Chapter Text
[Raymond POV]
It was a sunny day, when Raymond Holt - a newly appointed uniform officer is walking down a street in Brooklyn to do his routine as the officer in charge on this street. After two weeks of routine he already very familiar with the street - a hot dog stand just around that corner, a coffee stall on the street, a few kids playing at the empty lot.
It was a routine so there is nothing to be excited about, however as a young police officer, Raymond is always finding opportunity to help the citizens. Today has a good start, he already helped a few lost tourists find their way to the Brooklyn Bridge, settles an argument between the two food truck that apparently parked too close to one another. He felt pretty satisfied and proud in this morning.
"Oh dear. " A gasp came from his back, without hesitation Raymond turns around. The first thing enters his eyes was a young man that had like dozens of scrambled papers in front of him, and he is picking up some of the papers frantically.
"Sir, let me help you. " In a second, Raymond marched towards the man and offer his help. He picked up some of the papers that scrambled in some distance and want to pass it to him. At that moment the young man lifts his head and look at him.
He is having ginger red hair, all combed to the perfection, his eyes are such a pale blue reminds him of a pond that he used to visit when he was little. He dressed impeccably with a beige sweater vest, a white shirt and a cobalt blue tie that brings out his eyes even more so. His sleeves rolled up so Raymond can see his arm, not too muscle-y but just the right size and his skin had such pinkish hue corresponds with his white.
And the way he looks up to him, all of a sudden Raymond felt like a lightning strike on him.
Oh man. He is cute and beautiful.
"Thank you, officer. " The young man said while taking over the paper on his hand. It makes Raymond snapped back to the reality.
"You're welcome. " Raymond gulped and bend down to help him with the rest of the paper. And that was the time he read a little on the paper - he took a speed-reading course before.
"I am sorry that I read a few sentences in this, is this about the art gallery faux a few days ago? " These papers looks like some research notes and he couldn't help but asked.
"Yes, it is. I am writing a piece for the New Yorker. " The young man took the paper and to his surprise he stretched out his hand: "I am Kevin Cozner, I work at New Yorker as a writer. "
"Nice to meet you. I am Raymond Holt, a NYPD officer. " Raymond took his hand and they shake. Up, Down, Separation, a perfect handshake where Raymond never met anyone does this with him before.
They continue the chats for a while for the art gallery case, Raymond is not in charge or involve in the investigation but he hears his colleague talks about it, and he managed to share a few details with Mr Cozner, who must have the smoothest and honey-like voice in the world especially if his quip makes him laugh.
"Oh I am terribly sorry, I have to go. I am almost late for my work. " Mr Cozner nodded apologetically and after Raymond show his understanding, he quickly paced past him to his destination.
As he walks past him, Raymond could not help but turn around as well, watching the man that he just met like 5 minutes ago leave. It took him another minute to realize he is blocking the street by standing there like a statue. It also makes him realize that he wants to see Mr Cozner again.
There are over a million people in Brooklyn and Raymond quickly calculates the odds that he will meet Kevin again, which is disappointedly small even consider the fact that he knows he works at New Yorker without being a purposeful stalker.
Raymond let out a sigh at his unusual self, it seems like that Mr Cozner left quite an impression to him, and the fact that he is a writer does no help to that. He knows himself always having a thing to writer, thinking them create something out of their creative and brilliant mind is amazing.
He continues his walk on the street but his mind is not on the right track. Raymond used to think he was done with romance and dating after what happens to Frederick, which left a sour taste in his mouth every time he thinks about it. Also what are the odds that Mr Cozner is homosexual? He should not leverage this too far and too deep, Raymond stops himself.
Raymond took a deep breath, reorganize himself, leave the red hair cute writer on the back of his mind and continue his routine.
It was the only rational thing to do.
***
[Kevin POV]
Kevin was having his lunch on a Friday, he had class in the afternoon so he plans to finish his lunch early and go to the library to return a book before the class.
While taking his water, he can't help but think of an officer that help him picked up his paper when he imprudently dropped all his research notes on a street a week ago. That officer is handsome and the way he wears his uniform - all without a single crease ignites something in Kevin.
