Guys I hope it's ok to post other peoples' fics, checked the FAQ and I'm not taking credit for it so hopefully it's all good. This was one of the best spy/sniper fics I read when I first got into TF2, and felt no one noticed it on Livejournal, so here goes. Title: The Defiant Ones Chapter One: They'll Kill Each Other In Five Miles Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Two men, from two different teams, wind up in each other's company in an attempt to escape an increasingly pointless war. Author's Notes: Yes, named after the film. “You want a drink?†I waved the canteen towards him. He shook his head. “Nah, you hang onto it for now. I’ll be right.†“Let me know when you change your mind...†I shrugged. We were following the train tracks. He’d abandoned his transparent attempts at staying just behind me, and I was now watching his back, and not sticking knives into it. The experience was novel, and aside from the baking desert aspect, not unpleasant. His posture was atrocious, not even in a worn-out way, we’d only been walking through the heat of the day for a couple of hours, just... the way he bent low, eyeing the horizon and loping forwards, alert, a rifle dangling from one hand. We stopped, after another long stretch of empty track, and he took off his hat just briefly, fanning himself, then dropping it back onto his head. His hand extended back towards me, wordless, and I placed the canteen in it. He took half a swig, then passed it back. “You drink.†I did. “You’re the man with the gun.†He snorted. Aware after all that I could be armed, that I had been following close behind him for... miles now, perhaps. “Go ahead and take another.†He nodded. “Shouldn’t we make it last?†A quick shake of the head this time. “Common misconception. Nah, parsing it out only means you’ll dehydrate yourself before you can find a source of water.†“... Can we find a source of water? This is not exactly—cool mountain streams, or—or—“ “Done it before. Record’s a week. That’s one week in the desert, without going back to my van. Just me, two canteens, a lighter, a rifle, and a knife.†“Yes, but we have one canteen. And there are two of us.†“Well... I still have a rifle. And a knife. How ‘bout you?†“A knife also.†I admitted, bringing it out. “A cigarette lighter. Nothing else that will be of use.†“At this point, mate, I’d rather die trying than go back.†We were traveling together. We had no friends among our own respective teams, and no inclination to remain in what was rapidly devolving into some kind of sick game at all of our expense. I didn’t even try to talk to the others. I suspect he may have attempted to, over on his side. He may not have been close to them, but at least his team did not suspect him outright. An occupational hazard, but still... “Look up there,†He pointed towards a structure, some way from the tracks. “C’mon.†I followed. Once I had made my escape, there was little else I could do. I wanted to survive. Of course I wanted to survive. But I hadn’t been prepared for the... the vastness of it. I had been teleported in, as had we all, to the current location. I could have found the train tracks on my own. I could have followed them in the direction of civilization. I would have died long before I reached it. The structure was a wooden building, perhaps the size of a small house, set up on stilt-like legs. We ascended the rickety staircase, taking the turn at the landing, going up the even longer set of stairs to the walkway at the top. Eventually we came to a door. “Wonder why it’s abandoned.†He poked about a bit. “It’s like... like a half of one of our... locations. Like it was never finished.†“Guess they figured they had enough. Or it was too close to the one we just broke out of.†Would we be hunted down, for, as he put it, ‘breaking out’? Would it matter? It might even be better. Still... in the—the places, during the battles, you can always come back. If you run, out in the desert... there’s no coming back from death out here. Maybe not even if our teams hunted us down and killed us. Probably not. We’d only try again, a liability. Inside was dusty and dark. Cool, at least compared to outside. There were a few crates lying around. “What if we are more than a week from civilization? Your van was blown up. No driving, no going back to it for supplies, just...†He leveled a glare at me. “Then I break my record. Your demo blew my van, so don’t you go complaining to me about that.†“Well, I didn’t tell him to do it. I wasn’t anywhere near him when it happened. I was in your—I mean... Well, I was doing my job. Like you were doing yours.†“Look, we’re... we’re in this right now.†He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Two of us. Best thing for it’s to... just... Any animosity between us is gonna have to be part of a different life.†“You have nothing to fear from me.†I raised my hands, palm out. “I need you to survive. I am highly motivated to not kill you.†“Well that’s fine, but it’s not what I mean. I mean... you got to trust me as well.†I looked away. “I am... not in the habit of trusting anyone.†“You need me to survive.†He pointed out. “Need does not mean trust.†“I know what I’m doing, and you don’t.†“That doesn’t change—“ “If I tell you ya need to do something,†He was pinching his nosebridge again, clearly exasperated. “Of course, you are the expert. And it is survival. In that respect, yes.†“All right. And I need you to trust me to... I’m not going to off you, right?†“It would make your life considerably easier.†I shrugged one shoulder. “You would have twice the water. I would not... slow you down, or—“ “No. If they see we’re gone and think they’ll follow, you’re the only one watching my back. You need me more than I need you, but I still... you could be useful. And take that bloody thing off.†I hesitated a moment—through this whole venture, I had gone so far as to sleep in the balaclava!—but I capitulated. The rush of cool air was like the sweet kiss of Heaven to a man who’d been in Hell. I watched as he stripped to the waist, and after a moment did the same. “Sleep. Best time to do it, and who knows when we’ll have a set-up this nice... could be a long trek. I’ll give you three hours, then wake ya.†I winced a little as I spread my jacket out on the floor, but it was better than lying down in the dust and splinters. I balled my shirt up as a very poor pillow and tried to settle myself. I watched him prowl around the room. I never really took the time to admire him before, merely assess him as a threat. That, or eliminate him as the same. He doesn’t walk but he stalks, there is an economy of movement reminiscent of a cat. Clearly the man was meant to be a hunter, and if I have to trust anyone with my life out in the desert, then... well, former enemy or not, he is the best option I can think of. And... the other thing. The sort of admiration I have avoided for a long time. The sort that gets a man in my profession killed. Oh, I have aimed to engender such an admiration, many times. And I do not mean to say I have lived the life of a monk, by any means. But the people I sleep with are people who are attractive in bland and general ways, beautiful women more often than not, who are more invested in me by far than I am in them. Or unattractive people who have something I need. There is a physical release, and some harmless fun, but it has been long years since I felt any acute longing. I have never longed for someone I couldn’t have. No... once. I was maybe fifteen, sixteen. I knew I would go on to be a spy then—I had a penchant for some aspects of the job even from childhood. At the age of seven I once delivered a message, and though I don’t know the full import, I do know that it was during the Occupation, and the event may have presaged my entire career. But when I was fifteen, or sixteen, I was not yet any sort of master of seduction, and while I had charmed a few girls and found that fine... He was a boy. Tanned and lean and handsome, and he spoke in a thick Bourguignon, though from where out East he came exactly, I never found out. His skill in attracting girls was equal to mine, and owed more to looks than to effort, though he was still far more passionate about them than I. He loved them exclusively. He would not have looked at me. The same way he will never look at me. Damn it all. ---tbc---
Second Chapter...think there is 5. Title: The Defiant Ones Chapter Two: I Been Mad All My Natural Life Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Two men, from two different teams, wind up in each other's company in an attempt to escape an increasingly pointless war. Author's Notes: Yes, named after the film. I woke before he was near enough to touch me, but continued feigning sleep flawlessly until he prodded my shoulder. He did not try to shake me awake. He stayed an arm’s length away, perhaps assuming that my response to being roused would involve stabbing. Which is not entirely unfair. No, what is unfair is how much even a brief second of touch affected me. It isn’t just him, though he is attractive, and I won’t demean us both by trying to lie to myself. Mostly, perhaps, it is the fact that since coming to this desert, I have not allowed anyone to touch me. The nearest thing to friendly contact has been necessary medical attention. More than that, violence. I have been here just long enough, I suppose, that a touch which does not hurt is strange to me, and I crave it. More than I ever thought I would, I want some kind of simple comfort. Even before this, the desert, any of it, I was never what you could call the ‘touchy feely’ kind. Even now it isn’t as though I want to... to hug the man. But I want to think that a camaraderie might develop, might include a pat on the shoulder, or a hand up from the ground. “Awake yet?†He asked. “Yes. Er... Thank you.†“Here,†He offered me a hand, and for a moment I just goggled at him. “What?†“Nothing. I just... I did not expect the help.†And for pity’s sake, don’t tell him it was as if he read your mind. Don't you look odd enough already? “Wake me when the sun comes up.†He bedded down on his own clothes. “Drink the rest of the water, found a spot where we can fill it up before we go.†“Really?†“Just the other side of that wall there,†He pointed to a wall that went halfway across the room. “Sink. Checked it, still runs, it’s good.†“D’ac.†“Pack of cards on the crate there, you need to go a few rounds of Solitaire to stay awake on your own.†I just nodded dumbly some more—he really must think I’m a drooling moron now!—and shuffled them absently as I watched his breathing even out. In repose, he is beautiful. The element of that primal, catlike movement is gone, but with his hat covering his eyes, I am at least free to gaze at the rest of him without fear of reproach. Just out from under the brim of his hat, his mouth, relaxed. There is always a sort of tightness there when he is awake—or at least, at every time I have seen his face—and a serenity to the laxness of the muscles when he sleeps. His long legs are crossed at the ankle, his hands are folded and resting just below his chest. He is lean, but still just bulkier than I am. Wiry, though. Some of the tautness drops away as he sleeps, though it never quite leaves him. I would not be surprised to learn that in sleep, I am always ready to snap. I’m used to living that way. Indeed, I cannot remember not living that way. The habit was ingrained in early childhood. In the end, it was as well I never managed to drop it, all things considered. I drank the rest of the water and refilled the canteen. I drank a bit more and topped it off. I even played cards just a bit, though they did not capture my attention. I watched out the window, but there was little change to the landscape. At least, no one was coming after us. At least there was that. I nudged his foot to wake him, when night fell. He was on his feet before I could offer him a hand. “Evening.†I said. “No one has come after us. If anyone has set out to find us, they were incredibly stupid about it. No one has come by along the tracks, much less towards the... the this place.†He grinned. “Go on and get dressed. Temperature’ll drop soon enough.†“Soon enough.†I snorted. “It cannot be soon enough for my tastes.†To illustrate, I shoved the balaclava into my pocket rather than putting it on again. I shook my shirt and jacket out as best I could before getting dressed, and watched as he did not bother. We walked along the tracks, the moonlight offering enough to see by. He stopped me once, dropping onto one knee and firing his rifle. I did not see his target until it dropped. A hawk. “Well, it’s not exactly good eating...†He grinned, only half-apologetic. “I don’t think I want to...†“Last time you ate?†“Dinner.†I said. Just over twenty four hours. I was sure we’d both gone longer. He gathered some dried grass anyway. “Lighter? Don’t turn your nose up at it, we’re gonna have to eat when we can. I might not get something tomorrow. I might not the day after. Even if I did, no guaranteeing it’s enough for a meal. Course, you're welcome to hold out for scorpion...†“I’ll handle the fire.†I said, scrounging up a bit more weeds from between the railroad ties. “I am not cleaning that bird.†He laughed at that, and set to work, kukri shearing off feathers and ribbons of skin before hacking the hawk into sections. He went back over, plucking out any remaining feathers. I tried not to watch the cleaning process. Funny... I had killed men. And I had cooked before, of course. I had even watched my aunt kill, clean, and prepare chickens. Why this put me off, I couldn’t say. Perhaps because a chicken at least you are meant to eat, and this... Well, not like it was poisonous. I mean, not that I know of. It wasn't scorpion, which is a point in anything's favour. He wiped the kukri on his thigh, spearing the largest piece of meat on it again and holding it over the admittedly-weak campfire, while the other pieces sat on a kerchief I hadn’t even known he’d had. There were pieces too small to stay on the blade, some which could be held on bone, some which he discarded, tossing into scrubby brush for other predators. The salvageable meat we cooked to toughness. Better than risking a mouthful of raw bird. He shoved the kerchief back into his pocket afterwards, seemed amused by my visible disgust. And we walked on. ---/-/--- During the heat of the day, we found a small rocky outcropping, just enough to slide under, to nap in the dirt, in the jagged sliver of shade it afforded us. There was no room, and it was difficult to sleep with him so close, with his leg alongside mine, his foot resting against my knee. It made me jumpy, hard to still. It seems silly... obviously it doesn’t bother me nearly as much as having someone at my back. It is the next worse thing. I think because, if my legs are impeded, I can’t run. Still, there is no helping it now. Perhaps he suspects, that he is driving me just a little crazy. Not why, or I suppose he’d give up on having someone to watch his back and kill me as I slept. Take my lighter, perhaps also my knife, all the water, and just go on without me. No. Whatever he suspects, it isn’t the truth. Eventually, I slept. It was fitful, and I was only too glad to be roused for my turn to watch. “Wake me,†He started. “Nightfall.†I nodded. “There is still a moon tonight.†“Yeah. Hope it doesn’t wane too far ‘fore we get to where we’re going.†“No. I do not much look forward to running through the desert a l’aveuglette.†He blinked at me. “Nah. Probably not.†And then he slept. Soundly, the bastard. ---tbc---
Chapter 3 Title: The Defiant Ones Chapter Three: Only The Meanness Shines Through Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Two men, from two different teams, wind up in each other's company in an attempt to escape an increasingly pointless war. Author's Notes: Yes, named after the film. In fact, all chapter titles are quotes. “All right?†“A ma connaissance.†I shrugged. He blinked at me again, this time over the top edge of his sunglasses. “Yes. As far as I know, everything is fine. Still no sign of anyone as we slept. Sorry. I...†“Hey, you don’t have to apologize to me.†He shrugged. “I only even speak English, you’re the one doing all the work most of the time.†“No, I... I am fluent in four languages. I...†I shook my head. “More water.†He ordered. “Enjoy it, next we find won’t be so good.†It was warm, practically hot, metallic tasting. I did not like the idea of finding worse water than this. Where it was we were going to find this water still niggled at the back of my mind. Suppose we didn’t? We walked for hours without speaking. A couple of times we paused, sat for a brief moment, but mostly we just moved on. His arm came out, blocking me, and I froze. This time I saw what he was looking at, though not well. A bit of movement in the shadows, a ways from the tracks. Some small creature taking shelter near a dried and withered shrub. “Are you going to shoot it?†I whispered. He shook his head, held up a finger. I fell silent. I followed him as he followed the animal—a rabbit? Even with the near-full moon, it found shadows to hide in. It must have been a rabbit, though. After a while, he placed a hand on my chest. “Don’t move from this spot.†He whispered, leaning back, the words hot against my ear. I didn’t move. It was entirely possible I couldn’t. He crouched down, skittered forward in the sand for a bit. There was a rise, and he disappeared past it. I waited for him to come back. Dawn was starting to break. “Canteen.†He demanded, and I handed it over. “You found water?†“Anything living out here’s got to know where there’s water. Plants we’ve been coming across so far’ve been too dry to still be getting any, or they go too deep to dig.†“So we have water.†I took a step in the direction he’d come. “Ah!†He placed his hand on my chest again. “Can’t see the tracks from out there, but I can see you. I’d feel a bit better knowing we’re not going to go wandering off blind, hey?†He took a drink of what was left of the water, then poured the rest over my head. “Charming.†I raised one eyebrow. He just laughed. “Be nice later. Sun coming up.†He pulled his kerchief out, stared at it, then stuffed it back in his pocket with a groan. “Don’t suppose you’ve got one?†I did. It was silk. I was reluctant to surrender it. “Will you be putting dead things in it?†“Ah... no.†He rubbed the back of his neck. “Was more focused on the water, actually. No dead things this time ‘round.†I handed him my handkerchief, with slightly diminished reluctance. “Cheers. Be right back.†And with that he scampered off again. He returned with the canteen, my now-sopping wet and dirty silk handkerchief draped across the back of his neck, and a handful of mud. I was not entirely sure which to address first. I handled my dilemma by spluttering at him for a bit. “Yeah.†He handed me the canteen, then the handkerchief. “Figured you’d rather get this dirty than drink sand, mate.†I tried not to think about the damage done as I pocketed my handkerchief, and eyed the mud. “Purely practical.†He grinned far too broadly for my tastes, and slapped a large dollop onto my nose. And laughed. “How is this practical?†I demanded, immediately upon regaining my control of the English language. “Sun’ll be up, remember? Might not find any kind of a shelter. It may not be much, but it’ll keep your skin from peeling off. Unless you wanted to become a French fry...†“They’re not really French.†I muttered darkly, crossing my arms. “You’re welcome.†“I am not thanking you for attacking me with mud!†He just shrugged and smiled. “I’m not.†“Isn’t the worst thing I’ve attacked you with.†I shuddered. “You don’t even get to speak right now. I feel defiled. Don’t! It’s... less defiled than that, but still. The principle—The—“ “I’m not apologizing for keeping your face from coming off in great red sheets. I’ll say sorry about the hankie if you really want, but like I said, it’s that or drink silt.†“No, that’s... that’s an acceptable sacrifice.†“I mean, I’d apologize if it was from a lady-friend or something.†“No... no. I... It’s easier to not have—No.†“Right. Well then. Any luck and there’ll be a station out here somewhere...†He squinted into the distance. “I don’t think there’s much call for a train station in the middle of the desert.†“Huh? Hm. Yeah, reckon.†He shrugged. ---/-/--- We sat in the shade from a Mann billboard, until it moved too far, and we moved on as well. Another night, another half a day. We were out of water now, and despite the constant protesting from my stomach, I was not ready to attempt eating scorpion. “You’re... you’re a bit o’ all right, you know that?†He smiled weakly at me. “Oh. Um... thank you.†“Forget it.†A shrug. “I just figured... if we are going to die out here, and we might... and I’m sorry for it...†“No.†I shook my head. “You’ll find water again.†“Nothing came out last night. No birds, no bloody fucking rabbits, haven’t even seen a lizard in yonks. And now we’re out of water and I don’t know if I’ll be able to shoot straight if something does... if something does...†I slapped him. “You’ll do whatever it is you have to do. It hasn’t been a week yet, has it?†He rubbed his cheek, a grin creeping back onto his face. “Huh. Didn’t think that’d happen...†“You should have. What’s the matter with you?†“Dehydrated.†“We haven’t been out of water that long, have we?†His gaze slid away from mine. “... Have we? I suppose it takes less time in the desert, but it seemed like we only just... Sniper?†“Been giving you most of it.†“Idiot.†I thought about slapping him again, but restrained myself. “What made you think that was a sound strategy? If one of us is going to get dehydrated, did it occur to you that it should be the one who doesn’t need to locate our next source of water, or shoot down our food?†“Just... didn’t want you getting... You’re not used to it, and—“ “And you thought you’d protect me? Well, that’s just fabulous! Too bad you didn’t also teach me how to be a self-sufficient crazy bushman while you were giving me all of our water, then maybe I could get out of here!†He stormed off without another word, loping up a slight hill, veering just off from the path we’d been following along the train tracks. I watched him still at the crest, then he leapt in the air with a shout. “I told you! What did I tell you?†He turned back to me, grinning. “You told me we were going to die in the desert because you are an idiot.†I reminded him, hand on hip. “Before all that. About finding a station. Well, a house.†“There’s a house?†I ran to catch up to him. Down in a big dip in the earth, sitting in its own little dustbowl, tiny and perfect. A house. We both ran then, hollering like complete fools. Behind the house there was a well, and a pump, and I watched him skidding down the incline ahead of me, waving his hat in the air, and my heart swelled a little. Mostly I’m sure because we had a shot at survival, but... ---/-/--- “The house is abandoned.†He turned to look at me over his shoulder. He was shirtless, and dripping wet, leaning over the edge of the well with the canteen in one hand and the bucket in the other. “Pump’s broke.†He might have blushed a bit. “Abandoned?†“Apparently this godforsaken place is unlivable. Still, it’s a house. No electricity, no plumbing, but...†“Beautiful.†He grinned. “C’mere.†I did so, reluctantly. This time, he pulled the edge of my ruined handkerchief from my pocket, dunking it in the bucket from the well and wiping away the last cracked and dried bits of mud from my face. “Huh. Guess you still got pretty burned out there.†“Yes, probably. Most of it came off.†I tried to sound natural. Burned, nothing. I’m sure I was blushing terribly. He went so far as to tuck the handkerchief back into my pocket when he was done. “There a tub?†“Yes. A bathtub and a washtub. Which did you want?†“Bring the washtub out.†He dumped the last of the water from the bucket over his head, then lowered it back down into the well. I brought the washtub out, drinking deep from the canteen he handed me. I could hear buckets of water hitting the inside of the tub, and when he’d filled it halfway, he motioned to me to grab one end, and he took the other. We used the washtub to fill the bathtub, and then the bucket from the well to fill the washtub once more, and we drank and refilled the canteen and drank some more, until we both felt we might be sick from it. Back inside the house, we bathed, mostly unselfconscious, in each other’s company. Whoever had abandoned the place had left it half-furnished—the towels that had been left behind were dusty from neglect, but better than nothing at all after a quick beating, and once we were clean, we did our best to get the dirt and sweat and, in his case, blood, out of our clothes. There was a clothesline outside, and he walked out stark naked to hang things up. There was a table in the little kitchen, and a couple of cans whose labels had long ago been peeled off, and one chair that didn’t seem to belong, and the bed. He opened the cans and flopped down on the bed in nothing but a towel, motioning for me to join him. “Is this... awkward at all?†I asked. “Is it?†“No. No, of course not. I just meant...†I adjusted my towel. The little unselfconsciousness I had managed during the course of necessary toilet was gone now. “What is it?†“One soup. One beans. Smells decent. Not old enough to’ve gone bad, reckon.†I nodded and took one of the cans from him. ---tbc---
Chapter 4/5 Title: The Defiant Ones Chapter Four: The Warden's Got A Sense Of Humor Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: (light) R (mild sexytimes, mild violence, mild swear-age) Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: Two men, from two different teams, wind up in each other's company in an attempt to escape an increasingly pointless war. Author's Notes: Yes, named after the film. In fact, all chapter titles are quotes. This is the longest chapter, I think. NOTE: Wow. Okay, fixed the cut on ch.3, hopefully I don't have the same problem this time out, but if I do, just pelt me with small objects until I get off my duff and fix the darn thing. “It all seems too convenient.†I sighed, leaning back against my pillow. “You want half?†He held up the can of beans. “A votre aise.†I switched cans with him. The soup had not been all that good anyway, though I didn’t expect much more from the beans. “You’re really gonna pick apart the first bit of good luck we’ve come across?†“I am, if it seems like...†“Like it’s too convenient, yeah.†He rolled his eyes. “Like we are being set up for something.†“Wish they’d abandoned a car or something.†“Or a spoon.†I grimaced, attempting to drink beans out of the can. It was... disgusting. Well, still better than that hawk, I suppose. Better than a scorpion, definitely. He laughed. “A spoon? The fact that we’ve found water, shelter, food, that’s too convenient, but a spoon’d be just about right?†“What can I say?†“You can get a couple hours sleep.†I regarded him seriously for a moment. “And have you been parceling that out unfairly as well?†“Nah, I—Well, night falls when it falls, but I try and keep shifts pretty even.†I crossed my arms. “You have a way of... ah... announcing your color, it’s...†I snapped my fingers a couple of times. “Announcing my colour? Think it’s pretty well announced. Or would be...†“The... the cards on the table?†I tried. “I am saying you have been bad at lying. Sorry, idioms have been... I think I am tired.†“You oughta be exhausted.†He snorted. “I let you sleep a little longer. Not that much. It’s not even the same as the water, I’m used to not sleeping.†“Wake me in time.†I settled down. “I do not need your protection. I do not need your protection much in the same way that I do not need additional holes in my head.†“... Close enough.†“Shut up.†I snapped. A little anger was safe. A little anger was a far better course than a little lust. “Go ahead and sleep.†He took the can out of my hand, setting it on the floor by his side of the bed. I yawned. Sleep was sounding better every time it came up. “Can I tell you something first?†“Sure thing.†“J’ai un faible...†I murmured, turning onto my side, another yawn stealing over me. “J’ai un faible pour vous, et... et j’ai peur d’avoir le Coeur sur les levres. Mais...†“Uh... don’t speak French, sporto.†“Oui, d’ac. I know.†I sighed, pulling the edge of the sheet up over my bare shoulder. “I wanted to tell you, but I did not want you to know.†“Sleep.†He reached over, ruffling my hair. I should have been furious. Instead I rather liked it. ---/-/--- “HOLY DOOLEY!†He bolted into a sitting position, grabbing his rifle from me. “Sorry...†I blushed. “Ah... a false alarm. I thought—through the window—followed—“ “... False alarm?†He stared me down. “Go back to sleep.†“... Does this false alarm have any relation to the bullet hole in the floor with eight legs?†He nodded towards it. “Ah. You... you noticed.†It was still dripping ichor. “I noticed.†He moved the rifle to his other side. “What if we’re attacked during the rest of the day and I have to lean over you to reach—“ “Attacked by two vicious teams of mercenaries, or attacked by a harmless little tarantula?†“It could have been poisonous!†“It wasn’t going to bother ya!†I crossed my arms. “Fine. If we are attacked—by gunmen this time—I will say ‘I told you so’ in hell.†“Yeah, you’re welcome to.†He rolled over, punching his pillow once and coughing. I reached out, stopped my hand short of touching his back. My eyes traced over the taut lines of bone and muscle under his skin and I imagined how it might feel, but I didn’t. “I’m sorry.†I muttered. “Don’t even think they’re deadly.†“I said I was sorry, didn’t I?†“You should be. That’s one bullet I won’t have later.†“What do you want me to say?†For a moment, he said nothing. He breathed out through his nose, hard, and there was another long pause. “Nothing. It’s fine, don’t... don’t even worry about it.†“All right. Go back to sleep.†“Yeah. Wish I knew some language you didn’t speak so I could leave you sitting up wondering what was going on...†I reached over and mussed his hair. He swatted at my hand, but afterwards, his back relaxed. After a while, he slept. ---/-/--- The house was the best short-term solution we had come across so far, but it was only that, a short-term solution. That night we moved on. The one thing we could be thankful for was the cloudless nights over the desert. With no clouds, there was still enough moon to see by. Just as fortunate, it was dark enough that I could make out the faint little lights in the distance that meant civilization. Or at least a group of human beings with electricity... I won’t say I hold out much hope for civilization. “There is a town ahead. We might reach it tomorrow. Or tomorrow night.†“We could actually get out of this.†He grinned at me. Then his smile fell. “Where do you think you’ll go to, after this?†“I just assumed I would... I don’t know. I suppose I always imagined myself back in Paris. You know... everyone assumes I am from there?†“You aren’t?†I shook my head. “A bit south of there. Not so far south as Vichy, we were above the demarcation line... You know what, it isn’t important. I would rather go back to Paris, it’s easier to get lost in a crowd.†“And to meet pretty tourist girls looking for romance?†I shrugged. “I suppose so. You?†“Don’t even know. Can’t really... I can’t really go back home. Even if I wasn’t worried about being tracked down, it’s not really something I could do... Dad won’t want to see me. He thinks I’m some kind of nut. I mean, it’s a job and they pay me for it, I don’t see how it’s any different from Nasho.†I nodded and pretended to understand about half of what he was saying. “That’s where I found out I was good at this.†He hefted his rifle up onto his shoulder for a moment. “Compulsory service. Said I had a gift. Well, of course that didn’t set well with the oldies. Mum just ignores it, mostly, but Dad... What about you? Do your folks know what it is you do?†“It depends on your cosmology.†I glanced at the train tracks. “As to whether they would be proud or disappointed... I am following the family profession. But... my cause is not so noble.†“Oh. Uh... so your folks are spies?†“Were. Yes. I mentioned we lived above the demarcation line. They did what they did for freedom. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite. I do what I do for money. And there are no heroes, and no villains, and I do not pretend to affect the fate of the free world very greatly.†He whistled softly. “Well. That’s... that’s something.†“Yes. It’s a lot. I don’t think about it all that much. So you will not be going back to Australia?†“Doubt it. Not for a while. If I did, it’d have to be someplace else, where they don’t know me. Not as if I miss the Burra so much anyway, just copper mines and sheep. Could just avoid the whole south. Yeah, that’d be right...†He snorted. “Or, we could... we could both go somewhere that no one would expect. For a little while, until we know if we are in the clear.†“What, you and me? Together?†I felt my face heat. “Of course not. But... we could travel like this a ways, just... watch each other’s backs until we are safe.†He was looking at me now as we walked, scrutinizing, and there was a brief moment where he was about to say something. I did not find out what, because he hit the ground hard before he had the chance to spit it out. “Are you all right?†“If I find...†He growled, holding onto his ankle. “The bloody fucking rabbit who lives in this bloody hole, I will bloody shoot it bloody twice. I will bloody shoot his bloody kneecaps and I will bloody watch him bloody suffer.†“Let me see.†“I’ll be right, just... I might need a hand up, but I can walk fine.†I sighed and knelt down, gently pulling his boot off. “It isn’t broken.†“Oh, so you’re an expert now?†“It isn’t broken.†I repeated calmly. “However, if you would like it to be, I can arrange something.†“Right. Good to know, not broken.†“Put your arm around me.†“You know, I always thought you’d be more suave about this kind of thing. Got to say I’m not really feeling it.†I took a deep breath. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t have any idea. It’s just harmless teasing between men who don’t suspect each other of harboring deep, secret desires. You should neither punch nor kiss him for it. “Put your arm around me or walk all the way into town on that ankle without my help, and don’t expect me to wait up for you if you choose to do it that way.†“Touchy.†“Vas chier.†“I’ll just guess that wasn’t very complimentary.†He rolled his eyes, leaning on me heavily as I pulled us both to our feet. It was nice to be the one he needed, even for just a while. I was sick of depending on him so heavily, and being depended on felt better than being dependent. And, it felt nice to have his arm slung across my shoulders, the solid weight and warmth of him against my side. With the sun high in the sky, it could easily grow unbearable, but in the cool of the night, it was comfortable. It would take longer... we weren’t moving as quickly now. Still, there were lights up ahead. Electricity, water, shelter from the harsh desert, and perhaps we could steal a car. From there... we had time to plan from there. We were almost clear. ---/-/--- “Wait here.†I leaned him against the pole holding up the ‘MOTEL’ sign with the flickering ‘O’. The door to the manager’s office was standing open, a big fan blowing air through the few remaining hairs of a slumbering fat man in a bad sport coat. I cloaked and slipped in, reading over the register, flattening myself against the counter when the tired-looking maid came through, dabbing at her face with a damp hand towel and muttering to herself about her boss. I returned to the Sniper, who was trying to stay on his one good ankle and hide the fact that he was carrying a rifle. There were no people out and about, and few cars on the dirty little streets. I think we did not cause a fuss. “There is a vacant room on the ground floor.†I told him, feeling just a little triumphant. “We can stay there for a little while, plan our next move. Our next moves. When we plan on separating. There will be a shower. Beds. Running water.†He smiled, a little tired but warm and genuine, looping his arm around me once more. “Nice.†“If someone comes to rent it at this hour—and in this place!—It isn’t likely, but we can leave through the window if that happens.†“Right, right, good thinking.†He leaned against the wall while I picked the lock. There were two beds, and I was a little disappointed not to be sleeping right next to him again. He took the bed nearest the door and collapsed onto it with a grateful sigh. “Couldn’t ask for better.†“Well... I suppose compared to the past few days...†I sat nervously on the other bed. He held a hand out towards me. “C’mere.†“That hasn’t benefitted me in the past.†“Just get over here. It has so, you’re just too prissy to admit it.†I perched next to him. “All right. I’m here.†“Well? Get comfy.†I wasn’t sure how. After a long moment of deliberation, I tossed my jacket on the unoccupied bed, loosened my tie, and lay down beside him. “I’ve been thinking a lot about things I never thought I’d have to think about.†“I know how this goes.†I chuckled humorlessly. “I’d like us to stick together. For a while, anyway. We’ve managed not to kill each other this long. And, well, now I guess I need you. More than you need me. That isn’t why, though.†“Tomorrow I will steal us a car. And some food—real food.†I shook my head. “I haven’t had to steal food since I was five, maybe six... it seems so... Well, still, I will get us a car, you can’t walk so much if you want to avoid, ah... you know, your ankle, messing yourself up. And I will make sure we have something to eat. And clothes, I will, I will find us something different to wear. We can get out of here.†“Where are we getting to?†“I don’t know. We drive.†I shrugged. “We switch cars, and we keep driving. And then we find a place where we can get lost, and get by. And that is where we will stop. I have no idea what this place is, there were no maps in the office, there have been no signs that give any useful information...†His hand slid around the back of my neck, and then his lips were on mine. It was a simple kiss, and soft. This did not stop me from growing half-hard from it. “Sorry.†He offered a small, sad grin. “You can belt me one if I was wrong there.†“Wrong?†“About... bloody hell, I don’t know. I just thought it might—I thought maybe you—“ “You were not wrong.†I grabbed his shirt before he could move away from me, kissing him back, quick and sharp. “What did you say to me that night in the house?†He stroked my cheek, smiling when I trembled. “I said... I said that I have a weakness for you. And I was afraid you would see.†“I didn’t. Just took a lucky guess, really. And I wanted to kiss you.†I slid one hand up his thigh. “Very lucky indeed.†He hummed softly, kissing me again, trailing his lips along my jaw, down my neck until my collar stopped him. I cupped my hand over his groin, kneading gently until he was hard, until his hips were bucking up into my touch, and he had his hand under my shirt, hot skin and hard calluses skimming along my stomach. Our lovemaking was... inelegant. I have not been less than elegant in this since my first—well, second, perhaps—time, but now I was as wanton and as sloppy as anyone, and it was wonderful. ---/-/--- “THE TWO OF YOU COMPLETE FAILURES ARE SURROUNDED.†I started awake, grabbing hold of my Sniper’s arm. “Tell me this is a nightmare.†“Sounds more like a bullhorn.†He shook his head, frowning. “IF YOU DISAPPOINT ME FURTHER, I WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TERMINATE YOUR CONTRACTS. BY CONTRACTS, OF COURSE, I MEAN LIVES.†“Well, look on the bright side. We still have our contracts.†I tried to force a smile. “NOW PUT YOUR PANTS ON AND COME OUT OF THERE.†I paled. We both did. “How did she...?†“Don’t even want to know.†He zipped himself back up and started buttoning his shirt. I dressed and helped him off the bed. “We weren’t even followed.†I pulled my balaclava on. “Even if one of us had missed it, we both wouldn’t have!†When the door opened, I was proven correct, at least. It was not our teams surrounding the little motel, but some kind of... some kind of strike force. A very well-armed strike force. Heading the charge was a small, dour woman in a purple suit. “You have the choice of coming back to work for your respective employers.†She informed us. “You’re the announcer.†My Sniper pointed at her. “Wait, our respective employers? You mean-- you don’t work for RED?†“She is the same voice that makes all the announcements for BLU.†“It doesn’t matter who I am or who I work for. You will report for re-training and join up with your old teams, or these men will shoot you where you stand.†“Give us a moment to discuss the options?†“I can’t make it any clearer, Mr. Sniper. You comply, or you die.†I remembered setting out with him. I remember his declaration of taking death in the desert over going back to the endless, pointless war. And now that this woman had shown up, now that more pieces seemed to be falling slowly into place... “Humour me.†“Very well.†She shrugged. “What do you want to do?†He whispered. It was difficult to think with his breath against my cheek. Just one too-brief nap ago it was breaths hot and ragged against my neck as I made love to him, and now I have to think? “I don’t know. I... What happens if we go back?†“We stay alive. That’s a plus. We tell the others... I don’t know. We tell them what we found out, for what that’s worth. And we...†“We have to go back to killing each other?†“No.†He shook his head, squeezing my shoulder. “We lie, that’s a given. We sneak around. But we get to... well, to see each other.†“I never did imagine myself being gunned down outside a peeling stucco lice-factory.†I shrugged. He grinned. “Leave it to me, then.†The Announcer cleared her throat, and we turned to face her. “I want a new van.†The Announcer looked completely out of her natural element for a moment. “... I beg your pardon?†“Yeah, BLU Demo blew my van up. I’d like a replacement. Be more than happy to come back on board with you, do what you like, but I am gonna need that van.†“I don’t think you really understand what your options are here.†“Well, the way I see it, if I was completely dispensable, you wouldn’t even be giving me the option, yeah? So you can take it out of my pay, that’s fair, but I am gonna need the van.†“That can be arranged. I need you to do something for me, first. Take out your knife, please?†He did, slowly, his eyes on the several armed men behind her. “Now stab the Spy.†“I did not give my answer!†I protested. “You’ll respawn. It will be just like old times.†She smiled, before turning her cold gaze back on my Sniper. “Do it, and you get your van. We won’t even dock your pay. If you refuse, I will of course have to have you killed.†I grabbed his wrist, my eyes locked onto his, willing some sort of understanding. It looked like a struggle. I cursed and pretended to fight back, then impaled myself. He caught me, his horrified expression graying around the edges, and I heard her praise him before I couldn’t hear anything at all. If she was telling the truth, I will be fine soon enough. If she was lying... If she was lying, then at least perhaps I bought his life. ---tbc---
Chapter 5/5 - End Title: The Defiant Ones Chapter Five: They Pull The String, And You Jump Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: (light) R (mild sexytimes, mild violence, mild swear-age) Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: Two men, from two different teams, wind up in each other's company in an attempt to escape an increasingly pointless war. Author's Notes: Yes, named after the film. In fact, all chapter titles are quotes. Final chapter (quelle domage!), but I am working on a sequel... I explained, as best I could, to the rest of the team, and eventually cooler heads prevailed, and the accusations of ‘traitor’ ceased. Which was nice, but I wish I could have explained with just a bit more authority. I had no recollection of the several days that I was apparently missing from the base. I missed two battles and three strategy meetings, and came back with a story I didn’t entirely believe. The voice that greeted me when I woke up in BLU headquarters—not our own fort, or even any of the other bases we sometimes moved around to, but the main HQ—told me what I should say to my team when I returned. That I had been borrowed for a very important mission. That my activities had been crucial to BLU’s overarching plans. That the information I handled was so sensitive that I had to be put under hypnosis the entire time, and the events wiped from my memory after the fact. This part, I believed. At least, I believed that someone had wiped several days from my memory. The rest felt... suspect to me, somehow. Still, eventually my team accepted these events as true, perhaps more easily than I myself accepted them, and there were no hard feelings—or at least, very few hard feelings. At the best of times, my teammates trust me, how you might say, only as far as they can throw me. Part of it, of course, is that they are all just a little bit disconnected from reality, and no one outside the spy class seems to be able to tell us apart—well, that is by design, and after all it is not for nothing that we wear masks all the time—so one of the scouts has taken it upon himself to hate all of us, as if it is somehow my fault his mother is involved with a RED spy. The soldier, of course, suspects me of being a double agent, but this was true before I disappeared for days on an errand I cannot remember. And our sniper is a self-important fathead who thinks he’s the only damn professional in this war. I don’t even want to think about the soulless little monster who decided my return was the perfect opportunity to make sure I wasn’t actually an enemy... or the medic, who thinks burn victims are inherently funny. Suffice to say, it was practically a sweet relief when the fighting broke out again. I left the scout to go after the intelligence and slunk off, giving a wide berth to the mayhem that swiftly ensued, taking long pauses where I could remain perfectly cloaked, and climbing up the ladder to the little roost from whence the enemy sniper worked to pick off our men. In the relative still of the little nest, the sound of my knife clattering to the floor seemed deafening. He turned, eyes widening, raising his submachine gun and then lowering it again. “... cher?†He nodded slowly, and maybe he was having as much difficulty as I in remembering to breathe. I crossed to him, and he pulled me away from the window and into the shadows. “I remember,†I murmured, letting him strip me of my balaclava. It came in flashes, in hazy moments and bursts of feeling, but it came. “Can’t believe it’s you... I can’t believe you even—I can’t believe I—“ He shook his head. “What happened?†“They told me the trains weren’t running. They told me I went to resupply and there was an accident. They put me in a new van, same as the old one, had me drive back with some ammo, canned food, stuff for th’infirmary...†He held me hard. “They told me I was in an accident and I’d probably remember making the trip if I gave it time. They told me I was on a supply run because the trains got shut down.†“They lied to me as well.†“They made me forget about you.†“Yes.†He smiled a little. “Hey. Did I give you my water?†“Yes.†Each word triggering new little floods of memory. “If that house had not been there, you would have doomed us both.†“Oh.†A small chuckle, the quick press of his lips on mine. “Well, that’s all right, then. Long as that house was there. You... you were afraid of a little spider.†“It was as big as my hand and venomous. I am not afraid of little spiders, just deadly poison.†He snorted. “As if it was even deadly poisonous.†“I remember you... naked, and... and wet, and I couldn’t stop looking and I thought you would see... and then the hotel, I remember...†“Yeah. The hotel. That was pretty good.†He swallowed. His hands were on my face, mapping detail by touch. His eyes were everywhere, meeting my own, flickering down to my lips, over the rest of me, towards the entryway, back to me, the window, to me, to me, to me... We kissed again, long and slow and building in frustrated desperation. His body pressed against mine after he sprained his ankle. His foot by my knee in the shadow of sharp rocks. Standing shirtless in the dusty shaft of light in the abandoned half-fort. His expression of surprised, uncomfortable sympathy during some conversation. We had walked together, and talked together, and grown close, and it had all been something so real and so right that had almost been programmed right out of us. By the end of the kiss, he was shaking, his hands fisted tight in my suit jacket. “You bastard.†He whispered. “What?†“You bloody bastard... you made me kill you.†I remembered. I hadn’t until he mentioned, but I remembered. “Desole...†I nuzzled his neck, left a series of soft kisses. “Hey, now, don’t think you can just be sexy and French and I’ll forget all about this,†“Cher,†I made a moue of practiced innocence. “Would you ask the sun not to shine? The earth not to turn? The tides to ignore the gentle siren call of the moon? Some things a man cannot help.†“You made me kill you.†“Oui. Desole.†Another few kisses. “Really... really I am. It was the only solution.†“We could’ve... I could’ve...†He struggled a moment. “Okay, so maybe you’re right. Still, you... D’you have any idea how I felt?†“What do you want me to do to make it up to you? Would you feel better if I killed you?†“Never have in the past.†I laughed. “Well. Would you feel better if it was just un petit mort?†My hand slid down to his belt buckle, I kept kissing his jaw, his neck. “No... I mean, yeah, but no.†He returned my balaclava. “Get out of here without being seen. Tonight... tonight, meet me. Not here, my—my van. There’s a bed. It’s... well, it’s... something, you know?†“Ah yes. I suppose it wouldn’t be very professional to do it now. Besides, I suppose anyone could stumble upon us here. That would be difficult to explain.†“Does it bother you?†“Does what bother me?†“Well, I am killing your teammates. I mean, that’s what I’ve been doing. That’s what I have to go back to doing.†“Does it bother you that when I leave this place, it will be to do the same, to your side? No. We have our jobs to do. It isn’t as though anyone stays dead, is it? Besides, even if they did...†I thought about my teammates. “I would not mourn the loss so much.†“Yeah?†“You will do your job. I will do mine. All it is is work. It does not affect us.†“Well, except we have to keep it a secret.†He shrugged. “Oh, and if we were not supposed to be enemies, you would be proud to tell everyone about us?†I lifted one eyebrow. “I think not somehow. You could not brag to your friends, you could not take me home to meet your mother, you could not express any affection for me in public... Could you?†“No, I... I guess not. Didn’t think that much about it. You being a man was sort of secondary to the problem of you being paid to put knives in my back.†“If we ever do get out of this war...†I sighed. “You could come with me, you know. It is not... it is not ordinary, but... it is not prohibited. For two men... we could live together, if we make it that far and still decide we like each other. There are places where we could go, where we wouldn’t even be bothered. I mean, you can’t be indecent out on the street, but that’s true anywhere, isn’t it?†“Doesn’t seem like we are getting out of this war.†“Humor me?†“Not prohibited, huh?†He gave my hand a quick squeeze. “Homosexuality hasn’t been illegal since the revolutionary war. Well, except for... you know. For a while, when I was very young. But that wasn’t us, that was... Anyway, that wasn’t us.†“Think buggery’s still on the law books where I come from.†“That settles it, then, doesn’t it? You will just have to come with me.†“As long as I’m humouring you, sure.†“There’s even the Arcadie. It’s a, a sort of a journal. It’s not important. The point is, as long as one is prepared to be polite and discreet, then one is perfectly free to be an open homophile.†“... Right. Not sure about the whole ‘open’ bit.†“You are supposed to be humoring me.†I reminded him. “Right, then. The war’ll be over and you an’ me’ll just live together someplace or other, and no one’ll even care. Feel good and humoured?†“You’re a bastard, too, you know.†I kissed him. “Yeah. It’s probably a part of my charm or something.†“Probably.†I cloaked and left. The battle would be over soon enough anyway... they never lasted for too long. ---/-/--- After the team had finished going over the battle in exhaustive detail and retired for bed, I snuck out to my Sniper’s van. We were in each other’s arms almost immediately, and almost immediately after that we were naked. Afterwards, I spent a few moments lying next to him, aware that I had to sneak back before long, just... sort of willing away the knowledge. “Probably would follow you to France.†He grunted, looking away. “Really?†I rolled over, draping myself across his chest. “Look, don’t make a big deal of it, but yeah. I mean, assuming there’s ever an end to this, and assuming that when that end comes, you and I are, you know... Well, by that time we’d have enough of a sort of thing between us that I... I just might. I mean, I can’t go home. And France is probably nice.†“Better than nice.†“Right. So why not?†“Would you enjoy yourself?†“Dunno.†“It wouldn’t have to be Paris, you know. It could be the countryside.†I searched through my returning memories for something. “There would not be copper mines, but there might be sheep.†He laughed. “Honestly, I never need to see another copper mine in my life. I never particularly need to see another sheep, for that matter. But the countryside might be nice.†“Even if you could never go home... there is a lot of space in Australia. If you really wanted, we could go someplace else there.†“Well, yeah, there’s the whole interior. Don’t think you’d like it much.†“Please. I believe I survived the desert out there with aplomb—“ “Well, you survived the desert out there.†“I’m sure I could handle your interior with equanimity.†He quirked an eyebrow at me. “Well, anyway, it’s probably just wishful thinking.†I murmured, my face heating. “When do you need to sneak out of here?†“Long enough before sunrise that I won’t be caught by any early risers. I should go before I have the chance to fall asleep...†“That’d be about right.†He sighed, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “Well, any old time you feel like dropping by...†“I’ll take you up on that.†“Don’t get caught.†He pulled me in quickly, to a deep kiss, and if I could have afforded to stay, I would have... “I won’t. Cher, I won’t. I’m good at what I do.†“Yeah, no kidding.†He chuckled. “I meant my job.†“Are you sure?†He waggled his eyebrows at me, one hand starting a lazy meander down my naked back. “I’m not going to be able to leave if you keep flirting with me...†I warned. “Go on.†He let me go with a little shove. “Don’t get into trouble on my account. As much as I’d like to get ambitious...†I glared at him. “This is exactly what I am talking about.†“I’ll be good.†“You are staring at my ass right now.†“Well, you can’t blame me for that.†I pulled my pants up, and he made a show of groaning in disappointment. I finished dressing while he watched me, and tried not pretend I didn’t appreciate his leering. I slipped out, made my way back to the BLU base, to a quick shower before bed. I had him. He remembered me after all, and I him, and he was mine. It’s been half a lifetime since I’ve been weak in the knees over anyone, and now he’s mine and I’m his and they tried to stop it and they failed, and even if this war is never over and even if I can’t expect a civil conversation with anyone supposedly on my side and even if I have to put up with being set on fire and shot at every other day, the world is just... just beautiful. I passed by the infirmary on my way back to my own room, and spotted the medic up late with a book, but he was engrossed enough, and I silent enough, that I reached my bed without being seen by anyone. I fell asleep with a relaxed smile upon my face, for the first time I can remember.
