Author's website: http://www.learnlink.emory.edu/~sdelcul/index2.html

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer. Fear not, the title isn't about what you think it is, just keep reading. This is an RV/BF, that just isn't the point of the story. Please send comments, questions, compliments, and otters to sdelcul@yahoo.com.

Author's Notes: My first anonymous challenge from thecloset. [Part of the Box series, but they all make sense apart.]

Story Notes:

Ben woke slowly one afternoon. He felt overly warm, and it took him a moment to determine the cause of this unusual temperature change. Let's face it, sleeping wrapped around an Italian bed warmer with a sheet, a blanket, and a wolf over you isn't exactly conducive to heat loss. A few movements of his feet, carefully calculated not to wake up the other heat source, had little effect on the wolf. After a slightly more energetic movement and a silent conversation, Dief grudgingly got up. He didn't go far, choosing to lie down again on the floor beside Ray. Unwittingly, Ben smiled. Dief had been almost as excited by Ray's return as he had.

Their movements must have woken Ray up, because when he looked again, he was drowning in sweet green eyes.

The owner of those eyes was currently smirking up at him. "Want me all to yourself, do you?" The teasing tone was underlayed by a hint of uncertainty.

It was a shock to him that Ray might have the slightest, smallest lack of confidence that he thought the world of him. "I love you." At one point the words would have been hard for him to say, but they were necessary now.

"I lov-" the words were covered by a kiss.

Without any more words, Ben unbuttoned Ray's pajama top. The silence was broken only by gasps and hard, heavy breathing. His heart shattered as he traced several barely healing scars.

Noticing what held Ben's attention, Ray pulled him down and began working on Ben's long johns.

"Ray-"

"It's all right, Benny. They're nothing."

"They look awful."

"Only because they're recent. You'll see, in a little while they'll be gone." A sudden thought made him pause in undressing Fraser. "You don't," he gulped and started again. "You didn't get hurt or anything did you? While I was gone I mean."

"No, no. I'm fine. Aside from one minor assault and wrenching my back jumping out of a window. And of course when Ray - never mind."

"Kowalski? Kowalski hurt you?"

"Relax, Ray. I've never feared that he'd do it again."

"Again? What do you mean, again?!"

Instinct urged him to keep quiet now, for Ray's sake, but it was too late. "Ray-"

"Answer me Benny. You said, 'I've never feared that he'd do it again.' What did that mean?"

He sighed heavily. "Ray, it's okay. It wasn't like that."

Ray sat down, trying to remain calm but he couldn't keep his hands from shaking. He had too many emotions and too much energy running through him to be quiet and still as Ben explained. And even when Ben finished and Ray again exploded into words, his hands continued moving at their own command. "You use force only as a last resort. And only against them." He emphasized with a vague wave of his hand. "You don't hit children, you don't hit women, you don't hit cops, you don't hit civilians, and you certainly don't hit a friend, a partner!"

"Ray-"

"You are the world's most annoying man, Fraser! You ruined God knows how many suits of mine and risked my life over and over. Did I ever hit you?"

"You did shoo- no."

"You made me blow up my car for Ian McDonald. And then you brought him back again- did I hit him?"

"No."

"In fact there has only been one person whom I have ever hit like that."

Ben nodded.

"Who was it, Fraser? Who did I punch?"

"Frank Zuko."

"I rest my case. Now explain to me exactly why it was okay for him to hit you like that. What gave him the right to punch you?"

"He warned me he was going to-"

"I say it all the time. Have I ever done it?"

"No."

"Next?"

"He offered to let me punch him back-"

"Ah. Even-Steven? Tell me you know better than that, Benny."

"He apologized, Ray."

"Do you know how many times my father apologized for hitting my mother?"

"Do you really feel the two situations are comparable?"

