Hi all!
This is my response to Renny's "Kiss and Make Up" challenge. When I read the list, two items jumped out at me, and I knew that those items could only be used for two certain people.

The following is rated PG for fairly mild m/m content and fairly mild sappiness.

These characters aren't mine, they're Alliance's. No copyright infringement or offense intended, and no money will be made. Any statements in this story regarding Barry Manilow should not be taken as editorial comment on the part of the author.

I WRITE THE SONGS

Ray Kowalski leaned back in his chair and sighed in contentment. He had just finished an absolutely wonderful dinner prepared for him by his lover. The food had been delicious, and on top of that, Renny had been playing footsie with him for most of the meal, so Ray knew that his night could only get better.

Turnbull looked at him and smiled. "Did you have enough, Ray?"

"Enough of what, lover?" Ray asked with a grin.

Turnbull smiled back at him. "Enough food to give you energy for the rest of the night."

Ray arched an eyebrow at him. "Only one way to find out." He leaned over and drew Renny into a kiss, but after a moment, Renny pulled away.

"Later, Ray. You need to do the dishes first."

"What?!"

"I have something to take care of. By the time you're done with the dishes I should be done."

"Renny, what are you up to?" Ray asked nervously. Turnbull just smiled and left the kitchen.

Ray sighed. While he was certainly glad that he had a creative lover, Turnbull's creativity could sometimes be... odd. He hurried through the dishes as fast as he could, and walked into the living room. He paused in the doorway in surprise, and a reluctant smile spread over his face.

All the lights had been turned off, a fire was roaring in the fireplace, and candles were burning on the mantle, as well as on the tables.

Renny turned from stoking the fire, saw his lover, and smiled. "Shall we dance, Ray?" He asked.

Ray would rather have just stood in the doorway, admiring how gorgeous his lover looked in the firelight, but Renny was already moving towards the stereo. Ray quickly crossed the room, and wrapping his arms around Renny from behind, placed a kiss on the back of his neck.

Turnbull turned into the embrace and captured Ray's mouth with his own. Ray deepened the kiss, parting Renny's lips with his tongue. As the music started, however, Ray broke the kiss and drew away. "Renny, what the hell is that?"

"What is what, Ray?" Turnbull asked, confused.

"That 'music'."

"It's 'Weekend in New England', Ray."

"Barry Manilow?! You expect me to dance to Barry Manilow?!!"

"Yes."

"Uh-uh. No way!"

"Oh, come on, Ray. It's very romantic."

"It's very corny! I'm sorry, Renny, but Barry Manilow just plain sucks."

Turnbull pulled away from Ray, looking very offended. "He does not! How can you say that?!"

"Because it's true! You know, Turnbull, there is a history of diabetes in my family, so it's probably not even medically safe for me to listen to his music."

"Ray, stop it! You haven't even given this music a chance."

"And I've never given testicle piercing a chance, either, and I'm not about to."

"Oh, for God's sake, Ray!" Turnbull said, getting really annoyed now.

"What is the big deal, Renny? We'll just listen to something else."

"Oh. Like something you are going to choose?"

"Now you understand." Ray said with a grin.

"Yes. I think I do." Renny reached out and turned off the stereo.

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Asked Ray, his own temper starting to flare.

"It means that just once, I wish you would have a little regard for my feelings."

"What? Regard for your feelings? What in the hell do you call eating raw octopus the other night? Or that time you dragged my ass on that ten mile hike through the wilderness in the freezing cold?"

"It wasn't the wilderness, Ray. We were barely five miles outside of Chicago."

"You know what I mean! Don't stand there and tell me I don't have regard for your feelings or don't ever do anything you want to do!"

"And don't you stand there and act like it's all a one-way street!" Turnbull fired back. "I don't know how to break this to you, Ray, but hanging around a smelly, sweaty gym all afternoon watching teenagers beat up on each other is not exactly high on my list of fun things to do."

Ray looked at him, surprised and hurt. "That was a low blow. You told me you wanted to be there."

"I did, Ray. Because it's important to you; and I wanted to share in it with you."

Ray snorted. "And Barry Manilow is what's important to you?"

"That's not the point, Ray. The point is I am not going to let you steamroll right over me."

"I don't believe this!" Ray was practically yelling now. "You are taking a stand over Barry Manilow?"

"You just don't get it, do you Ray?"

"I get that it is stupid, sappy, shitty music!"

"Oh? Well if the music is stupid, sappy and shitty, then what does that make me?"

With an effort, Ray bit back the comment that rose to his lips. "Maybe I had better just leave."

"There's no maybe about it." Turnbull snapped.

