#337: Childhood (due South, Fraser/RayK, PG)

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TITLE: Playing Dragons
RATING: PG
FANDOM: due South
PAIRING: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
SUMMARY: "I never thought the time would come again when a kiss could be innocent."
WORD COUNT: 200
AN: This is a taster of a much longer story that I am working on for January.



There is a sharp chill in the air the day I leave hospital. The leaves, not yet golden, glitter in the frost. Ray bounces, nearly dancing, as we walk across the grounds, his breath like smoke. A long ago winter rises in my memory. Eric and I play at being dragons. Old enough to imagine we're men, our voices have yet to break. We chase across the snow, competing as to who can blow their breath highest, our arms wide-flung wings, laughing as we run. When we stop, we watch our clouds expand into the night. Eric turns, the grin fading from his face as he cups my head, and draws me so close that our breath is the same.

I thought the time would never come again when a kiss could be innocent. But Ray walks beside me, and every time he smiles at me, he shines. Even his hair reflects his ebullience, spiking up cheerfully, golden against the morning light. He's dressed for me, I know, a new blue shirt and jeans. He rubs his hands together against the cold. I reach out to grab one of them, tuck it into my coat pocket, to keep it warm.