False Impressions 3

Disclaimer: I don't own them. ;_; Other then Danny, Josh, and future villains.

Comments in the brackets [ ] are by me, and are meant to entertain. They aren't actually part of the story. So just ignore them, unless you think I'm amusing, or something. Lines in italics are thoughts.

False Impressions ch 3

By Leah

-

Enough to taste of bitterness
Hits me in the face, someone else's wish
Here I lay awake, alone
Just wishing you'd come home

- Erasure, 'where in the world'

-

JJ cursed as he fumbled to fit his keys in the lock, nearly dropping Danny. Finally managing to unlock the door, he pushed it open quickly, tossing his keys on a nearby table. He frowned down at Danny, who was staring blankly at him with glazed-over eyes. "You're such a pain when drunk."

"Heeee." She reached up and, with a strangely intent expression, began to play with a lock of his hair. "Pretty..."

He sighed. "You really drank far too much, you know..."

She stuck her tongue out at him, too far gone to respond coherently verbally.

"...No help for it." He crossed the entryway, carrying her towards her room. "Guess I'll have to tuck you into bed."

"Yay! Story?"

JJ sweatdropped. "What do I look like, your father?"

Something flashed in her eyes. "... I don't remember him ever reading to me..."

"Right now you probably don't remember much of anything."

She laughed. "Ha~ai!"

He carried her into her room, struggling a bit with the door. Setting her on the bed he pulled her shoes off. She watched with an intent expression. "...Ne, Jamie..."

"Yes?"

"Are you undressing me?"

He choked. "I'm just taking your shoes off! You can't sleep in them." He turned a bright red.

"Oh. OK then." She flopped against her pillows, curling up. "Arigato."

"Do you have work tomorrow?"

"Iie. Wouldn't've drunk so much."

"I guess..." Leaning forward he massaged her back, slowly. She purred and melted against the cushions. "You better get some sleep. You've got to be tired."

She didn't respond. She already was asleep.

He shook his head. "You're a very sleepy drunk." Leaning forward he kissed her temple. "Oyasumi nasai, Danny."

In her sleep, Danny smiled. [Leah takes a moment to consider the situation. A worried JJ watching over her in bed...No, I'm not experiencing feelings of jealousy towards my own character...Really...OK, yes I am. *_*]

* * *

Bikky yawned, wandering out of his room. "Ne, Ryo, what's...huh?" He blinked, looking around. "Where is everyone?" He gasped. "No way!"

Dee wasn't on the couch, which was highly suspicious considering the drinking he'd been doing even before Bikky went to sleep. Ryo never let Dee walk home drunk. JJ and Danny weren't there, but he hadn't expected them to be. Add the fact that Ryo wasn't up and making breakfast like normal... He eyed Ryo's door, then snuck up to it, slowly pushing it open. He peered in side, trying to make as little noise as possible. Looking in he frowned, Dee wasn't there either.

He shut the door, thinking. "... JJ and Danny must've brought him home!"

Mystery solved he headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Ryo looked really tired, he probably wouldn't be up for another couple of hours, at least.

Pulling a box of cereal from the cupboard a thought struck him. Maybe Carol would be up for another movie, they didn't have school and she hadn't mentioned other plans yesterday. Glancing at the clock he decided to head over to her place after eating.

* * *

Ryo woke up slowly, only reluctantly leaving the unconsciousness of sleep. He groaned as light, and memories, drove their way into his consciousness.

I didn't even get drunk and I feel like shit.

Flinging his covers off he staggered to the bathroom. Turning the faucet on he submerged his face.

This won't help what's really upsetting you. Unless, of course, you drown yourself. Dee isn't going to come out in that rush of cold water.

Pulling his face from the stream Ryo glared at the mirror. He wanted to kill that voice... Snatching up a towel he turned off the water, and stormed out of the bathroom. "Bikky, you awake?...Bikky?" he peered into Bikky's room and blinked. "He's gone."

Alone

He slowly shut the door, leaning against it.

You're all alone.

He winced, biting his lip.

What, have you finally decided what you feel? I bit late, isn't it? Maybe you should've gotten drunk, then you might've-

Shut up!

Suppressing the voice he went into the kitchen, making a face at the bowl in the sink. Bikky had obviously left for the day. Quickly he threw a sandwich together, then wandered into the living room, eating. His gaze fell upon the phone as he chewed.

What do you feel?

He bit savagely into the sandwich, trying to quell the voice again.

All right then.. What do you want? Who do you want?

Ryo closed his eyes, thinking. ... Dee...

Opening them he set his sandwich down, and walked over to the phone. Picking up the receiver he dialed Dee's number. On the third ring Dee picked up, voice raspy and harsh as if he'd just woken up. 'Nani ga? What's up?'

