Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Common Ground ❯ Chapter 1
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: NeekerBreeker 
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.13.2004 | Updated On: 01.13.2004 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 561 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.13.2004 | Updated On: 01.13.2004 | Pages: 7 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 561 | Status: Work In Progress
COMMON GROUND
A FAKE fanfic by NeekerBreeker(@facehugger.com)
Pairing: Drake x JJ
Timeline: After the Epilogue. Contains massive spoilers for the whole series.
Keywords: Romance, Drama, Action, some Angst.
Disclaimer: I'm not Matou Sanami, JJ's not an idiot and Drake exists, dammit.
Author's Notes after the story.
*
I don't know what it is that makes me feel alive
I don't know how to wake the things that sleep inside
I only wanna see the light that shines behind your eyes
I hope that I can say the things I wish I'd said
To sing my soul to sleep and take me back to bed
You want to be alone when we could be alive instead
- "Acquiesce" / Oasis
*
Chapter One
Drake kicked the door open to the dark office, balancing a plastic coffee cup, his jacket and an overflowing file in his hands. He dropped the file on the desk and reached to switch on the light. He muttered a weak curse as nothing happened and the room remained dark.
*Great. I love to start the week by fighting over a new light bulb with that cheap-ass provisions manager.*
Drake took his coffee cup and opened the window blinds. He was immediately reminded of why no-one usually opened them - a lovely view of a brick wall greeted him. The light from outside painted the small, messy room in shades of dirty yellow and grey. Drake sighed through his nose and took a sip of coffee. It left a weak taste of cream powder in his mouth that he rather liked.
*Whatever. I'll just wait until JJ shows up and have him get the damn bulb or something. Nothing urgent this morning, anyway.*
He walked over to his desk, sat down and moved the few files and papers on it into the drawer. He leaned back, threw his feet on the desk and concentrated on doing nothing at all.
It was not long before Ted burst into the room.
"Whoa! I thought there was no-one here," he said by way of greeting.
"The damn bulb's busted," Drake murmured, sloshing the remains of the coffee in the cup. He preferred the cream powder's artificial sweetness to the coffee itself. "Why did you come in if you thought the room was empty?"
Ted leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms on his chest. "Got up on the wrong side of the bed, Mr. Parker?"
Drake threw the empty cup into the wastebasket on the other side of the room. He had mastered the move ages ago and didn't miss this time, either. It still gave him certain satisfaction. "Well, I don't know about planet Ted, but it's Monday morning over here."
Ted grinned widely. "It helps to start the week when you're brought breakfast to bed."
"Gina?"
"Who else? She's so fussy and domestic, it's cute. She even baked muffins. I'll give you a couple in the meeting room. Oh, which reminds me of why I came here in the first place --"
Drake groaned. "No! A meeting first thing in the morning?"
Ted straightened up to leave. "Sorry, pal, that's the way it goes. I'm gonna go get Marty, so you tell Dee and Ryou, okay? And be there by nine fifteen with JJ or Chief's gonna chew us all out. He's in one of those moods again."
"Yeah, yeah, we'll be there," Drake muttered and annoyedly dropped his feet back to the floor.
Ted hesitated and frowned. "Where is the kid, anyway? I haven't seen him this morning."
Drake shrugged. "Dunno. Not in yet."
Come to think of it, Drake thought it peculiar that JJ hadn't shown up. He was usually already at work when Drake walked into their office.
*Wonder if he's sick,* Drake thought. *If it was anyone else - okay, almost anyone else; I can't really imagine Ryou sleeping in either - I wouldn't worry on a Monday morning. But JJ's one of those people who are only late because of an alien invasion, and he probably really HAD his homework eaten by a dog as a kid.*
Ted threw the door open all the way. "Well, tell 'im when he shows up," he said and left.
Drake threw a few papers into a file to take with him and got out of the office. He knocked on the next door along the hallway which said "McLane and Latener" and pushed it open.
"Hey, Dee, Ryou! Meeting at nine fifteen!" he announced.
Ryou looked up from the file he had open on his impossibly neat desk. Drake could smell the cigarette smoke in the room, but Dee was nowhere in sight. Compared to Drake's and JJ's office, the room seemed unbelievably cozy. Drake couldn't quite put his finger on why.
Ryou took off his glasses and smiled. "Oh, Drake! Morning."
Drake put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah, hi. Where's Dee? Sleeping in?"
"Not this time. He's at the vending machine." Ryou leaned his hand on his jaw. "What's this about a meeting? The chief didn't mention anything when I went to get the car papers from him this morning."
Drake glanced at the clock on the wall; they still had about ten minutes. He half-sat on the corner of Dee's desk. "Last minute call? Your guess is as good as mine. I for one thought we were on a paperwork leave after the forgery case."
Which hadn't been a case, Drake added in his mind, but a nightmare. He had spent nearly 30 hours in a patrol car parked next to a dubious jewellery store. Everybody had worked day and night, investigating the few clues they had, most of them leading nowhere. A forged jewellery cargo was about to be shipped to Detroit, so they had to get on the trail of the forgers before the jewellery were sold to a hundred small-time crooks who'd sell them forward. It had been slave work, mind-numbing and unrewarding. In the end, the 25th precinct got the criminals first and all the thanks with them.
And then Jill had started with "we need to talk", which hadn't really made things any easier...
Nope, Drake could do fine letting the whole case pass into oblivion. The last thing he needed now was some kind of extra meeting to go everything through again. He had even started to hate his patrol car, which he generally had liked before having to practically move into it.
Fortunately the thought of the patrol car reminded him of something else and he distracted himself by asking Ryou about the new car he and Dee had just been admitted.
"Well, I just got the papers," Ryou said, shrugging. "My guess is it's just a normal patrol car. Unless, of course, Ted's plan to get us all to drive BMWs worked."
"But it's new, isn't it? Didn't you ask Chief whether it's the old build or not? Mine and JJ's drinks oil like a friggin' sponge."
