(a/n - this is dedicated to kate-boosh on tumblr, who enlightened me as to the location of series two of J&J online. If anyone else on here knows where I can find it online - let me know and I shall write you a fic. I've started shipping Caroline and Susie. This is loosely based on the village battle episode where Caroline gets stuck under the net in the physical competition. I've given it the rating I have for a reason, folks. So while I would love you to read it, if two women getting down to the frickle frackle is not your cup of tea, then this fic may not be for you.)
Under The Covers
Caroline lay under the net whilst everyone else moved on. She was glad that the attention was diverted away, since this was utterly humiliating. Why had she had to do this part of the obstacle course? Her shirt was hooked on one of the bits of mesh somewhere. Bloody buttons on sleeve cuffs. Caroline blamed the French. However, lying there meant that she had a very nice view of Susie's backside in those jeans while she bent over the tyre she was rolling. Not that Caroline was looking specifically at Susie's backside. No, it was the jeans she was admiring. Honestly. The winner was announced and all moved on, leaving Caroline stuck under the net but with nobody watching her. Except one pair of feet which remained. Caroline extended her neck as far as she could under the net to check who the person was (she knew, secretly, she had been admiring those jeans) and realised that she could look as far as crotch height on Susie whilst trapped under the net. She quickly looked down again, hoping that Susie hadn't noticed her eyes linger and then her face flush. Honestly, Caroline thought, it was just the desperation of not being able to get out of the net. She wasn't interested in Susie. Not in that way, anyway. Not that there was another way, aside from friendship. She lay her cheek against the ground and registered the net being lifted. Susie was picking it up off her. Caroline winced when she pulled the part that was connected to her shirt. Oh dear goodness, it wasn't just her sleeve that was hooked. It was her belt. And Susie was lifting her shirt in the process of releasing Caroline. She seemed to realise however, and stopped, apologising profusely for any pain caused. Instead, she started trying to untangle the catches gently, and Caroline didn't know if that was worse than just pulling it off. Feeling Susie's fingers - deft, strong - slowly unhooking the threads from so close to her skin, Caroline hoped her quickened breathing wouldn't be that noticeable. Susie's fingers brushed the base of Caroline's spine as she pulled the threads of rope off Caroline's belt, and Caroline suddenly felt the need to check that everyone was still preoccupied with the other events so as not to see her reaction to this small gesture. She chided herself mentally - why was she reacting so strangely to Susie? She knew why - the proximity was driving her mental. Soon, the net was lifted and Caroline could stand again. She smiled at Susie.
"Thank you. Blasted net catching on my clothes. I blame the French." Susie nodded in agreement and smiled, and as the two made their way over to the crowd, Caroline could have sworn that Susie inched her fingertips a little closer to hers. Maybe she was just imagining things, though. She had been very stressed earlier, what with her stubborn daughters. The rest of the event went off smoothly enough, with Eileen announcing everything in the chaotic way of hers. And Caroline trying very hard to avoid standing too close to Susie, but failing considerably, since they were such good friends and on the same team. Susie made Caroline smile considerably sometimes, and she enjoyed her company much more than that of John, who was away on business most of the time anyway. She scoffed to herself - she knew that he had secretaries internationally who did more than just arrange his appointments. Heck, she had answered the phone to another man who had wondered if John would be in late to the Surrey meeting that day, when John had claimed that he had to go to Ireland and so would be away for the whole weekend. Caroline knew, and yet she didn't mention it, because her place as a housewife and Guild member was to get the meals for her children, bake bread for the tea parties and to help out at the local gymkhana. And besides, John didn't make her do anything like he did with his secretaries. They were more friends than spouses, always had been really. Married because when one is from a wealthy village family, there is a select group of people to marry. And they got on well. It was convenient. And besides, Caroline enjoyed spending the evenings with him when he was home, playing tunes on wine glasses and the like. He really was just a dear friend to her. She mused over this, and considered the children. Again, more out of duty than desire, her four children had been created out of a simple biological process rather than a passionate steamy rendezvous. Caroline had never felt like that towards John. He had just been the most convenient man for the job. And she had been the most convenient woman for him. She loved him, but not as a husband. As a friend. As this realisation hit her, whilst she was sat on her own at home, Caroline felt a little teary. She had never been in love. She had certainly felt attracted to people - once, many years ago, she had chosen John to be with for a reason aside from his convenience. And then there were a few of the celebrities Mikey was able to get her to meet, who were also rather nice. But none of them had ever really stirred her, as those who claim to be in love say they feel. She had never felt butterflies at their touch, or her heart race at the mention of their name. Her reverie was broken by Freya appearing at the snug entrance.
