Dancing Challenge by Aingeal
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ds_flashfictionTitle: Dancing the Dance of Love
Author: Aingeal
Pairings: Vecchio/Irene, Vecchio/Sister Ann (as Annie), Vecchio/Angie, Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: PG
Word count: 2220 in total
Summary: Ray thinks about some of the dances he's shared.
Notes: It's kind of 4 fics in one really. There is a theme (erm...dancing would be it) but the four sections can hopefully stand on their own and are therefore seperated as such. Unbetaed because the deadline is nearing.
Ray had never been very good at dancing. Irene had been right; he couldn’t dance. He couldn’t sweep a woman off her feet and throw her about the dance floor in various passionate embraces. He wasn’t the kind of guy who could do a tango, or a jive, or any of those fancy moves. He was just an ordinary guy with an ordinary skill at dancing.
1975 – Taking The First Step
He'd learnt how to dance in PE class. His teacher had been a dancer, before she became a nun of course, and she had spent most of their PE lessons trying to instil some love of what she called ‘an ancient form of expression and art’. Ray hadn’t seen much point to begin with, he’d sat sullen at the back with the other boys; Marco, Frankie and Nicky. Until Sister Edith had dragged one of them out to dance in front of the class; an act that would ensure the poor forced volunteer faced daily humiliation until the next week when some other boy was picked.
Ray remembered the terrible times he would be picked and the hot blushes as the girls had made fun of his skills and the boys had made fun of the fact he was dancing with a nun. It wasn’t until the last year of junior high that Ray had realised girls liked dancing. It had still been as embarrassing as it had been before but at least if you had done okay the girls wouldn’t have laughed at you, they might even have been a little bit impressed.
It was with this goal in mind that Ray had secretly practiced in his bedroom. He had always done so when his father was out, Ray hadn’t thought he’d understand. Of course try as he could he hadn’t been able to keep out his prying sisters who had tried to sneak a look at what he had been doing doing. He had been alerted by their giggles. Despite the fact Frannie in particular had teased him about it Ray had kept going with it.
It had paid off when he asked Irene to dance. Irene Zuko had been a couple of grades below him but that hadn’t mattered. She had been one of the few girls who hadn’t ignored him; they’d known each other since Elementary school. She had been a sweet girl. She was also Frank Zuko’s sister but that hadn’t bothered Ray. He and Frankie had been friends back then.
That was why when Sister Edith had asked them to choose a partner he’d chosen Irene. She’d said yes, a little shyly, conscious perhaps of her gym skirt. It had been the only lesson where the boys and girls had really mixed. Sister Edith hadn’t seen the same problem as her colleagues. Ray had been grateful to her for that.
He had been taken aback when Irene had tugged him out into the hall, his gym shoes had made a squeak on the floor that had drawn more attention to them than Ray had liked. Still he had tried to ignore the many pairs of eyes on him and had concentrated on regaining his footing. He had tried to encourage Irene to put her arms around his waist but she had preferred it the other way around.
As the music had started Ray had felt himself being pulled around the floor. He remembered hissing to Irene that it was the men who led. With a sigh Irene had let him try. Sadly despite all his practicing he had found it was hard with an actual girl in his arms as he’d stumbled around with two left feet. Irene had grown impatient and had tried to lead again.
It took time, he’d told her to relax many times. As she’d relaxed Ray too had relaxed. They had been still in a hall in school watched by embarrassed friends but they had closed their eyes and they hadn’t been in a hall anymore but in a ballroom. There, away from prying eyes, they had danced to their heart’s content without stumbling or fighting for the lead. Irene would have worn dark blue dress and Ray a suit. It had been just the two of them.
The illusion had lasted as long as the song. When it had finished and Ray had opened his eyes he had found his gym shoe laces undone and Irene had smiled at him. Her smile had somehow softened the insults that had been flung at him by some of the boys who had thought any dancing was for sissies. Ray would have risked a hundred dances with Irene as long as he could have seen her smile.
1977 – Saturday Night Fever
Two years after he’d danced with Irene in PE class his skill hadn’t improved much. He’d lost all interest in dancing once he’d started High School. He had still tried to date girls but the clumsy moves he’d tried out in gym shoes had done nothing to impress girls who had discovered makeup. They had no longer settled for the first boy who had come along. Ray found that out when he tried to ask out Annie that first time, she’d turned him down flat. Ray had needed help.
