FIC: Delta (Ray Levoi/Walter Crow Horse, PG-13)
TITLE: Delta
RATING: PG-13
FANDOM: Thunderheart
PAIRING: Ray Levoi/Walter Crow Horse
SUMMARY: In which Ray and Crow Horse go on a date, and Ray is a salmon.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for slashthedrabble challenge #295: wake.
Ray woke to the blinding sun distorting his vision. He flinched, the light behind his eyes burning bruise red, and then squinted his eyes cautiously open.
A rough hand cupped his cheek.
“Thought you were gonna sleep the day away.”
A familiar silhouette broke the field of blinding white. Ray blinked until his eyes acclimated to the harsh sunlight, until the shadow became a form.
“Crow Horse,” he murmured.
Crow Horse’s face came into focus; he looked amused. “You expecting somebody else?”
“I was dreaming about salmon,” Ray said. “I was a salmon, and I was swimming upstream with other salmon.”
“In the Little Walking?”
“Yeah. It was nice; I was made of silver; we were all made of silver.”
Crow Horse chuckled. “There’s no salmon in this river, Ray, silver or not, and there never has been. Closest salmon we’ve got’s in Pactola Lake up in the Black Hills.” Crow Horse held out his hand. “Come on, Salmon Boy. I’ll help you up.”
Ray ignored the gesture. Sensory details were returning to him: his body was cradled in the soft, sun-heated delta sand, his bare feet at the edge of the Little Walking where the wake forced ripples of water up to lap over the sand and his skin. He could have laid there forever.
“Mm,” he said. “This was a good date.”
Crow Horse rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you slept through most of it. I’m flattered.”
Ray stretched, sand tickling down his neck. “You’ve been working me too hard.”
Crow Horse’s brow rose. “A picnic’s too much work for you? Ray, maybe we should take you to the clinic, get your iron checked-”
Ray frowned. “At the station, I mean. I’ve been on doubles all week.”
“Never heard you complain before-”
“I’m not complaining now. I can take it. I’m just explaining that I’m not bored by your romantic overtures.”
“Hmm,” Crow Horse said. He tried another tack at getting Ray to his feet, grabbing him around the ribs and trying to hoist him up. But the sand was loose beneath his feet, and Ray was stubborn about staying in his cozy position on the riverbank a little longer. Uncooperative Ray was too heavy, and Crow Horse’s feet went out from under him. He landed atop Ray.
“Dammit,” Crow Horse said, and started to struggle back to his feet.
Ray had good hands and fast reflexes, and before Crow Horse could get up, Ray had a competent hold on him, keeping Crow Horse pressed firmly against him.
“Goddammit, Ray-”
Ray pressed his lips against Crow Horse’s. The irritation didn’t ease from Crow Horse’s face, so Ray kissed him again. Ray felt Crow Horse’s body relax against him.
“Is the date over?” Ray asked. He looked up at Crow Horse with feigned innocence.
Ray gave Crow Horse enough tether for Crow Horse to move into a position that suited him better; Crow Horse moved his pelvis against Ray’s, slowly. He kissed him.
“Not on your life.”