Set had awakend a few minutes earlier, a little lightheaded as he lay quietly, enjoying the firm, warm chest his head was resting on, the strong heart beat, and the gentle caress of fingers drawing lines and shapes on his back. The only thing bothering him was that every small movement brought forward a dull, annoying pain in his temple, which he could have tolerated, if he had wanted to but why should he -- oh, and a wet spot under his mouth. Yeah, it seemed that he had literally drooled all over Lucas in his sleep… well, over his chest anyway.
"Set, I know you are awake." The voice was soft, not pushing, just stating a fact.
Set's eyelids fluttered open and he slowly inched a closer, if that were even possible, and hid his face in the niche of Lucas's neck. This wasn't the first time Set had awakened up, but the first time he had opened his eyes it was still dark out and his killer headache still lingered, but the pill and glass of water on the bedside table had helped to dull that, and when he had fallen asleep, he had been alone in the room. At least that meant it wasn't entirely his fault for being wrapped around Lucas like a very needy, clinging octopus, because he would never, ever have wrapped himself around another person like that on his own, not even in the drunken state he had been in. Yeah. Lucas had probably positioned him like that when he got into bed. That ass. Not that it felt bad, on the contrary, but that didn't change the fact that the man was an ass --, a hot, sexy, attractive, loveable ass… who was kind enough to let him drool all over his chest in his sleep. Without complaining.
A soft kiss was pressed on the top of Set's head. "How are you feeling?"
Set swallowed a sigh of contentment. He had never felt so cherished, so loved… well not since childhood. Somehow he couldn't find the strength to push himself away from Lucas, so he just tucked his hand under his chin and tried to remember how he had ended up in Lucas's bed. There was a fleeting image of the bathroom, a wet sponge and something that coloured Set's cheeks pink, but other than that… there was no bed or Lucas's bedroom in his memories. He mumbled, "Okay. How did I end up here?"
Lucas's voice vibrated under Set's ear. "Let's see. You saw me with Geb, fell head over heels in love with me, followed me and found a job in my firm under false pretences, and because you're such a handsome fellow, I brought you into my home, and into my bed. Something like that."
Set was about to object to everything Lucas had uttered, except for the 'you saw me with Geb' part, when it hit him: Geb. Damn. He had completely forgotten about him. Well, that was because Lucas was too good a distraction and since he had found out Lucas was working on his side, stuff had happened. Like Elsi and Duncan's arrival, and not to mention that most of his time revolved around Lucas and his attraction toward the blonde. No, he wouldn't mention that and he had to ignore Lucas's teasing. Brought me home, my ass. Lucas had bullied Set into living with him.
Set turned his head and propped his chin on arms that were resting on Lucas's chest. "Lucas, what's going on with Geb?"
"Nothing really. Geb's fine and in good hands. You don't have to worry your pretty head about him." Lucas lifted himself into a sitting position, lifting Set with him.
Set adjusted his position so he was sitting beside Lucas, leaning on him. It was high time that he learned something. “How is the investigation going? Did you find the men that tried to hurt Geb?” He frowned, his forehead wrinkling as he tried to remember what else he had heard when he had eavesdropped on that conversation between Lucas and his grandmother. "Do you have any good leads, any proof? Anything at all? Who do you and Helen suspect?"
"So many questions." Lucas smiled, reached out with his right hand and wove his fingers in the hair at Set's nape, pulling him closer.
Set narrowed his eyes at Lucas and ignored the small shivers that ran up his spine and the way his heart beat fasterat the knowledge that Lucas was going to kiss him. But he also knew very well that the bastard just wanted to distract him. No can do. He put his fingers on Lucas's mouth. "Yeah, and I would like for you to answer them. Please."
With slow movements Lucas removed Set's hand. "Look. It'll all be over soon and then I'll answer whatever questions you have. But not now. Besides, the less you know the better."
"What?" Set was off Lucas in a second. A sharp pain filled his head. Damn hangover. He grit his teeth and ignored it. "Are you saying you won't tell me anything?"
