Birthday prompt #8 - due South, (past) Stella/RayK, sunshine
Time for another Krkavec ficlet! This is the last of the prompts given to me by lucifuge_5, and I almost didn't write it. True confession time (and yes, I know how ironic that is, given this is my trickster!verse) - I wasn't sure Stella was even going to be a part of this 'verse. Hadn't found a way for her to fit, and wasn't worried about trying to, until I saw this prompt. I almost emailed luce several times to let her know it wasn't to be, but let it percolate in the back of my head instead. And I was glad I did - Stella found her way in.
Fills the au_bingo square for Alternate History: Personal Life Changed.
Fandom: due South (AU Krkavec 'verse)
Rating: G
Prompt: (past) RayK/Stella, sunshine
Something, something… Ray Felt around carefully, trying to trace the energy he Sensed. He’d been catching glimpses of it for days now, teasing flashes fluttering at the edge of his awareness. This was the strongest trail he’d found yet, maybe fresh enough to follow.
Ah. There it was. Ray focused, then smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with happiness as he realized he knew the signature. He strode casually to the café in the park, not surprised to find the trail ended at a table that had a view of the Consulate. He made his way there and stopped, waiting for its lone occupant to acknowledge him. After a moment or two she glanced up at him over her coffee mug.
“Hey, Stella,” he said with a smile and a nod. Her eyes widened the tiniest bit at the name, then narrowed as she studied him. He waited a minute, letting her See him, before gesturing to the chair across from her. “Mind if I join you?”
She put down her drink and inclined her head; he took a seat, leaning back casually. “Been awhile,” he said, once it was obvious she was waiting for him to make the next move.
“I was just thinking the same thing. I almost didn’t recognize you…”
“Ray,” he supplied. “Ray Kowalski. Chicago PD.”
Stella quirked an eyebrow at that. “You’re on the side of the law now?” she asked, amusement and disbelief lacing her voice.
“I’m even a detective, if you can believe it,” he replied with a chuckle. “I’d know you anywhere, though. Can’t hide that shine, no matter what.”
She looked down at herself. “Not so bad this time around, I suppose,” she said, and he had to agree. From her perfectly styled golden-blond hair, complete with sun-bleached streaks, to the tips of her designer pumps, she looked terrific, and he told her as much.
“Smooth as ever,” she answered, with just the barest hint of a blush.
“Just calling it like I see it.”
“Doesn’t that go against your nature?” she teased, warmth suffusing her voice.
He basked in it as he answered. “Never seems to matter when you’re around, Stella. Can’t help but be honest with you.”
He could tell she didn’t quite believe him, which was mostly fine with him. It was better if she didn’t know quite what to believe of him. And if he had to remind himself of that whenever he saw her, he would.
“So, how long are you set to be in Chicago?” he asked, casually as he could.
“Not too long,” she replied with a shrug. “I’m basically passing through, checking on a few things.”
“One of those things Benton Fraser?” She started slightly at that, and Ray grinned inwardly. Score. “Thought so,” he went on. “He’s one of yours, then.” Ray didn’t think so, be her response ought to be telling.
He wasn’t disappointed. Stella shook her head. “No, at least, not directly. He’s Sun-Touched, that’s for sure, but it’s mixed with other Elements.” She gave him a speculative glance. “I take it he isn’t yours, either?”
“Only is the sense that I was Called to work with him,” Ray admitted. Stella’s eyebrows rose at that; she knew him well enough to know he wasn’t a big fan of Callings. “Yeah, take it up with Turtle,” he went on, answering her unspoken question. That brought an amused twinkle to her eye, and Ray sighed, tapping his fingers on the table. “Seriously, I’m still not one hundred percent sure what I’m doing here, at least not specifically. And that fact that the Call came from Fraser’s Wolf hasn’t helped.”
Stella’s laughter sparkled. “That one?” She shook her head. “Were we ever that young, Ray?”
“If by young you mean stupidly overeager, I’m going to answer a definitive no for you, and plead the fifth for me.”
She covered his hand with hers. “And yet here we are.”
Ray turned his hand over in hers and squeezed it gently. “Here we are. Me in the dark, hoping you’d be able to shed some light. It is your specialty, after all.”
“Since when have you been bothered by the dark?” she asked, then went on before he could even think to respond. “Not this time, I’m afraid. I’ve been here, watching him on and off for several days now, and I haven’t Seen anything worth telling. What does Turtle have to say?”
She withdrew her hand from Ray’s and he leaned back and blew out a sigh. “You know Turtle - cryptic answers are his reason for being.”
“So you’re stuck here,” she surmised, voice full of sympathy. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Nah, it isn’t so bad. Fraser’s a good guy.”
She gave him another speculative look, and he tried not to react to it. Stella had always been able to see right into him.
“Well,” She finally said, “he seems to be good for you, at least for now.” Her gaze flickered past him, and he could see her draw herself in. To most people it wouldn’t be noticeable, but to him, it was like the clouds had come out, filtering the sun’s rays. “And he’s on his way. Better get going - you wouldn’t want to be late meeting him, I’m sure.”
Ray glanced over his shoulder and sure enough, Fraser was leaving the Consulate. He stood quickly, figuring it would be best if he didn’t have to introduce Stella. No matter how hard she tried, she could never fully dampen the light within her.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Always a pleasure, Stella.”
“You too, Ray,” she answered, and he could hear the sincerity in her tone.
He started walking toward Fraser, but stopped as Stella called out to him. “Hey, Ray?”
