ds_flashfiction | Darkest Before Dawn Challenge

estrella30.livejournal.com posting in

Entry number 2 from me for this challenge, which was actually written first but posted second. Sigh.

Many, many thanks to

brooklinegirl,

rhyo, and

dsudis for working with me and helping me with this one. There are only so many times a person can hear, "Are you sure it makes sense??" without losing their fricking mind, and these three are absolute pros.

Pairing - F/K
Rating - slash
Word Count - 2085
Spoilers - Minor reference to Odds but that's about it.

Tell Me a Story

3:44 A.M.

Ray's mouth is soft, and he slicks his tongue across Fraser's lips and into his mouth. Fraser knots his fingers in Ray's hair and Ray moans, his fingers tightening where they're twisted in the front of Fraser's flannel shirt. Fraser can feel the heat of Ray's hands and leans into him, sighing as Ray's fingers flex and open, spreading wide against his chest.

Fraser shifts in his seat and his knee bangs against the gearshift. He pulls back from the kiss, hissing quickly, before Ray follows Fraser's mouth with his and kisses him again.

"Ray, wait," Fraser says, and then takes a long, uneven breath. In the darkness he can see Ray shake his head no, before he moves closer.

"No - really, Ray. I need to know-"

"Yeah, Frase," Ray says quickly.

"Really?" Fraser asks. "Are you sure?" Because he has to be sure. One hundred percent sure about this.

He watches Ray. Watches as the answer comes into Ray's eyes before he even opens his mouth to answer. Watches as Ray's hand reaches out and cups Fraser's face, his thumb brushing against Fraser's cheek.

And then Ray smiles slowly and leans in, pressing his mouth against Fraser's, and breathes against his lips, "Yes, Fraser. Yes."

3:32 A.M.

Fraser stares out the front windshield and wonders how much longer Ray is going to sit in silence. He can hear Ray breathing next to him and every so often Ray makes a short, confused sound in his throat -- then he takes a deep breath and, every time, Fraser tenses because he know this is it. This must be it. Ray has questions and he's going to ask them now.

But then - nothing. Ray snaps his mouth shut and shifts in his seat again and Fraser concentrates on not turning his head even the slightest bit, because if he did then he'd have to look at Ray. He'd see Ray sitting there, and then Ray would look back at him and Fraser isn't sure he's ready for that yet.

Ray clears his throat, and moves again (this time even closer. So close Fraser can almost feel him) and Fraser can hear him take another deep breath.

"Ok, so..."

Ray trails off. Fraser thought there was more of the conversation coming, but for a few minutes that seems to be it. And then:

"Ok. So wait."

Fraser waits. He waits through another shift and slide on the seat. He waits through Ray clearing his throat. Opening his mouth and closing it. Clearing his throat again. He waits until Ray says:

"So, ok, Frase. Lemme just-"

"Really, Ray," Fraser interrupts. He twists in his seat and finds Ray also facing the windshield, staring out into the night. "Just - say whatever it is that you're trying to say."

"This isn't easy," Ray says softly, and Fraser nods.

"No, it's not."

"I just-" Ray flexes his fingers, then curls them tightly around the steering wheel. "Wow." He turns to look at Fraser and lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "I don't know what to say."

It's killing Fraser, the indecision, and for a brief moment he wishes he had said nothing at all. Leaning his head back against the headrest, he closes his eyes and sighs. "Just - yes or no, Ray," he says wearily. "I won't hold it against you either way, but I told you how I feel and I need to know."

2:58 A.M.

Fraser glances down at the watch on his wrist before reaching over to lightly shake Ray's shoulder.

"Ray," he whispers. Ray doesn't so much as stir in his sleep, so Fraser tightens his fingers and shakes him harder. "Ray, you need to wake up."

"Uh huh."

Fraser bites the inside of his cheek to try and keep from smiling. Ray's hair is looking more experimental than usual, and his glasses are sitting skewed, half on and half off his face. He shakes Ray one more time, and this time Ray comes awake with a start, knocking his glasses completely off.

"I'm up, I'm up," Ray says, sitting straight up in his seat. He grabs his glasses where they fell on the floor and shoves them on one-handed, before pushing back the sleeve of his jacket and looking down at his watch. "Shit. It's almost 3 am." He lifts his head and points an accusing finger at Fraser. "You weren't supposed to let me sleep!"

"Yes, well, unfortunately I had little say in the matter," Fraser says dryly. Outside the car, the street is still. The breeze has stopped and even the leaves on the trees are no longer moving. Ray glances over at the house they're watching and inclines his head.

"Any action over there?"

"The light went out close to two hours ago." Fraser answers. "There hasn't been any movement since then."

Ray nods and pulls his glasses from his face, slipping them inside the pocket in his jacket. "God. Three more hours of this?"

"Just about," Fraser says. He looks over and finds Ray leaning the side of his head against his seat, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I can't fall asleep again. I fall asleep again now and I'll be up till noon tomorrow and my sleep'll be fucked up for the rest of the week."

"Ah," Fraser nods. "I can see where that would be a problem."

Ray grunts an agreement, then shifts restlessly, twisting his body toward Fraser. "This sucks. Don't you have like - an Inuit story about animals stalking their prey or something?"

The vinyl is cool against Fraser's cheek as he leans his head against the seat. Ray is sitting there, watching him, and suddenly it's all too much. The night is too much, and being this close to Ray is too much, and the wanting but not having is too much.

Maybe it's not the smartest thing he's ever done, but Ray asked for a story, and Fraser finds himself clearing his throat and lowering his eyes for a second, before looking back up at Ray.

