Disclaimer; I don't own Ryo and Dee, I just love them, love them, love them, okay?
Warning: Yaoi, of course. Sexual situations. Language. Violence. Gooshy Gooshy love between two guys, ain't it sweet? Oh, and bad Japanese. Gomen na sai (I'm sorry), but the reader will be forced, and I mean forced, to pretend it makes sense. Oh, and since an NC-17 isn't any place for a child, Bicky has been, once again, sent to camp.
"Konichiwa." The tall, lanky detective was hunched over his book, scowling at a page from under his disordered black hair as he tried to fit his tongue around the pronunciation of the words.
"Sayonara."
"Yamero."
"Genki desu ka?" said another voice in front of Dee.
The fluent Japanese caught Dee off guard. He quickly lowered his book, 'Learn Japanese in ten easy steps', and threw some report folders on top of it as his partner sat down at his desk directly in front of Dee's.
In the midst of the grungy, disordered precinct office, Ryo's bright face was sunshine come to life under a soft fall of honey colored hair. He was simply the most beautiful man that Dee had ever met, inside and out, and Dee felt himself melting with longing as Ryo gave him a gentle, teasing smile and said jokingly, "Trying to learn Japanese, Dee? You have enough trouble with English."
"I'd like to know when you're insulting me," Dee replied flippantly. "Like now. What was it you just said? Genki de- what was it?"
"Oh, uh, I said, 'How are you?'" Ryo's black eyes were warm and his smile was suddenly made more beautiful by dimples as he laughed. "You don't have to bother, Dee, I promise to always insult you in English, okay?" He sat down and began to flip through his own stack of folders as he added. "I don't usually speak Japanese anyway. My Aunt Elena doesn't speak it, only my parents did." That made Ryo's smile falter for just a moment, but then he was looking up at Dee again and the smile brightened once more.
"Thanks, Dee, or Arigato, Dee-san, if you like."
"I don't like," Dee grumbled as he pushed the book and the folders aside. "It's way too hard to learn. I was just giving up when you came in." Mentally, Dee was kicking himself for getting caught. He had wanted to surprise Ryo with some choice, Japanese words of love, but he had spent an entire hour with the book and he couldn't do more than ask where the toilet was. Dee hated getting frustrated. It was definitely not the way he wanted to start his day.
Ryo was now rummaging inside of a white bag. The man pulled out a coffee, black, and one jelly donut, strawberry. He handed them to Dee without raising his head and then began taking out his croissant and tea after Dee had relieved him of the first items. Dee settled back into his chair, legs stretched out under his desk, and bit into his donut while he openly stared at his partner.
Ryo was always so damned considerate! It rarely gave Dee a chance to reciprocate. Go out to dinner? No, I cooked dinner for you already. Breakfast? No, I stopped by the deli and picked you up something. Flowers? I grow them on the windowsill. Help you with some work? No, I already filed, stapled, and collated my work hours ago and did yours too since I had extra time! How could he, Dee, possibly compete with that? The Japanese had seemed a sure thing. What was more considerate then learning the language of the man you loved? Well, that idea was in the wastebasket too, along with the ten dollars he had spent on the damned book!
"Dee?"
Dee started, coming back to himself and realizing that he was sitting with the donut stuffed in his mouth, not eating any of it, just frozen in the act of taking a bite. He finished the bite, barely chewed, swallowed, and then wiped at his mouth with the napkins Ryo tossed across the desks towards him.
"There's some jelly right here," Ryo pointed to his own face to show Dee where it was.
Dee wiped the wrong side.
"No," Ryo tried again, "Here."
Dee missed it with the napkin.
"Here." Ryo persisted, "A little higher. Uh, Dee... almost, hn." Ryo suddenly leaned forward and wiped the offending jelly off of Dee's face with the edge of his thumb. He then sat back and licked the jelly off of himself, not thinking, just wanting the sticky sugar gone as he shuffled through his folders with his free hand.
Dee stared. Ryo had taken jelly off of his face and licked it as if it were all perfectly natural. People didn't do that for other people, men especially. It was something someone might do if they felt close to that person, completely comfortable with them. Dee found himself smiling, wide and foolish. Ryo looked up just then and saw it. He narrowed his eyes, amused. "Dee?"
"Yeah?" Dee replied distantly, still mesmerized by the image of Ryo licking his thumb.
"This Daniels case has a few leads uptown. Could you take care of the interviews, please, for these people?" Ryo slid a piece of paper with some names and addresses over to Dee. Dee took it without looking. "I would really appreciate it. I have to spend an hour or two picking up some friends from the airport."
Dee came back to himself with an effort as he digested, slowly, that information. "Sure," he said and then, curious, "Friends?"
"Yes, a couple of women I knew in high school," Ryo explained. "They were given my address by my aunt when she found out that they were going to visit N.Y.C. for the first time. She thought that I could show them the sights and that I would enjoy the visit."
Women? Dee didn't like the sound of that. "You knew them in high school?"
"You picked up on that quick," Ryo chuckled. "Are you a detective, or something, Dee?"
"Ha, Ha," Dee growled back and finished his donut in silence. He wanted to ask only one question and he didn't dare. He and Ryo were partners and best friends, but Ryo knew that Dee wanted to be much more than that. If Dee asked about the girls, and what relationship Ryo had enjoyed with them in high school, he knew he couldn't make the question sound innocent. He settled instead for a safer one. "If you want me to recommend a hotel...," he offered as he took a sip of coffee.
"No, thanks, Dee," Ryo replied breezily as he gathered his files and stood up to go do some research. "They're staying with me."
