Chapter Text
“Shit,” Harry cursed as he dropped his keys, and couldn’t help but laugh.
“I didn’t think you were that drunk Marx,” Dan replied, as he took the courtesy of picking up the keys; for a set that only had three keys - car, building, apartment - Harry had an ungodly amount of keyrings.
“I’m not drunk,” and while that definitely sounded like something a drunk person would say, Dan knew for a fact that they weren’t, having spent the evening with them and a handful of others from the precinct. Handing the keys back, Harry thanked him, and then proceeded to fiddle the correct key into the lock and open the door.
It had been a good evening of good company down the local pub - technically Harry’s local, not Dan’s - and after a short, fifteen minute walk, they were at Harry’s flat. He was just stopping by to collect some things for work, not much, and then call a taxi to take him home. Simple. Harry let them in, threw the keys into a bowl on the side, and stepped aside for Dan to enter. While Dan had been working with Harry for close to six months, he’d never actually been inside their apartment. Never had a reason to, never been into the apartment block to begin with. It was an apartment blocking to a mid-twenties individual, and so it looked as such, which was to say well furnished but it didn’t all match, and a fair amount of clutter about the place ensured the space felt lived in. It was nice.
“Hang on a sec,” Harry said. “I’ll grab what you came for. Make yourself comfortable, please.”
Harry disappeared off to an adjoining room, and Dan let himself snoop. Mildy snoop that is, just at the available things. Dan knew that Harry liked films and TV, any and all types and genres, mainstream and indie, and the bookshelves along the walls, bracketing the television, showed that. Both nearly completely filmed with dvds and box sets of vast variety, and Dan ran a finger along a couple. A good lot of many he hadn’t seen, but also many he had. And maybe Harry did like all genres, but it was clear he had a penchant for science fiction, one which Dan shared.
“Alright,” Harry said, and Dan spun around to see them coming into the room. “Here’s these, and then this,” stacking the files. “And then the other should be…” and Harry went for his kitchen counter, cluttered with cups and mugs, the bowl from breakfast, and just general youth clutter. “Ah, here,” and Harry found the last file and placed it with the other two.
“Thank you, very kind.” Dan, walking over, flicked through them, less over actual concern for anything missing, but just as a formality, as something to do. “Nice film collection, by the way.”
“Oh, thank you. Something to occupy the down time, when we get it that is.”
They’d been busy recently. They always were, but the past month had been far more hectic and either of them would’ve liked, from working active cases, to file work, to petty crime, to court appearances, and it was getting to them. That’s what this night was, a wind down and a handful of days off to recoup, for them as well as others. Dan was thankful for it, and he knew Harry was too. They’d both been tense and stressed and they’d been taking it out on each other across the office, and while Dan knew that wasn’t fair, he couldn’t seem to stop the frustrations leaking into his voice. Tonight though, while he still held tensions in his bones, he was feeling much better.
“Well, you’ve got two days now to just breathe and relax, destress, watch some films.” Dan stacked the files neatly but didn’t pick them up.
“Which I fully intend to do, and sleep as much as possible.”
“Good, you deserve it.”
“Any plans yourself?”
Dan shook his head. “Gym maybe, work out a bit. Need some physical activity after these past few days at the desk.”
“Sounds a good plan.”
“Yeah, well, got to unwind somehow, right?”
“Definitely, though the gym is not something I think I would find relaxing.”
“Oh? And how so?”
“Well, I do enough running about at work, so for now at least, I’d rather use my down time to just sit and enjoy and destress.”
Dan chuckled, but seemed character appropriate. “You do do a lot of running after suspects. Seems the people of Liverpool really don’t want to be arrested.”
“Well would you?” Harry countered with a jokey lightness, leaning back on the counter and crossing their arms.
“Well, I’ve never been arrested, can’t exactly say can I?”
“I’m pretty sure you could make an educated guess.”
“Ah perhaps, but then again, I feel like everyone takes to being arrested differently. It’s a very personal experience you see,” as he leant an arm out to support himself on the counter.
“And how would you know that if you’ve never been arrested?”
“I’m a copper since I was eighteen, I’ve seen enough arrests to know that some people handle it very differently from others, and the same person can handle two separate arrests very differently too.”
“Over ten years then?” Harry said in disbelief. “Wow. Ten years ago I was still in high school.”
“Oh please don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Remind me that I’m old. It’s not fair, I’m not old.”
“I never said you were,” but Harry’s laughter seemed to imply otherwise, and Harry had one of those contagious types of laughter and it got to Dan before he could stop it, and he laughed too.
