green_idylls: billy hargrove smoking a dart dramatically (billy)
green_idylls ([personal profile] green_idylls) wrote in [community profile] fandomweekly2023-08-08 12:15 am

[#188] Dealbreaker (Due South)

Theme Prompt: #188 - Partners
Title: Dealbreaker
Fandom: Due South
Rating/Warnings: Mature - strong homophobia/biphobia (including slurs), strong language
Bonus: No
Word Count: 995 (according to Scrivener)



"Hey Fraser, guess what," Ray says, grinning ear to ear, as soon as Fraser's in the passenger seat.

"Good morning, Ray," Fraser says, smiling back.

"Uh-huh, top of the morning to ya. So someone's TV got stolen last night, apartment two blocks from yours, and we got a witness who saw the perp."

"Well, that's fortunate, Ray."

"Yeah, and this perp, right, he was real distinctive. Witness says dark hair, blue eyes, and, uh, oh yeah - bright red jacket!" Ray beams. "You happen to know anyone by that description, Fraser?"

Fraser chuckles. "Well, Ray, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I committed no robbery."

Ray snorts. "Well, yeah, but you gotta admit - the resemblence is striking."

"Ah, but I have an alibi," Fraser contends.

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

"I was quite a considerable distance away. Attending the residence of a Mr Weldon, if you must know."

Ray puts on his best interrogating a perp voice, all tough and rough, and says, "Sure, pal, and how long did you spend at this Mr Weldon's?"

"Well, I was there the entire evening," Fraser reports, playing along indulgently.

"The entire evening?" Ray says, eyes narrowing. "And why, exactly, were you attending Mr Weldon's residence for the entire evening?"

Fraser fidgets. Ray frowns.

"Fraser, I'm starting to think you really did steal that TV."

"Ray! I wouldn't."

"Then what aren't you telling me?"

Fraser clears his throat. "We were making love, Ray," he says, looking embarrassed and a little defiant.

"You were..." Ray gapes at him. "What, with his wife?"

"No, Ray." Fraser says. "With Mr Weldon. Who I hasten to note is unmarried."

"You were making love," Ray says. "With Mr Weldon."

"Yes, Ray."

Ray stares at him. Fraser coughs awkwardly.

"You're a fag, Fraser?" Ray demands.

Fraser gives him that look, that grandmotherly, I'm very disappointed in you face. "Ray," he says, disapproving.

"Oh, what, that's not the word for it? What do they call it, then, queer? Homosexual?"

"Well, no, Ray," Fraser says, brightening, and Ray knows that tone - it's the fun-anecdotes tone, the I'm about to spend a real long time telling you something only Benton Frasers find interesting tone. "As you well know, I have certainly found myself enamoured with women. It is simply that I have no natural preference for either sex; so you see, really the appropriate term would be bisexual."

"That's even worse!" Ray protests.

"Why is that?"

"Because- because, Fraser. You being a f- a homosexual, okay, I think: fine, maybe he just can't help it. But this?"

"Ray," Fraser says patiently. "If I may go so far as to say that you, being attracted only to women, are nevertheless attracted only to some women in particular, and not to every woman-"

"Lots of women!" Ray says hastily. "Lots of women, all the time, and no men at all!"

"Yes, Ray, but not every woman. If you happened to see one woman you found attractive, and one woman who was perhaps poorly suited to you-"

"I'd still choose a woman, Fraser!"

"Yes, Ray, but my point is that you naturally find some women to be more appealing than others; the same holds for me. It's simply," Fraser says, hesistating, "well, that I found Mr Weldon particularly appealing."
"More appealing than women."

Fraser sighs. Ray looks out at the street ahead - cars roaring past, people bustling down the street - like maybe they could give him some clue what to think, here. It seems bizarre that they're having this conversation in broad daylight.

He turns back to Fraser. "Is this a new thing?"

"Not as it were, Ray, no."

"No. Okay." Ray slumps in his chair. "See, now I'm gonna be thinking about this," he complains. "We're gonna be running around chasing criminals, saving the day, getting shot at and covered in mud and trash and whatever other crazy shit you get me into, and I'm gonna have to do it all knowing that you do god knows what with god knows who!"

"If you'd prefer not to acknowledge it, Ray, we need never speak of it again," Fraser offers.

"But I know, Benny!"

"Well, yes, I suppose you do."

"How'm I ever gonna look you in the face again?" Ray whines, and Fraser stares at him.

After a beat, looking a little amused, he says, "You're looking at my face right now, Ray," and Ray blinks at him.

"Wait," he says, and it dawns on him like a strong cup of coffee. "Wait, yeah, I'm looking at you right now!"

"Well, yes, Ray, that's what I-"

"I don't care!" Ray crows, and throws his arms out in victory. "You do god knows what, with god knows who, and I know, and I don't care!"

"No cause for concern," Fraser nods, smiling.

"No cause for concern?" Ray goggles, his arms dropping. "Are you kidding me, Fraser? Of course I'm concerned! I'm a cop!"

"Oh," Fraser says, looking confused.

"No one can know you told me this," Ray says seriously, pointing a commanding finger at him. "No one, Fraser, or I swear to god. I can't have that kinda talk flying around about me; people thinking I'm all tolerant or something. Detective Vecchio, friend of the queers-"

"Ray," Fraser interrupts, his smile twitching. "I understand. It won't leave this car."

"No it won't," Ray agrees, and taps his fingers on the wheel, a pitter-patter rhythm. "I got your back, Fraser," he adds, feeling clumsy. "You know, if you ever find yourself needing it."

"Well, thank you, Ray," Fraser says, all earnest like Ray had said you're important to me, Benny, or it's you and me, Fraser, or you're like a brother to me. "You know our friendship means a great deal to me."

"Yeah, yeah," Ray says, because that's the special thing about Fraser; you never have to say it, and he hears it all the same. "Let's go see what kind of mortal danger you get me mixed up in today, huh?"

 

[personal profile] bushwah 2023-08-07 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
this is so fucking funny
pattrose: SallyMN (Default)

[personal profile] pattrose 2023-08-07 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I’m not familiar with due south, but was this the first Ray? I’ve read tons of fic with Ray K but never this one. I wasn’t quite sure how I feel about it. So I figured that Ray would still be his friend through all their adventures which would make Ben feel better.
badly_knitted: (Jack - Big Smile)

[personal profile] badly_knitted 2023-08-08 10:05 am (UTC)(link)
This is great, very in keeping with the time the series was set in, and I'm glad Vecchio realised that Fraser's sexuality doesn't have to change anything between them. Even if he's still scared what other cops might think if they find out he knows and is okay with it.