Fandom: FAKE

Pairing: Dee/Ryo

Rating: Work safe. There's only the healing power of dance.

Spoilers: After Vol. 7 and after my multi chapter story "Trouble in Little New York"

Timing: First year of being together.

Summary: Dee and Ryo are now a couple and Ryo is trying to understand about this new kind of relationship. Ryo has been home for several weeks after being kidnapped by the gang called the Scythes. He's slowly coming around to being normal but it's slow going. Dee is hoping that he can help Ryo relax and have a little fun.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Dee and Ryo. They belong to Sanami Matoh. I'm just a poor fic writer.

2,801 words without the disclaimer and a/n.

A/N: This hasn't been bete-ed by anyone but I didn't really use anything in here that would have been too dificult to understand. I didn't use any songs in particular to write this story so if you know any techno beats, you're going to have to use your imagination. This is my first one-shot and I'm very proud of it seeing as short stories are very hard for me to write. Read and review please.

Let's Dance

It's a Friday night and Dee and Ryo are alone in Ryo's apartment. Bikky has gone to a friend's house for the night. The two detectives are found at the dining room table, watching a hot pot that sits in the middle of the table. They're about to make a famous Japanese dish called sukiyaki. Together they add ingredients that they have in front of them. First, Ryo put in some mirin to let the pot boil out some of the alcohol content before Dee puts in some thinly sliced beef. Ryo has a pair of cooking chopsticks and begins to stir the cooking beef as Dee adds some negi scallions, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and Chinese cabbage. Then he adds some soy sauce and sugar that Ryo had already measured into small cups. On the other side of the hot pot away from the beef, per Ryo's instructions, Dee adds some jelly-noodles. He then watches and waits as Ryo continues to use the cooking chopsticks to cook the food.

"Man this smells good." Dee comments as he breaths in the different aromas of dinner. "Makes me think we're back in Japan."

"I do agree with you there, Dee," Ryo smiles. This smile, however, doesn't seem right. It's just a shadow of his former smile that Dee is used to seeing.

"Do I add the udon now?" Dee asks a little anxiously. His stomach is beginning to protest loudly to all of the tantalizing smells.

Ryo checks the beef to make sure it's cooked all the way through and then nods to Dee to add the udon noodles. Dee puts the noodles into the pot and continues to watch as Ryo once again methodically uses the chopsticks to cook everything out evenly.

Since waiting was never a strong point in Dee, he gets up from the table and goes into the kitchen to get the special violet porcelain bowls that Ryo had brought during their trip to Japan. Once he sets them on the table, he goes back into the kitchen to get violet teapot and teacups that were also acquired in Japan and sets these items on the dining room table. Then he sits down and waits for Ryo to tell him that dinner is ready.

xxx

After dinner, the two men area sitting on the couch with the TV on, trying to find something decent to watch. After channel flipping for almost five minutes, they find a comedy movie that just started and they agree to watch that. For the next hour and a half, you can hear the two men laughing together as the movie plays on. Once the movie is over, Ryo turns the TV off and picks up a book off of the coffee table and begins to read.

Dee looks over at Ryo while the older man reads his book with no sexual intent in his eyes. Ryo was kidnapped several weeks ago and some really horrible things were done to him. He has not completely recovered from his ordeal and he's still out of work for recovery. He's made a lot of progress over the couple of weeks that Dee has been with him. He's talking more again and he's trying to smile more but he still seems to be scared to death of being touched unless he's the one engaging in the touching. So now Dee just sits by his side and helps Ryo the best way that he can.

Instead of touching Ryo's hand like he wants to do, Dee gets up off of the couch and wanders over to the small CD stereo that Ryo has set up next to the TV. He turns it on experimentally and begins to flip through the channels trying to find a station with good music playing. Once that proved to be pointless, he then goes into the bedroom and rummages through his suitcase, that he brought from home during the time he's staying with Ryo, for some CDs that he packed just in case he wanted something different to listen to. He pulls out a CD that makes him grin from ear to ear and he gets a mischievous gleam in his eye.

Back in the living room, Dee goes back to the little CD player and pops in his CD. He notices that Ryo has looked up from his book with curiosity in his eyes. Dee doesn't say anything since Ryo hasn't opened his mouth to ask any questions. He continues to fiddle with the CD player to get his music ready. A quick glance back to the couch says that Ryo has retreated back into his book.

'That's okay, Ryo,' Dee thinks to himself. 'I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy what I have planned.'