... I feel...

'...Hello?'

I feel...I want...

'Oi? Anyone there?

I...I'm...

Ryo's mouth opened, and his lips moved, but no sound came out.

'Shit, don't wake a guy up unless it's important.' Dee hung up, cursing.

Ryo set the receiver down, staring at the phone. He sat and thought for a long time.

What do I feel?

* * *

Dee hung the phone up, grumbling. He felt awful and just wanted to go back to sleep. No chance of that though, not with his head the way it was. He'd had WAY too much to drink last night...

Last night...

Dee frowned, clutching his head with one hand, the other fishing in a drawer for some pain killers. Something important had happened. Something...Ryo... He groaned as all the thinking made his head throb anew. "Dammit... where IS that stuff?"

It took an hour, a bath, and a few more Excedrin then he probably should've taken, but he finally got rid of that hangover. Making a quick breakfast of a bagel and some coffee he tried to remember what'd happened the night before. He remembered drinking with Danny and JJ, and grabbing Ryo...none of that seemed particularly out of the ordinary. He frowned, sipping his coffee. There was something...something to do with Ryo... The reason he was home rather then sleeping it off on Ryo's couch...

Try as he might, he couldn't think of it though. Making a disgusted face he dumped his coffee mug in the sink and went to the phone. Pulling a small card out of his pocket he stared at it. "Maybe..."

He couldn't ask Ryo. Ryo was probably mad at him, and would only get more so if he admitted he'd been drunk out of his mind and remembered nothing. JJ was absolutely out of the question, even Bikky would be a better choice. That left...

"Danny..."

* * *

Danny smiled as Dee entered the gun rang. "Hi, Dee. Feeling better?"

He made a face. "Yeah, finally. Took an hour."

"You drank a lot."

"So did you!"

"Yeah...But I don't get really bad hangovers, usually."

"Lucky."

"Don't you know it!"

"What're you doing here, anyway? Learning to shoot?"

"I already know how. Jamie taught me."

"JJ did? Shoulda figured. Practicing then?"

"Iie." She pointed at the only other person around, JJ, who was unloading his gun at a small target. Dee raised an eyebrow. "JJ dragged you down here?"

"Not really." She handed him a gun. "Why don't you try?"

He nodded, taking the gun and the earplugs she handed him. Aiming at the target he started shooting...

He had to admit, he did feel much better after he'd finished the clip, and the target started towards him to show how good his accuracy had been. Something about the mere act of shooting had calmed him down, a bit. He turned back to Danny, who was watching the target with a small smile on her face. She winked at him. "Kind of obvious why JJ's your sharpshooter."

He frowned, noogie-ing [spelling?] her playfully. "What, you think you're a better shot then me?"

She smirked. "Of course! Jamie taught me, after all." She picked up the gun and loaded a new clip, moving to a fresh target. A few minutes later Dee was duly embarrassed. She was a much better shot then him.

"You shouldn't try to outshoot Danny, Dee-sempai. She's probably even better then Ryo."

Dee jumped, and spun, arms held up defensively. "JJ!"

"Mou, Jamie, sneaking up on people again!"

"Not my fault you couldn't hear me."

"...Randy-san's a sharpshooter too?"

JJ nodded, then smirked. "I'm better then him though."

"Of course you are." Danny spoke this as if it was an obvious fact. "You're the best shot. I've always told you that."

Dee shook his head. "Don't encourage him, you'll give him a big head."

"Dee-sempai!"

Danny laughed. "Be careful, JJ. You'd look funny with a big head."

"Danny!"

Danny and Dee laughed at his expression. He sulked. Danny patted his shoulder. "Maa, maa. Dee-san, have you eaten yet?"

"I had a bagel."

"No good. Absolutely no good. Come on, let's go get a real meal."

Dee looked unsure. "Well..." He eyed JJ surreptitiously.

Danny grabbed his arm, leaning up against him. "Come on, it'll be fun." She whispered in his ear. "Give JJ a chance. I made him swear he'd behave today. If you're nice I can probably convince him to keep it up."

Dee considered that. "Well...OK."

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders he pulled her toward the exit. When they passed JJ he, surprisingly, put an arm around him too.

JJ almost passed out, prevented only by the certainty that if he did he'd be left behind. Danny smiled. "Let's go to Starvin' Marvin's."

"Where?"

"Stavin' Marvin's. A pizza place." [It truly, honest to god exists. By my dentists. Haven't eaten there yet.]

"Sounds OK to me."

JJ nodded stupidly, too blissed out to protest.

"Well, now we face a far harder issue."

