due South ficlet.

[granderobino]

I finally got around to fleshing out a little PWP for equusentric from my drabble meme thingie I posted some time ago. Sorry it took so long, but RL has thrown a bunch of stuff at me that took me away from writing. Anyway, her request was for Fraser/RayK and her prompt word for me was: Horse. Heh-heh. Somehow, I managed to get another of my kinks in here as well, you can probably guess which.
Happy Valentine's Day!

   

 

One Man's Kink...

 

 

As he drove the GMC Jimmy toward their destination, Ray stole a look at his partner.
 

Look at him, Ray thought, Looking as pure and content as the day is long. He's probably actually convinced himself that he wants to do this. Loveable Mountie.
 

And Ray felt a twinge in his gut. He hadn't set out to manpu- mapin- take advantage of Fraser's good nature. But he had to admit that he had been pretty obvious with all his hints.
 

The hell of it was, Fraser would bend over backwards, sideways and turn himself inside-out, if he thought it would make Ray happy. Because Fraser still felt guilty that Ray had been the one to leave everything behind to make a life in Canada with his partner.
 

Stupid, lovable Mountie.
 

Like there was anything so great about his life before Fraser. That's a laugh and a half. Truth was, Ray was so damn in love with Fraser he couldn't say yes fast enough when the subject had finally come up.
 

And, when he thought about it, Ray supposed he'd kinda tricked Fraser into asking him in the first place. If he'd been brave enough to suggest it himself, he probably could have saved Fraser a lot of angst.
 

Stupid, loveable, woubbie (where had he heard that word?...Oh yeah. Frannie), Mountie.
 

But...Happy ending! Here they were. Living their happily-ever-after for going on some two years. With no end in sight.
 

“Ray. Ray. Ray. Ray...Ray!”
 

Ray liked to wait until the fourth or fifth repetition of his name to respond. He didn't do it to be rude. He just liked to hear the way Fraser said his name with increasing intensity. He knew that Fraser knew it, too. So they continued to play this scene, as they had since their days in Chicago.
 

“Yeah, Frase?” Ray replied as if just hearing him for the first time. They shared a conspiratorial smile.
 

“I thought, perhaps, we could make a stop before we got to the stables,” Ben offered.
 

“Sure buddy. Just point me where...”
 

And Fraser did just that.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ray looked around the outfitters and wondered what his partner had in mind, stopping here.
 

“Lookin for something in particular, there, Frase?” Ray asked.
 

“I was thinking...A hat,” Fraser said somewhat hesitantly.
 

“What? Somethin besides your Mountie hat? I can't picture you in another one...except maybe that one with fur lining and ear flaps for when it gets cold,” Ray added with a smile at the image of Fraser in said hat conjured.
 

“Oh. I wasn't thinking for myself. I find the Stetson...works for me, as you pointed out, in most circumstances,” Fraser admitted, in what Ray had to believe was the world's biggest understatement.
 

“So, what...Oh. You mean me. Ya think it's gonna be that cold today, that I might need one? I got my knit cap, that Ma made me, back in the car someplace, I can bring it with if-”
 

“I wasn't concerned with the temperature, Ray,” Fraser interrupted Ray's protestations. “I was thinking more along the lines of something with a brim. To shield you from the harmful rays of the sun. You know skin cancer is one of the most-”
 

“Okay. I get it. But I gotta tell ya. I'm not really a 'hat guy'. You know, not everybody can pull off a Stetson the way you can,” Ray said with a wink.
 

“Nonsense, Ray. Why you've worn my Stetson on occasion,” Fraser countered.
 

“Not sober. I usually look like a dork in a hat. But, hey. Not like I'm a slave to fashion. If you think I should wear a hat, I'll wear one. I trust you on this. Just like everything else. Just promise you won't think less of me, once you see how I look,” Ray pleaded in jest.
 

“I don't think that's likely, Ray.”
 

“Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke, Fraser?” Ray asked incredulously, giving Fraser a playful shove.
 

“Oh, no. I just meant that I'm certain we can find something that suits you.”
 

Ray knew what Fraser meant, but it was fun yanking his chain a little.
 

They found themselves in front of rows and rows of hats of various shapes and sizes. Ray looked dubiously at the selection. He hoped he could manage to find something that didn't make him look...well...gay.
 

Not that Ray was uncomfortable in his own skin or in his life choices. But he had a certain image to maintain. After all, that was the 'Ray' that Fraser had fallen in love with. He couldn't see changing his stripes now. And Fraser certainly had never indicated that he wanted him to.
 

“Ray. Ray. Ray. Ray.”
 

Ray turned to see Fraser extending a tan wide brimmed cowboy-looking hat. For some reason, it looked familiar. An image of Steve McQueen came into Ray's head. Yeah. That was it. Steve McQueen, from that old show “Wanted Dead or Alive”, where he played a bounty hunter. Ray used to catch that in reruns on Saturdays when he was a little kid.
 

Well, if it was good enough for Steve McQueen...
 

Ray tentatively accepted the proffered headgear, and walked over to the full length mirror. He closed his eyes as he placed the hat on his head. Opening them slowly to get the full effect.
 

Hey. Okay. Definitely not gay.
 

Bad-ass. Ray smiled almost wickedly. Feeling a little like he imagined Steve McQueen did, back in the day.
 

His eyes drifted to the side and noticed Fraser in the mirror looking...Whoa! Looking like he was gonna jump Ray's bones right there in the store.
 

“Uhmmm. Frase?-” Ray began to remove the hat, so as to be able to take it to the counter to pay for it.
 

Just like that, Fraser brought one hand up to keep the hat in place, while the other gave a quick yank and deftly removed the sales tag hanging from the back of the brim.
 