Dee turns the volume down a bit so he doesn't disturb Ryo too much with his reading and he presses the play button. What comes out of the speakers isn't something Ryo would listen to at all. It's a fast paced techno beat. The unfamiliar base is undulating and pulsing. Dee stands next to the stereo and says slightly to the rhythm in hopes that he can gain Ryo's curiosity some more.

As the music continues in the background, Ryo is no longer reading the book but he is keeping it in front of his face to play it off that he's more into the book than the strange but catchy music. While he's feigning reading the book he carefully glances up at Dee swaying to the music.

I wonder what he's planning to do with the music, he thinks to himself.

Dee casually glances over at Ryo and notices the subtle glances that come from his partner and the fact that Ryo has not turned the page once since the music came on. He takes this as his opportunity to help Ryo relax and try to have a little fun again.

"Hey, Babe." He asks casually, "Can I turn up the music a bit? It's hard for me to feel the beat with it this low."

"No problem," Ryo says without looking up from the same page he has in front of him. "Just not too loud. I don't want to disturb the neighbors too much."

"Thanks, Love," Dee grins while trying not to show his enthusiasm too much.

Dee turns the volume knob to the halfway setting and the fast paced music blares through the decent sized speakers. He notices that Ryo doesn't complain about the volume of the music at all. With the volume set, he strides to the middle of the floor where he begins to dance to the pace of the music. First he starts with his feet and lets them glide from side to side to the rhythm of the bass. Since he still has his low heeled boots on, movement is easy enough on the floor. As his feet and legs combine to the music, he lets his hips sway to the beat and he closes his eyes to lose himself in the music. He slits his eyes open to see that Ryo has all but abandoned his book. It was sitting on his lab still open and Ryo is watching his lover dance to the fast paced techno beat. He closes his eyes again as he lets his shoulders, chest and stomach flow along to the beat. Finally his arms and head move along with the rest of his body to the fast thumping of the beat and the rapid movement of the electric instruments. After a few minutes of dancing, he opens his eyes and speaks for the first time since starting to dance.

"Can I move the coffee table out of the way? I don't want to bump into it and hurt myself or mess up your table."

Ryo, being fascinated by Dee's dancing, gets up from his seat on the couch.

"I'll help you so you don't scratch the floor." He says. He tries to hurry it along without trying to seem to be too needy to finish because he wants to see Dee gyrate his body more in front of him.

Together the two men move the coffee table to the side in front of the other couch in the living room. Ryo then sits back down on the couch he was sitting on to watch silently. His book has been completely forgotten about on the coffee table. As he watches Dee pick up where he left off but to a different song, he begins to wonder if he could ever let loose like that and have fun.

I just don't know how anymore. Not since I've been back from my ordeal. He thinks to himself. Just look at him having fun dancing like that. This is the first time I've ever seen him dance before.

Now that the object of his fascination is completely on him, Dee begins to concentrate more on the music so that he can give a splendid show to his lover. The music once again flows into a much slower song and Dee flawlessly flows along with the new beat. His mind wanders back to his younger days when he went to the club just to dance and have fun with the other gay or straight community.

Still watching from the couch, Ryo is still thoroughly amazed at how agile Dee is dancing to the slow music. The rise and fall of his arms and the way he twist and turns sensually to the beat as his feet carry him effortlessly across the hardwood floor.

I really want to dance with him. He thinks suddenly. I just don't think I can move the way Dee is moving.

Dee opens his eyes to look at Ryo and grins openly at the sight in front of him. He sees that Ryo is unconsciously tapping his foot to the music.

"You wanna come up here and dance with me, baby?" he asks with the grin still firmly in place. His grin widens as he watches Ryo's cheeks turn pink due to the realization that he knew what his beloved was thinking.

"Yes," Ryo finally says over the music. "But I don't think I can dance as fluidly as you do."

"There's nothing to it, babe," Dee says as he comes closer to Ryo.

Dee stops about a foot away when he sees Ryo flinch at him coming closer to the couch. He looks down with a little sadness in his eyes and silently curses the ones who made his baby so skittish. He quickly changes the look to one of confidence and replaces his slight frown with his most handsome smile.

"It's okay, baby," Dee says reassuringly, "I'm not going to hurt you at all, but I do need you to trust me." He holds out his hands at these words. "When you're ready to take my hands, I'll be right here and willing to help you to dance."

