"Aren't you ready yet?" Bodie had arrived slightly early. He leaned against the door watching his lover get dressed.

"What's the matter? Aren't I worth waiting for?" Ray asked cheekily.

"It's not that," Bodie growled, staring longingly at Ray's half-clad body. Ray was wearing green velvet trousers that clung tightly to every contour, making it very clear that he was wearing nothing underneath.

Bodie licked his lips and gave into temptation. He stepped forward and took Ray in his arms, claiming his mouth in a long kiss. He slid his hands down until they cupped Ray's buttocks and pulled him closer, almost humming with pleasure when Ray's arms went around him. Finally, he pulled back and held Ray off, looking at him. Ray was temptation personified with his heavy-lidded eyes and half-open mouth, face flushed with sexual heat.

"If you don't finish dressing quickly, we're never going to get to the party."

"Could always stay home, couldn't we?" Ray moved closer and ran his hands down Bodie's black polo-neck.

"Nah, you know how Cowley feels about Hogmanay. If you're not on assignment or at death's door, you'd better be there."

"Yeah, 'e thinks it's the only holiday worth celebratin'. Guess we don't really have any choice." He took out a green silk shirt that matched his trousers and put it on, leaving the top two buttons undone. The chain at his throat gleamed in the light.

Bodie hooked his finger into the chain and pulled Ray to him for another kiss. "Besides, as little sleep as I've had these last three days, I reckon I'd fall asleep as soon as I lay down."

"Yeah. Trailing old Sammy around London t'see who he meets with--I don't think he ever sleeps."

"He doesn't. Just dozes while he waits for his next contact to come along." He kissed Ray again and shoved him towards the door. "C'mon. Let's go."

The party was in full swing when they arrived. Cowley was dispensing single malt Scotch with a free hand in honour of the occasion, and there was dance music on the stereo. A few couples were dancing. The female agents, as usual, had their choice of partners. Some men had brought girl friends, but the majority had come on their own. Most of the people were standing around in small groups, chatting.

Ray and Bodie stopped just inside the front door of Cowley's semi-detached, brushing off the flakes of snow that had fallen on them on their way into the house.

"Hey, Bodie! Glad you're here at last." Murphy came up and slapped him on the back.

Bodie looked up, startled. "What's up, mate? You're not usually so glad to see me."

"Oh, Cowley wanted me to keep my eye open for you. Let him know when you arrived. He's decided you're to be the First Footer this year." Murphy grinned at him.

"First Footer? What's that?" Bodie looked puzzled.

"It's an old Scottish custom for bringing good luck. We all go outside at midnight and if the first person back in is tall and dark, it'll bring good luck for that year."

"Why couldn't you do it? You're tall enough."

"Yeah. But I'm not as dark as you, am I?"

"How 'bout Jax, then. He's darker than any of us."

Murphy laughed. "He's a bit too dark, mate. No, Cowley picked you and you're the one it's gonna be. Have fun."

Ray was looking at Bodie quizzically. "Why all the fuss about bein' the first one back in?"

"Was hoping we could leave a bit early, is all. Thought we could celebrate the New Year by ourselves." The look in his eyes told Ray just exactly how he wanted to celebrate.

Smiling his agreement with the thought, Ray said, "We c'n still celebrate. Just do it a bit later. Give us something to look forward to." He winked at his lover. "C'mon. Let's go get some of that Scotch before Cowley runs out."

Just before midnight, everyone topped up their glasses and headed outside to toast the New Year. Ray looked around for Bodie and realised he hadn't seen him for a while. Ray had gotten into a discussion on handguns with Lucas and McCabe, and Bodie had gone off for a refill of his drink and hadn't returned.

'Wonder where he's gone to? Probably outside gettin' ready to do his bit. Gotta find him and wish him Happy New Year.' Ray went on outside and looked around, but couldn't find Bodie anywhere, though everyone else seemed to be there. 'At least the snow's stopped so y'can see things.' Just then Ray caught a glimpse of Cowley, obviously looking for Bodie, also. He stepped up his own efforts.

Just as he was about to give up entirely, he glanced back inside the house. There was Bodie sound asleep on a chair in the far corner of the large entryway. 'Well, can't go spoilin' Cowley's celebration, can we?' he thought. He reached down and picked up a handful of snow, formed it into a snowball, stepped up to the door, and hurled it at Bodie. It hit him dead centre.

