*Disclaimer* I don't own them. They're not mine. If they were I'd be incredibly rich.

Demolition

The Breaking Down of Walls.

The phone rang on a Saturday morning in the Vecchio household. Ray grabbed it off the hook on the fourth ring.

"Vecchio."

"Ray?" It was Ben.

"Heya, Benny. What's up?"

"Ah, well I'm going to need your help this afternoon." Ben said. "That is, if you aren't currently occupied."

"I need to take the Riv out for a spin, but other than that, I got nothing else to do." Ray said. "Whaddya need?"

"Ah, well I need to look for a new apartment." Ben replied.

"What?" Ray gasped. "Why?"

"It's rather a long story." Ben said.

"I'm gonna hear it anyway, go ahead."

"Well, there was a young woman in the first-floor hallway this morning. She was evicted by her landlord a month ago after her boyfriend left her. She has a two year old son and is expecting a daughter within the next couple weeks." Ben cleared his throat nervously. "And she has very little money. I chose to let her take my apartment."

"Ah, Benny, you know sometimes you are too polite." Ray sighed.

"Ray, she had nowhere to live." Ben protested. "Do you have a problem with this?"

"Not a big one." Ray said. "But you have to let me shop around with you."

"Understood."

*****

"This was all your stuff?" Ray looked at the boxes piled in the back of his car. Ben was coming down the steps with the last box. "I have more stuff than this in my desk!"

"Well she didn't even have anything to sleep on, Ray." Ben said seriously. "I left her the bed and the table. She has to eat on something. And her son seemed to like the blanket, so I let him keep it. It's not too cold yet, and I can always buy another one."

"Jeez, Benny, you must be the nicest person on the face of the planet." Ray put the last box in the car, and flipped the seat back into position. "Now there are places renting around here, but they're even worse than your last place. And they're more expensive. No way do you want a place like that. What you're looking for is a couple of rooms, bath, kitchen and view. Right?"

"Ray--"

"Right?"

"--this isn't necessary."

"Of course it is. A place like that." Ray pointed at a "for rent" sign on a medium-sized apartment building. Ben raised an eyebrow. "Right?"

"Yes, Ray."

*****

"What'd I tell ya, Benny?" Ray gestured at the room around him. "This is perfect! Look at the view!" He pointed out the window to the building next door. "Okay, so the view's not great. But look at the stove. You can really cook on these things."

"I don't know, Ray." Ben looked around. "It does seem a bit lavish."

"So you'll have to buy furniture." Ray shrugged. "But look at these bathroom fixtures!"

"What is this obsession you have with bathroom fixtures, Ray?" Ben peered into the bathroom. "It does look clean."

"I'll talk to the landlord." Ray offered. "I could probably get a lower price."

"That won't be necessary." Ben nodded. "If it meets your standards, it's fine for me."

"Good." Ray smiled. "I'll go get your stuff."

*****

"It does look a bit bare in here, doesn't it?" Ben said, stacking the last of his books on top of his trunk.

"Positively Spartan." Ray smirked. "But there is room for improvement. But where are you gonna sleep tonight?"

"Ray, I always have my bedroll."

"Don't be silly, Benny. You gotta have a bed. Come on." He grabbed Ben's arm and led him out of his new apartment.

"This is unnecessary, really."

"Stop complaining."

"Understood."

*****

Ray pulled Ben into the furniture store. Looking around, Ray grinned.

"Oh, you're gonna love this one, Benny." He pulled Ben over to a poster bed with a canopy over it. Ben frowned. "Of course not, what was I thinking! You want something uncomfortable. How about this?" He pointed to a single bed that rolled away into a couch. A hide-a-bed?"

"Actually, Ray, the Haida culture--"

"Spare me the lecture. How about this?"

"It looks alright." Ben examined the futon and frame with care. "Excellent workmanship, the mattress is firm, it appears to be satisfactory. I'll take it."