Help had come in the form of a Friday night trip to the movies with his sister Maria. She’d wanted to and see a film called ‘Saturday Night Fever’ but they’d been out of town when her friends had gone and she had been the only one left not to have seen it. She hadn’t wanted to go alone in case some guy tried it on so Ray had been drafted in as her reluctant bodyguard.
He had been sure he had been going to hate it but then Travolta had appeared strutting his stuff and Ray had been hooked. There had been a guy not afraid to show his confidence and he’d danced too. It hadn’t been the dances Ray had struggled with in junior high but real was adult dancing. It was the kind if dancing Ray had figured would impress Annie and Paula and the rest. He’d barely heard Maria sighing about how dreamy Travolta was on the way home, Ray had had more important plans.
He’d started by expanding his wardrobe. He’d never paid attention to the current fashion before but all of a sudden it had become important. It was an importance that had lasted well into adulthood. Ray had completely changed his style, he’d gorwn his hair out a little, and had made sure he’d looked good. He had at least wanted girls to notice him.
He had practiced his moves in the mirror. His sisters had been at the keyhole and had giggled at him again. His mother had wondered why he’d changed but then she had been philosophical: ‘Boys will be boys’. His father had called him all kinds of names when he’d seen Ray in his new threads. Ray hadn’t paid attention and had gone to hang out at the disco.
It was at the disco, amongst blaring lights and fake smoke, he’d seen Annie. She at least had been impressed with his new style. They’d danced, somewhat awkwardly to the music but it hadn’t been until the Bee Gees had come on that Ray had tried a few more daring moves. Even his peers had been impressed that night.
So he and Annie had started dating. Once a week they’d go to the disco and show off to everyone else. One night they had got a standing ovation and Ray had kissed Annie in front of the rest of the guys. That had been enough to impress Nicky Stango who gave Ray use of his parent’s basement while they were away. That night had been the last time Ray had gone to the disco with Annie.
1986 A Wedding Tradition
Ray had been so nervous on his wedding day, not so much for the wedding ceremony but for the tradition after it – the first dance.
The seventies had come and gone and the disco that had seen Ray through to adulthood had been replaced by strange new sounds, it was different music and Ray had found he couldn’t really dance to it. He had been feeling old even though he had been only twenty six. He’d thought part of it was becoming a cop, working in shifts. He had no longer had time to go dancing.
He and Angie hadn’t even been able to go dancing on their first date. They’d just sat in Ray’s old beat up Cadillac and eaten doughnuts. They’d both got off their shift and had been too tired to actually go anywhere. But it had been nice, just the two of them. They’d had their first kiss. Angie had tasted of sugar and jam and Ray had clumsily hit the steering wheel with his arm. Yet it had been perfect. A few months later Ray had proposed.
The ceremony had been over quickly, at least it had seemed quick to Ray as he’d spoken the lines that he’d practised over and over in his bedroom along with his rusty dance moves. Francesca had found the whole thing of Ray saying love, honour and obey at the time as twirling around in front of the mirror most amusing.
It had been at the reception when the cue was for the bride and groom to have their first dance that Ray had frozen. Angie had had to drag him out to the dance floor, her large dress crinkling as Ray took her into his arms. She had looked so beautiful, all dressed in white. Her confident smile had helped to reassure him.
They’d danced slowly, nothing fancy, just a slow, gentle dance. Ray couldn’t even remember the song he’d just been trying not to step on Angie’s dress or her toes. She hadn’t seemed to worry. She’d even brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his shoulder as they twirled around the dance floor, both mothers had had tears in their eyes, one father had headed toward the bar.
When the music had stopped Ray had kissed her and there had been the sound of applause and happy sighs. It had been the first of many dances that night and Ray had felt he could get used to it. Sadly after the wedding they would only share a dance the odd time. Their last had been on their last night together.
1996 – A Perfect Balance
Ray still isn’t been sure why Fraser wants to try dancing but whatever keeps his Mountie happy he figures. Dancing with Fraser is a much more pleasurable experience that he’d like to admit. That was once they figure out whose leading this time. Fraser tosses a coin and Ray says heads. As usual it’s tails. Ray is sure the coin is rigged.
It should be awkward, two grown men dancing together, but dancing with Fraser feels natural. He doesn’t have to worry about whether he’s doing it right because he knows instinctively that there’s some unspoken understanding between them that means they flow with each other. He’s not even sure why he knows when to move in perfect counterpoint to Fraser, he just knows.
