miscellany n 1: a collection containing a variety of sorts of things.

Chapter One
New Assignment to a Quiet Little Townfly down, Jim? Why the hell do we have to drive down?"

"For the last time, Darwin, we are going to need wheels. If you don't have a car in California, you're stuck, big time."

Blair grumbled, slumping on his side of the booth in the roadside diner. "Sez you. I happen to think that the department is just too damn cheap to spring for plane tickets."

"They're reimbursing us for travel expenses."

"Ain't the same, man. I was really looking forward to those itty bitty packages of honey-roasted peanuts they feed you."

"You know damn good and well that any flight they would have sprung for would have been so cheap that we'd be lucky to get Fritos."

"I like Fritos."

"Now you're just being difficult."

"So sue me. Hours on the highway fighting psychotic semi drivers who try to run up your tailpipe when you have a freakin' double yellow line and the little old lady in front of you insists on going ten miles under the speed limit will do that to you."

"If you'd stay right behind me you wouldn't have that problem."

"Yeah? Well, if YOU hadn't let that convoy of car carriers pass you, I wouldn't have gotten so far behind."

The two men scowled at each other across the Formica tabletop. The waitress trotted over, plunked down two glasses of water next to their menus, and said brightly, "What can I get for ya?"

Jim snapped, "A boyfriend who's less bitchy."

Blair shot back, "A boyfriend who asks before accepting a major life change for both of us."

"Okay! So, you'll need a little time to decide!" She trotted away again, shaking her head, looking at the ceiling pleadingly. *Lord? Is every good-looking man west of the Mississippi gay?* The two men glared at each other a moment more, then grabbed up the menus almost simultaneously and opened them, holding them up like barriers. But after a moment, the menu held by the long haired young man started to tremble, and choking sounds emerged from behind it.

Jim lowered his own menu, concerned. "Blair?" he asked quietly. No verbal reply, but the menu shook even harder, and the sounds increased. Worried and contrite, Jim reached over and touched his hand. "Chief..." He almost jumped at the bark of laughter. Blair lowered the menu and looked at him with dancing blue eyes. The contrast to his sulky, angry mood of a moment ago was startling. "What the hell?! Sandburg, what is it with you?"

Blair wiped his eyes, but he wasn't crying because he was upset. "Oh, man. Ruh-read the description of the Mariner's Stir Fry."

"I thought we were getting sandwiches?"

"Just read it, Jim."

Jim located Mariner's Stir Fry under the Dinner Specials section, and started to read out loud. "Mariner's Stir Fry. This menu item is designated 'Heart Healthy'. This melange..." He trailed off and looked at Blair. "Fox, right?"

Blair nodded, grinning from ear to ear. Jim could feel his own lips turning up in an involuntary smile as he remembered the long, lanky FBI agent who had so enthusiastically given his 'guy-to-guy' virginity to the couple a few months ago in an alcohol fueled state of bliss. They had, with the best of intentions, outed him to his Assistant Director, for whom Fox Mulder had confessed a (he thought) unrequited passion. A couple of weeks after Mulder had returned to work, they'd gotten a phone call from him. First he cursed them fluently for about three minutes. Then he told them thank you.

Blair tapped the laminated cardboard. "Keep reading."

Jim glanced back at the menu. "This melange of sweet scallops, tender whitefish, and succulent shrimp is served with a medley of tender-crisp Chinese vege..." He lost it. He laid down the menu, put his forehead down on it, and joined Blair in howls of laughter. The little waitress watched, feeling relieved. She had been worried that there was going to be a 'domestic dispute'. It looked like they had made up.

Jim finally got control of himself enough to sit up. Waving the menu at Blair, he gasped, "Buh-Bennie and Ruh-Ray."

"Call him Stanley." Another burst of laughter, finally trailing off into hiccups. Blair said, "I'm sorry I've been such a shit, man."

Jim shook his head. "I'm sorry I said yes without discussing it with you. It just seemed like such a great opportunity."

Blair sighed. "It is, I know that. The pay is higher, they provide a place to stay, and it's in CALIFORNIA. What's not to like? I was... I guess my feelings were a little hurt that you didn't ask first."

"I was wrong. And I was so sure that you'd agree with me that when you balked, it got my back up. I should have apologized a long time ago. Forgiven?"

"Only if you forgive me."

"Really nothing to forgive, but if you need it, sure." He offered his hand, and Blair took it. They didn't shake, but just sat there for a long moment, looking into each other's eyes. Each was thinking how strong, warm, and comforting that familiar grip was, and how much they had missed it the last few days. They had been angry with each other for a couple of weeks, and there was no real touching when they were angry. It was a rule of their relationship, and it worked well. Now it seemed like the long dry spell was over.