"Hold on, hold on." Ray stopped him. "You're gonna buy it without even trying it out? Where's the fun in that?" He sat down on the edge of the futon. "It's a little hard, whaddya think?"

"Ray, I see no point--" Ben was cut off as Ray pulled him down onto the futon. "Ah. I see." He stretched out, carefully arranging his boots so he wouldn't dirty the bed. Ray lay back, his hands behind his head. They both stared up at the ceiling.

"You know, Benny." Ray sighed. "You're a terrible shopper. I mean, you find what you like and you leave as quickly as you can. That's no way to shop. You gotta take your time, enjoy the merchandise. Try it out."

"And that's what we're doing."

"Yes." Ray looked over at Ben. "Hey Benny?"

"Yes, Ray?"

"You realize this is the first time I've been in bed with a man?" He smirked.

"Now, Ray-" Ben looked at him, a blush rapidly creeping up from his collar. "I'm sure that's not important right now."

"Ah, come on, Benny, lighten up a little." Ray rolled over on one elbow, and looked at him. "No one cares."

Ben looked back over at him, a slight smile on his face. Ray smiled back. Then a voice interrupted them.

"Can I help you?"

In a flash, Ben rolled up and out of the bed, followed by Ray.

"I'll take it." Ben said firmly.

Ray shrugged at the salesperson, then following Ben's not-so subtle hints, he went and looked at armchairs while Ben finished the transaction.

"I can't believe you did that." Ben said when they got back into the car. "Right in the middle of the store, you got me into a bed with you."

"Hey, no one cared, Benny." Ray shrugged. "We weren't hurting anyone."

"I cared, Ray." Ben said sulkily.

"Now, look." Ray turned to Ben. "You knew this wasn't going to be an easy thing to do. You knew that we were going to have to get comfortable with this. I was just helping things along."

"You could have given me a warning." Ben looked down at his hands clasped in his lap. "I was uncomfortable."

"Benny, you don't have to be." Ray touched Ben's shoulder, but Ben shrugged it off, looking steadfastly elsewhere. "Hey, I'm sorry, okay."

"The damage was done, Ray." Ben said quietly. Ray started the car, and they drove in silence for a while. Then Ben cleared his throat. "Hm. Ray?"

"Yes, Benny?" Ray asked.

"Pull over for a minute."

Ray did as he was told, and as soon as he'd turned the car off, Ben turned to him.

"You realize I've never--slept with a man before." He said carefully. Ray nodded. "and-- intimacy is difficult for me."

"Hey, that's alright, Benny." Ray said softly. "I understand. We'll just take this at your own pace, alright?"

"Yes." Ben nodded. "I mean-- I love you a lot, Ray, and I realize we both need time to get used to our new relationship--"

"Never mind." Ray leaned over and kissed Ben right on the lips. He jumped as if shocked, but responded gently. Ray pulled away.

"What was that for?" Ben asked breathlessly.

"That was the only way I could think of to shut you up." Ray smirked. Ben laughed. "It worked, didn't it?" He turned back to the steering wheel. "Hey, if things get too heavy, you let me know."

"Ray?" Ben asked. Ray turned around, right smack into another kiss. This one was not so easy to pull away from.

*****

Ray picked Ben up from the Consulate as usual, and drove Ben back to his new apartment.

"I thought we'd do lunch today." Ray said. Ben looked at him.

"I thought you only had a half hour left on your lunch break."

"I called in sick today." Ray smiled. "Besides, I got you a housewarming present that I want to try out."

"You mean the bed wasn't enough?" Ben asked innocently. "You bought me something else?"

"Ah." Ray said, smiling. "Yes, I bought you something else. And it's a surprise."

"Where are we going for lunch, Ray?"

"We are going to your house." Ray said, pleased with himself. "Relax. Everything's taken care of."

When they reached Ben's apartment, Ray made Ben close his eyes before he opened the door. Then, he turned the key in the lock, and pushed Ben inside.

"Open your eyes." Ray said.

