Author's Note: A short birthday fic for Fred Bassett, originally posted on the LJ community Primeval Denial. It is not a pairing I ship but it does have slight Ryan/Stephen. Not beta'd.

The Right Tool for the Job

"Are you seriously going to use that?"

Captain Tom Ryan placed his hand on Stephen's forearm and stopped him before he could even begin to mess things up. Stephen looked to him with a puzzled frown and then down at the large blade in his hands.

The wooden handle itself was several inches long and so thick in his grasp that Stephen could just about get his fingers around it. The blade too was immense, wide and long and like all of Stephen's knifes, in perfect condition. There was not a single blemish or mark on the entire knife.

Ryan couldn't deny that it was a beautiful weapon, but he preferred a good gun over blades any day. He also thought that what Stephen was about to do, might ruin the perfection of the weapon.

"Is there a problem with this knife?" asked Stephen as he pushed against Ryan's hand. Ryan saw the glint in his eye, the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth and he knew that Stephen was trying to goad him into another confrontation.

"No." he said, even though he had felt like saying the opposite. "Not at all. You haven't used it yet, it's one of your favourites and do you really…honestly…want to use it? For that? It's a little excessive don't you think?"

"Didn't you use a gun last time?"

"I was in a bad mood."

"Of course you were."

"You are not! Besides, aren't you always saying that you have to use the right tool for the right job?"

Stephen withdrew the knife and held the blade up for inspection. It was a thing of beauty and the enamoured gaze Stephen held towards it spoke volumes. It would be a shame to use this knife and ruin such beauty. But it would be an equal shame to never use it at all.

"This is fine. It will do the job." Stephen gently eased Ryan away from him with a light press of his free hand against his shoulder. "One quick, clean stroke is all it needs! You'll see."

Tom could hardly argue any further when Stephen stepped slowly forward and rose the knife in preparation. There was a moment's pause as Stephen observed his target. He was completely still, no shaking hand or blade and he stayed like that for longer than Ryan thought was necessary. Was it so difficult?

"Patience." Stephen said, as if he had read the Captain's mind. "The timing has to be right."

"Stephen…now is the right time!"

Ryan was ignored and still Stephen did nothing. He kept his pose with the knife, waiting for precisely the right time. As he always did. The tension was mounting, Ryan could feel it all around him, he could see it clearly before him and he heard the deep growling rumble.

"Stephen!"

Bam.

Hart made his move and brought the blade down with a large hefty swing.

The cake exploded.

Fresh cream, chocolate and sponge flew apart upon impact and splattered all over Stephen.

"Right tool for the right job. Every time! " Stephen said proudly, taking a long lick at the blade. "Happy birthday to me!"

Ryan smirked and swiped a finger at the cream on Stephen's face.

Okay so he was right.

There was going to be a serious confrontation about this….and it was going to be so much fun.