"No. I'm telling you that I'll tell you everything when this is all sorted out." Lucas reached out with his hand, grabbing Set's wrist and pulling him closer. "Look… the only thing you need to know is that we have a pretty good idea who wants Geb dead and that we'll find proof of that. Soon."
Set's expression softened a little, but there was still harshness in the corners of his mouth. He didn't like that Lucas was trying to exclude him, but his voice was soft, almost pleading, "Geb's my brother and I care for him. And I want to contribute… if you would let me in, I could help you. I know I could."
"No." Lucas had a hard look in his green eyes, having a staring competition with Set.
"That's not fair." Set tried to pull his hand out of Lucas's firm grip. "If you are not willing to tell me things, to let me help, I'm going to…." He clenched his hands. "I'm going to find out things on my own."
"Set, I think we both know that you are hopeless in the finding out department. Your first few weeks here are proof of that. You didn't find out a thing." Lucas chuckled and pulled on Set's hand.
Set fell into Lucas's lap. He vocally and visually expressed his displeasure about his fall and how much he resented Lucas for his words. He did too find out a few things on his own. He did. Like that Lucas was working for Helen. That was a success, wasn't it? Oh. Who was he trying to fool? In the back of his mind he did agree with Lucas. He sucked as a detective or a spy.
"C'mon hon. Just leave this to me and stop behaving like a child. As soon as everything is sorted out, you'll know. I promise. I really mean it."
Set relaxed his body and put on the best-kicked puppy look he could manage, a small cute pout, that had inspired some massive cheek pinching from old ladies, and batted his eyelashes at Lucas. "But I want to know. And I want to help. Why won't you let me help?"
"Because… you can't help."
"Oh, yes I can. I could." Set was annoyed. He just wanted to help and Lucas was acting all high and mighty and 'you can't do that'… Who the hell did he think he was? Just because he wasn't experienced and well-versed like Lucas, didn't mean he was worthless… that his help wouldn't contribute to the investigation. If he knew all the information and the facts, he might be able to help with an idea or something … Even though his spying sucked, he still had a good mind and knew how to use it. Well… most of the time anyway.
This time when he tore himself off Lucas's lap, the blonde didn't try to stop him and maybe that was a smart thing, because Set was quite pissed at the moment. If Lucas wasn't willing to confide in him, he was done talking with the blonde. He would find out things on his own, if it killed him, because he would prove to that insensitive bastard that he could do anything he set his mind to. And he knew just the way to do it: by becoming Lucas's shadow.
#
Set groaned, silently of course. It wouldn't do to be heard, because he was on a spying mission.
Yeah, he could hear that Mission Impossible theme again; he just hoped that this time he would be more successful than before. Well… so far so good. He had deviously managed to slip past Duncan into Lucas's office. Duncan was now sitting behind Set's desk, learning the ropes of the secretary job, so he wouldn't look like a hopeless fool tomorrow, when his dad arrived.
Now he was hiding in Lucas's closet, which he had somehow managed to squeeze himself into after he heard Lucas coming toward the office door. Thank god the closet was half-empty, with just enough space after he took two shelves out and put them on the floor. Yeah, he could act quickly if the situation demanded it. Thank heavens or he would have been caught.
So… how had it come to this?
It was like this… After Set, pissed, declared that he would definitely show that dickhead what he was made of, he spent the rest of the morning in Lucas's apartment snooping around while he was down in his office.
What did he find?
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
The next logical step was to snoop around Lucas's office. He was in luck: After lunch, Lucas went out, some business stuff he had to take care of, he had said. He even forgot the keys to that big metal cabinet on his desk. Even though his first thought was to follow Lucas, Set quickly discarded that idea, because even he had to admit that following wasn't really his forte. He would just have to borrow some of that surveillance stuff he had seen when he and Elsi had helped Chris put away those heavy metal trunks.
All Set learned from his peek into the contents of the big shiny metal cabinetwas that Lucas did a lot of work for Helen's firm. He was actually her outside specialist for security, which position was equal to the position of the director, at least that was written on the contract Set found and a lot of other mumbo jumbo Set wasn't really interested in.
