TEAM ROMANCE: Day 2, "Just Geography"

[china_shop]

Title: Just Geography
Author: brynnmck
Team: Romance
Prompt: "No, you never told me that before."
Pairing(s): Fraser/Vecchio/Kowalski
Length: 24,700 words
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: None
Author's note: Thanks to china_shop for listening to me bitch about how her stupid challenge was killing me *g*, and (so as not to cast blame on the innocent) while this fic was not finished in time for a full beta, catwalksalone and slidellra generously offered their input on a large chunk of it in a very timely fashion, for which I am incredibly grateful. And thanks to everyone on Team Romance for support, commiseration, and squee. You guys are amazing.
Summary: One thing Ray had learned in Canada was that your problems didn't get further away the further north you went; they just got louder.

Once you've read the story, please take a moment to vote in the poll below. Ratings go from 1 (low) to 9 (high), so all you need to do is enter a single number in that range into each text entry box. You'll be able to see the Prompt and Team (Genre) information in the header above.

More details about the voting procedure can be found here.

Just Geography

THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED. ANY FURTHER VOTES WILL NOT BE COUNTED.
[Poll #1077527]
edit: please note that the first question's rating scale SHOULD read "How well does this story fit the team genre? Rate from 9 (totally fits) to 1 (not so much)." Apologies for any confusion.

Comments

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Yay Team Romance! ♥ And yay you! \o/

This a a gorgeous wonderfully satisfying fic. ::happy sigh::

PS

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Um, shouldn't that be affidavit?

[keerawa.livejournal.com]

Well, I finally managed to carve out enough time to read a 25k story, by the simple method of choosing it over sleep. And this story was totally worth it!

This was a tremendous read, sweet with hints of pain, and just incredibly satisfying. I love the way you write Vecchio. I could hear him, so clearly in my head, from the very first moment where he showed up at Kowalski's door with a bottle. Vecchio's slow courtship of Kowalski, when RayK was so obviously seeing himself as a cheap date, was wonderful.

I love what you did with their three homes. RayK all unpacked and messy, until the day when he finally decides to make a real life for himself there with Vecchio. Vecchio's apartment. God, that just crushed me, that empty apartment. And then Fraser's perfect little hand-built cabin, never intended for a man living alone.

The sex was scorchingly hot throughout, and the scene where Fraser came home to find a cooked meal and two sarcastic Rays waiting for him made me so happy!

[bluebrocade.livejournal.com]

Lovely! I don't usually read f/k/v, so I'm really glad I read this one. I liked the approach you took, having it be k/v and then their going to "seduce" Fraser. Or maybe "recruit" is a better word? Hmm. :D Anyway, the bit where Fraser sees K/V kissing...my heart was in my throat. Poor Fraser! And then Kowalski finally, awkwardly, obliquely bringing up the idea of all three of them together -- hee! Very well done. And the actual sex scene...GUHHHHHH.

[mergatrude.livejournal.com]

Hi! I love you! I loved this story to tiny little pieces and my only complain is that it was TOO SHORT! *g*

I loved that Ray decided he'd had enough of freezing to death and wanted to go home. I loved the romance of the Rays. I love in a very big way non-clueless Fraser. This fic makes me very happy. Thank you.

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

So well-constructed and also so very hot. Not to mention funny. And hot.

[verushka70.livejournal.com]

Um. This Just Geography is romance, right? I mean, it was a ds_team_romance job, right? And I'm so into the angst... and I'm probably only, like, halfway done. And I really should not be getting off on all this angst, right? Not if it's really romance.

I find myself questioning my angst... I never felt this way before... Are you trying to turn me romangst?? This is so not fair!

*takes candy*

Yum...

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

I love this. I'm always on the lookout for good RayV/Fraser, and I love Ray/Ray/Fraser, and this was pure hotness, and I loved it, and RayK's pov and...

Yeah. I think it's safe to say I liked it. *g*

[bluebelle789.livejournal.com]

I finished reading this last night early this morning, it was worth staying up for. I don't tend to read much F/V, and this is the first I've read of Ray/Ray, but it was a fantastic read. I loved the Rays together- the way their relationship flourished from tense rivals to being completely devoted to each other made me all warm n' fuzzy inside. I wasn't sure I even wanted Fraser to come into it *g* but I'm glad he did; it just worked so well. :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[hyzenthlay26.livejournal.com]

I just love this story so much, it's the sort that immediately goes into memories and I know I'll enjoy reading again and again and again. Wonderful characterisation of all three of the boys as well as a lovely and very believable take on each of their personal inner demons and how they manage to grow despite/because of them. Knowing these things about them just ups the romance and value of their love even more!

Can I vote *standing ovation*? :)

[abscondinabox.livejournal.com]

GUH. This was fantastic and wonderful and I love it, I love it times a BILLION. Ray and Ray and Fraser always and forever, mm.

