I was planning on updating earlier today but um, ff.net, AOL, and the bad
guys in Kingdom hearts hate me so that plan was delayed. But the important
thing is that here it is! Another chapter of Drowning in the Rain all for
you!
"You can do this, you are over him. It took you a damn long time, but you got over him." Dee repeated to himself, checking the address one last time before pulling into the driveway. His heart pounded in his chest as he pulled in. Ryo had stepped out onto the front porch, unwittingly admitting that he had been watching of the window for him to arrive. He smiled in spite of himself, it was the same old Ryo. "Just remember Dee, you are over him." He reminded himself one last time before opening the car door and getting out.
Neither one was sure how to act and an awkward silence stood between them. Ryo chewed his bottom lip some, trying to think of something to do or say. "Let me help you with your stuff." His normally soft voice had almost disappeared behind the twittering of the song birds who lived in the area.
"Sure, I'll carry the big one though." Dee popped open the trunk and pulled out a small duffel bag and a large suitcase. He handed the smaller one to Ryo, placing the other one on the gleaming black asphalt. He glanced over at Ryo. He was already headed p the sidewalk, heading towards the door. He allowed himself to watch him for a few steps before following him. He hurried right up behind him, wanting to get inside as fast as possible and set the suitcase down. He could have sworn that JJ had snuck into his apartment and loaded it with bricks, stone, or some other heavy thing.
As soon as he got in, Dee dropped the suitcase. Once it had left his hands, something came over him. Ryo looked his way and, without thinking, Dee stepped over the suitcase, grabbed Ryo and began to kiss him, pulling him into it. Just as many times before, Ryo struggled.
"Dee!" Ryo pushed him off, causing him to stumble over the discarded suitcase and smack his head on the wall. Just centimeters above his head a framed photograph swung, the corner hitting him once. Dee stepped forward, just not on the suitcase this time, and turned around to adjust the photograph.
"Whose this?" he asked casually, steadying the photo as he looked at it. He could not find any better way to describe the person in it than a female version of him. She had black hair, well taken care of, and shining green eyes that could pierce into your soul it you looked at them too long. "Ryo, who is it?"
"That's Amy, she lives with me and I'm saving up the money for a ring right now. I want to ask her to marry me." Ryo's voice did not waver with uncertainty, it was steady and calm as though he were talking to an old friend, not a former lover. "She isn't home right now, but she will be in a few hours. Follow me, I'll show you where your room is. I hope you don't mind that it is Bikky's old room. He is off at boarding school right now."
"Ryo, I think that coming here was a mistake." Dee did not move from the doorway. "I should leave."
"You have to at least stay for supper, Amy would be very disappointed if you didn't. She is looking forward to meeting you." Ryo tossed the duffle bag into Dee's room, or what would have been Dee's room.
"She doesn't know everything, does she?" Dee stepped closer to him, accusing him. "You didn't tell her anything, did you?" Dee pinned Ryo against the wall, just as he had done so many times right before a steamy kiss, but this was the opposite, though Ryo still made the same adorable face as he had years ago. Something in the gaze made Dee want to pounce on him even though he knew that it would only make him mad.
"No," Ryo ducked under his arms and headed for the kitchen, "Your right, I didn't. No one in this town knows about you. Well, she knows about you, but you are only an old friend of mine and nothing more. Furthermore, that is the story that we will be sticking with, understood?" Ryo glared at him, warning him that he had better agree to the terms, no matter how unfair they seemed to him."
Dee nodded, not looking over at him. "I didn't come here to win you back, you know that, right? I came here because we were good friends, but mostly because I need closure. You just walked away and didn't let me follow you. I loved you for months after that. I wasn't even sure if our relationship had ended until Drake and Ted got letters from you. I joked around, saying that mine had gotten lost in the mail, or that it would get here a little late, but I knew that it was over. Even I'm not that stupid."
"Diane already told me about that, and I did write a letter for you, I just never sent it." Ryo lost the casual tone, moving of one to remorse, hurt, and deep pain. "But you must be over it by now. Do you have anyone right now?"
"As a matter of fact..." Dee reached into his wallet and drew out a picture of James. "I do. His name is James." He handed the photo to Ryo who looked at it for a moment, nodded approvingly, and passed it back. "We have been going out for only a few weeks so far, but it looks promising."
"That's great!" Ryo tried to hide it, but it stung that Dee had been able to move on, not that he hadn't expected him to. He knew that he could never love him again, but he had still hoped against hope that there was a chance, no matter how small, that Dee wouldn't be able to love again. If it had been a book, that would be how it would happen. Dee would return, still harboring love for him, and he would sweep Ryo off his feet and return him to New York, but those endings were saved for crappy romance novels, not real life. "Um, I know that this is random, but we have a few hours to kill, want me to give you a tour around town?"