Fraser would probably tell him some Inuit tale about spirit guides and the astral plane and Ray laughs a little at the thought, he’s laughing in Fraser’s arms. He likes this, holding Fraser and being held by him. There’s no pressure to impress, to show off or any of that. Their only audience is a purportedly deaf wolf who is swaying in time to the music himself. Ray has never had as much fun dancing as he is having with Fraser.
It’s nice to lean in and place a daring kiss on his lover’s lips. There’s never a falter in their steps either, the kiss itself becomes part of their movement. It’s more than just moving their feet, learning steps, their whole bodies are engaged. Everything about them is dancing. Ray’s eyes look into Fraser’s and they are dancing even through the looks they share. It’s a dancing born out of understanding and love. It’s a deeper dance than romance.
They keep dancing even as they stop the movement of a waltz and kiss. They are dancing even as they remove their clothes; Ray is taking off his tie in time to a music known only to the both of them. Dief moves to a quiet corner, recognising he’s playing no part in this dance.
It’s another form of dance as they take to the bed. They are dancing with their whole bodies and enjoying every minute. Ray relaxes as he knows these moves; they’ve practiced them so much. It’s a simple dance they are doing tonight but that doesn’t mean it’s any more unworthy.
Ray is dancing now at a faster temp until that dance suddenly stops and contentment takes its place. Even as they fall into sleep they dance another dance with each other as they know instinctively how to arrange themselves. Ray figures that the dance he has with Fraser is one long dance and he never wants it to end. For this is the dance he has been waiting for all his life.
Author: Aingeal
Pairings: Vecchio/Irene, Vecchio/Sister Ann (as Annie), Vecchio/Angie, Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: PG
Word count: 2220 in total
Summary: Ray thinks about some of the dances he's shared.
Notes: It's kind of 4 fics in one really. There is a theme (erm...dancing would be it) but the four sections can hopefully stand on their own and are therefore seperated as such. Unbetaed because the deadline is nearing.
Ray had never been very good at dancing. Irene had been right; he couldn’t dance. He couldn’t sweep a woman off her feet and throw her about the dance floor in various passionate embraces. He wasn’t the kind of guy who could do a tango, or a jive, or any of those fancy moves. He was just an ordinary guy with an ordinary skill at dancing.
1975 – Taking The First Step
He'd learnt how to dance in PE class. His teacher had been a dancer, before she became a nun of course, and she had spent most of their PE lessons trying to instil some love of what she called ‘an ancient form of expression and art’. Ray hadn’t seen much point to begin with, he’d sat sullen at the back with the other boys; Marco, Frankie and Nicky. Until Sister Edith had dragged one of them out to dance in front of the class; an act that would ensure the poor forced volunteer faced daily humiliation until the next week when some other boy was picked.
Ray remembered the terrible times he would be picked and the hot blushes as the girls had made fun of his skills and the boys had made fun of the fact he was dancing with a nun. It wasn’t until the last year of junior high that Ray had realised girls liked dancing. It had still been as embarrassing as it had been before but at least if you had done okay the girls wouldn’t have laughed at you, they might even have been a little bit impressed.
It was with this goal in mind that Ray had secretly practiced in his bedroom. He had always done so when his father was out, Ray hadn’t thought he’d understand. Of course try as he could he hadn’t been able to keep out his prying sisters who had tried to sneak a look at what he had been doing doing. He had been alerted by their giggles. Despite the fact Frannie in particular had teased him about it Ray had kept going with it.
It had paid off when he asked Irene to dance. Irene Zuko had been a couple of grades below him but that hadn’t mattered. She had been one of the few girls who hadn’t ignored him; they’d known each other since Elementary school. She had been a sweet girl. She was also Frank Zuko’s sister but that hadn’t bothered Ray. He and Frankie had been friends back then.
That was why when Sister Edith had asked them to choose a partner he’d chosen Irene. She’d said yes, a little shyly, conscious perhaps of her gym skirt. It had been the only lesson where the boys and girls had really mixed. Sister Edith hadn’t seen the same problem as her colleagues. Ray had been grateful to her for that.
He had been taken aback when Irene had tugged him out into the hall, his gym shoes had made a squeak on the floor that had drawn more attention to them than Ray had liked. Still he had tried to ignore the many pairs of eyes on him and had concentrated on regaining his footing. He had tried to encourage Irene to put her arms around his waist but she had preferred it the other way around.
