Sono Luminous - by Ashinae	 
 
Rating/Warning: R. Slash! Some pretty steamy stuff, I guess, but no
graphic details. Sorry! *G* You'll have to use your own imagination. 
Pairing: Fraser/RayK. 
Disclaimer: These two beautiful men belong not to me. ;) 
Spoilers: nope. 
Summary: Ray and Fraser take a road trip and end up sharing more than just
a room... 
Notes: Um, my first Fraser/RayK story... or at least completed one! *G*
Music inspires me... the song used for the title and the lyrics quoted are
from Sono Luminous by Erasure. 
Big hugs & thank you kindlies to my best friend Sara for beta reading and
the great words of encouragement she gave me! 

Feedback is good for the soul. Reach me at caindra@yahoo.com. 

* * * * * 

SONO LUMINOUS - April, 2000 
by Ashinae 
 

I never thought that I would reach you 
Though I've been searching, for oh so many years 
This place I am seems unfamiliar 
But there's a light, to break through all my fears 

"Ya know, Fraser, I don't know how you do things up there in Canada, but
here we can't just go up and knock on people's doors and expect to be let
in. Things just don't happen that way. They'll board up the windows but
probably not before shooting at us." 

Constable Benton Fraser glanced at his partner, Ray Vecchio aka Ray
Kowalski. "If you say so, Ray," he said. 

"I do! You just can't expect people to be like that. Canada seems to be
some backward place because people fear for their lives here!" 

"That makes Canada 'backward'?" Fraser asked mildly. 

"I'm not finished!" 

"Oh, of course, Ray. Please continue." Fraser tried not to smile. 

"Thank you," Ray snapped. "All I'm saying is that you are nuts. You know
that, right?" 

"So I suppose you did not see the big sign posted on the gate on the way
in?" 

"What sign?" 

"The sign that said, in large, bold letters: Bed and Breakfast. Vacancy." 

"Oh, yeah, right, that sign." Ray paused. "I was just... tellin' ya,
Frase. Just tellin' ya the way things are." 

"Of course." Fraser decided that now would not be a good time to mention
that his partner should have been wearing his glasses, considering it was
late at night and raining. His eyes were bad enough as they were, but
conditions made visibility that much worse. Fraser was actually surprised
that they had made it this far out of Chicago in one piece. 

"You think I didn't notice it," Ray accused. 

"I didn't say that." 

"You didn't have to. I understand perfectly." 

"Understand what, Ray?" 

Ray seemed to flinch. "Just--I--Get out of the car." 

"Ray, I would much prefer it if you stopped the car first." 

"Yeah, I was gonna--God, Fraser, sometimes--" The GTO jerked to a halt.
"Go inside and I'll park the car. Get the rooms, okay? Think you can
handle that?" 

Fraser nodded, and motioned to Dief. The Mountie grabbed their few bags
and he and the wolf dashed from the car to the front door and inside the
small building. 

Outside, muttering to himself, Ray parked the car, then ran through the
rain and inside. Fraser was already at the front desk talking to the small
man who probably owned the bed and breakfast. They seemed to be arguing. 

"What's the problem?" Ray asked, coming up next to Fraser. 

"Apparently they only have two rooms left," Fraser told him. "One is the
suite, and the other is just a regular room." 

"Oh, well, you can take the suite, Fraser." 

"That's very kind, Ray, but I can't accept." 

"Why not?" Ray demanded. "You sleep in your office, Fraser. For once you
could be a little more comfortable." 

"All the more reason why I do not need it. I am completely adjusted to
minimal... furnishings." 

"Hey!" the little man protested. "Our rooms are furnished! Very nicely,
too." 

Fraser glanced at Ray. "He seems to want to pick a fight with me," he
commented. 

"You're too polite, Fraser, that's your problem. Anyway, you're gonna take
the suite, and I'll take the small room." 

"No, Ray, I simply cannot allow that. I insist you take the suite." 

"Fraser." 