There were also a lot of duplicates of invoices that were issued to Helen's firm, mostly for equipment and for man power. The one that caught Set's eye was the copy of the large bill for mini-microphones, mini-cameras and their installation; it was interesting because the address for the installation was his grandmother's main office floor.
Did that mean that Helen suspected somebody close to her? Why else would she install equipment like that on that floor, where beside hers, only two other peoplehad offices: his uncle and Helen's son-in-law Herman Muller, and Helen's right hand man and her last husband's brother, who was also her long-time, close friend, Luc Carsia.
He had found that out a little over an hour ago and then soon after that he'd had to find a hiding place for himself which meant that he would trapped for awhile in the small place with his legs cramping, bored to death, wishing that he had at least taken his Game Boy with him, and headphones, of course. But on the other hand, that would have clashed with the task of spying, wouldn't it?
He peeped through the tiny crack between the doors; the position of the closet was just perfect for watching Lucas behind his desk, even though the view was from below. Set could even see a part of the screen.
Lucas was looking at something like maps on his computer, simultaneously checking something on a gadget that looked like a GPS navigation system, at least that's what Set thought it was, and writing in a black-and-white notebook, which he had gotten from the first drawer of his desk.
Set was very curious about that notebook. He added getting the key to that desk to his mental list, right next to getting the surveillance equipment. He doubted that he would get all of that on his own; somehow he would just have to trick people into helping him. Chris, of course, being the first candidate.
He watched and listened as Lucas made a few calls, not that the one-sided conversations made any sense to him and the only thing he could do was to wait for was for Lucas to get out of the office, so he could get out of this damn closet. The minutes ticked away and Set become drowsy, which was nothing weird. He'd had a rough night after all.
He made himself as comfortable as possible in the cramped space, got into the fetal position, leaned his head on his hands and just for a moment, closed his eyes. Just for a moment, he promised himself, because there was no way he could fall asleep in this position. No way.
#
Set was in a box and no matter how much he tried to get out of it, he couldn't. He couldn't even stretch his legs and his knees hurt, as did his arms.
Brrrrrr. Brrrrr. And that sound. Something was vibrating furiously. Oh, shit, it was a vibrator attacking. The vibrator was going to get him and do awful, awful things to him. And he couldn't get out of the box. Damn. Damn. Set's efforts doubled. He kicked out with his leg. "Ouch. Ouch."
And suddenly there was light and two hands reached out for him, they gathered him up, they embraced him.
Yay! Set was saved, the courageous knight in shining armor had just saved him from the big, bad vibrator who silently withdrew, its only remaining presence its the last shakes in his pocket.
What?
Something didn't add up here.
Set tried to open his eyes. His eyelids were heavy and sticky. He finally succeeded. His blue eyes met with wary green ones.
"What were you doing in my closet?" Lucas was kneeling beside the said closet, holding Set's upper body in his lap. It seemed that holding Set had become Lucas's new habit.
Set blinked a couple of times until he could get his bearings, then he stretched his legs before him, he really was cramped up. He wondered how much time he had spent sleeping. "Erm. Napping."
Lucas's penetrating gaze was throwing daggers at Set and his voice was laced with steel, but the hands holding Set were gentle, protecting, caring. "You were nowhere to be found. Do you know how worried we were?"
Set was still a little disoriented as he tried to extract himself from Lucas's hold. "I'm sorry. I didn't fall asleep on purpose."
Lucas hands on Set's shoulders were holding him gently but firmly, not letting Set go. "I thought that something happened to you."
"As you can see I didn't go anywhere and I'm alright." Set was getting a little pissed and was completely awake now. The muscles in his arms protested when he roughly pushed at Lucas's chest. "Let go of me."
Lucas stood up, pulling Set with him, his hands still holding him, shaking him. "Damn it Set! Hiding in my closet like that! What were you thinking?"
"You're acting like I committed some kind of crime!" Set finally managed to tear himself away from Lucas's hold and took a cautious step backwards with the intention of sliding out of the room at the first opportunity; because even if Lucas wasn't violent toward him, he had that dangerous glint in his eyes that Set didn't like and that actually scared him a little. "I said I was sorry."
