Partners (3/3): A Claude&Bennet fic
“Claude?”
It was Bennet, glancing furtively around the roof in the darkness. Just another shade of black among many.
“I know you’re here. You always head for an unimpeded view of the horizon and this is the closest building with a fire escape.”
However true that may be, you’re still only bluffing. If you really knew you wouldn’t be talking so much.
“You may as well show yourself. You’ll have to eventually, we’ve only got the one car.”
Claude sighed softly and let himself become visible once more with a ripple of shadow.
“What do you want Bennet?”
The answering grin was barely discernible as a flash of white teeth in the darkness.
“There you are. I was thinking it’s about time to head back. We’ve got a long drive in the morning.”
I’ll bet that’s what you were thinking. You’re too genuine to be telling the truth Bennet, what’s your game now?
He straightened listlessly and tossed over his keyring. It jangled tunelessly when the other man caught it.
“You c’n drive. I’m not in the mood.”
“Wha-”
“And don’t give me that look, ’s gettin’ bloody annoyin’.”
Bennet pursed his lips and shrugged unconcernedly.
“Whatever you say.”
Do you live your whole life that way mate? One instruction at a time?
The walk to the car was spent in restless silence, and the drive back to their hotel was no better. Claude fiddled with the radio for ten minutes before shutting it off impatiently and settling for staring out the window absently. Bennet didn’t say a word.
Shower, get this paint out of my hair, and bed. And tomorrow I can tell Thompson to get someone else for this partnership.
Almost as soon as they entered their shared room he started unbuttoning the dressy over-shirt they’d bought to cover his paint-splattered T-shirt, stopping only to drop his watch on his side of the nightstand.
“Claude.”
He restrained himself from rolling his eyes as he turned.
“What now Ja-”
Bennet was close. Too close. Claude felt his eyes widen of their own accord as he took an involuntary step back, noticing too late that he had nowhere to go.
“Wha-”
The words died in his throat as the other man leaned closer, one hand reaching up to grasp Claude’s stiff white collar as the other steadied itself near his hip.
The first brush of chapped lips against his own set off warning bells in his mind but he’d wanted this for weeks now, he’d tried so hard to stay away and… He closed the distance cautiously, leaning into Bennet’s warmth and tilting his head just enough to let their lips meet directly, too-dry exteriors mixing slowly with moist insides as heat spread through his limbs and the need to be closer became overwhelming.
He didn’t realize they were moving until his calves hit the mattress board and they crashed onto the bed, teeth clacking together painfully. Claude jerked away reflexively.
“Sorry-” Bennet’s voice was hoarse and Claude just shook his head, shifting back and dragging his partner more fully onto the mattress, hands moving under the man’s navy suit coat in an effort to bring their bodies together.
“I thought I told you to stop apologizing.”
He got a low chuckle in response and then all he could do was feel the heat of Bennet’s hands on his hips like spots of hot wax and Bennet’s lips moving against his lips, his neck, his collar, spreading wet coolness and nerve-tingling pleasure though his body as he gasped and tried to keep up, his hands stroking broad shoulders and his lips worrying what bare skin he could reach and Oh, gods.
He curled his hands around the back of Bennet’s neck and pulled him down until the man was straddling him, their chests pressed together almost painfully and he thought he might have sunburn from the heat between them as his partner’s tongue trailed tauntingly over an earlobe before pulling it fully into a warm mouth and tugging.
Quick fingers at his belt jolted his mind back into gear and he grabbed the hand firmly, recapturing the man’s attention by pulling their mouths back together and running his tongue over the other’s teeth.
When the fingers returned, sneaking under the waist of his jeans to brush at the skin beneath, he jerked away, pushing Bennet onto the other half of the bed and sitting up fully.
Damnit Jack, don’t ruin this now, please.
Warm hands settled heavily on his shoulders and he could feel the burn of his partner’s body against his back as a nose and dry lips nuzzled his neck.
“What is it?” a whisper, but they were close enough that it was a wonder they couldn’t read each other’s thoughts. Stranger things had happened, he was living proof of it.
“Just,” Claude jerked away from the teeth that were suddenly rubbing at his shoulder.
“Jack, stop. I mean it.”
The warmth disappeared, leaving him almost shivering at the cold as Bennet sat back.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just-” Claude stood and ran a hand through his hair irritably. “Nevermind, I’m goin’ to take a shower.”
“Claude-”
He spun back towards the other man, scowling and trying to convey his frustration with helpless hand gestures.
“Have you thought about this at all? Even one tiny little bit?”
Bennet raised an eyebrow.
“There hasn’t exactly been much else to think about you know.”
“No, I mean- bloody hell Jack, just leave it, alrigh’?”
“Claude.” His wrist was caught loosely and Bennet was staring pleadingly at him from the middle of his bed, jacket discarded somewhere along the way and his shirt half unbuttoned, hair tangled as only grasping hands could manage.