"Sure, lead the way." Dee laughed, moving out of the doorway so that Ryo could make his way through. They headed out the door, getting into the car and driving off.
They pulled back in near time for dinner, not wanting to miss any of Amy's cooking. Ryo had already bragged about it to Dee so he knew that he had to have some. The car doors slammed shut and they made their way up the sidewalk in near silence, breaking it only long enough for Dee to thank him for the tour. As soon as they came in the door, Amy was there. She hugged Ryo and then turned to Dee. "I suppose that you would be Dee, right? Randy has told me a lot about you, its nice to finally meet you."
"Pleasures all mine," Dee grumbled. Ryo elbowed him and me smiled at her. "Forgive me, I'm a little tired, that's all. Car rides make me sleepy." He extended his hand, forcing himself to touch the foul beast that kept Ryo company at night, a job which he had been meant to do, or so he had though. "Dee, you are over him." He whispered in his mind. "If he has found someone else, that is good for him, you have no right to break them up."
"Excuse me, I have to go take care of something in the kitchen. Dinner will be served in a few minutes so don't bother wandering off to do something." Amy walked over to the stove and proceeded to cut the carrots for the salad. She had gotten the other vegetables cut before they had arrived.
"She is beautiful." Dee sighed, realizing that he now had nothing over her. She was nice, polite, a good cook, attractive, but mostly, she was female. She could give Ryo children, though it was clear that they were not up to that yet. "I would have been disappointed if she wasn't."
"She really is, but you know that that isn't why I love her." Ryo shifted uncomfortably, not liking where this conversation would likely lead. Dee would ask why it was that he loved her and he wouldn't be able to answer. He wasn't sure that he could put it in words. He wasn't even sure if he knew exactly why.
"I know, you aren't that shallow." Dee smiled some. "You never were."
Ryo smiled but did not offer an answer otherwise. The two of them shifted, nervously, before dinner was called. The dining room was not particular in any way. It was a rectangular room with two windows, a table surrounded by chairs, and a display in the corner proudly showing off some fine china. The walls were a dusty blue, the carpet a cool gray. The dishes sat upon a naked table adorned only by pasta, breadsticks, and a pitcher of ice tea. The effect was pleasing, but entirely forgettable.
Dee claimed a chair next to Ryo and began spooning pasta on his plate once given the go-ahead from Amy. The questions bordered on personal, but none dipped that far. They were things that would be asked at any dinner conversation. How was your trip? What did you think of the town? Did Randy show you the park? "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Not exactly," Dee popped another bite of the breadstick in his mouth, savoring the garlic flavor before washing it down with ice tea, though he thought it could use more sugar.
"Are you between relationships then?" Amy asked, not knowing what she was getting herself into. Dee grinned some, getting ready to discover just how tolerant she was, but Ryo found his hand under the table and gave it a quick smack, reminding him to behave.
"No, it is hard to explain. Mmm, this tea is great." Dee smiled and took another sip of the bitter tea. "How long ago did you and Ryo get together?"
"Ryo?" Amy looked at him, entirely confused. Dee explained why he referred to Randy as Ryo and Amy began to tell him about meeting him at a family get together. Dee listened politely but was not exactly interested by it.
Desert was more simple. They ate with very minimal conversation and piles of pudding, plus a little cake. After they put the plates in the sink, Ryo pulled Dee away. He had remembered what De had said about leaving after supper, but he had hoped that Dee had changed his mind.
"Dee, please, I want you to stay the weekend, please, don't go back yet." Ryo moved closer to him, reaching out with one hand and placing it on Dee's upper arm. His pleading eyes dug into Dee's heart, he knew that he couldn't say no.
"I'll stay if it means that much to you. Just say the word and show me to my room." Dee smiled, not letting on that he wanted to stay more than Ryo wanted him to yet he retained that he did not love Ryo, he only cared about him.
Ryo took Dee down the hall and opened the door to Bikky's room, motioning Dee to go inside before following him in. He closed the door as soon as he was in the room and locked it, just to be sure that it would not be opened suddenly. "Dee, I want to talk to you about Amy, I just want to make sure that there are no misunderstandings."
"What is there to understand, you love her and I'm happy for you, I'm a little jealous, but I wont hold that against you." Dee poked through his bag, trying to find something, Ryo wasn't sure what. "But I would still like to be your friend, can you arrange that much for me?" Dee gave up on his pursuit and placed the bag on the floor, waiting for Ryo's response.
