Disclaimer: I'm not making any money off of this, honest
Part 16
"Ryo!" Dee called as he sauntered into the office.
Ryo didn't reply. The man was sitting at his desk looking intently at something and smiling in a very pleased fashion. Curious, Dee came up behind him and looked over Ryo's shoulder.
Ryo was staring at a bank book. Dee noted the amount Ryo had in savings, snatched the book out of Ryo's hands, and looked closer in disbelief. "Wow, you're rich!" Dee exclaimed appreciatively.
Ryo snatched the book back, scowling in embarrassment, "Hey! leave me alone!"
"What are you going to do with all that money?" Dee wondered as he sat on the edge of Ryo's desk.
"Nothing," Ryo replied defensively and then shrugged slightly. "Travel, maybe." A thought came to him and he added, "I'll need to save some for Bicky, in case something should happen."
"Money is for spending, man!" Dee scoffed.
"I would argue, but I don't think you'll ever understand," Ryo retorted and then remembered that he had heard Dee calling his name. "Was there something that you wanted to tell me?"
Dee stood up, remembering his original errand. "Oh, yeah," he replied sheepishly and hooked a thumb towards the Chiefs office, "Our Chief wants to see us."
Ryo jumped out of his chair in alarm. He didn't want to be the target of the Chiefs notorious temper. Angrily, he grabbed Dee by the tie and jerked him towards the Chiefs office. "We have to hurry!"
"TOO LATE!" The Chiefs voice thundered, loud enough to peel the paint off of the wall, if it hadn't already been peeling off already.
Dee and Ryo hurried into the Chiefs office. The man was behind his desk, every muscle tense, his face as red as a beat as he cut Dee's half hearted excuse off with a flip of a middle finger. The Chief then pounded a beefy fist onto his desk top and demanded, "How long were you going to keep me waiting?!"
Ryo hung back as Dee grinned and shrugged arrogantly, "Hey, it was just thirty minutes!" Dee protested in the same complaining tone a teenager would use to an angry parent. Ryo cringed as the Chief slammed a fist on his desk again, sending pencils flying and making his coffee cup slosh it's contents onto some papers.
"Your thirty minutes is my three hours!" The Chief thundered.
A vein was pulsing on the Chiefs forehead and the muscles in his neck were clearly bunching into knots as he faced Dee, a man who was acting far too flippant and unconcerned for the situation he was in.
"You should calm down!" Ryo finally urged, made bold by his worry that the Chief was angry enough to have a heart attack.
The Chief was suddenly in Ryo's face as he snarled, "And you, Randy! I honestly thought that you could change him!"
Ryo looked almost frightened and Dee found himself stepping between Ryo and the Chief without thought, confronting the full fury of the Chief himself as he cut the Chiefs tirade off by demanding, "Chief? Why did you want us?"
The Chief was some time calming down, but when he did, he was a professional again as he outlined Dee and Ryo's new assignment. Ryo was surprised. Dee was furious.
"Juvenile Department?!" Dee exclaimed in disbelief. "You're transferring us?!"
The Chief lit up a cigarette and blew the smoke at Dee purposefully as he replied, as if he were getting sweet revenge, "It's just temporary; one week. They're shorthanded. I want you to investigate a drug case there."
Ryo was disappointed. It wasn't the kind of work that he wanted to do in his career. He felt a bit angry, silently blaming Dee and wondering if he had just been demoted. When they were out of the Chiefs office and walking down to their new assignment, Ryo couldn't help complaining bitterly, "It's the kind of job they give to train rookies."
Dee's mind was on a completely different track. He growled under his breath, "I hate kids!"
That statement underscored Dee's slightly obnoxious and unprofessional side. Ryo recalled a few other incidences of Dee's unprofessional nature and thought, the Chiefs right, I should change him rather than let him influence me. The thought of Dee influencing him negatively made Ryo think of how Dee had kissed him. He remembered the way he had felt and how Dee had treated him. Maybe the man was influencing him negatively, making him feel things that he wouldn't have normally? Ryo found himself looking covertly at Dee, a blush creeping across his cheeks. He wondered if Dee's joke hadn't really been a joke. Maybe Dee was really gay.
