FIC: "Burton Guster: Psychic Extraordinaire" (2/2) by g0shawk-PG14-Shawn/Lassiter
Title: Burton Guster: Psychic Extraordinaire (2/2)
Author: g0shawk
Fandom: Psych
Rating: PG-14
Characters: Shawn, Lassiter, Gus, Jules, Buzz
Pairing: Shawn/Lassiter
Summary: Gus has an accident that somehow leads to him having real psychic abilities. Then he gets a vision involving Shawn and Lassiter…
Disclaimer: I don't own Psych or its characters, etc.
Notes: Written for senor_coconut_1 for the Fall Fandom Free-For-All.
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Shawn shoved his hands deep into his pockets, peering uneasily at the main doors of the police station. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. One lousy so-called vision and he was suddenly ready to believe all the psychic bull that he had always made fun of? Then again, he had never been one to back away from something interesting, especially when it involved danger.
“Hey Shawn!”
He turned to find Juliet approaching, a smile on her face.
“Oh, hi Jules.” He returned the smile easily.
“Were you planning on going in, or just standing there all day?” she asked, gesturing at the doors.
“I haven’t really decided yet,” Shawn admitted.
“Anything I can do to help?” Jules inquired.
Shawn started to shake his head. “Not re-wait, actually…yeah. How’s Lassiter feeling today?”
“Well, I haven’t seen him recently, but he got to discharge his firearm a few times this morning in the case we were working on, and you know how he loves that.”
“That’s a good sign,” Shawn said, feeling slightly better. The little voice in his head that sounded oddly similar to Gus told him that he was going insane, and ought to turn back right that instant, but Shawn chose to ignore it, as usual. He glanced at Juliet. “You’re not going to ask why I want to know?”
“No,” Juliet said firmly. “Somehow I don’t think I would like your answer.”
Shawn gave her a lopsided grin. “You know me too well.”
Juliet smiled at him again. “Good luck.”
Shawn waited for a few minutes after she had disappeared into the station before taking a deep breath and opening the doors.
Lassiter was standing near his desk, laughing with Buzz. Shawn rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. Now Lassiter was clapping Buzz on the shoulder. Maybe the stars were aligned after all. What better time than now to approach the normally grouchy detective? Shawn waited for Buzz to leave before heading towards Lassiter. The Head Detective sat down by his desk, but didn’t appear to have any work to do. Shawn approached nervously. He wasn’t sure why he was so tense. He was normally decent at masking his real emotions, but something about this situation was making him particularly anxious. Probably the Lassiter element. And the whole vision thing. Lost in his thoughts, he walked on automatic, not realizing that he had reached his destination until he bumped into Lassiter’s desk.
“Spencer?” Lassiter glowered up at him, but Shawn could tell he was faking, for once.
“Oh…hi Lassy. Um, Carlton. I mean…uh…what’s up?” Shawn stammered awkwardly, Gus’s words about the vision still floating around in his head.
Lassiter raised an eyebrow. “Are you high, Spencer?”
“What? No,” Shawn said indignantly.
“Just checking,” Lassiter shrugged. When Shawn didn’t leave, Lassiter waved his hand at him as if to shoo him away. “You can go now.”
“Actually, I uh…I wanted to…um…talk to you…about…stuff.” I wanted to talk to you about stuff?! What am I, five?! Shawn chastised himself mentally. Think. Calm down. Talk like an adult. What to talk about…
“Stuff?” Lassiter’s eyebrow went up even higher.
“Yeah, I mean no, I mean…” Shawn rubbed a hand over his face. Keeping the hand there, he peered at Lassiter from between his fingers. “Can I start over?”
Lassiter’s mouth twitched in what Shawn could have sworn was almost a smile. “I suppose.”
“Thanks,” Shawn said gratefully, removing the hand. “Right, so I was just wondering…um, why did you and your wife split up?” He clapped his hand over his mouth this time. Mumbling through it, he said, “Oh my god, I can’t believe I just said that.”
Lassiter frowned, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. “Why would you bring that up?”
“I’m sorry,” Shawn apologized. “I’ll just go now.” He was already turning when Lassiter stopped him.
“No, stay,” Lassiter ordered, voice hard. “I want to know why you are asking about my relationship with my ex-wife.”
Shawn stared into Lassiter’s interrogation face. Cold and calculating, determined to wrench the truth out of the suspect.
Shawn’s shoulders slumped. He must have already lost his chance. What was the use in evading the question now? “I-” he looked down, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. “I was just wondering if…” he flushed unexpectedly. “I can’t say it.”
“Spencer, just spit it out,” Lassiter growled.
Shawn’s eyes shifted from the floor to the wall to the ceiling, anywhere but Lassiter’s face. “I was wondering if it had anything to do with…guys.” He bit his lip uneasily. This had been a bad idea. A very very very bad idea.
“Guys?” Lassiter repeated questioningly, his tone changing slightly.
Shawn finally met Lassiter’s eyes. Might as well go all the way now. “Yeah. Guys…and you. You and guys.”
Lassiter stood, putting his hands on his desk and leaning over until their faces were less than a foot apart from each other. His tone took on a falsely friendly tone, but Shawn easily detected the hidden threat underneath. “Why would you ask that?”
“I…had a vision,” Shawn said weakly, shrinking back.
Lassiter grabbed the front of Shawn’s shirt, holding him hostage. “Enough with the psychic bullcrap. I want the truth. Now.”
Shawn stared at the piercing blue eyes across from him, and, feeling uncomfortably warm all of a sudden, realized for the first time that the Head Detective really was pretty decent looking. “Fine. Whatever.” He tore Lassiter’s hands away and leaned in on his own, turning so that his mouth was right by Lassiter’s ear. “I’ve got the hots for you, okay?” he said roughly. He backed up so that he could see Lassiter’s whole face again. The detective looked completely shocked. “I was just wondering if I had a chance with you, that’s all,” Shawn explained quickly and quietly. “But that’s obviously never gonna happen, so just forget it.” Turning hastily, he high-tailed it out of the station before Lassiter had a chance to shoot him.
