by CKC

Jim paused for a moment by the fallen pine and shifted the blanket to his other arm, then looked around. The forest was still, the ground mottled with sunlight peeking through the dense canopy of green above him. Remote bird calls, soft rustles, the occasional crack of a twig, were the only sounds that surrounded him. He could smell the rich, dark loam and the sharp, almost antiseptic tang of the pines, then wrinkled his nose at the vague tickle from the scent of rotting wood. Sandburg was right - it was the perfect day for a picnic.

He looked through the undergrowth and smiled. Blair was ten yards ahead, laden with his backpack, but still going a mile a minute. Jim watched as his partner scrambled up a boulder and leapt off the top into a bank of ferns, then turned back and did it again, his delight obvious.

"C'mon, Jim - you've gotta try this," Blair called, and gestured to the rock.

Oh, to have such energy... Jim thought, and walked up the path to join his Guide.

"How much further, Sandburg?" he asked, making no move toward the boulder.

"It's not far. Come on and try it, Jim," Blair wheedled.

Without waiting to see if Jim followed, Blair climbed back up the boulder and launched himself off the side with a whoop. Jim chuckled to himself. It was like taking an eight-year-old out in the woods; Blair had to take every detour, climb every rock, poke his nose into every dark corner...

Blair appeared before him, eyes shining, face split in a wide grin. "C'mon, man. You've gotta loosen up a little. This is supposed to be relaxing."

Jim sighed, put down the blanket and allowed himself to be cajoled into clambering up the boulder. It was easier to let Blair have his way - otherwise they'd never get to the picnic site Blair had chosen.

"Go on - jump!"

//Aw, what the hell...// Jim jumped and landed soft. He got to his feet, brushing the bits of fern off his shirt and jeans, and retrieved the blanket.

"Can we go now?"

Blair shook his head and grinned. "You are so not into having fun..."

"I like fun. I just like more mature fun..."

Blair rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, like when you put the naked woman screen saver on Brown's computer?"

"That was different!"

"Yeah. Right."

"It was different..." Jim muttered. He wished Blair would drop the subject, but was determined to have the last word.

As if he sensed Jim's wishes, Blair just smiled and started back up the trail. "It's only another five minutes. C'mon..."

They walked in silence, content to let the stillness surround them. Blair led, but he seemed calmer, more peaceful than before, when all his nervous energy had fairly sparked off him. Then he stepped out of the forest into the sunlight and turned to Jim, his arms opening wide.

"Here we are..."

It was gorgeous. A small, sun-filled glade, carpeted with soft turf and moss, surrounded by the towering pines. The ground sloped gently, and somewhere nearby Jim could hear the trickle of running water. The sun was almost directly overhead, and Jim understood why his Guide had insisted on timing their arrival for mid-day. //Blair was right - any earlier or later, and it wouldn't be the same.// He stepped forward, enjoying the springy feeling of thick moss underfoot, and nodded in approval.

"Nice place."

"I thought you'd like it." Blair almost danced across the turf to the middle of the clearing and shrugged off his backpack. "Put the blanket here."

They spread out the blanket, and Jim smiled again as Blair flung himself down. //Can't the kid do anything sedately?// he thought as he sat, stretching his long legs out. And his smile widened at the thought of a sedate Blair. Impossible.

"I brought sandwiches, and fruit, and juice..." Blair said, digging into the depths of his backpack. "Do you want tuna salad or egg salad?"

Jim accepted a sandwich and opened a can of orange juice. As he ate, he wondered why food tasted better outdoors and turned to ask Blair's opinion, but stopped before the first word was out.

For once, Blair was completely still. He sat cross-legged, his arms resting on his knees. One hand held a sandwich, the other a drink. His face was tilted up to catch the sunlight. Jim narrowed his eyes and studied his Guide.

