Curiosity Killed the Psychic Part 1
Title: Curiosity Killed the Psychic
Author: kinkylittlered
Rating: M
Warnings: Slash
Summary: Shawn has taken a liking to the head detective Carlton Lassiter, who claims to be perfectly straight. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, and Shawn is willing to go to any extreme to get his man. Along the way butterflies hint at buried feelings between Shawn and Gus...add in two cases, cross dressing, spin the bottle and it all equals insanity.
Authors Notes: I barely got this done on time and I didn't have a beta, so all mistakes are my own. Comments are love. P.S beatlemaniac9 came up with the title for this <3 Art was made by reapertownusa, so a big thanks to her! This story was for psychbigbang
1995
Shawn stared at his best friend in the entire world, bags in hand and terrified to move. This moment had been coming for the last few months, yet it still stung. Somehow, knowing that he was going to have to leave didn’t make it easier. Shawn wanted to stay by his best friend’s side, to watch him become a successful whatever. But, the last few years had proved that the feelings were never going to go away, no matter how much he tried to smother them. Shawn had slowly come to the conclusion that he would never stop loving Gus, and the only way to stop the breath crushing pain was to leave. Hopefully with a few hundred miles between them Shawn could move on, and find someone actually interested. The sparks had been unleashed with the kiss four years ago and slowly the flames had engulfed Shawn. It was unbearable, and so he would leave all he had ever known in exchange for compete freedom from the one person he had ever wanted.
“So, I guess this is it.” Gus kicked an imaginary pebble to avoid looking at Shawn and to hide the tears welling up.
“I got you some caramel, in case you get…sad, or something.” Shawn handed Gus the comfort he could never offer the man, his hand trembling slightly.
“Shawn, are you ever going to come back.” The butterflies were pulling Gus apart; his stomach felt like it had been kicked.
“Yeah, I just have to work out some problems first.” Shawn had never wanted to cry so much in his entire life, but then he had only ever loved one person. He was certain that this was what having your heart broken felt like, and he was equally as certain that it would never really go away. There would always be a dull ache in his chest. His chin trembled slightly as he stared at Gus, relieved that the man didn’t want to make eye contact. A thousand details were scorched into his memory, and suddenly his “curse” felt like a gift, because if he couldn’t have Gus he could at least dream about him in perfect detail.
“I know you have problems with your dad, but I don’t want you to go. I…lo…I’ll miss you.” Gus wanted to beg Shawn to stay, to tell him that he could fill the void that was making him run, but the fear of being rejected again was all too fresh and he cowered down, his eyes focused on Shawn’s kicks.
“I just…need to sort this stuff out before I come back. I’ll miss you too, but I am sure you’ll meet tons of people in college.” Shawn could already see Gus finding his bride in college; he could see a white picket fence and children running around. The things that Gus wanted Shawn could never give him, he could only hope that someday his feelings would be locked away so tight that they didn’t get in the way.
“None like you, though. I’ll be here waiting.” Gus forced himself to smile, a single tear escaping from his eye and trailing down his cheek. He knew that it was only the first of many he would cry in the next few weeks.
“Come here.” Shawn pulled Gus in for a hug, his own tears streaming freely down his face.
“You could stay.” Gus knew it was hopeless, once Shawn made up his mind there was no stopping him. If he were a bigger man he would have spilled his guts and then kissed Shawn, but the constant fear held him back. The hug lasted a second too long and Shawn pulled away as though he had been burned.
“I can’t..I…I’ll call you later.” With that Shawn got onto his motorcycle and drove off into the sunset. Gus couldn’t help but think that a part of his soul had gone with Shawn, creating a hollowness that was impossible to fill. Shawn made a conscious decision that day to force his feelings away and to forget about the way Gus made butterflies attack his stomach.
XOXO
Shawn Spencer was not known for his ability to handle delicate situations with care. In fact, he was known for blatantly ignoring rules and regulations, he was known for solving cases miraculously after having a smug, 80’s reference filled vision. Naturally, when Shawn Spencer began to crush on the head detective of the Santa Barbra police department it became his newest game of catch.
The case was simple enough, but the lack of evidence led to Shawn and his partner Gus being invited to help with the case. A girl had been given roofies, and was left to die on the bathroom floor of a popular club. The police wanted to charge the person responsible with attempted rape and murder, but the lack of anything remotely incriminating was making it difficult. Sandy Jones was a twenty-two year old college student and resembled a Barbie. If she had been alive Shawn would have asked her out for drinks, and probably taken her home. Now, she was laid out on the cold tile floor, golden hair fanned out and dead eyes staring permanently at the spot her attacker had stood. Shawn and Gus entered the crime scene in their usual graceful manner.
“Gus, I am telling you The Breakfast Club is not John Hughes best film.” Shawn rolled his hazel eyes dramatically.
“Then what movie is, and don’t you dare say Some Kind of Wonderful because we both know that was just another cliché teenage romance movie. The Breakfast Club was deep and -“ Gus was cut off by the site of the dead girl, specifically her eyes that seemed to be staring right at him.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Dude, is the dead girl looking at you, her eyes are like locked onto you.” Shawn’s nose twitched and he stepped away from his friend.
“Shawn, dead bodies do not look at people.” Gus rolled his eyes but looked down at the body. “Except for this one.” Gus made a very manly squeak and moved away from the body.
“I didn’t think that date rape was really all that common.” Shawn said with a small shrug.
“There has been a recent string of incidents, this is the only one that resulted in death though.” Gus was always a handy person to have around when it came to random facts.
“Were they all white females?” Shawn’s eyes passed over the room, memorizing the small details, the chip missing from the girls pink nail polish, the small smear of blood on her lip, the way her hand was out stretched towards the door.
“No, there was a colored woman.” Gus awkwardly squirmed around. “Shawn can we go now?”
“Gus, stop being a cast member from Scream. I think she was looking at her attacker as he walked away; she even reached out for him. Which means that he knew she wasn’t okay when he left and that he left before she died. So, why do you give someone date rape and then leave before you rape them.” Shawn ran his pointer fingers along his temples, a habit that he had developed over the last few years. Pretending to be a psychic had taken its toll on his mannerisms.
“Weird.” Gus shifted awkwardly before following Shawn out of the bathroom.
“It makes no sense.” Shawn sat down on one of the fancy bar stools and began to replay the crime scene in his mind.
“Spencer what are you doing here?” Carlton Lassiter stared at the young psychic in disgust, his eyes rolling at the thought of having to deal with the man-child on yet another case.
“The chief brought me in, aren’t you a bit late? How did I get to the crime scene before you?” Shawn smirked at Lassie’s annoyance.
“I have been here for an hour, I was outside questioning witnesses while you were in here pretending to be a psychic.” Lassiter huffed and waited for his partner to join him.
“Where is Juliet?” Shawn looked around for the stunning blond; looking forward to the smile he knew would greet him.
“She is interviewing another witness, she is going to meet me here when she is done so that I can give her a ride to the station before I go to the victims house.” Lassiter looked around impatiently, his blue eyes darting around the cop-infested room.
“Why isn’t she going with you?” Shawn raised his eyebrows in surprise, partners normally stayed together.
“The chief wants her to interview a drug specialist, he may be able to tell us more about who our victim met before dying. We are trying to work this fast, before another one gets hurt.” Lassiter was still distracted by his search for Juliet, the words coming out in clipped sentences.
“Well, Gus can take Jules back and I can go with you to the victim’s house. Sometimes being close to the victim’s belongings helps me contact them in the spirit world.” Shawn smiled to himself, car rides alone with Lassiter were rare and provided him the perfect opportunity to test out the older man’s sexuality.