"Wha-," Dee choked on his coffee. It burned his tongue as he hurriedly stood up too. "Why are they doing that?"
"They don't have a lot of money. Hotels are expensive."
"What about Bicky?" Dee grasped at straws. This was not happening! "You don't have the room, Ryo."
"Bicky went on a trip with disadvantaged youth," Ryo explained, mind on his files. He didn't noticed Dee's growing distress as he added absently. "They take them out to a farm so that they can experience something other than the inner city."
"I hope they make Bicky shovel some manure," Dee replied, distracted by the image of the street punk cozying up to farm animals.
"He's dished out enough of it since I've known him."
"Hmm," was Ryo's response as he began to walk away, deep in thought about his case. He paused and looked back at Dee. "I'll meet you around three this afternoon to get a head's up, okay, Dee?"
"Sure, Ryo."
Dee watched his partner walk away from him as he sat down with a hard, thump! Two women staying with Ryo. Why should he, Dee, be afraid of that? Ryo had already proven that he had little to no libido. He had to have his clothes half off of him, and someone's tongue down his throat, before he even realized that he was being propositioned. For a man who had seen every kind of crime, who had proven his masculinity and bravery, again and again, by facing down truly evil criminals, Ryo was still so much an innocent when it came to certain things; childlike, almost. It was a quality that Dee loved about his partner. A woman though... what would a woman think of that kind of innocence? It would be so easy for Ryo's heart to be taken advantage of, so easy to prey on the man's gentle, good nature. Still, under that good nature, Ryo had a solid core of good sense, too, much more than Dee had himself.
"I shouldn't worry," Dee said aloud to himself.
"About?"
Dee swiveled in his chair. Berkley Rose was standing at his elbow with a sheaf of papers in one hand. The tall, blonde Commissioner, also known as the Head, was an imposing man. Dee hated him. The sentiment was mutual. Still, Dee was a professional. He wasn't going to let his emotions get the best of him, even with his rival for Ryo's affections.
"Ryo's having some company," Dee decided to reply. Let the man squirm along with him. "Some women he knew in high school."
"Women?" Berkley noticed Dee's tense face and he smiled, enjoying the man's discomfiture. "What's the matter? Think you're going to have more competition?"
"I don't have any," Dee replied through gritted teeth.
"I don't either," Berkley shot back, snorted, and held out the papers to Dee. Dee took them and began to read through them. He raised eyebrows, forgetting about his problem for the moment, and his total dislike for the Head.
"Ryo needs to know about this."
"Where is he?"
"Records. I'll take it."
"Good, do that." Berkley paused before leaving. It surprised Dee when the man said. "I've built my career on reading men, Latener. Ryo doesn't like women. He likes a man in control. That's why he's going to choose me in the end."
Dee felt anger burn him from his toes to the top of his head. Viciously, he replied. "Ryo is in control of himself, Rose."
"Is he?" Berkley sounded condescending now.
Dee took a quick look around the station. No one was paying them any attention. He looked up at Berkley and said very precisely. "If you try and 'control' Ryo, you may find out that he's more of a man than you bargained for. After he's done with you, I'll finish up, understand?"
"Threatening me, Detective Latener? That's a serious offense."
"So is sexual harassment," Dee countered. "Want to file reports together, Rose?"
Rose gave Dee a hard look. "I don't need to fight with you, Latener. You can't stop the inevitable." He motioned to the file. "Do your job. Get that to Ryo."
Whispering, "Bastard," at the Head's retreating back, Dee went to find Ryo.
Ryo was in the basement, leaning on one of the big file cabinets while he poured over an open file he had layed out on top of the open drawer. Dee stopped in the doorway to watch him for a moment. His beautiful partner was relaxed, eyes black pools of thoughtfulness, lip chewed absently between fine, white teeth. Ryo wanting a man to control him? Berkley didn't have a clue, Dee thought angrily. Ryo was as independent and strong willed as they came. Too many people were fooled by the exterior, believing that beauty never went with brains.
"You can forget that, Ryo," Dee said as he stepped forward. Ryo started, but then smiled curiously when he saw it was Dee. His hand had even gone instinctively to the butt of his gun in its holster under his arm. No, Dee thought, people just didn't know how tough and 'in control' Ryo could be when he chose.
"What's up?" Ryo asked as Dee handed him the papers Berkley had given him to deliver. Ryo frowned as he read a few lines. Sighing, he stacked the papers neatly on top of the file he had been reading. "Well, so much for that case, my perpetrator is dead of an overdose of cocaine."
"Frees me up, I guess," Dee said. "I don't have to track down your leads. Hey, why don't I drive you down to the airport? That way you and your friends don't have to take the subway."
"Would you?" Ryo asked guiltily. "I haven't seen them in so long, we're probably strangers now. I would feel more comfortable with you along."
More comfortable. Dee grinned and leaned close to Ryo suddenly, almost nose to nose. Ryo's eyes widened. "Are you more comfortable with me, Ryo? Is that what you're saying?"
Ryo swallowed. "I, uh, so ne."
"Hmm?" Dee purred as he let his magnetic green eyes drink in Ryo's black ones.
"Maybe," Ryo said in English in a very nervous voice. "I, uh, Dee..." His words just stopped as Dee's tongue very gently reached out and ran along Ryo's bottom lip, the one he had been worrying in his teeth earlier, the one that was a little swollen from the gentle torment. Ryo let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes as if he were about to faint. Dee smiled wickedly and sucked that bottom lip into his mouth. That opened Ryo's mouth to let Dee's talented tongue inside. Ryo still tasted like tea and croissant, sweet and buttery. Dee indulged himself.
