Long Shadows

The Professionals Fanfiction
Title:	Long Shadows
Author(s):	NN West
Date(s):	?
Length:
Genre:
Fandom:	The Professionals
External Links:	online here
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Long Shadows is a Professionals story by NN West.

O Yardley wrote a sequel called Among the Lilies here. Jay Trent wrote a sequel called And the Check here.

It is a story on The 1985 Hatstand Express Top Ten Lists.

Reactions and Reviews

[On my top ten list because] this one because it delves a little into 'Bodle's mysterious past' as a mercenary. Interesting construction, with the interphasing of CIS memorandums and a strong story development.

Long Shadows by NN West is a story which uses Bodie's past as a mercenary, but within the context of a CI5 operation, so Doyle is Bodie's partner. Doyle is injured, and they are captured by the group of mercenaries they've been trying to evade, but who fortunately know, and respect, Bodie. The leader wants Doyle, and Bodie needs Ray to follow his lead in everything for both of them to get out alive and in one piece. Nicely done pre slash.

We are thrown into the story.

We learn that we are in Africa, that Bodie and Doyle are there to save some unknown leader of an unknown part of the world that became - for what reason ever - interesting for Queen and Country. And Doyle is shot.

That’s all we get at the beginning and for me that’s perfect. No need for complicated preparations, for Cowley’s triple thinking, or for any involvement of politics. I’m in Africa with Bodie and Doyle, it’s an adventure, Doyle is hurt, they trust each other and they do everything to save each other. I can make comfortable in my chair, open the bottle of wine, - and see what will come…

And the rest of the story didn’t disappoint me. Not at all!

Finished it and I really liked it! I think I'd read it years ago and had forgotten most of it so I've really got value for money!

This is one of my favourites. As you said, I love being thrown in right from the start, without having a long drawn out background to the story. One of the best bits for me is:

"Doyle seemed to know he was there, and clung to his partner as to a lifeline, the pitiful shuddering much less violent when Bodie held him; after one brief attempt to share the driving with Sven, Bodie was forced to return to his place in the back of the jeep, his touch calming the violent threshing that weakened his already exhausted body."

Even when they are not quite together, the need to be together is overwhelming.

Awesome story...

I'm happy that it's not just me who loves it to be thrown right in the middle of a good story!

I wasn't sure!

And I can believe that the whole drama is terrible frightening for Doyle, I mean being in Africa, hurt to death, the heat, the pain - Bodie must be the only anchor for Doyle.

I did enjoy the story a lot, but there were some questions, mainly, this thing about mercs fucking each other, is it a genre of fic or a reality? I don't see why there should be such a shortage of women, who they could seduce with a bit of bribery, or intimidate or whatever, into sex. But I am just being difficult.

Also we have again Doyle as sexually irresistable. But what does Giorgio actually see? Doyle can't walk, so Giorgio doesn't get the benefit of The Walk or the wiggling bum. Poor Doyle has been chasing around in the bush for days and then suffered a bad leg wound, he wouldn't be looking or feeling very sexy. It is a wonder he has as good a time as he does in bed with Bodie, but that is before the infection takes hold.

I do love the closing scene. The description of Bodie's silhouette in the window is very delicate.

And even if the mercs turned to each other when there were no women around, that wouldn't explain the 'exclusive' type of relationship that features in this fic. That's true and 'exclusivity' appears in others merc stories, as well, e.g. Meg Lewtan's Out of the Jungle story from the CD is similar in the sense that some mercenaries see Doyle as 'prime meat' and Bodie ends up protecting him by claiming Doyle as his and his alone. Maybe exclusivity is a part of the dominance/power kick which seems to be a part of the whole ritual of rape in male prisons? Dunno....And maybe there's only a difference in degree (rather than substance) from the way many men have historically viewed their 'women'....