Dee, glancing at Ryo, noticed the odd look he was getting. He blinked, puzzled and asked impatiently, "What?"
"Are you interested in any particular kind of girl?" The question was abrupt, a gut reaction to his Ryo's fear. He had tried to make the question nonchalant, but, he couldn't keep the edge out of his voice or stop from feeling embarrassed when Dee gave him a surprised and confused look. That look turned to thoughtfulness.
Dee knew what Ryo was really asking. He was smiling inwardly as he replied , hooking a thumb at himself and replying nonchalantly, "I like a girl that's not too fat and not too skinny."
Ryo felt sudden relief, but also disappointment that Dee HAD been joking when he had kissed him. The two reactions disturbed him as he replied lamely, "Oh, I see..."
Dee was liking the game. Ryo was just too easy. He smiled sensually and suddenly leaned in close as he gave Ryo the full force of his green eyes. He said softly, "But you're my type of guy."
Dee saw fear and confusion in Ryo's reaction before Ryo covered it up in the next instant with anger as he retorted, "I didn't ask you about THAT!"
Part 17
Dee was going to reply something flippant, but he suddenly found his arms full of Ryo as the man fell into him with a startled cry. Steadying Ryo, Dee looked down and saw a young girl sprawled on the floor. He guessed that she had bumped into Ryo and fallen.
"I'm so sorry!" the girl exclaimed.
A heartbreaker, Dee thought sourly, as he helped her back to her feet. She had long hair, a snub nose, a petite body in a denim skirt and cowboy boots, and two, large, innocent eyes. Ryo was taken in by them immediately.
"Are you all right?" Ryo asked anxiously, leaning to be at her level.
The girl gave him her best smile, a twinkle from her eyes, and a wave of painted nails, as she said in a too cute voice, "I'm okay! See ya!"
Dee had grown up on the streets. He knew a con when he saw one. Sighing at Ryo's naive smile, he reached out and caught the girl by the arm before she could get away. "Wait!"
The girl's innocent act dropped immediately and she struggled as she shouted angrily, "Hey! Let me go!"
Dee held on tight . "I'm not letting you do your `business' in here!" he retorted.
"What are you talking about?!" The girl made a last ditch effort to pull free, but Dee was immovable.
Dee used his own light fingered touch, as neat as any pickpocket, and held up a wallet. "What's this?" he demanded with a triumphant smile.
Ryo recognized it at once, stunned, but he came to a different conclusion. "My wallet?! Why did you take my wallet, Dee?"
Dee scowled in disbelief that Ryo would come to that conclusion first rather than think that the girl had committed the crime. Did Ryo really think children were so innocent? Angry, Dee snarled, "She stole it!"
Ryo was shocked, but he didn't have time to express his outrage. Bicky came strolling up, hands in pockets, hat cocked backwards on his blonde hair, and his backpack slung over one shoulder. "Hey, Cal!" he called, " What are you doing here?"
Dee let the girl go, somehow not surprised that the two juvenile delinquents knew each other. The girl turned, sensing a rescue, and waved at Bicky brightly, "Long time no see, Bicky."
Ryo was still stunned and confused by the turn of events. He looked from Bicky to the girl. "You know each other?"
Bicky shrugged, but his eyes never left Cal as he replied, "She's my friend from the slum."
Dee frowned as he corrected Bicky with a sarcastic tone, "You mean she's your bad friend from the slum."
Bicky ignored him as he asked Cal, "What are you doing here?"
Cal looked suddenly sad. Clasping her hands together, her eyes lost their sparkle as she replied, "I came here to see my father."
Dee was suddenly sympathetic. It was the old story; parents in jail and kids left to cope as best they could. "I'll let you go this time," Dee told Cal gruffly, "Go home."
Cal brightened at once and Dee wondered if he had fallen for another con as she replied in a perky tone, "Okay," and winked at Ryo. He blushed as she said, "Sorry about that. You really do have to be more careful."
"I will," Ryo managed to reply, flustered, but she was already hurrying away. Embarrassed, Ryo turned his attention to Bicky then, concern in his voice as he prompted Bicky for information, "Bicky, her father?"
