thelockbox | Benton Fraser

[ The Iguanas were way above this guy's paygrade, even on undercover pay. He shouldn't be here, and neither should Fraser, but when had Fraser ever managed to keep his nose out of anything? More importantly, with the FBI involved he'd have been more willing to take risks, with something to prove, and here they were.

But God only knew he should keep his mouth shut. If Ray were Fraser's partner right now then this kind of reaction would have pissed him off immensely. It pissed him off as it was. The last thing he needed was his guys getting it into their heads that he should have whacked these two already, that he was being unnecessarily lenient. He was supposed to be terrifying, a guy who killed, a guy who tortured. That was what he did.

Ray rolled his shoulders, shot a glance at his replacement, smiled grimly, and then did what he should have done a four years ago--he turned and punched Fraser hard across the face. ]

Alright. [ He rubbed at his knuckles with his other hand. ] Now I feel better.

Mountie in the cuffs, then. You, cop, take off that awful jacket, sit on the edge of the bed. Mikey, cover him. If he tries anything, take out one of his legs.

[If he wasn't feeling twitchy enough already, Fraser's obvious defiance is enough to set Stan right on edge. Stupid, dumb ass, waste of space Mountie. Not only is he going against Stanley's words, but he's also outright endangering himself and Ray. Stubbornness had always been an issue when it came to Benton and that was now being shown full force.

There's not exactly much Ray can do about it though, not beyond a hissed "Fraser" of warning that he knows will do absolutely nothing to shut the Mountie up or take back the words said. If he could move without getting shot, he'd be tempted to sock the Canadian one for being such an insufferable prick, but then... then the mobster is looking right at him with a smile that's not at all reassuring, and swinging his fist right at Fraser.

Whether or not he'd been thinking about doing just that moments ago is irrelevant. That's his Mountie and he's snarling out his disapproval almost immediately. Although his instincts have him jolting forward in defence of his partner, his mind soon catches him, halting himself mid step before he can properly move, if only to try and avoid getting his brains blown out by one of the other guys. All he can do is try and catch Fraser's eyes, somehow reassure.]

Fucker.

[Half muttered under his breath, frustrated at just how little he can do. And that feeling just gets worse as orders are given that he's so wanting to resist, but with 'Mikey' making him and his gun known, Ray's not so sure how much leeway he's going to be given before there's a bullet in his kneecap.]

I'm good. Don't wanna catch a cold, but thanks.

[Jacket stays on like it's as important as armour, but he does reluctantly step towards the bed, moving to perch carefully at the edge while keeping Mikey in his line of sight. Maybe, just maybe, someone would let their guard down eventually.]

[ Fraser didn't expect to get hit, so he was unprepared when Ray took the swing for him, whirling out of nowhere and knocking his teeth together, making him bite his tongue. He gasped, and drew his hand up to his mouth and jaw, pulling away. Hurt flashed in his eyes, betrayal, and he saw no regret in Ray Vecchio's eyes, just the hardened criminal behind them that he had supposedly become.

Ray Kowalski did catch his eye though. He was angry on Fraser's behalf, protective of his partner, and he looked at him in reassurance that matched the concern that he'd been offered moments before. The hiss of warning would make sense in context, of course, but Fraser had thought that he had more than one friend in the room. Now he didn't know what to do, and he was afraid, and the swell of reassurance he felt from Ray was just one small gesture in a suddenly spiraling situation.

He looked imploringly at the mobster Ray as his partner moved away from his side, leaving him feeling exposed in the middle of the room. ]

Why are you doing this?

[ His face hurt, but more injured was his pride. There was a knock on the door. ]

[ Ray didn't like Fraser looking hurt, but there really wasn't anything he could do. He couldn't shoot him, wouldn't, but he had to do something, had to get enough on him that it would keep Fraser and Ray safely away from Muldoon and the FBI and Vegas for the rest of the job. It had to be something good, and it had to be convincing, but it just broke his heart to do it. ]

You got your job, I have mine.

[ Fraser had walked right into this. He had to know that Ray was serious, that undercover just didn't let him be the same man he'd walked away from.

But fortunately there was a knock on the door at that exact moment, and Ray opened the door, letting his goons back in with their shopping bags. ]

You got everything? Good. [ He reached into one of the bags, fetching out the fluffy handcuffs and waving them at Fraser. ] Let's do this, okay?

