FIC: Previous Convictions 25/27, Brown Cortina, Gene and Ray, R/C
Title: Previous Convictions
Word Count: This part 3,563. Total 70,000
Spoilers: None, really. I suppose if you’ve never seen Life on Mars there might be one or two…but it won’t make sense, either!
Pairings: None to begin with, Ray/Chris eventually.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Disclaimer: The only things which belong to me are the mistakes.
Summary: It’s a long and winding road. A bit of backstory, pre-1973.
A/N: Thanks go to xCazzie and Dakfinv for beta-dom. All remaining mistakes are mine alone.
Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three, Chapter four, Chapter five, Chapter six, Chapter seven, Chapter eight, Chapter nine, Chapter ten, Chapter eleven, Chapter twelve, Chapter thirteen, Chapter fourteen, Chapter fifteen, Chapter sixteen, Chapter seventeen, Chapter eighteen, Chapter nineteen, Chapter twenty, Chapter twenty-one, Chapter twenty-two, Chapter twenty-three, Chapter twenty-four
Once they were back in CID, Gene spotted Ray sitting on the edge of Chris’s desk, talking through a case with him.
“Raymondo, in ‘ere,” Gene called.
Ray rolled his eyes at Chris and ambled into the small office, watching as Gene poured two long slugs of whiskey into mugs.
“Ain’t meant to drink, on them tablets they give me,” he said, unconvincingly.
Gene gave him a look. “An’ when did you ever do what you were told?”
Ray grinned and picked up the drink, sitting on the arm of the sofa.
“So what’d they say?” Gene asked, gesturing to Ray.
“All goin’ to plan, they reckon. Gimme a new bandage,” he held up his hand. “Says I still gotta take things easy, but ‘part from that, all okay.”
“Bloody good,” Gene smiled. “Need you back, Ray. There’s word going around that Gallagher’s going to move - his missus wants out of the city, so he’s moving divisions. You know what that means, Ray.”
Ray nodded. The squad would need a new DI. Ray couldn’t help but smile.
“Aye, Guv.”
“Good. I know I can count on you, Ray.” Gene raised his mug in salute and Ray mirrored his action before taking a long swig.
“An’ who’d ‘ave thought it, all them years ago, after you’d nicked that money off me Mum. I tell you, if you ‘adn’t joined up, and I’d’ve seen you in this city back then, you’d not ‘ave lived to be ‘ere now.”
Ray gave half a smile. “You know I di’n’t mean that, Guv. It were nowt against you, or yer Mam.”
Gene snorted, but nodded. He had forgiven Ray long ago.
Chris looked up as Ray exited the office about an hour later. He had heard laughter from inside a few times, and he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy. Not only were Ray and the Guv clearly doing no work, but they were also together, joking around, without him. He ducked his head as Ray glanced toward him, pretending not to be watching.
“Chris, wi’ me,” Ray called. “We’re goin’ to ‘ave a chat about your case with them shopkeepers.”
Chris smiled, glad that he would now get some time with Ray, alone and away from the office.
Once they were in the car, Chris looked across to Ray.
“What’s put you in such a good mood?”
Ray just smiled more. “You’ll find out, soon enough.”
Chris frowned a little, but knew he’d have to wait.
***
That night, once they were home, Ray shrugged out of his jacket and began unwinding his bandage.
“Want a hand?” Chris asked.
“Aye, I do seem to be one short,” Ray shot back.
“I meant…” Chris started, guiltily. But then saw Ray smiling.
Chris grinned, stripping off his own jacket and heading to the bathroom to find towels and turn the water on. Once the shower was running, he turned back to where Ray was attempting to undo his shirt buttons with slightly more success than before. Chris still gently pushed Ray’s hands aside though and did the job himself, kissing Ray as he did so. Ray immediately surrendered, trying to wrap his arm around Chris’s waist to pull him closer. Chris pushed him away, giggling. “’Ot water’s goin’ down the plug’ole, c’mon,” he finished with Ray’s shirt and undid the button at his waistband, then slid the zip down. He turned away, shrugging out of his own shirt, knowing Ray would follow.
A minute later, Ray was standing under the hot spray, head tipped back, feeling the water wash away not only the dirt and grime, but also working on all his aches and pains from the old bruises.
Chris stepped into the bathtub, moving close to Ray, running his hands over Ray’s muscular chest. He picked up a flannel and the soap, making a lather and gently rubbing it over Ray’s skin.
Ray sighed, smiling. Feeling Chris close to him was seriously turning him on, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before Chris noticed.
He tipped his head forward, opening his eyes and blinking away the water.
“C’m’ere,” he said gruffly, sliding his wet hand over Chris’s cheek and pulling him into a long kiss. Then he allowed himself to explore Chris’s body further, sliding his hand down the skinny body, over Chris’s flat stomach and down to his groin.
Chris gave a little gasp as Ray’s fingers wrapped around his cock, the grip firm. Then Ray’s hand began to move and Chris couldn’t help but moan a little, dropping his head to rest against Ray’s shoulder.
