Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Loves Company ❯ Tenuous Connections ( Chapter 12 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Kita and Subu-chan 
Drake and JJ get some quality time, and JJ comes up with something on the case.
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.12.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 392 | Status: Work In Progress
Drake and JJ get some quality time, and JJ comes up with something on the case.
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.12.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 392 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Twelve: Tenuous Connections
A/N: First off, apologies to everyone for the extremely long delay between chapters. If you didn’t know, Kita (Hi, everyone!!!) and I moved recently. It was a long process, made longer by a visit from my beloved mother. (Yes, that was sarcasm. Nobody likes Subu’s mother, including Subu-chan. I want her to die screaming in agony…) Thank you for that, Kita. Needless to say, my mother and I are constantly at odds and she takes perverse delight in tormenting Kita as well. So thanks to two and a half weeks of putting up with her constant sniping and Kita spending most of her nights anywhere but home, the move took a lot longer than anticipated. (Nearly a month. Yeah, part of that’s my fault, cause I wasn’t coming home to pack stuff. Gomen, all!)
And some of it was waiting for the cable company to come and hook up our internet connection. That took forever. And one of the computers suffered a near fatal accident during the move. It took the better part of two weeks to get it repaired. And, like the not too bright individual I am, I had most of this chapter and the original outline saved to the hard drive, which suffered a catastrophic loss of memory. Nearly everything on the hard drive was completely wiped, so I was forced to reconstruct the chapter from handwritten notes, memory and what little bit was saved on the zip-drive and on the laptop. It took a while.
Thanks to Catti for reminding us that you might hurt us if we didn’t update. And to Hana, always a faithful friend, for doing the same. To Garita and Poshu on Deviantart for keeping Kita company online all those nights she didn’t come home. (Love you!!!!!!) Garita, thank you for your story!! It’s wonderful and neither of us can wait to read the rest. To Daxemon, also, for being a true fan and being a wonderful muse for Garita. Your heartfelt sentiments are a wonderful inspiration to all of us. And we loved your story as well. Reviewing now! So much to catch up on…
Disclaimers and warnings: None of this belongs to us. We just borrow and torment. More male on male relations here, so be warned (Yay, SEX!!!!!) and Drake suffering from nicotine withdrawal.
Drake woke to JJ’s lips moving gently against his throat. Slender, strong fingers traced random patterns on his chest. “JJ…?”
“Mmm?”
“What are you doing?” A glance at the clock proved it was a little after three a.m.
Sleepy blue eyes blinked into his. “Enjoying myself.” JJ shrugged and offered him the guileless smile that had melted him more than once. It did not fail him this time.
Drake sighed and relaxed against JJ, tacit permission given for JJ to continue his attentions. JJ nibbled on an earlobe and Drake caught a startled breath. “Ooh.”
He could feel JJ’s grin against his skin. “Liked that, huh?”
Drake growled low in his throat and turned his head to capture those teasing lips with his own. The kiss was short as they both made a face and chuckled ruefully.
“Morning breath.”
“Yuck.”
JJ lowered his head and snuggled against Drake’s side. “I like this.”
Drake turned his head to regard JJ with a cocked eyebrow. “I assume you’re not referring to the morning breath moment there.”
JJ wrinkled his nose playfully and thumped Drake. “Silly. I like waking up next to you. I like a lazy morning in bed with you.”
“You consider three a lazy morning?”
“Not really, but it gives us some time to kill before we have to actually get up.”
Drake chuckled softly. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Mmm. I have a few suggestions.” JJ voice deepened into a seductive growl that sent a jolt of electricity straight to Drake’s groin. He’d never known anyone who could turn him on that quickly.
Drake tilted his head to nuzzle JJ’s throat. “Mmm, maybe after we brush our teeth. Unless you want a repeat performance of the morning breath moment?”
JJ nipped the skin of his shoulder lightly. “You just want an excuse to get rid of more of those toothbrushes.”
“Guilty as charged.” Drake grinned unrepentantly. “Move your ass.” He watched JJ walk to the bathroom with a lazy, indolent smile. As much as this thing with JJ twisted him up inside half the time, moments like this were worth it all. Just the two of them, together. Course, the sex didn’t hurt, either. Drake hated that his nervousness with all aspects of gay sex made things awkward sometimes.
Shaking his head at himself and his issues, he rose and followed JJ into the bathroom. It was tight in there, but they managed, with Drake leaning back against the cool black tiles as JJ finished brushing his teeth, then taking his place at the sink as JJ helped himself to a mouthful of Scope.
Drake nearly choked on the toothpaste as he watched JJ gargle in the mirror. The pale line of JJ’s throat vibrated with his gargling and Drake nearly spit toothpaste. How could someone be so unconsciously sexy? JJ wasn’t even trying; his hair, colored almost lavender by the reflection of the lights on the black tile, rumpled and sticking up.
His narrow chest and slim, strong arms were flawless, not a freckle or scar to be seen. Smooth and nearly hairless, his entire torso was lean and compact. Drake rinsed his mouth out as JJ finished gargling, still watching him out of the corner of his eye. JJ noticed and smiled brightly, offering him the Scope.
