FIC: Do Not Pass Go (Due South, Fraser/Vecchio, PG-13)

[ashinae]

Can do this cuz I know nobody visits my fic page. I bet you don't even know that I have one. Am trying to make my journal an interesting read.

Title: Do Not Pass Go
Author: ashinae
Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Fraser/Vecchio
Rating: PG-13 (for the naughty language)
Disclaimer: They belong to Alliance Atlantis and are the creations of Paul Haggis (bless him and his writing team)
Written: early December, 2001

Note: Do NOT let the humour and light-hearted tone of this fool you.



"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You just landed on Boardwalk."

"I'm well aware."

"But you already have Park Place."

"Sad, isn't it?"

"Smirking doesn't suit you, Fraser."

"I'm not smirking."

"Hmph."

Fraser grinned and started counting out his money.

"You're going to buy it?"

"Don’t sound so surprised, Ray. Of course I'm going to buy it. Did you expect that I'd let you have it?"

"Uh..."

Fraser squinted as Ray looked down and scratched the back of his neck.

"Ray."

"Yeah?"

"You expected that I'd just pass it up and let you have it, didn't you?"

"Well... it's just... you always play fair, so..."

Fraser blinked a few times. Ray finally peered up at him and gave a sheepish little grin.

"Ray?"

"Uh, yeah, Benny?"

"You're... going down."

Ray nearly choked. "I'm what?"

"Just because I believe in 'fair' and 'rules', doesn't mean I don't play to win." Fraser put his $400 into the 'bank' and collected his Boardwalk card. He rubbed his hands together as he eyed his properties and money, then Ray's, and then looked back up at Ray. "Though it doesn't appear that winning is going to be particularly difficult."

"Fraay-sher! You're not playing very nice today, and if you keep that up, I think I'm gonna go home."

"Oh, Ray, stop whining."

"Whining?" Ray's voice rose about an octave.

"Mmhmm. It's your roll."

"Hmph!" Ray picked up the dice and rolled, picked up the shoe and moved it six spots to land on his own property. He let out a little sigh of relief... a roll of four next time, and he would land on "free parking." He desperately needed the money that had been piling up.

"So when is Maria due?" Benny asked as he took his turn.

"Sometime in the spring. I think she said April."

"How nice."

"Damn you and your double rolls. And you owe me six bucks."

"Here you are." Fraser smirked again. "Looks like you need it."

The Mountie rolled again and stopped his dog next to Ray's shoe.

"Fourteen this time, Benny. Pay up."

Fraser handed over the bills, then Ray rolled.

Three.

Damn.

"That'll be sixteen dollars, Ray. Would you like to mortgage a property to pay that?"

"You are not a funny Canadian." Ray handed over sixteen one dollar bills, out of spite.

Fraser reached across the table for the dice, smiled sweetly, rolled four, and collected the money in the middle of the board.

Ray got up and went to the refrigerator, digging in the freezer for the tub of ice cream he'd bought. He grabbed two spoons and returned to the table. He tugged open the carton and all but stabbed his spoon into the ice cream. "You're evil," he accused.

Fraser was straightening his title deeds again. It looked like he was gloating. "You're only saying that because I'm winning."

"So?"

Fraser laughed, sounding rather delighted, and handed the dice back to Ray.

"John Candy, now there was a funny Canadian," Ray said as he took the dice. "But you, Constable," he added, "are no John Candy."

"I never claimed to be. Roll a die and pay up, Ray."

"Sheesh. Lay off me. I'm paying, I'm paying. If I didn't need the money, I wouldn't have sold you my water works."

"Well, you did. And Short Line railroad is looking mighty tempting right now."

"You're not having Short Line! There is no way I'm gonna let you own all four railroads on top of everything else. ... And stop smirking!"

"Oh, Ray, I'm not smirking. I'm just enjoying myself."

"Yeah, you enjoy beating the pants off me." He reached out and drew a Community Chest card for Fraser, thinking that the Mountie seemed to momentarily not paying attention. "Benny. The card says... Christ... take another two hundred from the bank."