I enjoyed this! Not so much for the detailed story which I think has several weaknesses that other people have already pointed out, but for the writing. It is beautifully written and so competently structured; the occasional allusions to actual shadows reflect the overall theme of the shadows our pasts cast over us and the overall plot moves in such a satisfying way from certainty of death through possibilities of life then through possible death and back to possibilities of a future together. I thought that was extremely well done in such a short story so I forgave the possible exaggerations about mercenary life and Doyle's beauty (!). The sex was left largely to the reader's imagination, which always pleases me because once the idea has been set up I get more from my imagination than from too much explicit description. I liked the 'different' take on the 'aliens made us do it' plot device so common to so many fandoms. I liked the ending, with the decision to go ahead despite doubts, which again, reflects the decision to go along with whatever Bodie said or did at the camp despite doubts, and the total lack of doubt about their friendship and trust. I don't think it needs a sequel, but thanks for the two recs!

Well of course I had to go and read [the two sequels]... I liked the Among the Lilies one but was less impressed with The Check (not very good characterisation of Cowley, I thought) but as I said, I liked being left to imagine my own 'sequel'!!

So many fanfic writers (and original m/m romance writers)seem determined to describe every sexual encounter in what becomes boring detail. I assume they've determined that's what readers want. Of course I want the pair to get together, but I often skim the almost medical descriptions in favour of my own imaginings! And so often it's the initial hint or promise that is hot, plus, of course, the characters themselves. I wonder if some sort of 'competition' to write stuff that can be labelled NC17 is to blame? I loved the way this story left us on the doorstep with just the moment in the camp to remember.

I love writing like that and feel it's subtle, 'grown-up' writing such as this from Sebastian...there's no explicit sex (yet) but I find it totally erotic and sex is everywhere:... I find too much sex reminds me slightly of having too much gateaux...it's just too much.... or 'funny' stories which have too much humour, sometimes the reader needs time to recover from a joke before they're presented with the next one and, as you say, they may prefer to use their own imaginations to fill in the gaps rather than having everything explained in graphic detail.

Apart from a few blips, I really like the story and irresistible Doyle has never bothered me, since I find him very intriguing myself. *g*

Despite the bewildering situation, Doyle's trust in Bodie is so complete that he goes along with everything Bodie thinks is needed to make it out alive. What bothered me just a little is the "mercs are all doing it with each other" thing and the part where Giorgio and the merc doctor are talking over the supposedly asleep Bodie and Doyle. This conversation felt very unnatural and more a vehicle to explain everything to us readers.

Regarding the sex scene, I didn't get the impression that Bodie did more than bring off Doyle and himself, so there would be evidence they had both climaxed, if Giorgio decided to check (which he did), and that's what really convinced him that Bodie and Doyle were together.

Since it was dark and cold in the room, anything watched through a window could have just been pretense under the blanket, so Bodie made sure there could be no mistake.

Entertaining choice. I think it's competently written. Is the author American? Something gave me that impression, though I can't put my finger on it. Nothing jarring, just...that Not British feel.

I don't think it's remotely realistic -- nor does it need to be. It strikes me as classic Pros stories of a certain era. The kind of thing that there was a lot of at one time and now seem rarer than ties in Doyle's closet. It's a nice length and it offers the "plausible" explanation for getting Bodie and Doyle to have sex and then discover they like it. It's reasonably long and sufficiently complex.

The mercenary camp reminded me of Labyrinth with seemingly everyone's mind on sex all the time -- and particularly sex with Doyle. This is one of the weaknesses I see in Pros fic -- really, original m/m fiction as well -- no character ever seems to think much about anything beyond sex and relationship.

I really like the exploration of Bodie's mercenary past -- and seeing that through Doyle's eyes. I also really like that the author didn't insist on what would have been a scene of highly unlikely anal sex just to have it in there. Er, the story, I mean.

I did snort a bit at the notion of the impossibly irristible Doyle -- CI5's own Helen of Troy -- but it's all in the spirit of fun. And he IS a gorgeous bloke (and he does suffer beautifully).

I really liked the final scene -- and the final image of a solitary Bodie gazing out his window.

I like this story. The trust between the characters is spot on, Doyle and Bodie know that the other has got his back (no pun intended). The only aspect that bothers me a little is that Doyle can come over as submissive in the relationship. I know that physically he is smaller than Bodie but in character and temper, I would class him as the dominant force. Given Doyle experience as an undercover operative, I feel that he would have been able to "act" intimate with Bodie without actual sex taking place. Similarly, I can't see Bodie taking advantage of the situation and using a clearly ill Doyle to get what he wants. That said, the sex does add to the story!!!!