Keeping the Faith

Yay, Speed is coming back to work! And hazing the new guy! And getting into all sorts of yummy trouble! This chapter was a lot of fun to write.

And by the way, Speed's new furry little friend is based on my own pet at home, only mine is named Scooter. He's not a very broad thinker, but in his own limited scope, he's pretty bright. And just as mischeivous as Speed's new buddy.

I know that the Sarah Piper case happened in season 3. I’m inserting it into season 4. Deal with it.

This chapter’s warnings: M/M, M/M/M, oral, anal

This chapter’s pairings: Horatio/Speed, Speed/Ryan, Horatio/Speed/Ryan

Well, I see you in the morning
Putting on your pretty clothes
And I watch you do your make-up
Like they do in all those fashion shows

Then you turn to me so that I can see
If you put yourself together right
Then you go away and you're gone all day
But I know you're coming home tonight

And when you're home, darling all you've got to be is you
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do

Billy Joel – "When In Rome"

SIX MONTHS AFTER SHOOTING

Horatio wandered into the kitchen, his jacket over his arm. Another morning, another one of Speed’s excellent breakfasts, and then it was off to work with him. As he lay his jacket over the back of one of the chairs, he took a moment to look at Speed standing over the stove, tending to the bacon with his left hand and the eggs with his right.

He remained silent as Speed began to flip the eggs, the younger man cursing as he nearly broke one. Horatio chose to give him a few minutes to calm down before announcing his presence. He did so by moving behind his lover and pressing his lips to the neck above the flimsy white t-shirt. “Good morning,” he murmured.

Speed jumped a little, then relaxed. “Morning. You have fun last night?”

Horatio snorted and hooked his chin over the younger man’s good shoulder, watching the hands move. “And how should I answer that?”

Speed tilted his head in lieu of a shrug, flipping another egg with less difficulty. “Well, considering you went on a cover date last night while I was out partying, I’d kinda like to know how it went.”

Horatio gave a good-natured sigh. Going on a ‘date’ with a woman was something he did occasionally, to protect his reputation. Ironically enough, the women he ‘dated’ were usually either lesbians or close to it, trying to protect their own reputations. The ones that would sleep with him, he rarely did. Speed didn’t mind him fucking the occasional woman as long as Horatio took a long and thorough shower when he got home.

“You first,” Horatio said firmly, stepping back and allowing Speed to put the food onto plates covered with paper towels to soak up the grease. “I heard that there was an orgy at Deviate last night.”

Speed nodded. “Shame you missed it, too. You could’ve had a whole room full of cocks, but no, you had to go out on a date with a woman.”

Horatio made a face as he set the table. “Unlike you, I still have a reputation to maintain.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Speed said casually as he brought the food over.

“I sleep just fine,” Horatio countered, grabbing the carafe off the coffee maker and setting it on a hotplate on the table. “You’re the one that came dragging in after midnight, screwed out of your mind.”

“Hey, at least one of us got some last night,” Speed countered. They sat, pouring their coffee and putting food on their plates. “So, by the way, how was Miss Rachel Turner?” Speed inquired innocently. Not ‘how is,’ but ‘how was.’

Horatio gave him a Look over the rim of his coffee. “I don’t sleep with them on the first date, Speed.”

“But you got invited back.” Speed pounced on that.

Horatio nodded. “She’s a nice lady, and a good cook. Not as good as you, of course, but still.” He took an innocent swig of his coffee. “And by the way… she prefers other women, Speed.”

“Just like you prefer other men.”

“Exactly. That’s why it’s called a cover date.”

Speed stood and went for the toast that had just popped up. “Of course,” he muttered, “if you can get a little tail while you’re at it, then so much the better.” He hunched his shoulders as Horatio’s balled-up napkin bounced off the back of his head.

The redhead had an even better comeback than that, though. “Oh, and by the way… a young lady stopped by the lab yesterday morning. She was looking for you.” He watched Speed for a reaction. “She went by the name of Sarah Piper.”

Tim mouthed the name, eyebrows furrowed, as he sat back down. “I know that name, she’s…”

“An ex-adult film star who called herself Cookie Divine.” Horatio’s mouth twitched.

Speed noticed. “H…”

“I know, I know, she holds no interest for you. Wrong set of genitals, and all that.” The redhead’s mouth twitch became more distinct as a smile. “She quit the industry, dyed her hair, and found a boyfriend who had no idea who she was.”

“Good for her.” Tim blinked, shrugged, stabbed another piece of bacon. “Why was she looking for me?”

“Because after you solved her colleague’s murder, you told her to come find you if she needed help.” Horatio dabbed at his eggs with a piece of toast. “Her boyfriend had no idea who she was, as I said… but when they put new doors on their house, the contractor recognized her. And when her boyfriend unwittingly invited her to tape a session with him and she agreed…”

“And the contractor stole the tape.”

Horatio nodded. “The contractor stole the tape.”

“Well, how’d it work out?”

“We found the master and the copies, and just in time. Her former employer, who had been borderline stalking her ever since her retirement, had just started unloading boxes of DVDs labeled ‘Cookie’s Comeback’ when we pulled up.”

Tim broke into a grin. “What is it with you and the whole ‘nick of time’ thing?”

“It’s a gift.” Horatio smiled, toying with a piece of bacon. “She was genuinely shocked to hear that you were gone. I told her that you had been wounded in the line of duty, and been forced into early retirement.”

If he had anything else to say, it was interrupted by a series of noises, loud but muffled, that carried to their ears. Horatio smiled, and Speed gave a good-natured sigh and rolled his eyes as the noises continued. Speed leaned back in his chair and shouted. “Hang on, Locard! I’ll feed you as soon as breakfast is over!”

The barking continued, indignant. “Locard! Enough!” Speed hollered, and the dog ignored him. Speed grumbled and stood, taking a swig of coffee as he lumbered out of the kitchen and toward the laundry room. There was a pause, and a sudden “Shit! H, incoming!”

Horatio set his coffee quickly on the table as a black and white furry bullet raced into the kitchen. It skidded across the tile floor, dove under the table, and came up between Horatio’s legs with its paws reaching for his chest. Horatio scooted back and grabbed the paws before the dog could rear his head back and upset Horatio’s breakfast.

Speed ambled back into the kitchen, grumbling good-naturedly. “Dammit, dog, I know you’re supposed to be a genius, but could you at least wait until you grow into your legs before you start getting smart?” Locard gave Horatio’s face a quick tongue bath and went back to the floor, sniffing excitedly. Locard was a juvenile Border Collie mix, male, roughly nine months old and with the trademark fluffy fur and tall ears. Border Collies were the geniuses of the dog world, with some bloodlines boasting the intelligence of a five-year-old human child. Naturally, Speed’s dog had been blessed with the name of the father of modern forensics, Edmund Locard.

The dog was also a real handful, and at the moment Locard was learning that if he put his paws on Speed’s chair, he could reach the last of Speed’s bacon. “Mine!” Speed snarled as he dove for his plate. Locard was faster, though, and snatched the greasy treasure. He changed directions under the table and made a break for his doggy bed in the laundry room, but his progress was hampered by lack of traction. As his dog skidded on the smooth flooring, Speed dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the furry midsection. “That’s mine, dammit. Give it back!”

“You still want it?” Horatio asked with a raised eyebrow, taking another drink of his coffee.

Speed grumbled and struggled with his pet, vying for the juicy slice. “It’s the principle, H. And you know that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s.”

“Think of where that tongue has been,” Horatio reasoned.

“Think of where my tongue has been!” Speed shot back as he finally pried his dog’s mouth open and snatched his prize. He popped it into his mouth before Locard could lunge for it. “See? Mine, dammit. No bacon for you.”

Locard whined and licked Speed’s face as the man chewed his rightful breakfast, and Horatio chuckled. “How can you be angry at a creature that idolizes you like that?”

Speed grudgingly agreed. “He’s too damn smart for his own good, H.” He encouraged the dog to sit and gave it a scratch behind the ears.

Horatio, feeling that Speed was getting cabin fever, had gotten the dog for Speed’s birthday roughly a month ago. It had been rescued from a couple that was currently in jail for animal cruelty and neglect. Horatio had heard about the case, knew that Speed liked dogs, and made a phone call.

Despite its age, Locard’s previous owners had done painfully little training with the animal. Locard was housebroken, and that was it. To Speed, it was like adopting a two-year-old from another country. He had become irrevocably attached to it, though, so Horatio considered the venture a tentative success. The ‘lab’ results were still pending.

“I’ll bet he has to use the bathroom,” Speed reasoned as he stood, giving the dog an idle scratch and pushing in his chair.

“Probably.” Horatio checked his watch. “And I need to get going, Speed.”

“All right, H. Lemme put Locard up real quick. I’ll let him out after you leave.” Speed tugged on the animal’s collar, walking him back to the laundry room. When he emerged back into the kitchen, Horatio had already put on his jacket and was digging around in the gun safe. Wisely the younger man stood back and waited until the redhead holstered his weapon before wrapping his arms around the slim waist.

Horatio immediately reached a hand behind his head to run fingers through Speed’s hair. “Love you, Speed,” he murmured.

“Love ya back, H. Now scoot. You have a city to protect, and I have a dog to walk and a kitchen to clean.”

Horatio thought for a long moment, wanting to give voice to something he’d been thinking about for a while. “Have you given any thought to coming back to the lab, Speed?” he asked quietly.

Speed shrugged. “Sure, I’ve thought about it. I don’t think that a day goes by that I don’t think about it. I’m pretty sure that I’m not up to doing any really delicate work, though. And remember what Stetler said. Now, off with you.”

Horatio made a wry face at that as he allowed himself to be shooed out of his house. More and more lately, Speed had dropped little comments about being bored, or about science. He knew Speed wanted to come back to work. Needed to come back to work. But… could he do it?

And more importantly, could he and Horatio handle working together again chastely, after being so close every day for the past six months?

“Good morning, handsome,” Calleigh said teasingly from the doorway to Horatio’s office. Horatio’s head popped up from his paperwork to see the blonde standing there with a coffee mug in her hands. He waved her in, and she took a seat in front of the desk.

He tried to go back to his paperwork, but it impossible to do with Calleigh’s intense green eyes drilling holes into his forehead. He glanced up. “Is there something you need?”

She took an innocent sip of her coffee. “I heard you had a date last night.”

The redhead blinked at her.

“With a woman,” she added for clarification. She watched him over the rim of her mug.

Horatio started to say something, stopped himself, and sighed. “I’m not even going to ask how you knew that. And yes, I did.”

She tilted her head at him. “But what about Tim?”

“Oh, he knows.” He took a look at her disbelieving face. “Speed is my roommate, remember? He’s gay, I’m straight, and I had a nice date with a female last night.”

She stared at him. “And in reality, you and Tim are in love, the two of you are going at it like rabbits, and you’re going on dates with women just to cover your reputation.”

Horatio ducked his head, flushing. “As always, you see right to the heart of the matter.”

“Speaking of ‘seeing to the heart,’ I’ll explain it to Alexx so she doesn’t come looking for yours,” Calleigh said offhandedly. “With a scalpel.”

Horatio tilted his head, swallowing suddenly. “She knows, too?”

“Horatio, this is Miami. Lots of faces, lots of ears, lots of voices. I’ve heard it mentioned more than once today that you were seen with a woman last night, so people still think you’re straight. Although you may be too nice for your own good.” She took another sip. “I’m amazed that there aren’t more rumors about you and Tim.”

Horatio muttered something under his breath and reached for his own coffee, finding it still pleasantly warm thanks to the miniature desktop coffee-warmer that Speed had gotten him as a ‘just for the hell of it’ gift.

Calleigh smiled at the little heated plate. “You know, I miss having him around,” she said suddenly.

“Speed, in the lab?”

She nodded.

“Funny, I was discussing that with him this morning,” Horatio mused. “It would be good to have him come back to the lab, at least to visit. Not to mention, finally review all those cases that he was so rudely interrupted from.”

“And haze the new guy?” Calleigh couldn’t stop the cheeky grin, and Horatio quirked an eyebrow at her.

“I believe Mr. Wolfe is doing quite well, to be honest. He’s just…”

“Not Tim?”

