FIC: My True Love Gave to Me (2/5)
Title: My True Love Gave to Me
Author: moondragon25 (or moondragon23 on other sites)
Pairing: Shawn/Carlton
Rating: NC-17
Summary: It's Christmas time and Shawn has already figured out what everyone is getting him for Christmas. Everyone except his boyfriend Carlton that is. As the day draws closer, Shawn becomes more and more desperate to solve this mystery while keeping his own Christmas surprise under wraps. Already its shaping up to be a holiday to remember.
Disclaimer: I don't own Psych. This is just for fun. I do own all original characters.
Notes: Happy Birthday Trixietru! I hope you like this chapter :)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Two Days Until Christmas
Two Days Before Christmas
Shawn slowly crept into the police station and glanced around. He knew from listening to the police scanner that Carlton and Juliet were out on a call and Buzz was on patrol across town. According to her day planner, the Chief should be in a meeting right now down at City Hall, so there shouldn’t be anyone left at the station that would make a point to notice his arrival. Still, he stayed out of sight as much as possible as he made his way to Carlton’s desk.
He sat down in the chair and took a moment to memorize how everything was laid out. He would need to make sure everything was exactly the same when he left so Carlton didn’t suspect anything. Once the details were firmly fixed in his mind, he pulled open the first drawer and started looking. He wasn’t sure if he would find his actual gift here but a receipt or a scrawled note would give him a clue where to look next.
Unfortunately, most of the drawers came up empty gift-wise, though he did find the slingshot Carlton had confiscated. He shoved it into his back pocket as he contemplated the last drawer. Unlike the others, this one was locked.
He glanced around, but no one was paying any attention to him. He took two paper clips out of the top middle drawer and straightened them. He knelt on the floor in front of the drawer and studied the lock. “It can’t be that hard,” he muttered.
Five minutes later, he was wondering if the lock had been super-glued shut. All he had accomplished so far was poking himself hard enough in the hand with the paper clip to cause himself to bleed (damn pointy things). It also didn’t help that he had to duck out of sight under the desk whenever anyone came by. The other officers may usually ignore him riffling through Carlton’s things (which he generally did on a biweekly basis) but they wouldn’t ignore him breaking into the head detective’s desk.
Throwing the bent paper clips aside, he decided to consider this from another angle. Carlton must use this drawer fairly frequently judging by the lack of dust on the handle. Therefore, he had to keep the key somewhere easy to access. It wasn’t anywhere in or on the desk, which fit his boyfriend’s paranoid view of the world. Following that thought, he guessed Carlton kept the key on him for added security. If it was in his wallet, Shawn was screwed, but if he kept it on his key ring. . .
Shawn pulled out his own key ring and flipped to the Carlton section. When they started dating, he had made a copy of all of Carlton’s keys and updated it periodically to make sure he had the most recent ones. Flipping through the copies, he found a small key that looked like it would fit in the lock.
Peeking around the desk to make sure no one was around, he unlocked the drawer and slid it open. Most of what was inside were classified case files. He was tempted to look at them but forced himself to stay focused on his goal. He didn’t see any gifts but he did find a small stack of receipts.
He closed the drawer and sat under the desk to flip through them. Most were for coffee or meals at nearby restaurants, nearly all paid for in cash. Untraceable and no way for anyone to steal Carlton’s identity. He smiled fondly at more evidence of his boyfriend’s paranoia and wondered briefly if he had been a spy in a past life. He put those receipts aside and focused on the ones that were left.
Two were for repairs to his car, so he disregarded those. Another was for a department store downtown but his boyfriend had only bought women’s clothing. He vaguely entertained the thought that Carlton was a cross-dresser before deciding they were likely for his sister.
The last was for a store across town, Samson’s Fine Jewelry. His eyes widened when he saw how much Carlton had spent, though the receipt didn’t show what the item was. There was a note scribbled on the paper in Carlton’s handwriting; a date and time to pick up the item. Shawn checked his watch. It was in a little under an hour from now.
He slipped the receipts back into the desk and locked the drawer. What the hell could Carlton be buying that cost that much? It couldn’t be a. . . no, Shawn would have seen some sign if that was what Carlton was planning. He didn’t really wear jewelry so whatever it was likely wasn’t for him, but he didn’t have any other clues to follow. If he hurried, he should be able to get to the shop before Carlton picked up the item.
“What are you doing?”
Shawn jumped and smacked his head on the underside of the desk. He swore and glared at Carlton. “What the hell, man?”
Carlton raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one hiding under my desk.” He reached down and helped Shawn up. “Let me see.”
Shawn turned around, wincing when Carlton gently prodded the back of his head. “Are my brains oozing out?”
“That would imply you had brains to begin with.” Carlton took the slingshot out of Shawn’s pocket and turned him around. “I took this from you for a reason.”
Shawn pouted. “I said I was sorry.”
“It wasn’t my window you broke,” Carlton reminded him.
Shawn made a face. “That guy has been harassing us since I moved in. He totally deserved it. Beside, he smells like feet.”
Carlton sighed. “He may be an asshole, but I still had to pay to get his window fixed.” He threw the slingshot on his desk and crossed his arms. “What were you doing under there?”
