WINTER BLUES

Author:     Eggbert
E-mail:     mbejane2000@yahoo.com
Pairings:   Des/Reg, Craig/Luke.

Summary:    A Christmas trip to Planet Sun Hill. Des and
            Reg are discovering the joys of cohabitation but will
            flaunting their relationship at the Christmas party
            make Luke realise what he's missing? Alternative
            summary for kel...Dessie does Reg.

Disclaimer: The Bill is the property of Thames
            Television, etc., etc., no infringement of copyright
            is intended.

Spoilers:   None. Strictly AU
Rating:     NC-17. For Reg porn. Consider yourself warned.

Dedication: To kel. Merry Christmas.  and to Sioux
for part of the plot with thanks.




It was one o'clock on a bitterly cold December
morning. Reg Hollis had agreed to do overtime and was
questioning the wisdom of it as his numb fingers fumbled
with the front door key, almost dropping it. Cursing
quietly he let himself in and locked the door behind
him.

A soft glow of light shone through the open doorway to
the living room and Reg went inside to find Des
Taviner sprawled on the sofa dozing in the heat from
the fire.

" What are you still doing up? " asked Reg as he stood
in front of the fire letting the warmth seep through
him.

" Waiting for you, Reggie babe. " replied Des evenly.
He stood up and put his arms around Reg, holding him
close. " Bad shift? "

" Not too bad as it goes, " replied Reg.

" Christ, you're bloody freezing! " exclaimed Des. "
Why didn't you ring? I would've come and picked you
up. "

" I thought you'd be in bed, " admitted Reg, relaxing
against Des's sturdy body.

" Not without you. Look, sit down and I'll make some
tea. Are you hungry? "

" No, they kept the canteen open late. Tea would be
nice though. "

" Two seconds, mate. " said Des and he vanished into
the kitchen while Reg sat primly on the sofa, as close
to the fire as possible. Forecasters claimed it would
be one of the coldest Christmases on record and Reg
could well believe it. He detested the winter; it
always made him depressed to see everywhere covered in
snow and the Canley roads like skating rinks.

Des returned with two steaming mugs of tea. Reg
accepted his gratefully, took a mouthful and nearly
choked. Des had laced both mugs generously with
whisky.

" Get it down you, Reg. " Des said cheerfully.

Reg did as he was told and felt a warm glow spread
through his tired frame. The heat and the whisky were
having a soporific effect, so he placed his mug on the
coffee table, leaned back and closed his eyes, smiling
faintly as he felt Des's arm come to rest on his
shoulders.

" Looking forward to going back tomorrow? " he asked
Des.

" Yeah, I've been off long enough. And I want to get
the area car back off Dutch as soon as. " Des replied.
Reg grinned.

" There's a new girl started. " Reg murmured. " She's
called Ruby. "

" Pretty, is she? " enquired Des.

" Very. "

" Should I be jealous? "

The absurdity of the statement made Reg laugh and he
only stopped when Des pulled him unceremoniously onto
his lap and he felt the warm brush of Des's lips on
his neck.

" What are you doing? " Reg asked.

" I don't reckon you're warm enough yet. " muttered
Des, unbuttoning Reg's shirt.

" Mmmm. If you're that determined, I can hardly claim
to be tired. " said Reg with a grin.

In truth the first touch of Des's fingers on his skin
had chased Reg's exhaustion away and he squirmed on
Des's lap, as his lover's caresses grew more intimate.
The pile of discarded clothing grew on the carpet
until both men were naked on the sofa.

" Shouldn't we go to bed? " asked Reg, gasping as the
tip of Des's tongue teased his already erect nipple,
leaving a wet trail on Reg's skin as he moved across
to repeat the process.

" I don't want to move from here, " growled Des,
hissing as Reg's hand slid between his legs and began
to fondle his erection, tracing its outline and
lightly rubbing the leaking head. With great
reluctance, Des moved Reg's hand away.

" You'll get more than you bargained for, Reggie babe,
if you keep that up, " murmured Des, his blue eyes
dark with lust. Reg was content, still amazed at the
novelty of being able to reduce Des to a quivering,
needy wreck with a well-placed touch.

With Reg perfectly positioned and prepared, Des slid
into his welcoming body, angling himself so every
thrust into Reg's slick heat hit home, savouring Reg's
sweet whimperings of delight and, only when he felt
the exquisite pain of Reg biting down hard on his
shoulder and the warm gush of Reg's semen over his
hand, did he allow his own orgasm to overtake him,
crying out as he did so.

In the post-coital haze he couldn't stop touching Reg
who wore a very contented smile.

" Warm enough now? " he asked Reg gruffly.