Dan hadn’t noticed how close they were until he caught himself looking down and scanning along Harry’s face. He wasn’t even sure how or when they’d gotten so close, but they were. Maybe it shouldn’t have mattered, but he caught Harry scanning his face in the same way he had his, and then before he could process anything else, Harry reached up and kissed him. It was a rather simple, sweet affair, but Dan found himself wanting to pull more from it. He didn’t get the chance, as Harry stopped it then, stepped down to the flats of their feet.
“I… I’m sorry, sir. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have,” Harry stammered out, the worry evident on their face, and that was not what Dan wanted, not at all; what he wanted, he still wasn’t completely sure on, but he didn’t want Harry to worry about anything that they’d done, especially when Dan found himself wanting more.
“No, no, it was… you’re good… you’re good.” When Harry looked up, he couldn’t miss the confusion, the processing on his face, the comprehending of the words. They looked to be struggling to speak, to ask something, clarity perhaps, and so Dan found himself nodding and reaching out carefully with his hands, settling them on Harry’s waist. Understanding on Harry’s face, and Dan took the opportunity to lean down and kiss him.
Things were instantly more heated, Dan instantly pulling more from this than there had been before, and Harry’s hands came up around his neck, locking behind and pulling him down. There was a hunger to it that Dan couldn’t blame as he could feel that shift within himself as he pulled Harry flush against him, feeling that warmth through his clothes. A gentle hum that he swallowed flowed from Harry as easy as water, and Dan suddenly felt hotter. His jacket was stifling him, but removing it would be presumptuous of something more happening, and while he definitely wasn’t opposed - in fact, he felt he rather did want something more - he didn’t want to put Harry in an awkward position.
Seemingly, he didn’t need to worry, or perhaps Harry had been worrying the same but took the effort to risk it, as Harry’s hands fell down, running fingers across and down his neck, slipping hands under his jacket, the warmth of palms against his chest, and started pushing. Easy enough to slide his hands off Harry to get his jacket off, and to then work and push off Harry's with equal enthusiasm. The offending fabric gone, hands fell back to waist and pulled again, and another appreciative hum.
Was this getting out of hand, far beyond the professional line he should keep clear? Yes, most definitely. Did that stop him wanting this? Not at all, and Harry’s warm, eager little sounds made it rather impossible to want anything else other than them. They seemed to want the same thing too, back to pulling him down, fingers pushing up into his hair, and now Dan was humming contently as nails ran down his scalp.
Even without his jacket, he was still hot. He needed to get his shirt off. He took that upon himself this time, pulling himself back to work the buttons free, to loosen the tie and pull it over his head, let his shirt join his jacket on the floor. Probably shouldn’t leave them on the floor, but that seemed like effort, to stop and pick them up and find some place to put them. Greedy, eager hands came to his chest, and a hum turned to a moan as Harry’s hands explored.
This was definitely not how he expected the rest of his night to go. He was expecting to come up, collect the files, call a taxi and go home. Maybe cook himself some ready meal from the fridge, maybe skip that and just jack off instead - he needed it of he was honest, he was fucking tense - but it seemed, if things continued, he wouldn’t be getting off alone.
…
…
When Dan woke up, all groggy, it took him a minute to remember that he was not in his own bed. The sheets weren’t his and there was light hitting his face from the wrong side. Harry’s bedroom then. There wasn’t exactly anywhere else he could be, after last night. He reached out across the bed, but found it empty. They couldn’t have gone far, seeing it was their apartment, and Dan wondering if that was for the better or worse.
They’d need to have a conversation about what happened, he knew that. Skipping out without talking would do more damage than good and he knew that too, but he didn’t know what he wanted to say. He didn’t regret it he already knew that, not exactly. He had a good time - understatement of the year - and enjoyed himself, and Harry seemed to as well, but their working relationship had to come first before anything personal, and that had not been the case last night. If it wasn’t for the fact they worked together, and so closely, Dan would have no problem in pursuing something, if Harry wanted that also of course, but because they were partners, inspector and sergeant, that made things much more complicated.
Pulling himself upright and then swinging his legs over the edge, he realised he’d have to hunt for his clothes, not quite remembering where everything had been tossed in the night. He managed to find his trousers quick enough, but it took a little while longer to find his underwear, under account of the fact they were under Harry’s. Pulling them on and then his trousers, fairly sure his shirt was in the open space, he made his way, quickly first to the adjoining bathroom to sort himself, before venturing into the living room.
Harry was stood in the kitchen alcove over the cooker, and they turned when they heard him. “Good morning,” they said. “Your, urm, your shirt and stuff is over there,” pointing at the arm of the couch, his belongings neatly folded across.
“Thanks.” He pulled his shirt on and buttoned it loosely as he walked over to lean against the kitchen counter beside the oven. Eggs, bacon, tomatoes, a solid breakfast in the making. And Harry in his shorts and a t-shirt, and Dan wasn’t able to catch himself before he was already looking him up and down. “You didn’t need to make breakfast,” seeing as there was likely enough for two being made.
