Author's website: http://www.slashcity.org/~rushlight

Disclaimer: No harm, no foul.

Author's Notes: Thank you once again to Beth for the beta-reading. :)
This entire series is dedicated to Andrea, who bugged me mercilessly for ages asking for a Handcuffed!Fraser story. *g*

Story Notes: Once again, this series features a D/s relationship between Fraser and Ray (no pain involved!). If that's not your thing, then you might want to move on. :)

This story is a sequel to: Evolution

Fraser in Chains 2: A Matter of Degree
by, Rushlight

Ray shrugged out of his shoulder holster and dropped it on the coffee table, falling onto the couch with a low groan. He let his head fall bonelessly against the back of the couch and rubbed at his eyes, sighing heavily.

"What do you say we blow this rat-trap and head out to Vegas?" he said, without lifting his head. "Start up a life as wandering gamblers. We can hit all the casinos on the Strip; with your luck and my looks, I'd think we could make a pretty decent living there."

"That sounds ... impractical, Ray."

Ray started as warm fingers pressed against his temples, massaging lightly. He relaxed immediately, opening his eyes slowly as a dreamy sort of lassitude fell over him.

Fraser was standing behind the couch, looking down at him. He'd shed the red serge when he came inside, and the dark straps of his bracers were outlined in sharp contrast against the white of his Henley. His hair was still tousled from the fight in the alley earlier, and there was a shadow of a bruise on his left cheekbone where he'd accidentally run into their perp's fist.

"You look like shit, Fraser," Ray said, gazing at him upside-down from where his head rested on the back of the couch.

Fraser's lips twitched. "I dare say you've had better days as well, Ray."

Ray grinned. "Thanks," he said wryly. He reached for Fraser's hand and pressed a kiss to the palm, then shook himself decisively. "Shower," he said. "Then bed."

"Yes," Fraser agreed. He hesitated for a moment before pulling his hand away, and his lashes dropped over his eyes before Ray could identify the emotion that flickered there.

It was enough to make Ray wary as he stood up from the couch. Fraser was already moving into the kitchen, and Dief followed expectantly at his heels, panting. Ray stretched the kinks out of his back and watched as Fraser refilled Dief's water bowl. Dief licked Fraser's fingers once in gratitude before bending to lap noisily from the bowl.

"Everything okay?" Ray asked as Fraser came back into the room.

"Of course, Ray." Fraser didn't look at him as he shrugged out of his bracers, letting them drop down next to his hips. "It's been a very long day."

Yeah, that it had. It had actually been a hell of a week, and Ray was desperately glad that it was over. It might have been his imagination, but people just seemed to get meaner in the summertime. Meaner and dumber.

But that wasn't what was bothering Fraser. Ray wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and put his arms around Fraser's shoulders, and Fraser leaned against him with a small sigh.

"What is it?" Ray murmured, running the fingers of one hand through Fraser's hair. Fraser's breath was hot against the side of his neck.

Fraser's arm stole forward around Ray's waist, holding their bodies together. "Nothing," he said, the words tickling Ray's skin. "It's just been ... a long week."

Ray listened carefully to the tone behind the words, did a quick mental calculation, and came to the conclusion that that rather obvious statement meant Fraser wanted to get laid. It had been a long week, and neither one of them had felt up to much of anything beyond cuddling by the time they'd gotten home in the evenings. Which had been fine, because cuddling with Fraser was one of Ray's favorite things to do, but it was rapidly becoming obvious that Fraser wanted more than that tonight.

Ray smiled, feeling a bit exasperated. Like Fraser couldn't just come out and ask if he wanted to have sex. Crazy Mountie. Ray slid a hand down Fraser's back, feeling a telltale hardness pressing against his hip, even through the layers of cloth that separated them. It was kind of odd, because Fraser'd never had trouble asking for sex before. In fact, the only time he'd been reluctant to ask for what he wanted was when they'd--

Oh.

Immediately, Ray felt a dull ache flicker down into his groin. With sudden clarity, he understood just what it was that Fraser wanted.