ACK. Thank you for posting this!
Hey no problem; I thought it was a great fic and wanted to share it. The author actually has written a few more fics continuing with this, I'll post them up later when I get the chance.
Yesssss. I knew having faith in this pairing would some day pay off and I'd get an amazing fanfic that stayed away from all the annoying stereotypes of Sniper/Spy. Loved their begrudging companionship at the beginning. Thank you so much for posting that. I really enjoyed reading it. The writing is sparse in terms of description, but the dialogue carries it rather well. I didn't mind about Spy's missing accent. It seemed to make sense, actually. Because it's told from Spy's POV, generally most people don't believe they have an accent so him speaking normally in his interior and exterior dialogue works really well. Looking forward to more of this author's work!
That was amazingly engrossing, and it hit on all the things I love best about fiction. The author definitely deserves a medal. Are they still writing? They better be, TF2 or no.
Just a few nitpicks here and there-- would you start planning a life together after two days of being together with a new boy/girlfriend? No, because it'd fucking creep them out. Some struggle with the idea of being gay would've also been a little more realistic-- Spy's backstory makes it so he could arguably be at terms with it, but we get no such clues for Sniper. The French also could use some work, but thank god for no accents. First of all Spy's accent isn't as thick as most people write him, and secondly fucking too much with accents just makes you seem like a foreigner fetishist too interested in "hey look sexy wurdz" to bother making dialogue good or readable. But overall, not a bad read and its nice to see something not quite so cliche even if its not as well written as some cliched ones out there. It's too bad the author's not here for more.
@ Txen - I do agree rereading this, they are thrown together pretty quickly, planning their years together after just meeting. I think in a sequel the author goes into depth about Sniper's back story or what not with being gay, when it is in his perspective. And yes, the thick accents I read in some fics just drive me nuts.
Here is the sequel to the Defiant Ones, titled Stolen Kisses. Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter One: Sneaking Around Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: (light) R (mild sexytimes, mild violence, mild swear-age) Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film (though this time I'm not using quotes from said film as chapter titles... there's only one REALLY great one for my purposes*...) “Looks like the next battle is going to be a big one.†He ran his fingers through my hair, somewhat idly, exhaling smoke towards the ceiling of his van. I took my cigarette back from him. “Yes, probably. Our number seems to have tripled.†“Sounds about right.†It had been fairly small-time for the past week—nine men on each side. Then they sent reinforcements, though what that action bodes, I’m never sure... no matter how many men are on the battlefield, it is always much the same. One team wins, one team loses—perhaps there is a draw—and in the end, there are no real consequences. The main problem is that when we have large numbers, I am not necessarily the most senior spy. Right now, that would be Spy—he has no other name, he has no history that any of the rest of us have ever been able to ascertain, he is perhaps slightly older, or slightly taller, than most of us, but he is also an imbecile. Still, he was the one who showed most of us the ropes, when we first signed on to this bizarre venture, so if he is present, he is in charge. “What do I have to deal with?†I asked, my hand sliding across my Sniper’s chest. “Tell me you did not receive a large shipment of pyros.†He chuckled. “Am I allowed to tell you?†“What can it hurt?†“Right now we got three heavies, two medics, a few-odd soldiers... think we just got the one Pyro. Got a bunch of bloody scouts running around. How about you?†“There are two more spies. An extra demoman, two more soldiers... we have a second sniper now. You’ll want to be sure neither one of them can see you. But not much you have to worry about.†“Be glad when we get back to having just the teams of nine again, I don’t mind telling you.†He sighed. “You too, eh?†“We got three heavies. You have to know which is which.†He leveled me with a serious look. “One’s not so bad—he’s not so good, but he’s not so bad. Seems like he’s in charge o’ the other two, whenever they’re all together discussin’ strategy. You pretty much leave him be and he’s got no problem with you. He plays chess with one of the medics, and that’s about as much as he interacts with anyone, unless you bother him. Then there’s one who’s always slapping folks on the back, talking about teamwork, you know, he’ll drink with you or joke around or whatever, an’ he’s a good guy, and I don’t think I ever seen anyone get on his bad side. It’s the third one... he’s new, far as I know—I mean, normally we just have the one anyway,†I nodded. “It is the same over there.†“Anyway, this third bloke’s a raving loony. He’ll belt you in the jaw soon as talk to you. Sooner, sometimes. The scouts are all confused any time they’re in the same room as one of the heavies, just in case, they get knocked around the most. Probably ‘cause they can’t stop running their mouths. And he don’t talk to nobody. Ever. Psychopath.†“Well, just avoid him, I guess.†“Yeah. I figure ol’ friendly’ll just come up to me, and the others won’t.†He stole my cigarette again, taking another drag before placing it between my lips. “It’s easier to sneak around when there are fewer people.†I admitted. “I barely got past the other spies on my way out to see you. If I don’t go soon, I’ll have to worry about dodging the soldiers.†“You say that like you couldn’t dodge soldiers in your sleep.†He snorted. “Maybe. Still, I prefer not to have to worry.†“Yeah. Yeah, me too.†He took the cigarette one last time, stubbing it out in the ashtray by his bed. “Be safe, yeah?†“I will.†I kissed him. I will never get tired of kissing him. I will never tire of his hand traveling up my back and curling around the nape of my neck, never tire of keeping a tight grip on his shoulders and feeling his chest bump against mine with every deep breath snatched between long liplocked moments. It is only the third time I have made it out to his van for our little assignations, and every time he has watched me dress after, with that look of lazy, spent lust tinged with a fondness I could almost call love. I don’t, not in words, not yet. Perhaps never. It seems too dangerous to. When I am completely dressed, I kiss him one last time, light and fleeting, before I go. ---/-/--- The battle is a bigger one, and I have been edged out of the intel-gathering, not by Spy-who-has-no-name, but by the third spy currently on our team. I do not know him, but I’ve known of him, and he has a name, Jean. He is slightly smaller, and perhaps faster. I do not know if he is any smarter, and I suspect he is not, but he is to get in and out, and Spy-who-has-no-name and I are to provide distractions, sap sentries, stab backs... If Jean drops the briefcase, there are scouts scattered about the place ready to grab it and run, provided one of us is not nearby at the time. Then of course, there are the others, rushing in with guns blazing, or laying down cover fire, generally going about their jobs with less finesse and planning than my own class relies upon. I take out a RED engineer and his sentry on my way to my Sniper’s roost. I shouldn’t... but even if I cared to play the game now that I suspect the same people are playing with both sides behind the scenes... It is not that I plan to distract him from his job; I have no qualms with watching him dispatch my teammates, I might even find watching him work enjoyable. I find watching him enjoyable in general. Mostly I just want to see him. To make sure he is all right. And to let him know that there is an angle he is vulnerable from. Traitorous, I know, but... I know where one of our snipers is set up, not the usual spot. Even with the respawn, I would rather he not get shot in the first place. “Please tell me that’s you.†He tenses, hand hovering near the kukri. “It’s me.†I uncloak. “He’s not focusing on you now, but there, between your nine and ten o’clock, is one of ours.†He spared me a quick glance. “You sure you should be helping me out here?†“Au contraire, I am certain I should not. I cannot help myself.†I cloak again, sitting by his side in perfect invisibility. “This is a bit weird.†“Mm.†I reach out the little bit between us, my hand brushing his knee. “Perhaps.†“No two ways about it, mate. Bloody weird.†“Fair enough, then.†He took a shot, chuckling softly to himself when it hit, and I de-cloaked when he turned to look at me, ducking down so that I would remain out-of-sight should either of BLU’s snipers look in. “I take it you got one?†“Scout.†He grinned. “Little buggers are hard to hit. Especially a good clean shot. He was just bending down to pick up the briefcase.†I couldn’t help grinning back. “Oh. Poor Jean, he must have failed. Well, he’ll be fine in the end... I suspected I would have done the job better.†“Jean?†“Mm. One of our other spies.†“You know his name?†“I know most of their names. Not only the spies. Most of BLU team, at least anyone I have worked with. If they have a name on record—if they have a name at all—I probably know it. I know a few names on the RED team as well.†“Y’ever learn mine?†“No. Will you ever tell me?†“Maybe.†He shrugged, looking through his scope again. “If I decide I like you enough.†“You like me enough.†I smiled. “Maybe.†He chuckled again. There was a sound, from the ladder. I put a hand on his knee, squeezing hard this time. “Don’t move.†“What—“ “Shh!†Spy—he of the nameless, history-free variety—slunk in, a man-shaped puff of blue smoke moving at a good clip, and I was on my feet and stabbing him in the heart before he had the chance to stab my Sniper in the back. “Damn...†My Sniper turned, jaw hanging open. “Oui.†“He saw you.†I shook my head. “He would have been able to see me, even if I had been cloaked.†“What are you going to do? He saw you. You stabbed him instead of me, and he saw it happen. Not like you can lie about it.†“Yes I can.†I said firmly. “I was not cloaked. What he saw was a RED spy, disguised as a BLU spy, protecting you from being stabbed in the back, hoping that any BLU spy who happened upon the scene would pass him by without question.†“... That’s a pretty good lie, actually.†“Yes, I thought so.†I let out a shaky breath and reached for a cigarette. “It is not perfect, but it is as close as we can come, under the circumstances.†“You should get out of here while you have the chance.†“He will probably come back.†“Deal with that when it happens.†He kissed me hastily. “Go.†I went. ---tbc--- *The quote, about the only way for a Frenchman to learn English: "Records are a joke. There's only one way to learn: in bed with an English girl. It's time you learned. I learned with an Australian girl while her husband was at work painting houses." - I believe there are 5 chapters...post them up when I can.
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Two: They Don't Know Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: (light) R (mild sexytimes, mild violence, mild swear-age) Pairing: Sniper/Spy (and in this chapter, if you squint, maybe Medic/Heavy, at least one-sided) Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... (and in this chapter, some Medic. I haven't been able to write a whole Medic-heavy (or Medic/Heavy, hurr hurr *hides from the bad pun police*) fic that really pleased me, but I really wanted to delve into some potential Medic backstory. This marks the start of other characters really intruding into the world of Spy and Sniper in this fic series) Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. “YOU!†I took a deep breath, rehearsed my lie one last time. “Pardon?†“Collaborateur!†The other spy shook me by my lapels. “What was that about, hien? Explain yourself!†“Please.†I sneered, removing his hands from my person, then smoothing my jacket. “I hardly feel as though I am the one who should be offering an explanation. You have just accosted me, after all.†“Before! You killed me! I was about to stab that RED sniper in the back, and you, you—“ I forced a laugh, which did not sound too unnatural. “I killed you? To save an enemy sniper? Is it not more likely that one of RED’s spies disguised himself as me to do the job? Of all the reasons I might commit treason, the life of a sniper hardly rates as one, don’t you think? If it had been me, I would have stabbed him myself and been gone before you even arrived.†He calmed, considering it, and after a while, decided himself. “D’accord. That... that makes much more sense. Besides, if it had been you... you would not have bested me.†I rolled my eyes at his retreating back. I would not have bested him? For someone who is supposedly the epitome of what a BLU spy should be, the man is laughably bestable, really. And he has a terrible record with friendly fire, of which I am merely a part. Still, no need to go announcing the fact. ---/-/--- That night I did not try to see my Sniper. It was too dangerous, if this other spy is still suspicious of me, to try to go. There was another battle the next day, during which I performed my duties admirably, and at the end of which I felt I had earned back as much of my teammates’ trust as I had ever had. That night I cloaked and snuck out to see my lover. When he was not in his van, I felt a small cold knot in the pit of my stomach. It could have meant anything, though... it could have meant anything. I snuck through the RED base, slowly, slowly... It was not so different from our own, a fact which no longer seemed so strange to me. More rustic, yes, but not very different at all. I found him in the RED infirmary, asleep or unconscious on one of the narrow little beds, and I made my way to him as quickly as I could while still making no noise, while still remaining invisible. Both of the RED team’s current medics were there, one filling out paperwork while the other made last-minute rounds, looking at the few patients—a scout, a soldier, a demoman who was probably more drunk than he was injured, and of course, my Sniper. The medic making the checks was slightly older, slightly harder somehow. He whistled softly to himself, from Tristan und Isolde, if I am not much mistaken, and when he was satisfied with the progress of his patients, he left. The moment he did, the second medic collapsed at his desk, shaking. Curious, certainly, but all I wanted was for him to leave. Instead, one of the RED heavies entered, and upon seeing the sobbing doctor, moved at what was quite an impressive speed for such a fat man. I flattened myself against the wall and prayed he wouldn’t run into me. I barely made it. “Doktor, what is problem?†“Nothing. Nothing, thank you, I am fine.†The Medic lied baldly, swallowing down sobs. Still, he was in no position to take notice of anything happening across the room, and the Heavy was entirely focused on him. If I just stayed silent, they would never know I was here. They would leave soon. “This is not fine.†“... I do not like working with that man. Really, it is silly. I am being silly. Bitte, Heavy, forget all about it. I will in a minute.†Funny. I didn’t know medics made members of their own class as uncomfortable as they make the rest of us. And perhaps a part of that is the fact that I still haven’t forgiven my own team’s Medic for sniggering at my third-degree burns the other week... “You are sure?†He’s sure, he’s sure, just go, you stupid fat man! Both of you just go and let me hold my lover’s hand in peace for just a minute! “Ja, ja... it is just, it’s difficult. Running the infirmary at all tonight is difficult, after the damage the medigun took in battle today.†Well, that is bad news. That would explain the patients lying unconscious in beds instead of being healed up and sent out with stern warnings and threats of invasive examinations. “It will take some time to fix,†He continued sadly. “I have not yet asked our Engineer for the materials I need to make the repairs myself.†“We go down and ask later. Now... what is problem with other doktor?†“Please, don’t go trying to fix it,†The Medic chuckled weakly. “You’ll only go making his friend mad, you know, and then we will have to fix you both up with only one working medigun, and that is very inconvenient. Besides, it isn’t his fault. He just... reminds me, that is all.†“Of what?†If it wasn’t for the fact that it would lead to alarms being pulled and defenses being mounted... Still, I had the strongest urge to stab him in the back just to shut him up. I would have to take out the Medic as well, of course, and then I would not be able to hang around the infirmary... Well, they can’t talk forever, can they? “I had to leave medical school, when I was young. First it was just to help out, at a small hospital, where they brought many injured soldiers. It was good experience, even though it was not really what I was interested in. But... but then a very important doctor was interested in my research! I was so proud... he took a very few of us only, and he thought my university research was interesting!†Damn it, this is going to be a long story... I let my hand linger as near to my Sniper’s as I dared, and labored to breathe very softly, despite the irritated huffs that threatened to escape at every sign of their continued intent to linger here. “I was not very... aware, you understand? Of anything outside of my work. And... well, twenty-five years ago, it was not a particularly good time to ask questions anyway. I was not good at working with children... He was, the doctor I interned under. You know, bringing sweets, patting their heads and, and they all wanted to be his favorites, but I was too awkward with the idea of working around children,†The Heavy laughed. “I cannot imagine this. You and little children. Is funny thought.†“So instead, I was to continue my own experiments. Back when I was doing research for my doctorate, there were volunteers, to be test subjects. You paid them a little when you could, of course, but either they were also students with a passion for the research, or they had... problems, and maybe you could help them as much as they were a help to you. Or you would agree to be in your friend’s control group, and he would do the same for you. I assumed it was like that. I assumed I was working with volunteers. Sick men who, for money, or—I thought they were all volunteers.†“... Doktor?†“They were men no different from me. One difference. That they had been caught, and I never was. Perhaps I should have known, I don’t... I don’t know. If it was just a question of the men being pressed into involuntary service, I might not be haunted by it. It’s best with these things sometimes to put them behind us, isn’t it? And volunteers would have been hard to come by. And the experiments were painful, naturally, they had to be, or—But I thought, they would look at me, and they would know. They would know that I had escaped their fate, not by any virtue of my own, but by luck and subterfuge and rigorous self-denial. And had anyone known... I would have been the lowest of the low. Worse than the gypsies, worse even than the mental defectives,†My stomach twisted uncomfortably. I didn’t expect the fat man to follow the subtle hints with any accuracy, but then he smiled broadly and I wondered if he was perhaps smarter than he looks. “Doktor! You are a communist?†As the scouts would say, a swing and a miss. “No.†The Medic laughed ruefully. “I am sorry to say that is not the case. I would dearly like to be able to say it was only that... I... I am a criminal. Against man and God. A twisted deviant. And when I managed to, to hide or to ignore this, and other men like me were rounded up and arrested, I tortured them in the name of science. And I keep thinking, they knew. They knew the whole time that I was one of them. And too many rounds of experiments came to nothing, they weren’t even worth it!†“Still, important man thought your research was worth doing.†“Yes. He turned out to be wrong. Oh, later! Later I developed the medigun, those experiments proved worthwhile, but... The early work that I did then, under him... all that had to be thrown out. The other medic reminds me of Josef. That’s all. Someone I worked with, if not too closely.†“What happened to him?†The Medic shrugged. “I never found out. I never asked. I moved as far away from the failed experiments and my own... my own horrible weakness as I could. Everyone did. So. You see. There is nothing wrong with the man, he merely reminds me of... of a past failure. Of every past failure.†“This crime... this weakness you had then... you still have it now?†“God help me, I do. If there was a way to cut it out of myself, I’d have done so by now. Believe me, I looked into it.†“You do not seem weak to me.†The Heavy thumped the Medic on the back once and headed back towards the door. This time he did not pass my way. “Whatever it is, cannot be so bad.†Finally, they both left. The door closed, and I held my Sniper’s hand and bent low to whisper in his ear. “Mon ami? Cher?†He sighed softly and turned his face towards mine. “Bien. It is me. I cannot stay. I wanted to see you.†Another little sound, the barest twitch of movement, and I kissed his brow. A thought occurred, and I rummaged through several infirmary drawers. Bandages, no. Surgical implements, no. Ah! Ah-ha. Medical grade lubricant. Might as well steal it from the other side—whoever they question, it won’t be me. I shall be long gone. And I’d rather think ahead to when he and I will be falling into bed together, than think too much more about him lying in this bed now. I kissed him once more before leaving the infirmary. There was music in the hallway as I stole away. Not Tristan und Isolde again, but something hymn-like and sad, and still very, very German. “Mein Freud is mir genommen, die ich nit weiss bekommen, wo ich im Elend bin. Gross Leid muss ich jetzt tragen, das ich allein tu klagen, dem liebsten Buhlen mein.†I assumed it was the formerly-sobbing Medic, and not the opera-whistler. And honestly, the implications of his half-confession to his teammate earlier did not surprise me. With those two, you could not surprise me either way. Whether I share this in common with my own side’s Medic, I neither know nor care. I somehow doubt we would bond over the secret vice, and besides, it would never have been a vice in my country, in my lifetime, had we not been invaded. ---tbc--- END NOTE: In case anyone wondered, the song which is *not* from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde is a snatch of 'Innsbruck, Ich Muss Dich Lassen', or 'Innsbruck, I Must Leave You'. It's lovely and slightly haunting. I used the end of the first verse and start of the second. In English, the lyrics would be "My joy from me has faded, I don't know how to find it, I am in sorrow's hands. I am burdened with great sorrow, which I can remedy only through the one dearest to me'. If you want to get technical, and I don't blame you, the song (and city) are Austrian, but it's absolutely beautiful and I couldn't not use it a bit.
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Three: I Think We're Alone Now Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: (light) R (mild sexytimes, mild violence, mild swear-age) Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. The next night, he was not in the infirmary any longer, though the same demoman seemed to be passed out—either again or still, I couldn’t say. I had to dodge the same Heavy, and this time a bottle behind me rattled dangerously on its shelf, and I hit the floor to avoid a spray of hypodermic needles. “My apologies.†The medic on duty coughed, lowering his syringe gun. “It must have been nothing. I—I have been jumpy today.†“Probably my fault. I sometimes knock over little things...†I crawled out of the infirmary hoping they couldn’t hear my heart pounding. Last night I am there for ages and no one even suspects, tonight I am there for two seconds and I am nearly caught. The phrase ‘just about right’ comes to mind... I made my way out behind the RED base to the parked camper van. The door is locked, but it is hardly an obstacle. “If you’re not here to have sex with me, prepare to be ventilated.†“You wound me.†I uncloaked and grinned at him. “I do hope the invitation is for me alone.†He lowered his submachine gun. “You right?†“Fine.†I sat on his bed, and after a moment he joined me. “But how about you? I was not overnight in the infirmary.†“How’d you even—Wait, was that you? Figured it was one of those painkiller dreams. Are you completely mental?†He tapped the side of my head. “Just wanted to see you.†I shrugged. “It is not as though anyone saw me.†“Well... don’t start taking stupid risks. I mean, any more than it’s too late to prevent.†He rolled his eyes. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “My risks are well-calculated, and excellently safeguarded. Anyway, you never answered me.†“I’m fine.†He shook his head. “Fine?†“Better than fine, even.†He finally gave in and kissed me back. “Yeah. Much better.†“Good. Because I brought you something, if you’re really... really... all better...†“Pressie? You shouldn’t have.†He quirked an eyebrow. “What could you possibly have—“ “Reach into my pocket. My jacket pocket. Filthy...†He chuckled, and explored my trouser pockets anyway. “Well, as long as I’m in the neighbourhood... want to be thorough...†“Do you want it or not?†“I want it.†He grinned against my throat. “Jacket pocket.†“All right, all right, I—Oh. Oh.†He regarded the package for a moment. “Well.†“I stole it while I was visiting you.†“We have this in the infirmary?†“Well, it has medical uses.†I maneuvered my way into his lap. “... Right. Of course it does. That’s no fun, though.†“No, I think we could find something better to do with it.†I nibbled at his ear. “Baise-moi...†“You know I don’t...†He yanked at my balaclava, my tie, his hands still steady. I would have to fix that... “I know.†I interrupted, grinding against his hard-on. “But you think it’s sexy as hell, don’t you?†He got me halfway naked, his teeth scraping the skin as he kissed his way across my chest. “Fuck. me.†I hissed, one hand fisting in his hair, the other shoving at his vest, until he gave in and stripped to the waist. We tumbled our way to a horizontal position, undressed the rest of the way, his mouth still working to leave little bites and bruises across my torso, his hands still steady. “Mean it?†He kissed my throat, my chin, my jaw. “Why do you think I brought that? Yes I mean it.†He fumbled with the lid. I smiled. “What?†“Getting overeager?†“You...†He got the small jar open. “You like distracting me.†“Mais oui.†I rolled over. “You like being distracted.†“I hate being distracted.†He growled and nipped at the back of my neck, his body covering mine, his fingers working up into me. “I think you’re a bastard. I wish I didn’t love you.†My heart was in my throat. “You don’t... ah, mean that...†“Sometimes. Maybe. Dunno.†He wrapped one arm around me, his hand stroking my cock as he slammed into me. It didn’t last long... with frottage, we had managed to keep going for a rather impressive time, with blowjobs we had managed not to embarrass ourselves, but with this... He came first, naturallement, but stayed in me, his hand still working me, his lips and tongue and teeth at the back of my neck, kisses between whispered snatches of a truly filthy nature, and then we were both sweaty, sticky, and completely wrung out. He lit two cigarettes as they dangled from his own lips, before passing one to me. “So... that was... I mean, you... had fun, yeah?†“Oui.†I sighed, blowing a smoke ring and watching out of the corner of my eye to see if he was impressed. It was a little hard to tell. “’Cause, I’ve never... Well, to be perfectly honest, I suppose I’ve never done that at all. And I’ve never... you know, your side of things there.†“I had fun.†I smiled. I blew out another smoke ring, and this time he noticed. “One of my many talents.†“Wait, are you talking about sex or smoke rings?†“I could be talking about both.†I shrugged. He slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Right. So. That’s something we could do again sometime.†“D’ac.†He stubbed out his cigarette, took mine and placed it in the ashtray. “It’s a good thing no one ever sees you less than completely dressed.†“You know, I wouldn’t be covered with bruises if somebody did not insist on biting me all the time.†“Aw, I can’t help it. You’re delicious.†“Tease.†“You are.†He nibbled on my lip. “’S why I bite you. Can’t help myself.†“So...†I bit back. “Don’t. Help yourself.†“I won’t then.†He nipped at my earlobe. “Good.†I found the pulse at his throat and let my teeth skim over it. “I’m half-tempted, you know...†“Don’t.†He tugged me back. “Everyone’d see. There’s no good answer I can give...†“I know. I only said half-tempted.†I kissed the spot gently, then slid down his body to leave a dark red love-bite at his hip. “... There.†“You know, if you want to stay down there a little longer, I won’t complain...†“Soon, isn’t it?†I sat up. “Maybe. We could still try.†I shook my head. “I should be going, anyway. You know how it is...†He sat as well, one hand cupping the back of my head to pull me into a tender kiss. “I know.†“There will always be a next time. We can pretend again... that someday it will all be over.†“Sure.†He took a drag from my cigarette and passed it to me. I did the same before extinguishing it, alongside his own. ---/-/--- I visited him again during the next battle. Stupid, stupid, stupid, but if it was a different sniper in his usual nest, I could always dispatch of him, and if it was my Sniper... “We have got to stop meeting like this.†I shrugged, putting my knife away. “Probably.†He pulled me into a hard kiss, and it was too soon that he was back to surveying the field through his scope. “You oughta get out while you can... Can’t risk another episode like before, only so many times you can lie and say it wasn’t you.†“I know... believe me, I know. I know I shouldn’t even come, but I am sick, I am crazy, with not being able to see you, except for tiny little snatches of time when everyone is asleep.†He took a shot, lined up another, fired. “No one said it was ideal. Whole thing’s dangerous, but you can’t get stupid about it.†“I tell myself that, and then...†I sighed. “This was a mistake.†“... You mean visiting me here and now, right?†He lowered his rifle and leaned away from the window. “What? Yes! Of course that is what I mean, why would I—Why would you— You are not a mistake to me. Maybe I should think so, maybe it would be better for both of us, but I am selfish and stupid enough to say that I do not consider you to be a mistake.†“Well... be exactly stupid enough to not think I’m a mistake, but don’t be stupid enough to come here in the middle of a battle.†“I’m not sure I can make that promise. Ever since we had to come back... the fighting doesn’t matter. I can’t imagine why it ever did, except we were paid for it.†“Not now...†He said warningly, positioning himself at the window again, taking aim at the fracas below. “You matter.†I shrugged. “Besides, there’s something just a little romantic about it, isn’t there? The middle of a war zone, bullets flying, you in my arms...†“Get going.†I took his hat, dropping a kiss to the back of his head before replacing it. “I’m gone.†---/-/--- “We need to talk.†I regarded the sniper coolly. He was one of ours, occasionally a part of the same team as myself, though not always. He did not interact much with the team, though he seemed to be friendlier with them than I was. At least, they were friendlier with him than they were with me. His last name was Stone, he was in his early thirties, and he was regarding me with a very serious stare. “Do we now?†“We do, mate.†He grabbed my arm, yanking me into a little-used corridor. “I had a shot today I didn’t take, because I saw you, and I figured you had it covered.†“I beg your pardon?†“I glance past and find you—find you pashing on my opposite number!†He hissed. “Again, I beg your pardon?†“Kissing him!†Oh. Oh no. I slapped a hand over his mouth. “Yes, yes, very well, don’t—don’t say it! You saw this?†“From across the way, yeah.†He shoved me off. “I expected you’d have stabbed him in the back like the dirty sneak you are, then booked it, but instead I look over, just for a second, and you’re practically massagin’ his tonsils!†“I said don’t—Please!—Just—It isn’t what you think.†“Really? Explain to me how you weren’t making out with the enemy back there. I’d like to hear that.†“Don’t shoot him. I mean, next time, don’t—I need you to understand, it isn’t—He gave me information.†“... What?†“About the additional men RED received, around the same time you came in. The numbers are the same, but the classes are different. He... he told me what to expect.†“Why didn’t I hear about it?†“It was... My information was incomplete. I did not report.†“And you’re just, what? Whoring yourself out for the rest of it?†“I should have expected you wouldn’t understand.†I turned away. “Filthy bushman.†“Excuse me, pal,†He grabbed my arm again. “Last I checked, that bloke you were jumping isn’t much different, except for being the enemy. So you can drop your superior act with me.†“He is different.†I snapped. “You... you have feelings for him.†He sneered. “I never thought I’d see the day. What else you give him in return for this information? What does RED know about us?†“It doesn’t concern you.†“You bet it concerns me, if you’re double-crossing us! I may not care much about the big picture, but I care about doing my job, and I care about not being sold out by a dirty, rotten, no-count spy!†“Now, now,†For the first time I noticed the cloaked spy sneaking up behind him, one of ours, the Just-Spy. “That isn’t a very nice thing to say.†“Jeez!†Stone whirled around, releasing my arm. “Give me a heart attack, why don’t ya? What are you doing skulking around?†“My job. What is the matter here?†Merde. I don’t think he is as smart as me, but he is not stupid. He can put two and two together. “One of your spies is a traitor.†Stone jerked his head towards me, arms folding over his chest. “I saw him. With the enemy sniper.†“... Are you sure?†The other spy looked me over, measuring. “I’m sure. He didn’t even deny it.†“They were talking?†“I only wish they were just talking, if I kept my scope on ‘em I bet I could’ve caught a real show!†“That is not what happened!†I hissed, punching his arm. “But you didn’t deny you were the one kissing him.†The expression that passed over my fellow spy’s face was unreadable. There was a note of shock, and one of anger, but there was something else that I could not unravel. “You were kissing?†“I told him,†I indicated Stone. “I was receiving information on the enemy’s movements, and if I carry on this way, I could bring back something useful. Of course, you could do something stupid to ruin the trust I have managed to build up, and then I will get nothing. But play it how you see fit.†“The trust you built up by stabbing me?†And he comes up with four... “Yes. That would be the trust.†“... For now, I will be silent. As will our Sniper friend. But I will go to our employers if I feel your allegiance has shifted. So I hope for your sake you find some useful information soon...†“I will.†He draped an arm across my shoulders in a gross parody of friendliness, his smile conspiratorial and sharp, flickering between myself and Stone. “Tell me, though... what is he like. Oh, come now, don’t be prudish... you can’t tell me you haven’t... enjoyed your mark?†I felt sick. My Sniper was not a mark. I had no intention of betraying him. What I would do, I did not know, and I would have to do something, but... “Shut up.†Rescue came from unexpected quarters, indeed, as Stone shoved the other spy away from me. “Don’t even think it, right?†“If you say so.†He shrugged and slipped away into the shadows. “Merci.†I looked at the floor. I got the feeling Stone did the same. “Whatever. I just didn’t want to hear it.†“You don’t have to worry about me, you know. I meant what I said... that he is different. I don’t even look at you, so... for what that is worth.†“Yeah, right, good to know. You really getting intel?†“A little.†“You really gonna hand it over?†“Of course.†I lied. He snorted. “Yeah, whatever. Hope your spy pals are more gullible than I am, mate.†---tbc---
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Four: No Such Thing As Safe Sex Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. Oh, and GENTLEMEN! Consider this THE PORN CHAPTER! This time as I slipped out, I felt myself being watched. It made my skin crawl, and I hurried to be across the compound, around the back of the RED fort, and out of the other spy’s sight. I hesitated outside the camper, still cloaked. There was no covering this up, if we were compromised, he needed to know. Still, the idea of having to tell him... of having to admit that my hubris had put us both in danger... He opened the door before I did, stepping out into the evening air and stretching. I watched him for a while without announcing myself, his open shirt and lean muscles, the lines of his body as he stretched, then relaxed, leaning against his van. “I can smell you, y’know.†He murmured. “Blind spot, you’re okay.†I let out a sigh and uncloaked, coming to stand close beside him. “You were right, and I was wrong.†“Mm-hm?†He tugged me even nearer, nuzzling the side of my neck and breathing in deep. “Stars’re coming out... if you wanna stay out here and enjoy it for a minute.†“This is serious. I—I have been rash, in coming to see you. I honestly believed no one would find out! I was always careful, invisible! Except... except for that moment, in the window. When our sniper looked across and saw us.†“... Saw us.†His expression was completely flat. “Yes. Saw us. Saw us very much not killing each other. He only saw us kiss, cher.†“Oh, only that!†“Well, it could have been worse!†“What’s going to happen, then?†“Give me something I can tell them. Anything. Information. They need to believe that you are a double agent. And that I am not. And if anyone from your side discovers us, I will do the same. But... if I can’t make this—Cher, they could take me away. And if that happens, it could be my life. It could be worse. And... and that woman, she at least is playing both sides. If she knew, she would tell your superiors as well. And I could not live with myself if something happened to you because of me. Because I was a fool.†“Way you’re talking, you probably won’t have to.†He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t have information.†“Just a list, then, of who you have. It’s barely more than you told me already. It could be enough to get them off my back.†“Them? How many people know?†“Just the sniper, and another one of the spies. For now, they will not say anything. But that will only last if I can prove myself.†“Well, I’ll see what I can do. Hardly seems like it’d be that useful. ‘Sides, fought a couple times since we got new people in, your lot must already know what we have and don’t have.†“It is hard to make a proper count during the heat of battle.†I shrugged. “It is something. A small something is all I want, I—I don’t want you to have to do anything you... anything you would really... I never wanted to make a traitor of you.†“Yeah. I know.†“Not the best romantic evening, I’m afraid.†I sighed. “Stars’re still out.†He put his arm around me and we leaned against the van once more. They were pale red, tiny and glittering... and so many of them, dotting the blue swirl of the milky way as it wound a path through the inky darkness above the desert. “I was such a fool...†“Naw. Every second was worth it.†“What if we lose this? Is it still worth it then?†“We won’t. We’ll be more careful. I’ll make up a list of everyone we’ve got. You’ll visit me one more time, and make sure your little friends know about it. You’ll tell ‘em we fought, that I thought better of the whole thing. That it’s over.†“They will watch me too closely to believe it... the other spy will. When I come to see you, he will know. He saw me leave tonight. I... There wasn’t much point in not coming, he knew too much anyway.†“We’ll figure something out, then. Now shut up and look at the bloody stars.†I did, surprised when he dropped to his knees in front of me. “O-out here?†“Shh...†He opened my fly. “Blind spot, remember? Everyone’s asleep, and even if they’re not, they’re not coming out of the base. Can’t see behind the van from the windows.†“Now... now who is being reckless?†I panted. It was silly to protest, of course... I started responding the moment I knew what he planned. “Well, it’s like I told you, isn’t it?†He murmured, running his hands up my thighs. “I can’t help myself. You... are delicious...†He was slow and teasing, his tongue sliding along the underside of my cock, his hands on my hips and the van at my back keeping me upright, and every so often he would stop and grin at me, smug and self-satisfied when all I could do was whine and gasp. Finally he took me in deep and let me finish, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and sitting back on his heels. Still smug. “You...†I sighed. “You crazy... After everything we have to worry about...†“Yeah, but there’s nothing better, is there? Outside...†He nuzzled my stomach as he fixed my fly. “Clean air. Starlight. Mindblowing sex.†“... I didn’t say it was mindblowing.†“Oh, please.†He snorted, rising. “It was. You and I both know it was.†“It was.†I admitted. “No one can see this spot from your base?†“Nah. None of them ever bother me out here anyway.†He took my hand, pressing it against his own hard-on. “Now... how’s about you do a little something for me while we’re here?†“Cher, you are free to have me any way you want me, save one, and that is on my knees in the dirt.†He laughed. “Not even necessary... just... leave the gloves on?†I blinked. “All you want is—“ “All I want. Gloves on.†“You really are filthy...†I unzipped him. “Maybe,†He kissed me. I tasted myself on him as his tongue thrust into my mouth. Even through the leather glove I could feel how hot he was in my grip. When the kiss broke, I blew across his ear. “Je veux lecher ton foutre... tu bander comme un tigre... et je veux... je veux...†“Yeah...†He had one hand over mine, guiding me, the other cupping the back of my head. “Like that...†“Baise-moi... donne-moi ton foutre... now, now... come on, bebe...†He came with harsh ragged breaths muffled against my shoulder, and once his eyes were on me again, I licked my gloved hand clean, eyes half-lidded, chuckling at his resulting groan. “You liked that.†“Kind of the point. You plan on translating any of that dirty-talk for me?†I blushed. “... No.†“I mean, not that I don’t like hearing it anyway.†He zipped up and led me inside. “Guess I should make up that list... could wind up saving both our skins.†“Yes. It could.†I sighed. I hadn’t wanted to think about that. Well, of course we hadn’t wanted it to be an issue. “Doing that out-of-doors is probably one of those things we shouldn’t do anymore, you know.†“Think you could stay cloaked long enough?†He grinned at me. I flopped down on his bed. “... Maybe. The point is moot, you would look even more like an unbalanced maniac, and I... Well, I like to avoid getting my suit dirty,†“Oh, boo-hoo.†“It cost more than my gun!†“Bet it didn’t cost more than mine.†“Vas t’faire enculer ton fusil.†I grumbled. “Share with the rest of the class?†“I said, then your rifle can fuck your ass!†“Touchy.†“My life is coming apart here.†“Mine, too, in case you hadn’t noticed.†He handed me a sheet of paper. “Here’s that list, by the way. The list I have to provide to you, not the other way around, so don’t you take this out on me, ‘cause I’m not the one molesting you on the job!†“I’m sorry.†“Yeah, well.†He sat on the edge of the bed. “Me too, I guess.†“You know I don’t mean it...†I touched his arm. “Yeah. Sure.†“What if we did it standing up?†I traced my fingers along a wrinkle in his sleeve. “I mean, any passersby would still think you were some sort of deranged sex lunatic humping your van, but I would let you take me standing... outside... cloaked... against the side of your van... if you want to...†“Probably won’t. Think we’re trying to be less stupid, anyway.†“Cher? You’re not mad?†I nuzzled the back of his neck and he sighed. “Not at you.†“I wasn’t mad at you, either. Mad, yes, but... I shouldn’t have—It was inappropriate. You’re not the one I’d like to murder right about now.†“I’m not mad at you.†He turned around, loosened my tie. “Though if we shouted at each other, we should probably have make-up sex. Think it’s a rule somewhere.†“I would hate to break a rule... it might be important.†I kissed him. “Do you think you can get it up again?†“I know I can.†He unbuttoned my shirt. “Might help if you were naked.†I pushed his vest down off his shoulders. “We should make it fast... so I can get back...†He hummed softly, a noncommittal sound, and kissed the fading bruises from past love-bites. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, would have raked my nails down his back, but that would mean taking off the gloves, and apparently that is something I should avoid doing... It was fast, due less to the necessity of haste, and more to the flesh being weaker than the spirit was willing, but we didn’t have time to wait, and one round of bad sex was still better than none at all. It probably wouldn’t be the only time we would have to settle, it’s amazing we’ve kept things as good as they’ve been between us with all things to be considered. ---/-/--- “Is this the intel?†I jumped, swearing. The bastard Spy just smirked. “You... you should have gone to bed...†“I was waiting for this.†He snatched the paper from me. “You smell like him, you know.†“Shut up.†I brushed him off. “What would you know about it?†“Was it good?†“I got you what you wanted, didn’t I?†“This?†He waved the list. “This is not much.†“There is more. Right now, however, I would like a hot shower and a good night’s sleep. For the rest, you can arrange a meeting.†More? Where did that come from? I can’t ask for more, I already hate myself for this, I... I do have more. The Announcer. The whole fiasco after escaping through the desert. I will have to find a way to frame it, but I have it, I have something that will surprise that smug son of a whore! ---tbc---
This story is one of the greatest one I have read on this site. I can't wait what happens next.