They finally released each other, Blair slowly stroking Jim's palm as he pulled his hand away. Jim bit his lip, feeling the simple touch all the way to his groin. Blair picked up the menu again and pretended to study it, bending his head so that his hair fell forward and half hid his smile. "I think I want everything on the left side."

"Greedy."

Blair peeked at him, and Jim felt a sock clad foot stroke his calf under the table. "Complaining?"

*An advantage to those loafers he insists on wearing.* "No." He cleared his throat. "You know, Chief, I really don't think we should drive straight through, like we planned. It would mean at least another three hours on the road, and you're tired."

"Uh huh." The toes were wiggling against Jim's knee.

"There's a clean looking motel on the other side of the street. Why don't we just crash, and finish the trip tomorrow?"

"Sounds logical."

"This way we don't have to risk waking anyone up to let us into our place. We can show up at a decent hour, instead, fresh and ready to go."

"Jim..." Ellison stiffened, his spine and his cock, as Blair worked his instep along the inside of Jim's thigh, between his obligingly spread legs. "I'm not arguing with you, man. I think it's a good idea. Besides, my ass is tired."

"Not TOO tired, I hope."

"It take's more than a few hours on the road to get me that tired, Big Guy."

Blair's foot settled on Jim's crotch, and began to flex. Jim slumped, sighing. "You were studying Vecchio, weren't you?"

"I have a history in academia, Jim. I pick things up."

"Bless you."

The waitress, when she came to take their orders, noted that they both looked a little flushed, but were in a MUCH better mood. It surprised her a little when they ordered burgers to go.

At the motel across the street, Blair half lay on the check-in counter, chin resting on crossed arms, as Jim got them registered. He grabbed up the key before Jim could reach for it and scampered (Not ran. Scampered was the only proper word for it) out to their designated room. Jim followed, grabbing a suitcase out of the back of the truck.

As he let himself in, he said, "Hey, Darwin. Better go get your clothes for..."

A naked Blair slammed into him, knocking him into the door and thus shutting it. "Ain't gonna need 'em, Big Guy." he breathed, just before beginning the pleasant task of trying to eat Jim alive, starting at the mouth.

Blair's tongue remained in Jim's mouth, but his HANDS went everywhere else. Jim wondered muzzily how the hell Blair could seem to fondle his nipples, his crotch and his ass, all at the same time. He only had two hands, didn't he?

Jim wrapped his arms around the compact body of his Guide and lover, and mumbled around the probing tongue, "The food's gonna get cold?"

Blair pulled back "Do I look like I give a flying fuck? If you want a hot meal, I can give it to you." He stepped away and fell back on the bed, grinning. His erection, thick and long, quivered almost straight up. "Clang, clang. Dinner bell." Laughing, Jim started to strip. Blair reached down and stroked himself sensuously, crooning, "Hurry up." His fingers spread the first clear drops of pre-cum over the rosy head of his prick. "You're missing the appetizer."

Normally careful about his clothes, Jim discarded them with an abandon that a stripper in the heyday of burlesque would have admired. When he was nude, his own impressive hard-on wavering, he pounced. In the split second Jim was in the air, Blair thought about trying to roll out of the way. A, it was damn near impossible to evade an aroused Sentinel. B, why the hell would he want to? He met Jim with open arms and legs.

For several minutes there was an intense, but playful wrestling match on the bed. As it went on, it got more intense and less playful. Finally Blair, pinned to the mattress, went very still, and peered directly into Jim's eyes, saying firmly. "I want to top."

Jim smiled slowly, eyes hooded. In answer, he rolled over quickly, pulling Blair on top of him. "I guess I have to be considerate of that tired ass of yours."

"This ass still has plenty of spring left in it, big man."

"You're gonna have to prove it to me, Sandburg."

"Happy to oblige."

"I thought you wanted me to suck you first."

"Call me impatient." Blair kissed him hungrily, tongue lapping deep, then asked, "Supplies?"

"In my suitcase." As Blair bounced off the bed, Jim teased. "I thought teachers were supposed to be the ones to plan ahead and have everything ready in advance for any sort of demonstration."

Blair had unsnapped the suitcase and was rummaging in it. "Not when we have ex-Rangers to look after the details. We just concentrate on the creative side of things."

Jim watched him stirring up the bag's contents. "Hey, it took me a long time to get those packed just right."

"Trivialities are gonna swallow you, man." Blair gave a yelp of triumph as he came up with a tube of lubricant and a box of condoms.

"I'd rather have you..."

"Don't say it. It's too bad a pun, even for me."

As Blair stood up, Jim positioned himself on the bed. He moved into the center, and turned onto his belly, tucking a pillow comfortably under his chin. "Shall I prepare myself, or do you want to do me?"

"Do you really need to ask me that question, Ellison? You KNOW how much I like playing with your butt. I don't get enough chances."

