One Guide, Slightly Chilledby Captain Outrageous |
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Title: One Guide, Slightly Chilled Warnings: Insanity alert. Bathroom scene. One of my beta's nominated this for the "Most Suggestive Without Really Showing Anything" award. Sensual, but not sexual scene included. Heavy Smarm?? Blair leaned heavily against the shower wall letting the hot water stream over his tired body. /That is the last time I let Jim take me out winter camping. It wasn't enough that it snowed two feet our first night out. Oh no. Then we had to be chased by a crazy moose. I can't believe we went over the side of that cliff. We must have fallen at least twenty feet! It was a miracle we survived it with no major injuries. Of course, the fact that the snow was piled up about five feet deep at the bottom of the cliff might have helped. Walking back to the truck wasn't a picnic either. We lost all our gear and almost suffered frostbite because we only had on our light gloves for working around camp. At least we weren't attacked by any more wildlife. And now, I can sit back and enjoy this blessed heat./ Blair yelped as the bathroom door opened, bringing in a rush of cool air. "Jim, I'm taking a shower in here! Close the door." Jim's voice was apologetic "Sorry Chief, I'm going to throw these out on the balcony so they don't melt all over the place. Which they already have." Blair rolled his eyes. They almost freeze to death and he's worried about water on the floor. "Okay, take them. Just shut the door, will ya? You're letting in the cold air." Blair heard his partner gather up the clothes and leave. Blair turned the hot water up a little. /I can't believe how cold I feel. I don't think I've ever been this cold. Even on those mid-winter stakeouts. Brrrr./ Blair stepped into the main flow of the water, letting it soak the back of his head and stream over his sore shoulders. His heavy clothing had deadened most of the impact, but there were still bruises forming from where he had hit saplings growing out of the cliff wall on the way down. This time he heard the bathroom doorknob squeak right before the whoosh of cool air hit his wet body. Blair yelped again. "Jim, can't a guy shower in peace?" The flow of cold air ceased abruptly as the door was shut. "Sorry Blair, I thought you might want some clean clothes. But, if you want to parade around the loft in a towel..." He let the sentence trail off meaningfully. "No, wait!" Blair winced at the panicky note in his voice. He knew he deserved the jab. Here Jim was just trying to be nice and all he could do was snipe at him. "Thanks Jim. Just leave them on the counter. I'll be out of here in a minute. I just have to wash my hair and get the leaves out, then you can take your turn." He turned around and stepped underneath the stream of hot water, letting it wash away the chill from his hair. Immediately, he realized his mistake as he tried to run his fingers through his hair, only for them to catch on the leaves and twigs in his hair. Jim's voice floated from the other side of the curtain. "You know, it would have been easier if you had done it before you got it wet. Now your hair is going to tangle and it will be twice as hard to get all that stuff out." The feeling of guilt that building disappeared underneath the mound of annoyance that once again, Jim had been right. "Thank you Mr. Hairstylist. I think I know how to take care of hair unlike some of us who don't have any. Now will you PLEASE leave before I do get frostbite?" "Your funeral, Chief." Blair heard the hurt in Jim's voice right before he shut the door, softer than before. /Dammit./ He hadn't meant to snap at Jim, but he was sick and tired of being cold. It wasn't Jim's fault Blair was in a bad mood. Jim was right, of course. Now that his hair was wet, the twigs and leaves lodged in there were lost in a tangle of curly knots. Cursing under his breath, Blair stepped out of the shower to grab a wide-tooth comb to help loosen the tangles. Just then, Jim opened the door for a third time. "Jim!" Blair squeaked before grabbing the closest thing to cover his modesty, which happened to be the semi-transparent shower curtain. Ignoring his roommate, Jim dropped the pile of towels in his arms on the counter. Plucking the tops ones off, he dropped them on the floor. "Sorry Blair, but the water on the floor is going to soak through and I am not going to replace this floor just because you can't remember to put the bath mat down. There must have been half a ton of snow lodged in your clothes." Blair made a quick lunge for the comb on the sink and hopped back into the shower. "Jim, I think the floors will survive two more minutes. Please, just spread the towels out on the floor and I will clean it up after my shower. I know you're going to want to spend some time in here warming up. Why don't you make a fire in the fireplace and set some water to boil on the stove. Oh, and if you could check and see if I brought up the fresh sheets from the basement, I'd appreciate it. I forgot to make the beds before we left." Blair heard Jim pause in mopping the floor and then a choking sound. Blair cautiously stuck his head outside of the shower. "Jim, are you okay?" There was another smothered chuckle. "Maybe that's something I should be asking you. Is there something that you're not telling me, Blair?" Reviewing the last couple of sentences, Blair was stumped on what had set off his normally sane partner. "What do you mean?" Jim ticked off the points on his hand. "Well, you want me to make a fire, boil water, and get fresh sheets. Sounds like you are planning to have a baby. Is there anything else I should get ready?" A tired smile tugged at his lips. Blair stared at his friend. "Jim, are