Disclaimer:I don't own them and I don't make any money off of this.
Warning: Male/Male sex, Graphic, violence, language
"You're staring," Ryo complained.
Sitting at Ryo's feet on the fire escape 'balcony' Dee puffed a cigarette and pretended to study the graffiti on the wall opposite them. If he turned his head, he could see the city street and the bustling people and cars going past in endless streams. If he looked up, he could see Ryo's handsome profile. He much preferred the latter, but, at that moment, he didn't want Ryo to know that or to know what he had been thinking about while he had been staring.
"Was not," Dee replied as he made out two gang symbols and noticed that the cracking bricks made a definite pattern that was somewhat obscene.
Ryo was sitting in a chair, dressed for the day in a tan pair of slacks and a white shirt. His honey brown hair was falling into his handsome face as his dark eyes studied the newspaper folded in his lap. On one of his knees, a half eaten muffin on a small plate was balanced precariously, and in one of his hands, he held a delicate china cup full of his aromatic, morning tea. Dee himself was drinking strong, black coffee and the two scents intermingled with the ever present, pungent, smog laden scent of the city.
"So," Ryo prompted at last.
"So?" Dee echoed irritably.
Ryo looked down at Dee with a humorous frown. "You don't like mornings out in the 'fresh' air. Why join me today?"
"A guy has to have a reason for everything?" Dee bristled. He finished his cigarette and then stubbed it out. He flicked the butt over the rail and watched it take the long fall. "I'm an impulsive guy. You're the one that has 'the schedule'," Dee pointed out. "So, I wanna sit with you this morning and think-"
"Think?" Ryo raised eyebrows. "Now I know something isn't right, Dee. Since when have you ever been interested in something like that?"
"I hope you're joking," Dee growled as he stood and stretched. "I'm not stupid, ya know."
"Dee!" Ryo looked contrite suddenly. "I WAS only joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"You didn't," Dee snorted.
"Dee..." Ryo folded his paper under his arm and picked up his muffin from off of his knee. "Let's go inside and talk. Something's bothering you. I can tell."
"Nothing's bothering me!" Dee shouted back and saw the startled look in Ryo's eyes before he turned and climbed through the window back into the apartment. He had almost blown it. He swore at himself as he went into the bedroom to finish getting ready for work.
Ryo, unfortunately, was following. He had put down his things in the other room and his hands were empty and taking hold of Dee before Dee could escape into the bathroom. Dee looked sideways away from Ryo as his partner anxiously asked, "Dee! Have I done anything wrong? Please tell me! If I hurt you with my stupid joke, I'm sorry!"
"It didn't bother me," Dee assured him. "I'm always touchy in the morning, you know that."
Ryo was frowning, searching Dee's face, trying to believe him. Finally, Ryo lowered his hands slowly. "All right. You looked angry though. That's why I thought-"
"I'm not!" Dee leaned forward and gave Ryo a brief kiss on the forehead. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to get ready for work, okay? I don't want to be late."
Dee went into the bathroom and shut the door. He leaned against the wood and sighed in relief. He wasn't good at keeping secrets or keeping emotions off of his face. He had very nearly given everything away. If Ryo had continued to press him, it would have all come out.
Dee pushed away from the door and went to the wash basin. As he took up his electric razor, he stared into the medicine cabinet mirror. A tense expression greeted him. "You are an idiot," he whispered to his reflection. "How can you still not know what to give your lover for his birthday?"
On the other side of the door, Ryo frowned, sighed, and then left the bedroom to sit at the kitchen table and finish his breakfast. It was too quiet. With Bicky gone for a week on a youth retreat, the apartment seemed to echo emptily without his presence. Ryo and Dee weren't used to that kind of 'alone time' any longer. He supposed that Dee was getting restless, maybe wishing that the boy would return. Not that the man would ever admit it, Ryo thought sourly, but Dee was used to sharing his love of sports with the boy and Ryo knew that he was a poor, uninterested, substitute.
