Fic: Tinder Dry (3/5)
Title: Tinder Dry (3/5)
Fandom: Primeval.
Author: Gategurl/The Readers Muse
Character/s: Lester: (Lester/Danny/Becker)
Word Count: 1,884 (WIP)
Rating: M (slash, threesome, aftermath of sex pollen, adult language, complete warnings in authors notes.)
Warnings: Sequel to Smoke Stack Heroes. This ficlet will not make much sense if you haven’t read that fic first, as this installment follows directly after SSHs leaves off.
Summary: "He'd given up on secrecy and professional decency two hours before noon, drawing the line at squirming in his chair as his arse put up a tantrum at the whole notion of sitting, conference calls, and paperwork."
Notes: Thank you once again to the lovely
fififolle for the beta. This is a bit shorter then normal and it is going to serve as something of a transitional chapter. (AKA: THERE MUST BE CUTE, MINI-ANGSTING BEFORE SMUT) *cough*
Tinder Dry - Chapter 3
It wasn’t until they’d put a considerable dent in the take away that the two men seemed to find their tongues. It was gradual at first, deceptive in its slow, meandering ease, but it happened nonetheless. With purely work related chatter skittering off the rails somewhere in between the spring rolls and the ginger beef. Until he suddenly found himself defending the Spur’s second half and debating the sustainability behind the city’s newly proposed sky metro station, versus that of the opposing plan, to simply extend the London underground.
All else considered it was worrisomely easy to get caught up in each other. The conversation was effortless and smooth, like they had been doing this for years rather than for the better part of an hour. He didn’t know how else to describe it other than that it felt a whole lot like a brand new sort of… normal.
The whole thing sent his mind tripping off into dangerous territory. Because it made him wonder what that might mean in the grand scheme of things, if it meant anything at all. It made him wonder why he hadn’t allowed himself to sit down and have a proper conversation with the two of them before. Why he hadn’t known that Becker had gone to Sandhurst the same year as his mentor’s eldest son, even shipping off to Afghanistan in the same unit for their first tour. Or that Quinn had a god uncle in MI5 that had once been tasked with organising his protection detail during a bomb scare in parliament a few years back.
…Funny how things tend to work out sometimes…
But even then, idle chit-chat could only get them so far. And it seemed as though they had reached that point when Danny chugged the rest of his beer in one go, sliding Becker and himself a fresh can without a word before he caught his eye and refilled his glass. Completely ignoring his motion to stop when the redhead passed the generous two finger mark and kept on pouring.
If he didn’t know any better he’d swear the man was trying to butter him up…
“Look Lester…” Quinn began, straightening against the couch cushions before he slapped his palms down across his knees in apparent affirmation.
“James,” he cut in. Tongue tripping ahead before his mind could consider the full connotations of such a gesture. Not exactly regretting it, but still wary of what such an offer might mean all the same.
“Sir?” Becker questioned. Using that same blasted tone that hovered somewhere in between acquiescence and outright impertinence. Just subtle enough that he could never quite pin the man with it, but present all the same. …Saucy little brat.
“We aren’t at work and considering the circumstances,” he trailed off, gesturing around at the shambles of his flat before flicking a smattering of fingers towards the three of them. Suddenly no longer content to stick with formalities in light of everything that had happened.
“James then,” Quinn replied, a small smile gracing his craggy features as he gave him a small nod. Glancing at Becker out of the corner of his eye as the younger man all but squirmed in place.
Oh for god’s sake.
“I suppose we do have to talk. Clear the air and all that,” he finally allowed, gesturing thoughtlessly as he took another healthy swallow. Doing his best to break the cut-throat silence that had descended between them like it hadn’t just cost him more then he’d ever admit to keep his voice level.
“Sir- I mean…Lester,” Becker cut off, seeming to lose steam half way through as a distinctly pink tinge flushed across the younger man’s cheeks.
The whole thing would have been hilarious if it hadn’t been so god damned tense.
“Look mate, soldier boy’s awkward blushing aside-” Quinn began, only to be brought up short when Becker glared. Eying the man down until he took a pointed swig of his beer, the can crackling warningly in his fist as the man’s frown subsided.
He swallowed his mouthful of whisky and remained silent, abandoning his quest to pick out the last remaining pieces of sesame seed chicken from the nearest carton as he forced himself to settle back into his chair. Feigning nonchalance and forced calm as he chased his mouthful of whisky with another. - But judging from the soulful look Becker shot him a few moments later, he figured he must have been doing a remarkably shoddy job of it.