"What?"

"Cheese or pepperoni?"

* * *

"So then we went back home, but there was Danny, trying on some lingerie for a shoot. Ryan was so shocked he almost passed out."

"I apologized!"

"But you hadn't changed yet!"

Dee snickered.

"Anyway, Ryan recovered and immediately accused me of hiding my sinful heterosexual lifestyle from him."

"We all ended up drinking and eating dinner together...The next evening, at least."

Dee laughed. "The perils of living with a woman."

"It wasn't my fault! He didn't tell me he had a date that evening, how was I supposed to know?...Ne, JJ, would you go get some more pizza?"

"Hai." He immediately stood and walked off. Danny sipped her soda and turned to Dee. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Why did you want to talk to me?"

He turned serious. "... Do you remember if Ryo and I had a fight last night?"

"Eh?"

"I think I had a fight with him, but..."

"You were too drunk to remember?"

"Yeah."

"I don't remember you fighting, and Jamie hasn't gloated about it. He would, so it might've been after we left."

Dee sighed. "I guess so..."

"Can't you remember anything?"

"No, I..." He concentrated, digging through his alcohol-sodden memories. "I..."

"Well then, the solution is simple."

"Huh?"

"You know you had a fight, right?"

"Yeah."

"So apologize to him when you see him again."

"What if I was right?"

"Don't apologize like you were wrong. Apologize for getting mad at him in the first place."

"You mean...apologize for having the fight?"

"Yeah. If it was really important, he'll probably spill what it was all about while talking to you. If it was little, then he won't and it won't matter."

"... That's a really good idea!" He grinned widely.

"Of course it is."

He poked her temple. "Careful or you'll get a big head yourself."

She laughed, playfully batting his hands away. It'd escalated into a small scale battle when JJ returned, carrying a pizza. He quickly set his burden down, and joined. On Danny's side.

"Oi! No fair ganging up on me!"

Danny laughed. "Your own fault for starting it."

"JJ, how could you abandon me like that?"

"Didn't you know, sempai? I always help Danny. Even when it's her own dumb fault."

"HEY! Jamie! That wasn't very helpful or protective of you!" Danny attempted to tickle him, frowning.

"AHH! Danny, stop!" JJ backed away too quickly, lost his balance, and fell over. Pulling himself to his feet he glared at his companions. "Stop laughing at me!"

* * *

Ryo sighed, walking slowly into the station. He was still unsure what he was going to say to Dee. Attempting a smile he entered the office, eyes searching the room. Dee was in one corner, talking to JJ. Ryo frowned, their conversation looked more casual and friendly then he'd have excepted

JJ sure doesn't waste any time.

Unlike you?

That damn voice again...squashing it, yet again, he walked purposefully to his desk. "Hello."

Neither seemed to notice his greeting. Ryo fumed, stretching out a hand to tap Dee on the shoulder.

What if Dee started the conversation?

He froze, then slowly pulled back. Dee had been getting along with JJ better the other nice...

And, since he no longer wants you...

Sinking into his chair he pulled out the paperwork he'd left, refusing to let Dee see how upset he was. He barely even noticed, really, when JJ left, and Dee returned to stand by his desk. The silence stretched as Ryo stubbornly worked on the forms. He nearly jumped out of his chair when a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

"D-Dee?"

"I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that..."

Ryo blinked. Dee was apologizing to him? "I-It's OK, really. It wasn't your fault."

"Hey, I'm the one apologizing here!" The arms tightened around him. "I don't want you mad at me."

"Dee..." Ryo practically melted right then and there.

"So...are you mad at me?"

"Of course not!"

"Good..." The arms released him and he heard Dee walking away.

He was out of his chair before he could think, grabbing Dee in as fierce a hug as JJ could ever hope to.

"Ryo?!"

He buried his face in Dee's back, wrapping his arms around Dee's waist. After a minute Dee sighed. "Sorry, I must've been a real ass, to make you this upset..."

Ryo shook his head. "It wasn't your fault... I..."

Dee took Ryo's hands in his, relaxing into the hug. "... I know..."

I'm still not sure how I feel...

He tightened his arms around Dee.

But...I think...

Dee turned around and hugged him back, one arm around his waist the other tangled in his hair, resting his chin on Ryo's head.

I think... I'm getting closer...

I feel...warm...

Ryo clung to Dee, listening to the others heartbeat. And, for that perfect piece of time, he stopped thinking, content in the warmth of Dee's arms.

* * *

JJ stared at his watch. Five minutes...

Four...

Three...

"Wahh! Jamie! Sorry I'm so late." Danny ran up, breathing heavily. "The shoot ran over."