"Shower," he repeated softly, nuzzling in against the side of Fraser's face. He licked lightly at Fraser's ear, drawing a shiver out of him. "Then bed."

Fraser tensed slightly; yep, message received. "Yes," he agreed, and he tightened his arm briefly around Ray's waist before pulling away.

For expediency's sake, Ray let Fraser have the first shower while he went into the kitchen to fix Dief's supper. He and Fraser had both eaten takeout earlier in the evening, but Dief hadn't had much of anything at all. The wolf gave him an accusing look as he shoveled a cupful of Diet-rite brand dog food into his dish and set it on the floor.

"Hey, don't look at me," Ray said, folding down the top of the dog food bag and sticking it back into its place over the fridge. "You're the one who keeps begging donuts off the guys at work. You sow what you reap, pal."

He left Dief grumbling over his dinner in the kitchen and went into the bedroom, grabbing his holster from the living room on the way. He dumped the holster on the dresser in its usual spot and peeled out of his shirt, feeling very, very glad to be home.

Fraser came out of the bathroom with his hair still damp, dressed in nothing but a towel. Ray brushed past him with barely a glance, knowing that he'd never make it through his shower at all if he had to think about that waiting in bed for him.

The bathroom was still pleasantly steamy, and it smelled like soap and heat and Fraser. Ray stripped out of the rest of his clothes and left them lying in a pile on the floor as he stepped into the shower. He turned on the water and washed himself efficiently, barely noticing the way the warmth eased the lingering aches out of his muscles. His mind was already in the bedroom with Fraser, and a sharp excitement was beginning to coil in the pit of his belly.

He still wasn't sure what to make of this new awareness into Fraser's sexual fantasies, but he was more than willing to go along for the ride. The image of a naked Fraser handcuffed in their bed was burned into his memory, and he lingered over it as he washed, turning it around in his mind. He wondered suddenly just how far Fraser was willing to go with it. The thought made Ray feel suddenly lightheaded, and he turned off the water quickly, moving clumsily because of the heaviness between his legs.

He toweled himself dry and took care of the rest of his nightly duties, then reached down to pull the handcuff key out of his jeans pocket. He had a feeling they'd be needing it tonight.

He padded naked into the bedroom, shivering lightly as he passed underneath the vent in the hall. The lights were off, although there was enough streetlight spilling in through the blinds to allow him to see clearly. Fraser was lying on his stomach in the bed, head pillowed on one arm, with the sheet pulled up to just above his waist. The thin material outlined the shape of his hips clearly.

Ray's mouth went dry, and he dropped the keys absently onto the dresser on his way toward the bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress and reached down to smooth his fingers over the back of Fraser's neck. Fraser's skin was warm and still slightly damp from his shower.

"Mmm," Fraser said, arching up slightly into the caress. "Nice."

Yeah, nice. Very, very nice, indeed. Fraser was like a big cat, hungry for touch, sensual and indolent and extremely tempting to pet. Ray slid his hand down Fraser's back, mapping the gentle contours of his spine, feeling the slow flex of the muscles there as they slid beneath his palm. Fraser looked up at him with lidded eyes, smiling softly.

Jeez, he must have done something extremely right in a previous life to deserve this man.

"You okay?" he asked, brushing his fingers across the arch of Fraser's cheekbone. The bruise from the alley fight wasn't visible in the shadows, but he knew it was still there.

Fraser nodded, turning his head to kiss at Ray's fingers. "I'm fine, Ray." He cupped the back of Ray's hand in his own and uncurled Ray's fingers gently, bending down to lave the center of his palm.

Ray's breath hitched, feeling the slick warmth of Fraser's tongue slide across his palm. Talented, talented tongue. The thought brought images to mind that made him flush straight down to his toes.

"You wanna try using the handcuffs again tonight?" he asked, already knowing full well what Fraser's answer would be.

Fraser shivered hard, and there was a moment's hesitation before he replied. "Yes," he said, closing his eyes.

