FAKE Fic: Finding Paradise
Title: Finding Paradise
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Dee and Ryo had been hoping to take a winter vacation, but everything has conspired against them.
Word Count: 747
Written For: Challenge 61: Tina Turner Song Titles at ficlet_zone, using ‘Paradise Is Here’.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
They’d had big plans for a tropical getaway in the middle of the New York winter, two weeks, or even just ten days, somewhere the sun was always shining, the weather was blissfully hot, and all they had to do was swim in the sea or laze on the beach. It would have been bliss, and yet here they were, still in New York; they hadn’t even gotten as far as making reservations and booking airline tickets, which was just as well under present circumstances.
Ryo sighed heavily. “So much for our vacation.”
“Tell me about it.” Dee followed his lover over to the sofa in their apartment, collapsing onto it with a heartfelt groan. “Just think, if it hadn’t been for a run of bad luck, we could be soakin’ up the sun in paradise instead of soakin’ up the cold and freezin’ our asses off in the middle of the worst snowstorm to hit the city in over twenty years. We should’a booked back in December instead of decidin’ to wait until the New Year.”
All flights in and out of New York and New Jersey had been cancelled since the storm hit three days earlier, the heavy snow, ice, and gusting winds rendering the runways at all three airports unusable.
“What good would that have done?” Ryo tucked his legs under him on the sofa to keep his feet warm in the chilly apartment. He’d turned the heating up as soon as they’d come in, but it would take a while for the increase in temperature to become noticeable. “We still wouldn’t be able to afford to go, would’ve had to cancel and probably lose our deposit. In a way we’ve saved money by waiting to book.”
“Yeah, and then spent it all on fixin’ my frickin’ car, among other things.”
“It’s not your fault the transmission had to be replaced. Parts break down, no matter how well you’ve taken care of your car, especially with the roads being in such bad condition. Just be glad the axle didn’t get broken too.”
“I am, believe me, but we could’a done without that expense, on top of helpin’ Mother with her medical bills.”
“Her health is more important than a vacation, and besides, all leave’s been cancelled anyway. It’s all hands on deck, with everyone working overtime.”
As if the bad weather and unexpected bills weren’t enough to deal with, the NYPD was currently investigating a series of violent home invasions, hampered by the fact that it was cold and flu season. So many people were out sick that every precinct in the city was shorthanded, and most of those well enough to work were pulling twelve-hour shifts.
“Guess I should be grateful we’re gettin’ overtime pay. Maybe in a few months we’ll have our savings back where they were before everything went to hell.” Dee shifted closer to Ryo, wrapping one arm around his baby, pulling him close and kissing the top of his head. “I’m really sorry we didn’t get to paradise. Maybe next winter we’ll have better luck.”
Leaning his head on Dee’s shoulder, Ryo smiled. “We don’t need to fly to a tropical island resort to find paradise, Dee; it’s right here. As nice as a couple of weeks of sun, sand, and sea might have been, as long as we’re together I don’t need anything else.”
“You really mean that?”
“Of course. The most luxurious tropical getaway ever would be meaningless without you there.” Ryo sat up and leaned in for a kiss. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Makes me glad I put stew in the slow cooker this morning before we left for work.”
Dee sniffed the air, smiling in anticipation of a hot meal to chase away the wintery chill. “You’re full of good ideas like that.” He unfolded himself from the sofa and offered his hand, pulling Ryo to his feet. “I’ll help ya with the dishin’ up.”
As he followed his partner into the kitchen, Dee thought over what Ryo had said, realising he was right. Being with his amazing lover, sharing their life together, the bad parts as well as the good, was better than paradise, because it wasn’t just a once in a while thing, it was every day. He could go without expensive vacations, and everything that went with them, because he already had the one thing he couldn’t do without, the man he loved with all his heart.
The End
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Dee and Ryo had been hoping to take a winter vacation, but everything has conspired against them.
Word Count: 747
Written For: Challenge 61: Tina Turner Song Titles at ficlet_zone, using ‘Paradise Is Here’.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
They’d had big plans for a tropical getaway in the middle of the New York winter, two weeks, or even just ten days, somewhere the sun was always shining, the weather was blissfully hot, and all they had to do was swim in the sea or laze on the beach. It would have been bliss, and yet here they were, still in New York; they hadn’t even gotten as far as making reservations and booking airline tickets, which was just as well under present circumstances.
Ryo sighed heavily. “So much for our vacation.”
“Tell me about it.” Dee followed his lover over to the sofa in their apartment, collapsing onto it with a heartfelt groan. “Just think, if it hadn’t been for a run of bad luck, we could be soakin’ up the sun in paradise instead of soakin’ up the cold and freezin’ our asses off in the middle of the worst snowstorm to hit the city in over twenty years. We should’a booked back in December instead of decidin’ to wait until the New Year.”
All flights in and out of New York and New Jersey had been cancelled since the storm hit three days earlier, the heavy snow, ice, and gusting winds rendering the runways at all three airports unusable.
“What good would that have done?” Ryo tucked his legs under him on the sofa to keep his feet warm in the chilly apartment. He’d turned the heating up as soon as they’d come in, but it would take a while for the increase in temperature to become noticeable. “We still wouldn’t be able to afford to go, would’ve had to cancel and probably lose our deposit. In a way we’ve saved money by waiting to book.”
“Yeah, and then spent it all on fixin’ my frickin’ car, among other things.”
“It’s not your fault the transmission had to be replaced. Parts break down, no matter how well you’ve taken care of your car, especially with the roads being in such bad condition. Just be glad the axle didn’t get broken too.”
“I am, believe me, but we could’a done without that expense, on top of helpin’ Mother with her medical bills.”
“Her health is more important than a vacation, and besides, all leave’s been cancelled anyway. It’s all hands on deck, with everyone working overtime.”
As if the bad weather and unexpected bills weren’t enough to deal with, the NYPD was currently investigating a series of violent home invasions, hampered by the fact that it was cold and flu season. So many people were out sick that every precinct in the city was shorthanded, and most of those well enough to work were pulling twelve-hour shifts.
“Guess I should be grateful we’re gettin’ overtime pay. Maybe in a few months we’ll have our savings back where they were before everything went to hell.” Dee shifted closer to Ryo, wrapping one arm around his baby, pulling him close and kissing the top of his head. “I’m really sorry we didn’t get to paradise. Maybe next winter we’ll have better luck.”
Leaning his head on Dee’s shoulder, Ryo smiled. “We don’t need to fly to a tropical island resort to find paradise, Dee; it’s right here. As nice as a couple of weeks of sun, sand, and sea might have been, as long as we’re together I don’t need anything else.”
“You really mean that?”
“Of course. The most luxurious tropical getaway ever would be meaningless without you there.” Ryo sat up and leaned in for a kiss. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Makes me glad I put stew in the slow cooker this morning before we left for work.”
Dee sniffed the air, smiling in anticipation of a hot meal to chase away the wintery chill. “You’re full of good ideas like that.” He unfolded himself from the sofa and offered his hand, pulling Ryo to his feet. “I’ll help ya with the dishin’ up.”
As he followed his partner into the kitchen, Dee thought over what Ryo had said, realising he was right. Being with his amazing lover, sharing their life together, the bad parts as well as the good, was better than paradise, because it wasn’t just a once in a while thing, it was every day. He could go without expensive vacations, and everything that went with them, because he already had the one thing he couldn’t do without, the man he loved with all his heart.
The End