Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Truth be told, Alan had always hated any form of meeting. Whether it was with his boss, his contemporaries, or a client. They were always boring and pointless, in his opinion. That was... until he met Denny.

Nothing could be boring when Denny Crane was around. The man was a menace, quite like himself, actually. When Denny came to meetings, they were fun.

That is why Alan sat in the conference room down the hall from his office, desperately hoping Denny would bother to attend this particular meeting. He tapped his pen on the table as people spoke around him, scanning the glass windows that looked onto the maze of corridors and workspaces. 'Come onnn Denny, don't pull a no show,' he thought to himself as he glanced at the clock. Only 2 minutes until they were set to start.

A rather attractive lady, around 5 years or so younger than Alan, sat on the chair in front of him, blocking his view of Denny's office door. She was tall, with tan skin and golden brown eyes. Alan shifted his chair to the right dramatically, not even bothering to give her a glance. Where was Denny?

The lady was clearly trying to grab his attention, and she wasn't going to give up that easily. He was young but older than her and so more mature, more wealthy. He was a lawyer, so he was even more wealthy. He wasn't a tall man, but he wasn't too short. He had a full head of brown, ever so slightly curly hair. His skin was clear. His body looked...not muscular but toned. She couldn't see his crotch from where she was sat, but she assumed he was well endowed.

She moved her own to chair to be his direct eyeline again and smiled when he looked up at her.

The lady moving into Alan's line of view, pissed him off. He snapped his head and scowled when he heard the door to his right open.

Denny Crane strolled in, head held high, chest puffed out, and an odd smirk on his face. He looked around the room and nodded at all the faces he saw.

Alan smiled back when Denny passed his gaze over him, wishing Denny would notice him. Someone like Denny was a very helpful friend to have in this business.

He noticed the way Denny's eyes did linger a little longer on his girlfriend, Tara. Although it didn't really bother him much, oddly.

Then Denny shook the hands of the more highly respected lawyers...one being Brad Chase.

Alan being in such a hurry to get down to the conference room for hope of sighting Denny, had been in a particularly bitchy mood upon arrival.

He'd sat down in someone else's place and pushed all their belongings across the table carelessly, all to be sat next to his girl.

"Tara." He'd said, notifying her as to his presence, before sighing satisfactorily as he sat in the leather lumbar supported chairs they had in this specific conference room.

That's when Brad had introduced himself. "Hey, I'm Brad Chase from DC."

"Alan Shore." Alan had replied, smiling up at the man on his left.

"Pleasure." Brad replied, holding a cup of freshly poured coffee in his left hand. "I think that's my seat." He continued, trying to withold the irritation from his voice. He'd seen Alan swagger into the room, discard his things, and then sit there as though he'd done nothing wrong.

"Yes, I did see someone's things here. I moved them to a less desirable location." Alan explained, gesturing where the papers had ended up a couple of seats down the long table. He then turned back the newspaper on his desk, opening it up and flourishing it in his hands. He noticed Brad was still looking down at him and decided to turn and look back at him. He looked him up and down, judging what he saw before him.

Brad couldn't believe the cheek on this guy, smiling in disbelief.

"I'm sorry. We're not territorial about this sort of thing here, are we?" Alan pushed Brad further, wanting to make him feel embarrassed in front of all their co-workers.

Alan could feel people's eyes on the situation, feel the way they were trying to listen in without making it obvious.

Brad continued to smile, weighing up his options. He could cause a scene and demand Alan moved, or he could let it slide and be the bigger man. He went with the latter.

Alan watched him as he walked by, pleased with himself for winning that one. Brad seemed a tough guy type, and Alan....really wasn't. That's when he'd started to wait for Denny.

Zoning back into his surroundings, Alan tried not to be jealous as he watched Denny hug Brad.

"Everybody remembers Brad Chase." Alan heard Denny say.

Then Denny went to the head of the table and got things started. He skipped several items on the agenda and muted the business callers from England and Japan and just overall...well caused havoc. The man sat next to Denny had just started to criticise him for his style of conducting the meeting, when a man in 50s came to the door. He was of average height, bald, white and...not wearing any pants...at all.

"Sorry I'm late, good people." The man said casually before heading around the table towards the other head seat.

