There was an envelope next to Fraser's tea when he got out of the shower. "Ray, what is this?" He picked up the large white envelope, surprised at the heft of it.
"Hmmm...what?" Ray had his nose buried in the sports page, reading about the Blackhawks' injured list. He looked up, his glasses perched on his face, and Fraser felt a heated flutter in his stomach. In the six months they'd been together, Fraser had discovered that he had a "thing" for Ray in his glasses.
Fraser thoughtfully tapped a finger against the envelope. "This envelope. The one with my name on it."
Ray raised the newspaper and went back to reading. "I'm sure I don't know why there's an envelope with your name on it, Fraser."
The newspaper hid his face, but not the smirk in his voice. Fraser sighed. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to celebrate Valentine's Day. It's a crass commercialization of a made-up holiday that is the corruption of a traditional religious--"
"Fraser."
Fraser heard so much in Ray's expressive voice - exasperation, affection, love. It still surprised him how much Ray loved him. After the painful fiasco with Victoria, he had resigned himself to being alone. It had been safer, for both him and those he loved.
He'd felt that way until Ray Kowalski had stepped into his life with open arms and a hard hug. His world hadn't been the same since.
Ray briskly folded the paper and set in on the table. Taking a sip of his coffee, he said, "I was married for a long time, Fraser. And one of the things I learned was when Stella said 'Oh, Ray, don't worry about it,' that really mean I seriously needed to worry about it. If she said, 'I don't need any silly presents,' it really mean I better go out and buy her a freakin' diamond ring." He paused and gestured towards Fraser with his index and pinky finger. “You say, 'Let's not celebrate this stupid holiday,' and I hear 'Please buy me some chocolates and a card. Maybe some flowers.'”
Opening his mouth to deny Ray's accusation, cheeks flushed in embarrassment, he met Ray's blue eyes and...wilted. He couldn't lie to him and Ray had a way of seeing through Fraser's half-truths and camouflage. "You make me sound pathetic," he muttered, sitting down heavily in the chair, perilously close to pouting.
"Not pathetic. Just human." Ray set down his coffee mug and gestured towards the envelope with his chin. "Drink your tea and open your card, Ben. And if you behave yourself, you'll get your chocolates."
Curiosity getting the best of him, Fraser took a sip of his tea and pulled out his pocketknife, cutting the envelope open carefully and looking at the card inside. It was handcrafted, possibly by a very young child. Fraser pulled it out and examined it.
It was made from dark reddish-orange card stock and was cut to resemble an arch. It had two side flaps which were folded over to meet in the center, making it a simple triptych. The front was decorated with paper hearts of all sizes and shapes, some of them imperfectly cut. It was strangely appealing and Fraser couldn't help but smile down at it.
He opened the two flaps and removed a folded piece of pink paper, looking at the inscription written in Ray's leftward-tilting scrawl, surrounded by yet more cut-out hearts.
Ben--
I don't know what I would have done without you in my life. My friend and partner.
Yours always, Ray
Fraser swallowed hard and blinked, trying desperately not to embarrass himself. He set the card down gently and opened the folded paper. On one side was an advertisement for a band playing down at Reggie's Rock Club on the South Side. On the other side Ray had scribbled...song lyrics?
"Hmmm...what?" Ray had his nose buried in the sports page, reading about the Blackhawks' injured list. He looked up, his glasses perched on his face, and Fraser felt a heated flutter in his stomach. In the six months they'd been together, Fraser had discovered that he had a "thing" for Ray in his glasses.
Fraser thoughtfully tapped a finger against the envelope. "This envelope. The one with my name on it."
Ray raised the newspaper and went back to reading. "I'm sure I don't know why there's an envelope with your name on it, Fraser."
The newspaper hid his face, but not the smirk in his voice. Fraser sighed. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to celebrate Valentine's Day. It's a crass commercialization of a made-up holiday that is the corruption of a traditional religious--"
"Fraser."
Fraser heard so much in Ray's expressive voice - exasperation, affection, love. It still surprised him how much Ray loved him. After the painful fiasco with Victoria, he had resigned himself to being alone. It had been safer, for both him and those he loved.
He'd felt that way until Ray Kowalski had stepped into his life with open arms and a hard hug. His world hadn't been the same since.
Ray briskly folded the paper and set in on the table. Taking a sip of his coffee, he said, "I was married for a long time, Fraser. And one of the things I learned was when Stella said 'Oh, Ray, don't worry about it,' that really mean I seriously needed to worry about it. If she said, 'I don't need any silly presents,' it really mean I better go out and buy her a freakin' diamond ring." He paused and gestured towards Fraser with his index and pinky finger. “You say, 'Let's not celebrate this stupid holiday,' and I hear 'Please buy me some chocolates and a card. Maybe some flowers.'”
Opening his mouth to deny Ray's accusation, cheeks flushed in embarrassment, he met Ray's blue eyes and...wilted. He couldn't lie to him and Ray had a way of seeing through Fraser's half-truths and camouflage. "You make me sound pathetic," he muttered, sitting down heavily in the chair, perilously close to pouting.
"Not pathetic. Just human." Ray set down his coffee mug and gestured towards the envelope with his chin. "Drink your tea and open your card, Ben. And if you behave yourself, you'll get your chocolates."
Curiosity getting the best of him, Fraser took a sip of his tea and pulled out his pocketknife, cutting the envelope open carefully and looking at the card inside. It was handcrafted, possibly by a very young child. Fraser pulled it out and examined it.
It was made from dark reddish-orange card stock and was cut to resemble an arch. It had two side flaps which were folded over to meet in the center, making it a simple triptych. The front was decorated with paper hearts of all sizes and shapes, some of them imperfectly cut. It was strangely appealing and Fraser couldn't help but smile down at it.
He opened the two flaps and removed a folded piece of pink paper, looking at the inscription written in Ray's leftward-tilting scrawl, surrounded by yet more cut-out hearts.
Ben--
I don't know what I would have
done without you in my life. My
friend and partner.
Yours always,
Ray
Fraser swallowed hard and blinked, trying desperately not to embarrass himself. He set the card down gently and opened the folded paper. On one side was an advertisement for a band playing down at Reggie's Rock Club on the South Side. On the other side Ray had scribbled...song lyrics?
"Ray...I don't understand."
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