itle: Stolen Kisses Chapter Five: ... When It Comes To Loving You Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. A little more porn at the end of this chapter as well, lest you think that by referring to four as 'The Porn Chapter', I meant there would be a dearth of porn to follow. “Gentlemen.†I addressed the men assembled at the long table. A couple who could not get chairs stood against the wall. Some were interested, others bored. It was exactly like any other meeting, and I did my best to summon up the same unshakeable self-confidence that educating the dull-eyed masses usually instilled in me. “Get on with it, man.†One scout snorted, tapping his bat against the floor. “Why you gotta draw everything out? We’re here already, let’s hear the freaking news.†“First,†I turned to the Engineer seated near the head of the table. “Have you done as I instructed?†“Well, yeah. Not sure why it’s necessary, but everything’s disabled. No cameras, no microphones, nothing gets in or out of this room except us.†“Excellent. Gentlemen, we have a serious problem.†“Get to the point!†“Scout’s right, the more time you eat up being dramatic, the less time we have to plan out our— our plans!†I sighed. “Our problem is the Announcer.†“What, the magic voice chick? What’s the big problem?†“She is not what she appears.†I coughed. “What she seems. The REDs hear the same voice, they receive the same encouragement. She is not on our side.†“Well is she on their side?†“... This is also doubtful. After all, she is no less pleased when we are the victors. No, the most likely truth, as incredible as it seems, is that she is on no one’s side. Or worse—that there are no sides!†Whispers ran around the room like a shockwave. “No sides?†Soldier thundered, one fist hitting the table. “That’s ridiculous! That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! We are at WAR, son! If there weren’t sides, then we wouldn’t have anyone to be at war WITH!†“I have been attempting to put together a suitable hypothesis.†I rubbed at my temple. “Based on what I have gathered, from my own reconnaissance, and from the information I have received from a RED sniper.†More hushed whispers, some derogatory, most surprised. “As my fellow spy knows,†I gestured to him briefly and avoided looking at Stone. “I have been attempting to form a... beneficial relationship, with one of our enemies. One who has been uninterested in his team’s victory. It has been difficult... I am aware that I am not a trustworthy man. And he has his professional ethics to think of. But between the few memories I have recovered from the mission you recall I was sent away on, and the few pieces of information he has been willing to give up, well, gentlemen, it paints an interesting picture.†“Tsch, snipers.†The impatient scout leaned back against the wall, dropping his bat. “Those guys are freakin’ weird.†Stone, standing right next to the boy, merely glared silently at him. “I’m just saying!†He skittered away a few steps. “Why’s he helping us? Cause you guys, you don’t even like working with your own team, why bother switching sides?†“Perhaps it is precisely because he has no particular bond with his own team that he has been willing to cooperate.†I shrugged. “Yeah, or maybe it’s ‘cause of what he’s getting in return.†Stone snorted, rolling his eyes. I twitched, suppressing thoughts of homicide. The whispers were back in full force, as well as a few shouts. “WHAT?†Soldier nearly ruptured my eardrum. “What exactly is he getting from us?†“He is getting nothing from ‘us’. Rest assured, our intelligence is as safe as it has ever been.†“Well maybe I don’t believe you!†“It is not our intelligence the other spy barters away.†My fellow spy smirked, sauntering up to the head of the table and sliding into my place. “Were that the case, he would have been taken care of long before things reached this point.†Long before? I crossed my arms and bit my tongue. Long before! He has not even known for more than a couple of days! “What is it, then? Supplies? Is it our supplies? Someone go check on our supplies!†“It is sex.†I could have killed him. I very much wanted to kill him. It would look bad in front of the others, but then again, in front of most of them, how much worse can I look? “Oh, geez...†Stone buried his face in one hand. “You’re gonna come out and say it?†“Sex with who?†The scout blinked. Almost comically stupid, that one. “I think he means sex with the spy.†Our usual medic sounded almost nonplussed. In the back of the room, there was some elbowing and chuckling. “Fils de pute!†I hissed, shoving the other spy out of the limelight. “Gentlemen, order, please!†“Order? ORDER? YOU NEED SOME ORDER!†“Oh, shut up.†A demoman pushed Soldier back into his seat. “It got us the intel, didn’t it?†“Man made a sacrifice for us.†The Engineer nodded, but he still moved his chair back from me by a few centimeters. “I mean... can’t be fun.†“Rrh crhhd br krrnrh fhh.†“I know, right?†The scout laughed. “Totally gross. Fag.†“Thrsh nrh—Nrvrmurhh.†“Well, this is spiraling out of control nicely.†Stone stepped up to the front of the room and shoved both of us. “Look, are we going to do something about this or what? We don’t know whose side the Announcer is on, we don’t know if we can trust anything she says to us, and we don’t know what’s really behind any of this war. Now the way I see it, we’ve still got jobs to do, and we’re being paid to do ‘em—“ “Hey, if the RED sniper is doing it with a guy, does that mean you’re a fag, too? I just always wondered how that works... ‘cause, they seem a lot like us except they’re totally the bad guys. But if he’s all gay and—“ Stone fixed the scout with a murderous look. “No. It don’t mean that. They’re not like us, they just...†“Look exactly like us?†The demoman lifted one eyebrow. “And do the same jobs.†The Engineer nodded. “That don’t make ‘em like us! Not... not in any way that counts!†“Quelle dommage.†The other spy shrugged, and I followed his line of sight down to Stone’s ass. “Really?†I whispered, glaring at him. “You ruined my life for this? That is petty, even for you.†“I don’t know what you’re talking about.†“Anyway, boy, you better watch yourself.†Stone glared. “Because if I hear one more word out of you, you’re going to be waking up in the resupply chamber an awful lot tomorrow.†“Hey, you can’t do that! I’m on your side!†“We are getting away from the point.†I said. “What do we intend to do about the Announcer?†“Nothing.†Stone shook his head. “For now. Later... well, we’ll see how things progress. Just, keep fighting the REDs, but everyone remember, you can’t trust her. You can’t trust anyone outside this room.†“Can’t trust all the people in it.†Soldier mumbled darkly. I’m glad he can’t tell us apart. Either I won’t be harassed overmuch, or I can take solace in the fact that the other spy will be suffering the same. “Tonight I plan to see what other information I can gather, about RED’s movements, their strategies for the next battle, any technological developments they may have that we do not—although that is unlikely, as they are supplied by Mann, the same as we. They receive their supplies on the same basic schedule, they are matched so evenly to us that frankly, gentlemen, we should have seen it before now, that we are all being played somehow. For all we know, Mann is behind it. Perhaps we are a—a testing ground, for new products. Perhaps ... Who knows. Tomorrow morning I shall brief you again.†“Yeah, after you let that enemy sniper into your briefs, right?†The scout chuckled. “Remember how our own sniper intimated you might be waking up in the resupply room more often than usual?†I whispered. “I think this will turn out to be true.†He gulped, audibly, and I smiled. ---/-/--- “Sniper?†I slipped into the van. He was on the bed, cleaning his knife, and he set it aside when he saw me. “How’d it go?†“Hopefully they trust me. That bastard on my team told them... told them we were sleeping together. He is jealous.†“What?†He grabbed a fistful of bedsheets, knuckles white. “I’ll kill him. He told your whole team that I was passing secrets to you ‘cause we were going at it? Because he wants you for himself?†“No, nothing like that. I’m flattered, but that’s not it at all.†I sat beside him. “Not jealous of either one of us, jealous... jealous of the two of us for being together. I think, the man he wants is unavailable to him. It’s stupid and petty, but now everyone looks at me like I am the pariah. Which I suppose is not so different from before. But they seem to trust... they seem to trust that I am not betraying them. And now they know that the same woman makes the announcements to both sides. Whatever that means... Some seeds are planted, anyway. The Announcer, the fact that we always have nearly even numbers, even supplies, even equipment. We practically wear the same uniforms, the only thing different is color! I think now they may start to share some of my doubt about the whole situation.†“Think that’ll do us any good?†“I don’t know.†I sighed. “It’s something. So...†“So.†“After tonight, we... we are having our ‘fight’?†“That’s what we agreed on.†He nodded. “You should hit me.†“What?†“If I hold tomorrow morning’s briefing with a black eye, it will lend verisimilitude to my story. That you no longer wish to be a part of the arrangement, that I can not pry any more information from you. Otherwise, the other spy at least will suspect...†“I’m not going to hit you.†He shook his head. “I can’t, okay? I don’t think I can. Just... don’t ask me.†“I’ll think of something, then.†“After tonight it could be a long while before it’s safe for us to see each other...†I pulled my balaclava off. “It never really was safe, was it?†He kissed my cheek, several times, around the ridge of one eye, to my temple. “Shh... nothing is. Doesn’t even matter now. We got tonight, don’t we? Now c’mere and give me something to remember you by, yeah...†I crawled into his lap, nipping at his lower lip and working his shirt open. “Lie to me.†“We’ll be fine.†“Some more.†“We’ll get out of this whole bloody mess someday. Retire.†“More.†“Together.†He kissed me back, desperately. “We’ll get a little house. In the countryside. Somewhere south of Paris and north of Vichy.†“You remembered...†“Yeah. We’ll get a dog.†“Non.†I shook my head. “I... I am a cat person.†“Fine, then.†He growled, yanked at my tie, scattered several of my shirt buttons. “We’ll get a cat. We’ll get two. We’ll name them Pierre and Alice. We’ll be so far out in the countryside... I’ll fuck you every day, you’ll scream so loud you’d wake the dead, we won’t have any neighbours, no one’ll hear, just you and me, and it’ll be good, it’ll be, everything’ll be...†“Stop,†I kissed him, slumped against him. “No more... it’s too... We can never have any of that, can we?†“You asked me to lie to you.†“I know.†“I’d like to try it. What we did last time. Only with you... you know. And me... well, you know.†“They know where I am.†I murmured, undressing him the rest of the way. “I don’t have to worry about getting back early, as long as I make my way back to the BLU base without being seen. If we have only tonight, why not do it all?†“Now that is ambitious.†“I want to take everything from this that I can. It’s too soon and things are too much, and I just want...†“Yeah.†He brushed the hair back from my forehead. “Lie back.†I stripped out of the last of my things and knelt by his bed, between his legs dangling over the edge. Only after I had sucked him off with every ounce of skill and enthusiasm I possessed, did I prepare him to be penetrated. And when we were both on the bed, he on his back with his legs up over my shoulders and me sunk deep within him, I placed my lips by his ear. I had nothing left to lose. “Je t’aime,†I murmured. “J’adore, j’adore...†“That one,†He smiled somewhat weakly. “That one I know.†---tbc---
Oh god, PLEASE tell me there is more. This is so amazing- I don't even...
This story is sweet and sad and desperate, just what I was in the mood for today, and lines like some sort of deranged sex lunatic humping your van keep me from hating you for making it look so hopeless.
Love this, love this so much. It have everything I could ever want in a fic. I can't even put names to those things; they're just there and I know that they're there because it just works. I eagerly await the next installment!
Here's the next chapter, sorry guys trying to post when I can, there's ten chapters so yeah.; Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Six: I Know This Is Goodbye Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R! Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. He was pounding into me, hard, with his second wind, when the door to the camper flew open. “Hey! There’s a poker game going on back at the base and Engie told me to come ask you if you wanted to—FUCK!†“He already is.†I sighed, as my Sniper extracted himself from me and wriggled into his trousers, throwing a blanket over me. I slipped my balaclava back on before turning to face our interruption. “Don’t run off. Would you—Would you get in here for a minute?†“No way, man!†The little RED scout held his bat out protectively, hands shaking. “Is that... Holy FUCK! Is that an enemy spy?†“Just get in. I’ll explain everything.†“This is just wonderful.†I rolled my eyes, fumbling for a cigarette. I lit it and took a deep drag. No matter what I was feeling, the little enfant terrible was not going to see my hands shake. The boy was still holding his bat between us. “I was wondering how my life was going to get any worse.†“I’ll handle this.†My Sniper hissed. “He is a scout, you think he will keep his mouth shut?†“He’ll keep his mouth shut.†He turned back to the scout. “This is really only... ah, only partly what it looks like.†“It looks really gay.†“Oh. Well.†My Sniper shrugged. “Reckon you’re too much of a kid to understand. I mean, someday your balls will probably drop and you’ll realize a man has needs, but I guess for now—“ “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I am a man, okay? I totally understand... needs and shit. But he’s a guy!†“Well, yeah. You seen any women around here?†“Oh. Uh, no. No, I guess not. But he’s a spy!†“Yeah. Caught him skulking around outside of any kind of fight.†He lied smoothly. “Figured maybe he wanted to get the drop on us while we were off the clock, so I got the drop on him.†“I am right here.†I kicked him gently. “What do you want me to tell him?†“Fine.†“We made a deal. I wouldn’t tie him up and hand him over to our medics, in return for a little... gratification.†“But he’s the enemy!†“What are you, stupid?†He cuffed the boy lightly, upside the head. “You think I’m going to sleep with a bloke I gotta work with every day? That’s... that’s just not right! That’t be humiliating. This, at least, no one was supposed to find out about. Just a harmless piece of fun, and no one has to get sliced open. Of course, now you walked in, so...†“I held up my end of the bargain.†I smiled. “You could always volunteer the scout here for some elective surgery.†“No way, man! I—I won’t say anything! It’s... it’s not really queer, right? I mean, ‘cause...†“Yeah. No worries. It’s just one of those things that has to happen sometimes. What with the war an’ all, and no women around.†He shrugged. “Get back inside, tell ‘em I won’t be in on this game, an’ for Pete’s sake, sporto, if you ever think it’s in the least bit possible this van is being used for the naughty, do not go throwing the bloody door open.†“Y-yeah. Right. Sure! You promise you’re not really a fag, though, ‘cause I’m supposed to turn you in if you are, we have some stupid moral hygiene thing going on and I got deputized, and I haven’t had anyone to turn in for anything, and I guess that’s good, but—“ “Does he ever shut up?†I rolled my eyes. “You know what they’re like.†My Sniper shrugged. “Kids. Same all over. What moral hygiene thing?†“I dunno. Soldier’s dumb idea, not mine. He said we’d probably win this stupid war if we all had some, and the other team didn’t. Hey, BLU guy! Does your side have, um, moral hygiene?†I raised one eyebrow. “Obviously not, boy. Congratulations. Why don’t you go tell your soldier the other side is full of the sneaky queers.†He blinked at me. “You know what... I don’t think you’re any worse than the spy we already got over here.†“Probably not.†I took in a lungful of smoke, blew it out again. “Except, of course, that I am paid to kill you.†“Right. Well, I’ll be going now. I have a poker game to win, anyway. So don’t even come around our base anymore unless you like getting fucked in the ass!†He ran off, and my Sniper locked the back door of the camper. I burst out laughing. “What is so funny?†“Well, I do like getting fucked in the ass. As he so charmingly put it. You lied well. I must be rubbing off on you.†“Well, I think you’ve rubbed off on me once or twice before.†He undressed once more and climbed into bed. “Stupid kid. Stupid midnight poker game. Stupid... stupid... Stupid me, not locking the van. I... I love you, hey?†“Yes?†“I guess I didn’t say, earlier. I mean, I didn’t want you to think I was just saying it back. I mean it, though.†“I believe you.†I cuddled into him, one hand traveling over his body, telegraphing my intent. “Where were we? Before we were so rudely interrupted...†“I love you.†He whispered, kissing me, rolling me onto my back and laying atop me. “I’m glad to know it. And if you love me as I love you, then... then also, I am sorry.†“Sorry?†“Everything that’s happened... at least for your part, no one will catch me around here for a good long time, hien? Just... I feel like I could die from it, you know?†“... Yeah. Reckon. Wouldn’t have put it so dramatic-like, but...†“Well, you know, the French take love seriously.†I smiled, nipping at his jaw. “It’s our national sport.†“Oh is it, now?†“As far as you know.†I shrugged, pulled his hips down against mine. “Huh. Think ours is probably footy. Maybe cricket.†“I win, then.†“You win what?†“I have never played cricket. But you love me. So. I win.†“I could teach you.†He smirked. It fell in slow motion. “Except I won’t, will I? Just as well, don’t think I’m any good at it, but... Damn. I wanted to. I wanted that house. I even wanted your bloody cats, and we don’t get any of it.†“Tonight, for once, we have time, you know... if you want to try again. Now that we won’t be bothered. You could forget what we don’t get to have, just for a minute.†He kissed me softly. “’s all right. Mood’s kind of gone.†I rolled my hips again. “Is it?†“Well... maybe not.†We kissed again, deeply, as he thrust against me, as I held onto him and met every little movement with one of my own. I went ahead and left a hickey on his throat, and he put thumb-sized bruises in the indents of my hips. Despite my words about forgetting for a minute, when I came, I was thinking about sharing that house in the countryside. “Don’t go yet...†He panted, moving off me just a little, fishing my cigarette out of his ashtray. “Still night.†I nodded and split the cigarette with him, lying against his side. “You can sleep a little, before you have to go.†He offered. “I’ll wake you when it’s still dark out.†“I can’t sleep.†I shook my head. “Don’t let me stop you, though.†“Nah. You’re right, yeah? I... I can’t, either. Too much to worry about, maybe. Too much to have to remember.†I kissed his chest, over his heart. “I can still stay. For a little. Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes...†“What’s that?†I shrugged. “Shakespeare, I think. It’s silly... I’ve been afraid of stupid things, you know, and not worried enough about the things that came back to bite us.†“Enough of that to go around, mate.†“Love is being stupid together.†I chuckled. “Valery, that one. Which is perhaps better than Shakespeare, if only because Valery was one of ours.†“Your French poet I never heard of is not better than William Shakespeare just because he’s French.†“It is a very good quote, though. Apt.†“If you say so.†“I could come up with more.†I offered. “Please, don’t.†I kissed his shoulder. “Come on.†“Do what you want.†“Tell me you love me. I might never hear it again. I’d hate to have only heard it twice.†“I love you.†He cupped my cheek in his hand. “There. I love you, I love you, I love you. You’ve heard it. It’s the truth. And maybe I’ll regret it when you’re gone and maybe... well, anyway, there you go.†“L’amour fait les plus grandes douceurs, et les plus sensibles infortunes de la vie.†I sighed. “Thank you.†“Don’t thank me. Fat lot of good it does us. Fat lot of good anything’ll do us...†“Hush, you.†He hushed. For a long time we were both silent, watching each other in the low light. Words were insufficient. I knew a little of what I wanted to say, but... “It’s almost morning. You... you probably need to get back to your base.†“Probably.†I dressed quickly. We kissed, one last time. “The parting is temporary, cher.†“You and I both know—“ “It will be a long time, but not forever. Eventually, they will forget. Eventually they will not be watching always. Eventually... eventually we will be on teams of nine again, and there will not be another spy, and...†“Yeah. Eventually. ‘Til then.†He squeezed my shoulder. “’Until then. A toi, pour toujours.†I returned the gesture, then slipped outside. Outside, in the blind spot, in the dark, I found a few small stones and tied them in my handkerchief. With my face tilted up, I tossed the bundle into the air. My aim was true. It would be enough to give me a black eye at least. It would be enough to sell my story. I untied the knot in the handkerchief, spilling the pebbles back out onto the hard-packed desert floor. Then, on a whim, I knotted the handkerchief around the door handle of the camper and left it there. ---/-/--- The room filled up slowly for the morning’s meeting. The other spies were there first, followed by the soldiers. The medics and heavies came next, followed closely by our Engineer and Pyro. The scouts and our usual sniper ran in next, practically mainlining caffeine and slightly surprised to see that they were not early after all. Lastly, Stone trudged in between two groaning demomen. The demos were hung over, Stone clutching an entire pot of coffee and blinking away sleep. He’d had a long shift of keeping watch on the RED base, despite the lack of scheduled conflicts, and probably hadn’t had much sleep. Not that it is any excuse. I myself had perhaps a minute total, before I woke up with my face pressed against the shower wall. “Holy dooley, your boyfriend hit you?†Stone looked me over. “I would have been getting to that, if some people had been on time to the briefing.†I snapped. “He is not my boyfriend!†“What-bloody-evs, mate, did he give you that black eye or not?†He pulled out a chair, unceremoniously dumping its previous occupant, a scout, to the floor. “I have bad news. We will not be getting any more information passed to us. He has... reconsidered the arrangement.†“He hit you?†“Tsch. Serves you right for doing that faggy stuff.†The scout rested his folded arms on his knees. “Don’t you know that’s what happens? Guys don’t turn down a free blowjob, but they gotta beat you up afterwards, otherwise it’s, you know, gay.†“Really? I was unaware. And which side of the equation are you accustomed to being on?†I shot him a withering look, and he got quiet fast, shrinking in on himself. “RED is still his employer, and while he feels no personal loyalty, he... he feels he can in no good conscience turn over any sensitive information. I would appreciate it if any further questions would avoid the topic of my eye.†“Did you get anything else, then? Or did you have your big falling out first?†“It is not a matter of ‘first’, it is a matter of ‘just’. I told you, there is no more information. There is no more inside man on the enemy’s side. There is no more relationship. Not that it was—Not that we were— I only mean, professionally... things are over.†“Yeah, real professional.†Our usual sniper snorted. “Well that’s the difference between them and us, innit? I mean, you or me, we’d never pass intel along to the enemy.†Stone nodded. “Nah. Well, maybe. If they sent over a girl. Something stupid, though. Nothing useful. By the way, we never got anything particularly useful, did we? Oh, we know how many bloody soldiers they’ve got, that was real good. That’ll come in handy winning a war. It’ll only be different a week from now, won’t it, and then what are you gonna do? You gonna bend over and take it from their engineer next?†“Hey, now! No need to get crude, fellas.†“No. I consider the venture a failed experiment. I had hoped the lack of female companionship would prove useful, inasmuch as it would facilitate seduction. Clearly it works only to a point.†“Hey, but what about what you said?†The other scout piped up. “I mean, what if we did get a girl in here? If we had a real girl, she could get anybody to talk, right?†“Yeah, but we’re not gonna get a girl, genius!†“Well...†Our medic gazed off into the distance. “Scout, your bone structure is fairly delicate... If you are volunteering for the task, I’m sure a few little surgical procedures could—“ “Whoa, wait, what? No, no, no, I’m not—Nobody’s having surgery, that’s—What?†“Gentlemen, order, please.†I cleared my throat. “If I have learned anything from this, it is that we should stick to our old tactics. For the time being, anyway. We will steal their intelligence, as we always have. We will carry out our missions. We will wait, until we are able to learn more. And, those of us who are equipped to do so will see what else we might learn about the Announcer and her true motives. And perhaps, just perhaps, we can end this war once and for all.†“That’s right, blow ‘em all to hell.†One of the soldiers nodded approvingly. The other looked uneasy. “Well, now, I don’t know about that... end the war? If we did that, the war would be over...†“Speaking of over, this meeting is over. Since my fellow spy was unable to bring anything useful to the table, I say we resume business as usual. Gentlemen.†He nodded to the room at large, once again moving me from my spot at the head of the room. Stone lingered when everyone had filed out. “Don’t ask about the eye.†I glared at him. “Reckon I don’t even have to. You still love him?†“Get out.†“Figures.†He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you worry about yourself?†“What’s that supposed to mean?†I sighed. “It means get out of here and don’t bother me. It doesn’t even hurt much.†He shrugged and sauntered out. It was true, almost. I barely noticed the swollen ache... I just remembered when my own Sniper’s lips had ghosted over the same spot, before I’d had to leave him. ---/-/--- Jean and the other Spy found me that afternoon, both looking quite businesslike. “Gentlemen?†Jean nodded to me. “We had an idea.†“I am all ears.†“Have you snuck out to the RED base often?†“A few times.†I nodded. “Enough that you know your way around better than the rest of us?†“It is practically the same as our own. But yes. I know a little of the, the routines people have there. How to avoid detection.†“You may not be getting information passed to you, but suppose we did not wait for this mysterious—this suspect Announcer to order us to steal their intelligence? Suppose you infiltrate their base, while they suspect nothing? We know their numbers, but they do not know ours. If they see the two of us outside the base, talking, then they will think we have two spies, and they will think, neither of those spies is in our base right now! You can listen in on their conversations, rifle through their things. We could do this!†We could... we could do this. Here I am, being handed an opportunity to sneak back in. Dangerous, yes, but they have practically gift-wrapped a chance to see my Sniper again. When weighed against love, danger is as nothing, after all. No. No, that is what got us into this mess. I will have to be smarter. I cannot seek him out. My teammates will no doubt be doing all they can to keep an eye on me, if I run to him, they will know we are up to something. Headquarters will be contacted, our relationship reported. It will not be like before, with the war-within-a-war they staged for our Soldier and RED’s Demoman, that extended to the whole of both classes. Those men were merely friends. If they—if that woman!— learns that we have kept up a love affair, it will not be a game from which we will miraculously respawn, they will have us both killed. Permanently. “I will go.†“Both our snipers will be watching your progress as well as they possibly can.†The other spy confirmed my suspicions. “Although, if you are caught... there may be little we can do.†“I will not get caught.†I shook my head. “Between the improved cloaking technology and the disguise kit, it will be easy. No one will even suspect I was there. So long as you and Jean are out in plain sight of their own snipers.†“Then we have a plan.†“Oui.†I turned to go. “We have a plan.†---tbc---
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Seven: Us And Them Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. Wow, this one just keeps going... My own Sniper was out on the roof of the RED fort, keeping watch on the space between. Beside him, a scout tossed a baseball into the air, catching it again, tossing, catching... “You gonna join the poker game this time?†“Maybe. Might still be on duty. Everyone’s jumpier than usual, so we’re keeping watch on No Man’s Land there. Now that’s bloody weird...†“What?†“Look down there.†“What, at the spies? They aren’t even doing anything.†The boy said dismissively. “You ever seen spies—theirs or ours—just not-doing-anything? Especially out in the open. Neither one of them is— ah...†“Neither one of them is what?†“Nothing. I... You know what, it’s just the jumpiness, is all. Think they’re talking about movies.†“Can you read lips? That’s pretty cool. I haven’t seen a movie in a long time! The last movie I saw was, like, two years ago. I mean, not counting stuff that comes on TV. It was Batman. Did you see it? Like, all the bad guys team up—well, all the really good bad guys. It’s the Joker and the Riddler and the Penguin and Catwoman, except she’s not the regular Catwoman. So it’s just the good bad guys, like, King Tut’s not in it or nothing—King Tut is this guy who’s like a teacher or something and he gets hit on the head and thinks he’s the king of Egypt or something, and he steals stuff, it’s kinda lame I guess, but anyway, the movie is like the show pretty much, but like I said, there are four bad guys instead of just one, and there’s an exploding shark in it! And it’s like, whoa! A shark that’s also a bomb? And you think—“ “Could you possibly bother somebody else? I am kind of trying to do a job, here.†“Oh. Right. Anyway, that’s the last movie I saw. Bet spies don’t go and see Batman, though. They probably go see snooty French movies, huh?†“Probably.†He reached out behind him, lightning quick, catching the scout’s ball. “Now. You’ve got two choices; I give this back, and you run along and play someplace else, or you keep talking at me, and I pitch it off the roof.†“... Do you think you could hit one of those spies with it if you did? ‘Cause man, I would love to see that! Wait, no, it’s okay, I’ll leave!†“You should go, you know.†He muttered, the scout already long gone. I went. Stone and the other BLU sniper could still see me here. If I lingered... if I tried to talk to him... they would know. Stone hasn’t told the other spy that my feelings are genuine, but I am not foolish enough to believe that he is on my side. He merely doesn’t care enough when it does not affect him. I followed the scout, the most likely member of RED team to let secrets slip, or to ask questions of the others. I had hoped I might be that lucky, for once. He went outside, where I could watch and listen within full view of BLU’s snipers, but instead of finding someone else to talk to, he merely threw his ball against the wall. The constant thudding was almost as annoying as his voice. I slipped back in through the wide open doorway, grateful to whoever designed these buildings to not have doors. They had a small rec room set up, with a window that perhaps I could be monitored through. Two of their three heavies were playing chess—well, I use the term ‘playing chess’ loosely, since after every two moves, they stopped playing chess and boxed for a round. The third sat with the two medics, watching. Waiting for his turn to pummel the winner, I suppose. A second RED sniper was sprawled out on a ratty couch with a cup of coffee and some toast, though he seemed to be asleep. “Anyway, enough about me.†The slightly senior-looking medic was talking, though apparently it had been nothing of consequence. “Tell me, where did you go to medical school?†“Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg. The New Campus, you know.†“Oh, that was a very good school.†“Yes, I... I suppose it was. That was such a long time ago, though, I barely remember.†He laughed a little, nervously, and I remembered the scene in the infirmary. “Who did you intern under? Or do you barely remember that as well?†The heavy sitting next to them frowned a little. “I can’t say a bad word about him.†He shrugged, tone too light. “You know, a lot of the time, back then, doctors had to perform without sufficient anesthetic, because of war shortages, but one thing I will say for Josef, he did not even take that into consideration. I mean, he was an inspiration to all of us. Actually, it was at that time...†There was more medical jargon after that, utterly useless, and I wandered away, ducking through an empty stretch of corridor and into a washroom to adopt the guise of a RED soldier and drop the cloak. If I couldn’t listen in on anything, perhaps I could get the scout to talk. I passed through the rec room again, to see my Sniper waking the man on the couch to trade shifts. After a moment’s consideration, he took a bite of the abandoned piece of toast, though the other sniper had taken the coffee with him when he left. He paid no attention to me, scanning the room and, after a moment, dismissing everyone in it as unimportant. Unfortunately, the dismissal was not mutual. One of the medics spotted the very visible bruise I had left on our last night together. “What happened to you?†“Huh?†“You appear to have hurt yourself. Or... been... ah...†The scout came scampering into the room, and looked between us all, likely mistaking my frantic stare for some sort of accusation. “Oh, uh... actually, don’t know how I got that.†My Sniper rubbed his neck, though it was too late to hide the spot from notice. “I know how you got that.†The scout laughed. My options; kill him now, exposing myself to a roomful of heavies, or let him talk and... and what then?†“Remember? You were telling me to quit bugging you yesterday, and I kinda accidentally hit you with my ball. And then you tried to chase me down with a huge freakin’ knife, but I was way too fast for you?†“Oh. Yeah. Sounds familiar.†He nodded, relieved. “Still owe you for that, do I?†“Well, it was an accident.†“... I’m going to bed.†I had to force myself, to not watch him go. Instead, I beckoned the scout out into the hallway with a quick nod of the head and a sharp barked ‘Private!’ “What’s up?†He trotted after me, and I led him to the spot outside where he had been playing ball. “Report, Private.†“Uh... Oh! Right. Moral hygiene. So, um, good news, ‘cause, I think the other side doesn’t have any. Oh, but we do! Yeah. Nobody around here does anything wrong. Well... I dunno, maybe the Pyro, it’s hard to tell with that guy. If he is a guy. But probably it’s fine.†“You mean to tell me you’ve got nothing?!†“I got one thing... um, you’re maybe not gonna like it.†Okay. It’s okay. If he spills his guts, it is to me and not to the real RED soldier. “Just spit it out.†“Okay, Demo paid Engie to build him a still, and he’s making booze. I mean, he’s always done that, but now he makes more of it faster. I didn’t know if that was morally not-hygienic.†“Good job.†He grinned, completely unaware of how stupidly relieved he looked not to have said anything he didn’t mean to. I headed back inside, and nearly ran right into the last man I wanted to see. “Ah! Good to see you! You know...†The RED Soldier leaned in conspiratorially, and I realized that they had a second soldier, that he assumed I was that second soldier. “You’re the only man here I can trust.†“My thoughts exactly.†I nodded curtly. “What’s going on?