[ He handed the gun back to the thug he'd taken it off, and slid his now free arm around Fraser's waist, guiding him over to the head of the bed. He stopped him there, and unzipped his short leather jacket, casting a glance toward "Ray Vecchio" as he did. If Fraser was cooperating, he thought, it was out of shock, and not knowing what else to do. Maybe he was suddenly concerned for his partner's safety. If so, then it was about time.

He started undoing the buttons underneath. ]

[Stubborn or not, that hit definitely surprised Fraser. It's obvious on his face the second he recoils and Ray's sure he sees something else there beyond the shock of a fist hitting. This whole scenario is weird and there's an unease in the air that settles beyond mobsters with guns. Ray can't even begin to work it out, because even as a detective, he's got no hope in hell of cottoning on until he pieces together the clues here and there.

Whatever. Forget about the weirdness for now and focus on the importance of getting out of this mess. He and Fraser have got out of far worse situations, all it needs is communication and a will to kick these mobster's asses. And so he still catches Fraser's gaze when he can, still tries to give off an air of reassurance and confidence like they've both totally got this, even while his attention drifts to other things in the room.

There's handcuffs. Ones that look like they belong in the bedroom rather than on a cop, and Ray can't help but narrow his eyes suspiciously at them, even as the two approach. He watches to find out what's going on, and yet his eyes dart every now and then like he's not sure he should be watching, especially as those fingers drift to the buttons beneath.

So maybe they're going for the humiliating set up photo, but whatever, they won't get that far. Ray can easily kick the asses of a few mobsters.]

You two want a private room?

Edited 2015-01-20 20:41 (UTC)

[ Fraser was altogether too startled not to cooperate. This was Ray's job? How could he be so deep undercover that this would be the only way to proceed? Striking him? Whatever else this was?

He didn't resist as Ray lead him aside, but only because he had freedom to look him right in the eye as they stood facing each other, and for a second there was a flicker of his Ray there, green apology that was gone as quickly as it appeared, with not remotely enough time for Fraser to properly absorb and be comforted by it. He didn't know why Ray was undressing him, but he wasn't giving him any cues to understand either, and when he looked to his partner sitting on the bed, the subtle flicker in his expression said: just say the word, we'll fight our way out of here. Just say the word, Fraser.

But he couldn't in all consciense allow it to happen. If they did try and fight their way free, then either of the two men he cared for most in the world might die, or worse still they might actually cause harm to each other. Stanley didn't know who this man was; only Fraser knew. Only Fraser had trust enough that Ray wouldn't be doing any of this unless he had to, and he needed to reassure his partner.

He shook his head for his partner: No, and took a deep breath as Ray pushed his shirt and jacket back off his shoulders, leaving him bare chested and bare armed. ]

I don't think his predilections run that way, Ray. This is obviously some kind of set up, but I can't imagine what he means to achieve by it.

Edited 2015-01-20 21:32 (UTC)

[ Fraser looked just like a kicked puppy. Ray only managed to meet his eyes for half a second before he couldn't stand it, looking away and keeping his eyes off the Mountie's. Looking anywhere else, that was the ticket, especially when he was busy pushing Fraser's clothes off his shoulders, baring his naked - incredibly beautiful - chest. Couldn't look at that, either, which was going to be a problem. ]

Yeah, that's me. Straight as a fucking arrow. And I bet that's true of both of you as well. That's why this is going to hurt. It's gonna test your partnership, but pretty much if you don't play nice with me, then this is gonna be in all your coworkers inboxes first thing. And maybe the Queen of England.

[ He clapped one of the cuffs around Fraser's left wrist, then put his hand on the back of his neck, guiding him to the side of the bed. ]

Lie down on your back. This only works if you're face up. Camera's gotta catch your good side.

[ Fraser looked uncertain, and Ray nodded to Michael. ] I'm going to count to five. If you don't do what I ask, Mikey here is gonna rearrange your buddy's internal organs. One. [ Fraser moved, lay on the bed and cooperated as Ray wound the cuffs through the headboard and clipped them into place. ]

Do you have those cameras set up, yet? Vecchio, you're on. [ He stepped away from the bed. ]

[It was unusual for Fraser to back out of an escape, even if it did involve some danger, but no means no and Ray wasn't going to risk breaking free on his own, not when there was the risk of his partner getting hurt in the crossfire. Fraser must have his reasons, and Ray had to respect and trust that enough that he'd wait it out. There'll be more opportunities, he's sure of it. Maybe it was just the timing that Benton didn't approve of.

