A/N: Here follows my answer to my first review; feel free to skip to the break where the story continues!

Kristi: You make interesting points and seem to have a unique perspective about the name situation. For this story, I've chosen the "third-person, limited" approach. This means that we're limited to whatever the main character sees and knows, but he is not telling the story. In this case, the narrator may choose to call RayV "Vecchio" in a RayK chapter, even though RayK may think of him as something else in his head. The narrator is viewing the story through a Ray-lens but presenting it to the reader in the clearest way possible. This isn't necessarily the textbook 3rd-P limited method, but that's what I've decided to go with. I don't know if you reviewed this or my other dS story first, but either way I think Fraser's friendship with RayV might be a little more to your liking in this one, so I hope you keep reading. Thanks!


Four: Explanations

Ray couldn't remember feeling more awkward than he had in Vecchio's car that day, but he had wanted to know the reason behind the kiss, so he waited as patiently as he could, trying not to fidget.

"I had to memorize a lot of stuff really fast," Vecchio said finally. "Tons of names. Background. Places. Habits. One of the things they told me about Langoustini was that he liked a steady stream of women. I'm lucky I wasn't in a serious relationship when they called me up, or that would have made it way harder for a lot of reasons. But before I'd been at it long, I found out he didn't just like women. There was the occasional guy, too. That took me by surprise and I almost blew my cover."

Ray's eyebrows shot up. "Wow... geez... what happened?"

"That's not important. The point is, I had to get used to... some stuff. The good thing was, I didn't have to go too far. I was always controlling the situation, so I could cut it off when I thought I'd gone far enough to be convincing. I systematically dumped all of his male regulars, and that way the most I had to do was tease someone now and then or use my new skills to intimidate."

"Is that what you were doing? Trying to intimidate me?"

"Kind of, I guess. Sometimes if some punk was trying to piss me off, I could surprise him with a stunt like that and the pure shock value would shut him up. Then he'd be too embarrassed to say anything else. It was pretty effective."

"Huh."

"But, uh... it's a really shitty thing to do to a colleague." Vecchio sighed. "I had no right."

"Don't worry about it." Ray was fidgeting, in spite of his efforts not to.

"You're just going to let it go?"

He shrugged. "It sounds like you didn't really think it through beforehand... it was kind of a defensive reaction. Shit happens."

"Okay... so, why did you kiss me back?"

More fidgeting. Lots of fidgeting. All the fidgeting.

"Look, it's all right. You heard me out, I'll hear you out. And if you want, we don't have to talk about it ever again."

Ray leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes. "I guess it's a long story for me, too."

"So, we'll be a little late getting back. It's fine."

"Well... when you first came back, it was like you said: like I died before I got everything done. I saw the way you operated, how confident you seemed, and I started thinking there was no way in hell I'd lived up to your standards."

"As a detective?"

"That, and as Fraser's friend and partner. Not to mention you wouldn't shut up about the clothes. I get it. You've got some nice suits. But Huey told me about the wild stuff you used to wear. He said he wouldn't be caught dead in it. So, you weren't always a slick dresser. And what's wrong with dressing casual now and then?"

"Nothing... if you've got no self-respect."

Ray rolled his eyes.

"Sorry. You're right. It's okay to relax now and then. As for the stuff I used to wear, it was a very narrow niche. An acquired taste that not everyone could appreciate."

"Uh-huh... well, you couldn't expect me to pull off a wardrobe like that, right?"

"True."

"Anyway, you were so... tough. So superior and confident. I felt like I got the rug pulled out from under me." He glanced over at Vecchio and thought he looked confused. "What?"

"Trying to see where this is going... do you always kiss people who make you feel insecure?"

"No!" Ray paused, reflecting. "Well... actually... Well, that's not the point. The point is, Fraser and I took that trip, and I got some of my confidence back, but then we came back here and had to figure out how our team would work, and every day I've just felt like every tiny thing is a battle. I didn't hate you or anything; I just wanted things to work. Because if I can't work with Fraser... I mean, I can't go back to my old precinct. I don't think I could be a cop anymore. That probably sounds stupid..."

Vecchio shook his head. "You don't think the same after you work with Fraser. I missed him as bad as I missed my family when I was in Vegas. Hell, I think I missed him more. Going back to the way you used to work... not an option."

"Right." Ray was relieved. It seemed like he was getting through. "So, anyway, the fact of the thing is that I actually... I was jealous of you. I wished I'd known Fraser first. Wished I had a family like yours. Some of your experience. Just a little of your confidence. It kinda sucked to be me."

"And when I kissed you..."

"I guess it was like... the unattainable thing was happening. Like I thought on some level you were..." He swallowed. "I don't know... giving me value for the first time."

They were silent for several seconds. The car had become uncomfortably warm. Vecchio put his window down a few inches, saying, "Well, I feel like an even bigger jerk than I did five minutes ago..."

Another few seconds passed. Again, Vecchio broke the silence. "I guess we've got some stuff to work on... you getting a little self-confidence and me treating you like a human being."

Ray half-smiled. "That would be nice." The tension seemed to be easing a little.

Then he realized Vecchio was staring at him. He stared back. Now that he thought about it, Vecchio had some sort of... je ne sais quoi about him. He was a slick dresser. He was Italian. The short haircut popular with men with receding hairlines worked surprisingly well for him. And then, of course, there was the attitude. That was growing on him by the minute. In fact... he almost wouldn't mind kissing him just for the hell of it, even without the aspiration to be like him.

Vecchio's eyes seemed to flick around over Ray's face. "I was just wondering..."

Ray held his breath.

"... Did you like it?"


Overly dramatic cliff-hanger. You're welcome.