Title: "Romeo & Juliet Were Italians" (5/6)
Author/pseudonym:  Mistress Marilyn camelotslash-2 at qwest.net
Fandom: 'Magnum P.I.'
Pairing: Thomas Magnum/Rick Wright
Rating: NC-17, although there may be parts without graphic sex
Date: Written in the early 1980s
Archive: Yes, contact me first
Series: Six-part novel
Category: Slash
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson, not to me. Just borrowing them and speculating on their fictional lives.
Summary: Magnum and Rick become lovers and deal with the outcome, including the reaction of their friends and their own feelings. This story was evidently set during the first season of 'Magnum P.I.' and references many characters from
that series.
Warnings: Explicit m/m sex and some violence.

Part Five

"God, Thomas, it's been days!" Rick's arms went up around Magnum's shoulders in a bear hug. He pulled the tall man down to him for a long kiss.

"Mmm ... that's nice, Rick. It's so great to see you."

The two men stood looking at one another, almost as if for the first time. Then Magnum glanced around the room; Rick's apartment was, as usual, neat and cozy. The lights were low and candles glowed across the carpeted floor, casting interesting patterns. Magnum breathed in, picking up more sensory information; something delicious smelling was simmering somewhere.

"I've sure missed ya', you big lug! Do you know it's been three days since we made these plans?"

Magnum nodded, sighing. "And I'm really beat. I hate to disappoint you, but I think I'll fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow."

"That's okay, lover. Don't worry about it. Just havin' ya' here is enough. But before you go to dreamland, you're gonna eat my dinner. I brought it in from the Club, and it's all ready to go. Just sit down and I'll get you a beer -- or a Scotch, if you want."

"A Scotch would be great. Thanks."

Rick crossed the room and poured Magnum a drink. Then he handed it to him, pausing to caress Magnum's curly head before heading for the kitchen. Magnum took a swallow and meandered over the carpet to the sideboard where the candles stood in a large candelabra; he studied them for several seconds, his mind wandering.

"Wait'll you see this!" Rick called from the kitchen. "It's beautiful."

Magnum nodded to himself, moving to a chair and easing himself down. He was so tired. He glanced around again to keep his eyes from closing. On the table next to him was a book, lying open, face down. He shook his head, smiling, ready to berate Rick for his treatment of the small volume. 'Didn't your mother ever teach you how to treat a book,' his mind asked. Then he saw the title and remained quiet. 'Romeo and Juliet.'

Magnum reached over and picked up the tiny book. He wondered what Rick was doing with a play by William Shakespeare. It hardly seemed anything he would be interested in. Glancing quickly at the exposed pages, Magnum noticed a marked passage; Rick had evidently underlined the words in ink. Magnum read with curiosity: "Give me my Romeo: and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun."

Magnum read the passage twice. Then he heard Rick in the next room and carefully replaced the volume where he had found it.

"Come over here and look what I got for you," Rick called.

Magnum stood up and walked slowly to the table. Small dishes of steaming food were spread across the white cloth; the smell aroused his appetite, and he sat down eager to eat. Rick smiled over at him, watching his reaction. He let his face show his appreciation in a grin that curled his mustache.

Rick passed him the delicious dishes that had been prepared in the kitchen of the King Kamehameha Club, and he began to eat, slowly, enjoying every bite. "This is so great," he said between swallows. "I haven't had a good meal in days!"

"I know, Thomas. Just eat up. There's plenty here."

Magnum complied; he needed no urging to finish his share of the meal. He was surprised at how hungry he was; he had been so tired that he hadn't noticed his empty stomach.

Magnum sat back with a sigh. "I don't think I can eat another bite. I'm stuffed."

Rick smiled at him, his eyes a dark blue in the dimly lit room. "You look so tired, baby," he said softly. "Your eyes are all smudgy."

Magnum laughed, surprised at the description. "You're getting poetic, Rick. What's wrong with you?"

"There's nothin' poetic about it. You look beat."

Magnum nodded. "That's more like it."

"Jesus, listen to that wind. I think we're due for a storm, damn it," Rick said, changing the subject. "We better put you to bed."