Ryou shook his head. "I don't know. But you can come and check for yourself later. I really can't tell when it comes to cars, I've never owned one."
"Hell, neither have I," Drake admitted, scratching his hair. "A garage would cost more than my apartment. And in my neighborhood you can't leave your car on the street for ten minutes before it's already been taken apart and sold."
Ryou made a strange face; something between worry and appreciation. "I thought you were going to move out."
"I thought so, too," Drake said, a little uneasily. "Turns out I won't for some time, until I get another raise, at least." He attempted a grin. "Two more years to go."
Ryou looked like he was going to ask something, then decided against it. "We would've deserved the jewellery from the last case to ourselves, after all those round-the-clock watches we kept."
Drake sighed. "Tell me about it. I had to observe the storing. I really had to kick myself not to slip a few jewels in my own pocket. Now the damn jewellery's locked downstairs, gathering dust, and I'm still living in a rat hole. What a world."
The door opened and Dee walked in, holding two steaming plastic cups. "Who ordered artificial coffee-substitute in fuckin' flimsy cups?"
"You took your time," Ryou said.
"I know! C'mon, take them; my fingers are in blisters!" Dee gave the cups to Ryou and shook his freed hands vigorously. "Fucking cheap plastic." He nodded to Drake when he noticed he was in the room.
"You tested the new vending machine upstairs?" Drake asked and got up from Dee's desk.
Dee humphed. "I and the rest of the station. And why? I mean, the coffee isn't likely to be any better, and the cups are the cheapest I've ever seen."
"At least we won't have to go all the way to the first floor for coffee anymore," Ryou reminded him.
"Let's see, then." Drake snatched one of the cups from an unexpecting Ryou and took a sip.
"Hey! Go stand in the line and buy your own, freeloader!" Dee grabbed the mug from Drake.
"It's not bad, actually," Drake commented.
Dee sipped the coffee. "No, it isn't. Well, I'll be damned. But they really should do something about these cups." He threw himself on his chair and picked up a pen to twirl it in his hand. "Did you have some news, Drake, or are you just socializing?"
Drake quickly glanced at the clock again. "Oh, hell. We're four minutes late."
"Damn!" Ryou shot up from his chair. "Dee, we've got to go to the meeting room, now!"
"I hear you, I hear you," Dee said nonchalantly and took another sip of coffee. "If we're already late, what's the use of running?"
"Yeah, Ryou, cool it," Drake said, stretching his arms. "If Chief calls a meeting this early on a Monday morning, he should know what he's asking for."
Ryou picked up a neat file and put a pen in the breast pocket of his dress shirt. "I can't believe the two of you!" He turned to look at Dee sharply.
Dee lazily gathered a few papers from his desk and got up, finished his coffee and threw the empty cup away. "Okay, okay. But you go first." He opened the door and held it open.
Ryou quirked his eyebrow suspiciously. "Why?"
"Because that tanuki likes you."
"Look, that's --" Ryou started, exasperated, but Dee cut him off.
"Are you going to leave this room, or do I have to carry you over the threshold?" He grinned, and moved so close to Ryou that their noses almost touched.
Drake backed away instinctively and tried to look at the walls. You started to develop a certain sixth sense for upcoming office makeout attempts after hanging out in Dee and Ryou's room for long enough. Usually, at this point, he had already made some excuse and left, but Dee and Ryou were blocking the door.
"Dee, work," Ryou reminded him, but his voice lacked authority.
Dee's grin grew wider, and then he glanced at Drake and backed away, letting Ryou leave the room. "Right. I'll put *that* off 'til next week."
To Drake's amazement, Ryou turned to smile at Dee warmly and knowingly, as if he had just told an inside joke. And a pretty intimate one, at that.
*The hell?* Drake thought. *JJ seems to have been right. And I haven't noticed a thing.*
He stuffed his hands in his pockets again and sauntered after the two.
*Hell, I can't be that blind... can I?*
But something at the back of his mind kept telling him yes. Oh yes, he was. It was a voice he had heard ever since last Friday.
***
Dee knocked on the door of the meeting room and stepped in.
"Morning, ev --"
That was as far as he got before he practically flew out of the room by the force of a booming voice.
"You're LATE!"
The chief's furious face appeared in the doorway.
"Sorry about that, sir," Ryou began, "you see, we were checking the d --"
"And I don't need any explanations from you, Randy!" Chief interrupted, turning his back on Ryou and returning back inside. "Just get in already, I have new orders for you!"
Ryou fought to keep the smile on his face. "Uh, yes sir."
"Tanuki is biting today," Dee grumbled as he walked in after Ryou.
"WHAT?!" the chief bellowed, smacking Dee upside the head. "You'll call me 'Chief', is that too much for your feeble brain to comprehend?"
Drake saw his opportunity as Chief and Dee continued to fight, and he slipped into the room, silently drew the door closed behind him, and started to sneak to his chair. He saw JJ, Ted and Ted's partner Marty already seated around the table. Marty appeared to be asleep and Ted was busy making installation art out of his plastic coffee cup, but JJ noticed him. Drake raised a finger to his lips, but right then Chief's voice stopped him on his tracks.
"DRAKE! And where do you think YOU'RE going?"
*Damn!* Drake thought. There was no escape now.
"Oh, chief!" He laughed nervously. "I was just taking my se -- OUCH!"
"Idiot! I have eyes in the back of my neck," the chief said, cracking his knuckles. "Now sit down, I don't have the whole day."
"Yes sir," Drake muttered, holding his smarting head.
He pulled out a chair next to his partner. Ryou and Dee sat down on the other side of the table. Ted was rolling his piece of art along the table. It hit Marty and he made a face, yawned and went back to snoozing.
*Definitely Monday,* Drake thought as he noticed even JJ was scribbling on the table.
He peeked over to see what JJ was drawing. I turned out to be some random lines and stars.
*I'm surprised it's not cute little animals.* Drake grinned at the thought.