" Much more of this and I can do away with the central
heating. " replied Reg. Any further comments were
smothered by Des's lips on his.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

" You're sure that you're fit for duty? "

Des was in Sergeant Gilmore's office the next morning
after the briefing.

" Yeah, Sarge. I'm fine. The doctor says there's no
need for me to be off any longer. "

" Great. Well, you'd better get on with it. It's good
to have you back. "

" Thanks. Oh, there's one more thing, Sarge. " Craig
looked at him curiously for Des had blushed a very
fetching shade of pink.

" I thought you should know that I'll be living with
Reg permanently from now on. "

Craig looked startled.

" That's er..." he stuttered.

" He's me fella. " said Des.

Craig's eyes widened so much they were in danger of
falling out of his head.

" I'm sorry? " was the best he could manage.

" Me fella. Me boyfriend, me partner, me lover. Do you
really need me to draw you a picture? "

" Er, no. " spluttered Craig. " Thanks for letting me
know. "

" Right. " said Des and stalked out, the back of his
neck as red as the setting sun. Craig waited until the
most un-pc PC at Sun Hill had vanished round the
corner before allowing a great goofy grin to spread
all over his face.

" Des and Reg? Oh my. " he muttered, chuckling softly.

" Careful, Craig. " interrupted the acid tones of Gina
Gold. " People might think you're enjoying yourself.
Can't have that, can we? "

Craig leapt to his feet but she motioned him back into
his chair and sat down herself.

" What's so funny anyway? " she enquired.

" You are //not// going to believe this. " he said,
his soft brown eyes twinkling with mirth. He told her.
She looked utterly stunned.

" Reg Hollis and Des Taviner? Reg Hollis and Des-all-
gays-should-be-rounded-up-and-shot and honest-guv-he-
tripped-and-fell Taviner? Really? " squeaked Gina.

" Yes, he seemed quite proud of the fact, " added
Craig, tweaking things a little. She started to laugh.

" Oh Christ, I think you've made my entire year, never
mind my day. " she said, wiping her streaming eyes.
Reluctantly she stood up.

" These are for you. Arrest records for the past month
and arresting officers. I'll let you sort out the
stats, break them down to their useful components.
I'll need them before Christmas."

" I'll get on with it now, ma'am. " Craig said.

" Looking forward to the party tonight? " she asked
from the doorway.

Craig grimaced. The Sun Hill Christmas party was an
event much anticipated by everyone at the station but
he would feel like a complete lemon going on his own
and sitting morosely in a corner getting drunk.

Gina correctly interpreted his expression.

" I won't let you be a wallflower. " she said. " I
take it you haven't got a date? "

" No, nor am I likely to at such short notice. Never
mind, I'll make sure you have a good time. " he said
with a smile.

When she had gone Craig put his head in his hands.
Carl was ancient history, one too many flirtations
with the wrong side of the law had made Craig realise
what he was really like and since then there had been
no one else. The station had been rocked when Kerry
had broken off her engagement to Luke and applied for
a transfer to Barton Street without giving a proper
reason for either. Craig had hoped for some sort of
recognition from Luke but the younger man had merely
wandered about in a daze, as if completely blasted by
what had happened. The situation had eased when Kerry
had left but Luke was still morose and Craig left well
alone. It was stupid to still be carrying a torch for
someone whom had made their lack of interest very
plain but Craig couldn't help it. The memory of their
kiss still returned to haunt him in dreams, dreams
that made him ache with longing and made further sleep
impossible.

Savagely he attacked the pile of figures. Mooning over
what could never be wasn't going to help his
concentration one bit. Craig bent his head and set to
work.

Luke and Gary brought in a very violent D and D who
further disgraced himself by vomiting copiously over
Craig as he manhandled him into the cell.

" Bloody marvellous!" growled Craig as he stormed into
the changing room, dripping regurgitated lager in his
wake. The git had made a proper job of it, no
question. The only working shower was in the PC's
changing room so he grabbed a clean uniform and
sneaked inside, keeping his fingers crossed that no
one would come in while he was sorting himself out. He
sluiced himself off vigorously and dried himself on a
borrowed towel.

" Only five hours to go, " he muttered to himself as
he pulled on clean trousers. " Now all I need is a
haemorrhage and someone to thump me and I'll have the
full set. "

The door to the changing room swung open and Luke
Ashton stood in the doorway, bright red with
embarrassment.

" Sorry, Sarge, " he croaked. " I didn't know you were
in here. "

" Now you do. " said Craig evenly. " Shut the door,
it's bloody freezing in here. " he continued as he
pulled on his clean shirt, all too aware of Luke's
gaze never wavering from him.

" I'll just...I...sorry. " stuttered Luke and
vanished.