As the music had started Ray had felt himself being pulled around the floor. He remembered hissing to Irene that it was the men who led. With a sigh Irene had let him try. Sadly despite all his practicing he had found it was hard with an actual girl in his arms as he’d stumbled around with two left feet. Irene had grown impatient and had tried to lead again.
It took time, he’d told her to relax many times. As she’d relaxed Ray too had relaxed. They had been still in a hall in school watched by embarrassed friends but they had closed their eyes and they hadn’t been in a hall anymore but in a ballroom. There, away from prying eyes, they had danced to their heart’s content without stumbling or fighting for the lead. Irene would have worn dark blue dress and Ray a suit. It had been just the two of them.
The illusion had lasted as long as the song. When it had finished and Ray had opened his eyes he had found his gym shoe laces undone and Irene had smiled at him. Her smile had somehow softened the insults that had been flung at him by some of the boys who had thought any dancing was for sissies. Ray would have risked a hundred dances with Irene as long as he could have seen her smile.
1977 – Saturday Night Fever
Two years after he’d danced with Irene in PE class his skill hadn’t improved much. He’d lost all interest in dancing once he’d started High School. He had still tried to date girls but the clumsy moves he’d tried out in gym shoes had done nothing to impress girls who had discovered makeup. They had no longer settled for the first boy who had come along. Ray found that out when he tried to ask out Annie that first time, she’d turned him down flat. Ray had needed help.
Help had come in the form of a Friday night trip to the movies with his sister Maria. She’d wanted to and see a film called ‘Saturday Night Fever’ but they’d been out of town when her friends had gone and she had been the only one left not to have seen it. She hadn’t wanted to go alone in case some guy tried it on so Ray had been drafted in as her reluctant bodyguard.
He had been sure he had been going to hate it but then Travolta had appeared strutting his stuff and Ray had been hooked. There had been a guy not afraid to show his confidence and he’d danced too. It hadn’t been the dances Ray had struggled with in junior high but real was adult dancing. It was the kind if dancing Ray had figured would impress Annie and Paula and the rest. He’d barely heard Maria sighing about how dreamy Travolta was on the way home, Ray had had more important plans.
He’d started by expanding his wardrobe. He’d never paid attention to the current fashion before but all of a sudden it had become important. It was an importance that had lasted well into adulthood. Ray had completely changed his style, he’d gorwn his hair out a little, and had made sure he’d looked good. He had at least wanted girls to notice him.
He had practiced his moves in the mirror. His sisters had been at the keyhole and had giggled at him again. His mother had wondered why he’d changed but then she had been philosophical: ‘Boys will be boys’. His father had called him all kinds of names when he’d seen Ray in his new threads. Ray hadn’t paid attention and had gone to hang out at the disco.
It was at the disco, amongst blaring lights and fake smoke, he’d seen Annie. She at least had been impressed with his new style. They’d danced, somewhat awkwardly to the music but it hadn’t been until the Bee Gees had come on that Ray had tried a few more daring moves. Even his peers had been impressed that night.
So he and Annie had started dating. Once a week they’d go to the disco and show off to everyone else. One night they had got a standing ovation and Ray had kissed Annie in front of the rest of the guys. That had been enough to impress Nicky Stango who gave Ray use of his parent’s basement while they were away. That night had been the last time Ray had gone to the disco with Annie.
1986 A Wedding Tradition
Ray had been so nervous on his wedding day, not so much for the wedding ceremony but for the tradition after it – the first dance.
The seventies had come and gone and the disco that had seen Ray through to adulthood had been replaced by strange new sounds, it was different music and Ray had found he couldn’t really dance to it. He had been feeling old even though he had been only twenty six. He’d thought part of it was becoming a cop, working in shifts. He had no longer had time to go dancing.
He and Angie hadn’t even been able to go dancing on their first date. They’d just sat in Ray’s old beat up Cadillac and eaten doughnuts. They’d both got off their shift and had been too tired to actually go anywhere. But it had been nice, just the two of them. They’d had their first kiss. Angie had tasted of sugar and jam and Ray had clumsily hit the steering wheel with his arm. Yet it had been perfect. A few months later Ray had proposed.
The ceremony had been over quickly, at least it had seemed quick to Ray as he’d spoken the lines that he’d practised over and over in his bedroom along with his rusty dance moves. Francesca had found the whole thing of Ray saying love, honour and obey at the time as twirling around in front of the mirror most amusing.
It had been at the reception when the cue was for the bride and groom to have their first dance that Ray had frozen. Angie had had to drag him out to the dance floor, her large dress crinkling as Ray took her into his arms. She had looked so beautiful, all dressed in white. Her confident smile had helped to reassure him.