Again, that excitement thrummed through him, raw and primal. Ray ran a calming hand down Fraser's side, not sure which of them he was trying to soothe. His heart was pounding rapidly now, and it was all he could do not to stretch out full-length next to that seductively warm body and wrap himself around it. With an effort, he pulled his hand away.

*Patience, Kowalski,* he chastised himself. You can do this.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned down to kiss Fraser lightly behind the ear. "Keep your eyes closed," he whispered.

Fraser shivered again, but he nodded. The easy compliance of the gesture rocked straight down into Ray's groin, and he lingered for a moment, stroking his fingers through Fraser's hair.

He made himself pull away from all that warm skin and went to fetch his handcuffs. The low, sizzling thrum of excitement in his veins felt almost familiar now, and he bit lightly at his lower lip as his fingers scooped the cuffs up off the scratched wood of his dresser, trying to get himself under control.

His eye was caught by his bathrobe where it hung behind the half-closed bedroom door, and immediately, his heartbeat spiked. No, Fraser wouldn't want... But the sudden image in his mind wouldn't leave him alone, and he finally gave in to it. His fingers shook as he unthreaded the flannel belt from the robe's belt loops and carried it back with him to the bed.

He dropped the handcuffs next to the pillow as he sat down. Fraser flinched at the low metallic clink, but he kept his eyes closed as Ray had asked. Ray could see from the way his shoulders moved that he was breathing deeply.

"Relax," Ray urged him, running a hand across his shoulder to calm him. Yeah, Fraser was a definite touch junkie; as long as Ray had his hands on him, he seemed able to keep from freaking out about this. Ray dropped the flannel belt and massaged at Fraser's shoulders with both hands, leaning down to nuzzle against the back of his neck. "You decide you don't like any of this, you let me know," he reminded him. "Okay?"

Fraser nodded, and just like that, he relaxed again under Ray's touch. Amazing. Satisfied, Ray reached for the belt again and lifted the soft fabric up in front of Fraser's face, settling it carefully over his eyes.

Fraser twitched, and Ray kissed the side of his neck. "Just tell me no," he said quietly, hesitating. The last thing he wanted to do was make Fraser feel uncomfortable.

Fraser held himself very still, and he didn't say anything for a long moment. Then he sighed, relaxing almost bonelessly against the bed. "Yes, Ray." His lashes were dark where they shivered against his cheekbones. "Please continue."

Ray carefully settled the makeshift blindfold over Fraser's eyes and pulled it back around to tie loosely behind his head. Fraser bit down on his lower lip briefly, then parted his lips to breathe out in a heavy sigh.

"Okay?" Ray asked, rubbing lightly at his shoulder. Fraser was shuddering like a startled colt, but the dark flush to his skin was pure arousal.

"Yes." Fraser's voice was soft.

Ray smiled and trailed the backs of his fingers down the middle of Fraser's spine, just barely touching. "Good," he said, hearing the growing huskiness in his voice.

God, he'd never seen anything sexier than this. Fraser, blind and waiting, trusting him completely. Ray touched the edge of the handcuffs to the side of Fraser's arm, caressing him lightly. Fraser flinched at the touch of the cold metal but didn't pull away.

"Ready?" Ray asked. It was an effort to find enough breath to talk.

Fraser nodded.

Ray eyed the headboard critically, wondering if it was something he could comfortably cuff Fraser to. Damn, now wasn't that an image to keep him warm at night. It had a series of wooden horizontal slats, too thick for the handcuffs to go around. Maybe if he... Yeah. Yeah.

"Wait here," he whispered, and he got up to fetch a belt from his dresser drawer. When he came back to the bed, Fraser hadn't moved, but there was a tense listening air to the way his head was cocked to the side.

Ray's lips twitched. Yeah, let him wonder. He threaded the belt around the lower slat on the headboard and buckled it as tight as it would go. He tugged on it once to test it, and it didn't budge. Coolness.

