[identity profile] byslantedlight.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] discoveredinalj
For [livejournal.com profile] milomaus, who wanted Snowman please! Either one of the lads as one, like standing outside for as long as it takes, or building one, or destroying...

Oh, and I've cheated a little, because this is also a bit of an in-between fic to Two on a Treasure Island, and the fic that I should have written for today... Funny to have written two pages of it suddenly after all!

Was a Fairytale They Say
by Slantedlight

Bodie slid out of the car, dragging his briefcase behind him, took a deep breath in the sharp night air, and nearly sneezed when a snowflake slid into his mouth and another tickled his nose.

Of all the Christmases to snow in London, it had to be this one - their last one. Higher Downsea was waiting for them, this time tomorrow they’d be on their way… and it had snowed, the heaviest, earliest snow England had seen for years.

Retiring…

Their flat was nearly packed, and even from outside, even late at night when the world was quiet, the curtains drawn, and all he could see was the square of light above the front door, it felt… empty. Doyle was in there, so it was as far from empty as could be – he’d have music on, or the telly, and it was his turn to cook so no doubt the kitchen would be steaming and boiling away, but… but it was steaming and boiling for the last time, and the pans would have to be washed and stacked into the last boxes, rather than put cosily away where they belonged…

He didn’t want to go inside, not yet. He wanted to pretend that nothing had changed, to go back in time and… But you couldn’t go back in time. He leaned against the car, gazed around at the quiet night. Someone had made a set of tiny snowmen on the garden wall next door, two big ones and a family of four smaller ones. There was even a blob at the end that was probably meant to be the cat - Willis, Bodie remembered, having been pleased to watch it chased up a tree by a passing dog one fine, sunny Saturday not too long ago.

He didn’t want to go inside.

After a moment, taking another deep breath, and smiling just a little, he stepped through the gate into their own front garden, tucked his briefcase into the porch, and turned back to eye the snow. There should be enough…

It was easy to make the body, even to turn it into a pair of legs with trainers at the bottom - well, more blobs, but he knew they were trainers - and then a torso above it. The snow was just right, dry but not too dry, wet but not... Head next, and he moulded a nose that he was quite proud of, found a couple of pebbles for eyes, scrabbled for twigs and even managed eyebrows, and a mouth. Just inside the flat, hanging on the coat rack, was just the right scarf, and then all it needed… He patted at the snow for a while, experimenting with shapes, and lots of tiny snowballs, and eventually… yeah.

“What the ‘ell’s that – ghost of Christmas past?”

Bodie turned. “Depends – you got me Christmas present, yet?”

“It’s waiting for you inside...” Doyle leered cheerfully at him, bounded down the steps two at a time, with distinct disregard for life, limb or the potential serious bruising of his best asset if he slipped, and stood staring critically at the snowman. “I like the holster.”

Bodie nodded smugly. “Had to have a holster.”

“Bit precipitous with the hair, weren’t you?” He flicked a finger at the miniature snowballs clinging precariously to the top of the creature, perfect snow-white curls. “Reminds me, I should ‘ave ‘ad it cut before we go…”

“Leave it,” Bodie suggested, and maybe there was something in his voice, because Doyle moved a little closer, shifted until their shoulders were touching. “Besides, you’re colour-blind, if that’s you thirty years ago, then you’re only just going grey…”

“You… Didn’t go grey until I met you, you know, then it was a slippery slope…”

“Well, the stress of keeping up…”

Doyle shot him a look, all raised eyebrows and disdain, then looked back at the snowman. “You know there’s something missing.”

“With my snowman? He’s perfect! Go round the other side, look…” Bodie dragged him around, pointed to the square he’d painstakingly etched into the snow with a twig. “That’s those jeans you used to wear.”

Doyle stared for a moment, then laughed suddenly out loud, throwing his head back so that the sound flew out above the streets, over the whole of London, perhaps, and Bodie grinned, because he had to.

“Nah, still something missing…”

“What? What is…?” Bodie watched as Doyle crouched down, began to gather snow in towards himself, to pat it together into… another snowman.

After a while, teeth chattering from standing still and looking on, Bodie bent to help him, gathered more pebbles, more twigs, and some for short, straight hair this time, managed another holster whilst Doyle was…

“You can’t do that!” he managed, feeling himself start to blush, because after all their snowmen faced the street outside, and anyone could look through the railings of the fence.

“Course I can,” Doyle said, unrepentant, and patting the snow a little more firmly into place. If that’s my patched jeans, then these are your cream cords - d’you remember them? Bloody pricktease.”

“Alright, pot, you wanna watch what you’re saying, you know…” He eyed the carefully positioned - and quite sizeable, he was pleased to see - bulge. It’d probably fall off before morning anyway… though that made him wince too, now he thought about it…

“Is that your teeth chattering?” Doyle was beside him again suddenly, looking their creations up and down. “How long ‘ave you been out here?”