"Her father's in the police hospital," Bicky replied. "He was arrested for robbing a bank. The doctor found out that he had cancer while he was in prison."
"I see...," Ryo sighed, saddened by the girl's difficult situation.
Dee saw a thoughtful look cross Ryo's face. Afraid that his partner was about to take yet another delinquent under his wing, Dee quickly looked for a way to distract the man. He found that distraction instantly as he spotted Bicky trying to slip away. He grabbed the boy by the collar and demanded, "So, what are you doing here, Bicky?"
Dee turned the boy to face him when Bicky didn't reply. He bent to be on the boy's level. "What did you do?" he demanded.
Bicky replied in a small, nervous voice, "I just stole some bicycles."
Dee chuckled at the way Bicky was squirming and remembered his own misspent youth. Now was a good time to show Ryo just what kind of kid he had taken into his home, Dee thought, as he baited Bicky purposefully. "You weren't very good at it."
Bicky's hot blue eyes met his as he replied fiercely, "Shut up! I would have gotten away with it if it had been just one!"
Dee grinned, "How many?"
"Thirty!" Bicky replied without thinking.
Dee was amazed despite himself. "You've got to use energy like that for good," he sighed.
Dee saw a figure move to stand behind Bicky. Looking up, he was surprised to see the red, furious face of Ryo. Bicky saw Dee looked startled. When he turned and saw Ryo's expression as well, he knew that all pretense to innocence was going to be useless. Ryo was wise to him.
Dee was both impressed and pleased when Ryo began lecturing the boy at the top of his voice. He hadn't thought that such a soft spoken man could turn out to be such a disciplinarian, but Dee could see that Ryo had Bicky well under control. The boy was flushed and, wonder of wonder, he was also looking contrite. Bicky knew that he had messed up. Knowing that it was as much as anyone could hope for with someone brought up like Bicky, Dee put out a restraining hand to stop Ryo.
"That's enough, Ryo!" Dee said, "I think Bicky's sorry."
Bicky hung his head and Dee didn't think that it was an act. Ryo was breathing hard. The man put a finger in Bicky's face and said very sternly, measuring out each word, "Don't do that again."
Dee whispered under his breath as he led the way, "At least don't get caught next time." He heard Ryo exclaim in exasperation at him, but Dee knew more than Ryo that Ryo's last order was probably going to be ignored. Someone like Bicky wasn't going to be changed that easily.
Part 18
Cal sat at a table in an outdoor cafe, studying the crowd of diners over the rim of her soda and attempting to look as innocent as possible while she tried to find an easy mark. Money, money, money! She was sick of having to think about it and to do the dirty work to acquire it.
Then she saw him; her mark. He was coming out of an ally, wrapping his expensive coat about himself self consciously, hat pulled down and sunglasses hiding his eyes. Older men often had money, Cal thought, and they often put their wallets in coat pockets, making them vulnerable to a light hand.
Cal stood up and went to meet the man. Passing him by, she pulled her con, bumping his arm and then giving him a wide eyed, apologetic look as she said, "Sorry!"
"It's okay," the man replied as he gave Cal an old fashioned tip of his hat and continued on his way.
Cal stared after the man. Something about him had given her a chill. She brushed it off with a shrug as she turned and walked in the direction the man had come from, saying to herself, "Strange, but I got it." Meaning the man's wallet. She smiled brightly as she pulled it out of her own coat pocket and nonchalantly tossed it up and down in the air as she walked.
Passing the ally where the man had first emerged, Cal glanced down it with a street child's distrust, knowing there were worse people than pickpockets who liked to lurk in their shadows. The macabre scene displayed before her was a shock. She stopped, frozen, hardly believing that it could be real. Sprawled on top of old packing crates, was a dead man, a knife sticking up out of his bloody back.
Down the street, the man Cal had robbed was just realizing the theft. His hand had slipped inside of his coat to reassure himself that he still had the wallet. "My wallet?!" he exclaimed, when he realized that it was gone. Recalling the bright eyed girl who had bumped into him, he growled viciously, "That girl!" and his cold look turned to white fury as he realized that she was the only possible culprit.
Turning quickly around, the man retraced his steps. It wasn't hard to find the girl again, still frozen in shock and staring at his victim, stammering almost incoherently, "That man... Dead."