†“I don’t know... nothing, yet. Maybe. But be ready, because I think something’s going on over there. And if we’re not careful, something might go on over here. You know what I mean?†I didn’t. “I know exactly what you mean. Do we have a plan?†“You know the plan.†He leaned back, regarding me from under the edge of his helmet. “Of course I know the plan!†I shouted. “I want to know if you know the plan, mister, because if I asked you ‘do we have a plan’, and you said ‘no’, then I would be forced to beat you to death with your own leg that I ripped off your torso, because that would mean you were an enemy spy! Do you see where I’m coming from?†“That... that makes so much SENSE!†He hit himself in the head with his shovel several times. This... this might actually go a ways towards explaining the brain damage soldiers seem to suffer from... I headed off down the hallway before I had to engage in any more crazy talk with him. Then, behind me, I heard the sound of two Soldiers yelling at each other in confusion. Merde. I cloaked and ran for the sewers as the alarm sounded. Yes, yes, BLU spy in the base, I’m well aware... I emerged in our own base, not a moment too soon for my tastes, to find everyone preparing to go on the defense. “So much for not being caught.†The other spy wrinkled his nose. “I wasn’t. Exactly. It is a long story. I think right now one of their soldiers is still bashing his teammate’s head in...†“Later you can tell us what you’ve found. Right now... right now they are probably preparing to storm the base.†Probably so. A shower and a change of clothes would have to wait. ---/-/--- It was a little skirmish, and it died down quickly, with no one able to break past the other side’s defenses. Afterwards, I joined both our snipers up on the parapets—such as the parapets were, anyway. “We’re pretty much in a stalemate. They’re watching us watch them, and no one’s going anywhere ‘til we’re told.†I approached Stone. “May I?†“You’re kidding.†“You don’t even have to let go of the gun, I just want to use your scope.†“You’re not using my scope.†“Please.†I ground the word out. It tasted bitter, practically painful, and it didn’t seem to be getting me anywhere. “What you want to look over there for, anyway?†The other Sniper asked. “Call it curiosity.†“Weren’t you just over there?†“Yes.†I sighed. No point in lying, our other spies aren’t sporting giant visible bruises which certain medics refused to heal... not that I am angry, mind. Well... “Look.†Stone shifted slightly. “Do not touch. And if you don’t want to look at exactly what I’ve been keeping an eye on, then too bad, because everything’s staying like it is.†“Is it—“ He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s one of theirs, that’s all I can tell you.†I crouched down next to him, leaning in to look through the scope without taking the rifle from him. Across the way, he was watching my Sniper. With the scope on him, I could see my handkerchief in his hand. I blew out a sigh, leaning back and standing. “That him?†I hesitated. “Yes.†Stone gave no reaction, merely went back to his post. ---/-/--- Yet another meeting... I was beginning to tire of these. Still, if I could get through this, there was a chance at getting my life back. Someday. Maybe. “There is not much I can tell you. One of their soldiers has some kind of plans of his own, but then again, he is completely insane, so I doubt those plans are particularly... well, good. He has deputized one of their scouts—maybe all of them, I don’t know—to enforce some sort of code of moral hygiene.†I let the disdain drip from the last few words. “Moral hygiene.†Our Soldier nodded, rubbing his chin. “That’s a good idea, even if it did come from a crazy hippie. That could win us this war, you know. We just need to rout out all the immoral crap!†“Yes, well, it doesn’t really work, does it? At least one of their medics is a closeted homosexual, their engineers have joined their demomen in the creation of bathtub liquors, their third heavy is an out-and-out psychopath, and it’s entirely possible that their Pyro is a woman.†Actually, I wasn’t sure it wasn’t possible that our Pyro was a woman. Or two midgets in a suit. None of us had ever seen him take off his mask to eat, even. I’d even believe he was a robot, why not? We had the teleporters, the respawn... was a robot so ridiculous? “Look, this is stupid!†I slammed an open palm down on the table. “Enforcing moral hygiene is useless when it can only lead to the persecution of team members we need if you ever want to win this pointless war!†“WAR IS NOT POINTLESS!†“Really?†If the table wasn’t between us, he would have been in my face, and so help me, I would have responded in kind. “Then what is the point?†“The fate of the free world could be at stake! We are doing this for picket fences, and apple pie, and good old Mom! And for the sheer visceral pleasure of blowing a man up with a rocket launcher!†“Well, enjoy your visceral pleasures, because that is all the closure I fear you will get from it! We are being played, and if anything, the RED team knows even less about it than we do! There is no intelligence!†“The briefcases—“ “Yes. Yes, what is in the briefcases?†I turned to my fellow spies. “We have never broken the code.†“How is that? THEY USE THE SAME DAMNED CODE WE DO! Am I the only one who has ever noticed?†“You—“ A twitch developed in the vicinity of the other spy’s right eye. “You are not supposed to look at our own intelligence!†“Well I did. It was one of the first things I did when I returned from my ‘mission’. A mission I was never really on.†“What were you doing, if you were not on this mission?†I took a deep breath. “Deserting.†The soldier launched himself across the table, and it was only by the swift intervention of five other people in the room that he did not reach me. “That was how I met the RED Sniper. We were both fed up, with always fighting and getting nowhere, with the sheer insanity of it all. And if I might be perfectly frank, I was quite fed up with all of you. As long as you’re going to hate me anyway. The Announcer tracked us down. She is controlling both sides, and she is committed to playing us against each other, and I hoped I might find some clue as to why. She had a strike force with her. Not RED. Not BLU. These men were not... they were not like any of the classes on either team. Our memories were wiped, inexpertly, and we were returned. I had hoped... stupid of me, I know, but I had hoped that I could make the rest of you see reason. That I could interest anyone else here in getting to the bottom of things, in ending this.†“Gentlemen.†The other spy cleared his throat. “I’m sure you all see what needs to be done.†“We kill the deserter, is what needs to be done!†“No. Don’t be stupid. We keep him under lock and key, and we contact headquarters, and we report this insubordination. They will deal with him.†There was no point in fighting all of them. I let the team take me into custody. Stone and the spy held back in the meeting room, exchanging heated words that I could not make out. ---tbc---
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Eight: In The Jailhouse Now Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. Wow, this one just keeps going... I was mildly surprised when Stone visited me in my makeshift holding cell. “This isn’t because we’re friends.†He said, before I could speak. “We’re not. I don’t like you, and I don’t trust you, and up until today, that wasn’t really your fault, just your profession.†“And today? You are... sore? Over my old attempt at desertion.†He shrugged. “It doesn’t set well with me. I have a hard time imagining... I don’t know. But this is about more than you, this is about her. I don’t like this whole business. Personally, I don’t trust you. But I’m pretty good at spotting a lie, and you haven’t been lying. Well, not about the Announcer. And not about the intel. You been lying your ass off about your boyfriend.†“Are you here to be helpful to someone, or are you just here to make me feel like crap? Because I have to say, if it’s the former, you are doing a spectacularly poor job, and if it is the latter, your presence is entirely unnecessary.†“Little from column A.†He smiled. “Half-dozen of the other.†“He didn’t give me the black eye.†I admitted. “I did it. Spy had to believe we were no longer involved.†“... You call him ‘Spy’?†“Unless I learn his name I do. I haven’t, yet. Some days I think he’s never even had one. You call him ‘Spy’.†“Call all of you ‘Spy’. But I’m not one of you.†He pulled my disguise kit out of his vest pocket. “Although with this baby, be easy enough to fake it. I mean, it’s just skulking around lying, what you do, isn’t it?†“There is a little more finesse involved than that. And unless you can duplicate the voice of any given member of the RED team, the disguises will do you little good. Where did you get that?†“From your buddy Spy. Obviously you’re not allowed to keep it.†“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. It isn’t as though I could fool any of you with it, it doesn’t work that way.†“Yeah. Think he’s just a sadist, really.†Stone tossed me one of my cigarettes. Which under the circumstances, really felt much more useful. “He let you take it?†“Well, I shoved him up against a wall and shouted him down a bit over what we oughta do with you, and he just sort of left your stuff behind. Probably kicking himself about now, if he’s noticed it’s gone.†“So why are you here?†He handed me a lighter. “Wondered if it’d be possible... for someone without your training to get past enemy lines with this little doovalacky.†“I beg your pardon?†“The way I see it, now that you’re the bad guy ‘round here, there are exactly three people who are genuinely interested in figuring this mess out. You, me, and that bloke on the other side. Well, isn’t he?†“Yes.†“... So he never hit you?†“No.†“Did you crack onto him first, or the other way ‘round? Just out of curiosity.†“Pardon?†“Nevermind. Point is, if I ever want a chance at getting out of here, and I should’ve been out by now, then I got to talk to the one other man who’s interested in the same.†“De merde, you can’t. Your voice would give you away.†“Pyros don’t talk.†“They only have one. The risk is too high.†“A RED sniper, then.†“And what if you talk to the wrong one? Did you think of that?†“I figured I’d look for the miserable-looking bastard with the blue silk hanky.†“... Oui. That might work.†He chuckled. “Yeah, I’m pretty decently observant.†“Tell him—Non.†“What?†“Forget it.†“Nah, I’ll pass along your message for ya. I mean, I’m stealing your stuff.†“You can’t tell him what’s happened here. It’s too dangerous.†“You think he’d try and get you out of here?†“I think he loves me. Yes. That can’t happen. Tell him the codes are the same, for what that is worth, and that... that he can trust the RED scout after all. And that I—Tell him I—Just, let him know I’m all right.†“You’re not all right, mate.†Stone’s eyebrows disappeared into the shadow cast by his hat. “You’re gonna be a lot less all right before too long, I’m afraid.†“So lie to him! I... I wish there was something else, but...†“I’ll tell him.†Stone nodded. “Thanks for the loan.†“Yes. It doesn’t look like I’ll be needing it. Just make sure he gets out of this. As long as you plan on using him to help you escape, make sure... Even if you can never take her down, if you can escape from her, from all this... tell him I will meet him on the outside.†“Yeah.†He shifted uncomfortably. “Sure.†He tossed two more cigarettes my way, and then he took my watch and my disguise kit, and he was gone. ---/-/--- “Wake up.†The toe of the other spy’s shoe tapped against the bottom of my foot, from the other side of the hastily-erected bars. I had hoped the workmanship would be shoddy, but our Engineer did himself proud. I hadn’t been able to work my way free of the little cell. “I’m awake.†I glared at the spy. “What do you want?†“Be grateful. I am offering you a chance, mon ami. It doesn’t have to end badly for you. We can tell the soldiers and the rest, that you have been taken care of, and another spy sent to replace you. They cannot tell the difference.†“Jean, though?†“That boy will keep his mouth shut. He knows about loyalty. I need to know that you would not attempt another escape.†“But you won’t. Why wouldn’t I tell you what you wanted to hear? Why would you ever believe me?†“True.†He leaned against the bars. “I need to know that you do not plan to defect.†“I never planned on defecting. Desertion, perhaps, but not defection.†“Your sniper?†“Is the same way. Desertion, not defection. We both want out.†“I do not like the idea of handing you over to headquarters, knowing what we know, or at least what we suspect. Still, I have a duty to do. I have been with BLU for... for some time now. I wanted to think that it was worth doing, you see? That if we managed to best RED, the world would be better for it. For a long time I kept the conspiracies straight. Which were true, which were fiction, which were lunacy. Now? Who can say. The things I thought I knew... maybe we are all being played. But you cannot expect that to change things, war doesn’t work that way!†“We could change how war works. How this war works. We could end this.†“The others are not on board. There have been too many whispers. It all threatens to fall apart. And that... that is worse than continuing to fight in a pointless war in which no one dies. You are an acceptable sacrifice, because as long as this war continues, even if we are all the fools and playthings of some mysterious madwoman, no one stays dead.†“The enemy does not stay dead, either. How can you win a war when the enemy never dies?†He shook his head. “I can’t. None of us can. But my team is still alive. And... and I am working with—people that I care about.†“Touching.†I sneered. “And this team is just one big happy war-torn family? Or do you mean Stone?†“We knew each other before this war. Well, we had met.†This surprised me. In the course of investigating all of my teammates, I thought I was well-read up on Stone’s past, but of course this Spy was a complete enigma. “Yes.†He smiled ruefully. “And we were not allies. To put it mildly. To put it mildly... No, he was hired to kill me. I escaped. And... I wanted him. Of course I did! You understand that. After all, you—“ “They are not interchangeable.†I snapped. “No. No, they are not. I think... he does not know, that it was me. To him, it could be any one of the spies, on either team. But I know that it was him. It’s the reason for the animosity. Towards the whole class. He is unaccustomed to losing his prey. I was surprised to find myself on the same team as the man who failed to kill me once before. Anyway... how did you do it? Seduce your Sniper, I mean.†“I didn’t.†He let out a soft curse on a long sigh. “Then it is hopeless. If it was a matter of saying the right thing, doing the right thing... I could at least try to duplicate your success. But if he approached you... Well, obviously, I have not been approached. Maybe he is exclusively heterosexual. Still, when I found out about you, I... I just hoped, I suppose. I am a fool.†“We are all fools.†“Probably. If you were not a fool, you wouldn’t be locked up now, would you? You can’t promise me your loyalty, can you?†“I cannot.†I admitted. “But you already knew that.†“I suspected. I... I will put off calling headquarters for a few days. In case you change your mind.†“I am not sure if that is kindness or cruelty.†“No.†He shook his head, the rueful little smile returning. “Neither am I.†He left me alone again. A few more days, and what? There was no escape to be had, not if I looked at things realistically. Stone stuck his neck out a little to talk to me, to get what he needed, but he said himself we are not really friends. He wouldn’t stick his neck out so far to save me. Besides, I don’t know if I like the thought of owing him for so much... So I have a few days to stew in my little cell and think about everything that’s gone horribly, horribly wrong in my life. And what do I expect from BLU? From the Announcer? Another reprogramming? Unlikely. The first did not go so well, from their perspective. A cigarette and a blindfold and her clipped voice saying ‘ready, aim, fire’? A short rope and a long fall? Some worse game, if such a thing exists? To never see my lover again. I don’t even know his name. I never told him mine. Even now he is being lied to, and... and there is nothing else I can do. And now I have a few days to think about all that. ---tbc---
DAMMIT. I had thought the second fic wouldn't be as good as the first one based on early chapters but now I am sucked in. DAMMIT.
More. Please, I beg of you. As soon as possible, bring us MOAR.
I present, MOAR. Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Nine: Fish In The Jailhouse Tonight Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. Wow, this one just keeps going... Stone returned the next day, giving me my cigarette case. The cigarettes inside, however, were not mine. Nothing in the case was mine. The case... was not mine. Outside, I heard the sound of a battle, a distant klaxon. “What is going on?†I hissed. “Sorry. Couldn’t do it after all.†There was a shimmer of red smoke behind him, and before I had time to warn him about the enemy spy, my own Sniper appeared instead. “Who ever heard of a spy being compelled to tell the truth all of a sudden?†He frowned at me. “I repeat; what is going on?†“Made my way over there. Found your boyfriend. Found a RED spy. Killed a RED spy. Rifled through a RED spy’s pockets. Stole from a RED spy.†Stone ticked the steps off on his fingers. “Let me know if you’ve caught up to where we are now.†“Only way to sneak me onto your base.†He kissed me through the bars. “Don’t suppose there’s a key anywhere?†“One of our spies keeps it on him. The Engineer might have a copy, he was the one who threw the whole thing together. It’s not like they have one hanging on a hook on the wall.†“Damn. I can’t stay here... I can’t... What are we going to do?†“We were going to lie to you.†I glared at Stone. “You’re an idiot, you know that?†My Sniper growled. “And I was not gonna leave without you. You shoulda known I wouldn’t do that.†“Maybe. I hoped you might.†“Well, I’m not any better at self-preservation than you are.†“I think you’re both nuts.†Stone rolled his eyes. “Yeah, don’t think we really need the knock right this second.†“You need to get out of here before the lot of us get caught. And I got to get up top and shooting. And I guess you,†He looked at me. “Well, for now I guess you’re stuck.†“We’ll get you out.†One more kiss between the bars. “I gotta run.†“I know.†I squeezed his hand briefly. “I don’t know when—“ “Doesn’t matter. I’m getting you out of here. Or, he will. And then you and me, we’re getting out this time. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I know it has to happen.†There was another puff of red smoke, and he was gone. Stone turned to leave as well, then paused. “So... he does love you.†“Yes. I told you.†“Still think it’s a bit weird.†“Very. I wouldn’t change it, I don’t think.†He shook his head. “Well. Duty calls.†I assumed it would be a long wait, after he left, before I would see anyone. The fighting would go on for... well, for as long as it went on. Afterwards there might be a briefing of sorts, or a strategy session for the next fight. Even if there wasn’t, Stone could only visit so often without rousing suspicion, and it was not so long ago that the Spy had given me ‘time to think’, so he would not be back for a while. After his initial check on the structural integrity of the cell, the Engineer hadn’t seen fit to return, a few iron bars hardly interesting to the kind of man who builds teleporters. No one else had been down even once, nor did I expect them to be. Of course, that was just counting my own team. I was deep enough in our base that I did not expect any of the RED team to stumble upon me—I wasn’t with our intelligence, after all. But stumble upon me one did, a lost-looking Medic. He stared at me for a moment, forgetting his own predicament. “What are you doing in a cage, in your own base?†“Not deserting.†I shrugged. Ah yes. I knew which one he was. “And what are you doing, so far away from your little friends? Or should I say, from your big friend?†“... I don’t have to explain myself to you.†He puffed himself up. I laughed. “No. I suppose you do not. I’m just the man in the cage, after all. Still, I would not want to trade places with you... This is a bad place to be, Docteur. Though, I suppose you know all about bad places to be. You know, I heard before the war, Berlin had a very... permissive nightclub scene.†“I wouldn’t know. I never even left Wurttemberg—ah, Baden-Wurttemberg until the war had been going on for two years.†“Oh? Near Alsace, correct?†“On the border.†He nodded, wary. “And how permissive were things in Baden-Wurttemberg? Not that it mattered, really, I mean, then the war began and you couldn’t tell anyone. Even today, your team doesn’t know about you. Not the truth. But I know.†“Are you threatening me? You are in a cage!†“And you are a filthy degenerate.†I mustered every ounce of disdain that I could, and I fought against the instinct to move away from the bars when he lunged towards me with the bonesaw. ---/-/--- I woke up in the resupply room, the slight hangover-like headache of respawn already fading. “You,†I told myself proudly. “Are a magnificent bastard!†Spy ran in, grabbing a box of bullets from the locker, and doing a double-take as he realized I was not Jean. “What are you doing here?†He patted down his pockets, securing the key. “There is a blood-spattered medic wandering around lost in the vicinity of my cage.†I said coolly. “You may want to kill him. Either way... I suggest you do as you once offered. Tell the others I have been replaced. Dealt with. No one needs to be the wiser.†“Why would I—“ “Because when you thought you had the upper hand, you told me more than you should have.†I smiled, tight and cold. Ah, that felt right... And apparently, it is my day for sexual blackmail. “You could put me back in the cage, but you should know, Stone comes in occasionally for information. And now... the information I have...†“Touche... Very well. You were removed and replaced, during the battle. You will keep my secret and I will keep yours. But... No. No time. Details we can iron out later.†He jogged out to rejoin the fray. My watch and cigarette case still being in the possession of Stone, I stayed in the resupply room until the battle was over, pretending to be waking up anew whenever someone entered or appeared. ---tbc---
Title: Stolen Kisses Chapter Ten: Sugar, We're Going Down Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: There are difficulties in sneaking around when you're on opposite sides of a war... Author's Notes: Sequel to 'The Defiant Ones'. Also named after a film. Yeah, the fic ends right there. Yes, there is a sequel. The post-battle briefing went well, inasmuch as the spy gave the story we had agreed upon, and everyone accepted it as fact. It went less than well, in that Stone accepted it as well and it was hard to track him down afterwards to get my things back. “It’s me, you idiot.†I finally caught him up on the roof. “I want my disguise kit. And my watch.†“How’d you get away with it?†He handed them over. “Figure it must be, ‘cause no one else knows I’ve got these. Besides... even without the black eye, you look a little... dunno. Just a little like yourself, and not like the others. Takes a close look to tell.†“I got away with it the way any good spy would. Blackmail.†“You’re blackmailing the other spies?†He laughed. “One of them. Of course, if I told you why and how, he would have me killed. Permanently, I mean.†“What happened to the black eye, anyway? You actually get a medic to fix it?†“... In a manner of speaking.†“How good is the information you got on the other Spy, anyway?†“Good enough.†“Good enough to get his help? Because three of us, split over both sides, we’re not getting anything. And I want to get out of here.†“... Yes. You do want to get out of here. You... you want very much to... I think yes. I think I can convince him to help us. We may never get the others. The team as a whole would be fractured over this, and some of them we could not trust, because this is a big deal, but I think I can get him on our side. Thank you.†“Don’t thank me.†He shrugged. “I’m just looking for anything I can get.†Stone wandered off a short distance and set himself up with a view of the RED base, and I headed back down, running into our Pyro on the staircase and only just managing not to jump, or squeak, or anything undignified. An enemy heavy I can face with a bon mot and a wry smile, but even our own pyros just... “Rsh hrr rnhrwuh rh cn hurrh?†“I have no idea what you just said to me. Do you mind letting me through? I only recently arrived, and I’m trying to familiarize myself with the base.†“Yrh dn’n jsh hrrhrrv. Yrh hur srm sprhh’s brfrhh. Wrrnr mrrdrh.†“What? Wait... you can tell us apart?†“Rrh crn trhl llrh sprs rprrh.†“Really? I thought only we could...†Well, of course as a spy myself, I can tell everyone apart—except the Pyros, funnily enough... but scouts, soldiers, engineers, demos... they all seem to view other classes as basically interchangeable. Stone picked up the ability to tell a couple of us apart, but only after spending some time contemplating treason with me, and fighting with one of the others. And my Sniper knows me... usually before he sees me, which I am willing to chalk up to strange bushman powers. I never really figured out if the medics and heavies are able to tell each other apart innately, or if like Stone there is a learned familiarity between pairs, or if it is merely coincidence that leads certain pairs to team up most frequently. “F whhr jsh brhrn mhssh wrf hhr... crn rh br hrn yrh trrhm?†“Can... can you be on my team?†I laughed derisively. “M nur rh bhr ghr!†“You set me on fire!†“Rrh wrsh rrh rhksrhrn!†“Accident? You were using a flamethrower! You shouted ‘die, monster!’!†“Rrh thrr yrh wrh rrh rnrmrrh.†He hung his head. “And what do you bring to the party, exactly? Don’t say ‘spycheck’. I will gut you if you say ‘spycheck’. This is about information gathering and effective rhetoric, neither of which is your particular strong suit.†“Prrhs?†“No. It was a mistake trying to include people on this. It will never work that way. No.†“Rrh wrnn trhll rnrhhn! Rrl br rrh srkhrr!†“Ah... you—Okay. Look, why would you even want to be a part of this? What does it matter to you who’s in charge, you just like to burn things.†“Rrhsh drffrn... Fuhrrsh drffrn.†“What do you mean the fire is different? It didn’t seem different when you were spraying it on me!†“Burh rrh rsh! Rn rsh nuhr... rsh nuhr hurkrh... rsh nuhr rhrr.†“I’m sorry?†“Rrh wrnrhh grh.†“If I say yes, will you... will you leave me alone until I ask for you? If there’s something you can do, I promise I’ll let you know. If there’s a chance of getting out of this, I’ll let you know. Is that all right? Can I go now?†He nodded and let me pass. I felt a little shaky. The idea of even that mumbling simpleton being aware of how wrong things were... well, it had to prove something. Maybe only that this particular Pyro wasn’t as dimwitted as I had previously assumed. Or maybe that I am vindicated in my beliefs that this is something wrong, something we need to get away from. And what was that? The fire was different? They couldn’t make fire different. Did he mean it wasn’t fun anymore? That was creepy all on its own, of course, but they’re all kind of creepy. ---/-/--- “Do you want my advice?†The other Spy looked up at me. “How about a word of advice to you? You should have waited.†“Waited?†“For your little gambit.†He waved one hand vaguely. “Tomorrow two more spies arrive. You could have pretended to come in with them. As it is, you are suspiciously early. Two more spies, and some more of everything else. Five all told, of every class. The next battle will be a big one. I assume RED will try to match us, though I do not know if the symmetry is important to them. They may be less balanced.†“Do you want my advice about Stone?†He went still for a moment and adopted a look of forced nonchalance. “If you like.†“He wants out, of all of this. Whatever game the Announcer is playing. If you want to be in his good graces, you might consider using whatever pull you may have to look into it.†“I hope for your sake the Engineer’s machines are still functioning to keep this room blocked. If they are not, you have just given her an excellent reason to remove you. And I refuse to take any part in that sort of foolishness.†He said coldly, but he met my gaze with a hard desperation that spoke different. ---/-/--- The regularly scheduled conflicts were back on their regular schedule, this time with even more people sent in, and I managed to find my Sniper during the latest outbreak of war. “You’re free!†He dropped his gun, pulled me into a blind spot. “How’d you get free?†“The last battle. Respawn.†“How’d you get killed?†His brow furrowed. “It isn’t important.†I kissed him. “Do you still have that stolen watch?†“Yeah... I have it. Poor bastard had to send off for a new one, he figures it was smashed or something.†“Good. Turn it on and follow me.†“One problem—if we’re both cloaking, neither one of us is gonna be able to see the other.†“Hold onto my arm and try not to try to kill anyone, and don’t let anything hit you.†I kissed him again, then disappeared. Not getting hit would be harder, now that both sides had increased in size yet again. Harder, but doable. We made our way through the sewer lines, up into BLU’s base, to my bedroom. The showers would have been nice, but too risky. The sewers were not too deep, and at least in my room I had a basin and some soap. It was better than nothing. I barricaded the door with my armoire and started stripping. “Well?†“This really the time?†“Dammit,†I growled, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him into a hard kiss that had our teeth knocking together. “I am far too frustrated in every possible meaning of the word to worry about whether or not now is the time. No one will even notice we are gone. I almost lost everything, again, and now all I want...†“Siddown.†He gave me a little shove towards the bed and grabbed the basin from its console, along with the soap and handtowel. “Gonna guess you’re the type to get upset over something like sewer water on your fancy bedsheets.†“My bedsheets are very fancy.†I defended. He just laughed and knelt between my knees, washing away the clinging aura of refuse that tended to accumulate on the legs of anyone who waded through the sewers. “You have the girliest soap.†He snorted, kissing the back of one knee. “It’s what they had... anyway, that’s just—here, and—“ “Mm-hm?†He looked up at me, his lips trailing up my thigh. “Maybe it is not the most masculine soap I have ever owned.†“Oh.†He nuzzled a spot mere centimeters from where I wanted his attention. His tongue did something very interesting, and stopped doing it too soon. “All right, all right, it’s pretty bad. Happy?†“... Yeah.†He struggled out of his own things, gave himself a cursory washing up, and joined me on the bed, his hand tracing the path his mouth had been making up my thigh, and his lips moving down from my chest to meet that hand somewhere in the middle, and then he was stroking me, slow, too slow, his lips and tongue playing over the head of my cock. I squeezed his shoulder, closed my eyes. Watching him at work on me was too... too much, and I wouldn’t last if I did. His mouth pulled off me, a slow spit-slick slide, and I did open my eyes, to see him smirking up at me. “Where’s your fancy French dirty-talk?†“Where’s your mouth on my cock?†I scowled. “I miss it when you don’t do it.†He shrugged, still looking far too smug. “That’s funny, so do I, about your mouth. On my cock. Where it isn’t.†I growled. “Dunno, maybe I need some encouragement.†“You wouldn’t know the difference between ‘you have a fantastic body’ and ‘don’t forget to pick up the groceries’.†“Fine. Talk about groceries for all I care.†He grinned. “You are serious...†“I like hearin’ ya.†“Mon grand...†I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to nudge him subtly back towards where he had just been. “T’a couper la soufflé, a la fin...†He slid his mouth along the underside of my cock, before taking me in and humming softly. “... je t’adore. A tel enseigne que je branler dans le manche... Tu est trop costaud, bon... je bande pour toi... If I stop, are you going to stop?†“Mm-hm.†“Connard.†“Mm-hm.†“Baise-moi comme un grande folle, carrer dans l’oignon... I really should... oh... complain that I’m wasting my best material on you...†He paused long enough to grin at me in a very predatory manner. “It’s not wasted.†I swallowed. “Oh. Ah...†He started back in on me, slower for a moment before deep-throating me suddenly. “Foutre!†I gasped, head hitting the pillow. “Ah...†“Mm?†And the communication-by-humming made it worse. Well, better. That sort of odd place between the two, where everything starts to white out and self-control is in dangerous short supply. “Tu...†I gasped, struggled. “Mm-hm...†“Avalons la fumee...†I came before he had the chance to do any more of the communicative humming, taking him a bit by surprise—though really, after all the teasing, there was a sort of vicious satisfaction in that. He coughed a little, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Stuff’s in my van... uh, you know, for the...†“That’s fine.†I shook my head, sliding around him and tugging at his hips until our positions were reversed. “I’d rather have this...†I decided against drawing it out. We probably didn’t have that much time, really... besides, I felt like being just a little wanton, like breaking under the cool, professional veneer and making him scream—forgetting for the moment that any loud and obviously sexual noise was a bad idea. The point was I wanted it. The point was I wanted to make him crazy, and fast. I revel in it a little. Not just the end result of making him crazy, but the fun of it. The heat and weight and feel of him in my mouth, his grip tightening and slacking on my shoulder or the back of my head, when he was too far gone for the gentler encouragement of a hand brushing my cheek. Hearing his breathing go ragged, and that little muscle in his stomach that jumped and twitched under my hand. Leaving his hard-on unattended just long enough to whorl my tongue through the sparse dark hairs at the top of his thigh and to suck briefly at his balls, and then I wrapped my hand around his shaft and pumped until he came on me. He still doesn’t scream, a relief and a disappointment both, but he does swear softly under his breath, his voice shaky, as he watches me wipe up his come with one thumb and lick it off the leather. “You naughty thing.†He grinned and tugged me forward into a kiss. “You know you love it.†“Sounds like the fighting’s stopped.†“Putain! I thought the round would last longer... we should have been quicker... we should have... I don’t even want you to go. They are probably missing you, over on your side.†“Not really. Don’t always show up to those post-mission briefings.†He shrugged, getting dressed hastily. Just then a massive explosion sounded outside. “Well, good news.†He blinked. “Not over after all.†“Be safe.†I kissed him again. We should have parted there, but instead we found ourselves walking through the largely-deserted base together as we headed in the direction of the fray. Here and there there were bodies, though not too many. Just outside there were more. Too many more. “Wait.†I grabbed his wrist. “This is not right.†“New guys, I imagine.†He shrugged. “What?†“Come with me.†He shrugged and followed me back in through the base, to the resupply room. No one was coming out. We waited. Still no one came out. “... Damn.†---FIN--- This is the end of this story, but there is a sequel (obviously), that I'll start posting up.
Oh, YOU'D BETTER. Damn. Fics like this are like crack! Hooked immediately. Next thing you know, you're stealing your grandmother's television and whoring yourself out to that old man down the street. ....not that I do that...obviously.... Hehe....
.... Well goddamnit, now I'm desperate for more. I'm dead serious. This story is almost like the Adult FanFic section's "Nucleus Incident". That's how epic this is; I'm not even slightly exaggerating. It's a damn good thing I'm patient.
