Fic: "Nothing's Wrong" [1/1] Fraser/Ray V [Due South]
Title: Nothing’s Wrong
Author: Perpetual Motion
Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Fraser/Ray V
Rating: PG
Summary: It’s a sin to lie to your mother.
Dis: Not mine. I made it all up.
Author’s Notes: I have never written the original Ray, though I adore him. So, I give you my first attempt, which is longer than it should be [by 234 words], but I’m hoping I won’t be stoned in the town square. Feedback, critiques, and all manner of squee-ige is always welcome.
Nothing’s Wrong
By Perpetual Motion
“Nothing’s wrong, Ma.”
But something is wrong, and Mrs. Vecchio knows it. “Ray, darling, *something’s* wrong.”
Ray shrugs. “I’m telling you, Ma, that as far as I know, nothing’s wrong with Benny.”
“You know it’s a sin to lie to your mother.” Mrs. Vecchio points a finger at Ray’s nose. “You go to hell for lying to your mother.”
“That’s why I only fib, Ma.” And Ray’s voice is affectionate, and his kiss is happy as he pecks his mother on the cheek. “I’d never lie to you.”
“What about that girl?”
Ray makes a face. He forgets sometimes that the cardinal rule in being a good Italian son is to never claim that you haven’t lied to your mother. Italian mothers have memories that can not be matched. “Which girl?”
“That Victoria girl that Benton was so moony over. You said she was a good girl.”
That hurts. That hurts a lot, but Ray knows his mom isn’t doing it to actually cause him pain. “Ma, we’ve been through this. I didn’t know she was nuts. If I’d known she was a bitch, I would have told you. I swear.” Ray isn’t surprised when his mother slaps him lightly on the cheek.
“Don’t swear. Good Italian boys don’t swear.”
“You don’t know a lot of Italian boys, do you, Ma?” And Ray laughs when his mother pokes him in the chest and points to the door of the kitchen. “I’m going. I’m going.” He grabs a handful of carrot sticks that are waiting to be shredded for the salad and winks at his mother before walking into the living room. He spies Benny sitting on the sofa and moves three nieces and a nephew to get the seat next to him. “Hey, Benny.”
“Hello, Ray.” Benny looks at Ray and smiles.
Ray smiles back. “Ma thinks you’re crazy.”
“According to you, most people think I’m crazy.”
“According to most people, you are crazy.” Ray passes Benny a carrot stick and bites into one of his own. He watches Benny munch his carrot stick while watching the children play with Dief. “Everything is okay, right?” He can’t help but ask the question. His mother’s worry transfers onto him like white cat hair on a black suit.
“Everything is fine, Ray.” Benny finishes his carrot stick and helps himself to another one from Ray’s hand. “I am having a very pleasant time.”
Ray snorts in disbelief and nearly chokes on a carrot. He coughs once, then looks at Benny again. “Pleasant? Here?”
“Certainly, Ray.”
“You know, Ma says lying is a sin.”
“I am not lying, Ray.” Benny gestures to the children that are running around the house, and the parents who are lounging around the living room talking amongst themselves as their children make the exact amount of damage that they know they can get away with. “It’s very nice here. I never had very much family to enjoy. I enjoy enjoying yours.”
“They’re your family now, you know.” Ray watches the way Benny ducks his head and stares at his boots. “Seriously, Benny, you’re family.” He pops the last carrot stick into his mouth and places his hand on Benny’s arm. “Don’t doubt that, okay?”
“I don’t doubt it, Ray. I just…” Benny glances around the room, then looks at Ray. “I just wonder when you’ll tell your mother, is all.”
And the pain from his mother mentioning Victoria is nothing compared to the pain Ray gets at the slightly unsure tone in Benny’s voice. “Aw, Benny,” He slides his hand up Benny’s arm and squeezes his shoulder. “I will.”
“I am certain you will, Ray. I’m merely wondering *when* you will.” Benny’s tone is soft and trying to be neutral, but Ray can hear the mild dejection that’s underlying the whole thing.
“Benny…” Ray trails off. He’s not quite sure what to say. He could swear that he’ll tell soon, but he’s done that before, and he doesn’t want Benny to think that he’s just stalling for time like he was the last time he said ‘soon’. He decides, rather suddenly, to just get the whole issue over with. “You want me to tell Ma and the family?”
“Only if you’re comfortable, Ray.”
Ray doesn’t think he’ll ever be comfortable telling his mom that he’s in love with a man, but he doesn’t say that to Benny. “I’m as comfortable as I’m going to be.” He glances towards the kitchen door as it swings open, and he makes up his mind for certain. “Is now a good time for you?”
“Only if-Ray, are you certain? Absolutely?” Benny looks like a deer in headlights.