Perfect, the man thought, and made a grab for Cal, wrapping his arms around her hard and slapping a hand over her mouth as he warned, "Don't say a word!" He pulled out his gun and held it to her head. "Give me back my wallet and I'll let you go."
Cal wasn't stupid. She knew a lie when she heard one. In desperation, she looked around the trash filled ally for any kind of weapon. She spotted one in the form of a pile of discarded liquor bottles. Suddenly breaking out of her immobility, she fought her attacker wildly and bit down on the hand over her mouth. The man howled in pain and Cal found herself free as he clutched at his bleeding hand instead of her. Cal took that moment of freedom to snatch up a bottle and bring it down hard on the man's head. He fell, but Cal didn't wait around to see how successful she was. She sprinted out of the ally as fast as she could and took off into the crowded street in a panic looking for help of any kind.
Cal spotted a patch of brightness in the drab crowd. A head of honey brown hair and a red jacket moving steadily along the sidewalk. Cal recognized Ryo's handsome face in an instant. The man was carrying a bag of groceries, dark eyes unfocused on some inner thought.
"Ryo!" Cal barreled into the detective and grasped his coat tightly, stopping him in his tracks as she gave him her widest and most needy expression, only this time it wasn't a con, it was for real.
Startled, Ryo recognized the girl clutching at him. "What's going on...?"
Part 19
Cal quickly explained. Ryo scanned the street nervously and then went to a nearby phone booth. After making a quick phone call, he returned to Cal. "I called the police. We'll go there together."
Cal was relieved. She smiled at Ryo. She had a cop to protect her and she was on her way to safety. Ryo radiated friendliness and comfort. He was a pushover, she thought, but he was a nice one. She took some of his groceries and helped him carry them down the street.
Huddled out of sight, the man that Cal had stolen the wallet from stared after the two. Turning to the thugs waiting for him, he told them, "She's the one, but I don't know who the guy is."
One of the men nodded. Looking after Ryo and Cal as well, he replied, "Okay, I'll take care of this, but, remember, this is your mistake."
Cal was becoming nervous. She knew that it wasn't a good idea to stray from the crowded street, but Ryo was confidently leading the way down a deserted side street. When Cal heard the footsteps behind her, she asked Ryo fearfully, not daring to turn around, "You know, right?"
Ryo replied with trepidation, hearing the footsteps as well, "Yes, I do... next corner, okay?"
They continued to walk as if they were oblivious of the people following them. When they rounded the corner, Ryo shouted, "Go!" and they both broke into a run.
The firecracker like pop of gunshots rang out behind them at once. Ryo shielded Cal with his body, looked behind them, and saw two men down the street firing at them. "Run!" he shouted at Cal and kept his body between her and their pursuers as he followed her around another corner.
Exasperated, Cal shouted at Ryo over her shoulder, "Why don't you shoot back?!"
Embarrassed Ryo replied, "It's my day off!"
Cal exclaimed in disbelief, seeing her life flashing before her eyes, "You mean, you don't have a gun?!"
"That's right!" Ryo shouted back as he pulled her into the recess of a wall and crouched down, hoping to hide, yet knowing that it was probably futile.
When the barrel of a gun tapped his shoulder, Ryo was prepared for it. He was also prepared to risk himself to give Cal a running chance. He swung his arm up in a karate move to knock the gun barrel up, but a familiar face was suddenly close to his own and Dee was yelling, "Stop!" before Ryo could make another move.
Ryo was never so glad to see another man's face. He wanted to hug Dee and tell him how glad he was that the man was there, but Dee forestalled that by asking in a puzzled, demanding tone, "Ryo, what the hell's going on?"
Ryo was still stunned, asking in confused awe, "How did you find us so quickly?"
Dee frowned. "I didn't. I was nearby and I heard gunshots." He turned his frown on Cal. "What are you doing here?"
Before Cal could answer, Ryo interrupted anxiously, "We have to get out of here! Let's go to a main street."