Ryo sipped his tea and tried to understand the look Dee had given him on the balcony. It had seemed frightened, as if he were afraid of revealing something. Dee was a man who always spoke his thoughts. He was neither tactful nor secretive. That he should attempt the latter was troubling. Ryo decided to get to the bottom of it. He was a detective, after all, getting uncooperative witnesses to talk was his specialty.
"Ready?" Dee came out of the bedroom with a pensive expression, his coat thrown over one shoulder. His hair was hanging in his eyes. Ryo leaned his body into Dee's and pushed the hair aside with a gentle hand. Dee snaked a hand around his waist and pulled him closer still, saying, "You should have started earlier if you wanted to tango. We're going to be late as it is."
That wasn't right at all, Ryo thought as Dee gave him a small kiss. Since when did Dee care about being late? "You're right," Ryo replied as he broke the embrace and reached to get his own coat.
Dee snagged Ryo from behind and rubbed up against his backside. "Tonight, for sure, okay?"
Ryo smiled, relaxing. "I'd like that."
Dee kissed him on the back of the neck and then released him. "Don't worry, Baby, I'm going to take full advantage of you while Bicky is gone."
Ryo frowned. "I was afraid of that."
Dee draped an arm over Ryo's shoulders and guided him towards the front door. "Ryo!" he admonished. "Have faith! Don't I always know what you like?"
Ryo didn't reply and Dee sighed inwardly, wishing that his own words were true. They had been through a lot in the last year and Ryo's birthday, following so closely on their marriage, seemed like a perfect time to show Ryo how much he loved and appreciated the man. Unfortunately, Dee was having a hard time finding a gift that would be both something Ryo could enjoy as well as an expression of his sentiments. With only a short time until Ryo's birthday, Dee wasn't finding it any easier than when he had begun formulating the idea weeks ago. Dee was getting desperate and that called for desperate measures.
"Let me get this straight, Latener," Rose said as he leaned back in his chair, his long body stretching as he put his hands behind his head and watched Dee pace in agitation. The big, blonde commissioner spelled out the situation with relish, seeing Dee's discomfort grow and enjoying every moment of it, "You need me to help you decide on a gift?"
Dee stopped pacing and glared. "What's wrong with that?"
Rose sighed in exasperation. "I was hoping that you had come to my office to drop off a report on the Kinney case, or that you had come by to tell me you had made progress finding that smash and grab gang. I didn't expect a conversation about appropriate gifts for every occasion."
Dee growled under his breath, "Sorry, sir. I'll get right on it," and began to leave.
"Wait!" Rose snapped and Dee turned back, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable. "I didn't say that I wouldn't help. The gift is for Ryo, correct?" When Dee nodded, Rose said in exasperation, "Why do you think I can help with that? You're the one who married him after all. Aren't you the expert?"
"Ryo is a romantic," Dee replied. Jamming hands deep into his pants pockets, he slowly began to pace the room again. "You're a romantic too. You have a lot of lady's hanging on you constantly... even though you're a complete b-" Dee stopped himself and scowled.
Rose scowled too. "I'm glad that you reconsidered that last sentence, Latener."
Dee continued, ignoring him. "I tried talking to the other guys, but they think a six pack of beer and a roll in the sheets is good enough and I don't want... well, I want it to be special." He blushed to his ears and turned away from Rose growling. "This was a stupid idea! I guess I was just getting desperate. There's no reason for you to help me and every reason for you to give me the wrong answer."
"Do you really think that I would do that, sabotage your efforts to make Ryo angry with you?" Rose wondered. When Dee shrugged dispiritedly, Rose said angrily, "I wouldn't make Ryo unhappy just to get back at you. That's petty and I'm not a petty man, Latener. You won the prize. Ryo, though I can't fathom why, is happy with you. Maybe I can't have him now, but it doesn't stop me from still caring about his well being."
Dee turned to face Rose, hopeful. "Then you'll help me?"
Rose shook his head firmly. "I can't." When Dee started and opened his mouth to shout in anger, Rose held up a hand to forestall him. "A gift from me isn't what Ryo wants. It's not what will make him happy. He's not a stupid man. He'd guess an obnoxious low brow like you wouldn't come up with the kind of gift that I would choose. I'm afraid that you're on you own, Latener."