Horatio sighed. “Exactly. Speed may not have been nearly as enthusiastic about his work as the rest of us, but he was still a CSI level 3.” He gave a mirthless chuckle. “He’s going stir-crazy just staying at the house, and it’s driving me crazy. You should see all the redecorating he’s done.”

“He’s bored, Horatio. He misses the challenge, solving all those puzzles. It’s one reason why we all enjoy our jobs as much as we do.” Calleigh threaded her fingers around her coffee mug, taking a sip. “How’s his efficiency with his left hand?”

“Almost as good as if he was born left-handed.”

“And his right?”

“He’s out of practice, but doing better. In fact, he cooked a good breakfast this morning.”

“Oh? And how were your eggs?” Calleigh’s green eyes smiled at him.

Horatio smiled back. “He didn’t break any yolks, but it was a close call.”

“I’d say that’s pretty good. You think Stetler would let him reapply? Maybe not out in the field, but as a lab tech?”

“A one-armed evidence handler isn’t going to look very good on Rick’s record, especially one that he’s already fired for poor gun maintenance. His arm works, but the muscles are extremely weak and sore.” Horatio sighed again, idly nudging some papers on his desk without really seeing them. “Speed’s got something in his favor, though, and that’s that he was my top trace expert. Sorry, Calleigh,” he smiled, noticing the flick of her eyebrows, “but there is only one Speed. You’re my Bullet Girl, remember?”

She sniffed airily at the title, hiding her blush. “You know, why should you even care what Stetler says? It’s your lab, and you have the right to hire and fire whomever you want.”

“But remember the deal they made. Speed agreed to hand in his badge permanently, on the condition that Rick would leave your reputation untarnished.”

She gave a modest smile. “I can stand a little tarnish. Speedle’s brilliant, and he’s just sitting at home watching TV and doing laundry.”

“I still fold some of that, by the way,” Horatio muttered casually around his coffee mug, and her smile grew. “Having only one good arm is extremely limiting, Calleigh, I can tell you that just by watching him. His strength is returning, but he’s lost a lot of dexterity. He thinks there’s a pinched nerve, but he hasn’t bothered to get it looked at yet. And let’s not forget that he is very, very out of practice with lab procedures.” He tilted his head, giving a frustrated grunt. “I honestly don’t know how he would be able to handle most of the evidence.”

“Well, maybe he can just consult, then. All the things he knows off the top of his head would definitely speed up some of the cases we’ve had lately.” She gave him another cheeky smile. “How many people do you know that have memorized as much about firearms as I have?”

He chuckled. “Point taken.” He paused, hesitant.

Calleigh noticed, of course; her sharp green eyes missed nothing. “What is it?”

“You should know, he broke his right shoulder again, about two and a half months after the shooting.” Horatio sighed, deliberately not looking at her and focusing on his coffee instead. “He tried to ride his motorcycle while I was at work one day, while still wearing his arm brace, and he crashed. Pulverized the joint completely.”

Calleigh clicked her tongue. “And so what happened then?”

“I talked him into finally getting an artificial joint. The surgery was only a few days after the accident, and by now the bones and connective tissue have knitted well enough for him to be in physical therapy.”

“Poor Speedle.” She sighed, then looked up at him. “He’s on pain medication, isn’t he?”

Horatio nodded. “He only takes it when he can’t stand the pain anymore, because of… his past. But,” and he continued quickly, “it is something that would show up under the ‘disapproval’ list if he should be asked to take a urine test.”

“Vicodin?”

“Oxycontin.”

“I see.” They took sips of their coffee, thinking. “You know,” the blonde said suddenly, “Speedle could get around the urine test.”

Horatio looked at her as if she was slightly mad, and she explained. “That remark Stetler made at the hospital, about ‘calling Tim’s boyfriend on him.’ He didn’t know that Tim actually has a boyfriend…”

“And I could nail him for sexual harassment,” Horatio finished, a devious smile on his face.

“Or have him hauled off for sensitivity training, at the very least.” She gave him a chipper grin. “You don’t have to out yourself, but you could say that Tim confided in you about it.”

Horatio nodded thoughtfully. “It could work.” He turned and looked at her, giving an appreciative smile. “What would I do without you?”

She shrugged modestly, hiding her own smile in her coffee mug. “I’m sure you could figure something out,” she drawled. And then she snickered. “By the way, Horatio?”

Horatio glanced over at her, eyebrow raised, and she grinned as she reached over and plucked at his sleeve, coming up with a few long white hairs between her fingers. “You need to be carrying a lint roller,” she murmured, “before you start contaminating the evidence.”

Horatio sighed and glanced down at his suit, noticing several stray hairs. “I think you’re right,” he admitted, brushing at his lapels.

She pulled a few more off his shoulder. “Well, at least we won’t have to go looking for any more reference samples for canine hair,” she remarked, and Horatio grunted. “A long-haired black and white dog in the Miami summertime. Come on, Horatio, I thought you’d be smarter than to wear a dark suit.”

He batted her hand away casually. “He’s shedding, and he jumped on me this morning. He almost got away with some of Speed’s bacon in the process.” She giggled as he relayed the brief tale.

“I still can’t believe you named him Locard,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Speed named him,” Horatio bit back as he stood up, needing a refill. “And thanks for the suggestion, Calleigh. In fact, I think I’ll go take care of that right now.”

“Break a leg,” she called as he disappeared around the corner.

“I want him back here, Rick. I want him in my lab.” Horatio stood in Stetler’s office, his hands on his hips.

“We made a deal,” Stetler sneered from behind his desk.

“I don’t care. I have a bored level 3 CSI that’s just sitting on his hands, doing nothing. We could use him back. I want him back.”

Stetler tilted his head. “I pulled his hospital records. Horatio, you really want me to put a doped-up guy with one good arm back in the field, handling all sorts of evidence? He never even cleaned his gun!”

“That will change,” Horatio growled.

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“By making sure he cleans his gun on a regular basis, for starters. I’ve also gone to physical therapy with him a few times, and he’s getting better.” Inwardly, Horatio was surprised that Stetler hadn’t remarked on the fact that Speed was still living with him. He decided that he wasn’t going to remark on the subject unless Rick brought it up.

“And the drugs, Horatio? I’m going to need a urine sample from him.”

Horatio gave the deadly sweet smile that he was so fond of, the one that told criminals Now You Are Fucked. “Rick, do you remember that day in the hospital, when Speedle was shot?”

“Of course.”

“Do you remember that line you threw out, about ‘calling Speedle’s boyfriend’?” Horatio kept his face neutral, his voice calm.

Rick smelled a trap anyway. “Yeah?” He tensed in his chair almost defensively, also remembering Horatio’s split-second reaction to that remark.

Horatio’s eyes blazed as his face continued with that deceptively innocent smile, pinning Stetler to the chair. “Tim Speedle is gay.”

Rick froze.

“Insensitivity won’t look very good on your record, Rick. Especially if the Captain hears about it. I hear his youngest daughter is a lesbian.” And she was; at Club Deviate, she went by ‘Siren’ and was usually seen hanging out with Tabitha.

Stetler fixed him with a desperate stare. “You wouldn’t.”

Horatio just kept smiling. “Yes, I would.”

Well it's alright if you're tired when your day is done
You can see when you look at me, you're not the only one
It's a cold, cruel world for a working girl
But you can't let them see you cry
It's a fact of life, now man and wife
Work full time to just get by

And when we're home, all it's gonna be is me and you
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do

I've done some strange things I never thought I'd do before
But if the strain brings happiness, more or less...

Billy Joel – "When In Rome"

NEXT MORNING

Speed gave the redhead an odd look as he stuffed another bite of pancakes in his mouth. “What do you mean, eat faster? What’s the rush?”

“I mean exactly what I said. Eat faster, and walk Locard as soon as you’re done. And when that’s over with, put on some decent clothes.” Horatio gave his shirtless lover an innocent smile over the rim of his coffee mug.

Speed just stared at him.

Horatio gave in. “I got your job back, Speed. You’re coming with me this morning.”

Speed’s jaw dropped. His brown eyes were almost comically huge as a look of genuine shock paraded over his face. “You… you did?”

“Mm-hmm. Now, are you going to come to work with me, or do you still need to clean the kitchen?”

Speed leapt from his chair and darted around the table to catch Horatio in a crushing bear hug, nearly causing the redhead to spill his coffee. Horatio set it down quickly as Speed grabbed his chin and planted a near-frenzied kiss on his lips, his tongue diving into the redhead’s mouth. Horatio felt his cock stir as his lover plundered his mouth, Speed’s hands ravishing the older man’s slim body almost as passionately as the first time Horatio had told him he loved him.

“Easy, Speed,” Horatio gasped as soon as the younger man let them breathe. “You keep that up and we’re going to be late.”

“I don’t care,” Speed gasped back, swinging one leg to sit on Horatio’s lap, running fingers through the soft copper hair and claiming his lover’s lips again. “God, H, thank you! Thank you so fucking much!”

“No worries,” Horatio mumbled into Speed’s mouth as the brunette made a determined effort to suck his tongue out of him. He was definitely getting hard now, and somehow he knew that Speed wasn’t going to let up. “Speed…”

“Y-yeah, H?”

Horatio finally repossessed his own mouth, only to plant it firmly against Speed’s jaw. The younger man made a subtle moaning noise and tilted his head up, begging for more even as his hands began to tease Horatio’s nipples through the dress shirt. “Speed,” Horatio murmured into the sandpaper neck, “I can’t go to work like this.” He rocked his hips suggestively, and Speed couldn’t help another moan at the definite bulge that pressed into his ass.

“What do you plan to do about that, Speed?” Horatio rumbled throatily, pressing his lips to his lover’s collarbone and sucking gently.

“I’m… I… oh fuck, H,” Speed groaned, his train of thought slipping away from him upon the feeling of Horatio sliding his hands down Speed’s back to cup two firm handfuls of his ass.

“What an interesting idea, Speed,” Horatio murmured wryly. “Would you like me to fuck you?”

“Oh God, H, yes,” Speed moaned. “Crawl inside me and fuck me stupid.”

Horatio allowed a tiny smile to cross his lips. “I’d prefer for you to have your wits about you today, Speed,” he rumbled as he fished inside the pocket of his jacket—which had been draped over the back of his chair—for the bottle of lube he kept in there for those just-in-case moments. “However, I think I can manage to make you forget your name for a little while.” He began teasing a nearby nipple with his teeth while he uncapped the little bottle.

“H, please!” Speed groaned, his teeth chattering as Horatio exploited that little quirk of the younger man’s nervous system.

Horatio chuckled. “Get those off,” he ordered in a husky growl, tugging on the waistband of Speed’s sweatpants with his free hand. Speed panted and rose awkwardly, all his weight on one foot and one hand grasping the back of Horatio’s chair, trying to tug his pants off while still mostly straddling his lover. It wasn’t going to work, and he muttered a frustrated curse as he hop-stepped to the side and back to standing on two feet, shucking off his pants and letting them fall to a puddle on the floor.

Speed instantly turned to the redhead and began fumbling for his belt and fly. Horatio hid his amusement at his lover’s neediness and simply watched as the younger man pulled his cock free, stroking it firmly. “Speed,” Horatio whispered in a certain tone, one that let Speed know that in no uncertain terms did he have the time or the patience for teasing this morning.

Speed’s response was to straddle Horatio again, holding himself high enough that Horatio’s lube-slick fingers could go to work on his ass, and the brunette clenched the back of Horatio’s chair and gave an aroused sigh as one finger breached him, then almost instantly another one. Horatio was rushing this morning, but hopefully not so much that he’d need a condom. He didn’t have any in his suit jacket, and if he wanted the one out of his wallet, Speed would have to stand up again and that just wasn’t happening.

“H, get in me,” Speed growled desperately, his legs starting to cramp from the awkward position. “Please, H?”

Horatio gave a dark chuckle and nipped at the younger man’s nipple again as he slicked up his own cock. Finally he capped the lube and dropped it back in his pocket, holding his dick up with one hand and guiding Speed with the other as Speed lowered himself. Both men held their breaths with anticipation as Horatio pressed against Speed’s hastily-stretched entrance, and both gave identical groans as Speed relaxed himself enough that the head slipped through, and Speed sank down onto Horatio’s lap with a sigh of fulfillment.

“You’re going to be wearing those zipper treads if you don’t start moving,” Horatio rumbled, grasping his lover’s ass again and wincing as his hands brushed across the zipper of his open fly.