“What, a guy can’t hide under his boyfriend’s desk waiting for him to get back?” Shawn asked.
Carlton frowned. “Why would he?”
“Secret blowjob?”
Carlton shook his head. “Not even you are that stupid.”
Shawn grinned. “I know. The supply closet is roomier and has much better insulation.”
Carlton cleared his throat, a flush rising along the back of his neck. “That was one time and I told you it would never happen again,” he said quietly.
Shawn grinned. “You said that about the nipple clamps too,” he said, watching Carlton’s blush deepen. He gave his flustered boyfriend a quick kiss and headed for the exit. “See ya later, Lassie.”
As soon as he walked out the door, he pulled out his phone. “Dude, I need you to come pick me up at the police station.”
“I can’t,” Gus said. “There is an important meeting this afternoon and I can’t afford to miss it because of all the time you’ve been making me take off lately.”
“But Lassie’s picking something up from a jewelry store in an hour and I need to find out what it is,” Shawn said. “How am I supposed to get there if you don’t come get me?”
“Not my problem,” Gus said bluntly. “How did you get to the station in the first place?”
“I had my dad drop me off a block away, after he made me spend all morning helping him clean out the garage.” He sighed heavily. “It really sucks having no way to get around.”
“I know, man,” Gus said. “I wish I could help but you’re on your own this time.” He sounded sincere, so Shawn really couldn’t stay mad at him. His friend had been great helping him get around since that idiot had hit his bike.
The worst part was that he hadn’t even done anything wrong; his bike had been legally parked (for once) at the convenience store down the street from their place and had been totaled by a Hummer whose driver claimed he hadn’t seen that the bike was there. The guy had been drunk and Carlton, who had rushed over after receiving a hysterical phone call from Shawn, had taken great pleasure in arresting him. The guy had been driving on a suspended license as well and would now be facing jail time but Shawn couldn’t get any pleasure over catching a criminal with his bike a twisted hunk of metal.
Shawn saw Carlton exit the station and quickly ducked out of sight. “Shit, Lassie’s leaving! What do I do?”
“There’s a bus stop nearby,” Gus said. “You memorized the bus routes, right? Are any stopping soon and heading where you need to go? Or do you have any cash for a cab?”
Shawn quickly ran through the bus routes in his head. “That’s a no on the bus but I might have enough for a cab.” It would be the last of his money; Carlton’s gift had been pricey this year.
“Then you better get going before you miss him,” Gus said, and hung up.
Shawn waited until Carlton pulled out of the parking lot before running to the street. It took him five minutes to flag down a cab and then driver seemed to be trying for some kind of reverse land speed record as they nearly crawled across town. He was tempted to just jump out and run at one of the (many) red lights.
By the time Shawn finally got there, Carlton’s car was parked outside and there was no sign of his boyfriend. He paid the cab driver (leaving him with a measly three dollars) and walked to the shop across the street. It would give him a good vantage point to spy from without Carlton being able to spot him.
It wasn’t until he was inside that he realized it was a Victoria’s Secret outlet. Okay, a little awkward but there was no reason he couldn’t pose as a boyfriend buying something for his girlfriend. He ignored the looks he was getting from the other customers and sales people and went to look at the display of bras by the window.
He could see the jewelry store across the street but because of the glare from the sun, couldn’t see inside. He flipped idly through the bras, watching the door to see when Carlton came out.
“Can I help you sir?”
Shawn turned to see an older woman looking at him cautiously. “Just browsing.”
“Is there anything in particular you were looking for?”
Shawn shook his head, glancing across the street again. “I’m good.”
The woman frowned. “Maybe if you tell me something about your girlfriend, I can recommend something for you.”
Shawn suppressed a sigh. He hated pushy sales people. “Well, he’s tall and lean. He’s fit, but doesn’t work out like crazy so his chest isn’t too broad.” He grabbed a teal bra off the rack. The color would complement Carlton’s eyes nicely. “Do you have this in a 38?”
The woman blinked, struggling to hide her shock. “I’ll have to check in the back,” she said uncertainly.
“Thanks. I’ll wait here.” He watched her walk off and turned back to the window. Still no sign of Carlton. He began flipping through the bras again, hoping to forestall another uncomfortable encounter by looking busy.
“Here you go.” A young blonde woman held out the teal bra in the size Shawn had requested. She didn’t seemed as fazed by his desire to buy lingerie. “Was there anything else you needed?”
He glanced out the window but Carlton was still inside the store. He needed to stall. “I could use your opinion.” He took a deep breath and took a red bra off the rack and held it up against himself. Carlton’s gift had better be worth this. “What do you think?”
The woman stood back and eyed him critically. “Not your color.” She motioned Shawn to step back and flipped through the rack. “Ah, here.” She selected a purple bra and held it up against him. “I think this would look nice. I see you as the type that would like something that would stand out but not be too slutty.”
Shawn didn’t have a problem with slutty, at least in private. Right now felt anything but private with the eyes of the other customers and most of the employees on him. “If you think so,” he said slowly.
“I do,” she said firmly. “I can show you matching panties for both bras if you would like.”
He could feel his face turning a bright red. That was going too far even for him. He glanced out the window and almost cried in relief when he saw Carlton walking to his car. “Maybe another time. I have some where I need to be.”
