Cocked gun , hollow barrel canvas

/B a n gM eC a n v a s/

Outside in the dark New York streets, lights and sounds mingle to create one huge but familiar blare of everything but nothing throughout the city. It's night. Darkness overwhelms the looming figures and buildings surrounding the whole area, tucked into dark corners and alleys easily.

Farther down the dusky streets are rugged old buildings, a few shattered windows and dimmed lights seeping through. Shifting but shadowed forms move across the lights and windows, swerving movements and shadows against close figures and solids nearby.

Closed and shouldered is a low but large building. Two tall brown buildings flank it strictly, the buildings desolate and dark from what can be see. With a closer look, the flanked, low building is old itself but not so as the one's beside it. In large block lettering, splashed across the top of the building's surface reads: NYPD. 27th Precinct.

Here is where an array of plot ensues.

/W i t hS o l i dG r o u n d/

"I hear the boss is mad." A wondering voice says out loud beside me, while I settle myself comfortably on a chair. The chair itself isn't that comfortable, but you get used to it after a few years.

Looking around, many of my fellow officers and coworkers are in here already. Seems that most of them knew before Dee and I. Not much of a surprise I guess, I don't know if it's coincidence but we always seem to be the last to know. A sign? Perhaps, but I don't really mind. As long as I am here now that's all that matters really, here and ready for what the Chief wants to speak to us about.

A muffled scraping of a chair's legs sound beside me, causing me to turn to the right of me and see what and/or who it was.

The familiar brown hair and eyes of Drake is what stands out first.

He relaxes comfortably into the chair beside me, nodding in acknowledgement and shifting his chair closer to my own. I smile, beckoning him beside me, obviously not against the idea.

"No Dee? Surprise, surprise…" Drake remarks teasingly, letting out a small smile.

I merely quirk my eyebrows in mock contempt, shrugging my shoulders slightly, not too bugged because of it.

"No JJ around either, think that's too much of a coincidence?" I question lightly, watching Drake expectantly and the small grin that grows over his lips.

"I may be stupid but I'm not dense." Drake laughs out, I grin knowingly and chuckle at that, Drake looking sheepish by the looks of it now.

Sometimes it seems as if we'd be better off being partners, Drake and I that is. We could just leave Dee and JJ to partner up while Dee fends for himself. I know, Dee would scream and yell if he knew what I was thinking, he would think it was all for the sake of his torture and nothing else. JJ wouldn't mind though, he'd be ecstatic, something from his dreams.

More so than not though, Drake has to keep JJ at bay and literally drag JJ away from Dee or anything close to him. I do the opposite; I do neither and leave Dee to take care of it all. No matter how many times Dee may call out for me, I'll just leave those two alone and allow them to settle it on their own.

Half the time I don't think Dee exactly minds, I think it's just for show most of the time…

"So, d'you know what the Chief wants us for?" Drake asks, eyeing me inquiringly as if I would know the answer to his query.

Unfortunately…

"You have me stumped on that, Drake. JJ's the one who told me about this meeting." I say, brushing back an errant strand of chestnut from my eye.

My hair can be very annoying at times; it always seems to irk me in the worse of times. More or less when I don't want it to be annoying me, and this is one of those times as you can probably tell. I can't do anything about it though, all I can do is hope that it won't happen again and if it does…brush it away once again.

"Speaking of JJ…there he is," Drake comments, causing me to swivel my head towards the door of the board office. The recognizable head of lavender hair is what I spot first, before anything else that would remind me of JJ, "and Dee trailing along…" Dee indeed.

Dee seems slumped and moody, the way he looks that is. His black hair is obviously disheveled by the looks of it, strands dangling ominously over his brow while he has one hand slung in his pocket.

JJ in front of him is all smiles, bouncy and excited, as he always seems to be. At this time though he has more reason, considering the close contact he is with Dee at this point and the way he rambles eagerly alongside him, now.

"Yeah, I see…" I murmur, attempting to move my gaze away from the ambling Dee but it doesn't work.

Stop looking damnit, what is there to look at anyways! I slap myself inwardly but that doesn't seem to do a thing because my gaze travels with Dee's movements, still on him while he shuffles to the side, shuffled against the wall, more than a few chairsaway fromDrake and I.

"Now folks, I want all eyes and ears on me!" The Chief's booming voice interferes with my gazing and breaks me away from Dee, and back to the front.

The Chief stood in the front, arms crossed exasperatedly over his bulky front while his dark eyes glared at the whole room. The Chief is like that, he can make all of us shut up with one yell of his. And it always works, no matter what and the fact that most of us are scared of his temper tantrums, when they come along, is good enough reason for us to listen to him.

"I'm going to cut to the chase here, and tell all of you what this is all about. I know all of you well enough to know what you're thinking." The Chief looks around the board office, watching us cops leisurely, slight glare in tact still. "You're thinking you're all in trouble, and you will be if this doesn't go right." A tense silence follows, I look to Drake and we share a confused look, unsure about what the Chief was talking about now.

