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Fraser opened the door to the cabin cautiously and peered inside. Dief whuffed at him in amusement; Fraser turned to him with a frown.
“I don’t see you volunteering to go in first,” he remarked, suppressing a satisfied grin when Dief reluctantly acknowledged the truth of that.
Surprisingly, from his somewhat limited vantage point the interior of the cabin looked just as it had when he’d left it four days earlier. The normalcy of what he saw should have put him at ease with its familiarity. Instead, Fraser felt himself tensing, and he actively worked to relax the tightening muscles in his back and neck.
Opening the door the rest of the way, he stomped his boots on the porch to rid them of as much snow as he could before entering. Dief shook himself and followed, staying close to Fraser. It was still inside, and slightly chilly. More than adequate, and much better than the biting wind he’d trekked home in, but still, he’d expected it to be warmer. That it wasn’t added to his unease.
Fraser took a better look around as he dropped his pack by the door and removed his coat. Everything looked neat and tidy, nothing was out of place… something was definitely wrong.
“Ray” he called out? There was no answer. Alarmed, Fraser moved quickly to the bedroom, but it was as empty as the rest of the cabin, though he was relieved to see everything where it should be here as well. Dief sat in the doorway, cocking his head and whining softly.
“I don’t know, Dief. Ray didn’t say anything about going away. But we are home a day early. I’m sure he’s just out. You know how stir crazy he can get.” Dief laid down and put his head on his paws. “I don’t think it’s as serious as that. Why don’t we get settled in and have some dinner. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. And look on the bright side; he didn’t use the time to redecorate again.”
Dief just sank his head further down on his paws and whined.
Fraser shook his head and started unpacking his gear, making sure each item was still in good repair before stowing it away, and putting aside items that needed mending or cleaning. It had been a fairly short patrol, so there wasn’t much work that would need doing.
He tried to keep focused on his work, but it was too still. Fraser chuckled ruefully at that; he never thought he’d be upset by too much quiet, especially at the cabin, but since Ray had come into his life, he’d had to seriously revise his worldview.
He thought back to the day they’d met, a day which forever changed his life…
“Diefenbaker, what have you found?” Fraser walked carefully over the snow to see what the half-wolf was nosing at. He was surprised to see an oddly-shaped bottle sticking up out of the drift. Dief carefully grasped the neck of it in his jaws and started trying to pull it out.“Here, let me,” Fraser said, shooing him away. Dief turned his back on Fraser and sneezed. “You’re blaming me for evolution now? I’m sure if you had opposable thumbs you would have gotten it out.” He freed the bottle from the drift and started brushing off the snow.
“Well, it doesn’t appear that you’ve damaged it, but what in the world is it doing out here?” He ran a gloved hand over the top, knocking off the stopper in the process. Dief snorted and Fraser rolled his eyes as he bent to pick up the lid.
“Yes, I’m sure you do feel superior now, but…” Fraser trailed off as blue-green smoke started coming out of the bottle and he quickly dropped it and moved back, motioning for Dief to follow. More and more smoke poured out, and Fraser stepped back even further as it started to coalesce into a – he shook his head and wondered if he’d inhaled some of whatever it was, and if so if it had hallucinogenic effects. Because the smoke seemed to be gathering and solidifying into a vaguely human-sized and -shaped form.
Fraser reached down to pat Dief, who sat next to him, whining quietly. A sudden breeze blew the mist away and there stood a man. A very disgruntled man, in point of fact, glaring at Fraser as if he’d been interrupted from something very important, and not at all dressed for the weather. Fraser quickly noted the figment’s appearance – he was tall and lean, with disheveled blond hair made even more unruly by the wind. He had on a vest, but no shirt, and his lightly-muscled arms spoke of a wiry strength. There was a tattoo of some sort on one bicep, but the man’s long-fingered hands were rubbing up and down his arms, so it was hard to make out the design. He had to be freezing – no shirt, and the material of the flowing pants he wore didn’t look to be at all insulated.
Fraser recovered from his shock and tried to shrug out of his coat, to help the other man in case he was real after all. But then, before he even got a fastening undone, the man said something Fraser didn’t understand (but by the tone Fraser was fairly sure it was a curse of some sort), and disappeared in a blink.
Fraser just stood there, stunned once again. Dief yelped loudly and started toward the bottle. Before Fraser could stop him, he’d gone up and licked it, then nudged it toward Fraser.
