Chapter Text
It starts with a case.
It always does.
Two young men found dead in the sea, their bodies ran ashore by the waves. Alec Hardy has to quite literally stop himself from panicking as he sees their bodies, the combinations of the water and the sand under the cliffs, of the two most devastating cases of his life, makes it quite hard to breath as he analyses them.
The city, of course, is in shambles.
They have to identify the bodies, the water has rotted them down to their bones, their skin is almost completely torn apart, and where it isn’t, it nears a greenish-blue colour. There is only a peculiarity linking them together, both of their eyes were missing. Completely cut out of the socket, it seemed almost chirurgical with how precise it was.
Alec has found himself teleported back in time. A moment of his life in which he was the most miserable he’s ever been. A moment in which he had no one at his side, not even himself. A moment in which he knew that one mistake would have caused his whole career, if not life, to end.
His hands are quite literally shaking as he moves around the crime scene. There is not much to tell, the water has erased every sign, but he has to push through and search.
The next days are the hardest ones. The bodies are not easily identifiable with the damage of the water, and everyone in Broadchurch talks constantly about it. There are theories, of course, but as usual, the truth is very different from a mere rumour.
Two young men, respectively 22 and 24 of age, neither of them lived in the city of Broadchurch. The news immediately make it on the papers, an all of the town can collectively breath again. The only ones not so comforter are the detectives, crowded only by questions.
Why the eyes? Why are two young men, both resident in cities near Broadchurch, found dead here?
There are two basics conclusions:
1. The waves took them here.
Which is not that inconsistent, or untrue, but needs a deep study to be confirmed. And then the other:
2. They were killed here.
The search had been incessant and tiring. Alec can’t recall the last time he’s been home, but he cannot let this slide, he has to keep going.
It feels like chasing a ghost.
They localise the two boys, they talk to their families, nothing comes out of it. They try to talk to their coworkers. Nothing. They ask their friends. Nothing.
Bradley Stones is a soccer player, he plays for the Southern Football League. He is 24 and trying to make a life of himself out of football, which is very hard when you’re left on your own. He works on a restaurant during the nights, trying to make some money on the side. His family has been very quiet about that, they didn’t seem too sad about not giving him more support, despite having the money, they seemed uncomfortable at most.
“We’ll ask them again, once we have something on our hand.” Alec had muttered when Ellie complained about it.
Bradley is a responsible man, all work and no bullshit, his friends told them he doesn’t use socials much, but they couldn’t localise his phone to prove it. Why would he be in Broadchurch? His time of death resulted to be 2 days before they found him, which means, again, two things:
1. The murderer has not tied him down properly to keep the body hidden.
2. He was in Broadchurch on his only free night of the week.
It was a silly thing to consider, Alec had been brainstorming for a while and then came across it. Bradley trained all day every day, then he went to work to the restaurant until 2AM, when he didn’t also have games on the same night, just to do it all again next day. He had one single free night, Monday, when the restaurant closed in the week, so why would he spend his night in Broadchurch of all places? If he really was here on his own will and not brought by someone.
Then came Matthew Scott. 22, going to university in London for Computer Science, he lives in a rented house not far from Broadchurch, his family said it was easier to go to London from there by train. His time of death resulted to be only 1 day before Bradley, a very short time period to begin with, but his body was also the one that showed up later in time. He was tied by the hands and feet with cement blocks, tying him down onto the ground, but the manacles had broken up with the storm and he started floating upwards barely two days after Bradley was found.
It seemed like he had an easier life, at least compared to Bradley, until they went to his house. He had many pills, antidepressant, anxiolytics, bottles of alcohol stashed in his cupboard with nothing else.
Bradley had a very bare house, he didn’t even own a proper bed, just the mattress, but it was what came with being young and without money. This was different. They interrogated their family about them, but they didn’t seem to know anything. Or once again, they didn’t seem shocked, only uncomfortable.
They were hiding something, Alec could tell that they were hiding something, he just couldn’t figure out what it was.
Then the truth came in the form of a man.
A shy young man came to the station. He clearly felt out of place and refused to speak to anyone about why he came there, he only wanted to speak to Miller.
“You’re a mother.” He said quietly in the interrogation room. “I did my researches. I just don’t think you would shame me.”
