Title: Weary at Heart
Ryo
Author/pseudonym: NemKess
Fandom: Fake
Pairing: Ryo/Dee
Rating: PG
Archive: anywhere is fine too as long as you let me know.
E-mail address for feedback:: nemsmuses@msn.com
Other websites: ff.net
Disclaimers: Fake belong to me? I could only wish. Nope, not mine.
Summary: Dee finally takes Ryo's rejection seriously.

Author's Notes: Wow. I never imagined my first foray into FAKE Fanficiton would go so well. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the first WaH and requested a sequel. I've decided to write several pieces for this. The plan right now, is to write a piece from the P.O.V of several different characters, but keeping a Dee piece in between each one.

"Damn it, Dee. Can't you grope someone else for one night!" Ryo McClain could have bitten his tongue off when he saw his friend and partner flinch away from his harsh tone, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to apologize. For two years he'd been fighting off both Dee's desire and his own. He was used to it and under most circumstances, his protests were only token and habit. Usually, he looked forward to both the excitement and the familiarity that the dark haired Dee inspired with his frequent, blunt advances.

It was usually a comfort to know how the other man felt about him.

Usually.

Lately though, he was filled with a simmering anger at the animals they'd been hunting. And Dee made a convenient, if undeserving target for his anger.

Still, he knew he had to say something and was about to when his friend waved away his apology with a typical careless gesture and a smirk. "Sure, Ryo. Hey, you mind if I use your shower?"

Worry smoothed out to exasperated amusement. "I don't know why you bother to ask, you always do it anyways."

Not that he minded.

"Well, it's just that I know you don't mind."

He snorted in amusement as Dee practically parroted his thoughts. It was amazing how well they knew each other sometimes. Just like he knew that his partner tended to do what he wanted either way.

"Right." With a grin, he headed towards the kitchen. "I'm just going to go make dinner, okay. Anything in particular you have a taste for?"

The sound of the bathroom door closing was the only answer to his query and Ryo turned back with a frown. Normally, that would have gotten some smart alec remark about Dee having a taste for him. Of course, after the long and stressful month they'd had, he figured that both of them were entitled to a little strange behavior.

Shrugging, he went about the business of preparing a meal of roast beef for his odd little family.

It probably wasn't the most masculine thing in the world to be doing and he knew he'd be teased when Bicky and Dee made their appearances to eat, but honestly, he didn't care. Cooking relaxed him and after the last month he needed that. Not to mention that neither of them seemed to mind eating up the results.

With a sigh, he popped the roast in the oven and sat back down to think.

The past month had been a trial that had found him questioning his chosen profession frequently. They'd known who their murderer was early on, but finding enough proof to make the arrests had been difficult. The man had been a repeat offender with a number of brutal assaults on his record, along with a handful of other murder charges that had been thrown out of court due to various technicalities. Ryo could only hope that they'd been careful enough that the charges would stick this time.

It made him sick to his stomach to think that someone like that could very easily end up back out on the streets soon if he or the others had messed up somewhere.

And the rapist. His fists clenched. Another repeat offender who'd already done two prison terms for similar crimes in the past only to be let out early on parole for 'good behavior'. Luckily, thanks to the new laws (1) the man wouldn't be eligible for parole ever again, no matter how good he was.

"Hi, Ryo!"

He started slightly as Bicky and Cal stuck their heads through the doorway. He'd been so deep into his thoughts that he hadn't even heard them come in.

"Hi guys. How was school?"

Bicky snorted. "Same as always. Long and boring. Do you mind if Cal stays for dinner?"

"Of course not." Ryo smiled at the pair as his mind drifted back to his earlier thoughts. Kids like Bicky and Cal were a big part of the reason he kept at the job, even during it's most disillusioning. Where would they be if there was no one there to at least try to keep them safe?

"I guess that's the moron in the shower?"

Ryo frowned at his young charge. He'd tried many times over the last two years to get Bicky to be more respectful towards Dee, but it hadn't really stuck. Of course, his partner didn't help matters. It was almost funny watching the pair bicker and fight, but usually it left him with a headache and he hoped that they would go easy on each other- and therefore him- for one night. "Dee is in the shower, but he should be out soon."

"Good, cuz I gotta go." Rolling his eyes, Bicky hopped up out of his chair and headed out of the kitchen. "I'm just going to wait in there in case he actually decides to hurry his lazy butt up for once."

"Bicky."

The boy grimaced at the warning tone and waved his hands in a submissive gesture that Ryo didn't believe for a moment. "I know, I know. 'Stop talking bad about Dee'. I got it. Really." He then back quickly out of the room before anything else could be said.