Blair's face was very familiar; almost too familiar - it blended into Jim's world like furniture - only noticed when it was missing. Almost unconsciously, Jim focused in on Blair, cataloging each feature. The luxuriant fall of dark hair, catching the sunlight, glinting red and gold. The smooth forehead and strong jaw, shadowed slightly with dark beard, curving around to the slightly dimpled chin. The straight brows over large eyes - closed now, hiding the smoky blue irises. Tiny laugh lines radiated from the corners, disappearing into fine-textured skin drawn close over flat cheek bones. Straight nose, sliding to full lips, slightly parted. The soft line of the paler throat, punctuated by the Adams' apple, leading down into the baggy plaid shirt...

Suddenly Blair opened his eyes and turned - his glance meeting Jim's. Blue upon blue upon blue... Jim felt as if he'd been plunged in scalding water, and his vision dimmed as if darkness had suddenly descended over the earth. The drumming of his heart pounded in his ears, and he was aware that Blair's rapid heartbeat matched his.

//Oh my god...//

Jim forced himself to look away, to take another bite of his sandwich, although it almost choked him. He could hear Blair's heart, still beating its rapid tattoo, hear Blair shift and turn toward him.

"Jim?" Blair whispered, as if the breath had been knocked from his body. But Jim could hear the confusion and fear in his voice - emotions that echoed his own feelings.

Jim couldn't ignore the question.

"Yeah?" His voice was soft, but he didn't look at Blair. His throat was dry, and his took a swig of his drink.

"What happened?"

Jim's first reaction was to brush off the question - what do you think happened, Sandburg? But that wasn't fair... it wasn't right... and it wasn't what he wanted to say. What had happened? They had looked at each other, like they had been doing for two years. And yet it was as if they had never seen each other before.

What had happened? Jim stared at the deep greens and browns of the forest before him, trying to sort through the confusing jumble of emotions that churned within. There was friendship, yes, and trust. Those were familiar - he had known and welcomed those feelings for some time now. But there were others... He took a deep breath and probed deeper.

What had happened? He had looked at Blair and felt desire and passion and a fierce protectiveness... oh, shit.

"I guess," Jim chose his words carefully, "that, for once, we were totally honest with each other."

"But I never realized..."

"Neither did I."

"Oh."

Jim heard Blair set down his sandwich and drink, and then lay back on the blanket. He stole a glance at his partner - Blair had his hands clasped behind his head, his eyes were closed, and a small crease appeared between his brows. He was frowning, and a small, sharp pain pierced Jim's heart.

"Is this bad news, Chief? Is it going to be a problem that we're guys?"

"I don't know," he replied, unmoving.

****Blair kept his eyes closed - he knew that if he looked into Jim's eyes again he'd be lost... or found, he wasn't sure which. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. No, that wasn't true. It was always better to know, even if the knowledge brought pain.

What had happened? Jim was his friend, his partner. He trusted Jim with his life. What was different? //It's as different as seeing a view through the fog, then seeing it on a crystal clear day,// he thought. Small, seemingly disconnected pieces of his life began to fit together: finding Jim, earning his trust, working with him, living with him... New possibilities appeared and meshed with the old. Wanting Jim... Needing Jim... An overwhelming desire to possess and protect Jim... His heart began to race. Hell...

"Chief?" Jim's voice was gentle, but Blair could hear the undercurrent of his fear.

Blair opened his eyes and sat up abruptly, turning to face his partner. Jim met his eyes, and Blair felt the ground beneath him tilt, the sun grow dim. He could feel the connection between them crackle with energy. Blair took a deep breath.

"It isn't bad news, Jim. Just... unexpected. And the fact that we're guys isn't going to be a problem for me." He leaned forward, almost diving into Jim's eyes. "But what about you?"

Jim hesitated, but he didn't pull back. "I don't... I'm not sure..." His eyes narrowed and he suddenly shook his head. "No... I am sure. It's not a problem. You're not just any guy, you're you, my Guide."