When Drake rinsed the last remnants of the toothpaste from the sink, JJ surprised him with a thorough kiss, pressing Drake’s back against the tiled wall. When they finally came up for air, Drake’s body was aching from the feel of JJ pressed up against him. JJ glanced down at the obvious bulge of his erection and laughed throatily. He flicked the end of Drake’s nose and offered him a heart-stoppingly seductive smile. “Looks like someone should go back to bed.” He reached down and stroked his palm over the rigid bulge in Drake’s boxers.
Drake groaned softly at the clear invitation in JJ’s blue eyes. It felt like his knees wouldn’t hold his weight and he said as much to the lithe figure pressing hungrily against him. JJ blinked slowly and a smile crept over his face. Without another word, he grabbed Drake’s shoulders, turned him and pressed him down on the closed lid of the toilet seat.
JJ dropped to his knees on the small rug and grinned up at Drake, fingers teasingly slipping beneath the elastic waistband of his boxers. “Problem solved.”
Drake’s breath escaped in a whispered curse as JJ slid the elastic down to bare his erection. “J-JJ…”
“Hmm?” Drake felt the puff of breath across his sensitized skin and he stifled a groan.
“God… JJ!”
“That’s what I thought.”
Drake clung to the edge of the sink as JJ teasingly ran his tongue up the underside of his erection. JJ chuckled at the small, helpless sound he made and gently cupped his balls in one hand. Drake shuddered. “JJ…” His back arched as JJ’s lips slid down to caress the flesh held captive in his hand. “…God!”
JJ felt the slight pull as Drake buried his hand in his pale hair, holding him in place. Not that he minded, because this was where he had wanted to be all morning. He slipped the tip of Drake’s penis in his mouth and lovingly caressed the shaft and balls with his hands. He teased the sensitive stretch of flesh located just behind the balls. Drake shuddered, eyes going wide. Oh-ho, so Drake was just as sensitive there as he was. JJ grinned around Drake’s penis. He’d remember that.
Of course, Drake tensed whenever his fingers wandered too far back. So JJ contented himself with taking as much of Drake as he could manage. It would take more time to introduce Drake to all the pleasures backdoor play had to offer, even if he was the one on top.
Drake was nearly out of his mind with the pleasure to be had from JJ’s mouth and clever little fingers when JJ pulled away from him and there was nothing but the feel of cold air on damp skin. “Uhn… J-JJ…?”
Then JJ’s lips were on his and that slender body was pressed against his, bared erections trapped between their stomachs. JJ sighed into his mouth and ground their hips together, penises bumping and rubbing. Drake shuddered, one hand coming up to grab the slight jut of JJ’s hip. Tentatively he reached between them and found JJ’s erection resting flush with his own. A little disturbed by the feel of two, not one, in his hand, he gave both of them a stroke… and yelped as a jolt of pleasure shot straight through him. It had much the same effect on JJ, who arched his back and pressed more firmly into the hand trapped between them.
It took Drake a few minutes to find the right rhythm, his fingers slick with pre-come. JJ kissed him hard and then mewled against his mouth as Drake brought them both to a quick, but mutually satisfying conclusion. They slumped against the back of the toilet, breathing hard, their bellies and Drake’s hand between them sticky and wet with their shared release.
JJ rested his head on Drake’s shoulder, all but purring in delight. Slowly, Drake disentangled himself from JJ and grabbed a washcloth to clean them up with. JJ leaned into his hand and grinned. Wearily, they staggered back to the bed and collapsed on it.
Drake held JJ close to his chest, feeling the warmth of his slender body. He sighed.
JJ looked up. “What is it?”
“I can’t help but feel a little guilty, I suppose.”
“Huh?” Tousled silver-blue hair fell over one eye as JJ tilted his head like a bird, looking adorably confused.
“That sicko still has Tiffany Richmond and her friend and here we are... not doing anything about it! We're here in bed together and…”
JJ sighed as Drake stumbled to an unwilling halt. His tone was unusually serious. “Having sex? Drake... have you ever wondered about being a trained sniper? I have a SWAT certification, you know.”
It was Drake’s turn to look baffled. “Epic subject change, here... what?”
JJ sighed again. “You remember that hostage situation a few days ago? When I got there, things had already gone bad. Three people had already been killed. One of them was a woman, couldn't have been more than thirty, who had a little girl with her… maybe seven… who had just watched her mother die c-choking on her own blood.”
Drake paled. “Shit.”
“When we have the time for it, we have to take a step back, remember that we're still alive. We may not have time for it later, but for a few minutes, it’s okay to be selfish and live for ourselves or we may snap. My trainer taught me that, the first time I ever went into a hot situation. If she hadn’t, I might never have picked up a gun ever again.” JJ rubbed a hand over his face. “Sometimes, like when I saw that little girl shivering beside her mother's body, I wonder if it’s worth it. But that little girl and thirteen other people made it out of there because we were there. I have to think like that and hold onto moments like this... moments just for me... Or I might go insane!”
Drake sighed and let his head rest on JJ's shoulder. “Okay, okay... I take your point. I forget that sometimes…”
“What, that you’re human?”
Drake chuckled ruefully. “That too.”
JJ leaned in for a kiss. “We’re doing all we can at the moment. We have Stephanie’s statement (which I still want to listen to, by the way), Jim has the fiber samples from her clothes and we have people out on the streets in the warehouse districts, looking for suspicious vehicles. We’ll be back on the case this afternoon, so just relax. This is our time.”
Drake sighed. “Yeah, I know that in my head, but my heart still says we should be out there, trying to track down this bastard.”
