Disclaimer: I don't own the characters to Fake, they're just 'good' friends.
Warnings: Yaoi-male/male relationships. Violence, language, angst, Sex.
"Oh, God!" Dee breathed softly. He stood and stared, one hand rubbing the pain below his belt.
Ryo was looking for... something. Dressed in a pair of tight shorts, and a loose shirt, he was on hands and knees as he half crawled under the couch. Ryo's rounded, perfect ass was up in the air, moving back and forth, up and down, enticingly as he searched for... whatever it was. Beautiful, bare feet led to strong knees, which led to shapely legs and creamy inner thighs. The shorts hid a bulge between those legs, but Dee's imagination could fill in the details.
"Why did I make that promise?!" Dee groaned inwardly.
"Promise, pervert?"
"Bicky!" Dee snarled and turned his head sharply to see the dark skinned blonde boy glaring at him from the kitchen door.
Ryo started and bumped his head. "Oww!" He backed up and sat up, rubbing his head as he swiveled to see who was there. "Oh, you startled me, you two! Have you seen the remote control to the television?"
"It probably did fall under the couch," Dee replied in a strained voice. "Why, uh, why don't you look again?"
Bicky glared. "Pervert!" he said again as he went into the kitchen and fetched the remote. He handed it to Ryo as Ryo stood up and stretched. "I had it while I was making my sandwich," Bicky explained apologetically.
"Try and keep it near the television," Ryo told him. "I don't have much time to relax and I don't want to spend that time hunting down the remote."
Ryo sat on the couch and turned on the television. Dee joined him, putting an arm around his lover and glaring maliciously at Bicky as he tried to give Ryo a small kiss on the cheek. His lips met Ryo's hand and he was pushed off.
"It's too hot, Dee," Ryo complained as he began to change channels.
Bicky snickered and went back into the kitchen. Dee glowered and sank into couch with his arms crossed angrily over his chest. He planted his feet on the low coffee table.
"Dee," Ryo complained.
Dee growled under his breath and removed his feet. He sat up again, fidgeted, and then began to take a cigarette out of the pack in his breast pocket. He flicked his lighter and began to light up.
"Dee," Ryo complained again. "Not in the house and you know you're supposed to be trying to quit."
Dee stood up abruptly, hands clenched. Ryo stared up at him in alarm.
"What's-" Ryo began, but Dee cut him off.
"No sex. No relaxing. No kissing. No smoking!" Dee erupted furiously. "How much more of this do you think I can take?!"
Ryo took hold of one of Dee's clenched hands and stroked it softly with his own, contrite, "G-Gomen, Dee, sorry, do shite no? W-What's wrong?"
Dee glared down at their joined hands. He slowly relaxed his and took hold of Ryo's hand. Bending down, Dee brought it fiercely to his lips and kissed it. "I'm the one who's sorry," Dee replied. "I guess it's nerves. I know I promised to give you space and stop pawing you, but... hell, Ryo, when you get on all fours with your ass in the air-"
"Dee!" Ryo turned twenty shades of red, eyes darting towards the kitchen, "Bicky will hear you!"
"Ryo...," Dee dropped their hands and turned away with hands on hips. "It's time you stopped being shy. Bicky knows what we're doing with each other. He's doing the same thing with Cal, for God's sake!"
Ryo stood, remote tumbling to the floor from his hands. He faced Dee and gave him a very serious look. "Dee, I'm responsible for Bicky and he is underage. I can't let you talk like that where he can hear you. It doesn't matter... It doesn't matter whether he understands or not. He has to respect me. He has to respect you."
Dee lowered his head, hiding his face behind his long bangs. "You're right. Sorry. I didn't have much of a childhood. I guess I don't know much about being a good parent."
"You have to learn, Dee," Ryo begged, "For Bicky's sake."
Dee reached out and stroked Ryo's face with a calloused thumb. Ryo leaned into the rough caress and kissed the end of Dee's thumb. Like something out of a dream, Dee thought as he cupped Ryo's chin and turned it up to look at him. The man was so beautiful it was unreal. So innocent looking. So wide eyed and clear skinned and... that hair.... a soft fall of rich honey brown that Dee couldn't help but brush gently out of his lover's face. Ryo glowed as if he had a light all his own. Soft hearted, Dee thought ruefully. A pushover. An hopeless romantic. A timid, almost frigid, child in the shape of a man.
"Let's go to bed," Dee suggested breathlessly. "I wanna forget my promise. You can remind me of it in the morning."
The doorbell chose that moment to ring.
"Ignore it," Dee breathed as he slid his hand to the back of Ryo's head and began to draw him into a kiss. "They'll go away."
"I'll get that!" Bicky breezed out of the kitchen and headed towards the front door, giving Dee an evil smirk.
Ryo started and pulled away, embarrassed. "Later, Dee."
"Later," Dee echoed angrily. "Always later! I might as well be a priest."
"Monday, Wednesday, twice, Thursday, one and a half. Today's Saturday, Dee," Ryo said as he turned to see who was at the door. He was blushing red, but he was irritated too. "I would hardly call that celibate. In fact.... I believe that's why I had you promise me-"
"All right!" Dee snapped, automatically reached for his cigarettes, remembered, swore under his breath, and then sat down again hard on the couch.
"Hi guys!" Cal breezed into the apartment in a tight skirt way too short for someone her age and a pair of high heels that clicked on the hardwood floors. She slung her purse onto a table and surveyed the apartment as if she were laying battle plans. "So, what's up? I was bored. It's hot. I remembered Ryo had an air conditioner. Why isn't it on?"
"It is," Dee growled. "Just doesn't work that well."
"Hmm, still better than being outside," Cal slipped an arm around Bicky and gave her young lover a quick kiss. "How ya doing, Sweety?"
"Ah, fine, Cal. Glad ya came. Want something to eat?" Bicky wondered as Cal flopped onto the couch next to Dee and put her heels on the coffee table. Ryo didn't say anything. Dee scowled. Ryo's little princess could do no wrong, he supposed.
"Something cold to drink would be good, Sweety," Cal replied and grinned at Dee and Ryo. "So, what's going on? Still getting along since ya moved in together?"
"We haven't actually moved in together yet," Ryo admitted uncomfortably. "We're still discussing it."
"Discussing...?" Cal looked at them both with wide eyes. "I thought, ya know, that you, uh, did it and that you wanted to shack up now?"
"Shack up?" Ryo frowned. "That's really not appropriate-"
"We're still trying to figure out how to combine our things," Dee cut in, not wanting to hear a fatherly lecture from Ryo at that moment. "It's going to be cramped in here and we can't have double of everything, or even one of something, if we both agree we don't like it."
"We haven't been able to agree on much," Ryo sighed.
Cal looked Ryo up and down appreciatively. "Never seen ya in shorts before. Nice legs, Ryo."
Ryo blushed again and turned away.
Cal grinned. "Nice ass-"
"Cal!" Dee broke in quickly. "You and Bicky have something planned for tonight?" He stressed the word 'planned', hoping she would take the hint. She only blinked at him.
"Ah, no, we don't. It's too hot out there, Dee."
"I'm going to go lie down," Ryo said suddenly. "Are you going to be here for awhile, Princess?"
