Richard Mayhew, Unnamed AU

[mm_ygrane]

Richard's in his office rummaging through his files and is just about to turn to page his secretary.

{ooc: You can have any Richard you like in any location, just put it in the subject line.}

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[from_topside]

There's a hand on his back.

"Having trouble, mate?"

[from_topside]

"The hell you are," he answers, pressing Richard up against the office door to snog him right back.

[mm_ygrane]

Richard moans into the kiss and runs his hands into Gary's hair but manages to resist wrapping his legs around him.

[from_topside]

He pulls away for a moment, resting his forehead on Richard's.

"After dinner."

Though the arms around Richard are practically trembling.

[mm_ygrane]

He nods but doesn't move away yet.

"I know."

This was the hard part. To the outside world, they were just best mates. Richard was pretty sure Nancy had cottoned on, but it wasn't anything they ever spoke of.

Richard caught his breath, thumped Gary's shoulder and opened the office door.

"C'mon, then. She'll give us hell if we're late."

[from_topside]

"Don't I know it."

They take a cab from the office to the house, Gary's hand on Richard's knee, rubbing lightly as he smiles and chats with Richard about things that don't really matter.

[mm_ygrane]

And Richard drinks in those little bits of contact, thrives on them. He always feels a bit of a berk for being so needy because at the end of the day he always had Sandra, and Gary had to go home alone. He could stay over a couple of times a month, but any more than that and there'd be questions.

He hoped they'd be able to make it up to him one day.

The cab stops in front of Richard's house and across from Gary's and Richard steps out and pulls out his wallet.

[from_topside]

Gary shakes his head, passing the cash over to the driver before Richard's got his wallet open. Then he nods him out of the car, following a moment later.

"Know what she's cooking at least?"

[mm_ygrane]

"You got it last time, mate, I was s'posed to catch this one."

He puts his wallet away and starts up the walk.

"Risotto, roast beef, and garlic bread. Have I thanked the gods often enough yet that her cooking takes after the Italian side of her heritage?"

[from_topside]

"Same here," he says with a smile. "And I'm a bachelor, mate. You've got kids and a wife and all that nonsense. I'll get the cab fare."

[mm_ygrane]

He's about to answer when two small children come barreling down the walk squealing for their Da and Uncle Gary.

[from_topside]

Gary picks up his niece with a grin and a laugh.

"Oh, hello, darling. And how're you and your brother today?"

[mm_ygrane]

She glomps onto him and gives him a smacking kiss on the cheek.

"We made bubbles and paint!"

Richard laughs and scoops up his son, kissing his hair.

"Did you now?"

"Yes! I painted a horse on the garden wall!"

[from_topside]

"And I did a ballallalarina!"

Gary grins and kisses her on either cheek.

"I'm sure it's gorgeous, sweetheart."

[go_between]

They step in just as Sandra pulls the garlic bread out of the oven, and Richard kisses his wife as he buckles their son into a booster seat.

"Managed to pull Gary away for the night, love."

[from_topside]

She smiles and nods to them both.

"I'm sure he wasn't too hard to pull away. It's not as if you're not his best friend. And there is a game on tonight."

Gary grins and kisses her cheek.

"And you're rather a good friend as well, lass."