ds_flashfiction | Five Things challenge by slinkling

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With many thanks to

kassrachel for a kickass beta job.

Title: Five Things Ray Wishes Would Happen Right This Second (or: Run, Kowalski, Run)
Author:

slinkling
Characters: Fraser/RayK
Rating: NC17
Length: 1600 words

Five Things Ray Wishes Would Happen Right This Second
(or: Run, Kowalski, Run)

1.
“But a hunch does not constitute knowledge!” Fraser’s yelling, and Ray’s yelling back, “Are you telling me you haven’t ever just known something in your gut?” and with them both shouting over each other, Ray doesn’t even hear the phone. Fraser has to point it out to him – “If I may, Mr. Intuition, I believe that’s your cellular telephone ringing,” like he can’t possibly say it the way a human being would – and Ray would rather shove the phone down Fraser’s throat than talk to anybody. But then he realizes that he has a chance here to talk to a person who isn’t Fraser, and that by itself is reason enough to flip the phone open and answer.

“Vecchio,” he says.

“Not for long,” comes the reply, and Welsh’s voice sounds uncommonly cheerful. “We just got the word. The real Ray Vecchio is on his way back to us, and everything’s cleared up over there, so you’re off the hook. You can go back to being you again.”

Ray holds the phone to his ear and looks at Fraser, stunned out of his fury. He blinks. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Welsh says. “You’re free to go. Whenever you want. You don’t even need to file any paperwork, we took care of it already.”

Ray feels himself start to grin. “No fucking way.”

“My word of honor, Kowalski. And hey, good job here. I know it hasn’t always been easy, and I want you to know that I appreciate it. In fact, I appreciate it so much that I’ve arranged for you to get a long paid vacation, just so you can ease your way into whatever you decide to do next.”

Fraser’s watching him impatiently, but Ray smiles and turns his back. “Wow. Thanks. That’s really great to hear.”

“It’s my pleasure,” says Welsh. “Listen, by the way, ASA Kowalski’s been looking all over for you. She says she needs you. Between you and me, she was looking distraught. As though she finally realized she had made a terrible mistake in letting you go.”
***

2.
“Are you telling me you haven’t ever just known something in your gut?”

“I know a thing when I’ve seen logical proof of it,” Fraser sputters. “And this very conversation is logical proof that we cannot remain partners.” He takes a deep breath, then continues. “So I might as well tell you. I’m going back to Canada.”

It is so like Fraser to try a drastic change of subject when an argument isn’t going his way, that for a beat Ray doesn’t even realize what he’s said. But then it sinks in. “When the fuck did this happen?”

“Very recently. I finalized the arrangements this morning.” Fraser runs a finger over his eyebrow and sneaks a glance at Ray before looking away. “I’ll be gone in a few days.”

“What, so that’s it? You’re just leaving?” Ray does not add, You quitter. You fucking coward, because he is magnanimous like that.

“I’m afraid so. I intend to move to my father’s old cabin, which as you know is situated in the middle of the tundra. It’s the kind of cold, logical place where I so manifestly belong.”

A part of Ray clenches and twists inside at these words, a piece of him that wants to reach out and say, Hey, come on, don’t be like that. But another, larger piece of him feels a burden lifting, like there’s suddenly light at the end of a long, frustrating, uptight, Canadian, and frankly fucking weird tunnel. He doesn’t have to work this out anymore! He’s free!

“Well, fine, if that’s the way you want it,” Ray says. “Good luck to you, Fraser.”
***

3.
“I know a thing when I’ve seen logical proof of it,” Fraser sputters, the same damn line he’s been spouting all day, and Ray’s anger boils up to the point where he can’t contain it anymore. “Say one more fucking word and I swear I will punch you in the head,” he warns, and Fraser says, “Oh for goodness’ sake, Ray,” in his most superior tone, and the coil and release of force as Ray draws back and pops Fraser in the jaw is like steam screaming out of a kettle; he couldn’t hold that punch back if he tried.

Fraser shuts up, finally, and his eyes narrow as he feels his jaw and works it around a little. “So that’s how you want it?” he asks darkly, and the next thing Ray knows, Fraser throws a punch right back. He hits Ray just below his left eye, so hard it knocks him off balance. Ray shakes it off, and the raging energy that surges through him is almost like joy.

