FAKE Fic: Summer In The City
Title: Summer In The City
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo
Rating: PG
Setting: A few months after Vol. 7.
Summary: The city is sweltering in a heat wave, but for Dee and Ryo, it’s just another workday.
Word Count: 618
Written For: My own prompt ‘FAKE, Dee/Ryo, summer in the city,’ at
fic_promptly.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh
Midsummer in New York, and the sun was beating down, its light reflecting dazzlingly from windows and cars, making sunglasses a necessity. The air was filled with the unappealing aroma of traffic fumes and ripe garbage, but Dee and Ryo had been out in it so long they barely noticed anymore.
“I just want today to be over,” Dee groaned, slumping against a car them leaping upright again as the hot metal burned through his shirt.
The heat seemed to have made everyone short-tempered; this was the fourth aggravated assault they’d been called to, this time caused by two people both wanting the same parking space. What had started with yelling and swearing had devolved into an all-out brawl and ended when one of the brawlers pulled out a knife and the other retaliated with a broken bottle. Now both were on their way to hospital and their cars would have to be towed to the impound lot.
“A cold shower,” Ryo replied wistfully. “That’s what I want most. That and a cold drink.”
“The shower will have to wait, but the drink’s doable.” Dee gestured towards a nearby store. “You stay here and wait for the tow trucks while I get us something cold.”
“Dee, we’re still on duty!”
“Yeah, and in real danger of dehydration and heat stroke. I’ll be five minutes, tops. You want a soda, juice, or just water?”
Ryo shoved limp, sweat-streaked hair off his forehead; Dee had a point, there were warnings being broadcast everywhere about staying hydrated during the heat wave. “Water please.”
“You got it; I’ll be right back.” Dee shambled out of the patch of shade they’d taken refuge in after collecting witness statements, and into the bright sunlight; Ryo watched his partner until he disappeared into the store, wondering if it was any cooler in there. Air conditioning across the city was labouring in the heat and power cuts were predicted.
Dee was as good as his word, returning just minutes later with two cold bottles of water, the outsides already dewy with condensation. They stood in the shade, drinking slowly, waiting for the two cars to get towed so they could head back to the precinct.
The tow trucks had been held up by traffic, but the drivers’ sour tempers were quickly sweetened by the offer of cold drinks and ices.
“You two are alright for detectives,” one of them declared, slapping Dee companionably on the shoulder and draining his soda bottle.
“In weather like this, we gotta look out for each other, right?” Dee replied. “We’ve got enough hot tempers to deal with.”
“You got that right! Everybody’s yellin’ at everybody else like they’re the ones responsible for the weather. You two ever get your rides impounded, give me a call, I’ll see you right. Have a good one!”
As the trucks pulled away, Ryo and Dee waved them off then headed wearily towards their car, parked out of the way in an alley across the street. The interior felt like an oven as they slid into their seats, wincing at the heat from the upholstery. Ryo fired up the engine and turned the a/c on full, groaning with relief as a blast of cooler air hit him.
Dee fastened his seatbelt and checked his watch. “Hey, we’re off the clock, babe! Shift ended twenty minutes ago, all we’ve gotta do is clock out and head home! Cold shower here we come!”
It was the best news Ryo had heard all day. Smiling, he put the car in gear and pulled out into the evening traffic; in an hour or so they’d be home where they could relax and cool off.
Maybe tomorrow would be cooler.
The End