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“You did WHAT?” Gus yelled. A woman walking past the doorway gave him a strange look. Gus lowered his voice, hissing, “What were you thinking?”
Shawn fiddled with a button on his shirt as he leaned against the wall of Gus’s hospital room. “I was thinking of that little vision you had.”
Gus rubbed his temples, trying to take deep calming breaths.
“So…I was hoping you could try to get another vision.” Shawn said.
Gus stared at him. “What?”
“I just want to know if Lassiter is planning on killing me in my sleep or something,” Shawn explained.
“Shawn, so far this ‘gift’ or whatever it is has just brought trouble. I don’t think using it again is going to help at all.”
“Please?” Shawn said softly.
“Stop looking at me like that,” Gus said, annoyed. “You know I can’t stand it.”
Shawn widened his eyes and stuck out his lower lip, letting it tremble slightly. “You also can’t resist it.”
Gus rolled his eyes and stuck out his arm. “Fine. But you had better keep me out of this mess.”
“Right-o,” Shawn agreed. Reaching out, he put his hand around Gus’s wrist, and Gus grabbed his.
A now-familiar scene appeared. “You have got to be kidding,” Gus said. He considered ending it there, but decided to follow through just in case something had changed. It hadn’t. He released Shawn’s arm.
“What? What?” Shawn asked nervously.
“It’s the same,” Gus said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Exactly the same.”
“Are you serious?” Shawn gaped. “But…how? That can’t be right.”
Gus jumped at that. “Maybe it’s not. This could all just be some sort of trick.”
“What time is it?” Shawn asked suddenly.
“Nine fifty-seven,” Gus said automatically, without looking at the clock.
“It’s not a trick,” Shawn assured him.
A nurse came in to tell them that visiting hours were almost over. Instead of leaving, she stayed, waiting for Shawn to go. Shawn and Gus made brief faces at each other.
“Guess I’ll see you,” Shawn said as he walked out of the room.
“Shawn,” Gus said, concerned.
“I’ll be careful,” Shawn promised. He gave his friend a double thumbs-up before jogging down the hallway.
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Shawn had been in his apartment no more than three minutes when the doorbell rang. Changing his course from the kitchen back to the front door, he threw it open impatiently. Lassiter stood on his doorstep, still dressed in his work clothes, gun holster and all.
“What are you stalking me now?” Shawn asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.
“Don’t be stupid,” Lassiter said, practically glaring at him. “I got here ten minutes ago and waited in my car when you didn’t answer the door the first time.”
“Oh.”
When Shawn stayed in the doorway, staring at him, Lassiter finally said, “Are you going to let me in or not?”
“Depends,” Shawn answered. “Are you planning on shooting me?”
“Depends,” Lassiter responded, copying him. “Are you planning on annoying the hell out of me?”
Shawn pretended to think it over. “Eh, I guess I could try to control myself for a few minutes.”
“Great,” Lassiter said shortly.
Shawn stepped back, leaving Lassiter room to get past him. The detective edged by, making his way inside. Shawn shut the door behind him and walked over to his comfy chair, settling himself down in it. He gestured towards the nearby couch, saying, “So, what brings you to my humble abode this fine night?”
Lassiter eyed the stained couch and chose to half sit, half lean against the armrest on the side instead. He turned his sharp gaze towards Shawn. “What you said earlier. Did you mean it?”
“Yes, I did,” Shawn said seriously. He had had plenty of time afterwards to think it over.
Lassiter seemed to believe him. They sat silently for a moment before Lassiter spoke again. “You were right. About the other thing.”
Shawn looked at him in surprise. “About you and your wife?”
“Ex-wife,” Lassiter corrected automatically. “Yeah.”
“Oh.” Shawn bit his lip, not sure what to say. “Sorry.”
Lassiter held Shawn’s eyes with his own, and Shawn realized the implications of what Lassiter had just admitted.
“Oh…oh…so…does that mean that…” Shawn hesitated before continuing. “I might have a chance after all?” Hope slipped into his voice at the end.
Lassiter flashed an uncharacteristically nervous smile his way. “Spencer-Shawn…you have more than a chance. I’ve been…attracted to you for months.” His face and ears tinted a slight red at his confession.
“Seriously?” Shawn said, taken aback. “But…”
Lassiter shifted uncomfortably. “I know. I always act like I hate your guts. The truth is…I was afraid.” He grimaced. “Afraid of admitting to myself that I actually liked you. Afraid of falling for the wrong guy. Again.” He examined his hands as he spoke. “The last time…” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter anymore.”
Shawn looked at him with undisguised pity. “I’ve been there,” he said understandingly. “Straight guys are annoying that way.”
Lassiter smiled genuinely. Shawn smiled back, saying, “That’s nice. Your smile, I mean. You should show it more often.”
Lassiter’s smile faded. “Why are you being so nice to me? I’ve been horrible to you.”
Shawn stood up and walked over, taking Lassiter’s hand cautiously. “You’re not a bad guy, Lassy. I know that.”
“How?” Lassiter said softly, leaning towards Shawn a little.
Shawn rubbed his thumb over the top of the other man’s hand. “You’re a cop, you help people, you fight for justice...”
Lassiter’s eyes shifted to look at Shawn’s mouth as he spoke.
Shawn grinned and leaned closer. “Your eyes sparkle when you solve a case, you got my motorcycle back for me…”
Lassiter’s smile returned, and he looked up at Shawn. “You’re welcome.”
“I never got to thank you properly,” Shawn said softly, moving so that their mouths were mere inches apart.
They grinned at each other.
“You’re such a tease,” Lassiter told him.
“You love it,” Shawn said, ghosting his lips over the other man’s.
“I love you,” Lassiter whispered.
