Nona sent me a lyric (which follows the story) and it cried out for a lighthearted, comic tale. I did try, but as they say, Comedy is Hard. F/V slash, PG-13. Written for the Two Axes April Showers lyric wheel challenge, which dictated that one or both of the boys had to get wet.


Going with the Tide
by Laura Mason


"Why does this always happen?"

"I don't know what you mean, Ray."

"Don't play dumb, Benny."

"I'm not playing, Ray. I am attempting to navigate in a very rudimentary fashion." Fraser consulted his compass, then wet his finger with his tongue and held his hand aloft. "Nor am I being silent, despite our quite limited supply of drinking water. I feel confident this current will take us within sight of a land mass eventually, if I'm correct in my deductions of where we began our journey..."

"Benny," Ray whined, "I'm not accusing you of committing mime! I'm asking why we can't travel together without being accosted by felons."

"A fine question, Ray, thought I believe it's not something either of us is capable of answering."

"So you're saying God has it in for me?"

"No, Ray, I don't believe I mentioned any deity. Though with your Catholic faith, certainly you must believe that it would be more appropriate to consult with a priest regarding your question."

"'Let's go on a ride,' you say, and even knowing our history, do I run to the airport and take the first flight back to Chicago? No, I'm such an idiot I say, 'Sure. Let's go!'"

"Hundreds of people take whale-watching cruises every day in San Diego, Ray. Since we'd turned Mr. D'Angelo over to the FBI's custody, it seemed like an appropriate way to pass the afternoon."

"But do we get seasick and see Flipper?" Ray didn't pause long enough in his harangue for Fraser to point out that dolphins were quite different from whales. "No, we wind up on a boat being hijacked by antiques smugglers."

"Whom the authorities certainly have in custody by now, Ray. It's been hours since I radioed the Coast Guard with the information."

"I don't care if they're in custody! I'm in the middle of the ocean on a rubber raft with a Mountie!"

"But you distracted them while I broke into the radio room, Ray. Surely you wanted to see justice done."

"I didn't want you getting killed, Fraser."


"Instead, we'll die together here in the middle of nowhere with no food, no sunscreen..."

"That's not totally accurate, Ray. I still have two protein bars. And while we are in an area of the Pacific with no visible land mass, I feel confident..."

"Fraser. Benny. Please shut up."

"Perhaps that is the wisest course of action, Ray. Conserve our strength." Fraser nodded sagely and didn't mention that Ray's fidgeting and flailing was most certainly wearying the man more than their conversation.

Fraser took another compass reading, hoping they would come to a shipping lane or an island soon. Ray did need more food than a mashed emergency bar. And the water supply was truly alarming, as he'd only managed to grab one emergency pack when they ran from the smugglers and abandoned ship.

"Benny, there's something I need to tell you."

"All right, Ray."

"Don't say anything, okay? Just let me get this off my chest. If God does have it in for me, He's got a good reason. And I think you're being punished for my sin. But you didn't do anything wrong -- it's all me, my fault, okay? He won't hold it against you, you're too good and you didn't even know..."

"Ray, are you trying to confess your lust for me?"

"Aaaa! Didn't I ask you not to talk?" Ray had his hands over his ears as he continued to screech. "My lust! Jeeze, Benny." Ray finally lowered his hands and settled back in his place, resignedly. "So you know."

"I have observed you observing me, Ray. I've seen you blush while looking at my derriere. And I am not as innocent as you've probably supposed."

"Well, you don't know much, Benny."

"What does that mean?" Silence. "Ray?"

"It's not just lust, okay?"

"It's not lust?"

"There's lust, I'm not gonna lie when I'm confessing myself to you. But it's not *just* lust, Benny."

"What else is it, Ray?"

"Friendship, and... love. Okay, I love you. I think I have since... since I don't know when."

"Oh." Fraser checked the compass again. Still headed southeast. "Well, Ray, I don't share your Catholicism and have no tradition of confession. But I suppose it is only correct to tell you that I love you, too."

"Sure, Benny, sure. You're my friend, and you love me like a brother. And I should stop checking out your ass. I get it. It won't matter soon anyway. I'll be in hell while you're up in heaven doing Mountie-stuff..."

"Ray, you are making assumptions about my meaning without adequate data."

"Is that Canadian for 'shut up and let me finish?'"

"Precisely. The fact of the matter is, Ray, that I am not referring to a fraternal type of love. Though I am uncomfortable using such terms, my 'ass' was not alone in being 'checked out.'" He could feel himself blushing through his sunburn.

"Are you saying while I've been ogling you, you've been ogling me?"

"Yes, Ray."



"Well this sucks even more, doesn't it?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's one thing to die after confessing my unrequited love for you, Benny. It's another to die without being able to consummate our very mutual feelings."

"Oh. I see your point. This raft is not exactly conducive to passion."

"No, it's not."

But his arms opened and Ray was in them nonetheless, and they were wrestling together, mouths pressing on salty flesh, hands unbuttoning and smoothing over places previously only imagined. The raft protested the shift in weight, unheard as they sighed and moaned into each other's ears.

Then, just as their mouths finally aligned perfectly, tongues tangling together, bodies clutched tightly, the raft flipped, dumping them into the ocean still holding each other and refusing to break that perfect, heavenly kiss. They sank together, until Fraser began to kick and they rose together, breaking the surface and taking breaths almost in unison.

The raft was nearby, just floating along, and the emergency kit with their water was still tucked into its pocket when they managed to right the craft. Fraser climbed in, then helped Ray out of the water. It was sunny, and still early enough that they would dry out before nightfall. Still, Ray looked chilled. Fraser sat in the middle of the raft and carefully pulled Ray to him, concerned about his silence since their kiss.

"Ray? Are you injured?"

He only shook his head in reply. Fraser's arms tightened around his love, pulling his wet shirt together and rubbing his wet arms. It was rare for Ray to be silent and still. But Fraser himself was having difficulty processing all that had happened in the last 24 hours. And Ray was a passionate man who felt things strongly.

"I, too, thought perhaps that was the moment," Fraser admitted, and Ray turned to him in surprise.

"You did?"

"Yes. It's a cliche, to be sure, but it seemed that we'd been given everything and thus could end our lives happily."

"Benny," Ray gasped, his eyes fierce. "I don't want to. Not anymore. I've never felt so alive in my life. I want everything with you. And I want it to go on forever."

"Yes, Ray," he agreed with a soft kiss, wondering if he could keep the promise. Then Ray gasped, and Fraser saw Ray was looking behind Fraser, over his shoulder, staring open-mouthed. He twisted his head around and saw the island, green and welcoming in the distance.

Fraser unwound the raft's rope and tied it to his belt. Then he removed his shirt and shoes, and went carefully over the side. Pulling precious cargo, he began swimming for land.


Thanks to nona for the song lyric:

Lenny Kravitz
Let's Get High

Let's go out
On an ocean ride
Leave all your cares

And the past behind
Let's venture out
To a deserted isle
Let's get in touch
With what is alive
Oh...I love you's wonderful's magical
Let's get high
Let's get high
Let's get high
High on this feeling of love
Let's go out
On an ocean ride
We'll tell no one
We'll just go and hide
Just spread your wings
And go with the tide
Let our love be our one desire
Oh...I love you's wonderful's magical
Let's get high
Let's get high
Let's get high
High on this feeling of love


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