“Don’t care,” Speed growled back, lifting himself up until just the head of Horatio’s cock remained in him, and then letting himself drop back down, the impact making both men gasp. “Fuck, H, you feel so damn good in me,” Speed moaned, his lips finding Horatio’s and kissing the breath out of him as he rose and fell again.

“You’re not… so bad… yourself,” Horatio grunted in a delayed rhythm to that of his lover, fighting for breath. Speed was all but knocking the wind out of him every time he dropped onto his lap, but Horatio wasn’t complaining. “God, Speed, don’t stop.”

“Never,” Speed agreed, increasing his pace, glorying in the velvet rod that impaled him with every stroke. Horatio leaned his head back and watched his lover’s face as it twisted in that carnal ecstasy, his field of vision dominated by the hairy chest that rose and fell before him, inertia making the ring hanging around Speed’s neck bounce and jerk and occasionally flick Horatio in the face. With precise timing, Horatio jerked his head forward and caught the ring in his lips. Speed’s next rise nearly yanked it out of his mouth, but the younger man noticed the gesture and grabbed the ring, tugging it around so that it hung over his back. Rather than return to the back of the chair, Speed’s hand began jerking himself, eager to come around his lover. Horatio began to get the feeling that the younger man’s legs were probably getting fairly tired.

And so Horatio gripped the seat of the chair with both hands, aiding in the bucking of his hips into his half-standing lover as Speed raised and lowered himself onto the redhead’s dick, one hand on the chair back and the other stroking his own length. Speed’s face was to the ceiling as though communing with the gods of lust, and Horatio couldn’t help latching onto one of the nipples that bobbed in front of his face, and Speed groaned again.

“God, H, I’m… I’m coming…”

“Not on my shirt, you’re not,” Horatio said quickly. He grasped his lover’s ass firmly, tugging him to more of a standing position. Speed stood as well as he was able considering the chair and the man and the dick between his legs, sliding free of his lover, and Horatio scooted back a little and hunkered down to wrap his lips around Speed’s throbbing member even as two fingers found that still-slick passage and dove inside, teasing Speed’s prostate.

Speed threw his head back and moaned long and low, his hands on Horatio’s shoulders as he came in his lover’s mouth, Horatio milking him inside and out, swallowing every drop, devouring every scrap of the brunette’s essence. The younger man’s legs were shaking by the time his orgasm finally subsided, and Speed panted as he claimed the redhead’s mouth again, tasting himself.

“Speed…” Horatio gasped when his lover came back for air.

Without a word, Speed dropped carefully to his knees on the tile floor, inhaling Horatio’s cock. Horatio gave a low growl as his head lolled back, his hands finding Speed’s shoulders as the naked man licked, sucked, and massaged his length. He’d already been close to coming when Speed had climaxed and it took little time for the brunette to finish him off, Speed bathing Horatio with his warm mouth as the older man sucked in a breath and arched his back, fighting not to drive himself into his lover’s throat as he came, his come slapping against the back of Speed’s throat like a shotgun blast.

Speed swallowed the load and licked his lover’s cock clean as his legs finally gave out, and he sank down to a seated position with his body pressed against Horatio’s leg, one elbow slung over a slim thigh. Tenderly Speed released the redhead and let his head sink onto the older man’s leg with a sigh of exhaustion and satisfaction.

Horatio smiled down at him and stroked his hair. “That was wonderful, Speed.”

Speed could only nod in agreement, giving Horatio’s spent cock a last affectionate lick. He tried to stand, but his legs rebelled and he only got a few inches off the floor.

Horatio chuckled, stuffing himself back into his pants and checking for any visible signs of their tryst. “Need some help?”

Speed gave a tired sigh. “Only all I can get.”

Horatio reached down and helped his spent lover climb to his feet. “Go get dressed, Speed. I’ll walk Locard.”

“Thanks, H,” Speed nodded as he found his balance. He leaned down for a quick kiss before grabbing his sweatpants off the floor and staggering out of the kitchen. As Horatio stood and slipped his suit jacket over his shoulders, he could hear the younger man’s feet plodding tiredly up the steps, and he smiled to himself.

Walking the dog was a quick affair, and Horatio found himself slightly embarrassed to be seen following behind the animal on his leash, a well-dressed man in an expensive suit waiting for his pet to hike its leg or hunch up in some tall grass. It was a privately owned backyard so they didn’t have to pick up the droppings, but still. Horatio found himself glancing at the white slat-board gate at the end of the stone path through the yard, which lead out onto a very tiny stretch of white sand beach.

This was why he liked his house so much. It was the view. And his own private bit of beach; how many people can say that they owned part of the beach? Well, plenty, he was sure, but this part was his. His and Speed’s.

Finally Locard had performed all the proper functions, and Horatio clicked his tongue and trotted the dog back to the house. Speed was just coming down the stairs as Horatio put Locard back in the laundry room.

“Ready, Speed?” Horatio asked, giving his lover a careful look.

Speed nodded. “I’ve been ready, H.”

Horatio accepted that, and they headed for the door. Speed had his hand on the doorknob when Horatio suddenly darted up behind him, wrapping one arm around the younger man’s waist and tilting his head to press his teeth against the back of Speed’s neck. Speed halted, a sudden groan rising from his throat as Horatio worked his jaw gently, marking him low enough that the collar of his shirt would mostly cover the bite.

Finally Horatio reared his head back to admire his handiwork, gave a small smile, and pressed his lips to the saliva-slick flesh.

“What the hell was that for?” Speed wondered, his legs shaking.

Horatio chuckled as he nuzzled his target. “Just marking my territory,” he explained casually.

Speed just shook his head once Horatio let him go, twisting around to catch one last kiss before they stepped out of the house and into the public eye.

As Horatio watched the younger man walking ahead of him, he gave a quiet sigh. That denim-covered ass, just within arm’s reach and yet so far away… he grumbled morosely as he realized that it was going to be a long day.

“Alexx?” Speed poked his head into Autopsy, looking for the lean coroner. She spotted him and laid her scalpel down, giving her current ‘client’ an almost apologetic pat on the arm as she peeled off her gloves and tossed them in the biohazard bin.

“Timmy!” Alexx came up to him, hugging him tight. “How have you been, baby? Oh, it’s been too long!”

Speed grunted, giving her a pat on the back. “Alexx? I missed you, too, but… arm?”

“Oh, sorry.” She backed off a half-step, still holding on to his good shoulder. “How are you feeling? It’s been six months, Timmy. So why hasn’t that shoulder healed up yet?” She leaned close, whispering sternly. “Is Horatio being too rough with you?”

“Alexx!” Speed yelped, his ears turning red. “No, it’s nothing like that! I just… did something stupid.”

“And what might that be?” She released his arm so she could cross her own, tapping her foot and giving him her piercing ‘You Can’t Hide From Mother’ look.

“I…” he stared desperately at the floor. “I tried to ride my bike. Tried.”

“Timmy,” she growled at him, rearing back her hand as if to slap him on the back of the head, “if you were my boy, I would beat you senseless!”

“He’s already senseless,” Calleigh broke in, grinning as she entered the Autopsy Theatre, and Speed quickly moved toward her. She stopped, holding her hands up. “Oh, no you don’t. You’re a big boy; no hiding behind me.”

Speed looked panicked as Alexx advanced on him, and he turned as if to dart out of the room when the doors opened again, and there stood Horatio and a younger man that he didn’t recognize.

“H, help me!” Speed yelped, moving toward his lover.

Horatio chuckled as he stepped between the handicapped man and his would-be assailant. “You should’ve seen this coming, Speed. Just be glad I didn’t tell her ahead of time.” He paused, speaking over his shoulder. “She would’ve been waiting for you in the parking lot.”

“And had a slab all prepped and ready for me, too.” Speed gave a theatrical shudder. The strange man watched it all, wide-eyed. Cowering behind the tall redhead, Speed saw the man’s name badge and proffered his left hand out of habit, fingers curled down to shake the stranger’s right. “Tim Speedle, ex-CSI. You must be my replacement.”

The stranger swallowed. “Ryan Wolfe.” He shook Tim’s hand carefully, slightly puzzled. “Has Alexx always been like this?”

Speed barely heard him; as they shook hands, his gaze was drawn to the younger man’s eyes. Ryan’s weren’t brown, as he’d originally thought at the first glance. They were a deep hunter green, with flecks of an almost amber color.

Other than Horatio’s, Tim thought that they were the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen.

“Ryan, you should know by now,” Calleigh chided, breaking into his thoughts, laughing silently as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Horatio as a part of Speed’s ‘wall.’ “Alexx is sort of like our den mother on Day Shift, and Speedle here is one of her favorites.”

Alexx stalked in front of Horatio and Calleigh and finally gave up. “Fine, I won’t hurt him. But this is your warning, Timmy. You hear me?”

Speed peeked from around Horatio. “Loud and clear, Alexx.”

“All right.” Alexx crossed her arms. “Now, all of you get out of here before I have you arrested for disturbing the peace.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Horatio said calmly, and the little entourage left the room.

Ryan paused to look at Speed. “Uh, nice to meet you,” he muttered before walking quickly away.

Horatio and Speed cocked their heads at each other. “The hell was that about?” Speed muttered. Horatio shrugged.

“You know, you’ve changed,” Calleigh cut in quietly.

The lovers exchanged glances. “Who, me?” Speed asked finally. “Changed how?”

The blonde gave a soft smile. “You used to be all quiet and grumpy. Now you’re almost… happy.” She tilted her head and looked between the two of them. “I guess being in love will do that to you.”

Both men ducked their heads, slightly embarrassed smiles on their faces.

“That’s so cute,” Calleigh murmured, smiling broadly.

“Shut it,” Speed grumbled, scratching his neck and accidentally revealing the bite mark to Calleigh. Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth, glancing at Horatio and then darting away from them before she couldn’t contain herself any longer. She was almost out of earshot before her peals of laughter bounced back toward them along the hallway. “Very funny,” Speed growled after her, tossing a pointed look at Horatio.

The two made their way to the empty layout room, Speed glancing around and admiring the new lighting. Movement caught his eye, and he glanced over to see Ryan sitting next to Cooper in the AV Lab, working on something. Horatio followed his gaze and smiled.

“H?”

“Yeah, Speed?”

Speed swallowed. “His eyes are fucking gorgeous.”

“I know.” Horatio smiled.

Speed tapped his finger on the table. “You think he—“

“No idea.” Horatio stared at Ryan’s back, along with Speed. The chair that Wolfe was sitting in obscured their view of his lovely-looking rear, but Horatio had gotten many a quick glance at it. “I’ve heard of him going out with women a few times, but never anything definitive. One, whom I could only describe as a particularly vicious lamprey, keeps trying to latch onto him. He may have taken her to dinner once or twice, but I can say with certainty that nowadays he does not appreciate her company.”

As they watched, Ryan clapped Cooper on the shoulder and stood, headed for the bullpen. He adjusted the fall of his sport coat as he did, giving Horatio and Speed a momentary shot of his denim-clad ass. Speed gave a low whistle.

“Wait until you see him in a T-shirt,” Horatio rumbled, giving a knowing smile.

Speed’s mouth was almost watering. “I’d like to see him in nothing at all, H,” he whispered hoarsely.

Horatio merely chuckled. “He was something of a stringbean when he first started here, but I have noticed a change in him. He has a respectable physique now.”

Speed gave him a sideways look. “That’s your way of saying that he’s well on his way to becoming a total hardbody, right?”

“Something like that.”

The brunette put a hand to his stubbled chin, thinking. “You know, H, the way he’s dressed looks kinda familiar.”

“You noticed it, too? I believe it to be a form of hero worship, honestly. He all but saluted me when I first met him at a crime scene.”

Speed snorted. “Why, H, you meet such lovely people in such interesting places.”

Horatio snorted back. “I’m not going to dignify that with an answer. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to work. Roam around if you will, say your hellos. You may answer questions if anyone asks for your advice, but you will touch nothing until I get your badge back. Understand?”

Speed nodded. “Go get ‘em, H.”

Horatio nodded and gave his lover a secret smile as he turned and walked out of the room.

Speed stood there a moment, peering around. He liked the lab’s new look, with all the lights and the glassed-in rooms. He was busy staring across three different hallways at the DNA lab when he heard someone behind him and he turned to see Eric, who looked just as startled to see him.