Shawn felt his heart jump at the words. Their eyes met briefly, and then they were kissing. Shawn pressed his lips against Lassiter’s insistently, and Lassiter pressed back with equal intensity. Shawn’s hand rested on Lassiter’s thigh for support, and Lassiter’s hand moved to the back of Shawn’s head, pulling them even closer together. Light-headed, Shawn lost track of the world around him. All of his senses zoned in on the man with him, and it was as though it was just him and Lassiter forever; nothing else mattered. Opting to deepen the kiss, Lassiter parted his lips, allowing Shawn to venture further. Loathe to part, but needing a more comfortable position, they shifted so that Lassiter could stand, and moved to the couch cushions without losing their rhythm. Shawn pushed Lassiter down, allowing the younger man to straddle the detective. Hands and tongues roamed heatedly. When his fingertips brushed against something hard, Shawn finally broke the kiss, laughing. “You might want to take your gun off,” he suggested.
Lassiter surged up, surprising him with a quick kiss before unclipping the gun and laying it on the nearby table. “Better?”
“Hmm,” Shawn tapped his chin as he observed the man splayed out beneath him. “I dunno…I think there’s still something wrong…”
“What?” Lassiter asked, confused.
Shawn pursed his lips, pretending to think. “Well, there seems to be some sort of material still on you…this thing here.” He fingered Lassiter’s shirt, playing with a corner that had gotten un-tucked.
Lassiter tugged at Shawn’s shirt. “You seem to be wearing one of those yourself.”
“Weird…” Shawn pulled harder at the cloth between his fingers. “I don’t think we need them. What do you think?”
“I think this is taking too long,” Lassiter said honestly. Gripping the sides of Shawn’s shirt, he swiftly pulled it up. Shawn lifted his arms, allowing the material to slide over his head.
Lassiter cast the garment to the side, turning his attention to Shawn’s now ruffled hair. Fingering it briefly, he suddenly grabbed a fistful and pulled Shawn down into another kiss. Shawn grinned into it and responded eagerly. After a moment, he pulled back briefly, just long enough to roughly pull Lassiter’s shirt out of the grip of his pants.
“Don’t rip my buttons,” Lassiter told him.
“You are way too uptight for someone who has a horny man sitting on top of him,” Shawn informed him. He pulled off Lassiter’s shoulder holster and then lifted the shirt caaaaarefully over Lassiter’s head as the other man leaned forward enough for him to remove it completely. As soon as it was gone, Shawn ran his hands curiously over the exposed skin in front of him. Lassiter’s chest heaved slightly with his ragged breaths. Wanting to get even closer, Shawn laid his head over Lassiter’s heart, listening to the rapid beat. It was comfortable, and he found himself unwilling to move. Sensing how he was feeling, Lassiter wrapped an arm around Shawn as best he could, letting his other hand float lazily over the shoulders of the man in front of him. Eventually, Shawn lifted his head slightly, and moved his arms so that he could fold them across Lassiter’s chest and rest his chin on top of them. They simply looked at each other for a while, communicating silently.
“When did you first realize you liked me?” Shawn asked, finally breaking the silence.
Lassiter reached out to Shawn’s hair again, playing with it absently. “Consciously? When you sat on my lap during the case where you carried around that damn cat the entire time.”
Shawn laughed. “You mean-”
“Yeah,” Lassiter said, embarrassed. “It was hard to deny after that.”
“I’m sorry,” Shawn grinned.
“I’m not,” Lassiter assured him.
“Awww,” Shawn crooned.
Lassiter smacked him lightly on the head. “What about you? When did you first realize?”
Shawn bit his lip. “Consciously? This afternoon, when you grabbed me at the station.”
“You’re kidding,” Lassiter said dubiously.
“Nope,” Shawn shook his head.
Lassiter paused. “Is this just a spur-of-the-moment thing for you?”
Shawn looked at him sharply. “I might have just found out how I really feel about you, but that doesn’t mean I feel any less than you do. All those times I found any excuse to touch you, drive you crazy? I don’t waste energy like that on just anyone.”
Lassiter still looked unsure, so Shawn sat up, leaned forward, and, taking Lassiter’s head in both of his hands, kissed him as passionately as he could. Lassiter was just getting into it when Shawn pulled away, saying, “Satisfied?” Lassiter growled and tugged him back until their lips were together again. As they continued to kiss fervently, Shawn let one of his hands wander down until it was fiddling with Lassiter’s belt buckle. Lassiter’s hand fell over his, stopping him. The detective gave him one last kiss before sitting up. Shawn slid over so that they were sitting next to each other. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Lassiter assured him. “Really, nothing at all. I just think…maybe we should take some time…”
“What? Why? How much time?” Shawn pouted.
Lassiter smiled at him before reaching down to grab his shirt. Pulling it back over his head, he said, “I should probably sleep at my own place tonight.” He picked up the gun and clipped it back into its holster. He stood up and Shawn joined him, walking him to the door.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
Lassiter turned to face him. “Because if I stay any longer I won’t be able to leave.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Shawn muttered.
Lassiter drew him into a hug. “I’ll see you soon.”
Shawn hugged him back and then pulled back far enough within Lassiter’s arm-hold to give him a quick kiss. Lassiter returned it and then headed off down the stairs. Shawn watched him go to his car, waving as he drove off. Shutting the door and locking it, he leaned his back against the sturdy wood, replaying the events of the night in his head. Suddenly he thought of something. Walking quickly over to the kitchen counter, he grabbed his phone and hit speed dial.
“Shawn?” Gus mumbled blearily from the other side of the line.
“Gus! Guess what?” Shawn started bouncing excitedly at the prospect of telling his best friend what had happened.
“What?” Gus asked tiredly, playing along.
“Me and Lassiter totally just made out on my couch!” Shawn practically yelled.
“What?!” Gus’s voice sharpened considerably.
“He just came over and admitted that he liked me!”
“Is this a joke?” Gus said, sounding like he hoped it was.