“Yeah?” he responded, half turning to face her.
“Nice name,” she said with a grin, eyes twinkling. “Might think about holding onto it awhile. It suits you.”
She winked, and Ray shook his head, no more informed than he had been earlier, but lighter of heart nonetheless.
Fills the au_bingo square for Alternate History: Personal Life Changed.
Fandom: due South (AU Krkavec 'verse)
Rating: G
Prompt: (past) RayK/Stella, sunshine
Something, something… Ray Felt around carefully, trying to trace the energy he Sensed. He’d been catching glimpses of it for days now, teasing flashes fluttering at the edge of his awareness. This was the strongest trail he’d found yet, maybe fresh enough to follow.
Ah. There it was. Ray focused, then smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with happiness as he realized he knew the signature. He strode casually to the café in the park, not surprised to find the trail ended at a table that had a view of the Consulate. He made his way there and stopped, waiting for its lone occupant to acknowledge him. After a moment or two she glanced up at him over her coffee mug.
“Hey, Stella,” he said with a smile and a nod. Her eyes widened the tiniest bit at the name, then narrowed as she studied him. He waited a minute, letting her See him, before gesturing to the chair across from her. “Mind if I join you?”
She put down her drink and inclined her head; he took a seat, leaning back casually. “Been awhile,” he said, once it was obvious she was waiting for him to make the next move.
“I was just thinking the same thing. I almost didn’t recognize you…”
“Ray,” he supplied. “Ray Kowalski. Chicago PD.”
Stella quirked an eyebrow at that. “You’re on the side of the law now?” she asked, amusement and disbelief lacing her voice.
“I’m even a detective, if you can believe it,” he replied with a chuckle. “I’d know you anywhere, though. Can’t hide that shine, no matter what.”
She looked down at herself. “Not so bad this time around, I suppose,” she said, and he had to agree. From her perfectly styled golden-blond hair, complete with sun-bleached streaks, to the tips of her designer pumps, she looked terrific, and he told her as much.
“Smooth as ever,” she answered, with just the barest hint of a blush.
“Just calling it like I see it.”
“Doesn’t that go against your nature?” she teased, warmth suffusing her voice.
He basked in it as he answered. “Never seems to matter when you’re around, Stella. Can’t help but be honest with you.”
He could tell she didn’t quite believe him, which was mostly fine with him. It was better if she didn’t know quite what to believe of him. And if he had to remind himself of that whenever he saw her, he would.
“So, how long are you set to be in Chicago?” he asked, casually as he could.
“Not too long,” she replied with a shrug. “I’m basically passing through, checking on a few things.”
“One of those things Benton Fraser?” She started slightly at that, and Ray grinned inwardly. Score. “Thought so,” he went on. “He’s one of yours, then.” Ray didn’t think so, be her response ought to be telling.
He wasn’t disappointed. Stella shook her head. “No, at least, not directly. He’s Sun-Touched, that’s for sure, but it’s mixed with other Elements.” She gave him a speculative glance. “I take it he isn’t yours, either?”
“Only is the sense that I was Called to work with him,” Ray admitted. Stella’s eyebrows rose at that; she knew him well enough to know he wasn’t a big fan of Callings. “Yeah, take it up with Turtle,” he went on, answering her unspoken question. That brought an amused twinkle to her eye, and Ray sighed, tapping his fingers on the table. “Seriously, I’m still not one hundred percent sure what I’m doing here, at least not specifically. And that fact that the Call came from Fraser’s Wolf hasn’t helped.”
Stella’s laughter sparkled. “That one?” She shook her head. “Were we ever that young, Ray?”
“If by young you mean stupidly overeager, I’m going to answer a definitive no for you, and plead the fifth for me.”
She covered his hand with hers. “And yet here we are.”
Ray turned his hand over in hers and squeezed it gently. “Here we are. Me in the dark, hoping you’d be able to shed some light. It is your specialty, after all.”
“Since when have you been bothered by the dark?” she asked, then went on before he could even think to respond. “Not this time, I’m afraid. I’ve been here, watching him on and off for several days now, and I haven’t Seen anything worth telling. What does Turtle have to say?”
She withdrew her hand from Ray’s and he leaned back and blew out a sigh. “You know Turtle - cryptic answers are his reason for being.”
“So you’re stuck here,” she surmised, voice full of sympathy. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Nah, it isn’t so bad. Fraser’s a good guy.”
She gave him another speculative look, and he tried not to react to it. Stella had always been able to see right into him.
“Well,” She finally said, “he seems to be good for you, at least for now.” Her gaze flickered past him, and he could see her draw herself in. To most people it wouldn’t be noticeable, but to him, it was like the clouds had come out, filtering the sun’s rays. “And he’s on his way. Better get going - you wouldn’t want to be late meeting him, I’m sure.”
Ray glanced over his shoulder and sure enough, Fraser was leaving the Consulate. He stood quickly, figuring it would be best if he didn’t have to introduce Stella. No matter how hard she tried, she could never fully dampen the light within her.
He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Always a pleasure, Stella.”
“You too, Ray,” she answered, and he could hear the sincerity in her tone.
He started walking toward Fraser, but stopped as Stella called out to him. “Hey, Ray?”
“Yeah?” he responded, half turning to face her.
“Nice name,” she said with a grin, eyes twinkling. “Might think about holding onto it awhile. It suits you.”
She winked, and Ray shook his head, no more informed than he had been earlier, but lighter of heart nonetheless.