| A Partner's Gift |
| At a time of crisis, Rey turns to his old partner for comfort This one's for Becca, who requested it. |
| Lennie Briscoe sprawled on his couch, a bag of chips in his hand and a can of soda on the coffee table. Saturday night, and he had nothing better to do than watch an old movie on TV. How pathetic. A knock at the door was the last thing he expected to hear at 10PM. He put down the chips and got up, cautiously peering out with the door still chained. He was startled to see Rey Curtis, his old partner, looking like he�d been run over by the emotional equivalent of a Mack truck. He hurriedly closed the door and took off the chain, opening the door wide and pulling his friend inside. �Rey? What�s wrong?� Curtis shook his head. The look of concern on Lennie�s face touched something deep inside him. His throat closed up, he couldn�t get the words out. �Lennie �� Lennie assumed the worst. Rey�s wife had been struggling with a very nasty type of MS, leaving her completely debilitated. �Is it Debra? Is she �?� Lennie couldn�t bring himself to say it. Rey shook his head. �No � but I almost wish she was �� Those words chilled Lennie�s blood. He knew things were bad. But he also knew Rey loved her more than life itself. He reached out to his friend. �Rey?� Curtis let Lennie draw him into his arms, holding him close, gently stroking his back, calming him. He held on tightly, suddenly realizing how desperately he needed this, needed somebody to comfort HIM for a change. Lennie just held him for a long time, slowly feeling the tension starting to drain from the tight shoulders, heard the rough, gasping breaths become more normal. Finally, Rey took a deep breath and stepped away. �Thanks, Lennie �� Lennie looked into his eyes. The man was still deeply shaken, but now he might actually be able to talk about it. Lennie steered him toward the sofa. �You want something to drink?� Rey just nodded, so Lennie went into the kitchen and grabbed another can of soda. He handed it to Rey then sat down beside him. After downing half the can in one shot, Rey felt like his throat might actually work now. Another heavy sigh. �Thanks, Lennie.� Lennie let his hand rest gently on Rey�s back; he had a feeling the younger man still needed the reassurance. �So talk to me, Rey. What�s wrong?� Rey just shook his head. �I don�t know, really. I think it all just caught up with me today. It�s been what, 2 and a half years since I left the 27? I almost can�t keep track of time anymore. There just aren�t enough hours in the day. I love Debra, I love my girls, but it feels like I have three full time jobs, and there just isn�t enough of me to go around! I�m so tired, Lennie. Exhausted. And every day she slips further and further away. I think I realized today that there�s not going to be a happy ending here. And then �� His voice trailed to nothing. Lennie gave him a bit to find the words, but finally realized he wasn�t going on. �Then what?� �I fell asleep this afternoon, Lennie. The girls were at their grandmother�s. I�d just given Debra a bath. It was a rare quiet moment. I dreamed of her, Lennie. They way she used to be. The way WE used to be � I realized we haven�t had sex in two years. Oh, god, Lennie it hit me so hard. I woke up wanting, needing release. And reality came crashing in, and I realized I was never going to make love to her again. Never �� Despite his best efforts, some of the tears were getting out. Lennie slipped his arm around Rey�s shoulders and pulled him close again. �Shh. It�s ok, Rey. I understand.� Lennie started to see the whole picture here. It wasn�t just that his wife was dying. For the past 2 years or so Rey had been both father and mother to their three beautiful girls, and taken care of an invalid wife, AND held down a full time job. His own body�s needs came last, so far off the scale that it had been two years and he hadn�t even noticed. He had been the one comforting all the hurts and fears of the four women in his life � who comforted him? Working in admin, he didn�t have a partner like he used to have, someone who could know him, be his friend, his confidant. Lennie had a new partner now, but he realized that in many ways he would never think of Rey as anything but his partner. Their bond had been a strong one. And Rey was one of the few who knew his secret. Could that be why he had come here tonight? Knowing that Lennie could comfort him, maybe even in body as well as soul? He�d have to walk carefully here. He wanted desperately to offer the comfort Rey craved, but he couldn�t let the younger man do anything he�d regret later. First things first. As Rey pulled himself together, Lennie demanded his attention. �Rey. Are they all right? Is somebody there with the girls?� Rey nodded. �Debra�s mother stayed when she brought the girls back. I think she could tell I was losing it �� Lennie nodded, reaching for the phone. Luckily he still had the Curtis home number memorized. �Hello? Mrs. Sanchez? This is Lennie Briscoe, Rey�s old partner? Listen, I just wanted you to know he�s here. Yeah. No, I just didn�t want you worrying all night. I�ll take care of him. Yes. You�re welcome. Good night.� Now that that was out of the way � Rey was rubbing the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension. Lennie turned to him. �Here, let me do that.