BUBBLE WRAP By Savannah Heath

Fraser/Kowalski

The Due South characters belong to Alliance. The library and hospital staffs are mine.

AU

Constable Benton Fraser opened one of the numerous boxes which had arrived at the consulate late on Friday afternoon. They were filled with artifacts which would be on display the following week, while a renowned archeologist was visiting from Quebec. Benton had been entrusted with the duty of unboxing and uncrating all of the artifacts, Inspector Thatcher had been too busy, of course, and Turnbull ... "Turnbull is not to touch any of those artifacts. Do you understand me, Constable?"

Fraser had said, "Yes, Sir", and hide his grin.

Fraser didn't mind unboxing the artifacts. In fact he was really interested in the objects he was allowed to unpack. Each one had a unique place in Canadian history and he found them fascinating. In fact he was so fascinated that he did not realize the time. Ray had said he would pick him up at seven p.m. They were going to pick up dinner and go to Ray's apartment and watch hockey. Fraser was so wrapped up in what he was doing that he did not hear Ray tooting his horn. Or hear Ray give up tooting his horn and come up the steps of the Consulate. Or hear Ray pound on the door of said Consulate. Or hear Ray give up pounding and jimmy the lock. But he did hear Ray say, "What the hell are you doing Frase." In fact he almost dropped the vase he was removing from the buddle wrap because he was so surprised. He carefully placed the vase on the table and turned to Ray.

"Are you early?"

"No, Frase, you are late. What happened to that Mountie sense of time? Hey Frase, what's that?" He is pointing to a inukshuk.

"It's an inukshuk," Fraser said.

"You mean like that thing at the mall, a few months ago."

"Yes. This is a smaller version of that. Inukshuk means "one who looks like a person". They're mostly used for navigational purposes now. The smaller ones are really more for art or decoration."

"Cool. Oh, buddle wrap. I love this stuff," Ray said.

"It is very good at keeping fragile items safe."

"Yeah that too. I meant I love to pop em."

"Pop them?"

"You can not tell me you have never popped bubble wrap."

"Like popcorn," Fraser asked uncertain?

"No like this," and Ray popped one of the bubbles. Dief immediately got up looking for the source of the noise. Ray popped another and Dief barked. "Hey, Dief likes em."

"And why is this enjoyable," Fraser asked?

"You really don't get it, do you? Here try one."

"What am I trying to do?"

"Jez, Frase just pop the damned thing. While we're young ... well, youngist."

Fraser popped one of the bubbles. Dief barked again and danced around. Ray laughed. Fraser looked at Ray and marveled at the transformation of the man's face when he laughed. Ray was an attractive man. He had told him so in a cemetery, once, as he recalled; but laughing Ray was beautiful. Fraser popped another bubble just to see that look on Ray's face. Ray laughed and patted Fraser on the back. "See, fun isn't it?"

"I can see advantages to the enterprise."

"Advantages ... enterprise... Frase, buddy mine, you got to loosen up, man. Here burst a few more bubbles."

Fraser popped another bubble. "Aw come on," Ray said taking the sheet from Fraser and dropping it to the floor where he stomped it with a deafening series of pops. He danced around on the page making more and more pops. Fraser put another sheet down for Ray and he danced getting a beat going with the pops. Dief danced around him yipping and seeming to smile. Fraser found himself smiling, also. How could he not smile when Ray looked so wonderful? When Ray finished his impromptu gig Fraser applauded. Ray bowed and his feet slipped and he slid toward Fraser who reached out and grabbed him, pulling Ray toward him. Ray's momentum carried both of them backward and they fell into the piles of empty boxes and bubble wrap. They landed with Fraser on the bottom and Ray lying on top of him.

"Frase, you okay." Fraser was dazed and found Ray's position alarming and yet he found he did not want Ray to move; at least not right away. As Ray tried to rise Fraser held on and wouldn't let him move. "Frase, what's wrong. Did I hurt you?"

"No, Ray, I'm fine, just got the wind knocked out of me for a while." He let go of Ray who scrambled up and then reached down his hand to help Fraser up.

Fraser rose from the floor. He held on to Ray's hand. He found that he did not want to let it go. Ray looked at him a little oddly but did not pull his hand away. "Fraser, are you sure you're okay?"

"Ray, I ..." Fraser stopped.

"Ray, I what?"

"Ray, I find I like holding your hand."

"Really. How long have you known that?"

"I've suspected it for some time but after the case with Lady Shoes I knew. If you recall there were a couple of opportunities for me to discover this fact during that time and I ..."

"Fraser you are rambling."

"Sorry, Ray."

"So, is holding my hand all you have a yin for?"

"Well, if we're being completely honest..."

"And you are always honest."

"I try to be, Ray. It behooves us to ..."

"Frase?"

"Yes, Ray?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Ray..."

"You do want to kiss me, don't you?" Ray suddenly seemed uncertain. "I mean that was ...Oh shit you don't want to kiss me do you?"

"Ray." Then Fraser was kissing him. Ray pulled back in a minute.

"Ah, Frase, did you kiss me because I, like, told you to or did you kiss me because you wanted to kiss me?"

"Both."

"Both. Meaning you did want to kiss me?"

"Yes."

"Well, do you want to, like, maybe, kiss me again?"

"Yes. I would." Then Ray is kissing Fraser and it is very good. And it just keeps getting better. Finally they both pull back trying to catch their breath.

"If I had known that bubble wrap would have this effect on you, I'd have gotten some long ago," Ray says.

"It wasn't the bubble wrap."

"No."

"No. Ray it was you. It's always been you. Since I first saw you. I've thought about kissing you every day since that first day."

"Wow, me too."

"Really, Ray?"

"Oh yes. Every time you licked your lips I wished to lick them myself. I would look at your lips and imagine. Oh hell, I'm going to have to kiss you again."

"Good." And they kissed again and again. Finally Dief let them know that he did not find this amusing and was hungry for the promised pizza.

"Come on, Frase, let's go to my place and order that pizza and maybe do some more kissing. What'd you think?"

"Just kissing," Fraser asked?

"Alright," Ray said. "Pitter patter. Let's get going, Frase."

"Should we bring some of this bubble wrap," Fraser asked?

"No, don't need it," Ray said. "Don't need anything but you." Dief barked disgustedly. "Alright and you Dief," and when Dief cocked his head at Ray, Ray added, "and pizza, of course."