Disclaimer: I do not own FAKE. I lay claim to the compilation of the words that comprise this story.
Author's Note: Well, I am not sure how I feel about this chapter. I did not want to rush anything, but, something had to happen, sometime! Now, I think that I had better stop going on about this, and let you find out what happens, for yourselves! As I said, I am not yet sure whether I truly like this chapter. So, yeah... Oh, and, thank you, to all who reviewed! This one is for you! Enjoy!
"Eh, it could be worse," Ryo said, as he ran the thermometer under the faucet water. "At least you're not in a danger zone."
"Danger zone?" J.J. repeated. "What are you talking about?"
Placing the thermometer back into its plastic case, Ryo turned around, and faced the man sitting at his kitchen table. "Well, since it's only one hundred point four, you're okay. If it were, say, one hundred three," Ryo paused, looking pointedly at his colleague, "I would be dragging you to the hospital."
J.J. narrowed his eyes. "I'm sick, not stupid, Ryo. You could have just said 'A danger zone would be a really high fever'." The sharpshooter scowled. "Message received."
Ryo smiled. "Okay, I'm sorry. Really. I wasn't trying to imply that you were unintelligent." The brunette scanned the kitchen, quickly, deciding upon an idea. "Would you like something to eat?" he offered. "I could make you dinner."
"Maybe later," J.J. replied, quietly. The young man looked down, into his cup of hot cocoa. He smiled, a little, knowing that Ryo had made the drink for him. Oddly enough, he thought, this is nice. I like this. I like having someone here for me, even if he is completely oblivious. J.J. sighed, and looked up at Ryo. A question had been dancing around in his head since he had woken to find himself in the other man's apartment. He was hesitant to ask, but, the more that he thought about it, the more he had to know. Taking a deep breath, J.J. steadied himself. "Ryo?"
Ryo looked back at J.J. "Yeah?"
Now what do I say? It shouldn't be this hard. "Um, could I ask you something?"
"Sure," the brunette replied, taking a seat across from J.J. "What's on your mind?"
"Why?" J.J. stated, simply.
Ryo looked a bit confused. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.
"Why did you help me? Why are you helping me? I don't understand." He paused, and took a breath.
"Why wouldn't I help you?" Ryo replied, still trying to work his answer out in his head, before committing it to words. As it was, he had no formidable answer for himself, let alone an answer for the man before him.
J.J. scoffed. "You know what I'm talking about, Ryo.I really don't have to spell it out." He looked back into his drink, locks of light brown hair falling to cover his eyes. "I've put you through so much shit in the last four years. I would have expected you to leave me to myself. Either that, or dump me on Drake."
Ryo cringed, inside. Is that really what he thinks? That I would be so petty as to ignore what was right in front of myself? That's a confidence booster. Taking a breath, the brunette leaned forward, a bit. "Hey, our differences have no bearing on at least two things: Work, and whenever we need each other. Granted, nine times out of ten, the only time that we need one another is on the job." Ryo paused, and gave J.J. a warm gentle smile. "But, sometimes, none of that matters."
Hearing Ryo's words, J.J. looked up. The smile that graced Ryo's features touched him, deep inside. The feeling caught him by surprise. Wow. I guess that it has been a long time since anyone has cared. He smiled, then, but had no idea why.
"Besides," Ryo continued, rising from his chair. "We've only known each other for two and a half years. Your numbers are a bit off."
J.J. snickered. Where has he been? "I hate to tell you this, Ryo, but I met you three years and nine months ago." He smirked, and looked back into his cup. "I've been a pain in your ass for nearly four years, now."
Ryo blinked. As he thought back, he realizes that J.J. was right. It had been the better part of four years that they had known one another. "Wow. I hadn't realized that it had been that long…" The brunette considered where he had lost so much time. It was as if the last year had never happened.
As if to have read Ryo's mind, J.J. spoke, once more. "What did you do, Ryo? Block out the last year of your life?" Before he could stop himself, the sharpshooter's mouth worked before his mind could. "I would have thought that you would have treasured the last year, with having Dee with you." The minute that the words had left his mouth, J.J. wished with all of the power that he possessed that he could just take them back.
Ryo froze. He felt his hands clench into fists, and he shut his eyes, tightly. Dee… No one had mentioned his name in quite a while. The brunette was still angry at the man, even after all of this time. Calm down, Ryo, he told himself. You can't let this get to you. You're stronger than this.
J.J. immediately felt guilty. "I-I'm sorry!" he stammered. "I… I didn't mean to…" Tears began to form in his eyes. I should leave. He doesn't want to see me here, now, I'm sure. "I am so sorry, Ryo. I, um…" he trailed, trying to find the right words. "I'll let myself out." The young man stood from his seat, and wiped at his eyes. As he turned toward the living room, J.J. nearly leapt to the ceiling, as a hand encircled his left wrist. He let out a yelp, in both surprise and pain. "Stop it!" He pulled his arm away, and placed his right hand around his opposite wrist, hissing in discomfort. It was then that J.J. had realized the mistake that he made. Wide eyes looked up, and met a pair of equally bewildered eyes.