Trouble is the window to get away was getting smaller and smaller as handcuffs started to get involved and, despite how strangely distracting that bare torso is, Ray was concerning himself with the fact that a cuffed Fraser isn't necessarily a useful one when it came to overpowering mobsters.

But he watched, staring over his shoulder with a clueless sort of interest. How could he not when there's his topless partner climbing onto the bed?]

Uh?

[Wait. Vecchio? That's him. Is he expected to do something here?]

Me?

[ The timing and odds weren't great. There were four thugs and Ray, four of them armed, and Ray carrying a concealed weapon. Fraser was unarmed, and the detective had been disarmed when he'd been patted down. Sure, by fluke they'd probably pull it off, but Fraser wouldn't be prepared to take that risk today.

Ray circled the bed, coming around to face his replacement. Fraser was watching them closely, his chest barely rising and falling as he avoided breathing too hard. He looked completely helpless, confused, but at the same time defiant, like it was almost his choice to be there.

Ray clicked his fingers in Kowalski's face. ]

Hey, eyes on me. [ He cocked his head to one side. ] You're gonna climb over there and do horrible, filthy things to him. If you don't [ He pressed. ] I'm gonna let each of my guys have a turn instead. They don't want to, but you know--for a good cause. He's not so bad looking, your Mountie friend. Hell, I might even be able to get it up.

[ He laughed. A really nasty laugh. ]

Go on. Give us a show. I can even walk you through it if you don't know how.

[That snap of fingers brings him back to some sort of reality, his head head jerking forwards again to look at the other through narrowed eyes, even while his brows remain creased downwards in confusion. This isn't reality at all, this is some bizarre dream, maybe nightmare. Fraser's topless on a bed, but there's mob guys here and since when did Ray eve want Fraser topless on a bed anyway?]

I don't... uh. What am I 'sposed to do?

[This escalated quickly. Threats of violence and death he could handle, but this? This didn't register with him at all. It's like he understood every word and yet couldn't quite piece them together in a sentence that made sense to him.

Everything points towards the same thing. The cuffs, the bed, the topless mountie, the threads of 'having a turn' and getting it up. But surely that's not what's actually going on here. Maybe Stan just has a really screwed up, inappropriate mind.]

I mean uh. We're both camera shy, you gotta switch off that first. And uh, get your boys outta the room.

[ Fraser was much more with it now. He could see it, where all of this was leading, and Ray--Ray was seriously doing this thing, setting them up to... He couldn't be serious, could he? And yet that laugh cut right into the heart of him, like a knife cutting through everything that had once held them together.

This wasn't the Ray he remembered. This was a...a mobster with only one thing on his mind. No wonder he couldn't meet Fraser's eyes. He wasn't the same person, and right now he definitely wasn't the man who'd become his first real friend. Detective Armani.

He suddenly realised what this was: he was exposed in a room full of strangers, and Ray Kowalski was his only friend, the only person who could protect him from the wolves. ]

Ray, please. [ Called softly. ] They'll-- [ His voice caught, misery swelling in his chest. ] They'll hurt you if you don't.

[ God, if Fraser kept that sort of thing up he was going to break his heart. He just couldn't stand to look at him, but he could convert misery into anger easily enough, use it to fuel the act--he just had to rely on that to get him through this. He'd been doing it for a year now.

But it felt like something was breaking, and he could hardly stand it. He looked so miserable, lying there, so he looked at Ray instead, narrowing his eyes. ]

Or him. But you're right, we got way too many audience members. They're just gonna get in the way. [ He nodded. ] Set the cameras up and get out. Mikey, in the corner. You, pull that seat up round the corner, by the door. Anyone hears a shot, you get back in here.

[ The thugs dispersed, leaving just Ray and Michael in the room proper. ]

Everyone happy now?

[Oh, so now Fraser wants to play it safe. It's good to know that all it takes is handcuffs, skeevy mobsters and guns to finally shut him up and realise the danger. Now isn't exactly the time to joke about that sort of thing though, not when Ray realises just as much as Fraser that they need to play this extremely safe. Maybe trying to fight back isn't the best of choices, but it's still at the back of Ray's mind throughout.

His vague attempt at compromise is met though, and several exit to leave them with two audience members. Still two too many, but it's better than before. It's also less to take on, but how Ray's expected to take down two of them is beyond him. Maybe if he can get Fraser free somehow...]

Yeah, real fuckin' happy.