JJ caught him looking and covered his stars with his arms. "You really should know better than to upset chief on Monday morning, senpai."
"Oh, don't you start. Did you come straight here this morning?"
JJ nodded. "Didn't I tell you, senpai?" His eyes were big and alert.
Drake raked his hair off his face. "You might've. I don't remember. Most of last Friday is lost time."
"Senpai, did y--" JJ began.
"I think we should listen to Chief, eh, partner?" Drake said quietly. He picked up a pen and started twirling it nervously in his fingers. He hadn't meant to make a reference to Friday. Not before he had gotten another cup of coffee and the chief out of his sight, anyway.
The chief's voice drifted into his ears.
"...like a specialist's work, or then possibly a gang with some kind of strange code. Now, Ted, you wrote in your report about the hate crimes in the area..."
"I missed the introduction," Drake said to JJ.
"He's talking about a series of murders in Bronx and Brooklyn. It's Ted and Marty's case," JJ answered in a low voice, keeping his eyes fixed on the chief.
"Then what are WE doing here?"
"Hush, senpai, I think he's about to come to that."
The chief paused for a moment, then said, "Well, I think you can all see why I thought I'd take you out of this case. Marty, Ted, you've done good job so far. But I'm not going to endanger you for no reason." He glanced around the room. "Randy and Dee, you take the case from here."
Drake snatched JJ's notes and took a quick look. He flicked over the information of the victims to find some reason to the chief's remark. Then he noted JJ's scrawl: "No othr cnnction but skn color." It was true, all victims were of ethnic minorities, mostly African-Americans.
"A racist gang?" he ventured aloud.
JJ glanced at him and nodded. "Something like it. That's why Chief's taking Marty off the case."
"But what about Ryou? You can tell he's got Asian blood. After England, I'd take care."
"That's true, senpai! Chief!" JJ stood up.
"What is it?" The chief looked at him. "Your orders won't change, JJ."
"The third murder victim was a Korean restaurant owner, sir. Wouldn't you say this killer - or possibly a gang - targets also Asian-Americans? Swapping Officer Sherdon for Officer McLane won't change anything."
The chief cleared his throat and thought for a while. "That's a point, JJ, although not a big one. Most of the victims were, after all, black. But I don't like taking chances, so Randy, you're off the case."
"Sir, if I may say something --" Ryou started, but the chief held out his hand.
"All right, all right, Randy. I understand what this must look like, but it's because of your own safety." The chief put his hands on his hips and bellowed, "If someone wants to put in complaints for racist delegation of work in this station, feel free! But this is how detectives get killed. It was a close call last time, and I won't see it happen again."
"No complaints here, sir," Marty said and yawned.
"Well, it looks like the case is yours, JJ, Drake," Chief announced. "Note that I won't even request a search on your family trees to ensure you're both of pure Aryan blood."
"Ha, ha," Drake murmured and held his head. "Nice going, JJ."
JJ slumped down. "Well, I didn't *mean* to get the case to us, senpai. Sorry."
The chief closed the slide projector and motioned Marty to put on the lights. "That about wraps it up for this morning. Randy and Dee, you take over the filing while JJ and Drake move on to the case. Marty, Ted, you're doing the paperwork as long as the Olsen case doesn't need more backup. Ask Linda about the details."
As slowly as they had made their way in, the people in the meeting room packed up their things and started to migrate towards their offices.
"Have fun with the filing," Drake said to Ted when he passed by.
Ted stopped to pat him on the shoulder. "I'd rather be sitting in an office than go racist busting. Stop by our office and I'll fill ya in." He yawned and left.
Dee gave Drake a sympathetic grin when he and Ryou came to the other side of the table. Drake noticed Ryou's annoyed look and shook his head slowly.
*The one person in the station who actually likes to work,* he thought, *and they won't let him.*
"My condolences," Dee said. "See you at lunch, then." He began directing the gloomy Ryou out of the room.
JJ looked at Drake. "I have shooting practice, so would you mind if we talked to Ted-senpai on the lunch break?"
Drake shrugged. "Yeah, okay. I'll come with you; I have to go to the provisions."
They were the last to leave the room and Drake drew the door shut behind them.
JJ was clutching his notes to his chest in an amusingly schoolboyish way. "The provisions? You really think you can squeeze something out of the manager?"
Drake laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess I'd better pack tongs. But we need a new light bulb in the office."
"Oh. Well, that can't be helped. We can't very well work in the dark, now can we?"
Drake shrugged again. He noticed it with annoyance; a clear sign that he was tired. Usually he avoided shrugging people off, because he hated when someone did it to him. "Suppose so."
JJ turned to look at him. "I think you could use some lightening up yourself, senpai."
"The overwork's getting at me, I guess." They had reached the door of the shooting gallery. Drake smiled and ruffled JJ's hair. "You just worry about kicking ass at the range today, okay?"
"Okay, senpai." JJ winked and disappeared through the door.
Drake continued along the hallway, and it was not until he reached the provisions' that he realized JJ had managed to make him smile again.
***
Drake managed to get the light bulb and the case file, and sat at his desk reading through Ted's first report when Dee appeared for an early lunch break. Not long afterwards Ted and JJ joined them from the shooting range, and even Ryou gave up working long before their usual lunch time when Dee went to get him.
Drake was sitting on his chair, leaning against the wall, his feet propped up on the desk next to Ted, who had just given Drake a third blueberry muffin. Drake bit into it; the muffin tasted wonderfully home-made.
"Muffin?" Ted offered to JJ, who was sitting on his desk, dangling his legs as if he couldn't quite keep still. He had scored number one at the range again and it seemed to bring him constant delight.
JJ shook his head. "I've already had two, senpai."
Ted looked at the remaining muffins. "C'mon, give me a hand here. I can't take any back home or she's gonna think I didn't like them."
"Okay then, gimme one more," Dee said and caught the muffin Ted threw in his direction. "These things would kill me if someone baked me a dozen every morning."
