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Description

When Troy returned to Jared’s cell later that afternoon he looked around for signs of vomit. To his surprise he didn’t see anything on the floor, and for a moment he feared the man had thrown up in the bed in which he’d been sleeping. The body on the bed stirred and rolled over, opened one eye and looked towards Troy.

“Oh, hey,” he said groggily. “Don’t I know you?”

“Yeah,” Troy nodded. “I arrested you, remember? After you said ‘get lost’, followed by ‘fuck off’?”

“Oh, yeah,” Jared groaned.

“And when you stood up a foot taller than me, nodded towards your crotch and said ‘while you’re down there’?”

“Oh, fuck! I didn’t, did I?”

“Oh fuck, you did,” Troy nodded.

“Shit! Man, I am so sorry,” Jared moaned. “I got excuses but none of ‘em are worth shit. No excuse for being a prick!”

“Adam told me.” Troy said simply.

“Adam’s a good man.”

“I know. He’s my brother.”

Jared shifted himself on the bed until he was sitting up, and looked up at Troy clearly for the first time. “You’re his kid brother?” he asked. “Little Troy? The lad who fucked up his life and then pulled his shit together?”

Troy paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. “He called me ‘Little Troy’?” he asked, eventually.

“Nah,” Jared continued. “That’s what I called you. Adam used to talk about you all the time. Messages from your mum back home saying how well you was doing. I’d say ‘Any fresh word on Little Troy?’ and he’d say ‘don’t let him here you call him that!’”

“I’m right here, Jared,” Troy reminded him. “I can hear you calling me that.”

“Yeah, but you’re sound,” Jared said dismissively. “You don’t mind, do ya? ‘S just a nickname, right? All my mates call me Jay. Or maybe you got another one? Merlin? Gandalf? Dumbledore? Voldemorte?”

“Hey!” Troy raised his voice a little.

“Sorry,” Jared looked down at his feet. “I got a gob on me. Don’t know when to stop sometimes. Don’t mean anything by it. Like I said, you’re sound.”

Troy relaxed a little, and changed the subject. “So where did you do it?” he asked.

“Do what?”

“Throw up?”

“Down the bog,” Jared pointed at the toilet. Troy braced himself and looked over at the steel toilet fixed to the wall on the other side of the cell, but saw no trace of vomit. “I cleaned up the bit that missed,” he added. He lifted the front of his dark blue uniform top to reveal the T-shirt underneath. A large section had been ripped away, showing bare skin beneath. “Used a bit of me shirt. S’okay though, I got plenty. Left the rag in the sink. Rinsed it first though. Nowt worse than stinking up your bunk with puke. Learned to hold it down ‘n’ drag me arse to a bog quick.”

“Wow!” Troy replied, not sure whether to be impressed, or nauseated by too much information.

“Besides,” Jared finished. “Even half drunk I figured I’d fucked up enough without leaving bits of me guts all over yer nice clean cell.”

“Thoughtful,” Troy mused, trying to keep a straight face. Jared looked up at Troy again, saw the restrained grin, and smiled. “You can laugh, you know,” he said. “Fuck knows I deserve it. I’d laugh at me-self, only me head’s fucking killing me.”

“That’ll be the cheap whiskey,” Troy nodded.

“Yeah,” Jared nodded. “Won’t last though. Hangovers never do with me. Gimme half an hour and I’ll be fresh as a daisy.” He lifted one arm and sniffed at his armpit. “A daisy that fuckin’ stinks to high shite! You don’t got any showers do ya? Maybe a fresh shirt?”

“This isn’t Top Man, you know,” Troy chided, but couldn’t hide his smile any longer.

“Just a thought,” Jared shrugged. “Ya don’t get, if ya don’t ask.”

“Do you need anything?” Troy asked. “Water?”

“A good cuppa tea wouldn’t go amiss,” Jared looked up hopefully. Troy looked at him and saw a puppy-dog look to his eyes.

“Aww hell, why not?” he nodded. “How do you take it?”

“Strong, little bit o’ milk and four sugar, please.”

“FOUR?”

“Sweet tooth,” Jared admitted. “Any chance of a smoke?”