Dee went first, holding his gun ready. When they reached a busy street, he pressed himself against a brick wall and cautiously peered around the corner at the crowd, trying to spot anyone suspicious. Silently, he wondered exactly what was going on. Ryo and the girl were being chased, why, he didn't know, but it was obvious their pursuers wanted them dead. Sine he couldn't believe Ryo capable of making enemies like that, he quickly assumed that the girl had dragged him into some trouble of hers. Ryo and kids, he lamented, guessing that the man was always going to be a pushover where they were concerned.
Dee spotted a man searching the crowd. When he saw how many companions the man had, he snarled at Ryo, "Just how man men are there?!" Realizing just how much danger they were in now, he snapped, "We can't face that many. We have to go back!"
They turned to retreat back down the side street, but Ryo saw one of their pursuers waiting there, still searching for them. "We can't go back!" he warned Dee.
Dee assessed the situation in an instant. Motioning to Cal, he ordered sharply, "Hide!" He then held out a hand to his partner, "Come here, Ryo!"
Ryo didn't move, confused, but Dee didn't give him time to protest as he pulled Ryo in close by his hand and locked him into a strong embrace. Ryo struggled, beginning to panic.
"Dee!" Ryo exclaimed angrily.
Dee looked deep into Ryo's dark eyes and then said firmly, "Close your eyes," as he leaned down and purposefully kissed the man. The thug at the end of the side street turned, saw them, and then stared in shock.
Dee sank into the kiss, sliding his tongue in past Ryo's lips eagerly. Ryo struggled again, but Dee held him tight and refused to let go. The man trembled against him and stopped fighting. Dee suddenly forgot all about dangerous men with guns. Again he felt that electric `something' take hold of him. Ryo felt soft and strong at the same time, his lithe body warm against Dee. Ryo tasted indescribably sweet and Dee wanted to drink him in completely.
The armed men came into the side street and joined with the other thug, staring at Dee and Ryo in disgust and not noticing the figure of Cal crouched in the shadows. The leader looked ill and turned to leave. "Let's go!" he ordered.
One of his men, confused, began to stammer, "But..."
The leader snarled, "We're looking for a guy and a girl, not a gay couple!"
After the men had gone, Cal crept out of the shadows and peered around a corner, making sure that the men weren't coming back. Turning back to Dee and Ryo, she told them, "They're gone."
Ryo broke away from Dee instantly, gasping for air, shaking, and affected by Dee's kiss more than he wanted the man to know.
Dee said with satisfaction. "We're safe now."
"Why did we have to kiss?!" Ryo shouted indignantly back at him.
Dee jerked a thumb at Cal, who was watching them with wide eyes. "It was the only way that we could hide her." He was annoyed at Ryo's dramatics. He was sure the man had been enjoying himself during the kiss just as much as Dee had. It seemed stupid to him that was Ryo was denying it so vehemently.
"But, why a kiss?" Ryo persisted, face red with embarrassment and outrage.
"Don't be so shy, man!" Dee shot back irritably.
It confused and startled Dee when Ryo shouted at him, "They called me gay! I'm not like you!"
Not gay? Dee blinked and tried to get his head around that denial. Was Ryo really THAT innocent? "I'm not gay," Dee replied tersely. "I'm bisexual."
Cal was beginning to be afraid again. Her protectors seemed willing to risk themselves to have their strange argument, but she was more concerned about the safety of her skin. She broke in nervously, "Hey, guys, we've got to hurry and get out of here!"
Both of the men turned to her and looked sheepish. Dee said, "Yeah, okay." and Ryo said, "Sorry, let's go, then."
Cal led the way out of the side street and Dee and Ryo followed her, shooting glances at each other. Ryo was giving Dee a furious expression and Dee was sighing and looking irritated in return, both of them continuing their argument silently behind the girls back.
Part 20
She seems so small and innocent, Ryo thought, as he watched Dee interview Cal in a small room back at the station. Sitting across from her, Ryo couldn't get his head around the fact that those large eyes and that sweet, angelic face belonged to a con artist and that he had fallen for Cal's game more easily than he cared to think about.
"You just accidentally ran into the man there?" Dee asked, obviously suspicious of Cal's story. He wasn't fooled at all and Ryo wondered at that. He seemed to be able to talk Bicky and Cal's street language and his intuition spoke of experience.