Ben looked around. There was a new kitchen table with two chairs, and sitting on top of it, two large cardboard boxes.

"Go on, open them."

"You didn't have to do this, Ray."

"Of course I did." Ray smiled. "You're such a nice guy that it's hard not to be nice when you're around. Now go ahead and open them!"

Ben opened the first box, and pulled out a set of stainless steel pots and pans.

"A full set." Ray said proudly. "You can cook a four-course meal in those."

"Thank you." Ben said. "Although I'm sure I haven't the need for a four-course meal."

The other box held a number of smaller items wrapped in tissue paper and newsprint. Ben opened a package at random, and found knives, forks and spoons. The other packages held plates, glasses and bowls.

"You gotta eat off real plates sometime, don't you?" Ray said. "And now the real present."

"What's that?"

Ray opened the fridge. "I'm gonna cook you a real meal to celebrate."

Ben upacked the dishes while Ray worked his magic with the pots and pans. He didn't appear to be following any recipe, but the smells that soon filled the apartment were glorious. Ben watched curiously as Ray whipped up a pasta sauce from what had formerly been a heap of vegetables and seasonings. At the end of this creation, they sat down to eat.

"I didn't know you could cook, Ray." Ben said.

"With my mother? Are you nuts?" Ray smirked. "Nah, just because I do take-out a lot doesn't mean I can't cook."

"It just means you're lazy." Ben smiled. Ray pretended to look hurt.

"Now look at you, for instance." He said. "How'd you get to be so big and strong on dried meat and burned bread dough?"

"Pimmica and bannock?" Ben shrugged. "Well, there were other things."

"Dead caribou and whale fat, I suppose." Ray laughed. Ben nodded seriously.

"In the middle of the cold winters, muktuk is a delicacy." He savoured a mouthful of pasta.

"But it's not as good as real food." Ray prompted.

"No, Ray."

After the meal, the new dishes went into the sink, and Ben folded up his futon to make a couch. They both sat down, and Ray stretched his legs out.

"Thank you." Ben said.

"For what?"

"For being you." He gave a sideways glance. "For finding me an apartment."

"It was nothing."

"And for making lunch."

"Nothing."

"And--" Ben smiled teasingly. "--for helping me pick out this bed."

"Ah." Ray smirked. "Now you're talking." He scooted over in his seat, a little closer to Ben. "Tell me what you think of it."

Ben relaxed against Ray's body, allowing his hand to rest on Ray's leg. "Well, it's very comfortable." Ray smiled. "And it's very useful." Ray looked him right in the eyes. Ben could feel a blush starting. "But it gets lonely sometimes." He finished, glancing away in embarassment.

Ray tilted his head sideways, and moved a little closer to Ben. "You know, this one's much bigger than your last bed." He felt Ben shift against him. "We both fit on this one."

"That's why you wanted me to try it out, wasn't it?" Ben said softly. Ray rested his head on Ben's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Mm." He said. An affirmative. Ray sighed.

Suddenly, Ben got up, extricating himself from Ray, and moving behind the futon. Ray protested, but then Ben flipped the bed to its down position. Ray laughed as the back of the couch turned into the middle of the bed. Ben slid back on beside him.

"I think we fit better this way." Ben said, arranging himself on the bed as Ray moved up toward him. Ray grunted another affirmative, and laid his head back on Ben's chest. Ben placed an arm around him, holding him a little bit closer.

"You're doing well so far." Ray smiled. He heard Ben laugh softly, and felt his chest move. "You're getting intimate with me."

"We're getting intimate together." Ben said softly.

"Hey, Benny?"

Ben sighed. "Yes, Ray?"

"Have I told you I love you yet today?"

"No."

"Well I love you."

Ben sighed, looking up at the ceiling, enjoying the easy embrace. He stroked Ray's hair absently.

"I know you do." He said softly. "I love you, too."

THE END.

Jen Coe

jesterangel@hotmail.com