Trial Run (Professionals story)
| Bodie/Doyle Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Trial Run |
| Author(s): | Ellis Ward |
| Date(s): | 1990 (fanzine), 2003 (archived online) |
| Length: | 239k |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | The Professionals |
| External Links: | online here online at AO3 |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Trial Run is a Professionals Bodie/Doyle story by Ellis Ward.
The story was originally published in the fanzine Chalk and Cheese #5 in 1990 and sometimes appears on fans' Desert Island lists.[1]
Summary
Doyle learns that Bodie plans to leave CI5 and rushes over to his apartment. He discovers that Bodie has wanted him as a lover for years and that this is the reason Bodie is leaving. Doyle struggles through the shock and works his way to offering, somewhat apprehensive, a relationship. The relationship eventually grows into something solid and loving; however they decide they cannot continue to be CI5 agents and lovers and leave the service.
Reactions and Reviews
2008
... a fic where Bodie realized his feelings to Ray and thinking that Ray would hate him should he know, Bodie decided to resign and go away. But Cowley knew about this and told Ray. Ray at first felt uncomfortable with Bodie’s feelings, but he chose to accept and have Bodie by his side rather than losing him. At first Ray didn’t love Bodie back, but living together slowly he returned Bodie’s feelings. [2]
2010
Why this must be read:Because she takes a premise that really shouldn’t work at all, but does like gangbusters. Bodie has a confessions to make, and despite everything Doyle thinks he knows about his own sexual orientation, he cannot give up the partnership. So he proposes a ‘trail run’ at a romantic entanglement with his partner.
A truly fascinating read, Ellis Ward handles the emotions with her usual flair for heart minus the dramatics, and keeps the tension and interest up as the lads wrestle with both the change in their relationship and the usual chaotic pace of life at CI5.
He and Bodie had stood shoulder-to-shoulder against all the mayhem the world chose to offer, their own mortality at the whim of grisly-humoured Fate. They'd learnt to live with that, and to make do with the snatched comfort of faceless warm bodies and ephemeral affection, with the not inconsiderable support of their friendship underlying all else.
But Doyle had come to want more, even though he was pragmatic enough to see that he could never have it -- not and be who he was. He'd tried it once and failed humiliatingly. There was simply no one who could understand the demands of their job and the paradoxical emotions it gave birth to -- a need for absolution and approbation.
Except Bodie. [3]
Trial Run by Ellis Ward is a long story that starts with Doyle's sense of betrayal as he discovers that Bodie has resigned. He finds out why and begins to realise just what he will do to keep Bodie part of his life. Despite finding Doyle's 'conversion' a little hard to believe, I very much enjoyed the rest of this slow, gentle story. A couple of missing words and some irritating spelling mistake are distracting at times, but it is worth the effort.[4]
References
- ^ Close Quarters Desert Island Episode/Zine/Fic dated July 18, 2009
- ^ at Hello! (Feb 5, 2008)
- ^ a 2010 comment at Crack Van
- ^ from alicambs Professional Recs, Archived version