Mendacity Challenge (Amnesty)

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

That was so fun the first time that I had to try it again. And thanks again to the welcome wagon! This one is post-COTW.

Pairing: Fraser/RayK
Rating: mild cussing
about 570 words



The dogs didn't want to stop, but they would be sheltered from the wind here and now was as good a time as any. Benton signaled a break and set out to clear his conscience.

"Ray," he said firmly, peering between his companion's hat and scarf to find the underlying squint, "I have a confession to make. I'm afraid I have to some extent practiced on your innocence."

"Did what on my what now?"

"Practiced on your innocence. The truth is–-"

"Sorry, I think I got snow in my ears."

"The truth is, it's highly unlikely that we'll find Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. Well. We won't find it." He leaned forward, enunciating as clearly as he could through lips sluggish with cold. "Equipped as we are, a mere two-man team, our chances are more or less nil."

"Nil?"

"Nil. And I shouldn't have allowed you to think otherwise. That's why all my colleagues greeted the news of our plans with -- well, you may have noticed an odd undercurrent to their reactions."

"Uh..."

"And why Sergeant Frobisher kept making those peculiar facial expressions."

"Oh, I thought that was 'cause of his..."

"No, no." They waved that subject away by mutual agreement. "He was suppressing comment, like the others. Because you see, Ray, the task we have set ourselves is impossible."

"Okay, so, if you think it's pointless, why'd you go along with it?"

A fair question. He squared his shoulders. "The truth is, I've had little opportunity as an adult to share in the kind of close friendship, camaraderie, that I enjoyed in Chicago with Ray Vecchio and subsequently with yourself. After you leave, I anticipate being quite ... lonely." He wasn't supposed to say it; had never been supposed to; it wasn't supposed to matter. He got it out and moved on.

"I wouldn't have asked you to stay, but given that you suggested it, were so enthusiastic, Ray, I couldn't resist the temptation. Do you see?"

Ray raised a hand to his face and scratched just under the scarf, or tried to. Mittens. "Yep."

"You understand?"

"Yeah, I get it."

"...Ah. Well. Are you..."

"Now see if you get this. I am not a moron, okay?"

Ray leaned forward and poked Fraser in the chest. Fine, it was more like his glove under a mitten poked a parka over a bunch of sweaters and thermals on top of that goofy red union suit, but when a Kowalski has a point to make, you feel it.

"I know we're not gonna make the Discovery Channel, here. I mean, I do know we are not actually gonna find some dead frozen guy sticking out of a glacier. I realize this whole thing is more like a metaphor for man's quixotic yearning for open-ended adventure similar to the quest for the Holy Grail but embedded in Canada’s particular cultural history."

Yeah homes, he'd memorized that one in case anyone gave him ... dammit, now Fraser was looking at him like he'd invented hockey.

"That was beautiful, Ray."

"Aw, jeez, is it the syllables you get all hot over or the grammar?"

"Both, I suppose," Fraser said absently.

Pause. Uneasy whuffling from the dogs.

"Okay, when I said, 'get hot,' you know I didn't mean..."

"Naturally, I assumed what you would call a symbolic..."

They stared at each other.

Ice cracked on a frozen inlet, forty miles away.

Comments

[mondschein1.livejournal.com]

Aww, the boys are so cute.

"That was beautiful, Ray."

"Aw, jeez, is it the syllables you get all hot over or the grammar?"

That is so dS. Go you!

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

thanks, it's inspired by a bit in Dead Men Don't Throw Rice. "...to absolve yourself of any responsibility or connection to said vehicle?"

[mondschein1.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, that it is. *tips hat*

[lorem_ipsum]

"I have a confession to make. I'm afraid I have to some extent practiced on your innocence."
[...]
"Sorry, I think I got snow in my ears."

hee!

Ray leaned forward and poked Fraser in the chest. Fine, it was more like his glove under a mitten poked a parka over a bunch of sweaters and thermals on top of that goofy red union suit, but when a Kowalski has a point to make, you feel it.

*hearts paragraph*

"I know we're not gonna make the Discovery Channel, here. I mean, I do know we are not actually gonna find some dead frozen guy sticking out of a glacier. I realize this whole thing is more like a metaphor for man's quixotic yearning for open-ended adventure similar to the quest for the Holy Grail but embedded in Canada’s particular cultural history."

*hearts paragraph*

"Aw, jeez, is it the syllables you get all hot over or the grammar?"
"Both, I suppose," Fraser said absently.
Pause. Uneasy whuffling from the dogs.
"Okay, when I said, 'get hot,' you know I didn't mean..."
"Naturally, I assumed what you would call a symbolic..."
They stared at each other.

*hearts the boys*


Ice cracked on a frozen inlet, forty miles away.

yay!

Oops, I quoted almost the whole thing.

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

I love you people. I really do.
*hearts ds_flashfiction*

[mei-x.livejournal.com]

This is great! The dialogue is really clever and true to the spirit of the show.

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

yay!

[bluebrocade.livejournal.com]

homes!!! ROTFL

hee! Love it. Great RayK voice!!

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

thank you! at least "homes" is canon...

[china_shop]

"And why Sergeant Frobisher kept making those peculiar facial expressions."

"Oh, I thought that was 'cause of his..."

"No, no." They waved that subject away by mutual agreement.

This is such a perfect moment, and the whole thing is pretty damned wonderful. Yay! :)

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

you know, that's not the kind of joke I'd normally make, but it just seemed right for them. thank you!

[lilac-one.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I could so see Ray and Fraser having this conversation. I especially love this:

Aw, jeez, is it the syllables you get all hot over or the grammar?"

[grey853.livejournal.com]

I loved this. It's so DUE SOUTH, so very much like how they might speak. Great job.

[akite.livejournal.com]

Oh! Excellent Ray voice there! I really enjoyed this.

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

You have a great collection of icons, there, akite.

[sam80853.livejournal.com]

"That was beautiful, Ray."

"Aw, jeez, is it the syllables you get all hot over or the grammar?"

Heehee...

[vienna-waits.livejournal.com]

Because no one's quoted this part yet: Fine, it was more like his glove under a mitten poked a parka over a bunch of sweaters and thermals on top of that goofy red union suit, but when a Kowalski has a point to make, you feel it.

I love that sentence and would like to marry it.

Clearly you are very good at this whole DS fic-writing thing. Loved this. Go you!

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

The sentence said to tell you it's on the market....

[mergatrude.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! I loved this. I have a big kink for smart!Ray. Also for when his mouth runs faster than his brain. This made me grin hugely. Thank you.

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

I've been staring at this wondering what happened to all my comment replies and then I realized this was waywaywayback at the very beginning when a lot of people didn't answer their comments on ds_flashfiction so I wasn't sure if you were supposed to, and thought maybe answering all of them would look bumptious and egotistical in some way. But it's really strange now to see these nice things said by people who ended up being pals of mine and to have not said anything back!

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

Thank you all, again. I got carried away and posted a full ending on my LJ if anybody's interested. There's actual physical contact. Okay, not much.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Aw. I love Ray coming out with his practiced answer and throwing Fraser for a loop. And the craft of the ending is lovely.

[azamiko.livejournal.com]

Hahah! XD

[joandarck.livejournal.com]

Aw, one of my very first, and I loved this one! Still do.

[vickitub.livejournal.com]

Beautiful