Ray moved so he could kiss Chris’s ear, running the tip of his tongue around it. He could feel Chris getting harder in his hand with every stroke and dipped his index finger down, dragging it up over Chris’s balls, feeling the tight scrotum and knowing Chris wasn’t going to last long.
He shifted slightly, moving to make Chris look up at him. Chris lifted his head, and his mouth was immediately caught in a deep kiss. He reached around Ray and grabbed Ray’s buttocks, pulling them close together, feeling Ray’s erection pressing into him.
When he came he thought he’d collapse, the muscles in his legs were shaking so hard. Ray wrapped his other arm around Chris’s waist, trying his best to support the younger man whilst keeping his injured hand out of danger, squeezing them close together.
He panted into Ray’s mouth, moaning as the warm water running between them only served to heighten his pleasure.
Ray finally let go of Chris’s softening dick and lifted his hand through the spray, washing it clean. Then he stroked his fingers down Chris’s cheek and reached for another soft kiss.
“All right?” he asked.
Chris smiled and nodded, a dopey expression on his face. He looked down at Ray’s hard-on, then gently ran his fingertips over Ray’s hip and down to his bollocks, feeling the softness, like his own, but somehow so very different.
He looked up to see that Ray’s eyes were closed so he experimentally closed his fist around Ray’s shaft, trying to judge just how tightly he held himself. Then he moved, stroking up and down. Ray’s cock was thicker than his own and he adjusted his hold, moving his fingers until he could stroke the full length, watching Ray’s foreskin moving and stretching.
Ray tried to bite back a moan and reached out, needing to feel Chris’s skin, needing more contact. His fingers slid over Chris’s wet skin until his forearm rested on Chris’s hip, his fingers finding the cleft of Chris’s buttocks.
“Yeah,” he panted, thrusting his hips in time with Chris’s movements. “Oh, God.”
Chris smiled, unbelievably happy that he was the one making Ray feel that good.
Ray felt the tightness collecting in his groin, then curling out, unleashing the pleasure of orgasm. He pulled Chris closer, pressing their bodies together, trapping Chris’s hand but still pumping his hips, gasping in pleasure.
Chris felt the sticky warmth running over his hand and belly, hot and slick. He stood still, pressed against Ray, the water running over their backs.
Finally Ray released his hold on Chris, still breathing hard. He steadied himself against the wall as Chris washed himself, taking in every plane of the lithe body.
Chris picked up the bottle of shampoo and held it up. “I’ll do yours first,” he offered.
Ray smiled, turning around and allowing Chris to reach up and shampoo his hair. He closed his eyes as the bubbles ran over his face, then stepped back under the spray when Chris ordered him to.
Finally, they were both washed and Ray stepped out of the bathtub, waiting for Chris to turn off the water. He handed over a towel and picked one up himself.
Chris looked at him, making eye contact and smiling shyly.
“What?” Ray asked.
Chris shook his head. “I never…done anythin’ like that ‘fore.”
Ray smiled too. “And?”
Chris shrugged, looking down at the floor. “Was nice.”
Ray laughed. “Jus’ ‘nice’?”
Chris looked up again. “Great?” he ventured.
“Aye,” Ray laughed. “’S more ‘ow it was for me.”
Chris wrapped his towel around his waist and walked from the bathroom, leaving a trail of wet footprints.
“Thought I’d do us bangers ‘n mash,” he called.
Ray shook his head, grinning to himself. Chris never ceased to surprise him. “Aye, sounds good. An’ some gravy, right?”
***
That night they lay in bed, Ray with his arm wrapped over Chris.
“So…is that what we…do?” Chris asked.
“Huh?” Ray answered eloquently, broken from his thoughts about just how good Chris’s bum felt pressed against his groin.
“In the shower, earlier…’s that what…queers do?”
Ray gave a small shrug. “Yeah, sometimes.”
“What about…sex? I mean, like…proper sex, rather’n a wank?”
“Do that too,” Ray answered. “If we want.”
Chris wriggled, turning over to face Ray. “Yeah, but…like what? I mean, d’you really…put yer plonker up someone’s arse?”
Ray couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips. “Aye. An’ right romantic you make it sound, too.”
Chris frowned. “It don’t sound very nice. I mean, for the one what’s being the girl.”
Ray slid his fingers over Chris’s chest. “It’s…mebbe the first time, or if you ain’t with the right person, no, sometimes it ain’t that good. But when you do it right…’s better than being the top. It’s better ‘n anything else you’ll ever know.”
Chris didn’t look at all convinced.
“If you don’t want t’do it, we don’t ‘ave to,” Ray reassured. “You want me to ‘ave all the fun, ‘s fine.”
Chris’s eyes widened slightly. “You mean you’d let me…”
Ray nodded. “’Course. It ain’t like…we’re both blokes, right, one of us ain’t the girl and the other the fella, ‘S not how it works. Well - ain’t for me. Some people like it that way, I suppose. But the way I see it, we can both do both.”