Guess Fraser likes it too, Ray thought. He was pretty sure there were laws in Canada about removing tags before somebody actually paid for their merchandise, but Fraser seemed to be unconcerned with them at the moment. Ray didn't question his Mountie's actions though. It was clear, he was a man with a plan.
 

He liked it, when Fraser got like this.
 

Ray felt Fraser's hand, somehow proprietary and reassuring at the same time, on the small of his back, and let himself be steered to the counter.
 

“We'll take this,” Fraser practically growled, as he handed the shopkeeper the tag on some bills from his wallet, all the while keeping his eyes on Ray. Happy for the easy sale, the old man quickly and efficiently gave Fraser his change, thanked him and wished them both a good day.
 

Fraser couldn't even seem to gather his wits enough to muster up the usual 'Thank you, kindly,' in return. So, Ray said it, instead.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

As it was, they were within a couple miles of the Riding stables. Fraser appeared to regain his usual composure for the duration of their drive. Ray noticed him sneaking glances a couple of times, but as soon as he realized he'd been caught he'd stare straight ahead again.
 

Ray suppressed his amusement. Secretly delighted at this turn of events.
 

Here he was thinking that they were doing this – going horseback riding – to satisfy his own kink. It was nice to know his partner was gonna get something out of it as well.
 

For his part, Ray had loved the image of Fraser on horseback. Probably going back to when they had pursued Muldoon, and Fraser had jumped onto a ready mount and chased the guy (who was on a snowmobile for cripes sake) down.
 

Talk about bad-ass.
 

For somebody who worked for an organization that billed itself as 'Mounted Police', Ray thought it was a damn shame they couldn't find more opportunities to actually put Fraser...you know...on an actual horse.
 

Ray made sure he never missed a chance to be there when they knew Fraser had some duty that required him to appear on horseback. Usually it was for some ceremonial purpose, a parade or some such thing. He couldn't help it, Ray just loved how gorgeous his Mountie looked astride a horse.
 

So he decided that they should spend at least part of Fraser's 3-day weekend off, riding. Even if it meant Ray, himself, would have to ride as well. He figured he could manage not to fall off, if it meant a chance to ogle Fraser in his element. Or, at least, one of his elements.
 

He made some excuse about how he should really learn to ride too. Seeing as they lived in a fairly remote area, and with the weather and the roads, sometimes horses made more sense than cars for getting around. Fraser seemed impressed that Ray had given their circumstances such careful thought, and readily agreed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Just as Ray exited the driver's side of the Jimmy truck, taking care not to knock his new hat off as he did so, he felt Fraser's familiar hand, once again on the small of his back, guiding him toward the main barn on the property.
 

After exchanging pleasantries with the stable owner, whom Fraser had spoken to in advance to arrange their day, the guy gave them the go ahead to select and saddle up the horses of their choice. Apparently, Fraser was not above using his Mountie credentials to ensure special treatment today. Still, Ray knew his Fraser would never abuse that privilege.
 

Ray and Fraser went into the barn where the stable owner had told them they could get their tack, and Ray paused to note the scent of leather, hay and horse. It surprised him, that he found he kind of liked it. He knew Fraser did.
 

“Ray. Could you come here for a moment?” Fraser inquired from around the other side of a partition deeper within the barn.
 

Ray responded immediately, striding to partner's side.
 

“Whaddaya need Frase?” Ray asked guilelessly.
 

He was caught off-guard when Fraser swept him up in his arms and kissed his breath from him. Not that Ray minded. Fraser had excess lung capacity, and Ray could always count on him sharing if he sensed his partner was in need of oxygen.
 

“You, Ray,” Fraser said in a throaty voice as he withdrew his mouth mere millimeters from his partner's, “I need you.”
 

“Well, lucky you. Ya got me,” Ray replied with a grin, just before pouncing on Fraser and landing them both in a strategically placed mound of surprisingly fresh, sweet smelling hay.
 

Pulling back enough to see the mixture of lust and expectant joy on Fraser's face, filled Ray's heart with such happiness he thought he might burst with it. This had been a great idea. Greatness.
 

As he quickly began shedding unnecessary encumbrances to aid in achieving their mutual, immediate goal, Ray ceased his motions in response to a plaintive look from his partner. Wanting to make this as memorable an experience for Fraser as he was sure it would be for himself, Ray gently encouraged him to state his desires.
 

“You know I'll do anything for ya, right? Tell me what will send you over the moon, Frase.”
 

Fraser reached up from where he lay to gently touch the hat that Ray was about to remove.
 

“Leave the hat on. Please.” And Ray thought; only Fraser could make a command sound like a plea.
 

“Oh, yeah. The hat stays on. For you. That's buddies,” Ray assured him, resuming his amorous assault.
 

The hat did, indeed, stay on. For a while anyway.
 

And when both men came back down to earth,sated and spent, Fraser noticed the hat had fallen beside him. He gingerly picked it up and set it back on his naked partner's head as it rested on his thigh. Ray smiled and looked up through his lashes sleepily.
 

“Love you, Fraser.” Ray liked to say the words, even though he was always pretty sure what they had just done had demonstrated his feelings pretty clearly. The look that Fraser always gave him when he said it, showed that he liked hearing them as much as Ray like saying them.
 

Ray managed to struggle his boneless torso up the length of Fraser's broad chest and kissed him to underscore his words. Fraser's mouth accepted his kiss tenderly and reverently, and Ray felt like his whole body was being enveloped in a cocoon. A loving, warm, strong cocoon.
 

“And I love you, Ray.” Ray liked hearing the words too. “More each day, it seems.”