FAKE Fic: Sweetly Singing
Title: Sweetly Singing
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 775
Setting: After Vol. 7.
Summary: There’s nothing better than a picnic on a warm spring day with the air full of birdsong.
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Prompt ‘Any, Any, birdsong’ at spring_renewal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters.
Lying on his back, eyes closed, his hands tucked beneath his head, Dee smiled lazily. This was sheer bliss. The sun was bright overhead in a cloudless blue sky, but here in the shade of a spreading oak tree it was pleasantly warm without being too hot. Spring was without doubt the best time of year.
“You look happy.”
Dee’s smile widened and he peered through his lashes at the man he loved, sitting beside him. “Got every reason to be. It’s spring, the weather’s perfect, we’ve got two days off work, and we’re here, havin’ a relaxin’ picnic in the park.” They’d picked one of the quieter areas deep in Central Park, where there were fewer people to intrude on their well-deserved downtime. “Even the birds sound happy, singin’ in the trees.”
“They sing to attract mates and mark their territories,” Ryo said, helping himself to a bottle of water from the cooler. “Although most of them probably already have mates by now, sitting on eggs, so it’s mostly territorial.”
“They still sound happy, enjoyin’ the sunshine.” From overhead came a less melodic sound: ‘Squeep, squeep, squeep,’ it went. Dee frowned. “Except for that one. Sounds like it’s gone rusty from bein’ out in the rain.”
Ryo laughed. “Maybe it has, we had a lot of rain last month.”
“Poor rusty bird. Someone should find it and oil it.”
‘Squeep, squeep,’ came from a nearby tree, then ‘squeep, squeep,’ from overhead again.
“Could be a big job,” Ryo teased, grinning at his lover. “Sounds like there’s more than one with a rust problem.”
“It’s weird, all the different kinds of birds, each with its own song, and then there’s that. It’s not exactly tuneful.”
“Maybe that’s not its song, more of a contact call, letting others of its kind know where it is,” Ryo suggested.
“Could be. Guess it wouldn’t be easy for small birds to find each other, what with all the leaves gettin’ in the way.”
“Especially if the fledgelings already left the nest but still need feeding.”
Dee rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. “Man, it’s gotta be a hard life bein’ a bird. We think we’ve got it tough, but they gotta be outside in all weathers, always tryin’ to find enough to eat, then they gotta find a mate of their own species, build a nest, find even more foot to satisfy a bunch of babies, then chase ‘em all over the place to feed ‘em all. Don’t think I’d wanna be a bird; sounds too much like hard work.”
“It’s not all bad though.” Sitting up, bare forearms resting on his raised knees, Ryo looked up into the branches. “They get to fly, and sing.” He flashed a grin at his partner. “Maybe they’re looking down at us and thinking they wouldn’t want to be humans.”
“Yeah, and they wouldn’t be wrong. We’re not so great, what with all the war, and crime, and greed.” Dee fell silent for a long moment, looking thoughtful. “If you weren’t a human, what would you wanna be?”
Ryo took a drink from his bottle, staring out across a wide expanse of grass but not really seeing it. There was a faraway look in his eyes. Eventually he turned to look at Dee. “I think maybe I’d like to be a tree.”
“A tree?” Dee stifled a laugh. “Seriously?” It sounded crazy at first, but when he thought about it… “No, I can see that. Strong, steady, patient, shelterin’ others and providin’ a home for small creatures, while watchin’ the world pass by. Plus you love bein’ outside in windy weather. You’d make a good tree.”
“Thanks. What about you?” Ryo asked, stowing the empty water bottle in a bag with their other rubbish.
“Me? That’s easy.” Dee stretched and flopped onto his back again. “I’d be a cat, stalkin’ mice and rats and gettin’ into fights by night, lazin’ in the sunshine or by the radiator all day, when I wasn’t demandin’ to be fed and petted.”
Ryo chuckled. “I should’ve guessed; you do a lot of those things already.” Stretching out beside his lover, he smirked as he added, “You even purr.”
“Damn right I do, but only for you.” Reaching out, Dee twined his fingers through Ryo’s, squeezing his partner’s hand. “Just don’t tell anyone.”
“As if I would.” Ryo closed his eyes and both men fell silent, drowsing in the warmth and listening to the birds singing.
Somewhere in the branches overhead the mystery bird was going ‘Squeep, squeep’ again, like a rusty hinge. Maybe some birds, like some people, were just tone deaf.