Sorry I got you guys addicted :P Here's the continuation story. Title: Always Another Dawn Chapter One: Soldiers Without Uniforms Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy, hints of others if you squint (though most could be taken as friendships) Summary: What to do when it's all over. Author's Notes: Sequel to 'Stolen Kisses'. Big shocker, it is named after a film (chapter title also a film). “See?†I swept my arm towards the closed door of the resupply. There was a severed arm there in the hall that would not disappear. “I think we are being written off.†“We need an engineer.†“He can’t fix this.†I shook my head. “Well, then what do you think we need?†I led him back up to my bedroom, stopping him with a look before he could comment. “Grab my bedsheet. Then we’ll go find that engineer.†“I thought you said—“ “Let’s go!†I took one end, and he took the other, following me down the stairs and towards the spot where our usual Engineer tended to set up camp. “Don’t shoot!†I shouted, before we were in view. The Engineer was attempting to fix his sentry, one of the pyros standing guard by his dispenser. “Darn spies an’ your darn disguises...†The Engineer looked between my Sniper and I with a disgruntled expression. “What do you need?†“We need to be able to speak to everyone. The whole battlefield. Can you do that?†“Well—Now...†He stopped, pushing his hardhat back and scratching his head. “We haven’t had any commands comin’ through for a good spell, have we?†The pyro shook his—her?—it’s?—head, then regarded me. “Urr rhh grnrh lrhvh srn?†“Oh... it’s... you?†It nodded, with a little affirmative noise. “We are most definitely going to leave soon.†I assured him. “But we need to be able to stop this.†“Well, won’t be a thing to rig up a sort of bullhorn, maybe a speaker system right quick, but it’ll be localized, I’m not about to go tromping about all over the goldurn place.†“No, that would be for the best.†I agreed. “What’s with the sheet, if you fellas don’t mind me asking?†“We’ll explain in a moment.†I promised. “We?†My Sniper elbowed me. “I don’t exactly know, now, do I?†“In a moment.†The speakers went up quickly, sentry ignored for the moment, and the Engineer handed me an ersatz microphone. “Here,†I jerked my head towards the spot where the Engineer’s site overlooked the battleground. “Hang onto the sheet.†My Sniper did, as I tossed the other end over, where it caught the slight breeze and waved over everything, an enormous white flag. He looked back at the half-finished sentry gun behind us and hit the button on the stolen Cloak and Dagger. “Pardon...†I tapped the microphone. “Gentlemen! Cease and desist!†I heard the faint howl of a soldier down below, and the words ‘hippie quitter talk’. “The respawn has stopped working!†The gunfire below stopped. The Engineer, who had just finished repairing his sentry, stopped as well. “What?†“I repeat; the respawn has stopped working! There has been no word from our respective employers! If they have not decided that this war is over, it is in the best interests of those of us surviving to do so for ourselves. The respawn has stopped working. If you are alive, please meet in the middle of the area for a brief headcount and a summit between the two sides. Do not continue fighting, the respawn has stopped working.†The four of us shuffled down warily, still carrying the sheet and praying for the best. Slowly but surely, a group amassed. One BLU medic was already there, though it seemed he had merely been there since the announcement. He was sitting on the ground, staring blankly ahead, leaning against a fallen heavy. From my own side, aside from myself, the Pyro, the Engineer, and the Medic, we had a Scout, a Soldier, and Stone and the nameless Spy. From the RED side, my own Sniper, a RED Medic—with surviving Heavy—RED Scout, a Demoman. Eight and five. “Looks like we won.†Soldier said. “No one is the victor here.†I said bitterly. “Look at us all. Whatever happened, none of us has won.†“I have a little information.†Spy took a deep breath, a steeling drag on his cigarette. “You gentlemen are perhaps aware of what it is that RED and BLU—rather, Redmond and Blutarch Mann—have wanted to gain control of?†“Gravel pit.†Soldier offered. “Beyond that. Something both men were denied, long, long ago. In a twist of fate which might have been amusing, under other circumstances, or with greater distance... I was recently able to discover that our Announcer—the woman who has been giving orders to both sides of this war—has a relationship of sorts with a certain CEO.†“Redmond Mann?†The Demoman guessed. “Blutarch Mann?â€Soldier was not to be outdone, apparently. He still considered himself the winner in all this, I think, just because there were three more survivors in blue than in red. “Saxton Hale.†Spy said. “Australian.†Stone added. “CEO of Mann Company.†Spy finished. “She has been keeping both Mann men preoccupied with this little war, and Saxton Hale now owns them both. There is no more RED. There is no more BLU. Everything belongs to one man, to one company, in one place. We are no longer necessary. We have been left to kill each other. Forgotten. And the land is worth nothing, he merely owns it because he can.†“There... there’s no more respawn?†The RED scout looked shaky. “I... I think I’m gonna be sick, man.†“Go be sick somewhere else, then.†I took a hasty step back from him, just in case. “I’m serious, here. This is... this is serious. Nobody’s coming back this time, and... and none of the bodies are going away, why aren’t they going away?†“Stupid boy. You have so much bravado about killing men when it is all just a game with no consequences, and now of course you cannot handle reality.†“Hey, shut up. You’re the one who came running out here with a giant white flag and yelling at us to stop.†“Yes. But I am not turning green, like a weak little—“ “Hey, I’m not weak. I’m way more not-weak than you!†More posturing. Yawn... Then again, what else can one expect from these children? “If you were from where I was from—“ “Stupid boy!†I raised my hand to slap him, pulling back only when my Sniper stepped between the scout and myself. I stalked off a few steps. “Yeah, you better—“ “You don’t know what you’re talking about, and you might consider shutting your face.†My Sniper warned, voice low. “But— Hey!—I—Yeah, well, nice job stepping in for your girlfriend.†“My ‘girlfriend’, as you put it, was about to kick your whiny little ankle-biting arse all across this battlefield, if I hadn’t stepped in. Listen, kiddo... you like movies, right?†“Yeah, guess so. Everyone does.†“You seen ‘Casablanca’?†“Uh, part of it, when it was the Sunday afternoon movie once. It was kind of boring, all everyone did was talk.†“Yeah.†Soldier nodded. “They had a perfectly good movie for killing Nazis in, and they went and made it about the love between a man and a woman! And that’s just sick. Wait... Well, it’s not sick like the love between a man and anything that’s not a woman, but when I see a movie, I expect there to be Nazi-killing!†“Do you remember anything about the movie aside from the fact that you didn’t have the attention span to sit down and watch it?†“No.†“... Well this has gone off the rails.†“Yeah, whatever.†“If you were from where I was from,†I addressed the RED Scout, my composure regained. “You would have spent your formative years under a hostile occupying force. I was six years old when I underwent my first mission as a spy. And that innocent six-year-old face would not have spared my life had I been caught.†“Tsch. Like I ever get caught. I woulda done just fine.†“Really? You think so? Imagine, you are a small child, and suddenly, the streets outside your home are filled with soldiers. The laws have changed—law being a concept you are barely able to grasp as it is—punishments are suddenly much harsher. You are suddenly much poorer. There is no food. If you are lucky, you live in a town that is not bombed, but probably, you are not lucky. Your parents disappear for days on end and they cannot tell your neighbors why, because anyone could be a collaborationist. There is a curfew. If you are old enough to be in school, during the four years that this lasts, you are practically indoctrinated into a cult of personality. You may be expected to speak a new language, and to learn it quickly. Some of your friends disappear and are never seen again, but you probably do not understand why. This is the sole blessing in your life. One day, your mother does not return.†His lower lip wobbled. “My ma?†“That is right. Imagine that, petit. Imagine that she goes out, and she cannot tell you where or why, and she never comes home. Your father as well. Many of the people you have always relied upon.†“Whatever.†He wrapped his arms around himself and turned away. “You’re making that stuff up.†“He isn’t.†It was a very quiet whisper, from a very subdued RED Medic. The slightly younger one. Aware that he was being stared at, he coughed and looked at the ground. “I actually narrowly escaped arrest once, myself, twenty five-odd years ago. I wasn’t—I was never a national socialist. My family was always social democrat. Well, it’s different. Oh, none of you understand...†“You nearly got arrested for being a social democrat?†“No, for—It isn’t important why. Well, not that it was out of the question, even... No. Forget I even spoke. What are we going to do about... about all them?†The Soldier looked down at the shovel in his hand, then at the mass of bodies—and of parts—scattered around us. “That’s gonna take forever.†“Well, start digging, then.†The Medic snapped. “Too many of ‘em to bury.†The Engineer shook his head. “Rrh crhhd rlrhs...†The Pyro offered, hefting his flamethrower. “Rf rhh cn’ brhrh rm...†“NO! Ah, no... you couldn’t—so many—No, it’s better to... The smoke, and—Please, don’t?†Even more than speaking of his youthful close call, this rattled the Medic. “It’s more practical...†“Please don’t... I can’t, the smoke... the smell. There are too many of them. I don’t mind digging, I’ll help dig. We’ll bury them.†He picked up a discarded shovel from the remains of a dead Soldier’s hand, the blood on the handle didn’t give him a moment’s pause. The BLU Medic moved for the first time since I had seen him. He touched his hand to his lips, leaving a smear of blood which he licked away absently, looked around the group assembled as though he was only now seeing us. “The respawn is really... it’s really not going to work, ever again?†“No. Doesn’t look like it is.†The Engineer said, apologetically. “I see. Yes, thank you. I see. Ah... he will not be needing this?†He bent, picking up a uniform jacket that had once contained a RED Soldier, and now contained only a few little chunks of him. He stood for a moment, looking down at the corpse he had been leaning against. “Excuse me. I will rejoin you in a moment.†We watched him walk around a corner, the bloodied jacket twisted in his hands. From off in the distance, there was the sound of gunfire. “HEY! ARE YOU CRAZY?!†My Sniper shouted, waving the sheet again. “DIDN’T YOU HEAR? RESPAWN’S BEEN SHUT OFF! Aw, dammit, who missed the announcement? Did someone shoot your Medic?†The Engineer’s mouth tightened. “How many times do I gotta tell... aw, boy...†“What?†“Sentry. Only one left standing, he...†He looked around the corner, then came back the few steps to rejoin the rest of us. “He walked right into it. Took one of y’all’s uniforms and just, walked right into it...†The Heavy frowned, touching his own Medic’s shoulder. “Why would other Doktor do this?†“... I don’t pretend to know.†He lied, his own gaze on the big, blue-clad corpse his fellow medic had been leant against. “War does funny things to a man. Sometimes things become too much to handle.†“He was like you.†I offered. Almost everyone looked at me as though I were incredibly stupid for pointing out the obvious, but the Medic merely nodded. “Yes. Yes, I think so. I’m sorry, are you... the cage?†“Yes. I am sorry, by the way... for what it’s worth. I wouldn’t have noticed, if I wasn’t... well... I just needed you to be angry enough to attack me.†He laughed humorlessly. “Well, you did that.†Several of us got to work digging after that, but it was tiring work, and we still didn’t have enough graves for everyone. “We’ll have to burn some and bury some.†The Engineer said solemnly. “Otherwise we’ll be out here all day and night, and the buzzards are already coming ‘round.†“Should... should we sing or something?†The BLU Scout asked, toeing the dirt. “Like you do, at funerals?†There was a brief and solemn pause before voices lifted in song. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me,†The Engineer surprised us with a rather pleasant baritone. Which would have been all right, except... “Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling,†The Demoman warbled, scrumpy spilling out as he waved his arms in dubious time to the ‘music’. “Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive!†Spy lowered Jean into one of the shallow graves we had managed to dig. “When I was a young man I carried my pack, And I lived the free life of a rover, From the Murrays’ green basin--†Stone barely whispered the tune, but he was near enough to us that I heard him, and from the hand tightening in mine, I could freely assume my Sniper had as well. “Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen, ich fahr dahin mein Strassen, in fremde Land dahin...†“Uh, fellas?†The Scout cleared his throat. “How about if we all sang the same song?†There was a brief conference of a few of the singers, and then a few clear, strong voices. “Amazing grace, oh Danny Boy, in fremde Land dahin, and the band played Waltzing Matilda, Allons enfants de la Patrie,†“Well...†My Sniper swallowed oddly, his head twitching to the side. “I mean, Amazing Grace is common signature, innit?†“That doesn’t make it okay.†I shook my head. “No. No, I’m sort of...†Stone searched for the words. “Disgusted?†Spy snorted. “Outraged? Offended?†“Yeah, those, a bit.†He nodded. After that, the funeral continued in mostly silent solemnity. The RED Medic had been right. Burning them was a bad idea. We pretended not to notice him vomiting off to the side, and I think most of us envied the Pyro for having a mask to keep the foul, oily smoke out. After that, we covered the rest of the bodies we couldn’t bury with a thin layer of dirt—not enough to do good, but enough to feel as though we’d done a duty—and called it a job done. My Sniper settled his arm around me and looked at everyone. “So. Who wants to get out of here? Some of us have had a plan going, but... ah... well, actually, a few of those people are...†“Dead.†The RED Scout hugged himself. “They’re dead. Dead, dead, dead. Man...†“Most everyone’s been teleported in recently.†Stone said. “You’ve been here from the start, or thereabouts. You got a van?†“Yeah.†“Well, that’s two.†“And twelve of us.†The Engineer scratched his head again. Well, if you can put five in each van, and I take one more in the pickup...†“Bit cramped. Four and four and four’d be better, if there’s anyone doesn’t mind the bed of your truck.†“I don’t mind.â€The Demoman shook his head. Soldier nodded. “A real man doesn’t need cushy, girly comforts like a seatbelt. Or a seat. Or a roof. Hell, you sissies in your vans, a real man could walk! But... the back of a truck’ll be fine.†They regarded each other warily for a moment, and the Demoman extended his bottle. “Friends again? Not much point in fighting now, is there?†“... Hell. Why not?†“I will ride in one of the vans.†Spy sniffed, casting a disparaging look on the now-heavily-drinking pair. “Right.†Our Engineer nodded. “Pyro, how ‘bout you ride up front with me? Now, I guess you boys each take one spy, one scout, then one of you gets the doc and one of you gets—“ “Nyet.†The Heavy shook his head, meaty hand settling once more on his medic’s shoulder. “Doktor stays with me.†I lifted a questioning eyebrow. The Medic shook his head, slightly bewildered. “Guess both scouts can ride with us.†My Sniper sighed. “They’ll be in the back, anyway, won’t be too troublesome.†“Aw, no. I’ll take a scout, you can keep both spies.†Stone whined. Well, I doubt he would have admitted it was a whine, but the emotion behind it was very... very whiney. “I’m hurt. And after I brought back all the answers.†“Yeah, great timing with that.†The Scouts, however, were already deep in conversation with one another, and apparently had fast become friends. “Looks like you’re stuck with him, mate.†My Sniper chuckled. “Get in the back and keep your bloody cleats off my bed, kiddos.†---tbc---
Title: Always Another Dawn Chapter Two: Journey Out Of Darkness Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy, hints of others if you squint (though most could be taken as friendships) Summary: What to do when it's all over. Author's Notes: Sequel to 'Stolen Kisses'. Big shocker, it is named after a film (chapter title also a film). We caravanned to the nearest rest stop, gassed up the vehicles, and bought some food, water, and maps. “There’s a bus station,†The Engineer pointed it out on the better of the maps. “Once we all get there, everyone can split off and go their separate ways, get home. Y’all have ideas as to where you’re headed?†“I have a cousin,†The Medic nodded. “He’s lived for the last twenty years in a small town not too far from Bern. The last we spoke, he mentioned... the town’s doctor is retiring. People will have to go all the way into the city. Which is not so terrible, but I could take over the practice, if I moved there. And after all, we have the back pay, it will not be difficult to fly there, buy a house, establish myself. My cousin is well-respected, if he vouches for me... It could be a new life. And Swiss German is not too different from Swabian.†There was a moment in which he noted all the blank stares he was now receiving. “It is a regional dialect. Ugh, dummkopfs...†“Should be nice there.†The Heavy nodded. “I have not thought about where to go. No family to go back to...†“Well... you could always—I mean, while you think it over, you could... visit Switzerland. While you are thinking.†“I like that.†He clapped the other man on the back. I raised my eyebrow at the Medic again, addressing him in a low whisper. “You’re sure?†“I was sure, he is not!†He whispered back. “I mean... I thought I was sure... wasn’t I?†I shrugged. “Either you were wrong, or it is still better than nothing, or you’ve just signed yourself up for hell.†“I know.†He pushed his glasses up his nosebridge. “Such is ever the way.†“Well, from the bus station, won’t be too hard to get home.†The Demoman smiled cheerily for a moment. “Ah, mum’ll throw a fit over me being out of work. Still got one job, but I’ll have to look for summat else, or hear about how my dad held down twenty-six jobs in his prime, and me still with a working eyeball.†“I just can’t believe the war is over...†Soldier shook his head, looking rather pathetic. “I know!†Demo grabbed Soldier’s arm. “I know what we’ll do wi’ you, lad! Now, first, you come and stay at the house while we get everything together... we got to get everything together... An’, we’ll get weapons! An’ we’ll get bombs! An’ you, you’re goin’ to Vietnam. That’s the new thing! That’s the new war!†“Yeah.†Soldier nodded. “Yeah, that just oughta... It’ll be just like Korea, right?†“... I donnae see why not. They’re both... in Asia!†“Yeah! And you’re coming with me, buddy. You and me, we’re gonna bomb the hell out of the whole continent!†“Ye’re only goin’ to war with Vietnam, though.†“It’s called a preemptive strike!†“... I am just drunk enough to be inclined to agree with you. Now promise you’re not taking advantage of a poor drunken man and foisting bad ideas off on me...†“I promise. This is the best idea I have ever had, and you’re the one who had it!†“All right!†He roared, sloshing more moonshine all over the maps, despite the Engineer’s hasty attempts to save them. “How ‘bout you boys?†The Scouts, sitting next to each other, were practically vibrating with excitement. Or possibly with Bonk!... I swear they dropped half their back pay and carried out every can the little rest stop had. “Guess what!†The BLU Scout exploded. “Donny and me—“ “Yeah, me and Vinny—“ ‘Donny and Vinny?’, my Sniper mouthed. I snickered. “Our moms live, like, right next door! We’re neighbors!†“Yeah, we’re gonna go home and we can take the same bus, we’re gonna see our moms,†“They’re gonna bake us so many cookies!†“We were in a real live war, girls are gonna be so all over us, too!†“And we got so many stories for the guys—“ “—brothers are gonna be so jealous!†The Engineer glanced over at me—well, I think. He still hadn’t taken off his goggles. “You got a plan?†“... I was thinking, somewhere south of Paris...†“North of Vichy.†My Sniper shrugged, and this time, his arm settled not around my shoulders, but around my waist. The others stared, not all at once, but a slow slide of attention towards us. My Sniper gave off an air of nonchalance, but I could see—and in several cases, feel—the tensed muscles, and I saw his eyes behind his glasses, hard and nervous and waiting. “All right.†The Engineer nodded. “Bet it’s real pretty out there.†“You said you weren’t queer!†The RED Scout—Donny—protested. “Yeah, an’ guess what?†My Sniper smirked at him. “... You lied?†“And my boyfriend could still kick your bloody ankle-biting arse. I’d welcome anyone who’s got a problem to take it up with me, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if anyone who took it up with me wound up with a chronic case of a knife in the back. I’m just saying...†I leaned against him. “That was... I’m not sure if ‘romantic’ is the word, cher... but, I am not sure that it isn’t.†“I aim to please.†“Yes, well, you do that very well, too.†“Uh...†Stone coughed. “Anyway, that’s them, which I’d like to point out, is different from us. So there’s no confusion. I’m thinking I’ll end up... aw, dunno. Somewhere. Head back to Australia.†“Hm.†Spy nodded. “You know, it is one of the only two continents I have never visited... I always thought I might someday. Just so I could say I had had the complete experience, you know. I’m sure Antarctica is unnecessary...†“One place on earth big enough to hold the both of us and not drive one or the other to homicide.†Stone snorted. “I take it you’re not offering to play tour guide, then?†“Are you kidding? I’d shove you headlong into the first thing we come across that might kill you. If you touch the radio in the van again, you won’t make it to the airport, neither.†“I’ll take my chances.†Spy grinned. “Idiot.†I rolled my eyes. “Well, I figure it won’t be too long a trip from the bus depot back home to Bee Cave.†The Engineer interrupted. “Pyro?†“... drnno. Rhh... Rhh hrvn grh nrwhrrh rh ghr.†“Well, you just ride with me, then, son, ‘cause if there’s one thing always needs doing in Texas, it’s a controlled burn.†“Yrh mrn fuhrr?†He sounded almost hopeful. I guess it’s fun again, or whatever. Ugh. “Yup. What they do is, they go out and light up a big area of brush, then keep an eye on it ‘til it’s all burned out. Gotta go in every so often and clear a nice area that way so you don’t have wildfires spreading all over the place come summer. Not that it stops ‘em... but I guess it cuts it down some. Could be a nice steady job for someone with your talents.†We couldn’t see his face, but I think we all got the feeling the Pyro was smiling. ---/-/--- The nearest bus depot was still too far from the gas station. Instead of driving all night, someone in the caravan pulled off the road, and before I knew it, the ‘wagons’ were circled, and we were all sitting, or standing, around a campfire with our rest stop foodstuffs. There was a strange sort of camaraderie, considering how so many of us had only recently been trying to kill each other. The Demo and Soldier were still drinking together, reminiscing and planning a whole new field of rampaging destruction. The two scouts were running around with a baseball. The Engineer was having what appeared to be a pleasant conversation with the Medic and Heavy. Stone was sprawled out in the dirt by the fire, next to the Pyro, the pair of them watching it burn. Spy, leaning against the other van, was watching Stone. “You could sit.†My Sniper pointed out. “I’m fine.†“Oh, here,†He snorted, taking off his vest and laying it on the ground. “Ya big pooftah.†“Well... yes.†I rolled my eyes, taking the offered seat at his side. I did refuse a sip of his coffee, also bought at the little last-chance gas station and market, and by now long-cold. It seemed fairly terrible. “Temperature’s gonna drop,†The Engineer said, raising his voice. “Or already started to. We might want to think about putting out that fire and piling into the vans.†Piling... into? Dear, we were going to be stuffed like sardines. Locking the scouts out in the cold was probably going to be frowned upon, too. Ah well, I suppose I can last one night sleeping next to my Sniper and still behaving myself. The Pyro made a disappointed sound as he helped put the fire out. “Now, sleeping in the bed of the truck isn’t going to do much good against potential exposure, so I suggest you fellas bunk in with the guys in the campers.†The Engineer continued. “Me, I don’t mind sleeping in the front seat... I got a good heavy jacket I can sleep under. Pyro?†“Rrhl brkrh. Srhtsh wrr.†“Well... whatever you want, then.†Soldier tottered after us when we returned to our van, the Demoman following Stone. “How’s this going to work out?†The BLU Scout looked between us all, then at the not-overly-substantial space. “Well. I got one bed in the back, and I plan on sleeping in it.†My Sniper crossed his arms. “Oh... oh man. Vinny,†The RED Scout turned to his friend, looking visibly shaken. “We sat on that bed earlier.†“Well, yeah, but I don’t think that means we get to call it now.†“I will be sleeping in the front seat, while you ladies argue. Wake me up when you need to drive the thing.†Soldier grunted, waving us off dismissively and trying several times to open the front door of the van. Eventually he succeeded, and we could hear him snoring almost immediately. “No.†The RED Scout shook his head. “Do you know what they used that bed for? Because I’ve seen them do it.†“Tsch. You saw them? Dude, that’s so gay.†“Shut up!†They scuffled briefly. “I vote we leave them outside.†I said. “If they freeze to death, Truckie’s gonna blame us.†“Fine. Boys!†I snapped, gaining their attention—such as it was. “I am sure that the sheets have been changed since the... incident you mentioned.†“Ah...†My Sniper scratched the back of his neck. “Dude! Seriously?†“Maybe they have been! I don’t own another set. Can’t remember if they made it in laundry day...†“Had I but known. I would have brought some.†“Yeah. I don’t see me owning silk sheets.†He rolled his eyes. “You’ll get used to them.†I said confidently, climbing into the back of the van and, after toeing my shoes off and lining them up carefully, into his bed. He got in after me with a sigh, kicking his own boots off and letting them land wherever. He tossed his vest and hat onto the one seat in the camper section and stole his pillow back from me. “You boys can go ahead and find some floor space.†He offered, his arm slipping around me. I rested my head against his shoulder. “You can try, anyway.†They grumbled a little, but scouts are small, and they managed to curl into the available space. ---tbc---
Here's another chapter, I THINK there are five for this story/sequel. Then there's actually another; Title: Always Another Dawn Chapter Three: Stronger Since The War Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy, hints of others if you squint (though most could be taken as friendships) Summary: What to do when it's all over. Author's Notes: Sequel to 'Stolen Kisses'. Big shocker, it is named after a film (chapter title also a film). “Shh,†I kissed my Sniper’s cheek and pointed him towards the two sleeping scouts. “Look.†“Hm? Wuzzat?†He blinked, turning his head. “Are they... cuddling?†“They don’t have a blanket. It must have gotten cold enough. I wish I had a camera... they will deny this moment until they are both blue in the face. Photographic evidence would be a nice thing to have for the next time I hear muttered imprecations about my sex life.†“Aw, let ‘em sleep.†He rolled onto his side and tugged me close. “I think we’re really getting out this time...†“Yes.†“Can’t believe we are, and I’m actually running off to France with you.†I smiled. “I’m glad you are.†“I don’t speak the language. Closest thing is I think I’ve managed to pick up a few swears.†“That’s all right. You don’t need to go out anywhere. I’ll keep you tied up in my bedroom all day.†“As if you could keep me tied up.†“I bet I could. I bet I’d do a better job of it than you would...†“I happen to be very good at knotwork.†His face was right next to mine. I bumped my nose into his. “I happen to be very good at getting out of things.†“We might have to settle this bet one of these days.†He grinned. “Cher, I look forward to it...†There was a loud yawn from the floor. “Are you cockfags done being gay yet?†I sat up. “I’m sorry, snugglebunny, would you like to repeat that question? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of how adorable you were being, with your arms around your little friend there.†“Shut up! It’s cold! You guys got a blanket, and we slept on the floor.†There was a rap on the door to the camper. “Well... probably time to roll out, hey.†My Sniper stretched, his back popping. He grabbed his things, pulled his boots on, and met the Engineer outside to go over the day’s travel itinerary. The itinerary which consisted of ‘drive along the highway until you hit the bus depot’, as far as I know. There’s not much else out here. I slid out after him, climbing into the passenger’s seat as my Sniper unceremoniously dumped Soldier out onto the ground. “What? WHAT? Where’s the fire?! Are we under attack?†“Getting ready to leave.†“... Right. I’ll just go—the truck... Yeah.†He shook his head and wandered off. I think he really is lost now that the war is over. I think he really did want us to be under attack just then. “You lucky bastard.†Stone growled, striding up to my Sniper. “What’s the matter?†“You had the scouts. I had that bloody Demo and a Heavy. I had to sleep in the front, because they both snore, and then that bloody spy winds up in front with me because he can’t sleep with them snoring either, and the Medic’s complaining about how he spent last night, even though he at least got a bed, and I swear, I am going to kill that spy, did I mention him? Because I’m gonna kill him.†“Bon chance.†I snorted. “It will be long overdue.†“This morning, he used my mug. The mug which is mine. He—What do you mean, long overdue? As much trouble as he was when we were trying to work out an escape plan before, I don’t think it would’ve done much good.†“He told me once you had been hired to kill him.†I shrugged. “Really? Huh. I guess I just assumed it was the RED Spy. I mean, at the time it wasn’t anybody. I mean, at the time, we weren’t... I never thought I’d wind up on the same bloody side as someone I was supposed to kill. Well. I may finally make good on that.†There was another small fire before we moved out, that people breakfasted over. I saw Spy drinking tea out of Stone’s coffee mug. Watched from across the little circle as they exchanged words. Harsh words. The scouts were zipping around again, burning off as much energy as they could before we would all be stuck in the van for hours on end, and I watched them for a moment before the sounds of a real fight broke out. The Engineer and the Heavy broke the fight up, though I noticed that Spy was the only one who seemed to suffer any bruises. Stone didn’t seem to have been hit at all. “Maybe we should trade someone around.†My Sniper sighed. “I’ll talk to him. Idiot.†I stalked over, grabbing my fellow spy’s arm. “What is the matter with you?†“With me? I didn’t start the fight.†He dabbed at his split lip and failed to cover his odd little smile with a convincingly injured look. I dragged him around the other side of the van, checked out of the corner of my eye to see that Stone had moved away. “I don’t believe that for a second.†“Maybe I provoked him.†“Are you trying to get him to kill you?†His smile dropped, his eyes growing sad and faraway. “Maybe. Maybe... I don’t even know. It is something. You know, he makes it clear enough that I will never have what you have, there is no point even in my trying, but at least he—“ “Don’t.†I snarled. “Don’t you dare say ‘at least he notices me’, that is juvenile and stupid, and—“ “No. At least in a fistfight, he touches me.†“... That is a little sick, isn’t it?†He touched his split lip again. “It is. I know. It’s about as far from a kiss as you can get, but I would still rather have that then have nothing at all. Besides... the odds are that someone will kill me. Maybe it is more than just a little sick, but he’s my first choice.†“This is the most idiotic thing I have ever been party to. If you do this, this stupid, stupid thing again, I will... I will put a stop to it.†“Oh?†“Yes.†I left him, wound up cloaking to sneak up on the conversation between Stone and my own Sniper, just cigarettes and grievances and long stares into the distance. “I got no idea what his problem is. I don’t know how you put up with being in a relationship with one. I mean, yours is the less annoying of the two, to be fair, but...†I stayed very still and hoped he wouldn’t do that pseudo-psychic thing of his where he knows I’m there. I wanted to hear what his answer might be. He shrugged, flicking his cigarette to the ground. “Dunno. He’s cute, when he’s not being a bloody suave superspy. Under the mask.†“Didn’t even know there was an under the mask.†Stone chuckled. “Well... I guess I got history with my Spy, just a little. Or, hell, maybe you should try it with that idiot, it might shut him up, make him easier to handle.†Stone’s expression flattened. “I don’t—“ “Yeah, yeah, you don’t do men. Gotcha.†“No. I don’t... with anybody. Don’t see how you do. I mean... The fewer people I can have any kind of attachment to, the better it is for me, right? It’s not just a question of would I with another bloke, it’s that I don’t, with anyone. Used to being alone, at any rate, it’s not exactly a hardship to get by on my own. But the last one night stand I had...†“Yeah?†“Gorgeous girl. Tourist-type. Met her... ah, dunno where. It wasn’t even a one-night stand, it wasn’t even a half an hour. Think she liked the accent. Think she was shy about being touched. She wasn’t shy about—well, she wasn’t shy about some other things. We wound up fooling around in her hotel room, and after I left I was thinking about her eyes for a week. I blew a shot—dammit, you know which shot it was, too? That was when I was supposed to take out that bloody spy, and here I am thinking about some girl who took me back to her hotel room and blew me and kicked me out, and her eyes are just the bluest eyes you ever seen...†“Oh, yeah.†My Sniper nodded, tone casual. “Sure, nothing’s distracting like a pretty pair of blue eyes, gotcha.†“Anyway, after that, I figured best thing to do would be cut out the one night stands as well.†“Sounds practical, but awful.†“I do all right.†I decloaked, startling Stone, who ought to have been able to see me just barely, had he cared to pay the attention. My own Sniper just chuckled. “That was a private conversation.†Stone glared at me. “I only just arrived.†I lied, placating. My Sniper snorted. “Course ya did, darlin’. You sort your friend out?†“He’s hardly a friend. Still... try not to let him provoke you.†I said to Stone. “He does it on purpose.†“Yeah, by this point I figured it had to be.†“He does it on purpose so you’ll rough him up.†There was a moment of stunned silence, Stone’s jaw working. “He likes being beaten up?†“He likes having you beat him up. No, not... He likes you. And he is stupid. And he is used to taking risks, and he is resigned to the fact that the retirement plan for spies is not a good one, and he is resigned to the fact that you will never take an interest in him, and probably when you fought after my little adventure with imprisonment, you pushed him up against a wall or something and he decided he liked it, I don’t even know. But he’ll keep pushing you until you do kill him... unless you learn to ignore him. It shouldn’t be much longer, anyway. You can get away from him at the bus depot, or at an airport.†“He... Sorry, what?†“It shouldn’t be that surprising. I mean, look at me.†“Yeah, but—That isn’t—I don’t--!†“But, he is, like me a little. That is how I blackmailed him. He fell for you when you were supposed to be killing him.†“How’d he even know? Was I that bad?†“Or he was that good. Hard to imagine with the way he is acting now, I know. Anyway, it no longer matters that I was not replaced back at the base, and hopefully if you know why he is doing all this, you... I don’t know. At least you know.†He shook his head. “I don’t do this sort of thing.†“Yes. He knows. It seems to have made him crazy. But he knows.†“You could. I don’t mean it has to be with him!†My Sniper held his hands up. “I just mean, you could retire. We all have enough, don’t we? You could meet a girl, if that’s what you want.†“Wouldn’t know what to do with myself without the job, mate.†Stone shrugged. “You have fun being retired, but me... I don’t know, I couldn’t.†“Well, try not to make a mess out of his brains. Whatever is left of them...†I sighed. Stone regarded me curiously for a moment. “Hey... you said the other spy’s like you that way. Is that what you meant before, talking to the RED Medic?†I shook my head. “I am not at liberty to say.†“So yes. Him and our Medic both, reckon. Don’t bother lying, I knew about ours.†“You knew?†I... may have gaped a bit. “I hadn’t even known about our Medic.†“Yeah, well, he wasn’t always on your team, I worked with him before. Shoulda recognized that was him... Back on the old team we were part of, everyone knew about him and the Heavy. I mean, no one ever said anything, but we all knew. I shoulda seen it. If I knew it was him, we could’ve stopped him, I would’ve known what he was up to...†“No.†“What do you mean, no?†“I mean... even if you had recognized him, even if you had realized what he planned to do... it would have been wrong to stop him.†“He bloody killed himself! I coulda—“ “It would have been cruel. In his mind, he was already a dead man. He did not lie to us and walk away... the words, ‘I will rejoin you in a moment’, those words were not for us.†“Come on,†My Sniper took my elbow gently. “Looks like everyone’s getting ready to go.†“Better get back, then.†Stone nodded. His gait as he headed back to his own van was odd, stilted. As though he was not sure he wanted to get there very soon. My Sniper leaned me up against the side of the van and kissed me, long and deep. “What was that for?†I blinked, dazed. “Not that I didn’t appreciate it...†“That was for being you, probably. Just ‘cause I wanted to, doesn’t have to be for anything. And maybe ‘cause... ‘Cause I wouldn’t want you doing something stupid if I didn’t make it.†“Then I suppose I shall have to promise not to do anything stupid.†I smiled, drawing him back into another kiss. “You are so strange...†“How am I strange?†“You make your life showing no emotion, you do not say much, and yet somehow, I think, your heart is on your lips...†A brief little kiss. “Well. Guess it’s not a bad place for it to be.†“No. I find your lips a very fine place to be indeed.†“Ga-ay.†One of the Scouts ran past, the other on his heels. “We’re ready to go, already!†“Yeah, yeah, get in the van.†My Sniper sighed, releasing me and heading for the driver’s side door. ---tbc---
I should be sleeping but...
Didn't sleep at all... Couldn't stop reading. I need MOAR Like, now, srsly.
I love this fic. Hnnnggg. I hope it doesn't break my heart and something tragic happens.
Another long, well-written Spy/Sniper fic that is updated, like, amazingly quickly? Fuck. Yes.
Because I have no patience, I've been trying to search for the livejournal this came from so I can finish reading it. Hnnggrrf.
