Reasons that need exploring at this juncture, by Belmanoir (Teen)

[mergatrude.livejournal.com]

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Ray Vecchio
Length: 10,248 words
Author on LJ: belmanoir
Author Website: Belmanoir’s fic on AO3
Why this must be read:

There is so much to love about this story. Reason #1, the format. Ray Kowalski is exploring the reasons he’s glad to be home from the wilds of Canada, and these reasons start with Reason #2, his best friend. I adore the way Belmanoir has drawn Ray’s friendship with Fraser. Reason #3, the reasons increasingly become about him coming to terms with his past and where he’s at. And Reason #4, ultimately, more than a few of them turn out to be about Ray Vecchio. And Belmanoir’s Ray Vecchio is one of my favourites.

Ray cannot deal with this. They're at O'Hare and everything is so familiar he might start bawling with happiness and pissed-off-ness. Home is where the heart is, Fraser said. Ray tries to think about what his own speech would be like. I first came to Chicago because I was born here and stayed because I never moved. He thought maybe going up North would sort him out, help him figure out where he belonged. Now he's back in the Windy City because he ran out of vacation time.

It's a good story. He should tell it at parties.

He's got no one to call and nowhere to stay and he hates hotels. He hates living alone, too, fucking detests it. He looks at Fraser as they stand in the taxi line. Fraser looks back.

"Where are you staying?" Ray asks.

Fraser's gaze drops. "I suppose my cot is still at the Consulate."

"So, uh--" Ray screws up his courage. "You're not staying with Vecchio?"

Fraser looks confused. "They don't have a spare room, Ray. I suppose I could sleep on the sofa, but--"

"You want to apartment together?" Ray says real fast.

"What?"

"You know. We could do the roommate thing." He pretends to be adjusting the straps of his backpack so he doesn't have to look at Fraser. There's a long, long pause. Ray accidentally unbuckles something and has to leap to catch his pack before it accidentally squashes an innocent bystander, and while he's doing that he accidentally looks at Fraser.

Fraser is smiling. "I'd like that, Ray."

Reason #1, he thinks. Fraser.

Reasons that need exploring at this juncture on AO3.