The Goodwill Parade
by Pita Patter

Constable Benton Fraser licked his lower lip and inspired deeply to calm himself, and he did it in the most unaffected way, so no one could tell how uneasy he really was. Worst part of it, he did not even know for sure what was making his so nervous.

The last two weeks had been sheer hell. Two weeks since he had seen Ray last. Two wholes weeks. Although Benny had gone through them in his usual stoic way, as always, his heart ached, his mood was sour and his work suffered terribly. Living without Ray was hell to Benny, who would never say it aloud, but admitted it whole-heartedly in the privacy of his thoughts.

He was breaking apart. Benny knew Ray was all tied up in a very gruesome murder in the West Side. A drug bust had gone really bad, a cop had been shot and killed and Ray had barely been able to tell him he was too busy. That was all Benny knew. What Benny feared, however, was that Ray might be having second thoughts about what happened between them when they went horse-riding two weeks before.

Benny smiled when he thought about it. It had been so beautiful. Benny had to practice for the Goodwill Parade, and Ray had taken him horseback riding in the countryside. There they had found how they felt about it each other and it all ended up in two whole days of frenzied lovemaking. Benny had never been so happy in his entire life, not even when he graduated from the Depot. He loved Ray so much, and to find that Ray felt the same about him had been a dream come true.

Now, however, Benny was afraid that Ray had changed his mind and was avoiding him. The Mountie had heard the criminals responsible for the murder on the West Side had been arrested that morning, and still Ray had not called him. When Benny called the precinct, Elaine had told him Ray had just left a note saying they would meet in the Goodwill Parade. Nothing more.

The Parade was about to begin, and all delegations were positioned in the end of Michigan Avenue, near the Bears Stadium. Few times Benny was so detached from everything that was happening. He was aware he was representing Canada in front of all those people. Inspector Thatcher made sure he knew that any bad image of Canada would be severely punished. Frankly, he would do little besides riding a horse and carrying the Canadian flag in front of a hockey team from Vancouver.

Benny was fully aware of his nervous state, and he was also aware that it had nothing to do with the parade. It was not jitters, as Ray would say. It was other thing entirely. His heart was not there. Not in that place.

The Mountie checked his uniform once again, already knowing it was spotless, flexed to look at his shiny well-pressed boots, then cooed the horse that would be his companion in the event. The animal seemed a little calmer since he started whispering smoothing words in its ear. He looked behind him, and the hockey players were shouting and laughing, waiting for the parade to begin.

Benny then looked to the front, where the delegations arranged in alphabetical order. He spotted the colourful clothes from the Cameroon dancers and pondered on their contrast with the introspective Cambodians monks. Beyond the hockey team, there was another Chilean horse-rider, and Benny's privileged mind registered there was no delegation from a distant, tiny and poor country called Chad, the next one in the list of nations.

Everything seemed so lively. Normally, he would be relaxed and very appreciative of such a variety in cultural display. Despite his quiet nature, Benton Fraser was very fond of multicultural environments. But in that particular moment, he was craning his neck to catch up with the loud and flamboyant Italian delegation, in the silent hope -

//Hope of what? That he shows up? There is a distinct possibility that he is not even here as he said he would. There is also a distinct possibility he may never want to see you again.//

One thing Benny was grateful: during these two weeks his father blessed him with the grace of his absence. They had had enough arguments due to Benny's feeling towards Ray before those glorious two days, and Benny was not up to more heated discussions with his dead ancestor.

"Hey, Dudley Do-Right! Why don't you move?"

Startled by the impatient Chinese woman, Benton quickly climbed up in his horse and moved along as the participants proceeded in the Goodwill Parade. He put his best sentry-duty façade and rode among the crowd, proud and disciplined in the surprisingly warm spring afternoon. There were a few hundred spectators along most part of the Michigan Avenue, although the parade was only up to Congress Highway. All traffic was diverted at the Art Institute.

It was hard to distinguish any particular noise in the cheering crowd. The loudspeakers posted along the avenue announced the delegations as they passed the marked spot of the Hilton Towers. It was a festive environment, the setting sun shed various shades of colours upon the participants, and the audience clapped their hands in joy. There was cheerfulness, excitement and warmth all around. But not to Benton Fraser. His heart knew only rain, gloom and cold. For his Ray of sunshine was away from him.

