Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Loves Company ❯ Better Than the Patch ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Kita and Subu-chan 
Drake gets a little help quitting.
This one's for Catti-dono.
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.17.2007 | Updated On: 09.17.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 427 | Status: Work In Progress
Drake gets a little help quitting.
This one's for Catti-dono.
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.17.2007 | Updated On: 09.17.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 427 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Fourteen: Better than the Patch
A/N-Okay, friends and fellow fic-writers, here’s the newest chapter of Loves Company for your reading pleasure. (*pokes Hana with a stick* Glad you’re still alive over there. *glomps*) This chapter is dedicated to our faithful reviewer Catti-dono, who was in a horrific smash-up this past month that left her pretty badly banged up and with more than a few holes in her memory. So everyone please think of her and wish her well, she needs it! (*cuddles* Love you, Catti!) Daxemon, you can see your influence already in JJ’s methods of keeping Drake from smoking. (*giggles* Yay!!! Smutty goodness for me!!) *sighs* Shut up, Kita! Ladymynx, hope you enjoy this as much as we’ve been enjoying your work over on LJ. (And DA! *glomps* Glad you came over there too. Thanks for faving my art! It was nice to read your stuff!!! Subu’s right, you are a really good writer!!) Shinigami, thanks for the discussion of the killer’s motives. Hope you are enjoying the mystery. Trust me, there’s a twist coming that you haven’t foreseen. (I remember the few times I actually got on Livejournal, you said you liked mysteries, hope you like this one! *waves*) Garita, as always, many thanks for the art and remember, we’re still waiting for the next chapter of Dee. (*begs* Pweeeeeeaaassseee? I really want to read more!!!)
Warnings for more M/M relations this chapter. And as always, only the killer belongs to us. Everyone else is property of Sanami Matou! We just borrow them and put them back slightly rumpled.
*---------------------------------------------*
Drake was gritting his teeth by the time he finally got through to the director’s office for Northwood Hills psychiatric hospital, the hospital that Melanie Hayle was confined to. He had been shunted from operator to operator and been put on hold for no less than thirty minutes. The cap of his pen was now a mangled mess of chewed plastic. He could really use another smoke, but he was doing his best to ignore the need.
“This is Dr. Martin Northwood. What can I do for you, detective?”
Drake let his breath out and schooled his voice to bland calmness. “Dr. Northwood, I wanted to ask you about your daughter. Your own daughter is confined to your hospital, correct?”
There was considerable stiffness in the reply. “Indeed, detective. She has been here since her association with that criminal husband of hers drove her out of her mind. My once beautiful and brilliant daughter has been sitting in a padded cell for close to eight years now.”
Drake grimaced at the slightly bitter tone of those words. “Dr. Northwood, I hate to sound crass, but you can offer proof of her whereabouts for all this time, correct?”
“What’s this about, detective?” Anger colored Northwood’s voice.
Drake bit the end of his pen before replying. “While it does seem impossible, your daughter’s name comes up in connection to a series of murders linked to the prosecutor who put her husband in prison.”
Northwood made a scoffing sound deep in his throat. “Detective, my daughter is so far out of touch with reality that she exhibits all the traits of someone with autism. To be ‘crass,’ she sits in a corner, rocking and drooling. She can hardly have plotted any murders.” Northwood’s voice chilled. “However, should you require proof, since my daughter is prone to random bouts of violent behavior, she is under constant monitoring. There is a video camera in her room and she is under surveillance at all times. Should you require proof you are more than welcome to come up and see her for yourself. Good day, detective!” The click of the receiver was a decidedly final sound.
Drake hung the phone up and glanced over at where JJ was still sorting through the piles of papers he had brought up from the archives. “Well, that was a colossal waste of time. Melanie Hayle’s in the same place she’s been for the past eight years.” Drake related the conversation to his partner as JJ leaned back and rubbed his temples. From the furrowed brows and the slight look of pain that tightened JJ’s mobile features, it was clear he was still suffering from the headache that plagued him earlier.
Drake glanced at the clock and winced in sympathy. They had worked all the way through lunch and were barely an hour shy of JJ’s shift being over. He rose and patted JJ on the shoulder. “Why don’t you knock off a little early so you can go take something for that headache? I can cover for you.”
JJ blinked up at the clock and cursed softly. “How’d it get to be that late?”
Drake grimaced at the flurry of papers that covered both of their desks. “Because we’ve been up to our necks in this. Go on, beat it.”
