Pairings: Renny/Ray K., Benny/Ray V.

Category: Drama, Romance.

Rating: NC-17 for graphic sex.

Warning: Six hankies. <Sniff!>

This is #4 in the "CRYSTAL RAIN" series. It is a slightly alternate universe in which Ray V. never left his Benny and Ray K. was assigned to the 27th Precinct, but not as Ray V.'s cover. Also, it's a response to the Closet Christmas Challenge #1 again! :)

Comments on-list and off-list welcome. E-mail: jeanniemarie@sprintmail.com.

Disclaimer: Renny's cookin', Ray's lookin', but I don't own 'em, Alliance does. Drat!

(c) December 27, 1999

*It was a very good Christmas, Ray Kowalski decided. While a blizzard raged outside, he and Renny and their friends and guests, Ray Vecchio and Benton Fraser, had gotten up and eaten a wonderful breakfast prepared by Renny, and then they had talked and laughed and generally enjoyed each other's company. The presents he and Renny were giving each other remained unopened under the Christmas tree. They would wait until they were alone to open those.

While the snow fell, the four of them prepared Christmas dinner. Ray's mouth watered at the smell of turkey cooking, and Diefenbaker kept a rapt eye on the proceedings. Ray was assigned light duty due to the bump on his head from his car accident last night, and he was content to sit at the table and fold the fancy linen napkins just the way Renny wanted them and to set the table with good china and silver.

He raised an eyebrow at the china and silver. How many bachelors had those items in their cupboards? But Renny was nothing if not unique. He smiled to himself as he reflected on just how unique his lover could be.

Renny outdid himself for dinner. He'd cooked the turkey to perfection, and there were whipped potatoes, yams, squash, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Ray was bursting with food...and joy. He looked at his Mountie and saw the way Renny's blue eyes shone, his generous mouth curved in a smile and his color a healthy pink from the fireplace. He looked beautiful.

Ray was feeling pleasantly lightheaded from the wine (except that it was sparkling grape juice, as he was in with three non-drinkers, for crying out loud). He sighed, lamenting his fate, but the smile on his face gave him away.

The snow began to slow down, and the plows were finally out and making some progress by mid-afternoon. The dinner was a smashing success, Renny blushing as red as a Santa Claus suit with all the compliments he was getting on the food.

"Jeez, Ren, you keep cookin' like that, I'm gonna have to watch my waistline," Ray V. said as he patted his stomach.

"I'd be happy to watch your waistline, Ray," said Benny with a smile.

Ray K. and Renny laughed at their companion's wide-eyed look.

"Ha, ha, very funny, Benny."

"Fraze, you're gettin' sassy," said Ray K. with a smirk.

Ray V. growled, "A little too sassy. I might have to correct that."

Benny blushed prettily and Ray jokingly offered him some water.

The meal's camaraderie continued with the clean-up, and then there was coffee and conversation in the living room. Each man told Christmas stories from years past except for Renny, Ray noticed.

When the radio announcer broke in and declared the main city streets cleared, Benny and Ray decided it was time to go home. While Ray K. enjoyed their company, he was anxious to start opening presents.

As soon as Benny and Ray had left, Ray K. turned with an excited grin and yelled, "Presents!" Renny laughed and they hurried to the tree, kneeling down beside it, and Renny gave Ray the presents he had bought for him. Ray eagerly ripped off the bright paper and exclaimed over each present, Renny taking pictures.

"Renny, you always know...!"

Renny smiled shyly. "I"m glad, Ray." A little anxious, he said, "But if you don't like something, please feel free to exchange it."

"Oh, I like everything." Ray admired the new jeans, bag of Smarties, gift certificate to a store that had cool leather stuff and another gift certificate, this time to his favorite restaurant. "These are great presents, Renny."

"I'm glad you like them, Ray."

"And now..." Ray dove under the tree, fishing around way in the back, and dragged out two gaily-wrapped packages. He held out the first one. "Merry Christmas, Renny."

Renny looked stunned. "R...Ray?"

Ray urged the present toward Renny. "Here, open it up."