“Then I’ll just ring you up for these,” she said.
It would take too long to argue and he had created enough of a scene already. He followed her to the register, glad he had swiped Gus’ credit card at lunch yesterday.
The woman rang up his items, placing them in a bag bearing the company’s logo. “If you don’t mind me asking, is this your first time buying lingerie?” she asked.
Shawn chuckled nervously. “How did you know?”
“It’s California; you’re not the first man to come in looking for something for himself or a boyfriend. You learn to read the signs.” She ducked under the counter and pulled out a box. “Now, if you’ve never done this before, I have some items that may interest you.”
“What are they?” Shawn asked, curious despite himself.
She took a couple of items out of the box and a pamphlet. His face immediately turned red again as she started describing how to use the items to stuff a bra to create a realistic effect. “I - I don’t know if I need all that,” he stammered.
“You might not,” she agreed. “It all depends on the reason you and your boyfriend decided to try wearing lingerie.”
A couple of the customers had edged closer, curious to hear his response. He looked towards the window and could just make out the empty spot where Carlton’s car had been. Screw this, he was so out of here. “Whatever, I’ll take it,” he said, passing over Gus’ credit card.
“For both of you?”
What the hell, Gus was going to kill him anyway. “Sure.”
A couple minutes later, he was standing on the sidewalk, wishing he could scrub the last twenty minutes from existence. Sometimes it really sucked having a near perfect memory. Hoping nobody he knew spotted him with the Victoria’s Secret bag, he quickly crossed the street and entered the jewelry store.
Thankfully, this store was empty. Shawn went right up to the counter and got the salesman’s attention. “There was a man in here a few minutes ago. Tall, dark hair, probably frowning the whole time.”
“There was a man in here matching that description,” the man said. “Why do you ask?”
“I need to know what he picked up.”
The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, but that is confidential information.”
“Perhaps you don't know who I am.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out his department ID. “I'm Shawn Spencer, Head Psychic for the SBPD. That man who was just in here is wanted for horrible, heinous crimes.”
The man glanced nervously at the door, then back at Shawn. “What kind of crimes?”
“Like taking the last of someone’s cereal even though they have their own box sitting right there. And taking the prize.” He had really wanted that mood ring. “Look, what he did in the past is not important. You can help prevent a future crime by telling me what he bought.”
“I don't know,” the man said uncertainly. “If it was that important, wouldn't they have sent a real cop to investigate?”
“I'm better than a cop,” Shawn informed him. “I'm a psychic.”
The man frowned. “I don't believe in psychics.”
Shawn sighed. It had seemed like such an easy idea when he decided to fake being psychic but everybody always wanted proof. He cast his eyes over the man, looking for something he could use. Once he found it, he hissed and put his hand to his head. “I'm sensing a dark future ahead of you. One where you are penniless and unemployed.” He looked up and pointed at the man's pocket. “I would put those earrings back before your boss finds out your stealing from him.”
The man looked frantically towards the back room and leaned over the counter. “How did you know that?” he hissed.
The man had patted his left pocket and glanced around every time a noise came from the back of the store. The bulge was small and he had noticed a pair of earrings missing from the front display. “I'm psychic.”
“Look, I can't give you the information. I'll get fired,” he pleaded.
“You'll get fired if you get caught stealing,” Shawn pointed out.
“Why is this so important? I don't believe that story you gave me earlier.” The man waved at the door. “That man was a cop; I saw his badge.”
Shawn sighed. “Look, he's my boyfriend and I just really need to know what he bought,” he said, going for the sympathy card.
The man looked down at the bag at Shawn's feet. “Boyfriend, uh?”
From now on, Shawn was going to check what store he was walking into before beginning an impromptu stakeout. “Do you want to see proof?” He took out his phone and pulled up a picture of him and Carlton kissing (courtesy of Juliet). “Now, can you help me or not?”
The man handed him the phone back. “Buy me the earrings and I'll tell you what your boyfriend bought.”
“Tell me what he bought and I won't tell your boss about the earrings,” Shawn countered. It was a lie, he couldn't ignore the theft, but the man wouldn't know that.
“I need those earrings. I promised my girlfriend I would get her them, then Mr. Samson skimped out on the bonus checks this year. He wouldn't even let me pay for part of it now and take the rest out of my next paycheck.” The man sighed and looked at Shawn pleadingly. “I can pay for half and promise to pay you back as soon as I can. Come on, it’s Christmas. I help you out, you help me.”
Even at half price the earrings would max out Gus' credit card. But if he turned the guy in, there was no way he would get the information he wanted. He also found himself sympathizing with the man's predicament. If he helped pay for the earrings, it wouldn't be stealing anymore and they would both get want they wanted. “Alright, it's a deal.”
The man rang up the earrings, splitting the amount between both their credit cards. After exchanging contact information so he could pay Shawn for the rest after Christmas (his name was Vincent though Shawn thought he looked more like a Jeff), he pulled out a special order form. “This is what your boyfriend bought.”
Apparently, Carlton had bought one of those lockets you can put photos in and engraved “Mona” on the front of it. A really nice gift for his mom but not what Shawn was hoping for.
Stepping back outside into the bright sunshine, he considered his next move. Not only did he still have no idea what Carlton was getting him, now he was stuck downtown with no way to get home and no money. He sighed as he pulled out his phone to call his dad. He really missed his bike.