“No,” he stated firmly at Dief’s look. “I will not pick it up again, not without better protection at least. It’s obviously got some harmful chemical in it, something hallucinogenic, and I have no desire to make matters worse.”
Die rolled his eyes and nudged it again.
“Diefenbaker! I’m serious. It isn’t safe.”
An odd popping sound behind him made Fraser turn. When he saw someone behind him he was startled enough that he lost his footing in the snow and fell. Both Dief and the man laughed at that, and Fraser scowled, his frown deepening when he realized it was the same man he’d just seen, only now in brightly-colored snow gear.
The man held out a hand and Fraser warily took it, disconcerted to find it solid and real, and the man helped him up.
“Thank you,” Fraser said. The man tilted his head and said something back, again in a language Fraser didn’t know.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand you. Parle vouz Francais?” he tried, then went through the other languages he had at least a rudimentary understanding of, but none of them got a response. The man got more agitated as Fraser went on, talking and pacing.
Dief whuffed at Fraser, who rolled his eyes as he answered. “No, I don’t know what he’s saying. That would be the reason for asking him if he understood me in so many languages. I don’t do that just to hear myself talk, you know.” The other man paused to watch their exchange, then scowled and started his incomprehensible rant once again. Dief nudged Fraser’s hand and he sighed heavily. “Yes, I wish I could understand him, but I just can’t.”
“-in the snow of all things and how the hell did I get somewhere with snow instead of sand, I want to know, and now this guy can’t even talk to me!”
“So you do speak English!” Fraser exclaimed, putting a hand on the man’s arm to stop his movement.
He turned to Fraser and grinned. “Finally! I was beginning to think you’d never come up with that.”
Fraser frowned. “Come up with what? You’re the one who’s been pretending he can’t understand me.”
“Oh no, back it up there. You’re the one who’s had the language problem. I’ve gotten every word you’ve said.” He rolled his eyes. “You sure know a lot of ways to ask the same thing.”
“But why didn’t you tell me you could speak English?”
“Because I can’t,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I’m not speaking it now, and as far as I know, I never have.”
“But you are!” Fraser countered. “I can understand every word.”
“Yeah, because you wished for it, remember?” He shook his head. “Just my luck I get a slow one,” he muttered.
“I - what?” Fraser paused, confused. “I can’t have heard that correctly. Did you say I can understand you now because you have the power to grant wishes?”
“To a point, yeah,” he replied with a shrug. “You never heard of a genie in a bottle before?”
“Of course I have, but those are just fantasy. Besides, aren’t genies female?”
The man gave him a slightly panicked look. “Please do not wish for that. I like the way I am very much, thank you. Except for the part where I’m freezing to death. What are we doing out in the middle of a blizzard?”
Fraser dismissed that with a wave. “This is hardly anything to worry about. But if you’re cold, we could go back to my campsite.”
His eyes widened at Fraser’s words. “You camp in this?”
“When I’m out on patrol, yes. I’d offer returning to my cabin but I’m afraid it’s too far to get to in the remaining light.”
The man thought for a moment. “But if you could, that’s where you’d want to go?”
Fraser nodded. “Given that I don’t have appropriate supplies for two, assuming you’re real, of course, and given that your reaction likely means you aren’t out here camping yourself, it would make the most sense.”
The man clapped his hands together with a grin. “Okay, here we go, then!”
And that, as they say, had been that. He and Dief and been magickally transported back to the cabin. Not that Fraser had been willing to admit it at the time. Fraser started putting kindling in the fireplace, smiling as he remembered how scandalized Ray had been when Fraser suggested that the entire scenario might be a hallucination. It had led to their first argument…
Fraser leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his face tiredly. “I’m finding this all hard to believe.”“Even though you’re seeing it?”
“Am I? I could be lying in the snow, delusional from hypothermia. Or under the effect of whatever it was that came out of that bottle.”
“That would be me that came out, and you’re not freezing to death, you’re home.”
“Home,” Fraser repeated.
“Yeah. It’s where you said you wanted to be. Not sure why you picked it, though – it’s not much warmer than outside. Less wind, though, so that’s something.” He removed his gloves and threw them carelessly onto the table, then flipped back the hood of his coat and pulled off the brightly-colored knit hat underneath. “At least I don’t have to wear that anymore,” he said, running his hands through his hair. He moved to the window to check it in the reflection and nodded, satisfied. “Much better.”