"Sure thing, Ryo. Can I stay for dinner?"
"I would like that."
"Kay, then." Cal smiled and leaned back into the couch as Bicky appeared and put an iced drink into her hand. He perched beside her on the couch arm, appreciating the view down the cleavage of her dress.
"Pervert," Dee muttered under his breath. Bicky glared at him.
Ryo headed for the bedroom with a patient sigh.
"I'll come with you," Dee began, but Ryo shook his head.
"Too hot. I just want to relax, Dee."
"Okay...." Dee settled back down, scowling as he watched the bedroom door close behind the man he loved. "I just don't get him."
"I do," Cal replied.
Dee turned to stare at her. "You do?"
"Yeah."
Dee waited. Cal smiled. "Is it going to cost me, or something?"
"Don't help him!" Bicky snarled. "I want him to screw up and leave!"
Cal became very serious. "That's not what you told me earlier, Bicky, so shut up all ready."
Bicky flushed, stammered, and then stood up stiffly. "I'm not going to listen to ya yak about gay stuff!"
"Good. You're too young to hear about it, anyway. Why don't you take your sandwich to your room?" Dee suggested impatiently.
"I will!"
"Good."
"Fine!" Bicky glowered at Cal. "I want to see you later, Cal! We gotta talk about your flapping lips!"
Cal looked evilly innocent. "Oh, did I say something I shouldn't have, Sweety?"
"Cal!" Bicky whined and then growled under his breath, "A guy has secrets, ya know?"
"Sorry," Cal said, but she didn't look it one bit.
Bicky took his sandwich to his room, still muttering unintelligibly under his breath. Cal smiled at Dee. "He really does like you, ya know? He just wants to be macho and all that."
Dee remembered being the same way when he was young, but didn't say so to Cal, instead he returned to the earlier subject. "So, you know something about Ryo, I don't?"
Cal eyed him prettily and winked at Dee. "Come on, Dee! We're alone. You can admit to me that you know what it is too."
Dee frowned. "You're insinuating something?"
"Ryo's a softy, a pushover, a pussycat," Cal clarified. "He can't say no to you, so you get what you want when you want it.... whether he wants it or not."
Dee's hands clenched. "Are you saying I take advantage of Ryo?"
Cal was more blunt. "You want to do it like a rabbit, but Ryo's a turtle. You don't want to wait until he feels like it so you make him feel guilty. I think Ryo's finally tired of feeling guilty. He shut you off, didn't he?"
Dee turned away, jaw clenched. "I shouldn't be talking about this with you!"
"See, that's it, isn't it?" Cal laughed. "Look how angry you are! You've been caught by Ryo and me, being a bad guy, and you don't like it one bit. Don't feel too bad, you're like every other guy out there. Ryo's the one who's different. He's like a girl, ya know? He likes it slow... romantic... once in awhile, am I right?"
"I wouldn't let Ryo hear you call him a girl," Dee warned viciously. "He might pack his stuff and run off to the army to prove you wrong. He's touchy about that sort of thing."
"So are you."
"Yeah, I guess."
"I have a solution to your problem," Cal informed him.
"I don't know why I'm asking, but... what is it?" Dee wondered with a sigh.
"You're the one who has to act like a girl, Dee," Cal told him earnestly. Then as Dee swiveled to stare wide eyed at her, "You have to be the one to play hard to get. If you chase someone all the time, jump them whenever you get a hand on them, then you can't expect them not to be afraid every time you come close. Back off, just like Ryo wants, but, keep backing off. Even push him off a few times. Force HIM to make the effort, Dee. He wants to be in love with you, Dee, and he wants you to love him in return. He wants the romance, not to be treated like a quick fuck."
"Cal!" Dee exclaimed, shocked. "Don't talk like that!"
"What are you, my Dad?" Cal retorted good naturedly. "You know I'm right. You've waited for Ryo a long time. I know you want to make up for that, but you just can't with Ryo, Kay, Dee?"
Cal stood up. Dee looked up at her. "You're pretty smart for a smart assed street girl."
"Dee!" Cal retorted in mock indignation. "What about your language?"
"I'm an adult, I'm allowed." Dee replied.
"An adult?" Cal raised a pretty eyebrow. "Then start acting like one instead of a kid in a candy store. Ryo's a great guy. Don't hurt him."
Cal turned on her heel and went into Bicky's room. Dee thought about her words. Play hard to get? He sighed blackly and ran a hand through his dark hair. No smoking. No sex. No language. No freedom. No smoking? Hell with that! Dee stood up and sauntered out onto the narrow balcony and lit up a cigarette. He puffed appreciatively.
He was a detective. A good one. He was used to waiting games when it came to tough cases. It was that determination and stubbornness that had kept him hot after Ryo, and celibate, until he had claimed him. He could wait, just as Cal had suggested, but what if Ryo never came to claim him? What would he do if he found out that Ryo's libido was THAT frozen, that nonexistent?
Ryo was capable of passion, of really good sex, but he never initiated anything. He waited, or avoided, until Dee insisted, cajoled, and sometimes, outright, physically, took the lead and advantage of Ryo's timidness. Maybe he had always been afraid of that, Dee thought grimly, of outright rejection by Ryo, or a slow death of their relationship if he allowed Ryo to try and go back to the way things used to be, back to being only partners and friends. It was a test of their love and Dee was afraid. Ryo had become his world, his only family besides Mother and the kids in he orphanage. He couldn't lose him, yet, if Ryo ran away from him now, then it only proved that there had not been anything between them to begin with. Wasn't it worth the pain to find out?
Dee wanted to say no, but he knew that he had to take the gamble and hope that he won.
Ryo stared at the folder on his desk, not moving, jaw set tight and face a little pale. Dee watched him from under his disordered dark bangs, sipping at his coffee, as he sat forward, waiting for Ryo to say... something.
Their desks faced each other, scared, wooden battle grounds filled with folders, notes, and empty and half filled containers from lunch. That the usually neat, Ryo, hadn't made a move yet to clean it up spoke volumes for his state of mind.
"Let me take it over to J.J.," Dee said suddenly.
"It was given to me," Ryo replied shortly and opened the file folder at last.
"You never like these kinds of cases, Ryo," Dee pointed out plaintively. "They tear you up inside every time."
"It's my job," Ryo said, which meant case closed as far as the argument was concerned.
Ryo took out photos of suspects, flipped through pages of reports, made copious notes, face grim all the while. He made two phone calls and talked only long enough to set up appointments to interview the suspects. Then he leaned back in his chair and chewed on the end of his pencil.
"They think the mother may have killed her four year old girl," Ryo said at last.
Dee looked up from his own work. "How?"
"Don't know," Ryo threw the pencil at his desk. It bounced once and then rolled to a standstill. "She's just... gone. The mother says she was making the beds, came into the living room, and found the door open. The girl wasn't anywhere around. The mother suspects a neighbor who didn't like the noise the child made."
"Still, to go into the apartment and just take her...," Dee shook his head with a frown. "Doesn't seem right, even if the neighbor was mad."
"They found the girl's bloody clothes in an empty lot down the street," Ryo told Dee as he went even paler. "The lab is still picking it apart, but I should have the report by tomorrow."