Ray lies flat out. “Of course I’m certain.” He stands up and whistles at the room in general to get everyone’s attention. “Hey, everyone, I’ve got news.” No one heckles him, and he wonders if Sunday dinner is the best place to out himself and Benny to the family. He figures it’s mildly less cliché than waiting for Christmas. “Benny and I are…” He trails off, unsure how to handle the situation. He glances at Benny. Benny stands up beside him and puts a hand on his shoulder.
“Go ahead, Ray.” Benny smiles and squeezes Ray’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” Ray takes a deep breath and looks at the family again. “Benny and I are together. There. It’s said. Commence the inquisition.” Ray’s not surprised at the stunned silence. He is surprised that he doesn’t see his mother storm over and slap him hard across the face. “Ma!”
“You’re going to hell, Ray! Hell!” She shakes a finger at him. “How could you?”
Ray is completely at a loss. Sure, he figured his mom would freak, but not quite like this. They’re Catholic, but they’re not *that* Catholic. “Ma, what’s wrong with it?”
“Everything’s wrong with it!” She pokes him hard in the chest. “You don’t lie to your mother! It’s a sin to lie to your mother!” She slaps him again.
“Ma!” Ray holds up his hands to forestall another attack. “I haven’t lied to you!”
“You said you weren’t seeing anybody!”
Ray gapes. “I did not!” He remembers the conversation. They had had it last week before dinner. “I said I wasn’t seeing a *woman*!”
Mrs. Vecchio pauses, her finger still poking into Ray’s chest, and looks him over. “You said ‘a woman’?”
“Yes, Ma.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Ma.”
She gives him another once-over. “You swear on your father’s grave that you said ‘a woman’?”
Ray sighs. “Yes, Ma. I swear on Pop’s grave that I didn’t lie to you last week. I said I wasn’t seeing a woman.”
“Okay.” She nods slowly and backs away. “We’ll have dinner in a few minutes. Everyone get to the table.”
Ray holds Benny back as everyone moves towards the dining room. “Last chance to run from the family, Benny.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Ray.” Benny smiles and kisses Ray as the last of his cousins walk out of the room. “The food alone is worth staying for.” His eyes are bright with amusement.
Ray shakes his head and wonders just how bad of an influence Benny’s going to be on the family with his excellent manners and extremely low-key sense of humor. “C’mon, Benny. You know Ma hates if we miss the blessing.”
“Of course, Ray.”
Ray wraps his fingers in-between Benny’s fingers and leads him into the dining room.
Author: Perpetual Motion
Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Fraser/Ray V
Rating: PG
Summary: It’s a sin to lie to your mother.
Dis: Not mine. I made it all up.
Author’s Notes: I have never written the original Ray, though I adore him. So, I give you my first attempt, which is longer than it should be [by 234 words], but I’m hoping I won’t be stoned in the town square. Feedback, critiques, and all manner of squee-ige is always welcome.
Nothing’s Wrong
By Perpetual Motion
“Nothing’s wrong, Ma.”
But something is wrong, and Mrs. Vecchio knows it. “Ray, darling, *something’s* wrong.”
Ray shrugs. “I’m telling you, Ma, that as far as I know, nothing’s wrong with Benny.”
“You know it’s a sin to lie to your mother.” Mrs. Vecchio points a finger at Ray’s nose. “You go to hell for lying to your mother.”
“That’s why I only fib, Ma.” And Ray’s voice is affectionate, and his kiss is happy as he pecks his mother on the cheek. “I’d never lie to you.”
“What about that girl?”
Ray makes a face. He forgets sometimes that the cardinal rule in being a good Italian son is to never claim that you haven’t lied to your mother. Italian mothers have memories that can not be matched. “Which girl?”
“That Victoria girl that Benton was so moony over. You said she was a good girl.”
That hurts. That hurts a lot, but Ray knows his mom isn’t doing it to actually cause him pain. “Ma, we’ve been through this. I didn’t know she was nuts. If I’d known she was a bitch, I would have told you. I swear.” Ray isn’t surprised when his mother slaps him lightly on the cheek.
“Don’t swear. Good Italian boys don’t swear.”
“You don’t know a lot of Italian boys, do you, Ma?” And Ray laughs when his mother pokes him in the chest and points to the door of the kitchen. “I’m going. I’m going.” He grabs a handful of carrot sticks that are waiting to be shredded for the salad and winks at his mother before walking into the living room. He spies Benny sitting on the sofa and moves three nieces and a nephew to get the seat next to him. “Hey, Benny.”
“Hello, Ray.” Benny looks at Ray and smiles.
Ray smiles back. “Ma thinks you’re crazy.”
“According to you, most people think I’m crazy.”