JJ shook his head and kissed Drake's cheek. “And we will be... tomorrow. You'll be useless if you don't get some more sleep. So will I, for that matter. Or do you want me sleep-deprived and functioning on a caffeine overdose?”
Drake shook his head with an alarmed look, and bit back a dismayed laugh. If JJ was hyper and unable to sit still on a day where he'd gotten a full night's sleep and with only a single cup of coffee, he was a whirling dervish of undirected energy on sleep-deprivation. Add in all the coffee required to keep him functioning and he kicked into high gear, making Drake feel like he was partnered with a hyperactive chipmunk. Alvin, to be specific... way too much frigging energy and he even started to sound like one of the damned chipmunks.
“Bad idea.” Drake chuckled and relaxed into the embrace of the bed. Sleep claimed them both in a matter of minutes.
*-----------------------------------*
Morning dawned cloudy and threatening rain, as low-bellied rain-clouds rumbled dire warnings and lightning flickered sullenly between the black clouds. Drake woke first, snapping alert at a faint sound. It took him only seconds to identify the noise as his neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, letting herself out. A glance at the clock proved that it was only six. His alarm hadn’t even gone off yet.
He relaxed, feeling the warmth of JJ curled against his side, legs pressed against his and one hand resting in a loose curl on his chest. JJ’s features were slack in sleep and made him look younger than his years. Drake reached over and gently brushed a lock of that strange silver-blue hair off his forehead, marveling silently at just how right it felt to have JJ with him like this; how much he'd needed JJ. He didn’t know whether to call the tender feeling in his heart love, but it was clear that JJ was the singular most important person in his life. Blue eyes blinked open and JJ offered him a sleepy smile. “Morning… again.”
Drake chuckled. “Morning.” He reached lazily for the pack of cigarettes on the nightstand. He paused in mid-stretch as JJ gave him a look. “What?”
“You know those things are going to kill you, right?”
Drake groaned. “You’re as bad as that damned doctor from the last time I was in the hospital! My ribs are healed and so is my throat... I can damned well smoke if I want to!”
JJ flinched and immediately Drake felt like a world-class heel. “Shit, JJ, I’m sorry. My sister nags me to stop smoking too. You’re both right, but it’s still a pain in the ass to hear it.”
JJ blew unruly hair out of his eyes. “I’m sorry... It’s not like I have any place to say that.”
Drake winced. “You do have a say. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll give it a try. You just better be prepared to put up with my bitchy-assed moods when I’m suffering from nic fits.”
JJ chuckled a little sadly, a sound that made Drake’s chest hurt. “You don’t have to humor me, Drake-sempai. I have no right to ask that you quit.”
Drake caught JJ’s arm as he made to rise from the bed. “Let’s not start that again, shall we?”
“Eh?”
“Stop trying to distance yourself again. It’s been nearly a week since you stopped calling me Drake-sempai.” Drake held JJ’s eyes with his own. “Like it or not, you’re an important part of my life now. If you want me to try and quit smoking, I will. I’m just giving you fair warning that I’ll be a bastard and a half when I don’t get my nicotine.”
Drake knew he had JJ then. JJ’s blue eyes had softened as soon as the words ‘important part of my life’ had left Drake’s lips.
JJ nodded and took the pack of cigarettes that Drake offered him. “Here. Keep these away from me, wouldya? Just let me have one when things get really bad and we’ll work on the cutting me off completely when this case is over.”
JJ’s eyes sparkled and he kissed Drake enthusiastically. Drake chuckled against his mouth before shoving him away. “Don’t tempt me. We need to get ready for work. I’ve got to pull that double for Ted today.”
JJ glanced at the calendar. “Oh, yeah. He’s working swings, then?”
Drake heaved himself to his feet, reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed and the warm body that was sharing it. “Yeah. The wedding is at four and the reception starts at five. So I’ll be on shift until midnight.”
JJ winced. “Ouch. That’s gonna make for a really long day.”
Drake nodded as he kicked aside a pile of dirty clothes en-route to the bathroom. “No kidding. And I really need to do laundry. Do you have something to wear?”
JJ nodded at the forgotten duffel bag in the corner of the room. “Yeah. I brought a change of clothes with me last night.”
“Cool. You want dibs on the shower while I head to the gym and pick up something for breakfast?”
JJ shook his head as he sat up. “I’d prefer going to the gym with you. Shower’s can wait until we’re done there.”
Drake shook his head as he squeezed toothpaste on his toothbrush. “You telling me you have gym clothes with you too? What are you, a boy scout in disguise?”
JJ giggled and shook his head merrily. “Nope. The gym clothes were already in the bag. I just threw in a change of clothes on top of them.”
Drake shot him an annoyed look in the bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth, earning another giggle from JJ. Drake scowled and almost swallowed toothpaste as JJ rose from the bed and bent to dig through his duffel bag. He hastily averted his eyes. How the fuck could every move from the smaller man be so effortlessly sexual?
Or was that just him...?
*--------------------------------------------------------- -----------*
Drake badly wanted a cigarette by the time they left the gym and jogged the tree-lined four blocks to a diner that JJ claimed made the best breakfast he’d had since he left LA. But he gritted his teeth and smiled at JJ when the younger man advised him what was best on the menu. Three cups of coffee later and a plate full of ham and the best hash browns he’d ever had later and he was much less inclined to hurt things. But he still wanted a cigarette...
