vix_spes

Ever since the case with the young boy in Hellebæk that had resulted in La Cour being sent back to Copenhagen and ending up in Horsens, Fischer had found his thoughts turning increasingly towards his friend and colleague. Even more so than usual. He had been almost surprised by just how much he had missed the other Detective Inspector. It was like missing a limb. They had spoken a few times on the phone but, well, neither of them had been particularly good at that and there had been more awkward silences than there had been talking. Yet, as soon as La Cour re-joined the team for the case in Køge involving a missing woman, it was as though no time had passed at all.

It was always the same with them. No matter what, they just fell into their old routines, usually with a rather self-conscious attempt at expressing their pleasure at seeing each other again. This time, it had been Fischer awkwardly patting La Cour on the shoulder instead of the hug that he really wanted to give while La Cour ran his hand over Fischer’s new hairstyle, making a sound of disgust. It was an action that lasted no more than a few seconds but Fischer found himself replaying it that evening as he chain-smoked in his hotel room.

La Cour’s perfectly innocent action had completely thrown Fischer for a loop with just how much he had liked the feeling of La Cour’s fingers against his skull. It wasn’t the first time that someone had touched his hair – both Mille and Ida did on a regular basis – but neither of them had provoked such a visceral reaction in Fischer. Never made him want more, never made him wonder what La Cour’s hands would feel like in a different scenario. It was strange, all their years of sparring and grappling with each other, pinning each other to the mats and it was La Cour’s hand on his head that had him acting like a bloody woman.

Then again, maybe it wasn’t so surprising. Or it shouldn’t be so surprising. He and La Cour had been paired together in their first days with Rejseholdet and while the team often worked together in a variety of combinations, it was invariably himself and La Cour together. It was, in many ways the longest relationship that either of them had ever had. They not only worked together but socialised together, holidayed together and all but lived in each other’s pockets for days on end while they were on a case. They had outlived his relationship with Mille and Fischer had no doubt that they would outlast what he had with Ida. He didn’t want to speak for La Cour but, given that the man hadn’t mentioned Helene’s initial existence, Fischer was relatively certain that he and La Cour would outlast the other man’s relationships with the psychologist.

The two of them just fitted together. A pairing that worked, for all that it shouldn't.

They may have been put together as a means to an end, with the intention that La Cour would keep Fischer’s impetuousness under control somewhat while Fischer would hopefully stop La Cour from getting too lost in his own head, but they had become more than that. The whole of Rejseholdet were more than just colleagues, they were more like a family but Fischer wouldn't describe La Cour as his brother. Some of the thoughts that he'd had precluded that. But even that was oversimplifying things.

Fischer didn't consider himself to be gay, hadn't thought about it enough to put a label on it but he was comfortable enough to acknowledge that he found men attractive from time to time, and besides, sometimes men were just easier to deal with than women. Less drama, less having to think about the connotations and inflection of every single word. Fischer could read and understand La Cour with one look. He had thought he could do that with Mille and had got it wrong each and every time. He was rarely wrong with La Cour. Besides, he was curious. La Cour reminded him a bit of water; calm on the surface but you were never sure what was going on underneath. La Cour was a passionate man when you got him gong and Fischer was intrigued as to how that would play out with a lover.

If La Cour were a woman, Fischer might not think twice. They were close friends, they worked together inordinately well as partners, he found La Cour attractive and while they were never going to have the same interests out of work, La Cour would at least sit through a football match now. Fischer had certainly started a relationship based on less. Then again, Fischer couldn't bear the thought of changing the status quo and, in the process, fucking up one of the few constants in his life.

No, they came as a pair. La Cour and Fischer. Somewhat mismatched but fitting together perfectly nonetheless. In whatever capacity.