Fraser didn’t see any difference, but refrained from saying anything. After all, this… person, assuming this was really happening, was a guest.
At that thought, he stood, just a little too quickly as it turned out, steadied himself and then moved toward the kitchen. “As I said before, I have tea, if you’re cold,” he said, reaching for the kettle. “I may even have a bit of coffee left, if you’d prefer. Let me just get some water going.”
The man stepped in front of him, angrily blocking his path. “What are you, nuts? Give me that,” he growled, taking the kettle from Fraser. “You just tell me what you want, I can get it for you. Without going out in that,” he nodded toward the door.
“But you’re my guest,” Fraser protested.
“I’m your djinn,” he responded, then scowled. “I’m nobody’s fucking guest.”
Fraser stepped back at the vehemence in the man’s tone. “You aren’t. Mine, that is. You’re your own person.”
That elicited a bitter laugh. “I haven’t been my own person in longer than you can imagine.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. So you tell me what you want, I get it. That’s my job, my purpose, my reason for freaking being,” he moved into Fraser’s space and poked him in the chest as he went on, “and you’re thwarting it.”
Fraser huffed at that. “You’ll have to forgive me for my limited knowledge of a being I didn’t believe existed until ten minutes ago. And I think it only right that we come to an understanding as to the perimeters of our association.”
The djinn blinked at that and stepped back a pace. “Okay, I know you wished for me to understand you, but I still didn’t get that.”
“I can’t. I’m not.” Fraser collected his thoughts and started again. “I have no intention of owning you.”
He crossed his arms and glared. “You found me, you own me. You don’t like it, then throw me and the bottle back in the fucking snow for the next guy to find, ‘cause that’s how it works.”
Fraser shook his head. “I can’t do that either. To abandon you to the elements would be impossible, I’m afraid. You’ve said yourself that you dislike the cold.”
“You could send me to a beach, then,” he countered. “Somewhere warm.”
Fraser shook his head. “If what you’re telling me about granting wishes is true, I can’t just let that power go off to possibly fall into the wrong hands. If your gifts were used for nefarious purposes, I would be in part responsible.”
The djinn sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Awesome, a do-gooder,” he muttered.
That argument had gone on well into the night. And for several days after, now that he thought about it. Given what he now knew of Ray’s temper (and his dislike of boundaries), he was lucky the djinn hadn’t tried to circumvent the rules about using magick against one’s owner to if not hurt him, at least shake him up. Of course, now that he did know Ray, Fraser had learned fairly quickly what a prankster the man was, and just how carefully he had to watch his words sometimes. It was never malicious, but considering just how old the djinn was, Fraser was somewhat shocked at his lack of maturity.
Fraser sighed and moved to put away his now-clean camping flatware. He knew he should eat, but wasn’t really hungry. The kettle he’d put on was just ready, so he made himself a cup of tea, then went over to check the fire. Once he was satisfied with it, he moved to the couch. He really should start work on his mending, but he just couldn’t muster up the energy. Perhaps tomorrow. For now, he was content to watch the flames dance; their flashes of color and life, the unpredictable sparks and movement, all reminded him of Ray.
Dief came to sit beside him, and Fraser ran a hand through the half-wolf’s fur. Dief allowed it for a minute, then shook his head and whuffed at Fraser questioningly.
“Where would you have me look? His bottle’s still here, so he’ll be back. Honestly, Diefenbaker, he’s the last person in the world you need to worry about. Even if he didn’t have magickal abilities, he’s fully capable of taking care of himself. As I said before, I’m sure he’ll be home soon.”
As if on cue, there was a rattling from the bedroom. Dief barked happily and trotted toward the door, tail wagging. Fraser got up too, suddenly feeling more energized than he had since he’d come in the door.
“Hey, mutt!” Ray exclaimed as he entered the room. Fraser couldn’t help but smile as he watched Ray greet Dief, who abandoned any pretense of dignity and tried to jump up on Ray as soon as he was close enough. Ray laughed and nimbly side-stepped the move, then knelt down to scratch Dief behind the ears. He looked up at Fraser with a smile then, and as always, Fraser was caught in Ray’s gaze. When he looked like this, happy and relaxed and - tan? ah, that explained the absence, then - Fraser had no trouble whatsoever believing Ray was magick.
