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[akite.livejournal.com]

Ok, this is the one I intended to post for the challenge. The Dief thing ambushed me.
...

It doesn't happen every night, just every three or four days. No matter how arduous our day sledding over the ice and snow, Ray sits up a little longer by the fire. His reckoning is that it gives me time to go to sleep. If I were as prudish as he believes I am, I'd probably appreciate his discretion.

The first time was our second night out. We set up camp and fed the dogs and ourselves. I turned to Ray and asked, "Ready for bed?"

I thought at the time that I imagined his flush. I told myself it was wind burn or the way fire cast light on his face. He looked away and said, "Not yet. You go ahead, Fraser."

"All right, Ray, if you're sure."

Later, I'm not sure how long; he entered the tent quietly and shed the outer layers of his clothing. I was dozing, not quite asleep yet as he slid into his sleeping bag. I thought he was just trying to find a comfortable position in which to sleep, the long sigh I heard was surely him finding it. I drifted for a few moments then heard a choked off sound that I thought might be distress.

I turned to him to ask if there were something wrong, and he stilled.
I slept soundly after that and thought nothing more of it until three nights later when Ray again sat up at the fire after I retired.

That night I asked him if something was the matter. He replied, "Nah, just want to be by myself for a little while and think about stuff."

"Quite right. Good night." Perfectly understandable to me at the time.

I blame my own curiosity for what I overheard when he came to bed. I willing feigned sleep even after he softly called my name. I heard the rustle of Ray preparing himself for sleep. I heard the long sigh as he settled in. I was not embarrassed in the least when I realized what the sounds I heard meant. More than anything I wanted to roll over, pull the sleeping bag back and watch. Or help.

Of course, I did no such thing. I lie there until I heard his stifled gasp of completion and willed myself to sleep. Four days later I recognized the signs during the day. Ray had been what he would call twitchy. Very restless. By nightfall I was sure, Ray would sit by the fire. I formulated a plan. The weather had turned colder. As we set up the tent, I casually suggested that we zip our sleeping bags together.

Ray's bowed head came up sharply. "What?"

"To share body heat, Ray. I'd never forgive myself if you should get frostbite or suffer from hypothermia." Reluctantly, he agreed.

Later, I stood and bade him good night. "Come when you're ready," I
said in a fit of stupidity. However, Ray didn't seem to notice my slip at all.

He nodded and replied, "Night, Frase." More than an hour passed before he entered the tent. He slid into his side of the sleeping bag, but he was no where near ready for sleep. Ray tossed and turned, moved and wiggled.

I took a chance. One of the biggest of my life that night. I put my hand out and touched his shoulder. He started in surprise. "It's all right, Ray. I don't mind if you - uh - well, you know."

"Fraser? What are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath and said it. "Masturbation, Ray." I couldn't see his face in the darkness but could well imagine the look.

"What are you saying here? You saying you don't care if I whip it out and beat off a load?"

I cleared my throat and did my best to answer truthfully. "Well, actually I was hoping it to be a bit more than that. I'm more than willing to lend a hand, as it were."

There was much thrashing from Ray's side of the bag as he turned toward me. I felt the heat of his breath on my face just before he kissed me. His lips moved to my ear and I heard him ask softly, "What about next time? You going to be willing then?"

I gently pulled his mouth back to mine. When I finished kissing him until we both were breathless, I answered, "Yes, next time, every time. That is, if you want it."

"Fraser...Ben, you have no idea how much I want it."

"I do, Ray, I do indeed."

Comments

[akite.livejournal.com]

Kissing's good, eh? And vanilla? It's a perfectly fine flavor, IMHO. ::g:: Thanks, Beth.