Bodie sat up, startled, as pieces of snow slid down his face and neck. He looked around and saw that everyone was outside and Ray was laughing at him from the doorway. He frowned in mock anger, then got up and hurried over to Ray. He had just reached out to strangle him, when Cowley appeared.

"Och, Bodie, I'm glad to see you're so prompt. For a moment I thought maybe you'd forgotten."

"Would I do that, sir? Me?" Bodie put on his most innocent look.

"Just get on with it, man. It's cold standing around out here."

"Yes, sir." Bodie started to step through the doorway.

"Right foot first!" Cowley snapped.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Bodie hurriedly changed feet and stepped through the door, closely followed by Cowley, Ray, and everybody else.

"Thank you, Bodie. It was more like a proper Hogmanay festival with a First Footer."

"Glad to have been of service, sir."

"Aye. All it needed was to have the wee bairns come around asking for Hogmanay."

"Well," Bodie glanced at his partner. "Maybe next year we could put the bionic golli in short pants and let him do it. He looks like a scruffy kid half the time, anyway." He ducked, laughing, as Ray hit at him.

"Go along with the both of you. And don't forget, you're on stakeout tomorrow night."

Ray unlocked the door of his flat and went in, only realising as he turned to close it, that his partner wasn't right behind him. Surprised, he started to go see what was keeping him, but Bodie was up the stairs and in the door before he got very far. He barely had time to lock the door before Bodie had pulled him into his arms and was kissing him. He responded wholeheartedly and had lost himself in the kiss, when suddenly he yelped. "Bodie! What the hell?!" He pulled his shirt loose and shook out the snow Bodie had stuffed down the neck. "What're you playing at, mate?" He tried to sound angry, but he couldn't help laughing while he was complaining.

"Oh, poor baby. Did he get cold? I know a way to warm you up," Bodie leered.

"Thought you were sleepy."

"Ah, but I had a nap, didn't I?" He lick-kissed Ray's nose. "C'mon, lover. It's been all I could do to keep my hands off you all evening. If those trousers were any tighter, you'd be X-rated--you nearly are, now."

"Well, that just makes it more interesting, dunnit?" He grinned over his shoulder as he walked towards the bedroom, stripping off his shirt as he went.

Bodie quickly followed, grabbing Ray in a hard hug, then pulled him down on the bed where they cuddled. "Been wanting to do this all night," he said. "You drive me wild." He peeled the trousers off carefully and looked Ray up and down, devouring him with his eyes. "You look good enough to eat," he said, and proceeded to demonstrate just what he meant.

Very shortly, Ray was moaning with desire. Suddenly, he gathered up his strength and pushed Bodie away.

"What's the matter?"

"This's all very one-sided, innit?" he panted. "You're not even undressed yet."

"Well, I'll soon fix that," Bodie replied, and he started to remove his polo-neck.

Ray pushed him back down on the bed. "No. Let me do that." He rolled it up an inch at a time, kissing the exposed bits as he went, finally pulling it off over Bodie's head, then followed the same procedure with his trousers, inching them down and covering him with licks and kisses.

By the time Bodie was undressed, both of them were quivering with desire. Ray moved back up the bed and took his lover's mouth in a long, languorous kiss that seemed to last forever. When it finally ended he ran his hand down Bodie's torso, feeling the muscles respond to his touch. "What would you like, love? Anything you want. Just tell me."

Bodie reached up and ran a finger down the side of Ray's face. "Take me," he said softly. "I want to feel you inside me."

Silently, Ray reached for the tube of cream they used and applied it to himself and Bodie. Bodie pulled his legs up, and Ray stroked the backs of his thighs and licked his cock. A single drop leaked out and he licked it off, then knelt behind him and, lifting his buttocks, entered him in one smooth thrust.

He used long, slow strokes, pausing when he got too close, to prolong the delightful agony. He milked Bodie's cock in time to his own rhythm. The rapture built, higher each time, until finally he could hold back no longer and spiraled up towards climax.

From a great distance he heard Bodie cry out and felt the creaminess of his seed on his own hand; then he, too, was coming as if he'd never stop. Long moments later, he found himself lying on Bodie, head nestled on his chest. He could barely summon the energy to roll off and curl up beside him. "I'll go get a cloth...clean you up...in a minute," he murmured.

"Don't worry about it," Bodie soothed. Cuddling him close and kissing the soft curls, he continued, "Morning is soon enough. Go to sleep."

"Mmm." He snuggled down to the lovely Bodie-warmth. "Happy New Year, Bodie. I love you."

"I love you, too, Ray. Happy New Year."

-- THE END --

Christmas 1988