9A/N: Hey! I present to you: 'Burn through my skin'. Read it, enjoy it, and comment on it. This is the first story in a series of mystery/romance stories that will involve the main characters Kenneth Warlock and Raze Simms. I really appreciate reviews and constructive criticism, and you can always leave your own thoughts and ideas on the story, and maybe give me ideas for the next stories at the same time?
Have a good read.
Edit 06/10/2015: I just edited the story in preparation for writing the next installment. I'd still like reviews and constructive criticism!
WARNING: This story contains homosexual relationships between two men. There is some cursing as well, although it doesn't appear very often. Lastly, there is death in this story, as the plot revolves around a murder.
BURN THROUGH MY SKIN
CHAPTER ONE
A New Partnership
Ken held up his ID to the scanner and waited for a second for the beep. Once it sounded, the glass doors in front of him slid open and he walked into his office. At least, his office space, where his desk was situated along with a dozen others. Maybe, in a decade, he would have an actual office—with doors, and walls. Maybe; if he ever actually got a case. Of course, for that, he'd need a partner, and he didn't have one of those yet either.
Smiling in greeting to those few he had actually interacted with in the year he had worked at SOUSA, he made his way to his desk. He raised his eyebrows at the man leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, smiling in predatory anticipation. Cole Truman was senior to him, much as everyone else was. But unlike everyone else, he had been approachable, and friendly, and was one of Ken's only friends at SOUSA. He was also very irritating, and annoying, especially when he was smiling like that.
That was just great. It couldn't have been a peaceful Monday morning.
"Truman," Ken nodded as he stood in front of his desk and looked pointedly at it and at the man who was blocking it. Cole caught the glare, but very elegantly ignored it. He was still smirking.
"Kenny, guess what?" Cole's smirk had turned into a happy grin. He was even bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. Ken didn't know if he was supposed to feel excited or apprehensive. Cole definitely had an exuberant personality.
"The sky is blue?" Ken replied, walking forward and grabbing Cole's elbow. He guided it away, just a little roughly, and finally sat down on his chair. Once settled, and with nothing else to do, he looked up expectantly at the still present agent.
Truman had a 'seriously?' expression on his face. He shook his head as if to clear it, "No. I mean, yes. I mean, guess what I heard on my way in?"
Ken sighed, "Cole, how am I supposed to know what you heard? It's impossible."
Cole gave him an exaggerated pout. "You're impossible. Now listen, what I'm trying to say is, I think you got your partner today! Isn't that great news?" he exclaimed, complete with the jazz hands.
It was Ken's turn to stare at him. A partner? His partner? That really was good news. He had been working by himself for the past six months, a desk job mainly because you couldn't work in the field without a partner. With a partner, he could finally start actually working. So yes, that was great news.
"Really? Who was it? Where did you hear this?" As much as he wanted to childishly hide his glee from Cole, he couldn't help but let a little bit of his anticipation out.
Cole smirked, "So now you're interested, huh?"
"Truman." There was a little warning in that tone, so Cole rolled his eyes and answered his questions.
"Yes, really. I don't know who it is; I just heard Victor and him talking. It was in his office, but the door was slightly open. And yes, I eavesdropped, don't worry about it."
Like he would. "So you didn't see him?"
"Well…maybe a glimpse."
Ken glared at him, rolled his eyes, and then shook his head. "That doesn't matter. I'll meet him when I meet him."
Cole frowned in confusion, "Of course you will. How else can you meet him?"
Ken just waved his hand, "Nothing, nothing."
Cole rolled his eyes and started walking away, giving him a wave as he did. Ken leaned back on his chair and turned towards his desk. A partner, huh? Yes, that would make this job a little more interesting.
He glanced around him. Being accepted into SOUSA, Special Operations USA, had been a dream come true for him. It was such a well-known organization, an agency filled with the best private investigators, working in collaboration with the Flaine Police Department to solve crimes. This was the sort of job he had wanted from the moment he had decided that helping people lead better lives was what he wanted to do.
Cliché, yes, but growing up in a bad neighborhood where the people were so good, but trouble was so common had always made him want to personally solve everyone's problems. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that, so he settled for a job at SOUSA. And the pay was always a bonus.