Shawn was sitting on the couch watching a movie when Carlton came home. He turned off the TV and turned to face his boyfriend as he came into the room. “Hey, Lassie. Did you find the husband?”
Carlton was too used to Shawn knowing the details of his cases, even when he wasn’t involved, to do more than sigh. “Yes. It took a couple of hours but we got him to confess.”
“Awesome.” Shawn patted the couch next to him. “Come and cuddle.”
“Let me put my stuff down first. Oh, and here.” Carlton threw a small jewelry store bag at Shawn.
“Why, Lassie-dear, you shouldn’t have,” Shawn said sweetly.
Carlton rolled his eyes. “I didn’t. But you were so determined to find out what it was earlier I decided it would be easier to just show you.”
Shawn winced. “You spotted me, huh?”
Carlton smirked as he put his briefcase down next to the couch. “I knew you would be following me. By the way, that purple bra? Not your color.”
“What are you talking about? I can totally pull it off.” He pulled off his sweater and stood up, striking a pose. “How do I look?”
“You bought it?” Carlton asked in shock.
Shawn reached under the couch cushion and threw the teal bra to his boyfriend. “I bought you one too.” He cupped one of his breasts, fondling it thoughtfully. “The woman at the shop gave me some tips for stuffing them to make my breasts look realistic. They don’t feel right though. Too squishy.” He grabbed Carlton’s hand and placed it on his chest. “What do you think?”
Carlton squeezed his ‘breast.’ “Too squishy and too cold.” He took a step back and studied Shawn. “The color is off too. Do you have a t-shirt you could put on?”
Shawn grinned. He hadn’t expected Carlton to play along. “Sure.” He went to their bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt off the floor. Slipping it on, he returned to the living room. “Well?” he said, holding out his arms.
“Better. Also, very weird.” He walked forward and gently cupped one of Shawn's fake breasts. “Maybe a good weird.”
Shawn grinned slyly. “Did I just discover a new kink for us?”
Carlton pulled Shawn closer until they were pressed together. “Maybe,” he said, kissing him.
The pressure against his chest was a little weird but in a really hot way. Judging by the hard press of Carlton's groin against him, his boyfriend thought so too. He nipped Carlton's bottom lip and whispered in his ear. “How about I show you how to stuff these and we do a little fashion show in the bedroom?”
Carlton held up the teal bra that until this point had lain forgotten in his hand. “You want to see me wearing this?”
Shawn nodded eagerly. “Yes please.” As uncomfortable as he had been in the store earlier, now he really, really wanted to see what Carlton looked like in the bra.
Carlton grinned. “Lead the way.”
Sticky and sated, the bras tossed aside long ago, Shawn relaxed against Carlton. “Guess something good came out of me spying on you,” he said sleepily.
Carlton lifted his head so he could look at Shawn. “And why exactly were you doing that?”
Shawn circled on of Carlton's nipples with his finger. “Gus was at work and I was bored.”
Carlton shook his head. “I know you were snooping through my desk too. Try again.”
Shawn leaned forward and gave the nipple a lick. Carlton groaned, then suddenly pulled away. “Stop trying to distract me and just tell me,” he said, sitting up.
Shawn sighed, flopping on his back on the bed. “I was trying to find out what you're getting me for Christmas.”
“You still don't know?” Carlton asked with a smirk.
Shawn glared at him. “Hey, I still have two days. I'll figure it out.”
Carlton frowned. “It's okay if you don't. I haven't figured out what you're getting me.”
“That's because I'm the master,” Shawn stated proudly.
“Did you figure out what your dad is getting you?” Carlton asked.
“Yup. Joint gift, just like I predicted.” He poked Carlton's side. “It’s a good thing you listened to me about going in on his gift together.”
“You couldn’t afford it otherwise,” Carlton reminded him.
“That too.”
Carlton eased back down on the bed and pulled Shawn towards him. “Lauren always said not knowing what you are getting was part of the magic of the holidays.” He made a face. “I never agreed with that but I never looked often when I was a kid. I didn't see a point in getting disappointed in advance.”
He wanted to hug little Carlton and tell him everything would work out. His mom had done her best to raise him but she had never really understood her oldest son. “My dad always turned it into a challenge. He used to leave little hints when I was a kid until he felt I reached a point I should be able to figure it out on my own.” He sighed. “Even if I got exactly what I wanted, I'd still feel disappointed if I didn't know in advance.”
“Sounds like both our parents screwed us up,” Carlton commented. He laced Shawn’s fingers with his. “I won't be disappointed if you can't figure it out. I'd love the chance to surprise you for once. Just be patient for two more days and you'll know.”
“I'll try,” Shawn said.
Carlton kissed his cheek. “Good. Now get up. I'm hungry and we need to get cleaned up.”
Shawn groaned as he let Carlton pull him out of bed. “How about I just stay here and you feed me? You can be my slave boy and feed me peeled grapes and cater to my every whim.”
Carlton snorted. “Never gonna happen.” He gave Shawn a push towards the bathroom. “Now go get in the shower.”
“Bossy,” Shawn said fondly. “Are you planning on joining me?”
