Taste the rainbow!

[thatrcooper]

I have had way too much cranberry juice (without even any vodka in it, boo) and eaten like a bajillion (three) See's Marshmallow Easter Eggs. Yet somehow I am still in a good mood (and not puking my guts out).

I know right? I wish I had something deeper to add, but I don't, so, cracky Some Kind of Magic EXCERPT:

...

Ray scratched his nose, tried to clear his senses, but then moved when he couldn’t. He headed out, pushing past Ross without an apology and ignoring his offers of help.

He just needed out. Now. Fresh air. It had been too long since a hunt, or a trip beyond the city. And this case. Cal. Ray just needed clean air.

A dirty parking lot would have to do. He gulped in oxygen until his nostrils weren’t stinging and his blood wasn’t hot with the need to hunt, and then he turned, unsurprised to hear Cal approaching. He was dressed today, in a tight t-shirt and jeans. How considerate of him. He looked good, but it was nothing to how he smelled, and he was studying Ray so carefully that Ray wanted to ask what he looked like to Cal, if he shined.

“So Penn looked it up in the car, and she says there’s a werewolf who lives in the woods outside of town that this guy tried to beat up in a biker bar a few months ago.”

He didn’t seem to be reacting any differently than he always did to Ray’s presence, so Ray nodded slowly, returning to the present. “The case was pending.” He paid attention to werewolf cases, rare as they were. This one had been a simple assault charge, or not so simple, as the charge had been against the human.

“So…” Cal shifted, came closer, bright and immediately calming with his echoes of cottoncandybubblegum. Childhood pleasure in what was in front of him. Need. No fear.

Why him? Ray almost asked himself again, but couldn’t when the funhouse, carnival midway scent of Cal was so near and dear to him. He was probably staring, mooning, but for once Cal didn’t seem to notice.

“Maybe it’s not related, but she says you have to check it out.” Cal shifted position again, staring out at the cars and the road and not Ray. They weren’t touching, but when Ray glanced down he could see his shoes getting covered in glitter. Cal abruptly, finally looked at him again, reading something in Ray’s face that made him sigh.

“What?” Ray wondered. It was as close as he could get to asking the rest, what Cal saw when he looked at him. There was too much hope in his voice as it was. Cal sighed again, then shook his head.

“So I was thinking…” Cal paused, rolling one hand and trying to look more beautiful, or persuasive, Ray wasn’t sure, but he managed to do both. “…Road trip?” he asked finally, then hopped when Ray lifted one brow. It wasn’t a no and they both knew it. “Sweet! I call shotgun!”

Damn Ray wanted to smile. He had to fight to sound stern, to wonder where his dark mood had gone.

“No way. You take the back again.” Then he stopped, looking past the yellow tape and over at poor Benedict, who still looked queasy, then to Penn, who was watching them from the car. He looked back into green and gold and chocolate eyes. Shiny. Yes, Cal was shiny to him. “You sure you want to ride in a car with a savage, murderous werewolf, Petunia?”

Cal wrinkled his nose. It was irritatingly cute.

“You want to ride in a car with a hyper, weak, no good half-fairy, Fifi?” he inquired smoothly, then danced toward the car with a crazy pirouette.

Ray grinned after him, faintly.

“You forgot slutty,” he shouted.

“Please!” Cal didn’t even bother to turn back to him. “Pixies are way sluttier. Besides, half-fairy, remember?”

...


Act fast with a request and I'll commentfic them for you. :P

On a semi-related note, Cal would totally suck dick for Skittles.

Comments

[xelloss-poo.livejournal.com]

Oooo. I'm getting excited about this one.

On a semi-related note, Cal would totally suck dick for Skittles. XD XD XD

But I don't know what I should request. D:

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

On a semi-related note, Cal would totally suck dick for Skittles. XD XD XD

But I don't know what I should request. D:



Cal reeeeally likes candy. heh

Maybe I will think of something while at work today.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

One thing about fairies that not too many people knew was that they didn't especially like winter. Ray certainly hadn't known it until he'd lived with one, and as the days got shorter and darker and the sun was more often than not covered by clouds, a lot of the fairy seemed to lose some of their spark.