http://community.livejournal.com/tf2_slash/19116.html
boo, it says access denied :(
you must have a LJ account and join the tf2_slash community :3
Title: Always Another Dawn Chapter Four: That Certain Something Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy, hints of others if you squint (though most could be taken as friendships/unrequited loves...) Summary: What to do when it's all over. Author's Notes: Sequel to 'Stolen Kisses'. Big shocker, it is named after a film (chapter title also a film). Cookies to anyone who catches my slightly sneaky song reference. The minute we had pulled into the bus depot parking lot, I saw the other spy striding towards our van, and by the time I was on my feet and closing the door behind me, he was jabbing a finger in my chest. “YOU! You TOLD! Don’t even—I can tell, he looks at me like he’s sorry for me and I would rather be dead than have him pity me, but of course, no, you think you know what’s best for everyone, well this is not best! Because we are not you, and you are an idiot!†The others were gathered around staring now. Well, it was hard to tell with the Pyro, he could have been looking at anything. It’s possible the Engineer wasn’t looking at us, either, but not likely. I suppose it’s hard to tell with Soldier as well... But most of the group was definitely staring now. “Stop making a scene.†I batted his hand away. “You are only embarrassing yourself.†“Oh no, my friend, I cannot possibly embarrass myself any further than you have already—already shamed me!†The few dead-eyed travelers in the depot were also staring now, gathering around to watch the two nearly-identical men in masks and incongruous three piece suits shout at each other. A short boy with a raincoat slung over his duffel bag whispered to a plump, redheaded girl whose luggage tag said ‘Kathy’. “Just try to calm yourself. We are conspicuous enough, don’t you think?†“His hatred I would have endured, but his pity I will not stand.†“Well, after today, you never have to see him again.†“Why, you—“ “Stop it.†Stone yanked back on the other Spy’s jacket. “I would’ve been happier not knowing, but he figured it was for your own bloody stupid good when he told me. You don’t want pity? Fine. No more pity. Go buy your bus ticket and get.†Spy blinked, swallowed, looked around for the first time at the small crowd that had been staring. Then, he drew himself up, smoothed his jacket, produced a cigarette, and shot a look of withering contempt at everyone in the immediate vicinity. The contemptuous look faltered only once, when his eyes passed over Stone. There was a moment, a frisson, and I prepared for another fistfight to break out between them. I wouldn’t intervene if it did, I had done my part. “You bastard.†Stone whispered. “What?†“You know what. You—you know what. I can’t believe you.†“Are you going to haul off and hit me again?†“I would, but I’m afraid you’d enjoy it.†“No. Not this time.†Spy shrugged. “This time I deserve it.†Stone just shook his head and walked away. Spy crumpled, watching him go, whispered a soft, sad “It was good for you, too.†---/-/--- The ride from the bus depot to the airport was a tense one. It was just one bus, and there was only one airport, and those of us who were flying out of the desert tout-suite were all on it together, which meant that at one end of the bus there was the other spy, curled in on himself and brooding, and at the other end there was Stone, shoulders tight, eyes straight ahead. I did my best to ignore them, to ignore the two scouts bouncing in their seat, to ignore the loud laughter of the Heavy across the aisle. I thought about one thing and one thing only, the man wedged in next to me. On the floor, under the seat in front of us, was a duffel bag holding almost everything that had been in his camper. I no longer owned anything that was not on my person. The landscape whizzed past us out through the window. I leaned my head against his shoulder and pretended to sleep, so that it wouldn’t look too strange to the few people on the bus who were not in our party. The short boy and plump girl from the station, who sat behind us and whispered, and I imagine it was the balaclava that gave it away when I overheard her suggest that I was most definitely a spy, but her boyfriend merely laughed about it. What he thought I was, I couldn’t say, but apparently he finds the idea of a masked man on a bus not too far outside the ordinary. I listened to them for a while, for lack of anything better to do while feigning sleep, the heartbreaking raw confessions of young love, and I thought about saying something, anything, to my Sniper. I did not, of course, and we would have all the time in the world later. ---/-/--- At the airport, we parted ways with the Scouts, who found a domestic flight leaving in not too much time. For international flights, it looked like the rest of us would be there a little while. Stone and the other Spy were still keeping their distance from each other, and from the rest of us. At one point, my Sniper went to buy... whatever one buys in an airport. Newspapers and chewing gum, I don’t know. I turned to the Heavy. “So. Why are you going to Switzerland?†He shrugged, the movement slow, as though he had only half decided to do so. “Doktor doesn’t mind. He is good friend. Everyone says, ‘Heavy Weapons Guy, he is big, and his English is not so good, and he is probably very stupid’. Okay. I am not so good at English. I am not so good at playing chess—“ “Ach, don’t listen to him. He will, what is the term, fleece you.†“For a Russian, am not so good at chess.†Another shrug, a sly grin. “But, doesn’t make me stupid. And Doktor, he is very smart man, but he does not treat me like I am complete idiot.†The Medic blushed. I suspected he had at first, and merely been the only one to realize the mistake, if only because most medics I had known shared a tendency towards intellectual superiority complexes. Then again, with this one, it was possible he had had a little crush from the start. Strange, yes. Incomprehensible, but of course. Possible? Possibly. “I never really expected you to be that smart.†I admitted. “No one does.†He laughed. “This is old news to me. Besides, you are spy. Spies are snooty.†The Medic chuckled a little at this. I suppose it was only fair, I’d been thinking the same thing about him only a moment ago. “I never really expected the Pyro to be that smart, either.†I said. “I don’t know if he is, but for a freakish, fire-happy mutant, I will say he proved himself to be rather perceptive.†“Tell me, before you got to know any of us, who did you expect might be ‘that smart’?†The Medic challenged. “Well...†This was fair. My opinion of my fellow spies was not necessarily very high when it came to matters of intelligence, either. “Medics, anyway. I mean, you must be, to... become a medic. The Engineer, despite his accent and his ridiculous mannerisms. Simpletons don’t build teleporters. I suppose aside from those two classes... no one. Then my Sniper turned out to be. Well, he turned out to be a lot of things. He turned out to be mine. So... I suppose after that maybe I tried a little more to... to not write everyone off. A little.†“Then maybe he is good for you.†The Heavy snorted. “Oh, I imagine so.†“Is funny... back home, this would not be allowed. But, still, I think, if he is good for you, then he is good for you. Is not so different from a woman who is good for you.†“No. But vive le difference.†I smirked. “You know, I believe it is allowed in Switzerland. Not that I am suggesting anything, of course...†“Of course.†The Medic said tightly. “Hm. Will keep this in mind.†The Heavy nodded. The Medic looked startled at this. I just smiled. The other spy wandered past, ticket clutched in his hand, wearing a haunted look, and I grabbed his arm and yanked him down into the chair at the end of the row of seats. “Where are you flying into?†He looked down at the ticket. “Italy.†“Not Aus—“ “No. And that’s your fault. I like Italy. It is nice this time of year. And... and I don’t know anyone there. It will be nice, to not know anyone. I doubt I will settle down there, but it’s a start. It’s a place to be.†Stone joined the group again, though he took the farthest possible seat from the spy, and cast quick, furtive, mistrustful looks in his direction. After a moment, the other spy reached up, pulling off his balaclava. Aside from having the same general face shape, beneath the masks we are not quite the same. I have a small mole that he does not, he has a very close Caesar haircut and what looked like a dueling scar. I caught Stone staring at him with the balaclava off, but he did not seem to notice. My Sniper returned, with a small armload of newspapers and candy bars, a cup of coffee, and a pack of cigarettes. He did a quick double take, then sat next to me. “I like you better.†He said. “You’re the cute one.†“Thank you.†I picked up Le Monde. “Thank you.†“Figured you’d want an excuse not to make conversation. Goodness knows I did... See no one’s killed anyone yet.†He tossed candy bars at the rest of the group, then picked up his own paper. “Scouts catch their plane to Boston?†“They did. I’m surprised they didn’t fly there under their own power...†“Not strange they’d be excited. Probably never flown before. Not if they took the train out when they joined up.†“Yes. I suppose so... I hadn’t really thought about, you know, not flying. I mean, not having ever flown. It’s sort of... par for the course, with the job.†“Yeah.†He laughed. “The jet-setting international superspy.†“Oh, quiet, you. You must have flown before.†“Well, yeah. Take too long to go by boat, mark could be long gone by the time you get there. Some jobs air fare was more than the actual paycheck...†Conversation tapered off, a comfortable silence falling between us, providing a small cushion from the uncomfortable silence that stretched out thin between Stone and the other spy. Eventually, the flight for Italy left. Some hours after that, so did the flight to Switzerland. We were at the airport most of the night, but finally we boarded our plane. ---tbc---
Here's the end of Always Another Dawn, but there is more C: Title: Always Another Dawn Chapter Five: They're A Weird Mob Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy, hints of others if you squint (though most could be taken as friendships/unrequited loves...) Summary: What to do when it's all over. Author's Notes: Sequel to 'Stolen Kisses'. Big shocker, it is named after a film (chapter title also a film). ---Six Months After The Fact--- “The mail came.†I set the mail and the food down on the kitchen table, before joining him in the living room, where he made room for me on the little sofa without opening his eyes. “Anything interesting?†“A few things. You got a letter... well, most of it is to both of us, actually.†“Read ‘em to me?†I sighed. “You’re lucky I love you.†“Yup.†“All right. ‘Hey, Chuckleheads’—Oh, I’m sure you can guess who this one is from—‘Guess you took a minute out of being super gay in France and everything to write a letter so I thought I’d return the favor’—charming, isn’t he?†“Well, what do you expect?†“I know. ‘Me and Vinny are going into the minor leagues’—Minor leagues? What does this mean?—'and probably none of your snooty fancy French newspapers talk about that kind of thing in the sports section. What kind of sports do they play over there? Not baseball, I guess. Anyway, me and Vinny are fighting a little ‘cause we both want the same nickname’—Is it just me, or does that sound stupid?†“Course it sounds stupid. He write anything else?†“Oh,†I scanned the letter. “Their mothers are all right—even Vinny’s, who was apparently heartbroken for a little while over the death of the RED Spy. Well, one of them. You know. One of his brothers is getting married to a lovely girl and he’s the best man even though he’s the youngest. He seems quite proud of that. He says it’s okay, and I quote ‘I guess and all’, if we keep up a correspondence, because, and again, I quote ‘we were in a freaking war together and that’s something’.†He chuckled softly. “Cute. What else?†“One from Switzerland. ‘I see you took the trouble of tracking me down. Things are going well, though I sometimes fear I was not cut out to be a village doctor (Mischa says I am being silly and am an excellent doctor, but Mischa is biased just a little). I don’t care for children. I mean, of course I care for children, as per my job, but I don’t like them and they don’t like me. I’m not overly fond of treating illnesses. The saving grace of this job is that there will always be stupid young men,’†“Yeah, guess that’s the truth.†“Mm. ‘And they break a leg, or an arm, in a foolish attempt to impress some girl, and then they are brought to me. It would be the simplest matter to heal them, in mere moments, with no effort, with no pain. This, I do not do. Stupidity should be painful. How will they learn not to do foolish things if their wounds just mysteriously heal? So I am slow and... careful in setting broken bones. I am happy to report that I get few repeat customers!’—So, he’s about as sadistic as you remember?†“Sounds right.†“One more letter.†I waved it. “This one’s just addressed to you, not to me.†“Let’s hear it.†He waved me on. “Stone, I think. ‘Sounds like you settled in nicely. I’m doing all right out here. Work’s steady. Still the black sheep of the family, but it’s a small price to pay, isn’t it? And I did think a little about what you said. Come to an arrangement with someone, actually. Understands my work, and doesn’t expect much, but there’s a casual physical availability which it turns out is better than nothing, and I haven’t been distracted by it. Anyway, I’m posting this from the Mercure Grosvenor, which is a bit weird, because if anything I’m usually in a motor inn’—A motor inn?†I made a face. “’S practical.†“Right. I really need to break you of the habit of seeing living in a van as a reasonable way of life.†“Well, your silk sheets are a start. Wonder who he’s shacking up with that would be staying in a place like the Mercure Grosvenor.†“I don’t know it.†“It’s old and it’s fancy.†He shrugged. “You’d probably love it. So go on, what else?†“He just says ‘I reckon I’m actually pretty happy with things like they are. With you retired, and everyone else, well, dead, there’s not a whole lot of competition for jobs, and I’ve been picking and choosing more now, since I can afford to, but sometimes I take them just to keep busy. Good luck on fixing up that cottage, I don’t envy you the DIY weekends. I do envy you the reliable indoor plumbing, the Mercure Grosvenor’s the first hot shower I’ve had all week. But the repainting and handiwork I do not wish for in the least. Say hello to your spook.’—Oh, that’s nice.†“Apparently I’m to say ‘hello’ to you.†He actually sat up at that, eyes finally opening, mouth crooking into a rather wicked smile. “Hello.†“Knowing Stone, I somehow doubt this is what he meant...†I said wryly, but I had no real complaint when he slid into my lap and began nibbling at my ear. “Well, hello, yourself. You know, I haven’t really put away the things I picked up today...†“Is any of it going to spoil?†I thought over the market trip. Bread, a few vegetables... no milk, no meat. “No.†“Then leave it.†He pulled my shirt off, kissing my throat, my chest. “You smell... really nice, actually... You taste really nice, actually. I’m willing to bet I’d find you really nice, actually, to a few other senses... given half a chance...†“I’ll give you a whole chance.†I ran my fingers through his hair, mussing it, using it to angle him into a real kiss. “I’ll give you more than a whole chance. How many chances do you want?†“Well... Think I could get it right on the first one, but I wouldn’t say no to a few... extra... dozen-odd... hundred...†I melted a little under his continued ministrations, the way his tongue traced over the pulse points of my throat, the way his teeth slid across my skin and his hands covered my torso in firm, sweeping strokes. The way he settled down, grinding against me in ways that were just too teasingly short of enough. “I believe...†I gasped. “That I was introducing you to the concept of civilization via silk sheets...†“I believe you were.†“We should move over there. To bed.†“Oh, I’m not disagreeing with you.†He littered the whole trip up the stairs with our clothes, which I would have to remind him to pick up later, because I certainly wasn’t doing it. Well, it could wait... We fell into bed, his hands resuming their familiar remapping of my skin, his mouth moving against mine in kisses rife with reckless abandon, and soft sounds he might in sober moments deny making. This time I was content enough to lie back and let him. The upper hand could always be mine later, we no longer had to live in fear of not having a ‘next time’. I murmured, soft encouragements I could not keep track of myself, as he thrust into me with a maddening slow regularity, and I pulled every little dirty trick I knew to make him speed up. When he came first, he pulled out, still slowly, moving down the bed and swallowing me to the root, two fingers sliding into me, working me with more speed this time, and then everything was liquid heat and a slight fuzzy grayness, and he probably thought I was out of it enough not to catch him wiping everything up on the silk sheets that I spent good money on. Well... I was aware of it. It didn’t occur to me to really be that upset. I lit a cigarette and padded over to the bedroom window, all too used to the familiar sensation of having my ass ogled as I did so. Out in front of the house there was a field of lavender. I had never brought any into the house—it was something I vaguely remembered my mother doing once, back before she no longer had the luxury, back when she worried about keeping a nice house instead of worrying about keeping all our lives. I never bothered—we were men, after all, and I somehow doubted he would really appreciate it if I ever cared to do such a thing—but I was glad we had it, out there. “I should probably start on dinner. I bought zucchini and asparagus. I was going to make soup.†He sat up. “Yeah?†“I thought I might. Ah... you know the neighbors?†“Do I know the neighbours? You mean the people who live nearly five kilometers away and don’t speak any English, those neighbours? No, can’t say I know ‘em well.†“Their barn cat is pregnant.†“You’ve already signed us up for two, haven’t you?†“You’re the one who decided we would name them Pierre and Alice.†I shrugged. “Fine.†He shook his head, smiling. “You’re the man making dinner.†Early on, he had tried to point out that he could cook, but ‘I can cook, too, you know’ turned out to be crazy bushman for ‘I am capable of holding meat over fire’, which is not quite the same thing. Also, I am not entirely certain that ‘octopus salad’ is actually a food. So I cook. I do all right with it—I’d spent exactly one month of deep cover work in a small restaurant once, though it was an American restaurant and therefore the standards were not immense, but I can read a cookbook, I can make a few things well, and he constantly reminds me that he’s not a fussy man, even if I am. And life is comfortable. And he doesn’t know that I wrote to his mother, and that the soup recipe comes from her. And... she does not know that I am a man. But still. We have the house, we have a routine... life is more than comfortable, I think. Life is good. ---FIN---
Title: The Road You Didn't Take Chapter One: Where Or When Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: NC 17 Pairing: Sniper/Spy-- no, not that one... Summary: An arrangement is made. Author's Notes: Sort of a side-quel to the Epilogue of 'Always Another Dawn'. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d seen him at all. After all, out in the real world again it wasn’t exactly unusual, seeing a man in a blue suit blending into a crowd of people, and most of those were probably businessmen, not spies. So like I had at least a hundred times before, I waved the feeling off and went on with my day. I had a job to do, and that meant scouting out the best spot for tomorrow, and planning an exit route that would get me away from the scene of the crime. Then I stopped to buy a coffee, and saw him for real. He wasn’t wearing the blue suit, which caught me off guard, and I guess meant the man before was someone else. He was wearing a yellow shirt, which was... well, not unusual, by Italian standards, apparently. Me, I looked like an obvious tourist—I had one outfit that looked like what everyone else was wearing, and that was for tomorrow, for blending into the crowds afters. He looked like he had been born precisely to exist in that moment, outside that café, in that really ridiculously yellow shirt. In the short spaces of time that I had seen his face, it had burned itself into my memory. Saw him sometimes when I didn’t mean to, dreamed him once or twice in place of the usual sorts of faces I’d dreamed about in the past. Thought about him when I didn’t want to. He didn’t betray too much when he saw me, and maybe anyone who didn’t know him would think he was cool as anything, the bloody spy, but I shook him. I pulled out the empty chair at his table, putting on a friendly smile despite the venom in my voice. “What the hell are you doing here?†“What do you mean what am I doing here?†He hissed back, hiding it under a sociable little laugh. “I live here! Well, for the winter, I do. I expect by April I’ll be in Paris—it’s a cliché, I know, but I’ve always loved it. I should ask what you’re doing here.†“... So you’re not following me?†I blinked. “No! You’re... not following me?†“No. I’m here for my job.†“Ah.†He nodded. “I work, temps du temps. Little things. Just to keep my means in line with my lifestyle. Though you, I imagine, work for work’s sake.†“Yeah. Didn’t know I’d run into you...†“Obviously.†He snorted. “So... your job. I hope it has nothing to do with me this time?†“If it did, I wouldn’t be surprised to see you, would I?†“Of course.†He smiled into his mug. “Well... it’s—funny, us meeting like this. I wondered... if I wanted it to happen, or if I wanted for us to never meet again. Which would be better.†“Yeah? What’d you come up with?†“Ah.†He nodded once, slowly, like whatever he was about to say was some kind of deep wisdom, though it was probably as much smoke and mirrors as everything else his lot ever did. “Well, when I thought about it, very carefully, I realized the best thing would of course be for us to never cross paths. And yet... that was not really what I wanted, either, so...†“I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what I want.†I shrugged, flagging down a waitress. Well, trying to. He succeeded where I failed, and after a brief conference, made my order for me. “I could’ve gotten by.†“Really? Because my Italian is flawless. How is yours?†“... I’m sure she would’ve understood ‘coffee’. All they sell’s coffee, she’d have understood ‘coffee’.†He laughed. “How did this even happen? I don’t mean us meeting, that is some strange twist of fate, I won’t question it. I mean... why do I love you? I shouldn’t even like you! Un coup de Coeur, one supposes.†“Fine. Don’t like me.†“I can’t help it. The heart wants what it wants... You are everything I am not. And we only met because you were hired to—well, you remember.†“We’d have met after that. And I didn’t really meet you, exactly.†“Fair enough.†He looked at me. Just looked at me ‘til I could hardly stand it. “What?†“Nothing. I think I missed you. I mean, I did, I just...†“Yeah, well. I should go.†“Your coffee hasn’t gotten here yet.†“Then you should go. One of us needs to, just not be here. I can’t deal with you right now.†“If I go...†He searched his pockets, brought out a small pad of paper and a pencil and jotted something down. “Will you be able to deal with me later? I would like to talk to you.†“Yeah, and a lot more besides.†“I promise I won’t ask you for anything you could not give. I promise you I only want... I only want to see you before you’re gone. It’s been a while since everything was so ugly between us, and I’m sorry for that, I was an idiot. I can admit that. It doesn’t have to be for long. But I’d like it to be. You know?†I let him press the paper into my hand. It was an address. He tossed some money down on the table and disappeared. ---/-/--- He looked surprised to see me, when he answered the door, and I was pretty surprised to have knocked on it in the first place. It was a nice little unit he was staying in, with a view on a picturesque little street. It would have been a normal place, except for the giant vault in his living room. “Sometimes I handle... delicate materials.†He explained with a smile. “Can I get you something? Wine, or... anything?†I shrugged. On the one hand, my knowledge of wine extended about as far as ‘well that’s an all right sort of cab sav’, and ‘all right’ kind of covered everything from drinkable to excellent. I imagine if something was really piss poor, I’d notice, but beyond that... On the other hand, I didn’t think I wanted to deal with him if I didn’t have some kind of drink in my hand. “Sure. Sounds... sounds nice.†We sat at opposite ends of his sofa. “All right. So talk.†I shrugged. “You wanted to see me.†“Yes. I... Well, you must not hate me anymore. You came, after all.†“Yeah. Reckon.†He sighed. “If there was a switch, and I could turn it off, don’t you think I would? I don’t mean to make you nervous, you know.†“Well, I am a bit creeped out by the fact that you let me bash your face in, and you did it ‘cause you were onto me.†“Onto?†“You know. I mean, sexually.†“Ah.†He nodded. “Yes, that was... Well, the whole thing was a disaster, wasn’t it? I didn’t really know what else to do with you. I suppose we were always tinged with violence and the threat of death, considering how I first became aware of you. It wasn’t supposed to go that far. It wasn’t supposed to go. And then... I blame them, I suppose. I didn’t have to really think about it, until I found out... It gave me hope at first, and then... then there was no hope at all.†He drained his wine glass with a deprecating little chuckle. “Yeah, well, that’s not your fault.†I offered, shifting uncomfortably. “There were times when I thought it would be okay... that it wouldn’t ever be an issue, even with the two of us working together. It’s not like some of the more teamwork-oriented classes, we were both essentially the lone wolves. You were always happy to avoid me, and I was able to avoid you in turn.†“And that changed when you found out about the other spy and his sniper?†“... No.†He stared down into his glass like he was willing it to be full again. “Before that. I found you one time. Before the respawn. It didn’t matter in the end, I mean, I was killed as well and then we both came back and there was no real harm done, except... except I found you, and... it bothered me. Even knowing it was impermanent, it bothered me. I... I had to wonder if I wasn’t just attracted to you. If I had feelings for you.†“Oh.†“Can I make you an offer?†“Whoa, you said—“ I got to my feet. “An offer. Not a request.†“... I’m listening.†“Anything.†“What now?†“You heard me. I offer you anything. Anything you want, and nothing you don’t. There are no strings. No expectations. But if you ever want, if you ever need, anything from me, of any nature... well, I am here. And I understand, everything about you. Your work, your... some of your personal habits. The kinds of things that you like, and things that bother you. And even the parts of you that I should hate, I think perhaps I like. And none of it bothers me. And you know about me. And, well, just—if there was anything, I—You know?†I shook my head. “Wouldn’t work.†“What’s to make work? Like I said, I am asking for nothing. Merely... mentioning that I am here. And when I am not here,†He shrugged. “Still. Mentioning that if you ever ask something of me, I will always see what I can do. I don’t only mean things of a sexual nature. I just mean, I’m here.†“Don’t know what else you mean, aside from ‘things of a sexual nature’. And when it comes to that, well... I mean... I’m celibate.†“Really?†He tsked. “You think it’s funny?†“I think it is a damn waste. You are a handsome man. Doubtless I am not the only person who... who falls for you. If you told me you were heterosexual, I would accept this, I’ve assumed it to be the case. Though, I could be a convincing woman if you ever—“ “I know.†I cut him off. “And I don’t want you to be. And celibate ain’t the same as asexual, I... I just can’t afford the distraction.†This time it was less of a tsk, and more of a full-blown snort. “So a quick fling you think is distracting, and then you expect you will just work, with no problems, with a lifetime’s worth of sexual frustration building up inside you?†“Not a lifetime! Couple years. Not like I can’t—I mean, not like I don’t—I mean, it’s none of your damn bloody business, is it?†“If you were not celibate, would you like men?†“No!†I lied. He smiled. “I see. You know where I am. You know what I am,†“I don’t even know your name.†“Jacques. Didn’t they tell you when they sent you to kill me?†“Figured it was false. No one knew much about you, thought someone made it up ‘cause it sounded French.†“No, it’s my name.†His smile was warm now, not trying for seductive, not trying for anything. Just warm and real. “Jackie, to my friends. Well, if I had friends. When I had friends, that was what I was called. No one uses it anymore... But I suppose it doesn’t matter. It’s sort of a childish nickname, isn’t it?†“Naw. ‘S all right. Um... Ben.†I held my hand out, feeling awkward. He took it, looking almost shy. I mean, if I didn’t know any better. “Like the photographer?†“Far as I know, mate. My parents liked it, that’s all I can tell you.†He still hadn’t let go of my hand, and I wasn’t rushing to make him. “So. Now you know my name as well. You know what I’m like. You know that I don’t care about all the morally ambiguous parts of your life, and I never will. You know where I am through the rest of the winter, and where I plan to be come spring, and I can always let you know if I move around to anyplace else. And I will not ask you for anything. But I am good in bed. And if you need to blow off some steam with someone you don’t have to worry about, or think about...†“I don’t know.†“That’s all right, too. I just wanted to offer. In case you were not... entirely opposed to the idea.†He finally realized we were still sort of attached to each other and let his hand slip from mine. “Why? Why me? Why—why would you be happy to give me anything I wanted and never take anything for yourself? You’re supposed to be a self-serving, smug little bastard, not a—Not whatever this is.†“I am a self-serving, smug little bastard. But for you, would I debase myself? Utterly. And it is not a question of my taking nothing for myself. It is a question of my being happy with whatever it is I get.†“Suppose I don’t feel like giving you anything?†“I’m not getting anything from you now.†He shrugged. “So it really makes no difference. I’m not losing anything, by making the offer. Even if I am not gaining anything, either.†I looked at him for a moment, really looked, and really thought about what he was offering, and what it meant. Sure, he was good looking... a little distinguished, a little roguish. A little weird seeing him with no mask on. The idea of being touched by someone else never really stopped being attractive, and the idea of no strings was absolutely a pre-requisite. Not having to lie about myself would be a plus. “You mean to tell me if I just wanted a blowjob and then I walked out, that’d be fine by you?†He nodded. “It would be my pleasure.†“Except it wouldn’t, is the thing.†He laughed. “Ah, mon petit chou, you have some things to learn, I think... I would enjoy every second of it, if that was what you asked of me. I would cherish every drawn-out moment that I was allowed to kneel at your altar. I would worship you, completely. I would consider it a privilege to spend the entire afternoon on my knees before you.†“I don’t think it’d take all afternoon.†I sat back down, hopefully before he could see my knees shake. And if he kept up this kind of talk, with his voice low and smoky and silky like that, it’d take no time at all. Hell, the few years I’ve gone without, probably wouldn’t take long anyway. “I could take an afternoon. If you had the time to spare, I think I could get in a couple of good performances. Of course, if you were only interested in a single quickie, that is doable, but...†He shrugged one shoulder. “I would very much like to take my time with you. It would please me to do so.†“Okay.†I breathed. I wasn’t exactly going back out in public like this... “Yeah. Please. Okay.†For a moment he looked at me, that weird sort of shyness, a hesitation that he never followed up with whatever it was he was thinking about saying before he knelt on the floor in front of me and undid my fly. I didn’t give him much of a chance to prove his talent in the area. A few teasing passes up the underside of my cock, and then over the head, and his hands on me, and I was lost. “It’s, uh...†I looked away. Had to. There he was, on the floor, and me just having come all across his face, and he looks at me like he’s the one having the time of his life and I can hardly even think about what it is I’ve been doing, but I know I want him, want this again, and I know if I’d noticed he wanted me and been smart enough to give in, I could’ve saved us both a lot of trouble... “It has been a couple years since I...†“No, no, I’m flattered.†He practically purred. I looked back over to see him rising to his feet, and he wasn’t lying when he said he’d enjoy it too. “Siddown.†I jerked my head towards the seat to my left. “Look, I can’t... what you did, I’m not—I don’t... I don’t feel right doing nothing for ya... I just, it took a lot to get to this point, and I—“ “I told you, I have no expectations. No demands.†I cupped my hand over the hard-on tenting his trousers. “Don’t say anything, just... this is as much as I can really give right now, and I want to, but I do not want you talking about it, or thinking about it too much, or anything. I just... Is that okay?†He nodded, biting his lip, head falling back. I rubbed him through the fabric for a while first, before pulling him out and handling him proper. I wouldn’t say I’d ever thought much about what other men were like, not for any lack of natural inclination so much as a strong sense of self-preservation even before I reckoned I’d go without companionship. If I had thought about it much, maybe this is the kind of thing I’d have thought about. It’d be the kind of thing I’d think about in future, alone with myself. This whole visit would be playing out in my head the next long, lonely night, or morning. The blowjob, yeah, obviously, but also the length of him, the hardness, the way he fits in my hand. The little moans he tries to swallow, the flush, the sweat, a million other details. I pull myself together and leave after he comes, before he can come up with anything else to say, before we have to look at each other. ---tbc---
Title: The Road You Didn't Take Chapter Two: I Wish I Knew Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: NC 17 Pairing: Sniper/Spy-- no, not that one... Summary: An arrangement is made. Author's Notes: Sort of a side-quel to the Epilogue of 'Always Another Dawn'. “Thought you’d be in Paris.†I nodded to him from two stools down at the bar. “It’s not April.†He shrugged, lifting his drink. “Besides, I told you once I’d never been here. How did your job go?†“In Italy?†He nodded. “It went off without a hitch.†“Ah, excellent.†It had. Thoughts of him had plagued me pretty well every day since... well, even since before we did all we did, but they didn’t get in the way of the job. Since that afternoon, the thoughts of him had actually limited themselves to times when I could do something about them, or if they didn’t, they were more a pleasant distraction than a disastrous one. The plane ride home I’d kept thinking about the way he’d looked at me, just that. He stood, passing close by me on his way to the exit, and he paused long enough to whisper in my ear. “If you wanted to fuck me, I’d let you.†There was a napkin in my pocket with an address and a room number, and I hadn’t even noticed when he put it there. ---/-/--- “You came.†He smiled brilliantly. “Excellent! I didn’t order room service, so the knock on the door meant someone was here to fuck me one way or the other, and I’d rather not have to fight for my life.†“You can’t—you can’t say that kind of thing. I mean, you can say it now.†I checked the lock. “But down in the bar? Back there, you can’t—You just can’t say that kind of thing, yeah? It’s not, strictly speaking... well, legal. Could be a hassle.†“No one heard me but you. It is not legal? For two adults in their right minds to do something that harms neither?†“I didn’t make the law, you know.†“But, strictly speaking, is it legal, to put a bullet into a man’s medulla oblongata at a high velocity?†“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it! I said you can’t talk about it in public!†I ran a hand through my hair. “Course my job’s not legal, but when I’m at home, I don’t mention nothing about it in airport bars! That’s why no one who doesn’t want someone killed knows what I do! Well, and my parents... less said about that, the better. Anyway, would I be here if I wasn’t going to... to do... whatever?†“Whatever?†He smirked, hand sliding up my chest. “That is vague.†“I don’t know what I want.†“So what else is new?†He laughed. “I’d be happy to give you the same treatment as last time, if you are not sure you want something different.†“Do you... is there anything you want?†“I want everything.†He shrugged, turning away. “I enjoy it all. I like you. I don’t have to ask you for anything, because as long as what you want is me, I am happy.†“If there’s one thing... I know I might say no, but I might say yes. I mean, if I can say yes, I will, I want to... I want things to be kind of even between us. If there’s one thing you want to ask for, what would it be?†“One thing?†“Yeah.†“... I want to kiss you. Just once. No, I knew... I knew it was silly to ask. We’ll just do, like last time, like I promised, no strings, and—“ I put a hand out, grabbing his shoulder. “You could. Once. Just a kiss, right? Not a big deal?†“It is to me.†He smiled sadly. “How long you think you’ll be in Adelaide?†“Haven’t made plans. I suppose I could be here ‘til the end of March. Why?†“Because I haven’t really made arrangements like this with anyone else. And I might come by and see you a couple more times before you go, if you’re not leaving soon.†I shrugged. “So are you going to kiss me, or what?†He leaned in, eyes fluttering closed, his lips brushing my cheek, where I still had the scar from the RED Spy that respawn never erased. “Thought you were gonna kiss me...†“I am,†He murmured, following the scar, one hand at the back of my head, one clutching my shirt. Eventually, he finished with that and his lips landed on mine, just barely, and after a moment, I kissed back. I should’ve done this first. I should’ve done this long ago... When we did break, I kissed the older scar on his cheek, the one he’d had a few years ago, when he hadn’t worn the balaclava every waking and sleeping minute, when I’d been hired to take him out, when I’d first seen his face. I felt him freeze up, then shudder softly in my arms. “You don’t have to...†“Shut up.†I sighed, kissing his cheek again. Running my fingers through his hair—too short to get much purchase, not at all like a girl, but soft anyhow, and nice. Touching his face, his shoulder, the small of his back. “You don’t...†“Want to.†I kissed his lips again. Probably more surprised than he was it was true. “I want to...†We undressed this time, we hadn’t before, and wound up on his hotel bed, not even between the sheets and all over each other. He flipped me onto my back, slithering down to the foot of the bed, slippery and nearly boneless, and this time he did manage to draw it out, his hands and his mouth playing at bringing me to the edge and then back down so many times I was about ready to beg. “If you don’t make me come,†I growled, “I’ll shove you off and do it myself.†His eyes darkened, his breath sped up. “Oh?†“Yeah.†“By all means...†His tongue flicked across the tip of my cock again, before he released his grip around the base and leaned back from me just a little. “What the hell are you--?†He moved to kneel by the bed, grabbed my hips and dragged me over, in roughly the same position as we had been the first time, except I could lay back if I wanted to. I sat up anyway, just enough to be able to see him. “Bring yourself off.†He whispered, and his breath hit me, hit the evaporating spit he’d left all over me and drove me crazy. “And then come on me.†“Bloody hell...†“You liked it, before. Didn’t you? I saw the way you looked at me, just for a second, before you had to stop looking... Is that what you want?†“I don’t know what I want.†“I think maybe you want this.†I nodded. Didn’t really have anything else to say. It sounded as good as anything, sounded better than a lot of things, a fair sight better than I would have wanted to admit, but there he was on the floor between my knees, his head tilted back, eyes closed, mouth opened, hand fisting slowly over his own cock, and finishing myself off wasn’t exactly hard work. What did land in his mouth he swallowed, with this moan like it was a favour to him and not to me, and what didn’t land in his mouth his fingers dragged through, and some he licked up and some he used, along with his own spit, as he jacked himself off and there was another little sound when he came that might’ve undid me if I wasn’t already undone, and then he slumped forward, resting his head and one arm on the edge of the bed with a satisfied little smile and I realized I was really in this thing. Yeah, it was casual. We weren’t gonna be moving in together any time soon, or even settling down in the same city, and maybe most of the time we’d be on opposite sides of the world, but that didn’t mean it was something less. I’d ease my way into giving him as much as I could. I’d see him when I could. I’d try and do right by him. And eventually he’s gonna stop being the guy who’d do anything for me and start being the guy with a few demands of his own, but I’m guessing he’s spent enough time reading people that maybe he’ll figure out when I’m ready to go there before he does. Still. It was a thing, between us, that wasn’t complicated, but wasn’t exactly no-strings, because I was pretty sure now that I wasn’t going anywhere else, and I was going to miss him when he was in another hemisphere, and I would break his heart if I called the bloody thing off. Worst of it is I’d hate to. I actually want him to be happy, and I don’t think lethargy and bliss is the whole of the reason why, though I won’t say it isn’t a part of it. That night I slept in his hotel, stead of heading back out to where I was temporarily living, just north of the city limits. The night after, I slept in his hotel as well. When he left for Paris, I went home to find a thick layer of dust on most of my things and new life forms in my refrigerator. ---/-/--- “To what do I owe the pleasure, mon ami?†I balanced the phone between my cheek and my shoulder while I checked over my itinerary. “Take it you’re still in Paris, since you answered your phone.†“Yes...†“Feel like traveling?†I asked, aiming for light. Casual. “I gotta be in Spain in two weeks for a banker.†“Your client or...?†“Or. Don’t know much about the client. As long as the money’s good, I figure secrecy’s par for the course. Thought if you felt a touch of wanderlust we might meet up. Barcelona. I’ll be there a couple days getting the hang of routines, taking care of preliminaries. Wouldn’t mind a little...†“Assignation?†I could hear the smile in his voice. “I am perfectly mobile. Always. I’m glad you called, I was lonely. I contemplated putting out a hit on someone just so I could see you.†“Liar.†“Yes, a little. But... I miss you. Sometimes. I would love to see Barcelona. I haven’t been to Spain since Majorca, and that... well, it turned out to be a profitable venture in the long run, but it has been a long time... Bien sur, I will find you there in two weeks.†I hung up the phone feeling pretty good about things. And maybe when it's time to lay low after the Barcelona job, I'll spent a couple nights in Paris. Who knows? After all, no one would ever look for me there... ---FIN---
Title: Fit To Be Tied Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: NC 17 Pairing: Sniper/Spy (the first pair again) Summary: Gentlemen, behold... PORN! Author's Notes: So... some time ago, I alluded to bondage timestamp porn, and to the fellas making a bit of a bet on the subject, that bet being largely an excuse to tie each other up and ravish each other. Here is that porn (and a little bit of domestic fluff, but it's mostly porn), set a bit before the Epilogue of 'Always Another Dawn'. “So... were there stakes for this bet?†He asked, dangling the hank of rope over my head. “Hm... if I get free before you finish... whatever it is you feel like doing with me, then I have my own wicked little way with you.†“Sounds more than fair. That it? I mean, I oughta get something if you lose.†“Well, if I lose, then I am still tied up at your mercy, so I say you win.†“Right.†He nodded. “Those are good stakes. Get naked and prepare to be tied.†I stripped and knelt on the bed. “How do you want me?†He looked me over for a long moment. “Oh, how don’t I want you? Arms behind your back.†I complied, and he wrapped the rope a few times around my forearms, binding them together before winding the rope around the whole of my upper body. I flexed, feeling the restriction I was under. I could only move so far, and while in the past such a situation was merely a chance to test my skill—or suffer some unpleasant consequence—I found I was actually enjoying the sensation. I had never liked being penned in, by anything. But I had also never been someplace truly safe... and that might have a lot to do with it. He piled up our pillows, gently pushing me down so that my chest rested on them, so that I wasn’t completely flat on my face with my ass in the air. Well, my ass was still in the air... His hands were all over me. I could turn my head a ways to try and look at him, but he was behind me, something my whole body was trained to find unacceptably dangerous, not titillating, but here I was, enjoying being momentarily helpless while he touched me. While he kissed the back of my neck and began opening me up. He’d chosen the position well... if he wanted to, he could lean forward, pin my arms even further with his weight, make it that much harder for me to work my way free. The tension created by my muscles straining uselessly against the ropes was still good in a way it shouldn’t have been, hearing him murmur every next step to me was even better. “Now you can’t see, but I’m ready now and I think you’re ready for me...†The words whispered into my skin between kisses down my back, skipping where the ropes covered me, travelling down. His teeth sinking gently into one cheek, his tongue laving away the sting. “Tell me you’re ready for me...†“Oui...†“Tell me you want it?†“Mais oui... desperately... I want it... you...†“That’s right,†His hand slid down my thigh, up again, slow. “Love it, don’t you?†I nodded, and he slid into me with a quiet groan. “When do you want it?†“Always!†I moved back as best I could with no way to gain much leverage. “You love me?†“Oui... je t’adore... baise-moi?†He thrust into me harder now, curving his body over mine to kiss the back of my shoulder, though he didn’t pin me, as I’d thought he might, half-hoped he might. His weight on top of me, adding to the ropes around my arms, keeping me from moving while he fucked me? He really is everything I shouldn’t want and do... He went hard and fast—and I never minded when he did—and when he came with a soft shout, it reminded me that I hadn’t really been trying to escape. I glanced at the clock. It still wasn’t a very long time, especially considering the... distractions, but if I had been trying to get free, I would have. After all, most of the time, the people tying me up have been intent on keeping me from getting loose and not at all worried about my personal safety or comfort. Usually they don’t love me, or expect me to make them breakfast in the morning. “Looks like I win.†He grinned at me. “I let you win.†I slipped out of the ropes while he was lying back and looking self-satisfied. “Guess you did.†He raised his eyebrows. “And I didn’t finish.†“Well... since you so very clearly let me win...†He regarded the ropes, and my own raging erection. “I suppose you could still collect your winnings...†“Oh, I think so.†I smiled. “Pay attention to what time it is once I have you where I want you. You can at least try to beat my time.†“It’s three-twelve now. I’ll go from there.†I bound his wrists together and tied them to one of the bedposts, straddling his chest and gripping the headboard with one hand. With the other I stroked his cheek. “And do you want this?†“Aw yeah... c’mere, you know I do...†I guided myself to his mouth, watching him swallow me greedily. I stroked his face gently as he went down on me. I felt surprisingly tender, for someone who had a man tied to his bed giving him sex... I came, and came down, and noticed he was still struggling with the ropes after my post-orgasmic high had worn off. I grabbed my knife from the bedside table. “Don’t you dare.†He shook his head. “I can get out of this myself.†“Cher, you don’t have to prove anything...†“Yes I do!†“Well... all right.†I watched the clock for a while. “Are you free?†“... Almost?†“Only almost? Then you haven’t beaten my time.†“Dammit.†I laughed. “Do you want my help now?†“No! I’m getting it.†I watched him now, thrashing around a bit while his hands tried to find the knots. Eventually, he worked the loose one free, and everything else followed with just a little work. I kissed his wrists, right at the pulse, and massaged them gently. “I think I win.†“Yeah. Reckon you do.†He sighed. “It took me a while, though. I bet that wasn’t the best you could do.†“Well... probably went a little easy on you.†He admitted. “I mean, didn’t want to, uh... to hurt you, or...†“And I only had to free my arms. I’m sure we could make a similar wager some other time... if you really tie me up, you might beat me honestly.†“You liked this, didn’t you?†“I like everything you do to me.†I stroked his chest, kissed his wrist again. “But yes. I had fun.†“Might go ahead and play this game some other time, then.†He gathered me up in his arms, settling back against the pillows that had been scattered when I freed myself. He yawned, and I followed suit. “It was kind of fun, wasn’t it?†“Yes.†“Wanna take a nap with me before I have to do anything?†“What do you have to do today?†He shrugged a little under me and kissed my forehead. “Barn door’s off its hinges, an’ I still don’t know what we’re gonna do with the thing. Might make for a nice garage, actually. Rather keep your car there than... cows.†“D’accord. The kitchen is lovely, by the way.†“Yeah, well, an’ you said you didn’t want a fixer-upper.†“No, I said I did not want to ‘fix up’. I am perfectly happy to watch you do manual labor. I only wish it was summer. I could watch you sweat more. You would have to take your shirt off...†“Well, sure we can find something for me to do come summer. For now... I am gonna make you help with the painting. Don’t argue, you picked the colours, you get to help put ‘em up on the walls.†“If I help you paint, I am going to wind up with paint all over me.†I predicted. “Yup.†“You are horrible.†“Yup.†“Will you pretend that my contributions to the painting are as rugged and manly as your attempt at repairing masonry?†“The fireplace is fixed, isn’t it? It’s not an attempt at repairing masonry if the masonry gets fixed! Yeah. It’ll be very masculine painting. I’ll be suitably impressed. You can fuck me afterwards. I’ll tell you how much watching you do manual labour gets me hot.†“Don’t tease me.†I elbowed him. “Not teasing, ‘s a promise. I will...†He nuzzled my neck. “An’ you’ll be on top... because you’ll have impressed me with all your manliness. Love you. You’ll probably have to paint shirtless. You know, so you don’t get paint all over your shirt. Your shirts are too nice.†“I could wear one of your shirts.†“Naw. You’ll paint with your shirt off. It’ll impress me faster.†“D’ac.†I leaned back against him. “That sounds fine.†---FIN---