“According to most people, you are crazy.” Ray passes Benny a carrot stick and bites into one of his own. He watches Benny munch his carrot stick while watching the children play with Dief. “Everything is okay, right?” He can’t help but ask the question. His mother’s worry transfers onto him like white cat hair on a black suit.
“Everything is fine, Ray.” Benny finishes his carrot stick and helps himself to another one from Ray’s hand. “I am having a very pleasant time.”
Ray snorts in disbelief and nearly chokes on a carrot. He coughs once, then looks at Benny again. “Pleasant? Here?”
“Certainly, Ray.”
“You know, Ma says lying is a sin.”
“I am not lying, Ray.” Benny gestures to the children that are running around the house, and the parents who are lounging around the living room talking amongst themselves as their children make the exact amount of damage that they know they can get away with. “It’s very nice here. I never had very much family to enjoy. I enjoy enjoying yours.”
“They’re your family now, you know.” Ray watches the way Benny ducks his head and stares at his boots. “Seriously, Benny, you’re family.” He pops the last carrot stick into his mouth and places his hand on Benny’s arm. “Don’t doubt that, okay?”
“I don’t doubt it, Ray. I just…” Benny glances around the room, then looks at Ray. “I just wonder when you’ll tell your mother, is all.”
And the pain from his mother mentioning Victoria is nothing compared to the pain Ray gets at the slightly unsure tone in Benny’s voice. “Aw, Benny,” He slides his hand up Benny’s arm and squeezes his shoulder. “I will.”
“I am certain you will, Ray. I’m merely wondering *when* you will.” Benny’s tone is soft and trying to be neutral, but Ray can hear the mild dejection that’s underlying the whole thing.
“Benny…” Ray trails off. He’s not quite sure what to say. He could swear that he’ll tell soon, but he’s done that before, and he doesn’t want Benny to think that he’s just stalling for time like he was the last time he said ‘soon’. He decides, rather suddenly, to just get the whole issue over with. “You want me to tell Ma and the family?”
“Only if you’re comfortable, Ray.”
Ray doesn’t think he’ll ever be comfortable telling his mom that he’s in love with a man, but he doesn’t say that to Benny. “I’m as comfortable as I’m going to be.” He glances towards the kitchen door as it swings open, and he makes up his mind for certain. “Is now a good time for you?”
“Only if-Ray, are you certain? Absolutely?” Benny looks like a deer in headlights.
Ray lies flat out. “Of course I’m certain.” He stands up and whistles at the room in general to get everyone’s attention. “Hey, everyone, I’ve got news.” No one heckles him, and he wonders if Sunday dinner is the best place to out himself and Benny to the family. He figures it’s mildly less cliché than waiting for Christmas. “Benny and I are…” He trails off, unsure how to handle the situation. He glances at Benny. Benny stands up beside him and puts a hand on his shoulder.
“Go ahead, Ray.” Benny smiles and squeezes Ray’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” Ray takes a deep breath and looks at the family again. “Benny and I are together. There. It’s said. Commence the inquisition.” Ray’s not surprised at the stunned silence. He is surprised that he doesn’t see his mother storm over and slap him hard across the face. “Ma!”
“You’re going to hell, Ray! Hell!” She shakes a finger at him. “How could you?”
Ray is completely at a loss. Sure, he figured his mom would freak, but not quite like this. They’re Catholic, but they’re not *that* Catholic. “Ma, what’s wrong with it?”
“Everything’s wrong with it!” She pokes him hard in the chest. “You don’t lie to your mother! It’s a sin to lie to your mother!” She slaps him again.
“Ma!” Ray holds up his hands to forestall another attack. “I haven’t lied to you!”
“You said you weren’t seeing anybody!”
Ray gapes. “I did not!” He remembers the conversation. They had had it last week before dinner. “I said I wasn’t seeing a *woman*!”
Mrs. Vecchio pauses, her finger still poking into Ray’s chest, and looks him over. “You said ‘a woman’?”
“Yes, Ma.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Ma.”
She gives him another once-over. “You swear on your father’s grave that you said ‘a woman’?”
Ray sighs. “Yes, Ma. I swear on Pop’s grave that I didn’t lie to you last week. I said I wasn’t seeing a woman.”
“Okay.” She nods slowly and backs away. “We’ll have dinner in a few minutes. Everyone get to the table.”
Ray holds Benny back as everyone moves towards the dining room. “Last chance to run from the family, Benny.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Ray.” Benny smiles and kisses Ray as the last of his cousins walk out of the room. “The food alone is worth staying for.” His eyes are bright with amusement.
Ray shakes his head and wonders just how bad of an influence Benny’s going to be on the family with his excellent manners and extremely low-key sense of humor. “C’mon, Benny. You know Ma hates if we miss the blessing.”
“Of course, Ray.”
Ray wraps his fingers in-between Benny’s fingers and leads him into the dining room.