Unromantic recs - Where the Worms Are

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Title: Where the Worms Are
Author: Pamela Rose
Link to story: Where the Worms Are
Zine: None - paper circuit
Short review:

Starts out as a case story - a shocking one, as the Lads find out that Cowley has been killed in an 'accident'. They end up on the run. Their attempts to find out the truth bring danger - and contact with an old friend of CI5 who guesses the truth about their relationship some time before they do. Yes, love is eventually mentioned, but I can't see anything mushy about the story or the way they act towards each other.

Comments

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I so need to read this one again - cheers for the reminder!

WARNING: there are major SPOILERS in this review!!

[blkandwhtcat.livejournal.com]

One of my favorite fics - a suspenseful, action-packed mystery, yet focused on the development of B/D's relationship. Good stuff.

I like the way the reader sees B/D through Elizabeth Walsh's eyes:

She had taken to Bodie from the time he'd crawled through her window during the pretend assassination. Elizabeth had always had a small weakness for pretty young men, and he certainly qualified on that account. But there was more to him than that, although it took a while before she noticed it. There was an unconscious vulnerability about him that appealed to her maternal side (not an aspect of her character she'd ever taken much time to explore in the course of her busy life). During the last few days, it had taken a stronger effect as she began to see more clearly what he tried so hard to hide; all his macho posturing concealed a heart a soft as warm butter.

Doyle was tougher to read. She had seen less of him for one thing, although she was beginning to think that made little difference. He was cautious, that one. Like a cat, he was willing to strop your leg and cuddle up if it suited him, but you wouldn't dare hold him too tight or the claws would come out. He doled out bits of himself, unwilling to give too much, as if he were afraid of spending it all and having nothing left to barter with. Yes, a green-eyed, battered alley cat, untrustful of a world where alley cats are such easy and expendable targets.

While by no means as handsome as his partner, Doyle did more with what he had; letting his inner sensuality make up for what nature shorted him. It worked incredibly well. So much so, that by the time they were washing up the dinner dishes, she found herself appreciating his exotic looks more than Bodie's conventional beauty.

Until Bodie gave her one of his sweet smiles, and she changed her mind again, amused at herself and even more amused with both of them.

and their relationship:

Elizabeth smiled, holding back her chuckles at their silliness. They were so comfortable with each other; like an old married couple who still considered themselves on an extended honeymoon.

Suddenly, she put down her pencil and looked at them.

Oh my, that's it, she thought with startled amusement. They're in love. And then wondered how appalled they would be if she'd said it aloud. They weren't aware of it, she was fairly certain of that. They were much too unselfconscious about it all.

Their banter was as acerbic as ever, but the teasing insults and good natured bickering was at total odds with the expressions in their eyes, the way they touched and moved around each other. Doyle, in particular was displaying body language that was more in tune with flirtation. Still very much the alley cat, he was doing everything but purring as he looked at his partner and brushed against him as they worked together over the sink. Occasionally he would look at Bodie as if he were the most amusing, incredible discovery of his life.

Bodie meanwhile, spent an inordinate amount of time ruffling the disordered curls, thumping him gently on the arm, or draping an affectionate arm over the skinny shoulders while he explained sane point he was making. And he looked at Doyle like he was some mysterious, exquisite creature he had netted and couldn't make up his mind if it would be wiser to set it free, or if he could bear to part with it at all.

Elizabeth Walsh had been many things in her life, but never a prude. She'd had more lovers than the Queen had hats, and had enjoyed every one of them. While they had all been male, it didn't prevent her from recognizing the validity of other kinds of pairings. Like these two, she had long been in a profession where you could afford to trust few people, and open up to even less. It could be a very lonely life, and even though she'd come to enjoy that very aloneness, she half-way envied what they had obviously found.

They loved each other, whether they recognized that fact or not. And perhaps it didn't even matter if they never took it further; they were content as they were.

She had her suspicions, however, that they were both too hot-blooded and passionate men to remain at one stage too long.

SPOILERS (continued)

[blkandwhtcat.livejournal.com]

I liked crusty old Cowley, and the protective vibe that Doyle got when Bodie got hurt. I liked the way he stood up to Cowley about bitching about how long they'd taken to find him instead of appreciating that Bodie was initially the only person who didn't believe he was dead, and almost got killed saving him.

The sex scenes were good, advancing the relationship and plot instead of reading like some obligatory "insert sex scene here" type of scenario. And the story WAS romantic. It's just that the writer was skillful enough to let the reader see the love, tenderness and vulnerability that both men feel towards one another, without slapping us up side the head with a lot of long, OOC, emo conversations about their "feelings." But what does, "promise me you won't die" mean but, "I love you and can't live without you?" And what does agreeing to make such an impossible promise mean but, "Yeah, and I feel the same about you?"

Altogether, a very satisfying read.