“Nope, no joke, buddy! We were lip to lip!” Shawn walked in zigzags around the apartment, unable to stay still.
“Okay, really don’t need to hear the details,” Gus said.
“Guuuus, I need someone to talk to about it!” Shawn whined.
“Why don’t you call Lassiter?” Gus suggested.
“That doesn’t count! He was here! Plus, he’s not even home yet; he just left.”
“Look, Shawn, I’m happy for you…I guess. I mean, if you’re happy--”
“I am!”
“Then I hope everything works out with you two,” Gus said sincerely. “But seriously, come on. It’s late, and I really don’t want to think about Lassiter and kissing at the same time.”
“Oh, fine,” Shawn gave in. “But I’m still all hyper, so can we talk about something?”
“Like what?”
“I dunno…pineapples?”
“Goodnight, Shawn.”
After a few more minutes of friendly arguing, they hung up. Shawn stared at the phone for a while, debating whether or not to call Lassiter. Giving in, he dialed the number.
Lassiter picked up before the first ring had even finished. “Shawn?”
“Hey, Lassy,” Shawn smiled at the sound of his voice. “I hope you don’t mind…I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“I’m thinking of you too,” Lassiter replied. “But I do actually need to get some sleep so that I don’t collapse at work tomorrow.”
“Oh, right, sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Lassiter said. “I’m glad you called.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks,” Shawn said happily. “I guess I’ll say goodnight now. Wouldn’t want you losing any beauty sleep; I like my men handsome.”
Lassiter chuckled. “Goodnight, Shawn.”
“Later, Lassy.” Smiling, he hung up. Tomorrow was way too far away.
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The alarm clock buzzed, and Carlton was pulled out of a pleasant dream. Sitting up, he waited for his jumbled thoughts to become more coherent. Remembering the details of the dream, he wondered briefly if none of it had been real. After rolling his head to get rid of a crick in his neck, he reached over to the bedside dresser and picked up his phone. Flipping it open, he checked the last number that had called. Shawn Spencer. Carlton smiled; it really had happened. He felt strangely cheerful. Usually when he got up in the mornings, all he had to look forward to was another day at work and the possibility of a chance to rough up some criminals. Now…well, who knew what today would bring.
He went through his normal morning rituals, thinking of Shawn all the while. Downing the last few drops in his coffee mug, he got his briefcase and headed off to the station. It was a dull day of paperwork, and time passed slowly. Finally, Carlton decided to take his lunch break. He was just putting the finishing touches on a report when he got the urge to glance up. A few yards away, Shawn was approaching him. Carlton got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. Would Spencer know not to say anything? He could not begin to imagine the ramifications of his co-workers finding out about them. But Shawn merely looked at him briefly as he passed right by his desk. Carlton didn’t have to watch him go; that hallway only led to the interrogation rooms. After a minute, he peered around to see if anyone was watching, and then scooted his chair back and stood. Taking a few papers so as not to appear suspicious, he headed off after Shawn. When he reached the end of the hallway, he turned a corner to find Shawn leaning against the wall, arms folded.
Shawn smiled at him. “Hey.”
“Hello,” Carlton responded, walking over until he was standing next to Shawn. Leaning slightly to the side, he rested his shoulder against the wall.
Shawn turned to face him. “So…” He reached a tentative hand out to Carlton’s, brushing them together and interlocking their fingers. Carlton felt his hand tingle warmly. It was a new sensation; Victoria had never had a desire to participate in any of the normal sappy - as she had called them - activities that couples engaged in. Even something as simple and intimate as holding hands.
Carlton took advantage of the connection, pulling at Shawn’s hand and forcing him closer. The other man had just enough time for a typical grin before Carlton pressed his lips to Shawn’s. Kissing back eagerly, Shawn let go of Carlton’s hand, shoving him against the wall and putting his arm behind Carlton’s neck instead. His other arm snaked up to join the first one, and he edged even closer. Trapped between Shawn and the wall, Carlton dropped the papers he had been holding and wrapped his own arms tightly around Shawn’s waist. He had never felt so close to anyone before in his life. With eyes closed, their tongues met, conveying in the most straightforward terms how both men felt about each other.
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Epilogue
Shawn waved the check happily in Gus’s face as they walked out of the police station. “Another case solved!”
Gus snatched the check away from him. “No thanks to you.”
“Come on, Gus-Gus, I already said I was sorry for being late!”
“Yeah, well, not enough,” Gus told him. “I almost had to tell them about the vision myself to prevent that scumbag from getting away. What were you doing, anyway, that was so important?”
A huge smile lit up Shawn’s face, and Gus could have sworn he went starry-eyed. “Shawn! You were with Lassiter?”
Shawn grinned at him. “I thought you didn’t want details.”
“I don’t!” Gus said firmly.
“But I should really explain exactly why we took so long! It’s only fair, so that you understand….” Shawn protested.
“You know what? Forget it. Just, never mind,” Gus said hastily, digging in his pocket for his keys.
Shawn shrugged, looking triumphant. “Okay Mr. Indecisive.”
Gus unlocked the car and got in. “Are you coming or not?” he asked when Shawn didn’t join him.
“Nah, I’m meeting Lassy in a few minutes.”
Gus shook his head, torn between amusement and annoyance. “Why don’t you two just get married already? You already see each other practically every minute of the day.”
“And night,” Shawn added for him.
Gus rolled his eyes in acknowledgement. “Whatever. See you later.”
“Have fun selling your drugs!” Shawn called after him as he drove off.
Gus shook his head again. As he waited to turn out of the parking lot, he glanced into the rearview mirror. Lassiter exited the station and walked with Shawn to the side of the building where it was too dark to see anything. Gus chuckled and hit the gas peddle. Some things in life were stranger than psychic visions.