“Just taking a last look around,” Bodie said, wishing it didn’t sound so defensive. Nothing wrong with missing somewhere that’d been home for years, after all… Especially, he realised, when it was your first one that counted.

Doyle leaned in to him again, even though they were outside, in the middle of the garden, and anyone could look down from the flats, or across from the road, and see them. Cold fingers curled around his and squeezed lightly. “I know.”

And he did, Doyle did, and it was okay because when he moved Doyle would be moving with him, and they’d have a new home, another one that counted.

“Not likely to get much snow in Higher Downsea,” Doyle said, reading his mind.

Bodie shook his head sadly. “Too many coastal breezes…. You know, if that’s you in your jeans and me in me cords, there’s still something missing.”

“Yeah…”

And that was sad too, and long-missed. He looked away from the snowmen again, looked at Doyle, at Doyle who knew, and then together, teeth chattering in the crisp night air, newly fallen flakes beginning to dust their clothes, they set together to make a Cowley, three of them to watch over the whole of the London night, just as they always had.


Title: Was A Fairytale They Say
Author: Slantedlight
Slash or Gen: Slash
Archive at ProsLib/Circuit: Certainly
Disclaimer: Neither the lads nor the CI5 universe belong to me...

Date: 2011-12-21 09:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] potztausend.livejournal.com
It's tender with some melancholy and fun and joy. I like this mixture ;-).

Date: 2011-12-21 09:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] milomaus.livejournal.com
*SQUEEEEEEEEEE*
Older lads!! In the snow!! EIGHT snowman and a snowcat!!! WOW!!
And boy, they must´ve stayed outside for ages, if they took so much time for details! So many FUN details!!
And the love again, and Doyle KNOWING!!
Wonderful, wonderful fairytale, thank you sooo much.
And YAY for writing on the story you had planned!

Date: 2011-12-21 09:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msmoat.livejournal.com
Oh, very nice. I love the idea of the three of them--in snow--watching over London. Not to mention the overall feeling of togetherness, with just a touch of wistfulness. Again, perfect for Christmas. Thank you!

Date: 2011-12-21 09:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyhawke2.livejournal.com
Lovely fic! I like older lads, and there was a strong sense in this story of the love and the trust that was between them. The Cowley snowman was a real aaaahh... moment.

Date: 2011-12-21 10:04 pm (UTC)
ext_9226: (pros5 - snailbones)
From: [identity profile] snailbones.livejournal.com


Blimey luv - you're on a real roll today! Another gorgeous little fic, perfect in every way. Lovely, thank you.

Date: 2011-12-21 10:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] maddalia.livejournal.com
Wonderful. I love the bittersweetness of this, and the hope.

Date: 2011-12-21 11:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com
I haven't had much of a a chance to comment today, but these have all been lovely - especially this one! You've got a beautiful touch with older-lads fic (dab hand with the younger lads too!) - it's that brilliant combination of recognising their age without losing any of the indefatigable youth that makes them them, which is all reflected in what they say and do.

Love the touch of leaving snowmen to watch over London!

Date: 2011-12-22 12:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sc-fossil.livejournal.com
Older lads! *hugs bodie and doyle* You've written them so sweetly here, playing in the snow in this particular garden for the last time. I liked it a lot. Thanks. :)

Date: 2011-12-22 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moth2fic.livejournal.com
As you know, I'm not mad about snow, but the thought of Doyle and Bodie making snowmen somehow redeems it!

Date: 2011-12-22 11:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosie55.livejournal.com
Awwww, I love it! As you know, I particularly adore older lads fic and this is just so perfect. As I said, awww!
And may your mojo be back with full strength, thankyou!
Edited Date: 2011-12-22 11:25 am (UTC)

Date: 2011-12-22 12:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gilda-elise.livejournal.com
Such a bittersweet ending, but more sweet than bitter. I really enjoyed this glimpse of them at the end of their careers—but not of their time together.

Date: 2011-12-22 04:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] roven75.livejournal.com
Oh hey, you're spoiling us with so many lovely stories *g*

I like this one a lot, too. I like how your writing always transmit the mood so perfectly.
Oh and the snowmen's patch and bulge, of course *g*

Date: 2011-12-22 09:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com
I like the thoughts about home, and the image of the three snowmen keeping watch is so beautiful. <3 Their own memorial to Cowley....

Date: 2011-12-23 09:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] solosundance.livejournal.com
I do hope all your lovely little ficlets have stoked your mojo... hmmm, that sounds a bit dodgy, but you know what I mean :D

Date: 2011-12-26 06:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] liriel1810.livejournal.com
Lovely little ficlet. Nostalgia for what was, but also, I think, a wee bit of looking forward because after all, they'll still be together. Very fitting that they're leaving London well guarded by the three snowmen too. I like these lads, older, but not even close to being infirm.

Date: 2011-12-30 03:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] margaret-r.livejournal.com
The three snowmen together painted the perfect picture:)

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