"But it would be a pleasant death, wouldn't you say?" Ted quipped, grinning, and Dee had to admit that it would.
"I still say I could do that trick. Easily," Drake said, turning the conversation away from Ted's girlfriend's baking. The subject annoyed him immensely for some reason.
"No way, Drake. With those new cups? You can't even *drink* from them! Bet you five bucks you won't be able to do it!" Dee announced, shaking his head in disbelief.
Drake smiled at the thought of the free lunch Dee would soon owe him. "Sure I can. Watch." He got up and picked up his empty coffee cup. It was true that the new cups were flimsy and way too light, but he was confident all the same.
Ted got to his feet, too, grinning, and followed Drake to the hallway with Ryou and Dee right on his heels.
The building was old and badly in need of repairs - especially the ventilation system. Most of the ventilation racks were full of holes. The one in the hallway was directly connected to the rack in Drake and JJ's office. That's why if someone was smoking when they passed by, all the smoke drifted over to the office. The ceiling of the hallway was quite high and the rack very close to it, and there was only an about fist-sized hole in the rack.
Ted looked at the rack and shook his head, laughing. "Dee's right, Drake. There's no way you'll ever hit that."
Drake aimed at the rack and threw the cup. For a moment he feared he had used too much force, but then he heard a satisfying 'clank' as the plastic cup disappeared into the ventilation system. He turned around to bask in the unbelieving uproar that followed.
JJ appeared in the doorway with the very same cup. "Fell from the rack right on my desk."
"I can't believe it!" Ted burst out. "What are you, Michael Jordan in disguise?"
"Nope, I'm just five bucks richer," Drake said and grinned, pleased with himself.
They returned inside, where Dee took his wallet and, still shaking his head, drew out Drake's money. "Here. And would Mr. Michael Jordan care to join us at Sal's tonight?"
"Sure," Drake said, nodding.
"I promised Bicky I'd go over the new school papers with him," Ryou put in.
"Oh, yeah." Dee turned to him. "Then you can join us later, okay?"
"I don't know, Dee. I'm on an early shift tomorrow, and it's bound to take some time --"
"All right, who can make it, then?"
"Sorry, Gina's waiting," Ted said.
Drake glanced at JJ, who shook his head.
Dee threw his coat over his shoulder and said, "I guess it's gonna be just you and me then, Drake. We'd better head back to the filing fun, eh, Ryou?"
Ryou's eyes widened. "Are you actually suggesting we should get back to work? Excuse me, who are you and where are you keeping Dee Latener?"
"I'm not *suggesting* anything," Dee said with a sly smile.
"Okay, now I know you're pulling my leg," Ryou said, smiling back.
After Dee and Ryou had left, Drake chatted about football with Ted for a while. Finally, Ted also went back to work before the chief's sixth sense for slacking employees found him out.
Drake considered going back to reading the report, then realized he had completely forgotten to ask Ted about the case. Oh well. It was mostly in the file, anyway. But the odd thing was that JJ hadn't reminded him. He had been strangely quiet.
And still was. JJ was still sitting on his desk, staring into space.
"JJ?" Drake walked over to his partner and waved his hand in front of his eyes. "Wake up."
JJ blinked and smiled at Drake a little.
"Something wrong?" Drake asked, leaning against JJ's desk.
"No..." JJ looked down at his hands. "It just makes me a little sad."
"What does?"
JJ sighed. "Seeing them together like that. They're so... well, happy."
"Dee and Ryou? I wouldn't say they were all that different from usual," Drake said.
"Then you didn't pay attention." JJ looked at him and chided, "I told you you can be so dense when it comes to these things, senpai."
Drake diverted his gaze and looked at the ventilation rack. He wondered briefly whether or not one could do the coffee cup trick backwards if one threw forcefully enough.
Probably not.
"Anyway, don't dwell on it. It really isn't like you. Makes me think you're going to jump off the building or something next."
Oh great, and now he had made another reference to Friday.
"I won't, I promise." JJ's smile was somewhat smug when Drake glanced at him. "Worrywart."
"I just can never tell when it comes to you."
At least that was true.
***
Drake was already finishing his first beer when Dee arrived at their usual hangout, a big but cozy bar not far from the station known as Sal's. Old Salvatore himself had long since abandoned the place to his son, but the name had stuck. Much of the bar's appeal was due to a certain lingering air of the past.
Grinning like a toothpaste commercial, Dee sat down on the bar stool and threw his hair from his eyes. "Did you come here straight from work?"
Drake almost shrugged, but this time caught himself. "Yeah. Tiff, when you've got a moment." He raised his empty glass at the bartender, who smiled at one of her best customers and nodded.
Dee dug a cigarette from the pocket of his leather jacket. "I thought you had to look after that kid, what was his name, Steve? It's been ages since you've come here straight from work."
Drake remembered why the idea of giving up smoking seemed so difficult: he needed something to do with his hands. He lit up and flashed a grateful half-smile to Tiffany, who came to fill his glass.
"Yeah, well. Jill's gone as of last Thursday and so's Stevie."
"Oh, hell. How'd that happen?"
"How's it always happen? All women seem to have a one month attention span. Then one morning they wake up and decide that this is not what they want anymore. Damn if I know why." A bit embarrassed of ranting that way, Drake took a big gulp of his drink.
They were quiet for a moment.
When the atmosphere had become more comfortable again, Dee said, "I don't know if this is the right time to tell you, but..."
"I think I can guess," Drake interrupted, grinning. "Patience really is a virtue, it seems."
"Oh?" Dee looked surprised. "Did Ryou tell you?"
"No. And like I said, I wasn't sure. But you just confirmed that the rumor is true." Drake raised his glass to Dee. "Congrats. When's the wedding?"
"As soon as you guys lose enough weight to fit in the bridesmaid dresses." Dee laughed. "Man, I still can't believe it's true. It's been what, almost two weeks? The whole fuckin' forgery case just swam by. I never knew the time." His eyes had got a dreamy look.
