ds_noticeboard | At Cesperanza's Request: 10 F/V Stories That Don't Suck

It's a real pleasure to share some of my all-time favorite Fraser/Vecchio recs, inspired by the timely (ahem) release of a new smokin' hot F/V story by

merryish. Since there are a lot of new DS fans lately, many of them making their way through the DVDs in order, it seems appropriate to reward their enthusiastic engagement with these, particularly as many of them have been hiding their light under a bushel for years now.

I encourage those of you who haven't found Vecchio particularly slashworthy to give these a try. The dialogue may win you over. Finding some authors you know and love in this list might be a pleasant surprise, too.

So, I proudly present: 10 Fraser/Vecchio Stories That Don't Suck

1. The Eskimo Thing, by

merryish

In this fandom, it's not the aliens that make you do it. Funny and hot in equal measure.

Like anybody could sleep with all the cricket-chirping and owl-hooting and wolf-howling that was going on all around them. It made Ray miss the ambulances always coming and going to the hospital down the street from his house. Ambulances made noise because they wanted to help you. Canada, Ray was absolutely convinced, made noise because it wanted to eat you.

2. In Your Corner, by

kormantic

Ray and Fraser struggle with the emotional aftermath of "The Duel". Rich and complex like a fine wine.

"Thank you kindly, Ray."

"Don't mention it. Thanks for not... getting shot or anything." And what I really mean is I'm glad he's not dead, not shut up in a hearse like the toy Mountie Carver sent me. My heart fell into my shoes when I saw that little red coat and tiny hat... And how morbid is that, anyway? What kind of a kid plays with a toy *hearse*, huh? I bet you an even twenty Carver was that kind of kid. Sick fuck.

While you're there, you can't go wrong with any of

kormantic's DS stories. They're all wonderful, filled with her trademark snarky dialogue.

3. Free Parking, by

inapickle (Ethan Nelson/Mallory Klohn, depending...)

My all-time favorite PWP, this is hilarious and squidge-inducing in equal measure. The Vecchio voice is dead on, and Fraser manages to be simultaneously uptight and wanton.

Stripped down to his own long johns and socks, Ray was beginning to feel the cold now, the fire still building strength. He wrapped himself in Ben's quilt and sat down on the bed. Dief had already claimed his place by the fire, the same place Ray and Ben would later argue over. Shame. It could be both of us. Or neither... Ben was busily boiling water, setting out cups, and arranging what looked like a hell of a lot of stuff Ray hoped was not going in his mug. When everything was tidied and retidied to the farthest extreme possible, Ben turned and blessed Ray with his most winning smile.

"Would you like to listen to some music?"

Ray collapsed on the bed. "Yeah, sure, Benny. We'll send out smoke signals to that guy from the jug band on the other side of the forest and have ourselves a hoedown right here in the cabin."

Ben shook his head. "We're not totally primitive, Ray. I bought a small portable stereo."

He grinned. "When you could have donated that money to the Stuttering Foundation of America?"

The Mountie flushed guiltily. "I bought some recordings, too."

"Oh my God. Do you have any idea how many Hail Marys you get for that?"

"If you're just going to make remarks--"

inapickle wrote another F/V story, "One Man's Kink", which is also very much worth reading.

4. Acharnement, by A.C. Chapin

A classic slash story in the grand tradition: awakening desire, frustration, fruition. This story boasts a rare and gorgeous Fraser-POV that is totally believable.

In the months since he'd come home from the hospital, it had happened every few nights. Eventually it had become less and less frequent, but even now, it still came sometimes. This was the first morning the dreams hadn't been about Victoria. He was almost relieved.

Was it a delayed stress reaction? A sign of continuing psychological disturbance? Of course he realized that people in general attached far too much significance to dreams involving recognizable parts of their waking lives, especially dreams with any sexual or symbolically sexual content. Naturally, there was nothing wrong, or even unusual in having such dreams, since dreams were, after all, only the brain's attempt at processing the non-input to the eyes during sleep. All the same, he would have liked to talk to Ray about it; Ray always seemed to be able to fill the odd gaps in his own knowledge, sometimes by providing a perspective so unexpected that it smashed entirely through his confusion. But if it had been hard to imagine broaching the subject before, it was impossible now. The very thought of such a conversation made his throat clutch up and his face go uncomfortably pink.

Check out A.C. Chapin's other DS stories while you're there.

5. Absence by

thete1

One of two bitter little F/V stories Te wrote, this vignette proffers a possible reason why Ray took the Langoustini gig.

...You stayed and I got
stupid all over the place. Lost everything
resembling an edge, had my cover blown
everywhere it counted, lost thousands of dollars
and more than a few good dates. For you.

