Short, light, and fluffy. No nutritional value whatsoever, but it makes me happy inside. I love Ryo and Dee so much that simple and stupid stuff like this fills me with glee, XD. I humbly hope you get a little out of it too.

I do not own FAKE; it belongs to Sanami Matoh!

Dear Dee,

I know it's taken a long time for me to tell you how I really feel about you. For two years I was off and on, yes and no. I just wanted to tell you how much it meant to me that you waited so long.

I'm not a very expressive person, as you obviously know. Even as a child I kept my feelings inside. When you came along, though, that wasn't going to work anymore. The reason that I was so scared for so long was that I hadn't shared what was in my heart with anyone since my parents' death.

I left. I'm sorry I left. I didn't know how to act after saying yes, after finally letting you know everything about me. And I was afraid that everything we had would fall apart. It took me a while to realize that you actually meant it. I didn't know if you would lose interest now that I had given you what you wanted. I know that sounds terrible. I'm sorry. But I hadn't trusted someone for so long that I couldn't keep from doubting that this was all real.

It wasn't until we were on the bridge and you were apologizing for something that I realized we had both wanted that it finally hit me. That you really love me. And as soon as I realized that it was like all of the things that had been holding me back wasn't there anymore And I know now that I love you too, that I've loved you longer than I could have ever known.

I'll try my best always to be honest with you and not to keep everything inside like I did for so long. We won't be perfect all the time but I promise to always try to listen and understand what you say.

Thank you, Dee, for everything. I love you.

-Ryo

Dee reread the letter, trying to imagine what it would sound like if Ryo was reading it himself. What his partner had written was so personal and honest that it was almost impossible. Dee laughed, thinking of how embarrassed Ryo got when they talked about even the simplest things.

He had been assigned the late shift alone and found the letter in a sealed envelope on his desk; Ryo must have placed it there earlier in the day. Dee stood rooted for a whole minute, rooted to the spot and trying to make sense of all the emotions that were flooding through his body. Happiness, surprise, gratefulness...there was also lust, of course, but that one didn't count because it was almost always there, waiting in the back of Dee's mind for any opportunities to strike. He had known that Ryo loved him once they had taken that walk together, and had suspected as much beforehand. Seeing it written on paper, in Ryo's own handwriting, somehow made it so much more real to Dee. The tone was so honest, so…Ryo, that it was like hearing it for the first time all over again.

He laughed out loud at how lucky he was, trying to hide some of the emotion that was filling him. Oh man, how am I going to get through a ship with the rest of the guys after this? He thought. All he wanted to do was rush over to Ryo's apartment and show him how much he loved him, how he was hopelessly devoted to him and would never, ever let him go. Soon enough, he told himself. Folding the letter gingerly, Dee put it in his back pocket and sat down at his desk, telling himself to focus until his shift ended. After that he would show and tell Ryo how he felt, in case his partner ever dared to forget.