Hit You Or Kiss You

by Iris M Gray

Paring: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Benton Fraser, Ray Kowalski, or Diefenbaker.

This story is rated PG for a few naughty words, a teensy bit of violence, and implied male/male sex. If same-sex relationships bother you or you are under the age of majority in your area, don't say you weren't warned.

Hit You Or Kiss You

by Iris M Gray

"Damnit, Fraser!" exclaimed Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski in exasperation. "What got into you tonight?"

"Is something wrong, Ray?" asked his partner, RCMP constable Benton Fraser.

"You're damn right something is wrong, Fraser!!" Ray was almost screaming in rage and frustration. The Mountie was just too calm, and that irritated Ray even more.

Fraser and Ray had been enjoying a late dinner at a pizza parlour not far from the precinct where Kowalski worked. While the two of them were finishing their House Special, a man with a gun had entered the restaurant and attempted to rob the cashier.

"Please, Ray, tell me what is upsetting you so much," said Fraser, still calm.

"You mean you don't KNOW???" cried Kowalski.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you, would I, Ray?" replied Fraser.

Ray was beginning to feel as if his head were going to explode. When he had seen the gunman hold up the cashier, Ray had grabbed his badge and gun and run to the aid of the frightened girl, yelling, "Police! Drop the gun!" Unfortunately, the perp had been strung out on some chemical or other and hadn't seemed much inclined to listen to him. The confrontation had quickly turned into a standoff.

Kowalski sighed. "Fraser," he said, a trace more calmly, "after everything that happened tonight, you have to ask me what I'm upset about? Fraser, you could have gotten your self killed! What in the name of heaven possessed you to pull a stunt like that???"

Ray had tried to talk to the would-be robber, calmly asking him to put his gun down before someone got hurt, never moving his own gun. The gunman wouldn't let anyone near a phone, so no one had been able to call the police. Ray was alone with the robber. Or so he thought.

"A stunt like what, Ray?" asked Fraser. His partner had always been rather...excitable, and Fraser hoped that if he spoke calmly enough, Ray might eventually cool off and express himself more coherently.

Ray, concentrating on his negotiations with the perp, had not noticed Fraser approaching them. Ray approached the gunman, saying, "C'mon, buddy, gimme the gun, okay? Nobody's gonna get hurt." The man had panicked and fired at Ray.

"Like jumping in front of a man with a gun, Fraser!"

Fraser had indeed jumped between Ray and the shooter, pulling his partner down to the floor and out of harm's way. The bullet had thudded harmlessly into a wall. The shooter had panicked and run out of the restaurant. Ray had called in a report to the precinct and the man was later apprehended a few blocks away.

Now Fraser and Ray were in Ray's apartment with Fraser's wolf, Diefenbaker, finishing another pizza that had been pressed on them by the grateful restaurant owner.

"Ray, I did that in order to prevent you getting shot...possibly getting killed," said Fraser. Ray noticed that the Mountie's voice was not quite as calm. "You are my friend, Ray...I don't want anything to happen to you."

Kowalski sighed. "Fraser," he said, the anger gone from his voice, "sometimes I don't know whether to hit you or kiss you."

"I would much rather you kissed me, Ray."

Kowalski froze. "What ... what did you just say, Frase?"

"I said I would rather you kissed me than hit me, Ray. You've hit me before, and it is not an experience I would want to repeat."

"You want me to kiss you?" Ray asked. He did not sound angry or upset, but rather...hopeful.

"Yes, Ray, I do," replied Fraser.

Ray put his hands on his friend's shoulders, leaned forward, and tentatively kissed him. At the feel of Benton's mouth responding to his, he increased the urgency of the kiss. The two men stayed like that on the couch for a few moments, then got up, and, still kissing, moved to the bedroom, went in, and shut the door.

Diefenbaker watched them leave, then helped himself to the remains of the pizza.

THE END
(or is it only the beginning?)