Carlton grinned. “Of course.” He followed Shawn into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Author: moondragon25 (or moondragon23 on other sites)
Pairing: Shawn/Carlton
Rating: NC-17
Summary: It's Christmas time and Shawn has already figured out what everyone is getting him for Christmas. Everyone except his boyfriend Carlton that is. As the day draws closer, Shawn becomes more and more desperate to solve this mystery while keeping his own Christmas surprise under wraps. Already its shaping up to be a holiday to remember.
Disclaimer: I don't own Psych. This is just for fun. I do own all original characters.
Notes: Happy Birthday Trixietru! I hope you like this chapter :)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Two Days Until Christmas
Two Days Before Christmas
Shawn slowly crept into the police station and glanced around. He knew from listening to the police scanner that Carlton and Juliet were out on a call and Buzz was on patrol across town. According to her day planner, the Chief should be in a meeting right now down at City Hall, so there shouldn’t be anyone left at the station that would make a point to notice his arrival. Still, he stayed out of sight as much as possible as he made his way to Carlton’s desk.
He sat down in the chair and took a moment to memorize how everything was laid out. He would need to make sure everything was exactly the same when he left so Carlton didn’t suspect anything. Once the details were firmly fixed in his mind, he pulled open the first drawer and started looking. He wasn’t sure if he would find his actual gift here but a receipt or a scrawled note would give him a clue where to look next.
Unfortunately, most of the drawers came up empty gift-wise, though he did find the slingshot Carlton had confiscated. He shoved it into his back pocket as he contemplated the last drawer. Unlike the others, this one was locked.
He glanced around, but no one was paying any attention to him. He took two paper clips out of the top middle drawer and straightened them. He knelt on the floor in front of the drawer and studied the lock. “It can’t be that hard,” he muttered.
Five minutes later, he was wondering if the lock had been super-glued shut. All he had accomplished so far was poking himself hard enough in the hand with the paper clip to cause himself to bleed (damn pointy things). It also didn’t help that he had to duck out of sight under the desk whenever anyone came by. The other officers may usually ignore him riffling through Carlton’s things (which he generally did on a biweekly basis) but they wouldn’t ignore him breaking into the head detective’s desk.
Throwing the bent paper clips aside, he decided to consider this from another angle. Carlton must use this drawer fairly frequently judging by the lack of dust on the handle. Therefore, he had to keep the key somewhere easy to access. It wasn’t anywhere in or on the desk, which fit his boyfriend’s paranoid view of the world. Following that thought, he guessed Carlton kept the key on him for added security. If it was in his wallet, Shawn was screwed, but if he kept it on his key ring. . .
Shawn pulled out his own key ring and flipped to the Carlton section. When they started dating, he had made a copy of all of Carlton’s keys and updated it periodically to make sure he had the most recent ones. Flipping through the copies, he found a small key that looked like it would fit in the lock.
Peeking around the desk to make sure no one was around, he unlocked the drawer and slid it open. Most of what was inside were classified case files. He was tempted to look at them but forced himself to stay focused on his goal. He didn’t see any gifts but he did find a small stack of receipts.
He closed the drawer and sat under the desk to flip through them. Most were for coffee or meals at nearby restaurants, nearly all paid for in cash. Untraceable and no way for anyone to steal Carlton’s identity. He smiled fondly at more evidence of his boyfriend’s paranoia and wondered briefly if he had been a spy in a past life. He put those receipts aside and focused on the ones that were left.
Two were for repairs to his car, so he disregarded those. Another was for a department store downtown but his boyfriend had only bought women’s clothing. He vaguely entertained the thought that Carlton was a cross-dresser before deciding they were likely for his sister.
The last was for a store across town, Samson’s Fine Jewelry. His eyes widened when he saw how much Carlton had spent, though the receipt didn’t show what the item was. There was a note scribbled on the paper in Carlton’s handwriting; a date and time to pick up the item. Shawn checked his watch. It was in a little under an hour from now.
He slipped the receipts back into the desk and locked the drawer. What the hell could Carlton be buying that cost that much? It couldn’t be a. . . no, Shawn would have seen some sign if that was what Carlton was planning. He didn’t really wear jewelry so whatever it was likely wasn’t for him, but he didn’t have any other clues to follow. If he hurried, he should be able to get to the shop before Carlton picked up the item.
“What are you doing?”
Shawn jumped and smacked his head on the underside of the desk. He swore and glared at Carlton. “What the hell, man?”
Carlton raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one hiding under my desk.” He reached down and helped Shawn up. “Let me see.”
Shawn turned around, wincing when Carlton gently prodded the back of his head. “Are my brains oozing out?”
“That would imply you had brains to begin with.” Carlton took the slingshot out of Shawn’s pocket and turned him around. “I took this from you for a reason.”
Shawn pouted. “I said I was sorry.”
“It wasn’t my window you broke,” Carlton reminded him.
Shawn made a face. “That guy has been harassing us since I moved in. He totally deserved it. Beside, he smells like feet.”
Carlton sighed. “He may be an asshole, but I still had to pay to get his window fixed.” He threw the slingshot on his desk and crossed his arms. “What were you doing under there?”
“What, a guy can’t hide under his boyfriend’s desk waiting for him to get back?” Shawn asked.