“I don’t think so Spencer.” Lassiter shook his head vehemently.
“The chief invited me onto this case and I think we both know that the best way to solve it is for Gus to work with Juliet and the drug dealer while you and I contact the victims spirit. Well, I’ll mostly be doing the contacting but you make a nice wall ornament.” Shawn flashed the detective his brightest smile, before calmly threatening him. “If you say no I’ll go tell Vic.”
“Spencer you are such a child.” Shawn laughed and ran off towards Lassiter’s car, knowing that his threat was effective. Lassiter huffed and quickly followed suit.
“Spencer don’t you dare touch my new car. You are going to calmly sit in the car, you are not going to touch anything or play with anything. I have seen the hell that Guster’s car has gone through and mine isn’t suffering too.” Lassiter huffed and unlocked the car doors, letting out an unhappy sigh when Shawn practically jumped into the car. “It is like you are incapable of following directions, I don’t know what to do with you.”
“I can follow directions.” Shawn slid his hand up the older man’s leg the moment both car doors were shut. “And there are a lot of things you could do with me.”
“Get your hand off of me. Now.” Lassiter growled the words but Shawn wasn’t fooled and let his hand slide up another inch, pressing down ever so slightly to feel the firm muscle.
“Lassie, aren’t you just a little bit curious?” Shawn’s smooth voice calmed the detective while his eyes searched for any reaction.
“Curious about what? How long it will take to arrest you for assaulting an officer?” Lassiter let out a forced chuckle and shifted uncomfortably, his pants becoming a bit tighter as Shawn’s hand moved higher.
“Lassie, words can lie but your body can’t. Just let me help you, and then I’ll let you help me. After that we can solve the case and maybe grab a six pack, watch a few ‘80’s movies.” Shawn leaned in closer to Lassiter, his breath dancing across the older man’s cheek playfully. He was so close, his lips just barely grazing the stubble and then he was kissing air.
“Shawn, I am not your boyfriend. We aren’t going to…do anything in my car and we certainly aren’t going to have date nights.” Lassiter was pressed up against the door, as far away from Shawn as possible in the confined space.
“Fine, no ‘80’s movies. But, I’m getting off and I’m getting off in your car whether you decide to participate or not.” Shawn’s right hand proved his point by rubbing at the pressure pulsing against his zipper, a small moan escaping his lips.
“I am going to arrest you for indecent exposure.” Lassiter hissed when his words only encouraged the younger man, Shawn popped the button to his jeans before carefully pulling his zipper down, his hard cock tenting his boxers.
“Tell me you don’t want to watch.” It wasn’t a question and Shawn didn’t wait for a response as he freed his dripping cock, his fingers smearing precome down the shaft before giving it a few tentative pulls. “Lassie, touch me.”
Lassiter remained silent as he watched Shawn stroke his own cock, letting out an accidental whimper when Shawn let his head fall back against the seat. Having found all of the encouragement he needed, Shawn stroked faster, his hips cantering up as he whispered Lassie a thousand times. Shawn opened his eyes for just a moment and stared at the detective, coming almost instantly. White, hot liquid covered Shawn’s hand and the seat, his breath coming out in short pants, his eyes opening once more to stare at Lassiter.
“Carlton.” Shawn’s voice was barely over a whisper.
“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.”
XOXO
1991
The bottle had been spinning for what felt like forever, and as if turned by fate’s hand it slowly came to a stop on an unsuspecting Gus, who blushed and looked up in weary shock. It was their first high school party and to celebrate both boys had drank their first beers, then their second beers and third beers. The room was already spinning; Gus had to hold onto his shoes to keep from flying away. The bottle had pointed out the very thing that had haunted both boys since puberty, but the chanting coming from the group around them demanded that they go in the closet for seven minutes of heaven. Shawn got up without a word and marched to the closet, making sure that he didn’t look like a wimp. Gus followed helplessly, his eyes wide as Shawn shut the door behind him.
“We don’t have to do anything, Gus.” Shawn reassured his friend, groping around in the darkness until he found his friend’s hand.
“They expect us too.”
“We could.” Shawn moved closer, his hand wondering up to find Gus’ face, his lips mere inches away from the mouth that seemed to haunt his adolescent fantasies.
“I…if you want, I guess.” Gus could practically taste his best friend and it was sending chills to places he hadn’t even known he wanted touched before. It was too cramped and dark in the closet, so isolated that Gus could almost pretend that they were the only two people in the world. Sometimes he liked to imagine that he had his best friend to himself, to picture them taking on the world together, but lately Shawn had been mentioning girls. It was heartbreaking, and Gus was almost afraid to hope.
Shawn closed the small distance between their lips, sucking Gus’ bottom lip into his mouth like he had seen in Risky Business. Gus’ hand wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer still, the world was completely still for a moment as Shawn slipped his tongue into his best friend’s mouth, wanting to taste the heat he had dreamed about. Their tongues danced together while shaking hands hesitantly wrapped around each other. Gus was terrified that the moment would end, and when it did he could feel Shawn slipping away, back to some safe place he had managed to find inside. Later they would both blame the boose and peer pressure, but neither would forget the kiss.
XOXO
“What do you mean you arrested Shawn?” Juliet stared at her partner in disbelief, her eyes traveling back and forth between the jail cell containing Shawn and the detective before her.
“He exposed himself in public, what would you have me do? The law is the law.” Lassiter’s eyes were everywhere except for Shawn.
“He is our friend! Besides, he was probably kidding around. Shawn is like a child, you can’t take anything he does seriously.” Juliet shook her head, “Come on Shawn, I am getting you out of there.” Juliet unlocked the cell door, freeing Shawn before turning to glare at her partner. “Really?”
“Geez, I was just playing around and he had to go and make it all serious. I’ll be at your place at nine with the ‘80’s movies, Lassie.” Shawn stepped out of the cell, patting Lassiter on the shoulder and winking for effect.
“Stay away from my house, Spencer.” Lassiter’s voice was low and dangerous, the unsaid threat hanging in the air.
“Carlton, Shawn is an important consultant and you should treat him as such.” Chief Vick gave Lassiter a stern look, but there was a twinkle in her eyes that made the threat less convincing. With a huff Lassiter breezed out of the room, is shoulder slamming into Shawn’s on the way out.
“Anyone seen Gus?” Shawn furrowed his eyebrows in confusion; his best friend was usually the one to bail him out.
“He said something about wanting some ice cream.” O’Hara shrugged and followed Lassiter out of the holding cells.
Shawn grinned, leaving the station with a skip in his step. He found his best friend leaning against his blueberry of a car, slowly licking a caramel ice cream cone covered in sparkles. Shawn’s grin widened when he saw a perfect pineapple ice cream cone melting in his best friend’s other hand.
“Caramel and sprinkles?” Shawn laughed as he claimed his own cone, quickly licking away the thick drips of delicious cream as they melted down the cone.
“You know that’s right.” Gus underlined his point by licking his cone adamantly.
“Lassiter arrested me, I didn’t get a chance to check out the victims house. We have to make a pit stop before heading back to watch Top Gun.”
“I am not surprised, what did you do this time? Did you argue with him about gun laws again?” Gus shook his head and took bite out of his cone.
“Nah, I played with myself in his car.” Shawn shrugged and continued to lick his cone nonchalantly.