" Damn. " said Craig mildly. He had liked the feeling
of Luke giving his body a visual once-over. Payback
for the first time Craig had ever seen him, bollock
naked and dripping from the shower. " And thus was an
obsession born. " said Craig as he pulled his jersey
over his head.

As he went back to his office he realised he would
have to stop talking to himself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

" Hurry //up//! " bellowed Des. Reg had been in the
bathroom for what seemed like an eternity and if there
was anything Des hated, it was wasting good drinking
time.

The door opened and Reg emerged in a cloud of steam
with a towel wrapped round his waist. Des eyed him
hungrily.

" Patience is a virtue, Des. And if //somebody//
hadn't left the kitchen looking like a bombsite this
morning I'd be already dressed. " It never ceased to
amaze Reg how much havoc Des could wreak in the
preparation of a simple slice of toast.

" Don't try and get cute, " said Des. " I told you to
leave it till tomorrow. " He smiled at the faint look
of horror on Reg's face and slid his arm around Reg's
waist. The towel tumbled to half-mast then slid to the
floor. Reg playfully slapped Des's questing fingers
away.

" And if you have your way we'll never get there. Five
minutes. " he promised and shut the bedroom door in
Des's face.

For Des it was well worth the wait for Reg came
downstairs clad in black jeans and the red silk shirt
Des had bought him for his birthday. Des caught a
discreet waft of expensive aftershave as Reg passed
him to get his jacket. Outside a car horn beeped
impatiently.

" That'll be the taxi. " said Des. " Let's go. "

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Craig and Gina were full of Christmas cheer by the
time they got to the party venue, thanks to visiting
almost every bar from her house to there. Craig sat
her down and went to wait patiently in the queue for a
drink. As he waited, he spotted Luke sitting with a
group of the other PC's. Luke caught Craig's eye and
smiled before turning away. Suddenly the whole evening
didn't look like being a complete waste of time after
all. He watched Des and Reg enter the room to the
amazement of some and the amusement of others. It
hadn't taken long for the news of Des's new domestic
arrangements to filter through the relief; the off-
colour jokes and innuendo had already started. They
joined him at the queue for the bar and greeted him
guardedly. Craig was amazed to see just how happy they
both appeared to be and he felt a strong pang of
loneliness. When it came to Craig's turn at the bar he
bought drinks for both of them.

" Congratulations, " he said wryly.

Des downed his whisky in one and gestured to the
barman for another.

" Thanks, Sarge. " said Reg, watching Des warily over
the rim of his pint glass.

" Relax, Reggie babe. " said Des, correctly
interpreting Reg's expression. " I'm just playing
catch-up. "

Craig collected the drinks for him and Gina and made
his way back to her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke wasn't enjoying himself at all. He joined in with
the others but felt as though he had been hollowed out
inside. He missed Kerry, which was absurd. She had
been furious when he had admitted his true nature to
her, refused to believe he had been unfaithful and had
left their flat that very night. He hadn't seen her
since. He had loved her emotionally, nothing more, but
he missed her as a friend. He also knew his popularity
at the station had dropped several notches. Everyone
there had liked Kerry and they blamed Luke, rightly or
wrongly, for her departure.

On his way back from the bathroom he bumped into
Craig.

" Enjoying yourself? " Craig asked.

" Not really. " confessed Luke. " I'm about as welcome
here as dry rot. "

" Now why would that be, I wonder. " said Craig
sarcastically. Luke made an exasperated sound.

" It was Kerry's decision to end it. " he protested.

" I know that. " said Craig.

" So why does everyone have such a down on me? " Luke
almost wailed.

" Because there are two sides to every story, Luke.
And no one knows hers. She was well liked. You can't
blame them. "

" She left me because I finally got the guts to admit
who I really am. " said Luke. The drink had made him
bold. Craig raised his eyebrows.

" And what are you? "

" Fucking confused, if you want the truth. "

Craig said nothing, his eyes never wavering from
Luke's.

" I know what people are saying about Reg and Des. "
Luke continued. " Des would slaughter half the relief
if he could hear the comments they're making.
Especially about Reg. And Sergeant Boyden hates you
because you're gay. I can't face that. "

" So you're just going to stay firmly in the closet
then? " asked Craig.

" I don't see that I've got a choice. People hate me
enough round here. "

He gasped as Craig grabbed him firmly and turned him
round to face the table that Des and Reg were sitting
at. Des was feeding Reg with delicacies from the
buffet, Reg pausing between mouthfuls to slowly and
lasciviously lick the garlic butter from Des's fingers,
completely oblivious to everyone else in the room.