Dee’s obnoxiously cheerful greeting when they arrived at the station an hour later didn't help matters. “What’s made you so fucking happy?” Drake growled as he slumped at his desk. He managed a smile for JJ when his partner pressed a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.
“Ooh, someone took an extra dose of bitchy this morning!” Dee grinned as he turned a chair and collapsed into it in a carefully calculated sprawl. Bastard never misses an opportunity to pose. Drake knew he was getting bitchy, but the knowledge did nothing to help him when Dee pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He almost snapped at his friend when JJ looked up from his paperwork with a withering glare for Dee. “Would you please put that out, Dee-sempai? Drake is trying to quit, so I’m sure he’d appreciate you not waving your cancer sticks in front of his face!”
Dee looked surprised as he snubbed out his cigarette in what seemed like an automatic reaction to JJ’s command. “Oi, you’re quitting, Drake?”
Drake managed a wry chuckle at the expression on Dee’s face. “Yeah.” He cocked a thumb at JJ. “Someone convinced me it was time I gave up smoking. I haven’t had a cigarette since last night.”
“You’ll have to teach me that trick, JJ.” A warm, softly amused voice spoke from the office doorway. “I’ve been trying to convince Dee to quit for years now.”
JJ glanced up at Ryo, a smile lighting his face. “In your case, Ryo-sempai, I’d suggest withholding sex.”
Dee bolted upright in his chair. “What?! No fucking way!! JJ, shut up!”
Ryo laughed, even though his cheeks were tinged red. “Maybe I should at that!” As Dee glared at him, Ryo came further into the room and offered Drake a CD. “Here you go. It’s a copy of Stephanie's statement.”
“Thanks, man.” Drake accepted the CD. “You guys off the babysitting duties today?”
Dee scoffed, though he was still glaring daggers at both Ryo and JJ. “Hell, no! We have to go relieve Gaiman and Richo at two. I, for one, am heartily sick of listening to Richmond’s bitching. I fucking know that psycho bastard still has his daughter! It's not like we don't have every available person on the streets looking for this guy!!”
Drake winced, abruptly reminded of his thoughts from last night. JJ met his gaze and nodded once. Drake took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He was feeling way too personal about this. But Stephanie’s horror had hit him a little too close to home.
Ryo tapped Dee on the head with a pen. “C’mon, Dee. We still have work to do before we have to take over the Richmond detail. Just because Rose is out of town for a couple of days, that's not an excuse for you to slack off.”
Drake looked up, craving for a cigarette forgotten. “Huh? Rose is out of town? At a time like this?”
Ryo shrugged, his dark eyes concerned. “Diana called for him the other day. From what he told me, she had something very important to tell him.”
Dee laughed. “With all the lovey-dovey those two were pulling when she was here last month, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘something very important’ was a ‘Honey, I have a little surprise for you. The strip turned blue! You're going to be a daddy!’ …urk…” Dee came to an abrupt halt as what he had just said finally reached his brain. “Oh, crap. Please tell me that’s not really it! Can you imagine mini versions of that bastard or worse, the Sea Hag, running around here? Gah!!” He shuddered theatrically.
Ryo swatted him. “Hush, you. I think it would be wonderful if they were to have a child.”
Dee glared at his lover. “Hell, Ryo, you really freaking creep me out sometimes. No, it wouldn't ‘be wonderful.’ That’s freaking horror movie waiting to happen. ‘Attack of the Mini Terrors’ or something like that!”
Ryo made a disparaging noise in the back of his throat and grabbed Dee firmly by one ear. “Move it. We have a load of paperwork to get done before we’re on babysitting duty and Drake and JJ need to concentrate. Drake, I know that you’re pulling the double today. Do you want Dee and I to bring you something for lunch before we head over to the safe house?”
JJ looked up. “Nah, that’s okay, Ryo-sempai. I’ll still be here for lunch and I can get him something for dinner when I get off.”
Ryo nodded, dark eyes shining with gentle humor. “Suit yourself. Let’s go, Dee.”
Dee yelped as Ryo tugged on his ear. “Dammit, let go of me! Ryo!” The closing door muted his continuing protests.
Drake chuckled a little and tossed the CD to JJ. “Here. Just put on headphones if you plan on listening to it in here. I heard it from her and I don’t particularly want to listen to that again.” A flash of pain darkened his expressive gray eyes.
JJ nodded and did just that, inserting the CD into his computer and plugging in a pair of headphones. Drake went back over what evidence they had and wrote his report while his partner concentrated on Stephanie’s witness statement. Drake was deep in a second report for one of their other cases when JJ startled him by pulling off the headphones.
JJ studied him for a long moment, his blue eyes unusually distant and distracted.
“JJ?”
“Drake. I think we’ve been going about this under the wrong assumption.”
“Eh?” Drake was a little surprised by the sudden focus in JJ’s eyes.
“I’m thinking that most of our assumptions about the killer are completely wrong.”
“I don’t follow.”
JJ tapped a finger on the pile of files spread out on his desk. Drake squinted. Each was a forensic report on the victims. “We keep thinking that there isn’t a connection between the victims aside from their respective ages, but even that isn’t right. One of the earliest victims was two years older than the others.”
“JJ, I haven’t had a cigarette since yesterday. Spit it out.”
