Pairing: Benny/Ray V.

Rating: G.

Category: Romance.

Warning: Sap! No, honestly! No twists, no turns, just pure, unadulterated sap.

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

Disclaimer: Alliance owns these boys. They don't know what to do with 'em, but...

(c) April 26, 2000

*Benny took out the candles and set them on the kitchen table, humming to himself as he worked preparing the apartment. The tablecloth was set, the china and silverware a big difference from his tin cups and plates. He liked the deep blue color of the plates, blushing slightly as he thought of Ray's comment: "They're the color of your eyes". Dief whined and Benny looked down at his inquisitive wolf.

"Yes, Ray is on his way."

Dief's tail wagged with enthusiasm and Benny laughed. He gently ruffled the wolf's fur and returned to his preparations.

The candles were set in silver candlesticks. Really, the silver was old and had taken a lot of cleaning since he had bought them at a yard sale in the country, but they had been worth it. Ray deserved special treatment.

Benny checked the pots on the stove. The water would be boiling soon and the sauce was simmering to perfection. He glanced up at the clock and quickly lit the candles. He went over to the coffee table in the living room and laid out paper plates and napkins, then went back to the kitchen and sat in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.

The wait was not long. Benny heard the familiar sound of the Riv and jumped up, checking the pots again. The door opened to the apartment and Ray was all smiles and laden down with grocery bags.

"Here ya go, Benny! The Friday night goodies!"

Ray dumped the contents onto the counter, noisily rattling potato chip bags and boxes of chocolate chip cookies. He put the sodas into the refrigerator and tore open a box of pasta, dumping it into the boiling pot.

"There!" he said with satisfaction. "It'll cook up fast now."

Ray smiled at his partner, then sauntered over and gave him a loving kiss. He gave Benny a quick spank on his jeans-clad ass and tossed off his coat, Benny catching it before it slid off the back of the kitchen chair and hanging it up in the closet. He touched his lips with wonder. Only Ray could give him a kiss that could tingle.

Ray was busy adding onions and oregano to the sauce, his hands deft and quick as he chopped the onions. Benny loved to watch Ray's hands. It always reminded him of what those hands could do to him. He shivered.

"You okay, Bennyluv?"

"Wha...?"

"You were shivering."

"Oh." Benny blinked. "I'm fine, Ray."

"Good, because I don't want you catching a cold or anything."

"No, Ray."

The sauce and pasta were beginning to smell heavenly. Benny gave Dief a fresh bowl of water and grudgingly promised him some pasta. He and Ray talked about their days, Benny's full of Turnbull antics and Ray about his latest case.

Soon dinner was ready and they were sitting down to the magnificent meal. Benny had grown quite fond of Italian cooking and had asked Rosa to teach him Ray's favorite dishes. She had happily imparted her knowledge to her new student and Ray was reaping the benefits. He was a good cook himself, but he liked his lover having the same skills in the kitchen. Benny had come a long way from biscuits and stew, though both were just fine by Ray.

Benny enjoyed every morsel. He was just happy to be sitting here on a Friday night in his apartment with Ray. Friday was a ritual, after all.

Every Friday, they ate dinner together. On the surface that did not seem especially unusual, since they frequently took the evening meal together. As well as lunch. And sometimes breakfast. But Friday night was the night they always got together.

The meal varied, from Ray's Italian cooking (or now Benny's attempts), to simple repasts like Ray's juicy hamburgers or Benny's Irish stew or take-out. Or they might go out to dinner, but they would always return to the apartment.

The meal itself was the ritual. And then what came after.

"Mmm, that was delicious, Benny." Ray grinned. "You're getting to be quite the cook."

"Thank you kindly, Ray. You and your mother are good teachers."

"What I got to teach you, Ma can't."

Benny blushed and Ray laughed. They cleaned up, Dief happy at his portion, and then the next part of the ritual was enacted.

They retired to the living room, Ray carrying the big bag of potato chips and the box of chocolate chip cookies. Benny carried the Pepsis. They arranged themselves comfortably on the floor in front of the sofa, behind the coffee table. Ray picked up the remote and pointed it at the second-hand TV that he had persuaded Benny to buy. Dief padded over and sat close to Ray.

Benny sighed in contentment. This was where he wanted to be, forever and ever: by Ray's side. And Friday nights were the most special of all. Friday nights were theirs. If by some chance Ray had a birthday at the Vecchios', he invited Benny, of course. And if Benny had to attend a Consulate function, he made sure that Ray could be a part of it. Because Friday nights were sacrosanct!

The television programs didn't matter. He just enjoyed being with Ray, tossing comments back and forth and pretending he didn't see Ray sneaking Dief snacks. He loved the way they could just sit and be together, and if they had sex later, that was wonderful, but not required. Because Friday nights were honoring their friendship from their pre-lover days, and Benny valued Ray's friendship as much as he valued his romantic relationship with him.

Rain started to fall outside the window and Benny snuggled a little closer to his lover. Ray was busy extrapolating on the latest episode of his favorite comedy when he turned his head and smiled. Benny felt his heart do flipflops. The Vecchio Smile! Oh, yes.

He licked his lips. "Uh, would you like some popcorn, Ray?"

"Hey, cool, Benny!" Ray's warm hand rested on his arm. "Wait 'til the commercial, okay?"

Benny waited, his senses directed toward that marvelous hand, then when the commercial came on he got up and went to the kitchen. The microwave had been purchased by him for these Friday nights. Popcorn had to be microwaved. And he admitted to himself that he didn't just do it for Ray. He liked the treat as well. Really, Ray was corrupting him with potato chips and hot dogs and soft drinks...

He thought of *other* ways that Ray was corrupting him and smiled. The timer rang on the microwave and he opened the door, taking out the hot popcorn bag and pouring it into a big plastic bowl. He brought it back to the coffee table with fresh drinks.

"Look, they're advertising a movie about the RCMP!" Ray was pointing to the screen. "I take it it's not about Dudley Do-Right?"

"Ha, ha, Ray."

Benny watched the advertisement with interest. He wondered if the film was a Canadian one that had somehow wandered down here to the States.

"We could go see it if you want to."

Benny looked at his partner. "I'd like that, Ray."

Ray smiled and scooped up a big handful of popcorn. "Good."

The comedy came back on and Ray was totally immersed. Benny found himself enjoying the storyline. This particular comedy was actually intelligent, not written by adolescents with a locker room sense of humor.

They laughed and ate popcorn and drank Pepsi, and the rain came down harder. Dief gobbled up any dropped pieces of popcorn and yawned contentedly.

Another comedy came on, and then a mystery. Before the mystery was finished, Ray's head lolled on Benny's shoulder. He had worked a long week of overtime and Benny was happy that Ray was using him as a pillow. He continued watching the mystery, intrigued by the plot, and thought himself the luckiest man on earth as he ate popcorn and Ray slept on his shoulder.*

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