Speed remembered his last conversation with the Cuban, and knew that this needed to be fixed. “Hey,” he said cautiously.

“Hey,” Delko replied, just as cautiously.

Pause. “Are you going to scream at me again?” Tim asked quietly.

Sigh. “No, I’m not going to scream.”

“But you are going to say something.” Speed’s voice pointed out the obvious.

“I can’t not say something. What you’re doing is wrong, Tim.”

Tim. Eric had always called him Speed, and that hurt. “Who died and made you God?” Speed snapped.

“Oh, so now you’re making fun of my religion?” Delko glared at him, shoulders hunched.

Speed stood his ground. “I never did that until you started making fun of my preferences. Know why? Because I respected what you believed in.”

Delko had no answer for that.

“I’m not going to start hitting on you, if that’s what you’re afraid of. For one thing, I’m happily involved already. And for another thing…” Speed paused, thinking of a way to phrase it. The best he could come up with was “I wouldn’t hit on you for the same reason you wouldn’t hit on Calleigh. Sure she’s good-looking, but you’re friends and you work together, so it just wouldn’t work. And besides, I know you wouldn’t like me like that, anyway.”

Delko blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean, that she wouldn’t like me like that?”

“Huh?”

“You’re referring to Calleigh, right? What, have you talked to her? Is she like you, like…”

Speed’s eyebrows shot through the roof, and Delko suddenly realized that he’d allowed the example to distract him. Eric’s mouth worked but no sound came out, and Speed beat him to the punch. “You’re in trouble,” he said calmly, pointing a casual finger in the tall Cuban’s direction.

“I, I…” Delko started, then stopped. Getting a shrug and a heavy sigh out of his system, he looked at Speed. “If you’re coming back to work, we’re going to have to get along. So,” he stuck out his hand. “Truce?”

Speed shook it gladly, right-handed but a bit limply, his shoulder bugging him. “Truce,” he responded, and started rubbing his shoulder as soon as Delko let go. “And if you give me any limp-wrist jokes, I’m gonna sic Alexx on you.”

Eric threw up his hands. “Hey, that’s what truce means.” The two looked at each other a moment. “So, who’s your boyfriend?” Delko asked casually.

Speed blinked at him. “Not telling.”

“Oh, come on. I know you like guys, so what’s the problem?”

“Because he’s still in the closet, and if he comes out, it’ll ruin him.” Speed sighed sadly; how he wanted to be able to be affectionate with Horatio in public. Even holding hands was out of the question.

“Does H know him?”

Speed tilted his head. “Yeah, H knows him, and he isn’t telling, either.” An idea crept into his mind. “Matter of fact, that’s why I’m still living with him; my boyfriend can’t allow even the slightest hint of liking guys to go public. And besides, I still have problems with my arm.” He headed Delko off at the pass, hoping that the Cuban bought it.

And once again, he did. “Nice of H to do that,” he said softly, but Speed saw the twitch anyway.

Does he suspect anything?

Speed decided to play it cool. “So, did you need anything, or were you just dropping in to say hi?”

Delko cocked his head. “Funny, I was gonna ask you the same thing.”

“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to start dealing with me again.” Speed gave him a sarcastic grin, and it worked; Delko gave him a familiar why-do-I-put-up-with-you? look and walked off, shaking his head.

Speed wandered the lab for a while longer, saying hello to old friends and making new ones, and one time he was even dragged into the trace lab and asked to bend over a microscope and identify what the hell a certain substance was. Speed grinned and complied, and the case progressed.

To Speed, it was like a second homecoming—the first, of course, being when he’d moved in with Horatio. He caught glimpses of his favorite redhead throughout the day, but for the most part he simply strolled around with his Visitor’s badge hanging around his neck, letting the atmosphere come back to him. He remembered once remarking about how his job was ‘just a paycheck,’ but now he realized that this was really and truly where he belonged. Living with Horatio and working at the Crime Lab, Speed was home.

When the day finally wound to a close, Speed was more than ready to come back tomorrow. And so, right before Horatio and his lover bedded down for the night, Horatio handed Speed his badge back. It ignited the younger man’s fires again and they made love once more. It was after both of them had come that Speed snuggled with the redhead. “Thanks, H,” he murmured. “Love you.”

Horatio smiled at the scruffy black hair lying on his chest. “Love you, too, Speed. Good night.”

Then I don't mind masquerading with all those other fools
I don't mind the games I'm playing,
Because I've learned the rules
And when times are tough, I've got just enough
If you're standing right by my side
Darling, more and more I get hungry for
All the ways you keep me satisfied

On our own there ain't nothing that we can't get through
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do

Billy Joel – "When In Rome"

THE NEXT DAY

“White lab coats,” Speed remarked as he pulled his on, his name embroidered over the lapel pocket: ‘T. Speedle.’ It fit just like his old one had.

Calleigh turned to him, one eyebrow lifted.

“When I worked here before, we had blue ones,” he reminded her.

She thought a moment and realized that he was right. “Well, we had white ones, too. You were just one of the holdouts for the blue coats.”

“It still looks good on him,” Horatio stated. He, Calleigh, and Speed were the only ones in the layout room at that time.

Calleigh rolled her eyes at him. “You think he looks good in a HazMat suit.”

“Guilty as charged,” Horatio admitted and ducked his head, and Speed just snorted at him.

“And you call me the horny one,” the younger man growled good-naturedly. He turned to Calleigh and hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the redhead. “Don’t let the nice-cop attitude fool you. Behind those shades is a hedonistic nymphomaniac just dying to get out.”

Calleigh peered around Speed’s shoulder at their boss, who stood there with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. “I… can’t picture it,” she said finally.

Speed blinked. “You can’t? I mean, just look at him. He’s a shark with legs!”

Calleigh couldn’t hold back her smile. “I can picture him taking you out on a date, but the though of Horatio getting frisky just…” and she broke out into the giggles.

Speed managed to keep a straight face as he turned to look at his lover. “She didn’t just say ‘getting frisky.’”

Horatio nodded, still slightly flushed. “Yes she did.”

Anything Speed might have had to say was interrupted by Horatio and Calleigh’s beepers. The two active CSIs checked them, glanced at each other, and sighed. “Duty calls,” Horatio said with a shrug.

Speed made a shooing motion. “You guys get out of here. I gotta start going through all those damn cases that I left half-finished.” Stetler, while giving Speed a pass on the urine test, had insisted that Speed review three months’ worth of old cases.

Calleigh cocked her head. “Shall we?”

“After you,” Horatio replied, making a grand sweeping gesture with one arm. She knew that something was up, though, and stood lookout for just long enough for Horatio to give Speed a quick peck on the lips. “Love you,” Horatio murmured.

“Love ya back,” Speed whispered. “Go get ‘em.”

A FEW HOURS LATER

“Speed?” Horatio’s voice came from the doorway, and Speed’s head popped up from the microscope.

“What’s up, H?”

Horatio watched him for a moment, “How are you doing?”

Speed cocked his head. “I’m good, H. I’m back, and it’s like I never left.”

“That’s good to hear, Speed.” He paused. “Have you spoken with Eric yet?”

The younger man shrugged, glancing back down to his microscope. “If you’re referring to our little fight at the hospital, we declared a truce. If you mean today, then I’ve seen him once or twice.”

“Was he busy?”

Speed thought a moment. “Yeah, he was in the garage with Tripp. Why?”

Horatio tapped his beeper. “I just got a call, but I’m already up to my neck working that double homicide with Calleigh. Think you can find Wolfe?”

“Find me for what?” The voice came from behind him, and Horatio turned to see Ryan standing there.

“Excellent timing. A call just came in, 420 at the new Alejandro hotel. I need you, Mr. Wolfe, to take it.” He turned to his lover, who was just putting away his evidence. “Speed, I know you’re not cleared to go back out into the field yet, but would you mind helping him process the evidence when he gets back? From what the first responder implied, there’s going to be a lot of it.”

Speed shrugged one-shouldered, paused, and shrugged again with deliberate effort to include both joints. “I’m good, H.”

Horatio nodded. “Mr. Wolfe?”

Ryan tried not to look as nervous as he suddenly felt. Horatio was putting him with Speedle? Despite the rumors about his sexual preferences, Tim Speedle was touted as a near-legendary trace expert and CSI… at least, according to Eric. “I’ll be fine.”

Calleigh strode into the lab, an amused smile dancing over her face. “Don’t be scared, Ryan. He won’t bite.” Apparently she’d overheard the discussion.

Horatio’s mouthed twitched but he carefully refrained from commenting. Speed noticed and sent a covert glare at his lover, pointedly rubbing the back of his neck, and Horatio’s eyes went elsewhere. Speed was still sporting the distinctive bruise from the redhead’s love bite yesterday morning.

“Horatio, when you have a moment,” Calleigh started, “There’s something you should see in Firearms.”

“I’ll be right there,” Horatio nodded as the blonde turned and left.

When she was gone, Ryan shuffled nervously on his feet and then leaned in close to the redhead. “H, I have a quick question…”

Horatio hid his amusement at both Ryan’s sudden caginess, and the way Speed’s head popped up to look closely at them. “What might that be, Mr. Wolfe?”

“I just wanna know… am I assisting him, or is he assisting me?”

Horatio eyed him steadily. “You assist each other, Mr. Wolfe. You know this. And if you’re worried about me dropping you from the team…” he paused to watch Ryan swallow, “then you truly have nothing to worry about at all. I approve of the way you do things. Just work with Speed for a while, get used to each other. You might learn something.”

Ryan’s shoulders drooped a bit. “Sure thing, boss,” he muttered, turning away. He didn’t look at Speed as he exited the lab.

Speed cocked his head. “What the hell was that all about?”

Horatio sighed. “He’s worried that I’m going to send him back to Patrol now that you’re back. And by the way, you’re still on probation until you pass the Firearms exam.”

Speed’s shoulders drooped as much as Ryan’s had. “I hate guns,” he mumbled.

Horatio chuckled. “I know you do, Speed, but hating your weapon is what got you into that mess,” and he pointed to his lover’s shoulder, “in the first place. Now, I will not argue that good things have come out of that situation, but I’m putting my foot down on this.” He stepped forward, his voice softening. “I can’t watch you go down again.”

Speed favored the redhead with a soft smile. “I wish I could hug you right now.”

Horatio gave a world-weary sigh. “I wish you could, too.”

Speed glanced at the floor. “So, no gun?”

“Not until you pass Firearms. That means that you have to have a CSI or a uniform shadowing you at all times in case something comes up and you’re out in the field.” He put an edge into his voice. “And tonight, I will teach you how to clean the thing. And you will clean it at least once a week.”

“Great.” Speed’s voice said that such an activity was anything but great, but they’d established boundaries at their place of business. They were here to work, not to love on each other, and Horatio was the boss.

Besides, it gave Speed so many reasons to plan devious S&M scenes for his pet redhead.

LATER

“That’s the first batch,” Ryan panted. “The rest of it is in the evidence locker.”

Speed lifted an eyebrow. They were in the layout room, and a good half of the table was stacked with boxes, evidence bags, and larger items wrapped in garbage-bag-sized sheets of clear plastic. “First responder wasn’t kidding,” he muttered. He reached for a pile of bags, starting to sort them.

Ryan grabbed a few larger items, pulling them carefully out of the plastic. “I think I saw biologicals on a few of these.”

“You think?” Speed gave him a neutral look. “Didn’t you scope them at the crime scene?”

Ryan looked a bit guilty. “Most of them. If I had run the Crimelite over everything there, I would’ve been there all day.”

Speed had to nod at that. “Well, grab a light and go for it. I’ll sort these out.”

Ryan turned and began looking for the necessary equipment, flicking out the overhead lights as he went. Speed didn’t mind; the layout table was backlit. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ryan testing the Crimelite as he slid his amber glasses on. The large circle of blue light roved around the room, and stopped.

Suddenly Tim noticed that the layout table in front of him had turned blue, with a Speedle-shaped shadow in the middle of it. He twisted around to see Ryan staring at him—or rather, at his ass—with the aid of the Crimelite and the amber eyeshield. It was then that Tim remembered just which pair of pants he was wearing.

“Wolfe?” He spoke more sharply than he’d intended, startling the younger man out of his daze.