"Why, I believe I will. Pass me a spoon, please? Thank you. You know, if you want to give me Short Line, I'll gladly trade you New York, Virginia and Baltic Avenue."

"No way."

"Ray, you'd own five sets of properties."

"Right. And you have the utilities, the railroads and Park Place and Boardwalk. You think I'm crazy?"

"No, Ray. But you already own the green and yellow--this ice cream is delicious, by the way--"

"Thanks. Made it myself."

"No, you didn't."

Ray grinned tightly, shrugging a little as he moved the dog along his side of the board for Fraser. "Sure I did. Would I lie to you? Hmm... since you're coming up to them anyway, I think I'm going to put a house each on my green properties..."

"Ray, you can barely afford that."

"Who are you, my mother?"

"No."

"Then don't tell me what I can afford."

"Yes, Ray."

"That's better. Aha! That's one-fifty, Mr Moneybags. Hey, furball, get down. Chocolate ice cream is bad for dogs. You've still got some leftover lasagne. Eat that."

"I do wish you wouldn't feed him treats, Ray."

"Hey, lasagne's good for a growing wolf. Right, Dief?"

Fraser frowned, studying the Park Place and Boardwalk title deeds and counting out some money. He paused a moment to look over at Diefenbaker, who still sat by Ray's side as he wagged his tail hopefully. "He's hardly a 'growing' wolf, Ray, unless you're talking about his girth."

"Hey, Dief. He just called you fat. Look at that, Benny! You made him sulk."

Fraser gave a soft but still undignified snort. "Please. He's always sulking. Do you need to take out a loan for the fourteen you owe me?"

"Benny! I have fourteen. Stop pestering me. You're impossible tonight."

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah, yeah, you are." Ray handed over the money. "In fact, you're generally impossible. And I do not want to owe you any money."

"You wouldn't owe me money. You'd owe the bank money."

"You're playing banker tonight."

"So?"

"Then I'd owe you money. I don't like mixing friends and family and money. It's a dirty business."

"It's Monopoly, Ray."

"Are you putting more houses on those two?"

"Yes."

"You're ruthless."

"Probably."

"You're going to kill me here, Benny."

"Oh, Ray. What are the chances that you'll actually land--"

They looked at each other across the table.

"--oh."

Ray spoke flatly. "Well, fuck me sideways."

"Ray! That's hardly called for. It's only Park Place."

"Only Park Place. Jesus."

"That's eleven hundred dollars, please."

"Dammit... I don't even think I have eleven hundred." Ray gifted Fraser with a tight, sly grin. "Wanna let me off the hook this one time?"

"Hardly. You have properties you could mortgage."

Ray's expression turned injured. "You're a cold, cold man, Benton Fraser."

"I try very hard. Now pay your debts, Ray."

"I always pay my debts, Benny."

After Ray handed over the eleven hundred dollars after removing a few houses and mortgaging a few more properties, he watched as Fraser meticulously counted out the bills he had handed over.

"Ah... Ray?" Fraser's voice sounded a bit tentative.

"What, Benny?" Ray sighed a little and took another spoonful of ice cream.

"You're a dollar short."

Ray looked up and stared at him blankly.

"You gave me one thousand, ninety-nine dollars."

"I did not."

"You did."

I've only got two dollars left!"

"You owe me a dollar, Ray."

"Sheesh. Here. And would you stop landing on my mortgaged properties?"

"You don't have any properties that aren't mortgaged. Well... except for Short Line..."

"You're not having Short Line!" Ray gusted out a sigh and rolled the dice. "Huh. Isn't that always the way it goes?"

"Isn't what always the way it goes?"

"Well, see, you never land on Boardwalk when you're just going by. Not by chance, anyway. You only ever seem to land on it after rolling double ones once you've already visited Park Place. And stop smirking or I'll go home."

"I'm not smirking. That's fourteen hundred, Ray."

"Benny, I have a dollar. Unless you want to buy Short Line for... oh..." Ray eyed Fraser's money, "five thousand."

Fraser laughed. "Not on your life."

"Then what do you propose?"

