andraste: The reason half the internet imagines me as Patrick Stewart. (Default)
Andraste ([personal profile] andraste) wrote2007-06-19 11:53 pm
Entry tags:

due South Fanfic: Lifestyle Choices

Rating: PG

Pairing: Vecchio/Fraser/Kowalski. (Which is not a pairing, as such, but you see what I mean.)

Dedication: For [livejournal.com profile] _medley_. Not only did she make this story possible, I stole a line in here from her *g*.

Continuity: I'm sure there's a long and complicated story about how these three ended up together after Call of the Wild. This is not that story *g*.

Summary: For reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, Ray Vecchio needs a bigger bed.



Lifestyle Choices

By Andraste

It was love at first sight.

"That's the one," Ray said, striding confidently across the showroom in the direction of the king sized bed. No need to look any further, that was exactly what he'd been trying to find all afternoon.

"I'm not sure, Ray," Fraser said, "This store looks very expensive."

"That was the idea."

Kowalski patted Fraser on the shoulder. "If he wants to spend all his money buying us furniture, Fraser, you should just learn when to shut up."

While Ray Vecchio would be happy if he never laid eyes on Las Vegas again, there were a couple of things he missed, like sleeping on the finest mattress Mob money could buy. More than that, he was tired – literally – of trying to squeeze into queen sized bed with two other grown men. If Kowalski elbowed him in the face one more time, Ray was going to cut the arm off at the shoulder to save on space.

The object of his desire was a real beauty. Cherry with a solid but classic design. Ray rapped his knuckles on the frame and smiled. "This is going to look great in the front bedroom." He walked around it, appreciating the quality construction. Diefenbaker sniffed the wood and barked happily.

Kowalski bitched constantly about moving out to the 'burbs and Ray knew Fraser missed being able to walk everywhere, but there was no way they could have afforded a big enough place in the city. Ray didn't mind having things a little quieter, anyway. Now they had wardrobe space to hang their clothes – his clothes, anyway - and a spare room for when Fraser's sister came to town.

"I don't know," Kowalski said, "looks kind of fancy to me."

"I told you before we started. Nothing that looks like it came out of a garage sale, nothing we have to assemble ourselves, and definitely no logs."

"All wooden bed frames are made of logs, Ray," Fraser pointed out.

"Yeah, but they don't all advertise the fact by still having bark on them."

Kowalski climbed onto the bed on his hands and knees and bounced up and down experimentally, getting his dirty sneakers on the display covers while he was at it.

"Hey, do you mind?"

"It's going to have to stand up to a lot more punishment than that if we buy it."

Kowalski had a point. There were three of them, and now that he'd finally taken the hint Fraser applied the same enthusiasm to their relationship he applied to crime fighting and ice hockey. Sometimes Ray worried that he would actually die from sex, but he thought it would probably be worth it.

He sat down beside Kowalski and tested the springs – not too hard, not too soft. "Seems solid enough to me."

Fraser was still scrutinizing the price tag with his disapproving Mountie look. "The cost of this bed could feed a dozen orphans in China for months."

"It's my money, and I'm not giving it to the Chinese orphans. I want somewhere comfortable to sleep."

Fraser frowned, but he did sit down. The three of them wriggled around until they were all lying side by side. The fit was cosy, but at least they weren't actually on top of each other, and there was plenty of leg room.

"The mattress seems very soft."

"Fraser, rocks could not sleep on your bed," Kowalski said. "Maybe Vecchio and I should have the bed and you can sleep on the floor."

Before anyone could object, Diefenbaker scrambled up onto the foot of the bed. He looked at Fraser and barked.

"I don't see how that's relevant," his human replied, "since you're not going to be sleeping on it in any case."

Dief looked hopefully at Ray and wuffed, beating his tail against the covers.

"Don't bother making those puppy dog eyes at me," Ray said. "You're not staying up here with us."

Diefenbaker whined and put his head down on his paws. Well, at least someone appreciated his taste in furniture, even if it was the damn dog.

"Excuse me?"

Ray looked up to see a sales assistant with a name tag that proclaimed he was Randy. The store was practically empty; maybe the rest of the staff had snuck out back for cigarettes during the lull.

"Yeah?" Ray crossed his legs and didn't sit up.

"I'm afraid that dogs aren't allowed in the store."

"Actually," Fraser put in. "He's not a dog, he's a wolf."

"A wolf?" The sales assistant took a step backwards. Diefenbaker wagged his tail maliciously.

"Don't mind him, Randy, he's just Canadian," Kowalski said.

