Coming In from the Cold
Pairing: Don/Tim
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nada
Spoilers: None
Word Count: 1558
Disclaimer: Not mine. Ever. Don’t sue. Title inspired by John LeCarre.
Summary: Inspired by this little Tim POV by
theferretgirl from our RPG
home_in_albany (though this fic is unrelated): "Always," I assure him, smiling when he takes my face in both his hands. Donald's got really big hands. Military hands. But I doubt there are many people who know how gentle and kind those hands can be. They're like that all the time he's around me. Gentle, kind, sometimes romantic even. Those are his hidden parts, the one he keeps away from the world at large. Took him a while to show me but once he did, everything changed. For the better.
Their first time...it was quick, desperate both of them eager to just feel each other’s skin after so many aborted attempts to even be in the same room as each other. It was over in a matter of moments, and Tim would have made a face of confusion and disappointment when Donald left if he hadn’t been practically knocked out by the amazing spark of it all. Not to mention the kiss he got after Don had righted his own clothes. That kiss told him that Donald would be back. Tim was sure of it.
It wasn’t until their two-month anniversary that Timothy really saw Don's...softer side though. Timothy was actually- Well, he was thinking of calling it quits. This gruff, rough and tumble man was sexy enough, sexy as all hell actually, and he made Tim feel like the only man in the room, but that was all well and good while things were...well, good. Tim didn’t need another relationship that would turn out to be one-sided and would only fall apart at the first sign of stress. He’d had those; he’d thought he could rely on his partner and then as quickly as they’d arrived, they were gone. Those were the kind that hurt the most. Even one-night stands had hurt less than those.
He really wanted someone to settle down with and Donald Strachey just didn’t seem the type.
But on their two-month anniversary - he didn’t even know that’s what it was actually, usually it was his job to count the weeks and days, but since Donald was more than likely getting dumped, Tim hadn’t bothered this time. Hurt too much - Timothy came home to his apartment after a week of all-nighters slaving away on an extremely important proposal...to candles? Candles all over.
Tim gaped. He didn’t know what to think. Clearly it wasn’t a burglar. Burglars didn’t generally set out the nice plates - the ones he had hidden in the back of the cabinet since he never had the opportunity to put them to good use - and laid out placemats.
The keys lying on the kitchen counter reminded him that he had given Donald his key that one time while he’d gone to visit his parents. To check the mail and such, not to- to- sneak in and make romantic gestures just when Tim was ready to throw in the towel. No, this wouldn’t do. He supposed he’d have to go through the whole night or else seem like an utter jackass. Who could say no to the smell of curry and lamb anyway?
"Your favorite take-out," came whispered behind his ear along with a kiss to his cheek and his jacket being slid off his shoulders smoothly.
"Donald? What’s all this?" Tim inquired as casually as possible, not wanting to sound...rankled.
"Our two-month anniversary. I thought we could celebrate," Don said with the shyest smile Timothy had seen on his brash, detective lover so far. It was...unnerving to say the least.
"This is- This is very sweet of you, Donald," Tim said with something close to an actual smile as he slid into the chair Donald had pulled out. The smile from Don was much more sure, and the rest of the meal resulted in Tim’s favorite flavors, yes, but also... so much bafflement as well. He’d honestly not believed Donald Strachey to be a man of romance, a man of thoughtful gestures. But still, Donald wasn’t the settling down type. He was impulsive, took too many risks, did whatever it took, even if that meant bending the rules. Tim liked rules. He liked his safety. This man was not for him, he really was sure of it, he thought.
So when Donald suggested a movie, moving in close to hint at something more, Tim was truthful and said he was exhausted. Earnestly, Donald admitted to being beat as well, but offered to draw Tim a bath before he left. Which Timothy very much wanted to decline, but again, politeness found him agreeing with a small smile. Don was just...so charming and Tim couldn’t bear to ruin that child-like pleasure on Don’s face after he’d been so thoughtful.
