A/N: Written for Fandom Stocking. Sex pollen fic, with pre-existing feelings on both sides.
Yellow
The first thing Lester noticed upon the team's return was that everyone was grabbing at Connor. Connor appeared vaguely confused, but that was a familiar expression for him.
The second thing Lester noticed was that Connor was covered in some sort of fine, yellow dust. It glinted in his dark hair and on the front of his waistcoat.
Lester didn't immediately think to connect the two observations nor to find them particularly odd or worthy of attention. Considering the day-to-day workings of the ARC, none of it even was all that odd. Worth a notice, nothing more.
Abby giggled, loud and high-pitched and unlike any sound Lester had ever heard her make. She stumbled, clearly on purpose, leaning into Connor when he caught her. Sarah then tried to one-up her by shoving her chest in Connor's face. Admirably, he blinked and flushed and then raised his eyes to more appropriate regions.
And then Danny quite obviously squeezed Connor's bum. Connor yelped and scrambled away.
There was so much wrong with this picture that Lester didn't even know where to begin. All he knew was that he had no desire to witness anything further. "Mr Temple," he called down from the balcony, earning everyone's attention. "My office, please, now."
Connor didn't even try to hide how eager he was to escape, running across the atrium and up the ramp to Lester's office. He ducked into the room as Lester held the door open.
"What on earth is going on?" Lester asked.
Shrugging, Connor said, "No idea. They've all been acting weird since we went through the anomaly; there weren't even any creatures, just these weird plant things."
"Ah. That would explain the dust." Lester flicked his hand over Connor's shoulder. The dust - pollen - clung to his fingers, tinting the tips yellow. He considered wiping them off on Connor's sleeve.
Connor shifted guiltily. "I might have tripped."
"Of course you did." Damn, it felt warm all of a sudden. Lester loosened his tie.
Connor stared at the movement of Lester's hands. He licked his lips.
Lester swallowed. Oh, Christ. He forced himself to take a step back but Connor followed him. Blood was racing in a direction it shouldn't be and Lester took another step back, then two, nearly stumbling as he reached back to brace his hand on his desk. Control yourself, he told himself angrily. Fantasies were not meant to be acted upon. Particularly not fantasies which involved one Connor Temple. Lester was still rather dismayed at his own taste. Or lack of it, as the case may be.
"I think you should leave now, Mr Temple." He was proud of how steady his voice was. At least some things could be counted on, even if he apparently could no longer control his desires.
"Er…" Connor shook himself. "Er, yeah, okay, I'll just… I'll just be going then." He walked stiffly out of the office and Lester was certainly not thinking about why he was moving so awkwardly.
Nor was he watching Connor's arse. He most certainly was not.
Ten minutes later, Lester was still practicing his deep breathing. The door whooshed open.
Connor stood in the centre of the room, cheeks flushed and… No, Lester wasn't looking there. "I think something's wrong with me."
"I've known that since the moment I met you."
"No, I think there's something seriously wrong. I tried to…" Connor's flush deepened. "I had to, I couldn't help myself, I had to… I went into the toilet, but it didn't help, just my hand, it wasn't enough, and I… God, Lester, I need someone to touch me, please, God, I feel like I might explode."
Unconsciously Lester had got to his feet, his steps taking him closer to Connor until they were mere centimetres apart. Connor was wrecked, sweaty, pupils wide. "Why don't you find someone to help you, then? Miss Maitland, perhaps?" Lester found himself saying without entirely meaning to. His hand was suddenly on Connor's hip. How had that happened? He told himself to move it. It stayed there, despite his best wishes.
"Because I don't want her, I don't want any of them," Connor whispered. "I want you."
Lester groaned and seized Connor, yanking him close. Connor's lips parted in a soundless plea and then Lester was gone. A dim part of his brain was hoping he couldn't be held accountable for this.
Some time later, Lester woke as if from a fog, feeling warm and content in that way only a good shag could accomplish. His clothes were askew and there was a slim body pressed against him.
He was also on the floor. Of his office. Beneath the desk.
Bugger.
Lester pulled away from Connor with great reluctance, trying to ignore the disgruntled noises Connor was making. He did up his trousers and made himself as presentable as possible before rising to his feet and immediately starting on damage control. The walls were glass, for fuck's sake. There were cameras.
What the hell kind of plants had Connor been in contact with?
Lester dialed Lorraine. "Ms Wickes, I have come to understand that you are a woman of great discretion."
"That is very true, sir."
"Then I believe I may have use of your talents. I have a… situation."
"No need to explain, sir." Lorraine's voice held an undeniable trace of a smirk.
Lester was glad he had long ago learned not to blush. "I can count on your assistance?"
"I suppose this is quite important to you."
Lester wasn't sure if he should be incensed at her audacity or impressed by her guile. "I'm sure you will let me know how best I can repay you for your services."
"Very good, sir."
Resisting the urge to sigh, Lester straightened his tie and then forced himself to look at Connor. That was probably a mistake, because Connor still looked fairly disheveled, his clothes rumpled and his hair sticking up. He'd done up his buttons wrong. Lester had the bizarre urge to fix them. Or, better, to undo them, touch Connor's skin again, and then redo them properly.
Christ.
"So," Connor said, chewing on his lip. "That happened."
"Indeed. That happened, as you so elegantly put it."
"Er… I was thinking that… that maybe you might not really be so mad about it? I mean, seemed like you were enjoying yourself."
"I believe I was what amounts to being under the influence."
Connor looked crestfallen, his shoulders drooping. "Right. I dunno what I was thinking, why would you ever want to… with me… I… I'm sorry, I'll just go, please don't fire me. Please don't fire me, I honestly couldn't stop myself."
"Connor," Lester said, unable to stop himself from sighing this time. "I am not going to fire you."
"Oh, well, that's good, at least. Thanks for being so understanding and-"
"Will you be quiet for one second?"
"Yeah, I can do that, definitely I can do that." Connor clamped his mouth shut.
Lester waited until he had gathered his thoughts before starting. "I need you to understand where I am coming from. I am your boss, Connor, and anything between us would be highly inappropriate. I am also a good deal older than you."
"I don't mind," Connor blurted out and then said, "Sorry, I'm being quiet, promise."
"Not only am I certain that you would be better suited to someone closer to your own age, I would never want to put you in such an uncomfortable position. I wouldn't want you to feel obligated in any way because I am your employer, nor would I want to expose you to the criticism of others."
Connor remained silent long enough to register that Lester was actually done, and then he moved forward, almost like he couldn't stop himself. They were standing so close again now and Lester could feel the heat radiating from Connor's body. "Okay, first, I definitely don't feel obligated. I want to… to do things to you. With you, I mean. Second, you're pretty good at keeping secrets, yeah? I mean, you're so private. No one ever has to even know. Well, I guess except for Lorraine."
Lester found himself smiling a little. "Yes, except for that." And except for anyone else who might have been looking in just the right spot at just the right moment. Oh, God, this was all so… humiliating.
"Most importantly," Connor continued, "none of that had anything to do with you not wanting me. So I think maybe you do."
Connor was looking at him so hopefully with those large brown eyes that Lester simply couldn't disappoint him. "Perhaps."
Connor's whole face brightened and he leaned in, his mouth a mere breath away from Lester's. "Then you won't mind if I do this." He kissed Lester softly, arms winding around Lester's hips.
Sod it, Lester decided. They'd already had sex under the desk, what was a bit of making out in the office compared to that?
End