It had been a hellish few days, to say the least. Matt had barely had time to scratch himself, let alone allow anyone else to scratch him, and it was just one of those types of cases where you had to drop everything else to focus on it. There had been some slight breakthroughs, of sorts. They just weren't entirely positive breakthroughs. To start, fibres from Hunt's car had been found under the victim's fingernails, and there was traces of DNA from the victim, Hunt, and other unknown persons in the back seat... from semen. None of it threw a positive light on Hunt, but at the same time, none of it was enough to convict him. He wasn't the only one who used his car, and with his sexual history, it wasn't a surprise that there were unknown semen traces in the back seat. The only thing was, the victim was there at some point in the recent past, though without a sworn statement from Hunt as to whether it was him who had the guy there, or the driver, it was just still all messy.


It had also hit a stalemate. Some evidence was still pending, it would take a few days for some of the testing to be complete. There were no signs of Hunt waking yet, either. For the moment, all they could do was just keep tracking over the same ground, hoping to find something more. Matt was tired, though. He needed to rest and switch his mind off for a little while, so he chose not to stay back at work that night and knock off at his normal time. He picked up some Chinese takeaway on the way home, and had a coffee while he was waiting for it. He didn't actually want to just head home and crash out. He had hardly seen Vee these past few days, and passing out cold the minute he walked in the door definitely wasn't on the menu.

The Chinese food never got touched. It was left on the kitchen counter while Matt had Vee pressed up against the fridge in a snog. He needed to feel something other than the frustration and anger over the case. He hadn't really wanted to talk right up, so his mouth just entertained itself elsewhere, and takeaway food could always be reheated. They had made their way up his hall, stripping each other of their clothes as they headed towards his bed. He didn't feel like the awkward up against a wall or on a kitchen table type encounter. He hadn't been sure he would have the energy for it anyway. He was a traditional guy, he did like the bed now and again. He was now sprawled on his back amongst the tangle of sheets, his naked body still covered in a sheen of thick post-coital sweat as he took a few deeps breaths to regain his breathing. His heart was still thumping in his chest and he draped an arm lethargically up over his head with a small hum of satisfaction. It had been days since they'd shagged, now he was wondering how he lasted that long.

Vee grinned as she turned her head to look at her lover, her blonde hair a mess of tangles framing her face. There had been no lacy knickers this time, and she couldn't deny that she was glad Matt had forgotten the food in favour of a fuck. She'd missed him while he'd been at work, her days pretty empty now that Euan was gone. He was back in New York where he should be, and Vee was here to try and figure out her next move.

She rolled onto her side to curl up against Matt, her head resting on his chest where she could hear his heart beat, and her hand rubbing against his hip. He really did have an amazing body, and an amazing smile, and she loved the way he thought, and liked to listen to his voice. She even appreciated the way he called her on her shit, and the way he really did just drop everything to focus on the important cases. She continued to make a mental list of everything about him that she had seen, and couldn't help but fall that little bit further for him.

Vee pressed a kiss to his chest, and moved her hand to brush it over his cock. There were no signs of the little detective recovering yet, but that didn't stop Vee from just wanting to remind herself of how it felt. She looked down his body and walked her fingers up his thigh to his hip dent. "That better, Irish?"

Matt cleared his throat and turned his head to offer her a tired smile. He would probably need some more rest before any part of him was ready to go again when the first time was that intense. It wasn't just a determination to get his mind off the case, it was also just as much determination to reconnect with Vee all over again. They hadn't been on the same page, lately. He was really aware of that, and it was for different reasons. His uncertainty over relationships in general, let alone one when they were from different countries. Also everything with Euan, which had made the shit hit the fan. Matt had been able to see how much the guy meant to her, and he did understand why she did it all, but he had just wished she hadn't dragged Gee into it all to get hurt, and that had given him another wave of uncertainty. They needed to just get back on track, and although he was busy with the case, there was no reason why they couldn't start fresh again. "Getting there," he told her, a cheeky smirk appearing faintly on his lips. "What about you? How you holding up now he's gone home... he didn't stay."

Vee kissed his chest again, and gave his side an affectionate rub as she smiled back at him. "I'm okay." And she meant it. There was no heavy burden feeling like it was dragging her down, and no pressure to get Euan to understand why she'd done this. She realised finally that he didn't need to be in London to still be her friend. He didn't need to be here so that she could feel good about what she was doing with Matt. The only people that mattered there were in this bed. And she did want her ex-partner to be happy, but he needed to find it all on his own. And he probably was happiest back in New York. It was his city. "I'll miss him, but he's where he should be. I just have to work on finding out where I should be."