"Thanks... for nothing!" Dee snarled and stalked towards the door.
Rose's voice followed Dee. "He knows you, Latener. Wrap a six pack of beer. As long as you try, I'm sure Ryo will appreciate it."
"I don't want anything FROM Ryo, Rose!" Dee retorted. "I want to GIVE him something!" I want to give him my heart, Dee thought as he stormed through the door and closed it hard behind him, give it to him in such a way that he will never doubt that it's his.
"So, what did Rose have to say?" Ryo asked as he flipped pages in a folder, one hand propping up his chin.
Dee blinked caught off guard. Looking across their two desks at his lover, he struggled for an explanation, "Nothing." he winced inwardly.
Ryo looked up from his paperwork, confused. "Nothing? So, you just went into his office to... talk?"
"No, not really," Dee felt panic begin to form. He stared at his full coffee cup and wished it were empty, wished for any excuse to get out of being grilled by Ryo. He could see the man's golden eyebrow quirk suspiciously.
"Dee," Ryo said after a moment. "If you're having an affair with Rose, I think you should-"
"What? No!" Dee exploded in shock and then saw Ryo's laughing eyes. The man had been joking. Dee calmed himself and again struggled for something to say.
Ryo finally relieved him of the task. "Dee, if you were chewed out again, you don't have to tell me so. I know you and your pride. If you need help straightening something out for Rose, you just have to ask and I'll help. That's what a relationship is all about, all right?"
"It's nothing," Dee muttered and shuffled some mug shots.
Ryo sighed. "Is that what was bothering you this morning, an argument with Rose? You should have said so, Dee. I don't know why you two can't get along."
"I do," Dee grunted back.
"Why?" Ryo wondered, perplexed.
"You."
"Me?"
Dee nodded as he stacked his mug shots and then passed them to Ryo. As Ryo took them, he met his lover's eyes. "He may have given up trying to seduce you, but he hasn't stopped wanting you."
"Don't you trust me?" Ryo asked angrily. "I'm not interested in him, Dee. I thought I had made that very clear."
"You have," Dee agreed, "but it isn't about what you might do. It's something between me and Rose that's never going to get settled. "
Ryo stared, his dark, liquid eyes studying Dee's face. Dee wondered what he was thinking and he felt sweat trickling down into his collar. Finally, Ryo said, "You're trying to distract me. Why?"
Ryo was a shrewd detective. He had seen right through Dee and Dee didn't have a come back. Dee stood abruptly. "I need to go down to records. We can chit chat later."
Ryo's face went pinched and Dee knew that he had hurt him. He swore at his own clumsiness, but he couldn't apologize at that point without explaining everything. For once, he told himself, keep your big mouth shut and do things right.
As Dee passed J.J.'s desk, he had thought and acted on it before distaste could make him change his mind "Come on!" he said to the young man in a rough tone. When J.J. blinked up at Dee, startled and hopeful, Dee clarified quickly, "I need you to help me move some record boxes. I'm looking for an old case number that's not in the computers."
J.J. looked disappointed, but his hope was hardly chipped as he quickly stood and motioned Dee to proceed him. Dee glared and J.J. shrugged and went first. Dee followed him down the stairs to the dusty, mildew smelling records room. As J.J. unlocked the door, Dee studied the dapper, over excitable young man. First Rose and now J.J. He was grasping at straws, Dee felt, and he knew that what he was doing was ridiculous. The the last thing that he wanted to happen, though, was to stand in front of Ryo with a gift that the man would smile at, thank Dee for, and then quietly put it on the top shelf of a closet never to be seen again. If J.J. could help him avoid that, Dee was willing to endure the man for a little while.
"What's the file you're looking for?" J.J. asked as he entered the records room and turned to Dee.
Dee rattled off a bogus case number and J.J. nodded and proceeded to the right area of the many steel shelves lined up before them. When they stopped in front of a tall shelving unit and J.J. followed the numbers upward, Dee cleared his throat, but, before he could say anything, J.J. said curiously, "I know you didn't really want my help with this. What's going on, Dee?"