“Do you think you did something that needs to be shamed?” She asked, tilting her head slightly on the side with a maternal look. Alec stared at them from the other side of the glass.
“I don’t know, depends on who you ask.” He laughs nervously.
“And who should I ask?”
“Bradley’s family, for example.”
Miller just stares at him then, not saying anything, waiting for him to talk. Alec raises his eyebrows, his fingers nervously drumming on the edge of the table.
“I am Bradley’s ex boyfriend.”
A whole literal world opens to Alec just then. He curses himself for not thinking about this earlier. The secrecy of the family, the lack of support for Bradley, Matthew’s family knowing nothing about him, their friends being hesitant to talk to the police. It all came fitting in the right slot.
Homophobia.
The young man, Stuart, confessed his part of the story to Ellie. He and Bradley had been in a relationship for little less than six months 4 years ago, after that they had to broke up because Bradley’s parents found out and they were not happy about it. He and Bradley stopped talking after that, but from a mutual friend he learned that his family kicked him out of the house and he was now supporting himself.
He came to talk for him now that he was dead, now that Bradley’s whole self was going to be fully hidden even in death, neutralised by his family’s will.
Alec quite literally stormed out of the room. It made sense, it made fucking sense. It was as if the dots had suddenly connected themselves. Why would two boys clearly not keen on going out be four cities far away from their own on a free night? To be free.
They couldn’t be themselves in their city. Bradley was still a footballer, playing in a reign of hate and violence, and Matthew was still under his family’s control, they were the ones that sent him the money after all. So to be themselves, they had to go far away.
“We have to make a check of the gay bars near town.” He instructed. “We need to interrogate everyone that frequents them. See if they saw one or both of them, if they saw him together, who they talked to, who shared an interest in them. Everything. Now.”
“Can’t you tell that to us already?”
One voice resonated from behind. He immediately turned to stare at them, his usual death stare clouding his eyes.
“Who spoke? Care to repeat?”
Constable Costner stared at him then, a little smile on his face. “I said, can’t you tell that to us?”
“I don’t know who you think you’re speaking to, Costner, but I am your superior and I will have you fired if I need to. Go to work. Now.” He shot back.
“It’s a valid question, sir.” He said, cocking his head on the side.
“I’ve never been to a gay bar, I think you’re confusing me for your father. Go. To. Work.” A laughter was raised in the room and the officers disbanded, Alec went back to his office, not without a frown.
He’d been called many things since his stay in Broadchurch. He’d been called shitface, idiot, knob, wanker, he’d also been called queer. That has happened even before Bill came by, he knew that close mined people liked to use that as an insult, but one thing was to hear it and know it isn’t true, another thing is to hear and know that you’ll have to hide forever.
It’s a weight on his chest that he didn’t know could be placed. He knew this when he started dating Bill, he knew that they would’ve never been free, not in Broadchurch at least, but he didn’t think that this would have come to bite him in the ass like this.
How could he direct a case when his own people didn’t take him seriously? When he knew who the murderer would be and wouldn’t be able to stop the repercussions on himself? On his own people?
Alec was Britain’s worst cop for a reason, that being that he was rude. And misunderstood. Never stupid. He was nothing if not clever. He knew who they’d find. Man in his late 40s, perhaps hiding his own sexuality to the public, targeting young boys that had no one to protect them, easy targets.
He knew how this would impact himself and other people like him, but he had no way to stop it. Fuck it, it wasn’t the time to think about it. He had a case to solve and he had to do it quickly. He put himself back to work.
This time, he came back home.
By that he meant that he was forced to come back by Miller, who showed up in his office with dinner in hand and complained so loudly about his smell that Alec started to think that it would be a bit off putting if he showed up anywhere while not having showered for more than 4 days. He came back home, not even wanting to do anything if not work on his case and then crash out on a bed for once.
Thankfully, Bill was there.
After his concussion, Bill had started spending more and more time to his house, which Alec very much encouraged. Bill had already very few things, so taking them to his place had took less than two hours, and now after work he just came there, to him.
“The prodigal son has returned.” He said, not lifting his eyes from his files as he watched Alec enter the house.
“Miller forced me.” He just said, coldly. He threw his keys and wallet on the table near the door, then hang his coat. “We have a case.”
“I’ve heard about that. I live here too. And work in an hospital.” He said, still not ever looking at him.