“I think what Quinn means to say is that we watched the tapes. Just like you,” Becker posed. Gaze strong, but thoughtful as he looked him straight in the eye. His eyes dark and half veiled behind those same, criminally long lashes as the soldier held his stare. As if daring him to deny that he hadn’t.
Ah. Here it comes.
“And we mean all of it, from start to bloody finish,” Quinn butted in; gesturing around the room with his half empty can.
“I see,” he began, deliberately drawing out the pause as he chose his words carefully. Unsure of the other men’s intentions as he swirled the contents of his glass in nervous habit. Cursing the moment when his life seemed to have become so bloody complicated.
“Yes, it’s a pity our society tends to frown on the more risqué avenues of cinema these days,” he drawled. “Otherwise, after that choice display, Becker and yourself might have been enticed into another, and dare I say far more lucrative line of work,” he quipped, taking it as a small victory when Quinn’s lips quirked before he continued.
“No matter gentleman, missed opportunities for adult erotica and x-rated fame aside, you can be sure that the entire affair will unfortunately be lost in an untimely archival error or computer malfunction. I will see to it personally,” he assured.
“No ruined careers or diminished marriage prospects,” he added, adding another few fingers to his glass as he fought to keep his tone level. Ignoring the damning way his throat had begun to tighten as he forced the words out. Molars grinding together like he’d been chewing on glass as his lips curled into his usual, unaffected smirk. - Another nasty habit he couldn’t quite bring himself to break, regardless of the circumstances.
He made sure that his voice betrayed none of the disappointment he was feeling as both men turned in place. Staring him down as he looked into his glass, refusing to be drawn in to whatever he might find there. Disgust? Relief? Confusion? Amusement? He didn’t want to see it.
He couldn’t.
He tossed back the rest of his drink in one smooth swallow, rolling the syrupy burn around with his tongue before he chanced a look up. Only this time, confusion was quick to follow. Because it was then, within mere seconds of meeting their eyes, that in spite of it all, both men’s faces suddenly cleared. Wide grins and heated looks spreading across their faces like aftershocks as he stared back uncomprehendingly. It was almost as if Quinn and Becker had just come to some sort of realisation that he’d inexplicably missed.
“Nah guv,” Danny murmured, spine arching provocatively as he stretched in place.
“It wasn’t the pollen, that plant, or however the hell that dodgy shit even works. It was us. You...” Quinn continued, eyes backlit and smouldering as he inclined his head towards Becker as the younger man made to speak.
“We talked it over after we watched the feed. Quinn didn’t go after anyone else after he was infected, he came after me. And in the locker room, when we smelled… well, you, we wanted that as well. You and us, no one else.. It just sort of… clicked,” Becker remarked, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head. A small smile gracing his features as his gaze fastened on him, hungry, heated, and undeniably eager.
Wait, what?
“We came here because we wanted to. We wanted you Lester. And apparently that has nothing to do with the pollen. Near as we can tell it doesn’t work like that, it never has. It isn’t random,” Quinn affirmed, long legs twitching restlessly as he leaned forward, eyes raking over him from across the short distance.
He tensed, spine stiffening millimetre by millimetre as the man’s words echoed in his ears. Having been in politics long enough to know when he was being backed into a corner, naturally he baulked at it, frustrated, confused, and emotionally drained. Finding himself forced to simply listen as the two men made their case. After all, what else could he do? Walk out? This was his god damned flat!
It wasn’t like he could deny it either. He knew what had happened. Hell, he’d watched it happen for Christ’s sake! Under the influence or not, it hadn’t been mere chance that Quinn and Becker had been attracted to his scent, or even to each other individually. That had been deliberate. And his reaction…Well-
Insanity aside, he had to admit that it made a strange sort of sense…
“What we did? You’re response? That wasn’t down to chance,” Becker continued, still flushing openly, but refusing to back down nonetheless. “And we were thinking, that is if you agree, that we should… Well, what I mean to say is that we should-”
“Shag,” Quinn butted in, “but this time without the bloody pollen,” he finished smoothly, taking a remarkably casual sip of his beer like he hadn’t just gone and pulled the equivalent of hitting the shiny red button marked: ‘Danger, nuclear warhead’ on the entire conversation.
His mouth dropped open. He couldn’t help it, he just-…He wasn’t-
…What?
A/N: More to come! Sorry for the short chapter, this is more a transitional chapter then anything else. Hope you all enjoyed! Thanks for reading!