"Yeah," Cal answered, looking even more relaxed and innocent. As Dee continued to scowl at her she suddenly looked nervous, "That's what happened!" she insisted.
"Are you sure?" Dee pressed, leaning close and looking her in the eye.
"Yeah, I am," Cal replied uncertainly, sensing the game was over somehow, but unwilling to give it up yet until she knew for sure.
Dee held up a wallet angrily. "What's this then?" he demanded. "Don't try and make a fool outta me!"
Cal started, recognizing the wallet that she had stolen from the killer. Dee had somehow lifted it from her. How did the man keep doing that?!
Ryo's last image of Cal as innocent crumpled. He stared at her and felt ill, wondering what in her life had made it necessary for her to commit such crimes. Dee, on the other hand, was taking it in stride. He had never been fooled for a minute. He talked to Cal as if she were an adult and he didn't seem to pick and chose his words or wonder if they were upsetting the girl.
"The man immediately went after you," Dee said thoughtfully as he opened the wallet and looked inside, "But there's nothing important in here."
Ryo had a thought. He reached out towards Dee. "Let me see it," he asked.
Dee raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment as he put the wallet into Ryo's hand. He watched Ryo pull out a small box cutter from his pocket. That surprised Dee, but when Ryo ran the edge along the wallet and cut it open, he was astonished. Before he could question Ryo's sanity, Ryo felt inside of the cut he had made and then pulled out a very small envelope.
They took their discovery to the Chief. In his office, Ryo spread out the photos that they had found in the envelope on the Chief's desk. The Chief lifted up one and scowled at it.
"The victim was a journalist," Ryo explained, "It looks like something illegal is going on in the pictures."
The Chief puffed on his cigarette. "Looks like they're dealing drugs or weapons," he guessed. He pointed a beefy finger at Cal, hiding behind Ryo's body. "You guys are going to have to guard that girl tonight."
Ryo dropped a protective hand on Cal's shoulder, having expected the order. Cal was still in danger. Men like that, who killed so casually, wouldn't give up looking for her so easily. "I'll take her to my apartment," Ryo offered.
Dee sighed. His partner was jumping head long into taking another street brat under his wing. He supposed that someone had to protect the man from his own kindness and, Dee thought, he supposed that man had to be him. They were partners after all. "I'll go with you," he said. He saw Ryo's uncomfortable expression out of the corner of his eye and wondered what it meant.
Ryo's apartment was just what Dee had expected; meticulously clean and everything thought out and properly placed. Cal was impressed. Knowing what sort of home life she probably had, Dee didn't blame her.
"What a clean place!" Cal exclaimed as she gazed around. "I thought guy's apartments were supposed to be messy?"
Dee chuckled and hooked a thumb at Ryo, saying jokingly, "He's different. He's anal retentive."
"What's wrong with being clean?!" Ryo shot back angrily and then turned to Cal, giving the man his back. He said in concern, "You must be tired after everything that happened today."
"Yeah," Cal replied, smiling brightly. He was so handsome, she thought, and asked boldly, with a bit of flirt in her voice, "Can I borrow your pajamas?"
Ryo smiled warmly back. "Sure."
Dee seethed. He wasn't going to stand for that! It was bad enough that Ryo wanted to care of the kid, but he couldn't allow the girl to try and make him a love interest too! Stepping in and glaring, Dee growled warning, "Don't get so cozy with him!"
Cal glared right back, wondering with a huff, "Is he yours?"
Dee grabbed Ryo from behind and pulled him close to make his point that Ryo was off limits, "He's mine!" he confirmed vehemently.
Ryo shoved Dee away hard in embarrassment, snapping indignantly, "I've never been yours!" as he led Cal away towards his bedroom.
Ryo ended up giving Cal one of his pajama tops. It reached past her knees, the sleeves voluminous. She twirled around childishly. "Feels like my Dad's pajamas," she said.
Ryo laughed, but then grew serious and asked, "Cal, why do you need so much money?" He supposed he needed the answer for his own peace of mind, Ryo thought, hoping for a logical explanation. He didn't want to believe that all of Cal's sweetness was an act.
