Ray rubbed his cheek against his upper arm, wiping most of the blood off onto the sleeve of his jacket. Then he adjusted the angle of the gun in his hand, recentering it squarely on their prisoner.

Secure in the knowledge that their quarry was finally captured, trussed, and covered, Bodie allowed his gun-hand to drop to his side. His own injuries were negligible, but his shoulder already burned with the ache of pulled muscles, and the adrenaline hadn't even worn off yet. He rubbed at the back of his neck and watched his partner.

To their captive, Bodie thought, Ray probably looked dangerously cool and flinty. Those eyes were certainly hard and unforgiving. But Bodie could read the energy jumping beneath Ray's skin -- it broadcast itself in minute ways, by the telltale twitch of an eyebrow, the restless shift of a hip.

---

Their relief finally arrived -- Murph and the new bloke, accompanied by Cowley himself -- to escort Mr. Roddy Bleeding O'Reilly back to HQ. Bodie wouldn't be surprised if their captive wound up wishing he'd gone directly to the place where all good little suicide bombers go, instead.

A hand on the shoulder from the Cow was all the praise they were going to get, but Bodie knew Cowley was pleased they'd taken the bastard alive.

"My office, 0800, lads." Cowley dismissed them and drove off.

In the gathering darkness, the pair headed back to the Capri.

"Car's too small," Bodie mused aloud.

"What're you talking about?" asked Ray, a little belligerently. His entire body radiated leftover aggression.

"This," said Bodie, clutched Ray's elbow and dragged him around the side of the decrepit farmhouse.

"Bodie, what --" Ray's jaw snapped shut on his question and he inhaled sharply as Bodie shoved him against the old stone wall.

"This," Bodie said again, and didn't even try to hide the reckless grin he felt spreading across his face. He dropped to his knees in the dirt and slid his hands up Ray's thighs. The soft, faded denim bunched up a little, and he could feel slight tremors in the muscles under his hands. He leaned forward and nudged his nose up the line of Ray's hardening cock. He could see Ray's fingers flexing and clenching into fists repeatedly in his peripheral vision, and he knew that, for once, he would get no protests or arguments. Ray wasn't about to give him the customary "we shouldn't be doing this" song-and-dance -- he was obviously too ready and wired to make his usual show of reluctance.

He unbuttoned Ray's jeans and dragged the zip down. Slipping his hand into the gap, he rubbed Ray through the cotton of his briefs.

"Christ, Bodie," Ray gasped, and ran a hand through Bodie's hair. Bodie tugged the impeding cloth down and wrapped his hand around Ray's erection. He licked up the length of it and Ray shuddered, tightening his fingers in the hair at the back of Bodie's head. Bodie luxuriated in the feel of that for a moment, twisting his head a little to feel the catch and pull, then licked Ray again.

"Oh, hell," Ray said, and thrust forward. Bodie covered the head of Ray's cock with his mouth and traced circles around it with his tongue. Ray let out a throaty whine and Bodie took mercy, sliding his wetted lips down the length of him.

Ray firmed even more inside Bodie's mouth, and Bodie savored the feeling. He ran his tongue along the thick flesh a few times and then started to suck. Ray's fingers spasmed in Bodie's hair, clutching tight as Ray let out an "Ah!" of surprise.

Bodie grabbed onto Ray's hips and pulled at them, silently urging him to thrust. Attuned to Bodie as ever, Ray took his cue and was soon sliding in and out of the "O" of Bodie's mouth, hand cradling Bodie's skull. Bodie allowed his eyelids to fall closed and concentrated on keeping his teeth out of the way while Ray took up a steady rhythm.

Bodie would have been lulled by the repetitive pace, if it weren't for the prickle of excitement he felt every time Ray pushed in.

He let one hand drop and blindly fumbled his trousers open. Fuck, yes, that was it, the blessed pressure of his own hand. His concentration faltered as he stroked himself.

Apparently, Ray felt his inattention, because he thrust harder. Bodie started sucking again and opened his eyes, looking up. Ray was staring down at him, eyes almost black, biting his lip and looking like sex incarnate.

A stab of arousal pierced Bodie. He sped the hand on his cock even as he sucked harder, pushing up against Ray's shaft with his tongue. Expressions of pleasure and desperation chased across Ray's face as he writhed against the wall. Good. Ray would not be forgetting this or shrugging it off, Bodie would make certain of it.

"Bodie -- Bodie -- aaah," Ray cried, pumping into Bodie's mouth. Bodie reveled in the thick flavor of Ray's release, swallowing the slippery fluid and wringing a final, involuntary thrust from his partner.

He choked a little and let Ray slip free, daring Ray with his eyes not to remove the hand still cupping the back of his neck. Ray watched, dazed and bleary-eyed, as Bodie finished himself off. A few strong strokes was all it took, and he was spilling into his hand and onto the ground, cursing a blue streak.

Ray chuckled and Bodie glared, wiping his hand on the sparse grass. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Ray asked, still smirking.

"No," replied Bodie shortly.

Ray lost his grin and Bodie regretted his curt response. "But I do use it suck off dangerous men in inappropriate locations," he amended. Ray barked out a laugh and gave him a hand up.

They rearranged their clothing and Bodie cracked his aching neck. Ray gave him a sharpish look but didn't say anything.

They headed back to the car, and Bodie was caught off guard by the warm weight of Ray's arm falling heavily across his back. Ray squeezed his shoulder gently, right where it ached the most, and Bodie almost stumbled.

"Up for a pint or two, mate?"

Bodie refused to show his pleased surprise, but he was afraid some of it might have crept through when he answered, "Anything for you, sunshine."

-- THE END --

September 2004