Disclaimer: Due South, Benton Fraser, and Ray Kowalski belong to Alliance Atlantis.

Author's Notes:

Story Notes: Takes place during CotW; minor spoilers for that, plus one rather vague reference to MotB.

He was on a ship.

No -- he was underwater. He was... on a ship underwater?

Well, the rocking motion would seem to indicate the movement of a ship of some sort; most likely not a very large one, judging by the violent snap that punctuated the roll of each wave, though perhaps they had encountered some particularly rough weather which would account for their turbulent motions. That still did nothing to explain why he was underwater; or, specifically, why this didn't seem to be adversely affecting his ability to breathe in the slightest. And what was that heavy warmth surrounding him?

"Ray?"

Ray peered down at him, head tilted, chin resting on Fraser's chest. "You trust me, Fraser?" Silver bubbles floated from his mouth and nose as he spoke, but the sound carried clearly.

Fraser nodded. The movement caused Ray's hair to sway with the waves. "Of course, Ray."

"Then go that way."

Fraser twisted his head about, trying to see where Ray was pointing, but both of Ray's hands were threaded through Fraser's hair. He looked around the ship to see what their options might be, but all he could determine was that the ship apparently resembled Ray's apartment in layout and decor. Well, that was certainly odd. The chili pepper lights glowed strangely in the water.

"But Ray, I can't..." Ray pouted. "That is, I don't..." Ray looked away sadly. "Tell me which way to go, Ray."

And then it was dark. Fraser couldn't see, but there warm hands against his face -- guiding him, showing him which way to go. He felt lips against his own. He mumbled an indistinct "Ray" against them before opening his mouth for the tongue that slid inside. The waves causing Ray's living room to rock back and forth grew more turbulent. Fraser thrust up against Ray's hips in the darkness.

"You.. Frase.."

No, wait -- that's not right. Fraser frowned. Ray's voice sounded -- hurt? no; scared? not quite; urgent? well, yes, but -- anguished. Ray was scared and miserable and panting hot against his neck as he rocked his hips hard against Fraser's.

Fraser opened his eyes with a start. He saw the inside of their tent, heard the faint rustlings of Frobisher's men outside, smelled (sweat, sex, tears, Ray) the clean snow and pine scent of home.

Ah. Oh dear.

"Ray--" he attempted, but fell silent as he heard a harsh moan from just below his ear -- "sorry, Frase, so sorry.." -- and felt Ray thrust erratically against him several more times before eventually stilling to lie shaking, half on top of him, left thigh nudging the hopeful ache at his groin.

Good Lord.

Fraser waited for Ray's breathing to slow somewhat, closing his eyes as he felt the warm breath stir the hairs at the base of his skull. He turned his face slightly to see him, head pressed tight against Fraser's shoulder, eyes squeezed shut in denial. "Ray," he murmured.

Ray shook his head slightly, twitching no against Fraser's neck. "Not yet, not yet," he whispered into Fraser's shirt.

Fraser shifted. "Ray," he said again. "Ray. Ray. Ray."

Ray lifted his head with a cringe. "Fraser." His eyes darted nervously around the tent, looking wistfully at the door-flap before eventually looking wistfully at Fraser.

Ray cleared his throat. "Uh." Ray swallowed. "Uh." Ray cleared his throat again. "Fraser. That, uh, that wasn't -- or, uh, at least, I mean, I didn't -- that wasn't, uh..."

Fraser kissed him.

Ray's lips parted, possibly in welcome, possibly in confusion. In any event, Fraser took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside Ray's mouth. The wet heat that surrounded him felt so good, he had to fight to restrain himself from taking more, more, more as his body begged him to. He felt the vibration of Ray's soft moan against him for one sweet moment before Ray pulled away from him with a strangled gasp.

"You don't mind?" Ray asked.

The question seemed entirely superfluous, and not a little ridiculous, to Fraser, as the answer was currently pressed hard against Ray's inner thigh, but still Fraser had the presence of mind to groan out "please" as he rubbed himself shamelessly against his partner.

The trepidation in Ray's eyes melted away to show relief, which just as quickly was replaced with a playful heat that had Fraser moaning even before Ray's hand slid slowly, achingly slowly down Fraser's chest and under his waistband to grasp, then stroke his heated length. Fraser arched and thrust and moaned some more, leaving open-mouthed kisses along Ray's stubbled jaw as he panted and jerked and came all over Ray's hand.

Fraser lay dazed for a few moments, eyes closed, simply floating as he listened to the combined sounds of his and Ray's breathing. When Ray shifted to take his hand back, Fraser stirred. He dropped a kiss which landed slightly to the left of Ray's mouth and asked him, "Stay."

Ray's eyebrows rose. "What, in your pants?"

Fraser's mouth twitched into an involuntary smile. "Here. With me. In the Territories. In Chicago. In, ah, in my pants. Any place, just -- stay with me."

"Oh," Ray answered thickly. "Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, okay." He grinned. "We'll stay. We'll have an adventure."

An adventure. Fraser *hmm*ed contentedly as Ray settled in against his chest for the night. Fraser fell asleep with Ray's scent in his nose and Ray's warmth over his heart. His dreams were of Ray and the ocean and adventure.

End Ocean by grushenka: waverly@surfy.net

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