"And you're my Sentinel. Mine." The ache of longing in his chest was just short of agony - Blair took a deep, shuddering breath. Slowly, very slowly, he leaned across the cool air that separated them and brushed his lips over Jim's. Once, twice. On the third pass, Jim groaned and grabbed the back of Blair's head, pulling him forward, kissing him hard. The connection between them was so strong, Blair briefly wondered why they didn't just spontaneously combust in a burst of passion. Then the feel of Jim, the scent of him, the taste of him, overwhelmed Blair, and he rode out the wash of desire like a small boat in a storm.

Still kissing, Blair began to unbutton Jim's shirt, fingers trembling with the need to touch his partner's flesh. He managed to open it without ripping anything, and slowly drew it over Jim's shoulders and down his arms. Then he tugged Jim's tee-shirt free from his pants and slipped his hands beneath the cotton fabric. Blair hooked his thumbs in the material and, palms flat against his Sentinel's hard abdomen, slid his hands up to Jim's chest, gathering the tee-shirt as he moved. Only then did he pull away and lift it over Jim's head - allowing it to drop in a heap, joining the other shirt.

Blair caressed the well-defined chest and watched, fascinated, as the muscles quivered and jumped at his touch. Suddenly Jim groaned and grabbed his wrists, stilling his roving hands.

"My turn," he rasped, then released Blair's wrists and moved impatiently to his thick flannel shirt. Holding himself as still as possible, Blair met Jim's eyes, felt Jim's fingers move down his chest, freeing him from his clothing. It seemed an instant, it seemed an eternity -- then Blair sat before his partner, bare-chested. The sun was warm on his shoulders. An errant breeze whispered across his ribs, chilling his fiery skin for a second. He shivered, and ached from not touching Jim. With a groan, he lunged forward, kissing Jim again, grasping his shoulders and pushing him down to lay on his back. Spreading himself out, he blanketed his Sentinel with warm, squirming flesh and muscle and bone.

Jim's arms wrapped around him, anchoring Blair to his chest. Blair slid his hands to cradle the sides of his partner's face, holding his head steady as they kissed, over and over, lips and tongues learning each other. Slowly, as if he were mapping out the territory by touch, Jim's hands moved down his back to cover Blair's rear, pulling him close, grinding their erections together. With a gasp, they broke their kiss.

Blair took advantage of Jim's looser grip and slid down the long torso, pausing only to kiss each nipple and nibble down the quivering belly, allowing his hair to trail over the smooth skin. Jim gasped again, and Blair snaked his fingertips beneath the waistband of Jim's jeans, stroking the tender flesh gently, teasing until Jim moaned.

Deciding to take that as a 'yes,' Blair unfastened the button and slowly pulled down the zipper. Jim started kicking, and then let loose a strangled whimper.

Startled, Blair froze and felt his heart skip a beat - had Jim changed his mind? "Should I stop?" he whispered, ready to roll off and face an angry and embarrassed Jim.

"No!" Jim rasped, grabbed Blair's arms and gave him a shake. "Don't you dare! I just..." He paused, and his face flushed. "I can't get my damn boots off!"

With a chuckle, Blair leaned forward and brought their lips together in a soft whisper of a kiss, almost insubstantial. "Let me..." he murmured into Jim's ear, following the quiet words with a tender nibble on the earlobe. Jim groaned and nodded once.

Keeping as much of their bodies in contact as possible, he slid down Jim's body again, only moving away to kneel beside his partner when he got to his boots. Tugging impatiently at the knotted laces, Blair looked back up at Jim's face and felt an iron grip twist his gut. There was his Sentinel, waiting for him, all flushed with desire, mouth slightly parted, eyes dark with need. Dear gods and goddesses...

"Don't say I've never licked your boots..." he muttered, dragging off both boots and socks.

"It's not my boots that need licking, Chief," came the strangled reply.

