Desert Island Fics

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Took a while to organise and pick more quotes. Warning: It's ended up quite long!!



1 Chances by Angelfish Archivist

Hard to put one at the top of the pile, and hard to pick out of the three of hers. But this *just* edges to the surface for me. This was a fic that crept up on me unawares. I avoided it for the longest time because I thought the premise – Doyle and Bodie separated? Doyle with another man for two years? – was one I wouldn’t buy in a million years. But it’s one I’ve been drawn to again and again since the first time I read it, and it’s the writer as much as the reader in me who loves this. She has a turn of phrase like no other. To wit, a moment on a mountain from long ago..

It is a careless moment, the mandatory three points of contact reduced to two as Bodie swings back to face the cliff - a mistake born of supreme physical confidence. When the ledge crumbles under his foot, he is not properly anchored -

And then he is. Doyle has him by the armpit in a whipcord grip. He says only one word - "No!" - and in it Bodie hears echo of every refusal he has made in his life, feels the heat of his utter denial, to fate, deity, any and all comers: he will not let him fall. Bodie understands then that what the ex-copper lacks in brawn and experience he more than makes up for in reflexes, intelligence, sheer will. "Christ," he says, conversationally, looking down into the blazing forever, not yet dispensing with Doyle's grasp. "I wish I'd worn the brown trousers now."



2 And Memories Die (II) by Ellis Ward

Yes, anti-AU-little me is putting an AU this high up the list! What can I say? It’s the other Doyle and Bodie, the delicious interplay when worlds collide and all four are together. My jaw drops at how well she handles it, making the similarites and differences in their outlooks, behaviour, etc both subtle and instantly distinct. Her other Doyle is much rougher, more..exotic and unrestrained – a Ray grown up without rules, maybe, (he’s an assassin). The other Doyle is presumed dead, Ray is missing and both Bodies are looking for him. While driving they suddenly comes across *both* Doyles…


The car slooped back into its proper lane, narrowly missing another car also heading south. The rain had slackened at this part of town, although the thunderstorm continued unabated behind them.

The other Bodie abruptly let off the accelerator and took the car off the road and onto the verge. He slowed to a smooth stop, slipped the transmission into neutral and pulled up the handbrake. He said, "Get out."

The other Doyle hesitated only a few seconds before moving to obey. The door resisted him, proving strangely uncooperative to usually capable hands. But it gave way at last, and he stumbled out, righting himself before he could fall face-first onto the wet grass. He started to walk away, looking neither left nor right, scraping a hand across his eyes as he went.

Doyle's lips parted for protest, but Bodie stilled him with a hand on his forearm and a sharp shake of the head. His fingers found Ray's and clasped them tightly.

In the front seat the other Bodie sat motionless, hands like talons curled around the steering wheel. An explosive curse erupted from his lips, and he was out of the car, long strides carrying him toward the other man. Hearing his approach, the other Doyle swung round to face him.

A misting rain fell upon them as they stood unmoving, caught in a timeless recreation of betrayal and vengeance. The hurt had gone deep in both of them, and comprehension merely emphasized the fact that love had been the root of it.

Tentatively the other Bodie's hand came up, and a callused finger swept away the moisture glistening on his Doyle's cheek, removing more than rain. The hand travelled upward, and gently entered a soft forest of curls. Holding the man's head cupped in his palm, the other Bodie leaned nearer until his mouth was pressed against a warm temple, seemingly restored by the pulse steadily beating there. With a muffled groan, the other Doyle burrowed against his warmth, arms closing convulsively around his Bodie's stolid frame.

Inside the car, Bodie heard a prodigious sniff from his partner. He arched a brow at him, able to see Doyle clearly in the glare of the domelight. "Your romantic streak is showing, sunshine."

Doyle thumped him lightly on the shoulder. "Sod off."

Bodie's eyes roved over his friend, cataloguing every familiar, yet so beloved feature, one by one. "It's a waste of emotion, y'know," he said wryly. "Those two don't know the meaning of 'happy ending'."


3 Yellow Brick Road by Kate Maclean (zine only)

So much that shouldn‘t actually work in the cold light of day. A Bodie you only have access to through Doyle, a Bodie that’s seemingly cold and almost brutal in his treatment of his besotted and paying-for-it partner, and a Bodie who, quite seriously, you want to box round the ears half the time.. But it *does* work. I feel for Bodie, I ache for him in this. I see how all the repression of everything he feels for his partner is screwing him up, because Kate is a geniuıs at the glimpses. She makes the small getsures *work*, and she keeps them sounding like the lads I love. And besides all that, she writes possibly the most scorching sex-scenes in fandom. *g*

One of my favourite scenes is when Bodie helps Doyle pee in the hospital post-diag.