On to Chapter 4
Back to Chapter 2
Fandom: Primeval.
Author: Gategurl/The Readers Muse
Character/s: Lester: (Lester/Danny/Becker)
Word Count: 1,884 (WIP)
Rating: M (slash, threesome, aftermath of sex pollen, adult language, complete warnings in authors notes.)
Warnings: Sequel to Smoke Stack Heroes. This ficlet will not make much sense if you haven’t read that fic first, as this installment follows directly after SSHs leaves off.
Summary: "He'd given up on secrecy and professional decency two hours before noon, drawing the line at squirming in his chair as his arse put up a tantrum at the whole notion of sitting, conference calls, and paperwork."
Notes: Thank you once again to the lovely
fififolle for the beta. This is a bit shorter then normal and it is going to serve as something of a transitional chapter. (AKA: THERE MUST BE CUTE, MINI-ANGSTING BEFORE SMUT) *cough*
Tinder Dry - Chapter 3
It wasn’t until they’d put a considerable dent in the take away that the two men seemed to find their tongues. It was gradual at first, deceptive in its slow, meandering ease, but it happened nonetheless. With purely work related chatter skittering off the rails somewhere in between the spring rolls and the ginger beef. Until he suddenly found himself defending the Spur’s second half and debating the sustainability behind the city’s newly proposed sky metro station, versus that of the opposing plan, to simply extend the London underground.
All else considered it was worrisomely easy to get caught up in each other. The conversation was effortless and smooth, like they had been doing this for years rather than for the better part of an hour. He didn’t know how else to describe it other than that it felt a whole lot like a brand new sort of… normal.
The whole thing sent his mind tripping off into dangerous territory. Because it made him wonder what that might mean in the grand scheme of things, if it meant anything at all. It made him wonder why he hadn’t allowed himself to sit down and have a proper conversation with the two of them before. Why he hadn’t known that Becker had gone to Sandhurst the same year as his mentor’s eldest son, even shipping off to Afghanistan in the same unit for their first tour. Or that Quinn had a god uncle in MI5 that had once been tasked with organising his protection detail during a bomb scare in parliament a few years back.
…Funny how things tend to work out sometimes…
But even then, idle chit-chat could only get them so far. And it seemed as though they had reached that point when Danny chugged the rest of his beer in one go, sliding Becker and himself a fresh can without a word before he caught his eye and refilled his glass. Completely ignoring his motion to stop when the redhead passed the generous two finger mark and kept on pouring.
If he didn’t know any better he’d swear the man was trying to butter him up…
“Look Lester…” Quinn began, straightening against the couch cushions before he slapped his palms down across his knees in apparent affirmation.
“James,” he cut in. Tongue tripping ahead before his mind could consider the full connotations of such a gesture. Not exactly regretting it, but still wary of what such an offer might mean all the same.
“Sir?” Becker questioned. Using that same blasted tone that hovered somewhere in between acquiescence and outright impertinence. Just subtle enough that he could never quite pin the man with it, but present all the same. …Saucy little brat.
“We aren’t at work and considering the circumstances,” he trailed off, gesturing around at the shambles of his flat before flicking a smattering of fingers towards the three of them. Suddenly no longer content to stick with formalities in light of everything that had happened.
“James then,” Quinn replied, a small smile gracing his craggy features as he gave him a small nod. Glancing at Becker out of the corner of his eye as the younger man all but squirmed in place.
Oh for god’s sake.
“I suppose we do have to talk. Clear the air and all that,” he finally allowed, gesturing thoughtlessly as he took another healthy swallow. Doing his best to break the cut-throat silence that had descended between them like it hadn’t just cost him more then he’d ever admit to keep his voice level.
“Sir- I mean…Lester,” Becker cut off, seeming to lose steam half way through as a distinctly pink tinge flushed across the younger man’s cheeks.
The whole thing would have been hilarious if it hadn’t been so god damned tense.
“Look mate, soldier boy’s awkward blushing aside-” Quinn began, only to be brought up short when Becker glared. Eying the man down until he took a pointed swig of his beer, the can crackling warningly in his fist as the man’s frown subsided.
He swallowed his mouthful of whisky and remained silent, abandoning his quest to pick out the last remaining pieces of sesame seed chicken from the nearest carton as he forced himself to settle back into his chair. Feigning nonchalance and forced calm as he chased his mouthful of whisky with another. - But judging from the soulful look Becker shot him a few moments later, he figured he must have been doing a remarkably shoddy job of it.