"Okay, okay..." Blair soothed, quickly removing his own boots. He tugged at Jim's jeans. "Lift your hips, man..." and slid both jeans and boxers down and off the long legs. Then he sat back on his haunches and stared at Jim.

Perfect. There was no other word for him. Perfect shoulders, chest, abs, thighs, calves, feet... Was there any part of the man that shouldn't be bronzed? He watched, fascinated, at the play of muscles under the skin as Jim shifted and stretched, the tension of need radiating off him. Blair's eyes strayed to Jim's erection and his mouth went dry. Even that, which looked so ridiculous on so many men - a pathetic afterthought, tacked on for the purposes of reproduction - was perfect. //I can't believe I'm getting turned on by a guy's dick!// he thought, then amended, //but this is not just any guy. He's mine...//

And at that thought, he lunged forward, kissing and licking and fondling Jim's erection, ignoring the other man's cries as they changed from surprise to pleasure. He kissed the length, ran his tongue along, across, around, squeezed the base and nibbled the tip. It tasted good, felt good, and, if he had anything to say about it, would never again feel anyone's mouth and hands but his...

"Chief!" He raised his head at the urgent call, but didn't remove his lips or hands. Jim wound his hands through Blair's hair and tugged. "C'mere, Chief!"

With a sigh, Blair released him and moved back up to Jim's mouth. Ahhh... Another taste, another tactile sensation. Warmth and softness and firmness and desire, all wrapped up in a package named Jim... He wriggled against the solid chest, fitting himself to its contours, reveling in the feel of skin against skin. Jim's hands moved again, hooking in the waistband of his jeans and tugging, gently at first, then more insistently.

Blair lifted himself onto hands and knees, still kissing Jim, while those hands - //Gods, where did he learn to touch like that?// - unfastened his pants and pushed them back and down. He shivered once as the cool air wrapped itself around his heated body, then again as questing fingers found his erection and stroked him. His gasp was swallowed in their kiss.

Then the hands grasped his hips and pulled him on top. Because of the differences in their height, Jim raised his head to continue the kiss as he positioned Blair so that their erections touched. Blair felt, as well as heard, Jim's moan as he undulated his hips against his partner, grinding flesh and muscle together.

Their struggles were short and to the point - each man demanding the other's release, each trying to hold his own desires in check, until, with a shout, one lost his grip on the frayed edge of his need and teetered on the brink, dragging the other with him into the abyss.

****

//Love,// Jim thought, his mind still muzzy. //I've just made love to Blair...// He stared up at the clear blue sky, a pale echo of the color of his Guide's eyes. His whirling thoughts slowed, settled, dropping lightly back into place. No horror, no regrets. Just love and satisfaction and a spreading sense of the rightness of it all.

His arms tightened around the limp body on top of him. With a wriggle and a muffled groan, Blair lifted his head and slid up Jim's chest until they were eye to eye.

"Hey..." Blair's voice was soft and slightly tentative, as if he wasn't sure of his reception. Jim could see the uncertainty in his eyes, in the tension in his jaw. //Does he think I was just experimenting, that I'll brush him off after I've been satisfied?// Without hesitation, Jim held him tighter, captured his mouth and demonstrated that, for Jim, at least, this was something he wished to continue.

When he finally released Blair's mouth, Jim maintained his clasp, even when Blair squirmed against him.

"Chief, we need to talk for a minute."

Blair stilled instantly, and Jim could hear his heartbeat increase and his temperature, which had been steadily dropping, spike.

"Don't you want me to clean you up?"

"It'll wait."

"What?" Blair's surprise was real. "You mean Detective James Ellison, poster boy for Anal Retentives of America, doesn't mind staying sticky?"

"Not while you're here, next to me," he answered, more honestly than he had intended.

Blair shuddered once. "Wow..." he breathed.

"Listen, Chief. I'm not sure what triggered this, but I'd..." Jim took a deep breath and licked his suddenly dry lips. "I'd like it to continue. If it's okay with you..." His voice trailed off, and he hoped his pleading tone wasn't too obvious.