The End
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A/N: Written for senor_coconut_1 for the Fall Fandom Free-For-All. Yeah…sorry for taking so long. I’m the worst procrastinator ever. Hope y’all enjoy it. As always, thanks for reading! :)
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Author: g0shawk
Fandom: Psych
Rating: PG-14
Characters: Shawn, Lassiter, Gus, Jules, Buzz
Pairing: Shawn/Lassiter
Summary: Gus has an accident that somehow leads to him having real psychic abilities. Then he gets a vision involving Shawn and Lassiter…
Disclaimer: I don't own Psych or its characters, etc.
Notes: Written for senor_coconut_1 for the Fall Fandom Free-For-All.
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Shawn shoved his hands deep into his pockets, peering uneasily at the main doors of the police station. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. One lousy so-called vision and he was suddenly ready to believe all the psychic bull that he had always made fun of? Then again, he had never been one to back away from something interesting, especially when it involved danger.
“Hey Shawn!”
He turned to find Juliet approaching, a smile on her face.
“Oh, hi Jules.” He returned the smile easily.
“Were you planning on going in, or just standing there all day?” she asked, gesturing at the doors.
“I haven’t really decided yet,” Shawn admitted.
“Anything I can do to help?” Jules inquired.
Shawn started to shake his head. “Not re-wait, actually…yeah. How’s Lassiter feeling today?”
“Well, I haven’t seen him recently, but he got to discharge his firearm a few times this morning in the case we were working on, and you know how he loves that.”
“That’s a good sign,” Shawn said, feeling slightly better. The little voice in his head that sounded oddly similar to Gus told him that he was going insane, and ought to turn back right that instant, but Shawn chose to ignore it, as usual. He glanced at Juliet. “You’re not going to ask why I want to know?”
“No,” Juliet said firmly. “Somehow I don’t think I would like your answer.”
Shawn gave her a lopsided grin. “You know me too well.”
Juliet smiled at him again. “Good luck.”
Shawn waited for a few minutes after she had disappeared into the station before taking a deep breath and opening the doors.
Lassiter was standing near his desk, laughing with Buzz. Shawn rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. Now Lassiter was clapping Buzz on the shoulder. Maybe the stars were aligned after all. What better time than now to approach the normally grouchy detective? Shawn waited for Buzz to leave before heading towards Lassiter. The Head Detective sat down by his desk, but didn’t appear to have any work to do. Shawn approached nervously. He wasn’t sure why he was so tense. He was normally decent at masking his real emotions, but something about this situation was making him particularly anxious. Probably the Lassiter element. And the whole vision thing. Lost in his thoughts, he walked on automatic, not realizing that he had reached his destination until he bumped into Lassiter’s desk.
“Spencer?” Lassiter glowered up at him, but Shawn could tell he was faking, for once.
“Oh…hi Lassy. Um, Carlton. I mean…uh…what’s up?” Shawn stammered awkwardly, Gus’s words about the vision still floating around in his head.
Lassiter raised an eyebrow. “Are you high, Spencer?”
“What? No,” Shawn said indignantly.
“Just checking,” Lassiter shrugged. When Shawn didn’t leave, Lassiter waved his hand at him as if to shoo him away. “You can go now.”
“Actually, I uh…I wanted to…um…talk to you…about…stuff.” I wanted to talk to you about stuff?! What am I, five?! Shawn chastised himself mentally. Think. Calm down. Talk like an adult. What to talk about…
“Stuff?” Lassiter’s eyebrow went up even higher.
“Yeah, I mean no, I mean…” Shawn rubbed a hand over his face. Keeping the hand there, he peered at Lassiter from between his fingers. “Can I start over?”
Lassiter’s mouth twitched in what Shawn could have sworn was almost a smile. “I suppose.”
“Thanks,” Shawn said gratefully, removing the hand. “Right, so I was just wondering…um, why did you and your wife split up?” He clapped his hand over his mouth this time. Mumbling through it, he said, “Oh my god, I can’t believe I just said that.”
Lassiter frowned, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. “Why would you bring that up?”
“I’m sorry,” Shawn apologized. “I’ll just go now.” He was already turning when Lassiter stopped him.
“No, stay,” Lassiter ordered, voice hard. “I want to know why you are asking about my relationship with my ex-wife.”
Shawn stared into Lassiter’s interrogation face. Cold and calculating, determined to wrench the truth out of the suspect.
Shawn’s shoulders slumped. He must have already lost his chance. What was the use in evading the question now? “I-” he looked down, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. “I was just wondering if…” he flushed unexpectedly. “I can’t say it.”
“Spencer, just spit it out,” Lassiter growled.
Shawn’s eyes shifted from the floor to the wall to the ceiling, anywhere but Lassiter’s face. “I was wondering if it had anything to do with…guys.” He bit his lip uneasily. This had been a bad idea. A very very very bad idea.
“Guys?” Lassiter repeated questioningly, his tone changing slightly.
Shawn finally met Lassiter’s eyes. Might as well go all the way now. “Yeah. Guys…and you. You and guys.”
Lassiter stood, putting his hands on his desk and leaning over until their faces were less than a foot apart from each other. His tone took on a falsely friendly tone, but Shawn easily detected the hidden threat underneath. “Why would you ask that?”
“I…had a vision,” Shawn said weakly, shrinking back.
Lassiter grabbed the front of Shawn’s shirt, holding him hostage. “Enough with the psychic bullcrap. I want the truth. Now.”
Shawn stared at the piercing blue eyes across from him, and, feeling uncomfortably warm all of a sudden, realized for the first time that the Head Detective really was pretty decent looking. “Fine. Whatever.” He tore Lassiter’s hands away and leaned in on his own, turning so that his mouth was right by Lassiter’s ear. “I’ve got the hots for you, okay?” he said roughly. He backed up so that he could see Lassiter’s whole face again. The detective looked completely shocked. “I was just wondering if I had a chance with you, that’s all,” Shawn explained quickly and quietly. “But that’s obviously never gonna happen, so just forget it.” Turning hastily, he high-tailed it out of the station before Lassiter had a chance to shoot him.