“Y-yeah?”

“Can I help you with something?”

“Oh, no, it’s just… I, you—“

“I have a semen stain on my ass. Yeah. I know all about it.”

Wolfe swallowed. “And why do you…”

“Because I was taking a nap on the couch, and my boyfriend didn’t wanna wait for me to wake up.” Speed wore his usual calm, disinterested look, as though it was an everyday occurrence for him. He had yet to pay back Horatio for that little stunt since rarely did the redhead nap, and even more rarely in clothes that either one of them would like to ruin. Speed could be patient when he wanted to, though.

Ryan blinked. “I see.”

Speed waited a moment. “You mind? We’ve got evidence to process.”

Ryan’s hand twitched the Crimelite in another direction, his eyes suddenly elsewhere. “Sorry. I’ll, uh… I’ll go grab the next box.”

“Good idea. I’ll pack this stuff up.”

Ryan swallowed and said absolutely nothing as he headed for the evidence locker.

Speed sighed and glanced around at the table. Idly he noticed the handbag that Ryan had evidently been about to finish processing and had forgotten about it. He checked the evidence log to make sure, and noted the little tag Wolfe had clipped to one handle. The bag had been printed at the scene so it was now time for a look inside. Speed signed off on the processing log and grabbed the end of the bag with one hand and the zipper with his other.

Horatio jerked his head up from the papers he’d been working on in his office.

There was a loud pop! and a sputtering, almost hissing sound, and a roar following close behind. From all the way down the hall, Horatio could hear a male voice swearing graphically at the top of his lungs. He knew that voice, and he leapt from his desk and darted toward the sound. Heads swiveled to see Speed staggering out of the layout room, his eyes tightly closed, his face and upper body dripping red. He had his hands in front of his face, gloves also red, and he was cursing fit to kill.

“Speed!” Horatio shouted, breaking into a run.

Tim’s head turned toward the sound. “H? Where are you?”

Other techs and CSIs were also moving toward him, and Horatio thought he heard somebody call for Alexx. Speed had his lips curled inward and his eyes clamped closed like a man who’d just been doused with a bucket of water and was still dripping.

Something was off about Speed’s body posture; he wasn’t holding his hands protectively in front of himself, he was holding them like he was about to shake something all over the floor. The red wasn’t red enough, either. And there were no visible wounds.

Horatio reached his lover. “Speed, what the hell happened?” he demanded, the adrenaline overriding his ‘no swearing’ rule as he gripped the younger man’s good bicep, letting him know where he was.

“You got a towel or something?” Speed asked instead. Horatio dug inside his suit jacket for his handkerchief.

“Hold still, Speed,” Horatio said calmly as he gently wiped as much of the stuff out of his lover’s eye sockets and around his mouth as he could.

“Thanks,” Speed muttered, his brown eyes popping open. “And it was a dye pack, by the way. I think. I didn’t have much time to look at it before it exploded in my face.”

Horatio raised his voice. “False alarm, people.”

Relieved sighs and sympathetic groans emanated from the surrounding crowd as they dispersed. Horatio took another look at Speed, who was scrubbing at his face with the now-red cloth and growling. “Speed? You need to get a picture of yourself, for evidence,” the older man said, managing to keep a straight face.

Speed gave him a suspicious look but complied, standing still and looking pissed as Horatio grabbed a camera and snapped a few photos.

“Now go take a shower before that stuff sets in,” the redhead said calmly, making a little shooing motion.

Speed waved a hand at the layout room. “I still have evidence in there.”

“I’ll stay with it. You go.” Horatio allowed the nervous relief to make him smile. “Get cleaned up, so you don’t drip all over the house.”

Speed made a face. “Very funny.” He stomped off toward the locker room and the showers, cursing all the while. The redhead waited until he was out of earshot before he began chuckling quietly to himself.

Horatio stepped into the layout room to survey the damage. Luckily—except for Speed—most of the spray had been concentrated on the younger man’s face. He stood where Tim had been and took a slow look around the room. There was a bit more of the stuff on the ceiling. Thankfully no other evidence had been compromised, but they’d have to replace a few of the surface panels on the big, backlit table.

Ryan came bounding into the room, a box of evidence under one arm. “H, what happened? Is that blood?”

Horatio shook his head. “Dye pack.” He snapped on a glove and reached into the bag, pulling out the device. “Normally, dye packs are programmed to explode after they get a certain distance from their bank of origin. This particular one looks as though it’s been jury-rigged with a photocell. It triggers the explosion when you bring it out of the dark.”

“So, no matter how far away you get from wherever it was built, the minute light hits it…” Ryan was pensive, staring at the bag.

“The minute the light hits it, you look like Speed.” Horatio held up a Polaroid, and Ryan made a choking noise. “Go check on him, will you?”

Ryan swallowed. “Sure, let me just put this evidence up.”

“Speedle?” Ryan entered the men’s shower stalls, searching for his fellow CSI.

“Fourth one down,” Speed’s voice replied over the hissing sprayer. “And can you find me a towel?”

“No problem,” Ryan called back, finding two and heading for the appropriate stall. He waited a bit awkwardly until Speed shut the water off, poking his top half out from around the shower curtain.

Ryan desperately hoped that his own expression was calmer than he felt; Speed’s entire face was spattered with tomato red, as was much of his neck. His gloves, shirt, and lab coat had saved his torso from the spray, but… Ryan felt the sudden, desperate urge to run away before his lungs imploded from holding in the laughter.

Speed just looked at him and grabbed a towel. “Go ahead, Chuckles. Laugh it up. I’m sure I look like a jackass anyway.”

Ryan’s mouth twitched furiously. “You’re not gonna be mad at me?”

“Nope.” Speed shrugged and ducked back behind the curtain, emerging a few seconds later with the towel around his waist. He swiped the remaining cloth from Ryan’s trembling hand as the younger man staggered backward until his back was against the wall, howling with laughter. “All right, that’s enough. I get the picture.”

Ryan gave an embarrassing snort, trying to contain himself. His laughter subsided somewhat as Speed tried to dry his left shoulder, grunting at the strain on his right arm. “Need a hand?” Ryan asked with a final chuckle.

Speed growled at nothing. “Sure, why the hell not? Six months, and my shoulder is still fucked up. I think there’s a pinched nerve or something.” He turned his back and allowed the younger man to scrub the towel along his shoulders.

Ryan stopped rubbing for a moment, something catching his eye.

Speed twisted his head around to frown at him. “Wolfe?”

“There’s a, uh… a bite mark on the back of your neck.”

Dammit, Horatio… “I know,” Speed said with a long-suffering sigh. “My boyfriend thought it would be funny to ‘mark his territory’ before I went back to work. That’s a laugh, coming from him.”

Ryan swallowed and resumed drying the pale flesh before him. “How’s that?”

Speed turned his head enough for the younger man to see him quirk a smile. “We’re a semi-open couple.”

Ryan’s hands faltered for a second. “I think you’re dry now,” he said quietly.

Speed started to say something, but stopped when Horatio poked his head into the showers. There was only the slightest flush on the redhead’s face at the sight of Speed in nothing but a towel, a brief swallow and a fluttering of the blue eyes, and then Horatio was back in ‘business mode.’ “As soon as you get dressed, Speed, I’d like to see both of you in my office.”

Then he was gone, and Speed stepped away from Ryan. “That doesn’t sound good,” the unshaven man muttered.

Ryan was looking at Speed with something closer to interest. “Where’s your locker? I’ll grab your clothes for you.”

Speed blinked at him. “Thanks, but don’t bother. They cleaned out my locker after I got shot.”

Ryan clicked his tongue. “Well, I’ll get a head start on the ass-chewing we’re probably both about to get, then,” he sighed and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

Speed nodded. “Be there in a minute,” he told the younger man as he reached for the shirt that he’d thrown in a pile of clothing. He held the t-shirt out by the sleeves, sighing morosely. In addition to a pale wine stain on the stomach, the entire upper half of the shirt was dotted with the same red as his face. “Guess that’s it for my Skynard shirt,” he muttered, sliding it back over his head. He’d dispose of it respectfully—burn it—when he got home. One did not simply throw away a vintage Lynard Skynard shirt, no matter what had been done to it.

Speed pointedly ignored the looks he was getting as he walked the hall toward Horatio’s office. People he hadn’t seen in half a year were suddenly laughing like maniacs at him, and he did his best to hold onto his dignity as he strode past them. He was deeply, deeply insulted, and angry at himself, that something so fucking stupid had happened to him on his first real day back to work!

He emerged into Horatio’s office, where the redhead sat across from an already squirming Ryan. “Mr. Wolfe,” Horatio began in a cautious tone, doing his best not to look at Speed as his lover sat. “Did you forget to have the bag X-rayed before you brought it into the lab?”

Ryan ducked his head. “Yes, sir.”

Horatio finally turned to his lover, fighting back a smile at the red-splattered face. “And Speed, did you forget to ask Mr. Wolfe to be there while you opened a bag with unknown contents, especially since it was his evidence?”

Speed glanced at the floor. “Yes, I did.”

Horatio sighed. “Speed, I can’t expect you to remember everything after being gone for six months. And besides, I think you’ve learned your lesson.”

Speed flicked a glare at him, but Horatio put on his ‘I’m the boss’ face, and his lover subsided.

“And Mr. Wolfe?”

Ryan swallowed. “Yes?”

Horatio favored his lover with a tolerant smile. “Drive Speed home, will you? He needs a fresh change of clothing, and I drove him this morning.”

Ryan blinked. “What about my case?”

Horatio pinned him to the chair with a glare. “I’m taking over your case personally, Mr. Wolfe. We were lucky that that was a dye pack and not explosives. Think about that. Now, both of you have the rest of the afternoon off.”

Speed groaned despite Horatio’s warning glare. Finally the younger man sighed. “Fine, H. You’re right, I learned my lesson. I’ll go home and try to scrub some more of this shit off my face.”

Ryan looked glum. “Let me get some things out of my locker, and I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”

Speed nodded and Ryan stood, and then Horatio was alone with his lover for the first time in hours. The redhead fought to keep his mouth from twitching. “Speed, you look ridiculous.”

“Thanks,” Speed growled. “And I’m going to have to finally get rid of this shirt. You lied to me, by the way. The wine stain never came out.”

Horatio clicked his tongue. “Sorry about that. And I’m sorry this had to happen to you on your first day back.”

“Me, too. But there is one upside, though.”

Horatio cocked his head. “And what’s that?”

Speed gave a truly evil grin. “Consider the new guy hazed.”

Then I don't mind masquerading with all those other fools
I don't mind the games I'm playing,
Because I've learned the rules
It doesn't matter when we're home, all alone
All we've got to be is me and you

On our own there ain't nothing that we can't get through
But when in Rome, do as the Romans do

Billy Joel – "When In Rome"

“Well, since we’re both free for the afternoon,” Speed began as they arrived at Horatio’s house, “Wanna come in? Might as well get to know each other, since we’re gonna be working together.”

“Sure,” Ryan agreed cautiously as he followed the slightly older man inside.

Once in, Speed locked up Ryan’s gun and invited his guest to leave his badge and ID on the entrance table. Following Speed’s lead, Ryan headed into the living room while Speed went into the kitchen for something to drink.

Speed emerged a few minutes later, looking pissed.

“What’s up?” Ryan asked.

Speed frowned. “The dog got loose again.” As if on cue, a familiar canine voice began barking from upstairs. “Dammit,” Speed growled.

“You have a dog?” Ryan asked, bewildered, as they followed the sounds.

“Yeah, and it’s one damn smart puppy. Locard, where are you?” He cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting up the stairwell.

Ryan was still staring at him. “Locard?”

“Locard,” Speed said firmly. The barking drew closer, and the furry menace appeared at the top of the stairwell, feet pattering down the steps as he shot past Speed and made a break for the kitchen. “Locard, get back here!” Speed growled.

He began walking in that direction when Locard reappeared, barking wildly. Speed dropped to his knees and managed to get his right arm across the furry chest but then the dog squirmed out of his grasp, and the sudden strain made Speed’s face go tight and pale. As Locard bounded back up the steps, Speed clutched his shoulder and made a long snarling noise at the floor.

“You okay?” Ryan asked, concerned.

Speed didn’t look at him. “Just. Catch. The dog.”