"Dee, sempai!" J.J. shouted from the doorway, "Chief wants you!"
Dee started back with a guttural growl of frustration. He was going to kill J.J. one day, he swore. "Fine!" He shouted. "Go tell him I'm coming!" and then winced at his choice of words. When he looked back at Ryo, the man was gathering up his files and papers under one arm, flushed and dazed. The moment was ruined. Ryo had up all his defenses again.
"Uh, eleven o'clock," Ryo said a little breathlessly.
Dee was confused, "Huh?"
"Their flight arrives at eleven," Ryo clarified as he edged past Dee. "We should leave before then, give ourselves time to get there and park."
"Okay,' Dee sighed and jammed his hands into his pockets as he followed Ryo out of the basement, hunching his shoulders and glaring miserably at J.J. as he passed the man. J.J. looked thoroughly pleased with himself. He had been more than glad to disturb Dee, the object of his obsession, from making a move on his rival, Ryo. Dee grumbled under his breath. "Keep it up, J.J., and you're going to be doing cavity searches for a month."
J.J. winced, but then he smiled. "For the man I love, anything!"
Dee sat in the hard plastic chair at the airport staring dismally at the terminal gate. Ryo was standing with his hands in his coat pockets, dark eyes roving over the disembarking passengers for half remembered faces. Did he look eager? Dee tried to read his partner's expression. No, not eager, he decided with relief, nervous maybe.
"They're late," Ryo muttered.
Dee decided to forgo the 'duh,' statement and just sighed as he sank into his chair and stretched out his long legs in front of him, endangering the people passing by. "We're going to get in trouble if we don't get back to the station soon, Ryo. Chief wants me to interrogate that slime ball prostitution ring leader we picked up last week."
"Gomen, Dee," Ryo said absently and Dee knew he was really nervous now, to break into Japanese.
"You didn't say much on the ride here," Dee pried. "You haven't even told me their names."
"Sharon Wu and Talia Carmichael," Ryo told him with a little frown.
"What's the matter?" Dee asked. "Can't you remember much about them besides their names? That could be awkward. Is that why you wanted me to come along, to smooth over any of your memory lapses when they say, 'Hey, Ryo, remember when,' and you don't?"
"No," Ryo replied and looked down at Dee intently. Dee didn't know what that look said at all and he wished very much that he did. "I remember them, But I-"
"Randy!" A high pitched, feminine voice squealed, and a feminine version of J.J. wrapped herself around Ryo and hugged him. Ryo smiled uncertainly a he looked down at the whirlwind of designer clothes and perfumed, petite body. Japanese, most certainly with that fall of straight, black hair and that pixie face with eyes as black as Ryo's. She had red, red lips and a miniskirt that showed a pair of legs a dancer would have envied. Rings flashed on her fingers and bracelets clattered together as she reached up, pulled Ryo's surprised face down to hers, and gave him a passionate, tongue in the mouth, kiss.
Dee was standing now, stiff, and angry, staring hard at this- this , oh, but she was beautiful! She was exquisite! She was... she was damn hot! If Ryo hadn't been in his life, Dee would have latched onto her like glue.
Ryo was firmly pushing the women away, but he was smiling as he broke the kiss. "S-Sharon?" he stammered. He looked beyond her, hopefully, almost with a tinge of the frantic. "W-Where's Talia?"
Sharon still had a hold on Ryo's cheek, as if she were more than willing to wrestle with Ryo to bring him down for another kiss. "Oh, she couldn't make it, Randy- khun. Genki?"
"Fine, Sharon-Chan," Ryo replied and pulled away from Sharon's grip. Dee was frowning as the woman's fingers made a noticeable red mark on Ryo's skin. She had been gripping him that hard? What was wrong with her?
"Hey," Dee decided to break in. "Going to introduce me, Ryo?"
Ryo looked relieved. He even took a step backwards towards Dee as he said, "Sharon Wu, Dee Latener. He's my partner."
"Konnichiwa, Dee- San," Sharon replied pleasantly and even took Dee's hand in hers. She leaned close as she laughed,
"Hajimemashite?"
"He's not Japanese," Ryo told her.
"Oh, no? You're so dark!" Sharon exclaimed coyly. Her smile wasn't right, Dee thought, trying to think past the sexual attraction he was feeling for her as she added, "And handsome! Oh, well! How do you do, Dee?"
"Okay," Dee replied ungraciously, still trying to 'read' the woman as he fell automatically into the role of detective. Yes, he was right, there was something wrong with her smile. It didn't reach her eyes. The sexual attraction fizzled at once. This was a rival, Dee knew at once. She was definitely sizing him up.
"Dee will be driving us to my apartment," Ryo was saying as they turned to go to the luggage carousel. He paused and then said hopefully. "Maybe we should get you a hotel room, after all?"
"Because I'm alone?" Sharon smiled and clasped Ryo's arm. "I'm a big girl, Randy- khun. I trust you."
"Not a smart thing to do in New York," Dee warned as he trailed behind the two. "You should learn to be more suspicious. You haven't seen Ryo in a long while. He could have changed. He could-"
"Ryo?" Sharon shot a look over her shoulder and her eyes were cold. "Nobody but his Aunt Elena calls him Ryo."
Dee frowned. "Every one here calls him Ryo."
She was trying to make him feel insecure, Dee realized. She wanted to make a point to Ryo as well, that she knew him better than Dee.
"Dee's just being a good cop, Sharon," Ryo was saying. "We see a lot of people get hurt every day by people they thought they could trust."