They let loose at each other then, and it’s not any civilized sparring, it’s an all-out brawl. Ray pummels Fraser with his fists; Fraser drives into Ray with a shoulder to the gut. Ray takes a hard punch to the eye that makes his vision go blurry, and Fraser seizes advantage of the moment to twist him around, try to get him in a headlock. Ray blinks blood from his eye and slams his elbow straight back into Fraser’s nose. Fraser grabs him around the waist and they go sprawling into the dirt, where Fraser holds him down and gets a few punches in, but he’s got blood streaming down his face from his smashed nose and when he pauses to wipe it away Ray manages to roll them over. For a while he’s just whaling on Fraser, but then Fraser throws dirt in his eyes and rolls them over again, and it keeps on going like that. First one of them on top, then the other, and they beat on each other and beat on each other until there’s nothing left in them.
***

4.
“Logical proof,” Ray snarls, and steps forward, his fists clenched. “You want logic? You want me to prove something to you?”

Fraser comes forward too and leans into Ray’s space, like Ray’s going to be intimidated by the big bad Mountie. Tension pours off him; his nostrils flare. “Yes, Ray,” he hisses. “If you have some actual facts for me, I’d like that very much.”

They are nose to nose now, breathing heavily. Sweating a little, all revved up, blood pumping. “You,” Ray says, jabbing him in the chest, “are so wrapped up in your stupid logic that you wouldn’t know a gut reaction if it bit you in the ass.”

Fraser raises one eyebrow. “Prove it.”

Ray has just a second to think, Does he even *know* what that sounds like? before Fraser pulls him into the hottest, wettest, filthiest kiss Ray has ever experienced. Fraser’s tongue has gone places and explored things Ray doesn’t even want to imagine, but he’s feeling it now, that tongue is fucking laying claim to Ray’s mouth, like it could plant a goddamn flag. And they’re scrabbling at each other and they’re both so hard, so desperate, and when Ray finally makes it past the damn uniform and gets his hand wrapped around Fraser’s dick, and Fraser makes this whining noise like all logic has just fallen to the bottom of the lake they call Michigan, it’s all Ray can do not to come right there. Instead he backs Fraser up against the Goat, and Fraser’s working Ray’s jeans open too, he’s, oh god, Fraser’s hand is right there and Ray can’t help pushing into it, but he has to keep control of this thing so he reaches his other hand around and just grabs Fraser’s ass, like fiercely, while he jacks him faster. And apparently the message gets through, because Fraser groans and shudders and comes in hot spurts all over Ray’s hand, and Ray’s gonna come any second, any second now, and he knows there is no more logic, logic’s done.
***

5.
“But some things you can’t prove!” Ray yells. “You either know them or you don’t! I’ve been saying this all day, only you never listen!”

“I’ve been trying to respond to every point you’ve made,” Fraser begins, but Ray cuts him off.

“No, that is exactly it, you hear the points and not the thing! There’s a whole larger thing being expressed here!” He doesn’t mean to be saying all this, but he has to. He just has to let it out.

“And what on earth is that thing supposed to be?”

Ray is ready to cry, it’s so obvious. “I’m in love with you, you dumb fuck!”

Fraser says nothing at all, and Ray turns around, tries to gather himself so he can storm off home and get as drunk as possible. Because it’s all wrong, he knew it was all wrong. And now he’s destroyed their partnership too, as much as they had one. He can’t look at Fraser, can’t bear to see pity or disgust or confusion in his eyes, so he wipes his hands over his face, squares his shoulders – and then he feels Fraser’s hand on his back. Fraser standing very close behind him.

“Ray, I… I didn’t know,” Fraser says softly. “Which I suppose only proves your point. But you must have guessed, with all your intuition, that I’ve loved you all this time. That I still do. I’m yours, Ray.”

And Ray turns to him and sinks against Fraser’s broad chest, feels strong arms wrap around him. Fraser strokes his hair. “It’s alright, Ray,” Fraser murmurs. “I’ve got you. Everything’s going to be alright now.”
***

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From:

kassrachel.livejournal.com

Yay!

I'm so glad you posted this. It makes me really happy. I love the Run, Lola, Run quality of it -- and though in a sense these are all AUs of one another, different ways things could branch from that initial moment, I choose to read them as do-overs, such that the last one is the one that's "real."

:-)

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Five Things challenge by slinkling

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