Ryan didn’t need to be told twice as he climbed the stairs. His quarry was padding out of the guest bathroom, but upon spying Wolfe, he whirled and darted for the cracked doorway at the end of the hall. “Locard, here boy!” Wolfe called desperately, charging after the animal.

Pushing the door all the way open, he spied the dog rolling and flopping on the bed like a pig in a mud bath, white hairs flying everywhere. Ryan hopped nimbly to the bed and wrapped his hand around Locard’s collar. “Gotcha!” Locard lay on his back and splayed his paws, panting at him with that ecstatic doggie grin, and Ryan couldn’t help grinning back and giving the soft stomach a rub. “Tim, I got him!” Ryan shouted, and he could hear Speed give an answering grunt from the top of the stairs.

Scratching the dog’s ears, Ryan’s eyes were drawn to the head of the bed and abruptly he realized that this was Horatio’s bedroom, judging by the red hairs on the pillow closest to him. Out of habit borne from processing bedroom crime scenes, Ryan’s eyes traveled to the other side of the bed.

He stopped scratching. Holding Locard’s collar absently with one hand, Ryan reached for one of the hairs on the other pillow, bringing it close to his face for better study. Short, black, and a little curly.

Speedle’s hair.

Horatio’s hair on one side, and Speedle’s on the other. In the same bed.

He couldn’t help what he did next; he was a CSI, after all. His eyes roved around the room, noting a bottle of water-based lubricant on the red-haired side of the bed. A small wastebasket sat underneath the nightstand, and Ryan spied a used condom. His mind spun in a million different directions as he came to the only possible conclusion.

Horatio and Speedle were—

“Wolfe?” Ryan whirled to see Speed in the doorway, still rubbing his shoulder. He started to say something smart when he noticed that Ryan was holding Unidentified Tiny Objects. Stepping forward, his sharp eyes made out the hairs. He locked gazes with his fellow CSI.

He knows.

Speed waited, and eventually Ryan swallowed and spoke up. “Aren’t you going to tell me that this isn’t what it looks like?”

Speed sighed and sat down on the bed, and Locard wormed in Ryan’s grasp and beat against Speed’s leg with his feather-furred tail. “No, I’m not. That would be lying, and you already have the evidence.”

Ryan stared at him. “There is no ‘mystery boyfriend,’ is there? It’s Horatio.”

The accused gave a grudging nod. “It’s Horatio. And you’re only the third person at work that knows.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Alexx and Calleigh know. They don’t mind, and they swore they wouldn’t tell anybody.” In short sentences, he recapped the conversation from the hospital.

Ryan nodded. “Well, I could see why you’d want to keep it a secret. I mean, there’s his reputation, and the lab’s reputation, and God knows how many cases could be called into question because you and him were—“

“Wolfe, believe me, we know.”

Ryan dropped the hairs back onto the bed. “So why?”

The question actually seemed to surprise Tim. “Why what? Why do I like guys? Or why H?”

“Both.”

Speed couldn’t stop himself. “Honestly, I think the idea of fucking women is disgusting. And as for H…” he trailed off, and Ryan was dumbfounded to see a little smile cross Speed’s face. “He’s smart, and he’s funny, and strong, and he takes care of me, and he just makes me feel safe. I’ve never loved anybody like I love him.”

Ryan had gone completely, deathly silent next to him, and Speed shot him a look.

“Sorry, it’s just… let me get this straight. You love Horatio?”

“Like nothing else,” Speed said firmly, his jaw set. “And he loves me.”

Ryan blinked furiously. “Isn’t he a little old for you?”

Speed actually snorted. “He’s not old, he’s experienced. And he’s damn good, too. Got a mouth like—“

“Oh, Jesus Christ!” Ryan’s face had gone redder than Horatio’s hairs.

Speed ducked his head. “Sorry.” Now that Ryan knew, Speed couldn’t help bragging about his lover. Blame the fact that he had an exhibitionism streak a mile wide.

Staring at the floor, Speed’s eyes were drawn to something in Ryan’s lap. A shadow, formed by what could only be a hard-on. He looked back at the floor, staring hard with his peripheral vision. He’s getting hard… but from what? Me fucking guys? H fucking guys? H fucking me?

Or maybe…

Speed considered his own ‘evidence,’ that of Ryan staring at his ass with the Crimelite, and the way he’d acted upon seeing Speed’s bite mark and hearing that Speed and Horatio were an open couple. And then there was the way the man had started to flush upon seeing Speed step out of the shower. Speed had indeed noticed that when he’d peeked around the curtain, Ryan’s eyes had gone south of the border before flicking up to see his face, and then all hell had broken loose when he’d started laughing.

“So how long have you known?” Speed asked suddenly.

“Known what?”

Speed took a breath, and a gigantic leap of a hunch. “That you liked guys?”

Ryan stopped breathing. He started to ask how Speed had known, but the older man simply turned to look at him and pointed a casual finger at Ryan’s crotch. Ryan glanced down, saw the bulge, and his face flushed pure scarlet.

Speed waited. “You’ve got a thing for Horatio, don’t you?”

If Ryan turned any redder, he would catch on fire. “Yes,” he finally whispered, barely loud enough for Speed to hear.

Speed mustered every bit of seemingly casual control over his libido as he possibly could—and fortunately, thanks to his experience as a Dom he had plenty of that—and spoke again. “What about me?”

Confusion flashed across the crimson face. “What about you, what?”

Patiently, Speed clarified. “You have a thing for me, too?”

Again, Ryan stopped breathing.

“I take that as a yes.” Speed took a breath; he knew he was on shaky ground, here, but he had to continue. He could not, under any circumstances, leave this conversation unfinished. “You think you’d want to fool around with me?”

Ryan started wheezing faintly, and Speed briefly entertained the notion of delivering CPR. Finally Ryan found his voice. “Is that an offer?”

Speed tilted his head. “It might be, if you wanted it.” He let his gaze wander over the younger man, allowing himself to take in the sight of the flushed, slim man with the intense green-brown eyes. “I could see myself doing you,” he said off-handedly, and Ryan’s hand twitched.

“What about work?” The younger man asked, desperate to turn this conversation around. His dick was getting painfully hard, and all he wanted to do was go home and beat off like there was no tomorrow.

Speed shrugged again, his eyes burning their calm, composed stare into Ryan’s brain. “We’re two consenting adults. We can keep work and home separate.”

And finally, the million-dollar question: “What about Horatio?”

Speed actually snickered. “H wouldn’t care. In fact, he’d probably be jealous.”

Ryan couldn’t process that one. “So you’re in love with him, and you say he loves you back, but he doesn’t mind you fucking other guys?”

Speed gave a little smile. “After being shot at twice, and almost dying the second time, H and I have come to the conclusion that life’s too short to just sit at home and jerk off to some little fantasy. You should never deny a chance to try something that might turn out to be really, really good.”

“Like my ass?”

Speed’s previously-unnoticed erection gave a definite twitch. “Fuck yeah,” he said softly.

Impulsively Ryan leaned a little closer, nervous eyes flying all over Speed’s face. “You sure?” he asked softly.

Speed gave him a disarming grin. “We’re both hard, Ryan. The hell do you think?”

That was all the confirmation Ryan needed, and he ran a cautious hand up Speed’s arm as they closed the distance until their lips brushed. Ryan moaned as Speed’s tongue almost instantly slipped into his mouth, the older man’s hands gripping his biceps gently and urging him to fall to his side onto the bed.

“BRAAAAAK!?”

The sudden, earsplitting noise defied description, an inhuman screech-howl-yelp-bark. Ryan and Speed nearly jumped out of their skins until Speed realized that they had been about to start making out right on top of Locard. The dog had been astoundingly quiet and still while the two men talked, as though he knew that they’d needed to have that conversation, but he definitely wasn’t going to tolerate two grown men laying on him with their elbows in his ribs and kidneys.

The CSIs exploded into laughter as they ran apologizing hands over the furry little body, calming him. “Sorry, buddy,” Speed managed to gasp. “Let’s get you walked and put you back in the laundry room, okay?”

Ryan tilted his head, still cackling like a maniac. “Don’t you let him run around the house?”

“Usually, but not if we’re gonna be asleep or out of the house or… occupied. We haven’t trained him to stay away from certain places yet.”

Ryan nodded as they stood, and he offered to carry Locard since Speed’s shoulder was still a little painful. “I’m gonna have to get that looked at soon,” Speed growled. “I can’t keep going on like this, letting people pick up my slack because my arm hurts.”

“Well, there’s not much that you can do about it until you can get it looked at,” Ryan pointed out, his arms full of squirming canine. Locard really didn’t like to be carried, though, and especially not down staircases. Upon Ryan’s arrival at the top of the steps, Locard slipped out of his arms and made a mad dash back to the bedroom.

Speed grumbled and followed him. Ryan started to join him, but Speed just twisted to face him and growled, “Stay.” Ryan did, eyes wide, as Speed followed his dog into the bedroom.

He emerged a few minutes later, Locard clipped to one end of a four-foot leather leash.

Ryan cocked his head. “Why do you have a dog leash—“

“None of your business,” Speed interrupted with a growl.

Ryan blinked and decided to keep his mouth shut as he, Tim, and Locard paraded down the stairs. Ryan followed Speed as the older man led his dog back to the laundry room, dragged him through the door despite ‘all brakes on,’ and began walking the leash back upstairs. “Hey,” Ryan said, “I’ll take that back up.”

Speed looked at him levelly. “You don’t know where to put it, and I’m not telling you.”

Ryan flushed again. “I’ll just hang it on the doorknob,” he insisted. Speed gave a grudging nod and handed it over, and Ryan jogged back up the stairs. His suspicions about the leash were confirmed when he noticed several human bite marks in the leather. “Well, well,” he murmured to himself. “What are the odds?”

When he came back downstairs, Speed was waiting for him on the couch. The older man simply patted the fabric next to him, and Ryan swallowed and sat. They spent the next few minutes in awkward silence, running eyes over each other and trying to think of an icebreaker.

“Did I tell you that I think your eyes are fuckin’ gorgeous?” Speed remarked suddenly, and Ryan blinked.

“No, I don’t think I caught that one.”

“Well, they are,” Speed said with a firm nod. “Can I have a closer look at ‘em?”

Just like that, the ice was broken and Speed found himself flat on his back with Ryan on top of him, trying to swallow Speed’s tongue. “You have any idea?” Ryan breathed as he rained sloppy kisses over Speed’s face, “How long it’s been since I’ve been laid?”

Speed arched his back as Ryan’s lips traveled down to the collar of his shirt. “Too long?”

Ryan’s hands yanked Speed’s shirt up. “Months.”

Speed ran his fingers through Ryan’s short brown hair as that desperate mouth blazed a wet trail through his chest hair. “Well, we’ve got all afternoon…” he trailed off as the tongue tried to slip underneath his jeans. “Jesus, you are blue, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea,” Ryan grunted as he sat up to undo Speed’s jeans and slide them down his legs, with Speed assisting. The moment the jeans and shorts were off, Ryan’s face was suddenly tickling Speed’s pubic hair while Speed could feel his cock pressing against the back of Ryan’s throat, and the older man groaned and pulled his own shirt all the way off. Ryan held Speed’s dick in his hand and gave it hard, firm strokes as he hovered low against the couch, licking at the older man’s scrotum. “It has been way too fucking long since I had a dick in my mouth,” he hissed in something almost like a whine, rising to swallow Speed again.

Speed arched off the couch. “You keep that up, and you won’t have it in there for much longer!”

Ryan got the hint and gave a disappointed groan as he released Speed, the older man’s cock slapping his stomach in its eagerness. While Ryan might have been just a tad rusty, he more than made up for it in sheer eagerness. There was also something about his behavior that made the Dom in Speed think hard.

As Ryan began yanking his own clothes off, Speed decided that Ryan was a sub… for now. Something in his eyes told the older man that Wolfe had the capability to be a Dom somewhere down the road, but for now he was just looking for someone to pin him down and take him—if only for one afternoon.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” Speed told him with a leer.

Ryan furrowed his brow as he started to slide off his jeans. “What do you mean?”

Speed sat up. “Hold off on getting out of those.”

Ryan’s hands slowed even as he asked, “Why?”