"Yes! It's about trust, Fraser. Partners are often just as close, if not closer than man and wife. You know that. Besides, I trusted him to take care of you while I was gone, not to - to-"

"Ray," he gentled Ray like a spooked horse. "I'm fine. It's okay. You're back now."

Wearily, Ray allowed himself to be comforted and cosseted. All thoughts of anger flew out the window as Ben reminded him that their time apart was over now. The reassurance was good for both of them.

The next morning, however, Ray woke up early, unable to sleep. Tossing and turning while trying not to wake Fraser, his mind returned to the conversation at hand. His indignation grew to offended anger as he visualized the events on the boat. Moving cautiously so as to not awaken Fraser, he stood up and got dressed. A plan quickly formed in his head, and seven minutes later he was on his way.

Stanley Ray Kowalski walked back into his apartment, tossed the mail on the table, and almost had a heart attack. "What are you doing in here?"

"We need to settle a little something."

"How'd you get in here?"

"I'm a cop, Stanley."

"Don't call me that."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you not like being called Stanley, Stanley? Does it get on your nerves?"

They were eye to eye now.

"Yes, actually. It does."

"Too bad."

They were chest to chest and only inches away from a violent confrontation when Kowalski took a step back and sat down, temporarily defusing the moment.

"What's this really about, Vecchio?"

"You hit Fraser." Ray growled.

"No I didn't! I haven't even seen him today."

"You hit him. On that damn boat!"

"Oh. That."

"Yeah, 'oh that.' Wanna try that one again? On someone playing by your rules? Come on, Kowalski! Try it on someone who's capable of hitting back!"

"Why don't you just admit what's really pissing you off, Vecchio? You're angry at me 'cause you feel guilty!"

"And just what would I have to feel guilty about?"

"You feel guilty for leaving him. For betraying - "

"That's enough, Ray."

Kowalski startled into silence.

"What are you doing here, Benny?"

"I woke up and you were gone. I was worried when you didn't return."

"I'm fine, Benny."

Fraser had been slowly working his way towards him since his sudden appearance. "Are you?"

Ray shrugged and Ben hugged him tentatively, keeping one arm around Ray's waist for multiple reasons.

"It is true." Ray whispered in awe.

His voice startled them both. He'd been watching them closely but they hadn't been aware of anything but each other.

"Mm?" They both turned to him in surprise.

Kowalski winked at them. "Looks like I owe Jack some money."

"What?"

"I'm seeing it, but I'm still not believing it." He gave a rather undignified snort.

Ray and Fraser's shock made Ray's reaction appear even louder and funnier. "Not believing what, exactly?"

"You're having sex!" He was giggling. A grown man giggling is a sad sight.

Unsure of how to respond, Fraser watched Ray for his reaction.

For Ray, it was like coming out of a fog. He'd been running on the anger and the adrenaline earlier, but now he was just tired. It was hard enough for his mind to comprehend that Kowalski knew. Reducing everything he felt towards Fraser to "having sex" was inconceivable to him. "I love him."

Unconsciously Fraser beamed at him.

"Oh stop. Us single folk can't take it." Kowalski teased before getting serious again. "Look Vecchio, I'm sorry. I was annoyed, and I let my emotions get ahead of me. It never happened again. Right, Frase?"

Ben nodded. "It's all right, Ray. We settled that."

Ray watched this conversation closely, seeing that for Fraser and Kowalski the issue had been settled. "It better not happen again. No one is going to hurt him without answering to me." Without realizing it, he was gripping Ben tightly.

Having spent enough time with Fraser to know how much he had been hurt before, Kowalski knew better than to argue the point, giving Fraser enough time to convince Ray to go home. Closing the door behind them, Ray sighed. He could see now one reason why Fraser had always been so protective of Vecchio; Vecchio was just as protective.

Wishing that he had something like that in his life, he checked his answering machine. Only one message. "Turnbull? I wonder what he could want."

End It was a mistake by silvina: sdelcul@yahoo.com

Author and story notes above.