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| [After Seven Years...] ( 1, 2 and 3) by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) trueriverRalph/Laurie, Laurie/Andrew. Captures Renault's style perfectly. ‘You’re late, aren’t you, Spud?’ He sounded off-hand, but spoke easily, even lightly. Laurie shrugged as he stood up, his face twisting as a sudden pain shot up his leg, but what he felt most was a low despair.
‘What’s wrong?’ Had Ralph spoken in the tone Laurie had become accustomed to and learned to dread, he would have answered briefly and in the negative. But there was something in it that reminded Laurie achingly of the past, a note that Ralph still cared about him.
Laurie came up to Ralph silently and slid his arms around his waist, expecting indifference, but needing the feel of him even so. He rested his head against Ralph’s neck and closed his eyes. Ralph held him for a moment without speaking.
‘Come and sit down, Spud. Tell me what’s going on.’ It was the tone Laurie remembered; gentle, caring, and it was real. | |
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| [Missing (Parts 1 and 2)] by trueriverRalph/Laurie. Slightly hit-and-miss in terms of tone, but when it gets it, it gets it. Lovely. ‘Andrew has met someone, someone older. Another Friend.’ He folded the letter and pushed it away, an unbearable weariness stealing over him. They were both silent, and after a moment, Laurie felt obliged to speak.
‘Ralph. You were right. About the way it would go, I mean.’
‘Well there you are, Spud.’ Ralph said quietly, but not unkindly.
‘It used to get to me, the way you thought you knew these things, but –‘
‘Do you know how I knew?’ Laurie looked across at him and shook his head dumbly.
‘I knew because that’s how it was with us, with you, I mean.’ | |
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| [ Imperfect Player] by bandonbansheeRalph/Laurie. And this is one way it ended. Ralph’s pride finally faltered and he crossed the floor to the sideboard. He poured himself a double of rum and drank it down in one. Laurie watched him keenly; saw how it slid down Ralph’s throat like water. Salt water, perhaps, or maybe Laurie was taking liberties in his perception of Ralph; it would not be the first time.
Ralph’s hand did not shake as he poured another two drinks. He did not look at Laurie; it was easier to remain composed that way. Laurie looked down and caught a glimpse of something; a fencing foil, the fencing foil. It was in the corner, between the sideboard and the wall.
He glanced up again and, with a start, found himself looking straight into Ralph’s blue eyes. Like an automaton, he took the proffered drink and realised that he did not know what to say; none of this was quite what he had expected, after all; he could not rehearse for this of all things. He closed his eyes and took a gulp of his drink; strong, Ralph always made them strong. | |
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| [ 1958] by lorie945Ralph/Laurie. Post-book, and so perfect I couldn't suppress a squee. "You can see, now, that it wasn't necessary to hold back things from me, as if I'd fall apart when faced with the facts of life." Andrew looked out the window for a moment, blindly, then turned back. "That man, whoever he was, told the truth in one respect. Lanyon... anyone would realize, just from how you look at him."
Laurie took a deep breath. There was nothing to protect Andrew from, not any longer. "Ralph and I have been together since we met up during the war."
Andrew's face twisted with some emotion that was too fleeting to identify. "Well, yes. Dunkirk and all that, and he's very charming. Even out of uniform, he looks like a hero."
"Andrew," he began, but what could he say? I loved you more, once? He couldn't; it felt like treachery. Then it sank in that Andrew sounded almost jealous. Laurie recalled their conversation in the kitchen at the hospital, Andrew admitting to uncertainty and his own reassurance that Andrew need never doubt his place. That was just before Nurse Sims came in for a spoon, and the memory made Laurie smile. | |
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| [ Watch One Hour With Me] by maggiehoneybiteRalph/Laurie. An even more perfect evoking of the night of Laurie's mother's wedding. "Will you sleep now, Spuddy?"
"Don't know. You?"
A satisfied smile crept across Ralph's face. "I think I'll watch for a bit. Fire needs tending."
Laurie put his head down on his arms and closed his eyes. Ralph's hand had cautiously settled between his shoulder blades, like a small animal that has managed access to someone's lap and sits motionless in an effort not to be shooed away. The flames burned high and warmed Laurie's side; it would be a good hour still before the fire needed looking after.
"Ralph?" A straggling wave of exhilaration and gratitude washed over Laurie. He lifted his head. "That was... rather nice." | |
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| [ The Beloved] by Laura Mason Ralph/Laurie. Slots into the book so perfectly. Sweet and hot and in character. The divan mattress was on the floor before the fire, just as Laurie had arranged it on childhood nights. Even then it had meant he was breaking the rules, by allowing Gyp to sleep with him. That trespass seemed very innocent now.
"Are you done there, Spud?" Ralph crossed the room, his coat and tie gone and two glasses carefully held in his good hand. Laurie looked up from the fire he'd started and smiled, nervous but still very happy Ralph had come to him. "Let's have some champagne, then."
Ralph set down the glasses and matter-of-factly helped Laurie to his feet before moving to wrestle the cork from the bottle and pour. Laurie watched him work, watched the extra steps necessary because of his hand, and thought about Andrew. If it weren't impossible, if Andrew knew and wanted to give him this, would Laurie be able to forget he was a cripple? Could he possibly be as calmly accepting with someone whole and unscarred as he was tonight, with Ralph? | |
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