Magnum sat for a moment, listening to the sound of the wind blowing off the ocean and against the Club. He felt his stomach curl inside; it was silly, he thought. He wasn't afraid of storms. Rick was the one who hated them. Then he yawned, widely. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm not much company."

"Get up, gorgeous," Rick said, rising from the table. "I'll pop you in and then clean this up. Let's go. Upstairs."

"My, you're masterful tonight."

"A switch of roles. It never does pay to get into a rut, y'know."

Magnum smiled and followed Rick up to the bedroom. When Rick pulled back the fresh bedding, he flopped down, still clothed, closing his eyes.

"Let's get these off," Rick said, tugging at Magnum's shoes and socks. As Magnum lay, stretching out, Rick stripped him, pushing and pulling the large body as much as necessary. Magnum giggled when he was finally naked.

"What now?" he asked, feigning a light, feminine voice.

"Sleep. I'll wake you up in a few hours for something else."

Magnum yawned again. "I'll look forward to it."

Rick laughed, covering Magnum with the sheet. "You just go to sleep."

Magnum snuggled down into the pillow, not even noticing Rick switching off the light or leaving the room. He fell heavily asleep almost immediately, dreaming of his recent case. He had been hired to locate an accused mugger who had jumped bail, and it had involved a lot of tiring legwork and rough contact with equally rough individuals. The suspect had turned out to be an extremely unpleasant type, who had not taken kindly to Magnum's dragging him back to the courts. He had threatened Magnum several times, and now Magnum found himself dreaming about the man's revenge, which was ugly and brutal, reminiscent of the recent crop of cult horror films which Rick found so horrifying, but so compelling.

Magnum came awake with a start, perspiration beading on his face. He breathed deeply several times, shaking the dream from his mind. Outside the wind was howling loudly, an unwelcome contribution to his nightmare. It was ridiculous to dream about such an unimportant person, he told himself. He certainly had nothing to fear. Still, it took several seconds for his heart to slow to normal.

Gusts of rain soaked wind hit the Club, and Magnum found himself worried about Rick. The small man had always had a fear of storms - at least for as long as Magnum had known him. The monsoons and crachin rains in Vietnam had bothered him more than he had ever been willing to admit, although his buddies were all well aware of the fear. For a while Magnum had believed that the occasional flooding in Nam had been the cause of the fear, but later he wondered if it wasn't something more deeply rooted, begun in Rick's childhood. Regardless of the reason, Rick was invariably well lubricated during a storm, a coincidence that Rick's superiors -- as well as his friends -- had chosen to politely ignore.

Magnum crawled out of bed, intending to go and find Rick. The sound of flesh smacking into flesh and the crash of glass breaking downstairs started his blood rushing again. He silently but quickly padded barefoot across the floor, cursing himself for not having his gun handy, wondering where Rick kept his. Slowly he opened the door, listening. When he heard Rick's groan, he felt a flash of fear and anger; forgetting his nakedness, he moved carefully from the bedroom.

At the top of the stairs Magnum stopped. Four pairs of eyes were looking up at him. One pair belonged to the man he loved; the other three were unfamiliar and hostile. Magnum took a deep breath. They had evidently been expecting him.

"Get back, Thomas," Rick yelled. "My gun's in the second drawer by the bed!"

Magnum started to turn, but the sound of a shot stopped him, his chest constricting with horror.

"You try anything, Magnum, and your girlfriend here takes one in the head. Or maybe in the balls," one of the intruders said.

Magnum grimaced, his eyes seeking Rick's. Blood was trickling from the side of Rick's mouth, and he could see that Rick's expensive shirt was ripped. Anger flooded him again; it was one of Rick's favorite shirts.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked.

One of the men stepped forward. "You put Jimmy away. We don't like you, cop."

"I'm not a cop."

"Yes you are, sucker," said the tallest of the three, the one with the gun. "A cop's a cop."

"Let him go," Magnum ordered. "Now."

"Not likely," another of the men said. He reached over and wrenched at Rick's arm. "You better come on down here before we knock this creep's head off.  Y'know," he said, addressing this last to his companions. "I can't see what that guy sees in this one. He's short on top of bein' fucking ugly."

