Warning this is a relatively tame m/m story. 
Hope you enjoy it.

RAY AND BEN'S DAY OFF

At the knock on his door, Benton Fraser answered it
eagerly, knowing that his good friend Ray Vecchio
would be on the other side.  Before moving here to
Chicago, he hadn't really had anyone he truly
considered a close friend.  He hadn't had anyone at
all.  All the members of his family were dead.  And
even when they were alive they were distant from
him either physically or emotionally or both.  He'd
been on his own for so long - he used to think that
he preferred it that way.  People couldn't hurt you
as much when they left, if they weren't there to
begin with.  Besides back then he didn't realize
quite what he was missing anyway.  Now this man,
who once had the solitude and wide open spaces of
the Northwest Territories as his backyard, didn't
ever want to leave the overcrowded tumultuous big
city that was his new home.  The main reason for
this was standing on the other side of his door.

Ray was smiling as he opened the door.  He really
liked his friend's smile.  He was beginning to be
quite good at interpreting the different variations
of it.  This particular one was one of his
favorites.  He'd seen it a couple of times before.
This was the one that said I-did-something- you're-
not-gonna-believe-but-you're-gonna-love-me-for-
it... trust-me.  Whatever it was Ray had planned
for them on their day off, he knew he'd be rewarded
in the end. He was willing to go along for the
ride, whatever it was, in order to get that reward.

"Hello Ray.  As you can see I've dressed warmly as
you suggested.  I'm rather curious to know where it
is we're going?"

"Its a surprise.  But I will tell you that where
we're going; you're gonna get paid back."

"Can I bring Diefenbaker?"  He knew despite Ray's
comments to the contrary he liked Dief, but he also
knew that the wolf could annoy him as well and
maybe where they were going the wolf may not be
allowed.   "Sure.  Why not. You'll need all the
help you can get."  At this last part Ray looked
about to burst, especially when he saw the wheels
spinning in his friend's mind, from his adding this
piece to the puzzle. When he felt he was out of
view of any prying eyes in the hallway, he placed a
quick kiss on his friend's lips as he said "Trust
me."  "You know I do." was the reply, as the trio
headed out of the apartment complex and drove off
in Ray's Riv.

It had been a very cold week in Chicago.  A couple
of snowstorms had come through and settled  in the
city and the areas surrounding it with a thick coat
of white.  Ben noticed they were headed outside of
the city, towards the suburbs and countryside.
Houses were getting farther apart from each other
and fields and trees were becoming more abundant.
The ride was quite pleasant and the company even
more so.  In his lifetime before, he couldn't
recall ever laughing or joking around as much or
just enjoying life as much as when Ray was around.
A shadow crossed his face as his secret insecure
fear of abandonment started to creep forward.  He
didn't ever want to go back to a life without Ray
in it.  Ray noticed the momentary change in his
friend's mood and reached over to grab one hand in
his.  "Hey Benny, you ok?"  "Yes Ray.  Just
thinking about the past."  Ray spared an
affectionate glance at the one person he never
could have imagined himself romantically involved
with just a few months earlier.  "Well the past is
a good place to start.  That's part of the reason
we're out here.  We're almost there."

Ray pulled off of the main route and onto a side
road and eventually turned onto a little used road
that led to an isolated frozen pond.  "Here we
are."  Puzzled by this turn of events, "Ray, this
is the middle of nowhere."  "Yup.  Ain't it nice?"
Ray was already out of the car and opening the
trunk of the Riv as Fraser and Dief got out.  He
pulled out a box and handed it to Fraser and then
took out a large gym equipment bag for himself to
carry.  Ray began walking towards a large fallen
log near the edge of the frozen pond.  He looked
over his shoulder and called out to his perplexed
friend, "Well come on.  You're not gonna deny me my
grudge match are you?", he said with a mischievous
playful look in his eyes.  Fraser started to
follow, still not entirely sure what was going on
yet, "Grudge match?  I didn't know you were
harboring a grudge against me?"

Ray placed the large bag he was carrying next to
the log, then brushed away snow, before sitting
down.  He patted the spot right next to him as an
invitation to his friend to join him.  As Ben put
the box down and sat, Ray reached over to open it.
There were a number of items inside, but the first
thing to come out were a pair of skates which he
handed over to his now beaming partner.  The look
of pure joy on Fraser's face when Ray handed them
over was something he'd always treasure.  All his
planning was worth it just for that alone.  Ray
mirrored his smile and said with a mock provoking
tone to his voice "Well are you gonna sit there
smiling like the Cheshire Cat all day or are you
gonna play some hockey?  I'm not kiddin'.  I want a
rematch.  Its a matter of National pride with me
buddy."   Fraser looked him straight in the eyes,
"You're on."  Then leaned over and kissed his
thoughtful friend thoroughly.  When they pulled
away and Ray caught his breath "I'm beginning to
like this 'contact' sport already.  But don't start
thinking that's gonna make me go easy on you."

Fraser was quickly laced up and raring to go.  He
was like a kid in his eagerness to play on the ice,
but he tried to wait patiently as Ray finished
lacing up his skates.  Fraser knew from the last
time they skated together, that Ray wasn't a
confident experienced skater.  But that didn't
matter.  It was seemingly simple gestures like this
one that showed him yet again, just how good-
hearted Ray truly was and how much he cared for
him.  Besides, he figured it would be fun to teach
Ray some moves.  And not just the kind you do
skating.

