an: so buffer/kate is one of my crack ships in sea patrol, but i know it's not going to be for everyone. would love to know what you think. this is a one shot that takes place during 3.09, oh danny boy, and probably rates a mid to high t. some of the dialogue has been taken from the episode, but only because it works well with this.

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tequila sunrise

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"Bet you'd do a body shot off the X if she were here…"

He'd brushed off the comments earlier, but three hours later he's sitting on a couch watching the X down a shot with practiced ease, and his mind is wandering. His eyes linger on the smooth column of her throat, her neck and shoulders left bare by the strapless dress she's wearing. He can see himself licking salt of her skin, imagine the taste of her mingled with salt and tequila, and he can't help the low groan that leaves his throat at the idea. Fuck Pete, what are you thinking?

The problem, being, of course, that he's not thinking. After Charge had brought out the guava mojo's, and the X had turned up, having decided to join them after all, 2Dads had dared them all into a drinking game. They're all blitzed, and he'd be surprised if any of them are fit for duty tomorrow. 2Dads and Spider had left for a poker game, while the others had disappeared somewhere into the night, leaving him and the X sitting on the couch, a half-empty bottle of tequila, a salt shaker and lemon wedges placed on the table between them.

So he focuses on Kate, on the way her tongue darts out to lick the salt from her hand, to the way she tips her head back as she downs the shot, and he doesn't shy away from the desire building in his gut. He downs his own shot, leisurely sliding the lemon wedge into his mouth and sucking, the citrus biting through the tequila. He watches as she blinks slowly and bites her lip, her eyes trained on his mouth. Well. That's interesting, he thinks.

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Kate watches Buffer lick his lips after taking the lemon slice out, and bites her lip. Fuck, why was that so hot? It's Buffer, her friend and workmate Buffer – she turns her attention to the low table and refills their shot glasses. She picks up the salt shaker, but stops as his hand closes around her wrist. He's moved closer to her, and she can feel the heat radiating from his body.

"Care to make this a little more," he pauses, leans so that his face is mere inches away from hers, "interesting?"

Kate blinks, her eyes dropping to his lips for a moment before she looks back at him. "Interesting how?" She asks, letting him draw her hand between them, before he plucks the salt shaker from her loose grip. His eyes fall to her neck, and she can feel the flush rise on her skin.

Buffer raises his eyebrow; a questioning look on his face. As if in a trance, she nods, tilting her neck slightly. She inhales sharply as he carefully brushes her hair from her skin, his calloused fingers dragging across her neck. Kate bites her lip again and tries not to think about how those fingers would feel elsewhere, even as he dips his head. Her hand clenches around her dress, gathering the material tight in her fist as she holds her breath, waiting. A second later, the smooth slide of his tongue against her neck has her closing her eyes, before she feels the soft grains of salt land on her throat. She opens her eyes to see Buffer's dark eyes staring at her, before he lowers his head and licks at the salt on her skin. Kate can't stop the low moan that leaves her mouth at the sensation, and she watches as he pulls back slowly and drains his shot glass. She slowly picks up a lemon wedge and lifts her hand to his lips, offering him the lemon. She can feel his breath on her hand, and then his lips close around her fingers and the lemon. Kate shudders as he sucks on her skin and the lemon, the sensation seeming to pool low in her belly. Shit Kate, what are you doing?

She lowers her hand, letting the lemon fall into the bowl with the others, and licks her lips instinctively, her mouth suddenly dry. She reaches for the salt shaker, and then looks up at him, her eyes wide. She knows that letting tequila make her decisions for her never really works out in the end, but right now, as she eyes the dip in his collarbone, it seems like the best idea she's ever had.

