speakscanadian | I CH-CH-CHOOSE YOU [for Asher; plot: ILU Day]

Ray had always been a fan of Valentine's Day - it was the best excuse to try and schmooze a woman without losing too much face. This year though, he hadn't really found himself in the schmoozing mood, so he'd just eaten candy hearts and slurped down coffee all day, pouring over the remaining reports he still had to catch up on and avoiding the scary little cherubs embarrassing people left, right and centre. Luckily, when he'd gotten his message, it had been received in the relative privacy if the IPD office. He had a fair idea who mighta sent it, even glanced around to see if he was right. No luck.

The next day didn't start much different, unless you counted the fact it began two hours earlier than normal due to a not-so-peaceful night's sleep. Ray had two things on his mind as he left his hut: coffee and doctors. Cooper wasn't expecting a visit but that was what made Ray hopeful - catch him off-guard and maybe there'd be something to spill. His hunch was still firmly hunched but he was no further forward in knowing what it was he was looking for. There was just something about the Talos siblings that simultaneously fascinated him and made him suspicious as all hell.

Slipping on sunglasses to shield his tired eyes from the bright light, he made his way to the Compound, caffeine-anticipation spurring him on. With one holiday out of the way and the winged Cupid guy having not caused too much trouble on the island, there was at least one thing for Ray to be thankful for today.

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"Hey, whoa, come on now. Don't talk like that," Asher sat up slightly, reaching over to run the backs of his fingers over Ray's shoulder. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. If you're not ready, you're not read and that's alright. Okay?"

He dropped a light kiss down onto the side of Ray's neck, fingers still moving gently over his skin. "Come on, look at me. Please."

The kiss made Ray's chest hurt even more and he closed his eyes against the pain. He didn't deserve someone like Asher; he wasn't foolish enough to think that he did or ever would.

But slowly he was coaxed over and though his eyes were still shut when he finally faced Asher, they weren't for very long. "I bet there's hundreds of people back on the island that would kill to be with you right now and none of them would make you wait." Anybody with eyes would give anything to be in Ray's position, he was sure of that.

"There aren't, but even if there were it wouldn't matter. I told you already: I want you... and if I have to wait, then I'll wait." Because, really, what was another few months tacked onto the already eighteen or so month long dry-spell he was currently in the middle of? "Doesn't matter how long."

"Fuck," Ray exhaled, looking up at Asher with something akin to adoration. He reached for him, wanting him close again, and pressed his forehead to his, damn close to nuzzling him. Asher was going to wait.

He let out a laugh of relief, tension started to seep away. "I think I might love you." Taking a breath, he calmed himself down and reevaluated his statement. "No, I don't." A contented sigh. "I know I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, trying but failing to keep his grin under control. It felt good to say those words, right, and hearing them was definitely something he could get used to. "Kind of a big leap from this morning; you only liked me then. Those cupcakes really must have been something else."

"Oh, you know what Italians are like," Ray smiled, watching his hand as he ran it gently down Asher's chest to his stomach. "Our hearts pretty much live in there." He stroked it, careful not to go too low considering he'd kind of cut Asher off in his prime a few minutes ago.

With the movement of his fingers, something caught his eye and he contemplated it for a moment before glancing at Asher. "I uh, can't think of anybody I'd rather do this, do this properly with, than you, Asher," he admitted, settling onto his back and rolling his head to the side so he could watch him. "I want you to take this." He slid the ring off his finger and held it between them. "Like a promise. I want you to be my uh, my first, so...take it, and give it back to me once you are."

Asher exhaled a small puff of air and stared at Ray for a long moment, searching his eyes for a punchline. He wasn't convinced that he hadn't just imagined all of that. When he looked down between them, though, there was the ring, and when it didn't vanish in a puff of smoke after he reached for it, that was when he was sure it hadn't all been in his head.

Once the ring was on his finger, Asher's mouth was against Ray's immediately. Too much more of this and he was sure his heart would explode in his chest.

Ray looked back, honest and open, and when he saw the ring go on Asher's finger, everything else he'd felt that day paled in comparison to the swell of emotion right then. Nothing could explain why they both realised their feelings for each other today but Ray was definitely of the opinion that it was better late than never.

He carded his fingers through Asher's hair, held him there as he returned the kiss, slowing it down, deepening it into something meaningful and memorable. There were a million and one things he wanted to do with Asher but all of that could wait until tomorrow. Ray knew he was right where he was meant to be tonight.

It took him several attempts to break the kiss and when he did, his voice as low and languid. "This was some day, huh?" Exhilirating. Exhausting. Exceptional. Ray hoped it was the first of many to come.

Asher hummed quietly in agreement as he settled down beside him, his head rested against his shoulder and his fingers lazily tracing light patterns over Ray's skin. He couldn't help but stealing the occasional glance down at the ring, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips each time he did, without fail.

He wasn't sure what he did to deserve this, but there was no doubt in his mind that he was the luckiest guy on the island; he didn't plan to take any of this for granted. "That just means we get to try and top it tomorrow." Today set the bar pretty fucking high, but he wasn't too worried about it. Any day he got to spend with Ray was automatically a hundred times better than any he spent without him.

Asher's fingers lulled Ray into a sleepy trance, calming and soothing and comforting him all at the same time. His heart beat steadily but it felt different, like it was beating for a reason now, like it wanted to beat just for Asher.

Ray wrapped an arm around him and turned his head slightly to press a kiss to his forehead. He left his mouth there and closed his eyes, breathing out slowly, then dropped his head back onto the pillow. "Can't wait," he whispered, and never had a truer word been spoken.

I CH-CH-CHOOSE YOU [for Asher; plot: ILU Day]

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