"Yeah, it's okay with me..." Blair fell silent, but Jim could tell he was thinking something through, because he began to shift and move in Jim' arms, his body reflecting the activity in his mind. Suddenly Blair's heart began to race, and he jerked around to face Jim. "Trigger..." he whispered, his whole body almost shaking with tension. "Shit... What if this is just another pheromone incident, Jim? Like before?"

Jim forced himself to think about it for a moment, although his mind and body screamed //No! It's not the same.// He remembered that inexorable drag of desire, and contrasted it with what he felt today.

He shook his head. "No. Not the same at all. Even in the middle of it, that felt like I was being coerced into something. This is..." He squeezed his Guide to him. "This is letting go..."

Gradually Blair relaxed against him, his hands creeping out to tickle Jim's chest, run through his close-cropped hair. It felt so good to feel his partner's touches and hear his heartbeat, strong and steady, that Jim wanted to ignore the rest of what he had to say. But...

"I want you to know that after I was with Laura, I had an HIV test," he said as conversationally as possible, "and the results were negative. And I've been very careful since then."

Blair sighed. "Thanks for letting me know, Jim." He pushed gently but steadily against Jim's arms until he could sit up, facing Jim. "I guess I got carried away - I didn't even think about that."

"Don't feel bad. I didn't either until you mentioned her." He captured one of Blair's restless hands in his, lacing their fingers together.

"Well, for what it's worth, I had a test three months ago, and it was negative, too..." Blair blushed, and Jim was captivated by the way the color rose up his throat and spread up his face. "Ummm... my condom ripped. She was on the pill, so that was okay, but she was frantic about AIDS and insisted that I get tested again, 'cause my last test was two years ago."

"Good. C'mere..." He pulled Blair down to him, holding him close, brushing soft kisses over his Guide's face. Suddenly he stopped and Blair looked at him quizzically.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't think I can stand being sticky any more, Chief."

"Okay, poster boy..." Blair chuckled and got to his knees, looking around for his backpack. He opened it and grabbed a napkin and a bottle of water, then paused, still looking inside the pack, the beginning of a smirk on his lips. He didn't say anything, however, he just rapidly cleaned Jim and himself. As Blair washed his belly and chest, Jim propped himself up on his elbows, eyebrow cocked as he watched Blair work.

"Poster boy? Just because I prefer to be clean?"

Blair grinned at him and stowed the water and napkin. "It isn't about being clean, Jim. It's about enjoying your body... and mine."

"I can enjoy them both even more when I'm clean," Jim replied stubbornly, reaching out for his partner. "And I can enjoy you even more when you're next to me..." He pulled a laughing Blair to him and rolled over, pinning his partner, smiling as Blair shifted beneath him. Jim paused, then dove in for a kiss, nipping and licking at his Guide's lips until Blair writhed and moaned, pushing his hardening erection against Jim's belly.

Blair tore his mouth away and focused his attention on Jim's neck. "I'll bet I can make you enjoy being dirty, man," he murmured, nibbling his way down the long tendon in Jim's throat. "I'll bet I can make you beg to be dirty..."

"If you're talking about mud wrestling, no thanks, Sandburg." His breath caught as Blair licked his collarbone.

"Mud wrestling?" Blair made a complicated sound of disgust. "You've been watching too many monster truck races, Ellison. I mean the sticky, slippery, smeared all over you kinda dirty. The kind that happens when you're having way too much fun."

Jim thought for a moment. "What's the bet?"

Blair's face went blank. "Bet?"

"You said you'd bet, Sandburg. What's the bet?"

"Jeez, Jim. It's just a phrase."

Jim leaned down, his lips almost touching Blair's. "Afraid to bet?" Blair's eyes darkened, and he licked his lips. Jim could feel him trembling, muscles crying out for release.