At this Fraser paused. He looked thoughtfully at the board for what seemed like an eternity while Ray quietly worked his way through his ice cream. Fraser seemed to survey his properties and money once more, then at the board and Ray's upside-down title deeds. He reached across the table with his spoon, and as he was digging into the ice cream, the back of his hand brushed the back of Ray's hand. He looked up and met Ray's eyes. Ray looked quizzically back at Fraser as he watched the man's eyes take note of pretty much every pore on his face. He wondered when Fraser had leaned in that close.

"Fraser? You okay?"

"Yes, Ray."

Ray pulled back a little. "Then what's going on?"

Fraser's voice dropped a little. His eyes took in Ray's mouth. "Why does something have to be going on?"

"Fraser. You don't look at a person like that and say that nothing's going on. So tell me what's going on."

The hard tone in Ray's voice seemed to give Fraser pause again. He looked up into Ray's eyes, and it seemed that something in his previously confident gaze had fled. Ray frowned at him, and he lifted his other hand, leaned over the table more and wrapped his fingers around Ray's.

"Fraser--"

"Ray." Fraser tried for a teasing little smile. Ray understood the intention, but the smile trembled and wavered a bit. He was nervous. Ray's frown deepened. "You want to pay your debts?"

"I think you should let go of me."

"Stay with me tonight."

Fraser looked desperate. His eyes were pleading, the smile was vanishing. His fingers around Ray's were gripping too tightly. Well, fuck.

"You didn't just ask me what I think you asked me."

"I did. I don't mean it so much as a way for you to 'pay your debts', like you may be thinking. I wouldn't use you like that, you understand, don't you? But--how could I pass up the opportunity to--"

"Fuck."

A blush rose on Fraser's face. "Well, if you want to put it like that. I would prefer something more... romantic perhaps..."

Careful inventory. Was he angry? Couldn't say that he was. Surprised? Oh, yes. Very surprised. Fraser, actually suggesting he whore himself over a game of fucking Monopoly? Well... not quite. Not what he meant. Of course. He needed to buy new snow tires before it got too cold. Fraser wanted to fuck him. He had promised Frannie he'd take her shopping this weekend and he wasn't looking forward to doing his impersonation of a pack mule. Benny, his best friend, who had seemed until this point to be heterosexual, wanted sex... from him.

Fraser's voice was soft. "Ray? I know what I'm asking is... perhaps... unusual, but..."

Was it the Monopoly? The penne he'd made? Was this something completely out of the blue or had Fraser been eyeing his ass all this time?

"No."

Fraser sat back. He looked up as Ray rose to his feet. He seemed to be attempting speech, but it didn't appear that anything was forthcoming.

"I can't."

"You...?"

"Can't. It's not possible. I'm not... like that. Not like you, apparently."

"Ray..."

"No. I'm... sorry, Fraser. Good night."

"Ray, please, I just--"

The closing door swallowed Fraser's words.



And since I don't have a DS icon, GIP for the new Paul Bettany icon that has absolutely nothing to do with this post. But he's pretty. And so was Paul Gross, once upon a time.

Comments

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Vecchio is my pretend boyfriend. *grin*

Oh, but you'll share with me, yah? *G*

I like Due South and adore Ray Vecchio to distraction

Yay! Vecchio was very much my reason to watch the show. Sure, the Mountie was pretty and all, but Vecchio ws SO complex and wonderful. The writers and creators over there loved him, it was obvious.

And then Paul Gross took over. Sigh.

[lorie945.livejournal.com]

Oh, a new DS story!!!! Did you really have to ask if anyone would be interested?

I like the ruthlessness of banker-Fraser, and his daring. And Ray's reaction, while not what I like to see (mewanthotmonkeysex!), is very nicely done. Restrained, firm, scared snotless and pretty freaked.

And can I just say that the Dief bits were really nice? It's always a trio, not just the two of them, and you always remember that and I love it.

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Oh, a new DS story!!!!

Actually, is quite old! I wrote this back in December, 2001. Benny and Ray have gone elsewhere, have been gone elsewhere for quite some time. I still love them, certainly, but they don't talk to me anymore.