"Then we'll go through the files on that apartment complex," Dee replied, cracking his knuckles and shoving his other work aside.
"And see if the neighbor has a history."
"Okay," Ryo said with a sigh and then he slowly began to clean up both their desks. Dee caught his lover's wrist when it came close enough. Ryo looked at him with haunted, dark eyes.
"Are you sure, Ryo? I can do it. If they've already determined that she's dead, then we just have to interview, see if forensics turns
up anything, and wait for a body. I can handle it."
"So can I," Ryo replied tightly, but he didn't pull his hand away. He stared down at it and then he looked up into Dee's eyes again.
"Why did you sleep on the couch last night?"
Dee blinked at the change of subject, but he understood. Ryo was looking for a distraction, needing time to come to terms with the death of a child before he could start in on the case.
Dee didn't think the new subject was going to help Ryo much. He almost abandoned his plan. Ryo was upset. He didn't need any more stress. Dee pulled his hand back. When was there ever a good time, though? They worked on homicide cases. None of them were easy.
"It was hot," Dee answered casually. "It was cooler in the living room."
"You weren't angry?" Ryo wondered anxiously.
Dee shook his head, smiling at Ryo's worry. "Course not, Baby. Why should I be?"
"Kinishinai," Ryo murmured as he fingered the file again. "Never mind, Dee. I set up an interview for one thirty. Let's get going."
"So, you're saying the child cried a great deal?" Ryo asked. He was staring down at his notepad, pencil poised to write.
The large, elderly woman sitting in an easy chair near him, blinked myopically behind wide rimmed glasses. She had a mustache, a large nose, and a housecoat a size too small. Dee, seated on the old couch next to Ryo, tried to look everywhere but at her. The dingy apartment, with its huge cross and boldly painted Jesus adorning most of one wall, and a collection of furniture that had seen better days, wasn't much better to look at. Still, it was his job to take a mental picture of everything.
"All the time!" The old lady lamented. "Ran up and down the hallway banging the walls and screaming nonsense. Told her mama to stop her, but that woman just turned her nose up at me and wouldn't do a thing!"
"Do you recall anyone in the building making any threatening statements?" Ryo asked, scribbling something onto the paper, "or showing any strong dislike for the child?"
"Oh, people talk, ya know?" The woman sighed. "Never do anything about it, though."
Ryo looked up carefully, not wanting to make the woman wary. "Could you tell me some of the things you heard? It's probably nothing, just like you said, but I need it for my report."
"Oh, stuff like put her in a bag and drown her from old Mrs. Gervaldi," the woman sighed, hands fidgeting in her lap. "Whoop her behind until she can't see straight from Lavar the superintendent. Other things. Can't remember who said those though, so can't help if I tell you about it. I'm not getting anyone into trouble am I? They're good people. They didn't mean nothing by what they said."
"Of course they are," Ryo assured her. "We don't have any suspects at the moment," which wasn't true. The woman he was speaking to was a suspect. Ryo was trying his best to appear friendly though. He couldn't accomplish that by telling her directly that she was suspected of murdering the girl. "I suppose you probably said some things as well and didn't mean them."
The woman frowned. "A person can only take so much."
"Of course."
"I guess I did say a few things to the poor girl's mama," the woman admitted reluctantly and then her eyes narrowed unpleasantly.
Dee caught the look, but Ryo missed it as he wrote something down. The look dropped as quickly as it had come and the old woman shrugged regretfully. "She's lost her baby now. It's going to be a lot quieter around here."
"Thank you, Ms. Heimecher," Ryo said as he tucked his notepad and pencil into his jacket pocket and stood up. Dee followed suit, smiling engagingly at the woman. The woman smiled back, falling for Dee's charm.
"You boys are good looking!" The woman said. "I have a daughter on the East side. She's a looker too. She'd be glad to hook up with one of you, if you're interested?"
"We're both married," Dee explained. "But thanks anyway."
Ryo raised an eyebrow and blushed but he didn't contradict Dee. "Uh, we'll probably be in contact with you again, Ms. Heimecher.
Thank you very much for your time."
"No problem, young man," the woman cooed warmly as she saw them to the door. "I like the company and the chance to chat. I'm just sorry it has to be a chat about something so terrible."
They said their goodbyes and the door closed firmly behind them. Standing in the hallway, Ryo checked his watch and then read over his notes. Dee tucked some small bits of paper into his pocket and waited patiently.
"She's covering up," Dee said finally.
"Hmm?" Ryo finished with his notes and put them away. He raised eyebrows at his partner as they began walking down the dimly lit corridor. It was an old building, carpet stained, and walls cracked. It didn't seem possible that a child had played there, innocently annoying the neighbors.
"She gave you a definite look," Dee told Ryo. "She wanted to see how you were taking her story."
"I'll look into her background first," Ryo replied. "If you're right-"
"I am," Dee insisted.
Ryo smiled at his confidence. "All right. I'll definitely look into her background first."
"Good. Trust my instincts."
"I do."
Ryo's smile was so luscious, Dee thought, feeling a warm flush travel through his body. His lips were soft and perfectly turned up in a delicate, almost feminine smile. He looked coy, in love, and... Dee quelled the urge to taste those lips, to shove a big hand into Ryo's lush, honey- brown hair and pull him close by it. Ryo was expecting it, tensing to say... something, his big, dark eyes almost all pupil in the dim light.
Dee shoved both hands into his jeans pockets and tried to will down a definite erection. He brought to mind the old lady they had just left. He superimposed it over Ryo's handsome face. Yeah, that worked, Dee thought in relief as he turned away and nodded down the hallway. "Which door?"
"Twenty Two B.... That one," Ryo pointed to a well worn door that had scuff marks from steel toed boots at the bottom. Dee took the lead, knocking on the door and edging a little between it and Ryo. "My turn," he said softly.
Ryo sighed. "You just make them mad when you try and interview them and I end up apologizing later," Ryo objected.
"Then I need practice," Dee replied easily.
The door opened and stopped with the rattle of a chain lock. A fierce eye in a bald head glared out of the narrow space. "What do you want?"
"Uh, I'm Detective Dee Latener and this is my partner, Randy McLane," Dee introduced quickly. "We made an appointment to speak with you, Mr. Troast?"
"Go ahead and talk," the man snarled back. "I don't have all day!"
"If we could come in...?"
"No!" The man snarled louder. "I won't have you trespassing! Ask me what you came to ask and then get the hell off of my doorstep!"
"No need to get upset, Mr. Troast," Dee said tightly. "We just came to ask routine questions about a little girl's disappearance."
"Yeah, Amanda." The man went quiet and some of his anger leaked off of his face to be replaced by a tinge of sadness. "Cute thing. Always so happy. It was nice to hear some laughter in this rat hole." He glared again, eyes boring into Dee's. "You get the bastard who did that to her."
"We want to," Ryo said from behind Dee's protective shoulder, "But we won't know where to start unless you cooperate and answer our questions."
The man gave a hard nod. "Okay. Ask."
"Can we-"
"Yer still not coming in!"
"Okay! Okay!" Dee snapped back, took a deep breath, and began to ask his questions.
