Title: Fire and Ice (Fanfic and Fanart)
Fandom: Due South.
Characters: Fraser/Rayk, Dief and RayV
Rating: PG-13
Length: 2161
Written for the fan_flashworks Prompt: Mythology
Summary: Benton was born of ice and snow. RayK was born of fire.
AN: Fantasy AU.



Benton Fraser had been born in a land of ice and snow. He had born on a night when the sky-lights had been bright. His skin was cold and as pale as snow. He spent his childhood talking to snow mounds and playing with Eric the trickster raven.

One day when Benton was twelve winters old, Eric left and Benton decided to make a new friend. He gathered up snow and shaped it into a wolf pup, he used stones for its eyes. As he looked at the wolf he knew something was missing. Benton took off his blue scarf and wrapped it around the neck of the snow wolf. His mother had made him that scarf, she had said she had made it with love and Benton thought that the snow wolf could use love. Benton touched the snow wolf and it came to life. It licked Benton's face with a pink, wet tongue.

'Hello, wolf. My name is Benton. What is yours?'

The wolf barked.

'It's very nice to meet you, Dief,' Benton said as he ran his fingers through Dief white fur.

Later, Benton learned that Dief was wolf-speak for pack-mate. He thought that was appropriate.
***************
As Benton grew so did Dief. They both became big and strong, although much to Benton's dismay Dief developed a sweet tooth (he would always wait for the Frannie muffin lady to make her rounds).

In Benton's eighteenth winter he moved from the ice castle to a snow cabin. The walls and floor were made of smooth shining ice. The bed, that Dief always laid on, was made of wooden logs covered with various animal furs. The older Benton became the more he felt something was missing.

To Benton it seemed illogical, he had a fulfilling job as a snow guardian and he had many good friends (not the least of which was Ray Vecchio) but it still felt as if something was missing. He had thought he had found it with Victoria Mistress of Darkness, but it had ended badly. Eight years in the castle dungeon had made her hate him as much as she loved him. Benton had an arrow wound in his back to remind him of that.

One stormy day, Benton was in his cabin when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of cracking ice and a loud splash. Benton harried outside and saw a hole in the frozen pond by his cabin. A figure was in the pond and it sunk under the water. Benton jumped into the hole. Cold water surround him. He swam down until he saw the figure, he grabbed onto it and swam back to the surface.

Dragging the figure out of the pond he moved to a bank of snow and laid the figure down. The figure was a man in a soaked robe. His lips were blue. Benton put his ear to the man's chest and heard a faint heartbeat. Benton put his lips against the man's and blew air into his lungs. The man jerked up and coughed.

'What the underworld?' the man
said.

'Are you all right?'

'I'm freezing my nuts off,' the man said as he wrapped his arms around himself.

'Oh, dear,' Benton said. Although Benton didn't know what nuts were, if the man was freezing his nuts off he probably had frost bite.

Benton helped the man up and they made their way to the snow cabin.

When the man walked into the cabin he let out a long whistle. 'Wow! You make this place?'

'I did indeed.'

'Cool. Can I lay down on that bed over there?'

'Of course. If you take off your robes I'll check your nuts.'

The man laid down on the bed and snuggled under the animal furs. He smirked. 'You wanna look at my nuts?'

'Yes. You said they were freezing off and that could be the first sign of frostbite.'

The man moved around under the furs and held out his robe. 'It was a figure of speech. I just meant I'm really cold, Mr.... Um... What is your name?'

'My name is Benton Fraser.'

Dief barked as he jumped on the bed and sniffed the man.

'And that is Dief. May I asked what your name is?'

The man pushed Dief away when Dief licked the man's nose. 'Name's Ray.'

Fraser eyes went wide. He hadn't thought the name Ray was that common. Although that seemed to be the only thing Ray and Ray Vecchio had in common; where Ray Vecchio's hair was dark Ray's hair was the color of dried straw that seemed to glow with a light of its own and while Ray Vecchio's eyes were green Ray'a eyes were blue. There was no doubt that they didn't look anything like each other. Even their noses were diffent sizes.

'Hey, Benton. I don't want to melt your house, but could you start a small fire,' Ray asked as he pulled an animal fur up to his nose.

'Of course.'

Benton went outside and collected wood, he sat it in the middle of his cabin floor. He was about to look for a flint to start the fire with when suddenly the wood burst into flames. Benton jumped back.

'Oops, sorry about that,' Ray said as he got out of bed and moved to the flames. He moved his hand back and forth and the flames seemed to follow it. It must have been a trick of the light but his hair looked orange like flames.

Dief whimpered.

'Indeed,' Benton said to Dief. 'What is going on?' He asked Ray.

'I'm a fire elemental. I thought you knew,' Ray as he raised his hand and the flames became higher.

Benton didn't know what to say, he had always thought that fire elementals were myths. After several moments he finally thought of something to say

'I see. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?'

'I was given a letter to deliver to the Ice Queen,' Ray said as he took his robe and open a pocket sown to the side. He pulled out a piece of parchment. 'See.'

'I do see. I can deliver your letter for you. I guard the Ice Queen.'

Ray grinned. 'Cool.'

Fraser thought about it and it wasn't cool but cold. Maybe the flames next to Ray made the air cool.
****************

Benton stared into the orange flames in front of him. No matter how long the fire burned for the ice and snow of his house didn't melt. He wasn't even sweating in his thick red tunic and fur hat. He thought Ray might have something to do with that. Just thinking about Ray made Fraser smile. It had been months since Ray had arrived and Benton didn't think his life would ever be the same.