"Wish I could say the same for Gee..." Matt murmured and wet his lips. He rubbed a hand over his stomach to ease an itch there. He was looking forward to taking a shower and relaxing a little, even if he would need to be back on the case first thing in the morning. They had some of Hunt's colleagues to interview, which was going to be interesting. "Euan's been pretty vital in building our case. Managed to get information we couldn't have dreamed of without risking our badges and an our whole career. I'll be glad when this whole thing is over."

Vee felt her stomach tighten, and for a moment she didn't say anything. "I'm sorry she's not okay. Euan can... touch people when he wants. He has this way of inserting himself and it's hard to shake him after that." Vee pulled herself up a little so she was more level with Matt as she rest her hand on the side of his face and held his gaze. "About the information thing... Euan doing that helped me realise something. Of course it's built on a what if, but I think it would be the right thing if the what if became real."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "He fucked and entraped a witness for information. But okay... go on. This is going to be interesting." He stretched out a little, probably needing a little more time to get the tension from every part of him. It seemed to want to settle in his back this week, with so many people involved in the case, it was one that kept them well on the go. "She's got feelings for him, and he's not reciprocated. That's still one part of your plan I'll never get, if you knew he was like that, but it's done now. She's doing the best she can. Sticking her head in the sand and pretending it didn't happen."

Vee pulled away from him, and sat up as she braced her hands against his side to try and get Matt to roll onto his stomach. "Come on, Irish, shift those bones. I'll give you a massage. I don't want you to think I'm not tender, and caring. I look after my hard working man." She pushed her blonde locks back from her face. "Because apparently he isn't like that. One of his many lovely ex-partners informed me he is capable of being an attentive boyfriend. He was just bored with the girls he was dating. I know he can be attentive with the right girl. I was kind of hoping to break the partner-fucking mould he's got for himself. I'm still sorry my plan was half-baked. I'll make it up to Gee somehow. Anyway, the fucking and entrapping wasn't quite what I was referring to. More the information gathering that isn't always possible for cops. But would be more possible for private detectives."

Matt shifted onto his stomach. A massage wasn't something he could actually turn down right then. "Private Investigator? You want to do things like Euan did for cash?" he asked, unable to help feeling a little skeptical about it. "It's not that it's impossible for coppers to get the information, we just can't break the law to do it. Kind of defeats the purpose of serving justice. It's going to be a big step down from what you're used to. You'll mostly be tailing cheating husbands and secretaries with their hands in the petty cash drawer."

"But it's a living I can make here, and back in New York if I don't stay." Vee rubbed her hands against his back before she started to focus on his shoulders, pushing her thumbs deep into the muscle tissue as she made circles with them and tried to find which spots needed the most attention. "I know it's a step down, but there will be times I might be able to assist the police. I know it's not the most respectable profession, but it's something and maybe if I start at the bottom I can get up somewhere better. Like, I don't know... Working security for a big firm, or something. I need to start somewhere, just like with being a uniform when we're entering the police force."

"Not officially. Vee, our legal system is well different here than in the US." Matt's breath caught in his throat when she his a tender bit and he couldn't help moaning a little in response. He hadn't noticed just how much stress he had been carrying around there and probably for awhile, too. "But okay, for conversation sake... some large law firms have PIs on retainers, you know. To build their cases from that side of things. Law firms like that our current victim is sitting on a not-so-small fortune with."

She noted the moan, and braced one hand against his side while she used the fingers of the other to really work that knot. "Exactly, so I could be kept on a retainer for a place like that. I just need a few lessons in your legal system. I'm a quick study, I always have been. Once I get the hang of it, I'll be cruising. I can do this, Matt. And I want to do it. What are my other options? Become a secretary for some dipshit asshole that wants in my panties, or getting minimum wage flipping burgers, or making fish and chips?"

Matt couldn't actually respond right away. The way she was working the knot it was painful, and he had his face buried into the pillow to brace himself through it. It was probably tension from well back before Christmas. "Welcome to non-citizenship work in London. Pulling pints more like. You need to build a rapport and trust with someone who will employ you so you can lay your cards on the table about your skills. They won't just take you on because you think you want to be a private investigator. Thomas Hunt might be a good place to start once he's on the mend. If he's on the mend. It's just an option."

"Maybe I should pull pints and investigate?" Vee asked as she raised her eyebrows. Then she bit down on her lip and squeezed her knees against his hips. She leaned down to kiss the back of his neck as she gave him a break and moved on to rub all over his back, doing another sweep for knots. "We should have done this before. You're a mess, Matt Devlin."