"Yes, I'm glad to have you as a friend."
muwahahahaha! Um, no, it isn't over yet. Just chill, I value my life too much to end it here! There is still much more to this fic! This is still the first half of The Awakening (if you haven't noticed, I'm using the lines from the song as my chapter names)
"You can do this, you are over him. It took you a damn long time, but you got over him." Dee repeated to himself, checking the address one last time before pulling into the driveway. His heart pounded in his chest as he pulled in. Ryo had stepped out onto the front porch, unwittingly admitting that he had been watching of the window for him to arrive. He smiled in spite of himself, it was the same old Ryo. "Just remember Dee, you are over him." He reminded himself one last time before opening the car door and getting out.
Neither one was sure how to act and an awkward silence stood between them. Ryo chewed his bottom lip some, trying to think of something to do or say. "Let me help you with your stuff." His normally soft voice had almost disappeared behind the twittering of the song birds who lived in the area.
"Sure, I'll carry the big one though." Dee popped open the trunk and pulled out a small duffel bag and a large suitcase. He handed the smaller one to Ryo, placing the other one on the gleaming black asphalt. He glanced over at Ryo. He was already headed p the sidewalk, heading towards the door. He allowed himself to watch him for a few steps before following him. He hurried right up behind him, wanting to get inside as fast as possible and set the suitcase down. He could have sworn that JJ had snuck into his apartment and loaded it with bricks, stone, or some other heavy thing.
As soon as he got in, Dee dropped the suitcase. Once it had left his hands, something came over him. Ryo looked his way and, without thinking, Dee stepped over the suitcase, grabbed Ryo and began to kiss him, pulling him into it. Just as many times before, Ryo struggled.
"Dee!" Ryo pushed him off, causing him to stumble over the discarded suitcase and smack his head on the wall. Just centimeters above his head a framed photograph swung, the corner hitting him once. Dee stepped forward, just not on the suitcase this time, and turned around to adjust the photograph.
"Whose this?" he asked casually, steadying the photo as he looked at it. He could not find any better way to describe the person in it than a female version of him. She had black hair, well taken care of, and shining green eyes that could pierce into your soul it you looked at them too long. "Ryo, who is it?"
"That's Amy, she lives with me and I'm saving up the money for a ring right now. I want to ask her to marry me." Ryo's voice did not waver with uncertainty, it was steady and calm as though he were talking to an old friend, not a former lover. "She isn't home right now, but she will be in a few hours. Follow me, I'll show you where your room is. I hope you don't mind that it is Bikky's old room. He is off at boarding school right now."
"Ryo, I think that coming here was a mistake." Dee did not move from the doorway. "I should leave."
"You have to at least stay for supper, Amy would be very disappointed if you didn't. She is looking forward to meeting you." Ryo tossed the duffle bag into Dee's room, or what would have been Dee's room.
"She doesn't know everything, does she?" Dee stepped closer to him, accusing him. "You didn't tell her anything, did you?" Dee pinned Ryo against the wall, just as he had done so many times right before a steamy kiss, but this was the opposite, though Ryo still made the same adorable face as he had years ago. Something in the gaze made Dee want to pounce on him even though he knew that it would only make him mad.
"No," Ryo ducked under his arms and headed for the kitchen, "Your right, I didn't. No one in this town knows about you. Well, she knows about you, but you are only an old friend of mine and nothing more. Furthermore, that is the story that we will be sticking with, understood?" Ryo glared at him, warning him that he had better agree to the terms, no matter how unfair they seemed to him."
Dee nodded, not looking over at him. "I didn't come here to win you back, you know that, right? I came here because we were good friends, but mostly because I need closure. You just walked away and didn't let me follow you. I loved you for months after that. I wasn't even sure if our relationship had ended until Drake and Ted got letters from you. I joked around, saying that mine had gotten lost in the mail, or that it would get here a little late, but I knew that it was over. Even I'm not that stupid."
"Diane already told me about that, and I did write a letter for you, I just never sent it." Ryo lost the casual tone, moving of one to remorse, hurt, and deep pain. "But you must be over it by now. Do you have anyone right now?"
"As a matter of fact..." Dee reached into his wallet and drew out a picture of James. "I do. His name is James." He handed the photo to Ryo who looked at it for a moment, nodded approvingly, and passed it back. "We have been going out for only a few weeks so far, but it looks promising."
"That's great!" Ryo tried to hide it, but it stung that Dee had been able to move on, not that he hadn't expected him to. He knew that he could never love him again, but he had still hoped against hope that there was a chance, no matter how small, that Dee wouldn't be able to love again. If it had been a book, that would be how it would happen. Dee would return, still harboring love for him, and he would sweep Ryo off his feet and return him to New York, but those endings were saved for crappy romance novels, not real life. "Um, I know that this is random, but we have a few hours to kill, want me to give you a tour around town?"
