Fic: In the Beergarden
Title: In the Beergarden
Pairing: Lewis/Hathaway
Word count: 700
Rating: PG
This ficlet's for vsee. Happy Birthday, Vee!
Lewis wouldn't have minded, before. Most likely he wouldn't even have noticed. But now he's very much aware of Hathaway's shoulder pressing against his, and their knees touching every time Hathaway leans forward to reach for his pint. It would be lovely, really, if it weren't for Laura Hobson and her eagle eyes on the other side of the beergarden table.
Hathaway and Laura are talking about the new shopping centre that's just opened near the by-pass. Lewis contributes only the occasional remark to the conversation. His mind is elsewhere. He's still trying to get his head around this new-found understanding he and Hathaway have come to. Hard to believe that only a week ago he was still eying up his sergeant in secret, scarcely even daring to hope that Hathaway had the same ideas running through his head. It's been a wonderful week, and a frustrating one too. It hasn't been easy to keep a hold of himself during working hours, now that he's allowed to touch and kiss and whatever else he likes.
They're not on duty now, but they're not alone either, and Lewis feels very self-conscious with Hathaway pressed up against him like that. Is it his imagination, or is that a knowing smirk Laura is giving the two of them over the rim of her gin and tonic?
Lewis sips his own drink and surreptitiously shifts a few inches along the bench he shares with Hathaway. Half a minute later, Hathaway has followed him. Lewis wonders whether it's unconscious, or whether Hathaway's trying to make a point. He doesn't know what he'll do if Hathaway wants to tell the whole world about this thing they have going on. He doesn't want Hathaway to think he's ashamed or something, but he really won't be doing the lad any favours if he lets him do something unwise.
Laura drains her glass and gets to her feet. "Good night, boys," she says. "Don't stay up too late." She disappears into the car park.
"Home, sir?" says Hathaway.
Lewis doesn't say anything on the drive to Hathaway's flat. Once they're in the hallway, though, hanging up their coats, he begins awkwardly, "Look, it's not like I want to hide, exactly - "
Hathaway is already on the way into the kitchen. "Steak pie or fish?" he says over his shoulder.
"Pie," says Lewis, watching Hathaway root around in the freezer. He has a rather nice view of Hathaway's arse from where he's standing in the kitchen doorway. He shakes himself and tries again. "I just don't want to put people in an awkward position. If you see what I mean."
Hathaway seems to realise for the first time that Lewis is trying to talk about something important. He straightens up, looking wary. "What's the matter?"
"I'm just saying, maybe we should be a bit more discreet around other people, that's all."
Hathaway is looking so blank and bewildered that Lewis suddenly feels rather silly. He knows he was being paranoid earlier, and over-sensitive.
"I am discreet, sir."
"Yeah, I know." Lewis feels a wave of affection come over him, and crosses the room to wrap his arms around Hathaway's waist, hampering his efforts to get the dinner into the oven. "You're just a bit of a heat-seeking missile, that's all."
As if to prove Lewis' point, Hathaway presses back into him, angling his head for a kiss. Lewis rises to meet him, and Hathaway twists so that they're facing, fitting together perfectly.
"Pies take forty minutes," he mumbles against Lewis' lips.
"Mmm," says Lewis, who already had the same thought in mind. He lets Hathaway tug him towards the bedroom.
Later, while they're setting the table, Hathaway says unexpectedly, "In any case, Hobson already knows."
Lewis almost drops a plate. "What? About - us? What makes you think that?"
Hathaway is smirking. "Just something she said while you were at the bar. I mean, she might have been congratulating us on the triple arrest we made today, but - "
Lewis groans. Hathaway gives him a peck on the lips and takes the plate out of his hands. "She thinks we're sweet."
"Yeah, no need to look so chuffed about it." Lewis is grumbling, but he's smiling too as he watches Hathaway move around the kitchen. He couldn't be happier, after all.
Pairing: Lewis/Hathaway
Word count: 700
Rating: PG
This ficlet's for vsee. Happy Birthday, Vee!
Lewis wouldn't have minded, before. Most likely he wouldn't even have noticed. But now he's very much aware of Hathaway's shoulder pressing against his, and their knees touching every time Hathaway leans forward to reach for his pint. It would be lovely, really, if it weren't for Laura Hobson and her eagle eyes on the other side of the beergarden table.
Hathaway and Laura are talking about the new shopping centre that's just opened near the by-pass. Lewis contributes only the occasional remark to the conversation. His mind is elsewhere. He's still trying to get his head around this new-found understanding he and Hathaway have come to. Hard to believe that only a week ago he was still eying up his sergeant in secret, scarcely even daring to hope that Hathaway had the same ideas running through his head. It's been a wonderful week, and a frustrating one too. It hasn't been easy to keep a hold of himself during working hours, now that he's allowed to touch and kiss and whatever else he likes.
They're not on duty now, but they're not alone either, and Lewis feels very self-conscious with Hathaway pressed up against him like that. Is it his imagination, or is that a knowing smirk Laura is giving the two of them over the rim of her gin and tonic?
Lewis sips his own drink and surreptitiously shifts a few inches along the bench he shares with Hathaway. Half a minute later, Hathaway has followed him. Lewis wonders whether it's unconscious, or whether Hathaway's trying to make a point. He doesn't know what he'll do if Hathaway wants to tell the whole world about this thing they have going on. He doesn't want Hathaway to think he's ashamed or something, but he really won't be doing the lad any favours if he lets him do something unwise.
Laura drains her glass and gets to her feet. "Good night, boys," she says. "Don't stay up too late." She disappears into the car park.
"Home, sir?" says Hathaway.
Lewis doesn't say anything on the drive to Hathaway's flat. Once they're in the hallway, though, hanging up their coats, he begins awkwardly, "Look, it's not like I want to hide, exactly - "
Hathaway is already on the way into the kitchen. "Steak pie or fish?" he says over his shoulder.
"Pie," says Lewis, watching Hathaway root around in the freezer. He has a rather nice view of Hathaway's arse from where he's standing in the kitchen doorway. He shakes himself and tries again. "I just don't want to put people in an awkward position. If you see what I mean."
Hathaway seems to realise for the first time that Lewis is trying to talk about something important. He straightens up, looking wary. "What's the matter?"
"I'm just saying, maybe we should be a bit more discreet around other people, that's all."
Hathaway is looking so blank and bewildered that Lewis suddenly feels rather silly. He knows he was being paranoid earlier, and over-sensitive.
"I am discreet, sir."
"Yeah, I know." Lewis feels a wave of affection come over him, and crosses the room to wrap his arms around Hathaway's waist, hampering his efforts to get the dinner into the oven. "You're just a bit of a heat-seeking missile, that's all."
As if to prove Lewis' point, Hathaway presses back into him, angling his head for a kiss. Lewis rises to meet him, and Hathaway twists so that they're facing, fitting together perfectly.
"Pies take forty minutes," he mumbles against Lewis' lips.
"Mmm," says Lewis, who already had the same thought in mind. He lets Hathaway tug him towards the bedroom.
Later, while they're setting the table, Hathaway says unexpectedly, "In any case, Hobson already knows."
Lewis almost drops a plate. "What? About - us? What makes you think that?"
Hathaway is smirking. "Just something she said while you were at the bar. I mean, she might have been congratulating us on the triple arrest we made today, but - "
Lewis groans. Hathaway gives him a peck on the lips and takes the plate out of his hands. "She thinks we're sweet."
"Yeah, no need to look so chuffed about it." Lewis is grumbling, but he's smiling too as he watches Hathaway move around the kitchen. He couldn't be happier, after all.