"Mum, phone. It's Susie." Caroline's breath hitched in her throat and she gulped back what felt like her heart in her throat. That's when it hit her. And all of a sudden, things seemed a little different for Caroline. Shaking herself to try and focus, Caroline put the phone to her ear.
"Hello? Hello? Oh bloody hell, has the line gone down again? I thought Charles had sorted this! Oh... Of course he hasn't! Charles has gone off you hasn't he, you stupid woman! Why won't the phone work?" Caroline tried to comprehend all Susie was muttering to herself, especially the bit about Charles, then decided to speak.
"Hello, Susie? Sorry, one of the dogs were trying to eat the carpet. Absolute nightmare. Honestly, you'll have to teach me how to get a bitch used to my style of shag sometime, if you know?" On the other end of the line, there was a splutter and a cough, before Susie replied.
"I am not quite sure that's what you meant to say, Caroline. But yes, I can try to help you with the new, erm, carpet. Anywho, I phoned because, well, Charles has... Gone away for a while, and I presume John is still away on business?"
"He is, yes, a long conference apparently," Caroline replied. Susie continued.
"Well, I couldn't help but notice how you got stuck under that net, and-" At the mention of the memory, Caroline felt herself flush, as she recalled Susie's fingers at her spine, and the shivery feeling returned. When she stopped daydreaming, Susie had stopped.
"Awfully sorry, Susie, could you repeat that? I tell you, I get so confused with this cordless phone. I don't know which way the bell-end is sometimes." Susie appeared to splutter again.
"Again, not sure that's what you meant to say. However, I was saying, shall I come round one day to teach you the proper technique? It's just that I've heard the Guild may be adding an obstacle course to the sports cup now, and I want to win it, so I think you should probably learn." Caroline smiled at the competitive nature of Susie - she knew what she wanted, alright - and Caroline was terribly bored during the day now that John was globetrotting with his many mistresses. And Susie was excellent company.
"Yes, thank you, Susie. Perhaps you can help me with my shagging skills, too?" Susie slammed the phone down when Caroline said that. She had no idea why, but she knew that the dog was trying to chew her carpet.
Caroline stood behind the door, licking her lips which suddenly seemed very dry. Susie would be there shortly, and Caroline hadn't been able to get her out of her head. She had been dreaming about Susie, waking up next to nobody but aching for the petite woman to be where there was an empty space. The dreams were vivid, and Caroline didn't know what to do about them - they had to remain secret, she knew that. Nobody could know of her thoughts, especially in a village like Clatterford where Caroline was respected. And the Guild, if they knew, would she be kicked out? And most of all, Susie. Caroline valued her presence more than anything in the world, especially after John and his constant meetings abroad. So no, Caroline told herself, nobody would know. Susie would call round, and Caroline would keep her feelings to herself. That was the plan. The doorbell rang and Caroline breathed deeply to herself, before turning and opening the door. And there was Susie, stood on the threshold in her jeans (how did they hug her figure so well, Caroline asked herself, then put it down to the exceptional taste that Susie had) and a shirt which was open enough to show Caroline the collarbone and the beginnings of her cleavage. Caroline gulped and gestured for Susie to come in.
"So, Caroline, shall we begin? I am desperate to win that Guild cup!" Susie was as enthusiastic as ever.