Nodding in satisfaction, he started on his work. Since it was mainly paperwork, he didn't have much to do and grew bored easily. He didn't let that show on the outside, though. He tried to always look attentive and productive, even when he was neither.
So, when the head of his division, Dr. Dreston Victor, brought his new partner to his desk, he was sitting back straight in front of his desk scanning papers. On the inside, though, he wasn't paying the least bit attention to what he was reading. He had noticed them walking towards him and was listening to the sound of their footsteps, trying to identify his partner.
"Warlock," Victor called out.
He heard a muffled snort. So when he stood and turned around to meet his head and new partner, he had his eyebrows slightly raised, and aimed towards the snort. Standing before him with the back of his hand covering his mouth was a young, blonde haired man. He looked about Ken's own age, maybe a little younger. His laughing eyes were a combination of blue and green. He was a little shorter than Ken, maybe by a few inches, but otherwise, they seemed to have similar builds. He was definitely attractive, as evidenced by the sudden somersault Ken's stomach made.
What kept Ken's eyebrows raised where the clothes his partner was wearing. Leather jacket, jeans, and boots, an odd combination for a workplace. Although, SOUSA didn't really require formal wear, so he wasn't breaking any rules. Ken himself was wearing slacks and a sports jacket.
"Dr. Victor," he replied respectfully.
Nodding to him, Victor turned to his side a little and gestured towards the man. "Warlock, this is Reschay Simms. He has been assigned as your partner starting today."
Letting a little surprise and acceptance show on his face, Ken inclined his head towards Simms.
"Mr. Simms. I'm Kenneth Warlock, pleased to meet you." He held out his hand.
Simms lowered his hand from his face and nodded in return, smiling slightly. Well, it seemed more like a smirk than a smile. "You can call me Raze." They shook hands.
Raze? Well, that was less of a mouthful than Reschay, admittedly. Ken nodded. "Ken."
Victor nodded once to each of them. "Well then, I will give you time to get acquainted. Simms, you can join Warlock on his current workload. I will inform you if you have a case." With that, Victor walked off, leaving Ken with his new partner. Ken stared at the retreating back of his boss. Was that it? All the formal introduction they were getting?
Ken turned to Raze. "You're desk is right there," he pointed to the empty one next to his own. It had been present from the day he had started working, and Ken was happy that someone would finally fill it. He was looking forward to the company. Of course, said company being extremely hot helped too.
"Great." Raze nodded and walked towards his desk, sitting lightly on the chair. He placed his arms on the armrests and stared brightly at the empty top. Ken stared in amusement as he started fidgeting almost immediately, drumming his fingers on the armrest. He tapped his feet on the floor and promptly turned around, smiling brightly at Ken.
"I think I'm going to have to decorate that," he said lightly. "Or at least make it look like I work here."
"Probably. Did you just transfer here?"
Raze shook his head, "Nope. I'm completely new."
Ken smiled and nodded, "So was I, a few months ago."
"I figured."
Ken raised his eyebrows, "Really, how?"
Raze shrugged, "You have that whole 'new kid on the block' look. You know, the 'I don't belong here' one."
Mildly insulted, Ken leaned back, "I see."
Raze didn't seem to notice. He looked at Ken's desk. "So, what am I supposed to help you with?" He got up and walked the two feet to Ken's desk. He leaned on it and started rifling through all the papers, glancing through them.
Ken reached up and caught his wrist. "A little personal space, maybe?" That was a little too forward, especially for Ken, who liked his own space.
Raze stared at him blankly, before nodded sheepishly and withdrawing his hand. "Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little nervous."
Ken, strangely, or not, found the shy look on his face appealing. The slight pink flush on his cheekbones seemed attractive as well. "I understand. I felt the same way my first few days here too. Do you want to pull a chair over so that we can discuss the work?" Ken glanced at the chair in question.
Raze turned and looked at it, his smile turning bright. "Yeah, you're probably right." He pulled the chair and sat down. Ken thought about mentioning that he was still a little too close, but disregarded the entire idea as Raze looked at him, waiting. There was a sort of shining anticipation on his face that pulled at Ken.
So, Ken just took a deep breath and leaned forward, pulling a few files towards them so that he could start explaining the procedures.
The partnership had definitely started.