you okay? You're not making any sense." Forgetting his hot shower, Stepping halfway out of the shower, he reached out for Jim. His friend grabbed his arm, halting him. Blair winced at the coldness of the hand encircling his arm. "No Blair, I'm fine. I just ... sigh ... it's been a long day. The adrenaline is wearing off and I'm tired. Please, finish your shower. I'm going to bed. The loft should be warm by the time you get out. There's a fire already in the fireplace, a warm teakettle on the stove, your bed is made, I checked, and you have plenty of towels here to dry your hair. I just wanted to make sure you were okay before turning in. That was a hard knock on the noggin you took. I know you aren't showing any signs of a concussion, but, well, I guess I'll just go ahead and turn in. Yell if you need anything and I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight." Jim let go of Blair's arm and turned to go. Blair grabbed his muscular forearm. "Jim, wait." Blair stared at his friend's tired face. Blair had slept most of the way back except for intervals where Jim had woken him up check for a concussion. Jim was the one who had helped Blair out of the truck and up to the loft, almost carrying him into the bathroom. He had made sure that Blair was able to stand up in the shower and had cleaned up and made the loft a warm haven even though he had to have been drop dead tired and half frozen. What it came down to was, Jim had taken care of him, and all Blair could do was snap at him. Blair felt his eyes begin to water. "Jim, I'm really sorry I snapped at you. There's no excuse for it. Thanks for taking care of me. I don't think I would have made it out of there without you. Now turn around." Jim started uncomprehendingly at Blair, his eyes glazed with exhaustion. "What?" "Turn around, I'm getting out of the shower. This isn't a peep show." Jim turned towards the door and reached for the doorknob. Blair threw the comb on the counter, hopped out of the shower and snagged the towel behind him before grabbing Jim's arm again. "No Jim, don't leave. It's time I return the favor and take care of you." Blair tied the towel loosely around his hips before turning his partner around. "Now, we are going to get you out of those clothes and into a nice warm shower. I want you to strip." Jim gave a small laugh. "Blair, I don't think this is necessary. I just changed into these clothes. There's an electric blanket warming my bed and I had a hot chocolate while you were showering. I'm fine, really." Blair grabbed both of Jim's hands. They were freezing compared to the moist warmth of his own. Reaching up, he checked Jim's ears. "Jim, your hands are icy cold and so are your ears. Your body temperature must have dropped several degrees. You're so exhausted that you wouldn't even know you had hypothermia until it was too late. We need to warm you up. Now strip!" Blair did his best imitation of Simon's "I'm-not-going-to-take-any-nonsense" stare. Jim opened his mouth and then shut it. Shrugging, he started to strip off the sweats he had put on while Blair was in the shower. After Blair was convinced Jim wasn't going to make a break for it, he turned to adjust the temperature of the shower. "What are you doing, Chief?" "I'm turning down the water temperature. I started out cool and worked my way up to super hot. You step in there with water that hot and we're talking major soft tissue damage. You ready?" He looked back at his partner and smiled. Jim had taken off everything except his plaid boxers. Blair shot him a questioning look. "Hey Sandburg, you show me yours and I'll show you mine. Until then, I'll keep my modesty." Blair shrugged. "Okay, how about I turn around and you step in?" Blair turned away from Jim and stared at the cabinet above the toilet. /One of the hinges is loose. I'll have to fix that tomorrow./ He heard the shower curtain slide open and close again. Blair grabbed the comb off the counter and started to work all the debris out of his hair. "So Jim, why do you think that moose attacked the tent?" "It was probably your snoring. It must have mistaken it for a mating call." Blair stuck out his tongue at the shower curtain and blew a raspberry. "I don't know Jim. Maybe it was that new cologne you've been wearing. It *is* supposed to make you irresistible." Blair laughed as a squirt of water came out from behind the curtain. Jim sounded much more alert. There was more steam coming out of the top of the shower as he turned up the heat. Watching the misty outlines in the mirror, Blair pulled on his sweats and heavy socks. Checking the watch on the counter, Blair calculated that Jim had been in the shower for fifteen minutes. The hot water was going to cut out soon if Jim wasn't careful. "Hey Jim, you'd better get out of there soon. I used a lot of hot water and the water heater only has so much." A reluctant groan of assent greeted this announcement. Blair reached out and carefully turned the bathroom doorknob before swinging the door wide open. A yelp of outrage sounded from behind the curtain as the cool air rushed into the humid room. Blair hurried out before Jim could retaliate. Blair waited at the door until he heard the shower turn off and the curtain open. /Now what can I do next? He already has the electric blanket on, and he has had his hot cocoa. I know, what Jim needs now is a nice relaxing back rub. I'll just stoke the fire up a bit and grab some of my massage oil./ Blair could feel the silly grin on his face as he slid around the corner into his room. Rummaging quickly through the mess, he came up with some sandalwood oil. /Not too floral and Jim shouldn't have a reaction./ Blair grabbed matches and an aromatherapy candle designed for reducing stress off his