"Are you planning to buy the bed?" Randy looked from Ray to Kowalski to Fraser to Diefenbaker, obviously trying to work out the proposed sleeping arrangements.

"Yes, we are buying the bed." Ray said. "Me and these two guys here and the wolf. Is that a problem?"

"Uh," he said, swallowing hard. "No, sir, no problem at all. Will that be cash or credit?"

"Why don't you go away and let us think about it for a while?" Kowalski said.

Ray looked at him. Kowalski was not usually the diplomatic one, unless kicking people in the ribs instead of the head counted as diplomacy. "What's to talk about?" he asked, once the sales assistant was gone.

Kowalski turned to Fraser. "This is private Ray stuff, Frase," he said. "Why don't you take Dief to look at couches or something?"

"Ah," said Fraser. "I'll just ... be over there, then."

Once Fraser had retired to a safe distance, Ray turned to Kowalski. "Is there something you wanted to say to me?"

He twisted his hands in the covers, looking uncomfortable. "Fraser's right, it is really expensive."

Ray ran a hand over the headboard, appreciating the smooth finish. "Built to last." He planned to retire to this bed some day.

"Yeah, it seems pretty ... permanent."

He'd been wondering when they were going to have this conversation. A Saturday afternoon shopping trip didn't see like the time or the place. "Getting cold feet, Kowalski?"

He shook his head. "Nah. We should get it. I was just thinking I should make a contribution."

"I said I'd pay for it," Ray said. It had been the only way to be sure he'd get to pick it out himself. He couldn't believe he was buying furniture for a deranged Mountie and a guy who put pineapple on pizza, but that's the way things had turned out.

"It's our bed, Vecchio, we should pay for it together."

"I couldn't agree more," Fraser said, appearing out of nowhere. So much for privacy – the guy had the ears of a non-deaf wolf.

Ray sighed. "Benny, you don't have any money."

"I am not completely without resources."

"What, you're going to sell your hat?" Kowalski suggested. "We have it covered."

Ray was about to point out once again that he was going to pay for the bed when Randy appeared.

"So have you gentlemen decided?"

Ray looked around and saw that a family with a couple of kids had just walked in the front door. Maybe Randy was worried that they'd frighten off the wildlife. It made him want to drag Fraser and Kowalski outside and never come back, but it would be stupid to give up a perfect bed because of a sales assistant with bad acne.

Ray shut his eyes, lay back, and saw the future. Pulling the covers over his head in protest when Fraser got up while it was still dark. Dragging Kowalski into the kitchen on work days with threats and the promise of coffee. Whole weekends of getting crumbs in the sheets and reading the newspaper. Sick days when Fraser would bring him juice and chicken soup and Kowalski would go down in sympathy. Year after year of fighting over who had the biggest share of the blankets.

"Yeah, we'll take it."

Vecchio put the bed on his credit card, told Kowalski he could pay him back later – not a chance in hell that would happen – and arranged for it to be delivered. They still had to do something about replacing the rest of the cruddy furniture, most of which had originally belonged to Kowalski, but the bed was the most important thing.

"Where to next?" Kowalski asked, holding the door open for the rest of them.

"We still have to pick out curtains," Fraser suggested with a smile.

Ray shook his head. Curtains! "When we're done, we're going to have to get beer and hot dogs and watch sports for a few hours just so my pride can recover."

Kowalski whacked him on the shoulder in a manly way and grinned a grin that made Ray want to go back and tell the store to deliver the bed right now.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

The End

[identity profile] trishalynn.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Sick days when Fraser would bring him juice and chicken soup and Kowalski would go down in sympathy.

Hells fucking yes!!! I am so glad you love both Rays. ^_^
ext_1033: Mad Elizabeth (Default)

[identity profile] wordwitch.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
This is very nice, and the voices are wonderful. I love the interaction - and especially the firm decision that this means permanence, terrifying as that is, and that therefore it should be a joint purchase. And I like this:

"When we're done, we're going to have to get beer and hot dogs and watch sports for a few hours just so my pride can recover."

Sweet, funny, cute. Good job.

[identity profile] brynnmck.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
EEEEEE! *flails and squeaks* BOYS! I love this! So funny—seriously, several of the lines actually made me laugh out loud ("Rocks could not sleep on your bed," Kowalski kicking people in the ribs instead of the head, the bedframes still having bark on them, HEEE)—and so sweet, that this is a commitment, that they all want to contribute, and YAY, BOYS, BE HAPPY TOGETHER. What a perfect way to start the day. *beams at them and at you*

[identity profile] buzzylittleb.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
This is so very cute. *grin*

[identity profile] kickair8p.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Argh, no, not curtain-fic, anything but...well...mmmm...oh, yeah...ymmmm...okay, it's really good curtain-fic. Mostly bed-fic anyway, and who doesn't like bed-fic? Just who started this anti-curtainfic thing?