Magnum moved slowly down the stairs, seething with anger. He kept his hands out in front of him, but his eyes watched for an opening -- some way to get both himself and Rick out of this. Only one of the men had a gun, at least as far as he could see. The other two, however, looked extremely well muscled.

"Well, aren't you pretty," the man with the gun crooned. "Not extremely well hung, but not bad, either. If I was a fag, I might go for you myself." Magnum shrank back as the man reached out to touch him. "Now, which one of you is the girl? I bet it's shorty here. He was the one doin' the dishes."

"You're making a mistake," Magnum said.

"Oh. You're the pussy."

Rick struggled forward. "You bastards!" Two of the men pulled him back, one burying his large fist in Rick's stomach.

"Shut up, you little cocksucker, or you'll wish you had," the man said, grunting.

"Leave him alone!" Magnum hollered, trying to reach out toward Rick. He rushed past the man with the gun, halfway expecting to feel a bullet. He groaned as a burst of pain at the back of his head lifted his feet from under him; he fell to the floor hard, pistol-whipped.

"Thomas!" Rick called.

"Forget him, lover," said one of the men. "He's gotta wake up enough to see us beat the shit out of you -- maybe kill you. Then it'll be his turn."

Magnum could hear the voices, but he was unable to move. His head was spinning, sickeningly. He felt like retching up his dinner. Then he again heard the sound of blows. He forced his eyes to open.

The three men were gathered around Rick, who was on his knees on the floor. Rick had ceased struggling, while the three took turns slapping him around. Blood now trickled from the corner of one eye, as well as from his mouth. His nose looked swollen, but was dry.

"This little fag makes a great punching bag," the man with the gun commented, chuckling. "I'll bet his boyfriend isn't half so cooperative."

Rick groaned; his eyes flickered across the room, meeting Magnum's. The corners of his mouth went down and he shook his head, almost imperceptibly. Magnum felt adrenaline surge into his arms, his fear for Rick and his hate for the intruders the most important things in his life -- the only things in his life. His head nearly bursting with pain, he hurled himself forward at the gunman, knocking the man to the floor. Rick, aware of Magnum's stubborn intention to act, moved nearly simultaneously to push over the man to his left. He fell to the floor on top of the large man, his feet kicking out. Magnum could hear the struggle just a few feet away, but was unable to even look Rick's way, much less help out. Now unsure of the location of the gun, he frantically punched the man beneath him, butting his head into the man's jaw until he heard a satisfying crunch. When he was sure the man was out, he moved toward Rick.

"Rick!" he yelled. "I've got the gun! Move out of the way!"

The two men scrambled up, one from beneath Rick, the other from above him; both ran for cover. Rick pulled himself toward Magnum, looking pointedly at Magnum's right hand.

"Where's the gun?" he asked in a sarcastic whisper.

Magnum shrugged.

"Shoot the bastards!" Rick yelled. "Shoot 'em!" He grinned through his bruises at Magnum.

The two men peeked cautiously from behind a large chair. Rick moved forward to hide Magnum from view. "You guys better get the fuck out of here," Rick warned. "I'm liable to have him kill you."

Magnum saw the glint of metal beneath the left hip of the man he had tackled. He pulled the gun free with a satisfied grunt.

"Just stay where you are," he ordered. "Rick, call the police. Now."

Rick looked over at him curiously. When he was sure that Magnum had found the gun and was aiming it at the two intruders, he grinned.

"Well, you coulda told me," he said.

"Just make the call."

Rick stood up, his footing obviously uncertain. He hobbled toward the phone, pausing to rub Magnum's face.

"Faggots," one of the men hissed.

"You better believe it, sweetheart," Rick said with a smile. "And twice the men you are!"

Magnum returned the smile, ignoring the pain in his head, relief finally filling him. Rick was all right. They both were all right. Somehow, his nightmare had come to life, but he had conquered it. He and Rick together. He watched the two sweating men dispassionately, thinking what a pleasure it would have been just a few moments before to have killed the two; the addictive attitude of war. Now, with Rick safe and his future again intact, he only wanted the two men out of his life, unable to mar the fine grain of it.

Magnum was aware of Rick next to him, his small hand attempting to remove the gun from Magnum's tightly clamped fingers.