"That's so sweet!" Sharon cooed. "Worrying about me like that! You have a very nice man for a partner, Randy-khun. Hayaku, my bag! I see it! The pink one!"
"I'll get it," Ryo offered and hurried into the mass of travelers hovering about the conveyor belt.
Dee looked sideways at Sharon and she looked sideways at him. Neither of them was smiling. "So, what's your plan?" he asked bluntly.
Sharon gave him a self satisfied smile. "You're a fag, aren't you? I can spot them a mile away."
Dee fumed, "I'm bi actually, but that's not any of your business."
"You don't have a chance with Randy," Sharon warned him. "He's definitely not gay, so stay out of my way."
"How would you know?" Dee asked with a sinking heart, feeling that he knew very well 'how'. His fear were confirmed when Sharon gave him a predatory smile and winked salaciously.
"I just climbed out of a bad relationship," Sharon told him. "Jerk didn't leave me with anything so... well, I remembered how sweet Randy used to be in high school... and elsewhere. When I ran into his aunt, and she told me he was in the very place that I wanted to be... hey, only natural that I hook up with him, ne?" Sharon narrowed her eyes warningly. "Don't get any ideas, Dee-san. He won't believe you. He'll just think you're jealous, now won't he? Or does he even know you have the hots for what's in his pants?"
Dee's hands had balled into fists and his green eyes were burning. "Why say this stuff to me? You think you can play head games with me, or Ryo? I'm going to tell him."
"Go ahead. It won't make any difference. Little Randy is a pushover and you know it. He'll believe anything I tell him and he'll end up hating you. Don't doubt it. I'm good, real good." Sharon grinned, "Don't worry, I'll have pretty Randy make you best man at the wedding."
Dee grinned back and it wasn't pleasant. "You don't know Ryo at all, do you?"
Sharon had frowned at that but Ryo was returning with the very large suitcase, struggling under its weight. It was bright pink with a lime green name tag hanging off of it. "Interesting choice," Ryo said as he set it down with a grunt of relief.
"Makes it easy to spot in a crowd, Randy- Kun," Sharon replied and her smile was soft and pleasant. "Well, iku yo....," she glanced back at Dee and said with a well planned jab, "Oh, sorry, Dee-san. I said 'let's go'. It must be hard for you, working so closely with Randy and not knowing any Japanese. Why, we used to speak it all the time in high school, didn't we Randy? It was like our own secret language. We could say anything and no one else had a clue." She said the last in such a way that it sounded lewd. Ryo blushed.
"I'm a little rusty," Ryo said deprecatingly. "I haven't spoken it much in years. I used to think in Japanese all the time and translate to English in my head when I spoke. Now, it's the other way around. Strange, isn't it, how things like that can change so quickly." When he said that he looked warmly at Dee.
Dee stumbled in shock. Had he imagined it? That intimate, knowing look from Ryo? Unfortunately, it left as quickly as it had come as Sharon tightened her hand on Ryo's arm, until Dee was sure it was hurting Ryo, and said, "But some things can still stay the same, Randy."
Ryo was looking at her in a puzzled fashion. Dee could have danced in delight. She wasn't even getting to first base with Ryo! He wasn't attracted to her at all! Dee forced himself to calm down. He was grinning like an idiot. You're a grown man! He told himself. Get a grip! You don't have to say anything now. Ryo isn't interested. Evil Sharon wasn't going to get her claws into his Ryo. I should never have doubted Ryo's almost non-existant libido.
It was a long ride to Ryo's apartment. Dee was forced to listen to Sharon prattled non stop in Japanese to his partner. She sat forward and touched Ryo on the arm, on the face, anywhere she could from her position in the back seat and his next to Dee on the front seat. It wasn't gentle touching either, it was hard, grasping, pinching, possessive touching. Dee saw Ryo wince again and again, but he was too good natured to say anything. It disturbed Dee even more when he saw the growing look of anxiety on Ryo's face. It was almost as if his partner were afraid of Sharon. Could that be? She was such a little thing, like a sparrow... an evil, bitch sparrow. Why would Ryo be afraid of someone like that?
"What nice digs!" Sharon exclaimed as they entered Ryo's apartment. Ryo liked fine things. His apartment was meticulous, uncluttered, and arranged like a team of interior designers had worked on it. Dee grunted unappreciatively. His own apartment was a bachelor hole, ragged couch in front of an old T.V., everything on cinder blocks, on the floor, or strewn across the never made bed. Sometimes, he made messes at Ryo's just to feel comfortable. His ears pricked up as Sharon added, "They must pay you well!"
Ryo shrugged, embarrassed, as he took her suitcase into Bicky's room. He had cleaned that up and made room for what he had thought was going to be two guests. There was an extra cot set up next to the queen sized bed.
Sharon was waiting for an answer, Dee saw angrily. She actually wanted to know how much money Ryo made, or, how much she was going to get out of him, Dee thought, which, he suspected, was one and the same.
"Ryo will save up for months to buy one thing for his apartment," Dee told her maliciously. "Detectives aren't rich, Sharon, especially detectives just starting on their careers."
"That's right," Ryo said as he joined them, "and they make us work long hours for our meager pay, too, so, I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly, Sharon, but I do have to get back to work."
"Wakatta, Randy- Kun," Sharon purred. "I understand."
"Make yourself at home," Ryo told her as he headed out the door with Dee. "I'll be back around six. Lock the door after I go out, too. Remember to always lock it, okay, Sharon?"