“When you asked me, “what would Lassiepants do if I flashed him?” I told you he would arrest you. This crush makes me want to hurl. You aren’t even bisexual!” Gus glared at his best friend, as he took a final bite out of the cone. “You need serious help.”
“I am just generally sexual, it doesn’t really matter what sex they are. I’m…omnisexual.” Shawn shrugged and took a massive bite out of his cone, cringing when it burned sharply against his teeth. “Ah! Brain freeze!”
“Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth!” A brain freeze was serious business for the dynamic duo.
“I hate those. Do you think he will let me in if I show up with Say Anything? He can be Diane Court, all fancy and proper and I’ll be a sexy Lloyd Dobler.” Shawn smiled fondly as he imagined himself wearing a trench coat while holding a boombox up outside of the head detective’s house.
“Somehow, I really don’t think Lassiter is afraid of flying. He is more like Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and you are the prostitute corrupting him.” Gus slipped into the car, patiently waiting for Shawn to finish his cone. After the famed ice cream debacle that occurred less than a week before Shawn had been forbidden to eat in the blueberry.
“No way! I don't even know where you came up with that! Even Valley Girl is a better fit than that. You are losing your touch.” Shawn laughed as he shoved the rest of the cone into his mouth, throwing himself into the car with a proud ice cream filled smirk.
“I am not losing my touch, Shawn. Now swallow that bite so we can get moving. I need to do my route this afternoon.” Gus glared at Shawn until all of the ice cream disappeared before finally starting the car. “Shawn you need to leave Lassiter alone, he isn’t going to find any of this funny.”
“It isn’t a laughing matter, Gus. I am going to show up at his house tonight, ‘80’s movies in hand, and force him to see me as what I am.”
“A fake psychic that can’t seem to grow up?” Gus smiled slightly at his own joke, covering it oh so gracefully by watching the road.
“No, I am a potential sex partner. I need to get him to see past the fact that I am a guy.” Shawn rubbed his hands against his pants nervously, knowing that he would likely be arrested again.
“I think the problem is he sees you as Shawn, and he is going to have to get over that before he gets over you being a man. He hates you.” Gus turned to look at Shawn pointedly before pulling into the driveway of the last victim’s house.
“And that hate means that we will have intense angry sex, which will eventually grow into something more.” Shawn pulled himself from the car, waving enthusiastically at McNab.
“As if you will be around long enough for that!” Gus took his natural place at Shawn’s side, relieved that there was no chance of blood and gore at this particular house.
“What is that supposed to mean?!” Shawn turned to stare at Gus, who stopped to stare in return.
“You aren’t capable of having a lasting relationship with anyone. Boy or girl.” Gus pursed his lips, a whole list of names at the tip of his tongue.
“Not true, we have been friends for years! That is a lasting relationship!” Shawn was defensive, backing up half of a step.
“Shawn, I meant in a sexual relationship. Although, I am the only friend you have managed to keep.”
“Susie’s party in ninth grade.” Shawn smirked, finally gaining an edge in the argument.
“We agreed never to talk about that.” Gus’ eyes widened and the color seemed to drain from his face.
“Yes, we did. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I seem to recall your tongue in my mouth and your hand-“
“Shawn if you don’t shut up I am leaving. I was drunk, I didn’t know who I was kissing!” Gus huffed before briskly walking into the house.
“Gus! You know you liked it!” Shawn fallowed Gus’ lead, paying close attention to the skid marks on the otherwise perfect cement. “Gus!”
“No. We said we would never talk about it, this is me never talking about it.” Gus glared at Shawn and puffed out his bottom lip.
“Was I that bad of a kisser?”
“I didn’t even know what was going on, it isn’t like I had much-“ Gus fell silent and turned away, pretending to be fascinated by the pictures on the deceased’s wall.
“Gus?” Shawn stared at his best friend intensely, analyzing the uncomfortable hunch of his shoulders and the frown pulling on his plump lips. “Was I your first kiss?”
“No! Of course not.” Gus glared at Shawn before turning back to the photos.
“Gus don’t be Bill Clinton. Was I or was I not your first kiss?” Shawn pulled on Gus’ shirt for affect, trying to get his attention.
“It wouldn’t matter if you were, you certainly weren’t my last kiss.” Gus rolled his eyes and stormed away, leaving Shawn to explore the house alone.
The victim’s house was of little, or no interest. The place was so clean that at first Shawn was convinced his father had been by. In fact, the only thing that really stood out was the lack of evidence. Almost as though the house had been cleaned for company. Shawn flipped through the mail on the counter and clicked through Sandy’s email but there was no evidence of any guests coming to stay soon. Everything in the house seemed to be in perfect order. Finally, with a frustrated grunt Shawn returned to the blueberry.
“How common is ODC?” Shawn threw himself into the car in his usual fashion, and Gus glared in response.
“What?” Gus raised a questioning eyebrow at Shawn before starting the car.
“The one where you get all weird and clean everything.”
“That’s OCD Shawn, and it is a lot more than just a cleaning thing.” Gus rolled his eyes and put the car into drive.
“I’ve heard it both ways.” Shawn shrugged and shot a bright grin at Gus. “That house was scary clean. Everything in it was perfect.” Shawn rubbed him temples and relaxed into the car seat.
“Not everyone likes to live in their own filth like you, Shawn.” Gus eased the car onto the freeway, carefully watching his surroundings.
“No, like it was too clean. No one keeps her house that clean unless someone is coming over. Maybe the killer cleaned her house to get rid of any evidence.” Gus eased his way back off the freeway and onto a smaller road.
“Why would he do that? The girl was a stranger in a bathroom. Shawn I saw the other crime scene photos and none of the houses had been cleaned. Why would he only clean hers?” Gus slowed to a stop, relieved that the victim lived to close to the Psych office.
“Maybe she was special, maybe he knew her?” Shawn pulled his door open and launched himself into a brisk walk towards the door.
“Or maybe she had problems before he killed her?” Gus opened the door, rolling his eyes at Shawn’s lack of keys. “What are you going to do when I am not with you? You never have keys.”
“I have one of those little rocks hidden around here somewhere.” Shawn looked around, peeking over the bushes.
“Shawn I took that away months ago. You are going to get us killed! Everyone knows to look for one of those stupid rocks. You need to carry keys with you.” Gus stepped inside the office, grimacing at the mess on Shawn’s desk.
“Nah, I’ll just make sure I am always with you.”
“Someday I am going to get married and have kids. You can’t always be around then.” Gus opened the closet, pulling out his suitcase filled with drug samples.
“Sure, and I am going to walk on the moon.” Shawn opened his desk drawer, looking through all of the movies, trying to find the perfect mix between action and hot romance.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Shawn, unlike you I am capable of being in a relationship.” Gus paused to throw Indian Jones at Shawn, before fixing his tie.
“Yeah, with crazy people. You attract the weirdos. Remember the girl who was obsessed with adrenaline rushes? What about the crazy one you married without telling me?” Shawn smirked, exchanging Indian Jones for Gregory’s Girl.
“Shawn, just no. Go with Top Gun, at least that has some action…that isn’t sexual.”
“And it is kinda gay.” Shawn flashed a bright grin, knowing that Gus would picture the volleyball scene.
“You know that’s right.” To hide his smile Gus made his way to the door, tugging along his silver case. Gus stared expectantly at Shawn for a moment before exiting the office, a disappointed hunch hanging on his shoulders.
XOXO
“Spencer I have an armed weapon and I am not afraid to use it.” Lassiter stared in horror at the man seated on his couch. “How did you even get in here? That is breaking and entering.”