� He gently laid his hands on Rey�s neck as the younger man turned slightly to give him a better angle. Warm, strong hands worked over his neck and shoulders. After a while, Lennie stopped. �This isn�t getting anywhere with your back twisted like that. Why don�t you sit on the floor in front of me?� Lennie pushed the coffee table away, and Rey slid down to the floor, stretching to straighten his back. Then the hands were back, kneading, soothing. He could also feel Lennie�s legs on either side of him. He felt safe, cocooned, protected. He felt himself truly relaxing for the first time in what felt like forever. It felt so wonderful to put aside his burden for just a little while, to let somebody else care for him for a change. Lennie�s hands felt so good, and not just because they were easing the tension. Just being touched filled a deep-seated need he hadn�t even known he had. He knew Lennie was gay. Was that why he had come here? He wanted, needed to be touched? He knew he could never cheat on Debra again. One mistake had almost killed their marriage. He wouldn�t go there again. But it was so hard now, he was so lonely, and so tired. Could this be a surrogate? A way to fulfill his needs without actually cheating on her? Was it cheating on her? Could he even �? Lennie�s hands rested on his shoulders, stilled. He sighed. Lennie leaned forward, letting his hands slide down Rey�s chest, his arms embracing him from behind. �Feel better?� �Yeah.� Lennie sat up, but left his hands on Rey�s shoulders. �There�s still a lot of tension in your back. You want the full treatment?� Rey sat quietly for a few minutes. He knew what Lennie was offering was more than just a backrub. Did he really want this? He wasn�t sure, but he knew he needed it. Desperately. He licked his lips and reached up to lay his hand over Lennie�s, looking up into the older man�s eyes. �Yeah.� They looked at each other, eyes acknowledging what was happening. Rey climbed up from the floor and pulled Lennie up from the couch. Lennie reached out and gently caressed his friend�s face. �Rey. Listen to me. I won�t let you do anything you�ll regret in the morning, OK?� Rey smiled softly at him, a bit confused. �I thought �� �Just let me take care of you tonight.� The compassion in Lennie�s hazel eyes calmed all his doubts. He gave himself over entirely at that moment as he nodded. Lennie led him back to the bedroom. It was small, sparsely furnished, the one stand out being a nice big bed. �Get undressed and lay down on your stomach. I�ll be right back.� Rey did as he was asked, and was just getting comfortable when Lennie returned carrying something that looked like a measuring cup. Lennie put the hot water down on the nightstand and got out a bottle of massage oil, placing it in the hot water to warm. While he waited for it to heat up, he stripped down to his shorts. He also grabbed a couple of towels from the bathroom before getting down to business. He climbed onto the bed from the other side, his eyes drinking in the beauty that was Rey�s body. He reached out and gently laid a hand on Rey�s back to let him know where he was. �I�m going to straddle your hips, Rey. OK?� Curtis felt his body responding to the idea that Lennie was going to be touching him so intimately. He was nervous, but definitely excited. �Ok.� He felt Lennie crawling on top, then settling lightly over him. He could feel the soft cotton boxers, surprised that Lennie hadn�t stripped down to skin. Then all else was forgotten as those wonderful hands spread the warm oil over his back and shoulders. Lennie took a good long time massaging Rey�s back, shoulders, and upper arms. By the time he was done, his friend was well and truly relaxed. He smiled as he slipped backwards, letting his hands come down to the lower back and buttocks. A little more oil. He let his fingers linger quite a bit longer than was medically necessary as he massaged those beautiful buns. He felt Rey�s legs spread just a bit as his fingers teased at the upper thighs. Rey was floating in a dreamlike state. He couldn�t remember when he�d been this relaxed. He needed this badly. The peace, the relaxation, the attention. Most of all, the contact. As Lennie�s hands moved further south, something else came into the mix. Something exciting, tingly. Part of his brain was aware that he shouldn�t want this, but the need reawakened by his dream this afternoon wasn�t going to be dismissed so easily. He felt himself responding, spreading his legs, inviting Lennie to take certain liberties. But the hands resumed their firm, soothing touch as they worked down his thighs and calves, finally coming to rest on his feet. Lennie was very careful as he crossed over the line between buttocks and legs. He knew Rey wanted more, but he wasn�t ready to give it yet. He finished the massage then let his hands rest over the heels, and gave a gentle squeeze to indicate the end of the massage. He grabbed one of the towels and gently rubbed the excess oil from the rich olive skin. // god he�s beautiful! // The thought once again floated through his mind. He tossed the towel aside, stripped off his shorts, and climbed back onto the bed. He sat beside his partner and again laid a hand on his back. Rey turned his head to look at Lennie, not sure what to expect. �Sit up.� He did as he was told. Lennie grabbed the pillow he had been using and piled it on his side so that he could sit up leaning against the headboard. He spread his legs; Rey could see he wasn�t the only one getting excited here. �Come here, Rey. Let me hold you.