"Ray." 

"Fraser!" 

"Ray! You're being unreasonable." 

"I'm being unreasonable? I'm being generous! Take the suite." 

"No. You take the suite." 

"I'm not foolin' around here, Fraser. I'm gonna take the room." 

 "Then I will sleep in the hall." 

"What is wrong with you?! You will not be sleeping in the hall!" 

"Then what do you suggest?" 

They stared at each other, then simultaneously turned to the man behind
the desk. 

"We'll both take the suite," they said at the same time. 

"Ah..." The man blinked. "The dog, too, I suppose?" 

still, time & time again 
i'm looking for the love 
the one that can inspire 

The room was fairly large, and actually quite nice for a bed and
breakfast. There was one large bed, a bathroom, a closet, a desk and a
cupboard. Diefenbaker instantly ran over and claimed a large chair by the
window. Ray flopped over onto the bed, letting out an "Ahh" of relief. 

 "Ray, you're..." Fraser put their bags down. "You're getting the bed
wet." 

"Aww, Fraser, come on, I've been driving all day!" Ray protested.
"Besides, I don't see you complaining at Dief." 

"Well, he's not on the bed," Fraser replied. "Ray, please, I have to
insist you at least change." 

"Yes, Mom!" Ray muttered, making a great show of struggling to his feet
and staggering to the bathroom after grabbing his bag. 

"Ray, that was a tad unnecessary, don't you think?" 

Ray ignored him. A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom wearing
only a pair of dark blue boxer-shorts. Fraser casually glanced at him, a
quick up and down look, as Ray set his bag down at the desk chair. 

"I left my wet clothes hanging over the shower rod, that okay with you?" 

"Well, actually that would prove bothersome, Ray. I'm going to have a
shower." 

Ray shrugged. "All right, whatever, just throw my clothes on the floor." 

Fraser gave Ray a disapproving look, to which Ray countered with a
"don't-argue-with-me-Fraser" stare. Fraser shook his head, grabbed his bag
and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Ray flopped back down on the bed, resting his head on his hands. He closed
his eyes. This was a much-deserved vacation. 

Both Fraser and Ray had amassed quite a bit of vacation time. Lieutenant
Welsh had insisted they both needed a break; Fraser requested a vacation,
a miracle occurred when Inspector Thatcher said he could go, and three
days later Fraser and Ray had packed up the GTO. Along with Dief and a few
maps--Fraser's insistence--had hit the road. They weren't quite sure where
they were going but they had a week to get there. 

Too bad the weather was so horrible. 

Ray finally heard the water start running, and, unbidden, thoughts of what
the Mountie must look like all wet and naked sprang to mind. 

"Aww, dammit," Ray muttered, sitting up. He was not going to start doing
that now of all times. He got up from the bed and switched on the radio,
turning to see Dief jump down from the chair he had claimed to take over
Ray's vacated spot. 

On the radio, one of those boy-bands began singing about the meaning of
loneliness and Ray winced. 

Was he being punished for something? What had he done in his life that had
been so horribly wrong? 

Ray reached back over to the radio; the boy band was going to drive him
nuts. He tuned through the channels. Reception was bad because of the
weather. The clearest channel that came through was playing Savage
Garden's Truly Madly Deeply and Ray almost howled in frustration. 

Life hates me, he thought. 

The shower shut off and more mental pictures sprang to mind. Ray went over
to the bed and threw himself on it next to Dief, who raised his head with
a whine and a look that said "What's your problem?" 

Ray buried his head under a pillow, moaning in a most unbecoming fashion. 

From behind the bathroom door there was a crash and Ray emerged from under
the pillow and was in the bathroom before he was even aware that he was
moving. 

Clad only in a while towel around his waist, Fraser was struggling to get
the shower rod and curtain back up. 

Yeah, better wipe up the drool there, Kowalski. "You okay?" Ray demanded. 

"Oh, I'm fine," Fraser reassured him. "I was well out of the way when it
fell." 