"Huh," Dee grunted as he pocketed his notes. "Cross him off as a suspect. He didn't look the type to just start blubbering his eyes out like that. I didn't understand most of what he said, and, what I did understand wasn't helpful at all."
"He's a loner," Ryo replied thoughtfully, hands in his pockets and slouched in the passenger side of the car a they drove back to the station. "He doesn't speak to the other tenants. That's why they fingered him as a suspect, I suppose."
"That brings us back to Ms. Heimecher," Dee said as he drove and rummaged around the car for his cigarettes. "The Mother suspects her. She looked guilty of something."
"I have five more interviews to set up," Ryo said as he stared out of the window. "It's too early to narrow the case down to one person."
"I have a hunch...," Dee murmured.
Dee found his pack of cigarettes. Ryo snatched them out of his hand. Dee glared and snatched them back. "You are supposed to be quitting!" Ryo objected as Dee knocked a cigarette out of the pack, jammed it between his lips, and lit it with the car's cigarette lighter. He puffed appreciatively.
"I can't think unless I smoke, Baby," Dee explained. "Besides, I'm allowed ten a day, right now. Slow and steady, not fast and ugly. That's the way to stop a habit."
"I suppose," Ryo replied noncommitally as he began going over his notes.
"If this case wraps up by the weekend," Dee said around his cigarette. "I'll get the rest of my stuff sorted and we can sit down and argue about what goes and what stays."
"Hmm," Ryo mumbled.
"I'm getting tired of living out of a suitcase at your place," Dee told him.
"Our place," Ryo replied and Dee smiled, glad that Ryo was actually listening.
"Yeah, our place," Dee repeated. "Anyway, I want Bicky to know this is permanent. Every morning, he puts my suitcase outside the front door."
"He's a child. You're an adult, " Ryo said. "Remember that. He only does things like that because he knows you're tougher and more street wise than me. He won't be able to play his games any more. Aside from that, I think he actually likes you, Dee."
That made Dee happy, though he would never have admitted that to Ryo. Bicky reminded Dee of himself when he had been young; hard edged, street wise, and so sure that he could handle himself without stupid adults taking care of him. Between himself and Ryo, Dee knew that he, Dee, would make the better parent. He understood Bicky in a way Ryo never could.
"When we go back for the other interviews, we'll walk the route from the apartment complex to the place where the child's clothes were found," Ryo said.
"We'll need the forensics report before then," Dee replied.
"Hai... yes, we will." Ryo sounded sad again, upset. Damn the Chief for giving him the case anyway, Dee thought angrily, the man knew how much they upset Ryo.
Dee pulled into the parking garage under the station, drove into a spot, and then turned off the engine. He swiveled in his seat to look at Ryo's pinched face. He wanted to touch it, pull his lover close, but, aside from other cops walking by too closely and Ryo's own shyness about public displays, Dee reminded himself, yet again, that it was hands off until Ryo came to him for sex or comfort. It was hard to keep his resolve. Dee felt himself shake a little as he turned away from Ryo's soulful expression and climbed out of the car.
Ryo was a moment following. He met Dee's eyes over the top of the car. Ryo had expected comfort, Dee knew. He could see it in Ryo's expression. Dee could also see that Ryo was confused why Dee hadn't offered it. Still, Ryo's lips went tight with that timid, shyness, Dee was so used to, and he didn't question Dee about it.
Strike One, Dee thought bleakly and followed Ryo into the station.
They rode the elevator in silence for the first few floors and then Ryo said in a tone of voice that broke Dee's heart, "How could anyone do that to a child? I ask the same question every case, and I never find the answer."
Dee forgot resolve all in an instant. It seemed so selfish just then. Ryo needed him. Dee began to reach out, to take Ryo into his arms, but the elevator paused and chose that moment to take on three other passengers. The moment passed and Dee lowered his arms as Ryo straightened and pulled himself together.
They spent the rest of the day doing research. It was tedious and it took long hours, but that was part of the job. Actually, Dee thought sourly, it was most of it. Reams of paperwork had to be sifted through, evidence analyzed, and motives hashed over, before a detective could even begin to try and get his man... or woman.
Dee felt Ryo looking at him, again and again, as they poured over files and went over the entries in the one computer. The station was old and funds were short. This new addition had taken everyone by surprise. Dee hated the technology, but Ryo had taken to it excitedly. He was the one who was busy typing on the keys, now, while Dee sat across from him and tried to concentrate on his hardcopy.
"Ah, Dee?"
"Hmm?" Dee replied without looking up.
"What should we have for dinner? You are coming over, aren't you?"
Dee did look up then. Ryo was peering around the computer screen with his wide, black eyes, troubled. "We do live together now, Baby," Dee told him, "I don't 'come over' anymore."
"Gomen, Dee. Sorry, I know...," Ryo struggled to express himself. A lock of honey colored hair dropped into his beautiful face. He looked so young and uncertain; a complete innocent.
Ryo pushed that silky hair back with a delicate hand, the same hand that could fire a rifle and hit nine out of ten targets and beat Dee at hand to hand combat three out of five times. Ryo looked soft, but that inner, masculine core that made Ryo a good cop was the same thing that was giving their relationship most of its problem. It didn't want to be submissive to another man, it didn't want to concede to needs and emotions that smacked too much of the feminine. In essence, that mental part of Ryo wanted to deny that the body Ryo wanted to spread its legs and get a good screw, Dee thought crudely, and then clamped down on the mental image that produced.
No, Dee corrected himself, and tried to be fair. Cal was probably right. Ryo wanted romance, not a bounce in the bed or a quick grope in passing. Unfortunately, that was part and parcel of Dee's experience. Nobody had ever shown him different. He could seduce with the best of them and make love with first class skill, but to be expected to produce enumerable romantic moments and to wait, in agony, for Ryo's masculinity to feel unthreatened enough for intimacy, well, a relationship went both ways. If he could wait for Ryo's libido to kick in, didn't it follow that Ryo could be intimate without it, just for Dee's sake in return?
It struck Dee then, that he had always assumed the role of penitent in their relationship. He had always waited, always conceded, always begged. If felt wrong. Dee was suddenly angry and his resolve to avoid intimacy with Ryo firmed. He was tired of kneeling and groveling to his little tyrant love.
"Dee?" Ryo was staring worriedly at Dee's blank face.
"Hm?" Dee came back out of his thoughts with a jerk. "Ah, just thinking about the case."
"We'll decide dinner later then," Ryo suggested and went back to his computer.
Coward, Dee thought. Ryo had retreated back into his shell again. Why did he have to be so afraid? Why couldn't his love just come right out and say, 'Hey, Dee, what the hell's wrong with you?' Any other man would have, unfortunately, timid Ryo wasn't any other man.
"Noodles or rice is fine," Dee sighed over his work. "Chicken, no beef."
"Hmm?" Ryo replied as if he had forgotten the question.
"Dinner?" Dee prompted.
"Oh, right." Ryo wrote something on his notepad.
Dee remembered the papers in his pocket then. He fished them out and picked up his pencil. Carefully, he began rubbing the lead of the pencil over the sheets. Ryo noticed.