"Fine." Grabbing his jacket, Ray stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Turnbull stood still for a moment, then went around the room, blowing out the candles. He went over and sank down on the floor next to the fireplace and sat with his face buried in his hands. What in the hell had just happened here? One moment he and Ray were having a wonderful, romantic evening, and the next they were having a loud, childish argument.

That had been happening far too often lately. Things that should have been merely minor annoyances had grown out of all proportion. On both their parts. In the last few weeks, he and Ray had gotten into more arguments than they had in all the time they had known each other up until then.

Renny sighed and tilted his head back, watching the glow of the firelight play across the ceiling. He didn't know why he was letting Ray get to him so much lately. But every time some little irritation popped up, a little voice told him that he could well be putting up with it for the rest of his life.

Turnbull sat up straighter. Maybe that was it. He and Ray had been together almost 6 months now, and they were slowly moving into deeper waters. Renny knew he loved Ray, and he also knew that there was a very good chance the relationship could be permanent; that Ray might well be 'the one'. And, quite frankly, the thought scared the hell out of him.

He heaved a very heavy sigh. He didn't really know why the idea of a permanent relationship with Ray scared him. He wanted it. He had wanted it for a long time. And now it was happening, and it made him nervous. Maybe it was just buyer's remorse. Or maybe it was the knowledge that the further he went with Ray, the more he could be hurt further down the line. Renny sighed again. He was pretty sure that his lover was going through the same thing. That was probably why Ray had been such a willing, active participant in their arguments lately.

"Oh, Ray. I'm sorry." Turnbull whispered miserably.

Two hours later, Renny was lying on his bed, feeling very unhappy. He felt that he should call Ray and apologize, but he didn't even know if Ray was home yet. Besides, Renny felt incredibly stupid. He and Ray were both adults, for God's sake. Was he really supposed to call him up and say "I'm sorry we got into a fight over Barry Manilow"? Turnbull grinned slightly at the thought, then put his hands over his face and sighed unhappily.

Suddenly, the silence of the night was broken by a very familiar voice singing a familiar song. A Barry Manilow song. Well, a Barry Manilow song with the words slightly altered. Turnbull opened the window and knelt there looking out into the yard.

Ray was standing in the yard, two floors below, looking up at his window and singing. "Oh Renny, well you came and you gave without taking; but I sent you away, oh Renny. Well you kissed me and stopped me from shaking, and I need you today..."

Turnbull knelt there watching his lover, simultaneously deeply touched and incredibly turned on. He stood up, left his apartment, and went down into the yard, where Ray was still singing.

"Ray." Renny said as he approached his lover. "Stop singing and come inside now."

"Oh, am I embarrassing you?" Ray asked with a devilish grin.

"No. You're not embarrassing me." Renny pulled Ray to him and gave him a deep, passionate kiss.

From several of the windows, whistles and catcalls could be heard.

"All right, Mountie!" One voice rose above the others. "Way to get your man!"

Renny laughed and blushed. "OK. Now I'm embarrassed."

Ray laughed and took his hand and the two men went back inside.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, Renny turned and trapped Ray's body against the wall with his own, giving him another deep kiss. Both men's tongues were extremely active, dueling each other to see who could taste more of the other. Finally, the need for oxygen drove them apart.

When he could speak again, Renny said "Oh, Ray. I am sorry. That was such a stupid argument."

"I'm sorry too, lover." Ray said, running a finger lightly over Renny's jawline. "You know, it's possible that I over-reacted just a little."

"You? No!" Renny grinned at him. "Although, now that you mention it, I may have gotten a little too emotional."

"You? No!" Ray smiled happily at his lover, then gave him a kiss. "I do love you, Renny. You know that, right?"

"Yes, Ray. I know that. And you have to know that I love you."

"I do." Ray said. He then drew Renny into another long, lingering, passionate kiss. Turnbull reached out and removed Ray's jacket, tossing it carelessly onto the floor. Ray's t-shirt soon followed.

Renny bent and began giving loving attention to Ray's chest, kissing, nipping and licking his way down to the navel, which he investigated thoroughly with his tongue.

Ray, with a great deal of fumbling and clawing, managed to remove Renny's t-shirt, and it was hastily tossed on top of the other clothes.

Renny stood up to look at Ray, and smiled. "Get in here." He said. Turnbull took Ray by the hand and lead him over to the fireplace, where the fire had died down to glowing embers. He sank to his knees, drawing Ray down with him.

The two men just smiled at each other for a long moment, then Renny again captured Ray's mouth with his own.

Ray sighed happily, enjoying the incredible things Turnbull's lips and tongue were doing to him. He wanted to do more than just kiss this amazing man; so much more. But he could savor these sensations for a while. After all, they had all the time in the world.

The End