The End
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 775
Setting: After Vol. 7.
Summary: There’s nothing better than a picnic on a warm spring day with the air full of birdsong.
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Prompt ‘Any, Any, birdsong’ at spring_renewal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters.
Lying on his back, eyes closed, his hands tucked beneath his head, Dee smiled lazily. This was sheer bliss. The sun was bright overhead in a cloudless blue sky, but here in the shade of a spreading oak tree it was pleasantly warm without being too hot. Spring was without doubt the best time of year.
“You look happy.”
Dee’s smile widened and he peered through his lashes at the man he loved, sitting beside him. “Got every reason to be. It’s spring, the weather’s perfect, we’ve got two days off work, and we’re here, havin’ a relaxin’ picnic in the park.” They’d picked one of the quieter areas deep in Central Park, where there were fewer people to intrude on their well-deserved downtime. “Even the birds sound happy, singin’ in the trees.”
“They sing to attract mates and mark their territories,” Ryo said, helping himself to a bottle of water from the cooler. “Although most of them probably already have mates by now, sitting on eggs, so it’s mostly territorial.”
“They still sound happy, enjoyin’ the sunshine.” From overhead came a less melodic sound: ‘Squeep, squeep, squeep,’ it went. Dee frowned. “Except for that one. Sounds like it’s gone rusty from bein’ out in the rain.”
Ryo laughed. “Maybe it has, we had a lot of rain last month.”
“Poor rusty bird. Someone should find it and oil it.”
‘Squeep, squeep,’ came from a nearby tree, then ‘squeep, squeep,’ from overhead again.
“Could be a big job,” Ryo teased, grinning at his lover. “Sounds like there’s more than one with a rust problem.”
“It’s weird, all the different kinds of birds, each with its own song, and then there’s that. It’s not exactly tuneful.”
“Maybe that’s not its song, more of a contact call, letting others of its kind know where it is,” Ryo suggested.
“Could be. Guess it wouldn’t be easy for small birds to find each other, what with all the leaves gettin’ in the way.”
“Especially if the fledgelings already left the nest but still need feeding.”
Dee rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. “Man, it’s gotta be a hard life bein’ a bird. We think we’ve got it tough, but they gotta be outside in all weathers, always tryin’ to find enough to eat, then they gotta find a mate of their own species, build a nest, find even more foot to satisfy a bunch of babies, then chase ‘em all over the place to feed ‘em all. Don’t think I’d wanna be a bird; sounds too much like hard work.”
“It’s not all bad though.” Sitting up, bare forearms resting on his raised knees, Ryo looked up into the branches. “They get to fly, and sing.” He flashed a grin at his partner. “Maybe they’re looking down at us and thinking they wouldn’t want to be humans.”
“Yeah, and they wouldn’t be wrong. We’re not so great, what with all the war, and crime, and greed.” Dee fell silent for a long moment, looking thoughtful. “If you weren’t a human, what would you wanna be?”
Ryo took a drink from his bottle, staring out across a wide expanse of grass but not really seeing it. There was a faraway look in his eyes. Eventually he turned to look at Dee. “I think maybe I’d like to be a tree.”
“A tree?” Dee stifled a laugh. “Seriously?” It sounded crazy at first, but when he thought about it… “No, I can see that. Strong, steady, patient, shelterin’ others and providin’ a home for small creatures, while watchin’ the world pass by. Plus you love bein’ outside in windy weather. You’d make a good tree.”
“Thanks. What about you?” Ryo asked, stowing the empty water bottle in a bag with their other rubbish.
“Me? That’s easy.” Dee stretched and flopped onto his back again. “I’d be a cat, stalkin’ mice and rats and gettin’ into fights by night, lazin’ in the sunshine or by the radiator all day, when I wasn’t demandin’ to be fed and petted.”
Ryo chuckled. “I should’ve guessed; you do a lot of those things already.” Stretching out beside his lover, he smirked as he added, “You even purr.”
“Damn right I do, but only for you.” Reaching out, Dee twined his fingers through Ryo’s, squeezing his partner’s hand. “Just don’t tell anyone.”
“As if I would.” Ryo closed his eyes and both men fell silent, drowsing in the warmth and listening to the birds singing.
Somewhere in the branches overhead the mystery bird was going ‘Squeep, squeep’ again, like a rusty hinge. Maybe some birds, like some people, were just tone deaf.
The End