Author's Notes: Written for the DS Holiday Party. Thank you to china_shop and sageness for the usual 'awesome beta'

Ray woke early and alone. Both these things were things he didn't consider normal anymore. While he didn't match the level of sloth Kowalski achieved - the guy had to be pried out of bed with a crowbar - he never considered himself a morning person either. Waking with the alarm at seven was usually early enough for him.

The clock currently read five-twenty-six and the sky was just starting to lighten, throwing pale golden stripes through the half-closed blinds. There was just enough light to confirm the emptiness of the bed, even if he hadn't missed the weight, and the muttering and assorted sleep noises of his... current bed companion.

The apartment was quiet: no sounds from the bathroom, no coffee-maker gurgling in the kitchen, not even the hum of voices from the TV. He could hear the early morning traffic from the street, the distant barking of dogs, a rooster - who the hell kept a rooster in an apartment?

Ray's body was all in favour of going back to sleep, but the prolonged silence was nagging at his brain. He got up, slipped on his boxers, and wandered out of the bedroom. Ray didn't think he'd ever been alone in Kowalski's apartment before, not counting that time Kowalski had ducked down to the laundry in the basement to get his clean sheets out of the dryer. But Kowalski definitely wasn't there now. The deadbolt and chain were still on.

The room was chilly, and Ray wrapped his arms around himself. A loud thud came from the fire escape, and if Ray hadn't been staring straight out the open window, he'd never have believed it: Kowalski, balanced on the steps, with giant tawny wings bursting from between his naked shoulder blades. A shaft of sunlight snuck between the buildings as the wings shuddered and filled the air with a shower of sparkles.

Ray blinked with sleepy astonishment. He caught a glimpse of rich golden brown feathers with a smattering of creamy spots, before - with a rustle - they vanished.

Looking incredibly normal in an unexceptional worn t-shirt and grayed gym shorts, Kowalski climbed in through the window.

Ray found his voice. "What the hell was that?"

"What?" Kowalski looked around the room as he reached up to slam down the window.

Ray shivered. "What was that - what's with all the sparkles?"

"Condensation." There was a knowing smile that Ray didn't like at all on Kowalski's face. He hated being out of the loop, even about the small stuff. Now he felt like he was swinging wildly over a void with only a grappling hook to hang onto.

"Are you okay?" Kowalski's tone was curious. "Are you awake?"

"I... I don't know. I mean, I must be dreaming, right?" He must be, surely.

"Sure you are," Kowalski said, and his discomfiting grin morphed into a familiar leer. "Why don't you go back to bed and I can wake you up properly?"

Ray rubbed one sleep-filled eye and agreed that this was the best idea that had occurred to him all day. Kowalski pressed up against him, crowding him backwards through the bedroom door. But Ray couldn't quite let it go.

"You don't really have wings, do you?"

"Will you relax?" said Ray. "I'm not going to fly away."

He leaned forward and licked at Ray's mouth, teasing him with a kiss, sliding his tongue between Ray's lips. Ray let out a groan. That sweet mouth on his, long fingers wrapped around his cock... now that was a way to wake up.

~~~

Prompt: 38. Ray/Ray wingfic! "What's with the sparkles?" for fyrstrm.