Author's website: http://www.happyfriendbox.com

Disclaimer: Not my guys, sadly.

Author's Notes: Huge thanks to my faithful beta reader SnowFlake, for her 2AM insta-beta of this particular little story. Don't know what I'd do without her!

Story Notes:

"You didn't."

"I did."

"You didn't."

"But in truth of fact, I did, Ray."

"Jesus Christ, Fraser, tell me you did not do this."

"Take a deep breath and..."

"If you tell me to calm down, I swear to god I'll..."

"What, Ray?"

"Forget it. It doesn't matter."

"Ah."

"What?"

"It's not important."

"What, Fraser."

"Well, I couldn't help but observe from your...volatile reaction that it very obviously does matter to you, quite a bit."

"Yeah, well, whatever. I'll deal."

"I'd prefer that you not simply 'deal,' but perhaps be inclined to discuss the matter with me."

"For the love of god, don't go all wounded-Mountie on me. I said it doesn't matter, so it doesn't matter. Drop it, okay?"

"I think you're lying, Ray."

"Oh jesus fucking Christ."

"Language..."

"Goddammit, Fraser. I do not want to do this right now."

"Ah."

"Don't walk away from me, Frase. Do not walk away."

"Well. If you don't want to discuss matters, I thought it might be best..."

"Yeah, well, you also thought it 'might be best' to tell the whole freaking precinct about us!"

"Francesca hardly constitutes the entire precinct, Ray."

"Mouth like she's got, you may as well have sent out a memo."

"Francesca assures me that she will keep this information to herself."

"Yeah, well, like I said, cat's out of the bag now, so what-fucking-ever."

"I didn't realize that it was so important to you that our relationship remain so...furtive."

"Furtive?"

"Clandestine."

"Clandestine?"

"Secret, Ray."

"I got it, Fraser."

"If it's that important to you that no one at all know about us..."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Can this conversation get any worse? Is that even possible?"

"I assure you, Ray, I had no desire to create difficulties in your life."

"You aren't creating difficulties. My life is one big freaking difficulty."

"Perhaps it would be best if I..."

"Uh-uh-uh, Fraser, you gotta stop with the cutting and running here. Look, just 'cause I got a little upset here doesn't mean I don't want to..."

"What?"

"Don't want to, uh, you know..."

"I'm afraid I don't, Ray."

"Aw, Christ, you know, fucking be with you, okay? I want to be with you all the damn time."

"Ah. You just don't want anyone else to be aware that you want to be with me."

"Yeah. I mean, no! I mean, Jesus, Fraser, way to put words in my mouth. That's not it at all. It's just... This thing between us, it's real different, yeah? And I kind of..."

"Yes?"

"Kind of like it that way, okay? I kind of like you and me being something different. Something different from all the rest of the bullshit we gotta deal with all the damn time. You know? So when it was just you and me... I don't know. I kinda liked the feeling of not letting anyone else in on the deal. Keeping it just for us for a little while. Get it?"

"I...get it, Ray."

"So we okay here?"

"Yes, we're okay."

"Good. Can we stop talking about freaking feelings now or do you want to keep on acting like a girl? We can do each other's hair, paint our nails, talk about boys...umph."

"...shut up, Ray."

"You keep kissing me like that, I will gladly shut the fuck up right now."

"That sounds like a fine plan."

"You just gonna keep standing there, or you maybe gonna kiss me again sometime this centur...umph."

"Ray."

"Yeah?"

"Shut. The fuck. Up."

"Okay, then."

~end~

End The Space Between by witchbaby: brooklinegirl@rcn.com

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