Renny took it with a shaking hand. He looked at the gold wrapping and red bow in wonder.

"Hey, what's the hold-up? I know I did a good job wrappin', but it's time to rip it off now, Renny." Ray laughed. "Sheesh, ya act like ya never got a Christmas present before." Ray looked at Renny's face and a dawning sense of horror filled him. "Renny, you never have gotten a...?"

Renny shook his head, one hand clutching the present and the other tracing the bow with a hesitant touch.

"My...mother...was an invalid until she died when I was eight. Father is very well-known in politics. He was always too busy...I always wondered what bad thing I'd done because Santa Claus never stopped at my house. The servants' children got toys from him, and my classmates did, but I never did. Of course, now I know that it was just Father being too busy." Renny did not see Ray's stricken look as he continued remembering, his hand caressing the gold paper. "Father always said I was to give the servants gifts. It was the proper thing to do. So I saved my money and bought them presents. I love to give presents, Ray. It gives me great joy." Renny looked up and smiled hesitantly.

Ray swallowed hard, then asked, "Renny, didja give other people presents after you left home to join the RCMP?"

"Oh, yes." Renny nodded vigorously. "I gave Chris birthday and Christmas gifts, and the Professor was quite appreciative."

I bet, Ray thought with boiling anger. Ol' Chris was Renny's roommate and got what he wanted between the sheets, laughing behind Renny's back at their times in bed together. Ray flushed dull red as he remembered his own mockery of Renny to other cops at the 27th. Well, he'd never stop trying to make up for that. *And Professor Shutterbug took pictures and videos of him and Renny without tellin' the guy. Oh, yeah, I *bet* they were appreciative!

"Uh, Renny, they didn't give you any?"

"No, Ray."

It made Ray sick to hear Renny's voice. He had never expected a gift. And here he was getting two, and Ray knew that Benny and Ray V. were going to give Renny presents they'd intended to give him on Christmas Eve before the storm had hit.

Ray gently leaned over and put his hand over Renny's, crinkling the wrapping paper. "Open it." His voice was equally gentle.

Renny swallowed and reached for the bow with a shaking hand. He jumped as the camera flash went off, then resumed untying the bow and started unwrapping the paper. Ray resisted the urge to shout, "Rip it off!" Renny was as bad as Fraser, for crying out loud!

Yet Renny needed this slow savoring. And when he finally had the wrapping off and opened the box, Ray thought his friend and lover was going to cry.

"Ya like it?"

"Oh, yes, Ray." Renny blinked back tears and stared at the gift nestled in the box. "How thoughtful."

"Well, I know ya like to draw. Ya helped Huey last summer with that sketch of the perp he was after." Ray pointed. "Look, there's colored pencils and charcoal stuff and the paper is good, sturdy quality."

"It's beautiful, Ray."

Renny carefully lifted out the sketchpad and accompanying pencils in their plastic packet. He opened the pad and caressed the virginal white surface, then opened the packet and drew out a pencil.

"It'a all...so wonderful."

Ray beamed and squeezed his lover's arm. "Well, so are you." He reached behind him and held out aother present, this one wrapped in silver with a blue bow.

"Another" one?" Renny was wide-eyed.

"Yep."

Another snap of the lens, another slow unwrapping, and Renny cried, "Canadian chocolates!"

"Yeah."

Ray smirked as he thought of Ray Vecchio's 'aphrodisiac advice'. And he knew that Renny loved this particular brand of chocolate. Would the chocolate have the same effect on Renny as they did on Fraser? Ray intended to find out.

Renny opened the box and immediately offered Ray the selection. Ray took a lemon cream and popped it in Renny's astonished mouth, then thrust his tongue in after it.

"Mmm," he murmured. He'd get to taste this chocolate, all right.

Ray stretched Renny out beside the Christmas tree and laid gentle, butterfly kisses on his cheeks, eyelids and jaw, nuzzling the strong neck and slowly divesting Renny of his clothing. Ray was gentle and worshipful, showing Renny how much he was cherished.

And when he took Renny's cock into his mouth, he resolved that next year, Santa Claus would be making a visit. Until then, there were many ways to give.*