“Don’t be a smartass.” Alec just said, the stress still running in waves, his mind still circling around the case. “I need a shower.” He just said, starting to take off his tie.
Bill got up from the table just then. “I’ll run you some hot water.”
“Can do it on my own.” Alec said, blankly, throwing the tie over the sofa and starting to unbutton his own shirt.
“Too late.”
He sighed. He was really not in the mood of talking, he just wanted to shower and go back to his case, he couldn’t spend much time just sitting in his ass and doing nothing.
He entered the bathroom with only his underwear on, not caring of the cold air stinging his skin. That is, until he was smashed against the bathroom door.
“You really need to stop throwing me around.” He whispered, a little breathless, as he felt Bill’s body press against his own.
“As if you don’t like it.” The other man grinned, pressing wet kisses against his throat.
“Ahh. That’s- that’s another thing.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “I don’t know if-“
Bill stopped for a moment, tilting his head to look at him better, waiting for a no in case he needed to stop. Alec felt himself blush at his attentive gaze, for fuck’s sake what was he? 14?
“I’m very tired.” He just blurted out.
Bill smiled at him, slowly releasing him from his little space between his body and the door. “Get in the shower.”
Alec stared at him for a second, then walked forward. He awkwardly took his underwear off, very aware of the eyes boring into his back, and hopped inside. The shower was, indeed, very warm, but he was having trouble concentrating on it when he knew that Bill was taking his own clothes off not a metre away from where he was standing.
He felt Bill’s body behind his own, his heart was beating in his chest for no reason at all. He felt him slowly move forward, just with his head, until he could rest it on Alec’s wet shoulder. He pressed slow kisses to his neck once again, leaving the rest of his body away from his own, as if he could scare him away. Perhaps Alec’s internal turmoil was visible even from the outside.
“Don’t leave marks.” He immediately said, a little anxious in his tone. His coworkers would never let him live it down, not now, not with this case. Bill kept kissing his neck, showing no sign of having heard him. “Bill.” He nervously turned.
“I won’t.” The other man said, taking his head away. Looking at him was clearly the wrong thing for Alec to do, because he couldn’t help it now but melt. Bill has always been an attractive man, he had known that ever since he thought he was straight, but now, his naked body and wet face only inspired what Alec could name as comfort.
He turned around then, throwing his hands around Bill’s waist and burying his head in the nook of his shoulder. He slowly backed away, taking Bill with him. His intention being taking the both of them in the trajectory of the warmth water, but resulting in Bill pressing him against the back of the shower wall, every point of their body connected.
“I have to take you to an open space sometime.” He muttered. “See how you fuck me then.”
Bill smiled against his hair. “You would be so disappointed when I turn out to be just as good.”
“Arrogant.” He huffs, never taking his face away from him. His hips starting to make aborted little motions against Bill’s own, clearly showing the same sign of interest.
“You love it.” He mumbled, but moved back, taking Alec back in the shower’s flux. Alec closed his eyes as the hot water engulfed him, he suddenly felt Bill move away and clutched at him. Bill turned to him, conditioner in hand, he didn’t approach further even though Alec was basically begging him with his eyes. All he needed now was him.
Bill squeezed a lot of it in his hands, immediately moving them to Alec’s body. He moved his hands methodically, covering every surface of him and scrubbing. Alec couldn’t help it but close his eyes, his tension being washed away like the soap over his body, Bill’s soft almost clinical hands were firm and so distracting.
He felt Bill kneel before him, he opened his eyes, a little startled, but Bill did nothing as he just kept soaping his legs. Alec shakingly moved an hand to his hair, Bill let him, but didn’t let himself be moved.
“Tease.” He whispered, his voice a little rough.
Bill looked up at him, a small smile on his face, then his head edged forward. Alec let out a slow, guttural moan as he felt Bill’s tongue dart out to lick at his shaft, his hand coming up to keep him in place. He closed his eyes, feeling him press a little kiss at the tip. Then another.
“Bill.” He whined, unable to keep it between himself. He felt his legs shake, he definitely should’ve come home earlier in this days, else he wouldn’t feel so tense right now.
“Shhh. Let me do this.” He whispered. His hands now coming up to grasp at his tight, Alec watched him as he opened his mouth, his head moving forward. He closed his eyes in anticipation, almost feeling a shiver of pleasure even before the act, except it didn’t come.