"We have a lot of work, Dee, can't you... oh, is that from Ms. Heimecher's notepad?" Dee nodded without pausing in his work. "A little unethical, Dee."
Dee shrugged. "She's hiding something. I can sense it. These came from a notepad near her phone." He held up the pencil colored notes and squinted. "Yeah, that's it. Bob Delaney and a phone number. Chi Chi? Pizza boy. Ruby. Huh?"
"What?"
"The name of the victim's mother is on here with several phone numbers," Dee explained. "Wonder what that means?"
"Call them, see who they are," Ryo suggested.
Dee glared. "I am a detective," Dee reminded him sarcastically.
"Gomen, Dee."
"Ryo," Dee began in exasperation. "What do you think about me?"
"What?" Ryo went round eyed, startled by the question.
"It's just that you act like the next thing that comes out of your mouth is going to make me," Dee groped, "Maybe hit you, or hate you, or something. Nothing like that is going to happen, Baby. You can talk to me about anything and I'll listen, okay?"
Ryo smiled limply. One of his slender hands fiddled with the screen of the computer and he stared at it rather than at Dee, still nervous. "It's just different, Dee, and I don't know what to do most of the time."
"What's different?" Dee wondered, confused.
"Our relationship," Ryo admitted slowly. "We're two guys. We can leave anytime for any reason. We don't have kids. We don't have a marriage. Two guys can't so.... I keep thinking you could do better than me, that I annoy you, mostly, and complain... I guess I do complain a great deal, about everything. I guess I'm not any good at being... well..., " intimate, Dee finished mentally, but Ryo decided not to go there. "I'm just afraid that the next thing I say or... do.... or don't do will be the last straw and you'll go."
"I'll never do that," Dee replied and his deep green eyes bored into Ryo's eyes. "Believe that and never forget it, Baby. We are for life! I don't need a marriage license, kids, priest, or ceremony to tell me that you're the only guy for me! If you do... if you're thinking it would be easy to split, that we don't have anything strong between us, then we do have a problem, Ryo, but it's your problem, not mine." Dee stood up with his papers. "I'll make these phone calls and touch base with you later."
"Ja na," Ryo whispered, stricken, not getting up, not coming to Dee to comfort his partner's obvious pain.
Strike Two, Dee thought as he left Ryo to think about his words, and wiped angrily at the sudden wetness in the corner of his eyes.
Dee yawned hugely and stretched as he rose from the couch. "Going to bed, guys. See ya in the morning."
Ryo was finishing washing the dinner dishes, an apron on over his shorts and tank top. Ryo had pale skin, but it had a slight clear, honey sheen that echoed the highlights in his hair. The tank top, and the shorts, showed a great deal of it. The pain below Dee's belt was incredible as he stared at his partner through the door of the kitchen.
Ryo turned at Dee's announcement, anxious as he tossed his dish towel aside and came into the living room pulling off his apron. He clutched it in both hands. "I'll come with you."
It was the hardest thing in the world for Dee to raise a tired hand, especially when Ryo's big, soft eyes looked so needy for reassurance and love. "S'okay, Ryo. You probably should chaperone Bicky and Cal there. If you left them alone their hormones might take over."
Bicky glared, "Shut- Up, man! You are so stupid! You think I'd do something like that here?"
Ryo frowned. "You shouldn't do that anywhere! You're too young. Don't talk like that to Dee either! I want you to respect him."
Bicky snorted in contempt. "He has to earn it."
"Hey, I don't have to stay here and get abused!" Dee growled. "I'm going to bed!"
Ryo watched Dee close the door of the bedroom behind him. One side of him felt like crying, but the masculine side of him was furious. What was wrong with Dee? Why was he suddenly brushing him off and... well, Dee hadn't touched him all day. In fact, Dee had clearly avoided it. That felt wrong, as much as Ryo had convinced himself that it was exactly what he had wanted. Ryo remembered the fight in the records room. It had seemed like such a small thing, a momentary ruffling of feathers, but, here he was, staring at a closed bedroom door and him on the wrong side of it.
"Something wrong, Ryo?" Cal wondered in a too wise voice. She was sitting on the couch, high heeled shoes on the low coffee table.
Ryo blushed and sat on the couch next to her. He wouldn't, couldn't talk about things like his relationship with Cal, but he found himself saying anyway, "Dee seems strange lately. Something is bothering him."
Cal smiled sweetly. "Oh, I know what it is."
Bicky groaned and headed for his bedroom. "Man! Gay stuff again! I'm outta here!"
Ryo stared at Cal, still blushing and uncomfortable. He should just drop it, he thought, Cal was a child. She couldn't possible know...," What... Uh, you know what's wrong with Dee?"
Cal nodded and she leaned in close, saying low and intimate, "Dee's the kind of man who likes a lot of it."
"It?"
"You know, Ryo."
"Uh, yes."
"You're the opposite. You don't want it too often, do you?"
"That's not-"
"You don't, do you?" Cal persisted.
Ryo put a hand to his face, hiding behind it. "No."
"Seems to me," Cal continued, "That you have to accept a few things if you want to keep Dee with you."
Ryo lowered his hand, upset. "He hasn't said anything to you about-about leaving?"
"No!" Cal quickly reassured him, "But you have to change your attitude if you don't want that to happen, Ryo. You have to put out. You have to forget all that, 'have to get in the mood,' stuff. I know you like romance and love, but sometimes it's just all about doing it for the hell of doing it! No reason. No plan. No wine and candles. Just doing it to feel good."
Ryo stood. "I-I can't talk about this with you. It's not right!"
"Who else are you gonna talk about it to?" Cal wondered. "Those thick headed morons at the station? I don't see them with anyone, Ryo!"
"Ya have to forget all about that masculine crap, too," Cal was very blunt now. "You two are doing it. You like doing it. You want Dee to do it to you. You are gay, Ryo. You're supposed to do it with a guy, so stop acting like it was just a mistake every time you let him have you."
Ryo shook his head. "I-I.... you're right, but, please stop. I don't want to hear this kind of thing from you, Princess, okay?"
"Dee loves you," Cal persisted as she stood up. "You love him. Stop being such a frigid prick and admit that Dee doing it to you is the best thing in the world."
Ryo clenched his hands into fists. "No, it isn't, Cal. Love is the best thing. I-"
"But, he does love you," Cal told him gently. "Every time you're together Dee shows you he loves you. You just haven't been seeing it. Dee's a rough, insensitive bastard most times, but , like most guys, sex is one of the few ways he expresses his feelings."
Ryo grimaced. "You don't know much about men, Cal."
Cal smiled impishly. "I think I do. I know what you wanna say, that Dee just needs to do it and he's using you as a handy outlet, not really showing love when he does it. Well, there's that too, but that's part of a relationship. You have to give, Ryo, and that means doing that because Dee DOES need it. Cutting the man off until YOU feel like it is pretty cruel and, if you don't know that, then I certainly know more about guys than you do!"
Cal turned on her heel and went to Bicky's room. Ryo watched her go, mortified that he had been discussing such things with her. She had been right though and he wrapped his arms around his heart as he approached the door to his and Dee's bedroom.
Relationships went two ways. Dee had to lay off a little when it came to sex, but Ryo had been completely unreasonable to ask him to abstain all together until, he, Ryo 'felt' like it.