Title: The Game Author: GlasgowSmiles Rating: NC 17 Pairing: Sniper/Spy (the first pair again) Summary: Gentlemen, behold... MORE PORN! Author's Notes: A direct sequel to the timestamp bondage porn of the night before, both in timeline and in theme. EXTRA NOTE: So, now that I've churned out two times the bondage games, I've got a couple things I'm working on and I was hoping to gauge interest, because otherwise I don't know what to focus on/post- I've been rewriting the whole series from Sniper's POV, but of course the beginning is mostly the same events (some scenes different, though). I've also been completely EVIL and hit the reset button, sending everyone back. Or, of course, you could just prompt me to write more porn. I've never successfully been able to write something that didn't focus mainly on Sniper/Spy, but under most circumstances I'd give it a shot (though I can't write either of them with anyone else...). Anyway, help a gal out with some direction? Otherwise, just enjoy your porn! I got back to the house after a brief little walk through the field out back, and found a note on the kitchen table. ‘Meet me in the garage’, it read. And then, ‘Don’t ask why, just come out here.’ Beneath that was ‘The garage is where you’ll find me, a blanket, and the lube’. This was more than enough reason for me. Clearly, he’d thought of everything. I made my way to the barn-cum-garage post-haste. The blanket was very much in evidence, spread out a few feet from the car. The lubricant was set out on it, as was a dishtowel—really? One of my dishtowels? We have one in the bathroom for this very purpose... And my balaclava. Not in evidence? The reason for the last item. Also, my Sniper. I coughed gently, and he stepped out of the shadows behind the car, the hank of soft rope in hand. “Put on the mask?†“Why, exactly?†I complied before he answered. He was wearing his old uniform as well. “Because. You... are a BLU spy,†He grinned. “And I... have captured you. Or am about to, at any rate.†“Cute.†I undressed. “Arms behind my back again?†“Above your head.†He gestured to another rope, slung over one of the exposed beams of the barn-cum-garage’s ceiling, this one with a hook dangling from the end. Two hooks, one tied to each end, the one dangling above the blanket, the other on the ground just a little ways off. Interesting... I knelt under the hanging hook and obligingly stretched my arms up. I’d have to hurry to get my hands free before the blood drained down... anything else he did would be easy to get out of after. He bound my wrists together, then affixed the rope around them to the hook. There was one more hank of the softer rope set out on the blanket, but first he went back behind the car to a small workbench. He came back with a not-too-long length of pipe with a rope run through it. “Can you spread your legs about this far?†He started tying one end of the rope to one knee. I managed to do so while retaining my balance, and he tied the other knee, the pipe keeping me spread like that. He moved around behind me after that, one hand on the rope overhead keeping me steady while the other angled my lower leg inward. “What now?†“I want to see how close you can get your ankles...†“This close.†I lied, adjusting. I put on a show of struggling to get them within tying-up range of each other, keeping a gap there as he wound the rope around my ankles and tied the knot off. I could slip out of that without the aid of my hands. “Okay, time starts now.†He walked back around to face me. “So. I’ve caught you—“ “How did you get me naked, pray tell?†I teased. “I don’t imagine the enemy spy was so compliant while you were tying him up, in this fantasy of yours.†“Well, I imagine I cut your clothes off after the fact.†“Ah. I see.†I started turning the rope around my wrists, looking for the knot. “Very nice.†“We’re in the RED base, obviously,†He gestured to our surroundings. “Why is my Citroen parked in the RED base?†“Don’t spoil it. You don’t even own the Citroen yet, we’re in the RED base, and I have you bound, naked, and completely at my mercy. Where anyone could just walk by.†I shivered. “That would be humiliating.†“Would be, sure, but I don’t think anyone’ll be by for a while... might have some fun with you.†My breath may have sped up at that. He may have noticed. It would explain the little chuckle, the one he gets sometimes when he knows how much I want him. He unzipped his fly slowly. I found the knot for the rope around my wrists, but didn’t start on it quite yet. Not yet... His hand stroked my face through the balaclava, he brought his slowly hardening cock towards my lips, and I shifted, wiggled my fingers to bring more blood up towards my hands. He could have fucked my mouth harder, but even though the roll of his hips was slow, there was strength enough behind it that it wasn’t a complete break from the game, and his hand gripped the base of my skull with a certain surety. I picked at the knot, listened to half-voiced encouragement and the odd breathy obscenity, did distracting things with my tongue... I had already worked one foot halfway loose from the rope around my ankles and my hands were nearly free as well. The bar between my knees was a nice touch—I would need my hands free for that, and by that time of course, he would notice, but now everything else I had taken care of without pulling his attention away from my lips and tongue and throat. His arm was between one of my own and the side of my head, and so with that hand I continued holding onto the rope and the hook, and I let the other drop down quietly to start freeing my left knee. The moment I got the knot undone, he came. “Time?†I stretched a little, undoing the last knot. “Damn... ten minutes.†“I am good.†I grinned. “Now... I imagine that, if you had tied me up, cut my clothes off, and had your way with me, you would by this time be somewhat distracted. Lethargic. And you would have a blade nearby.†“That sounds about right.†I stood, mimed picking up a dropped knife, and got behind him. “And then I might get the drop on you.†“You might. I probably got a bit cocky back there. Let my guard down.†“On your knees...†I eased him down, one hand on his shoulder. Bent to retrieve the rope. I tied his wrists in front of him, stretched the end of the rope across the barn-garage to anchor around one leg of the workbench on the wall, the distance forcing him to balance on his elbows. I walked back around him, with more leisure than it is easy to manage at my state of arousal, but watching him squirm was worth it. His trousers were already undone, it was just a matter of pulling them down far enough. I reached forward, slipping my fingers into his mouth, my other hand uncapping the lubricant, and once I withdrew my fingers, I coated them in that before I stretched him for me. “So...†I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “If we are in the RED base... does this mean at any moment your own compatriots could happen on us? On you? Like this?†“Reckon so...†“And then they would know that I own you.†I breathed. Slid into him and spent a moment just still. “Like no one else ever has, or ever will, I own you...†“Yeah...†He pushed back, tensed, testing my resolve. “Yeah you do...†“And to show you how... thoroughly... I own you... I am going to make you come again...†“Promises, promises.†He grunted, the smirk clear in his voice, and just under that a soft tremor. I angled every thrust carefully, ran my hands over his thighs, up under his shirt, down between his legs... I watched his progress with the ropes hoping for a distraction, tried to think about the knots and the process as clinically as possible. When that didn’t work I tried to imagine not the exciting fiction of dangerous public sex, but the horrifyingly embarrassing reality of the time one of the RED scouts walked in on us. Then he tightened around me and moaned low and I couldn’t think of anything unsexy enough to keep me from going over the edge for long. I redoubled my efforts and finally he trembled under me, then stilled, breathing ragged, and I let go. “You’re still tied up.†I pointed out. “Nrgh.†I kissed the back of his neck and grabbed the dishtowel, wiping us both off. “Are we back home now?†“Yeah. We’re home. How long’s it—Bloody damn! That’s a whole five minutes more and counting...†“Just let me untie you.†I sighed. “... fine. Get it next time.†“Mm-hm. If you get much more inventive, you might keep me occupied longer... I liked what you came up with.†I undid the rope, leaving it tied to the workbench for the time being. He rolled onto his back, tugging me down to lie against him. “You don’t want to go inside to do this? We have a bed, you know. Or even a sofa.†“You got to be kidding me. I just went twice, I’m not walking anywhere.†“Oh. Right.†I smiled, settling down against him. “I am that good, aren’t I?†“Fantastic.†He gave me a quick peck on the temple. “Might not walk anywhere ever.†I sighed and pulled my mask off before I found a better angle at which to use him as a pillow. “Well, if that’s what you decide. I’ll be sure to come by often for conjugal visits, and to bring you food, but I think you’ll get bored stuck here for the rest of your life.†“Right. Well, I’m gonna go ten minutes at least without walking anywhere.†“Sounds good.†---FIN---
This is the Defiant Ones, except in Sniper's perspective. Title: The Long Walk Chapter One: Into The Night Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Hey, remember the Defiant Ones? Here it is from the Sniper's POV. Some of the dialogue is, of course, recycled, but it starts a little earlier, and fills in different gaps. Author's Notes: Having been assured at least one person would read it, I decided to go ahead and post, since I'm kind of writing it anyway. Why not share? I made my approach cautiously. If he was on this side of the big fence, then he probably wasn’t playing by team rules anymore, but I wasn’t about to go strolling up to a BLU spy without any kind of care. “Oi!†I waved, gun trained on him. He turned, startled, ruining that smug thing they all like to do for a moment, though he picked it back up again right quick. “Hello. I take it you are not out here for your health?†“Middle of the desert, middle of the night?†I laughed, lowering my rifle just a tad. “Naw, mate, I’m not out here for my health. You?†“Not that it is any of your business, but... I am getting out. Of all this. I assume you are doing the same?†“Yeah.†I nodded. It wasn’t worth it anymore. It all felt like some kind of game somehow, and a sick one at that. “Where’s your supplies?†“S-supplies?†“You are pathetic. And I thought spies liked to think they were the brainy ones.†“I suppose I did not think... The last base I was stationed at was not far from the town. A couple of miles, not too bad a walk... Do you think this one is different?†“No. Got no reason to think it’s different, got no reason to think it’s the same.†I shrugged. “But I think it’s bloody stupid to walk out into the desert, when you don’t know where the nearest town is, empty handed.†“I know... Well, that is—“ “Get over here,†I jerked my head towards the train tracks that lay between where I’d made my way out, and where he’d made his. “Take us there eventually.†“Of course... the trains come, don’t they? I didn’t even think... Well. Of course I would have remembered in a moment if you hadn’t come along.†“All right, get walking.†“Excuse me?†“You heard me, Spy, start walking. We’re both heading in the same direction, and I for one am certainly not presenting my back to you.†He snorted. “I have no reason to kill you outside of that madhouse.†“Maybe not, but I’ve dealt with you lot enough that I’m not taking the chance.†“So I’m supposed to just let you follow me with a gun?†“Well... reckon if you don’t get too far ahead of me, I won’t be able to shoot you with it.†“Then as much as it grates on me to say so, you’d better stay close.†And with that, he set off, and I followed. Travelling at night was the best plan for a lot of reasons. First, because it’s easier work to sneak off of the base under cover of darkness, and the same goes for walking away across the desert from it. Second, because it’d be thirstier work to travel in the day, best to sleep then. Third, moving through the night at least warms you up a little. If the nearest town wasn’t a little two, three-mile hike after all, we’d need to find shelter for the hottest part of the day. We’d need to find clean water. Might need to find food. Shelter could be the trickiest, desert’s flat and I don’t know what has or hasn’t been built up around here, but eventually there would be something we could eat, and there would be water. Always is, you just have to know how to spot it. We were still following the tracks when the sun came up, and there wasn’t a thing in sight that would’ve been useful. Barely a thing in sight even that wasn’t. Worst thing, though, was I was starting to think the bloody BLU Spy had kind of a nice arse. Hard to tell, exactly, in the suit—and who wears a bloody three-piece suit in a war zone, or a desert, let alone both? But every so often there’d be a glimpse that hinted at an underlying niceness, and that’s just the last thing I needed. Get a grip on yourself, you spent half your life now not doing this, don’t do this now... Eventually, with the sun getting higher, and the Spy getting slower, I went ahead and overtook him for the lead. He probably wasn’t going to try anything, the war was behind us and besides, if it was a real trek—days long, maybe—he wasn’t going to make it on his own, and stabbing me in the back for my canteen would’ve been an incredibly short-sighted move. Speaking of, guess he didn’t have any water of his own. “Oi.†I turned to him. “What?†He bristled, on the defensive. “Here.†I tossed my canteen to him. “I don’t need—“ “Yeah, you do. Unless you escaped for the purpose of dying out in the desert, you very much need. You carry it for a while. Take it back from you later.†He nodded, wiping the mouth of the canteen with a hanky before taking a drink. We set off again, with him falling into step behind me. ---/-/--- “Look up there,†I pointed out a building not too far off from the tracks, a weird little structure on stilts. “C’mon.†I took the stairs at a good clip, the thought of shelter for the worst of the day enough to give me a second wind, and I pushed the door in, the lock giving way. The Spy followed me up, one hand on the railing, climbing at a creep. “Wonder why it’s abandoned.†I turned over a couple of crates, to make sure we had no unwelcome company. There was a lizard that I sent skittering off into the corner, but nothing dangerous. It was a good place. Four walls and a roof was a lot more than I expected us to find, as temporary shelter goes, and I’d spotted a pipe going up one of the legs supporting the place that looked like it promised water. Even if it wasn’t still running, it meant there was a water main out here, or a well, or something. Crates’d provide decent seating, a good surface for... I don’t know. Still had a pack of cards in my vest pocket, but while we’re here I think we need sleep more than we need to get to know each other over a quick poker game. Besides, never play against spies. That’s like a rule or something, or it should be. “It’s like... like half of one of our... locations.†He struggled. I’ll admit it’s weird to have to refer to them. It’s weird even thinking about the world we just got out of. “Like it was never finished.†It would have been our side, if they’d ever made it into one of those places. You could tell from... well, just from everything. Made of wood, not concrete, and in a few places you could see peeling red paint, though no logo had been put up yet, and no opposing fort erected. “Guess they figured they had enough.†I shrugged. “Or it was too close to the one we just broke out of.†It was possible. From up here, if I looked back out one of the windows, I could see it in the distance, the outline of the forts we’d bolted from. Probably by design you shouldn’t see one from the other, even if most of them were out in the desert—I think the same desert. Well, plenty of desert to go around, isn’t there? And to get from one to the other, they usually teleport us, might not all be the Badlands, could be some in Death Valley, or other places. For all I know, they aren’t all in the states. “What if we are more than a week from civilization?†The Spy interrupted my thoughts, such as they were. “Your van was blown up. No driving, no going back to it for supplies, just...†He didn’t have to remind me. We were both counting on my ability to survive with next to nothing, for as long as we had to, and it wasn’t exactly a weight a man forgot about just because no one mentioned it in the last five minutes. Besides... “Then I break my record.†I glared at him. “Your demo blew my van, so don’t you go complaining to me about that.†“Well, I didn’t tell him to do it. I wasn’t anywhere near him when it happened. I was in your—I mean... Well, I was doing my job. Like you were doing yours.†In our base. Not that he had to say it, I knew it was his job. He snuck in and made off with our intel, and I picked off his teammates, and sometimes he stabbed me in the back if I couldn’t hear him in time. And now here we are together, and maybe it’s a mistake, but if I’m stuck with him either way, I’ll take living over dying. “Look, we’re... we’re in this right now. Two of us.†I said. “Best thing for it’s to... just... Any animosity between us is gonna have to be part of a different life.†“You have nothing to fear from me.†He spread his hands. “I need you to survive. I am highly motivated not to kill you.†“Well that’s fine, but it’s not what I mean. I mean... you got to trust me as well.†And it shouldn’t have mattered, except it did. It really did. I wanted him to. He found the floorboards real interesting for a long moment. “I am... not in the habit of trusting anyone.†“You need me to survive.†I reminded him. “Need does not mean trust.†Should’ve known, I should have known he’d be more trouble than he’s worth, as if I could’ve ever thought that backstabbing little bastard was worth any kind of trouble, but dammit, I’m going to need him, too, before all this is over. Because I believe in planning for the worst case scenarios, and I get the feeling that planning won’t exactly go for naught. “I know what I’m doing and you don’t.†I pointed out. “That doesn’t change—“ He started. “If I tell you ya need to do something,†I could feel the headache coming on, though I feared it was as much the start of dehydration as it was my being fed up with the bloody Spy. “Of course,†He went all submissive all of a sudden, like a dog showing it’s belly. “You are the expert. And it is survival. In that respect, yes.†Still holding out on the real trust, then. If he was a dog, he’d probably bite you the minute you reached out. “All right.†I could let it go, or pretend to. For now, at least. “And I need you to trust me to... I’m not going to off you, right?†Bloody hell, think if he was a dog, he’d be a bluey. Too cunning to be a dumb breed, and, well... then there’s all the blue. Right down to his eyes, not that his employers had anything to do with that. Not that I even noticed, outside of just that I notice things. Not that I’d think about his eyes. Not that I think he’s capable of the kind of loyalty and drive I’d expect out of a heeler, and I don’t really even know why I’m thinking about this... “It would make your life considerably easier.†He said, with a half-shrug, the world’s worst devil’s advocate. “You would have twice the water. I would not... slow you down, or—“ “No.†I stopped him right there, didn’t like the weird look he was getting or the tone of his voice, like he’d been waiting for the blow to come. “If they see we’re gone and think they’ll follow, you’re the only one watching my back. You need me more than I need you, but I still... you could be useful. And take that bloody thing off.†I motioned to his ski mask. He looked at me like I was ready to shoot him, but eventually he took it off. Oh. Bloody. Hell. He didn’t have to be gorgeous. I mean, it’s enough trouble just trying to not even think that way, it’s enough trouble having to be something you’re not all damn day every day, and it’s bad enough when there aren’t even women around you could pretend you think are more attractive than a nice-looking bloke, but this isn’t even fair. I did my level best to keep on ignoring him. Even without the mask on, he’s still a spy. He’s still the ruthless bastard who knifed you right between the shoulder blades five times in the last week, and made fun of your van, which his team’s demoman blew sky-high. Sure, he’s got actually a quite nice face and hair that’s unexpectedly also quite nice, and that little mark up high on his cheek that’s something between a freckle and a mole and probably shouldn’t be as attractive as all get out, but that doesn’t change who he is, he’s a spy, he’s your ex-enemy, he’s always trying to kill you and half the time succeeding, and you are not going to find him attractive. ... Why don’t I ever listen to myself? I turned my back to him, which made it easier to not stare at him, and tossed my vest and shirt on one of the crates. There’s one thing you can thank the dry desert air for, once you strip down, the sweat running down your back evaporates nice and quick. Of course, when I turned back to face him, he had done the same, and I had to face the fact that he had a really nice body, too. Really nice. Lean and pale... slender, but not skinny. Not weak. No, if he were weak, he wouldn’t have killed me so many times in the past, would he have? Sure, he does it in a sneaky way, but still, you can’t do all that and be weak. And I really should not be admiring the fact that he’s strong enough to kill me. I mean, I could take him in a fair fight, no problem, but that’s the thing with spies, innit? They don’t get into fair fights. No, he has the kind of body that slides into tight spaces, hides in narrow shadows. Kind of body that could get someone like me in trouble, and for the sake of argument, let’s say I just mean the stabbing. “Sleep.†I told him. “Best time to do it, and who knows when we’ll have a set-up this nice... could be a long trek. I’ll give you three hours, then wake ya.†He bedded down without any verbal complaints, and I made one more check of our surroundings. Still no nasty crawly things. Still no nasty people out the window coming after us with guns blazing. I found the sink, just past a half-wall that partitioned the space. It worked, and I let it run until the water stopped being brown. When it was clear, I drank, out of my own cupped hands, ‘til I couldn’t drink any more without wanting to chuck it all back up again. Probably was dehydrated, just a little, before. Despite what I’d told him, I wasn’t looking after myself. No, handed the canteen over and pretended I didn’t need it for most the day. And the worst of it is, I know it’s stupid. I know exactly how stupid I’m being, how stupid all my arguments are. I should be taking drinks of water on a rigid schedule, really, to make sure I don’t under-water myself, and if I run out I find more. I shouldn’t be putting it off while I make sure he’s drinking. I’m the one who needs to stay sharp. I tell myself I’m the one with the experience here, and I know that’s rubbish, because a fat lot of good experience will do me when I can’t see straight, when I start getting tired or dizzy. And that’s if I’m lucky, of course. Still, you know, I make the argument. He’s never done this before and I need to make sure he’s all right, forgetting for the moment that even if we’re not enemies right this second, we’re certainly not friends. The best thing for him would be if I took care of myself, I know that’s true. I still gave him more of the water last night. I’ll still go without later if it’s down between one or the other of us getting to drink. No. We’ll just, I’ll find more water, when this runs out. If I start getting the headaches, a bit of dizziness, then I’ll try harder to find more water. Watch him for signs, too. I’ve been making sure he drinks, but who knows with him. He should be fine. If he faints, I’ll know he’s gone too far. No, neither of us is going to get there. Can’t afford to. Because after that, there’s the tingling, spasms, dimness, and then I won’t be able to do anything. I drink again, once I feel like I can. Just in case. Not being thirsty anymore doesn’t mean you’re hydrated again, it just means you’ve had a fair amount of water. I wind up watching him sleep for a while, even though I’d intended not to. I can’t believe he even has hair... I know, I know—the fact that he’s got a watch that makes him bleeding invisible I don’t question, the disguise kit that his friends can see through and his enemies can’t I don’t question, the fact that he has hair that shouldn’t even fit under his bloody mask, that I find weird. But it’s thick and dark and it looks soft. Looks like you could grab a handful of it to pull him in close and... No. No, we agreed, self, not thinking like this. Not ever. Because blokes who think like this end up like Baxter, on a feeding tube in a piss-poor hospital because even his parents were uneasy enough with what he was that they didn’t move him to one in the city, and they could’ve afforded it, and it coulda been me because I thought about it, yeah, I thought about taking him up on it when he offered, but then I didn’t, and he went off with someone, bloody hell, with someone who wasn’t, and by now they’ve probably pulled the plug on him, not like you or anyone else ever visited, but... Dammit. ---/-/--- I watched him sleep for around-about the three hours I’d promised him, maybe a touch more. He never really relaxes. Occupational hazard, reckon. He never looks comfortable. Probably not used to sleeping on the floor. When his three hours were well up, I got to my feet and headed over to wake him. Could’ve, and probably should’ve, just kicked him gently, but instead I crouched down just for a second and touched his shoulder. I didn’t stay within arms’ reach of him, the way he slept like a watch-spring, figure someone shakes him awake and he goes for his knife. His line of work and mine aren’t too different, even outside of the war. Either way, there are lots of people want you dead, and if they’re smart, they come after you when you’re sleeping. Especially for a spy. “Awake yet?†“Yes. Er... Thank you.†“Here,†I held out a hand, which he stared at as though he’d previously been unaware hands existed. “What?†“Nothing, I just...†His cheeks went red. It was a cute look on him. Which, bloody damn me to hell, I did not just think. “I did not expect the help.†“Wake me when the sun comes up.†I told him, tossing my vest down and rolling my shirt into a tight ball that might support the back of my neck just a little. I pointed him towards the canteen on the crate-table. “Drink the rest of the water, found a spot where we can fill it up before we go.†“Really?†“Just the other side of that wall there,†I jerked a thumb back towards the partition. “Sink. Checked it, still runs, it’s good.†“D’ac.†He said, which wasn’t English, but sounded pretty much like assent. “Pack of cards on the crate there, you need to go a few rounds of solitaire to stay awake on your own.†He nodded, and I tipped my hat over my eyes to keep out the sunlight that made its way into our temporary hideout. I heard him shuffle the deck as I drifted off to sleep. Wasn’t the most comfortable place to sleep, but it sure as hell wasn’t the worst I’d ever put up with, and I didn’t have to lie awake too long. ---/-/--- I woke to his foot tapping against mine, and I was on my feet in one swift move that he didn’t seem like he expected. “Evening.†He sounded almost apologetic, gesturing towards the darkening window. “No one has come after us. If anyone has set out to find us, they were incredibly stupid about it. No one has come by along the tracks, much less towards the... the this place.†“Go on and get dressed.†I said, satisfied. “Temperature’ll drop soon enough.†“Soon enough.†He sneered a little, shaking his head. “It cannot be soon enough for my tastes.†Yeah, he definitely wasn’t built for this. Wonder what got to him so bad he felt like heading out into the desert was his best option. I mean, me, I get. Because I’ve done this before, spent loads of time living on my wits in worse deserts than this one. And I know we’re fed up with the same bloody pointless some-kind-of war, but he had to factor in risks and rewards, and maybe it’s worse over on the BLU side, or maybe he knows something I don’t, to make this kind of thing worth it for someone who is clearly out of his element. I threw on my shirt and vest, caught him out of the corner of my eye trying to get all the dust out of his precious suit. He didn’t put the mask back on, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, because I like his face, but that’s more a problem than anything, isn’t it? ---tbc---
Title: The Long Walk Chapter Two: It Just Won't Quit Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Hey, remember this? Here it is from the Sniper's POV. Some of the dialogue is, of course, recycled, but it starts a little earlier, and fills in different gaps. Author's Notes: Having been assured at least one person would read it, I decided to go ahead and post, since I'm kind of writing it anyway. Why not share? Spy’s fussy about everything. He got over the suit thing, I think. Accepted the damage was done, anyway, but he wasn’t happy about the conditions under which dinner was had, and he wasn’t happy about pissing out of doors, which under the circumstances, seemed like the silliest thing to make a fuss about. Still, the one thing he never complained about was the walking, and for that I have to give him some respect, because those fancy shoes weren’t made for comfort so much as they were probably made for the express purpose of being a flash bastard. Fussy or not, he bears up well under the really necessary pressure. He’s gonna burn to a crisp long before we get to anyplace decent, poor mug. He hasn’t fussed about that, either. We came on a long, jagged rock formation, at a good angle to crawl under for shade, about the time I worried we’d be walking all through the worst of the afternoon. Any smaller and we wouldn’t both be under it, and I poked back into the deepest part of the shadows, right where the rocks came out of the ground, to make sure there was nothing else under there with us. I sat next to his stretched-out legs in the cramped space and watched him sleep some more. He was worse than yesterday about it, but it’s not like there was much I could do to make it better. We were where we were. I scanned the horizon every so often, but time and time again my eyes went back to him. If we get out of this... does that make us friends? Dunno, hard to say. Spent a long time as each other’s worst enemy—leastaways, he was mine—and even before the war, even before anything, I was never really good with socializing. Still, like to think maybe we’d get to civilization and... I don’t know, have a beer together. Something. Obviously not the other thing, the thing I’m not even thinking about, because I’m not. Because it’s not all right, and I’m just not. Because even if I was, who says he is, and anyway, it’s just, I’m not. Break my mother’s heart, for one. And Dad’s got enough of a problem with my job, last thing he needs is a bloody pooftah for a son, yeah? And if anyone caught you at anything, there’d be a whole world of hassle. And none of that is even important, because I’m not, and if I was, it wouldn’t be for him, because I ought to hate him, and maybe that’s all behind us, but that doesn’t mean... Bloody hell, I don’t know anymore. I just don’t know. After a couple hours of him trying to toss and turn and not having the room, I woke him, my hand on his knee, and I yanked away like I was burned when I had the impulse to slide up higher. We switched places, an awkward maneuver that sparked too many more little thoughts I don’t need. “Wake me—“ “Nightfall.†He interrupted with a nod. “There is still a moon tonight.†“Yeah. Hope it doesn’t wane too far ‘fore we get to where we’re going.†I snorted. That’d be too great, yeah? Getting lost out here for so long we lose the bloody moon? Last thing I need. Second to the last thing I need. “No.†He flashed a tired smile. “I do not much look forward to running through the desert a l’aveuglette.†This gave me pause just a little. Figure from context he means blind or something like that. He meant something else, it’d be completely random. “Nah. Probably not.†The conditions we’d been awake under had been exhausting enough, and the conditions I was going to have to sleep in familiar enough, that I didn’t take too long to drop off. I might not have more than a couple hours, I might not have even that much, and I was going to have to take all I could out of what I could get. ---/-/--- We walked a long spell before I found us water, and I had the feeling he wasn’t going to like it when I did. There wasn’t much at ground level, I’d have to dig for it, but the fact that there was life meant there was water to dig for. I came back to him feeling pretty bloody triumphant. “Canteen.†“You found water?†“Anything living out here’s got to know where there’s water.†I shrugged. “Plants we’ve been coming across so far’ve been too dry to still be getting any, or they go too deep to dig.†“So we have water.†“Ah!†I stopped him—physically—from following me. Felt the heat of his chest through his shirt. It was still chilly out, dawn only just breaking, soft pink-gold light just starting to highlight him, the world still mostly dark. “Can’t see the tracks from out there, but I can see you. I’d feel a bit better knowing we’re not going to go wandering off blind, hey?†He nodded. I took my hand off his chest and tried to forget about how warm he was or think about what his skin woulda felt like. Instead I took a pull off what we had left from the building. Should’ve been gone by now... if I’d been drinking enough, it would’ve been. Dammit, got to be more careful. I poured the last swallow-and-a-half’s worth out over his head, grinning when he sputtered slightly. “Charming.†He regained his cool, one eyebrow twitching upwards under his mask, his arms crossed firmly in front of his chest. “Be nice later. Sun coming up.†I pulled my hankie out to use as a filter before I remembered that I’d used it cleaning the hawk we’d eaten. I shoved it back into my pocket. Not going to cut it. “Don’t suppose you’ve got one?†“Will you be putting dead things in it?†He cocked his head to one side, and I swear he was this close to a pout. “Ah... no. Was more focused on the water, actually. No dead things this time ‘round.†I admitted. And rabbit would’ve been better than hawk. Would’ve felt better about killing one, too. All they ever do is make more of themselves anyway. Sure, the meat’s lean enough you could stuff yourself on it and still starve, but hawks can’t be much better. Well... the hawk was a beaut of a shot, though... in terms of being impressive, a clear winner. In terms of dinner, the rabbit would’ve been preferable. After a moment of deliberation—and what was left to deliberate?—he gave up his hankie, which I doubted had ever been used for anything, up until this venture, and even I only saw him wiping at the mouth of the canteen the once. “Cheers. Be right back.†I dug with my hands through the sand, used the kukri blade when I hit harder-packed dirt, and finally got water. I filtered the mud out with his hankie, and it wasn’t a perfect system, but it was a reasonable measure to take. Made our water at least a little cleaner. I thought about the sun, and his skin, and the fact that even keeping his face tilted down, even staying out of it during the worst of the day, he’d seemed awful pink. Wasn’t zinc oxide, but at least a layer of mud would keep sun off. Not the worst thing in the world, besides, and there’s a fair amount of it here now. I walked back to him, and he sputtered a little bit more, which is just endlessly amusing. He seemed a little sore on the point of the soiled bit of silk—think it was silk-- I had over the back of my neck. I handed off the canteen so I could grab his hankie to return it. “Yeah. Figured you’d rather get this dirty than drink sand, mate.†He pocketed it with a little glare, which quickly turned to further confusion. “Purely practical.†I smeared the mud on his face. Oh yes. His outrage is priceless. This is a lot more fun than trying to kill each other... Well, except for the parts where the desert might kill us both, but we’ve got an okay shot at this. And he’s pretty cute with— No. Not cute. Just... I mean, it’s funny, it isn’t cute. “How is this practical?†He stamped one foot, effect kind of ruined by the sand. “Sun’ll be up, remember? Might not find any kind of a shelter. It may not be much, but it’ll keep your skin from peeling off. Unless you want to become a French fry...†“They’re not really French.†He pouted. Covered in mud and pouting. Yeah, it is kind of... no, not cute, we agreed it’s not cute, self, don’t go back on that, it just isn’t. “You’re welcome.†“I am not thanking you for attacking me with mud!†I didn’t give him the response he wanted, obviously. “I’m not.†He repeated petulantly. “Isn’t the worst thing I’ve attacked you with.†I shrugged. Initially I meant taking shots at him from across the battlefield when I could, or swinging at him with the kukri when I heard him trying to sneak up on me, but I gathered from his look of disgust that his mind went somewhere a little less lethal. “You don’t even get to speak right now.†He shuddered. “I feel defiled. Don’t! It’s... less defiled than that, but still. The principle—The—“ I snorted. “I’m not apologizing for keeping your face from coming off in great red sheets. I’ll say sorry about the hankie if you really want, but like I said, it’s that or drink silt.†“No, that’s... that’s an acceptable sacrifice.†“I mean, I’d apologize if it was from a lady-friend or something.†Why even bloody go there? Because men don’t keep silk hankies that didn’t come from girls? Maybe they do in France. Or because you’re hoping he’ll say no, no lady-friend, no one, stop right there... “No... no. I...†He paused, long enough for me to hope against hope. “It’s easier not to have—No.†“Right. Well then.†Easier. Yeah, I understood easier. “Any luck and there’ll be a station out here somewhere...†“I don’t think there’s much call for a train station in the middle of the desert.†“Huh?†Not sure where that came from, except the tracks did have to go somewhere. “Hm. Yeah, reckon.†It was noncommittal. Meaningless. But it was better than saying something that meant something completely stupid. ---tbc---
Title: The Long Walk Chapter Three: Rest Your Head For Just Five Minutes Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: Eventual R-ness Pairing: Sniper/Spy, eventually Summary: Hey, remember this? Here it is from the Sniper's POV. Some of the dialogue is, of course, recycled, but it starts a little earlier, and fills in different gaps. Author's Notes: Having been assured at least one person would read it, I decided to go ahead and post, since I'm kind of writing it anyway. Why not share? Chapter One Chapter Two Every so often now I’d ‘see’ snow for just a second, and it got harder to take the next step. I felt exhausted, not just from walking, but like I could sleep forever, but when we did stop, I couldn’t fall asleep, not at all. I faked it so he wouldn’t worry, but my mind was going in increasingly irritable circles the whole time. He generously gave the silent allowance that anyone could have an off day when I blew an easy shot at a rabbit, but I knew better. Muscle weakness, or just a twitch, but the toll was there. Now we had no food and no water—I watched him drink the last of it before night fell. Dammit. I let us both down. We’d die out here after all. Yeah, it’s better than going back there, at least it’s on my own terms, but that doesn’t make it all all right. There was a throbbing, all across my forehead, temple to temple. The BLU Spy was holding up. He had one arm curled around his midsection, but his steps didn’t falter much, and his spirits were up. There was dried mud flaking from his big gallic beak of a nose, and I still never thought anyone looked better. “You’re... you’re a bit o’ all right, you know that?†I told him. Ought to tell him, just once before... before whatever happens. Dying of dehydration is only a good way to go if you’ve got the painkillers to make it bearable, when you’re out in the wild where you don’t have much choice, it’s not pretty. Do we just trudge on, stoic, accepting? Go in for some sort of murder suicide? If we did, would we be done, or would we wake up in the resupply rooms? I never thought about how it worked. Is the respawn only on during battles? Does it work when you’re on-site? Is it tied to the weapons somehow? Everyone brought their own in as far as I know, but they were looked over, and it’s possible... it’s possible... He smiled blandly at me, missing the meaning completely. “Oh. Um... thank you.†“Forget it.†I didn’t explain. “I just figured... if we are going to die out here, and we might... and I’m sorry for it...†“No. You’ll find water again.†“Nothing came out last night.†I choked the words out like they were bitter. He deserved to know, he wasn’t the sort of man who needed protecting from the truth, he deserved to hear it. “No birds, no bloody fucking rabbits, haven’t even seen a lizard in yonks. And now we’re out of water and I don’t know if I’ll be able to shoot straight if something does... if something does...†I might have been breaking down. It almost felt like I was crying, except there were no tears. Of course there wouldn’t be. Even if I was crying there wouldn’t be. And I doubt I would make the shot, I missed the last one I had, and I wasn’t exactly going to get better the longer I went without water, and— The stinging slowly faded, and I looked at him, glaring at me, his hand upraised. “You’ll do whatever it is you have to do. It hasn’t been a week yet, has it?†Feisty. Nice. Dammit, not nice! I don’t—I can’t—Still. It was a welcome change from compliance and confusion on his part. My hand wandered up to my cheek. “Huh. Didn’t think that’d happen...†“You should have.†He snarled. There’s the man who used to stab me in the back on a regular basis! Which, wow, really shouldn’t be that attractive. “What’s the matter with you?†“Dehydrated.†“We haven’t been out of water that long, have we?†He seemed to take stock of himself. I looked down at the ground. “... Have we?†He sounded concerned. “I suppose it takes less time in the desert, but it seemed like we only just... Sniper?†He sounds like he suspects. Might as well come out with it. “Been giving you most of it.†“Idiot.†He didn’t hit me again, but he might as well have, the amount of venom he put in that one word. “What made you think that was a sound strategy? If one of us is going to get dehydrated, did it occur to you that it should be the one who doesn’t need to locate our next source of water, or shoot down our food?†“Just... didn’t want you getting...†I tried for an explanation, but it all felt too weak. “You’re not used to it, and—“ “And you thought you’d protect me?†He bristled. He is just... just magnificent angry. I mean, I know I’m not thinking clearly, but yeah. Yeah. “Well, that’s just fabulous! Too bad you didn’t also teach me how to be a self-sufficient crazy bushman while you were giving me all of our water, then maybe I could get out of here!†I went from admiring the whole spitfire thing he had going on to pissed the hell off in about no time flat—also, I’m aware, an effect of the dehydration. Besides, I’d rather storm off in a snit than let him think I was being soft on him ‘cause I like him at all. Even if it’s maybe gotten to be the truth. And who is he, anyway? I mean, who does he think he is? I try to do something, something nice, and... and... And there’s a house, there’s a house down there, there’s a little bloody house in a little bloody dustbowl and we’re going to be all right, we’re, we’re... “I told you!†I whooped. “What did I tell you?†“You told me we were going to die in the desert because you are an idiot.†He fired back. “Before all that. About finding a station.†Well, not exactly a station. Which he didn’t understand anyway. “Well, a house.†“There’s a house?†He ran up to me, teetering for a moment beside me on the precipice before we both went sailing down the little hill. We were laughing, and at some point in the whole proceeding, we might have hugged. I had spotted a pump out back by the well. “You’re probably the smooth talker here. You go see who’s home—and if no one is, well... Dunno, not much room to take the moral high ground, and if it’s locked up, you probably got all the experience getting ‘round that. I’ll go get the pump going, get some water.†“D’ac.†He nodded, and by this time if someone told me it meant anything other than ‘okay’, I’d have to figure they were lying to me. He was grinning broadly. “I’ll carry out reconnaissance on the inside.†Out back of the house there was a clothesline, the pump, the little well, a wooden bench that might have been painted green years ago, though it was almost uniformly the colour of anything sufficiently sun-bleached now. The house had been, and still was in places, pink. The pump wouldn’t work, and after a while, I gave up on it. The well still had water, and I lowered the bucket in. It was cool, and sweet, and after drinking a fair amount, I dumped a bucketful over myself. Took my shirt off and poured some more over my head before drinking deep again. If there was anything better in the world than this... Belatedly, I remembered I had a canteen to fill. “The house is abandoned.†I turned at the announcement. He was staring at me. Right, the pump. I was supposed to be working the pump. Or maybe I just look like a complete idiot. “Pump’s broke. Abandoned?†“Apparently this godforsaken place is unlivable. Still, it’s a house. No electricity, no plumbing, but...†“Beautiful.†I couldn’t have been happier. Couldn’t have been. Honest-to-goodness house, water, not-dying. Could not have been happier, not at all. “C’mere.†He approached me with some caution, and I yanked the hankie out of his vest pocket. His jacket he’d dropped, maybe in the house, but the vest he was still wearing... I wet the hankie and cleaned the flaking mud away. He was still pretty pink underneath. “Huh. Guess you still got pretty burned out there.†“Yes, probably. Most of it came off.†I stuffed the hankie back in his vest pocket. “There a tub?†“Yes. A bathtub and a washtub. Which did you want?†“Bring the washtub out.†I poured another half-a-bucketful of water over myself before filling it again. He came back with the tub I’d asked him for, and I gave him the canteen. Watching him drink was something that had to be added to the list of too-dangerous occupations, and I busied myself with filling the washtub with water and definitely not thinking about the bob of his adam’s apple and the trickle of water down the side of his throat. A couple of trips between the well and the bath, and we’d filled the bathtub as well, and got a washtub full of water on reserve. “Drink.†I pointed to the canteen in his hand. “I just did.†“More.†I shook my head. “I’m serious. You’ll stop being thirsty before you’re hydrated. You’ll probably want to sick it all up before you’re well hydrated.†“I feel all right...†“Humour me.†I took another drink, from my own cupped hands and the washtub, and found towels in the linen closet, took them out to the clothesline and beat them ‘til they were usable. There might not have been functioning indoor plumbing, but there was a toilet, which we availed ourselves of separately. “Go on,†I jerked my head towards the tub. “Strip down, get in. You’ll feel better.†He nodded and did so, and I did my level best not to look at him. To not look at him without looking like I was trying not to look at him, which was the real trick. I washed our clothes out as best I could while he washed away the grit and sweat, and after I hung our things up outside, he toweled off and I washed up. We raided the pantry and came up with not much, and instead of setting up in the sad little kitchen, I hopped onto the bed in the main room—seemed to be bedroom and living room both—and got to work opening the cans that were left. I patted the space beside me. “Is this... awkward at all?†“Is it?†I kept my expression neutral, but there was a moment of cold fear where I thought maybe he knew. “No. No, of course not. I just meant... What is it?†I followed his gaze to the now-open cans of what we’d hoped was food, and I sniffed at the contents of both. “One soup. One beans. Smells decent. Not old enough to’ve gone bad, reckon.†He nodded, sitting beside me on the bed and taking the soup, alternating between sips of that and sips of water. “I cannot believe how hungry I’ve been...†He moaned softly. “I actually find this tinned American garbage... kind of good.†I chuckled, draining most of the liquid out of the can of beans onto the floor by the bed. If no one was coming back to the place, there wasn’t much reason not to, after all. “Glad to hear it. Nice to have water again, too.†“Mm...†Another moan that sounded just a little too sexual. “That is not hot, or full of dirt, or smelling like eggs and metal.†“Yeah.†It was harder to eat beans out of a can with no utensils—they’re not an easy food to drink—but they were good. They were food, which was enough for me, really. Sometimes the Spy’s elbow brushed past my own, and if he particularly noticed, he’d mumble a ‘pardon’, or he’d be too caught up in having a little comfort to care and I’d enjoy the accidental touch more than I should’ve let myself. We could sleep in a real bed. Just an hour ago I thought I’d never live to see a real bed again, and now not only are we sleeping in one, we’re sleeping in the same one. Which is great except for where it’s sheer hell, and there’s a drop of water on his shoulder that I want to lick from his skin, but the mattress is comfortable enough and big enough we’re not pressed up against each other. “It all seems too convenient.†He sighed. Which is what I had been thinking, but I was thinking it about the fact that I had a bed with him in it, and I doubt he was thinking the same thing about me. “You want half?†I offered him the beans. It was better than prying at what convenience exactly he meant, when half of all I could think about was his bare white legs next to mine down the mattress. He said something in French, what I couldn’t tell you. A longer, more complicated version of ‘okay’, if his actions were anything to go by. “You’re really going to pick apart the first bit of good luck we’ve come across?†I said after a moment. It was vague enough I wouldn’t dig myself into any holes assuming. “I am, if it seems like...†He swirled the can experimentally, sniffed at it. “Like it’s too convenient, yeah.†“Like we are being set up for something.†“Wish they’d abandoned a car or something.†I sighed. Of course, anyone who lived in a two-room shack probably only had one car, which they probably needed in their exodus, but it’d have been nice to drive out of here. “Or a spoon.†He tipped the can back, swallowing audibly and pulling a face. “A spoon?†I laughed. “The fact that we’ve found water, shelter, food, that’s too convenient, but a spoon’d be just about right?†“What can I say?†He spread his arms—well, started to, except I was in the way on one side. He could say he was a picky, snooty Frenchman who needed to get his priorities in order, but... “You can get a couple hours’ sleep.†He stared me down, setting the mostly-empty can to the side. “And have you been parceling that out unfairly as well?†“Nah, I—“ Had I? Not that I was aware of... not really. Okay, so I did always give him the first shift, and that was bound to be longer, since it was the only one we really timed, and I just woke up when it got dark regardless... but it’s not like I told him to sleep for four hours when I knew I’d only get two or anything. “Well, night falls when it falls, but I try and keep shifts pretty even.†“You have a way of... ah... announcing your color, it’s...†“Announcing my colour?†I thought about the shirt and suit out on the clothesline for a moment. “Think it’s pretty well announced. Or would be...†“The... the cards on the table? I am saying you have been bad at lying. Sorry, idioms have been... I think I am tired.†“You oughta be exhausted.†And, well, might as well say it. “I let you sleep a little longer. Not that much. It’s not even the same as the water, I’m used to not sleeping.†“Wake me in time.†He said, giving me a reproachful look as he settled down to sleep. “I do not need your protection. I do not need your protection much in the same way that I do not need additional holes in my head.†Guess he is having an off day with idioms. “... Close enough.†I told him. “Shut up.†He picked up the can of beans from its place on the mattress and looked for a nightstand that wasn’t there. I took the can and dropped it on the floor by the bed. “Go ahead and sleep.†“Can I tell you something first?†He yawned. That adorable bastard... “Sure thing.†It was in French when he did, with another yawn, and I didn’t pick much out of it, except it wasn’t swearing, it wasn’t ‘okay’, and it might have had something to do with me. “Uh... don’t speak French, sporto.†“Oui, d’ac. I know. I wanted to tell you, but I did not want you to know.†Dark secret? Something completely silly? Absolutely no way of telling with him. He covered himself with the sheet, rolling onto his side to face the wall with the window. “Sleep.†I ruffled his hair. Froze for a moment, waiting for the unavoidable repercussions, but they didn’t come. Guess he was close enough to dropping off completely, might be it didn’t even register. His hair was soft. I placed the rifle down on the bed between us, instead of leaning up against the wall, and tried to keep an eye on the front of the house, just out the window, but my eyes kept straying. Sometimes the blanket would slip, and that bare shoulder would start looking good to me again, even dry. Sometimes it was the back of his neck. Sometimes it was just the line of his body, even covered, or the sunlight through the window in his dark hair. When the sun moved to hit his face, he pulled the sheet up over his head, where it stayed until the light moved. I was loathe to, but I woke him earlier than usual, as per his wishes. “I’m gonna catch some sleep. Anyone comes down that hill after us, you think you can use this baby?†I patted the rifle stock. He nodded. “It is not my strong suit, but I can get a shot off with it if I need to.†“Good.†He lifted it, turning it in his hands, inspecting the barrel, peering through the scope. “Ah, she is a fine piece of weaponry... I am better with a revolver, but I’ll manage. The last time I used a rifle...†“Yeah?†“I was young. Twelve, maybe? I lived with my uncle. He enjoyed hunting. I was not so good at it then. It was an old gun, and it was two thirds my height at least.†He chuckled. “This, this is lovely, though...†“Yeah. Well, it’s been with me a while. Does the job right. Handles well.†“I can’t believe I took off without my gun.†He shook his head. “I can’t believe it.†“If anyone shows up while I’m asleep, use mine.†I tipped my hat over my eyes. “I will, thank you.†---tbc---