My confused gaze strays to the left of me, catching Dee's relaxed position, leant against the wall. One leg is upsupported against the wall, his heel up while his other leg remains straight and relaxed also.

JJ has a chair scuffled beside Dee, looking up at Dee questioningly with a hint of…adoration of sorts, twinkling in his eyes.

"Usual." I mutter quietly under my breath, looking back to Dee.

His green eyes lift to mine, holding my stare. I gasp audibly in the back of my throat, Dee's dark, green eyes the cause for it. His eyes furrow, still watching me, greens darkening and turning his gaze into a glower my way.

Not a good thing…Dee's glare are just as bad the Chief except…Dee's is worse, right now.

I don't look away, I keep my own gaze stapled on his, not wanting to back out.

I know what you're trying to do…

If I'm not distracted enough, I would say this glare of his was because of what happened back in the office. I'm pretty sure of it actually, with the stern cleft in between his brows and the tight line his lips fall in.

I won't lie, I'm nervous here, especially when it comes to Dee. I don't usually like looking Dee in the eye, and when I do, I can barely hold onto the stare for more than a few seconds. But in this situation, I'm not letting go only because if I do…Dee will have won.

And I can't have that.

His lips tip into a knowing smirk, softening his glare for only a moment but turning back into his dark and angry glare. They flicker with pent up anger and a glitter of irritation.

Towards me?

The fact I'm not backing out of this?

Because of what happened back at the office?

If I had to guess, I would say it was the latter. Only because I know Dee well enough, to know he's not one to forget things, even though he's the one that started it! Jeez, he can be such a bastard sometimes and not even know it. I have a feeling he knows it though, he just likes doing it though because he knows it irritates the hell out of me.

"Hey Ryo, Chief is looking this way and he doesn't look too happy…" Drake's quick whisper alerts me, I get ready to look back to the front but I glare hard at Dee.

He waggles his eyebrow in amusement, knowing the torn feeling I was going through right now.

God, such a bastard! I wish I could just…urgh sometimes!

Clinching my teeth, I turn hurriedly away from Dee's glare, looking back up at the Chief in front, ignoring the more than obvious triumphant smirk now on Dee's face.

"We've got a big case on our hands folks! I'm going to need the whole precinct on this one, so that's got to give you a sign. I'm sure you've all heard of the recent painting thefts going on, am I right?" The Chief looks at all of us expectantly, I nod slightly, acknowledging what the Chief was saying. "Good. If any of you said no, I'd have to kick your asses out of this office for negligence. All of you are going to have something to do, and when I say something it doesn't mean that all of you will be out and about. A lot of you are going to have to do a lot of write ups and research for this case, so start getting used to your offices people!"

"As if we already haven't…" Drake mumbles lowly, I scoff under my breath quietly, nodding my head in agreement with what Drake had to say.

None of us would need any more getting used to in this place, we've got enough practice that I'm sure. There've barely been any good cases keeping us on our feet here, most of the time it involves catching some perp and we're done! Being a cop can be boring sometimes, let me tell you…

"That's all you need to know for now, you'll all be given the briefings later on today corresponding with what you'll be doing for this case. Now scram, get your butts back to work!" With the Chief's final gruff order, chairs squeal and people get up, all ready to comply.

I easily get off the chair, ready to leave the board office. I trudge my way through the maze of chairs in disarray and the bunch of us trying to get out of the door and back to our offices. Reaching the door, I sidle myself through, edging away from the clump of bodies in front, behind and beside me.

"What was that all about?" Dee's voice questions beside my ear, surprising me and causing me to jump slightly. I look around and unfortunately find Dee leant against the doorframe to our office, looking laidback, in the same position as he was in the board office.

"What are you talking about?" I ask back, my irked anger coming back to me…and just when I thought it was gone…

"Don't play around Ryo, you know what I'm talking about."

"If you're talking about that stupid glaring thing, it's you I should be asking, not the other way around." I hiss shrewdly, the beginnings of a glare starting on my eyes.

Dee scoffs, crossing his arms lazily in front of his chest, looking down at me.

"Really now? And why is that?" His voice goes up in a stupid lilt, annoying me even more and wanting to choke the hell out of him and wipe that stupid smirk off his goddamn lips!

"You're the one who started it, that's why."

"If I remember correctly, wasn't it you who was watching me first? I was only curious and stared back." He quirks his black eyebrow, watching me with expectant green eyes and waiting for my answer.

"What? I can't look now?"

"Oh, I'm not complaining Ryo…I just wish it was for another reason, that's all." I watch him confusedly, frowning slightly and parting my lips slightly in confusion also.

"Another reason…?" I ask lightly, confusion etched in all of my features and my question also. Dee grins, leaning forward and watching me with amused green eyes, twinkling in wry enjoyment.