"It's OK. You had a couple minutes before I was going to leave."

"Ah! You'd just leave me like that?"

"You're almost twenty minutes late."

She pouted. "It wasn't my fault!"

"Whose was it?"

"Sarah. She's such a klutz. She tripped on a wire and knocked over all the lights."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Messed everything up. I had to pull some rank to get here even this late!"

He shook his head. "So you'll be late tonight?"

"I doubt it. The others are working through lunch. Most of us have plans."

"OK. Want me to pick something up on my way home?"

"Sure. Italian would be nice."

The waiter approached for their orders, breaking up conversation for a few minutes.

"So, how's everything at work?"

"Fine. Busy, but otherwise OK."

"Randy-san and Dee-san?"

"They're OK."

"Good." She seemed peculiarly smug about that. "Did you try not glomping Dee-san?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"Well...nothing much happened. We talked about a case, but..."

"You can't expect him to change his opinion so suddenly. You've been too aggressive for too long."

"You really think that this'll help?"

"Of course. You were doing it all wrong. Dee's the dominant type, he does not appreciate being chased like that."

"...Do you think I still have a chance?"

"...Maybe. You always say Randy-san's too cold to him, so here's your chance to warm him up."

"I guess."

"Don't worry. You lost some time, but you aren't out of the race yet. Just treat him the same as me."

"You think that'll work?"

"Mhmm. Dee'll appreciate being treated nicely, and having someone friendly. It's more his style."

"Mm..."

"Trust me! Would I lie to you about something like this?"

"No..."

"And don't I always give good advice about these kinds of things?"

"I guess..."

"So stop worrying. I can't guarantee that Dee-san isn't too far in love with Randy-san already, but I will help you... of course..." She sipped her drink. "I'll help them too, if they ask."

"Danny! That's two-timing!"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "No it isn't. I just think they're cute together...If you weren't so stuck on Dee I wouldn't be helping you at all. Like I said, I'm not sure you can win this. It'd be best to move on."

"You should just help me then!"

"So, you want me to set things up so that they break up, which'll probably traumatize Dee, just so you can have a better chance with him?"

"...Uhh..."

"Not to mention that, if he ever found out, he'd be so upset and disgusted he'd probably never talk to us again?...And that I'm probably not as good at creating problems as I am at fixing them."

"...You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I am. I've been helping, and will. But I do think it's not good for you."

"...Ne, Danny."

"What?"

"If your so good with this relationship stuff, why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Simple. Men are flawed. Especially straight guys. They just like me because I'm pretty."

He sweatdropped. "And that isn't a problem with me?"

"Nope." She grinned. "Because you and your boyfriends don't think about me that way."

"I guess..."

"You know I'm right...ooh, here comes our food! I thought I was gonna starve."

"You always say that."

"Oh, be quiet."

* * *

Danny yawned, leaning against a wall. It was so boring, waiting around for the others to finish, so she could get her part of the shoot done.

"Bored?"

She turned to look at the guy who'd spoken. He was tall and Italian, with short black hair just hiding his eyes and an amused grin. "A bit. Why?"

"You yawned. You're either bored or tired."

"Mm."

"I don't suppose you can tell me where I could find Bill Sakamoto, now do you?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"I need to talk to him about a shoot my agencies trying to arrange."

She pointed lazily towards a particular figure in the crowd. "That's him."

"Ahh..." He turned back to her. "What's your name?"

"Danielle Mills."

He blinked. "..." He started laughing.

She frowned. "What's so funny?"

"You're the one I came to hire!"

"Oh, really? What for?"

"Yeah. I need someone for some winter clothing ads. I was told you were the one to ask for."

She shrugged. "I can do winter ads."

They turned as they heard a crash. Danny groaned. "Not again!"

One of the models, a petit blond, was on the floor, having fallen off the chair she'd been sitting precariously on. Danny shook her head. "Sarah is such a klutz, I swear. We'd be done so much faster if she'd just get a sense of balance."

He smiled at her. "Well, since we're probably both stuck here until the end of the shoot why don't we go out to dinner afterwards?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll pass. I promised JJ I'd be home for dinner."

"Boyfriend?"

She laughed. "Hardly. Housemate, you might say."

"Ah."

"Besides, I don't even know your name." She walked off, towards her manager, who was gesturing for her to come and take Sarah's place, as he took the girl off to the side for a chat. The man she'd been talking to smiled, coldly. "I'm Josh. Josh Raven." He eyed Sarah, who was looking pitiful and upset about the whole thing. Then at the other models, who were obviously furious at being delayed again. "Maybe tomorrow."

He left, quickly. After all, Sakamoto was obviously busy. He'd just have to come back the next day.