Once they were in position in front of the toilet bowl, he let Doyle lean fully against him and pulled apart his pyjama bottoms to free Doyle’s cock. He was, thought,Doyle, unbelievably gentle.
“Want me to aim it for ya?” Bodie asked, waggling his eyebrows and Doyle giggled weakly, almost missing the pan as he laid his full weight against the strong shoulder and let go with a feeling of blessed, blessed relief.
“You’re pissin’ her off, you know,” Doyle said conversationally as the flow of urine began to thin at last, “To coin a phrase.” They both giggled again, then watched silently as the flow finally stopped.
“You can shake it dry if you like.” Slyly.
“Ah…you’re a prince, Doyle.” But Doyle batted Bodie’s playful hands away and tucked himself into his pyjama bottoms, still leaning on that dependable shoulder.
Then, as he was led across to the washbasin, “Should lay off ‘er a bit, though.” Doyle returned doggedly to the subject Bodie had ignored, knowing he should, but as he met Bodie’s eyes in the mirror above the basin, he saw his partner’s smile was completely gone.
There was a short silence, then, “You serious then? About her?”
Doyle looked down at his hands moving restlessly under the flow of water.
He said at last, “Maybe,” because he wanted it to be true. Maybe he could even make it true.
When he looked up again, Bodie’s smile was back in place, cheeky as ever, hiding everything, as ever. Was he pleased? He looked as bland as Doyle had ever seen him.
“All right, mate,” heartily, “Anythin’ for the woman you love.”
Doyle met his eyes again, and somehow he managed a smile.

See? Glimpses…*g*


4 Never The Words They Say by Slantedlight.

Told her when it came out that it went straight into my top five, and here it is. There’s something about the guys locked away from the world together, especially in a first time fic, that just makes me melt in the hands of a good writer. And the setting here is an added bonus – a remote Scotish croft with a wonderful cast of villagers around the lads. This has everything – romance, wit, action, angst, hurt/comfort, great dialogue, and a lovely sense of a Bodie and Doyle relaxing and discovering..

I’ve picked a tense moment from near the beginning. After Cowley’s betrayal (Operation Susie), Bodie wants to leave the country immediately, Doyle does not.

Silence. Doyle was staring at the floor.

"So we'll hang out here for a while then. A couple of blokes, up on holiday, escaping the rat race for a while -- like one of those retreats Sally was going on about the other day. Spiritual."

Still no reaction.

"Come on mate, we'll put up one of those statues of Buddha or something, burn some incense..."

Come on.

He got to his feet, bouncing on his toes with a sudden urgent need to do something, swept his eyes across the windows on three sides of the building, came to a stop at the back door. Tossing down the rest of his tea in a scalding rush, he strode across the room, took a firm hold on the rust that passed for a door handle, and dragged it open. "'Ere, look, 'e's even left you a room full of mud."

A stretch of silence, and then Doyle came to stand beside him. The door had opened into a small lean-to, which was stacked high with slabs of -- as Bodie had said -- mud. Except... Doyle leaned back on the doorframe. "Actually mate, I think you'll find that's peat." His voice was steady, and Bodie loved him for it.

"Pete? Who the hell's..?"

"Peat fuel , you dumb crud. You burn it."

"Oh," Bodie surveyed the mud with a better appreciation. "You drink whisky by it an' all, don't you?" He rubbed his hands and turned back inside. "So - the sooner we get this lot sorted out..."

A glance at his partner's face; it could still go either way. Doyle had an elbow on the door jamb, was rubbing one thumb across his lips, and he was seeing nothing in this world. Finally, the eternity over, his eyes snapped back, to the peat, to the cottage, to Bodie. "Yeah, alright then."

And the air relaxed between them again, the words dissolved as if they had never been. The decision had been made.


5 Strange Days Indeed by HG (CD/ zine)

It’s the hurt, it’s the comfort, it’s the lads in a pretty bad way – Bodie’s been raped, Doyle’s been beaten up - and there they are, locked away from the world again in a cottage ( is this my kink maybe??).. Love this particular moment.