dresser. /Jim could use this, too./ Hopping over the clothes on the floor, Blair raced out of his room, around the dining room table and over to the fireplace. Setting down the bottle of oil, the matches and the candle on coffee table, he checked the wood stove. /Okay, the fire is hot, we can use the blanket from the couch, I have the oil. Now I need Jim./ On cue, Jim walked out of the bathroom in his sweats, rubbing his short hair with a towel. Blair smiled as Jim stopped short of the stairs and looked at him, his face betraying his confusion. "What's up Blair? I'd thought you'd be in bed by now." Blair's smile got bigger as he approached his partner. "I'm not ready for bed, yet. And neither are you. Come on, I'm giving you a back rub like you've never had before." Blair grabbed Jim's free hand and pulled. Jim resisted briefly before following Blair over to the couch. "A back rub, huh? I don't know Chief, I'm really tired." Blair sat Jim down on the couch. He picked up the matchbook and lit the aromatherapy candle, and grabbed the bottle of oil, rolling it between his hands to warm it. Jim continued to rub the towel over his head. "Don't worry, you don't have to do anything. Now give me that towel and take off that sweatshirt." Jim reluctantly handed over the towel. He stared at the candle as he slowly tugged off his sweatshirt. Blair winced at the large bruise on Jim's side. /I did hear that big crack as we fell. I don't know how I missed that before. Jim must have hit one of the larger saplings./ The candle flickered, its golden light bronzing the rippling muscles of Jim's chest and shoulders. Blair chuckled. /All I'd need is music and the scene would be set. Wait, music would be good./ Blair danced over to the sound system and hit play. The sound of leaves rustling and birds singing filled the air. /It's a good thing Jim didn't change my meditation CDs out of there./ Blair grabbed a clean towel from the basket on the floor and walked around the couch to face Jim. Jim was still staring at the candle's flame. If it wasn't for the fact that his eyes were blinking, Blair might have thought Jim was in a zone. Blair spread the towel on the couch and arranged Jim on the couch, facedown. The music shifted to sounds of water trickling downstream. Uncapping the lid, Blair poured a little bit of the warm oil into his palm. Recapping the oil, he set it aside. Heating the oil with his hands, Blair studied Jim's back. Like his front, it was well developed with broad shoulder muscles sweeping down to a trim waist. Blair could see the lines of tension radiating from his friend's knotted neck muscles. "Okay Jim, I want you to relax. Just close your eyes and imagine you are in the forest. It's a warm summer's day and you're lying on a blanket beside a stream, a fishing pole in one hand. The fish haven't been biting so you decided to lie down and absorb the heat of the sun." Blair's hands came down, spreading the warm oil over Jim's back with light sweeping strokes. Deepening the massage, Blair continued in a soft soothing voice. "It's the afternoon and heat from the sun is soaking into your muscles. You can hear the birds calling and there's a light breeze. Your eyelids get heavier as the tension just flows from you." Blair concentrated on Jim's neck, working on the knots, rubbing and kneading. A sigh escaped Jim's lips and he shifted to give Blair more access to his shoulders. Blair worked his way down his back, paying close attention the back muscles that had helped support him as they staggered back to the truck. Turning around slightly, Blair snagged the bottle and poured more oil onto his hands. Waiting until it had warmed, Blair continued the bone melting massage until Jim's muscles were like bread dough, smooth but firm, rolling beneath his fingertips. Working his way back to Jim's shoulders, Blair started on the arm closest to him. Jim's breathing had slowed to a deep even rhythm of relaxation. Blair worked down that arm rubbing the aromatic oil into Jim's triceps and biceps. Blair separated each of his fingers, paying attention to the rough cracked skin, working each individual joint. Blair kneaded Jim's wide palm between both his hands, massaging it until he could feel the stiffness disappear. Satisfied that not one ounce of tension was left in that arm, Blair lifted the other one. Jim snorted and rolled over, baring his chest. Pouring more oil, Blair smoothed it up and down the whole length of the other arm before settling on his hand, working the fingers. /Man, Jim looks beat. I don't think I've seen him this tired after pulling a double shift at a stake out./ Blair inched upwards until he reached Jim's shoulder again. He was debating on whether to try for the chest when Jim opened his eyes. "Thanks Chief. I don't when I have ever felt this relaxed. I'd hug you if I could get my muscles to sit me up. Could you grab a blanket for me and turn off the lights? I think I'm going to bunk down here for the night." Just like that Jim closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Blair smiled as he covered his friend with the quilts off the couch and love seat. Blair blew out the candle, breathing in the lingering scent of eucalyptus. Making sure that the fire was well stoked, he turned off all the downstairs lights except for his bedroom. Blair could barely see the figure on the couch from the entrance to his room, but in his mind was a picture of his friend stretched out on the couch like a tired child who had had a busy day. /What a day. We should get chased by moose more often./ The End. Comments, Criticisms??? Email me at wildeskind@surfree.com. I can take them!! Coming soon, the story behind the mad moose chase. |
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