"I wish I could say the same!" Drake slowly shook his head. "First Ted and now you. So, will you get Ryou to bake us muffins next?"
"If you mean that Gina, I give 'em three weeks, max," Dee said, raising his eyebrow knowingly. Then he grimaced. "Ryou would bake *me* in the oven before the muffins if I ever asked him to bake for you guys, so forget the idea."
Drake smiled and stubbed out his cigarette.
Dee continued, "But I guess I'm going to get him to cook for me now and then, since we're planning on moving in together."
Drake almost dropped his glass. "What? Move in together?"
"Yeah. It's already arranged and everything. Actually, it was a bit of a coincidence. You see, my landlord offered to sell me the neighboring apartment, and I couldn't say no to the price. My apartment would've become way too big for just one, so I got the idea..." Dee practically beamed. "I never would've expected Ryou to agree so quickly, but hey, he's been full of surprises lately."
"So it seems. You're sure not wasting any time. But hey, glad to know the rumor was true." Drake lit up another one.
Dee's face got a curious look. "Rumor this and rumor that. Who is the little bird, anyway?"
"Actually, JJ."
Dee first frowned, then blinked in surprise. "JJ?"
"Yes, wiseguy, if you didn't notice, he didn't glomp you at work today." In all honesty, Drake had only a moment ago realized it himself. "He's sharper than he lets on. I think he figured it out some time ago."
Dee whistled, still quite stunned. "Well... the way he follows me around like a puppy dog, I guess he's bound to notice first when something happens in my life."
Drake narrowed his eyes and pointed his cigarette at Dee. "You can imagine what this must be like for the poor kid, so be nice to him, you hear?"
"'The poor kid?'" Dee burst out. "Excuse me, but I think you've got it mixed up! *He's* the one who's constantly harassed *me* for years!"
Drake opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again when he couldn't think of anything to say and took a drag of his cigarette.
"Well, it looks like it's going to end now, so give him a break," he muttered.
"Finally." Dee humphed. "Okay, I'll try and be nice to him, if he really has finally given up on me. Watchdog Drake can take it easy."
"What was that supposed to mean?" Drake said, glaring at Dee while Tiffany filled their glasses again.
Dee chuckled. "What I mean is that you're guarding that kid like a loyal dog."
"I thought we're all doing that, to some extent, anyway," Drake said. "For example, we all still call him 'kid' although he's been at the station for nearly as long as Ryou!"
Dee raised his brows and took a sip of his drink. "In my humble opinion, it's you who never gave up the habit and us others have just learned it from you."
"Oh? Maybe so." Drake shrugged.
Dee took another gulp. "I'm just going to empty this and then go home. Ryou didn't say anything, but I bet he'd like it if I was there when he talks with Bicky. The little parasite's going to move out of state to go to some basketball school."
"He got a scholarship?"
"Yep. There's no way that idiot would ever get into a school otherwise."
"So that means it's going to be just Ryou and you, huh?"
"Lucky, lucky me." Dee grinned smugly. "Oh, which reminds me. What I really meant to tell you was that Ryou and I are going to have a housewarming party next weekend. You're invited, of course. I meant to invite Jill and her kid, too, but..."
"Then invite them, for God's sake," Drake said, although a bit darkly. "She's your friend's sister, anyway. Heck, you practically introduced me to her in the first place."
Dee rubbed his chin. "If Barry's going to show up himself... He's on tour with his band, I think. All right then, if it's okay with you, I'm going to tell him that he can bring Jill along. And the party's on Saturday, I almost forgot that. Don't show up before four, because the place needs some tidying up first. The easel's still out and all."
"Do you want me to tell Ted?" Drake asked. "You won't be on the same shift with him tomorrow or the day after it, either."
"Yeah, thanks," Dee said and finished his drink.
"What about JJ?"
Dee paused for a second, then shrugged. "Oh, what the hell. He can come, I guess, if you look after him."
"I'm not a baby-sitter," Drake muttered.
Dee grinned. "Okay, okay. See you tomorrow, then."
He waved his hand and walked out with the confident air of someone who has a person waiting for him back home.
Drake was glad he hadn't told Dee about Friday like he had originally intended. He felt somewhat let down. He had thought Dee would be the one person who might understand, but apparently he was too wrapped up in Ryou right now to care about anything else. Which was understandable, really, but...
Drake leaned his forehead against the palm of his hand and waved okay to Tiffany when she whisked away his glass one more time. He just felt so alone.
A FAKE fanfic by NeekerBreeker(@facehugger.com)
Pairing: Drake x JJ
Timeline: After the Epilogue. Contains massive spoilers for the whole series.
Keywords: Romance, Drama, Action, some Angst.
Disclaimer: I'm not Matou Sanami, JJ's not an idiot and Drake exists, dammit.
Author's Notes after the story.
*
I don't know what it is that makes me feel alive
I don't know how to wake the things that sleep inside
I only wanna see the light that shines behind your eyes
I hope that I can say the things I wish I'd said
To sing my soul to sleep and take me back to bed
You want to be alone when we could be alive instead
- "Acquiesce" / Oasis
*
Chapter One
Drake kicked the door open to the dark office, balancing a plastic coffee cup, his jacket and an overflowing file in his hands. He dropped the file on the desk and reached to switch on the light. He muttered a weak curse as nothing happened and the room remained dark.
*Great. I love to start the week by fighting over a new light bulb with that cheap-ass provisions manager.*
Drake took his coffee cup and opened the window blinds. He was immediately reminded of why no-one usually opened them - a lovely view of a brick wall greeted him. The light from outside painted the small, messy room in shades of dirty yellow and grey. Drake sighed through his nose and took a sip of coffee. It left a weak taste of cream powder in his mouth that he rather liked.
*Whatever. I'll just wait until JJ shows up and have him get the damn bulb or something. Nothing urgent this morning, anyway.*
He walked over to his desk, sat down and moved the few files and papers on it into the drawer. He leaned back, threw his feet on the desk and concentrated on doing nothing at all.
