A/N: I was worried about how people would react, but my view counter said zero for several days, so I guess I shouldn't have worried! I'm concluding that this is a pretty dead fandom, and that's sad, because it was an amazing show.
Two: The First Time
Ray started some coffee brewing when he got home, knowing Vecchio would take his time following. He was nervous about his superior coming to his home, even in an unofficial capacity. Maybe especially in an unofficial capacity.
He wondered if he should shower or change clothes. He probably wouldn't have time for the shower. Why change? This wasn't exactly a relationship. If he put work into it, they'd have to define it.
But we should probably do that anyway...
When he and Fraser had come back from Canada on a wave of charisma fueled by a successful adventure, things had changed between him and Vecchio. He was a good enough detective to figure out that Vecchio had tried to start something with Stella, but it had fizzled out pretty quickly. That was good—it would have made working for and with him almost impossible. But now, he seemed to be taking a break from the dating game, and for a week or so, he'd been irritable as hell.
Vecchio went through a period of finding nothing but fault with Ray's work, accusing him of causing every minor screw-up, and criticizing everything from his policing style to his clothes. Then had come the night of the mountain of paperwork...
Said mountain was a result of an overabundance of potential witnesses in their latest case. They'd had to take statements from dozens of people, and by the time that was done, the police station was emptying out as detectives went home for the night. Even Welsh had gone home, leaving the two Rays to type up, print and file their notes.
Vecchio's usual criticisms continued after they were alone, and when Ray snapped, a shouting match ensued.
"What is it?" Ray demanded. "What the hell is it about me that you can't stand so much?"
"Your face!" Vecchio said loudly.
Ray leaned over Vecchio's desk. "If I wear a freaking ski mask, will you leave me the hell alone?!"
Vecchio got to his feet. "Just do your damn job, Kowalski—like the rest of us!"
"Is this because I was gone a few weeks in the Yukon? Couldn't handle the workload? Or is it because you wish it had been you up there? Can't stand that your friend made another friend while you were away?"
"Leave the Mountie out of it!"
"Out of what, for god's sake?! What is wrong with you?!"
"What's wrong with you?!"
Undoubtedly a janitor or someone had heard them, but everyone who worked in the building had learned not to get involved in their spats, and from the sound of this one, there probably wasn't a citizen in all of Chicago who would have cared to get close to it (with the possible exception of Fraser).
"I asked you first," Ray snapped. The argument was getting tiring, and he was frustrated to the extreme because he didn't even know what they were fighting about.
"You're my problem! You weren't here when I left, you shouldn't have been here when I got back. The twenty-seventh doesn't need two Ray Vecchios. So, go home!"
"Pardon me for keeping you alive for a year! If I go home, all you get is all this paperwork to finish yourself, and I'll be right back here tomorrow morning...sir."
Vecchio swung at him, but he managed to dodge. "You stupid pain in the ass!"
"I have as much right to be here as you do."
"The hell you do!"
"I've been trying to work just as hard and just as well as I did before you came back..."
"Well, you must have been a total incompetent, then!"
Ray leaned closer to Vecchio's face again. "I'm sorry you feel like I screwed up your life, but you can't ask me to do better than my best, all right?!"
That was about when Vecchio had kissed him. He wasn't sure exactly what triggered it, but on a physical level it made sense to him at the time. Words had gotten them nowhere; it was definitely time to try something else, before one of them really landed a punch next time. He'd ended up kissing back, surprising himself.
After a few seconds, when they came apart, Vecchio put his hand to Ray's face, laying his thumb over his mouth. "Don't say anything," he said. "That never happened."
Deciding it was probably for the best, Ray nodded silently.
"Get back to work." Vecchio pushed him away with a gentle pat on his chest.
Feeling a little fuzzy-headed, Ray had gone back to his desk, back to work. He knew he wouldn't be able to pretend it hadn't happened, but at least he could be sure it wouldn't happen again.
It happened again the next day.
I'm probably writing this strictly for my own amusement, but if you find it entertaining, please let me know.