"Good. You... uh, you need a hand?" Removing the towel? his mind finished
for him. Ray had the feeling that ripping the towel off the Mountie and
ravishing him on the bathroom floor probably wouldn't go over too well.
Though he would certainly enjoy it. 

"Ray? Ray? Ray?" 

"What?" 

"I said, I wouldn't mind your assistance. It doesn't seem to want to stay
up." 

"Oh, yeah, right." Stop staring at him. God, what's wrong with you? He's
not like that. Hell, you're not supposed to be either! You can't be
thinkin' dirty thoughts about the Mountie like that. Ya just can't. 

A few moments later, after a considerable amount of cursing on Ray's
behalf, he threw his hands up in the air. "It's not gonna stay, Frase." 

"I think what's happening is that we're shortening it unintentionally as
we fumble with it," Fraser pointed out. "Why don't you just hold that end
there... No, Ray, just hold it there. Ray. Ray. Ray?" 

Ray blinked. "What?" 

"Let go of the shower rod." 

"What? Oh." 

"There." Fraser shook his head, then flashed Ray a small grin. "The
simplicity of it is just mind-boggling." 

Ray grinned back. "That's why we couldn't get it to work, Frase. We never
do things the easy way." 

"I've noticed that as well." 

Ray squinted up at the shower curtain. "I don't trust the damn thing to
stay." He put one bare foot down on the tub's ledge and reached up to pull
lightly on the shower rod. 

"Ray--" 

"I don't like the idea of it coming down on my head while I'm in the
shower in the morning." 

"Ray--" 

Even thinking back on it, Ray was never sure exactly what happened. It was
a certainty that the tub's side was wet, but he didn't know how his foot
slipped. He was almost completely sure that he hadn't been pulling hard
enough on the shower rod for him to lose his balance. All he knew was that
suddenly he was falling backwards and the shower curtain was falling down
on him. And his shoulder hurt. 

"Ray!" Fraser exclaimed in alarm. 

"Goddammit!" Ray shouted. "My shoulder! Aw, hell, what did I do?" 

Fraser instantly ushered Ray from the bathroom. He sat Ray down on the bed
and knelt behind him, fingers testing Ray's injured shoulder. 

"Ow, damn, Fraser!" Ray protested. "I'm in pain here! Shit! Fray-serr!" 

"Oh, Ray, you've done nothing serious," Fraser told him, beginning to
knead Ray's flesh. 

Ray was instantly aware of both their states of near-nakedness. 

How was Fraser's towel staying on? Ray wasn't about to complain--although
things would certainly be that much more interesting if the towel did fall
off. Oh, yes, a naked Mountie could be oh-so-productive right now. 

If, of course, it wasn't for the near-blinding pain in his shoulder. 

"Fraser!" Ray shouted. "What you're doing is not helping!" 

"Oh, Ray, calm down," Fraser admonished. "Besides, with all the noise
you're making, you're probably going to worry the neighbours." He
continued what he was doing. "You haven't done any real damage," he told
Ray. "Just wrenched it a little too hard, that's all. You'll be tender for
a while." 

Fraser continued to rub Ray's shoulder for another few moments. Ray closed
his eyes and just enjoyed the physical contact. It wasn't really very
often that he got Fraser to touch him. When Fraser stopped and began to
pull away, Ray spoke, voice low, husky. 

"Frase." 

"Ray?" 

"I didn't say you could stop. You... you got a nice touch. K-keep going."
His voice dropped to a whisper to say, "Please." 

Fraser said nothing, but shifted forward a bit more, both hands rising up
to both of Ray's shoulders. Ray held in the moan that threatened to rise
in his throat. 

Fraser's fingers worked their magic on both of Ray's shoulders, his thumbs
rubbing up and down the sides and back of his neck. Ray closed his eyes
and his head fell forward as he found himself leaning back slightly into
Fraser's touch. Oh, God, this was pure bliss. If this was all he could get
from Fraser... well, he would die of sexual frustration, but dammit, at
least he wouldn't die never knowing how sweet and gentle those big,
callused hands could be. It wasn't as though he had never had any clue
before, but for the most part, the most part, that strong body was a
mystery. 

