Ray Vecchio (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
speakscanadian) wrote2013-12-21 01:48 pm
speakscanadian) wrote2013-12-21 01:48 pm
for Asher (dated 24th Dec 2013)
It was like waking up from a bad dream, right where they had begun, everyone standing in the backroom like all they had done was blinked. People scattered in their own directions and Ray was left holding Daniel's hand, defensive at every sound, suspicious beyond belief.
He muttered to Daniel to stay close but when he looked down, he saw watery eyes looking back up at him, tired and scared, like they had been for God only knew how long. So Ray carried him instead, out of the arcade and into the light of a setting sun. Just because it looked like home - as much as it could in the month of December - didn't mean it was home.
Instinct pointed them in the direction of the Compound. His bicep ached, bruised but the cut was healing, so he shifted Daniel over to this other side, reaching for the gun tucked at the back of his belt with his free hand. A gun he hoped to hell would work here if needed. He held it up in front of them as he moved, the exertion of a stance he knew so well evident on his face.
He muttered to Daniel to stay close but when he looked down, he saw watery eyes looking back up at him, tired and scared, like they had been for God only knew how long. So Ray carried him instead, out of the arcade and into the light of a setting sun. Just because it looked like home - as much as it could in the month of December - didn't mean it was home.
Instinct pointed them in the direction of the Compound. His bicep ached, bruised but the cut was healing, so he shifted Daniel over to this other side, reaching for the gun tucked at the back of his belt with his free hand. A gun he hoped to hell would work here if needed. He held it up in front of them as he moved, the exertion of a stance he knew so well evident on his face.
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"Why am I always the one that has to run?" He muttered to himself. The frustration was brief though and quickly overshadowed by his escalating relief at being home. Finally.
He followed the sound of barking, calling out the wolf's name again in between puffs and pants.
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The barking didn't let up, but between them, he heard something. At least, he thought he did. When he heard it again, any reservations he may have had following Dief was halved. He wouldn't let himself hope anymore than that, even as his pace quickened.
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He came to a sudden halt when he saw who was actually there, staring at Asher like he couldn't believe his eyes. His stomach still dropped out of him as if he really were witnessing Fraser doing something disgusting, but it slammed back into him soon after, like it was doing loop-de-loops on a rollercoaster.
There had been moments, scary, depressing moments over the past few days when he'd truly believed he was never going to see Asher again. It was surprising how quickly those feelings could reappear, even when standing right in front of him.
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Asher considered the fact that it could be a trick at first, the Island just fucking with him again with its notorious poor sense of humor. It's a brief thought, nothing that stopped him from pushing forward. Noticing that Ray had stopped just made him move faster still.
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"Look who it is, Dan," he murmured, coaxing the boy to stop hiding. When Daniel looked around to see, Ray took the opportunity to put him on the ground, letting him run towards his father and giving Ray's arms a break. They ached beyond belief. His whole body did and he was done running himself.
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"We got lost," he said, face buried against Asher's neck.
"You did," Asher replied, voice catching slightly. "But you're back now."
"And Ray, too."
Asher had about a million questions, but he wasn't going to bother with them just then. They were back, which was all that mattered. Later, he'd ask where they went, why Ray looked like hell and how they got back, but for now, he didn't bother asking anything as he walked up to Ray and freed an arm to pull him into a hug, too.
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"I'm so sorry," he muttered around a swallow, close to being overcome by the situation.
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Wherever they'd gone, he knew Ray hadn't gotten stuck there with Daniel intentionally, and whatever had happened, Ray had kept Daniel safe. The boy was in much better shape than Ray, and he doubted that had much to do with pure luck.
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"The arcade," he said, trying to explain, make it clear that no-one - at least no-one who had made it back to the Island - was to blame. The last thing Ray wanted, or Daniel needed, was Asher harbouring any resentment or plans for vengeance.
"One second we were here, the next we weren't anymore." Describing where they had ended up and the sort of people Ray had found there could wait until it was just the two of them.
"It was just a second," he insisted, opening his eyes and pulling back, wanting to see Asher's face, read his expression.
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"I'm just glad you're back," he said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Ray's lips. "Both of you," Asher went on, looking at Daniel. "Your sister's going to be happy to see you."
Del, too, obviously, but the selfish part of him wanted to keep both Ray and Daniel to himself for a while. Not for any particularly lengthy period of time, but just handing the boy over to his mom and a virtual stranger after just getting him back wasn't something he was looking forward to.
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"He's amazing," he said, his tone as sincere as it could be. "Your son is incredible."
It felt important to say now, whilst it was just them, before they got caught up with questions and demands from other people. Before Ray forgot the most important thing he'd learned in the Grid.
"Actually incredible." He let out a half-laugh, awkward and breathy and full of relief. "He's a credit to his parents."
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"Thank you. For keeping him safe."
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He took a step away from the pair, along with a deep breath, and rubbed his hands over his face. It was the first moment he'd had to himself, without having to worry about Daniel as well. It was only then that the thought struck him.
"What's the date?" Did they miss Christmas?
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Maybe the date gave him an excuse to not give the boy back to Del so quickly. He could slap a bow on him the next morning and call it Christmas gift.
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The shock was quickly overshadowed by a renewed sense of relief and a surge of happiness caused a smile to grow wide on his face.
"Christmas Eve?" He laughed, feeling ridiculously giddy with tiredness and adrenaline all mixed together. "Serious?"
He moved close again, grasping the front of Asher's shirt and pressing in for another kiss, one Ray was actually aware of this time. "Merry Christmas," he muttered. "Merry what the hell's just happened Christmas."
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"Merry Christmas," he echoed before kissing him once more, smiling against his lips.
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When he pulled away, he leaned down to give the scruff of Dief's neck a well-deserved scratch. "Go get Fraser," he told the wolf, before straightening back up.
Later, Ray would climb into bed and thank his lucky stars for the millionth time and stare at Asher in the dark for a while before whispering that he'd missed him. Then he'd fall into a sleep so deep that he'd miss half of Christmas Day.
But it would still be one of the best Christmases he's had in years.