It was not long before Ted burst into the room.
"Whoa! I thought there was no-one here," he said by way of greeting.
"The damn bulb's busted," Drake murmured, sloshing the remains of the coffee in the cup. He preferred the cream powder's artificial sweetness to the coffee itself. "Why did you come in if you thought the room was empty?"
Ted leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms on his chest. "Got up on the wrong side of the bed, Mr. Parker?"
Drake threw the empty cup into the wastebasket on the other side of the room. He had mastered the move ages ago and didn't miss this time, either. It still gave him certain satisfaction. "Well, I don't know about planet Ted, but it's Monday morning over here."
Ted grinned widely. "It helps to start the week when you're brought breakfast to bed."
"Gina?"
"Who else? She's so fussy and domestic, it's cute. She even baked muffins. I'll give you a couple in the meeting room. Oh, which reminds me of why I came here in the first place --"
Drake groaned. "No! A meeting first thing in the morning?"
Ted straightened up to leave. "Sorry, pal, that's the way it goes. I'm gonna go get Marty, so you tell Dee and Ryou, okay? And be there by nine fifteen with JJ or Chief's gonna chew us all out. He's in one of those moods again."
"Yeah, yeah, we'll be there," Drake muttered and annoyedly dropped his feet back to the floor.
Ted hesitated and frowned. "Where is the kid, anyway? I haven't seen him this morning."
Drake shrugged. "Dunno. Not in yet."
Come to think of it, Drake thought it peculiar that JJ hadn't shown up. He was usually already at work when Drake walked into their office.
*Wonder if he's sick,* Drake thought. *If it was anyone else - okay, almost anyone else; I can't really imagine Ryou sleeping in either - I wouldn't worry on a Monday morning. But JJ's one of those people who are only late because of an alien invasion, and he probably really HAD his homework eaten by a dog as a kid.*
Ted threw the door open all the way. "Well, tell 'im when he shows up," he said and left.
Drake threw a few papers into a file to take with him and got out of the office. He knocked on the next door along the hallway which said "McLane and Latener" and pushed it open.
"Hey, Dee, Ryou! Meeting at nine fifteen!" he announced.
Ryou looked up from the file he had open on his impossibly neat desk. Drake could smell the cigarette smoke in the room, but Dee was nowhere in sight. Compared to Drake's and JJ's office, the room seemed unbelievably cozy. Drake couldn't quite put his finger on why.
Ryou took off his glasses and smiled. "Oh, Drake! Morning."
Drake put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah, hi. Where's Dee? Sleeping in?"
"Not this time. He's at the vending machine." Ryou leaned his hand on his jaw. "What's this about a meeting? The chief didn't mention anything when I went to get the car papers from him this morning."
Drake glanced at the clock on the wall; they still had about ten minutes. He half-sat on the corner of Dee's desk. "Last minute call? Your guess is as good as mine. I for one thought we were on a paperwork leave after the forgery case."
Which hadn't been a case, Drake added in his mind, but a nightmare. He had spent nearly 30 hours in a patrol car parked next to a dubious jewellery store. Everybody had worked day and night, investigating the few clues they had, most of them leading nowhere. A forged jewellery cargo was about to be shipped to Detroit, so they had to get on the trail of the forgers before the jewellery were sold to a hundred small-time crooks who'd sell them forward. It had been slave work, mind-numbing and unrewarding. In the end, the 25th precinct got the criminals first and all the thanks with them.
And then Jill had started with "we need to talk", which hadn't really made things any easier...
Nope, Drake could do fine letting the whole case pass into oblivion. The last thing he needed now was some kind of extra meeting to go everything through again. He had even started to hate his patrol car, which he generally had liked before having to practically move into it.
Fortunately the thought of the patrol car reminded him of something else and he distracted himself by asking Ryou about the new car he and Dee had just been admitted.
"Well, I just got the papers," Ryou said, shrugging. "My guess is it's just a normal patrol car. Unless, of course, Ted's plan to get us all to drive BMWs worked."
"But it's new, isn't it? Didn't you ask Chief whether it's the old build or not? Mine and JJ's drinks oil like a friggin' sponge."
Ryou shook his head. "I don't know. But you can come and check for yourself later. I really can't tell when it comes to cars, I've never owned one."
"Hell, neither have I," Drake admitted, scratching his hair. "A garage would cost more than my apartment. And in my neighborhood you can't leave your car on the street for ten minutes before it's already been taken apart and sold."
Ryou made a strange face; something between worry and appreciation. "I thought you were going to move out."
"I thought so, too," Drake said, a little uneasily. "Turns out I won't for some time, until I get another raise, at least." He attempted a grin. "Two more years to go."
Ryou looked like he was going to ask something, then decided against it. "We would've deserved the jewellery from the last case to ourselves, after all those round-the-clock watches we kept."
Drake sighed. "Tell me about it. I had to observe the storing. I really had to kick myself not to slip a few jewels in my own pocket. Now the damn jewellery's locked downstairs, gathering dust, and I'm still living in a rat hole. What a world."
The door opened and Dee walked in, holding two steaming plastic cups. "Who ordered artificial coffee-substitute in fuckin' flimsy cups?"
"You took your time," Ryou said.
"I know! C'mon, take them; my fingers are in blisters!" Dee gave the cups to Ryou and shook his freed hands vigorously. "Fucking cheap plastic." He nodded to Drake when he noticed he was in the room.
"You tested the new vending machine upstairs?" Drake asked and got up from Dee's desk.
Dee humphed. "I and the rest of the station. And why? I mean, the coffee isn't likely to be any better, and the cups are the cheapest I've ever seen."
"At least we won't have to go all the way to the first floor for coffee anymore," Ryou reminded him.
"Let's see, then." Drake snatched one of the cups from an unexpecting Ryou and took a sip.
"Hey! Go stand in the line and buy your own, freeloader!" Dee grabbed the mug from Drake.
"It's not bad, actually," Drake commented.
