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Apr. 18th, 2003 09:17 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ds_flashfictionIt's kind of intimidating to post this, after all the great stuff that I've been reading here all week. In all honesty, I'm just thrilled that I was able to finish something and to do something under 1000 words, even if just barely. I have to thank Kellie Matthews for that. She was a great source of support and helped me trim away the excess. So, without further ado...in this corner, coming in at 999 words, I give you
Unseen
by Bluster
Fraser was in the living room having an argument, which should have been impossible since they were the only people in the apartment. He'd have chalked it up to Fraser talking to Dief, except the wolf was snoring at the foot of the bed. Between the arguing and the snoring it was pretty damn loud for. . .he opened his eyes and squinted the clock into focus...3:27 A-fucking-M.
He'd gotten used to weirdness since meeting Fraser. Things that used to seem "bizarre" now seemed normal. Not even Fraser arguing with himself in the middle of the night felt weird. That wasn't what had him awake and worried. It was the anger and frustration he heard in Fraser's voice that bothered Ray. He knew Fraser got angry, but he almost never let it show. Fraser just clammed up. So what the hell had pushed Fraser to the edge at 3:32 on a Sunday morning?
He couldn't hear what Fraser was saying. He'd speak and then pause, like someone else was talking. Only Ray couldn't hear anyone else. The words he could make out gave him clues, but nothing solid on who was on the other side of the conversation. Since he wouldn't figure it out lying in bed, Ray got up, grabbing his underwear off the floor. He probably didn't need them since it was just Fraser out there, but he figured he'd better cover the basics . . . just in case.
At the moment Fraser was quiet. He'd been talking kind of loud before stopping, as if interrupted. Ray was about to step into the hallway when Fraser spoke again. Ray listened. Yeah, eavesdropping was wrong, but it wouldn't hurt to get a feel for what was going on before throwing himself into. . . whatever he was getting ready to throw himself into.
". . . none of your business. You butt in where you're not wanted, not to mention at inappropriate times, and quite frankly it isn't appreciated. If you don't approve of my life then you can go to hell." A moment of quiet was followed by a strange, strangled sort of laugh. "I neither need, nor want your approval."
His voice dripped with sarcasm, and a hint of sadness. Ray had a hunch. He knew in his own life there was only one person who could make him feel like Fraser was feeling now, and that was his dad. Yeah, Bob Fraser was dead, but either Fraser was talking to a dead man, or *thought* he was talking to a dead man. It really didn't make much difference to Ray.
"What must I. . .," Fraser stopped abruptly as Ray came into the room. Even in the semi-darkness Ray saw the shock on his face.
"Hey, sounds like you could use back up. What've I missed?" He went over, pressing his hand on Fraser's shoulder until he sat down. Ray sat close, offering protection. Offering support.
"Ray, I. . .I don't know what to say . ." Fraser looked away from him, as if he were ashamed, or fearful.
He reached for Fraser's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Is he still here? Can he hear me?"
Fraser looked at him then. After a moment he gave a small nod, as if he'd answered something for himself. "He can hear you. After all, you're real." Fraser's fingers tightened on his.
"Yeah, I'm real. *We're* real. Don't know about him, but real or not if he can't see that, can't accept that, then you and me will just have to take steps."
Fraser smiled. "I don't believe kicking him in the head will work since you can't see it."
Fraser being funny was a good sign. Then a look of annoyance crossed his face.
"What's he saying now?"
"I won't repeat it. I don't know how to make him go away, Ray."
An admission of defeat. A plea for help. Thankfully, Ray had an answer.
"If he shows up we'll give him a show. He doesn't like the idea of us, then we'll give him an eye-full of us. Even if I have to show up at the consulate at two in the afternoon for some desk action."
That got another smile. Bigger, more genuine. "Careful, you'll make me want him to appear."
Ray grinned and winked. "I'll remember that. But I'm serious, he doesn't like us, we'll shove us in his face until he learns to mind his own business. Fun for us, torture for him"
Fraser was looking at the chair, listening. Then he sighed.
"He points out that we couldn't keep that up forever. He would simply close his eyes and keep talking."
Ray'd figured it wouldn't be that easy. "Then we use Plan B."
Fraser looked back to Ray. "There's a Plan B?"
"There's always a Plan B." He paused for to let the suspense build. Not to torment Fraser, but to torment Bob. "Exorcism."