Lucas took a step closer, the expression on his face was a blank mask, unreadable. "Yes, you did. But somehow I don't believe you."
Set took one step backwards. There was still that dangerous, sly look in Lucas's green eyes and… it wasn't promising anything good. From the corner of his eye, Set measured the distance between himself and the door. "I am. I am."
Lucas followed. Even though he was only an inch or two taller then Set, he seemed to be looming above him. "I think I'm going to have to punish you for worrying me like that. "
"What?" Only three, four more steps were separating Set from the way out. His voice was heavy with sarcasm, he could afford that so close to the exit. "What are you going to do? Spank me?"
The devious smile that appeared on Lucas's face told Set that was exactly what Lucas would like to do to him. "Maybe."
Set covered his slightly opened mouth with his hand. He wouldn't, would he? When Lucas's hand reached for him, Set jumped with a yelp and ran toward the door.
In three quick, long steps, Set was at the door, his fingers already holding the doorknob thinking that he was home free, when hands grabbed him and turned him around, pressing his back against the wall beside the door.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Lucas captured Set between the wall and his body, one hand on Set's hip, the other on the wall beside Set's head.
Wide-eyed, Set stared at Lucas, who had never been anything but gentle and patient with him.
Until now. That both scared and thrilled Set, and the fact that it thrilled him scared Set even more. "Erm… Could you let go of me? Please."
Lucas bent and the soft breeze of his breath caressed Set's ear. "Are you afraid?"
An intense shiver ran down Set's spine and he swallowed. Somehow he knew that Lucas would never hurt him, not intentionally. But this… this… "Should… Should I be?"
Lucas chuckled and cupped Set's face in his palm, leaning forward until his lips touched Set's. A smooth press of mouth before a hot tongue darted out and found its way between Set's lips.
Lucas's lips and tongue were seducing Set, making him forget everything else except the excited stokes of wet muscle against his.
Set's knees became weak and his fingers grabbed the folds of Lucas's shirt for support. Damn. Only one kiss and he was already like clay ready to mold. He resented that, but that didn't stop him from tilting his head and reciprocating.
Lucas's hand slid down and joined the other one at Set's waist. He pressed Set closer, he molded their bodies together, then his fingers slipped under Set's shirt; he caressed the small of Set's back, his sides.
Set moaned, the sound lost in other's mouth. He wound his hand around Lucas's neck, intertwined his fingers in fair, soft hair. He tried so hard to be indifferent toward Lucas, but his body and mind always betrayed him.
The kiss ended and Lucas's lips caressed the corner of Set's mouth then drew the wet trail of kisses toward Set's neck. His knee found its way between Set's legs, his hands grabbed Set's hips, lifting Set slightly and grinding their groins together.
"Nhhh." Set's head fell back, his neck now exposed to Lucas's hot tongue and his breath shallow and harsh.
Suddenly, Lucas stopped. He leaned his forehead on the walland took deep long gulps of air. He was still holding Set with one hand, while the other one went in his pocket and pulled out a phone.
A hushed sound of protest escaped Set's lips, before he tightly closed his eyes and tried to calm his erratic breathing and get the burning lust that Lucas awoke under control.
Lucas snapped the phone open. "What?"
"He's not here." The voice on the other side of the phone was loud enough and the phone was close enough that Set could hear Chris' voice.
"Who's not where?" Lucas sounded annoyed by the interruption.
"Set's not at the apartment. And he's still not answering Duncan's calls. We don't know where else should we look for him."
"Oh. That." Lucas looked at Set and patted Set's hip.
"Yeah. That. What's wrong with you? You were freaking out an hour ago."
"I found him." Lucas's hand grabbed Set around the waist, slipped down and cupped Set's ass, which made Set yelp in surprise. "I was just about to call you."
"Yeah, right. Like I believe you. And what are you doing? Are you molesting that poor boy again?"
"Like I would." Lucas frowned and closed the phonethen put it in his pocket and smiled at Set, a sexy, tempting smile that caused Set's heart to skip a beat. "Where were we?"