"Nah... I just know I'll win..." His Guide's voice was husky, and the sound of it traveled down Jim's back to lodge in his gut, gnawing at him until he began to move slowly against Blair.

"Prove it..."

Without another word, Blair pulled Jim down, this time avoiding his mouth and spreading licks and wet kisses over his cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, across his eyelids, over to his ears, and down his neck.

As he worked, Blair slid lower and shifted his hips until he could wedge his thigh between Jim's legs, increasing the pressure against his groin. Jim tensed for a moment, then rubbed himself against Blair's thigh, groaning as those wonderful lips moved down his chest and rooted at his nipples. Suddenly, Jim found himself flipped on his back, the warmth and pressure between his legs gone, while his partner painted intricate designs on Jim's chest with his tongue. Blair moved lower, his attention now focused on Jim's quivering belly. Jim arched his back, seeking out the return of that delicious warmth and pressure against his erection, only to be met by cool air. He cried out softly in frustration.

"Shhh..."

Blair moved again, and Jim waited, tense with anticipation and need. A tongue flicked over the head of his erection and he gasped, hands searching blindly for Blair, finding nothing. He raised his head - Blair was kneeling beside his hips, hands resting on his thighs, hair curtaining his face.

"Blair..." The name emerged from his throat as a choked sob. "Look at me..."

His Guide turned his head.

//Perfect,// Jim thought. //He's perfect.// His gaze traveled over the familiar face, a study in contradictions - entirely masculine, yet it reminded Jim of the wise and tender faces of Renaissance angels, unearthly in their beauty, their expressions both innocent and sensual. His eyes caressed the sun-kissed shoulders and moved down the lean torso, admiring the dark hair spread across the chest - a contrast to his own smoothness. Then further down, where he could see Blair's dick standing at attention. Another contradiction - //How did someone his size get hung like that?// And back up to his Guide's face, where the look in Blair's eyes suddenly made his heart race and the breath catch in his chest.

Slowly Blair leaned forward and Jim watched his movements raptly. He could see what Blair was going to do, but still jerked his hips and moaned as the fingers wrapped around the base of his erection, as the lips and tongue stroked and caressed it. Then he let his head fall back and closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the myriad sensations assaulting his system.

It seemed to last forever, it seemed to take no time at all, and he was shouting, his body bowstring tight, his hips pumping. As he collapsed, muscles relaxing from exhaustion, hands moved over his stomach and chest, sliding up to clutch his shoulders. Then he was kissed hard - without words, requests were made, questions asked, and, without hesitation, he acceded to every one.

****

Blair pulled away from the kiss slowly, savoring the flavor of his Sentinel, wondering if he had the strength to continue with his plan - it would be so much easier just to rub himself against Jim's body until he came again. But...

He grinned and trailed a finger through the stickiness that decorated Jim's chest and belly. He'd taken a quick taste when Jim came, but spread most of it around that wonderful body. If Jim decided that he didn't like being sticky after all, fine - but he'd make sure that his partner got the full experience in the meantime.

And cleaning up could be fun, too.

With a little prodding and coaxing, he managed to get Jim to roll onto his side and he pressed up against his back. He used fingers and mouth to explore the lean muscles, rubbed his cheek and hair over the broad planes, tickled the tender folds with his tongue. Jim quivered at the sensory assault, stretching and flexing slowly, a quiet sigh occasionally slipping from his lips. Blair moved lower, tracing the swell of Jim's cheeks, nibbling on the delicate flesh, almost losing himself in the taste and texture of the warm skin.

Gently, barely touching, he moved his fingers between Jim's legs - an unspoken question. Jim stilled for a moment, and Blair was about ready to remove his hand. Then Jim wriggled his hips and murmured "please..."

"You sure?" It was a whisper.

"Yeah..." There was a desperation in Jim's voice that he'd never heard before - that he'd never thought he'd hear -- in this context, especially. The sound lodged in his groin, and the fire there sparked.