“I thing we didn’t look back far enough for the connection. There’s a reason why our killer left Stephanie alive and it wasn’t just to relay the message.” JJ locked eyes with him, his own blue eyes fierce with concentration. “Drake, she wasn’t connected!”
A/N: First off, apologies to everyone for the extremely long delay between chapters. If you didn’t know, Kita (Hi, everyone!!!) and I moved recently. It was a long process, made longer by a visit from my beloved mother. (Yes, that was sarcasm. Nobody likes Subu’s mother, including Subu-chan. I want her to die screaming in agony…) Thank you for that, Kita. Needless to say, my mother and I are constantly at odds and she takes perverse delight in tormenting Kita as well. So thanks to two and a half weeks of putting up with her constant sniping and Kita spending most of her nights anywhere but home, the move took a lot longer than anticipated. (Nearly a month. Yeah, part of that’s my fault, cause I wasn’t coming home to pack stuff. Gomen, all!)
And some of it was waiting for the cable company to come and hook up our internet connection. That took forever. And one of the computers suffered a near fatal accident during the move. It took the better part of two weeks to get it repaired. And, like the not too bright individual I am, I had most of this chapter and the original outline saved to the hard drive, which suffered a catastrophic loss of memory. Nearly everything on the hard drive was completely wiped, so I was forced to reconstruct the chapter from handwritten notes, memory and what little bit was saved on the zip-drive and on the laptop. It took a while.
Thanks to Catti for reminding us that you might hurt us if we didn’t update. And to Hana, always a faithful friend, for doing the same. To Garita and Poshu on Deviantart for keeping Kita company online all those nights she didn’t come home. (Love you!!!!!!) Garita, thank you for your story!! It’s wonderful and neither of us can wait to read the rest. To Daxemon, also, for being a true fan and being a wonderful muse for Garita. Your heartfelt sentiments are a wonderful inspiration to all of us. And we loved your story as well. Reviewing now! So much to catch up on…
Disclaimers and warnings: None of this belongs to us. We just borrow and torment. More male on male relations here, so be warned (Yay, SEX!!!!!) and Drake suffering from nicotine withdrawal.
Drake woke to JJ’s lips moving gently against his throat. Slender, strong fingers traced random patterns on his chest. “JJ…?”
“Mmm?”
“What are you doing?” A glance at the clock proved it was a little after three a.m.
Sleepy blue eyes blinked into his. “Enjoying myself.” JJ shrugged and offered him the guileless smile that had melted him more than once. It did not fail him this time.
Drake sighed and relaxed against JJ, tacit permission given for JJ to continue his attentions. JJ nibbled on an earlobe and Drake caught a startled breath. “Ooh.”
He could feel JJ’s grin against his skin. “Liked that, huh?”
Drake growled low in his throat and turned his head to capture those teasing lips with his own. The kiss was short as they both made a face and chuckled ruefully.
“Morning breath.”
“Yuck.”
JJ lowered his head and snuggled against Drake’s side. “I like this.”
Drake turned his head to regard JJ with a cocked eyebrow. “I assume you’re not referring to the morning breath moment there.”
JJ wrinkled his nose playfully and thumped Drake. “Silly. I like waking up next to you. I like a lazy morning in bed with you.”
“You consider three a lazy morning?”
“Not really, but it gives us some time to kill before we have to actually get up.”
Drake chuckled softly. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Mmm. I have a few suggestions.” JJ voice deepened into a seductive growl that sent a jolt of electricity straight to Drake’s groin. He’d never known anyone who could turn him on that quickly.
Drake tilted his head to nuzzle JJ’s throat. “Mmm, maybe after we brush our teeth. Unless you want a repeat performance of the morning breath moment?”
JJ nipped the skin of his shoulder lightly. “You just want an excuse to get rid of more of those toothbrushes.”
“Guilty as charged.” Drake grinned unrepentantly. “Move your ass.” He watched JJ walk to the bathroom with a lazy, indolent smile. As much as this thing with JJ twisted him up inside half the time, moments like this were worth it all. Just the two of them, together. Course, the sex didn’t hurt, either. Drake hated that his nervousness with all aspects of gay sex made things awkward sometimes.
Shaking his head at himself and his issues, he rose and followed JJ into the bathroom. It was tight in there, but they managed, with Drake leaning back against the cool black tiles as JJ finished brushing his teeth, then taking his place at the sink as JJ helped himself to a mouthful of Scope.
Drake nearly choked on the toothpaste as he watched JJ gargle in the mirror. The pale line of JJ’s throat vibrated with his gargling and Drake nearly spit toothpaste. How could someone be so unconsciously sexy? JJ wasn’t even trying; his hair, colored almost lavender by the reflection of the lights on the black tile, rumpled and sticking up.
His narrow chest and slim, strong arms were flawless, not a freckle or scar to be seen. Smooth and nearly hairless, his entire torso was lean and compact. Drake rinsed his mouth out as JJ finished gargling, still watching him out of the corner of his eye. JJ noticed and smiled brightly, offering him the Scope.
When Drake rinsed the last remnants of the toothpaste from the sink, JJ surprised him with a thorough kiss, pressing Drake’s back against the tiled wall. When they finally came up for air, Drake’s body was aching from the feel of JJ pressed up against him. JJ glanced down at the obvious bulge of his erection and laughed throatily. He flicked the end of Drake’s nose and offered him a heart-stoppingly seductive smile. “Looks like someone should go back to bed.” He reached down and stroked his palm over the rigid bulge in Drake’s boxers.