Chris nodded, but looked unsure.
“Main thing is, don’t worry ‘bout it, an’ don’t do it if you don’t want,” Ray finished, hoping he was reassuring Chris and finishing his statement by pressing a kiss onto his forehead.
“It can’t be very…” Chris hesitated. “Clean,” he finished.
“It’s fine, ‘s long as you’re prepared right,” Ray answered. “You ‘ave a bit of a clean out first - it’s dead simple, I’ll show you, when it comes to it. There’s nowt dirty or nasty about it - whatever you ‘ear other people sayin’. They just don’t know what they’re on about ‘s all.”
Chris snuggled up to Ray and settled against him. He still had a lot of questions, but he trusted Ray and knew he had time to ask them. He reached down and adjusted his balls, smiling as he remembered just how good it had felt when Ray’s hand had been touching him earlier.
***
Three weeks later Gallagher left the department, and the whole of CID stayed on after hours, first drinking every drop of booze in the station, including a number of Party Seven’s which Gene had produced for the occasion. Then, as was tradition, they moved on to the Arms. For Ray it was a double celebration, as he had finally been allowed back on full duty, although he had been warned of the dire consequences of throwing any punches or otherwise doing anything which might damage his hand and set back his recovery.
He stood in the pub, an arm around Chris’s shoulders, singing along with a bawdy song that someone had started. He knew that it would only be a matter of time now before Gene made his promotion official.
In fact, it was two days until Gene finally called him into the office, gesturing to the seat opposite his own.
“Sit down, Ray.”
Ray frowned. Gene wasn’t usually so serious. He began to think perhaps this meeting wasn’t about his bump up to DI, but maybe about a case or some other problem.
“What I said, Ray, a few weeks ago…seems like…seems like someone else had other ideas.”
Ray frowned. “What d’you mean, Guv?”
“I mean…I got a message, today. We’ve got a new officer comin’ in. From Hyde. A new DI.”
Ray stared. “You mean…”
“You ain’t got it, Ray, not this time.”
Ray didn’t move, trying to let the news sink in. “Why…I mean…” he shook his head, unable to find the words.
“Weren’t my choice. You know I’d’ve ‘ad you. But this is orders, from the top brass. They didn’t ask me, they just told me this is how it is. I argued, told ‘em what I thought of it…but there we go. There ain’t nothing I can do about it.”
Ray felt worse than as if he’d been punched, but he nodded anyway. There was no point doing or saying anything.
“Ray…” Gene shook his head. “It ain’t fair, but you’ll get there. Not this time, but there’ll be other chances.”
Ray nodded again. “Aye. I mean, yeah, Guv.”
“All right then, carry on,” Gene waved at the door.
Ray walked out into the office, heading for his desk, fumbling in his pocket for his cigarettes. He slumped into his seat, lighting up and taking a deep drag. His mind wandered over the reasons why he’d been overlooked for the promotion. Maybe someone knew about him and Chris. Maybe someone had taken what Blanchard had been ranting about in the interviews seriously. Maybe he just wasn’t good enough.
***
Chris noticed Ray’s odd demeanour, and as soon as he could, grabbed up a random file from his desk and headed for Ray, glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed something was amiss.
He leant over the desk, flipping the file open.
“Wha’s the matter?” he asked in a low voice.
“Guv’s just got word, some bastard’s transferrin’ in, into Bernie’s job. They’ve give’ it to someone off another division.”
Chris frowned, wondering just why this was such a terrible thing to have happened. Then his eyes widened and he realised.
“An’ you thought…that should be your job!” he finished, indignantly. No one had quite said as much, but it had been obvious ever since Gallagher’s imminent departure was announced that everyone had assumed Ray would be offered the job.
Ray looked at Chris with a slightly funny expression. “Aye,” he said softly.
Chris wanted to take Ray in his arms and hug him, but he knew he couldn’t, not in the office.
“’M sorry,” he said. “It ain’t fair.”
Ray gave a slight snort, then turned back to his work, not taking anything in. He wondered what the new bloke would be like, and realised he already hated him.
He didn’t get anything done, just sat and stared at his paperwork, wondering what the point was. He was the best the department had. His clear up rate was better than everyone else put together. And it still wasn’t enough.
Finally Gene strode through the office. “Ray, they’ve brought Kenny Jones in, we need to ‘ave a chat with him.”
Ray stood up and trailed after Gene, his cigarettes and lighter in his hand.
The man sat in Lost and Found, handcuffs around his wrists. He looked up when Gene and Ray walked into the room.
“Mr ‘Unt,” he acknowledged.
Gene grunted in reply, pulling out a chair, the metal legs grating on the floor.
