RS/A man in uniform

[thegentlemanthug]

An uneasy truce develops between Drake and Reid, until the Inspector seems to forget the incident and subject them to his usual moods.

So when Drake is called to the Inspector's office, he has no idea what to expect.

"The incident with the jail cells," Reid begins.

"Sir." Drake's voice holds a warning note. He had hoped it had gone away for good.

"It seems you conduct did not go unnoticed."

Drake's jaw tenses. "Inspector, I can-"

"You're being given a commendation. For exemplary conduct. I suggest you find your uniform, Sergeant. There will be a fête outside the station this evening. I expect a couple of Parliamentary members at the very least."

In a daze, Drake exits the office and almost walks straight past his lover in his shock.

Comments

[thirstforvice]

"But after the ceremony...?" Matthew grins, leaving that question hanging between them as he moves away.

"I'll be seeing you later, Sergeant Drake."

[thegentlemanthug]

Drake goes home as directed, and suffers Mrs Ramsay's excitable fussing over his outfit before turning her attention to what her and Matthew are going to wear to the ceremony.

Before his doctor arrives, he is stuffed into his stock and long overcoat, his top hat waiting by the door. He feels ridiculous but he hopes Matthew appreciates the effect.

[thirstforvice]

Matthew intends nothing more than a change of shirt, never one to dress for particular occasions, so he's taken more than a little off-guard when Mrs Ramsay rushes him the second he opens his front door.

"I have a suit laid out for you," she declares, bustling him up to the bedroom, the suit laid out on the bed.

"Can't I wear what I have?" Matthew complains, the suit on the bed too demure for his personal tastes. "And maybe be allowed to say good evening to the Sergeant?"

[thegentlemanthug]

Drake listens to the conversation with amusement.

"The Sergeant is waiting for you in the parlour," Mrs Ramsay says firmly. "And you can save your "good evening"s for when you get home."

[thirstforvice]

Matthew scowls, undressing with a purposeful slowness, like a sulking child. He will wear the suit, only because Mrs Ramsay has clearly gone to some effort to procure it for him, but that does not mean he will be thankful for it.

"My own clothes are just fine," he comments.

[thegentlemanthug]

"There will be press men there," Mrs Ramsay says, and Drake groans to himself. He hadn't expected such a commotion.

"We don't want to let our Sergeant down, do we?"

[thirstforvice]

"He's far more likely to laugh at me, dressed like this, than be let down by my normal clothes," Matthew grumbles, unaware that Bennet is listening to his every word.

"I will look ridiculous."

[thegentlemanthug]

"You'll do very well. Now we'd best get going before we miss our place in the crowd. I want to get a good view."

Bennet waits expectantly at the bottom of the stairs, like a groom about to greet his bride.

[thirstforvice]

Matthew follows his landlady with his arms crossed over his chest, sulking in his finery. His suit is dark, a stark contrast to the crisp white shirt and crimson waistcoat. The only nod to his normal fashion are the thick stripes of his suit trousers, alternating black and grey.

Still, he feels far too British.

[thegentlemanthug]

Bennet watches his lover as he stands at the top of their stairs.

"A finer gentleman I never did see."

[thirstforvice]

"I look like a bloody toff," Matthew grumbles, though there's a smile on his face as he looks his Sergeant up and down.

"And not half as handsome as you, Sergeant."

[thegentlemanthug]

"And you can be admiring of each other later," Mrs Ramsay bustles. "We are going to be terribly late!"

Drake holds open the front door. "Majesty."

[thirstforvice]

"They can hardly start without Sergeant Drake, can they?" Matthew points out, letting himself be bustled out the room.

At Bennet's nickname, he can't help but giggle in a most ungentlemanly manner.

[thegentlemanthug]

Mrs Ramsay is already hailing a hansom and Drake hands her up into the carriage, before offering his hand to his lover.

[thirstforvice]

"Don't even think about removing an inch of that uniform without my say-so," Matthew whispers as he moves past Bennet into the cab. He has never seen his lover look so in need of ravishing.

[thegentlemanthug]

Bennet hopes his blushes can be passed off as being a little too warm in his uniform. Mrs Ramsay, however, shoots them a knowing smile.

"I've very proud of you," she says. "Both of you."

[thirstforvice]

"I've not done anything," Matthew points out, sitting with his thigh pressed against Bennet's on the bench of the cab.

"Our Inspector made that crystal clear."

[thegentlemanthug]

Drake's jaw tenses and he grips Matthew's hand. Reid wore a dark bruise on his cheek for a week and that had been justice enough.

"I'm sure you boys have put that all behind you now," Mrs Ramsay says breezily, as if it were a schoolboy squabble.

[thirstforvice]

Matthew harrumphs and falls quiet, watching from the hansom's dirty window as they make their way back towards Whitechapel.

"'s the Sergeant we should be proud of today, is all I meant," he eventually explains himself.

[thegentlemanthug]

"I'm proud o'you every day," Drake says, prepared to defend his position on that to the bloody death.

[thirstforvice]

"You're cute," Matthew laughs, not going quite so far as to kiss his lover in front of their landlady, though he wants to.

"But this ain't my special day."

[thegentlemanthug]

"I'm sure you'll find something to celebrate," Mrs Ramsay says innocently. "I'll plug my ears with wax tonight, shall I?"

Drake tries not to choke.

[thirstforvice]

Matthew decides not to respond to that particular comment, for fear of going too far and saying something that could land them all in trouble.

Thankfully, the hansom is beginning to slow, and it's only a moment longer before they're being disgorged onto Leman Street. "Your adoring crowds await," Matthew grins, alighting first and being the one to offer a helping hand to Bennet, this time.

[thegentlemanthug]

Bennet takes the offered hand and steps down into a crowd of people, all dressed in their finery, laughing and joking together.

There are press men, and food vendors, and police officers from all the neighbouring stations.

"It's like a bloody circus," he complains.

[thirstforvice]

"You're our hero, Sergeant Drake," Matthew grins, wanting to do so much more but very aware of just how many people are looking at them.

"Enjoy it. Even you gotta get some sort of pride out of this."