Not only is Officer Holt very good looking, and Kevin even taking out the fact that he felt his brown eyes was shining under the morning sunshine, but he also had such humor that makes him laugh for every quip he makes. Everything about him felt like a dream, a too good to be true dream.
Kevin allows himself to think about Mr Holt for another 2 seconds before standing up and leaving the diner. He had a day to go onto, he had that paper needed to be submitted in the late afternoon and he is a little worried about the score of the paper.
When he was walking down the street towards Columbia, he found that there was a roadblock on the usual road that he took. There is a crowd gathering at there and from the crowd talks, it seems like the store in front had a robbery.
Kevin decides it is best to avoid the scene and he was going to take another road when his gaze catch a certain uniform officer. He stops himself and walks towards the scene uncontrollably to get a better look on that officer.
It was Officer Holt, standing there straight and control the crowd flow with a stern expression. He is preventing the crowds from closing in and also politely ask the people to leave. This is a dangerous zone.
Kevin observed for a while, and obviously this is not a good situation to reconnect with Officer Holt (look what terms he is using), so he decides to leave and continue his plan to take on another road.
It is at that moment a masked man yelled while stormed out the store and was running towards Kevin direction.
"Get the hell outta my way!! " The masked man had a knife and he is wielding it towards Kevin. Kevin was paralyzed on the spot and just stands there watching as it happens, he don't know what to do in that moment.
"Get Down! Punk! " All of a sudden, a strong figure shows up and tackled down the masked criminal.
"Sir, Oh... Mr Cozner! Are you alright? " Kevin blinked a few times only to realize it is Officer Holt that tackled down the criminal in a swift action, and he is now standing in front of him, his brown eyes shine again under the afternoon sun.
"Mr Cozner? Are you okay? " The sturdy, brave man had worried in his eyes.
"Oh... Oh, yes, I am okay. Thank you, Officer Holt. " Kevin blames himself for the late appreciation on the sudden crush over the man that just saved him.
"I see, you're welcome. Mr Cozner." Officer Holt nodded at him, and he turns around to continue his duty.
Kevin swallows hard and decide to turn around and continue his walk to the library as well. On his path, Kevin could not stop thinking about the man. He saves him from a dangerous criminal, and he tackled the armed man without any hesitation. He could not help but also notice the officer's physique, such strong and sturdy physique, no wonder he can strike down a man with one swift action.
Kevin felt like he wants to cover up his face and crawled into a hole while keep thinking about Officer Holt.
He remembers the girls in his class are always talk about boys, and who did they have a crush on. He thinks about when they said the sign of a crush. The fact that he observes him when he met him, the feeling of can't stop admiring him, the feeling of want to be around him, the feeling of... keep thinking about him.
All points are checked. It is a fact that Kevin cannot ignored anymore.
He has a crush on Officer Holt. The young, handsome, hefty, brave police officer that helps him in the first meeting and saves him in the second meeting. Kevin will never think that his first crush will be such heroic figure, but he could not find other adjectives to perfectly describe him. Heroic. Yes.
While he is still indulging in his own daydreaming and fantasy about Officer Holt, some random thoughts popped into his head.
Is Officer Holt homosexual? What are the chances that he is homosexual? What are the chances that he first ever crush in his life is just as homosexual as he is? The statistics tells Kevin it was low.
Kevin felt like a bucket of cold water just poured onto him and make him awake from his daydreaming. Right. This is the 70s, where most of the people are even homophobia, he could not let these facts run past him.
Kevin is not a lucky man, in his life he never had once won something over a pure sheer of luck, so he doesn't think he will be lucky enough to meet someone that just happens to be his crush, that also just happens to be homosexual.
Life is hard and complicated, Kevin, wake up. He warned himself in his mind although he can't control his heart, he felt a little heartache just by thinking about this.
That is when he notices that he already reaches the university library, he shook his head intend to make himself think clearer. Push the whatever daydreams he had for the man aside first, he had a more important things to do than indulge in his own fantasies.
Kevin let out a sigh, his lips pursed together and walked into the library, and also put the heroic figure at the back of his mind. After all, he doesn't even sure that he will meet him again.
It was the only rational thing to do.