Ray walked behind the man and stood with his back to the wall, arms crossed. He wondered if Gene would use his new DI for the role of intimidator soon. Would the new bloke fit in? Would he back up Gene like Ray always had? Ray doubted it, somehow. His loyalty to Gene was borne of many years of friendship, and the feeling that, since their first meeting, he’d always owed Gene something. It would have been easy for Gene to take him in that day, have him charged, and probably sent to some approved school.
“Was lookin’ for you the other day, Kenny,” Gene started, lighting himself a cigarette. “Heard a whisper you knew summat about these jewellers getting turned over.”
The man fidgeted, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “No, Mr. ‘Unt, wouldn’t know nowt ‘bout that.”
Gene leant back in his chair, watching the younger man.
“People tell me different.”
The man shifted a little bit in his seat. Ray took a step forward.
“Why’d they tell me it were you then?” Gene enquired softly.
“I…I dunno. I mean…I dunno why anyone’d say that…I ain’t…”
Ray grabbed a fistful of the snivelling man’s hair, pulling his head back. “Then you better ‘ave a think then, ‘adn’t you?” he hissed, feeling the man shaking in his grasp.
“But I…it weren’t me, I dunno who it were. Someone’s tryin’ to set me up - honest!”
Gene gave Ray a look and Ray let go, pushing Jones’ face towards the desk.
“So if we went ‘round your gaff, there wouldn’t be anything there?” Gene enquired.
Jones tensed.
“There’s only one way you can save your ‘orrible scrawny neck,” Gene leant forward, blowing smoke in Jones’ face. “Who did you do it with? I know you ain’t got the brains to work it out on your own.”
“I…I can’t…” Jones started.
Ray drove his fist into Jones’ jaw, knocking him from the chair. A smile crossed his face as the pain radiated up from his knuckles.
He leant over and dragged Jones back into the chair.
Gene gave a small scowl at the blood dripping from his suspect’s mouth. “Better for everyone if you talk,” he observed.
“I don’t…” he tried to wipe the blood on his cuff, looking nervously at Ray.
Ray didn’t bother to wait for the nod from Gene. He drove his fist in again, catching Jones on the cheek, watching as he sprawled onto the floor again.
“I can’t say! They’ll kill me!” Jones screamed, but Ray didn’t give a toss, he threw the chair aside and drove another punch into the man’s stomach, grabbing him by the collar.
“Tell us you little shit or I’ll fuckin’ kill you!” He picked Jones up by his shirt front, throwing him hard against the wall.
“Ray! Sergeant - enough,” Gene grabbed Ray’s shoulder. “Enough. And you,” he pointed to Jones’, “Better fuckin’ tell me everything you know or I won’t try an’ stop him.”
“Andy Small…an’ the Gregory brothers…they was all in on it too. Don’t…don’t tell ‘em I said owt. You can’t let ‘em know…they’ll kill me, they will…”
“It’s all you fuckin’ deserve,” Ray spat.
Gene grabbed Jones and dragged him to the door.
Ray watched as the door swung closed behind the two figures. He slammed his fist into the nearest object on the shelf. It fell with a satisfying crash, but it wasn’t enough. He punched again and again, kicking at the items as they fell to the floor. The noise, the pain, and the destruction were just what he needed. He slammed his fist into the filing cabinet, feeling the metal give, then swung his other arm, sweeping things to the floor.
***
“Chris! Go and find Ray, tell ‘im we’re picking up the others,” Gene shouted on his way through the office, before starting to organise everyone else for the raids.
Chris obediently headed for the door, and it was only when he reached the corridor that he quickened his pace. A few people were staring at the door to Lost and Found as they walked past, and Chris could hear the occasional crash emanating from inside.
He paused at the door, wondering if Ray was still questioning someone, but there was no shouting, and besides, the Guv was upstairs.
He pushed the door open, scared of what he might find. He was just in time to see Ray smashing his fist into the filing cabinet again, leaving another dent in the already beaten exterior.
“Ray?” he said, but the sound barely came out. He approached slowly, jumping as Ray grabbed a stereo and slammed it into the floor. “Ray?” he said, a little louder.
Ray turned, and Chris could see the familiar anger burning in his blue eyes, usually reserved for suspects.
“The…Guv says we need t’go an’…um, get the rest of the gang, like,” he said nervously.
Ray nodded, and Chris could see his chest still heaving, catching his breath. He glanced around and realised the level of destruction Ray had wreaked on the small room. The chair and table were lying, upended, in the corner. Almost everything on the shelves had been swept off and smashed on the floor. And the filing cabinet - the only thing left standing - was dented and battered, from both punches and kicks.
Chris didn’t know what to say, nor did he know how to ignore the situation. Then he saw that Ray was holding his hand, as if in pain.
“Your hand! The doc said…” And the look Ray gave him made him trail off.
“’S fine,” Ray answered, walking past him and slamming the door back into the wall as he left the room.
Chris stood for a second, gripped by indecision. He quickly grabbed the table and chair, righting them, and kicked the worst of the debris under the shelves, hoping everyone would assume it had been the interrogation which caused the mess. Then he ran after Ray.