"Ray, lie still. It's okay. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Uncurling, his breath still shuddering, Doyle wiped a hand over his face, inadvertently redistributing the mud, and gave Bodie an exasperated glare, "I know that, it's just..." He broke off, yawning hugely. "Be all right once the tablets start to work."
Bodie stiffened, only now connecting the too bright eyes and their pinpoint pupils with the difference in his partner that bad been bothering him since Doyle's return to the cottage.
"What tablets?" His voice as sharp with concern. "Ray - what tablets?"
Doyle's closing eyes opened again and he waved a nonchalant hand. "Is okay. No need to shout. Just some speed - to keep me goin'."
Bodie did not need to be told why. Guilt and worry governed his response. "You irresponsible bloody maniac! Where are they?"
"Why, you want some?" Doyle enquired, interested.
Exasperated, Bodie left the bed and rifled through the pockets of Doyle's discarded jacket. Nothing.
He turned back to the bed. "OK, Sunshine. Where are they? The tablets?" he prompted with unusual patience as it began to dawn an him that Ray Doyle, ex-DC, was stoned out of his mind.
"Jeans pocket," said Doyle sleepily, untroubled by his partner's scowl.
Drawing the phial free Bodie opened it. The small octagonal pills he shook into his palm told him nothing; the expert an drugs lay flat on his back, high as the proverbial kite.
"Ray, are you sure these aren't addictive? Ray?"
"I 'eard you." said Doyle testily. "Pos'tive. Wouldn't hurt a fly. Won't take any more though. Feel a bit odd, if you must know."
Bodie received that somewhat pathetic admission with scant sympathy. "I'm not bloody surprised. How many of these have you been taking and when did you take the last lot?"
Doyle concentrated, briefly. "When I got back. 'S all right, Bodie. Be all right when I've...'ad some sleep."
Before Bodie could recover his breath from that piece of optimism Doyle was indeed asleep.


6 Ringing In The Changes by PFL

Fell head over heels with this recently. Just the most riveting, entertaining account of the lads through the years, Christmas to Christmas. I have to quote from the very last one, regarding *that* ornament..

Doyle looked at Bodie, his hand lying still on Bodie's back. "Do you know why my favourite ornament is that old Christmas bell?"

"Because it was Sally's?"

"Yes, because it was hers. But also because it's familiar. Because I love it. Because there's not a new ornament out there that would ever replace it."

Bodie looked into the bright, clear eyes of his partner and the last shadow of doubt flitted away, banished. He reached for Doyle's hand, holding it, bringing it to rest above Doyle's heart. "I'm here to stay."


7 Love In a Cold Country by JoJo

This has everything I crave in a fic - wit, raunch, angst, action, and a Bodie and Doyle written to perfection..

Bodie's not a happy bunny here, having been holed up in a farmhouse for New Year...

The arrival of Ray Doyle into any room was always like a sugar rush to him, but Bodie didn't think he'd ever betrayed that fact and he wasn't about to begin now. His impulse was to scramble over the table and stick his tongue in Doyle's mouth. His heart actually began to beat so hard that he thought they must both be able to hear it, but all he did was scratch his beard and glower.

John Dearing looked between them. Being in a room with 4.5 and 3.7 was his idea of hell. As far as he was concerned, Ray Doyle was a jumped-up little gobshite, and Bodie was a madman, and an arrogant git to boot. Whatever it was now crackling between them did not even register on his radar.


8 All These Years by Angelfish

Very few fics have had the effect this one had on me. Took me an age to be able to reread it because when I do, it stays in my head *forever*. Truly. My favourite writer in fandom. The quote is from near the beginning, and just seems to set a lump-in-the-throat tone that never quite lets go..

Bodie smiled. He could see the lamplit room before him, the plants and the books on their shelves against the far wall. But it was as if, in some specialised way, he had gone blind, without distress or sense of loss. The sensory input he required was under his hands, pressed to his thigh, his chest. He said, "I don't mind at all." A few minutes passed, silent but charged, and he extended the thought, blindly, lost to all consequence or thought of tomorrow. "I don't think I mind... anything you do, Ray." Silence again: Doyle had stopped breathing, and when his vision sparked red Bodie realised he had, too. Deliberately he restored the pattern, and when his voice would be quite steady, said, "Do whatever you want. It's okay. There's no price tag, I promise. Whatever you want."


9 Flu by Sebastian

No top ten list can be done, surely, without a Sebastian fic in it somewhere? Maybe an odd choice to some, but my kink is a sick Bodie and/or Doyle, and here I get 'em both, at the same time, and in the same bed!!