He should have noticed before. After all, he lived in a state known for its mild winters, which was one of the reasons it had such a large fairy population. Even in his days as beat cop he'd noticed many fairies traveling south for the winter, migrating to the tropics, visiting warm beaches for months at a time. He'd just assumed fairies went where the parties went, when he'd thought about it all.

He had even noticed a dimming of Cal's radiance around Christmas and New Year's, but on the few occasions he'd asked, Cal had waived him off and gone back to mainlining bags of brown sugar.

Now that they lived together he could see it, a heaviness in Cal's motions--when he moved at all--and a marked decrease in his glitter production. Worse was how Cal himself seemed to shrink, perhaps affected by some fairy version of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or perhaps dwarfed by the layers of clothes he suddenly required to stay warm. Fairies were creatures of sunshine, Ray shouldn't have forgotten.

But cold had never been a problem for Ray. He ran hot as it was, and if he did get chilled, he only had to shift for a nice layer of fur. But he didn't say anything when the heater started being set to higher and higher temperatures and the house was like a sauna; he just came home, stripped off his clothes and sank down next to a moody, clingy Cal.

Of course, "moody" Cal meant Cal about the same but quieter, and "clingy" wasn't much different from his normal tendency to have grabby hands when Ray was around. But Ray noticed the difference, felt it, and he couldn't stand it anymore.

He took a half day and showed up at the house mid afternoon, when he knew Cal was home. The house was blazing. Ray ignored that as he walked in, hauled a stunned Cal up off the couch and pulled a fuzzy, knitted cap over his head, making sure to cover the chilly, pointed tips of his ears.

"Ray, wha...?" Cal started, slower than he would normally have been. Ray just spun him around, then started to slip him into the heavy pink parka he kept by the door. He had to be careful of Cal's wings, but Cal held still, just looking at him.

That worried Ray more then he could say. Cal should have had a thousand questions, and kisses, and smiles, as Ray walked through the door. Ray grabbed the long scarf with the puffballs all over it and wrapped it carefully around Cal's neck. He put on his gloves, then bent down to put on warmer socks over Cal's other pair of socks and then work his feet into boots.

Then he kissed the tip of Cal's nose and handed him the peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles that he'd brought home just for him.

"Aw," Cal said, like he was going to make a joke, but then gave a sniff, like he might cry. "Oh, Ray Ray." He licked at the whipped cream and then took a sip of his drink. There was a small, but distinct burst of brighter glitter about him and Ray suppressed a relieved sigh. "Where are we going?"

"The arboretum. They have a butterfly exhibit."

"Butterflies!" Cal's voice rose. Color entered his cheeks. Ray was pretty sure he could hear his wings trying to flap against the parka. "I like butterflies! And it's so warm in the arboretum! And butterflies! This hot chocolate is good! Is that peppermint?"

"I know." Ray had to keep his voice low, or he'd probably be growling and snuffling against Cal's ear as he grabbed him and held him close. Cal was talking again, thinking again, excited. It was beautiful. Ray held out his hand. "Come on."

He hear Cal humming and slurping his chocolate as they walked out together into the mild, breezy 65 degree afternoon.

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

I hate you. You make me like mushy stuff.

First I lost my mojo, now my cool is gone.
:)

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Where did your mojo go? Did it slink out, embarrassed, as Cal and Ray got all mushy and cuddly?

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

Pretty much, yes.:)

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmmm, *pixies*. :)

I kind of think that Cal could make a huge, pervy show about eating skittles just to get some dick.

Request: any character you like, coming out to someone(s). Preferably because they want to, but it doesn't have to be a planned thing.

What say you?

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Ooh ok. Any character? Coming out? I shall have to think about it. Because now, sadly, it's morning, and I have to go to work. Expect a commentfic tonight.

(I'm on a Dolly Parton kick now thanks to Jane! lol!)

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

*Any* character, yes, but if you can't make up your mind or something, Morgan, Danny and Nick would work?
(This is not a pointed 'hint', it's just in case you draw blank.)

What did Jane do? Did I miss something?

Dolly is unnaturally great. I've had 'Travelin' Through' on my main playlist for a year.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

I have not drawn a blank. I shall scribble something tonight.

Jane sent me a link to awesomeness. I shall forward.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

That was a lot of "shall". :)

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

Two is not a lot.