Even after Ray's letter had been delivered Ray stayed and filled the snow cabin with laughter and the crackle of flames. Dief even made friends with Ray's fire turtle Flame-o. The turtle was red and orange and the size of an ice pony. Sometimes Ray would even ride it like a pony.

Benton lifted up Ray's robe that was drying by the fire and traced the golden thread that ran through the black fabric. Benton tried to figure out the golden symbols, but despite all his research in the royal library, they remained a mystery.

'Is my robe dry yet?' Ray asked from the snow bed.

'I believe so, yes,' Benton said as he handed the robe over to Ray.

'Thanks. That's the last time I have a snowball fight with Dief.'

Just picturing Ray and Dief playing brought a smile to Benton's face. Ray could be quite pupish at times. 'Did you win?'

'You know it.' Ray ran his fingers through his hair. 'Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the fire festival with me?'

'Of course.'

Ray grinned. 'Greatness.'

Benton had never been to the fire festival, but if it was anything like the snow festival a good time was to be had by all. Benton just hoped that Dief wouldn't stuff himself with sweets. A snow-wolf with a stomach ach was not a pleasant experience.
*************
The fire festival took place in the middle of fire kingdom. Ray rode his fire turtle. Benton and Dief walked. The farther they got from the snow kingdom the less Benton could hear the song of the ice and snow.

As they made their way through the fire kingdom, Benton took in the sights and sounds around him. The air smelled of smoke and the ground was dry and cracked, trees were black and twisted.

Traveling down a stone path they came to the fire festival. It was less a festival and more like a loud party.

The first thing Benton noticed about the fire festival were the colors. Flowing fabrics of bright reds, yellows and oranges were draped over every surface. There were people everywhere and their din filled the air.

Benton was examining the various stalls when he heard a familiar voice.

'Hey, Benny!'

Benton turned around and came face to face with Ray Vecchio. Ray was wearing a long red and orange robe. A hat with a purple feather in it sat atop his head.

'What you doing here?' Ray Vecchio asked.

'I'm here with my other friend Ray.' Benton grinned. He stood between Ray and Ray and put his hands on both of their shoulders. He had hoped the Rays would meet. He knew they would be friends. He didn't notice that while Ray Vicchio was smiling, Ray was looking at the ground and frowning.
******************
Benton stood on a wooden bridge and stared down at the river below. The water babbled and splashed against rocks. Behind him, the fire festival was noisy, fireworks of all different colors burst in the night sky. He breathed deeply and smelled smoke.

'Hey, you okay?' Ray asked as he stood next to Benton.

'I'm fine. It's just that all those people is quite overwhelming.'

'Yeah. Yeah. I get that. You do live in the middle of Freeze-Your-Nuts-Off-Nowhere.'

Even though Benton couldn't see Ray's face he could picture Ray's smirk.

'Listen... I've been thinking... If you want me to I'll leave your cabin.'

Benton turned and looked at Ray. He was sillouted by the moon, he hair was a glowing crown around his head. 'You want to leave? Why?'

He shrugged. 'I thought you might want to have Vecchio in your cabin instead of me.'

'I doubt Ray would want to live with me. He has his own house.'

'Oh... It's just... It's just I know your in love with Vecchio...'

'Ray.'

'... And I thought you might want to live together....

'Ray.'

'... Instead of living with me.'

'Ray!'

'What?'

Benton thought carefully about what he would say next. He took Ray hand in his own. He had known for a while that his feelings for Ray were not like those he had for Ray Vecchio.

'Ray, I love Ray Vecchio but I'm not in love with with him.' Benton pulled on the fur collar of his robe. 'You on the other hand are very different.'

Ray's hair glowed brightly and he grinned. 'You saying you love me?'

'Indeed I do. I'll understand if you don't return my affection.'

Ray squeezed Benton's hand. 'I do. Why do you think I stayed so long.'

'Can I kiss you?'

Ray grin turned to a smirk. 'Of course.'

Fraser leaned forward and brushed his lips against Ray's. As Ray ran his fingers through Benton's hair, Benton felt the roughness of Ray' stubble and smelled the smoke that clung to Ray's robe and hair. Benton had imagined Ray's lips to be scorching hot, but they were warm. Ray made a happy noise and Benton was content to stand on the bridge and kiss Ray.
*********

Over the following months, Ray stayed with Benton and Dief in their cabin. Ray kept the fire burning and sometimes he would even dance with it. The flames would swirl around Ray and the light would play on his skin. Sometimes he would dance with Benton and sometimes he would even dance with Dief.

Now, there was no dancing. Outside the wind was howling and snow was falling fast. Ray was laying under the animal furs on Benton's bed. Ray hadn't moved in hours and Dief watched Ray with a worried look in his eyes.

Benton went over to Ray. 'Are you all right?'

'I'm fine. I just hate storms. It makes it hard to hear the flames.'

'Is there anything I can do?'

Ray lifted the furs and patted the empty side of the bed. Never one to pass up an invitation, Benton joined him. He wrapped his body around Ray and reveled in the feeling of warm skin against his own. Ray rested his head on Benton's chest. As they snuggled under a cocoon of furs Benton thought he had finally found what was missing.