Facets II: Stolen Moments

Fanfiction
Title:	Facets II: Stolen Moments
Author(s):	Maggie Hall
Date(s):	1993
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	The Professionals
Relationship(s):	Bodie/Doyle
External Links:	online here
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Facets II: Stolen Moments is a Bodie/Doyle story by Maggie Hall.

It was published in Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink #3 and is available online.

Author's Note: "This is based, in its entirety, on the story "Facets" by MH, originally written for the Wiseguy universe. The original "Facets" is in McPikus Interruptus #1."

Reactions and Reviews

1993

This is essentially the same 'plot' as "Facets" from McPikus Interruptus 2. but the characters have changed the effect dramatically. This is an idea which was discussed in these pages — that changing the characters would have to influence the way a story worked, if the characterization was at all well written: that merely changing the names would not work. This story clearly bears this out—it was a wonderful Vinnie/Frank story, it is a wonderful Bodie/Doyle story—and even though the plot is essentially the same, it's a totally different story! Anyone who hasn't had the chance to read both--I recommend them highly. Now I was to see the same treatment given to Blake/Avon! (Could this plot work for Dorian/Klaus? I'm not sure...)

[It] struck me as being a bit on the conventional side but were well-done.

2009

Once in a great while you come across a story that just blows you away with its utter perfection. For me this is one of those stories; I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love it, but I’ll try.

The premise is that Bodie is constantly trying to find out the limits to which he can push Doyle, but he still hasn’t found them. No matter what he suggests, Doyle complains but agrees to what Bodie wants him to do. Furthermore, he enjoys it, though he tries hard not to show it. I love this dynamic between the lads, and it is in keeping with the trope in Pros fic that Doyle is a sensuous little animal who will try anything once.

The story is set in the CI5 universe and portrays the lads just exactly as I see them. The love between them is palpable but mostly unspoken; their masculinity is very much intact...

Finally, I have to say that the final sex scene is without a doubt the hottest sex scene I’ve ever read in Pros. Wow! …just….wow!

As I say, this little gem of a story comes just about as close to perfection as anything I’ve read in Pros fic. The lads are completely in character, keeping the dynamics between them extremely romantic but not mushy, the dialog is spot on, and it contains what is for me the best sex scene in all of Pros fic.

The only criticism I have is the title, which I think is poor. Apparently the fic is based on a story called Facets written in the Wiseguy universe. However, I know of at least one person who thought this story was a sequel to some other Pros story, and she gave it a miss because she hadn’t read the first (supposed) story.

I like the title “Stolen Moments” so much I’ve borrowed it for my lj as it sums up so well the guilty pleasure of it all. (No idea about the story it’s supposed to be based on, though.)

I enjoyed the unfolding of the scene at the beginning – Bodie and Doyle lounge by the fire, Bodie is thinking about the job and trying not to be sentimental about giving Doyle a love token he’s not sure Doyle will want - so they’re not lovers? Then it is quietly revealed they are lovers (Bodie is holding Doyle), and in a passionate relationship – so what is this token? Intriguing. It couldn’t be as unoriginal as a ring, or metabolick wouldn’t rate the fic so highly.

Then it looked like the main part of the story was going to be Bodie’s IRA operation, so it came as a surprise when that was glossed over. A bit of a disappointment – the scene had been set for the undercover op., but it was never realised. It turned out just to be a device to take Bodie away for long enough for Doyle to have his ear pierced. On the other hand, it was GOOD to be back home with hotter sex and a vision of Doyle in rent-boy splendour.

Plot hole? – Doyle’s rent-boy op was only on for a few days, so he must have decided to have his ear pierced anyway, without knowing he would have an excuse to wear an earring on duty.

I’m also not sure why Doyle was posing in the rest room – deliberately setting Bodie up to be turned on but unable to do anything?

The piercing scene I skimmed over on the first reading, mercifully short and straightforward as it was, being a bit squicky about piercing. Having my ears pierced once was quite horrible enough. But, sheltered life that I’ve led, I’d never seen the erotic possibilities. Makes me wonder if the OH could be persuaded...

Illicit sex in the office, I'm all for that, and it was written so well here – it was a close call, but all the more enjoyable for it. “Cowley knew something was wrong…”

I don’t recognize them, I don’t love them, I don’t care. And realist me – I can’t buy the scene in Cowley’s office...

I normally favor longer fics too but this one is perfect to me. I think any further description of their assignments would be distracting from the p9oint of the story, which is their relationship. I too am not sure what you mean by "stiff."

I'm not sure about canon D always pushing B - it seems to me that B gives as good as he gets. But certainly in this story it's D who is doing the pushing in the rest room!

Agreed about the hotness of the nipple ring and the earring. Phoar!

I'm another one who thinks this is a beautifully written fic - it's my second favourite Pros story ever! *g* I think I have different reasons for liking it than metabolick - or maybe similar reasons, but I'd not frame them in the same way...

