[for Ray - Dated to 4/01]

[asher_talos]

Things had been quiet, and Asher wasn't sure yet if that was a good or a bad thing. In that moment, as he sat at the bar of the gazebo outside the hut, he couldn't say he actually cared one way or another. The farthest thing from his mind was Hannibal King and the trouble he'd brought along with him when he showed up.

Maybe he didn't often show it or even think about it all that much, but he knew he had it pretty good on the Island. It wasn't the sort of thought he'd openly express to Danica - lest she disown him completely for thinking something so disgustingly vile - but he knew. It wasn't perfect and it wasn't home, not really, but life on the Island wasn't what it used to be nearly five years ago.

He had Danica, pain in the ass that she was, and that alone made things more bearable than they had been when he first showed up. He had Del and the twins. And, now, he had Ray.

Things could have been a lot worse. Things have been a lot worse...

And its with that thought that he thinks maybe Danica should disown him, because even he was making himself a little nauseous.

Comments

[speakscanadian]

Ray laughed lowly and reached out to push Asher's finger away. "Is that any way to treat the boss?" he joked cheekily, giving Asher an equally cocky smile.

[asher_talos]

"When he's clearly delusional by even suggesting that he's my boss?" Asher thought on it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd say that's the perfect way to treat him. And he's lucky I'm stopping there and not shoving my boot where the sun don't shine."

[speakscanadian]

The smile stayed on Ray's face despite Asher's words. When he was done, Ray whispered: "You're so easy to wind up."

When Asher didn't know or like someone, he seemed like a wall, completely impervious, unable to ruffle his feathers. But as soon as they managed the impossible and did it once, Ray figured it became easier to achieve.

[asher_talos]

"And you sure know how to bowl over a moment," Asher said. Of course, unless Ray was a mind reader, he probably didn't know Asher had been in the midst of having one of those - thank goodness - but still. Fortunately, after their first evening with the hot tub, Ray's propensity to ruin that sort of thing wasn't really a surprise anymore.

[speakscanadian]

Ray's expression shifted seamlessly from surprise to intrigue. "You were having a moment?" he enunciated, eyebrow quirking. "I didn't realize you had moments, Asher Talos. A moment of what?"

[asher_talos]

"Clarity," he drawled, rolling his eyes. "I think we should see other people. It's not me, it's you."

[speakscanadian]

"Really," Ray played along, after having a brief moment of his own. Still, he moved closer, tugging on a lapel to bring Asher towards him. He leaned in and hovered dangerously close to Asher's mouth, as if holding back until Asher changed his mind.

He lowered his voice. "Other people are overrated," he murmured. Beat. "And I'm keeping the hot tub."

[asher_talos]

"I'm sure you and your hand will be very happy together," Asher said, lowering his tone to match Ray's. His lips brushed against his gently before he pulled back. "I get the bed."

[speakscanadian]

Ray's eyes rolled heavenwards as he kicked himself mentally for walking right into that.

He was a split-second too late to capitalise on Asher's near kiss and pulled back thoroughly unsatisfied. He kept his hand where it was for now. "Then you're getting me with it," he warned. "I'm in love with that bed. Me and the bed are one."

[asher_talos]

"Not my problem." Asher shrugged, leaning back against the bar, elbows propped up behind him. "You'll get over the loss, eventually."

[speakscanadian]

"I will handcuff myself to that bed before I let you take it from me," Ray told him, hand going with Asher as he leaned back. His gaze flicked momentarily down to the creased lapel, then he released his hold on it and made an attempt to smooth it out.

[asher_talos]

"You should absolutely do that." Asher nodded his approval. "Keep the boots. And the belt." Everything else was optional.

[speakscanadian]

Considering how little time they had had together over the past weeks, Ray was kinda surprised they weren't permanently handcuffed to said bed to make up for it.

"Any other requests?" he asked, walking backwards towards the hut with a look in his eye that said Asher should follow. And if he unbuttoned the very top of his shirt, it was only because it was so hot out there.

[asher_talos]

"I'll let you know if anything else comes to mind," Asher assured him, and follow he did. His vest was already mostly undone by the time he reached the door and shut it behind himself.