“You’re early,” Ray said as he kept ruffling his fingers through Dief’s fur. His smile widened. “And who said genies never got their own wishes granted?”
“So you’re the reason this patrol was so quiet?” Fraser replied teasingly. “I thought you weren’t going to do that anymore.”
Ray held up his hands as he stood and walked toward Fraser. “Hey, not my doing.” He cocked his head and asked, “Why, you looking for a reason to put me in my place?”
“Well, you are dressed for it.” Fraser replied as he looked Ray up and down, taking in the sight of Ray in just a dark blue vest and flowing pants of the same color. He reached out and pulled Ray to him. “There. Is this what you were referring to?”
“Not exactly,” Ray said with a smile. “But it’s a good start.” He leaned in for a kiss, and Fraser tasted traces of cinnamon, chocolate, ginger and curry.
“So, did you have a good visit with your family?” he asked when they parted.
“What gave me away?” Ray asked, a teasing gleam in his eye.
“Well, it could be all the spices I just got a taste of. Or the fact that there are traces of kohl around your eyes, and bits of sand and-” Fraser reached up to pull something out of Ray’s hair, “glitter, I believe, on various visible portions of your anatomy.”
“You think it’s on the not-so visible places too?”
Fraser pulled back far enough to look up and down Ray’s body. “Considering what you’re wearing, that doesn’t leave much.” He traced the embroidery of Ray’s vest with his fingers, then moved the edge aside to place kisses along Ray’s collarbone. “You’re tan,” he murmured as he continued up toward Ray’s neck. He took a deep breath when he reached the juncture of neck and shoulder, then licked a long stripe up toward Ray’s ear, pulling playfully at the small gold hoop. “And you smell of incense,” he whispered, causing Ray to shudder.
Fraser turned slightly, and Ray met him halfway for a long, deep kiss.
“That all you got?” Ray said as he shrugged out of his vest, then pulled at Fraser’s shirt to haul him into the bedroom.
Fraser grinned as he let Ray lead them. “I usually have to coerce you into wearing this in the winter,” he added, pulling at Ray’s silky pants, trying to get them over his hips. Ray twisted away and with a snap got rid of Fraser’s clothes.
“I shouldn’t be the only cold one here,” he growled. “No more talk. Naked time.”
************
Much later, Fraser woke to find Ray watching him. He grabbed Ray’s hip and pulled him close. Ray didn’t resist, just curled himself next to Fraser so they were chest to chest. Fraser kissed the top of Ray’s head, and rubbed his cheek in his hair.
“How was the visit?”
Ray trailed a finger up and down Fraser’s arm lightly for a minute before answering. “Same as always, I guess.”
Fraser made sure to keep his voice non-judgmental. “So you still haven’t told them about us?”
Ray’s hand stilled, and Fraser squeezed him gently. After a bit, he began tracing patterns on Fraser’s arm again. “No. I just… it isn’t like I don’t want to, but I don’t know what they’re going to say. Or more like I already know and it isn’t gonna be pretty.” He sighed. “And since I don’t see them very often, why rock the boat?”
“Don’t they wonder about how you’re able to be there without me?”
“Yeah, but they don’t say anything about it, so I don’t bring it up either. I think they think I’m sneaking around, and don’t want to get me into any trouble.” He sighed. “After being stuck in that bottle for so long, I guess we’re all just avoiding anything that might get me put back in it.”
Fraser started carding his fingers through Ray’s hair. “I think it would be very difficult to have to pretend like that with people so close to you.”
“Yeah, it’s no picnic. But they won’t understand, Ben. I’m the first djinn in our family, maybe ever, to have this kind of freedom. And there’s no way they’re going to believe you just gave it to me.”
“You really believe they’ll think you coerced me somehow?”
Ray moved back to look Fraser in the eye, then swept his gaze down Fraser’s body. “Look at us. What would you think?”
“I think that I’d ask the parties involved, and take them at their word, especially if they’re family.”
“I know. And I love you for that, but that isn’t the way most folks think. Especially when there’s wishing involved.”
“But if I explained that I came up with the wish entirely on my own-”
Ray stopped him with a look. “Uh uh. No way. We’ve talked about this, Ben. That’s the one thing you can’t do. Ever. The Powers That Be find out you went around the rules and they’ll figure out a way to change things.”