Matt shifted his head again, trying to find a comfortable spot, but it was impossible when his back suddenly felt like it was being bent backwards. "I'll take the avoidance of my suggestion as a no then, and I'll stop trying to help. Go pull pints and investigate. Sure you can't do that in a better city than London, even if you'll be competing with Aussie and European backpackers for the pub gigs."

"Which suggestion? Thomas Hunt?" Vee frowned as she pushed her knuckles up his back and then worked them against his shoulder blades. "I wasn't avoiding it, or ignoring it. I just don't want to put pressure on him even if he is on the mend. He's just been through a major car crash, and everyone's discussing the fact he might have murdered someone. Assuming he comes out of it, and comes out of it innocent, is he really going to want some American chick on his doorstep asking for help? And don't stop trying to help. Please. I need you to keep my head on straight."

Matt gave a small grunt of pain again, gritting his teeth through it. This wasn't exactly in the realms of a sensual massage, but maybe if there was a shower after it, he wouldn't wake up completely cripple in the morning. The last thing he needed was Ronnie asking him if he had a sex injury. "That's now. If you're going to be here long-term, you need to step into other peoples worlds, make friends, network. How do you know what he'll want and what he'll not? He might actually appreciate talking about something that isn't the crash or the murder investigation, which will hopefully be resolved by the time he starts healing and getting back on his feet. Thomas Hunt is best friends with one of England's youngest millionaires, who owns a multi-million dollar pharmaceutical company and has a father who is a Justice in the Court of Appeal... network," he added pointedly.

Vee pulled back on the massage when he grunted in pain, even though she was still intent on working out all of his kinks. She would just have to do it slowly and methodically. She would need to network the knots. "Okay, I get it. Network. I can do that... I don't have a badge to flash any more, so I'll need to go back to using my social skills. Now I just have to dig them up. And you're right, I don't know what he'll want. So if he needs to talk about something else, I can do that." She looked down at him. "How do you think it will end?"

Matt let out a rough breath, trying to focus on her fingers massaging his muscles. It was probably a good thing it was painful, or he would have a boner again by now. "With the driver banged up for a very long time, hopefully, with a murder and attempted murder charge along with his DUI charges. Hunt on the mend with hopefully no long term brain issues, Evans not ending up getting ostracised for his involvement with Hunt and the case."

"Do you really think he'll be ostracised? It wasn't as if he could have foreseen his boyfriend coming up as a murder suspect. He might have made a mistake not telling anyone of the connection at first, but we're all capable of mistakes. Show me one cop who hasn't made a mistake, no matter how big or small." Vee hummed as she watched her hands on Matt's back, and wriggled a little on top of him. God, she loved his body.

"For every cop who has made a mistake, I can show you five who have homophobic tendencies or hang ups about gay cops. In fact, I recently worked a case where one copper left another copper for dead and didn't back him up all because he was gay. He died. Horrifically, because his colleague deliberately didn't have his back just because of his sexuality. Not many people knew Evans was bisexual. I didn't know. I don't have any issues with it, but there are cops out there that do. That's all I'm saying. To be a gay cop caught up in a murder investigation? I think when this is over, it just might do him some good to take a bit of leave and spend time with Hunt. He can come back with a fresh mind then, with the confidence to take the issues in his stride. He's not going to be the same copper when he gets back. No one goes through something like this and it not affect them." Matt's words caught again at the end and he sucked in a breath. "Are you using your fingers or claws back there?" he asked with a small smirk.

"Jesus, are you serious? I thought that kind of bullshit ended in the seventies. People are fucking crazy, I swear. What does matter what the guys do with their dicks so long as it's not animals, or little kids? They're entitled to love whoever the hell they want. Doesn't make them a better, or worse cop. I guarantee most of the straight cops are the failures anyway. I think you're right about him needing to take some time, though. The emotional drain would be overwhelming." Vee stopped her hands moving to rest on his ass as she gave it a squeeze and leaned forward so she could meet his gaze with a small smirk of her own. "Whatever you want me to, baby."

Matt pressed his lips together wryly. The case wasn't all that long ago, and it was fresh in his mind. "I'm serious. They had this Christian club against it, or rather, under the guise of being for Christian humanity or something, doing God's intended work. It was a trumped up cult for gay bashing, and nothing more. Homophobic evil bastards. But that's all I'm saying, it's out there. Evans will be fine, but he needs the strength to head back into it with confidence. He's not going to have it until he knows Hunt is going to be okay. Right now, we just don't know. There's no sign of him waking up. It's like our whole case rests on him, and it's not like we can try him in a coma, either. Legally and as his human right, if we charge him with anything, he needs to be fit to testify. There's nothing we can do about it. Which is why, right now, I'm hoping we can work to clear him, not take him down. If we can clear him and find the murderer, he can be left to recuperate in peace without police guards at his hospital room door." He looked back at her, smirking again. "No claws, please. I'm very fragile, you know."