"Arigato, Randy," Sharon said with feeling. "I do appreciate all of this so much!"
"Domo, thanks," Randy replied, blushing. "Ja na, Sharon-Chan."
"Ja na, see ya, Randy."
What to say? Dee thought as they climbed into his car and drove back to the station. He glanced surreptitiously at Ryo. The man was leaning against the door of the car with his arms wrapped around his chest. He looked upset.
"Okay," Dee said at last. "Spill it!"
Ryo sat up in the seat, uncomfortable, and stared out at the city street going by. "Spill what?"
"She has you upset. You're my partner and my friend," Dee told him sternly. "Talk to me about it."
"It was all right when I thought she would have a friend with her," Ryo began.
"Which is why she told you that she was bringing one."
Ryo looked at Dee, startled. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying she planned it this way?"
"You're a detective Ryo, this should be simple."
Ryo didn't get angry, he just looked more upset. "I was hoping that she had changed."
This was easier than Dee had thought. "So, she's the kind of person likely to do that?"
"So ne," Ryo sighed. "Maybe, so."
"You're a grown man, Ryo," Dee told him as he turned the car into the station parking garage, "not a high school kid. If you think she's going to be trouble, toss her out."
"It's never that easy with Sharon," Ryo replied. "She's.... forceful, like you."
"I am not like her, Ryo," Dee emphasized each word. "I would never do anything to hurt you. Say back off, and I'll back off. Besides, since when do you let anyone run over you and tell you what to do? I've never gotten away with that, why should she?"
"She gets what she wants," Ryo said bitterly.
Dee pulled the car into a parking space, but didn't get out immediately. He put a hand on Ryo's when Ryo began to open his door. He couldn't outright accuse Ryo of being afraid of Sharon, but that's exactly what it looked like. Instead, Dee tried a sideways approach. "Tell me what she was like in high school, okay?"
Ryo began to clam up. "We should be getting back to work."
"Ryo," Dee tightened his hand. "You know everything about my childhood, but I hardly know anything about yours. Talk to me, please? The Chief can wait. The Head can wait. Hell, the whole city can wait. You're what's important, right here, right now. So, start yapping."
Ryo looked down at his lap, honey colored hair hiding his dark eyes and falling softly into his handsome face. "We... uh... we had sex together once, maybe twice when we were in high school."
Dee raised eyebrows. "You don't remember how many?"
Ryo blushed furiously. "Ano, it wasn't like that... I just, I guess I wasn't feeling well, or something. I just remember her being there and something happening. It was all very confusing." He paused and then confessed. "I've had girlfriends, Dee, but I've always wanted something more than just... sex. Sometimes, I gave in and did it with them, but I never felt good about it afterwards. Does that sound strange? Guys are just supposed to- to do it, I guess, and that's that, on to the next girl, but I never could do it that way. I didn't want to do it with Sharon, but, she's so forceful. It just happened. I almost felt like...."
"Like what?" Dee wondered, hating every girl who had been with his Ryo.
Ryo blushed harder. He began to try and open the door again, but Dee reached across and stopped him. He looked intently into Ryo's dark eyes. "Like what, Ryo?"
"Like.... Like she raped me. Isn't that stupid though?" He made an attempt to laugh and it fell flat. "She's beautiful, sexy, I guess."
"You guess? Can't you tell? I can."
"But, that's because you're bisexual and I'm-" Ryo stopped and his red blush turned stark white as the blood drained from his face.
"Not?" Dee finished. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Ryo?" Dee's heart was hammering with anticipation. Could this be the moment when Ryo finally admits-
"I'm just not attracted to Sharon," Ryo finished and Dee deflated, letting out a long, frustrated breath. He backed off of Ryo and slumped into his car seat, staring at the steering wheel.
"Well, it seems to me, that there's only one solution," Dee replied. "Tell Sharon that you're gay and that we're a couple. I'll come and stay at your place for a few nights, and sleep in your bed, until she believes it and leaves."
Ryo raised a perfect eyebrow at Dee. "Or you could just stay tonight, be your usual obnoxious self, grind potato chips into my carpet, leave beer can rings on my tables, and eat me out of house and home. Then all I have to tell her is that you do that every night, which you do, and she'll run in horror for the nearest hotel room."
"That too," Dee snorted. "Okay, anything for you Ryo."
Ryo smiled. "You're really the best friend I've ever had, Dee."
"Ditto," Dee retorted, smiling happily. He would take what he could get.
That night, at Ryo's apartment, Dee did his best to live up to his reputation. He ate noisily, talking with his mouth full as he jabbed his fork at Sharon for emphasis when he talked. Sometimes, he sprinkled her with food. After the meal, he drank the beer Ryo always kept in the fridge for him, and made sure to burp loudly and carry on as he sprawled on the couch and watched sports on the television.
Sharon tried to pretend that Dee was endearingly rough around the edges. She smiled indulgently and kept giving Ryo looks that said, 'Well, he's your friend, so I'll accept him because of that.' She was good, Dee had to admit. He would have thrown himself out by now if he had been his own guest. Even Ryo was looking a little worn at his exaggerated performance, especially when Dee did grind potato chips into his carpet and put his beer where it was sure to be knocked over and spilled. He'll thank me later, Dee thought, but was shocked when Ryo confronted him with a frown as Sharon went to powder her nose, as she had put it.
"Maybe I was wrong about her," Ryo said, looking guilty. "She's been nothing but sweet, despite the terrible things you've been doing since you came here."
Dee remembered the way she had gripped Ryo's face at the airport, the red fingerprints on his skin that had been slow to fade.