"Sure, lead the way." Dee laughed, moving out of the doorway so that Ryo could make his way through. They headed out the door, getting into the car and driving off.
They pulled back in near time for dinner, not wanting to miss any of Amy's cooking. Ryo had already bragged about it to Dee so he knew that he had to have some. The car doors slammed shut and they made their way up the sidewalk in near silence, breaking it only long enough for Dee to thank him for the tour. As soon as they came in the door, Amy was there. She hugged Ryo and then turned to Dee. "I suppose that you would be Dee, right? Randy has told me a lot about you, its nice to finally meet you."
"Pleasures all mine," Dee grumbled. Ryo elbowed him and me smiled at her. "Forgive me, I'm a little tired, that's all. Car rides make me sleepy." He extended his hand, forcing himself to touch the foul beast that kept Ryo company at night, a job which he had been meant to do, or so he had though. "Dee, you are over him." He whispered in his mind. "If he has found someone else, that is good for him, you have no right to break them up."
"Excuse me, I have to go take care of something in the kitchen. Dinner will be served in a few minutes so don't bother wandering off to do something." Amy walked over to the stove and proceeded to cut the carrots for the salad. She had gotten the other vegetables cut before they had arrived.
"She is beautiful." Dee sighed, realizing that he now had nothing over her. She was nice, polite, a good cook, attractive, but mostly, she was female. She could give Ryo children, though it was clear that they were not up to that yet. "I would have been disappointed if she wasn't."
"She really is, but you know that that isn't why I love her." Ryo shifted uncomfortably, not liking where this conversation would likely lead. Dee would ask why it was that he loved her and he wouldn't be able to answer. He wasn't sure that he could put it in words. He wasn't even sure if he knew exactly why.
"I know, you aren't that shallow." Dee smiled some. "You never were."
Ryo smiled but did not offer an answer otherwise. The two of them shifted, nervously, before dinner was called. The dining room was not particular in any way. It was a rectangular room with two windows, a table surrounded by chairs, and a display in the corner proudly showing off some fine china. The walls were a dusty blue, the carpet a cool gray. The dishes sat upon a naked table adorned only by pasta, breadsticks, and a pitcher of ice tea. The effect was pleasing, but entirely forgettable.
Dee claimed a chair next to Ryo and began spooning pasta on his plate once given the go-ahead from Amy. The questions bordered on personal, but none dipped that far. They were things that would be asked at any dinner conversation. How was your trip? What did you think of the town? Did Randy show you the park? "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Not exactly," Dee popped another bite of the breadstick in his mouth, savoring the garlic flavor before washing it down with ice tea, though he thought it could use more sugar.
"Are you between relationships then?" Amy asked, not knowing what she was getting herself into. Dee grinned some, getting ready to discover just how tolerant she was, but Ryo found his hand under the table and gave it a quick smack, reminding him to behave.
"No, it is hard to explain. Mmm, this tea is great." Dee smiled and took another sip of the bitter tea. "How long ago did you and Ryo get together?"
"Ryo?" Amy looked at him, entirely confused. Dee explained why he referred to Randy as Ryo and Amy began to tell him about meeting him at a family get together. Dee listened politely but was not exactly interested by it.
Desert was more simple. They ate with very minimal conversation and piles of pudding, plus a little cake. After they put the plates in the sink, Ryo pulled Dee away. He had remembered what De had said about leaving after supper, but he had hoped that Dee had changed his mind.
"Dee, please, I want you to stay the weekend, please, don't go back yet." Ryo moved closer to him, reaching out with one hand and placing it on Dee's upper arm. His pleading eyes dug into Dee's heart, he knew that he couldn't say no.
"I'll stay if it means that much to you. Just say the word and show me to my room." Dee smiled, not letting on that he wanted to stay more than Ryo wanted him to yet he retained that he did not love Ryo, he only cared about him.
Ryo took Dee down the hall and opened the door to Bikky's room, motioning Dee to go inside before following him in. He closed the door as soon as he was in the room and locked it, just to be sure that it would not be opened suddenly. "Dee, I want to talk to you about Amy, I just want to make sure that there are no misunderstandings."
"What is there to understand, you love her and I'm happy for you, I'm a little jealous, but I wont hold that against you." Dee poked through his bag, trying to find something, Ryo wasn't sure what. "But I would still like to be your friend, can you arrange that much for me?" Dee gave up on his pursuit and placed the bag on the floor, waiting for Ryo's response.
"Yes, I'm glad to have you as a friend."
muwahahahaha! Um, no, it isn't over yet. Just chill, I value my life too much to end it here! There is still much more to this fic! This is still the first half of The Awakening (if you haven't noticed, I'm using the lines from the song as my chapter names)