As they got on the ice, "I think we should warm up
first."  Fraser placed his arm around an
unprotesting Ray's waist and pulled him close, to
help steady him and get him used to the ice.
"Yeah, I'm feeling warmer already." Ray
suggestively replied.  When Ben felt Ray was safely
ready he released his waist and grabbed his hands
into his own.  They faced each other now, with
Fraser skating backwards slowly and Ray forward.
Periodically Fraser would let Ray glide into him
for a quick kiss then would pull away backwards,
hands still clasped, to regain their pace around
the pond.  They floated, well Ben floated and Ray
kind of spluttered, around the pond for a little
while.  At times Ray would stumble threatening to
wipe out totally, but due to the heroic efforts of
his skating companion somehow managed to stay on
his own 2 skated feet.

They had been on the ice now for about 15 minutes.
Fraser could be heard giving out skating advice and
support to his not as skilled skating companion.
"That's good.  You're doing much better than the
last time Ray."   "Yeah, well to this day I'm still
haunted by the bruises I got all over from that so-
called "friendly" game of Americans versus
Canadians.  I think I've warmed up enough for now.
Its time to go solo for a while and play some
hockey."

"Ray, are you sure about this?".  Fraser was
concerned that his friend could get hurt.  The last
game they played, Ray had spent more time literally
'on the ice' than skating on it.  And Ray had been
the goalie then. This time he would have to skate
much more.  He decided he'd go real easy on him.

With a playful voice, "You probably thought I was
going to forget about the grudge match, didn't you?
But I'm onto you.  You're one tricky Cannuck.
Tried to sweet talk and seduce me to give up.  Do
they teach you that in the Canadian hockey
handbook?"  With that said he skated away from his
friend and went to get the hockey sticks and puck.
While he did that, Fraser set up the goal posts.
Ray skated over to him with hockey stick
outstretched and handed it to his hockey 'foe'.
And they faced off to start the game.  Fraser
didn't know what shocked him most - his having lost
the puck so fast to Ray or Ray's skating skill as
he whizzed by him to score a goal.  "He shoots.  He
scores!" was all he could hear ringing in his ears
and then Ray was back in front of him with a huge
grin on his face. Fraser was still gape-jawed,
spluttering "Ray, either you've been holding out on
me or you're just very lucky."

"Well, let's just say I've been practicing since
the last time.  You and your buddy Smithbauer
shamed me into it.  I've been wanting to get even
ever since.  When you thought I was working out at
the gym, I was actually at the rink a couple o'
times a week.  Smithbauer recommended a hockey
instructor friend of his.  But his warm up moves
are alot different than your's", at that last
remark he laughed and skated expertly away... with
the puck.  Fraser skated after in hot pursuit,
"Hey, wait a minute, is this someone I should be
worried about?"  "No.  Just be worried about my
next move" as he slapped the puck and it went again
through Fraser's goalposts.  "Come on Benny, are
you letting me win?  This is much too easy."  The
puck was retrieved by a frollicking wolf and
plunked down in front of Fraser.  "Thanks Dief.
Ok, Ray.  You asked for it... as a representative
of the Canadian government... this is officially
war.  No one beats us at our own game." he jokingly
stated.  They faced off again.  Fraser all serious
and stern looking that Ray couldn't help but make a
face of his own.  He licked his cold lips
seductively and mouthed a suggestive comment at his
friend. It had the effect he desired, "No fair
distracting the opposition, Ray."  "Nice to see
you're wolf isn't the only one who can read lips.
Haven't you heard...all's fair in love and war
Benny."

They continued to play for quite a while longer.
Fraser caught up with the goals Ray had scored
earlier and they were hardpressed to score any
others off of each other after that.  Neither
minded the cold, because they weren't feeling it.
At one point they crashed into each other and wiped
out on the ice.  Landing in a tangled heap.  Fraser
with his back to the ice and Ray partly lying on
top of him.  They didn't get up right away.
Because as Ray made motions to do so, 2 hands
reached out to pull him back down.  Ray's gloved
hands gently moved up along Fraser's entire body
finally ending up cupping his face.  "I didn't feel
anything broken.  But I think this calls for mouth
to mouth resuscitation.  I'm certified ya know."
As Ray lay on top of him as they kissed, Fraser's
hands were fondling his thighs and buttocks, at one
point, "I can definitely tell you've been working
out Ray.  You did this for me?" he asked slyly.
With that they were consumed with a passion that
couldn't be fully realized then, but later they
promised themselves they'd take up where they left
off.  Before they finally reluctantly got up from
the ice, Fraser whispered seductively in Ray's ear
a multi-layered "Thank-you kindly Ray." as he
pressed a gentle kiss against his ear.  A
pleasurable shiver went through him and he knew
that all his efforts to make this day special for
Ben - and in return himself too - was the smartest
thing he'd done in a long time.  Noticing the
shiver, Fraser suggested they consider the game a
tie, get off the ice and out of the cold.

Dief was waiting for them at the fallen log.  Ray
had thought of everything.  From the box which had
originally held their skates, he pulled out a
thermos of hot chocolate, some snacks - which he
eventually shared with the wolf too - and a warm
wool blanket.  He handed a still warm cup of the
brew to his friend and wrapped the blanket around
both of their shoulders, forcing his companion to
move closer to him; to share body heat as well.
The sun was starting to set and they watched it in
companionable silence.  A little while later, with
the light from the moon, which was almost but not
quite full, shedding a light glow on the pond and
the snow and ice on the trees, the skaters
reluctantly packed up their gear and left.  As the
Riv headed for home and their unspoken promised
pleasures from earlier, Fraser finally voiced what
he'd been afraid to say for so long.  He feared
that if he said it out loud, it would result in
another person he loved jinxed into leaving him.
He faced that fear and banished it with the words,
"I love you Ray."  "I know.  I love you too Benny.
But now you're stuck with me.  I don't ever leave
those I love without a fight."  THE END