Dennys mouth fell open as he watched him walk around, eyes fixed on his crotch. All the people around the table looked either shocked or intrigued, all watching him with the same intensity.

The man got closer to where Alan was sat. Alan felt his heart rate soar as he caught sight of the older man's penis and balls swinging around freely as he walked. He knew he should look away, that it must look odd, but he couldn't.

He followed the semi naked man with his eyes for as long as he could before he lost sight of the goods. Knowing he had to distract everyone from his staring, he cracked a joke. "Is it casual Monday?"

Denny stared at his partner. "Edwin... everything alright?"

Edwin smiled. "Hunky dory."

Denny looked utterly traumatised.

Chapter Text

Alan lay in bed, the lights off and heating wacked up to keep him warm. He could hear Tara's breathing just inches away from his face on the right. Turning to his side, he gazed roughly in the direction he thought her face was.

Despite having such a beautiful woman in his bed, he couldn't bring himself to engage in any sexual acts with her, and worst of all, he couldn't sleep in her presence. He was anxious and replaying the events from earlier that day, over and over in his head.

It had been the Christmas Party day, meaning most of the staff would get dressed up and come to work in a festive themed outfit. Alan had decided that nothing could be more fitting for him but Santa himself. After all, he was the most important figure of the holidays.

He'd spent most the day trying his best to find Tara and flirt with her - totally ignoring the work policy of no relationships in the office.

"Do you have a thing for little women?" Tara asked, moving in close to Alan's padded out belly.

Alan looked Tara in the eyes, trying to debate how to answer that question. As it was, he did have a bit of a thing for little women, but he didn't really want to admit that right now. Not when he could feel people's eyes on him. "I have a thing for women." He deflected.

Tara stared at him blankly, trying to decipher what he truly meant.

"You've never fallen for someone shorter than you?" Alan enquired, his voice going higher than usual as he felt his nerves kick in.

"Well, I believe I'm involved with one now." Tara suggested, standing up straighter to compare her height with Alan's.

Alan scowled, moving closer and also standing up to his full height. He was secretly a little insecure about his shorter stature, not that he could ever let Tara see that. "Either you're mistaken, or I'm jealous."

Tara continued to stare, finding Alan so difficult to read in situations like these.

Alan took Tara's stunned silence as an opportunity to flick his head around and waltz off into the corridors. He turned a corner and bumped into Denny.

"Oh, sorry sport, I didn't see you there." Denny growled in his deep and rough voice.

"No harm done, not while I have all this padding on my front." Alan chuckled, patting his belly with both hands and impersonating santa. "Ho ho ho."

"Err right." Denny nodded, a little confused by the whole interaction.

"Although I guess you're used to have a little cushioning around your middle, ey?" Alan joked, referring to Denny's large belly.

Denny looked back at him before leaving, scowling a little at the comment.

"Not that you're fat...or..." Alan tried to salvage the conversation, but there was no chance he could make up for that one anytime soon.

Alan fretted over the interaction for the rest of the day, even getting changed back into his suit now that the costume was tainted with embarrassment. He sat in his office, working silently on a new case, glancing up to check whether Denny was in sight.

That's when he saw him. Denny strode across the hallway confidently, heading straight for his office and closing the door sharply behind him.

Alan took a deep breath, reaching into the draw on his right hand side and pulling out a Christmas Ornament in the shape of a star. It was attached to a headband that fit snuggly over his head. He stood up, ornament in hand, and made his way through the corridor himself - stopping only to place the item over his head before opening the door.

He smiled as he pushed down on the handle, expecting Denny to look up as he entered, but the older man didn't. Alan tried hard not to let his confidence falter as he awkwardly sat in the chair opposite, waiting for Denny to see what he'd done.

Denny did eventually look up, staring at Alan's decoration for a few seconds and then right into Alan's eyes as he asked, "What's that thing?"

Alan was relieved to have been noticed. So relived in fact that he almost forgot to reply. The eye contact had been very intense, making him temporarily forget what it was he had on his own head. "It's an ornament. A Christmas tree ornament."

Denny dismissed the joke instantly, looking back down at his work. "Can't go to court like that."

Alan scowled in disappointment. God, he'd hoped that would cheer Denny up. "Of course not." He made it clear he wasn't intending to. Did Denny really think he was that stupid? He smiled a little as he continued to try and stay positive. "You okay, Denny?" He asked, hoping there was another reason for Denny's moodiness other than their encounter earlier.