He opened his eyes again, to watch Bill stare at him through his lashes, a malicious smirk in his face, Alec realised just then that he was shivering. “You wish there was a wall behind you, huh?” He asked, cheekily.
Alec groaned, his patience slowly slipping from his grasp like the water over his body, he used his free hand to grasp at Bill’s hair, making sure that it stung a little bit, and using it to pull him forward. He almost fell on his knees just then, the pleasure streaming so high in his veins that he quite literally blacked out, being engulfed in the tight wet heat of his mouth.
Bill moved forward then, using his hands to press him against the wall again, stabilising him more before getting back to work with his mouth. He licked and sucked, using his hands to slowly massage his balls, Alec had been so tense, this whole week had been such a mess, he couldn’t help it but moan and whine like a madman.
He let his head flop behind, hitting it harshly against the wall, the pain only heightening his pleasure. His hand never left Bill’s hair, gripping on him for dear life.
“Please I’m- I’m close.” He roughed out. “I’m sorry- been a long week-“
Bill let him slip out of his mouth just then and Alec couldn’t help but let out a little cry. He was so close.
“You never shut up, do you?” He asked, his mouth moving forward then to nip at the tender skin of his inner thighs. “I want you to relax. Fully.”
“If you didn’t irritate me so mu- ahhh.” He closed his eyes again as he felt Bill take him in his mouth again, the heat that pooled in his guts, which he had managed to keep in place for a moment, started to become more and more pushing, unbearably so.
He let out a loud moan just then, his hand flying back again to Bill’s hair as his hips started to push forward and forward as if he was possessed. He felt his climax explode in his body like a supernova, he couldn’t feel what was happening, just a white fluid pleasure coursing through his veins.
After that, he felt like jelly. He slumped forward, Bill has fortunately had gotten up just in time to catch him, his head slammed against Bill’s soft chest and Alec felt something bubble up in his throat at the feeling. He tried to blame the shower for the tears running down his face. He was just so tired, so tense, he felt spent now.
Bill gently moved him backwards, until they were again under the hot water. He used one hand to keep him tight against his chest as he grabbed the shampoo with the other. As soon as Alec felt the hand in his hair, he let out a loud sob. He used his floppy arms to hold Bill’s body, burying his head even further in his chest.
Bill didn’t seem to mind, he didn’t even comment on it, he just kept on massaging his scalp, making sure to scratch the tension away. When they were done, Alec felt like a puddle of goo. His eyes were almost closing on his own, he couldn’t feel his body, it was all a numbing feeling of pleasure surrounding his form.
Bill closed the water then, gently helping Alec put in the bathroom, drying himself out with a towel and then doing the same to Alec, before starting to put his own clothes on. He felt a little ashamed, letting himself be treated like a doll, but he didn’t have the mental strength to do anything at the moment.
Alec let Bill gently help him in his clothes, he didn’t know when he had retrieved his pyjamas, although Bill often complained that he always left them on the bathroom floor, so that probably explained it. As soon as he was dressed, Bill grabbed yet another towel and massaged his wet hair, trying to dry them slowly.
At the motion, Alec let out a little laugh. Feeling immediately self conscious about it, and a little idiotic, he went to explain that it quite reminded him of drying a wet dog from the rain, but Bill didn’t give him time to do that, just pressing his lips against Alec’s own for a chaste peck.
“Let’s get you to bed.” Bill said, softly, and Alec had to force his lower lip to stop quivering before he started sobbing like a child again.
Bill led him to their bedroom, Alec laid down first on top of the blankets, taking some deep breathes as he watched Bill prepare himself for bed, take his files from the living room and adjust them away in their folder.
“I didn’t even make you…” He said, out loud, talking felt like such a chore at the moment.
“I took care of it.” Bill said, not meeting his gaze. “You were such a sight today.” Alec felt a little proud smirk crowd his face then.
“Only today?”
“Now you’re teasing me.” Bill replied, briefly glancing at him. He finished with the files and went to sit back on the bed. “Besides, I wanted you to relax. Nothing else.”
“I don’t deserve you.” Alec muttered.
“Nonsense.” Bill just said, forcing him to lift his hips as he tucked him away under the blankets.
“I don’t.”