"Yes, quite, will the snug be okay? Actually, best not risk ruining the carpet anymore. I do dislike a bad shag. The living room? The kitchen?" Caroline looked to see Susie looking very, well, she wasn't sure. Tense? Was that the word? Susie was looking at Caroline but almost strangely or as if her mind was elsewhere. She soon snapped out of it.
"Well, we will need something like a net or cover to practice with, so what do you have? A, a bed would be, well it would be ideal." Susie wouldn't meet Caroline's eyes, and her cheeks had a pinkish hue. Caroline felt her cheeks getting warmer too. She reminded herself to be rational and see the sense in the words of Susie. It made absolute sense to use a bed, and there were plenty not in use.
"Absolutely, shall we go upstairs then?" Caroline gestured to the staircase and Susie walked ahead as Caroline fully closed the door. As Susie climbed the stairs, Caroline looked at her rear end in those jeans and a soft sigh escaped her lips. There was that tingling feeling in her very bones again. She followed before she gave too much away. Going up the stairs, Caroline felt a strange urge overcome her to reach up and pinch Susie in a rather inappropriate place. What had come over her she didn't know, but Caroline knew that nobody else had made her feel like doing that. Susie knew the way to Caroline's room, but didn't go in, waiting nervously outside. Caroline opened the door and invited Susie in, feeling powerful yet nervous. They sat together on the bed, and Caroline felt awkward.
"Thank you for helping me," she smiled.
"No problem. Don't want to see you stuck again," was the easy reply off Susie. "So... If we just, sort of, recreate the scene with the duvet and covers? See if you can get under and through on the bed?" Susie slid off the mattress and Caroline got a lovely view of flesh as her shirt slipped up as she slid. Caroline quickly decided to get under the covers in order to focus on doing something. She crawled under the duvet, and crawled along, before getting stuck. She wasn't hooked on anything, she wasn't attached. Just, stuck. Crawling under things really didn't suit Caroline. She flopped around a little, glad that it was only Susie who was there to see, and then lay on her stomach on the bed, defeated. Susie's voice sounded from somewhere nearby, albeit muffled, and the duvet was lifted off by Susie. And, Caroline noticed, as she flipped the duvet over her shoulder, a little stomach and more collarbone was visible from the angle Caroline was lay at. She diverted her eyes quickly and stood up, before gesturing to Susie.
"Go on, then. You do it. One must always learn from an expert. Maybe I could teach you how to ride one day." Susie squeaked in response before throwing the cover on the bed and crawling through expertly. Caroline marvelled at how nimbly her body slipped through the gaps, and wondered if she would slip just as easily through her arms. Caroline was sure she wouldn't, especially if she held her like she had imagined in her dreams. Caroline had excellent upper body strength due to all the horse riding, she liked to think. Susie stood again and gestured for Caroline to try once more. Remembering how Susie had dived through, she tried to mimic the manoeuvres, but managed to get stuck half way yet again. The duvet was shrouding her like fog on the moors, and Caroline couldn't escape. She heard Susie talking through the covers.
"Look, Caroline, you just have to carefully slide through, like this..." And then before Caroline quite knew what was happening, Susie had slid herself on top of her from behind, and they were now pressed against one another. Caroline could feel skin upon skin as their shirts lifted slightly with the friction of Susie sliding her body up against Caroline's. As Susie stopped above her, Caroline hoped she wouldn't pass out from breathing too heavily. It was dark under the covers, and her mind was going into overdrive just thinking about how firm Susie's breasts were against her back, how well her arms were positioned, and how finely shaped Susie's body was. Caroline gulped and managed to get out some words.
"So, Susie... What do we do from here?" Susie replied easily, though her voice seemed as breathy as Caroline's (though Caroline couldn't be sure that she wasn't just imagining things again).