TBC...
Word Count: This part 3,563. Total 70,000
Spoilers: None, really. I suppose if you’ve never seen Life on Mars there might be one or two…but it won’t make sense, either!
Pairings: None to begin with, Ray/Chris eventually.
Rating: Brown Cortina
Disclaimer: The only things which belong to me are the mistakes.
Summary: It’s a long and winding road. A bit of backstory, pre-1973.
A/N: Thanks go to xCazzie and Dakfinv for beta-dom. All remaining mistakes are mine alone.
Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three, Chapter four, Chapter five, Chapter six, Chapter seven, Chapter eight, Chapter nine, Chapter ten, Chapter eleven, Chapter twelve, Chapter thirteen, Chapter fourteen, Chapter fifteen, Chapter sixteen, Chapter seventeen, Chapter eighteen, Chapter nineteen, Chapter twenty, Chapter twenty-one, Chapter twenty-two, Chapter twenty-three, Chapter twenty-four
Once they were back in CID, Gene spotted Ray sitting on the edge of Chris’s desk, talking through a case with him.
“Raymondo, in ‘ere,” Gene called.
Ray rolled his eyes at Chris and ambled into the small office, watching as Gene poured two long slugs of whiskey into mugs.
“Ain’t meant to drink, on them tablets they give me,” he said, unconvincingly.
Gene gave him a look. “An’ when did you ever do what you were told?”
Ray grinned and picked up the drink, sitting on the arm of the sofa.
“So what’d they say?” Gene asked, gesturing to Ray.
“All goin’ to plan, they reckon. Gimme a new bandage,” he held up his hand. “Says I still gotta take things easy, but ‘part from that, all okay.”
“Bloody good,” Gene smiled. “Need you back, Ray. There’s word going around that Gallagher’s going to move - his missus wants out of the city, so he’s moving divisions. You know what that means, Ray.”
Ray nodded. The squad would need a new DI. Ray couldn’t help but smile.
“Aye, Guv.”
“Good. I know I can count on you, Ray.” Gene raised his mug in salute and Ray mirrored his action before taking a long swig.
“An’ who’d ‘ave thought it, all them years ago, after you’d nicked that money off me Mum. I tell you, if you ‘adn’t joined up, and I’d’ve seen you in this city back then, you’d not ‘ave lived to be ‘ere now.”
Ray gave half a smile. “You know I di’n’t mean that, Guv. It were nowt against you, or yer Mam.”
Gene snorted, but nodded. He had forgiven Ray long ago.
Chris looked up as Ray exited the office about an hour later. He had heard laughter from inside a few times, and he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy. Not only were Ray and the Guv clearly doing no work, but they were also together, joking around, without him. He ducked his head as Ray glanced toward him, pretending not to be watching.
“Chris, wi’ me,” Ray called. “We’re goin’ to ‘ave a chat about your case with them shopkeepers.”
Chris smiled, glad that he would now get some time with Ray, alone and away from the office.
Once they were in the car, Chris looked across to Ray.
“What’s put you in such a good mood?”
Ray just smiled more. “You’ll find out, soon enough.”
Chris frowned a little, but knew he’d have to wait.
***
That night, once they were home, Ray shrugged out of his jacket and began unwinding his bandage.
“Want a hand?” Chris asked.
“Aye, I do seem to be one short,” Ray shot back.
“I meant…” Chris started, guiltily. But then saw Ray smiling.
Chris grinned, stripping off his own jacket and heading to the bathroom to find towels and turn the water on. Once the shower was running, he turned back to where Ray was attempting to undo his shirt buttons with slightly more success than before. Chris still gently pushed Ray’s hands aside though and did the job himself, kissing Ray as he did so. Ray immediately surrendered, trying to wrap his arm around Chris’s waist to pull him closer. Chris pushed him away, giggling. “’Ot water’s goin’ down the plug’ole, c’mon,” he finished with Ray’s shirt and undid the button at his waistband, then slid the zip down. He turned away, shrugging out of his own shirt, knowing Ray would follow.
A minute later, Ray was standing under the hot spray, head tipped back, feeling the water wash away not only the dirt and grime, but also working on all his aches and pains from the old bruises.
Chris stepped into the bathtub, moving close to Ray, running his hands over Ray’s muscular chest. He picked up a flannel and the soap, making a lather and gently rubbing it over Ray’s skin.
Ray sighed, smiling. Feeling Chris close to him was seriously turning him on, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before Chris noticed.
He tipped his head forward, opening his eyes and blinking away the water.
“C’m’ere,” he said gruffly, sliding his wet hand over Chris’s cheek and pulling him into a long kiss. Then he allowed himself to explore Chris’s body further, sliding his hand down the skinny body, over Chris’s flat stomach and down to his groin.
Chris gave a little gasp as Ray’s fingers wrapped around his cock, the grip firm. Then Ray’s hand began to move and Chris couldn’t help but moan a little, dropping his head to rest against Ray’s shoulder.