It was dusky when the parade was over, and Benny saw that the hockey players were back at their hotel, which was also on Michigan Avenue. Now it was time to take the horse to the Consulate and head home. For a lonely Saturday night, he remarked. Benny did not dare to pick up Dief from Willie Lambert's house. The wolf would only add grief to his misery.

The last vestiges of the sun were disappearing when Benny rode the horse in Lincoln Park, and decided to run for a while in the grass near the monument to President Grant. The animal would appreciate a break from so much time with asphalt under its hooves.

The horse was docile although there seemed to be some traffic difficulty in Lakeshore Drive. There was an infernal sound by the road, and Benny spotted the unidentified offending car in a distance. He sped the animal. The car continued to hunk its horn. Worse, the vehicle went after him. Eventually, the car caught up with man and horse.

When Benny recognised it, he halted the horse, all blood draining from his face.

"Ray?"

The cop silenced the Riviera and got off from the car, running a bit. "Hey, Benny!"

Benny waited until Ray got closer. "Hello, Ray."

"You looked nice in the parade."

"Were you there?"

Ray frowned. "I said I would be. I brought Maria and the kids, too. They wanted to talk to you, but you had left already. Didn't you get the message I left with Elaine?"

Benny blushed intensely. "Er... Well, I... Yes, Ray, I got the message, but..." The Mountie stopped and lowered his head.

Once again, Ray frowned. "Benny, what is it?"

It was such an effort to control his voice. "I was not sure you meant it, Ray."

"I meant it? What is that supposed to mean, Benny? I don't understand. Is there something wrong?"

"Well, Ray... I..."

Ray shook his head and interrupted him. "No, Benny, there definitely is something wrong." He looked at his friend up on the horse. "You better come down here and tell me before I wring my neck from trying to look at you."

Benny dismounted, chagrin. "I am so sorry, Ray." He didn't say why he was sorry. He wasn't sure he himself knew.

Ray obviously thought Benny meant a simple apology. "Hey, no problem, Benny. You get the horse back, then we talk. What do you say?"

"Fine, Ray."

"Good. Lead the way, I'll follow you."

"Follow us?"

"Benny, you will need a ride back from wherever it is that you will return the horse. I will go with you."

"Yes, but... I have arranged so that the horse would be safe tonight in the Consulate. Their owners will pick it up tomorrow." The Mountie's face lit up with a smile. "So I think we'd better go together, Ray. If you park the car, we will go on horse."

"In a horse? We are in the middle of Chicago!"

"The Consulate is not so far from here. Please Ray."

The Italian sighed. There was nothing Benny would ask him that he could deny. "Alright, then, Benny. Let me just put the Riv somewhere safe."

A few minutes later, Ray was almost in a deja vu feeling: he was riding a horse with Benny. There was a six-foot Mountie hunk on his back, Mountie arms around the cop's waist so he could have the reins. Ray was not sure if Benny was still on the same wavelength with him. The weird Canadian seemed to be holding something from him. So, despite everything his body was telling him, maybe it was better to stick to riding things until they could talk properly.

"So, Benny..." Ray half turned his head, even though Benny was right behind him. "Aren't those things supposed to come with a saddle?"

Benny was really close to him. "They normally do, Ray, but I took the saddle off so we could better fit."

"Can the horse take both of us?"

"She is a good horse. I am sure she doesn't mind giving you a ride. I know I don't mind it."

Something in the way Benny said those words made Ray's penis start to take interesting in the situation. The Italian tried to focus. "Good, Benny, because I think we are heavy."

"In that case, Ray, maybe we should get to the Consulate as fast as we can."

"You mean running with a horse all over Chicago?"

"I mean going with the fast horse-pace, Ray. We can gallop there and go faster so the horse won't be, uh, strained with our combined weight."

"Go faster?" Ray sounded alarmed.

"Don't worry, Ray" Benny got closer, and Ray felt his thighs pressing the back of his own thighs. Ray's body shuddered once, and Benny's voice was low in his ear. "I will not let you fall from the horse."