"She's playing you like banjo," Dee warned him.
Ryo sighed and ran a tired hand through his brown hair. "I think you were right when you pointed out that I'm a man now, Dee, and not a school boy. She's just staying a few nights in Bicky's room. It's ridiculous of me to be... well, nervous around her."
"I think you have a good reason to be nervous," Dee argued. "I think she wants to use you, Ryo. She needs a 'sugar daddy'."
"I'm not wealthy," Ryo snorted, not convinced. "She knows I'm just a detective."
Dee tried to find the words, needing to make it clear before Sharon returned. "Ryo, you're a very beaut- handsome man. You must know that? There are people, like Berkley Rose," He couldn't help adding, "Who are only interested in you because of that. You make enough money to keep her comfortable until she finds someone better. I'm sure you're just an attractive stepping stone for her."
"I can take care of myself, Dee," Ryo said, suddenly irritated. "You like to think I need watching, that I'm... naive or simple. I'm not. I can take care of Berkley Rose. I can take care of Sharon. " When Dee reached up to try and take hold of Ryo's hand to argue that, Ryo jerked his hand away. "And I can take care of you, too, if I have to Dee. You get away with a lot with me, but it's because I let you, understand?"
Dee sighed, but he was smiling as he stood up and stretched. Joints popped. "Sorry, Ryo. I just care, okay? I know you're a better shot than me, and you can throw me nine out of ten times when we practice self defense, so I'm not questioning your masculinity, okay? You like to take in strays though, Bicky number one on that list, in case you've forgotten about him. Sharon isn't a stray you want to take in. I can tell that she has a nasty bite. I think you know that too, which is why you didn't want to be alone with her in the first place. Let me stay, Ryo. I'll clean up my mess and crash on the couch."
It was too late to change Ryo's mind now, Dee realized. He had that firm jaw and the level eyes of a man having his competence questioned. He wasn't going to let Dee think he wasn't worth his badge. He was going to prove to Dee that he could handle a hundred pound woman, even if he was secretly afraid of her.
Dee snaked a hand around Ryo's waist and suddenly pulled him close, looking very deeply into his partner's eyes. Ryo's eyes grew wide in response, but he didn't fight Dee as Dee leaned in for a kiss. Gently touching Ryo's lips with the very tip of his tongue, Dee tickled Ryo there, asking permission by sensually running his tongue along the line of that beautiful mouth. It opened slowly, reluctantly, as if Ryo were fighting with himself and losing. Dee entered, making love to Ryo's mouth with his tongue. Ryo hung in the circle of Dee's arm, falling into the kiss, eyes half closed and pools of rising desire. When Dee broke the kiss at last, and gazed deeply into Ryo's eyes again, Dee could tell that Ryo was disappointed.
"I know you, Ryo," Dee whispered. "I know you inside and out. I care about every part of you, not just your handsome face. That's why I stop, why I never go further than you want me to. I'd die before I'd hurt you, Ryo, and I'll die before I let someone else hurt you. Understand?"
"Wakatta," Ryo breathed, and then blinked and straightened, taking his own weight again and beginning to be embarrassed. "I-I understand, Dee." He pulled away. "But, if you understand me as well, you know I have to ask you to go home. You see, I was afraid of Sharon in high school. She used to come on to me, tease me all of the time.... It's always stuck in my mind, I think, especially after- after we were intimate. I want to get over that. She's being very pleasant. I want to give her a chance. I want to have the chance to prove to myself that I can handle her."
Dee understood and didn't want to. The last thing he wanted to do was to leave Ryo with Sharon. He an awful image of seeing Ryo at work the next day with a wedding ring. Ryo was just too damned confused about what he wanted either in a relationship or his own sexuality. He needed space to make up his mind, not to be forced... Dee just stopped, his mind finally catching up with the realization that he had been doing exactly that, trying to force Ryo into making up his mind.
Dee swallowed and hid half his face behind one big hand.
"What's wrong, Dee?" Ryo asked in concern.
Dee lowered his hand. but his green eyes wouldn't look at Ryo. "I, uh, okay, Ryo. Have it your way. Sorry if I'm acting like a jerk, overreacting and all. I know you can handle any situation. You're a New York City detective, after all, right?"
Ryo touched his own lips as he looked at Dee thoughtfully. "Yeah. Thanks, Dee, for understanding and- and for caring. You like to joke," and his fingers gently tapped his lips as if he were referring to the kiss, "but I know you seriously care about me."
Dee tried not to be angry as he said carefully. "The kiss wasn't a joke, Ryo, and you know that. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable. Next time, I'll let you kiss me, okay?" When Ryo's eyes widened and the man blushed again, Dee couldn't help but grin. "I'd better go. Tell Sharon I said, 'see ya'." Yeah, see ya in Hell, Dee thought to himself as he made his way out of Ryo's apartment. And then, as he entered the elevator and leaned wearily against the railing, Please, Ryo, be able to take care of yourself!
Dee didn't go home. He couldn't explain to himself why, not in any coherent fashion, so he settled for pretending that he just wanted to get a drink in a nearby cafe, find a late night paper and catch up on the latest news, and walk the streets to take in the night life. Lie, Lie, Lie, he finally admitted to himself and did what he had wanted to do four hours ago, which was go back to Ryo's apartment and demand to babysit his partner through the night.
When Dee reached the door, he wasn't surprised to find it locked. He was surprised when he knocked, loudly, and no one answered. Dee checked his watch. It was late. Maybe they were asleep? He and Ryo had an early shift. Yeah, good excuse to use. Ryo's apartment was closer to the station. Dee had used the couch so often to avoid the rush hour traffic, that Ryo had even given him a key to let himself in. So trusted, Dee thought guiltily as he unlocked the door and slipped inside. Right then, he didn't feel trustworthy all.