Ray moved so he could kiss Chris’s ear, running the tip of his tongue around it. He could feel Chris getting harder in his hand with every stroke and dipped his index finger down, dragging it up over Chris’s balls, feeling the tight scrotum and knowing Chris wasn’t going to last long.
He shifted slightly, moving to make Chris look up at him. Chris lifted his head, and his mouth was immediately caught in a deep kiss. He reached around Ray and grabbed Ray’s buttocks, pulling them close together, feeling Ray’s erection pressing into him.
When he came he thought he’d collapse, the muscles in his legs were shaking so hard. Ray wrapped his other arm around Chris’s waist, trying his best to support the younger man whilst keeping his injured hand out of danger, squeezing them close together.
He panted into Ray’s mouth, moaning as the warm water running between them only served to heighten his pleasure.
Ray finally let go of Chris’s softening dick and lifted his hand through the spray, washing it clean. Then he stroked his fingers down Chris’s cheek and reached for another soft kiss.
“All right?” he asked.
Chris smiled and nodded, a dopey expression on his face. He looked down at Ray’s hard-on, then gently ran his fingertips over Ray’s hip and down to his bollocks, feeling the softness, like his own, but somehow so very different.
He looked up to see that Ray’s eyes were closed so he experimentally closed his fist around Ray’s shaft, trying to judge just how tightly he held himself. Then he moved, stroking up and down. Ray’s cock was thicker than his own and he adjusted his hold, moving his fingers until he could stroke the full length, watching Ray’s foreskin moving and stretching.
Ray tried to bite back a moan and reached out, needing to feel Chris’s skin, needing more contact. His fingers slid over Chris’s wet skin until his forearm rested on Chris’s hip, his fingers finding the cleft of Chris’s buttocks.
“Yeah,” he panted, thrusting his hips in time with Chris’s movements. “Oh, God.”
Chris smiled, unbelievably happy that he was the one making Ray feel that good.
Ray felt the tightness collecting in his groin, then curling out, unleashing the pleasure of orgasm. He pulled Chris closer, pressing their bodies together, trapping Chris’s hand but still pumping his hips, gasping in pleasure.
Chris felt the sticky warmth running over his hand and belly, hot and slick. He stood still, pressed against Ray, the water running over their backs.
Finally Ray released his hold on Chris, still breathing hard. He steadied himself against the wall as Chris washed himself, taking in every plane of the lithe body.
Chris picked up the bottle of shampoo and held it up. “I’ll do yours first,” he offered.
Ray smiled, turning around and allowing Chris to reach up and shampoo his hair. He closed his eyes as the bubbles ran over his face, then stepped back under the spray when Chris ordered him to.
Finally, they were both washed and Ray stepped out of the bathtub, waiting for Chris to turn off the water. He handed over a towel and picked one up himself.
Chris looked at him, making eye contact and smiling shyly.
“What?” Ray asked.
Chris shook his head. “I never…done anythin’ like that ‘fore.”
Ray smiled too. “And?”
Chris shrugged, looking down at the floor. “Was nice.”
Ray laughed. “Jus’ ‘nice’?”
Chris looked up again. “Great?” he ventured.
“Aye,” Ray laughed. “’S more ‘ow it was for me.”
Chris wrapped his towel around his waist and walked from the bathroom, leaving a trail of wet footprints.
“Thought I’d do us bangers ‘n mash,” he called.
Ray shook his head, grinning to himself. Chris never ceased to surprise him. “Aye, sounds good. An’ some gravy, right?”
***
That night they lay in bed, Ray with his arm wrapped over Chris.
“So…is that what we…do?” Chris asked.
“Huh?” Ray answered eloquently, broken from his thoughts about just how good Chris’s bum felt pressed against his groin.
“In the shower, earlier…’s that what…queers do?”
Ray gave a small shrug. “Yeah, sometimes.”
“What about…sex? I mean, like…proper sex, rather’n a wank?”
“Do that too,” Ray answered. “If we want.”
Chris wriggled, turning over to face Ray. “Yeah, but…like what? I mean, d’you really…put yer plonker up someone’s arse?”
Ray couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips. “Aye. An’ right romantic you make it sound, too.”
Chris frowned. “It don’t sound very nice. I mean, for the one what’s being the girl.”
Ray slid his fingers over Chris’s chest. “It’s…mebbe the first time, or if you ain’t with the right person, no, sometimes it ain’t that good. But when you do it right…’s better than being the top. It’s better ‘n anything else you’ll ever know.”
Chris didn’t look at all convinced.
“If you don’t want t’do it, we don’t ‘ave to,” Ray reassured. “You want me to ‘ave all the fun, ‘s fine.”
Chris’s eyes widened slightly. “You mean you’d let me…”
Ray nodded. “’Course. It ain’t like…we’re both blokes, right, one of us ain’t the girl and the other the fella, ‘S not how it works. Well - ain’t for me. Some people like it that way, I suppose. But the way I see it, we can both do both.”
