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crack_van2010-02-08 02:18 pm
julia-here.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2010-02-08 02:18 pm
Half a Chance, Brooklinegirl, NC-17
This is another of those "I can't believe this story has never been recommended before" stories. It's one of the first I read in the fandom, by virtue of the author's name starting with "B," and I revisit it often. Also, extra props to this writer for having a very nice personal archive, with beautifully formatted stories.
Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Benton Fraser
Length: 66K
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
brooklinegirl
Author Website: Happy Friend Box
Why this must be read: Because "Happy Ever After" isn't nearly as interesting as how two people with established careers and different personal needs and preferences can stay together through the years. Because compromise and creativity and respect for one another is as sexy as hell. Because every character in this teaming story is interesting and three-dimensional and in harmony with canon. Because it's written with wit and a full appreciation of the truth of the statement "life is what happens when you're making other plans."
When they went up to Canada after Muldoon, they were partners, and they were - you know. Doing it. They were - jesus, "dating" sounded stupid, and a "couple" sounded lame. They were together, was all. The thing was, Fraser being home like that, Fraser being where he wanted to be, and being allowed to stay there? That was big. That was huge. That scared Ray out of his mind for a while there, because what did it mean if Fraser loved Canada more than he loved Ray? What if - and this was freaky, but this was Fraser Ray was talking about - what if being back home sort of took the place of Ray? What if it was everything Fraser needed or wanted, and Ray was just left behind?
Ray didn't want to be left behind. Didn’t want to be baggage either, though.
The night before the whole confrontation with Bolt, and the Russian sub, and the parachuting Mountie fiasco, Ray sat by the fire and pretended not to be watching Fraser and Thatcher (Thatcher trying so hard, one last time, to get Fraser). It was almost funny - people saw what they wanted to see, Ray guessed, and nothing beyond that. Ray could tell from here exactly how bad Fraser didn't want what Thatcher had on offer, and that made him feel better enough that he turned back to throwing bits of stick into the fire. Because okay. If Ray - freaked out and freezing his nuts off and possibly still a little hypothermiated - could look across a frozen campsite and size Fraser up by the way he was standing, then maybe he was good enough at reading Fraser to not have to worry about maybe accidentally tagging along as baggage and not even knowing.
And so when Fraser came back - and he looked tired, he looked fucking exhausted, he looked like Ray felt - all Ray did was help him bank the fire, and then squeezed his hand and crawled into the tent. The tent they were sharing. A situation that raised no eyebrows whatsoever.
Like Ray said, people saw what they wanted to see.
Fraser came into the tent after one last check on the dogs. Ray had the RCMP-issue bedrolls set up, zipped together, and he was already in bed. But it wasn't until Fraser changed, blew out the tiny lamp, and climbed in beside him that there was the slightest bit of warmth. Ray sighed gratefully, and shoved up as close to Fraser as he could. They were both in red long-johns, and Ray thought they must look like total dorks - but they were warm, and with Fraser there, getting warmer.
Fraser put his arm around Ray as they lay there together, and Ray turned over so he was half on top of Fraser, resting on his chest and looking at the darkness where he knew Fraser's face was. "Hey," he said softly.
"Hey," replied Fraser, running his hand through Ray's hair. "You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day."
"Yeah." Ray gnawed on his chapped lower lip for a second. "Listen, after tomorrow…"
"How about we get through it first?" Fraser sounded weary. "No use making plans we can't count upon."
Half a Chance
.
Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Benton Fraser
Length: 66K
Author on LJ:
brooklinegirlAuthor Website: Happy Friend Box
Why this must be read: Because "Happy Ever After" isn't nearly as interesting as how two people with established careers and different personal needs and preferences can stay together through the years. Because compromise and creativity and respect for one another is as sexy as hell. Because every character in this teaming story is interesting and three-dimensional and in harmony with canon. Because it's written with wit and a full appreciation of the truth of the statement "life is what happens when you're making other plans."
When they went up to Canada after Muldoon, they were partners, and they were - you know. Doing it. They were - jesus, "dating" sounded stupid, and a "couple" sounded lame. They were together, was all. The thing was, Fraser being home like that, Fraser being where he wanted to be, and being allowed to stay there? That was big. That was huge. That scared Ray out of his mind for a while there, because what did it mean if Fraser loved Canada more than he loved Ray? What if - and this was freaky, but this was Fraser Ray was talking about - what if being back home sort of took the place of Ray? What if it was everything Fraser needed or wanted, and Ray was just left behind?
Ray didn't want to be left behind. Didn’t want to be baggage either, though.
The night before the whole confrontation with Bolt, and the Russian sub, and the parachuting Mountie fiasco, Ray sat by the fire and pretended not to be watching Fraser and Thatcher (Thatcher trying so hard, one last time, to get Fraser). It was almost funny - people saw what they wanted to see, Ray guessed, and nothing beyond that. Ray could tell from here exactly how bad Fraser didn't want what Thatcher had on offer, and that made him feel better enough that he turned back to throwing bits of stick into the fire. Because okay. If Ray - freaked out and freezing his nuts off and possibly still a little hypothermiated - could look across a frozen campsite and size Fraser up by the way he was standing, then maybe he was good enough at reading Fraser to not have to worry about maybe accidentally tagging along as baggage and not even knowing.
And so when Fraser came back - and he looked tired, he looked fucking exhausted, he looked like Ray felt - all Ray did was help him bank the fire, and then squeezed his hand and crawled into the tent. The tent they were sharing. A situation that raised no eyebrows whatsoever.
Like Ray said, people saw what they wanted to see.
Fraser came into the tent after one last check on the dogs. Ray had the RCMP-issue bedrolls set up, zipped together, and he was already in bed. But it wasn't until Fraser changed, blew out the tiny lamp, and climbed in beside him that there was the slightest bit of warmth. Ray sighed gratefully, and shoved up as close to Fraser as he could. They were both in red long-johns, and Ray thought they must look like total dorks - but they were warm, and with Fraser there, getting warmer.
Fraser put his arm around Ray as they lay there together, and Ray turned over so he was half on top of Fraser, resting on his chest and looking at the darkness where he knew Fraser's face was. "Hey," he said softly.
"Hey," replied Fraser, running his hand through Ray's hair. "You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day."
"Yeah." Ray gnawed on his chapped lower lip for a second. "Listen, after tomorrow…"
"How about we get through it first?" Fraser sounded weary. "No use making plans we can't count upon."
Half a Chance
.
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Julia, you're sort of my ideal audience for these.
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