Bill didn’t deign him of an answer, he slipped under the covers too, using his arm to curl around Alec’s shoulders and make him turn around until he was lying almost on top of him.
“You need a break.” He whispered. “Don’t think I didn’t see you just there.”
“What? Crying like a sissy in the shower?” He mumbled, feeling vaguely ashamed of himself. With his face against Bill’s undershirt, he felt the extreme urge to feel his bare skin. He used his hand to travel under it, being able to brush against his skin, he pushed his shirt upward until he could press lingering kisses to his cold skin.
“No, entering the house as if you were dead on your feet.” He said, looking down at Alec kissing his skin. “As if you had been dissociating for the past week.”
“Don’t talk therapy to me.” He huffed. “I don’t dissociate. You’re the one with a therapist here.”
They used to not talk about this. Bill was prideful when it came to his mental health, especially on the fact that he had not been able to deal with things on his own. Slowly, ever so slowly, after months and months of slowness, they managed to talk. And Alec got the right to tease him about it, it made Bill feel more lighthearted over it, he said, and Alec immediately took his chances.
“Ex-therapist.” He said, lifting his hands up as Alec pushed his shirt completely off his body. “I’m fine now.”
“You are so fine.” He muttered, nipping lightly at his pecks.
“If you keep that up, I don’t know how long I can wait until I need to find the nearest wall.”
Alec snorted at that, moving until he was straddling Bill’s legs and diving back down to kiss at his skin. He sucked at his chest, at his nipples, taking the little buds between his teeth and sucking them fully in his mouth. Bill moved his hand until he could move it under Alec’s shirt, making no move to push it away.
Somehow, that only made it hotter. Alec moved his hips, feeling their raising hardness clash against each other’s through their pyjama’s trousers. He bit his lips to contain a moan, never stopping the roll of his hips. Bill moved forwards then, catching his lips in a searing kiss, his hand coming up to play with the little hair at his nape as the other went to his hip, grabbing it so tight that it might bruise, encouraging him to move.
After a while, the room was filled only by their moans, their mouths open against each other’s, not even kissing. Alec came first. The tension was still high inside of him, his second orgasm was quieter, but only made him even more boneless. Bill smiled against his lips, getting up to grab a towel to clean them. Fuck, he was too old for second rounds, didn’t even know how he managed to get hard again.
As he laid there, in the afterglow of the orgasm, Alec couldn’t help but think about the case. How could they? How could his coworkers, the whole city, have something against this? How could they hate someone purely on who they love?
He thinks of Bill’s face, of Bill’s smile, of his warm body and even gentler hands, he thinks of the many time he picked him up, of the many times he kept him floating while everything was collapsing, he thinks of his life without him, how sad and gloomy it all was.
He can’t help but think about it as Bill gently wipes the cum away from his stomach, then quietly readjusts his trousers over him. There’s something so intimate about having Bill dress him up, the aftercare, taking care of him with such gentleness. When Bill is done, he turns off the lights and flops over onto the bed and Alec immediately crowds him into a kiss.
“I love you.” He whispers against his lips. “I love you so much.”
They don’t often say it.
Despite both knowing how they feel about each other, saying it feels so serous, so difficult for two men as closed as each other. But it was easier now. Easier when Alec thinks of the two young boys that had to travel cities just to have someone for a night, that had to lie to all of their friends, that had to see their family’s disappointment in them being who they are.
“It’s about your case, isn’t it?” Bill whispers, making it so Alec can rest again on his chest, this time looking up at him.
“Rude.” Alec whispers, although he doesn’t have it in himself to fight now. “Yes.”
“And you can’t talk about it, can you?”
“No I can’t.” He hesitates, his hand drawing small circles on Bill’s chest. “But uh I know I am lucky. To have you. Not that I didn’t think it before, but just more than usual.”
“I am lucky too, you know.” Bill whispers, pressing a small kiss against his forehead. “You are my light. My forever partner.”
Alec smiles a little more. “I can’t think of a life without you.” He presses yet another kiss to Bill’s now naked chest. “Thank you.”
“You need to relax.” Bill mumbles, sleepiness starting to crowd him. “The case is important but you have a life outside of it. Nothing bad will happen to you, you’ll figure it out as you’ve always done.”
Alec feels the so wanted darkness starting to crowd his eyes. “Yeah. Now I do.”