The Next Day

Finn sat at his desk trying to concentrate on the files at hand, but he just couldn't. Memories of last night pushed into his mind and worries of what would go down the minute his partner got in, overshadowed even the memories.

Or is that ex-partner, Detective Tutuola? Could be.

"I didn't think so, Elliot."

He looked up to find what he counted as the fourth argument between Benson and Stabler. According to Cregan, Stabler had been here when even he got in, working a case. He hadn't stopped since, and when Olivia had walked in the room it seemed to instantly drop 40 degrees, at least. Finn guessed that Olivia hadn't got what she wanted last night.

He tuned back in on his work, trying harder to focus. He'd arrived on time, despite the impulse to just call in claiming he'd been lain down with the Ebola virus. Sitting at his desk, calling and answering calls, trying to find a break within new evidence or an overlooked clue in the old... He'd been there for two hours with no sign or word from or about Munch.

He's not coming, he told himself for the hundredth time. He's too hung over. He'll-

Interrupting his voice was a familiar black coat being tossed onto Munch's desk, just within Finn's sight. The Fedora followed and when Finn looked up he found his partner slumping in his chair. Even his darkly tinted glasses couldn't hide the bloodshot, alcohol-induced, red in his eyes.

Finn couldn't meet those eyes, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Momentarily forgetting his worries about the consequences of the other night, he felt empathetic towards John, felt horrible when the man put his head in his arms on top of his desk, grabbing it in pain.

And felt guilty when Cregan came out of his office shouting at Munch to get in there. Usually the smart-ass, son-of-a-bitch that would take nothing, he got up dejectedly and walked into his captain's office.

Finn walked over to the coffee and poured his partner a cup. His heart was pounding and aching, pounding because he was sure that any minute Cregan was going to tell him to get in that office pronto. Aching because of the way John had looked, so rejected and tired and... lonely.

I know all about being lonely. That's a pain that no alcohol can drown, no job can displace.

He put the cup on the desk adjoining his and sat back down, telling himself he was ready for the worst. He didn't want to lose Munch as his partner. He respected the hell out of the man. He was a damn good cop, sympathetic towards the rape victims, mean as a snake when it came to the suspects and tough as nails under pressure. The odds of finding a man so talented and devoted to his job were zero to none.

The door to Cregan's office opened and he stood up ready to face the music. Suspension for having a romantic relationship with another detective in the same division, he thought. A partner and shift change for sure, and maybe even a division change. He wouldn't go back to Narcotics, though. He'd-

Munch walked out rubbing his temples, and Cregan called to Finn.

"Yes?" he said, his voice wavering. Munch caught his eye for and instant, then looked away.

"Next time you and your partner go out to celebrate, make sure he doesn't drink so damn much. I'm surprised he didn't get alcohol poisoning." With that and a slam of the door, Finn was left standing looking after his captain very confused. He turned around and sat in his chair.

Munch picked up his hat and coat and put them on the stand, then walked to his desk where he noticed the cup of coffee. Sitting down, he glanced up at Finn. "Thanks."

Finn could only nod, not understanding why he felt so... hurt. He had been hoping this entire time that Munch would just forget what had happened. But he'd never thought to prepare himself for the damage that selected amnesia might do.

The few moments that that night had brought upon him in such a short time had meant so much. The kiss, the fondling, the pure, unabashed desire he'd seen in John's eyes... All the things he'd been craving for, hurting for, for months on end. For those scant minutes John had wanted him with all he had. And now...

Now it's gone, Tute. Get over it. You had a little bit of fun, and lucky for you the man doesn't remember. He sighed, looking back to his files. Yeah, real lucky.

Stabler walked by Olivia's desk dropping a file next to her elbow without speaking or looking at her. She ignored the file.

"What's up with them?" Munch whispered as Stabler settled back into his chair.

Finn didn't look up. Couldn't. "I don't think last night went anywhere."

+_+_+_+_+

"I don't think last night went anywhere."

Munch lifted his head, thinking at first Finn had been referring to their... adventure last night. Then he realized that he was only answering Munch's own question about Olivia and Elliot.

He took a sip of his steaming coffee and popped two Tylenol, hoping and praying that his headache would dissipate before it blew his head clean off his neck.

Risking a glance at his partner he saw that the man was having trouble concentrating on his work. He wasn't the only one. He was sure that visions of their actions would keep popping up in his mind, leaving him unsettled and half aroused all day.

Well, he had to take care of that. Knew how to take care of that.

Either stop the imagination, he thought to himself. or... live it out.

He'd waken up with two realizations: one was that alcohol had been created by very evil, very bitter women-witches that had been scorned once too many times in their frail love lives, and had decided to get back at the male population.

The second was more like a lightbulb in his head. Finn had wanted him. That he knew already. The realization was that he'd left because he hadn't wanted to take advantage of his incredibly blasted partner.