For me this story has nothing to do with Bodie's op or anything like that, it's absolutely about how far the lads will go for each other, what their limits are, and the fact that they're matched so perfectly because ultimately Bodie's limits are a perfect foil to Doyle's apparent lack of limits, and vice versa as well. Hall took this one example - Doyle being pierced once, in secret, for Bodie and then a second time very publically - and also for Bodie - as a way of showing us.

It doesn't gush, I didn't find it purple, and I don't think I've ever thought of it as "romantic" (although it is really!) because of the very realistic, externally un-romantic way we see the lads. They'll go off and work solo when they have to (I can't believe fic where they refuse to do that!), and in fact they'll both enjoy it - and then they'll enjoy being back together too, and it's all made that bit better because we find out that they're both putting a brave face on it - they will miss each other, but won't show it, of course.

And we find out how committed they are to each other too - Bodie will let Doyle into something important from his past, and Doyle will take that thing and make it into something new, and as public as he can, for Bodie. It's all couched in sex (and oh but it's good sex) but it's all much more than that...

I hadn't read that story, and I must say, other than my squick about sex at work, which I find so unprofessional, I loved it. I understand the frustration Bodie was feeling over the earring, and how he egged Doyle on. I pretended they weren't in Cowley's office!

It's really a good story, well written and highly sensual. I have a thing about men with nipple rings so this fit my kinks very well. I had no problem seeing Doyle with it.

...A hot story, wonderful scenes between the lads. Very much them, struggling to avoid being romantic and silly with each other, yet really needing to show love and affection. I think Bodie's celibacy really got to Doyle. He knew then how much Bodie loved him.

I too love this little gem. I think the first time I read it I was thrown by the title -- I thought it must be the second part to something and that confused my reading somewhat. I felt I must be missing something. Also, I think the first time through I thought we were going to get more of their two separate ops, so...I was reading with certain expectations. Even so I thought it was beautifully written.

On the second reading neither of those things bothered me, and I simply appreciated how tightly-written this is, spare but sensuous, understated but intense. It's really well done.

Oddly, it's the only thing this writer did that really worked for me to this extent.

I agree about the author's other work not being up to this quality. I hope I get to tell her in person how much I adore this story some time. I did speak to her once about "Blue Skies", which I also like but don't adore.

Yes! I think it's really important to do [give feedback to the author] -- especially in fandom where I've been told feedback is fairly rare (other than on LJ). And that's a shame because feedback is sort of the currency of encouragement for writers. You don't write for it, but you do put the writing out there in the hope that someone will read it. So it's nice to hear that they did -- especially if they adored it. *g*

I truly enjoyed this second time round. I skimmed it several years ago, but I thought it was a second part of a story so it didn't really appeal. This time I enjoyed how they showed their love by doing these things for the other. I liked the visual images of one by the other. Sex in the office doesn't bother me anymore than sex in the alley. . . .in fic it works, in the real work. . .yick. Fic world is a much more indulgent place for me.

Occasionally I come across a real gem story and I read this one just the other day and bloody hell.. I have to say that one thing hit me fair and square with this one.

And that it was such a visual story.

For example, when Bodie takes the nipple ring in his mouth and swirls his tongue around it. Reading it, can almost make you feel it on your tongue, firm skin under your hands and feel the fire at your back. No problems at all. Now that's stimulating reading.

Some writers have the knack for this and this author certainly has it in this particular one, although I too sought out her other work and didn't find the same visual impact as this one.

Everything she wrote was instantly seen and felt and that's fairly rare for me in a fic. My taste in fic has no rhyme or reason, but the quality of writing is usually what will pull me in. Oh and I liked the fact that they weren't mushy and overboard with sentimentality as well. That sharp edge they have all the time made their pushing the ante in this one, quite believable.

I have never considered body piercings as anything attractive before I read this fic, now I'm eyeing the OH quite speculatively as well *g*

2011

Why this must be read: This fic was originally published in the 1993 Manacles Press zine Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink, and I was just incredibly happy when it came online a couple of years ago, available to everyone. The story is really in three parts - the night before Bodie is sent up north on an op, the day that he returns, and in between - well in between there is a flashback to a visit the lads made to Amsterdam, one that seems to have changed their lives to a small but incredibly erotic extent, and the story circles around this change. What I particularly adore about it are the proofs the lads give each other, not always deliberately and when they are deliberate rather embarrassedly, that the other is loved. There's a vein of comfort running through it somehow, and that's what I take away with me every time. At the same time, it's not overly sentimental, not in the least bit soppy - Doyle's acquiescences are "Just to shut you up, Bodie", and Bodie's matter-of-fact view of life, even when he's acknowledging his feelings for Ray, seem entirely canon to me. We first come across the lads relaxing in Doyle's flat - the weather is autumn-wild outside, but we're drawn inside with the lads, to a lazy, sated and sensual evening. There are a couple of Americanisms right at the very beginning ("holiday season", "Merseyside County"?!), but they're otherwise relatively few, and it's worth getting past them for the gorgeous story - and especially for Bodie's return, and the time they have to spend waiting for Cowley... *g*