"Well, next, you have to slide your body through by moving your hips ever so gently like so-" Susie began to shake her hips and steer Caroline, almost as if she was riding a horse. Her movements were so controlled, and as her thighs gently squeezed Caroline's, Caroline closed her eyes and tried to suppress a groan. She was sure that Susie didn't know quite the effect this was having upon her friend. Susie continued in her instructions, but Caroline wasn't hearing them much anymore, just trying to overcome sensations she had never felt before, not even when John was trying to make an effort. As Susie pushed and leaned and her voice was so, so close to Caroline, the one move that broke Caroline's reserve was when Susie finally pushed them along the bed and out from under the covers, then rolled off Caroline, and all of a sudden Caroline's body was craving for Susie's to be back against it, and she let out a very audible moan of exasperation at lack of contact. Susie looked over and Caroline tried very hard to bury her face in the sheets, not wanting Susie to realise quite what the noise had meant. As she became very familiar with the taste of her bedding, Caroline became acutely aware of some fingers - deft, strong fingers - combing through her hair. And it felt as if all of the root tips in her head had come alive, and the nerve endings in her brain had been set alight in the most pleasant yet mortifyingly pleasurable way possible. Susie's voice was soft and gentle when she spoke:
"Caroline? Should we talk?" Caroline groaned and rolled onto her back, before sitting up and looking at Susie. She knew her face was flushed and her eyes were unable to quite meet Susie's. The woman herself reached out and took Caroline's hand in her own, and strangely, Caroline felt herself relax at the gesture. This, she wondered, was this what those people in love had always tried to tell her about? Susie was tracing patterns onto Caroline's palm using her thumb, until Caroline finally looked at her. And, to Caroline's shock, Susie looked a little apprehensive too, her face picturing how Caroline felt. Caroline smiled awkwardly as Susie continued her gentle caress of her palm. Her mind was whirring - what if Susie didn't understand? Would she tell Susie? How does one phrase such a shameful thing? I dream about you? I want to explore your mouth with my tongue for hours at a time? You have no idea what seeing you in that outfit makes me think of? My heart has never raced when my husband tries to make a move, yet when you brush my palm I am on my way to myocardial infarction? Caroline glanced down and back up. No, she couldn't say those things to Susie. For the safety of them both. Susie spoke softly.
"Caroline, do you know why I came here?" Caroline was slightly knocked by the question, and looked at Susie warily.
"To teach me how to get under things properly?" Susie nodded slightly, then edged a little closer to Caroline. Oh dear goodness, Caroline thought, she really is going to drive me to awfully strained lengths if she continues. Susie bit her lip.
"There's another reason, too," she whispered, and Caroline furrowed her brow as she wondered if maybe, just maybe, Susie knew her shameful secret and was going to confront her. Lord, that would be embarrassing. She remembered their phone conversation.
"Was it to lend me a hand in having the perfect shag?" She asked, and Susie looked away quickly.
"Is that really what you mean, though, Caroline?" Her voice was strained. "Because shag is a modern slang term for... Well... Erm, sexual intercourse, I think!" She added the end on quickly, and Caroline felt herself become very hot, very quickly. Susie had turned away.
"Oh good Lord. Really? Susie, Susie, did you come round for the carpet then, or the-" she stopped, thinking she had gone too far towards revealing what was on her mind. Susie turned back around.
"It depends on what you're offering."