Fraser looked stunned, then thoughtful, and finally delighted. He leaned over and gave Ray a quick, fierce kiss.
"You're a genius. I should have known you'd have a solution." Fraser looked back at the chair. "If you don't cease interfering with my life I shall have you exorcized."
More silence. Fraser kept staring at the seemingly empty chair and Ray found himself staring as well. Then Fraser suddenly relaxed against Ray's side.
"He's gone. I don't know for how long. I doubt this is the last we'll hear from him."
Ray reached up with his free hand and pushed a lock of hair off Fraser's forehead. "We'll deal with that when the time comes."
Fraser kissed him again, soft, just a tease of tongue against his lips.
"Thank you, for believing."
"You're welcome. Now, back to bed. Let's see how loud we have to be to wake up a deaf wolf."
Fraser chuckled and stood, pulling Ray up with him, and moved toward the bedroom.
"You know, Inspector Thatcher will be out of the office Tuesday. I hope you'll have time to stop by."
"Trust me, Fraser, I'll *make* time."
Finis
Unseen
by Bluster
Fraser was in the living room having an argument, which should have been impossible since they were the only people in the apartment. He'd have chalked it up to Fraser talking to Dief, except the wolf was snoring at the foot of the bed. Between the arguing and the snoring it was pretty damn loud for. . .he opened his eyes and squinted the clock into focus...3:27 A-fucking-M.
He'd gotten used to weirdness since meeting Fraser. Things that used to seem "bizarre" now seemed normal. Not even Fraser arguing with himself in the middle of the night felt weird. That wasn't what had him awake and worried. It was the anger and frustration he heard in Fraser's voice that bothered Ray. He knew Fraser got angry, but he almost never let it show. Fraser just clammed up. So what the hell had pushed Fraser to the edge at 3:32 on a Sunday morning?
He couldn't hear what Fraser was saying. He'd speak and then pause, like someone else was talking. Only Ray couldn't hear anyone else. The words he could make out gave him clues, but nothing solid on who was on the other side of the conversation. Since he wouldn't figure it out lying in bed, Ray got up, grabbing his underwear off the floor. He probably didn't need them since it was just Fraser out there, but he figured he'd better cover the basics . . . just in case.
At the moment Fraser was quiet. He'd been talking kind of loud before stopping, as if interrupted. Ray was about to step into the hallway when Fraser spoke again. Ray listened. Yeah, eavesdropping was wrong, but it wouldn't hurt to get a feel for what was going on before throwing himself into. . . whatever he was getting ready to throw himself into.
". . . none of your business. You butt in where you're not wanted, not to mention at inappropriate times, and quite frankly it isn't appreciated. If you don't approve of my life then you can go to hell." A moment of quiet was followed by a strange, strangled sort of laugh. "I neither need, nor want your approval."
His voice dripped with sarcasm, and a hint of sadness. Ray had a hunch. He knew in his own life there was only one person who could make him feel like Fraser was feeling now, and that was his dad. Yeah, Bob Fraser was dead, but either Fraser was talking to a dead man, or *thought* he was talking to a dead man. It really didn't make much difference to Ray.
"What must I. . .," Fraser stopped abruptly as Ray came into the room. Even in the semi-darkness Ray saw the shock on his face.
"Hey, sounds like you could use back up. What've I missed?" He went over, pressing his hand on Fraser's shoulder until he sat down. Ray sat close, offering protection. Offering support.
"Ray, I. . .I don't know what to say . ." Fraser looked away from him, as if he were ashamed, or fearful.
He reached for Fraser's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Is he still here? Can he hear me?"
Fraser looked at him then. After a moment he gave a small nod, as if he'd answered something for himself. "He can hear you. After all, you're real." Fraser's fingers tightened on his.
"Yeah, I'm real. *We're* real. Don't know about him, but real or not if he can't see that, can't accept that, then you and me will just have to take steps."
Fraser smiled. "I don't believe kicking him in the head will work since you can't see it."
Fraser being funny was a good sign. Then a look of annoyance crossed his face.
"What's he saying now?"
"I won't repeat it. I don't know how to make him go away, Ray."
An admission of defeat. A plea for help. Thankfully, Ray had an answer.
"If he shows up we'll give him a show. He doesn't like the idea of us, then we'll give him an eye-full of us. Even if I have to show up at the consulate at two in the afternoon for some desk action."