“I used my spare key, so actually it is just entering.” Shawn stretched on the couch, nodding his head towards the limited space next to him.
“I am going to shoot you and then arrest you.” Lassiter huffed, staring at Shawn with wide, incredulous eyes.
“They’ll just let me out again. Come on, one movie isn’t going to kill you.” Shawn ended his statement by hitting play on the remote, the tv lighting up with the credits to Top Gun.
“Just get out of my house, Spencer.” Lassiter snatched the remote from Shawn, clicking the tv and dvd player off in an attempt to remove the younger man.
“Lassiepants don’t be like that. Here, you sit down and massage my feet, I am sure you’ve had a tough day behind the desk.” Shawn wiggled his feet, both in different colored socks, at Lassiter.
“Does that ever work for you? Seriously, it is amazing that you ever get laid. Get out of my house.” Lassiter’s fingers jerked towards his holster, his eye twitching ever so slightly.
“I get plenty, that isn’t really what this is about.”
“No, it is about you being a child and thinking you can get whatever you want because you are attractive.” Lassiter rolled his eyes, stepping into the kitchen to pour a scotch.
“So you admit you find me attractive. That’s a start.” Shawn grinned, winking at the older man.
“Spencer you may have everyone else fooled, but not me. I know you aren’t a psychic, I know that you think everything is a game. I’m not playing.”
“Can’t you just let work go? Although, I guess the wall of solved cases is probably a good sign that you can’t.” Shawn nodded towards a bulletin board with pictures from recent cases, as well as older ones.
“Those are unsolved cases.”
“Maybe you haven’t solved them yet.”
“There is no way you could walk in here and just solve every case I am working on. Even if I did believe you were psychic, it still wouldn't be possible.” Lassiter took a swig of his drink, knowing that Shawn Spencer was going to once again stab his self-esteem.
“Well that one was the girl’s father.” Shawn pointed towards a picture of a strangled girl, her file pinned next to it. “The one next to her was the gardener.”
“We checked him out, he had a sound alibi.” Lassiter recoiled, his gut had told him that the gardener was guilty, but the logical portion of his brain had taken over.
“Right, and that was a total lie. I mean, who really goes to see the opera with their mother on a gardener’s salary. Why would you even buy that load of cow?” Shawn raised an eyebrow in mock surprise, barely hiding his smirk.
“It is load of bull and-“
“I’ve heard it both ways.” Shawn shrugged, his smirk finally breaking free and shining brightly.
“No, you really haven't.” Lassiter rolled his eyes, his hand shaking ever so slightly in anger.
“Isn’t a bull really just a glorified cow?”
“How did you even graduate from high school?”
“Gus mostly.” Shawn smiled to himself, thinking about all of the fond moments he had shared with Gus in high school.
“I’ll look into those cases, but right now I want you out of my house.” Lassiter practically growled the last portion of the sentence, his hand coming to rest on his gun.
“And I want you in my house, if you catch my drift. My god that was terrible, let me try again. And I want-“
“Spencer I have had a hard day at work and I just want to be alone.” Lassiter’s attention was instantly drawn to his radio, where a voice was announcing the killing of another girl in a club.
“Oooh! I am riding with you!” Shawn jumped up from the chair, instantly jogging towards the door. “Wanna stop for tacos?”
“No, I seem to remember arresting you after out last car trip together. You can call Guster to pick you up.” Lassie set down his drink and made his way to the door, grabbing Shawn’s arm and tugging him along.
“Lassiepants it doesn’t make sense for me to wait in the cold for Gus when I could be riding with you.” Shawn pulled his best impression of a puppy dog but still landed on the front porch.
“It is like sixty degrees out, Spencer.” Lassiter pursed his lips and locked the front door, his jaw flexing in annoyance.
“Come on, don’t leave me out here alone.” Shawn puffed out his bottom lip, and blinked his eyes really fast in a failed attempt to look innocent.
“After that stunt you pulled last time you have lost your car privileges. You are wasting my time.” Without another word Lassiter slipped into his car and drove away, leaving a disappointed fake psychic standing at his door, phone in hand.
“Gus? Another girl was killed and Lassiepants just left me standing on a street corner like a common prostitute, come get me before someone else tries to.”
XOXO
“Shawn I can’t believe you pulled me away from my show.” Gus huffed, glaring at Shawn as they entered the second crime scene in as many days.
“Gus, I don’t think American Duos is as important as a dead girl.” Shawn paused at Gus’ sour facial expression, and then continued “Well, you can always just watch it later.”
“It doesn’t have the same impact. Someone always spoils the results and it is usually you.” Gus pursed his lips and stepped into the bathroom, cringing at the body sprawled out on the cold tiles.
“Gus don’t be a backstreet boy.” Shawn leaned over the body, taking in the surprised expression forever etched onto the stunning brunettes face.
The girl sprawled out on the floor was as stunning as all the other girls. Her make up highlighted her perfect features, her hair chopped short into a bob cut. Cynthia Harold, she was the ideal woman, and Shawn couldn’t help but mourn her loss for a moment. Of course, once the moment passed he became distracted by the thousand details in the room, any of which could be the final piece to the puzzle.
“Shawn are you done? This bathroom seriously does not look sanitary.” Gus stared at a suspicious stain on the tile floor, backing away slightly.
“Gus, don’t rush the process.” Shawn paused to look around one last time, his eyes scanning for any missed clues. “Okay, I am done. Let’s go get some tacos.”
“You know that’s right.”
Shawn grinned at Lassiter on his way out, throwing a wink in his direction as he walked out the door. Gus watched with a resentful glare, while the rest of the room shifted uncomfortably.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Lassiepants.” Shawn flashed his brightest grin and dramatically threw himself out the door.
“Shawn, I don’t understand why you insist on torturing him. He doesn’t like you.” Gus drifted towards the car, a nonchalant facial expression gracing his features. “I mean, I don’t care but I think everyone else does.”
“It sure seems like you care, I mean you gave me a Draco Malfoy worthy glare when I said goodbye.”
“Well that is because you are humiliating yourself, and in turn me.” Gus slipped into the blueberry, snapping his seatbelt on.
“I am always humiliating myself, why is this any different.” Shawn practically fell into the passenger seat, instantly fiddling with the radio.
“It just is Shawn.” Gus paused long enough for Shawn to get into the car, and then slowly pulled out. “I am assuming we are going to my place then.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably just crash there.” Shawn smiled as he settled on a Tears for Fears song.
“You’ve been crashing at my place a lot lately. Is something wrong with your place?” Gus frowned ever so slightly, he didn’t mind his friend staying over but he hated the idea of him having to live in any place that was less than par.
“Yeah, my place just has this really bad water leak. I actually moved most of my stuff into a storage shed. I’ve been rotating between your house and my dad’s, but I wouldn’t have to if Lassiter would just admit he wants me.” Shawn was in the habit of making jokes out of serious situations; it was his best defense mechanism. Gus was already quite aware of this habit, and instantly took the situation to be quite serious.
“Shawn, you could have just asked to stay with me.”
“I didn’t want to be a bother, besides I can manage on my own.”
“I have a ripe pineapple.”
“I guess I could stay for a while, just until I find a new place.”
80’s tunes and the sound of Shawn’s incessant chatter pleasantly filled the drive home. Gus would chime in every now and then to correct a reference or Shawn’s inability to think logically. Something was hanging in the air, something that neither was ready to face. For the first time in years Shawn felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach. For the moment he could blame Lassiter, blame the sting of rejection, but in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but wonder if even his observant eyes had missed something obvious.
