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6-Cutest Little Fluffball

Never had JJ felt more fake. He pretended he was okay, and no one asked any questions either. Except Dee.

"What the hell are you doing?"

JJ jerked his head up at he abrupt entrance. Dee looked completely livid as he slammed the door behind him.

"You are an idiot," he growled. Dee crossed the small, cluttered office and came face to face with the lavender-haired man.

"Thanks a lot," JJ replied derisively with a scowl. Dee grabbed JJ by the shoulders and shook him hard. JJ was confused by his actions and words. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you?" Dee shook the man again harder. "It's Christmas, you dumbshit!"

"I know." JJ tried to scoot his chair back away from the very scary man. "You should be home with your family." For some reason, Dee's face turned a deep shade of red. "Uh, Dee, what's wrong?"

JJ never expected what came next. Dee had sharply backhanded him across the cheek. JJ brought a hand to cover his reddened flesh. He couldn't figure out what was happening. He had agreed to work on Christmas since he really had nothing else to do. Then he went through several bouts of paperwork. Now, Dee was seething enough to slap him.

"I'm confused, Dee," JJ voiced his inner thoughts.

"You--! You kept your mouth shut this entire month!" Dee yelled. "That's so unlike you. You usually blab everything, even if it isn't interesting at all."

"What are you talking about!"

"UH, how about something called an engagement!"

"Oh."

"Oh? OH! Are you kidding me?" Dee grabbed the smaller man by the collar and pulled him to his feet. "God help me, or I swear I'll kill you."

"Your mad at me because I didn't tell you?"

"No! I'm mad because you---" His tone softened considerably. "You're letting this happen."

"It's not my choice."

Dee chuckled. "Yes, it is."

"How so?"

Dee's green eyes darkened. "You love him."

JJ's eyes widened in shock, but he tried to cover the action like he was surprised Dee could even think that. "No, I don't. I can't."

"You can and you do."

"…How did you find out?" JJ whispered, his eyes downcast.

"It's not exactly hard to miss." Dee looked at the younger man sadly. He pulled JJ against him and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry for hitting you. But you needed the sense slapped back into you. I'm also sorry because I feel like I'm partly to blame."

"How so?"

"I…should have warned you."

JJ tore away from Dee quite taken aback. He asked, "Warned me about what?"

"I knew Drake was going to pop the question over Thanksgiving," Dee confessed.

"But if you knew, why did you come here all angry? I thought you were mad 'cause I didn't tell you he was engaged. I'm soooo lost!" JJ buried his head into his friend's shoulder. For the millionth time, he felt tears spill.

"Drake called me last night," Dee murmured. "You've been ignoring him like he doesn't even exist. And last night you disappeared. And when you returned you were so drunk you passed out in the doorway. He's worried sick about you. We all have noticed your abrupt change in personality. He said he heard you talking to the chief to work today. And he even asked you to stay home and spend the day with him. So why are you here and not with him?"

"I don't want to see him anymore."

"Too painful?" He felt JJ's head move up and down in a 'yes.' Dee patted the top of JJ's head and weaved his fingers through the silky locks. "Can you live without him though?"

"…No. But I can't live with him either."

"You are such a pain." Dee chuckled. He pushed JJ back lightly, still keeping one arm wrapped around his shoulders. "Come on," he urged. He pulled JJ along with him who was too emotionally and physically drained to argue. He flipped the light off, before shutting the office door behind them.

"I happen to know, Chief nor Rose is here. They won't know you left. Now let's go home."

JJ had thought Dee was taking him back to his apartment. JJ hadn't been paying attention to the drive, and when the car had been parked was when he realized it was Dee and Ryo's apartment. Dee always surprised him, pretending he hated him one minute then they're best buds the next. JJ felt happy for the unspoken invitation to share Dee's family's Christmas. He felt happy enough to be his normal hyped-up self. However, he felt somewhat strange, feeling like he was intruding. But then Ryo warmly welcomed him in as if he was expecting JJ. So, Dee had planned this all along.

"How are you doing?" Ryo asked as he took JJ's winter coat from him and hung it up.

"Been better," JJ admitted. He gazed at his well-decorated surroundings. "You guys went all out for the holidays."

Ryo smiled. "Dee went overboard, I think."

"I did not!" Dee called from the kitchen. Ryo turned to his guest and mouthed, 'Yes, he did.'

"I like it," JJ complimented. He received a thank you as Dee reappeared carrying three glasses of wine. "I've never had any decorations for any holiday ever."

"Really?" Ryo questioned. "My parents always had our entire house covered. It always embarrassed me, but at the same time it was cheery."

JJ took a glass from Dee and took a sip. "Hmm. You're lucky. My parents barely acknowledged Christmas." Dee gave him a sympathetic look and grabbed his arm to lead him away from the doorway. The three of them took seats in the living room where the floor was littered with torn wrapping paper.

"Where's the kid?" JJ asked, noticing a pile of unwrapped presents that looked like they were for a college student.

"Ug!" Dee slumped in his chair. "Ryo got him a frickin' dog. No, he got he dog for himself, but pretended it was for the brat."

"He wanted a dog," Ryo defended himself.

"And what you wanted," Dee pointed out. He turned to JJ. "He's been begging for either a cat or dog. I hate cats and would prefer not to have a dog either. And best of all, guess where the dog gets to stay?" He downed the rest of his wine and slid down farther in his seat.