Dee found it hard to reply. J.J. finally looked at him and leaned his back against the shelves. "Are you going to confess your undying love for me?" J.J. wondered sarcastically. "Are you going to tell me that you've come to your senses and that your leaving Ryo for me?" When Dee just scowled, J.J. sighed. "I thought not."
Dee raked a hand through his black hair and lit up a cigarette. The records room was too old to have a sprinkler system in case of a fire. There wasn't even a smoke detector. J.J. hadn't thought about the lack until Dee took two, slow puffs of his cigarette. It made him nervous.
"Look, if you're not going to talk, I'm leaving." J.J. finally said uneasily.
"If you really wanted to show someone how much you loved him," Dee said at last, as if the words were being dredged from the bottom of his being. "What would you do... gift wise?"
"Gift wise..., " J.J. pushed himself away from the shelving and stood very close to Dee, looking up at the taller man. Dee stared back stiffly. "I'd give him what, deep down, he had always wanted, without knowing it. Sometimes, that sort of thing can't be packaged with a pretty bow. Sometimes, you have to improvise."
J.J. very slowly reached out and ran fingers along the lapels of Dee's coat. He moved closer until he was only a hairs breath from touching Dee's warm body. Dee's eyes looked straight through him, thoughtful, mind completely riveted on a forming idea. J.J. realized, suddenly, that he had ceased to exist.
J.J. felt a sickness twist his gut. Those expressive green eyes of Dee's were on fire, but that fire was for someone else. See me! J.J. wanted to shout, but he knew better. He could hope that things were different all that he wanted, but the truth could never be anything other than what it was. Dee wasn't his and probably never would be.
J.J. let his hands drop. He swallowed hard on his emotions. Can't fault a guy for trying, he thought sourly, and knew he would try again, later, when Dee's mind wasn't so uncharacteristically active.
Dee came back to the here and now with a start. He scratched his head and looked around him. He was in time to see the door to the records room closing. J.J. was gone. "What the hell's wrong with him?" Dee grumbled.
Dee went back to his desk and sat down. Ryo looked up, curious. "Didn't find it?"
Dee blinked. "Find what?"
Ryo sighed patiently and then clarified. "You went, with J.J., to find a file in the records room. You don't have it. If you need me to help you look again..."
"Uh, no. That's okay," Dee replied quickly and began shuffling other paperwork on his desk as he turned to his computer. "Wasn't that important anyway."
Ryo sat very quietly. Dee noticed and felt sweat run down his collar. His beautiful lover was thinking, maybe putting two and two together, maybe the wrong two and two, Dee suddenly realized. "You can stop thinking that right now!" he snarled as he turned to Ryo. "If you think I went any where with J.J. to mess around, I will take you to have you examined by the staff psych!"
Ryo laughed. Dee blinked. "You're hiding something, Dee, and not doing a very good job of it."
The laugh and the accusation confused Dee. If Ryo thought he was up to something, why was it amusing him? Dee tried to work it out, but Ryo offered him the answer.
"You can tell me that Rose gave you extra work as punishment, Dee," Ryo said. "You don't have to try and hide it. What is it, missing dog case? An elderly woman lose her dentures?"
"Ha, ha!" Dee replied sarcastically. This made Ryo chuckle even more. Dee almost became angry, but then decided that Ryo had handed him the perfect cover. He didn't have to fake being irritable as he said, "See why I didn't want to tell you about something like that? I didn't say anything and already you're making fun of me."
Ryo sobered, but he was finding it hard to look contrite. "Sorry," he said with a warm smile. "If you want me to help..."
Always willing to help, Dee though, always willing to be there for him no matter what. His partner, his lover, was the man Dee had always dreamed of having by his side. J.J.'s words came back to him. Give Ryo something he didn't know he wanted himself? Ryo was a modest, shy, inhibited man. How hard could it be to find a gift like that? One that could show Ryo the depth of his appreciation, his love? J.J. had definitely given Dee some ideas. He discarded thoughts of tea sets and overstuffed designer pillows and began to think of something more personal, something that didn't have to do with material gifts at all.
**********
"What are you looking at?" Dee frowned, hands in pockets, as he impatiently looked over his lover's shoulder at the picture he was holding.