Carlton frowned. “Why would he?”
“Secret blowjob?”
Carlton shook his head. “Not even you are that stupid.”
Shawn grinned. “I know. The supply closet is roomier and has much better insulation.”
Carlton cleared his throat, a flush rising along the back of his neck. “That was one time and I told you it would never happen again,” he said quietly.
Shawn grinned. “You said that about the nipple clamps too,” he said, watching Carlton’s blush deepen. He gave his flustered boyfriend a quick kiss and headed for the exit. “See ya later, Lassie.”
As soon as he walked out the door, he pulled out his phone. “Dude, I need you to come pick me up at the police station.”
“I can’t,” Gus said. “There is an important meeting this afternoon and I can’t afford to miss it because of all the time you’ve been making me take off lately.”
“But Lassie’s picking something up from a jewelry store in an hour and I need to find out what it is,” Shawn said. “How am I supposed to get there if you don’t come get me?”
“Not my problem,” Gus said bluntly. “How did you get to the station in the first place?”
“I had my dad drop me off a block away, after he made me spend all morning helping him clean out the garage.” He sighed heavily. “It really sucks having no way to get around.”
“I know, man,” Gus said. “I wish I could help but you’re on your own this time.” He sounded sincere, so Shawn really couldn’t stay mad at him. His friend had been great helping him get around since that idiot had hit his bike.
The worst part was that he hadn’t even done anything wrong; his bike had been legally parked (for once) at the convenience store down the street from their place and had been totaled by a Hummer whose driver claimed he hadn’t seen that the bike was there. The guy had been drunk and Carlton, who had rushed over after receiving a hysterical phone call from Shawn, had taken great pleasure in arresting him. The guy had been driving on a suspended license as well and would now be facing jail time but Shawn couldn’t get any pleasure over catching a criminal with his bike a twisted hunk of metal.
Shawn saw Carlton exit the station and quickly ducked out of sight. “Shit, Lassie’s leaving! What do I do?”
“There’s a bus stop nearby,” Gus said. “You memorized the bus routes, right? Are any stopping soon and heading where you need to go? Or do you have any cash for a cab?”
Shawn quickly ran through the bus routes in his head. “That’s a no on the bus but I might have enough for a cab.” It would be the last of his money; Carlton’s gift had been pricey this year.
“Then you better get going before you miss him,” Gus said, and hung up.
Shawn waited until Carlton pulled out of the parking lot before running to the street. It took him five minutes to flag down a cab and then driver seemed to be trying for some kind of reverse land speed record as they nearly crawled across town. He was tempted to just jump out and run at one of the (many) red lights.
By the time Shawn finally got there, Carlton’s car was parked outside and there was no sign of his boyfriend. He paid the cab driver (leaving him with a measly three dollars) and walked to the shop across the street. It would give him a good vantage point to spy from without Carlton being able to spot him.
It wasn’t until he was inside that he realized it was a Victoria’s Secret outlet. Okay, a little awkward but there was no reason he couldn’t pose as a boyfriend buying something for his girlfriend. He ignored the looks he was getting from the other customers and sales people and went to look at the display of bras by the window.
He could see the jewelry store across the street but because of the glare from the sun, couldn’t see inside. He flipped idly through the bras, watching the door to see when Carlton came out.
“Can I help you sir?”
Shawn turned to see an older woman looking at him cautiously. “Just browsing.”
“Is there anything in particular you were looking for?”
Shawn shook his head, glancing across the street again. “I’m good.”
The woman frowned. “Maybe if you tell me something about your girlfriend, I can recommend something for you.”
Shawn suppressed a sigh. He hated pushy sales people. “Well, he’s tall and lean. He’s fit, but doesn’t work out like crazy so his chest isn’t too broad.” He grabbed a teal bra off the rack. The color would complement Carlton’s eyes nicely. “Do you have this in a 38?”
The woman blinked, struggling to hide her shock. “I’ll have to check in the back,” she said uncertainly.
“Thanks. I’ll wait here.” He watched her walk off and turned back to the window. Still no sign of Carlton. He began flipping through the bras again, hoping to forestall another uncomfortable encounter by looking busy.
“Here you go.” A young blonde woman held out the teal bra in the size Shawn had requested. She didn’t seemed as fazed by his desire to buy lingerie. “Was there anything else you needed?”
He glanced out the window but Carlton was still inside the store. He needed to stall. “I could use your opinion.” He took a deep breath and took a red bra off the rack and held it up against himself. Carlton’s gift had better be worth this. “What do you think?”
The woman stood back and eyed him critically. “Not your color.” She motioned Shawn to step back and flipped through the rack. “Ah, here.” She selected a purple bra and held it up against him. “I think this would look nice. I see you as the type that would like something that would stand out but not be too slutty.”
Shawn didn’t have a problem with slutty, at least in private. Right now felt anything but private with the eyes of the other customers and most of the employees on him. “If you think so,” he said slowly.
“I do,” she said firmly. “I can show you matching panties for both bras if you would like.”
He could feel his face turning a bright red. That was going too far even for him. He glanced out the window and almost cried in relief when he saw Carlton walking to his car. “Maybe another time. I have some where I need to be.”
“Then I’ll just ring you up for these,” she said.