Ryo opened the door. It was dark. Dee's soft breathing told Ryo that he was asleep. Ryo sighed. Tomorrow, he promised himself, and closed the door again. Tomorrow he would stop being selfish and love Dee the way he deserved.
In the dark, Dee blinked and sighed blackly. Strike Three, he thought and felt hot tears leave a wet trail over his face. He wiped at them, ashamed, but unable to help himself. Tomorrow, he thought, tomorrow he would confront Ryo and tell him...
"Wake up, Dee," Ryo whispered in Dee's ear and put a hand around his lover's waist.
Dee moved in the bed, opened his beautiful, green eyes and blinked at Ryo's face above his. Morning sunlight streamed in through a window and made Ryo's skin glow and his eyes sparkle. An angel, Dee thought sleepily; his angel. Memory was cruel. The night before hit Dee like a ton of bricks. He lurched up, throwing blankets aside along with Ryo. He forced his protesting body out of the bed and stumbled into the bathroom.
"We aren't late!" Ryo called after him. "You don't have to hurry!"
Dee stared at his face in the bathroom mirror. He looked awful, eyes blood shot and skin pale from crying. He turned on the facet and splashed cold water into his eyes, trying to wash away the bitterness along with his dried up tears.
"Dee?" Ryo stood in the doorway only wearing his pajama bottoms. Dee glanced sideways at him. Smooth chest, slim waist, and that enticing line of Ryo's hipbones where they plunged towards... Dee swallowed and looked away again.
"A little privacy, okay, Ryo?"
"Oh, Okay, Dee. I just..." Ryo didn't know what to say to the cold look in Dee's face. "Okay," he mumbled again and left the bathroom to Dee.
Ryo slowly dressed, listening to Dee shave, brush his teeth, and do all the little things to prepare himself for the day. That look on Dee's face... Ryo shivered. It had accused him of something.
Dee came back into the bedroom to dress. "Bathroom's all yours."
No 'Baby', no 'Partner', and no 'Love'.
Dee had his back to Ryo. Ryo reached out tentatively to touch that strong arm of Dee's. His fingers brushed flesh, but Dee chose that moment to move away and pick out a tie from the rack. Coincidence or on purpose? Ryo wasn't sure as he escaped to the bathroom.
Too late, Dee thought angrily, as he moved away from Ryo's touch. He had never been so angry at the man he loved. How could Ryo hurt him so much if he really loved him in return? Couldn't he see how much he, Dee, was hurting? Why couldn't the man come to him, hold him, kiss him, anything? Instead, Ryo had opted for a safe touch on the arm. Hell, the Chief would have done that much!
They ate breakfast in silence. Ryo had made Dee's favorite, eggs over easy, but Dee was too upset to notice. He glared down at his plate and ate as if he were chewing gravel. Bicky, sitting opposite Dee, could see Ryo's fearful, sad expression and Dee's angry, sullen one. Something, he guessed, had gone very wrong.
Ryo moved around the table, serving Bicky and Dee more eggs. When he placed some on Dee's plate, he let his body lean against Dee's. Dee didn't acknowledge it. Ryo felt a tear slip out and travel down his face. Bicky saw it and exploded out of his chair.
"You asshole!" Bicky shouted at Dee. "What are ya doing to Ryo?"
Dee looked up from his eggs and glared at the youngster. "I'm not doing anything," he replied chillingly and emphasized the 'I'm'.
"You messed up, didn't you?" Bicky shouted, blue eyes snapping fire. "I knew you would! Why don't ya get your damned stuff and get out? He can do a lot better than you!"
Dee stood up, chair falling over backwards. Couldn't either of them see how much he was hurting? Didn't either of them care?
Without looking at Ryo, Dee said levelly. "I'll see you at the station." Which meant, for Ryo who didn't drive, take the subway and like it.
Ryo watched Dee stride out of the apartment. As the door slammed shut and pictures on the wall jumped with the force, he raised a hand to his mouth. His lips were trembling as tears began spilling down his face. Bicky patted him clumsily on the hand.
"Hey, Ryo.," Bicky said lamely. "What a jerk, huh?" He almost began to say how glad they should both be to see Dee gone, but, deep down, Bicky was as upset as Ryo. Instead, he said, "Don't worry, Ryo. He'll blow off steam and then he'll be back burping on your couch, scratching himself, and hogging the television tonight."
"H-He won't tell me what's wrong," Ryo stammered, but he knew already. It was obvious to Ryo that Dee had grown tired of waiting. "What if he doesn't come back?"
Bicky snorted, but he wasn't sure himself just then. Still, he wanted to comfort Ryo. "That jerk is worse than a fungus. You can never get rid of him." Bicky hoped as much as Ryo that it was true.
A florist. Funeral flowers for the dead girl's mother.
A caterer. Food for the funeral.
Dee puzzled over the last phone number on his bit of note paper. No one was answering. He had checked the number with phone records. It belonged to a Samuel Athers. No relation to Ms. Heimecher. No relation to the dead girl's mother. A mystery man. Dee acquired the address.
Ryo was pouring over the forensic report at his own desk. He looked pale, but puzzled. He hadn't said much when he had arrived at the station, though he had made several attempts to reach out to Dee. Dee had rebuffed those attempts, growing more and more angry. Why couldn't Ryo understand that he didn't want that now? He was too confused, too much in emotional turmoil to want any kind of intimacy.
"The blood belongs to the girl," Ryo finally said. They were still partners. Dee would allow him that much right now. He wouldn't let the case suffer because of their personal problems. "There isn't any sign of rips or tears on the dress, though, and that doesn't make sense if she was killed in it. There wasn't any sign of flesh from a murder wound on the dress either. If she was... hit on the head... or, if she had her..." Ryo swallowed and stood up. "I have to-to take a walk."
Dee watched Ryo walked away, head down and hand rising to hide his emotional state from the other police officers. Such a gentle, caring man, Dee thought, at least to everyone but him.
Dee called the last number one more time and the phone rang while he continued to stare after Ryo. The man was so upset, Dee thought. He tried to hold onto his anger, his self righteousness, his feelings of hurt, but it all crumpled and slithered away as genuine concern for Ryo replaced it. The man he loved needed him. Suddenly, that's all that mattered to Dee.
"Hi!" a young, feminine voice said suddenly in Dee's ear. Dee jumped, both feet coming down hard on the floor as he sat up tensely in his chair.
"Uh, hi," Dee replied quickly. "I'm Dee, Dee Latener. Who are you, honey?"
"Amanda," the girl's voice said and a chill went up Dee's spine. "Do you want to talk to Mr. Athers? He's taking care of me till Momma comes back."
"Can he hear you right now?" Dee asked. "Does he see you talking on the phone?"
"No, he's asleep on the couch."
Dee scribbled the address on a notepad and the words 'kidnapped girl' and flipped it onto Dreig's desk. The big detective looked up in surprise. Dee motioned to him and the note and then to a few of the other men in the station. "Now!" he mouthed. Dreig nodded and his bulk erupted out of his chair as he went to follow Dee's orders.