"You knew I was a top when you married me, Chief."

"I'm not complaining. I just like a change every now and then." He smacked Jim smartly on one taut buttock. "So do you." Jim snorted, but he wiggled, too. Blair got on the bed with him, straddling his thighs "Reach back and spread yourself for me."

Feeling his anticipation rising, Jim did as he was bid. He reached back and parted his own buttocks, spreading the narrow crease wide and exposing the pucker of his anus to his lover. There was a pause, and he said, "Chief, come on. I know you have the lube open, I heard you take off the cap."

"Hang on. You know how cold this stuff can feel. Do you want hypothermia of the ass? You always warm it for me, I can do it for you." Blair had squirted a thick blob of gel onto the fingers of his right hand, and was rubbing it, warming and liquefying the lubricant. When he was satisfied that it wouldn't be uncomfortable for his lover, he reached down and stroked his fingers the length of Jim's crack. Jim shuddered almost violently. "Jim, you have your senses dialed WAY up, don't you? That's not good, man."

Jim mumbled, "It's just been such a long time."

Blair leaned over and kissed each shoulder blade. "I know. But YOU know that you could zone on the sensations. We don't want to have to take time out in the middle of a good shag to drag you back to Real Life, do we, Big Guy? Just dial them down to almost normal. It'll be enough, I promise. I'm going to take good care of you tonight."

Jim dialed his sense of touch back down to around normal levels, and the gotta-jump-out-of-my-skin sensation faded. Blair was right, of course. In Sentinel matters, he was almost always right. "All right."

"My man." Blair continued stroking up and down the crease. On each pass, he lingered a bit longer around the little crinkled opening. Finally he was circling it with gentle, steady pressure. Gradually the tight muscular ring loosened and relaxed. Blair coated his fingers with more gel, then slowly slipped the first into Jim's tight back passage.

Jim sighed as the finger slid in. "God, that's good, Blair."

"Best is yet to come, Big Guy." Blair pumped slowly.

Jim squirmed minutely, rubbing his cock against the smooth sheets. His voice was hot. "The best is gonna come like a fucking freight train, Blair. I'm going to drain you dry tonight."

"Promises, promises." Blair pushed deeper, and Jim moaned. "You okay?"

"Hell yes." Jim lifted, trying to push back on the impaling finger.

Blair put a hand on his back, holding him down. "No ya don't." He worked his finger in and out, watching the way Jim's flesh seemed to cling to it. "Can you take another right away?"

"Yeah, go for it." Jim grunted in pleasure as Blair squeezed a second finger in beside the first and began working them both, scissoring them apart gradually to open him even farther.

"I just wish my hands were bigger. I really have to push to reach your prostate. I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you, one of these days."

"Lover, you'd pretty much have to TRY to really hurt me, and you're not going to do that. Just keep it up. I'd have you finger fuck me all night if I didn't want your cock inside me so bad."

He heard Blair's sharp intake of breath. "God, I love it when you talk dirty. That deserves a thank you." Blair pushed harder, feeling. Jim felt a fingertip glide over his prostate, and pushed up toward him, purring. "Yeah, just like a big ol' tomcat when I do that, aren't ya?"

"Tomcats do not willingly bottom, to the best of my knowledge. C'mon, Chief, I'm ready."

"One more."

"Blair..."

"No, Jim. One more, THEN I'll fuck you." Blair's voice was patient: an adult explaining to a greedy child why he had to have his cake AFTER he had his vegetables. Blair pulled out, bunched three fingers tightly, and slowly inserted them deep into his lover's rectum, drawing a moaning shudder. "You'll thank me for this when there isn't any tearing, man."

Jim was panting as Blair patiently thrust half his hand in and out of his back passage. "You don't always need this much preparation."

"Yeah, well, you don't do this as often as I do, right? I'm not complaining, Big Guy. I'm just explaining. Anyway..." He smacked Jim's rump. "We're good to go now."

"Finally." As Blair got the condom and rolled it onto his erection, Jim got up on his hands and knees, spreading his legs wide.

"I really wish you'd let me take a couple of pictures of you like this for our old age," Blair moved up into position behind Jim, till the older man felt his young lover's thighs pressing his own, and the warm length of a latex clad prick lying in the crack of his ass. Blair parted the cheeks, letting his cock drop into the valley, then pressed them back together for a moment, trapping his flesh. He called this 'The Sandburg-Ellison Hotdog', and he did it every time he topped Jim. He liked to see the tip of his dick just peeking out at the top of the crease.

Then he parted Jim's buttocks again and pulled back a little, fitting his cock head against the carefully stretched little ring of muscle. He held it there for a moment, relishing the sight, the feel, and the idea of that tense, quivering body waiting for him to penetrate. Then he moved forward. The anus spread, easily taking him in, and Blair started the slow slide into Jim's tight back passage.