Munch had decided then and there that he wasn't going to let last night be just last night. He didn't want it to stop there. He wanted to do it all again. Only the next time he wouldn't be so god-damn drunk. And he'd have the nerve to start something he was more than sure would be finished. To find that, after months of yearning, his partner had similar feelings... Well, it gave him courage he normally wouldn't have had. Courage to do things.

Do things to Finn.

He smiled in spite of the headache, and glanced up at his partner. He could tell the man thought he'd forgotten last night, and it wasn't settling with him well at all.

His smile grew wider, and he hid it behind the coffee cup his partner had so generously gotten.

He would show Finn he hadn't forgotten.

+_+_+_+_+

Munch finished the last of the phone calls. No one had ANY leads, what-so-ever. His job was once again becoming frustrating, last night's cheer at the single case solved gone for good. One night of celebration, a glorious few hours, then it was back to the psychos, the rapists, the perverts and the kid molesters.

He stretched, pushing the thoughts of criminals out of his mind, and looked at his watch. He grinned, stood, and walked towards Cregan's office. It was time for Finn to take his break.

On a normal day, Finn would take his lunch break at the station, sitting at his desk, just talking to his partner or the team. Sometimes, when the rest were busy he'd just hang or even help out a little. Then once his break was finished, Munch would take his as the team worked, taking on the same role as Finn. After Munch came Olivia, then Stabler. That was the routine on a normal day.

Today, however, was anything but a normal day. He doubted anyone would be purposefully taking their breaks around their partners.

Anyone but him, that was.

+_+_+_+_+

Finn had decided that it was best if he just sojourned in the file room during his break. It was always good to keep fresh on the past cases, in the event that another should come along that seemed eerily similar. And, of course, in the file room, he wouldn't have to deal with such high stress levels. Stress levels that had turned his neck, back and shoulders into tight coils of raw anxiety. Wondering if his partner would suddenly look up at him with the memory of the other night in his eyes had reduced Finn to a melange of apprehension, unpleasantness, and dread.

Right, he thought, rubbing his temples over a case solved two years before he arrived. Cower. You gonna be able to keep this up? For how long? How long until Cregan or Elliot or Benson catch on?

The door to the file room opened and closed. "Finn."

He frowned at the voice, the last person he wanted to interrupt him in his solitude. He rolled his head first to the left, then the right, cracking his neck, sounding like popcorn.

"Ouch." Munch said, his voice getting closer. There was something in it... Purpose perhaps? A visit with intent? Or was that just Finn's imagination.

Munch stopped around the corner and called to him.

"Yeah?" he asked warily.

"We need to talk."

He swallowed, his throat suddenly very tight. "About what?"

"Last night."

+_+_+_+_+

Munch heard the files fall to the floor and smiled undiscernibly. He walked to the corner where his partner looked to the mess on the floor. He started to bend down to clean but Munch stopped him with a hand. The man jerked away from the hand and looked to his partner.

Munch raised an eyebrow in response to his partner's reaction.

"You remember then?"

How could he not? "Of course."

Finn looked surprised at that and seemed to tense. "You have all day?"

"Well, yeah."

"You want... you want to... blackmail me?"

Not exactly what he'd been expecting. "Excuse me?"

"Then what? Why didn't you tell Cregan?"

Munch, with blinding insight, suddenly understood his partner's trepidation. Finn thought last night had only happened because John had been horribly drunk. Odafin had left because he wasn't aware that the feelings between them were mutual.

He stepped forward a step, sending his partner back two. He crossed his arms and smiled. "Now why would I wanna do that?"

Finn frowned, and Munch took another step. Finn stepped back again, only this time to be halted by a file case. There was no escape.

Munch took the last two steps, closing the distance teasingly slow, keeping his forest green eyes hooked on the other man's chocolate brown. His own heart leapt in his chest when he saw his partner's breath coming at faster intervals than even his own, and he had to struggle to keep his slow pace.

He reached his hands out to the broad chest in front of him, lightly caressing there, feeling the quick shudder run through his well muscled partner. Bringing his hands up, he massaged the tense neck, rewarded by and almost inaudible but existant moan.

Eyes still on the other man, creating electric heat between the two souls, Munch took the last step forward, pressing his body into Finn's, and lowering his hands to knead his shoulders. He slowly, ever so painfully slowly, dipped his head towards his partner's, watching as the eyes of his friend closed in seductive anticipation. He stared greedily at the man's full lips and brushed his own against them, but pulled back as Finn leaned forward for more.

Finn coarsely grunted his disapproval, but did not open his eyes. Instead, he waited there, deceptively obedient, awaiting the requisite kiss, despite it's lateness in coming.