“I think what Quinn means to say is that we watched the tapes. Just like you,” Becker posed. Gaze strong, but thoughtful as he looked him straight in the eye. His eyes dark and half veiled behind those same, criminally long lashes as the soldier held his stare. As if daring him to deny that he hadn’t.
Ah. Here it comes.
“And we mean all of it, from start to bloody finish,” Quinn butted in; gesturing around the room with his half empty can.
“I see,” he began, deliberately drawing out the pause as he chose his words carefully. Unsure of the other men’s intentions as he swirled the contents of his glass in nervous habit. Cursing the moment when his life seemed to have become so bloody complicated.
“Yes, it’s a pity our society tends to frown on the more risqué avenues of cinema these days,” he drawled. “Otherwise, after that choice display, Becker and yourself might have been enticed into another, and dare I say far more lucrative line of work,” he quipped, taking it as a small victory when Quinn’s lips quirked before he continued.
“No matter gentleman, missed opportunities for adult erotica and x-rated fame aside, you can be sure that the entire affair will unfortunately be lost in an untimely archival error or computer malfunction. I will see to it personally,” he assured.
“No ruined careers or diminished marriage prospects,” he added, adding another few fingers to his glass as he fought to keep his tone level. Ignoring the damning way his throat had begun to tighten as he forced the words out. Molars grinding together like he’d been chewing on glass as his lips curled into his usual, unaffected smirk. - Another nasty habit he couldn’t quite bring himself to break, regardless of the circumstances.
He made sure that his voice betrayed none of the disappointment he was feeling as both men turned in place. Staring him down as he looked into his glass, refusing to be drawn in to whatever he might find there. Disgust? Relief? Confusion? Amusement? He didn’t want to see it.
He couldn’t.
He tossed back the rest of his drink in one smooth swallow, rolling the syrupy burn around with his tongue before he chanced a look up. Only this time, confusion was quick to follow. Because it was then, within mere seconds of meeting their eyes, that in spite of it all, both men’s faces suddenly cleared. Wide grins and heated looks spreading across their faces like aftershocks as he stared back uncomprehendingly. It was almost as if Quinn and Becker had just come to some sort of realisation that he’d inexplicably missed.
“Nah guv,” Danny murmured, spine arching provocatively as he stretched in place.
“It wasn’t the pollen, that plant, or however the hell that dodgy shit even works. It was us. You...” Quinn continued, eyes backlit and smouldering as he inclined his head towards Becker as the younger man made to speak.
“We talked it over after we watched the feed. Quinn didn’t go after anyone else after he was infected, he came after me. And in the locker room, when we smelled… well, you, we wanted that as well. You and us, no one else.. It just sort of… clicked,” Becker remarked, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head. A small smile gracing his features as his gaze fastened on him, hungry, heated, and undeniably eager.
Wait, what?
“We came here because we wanted to. We wanted you Lester. And apparently that has nothing to do with the pollen. Near as we can tell it doesn’t work like that, it never has. It isn’t random,” Quinn affirmed, long legs twitching restlessly as he leaned forward, eyes raking over him from across the short distance.
He tensed, spine stiffening millimetre by millimetre as the man’s words echoed in his ears. Having been in politics long enough to know when he was being backed into a corner, naturally he baulked at it, frustrated, confused, and emotionally drained. Finding himself forced to simply listen as the two men made their case. After all, what else could he do? Walk out? This was his god damned flat!
It wasn’t like he could deny it either. He knew what had happened. Hell, he’d watched it happen for Christ’s sake! Under the influence or not, it hadn’t been mere chance that Quinn and Becker had been attracted to his scent, or even to each other individually. That had been deliberate. And his reaction…Well-
Insanity aside, he had to admit that it made a strange sort of sense…
“What we did? You’re response? That wasn’t down to chance,” Becker continued, still flushing openly, but refusing to back down nonetheless. “And we were thinking, that is if you agree, that we should… Well, what I mean to say is that we should-”
“Shag,” Quinn butted in, “but this time without the bloody pollen,” he finished smoothly, taking a remarkably casual sip of his beer like he hadn’t just gone and pulled the equivalent of hitting the shiny red button marked: ‘Danger, nuclear warhead’ on the entire conversation.
His mouth dropped open. He couldn’t help it, he just-…He wasn’t-
…What?
A/N: More to come! Sorry for the short chapter, this is more a transitional chapter then anything else. Hope you all enjoyed! Thanks for reading!
On to Chapter 4
Back to Chapter 2