Part 2
Author: kinkylittlered
Rating: M
Warnings: Slash
Summary: Shawn has taken a liking to the head detective Carlton Lassiter, who claims to be perfectly straight. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, and Shawn is willing to go to any extreme to get his man. Along the way butterflies hint at buried feelings between Shawn and Gus...add in two cases, cross dressing, spin the bottle and it all equals insanity.
Authors Notes: I barely got this done on time and I didn't have a beta, so all mistakes are my own. Comments are love. P.S beatlemaniac9 came up with the title for this <3 Art was made by reapertownusa, so a big thanks to her! This story was for psychbigbang
1995
Shawn stared at his best friend in the entire world, bags in hand and terrified to move. This moment had been coming for the last few months, yet it still stung. Somehow, knowing that he was going to have to leave didn’t make it easier. Shawn wanted to stay by his best friend’s side, to watch him become a successful whatever. But, the last few years had proved that the feelings were never going to go away, no matter how much he tried to smother them. Shawn had slowly come to the conclusion that he would never stop loving Gus, and the only way to stop the breath crushing pain was to leave. Hopefully with a few hundred miles between them Shawn could move on, and find someone actually interested. The sparks had been unleashed with the kiss four years ago and slowly the flames had engulfed Shawn. It was unbearable, and so he would leave all he had ever known in exchange for compete freedom from the one person he had ever wanted.
“So, I guess this is it.” Gus kicked an imaginary pebble to avoid looking at Shawn and to hide the tears welling up.
“I got you some caramel, in case you get…sad, or something.” Shawn handed Gus the comfort he could never offer the man, his hand trembling slightly.
“Shawn, are you ever going to come back.” The butterflies were pulling Gus apart; his stomach felt like it had been kicked.
“Yeah, I just have to work out some problems first.” Shawn had never wanted to cry so much in his entire life, but then he had only ever loved one person. He was certain that this was what having your heart broken felt like, and he was equally as certain that it would never really go away. There would always be a dull ache in his chest. His chin trembled slightly as he stared at Gus, relieved that the man didn’t want to make eye contact. A thousand details were scorched into his memory, and suddenly his “curse” felt like a gift, because if he couldn’t have Gus he could at least dream about him in perfect detail.
“I know you have problems with your dad, but I don’t want you to go. I…lo…I’ll miss you.” Gus wanted to beg Shawn to stay, to tell him that he could fill the void that was making him run, but the fear of being rejected again was all too fresh and he cowered down, his eyes focused on Shawn’s kicks.
“I just…need to sort this stuff out before I come back. I’ll miss you too, but I am sure you’ll meet tons of people in college.” Shawn could already see Gus finding his bride in college; he could see a white picket fence and children running around. The things that Gus wanted Shawn could never give him, he could only hope that someday his feelings would be locked away so tight that they didn’t get in the way.
“None like you, though. I’ll be here waiting.” Gus forced himself to smile, a single tear escaping from his eye and trailing down his cheek. He knew that it was only the first of many he would cry in the next few weeks.
“Come here.” Shawn pulled Gus in for a hug, his own tears streaming freely down his face.
“You could stay.” Gus knew it was hopeless, once Shawn made up his mind there was no stopping him. If he were a bigger man he would have spilled his guts and then kissed Shawn, but the constant fear held him back. The hug lasted a second too long and Shawn pulled away as though he had been burned.
“I can’t..I…I’ll call you later.” With that Shawn got onto his motorcycle and drove off into the sunset. Gus couldn’t help but think that a part of his soul had gone with Shawn, creating a hollowness that was impossible to fill. Shawn made a conscious decision that day to force his feelings away and to forget about the way Gus made butterflies attack his stomach.
XOXO
Shawn Spencer was not known for his ability to handle delicate situations with care. In fact, he was known for blatantly ignoring rules and regulations, he was known for solving cases miraculously after having a smug, 80’s reference filled vision. Naturally, when Shawn Spencer began to crush on the head detective of the Santa Barbra police department it became his newest game of catch.
The case was simple enough, but the lack of evidence led to Shawn and his partner Gus being invited to help with the case. A girl had been given roofies, and was left to die on the bathroom floor of a popular club. The police wanted to charge the person responsible with attempted rape and murder, but the lack of anything remotely incriminating was making it difficult. Sandy Jones was a twenty-two year old college student and resembled a Barbie. If she had been alive Shawn would have asked her out for drinks, and probably taken her home. Now, she was laid out on the cold tile floor, golden hair fanned out and dead eyes staring permanently at the spot her attacker had stood. Shawn and Gus entered the crime scene in their usual graceful manner.
“Gus, I am telling you The Breakfast Club is not John Hughes best film.” Shawn rolled his hazel eyes dramatically.
“Then what movie is, and don’t you dare say Some Kind of Wonderful because we both know that was just another cliché teenage romance movie. The Breakfast Club was deep and -“ Gus was cut off by the site of the dead girl, specifically her eyes that seemed to be staring right at him.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Dude, is the dead girl looking at you, her eyes are like locked onto you.” Shawn’s nose twitched and he stepped away from his friend.
“Shawn, dead bodies do not look at people.” Gus rolled his eyes but looked down at the body. “Except for this one.” Gus made a very manly squeak and moved away from the body.
“I didn’t think that date rape was really all that common.” Shawn said with a small shrug.
“There has been a recent string of incidents, this is the only one that resulted in death though.” Gus was always a handy person to have around when it came to random facts.
“Were they all white females?” Shawn’s eyes passed over the room, memorizing the small details, the chip missing from the girls pink nail polish, the small smear of blood on her lip, the way her hand was out stretched towards the door.
“No, there was a colored woman.” Gus awkwardly squirmed around. “Shawn can we go now?”
“Gus, stop being a cast member from Scream. I think she was looking at her attacker as he walked away; she even reached out for him. Which means that he knew she wasn’t okay when he left and that he left before she died. So, why do you give someone date rape and then leave before you rape them.” Shawn ran his pointer fingers along his temples, a habit that he had developed over the last few years. Pretending to be a psychic had taken its toll on his mannerisms.
“Weird.” Gus shifted awkwardly before following Shawn out of the bathroom.
“It makes no sense.” Shawn sat down on one of the fancy bar stools and began to replay the crime scene in his mind.
“Spencer what are you doing here?” Carlton Lassiter stared at the young psychic in disgust, his eyes rolling at the thought of having to deal with the man-child on yet another case.
“The chief brought me in, aren’t you a bit late? How did I get to the crime scene before you?” Shawn smirked at Lassie’s annoyance.
“I have been here for an hour, I was outside questioning witnesses while you were in here pretending to be a psychic.” Lassiter huffed and waited for his partner to join him.
“Where is Juliet?” Shawn looked around for the stunning blond; looking forward to the smile he knew would greet him.
“She is interviewing another witness, she is going to meet me here when she is done so that I can give her a ride to the station before I go to the victims house.” Lassiter looked around impatiently, his blue eyes darting around the cop-infested room.
“Why isn’t she going with you?” Shawn raised his eyebrows in surprise, partners normally stayed together.
“The chief wants her to interview a drug specialist, he may be able to tell us more about who our victim met before dying. We are trying to work this fast, before another one gets hurt.” Lassiter was still distracted by his search for Juliet, the words coming out in clipped sentences.
“Well, Gus can take Jules back and I can go with you to the victim’s house. Sometimes being close to the victim’s belongings helps me contact them in the spirit world.” Shawn smiled to himself, car rides alone with Lassiter were rare and provided him the perfect opportunity to test out the older man’s sexuality.