Munch didn't feel the hands move until they grabbed his ass, gently massaging, kneading. He gasped as the hands pulled him roughly to their owner, erections, hot even through the clothing, shoved together by the forceful pull, pressing into each other. Both men moaned in satisfaction and Finn, eyes now open but hooded and glazed, tightened his grip on Munch's ass, before loosening it.

Munch took the opportunity to take the hands in his own and forced them to the filing cabinets behind. With Finn pinned there he could go along with the seduction more leisurely.

He looked at the man for a moment, nibbled lightly on his ear, then traveled down, forging his own trail to Finn's throat. Heavy moaning encouraged Munch to continue taunting his needy subject. He tasted the salty skin of his partner's throat with his tongue in swirls and abstract designs. Another moan of desire coursed through, this time coming from himself.

"John..."

"Hmmm?" he inquired into the man's throat, traveling lower.

"Would you..."

A moment of silence passed, causing him to look up and into Finn's eyes. Passion had never been so evident, no lover so transparent.

"Would you... kiss me?"

Tenderness and affection, so strong that they slammed Munch in the chest, caught him by complete surprise. They each stayed and, within seconds, grew to the point that it was physically smothering him to hold out any longer. He could tease no more.

"Ple-"

Munch cut off the rest of the desperate plea with his lips. After only the briefest of milliseconds, he found the opposite pair of lips yielding to his own. The two kissed vehemently, pushing each other to extremes, just wanting, needing to feel the other man, feel the fire, the desire, and the undiluted necessity of it all.

They broke off gasping and Finn laid his head back against the file cabinets, eyes closed.

But Munch was not through. He ground himself into the other man, causing them both to inhale sharply, and Finn to cry out lightly.

"Are you trying to drive me insane?"

He leaned into his partner's ear. "Yes," he whispered, licking the lobe, then slowly descended to his partner's zipper.

Finn watched, sex-eyed and panting hard. "I don't think this is such a good idea, John."

John ignored him, taking the zipper in his teeth and slowly pulling down, pressing his nose to Finn's erection as he freed it from its confines.

"What if someone-"

Munch used his tongue on the outside of Finn's still clothed cock.

"Oh, god!" He grabbed the handles on the file cabinets and pulled, straining to find something to do with his hands. This told Munch that he wanted him to continue, and so he did, quickly removing Finn's pants and underwear.

He grabbed the base of his partner's throbbing shaft gently and licked the crown.

Finn's hands shot to his mouth to keep himself from calling out. Munch patiently waited for the hands to come down, then continued servicing his partner.

He closed his mouth around the top and sucked, taking more into his virgin mouth, slowly, backing off at times, then gradually regaining his progress. He felt Finn's hands grasp the back of his head and his hips gently push forward. John could hear Finn breathing rapidly, uttering the occasional moan.

As he sucked harder on the engorged dick, he could feel Finn's gentle pumps and knew the man was struggling not to choke the warm throat that pleased him so.

"Oh, god, John," he breathed heavily. "I'm gonna come. I'm gonna come."

He tried to pull out of the hot-liquid mouth, but Munch grabbed his friend's ass with both hands pushing him back in. That single action was what it took to finish Odafin off. The man trembled as he squirted his love milk into his partner's mouth. Munch swallowed without a flinch in consideration for his lover.

After Finn's moment of sexual elation passed on to sexual contentment, he grabbed the other man's underwear and pants and pulled them back onto his body.

Before he could zip and buckle, Finn grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to his lips. He used his tongue eagerly, trying to pry open John's mouth, but it stayed clamped shut. Finn pulled away, confused.

"What wrong?"

"I just... well, you know." He smiled shyly, a first for Munch. "You were there."

Finn shook his head slowly. "So?" He grabbed Munch from behind the neck and pulled him once again to his lips, and this time given the repsonse he desired. They shared a slow, leisurely, and utterly romantic kiss. Finn's hand ran up and down his neck, then entangled itself into his hair.

After the kiss ended the two men looked at each other and Munch leaned into Finn, still up against the file cabinet, and nuzzled his neck.

"So... you wanna share a break with me from now on?"

Finn laughed. "I wish that were possible."

Munch sighed, still nuzzling. "Yeah, me too. But work beckons."

"I thought you loved you work."

Not as much as-

Munch cut his own thought off, not wanting it to get too serious before he knew exactly how Finn felt about him. Sexually, he knew they were compatible. But emotionally?

It would take a strong man to put up with me.

Finn pulled the nuzzling man from his neck and looked into his eyes, seeming to be that strong man, determination etched in his face. He looked to have decided something, and he grabbed his friend's hand, kissing the fingers. When he was done, he simply stated, "I'm coming to your place tonight. There's still the issue of this-" he grabbed Munch's relentless solid erection. "But we'll deal with that soon enough."

John could not resist siphoning himself in the welcoming hand. "When?" he growled softly.

"When night comes."



To Be Continued...