He's up to something, I can just feel it. He only looks like this when he knows something or he's about to--

Intentional lips fall to my own, catching me by surprise and doing so happily. Dee's lips kiss me softly but teasingly, flicking his tongue playfully over my lips. I gasp in my throat, my immediate instinct occurring and my hands shooting to grasp at the hem of his shirt, taking hold. He presses softly and lingeringly, a muttered moan breathing against my lips. I squirm, tugging on the hem of his shirt but it does nothing to get him off of me.

We're in the hallway! Get off of me, damnit!

Don't. Kiss. Me. Here.

You're just making it worse, how's this supposed to help with getting people to realize I don't like Dee that way. At this rate, he'll only make me hate him in the end!

His lips release my lips though, right after my screaming thoughts and increased tugging on his shirt hem. I exhale a loud breath, taking a breather and glaring and glowering up at Dee, dropping my hands from his shirt.

"Yes, another reason…that reason." Dee murmurs huskily, still leant forward and his warm breath wafting over my lips. I frown angrily, gritting my teeth while Dee simply grins happily, patting me emphatically on my head, tousling it slightly.

"Jerk." I mutter behind Dee's back, he having already sauntered into our office. Dee turns around, still all grins and eyebrow quirked expectantly.

"You coming in or would you rather I kissed you again?" Before he can even finish that sentence, I blur into the office, hastily settling myself into a seat, still glaring. "Didn't know you were that anxious Ryo? What's with the change?"

"Shut up. You're such a dick…" I grumble angrily, crossing my arms over my chest indignantly and ignoring Dee hovering behind me.

"If you say so…but I'm damn proud of it…" He whispers lowly into my ear suddenly, warm, hot breath over my ear, tickling me slightly. I slap my hand over my right ear, growling and seeing Dee smirk gaily all the while.

Dick deserves to die…

/S p l a t t e rT h eB l o o d/

end note: Oi, it's been a long while huh? Long time no read really...and sorry about that. I've just had some of the worst writer's block for this story and I've been thinking over the plot and planning things out in my head but not writing. Sorry bout that, I had two pages written in my notebook and it's been so long since I finally decided to write it today. Be happy though, a nice long chappie, five pages and most I've had for this story as of yet XD Even though I posted, I can't guarantee next update will be posted soon, it may be another month 'til I do, if so...sorry in advanced. I think the fact that you reviewers are so nice and seemed to excited to read the next chapter got me feeling guilty too. It sucks that I've gotten over 500 hits for this story but not so many people like to review it seems...Xx; I'd appreciate the reviews though, only because feedback is cool and it's nice to see that people are hopefully enjoying this...But it's okay, you guys rock anyways! People who review simply rock my socks off! And that includes!

monica Lol...Dee and PMSing sound like hell on earth right there hun! I doubt anybody would appreciate that sort of thing, especially Ryo...as if he's not going through enough at this point. Oo; I'm glad you find it enjoyable to read though, descriptive, alive and real all make me happy wappy :don't ask! I know this was most definitly not an update soon, but the lenght hopefully compensated? XD

ShadedRouge W00t, hell yeah! proud igloo warmers all the way baby:waves Canadian flag ecstatically: And the fact you like spoilers is a good thing, and few and far between, or maybe that's just the people I know? ((shrugs)) Yeah, I wish I could watch the FAKE ova too...((sigh)) but c'est la vie..not all is possible. But spoilage is most definitly possible so that's c'est la vie for you! XP Not loads of kissing but I slipped some in there, lucky too, I wasn't gunna have them kiss this chapter but me hands took control not me brain it seems...((sheepish grin)) X3

GreenEyedFloozy ((double blink)) Yup torture, comin at ya! Not now though...but it will once we get this show on the road and things get rolling, soon enough!

cygnet Yay, you like it! XD I'm happy, and it's really cool that you think I've got a strong sense of writing...and dearheart! ((faints)) ((...momentarily)) I'm okay, I'm good! I hope you keep enjoying though and...dearheart to you too babe! XP ((I save uke kun for me lurvable uke...sowwie))

nytmair Yes I've written more even though I was too lazy and too much of a damn procrastinator eh! ((slaps herself)) Wowzers, people seemed to have enjoyed that kiss from the first chapter...the pressure, the pressure! OO;...not really, just joking XP Yeah, I like writing fluff and kissing scenes and you know where it leads to, always fun! Especially when people enjoy it too! I know, kissing scene in this chappie was meh but it's not meant to be...woah, I'm horny here but I'll just lie and say I hate you! Sort of thing, so yuppers. Dee and Ryo are cute, true dat, true dat ((don't ask--bad habit that has transferred from reality to cyber space)) Xx; Thankies!

warning: This story contains: yaoi, so prewarning for any homophobes out there, m/m relationships, gay content and of the sort. It also includes: violence, inappropriate language, indecent exposure, police lingo,torture, abuse, and many other things that are unsuitable for childrens and people alike. Reader be advised.