He picked up the handcuffs and slipped the first cuff closed around Fraser left wrist. Fraser jumped at the unexpected contact and let his breath out hard between his teeth. He was shivering again.

"We good?" Ray asked, wanting to be sure. Fraser nodded hurriedly, and Ray carefully lifted his hand up over his head so he could slide the other end of the cuffs through the belt looped over the headboard. He reached for Fraser's other wrist and clicked the second cuff over it.

There. Ray stared, feeling somewhat like an artist arranging a subject to his liking. Oh, yeah. Fraser, bare-ass naked, laid out on his stomach like an offering. Life just didn't get any better than this.

"You look incredible," he said, sliding a leg over Fraser's body so he could kneel down over his thighs. Ray's cock slid smoothly against the round curve of Fraser's ass, and he sighed, feeling the dull ache in his groin intensify. He stroked his hips forward once, just to tease, and smiled at the low sound Fraser made in response.

"Oh, god, Ray," Fraser murmured, and Ray shuddered in empathy. What must that feel like, he wondered -- being unable to see, unable to move, your entire universe reduced to nothing but feeling. Ray slid his hands over Fraser's back, kneading the muscles there, letting all those acres of smooth skin move like silk beneath his palms. He wished he had some oil to use. He wanted to make Fraser feel good, wanted to make him feel so good he'd be able to break free of those tight controls he lived in on a daily basis.

Fraser was humming now, moving his body subtly under Ray's hands, letting him know that what Ray was doing felt good to him. Ray ignored the ache of his own arousal and turned his full concentration on working the soreness out of muscles that had been pushed to the limit this past week. Pushed to the limit helping him.

"I love you," he whispered, bending down to lick at Fraser's ear, and Fraser "hmmm"ed at him, tipping his head to one side to give him better access. Ray tongued at the soft furl of the belt tied around his eyes, dampening the cloth, and Fraser's breath caught as his hips bucked down into the mattress beneath them.

Ray grinned. Horny Mountie -- what a perfect end to such a hellish week. He lightened his touch on Fraser's back, letting the massage turn less practical, more sensual, and he felt the subtle shift in Fraser's body under his.

"Please, Ray," Fraser said, his voice almost inaudible against the pillow, and Ray felt a rush of heat move through him.

Oh, yeah.

He leaned over to pull open the bedside drawer. Fortunately, the lube was right on top of all the miscellaneous crap in there, and he closed his hand around it, moving back into the warm space over Fraser's ass with a contented sigh. He dropped the lube on the mattress and massaged at the small of Fraser's back with both hands, mesmerized by the slow, hypnotic movements Fraser's hips made against the sheets.

"Beautiful," he murmured, moving back to give himself more room. He bent down to mock-bite at the firm curve of Fraser's ass, scraping his teeth lightly across the skin, and Fraser jumped, looking startled. His breathing quickened.

"Ray..."

"Shh." Ray slid a hand up his side to soothe him, feeling the taut stretch of the muscles there. It occurred to him suddenly that Benton Fraser was fucking chained to his bed, and a haze seemed to fall down over his vision as he bent to drag his tongue across the hot skin of that pretty ass, dipping down inside the cleft, tasting the tight knot of skin around the opening there. Fraser spread his thighs with a harsh shudder, and he couldn't seem to decide whether he wanted to drive his hips down into the mattress, or back into Ray's touch. He was almost sobbing into the pillow.

"Ray, please..."

Yeah. Please. Ray pulled himself back with an effort, reaching for the lube. He could barely think beyond the need that shuddered through him, so bright it burned. He fumbled off the cap of the lube and squeezed the clear gel out onto his fingers. Fraser's hands were clenched tight around the belt at the headboard now, straining hard against the cuffs that bound him.

Feeling lightheaded, Ray slipped his fingers into Fraser's body, losing himself entirely in the heat that pulsed around him, against him, through him. He bent down to trail his tongue up the long line of Fraser's spine, feeling Fraser shiver beneath him, tasting the sharply sweet tang of the sweat that covered his skin. Fraser tasted so good, felt so good, was so very, very good to him....