Caroline saw Susie's pupils dilate, and she could do nothing but stare at her, and reach up to touch her cheek. Susie's shirt had become rumpled, and Caroline delighted in the further amount of collarbone that was exposed as a result of this. They sat, taking each other in for what felt like forever, and Caroline didn't know if she should do something. You're believing she thinks like you, but she doesn't. You're going to lose her if you make any inappropriate moves. Think of the gossip. Her mind told her a million reasons not to do anything, but then another part told her something else. You love her. This was what a head or heart matter was, Caroline told herself. Did you risk all and end up facing the possibly devastating consequences, or not? She had no need to make a decision, as Susie had. In one swift move she had leaned across and pressed herself against Caroline, who found herself pinned against the bed with her arms around that wonderful, slim waist and her lips against Susie's which were soft and alarmingly strong. Well, Caroline reminded herself, Susie was always competitive, and knew how to get what she wanted. As Caroline began to let her tongue explore Susie's mouth, Caroline felt Susie moan ever so slightly at the actions of Caroline's tongue. Yes, Caroline thought, there is no going back now. May as well make the most of it - it is one's duty to give your best, is it not? Caroline moved her right hand round, and slowly slid it up and underneath Susie's shirt. Her skin was very smooth, and as Caroline let her hand wander, Susie kissed her with more force than Caroline would have ever thought she could muster. Susie then moved one of her hands from where they were pressed against Caroline, and when she realised that her shirt was being unbuttoned Caroline stopped focusing on stroking Susie's torso. That wasn't fair. Time to even things up a bit. Pulling away from Susie, Caroline now pressed a kiss to the collarbone which was so deliciously exposed, and, flipping Susie onto the bed, she used both of her hands to undo the shirt, revealing Susie's very, very appealing body. Susie's eyes shone, and Caroline grinned. She knew that Susie was competitive, and now she was without her shirt, while Caroline still had her shirt about her body (albeit rather loosely since Susie had managed to undo quite a bit of it) and had managed to get on top of Susie. Caroline leaned back down over Susie and kissed her properly again, since her body was craving more of the feelings the actions evoked. Her bare stomach was desperate to be pressed against Susie's, and so Caroline leaned down in order to kiss her deeper, and, at the same time, caress her body. Susie reached up and - oh dear goodness, Caroline couldn't help but make a noise of contentment - massaged Caroline's scalp by running her fingers through her hair, making Caroline acutely aware of how many nerve endings were in her head. Millions and millions. Susie's eyes had a purposeful glint in them, and Caroline wasn't sure what was going to happen. Seemingly unprompted, Susie raked her hands down Caroline's back and round to her crotch, where they stopped. Caroline felt her breath hitch. Time seemed to stand still, as both knew that if neither of them said anything now, nobody would stop. Caroline said nothing. Susie said nothing. And then Susie had undone the fastening and was pushing Caroline's jeans down her hips in the most teasing way possible, in Caroline's books. She had to get her own back, and that stomach was so very, very tempting. Without letting herself consider it too much, Caroline dipped her head to Susie's stomach and kissed it softly, before managing to get Susie's jeans off her too, leaving them both entwined together in their underwear on Caroline's bed.
Caroline sat up suddenly, raking her fingers through her hair as many thoughts hit her. What are you going to tell her after if she is just playing along? What if John finds out? Will you tell the village? What about your children? Why are you not still kissing her? Caroline shivered and realised that Susie had crept up behind her on the bed, and was snaking her arms around Caroline's waist, whilst kissing her shoulder blade. Caroline looked ahead, since she couldn't drive the awful, awful thoughts away. Susie was wearing a lacy bra, Caroline could feel it against her back. She felt Susie pull her into her body, and her tailbone was nestled between Susie's legs. She could feel more lace, and her mind went to those places again, where she thought of Susie in matching lacy underwear doing terribly mischievous things to her. Caroline was snapped back into reality by the woman in question dragging her hand up Caroline's right thigh ever so slowly. Caroline suppressed a groan.
"Susie?" She whispered weakly.
"Caroline?" Susie's voice was breathy, raspy, lustful.
"Susie, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Caroline needed to hear some sort of verbal acceptance that they were both interested, and Susie wasn't just being nice.
"I've never done it before quite like this, but we always have been a good team at figuring things out, helping one another," Susie whispered, and that's all Caroline needed to banish the doubting thoughts and turn around to kiss Susie soundly again, letting her tongue taste every corner of Susie's mouth.
Susie was on top of Caroline again, and was now sliding her way down across her body, kissing Caroline in various places as she went, until she reached a part of Caroline that had been left untouched for many, many years. When she put her mouth on that, Caroline didn't care what went wrong in the world - this feeling was something that she never wanted to let go of. It felt so pleasurable, and Susie was so good, considering she hadn't done it before, apparently. Caroline clenched the sheets in her fingers, and tangled her hands through Susie's hair before gasping and falling back to Earth. She had to repay the favour to Susie, but was unsure how to do something that exciting to her. She let her hands wander over her body until they reached the fastening of her bra. Lovely and lacy as it was, it was rather in the way, wasn't it? Yes, Caroline thought, Susie could manage without that. And so she slowly undid it as Susie pressed her head into Caroline's shoulder. When Susie was exposed, Caroline's body seemed to instinctively know what to do. Her hands, her lips, her tongue, they all seemed to work together like a well rehearsed theatre group, and Susie was a more than pleased audience, it seemed, when she breathed Caroline's name and turned her body into Caroline's arms.
