Discovered in a Christmas pud: 27th December: Stalemate

[murphybabe]

Okay, this is your starter.  There will be more tomorrow if lj likes me any better than it does today (which is not much).  And I'm useless at titles, so this one might change.  Let's see how tomorrow's offering progresses *g*

‘What do you mean, no waffles?’ Bodie’s eyes were even bluer than usual with indignation.

‘Porridge?’ suggested Doyle helpfully.

‘Porridge? I don’t bleedin’ think so.’

‘Okay, omelette. And then one of those chocolate croissants you like. Only one, mind – think of your ticker.’

‘But I wanted waffles. Waffles, Ray, with all that cream on top and the berries and that chocolate sauce.’

‘Bodie, I’m not going to be that long. Grab a coffee and a croissant and sit down and wait for me.’

‘And that’s another thing. Just look at that.’ He rattled off the list at speed, ‘Espresso, macchiato, latte, cappuccino, americano, flat white – and then you go into mocha, hot chocolate and chai latte. And what the hell is that – pumpkin spiced latte? Why would you want vegetables in your coffee? If it is coffee. I dunno - remember when it was just coffee, and your only choice was whether you wanted it black or white?’

After some fussing, Doyle got his partner installed at a table with his macchiato and croissant.

‘All right now?’

‘This coffee tastes burnt.’

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake give over. That’s just a different roast. Honestly, nothing’s right for you this morning, is it?’

‘Well. No waffles. An’ I was thinking of them all through our run this morning.’

Doyle rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

‘You could always order my smoothie for when I get back,’ he said over his shoulder. ‘Healthy Detox Supreme, please.’

‘On your bike, sunshine.’ Bodie made himself comfortable at the table, flexing his spine and stretching out till he was comfortable. He watched with satisfaction as Doyle’s eyes narrowed.

‘Okay – I won’t be long. Mediterranean focaccia and a cranberry sourdough – oh, and that sausage you like.’ Bodie wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at him and he grinned reluctantly. ‘Pillock.’

Doyle turned and looked back as he reached the stairs to see Bodie, long legs spread out under the table, displaying a nicely-packed crotch. Bodie winked at him and Doyle turned back for the stairs cursing his inconvenient and uncomfortable erection.

bdbdbdbd

Bodie was contemplating another coffee and just possibly a slice of carrot cake. After all, Doyle had said he wouldn’t be long. How much time did it take to buy fancy bread and cheese anyway? Mind, his partner was like a kid in a sweetshop when it came to the displays downstairs, and no matter what he’d said about ‘just’ bread and cheese, Bodie knew that the shopping bags would be packed full of food that Ray couldn’t resist. And, to be fair, neither would Bodie, despite his often-repeated complaints about exotic ingredients and odd combinations.

He glanced around the big room. Plenty of yummy mummies with pushchairs and tots in tow, most of whom, from the insistent commands, seemed to be called Isabella or Jacob: he winced and looked away as one little angel mashed some sticky concoction into the hair of a sibling.

So – carrot cake? It might make up for the lack of waffles. The annoying thing, he mused, was that the waffles were still advertised on the chalk board behind the counter. He shook his head. Definitely another coffee, then, and he could get Ray’s disgusting green drink at the same time.

He rose from his seat and paused, all senses suddenly on alert, as screams sounded from the stairs. A wave of raised voices and the sound of trampling feet sent him racing for the exit, plunging down the steps towards the supermarket where people were stampeding out of the main door in a desperate urge to escape. Fighting against the tide was hard, but Bodie shoved his way brutally towards the source of the problem. He reached the entrance and paused, peering round the door.

There were a few shoppers and assistants trapped towards the back of the store, but there, front and centre, was Ray. Ray, on his knees at the feet of a woman who had a knife to his neck. She looked up, attracted by the movement, and hissed, ‘You!’ The knife dug further into Doyle’s neck, and a thin trickle of blood was spreading over the collar of his shirt.

(Temporary) title: "Stalemate"
Author: Murphybabe

Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Slash or Gen: Slash
Rating: teen
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Never mine, I just delude myself. No profits were harmed by the writing of this fic.
Archive at ProsLib: Yes, please (after part 2)

Notes: I was supposed to be writing a barista fic for MoonlightMead, who couldn’t be with us at Wholefoods this year. Sorry it didn’t quite turn out that way!  And sadly, there were indeed no waffles :(

Comments

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

But…but…but…! How can I wait until tomorrow???

Ooh, I love serials, though. And this one left off properly at a cliff-hanger. Very nice with all the domesticity, and then the sudden shock of violence. *g*

So, that's me wishing today along in a hurry, then. Nothing like wishing your holiday away… *g* Thank you!