She smiles wickedly, shifting closer to him "My turn," she murmurs, reaching up to stroke the skin of his neck. He doesn't have hair to brush away, but she's fascinated by the way his Adam's apple moves as he swallows, and she can't help but let her tongue dart out for a taste, before she pulls back to sprinkle the salt on his skin, licking her lips. He tastes of clean sweat and soap, the underlying taste of his skin sending her pulse humming. She waits a moment, her eyes trained on his, watches his pupils dilate before she turns back to the tiny grains of salt. He's tense, and seeing his breathing pick up, she leans up and licks the salt from his skin, taking her time to ensure she's got all the grains. He's breathing heavily by the time she's done, and she feels a certain satisfaction in knowing that she can make him react like this. She reaches to the table and picks up her shot glass, draining it, without looking away from him. His eyes are hooded as he offers her the lemon, and she keeps her eyes trained on his as she carefully takes the wedge into her mouth. She sucks on the citrus, relishing the acidity, before she releases his fingers with another smile.

"Fuck," he whispers, and she likes knowing that she's not the only one having trouble with this. A loud, raucous cheer from the bar pulls them apart, and Kate slides back, inwardly unsure if she's relieved if the moment has been broken. Her eyes catch on Buffer's arms, and she trails her fingers across the ink across his bicep before she knows what she's doing. "So why the tattoo's? I don't get the attraction," well, for herself, anyway. The ink on Buffer is doing wonders for her right now.

"It's a form of self-expression," he starts.

"It's an infliction of pain," she interrupts, her fingers still tracing the heart and wings design on his arm.

"There's a fine line between pleasure and pain, Kate," he says, his voice low. "Especially for something special," he finishes.

Kate sucks in a breath, her eyes not leaving his. His words go straight to her gut, and she can't help shivering. Who knew words could be so hot? She moves her hand, suddenly realizing she's still touching his tattoo, and turns to pour more tequila into their glasses. She forgoes the salt and lemon, downs the tequila straight in an attempt to centre herself again.

"My mate Paulie's got a shop not far from here," Buffer says, eyeing her with a grin on his face. "Best ink-boy in south-east Asia," he pauses, and she really doesn't like the look in his eyes right now. "I think,"

"No!" she interrupts, already knowing where he's going with this.

"C'mon, Kate," he holds her hand, moves her fingers back to his tattoo. "Live a little," he says.

Later, Kate's not sure if it's the tequila or the look in his eyes that makes her agree to at least go to the parlour with him. They sneak the tequila and salt out with them, laughing as they scramble through the door and hail a cab. She piles in after him, collapsing in a fit of giggles against him as he tries to give the driver directions, before giving up and just saying, "Paulie, for tattoos."

At the tattoo parlour, he stands behind her, helping her look through designs as they take turns sipping from the bottle. She leans back against him when he spills a little on her shoulders, and then licks it up, pressing his lips against her skin. "Where are you going to get it done?" He asks, his voice low.

"Hmm?" She's feeling hazy, her attention split between his voice and his fingers gently stroking her hip. "Shouldn't I decide what I'm getting first?" Too late she realizes that she's tacitly agreed to get a tattoo done, and she turns her head to see the wide smile on his face. Fuck. She thinks she would agree to a lot of things if he smiled like that all the time. She reaches down with one hand, traps his hand against her, "my hip," she says.

"Good choice," Buffer replies, his fingers tangling with hers. "For a first tattoo, it's a good place. Easy for you to look after,"

"Easy for me to hide," she interrupts, before her eyes fall on to a small design. "This one," she says, tapping on the image. "But a little different." She turns back to him, drinks from the bottle before passing it back, "but if I'm getting a tattoo tonight Buff, so are you."

Buffer's eyes don't leave hers, even as he lowers the almost empty bottle and puts it on the desk with a dull thump. "Sure X, whatever you say."

Her eyes fall to his lips, and she wonders what he'd taste like, and if it would ruin their relationship if she reached up and kissed him right now. She's this close to saying, fuck it, and doing it, when a man steps through the curtain.

"Buffer!"

"Paulie, my man," Buffer says, spinning her around so that he can introduce her. "This is Kate, she's going to get her first tattoo."

He deals with all the necessities, and she barely has time to think before she's lying on the chair, and he's holding her hand and whispering in to her ear. "Time to pop that cherry, Kate."

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so, loved it, hated it, let me know.