Chris nodded, but looked unsure.
“Main thing is, don’t worry ‘bout it, an’ don’t do it if you don’t want,” Ray finished, hoping he was reassuring Chris and finishing his statement by pressing a kiss onto his forehead.
“It can’t be very…” Chris hesitated. “Clean,” he finished.
“It’s fine, ‘s long as you’re prepared right,” Ray answered. “You ‘ave a bit of a clean out first - it’s dead simple, I’ll show you, when it comes to it. There’s nowt dirty or nasty about it - whatever you ‘ear other people sayin’. They just don’t know what they’re on about ‘s all.”
Chris snuggled up to Ray and settled against him. He still had a lot of questions, but he trusted Ray and knew he had time to ask them. He reached down and adjusted his balls, smiling as he remembered just how good it had felt when Ray’s hand had been touching him earlier.
***
Three weeks later Gallagher left the department, and the whole of CID stayed on after hours, first drinking every drop of booze in the station, including a number of Party Seven’s which Gene had produced for the occasion. Then, as was tradition, they moved on to the Arms. For Ray it was a double celebration, as he had finally been allowed back on full duty, although he had been warned of the dire consequences of throwing any punches or otherwise doing anything which might damage his hand and set back his recovery.
He stood in the pub, an arm around Chris’s shoulders, singing along with a bawdy song that someone had started. He knew that it would only be a matter of time now before Gene made his promotion official.
In fact, it was two days until Gene finally called him into the office, gesturing to the seat opposite his own.
“Sit down, Ray.”
Ray frowned. Gene wasn’t usually so serious. He began to think perhaps this meeting wasn’t about his bump up to DI, but maybe about a case or some other problem.
“What I said, Ray, a few weeks ago…seems like…seems like someone else had other ideas.”
Ray frowned. “What d’you mean, Guv?”
“I mean…I got a message, today. We’ve got a new officer comin’ in. From Hyde. A new DI.”
Ray stared. “You mean…”
“You ain’t got it, Ray, not this time.”
Ray didn’t move, trying to let the news sink in. “Why…I mean…” he shook his head, unable to find the words.
“Weren’t my choice. You know I’d’ve ‘ad you. But this is orders, from the top brass. They didn’t ask me, they just told me this is how it is. I argued, told ‘em what I thought of it…but there we go. There ain’t nothing I can do about it.”
Ray felt worse than as if he’d been punched, but he nodded anyway. There was no point doing or saying anything.
“Ray…” Gene shook his head. “It ain’t fair, but you’ll get there. Not this time, but there’ll be other chances.”
Ray nodded again. “Aye. I mean, yeah, Guv.”
“All right then, carry on,” Gene waved at the door.
Ray walked out into the office, heading for his desk, fumbling in his pocket for his cigarettes. He slumped into his seat, lighting up and taking a deep drag. His mind wandered over the reasons why he’d been overlooked for the promotion. Maybe someone knew about him and Chris. Maybe someone had taken what Blanchard had been ranting about in the interviews seriously. Maybe he just wasn’t good enough.
***
Chris noticed Ray’s odd demeanour, and as soon as he could, grabbed up a random file from his desk and headed for Ray, glancing around to see if anyone else had noticed something was amiss.
He leant over the desk, flipping the file open.
“Wha’s the matter?” he asked in a low voice.
“Guv’s just got word, some bastard’s transferrin’ in, into Bernie’s job. They’ve give’ it to someone off another division.”
Chris frowned, wondering just why this was such a terrible thing to have happened. Then his eyes widened and he realised.
“An’ you thought…that should be your job!” he finished, indignantly. No one had quite said as much, but it had been obvious ever since Gallagher’s imminent departure was announced that everyone had assumed Ray would be offered the job.
Ray looked at Chris with a slightly funny expression. “Aye,” he said softly.
Chris wanted to take Ray in his arms and hug him, but he knew he couldn’t, not in the office.
“’M sorry,” he said. “It ain’t fair.”
Ray gave a slight snort, then turned back to his work, not taking anything in. He wondered what the new bloke would be like, and realised he already hated him.
He didn’t get anything done, just sat and stared at his paperwork, wondering what the point was. He was the best the department had. His clear up rate was better than everyone else put together. And it still wasn’t enough.
Finally Gene strode through the office. “Ray, they’ve brought Kenny Jones in, we need to ‘ave a chat with him.”
Ray stood up and trailed after Gene, his cigarettes and lighter in his hand.
The man sat in Lost and Found, handcuffs around his wrists. He looked up when Gene and Ray walked into the room.
“Mr ‘Unt,” he acknowledged.
Gene grunted in reply, pulling out a chair, the metal legs grating on the floor.