Dee sipped the coffee. "No, it isn't. Well, I'll be damned. But they really should do something about these cups." He threw himself on his chair and picked up a pen to twirl it in his hand. "Did you have some news, Drake, or are you just socializing?"
Drake quickly glanced at the clock again. "Oh, hell. We're four minutes late."
"Damn!" Ryou shot up from his chair. "Dee, we've got to go to the meeting room, now!"
"I hear you, I hear you," Dee said nonchalantly and took another sip of coffee. "If we're already late, what's the use of running?"
"Yeah, Ryou, cool it," Drake said, stretching his arms. "If Chief calls a meeting this early on a Monday morning, he should know what he's asking for."
Ryou picked up a neat file and put a pen in the breast pocket of his dress shirt. "I can't believe the two of you!" He turned to look at Dee sharply.
Dee lazily gathered a few papers from his desk and got up, finished his coffee and threw the empty cup away. "Okay, okay. But you go first." He opened the door and held it open.
Ryou quirked his eyebrow suspiciously. "Why?"
"Because that tanuki likes you."
"Look, that's --" Ryou started, exasperated, but Dee cut him off.
"Are you going to leave this room, or do I have to carry you over the threshold?" He grinned, and moved so close to Ryou that their noses almost touched.
Drake backed away instinctively and tried to look at the walls. You started to develop a certain sixth sense for upcoming office makeout attempts after hanging out in Dee and Ryou's room for long enough. Usually, at this point, he had already made some excuse and left, but Dee and Ryou were blocking the door.
"Dee, work," Ryou reminded him, but his voice lacked authority.
Dee's grin grew wider, and then he glanced at Drake and backed away, letting Ryou leave the room. "Right. I'll put *that* off 'til next week."
To Drake's amazement, Ryou turned to smile at Dee warmly and knowingly, as if he had just told an inside joke. And a pretty intimate one, at that.
*The hell?* Drake thought. *JJ seems to have been right. And I haven't noticed a thing.*
He stuffed his hands in his pockets again and sauntered after the two.
*Hell, I can't be that blind... can I?*
But something at the back of his mind kept telling him yes. Oh yes, he was. It was a voice he had heard ever since last Friday.
***
Dee knocked on the door of the meeting room and stepped in.
"Morning, ev --"
That was as far as he got before he practically flew out of the room by the force of a booming voice.
"You're LATE!"
The chief's furious face appeared in the doorway.
"Sorry about that, sir," Ryou began, "you see, we were checking the d --"
"And I don't need any explanations from you, Randy!" Chief interrupted, turning his back on Ryou and returning back inside. "Just get in already, I have new orders for you!"
Ryou fought to keep the smile on his face. "Uh, yes sir."
"Tanuki is biting today," Dee grumbled as he walked in after Ryou.
"WHAT?!" the chief bellowed, smacking Dee upside the head. "You'll call me 'Chief', is that too much for your feeble brain to comprehend?"
Drake saw his opportunity as Chief and Dee continued to fight, and he slipped into the room, silently drew the door closed behind him, and started to sneak to his chair. He saw JJ, Ted and Ted's partner Marty already seated around the table. Marty appeared to be asleep and Ted was busy making installation art out of his plastic coffee cup, but JJ noticed him. Drake raised a finger to his lips, but right then Chief's voice stopped him on his tracks.
"DRAKE! And where do you think YOU'RE going?"
*Damn!* Drake thought. There was no escape now.
"Oh, chief!" He laughed nervously. "I was just taking my se -- OUCH!"
"Idiot! I have eyes in the back of my neck," the chief said, cracking his knuckles. "Now sit down, I don't have the whole day."
"Yes sir," Drake muttered, holding his smarting head.
He pulled out a chair next to his partner. Ryou and Dee sat down on the other side of the table. Ted was rolling his piece of art along the table. It hit Marty and he made a face, yawned and went back to snoozing.
*Definitely Monday,* Drake thought as he noticed even JJ was scribbling on the table.
He peeked over to see what JJ was drawing. I turned out to be some random lines and stars.
*I'm surprised it's not cute little animals.* Drake grinned at the thought.
JJ caught him looking and covered his stars with his arms. "You really should know better than to upset chief on Monday morning, senpai."
"Oh, don't you start. Did you come straight here this morning?"
JJ nodded. "Didn't I tell you, senpai?" His eyes were big and alert.
Drake raked his hair off his face. "You might've. I don't remember. Most of last Friday is lost time."
"Senpai, did y--" JJ began.
"I think we should listen to Chief, eh, partner?" Drake said quietly. He picked up a pen and started twirling it nervously in his fingers. He hadn't meant to make a reference to Friday. Not before he had gotten another cup of coffee and the chief out of his sight, anyway.
The chief's voice drifted into his ears.
"...like a specialist's work, or then possibly a gang with some kind of strange code. Now, Ted, you wrote in your report about the hate crimes in the area..."
"I missed the introduction," Drake said to JJ.
"He's talking about a series of murders in Bronx and Brooklyn. It's Ted and Marty's case," JJ answered in a low voice, keeping his eyes fixed on the chief.
"Then what are WE doing here?"
"Hush, senpai, I think he's about to come to that."
The chief paused for a moment, then said, "Well, I think you can all see why I thought I'd take you out of this case. Marty, Ted, you've done good job so far. But I'm not going to endanger you for no reason." He glanced around the room. "Randy and Dee, you take the case from here."
Drake snatched JJ's notes and took a quick look. He flicked over the information of the victims to find some reason to the chief's remark. Then he noted JJ's scrawl: "No othr cnnction but skn color." It was true, all victims were of ethnic minorities, mostly African-Americans.
"A racist gang?" he ventured aloud.
JJ glanced at him and nodded. "Something like it. That's why Chief's taking Marty off the case."
"But what about Ryou? You can tell he's got Asian blood. After England, I'd take care."
"That's true, senpai! Chief!" JJ stood up.
"What is it?" The chief looked at him. "Your orders won't change, JJ."
