The Professionals Circuit Archive - Doyle's Secret Problem	   Doyle's
Secret Problem

 

by Rob 

  
 "What the hell is wrong with you, Doyle. You're leaping around like you
got fleas or something?" 

"There's nothing wrong." 

The green eyes and tense expression denied the words even as they were
uttered. Bodie watched his partner even closer. Yes, Doyle was definitely
uptight about something. In the ten minutes that he'd been there Bodie had
watched, slightly bewildered, as on three occasions Doyle had gone to say
something only to change his mind at the last moment. 

Was he plucking up the courage to tell him something, Bodie wondered. His
heart leapt, maybe Doyle was also having trouble expressing his true
feelings. He certainly knew how his partner was feeling if that was the
case. 

Before arriving at Doyle's flat he had promised himself that tonight he
would tell Doyle how he felt. He had hidden his love for this man for too
long, if he didn't tell him soon he was going to burst. 

He watched with greedy eyes as Doyle fussed around the kitchen, obviously
naked under his loose-fitting bathrobe. He decided to keep the
conversation light, pretending, for the moment, to believe Doyle's
assertion that everything was alright. 

"Are you going to have a shower before we go out?" he said indicating the
bathrobe. He was unprepared for the reaction his innocent question
provoked. 

"'Course I'm going to have a bloody shower. 'Bin working all day haven't
I. If it's alright with you I'll go up in a minute. I apologise if the
smells a bit strong but you can always wait out in the bloody car" 

Bodie was dumbfounded by the violence with which the words had been
delivered. After sending Bodie a withering glance Doyle stormed out of the
kitchen and started to tidy the already immaculate living room. Bodie
followed him through just in time to see the curtains being savagely
pulled closed. It wasn't *that* dark outside yet Bodie thought as he
glanced at his watch, but if Doyle didn't get a move on they were going to
miss the start of the film. 

Doyle was radiating nervous tension, but he made no move to explain his
behavior or to go and get ready to go out. Bodie was racking his brains to
find a way to ease the tension without getting his head bitten off when
his curly headed scruffy partner slumped down into the armchair opposite
him. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off." 

Bodie felt his insides melt as Doyle smiled at him. He would forgive his
partner anything in order to keep on seeing that smile. 

"S'Okay mate." 

"No it's not okay. I shouldn't jump at you like that just because I'm--" 

Doyle broke off as if he suddenly realised he might say too much. 

He tried to keep Ray talking. 

"Let's have it Ray. What's eating you? It's damn obvious that something
is." 

Bodie's mind was racing on ahead. If Doyle *was* suffering from the same
problem maybe he could get his partner to admit it first. 

"Is it really that obvious?" 

Doyle relaxed slightly, a nervous laugh escaped him. 

"Only 'cos I know you so well mate." 

"Yeah. I suppose you do." 

Doyle looked at his partner properly for the first time since he had let
him in the front door. He decided that Bodie was looking quite splendid. 

"Is that all for my benefit?" he added, indicating his friend's outfit.
Bodie flicked an imaginary bit of fluff from his sleeve. 

"Of course," he said in a voice that expressed its owners amazement that
Doyle could doubt the fact. "Only the best for you Raymond. No expense
spared. Now run along and hurry up or we'll miss the bus and all the cheap
seats will be gone. Ooff." He grunted as a cushion hit him full on the
face. 

Doyle moved towards the door, then stopped and turned back to face Bodie
as he reappeared from under the cushion, his face became serious. 

"Bodie." He faltered, then fixing his gaze on the floor rushed on. "Bodie,
if I were to tell you that I had a real... problem, you wouldn't laugh at
me, would you?" 

Bodie was delighted. It was all too apparent that Doyle was speaking in
earnest. He knew that his feeling couldn't have been all one way, and was
grateful that Ray had found the courage to speak out first. Eager to
reassure his love, Bodie moved closer. 

"Of course I wouldn't laugh. What d' you take me for. Anyway, like I said
before, I know you, I think I know whats wrong." 

Relief flooded the mobile face, lighting up the translucent eyes. 

"You do? Oh Christ, I was so sure you'd laugh at me or else be really
pissed off by it." 

"Why do you think I'd react like that?" 

"Oh yeah. Tough guy Bodie. Never scared of anything. I was damn sure that
you were going to laugh your head off when you found out you had a partner
was who scared to admit that he..." his voice faltered, Bodie was standing
so close, in fact they were almost nose to nose. He was staring in to
Bodie's eyes. Funny, he thought, never noticed how blue his partner's eyes
were before. Deep blue pools held him, mesmerised, he felt as if he were
drowning. Then the eyes were covered with creamy lids, edged with thick
black lashes descended. He felt a rush of warm breath before Bodie's mouth
closed over his own in a gently possessive kiss. 

Bodie's senses were soaring. All those wasted months of pretending and
trying to convince himself it was wrong and it had been so easy. He could
feel Doyle melting and sagging against him. His own legs were feeling
rather shaky so he pulled Doyle down to join him on the soft carpeted
floor. 

He was so dizzy that at first he thought he was falling, but then he felt
firm hands supporting him and he knew that he was alright. Bodie was
holding him up. 

