Title: Wrong Time, Wrong Place, Right Idea
Fandom: due South
Rating: PG for language
Length: 1017 words
Content notes: Gunfire exchanged, and Ray swears
Author notes: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, post CotW
Summary: “It’s like we’re doomed to never have a normal date night.”



"I cannot believe this,” Ray grumbled as a shot rang out. He waited a second, then went to a low crouch, took a quick shot, and ducked back down again. He looked over just in time to see Fraser peeking over their makeshift barricade, and quickly grabbed his arm to pull him down.

“Keep your head down, Fraser!” he hissed as more shots were fired.

Fraser had the nerve to look pissy instead of grateful that Ray had kept him from getting his head blown off.

“Do not take that tone of look with me,” Ray ground out as he quickly took another shot. “And do not try to stand up and reason with them. They are criminals, Fraser. They don’t want to turn over a new leaf, do good for the sake of all the kids in the world. They want to get away with a fuck-ton of cash, and if they have to kill a couple of cops to do it, that doesn’t seem to bother them.” He did a quick reprise of the stand-fire-duck mambo, then cast a glance down the street.

“Where the hell’s some back-up? Someone’s gotta have called in all the gunfire, even in this bizarro-world arty neighborhood.”

“That’s uncharitable,” Fraser said, still full of attitude.

“It’s factual,” Ray replied, popping up to take another shot. He held out a hand for Fraser to stay quiet, then grinned as he heard swearing. “Ha! Got one.”

“You’re glad you shot someone?” Ray could practically feel Fraser’s disapproval settle over him, prickling his skin like one of those nasty scratchy wool blankets his Granny K always made them when they stayed the night.

“Not really,” he said with a scowl. “Just guaranteed myself a ton of stupid paperwork.”

“So glad to hear you’re upset for all the right reasons, Ray.” Ooh, and now he was snippy. The night just kept getting better.

“Hey, they interrupted tonight, not me,” he shot back. “Who the hell thinks they’re gonna strike it rich at an art opening anyhow?”

“It is a large, well-publicized exhibit,” Fraser just had to point out, then gave Ray a disappointed look. “You can’t honestly mean that they deserve to be shot?”

“They deserve something bad. Not my fault they chose to pull out guns.” Speaking of which… Ray got off another shot, then sank back down to face Fraser. “It’s like we’re doomed to never have a normal date night.”

“Perhaps this is our version of a normal date,” Fraser offered.

“Which is exactly why I don’t wanna do it anymore,” Ray muttered as he peeked through the window of the car they were using as a shield. No movement, but that didn’t mean anything.

“It?” Fraser echoed. “You mean date? You no longer wish for us to pursue a romantic relationship?”

Ray could feel Fraser shutting down next to him, and swore at himself. Just his luck that he said it loud enough for Fraser to hear. Before he could even think about damage control, the idiots they were facing started firing again. “This is not the time. Just, not now, okay?”

“Of course, Ray,” Fraser said all-too reasonably. “We don’t have to talk about it at all.”

Ray didn’t believe that line for a second. “I mean it. Do not start, Fraser.” Another shot was fired, this one hitting the car next to the one they’d hidden behind. Where the hell were the cops?

Fraser was silent for just long enough that Ray began to hope he was going to get his way on this one. But no, he should have known better.

“I can’t help but point out that you were the one who brought it up in the first place,” Fraser said.

“I swear to God, Fraser, leave it alone for now or those bozos out there won’t be the only ones wanting to shoot you.”

But it looked like Fraser was just getting started. “There’s no need for violence. If you wanted to be rid of me, you just had to say-”

“I don’t want to get rid of you,” Ray shouted. “I want to marry you!”

The silence that followed that declaration was deafening. It was also incredibly brief, as another round of bullets whizzed by. Ray took a deep breath and turned to face Fraser, who looked as stunned as if someone had slapped him with a fish.

“Marry me?” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Ray said with a half-shrug, feeling his face heat up. “I love you, Ben,” he said softly. “And I want to marry you, even if it means I can kiss normal goodbye forever. So if you'd please just shut up and let me deal with these morons, we can get out of this alive and I'll propose the right way.”

Fraser started to say something, then cocked his head, focusing on something in the distance.

Ray waited a few seconds, then he heard it too. “Sirens. Thank fuck they’re finally on the way.” He leaned in to press a hard, quick kiss to Fraser’s lips. “Hold that thought,” Ray told him, then turned all his attention to the jokers that had interrupted what was supposed to be a very big night.

*******************

As soon as the uniforms were on their way back to the station with the perps, Fraser started walking, and Ray had to hustle to catch up. He’d barely made it to Fraser’s side when he was hauled into an alley and kissed within an inch of his life.

“So I guess that’s a yes?” Ray said, grinning madly as soon as they parted.

“Good guess,” Fraser answered, voice rough and sexy as all get out.

“Sorry it wasn’t the most romantic proposal,” he said, ducking his head. “Kind of the last place I expected to ask,” he added, indicating the aftermath of the shootout with a tilt of his head.

Fraser laughed, his smile matching Ray’s earlier grin. “I don’t know, Ray. It seems perfectly us, don’t you think?”

And yeah, Ray thought as Fraser pulled him in for another kiss, he kind of had a point.