Now. It had to be now, or else he wouldn't be able to give Fraser this at all. Fraser grunted softly when Ray pulled his fingers free, burying his face between his raised arms, and Ray kissed his shoulder soothingly, trying to tell him without words that it would be all right. Fraser shoved his hips back as Ray moved into position between his legs, and he splayed his thighs invitingly, looking as wanton and decadent and desperate as Ray had ever seen him before.

Yeah. Fraser in chains was a very good thing, Ray decided, and he chuckled breathlessly as he steadied his cock with one hand, holding his weight with one palm pressed flat against the bed. He closed his eyes when he breached the entrance to Fraser's body, and he slid in smoothly, feeling Fraser lift up to meet him. So smooth, and so very, very sweet.

It was more difficult from this angle, with Fraser lying flat against the bed, but they managed. Fraser was practically glowing now, and he lifted his head back with a low hiss as Ray slid all the way inside.

"Good?" Ray asked, kissing his shoulder, shaking with the effort of not moving until Fraser gave him the okay.

"Yeah," Fraser said, panting. He turned his face from side to side, blind and breathless and utterly beautiful. "Yeah."

Ray groaned softly and buried his face between Fraser's shoulder blades as he began to move. God, Fraser smelled like sex, and he wished suddenly that he could bottle the scent of horny Fraser and carry it with him throughout the day, although he wasn't sure how he'd ever manage to get any work done. The craziness of the thought made him laugh, and he kissed Fraser's back in a lazily aimless pattern as he stroked his hips in and out of the tight clench of the muscles that surrounded him.

He could tell from the aborted movements Fraser made that he wasn't going fast enough for his liking, but Ray kept his thrusts slow and smooth, riding the crest of the pleasure that flowed through him. God, he wished he could do this all night long, just stay tucked away deep inside Fraser, moving, moving, enjoying the slow build-up of tension inside them both. Fraser was panting hard now, pressing his hips back into Ray's thrusts, and he buried his face in his arms again, keening softly in the back of his throat. God, that was the sexiest sound Ray had ever heard, and he buried his fingers in the back of Fraser's hair, stroking him, tipping Fraser's head forward so he could suckle at the smooth skin behind his neck.

Fraser keened again for him, long and low, and Ray mouthed blindly at the back of his neck, sliding down across his shoulders, leaving bright red marks against the surface of his skin. He stroked a little harder with his hips now, feeling the edge creep up on him, and suddenly the familiar urgency overtook him, making him forget about slow, forget about sweet, and there was nothing but need, pure and simple.

He rocked hard into Fraser's body, feeling all that leashed strength rise up to meet him, matching him thrust for thrust. Pleasure sizzled through him, making him shout -- god, the neighbors were going to be complaining in the morning -- and he slipped a hand underneath Fraser's hips, wrapping his fingers around Fraser's erection, giving him something firmer than the mattress to thrust against. Fraser threw his head back with a low, choking sob and drove his hips down hard -- yeah, he appreciated that gesture, all right.

It was all Ray could do to hold on to him now; Fraser was wild with it, wild in a way Ray had never seen him before. It was too much, way too much, and Ray hid his face against Fraser's shoulder, clinging to him as his orgasm shuddered through him, ripping a ragged cry from his throat. He was relieved to feel the rhythmic massage of the muscles around his cock, and Fraser panted harshly through his own orgasm, mirroring the shudders that moved through Ray's body as he lay sweating in his arms.

Ray lay there for a long moment, just breathing, feeling the slow movement of Fraser's shoulder under his cheek. It took him a moment to get up the energy to move away, dropping a light kiss on Fraser's arm as he pulled out and stumbled toward the dresser, reaching for the handcuff keys. He'd have to remember to keep them closer to the bed next time. Jeez, he wished this bondage stuff came with a manual.