And I just kept doing it, like the fucking chump
my Dad always said I was and you kept
accepting it. I think that's the worst part, and I
honestly don't give one about what that makes
me sound like.

6. Among the Evergreens by

basingstoke

Bas has written a variety of different DS pairings, as you probably know. IMO, this is the best of her F/V stories, which considers what might have happened after the Pilot. Fraser has an unexpected response to the trauma, but fortunately Ray has already traveled hundreds of miles to help.

"I forgot. You're Superman." Ray shook Fraser's shoulder hard enough to rock him back and forth without sending him off-balance. "You don't have to be Superman."

There wasn't any reply Fraser could make to that, so he just looked down at his hat and thought about the day. He didn't think about Ray's hand sliding from his shoulder to the back of his neck, or the accelerated pace of Ray's breathing. He didn't want to think about anything at all. Nothingness. He swept his mind as clean as the snow.

His hat quivered in his hands, and it took him several minutes to realize that it was his hands that were shaking, and not the hat itself, and not the ground. Not the blood-spattered snow.

7. Follow Without Pride by Cara Chapel

Long and densely plotty, this story is a post-Victoria's Secret AU that takes both Ray and Fraser to some very dark places.

"I'm not giving you a leave of absence, Detective." Welsh sat back in his chair, surveying Ray sharply. Ray could almost feel the Lieutenant's sharp gaze touch the dark shadows under his sleepless eyes, the hang of his coat on shoulders that had thinned visibly in the past months. He knew he didn't look like a cop on payola, not unless he was one with a helluva conscience.

"Do I have to turn in my shield, sir?" He heard the obstinate challenge in his own tones. "I'll do it if I have to." He was already reaching into his overcoat pocket. He felt numb, like nothing could touch him now or ever would again.

"You won't find him, Vecchio. He doesn't want you to, and you won't." The voice was unusually quiet, surprisingly compassionate. "He skipped bail for that woman and for all you know he meant to do it all along. You're just lucky that key wasn't where she said it was, or you'd have gone down."

Check out Cara Chapel's other work, too, including the sequel to this story.

8. The Long Way Home by

morgandawn and

thevetia

Speaking of dark places, this novel is not for the faint of heart. It's a frightening post-apocalyptic AU in which Fraser and Ray are tested to their very limits. More gen than slash, this story is primarily interested in uncovering the raw stuff that makes us human.

"It'll be fine, Ray." Fraser kept staring into the distance, scanning the dark.

"No, it won't, Benny. We're cut off, we don't know the incubation period, and we don't know if there's any hope of outside contact. Or help."

The silence stretched between them, magnifying the tension. Ray let it build and then forced himself to speak: "I want to go home. I want to see my family and hold them and make them safe." He turned his head toward Fraser's shape. "It's what I do, Fraser. It's what I'm supposed to do."

morgandawn has some other F/V stories that you'll probably enjoy as well.

9. The Vault, by

flambeau

This story gets the voices absolutely right, and hey, it's by torch. What more do you need? Oh, I know: bonus appearance by Bob Fraser!

"It was a stupid thing to do," he told Dief, who just looked at him and then lay down, tongue lolling out. Fraser went to stand by the open window and look out. A bunch of pigeons were holding a party on the fire escape and gave him bright beady glances. He leaned against the window frame and sighed. "Remarkably stupid."

"You're right there, son. Remarkably."

Fraser closed his eyes. "Go away."

"I've got a few things to say to you."

"I'm not listening."

"I'm not saying Ray Vecchio isn't a good man," his father went on unheedingly, "but that's the problem. He's a good *man*."

10. The One That Got Away, by Kellie Matthews and Julia Kosatka

I'll close here with this delightful crossover in which Fraser and Ray encounter Amanda (HL), and wackiness ensues. It's evident that the writers knew the Highlander universe as well as the Due South universe, so it's satisfying for fans of both. Lots of plot, lots of hot. If you love threesomes, this one's for you.

"So, what do you think?" Vecchio asked as Fraser settled himself in the passenger seat and fastened the safety belt.

"I think we should watch her," he said, looking back toward the hotel entrance.

"Me too," Vecchio said. "Something feels funny."

"Agreed," Fraser said, frowning thoughtfully. "Though it seems odd that she didn't seem at all displeased to see us."

"Fraser, with a couple of notable exceptions women are never displeased to see you."

"Now, Ray, that's an exaggeration," Fraser protested.

"No, it's not," Vecchio said, slightly aggrieved. "I swear on my mother's grave."

"Your mother isn't dead, Ray." Fraser pointed out reasonably.

"Right. Well, you know what I meant. Anyway, something tells me she's up to something...