Title: Careful Cultivation
Author: bistokidsfan
Series: Professionals
Genre: Older Lads
Characters: Bodie/Doyle, Murphy, Charlie
Warnings: Slash
Status: Complete
Rating: Fan-rated for adults
Finished: 06/17/2006
Summary: Wherein careful cultivation makes possible just
about anything.
Disclaimer: No lawyer’s gonna make a monkey outta me. The
Professionals are owned by Brian Clemens et al, Bodie is owned by Doyle, &
I wouldn’t mind being owned by Tommy!
Feedback: bistokidsfan@comcast.net
Posting: The Circuit, The Hatstand, Proslib, The Safehouse,
my LJ. Anywhere else just let me know.
A/N: This was for
the Summer of '78 challenge.
***
I'm proud to be his partner.
We've had triumphs,
We've made mistakes,
We've had sex.
- George H.W. Bush
I'm the boss, you're an idiot.
You're the boss, I'm an idiot.
- Russian Army saying
***
Dew still clung to the leaves, weighing them down a bit, but
the air smelled fresh. He wandered over to the Annie Viberts and tsked over a
minute spot of rust, carefully picking it off and placing it in a container
whose sole purpose was to incarcerate rogue plant materials and keep them
segregated from the regular population.
"Serves you right," he muttered, looking over the
rest of the bush with careful eyes. "Ought to know better than that."
The bush, subdued by the glare in his eyes, remained mute.
He moved along to the test patch and peered closely at #6,
which had showed such promise. The color was there, almost exactly the shade in
the light of the small window in the cluttered office so many years ago. Yes –
this just ought to be about right, and ready on time. His grin made the
crinkles about his eyes more pronounced, and he sniffed, rubbing his nose,
catching himself listing a bit to the left.
"Bugger that," he said as he fished out his
handkerchief and blew, then carefully moved his left leg to a more stable
position. He looked up to see Ray stick his head out the back door and call,
"You don't come into breakfast now, it's gonna go cold."
"Yes, mum," he replied dutifully, trudging
carefully over the bit of lawn that had yet to be turned over for more
flowerbeds.
"You've a cheek," Ray cuffed his ear in passing.
"Careful cultivation and rigorous standards of conduct,
that's me motto," Bodie replied, leaning over the Aga, sniffing
appreciatively.
Ray shoved him toward the sink, "Wash first, me
lad." He shook his head, and ducked to hide his grin.
"Spousal abuse," mourned Bodie, quickly washed up,
then reached over to dry his hands on Ray's jean-covered backside, who wiggled
in appreciation for the maneuver.
"Genuine fry-up," Ray announced as he slid laden
plates on the table.
"We'll light a candle for our arteries later,"
Bodie sounded round a bite of toast.
"Amen," Ray saluted him with his orange juice.
A harmonious silence descended for a few minute in tribute
to breakfast. Presently, Bodie looked over at Ray, "I take it by your attire
that I'm meeting with the Minister this morning."
Ray tried to look innocent, but failed miserably. "Got
a call a bit ago from our Susan. Break-in at the training facility. Bad job;
made a total muck-up of the place. It'll require a complete inventory."
"And you figured you're the man for the job
because?"
"This week's mine, you know."
"Hard to miss, got a big D on the calendar, don't
it?" Bodie replied, exasperated. "But, that means you're for the high
jump with regards for meetings with ministers."
"Boss's prerogative," Ray serenely declared.
"I'm delegating me authority. Besides, you're the one that gets on with
the Whitehall types."
"So you tell me every time the budget has to be
presented," snorted Bodie. "So you'll be out at Lansdale House all
day then?"
"Looks like. Sue said she'd never heard Murphy so
angry." Ray glanced over at Bodie, noticing a slight turndown of his
expressive mouth. He reached out a hand and covered his partner's. "I
didn't forget. I'll be back tonight. I promise," he looked directly into
Bodie's eyes.
Bodie turned his hand to grasp Ray's and smiled crookedly,
"Hold you to that, I will."
"Counting on it."
***
"Bloody hell," muttered Bodie as he pawed through
a pile of reports, requisitions, and expense chits waiting for approval.
"Betty!" he hollered presently. "Where's the projected manpower
allocations for next month's security con –," he trailed off as Betty
slapped the desired folder into his hand after having picked it up from the far
corner of the desk.
"Don't look at me like that," he said defensively.
"It's *his* desk, ain't it?" At her raised eyebrows and pointed look
at the desk on the other side of the room, which rejoiced in an almost
identical clutter, he looked down and practically shuffled his feet.
"Well, at least with my desk, I know where the stuff is, mostly
anyway," he trailed off as he reached down and pulled out an attaché case
and stuffed the folder into it.
Betty was already handing him his coat, "You've got to hurry.
They've moved up your appointment fifteen minutes."
"What'd they go and do that for?" Bodie tugged on
his jacket as he moved through the doorway. Betty picked up the attaché case
and shoved it toward him as he moved out of the office.
"Cheers," he threw back across his shoulder as he
made his slightly halting way down the stairs to his waiting car and driver.
Betty grinned as she walked back to her desk.