With a sigh, Ryo ran a hand through his sandy colored hair and gave Cal a weary smile. "I really don't know what I'm going to do with those two."

She smiled brightly. "It's just that they're so much alike, you know. It makes it hard for them to get along, but they really do like each other despite that."

Chuckling, he got out a bowl and began to make a biscuit mix. "You're right, I suppose. Still, it would be nice if they fought a little less."

Cal shrugged and snagged a cookie out of the apple shaped jar on the table. "It's probably the only way they know how to communicate. I mean, face it Ryo. When you get right down to it, they're both orphans and street punks at heart. Leading that kind of life leaves a mark, you know."

The detective turned towards her in surprise, shocked at the wisdom the young girl could dish out so casually. He had noted in the past some of their similarities of course, but he'd never really thought about it in quite the same way.

He never got the chance to reply though as the sound of the front door closing resounded through the apartment and both he can Cal looked up just as Bicky shuffled back into the room wearing a bemused, almost concerned, expression.

"Bicky? Was that Dee?"

Troubled blue eyes met his as the teen nodded. "He said he had to go.. .That he'd see you tomorrow."

Ryo's entire body tightened with shock. Dee had left? Without telling him?

That wasn't like his friend at all. Usually it was next to impossible to get the dark haired man to budge from the apartment. Especially when there was a promise of food made. Dee wasn't much of a cook himself and Ryo got the impression that he'd lived off take-out and microwave dinners before they'd ended up partnered together.

And he never left without saying good-by or trying to steal a kiss as he walked out the door.

"Ryo..." Coming back to himself, he looked back down at his concerned foster son(2). "He didn't look so good. Not sick exactly... more like he was really upset about something. He apologized when I griped about how long he'd taken in the shower."

Rushing past the kids, Ryo went in search of his partner. Despite being as quick as he possibly could, he only made it outside in time to see the back of Dee's car as it turned the corner of the block. He hurried back upstairs.

Both Cal and Bicky looked as worried as he felt when reached the kitchen and grabbed the phone. Dialing Dee's cell number, he leaned against the counter trying to catch his breath.

'Hi. Sorry you missed me. If it's important, leave a name and number and I'll call back. Later.'

"Dee, call me as soon as possible, okay? It's Ryo." Hanging up, he looked down at the two anxious faces staring up at him. The kids were smart enough to know something was wrong.

Dee would never just leave without telling him.

Forcing himself to calm down, Ryo gave the kids a strained smile. "I'm sure he'll be fine. And he did say he'd be by tomorrow, right Bicky?" The blonde boy nodded hesitantly. "There you have. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

A strained silence settled over the trio that lasted through dinner and all the way until Cal left and they were getting ready for bed.

Ryo knew that they would all be worried about Dee's odd behavior until they saw him again.

Author's Notes:
Ack! This ended rather abruptly and I don't really think it went as well as the first. I guess I just find Dee easier to write than Ryo. Sorry about that. I'll try to do better next time.
I've decided to make this a sort of series. Mostly from Dee's P.O.V but with the others having a turn every now and then. Does that sound okay with everyone? Also, I'm trying very hard to keep everyone in character, but I know that some might not agree with how I see them- especially Dee. And I'll be reading into some things about Dee's past that aren't really talked about in the Manga- sort of fleshing out things that were left unsaid and my version might be vastly different from other's. Hopefully it won't upset anyone much- I won't be using any OC's if that makes everyone feel better. ^_^
I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the first part of this story. It was great of ya'll and it's the reason I decided to keep at this fic (It was actually intended to be a one-shot). As most people were begging for a happy ending, all I can promise is to try. Sometimes fics have a mind of their own.
Thanks all!
NemKess

1)In New Jersey and New York (I'm not sure about elsewhere) they have something called Meagan's Law. Basically, it's a law that was passed after a seven year old girl was raped and killed by a repeat offender. For more information go here: ; There's also something called the Three Strike Law which is, unfortunately, being contested and amended even as I write this. Basically, it means that if someone is a repeat offender (convicted of a felony 3 times) then they are not eligible for parole- at all- and could even face life in prison. If they get 50 yrs as a sentence, then they serve 50 yrs. I think it's only a California law, but for fic purposes, we're going to say it's passed in New York as well. For more information go here: ; (note that most info found on it nowadays is only about how it should be changed- something I do not agree with, but let's not get into politics, okey day?)

2) I have two different translations of the part where they discuss Ryo and Bicky's relationship.. one says that Ryo adopted him the other says that he's now his foster father. They are two completely different things but I don't know which translation is more correct. I just picked one, if it's wrong I'm sorry.