“I don’t think so Spencer.” Lassiter shook his head vehemently.
“The chief invited me onto this case and I think we both know that the best way to solve it is for Gus to work with Juliet and the drug dealer while you and I contact the victims spirit. Well, I’ll mostly be doing the contacting but you make a nice wall ornament.” Shawn flashed the detective his brightest smile, before calmly threatening him. “If you say no I’ll go tell Vic.”
“Spencer you are such a child.” Shawn laughed and ran off towards Lassiter’s car, knowing that his threat was effective. Lassiter huffed and quickly followed suit.
“Spencer don’t you dare touch my new car. You are going to calmly sit in the car, you are not going to touch anything or play with anything. I have seen the hell that Guster’s car has gone through and mine isn’t suffering too.” Lassiter huffed and unlocked the car doors, letting out an unhappy sigh when Shawn practically jumped into the car. “It is like you are incapable of following directions, I don’t know what to do with you.”
“I can follow directions.” Shawn slid his hand up the older man’s leg the moment both car doors were shut. “And there are a lot of things you could do with me.”
“Get your hand off of me. Now.” Lassiter growled the words but Shawn wasn’t fooled and let his hand slide up another inch, pressing down ever so slightly to feel the firm muscle.
“Lassie, aren’t you just a little bit curious?” Shawn’s smooth voice calmed the detective while his eyes searched for any reaction.
“Curious about what? How long it will take to arrest you for assaulting an officer?” Lassiter let out a forced chuckle and shifted uncomfortably, his pants becoming a bit tighter as Shawn’s hand moved higher.
“Lassie, words can lie but your body can’t. Just let me help you, and then I’ll let you help me. After that we can solve the case and maybe grab a six pack, watch a few ‘80’s movies.” Shawn leaned in closer to Lassiter, his breath dancing across the older man’s cheek playfully. He was so close, his lips just barely grazing the stubble and then he was kissing air.
“Shawn, I am not your boyfriend. We aren’t going to…do anything in my car and we certainly aren’t going to have date nights.” Lassiter was pressed up against the door, as far away from Shawn as possible in the confined space.
“Fine, no ‘80’s movies. But, I’m getting off and I’m getting off in your car whether you decide to participate or not.” Shawn’s right hand proved his point by rubbing at the pressure pulsing against his zipper, a small moan escaping his lips.
“I am going to arrest you for indecent exposure.” Lassiter hissed when his words only encouraged the younger man, Shawn popped the button to his jeans before carefully pulling his zipper down, his hard cock tenting his boxers.
“Tell me you don’t want to watch.” It wasn’t a question and Shawn didn’t wait for a response as he freed his dripping cock, his fingers smearing precome down the shaft before giving it a few tentative pulls. “Lassie, touch me.”
Lassiter remained silent as he watched Shawn stroke his own cock, letting out an accidental whimper when Shawn let his head fall back against the seat. Having found all of the encouragement he needed, Shawn stroked faster, his hips cantering up as he whispered Lassie a thousand times. Shawn opened his eyes for just a moment and stared at the detective, coming almost instantly. White, hot liquid covered Shawn’s hand and the seat, his breath coming out in short pants, his eyes opening once more to stare at Lassiter.
“Carlton.” Shawn’s voice was barely over a whisper.
“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.”
XOXO
1991
The bottle had been spinning for what felt like forever, and as if turned by fate’s hand it slowly came to a stop on an unsuspecting Gus, who blushed and looked up in weary shock. It was their first high school party and to celebrate both boys had drank their first beers, then their second beers and third beers. The room was already spinning; Gus had to hold onto his shoes to keep from flying away. The bottle had pointed out the very thing that had haunted both boys since puberty, but the chanting coming from the group around them demanded that they go in the closet for seven minutes of heaven. Shawn got up without a word and marched to the closet, making sure that he didn’t look like a wimp. Gus followed helplessly, his eyes wide as Shawn shut the door behind him.
“We don’t have to do anything, Gus.” Shawn reassured his friend, groping around in the darkness until he found his friend’s hand.
“They expect us too.”
“We could.” Shawn moved closer, his hand wondering up to find Gus’ face, his lips mere inches away from the mouth that seemed to haunt his adolescent fantasies.
“I…if you want, I guess.” Gus could practically taste his best friend and it was sending chills to places he hadn’t even known he wanted touched before. It was too cramped and dark in the closet, so isolated that Gus could almost pretend that they were the only two people in the world. Sometimes he liked to imagine that he had his best friend to himself, to picture them taking on the world together, but lately Shawn had been mentioning girls. It was heartbreaking, and Gus was almost afraid to hope.
Shawn closed the small distance between their lips, sucking Gus’ bottom lip into his mouth like he had seen in Risky Business. Gus’ hand wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer still, the world was completely still for a moment as Shawn slipped his tongue into his best friend’s mouth, wanting to taste the heat he had dreamed about. Their tongues danced together while shaking hands hesitantly wrapped around each other. Gus was terrified that the moment would end, and when it did he could feel Shawn slipping away, back to some safe place he had managed to find inside. Later they would both blame the boose and peer pressure, but neither would forget the kiss.
XOXO
“What do you mean you arrested Shawn?” Juliet stared at her partner in disbelief, her eyes traveling back and forth between the jail cell containing Shawn and the detective before her.
“He exposed himself in public, what would you have me do? The law is the law.” Lassiter’s eyes were everywhere except for Shawn.
“He is our friend! Besides, he was probably kidding around. Shawn is like a child, you can’t take anything he does seriously.” Juliet shook her head, “Come on Shawn, I am getting you out of there.” Juliet unlocked the cell door, freeing Shawn before turning to glare at her partner. “Really?”
“Geez, I was just playing around and he had to go and make it all serious. I’ll be at your place at nine with the ‘80’s movies, Lassie.” Shawn stepped out of the cell, patting Lassiter on the shoulder and winking for effect.
“Stay away from my house, Spencer.” Lassiter’s voice was low and dangerous, the unsaid threat hanging in the air.
“Carlton, Shawn is an important consultant and you should treat him as such.” Chief Vick gave Lassiter a stern look, but there was a twinkle in her eyes that made the threat less convincing. With a huff Lassiter breezed out of the room, is shoulder slamming into Shawn’s on the way out.
“Anyone seen Gus?” Shawn furrowed his eyebrows in confusion; his best friend was usually the one to bail him out.
“He said something about wanting some ice cream.” O’Hara shrugged and followed Lassiter out of the holding cells.
Shawn grinned, leaving the station with a skip in his step. He found his best friend leaning against his blueberry of a car, slowly licking a caramel ice cream cone covered in sparkles. Shawn’s grin widened when he saw a perfect pineapple ice cream cone melting in his best friend’s other hand.
“Caramel and sprinkles?” Shawn laughed as he claimed his own cone, quickly licking away the thick drips of delicious cream as they melted down the cone.
“You know that’s right.” Gus underlined his point by licking his cone adamantly.
“Lassiter arrested me, I didn’t get a chance to check out the victims house. We have to make a pit stop before heading back to watch Top Gun.”
“I am not surprised, what did you do this time? Did you argue with him about gun laws again?” Gus shook his head and took bite out of his cone.
“Nah, I played with myself in his car.” Shawn shrugged and continued to lick his cone nonchalantly.
“When you asked me, “what would Lassiepants do if I flashed him?” I told you he would arrest you. This crush makes me want to hurl. You aren’t even bisexual!” Gus glared at his best friend, as he took a final bite out of the cone. “You need serious help.”