"Hmpf." Ryo crossed his arms over his chest. "But who was cuddling it last night and baby-talking to it? Who didn't want to put him in the box because he was afraid it'd suffocate? And who took pictures of the puppy when he had the big, red bow on?" Ryo smirked and answered his own questions, "Oh! I do believe that was you, sweetheart." He laughed as he saw the look of defeat on his lover's face. Dee retorted by blowing a raspberry at the half-Japanese.

"I thought you said you always wanted a dog, Dee?" JJ asked, recalling a previous conversation.

"Aha!" Ryo pointed at the raven-haired man. "I knew it! You just wanted to be difficult!"

"Fine, you caught me." Dee stood up and headed for the kitchen once again.

The front door came hurling open, scaring JJ off the couch. The rambunctious nineteen-year-old walked in, snow clumping off his boots and onto the floor. Clamped in the boy's hand was a leash locked onto the cutest little fluff ball JJ had ever seen.

"So have you decided on a name yet, Bikky?" Ryo asked his son.

The teen tore off his winter gear as he answered, "Nah. Everything I think of is so typical and stupid. You can choose his name."

Dee came back out with a bottle of wine and saw Bikky struggling to keep the leash from wrapping around his legs. "Ah, hey dweeb," he greeted. He walked over to the teen and plucked the leash out of his gloved hand. They puppy followed him excitedly, jumping up onto his feet and tangling himself up. Dee tried to get the hyperactive dog to cooperate, but ended up making the leash wrap around his ankles more.

"Serves you right, jackass," Bikky laughed. He saw Dee start to tip over and he dashed to save the bottle in his hand and set it safely on the end table. The room howled with laughter as Dee thudded to the floor. The teen leaned down and unclasped the leash from the dog's collar. The little dust mite of a dog climbed up on Dee's back and circled around, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. It then jumped off and ran over to Dee's face, promptly licking every inch of skin it could see. Dee squawked for help and tried unsuccessfully to push the ball of fur away.

Bikky fell over onto the back of the couch, clutching his side from laughter. JJ had to scoot over as the boy flipped over onto the couch and continued to howl with amusement and tears streamed down his face.

"What's so damn funny?" Dee peeked over the back of the couch and glared at Bikky. The teen opened his eyes and slowly stopped chuckling when he saw his beloved present, a new video game system, in the dark-haired man's hands.

"Give it back to me!" He shouted and reached out for the box. Dee chuckled and ran away into his bedroom, locking the door behind him. Bikky flung himself over the back of the couch and followed. He banged fiercely on the barrier, yelling out a string of curses. They screamed at each other through the wood, each threatening the other with death.

JJ glanced at Ryo. "Do they always do this? Even after all these years?"

Ryo snorted and reached out for the wine bottle. "Everyday." He poured the liquid to the top of the glass, gulped it down, and refilled it. "But it wouldn't be the same if they didn't. It'll be the end of the world when they're actually kind to each other."

JJ giggled as something padded across his feet and leaped up and down on his shins. "Awww…" He reached down and petted the fuzz gently. A pink tongue darted out and sloppily kissed his hand.

"He likes you," Ryo noted. He noticed the dispute between his two family members had ended; Dee came up behind the couch watching the new dog, while Bikky retreated to his own room to play with his present.

The puppy continued to pounce around, trying to leap up onto JJ's lap, but was too small to be able to. JJ reached down and picked up the wiggly dog and settled him onto his lap. The puppy crawled over his thighs and rolled over onto its back. Taking the hint, JJ scratched the little tummy. The ball of fluff rolled back over onto its feet and yipped excitedly. It wagged its tail eagerly and bounced everywhere.

"Geez, that thing reminds me of someone I know," Dee said. He reached over JJ's shoulder and patted the dog's head.

"I know what you mean." Ryo chuckled as he watched his new pet wildly move around, occasionally barking.

JJ looked between his two friends. "Who?" he asked.

Simultaneously, the couple answered, "You."

"Me?" JJ looked at the hyper dog in his lap. He cocked his head to the side; the puppy stopped moving and mimicked his new friend. "Oh, geez. I'm offended."

Dee mussed up the lavenderish locks. "Dunno why. It's a compliment."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "How so? You're comparing me to a dog."

"Well, look at him." Dee pointed at the white puppy. "Ain't he cute?" He pinched his friend's cheek. "You are too."

"Sure, but--"

Ryo interjected, "Also, the hyperactive and chatty factors are the same."

"Hey! I'm not--"

"Yeah, you're exactly the same." Dee laughed and moved away toward the recliner where his lover was seated. He swung himself on Ryo's lap, grabbing at the glass in his hands. Ryo's dark eyes narrowed and he swatted at the hands trying to steal his drink.

JJ looked away, finding the scene too sweet for him. The puppy had calmed down and was lying comfortably on in his lap. It twitched in its slumber and it made JJ wonder if he did the same.

'I'm pathetic,' JJ thought. 'I'm spending Christmas with a dog who supposedly is just like me. No, used to be like me. Now that I'm wallowing in self-pity I'm not as hyper anymore. Maybe that's a good thing…"

"Oh! I know!" Ryo exclaimed out of nowhere. JJ and Dee stared at him. "What's your middle name, JJ?" he asked.

"Jacob," JJ answered, curious as to what Ryo was thinking.

"Jacob," Ryo repeated. "Ah. How about Jake?"

"What?" Dee questioned.

"The dog's name," Ryo explained. "Since they're so much alike, it fits, no?"

Dee nodded. "Makes sense. Hi, little Jakey!" He waved at the sleeping puppy whom simply ignored the man.

JJ grinned to himself. He felt special to have something named after him, even if it was just a dog. He scratched behind the puppy's ear. "Hey, Jake." He smiled to himself as the white furball snuffed and snuggled in closer.