JJ made a face at him and stretched, his shoulders making a popping sound that was loud enough for Drake to hear clearly. “Ouch.”
JJ chuckled. “Not really. Felt pretty good.” He winced a little and rotated the shoulder he had hurt several months ago. “Ooh, except for that.”
Drake rose and dug his fingers into the muscles of JJ’s shoulders. JJ made a soft appreciative sound as he kneaded. “Mmmnn…” JJ murmured. “Oh, that feels nice.”
Drake smiled down at the top of JJ’s head. This was nice. With a blinding flash of insight, he realized what it was about Dee and Ryo that had always bothered him, even before he had really realized that they had a relationship. The ease between them, the camaraderie, the gentle touches and reassurances when they thought no one was looking. He’d been jealous of the closeness they had, something he had never shared with his girlfriends. It was something shocking to realize that he had it now, with JJ. He bent and slipped his arms around JJ’s neck in a gentle hug.
JJ tipped his head so that their cheeks touched. “That’s almost enough to make me forget how bad my head hurts.”
Drake chuckled softly. “Yeah, but…” He released his hold on JJ and straightened up.
JJ sighed and rose. “Well, I’m off to find something for this headache. I’ll bring you some dinner a little later. What would you like?”
Drake considered. “How ‘bout something from that all night deli down on the corner? Nothing fancy. And something that’s not coffee to drink. As long as it has caffeine, I’m good with it.”
JJ nodded. “You got it. I’ll be back a little later with it.”
Drake returned to his seat. “No problem. And thanks, JJ.” JJ dropped a quick kiss on his lips before grabbing his jacket and heading out. Drake found himself staring at the closed door in thoughtful contemplation.
He remembered that morning with a pang of nervous longing. JJ was right. He was still so edgy about really pushing it, but he wanted JJ more and more. Even his hang-ups had hang-ups, but those were fading more with each passing day.
It surprised him a little with how patient and supportive JJ had been. In all the years he’d been partnered with the hyperactive younger man, he’d never known JJ to hold back. Unashamedly gay, he’d made no pretenses about his desire for Dee, right down to tackling him in the middle of the precinct room and kissing him enthusiastically in front of the entire room full of cops. Drake grimaced at all the flack he had caught from that one. That had been the first time he had ever wanted to beat the living daylights out of half the precinct.
Drake himself, who’d had a steady girlfriend at the time, hadn’t come in for the sniping, but the slights at people he considered his friends had still rankled. It hadn’t stopped until JJ had put a stop to it himself by walking up to one of the worst offenders and asking him just what precisely his sexuality had to do with his ability to do the job? Since this had occurred the day after JJ, a black belt in no less than two forms of martial arts, had taken down two hulking bruisers all by himself, the other cop had been left sputtering.
Since then, JJ had endeared himself to the vast majority of the precinct with his unflagging good nature and willingness to help out anyone who needed it, so anyone who tried to badmouth him was quickly set to rights.
Drake considered JJ’s actions in that light. His overreaction to Drake’s near confession and his willingness to hold off until Drake was sure about sex made a little more sense. JJ had said nothing about it, but his actions had been toned down since then. That had hurt him, though in typical JJ manner, he had never let it show.
Ryo’s words came back to him. “Did you think that maybe he really does love you? For real, not the schoolboy crush he had on Dee? Maybe he doesn’t know what to do when it’s not an unrequited sort of thing.”
Drake snorted to himself. Good to think he wasn’t the only one confused by all this. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the file on his computer, a complete history of their only suspect… a woman who had been locked in a mental institution for eight years.
Hell, he needed a smoke if he was going to try and figure out anything on this case, much less the tangled up mess that was currently masquerading as his life. He opened a drawer and rummaged through the tangle of office supplies for the half pack of cigarettes he knew he had left there. There it was.
Drake pulled the pack out and tapped a cigarette out. He blinked in surprise. The rolled-up tube of paper in his hand was certainly not a cigarette. He unrolled it, recognizing one of the sea-blue post-it notes from his partner’s desk. There were two words written on it in JJ’s neat copperplate script. “No cheating!” The rest of the pack was empty.
Drake was torn between laughing at JJ’s cleverness and snarling at the nicotine deprivation.