"It's this...case. It feels like I've done nothing but work on it for the last three weeks." Denny complained, gesturing at the multiple sheets of paper on his desk.

"What in particular about the case is bothering you?" Alan asked, glad that he might be able to be of some help to Denny.

"I don't know what it's about." Denny said simply. The two stared at each other for a second. "It is....well, if you, say, were going to briefly describe it to someone who was clueless, what would you say?" Denny hoped Alan would have a good answer for this.

Alan replied almost instantly. "I'd say we represent a big drugs company."

"Yes, that's the part I like." Denny chipped in.

"Then I'd say they're being sued by a woman who claims she was wrongfully removed the companies clinical trial of a potent, new diabetes medicine." Alan finished as though it was simple.

"That's where I lose track." Denny complained.

Alan took a breath. "Special pills make woman happy. Company take pills away." Alan noticed this was working. Denny seemed to be listening intently. "Woman sue to get back on special pills."

Denny gave Alan a big smile, which made Alan's stomach fill with butteflies. "Got it!"

Alan was ripped from his special moment when Denny suddenly stood up to greet another who had entered the room. "Martin! You remember Alan Shore?" Denny turned to Alan, who had managed to stand but still had that stupid ornament on his head.

Martin looked at the younger man like he'd lost his mind. Alan smiled awkwardly before deciding he would ignore the judgment and stay to help Denny out with the proceedings. It was surprisingly easy to get his way, and by the end, Denny was smiling at Alan with what was definitely fondness.

Chapter Text

*bells will be ringin'*
*the sad, sad news*

Alan was surrounded by what looked to be 5 or 6 dozen people, all cramped up in the office hallway. It was Christmas time in Boston once again. Snow falling outside, the water freezing cold. People chattered away, the music playing in the background - almost like a lullaby for the sea of drunken lawyers and their loved ones.

*oh, what a Christmas*

A waitor handed out champagne at the bar, and people danced arm in arm. Alan couldn't help but want to bathe in such a joyful atmosphere.

*to have the blues*

Despite all this joy, Alan felt somewhat odd. He wanted to immerse himself in the occasion, but his heart was heavy this Christmas time.

*my baby's gone*

He looked around as he saw his coworkers picking at trays of delicious foods, conversing with one another with more happiness than he'd seen them express all year. All of his fellow workers were there. It was the in thing to attend, still he couldn't help but smile as he watched Denny perform on the stage up front.

*I have no friends*

Alan sometimes felt that was true. Outside of work, he had no one. No family, no friends, no pets, no life.

*to wish me greetings*

He stared at Denny's white suit with heavy lidded eyes. He knew he'd had too much to drink as it crossed his mind that the older man looked not dissimilar from an angel. To hear him sing with such confidence and in front of so many made Alan's stomach flip with admiration. The three beautiful ladies in red stood just behind Denny, made Alan feel desperate for some sort of action - their dresses revealing their soft curves.

*once again*

Denny swayed rhythmically to the music as he sang his heart out. Alan swayed in time with him, ignoring the way the mistletoe and bells on his head rustled and jangled.

*choirs will be singin'*

Alan wanted to close his eyes and go to sleep right on the floor. He was so unbelievably drunk, and so oddly emotional. Christmas always made him sad now, ever since he'd lost his wife, but he usually managed to keep all that buried deep within when in public.

*silent night*

Alan stared at a lady as she smiled at Denny flirtatiously.

*Christmas carols*

Denny stepped down off the stage and followed said women off into a different room. Alan knew what came next. He hated how his heart stung at the realisation. Denny's back up dancers stepped in for his absence.

*Oooh, by candlelight*
*please come home for Christmas*

Alan closed his eyes at the pain that line evoked within him. He wanted his wife back. He was startled from his sorrows as Tara spoke up.

"Sooo, do I get my kiss or not?" She asked expectedly.

Alan recovered quickly, smiling at her with a naughty glint in his eye. "Tara, the way mistletoe works is, the one standing under it is the one to receive." He corrected, pulling her close to dance.

"Well, I prefer to meet in the middle." She answered back, swaying with him.

"Well, I do enjoy your middle tremendously, but a kiss really is more traditional." Alan laughed.