“Not in here,” Troy said. “And we’ve got your pipe so you’re gonna have to wait ‘til we get you out of here.”

“No worries,” Jared nodded.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

“Sure.” As Troy turned and stepped out of the cell, Jared called him back. “Hey Troy!”

“Yeah?”

“I am sorry, ya know? For taking a swing at ya.”

Troy saw those puppy-dog eyes appear again and, out of curiosity he reached inside himself to opened his inner eye and read Jared’s aura again. The sense of regret and remorse he felt emanating from the man in the cell was almost palpable. “I know, Jay,” he said. “It’s okay. I understand. I’ll get your tea.”

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Troy returned a few minutes later holding a large mug of tea in one hand, and carrying a shirt and a pair of trousers over his other arm. Jared was still sitting on the bed, idly sniffing at his armpits again and wincing at the smell that came from them.

“Here’s your tea,” he said, handing the mug to the sailor.

“You are a star,” Jared smiled as he gratefully took the mug and drained a third of it in one gulp. “Man, you make good tea!”

“I’m a Yorkshireman,” Troy smiled. “Years of practice.”

“You’re sound, man,” Jared nodded and took another drink.

“I found you a shirt and a pair of pants in Lost Property,” Troy added. “They’ve not been claimed in over a year, so I guess it’s okay for you to have them. I hope they fit.”

“You’re a hero, man,” Jared grinned. He set his mug carefully down on the ground and took the clothes from Troy. “They’ll do great. Thanks!”

“I’ll come back in a few minutes,” Troy said. “I’m gonna sort out getting you a shower, if the Sarge doesn’t object. Then you can get changed, and be on your way.”

“You got a mop?” Jared asked suddenly.

“A mop?” Troy asked.

“Yeah,” Jared nodded. “Give the cell a once-over. Only fair since I’ve mucked up the place…”

“Just wait here,” Troy smiled. “We’ll deal with the cell later.”

“Okay,” Jared nodded.

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Troy took Jared from his cell, through the station, to the locker room where a shower system had been installed into the original building. Perhaps the building had originally been a gym, but whatever purpose it had served before, it had been hurriedly repurposed for the Bureau of Metaphysical Enforcement’s needs. The level below was their firing range and perhaps had been some kind of underground parking area, but this area directly above it had been designated as a locker room for the officers. It was maybe a little too large, considering they had a small compliment of officers, but there was room to expand, and that was important. Troy had a feeling that things would take off and that at some point in the near future, their role would be crucial.

Adam had agreed that Jared could take a shower, but insisted that Troy stick around, since the locker rooms were not a ‘public’ area of the station. Troy explained briefly how the showers worked and leaned against one of the banks of lockers while Jared ‘did his thing’. He tried not to watch, but something about Jared held Troy’s attention. Perhaps it was the man’s height. Troy wasn’t small by any measure, and the idea that someone had ever called him ‘Little Troy’ prickled with him a little, though in comparison to Jared, he figured that the name kind of made sense. Anyone could get the name ‘Little whatever’ when they stood next to Jared.

The tall man took his time while he showered, taking particular care to wash his hairy upper body and armpits thoroughly. The soap he was using was something Troy had brought in himself – the stuff that was ‘standard issue’ from the stores might as well have been lard judging from the smell of it. He tried to be discreet but glanced over occasionally at Jared to check on his progress.

“Hey, litt… sorry… Troy,” Jared spoke suddenly.

“Yeah?” Troy asked.

“Can I ask ya a question? Kind-a personal, like. Ya don’t have to answer if ya don’t want.”

“Sure, you can ask,” Troy nodded. Jared looked over his shoulder at the officer, and hesitated before he spoke.

“Umm… were you… were you just checking me out, just then?”

Troy’s eye widened briefly, then he turned away and faced in the other direction. “No,” he said simply.

Jared turned back towards the showers and rinsed soap from his body, then turned his head a little back in Troy’s direction. He realised he’d probably put his foot in his mouth… again… but when he saw Troy glance around again briefly and then turn back sharply, he grinned to himself. One thing was certain – seeing the young copper blush had just made Jared’s day.