Well, the towel left little to the imagination... And Fraser in jeans was
enough to make every part of Ray's body stand at attention. 

Ray let out an uninhibited moan of pleasure as Fraser's hands moved up and
down his back. 

He'd never felt this way about another man before. It was just--Fraser.
Benton Fraser. Ben. Oh, yeah, Ben--it was Ben in his dreams who would be
kissing the back of his neck now, pull him to that big, smooth chest,
stroke a hand down his belly under the waistband of his boxers and-- 

"Ray." It was Fraser who spoke so close to his ear; his breath, his voice,
just a soft caress. 

If he couldn't have Fraser, he was gonna keel over dead. Simple as that. 

"Frase?" 

"Ray, I--" He heard Fraser swallow. "I should change." 

Damn. "Uh, yeah, Frase. Ya know, whatever feels good." Good is you staying
right where you are, don't you get it, you stupid Canadian? 

"Thank you, Ray." Fraser slid from the bed and returned to the bathroom. 

Ray noticed with mixed surprise, smugness and amusement that Fraser walked
just a little awkwardly. 

He jumped to his feet. Did Fraser have any idea ho much Ray wanted him?
Did Fraser want him in return? 

Ray wondered if Fraser had brought those ridiculous long johns. 

The bathroom door opened. 

He hadn't. Fraser stood there in a pair of white boxer shorts. 

Oh, damn, he looks good enough to eat! Ray thought. 

Now. He needed Fraser. 

It took him just a few strides to cross the room to stand directly in
front of the Mountie. "If I don't kiss you soon, I'll die," he whispered. 

"I highly doubt that, Ray," Fraser whispered back but made no further
protestations as Ray's mouth descended on his. 

"Ray? Ray? Ray!" 

"What?" 

Fraser frowned at him. "Are you all right? You've been acting
strangely..." 

Ray shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good, Frase. Just fine." 

Oh sure... he had enough courage to imagine kissing Fraser, while in
reality he just stood and stared at his boxer-clad friend. 

"Well, as long as you're sure..." He glanced over at the clock on the
radio. 

"You ready to turn in already?" Ray asked. It was only quarter after nine.


Fraser shook his head. "No... I'm fine." 

Ray nodded, and the two of them stood staring at each other for a moment. 

Say something, you idiot! Ray thought frantically to himself. And not
something stupid, either! "Wanna dance?" Oh, yeah, really smart! 

It was Fraser's turn to stare dumbly. "What?" 

A slow, romantic song had started playing. More Savage Garden. Now or
never, Kowalski. He all but glided over to Fraser. 

"Let's dance." 

"Ray..." 

"What, no one's watching." Ray flashed a 'say-yes-cause-I'm-sexy' smile. 

It worked. 

"All... right..." Fraser said. 

Well, it didn't work perfectly; Fraser had still hesitated. But a few
seconds later Ray had his Mountie in his arms and they were dancing, or at
least, swaying to the music. 

"Stop leadin', Fraser," Ray said softly. He met Fraser's eyes, and almost
went weak-kneed at just how blue they were. Luminous. Shining. Oh, God, he
was beautiful. 

"Ray, I'm used to leading." 

"Yeah, well, so am I." 

"If two members of the same sex dance together, doesn't the taller one
lead?" 

"We're the same height." 

"Actually, Ray, I am taller." His lips quirked. "We just appear to be the
same height because your hair--" 

"Are you making fun of my hair?" 

"Well... yes." 

"That is so un-Mountie-like." Ray grinned, then let go of the hand he was
holding to move it to Fraser's back, just below the nape of his neck. He
pressed closer. Oh yeah... 

"Ray," Fraser whispered. 

"Shh, Ben," Ray breathed, closing his eyes. The name just rolled off his
tongue perfectly. "Just enjoy it." 

