Author's note: Quite a large revision to this chapter to comply with the no NC-17 rule. The full uncut shower scene can be found at other fanfiction sites.
Crash and Burn
Chapter 29 – Worth Waiting For
"I can't believe he's back tomorrow," Drake said, shaking his head at the news that Ryo wouldn't be in work the day after because he was due to pick Dee up at the airport.
"I know," Ryo said, smiling broadly. "I can't wait to see him. It feels like he's been gone for ages…"
"He's rung you every day," Drake laughed as Ryo blushed.
"Yeah well, I've missed him," Ryo replied, folding his arms across his chest in mock indignation.
Drake chuckled but it was easy to see from the sparkle in his colleague's eyes that he was telling the truth. Ryo had thrown himself into work while Dee was away but it was clear to see that the man was pining for his beloved partner no matter how much they tried to take his mind off things. There'd been plenty of nights out and Drake knew Bicky and Cal had tried to do the same but it seemed like nothing would make the blond detective truly happy until Dee was back home.
"Thanks for everything, Drake," Ryo suddenly said, as if he had read the other man's thoughts. "I really appreciate you all looking after me; I'm sorry if I've been a bit miserable at times."
"Don't mention it and you haven't," Drake replied, answering both comments with a smile. "I know it's been hard on you too after everything that's happened. It's easy for everyone to turn their attention to Dee but you've been through the mill too, and I know it was tough to just let him go like that."
Ryo smiled gratefully. "I know we're really lucky to have such great friends. I don't know what we'd have done without you all."
"Even JJ?" Drake chuckled.
"Even JJ," Ryo said with a nod.
After a moment of silence Drake said, "Have you told Dee about Rose?"
"No," Ryo replied with a shake of the head. "I didn't want to worry him. I was hoping there may have been some improvement in his condition by the time Dee was home but I guess I'll have to tell him. I just hope this just doesn't set him back any."
The final twenty four hours before Ryo was due to pick Dee up seemed almost as long as the entire month they'd been apart. Dee had rung daily, keeping Ryo up to date with what he was up to. Aside from the therapy programme, he'd had the opportunity to see the sights; visiting some of England's most historic locations, which he told his lover about, promising that he had taken plenty of photographs to show him when he got back. For the most part, he had sounded happy and settled. There had only been one more occasion when he had called, sounding close to tears after another particularly traumatic therapy session and wanting to come home. Despite his own pain at hearing his lover's distress, Ryo had gently talked him around again, convincing him to see the programme through and reminding him that he was doing it because he desperately wanted to keep working as a detective. For almost the last two weeks however, his outlook had remained positive, allowing Ryo to hope that their separation had been worth the heartache.
"Bicky!" Ryo called from the living room as he tapped his foot impatiently, coat and car keys in hand. "Come on! We don't want Dee to arrive and us not be waiting for him."
"I'm here!" Bicky answered, hurrying from his room as he pulled his baseball cap on over his unruly blond hair. Seeing the boy he considered a son, Ryo had to smile. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a slogan across the front that read 'Heaven doesn't want me and Hell is afraid I'll take over', however it wasn't so much the caption that amused him; more so that he knew Dee had once told Bicky that he thought it was a cool t-shirt. He didn't say anything, but secretly he was pleased that Bicky had obviously put thought into what he had decided to wear, knowing Dee would approve. He knew the boy had missed Dee too even though he hardly ever said as much.
At the airport, Bicky darted back and forth, trying to see Dee amongst the steady stream of arrivals. The British Airways flight from Heathrow had landed some twenty minutes earlier and the first passengers had started to appear having collected their luggage from the carousels before emerging to search for their rides home. Another five minutes had passed before Bicky suddenly jumped up and shouted, "He's there! I can see him!"
Ryo turned, following Bicky's gaze until his eyes lit on a figure and he smiled. Dee had just emerged from the passenger's only area and he was stood, looking for his lover amongst the crowds, his holdall resting at his feet. His rucksack was over one shoulder and in his other hand he held a slim walking stick; obviously needed to aid his movements now that his plaster cast and crutches were gone. Ryo could feel himself beaming at the sight before him; now with visual conformation that the trip had done Dee the world of good.
His lover had definitely regained some much needed weight as his face was slightly fuller and features less gaunt. Despite reporting plenty of rain, he had obviously caught the sun at some point as his skin was a healthy burnished brown. His hair looked slightly shorter, having been cut while he was away, although it still fell about his deep green eyes in a way that merely enhanced his attractiveness. He was dressed casually in faded blue denims, trainers and a black, slim fitting t-shirt with red trim around the neck and sleeves. He looked happy and relaxed.