Ray was having trouble breathing, lest talking. "Yeah, Benny, you do that."

The hold on his waist got tighter. "May I really do that? May I prevent you from falling?"

There it was again. The voice that made Ray go wild. "Oh, by all means, Benny."

"You might have to take the reins, then, Ray."

"I think I can do that, Benny." Ray's mouth was so dry he could hardly swallow.

There was a purr in his ear. "Good. Please take them."

Ray took the leather string in his shaky hands, and he felt strong Mountie hands on his waist. The hands travelled until they were on his belt buckle. Then the voice was once more in his ear. "Now it would be a good time to complete your horse-riding education, Ray. Would you like that?"

His mind was swimming, the blood beginning to boil. "Benny..."

"I want to make love to you now, Ray. Let me teach you that..."

"Oh, Benny..."

"Trust me, Ray".

Ray felt lips on the back of his neck, the only exposed skin by then. This time, Ray's body not only shuddered, it shook once, a violent shiver followed by a moan. The Italian's foggy brain still had not realised what they were about to do in the middle of Chicago. Benny was intent on opening his pants and taking his cock out, immediately cradling it with his warm and expert Mountie hands. Ray wanted so much to have those hands on his ass, but there was no way he could get his pants out without falling from the horse.

He moaned in frustration. "Oh, Benny... Want to feel you..."

"Just move a little, Ray. If you could just sit on your side so we can slide down your pants..."

"Benny... Benny.. I can't..." Ray's legs were trembling so much he could hardly hold himself in the horse.

"In that case, Ray, you have to examine our options. Just trust me."

And before Ray knew what was happening, Benny braced him as if he was about to make the Heimmlich technique. In the fraction of a second, Ray was minimally lifted from the horse's back and placed unceremoniously right on Benny's lap.

"Yelp!"

"Shh, Ray..."

It was so incredibly sexy and erotic that Ray could feel the world going faster. Actually, he realised, it was the horse speeding away. And the motion of the horse propelling them into the night was making his whole body bang on Benny's lap, his clothed posterior jumping up and down in Benny's groin, hammering the Mountie's dick.

"Benny! Are you OK?"

"Yeessss..." Benny was panting, and moaning, but frankly Ray did not think the Mountie seemed to be in any type of distress. Mainly because the hands were back on his cock, making sure his erection was being teased to no end. "Yessss, Ray. I am so OK... Oh, yes, Ray. Are you OK?"

"Other than the fact that I am hammering your cock and your hands are still on mine? Benny, it feels so... so... good..."

"Can you feel it, Ray?"

"I can feel you, Benny... Your dick, my ass... Oh, yes... Like I always want it to be..."

"I would like to take your clothes off, Ray... And then... I want you to... to... be in me..."

"Yes, Benny, me, too... Crazy Mountie..."

"Crazy about you, Ray..."

"Oh, Benny..."

There was pressure building in Ray's groin as he felt more of Benny's hands and the horse speeding up, almost in synch with their activity. They were no longer in the park, but they were going so fast that it would be hard for a pedestrian to spot what they were really doing. Ray knew he could no longer wait, not after those horrible weeks, all the frustration being released in the horse race.

"Benny, I... can't hold on!... Oh, Benny, you are so good, so... Oh jeez!"

Benny was having troubles of his own, panting, wheezing, moaning. His own penis was squeezed in the confines of his riding pants, and Ray's ass was hammering on it, increasing the teasing, the desire. "Yes, Ray...! Ray, Ray...!"

The horse did not stop, nor did Ray's wild climax, as he screamed on the top of lungs while shooting his seed on Benny's hand and the horse's mane. In a few minutes, the body below his was also trembling as Benny muffled a grunt in his ear, and the cock his ass was pounding began to soften.

The horse galloped away in the Chicago night, as both tried to catch their breath, muscles relaxing. Suddenly, Benny grabbed the reins from Ray's hands and halted the horse.

"Woha, Benny! What you think you are doing?"

"We are here, Ray." Benny gestured to the building. "The Consulate."

Ray's eyes were big as he eyed the building. He never realised their bearing during their romantic escapade. "Oh. Yes, so we are."

