Fraser is watching Ray flow upward onto a desk, as though the law of gravity is second-rate by comparison
Beautiful and so vivid.
"Ray." Fraser is trying not to be sick, trying to blink the salt of tears and sweat out of his eyes.
Oh, Jesus.
"I can't," Ray chants. "I can't. I can't." He makes a small, desperate sound. "There's not enough left."
Poor sweet boy. All busted in pieces, and here's Dief breaking through to what's left.
Love Fraser throwing Ray over his shoulder and hauling him away. Such a primitive and necessary image.
"You walked. I ran. What you been doing for the last nine months?"
"Paperwork, mostly."
Ray laughs sharply, "Jesus, you poor bastard!"
!!! Blackest of black humor. Delicious.
Fraser finds himself staring transfixed at the bed, dozing on his feet
Heheh. I love that we don't hear his thoughts, but we know what he's thinking, sure enough.
Dief waits patiently, play-snapping at the spray and shredding a wash cloth while Fraser washes himself
For some reason this image of Fraser and Dief in the shower just killed me. So much familiarity, maybe—they are a unit, so much so that of course Dief, unlike dogs, would love playing in the water.
"The veneer of civilisation is very thin. Are you hungry?"
Not really a non sequitur. Wonderful.
The back of Ray's neck. The soft point of his hairline narrowing down into the pale column of it. The gentle slope of Ray's neck into lean, tense shoulders... Fraser gently presses his face to the back of Ray's neck, and takes a long, slow breath, and does not weep.
Kilt me. Beautiful imagery that so perfectly imparts Ray's vulnerability and Fraser's caring.
"It's the secret of the labyrinth, Fraser. If you keep one hand on the wall, no matter how many turns or dead ends you get to, the wall will eventually lead you out."
Lost, he got so lost.
Fraser buries his face into the corner of Ray's jaw, near the spot where the Beretta's muzzle pressed against the skin.
Aiii!
"This," Ray declares, "this you can have, Ben. Me." He shifts a little, nuzzles against the side of Fraser's face. "You can hold on, Ben. I won't break."
He won't. He has such a depth of strength.
"I shouldn't have run. I shoulda had the guts to stick around, but I ran. I am so sorry I put you through this, Ben!"
He shouldn't have. They both fucked up, and were so lucky they were both strong enough to pull it out in the end.
What a tremendous story! Thank you so much for writing it.
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Beautiful and so vivid.
"Ray." Fraser is trying not to be sick, trying to blink the salt of tears and sweat out of his eyes.
Oh, Jesus.
"I can't," Ray chants. "I can't. I can't." He makes a small, desperate sound. "There's not enough left."
Poor sweet boy. All busted in pieces, and here's Dief breaking through to what's left.
Love Fraser throwing Ray over his shoulder and hauling him away. Such a primitive and necessary image.
"You walked. I ran. What you been doing for the last nine months?"
"Paperwork, mostly."
Ray laughs sharply, "Jesus, you poor bastard!"
!!! Blackest of black humor. Delicious.
Fraser finds himself staring transfixed at the bed, dozing on his feet
Heheh. I love that we don't hear his thoughts, but we know what he's thinking, sure enough.
Dief waits patiently, play-snapping at the spray and shredding a wash cloth while Fraser washes himself
For some reason this image of Fraser and Dief in the shower just killed me. So much familiarity, maybe—they are a unit, so much so that of course Dief, unlike dogs, would love playing in the water.
"The veneer of civilisation is very thin. Are you hungry?"
Not really a non sequitur. Wonderful.
The back of Ray's neck. The soft point of his hairline narrowing down into the pale column of it. The gentle slope of Ray's neck into lean, tense shoulders... Fraser gently presses his face to the back of Ray's neck, and takes a long, slow breath, and does not weep.
Kilt me. Beautiful imagery that so perfectly imparts Ray's vulnerability and Fraser's caring.
"It's the secret of the labyrinth, Fraser. If you keep one hand on the wall, no matter how many turns or dead ends you get to, the wall will eventually lead you out."
Lost, he got so lost.
Fraser buries his face into the corner of Ray's jaw, near the spot where the Beretta's muzzle pressed against the skin.
Aiii!
"This," Ray declares, "this you can have, Ben. Me." He shifts a little, nuzzles against the side of Fraser's face. "You can hold on, Ben. I won't break."
He won't. He has such a depth of strength.
"I shouldn't have run. I shoulda had the guts to stick around, but I ran. I am so sorry I put you through this, Ben!"
He shouldn't have. They both fucked up, and were so lucky they were both strong enough to pull it out in the end.
What a tremendous story! Thank you so much for writing it.