*---------------------------------------------*
< br> He was well on his way to complete raging withdrawal two hours later, when JJ slipped into the office with a smile and a large white paper sack in one hand. He was balancing two large drinks in his other hand, so he used a foot to nudge the door closed. Drake tried for a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“Did you have to take all my smokes?” He complained as JJ set the drinks down.
JJ blinked at him. “You told me to keep them away from you. I was just obeying.”
Drake grumbled at him, reaching for one of the two Styrofoam cups. He sucked down a large gulp of sweet tea, trying to ignore the craving for nicotine that was crawling up his backbone.
He heard the click of the lock and turned to find JJ doing some serious invasion of personal space. JJ grinned at him, blue eyes sparkling with mischief and hunger, and pushed him back down in his chair, pinning him there with a hand planted on either armrest.
“J-JJ…?” Drake managed, the longing for nicotine replaced by a different sort of need entirely.
JJ’s smile was smug. “Do I have to find some way to help you with those cravings?”
Drake swallowed, throat suddenly gone dry. “JJ, what are you doing?” He managed, a little dismayed at how his voice squeaked. “We’re at work!”
JJ’s smile was seductive as he bent close to Drake’s face. “Mmm, and shift change was over two hours ago. The building is practically empty now. This floor is empty except for the two of us. I know, I checked.” He grinned and kissed Drake slowly and passionately.
Drake groaned into the kiss, his body reacting with hunger. “JJ…”
JJ pulled away and dropped to his knees, his chest between Drake’s jean-clad thighs. Jeans that were suddenly far too tight in certain places.
JJ grinned at him. “Just keep your voice down… Just to be on the safe side.” Nimble fingers went to work on Drake’s fly and Drake let all his breath escape him.
“This is so not a good idea.”
JJ chuckled deep in his throat as he worked to free Drake’s growing erection. “There are things to be said for bad ideas.”
Drake’s breath escaped in a harsh gasp as warm fingers closed around him. “Fuck, JJ…”
He felt more than heard JJ’s chuckle. “That’s the whole idea, Drake.”
Drake hissed as JJ worked his jeans and boxers down over his hips. Slender fingers danced up the underside of his now very erect penis. He couldn’t help arching against JJ’s hand. “JJ…” It came out a low growl as JJ stroked him.
JJ’s grin was boyish and made him look altogether too sexy. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
Drake stifled a yelp of pleasure as JJ suddenly deep-throated him. “Aaahhh - ”
JJ pulled back and offered him another smile, pressing forward to slide his fingers up under Drake’s shirt. He’d always know how steady and sure those slender fingers could be, after seeing JJ pick off a target nearly a hundred feet away during a howling storm, but he was definitely developing a new appreciation for them. JJ found his nipples and Drake sighed, pleasure pooling like liquid heat in his belly. “JJ…”
JJ stretched up for a kiss. “Is that all you can manage to say? ‘JJ’?” He teased against Drake’s lips.
“How ‘bout, ‘You’re killing me here?’ ” Drake grumbled, tugging JJ closer to deepen the teasing kiss.
JJ obliged, twining his slim arms around Drake’s neck. Drake slipped his hands around JJ’s upper back and kissed him fiercely, not caring that they were at work anymore. He didn’t care about anything but the feel of JJ, warm and willing, in his arms.
JJ pushed away after a long moment, a wicked twinkle in his blue eyes. “Not that I don’t love kissing you, Drakey, but something keeps poking me.” His hand found Drake’s erection again and Drake drew in a sharp breath. “Ah, there it is. Not that I mind being poked, but I’d prefer it in other places.”
Drake managed a shuddering breath, his face heating. “Don’t call me that… my kid sister is the only one I let call me that.” He wasn’t going to think about the rest of the sentence. Nope. Not gonna think about it. Not thinking about it.
JJ shifted to a better position and Drake’s eyes were drawn to the slim curve of his ass. Okay, so I’m thinking about it. Not that it was that bad of a thought anymore. If it was with JJ, he could see doing things he’d never thought of doing before.
The warm puff of breath just before JJ’s mouth enveloped him again dragged his wandering attention back to the matter at hand. Drake growled low in his throat and fisted his hands in JJ’s soft hair. “Dammit, JJ…” He breathed.