“I am just generally sexual, it doesn’t really matter what sex they are. I’m…omnisexual.” Shawn shrugged and took a massive bite out of his cone, cringing when it burned sharply against his teeth. “Ah! Brain freeze!”
“Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth!” A brain freeze was serious business for the dynamic duo.
“I hate those. Do you think he will let me in if I show up with Say Anything? He can be Diane Court, all fancy and proper and I’ll be a sexy Lloyd Dobler.” Shawn smiled fondly as he imagined himself wearing a trench coat while holding a boombox up outside of the head detective’s house.
“Somehow, I really don’t think Lassiter is afraid of flying. He is more like Tom Cruise in Risky Business, and you are the prostitute corrupting him.” Gus slipped into the car, patiently waiting for Shawn to finish his cone. After the famed ice cream debacle that occurred less than a week before Shawn had been forbidden to eat in the blueberry.
“No way! I don't even know where you came up with that! Even Valley Girl is a better fit than that. You are losing your touch.” Shawn laughed as he shoved the rest of the cone into his mouth, throwing himself into the car with a proud ice cream filled smirk.
“I am not losing my touch, Shawn. Now swallow that bite so we can get moving. I need to do my route this afternoon.” Gus glared at Shawn until all of the ice cream disappeared before finally starting the car. “Shawn you need to leave Lassiter alone, he isn’t going to find any of this funny.”
“It isn’t a laughing matter, Gus. I am going to show up at his house tonight, ‘80’s movies in hand, and force him to see me as what I am.”
“A fake psychic that can’t seem to grow up?” Gus smiled slightly at his own joke, covering it oh so gracefully by watching the road.
“No, I am a potential sex partner. I need to get him to see past the fact that I am a guy.” Shawn rubbed his hands against his pants nervously, knowing that he would likely be arrested again.
“I think the problem is he sees you as Shawn, and he is going to have to get over that before he gets over you being a man. He hates you.” Gus turned to look at Shawn pointedly before pulling into the driveway of the last victim’s house.
“And that hate means that we will have intense angry sex, which will eventually grow into something more.” Shawn pulled himself from the car, waving enthusiastically at McNab.
“As if you will be around long enough for that!” Gus took his natural place at Shawn’s side, relieved that there was no chance of blood and gore at this particular house.
“What is that supposed to mean?!” Shawn turned to stare at Gus, who stopped to stare in return.
“You aren’t capable of having a lasting relationship with anyone. Boy or girl.” Gus pursed his lips, a whole list of names at the tip of his tongue.
“Not true, we have been friends for years! That is a lasting relationship!” Shawn was defensive, backing up half of a step.
“Shawn, I meant in a sexual relationship. Although, I am the only friend you have managed to keep.”
“Susie’s party in ninth grade.” Shawn smirked, finally gaining an edge in the argument.
“We agreed never to talk about that.” Gus’ eyes widened and the color seemed to drain from his face.
“Yes, we did. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I seem to recall your tongue in my mouth and your hand-“
“Shawn if you don’t shut up I am leaving. I was drunk, I didn’t know who I was kissing!” Gus huffed before briskly walking into the house.
“Gus! You know you liked it!” Shawn fallowed Gus’ lead, paying close attention to the skid marks on the otherwise perfect cement. “Gus!”
“No. We said we would never talk about it, this is me never talking about it.” Gus glared at Shawn and puffed out his bottom lip.
“Was I that bad of a kisser?”
“I didn’t even know what was going on, it isn’t like I had much-“ Gus fell silent and turned away, pretending to be fascinated by the pictures on the deceased’s wall.
“Gus?” Shawn stared at his best friend intensely, analyzing the uncomfortable hunch of his shoulders and the frown pulling on his plump lips. “Was I your first kiss?”
“No! Of course not.” Gus glared at Shawn before turning back to the photos.
“Gus don’t be Bill Clinton. Was I or was I not your first kiss?” Shawn pulled on Gus’ shirt for affect, trying to get his attention.
“It wouldn’t matter if you were, you certainly weren’t my last kiss.” Gus rolled his eyes and stormed away, leaving Shawn to explore the house alone.
The victim’s house was of little, or no interest. The place was so clean that at first Shawn was convinced his father had been by. In fact, the only thing that really stood out was the lack of evidence. Almost as though the house had been cleaned for company. Shawn flipped through the mail on the counter and clicked through Sandy’s email but there was no evidence of any guests coming to stay soon. Everything in the house seemed to be in perfect order. Finally, with a frustrated grunt Shawn returned to the blueberry.
“How common is ODC?” Shawn threw himself into the car in his usual fashion, and Gus glared in response.
“What?” Gus raised a questioning eyebrow at Shawn before starting the car.
“The one where you get all weird and clean everything.”
“That’s OCD Shawn, and it is a lot more than just a cleaning thing.” Gus rolled his eyes and put the car into drive.
“I’ve heard it both ways.” Shawn shrugged and shot a bright grin at Gus. “That house was scary clean. Everything in it was perfect.” Shawn rubbed him temples and relaxed into the car seat.
“Not everyone likes to live in their own filth like you, Shawn.” Gus eased the car onto the freeway, carefully watching his surroundings.
“No, like it was too clean. No one keeps her house that clean unless someone is coming over. Maybe the killer cleaned her house to get rid of any evidence.” Gus eased his way back off the freeway and onto a smaller road.
“Why would he do that? The girl was a stranger in a bathroom. Shawn I saw the other crime scene photos and none of the houses had been cleaned. Why would he only clean hers?” Gus slowed to a stop, relieved that the victim lived to close to the Psych office.
“Maybe she was special, maybe he knew her?” Shawn pulled his door open and launched himself into a brisk walk towards the door.
“Or maybe she had problems before he killed her?” Gus opened the door, rolling his eyes at Shawn’s lack of keys. “What are you going to do when I am not with you? You never have keys.”
“I have one of those little rocks hidden around here somewhere.” Shawn looked around, peeking over the bushes.
“Shawn I took that away months ago. You are going to get us killed! Everyone knows to look for one of those stupid rocks. You need to carry keys with you.” Gus stepped inside the office, grimacing at the mess on Shawn’s desk.
“Nah, I’ll just make sure I am always with you.”
“Someday I am going to get married and have kids. You can’t always be around then.” Gus opened the closet, pulling out his suitcase filled with drug samples.
“Sure, and I am going to walk on the moon.” Shawn opened his desk drawer, looking through all of the movies, trying to find the perfect mix between action and hot romance.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Shawn, unlike you I am capable of being in a relationship.” Gus paused to throw Indian Jones at Shawn, before fixing his tie.
“Yeah, with crazy people. You attract the weirdos. Remember the girl who was obsessed with adrenaline rushes? What about the crazy one you married without telling me?” Shawn smirked, exchanging Indian Jones for Gregory’s Girl.
“Shawn, just no. Go with Top Gun, at least that has some action…that isn’t sexual.”
“And it is kinda gay.” Shawn flashed a bright grin, knowing that Gus would picture the volleyball scene.
“You know that’s right.” To hide his smile Gus made his way to the door, tugging along his silver case. Gus stared expectantly at Shawn for a moment before exiting the office, a disappointed hunch hanging on his shoulders.
XOXO
“Spencer I have an armed weapon and I am not afraid to use it.” Lassiter stared in horror at the man seated on his couch. “How did you even get in here? That is breaking and entering.”