[aftertherain.livejournal.com]

I absolutely LOVED this. The first part of the story, with the slow courtship and buildup of tension between Ray and Ray--that's all the best things about romance. The waiting and the imagining and the teasing. ♥

And Vecchio! Taking his time to do it right (especially when he's being seduced by the devil Kowalski, that really takes this story to another level. Oh, boys.

And when you bring Fraser into the mix--(Fraser is like the soy sauce in Chinese takeout. Want to amp up the angst factor? Add Frase! Want to max out the romance? Add Frase!) Yay, icing on the cake!

Completely, heart-warmingly lovely. Thank you for writing this.

I haven't read a DS story in a bit of a while

[kormantic.livejournal.com]

but this is a slice of perfection. Your Kowalski is priceless; and oh, man, Vecchio, the nifty banter, the absolutely genuine affection, the stellar, molten-hot love scenes and when Fraser says, "Just geography", I totally teared up.

F/K/V 4-eva!!!

[loveholic-jh.livejournal.com]

I loved this fic so much... usually a F/K lover, but this -
I just want you to know that you just made my day perfect.
Haven't read much DS fics lately, and now I am aching for more :)
Any plan of writing a sequel? I will worship you.

[akamine_chan]

Loved this. The slow progression of Ray/Ray getting things together...

Ray rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so I can get a goodnight kiss instead of goodnight laid? Hey, that's a real persuasive argument, hold on a minute while I think about the error of my ways."

Loved RayK trying to be an easy date.

Loved the seduction of Fraser, and

And he didn't think about what the hell they were doing until he heard a quiet, aching sound and tore his mouth away from Vecchio's to find Fraser standing in the doorway, watching them like he was starving.

Oh, so sweet! Lovely story.

[viciouscats.livejournal.com]

I love this immensely. :)

[sundara.livejournal.com]

Oh my...I'm not a huge lover of Ray/Ray, but you definitely made this *work*. Didn't sacrifice any of their personalities, but instead, used all their individual quirks and issues to build up a real feeling of closeness. And the threesome--! Yes, boy, uh, that worked too. Guh. Great story!

[bingeling]

Oh God, courting Vecchio is hilarious! xD

And as someone else already commented above "ninety-seven words for water and wouldn't ask for a glass if he was dying of thirst" is a hilarious piece of Fraser characterization.

[ifreet.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this story. The slow build, the solidification of the relationship between Kowalski and Vecchio, the way Kowalski figures out and knocks down Vecchio's walls, their mutual avoidance of the issue of Fraser for so long... but then jump in with both feet, booking tickets and going for him. Great story.

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

Post-reveal PS: Haha, I like how we were having the conversation about fic length and yours is 24,000. YER CLEVER.

"Yeah! This whole big quest, all these people dying and hardship and whatnot, and at the end of it, the guy just realizes he wants to go back home." Ray shook his head. "Jesus, I was so pissed."

Reading this again reminded me of how it was THIS FIC that got me listening to Stan Rogers again, which led to a lot of crying over due South (and general personal) angst, and that was an awesome week. No, really! It's good to have that every once in a while, so thank you for the awesome Canadiana reference.

[copracat]

I very much think I would like to marry your story. Thank you.

[buzzylittleb.livejournal.com]

This is really made of hot and warming awesome.

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

china_shop pointed me here, and I'm very, very glad she did. If I quoted all the parts I liked, we'd be here all night, so I'll just say that I love this story and have bookmarked it for many future re-reads. Your Rays sound just perfect to me (okay, that's not saying a lot as I'm a total newbie and my idea of Ray K comes only from fic so far) and I love how their relationship develops. And how Vecchio seems to have everything together and really doesn't. And how they feel totally comfortable with each other before deciding to go and get Fraser. And how he's all lonely and wanting and...and...

Okay, shutting up now. :D

[wolfgrin]

Linked from china_shop. Okay, I love Fraser & the Rays like nothing else on this earth, nothing makes me happier, but it's the Ray/Ray in this that did it for me, hands down. Vecchio and wanting to take it slow and christ, these guys are so intense, & I'm always impressed when someone can stick them in a room together and make it work. You did it very, very well. ♥

[inathunderstorm.livejournal.com]

Okay, so, I am new to this fandom! Hi! I'm going through meresy's tags even though she tells me to stop because I'm getting spoiled, as I am not yet done watching the show. :D :D :D BUT OMG, story! This was awesome. ::puts it in memories:: I really, really love this!

I have a deep and abiding love for threesomes, and OT3s, for a great many reasons. They are very hot (AND THIS WAS OMG VERY HOT)and also--I love threesome fics where the dynamics are explored, where it is about more than just sex (though, reiterating! VERY HOT omg, esp. the last bit, gaaaaaaaaaah) and is about love and daily habits and all that domestic stuff. I'm poly myself, and it is SO NICE to see alternative relationship structures that are similar to mine being portrayed where it works, where it is about affection and love as well as sex. You did that so wonderfully! Yay!

I'm all grinning and squeeful! And hopefully not terrifying you with my comment! ::twirls you a lot::