JJ chuckled softly and that nearly sent Drake right over the edge. He gritted his teeth and arched into JJ’s expert touch. JJ nibbled and teased and prolonged the torture before he swallowed Drake whole again. The whole time JJ kept a tight grip at the base of his penis, keeping him from the release his whole body was screaming for. Drake was nearly mad with frustration when JJ released him and swallowed him. The feel of the muscles moving around his penis was too much and Drake cried out, coming so hard that for a moment he could see only black, shot through with electrical arcs as he pulsed into the welcoming warmth of JJ’s mouth.
Drake collapsed back into his seat, limp and shuddering with the aftershocks. “Damn, JJ…” He panted harshly.
JJ smiled up at him, blue eyes sparkling with mischief and humor. “Got to work on expanding your vocabulary some.”
Drake panted for a second, glaring at JJ with irritation. “Shut the hell up.”
JJ smirked and caressed his thighs. “Looks like I still have some work to do on lightening your mood.”
Drake sighed and shook his head. “You are impossible,” he said affectionately, tugging JJ upright.
JJ rose and settled in his lap, winding arms around his neck. “But you knew that already.”
Drake sighed and nuzzled the warm skin of JJ’s throat. He could get to like this. “Yep. I did.”
JJ squirmed in his lap and Drake knew without looking that JJ was more than a little uncomfortable. He slipped a hand down to the bulge in the front of JJ’s pants. JJ hissed softly as Drake undid the zipper and reached inside. It still felt strange to have a penis that was not his own in his hand, but he was getting over it. And faster all the time, with JJ as incentive.
JJ arched his back, pressing more firmly into Drake’s exploring fingers. “Oooh, Drake.”
Drake nibbled on JJ’s earlobe, a spot that he had determined early on was a very sensitive spot on JJ. JJ’s panted and ground into his stroking hand, eyes squeezed shut and wearing an expression that said very clearly it would not take him long to come.
Drake watched the expressions playing over JJ’s mobile face with something like wonder. That he was the one causing them was a heady feeling, a rush comparable to an adrenaline high. Experimentally, he changed his grip, finding that JJ moved more frantically against his hand. His grip on Drake’s shoulders was nothing short of painful as he mewled softly. Drake felt the tensing of his muscles and pressed his mouth to JJ’s to mute JJ’s cry as he convulsed in Drake’s hand.
JJ slumped against him and Drake chuckled into the curve of his throat. “Okay, you win.”
“Mmmn?” JJ mumbled softly.
“There is something to be said for bad ideas.” JJ giggled into his hair as Drake rummaged in his desk drawer with his free hand.
“What are you doing?”
Drake frowned at him. “Looking for my box of Kleenex. We need to clean you up or the whole building’s gonna know what you were up to.”
JJ looked down at himself and chuckled wryly. “Good point. I’d have to walk right by the booking desk to reach my car.”
In the end, Drake couldn’t find his box of tissues and JJ made a hurried dash for the bathroom at the end of the hall. Drake followed him and leaned against the cold tile as JJ hurriedly cleaned himself up.
“You know, much as I appreciate your efforts to keep me from smoking, the food has gotten cold by now.”
JJ glanced over his shoulder. “That’s why I stuck with the antipasto salad you like and a sandwich. Perfectly fine if we didn’t get to it immediately.” His grin was adorably roguish.
Drake burst out laughing. “Planned for every eventuality, didn’t you?”
“Just most of them.”
When JJ was done, they ate, Drake staring morosely at his computer screen as he chewed. “I get the feeling there’s something here we’re not seeing, but what? Our only real lead is locked away, drooling on her shoes.”
JJ stared at the screen over his shoulder. “You said the director of the hospital is Melanie Hayle’s father, right?”
Drake nodded absently, chewing on a potato chip.
“Could he be covering for her?”
Drake blinked up at JJ. “Why? We could get him for aiding and abetting.”
JJ shrugged. “She’s his daughter. That’s motive enough for a lot of things.”
“But she’s under video surveillance. How could he fake that?” Drake asked, his attention caught by JJ’s speculation.
JJ shrugged. “Hospitals like Northwood are generally understaffed. Bet he’s paying her doctor to report on someone who isn’t even there.”
Drake frowned. “But he all but invited us up to take a look.”
JJ waved a nacho in the air like a baton. “Probably because he thinks we won’t take him up on the offer. After all, it is way out of our jurisdiction.”
“You think so?”
“Chances are.” JJ nibbled on the nacho he had just been waving around and looked over at Drake.
Drake sighed. “Fine. But you get to get the badger to sign off on it. Like you said, we have no jurisdiction up there. And I don’t want to have to talk him into it.”
