Life, Mid-Crisis & sequels by lamardeuse (NC-17)
Fandom: Live Free and Die Hard (Die Hard 4)
Pairing: John McClane/Matt Farrell
Author on LJ: lamardeuse
Author Website: When the world is puddle-wonderful
Why this must be read: while the three stories in this series can be read as stand-alones, I think it is better for the reader to view them as the natural progression in a burgeoning relationship. The first story is about John and Matt getting together, the second is them learning how to deal with one another (and John's adult children) and the third is them meeting the in-laws at Thanksgiving. lamardeuse handles each story with humor, great dialog and hot sex - what else can you ask for?
A couple of weeks later, the case finally breaks wide open on an anonymous tip, and there's a brief, shining moment when they all feel like it's worth it. John goes out with the rest of the division that night, nursing a single beer while most of the rest of them knock back shot after shot of the hard stuff.
After a while he realizes what the itch under the surface of his skin is: it feels strange not being with Matt after work. They don't have a set schedule, John doesn't have to report in or be there every night, but it still feels weird to be doing something without him. And that's when it slams into him, broadsides, that this is a habit, a thing, and he's in deeper than he wants to admit he is.
The thought terrifies him. But underneath the terror is something else, something warm and half-remembered, a feeling of comfort, of stability, of knowing you're not completely fucking alone in the universe. John hadn't realized how much he missed that feeling. He's not really sure how he's lived without it all this long, how his heart has gone on beating in his chest.
John thinks about calling him - the bar isn't far from the apartment, Matt could be there in twenty minutes - but he doesn't. How would John introduce him? Is this something Matt would even be into, spending the evening with a bunch of cops drinking straight rye like it was tap water?
Does he even know what the hell Matt's into? Have they actually done anything outside Matt's apartment since they got together? Jesus, no, they haven't. He's been fucking Matt for nearly three months and he hasn't even gone out on a date with him yet.
"I gotta go," John says suddenly, setting his half-finished beer on the bar.
"Where're you goin'?" Joe asks.
John scratches at the back of his neck. "I - uh, somebody's expecting me." It's not exactly true, but that doesn't matter, because John's whole body is already anticipating the moment when he walks through that door, sees Matt, touches him. It's crazy, but he can't help it. What's worse, he doesn't even think he wants to help it.
Lambert raises an eyebrow at him and checks his watch meaningfully. "Man, I figured you had to have a new lady in your life, what with the lunches and all, but I didn't know she had you on such a short leash."
"It's a he," John says blandly, ignoring the way Joe's eyes almost bug out of his head at that, "and I'm going because I want to."
"Okay," Joe says, holding up his hands in a placating gesture - hey, they all got the sensitivity training last year - "uh, have fun."
"Thanks," John says, nodding as he heads for the door, praying he can get a taxi fast.
Life, Mid-Crisis
From A Rut to A Groove
Interlude No.1, or In-Laws in D Flat Major
Pairing: John McClane/Matt Farrell
Author on LJ: lamardeuse
Author Website: When the world is puddle-wonderful
Why this must be read: while the three stories in this series can be read as stand-alones, I think it is better for the reader to view them as the natural progression in a burgeoning relationship. The first story is about John and Matt getting together, the second is them learning how to deal with one another (and John's adult children) and the third is them meeting the in-laws at Thanksgiving. lamardeuse handles each story with humor, great dialog and hot sex - what else can you ask for?
A couple of weeks later, the case finally breaks wide open on an anonymous tip, and there's a brief, shining moment when they all feel like it's worth it. John goes out with the rest of the division that night, nursing a single beer while most of the rest of them knock back shot after shot of the hard stuff.
After a while he realizes what the itch under the surface of his skin is: it feels strange not being with Matt after work. They don't have a set schedule, John doesn't have to report in or be there every night, but it still feels weird to be doing something without him. And that's when it slams into him, broadsides, that this is a habit, a thing, and he's in deeper than he wants to admit he is.
The thought terrifies him. But underneath the terror is something else, something warm and half-remembered, a feeling of comfort, of stability, of knowing you're not completely fucking alone in the universe. John hadn't realized how much he missed that feeling. He's not really sure how he's lived without it all this long, how his heart has gone on beating in his chest.
John thinks about calling him - the bar isn't far from the apartment, Matt could be there in twenty minutes - but he doesn't. How would John introduce him? Is this something Matt would even be into, spending the evening with a bunch of cops drinking straight rye like it was tap water?
Does he even know what the hell Matt's into? Have they actually done anything outside Matt's apartment since they got together? Jesus, no, they haven't. He's been fucking Matt for nearly three months and he hasn't even gone out on a date with him yet.
"I gotta go," John says suddenly, setting his half-finished beer on the bar.
"Where're you goin'?" Joe asks.
John scratches at the back of his neck. "I - uh, somebody's expecting me." It's not exactly true, but that doesn't matter, because John's whole body is already anticipating the moment when he walks through that door, sees Matt, touches him. It's crazy, but he can't help it. What's worse, he doesn't even think he wants to help it.
Lambert raises an eyebrow at him and checks his watch meaningfully. "Man, I figured you had to have a new lady in your life, what with the lunches and all, but I didn't know she had you on such a short leash."
"It's a he," John says blandly, ignoring the way Joe's eyes almost bug out of his head at that, "and I'm going because I want to."
"Okay," Joe says, holding up his hands in a placating gesture - hey, they all got the sensitivity training last year - "uh, have fun."
"Thanks," John says, nodding as he heads for the door, praying he can get a taxi fast.
Life, Mid-Crisis
From A Rut to A Groove
Interlude No.1, or In-Laws in D Flat Major