[speakscanadian]

"Sand. Sand!" Ray reminded Asher as he watched him tread the dusty grit into the house. Upon a quick second thought, and given the direction in which they were heading, Ray could let it go this time and he lifted a shoulder in a care-free shrug.

"You know, the bed isn't quite how we remember it..." he commented, backs of his knees making contact with the foot of the significantly unmodern bed.

[asher_talos]

"No take-backs," Asher said, coming to a stop right in front of Ray. "You're in love with that bed. You and the bed are one. You will handcuff yourself to that bed before you let me take it from you. You words. You didn't like me any less when I was a fucking dinosaur, did you?" After he realized he wasn't going to be eaten, of course.

"Same thing."

[speakscanadian]

"Well..." Ray teased, pretending to think about it. If he was honest, Asher had been somewhat less appealing as a reptile but he was right, he hadn't liked him any less because of it.

"How 'bout I show you the grass isn't greener and we forget all about dividing the assets?" he suggested, finishing the rest of Asher's vest for him. "The bed is definitely big enough for two."

[asher_talos]

"Dividing up my assets you mean," Asher corrected. As far as he could recall, none of Ray possession had made it into any of these sorts of conversations. Not this one, and not ever.

"Well, shit, you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain in this arrangement," Asher said, as if it had finally all dawned, fingers working on the buttons of Ray's own shirt. "But, fine, show me," he murmured, pressing his lips against Ray's and nipping gently.

[speakscanadian]

"Uh huh," Ray agreed around the kiss, intending to gain exactly everything like Asher had said.

"I do like your assets," he added, brazenly slipping a hand southwards and picking one out in particular. "I'm a fan," he breathed, before deepening the kiss and rubbing the heel of his palm a little harder.

[asher_talos]

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Asher hummed against Ray's lips, his teeth clamping down harder in turn with the added pressure he felt below.

With Ray's shirt and undone, he pushed the suspenders off of his shoulders and pulled the shirt tails free of his pants. Asher slid his hands beneath the fabric, finally getting a feel of the warm skin beneath.

[speakscanadian]

Any aloofness Ray may have been trying to maintain disappeared when he let out an involuntary groan at the back of his throat. Asher's teeth did something to him and the feeling only grew with time.

Unable to pull away, he wrapped a hand around Asher's waist and gracelessly got to his knees on the bed, pulling Asher with him and keeping him close. Boots were left on as requested.

[asher_talos]

"Sand," Asher echoed Ray's earlier concern on a rush of breath as he was forced along.

Reaching a hand up to the back of Ray's neck, Asher shifted and laid down along the length of the bed, tugging Ray down on top of him.

[speakscanadian]

"Suddenly I don't care," Ray answered, too occupied with Asher to even falter for a second. Neither of them were dogs, so neither were in danger of being sold to the natives due to a grain or two of sand.

Pleased Asher had taken the initiative, Ray climbed up to straddle him, tugging the rest of Asher's shirt open roughly and pressing his chest back into the mattress. "Jesus, I have missed this," he muttered, pushing his tongue past Asher's teeth before he could reply.

It wasn't the sex he had missed. Somehow they'd found rare moments for that over the past weeks, even though it had always been quick and more like stress-relief for them both. It was this Ray had missed. Being with Asher in their own place, a private place, just for them.

[asher_talos]

Asher wasn't sure if Ray would feel the same once he was trying to clean up that sand, but he wasn't about to press the issue. Ruining the moment, that was Ray's MO, not his. And he wasn't going to start now.

Mouth fully occupied, Asher's only response came in the form of a hum in agreement. The hand at the back of the other man's neck was still firmly in place, the other falling down to his waist.

With Ray hovering over him the way he was, it didn't seem like he was in any particular rush to handcuff himself to anything, but Asher wasn't prepared to complain.

[speakscanadian]

It took a while before Ray was ready to let Asher go but oxygen was an annoying necessity that couldn't be ignored forever.

He pulled back the corner of his mouth in a smile, reaching up to drag Asher's hand from his neck so he was free to move. "Still thinking about other people?" he asked, purposefully placing Asher's hand above his head on the pillow and leaving him another kiss, before shifting down his body. Fingers scrabbled with the buckle of Asher's belt, Ray's gaze flicking between its owner and the task at hand.