[Laced with sarcasm and grump as he pushes himself to his feet, his movements quick but showing no aggression. Maybe if he can get them used to a lot of quick moves, then they'll be less likely to expect an attack. It's worked before. Sort of.

Once on his feet he moves around to the bedside, standing near to Fraser's head and yet still keeping his attention on that Armando guy.]

So you uh, you want me to spoon him or somethin'?

[ Ray watched his replacement juggle with his doubts and concerns for a second. He felt the same flash about Fraser: oh, now you realise that things aren't going too great, huh? But this wasn't the right moment to call him on it. Now there were just two guys watching them, Kowalski would be judging his company constantly, looking for an opportunity he could take advantage of. And he'd be trying to think of ways to get Fraser out of the cuffs, too.

He stayed on the other side of the bed, watching Ray retreat away from him. Distance himself a little, make himself feel a little safer--nice try, anyway. It was better than nothing, right? Now it'd feel more like him and Fraser against the world. But the fact was, if a shootout started now, it was probably Fraser who'd get the bullet in the chest. Both of them wanted to avoid that.

Ray licked his lips, then took a step back, moving into the chair beside the bed, nicely out of view of the video. ]

You're the star of this show. There's two ways out of this room, Detective--I get some sorta film I can use, or I shoot you both in the head and throw your naked bodies into the lake. You pull a lot of dead bodies outta that lake, I bet. You know how they look after they've been down there a while. Not as good as being buried in the desert and getting your eyes eaten out by vultures, but you gotta work with what you've got.

[ He bit his lip briefly, and dared a look at Fraser. ]

He's a Mountie, right? So ride him.

Oh Gad.

[Quiet, muttered as his gaze flickers distantly to one side for a brief moment. It's not even concern for himself so much as an immediate aversion to the mental image of bloated corpses that they dredge up from Lake Michigan. Hardly a reminder that's going to get him excited for what's ahead, but it's out there now and he's just going to have to shove back gross dead body mental images before he barfs and instead focus on the task ahead.

The task which appears to involve Fraser and... riding him? That's a new one for him. Sure him and Stella did plenty of things, but it was always her on him thank you very much.]

Sorry, buddy.

[Finally he addresses Fraser, blinking down at the cuffed and topless Mountie thoughtfully as if the whole prospect was all too daunting. Which it was, because who the fuck does this sort of thing with their working partner?

Ray takes it all very literally though, content enough to scramble onto the bed on his knees and throw a leg over Benton to straddle his waist. And there he sat, fully clothed, boots and all, lifting his eyebrows as he jerks his gaze back to the mobster off camera. It's so often difficult to tell if Ray's stupidity is genuine or not.]

All good? We done?

Edited 2015-01-22 16:55 (UTC)

[ Fraser was accepting of the whole thing--unnervingly so. He was quiet, and didn't react very much, but Ray did catch something in his expression, a sharp little intake of breath as his partner settled across him, the fluttering of his eyelashes. The moment his replacement was up on top of him, Fraser didn't avert his eyes from Kowalski's, like he was determined not to let anyone else in the room in on their moment.

At least Fraser was playing his part, though. Fraser knew what was happening now, and at least for the moment he didn't see any other way out. But he was smart, he could still make trouble. Right now the only trouble Ray had to worry about was the Detective. He was being intolerable. He deserved to get smacked in the face, honestly.

Patience worked better, though. He sneered at Kowalski and leant slightly forward. ]

I said I need something I can use. Take off the jacket. The shirt too. And move your hips. The camera wants to see some action, and so do I. And if I don't see some action...

[ He kneaded his thumb into his eyebrow, shrugged and then leant back, sighing softly. ]

It's up to you. Make me believe it, or don't. We can always do this the hard way.

Nngh, whatever man.

[The stupid can only be upheld for so long before everyone grows tired of it. It's a good delaying tactic but remaining clueless won't get them out of this.

But Ray hates doing as he's told, especially when it's coming from scumbag criminals, and right now he's thinking of every single way he can make this as awkward for the Italians as possible. Rock the boat without ever actually tipping it, just how he liked to live his life. But even with his reluctance, he still shifts enough to wrestle the jacket from his shoulders, and then proceed to peel off the several other layers that had kept him warm out in that bitter Chicago weather. The under shirt only lingers long enough for him to huff out a sigh, and then it's tugged over his chest and dumped aside with the rest of the discarded clothing, leaving a lithe torso and pale skin.

So now they're both topless and maybe that'll be enough to keep the viewers satisfied, but there was still the believability of it to consider.