So they both trudged upstairs, Tim staying in the bedroom to undress and find his robe while Donald started the water. Padding into the bathroom over the cool tile, Tim couldn’t help giving Don a ‘thank you’ kiss for his efforts. ...Which turned into several, unfortunately. Damn that man and his glorious mouth. Timothy would certainly miss that part of Donald. But it was for the best. Even if the kisses did seem softer and gentler tonight somehow.
Donald waited until Tim got into the tub, of course, watching greedily the whole time, Tim felt as a blush rose on his cheeks at the scrutiny, but when he turned his head to look at Donald, Don had his head down, hands in his pockets as though he was going to leave. He seemed to think for a long moment as Tim tried to will him away, but he stayed, looking at Tim for several long moments before speaking. The world seemed to weigh on Donald in a way Tim had never seen before.
"I finished a job today. Had to hand in some photos for this guy that had me follow his wife." This wasn’t unusual in itself as far as Tim could tell and he sank down in the water a bit, content to let Donald finish and then be on his merry way.
"Here was this guy. Decent, sweet guy and his cheating wife left him. And he was in tears. He didn’t care that I was there, he just broke," Donald said, appearing to be making some important point, so Tim tried to listen carefully as Don went on.
Donald was pacing a little, like he couldn’t quite figure out how the words went together and then abruptly sat down on the edge of the tub and grabbed Tim’s wet hand.
"She left him just like that. But he still tried to get her back even though he was the one that had her followed. Even though his wife was evil, even though he told her they could go to counseling, try again to make things work, she left and he...he was a hollow shell, Tim." Tim watched as Donald swallowed roughly but kept going.
"I watched him break, Tim and- And I knew that was going to be me. That was going to be me if I kept--" Donald was looking at him intently now and Tim couldn’t help but be caught in that gaze. "I knew that was going to be me if I kept treating you like you were any other guy and didn’t... God damn this is hard," he rubbed a hand over his face, but still held tightly to Tim’s. That hand holding on like a lifeline was all Timothy needed to know. This wasn’t one-sided.
"If I didn’t... Tim, I’m tired of relationships that end when someone thinks the sex gets boring. I’m tired of guys coming and going. I really like you, Tim, and I-I don’t want to lose you. I’m so-I’ve never- Do we still have a chance? Do you think we can make this work?" In that moment, Tim could really see Donald. Finally. All this time and he hadn’t ever seen Don truly open up to him. It was flooring coming from the guy who never seemed to be bothered by anything. Who could take a punch and get right back up ready to go again.
Tim didn’t need any more time to think about what would come next.
"Donald, get undressed. Get in this bath with me, please," Tim murmured gently, but with a tone that wouldn’t be denied. He had no doubts now. Donald moved like a lost man as his clothes slid slowly to the floor, slacks, shirt, tie... This man was going to need Tim’s protection, Tim could see that now. Hard, crusty outer shell, but only because the inside was so very fragile and already damaged. Donald was still a small child inside, trying to survive, trying to figure out why the world was so bad. Tim wondered how Donald kept it hidden so well, wondered how he hadn’t seen it before, but there it was now, staring him straight in the face.
"Come’re," Tim urged quietly as he made room for Donald to lie back against his chest and finally, finally he had Donald curled in his arms like the wounded puppy he was. "I want this to work too, Don. I want this to work too," he said quietly, smoothing hair back from Donald’s forehead and kissing him there. "I think we’re gonna have something really special," he said, all the sounds fading out around them until there was only the lapping of water and Donald’s very quiet, "I hope so too." Donald leaned his head on Tim’s shoulder, nose in the crook of Tim’s neck.
"Thank you," Tim added, arms wrapped tightly around Don, only to see Don was out like a light, his fingers once again twined tightly with Tim’s and looking for all the world like he felt safe and right at home. No, Tim wouldn’t be letting this one go for quite a long time.