"You better go get dressed. The cops are on their way. I'll watch these two. A Marine oughtta be able to cover two gooks. Hell, they aren't even as smart as V.C." He directed his last comment toward the intruders.

Magnum reluctantly gave up the gun. He paused, his arm brushing Rick's back.  The smaller man was trembling; he could feel the movement through Rick's skin, although he knew it would be undetectable to the two yo-yos across the room.

"You okay?" he asked in a whisper.

"Sure," Rick said with a grin. "It's just the damn storm. You know how I hate storms."

Magnum smiled down at him, his sense of protective possession strangely enhanced by the gutsy bravado of his former comrade-in-arms. He felt a warm sense of pride, and he almost wished he could kiss Rick, here in front of the now impotent threat to their happiness. But that was too much; he couldn't do it. He merely brushed the top of Rick's damp hair as he moved away, casting a glare toward the enemy. Then he felt gooseflesh begin on his legs as the weight of three pairs of eyes followed his bare buttocks up the stairs. By the time he had nearly reached the bedroom, he was rushing, heat collecting in his loins. He pushed through the door, the pressure in his head forgotten for a moment as he looked down, disbelieving, at the beginning of an erection. He staggered to the bed, lowering himself on to the sheet, his heart beginning to race. He hoped the police wouldn't take too long, and that Rick wouldn't need to go to the hospital. He wanted to hold the man -- he needed to. Sitting, taking deep breaths, waiting impatiently for the momentary excitement to subside, Magnum was very aware that his life's new direction was now unalterably set, even instinctive. There was no turning back. I've known that for a long time, he thought, but I just haven't put it into clear terms. The point was now Rick would know it, too.

*  *  *  *  *

Magnum and Rick sat on the beach next to the King Kamehameha Club, sipping drinks. With them was their friend T.C., who was shaking his head and muttering.

"I think you chose too dangerous a boyfriend, Rick. You shoulda given me a try! I never have people shootin' at me and tryin' to kill me -- unless I'm helpin' T.M. on one of his cases, that it."

Rick laughed. The bruises on his face were fading, the small scratches scabbed over. He looked relaxed and happy. His thick hair ruffled in the breeze from the ocean. "I don't know, T.C.," he said. "A certain amount of excitement is a good thing."

"Yeah, boy," T.C. agreed. "The right kind of excitement!" He grinned and finished his beer. "Well, I gotta take off. Got a couple fares today."

"Good news," Rick commented.

"No kiddin'. Hey, T.M., you sure are quiet today. Your head still hurt?"

Magnum shrugged. "It's been almost a week. Of course it doesn't."

T.C. shook his head. "Well, you never can tell. You two take care now. Keep the doors an windows locked."

"Don't worry," laughed Rick. "We sure as hell will!"

T.C. stood up and stretched. He walked slowly through the sand toward the Club, as Magnum and Rick watched him go. Then Rick turned to Magnum.

"You have been quiet the last few days, Thomas. What is it?"

Magnum knew his eyes were unreadable behind his sunglasses. He turned up the corners of his mouth, shrugging again. "I don't know, Rick. It's no problem, really. To tell you the truth, I just feel kind of content."

Rick nodded, thoughtfully. "I know what you mean. Don't worry about it." He turned down the corner of his lip. "You just tell me if there's anything wrong, will ya'?"

Magnum nodded, letting his mind wander. It wasn't the first time that Rick had intimated that Magnum would keep something from him. It seemed strange to Magnum, since he was convinced that the situation was reversed; Rick was the reticent one in their relationship. Wasn't he? Magnum's thoughts ran on.

"Hey!" Rick said. "Here comes Mac! Jesus, it's been a while!" He grinned and waved to MacReynolds, one of Magnum's friends from Naval Intelligence. "Come on over, Mac!" he called to the rather stout man.

Magnum looked up, shaken out of his musing. He watched MacReynolds' approach, his face blank. Inside he was reviewing everything he knew about Mac: the man's attitudes toward sexuality, especially. Mac was a very conventional guy, he thought -- not likely to react too well to behavior he might deem deviate in any way. But Mac was his closest Navy buddy, and in Rick's mind that made him an equivalent to T.C., Rick's comrade-in-arms from the Marines.