It would take too long to argue and he had created enough of a scene already. He followed her to the register, glad he had swiped Gus’ credit card at lunch yesterday.
The woman rang up his items, placing them in a bag bearing the company’s logo. “If you don’t mind me asking, is this your first time buying lingerie?” she asked.
Shawn chuckled nervously. “How did you know?”
“It’s California; you’re not the first man to come in looking for something for himself or a boyfriend. You learn to read the signs.” She ducked under the counter and pulled out a box. “Now, if you’ve never done this before, I have some items that may interest you.”
“What are they?” Shawn asked, curious despite himself.
She took a couple of items out of the box and a pamphlet. His face immediately turned red again as she started describing how to use the items to stuff a bra to create a realistic effect. “I - I don’t know if I need all that,” he stammered.
“You might not,” she agreed. “It all depends on the reason you and your boyfriend decided to try wearing lingerie.”
A couple of the customers had edged closer, curious to hear his response. He looked towards the window and could just make out the empty spot where Carlton’s car had been. Screw this, he was so out of here. “Whatever, I’ll take it,” he said, passing over Gus’ credit card.
“For both of you?”
What the hell, Gus was going to kill him anyway. “Sure.”
A couple minutes later, he was standing on the sidewalk, wishing he could scrub the last twenty minutes from existence. Sometimes it really sucked having a near perfect memory. Hoping nobody he knew spotted him with the Victoria’s Secret bag, he quickly crossed the street and entered the jewelry store.
Thankfully, this store was empty. Shawn went right up to the counter and got the salesman’s attention. “There was a man in here a few minutes ago. Tall, dark hair, probably frowning the whole time.”
“There was a man in here matching that description,” the man said. “Why do you ask?”
“I need to know what he picked up.”
The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, but that is confidential information.”
“Perhaps you don't know who I am.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out his department ID. “I'm Shawn Spencer, Head Psychic for the SBPD. That man who was just in here is wanted for horrible, heinous crimes.”
The man glanced nervously at the door, then back at Shawn. “What kind of crimes?”
“Like taking the last of someone’s cereal even though they have their own box sitting right there. And taking the prize.” He had really wanted that mood ring. “Look, what he did in the past is not important. You can help prevent a future crime by telling me what he bought.”
“I don't know,” the man said uncertainly. “If it was that important, wouldn't they have sent a real cop to investigate?”
“I'm better than a cop,” Shawn informed him. “I'm a psychic.”
The man frowned. “I don't believe in psychics.”
Shawn sighed. It had seemed like such an easy idea when he decided to fake being psychic but everybody always wanted proof. He cast his eyes over the man, looking for something he could use. Once he found it, he hissed and put his hand to his head. “I'm sensing a dark future ahead of you. One where you are penniless and unemployed.” He looked up and pointed at the man's pocket. “I would put those earrings back before your boss finds out your stealing from him.”
The man looked frantically towards the back room and leaned over the counter. “How did you know that?” he hissed.
The man had patted his left pocket and glanced around every time a noise came from the back of the store. The bulge was small and he had noticed a pair of earrings missing from the front display. “I'm psychic.”
“Look, I can't give you the information. I'll get fired,” he pleaded.
“You'll get fired if you get caught stealing,” Shawn pointed out.
“Why is this so important? I don't believe that story you gave me earlier.” The man waved at the door. “That man was a cop; I saw his badge.”
Shawn sighed. “Look, he's my boyfriend and I just really need to know what he bought,” he said, going for the sympathy card.
The man looked down at the bag at Shawn's feet. “Boyfriend, uh?”
From now on, Shawn was going to check what store he was walking into before beginning an impromptu stakeout. “Do you want to see proof?” He took out his phone and pulled up a picture of him and Carlton kissing (courtesy of Juliet). “Now, can you help me or not?”
The man handed him the phone back. “Buy me the earrings and I'll tell you what your boyfriend bought.”
“Tell me what he bought and I won't tell your boss about the earrings,” Shawn countered. It was a lie, he couldn't ignore the theft, but the man wouldn't know that.
“I need those earrings. I promised my girlfriend I would get her them, then Mr. Samson skimped out on the bonus checks this year. He wouldn't even let me pay for part of it now and take the rest out of my next paycheck.” The man sighed and looked at Shawn pleadingly. “I can pay for half and promise to pay you back as soon as I can. Come on, it’s Christmas. I help you out, you help me.”
Even at half price the earrings would max out Gus' credit card. But if he turned the guy in, there was no way he would get the information he wanted. He also found himself sympathizing with the man's predicament. If he helped pay for the earrings, it wouldn't be stealing anymore and they would both get want they wanted. “Alright, it's a deal.”
The man rang up the earrings, splitting the amount between both their credit cards. After exchanging contact information so he could pay Shawn for the rest after Christmas (his name was Vincent though Shawn thought he looked more like a Jeff), he pulled out a special order form. “This is what your boyfriend bought.”
Apparently, Carlton had bought one of those lockets you can put photos in and engraved “Mona” on the front of it. A really nice gift for his mom but not what Shawn was hoping for.
Stepping back outside into the bright sunshine, he considered his next move. Not only did he still have no idea what Carlton was getting him, now he was stuck downtown with no way to get home and no money. He sighed as he pulled out his phone to call his dad. He really missed his bike.