For so long Bodie had dreamt of holding his partner like this. He slipped
his warm hands inside the bathrobe, eager to touch the substance of his
dreams. Doyle shivered in response to his touch, then he gasped himself as
nimble fingers moved to undo his shirt and slipped inside. 

Doyle didn't question the reason for the fire that was building up inside
him. He had to touch the cool skin, had to taste that exquisite mouth
again. He'd never known that anyone could turn him on so quickly. It was
incredible. Bodie's hands finally touched him *there* and his collapse and
surrender was complete. 

Their senses were so overloaded it was only minutes before they each
reached a noisy desperate climax and they fell exhausted and breathless
into a tangle of arms, legs and half discarded clothing. 

Ray Doyle could feel the tight band of Bodie's arms around his chest, his
own arms were holding Bodie in a similar embrace. He was completely amazed
at what he had just done and what he was feeling. He knew that he cared
for his partner and that perhaps his feeling for him had been going a
little deeper than he cared to think about, but the sudden unexpected
*need* to have, taste and touch that body had taken him by surprise. It
had felt so right. Why it hadn't happened before he still didn't know, why
it had happened *now* was even more of a mystery. Still too breathless to
speak he tried to convey his joy and love by squeezing the warmth held
safely in his arms. 

"Mmm. I love you too." 

Bodie responded with a return hug and deposited a kiss into the curls
under his chin. 

Once the euphoria died down Bodie became acutely aware of the awkwardness
of his position. His legs were tangled up by his trousers which were at
half mast, and his shirt was also cold and wet, having been caught in the
middle of their passion. 

"Have you got a spare bathrobe?" 

"Back of the bedroom door. I'll get it for you." 

Doyle began to pull away but Bodie caught his hand. 

"No rush, leave it a moment. I think we could both do with a shower then
we can get straight into bed. Let's forget the film tonight, shall we?" 

A look of near horror settled on Doyle's face. Bodie was shocked. He
hadn't thought Doyle had wanted to see the film *that* badly. 

"What's the matter?" 

Doyle wouldn't look at him, and he pulled away from the offered embrace,
and wrapped his bathrobe around him. He drew his legs up and wrapped his
arms around his knees and sank his head down, hiding in the circle of his
arms. Bodie could barely hear the shaky voice. 

"Bodie I can't," he whispered. "I thought you understood. I'm sorry I just
can't." 

Bodie looked on in amazement as the huddled figure began to rock to and
fro. What the hell was he talking about? Can't shower or can't go to bed
with him? 

"Can't what Ray?" he implored. "For christsake Ray, what can't you do?" 

Worried green eyes fixed on him. 

"I can't go in there," he nodded towards the closed bathroom door. "It was
up too high and I've run out of spray," he said as if that explained
everything. 

Bodie was desperately trying to catch up with the conversation. Had he
missed something? What was wrong with the man, hydrophobia, vertigo, no
deodorant -- what? 

"Why can't you go in there? Tell me what's wrong Ray." 

Doyle hadn't felt so embarrassed since the time his mother had caught him
playing with himself in the bathroom. He was almost begging Bodie to
understand. 

"It must be a least four inches long." 

Bodie glanced down in horror, surely it was bigger than that! Reassured,
he then looked at Doyle where his robe had fallen open. Relief coursed
through him. Doyle was still explaining. 

"There were two of them but I managed to get one before you came." 

Doyle *did* look a bit flushed. Maybe he was delirious. He was still
rambling on. 

"You go in first and get it. I know I'm being stupid but I just can't
stand them." 

Bodie's confusion was total. Had the strain of the last few years caused
his partner to crack up? 

"I really hate this time of year. I usually manage to hide it when I'm out
or with other people, but when I'm home or alone I just can't bear them. I
have to kill them, but I've run out of spray and it's sitting on the
ceiling *waiting* for me. I can't reach it!" 

Light was beginning to dawn. 

"*That's* what you were trying to tell me. There's something in your
bathroom?" 

Doyle nodded. He knew Bodie understood. 

"It's enormous Bodie. I've never seen one so big. You will kill it for me
won't you. I was trying to work out a plan of attack when you turned up." 

"*That's* the 'problem' you were trying to tell me about?" 

Bodie had to get this right in his mind. What had he *done*? Maybe he was
the one cracking up. 

The green eyes widened slightly as they registered Bodie's shock. 

"You mean, you thought that my problem was -- was US?" 

Bodie was beyond speech, all he could do was nod. Doyle threw back his
head and laughed. When he finally grasped what had happened, the humour of
the situation also got through to Bodie and they laughed together until
tears ran freely down their cheeks. 

Eventually Bodie went into the bathroom, and, with great ceremony,
formally assassinated the source of Doyle's fear with a rolled up
newspaper. They shared a glorious shower, after which they adjourned to
the bedroom, not before the ex-para, ex-SAS, bold fearless hardened CI5
Agent had checked that there were no more kamikazi craneflies lurking in
the shadows. 

Much much later that night, as Bodie held the sated sleeping body of his
love, he thanked his stars that Ray had chosen tonight of all nights to
run out of fly killer.

-- THE END --

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