Geometry

Chapter 2

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Running down the leads Marina had given them ate up what remained of Ray and Fraser's afternoon, and by the time they'd stopped at the Consulate to let Fraser change into civvies and taken Dief for a run in the park, it was nearly eight.

"Wanna head over and walk around the wharf for a while?" Ray proposed, sitting on a swing and kicking his heels while Dief exchanged pleasantries with a friendly golden retriever.

"Very well, Ray. I would be interested to see the rest of the renovations up close."

"Me too. Place used to be pretty dingy, but it sure ain't now. Smart of the Doc to move in before the rents take a jump. Neighborhood keeps improving like that and homesteading yuppies'll start to move in as the property values go up." Ray stood up and loafed over to Fraser, who waved to Dief to signal the wolf they were leaving. "Do ya suppose they've got any vacancies in her building?"

Fraser shot his partner a startled glance. "Why do you ask, Ray?"

Ray wrinkled up his nose. "My lease runs out next month and the landlady's already let me know it's not up for renewal. Something about guys with automatic weapons running down the halls, dirty cops breaking into upstairs apartments to plant bugs, stuff like that. So I gotta find a new place. It'd be cool to live down there."

"You could ask the Doctor," Fraser suggested, trying to restrain the raw envy he felt at Ray's casual acceptance of his impending displacement. After his last apartment burned down at the hands of an arsonist with a grudge against him and Ray, Fraser had been so wary of putting anyone else at risk he'd never moved out of his office at the Consulate.

"Why don't we both ask?" Ray pointed out in what he hoped was a reasonable tone.

"What? Why?"

So much for reason. Ray rolled his eyes, disgusted at his partner's obtuseness. "Jeez, Frase, you need a place worse than I do. I don't know how the hell you get a decent night's sleep on that damned cot."

Fraser refrained from pointing out he usually didn't get a good night's sleep, or Ray would be nagging at him to crash on his couch again. "It would be nice to be neighbors," he admitted, surprised by the surge of attraction that thought held.

"I got a better idea." Ray thumped him on the shoulder, delighted by an impulsive thought. "Why don't we get an apartment together? A two-bedroom would be cheaper and we could get a bigger place."

"You want to live with me?" Fraser blurted out, so startled he was left speechless for a moment.

"Sure, why not? We spend practically all our time together anyway." Feeling rebuffed by Fraser's reaction, Ray hid his hurt and shrugged casually. "It was just an idea, Frase. If you don't like it, no biggie."

Fraser immediately felt ashamed. His fears and insecurities had no place hurting his partner's -and his best friend's- feelings. "I'd like that very much, Ray," he said quietly, laying a hand on Ray's shoulder and giving it a little squeeze.

Ray's quick, dazzling smile flashed. "Awright, then. I'll ask the doc when we get there. She seems pretty savvy."

Diefenbaker came running up and Ray dropped to one knee and scratched his ruff fondly. "What do you say to you, me and Fraser moving into the Doc's building, Dief? Think you could stand living with me?" The wolf's tail wagged energetically and he barked once, then plastered Ray with slobber licking his face.