� Just a bit nervous, Rey took the invitation. He sat in front of Lennie, leaning back into his embrace. Lennie�s arms wrapped around him, holding him close. �Ohhh, Lennie,� he sighed. Warm lips pressed gently against his neck, hovered right by his ear, whispering. �It�s ok, Rey. I told you I wouldn�t let you do anything you�d regret. I know you need release after that dream today. I know you needed somebody to take care of you for a little while. I�m here for you, Rey. I always will be. You�re nice and relaxed now. Here�s what I want you to do. You know you don�t want to cheat on her again. Especially not now. But there�s nothing wrong with taking care of things yourself, Rey. Think of her, think of me, it doesn�t matter. I can see you�re already getting there. Let it happen, Rey. I�m here, I�m holding you, you�re safe. No emergency can find you, nothing can distract you. Do it for yourself, Rey. Nobody else matters right now. Can you do that?� Rey sighed and let himself let go of everything. Lennie was right � it was well past time for his needs to take precedence. He couldn�t think of Debra, how it had been � that was an invitation to too much pain. Instead, he let himself feel the hot hardness of Lennie�s dick pressed into the small of his back, the strong arms wrapped around him. The church said it was wrong, but right now he couldn�t think of anything righter than his friend holding him, loving him. He couldn�t remember the last time he�d felt so loved, so safe. He let his hands find his half-hard cock and began caressing himself. He imagined Lennie�s hands moving lower, taking over, giving him pleasure. He moaned softly as he brought himself to full attention. �Oh, Lennie,� he sighed softly. Lennie smiled as he felt Rey giving himself over to his pleasure, and moreso when the younger man sighed his name. Lennie let himself indulge just a bit, letting his hands slide over the tight abs and firm pecs. He accidentally brushed against a tight nipple and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath and a shiver. �Will you do that again?� Lennie happily obliged, several times. It appeared that Rey�s fantasy involved him, not Debra. Bolder now, Lennie took a few more liberties. Soft kisses on the neck, jaw, earlobe. He felt his own erection getting even harder. There was just enough oil still on Rey�s back; he began thrusting gently against him. Rey was suddenly aware that Lennie was humping his back. It was all he needed to push him over the top. His own hips got into it as he whimpered. �Oh, oh, ah, oh god, oh, OHHHHHH!� Lennie watched, enthralled, as Rey finally found his release. He felt his own start just a few moments later, a hot wet explosion between their bodies. He held his partner tight as both their bodies calmed afterwards. �Rey? You all right?� �Yeah.� The reply sounded distant. �Sit up, will you?� Rey complied, almost on auto-pilot. Lennie squirmed out from behind him. He crawled out of bed, ducked into the bathroom and came back with a warm washcloth. He gently wiped his mess from Rey�s back then handed him the towel to clean up his own. He got into bed, this time pulling the covers down and resettling the pillows to their normal position. Rey just sat there, not sure what to do. �Listen, Rey. There is no pressure here. You�re welcome to stay here with me if you want. If you�d be more comfortable on the couch, that�s fine too. If in the morning you want to forget this ever happened, we will. I said I wouldn�t let you do anything you�d regret. I meant it, Rey.� Curtis looked at his friend, knowing that Lennie had done it exactly right. But having come this far, he realized he really couldn�t ever �forget it happened.� It meant far too much to him to ever consider that. He managed a weak smile. �Lennie? Will you hold me a little longer?� Lennie smiled and lifted the covers, inviting him in. Rey gratefully crawled in and settled himself on Lennie�s shoulder. It felt strange, and yet again, absolutely right. �Oh, god, I needed this, Lennie. How can I ever thank you?� The arms holding him squeezed gently. �By never letting it get this bad again. Promise me something?� �What?� �Give yourself at least one night a month off. No matter what. Debra�s mother can stay with the girls. The harder it gets, the more �you� time you�ll need. You don�t have to spend it with me, although I�d be happy if you did.� Rey sighed. �Who else would I spend it with?� Lennie�s arms caressed his back. �Been working too hard to make friends in admin?� Rey nodded. �Like I said, Rey. I�m always here for you.� �Even if we never do this again?� �Yeah. Even if.� �What if I want to?� Lennie smiled. �Tell you what, Rey. I couldn�t let you make a mistake tonight; you were too upset, too out of it. But next month, if you still want more, you�ll have it. OK?� Rey blushed. He didn�t know how he�d feel in the morning waking up here, but right now, he had a feeling he might just take Lennie up on that. Lennie reached out to turn off the light. Alone in the darkness, he spoke softly once more. �Rey? You know I love you, don�t you?� Rey just hugged him tight, not quite able to answer aloud. // I know, Lennie. I know � // Send me some feedback Back to the Story Index Disclaimer: These characters belong to Dick Wolf and NBC; I'm just borrowing them for fun, not profit. |
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