//Talk about performing under pressure,// he thought, his mouth going dry. //This has got to be spectacular, if it's the last thing I do.// One hand continued his gentle ministrations over, around, between. The other groped behind him, locating the object he was seeking by touch. With shaking hands he opened the package, carefully squeezing out a large dollop onto his fingers. They joined his other hand on the hot flesh, and he smiled briefly at Jim's gasp. //Did you ever think you'd want this, Jim? Want me to give it to you? I can't believe it myself...//

His fingers continued their work, and, when he knew the time was right, he increased the pressure, sliding around, over, in, out. Again. Jim's ragged breathing grew louder, and he rocked his hips in time with Blair's caresses. "More..."

Blair complied.

In a few minutes, Jim's movements grew more frantic, losing the rhythm they had established. "Please, Chief..." he pleaded, voice raw with need. Blair could hardly see - the red haze before his eyes obscured his vision, and he briefly wondered if he was going to have a stroke before he could finish. He grabbed for the package, fumbling it, but managing to get enough out to spread over his aching cock.

"Okay, Jim... Now."

Spooning up behind his Sentinel, he positioned himself so they were barely touching. With a shaking hand, he held Jim's hip, then began to press forward. He could feel his partner take a shuddering breath, tense, then relax. He slid just inside.

"Ahhh..."

"You okay?" he croaked.

Jim grunted and pushed his hips back, impaling himself further. Blair grew dizzy at the sensations washing through him - the heat, the pressure, the knowledge of such intimate contact with his Sentinel -- all nerve-scraping intense. He roused and thrust gently, rewarded with a velvet-soft groan from Jim. The sound wrapped itself around him, tightened, and sank through his skin to nestle next to his pounding heart. Jim moved again, and Blair pushed in harder, matching Jim's insistent rhythm.

He reached around and stroked Jim's erection - //Damn, the man's got the stamina of a bull...// Jim increased the pace and Blair responded, feeling the band of tension tightening in his belly, down the back of his legs, across his chest. It wouldn't take long. He stroked Jim harder.

The darkness descended again and he was shouting, hips pumping without conscious volition. Jim quivered in his hand, then cried out, thrusting helplessly in Blair's clasp. When he finished, Jim went limp, only his chest heaving in great ragged gasps.

With a sigh, Blair let his arm relax, still holding Jim, and rested his sweaty forehead against Jim's back. He didn't think he could move again - ever. It was too much, too intense... He let drift whatever fragments of his mind were still conscious.

****Jim carefully stretched and took a deep breath. It felt good to breathe normally again, and he didn't feel as if his chest was going to be ripped apart by his pounding heart anymore. He felt Blair slip out of him and shivered. //My Guide was inside me, and I wanted it, loved it. Incredible...//

He gently untangled Blair's sticky hand from his now limp cock and pulled it up, kissing the fingers. Blair sighed behind him and murmured something. Jim raised his eyebrow. //What did he...// He took another deep breath and froze.

"What the hell..."

Groaning, he flipped over. The sight of his exhausted, sweat-soaked Guide almost distracted him, but he took another breath. //Oil and... It couldn't be. He wouldn't...//

Jim slid an arm beneath Blair's head and clasped his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Chief... Chief? You with me?"

Blair opened his eyes and stared blankly at Jim for a moment. Then he blinked, and his lips tugged into a smile. "Yeah. I'm here."

"I have a really important question, Chief." Jim suppressed his own smile that threatened to blossom in reaction to Blair's happy grin. He peered into those eyes, forcing himself to remember his question and not get lost in their depths. "Really important."

Blair's smile faltered at Jim's solemnity, his body tensed. Jim could see the fear sneaking into Blair's expression, could see his partner preparing himself for... For what? The answer struck him with the force of a blow - for rejection.

Damn.

Jim smiled and allowed his hands to stoke and caress Blair's face, hair, shoulders. The fear in Blair's eyes gradually dissipated, and Jim breathed a sigh of relief when his Guide smiled again.