That got another smile. Bigger, more genuine. "Careful, you'll make me want him to appear."
Ray grinned and winked. "I'll remember that. But I'm serious, he doesn't like us, we'll shove us in his face until he learns to mind his own business. Fun for us, torture for him"
Fraser was looking at the chair, listening. Then he sighed.
"He points out that we couldn't keep that up forever. He would simply close his eyes and keep talking."
Ray'd figured it wouldn't be that easy. "Then we use Plan B."
Fraser looked back to Ray. "There's a Plan B?"
"There's always a Plan B." He paused for to let the suspense build. Not to torment Fraser, but to torment Bob. "Exorcism."
Fraser looked stunned, then thoughtful, and finally delighted. He leaned over and gave Ray a quick, fierce kiss.
"You're a genius. I should have known you'd have a solution." Fraser looked back at the chair. "If you don't cease interfering with my life I shall have you exorcized."
More silence. Fraser kept staring at the seemingly empty chair and Ray found himself staring as well. Then Fraser suddenly relaxed against Ray's side.
"He's gone. I don't know for how long. I doubt this is the last we'll hear from him."
Ray reached up with his free hand and pushed a lock of hair off Fraser's forehead. "We'll deal with that when the time comes."
Fraser kissed him again, soft, just a tease of tongue against his lips.
"Thank you, for believing."
"You're welcome. Now, back to bed. Let's see how loud we have to be to wake up a deaf wolf."
Fraser chuckled and stood, pulling Ray up with him, and moved toward the bedroom.
"You know, Inspector Thatcher will be out of the office Tuesday. I hope you'll have time to stop by."
"Trust me, Fraser, I'll *make* time."
Finis
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Date: 2003-04-18 08:06 pm (UTC)Ray rocks! Ray totally rocks!
I really liked this piece, and Ray's support of Fraser. So matter of fact, so practical! (poor Bob.)
Am also impressed by the word count.
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Date: 2003-04-18 08:20 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-18 08:21 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-18 08:22 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-18 08:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 08:50 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-18 08:57 pm (UTC)Ray's practical and intuitive. It's a good combination because it lets him take those leaps of faith.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 08:51 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-18 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 09:39 pm (UTC)Heh!
Loved this! And loved Ray's acceptance! As everyone else has said, he definitely rocks. *g*
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Date: 2003-04-18 09:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 10:03 pm (UTC)Fraser was in the living room having an argument, which should have been impossible since they were the only people in the apartment.
...has me LMAO. :) Really terrific, and it tells us a lot of information in very few words.
Ray sat close, offering protection. Offering support.
Which is exactly how Ray would behave, if it came right down to it. Which is why we love him.
desk action
LOL again. There's a Ray-ism if I ever heard one.
There's always a Plan B
::::imagining Ray's tone of voice and ROFL:::: Get with it, Fraser! Haven't you ever been to the movies?
"He's gone. I don't know for how long. I doubt this is the last we'll hear from him."
It's like a scene from a horror movie. They could be talking about the great white shark.
Just lovely!
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Date: 2003-04-19 11:09 am (UTC)It's like a scene from a horror movie. They could be talking about the great white shark.
Bob could have his own series of horror movies. Think Wes Craven would direct? ;-) There's nothing scarier than a disapproving parent. I'll take Chucky anyday.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-18 10:12 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-19 11:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-19 12:34 am (UTC)Thank you.
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Date: 2003-04-19 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-19 05:50 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-19 11:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-19 09:17 am (UTC)I love stories with well done Bob. This was much fun to read!
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Date: 2003-04-19 11:16 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-20 11:04 am (UTC)This works on so many different levels, but what I think I found most appealing was your view of Ray here; the practical, can-do, stand by your man type of guy, whose quantum thinking comes up with the most ingenious solutions. I just loved him and the story.
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Date: 2003-04-20 11:46 am (UTC)Thanks for the nice comments and I'm glad you liked the story.
no subject
Date: 2003-04-22 09:31 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-04-22 10:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-28 02:52 pm (UTC)I really enjoyed this story! Fraser's seeing things that aren't there, or Fraser's seeing things that ARE there, who cares. The important thing is that Fraser is UPSET. And Ray's there to figure out what's wrong and back him up, whenever Fraser needs it.