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Carlos was sitting in the precinct and finishing today's paperwork. He actually had a lot of paperwork today, because everyone seemed to be going crazy, became somehow too aggressive and prone to violence. Maybe it was some kind of Moon phase or Mercury Retrograde or something like that... Carlos didn't know much about it. All he knew he had four calls for different fights in bars. Then some guy smashed the waiter's head with a beer bottle because he was asking for a tip. And after that there was a woman who scratched some man's face with her nails because his bulldog started harassing her "cute innocent little poodle" in the park. She also tried to scratch Carlos's face, but the cop's quick reflexes won.
Carlos finished his last report, leaned back in his chair, looked at his watch, and took a deep breath. There were 15 minutes left until the end of his shift. And then he will finally be able to go home to his fiancé.
TK had a day off today, so he promised Carlos to make dinner for them. This happened infrequently, mainly because TK simply didn't know how to cook. However, all those times when he had such a desire, he gave all his best and surprised Carlos with his culinary masterpieces. Okay, most of those times. They agreed never to mention that lasagna situation.
Carlos closed his eyes and tiredly smiled, imagining what he would do when he got home. First, he'll hug his fiancé - wow, he loved to call TK his fiancé - then they will have dinner, share some stories about how their day went. After that, they will probably watch some movie or TV show. Carlos thought they should choose some horror movie. TK really loved them, but at the same time always closed his eyes during the scariest moments and clung to Carlos closer and... as a result, he always got horny. After that, they will take a long shower together during which they will caress each other and then they'll end the evening in bed, making love. Perfect evening.
"Hey, Carlos."
Carlos shuddered and straightened sharply in his chair, opening his eyes. His colleague, Officer Peter Jackson stood in front of him. Peter was a good guy. Carlos always liked him, because he wasn't arrogant or rude. He was just a good guy. Carlos could even call him his friend.
"Hey, Pete. How are you?"
"Long day. What about you? Aren't your shift over yet?"
"The same. I had really grueling day." Carlos looked at his watch again. "And my shift will end in 10 minutes."
"So as mine. And I still have to deal with some thief from the supermarket." Peter sighed. "And I was so hoping to go home early today. I promised Maggie that I would come home before she fell asleep."
Maggie was Peter's charming three-year-old daughter. He often showed Carlos photos or videos of his daughter's new achievements. Carlos knew how much Peter loved her and how much he blamed himself for spending so little time with her.
"Go to your daughter. I will deal with your thief." Carlos said, surprising even himself.
After all, TK isn't three years old. He can wait a bit, which is not the case with Maggie.
"What?" Peter asked in surprise. "No, Carlos. I can't- I didn't mean to ask you to do my job for me."
"It's all right, Pete. I know you didn't try to do it. Remember how many times you covered me? I'll do it and we will be even."
It's true. Peter often helped him with the reports or even did it for him when Carlos wanted to go home to TK as soon as possible. He also always covered Carlos when he went to the 126 fire station for lunch to spend some time with his fiancé. God, he became so sappy.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I'll go to put my reports for the day in the archive, and you just bring him here and go to your daughter already."
"Thank you, Carlos. I'll buy you a coffee tomorrow."
"I have a day off tomorrow, but I won't refuse a free coffee on Monday." Carlos smiled, packing his folders and getting up from the table.
"Got it." Peter winked at him. Carlos slapped him on the shoulder and went to the archive.
The archive took Carlos five minutes. When he was returning to his desk, all he could think about was to deal with this thief as soon as possible and finally go home to TK.
Entering the room where the officers' tables were located, he froze in the doorway. An unpleasant chill ran down Carlos's back.
A guy was sitting at Carlos's desk with his back to him. His hands were handcuffed to the table. Carlos knew too well this soft, but uncombed hair. He knew too well this mole on his neck, which he loved to kiss so much. And, yeah, he knew perfectly well his own hoodie on this guy's shoulders.
"What the hell?.."
TK turned his face sharply to Carlos and smiled awkwardly.
"Hey, baby."
Carlos rolled his eyes, walked around the table, and sat in his chair facing TK. He hated the fact that this whole situation was already painfully familiar.
"Hey baby? Is that all you want to tell me now?"
"I missed you?" TK shrugged awkwardly, looking at Carlos with puppy eyes.
Carlos rolled his eyes again and turned away from his fiancé, opening the file on his desk.