Speed leaned over closer to him. “Because I said so, that’s why.” He let his voice drop a few notches, becoming heavy with arousal and with command. “Because I want to feel you up first.”

Ryan’s jaw slackened as Speed lunged at him, pinning him down and pressing his lips just under the younger man’s collarbone, marking him just for the pure hell of it. The volume of Ryan’s moan shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did, and Speed drew back. There was a definite bruise under the right clavicle, hovering above the thin patch of chest hair that condensed into a solid, dark line that ran from under his pectorals all the way down to his belt. Speed found the line fascinating, and he made a mental note to tell Ryan about it later as he latched onto one of the younger man’s nipples to lick and suck it, and Ryan jerked and shuddered and gasped.

“You’ve got a great body, Ryan,” Speed murmured while he slid down said body to tongue Ryan’s navel. Ryan could only respond with a high-pitched warbling noise, clutching at Speed’s shoulders carelessly, desperately. “Ow.”

Ryan realized what he was doing and let go. “Sorry.”

Speed sat up and rubbed his shoulder. “Oh, it’s okay. You’re going to make it up to me.”

“How?” Ryan asked cautiously.

For his answer, Speed stood completely, towering over the younger man. “You’re going to get those jeans off, and you’re going to put your face in the couch and get your ass in the air.”

Ryan’s incredible eyes darkened as he sat up again to fumble with his pants. While he did so, Speed dug around in the end table for lube and a condom. He gave an almost devious smile as he sheathed himself and slicked up, because now Ryan’s very attractive ass had become an inviting bulls-eye as the younger man knelt on the couch.

“Face down,” Speed reminded him, and Ryan promptly rested his cheek on the seat of the couch. “Oh yeah, just like that,” Speed murmured, coating one finger in the lube and teasing Ryan’s entrance. “You want it, don’t you?”

“Oh, fuck yes,” Ryan groaned.

“Say it.” Speed teased the tight pucker, his fingertip ghosting around it in slow circles.

“Please fuck me, Tim!”

Speed grinned as he slowly breached the tight ring of muscle. Ryan gave a watery groan as the finger slid in, but the groan disappeared when Speed curled his finger to stroke Ryan’s prostate.

Instead, Ryan gasped with discomfort.

Speed cocked his head. “That hurt?”

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, I… I don’t mess with my prostate.”

“Sorry.” Speed avoided that area and instead concentrated on stretching the sphincter to a manageable size. Unlike the vast majority of the male population that participated in bottoming during anal sex, Ryan was one of the few that experienced extreme discomfort (and sometimes even pain) when his prostate was manipulated. It was just the way he was. Sucks to be him, Speed thought with a mental shrug.

Speed finally pronounced Ryan stretched and knelt behind him, aiming. “You want me?”

“Oh, God…” Ryan was trembling with anticipation.

“Well, not quite,” Speed said with a dirty grin. He pressed against Ryan’s entrance. “Most people call me Speed.”

Ryan gave a long, low groan as Speed slid slowly in. “It has been too fucking long,” the younger man panted, grabbing fistfuls of couch as Speed began to rock his hips. “Oh, God, that feels good.”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Speed crooned as he pumped in and out of that tight heat. “Tell me how good it is, Cub.” He had no idea where the nickname came from, other than a play on Ryan’s last name, but it seemed to do the trick. Ryan moaned and trembled. “You like that, don’t you? You like being fucked? Huh?”

“Oh yeah,” Ryan hissed as Speed increased his pace.

Speed began to fuck him in earnest, slapping against that tight ass. Ryan was moaning and trembling beneath him, and Speed almost didn’t hear the sound of keys sliding into the front door lock, or the sound of the gun safe being opened or closed. He did hear something else, though.

“Speed, I’m home!” came a sudden, familiar voice. A voice belonging to a certain redhead.

Ryan bucked and tried to get away, but Speed grasped his hips with surprising strength—in his left hand anyway—holding him down. Hearing footsteps on the floor, Ryan realized that there was no way in hell he was going to get away in time to hide, and did the only thing he could think of: he buried his face in the couch cushions.

Footsteps went from hardwood floor to carpet. “Hey, Speed,” Horatio’s voice said smoothly, apparently not the least bit bothered by what he saw. The footsteps stopped a few feet from the couch. “Who’s this?”

Speed shrugged, unbelievably casual despite his dick being buried in Ryan’s ass as he spoke to his lover. “A guy I know. He’s had a little experience, but he’s been in the closet for a long time. I convinced him to step outside it for a little while.” He paused. “Please tell him that you don’t mind. He doesn’t believe me.”

Horatio’s voice chuckled, sounding amused. “You know I don’t mind, Speed. We both know who we belong to.” The footsteps shuffled closer.

“Yeah, we do, don’t we?” Speed’s voice dropped a few notches, and then to Ryan’s ears came the sounds of what could only be kissing. A big, sloppy, aroused kiss with lots of tongue.

Horatio’s voice had also dropped, becoming more of a growl. “You know what seeing you fuck someone else does to me, Speed.”

“I know,” Speed replied in a breathy tone. Ryan heard the sounds of a belt being unbuckled and a zipper sliding down. Speed shifted, leaning toward the sound of Horatio’s voice, and then he heard the older man hiss.

Nothing else was spoken for a few minutes, beyond Horatio’s quiet whispers of encouragement and soft sucking noises coming from Speed, and for a while Ryan thought that they’d actually managed to forget about him. His leg was cramping and he shifted, unintentionally pressing his ass against Tim, and the man groaned.

He heard Speed release Horatio’s dick with a loud popping noise. Something tickled Ryan’s back—Speed’s stomach hair as the dark-headed man leaned over him, pushing farther into him, and a little moan escaped Ryan’s lips.

“Speed?” Horatio’s somewhat strained voice came, and he heard the sound of cloth, probably his boss’s suit jacket, hit a nearby chair. “Would your friend mind if you suck me off while you fuck him?”

Speed shrugged, his hands running along Ryan’s back as he pumped his dick slowly in and out of that exquisite warmth. “Ask him.”

There was a soft snort. “Is that all right with you, Mr. Wolfe?” Horatio asked in a voice heavy with amusement, and Ryan jerked at being recognized, at which Tim gave a sudden strangled groan.

“Jesus, H, don’t scare him! He’s got a fuckin’ deathgrip on me already!”

“Sorry.”

Ryan managed to peel one palm off the couch and twist it ceiling-ward, as if in a shrug. He wouldn’t, couldn’t look at Horatio. No fucking way.

That’s when he felt the hand on his cock, and he knew instantly that it wasn’t Speedle’s. No, Speedle had both hands on Ryan’s hips, so the person handling him had to be Horatio. Besides, these weren’t Speedle’s somewhat large mitts; the fingers were slim, delicate. This isn’t happening. There’s no way in hell that this could be happening. He couldn’t decide if this was a fantasy or a nightmare.

“You know, Speed,” Horatio began casually as he massaged the younger man’s length, which had shrank quite a bit upon the redhead’s arrival, “I’m jealous. I’ve been staring at his tight little backside for the last six months, and he hasn’t looked at me twice. You, on the other hand, have known him for two days and you’re already bringing him home to fuck his brains out on the couch.”

The angle of his hand changed slightly, and Ryan guessed from the next few noises that the older man had dropped an unused couch cushion on the floor and was now kneeling to where he could get a better angle at Ryan’s dick. Against his better judgment, Ryan opened his mouth, slightly muffled by the couch cushions. “You’ve been staring at my ass this whole time?”

Horatio’s voice took on a surprised note. “I’m surprised that you haven’t noticed, as perceptive as you are. Then again, it took you a week to stop calling me ‘Lieutenant.’”

Speed snorted, picking up his pace a little. “Just don’t call him Master, or he’ll never let you leave the house.”

Ryan couldn’t help but jerk his head up a little at that one, and at Speed’s sudden change of angle that nailed his prostate dead-on. Fresh air hit his nose, and suddenly he felt a finger on his chin, tugging gently but insistently, and he couldn’t help it—couldn’t stop it, oh GOD, here it comes—and suddenly he was staring straight into Horatio’s sapphire blue eyes.

“Hi,” the older man said quietly, as if he was reassuring a small child.

Ryan gulped. “Hi,” he managed back, mindful of the redhead’s hand that was stroking his cock to full length. Speed nailed his prostate again, and he couldn’t hold back a groan.

Horatio studied his face for a moment. “You have nothing to be afraid of, Ryan.”

Ryan blinked; it was the first time Horatio had called him by his first name. “S-sure,” he stammered as Speed began to fuck him a little faster.

Horatio glanced up at his lover. “Speed, you coming?”

“Soon,” came the reply, through gritted teeth. Horatio released Ryan’s cock and stood high enough to capture his lover’s lips again, one slim hand running across the hairy chest to tease a nipple. “God, H, he’s so fucking tight,” Speed moaned into the redhead’s mouth.

“Then show him how much you appreciate it,” Horatio growled back, pinching the nipple harder. Speed jerked and doubled his efforts to fuck the stuffing out of the younger man below him. Horatio built up the moment, suddenly moving his free hand to thread his fingers through the shorter hair at the base of his lover’s skull just as he liked to have done to him, yanking Speed’s head back and sinking down to clamp teeth on Speed’s good shoulder. Horatio applied light pressure for a moment before snarling one more word: “Now.”

Speed groaned loudly as he came, hips pistoning him into Ryan’s waiting tightness, the condom filling with his seed as he drove himself into that blessed darkness one last time. Ryan couldn’t help a loud grunt as Speed’s last thrust slammed into his prostate, and surprisingly he almost came at the sensation. But then the pressure stopped, and he waited there with Speed’s cock quivering into his insides.

Finally, slowly, tenderly Speed pulled out and sagged back onto his heels. “Whoof,” he panted, and Horatio chuckled.

Ryan started to move when he felt Horatio’s hand on his cock again. “Ryan, would you sit up for me, please?” the redhead inquired politely.

Somehow Ryan got the nerve to look at him. “Why?”

Horatio smiled, humoring him. “Because I want to put your dick in my mouth and suck on it,” he said calmly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say.

Ryan froze, his cock swelling in Horatio’s hand, and Speed chuckled. “Do it, Ryan,” he urged. “H gives the best damn blowjobs in the world, hands-down.”

Horatio glanced at his lover. “You’re biased.”

“So?” Speed peeled the condom off and dropped it in the trash can hidden under the table at his end of the couch, and then reached over to tug on Ryan’s hip, trying to convince him to move. “Ryan, it’s okay. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Horatio gave a soft sigh. “I can understand your nervousness. It’s one thing to sleep with a coworker. It’s quite another if his boyfriend, who is also your boss, catches you in the act and invites himself to join in. You have my word, I will not hold anything against you. I will not embarrass you, and I will not tell a single soul.”

“Like I said, Ryan,” Speed cut in, “we’ve been screwing for about a year, and Eric still thinks H is straight.”

Ryan looked at his boss a bit more closely, not quite turning. “So you’re gay, too?”

“Not quite. Speed’s gotten me to prefer men, but I simply don’t see the point in alienating half the population because they happen to have one set of genitals or another.” Horatio’s face and voice said that he was completely serious. Softly he asked, “May I have you, Ryan? At least for a little while?”

There was a long silence, broken by a sudden snort. “’May I have you?’” Speed repeated incredulously. “Come on, H, we’re naked and sweaty. Nobody’s fooling anybody. Say what you mean and mean what you say, for fuck’s sake.”

Speed’s own bluntness broke through Ryan’s nerves, and he found his resolve crumbling as he broke out into helpless laughter. Even Horatio couldn’t resist snorting at his lover’s off-the-cuff remarks. “Don’t mind him,” the redhead growled good-naturedly in Ryan’s direction. “He’s usually like this after he gets off.”

“It’s either this, or fall asleep,” Speed agreed.

Ryan shook his head and grinned as he sat fully up, his legs finding their way over Horatio’s shoulders. “You really want to?”

For his answer, Horatio engulfed Ryan’s cock in one smooth motion, causing the younger man to sit straight up and grasp the redhead’s shoulders, moaning unabashedly. Speed gave a dirty little grin as he laid a hand on their young partner’s shoulder, gently urging him to lay back and relax. Ryan finally did once Horatio raised up for breath, and Speed ran a slow hand down Ryan’s chest to tweak a nipple, and Ryan jerked.