The one quibble I have with the story is Murphy getting killed. I like Murphy - not as a potential mate of either of the lads, but just as a character. I would have preferred if he'd made it through to the end, and returned to CI5 with the resurected Cowley.

Re: SPOILERS (continued)

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

But what does, "promise me you won't die" mean but, "I love you and can't live without you?" And what does agreeing to make such an impossible promise mean but, "Yeah, and I feel the same about you?"

Exactly.

I'm never sure what people mean by "romantic" in the pejorative sense - I've taken to incorporating heroic tales like Robin Hood, Arthur etc. in my definition and I usually specify "genre romance" when I'm talking about M&B formula work etc. I was never a great reader of genre romance anyway, with the exception of some historicals. When I was younger I vastly preferred reading Alistair MacLean, Hammond Innes and Dennis Bagley (these days it's Ian Rankin and Sata Paretsky), whose books often incorporated a romantic element without ceding too much space to relationship development while the plot/action was afoot.

"Too much space" - that's the kicker. Movies that pause in the middle of a crisis for the lead romantic pair to spend minutes gazing into each other's eyes, with talky talk talk about the dire situation they're in and how they feel about each other make me squirm in my seat - and not in a good way! There's an impetus and an energy from understated, but nonetheless real, love that can't be bought with all the words in the world.

Re: SPOILERS (continued)

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Oh, just had to say - snap, Paretsky and Rankin are two of my favourite relaxation (sort of!) reads at the moment (the third is Terry Pratchett). I'm fi' Embra originally, which is a big part of why I enjoy Rankin - I love seeing my city written like that!

Re: SPOILERS (continued)

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

Excellent rec, I almost forgot to say! It's one of my high-end-on-the-list stories, for when I've got the staying power for a long, tough story - and it works all the better, as you say, for showing not telling the love amidst the loyalty-driven action that makes them who they are.

SPOILERS - direct quote ahead

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I love this, one of mny favourite re-reads. And like blkandwhtcat, I enjoy the way the lads and their changing relationship are observed through Elizabeth Walsh. It works brilliantly at showing us how in love they are without having them have a single converstion about it. One of my favourite scenes outside those, is that wonderful first hug in the kitchen after Bodie's picked up and tended to a bruised and battered Doyle. It's just so charmingly touching and unmushy:

"Stop saying you're sorry!" Bodie shouted. "Dammit -- !" He shut up abruptly and leaned back against the cabinet, checking his own temper. "I don't want to fight with you, Ray."

"Me neither," Doyle choked, mouth dry. "Listen, if you really want, I'll...I'll get out of your way."

Bodie looked up, confused. "In my way? Where did you get that idea? Christ, Ray, I need you."

"Then why -- ?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt anymore just because I'm too stubborn to let something go. Remember what you told me? Whether I'm right or wrong, nothing's going to bring Cowley back, is it?" He looked down at the floor. "I don't want to risk you, too."

Doyle felt a sunburst of relief -- and another emotion he couldn't put a name to.

He took a step forward. "Hey, I think we're both in too deep to back out now, even if we wanted to. And I don't want to. I need to find out, too, mate. No, it won't bring him back, but I can't imagine the old sod resting easy if we let this go without a good bloody effort at finding the truth." Moving still closer, he touched Bodie's shoulder, wishing he would look at him, needing to say something more, but finding it difficult to express.

"It's more than that, Bodie," he said finally, his voice very soft. "I'm glad you're here with me. I missed you something 'orrible."

The blue eyes lifted then, and they held a sweetly shy expression. "I missed you, too." It was hardly more than a whisper.

Never quite sure how it came about, they were suddenly holding each other very tightly.

Doyle, feeling a dangerous prickling in the corners of his eyes, kept his head down on the broad shoulder, embarrassed to let it be seen.

"Listen, Bodie," he said shakily, "don't ever let me do that again. Straight up, mate. Next time I won't listen to you, just thump me, okay?"

..I just love this. Thank you for the rec - any excuse to read it again!

[thebodiesnatcha.livejournal.com]

Warning: Slight SPOILER
Thank you for adding this story, I haven't read it in a long while. It's absolutely superb. I love the angsty situation the lads find themseves in, as if it had been written for the show. It really is well written. And the banter!
I had to stop readinng through hysterics at one point, where Bodie says "You are not an easy person to live with Raymond." And Doyle sunnily replies "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it." For once poor Bodie had no immediate pithy come back for that one, but then who would. I thought it was hilarious and so Ray Doyle.
As for unromantic, no it was romantic though not in the mushy sense. Even without any mushy sentiment these stories will always come across as romantic, as you can still see and even feel the love there. It's that love that makes the relationship, it would be lifeless without it. It's the whole reason we enjoy reading and writing Pro's fic in the first place. But I do agree it I do prefer a story without any unecessary mush, and this one's great!