Ray walked behind the man and stood with his back to the wall, arms crossed. He wondered if Gene would use his new DI for the role of intimidator soon. Would the new bloke fit in? Would he back up Gene like Ray always had? Ray doubted it, somehow. His loyalty to Gene was borne of many years of friendship, and the feeling that, since their first meeting, he’d always owed Gene something. It would have been easy for Gene to take him in that day, have him charged, and probably sent to some approved school.
“Was lookin’ for you the other day, Kenny,” Gene started, lighting himself a cigarette. “Heard a whisper you knew summat about these jewellers getting turned over.”
The man fidgeted, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “No, Mr. ‘Unt, wouldn’t know nowt ‘bout that.”
Gene leant back in his chair, watching the younger man.
“People tell me different.”
The man shifted a little bit in his seat. Ray took a step forward.
“Why’d they tell me it were you then?” Gene enquired softly.
“I…I dunno. I mean…I dunno why anyone’d say that…I ain’t…”
Ray grabbed a fistful of the snivelling man’s hair, pulling his head back. “Then you better ‘ave a think then, ‘adn’t you?” he hissed, feeling the man shaking in his grasp.
“But I…it weren’t me, I dunno who it were. Someone’s tryin’ to set me up - honest!”
Gene gave Ray a look and Ray let go, pushing Jones’ face towards the desk.
“So if we went ‘round your gaff, there wouldn’t be anything there?” Gene enquired.
Jones tensed.
“There’s only one way you can save your ‘orrible scrawny neck,” Gene leant forward, blowing smoke in Jones’ face. “Who did you do it with? I know you ain’t got the brains to work it out on your own.”
“I…I can’t…” Jones started.
Ray drove his fist into Jones’ jaw, knocking him from the chair. A smile crossed his face as the pain radiated up from his knuckles.
He leant over and dragged Jones back into the chair.
Gene gave a small scowl at the blood dripping from his suspect’s mouth. “Better for everyone if you talk,” he observed.
“I don’t…” he tried to wipe the blood on his cuff, looking nervously at Ray.
Ray didn’t bother to wait for the nod from Gene. He drove his fist in again, catching Jones on the cheek, watching as he sprawled onto the floor again.
“I can’t say! They’ll kill me!” Jones screamed, but Ray didn’t give a toss, he threw the chair aside and drove another punch into the man’s stomach, grabbing him by the collar.
“Tell us you little shit or I’ll fuckin’ kill you!” He picked Jones up by his shirt front, throwing him hard against the wall.
“Ray! Sergeant - enough,” Gene grabbed Ray’s shoulder. “Enough. And you,” he pointed to Jones’, “Better fuckin’ tell me everything you know or I won’t try an’ stop him.”
“Andy Small…an’ the Gregory brothers…they was all in on it too. Don’t…don’t tell ‘em I said owt. You can’t let ‘em know…they’ll kill me, they will…”
“It’s all you fuckin’ deserve,” Ray spat.
Gene grabbed Jones and dragged him to the door.
Ray watched as the door swung closed behind the two figures. He slammed his fist into the nearest object on the shelf. It fell with a satisfying crash, but it wasn’t enough. He punched again and again, kicking at the items as they fell to the floor. The noise, the pain, and the destruction were just what he needed. He slammed his fist into the filing cabinet, feeling the metal give, then swung his other arm, sweeping things to the floor.
***
“Chris! Go and find Ray, tell ‘im we’re picking up the others,” Gene shouted on his way through the office, before starting to organise everyone else for the raids.
Chris obediently headed for the door, and it was only when he reached the corridor that he quickened his pace. A few people were staring at the door to Lost and Found as they walked past, and Chris could hear the occasional crash emanating from inside.
He paused at the door, wondering if Ray was still questioning someone, but there was no shouting, and besides, the Guv was upstairs.
He pushed the door open, scared of what he might find. He was just in time to see Ray smashing his fist into the filing cabinet again, leaving another dent in the already beaten exterior.
“Ray?” he said, but the sound barely came out. He approached slowly, jumping as Ray grabbed a stereo and slammed it into the floor. “Ray?” he said, a little louder.
Ray turned, and Chris could see the familiar anger burning in his blue eyes, usually reserved for suspects.
“The…Guv says we need t’go an’…um, get the rest of the gang, like,” he said nervously.
Ray nodded, and Chris could see his chest still heaving, catching his breath. He glanced around and realised the level of destruction Ray had wreaked on the small room. The chair and table were lying, upended, in the corner. Almost everything on the shelves had been swept off and smashed on the floor. And the filing cabinet - the only thing left standing - was dented and battered, from both punches and kicks.
Chris didn’t know what to say, nor did he know how to ignore the situation. Then he saw that Ray was holding his hand, as if in pain.
“Your hand! The doc said…” And the look Ray gave him made him trail off.
“’S fine,” Ray answered, walking past him and slamming the door back into the wall as he left the room.
Chris stood for a second, gripped by indecision. He quickly grabbed the table and chair, righting them, and kicked the worst of the debris under the shelves, hoping everyone would assume it had been the interrogation which caused the mess. Then he ran after Ray.
TBC...