There's not one smart ass thing he can think to say that'll make this better for him and Fraser, so instead he returns his partner's stare and offers one single nod before slowly rolling his hips. There's not much to it, both hands still resting idly at his own thighs, but he sure can work those hips of his, possibly thanks to plenty of years dancing. He needs to avoid thinking about this. Just got to channel his hate throughout, otherwise this could get really awkward really fast.]

[ Fraser had seen Ray out of his clothes enough that he didn't necessarily have to react to it, but that had been in...other situations. Changing rooms, and quick changes in the car from one shirt into another, they didn't come close to being as intimate as this. Ray wasn't just undressing, he was stripping in a rushed kind of way, sighing and acting frustrated, but stripping out of his clothes with enough of his rough frenzy that it made his stomach fold over, turning the coals and nurturing a low, hot flame.

That last layer, as it was peeled off, and Ray was exposed--this was a different kind of intimacy, and Fraser didn't know how to respond to it exactly. The definition of muscles, the dark red of his nipples, the paleness of his skin. Fraser's fingers twitched in their restraint, as though he desperately wanted to touch. He did, but not necessarily here. Not like this.

And then Ray moved, and his problems crystalised.

Okay--okay, he hadn't expected this. He hadn't prepared for it. Ray rolled his hips with an athletic agility, and Fraser made a broken sound, managing to bite down on it only for a second. The second roll made him moan, and the noise was helpless, and too loud in the small room.

Nobody would ever want to be undermined like this, least of all Ray, but Fraser knew it would. He couldn't hide that it was doing something for him, and Ray would question why. But the truth was... God, people just didn't touch him like this very often, and worse than that, Ray was special. He did attract him, not that Fraser would ever let it imperil their relationship. ]

I'm sorry. [ He said breathlessly, after a second. ] Ah--I'm sorry, Ray.

[Fraser wasn't the only sexually frustrated one here, but Ray did at least have some level of experience on this whole grinding thing when it came to him and ladies. Sure he'd only ever had one true partner, and the small flings he'd had since then had been extremely uneventful and mostly just constant blows to his confidence. But those interactions did mean he could cope with getting topless in close contact without getting hot under the collar the second there was movement.

He should have expected this from Benton, really. It's not exactly a surprise that the Mountie is so repressed that that slightest movement has him gasping, but this is hardly the time and place for him to discover his sexuality.]

Fraser! [Hissed quietly in warning, as if somehow that'll help the situation.

He's not sure exactly what annoys him about the whole situation, not yet anyway, but having Fraser moan with each roll of his hips really does throw him off his game. It's agitating enough that Ray decides to take action, moving a hand to press it tightly against Fraser's lips, hips halting as he stares down at his partner.]

Don't.

[ Fraser wasn't terribly pleased with himself either, it had to be said. The last thing he wanted was to be exposed like this on camera, and while under other circumstances it might have taken the edge off that the only other person watching was his best friend, Ray's transformation had left his trust in pieces. Fraser didn't know what to do with himself, but he did know that he was trying to bite down on those noises, his pride stung.

This was too personal, and he didn't want his relationship with Ray to be exposed to risk or scrutiny. It couldn't take Ray seeing him intimately, clearly, if Ray's reaction to his moaning was anything to go by.

He tried to bite his lip, but was saved by the hand closing over his mouth. Except now he couldn't speak either. His eyes opened just a little wider, and he tried to show his discomfort by fidgeting underneath Ray. He knows Ray knows that it isn't his fault, but still he feels like he should say something. Try to.

Not about how he finds Ray attractive, but just... Something. ]

[ Now what the hell was happening?

Stanley was good, Ray had to give him that. He didn't look so bad out of his shirt, real ladies man probably - dead stupid hair, but whatever - and he did really look the part, climbing up on top of Fraser the way he did.

Except apparently Fraser thought so too. The moment his replacement began to move, Fraser lost it. He moaned, and apologized, and Kowalski panicked and shoved a hand over Fraser's mouth, as though that would take back what he'd done.

But as if he wasn't already jealous enough, Ray felt a sickly swell of new jealousy rising in his belly. His Mountie. He wasn't supposed to trip over his feet falling for the new guy. It wasn't fair.

He growled, and intervened, if only to feel more involved. ]

You wanna gag him? I don't know about you, but I wanna hear that. You're turning him on, that's sorta the point.