Benny slid down the horse and helped Ray dismount. Then he took the reins and said. "Let me take care of the horse, Ray. I will be right with you."

Benny took the animal in the spot he had previously arranged for it in the garage. There was water, a bit of food and the animal was glad to be out of his own riding paraphernalia. As Benny arranged everything, he smiled at what had just happened. He could not believe Ray was there with him. He thought he had lost him for sure, and the mere thought of a Rayless life made his heart clench. Tears were already leaking before he could stop them.

"Do you want to talk now?"

He turned around to see a Chicago cop leaning on the doorway, staring at him. Apparently, said cop was also psychic. Ray saw the tears on his beautiful Mountie's face. "Benny?"

"I am sorry, Ray. I just..." He could not finish what he was going to say.

Ray sighed. "Benny, tell me what is wrong. You seemed like you wanted to run away from me before I caught up with you in the park. Then you said something I did not understand. Did I offend you some way? If that is the case, I did not mean to, Benny, I am sorry."

"No, Ray," said Benny, getting away from the horse, flushed and failing to stop the tears. "I thought you... I was under the impression.... I just assumed you were trying to terminate our relationship."

The Italian was taken by surprise. "Terminate?! Why, Benny? Is that what you want?"

Benny was so ashamed he could not face Ray. "No! No, Ray, but I thought you did want it."

"Why?" Ray's voice seemed sad. "What made you think so, Benny?"

Benny was so ashamed that he dedicated to pass the floor under a severe review. "Well, you seemed to be... involved in other things, Ray. Maybe you could be having second thoughts about us, and you could be trying to get away from me. People always leave me, Ray, in one way or another, and I am used to that. Also, they often don't say goodbye explicitly, so there was a chance -

There was a quick motion and then he was scooped by a tender cop's arms. "No, Benny, no, please. I don't even want to hear that. I know people have hurt you, but I will not do that. I know we have been apart these two weeks, and I am sorry for that, Benny, but I said I love you. I meant it when I said then, and I mean it now. I am so sorry, Benny."

Ray stood back to look at Benny. There was a path of tears from blue eyes that were twin pools of misery. Ray's heart almost broke at the sight, but he forced a reassuring smile. "I do love you, Benny. I intend to keep doing that forever, you understand?"

There was a tiny squeak, instead of the powerful Mountie voice. "Really, Ray?"

Ray took a finger and gently wiped the wetness from those pink cheeks. "Absolutely. I missed you so much these two weeks, Benny. I don't want to go through that again. Ever again."

For the first time, Benny tried to smile. "I missed you, too, Ray. I just wanted to make love to you once more. Even if you did not want me, it would be our goodbye"

"On a horse?" Ray's eyes gleamed in lust. "Benny, that was so wild."

"It was very... appropriated for a member of the Mounted Police."

Ray rubbed his elegant nose against Benny's. "I hope you have more ideas like that soon."

"So you liked it?"

"More than liked, Benny." Ray took Benny's left hand in his and tugged him. "Come. Let's get the Riv and go home. I want a round two."

They started to walk side by side, shoulders brushing. Benny whispered, "Wish I could hold hands with you, Ray".

"Yeah, Benny, me, too. Someday we will be able to do that, I am sure."

They smiled to each other, a thousand unspoken words of love exchanged in that look. Then Benny asked, "Don't you want me to drop by your house and talk to Maria's children?"

Ray shrugged. "Nah. The rug rats probably are already asleep. And after such a long day defending Canada, you must be tired, Benny." Ray smiled with a different gleam in the green eyes. "I want to make sure you get into bed really early."

Benny blushed thoroughly, pink cheeks getting red. "I would like to be in bed soon, Ray."

Ray laughed and gave Benny a side glance. "You better not say those things if you want to make it to the Riv in one piece, Mountie."

Now Benny was getting more joyful. "Mountie? What happened to Big Red, Red Pepper and Fire Hydrant?"

"Are you complaining of the way I call you?"

"No, but I was curious as to what made you change your mind."

Ray never stopped walking to whisper directly in Benny's ear. "Wait till we get home, and then you will see what new names I got for you, Benny."

The End