Double-take challenge by zillah

[visionshadows.livejournal.com]

Title: Satisfies the Soul
Word Count: 1,414. Er. Slightly over there. Oops.
Pairing: RayK, Fraser; preslash if you squint a bit.

Thanks to dayse for telling me that I wasn't off base and it was funny. Her squinty, mIRC beta jobs are the best. ;) Also, thank you to the Dead Kennedys for writing Too Drunk to Fuck. Which was the working title for this fic before it stopped um. being about that.



Satisfies the Soul


The ringing phone at 2am had been an unpleasant shock to Ray’s system. His brain had still been cobwebby from a fun dream about Jennifer Aniston, some honey, and a whole lot of free time, but he had managed to scribble down an address and register that the voice on the other end said that Fraser needed a ride.

So Ray had thrown on clothes and drove across town for unpleasant shock number two. He now stood in front of a seedy strip club – a seedy male strip club called Manhandler – and tried to determine whether or not he’d inverted a number somewhere because Fraser did not go to strip clubs. Ray didn’t even want to think about the male part right now.

The bouncer, a meaty looking guy wearing chaps and chain mail, was eyeing him up like he was lunch. Ray sighed a little and looked around, spotting Dief lying behind the bouncer, comfortable as can be on a little rainbow mat.

Well shit. Apparently Fraser really was at a seedy (male) strip club and needed a ride.

Ray walked over to the bouncer, bracing himself when he saw Dief leap up and bound over to him to lick his face.

“You must be here for the Mountie,” the bouncer said in a rough voice, still eyeing Ray. “Said the wolf would know you.”

“I guess I am.” Ray looked around again. “Is he … here?”

The bouncer snorted and chucked a thumb at the door. “He’s usually in the back left corner with Ricky.” The bouncer winked. “He’s the Mountie’s favourite.”

Ray paused. “He has a favourite?”

“He is here three, four times a week.”

Dief nuzzled Ray’s knee before stretching back out on his rainbow mat behind the bouncer. Ray noticed two bowls tucked in Dief’s little hiding spot back there, most likely kibble and some water. They liked Dief apparently.

“Thanks.” Ray surreptitiously pinched himself. This had to be a dream. No way was Fraser a fucking regular at a seedy (male) strip club.

“No problem. The Mountie is a good guy. Most polite drunk you’d ever want to run across.”

Ray decided he was tired of unpleasant shocks and just let the drunk comment slip on by. He nodded to the bouncer, attempted to cover his crotch with his jacket, and stepped inside. He could feel the bouncer’s eyes on his ass.

The place wasn’t as seedy as Ray had expected. It was clean and furnished with nice sofas and a stage that was lit softly with red lights. Apparently he’d visited the wrong strip clubs (female of course) after his divorce.

The stripper onstage caught his eye and Ray stopped to watch. He felt his face heat up when he realized he was watching a male stripper who was a lot better looking than he expected. That thought shook him enough to get moving again, to find Fraser and get the hell out of here before his dick woke up and realized he was around a whole lot of bare skin.

Sure enough, Ray spotted Fraser in the back left corner with an almost naked man sitting on his lap. And Fraser didn’t look all that upset about it. The closer Ray got, the more he could see that Fraser actually looked happy and comfortable, talking to a stripper who was sitting on his lap.

“Fraser,’ Ray said quietly. “Yo, Frase.”

The almost naked man (could that even be considered a bikini brief?) stood up, smiling. “Oh you must be Ray! I’ve heard so much about you.”

Ray stopped staring at his crotch and noticed the extended hand. “Yeah.” He shook it quickly. “You’re … Ricky?”

“Yes.” Ricky looked pleased that Ray knew his name. “We were so sorry to wake you, but Ben needs a ride home.”

“Ben?”

Fraser tilted his head back, a goofy grin on his face and his eyes slightly glazed over. “Hi Ray.”

“Hey Fraser.” Ray spoke as calmly as possible, reaching out to squeeze Fraser’s shoulder. “Wow we’ve got a lot to talk about when you’re sober.” He looked at Ricky. “How much as he had tonight?”