“But you’ve said once a wish was made it can only be undone by the wisher.”
“Yeah, but if you did it, others might. Only, not if the Powers know enough to stop it.”
Fraser sighed. “And I’d never want to deny other djinn their freedom, even if it’s still limited.”
“So why bring it up again?”
“Because I’d still like to meet your family. And we’ve both agreed that isn’t possible under the current circumstances.”
Ray kissed Fraser softly. “Only you would want to go willingly into that hornet’s nest. Puts you on the edge of too-crazy-to-have-a-djinn, you know that?” Ray moved back in to lay his head on Fraser’s chest. “Can’t we talk about your patrol instead?”
Fraser kissed the top of Ray’s head again. “If you’d like. But really, there isn’t anything to tell. You can ask Dief if you don’t believe me. You know he’ll tell you anything and everything you want to know.”
Ray chuckled at that. “Hey, can I help it if I have better bribery material than you do?”
“No, you can’t. Any more than he can fight his greedy nature, I suppose.”
Ray was quiet for a minute, and Fraser could feel there was something unspoken in the air. “What is it?” he asked.
“Well, since we’re bringing up old arguments… why are you still here, Ben? I know you love the Territories, but you’re better than being out here is letting you be. You should be somewhere bigger, where you could help more people. But every time they offer to move you, you ask for the most out of the way places.”
“My answer to that hasn’t changed any more than your answer as to why we have to keep the changes to our master-djinn contract to ourselves.” Fraser realized he’d started to tense up, and consciously relaxed his muscles. “I do love it here, Ray. And the time I have spent at the detachments has shown that I just wouldn’t fit in. If I’m seen as an outsider even to my peers and colleagues, how can I do the good work I want to do? It’s just easier this way.”
“Yeah, can’t argue with that, I guess. Only, long as I’ve known you the easy way has never been the one you like.” He yawned and slid up Fraser’s chest to kiss him. “And it’s way too late for any more of this, so I’m shutting up now. I love you, I’m not trying to change you, and you’re right, you do do good stuff where we are.”
Fraser kissed Ray back and the two settled in to sleep. Ray was out fairly quickly – family visits always wore him out – but it was a long time before Fraser was able to join him in slumber.
There had to be a way for Ray to be able to get out more without worrying about getting caught. It wasn’t right that he should have to be so careful every time he went somewhere. And they had no plausible way to explain his presence here, not that Ray wanted to spend much time out of doors most of the year. The cold got to him far too quickly for it to be enjoyable.
He’d get it figured out. After all, he’d gained Ray some freedom, and the djinn had declared that an impossibility…
It was a quiet moment, a lull in the constant arguing that seemed to be their only form of communication. It was wearing Fraser out, and he suspected he wasn’t the only one tired of it. He watched the djinn speculatively, and got a glare for it.“What?”
“I was just wondering… are you certain I can’t wish for your freedom?”
The djinn got up and started pacing. “Are you still on that? I’ve told you - only if you want to take my place. The power has to have somewhere to go.”
“Is that how you became a djinn?”
“Nah, in my case it’s the family business. I come from a long line of magickal folk – wish-granters, seers, even a minor demon or two way, way removed.” He held up a hand. “But trust me, if you aren’t born to it, you don’t even want to think about trying it. I don’t care who you are, it isn’t something you can just do.”
“Do you even like being a djinn?”
“Do you like being a Mountie?” he countered.
“I don’t see how that’s relevant to this conversation,” Fraser replied.
“Of course you don’t,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t matter if I like it – jeez, do you ever listen? As it happens, I like the magicking part just fine. It’s fun, it’s different, I have a good time with it. Do I like being ordered around? Having to create some really crappy things for some really stupid people? Not so much. But that’s part of the deal.”
“And if it wasn’t?” Fraser held up a hand and the djinn stopped himself from interrupting. “If there was a way for you to retain your power but gain your freedom, even partially, would you want it?”
There was a long pause then, as the djinn paced and thought. Fraser waited patiently. Finally, the djinn stopped and sat next to him. “Yeah,” he said in a hush, as if afraid someone might overhear. “I think I would.”
That was all Fraser needed to know. He had a course, a goal, and he set himself to the task with the same single-mindedness he used to track criminals. He studied folklore, and law, and asked the djinn (who had finally taken a name – Ray – after they’d had yet another disagreement on the nature of their relationship) very roundabout questions. Fraser kept his research to himself, unsure if Ray would be obligated to try and stop him if he knew what Fraser planned.