Description

When Troy returned to Jared’s cell later that afternoon he looked around for signs of vomit. To his surprise he didn’t see anything on the floor, and for a moment he feared the man had thrown up in the bed in which he’d been sleeping. The body on the bed stirred and rolled over, opened one eye and looked towards Troy.

“Oh, hey,” he said groggily. “Don’t I know you?”

“Yeah,” Troy nodded. “I arrested you, remember? After you said ‘get lost’, followed by ‘fuck off’?”

“Oh, yeah,” Jared groaned.

“And when you stood up a foot taller than me, nodded towards your crotch and said ‘while you’re down there’?”

“Oh, fuck! I didn’t, did I?”

“Oh fuck, you did,” Troy nodded.

“Shit! Man, I am so sorry,” Jared moaned. “I got excuses but none of ‘em are worth shit. No excuse for being a prick!”

“Adam told me.” Troy said simply.

“Adam’s a good man.”

“I know. He’s my brother.”

Jared shifted himself on the bed until he was sitting up, and looked up at Troy clearly for the first time. “You’re his kid brother?” he asked. “Little Troy? The lad who fucked up his life and then pulled his shit together?”

Troy paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. “He called me ‘Little Troy’?” he asked, eventually.

“Nah,” Jared continued. “That’s what I called you. Adam used to talk about you all the time. Messages from your mum back home saying how well you was doing. I’d say ‘Any fresh word on Little Troy?’ and he’d say ‘don’t let him here you call him that!’”

“I’m right here, Jared,” Troy reminded him. “I can hear you calling me that.”

“Yeah, but you’re sound,” Jared said dismissively. “You don’t mind, do ya? ‘S just a nickname, right? All my mates call me Jay. Or maybe you got another one? Merlin? Gandalf? Dumbledore? Voldemorte?”

“Hey!” Troy raised his voice a little.

“Sorry,” Jared looked down at his feet. “I got a gob on me. Don’t know when to stop sometimes. Don’t mean anything by it. Like I said, you’re sound.”

Troy relaxed a little, and changed the subject. “So where did you do it?” he asked.

“Do what?”

“Throw up?”

“Down the bog,” Jared pointed at the toilet. Troy braced himself and looked over at the steel toilet fixed to the wall on the other side of the cell, but saw no trace of vomit. “I cleaned up the bit that missed,” he added. He lifted the front of his dark blue uniform top to reveal the T-shirt underneath. A large section had been ripped away, showing bare skin beneath. “Used a bit of me shirt. S’okay though, I got plenty. Left the rag in the sink. Rinsed it first though. Nowt worse than stinking up your bunk with puke. Learned to hold it down ‘n’ drag me arse to a bog quick.”

“Wow!” Troy replied, not sure whether to be impressed, or nauseated by too much information.

“Besides,” Jared finished. “Even half drunk I figured I’d fucked up enough without leaving bits of me guts all over yer nice clean cell.”

“Thoughtful,” Troy mused, trying to keep a straight face. Jared looked up at Troy again, saw the restrained grin, and smiled. “You can laugh, you know,” he said. “Fuck knows I deserve it. I’d laugh at me-self, only me head’s fucking killing me.”

“That’ll be the cheap whiskey,” Troy nodded.

“Yeah,” Jared nodded. “Won’t last though. Hangovers never do with me. Gimme half an hour and I’ll be fresh as a daisy.” He lifted one arm and sniffed at his armpit. “A daisy that fuckin’ stinks to high shite! You don’t got any showers do ya? Maybe a fresh shirt?”

“This isn’t Top Man, you know,” Troy chided, but couldn’t hide his smile any longer.

“Just a thought,” Jared shrugged. “Ya don’t get, if ya don’t ask.”

“Do you need anything?” Troy asked. “Water?”

“A good cuppa tea wouldn’t go amiss,” Jared looked up hopefully. Troy looked at him and saw a puppy-dog look to his eyes.

“Aww hell, why not?” he nodded. “How do you take it?”

“Strong, little bit o’ milk and four sugar, please.”

“FOUR?”

“Sweet tooth,” Jared admitted. “Any chance of a smoke?”