"You missed me," Carlos muttered while reading. "You could've just waited until I get home. It was not necessary to resort to such radical methods."
"It all turned out so stupid."
"Stupid?" Carlos asked, never stopping to read the file. "Are you talking about the fact that now I have to deal with my fiancé who just did a theft, then attempted to escape and then attack a security guard? Yes, it's really stupid." Carlos sighed and leaned back in his chair. "TK, what were you thinking about?"
An expression of pure remorse froze on TK's face.
"Baby, this isn't what it seems. I can explain-"
"Okay. I'm all ears. Explain."
"What? Really? Do you really gonna listen my explanations?"
"Yes, TK, I want to give you a chance to tell me what happened before I start reading the security guard's testimony."
Carlos leaned his elbows on the desk and looked into his fiancé's eyes. They were so sad and ashamed. TK was able to withstand Carlos's gaze for only a few seconds, then sadly lowered his head. Carlos thought again that this whole situation was too familiar.
He sighed. "I have a weird feeling of deja vu."
TK looked at him again and smiled a little.
"It's even romantic."
"Romantic? What exactly do you find romantic in this situation, TK?" Carlos blinked.
"We seem to have come a full circle. We returned to this point," TK smiled softly. "But now everything is much better."
"Better? Why? Because this time you stole something first, and only then got into a fight?"
TK sighed. "Babe, it was not like that."
"Then tell me how it really was."
"I don't want to." TK lowered his eyes again.
"Excuse me.. You- you don't want to?" Carlos let out his eyes. What a cheek. "What do you mean you don't want to? I'm not asking you what do you want. I am an officer in charge of this case, you must testify to me."
"Wow, babe, you're so sexy when you talk like that. I love when you're in command."
"TK!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." TK looked Carlos in the eyes and pursed his lips. "I'm just ashamed."
"You should be ashamed, TK. Why on earth did you decide to steal something?"
"I didn't steal anything, Carlos! Do you really think I'm a thief?" TK pretended to be offended. "There was just a very stupid coincidence."
Carlos sighed again and rubbed his face with his hands.
"Okay," Carlos said and began to read the guard's testimony. "According to the security guard, the alarm at the entrance worked when you tried to leave the store with unpaid goods. He asked you to show the contents of your pockets and found there unpaid-" Carlos glared at TK. "He found an unpaid pack of condoms? TK, seriously? Did you steal a pack of condoms? Why? You're not a teenager anymore."
"I didn't steal it! Just put it in my pocket and forgot to pay."
"Yeah, you know, in order not to forget to pay for something, people first put the goods in the basket."
"I couldn't do that!"
"Why?"
TK lowered his head again and Carlos sighed again.
"And why did you even need condoms? We have a lot of them at home."
"No, babe. We used the last one yesterday, remember?" TK smiled seductively.
"Don't even try," Carlos stopped his attempt to seduce him by putting his finger forward. "And it wasn't the last one. I told you I bought two packs on Wednesday when I went to the pharmacy for Tylenol."
"Damn. I forgot." TK hissed in embarrassment.
"But it still doesn't explain why you decided to steal it."
TK sighed again. "Baby, it's really stupid."
"I have no doubt. Now tell me."
"Fine," TK rolled his eyes. "I went out to buy some vegetables for dinner. And then I walked past the hygiene department and saw some condoms and thought we'd need them today."
"And?"
"And... then Andrea appeared."
"My mum?"
"Yes. She appeared so unexpectedly that I panicked and hid the condoms in my pocket."
Carlos looked at him annoying.
"TK, I'm sure my mother knows that we have sex." Carlos said, wincing. He didn't want to think about how his mother thought about it.
"I know, I know! But, you know, I always get a little shy next to her..."
"Yeah, she's the only one person on that planet who can make you shy. And what happened next?"
"Then we talked about the wedding preparation and about that dish she was going to cook for dinner. I said I wanted to cook vegetable stew. She gave me some advice. And then she went to the meat department, and I went to the cash register. I just forgot about condoms in my pocket. I swear, Carlos. You don't believe me, do you?"
"If it would be someone else I wouldn't believe in it. But I believe that you could do something like that."
TK was almost offended by such an undisguised insult, but then he realized that Carlos probably had the right to be angry, so TK just smiled to him softly.
"Thank you, baby."
Carlos didn't react to his words. He continued to read the security guard's testimony.