While taking in his lover's healthy appearance, Ryo couldn't help but notice a large group of girls stood not far away from Dee, clearly thinking similar things to the blond detective as they studied the handsome man. Ryo's heart swelled with pride as he watched them point Dee out to each other; obviously smitten by his good looks. The group were clearly trying to convince one of their number to go over and talk to him. Unable to resist any longer, Ryo set off moving, almost running through the crowds to reach the man that owned his heart so completely. At the last moment, Dee saw him approaching and his face broke into a wide grin as he opened his arms, waiting to receive his equally gorgeous lover.
Across the room, the group of girls watched as the attractive blond hurried towards the dark haired man they had noticed earlier and embraced him tightly. The passionate kiss that followed left them in no doubt as to the men's relationship and they turned away, disappointed and clearly no longer interested now that they had confirmation of the handsome passenger's sexual orientation.
"Oh wow, you look great!" Ryo breathed, holding Dee's face in his hands and studying it intently. "God… you're so beautiful!"
Dee laughed at Ryo's expression; his dark eyes wide as if he'd never seen anything so fantastic in his life. "Easy tiger," he chuckled, his arms draped around Ryo's neck. "Don't make security have to hose you down!"
"I can't help it," Ryo grinned; his smile almost splitting his face in two. "I just can't believe you're finally back!"
They were hugging each other again when a voice floated from behind the blond detective. "Ryo, for God's sake put the man down!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Dee opened his eyes as his head rested on Ryo's shoulder.
"Hey Squirt," he said, grinning at the frowning teenager. "Cool t-shirt."
Bicky attempted to look nonchalant at the comment but it was clear he was pleased that Dee had noticed his specially chosen clothing.
"Shall we go then?" Ryo said, finally letting Dee go and moving to pick up his lover's holdall.
"Sure," Dee replied, pushing a hand through his hair, his heavy white gold bracelet jangling at the movement. "I can't wait to get home."
The three set off walking together through the airport terminal, their pace leisurely as Dee used his stick to bear most of his weight.
"How's your leg?" Ryo asked, noticing the other man's fairly pronounced limp.
"It's okay," Dee replied with a smile. "I've only just had the cast off so the muscles are still pretty weak, but the doctor said it should be okay with a bit of physical therapy."
"That's good," Ryo said, reaching for Dee's hand and giving it a squeeze. Bicky saw the action and rolled his eyes.
"Oh jeez; are you two planning on being all lovey dovey this evening? If you are then you can drop me off at Cal's and we'll go to the movies or something." As he looked away, Dee took the opportunity to nod and wink at his lover; indicating that he thought Bicky going out for the evening was a very good idea.
"Er sure…" Ryo said, blushing slightly at the product of his own imagination. "I'll shout you and Cal a movie and a pizza. How does that sound?"
"Much better than watching you two making kissey-faces at each other all night," Bicky replied with a frown.
As they filed out of the building, Ryo had to smile at the sound of Dee chuckling behind him.
Later on, the two men sat alone on their balcony watching as the sun set over the city they both loved. True to his word, Bicky had gone out, calling a little later to say he would be staying over at Cal's after they had watched the movie instead of coming home. He claimed that he just wanted to save Cal's aunt the hassle of bringing him home but in reality, Ryo knew that the boy probably just wanted to give them a little time alone together, for which he was extremely grateful.
It had given them opportunity to talk about everything that had happened. Ryo told Dee about Rose, the other man listening quietly, processing the news with a sense of calm acceptance. He explained that Rose had been expecting as much; once commenting that Goldsmith was a vengeful man and admitting that, as an old friend, he was in danger of reprisals.
Dee spoke in length about the programme of therapy he had been through and how he now felt able to cope with his job and life in general. Ryo listened intently; noting how confident and relaxed his lover seemed as he talked eloquently about his feelings. His experiences over the last couple of months seemed to have tempered some of his brashness but it had been replaced with a sense of calm self-belief that Ryo was irresistibly attracted to.
The evening had a sense of celebration about it and Ryo had prepared accordingly. Going inside to fetch the bottle of champagne he had bought specially for the occasion, he left Dee outside, watching the city lights twinkling below as he sat, his bare feet resting on the railings.
"I can't believe it's your cousin's wedding tomorrow," Dee said loudly, to ensure the comment reached Ryo inside the apartment.
"Me neither," came the reply. "It seems like a matter of minutes since my aunt rang to say Carrie was getting married. I've booked the hotel for us; it should be a really good day."
Dee frowned suddenly at a thought that had just occurred to him. "Hey, Ryo? Your aunt knows about us, right?"
"Yeah. She thinks you're very handsome."
Dee was chuckling in reply when he heard the unfamiliar sound of his lover cursing before he growled, "Damn you, Bicky!"
"What's up?" Dee called out, lighting a cigarette and drawing on it contentedly before he reached for his glass and drained the last of his wine. A shadow fell over him and he looked up, almost choking on the liquid at the sight before him.
Ryo, his handsome face pulled into a deep frown, stood in the doorway, his head and upper body covered in what appeared to be mayonnaise.
"Shit, what happened to you?" Dee asked; his eyes wide as he tried to stifle his laughter.