Doyle looked down at the dark hair beneath his chin, felt Bodie's arms wrapped around him, an ironic thread of laughter running through his mind. Bodie and Doyle, 3.7 and 4.5, Cowley's rough-tough ace team who put the wind up the heaviest of heavies - lying in bed, cuddling. No point in deluding himself, they were cuddling. Even though his head was painful and his inflamed throat hurt him, he allowed himself a little chuckle, into Bodie's apple-scented hair.

It disturbed Bodie, who, warm and comforted, had been drifting in to sleep. He dozily felt an immense, grateful relief for the warm presence holding him, keeping the chills at bay. He reached up one drowsy hand, stroked the smooth skin just beside Doyle's mouth with his thumb. "Love you," he mumbled.

"What did you say?" asked Doyle, incredulous, and more awake.

The other man sighed, warm breath on Doyle's throat. "I love you."

Doyle grinned to himself. Bodie was just going to love hearing about this in the morning, wasn't he? Bless him, though. A twinge of rueful tenderness went through Doyle. He hugged Bodie even tighter.

"Yeah, mate; love you too."

He fell asleep smiling.

How many writers can get them to say the words, and still be *them*??


10 The Third Friday of October by Dana Austin Marsh

A delightful, quixotic premise that, damnit, shouldn't work but does. Doyle's married and gone from CI5, Bodie's still there. A chance encounter leads to them meeting up for the same three days every year (1981-1990). The quote here is from 1984:

Having been anticipating his lover's arrival, and imagining the worst, for several hours, it took Doyle only a moment to release the lock and fling the door open, fully intending to drag the sexy body in and plaster himself all over it. Fortunately, his reflexes were still finely honed enough to stop him in his tracks at the first sight of Bodie. It was almost all his worst imaginings brought to reality - a bruised, battered and exhausted Bodie stood swaying in the rain.

"For Chrissake, Bodie, get in," Doyle exclaimed, grasping Bodie's arm to pull him inside but releasing it just as quickly when Bodie yelped a hoarse protest.

Bodie shuffled into the entry hall and leaned a shoulder tiredly against the wall despite the pain it caused him. He moaned another protest of pain when Doyle's hand settled on the small of his back to guide him. Once again the hand was withdrawn as if burned. Determinedly, he shuffled his way to the sofa and subsided ever so carefully onto its welcoming surface. If Bodie had been a man prone to tears, he would have broken down and wept right then and there. He longed for Doyle's touch with every bit of his love-starved soul, but could honestly think of no place on his aching body where he would welcome it.

Hovering uselessly, it was all Doyle could do not to hit something in sheer frustration. "What the hell happened to you?"

The blue eyes, which had closed upon gaining the haven of the sofa, opened to regard his anxious friend. "Mate, I've had a helluva day," Bodie pronounced.

Comments

[ancastar.livejournal.com]

Oh yay! I'm so glad you finished this. I've read every story but Flu. I shall have to go check that one out. We have only two stories exactly the same on our lists, but I could have easily chosen Ringing in the Changes when I chose Rules (I think half the reason I went with Rules was that I had mentioned Ringing in the Changes in an earlier proliferation post) and the only thing that stopped me from including more Ellis Ward was feeling as if, were I to do so, I'd have to leave so many other worthy authors off my list. The rest I've enjoyed as well; they just didn't squeeze into that top ten. You were right--we have very similar tastes.

I love that so many of the quotes you chose are scenes or exchanges that stuck in my mind as well. I mean...how brilliant is JoJo's simile comparing the sight of Doyle to a sugar rush? It's brilliant. Completely, completely brilliant. And the scene where our Bodie and Doyle watch the other Bodie and Doyle reconcile in And Memories Die II is one of those film moments for me. I can see it all so clearly: the four men on the deserted road, all a little worse for wear; the rain; all the anger and hurt between the AU B & D; and our lads cuddled in the backseat of the car. It's such a satisfying story.

Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to think about what fic you enjoy and why. It's such great fun to get other people's takes on this sort of thing. Enjoy your weekend!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I could have easily chosen Ringing in the Changes when I chose Rules It is very hard to choose between fics sometimes for smth like this - I love Rules, it was one of the first fics I ever read in Pros.

As for Jojo's 'Love in a Cold Country', finding just the one quote was the problem - her fics are infinitely quotable! I enjoy it all - the bits with Doyle and his family near the beginning, the bursts of deadpan humour, Doyle's rescue of Bodie out in the snow, and the final exchange, which I had already quoted in the PSPC.