"What's your important question, Jim?"

"What exactly did you use for lubrication, Sandburg?"

Blair was instantly scarlet, hilarity and apprehension warring for dominance in his eyes. "Ummmm... I don't think you really want to know that..."

Jim's eyes narrowed and he held Blair closer. "Chief..." he said in warning tones.

Blair gave a nervous laugh. "It's all I could find, Jim - I mean, it's not like we're near a drug store or anything..."

"Sandburg..." He let his voice go soft and deep with menace, then, before Blair could answer, tilted his head up and captured his mouth in a deep kiss. Blair squirmed against him and threw a leg over his hip, plastering them together.

Jim tore his mouth away, ignoring Blair's attempts to find his lips again, and growled, "What was it..."

Blair looked at him, eyes shining, and Jim felt his heart melt. Before he could resume his kiss with his Guide, Blair blurted out the answer. "Mayonnaise."

"What!"

"Mayonnaise. You know those little packets they give you at the sandwich shop? Well, I keep them 'cause they can come in useful..." He paused and flushed again, then swallowed and continued resolutely. "I saw one when I got the water earlier, and I thought that..." He gulped again. "We were talking about getting sticky and it seemed a good idea... I mean, it seemed like you wanted..." His eyebrows raised and he shook his head, biting his lip.

"Mayonnaise. That explains the smell of oil and..." He inhaled and nodded. "Eggs." He closed his eyes briefly and kept his voice soft. "You ever hear of salmonella, Chief?"

"Hey! I wouldn't do anything dangerous, Jim! Well, not that way... And those things have so many preservatives in them that they're almost sterile environments."

There was a pause. //He's probably right,// Jim thought. He continued to stroke his partner, captivated by the contrast in textures - warm, smooth flesh, soft, springy hair, heartbeat, breath...

"You're not mad?" Blair ventured, relaxing under Jim's caresses.

In answer Jim kissed him again.

****"So stickiness is okay?" Blair grinned at him over his shoulder. Jim briefly admired the sight of Blair's jeans-clad butt ahead of him on the trail, then tore his eyes away. Later... Blair had promised him that later...

"In moderation, Chief."

They walked in silence for a while, accompanied only the sounds of the forest and the rustle of their passage. Jim was enjoying a replay of the afternoon's entertainment in his mind - he certainly did feel more relaxed, not to mention loosened up. Although the way they achieved that was not the way either of them expected... He smiled. Then again, surprises could be nice.

"Hey, Chief..." He paused in the trail, brow furrowed in concentration.

"Yeah?" Blair turned around and waited.

"Right afterward..." He didn't blush, but his heart, and Blair's, sped up at the memory. "You said something... But I didn't understand it."

Blair thought for a moment, then laughed. "Oh yeah. It's an endearment, Jim. In Hebrew. You know, like 'honey,' or 'sweetheart.'"

Jim grimaced. "Boo-bah? That's an endearment?"

"No." Blair shook his head. "You're saying it wrong." He stepped up to Jim and undid the top buttons of his shirt, placing a tiny kiss on the clean skin beneath. Then he wrapped his arms around Jim's neck and murmured it against his chest - "Buebah. Doll. Mine."

He released his hold on Jim and rebuttoned Jim's shirt, stepping away with a grin.

"I see," said Jim with a nod. "I like it when you say it that way."

"Good. 'Cause I want to say it a lot." Blair rested his fingertips on Jim's chest. "And I can probably find other ways to say it, if you're interested..."

"Hmmm..." Jim pretended to ponder. "Do you think I'll enjoy them as much as I enjoyed being sticky?"

"I'll guarantee it." Capturing Jim's chin in his hand, he drew his Sentinel's face down for a brief kiss, full of promises.

Jim's heart raced. "C'mon, Chief. Let's go home." Jim flung his arm over his partner's shoulders and hurried him down the trail.

The end