All the subterfuge, and the late nights he spent reading, and the times he deliberately alienated Ray so as to have time to himself to work exhausted him. But when he finally read his carefully-worded wish, and saw the look on Ray’s face as he realized what it meant, he knew it had been worth it.
And it still was, Fraser though sleepily. He settled in closer to Ray and smiled softly as sleep finally over took him.
************
When he awoke the next morning it was to the smell of bacon cooking, and there was music coming through the closed bedroom door, something lively and raucous. Fraser smiled and grabbed some clothes, then headed for the shower.
When he came out and opened the door, Fraser was unsurprised to see Ray in the kitchen, cooking in his own unique way. Bacon was sizzling in the skillet next to fried eggs that were turned over deftly by a phantom chef. Oranges were squeezing themselves, and bread was making its own way to the toaster, moving to the beat of the music. Ray was hovering above it all, sitting cross-legged and drinking what had to be coffee, based on the look of sheer bliss on his face.
And apparently he wasn’t quite ready to get back to the normal chill of the Territories – he was wearing only a faded pair of sweatpants. That should have meant he was freezing, but Fraser could feel that the ambient temperature of the room was well above what should have been possible, based on weather and the cabin’s construction.
“At least tell me the cabin’s still in Canada,” Fraser called out over the music that he now saw was coming from a live band. Ray grinned and snapped his fingers; the band disappeared, replaced by the same music now coming from their CD player.
He floated down to stand next to Fraser, then put down his mug to give Fraser a good morning kiss. He was still grinning when he pulled back. “Yeah, we’re still here. I remember what happened the last time.” He snapped his fingers again, and a steaming mug of Fraser’s favorite tea appeared on the counter.
Fraser remembered too. Ray had decided he’d had enough of snow and transported them all, kit and kaboodle, to a beach on some deserted island. While Fraser had to applaud his thinking to a point, as Ray had chosen an uninhabited island specifically so as not to cause disruption, he hadn’t thought about the consequences back home. And while it was true that they rarely received visitors, after all their time together Ray should have known that Murphy’s Law seemed to find them a particularly attractive target.
It had taken some very quick thinking to convince his superiors that despite being from the area, the Constable sent to fetch him had gotten turned around.
Fraser took a drink of tea and raised an eyebrow. “So you’re just breaking the laws of physics within the confines of the cabin.”
“Yep,” Ray replied as he moved to check on the breakfast’s progress. He muttered something at the oranges that got them moving more quickly, and glared at the toaster, which popped out two slices of toast immediately.
Fraser shook his head and went to check on Diefenbaker. He’d already eaten, apparently – his bowl was licked clean, and he was asleep on his favorite rug. Fraser looked over at Ray, who was trying for a look of innocence. “I take it he’ll need a good run this afternoon to work off whatever you made him?”
“Aw, don’t be too hard on him, Ben. I’m sure after four days out he worked hard enough to deserve a treat.”
Dief wagged his tail at that, eyes still closed.
“You spoil him.”
“I spoil you too, when you let me. Come on, sit down and eat.” The food had made its way to their plates by then, and was floating toward the table. Fraser started to sit down but jumped up when something moved beneath him. A napkin slid quickly off the seat to settle in his lap.
He sighed as he looked around, amazed once again at how this had become his version of normal.
Once breakfast was done and the dishes had cleaned themselves, Fraser got ready to go. “You need to check in today? Even though you’re early?”
“Of course I do, Ray. It’s my duty.”
“Yeah, okay. It’s just, four days, y’know?”
That really wasn’t the issue; Fraser had been gone for much longer patrols. More likely was that Ray’s visit with his family had left him feeling unbalanced and unsure; it wouldn’t be the first time. He could see Ray fighting not to argue, and relented. “I’ll try my best to make it a short trip. I have to check-in, and I should at least make an appearance of re-supplying.”
“Okay. Maybe I’ll do some clean-up while you’re gone.”
Fraser fought to hide a wince; Ray’s form of cleaning always included a lot of rearranging of furniture, and sometimes complete rooms were moved. Or added. It never looked different from the outside, but the laws of physics clearly met their match with the rules of magick. More than once he’d come home and found himself unable to navigate his own home. Hopefully this time that wouldn’t be the case.