~

[identity profile] dragonflymuse.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, a happy, committed OT3 :) I liked this alot.
jcalanthe: locke sitting on a beach (Default)

[personal profile] jcalanthe 2007-06-19 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
*cracks up* This is really fun!

[identity profile] viciouscats.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, so cute! private Ray stuff Eeeeeeeee! :)
ext_12460: acquired from fanpop.com (Default)

[identity profile] akite.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I loved this. ♥

[identity profile] spuffyduds.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh, ooh, I've been TRYING to find that wonderful icon, is it shareable?
ext_12460: acquired from fanpop.com (Default)

[identity profile] akite.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
It was made by [livejournal.com profile] lordessrenegade and totally sharable.

[identity profile] spuffyduds.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Yumness. And sawing off Kowalski's arm ! Ha!
sansets: Knee high rainbow socks on a white person's legs, while the legs are toe-ing a pair of sneakers off. (Default)

[personal profile] sansets 2007-06-19 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
*flails*

Oh this was the most adorable thing ever! God I love these three, and you just write them so well. Thank you kindly for sharing! :o)

[identity profile] brigantine1.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's going to have to stand up to a lot more punishment than that if we buy it."

*cackle* I am totally willing to go along with this Happy Threesome thing, and their Giant Threesome Bed. It's probably bigger than my apartment. Mind you, given the imagery inspired here, I ain't complaining. Hey, do they have a Giant Threesome Bathtub, too? ;D
ext_9063: (Default)

[identity profile] mlyn.livejournal.com 2007-06-19 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, so cute. The voices are dead-on, and I love Fraser eavesdropping on the Ray Time. (Mmm, Ray Time...)

[identity profile] mergatrude.livejournal.com 2007-06-20 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Yay! This was delightful! I am so in favour of this flavour of happily ever after.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/ 2007-06-20 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
EEEEE! I might've squealed really loudly at the pairing, before I even saw that it was for ME and IT'S THE BED THING, which just knocked the awesomeness off the scale. This is *perfect.* I adore it to pieces. You've got all three of them sounding just right, and I love the Sudden Serious Conversation moment, because of course that's when it would happen. And of course Fraser would overhear.

And you used my thing about the rocks! :)

Thank you so, so much!
spiffikins: (Default)

[personal profile] spiffikins 2007-06-20 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
awww - just so sweet!

I'm not giving it to the Chinese orphans.

[identity profile] kormantic.livejournal.com 2007-06-20 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
that line and the "private Ray stuff" just sealed the deal.

This was freakin' adorable, and I believe it with all my heart.
ext_3554: dream wolf (Default)

[identity profile] keerawa.livejournal.com 2007-06-20 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
Fraser applied the same enthusiasm to their relationship he applied to crime fighting and ice hockey. Sometimes Ray worried that he would actually die from sex, but he thought it would probably be worth it. *snickers*

I also have much love for the beds with bark still on them, and of course "Ray-time".

[identity profile] brooklinegirl.livejournal.com 2007-06-23 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"Are you planning to buy the bed?" Randy looked from Ray to Kowalski to Fraser to Diefenbaker, obviously trying to work out the proposed sleeping arrangements.

oh, CUTE! dude, YAY for threesome fic, and for bed-buying, and I LOVE the private talk between Vecchio and Kowalski at the end. This is lovely!
ext_1548: Reid playing cards (Default)

[identity profile] scifigirl.livejournal.com 2007-06-26 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Adorable! I really liked this. *g*
cyanne: (Default)

[personal profile] cyanne 2007-06-30 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
This is perfect, it's just so them. I can totally see (and hear) the guys, you've got the voices down.
luzula: a Luzula pilosa, or hairy wood-rush (Default)

[personal profile] luzula 2007-08-03 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I grinned all the way through this. Can't decide what to quote as my favorite line, because it's all perfectly awesome.
ride_4ever: (Fraser - yays)

[personal profile] ride_4ever 2013-11-21 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
<3 this like totally oh hell YES! You've got their voices so perfect I can't even quote a favorite line without simply reciting the whole thing! Plus I love Dief in this, his behavior when he's up on the bed.