FAKE Fic: Honesty Is The Best Policy
Title: Honesty Is The Best Policy
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee
Rating: PG
Setting: After Vol. 7
Summary: After being apart for a while, Ryo finds that Dee has changed, and not in a good way…
Word Count: 665
Written For: My own prompt ‘FAKE, Dee/Ryo, When in doubt tell the truth,’ at
fic_promptly.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
Ryo hadn’t seen Dee in over a month. He’d been away working on a joint police-FBI undercover assignment with Diana Spacey in Washington DC, so the only contact he’d had with his partner for five long weeks had been via brief notes slipped to his FBI handlers to be sent to Dee. He’d received Dee’s equally brief replies the same way, exchanged in a handshake, or slipped into his pocket in an elevator or a theatre foyer. Despite the fact that the assignment was interesting, Diana was fun to spend time with, and he got to attend some excellent plays and concerts without having to pay for anything, he’d missed Dee constantly,
Now, at last, he was back in New York. Better yet, when he’d finally been permitted to speak to Dee on the phone the previous evening, his partner had promised to pick him up at the airport. Ryo couldn’t wait to see him, and wasted no time in collecting his luggage and heading for the terminal gate, scanning the crowds for the face of the man he loved.
He didn’t spot Dee at first, would have walked straight past him if his lover hadn’t grabbed his arm to stop him. “Hey, babe! Did ya miss me?”
Spinning around at the familiar voice, Ryo stared, eyes wide. “Dee?”
“Who else? What’s up? I don’t look that different, do I?”
“What have you done to yourself?” Ryo couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“I decided to grow a beard.”
“I can see that.”
“What d’ya think?”
“Why?”
“Uh, because I’m interested in your opinion?”
“No, I mean why’d you grow a beard?”
“Oh, well I never had one before, and I was bored without you. It was something different to do.” Dee shrugged casually. “So?”
“So what?”
Dee rolled his eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Which one?” This reunion definitely wasn’t going the way he’d expected; Ryo was becoming steadily more and more confused.
“Do you like my beard?”
Ryo studied Dee’s face, trying to decide what to say. Should he lie to make Dee feel better, or…? When in doubt, probably better to be honest. He shook his head. “No, not really.”
“Oh. I thought it looked kinda distinguished.” Dee sounded a little disappointed.
“Well, it does kind of, maybe, but it doesn’t look like you. All the time I’ve been away, I’ve had this picture of you in my head, smiling the smile you save just for me when we’re alone together. I was really looking forward to seeing that smile again, but it’s hidden behind all this hair.” Ryo reached up and tugged gently at Dee’s beard. “It’s like half your face is buried in a bush.”
“Ouch! You don’t pull your punches, do ya? So you really don’t like it, huh?”
“Beards have never been my thing. Sorry.”
“Hey, don’t apologise for being honest. It’s one of the things I love about you. But if you prefer me without it then it’s gone. Soon as we get home, I’ll shave it off. Or you could shave it off for me,” Dee added with a wink. Ryo thought he was probably smirking but it was impossible to be sure with the beard in the way.
“Promise?”
“I promise. Word of honour.”
“Okay, that would be good.”
They were silent for a few minutes as they threaded their way through the crowds of people heading for the exits, but finally Ryo cleared his throat.
“Um, Dee?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I haven’t changed my mind or anything, but… Before you shave the beard off, would you…”
“What?”
“Well… Would you kiss me? Just once, so I can at least say I tried it?” Ryo was blushing.
Dee grinned, teeth flashing whiter than ever against the jet-black beard. “Anything you want, babe.” Because really, he couldn’t deny Ryo anything. Besides, he was tired of the beard anyway, it took a lot of grooming and it itched like crazy. He couldn’t wait to shave it off.
The End