Drake groaned softly at the clear invitation in JJ’s blue eyes. It felt like his knees wouldn’t hold his weight and he said as much to the lithe figure pressing hungrily against him. JJ blinked slowly and a smile crept over his face. Without another word, he grabbed Drake’s shoulders, turned him and pressed him down on the closed lid of the toilet seat.
JJ dropped to his knees on the small rug and grinned up at Drake, fingers teasingly slipping beneath the elastic waistband of his boxers. “Problem solved.”
Drake’s breath escaped in a whispered curse as JJ slid the elastic down to bare his erection. “J-JJ…”
“Hmm?” Drake felt the puff of breath across his sensitized skin and he stifled a groan.
“God… JJ!”
“That’s what I thought.”
Drake clung to the edge of the sink as JJ teasingly ran his tongue up the underside of his erection. JJ chuckled at the small, helpless sound he made and gently cupped his balls in one hand. Drake shuddered. “JJ…” His back arched as JJ’s lips slid down to caress the flesh held captive in his hand. “…God!”
JJ felt the slight pull as Drake buried his hand in his pale hair, holding him in place. Not that he minded, because this was where he had wanted to be all morning. He slipped the tip of Drake’s penis in his mouth and lovingly caressed the shaft and balls with his hands. He teased the sensitive stretch of flesh located just behind the balls. Drake shuddered, eyes going wide. Oh-ho, so Drake was just as sensitive there as he was. JJ grinned around Drake’s penis. He’d remember that.
Of course, Drake tensed whenever his fingers wandered too far back. So JJ contented himself with taking as much of Drake as he could manage. It would take more time to introduce Drake to all the pleasures backdoor play had to offer, even if he was the one on top.
Drake was nearly out of his mind with the pleasure to be had from JJ’s mouth and clever little fingers when JJ pulled away from him and there was nothing but the feel of cold air on damp skin. “Uhn… J-JJ…?”
Then JJ’s lips were on his and that slender body was pressed against his, bared erections trapped between their stomachs. JJ sighed into his mouth and ground their hips together, penises bumping and rubbing. Drake shuddered, one hand coming up to grab the slight jut of JJ’s hip. Tentatively he reached between them and found JJ’s erection resting flush with his own. A little disturbed by the feel of two, not one, in his hand, he gave both of them a stroke… and yelped as a jolt of pleasure shot straight through him. It had much the same effect on JJ, who arched his back and pressed more firmly into the hand trapped between them.
It took Drake a few minutes to find the right rhythm, his fingers slick with pre-come. JJ kissed him hard and then mewled against his mouth as Drake brought them both to a quick, but mutually satisfying conclusion. They slumped against the back of the toilet, breathing hard, their bellies and Drake’s hand between them sticky and wet with their shared release.
JJ rested his head on Drake’s shoulder, all but purring in delight. Slowly, Drake disentangled himself from JJ and grabbed a washcloth to clean them up with. JJ leaned into his hand and grinned. Wearily, they staggered back to the bed and collapsed on it.
Drake held JJ close to his chest, feeling the warmth of his slender body. He sighed.
JJ looked up. “What is it?”
“I can’t help but feel a little guilty, I suppose.”
“Huh?” Tousled silver-blue hair fell over one eye as JJ tilted his head like a bird, looking adorably confused.
“That sicko still has Tiffany Richmond and her friend and here we are... not doing anything about it! We're here in bed together and…”
JJ sighed as Drake stumbled to an unwilling halt. His tone was unusually serious. “Having sex? Drake... have you ever wondered about being a trained sniper? I have a SWAT certification, you know.”
It was Drake’s turn to look baffled. “Epic subject change, here... what?”
JJ sighed again. “You remember that hostage situation a few days ago? When I got there, things had already gone bad. Three people had already been killed. One of them was a woman, couldn't have been more than thirty, who had a little girl with her… maybe seven… who had just watched her mother die c-choking on her own blood.”
Drake paled. “Shit.”
“When we have the time for it, we have to take a step back, remember that we're still alive. We may not have time for it later, but for a few minutes, it’s okay to be selfish and live for ourselves or we may snap. My trainer taught me that, the first time I ever went into a hot situation. If she hadn’t, I might never have picked up a gun ever again.” JJ rubbed a hand over his face. “Sometimes, like when I saw that little girl shivering beside her mother's body, I wonder if it’s worth it. But that little girl and thirteen other people made it out of there because we were there. I have to think like that and hold onto moments like this... moments just for me... Or I might go insane!”
Drake sighed and let his head rest on JJ's shoulder. “Okay, okay... I take your point. I forget that sometimes…”
“What, that you’re human?”
Drake chuckled ruefully. “That too.”
JJ leaned in for a kiss. “We’re doing all we can at the moment. We have Stephanie’s statement (which I still want to listen to, by the way), Jim has the fiber samples from her clothes and we have people out on the streets in the warehouse districts, looking for suspicious vehicles. We’ll be back on the case this afternoon, so just relax. This is our time.”
Drake sighed. “Yeah, I know that in my head, but my heart still says we should be out there, trying to track down this bastard.”
JJ shook his head and kissed Drake's cheek. “And we will be... tomorrow. You'll be useless if you don't get some more sleep. So will I, for that matter. Or do you want me sleep-deprived and functioning on a caffeine overdose?”