"I honestly can't believe that they even have time for this crap. There's better things to be doing, than hating gays under the guise of doing God's work. His body's probably taken a huge shock. Hunt, I mean. It might think it's safer to just shut down for a while. He was pretty banged up. Hopefully when he does wake up and he can help, and doesn't have amnesia on top of everything else." Vee grinned, getting an impish look as she pushed her fingers through Matt's hair, and ran her tongue over a patch of skin near his shoulder blade. She followed it through by grazing her teeth against it gently. "What about that? Is that too much for my fragile Irish?"

Matt gave a slight hint of a smirk. "C'mon. You're an NYPD detective. I know your mind isn't that closed. This thing happens all the time, every day. Homophobia is rife. That's why we try to do our bloody best in this job, to at least right some of the small wrongs out there and get justice. Safer, but no less frustrating. He didn't do it, I don't believe he did it, and I believe Evans when he says he spent the whole night together. It's just what a jury will believe." He let his eyes fall closed briefly, enjoying the attentions. He might not be managing to successfully switch off from the case, but at least he was beginning to relax. "You're going to have to give me a bit longer to recharge. It wasn't like we just had a quick, half-hearted shag just then."

Vee shrugged her shoulders. "No, of course not. It's more just me being astounded that they do genuinely have time for this shit. In New York it's still mostly a lot of race stuff. Which I also don't get. We should just be worrying about the crime, not whether any of us are the right colour, sexual orientation, or whatever. Can you imagine how much work we'd actually get done? And don't even get me started on the corrupted pricks that accept bribes, or try stealing drugs. Are juries as pathetic here as they are in the States?" Vee laughed softly, and continued to kiss, and nip at areas of his back, and skin as she explored him. "That's okay, I'm sure I can amuse myself in the meantime. And no, it really, really wasn't."

Matt gave a slight laugh. "It's all of that causing most of the crime, love. There would be less work without it. Nope, they aren't. Your legal system is utter bollocks, no offense. Some of the things your system bends the law for astounds me, and the technicalities. Holy hell. I would hate to be a copper in the States." He was happy to just stayed settled against the pillows for the moment. It really had been one hell of a week. He wasn't exactly tired, but he was lethargic and he definitely needed some time to chill out, and this was catering to it perfectly. "This is my life, you know. There's always going to be cases I have to drop everything for and focus on. It's Major Investigations, we're often on a stop watch."

"All this time off is actually making me wonder how I coped with it so long," Vee admitted. "It's enough to send us all into straight jackets. And I know this is your life, Irish. Have I actually complained about you not being here once? I know the cases come first. I'll never demand your time. I would just ask for you to remember that sex is a fantastic stress reliever, and it's nice to just come home to collapse next to someone."

"I'm not saying you were complaining. I'm stating fact. This is the first one. It could get tiresome. That's all I'm saying. Sex might be a fantastic stress reliever, but after dealing with crime scenes or loved ones of victims, the last thing you feel like doing some days is coming home and having sex. Probably why coppers have a high divorce rate." Matt couldn't help but think of Ronnie, then. Failed marriages, kids he hardly saw. It was part of the reason why Matt always thought being single was easier, and safer. Not to have all that, and then not have it, ending up back at square one anyway.

Vee slid off Matt's back and settled down beside him as she picked up his arm and draped it over her middle while she nestled herself up against him. "Matt, I know what it's like. I get all of it. I even get the being too tired for sex, but that's where just being together can help. We don't have to do anything. Just sit there."

Matt nodded, even if he was quiet for a few moments. "Just sitting here sounds good," he murmured.

Vee gave him a smile as she threaded her fingers through his. "Until you regain your energy and we go another round." She let him wait a beat before winking at him. "Kidding, but I think it might be at least worth taking a shower together to get some more kinks out."

"I think I might prefer a bath," Matt found himself saying, raising his eyebrows as he did. "And I'm not a bath person. I wouldn't even know if it still worked, it's been so long since I used it."

"We can have a bath," Vee replied as she smiled a little more. She gave his hand a squeeze, and rubbed her nose against his. "We should probably find out if it works first, but I'm not ready to move yet."

Matt rolled over onto his side, even if he made a tiny groan of pain at his tired, aching muscles. He shifted close, wrapping his arm back around her and threading their legs together. He gave her a lingering, lethargic kiss and closed his eyes again, letting his forehead rest against hers. "Let's not move yet. Moving sounds too hard," he decided with a smirk.



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