“Dief, are you coming?” he called out. Dief just sighed, and Fraser rolled his eyes. “Well, don’t think this gets you out of a run. It will just be after I get back instead of now.” He looked from Dief to Ray. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
************
Fraser returned in the early evening to find the house surprisingly quiet and recognizable. He shucked off his coat and hat, then quickly put away the few things he’d picked up. Moving into the bedroom, which looked almost as he’d left it (the sheets hadn’t been purple and green when he’d left, nor had the blanket had tassles), he heard tinny noises coming from Ray’s bottle. Leaning closer, he heard a shout, and surmised that Ray had decided to watch a sporting event on his flat-screened television. That would be where Diefenbaker likely was as well. Ray enjoyed the company, and Dief liked the variety of cushions.
“Ray,” he said softly. I’m home.” A tiny stream of smoke came to the top of the bottle, and then there was Ray, perched on its edge.
Fraser knelt so that they were at eye level. “Sorry I’m late, but I have news.” Ray leaned back and waited. “Ah, do you want to come out here, or would you prefer I go in?”
Ray grinned, and in an instant Fraser found himself in Ray’s bottle. Dief was, as he’d suspected, sprawled out on a huge pillow, and based on the orangish stain around his muzzle, he’d been snacking on those revolting cornpuffs Ray adored. Ray was leaning back on the couch, and there was indeed a baseball game on, though Ray had been kind enough to mute it.
Once he got over the disconcerting sensation of being shrunk and teleported, Fraser went to sit next to Ray. Looking around, he saw that the television was larger than the last time Fraser had been in, and it appeared that Ray had upgraded his computer as well. The first time Ray had brought him here he’d been shocked to see all the gadgets and technology. Ray had grinned and told him that magick was “the ultimate wireless connection.”
Ray waited until he was settled before asking, “So, what happened that kept you out all day?”
Right to it, then. “Do you remember my telling you about my time in Chicago?”
“When you tracked down your dad’s killer? Yeah. Why?”
Fraser rubbed at his eyebrow. “Well, there’s an opening at the Consulate there. It might not be exciting, but it includes liaising with the local police force.”
Ray frowned slightly. “That didn’t go so great last time, did it?”
“It was… I’m not used to having a partner, and the American way of doing things is decidedly different, moreso than I was prepared for. But I did form a temporary partnership with the officer in charge of the case, and we’ve kept in touch sporadically since then. He’s still at the station, and would not be averse to resuming that partnership from time to time.”
Ray nodded. “I know who you mean. That’s the guy you named me after.”
“No, that’s the one you decided I named you after. As I recall, we agreed upon Ray after you declaring yourself to be a ‘ray of fucking sunshine’ during one of our early arguments.”
Ray chuckled at that, and Fraser was convinced Ray had only said what he had just then that so that he could hear Fraser swear. As if he didn’t have better, more pleasurable methods of achieving that goal.
“In any case,” Fraser went on, “it would be a change of scenery, a somewhat warmer one, in point of fact, with a great deal more people.”
Ray gave Fraser a considering look. “Yeah, and it’s far enough from what you’re used to that you if you don’t fit in you’ve got an argument for coming back here.”
Fraser sighed. “I could have that anywhere. You know that. But this is different. No one really knows me there, or my reputation as something of an anachronism.”
Ray nodded. “So they’d see your weirdness as Canadian and not just as you. Yeah, that might work.”
“And there’s a better chance for you to fit in as well.”
That earned Fraser a surprised look. “Me?”
“You can’t hide in this bottle forever, Ray. And I know you’re tired of the cabin. You and I both know this solitary life isn’t what you want. You could get out, meet people…”
Ray’s eyes narrowed. “You trying to get rid of me?”
Fraser sighed inwardly. “I’m trying to make sure you’re happy. I hope that means with me, but I won’t presume it.”
“Well, I do presume it, so cut it out,” he said with a glare, then relented. “It would be nice to get out more somewhere I can be a regular guy. And where I wouldn’t have to hide from your co-workers.”
Fraser smiled. “I’d like that as well.” He schooled his features to a more serious expression. “Though I’m afraid that certain, shall we say aspects, of your life would need to remain hidden.”
Ray smiled and snapped his fingers, and Fraser suddenly had his arms full of Ray. “So, when do we blow this popsicle stand?”