"Now, Amanda," Dee said carefully. "Don't tell Mr. Athers that I called, okay? I'm coming over there in a few minutes and I want to surprise him. We're good friends, ya know. He'll be happy to be surprised. I'll even bring you something nice if you keep my secret, okay Honey?"
"A present. I get a present?" Amanda said excitedly.
"Only if you keep my secret and not tell Mr. Athers I called."
"Okay! Is mama coming too?"
"Yeah, she's coming too." Dee rubbed at his eyes, his adrenalin making his head pound. "Just a few minutes, Amanda, okay? Just keep my secret for a few minutes."
"Okay! Hurry!"
"I will. Bye now, Amanda."
"By, Mr.!"
The phone clicked and Dee was out of his chair and running to find Ryo an instant afterwards. He found Ryo sitting in the break room, slumped in a chair, a cup of coffee in both hands as if he were cold. He looked up as Dee burst in.
"Look, Dee, I'm sorry-"
"No time now! I've found Amanda!"
Ryo bolted out of his chair and slung his cup at the sink. It shattered as Dee grabbed him by the hand and jerked Ryo after him out of the room. "Where? Dee, where is she?"
"One of the numbers on Ms. Heimecher's note pad. Amanda answered the phone," Dee explained breathlessly as they rushed into the elevator and took it to the parking garage. "I sent Dreig and some men ahead of us."
They climbed into Dee's car and Ryo barely had his door closed before Dee was flooring it and slapping a siren onto the roof. While Dee careened through the streets, Ryo took the time to check his gun. "If he hurt her...," Ryo growled and Dee saw a dangerous glint in Ryo's dark eyes that he had never seen there before.
When they reached the apartment in a rundown part of town, Dee made sure he entered before Ryo, gun ready, but raised in case it was the child he ran into before Mr. Athers. He relaxed in the next moment. Dreig and his men were mopping up. Mr. Athers, a dark haired, wild looking man was spitting curses on the dirty floor, hands handcuffed behind his back.
Ryo pushed past Dee, frantic. "Where's Amanda?"
Dreig grinned reassuringly. "In the bedroom with Jim. We've already called Services to come get her. This scum was still asleep when we came in. Didn't know what hit him."
Ryo rushed to the bedroom door. Jim was seated on a rough bed with Amanda beside him. She was smiling, a little, dark haired girl in shorts, shirt, and tiny sandals with plastic flowers on their tops. She had a bandage on one arm, but she looked up eagerly at the new arrivals.
"Who's Dee?" She asked impishly.
"That's me!" Dee told her, smiling back in relief.
"Where's my present?" She demanded.
"Mr. Athers was selling children to infertile couples," Dee was explaining to Ryo as Ryo struggled to open an old file drawer in the records room. "Ms. Heimecher knew him because she had, at one time, tried to buy a child for herself and her ex- husband. When Amanda began to make her miserable with her constant crying, she remembered Mr. Athers and had him kidnap Amanda."
"Thank God, he didn't harm her!" Ryo sighed as he continued to struggle. Dee reached past him and tugged sharply, The drawer came open with a groan. "This case has a happy ending. So many times, they don't."
"I wish something else could have a happy ending," Dee grumbled and half turned away, remembering their own troubles.
Ryo reached out and tried to touch Dee on the arm. Dee jerked it away from him and snapped, "Stop touching me all the time. I don't want you too!"
Ryo snapped at the same time, exasperated, "Why won't you let me touch you?"
They stood, frozen, and then Dee laughed. Ryo smiled a little, but he was uncertain. "This is so stupid!" Dee said with a groan. "How did things get turned around?"
"I've been selfish." they both said at the same time. It was Ryo who laughed now, but it was sad.
"Gomen nasai, Dee, I'm so sorry. I love you, but I'm not good at relationships. I'm used to being alone and... and getting my way all the time, I guess." Ryo's dark eyes looked into Dee's green ones. "Love is a two way street. I have to give, not just get all the time or, more to the point, not give all the time."
"I won't force you to do something you don't want to do, Ryo," Dee replied angrily, "but I've gone without long enough. I want you so badly. You're handsome. You're sexy just standing there with- with," Dee reached out and pulled a cobweb from Ryo's soft hair, "stuff in your hair." He sighed. "I know I've been over enthusiastic in the sex department, and I'm sorry for that. I promise to cut it down to five times a week, okay?"
Ryo blushed. "Five? How about two?"
"Four."
"Three."
"Four. Okay, three."
Dee swallowed hard. "I-I thought if I cut you off, like you did me, that you'd see how much it hurt. I was waiting for you to come to me. When you didn't, I was upset."
Ryo's face trembled with emotion. "I wish I could change, Dee. I wish I wasn't so-so scared all the time. I don't know what to do. I don't know how you'll react when I do or say things. If you left me... I think I'd die, Dee! I couldn't bear it! That's what I'm frightened of the most, needing you that much. It just seemed better to not do anything than to chance doing the wrong thing, maybe something so wrong that you would have left me."
"We've been over this already," Dee reminded him. "Why can't you trust me when I tell you that nothing could make me leave you?"
"But you were so angry," Ryo pointed out. He ducked his head and his honey colored hair fell into his eyes, making a soft curtain.
"I thought...," Dee groped for the right words to express himself. "I thought you were leaving me. When you didn't come to me, I thought, it's always been me wanting you and maybe that's all it's ever been."
"No!" Ryo said suddenly, emphatically. "I love you, Dee! I would never leave you! Never! Don't ever think that!" Ryo clenched his hands. "You kept making me feel... cornered, guilty, wanting me all the time and me not feeling the same way. I love making love to you, Dee, and, you see, that's what I want... that's the only way I can have it, slow, once in awhile, and with love. I was wrong to tell you to back off completely, but that was just because I was tired of avoiding you, of being afraid that you'd want me every time you came close."
"Cal was right," Dee mused.
"Huh?"
Dee smiled wanly. "She told me what was wrong, why you were so upset. She's the one who suggested I keep my pants on and make you squirm for awhile. I guess she didn't know how sensitive you really are and that it would make you feel rejected instead of... well, horny."
Ryo blushed. "I, uh, talked to her too."
Dee raised a dark eyebrow. "Yeah? What did she tell you?"
Ryo went to the door of the records room and locked it. Stepping back to Dee, eyes lowered, Ryo reached out and began unbuttoning Dee's shirt. "She told me to put out if I wanted to keep you, that I was being unreasonable."
Dee caught Ryo's wrists and held his slim hands still. "I don't want what you don't really want to give, Ryo."
Ryo smiled timidly. "But I do. I do want it, Dee. I love you, just... I guess my fire burns somewhat lower than yours. It needs persuasion to rise up. Once it gets burning good and strong though..." Ryo suddenly pressed his body up against Dee's, limp and warm as if he were about to faint at his own daring. His eyes were closed as he lifted his chin and fell into a deep kiss with Dee.
Dee's eyes swept around the dusty records room, making sure that they were alone. Without breaking the kiss, he pulled Ryo into the shelter of some file cabinets and thrust his tongue into Ryo's willing mouth. This was so different! This was so unlike Ryo! This was so-so hot! And so unlike Ryo, Dee thought again and broke the kiss. He cupped Ryo's face with his big, broad hands, looking deeply into Ryo's soft, sultry eyes.