"I have a story I can tell you, yes," Fraser says.

Ray smiles easily and settles back against the seat. "Cool."

Fraser watches him, and tries to smile back, knowing that one way or the other this is the very last time Ray will ever look at him like that.

"This is actually a story about me," Fraser says, "And you."

1:14 A.M.

The porch lights flicker out, and as Fraser watches, Anna Jordan blows out the one thick candle flickering in the window, throwing the house into darkness.

"Well. It looks as if-" Fraser says, but stops himself quickly as he turns to look at Ray and finds him sound asleep.

"Ray," he whispers, but all Ray does is make a quiet sound in his throat and bury his head against the seat.

Fraser reaches out a hand with the intention of taking Ray's glasses off him so they don't get accidentally broken while he sleeps, but somehow finds himself running the tips of his fingers across Ray's forehead. When Ray doesn't wake up Fraser strokes one finger around the curve of his ear, then slowly down his jaw, until just the pad of his finger is brushing over Ray's mouth.

He curses himself silently, then pulls his hand back and rests it firmly at his side.

11:32 P.M.

"Wow, what a fucking game," Ray says, grinning excitedly as he hits the power button on the radio. "Extra innings...walk off home run...what more could you ask for?"

"I have no idea," Fraser says dryly.

Ray punches him on the shoulder. "You - my fine Canadian friend - need to learn how to appreciate a good baseball game."

"Yes, well, maybe I do at-"

"Fraser, hey. Hold up," Ray says, and then he's pulling his glasses out of his jacket pocket and slipping them on his face. "What's going on over there?"

The curtains inside Anna Jordan's house billow, and then there is the silhouette of a woman standing in the window. Fraser watches as she lights something, then leans over to touch the tip of the flame to a candle. When it catches flame, she steps back again into the shadows.

"She's waiting for him," Ray says quietly, and Fraser nods. "I feel kinda bad, waiting out here for our guy to show up, when she probably knows nothing about the kind of creep he is. She has no idea he's wanted for questioning by the police, or anything that's been going on. She's just waiting for him to come home tonight." Ray shakes his head slowly. "Some people don't know anything except for the way they feel. They can have all these clues right in front of them, but if they love someone that's it. There's nothing else."

The air is suddenly too thick in the car, and Fraser rolls down the window to let in some of the cool night air.

"Hey," Ray says, reaching over to pat Fraser's shoulder. "You ok over there?"

"Fine, yes. Thank you." Fraser runs a hand quickly over his forehead. "It just felt a little stuffy in here for a moment."

"Yeah, it is kinda hot," Ray says, and rolls his window down a crack. "So. Baseball game is over. It's what - 11:30?"

Fraser glances down at his watch. "Just past."

"Ok. So. We can play cards-"

"Aren't we supposed to be watching the house?"

Ray flaps his hand around in the air. "Yeah, we'll be able to see what's going on. So - cards?"

Fraser thinks back to their last card game. How he watched Ray play cards, with his tie loosened, and the small cut on his face from jumping through the skylight earlier in the night. Fraser remembers how his throat felt so tight that night that he couldn't have spoken even if he'd known what to say. So he said nothing and they played for air, and when Ray took him home Fraser stepped from the car and cursed himself silently for yet one more wasted opportunity.

"Not cards," Fraser says, shaking his head.

"Fine. Ok. No cards. I just have to do something or I'm gonna fall asleep out here all night, and no way am I doing that." Ray points a finger at Fraser again. "Don't let me fall asleep, got it?"

"Understood."

"Ok. So..." Ray slouches in his seat. "Wanna play some music?"

"No, I think I'm-"

"Sing?"

"Really, Ray. I don't think-"

"Read the paper?"

"Maybe we should just-"

"Jesus - fine! We'll do nothing," Ray says, frustrated, and slouches further back into his seat. "You don't want to do anything, we won't do anything. We'll just sit here, all quiet like, until you think of something good to do, ok, Frase?"

5:47 P.M.

Diefenbaker sniffs at his food and noses his water dish to the side, whining pitifully under his breath.

"Not eating or drinking won't convince me to take you with us, nor will it benefit you in the long run," Fraser says. He sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls his work boots on, lacing them up and tying them tightly. "We'll be in a car for close to 12 hours and it will be cramped enough with just the two of us."

There is a knock at the front door of the Consulate, and Dief whines low in his throat. "Hush," Fraser says, pointing a finger and grabbing his jacket on the way out. "I'll expect you to have a good night and I'll see you when I get home."

Fraser pulls the door closed behind him, and makes his way to the front of the Consulate. Ray is still knocking, and when Fraser opens the door Ray grins at him and shoves his hand in his pocket.

"Hey, Frase."

Fraser smiles back. "Hello, Ray."

"You ready to hit it?" Ray asks, and jerks his head toward the GTO parked in the street.

"I am, yes," Fraser answers, and turns to lock up the Consulate after him.

Ray's waiting at the car by the time Fraser finishes, holding the passenger door open and tapping his foot in the street. "Pitter patter, Frase."

The sun shines brightly, still a few hours away from setting, and as Fraser meets Ray at the car, Ray smiles at him and Fraser marvels at how much he loves this man.

"You ready?" Ray asks.

Fraser smiles back. "Yes, I'm ready," he says, and lowers himself into the car.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

beledibabe.livejournal.com

Does it make *sense*?

Does it *make* sense?

Hell, yeah!

And in addition, while making complete and utter sense, it's also charming and lovely and sad in that middle-of-the-night way, and I love it to bits!

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Darkest Before Dawn Challenge

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