The lights in the living room were still on. Curious, Dee thought, cop instincts kicking in. Ryo always turned them off before going to bed. He thought about calling out, but felt even guiltier. No, he didn't want to face his partner's wrath, when he found out that Dee hadn't really trusted him to handle the situation. Better to sack out on the couch and deal with it in the morning.
Bathroom first, Dee thought around a yawn, as he quietly padded through the apartment. The bathroom was between the two bedrooms. When Dee reached it, he could see the door to Bicky's room. It was open and the light was on. Sharon wasn't in it.
Dee felt the hairs on his neck stand up and his stomach clench. The apartment was small. There was only one other place that Sharon could be. In Ryo's bedroom.
"I have to get out of here!" Dee growled under his breath, angry, betrayed, and disgusted. "Ryo's in there... with Sharon!" Dee didn't want to think about it. He didn't want any sort of mental image to go along with thoughts of Sharon and Ryo together on Ryo's large bed. No, he had to get out. He would confront Ryo at the station when that slut wasn't around.
Something crunched under Dee's heel as he strode quickly for the door. He paused and looked down. It was a syringe. Dee bent down and, without touching it, examined it with the skill of a professional. Near the couch. Shirt on the couch. Ryo's shirt. Drink on the floor. Tea. Ryo's tea, spilled on his cherished oval carpet, the one with the birds and the red block stitching. No way would Ryo have let something like that happen and then leave it without cleaning it up, even in the heat of passion!
Dee bolted for Ryo's bedroom door. Pulling out his gun, Dee carefully, quietly opened it.
"Hey, Randy," Sharon's voice crooned from the bed. "What's wrong? Can't you get it up for old Sharon? The drug messes up your mind, but not your little guy there! Don't you want to do it to me, baby? You're not a fag like your partner, are you? Is that what the N.Y.P.D. teaches in their academy? How to blow other guys? Come on, Randy! You sign some checks for me and then we'll have some fun bouncing the springs. Aw, don't fight the drug! My Dad's a pharmacist. I only get the best, you know? I used the same thing on you when we were in high school, remember? You handed over your virginity and your credit card! What great times we had! We can have them again. You're still pretty and too nice for your own good. I like that in a man, makes them easy to handle. Come on, Randy, you know you want me to handle you, handle you right down here, pretty boy! Yeah, so pretty. Maybe I'll keep you. Want me to keep you, pretty Randy? Treat me nice and I won't hurt you too much. I'll even do you once in awhile. Doesn't that sound good? Still not up and ready, Randy-Kun? You're a bad boy! You know how angry I get when you're bad. Remember when I blacked out both your eyes when we were in high school? That's when you wouldn't do it with me again. I had to drug you good the second time. You probably don't remember it, but you were so very good. Yes, you were, very good."
"Get off, now!" Dee's voice was deadly. He wanted to kill her then and there. He was shaking with the effort not to fire his gun at her back.
Straddling a naked Ryo, Sharon was still wearing her clothes, miniskirt hiked up to her waist. She turned her head sharply at the sound of Dee's voice, but Ryo didn't move.
"Hey, fag!" Sharon taunted. "Randy's mine now. You can get lost!"
"I'm arresting you," Dee told her and then ordered again. "Get off of him!"
"So you can get on?" Sharon wondered and Dee felt like being sick at her very evil smile. "Who are they going to believe, Dee-san, you or me? They know you want him, don't they? I'll tell them you drugged him and I, poor thing, came in and managed to stop you while you were committing your crime. I can be very convincing, Officer Dee, and I can look very innocent. Poor Randy, he won't remember enough to defend you."
"You're not very smart, are you?" Dee asked and he was suddenly dead calm. That surprised her and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You left fingerprints everywhere. I'm sure the drug can be traced directly back to your father and then to you. Open and shut case. Piece of cake. You're going down, Sharon. Now, get off of Ryo before I forget that I'm a cop and that you're a woman!"
Sharon did get off, but she wanted to stab Dee straight in the heart before giving up completely. "If you ever crawl into bed with little Randy-Kun, if he ever lets you stick it to him, remember me when you look into his eyes. Remember me and know that I had him first! No matter what you do or how good you are, he'll always be comparing you to me!"
Dee smiled. That confused her. She stood, staring, as Dee even chuckled. "That's where you're wrong," he said as he took out his cell phone to call the police department. "I love him, you see. I don't care that he's beautiful. I don't care whether he has money or not. If he was ugly. If he was a beggar on the street, I'd still love him. You can't compete with that! You're just a bad dream. He'll forget you once I wake him up. My love's more than skin deep, bitch."
Dee made his call and then went to check on Ryo. He felt a strong pulse in the man's neck, but Ryo was hardly aware of Dee's touch.
"It's all right, baby," Dee whispered. "I'll get you to the hospital and get this stuff out of your system. Ryo muttered something in
Japanese. "What?" Dee wondered.
"He says he hates you, fag!" Sharon shouted.
"I doubt that!" Dee snarled back, but decided to commit the words to memory so that he could ask Ryo about them later, hating the niggling doubt that wondered if Sharon was telling the truth.
"Hey, sleeping beauty!" Dee called in Ryo's ear as the man began to stir in his hospital bed. Dark eyes opened, blinked, and then focused on Dee's face.