Shawn was sitting on the couch watching a movie when Carlton came home. He turned off the TV and turned to face his boyfriend as he came into the room. “Hey, Lassie. Did you find the husband?”
Carlton was too used to Shawn knowing the details of his cases, even when he wasn’t involved, to do more than sigh. “Yes. It took a couple of hours but we got him to confess.”
“Awesome.” Shawn patted the couch next to him. “Come and cuddle.”
“Let me put my stuff down first. Oh, and here.” Carlton threw a small jewelry store bag at Shawn.
“Why, Lassie-dear, you shouldn’t have,” Shawn said sweetly.
Carlton rolled his eyes. “I didn’t. But you were so determined to find out what it was earlier I decided it would be easier to just show you.”
Shawn winced. “You spotted me, huh?”
Carlton smirked as he put his briefcase down next to the couch. “I knew you would be following me. By the way, that purple bra? Not your color.”
“What are you talking about? I can totally pull it off.” He pulled off his sweater and stood up, striking a pose. “How do I look?”
“You bought it?” Carlton asked in shock.
Shawn reached under the couch cushion and threw the teal bra to his boyfriend. “I bought you one too.” He cupped one of his breasts, fondling it thoughtfully. “The woman at the shop gave me some tips for stuffing them to make my breasts look realistic. They don’t feel right though. Too squishy.” He grabbed Carlton’s hand and placed it on his chest. “What do you think?”
Carlton squeezed his ‘breast.’ “Too squishy and too cold.” He took a step back and studied Shawn. “The color is off too. Do you have a t-shirt you could put on?”
Shawn grinned. He hadn’t expected Carlton to play along. “Sure.” He went to their bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt off the floor. Slipping it on, he returned to the living room. “Well?” he said, holding out his arms.
“Better. Also, very weird.” He walked forward and gently cupped one of Shawn's fake breasts. “Maybe a good weird.”
Shawn grinned slyly. “Did I just discover a new kink for us?”
Carlton pulled Shawn closer until they were pressed together. “Maybe,” he said, kissing him.
The pressure against his chest was a little weird but in a really hot way. Judging by the hard press of Carlton's groin against him, his boyfriend thought so too. He nipped Carlton's bottom lip and whispered in his ear. “How about I show you how to stuff these and we do a little fashion show in the bedroom?”
Carlton held up the teal bra that until this point had lain forgotten in his hand. “You want to see me wearing this?”
Shawn nodded eagerly. “Yes please.” As uncomfortable as he had been in the store earlier, now he really, really wanted to see what Carlton looked like in the bra.
Carlton grinned. “Lead the way.”
Sticky and sated, the bras tossed aside long ago, Shawn relaxed against Carlton. “Guess something good came out of me spying on you,” he said sleepily.
Carlton lifted his head so he could look at Shawn. “And why exactly were you doing that?”
Shawn circled on of Carlton's nipples with his finger. “Gus was at work and I was bored.”
Carlton shook his head. “I know you were snooping through my desk too. Try again.”
Shawn leaned forward and gave the nipple a lick. Carlton groaned, then suddenly pulled away. “Stop trying to distract me and just tell me,” he said, sitting up.
Shawn sighed, flopping on his back on the bed. “I was trying to find out what you're getting me for Christmas.”
“You still don't know?” Carlton asked with a smirk.
Shawn glared at him. “Hey, I still have two days. I'll figure it out.”
Carlton frowned. “It's okay if you don't. I haven't figured out what you're getting me.”
“That's because I'm the master,” Shawn stated proudly.
“Did you figure out what your dad is getting you?” Carlton asked.
“Yup. Joint gift, just like I predicted.” He poked Carlton's side. “It’s a good thing you listened to me about going in on his gift together.”
“You couldn’t afford it otherwise,” Carlton reminded him.
“That too.”
Carlton eased back down on the bed and pulled Shawn towards him. “Lauren always said not knowing what you are getting was part of the magic of the holidays.” He made a face. “I never agreed with that but I never looked often when I was a kid. I didn't see a point in getting disappointed in advance.”
He wanted to hug little Carlton and tell him everything would work out. His mom had done her best to raise him but she had never really understood her oldest son. “My dad always turned it into a challenge. He used to leave little hints when I was a kid until he felt I reached a point I should be able to figure it out on my own.” He sighed. “Even if I got exactly what I wanted, I'd still feel disappointed if I didn't know in advance.”
“Sounds like both our parents screwed us up,” Carlton commented. He laced Shawn’s fingers with his. “I won't be disappointed if you can't figure it out. I'd love the chance to surprise you for once. Just be patient for two more days and you'll know.”
“I'll try,” Shawn said.
Carlton kissed his cheek. “Good. Now get up. I'm hungry and we need to get cleaned up.”
Shawn groaned as he let Carlton pull him out of bed. “How about I just stay here and you feed me? You can be my slave boy and feed me peeled grapes and cater to my every whim.”
Carlton snorted. “Never gonna happen.” He gave Shawn a push towards the bathroom. “Now go get in the shower.”
“Bossy,” Shawn said fondly. “Are you planning on joining me?”
Carlton grinned. “Of course.” He followed Shawn into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.