Under the covers, Caroline pulled Susie closer to her, and received a kiss on the base of the throat. Lying with Susie was one of the best pastimes, Caroline thought. There was no Guild meeting that night. No horses. And certainly no John. Which reminded Caroline: What about Charles?
"Susie?"
"Caroline?"
"Do you plan on telling Charles what we, well you get my drift, just did?"
"Charles and I are not speaking and probably never will again after what happened."
"What happened?"
"I had sex with another man." Caroline tensed at the words, and Susie evidently felt it, since she kissed Caroline's neck again. "I was drunk, he saw me as an easy target, Charles has never really showed me much affection in that way. It was awful in every sense. But Charles found out. Well, I told him. Rather me than someone else. And he just shrugged and stopped speaking to me. I guess we are only still together for the children. It has been like that a long time." Susie sighed, and Caroline traced patterns on her back. Susie smiled. "And then I decided that I wanted some satisfying romance, so of course I knew I would only ever get that off you, since you've got to actually like the person for it to mean something." Caroline felt like fireworks had just gone off inside her brain. Susie liked her in that way! She didn't care about what the Guild or anybody thought on the matter now. Susie liked her in that way! Susie smiled again. "You asked me for help having a good shag."
"Well if that's what it means then I think I appreciate your help," Caroline smiled gently at Susie, and kissed her. "Though I am not sure if I've quite mastered how to get out from under these covers yet..." Susie laughed. Susie's laugh, Caroline thought, was delightfully elegant. Not too brash, but not too delicate. The perfect balance.
"Well would you like me to get out for you as an example?" She turned to leave, and Caroline pounced, drawing Susie into her body and kissing her shoulder.
"No, one thinks I can probably manage to get stuck under the covers sometimes, I quite enjoy it." Caroline pressed another kiss to Susie's skin. "We should do this again sometime."
Caroline sat drinking tea in the kitchen when the phone rang.
"Hello Eileen, yes, I shall be there. Goodbye now." She stood up.
In the village hall, the Guild were making bunting of different flags of the world for an international evening they were hosting as part of a 'Big Wheel in the Big World' event. Rosie was colouring in stars on American flags, Sal was adding glittery moons to the Turkish flags and Tip was jauntily painting some Irish flags. When she arrived, Caroline was later than everyone else.
"Oh Caroline!" Eileen exclaimed, "we are all doing our flags now. You could always do some more flags of France with Susie, since they're our main partner country!" Caroline smiled and nodded.
"Of course, I am sure Susie and myself could do some excellent Frenching together." She went and stood beside Susie, who was blushing slightly. "What is wrong with you?"
"I am not sure you meant to say Frenching," she whispered.
"Why? What is it?" Caroline looked and felt perplexed. A wicked glint passed across Susie's face.
"I shall refresh your mind later. See if you still get stuck under the covers."
Caroline looked round slyly, and when she saw that everyone else was preoccupied, she quickly kissed Susie on the cheek. Yes, she thought, John might have been a good friend, but he didn't fulfil those feelings people in love said you should feel. Susie, however, Susie did. Caroline knew what being in love felt like now. Even if it wasn't what was traditionally expected. They could keep their relationship under the covers for as long as they wanted. Probably.
~finite~
(a/n - sue me [please don't, I don't own Jam And Jerusalem, Jennifer Saunders created that bring the devilishly delightful person she is)] I went for it. I so ship Caroline and Susie now. I do hope kate-boosh that this fulfils your ideas of a slightly smutty, slightly angsty fic written from Caroline's POV. I enjoyed writing it. Caroline is a fun character indeed. Reviews are love.)