ds_flashfiction | You have to jump, sometimes

Because sometimes people will surprise you with their reaction. (I've been getting the proverbial shrug from everyone I came out to, including my brother who said we can go looking for girls together) Anticlimactic is the word here (and yes, sadly there's no climaxing of any kind, but a lot of schmoop)

(...just made it possible for homosexual couples to) Get Married
by Suaine

He sat in the rec room with his back to the TV, talking to Fraser while trying to eat a double sandwich. He was musing what a walrus and the new police commissioner had in common when two words screamed at him from the news cast. It was this thing he'd read in one of Frannie's psych books, the way you hear your name even in a conversation you're not listening to.

Two words.

His eyes found Fraser's.

And all he could think to say was, "Fuck."

The slight smile that had been on Fraser's face froze and crumbled. The Mountie mask came up like it did so long ago down by the lake. When Ray had hit him.

Shit.

"Well, do you want to?"

The doubt in his eyes must have been like a slap in the face to Fraser because the Mountie, not in dress-reds for once, got up without a word and stomped over to the door. Yes, he stomped.

Not good.

"C'mon, Fraser, we talked about this," Ray said while jumping up and following Fraser.

"I didn't say anything Ray."

The hell ya did, my friend, didn't need to. Your eyes doin' all the talkin' for ya.

"Okay, listen, I'm sorry. We can talk about this at home." In privacy.

Still not stopping, not turning, running away again, Fraser said, "Apparently, we have talked about this matter to a point where we no longer say anything."

ShitShitShitShitShitFUCK!

This sounded too much like the last Stella days, too much like an ending and not enough like them. And all over a fucking stupid piece of paper.

"Stop right there, Frase."

The sound of his voice halted Fraser in the center of the squad room.

"All right, you want to do it, fine."

At this Ray could see the muscles in Fraser's face twitch with tension. Anger, he knew from experience, was going to pit them against each other, biting and clawing like crazed dogs. They had done the anger routine enough times for Ray to know that nothing would come of it except pain and lost time.

So he did the only thing he could. He admitted defeat. "I'm sorry." This time, Fraser looked into his eyes, seeing the truth there maybe, and the whole world focused to this one person. Fraser.

And Ray smiled, "So, you gonna marry me?"

Ray was anxious, he expected anything in answer, from a joyous yes to a hell no, but the shocked and halfway amused expression on Fraser's face was not among the options. What the hell?

He was standing in the squad room. Nothing unusual there. He had just proposed to Fraser. In the squad room. Okay, maybe that was the problem. He'd just outed both of them to the whole Chicago police force.

Well, fuck.

Ray froze. Fraser didn't - couldn't - say anything either, the two of them just standing there, not daring to look at anyone but each other. Fuck.

"So?"

Ray jumped at the voice from behind. Frannie, sounding awfully … amused. She had this great big smile on her face, like the Cheshire cat. Ray didn't understand.

"You guys owe me dinner."

And that just didn't make any sense at all. But Frannie wasn't talking to him or Fraser, her eyes were firmly fixed on Huey and Dewey - who had matching smirks on their faces. Murmurs went through the watching crowd, little pieces of green paper exchanged owners and people just smiled. Ignoring him and Fraser, Frannie, Huey and Dewey walked off, arguing about the best Italian Restaurant. Slowly, everyone just returned to their work.

Ray blinked.

"Well," Fraser said, "That was certainly anticlimactic:"

"Kowalski, Constable Fraser, get in here. Right now."

So much for anticlimactic.

The Lieutenant looked annoyed. But then, that was a perpetual state for Lt. Harding Welsh and nothing to worry about. He waved them in and signaled them to sit down.

"I hear that congratulations are in order."

Ray tried to say something but the look in the Lieu's eyes told him to stuff it. Welsh got up and leaned on the desk. "Now, usually, I would wonder why one of my best detectives has been lying to me, but considering the circumstances I suppose I can let you get away with it."

"But-"

"Shut it, Kowalski. You put me on a spot here. There's nothing written in stone that says married couples can't work together - especially when they are as good as the two of you - but it won't be easy. I need you and the Constable to be perfectly professional." At that, Welsh grinned. "Or as professional as the two of you ever get."

"Sir, I don't-"

"Maybe you are asking yourself why no one is giving you any shit, but what you should be asking yourself is how you ever thought you could hide something as big as this in a building full of cops."

"Uhm, you see-"

"What I see is people who admire and respect Fraser and you, people who should be your friends, people you've lied to, but they haven't said a thing, haven't given you any trouble because the 27th is a family. So, when you go out there, maybe you should start treating them like they deserve."

"Sir, I-"

"A big reception. All of us invited. That's an order. Now get out of here."

Ray and Fraser jumped like they'd been bitten but the Lieutenant didn't look up from his papers. They made it out of there in record time. The squad room was almost deserted, with no criminals and only a few people still working.

Ray looked at Fraser. "So."

"So."

Two matching sighs. "Picked a date yet?"

"Ah, shouldn't I accept first?"

"Will you?"

"Of course." Big smile there, so probably things were all right in the grand scheme of things.

"I've been thinking March."

"The eleventh?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Just a feeling."

As they walked out of the room they discussed such matters of ultimate importance as the guest list and the color scheme. They were men. Gay men. And their gay wedding was going to be just like any other. With the big extended family and lots of drinks.

Of course, Frannie would take over the planning the next day and they would have to fight her on the flowers and the lace and mediate between her and Ray's mother. They would have people arguing about being best man and Welsh almost breaking down because of Fraser asking him to stand in for his late father. There would be long days of planning and stress and almost killing each other and long nights of reassurance.

It would be perfect.