-----------------------------
“You did WHAT?” Gus yelled. A woman walking past the doorway gave him a strange look. Gus lowered his voice, hissing, “What were you thinking?”
Shawn fiddled with a button on his shirt as he leaned against the wall of Gus’s hospital room. “I was thinking of that little vision you had.”
Gus rubbed his temples, trying to take deep calming breaths.
“So…I was hoping you could try to get another vision.” Shawn said.
Gus stared at him. “What?”
“I just want to know if Lassiter is planning on killing me in my sleep or something,” Shawn explained.
“Shawn, so far this ‘gift’ or whatever it is has just brought trouble. I don’t think using it again is going to help at all.”
“Please?” Shawn said softly.
“Stop looking at me like that,” Gus said, annoyed. “You know I can’t stand it.”
Shawn widened his eyes and stuck out his lower lip, letting it tremble slightly. “You also can’t resist it.”
Gus rolled his eyes and stuck out his arm. “Fine. But you had better keep me out of this mess.”
“Right-o,” Shawn agreed. Reaching out, he put his hand around Gus’s wrist, and Gus grabbed his.
A now-familiar scene appeared. “You have got to be kidding,” Gus said. He considered ending it there, but decided to follow through just in case something had changed. It hadn’t. He released Shawn’s arm.
“What? What?” Shawn asked nervously.
“It’s the same,” Gus said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Exactly the same.”
“Are you serious?” Shawn gaped. “But…how? That can’t be right.”
Gus jumped at that. “Maybe it’s not. This could all just be some sort of trick.”
“What time is it?” Shawn asked suddenly.
“Nine fifty-seven,” Gus said automatically, without looking at the clock.
“It’s not a trick,” Shawn assured him.
A nurse came in to tell them that visiting hours were almost over. Instead of leaving, she stayed, waiting for Shawn to go. Shawn and Gus made brief faces at each other.
“Guess I’ll see you,” Shawn said as he walked out of the room.
“Shawn,” Gus said, concerned.
“I’ll be careful,” Shawn promised. He gave his friend a double thumbs-up before jogging down the hallway.
-----------------------------
Shawn had been in his apartment no more than three minutes when the doorbell rang. Changing his course from the kitchen back to the front door, he threw it open impatiently. Lassiter stood on his doorstep, still dressed in his work clothes, gun holster and all.
“What are you stalking me now?” Shawn asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.
“Don’t be stupid,” Lassiter said, practically glaring at him. “I got here ten minutes ago and waited in my car when you didn’t answer the door the first time.”
“Oh.”
When Shawn stayed in the doorway, staring at him, Lassiter finally said, “Are you going to let me in or not?”
“Depends,” Shawn answered. “Are you planning on shooting me?”
“Depends,” Lassiter responded, copying him. “Are you planning on annoying the hell out of me?”
Shawn pretended to think it over. “Eh, I guess I could try to control myself for a few minutes.”
“Great,” Lassiter said shortly.
Shawn stepped back, leaving Lassiter room to get past him. The detective edged by, making his way inside. Shawn shut the door behind him and walked over to his comfy chair, settling himself down in it. He gestured towards the nearby couch, saying, “So, what brings you to my humble abode this fine night?”
Lassiter eyed the stained couch and chose to half sit, half lean against the armrest on the side instead. He turned his sharp gaze towards Shawn. “What you said earlier. Did you mean it?”
“Yes, I did,” Shawn said seriously. He had had plenty of time afterwards to think it over.
Lassiter seemed to believe him. They sat silently for a moment before Lassiter spoke again. “You were right. About the other thing.”
Shawn looked at him in surprise. “About you and your wife?”
“Ex-wife,” Lassiter corrected automatically. “Yeah.”
“Oh.” Shawn bit his lip, not sure what to say. “Sorry.”
Lassiter held Shawn’s eyes with his own, and Shawn realized the implications of what Lassiter had just admitted.
“Oh…oh…so…does that mean that…” Shawn hesitated before continuing. “I might have a chance after all?” Hope slipped into his voice at the end.
Lassiter flashed an uncharacteristically nervous smile his way. “Spencer-Shawn…you have more than a chance. I’ve been…attracted to you for months.” His face and ears tinted a slight red at his confession.
“Seriously?” Shawn said, taken aback. “But…”
Lassiter shifted uncomfortably. “I know. I always act like I hate your guts. The truth is…I was afraid.” He grimaced. “Afraid of admitting to myself that I actually liked you. Afraid of falling for the wrong guy. Again.” He examined his hands as he spoke. “The last time…” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter anymore.”
Shawn looked at him with undisguised pity. “I’ve been there,” he said understandingly. “Straight guys are annoying that way.”
Lassiter smiled genuinely. Shawn smiled back, saying, “That’s nice. Your smile, I mean. You should show it more often.”
Lassiter’s smile faded. “Why are you being so nice to me? I’ve been horrible to you.”
Shawn stood up and walked over, taking Lassiter’s hand cautiously. “You’re not a bad guy, Lassy. I know that.”
“How?” Lassiter said softly, leaning towards Shawn a little.
Shawn rubbed his thumb over the top of the other man’s hand. “You’re a cop, you help people, you fight for justice...”
Lassiter’s eyes shifted to look at Shawn’s mouth as he spoke.
Shawn grinned and leaned closer. “Your eyes sparkle when you solve a case, you got my motorcycle back for me…”
Lassiter’s smile returned, and he looked up at Shawn. “You’re welcome.”
“I never got to thank you properly,” Shawn said softly, moving so that their mouths were mere inches apart.
They grinned at each other.
“You’re such a tease,” Lassiter told him.
“You love it,” Shawn said, ghosting his lips over the other man’s.
“I love you,” Lassiter whispered.