“Would seem a little cold to not to, after last night.” Dan nodded slowly. “There’s coffee on the pot by the way,” and Harry pointed with his spatula to the other side of Dan to the coffee maker.
“Oh, thanks. Mugs?”
“Bottom cupboard.”
Dan collected a large, rather cute blue mug from the bottom cupboard and poured himself coffee. A canister labeled sugar was true to its name and he spooned in, using the spoon from the can, and stirred. It was good stuff.
“I’m guessing we should talk, about last night,” Harry breached first, and Dan slowly nodded again. “Well, maybe you should start then, as, well, you know, my boss.”
Dan sighed, holding the warm mug securely in his hands. “Harry, this isn’t a time to be pulling rank. First names only, like last night; this isn’t work and we don’t need to treat it that way.”
“Okay, but you should still start, please.”
Dan took another sip from his mug. “Well, I enjoyed last night, so, well, thanks.”
“Saying thanks like that… It sounds weird. And I came onto you, so I suppose the thanks should be the other way around.”
“Mutual thanking then.” Harry flipped the bacon as he spoke. “But I don’t think this can happen again. Our professional relationship needs to come first, and I would rather not lose you as a work partner - I do happen to quite like you yano.” Harry smiled, but it wasn’t anything as bright as he’d seen last night, or even in the previous months. It was rather a little heartbreaking, if he was honest, but this was for the best. “We were, well, we’ve both been rather tense the past few weeks, and I think last night gave us a good opportunity to work that out of our systems, and that’s why we ended up in bed together. Not a bad thing, and like I said I enjoyed last night and I don't regret it, but I don’t think it can happen again.”
Harry nodded again as they stirred the eggs around to scramble them up. “Yeah, I feel the same. I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
“You say that, but your voice…” because Dan couldn’t leave it alone, couldn’t miss how Harry’s voice dropped in every way, in tone and volume and confidence. “I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you, in any way, I didn’t mean-”
“I know Dan, I know.” Harry sighed. “Could you get me some plates please? Top cabinet.” Dan nodded, setting his mug aside and collected the plates as instructed. Harry continued to speak as he dished out the food. “We are on the same page, that our professional relationship comes before our personal, and I know that, and I knew that last night too. I guess I’m just not used to one night stands, that’s all.”
“One night stands, they don’t have to be bad things.”
“Yeah, I know. Come on, we should eat.”
Plates full, pulling cutlery from the draw, Harry carried their breakfasts over to the small dining table, and Dan followed by bringing both of their mugs. “Harry, I hope doesn’t… I don’t want it to affect things at work.”
“It won’t. I rather like working with you too, and I’d rather that continue regardless of anything personal.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Okay then, that’s sorted. Things stay exactly as they were.” Harry smiled, and it seemed fully genuine, and so Dan returned on in kind. And so they sat and ate breakfast together, talking casually. It was a little awkward but Dan supposed it would be. Harry let him shower after, and called him a taxi when he was presentable. All seemed amicable and good and as casual as they always were in shared downtime.
When Dan got back to his own flat however, files were dumped on the side table and he flopped onto the couch, a level of exhaustion washing over him. He still felt odd about how he’d left things with Harry, about the whole past twelve hours or so. He really didn’t regret sleeping with Harry, not at all. Maybe he should, even a little bit, considering how it could jeopardize their working relationship, and yet… Maybe, and this came to Dan slowly over the course of a good few minutes staring up at the ceiling, maybe he had feelings towards Harry that weren’t strictly platonic. That was, sort of, a given, considering all they’d done in bed together, and Dan wasn’t a cold person, he did care about the people he slept with, and yet, he’d never left a one night stand feeling so off. He couldn’t even use the excuse that it was a work college, but he’d slept with a sergeant when he was just a constable and he hadn’t felt like this after. So maybe things were different with Harry after all.
He did care about Harry, and maybe, thinking about it, it would be nice to have something more, but not at the cost of their partnership. Working with Harry was far more comfortable than working with anyone before. Maybe that could be chalked up to the fact that Dan was the superior officer, but he didn’t think it was that black and white; that would be doing Harry a great disservice. He liked working with Harry because they got along, they looked out for each other, bought each other breakfast and lunch and dinner. There was something of an ease at which they slotted together, and Dan hated to think that maybe he’d messed it up.
So maybe he had feelings, and maybe he only fully realised that now, but it was too late anyway. And just like last night, Dan couldn’t bring himself to fully regret what he’d said that morning either. Maybe stress hadn’t been the only reason they ended up in bed together, at least on his part, but he meant what he said about prioritising their work relationship. And that’s what they’ll do.