"Well, okay, you forgot that you had condoms in your pocket. But why the hell did you start running away? Why didn't you just pay for them?"
TK sighed. "Just don't laugh, okay?"
"TK, do I look like I have fun here?" Carlos asked deadpan.
"I was just going to pay for them and apologize, but then-" TK sighed again. "I saw how your mother was going to the cash register and I panicked again because I didn't want her to see me in that situation, so I... just ran."
Carlos stared at TK for a few seconds, totally not believing his ears and questioning all his life decisions that lead him to that situation. Then he sighed and rubbed his face wearily again.
"God, it is just getting worse and worse."
"I warned you that it was a really stupid situation."
"And it's an understatement of the century," Carlos sighed and looked again at the guard's testimony. "So why did you break the guard's nose? Please don't say you panicked over my mom again."
"No, I didn't," TK smiled. Carlos looked at him sternly, totally not realizing what could be funny in this whole situation. "It happened by accident. I was running away and he caught me. I tripped over his foot and accidentally hit him in the nose with my elbow..."
Carlos didn't know what to say. This evening was going terribly wrong. He just wanted to finish his job and go home to his fiancé and tasty dinner. But his fiancé was here. In his damn precinct. And the worst part was that TK was sitting with such a guilty expression on his face that Carlos couldn't even be angry with him.
"Are you mad at me?" TK asked, as if he was reading his mind.
Carlos sighed once more. "No, TK, I'm not mad at you. I'm tired and a little annoyed. But I can't be mad at you. Even after this."
"Thank you. I love you, babe," TK smiled softly. "So what's next? Do I have to stay here for the night?" He asked anxiously.
"Given your bad behavior today, I would like to leave you in the precinct-"
"You're so hot when you talk like that, Carlos."
Carlos looked at his fiancé in displeasure again.
"Sorry."
"I would like to leave you in the precinct today. You know, just for preventive purposes. But I have no right to do so. You paid six times the cost of the condoms, so the supermarket administration has no complaints against you. The security guard also miraculously refused to write a statement against you. That's why you're free to go," Carlos slyly smiled. "Actually, you could've gone home right away, I just needed to record you. You weren't required by protocol to testify to me."
"Wait, did you fool me?" TK narrowed his eyes. "You just wanted to make fun of me!"
"I wanted to know the truth, TK, but you deserve it, don't you think?" Carlos smiled and got up from the table, removing the handcuffs from TK’s hands. "And I love you too, baby. But please don't do anything illegal anymore."
"I'll try," TK softly smiled at his fiancé, then also got up and gently kissed Carlos. "But I really love it when you're in your cop mode. So hot." He whispered in Carlos's ear.
"TK, we're still in the precinct and many of my colleagues are still around." Carlos said and walked up to the table, starting to collect his things. "Let's go home. I'm very hungry and I really want to try your stew."
"About that-" TK smiled awkwardly. "I went to buy some vegetables for dinner, and then you know what happened, so... I didn't cook anything for us."
Carlos sighed once more and walked past TK to leave the precinct.
"And I thought this evening couldn't get any worse." He muttered to himself.
TK apparently heard him and caught up with him to crossed their fingers together.
As they both sat down in Carlos' Camaro, TK smiled seductively at his fiancé and put his hand on Carlos's knee.
"What are you doing?" Carlos sighed, trying not to be distracted from the road.
"I know how to make this evening better, Officer."
"Mmm, really?" No matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, he was always turned on when TK called him an "officer". "And how?"
"We have a lot of condoms now," TK smiled smugly. "We need to find a good use for them. You can punish me for my bad behavior all night long, officer."
"You know I won't punish you."
And it was true. Despite his appearance of that big buff guy, Carlos was very gentle and loving in bed. TK sometimes thought that before Carlos he didn't even realize what it means to make love with someone, not just fucking.
"I know. But today you can make love with me all night long. All. Night. Long."
Carlos smiled and bit his lip in anticipation.
"If you insist... But first, please, let's go for pizza. I'm really starving."
"Of course, babe."
Carlos looked briefly at TK and smiled happily. Yeah, maybe it's not exactly how he imagined this evening. And maybe now they will never mention not only that lasagna situation, but also the stew situation. And maybe now Carlos won't let TK do shopping by himself... However, here and now he is sitting with the love of his life, with his fiancé. And he is happy.