I give you points for trying.:)

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Shit I fucked up the order of the commentfic by replying to the wrong thread. Whoops!

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

Yet, you cleverly numbered them so nobody was confused.
Stealth!genius!

2

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

"Raymond." Ray looked over at his mother through his loose, falling hair. She stood tall and straight, her hair without a touch of gray, her arms toned as she sliced up more steak. She smelled like perfume and wine and blood, a weird mix like ironstrength and softwarm.

He looked at the floor. "No one is going to go with me," he mumbled. Not who he wanted anyway. His mother made a noise.

"Didn't I tell you on Saturday that CiCi next door said she'd go with you?"

Ray hadn't forgotten. How could he? Humiliation of being found a date by his mother made him squirm. CiCi's family lived on the next property over, just on the outskirts of town, and had gotten used to their werewolf neighbors years ago.

CiCi was fifteen and pimply and very sweet but...

"She isn't who... She's not..." Ray bit back the rest and turned. He opened the fridge and rooted around. He took out the milk carton and took a long drink from it. Any other time his mother would have smacked the back of his head for that. Now she just waited, patient.

"Raymond." Worryworryworry radiated from her. He had to turn. "Have you asked anyone?"

"No." That made it worse. Ray closed his eyes, but suddenly all he could see was himself trying to ask that question, how his voice would change, drop, subtly change into a growl the longer he talked. As close as he'd have to be to ask, his instincts would be so much stronger, overpowering, and he wanted...he wanted...

He was growling and opened his eyes to stare at his mother, absolutely mortified. Her eyes were wide and he couldn't help it, he howled.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Baseball practice after school meant Ray was home just after sunset, but he was still surprised to see his mom home. Working in the law office meant she kept whatever hours her boss kept, but maybe he didn't have a pressing case tonight because his mom's car was in the driveway and he could see lights on in the kitchen.

Ray didn't swear out loud, not with her sharp hearing, but he picked up his backpack and his gym bag and moved as quickly as he could through the back door and past the kitchen.

"Raymond." He froze at the single word and heaved a sigh.

"Hey, mom," he started as he turned around. He dropped his bags and came forward into the kitchen to kiss her cheek. He didn't have to stoop, but she turned her cheek up anyway, and he tried to keep himself angled sideways so she wouldn't see.

He still didn't know if it was a mother thing or her greater experience with filtering out smells letting her detect hurtpainwound, but she inhaled and then grabbed his arm with one hand. She used her other hand to turn his face toward her.

He could have shaken her off, he was stronger now and still growing, but at her soft growl he ducked his head and held still.

He'd been planning on running out into the woods behind their house tonight and shifting for a hunt so the extra strength would make him heal faster. A hunt where he could stretch and be himself not have to bend his shoulders to fit in small high school doorways and where he didn't have to hold back. It would be just the wolf and the scents of wild and free. It was the only time he felt normal anymore.

Now his mom was gently touching the tender skin around his left eye. He half expected her to put some of the raw meat out on the counter in front of her on his eye, but instead she took a piece of the bloody steak and popped it in his mouth.

Then she let go of him and went back to preparing dinner.

Ray was actually starving. He always seemed to be starving these days. Then he'd wake up bigger and taller with more hair all over him and be more hungry than he'd ever been in his life. So he chewed and swallowed before looking at her again.

"I was going to ask if you'd thought about what we talked about on Saturday, but I guess now I'll just ask, was anyone else hurt?"

She meant, had he hurt any humans? Ray shook his head. Not much. Just what it had taken to push the other guy off and let him know it would be a mistake to try that again. One slight push of Ray's paw--hand--and he'd been on his ass on the dirt in front of everyone, his eyes wide with real fear before he'd hidden it.

Ray had had to stop himself from shaking, or shifting, or following the action with another, going for the throat.

He realized he was snarling and stopped, flushing hot. His mother wouldn't blame him for that, she was always telling him and his sister that puberty was a hard time for werewolf, saying it so often it was embarrassing. But she was right. Everything made him want to shift, pounce. He felt hot.

"They are weaker than we are and don't know any better. But for this to work, they can't fear us." She took a sip of her white wine.