Shawn felt his heart jump at the words. Their eyes met briefly, and then they were kissing. Shawn pressed his lips against Lassiter’s insistently, and Lassiter pressed back with equal intensity. Shawn’s hand rested on Lassiter’s thigh for support, and Lassiter’s hand moved to the back of Shawn’s head, pulling them even closer together. Light-headed, Shawn lost track of the world around him. All of his senses zoned in on the man with him, and it was as though it was just him and Lassiter forever; nothing else mattered. Opting to deepen the kiss, Lassiter parted his lips, allowing Shawn to venture further. Loathe to part, but needing a more comfortable position, they shifted so that Lassiter could stand, and moved to the couch cushions without losing their rhythm. Shawn pushed Lassiter down, allowing the younger man to straddle the detective. Hands and tongues roamed heatedly. When his fingertips brushed against something hard, Shawn finally broke the kiss, laughing. “You might want to take your gun off,” he suggested.
Lassiter surged up, surprising him with a quick kiss before unclipping the gun and laying it on the nearby table. “Better?”
“Hmm,” Shawn tapped his chin as he observed the man splayed out beneath him. “I dunno…I think there’s still something wrong…”
“What?” Lassiter asked, confused.
Shawn pursed his lips, pretending to think. “Well, there seems to be some sort of material still on you…this thing here.” He fingered Lassiter’s shirt, playing with a corner that had gotten un-tucked.
Lassiter tugged at Shawn’s shirt. “You seem to be wearing one of those yourself.”
“Weird…” Shawn pulled harder at the cloth between his fingers. “I don’t think we need them. What do you think?”
“I think this is taking too long,” Lassiter said honestly. Gripping the sides of Shawn’s shirt, he swiftly pulled it up. Shawn lifted his arms, allowing the material to slide over his head.
Lassiter cast the garment to the side, turning his attention to Shawn’s now ruffled hair. Fingering it briefly, he suddenly grabbed a fistful and pulled Shawn down into another kiss. Shawn grinned into it and responded eagerly. After a moment, he pulled back briefly, just long enough to roughly pull Lassiter’s shirt out of the grip of his pants.
“Don’t rip my buttons,” Lassiter told him.
“You are way too uptight for someone who has a horny man sitting on top of him,” Shawn informed him. He pulled off Lassiter’s shoulder holster and then lifted the shirt caaaaarefully over Lassiter’s head as the other man leaned forward enough for him to remove it completely. As soon as it was gone, Shawn ran his hands curiously over the exposed skin in front of him. Lassiter’s chest heaved slightly with his ragged breaths. Wanting to get even closer, Shawn laid his head over Lassiter’s heart, listening to the rapid beat. It was comfortable, and he found himself unwilling to move. Sensing how he was feeling, Lassiter wrapped an arm around Shawn as best he could, letting his other hand float lazily over the shoulders of the man in front of him. Eventually, Shawn lifted his head slightly, and moved his arms so that he could fold them across Lassiter’s chest and rest his chin on top of them. They simply looked at each other for a while, communicating silently.
“When did you first realize you liked me?” Shawn asked, finally breaking the silence.
Lassiter reached out to Shawn’s hair again, playing with it absently. “Consciously? When you sat on my lap during the case where you carried around that damn cat the entire time.”
Shawn laughed. “You mean-”
“Yeah,” Lassiter said, embarrassed. “It was hard to deny after that.”
“I’m sorry,” Shawn grinned.
“I’m not,” Lassiter assured him.
“Awww,” Shawn crooned.
Lassiter smacked him lightly on the head. “What about you? When did you first realize?”
Shawn bit his lip. “Consciously? This afternoon, when you grabbed me at the station.”
“You’re kidding,” Lassiter said dubiously.
“Nope,” Shawn shook his head.
Lassiter paused. “Is this just a spur-of-the-moment thing for you?”
Shawn looked at him sharply. “I might have just found out how I really feel about you, but that doesn’t mean I feel any less than you do. All those times I found any excuse to touch you, drive you crazy? I don’t waste energy like that on just anyone.”
Lassiter still looked unsure, so Shawn sat up, leaned forward, and, taking Lassiter’s head in both of his hands, kissed him as passionately as he could. Lassiter was just getting into it when Shawn pulled away, saying, “Satisfied?” Lassiter growled and tugged him back until their lips were together again. As they continued to kiss fervently, Shawn let one of his hands wander down until it was fiddling with Lassiter’s belt buckle. Lassiter’s hand fell over his, stopping him. The detective gave him one last kiss before sitting up. Shawn slid over so that they were sitting next to each other. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Lassiter assured him. “Really, nothing at all. I just think…maybe we should take some time…”
“What? Why? How much time?” Shawn pouted.
Lassiter smiled at him before reaching down to grab his shirt. Pulling it back over his head, he said, “I should probably sleep at my own place tonight.” He picked up the gun and clipped it back into its holster. He stood up and Shawn joined him, walking him to the door.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
Lassiter turned to face him. “Because if I stay any longer I won’t be able to leave.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Shawn muttered.
Lassiter drew him into a hug. “I’ll see you soon.”
Shawn hugged him back and then pulled back far enough within Lassiter’s arm-hold to give him a quick kiss. Lassiter returned it and then headed off down the stairs. Shawn watched him go to his car, waving as he drove off. Shutting the door and locking it, he leaned his back against the sturdy wood, replaying the events of the night in his head. Suddenly he thought of something. Walking quickly over to the kitchen counter, he grabbed his phone and hit speed dial.
“Shawn?” Gus mumbled blearily from the other side of the line.
“Gus! Guess what?” Shawn started bouncing excitedly at the prospect of telling his best friend what had happened.
“What?” Gus asked tiredly, playing along.
“Me and Lassiter totally just made out on my couch!” Shawn practically yelled.
“What?!” Gus’s voice sharpened considerably.
“He just came over and admitted that he liked me!”
“Is this a joke?” Gus said, sounding like he hoped it was.
“Nope, no joke, buddy! We were lip to lip!” Shawn walked in zigzags around the apartment, unable to stay still.
