Title: Give Me Another Chance.
Rating: T
Warnings: Slash. AU.
Summary: "I know I said some things that I shouldn't have, but can't you give me another chance Rick?"
Word Count: 2085
Beta: Travis. All other mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters, nor am I making any money from this. I'm simply borrowing the characters and I promise to return them when I am done.
Rick Stetler was not a morning person. This was especially true on the nights when he had gotten practically no sleep. He didn't plan on being at his house as he waited for the coffee to percolate, his eyes fell on the speeding ticket that was lying on the table mocking him. As he stared at the offending slip of paper, his mind drifted back to the events of the previous night.
* * *
Although he still didn't know where the redhead kept everything in his kitchen, Rick was a quick learner. He was getting more familiar with the way H kept things organized the more he was over there. A quick glance at the clock told him that it was a quarter to six and that Horatio would be getting off anytime now barring any new cases popping up at the last minute.
Rick was pleased with himself. He had managed to get everything that needed his attention accomplished, so he was able to leave a couple of hours early. The past week both of them had been kept busy with their respective jobs and they had barely spent any time together. All H knew was that Rick was coming over to his place after work, but what he didn't know was that the brunette was planning on surprising him with a good home-cooked southern meal.
* * *
Since he didn't know exactly what Horatio had in his kitchen, Rick stopped by the store where he bought what he needed in order to make chicken and dumplings, black-eyed peas, and apple cobbler. Once he had loaded the groceries and then folded his tall frame into his compact Ford Focus, he drove himself to H's place.
After letting himself inside, he was greeted by Richie H's cat. After making sure that the feline still had plenty of food and water, Rick scratched him behind the ears. Then, after washing his hands, he brought the groceries inside and got to work.
While he could cook, Rick had yet to master the ability to cook anything that required flour without ending up wearing just as much as he ended up using and today was no exception. Using a towel to wipe the sweat away from his forehead, Rick quickly added the dumplings to the pot where the chicken had been cooking.
Then, after briefly checking on the cobbler, Rick set to work on the gingered black-eyed peas.
Six on the dot Rick grinned, pleased with himself. The food was done and on the table. Their places had been set and the only thing that was missing was Horatio.
"Speak of the devil." Rick muttered to himself, when his cell phone alerted him to an incoming call. The brunette had set up 'Won't Get Fooled Again' as the designated ring tone for Horatio.
'Rick?'
"Who else would it be?" Rick confirmed with a grin.
'I hate to do this but Yelina called.'
Rick fought the growl that threatened to escape. "What did she want?"
'She said that she needed to have a talk with me about Ray J.'
"What did he do this time?" Rick asked, despite having the feeling that Horatio's nephew had not done anything.
'She wouldn't say over the phone.'
Stetler was now positive that this was just another attempt to try and get her brother-in-law's attention. "Are you going over there?"
'I better. I'll see you after?'
"Don't eat anything while you're over there."
'Why?'
"I'll tell you why." Rick paused and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "I fixed a special supper for us, since we hadn't been able to get together much lately. Although, it won't be nearly as good warmed up."
'I'll be home as soon as I can. Why don't you go on and eat though since I don't know how long this will take.'
"Are you sure that this can't wait until tomorrow?" Rick mumbled under his breath.
'If Ray J is in trouble, no it can't.'
"I know, but what if he isn't?"
'Then I will have to have a talk with Yelina.'
"I can tell you that you probably will have to have one with her anyway."
'Rick…'
"What?"
'Be good.'
"There's no fun in that." Rick couldn't help but chuckle at Horatio's growl.
'See you soon, hopefully.'
"Hopefully." Rick agreed, before he ended the call and sighed.
A gentle nudge at his ankle caused him to look down. "Looks like it's just you and me." Rick said, as he picked up the cat. Richie hissed, causing the brunette to chuckle. "I agree completely." He replied, setting the feline back on the ground.
* * *
Horatio slowly drove the departmental Hummer up into his driveway and parked beside Rick's car. "Shit." He muttered to himself when he glanced at the clock. It was eight o'clock. The redhead took a deep breath before letting it out slowly as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
He knew that he was going to have to have a talk with Yelina and he knew the sooner that happened, the better. Horatio just wished there was a way for him to say that he wasn't interested in her that way which wouldn't hurt her feelings.
Horatio was still sitting in the Hummer and was making no move to get out when the porch light switched on. The redhead could see Rick standing in the doorway and even from this distance H could tell that he was upset.
"Fuck."
* * *
Rick waited until Horatio was inside and he had closed the door before he said anything. "So, what was it that Ray J did that caused Yelina to insist for you to come over and talk about?"
"She had me come over because she wanted to tell me that Ray J made the honor roll. It looks like I'm going to have to have a talk with her at some point in time."