Cal stopped twirling and sat on the bed next to Ryo. She pulled a pillow into her lap and hugged it as she accused softly, "You spying on me?"
"Sorry," Ryo quickly apologized. "I talked to your Aunt."
Cal nodded thoughtfully. "Elena... She's a nice person."
Ryo continued doggedly, "You don't appear to be poor, so why pick pocket?"
Cal rested her chin on top of the pillow and looked away into space. "Dad... dad wants to get out of jail and spend the time he has left outside. I needed the money for his bail." Her expression turned determined. "I wanna get him out!"
It took some time to get Cal to sleep. Ryo left her in his bed and quietly went into the living room. Dee was there, sitting on the edge of a desk. As Ryo approached, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, shook out one, and put it between his lips. He said around it, "Sad story."
Ryo was startled and disconcerted, "You heard that?"
Dee nodded as he searched his pockets for his lighter, "Yeah, I overheard it. Kids'll do anything for their parents. You've got to stop her though, or she'll be in jail when her father gets out."
Ryo sighed as he bent to pick up a light from a table. "That's a problem."
Ryo took the lighter to Dee, feeling depressed about Cal's situation. "Here's a light," he offered and Dee leaned forward to put the end of his cigarette in the flame.
As Dee puffed smoke to get his cigarette lit, Ryo was suddenly struck by Dee's green eyes. Dee had long, black eyebrows, as if someone had drawn them in with a fine brush, and the eyes underneath them were deep green and framed by dark lashes. They were beautiful, Ryo thought dazedly and couldn't stop looking.
Dee noticed suddenly. He straightened, took a long drag of his cigarette, and then asked as he blew out smoke, "What're you looking at?"
Ryo went red with embarrassment and stammered something incoherent, feeling like a fool.
Dee grinned and asked, "You falling in love with me?" He asked it lightly, but a part of him clenched, waiting for Ryo's answer with trepidation.
Ryo's indignant face, made Dee's heart sink, especially when Ryo snarled, "No, I'm not!"
Dee stood up and backed Ryo against the wall. Leaning in close, a hand placed against the wall to keep Ryo from escaping, he asked in frustration, "What's wrong?"
Ryo blushed in embarrassment and knocked Dee's hand aside when the man tried to touch his face. "You're joking again, right?"
Dee felt a flash of anger. Why was Ryo so dense? Why did he refuse to see things for the way they were? Why did he persist in denying his own feelings and purposefully misunderstanding Dee's?
Dee suddenly snaked an arm around Ryo's waist and pulled him in close to his long, lean body. Cradling Ryo's head with his other arm, he tilted Ryo's face up to meet his kiss. Ryo started in his arms. He tried a faint resistance. Dee was gentle, his lips trembling against Ryo's lips. Dee's tongue ghosted over them ever so slightly, tickling Ryo's lips before he pressed in closer and slipped his tongue inbetween them. After that, Ryo went limp.
Did he feel it too, Dee wondered, that electric oneness, that all encompassing soul meeting soul feeling that jumped between their flesh and made every nerve sing? If he did, how could he continue to deny it? How could he keep denying Dee? His hands dug into Dee's arms convulsively. His tongue was touching Dee's willingly. His body was growing hot; trembling and hanging in Dee's arms, yet strangely responsive and intimate despite that. Dee would have bet his life that Ryo, for all his denials, was thouroughly enjoying the kiss.
Dee broke the kiss slowly, letting his tongue slip out with a last caress to Ryo's lips. Staring down into Ryo's eyes, Dee saw confusion there and a surprising amount of fear. It made him angry again. Even after what had just happened between them, he could see that Ryo was still trying to deny it.
Dee pushed away from Ryo and said coldly, as he walked towards the bedroom, "I'm not joking, Ryo." As he opened the door of the bedroom, he decided to make it even worse for Ryo and pretend that the kiss had meant nothing. "Wake me up in four hours." Just a job. Just a partner.
As the door closed, Ryo slowly slid along the wall until he was sitting on the floor, one hand lifted to the lips that Dee had so passionately kissed, his body still in the throes of a desire he didn't want to admit to. He had liked it, he thought in absolute confusion and fear, he hadn't wanted Dee to stop.