Fuck it, that vacation starts tomorrow. This isn’t fair.
He bit the inside of his lip hard and jerked his arm away roughly.
“Sorry, I don’t put out on the first date.”
The other man snorted.
“We’ve been living together for two months Claude, I hardly think that applies.”
Claude fought the urge to let invisibility take over as he moved away.
“Oh it does. It definitely does. And you would also do well to remember that you’re happily married, and only here because of a thrice damned business trip gone wrong.”
Thompson should be happy, the git.
“Claude,”
He shut the bathroom door and shouted through it.
“If you’re really that desperate you can jerk yourself off- It’s going to take a while to get this gunk out of my hair!”
Warm water washed over him, drowning out any response Bennet might have made as Claude leaned his head carefully against cool white tiles and tried to convince himself he’d done the right thing.
And when did I start caring about the ‘right thing’ anyway?
**
They didn’t speak the next morning. Claude shoved clothes haphazardly into his suitcase and gulped a glass of orange juice while Bennet carefully hung his suits and chewed his toast.
Bennet offered the car keys silently and Claude took them brusquely, forcibly stopping himself from saying anything or even really looking at the man.
The four hour drive back to Odessa was one of the worst trips of his life. Like going to a particularly hated relative’s funeral. Even when they finally pulled up on Juniper Lane in front of Bennet’s new house, the one he’d barely seen before being sent on assignment, they just stared out the windows, avoiding each other’s eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
Claude gave a self-deprecating smirk.
“I wasn’t exactly an innocent bystander you know.”
Bennet nodded but made no move to get out of the car.
“Go home Jack.” Their eyes met for the first time all day and Claude let the bitter little smile sneak across his lips again. “Go home and sleep in a real bed and kiss your wife and tell her about how the factory just can’t seem to survive without you and you think its some sort of new-manager hazing they’ve developed.”
The taller man licked his lips and opened his mouth as if to speak before resorting to another nod, this time reaching for the door handle and pulling his travel bags out of the back seat.
Claude waited until he saw a slim blonde woman open the front door to embrace Bennet happily, mentally filing away the joy in his partner’s face and driving away slowly.
Thompson would be wanting a report by five, and the privacy of his own apartment was waiting just beyond the inevitable questions.
*
I don’t know if the lies I’m telling
Are lies in truth or lies in mind,
I only know they’re lies I’m living
’til living leaves the lies behind.
fin
It was Bennet, glancing furtively around the roof in the darkness. Just another shade of black among many.
“I know you’re here. You always head for an unimpeded view of the horizon and this is the closest building with a fire escape.”
However true that may be, you’re still only bluffing. If you really knew you wouldn’t be talking so much.
“You may as well show yourself. You’ll have to eventually, we’ve only got the one car.”
Claude sighed softly and let himself become visible once more with a ripple of shadow.
“What do you want Bennet?”
The answering grin was barely discernible as a flash of white teeth in the darkness.
“There you are. I was thinking it’s about time to head back. We’ve got a long drive in the morning.”
I’ll bet that’s what you were thinking. You’re too genuine to be telling the truth Bennet, what’s your game now?
He straightened listlessly and tossed over his keyring. It jangled tunelessly when the other man caught it.
“You c’n drive. I’m not in the mood.”
“Wha-”
“And don’t give me that look, ’s gettin’ bloody annoyin’.”
Bennet pursed his lips and shrugged unconcernedly.
“Whatever you say.”
Do you live your whole life that way mate? One instruction at a time?
The walk to the car was spent in restless silence, and the drive back to their hotel was no better. Claude fiddled with the radio for ten minutes before shutting it off impatiently and settling for staring out the window absently. Bennet didn’t say a word.
Shower, get this paint out of my hair, and bed. And tomorrow I can tell Thompson to get someone else for this partnership.
Almost as soon as they entered their shared room he started unbuttoning the dressy over-shirt they’d bought to cover his paint-splattered T-shirt, stopping only to drop his watch on his side of the nightstand.
“Claude.”
He restrained himself from rolling his eyes as he turned.
“What now Ja-”
Bennet was close. Too close. Claude felt his eyes widen of their own accord as he took an involuntary step back, noticing too late that he had nowhere to go.
“Wha-”
The words died in his throat as the other man leaned closer, one hand reaching up to grasp Claude’s stiff white collar as the other steadied itself near his hip.
The first brush of chapped lips against his own set off warning bells in his mind but he’d wanted this for weeks now, he’d tried so hard to stay away and… He closed the distance cautiously, leaning into Bennet’s warmth and tilting his head just enough to let their lips meet directly, too-dry exteriors mixing slowly with moist insides as heat spread through his limbs and the need to be closer became overwhelming.
