New F/K Snippet: Running With the Wolf (G)

[arrow00]

Title: Running With the Wolf
Author: arrow00
Pairing: Fraser/RayK
Rating: G
Wordcount: 634
Disclaimer: I am very poor.
Categories: pre-slash
Summary: Title says it.


Running With the Wolf

By Arrow


He could never keep up in the snow, of course, Diefenbaker's light-paw tread dancing always ahead. But Dief was kind and would slow to let Fraser catch up before he'd burst out again, obviously relishing the sheer joy of cold wind rifling through his fur as he ate up the ground.

At those times, with Fraser's breath an icy burn in his chest, he would experience a deep envy of his four-footed companion and his inherent, wild freedom. Fraser was ever bound, flat-footed, hard-thinking and all too human.

Instinct was always a better guide.

But by virtue of higher thought, Fraser controlled his own pacing, and on thin ground-layer snow (katiksunik) over long distances, he would draw near and they'd settle into their standard lope, one just behind the other.

At the end of their path, Fraser would look back and see one trail of commingled prints and think: I am alone but for Dief. He is alone, but for me.

Not entirely true, of course. Diefenbaker had many friends, of both the canine and human variety, especially since they'd moved to Chicago. Fraser, on the other hand, had but one human friend at a time. One human he could claim in his heart, if not out loud.

He never dared, out loud.

There were fewer places to run great distances in Chicago, and Fraser mourned the loss of their runs, of the wave of calm that lifted him and pushed him forward, of the way it dampened his thoughts until they were but dim undercurrents, and there was nothing in him but breath and blood and pounding rhythm.

So he sought out places for them to go—Camp Pines Woods Forest was best, when he had time. In deep winter, there were long stretches of trail for them to break, for Fraser to labor over in his snowshoes while Dief circled and leapt, mocking him with his open-mouthed grin.

If Fraser's face was grim, if his heart was raw from lashes of longing, from thoughts that circled and mocked just as Dief did, well, there was no one else there to see.

Dief saw too much already.

But today there was no snow at all. It was spring, those few weeks of blissfully good weather before the humid heat covered the city like a musty blanket, and Fraser was running with the wolf, feeling almost fleet today in the park he had chosen for their sprint.

To his left, four miles south-southwest, was a blackened lot where his last idea of home had burned to the ground a year previous. Two miles to the east was the small apartment he'd recently taken to thinking of as his way station against solitude.

It was where Ray was waiting.

Fraser's feet moved away faster, and Dief spared the breath for a disapproving whuff as he sped to pace him. In his head, Fraser heard the echo of his stammered entreaty—clumsy, incoherent words that had put a puzzled frown on Ray's face.

Unable to bear the fallout from Ray's dawning understanding, Fraser had fled.

The woods darkened here at the shadow of a small hill, and Fraser's feet stumbled momentarily, Dief giving a warning bark. Then Fraser was level again and ducking through the trees, the leaf-crunch of his footsteps dry and distant. He ran and ran, his heart thundering, sweat coating his face and dampening his shirt, his hair heavy on his forehead.

He looked up in surprise when the trees thinned unexpectedly. Somehow he had turned back east. When had his path turned east? His feet slowed. His pulse hammered against his throat. He panted in the dry air.

Diefenbaker turned and barked, urging him on, urging him not to think.

Fraser followed.

Instinct was always the better guide.


.....................
2007.06.17

Comments

[snarkyducky.livejournal.com]

Fraser, on the other hand, had but one human friend at a time. One human he could claim in his heart, if not out loud.
agh! there's something about the word "claim" that makes me shivery while reading it.. considering the magic in dS universe, i get the impression he means more than he knows..

if his heart was raw from lashes of longing
"lashes of longing".. i'm continually amazed by your use of ordinary words in combination to create such deep lasting impact.

thank you for sharing this beautiful snippet!

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Thank you, schnookie. When the words flow well I feel I can't take credit. 'sdumb luck.

I love the (shivery) idea of Fraser claiming Ray. Hmm. Needs exploring.

[eledhwenlin]

I love the last line. :)

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Tx! :)

[viciouscats.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful. *loves*

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

*schmoops you*

[spuffyduds.livejournal.com]

Oh, sad and sweet. I love the unconscious turning east. And if he doesn't keep going Dief should bite him in the ass.

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Okay, you made me harfle my coffee. ! Yes, I would pay money to see it, too. :)

Don't forget you need to set a date for us in July!