“Okay, really don’t need to hear the details,” Gus said.
“Guuuus, I need someone to talk to about it!” Shawn whined.
“Why don’t you call Lassiter?” Gus suggested.
“That doesn’t count! He was here! Plus, he’s not even home yet; he just left.”
“Look, Shawn, I’m happy for you…I guess. I mean, if you’re happy--”
“I am!”
“Then I hope everything works out with you two,” Gus said sincerely. “But seriously, come on. It’s late, and I really don’t want to think about Lassiter and kissing at the same time.”
“Oh, fine,” Shawn gave in. “But I’m still all hyper, so can we talk about something?”
“Like what?”
“I dunno…pineapples?”
“Goodnight, Shawn.”
After a few more minutes of friendly arguing, they hung up. Shawn stared at the phone for a while, debating whether or not to call Lassiter. Giving in, he dialed the number.
Lassiter picked up before the first ring had even finished. “Shawn?”
“Hey, Lassy,” Shawn smiled at the sound of his voice. “I hope you don’t mind…I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“I’m thinking of you too,” Lassiter replied. “But I do actually need to get some sleep so that I don’t collapse at work tomorrow.”
“Oh, right, sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Lassiter said. “I’m glad you called.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks,” Shawn said happily. “I guess I’ll say goodnight now. Wouldn’t want you losing any beauty sleep; I like my men handsome.”
Lassiter chuckled. “Goodnight, Shawn.”
“Later, Lassy.” Smiling, he hung up. Tomorrow was way too far away.
-----------------------------
The alarm clock buzzed, and Carlton was pulled out of a pleasant dream. Sitting up, he waited for his jumbled thoughts to become more coherent. Remembering the details of the dream, he wondered briefly if none of it had been real. After rolling his head to get rid of a crick in his neck, he reached over to the bedside dresser and picked up his phone. Flipping it open, he checked the last number that had called. Shawn Spencer. Carlton smiled; it really had happened. He felt strangely cheerful. Usually when he got up in the mornings, all he had to look forward to was another day at work and the possibility of a chance to rough up some criminals. Now…well, who knew what today would bring.
He went through his normal morning rituals, thinking of Shawn all the while. Downing the last few drops in his coffee mug, he got his briefcase and headed off to the station. It was a dull day of paperwork, and time passed slowly. Finally, Carlton decided to take his lunch break. He was just putting the finishing touches on a report when he got the urge to glance up. A few yards away, Shawn was approaching him. Carlton got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. Would Spencer know not to say anything? He could not begin to imagine the ramifications of his co-workers finding out about them. But Shawn merely looked at him briefly as he passed right by his desk. Carlton didn’t have to watch him go; that hallway only led to the interrogation rooms. After a minute, he peered around to see if anyone was watching, and then scooted his chair back and stood. Taking a few papers so as not to appear suspicious, he headed off after Shawn. When he reached the end of the hallway, he turned a corner to find Shawn leaning against the wall, arms folded.
Shawn smiled at him. “Hey.”
“Hello,” Carlton responded, walking over until he was standing next to Shawn. Leaning slightly to the side, he rested his shoulder against the wall.
Shawn turned to face him. “So…” He reached a tentative hand out to Carlton’s, brushing them together and interlocking their fingers. Carlton felt his hand tingle warmly. It was a new sensation; Victoria had never had a desire to participate in any of the normal sappy - as she had called them - activities that couples engaged in. Even something as simple and intimate as holding hands.
Carlton took advantage of the connection, pulling at Shawn’s hand and forcing him closer. The other man had just enough time for a typical grin before Carlton pressed his lips to Shawn’s. Kissing back eagerly, Shawn let go of Carlton’s hand, shoving him against the wall and putting his arm behind Carlton’s neck instead. His other arm snaked up to join the first one, and he edged even closer. Trapped between Shawn and the wall, Carlton dropped the papers he had been holding and wrapped his own arms tightly around Shawn’s waist. He had never felt so close to anyone before in his life. With eyes closed, their tongues met, conveying in the most straightforward terms how both men felt about each other.
-----------------------------
Epilogue
Shawn waved the check happily in Gus’s face as they walked out of the police station. “Another case solved!”
Gus snatched the check away from him. “No thanks to you.”
“Come on, Gus-Gus, I already said I was sorry for being late!”
“Yeah, well, not enough,” Gus told him. “I almost had to tell them about the vision myself to prevent that scumbag from getting away. What were you doing, anyway, that was so important?”
A huge smile lit up Shawn’s face, and Gus could have sworn he went starry-eyed. “Shawn! You were with Lassiter?”
Shawn grinned at him. “I thought you didn’t want details.”
“I don’t!” Gus said firmly.
“But I should really explain exactly why we took so long! It’s only fair, so that you understand….” Shawn protested.
“You know what? Forget it. Just, never mind,” Gus said hastily, digging in his pocket for his keys.
Shawn shrugged, looking triumphant. “Okay Mr. Indecisive.”
Gus unlocked the car and got in. “Are you coming or not?” he asked when Shawn didn’t join him.
“Nah, I’m meeting Lassy in a few minutes.”
Gus shook his head, torn between amusement and annoyance. “Why don’t you two just get married already? You already see each other practically every minute of the day.”
“And night,” Shawn added for him.
Gus rolled his eyes in acknowledgement. “Whatever. See you later.”
“Have fun selling your drugs!” Shawn called after him as he drove off.
Gus shook his head again. As he waited to turn out of the parking lot, he glanced into the rearview mirror. Lassiter exited the station and walked with Shawn to the side of the building where it was too dark to see anything. Gus chuckled and hit the gas peddle. Some things in life were stranger than psychic visions.
The End
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A/N: Written for senor_coconut_1 for the Fall Fandom Free-For-All. Yeah…sorry for taking so long. I’m the worst procrastinator ever. Hope y’all enjoy it. As always, thanks for reading! :)
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