“Not in here,” Troy said. “And we’ve got your pipe so you’re gonna have to wait ‘til we get you out of here.”

“No worries,” Jared nodded.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

“Sure.” As Troy turned and stepped out of the cell, Jared called him back. “Hey Troy!”

“Yeah?”

“I am sorry, ya know? For taking a swing at ya.”

Troy saw those puppy-dog eyes appear again and, out of curiosity he reached inside himself to opened his inner eye and read Jared’s aura again. The sense of regret and remorse he felt emanating from the man in the cell was almost palpable. “I know, Jay,” he said. “It’s okay. I understand. I’ll get your tea.”

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Troy returned a few minutes later holding a large mug of tea in one hand, and carrying a shirt and a pair of trousers over his other arm. Jared was still sitting on the bed, idly sniffing at his armpits again and wincing at the smell that came from them.

“Here’s your tea,” he said, handing the mug to the sailor.

“You are a star,” Jared smiled as he gratefully took the mug and drained a third of it in one gulp. “Man, you make good tea!”

“I’m a Yorkshireman,” Troy smiled. “Years of practice.”

“You’re sound, man,” Jared nodded and took another drink.

“I found you a shirt and a pair of pants in Lost Property,” Troy added. “They’ve not been claimed in over a year, so I guess it’s okay for you to have them. I hope they fit.”

“You’re a hero, man,” Jared grinned. He set his mug carefully down on the ground and took the clothes from Troy. “They’ll do great. Thanks!”

“I’ll come back in a few minutes,” Troy said. “I’m gonna sort out getting you a shower, if the Sarge doesn’t object. Then you can get changed, and be on your way.”

“You got a mop?” Jared asked suddenly.

“A mop?” Troy asked.

“Yeah,” Jared nodded. “Give the cell a once-over. Only fair since I’ve mucked up the place…”

“Just wait here,” Troy smiled. “We’ll deal with the cell later.”

“Okay,” Jared nodded.

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Troy took Jared from his cell, through the station, to the locker room where a shower system had been installed into the original building. Perhaps the building had originally been a gym, but whatever purpose it had served before, it had been hurriedly repurposed for the Bureau of Metaphysical Enforcement’s needs. The level below was their firing range and perhaps had been some kind of underground parking area, but this area directly above it had been designated as a locker room for the officers. It was maybe a little too large, considering they had a small compliment of officers, but there was room to expand, and that was important. Troy had a feeling that things would take off and that at some point in the near future, their role would be crucial.

Adam had agreed that Jared could take a shower, but insisted that Troy stick around, since the locker rooms were not a ‘public’ area of the station. Troy explained briefly how the showers worked and leaned against one of the banks of lockers while Jared ‘did his thing’. He tried not to watch, but something about Jared held Troy’s attention. Perhaps it was the man’s height. Troy wasn’t small by any measure, and the idea that someone had ever called him ‘Little Troy’ prickled with him a little, though in comparison to Jared, he figured that the name kind of made sense. Anyone could get the name ‘Little whatever’ when they stood next to Jared.

The tall man took his time while he showered, taking particular care to wash his hairy upper body and armpits thoroughly. The soap he was using was something Troy had brought in himself – the stuff that was ‘standard issue’ from the stores might as well have been lard judging from the smell of it. He tried to be discreet but glanced over occasionally at Jared to check on his progress.

“Hey, litt… sorry… Troy,” Jared spoke suddenly.

“Yeah?” Troy asked.

“Can I ask ya a question? Kind-a personal, like. Ya don’t have to answer if ya don’t want.”

“Sure, you can ask,” Troy nodded. Jared looked over his shoulder at the officer, and hesitated before he spoke.

“Umm… were you… were you just checking me out, just then?”

Troy’s eye widened briefly, then he turned away and faced in the other direction. “No,” he said simply.

Jared turned back towards the showers and rinsed soap from his body, then turned his head a little back in Troy’s direction. He realised he’d probably put his foot in his mouth… again… but when he saw Troy glance around again briefly and then turn back sharply, he grinned to himself. One thing was certain – seeing the young copper blush had just made Jared’s day.