[murphybabe]

heh heh *g*

To be truthful, I haven't actually finished it yet. I have a vague idea of what happens next but there's still some work to do, so I'd better get on with it!

Glad you've enjoyed it so far!

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Yay! Panic at the Whole Foods. o<):-D

Can't wait to see what Bodie does to convince Ray to let him have the waffles, after all... er, save Ray.

[murphybabe]

There very nearly was real panic, when they said that they weren't doing waffles that day, despite what it said on the board!

Will Bodie get his waffles? Or will he decide to save Ray? Ooh, I can't wait to see what happens!

[ali15son.livejournal.com]

Omg I can't believe I have to hang on until tomorrow , you've put my imagination into overdrive x

[murphybabe]

hee - sorry about that! But when there was a spare day on the calendar next to mine, I thought it might be nice to write a two-part fic *g*

[longstrt.livejournal.com]

We have got to hear more about this. Heavens! Can Ray Doyle go nowhere that females don't "throw" themselves at that gorgeous body? Of course, this time it's throwing herself a little more lethally at our gorgeous golli. Keep writing, please.

lbc

[murphybabe]

I'm writing frantically, believe me! I'm sure I'll have worked out how it ends by posting time tomorrow *g*

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Nooooooooo! *shakes laptop till its teeth rattle*

Okay, I'm calm, I can wait patiently like an adult for more tomorrow.

Probably.

[murphybabe]

We-ellll... um... it might not be an early post, 'cos I still have to work out what happens next. I'll do my best, though!

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

eeeeeep!!!!! And my computer is playing up, and what if I miss being able to get it to boot up tomorrow?!?!?!? Did you think of that? Eh???? No, you didn't! ::chews fingers nervously::

Looking forward so much to the next part, this is great! I so love it when the lads are so them, no matter where and when they are *bg* :-) (hope the computer agrees with me and plays nicely ... *g*)

[murphybabe]

Erm... sorry! Keep thinking calm, positive thoughts and on no account let your computer know you're concerned *g*

Thank you for the kind words - let's hope there will be more banter tomorrow *g*

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh, oh!

Okay, so when I said I hadn't seen coffee shop fic for Pros, it didn't occur to me that we actually needed any - but clearly we did! I am sorry for the lack of waffles, but if it is providing inspiration, then Bodie will just have to cope. Because I adore this. I love truculent Bodie (‘This coffee tastes burnt.’) and long-suffering Doyle (‘Oh, for fuck’s sake give over'.) And Doyle the foodie, heh.

But - butbutbut what has Doyle got himself into now? How has he managed to end up at the mercy of a mad woman with a knife in nice smart Wholefoods in tree-y Kensington? Looking forward to tomorrow, definitely!

[murphybabe]

Well, you never know, Bodie might get his waffles tomorrow! *scribbles frantically*

And yeah, I reckon our Doyle would just love Wholefoods *g*

Okay, I will go back to writing in the hope that I can resolve it for some time tomorrow :)

[cornishcat.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! I can literally strangely hear this conversation, taste the burnt coffee, smell the exotic breads and see the bowl of steaming porridge, almost as if I'm sitting there, personally observing the banter between the lads.

Can't wait to see how you manage to save them both. Roll on tomorrow. :D

[murphybabe]

It's almost as if you were there! I'm working on how to save them, honest! Back to the grindstone *g*

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

You are mean and cruel and I love it!! Great story idea. Can't wait to see how it all works out... um, it will work out, won't it???

[murphybabe]

Thank you - I hope it will work out! Fingers crossed for tomorrow, eh? And it could be worse - imagine if I had had a day at the start of December and a day at the end *g*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Hey! You can't leave Doyle in jeopardy overnight! I'm on the edge of my chair! More, please or Bodie will be after you. :)

[murphybabe]

I'm writing, I'm writing! Actually, the problem I have is where to stop *g*

[sw33n3y.livejournal.com]

I was trying to decide which I enjoyed more - the Pros foodie fic, cheeky sexy Bodie or the banter, when I ran smack bang into that cliffhanger of a finish!

All I can do now is add my voice to the chorus: What happens to Doyle?! ...'Tell us, Irma!...Tell us!' (Sorry, had to add the local cliffhanger line as well). :D

[murphybabe]

There might be more foodie fic... there most probably will be more cheeky sexy Bodie and there will certainly be banter! Perhaps I should stop answering kind comments and get on with finishing the fic *g*

[hagsrus.livejournal.com]

Would you send me a complete copy when it's ready, please?

Frances
Proslib business: proslib at gmail dot com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proslib
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hagsrus/

[murphybabe]

Yes, certainly - I will do that this evening!

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

Wot, no waffles? Hee!

*runs off puffing to read next part*

[murphybabe]

Nope, there were no waffles *Paddington hard stare*