He didn’t realize they were moving until his calves hit the mattress board and they crashed onto the bed, teeth clacking together painfully. Claude jerked away reflexively.
“Sorry-” Bennet’s voice was hoarse and Claude just shook his head, shifting back and dragging his partner more fully onto the mattress, hands moving under the man’s navy suit coat in an effort to bring their bodies together.
“I thought I told you to stop apologizing.”
He got a low chuckle in response and then all he could do was feel the heat of Bennet’s hands on his hips like spots of hot wax and Bennet’s lips moving against his lips, his neck, his collar, spreading wet coolness and nerve-tingling pleasure though his body as he gasped and tried to keep up, his hands stroking broad shoulders and his lips worrying what bare skin he could reach and Oh, gods.
He curled his hands around the back of Bennet’s neck and pulled him down until the man was straddling him, their chests pressed together almost painfully and he thought he might have sunburn from the heat between them as his partner’s tongue trailed tauntingly over an earlobe before pulling it fully into a warm mouth and tugging.
Quick fingers at his belt jolted his mind back into gear and he grabbed the hand firmly, recapturing the man’s attention by pulling their mouths back together and running his tongue over the other’s teeth.
When the fingers returned, sneaking under the waist of his jeans to brush at the skin beneath, he jerked away, pushing Bennet onto the other half of the bed and sitting up fully.
Damnit Jack, don’t ruin this now, please.
Warm hands settled heavily on his shoulders and he could feel the burn of his partner’s body against his back as a nose and dry lips nuzzled his neck.
“What is it?” a whisper, but they were close enough that it was a wonder they couldn’t read each other’s thoughts. Stranger things had happened, he was living proof of it.
“Just,” Claude jerked away from the teeth that were suddenly rubbing at his shoulder.
“Jack, stop. I mean it.”
The warmth disappeared, leaving him almost shivering at the cold as Bennet sat back.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just-” Claude stood and ran a hand through his hair irritably. “Nevermind, I’m goin’ to take a shower.”
“Claude-”
He spun back towards the other man, scowling and trying to convey his frustration with helpless hand gestures.
“Have you thought about this at all? Even one tiny little bit?”
Bennet raised an eyebrow.
“There hasn’t exactly been much else to think about you know.”
“No, I mean- bloody hell Jack, just leave it, alrigh’?”
“Claude.” His wrist was caught loosely and Bennet was staring pleadingly at him from the middle of his bed, jacket discarded somewhere along the way and his shirt half unbuttoned, hair tangled as only grasping hands could manage.
Fuck it, that vacation starts tomorrow. This isn’t fair.
He bit the inside of his lip hard and jerked his arm away roughly.
“Sorry, I don’t put out on the first date.”
The other man snorted.
“We’ve been living together for two months Claude, I hardly think that applies.”
Claude fought the urge to let invisibility take over as he moved away.
“Oh it does. It definitely does. And you would also do well to remember that you’re happily married, and only here because of a thrice damned business trip gone wrong.”
Thompson should be happy, the git.
“Claude,”
He shut the bathroom door and shouted through it.
“If you’re really that desperate you can jerk yourself off- It’s going to take a while to get this gunk out of my hair!”
Warm water washed over him, drowning out any response Bennet might have made as Claude leaned his head carefully against cool white tiles and tried to convince himself he’d done the right thing.
And when did I start caring about the ‘right thing’ anyway?
**
They didn’t speak the next morning. Claude shoved clothes haphazardly into his suitcase and gulped a glass of orange juice while Bennet carefully hung his suits and chewed his toast.
Bennet offered the car keys silently and Claude took them brusquely, forcibly stopping himself from saying anything or even really looking at the man.
The four hour drive back to Odessa was one of the worst trips of his life. Like going to a particularly hated relative’s funeral. Even when they finally pulled up on Juniper Lane in front of Bennet’s new house, the one he’d barely seen before being sent on assignment, they just stared out the windows, avoiding each other’s eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
Claude gave a self-deprecating smirk.
“I wasn’t exactly an innocent bystander you know.”
Bennet nodded but made no move to get out of the car.
“Go home Jack.” Their eyes met for the first time all day and Claude let the bitter little smile sneak across his lips again. “Go home and sleep in a real bed and kiss your wife and tell her about how the factory just can’t seem to survive without you and you think its some sort of new-manager hazing they’ve developed.”
The taller man licked his lips and opened his mouth as if to speak before resorting to another nod, this time reaching for the door handle and pulling his travel bags out of the back seat.
Claude waited until he saw a slim blonde woman open the front door to embrace Bennet happily, mentally filing away the joy in his partner’s face and driving away slowly.
Thompson would be wanting a report by five, and the privacy of his own apartment was waiting just beyond the inevitable questions.
*
I don’t know if the lies I’m telling
Are lies in truth or lies in mind,
I only know they’re lies I’m living
’til living leaves the lies behind.
fin