mm_kel (mm_kel) wrote in morningstar_mnr, @ 2010-06-02 10:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | au, chas, deacon, seth |
AU - Morning (then later), Mocha and beyond
For once it seemed like Deacon's luck was turning for the better. The pusher in the ER had given him information that he'd been looking for for what seemed like ever. That Allan Kinyon was involved in some major dirty dealings they'd known for a while but they'd never been able to find enough to get him. But with this new information Deacon might just be able to work something out to buy them a little time.
Sitting at one of the coffee tables in the Morningstar Manor coffee shop, the Mocha, he sipped his coffee and read over his notes again. Yeah - this just might work.
Less positive was Charlie, entering from the lobby and looking a sight with a very black eye and a pair of borrowed jeans that were too short for him. "Tea please," he said to the blonde at the counter and raised his eye brows as she snickered. The tea when it came was weak and watery and her grin was even more malicious.
"Have you ever heard the term schadenfreude?" he asked and when she said she hadn't he suggested she look it up sometime. She didn't seem pleased, but that, Charlie decided, was HER problem. He had other things on his mind.
Deacon had watched the exchange and chuckled softly. When Shaw turned away from the counter he waved, catching his attention, and motioned him over to the table.
"Don't mind Joy," he said, nodding to the woman behind the counter. "She's a bitch to everyone."
"Hello, Detective," Charlie said with a grin. He might have had all the worries of the world on his shoulders but at least he was awake enough now to enjoy chatting to the delectable Detective Ferrell. "How's life? Making the streets too hot for wrong-doers?"
"Doin' my best," he said and motioned to one of the empty seats. "Have a seat. Join me." He smiled. "And it's Deacon. Not Detective."
"Deacon then," Charlie said as he took the seat. "And I'm Charlie. Pleased to meet you properly. Day off, or do you work weird hours?"
"Weird hours. I'll be going in a bit later but I'm worthless without my coffee." Deacon sipped said drink. "So, Charlie, how ya feelin'? That's one hell of a shiner you've got."
Charlie raised his hand to his rainbow coloured face. The eye may have been black but there were streaks and blobs of red and green all around it. "I'm fine," he said. "Sore ear from what the family said when I told them what had happened. And I'm going to have to go out sometime and get some clothes. I can't keep borrowing Seth's. Having my ankles covered will do wonders for my self confidence and I'll be able to give the insurance company a rocket with conviction. And you? Everything going well?"
"Possibly very well. I'll know a bit later. So your friend Roth hasn't taken you shopping yet? Ya know if you need a lift I can take you."
"That's a kind offer," Charlie said. "I was going to see about getting a map so I can walk but that's assuming the shopping areas are reachable on foot."
"There's a few but it's easy to get lost around here if ya don't know your way." Deacon flashed him a charming, easy going smile. "I got time. Why don't you let me show you that we do have some nice folks in the City too."
Charlie had picked up his tea but at that he put it down again and gave Deacon a bright smile. "I can't think of anything you could show me that I wouldn't find enthralling," he said. Straight or not, his gaydar was pinging madly around Deacon and so it had to be worth a shot. "But I promise to be good and not - jaywalk? or anything else that might embarrass you."
Something twinkled in Deacon's eyes and the charming smile turned into something a bit more flirty.
"You need to get anything or you ready to hit the stores now?" he asked. Yeah there was work to be done but there was something about this dark haired man that made him reluctant to leave just yet.
"I have my wallet," Charlie said, "and Seth suggested I check out the facilities - he's got a client in for a sitting - so I'm free." He glanced at the window. "Won't need a coat, will I? You can still get frost bite in May at home."
"Nah you'll be fine." Deacon finished off his coffee. "And I know a place you can get decent tea too. Or at least I've been told by those that drink it that it's the best in the City."
"It wouldn't honestly have to try hard to beat this," Charlie said, nodding to the pale beige liquid in his cup. "No, I'm not drinking it. You've won me over with your big city talk of good tea," he added, in a far more rural accent than he had used up to now.
Deacon laughed. "Well c'mon then," he said as they stood. "Let me show you my big city ways. I promise they're worth the time."
He gave Charlie a wink and they headed off to do some shopping.
###
Later
Seth had given Charlie a spare key and he grinned to himself as he used it to let himself back into the apartment. He had been gone AGES but had had a world of fun and a very decent lunch with his escort.
He closed the door quietly, put the key on the shelf and glanced at himself in the mirror. The new clothes hadn't been expensive but Deacon had encouraged him to be a little bolder than he might have risked normally. So jeans - that fit rather well - a dark grey/green tweed jacket - that he'd been assured matched his eyes - and a claret coloured shirt.
Charlie smiled as he wandered into the living room and continued to smile as he headed for the kitchen.
"Hey where have you been?" Seth called from the kitchen and looked up when he heard Charlie in the doorway. And blinked. "Rawr - look at you!"
Charlie continued to smile. "I've been - made over?" he said. "Oh Seth, have I ever." he directed a look of helpless delight, mixed with a good bit of self-derision at his friend. "I think I'm smitten."