JJ grinned at him. “He’ll do it. This case is getting a little too sticky for him to sit on his hands. You up for a road trip, Drakey?”
“Don’t call me that!”
A/N-Okay, friends and fellow fic-writers, here’s the newest chapter of Loves Company for your reading pleasure. (*pokes Hana with a stick* Glad you’re still alive over there. *glomps*) This chapter is dedicated to our faithful reviewer Catti-dono, who was in a horrific smash-up this past month that left her pretty badly banged up and with more than a few holes in her memory. So everyone please think of her and wish her well, she needs it! (*cuddles* Love you, Catti!) Daxemon, you can see your influence already in JJ’s methods of keeping Drake from smoking. (*giggles* Yay!!! Smutty goodness for me!!) *sighs* Shut up, Kita! Ladymynx, hope you enjoy this as much as we’ve been enjoying your work over on LJ. (And DA! *glomps* Glad you came over there too. Thanks for faving my art! It was nice to read your stuff!!! Subu’s right, you are a really good writer!!) Shinigami, thanks for the discussion of the killer’s motives. Hope you are enjoying the mystery. Trust me, there’s a twist coming that you haven’t foreseen. (I remember the few times I actually got on Livejournal, you said you liked mysteries, hope you like this one! *waves*) Garita, as always, many thanks for the art and remember, we’re still waiting for the next chapter of Dee. (*begs* Pweeeeeeaaassseee? I really want to read more!!!)
Warnings for more M/M relations this chapter. And as always, only the killer belongs to us. Everyone else is property of Sanami Matou! We just borrow them and put them back slightly rumpled.
*---------------------------------------------*
Drake was gritting his teeth by the time he finally got through to the director’s office for Northwood Hills psychiatric hospital, the hospital that Melanie Hayle was confined to. He had been shunted from operator to operator and been put on hold for no less than thirty minutes. The cap of his pen was now a mangled mess of chewed plastic. He could really use another smoke, but he was doing his best to ignore the need.
“This is Dr. Martin Northwood. What can I do for you, detective?”
Drake let his breath out and schooled his voice to bland calmness. “Dr. Northwood, I wanted to ask you about your daughter. Your own daughter is confined to your hospital, correct?”
There was considerable stiffness in the reply. “Indeed, detective. She has been here since her association with that criminal husband of hers drove her out of her mind. My once beautiful and brilliant daughter has been sitting in a padded cell for close to eight years now.”
Drake grimaced at the slightly bitter tone of those words. “Dr. Northwood, I hate to sound crass, but you can offer proof of her whereabouts for all this time, correct?”
“What’s this about, detective?” Anger colored Northwood’s voice.
Drake bit the end of his pen before replying. “While it does seem impossible, your daughter’s name comes up in connection to a series of murders linked to the prosecutor who put her husband in prison.”
Northwood made a scoffing sound deep in his throat. “Detective, my daughter is so far out of touch with reality that she exhibits all the traits of someone with autism. To be ‘crass,’ she sits in a corner, rocking and drooling. She can hardly have plotted any murders.” Northwood’s voice chilled. “However, should you require proof, since my daughter is prone to random bouts of violent behavior, she is under constant monitoring. There is a video camera in her room and she is under surveillance at all times. Should you require proof you are more than welcome to come up and see her for yourself. Good day, detective!” The click of the receiver was a decidedly final sound.
Drake hung the phone up and glanced over at where JJ was still sorting through the piles of papers he had brought up from the archives. “Well, that was a colossal waste of time. Melanie Hayle’s in the same place she’s been for the past eight years.” Drake related the conversation to his partner as JJ leaned back and rubbed his temples. From the furrowed brows and the slight look of pain that tightened JJ’s mobile features, it was clear he was still suffering from the headache that plagued him earlier.
Drake glanced at the clock and winced in sympathy. They had worked all the way through lunch and were barely an hour shy of JJ’s shift being over. He rose and patted JJ on the shoulder. “Why don’t you knock off a little early so you can go take something for that headache? I can cover for you.”
JJ blinked up at the clock and cursed softly. “How’d it get to be that late?”
Drake grimaced at the flurry of papers that covered both of their desks. “Because we’ve been up to our necks in this. Go on, beat it.”
JJ made a face at him and stretched, his shoulders making a popping sound that was loud enough for Drake to hear clearly. “Ouch.”