I like the ruthlessness of banker-Fraser, and his daring. And Ray's reaction, while not what I like to see (mewanthotmonkeysex!), is very nicely done. Restrained, firm, scared snotless and pretty freaked.

Thank you very much *g* There is no doubt in my mind that Fraser does indeed play to win, despite abiding by the rules. And Ray was never entirely forthcoming about his reponse to me, but I'm pretty sure it had more to do with being afraid than with being disgusted.

And can I just say that the Dief bits were really nice? It's always a trio, not just the two of them, and you always remember that and I love it.

I love the Dief :) He's wonderful. I have a very difficult time leaving him out of things; he's quite pushy. Rather like the Aragorn that lived in my head until recently *g*

Thank you again!

[anesthezea.livejournal.com]

awwww. ::wibblewhibble:: poor Benny!

ya know, you might find this odd (i do, atleast), but the very first slash fic i ever, ever read was a ray/benny one. ^_^x it was all downhill from there! woot!

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Yeah, poor Benny. I think I might have been mad at him over something when I wrote this. *pets him*

Yay for the Ray/Benny! I don't find it at all. The first m/m slash story I ever read was Ray/Benny, too *g*

(Incidentally, the first slash story I actually ever read was Xena/Gabrielle.)

[anesthezea.livejournal.com]

of all the fandoms in all the world...we waltzed into one of the more obscure ones. ^_^x it was fate, i tell ya! fate!

ok. nuff with the silliness.

bah-bye now!

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Don't wail! Everything's okay, we all know they REALLY have been living happily ever after since the end of season 2.

As far as Ray is concerned -- he and I had a long "chat" about this story, way back in the day, and though he never outright admitted it, I'm sure his reaction was out of fear for his own feelings rather than any disgust. So yeah, in this particular universe, there's no doubt in my mind that he came around after a while. *G*

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

Oh, and here:



Enjoy :)

[thedevilchicken.livejournal.com]

1) I had no idea you had a fic page - will now visit and harrass your poor unsuspecting stories.

2) Apparently someone else does like dS. *raises hand, waves like a fool* And Vecchio. Except I prefer RayK - there just something about a guy pretending to be a guy who's friends with a Mountie ;)

3) Banter! Yay for dialogue! And it fits them to a tee.
"Oh, Ray, stop whining."
"Whining?" Ray's voice rose about an octave.
*grins* Great stuff.

4) Damn you and your shock-the-hell-outta-me ending! Though I can see it happening - maybe not Ray whoring over Monopoly, but everything that actually happens in the fic ;) - I was hoping that maybe Ray wouldn't freak. Alas. Pity this is so true to his character, otherwise I could whine at you mercilessly.

5) This has nothing to do with the fic, but GUH to your icon. Now I need M&C slash.

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

1) I had no idea you had a fic page - will now visit and harrass your poor unsuspecting stories.

Eek! *G* Yeah, there's a link to the page on my journal. :)

2) Apparently someone else does like dS. *raises hand, waves like a fool* And Vecchio.

Whoo! It's just that most of the people who bother to read my journal seem to be LotR or HP fans (my poor neglected fandoms) or here just because of the vids.

3) Banter! Yay for dialogue! And it fits them to a tee.

Hee! Thank you. About all I can write is dialogue, really *g*

4) Damn you and your shock-the-hell-outta-me ending!

I'm sorry! *hides*

maybe not Ray whoring over Monopoly

*pondering this*

I was hoping that maybe Ray wouldn't freak. Alas. Pity this is so true to his character, otherwise I could whine at you mercilessly.

Yeah. Though I am sure, even if he won't admit it, that his reaction is more out of fear than anything else...

5) This has nothing to do with the fic, but GUH to your icon. Now I need M&C slash.

Mmmm, M&C slash. Yum :)

[ashinae.livejournal.com]

vox.last-dance.com -- there's always been a link to it on my journal *G*

[cocoajava.livejournal.com]

I read it! I read it! *dances* And ooooh, the ending really did sneak up on me.

"Can't. It's not possible."

I can almost hear a tone of regret in those words. It is what it is, but he cares, in all the ways he's capable of caring. He just can't give more...

*sniffles*

Well done.