“Like that?” Speed breathed in Ryan’s ear.

His face tight, Ryan was struggling to breathe, much less talk. “Actually… no,” he wheezed. Both Horatio and Speed halted, staring at him. “Oh, no, keep going, H. Please keep going. It’s just… my nipples are ticklish.”

“Oh,” Speed said simply, his fingers moving to the thin patch of hair on Ryan’s chest. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

It took Ryan a moment to answer. “Because you were about to make me cream myself!” he gasped, as Horatio teased the tight pucker of his anus with his finger. “Oh, God,” he moaned.

Speed leaned over to see what had provoked the reaction, saw Horatio’s wet finger—when did he have time to lick it?—sliding into that tight heat, and he gave a dark smile. “Hey, Mikey, I think he likes it.”

Horatio just smiled back and twisted his finger, and Ryan gave the same uncomfortable gasp as before. Speed remembered and spoke up. “Sorry, H, forgot to mention it. He’s not much of a prostate player.”

Horatio grunted acknowledgement and left the younger man’s prostate alone, instead pumping his finger in and out of the velvet passage with maddening slowness.

“H?” Ryan’s strained voice managed to squeak out.

“Hmm?” the redhead hummed around his mouthful of cock, and Ryan groaned at the sensation.

“I… I want you to fuck me. Please?”

Horatio glanced at Speed, who nodded and reached under the enclosed end table for another condom. Horatio took it with a nod of thanks as he gave the head of the younger man’s cock one last teasing lick, and stood.

Speed leaned over and gave Ryan a long, slow kiss as Horatio undressed, causing the younger man to groan and run his fingers through Speed’s scruffy black hair, begging for more.

Ryan sat properly on the couch with his legs hanging over the side, but apparently that was too low. He was suddenly in the middle of a flurry of arms and fabric as the two older men began urging him to scoot to one side or the other so they could pile random cushions under him. It was when they were done and sat back to admire their handiwork that he realized, he was perfectly positioned for Horatio to lean down and fuck Ryan’s brains out.

Horatio stood before Ryan, magnificently naked and with a condom over his hard length, and the redhead gave a reassuring smile as he rested his knees on the edge of the couch and put his hands to the back of the couch on either side of Ryan’s head. “Are you sure?” Horatio asked for the last time.

Ryan nodded. “I’m sure. Fuck me, H. Please fuck me.”

Speed and Horatio exchanged glances and a shrug. “You heard the man,” Speed grinned as he took hold of Horatio’s cock, aiming.

Horatio gave a groan of utter satisfaction as he slid slowly in, coming to rest completely buried in Ryan, who arched his back and moaned. Speed bent over to capture Ryan’s lips, stroking the younger man’s cock as Horatio began to fuck him in quick, short thrusts. Ryan writhed and sucked on Speed’s tongue while the redhead’s pace increased until he was pounding into the slim body beneath him, his hips slapping against Ryan’s tight ass and bouncing him on the couch. Ryan had already been close to coming, and as Horatio slammed into him over and over, Ryan clutched at Speed desperately and threaded his hand with Speed’s on his cock, fisting his rod in a blur of motion as he jerked and groaned and came, a single long arc of come splattering on his chest.

Horatio jerked as Ryan’s already tight ass now gripped him almost painfully, and his entire body shuddered. Ryan was beginning to wind down but Horatio couldn’t make himself stop; he could only fuck himself harder, faster into that hot passage, gripping the couch and gritting his teeth and slamming into Ryan with everything he had. Speed noticed and moved until he was directly in his lover’s sight, fixing him with a hard stare. “Do you want to come, Horatio?”

The redhead couldn’t answer; he could only gasp for air and thrust into that incredible heat.

“H? I want you to come now!” Speed took on his Dom voice, the tone that brooked no argument, the tone that Horatio couldn’t help but obey.

Horatio reared his head back and snarled as he fired his hips one last time, burying himself in Ryan’s tight, hot body, his eyes rolling back in his head as his cock throbbed and flooded the condom with warmth. When he was finished, his legs began to quake.

Ryan was staring at him with wide eyes. “H? You okay?”

Horatio could only give an exhausted nod and, with absolutely no grace whatsoever, flop down onto the couch and right into the waiting arms of Speed. “Told you he was tight,” Speed murmured, pressing a kiss to his lover’s damp copper hair as the older man panted. They stayed in that position for a while, cooling off until their brains decided to come back to them.

Finally Horatio growled an affirmative as he held out an arm to Ryan, who nervously crawled over and copied Horatio’s posture with his lover. “You don’t have to be afraid of us, Ryan.”

Ryan wasn’t so sure. “So what happens now?”

Horatio thought carefully before responding. “Now, we cool off. Then we eat something and take a shower, unless you’d like the shower to yourself first, and then we talk some more. After that, Speed and I need to go run a few errands so we’ll have to let you out.”

“And tomorrow,” Speed picked up on the thread, “We’re gonna act like absolutely nothing has happened. As far as the world knows, H is straight and he’s letting me live here because my arm’s still a little fucked up, and because my mystery boyfriend can’t afford to come out of the closet.”

Ryan tilted his head. “And is the only time?”

Speed blinked. “Only time what? That we’ll fuck you?”

Shyly Ryan nodded.

Horatio and Speed exchanged glances, smiling at each other. “Transformation complete,” Speed whispered softly, and Horatio gave him a corrective poke. “As to your question, Ryan, I’m sure that we could invite you over every now and then, if you get really high and dry. And if you’re desperately single, I know a guy that could probably set you up with a few dates.”

Ryan started to nod but an odd noise caught his attention. “Hey, you guys hear that?”

“Hear what?” Horatio asked, peering around the room.

At that instant, all three gazes were drawn to a flash of movement across the room: Locard, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, staring with his head cocked at the pile of naked humans on the couch.

“How does he keep getting out?!” Speed ranted from the bottom of the pile.

“Probably the doorknob,” Horatio reasoned. “It’s a handle model, remember? He’s tall enough to reach it if he stands on his hind legs.”

Ryan pulled himself away from the other men, watching the animal. “That’s one damn smart dog you two have.”

“Told you,” Speed growled. “Locard, get back in the laundry room.”

Hearing his name, the dog did exactly the opposite: he wagged his tail and began charging for the couch. “Locard, no!” Ryan started, but it was too late, and their little gathering became a true dog pile. Being on top of the pile, Ryan was the first to suffer the dog’s sharp claws and rampant tongue all over his face and chest.

Speed squirmed out from under the other two and grabbed Locard’s collar. “I love you, too, buddy, but I’m not into beastiality.”

“Neither am I,” Ryan said with a frown, and Horatio concurred.

The redhead stood and stretched. “Well, gentlemen, who wants the shower first?”

Ryan shyly raised his hand. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take the guest shower. I, uh… it’s your place, and…”

“You don’t feel comfortable in your boss’s shower,” Horatio finished dryly. “Even though your boss recently finished pounding your brains out?”

Ryan gave a grudging nod. “I’m kinda weird like that.”

“Takes all kinds,” Speed put in. “And I propped a chair underneath the doorknob.” Evidently he had; Locard quickly realized this and began barking.

The three men chuckled at each other. “I have to ask, Speed,” Horatio started. “What prompted this little spur-of-the-moment screw on the couch?”

Speed snorted. Ryan chuckled. Speed’s shoulders shook. Ryan was nearly choking, from trying to contain his laughter. And finally Speed let loose, with Ryan quickly joining in. The two younger men flopped carefully on the couch, howling.

“Well?” Horatio asked reasonably.

Speed finally caught his breath. “Locard got loose, and Ryan chased him up to the bedroom. And, being the OCD CSI that he is, when he caught Locard on the bed, he couldn’t help but notice that the pillows were sporting two different colors of hair.”

“Evidence in plain sight,” Ryan insisted. “And I was invited in, while doing a public service.”

Horatio chuckled. “So you blame the dog.”

Speed nodded. “Damn you, Locard,” he said to the ceiling with a shake of his fist.

“Which one?” Ryan put in, and the older men snorted.

The banter was friendly as they found their respective clothes and took turns showering. Ryan was in good spirits as they parted, and he surprised himself by whistling as he walked out the front door toward his car.

Swing that hammer and break that stone
Push those buttons and answer that phone
Coffee in the morning and martinis at night
Everybody's working up a big appetite
Do as the Romans do...

Billy Joel – "When In Rome"

THE NEXT DAY

“Good morning, Mr. Wolfe,” Horatio said evenly. Ryan looked up from his coffee and newspaper in the break room, to see the redhead and his lover standing in the doorway.

Ryan carefully controlled the flush that threatened to color his face. “Good morning,” he replied calmly.

Speed slipped past his lover, ‘accidentally’ bumping against his shoulder as he moved to the coffeepot. “How you feeling?”

Ryan blinked and swallowed another mouthful of coffee before setting it down. “Great, actually. Haven’t felt this good in a while.”

Horatio glanced around to make sure they weren’t being eavesdropped up before murmuring “A threesome will do that to you.” Ryan finally started to blush and scratch his neck, and the older man smiled.

Speed cackled as he filled a coffee mug. “We need to invite Mac and Danny both down sometime. Have ourselves a little CSI orgy.”

Horatio gave a quick laugh at the suggestion. “And their friend, Detective Flack. From what Mac tells me, they’ve quote ‘brought him over to the dark side,’ endquote, as Danny puts it.”

Speed snickered. “Oh, and a friend of a friend tells me that there’s a couple of guys out in Vegas that might be up for it.”

Ryan jumped in despite himself. “We could sell videos. ‘Criminalists Gone Wild.’” Speed reared his head back and howled with laughter, and even Horatio gave in.

“I have to ask, Ryan,” Speed started in a quieter tone, still snickering. “When did you decide that you wanted to start doing guys, too?”

Ryan folded the newspaper and sighed. “There’s no ‘too’ to it. I don’t do women.”

Speed perked up. “Really. Why not?”

“I don’t know.” Ryan shrugged. “I’m just… not turned on by women. That’s all there is to it.”

Speed tilted his head; not every gay man was so just because they thought female genitalia was gross. Some, like his friend Leon, just wanted to be the ones getting fucked. And some, like Ryan, simply were not aroused by females.

“All the more for me, then,” Horatio said with an uncharacteristic laugh, and Speed snorted.

“There was one thing I was curious about,” Speed began cautiously. “That reporter that I keep seeing on the news…”

“Erica Sikes,” Ryan growled, his good mood instantly shattered.

“Yeah, her. I keep getting the impression that you’re seeing her. But if you’re gay, then why keep putting up with the bitch?”

Horatio stepped in. “Because that’s exactly why. She knows, and she’s keeping it quiet.”

“She doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘quiet,’” Ryan muttered. “Fine. I went on a date with her, you know… a cover date, with a woman.” Speed and Horatio nodded. “Well, she actually got me drunk enough to try to start fooling around, but when I couldn’t get it up, she figured it out. Keeps hanging off my arm like some kind of trophy, wanting me to give her more exclusives, or she’d tell.”

Speed had a sudden thought. “She’s not stalking you, is she?”

All of them froze, and Ryan almost leaned around the corner as though to glance at the elevator. “She wouldn’t do that,” he said finally. “She just calls me when she wants something from me.”

Horatio gave a long-suffering sigh. “Speaking of needing something from you, Mr. Wolfe, you and I need to get to work, and so does Speed.”

Speed pouted. “Aw, can’t we just go back home and fuck like bunny-rats some more?”

Horatio took on his ‘Shift Supervisor’ persona, fighting back the smile that threatened his face. “Maybe later. And let’s give our friend a chance to recover, shall we?”

“Fine,” Speed grumbled and stood. “Back to the boxes for me. Dig me out at lunch time, will ya?”

“Will do,” Horatio promised. Ryan watched as Speed walked past the redhead, the two casually brushing hands and shoulders as Speed exited the room and headed for his little corner of the institution.

“You guys are good at that,” Ryan remarked. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that you two are just roommates.”

Horatio finally let his smile loose. “Good. And we appreciate you keeping our secret.”

Ryan spread his hands. “Hey, I’m getting laid for the first time in months. Why would I complain?”

“Good point,” Horatio muttered. “Come on, let’s get to work.”

“Right behind you, boss,” Ryan affirmed, standing.

And, just as Horatio had predicted, it was a very long day.