JJ chuckled. “Not really. Felt pretty good.” He winced a little and rotated the shoulder he had hurt several months ago. “Ooh, except for that.”
Drake rose and dug his fingers into the muscles of JJ’s shoulders. JJ made a soft appreciative sound as he kneaded. “Mmmnn…” JJ murmured. “Oh, that feels nice.”
Drake smiled down at the top of JJ’s head. This was nice. With a blinding flash of insight, he realized what it was about Dee and Ryo that had always bothered him, even before he had really realized that they had a relationship. The ease between them, the camaraderie, the gentle touches and reassurances when they thought no one was looking. He’d been jealous of the closeness they had, something he had never shared with his girlfriends. It was something shocking to realize that he had it now, with JJ. He bent and slipped his arms around JJ’s neck in a gentle hug.
JJ tipped his head so that their cheeks touched. “That’s almost enough to make me forget how bad my head hurts.”
Drake chuckled softly. “Yeah, but…” He released his hold on JJ and straightened up.
JJ sighed and rose. “Well, I’m off to find something for this headache. I’ll bring you some dinner a little later. What would you like?”
Drake considered. “How ‘bout something from that all night deli down on the corner? Nothing fancy. And something that’s not coffee to drink. As long as it has caffeine, I’m good with it.”
JJ nodded. “You got it. I’ll be back a little later with it.”
Drake returned to his seat. “No problem. And thanks, JJ.” JJ dropped a quick kiss on his lips before grabbing his jacket and heading out. Drake found himself staring at the closed door in thoughtful contemplation.
He remembered that morning with a pang of nervous longing. JJ was right. He was still so edgy about really pushing it, but he wanted JJ more and more. Even his hang-ups had hang-ups, but those were fading more with each passing day.
It surprised him a little with how patient and supportive JJ had been. In all the years he’d been partnered with the hyperactive younger man, he’d never known JJ to hold back. Unashamedly gay, he’d made no pretenses about his desire for Dee, right down to tackling him in the middle of the precinct room and kissing him enthusiastically in front of the entire room full of cops. Drake grimaced at all the flack he had caught from that one. That had been the first time he had ever wanted to beat the living daylights out of half the precinct.
Drake himself, who’d had a steady girlfriend at the time, hadn’t come in for the sniping, but the slights at people he considered his friends had still rankled. It hadn’t stopped until JJ had put a stop to it himself by walking up to one of the worst offenders and asking him just what precisely his sexuality had to do with his ability to do the job? Since this had occurred the day after JJ, a black belt in no less than two forms of martial arts, had taken down two hulking bruisers all by himself, the other cop had been left sputtering.
Since then, JJ had endeared himself to the vast majority of the precinct with his unflagging good nature and willingness to help out anyone who needed it, so anyone who tried to badmouth him was quickly set to rights.
Drake considered JJ’s actions in that light. His overreaction to Drake’s near confession and his willingness to hold off until Drake was sure about sex made a little more sense. JJ had said nothing about it, but his actions had been toned down since then. That had hurt him, though in typical JJ manner, he had never let it show.
Ryo’s words came back to him. “Did you think that maybe he really does love you? For real, not the schoolboy crush he had on Dee? Maybe he doesn’t know what to do when it’s not an unrequited sort of thing.”
Drake snorted to himself. Good to think he wasn’t the only one confused by all this. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the file on his computer, a complete history of their only suspect… a woman who had been locked in a mental institution for eight years.
Hell, he needed a smoke if he was going to try and figure out anything on this case, much less the tangled up mess that was currently masquerading as his life. He opened a drawer and rummaged through the tangle of office supplies for the half pack of cigarettes he knew he had left there. There it was.
Drake pulled the pack out and tapped a cigarette out. He blinked in surprise. The rolled-up tube of paper in his hand was certainly not a cigarette. He unrolled it, recognizing one of the sea-blue post-it notes from his partner’s desk. There were two words written on it in JJ’s neat copperplate script. “No cheating!” The rest of the pack was empty.
Drake was torn between laughing at JJ’s cleverness and snarling at the nicotine deprivation.
*---------------------------------------------*
< br> He was well on his way to complete raging withdrawal two hours later, when JJ slipped into the office with a smile and a large white paper sack in one hand. He was balancing two large drinks in his other hand, so he used a foot to nudge the door closed. Drake tried for a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“Did you have to take all my smokes?” He complained as JJ set the drinks down.