Seth bounced and turned around from where he'd been working on dinner. "Spill. I want allll the juicey details."
A blush this time, just for a change. "Well it depends on your definition of juicy," Charlie said. "I went down to the coffee shop - the Mocker? And - and that nice policeman who brought me here the other night was there - off duty - and he took me to this place where I bought these. I wasn't too sure what to get but - well - he made suggestions." he raised his eyebrows. "Flirted a bit too I think."
Seth's mouth dropped open. "Ferrell? Big tall drop dead gorgeous Detective Ferrell? You lucky fucking little bastard!" Seth jumped and grabbed Charlie. "I knew it. I knew it! I've seen him all over this building and never once with a girl!"
"Not once? And there are so many such nice ones too!" Charlie grabbed Seth back. "Oh Seth, he put his hand on my back as he walked me back to the car - just there. And it felt good and - Oh god - I'm going home as soon as that damn picture is found and delivered. I just daren't let myself get - fond."
"Don't worry about fond," Seth said. "You get a chance at that you take it, you hear me? There is no one like that back at Norton Wood for god's sake! And then you give me every single minute detail cuz I'm not his type - believe me I've tried. God why do you get all the hunks?"
He bounced up to kiss Charlie lightly on the mouth then paused and looked him over again, biting his lower lip.
"Did I mention rawr?" he said, voice gone a bit low. "Cuz - damn."
Charlie had been about to protest that no he did NOT in fact get all the hunks because, as Seth had said, there were none at home. In fact nobody of a gay persuasion at all who was prepared to admit it, and if he wanted an adventure he had to go to Hereford. But the kiss derailed that train of thought, as did the praise.
"Do I look good?" he said. "Because, if i do look good, it's his choice of clothing and - and maybe he thinks I look good too and - oh Christ, I sound like a teenaged girl." His voice broke on a squeak. "I really," he said, his voice dropping to a more manly register, "want to know if he tastes as good as he looks."
"Oh I'd like to know that too," Seth sighed then smoothed his hands over Charlie's chest and his new shirt. "And yeah, honey, you look damn good. And I'd be willing to bet my next painting he's thinking about you wherever he is right now." Seth flicked one of the buttons on Charlie's shirt. "And about what you might look like out of these new clothes."
"Well i know what I think he'd look like out of his," Charlie said, grabbing Seth's hand and holding it tight. "Bloody fantastic, that's what. So - what should i do? Should I - ask him out? No, he's a detective, they don't have free time. What? I don't know the etiquette here. At home I just look hopeful. Oh damn Seth I don't have time to be subtle. "
"Then don't be subtle," Seth said. "You don't know how long you'll be here. Make a move, Charlie. He's in the gym on Friday mornings." At the look Charlie gave him he shrugged unapologetically. "Hey, he's gorgeous. Let me letch. Anyway he'll be there. So you show up. There's usually not anyone else when he's down there."
"So if I just happened to run into him," Charlie said, "I could - dead casual-like - ask him if he'd like a blow-j... er - lunch or something? And sort of go on from there?"
Seth chuckled and grinned. "Exactly," he said. "Or - you can get real flirty and make it totally clear you'd be more than willing if he wanted to, say, push you up against the wall and have his wicked way with you and see what happens. Cuz trust me, honey, when you see him sweaty and shirtless you may damn well just offer up that blow-job."
Charlie made a strangled whimpering sound and dropped his head to Seth's shoulder. "Don't," he said. "I'll get all excited and make a fool of myself. You know that's perfectly possible. Gah - Seth. I like him. I really like him. I don't just want to clamber all over him like a jungle gym - though I must admit that would be really nice. I enjoyed talking to him. He was interesting. His mum has an old cider press in a barn at her place. He seemed interested in what we did at home." He sighed. "Poke me if I'm gushing."
And Seth did, but his smile was soft when he did it. "You really do like him don't you," he said softly then brushed a dark curl from Charlie's forehead. "You know - you don't have to leave right away when they find the painting and you get it sold. You could hang around awhile. Have a bit of a holiday. See if, maybe, he likes you back."
"Maybe I could," Charlie murmured. "Honest, Seth, I don't think I ever met anyone for whom I've had such an immediate - crush. I'd like that. If you wouldn't mind?" He grinned suddenly. "Maybe I could matchmake for you with your music guy?"
"Deal," Seth said immediately - though he'd have let Charlie stay regardless. "You get me my hunk and I'll help you get yours."
"Whoohoo!" Charlie said and picked Seth up. "Let's celebrate! I'll make the tea."
Seth squeaked as he was lifted but laughed and wrapped his arms around Charlie's neck. "You make tea and I will make brownies!"
"Deal," Charlie said and carried Seth across to the counter where he knew the baking things were kept. "Er - best make them ordinary brownies," he added. "Not to spoil your fun or anything but - well - maybe policemen have a nose for that kind of thing."
"Very good point," Seth agreed and they got down to the fine art of making tea and brownies - and talking about boys.