"Let me warm you up a plate and you can tell me all about what went on while you eat." Rick took a couple of steps before he realized that Horatio wasn't following. His eyes narrowed, when he turned around and saw the redhead looking at his own hardwood floor.
Horatio mumbled something that suspiciously sounded something like he wasn't hungry.
The brunette took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. His voice was surprisingly calm when he finally spoke which was at odds with how he felt. "I didn't quite catch that. What did you say? It sounded like you said you weren't hungry but it couldn't have been because I asked you not to eat anything while you were over there."
Horatio rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Rick, it wasn't exactly that simple."
"Let me guess, she had supper ready and refused to tell you what was going on until you had gotten yourself a plate."
He could tell from the expression on Horatio's face that he had hit the nail on the head. "Of course, you did that and then she had you right where she wanted. Look I know Yelina is your sister-in-law but, honestly Red, can't you see that she wants to be more than that?"
"You're wrong, Rick." Horatio stated as he finally looked up from the floor and glanced over at his lover. Rick could feel H's eyes looking him up and down.
"How am I WRONG?" Rick's voice steadily rose in volume until he was yelling. "She has been calling you over to her place three or four times a WEEK to discuss your nephew. I think I have been very understanding, but this is getting ridiculous. Especially after you consider the fact that he ISN'T getting into ANY damn trouble."
"You're just jealous." Horatio shot back before he could reign in his tongue. It was obvious that he hadn't meant to say it but the damage had been done.
Horatio watched as Rick flinched, taking a couple of steps backward. It was almost as if he had physically hit the other man.
"No. No, I am not jealous. Why should I be when I'm the one who has you? You know, for someone that is usually so observant that nothing gets past him, you really are blind sometimes."
"Just what exactly is that supposed to mean Rick?"
The brunette opened his mouth to respond but quickly snapped it shut. He realized that if he had retaliated with 'If you're so smart why don't you figure it out you bastard.' It probably would have done more harm than good. Instead, he glared at his lover for a few minutes before speaking and his southern drawl was noticeably present as he spoke. "When you figure it out Horatio, give me a call."
Rick then took an exceptionally deep breath before he did an about face and stormed out of the house. "In case you do get HUNGRY, there's food in the fridge." The shout was followed by the door slamming shut so hard, that Horatio was surprised that the glass in the window panes didn't break. The sudden silence that had descended, after the door slammed, was broken by the roar of the Focus springing to life.
Horatio quickly walked over to the window and looked out in time to see the small car speeding off into the night. He sighed and reached over to pick up Richie. However, the cat had other plans. He hissed, slashed him with his claws, and ran out of the room.
* * *
In all honesty, Rick knew that he should have known better than to go speeding off into the night. He didn't have the best of luck normally, and today it was just plain non-existent. He had gotten ten, maybe fifteen miles away from Horatio's place when he first became aware of flashing red and blue lights in his rearview mirror.
"Shit."
Rick slammed his fist onto the steering wheel before hitting the button to roll down the driver's side window. He was annoyed at himself. Of all people, he should have known better than to speed but, the brunette was so mad that he had to get out of there before he really said something that he would later regret. Rick was slightly relieved when it was one of the newer patrol officers that he had thankfully not had the opportunity to meet as of yet. Stetler winced when he was informed that he had been going 75 in a 65.
He was still mad at Horatio and just wanted to get home and now on top of everything else, he was getting a speeding ticket. Rick was mostly annoyed at himself but, he definitely wasn't in the mood to try and see if he could weasel out of the ticket. He would pay the fine and get that out of the way as soon as possible.
Upon arriving home, Rick had turned off his phone and put it on the charger before heading off to bed. When he had finally climbed into bed, he spent the night tossing and turning before he finally gave up on sleeping. Kicking the covers off of his bed, Stetler headed downstairs to his home office where he started working. Rick figured that if he wasn't going to sleep, he might as well be productive.
* * *
An insistent pounding on his front door jarred Rick out of his thoughts. He glanced down at his watch and gave a small snort. There was only one person that he knew of that would voluntarily be on his front porch at six in the morning uninvited.
The brunette tried to ignore the knocking, in hopes that the redhead would get the message, but unfortunately this was not going to be the case. "Stubborn redheads…" He muttered to himself as he stormed into the living room where he opened the front door as far as the chain lock would allow.
"What do you want?" Stetler growled.
"Can I come in?"
"No. Just say what you have to say and then leave. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now." Rick snapped as he glared at the older man through the narrow opening. He was surprised that Horatio wasn't wearing his sunglasses, since he looked so horrible. You're one to talk, he thought to himself.
"I know I said some things that I shouldn't have, but can't you give me another chance Rick?"