And yes, you're so right, that scene in the rain from Ellis Ward's 'And Memories Die II' is beautifully cinematic, she has an almost-tactile way of writing sometimes. So satisfying.

Thanks for commenting An, and I'm glad you enjoyed my choices. It was fun to do, and gave me a great reason to go back and reread for the quotes!

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

Your #1 and #10 almost made it into my top 10 list too. The only thing holding them back is that they are a bit too bittersweet; on my desert isle I think I want to be made very happy! But I agree they are powerful, moving, and remarkable pieces. Those of us who have responded to the challenge like many of the same authors even if we pick different stories from them. You can't overlook talented writing, can you?

Thanks for sharing.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

The only thing holding them back is that they are a bit too bittersweet; Oh I'm very partial to bittersweet! Figure in all that sea and sunshine, I can take a bit of bittersweet.. it is interesting, isn't it? How some similar authors, but different fics crop up.

Thank you for letting me know what you think, and I'd love to read your list too!

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

My list is posted at my LJ, but the entry is friends-locked. So why don't you friend me, and I'll do the same to you! :-D

Do you have the Proslib CD yet? If so, look for a story called "Bittersweet" by SN. It might be right up your alley.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will! And yes I've got the CD so I'll look that story up. Cheers.

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

I know all of these, and definitely agree with you about YBR by Kate and Dana's Third Friday. Strangely, I didn't put YBR on either my first or second list of 10, and yet, I re-read it regularly. Need to get my head examined!

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I adore Kate Maclean, and YBR in particular. And Dana Austin Marsh was one of the first Pros writers I checked out when I started reading in Pros, because I knew and loved her writing from Starsky and Hutch.

Did you post your list up anywhere? I'd love to read it!

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

It was too long to post in ci5hq--I tried! It's in my LJ, which is f-locked. I f-lock everything (forgive the paranoia). If you friend me, I'll friend you back and you can read it there.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I appreciate that - I just added you.

[faramir-boromir.livejournal.com]

And added back. Enjoy!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Being very subjective I think these are excellent choices and I love the quotes you've chosen, too. It's a near-impossible task which I don't think I can face (I can never make a decision) so it is very much appreciated when others take the time and trouble to share their choices! (In particular, I love the writings of slantedlight, angelfish, ward, PFL and the JoJo story). Thanks, again.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

It was very difficult to do -and that's such a good thing! This is a very, very rich fandom in terms of variety and sheer quantity of excellent fics and writers; past and present. ( Voice Over, Zeno's Paradox, Catch a Fallen Star, Firewalls - all hovering in my top 15 - need a top 20 really!!) And I still think of myself as a relative newbie, one who's only read the visible bits of the iceberg.*g*

I'm glad you enjoyed my choices.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh very nice - good choices! (And *vbg* for number 4!)

I think my faves from your list are Sebastian's Flu - I love that one! Did you know there's a sequel by HG, on the ProsLib CD? It's called Flu 2... *g* Just summat about the lads all poorly and vulnerable in bed, with just each other, but feeling better because of it...

Third Friday of October I adore as well - totally totally heart-wrenching and... and... just oh.

Chances is a bit like that for me too, mind - cos as you say, it's not quite right that the lads aren't together, and Doyle was with someone else, and... but it works out okay in the end!

Oh, and I could say something like that about all the fic you chose, but I should probably go off and do my own desert island fics instead, shouldn't I! Thanks for yours though, I love reading this sort of thing!

(Would it be alright to link to the post as fic reviews for palelyloitering.com (www.palelyloitering.com)?)

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I've read the sequel to Sebastian's Flu, and it's good, but it's the set up that I love so in the original. A

And you grin away for number 4! I *love* that story. Feeling an urge to reread it already..*g*

Would it be alright to link to the post as fic reviews for palelyloitering.com? Absolutely. And I'd love to read your list of Desert Island fics. It *is* a lot of fun to read about people's choices - and a great way to get story recs too.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I think I'm getting punch-drunk as I was just about to comment here (again)! Seriously, I meant to say that I also really like the way you give your reasons for liking each story: short, to the point and always providing a different reason - I find it very hard trying to articulate or decide why I like one particular story and even harder thinking of a different reason for why I like another. Pathetic, really.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Pathetic, really Not at all! It is really hard to articulate why a particular story hits all the right buttons. A lot of my reasons are, in fact, very similar. I realised when I was working on this list that my "kinks" if you will, are humour, CI5, great dialogue, raunch, some angst and no mush!