Jim bit his lip and arched his back as Blair filled him from behind. He didn't do this with many people. He and Blair swung, there were other partners, but he didn't often let anyone fuck him. The last time had been Stanley and Fraiser, the tough little blonde cop and the big Mountie from Chicago. Both were excellent in their own way, but Blair... Well, Blair was Blair. He loved him. There wasn't anyone on earth better.

Blair settled against him, buried to the base of his cock. Jim felt the soft tap of Blair's balls swinging against his own, and then the younger man bent over him, wrapping his arms around him. Now, for a moment, he would just hold Jim, feeling the dark haired man's body surround him. Jim took the moment to concentrate on the feel of Blair's dick, cradled in his bowels. Even with his sense of touch dialed down, he could feel the warm beat of his lover's pulse through the thin rubber sheath he wore.

It was sweet, and it was loving, but Jim needed more tonight. He deliberately flexed, using his strong internal muscles to squeeze. Blair moaned as he felt the ripple along the length of his prick. Jim whispered, "Fuck me, Blair. Hard."

Blair kissed his back again, and started to move inside him. Yes, it would be hard, but not at first. In the beginning, he was as gentle and tender as any lover who had ever taken another. He stroked in and out of the slick, heated hole with steady, even thrusts. He would pull out till he was nearly free, then slowly slide back in, carefully angling himself and Jim so that his cock would pass over Jim's prostate, and give his lover an added burst of pleasure.

Jim started to push back to meet him, being careful to keep his motions slow and controlled. If he got wild too soon, Blair would grab his hips and stop the proceedings, holding him while he calmed down. When Blair knelt back up, holding his waist and speeding up a little, Jim knew that he could begin his drive toward orgasm.

Blair increased his rhythm, shortening his strokes and putting more power behind them. He and Jim often shared long, slow, tender love, but there were some times that they just wanted raw, animal rutting, and the time had come. Jim wasn't fragile, he liked to be ridden rough, and Blair was happy to oblige.

Jim grunted with each lunge Blair made into his body. Many people might look at Blair's short stature, long hair, and whimsical attitude, and think him less of a man. Jim knew differently. Blair could top with the best of them. When he was in control, he was in control ALL the way. With everyone else, Jim held back a little of himself, only with Blair did he surrender fully. Only with Blair did he feel safe enough.

Blair released his grip on Jim's hips with one hand, and reached under him. His hand found his lover's cock where it bobbed and swayed with their motion. Jim couldn't touch himself without risking being knocked flat by Blair's pummeling. That had happened a time or two, and the love making had been finished with laughter. But usually Blair would help him toward his own completion. If Blair lost balance, Jim was there to hold him up. Blair began to masturbate Jim as he fucked him, giving his lover pleasure in both directions.

It had been so long that it didn't take many strokes to finish him off. Jim cried out Blair's name as his cock pulsed in Blair's hand, spilling his seed. His body clenched naturally, milking at Blair's cock, but Jim concentrated again, giving added pressure, caressing Blair with the smooth contractions.

Blair made a half-articulate sound and threw his head back, his sperm smeared hand again gripping his lover hard as he buried himself deep in the hot, accepting flesh of his ass. At the last instant, Jim dialed his senses back up, and reveled in the feel of Blair's orgasm. He could FEEL the throb of the little jets of sperm hitting the latex barrier of the condom, feel the heat, even through the prophylactic. He didn't zone, but he came close. It was just so good.

Blair dropped down on his back, and Jim let go, collapsing under him so that they both lay flat. After a moment he mumbled, "Chief, we're both gonna have to sleep on one side of the bed. We forgot to put down a towel, and now we have a wet spot."

Blair burst out laughing. "Laugh all you want, I'm not sleeping in it. Jizz hot it delicious, but cold... It's just kinda icky."

Blair eased out of his lover's body, careful not to cause any pain to the now tender ass. As he stripped off the condom, knotting off the end before dropping it in the wastebasket, he teased, "And you say I'm messy."

"Don't rag me about that. You know I can't think clearly when I'm horny."

"Join the club."

A towel was laid over the wet spot, sated bodies were wiped clean with lingering, loving strokes, the lights were turned off, and the two men settled on one half of the bed, snuggled close together in the narrow space.

Cradled in Jim's arms, Blair said, "I really am glad we took this assignment, Jim. I've been in big cities for so long, it'll be nice to spend some time somewhere that's more quiet."

"Yeah," Jim agreed. "It should be a lot less hectic. No terrorists, militias, mad bombers, organized underworld conspiracies..."

"You sure it's going to be all peaceful and tranquil?"

"Sure. How much violent activity can there be in some place named Sunnydale?"