For a moment Magnum pictured Dan Cook, his closest friend in Vietnam, a man who had gone to the Naval Academy with him and shared most of his goals and dreams as he was maturing. What in the world would he feel if it were Dan Cook walking to the table now? Telling Dan about his decision to leave the Navy had been one of the toughest moments in his life. Dan had been dead now for over eighteen months. Magnum felt a strange sense of relief that is was Mac -- and not Dan -- that he now faced.

"Hello, you two. Long time no see," said MacReynolds, taking the seat that T.C. had vacated. "I got worried, it's been so long since Magnum asked me for anything!"

Magnum pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head; he wanted to see Mac's face clearly. "Hi, Mac," he said. "Good to see you. You lose some weight?"

MacReynolds grinned sheepishly. "A couple of pounds. Nothing to scream about."

"You look great," Rick commented, signaling to a cocktail waitress. "What'll you have? A beer?"

"Sure. Thanks."

"Moana! Bring two more beers, please. And bring me some pineapple juice."

MacReynolds looked at Rick with surprise. "You on the wagon?"

"Nope. Just a diet -- like you."

MacReynolds laughed. "You poor guy! Well, I'm not gonna pass up that beer, anyway!" He looked with interest at Magnum. "You gone out of business?"

"Huh?" Magnum focused his eyes on MacReynolds'. "No. I just work on a smaller scale lately. No big cases that require your services."

"Right." MacReynolds chuckled.

The attractive Hawaiian waitress brought over the drinks on a tray. "Thanks, Moana," Rick said, picking up the check and ripping it up.

"Thanks," MacReynolds said.

"Don't mention it. You hear about last week? Me and Thomas got into a real scrape."

MacReynolds shook his head. "No. I didn't hear. I think I can see a few signs left over, though."

Rick's fingers went to his face. "Yeah. Three guys broke into my place and roughed us up. Out after Thomas."

"Figures. And we thought Vietnam was dangerous!"

Magnum sat forward, studying Rick. "Mac," he began slowly. "I don't think you know that Rick and I are sort of living together now."

"What? You mean you're letting this guy mooch off you every day?" MacReynolds looked incredulously at Rick's face, which was a cool blank. "What happened?" he asked, turning to Magnum. "They kick you off that estate?"

Magnum shook his head. "No, no. I didn't mean it that way. I meant that Rick and I were taking turns living together in both our places."

"Huh?"

Rick laughed. "Good try, Thomas."

"This some kind of new economics, or something?" MacReynolds looked puzzled.

"I mean -- oh, hell!" Magnum laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "I mean that Rick and I are lovers, Mac. We're together!"

A few people looked over at the three. Rick laughed, noticing some of the startled expressions.

MacReynolds remained silent.

"You guys putting me on?" he asked after a moment.

"No, Mac," Rick said. "Thomas is telling it straight."

"Sort of straight," Magnum added, chuckling at Rick's statement.

MacReynolds smiled, uneasily. "You two? Lovers?"

Magnum nodded emphatically. "Lovers. Us."

"How come?"

Rick and Magnum looked at one another. The both giggled. "It's fun, that's how come," Rick said.

"Well ... well, gosh, guys. I don't know what to say."

Magnum held up his right hand. "Don't be uncomfortable, Mac. It's okay. It's not like it changes anything, really. I just wanted you to know, in case you ever needed to." Magnum sat back, satisfied with himself. He looked over at Rick. The left corner of Rick's mouth turned up in a crooked grin.

"I love you, Thomas," Rick said.

Magnum smiled. "I know, Rick. I love you."

MacReynolds looked vaguely uncomfortable. "Uh, come on now, guys."

Magnum and Rick laughed. "Sorry, Mac," Magnum said. "It won't happen again."

"Well ... it's okay," MacReynolds answered. "I guess."

Magnum and Rick sat staring at one another; Rick's eyes were the same color as the sky.

"Hey, Magnum," MacReynolds began. "No wonder you got out of the Navy when you did."

They all laughed. Magnum picked up his beer and took a long pull. The breeze from the Pacific ruffled the canopy over their heads. Finally, Rick stood up and called for another round.

End Part Five