Speaking in Tongues by aerye (PG)

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio
Author on LJ: _aerye_
Author Website: aerye
Why this must be read:

For my second Ray/Ray rec, I bring you Angst. Detailed, understated, moving, bittersweet Angst. Speaking in Tongues (how much do I *love* the title, btw?) is sort of the prequel to _aerye_’s classic You Get What You Need, recced here previously.

At it’s best, a lot of times Ray/Ray can feel like some sort of broken love square, with Fraser and Stella only absent in the physical sense. There’s a lot of history here, a lot of complex things going on, and it takes a very talented writer to capture of it in a relatively short fic. I’m happy to say that _aerye_ has talent in spades. Observe the wonderful day-to-day details that add so much. The hints of what’s lurking beneath the surface. The echoes of Fraser all around. Yeah, it’s messy and painful, but it hurts so good.

"Here, c'mon." Ray reached out a hand, grabbed Kowalski's and held tight, tugging. Kowalski followed the pull, let himself be lifted up off the sofa, and as a result he was standing close, very close. Close enough to kiss.

Kowalski tried to pull his fingers away but Ray held on tight. "Vecchio--"

"Kowalski."

Kowalski tugged again. "C'mon, let go." And that would have been the smarter thing to do, really, but Ray couldn't make himself do it. Kowalski fell silent, staring at him. "Vecchio, I can't--"

"You can't what?" Ray asked quietly. This close, he could see the bruising under Kowalski's eyes, the half-healed cut from the week before, when he'd stopped a suspect with a head butt and cut the bridge of his nose on his sunglasses. Ray lifted his other hand to run a finger over it.

Kowalski flinched, every muscle tightening, like he was getting ready to take a punch. Ray went still, too, so that they were just standing there, sharing too little air, just watching each other. He hated the way Kowalski's eyes could get at times like this, brilliant, bright and terrible. Ray moved his hand again, carefully tracing the side of Kowalski's face, the edge of his mouth, and then he leaned forward slowly.

"Don't," Kowalski whispered, but he didn't move, didn't pull away again, although his fingers tightened around Ray's so hard that it hurt. Ray let his lips touch softly, lightly, barely a kiss. "Don't."

And no, it’s not happily ever after. It’s not even happy most of the time. But it’s gritty, and real, and something.

Speaking in Tongues

Comments

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

Oh, that one is so angsty-good! If I hadn't felt the burning need to rec her story "Taken", I would have done this one.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Oh yes yes yes! Such talent in one woman.

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

I know! "You Get What You Need" and "Taken" and this one...guh. So in awe of her.

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Couldn't have said it better. Of course, anyone who could write, and write well, a Will/Joe Quincy WW fic has my undying admiration. :)