" That's another thing I don't get. Des isn't gay.
Look at all the women he's had. What does he think
he's playing at with Reg? "

" They love each other. " said Craig softly. " It
doesn't matter to Des that Reg is another man. He's
found the one person in the world that he can be happy
with. And he's not ashamed of it. "

" And I am. " It was a statement, not a question.

Craig let him go.

" Why should you be bothered anyway? " asked Luke
angrily.

" I just want you to be happy. " said Craig in his
heartbreakingly soft voice.

" With you? "

" With //anybody//, Luke. I still fancy you, that's
not exactly secret, but you made it very plain you
weren't interested. "

" Maybe I was wrong. "

" Maybe. But I refuse to play games with you, Luke. If
you want me that's fine but if you back off again you
won't get a second chance. "

Craig saw Gina signalling to him.

" Think about it. " he said to Luke.

Luke did. He stood and watched Des and Reg canoodling
and imagined doing that with Craig. He knew Craig's
lips were beautifully soft and eminently kissable and
he had tortured himself before over wanting That Kiss
to happen again, no strings attached. He should have
known Craig wasn't a man for pointless attachments.
Now Craig was offering him the chance to make it
happen.

" What the fuck, " muttered Luke. " I've got nothing
to lose. "

The evening was drawing to a close and everyone agreed
it was a raging success. The music changed from
Christmas pop to slow and romantic. Craig shifted
uncomfortably in his seat.

" Time to go, " he said to Gina.

" Not quite, " she said with a knowing smile.

Craig turned in his seat to find Luke standing behind
him.

" Luke? " he said, confused.

" Dance with me, " said Luke, extending his hand to
Craig.

" What? "

" Dance with me. " Luke repeated. Craig looked deep
into the other man's eyes and felt his pulse rate
quicken. He pushed back his chair and stood up. Luke
smiled up at him.

" No more games? " asked Craig roughly.

" No. " said Luke simply and, taking Craig's hand in
his pulled him to the dance floor. Once there, Luke
could feel every single person in the place looking at
him and Craig as he slid his arms around Craig's neck
and was drawn close to his body.

" You don't know how long I've wanted this, " Craig
murmured, his warm breath ghosting over Luke's cheek.

Luke relaxed into the embrace, resting his head on
Craig's shoulder. He could feel Craig's arousal
growing to match his own, could smell the anticipation
on the other man's skin, Craig's hands moving
unceasingly over Luke's back, drawing him even closer.
A gentle finger on Luke's cheek made him look up and
it seemed the most natural thing in the world for them
to kiss, a passionately erotic kiss that made That
Kiss seem a pale copy of the real thing.

When the kiss broke Luke whispered into Craig's ear.

" Why don't you take me home to bed? "

Outside was a light covering of snow, which made the
Sun Hill Irregulars shiver and scuttle off for taxis.

" Well, fuck. " exclaimed Des, earning himself a glare
ffrom Reg for vulgarity. " Luke and Gilmore! He threw
a smart bird like Kerry over for that fat bas..."

Des's indignation was cut off by Reg's mouth planting
itself firmly on his. //Anything// to stop Des's
reputation as the station gobshite from being
enhanced.

" Not before time either, " said Reg firmly as he
released Des. " They've been crazy about each other
for ages. "

Des would have shaken his head but it made him feel
sick. Instead he gave Reg a very wicked grin.

" So, little boy. What do you want from Santa for
Christmas? "

" You'll do for starters, " replied Reg with a wry
smile. " Then there's the extension I want to the
Flying Scotsman track...."

Reg's groan was audible all the way along Canley High
Street.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke awoke very early the next morning, disorientated
and slightly hungover. Craig had slung a protective
arm over him some time during the night and all Luke
wanted to do was to pull the duvet back over them both
and snuggle up to Craig's warm, comfortable body.
Instead he went to the bathroom then walked into
Craig's spotless kitchen. He filled the kettle with
water and put it on to boil then went in search of the
coffee and sugar. It was still dark but the stars were
clearly visible over the Canley rooftops.

The kettle switched itself off and Luke reached out
for it and nearly fainted as a large hand covered his.
For such a big man his lover could move silently when
he wanted to.

" You nearly gave me a heart attack! " exclaimed Luke,
turning round to face him.

" I woke up and you weren't there. " said Craig. His
eyes were puffy with sleep, morning stubble covered
his chin and his hair was all over the place. Luke
thought he had never seen anything sexier in his
entire life.

" Come back to bed, " murmured Craig, pulling Luke to
him. " It's too early to be up. "

" I don't need any convincing, " said Luke with a
smile.

Outside the snow continued to fall.

The End.


=====
Ramblings and other stuff.
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The Tempest. http://www.webrizy.net

Out Of The Blue. Britfic.
http://www.rose-tinted.net/eggbert