Fraser was still panting harshly when Ray came back to him, and he looked up at Ray with shining eyes as Ray pulled the blindfold off. His cheeks were flushed, hair tousled, and he looked more beautiful than Ray could ever remember him being. Unable to resist, Ray tangled his fingers in the back of his hair and kissed him, stroking his tongue briefly between those delectable lips.

Fraser smiled as he pulled away, looking dreamy. Ray smiled and stroked a finger down his cheek, then reached up to fit the key into the handcuffs, removing them one by one from Fraser's wrists. Fraser grunted softly as he pulled his hands back down toward his body, rolling over onto his back.

"Jesus," Ray whispered, feeling a sudden panic twist through him when he saw the vivid red circles outlined against Fraser's wrists. Damn it, why hadn't Fraser said something?

"It's all right, Ray." Fraser winced as he massaged at his wrists, keeping his gaze lowered.

"No, it's not all right." Ray was furious with himself for not thinking of this problem sooner. He should have known that police-issue handcuffs weren't something to be played around with. They'd marked Fraser's wrists up last time, too, but not anything near as bad as this. "Why didn't you tell me they were hurting you?"

"They weren't." Fraser's cheeks were flushed again, and this time, it was clearly embarrassment. "I didn't feel it until just now, Ray."

Yeah, he supposed that made sense. All those endorphins running around through the body, keeping the crazy Mountie from realizing he was getting hurt. Fuck. That just went to show that Ray had to be the responsible one if they were going to keep doing this, the one who kept in control of things. Fraser had trusted him, goddamn it.

"I'm sorry." Ray reached for Fraser's hands and held them, turning them over so he could brush a light kiss across the angry red wounds on either wrist. He felt miserable.

"It's okay, Ray." Fraser's voice sounded almost pleading.

Fraser was clearly uncomfortable, so Ray released his wrists reluctantly. He hoped like hell that Fraser's uniform sleeves would cover those marks on Monday, or else they'd have some pretty severe explaining to do.

Ray ran a hand over Fraser's hair and got up to fetch a washcloth from the bathroom. He got it good and damp with warm water, and grabbed a nice, soft towel as well. Fraser didn't look up at him as he came back into the bedroom.

Ah, jeez. This was hard enough for Fraser to deal with without having to feel like he'd messed up somehow. Ray slid the warm, wet cloth over Fraser's stomach, massaging lightly. Fraser kept his eyes closed, but he seemed to relax a little at that. Feeling encouraged, Ray wiped down between his thighs, cleaning the sticky evidence of their lovemaking away. The only thought on his mind was to make Fraser feel as comfortable as he possibly could.

As soon as the cloth began to cool, Ray set it aside and dried Fraser with the towel. Fraser made a low murmur of thanks and rolled onto his side, pillowing his head on one arm. The vivid red marks on his pale wrists screamed out like an accusation in the darkness, and Ray pressed his lips together firmly as he got up to put the towels away in the bathroom.

He washed himself off as well before going back to join Fraser in the bed. Fraser looked like he was sleeping, but he responded readily enough when Ray reached out for him. Fraser curled against him with a low sigh, burrowing in against Ray's chest.

"It's okay," Ray said, stroking lightly at his hair. "We'll just have to be more careful from now on, all right? No more handcuffs."

Fraser nodded but didn't say anything. Ray was worried by his refusal to talk about it, but that was a familiar Fraser defense mechanism. Close it down, lock it up, and bury it all inside. It was exasperating, but Ray knew by now that the best thing to do was just to back off and let Fraser talk in his own good time.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing a kiss against Fraser's ear. Fraser shifted against him, and Ray felt soft lips brush briefly across the underside of his jaw.

"I love you, too, Ray."

That made him feel a little better. Ray hugged him tightly, feeling relieved when Fraser hugged him back just as hard in return. Everything was going to be all right. So they'd messed up -- next time they'd know better. If Fraser ever decided he wanted to try anything like this again, of course.

Sighing heavily, Ray closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.

The End
2/9/02

End A Matter of Degree by Rushlight: n_sanity75@hotmail.com

Author and story notes above.