Drake shook his head with an alarmed look, and bit back a dismayed laugh. If JJ was hyper and unable to sit still on a day where he'd gotten a full night's sleep and with only a single cup of coffee, he was a whirling dervish of undirected energy on sleep-deprivation. Add in all the coffee required to keep him functioning and he kicked into high gear, making Drake feel like he was partnered with a hyperactive chipmunk. Alvin, to be specific... way too much frigging energy and he even started to sound like one of the damned chipmunks.
“Bad idea.” Drake chuckled and relaxed into the embrace of the bed. Sleep claimed them both in a matter of minutes.
*-----------------------------------*
Morning dawned cloudy and threatening rain, as low-bellied rain-clouds rumbled dire warnings and lightning flickered sullenly between the black clouds. Drake woke first, snapping alert at a faint sound. It took him only seconds to identify the noise as his neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, letting herself out. A glance at the clock proved that it was only six. His alarm hadn’t even gone off yet.
He relaxed, feeling the warmth of JJ curled against his side, legs pressed against his and one hand resting in a loose curl on his chest. JJ’s features were slack in sleep and made him look younger than his years. Drake reached over and gently brushed a lock of that strange silver-blue hair off his forehead, marveling silently at just how right it felt to have JJ with him like this; how much he'd needed JJ. He didn’t know whether to call the tender feeling in his heart love, but it was clear that JJ was the singular most important person in his life. Blue eyes blinked open and JJ offered him a sleepy smile. “Morning… again.”
Drake chuckled. “Morning.” He reached lazily for the pack of cigarettes on the nightstand. He paused in mid-stretch as JJ gave him a look. “What?”
“You know those things are going to kill you, right?”
Drake groaned. “You’re as bad as that damned doctor from the last time I was in the hospital! My ribs are healed and so is my throat... I can damned well smoke if I want to!”
JJ flinched and immediately Drake felt like a world-class heel. “Shit, JJ, I’m sorry. My sister nags me to stop smoking too. You’re both right, but it’s still a pain in the ass to hear it.”
JJ blew unruly hair out of his eyes. “I’m sorry... It’s not like I have any place to say that.”
Drake winced. “You do have a say. If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll give it a try. You just better be prepared to put up with my bitchy-assed moods when I’m suffering from nic fits.”
JJ chuckled a little sadly, a sound that made Drake’s chest hurt. “You don’t have to humor me, Drake-sempai. I have no right to ask that you quit.”
Drake caught JJ’s arm as he made to rise from the bed. “Let’s not start that again, shall we?”
“Eh?”
“Stop trying to distance yourself again. It’s been nearly a week since you stopped calling me Drake-sempai.” Drake held JJ’s eyes with his own. “Like it or not, you’re an important part of my life now. If you want me to try and quit smoking, I will. I’m just giving you fair warning that I’ll be a bastard and a half when I don’t get my nicotine.”
Drake knew he had JJ then. JJ’s blue eyes had softened as soon as the words ‘important part of my life’ had left Drake’s lips.
JJ nodded and took the pack of cigarettes that Drake offered him. “Here. Keep these away from me, wouldya? Just let me have one when things get really bad and we’ll work on the cutting me off completely when this case is over.”
JJ’s eyes sparkled and he kissed Drake enthusiastically. Drake chuckled against his mouth before shoving him away. “Don’t tempt me. We need to get ready for work. I’ve got to pull that double for Ted today.”
JJ glanced at the calendar. “Oh, yeah. He’s working swings, then?”
Drake heaved himself to his feet, reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed and the warm body that was sharing it. “Yeah. The wedding is at four and the reception starts at five. So I’ll be on shift until midnight.”
JJ winced. “Ouch. That’s gonna make for a really long day.”
Drake nodded as he kicked aside a pile of dirty clothes en-route to the bathroom. “No kidding. And I really need to do laundry. Do you have something to wear?”
JJ nodded at the forgotten duffel bag in the corner of the room. “Yeah. I brought a change of clothes with me last night.”
“Cool. You want dibs on the shower while I head to the gym and pick up something for breakfast?”
JJ shook his head as he sat up. “I’d prefer going to the gym with you. Shower’s can wait until we’re done there.”
Drake shook his head as he squeezed toothpaste on his toothbrush. “You telling me you have gym clothes with you too? What are you, a boy scout in disguise?”
JJ giggled and shook his head merrily. “Nope. The gym clothes were already in the bag. I just threw in a change of clothes on top of them.”
Drake shot him an annoyed look in the bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth, earning another giggle from JJ. Drake scowled and almost swallowed toothpaste as JJ rose from the bed and bent to dig through his duffel bag. He hastily averted his eyes. How the fuck could every move from the smaller man be so effortlessly sexual?
Or was that just him...?
*--------------------------------------------------------- -----------*
Drake badly wanted a cigarette by the time they left the gym and jogged the tree-lined four blocks to a diner that JJ claimed made the best breakfast he’d had since he left LA. But he gritted his teeth and smiled at JJ when the younger man advised him what was best on the menu. Three cups of coffee later and a plate full of ham and the best hash browns he’d ever had later and he was much less inclined to hurt things. But he still wanted a cigarette...
Dee’s obnoxiously cheerful greeting when they arrived at the station an hour later didn't help matters. “What’s made you so fucking happy?” Drake growled as he slumped at his desk. He managed a smile for JJ when his partner pressed a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.