"I'd put the bottle of champagne I'd bought at the back of the cupboard but Bicky must have put that huge jar of mayonnaise back in front of it. I knocked it over as I reached for the champagne."
"Obviously the lid wasn't on properly."
"Obviously," Ryo replied, looking faintly annoyed. "Anyway, I'll just go and get a shower. I'll be right back."
"Kay," Dee chuckled, wishing he had his camera with him. After a few moments he heard the sound of water starting up and his mind immediately conjured up the image of his gorgeous lover stepping into the shower. The sudden stirring in his groin told him that he wanted to see that image for real and so he stood, taking up his cane and made his way inside.
Fortunately Ryo hadn't locked the bathroom door, allowing Dee to slip into the room and sit down on the toilet seat as he studied the figure on the other side of the steamed up shower screen. The dark haired man smiled as his lover started to hum softly; the tune one that Ryo said he always thought of when he was happy. He watched as he ran his hands through his dark blond hair, rinsing them of all traces of the mayonnaise before he started to soap his muscular body, leaving Dee unable to stay quiet any longer.
"Need a hand?" he asked innocently, smiling as Ryo jumped at the sound of his voice.
The blond head appeared around the shower screen, drenched locks hanging in his dark eyes. "There are laws against Peeping Toms, Detective Latener," he said seriously, flicking water at the seated man.
"Yeah?" Dee said, standing slowly and discarding his cane. "Care to remind me what they are?"
Ryo's eyes widened as Dee walked towards him, ignoring the ache in his recovering limb as he shortened the distance between them. "What are you…?" he started to say as Dee, still fully clothed, climbed over the side of the bath and joined him under the needling spray.
"Dee, you're crazy," Ryo laughed as his lover pressed his body against his naked form before any further comments were smothered by a deep, soul-searching kiss. He brought his hands up, pushing Dee's now wet hair away from his intense green eyes. "I love you so much," he breathed, studying the handsome face before him.
"I love you too, Ryo McLain," Dee replied, allowing his hands to stray down the muscular planes of the blond man's back, the moist skin smooth beneath his fingers. They gazed at each other for a moment, silently communicating their love and devotion as the warm spray rained down upon them, before their tender passions suddenly gave way to something more animalistic; a desire borne of need and prolonged separation. Gripping the soaking cloth of Dee's t-shirt, Ryo yanked it off over the other man's head and tossed it over the top of the shower screen before frantically going to work on the fastenings on his lover's jeans.
As Ryo divested him of his clothing, Dee kissed and caressed the naked flesh, his mouth and hands roaming over territory not explored for far too long. A moan of pleasure escaped Ryo's lips as he threw back his head, allowing Dee access to the sensitive flesh of his neck; his enjoyment temporarily distracting him from the battle against the other man's lower clothing. He was brought to his senses as his back touched the tiled wall behind him and he hissed at the sudden coldness on his skin. Dee looked at him, an almost feral smile crossing his lips before he continued to ravish the blond beneath the heated waterfall.
Eventually Ryo succeeded in unfastening Dee's jeans, his attention then turning to getting them off his legs as quickly as possible. Careful not to unbalance the man stood unsteadily on one weakened leg, Ryo helped bear his lover's weight as he stepped out of the sodden jeans, swiftly followed by his equally saturated boxer shorts. When Dee bent down to pick up his drenched clothing, Ryo's eyes were instantly drawn to the muscular back where he saw something that Dee had obviously acquired during his month in England.
"When did you get that?" he asked, bending slightly and running his hand over the hardened shoulder blade.
Dee looked up from his work and smiled. "You like it?"
"Yeah," Ryo replied as he studied the three Katakana symbols tattooed in black ink that made up his own Japanese name.
"I was missing you," Dee explained with a shrug, his hands never ceasing their gentle caresses. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Well I love it," Ryo replied as he pushed long wet strands of hair off Dee's upturned face, marvelling at the beauty of his well-defined features. "It's very sexy."
They reaffirmed their relationship under the needling spray, letting themselves go without fear of being overheard. Once they were clean, they shut off the shower and reached for a couple of towels that had thankfully survived the soaking that the rest of the bathroom had received.
"Oh God," Ryo said, surveying the damage, his dark eyes wide. "This is going to take forever to clean up."
Dee followed his gaze around the room and chuckled as he came to stand behind him. "You're right but let's leave it 'til later. Didn't you say there was champagne or something?" He slid his arm around the other man's waist, and dropped several delicate kisses in amongst the baby fine hairs on the back of Ryo's neck.
Smiling and shuddering from the touch, Ryo turned and met Dee's lips with his own. After several moments he broke away, the bathroom suddenly the last thing on his mind. "Later it is then," he said as he trailed a finger down Dee's cheek and across his lips, letting his hand linger to allow the dark haired man to suck gently on the digit, his green eyes blazing with desire.
TBC…