JJ blinked at him. “You told me to keep them away from you. I was just obeying.”
Drake grumbled at him, reaching for one of the two Styrofoam cups. He sucked down a large gulp of sweet tea, trying to ignore the craving for nicotine that was crawling up his backbone.
He heard the click of the lock and turned to find JJ doing some serious invasion of personal space. JJ grinned at him, blue eyes sparkling with mischief and hunger, and pushed him back down in his chair, pinning him there with a hand planted on either armrest.
“J-JJ…?” Drake managed, the longing for nicotine replaced by a different sort of need entirely.
JJ’s smile was smug. “Do I have to find some way to help you with those cravings?”
Drake swallowed, throat suddenly gone dry. “JJ, what are you doing?” He managed, a little dismayed at how his voice squeaked. “We’re at work!”
JJ’s smile was seductive as he bent close to Drake’s face. “Mmm, and shift change was over two hours ago. The building is practically empty now. This floor is empty except for the two of us. I know, I checked.” He grinned and kissed Drake slowly and passionately.
Drake groaned into the kiss, his body reacting with hunger. “JJ…”
JJ pulled away and dropped to his knees, his chest between Drake’s jean-clad thighs. Jeans that were suddenly far too tight in certain places.
JJ grinned at him. “Just keep your voice down… Just to be on the safe side.” Nimble fingers went to work on Drake’s fly and Drake let all his breath escape him.
“This is so not a good idea.”
JJ chuckled deep in his throat as he worked to free Drake’s growing erection. “There are things to be said for bad ideas.”
Drake’s breath escaped in a harsh gasp as warm fingers closed around him. “Fuck, JJ…”
He felt more than heard JJ’s chuckle. “That’s the whole idea, Drake.”
Drake hissed as JJ worked his jeans and boxers down over his hips. Slender fingers danced up the underside of his now very erect penis. He couldn’t help arching against JJ’s hand. “JJ…” It came out a low growl as JJ stroked him.
JJ’s grin was boyish and made him look altogether too sexy. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
Drake stifled a yelp of pleasure as JJ suddenly deep-throated him. “Aaahhh - ”
JJ pulled back and offered him another smile, pressing forward to slide his fingers up under Drake’s shirt. He’d always know how steady and sure those slender fingers could be, after seeing JJ pick off a target nearly a hundred feet away during a howling storm, but he was definitely developing a new appreciation for them. JJ found his nipples and Drake sighed, pleasure pooling like liquid heat in his belly. “JJ…”
JJ stretched up for a kiss. “Is that all you can manage to say? ‘JJ’?” He teased against Drake’s lips.
“How ‘bout, ‘You’re killing me here?’ ” Drake grumbled, tugging JJ closer to deepen the teasing kiss.
JJ obliged, twining his slim arms around Drake’s neck. Drake slipped his hands around JJ’s upper back and kissed him fiercely, not caring that they were at work anymore. He didn’t care about anything but the feel of JJ, warm and willing, in his arms.
JJ pushed away after a long moment, a wicked twinkle in his blue eyes. “Not that I don’t love kissing you, Drakey, but something keeps poking me.” His hand found Drake’s erection again and Drake drew in a sharp breath. “Ah, there it is. Not that I mind being poked, but I’d prefer it in other places.”
Drake managed a shuddering breath, his face heating. “Don’t call me that… my kid sister is the only one I let call me that.” He wasn’t going to think about the rest of the sentence. Nope. Not gonna think about it. Not thinking about it.
JJ shifted to a better position and Drake’s eyes were drawn to the slim curve of his ass. Okay, so I’m thinking about it. Not that it was that bad of a thought anymore. If it was with JJ, he could see doing things he’d never thought of doing before.
The warm puff of breath just before JJ’s mouth enveloped him again dragged his wandering attention back to the matter at hand. Drake growled low in his throat and fisted his hands in JJ’s soft hair. “Dammit, JJ…” He breathed.
JJ chuckled softly and that nearly sent Drake right over the edge. He gritted his teeth and arched into JJ’s expert touch. JJ nibbled and teased and prolonged the torture before he swallowed Drake whole again. The whole time JJ kept a tight grip at the base of his penis, keeping him from the release his whole body was screaming for. Drake was nearly mad with frustration when JJ released him and swallowed him. The feel of the muscles moving around his penis was too much and Drake cried out, coming so hard that for a moment he could see only black, shot through with electrical arcs as he pulsed into the welcoming warmth of JJ’s mouth.