“Ooh, someone took an extra dose of bitchy this morning!” Dee grinned as he turned a chair and collapsed into it in a carefully calculated sprawl. Bastard never misses an opportunity to pose. Drake knew he was getting bitchy, but the knowledge did nothing to help him when Dee pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He almost snapped at his friend when JJ looked up from his paperwork with a withering glare for Dee. “Would you please put that out, Dee-sempai? Drake is trying to quit, so I’m sure he’d appreciate you not waving your cancer sticks in front of his face!”
Dee looked surprised as he snubbed out his cigarette in what seemed like an automatic reaction to JJ’s command. “Oi, you’re quitting, Drake?”
Drake managed a wry chuckle at the expression on Dee’s face. “Yeah.” He cocked a thumb at JJ. “Someone convinced me it was time I gave up smoking. I haven’t had a cigarette since last night.”
“You’ll have to teach me that trick, JJ.” A warm, softly amused voice spoke from the office doorway. “I’ve been trying to convince Dee to quit for years now.”
JJ glanced up at Ryo, a smile lighting his face. “In your case, Ryo-sempai, I’d suggest withholding sex.”
Dee bolted upright in his chair. “What?! No fucking way!! JJ, shut up!”
Ryo laughed, even though his cheeks were tinged red. “Maybe I should at that!” As Dee glared at him, Ryo came further into the room and offered Drake a CD. “Here you go. It’s a copy of Stephanie's statement.”
“Thanks, man.” Drake accepted the CD. “You guys off the babysitting duties today?”
Dee scoffed, though he was still glaring daggers at both Ryo and JJ. “Hell, no! We have to go relieve Gaiman and Richo at two. I, for one, am heartily sick of listening to Richmond’s bitching. I fucking know that psycho bastard still has his daughter! It's not like we don't have every available person on the streets looking for this guy!!”
Drake winced, abruptly reminded of his thoughts from last night. JJ met his gaze and nodded once. Drake took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He was feeling way too personal about this. But Stephanie’s horror had hit him a little too close to home.
Ryo tapped Dee on the head with a pen. “C’mon, Dee. We still have work to do before we have to take over the Richmond detail. Just because Rose is out of town for a couple of days, that's not an excuse for you to slack off.”
Drake looked up, craving for a cigarette forgotten. “Huh? Rose is out of town? At a time like this?”
Ryo shrugged, his dark eyes concerned. “Diana called for him the other day. From what he told me, she had something very important to tell him.”
Dee laughed. “With all the lovey-dovey those two were pulling when she was here last month, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘something very important’ was a ‘Honey, I have a little surprise for you. The strip turned blue! You're going to be a daddy!’ …urk…” Dee came to an abrupt halt as what he had just said finally reached his brain. “Oh, crap. Please tell me that’s not really it! Can you imagine mini versions of that bastard or worse, the Sea Hag, running around here? Gah!!” He shuddered theatrically.
Ryo swatted him. “Hush, you. I think it would be wonderful if they were to have a child.”
Dee glared at his lover. “Hell, Ryo, you really freaking creep me out sometimes. No, it wouldn't ‘be wonderful.’ That’s freaking horror movie waiting to happen. ‘Attack of the Mini Terrors’ or something like that!”
Ryo made a disparaging noise in the back of his throat and grabbed Dee firmly by one ear. “Move it. We have a load of paperwork to get done before we’re on babysitting duty and Drake and JJ need to concentrate. Drake, I know that you’re pulling the double today. Do you want Dee and I to bring you something for lunch before we head over to the safe house?”
JJ looked up. “Nah, that’s okay, Ryo-sempai. I’ll still be here for lunch and I can get him something for dinner when I get off.”
Ryo nodded, dark eyes shining with gentle humor. “Suit yourself. Let’s go, Dee.”
Dee yelped as Ryo tugged on his ear. “Dammit, let go of me! Ryo!” The closing door muted his continuing protests.
Drake chuckled a little and tossed the CD to JJ. “Here. Just put on headphones if you plan on listening to it in here. I heard it from her and I don’t particularly want to listen to that again.” A flash of pain darkened his expressive gray eyes.
JJ nodded and did just that, inserting the CD into his computer and plugging in a pair of headphones. Drake went back over what evidence they had and wrote his report while his partner concentrated on Stephanie’s witness statement. Drake was deep in a second report for one of their other cases when JJ startled him by pulling off the headphones.
JJ studied him for a long moment, his blue eyes unusually distant and distracted.
“JJ?”
“Drake. I think we’ve been going about this under the wrong assumption.”
“Eh?” Drake was a little surprised by the sudden focus in JJ’s eyes.
“I’m thinking that most of our assumptions about the killer are completely wrong.”
“I don’t follow.”
JJ tapped a finger on the pile of files spread out on his desk. Drake squinted. Each was a forensic report on the victims. “We keep thinking that there isn’t a connection between the victims aside from their respective ages, but even that isn’t right. One of the earliest victims was two years older than the others.”
“JJ, I haven’t had a cigarette since yesterday. Spit it out.”
“I thing we didn’t look back far enough for the connection. There’s a reason why our killer left Stephanie alive and it wasn’t just to relay the message.” JJ locked eyes with him, his own blue eyes fierce with concentration. “Drake, she wasn’t connected!”