Sitting at the kitchen table, Ryo was sighing over a box of photos. The one he held showed them all together, Bicky, Ryo and Dee at the park. Dee faintly remembered it. Ryo had coerced a hot dog vendor to snap the shot. Bicky was goofing off as usual and making a face. Dee was looking irritated, mirroring his expression of the moment, and Ryo looked absolutely contented and glowing as he stood in the center and hugged them both.
"I miss him," Ryo said softly.
Dee sighed, "Bicky will be home soon and he'll be up to his old tricks, bad language, and stupidity, don't worry."
Ryo looked up at Dee. "I know you miss him too, so stop with the tough guy act."
When Dee looked down into Ryo's dark eyes, he couldn't say what he was thinking. He shrugged and walked away saying roughly, "Yeah, I guess." He stretched out on the couch and watched Ryo put the photo away in the box and close the lid. For a moment his lover smiled down at the box, caressing it with one hand, and then he cradled it close to his body and rose to go put it away.
Dee followed Ryo with his eyes. The man looked tired, Dee thought, and was reassured in his choice of a gift. Ryo needed a chance to really relax before Bicky came home. He needed to be pampered and massaged. Dee had requested two days off of work for his lover and had made a reservation at a spa for him. What better way to show his appreciation and love, Dee thought, than to give Ryo something he would never have given himself; a few days to forget about his job and his responsibilities.
The phone rang. Ryo emerged from a closet to snag the phone from a nearby table. "Hello?"
Dee turned his head, mouth opening to complain, thinking it was work trying to call them in to the station. The look on Ryo's face forestalled him. Ryo was white, his hand gripping the phone hard.
"Baby?" Dee asked as he stood up and went to Ryo's side.
"Yes, I am his legal guardian," Ryo said quietly. "I'll be right there." He scribbled an address on the note pad by the phone as he hung up the receiver. Ripping the paper off the pad, Ryo finally looked up at Dee. Bicky's been hurt. They took him to a hospital."
Dee felt a chill and then he was in motion, grabbing both of their coats from a coat rack. He tossed Ryo his and then headed for the door. "Let's go!"
As they made their way to the street, Dee asked. "Is it bad?"
Ryo replied fearfully, "I don't know. They say he hit his head somehow during a scuffle with another boy."
"Bicky!" Dee growled, but it was only half hearted anger.
"They're taking x-rays now, " Ryo told him. "He hasn't regained consciousness since the accident. Dee... what if-"
Dee slipped an arm around Ryo's waist and pulled him tight against his side, ignoring the curious looks aimed their way. "Don't think that way!" Dee exclaimed, not wanting Ryo to know that he was having wild thoughts of his own. "Everything is going to be fine! Bicky has a thick head, you know that."
Dee's pathetic attempt to joke fell flat. As they climbed into the car and started driving, Ryo fell into a tense silence. Dee kept shooting glances at his lover, concerned. If Bicky was hurt bad, bad enough to die... Remembering the loving way Ryo had stared at Bicky's picture, Dee didn't have any doubt that Ryo would feel as if he had lost a real son.
"He really means a lot to you," Dee said, trying to gauge just how upset Ryo was.
"You both do," Ryo replied anxiously. "You're my family." He looked down at his clasped hands in his lap. "I know... I know you don't think of us that way, that you have a lot of problems with Bicky, but he needs us now, Dee." Ryo turned wide, black eyes on Dee, begging him, "Let's not argue about right or wrong, let's just be there for him, okay?"
Dee frowned. "What did he do, Ryo?"
Ryo twisted his hands in his lap in agitation. Dee kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached out with his other to still them.
"Tell me," Dee urged.
"The other boy said that he stole something from him," Ryo answered reluctantly. "It doesn't matter now."
"It will if Bicky recovers," Dee grumbled. "You can't let things like that slide just because Bicky is hurt. "
"Dee," Ryo protested softly, but Dee was firm.
"Ryo, you can't cut Bicky any slack!" Dee told him. "Bicky's testing us, testing the world to see how much he can get away with. We have to bring the hammer down and show him the line he can't cross, now, before he ends up in jail."