Title: The Long Walk Chapter Four: I Think We're Alone Now Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: Hey, remember this? Here it is from the Sniper's POV. Some of the dialogue is, of course, recycled, but it starts a little earlier, and fills in different gaps. Author's Notes: Having been assured at least one person would read it, I decided to go ahead and post, since I'm kind of writing it anyway. Why not share? We left the house at nightfall. “Careful,†I said, stopping him by the front door. “I hear out in the desert there are tarantulas.†“Can we forget about that?†“You can try, mate, but I doubt I’ll let ya.†I laughed. “Because I guarantee you they are not dangerous. I’d say he was more afraid of you than you were of him, but I don’t think he had the chance to be. And you must’ve been well afraid of him to shoot him!†“I hate you.†He sighed. I let up on him after that, and we walked on. He tugged at my arm as we crested a small rise, and I looked down at the scattering of lights below. “There is a town ahead. We might reach it tomorrow. Or tomorrow night.†“We could actually get out of this.†For a moment, I was just full with the very idea. Freedom. Everything would be worth it, we’d be home free, we’d be out. It was the kind of happiness that starts to hurt your chest from being too big for you. And then I realized that, with all the good parts of freedom, there was the bad as well. He’d be free, too, wouldn’t need me. Might never see him again. “Where do you think you’ll go to, after this?†“I just assumed I would... I don’t know.†He blinked. “I suppose I always imagined myself back in Paris. You know... everyone assumes I am from there?†“You aren’t?†“A bit south of there. Not so far south as Vichy, we were above the demarcation line... You know what, it isn’t important. I would rather go back to Paris, it’s easier to get lost in a crowd.†“And to meet pretty tourist girls looking for romance?†I joked weakly. He’d grin wolfishly and agree, and it’d be worse than every bloody knife in the back combined, and I’d laugh and pretend to think of girls myself... “I suppose so.†He just shrugged. “You?†“Don’t even know.†I sighed. “Can’t really... I can’t really go back home. Even if I wasn’t worried about being tracked down, it’s not really something I could do... Dad won’t want to see me. He thinks I’m some kind of nut. I mean, it’s a job and they pay me for it, I don’t see how it’s any different from Nasho. That’s where I found out I was good at this. Compulsory service. Said I had a gift. Well, of course that didn’t set well with the oldies. Mum just ignores it mostly, but Dad... What about you? Do your folks know what it is you do?†“It depends on your cosmology.†He looked away. “As to whether they would be proud or disappointed... I am following the family profession. But... my cause is not so noble.†“Oh. Uh...†Wasn’t sure what to say to that. “So your folks are spies?†“Were.†He clarified, and I felt an uncomfortable stab of sympathy. “Yes. I mentioned we lived above the demarcation line. They did what they did for freedom. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite. I do what I do for money. And there are no heroes, and no villains, and I do not pretend to affect the fate of the free world very greatly.†“Well.†Now I really didn’t know what to say. He looked broken for a moment, and a part of me wanted to throw my arms around him and hang on and never let go, but that’s not exactly the kind of thing he’d appreciate, even if we were close, which I’m not even sure about anymore. “That’s... that’s something.†What kind of idiot am I? ‘That’s something’? He just told me his parents are dead, intimated pretty well that they were killed by the bloody Nazis for being spies, and that he’s afraid he’s a disappointment to their memory, and all you can say is ‘that’s something’? “Yes. It’s a lot. I don’t think about it all that much.†He shrugged a little. “So you will not be going back to Australia?†“Doubt it. Not for a while. If I did, it’d have to be someplace else, where they don’t know me. Not as if I miss the Burra so much anyway, just copper mines and sheep. Could just avoid the whole south. Yeah, that’d be right...†“Or, we could... we could both go somewhere that no one would expect. For a little while, until we know if we are in the clear.†I wasn’t sure I understood him. Maybe I was filling in the blanks with wishful thinking, but it sounded like maybe, just maybe... “What, you and me? Together?†“Of course not. But... we could travel like this a ways, just... watch each other’s backs until we are safe.†Yes, I wanted to say. And then, there could always be a reason why we’d never be safe. It could be like this, forever, except instead of being lost in the desert, we’d go to South America, or bum around Europe, or someplace in Asia even. We’d take odd jobs where people needed our skills. We’d... ‘Sounds great’, I decided, would be the best way to say it. A clear assent, but nothing too... emotional, or... I didn’t get around to saying it, because instead, white hot pain shot up my leg, and then a somewhat duller pain pounded through the rest of me, and I was a lot shorter all of a sudden. Oh, and my foot was in a hole, seemingly a ways off from where it ought to be. “Are you all right?†The Spy crouched down beside me. He sounded concerned, but I couldn’t see his face, between the night shadows and the way pain fuzzed out all the details from my vision. I grabbed onto my ankle, trying to compress it back into whatever state an ankle should naturally be in. “If I find... the bloody fucking rabbit who lives in this bloody hole, I will bloody shoot it bloody twice. I will bloody shoot his bloody kneecaps and I will bloody watch him bloody suffer.†“Let me see.†He sighed. “I’ll be right, just...†I tried shoving him off. “I might need a hand up but I can walk fine.†Another exasperated sigh from him, and then he was on his knees, slapping my hands away and removing my boot with enough care that my ankle didn’t scream in agony. “It isn’t broken.†He said. “Oh, so you’re an expert now?†“It isn’t broken.†There was a sudden stillness to him, a dignity that wasn’t the almost comical snootiness I was used to from spies, but something inborn and real and very, very dangerous. “However, if you would like it to be, I can arrange something.†“Right.†I said. “Good to know, not broken.†“Put your arm around me.†He crouched again, off his knees now close beside me. “You know, I always thought you’d be more suave about this kind of thing.†I joked. “Got to say I’m not feeling it.†He froze and I cursed myself. Should’ve bloody known better, you don’t even joke about it, now he knows you’re, he knows you’re a little that way, you shouldn’t even have joked about it because now he suspects it if he doesn’t know, and he’ll know that last bit’s a lie, he knows, he knows, he knows... “Put your arm around me or walk all the way into town on that ankle without my help, and don’t expect me to wait up for you if you choose to do it that way.†He bit the words out. “Touchy.†I said. Petty, maybe, but I had to regain my hold on dignity where I could, and he hasn’t just left me so maybe it was a fluke and he didn’t read anything into it and I can still play the whole thing off. His response wasn’t in English, and it sounded like it wasn’t very nice. “I’ll just guess that wasn’t complimentary.†I said, letting him bear the better part of my weight as he got me on my feet. I tried to handle walking as best I could, but it was going to be a long trek into town, and he was strong. He was solid and strong, even more than I’d guessed at before, and his arm was under mine and around my back, and aside from the little bit of bantering, he took my weight without complaint. Good thing we’re coming up on a town now, because I’m almost literally dead weight to him now. He couldn’t depend on me for anything. Maybe if he set me down, I could shoot, but I’d have to be lucky, because there’d be no moving for a better shot. Can’t move on my own to get food or water. Can’t make a run for it if that was what needed doing. Still, we’re coming up on the town. And ‘til we get there, he’s got me. It took us all night and half the day to get there, across the deserted motorway, past the run down little truck stop and milk bar. There was a motel on the very edge of town, one of the cheapest sort, with a sign that had been new twenty years ago, and the palette of salmon and mint that every cheap hotel down every American motorway seemed to have. “We can stay there.†He pointed. “We don’t have money.†I reminded him. “You are with me.†He smiled. “We do not need it. Come on.†We hobbled across another street to get to it. There were two cars parked outside, and one truck, and he left me leaning against the big neon sign while he waltzed into the manager’s office. He disappeared about ten paces from the open door, and I saw it flutter slightly on its hinges. I tried to look nonchalant, and—more difficult—unarmed, in case anyone came by, but no one did. For all I knew or could tell, the cars in the lot had been there since time immemorial. Well, since forty-five for one and fifty-two for the other, at any rate. I glanced across the way at the milk bar by the petrol station. There were a few more trucks there, some being weighed, others gassed up, but none of those seemed intent on stopping here, they moved on without a glance towards the motel. “There is a vacant room on the ground floor.†The Spy uncloaked beside me, and I tried not to fall over. “We can stay there for a little while, plan our next move. Our next moves. When we plan on separating.†He definitely blushed at that, this time I saw it. Sounded almost disappointed. Didn’t he? “There will be a shower. Beds. Running water.†I threw my arm across his shoulders and started hobbling after him. “Nice.†“If someone comes to rent it at this hour—and in this place!—It isn’t likely, but we can leave through the window if that happens.†“Right, right, good thinking.†I said. No point bursting his bubble pointing out I might not be able to bail out of a window with my ankle like it was. Probably wouldn’t be interrupted. He took no time at all in picking the lock, actually quite impressive to watch, and then we were in. There was a big fan stuck in the window—the window itself was on a wide dusty alleyway, but that was no matter at all—a little television set with a bent and much-repaired antenna, two beds, a dresser. A door that presumably guarded the bathroom. I let go of him and fell onto the bed closest to the door, repositioning myself carefully, lifting my ankle into place. Maybe these places weren’t, strictly speaking, clean, but it was cleaner than the old abandoned house, and the bed was comfier. “Couldn’t ask for better.†“Well... I suppose compared to the past few days...†He sat on the very edge of the other bed, like he was barely touching it. The past few days... the living conditions may not have been great, but the company... And maybe he did feel the same. And you’d be parting ways soon enough if you’re wrong, so be a man about it. “C’mere.†I reached out to him. “That hasn’t benefitted me in the past.†“Just get over here. It has so, you’re just too prissy to admit it.†I thought about the mud, and then about the moment between us, when I’d wiped his face, when I’d been that close to him, and maybe... He sat down beside me. “All right. I’m here.†“Well? Get comfy.†He took his jacket off and tossed it over onto the other bed. He even loosened his tie, which he’d always put back on when getting dressed, despite being the two of us alone out in the middle of the desert. Then he turned, his legs stretching out alongside mine, and leaned back against the pillow. “I’ve been thinking a lot about things I never thought I’d have to think about.†I told him. Or more accurately, things I’d planned on never thinking about. “I know how this goes.†“I’d like us to stick together. For a while, anyway.†For forever. What happened to being a man about things, anyway? Not even sure what that means anymore, not in this situation. Whatever this situation is. “We’ve managed not to kill each other this long. And, well, now I guess I need you. More than you need me. That isn’t why, though.†“Tomorrow I will steal us a car.†He promised. “And some food—real food. I haven’t had to steal food since I was five, maybe six... it seems so... Well, still, I will get us a car, you can’t walk so much if you want to avoid, ah... you know, your ankle, messing yourself up. And I will make sure we have something to eat. And clothes, I will, I will find us something different to wear. We can get out of here.†“Where are we getting to?†I asked. Wondered what would happen if I reached over right then and touched him, his face, his hair... if I looked at him the way I really wanted to and didn’t try to hide it. Even without those things, in that moment it wasn’t so hard to imagine we were lovers. “I don’t know.†He admitted. “We drive. We switch cars, and we keep driving. And then we find a place where we can get lost, and get by. And that is where we will stop. I have no idea what this place is, there were no maps in the office, there have been no signs that give any useful information...†I slipped a hand around the back of his head and kissed him. It only lasted a moment before I reminded myself to stop pretending, and we weren’t, and he wasn’t, except he never stopped me so maybe he was, and his mouth was... it was nice. Different, thinner-lipped, but soft anyway, and nice, just nice... He stared at me afterwards, like I’d gone mad. “Sorry.†Right. Here goes. This is where it’s all over. “You can belt me one if I was wrong there.†“Wrong?†He still looked at me like something about me wasn’t adding up—possibly the number of heads I had. It was that kind of completely blank look. “About... bloody hell, I don’t know. I just thought it might—I thought maybe you—“ I should get out of here... temporarily crippled or not, I should go, I should... ah, I could tear my hair out, what was I thinking? I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be in bed with him. I should... He grabbed hold of me before I could go anywhere. “You were not wrong.†Suddenly we were kissing again, or he was kissing me. And he was good at it. With the effort put in? He was bloody good at it. I stroked his face as he pulled away, the soft skin of his cheek turning to about three days’ worth of raspy sandpaper stubble lower down, and his eyes closed for just a second and he shivered just a little and I felt on top of the world, in spite of everything. “What did you say to me that night in the house?†“I said...†Another little shudder, and he moved into my hand. “I said that I have a weakness for you. And I was afraid you would see.†“I didn’t.†I coulda laughed. “Just took a lucky guess, really. And I wanted to kiss you.†His hand landed on my knee and didn’t stop there. “Very lucky indeed.†“Mm...†I kissed him, along his jaw and then his neck, the strong, masculine lines of him. I could taste the dirt and sweat and it wasn’t a matter of not caring so much as it was a matter of that being an immense turn-on. His hand had made it all the way to my lap, and I was aching for him, he couldn’t touch me enough. I couldn’t touch him enough. I untucked his shirt, worked my hand up under, popping a couple buttons on the way, and his skin was soft as it had looked, back when he’d been shirtless before, the hard, flat belly, and I remembered the look of all that pale skin as I worked at feeling him up. We got each other naked, with a little struggling, and I got him straddling my lap, his cock jutting out between our bodies. The kisses grew messier, needier. His ass ground down against my hard-on, except for when he was bucking up, his own rubbing against my stomach, and I looked at my hands on his hips, making him look even paler, and I never thought of myself as all that tan, comparatively, I mean, I spent my fair share of time out-of-doors and all but so did plenty of folks, but next to him it’s a clear difference. Everything about him’s different from me. But it isn’t that different. I flip us over, lie down on top of him, and his nails rake down my back as we thrust against each other, and then he’s grabbing at my ass and I’m coming, and he’s biting down on my shoulder as he does the same, and we’re just a wreck together, but nothing’s ever been so right. Nothing in my life has ever been so right. I dozed a little afterwards, on and off, but mostly I was awake. Mostly I was watching him sleep. Like I hadn’t done that enough the past couple days. But I had that tacit permission now. We hadn’t just had sex in a desperate last-chance kind of way, he’d told me he had a weakness for me, whatever that means exactly, for whatever that’s worth, it’s something. His head was turned towards my shoulder, not resting on me, but inching nearer, and he looked more relaxed—maybe not really relaxed, but he didn’t look like he’d kill me if I moved next to him. And it hadn’t just been sex. We’d kissed, that had to mean something as well. Not that I’d turn my nose up at sex, mind, but it’s nice to think there’s more to it than that. More to us. And I’d liked the kissing. Liked it when he pulled away like pulling away was the last thing he wanted and his teeth were slow letting go of my lip and the thick line of spit snapped and gobbed on his chin and then he was crashing back into me and... And we could do this again when he wakes up. Then a quick wash, then we’d want to hit the road, but another go wouldn’t be amiss first... “THE TWO OF YOU COMPLETE FAILURES ARE SURROUNDED.†---tbc---
Title: The Long Walk Chapter Five: It's All Coming Back To Me Now Author: Glasgow Smiles Rating: R Pairing: Sniper/Spy Summary: Hey, remember this? Here it is from the Sniper's POV. Some of the dialogue is, of course, recycled, but it starts a little earlier, and fills in different gaps. Author's Notes: Having been assured at least one person would read it, I decided to go ahead and post, since I'm kind of writing it anyway. Why not share? “Do it, and you get your van.†The Announcer said, and she sounded happier than she usually did, and she sounded angrier than she usually did, all at once. “We won’t even dock your pay. If you refuse, I will of course have to have you killed.†Well, she can bloody well have me killed, then. My own fault. What was I thinking, trying to play her, she’s been playing two whole armies, hasn’t she? And me, I thought I was some kind of cool negotiator and she wouldn’t have chased us if we weren’t somehow personally important? Of course she chased us, we’re her bloody toys and we run away and now she wants to punish us, well she can go ahead, because I’m not playing her sick game, not anymore, not ever again. The Spy’s hand locked around my wrist and I turned to him. The message he tried to telegraph to me looked like just about the opposite of what I wanted to tell him. In an instant I knew what he thought he was doing, but in another instant it was done. There was nothing I could do. “Excellent work, Mr. Sniper.†The Announcer said, dusting her hands off like she’d done the deed herself, and he... and he... He fell, kukri sliding out wetly, and I dropped it to catch him, and I was holding my weight and his, my ankle should’ve been screaming at me but it wasn’t. I didn’t feel it at all, didn’t feel my knees when they hit the ground. The guard milled around us, dragging me onto a truck, leaving him, leaving him... they were just going to leave him. She must have been telling the truth about the respawn, they wouldn’t leave him if he wasn’t going to disappear, not when they could just as easily drag him onto the truck, just as easily let me drag him onto the truck, but they left him, they left him... they left him... ---/-/-- “Bloody...†I rubbed my head. “What happened?†“You were in a car accident. Your van was totaled.†It was the same voice that gave the announcements in battle. I couldn’t see where it was coming from. I was in a white room, not the infirmary, not anywhere on the base. Had we moved? Were we fighting somewhere else? “I don’t... I don’t remember.†“There was a problem, up the train tracks. Supplies stopped coming. You were sent into town in your van. RED generously did not want our brave boys to starve.†“Right. Course.†“There was an accident. Your van was totaled.†“Yeah, you said...†I scratched at my arm, suddenly uneasy, skin crawling. “It has been replaced, and you have been repaired. Emergency supplies have been delivered via the teleport system.†“Wait... why not just—“ “It makes the food taste funny.†I was not sure I liked the idea of teleport making our food taste funny, being as I actually put my body through the things. But what can you do? “You will be delivered in a similar manner. As for your memories, they should return eventually. I wouldn’t worry about it. A note was sent to your team with the supplies. They will be expecting you shortly.†Well, that’s that. I sat around in the white room a while longer, and then there was a red light and a tingling feeling, and I was back in the resupply room. I found the rest of the team in the mess hall. “Nice drivin’.†A scout snorted. “Shut up.†I left the mess hall, headed out to my van. It was... really eerily similar to the one I used to have. A few things were different—no really personal things, and I was sorry to have lost the few I kept in the old van, but aside from that... All the furnishings, all the books, all the same. I flopped down on the bed and went out like a bloody light. I dreamed about the BLU Spy. Not the normal dreams, either. I was used to dreaming about him, nightmares mostly, or everyday kind of dreams where we fought but sometimes I won. It wasn’t even one of the really surreal ones where he turned into some kind of half-man Lovecraftian horror. I dreamed about kissing him. I liked dreaming about kissing him. It felt real in a way it really shouldn’t have, ‘cause I never let myself kiss another bloke, not even when I was young and stupid and it was just about the only thing I wanted, and I definitely never kissed any spies. I dreamed about pinning him down to the world’s ugliest bedspread and kissing him hard, sloppy, wet, and I woke up before I had the chance to dream about doing much more than that, and I tried—I always try—to think about girls afterward, when I woke up, when I took myself in hand. Never really worked, the idea of training myself out of it, but I still tried every time. At least I could always start out thinking about girls, even if it was never the thought I ended on. But this time all I could think about was him. I’m a dead man. Watch. Tomorrow’s big push I’ll be set up there and he’ll sneak up behind me, and it won’t make a lick of difference in my favour if I hear him coming, he’ll get right behind me and instead of saving myself, I’ll be getting bloody hard from his breath down the back of my neck in the split second before he cuts into my spinal cord. I’m so abso-bloody-lutely fucked you wouldn’t believe it. I better hear him coming a mile off tomorrow, because if he gets in close, I’m a goner. All the people in the world—even all the people in this bloody war—that I could’ve had a sex dream about, and it’s him! And I liked it. ---/-/--- Work was work, at least. Work I could handle. When I wasn’t working, I was thinking about him, and the daydreams were just that, idle thoughts of kissing him up against the wall of the old fort, or of him dropping to his knees in front of me in my van, but I stopped myself there, and it was only a harmless little daydream, after all. The memories of the dream were different, in the dream-setting of some place I’d never been, with a man I’ve never been friendly with, seemingly realer than anything’s ever been. But I didn’t think about any of that working. No, once I was on the clock it was just me, the rifle, and the next target. I got a couple of shots off from a too-exposed walkway before I made my way to the little nest I usually favoured. Of course I’d have to give that up, too, after two kills at best, but ‘til that happens, it’s one of the best spots to be. More protected, and close enough to the base that access isn’t so easy. BLU Spy finds a way, most times, but he has to work hard to do it, I’m sure. Not like some places, where even the bloody Soldiers could find you. It’s still protected here, just in a limited way. I was watching, waiting for the BLU Medic to come into view, could see he was on their Heavy and just needed a good shot at him. Any second now they’d turn, they’d have to. One of ours’d get ‘round behind them and they’d have to turn to keep him shielded, and he’d never know what hit him... There was a sudden sound behind me, and I set the rifle aside quickly, grabbing for my sidearm and looking out for the intruder. He was just standing there, just staring at me, and suddenly I knew why. It hadn’t just been a dream, and everything in that white room was a lie, and I remembered it in flashes, the escape, and unless I was crazy, that dream was more than just a dream. “... cher?†I nodded. Maybe this was a dream right now, or... Dammit, if the BLU Sniper’s in position to have an eye on the nest, we can’t be seen not killing each other. I grabbed him, dragging him out of sight. Once we were hidden, once no one else was coming, not from either side, I let myself really feel him. He was here, pressed up against me, I still had an arm around him. This was real. “I remember,†He whispered it, shaky, and I was shaky too, pulling his mask away. “Can’t believe it’s you... I can’t believe you even—I can’t believe I—“ I touched his face. Remembered seeing it the first time. Was I really so focused on his hair? What did we talk about? Were we out in the desert long? “What happened?†His hand covered mine, his eyes closed for a moment. Only wish I knew, I wish I knew, he was outside the fence and I approached him and we broke into a house and how he looked at me, I... “They told me the trains weren’t running.†It was the only explanation I had to offer. “They told me I went to resupply and there was an accident. They put me in a new van, same as the old one,†But the BLU Demo blew my old van up, there was never any accident, it wasn’t an accident, and I was probably crushing him now, but I couldn’t let go. “Had me drive back with some ammo, canned food, stuff for th’infirmary... They told me I was in an accident and I’d probably remember making the trip if I gave it time. They told me I was on a supply run because the trains got shut down.†“They lied to me as well.†He nodded, his hands stroked up my sides. I had found him in the desert, he didn’t have a canteen, and I made him walk ahead of me... “They made me forget about you.†I said. “Yes.†He was so pathetic and he didn’t have anything, and I was stupid over him like I’ve never been stupid before, I... “Hey. Did I give you my water?†“Yes.†He paused in his exploration of my neck to give me a hard look. “If that house had not been there, you would have doomed us both.†“Oh.†Remembered bathing, remembered trying not to peek at him and lying together. Remembered the tarantula incident. I kissed him, soft and brief. “Well, that’s all right, then. Long as that house was there. You... you were afraid of a little spider.†“It was as big as my hand and venomous.†He pulled back a little, indignant. “I am not afraid of little spiders, just deadly poison.†“As if it was even deadly poisonous.†I laughed. “I remember you...†His eyes flickered over me, hooded, dark. “Naked, and... and wet, and I couldn’t stop looking and I thought you would see... and then the hotel, I remember...†“Yeah. The hotel.†The dream, and it had all been real. “That was pretty good.†I was touching him again, his face, couldn’t stop, couldn’t stop... He was absolutely gorgeous, squared chin and sharp cheekbones, and tenderness and lust replacing murderous intent in blue, blue eyes... funny I always thought they were cold—well, usually were, when he was busy killing me—but you couldn’t make that mistake now. His mouth, I had... I had really liked his mouth. I had really liked all of him. I kept checking the potential entries on the nest, but somehow we weren’t interrupted, and he was here and real and in my arms, and I couldn’t not kiss him any more than I could get up, walk to the window, hop out and fly. His mouth opened under mine, hot, wet, slick, he pulled me into it and kissed me back and we were both lied to, and I’d bet money it was her, the Announcer, lying to him as well, I remembered her, remembered being caught, remembered... “You bastard.†I gasped, pulling back. “What?†“You bloody bastard... you made me kill you.†His body, blood on my hands and his eyes rolling back white and they pulled me off him... “Desole...†He snuggled into me like a cat, and when that didn’t work, kissed my neck. “Hey, now, don’t think you can just be sexy and French and I’ll forget all about this,†“Cher,†He pouted at me. “Would you ask the sun not to shine? The earth not to turn? The tides to ignore the gentle siren call of the moon? Some things a man cannot help.†Fancy talk or not, I was sore about it. “You made me kill you.†“Oui. Desole.†He kissed me again, up my jaw to my cheek, fleeting little brushes of his lips against my skin, and he really did sound sorry. “Really... really I am. It was the only solution.†Only solution? Like hell! “We could’ve... I could’ve...†Nothing came. He might’ve had a point. Still rankled. “Okay, so maybe you’re right. Still, you... D’you have any idea how I felt?†“What do you want me to do to make it up to you? Would you feel better if I killed you?†His eyebrow shot up, the corner of his mouth. “Never have in the past.†I laughed. He did the same. “Well. Would you feel better if it was just un petit mort?†That one I’d heard before. Not that I needed to be familiar with the term, the way he was latching onto my neck and reaching for my fly. “No...†I stopped him, and it might have been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Felt like it at the time, anyway. “I mean, yeah, but no. Get out of here without being seen. Tonight... tonight, meet me. Not here, my—my van. There’s a bed. It’s... well, it’s... something, you know?†He took his mask back from me, slipped it on. “Ah yes. I suppose it wouldn’t be very professional to do it now. Besides, I suppose anyone could stumble upon us here. That would be difficult to explain.†Ugh, worse than difficult. Disastrous no matter who found us, but there’s bad and then there’s worse... Didn’t even bear thinking about now. We both had to get back to work. Work. “Does it bother you?†I asked. “Does what bother me?†He touched my cheek briefly, one little crack in his newly-restored sense of professionalism. “Well, I am killing your teammates. I mean, that’s what I’ve been doing. That’s what I have to get back to doing.†“Does it bother you that when I leave this place, it will be to do the same, to your side? No. We have our jobs to do. It isn’t as though anyone stays dead, is it? Besides, even if they did...†He gave a little shudder and an expression of distaste. “I would not mourn the loss so much.†“Yeah?†I wondered who on his side was such a problem. After all, I’ve got to shoot at the BLUs anyway, don’t I? “You will do your job.†He instructed, all serious now. “I will do mine. All it is is work. It does not affect us.†“Well, except we have to keep it a secret.†I said. No, our jobs didn’t change what I’m pretty sure I’ve been feeling about him, but if anyone knew I was making time with someone on the BLU side... “Oh, and if we were not supposed to be enemies, you would be proud to tell everyone about us?†A wry smirk. Point to him. “I think not somehow. You could not brag to your friends, you could not take me home to meet your mother, you could not express any affection for me in public... Could you?†Dammit. Of course I couldn’t. Mum’d be polite to him if I did take him home, of course, but Dad’d bring out the shotgun. Maybe call the police, but I think the shotgun’s more likely. I mean, I could never take him home. And even if we weren’t at war, what was I going to do? Bring him round to the pub some time and put my arm around him and say ‘Yeah, fellas, this one’s mine?’, I mean how stupid could I get? Hard to tell, once he puts the walls up, if he even wishes it could be different. I do—at least a little. I’m not talking about registering for china or anything, but I mean I couldn’t tell anyone, and... “No, I... I guess not.†I sighed. “Didn’t think that much about it. You being a man was sort of secondary to the problem of you being paid to put knives in my back.†“If we ever do get out of this war...†He reached towards me, stopped, looked away. Far away... “You could come with me, you know. It is not... it is not ordinary, but... it is not prohibited. For two men... we could live together, if we make it that far and still decide we like each other. There are places where we could go, where we wouldn’t even be bothered. I mean, you can’t be indecent out in the street, but that’s true anywhere, isn’t it?†“Doesn’t seem like we are getting out of this war.†I said. The black clouds had officially descended. Wasn’t a single person on the face of God’s green earth I could tell about the man I... yeah, loved, that’s maybe true. I’m not the kind of man was ever gonna shout it from the rooftops, but the few people I do call ‘friend’ can’t know, my parents can’t know... And even if there was a world where we could be together, we’re not in it, because we tried getting out once and look what that got us. “Humor me?†This time he did reach out, taking my hand in his. “Not prohibited, huh?†I squeezed him gently, tried to smile. “Homosexuality hasn’t been illegal since the revolutionary war. Well, except for... you know. For a while, when I was very young.†I remembered him talking, about where he grew up. About his parents. “But that wasn’t us, that was... Anyway, that wasn’t us.†“Think buggery’s still on the law books where I come from.†I snorted. Imagined the farce we’d have to live if he came back with me after the war we probably weren’t ever getting out of. “That settles it, then, doesn’t it? You will just have to come with me.†“As long as I’m humouring you, sure.†I tried to picture it, though my idea of France mostly came out of movies and such. Couldn’t picture me in Paris, not for any longer than a fortnight at most. No, Paris’d be bigger and glitzier and busier than Adelaide, and even that was enough to make me start itching for the middle of nowhere after a couple days. We talked a little more while I tried to imagine living in France. What was there, aside from Paris? The Riviera, which is probably just as bad, and the kind of places where they grow wine grapes, and maybe that’d be okay. I mean, it’s a whole country, and there had to be more to it than that, but I really didn’t know what to picture. Anyway, the conversation didn’t go on much longer before he had to disappear, kissed me and cloaked and left, and I did actually get that shot off on the Medic I’d been looking for earlier. And tonight... Well, tonight would happen. ---/-/--- The second I opened the door, he was through it, kissing me, and I slammed the door shut and locked it, and I was naked before we hit the bed. He sucked me off, like it was nothing, and maybe he’s done this before, after all, it’s not illegal in France, but I don’t want to think about him doing anything like this with anyone else, don’t want to think about his mouth on anyone else, don’t want to think about those little sounds getting made for anyone else... “I’ve never...†I started. Embarrassed, even though it’s a stupid thing to be embarrassed about, isn’t it? Not having given blowjobs shouldn’t injure a man’s pride. “Oh. Well... you don’t need to...†He was so hard, though, thick and deep pink and hot in my hand when I reached for him and even if he said ‘you don’t need to’, I did. “Talk me through it.†“I’ve never given lessons before.†He let out a strangled laugh, throaty and intimate, and when I kissed him... I licked the head of his cock. Tasted a little bit like licking any of him, and a little bit like the inside of his mouth just now, where I could taste myself, and a little bit else, and he moaned and jerked. “Go slow,†He murmured, his hand on the back of my head. “That’s it, very gradually...†I licked him again, and again, started stroking him at the same time, and by the time I was actually sucking him, the only instructions I was getting were in French. So, I must have been doing something right. Swallowing, as it turns out, is the kind of thing takes some practice, but how about that practice... And after that he stayed in my bed, and I stroked his arm, his face, his body, just little touches, and if I went just a little soppy the way I looked at him, he didn’t say so. Still, I couldn’t look at him for the next bit. There’s a degree to which I’m willing to be undone in front of him, and this ain’t it, not yet. “Probably would follow you to France.†I admitted, eyes glued to the corner. Anyway, it seemed to make him happy. ---FIN---
there are no words for how much I loved this
God, does anybody know if this author is writing anymore? It would be amazing if they came here!
This must have been like the most amazing piece of fanfiction I have ever read. Seriously.
I snuck onto the LJ group and saved the rest of this, if anyone wants me to post it. It's basically the rest of everything from Sniper's POV, all the way to the very end, and then a fic called 'Reset'. And there's a couple involving Stone and the other spy. Hot cloaked blowjob action too. I highly recommend it.
>>55 If you could post the rest, or even just link us to that LJ page, I would be most grateful.
I think you have to be a member, but here's the link to all of them. http://community.livejournal.com/tf2_slash/2010/07/ You just move forward to get the rest of them. But here's an uploaded file of all of them. http://www.mediafire.com/?di2dhbx0zp1aqim Oh yeah, if you're wondering why there's random highlighter throughout some of them, I like to highlight the porny/semi-porny bits so I know what to skip to when I'm not in the mood to read the whole thing.
HOT DIGGITY THESE RULE.
Uhm...in which order do I have to read this? The Defiant ones Stolen Kisses (almost finished it) and then there are over 9000 other Fanfics from that guy..
>>59 It goes like this: Spy POV ones- The Defiant Ones Stolen Kisses Always Another Dawn Reset (This comes after AAD, but I read Sniper's fics first) Sniper's POV ones- The Long Walk (It's The Defiant Ones from Sniper's POV) Crash (Stolen Kisses) Journey Out of Darkness (Always Another Dawn) Fit to be Tied & The Game & I Want You Now (these three are just one-shot bondage porn that takes place after it's all over. First 2 are Spy POV, last is Sniper's) The Road you Didn't Take (sort of a sidequel to Always Another Dawn, with the other Spy and other Sniper) Faint Blue Shadow (characters from The Road You Didn't Take, sort of a sequel to it, I guess) Watch (sequel to Faint Blue Shadow)
Thanks mate! Do you know if there'll be more?
Not a clue. They're over on LJ. That's where I found the rest of these. If they're posted anywhere, it'll probably be there first. I don't think there will be any more in this sequence, but more one-shots are entirely possible.
Well.. The last update was in July 2010 if you look @ LJ and it was Stolen Kisses 5 so I guess he uploads his stuff somewhere else, or he deleted it, or its because I have no clue how LJ works. I just finished Always Another Dawn..nice stuff Hope I can find other long fics after this that are worth reading. There probably are some as I just found TF2chan some days ago. :)
Shameless love bump for a fantastic piece of fiction. Yeah, I'm an ass.
Well hey, the bump brought me a fic I had not read and enjoyed. Not really an ass.
... hubba-whu? Wow. Uh. So this was me on LJ, back when I spent any time on LJ. I have a different name here because I wanted to use my Steam name for ease-of-finding-me, and there was already a GlasgowSmiles on Steam. And then I wound up not posting my old LJ stuff because I was like 'if anybody remembers me from there, then they'll remember I had an unfinished WIP from when I spent some time away from the fandom and they'll hate me!' and... So I am really... Like, it's weird seeing this here, but I'm really touched that someone liked it enough to repost it here way back whenever... And that people still like it. (When I first saw this, I was like 'Hey, my OTP! Hey... didn't I use that title a couple years ago or something? Back before I had the guts to be a chan person? Oh... Oh...' And then people said nice things and I was like 'You guys!' and I got seriously ferklempt) So yeah. Outing my old LJ self. (I guess it's still my current LJ self... I just haven't used LJ in a long time...) Anyway, I just rambled a really long time for not actually contributing anything, so I'll just go... corner...
AnnetheCatDetective! I just emailed someone thinking it was you, but it wasn't... Anyways, can I please contact you about an interview I'd like to conduct? This is probably not the place to do this, but I don't know where else to find you, so I'll ask you here- Please email me if you're interested. I will respond with details. And since I'm in this thread, I might as well say that this is my most favorite Sniper/Spy fic of all time. Simple as that.
>>67 Emailed you! Interview sounds fun... (both my e-mail accounts have been hacked recently, so I'm just hoping I salvaged my main one, but the subject line will have 'Cat Detective' in it. And I'm touched, thanks! I feel all warm and fuzzy now/really glad my old fic held up against the test of time.
HOLY CRAP ANNE THIS FIC WAS YOURS!?!?! This is what got me into the pairing! Wow, mind = blown!!
>>64 here! I thought the style seemed vaguely familiar, and you (Anne) immediately came to mind after I finished the darn thing. Glad to see that my hunch was right, and that the bump received love rather than hate. Fantastic work, seriously. Just great.
I liked this quite a lot and am very glad this got bumped. ...After having read the most recent replies to that: Woah!!! Anne, that was you??? As >>69 said: Mind. Blown.
Holy shit Anne are you serious my god. I loved and adored this fic ok? ADORED! I hope you don't mind me posting this but then you went and came out that it was yours so, yeah. This fic was what made me fall in love with SniperxSpy so thank you for that! I totally remember which fic you never finished....eternal cliff hanger!
Aw... I'm touched... I'm going to have to go back to that unfinished fic now that I went and outed myself...
Excuse me whilst I spaz incoherently. Since there is little to say that has not already been said, I'm glad to finally know the author of one of my favorite sniperxspy fic series in tf2fanfic. Now I can smother you with bouquets of adoration at your door every day.
Welp. That took up about 4 hours of my life. And what a beautiful 4 hours it was.
Anne, did you ever finish Buried Secrets? I'd love to read the rest of it if you did. The Defiant Ones is one of my favourite pieces of fanfic ever. You've made a hardcore Sniper/Spy fan out of me.
>>76 I haven't finished it yet, but lately I've been wanting to go back to it, because tentacles. I wish I could remember exactly where it was going, but I do remember the basic outline. Anyway, my plan is to get it finished somewhere in the near future. Thank you so much! (Captcha says 'oreofro', which sounds like a magical chocolate wafer hairstyle with creme filling)
This is why I'm still digging through the old afanfic posts. Some are not my thing, some are okay, and some are this brilliance that makes me all sorts of happy every time I read it. Just the level of world building, and the outside storyline of the companies shutting down Respawn, and how every character is nuanced even if they never get a name. It's the little things that make this so close to perfection.