"Let's wait," Dee suggested, choking on the words, his body furious with him. "We'll finish up our reports, send Bicky and Cal off to a movie, and-" His words were muffled as Ryo leaned in for another kiss and... Oh, God! Dee thought. He could feel Ryo press something hard and exciting against his leg.
"Baby!" Dee protested around the kiss, feeling Ryo's hands busily undoing his clothes. "Someone's bound to want to come in! What if they have a key? We should really wait. We'll get caught for sure, Baby!"
Ryo narrowed his eyes and Dee stopped. "Is that what I sound like?" Ryo wanted to know. "I'm usually the one giving excuses."
"I just don't want to see you get embarrassed," Dee told him plaintively. "I know how timid you are about letting anyone know about our relationship."
"You always think about me," Ryo realized. "You're always trying to protect me and make me happy, so much so, that you make yourself miserable! No, I'm the one who made you miserable. It's all my fault."
"It's both of our faults," Dee countered. "We forgot about give and take. We both kept trying to take."
Ryo nodded and smiled again. "Let's both give, okay, Dee? Right here, right now. "
Dee swallowed and felt a strong reaction below his belt. "Ah, is this one of my three times for the week, because, if it is..."
"What?" Ryo wondered, smiling now too.
"I want it to be perfect," Dee told him. "If we get interrupted, I get to try again later. Deal?"
"Deal," Ryo breathed and then tried his best to crawl into Dee's shirt. He let his tongue lap at Dee's nipples as he slid small hands down the back of Dee's pants. He grabbed the two fleshly globes he found there and Dee groaned. Ryo still felt timid and nervous about taking the initiative, especially in such a daring place, but he was determined, with the same stubbornness that had made him a good detective, to go through with it, to show Dee his love and that he wasn't the frigid creature that Dee imagined him to be. Ryo had a fire, just as he had said, and now it was burning brightly, rising higher and higher as Dee slid his pants down and took hold of his weeping erection.
"Oh, you're so hard, Baby!" Dee whispered huskily into Ryo's ear and breathed warm breath into it as he smoothly began to work Ryo with his hand. Ryo moaned and sobbed, the soft skin of his face rubbing maddeningly along Dee's chest as he involuntarily moved in rhythm with Dee's strokes. "Tell me what you want, Ryo. Tell me how you like it. It's time you stopped being afraid and trusted me."
Ryo was blushing furiously, but his erection was burning and swelling in Dee's grasp, excited by Dee's words, excited by the chance to tell Dee what he really wanted.
"Tell me, Baby," Dee urged again.
Ryo came out of hiding and pressed his face up against Dee's. He kissed Dee's neck, caressed that long, strong line, with the tip of his nose. "I want-."
"Yes?"
"I want-"
"Come on, Baby. Trust me."
"Your mouth on me, Dee. I like that."
Dee smiled and sank to his knees. He came face to face with Ryo's strong erection as Ryo put hands gently into Dee's unruly, black hair and trembled with anticipation. Dee teased his cock with his tongue, rolled it along the underside, stroked it roughly at the root, before traveling up lick by lick to the oozing hole at the top. Once there, Dee forced his hot tongue inside and swirled it. Ryo jerked, his hands twisting hard in Dee's hair as he gave a low cry.
"A kimochi i!" Ryo hissed. "It feels so good, Dee! Sugoi Sugoi! Don't stop!"
Dee tormented that hole, sucked at the tip, made a tight band with his lips, and then swallowed Ryo's erection whole and sucked in hard.
"Kuso!" a swear word ripped out of Ryo's mouth.
Dee grinned, keeping the pressure, and then he relented and began sucking with long, hard strokes up and down Ryo's cock. Ryo didn't last long after that. He came explosively, choking on a cry he tried not to utter unsuccessfully. Dee took Ryo's seed into his mouth, holding it there, cheeks distended and salty taste stinging his taste buds.
With practiced ease, Dee pulled Ryo down to the floor and put him underneath him on his back. Undoing his own pants, Dee spit out Ryo's seed onto his hand and used it for lube on his own cock.
"Tell me what you want," Ryo said timidly. Dee raised eyebrows as he stroked his own cock. "It's your turn."
"That's easy," Dee said huskily and put his cock to Ryo's entrance. He worked it there, slow and careful, until the ring of muscles relaxed. "I want in you. I want to pound you against the floor. I want to be together as close as two people can be together. Let's make love, Ryo. That's what I want."
"I want that too," Ryo said as Dee began pushing into him. He panted through the small sting of pain and then groaned again when the tip of Dee's cock touched his prostate. Ryo blushed to the roots of his hair, but he met Dee's eyes and said as boldly as he could, voice shaking only a little. "Fuck me Dee."
"Oh, God!" Dee lost it then. He leaned down over Ryo and pulled Ryo's legs up to give himself the right angle. On his knees, Ryo's hips in his lap and impaled on his swollen cock, Dee began to pump furiously
"Dee!' Ryo exclaimed.
"Hurt?" Dee bit out and paused mid stroke.
"No!" Ryo groaned. "Harder!"
Dee grinned and began pumping again. His grin faded as he was swept into heaven on the wings of lust, love, and Ryo. He came and it shook him to his core. He panted, collapsing onto Ryo, holding him, kissing him, thanking him in a confusing jumble.
"Shh," Ryo said gently and pulled Dee against him, pale arms loving and comforting as he held the man close. "I liked... talking to you, telling you..," Ryo whispered into Dee's ear. "I swear, I will trust you, Dee, from now on. We can't let things get so bad again,
because we're afraid of losing one another if we complain. Give and take, okay?"
"Yeah," Dee breathed and then he chuckled.
"What?" Ryo wondered.
"Just that... if not doing it for awhile makes you as uninhibited as this, then maybe it isn't so bad," Dee pointed out as if he were perfectly serious. Ryo suspected that he was.
"You're not cutting me off again to find out, Dee Latener," Ryo retorted. "I have needs too, you know-"
"Hey!" Dreig shouted from the other side of the locked door. "If you two are DONE in there, can some of us real detectives get in there to do some WORK?"
Ryo and Dee scrambled to their feet and began tossing clothes at one another. "Uh," Dee stammered. "Dreig! Didn't know we locked the door! Sorry, man. I'll get it in just a minute. I have a box of files in my arms and uh-"
"I'm helping him with it!" Ryo added lamely and turned deep red.
"I'm not stupid!" Dreig replied loudly. "Just get it together and let me in, Okay! Jeesh!"
"Later!" Dee said as he buttoned his shirt.
Ryo scowled. "What do you mean, 'later'?"
"We were interrupted," Dee pointed out. "You promised."
"But we finished!" Ryo replied in annoyance.
"Maybe YOU did!"
"But, you did too!"
"You promised," Dee whined as he adjusted his tie. "Come on, Ryo!"
"No," Ryo retorted.
"Aw, come on!"
"No."
Dee caught Ryo's chin and pulled him in for a long, hot kiss. When he broke it slowly, Ryo had glazed eyes. "Uh, I guess I could give a little more," Ryo conceded and sank into the kiss again.
***Owari***