Ryo's hands turned upwards to clasp Dee's hand. His eyes were wet and he was obviously fighting back tears. "You lived a life like Bicky's. You understand him," he said. "You can reach him when I can't because of that."
"And you can be a good listener and smart enough to get him where he needs to go in life," Dee replied. "I can't do that. I can't direct him to a place I've never been. I grew up on the streets. The police academy was my 'higher learning'. "
"He needs us both," Ryo said with feeling.
Dee nodded and put his hands back on the steering wheel, his grip tightening as he thought over what Ryo was saying. "Yeah, we're a boy's worst nightmare, not one dad to rebel against, but two!" He chuckled.
They reached the hospital and Dee found himself not many steps behind a hurrying Ryo as they made their way up to Bicky's room. When Ryo anxiously confronted the nurse there, Dee was there at his elbow to calm him down and to get straight answers.
"He's fine," the nurse said, watching Ryo cautiously as Ryo fretted. "He just has a mild concussion. He should be waking up soon. Are you his father?" She looked Ryo over dubiously.
"Legal guardian," Ryo replied. "Can I see him now?"
"And you?" the nurse persisted, barring the door with her body and a clipboard and looking questioningly at Dee. "Relatives only I'm afraid, until the doctor okays otherwise."
Dee felt angry. He began to argue and then saw Ryo trying to look over the woman's shoulder, frantic to get a sight of Bicky in the bed behind her. Dee stepped back. "Go ahead, Ryo. I'll wait downstairs."
Ryo looked grateful as the nurse allowed him past. Dee gave the nurse a frown, even though he knew that she was just doing her job, and she frowned back. Relenting irritably, Dee retreated down stairs to the cafeteria. Grabbing a sandwich and a coffee, he settled into a booth and waited. He had a long time to think.
Ryo finally joined him, smiling sweetly and reaching out to clasp Dee's hand across the table. "Thank you, Dee, for not making a scene. I knew you'd rather be down here anyway, not up there waiting for Bicky to wake up."
"You're wrong!" Dee snapped and Ryo's eyes widened startled. "I DID want to be there!"
"Nani?" Ryo said startled, and then apologetically. "I'm sorry, Dee, I just thought-"
"You thought wrong," Dee grumbled and sipped at his coffee.
They sat in silence for a long moment while Ryo tried to understand Dee's mood. "The doctor said that he was fine. Bicky woke up and he had a headache, but he was alert. The doctor said that we could take him home in the morning."
"That's good," Dee sipped his coffee again. He knew he was upsetting Ryo, but the thoughts he was having were upsetting to him as well. When he had married Ryo, it had been a big step for him. He had never been the kind of man to commit to anything, to tie himself down, to give up freedom. Because he loved Ryo, he had done all of that. The thoughts that were in his head now were disturbing to him, but, once again, because he loved Ryo, he was willing to consider them seriously.
"Dee," Ryo began, his handsome face full of worry. "If you want to talk about something..."
Dee shook his head and finished his coffee. "Not yet. Let's worry about getting Bicky home."
"It's great!" Ryo turned the wooden TV. tray over and over in his hands. "You did a very good job, Bicky. It seems that retreat was good for you after all. Wood working skills-"
"Just say 'thanks' Ryo!" Dee urged impatiently, "And forget the lesson!" He pushed a furious Bicky out of his way and placed his wrapped gift box into Ryo's lap.
Sitting on the couch in their apartment, Ryo blushed and smiled as he picked up the box and examined it. "I really wasn't expecting anything from either of you," Ryo said. "Bicky is still recovering and you, Dee, have been busy at work doing both of our jobs while I've been staying with Bicky."
Bicky grumbled. "It's just a knot on the head, not a gunshot wound, Ryo! Something like that can't keep me down. I'm tough!"
Bicky sat on the edge of the couch and glared at Dee. "So," he continued acidly. "What'd you get Ryo this time, stupid? A six pack of beer?"
Dee ignored the street punk and motioned to the box. "Are you going to open it, or what, Ryo?"