Ryo takes one look at his lovers' strong hands when suddenly visions of being at the mercy of the Scythes boss, Eric Gray, came flooding back to him. His eyes go blank as his own tortured voice floats back into his memory. After a few seconds he's able to shake out of his revere and shove the memories further back into his mind and he able to see again as well as breathe easier. He looks up into Dee's intense green eyes and sees a worried expression on the handsome face. He takes a deep breath and forces a small smile onto his lips and then forces himself to move his hands forward. He tentatively places them into Dees' and waits for a crushing force to enclose him. When it doesn't happen, it feels like a light bulb goes off in his head and he realizes and remembers that Dee would never hurt him. He lets the weight of his hands fall into Dee's waiting hands and hears a sigh of relief from his lover as the other man's hands close gently over his. He gazes into the handsome face and is rewarded with the most dazzling smile he's ever seen Dee wear in his life. He blushes as he sees the love in the shining green eyes that Dee has for him.

Dee gently drags Ryo off of the couch and to the middle of the floor with him where he lets go of the hands he holds dear. He sees the confusion in the half Japanese man's eyes and he only shakes his head as he mouths the words 'watch me'. Then he begins to dance to the beat of the song again.

As Ryo watches Dee, the music begins to change tempo again with no warning that the song was moving to the next track. He sees that this faster paced song doesn't deter Dee from moving so fluidly on the floor. As he listens to the pulsating beat of the music he doesn't realize that he's swaying slightly to it until he feels Dee hands take his once again. He doesn't even flinch this time when he feels this. He realizes that Dee is using the momentum of his swaying to make him move more so that he has to move his feet along the floor. He's very unsteady and uncertain with his dancing for the duration of the song and he's grateful that Dee makes no attempt to poke fun at him.

Dee continues to guide Ryo's body into the unfamiliar movement of the dance beat.

"Can I hold you from behind so I can help you feel the dance better?" he asks carefully into Ryo's ear over the music.

"That's fine." Ryo says without thinking twice about his choice of words.

Dee smiles affectionately and carefully turns the object of his love and affection around and gently holds him around the waist. As the song changes again, Dee follows the new beat effortlessly again and guides Ryo with him.

Finally Ryo begins to pick up on how to move to this different type of electric music with Dee to help him and then he begins to move on his own even though Dee is still holding his waist for support.

I can do this, he thinks to himself, I can let go to what happened to me and have fun. It will take more time but I feel that I can start now.

As Ryo's mind opens up to the new music more, his feeling of the dance finally takes over him completely. His mind empties of all worries and threats from his ordeal and he relaxes and lets himself flow with the music. He breaks away from Dee's embrace and turns around to face his lover and best friend and begins his own fluid dance. His arms raise and lower up and down Dee's arms to the rhythm and his hips sway languorously as his feet find their way to glide across the floor. He opens his eyes and looks up into the beautiful green eyes of Dee and he blushes with the realization that he's dancing for the first time with his lover.

When Ryo had broken away from him, at first Dee was inwardly sad about it until he sees that Ryo has turned around to face him to dance. With the elated feeling that his partner is dancing with him, he doesn't stop his own movements but instead he really lets loose with the music. When he sees Ryo's eyes open to meet his, he no longer sees any pain or anguish or even the want to flinch away in those dark eyes. He sees only happiness with the ability to have some fun again. His heart swells with love as he watches his partner's lethal body move liquidly to the music. It has to be from the karate classes, he thinks to himself as he continues to watch and dance. He whispers four words under the thumping of the music as they continue to dance the night away.

Ryo watches Dee's mouth say the words, I love you, baby, and he knows there what he's known all along. Dee would never hurt him the way that foul man had done and that he's forever and always loved by the olive skinned man in front of him. He's grateful to be able to come back more to himself thanks to this man that he loves so dearly.

"Aishiteru, Dee Laytner!" he yells over the music as he holds out his hands while the music changes once again to a slower beat. He grins with elated happiness as Dee takes them.

Holding hands, the two lovers dance their pain and anguish away for the night. Their love can be felt filling up the entire apartment.

~Owari

More notes: The phrase Ryo says at the end is supposed to mean "I love you" but I think I got it wrong a bit. If anyone knows any Japanese and they realize that this is indeed wrong, please PM me with the correct way to say it and I'll fix it. I've just always know it to be like this.

I never could imagine Ryo dancing much due to the way he's written by Sanami so I really had to think of a way to get him to dance. I hope I got it right. I haven't danced to techno in years myself.

This was a fun story to write too. I'll have to come up with more shorts. I'm also planning on doing some JJxDrake stories in the future so look forward to them.

Thank you to all who read and review my stories. yaonne-san, you've been my inspiration to keep on writing and posting here. Thank you for your support.