Drake collapsed back into his seat, limp and shuddering with the aftershocks. “Damn, JJ…” He panted harshly.
JJ smiled up at him, blue eyes sparkling with mischief and humor. “Got to work on expanding your vocabulary some.”
Drake panted for a second, glaring at JJ with irritation. “Shut the hell up.”
JJ smirked and caressed his thighs. “Looks like I still have some work to do on lightening your mood.”
Drake sighed and shook his head. “You are impossible,” he said affectionately, tugging JJ upright.
JJ rose and settled in his lap, winding arms around his neck. “But you knew that already.”
Drake sighed and nuzzled the warm skin of JJ’s throat. He could get to like this. “Yep. I did.”
JJ squirmed in his lap and Drake knew without looking that JJ was more than a little uncomfortable. He slipped a hand down to the bulge in the front of JJ’s pants. JJ hissed softly as Drake undid the zipper and reached inside. It still felt strange to have a penis that was not his own in his hand, but he was getting over it. And faster all the time, with JJ as incentive.
JJ arched his back, pressing more firmly into Drake’s exploring fingers. “Oooh, Drake.”
Drake nibbled on JJ’s earlobe, a spot that he had determined early on was a very sensitive spot on JJ. JJ’s panted and ground into his stroking hand, eyes squeezed shut and wearing an expression that said very clearly it would not take him long to come.
Drake watched the expressions playing over JJ’s mobile face with something like wonder. That he was the one causing them was a heady feeling, a rush comparable to an adrenaline high. Experimentally, he changed his grip, finding that JJ moved more frantically against his hand. His grip on Drake’s shoulders was nothing short of painful as he mewled softly. Drake felt the tensing of his muscles and pressed his mouth to JJ’s to mute JJ’s cry as he convulsed in Drake’s hand.
JJ slumped against him and Drake chuckled into the curve of his throat. “Okay, you win.”
“Mmmn?” JJ mumbled softly.
“There is something to be said for bad ideas.” JJ giggled into his hair as Drake rummaged in his desk drawer with his free hand.
“What are you doing?”
Drake frowned at him. “Looking for my box of Kleenex. We need to clean you up or the whole building’s gonna know what you were up to.”
JJ looked down at himself and chuckled wryly. “Good point. I’d have to walk right by the booking desk to reach my car.”
In the end, Drake couldn’t find his box of tissues and JJ made a hurried dash for the bathroom at the end of the hall. Drake followed him and leaned against the cold tile as JJ hurriedly cleaned himself up.
“You know, much as I appreciate your efforts to keep me from smoking, the food has gotten cold by now.”
JJ glanced over his shoulder. “That’s why I stuck with the antipasto salad you like and a sandwich. Perfectly fine if we didn’t get to it immediately.” His grin was adorably roguish.
Drake burst out laughing. “Planned for every eventuality, didn’t you?”
“Just most of them.”
When JJ was done, they ate, Drake staring morosely at his computer screen as he chewed. “I get the feeling there’s something here we’re not seeing, but what? Our only real lead is locked away, drooling on her shoes.”
JJ stared at the screen over his shoulder. “You said the director of the hospital is Melanie Hayle’s father, right?”
Drake nodded absently, chewing on a potato chip.
“Could he be covering for her?”
Drake blinked up at JJ. “Why? We could get him for aiding and abetting.”
JJ shrugged. “She’s his daughter. That’s motive enough for a lot of things.”
“But she’s under video surveillance. How could he fake that?” Drake asked, his attention caught by JJ’s speculation.
JJ shrugged. “Hospitals like Northwood are generally understaffed. Bet he’s paying her doctor to report on someone who isn’t even there.”
Drake frowned. “But he all but invited us up to take a look.”
JJ waved a nacho in the air like a baton. “Probably because he thinks we won’t take him up on the offer. After all, it is way out of our jurisdiction.”
“You think so?”
“Chances are.” JJ nibbled on the nacho he had just been waving around and looked over at Drake.
Drake sighed. “Fine. But you get to get the badger to sign off on it. Like you said, we have no jurisdiction up there. And I don’t want to have to talk him into it.”
JJ grinned at him. “He’ll do it. This case is getting a little too sticky for him to sit on his hands. You up for a road trip, Drakey?”
“Don’t call me that!”