Fraser's own hands moved; one to the small of Ray's back, the other one
just below his neck. But he said nothing. 

"Am I makin' you uncomfortable?" Ray asked, speaking, softly, directly
into the Mountie's ear. His hand on Fraser's waist rubbed gently. 

Fraser swallowed. "Well, not in an entirely unpleasant way..." 

Yes! "Frase... Ben..." They had stopped dancing. Fraser's breathing had
deepened, Ray's heart was pounding madly. 

"Yes, Ray?" 

"I..." 

"Ray." The way he said it, just like before, was soft and sweet.
"Please..." 

It was all the invitation he needed. Ray's lips brushed lightly across
Fraser's. The touch was electric, incredible, even for a simple contact
like that. Ray shivered slightly, pulling back to look in Fraser's eyes
again. 

"I was wondering when you were going to do that," Fraser whispered. "I've
been waiting for so long." His hand came up to cup the back of Ray's head.
"Too long." 

They pressed closer to each other; shared the breath in their lungs, their
mouths held a mere heartbeat from touching. 

Then Fraser's lips descended on Ray's, the sensation hot and wet. Ray
gasped for air against Fraser's mouth, his arms tightening around the
bigger body as if fearing the Mountie may try to escape. 

But Fraser wasn't going anywhere. 

His hands roamed over Ray's back, shoulders, arms, feeling the sleek,
slender body that was all but burning him. One hand pressed against Ray's
back and the other held the back of his head as he deepened the kiss,
tasting, devouring Ray's mouth. A low moan escaped Fraser's throat, a
growl that sent a tingle down Ray's spine. 

Yes... yes, Fraser wanted this as much as he did. 

The demand of Fraser's mouth increased, making Ray's head spin, until Ray
abruptly surged forward, throwing Fraser slightly off-balance. His mouth
still fused to Fraser's, Ray shoved him backward until he pressed Fraser
against a wall with his body. 

He tore his lips away from Fraser's, making those blue eyes open and blink
a few times in surprise. "Ray?" he gasped. 

"Want you," Ray whispered, voice husky, lowering his head to suck on
Fraser's neck. He gently pressed himself against Fraser, causing them both
to gasp, Fraser's eyes falling closed. 

"Oh, God," Fraser breathed. "I... Ray, yes, don't stop... what you're
doing..." He took Ray's head between his hands and his mouth descended
again, capturing Ray's lips in a wet, open-mouthed kiss that was simply
electrifying. 

It was Fraser who surged forward this time, pushing Ray back towards the
bed. Ray pushed back against him, trying to turn Fraser around, as they
both struggled for dominance. But the backs of Ray's legs hit the bed and
he fell back on it, pinned by the weight of Fraser's body and the magic of
that incredible mouth. 

Ray ran his hands down Fraser's back, learning the hard curve of muscles
under his amazingly smooth skin, then tangled his fingers in the soft,
thick strands of Fraser's hair. 

They tasted each other hungrily, deeply, passionately, licking at each
other's lips, then diving in for deeper contact, tongue sliding across
tongue. Fraser moaned again, the sound swallowed into Ray's mouth, then
broke their kiss, both of them gasping for air. 

Their senses focused solely on each other, neither noticed Dief watching
them, a wolfy grin of amusement on his face as he sat back on the chair he
had claimed earlier. Finally! It took those two so long to get anything
right. He closed his eyes to give the humans some privacy. 

Ray stared up into those luminous eyes again, darkened into a deep shade
of blue in his desire. Fraser smiled softly. 

"Ray..." 

"Frase... Ben." 

"I love you." 

"I know. And I love you." 

Time ceased to exist. 

FIN. 

Lift me higher, high as heaven can be (sono luminous) 
Love is here where it always will be, deep inside of us 

I'm looking out into the distance 
the sound of thunder is rolling in my head 
the sky is stretching out before me 
thanks for today, everything is blessed