***
"Collins!" barked Doyle. "Would you explain
to me exactly how is it that a group of persons managed to break into a
supposedly secure CI-5 facility, vandalize not one, not two, but three separate
training areas, steal dangerous and valuable equipment, and leave said facility
without anyone noticing?"
"I don't know, sir." Collins stood at parade rest
and stared at the spot over Doyle's right shoulder, guaranteeing to Doyle that
he knew how much trouble he was in. The slight petulance in his expression
indicated that he felt this wasn't his fault. Ray was certain he could disavow
him of his beliefs before too long.
"You don't know, sir?" Doyle replied
incredulously. "You don't know how they got in, what's missing, or pretty
much how to do your job?" He ended his tirade standing straight in front
of the other man. He raised his eyebrows, "And I suppose you don't know
where the funds are going to come from to replace this equipment and make
repairs, do you? Replacements are very expensive," he finished grimly,
making sure to ignore the slight smirk on Murphy's face at the last. It
wouldn't do to let on – he'd worked so hard on maintaining during dressing
down's.
At Collins pained silence, Doyle sat back down and motioned
him out. "Send in the next genius," he called to Collins' rapidly
retreating back, just before he carefully shut the door.
"Not bad," Murphy offered his a cup of coffee.
Doyle sat back and sipped, "It's gonna take all day at
this rate."
"S'what you get for being the old man's pet."
"Can't you fellows ever get that right. It's Bodie that
was his pet; I'm just here 'cause I've got a pretty face," Ray said
innocently.
"Oi! That's my gig – get yer own," Murphy groused.
***
"6.3 to Alpha2."
"Alpha 2."
"Mettering and friends have just left their abode and
are on their way to the rendezvous point."
"I'll be there in twenty. Do not, I repeat do not move
until I get there. Is that understood Wilson?"
"Understood, sir."
"You got your extra clips, Charlie?"
"Never leave home without 'em, *sir*."
"Bastard."
"I honestly try."
***
"Just round up what's left and have them sort through
and find out if anything's salvageable."
"Make it a training exercise."
"You're catching onto this leadership bit, Murph. I'm
off."
"Ah, finished mingling with the little people, now back
to the glories of Lunnon, guv?"
"Just get me the final report of what needs to be
replaced immediately by tomorrow, all right? Bodie and I'll squeeze the budget
and see if anything falls out."
"Most likely just scream and faint dead away."
***
Ignoring the ache in his leg didn't make it go away, and
he'd even given into the need to take the lift up to the office. It had been
worth it. Mettering's little band of terrorists had been swept up in a very
tight little net. They'd tried their best to puncture that net with sprays of
bullets, but well placed CI-5 agents, one agent/driver, and one co-Controller
had put paid to that idea. Only thing missing had been the other Controller.
"Now I remember why I don't do field work much any
more," groaned Charlie as they made their way into the Controllers'
office.
Bodie gestured to a chair, "You know where the good
stuff is."
Charlie liberated the single malt from its storage and
poured a good portion for them each.
"You're just getting old, that's what," Bodie
arched his eyebrows as he tried to straighten his stiff leg after a generous
swallow.
"Ooh, pot 'n kettle time, now innit?" Charlie
knocked back the rest of his drink. "Gotta start my report. My boss is a
demon for timely reports, he is."
"Sounds like a right intelligent fellow."
"And engagingly modest, too."
***
"Alpha 1 to Alpha 2."
"Alpha 2 here."
"How was tea with the Minister?"
"Lovely. I saved you a cress sandwich. You finished
with your holiday, then?"
"Yes, my tan's coming along nicely. No extra holes in
your person, I take it?"
"None, thank you. Which little birdy tattled?"
"A very sneaky one. I have a vested interest, you
know."
"I *had* backup."
"S'not the same though, is it."
"No. Sorry. How far out are you?"
"Give me about an hour. Are you done in the trenches
for now?"
"Yeah. I'll meet you at home."
"Don't forget to stop by the shops and…"
"I've got the list, Sunshine."
"My hero."
***
The glow of the sun's last rays lit the burnished golden
orange blossoms. The two stood shoulder to shoulder. Presently, Ray sighed and
turned to Bodie. "It's lovely."
"I'm shocked and dismayed, Ray. It's more than
that."
"Yeah, yeah. So, enlighten the unwashed already."
"It's a new variety I created – I named it
Sunshine."
"And," Doyle waited expectantly. Bodie's hobby of
roses mystified him as much as his painting did his partner. It didn't make the
enjoyment of the results any less for either of them
Bodie looked almost embarrassed. "It's a cross between
a Fire King and an Amiable Rogue."
"You made me a rose for my birthday."
"You needn't sound so smug."
"Yes I do. Just one thing though…"
"What's that?"
"If I'm the Fire King and you're the Amiable Rogue, are
you gonna accost and molest me?" Ray started backing away toward the
house.
"It can be arranged," Bodie snickered as he
followed him through the back doorway, catching him by the shoulders and
spinning him around in the kitchen.
"Unhand me you rogue," declared Ray, but he
didn't, and that was good, too.
The End
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