"
Shaking his head slightly no, Randy only stares at him. And then Stephen leaves the room, closes the door to give Randy a bit of time alone and when he steps up to the percolator it's a handful of his colleagues who follow him, surround him, talk at him. Telling him that they would make sure that the pervert would keep his hands to himself and it makes him sick to hear what they tell him. Looking up and over to his office, he finds Randy sitting at the desk, gazing right back at him. He smiles and Randy smiles, too, and he feels that there is this special chemistry between them.
And while he keeps looking at the other man, he speaks, his voice distant to his own ears and threatening, matching his words perfectly: "Touch him and I'm gonna make yer regret it for the rest of yer life."
The harassment had stopped after that moment. Well… every now and then there was a comment or a gaze from the others but the fact that Stephen had Randy's back was enough for most of the group of bullies among their collagues to snap their mouth shut quickly.
Slipping a bit deeper in his chair, Stephen lets his eyes wander over his friend. He loved this man. Not the romantic kind of love… although there was a certain… attraction… Randy was a good-looking guy with the body of a greek god. Even a straight man had to give his looks credit. And then those eyes, always speaking to him. Beautiful eyes. Sexy eyes. Just like that crooked little smile Randy flashed him so often.
Stephen had always been with girl and the idea of being with a man had never really come to his mind, maybe because he'd never met the right guy. Who knew? He wasn't averse to the idea though and the funny thing was that Randy had been the one who made him realize that. The attraction between them was there, had built up over the past year and it had reached a quality that was… interesting.
The image of a shirtless Randy appeared in his mind, of bronze skin, shimmering softly in the sunlight. The glistening of a thin sheen of sweat. Cat-like movements and chiseled muscles flexing under the sun-kissed skin. And a humming, making the air between them vibrate. A simple game of basketball, a few days ago. Heated bodies, bumping into each other, slick skin gliding over slick skin. Strong arms, holding on to bodies… hands, grabbing, feeling… breathy little sounds…
He'd found himself holding on to Randy maybe a bit too long, had enjoyed having this hard yet soft body being pressed against his own maybe a bit too much. But Randy hadn't been complaining about it. On the contrary, he seemed to seek body contact.
There had been moments before when the attraction had made itself known stronger than usually, but their little game of basketball had started as only that, a game, and it had ended in a dance, a foreplay almost.
His musing was interrupted as Randy opened his eyes again, gazing at him with a deep, gentle expression but underneath was lying something else. It was burning, that something. Stephen felt Randy hook his feet behind one his own, trapping his leg between his knees. Possessive.
The music washed over them while they gazed at each other and the dimmed light cocooned them in a soft shimmer. The humming became stronger again, graspable almost and Stephen felt his heart run a bit quicker as he allowed himself to step through the doors to Randy's soul, knowing he could get lost in the depths behind them… but he didn't care.
His voice was just loud enough not to get lost in the music as he said: "Yer are a beautiful creature, Randy Orton…"
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