“The usual,” Ricky said with a flippant wave of his hand. “A couple of beers, a few shots. Did you do body shots with the guys tonight, Ben?”

Fraser shook his head lazily, one hand caressing Ricky’s thigh. Ricky didn’t look at all put out and Ray tried to figure how much Fraser had to pay to get touching privileges.

“How does he usually get home?”

“Taxi,” Ricky said. “But we, I mean Buster mostly, thought that we, I mean he, should call you. That was Buster who called.”

“Who is Buster?” Ray felt a headache forming behind his eyes. Fraser, meanwhile, had picked up a beer and was drinking it like a champ.

“The bouncer. He and Dief are great friends and Dief was saying how it would save Ben a lot of money if you picked them up. Did you know most cabs won’t take wolves?”

“I did.” Ray pinched himself again just in case. Nope. Still in a strip club talking to a stripper while Fraser drained a beer. “Uh. Thanks for calling.”

Ricky leaned in a little, grinning. “I think Buster just wanted to meet you. He fancies the blond guys.”

“It’s not natural,” Ray said automatically.

Ricky just laughed and picked up Fraser’s Stetson. “$40 tonight then?”

Fraser nodded, finishing his beer and setting it back on the table. Ricky fished two crisp twenties from Fraser’s hat before placing it carefully on Fraser’s head. Ray just watched, his jaw open.

“Night, Ben,” Ricky said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek lightly. He straightened up again, tucking the bills into his bikini strap. “Nice to finally meet you, Ray.”

“Yeah.” Ray glared at him a little. “Don’t let him drink like that again.”

Ricky just smiled coyly and walked away, his bare ass swaying to the music. Ray looked at Fraser who was looking at Ricky’s ass.

“Oh Christ,” Ray muttered, grabbing Fraser by the arms. “Okay. Pitter, patter. Let’s get at ‘er.”

“Ray,” Fraser said, still smiling. “Ray, my very good friend. Do you like strippers?”

“Not as much as you do apparently,” Ray said, grunting a little under Fraser’s weight. Fraser found that hilarious and began to laugh, leaning heavily against Ray. “Jeez, Fraser. Little help here?”

Fraser managed to straighten up and put a serious expression on his face. It lasted all of ten seconds before Fraser started to laugh again. He slung an arm over Ray’s shoulder and started towards the door, swaying as he walked.

Somehow, they got outside without incident, though Fraser did tip his hat to everyone he saw and said goodbye to as many of the strippers as he could as personally as he could. The bouncer – Ray could not call him Buster, even in his head – shook Fraser’s hand and leered at Ray’s ass.

Dief’s toenails tapped against the cement as he followed them to the GTO. Ray leaned Fraser against the side of the car as he opened the door. Dief jumped into the back and Ray maneuvered Fraser into the front seat. Fraser looked up at him happily.

“I like strippers.”

“I got that memo.”

Ray got into the driver’s seat and looked over at Fraser who was just smiling at him happily. Ray shook his head and started the car. As he pulled away from the curb, Fraser began to sing softly, his words slurring together so Ray had no idea what he was saying just that he was saying it musically.

“Look, Frase,” Ray said after a little while. “It’s not that strippers aren’t good, clean fun every once in awhile, but going every night and getting trashed while you are there is not good, clean fun. Got it?”

“I don’t fuck them,” Fraser slurred.

Ray’s hands jerked at Fraser’s curse and he quickly corrected their path so he wasn’t driving on the wrong side of the road. “Shit, tell a guy before you curse, Frase. I might kill us next time.”

“I just want to … feel,” Fraser said, his eyes closing. “Something. Anything.”

“Hey, hey,” Ray said firmly, putting his hand on Fraser’s leg and squeezing. “You don’t gotta go to strippers for that.”

Fraser rested his hand on top of Ray’s, his eyes still closed. “That so?”

“Yeah,” Ray said, looking at the road. He swallowed over the lump on his throat. “You got me.”