Disclaimer: I own maybe the talkative guy in the alley. Nobody who gets a name.

Author's Notes: ds_flashfiction ROOOLS!

Story Notes: For voyeurism challenge.

Dief's complaints about his diet were certainly nothing out of the ordinary, but they did serve to remind him that he had failed to give Ray money for his part of the meal. Even as he turned back, he knew Ray would look at him strangely, would no doubt call him a freak again.

"Well, yes, he may do so, Dief. Still, it's better to err on the side of caution. Ray's prior generosity certainly does not allow us the right to take advantage of him." Also, he thought perhaps Ray, for all his ridicule, rather enjoyed teasing him. Over the time he had known Ray Kowalski, the grin lurking at the corner of his mouth every time he called Fraser a "freak" had softened it, or at least his perception of it, from an insult into -- well, almost into a term of endearment. Well, no. A friendly joke, in any case.

Dief sniffed attentively as they approached the diner, but he didn't bark. Fraser slowed and prepared himself for whatever might be in the next alley -- Dief didn't seem agitated, but he smelled something to alert him.

There was no one nearby to assist either himself or any assailant, and he didn't hear the amount of noise a large group would surely make. Still, proper preparation, so he hugged the wall as he approached the corner, and managed to make out a low voice.

"-uck it, that's good..."

Oh dear. Well. Fraser bit his lip. This was something of a dilemma. On the one hand, this was technically a misdemeanor; on the other, they had no less right to do as they pleased in the alley than he to camp in a public park -- or just as much right, so long as no one was bothered by them. And he did have some sense of scale, much as Ray might think otherwise, and knew that the effort of enforcing the law here would be poorly paid by increased misery for all concerned and no benefit to society at all.

If this were, however, not a poorly-placed liaison but instead an economic exchange, then it might be as well to stay -- he remained undecided about the relative arguments for and against the laws against prostitution, but there had been a number of beatings of prostitutes in a nearby neighborhood, and the young lady might find herself in need of some assistance. And if not, he could simply walk on by as though he had never heard them, and "no harm, no foul," as his partner was fond of saying.

"Oh yeah--"

Meanwhile, of course, it was rather hard not to feel guilty for eavesdropping, even though he did try not to listen, and could in any case not hear very much.

"Suck it, bitch, just like th--"

"I told you to shut the fuck up."

No.

"All right, man, fine, just--"

"Just shut up, that's what. We clear?"

No, that was... some trick of the wind. Distance, night-time, the mind's tendency to try to associate unknown things with known things...

"How hard is this, asshole? You keep your fucking mouth closed, you get your dick sucked. Okay? Last warning."

By the lack of response, the other man clearly took the point.

Perhaps he had misunderstood. Dief looked up at him skeptically, and Fraser couldn't quite meet his eyes. Then perhaps Ray was being forced, he... no, he wouldn't be making demands were that the case..

Then -- it was a difficult shift in perspective, as Ray's behavior toward Stella had seemed to imply... -- but after all some people had both male and female partners... so some secret--he fumbled in his mind for a word and could come up only with lover, at which he cringed. And they had decided to meet...

No, that wouldn't work. All right, an old flame, perhaps someone he hadn't seen in a long... that image didn't particularly jibe with Ray's tone, or indeed with his words.

True to his promise, the unknown man was endeavoring to remain silent, but beginning to fail. The groans emanating from the alley sounded as though they had escaped from between bitten lips, and Fraser found himself sympathetic to the man's dilemma -- not to make a sound when... Well, it was clearly too much to ask.

Dief cocked his head, questioning their continued presence if Fraser had judged the situation non-dangerous. Fraser ignored him and reminded himself that he'd had many homosexual colleagues over the years, and their sexuality had never interfered with their working together. This was Detective Kowalski's... private life, and had nothing at all to do with their partnership, and he was sweating into the band of his hat.

The grunts suddenly increased in volume, and came quick together, ending with a half-voiced "Fuck!" and then silence. Fraser exhaled.

He couldn't leave now -- surely they would hear him. Combining the operations of walking and remaining silent seemed overwhelming, and he stayed pinned, undecided, until the silence was broken again.

"Hey, thanks."

"Yeah."

"Can I uh... can I buy you a beer, at least? You know..."

You couldn't help but feel a little kindly toward him after this awkwardly polite offer.

"No. I'm fine."

Well, perhaps Ray's judgment was different.

"I don't usually--"

"Look. Buddy. I don't want a beer, or a date, or to know your name. You got off, now get the fuck out of here, okay?"

Fraser heard the door (must be the back door of the diner, he must have met him in the diner, he must have seen him there before I left, he must have decided...) open and close, and then silence.

And then the strike of a match. Apparently Ray had taken up smoking again. Apparently Ray was intending not to return to the diner, which had a strict non-smoking policy, but to leave by way of the alley.

End To Hear Ill by Hel Virago: lorelei_fic@hotmail.com

Author and story notes above.