[fspider.livejournal.com]

At the end of their path, Fraser would look back and see one trail of commingled prints and think: I am alone but for Dief. He is alone, but for me.

Oh, Fraser. This is so dead-on for him. And I love the melancholy throughout.

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The poor woob. :(

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

oh, Fraser, being jealous of Dief, who saw too much already....
Yay, Dief, urging him not to think!
great last line, great tone throughout.

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly, springwoof. :)

[nos4a2no9.livejournal.com]

I just breezed back into town and you've already posted something else! And it's brilliant! I loved the whole thing - Fraser thinking of Ray's apartment as "his way station against solitude" and Fraser trying (ineptly) to articulate just what Ray means to him. I also really, really loved the unconscious turning east. If due South is a story about north/south dichotomies, then the only way to break that forced lockstep of me/you and Canadian/American and cross boundaries is that eastward turn. Brilliant, I say again.

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Sugar pea! I'm so glad you liked it. It pretty much fell into my lap: I dreamed the whole thing during a nap, and woke up writing the first paragraph.

I'm blissed you picked up on the directions thing. My working title was "East is the Sun."
You must have the brain of a mutant or something, because you always nail the parts I work hardest on.

Thank you so much for reading and being so dang supportive. It means the world to me.

[nos4a2no9.livejournal.com]

I think " you must have the brain of a mutant" is the BEST compliment ever!

And I like that "East is the Sun" title. You should use it for another story sometime. /is always on the lookout for titles

[brigantine.livejournal.com]

And darn it, I'm *glad* Dief sees too much! Jeez, somebody has to.

Anyway, Ray is pretty much an intinct-oriented person, so maybe Dief knows something... Love this idea that Fraser's heart overrides his fear and forces him back toward what must be a very confused Ray. :)

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

I wonder how Ray will react when sweaty Fraser shows up to jitter on his doorstep. :D

Thank you kindly for the comment.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I love this! It's a great way to showcase the relationship Fraser has with Dief as well as his loneliness.

But by virtue of higher thought, Fraser controlled his own pacing, and on thin ground-layer snow (katiksunik) over long distances, he would draw near and they'd settle into their standard lope, one just behind the other.

My inner backstory for Fraser says that he learned both English and Inuktitut as milk languages. I like that Fraser thinks about the snow in English and then uses the other, more accurate word. :)

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Hey primrose:

I love the image of Fraser and Dief together, a pack of two.

Your backstory is totally believable to me.

Thank you for reading, and thanks for the note! :)

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I love the image of Fraser and Dief together, a pack of two.

Dief was Fraser's partner first, before the Rays. I adore him. Not to take away from the Rays, of course. *g*

Your backstory is totally believable to me.

I have a giant bio of Fraser (http://primroseburrows.livejournal.com/391887.html#cutid1) living in my head. I'm only mildly obsessed with him. No, really. :)

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Personally, I like the image of a very serious, mature-before-his-time young Benton, as Bob describes him in his journal in the pilot. I can see him being a little man.

I found his interactions with Mark Smithbauer to be fascinating as well. Both because he knew Mark was lying, but also the disappointment that was so tightly contained when Mark implied Ben was working for him (the scene in the corridor after the stick incident). A lot of people write Fraser as having hero worship of Mark when they were kids, but I can see their interaction as Fraser being the more mature one, keeping them out of real trouble, while Mark gave him the comraderie he was perhaps missing.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Personally, I like the image of a very serious, mature-before-his-time young Benton, as Bob describes him in his journal in the pilot. I can see him being a little man.

I definitely see him as mature before his time, reading the books when his friends were watching TV, and being the odd one out because of his maturity and stoicism. I do think that he played childhood games, although he might have preferred books over Monopoly (and when he did play, I can see him as being the banker).

I should watch the Smithbauer ep again. I've only seen it all the way through once. I'm not sure Fraser has the same kind of hero worship other people do. He must have had a kind of symbiosis with Mark, keeping him from trouble while basking in his friendship.

[keerawa.livejournal.com]

The description of Fraser running through the snow with Dief was breath-taking. This line was especially powerful: One human he could claim in his heart, if not out loud.

I can see the west/east dichotomy as Fraser's past and future. But that might just be the crazy talking.

[arrow00.livejournal.com]

I think you are spot on with the past-vs-future direction. Thank you kindly for the lovely note!

[vickitub.livejournal.com]

Beautiful and though provoking it really got to my heart thank you