Ryo looked nervously from Dee to Bicky and then smiled and shrugged as he pulled off the ribbons. Opening the box, he reached inside, brushed aside some white tissue paper, and then pulled out a framed photo. He stared and went very quiet.
Dee asked anxiously after a time, "Well?"
"Dee...," Ryo turned the photo so that Bicky could see that it was the photo of all three of them in the park.
Bicky rolled his eyes. "Cheapskate!" he exclaimed derisively.
Ryo smoothed hands over the frame. "Thank you, Dee," he said at last, and meant it. "This is a very nice gift. It is my favorite photo."
"Why?" Dee prompted, knowing the answer already,
Ryo was embarrassed, replying in a small voice, "We look like a family."
Bicky went quiet and he stared at Ryo. He swallowed hard suddenly and turned so that neither of the men could see his face.
"Look?" Dee said. "There's another gift in the box."
Ryo put the photo aside on the couch and looked into the box again. He pulled out an official piece of paper. "What's this..."
"We don't LOOK like a family," Dee said gruffly. "We ARE a family. Two gay men can't adopt, but I can be his guardian if something should happen to you. I know that you wanted me to sign a paper like that one when we first moved in together and I refused. Well, I've had time to rethink that decision. All you have to do is sign the bottom and submit it. That's your gift, Ryo," Dee said uncertainly, still waiting for Ryo to look anything other than shocked. "I'm giving you what you've always wanted, but never insisted on. I'm giving you a family for your birthday."
Bicky had turned back around, mouth hanging open and eyes wide with an emotion that he quickly covered up with faked outrage. "If you think I ever want a dumb ass like you taking care of me-"
Ryo was suddenly throwing himself into Dee's arms and holding him tight. He seized a deep, long kiss and then looked into Dee's eyes. He had tears running down his cheeks, but he was smiling. "This is the best gift I've ever received, Dee. I'll never forget this, never!"
Dee held Ryo tight in return and sighed in relief, glad that his instincts had been right for once. It had taken him awhile, but, sitting in the cafeteria of the hospital, he had suddenly realized that the gift he had been trying to give Ryo couldn't be boxed or represented by anything material. Showing Ryo his love, was, instead, as simple as opening his arms, holding his lover tight, and choosing to be a part of his lover's life in every aspect.
Disengaging slightly from Ryo, Dee turned him to face Bicky. "Now that the party is over, Ryo, it's time to try out your new gift," Dee said.
"Nani?" Ryo murmured, still dazed and happy, but growing confused now.
Dee reminded him, "We're Bicky's guardians, the both of us now. It's time we did some parenting, don't you think?"
Bicky was glaring. "What're you up to, stupid?" he demanded as he stood and squared off, facing Dee more than Ryo. Bicky knew which of them was about to give him the most trouble.
"Stupid?" Dee grunted. "You just added another week to your punishment, Bicky."
"What the-?" Bicky began hotly, but Dee pointed a finger at him sternly.
"If you want another week with out video games, TV, and going out with your friends, just keep it up. As I recall, you were accused of stealing before you hit your head. Now that you're better, it's time for some punishment."
"Ryo!" Bicky protested, looking to Ryo for sympathy.
Ryo was smiling as he slipped an arm around Dee's waist. "You heard him, Bicky. You are grounded for two weeks."
"This is- This isn't fair!" Bicky shouted. He stormed into his room and slammed the door shut.
Dee looked down at Ryo with raised eyebrows. "That felt pretty damned good. I now have a legal right to make Bicky miserable. Maybe it's my gift and not yours?"
Ryo made a face. "Don't let the power go to your head. You know he won't listen."
Dee smiled. "We're a family," he said . "We can gang up on him and make him."
Ryo grew serious. "Are you sure, Dee? You've always let me handle Bicky. You've always-"
"Acted like I was visiting instead of really moving in?" Dee finished. "Yeah, I know. I was stupid. Sorry it took so long to come around. This is forever, Ryo," he said as he caught Ryo around the waist and pulled him tight. "That's what I wanted to show you for your birthday."
Ryo melted against Dee and said as he fell into a deep kiss with his lover, "Being given your heart is the greatest gift there is..."