[If it takes Ray crying alongside his partner to get them both smiling, then it's a sacrifice he's willing to make. He's glad Fraser is on the same page and realises the oddness of the whole situation, of the two of them crying over their losses like this, but Ray's glad they can find some level of support in one another. That's what partners are for, after all, and the two of them are doing a pretty good job of it.
It's not until Fraser's beaming at him, even through tears, that Ray finally lets his smile grow into a grin, chuckling out a few exhales as his tears finally slow, only leaving angry streaks against his cheeks and the tell-tale sign of red, puffy eyes behind. The hug stops the sobs, the solid pat between his shoulder blades reminding him that his friend definitely had his back no matter what, even if his ex-wife was happy to ditch him. And all at once he's reminded of their first meeting, of his own hug to Fraser, back when they were complete strangers and Ray had to act some form of familiarity towards the Mountie. It's a good hug, firm and supportive and, although somewhat similar, having a totally different meaning to it now that they had plenty of history behind them.
As Fraser's leading him away, an arm around his shoulder, Ray thinks that he'd be perfectly happy if this were the only person he'd spend the rest of his life with. Wives come and go, but partners were forever, and the two of them had been through far too much for Ray to ever want them to drift apart. He doesn't even think he could drift away from Fraser. It was a strange feeling, that longing he got when away from the other, like an emptiness that he couldn't quite fill, so much like that feeling of being in love but... ... not. Because they were partners. Not in love. Not in that way.]
And the three stooges?
[It was like a whole other era. A speech given before they even knew one another, before they'd lived through life threatening scenarios, solved cases together and even lived in the wilderness for months together. Now they were better than any of those duets. They were the best duet around and no one could take that from them.]
They got nothin' on us. We already ditched our Larry.
[And Ray can't stop smiling either, because ex-wife or not, Fraser was here and they were both alive and had years of life left in them for stupid adventures, ridiculous cases, late night stake outs, bad take out and meals after work.
Screw Stella.
She hadn't been there for him in years. Benton had.]
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It's not until Fraser's beaming at him, even through tears, that Ray finally lets his smile grow into a grin, chuckling out a few exhales as his tears finally slow, only leaving angry streaks against his cheeks and the tell-tale sign of red, puffy eyes behind. The hug stops the sobs, the solid pat between his shoulder blades reminding him that his friend definitely had his back no matter what, even if his ex-wife was happy to ditch him. And all at once he's reminded of their first meeting, of his own hug to Fraser, back when they were complete strangers and Ray had to act some form of familiarity towards the Mountie. It's a good hug, firm and supportive and, although somewhat similar, having a totally different meaning to it now that they had plenty of history behind them.
As Fraser's leading him away, an arm around his shoulder, Ray thinks that he'd be perfectly happy if this were the only person he'd spend the rest of his life with. Wives come and go, but partners were forever, and the two of them had been through far too much for Ray to ever want them to drift apart. He doesn't even think he could drift away from Fraser. It was a strange feeling, that longing he got when away from the other, like an emptiness that he couldn't quite fill, so much like that feeling of being in love but... ... not. Because they were partners. Not in love. Not in that way.]
And the three stooges?
[It was like a whole other era. A speech given before they even knew one another, before they'd lived through life threatening scenarios, solved cases together and even lived in the wilderness for months together. Now they were better than any of those duets. They were the best duet around and no one could take that from them.]
They got nothin' on us. We already ditched our Larry.
[And Ray can't stop smiling either, because ex-wife or not, Fraser was here and they were both alive and had years of life left in them for stupid adventures, ridiculous cases, late night stake outs, bad take out and meals after work.
Screw Stella.
She hadn't been there for him in years. Benton had.]