Tara smiled and leaned in the for the kiss.

*sure as the stars*

Alan leaned in, too. "And the anticipation is pure." He whispered as their lips hovered just millimetres apart. He didn't know why, but he just didn't want to take the leap and actually kiss her. He saw Sally out the corner of his eye and turned his head, grateful for the excuse to stop and felt his nose brush across Tara's. "Sally!" He smiled as he dick twitched a little.

"Hi!" She smiled. She looked uncomfortable as she told him that she needed him. Alan smiled at first, glad to be of some help, but he soon stopped smiling as he heard the story of child kidnapping at Christmas.

Tara didn't seem to pleased about the interruption. "Could you not just go to the judge?"

Sally explained how they'd tried that and how it cost far more than it was worth as the judge did very little to help. Alan listened hard, already determined to find a way to fix this. If he couldn't have a happy Christmas, he was going to make sure someone else would.

"Didn't you use to be a lawyer, Sally?" Tara criticized, desperate for some alone time with Alan. "Oh, I apologise. There go my lips again." She laughed.

"Ladies." Alan warned, not wanting an argument. "Perhaps you two should kiss in the name of Christmas." He suggested, wanting to keep the mood light. Although he hadn't expected it, his dick gave another stubborn twitch against his leg. Before either woman could scold Alan for being so disgusting, Lori bustled into Sally a little drunkenly and apologised profusely.

"Ah, Alan. Mistletoe." She said happily as she saw Alan's headpiece. It was him who had no time to react this time. She leaned in, grabbed onto either side of his face and kissed him on lips.

He moaned accidentally as his dick got even harder. When she pulled away, she seemed satisfied with the grin that was on Alan's face. "Whatever." She shrugged before leaving.

Alan took a deep and flustered breath. "Come on, Tara, we've got places to be. Sally, leave the case on my desk for tomorrow."

"Oh my god, Tara. I'm so hard for you." Alan gasped as he sped to his hotel room, ignoring the way his eyesight blurred as alcohol coursed through him. He had one hand on the steering wheel, the other in his trousers, pumping his shaft from time to time. He was driving way too fast, swerving slightly. Not that Tara seemed to care, she was watching as he touched himself, so incredibly horny for him. The way he held the wheel, eyes on the road or on her, always switching between the two.

The two crashed into the hotel room, and straight into bed. Alan pulled his blazer and tie off before starting on Tara's dress as she ripped his shirt open. He was so drunk he could hardly undo her bra, cursing under his breath as he swayed.

Tara ran her hands over Alan's toned body as he climbed above her, rolling his condom onto his solid cock and growling as she spread her legs for him. "Ohhhhh, fuck."

He slid his length inside her and let himself groan. "Oh you fucking slut. Take my cock like the horny little bitch that you are. Daddy's little cock sucking, desperate slut." Alan shouted as he pounded into her ferociously.

Tara wasn't used to quite this much aggression but she certainly wasn't complaining. In fact, she'd considered him a little lack lustre in the sheets recently. Not anymore.

Alan leant down and pushed his face in-between her breasts, inhaling her scent like a deranged animal. "Ohhhh, Daddy's slut. Take my fucking cock. Let me fuck the cum out of you." He was so unbelievably angry, desperate to do something right. His life was not his own. That's how he felt. Everything was out of his control. Well not this. This would be under his demand.

"OHHH ALAN I'M GOING TO COME." Tara screamed, running her hands over his back and he stayed burrowed into her bosom.

Alan couldn't quite make it. He desperately searched for something to help. He remembered the way it had get when Lori kissed him and moved up the bed to kiss Tara. Nothing. "AHHH GOD, COME ON." He shouted out. Why couldn't he get there? He was only in his 40s, it couldn't be erectile dysfunction yet could it? "OH OH OH!" He yelled as he continued to pound his lower half into Tara. He needed this. He willed himself closer and closer. Desperately searching his mind for anything that would get him there, he arrived upon an image of Denny in that white suit. His legs shook as he came inside Tara, groaning in ecstasy as his body released. His body felt amazing, but what had made him come had mortified him. His boss. A man.

Alan collapsed onto Tara's front as his mind flooded with guilt and shame. How could he have slept with another woman at Christmas. He only ever wanted his wife. No one else could compare. Except...Denny, it seemed.