"J.J." Ryo said, quietly. No. No, no, no! This can't be right. Please, God, tell me that I'm wrong… After a moment, Ryo took a cautious step toward the man before him. As he had expected, J.J. took a step back. One more step closer, on Ryo's part, and J.J. made a quick move to turn on his heel. Unfortunately, the young man had been positioned in such a way that, upon turning around, he tripped on the metal divider between the kitchen tile, and the living room carpet. Ryo was not fast enough to catch him, and J.J. tumbled to the ground. "J.J.!" the brunette shouted, rushing forward to help the other man up.
"No!" J.J. shrieked, as he pushed himself backward, away from the man before him. "Don't! Just get away from me!" J.J. managed to back himself against a wall, and tried to stand up. He groaned with every movement, his body in an unexplainable amount of pain. Once he reached his feet, he swayed, a bit, before leaning against the wall. He stared at Ryo, and bit on his bottom lip. Oh, no. He knows! He can't know! I don't want him to know! As the young man continued to panic, his breathing became labored. J.J. placed a tentative hand to his throat, and took a slow, deep breath. Tears began to slide down his pink tinged cheeks, regardless of the fact that he had told himself not to cry.
Across the room, Ryo looked on in horror. What just happened? Does he think that I'll hurt him? The brunette took another tentative step, and J.J. whimpered. Ryo watched, as his colleague raised a hand to his throat, and seemingly struggled to breathe. That was all that it took, before Ryo had crossed the room, and was standing in front of J.J. "Are you okay?"
J.J. nodded, and looked at Ryo through his tears. "Fine… Happens… Sometimes…"
J.J.'s words did little to ease Ryo's mind. Looking down, the brunette could not stop himself. He felt almost shamed, as he took advantage of the opportunity before him, and reached a hand toward the cuff of the other man's shirt. Forgive me, J.J., he thought, but, I have to know.
J.J. felt a tug at the left sleeve of his dress shirt, and looked down. "What are you… Doing?" he panted. "Leave… That…" He cringed, as he felt the cool air of the room brush across his wrist.
As he unbuttoned the cuff, the sight that Ryo was met with both saddened and angered him. J.J.'s wrist was badly discolored. The marks overlapped one another, all in the shapes of fingertips. Some of the marks were a dull yellow, and healing. Others were dark purple, definitely fresh. Without a word, Ryo turned his attention to J.J.'s right wrist. Reaching forward, the brunette unbuttoned the other cuff, and inspected the exposed skin. Similar marks covered the slender wrist, though most of the marks seemed to be healing.
Ryo felt anger rise inside of him. He looked into the eyes of the man before him, and asked the inevitable question. "Who did this to you, J.J.?" he asked, barely able to keep the seething tone from his voice.
J.J.'s mouth opened, but only enough to let out a strangled, broken sound. He felt his tears begin to come faster, and with a greater force than before. He knows… What will he think, now? Why did you let him find out? You are completely helpless, J.J. The words echoed in J.J.'s mind, causing him to cry even harder. Why had he ever exposed the fact that something was wrong? Why had he not just kept it to himself? Because, he's here for you, now, another voice added. He'll protect you. J.J. suddenly felt very weak, and his knees buckled from underneath him. He just wanted to crawl into a corner, and die.
Ryo barely caught J.J., as the man fell to the floor. In one swift movement, Ryo picked the hysterical man up, and cradled him in his arms. He carried J.J. over to the couch, and sat down. Pulling J.J. closer to his chest, Ryo felt the other man grip the front of his shirt with one hand, while the other grabbed onto his left arm. For the second time that day, the brunette found himself rocking J.J. back and forth, in his arms. This time, however, Ryo was pissed. He was not about to let this incident slide. Everything finally fit into place. J.J.'s recent actions, his detachment from the world around him, it all finally made sense. Someone had been hurting the man that was now sobbing uncontrollably into his chest. Somewhere out there, there was a bastard that had stolen J.J.'s lively mannerisms, dulled his vibrant smile, drained him of his energy. Ryo wanted to know who this individual was, wanted to rip him to pieces.
Damn, he thought, quickly. I guess that I am a bit protective of him. He looked down at the man in his arms. J.J. was still sobbing, and, as he looked at the younger man, Ryo set aside his thoughts of vengeance. Instead, he leaned down, and pressed a gentle kiss on J.J.'s forehead. J.J. looked up at the contact, and Ryo smiled, sadly. "You're safe, here, J.J.," he whispered, as he brushed his nose against the soft strands of the other man's hair. "I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you."
As he took in Ryo's words, J.J. looked up at the brunette. "Thank… You…" he mumbled through his tears.
"No need," Ryo replied, placing another kiss against J.J.'s forehead. He held the other man tighter, as he continued to sob. Nothing could make Ryo let go of the shaking form in his arms. It was then that an unexplainable, yet completely unavoidable realization hit him. This feeling had nothing to do with what was right, had nothing at all to do with his duty as a police officer. Simply put, Ryo did not want to let J.J. go.