"What-"
"Sharon drugged you," Dee informed Ryo simply. "I didn't trust her. I came back to the apartment and found her having her way with you and an empty syringe on the floor. I arrested her and had you brought here. Nothing to worry about, Ryo," when his partner frowned, he added, "She didn't get far and the drug wasn't that bad. You'll be fine."
Ryo took several long minutes to digest that information and then he said self deprecatingly, twisting the blankets in his fingers. "I guess I couldn't handle things after all. I feel stupid, used, dirty, even. I don't think I'll get over this soon, Dee. I should have listened to you."
Dee hated that look of defeat, of shredded self esteem on his partner's face. He couldn't leave it there. "Ryo, she drugged you! You didn't see it coming. I certainly didn't! I wouldn't have done any better in that situation. "
Ryo ran a distracted hand through his brown hair and his dark eyes looked moist, as if he wanted to cry. He swallowed convulsively and then shook his head sharply. Dee reached out and squeezed Ryo's arm to get his attention and comfort him.
"What is it, Ryo? I know it was upsetting, what happened. You were drugged and almost raped by that woman." Dee wasn't good at words. He struggled to find them, "Are you embarrassed by that? I know guys always think that kind of thing can't happen, but rape is rape, Ryo."
"She used to hit me in high school," Ryo confessed in a small voice. "I'm a man. I was always told, never hit a woman. I didn't know what to do when a woman hit me. I tried to stay away from her, but, she just kept-" Ryo looked away and wiped at his eyes. "I think the drug is still making me dizzy. I'm saying stupid things. I really wanted to prove that I could handle her, that I wasn't her victim any more. I needed to prove that. Now, I'll never get the chance."
"She's going to jail," Dee told Ryo firmly. "I think that's proving something, don't you?"
"Maybe, yeah, I suppose it does." Ryo brightened just a little. He wiped at his eyes again and sniffled as he looked at Dee. "Thanks for being there for me, Dee." Dee's hand was still on his arm. Ryo covered it with his warm hand. "You're always there to help me when I need it, even after I say such cold things to you and tell you to go away."
"I didn't think they were that cold," Dee objected. "At least the words I understood."
Ryo looked confused.
"You said some Japanese," Dee explained, remembering the words. "You were pretty out of it. It was probably just nonsense, but I heard you say my name too."
"What did I say?" Ryo had gone very still, his eyes wide and suddenly... yes, he was nervous, Dee thought. Ryo was afraid that he had said something revealing and, if he was afraid of that, then there must be something to reveal!
Dee frantically tried to remember all of the words. He sounded them out with difficulty. "Yamete onegaida."
Ryo went pale. "Stop, I beg you...." One hand went up to his eyes and covered them in reaction.
That wasn't what Dee had expected. He was afraid to go on. He didn't want to rake Ryo over the coals if he had been begging a little, hundred pound devil woman to leave him alone. "I don't, uh, remember-"
"Yes, you do," Ryo retorted without looking up. "I have to know. Tell me what I said. You may not have understood, but Sharon did. I want to know... I want to know-" he couldn't go on, but Dee understood. He wanted to know how much Sharon had humiliated him.
"You said my name," Dee went on reluctantly. "and then you said, tasuket, and then kokoro aishite iru, I think, and tasuket again and then my name. There were other words, but... Ryo, are you okay? What does it all mean?"
Ryo was turning beet red and his expression had taken on a 'trapped' look.
"Hey, Ryo!" Dee tried to calm him down. "I can't remember most of it and the rest I'm probably mangling until it doesn't make any sense. It's okay if you don't want to tell me what it means."
"I was calling for you to help me," Ryo replied and then hugged himself and Dee's hand on his arm as well. "I said some endearments, Dee."
"Oh," Dee puzzled over that. "Well, that's okay. I call you baby and sweety all the time. Doesn't mean anything."
"No, more serious than that," Ryo went on.
"Well, you were drugged," Dee replied, not knowing why the hell he was trying to let Ryo off the hook except that he couldn't stand the embarrassed pain in Ryo's eyes. And that was it, wasn't it? He had Ryo dead to rights. The man had called him love or dear heart or any number of special things, he was sure, but to press Ryo on it, to force him to reveal any of that before he was really ready, would hurt Ryo terribly. It was bad enough that a snip of a woman had drugged and tried to rape him, but that he should have his feelings for his partner hurled out in the midst of that nightmare, was just too much, Dee was certain.
Dee loved Ryo. He didn't love him just to have his beautiful body or to lay claim to what he had. Dee loved Ryo for who he was and what he could give. To ask him to explain what he had said, would have been worse than what Sharon had done to him, worse than rape. Dee suspected, too, that it would never be forgiven or forgotten by Ryo.
Dee extricated his hand and backed up a step. "Never mind, Ryo. I don't need you to tell me. I want you to say things like that when you really mean them, not when you're drugged and upset."
Dee straightened and picked up his coat from a chair. "Well, visiting hours are over. I'll be back first thing in the morning, okay?" When Ryo nodded, looking troubled but relived to be let off the hook, Dee felt good about his decision. "Need anything from the nurse before I go?"
Ryo shook his head, maybe still too upset to say anything yet.
"Okay, see you later then, Ryo."
Still Ryo didn't say anything. Dee felt a twinge of anxiety, wondering if Sharon had managed to damage their relationship along with most of Ryo's self confidence. As Dee reached the door and began to pass through it, heart sinking down to his shoes, he heard a barely audible whisper from Ryo, "But I really meant those words, Dee. I did, my Heart."
****Owari****
Kracken: EEE! Very sappy, but I'm just that way, sorry!