[There's a moment where Ray realises he doesn't know what his next move is, and he's left staring down at Fraser and reading into those widened eyes without being able to think of a follow up. Shutting up Fraser had been the easy part (for once in his life), but everything after that was impossible to figure. They were still in the same spot they were before. Still had the camera. Still had some skeevy mob guy insisting they work it for the camera so he can get his rocks off to it at a later date or whatever. Nothing had changed. Whether Fraser kept quiet or not made no difference to the over all outcome.

So why keep him quiet?

The words off camera have him snapping his attention back over to the Italian, blinking rapidly as he tries to process the thought. Gagging. Nah. Fraser's already tied down and at the whim of others, it wasn't fair to leave him completely powerless in this. Especially not when the Mountie's voice was one of his biggest weapons he had in his arsenal.]

I uh. Yeah. I guess it is.

[But the concept of turning Fraser on was still an odd sentence to hear in this room, even if Ray was witnessing some of that first hand.

With a huff of defeat his hand lifts, instead pressing his palm to Benton's chest and resting it there, gaze back on his partner.]

Not your fault. [He mumbles like he's trying to keep some of this conversation private, even with the company.]

[ Fraser took a deep breath the moment he was free to, his eyelids relaxing too, his chest and the tension in his arms. He knew he'd only make Ray more nervous if he was tense and rigid in his own right, transferring that energy through his body the way that a nervous horse made for a nervous rider, and vice versa.

Ray was already having a difficult time with this. Fraser could help, but he had to focus him into the moment, maybe even hypnotise him a little bit. They could get through this, the humiliation, if that was the only way out.

He still had an ace up his sleeve. If this went too far... ]

I'm not afraid. Look at me, Ray. Don't think about the rest of the room. [ A slow breath, in and out, encouraging Ray subconsciously to mimic the action. ] There's just you and me, and you...you make me happy. You make me feel safe.

[ He licked his lips nervously, rolling his shoulders where they were uncomfortably knotting underneath him. ]

I want to touch you. Will you--will you hold my hand, please, Ray?

[Fraser's taking this well. Ray supposes he shouldn't be surprised considering this is the man who doesn't even flinch at live firearms pointed in his face, but it still comes as somewhat interesting to realise the handcuffed, half naked Mountie beneath him is the one trying to offer words of support here.

So maybe Ray is a little twitchy, and maybe he's a little unsure of himself, but Ray gets nervous, they both know that. And anxiety is a really shitty thing to have right now when he's supposed to be performing for an audience.

That's why the advice is good. It helps him focus. Keeps his attention on Fraser and lets him lock in on the familiar voice. Just the two of them. He could deal with that. They'd been through times like this before, where relying on one another was the only way through, this was no different, not really. Fraser trusted Ray, and Ray could definitely trust Fraser because that's what buddies do.]

I make you happy?

[Hard to know how to read a phrase like that, but Ray follows the instructions well enough, nodding lightly as he leans forward, closing the gap between them to curl a hand into Benton's restrained grip. He still keeps his other palm pressed against the Mountie's chest, using it as leverage to keep him just slightly above the other.]

[ And very quickly they're alone. There's just Ray above him, the steadiness of his breathing, those sharp blue eyes that seemed to bleed emotion straight through them. Fraser could see all of his anxiety there, but he could see when Ray was reflecting and listening. It was magic, a little bit like hypnosis, but the control it gave them over the situation was more than just useful. Of course Ray could make him feel safe, with just a look like that.

Fraser closed his hand around Ray's, when it was pressed into place, reassured by the grip entirely. It was the first truly willing thing he'd done since this had begun, and now he had that anchor point the connection was complete. Neither of them would forget entirely about the "mobster" looming beside them, but this close - inches apart, Ray's hands on him, Ray's eyes on him - they were at least making progress.

He spoke to both the men in the room, through him. ]

Yes, you make me happy. You're my partner, Ray, and I trust you--I've trusted you. I'd like to think that nothing could ever come between us, and that no matter what you do, or who you are, our friendship would always come first. That means a lot to me. I mean...I have faith in people doing the right thing, but sometimes that isn't always possible. And trust may seem like a word I fling around haphazardly, but I have every reason to be mistrustful, considering the things I've seen--there is always doubt where it's due. But... [ He needs to breathe. It's a lot of talking. He shook his head, changing his mind after all. ]

Never mind. I'm not being particularly eloquent. [ He squeezed Ray's hand. ] It's like dancing. You...you should probably move, Ray. Dance with me. I promise it'll be okay.

Benton Fraser | Due South

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