They’d danced slowly, nothing fancy, just a slow, gentle dance. Ray couldn’t even remember the song he’d just been trying not to step on Angie’s dress or her toes. She hadn’t seemed to worry. She’d even brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his shoulder as they twirled around the dance floor, both mothers had had tears in their eyes, one father had headed toward the bar.
When the music had stopped Ray had kissed her and there had been the sound of applause and happy sighs. It had been the first of many dances that night and Ray had felt he could get used to it. Sadly after the wedding they would only share a dance the odd time. Their last had been on their last night together.
1996 – A Perfect Balance
Ray still isn’t been sure why Fraser wants to try dancing but whatever keeps his Mountie happy he figures. Dancing with Fraser is a much more pleasurable experience that he’d like to admit. That was once they figure out whose leading this time. Fraser tosses a coin and Ray says heads. As usual it’s tails. Ray is sure the coin is rigged.
It should be awkward, two grown men dancing together, but dancing with Fraser feels natural. He doesn’t have to worry about whether he’s doing it right because he knows instinctively that there’s some unspoken understanding between them that means they flow with each other. He’s not even sure why he knows when to move in perfect counterpoint to Fraser, he just knows.
Fraser would probably tell him some Inuit tale about spirit guides and the astral plane and Ray laughs a little at the thought, he’s laughing in Fraser’s arms. He likes this, holding Fraser and being held by him. There’s no pressure to impress, to show off or any of that. Their only audience is a purportedly deaf wolf who is swaying in time to the music himself. Ray has never had as much fun dancing as he is having with Fraser.
It’s nice to lean in and place a daring kiss on his lover’s lips. There’s never a falter in their steps either, the kiss itself becomes part of their movement. It’s more than just moving their feet, learning steps, their whole bodies are engaged. Everything about them is dancing. Ray’s eyes look into Fraser’s and they are dancing even through the looks they share. It’s a dancing born out of understanding and love. It’s a deeper dance than romance.
They keep dancing even as they stop the movement of a waltz and kiss. They are dancing even as they remove their clothes; Ray is taking off his tie in time to a music known only to the both of them. Dief moves to a quiet corner, recognising he’s playing no part in this dance.
It’s another form of dance as they take to the bed. They are dancing with their whole bodies and enjoying every minute. Ray relaxes as he knows these moves; they’ve practiced them so much. It’s a simple dance they are doing tonight but that doesn’t mean it’s any more unworthy.
Ray is dancing now at a faster temp until that dance suddenly stops and contentment takes its place. Even as they fall into sleep they dance another dance with each other as they know instinctively how to arrange themselves. Ray figures that the dance he has with Fraser is one long dance and he never wants it to end. For this is the dance he has been waiting for all his life.
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ooc
Date: 2007-07-22 10:21 pm (UTC)Re: ooc
Date: 2007-07-23 09:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 03:06 am (UTC)(It's hard to see "dancing" and not see "dancing" anymore, if you know what I mean!)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 10:09 am (UTC)Glad you enjoyed it.
And I know exactly what you mean.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 10:06 am (UTC)Really, really, really lovely. The flow is superb and the balance between the four parts and the changes that Ray goes through, are so very real.
There's a lot of poignancy in this story and it's very moving. Tender, sweet, but not without a touch of angst and sorrow.
Excellent.
And the prompt that actually came to my mind was 'New Year'. As in each section was a new year, and in each section Ray changed, developed, etc. and the traditional thing is that new year does bring change. (What do you think?)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 10:13 am (UTC)Thank you. I am so glad it worked for you. I was very happy with the way it turned out in the end. And poignancy was what I was aiming for so yay.
And New Year sounds perfect to me. I've added it.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 10:26 am (UTC)And I'm glad that you are happy with it and that what you were aiming for came over.
Oh, good. I'm glad it does.
*Adds*
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 11:16 am (UTC)Yay.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 11:18 am (UTC)I've done it!!!!
http://community.livejournal.com/ncis_gibbsducky/
Not that I could have done it without
no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 06:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-26 10:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-23 08:30 pm (UTC)It's... beautiful.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-24 10:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-24 10:35 am (UTC)Oh yes Ray really would have loved to be Travolta. Hee.
I'm glad there was a touch of bittersweet. I normally fial at that.
And they really are.
Glad you enjoyed it.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 03:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-08 10:32 am (UTC)Thanks for reading.