Work Text:
Bubonic has a system for everything, routines and subroutines that keep his life working perfectly. He has programmes for keeping an eye on the CCU, ones that scan for any mention of him on law enforcement databases, others that scan the darkest parts of the web for hackers - looking for those he might be able to use, and the ones that might be a threat to him. The first group he tags and keeps passive watch on- insurance for the future, as for the others, well the CCU needs to keep themselves occupied and it's simple enough for him to leave a few virtual trails for them to stumble over. There's programmes for ordering food and all his other necessities, bots that get him everything he needs, he can run his life from the shadows, and it's easy for him to control his world and keep everything running smoothly.
At first Tommy had been just another routine, a cog in the CCU machine, someone to watch, but never fear. Somewhere along the way that had changed, Bubonic's selfaware enough to recognise his own obsessions, he still wants justice, (or is it revenge, he's never quite understood the difference) but the games he plays with Tomny's life, the reactions he provokes him into have become a routine of their own, one that he enjoys a little too much, but walking away isn't his style.
Tommy has routines of his own, (or at least he had) work, walking Boris, playing ball on a Sunday afternoon, ordering the same takeout every Friday night he wasn't on duty, leaving his laundry until he was almost out of clothes - a walking cop cliché, utterly predictable in every way. He does his job in the same way, methodical and thorough, stubbornly rigid in his beliefs and attitudes towards the hackers he hunts. There were occasional dates, usually set up by well meaning friends, but they never amounted to anthing, always losing out to the job, there was never anyone Tommy cared enough to fight for.
Then Lindy had come along and disrupted Tommy's routines, made him unpredictable until Bubonic found ways to compensate for her influence. He understands her drive, her need for answers, but he can't say he wasn't relieved when her hunt took her out of Tommy's life. He expected Tommy to settle back into his usual patterns, but it doesn't happen, it's like he's morphed into a different person, Tommy 2.0 if you will, he's still stubborn, still a cop, but away from the CCU it's a different story.
There's new clothes in Tommy's closet, he's working out every morning, Friday nights now have him dressing up and hitting the clubs instead of slobbing out in front of the tv, and while Bubonic appreciates the visuals, he doesn't understand the change. Then the new phone appears, like most of the CCU, Tomny avoids social media, and his work devices are subject to frequent scans in the name of operational security. A burner phone is out of character, and Bubonic needs to understand what it means.
Hacking into it is almost insultingly easy, Tommy hasn't bothered with much in the way of security, but when Bubonic mirrors the device on one of his own he's surprised to see only one app in use. It's a dating app, nothing exciting after all, he scrolls quickly through Tommy's profile, seeing nothing out of the ordinary until he realises the category Tommy picked, he's in men looking for men, and for just a moment Bubonic's brain shuts down, as he tries to figure out how he missed this.
Tommy's popular on the site, the shirtless picture he's using as a profile is certainly helping, but when it comes to the actual dating, he isn't having any more luck with men than he had with women, the CCU calls him away from dates, or he shows up too exhausted to pay attention to his date. Then there's the guys who run for the hills once he tells them he's a cop, or the ones who are a little too interested in the job, Bubonic has given one or two a little nudge - unexpected IRS audits are a nice distraction, and there was that one sprinkler incident, but mostly Tommy does just fine running them off himself. Bubonic figures it won't take long for him to give up and settle back into his old routines, but instead Tommy changes tack, switching to a new app that's more focused on online dating, and that's when Bubonic has the idea.
If Tommy wants a boyfriend, then Bubonic will give him one, it's the perfect solution, not only will he keep Tommy where he wants him, but there's every chance this will give him a hundred new ways to mess with Tommy's life. It's simple to set up a profile that will have the algorithm match him with Tommy, the only time he hesitates is when it asks for a name, but in the end he sticks with Charlie, it's not like Tommy knows his real name, and his own picture, while flattering has no identifiable marks, so he's in no danger of Tommy knowing who he really is.
Their first interactions are awkward, as Tommy tentatively tries to get to know his newest match, and Bubonic tries to draw him out without giving anything of himself away, but message by message things get easier, and the lines blur in new ways. Bubonic enjoys the conversations they have, finds himself looking forward to the time they spend together, and little by little he ends up exposing far more of himself than he'd planned.
He realises he may be in too deep when he suggests they swap more intimate photos and actually sends a picture of his own dick, instead of pulling one from a porn site like he'd planned, but it's Tommy's response that changes the game forever.
It's a video, not just a picture, and when Bubonic opens the file he can hardly believe his eyes, Tommy's splayed out on his couch, his jeans open and he's jerking off, his hand moving slow and sure, gazing lazily at the camera, completely at ease with being on display. He's beautiful like this, utterly wanton, and Bubonic can't take his eyes off him. He loves the way Tommy moves, long fingers teasing his hard cock; the way he sounds, breathy moans the microphone barely picks up, and deeper gasps when he casually rakes his nails across his chest; the way he looks, head thrown back, eyes slipping closed as he nears the edge. When he actually comes, he's stunning in his release, and Bubonic's mesmerised.
Tommy leaves the camera running and Bubonic realises the show's not quite over yet, Tommy straightens up, looks more directly at the camera, raising his come covered fingers to his lips, slowly, lasciviously, licking them clean sucking them deep into his mouth. When he's done, he shifts forward and speaks for the first time, "Is that what you wanted Charlie, to see how much you turn me on?"
He stands and moves to shut the camera down, and Bubonic thinks it's over, but at the last second Tommy leans right in close and whispers, "Your turn now, come on Bubonic, show me what you've got."
The screen goes dark, but Bubonic barely notices as Tommy's words repeat in his brain on an endless loop, all his clever plans made useless by the knowledge that Tommy knew exactly who he was playing with. He knew, but sent the video anyway, offered his deepest vulnerabilities up to a man he supposedly hates, and laid himself open to Bubonic's never seen before mercy. It breaks something inside him, leaves him shattered. Tommy didn't just play the game, he upended the board and started something new.
Bubonic doesn't know what to do, he doesn't have a programme for this, no subroutine ready to go, no idea what he should do next. Bubonic's broken, but Charlie knows what he wants, and it isn't something he can code. He wants Tommy's hands on his body, wants to feel Tommy's lips stretched wide around his cock, wants to see him fall apart up close, not just on a screen. The game may be new but one thing hasn't changed; Bubonic or Charlie, he bever backs down from a challenge and he always gets what he wants. Tommy's his, and he'll give him the show of his life, if that's what it takes to keep him.