"I know." Ray sighed and kicked the fridge, lightly, with his cleat. "But he said..." Just like that, he shut his mouth and clenched his jaw.

Senior prom was coming up, everyone was supposed to go, with a date. Even the Were you might want on your team because he swings the bat harder than anyone else, but don't really want to party with.

"It doesn't matter, he was right."

3, the end

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

"I don't want to go with a girl, all right? I want to take Bradley Carmichael!" Take him. That was exactly right. Ray had barely ever spoken to him, didn't dare, but he didn't care about the dance, he wanted to take him, to get him in his dad's old truck and pin him down and just bury himself in him. Find out his scent, his up close, turned on scent, and lick it up, he wanted to taste him and he still wasn't sure about anything, what to do outside of pictures and porn, but he wanted that too, again and again.

With someone he'd never even spoken too outside of grade school. He wasn't even sure when it had happened. The feelings weren't new--about thirteen and any pleasant scent had set him off, to the point where he'd had to take time off from school and disappear into the woods until he could control himself in public--but they were so much stronger now. Nearly unbearable.

He liked Bradley, liked his shiny blond hair, his loud, sassy way of talking and commanding attention, how funny he was in the school plays, the way he sang. He liked how he looked back at Ray sometimes, like he'd never seen anyone so fascinating.

But he was... Ray was already enough of a freak at his school. People should have been used to Beings by now, but the old lies and prejudices remained, and this... Even if he did ask, he was sure Bradley would say no.

And his mom, what was she going to think? It wasn't hated among his kind, but their pack was so small, just the three of them, and he was supposed to be...

Ray jumped as his mom came forward and took his face in her hands.

"Raymond," she said, and her gaze, her smell, were so much calmer now, even amused. He glared at her, but there wasn't much force in it. "You have been spending too much time with the humans. They forget things they once knew. I knew a fairy once..."

The idea of his mother talking to a fairy at all was distracting, but Ray didn't get a chance to ask.

"What I'm saying is, ask this boy, Raymond. If you think our people would care then you've forgotten everything I've taught you. And most humans have long ago stopped bothering about that when they have bigger things to be afraid of."

She smiled, her canines very obvious.

"I..." Ray couldn't speak. Which was probably for the best when his mom stepped away and went back to her steak and wine.

"Don't act so surprised," she went on smoothly. "Your father and I could smell the infatuation all over you every time you met a new little boy. It isn't like we didn't know. Now go get cleaned up for dinner."

Ray stared at her for another moment, his face burning so much he forgot about his eye, and then turned to leave the room and go clean up.

Re: 3, the end

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

Holy shit! This is just priceless and I love it madly!
*jumps up and down*

Dude. Seriously. Guh.
Fuck, I don't have words for how good this is!

(Ps. For some reason I was certain you'd do Charlie. Like, dead certain. My mojo is goooooone!:)

oh you lost your mojo here.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Well Ray kind of is Charlie...without the spanking kink. So it kind of works. I imagine Charlie coming out was much the same, only when he was in college and not with a black eye and maybe his sisters ratted him out first.


Poor teenage!hormone-crazy!shifting!horny!gangly!Ray!!!

Poor baby, being thirteen must have been hell for him.

Re: oh you lost your mojo here.

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

I vote for sisters ratting Charlie out. Because that's what sisters do.:)

And I totally love Ray's mom. (...who is still Claudia Black in my head.)

[plainapple.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? Damn it! I'm acting slow today!

I demand my comment fic anyway!!! Gives me puppy/pixie!!!

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

You know, in this universe, pixies are distinct creatures, so I was all like, does she want dog/pixie porn????GROSS.

And then, duh, I got what you meant. heh

Nothing more specific than that for the prompt?

[plainapple.livejournal.com]

I'll think of something better, let me gestate on it. I don't want to waste this opportunity.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Good because all I got last night were like...Cal realizing Ray's in love with him, or Ray meeting Cal's mother, sort of randomness.

Also I wrote ridiculously sugary fluff up top for xelloss poo.

[plainapple.livejournal.com]

Okay, something less shmoopy? How about this: As we all know Ray senses and, well, *needs* are heightened during the full moon. Cal decides to test how heightened by playing a fun, fun game of hide-the-fairy to see how long it will take Ray to hunt him down.