“I used my spare key, so actually it is just entering.” Shawn stretched on the couch, nodding his head towards the limited space next to him.
“I am going to shoot you and then arrest you.” Lassiter huffed, staring at Shawn with wide, incredulous eyes.
“They’ll just let me out again. Come on, one movie isn’t going to kill you.” Shawn ended his statement by hitting play on the remote, the tv lighting up with the credits to Top Gun.
“Just get out of my house, Spencer.” Lassiter snatched the remote from Shawn, clicking the tv and dvd player off in an attempt to remove the younger man.
“Lassiepants don’t be like that. Here, you sit down and massage my feet, I am sure you’ve had a tough day behind the desk.” Shawn wiggled his feet, both in different colored socks, at Lassiter.
“Does that ever work for you? Seriously, it is amazing that you ever get laid. Get out of my house.” Lassiter’s fingers jerked towards his holster, his eye twitching ever so slightly.
“I get plenty, that isn’t really what this is about.”
“No, it is about you being a child and thinking you can get whatever you want because you are attractive.” Lassiter rolled his eyes, stepping into the kitchen to pour a scotch.
“So you admit you find me attractive. That’s a start.” Shawn grinned, winking at the older man.
“Spencer you may have everyone else fooled, but not me. I know you aren’t a psychic, I know that you think everything is a game. I’m not playing.”
“Can’t you just let work go? Although, I guess the wall of solved cases is probably a good sign that you can’t.” Shawn nodded towards a bulletin board with pictures from recent cases, as well as older ones.
“Those are unsolved cases.”
“Maybe you haven’t solved them yet.”
“There is no way you could walk in here and just solve every case I am working on. Even if I did believe you were psychic, it still wouldn't be possible.” Lassiter took a swig of his drink, knowing that Shawn Spencer was going to once again stab his self-esteem.
“Well that one was the girl’s father.” Shawn pointed towards a picture of a strangled girl, her file pinned next to it. “The one next to her was the gardener.”
“We checked him out, he had a sound alibi.” Lassiter recoiled, his gut had told him that the gardener was guilty, but the logical portion of his brain had taken over.
“Right, and that was a total lie. I mean, who really goes to see the opera with their mother on a gardener’s salary. Why would you even buy that load of cow?” Shawn raised an eyebrow in mock surprise, barely hiding his smirk.
“It is load of bull and-“
“I’ve heard it both ways.” Shawn shrugged, his smirk finally breaking free and shining brightly.
“No, you really haven't.” Lassiter rolled his eyes, his hand shaking ever so slightly in anger.
“Isn’t a bull really just a glorified cow?”
“How did you even graduate from high school?”
“Gus mostly.” Shawn smiled to himself, thinking about all of the fond moments he had shared with Gus in high school.
“I’ll look into those cases, but right now I want you out of my house.” Lassiter practically growled the last portion of the sentence, his hand coming to rest on his gun.
“And I want you in my house, if you catch my drift. My god that was terrible, let me try again. And I want-“
“Spencer I have had a hard day at work and I just want to be alone.” Lassiter’s attention was instantly drawn to his radio, where a voice was announcing the killing of another girl in a club.
“Oooh! I am riding with you!” Shawn jumped up from the chair, instantly jogging towards the door. “Wanna stop for tacos?”
“No, I seem to remember arresting you after out last car trip together. You can call Guster to pick you up.” Lassie set down his drink and made his way to the door, grabbing Shawn’s arm and tugging him along.
“Lassiepants it doesn’t make sense for me to wait in the cold for Gus when I could be riding with you.” Shawn pulled his best impression of a puppy dog but still landed on the front porch.
“It is like sixty degrees out, Spencer.” Lassiter pursed his lips and locked the front door, his jaw flexing in annoyance.
“Come on, don’t leave me out here alone.” Shawn puffed out his bottom lip, and blinked his eyes really fast in a failed attempt to look innocent.
“After that stunt you pulled last time you have lost your car privileges. You are wasting my time.” Without another word Lassiter slipped into his car and drove away, leaving a disappointed fake psychic standing at his door, phone in hand.
“Gus? Another girl was killed and Lassiepants just left me standing on a street corner like a common prostitute, come get me before someone else tries to.”
XOXO
“Shawn I can’t believe you pulled me away from my show.” Gus huffed, glaring at Shawn as they entered the second crime scene in as many days.
“Gus, I don’t think American Duos is as important as a dead girl.” Shawn paused at Gus’ sour facial expression, and then continued “Well, you can always just watch it later.”
“It doesn’t have the same impact. Someone always spoils the results and it is usually you.” Gus pursed his lips and stepped into the bathroom, cringing at the body sprawled out on the cold tiles.
“Gus don’t be a backstreet boy.” Shawn leaned over the body, taking in the surprised expression forever etched onto the stunning brunettes face.
The girl sprawled out on the floor was as stunning as all the other girls. Her make up highlighted her perfect features, her hair chopped short into a bob cut. Cynthia Harold, she was the ideal woman, and Shawn couldn’t help but mourn her loss for a moment. Of course, once the moment passed he became distracted by the thousand details in the room, any of which could be the final piece to the puzzle.
“Shawn are you done? This bathroom seriously does not look sanitary.” Gus stared at a suspicious stain on the tile floor, backing away slightly.
“Gus, don’t rush the process.” Shawn paused to look around one last time, his eyes scanning for any missed clues. “Okay, I am done. Let’s go get some tacos.”
“You know that’s right.”
Shawn grinned at Lassiter on his way out, throwing a wink in his direction as he walked out the door. Gus watched with a resentful glare, while the rest of the room shifted uncomfortably.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Lassiepants.” Shawn flashed his brightest grin and dramatically threw himself out the door.
“Shawn, I don’t understand why you insist on torturing him. He doesn’t like you.” Gus drifted towards the car, a nonchalant facial expression gracing his features. “I mean, I don’t care but I think everyone else does.”
“It sure seems like you care, I mean you gave me a Draco Malfoy worthy glare when I said goodbye.”
“Well that is because you are humiliating yourself, and in turn me.” Gus slipped into the blueberry, snapping his seatbelt on.
“I am always humiliating myself, why is this any different.” Shawn practically fell into the passenger seat, instantly fiddling with the radio.
“It just is Shawn.” Gus paused long enough for Shawn to get into the car, and then slowly pulled out. “I am assuming we are going to my place then.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably just crash there.” Shawn smiled as he settled on a Tears for Fears song.
“You’ve been crashing at my place a lot lately. Is something wrong with your place?” Gus frowned ever so slightly, he didn’t mind his friend staying over but he hated the idea of him having to live in any place that was less than par.
“Yeah, my place just has this really bad water leak. I actually moved most of my stuff into a storage shed. I’ve been rotating between your house and my dad’s, but I wouldn’t have to if Lassiter would just admit he wants me.” Shawn was in the habit of making jokes out of serious situations; it was his best defense mechanism. Gus was already quite aware of this habit, and instantly took the situation to be quite serious.
“Shawn, you could have just asked to stay with me.”
“I didn’t want to be a bother, besides I can manage on my own.”
“I have a ripe pineapple.”
“I guess I could stay for a while, just until I find a new place.”
80’s tunes and the sound of Shawn’s incessant chatter pleasantly filled the drive home. Gus would chime in every now and then to correct a reference or Shawn’s inability to think logically. Something was hanging in the air, something that neither was ready to face. For the first time in years Shawn felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach. For the moment he could blame Lassiter, blame the sting of rejection, but in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but wonder if even his observant eyes had missed something obvious.
Part 2