FIC: Balancing Act (Ray Levoi/Walter Crow Horse, PG-13)
TITLE: Balancing Act
RATING: PG-13
FANDOM: Thunderheart
PAIRING: Ray Levoi/Walter Crow Horse
SUMMARY: They fought, as always, when Crow Horse balanced his checkbook.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for rarepair100 prompt #5: balance.
They fought, as always, when Crow Horse balanced his checkbook. Things would go well for a few minutes. Then Crow Horse would start grumbling, and Ray, who never could seem to get to knowing better, would sit beside him at the kitchen table and say reasonable things in a calm voice. Things like, “you don’t have to worry” and “we could get a joint bank account.” Things that got calculators thrown at his head.
“I was doing fine long before you and your trust fund showed up,” Crow Horse raged.
Ray stopped ducking pens and paper, a flush burning over his cheeks.
“Fuck you! I do not have a trust fund! I have a savings account-”
“Well, here in Podunk County, we never heard of such newfangled-”
“I’m just trying to help you, you stubborn son of a bitch!”
“Stubborn!” Crow Horse echoed. “I’m stubborn? You won’t let this argument go, no matter how many times I say no!”
“It’s not about charity; it’s about respect. If you really saw me as your partner-”
“Charity, shit. Nobody said word one about charity ’cept you! It ain’t your job to mind the colonies-”
Ray lost it. He surged forward, swinging wildly at Crow Horse, but he was too upset to aim, and Crow Horse was fast enough to get himself out of the way. Ray went stumbling to the wall, and Crow Horse followed hot on his heels, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him, belly first, against the wall. Ray tried to struggle, but Crow Horse boxed him in; Ray was pinned, and could no sooner free himself than fly.
Crow Horse took Ray’s hair in his fist, pulled his head back so his neck was stretched, bared like a sacrifice for the knife. Ray’s body went still, no movement or sound but the short, ragged breaths rasping from his parted mouth.
“You hothead,” Crow Horse growled against Ray’s ear. “Settle down.”
Ray’s jaw worked, but he said nothing.
“I’m tired of this argument,” Crow Horse said, gentling his tone some. “Just learn to let it be.”
“Let go,” Ray said.
Crow Horse did not.
“Just calm down,” he said. “You calm down, I’ll cut you loose.”
Ray bucked against him as hard as he could, using the wall for leverage. Crow Horse had the better position, however, and pushed back, keeping Ray trapped. He yanked his fingers in Ray’s hair, pulling Ray’s head back until he keened.
“I’m trying to help you,” Ray said softly. “Because I care about you. Not because I want something from you. There’s only one thing I want from you-”
Crow Horse relaxed his hold on Ray’s hair. “My love?”
Ray snorted. “No, you asshole, for you to let me go!”
Crow Horse was so surprised, so taken with laughter, that he lost his hold on Ray. Ray pulled away, and glowered. Crow Horse walked toward him, hands outspread.
“Come on, kola.”
Ray frowned. He rubbed at his neck. “I’m still pissed at you.”
“Oh yeah?” Crow Horse stepped forward, driving Ray back against the wall again, this time with his back against it. “How ’bout now?”
Ray frowned. Crow Horse took Ray’s hair in his hand again, but gently this time. He tipped back Ray’s head, and pressed a kiss to Ray’s pulse point.
“Sugar,” he murmured, “Sugar Ray.”
Ray did everything in his power to swallow his smile. “You can sweet talk me all you like. There’s only six words I want to hear.”
Crow Horse sighed.
“We’re getting a joint bank account,” he said morosely.
“Yeah we are,” Ray said, grinning, and kissed him.