"The third murder victim was a Korean restaurant owner, sir. Wouldn't you say this killer - or possibly a gang - targets also Asian-Americans? Swapping Officer Sherdon for Officer McLane won't change anything."
The chief cleared his throat and thought for a while. "That's a point, JJ, although not a big one. Most of the victims were, after all, black. But I don't like taking chances, so Randy, you're off the case."
"Sir, if I may say something --" Ryou started, but the chief held out his hand.
"All right, all right, Randy. I understand what this must look like, but it's because of your own safety." The chief put his hands on his hips and bellowed, "If someone wants to put in complaints for racist delegation of work in this station, feel free! But this is how detectives get killed. It was a close call last time, and I won't see it happen again."
"No complaints here, sir," Marty said and yawned.
"Well, it looks like the case is yours, JJ, Drake," Chief announced. "Note that I won't even request a search on your family trees to ensure you're both of pure Aryan blood."
"Ha, ha," Drake murmured and held his head. "Nice going, JJ."
JJ slumped down. "Well, I didn't *mean* to get the case to us, senpai. Sorry."
The chief closed the slide projector and motioned Marty to put on the lights. "That about wraps it up for this morning. Randy and Dee, you take over the filing while JJ and Drake move on to the case. Marty, Ted, you're doing the paperwork as long as the Olsen case doesn't need more backup. Ask Linda about the details."
As slowly as they had made their way in, the people in the meeting room packed up their things and started to migrate towards their offices.
"Have fun with the filing," Drake said to Ted when he passed by.
Ted stopped to pat him on the shoulder. "I'd rather be sitting in an office than go racist busting. Stop by our office and I'll fill ya in." He yawned and left.
Dee gave Drake a sympathetic grin when he and Ryou came to the other side of the table. Drake noticed Ryou's annoyed look and shook his head slowly.
*The one person in the station who actually likes to work,* he thought, *and they won't let him.*
"My condolences," Dee said. "See you at lunch, then." He began directing the gloomy Ryou out of the room.
JJ looked at Drake. "I have shooting practice, so would you mind if we talked to Ted-senpai on the lunch break?"
Drake shrugged. "Yeah, okay. I'll come with you; I have to go to the provisions."
They were the last to leave the room and Drake drew the door shut behind them.
JJ was clutching his notes to his chest in an amusingly schoolboyish way. "The provisions? You really think you can squeeze something out of the manager?"
Drake laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "I guess I'd better pack tongs. But we need a new light bulb in the office."
"Oh. Well, that can't be helped. We can't very well work in the dark, now can we?"
Drake shrugged again. He noticed it with annoyance; a clear sign that he was tired. Usually he avoided shrugging people off, because he hated when someone did it to him. "Suppose so."
JJ turned to look at him. "I think you could use some lightening up yourself, senpai."
"The overwork's getting at me, I guess." They had reached the door of the shooting gallery. Drake smiled and ruffled JJ's hair. "You just worry about kicking ass at the range today, okay?"
"Okay, senpai." JJ winked and disappeared through the door.
Drake continued along the hallway, and it was not until he reached the provisions' that he realized JJ had managed to make him smile again.
***
Drake managed to get the light bulb and the case file, and sat at his desk reading through Ted's first report when Dee appeared for an early lunch break. Not long afterwards Ted and JJ joined them from the shooting range, and even Ryou gave up working long before their usual lunch time when Dee went to get him.
Drake was sitting on his chair, leaning against the wall, his feet propped up on the desk next to Ted, who had just given Drake a third blueberry muffin. Drake bit into it; the muffin tasted wonderfully home-made.
"Muffin?" Ted offered to JJ, who was sitting on his desk, dangling his legs as if he couldn't quite keep still. He had scored number one at the range again and it seemed to bring him constant delight.
JJ shook his head. "I've already had two, senpai."
Ted looked at the remaining muffins. "C'mon, give me a hand here. I can't take any back home or she's gonna think I didn't like them."
"Okay then, gimme one more," Dee said and caught the muffin Ted threw in his direction. "These things would kill me if someone baked me a dozen every morning."
"But it would be a pleasant death, wouldn't you say?" Ted quipped, grinning, and Dee had to admit that it would.
"I still say I could do that trick. Easily," Drake said, turning the conversation away from Ted's girlfriend's baking. The subject annoyed him immensely for some reason.
"No way, Drake. With those new cups? You can't even *drink* from them! Bet you five bucks you won't be able to do it!" Dee announced, shaking his head in disbelief.
Drake smiled at the thought of the free lunch Dee would soon owe him. "Sure I can. Watch." He got up and picked up his empty coffee cup. It was true that the new cups were flimsy and way too light, but he was confident all the same.
Ted got to his feet, too, grinning, and followed Drake to the hallway with Ryou and Dee right on his heels.
The building was old and badly in need of repairs - especially the ventilation system. Most of the ventilation racks were full of holes. The one in the hallway was directly connected to the rack in Drake and JJ's office. That's why if someone was smoking when they passed by, all the smoke drifted over to the office. The ceiling of the hallway was quite high and the rack very close to it, and there was only an about fist-sized hole in the rack.
Ted looked at the rack and shook his head, laughing. "Dee's right, Drake. There's no way you'll ever hit that."
Drake aimed at the rack and threw the cup. For a moment he feared he had used too much force, but then he heard a satisfying 'clank' as the plastic cup disappeared into the ventilation system. He turned around to bask in the unbelieving uproar that followed.
JJ appeared in the doorway with the very same cup. "Fell from the rack right on my desk."
"I can't believe it!" Ted burst out. "What are you, Michael Jordan in disguise?"
"Nope, I'm just five bucks richer," Drake said and grinned, pleased with himself.
They returned inside, where Dee took his wallet and, still shaking his head, drew out Drake's money. "Here. And would Mr. Michael Jordan care to join us at Sal's tonight?"
"Sure," Drake said, nodding.
"I promised Bicky I'd go over the new school papers with him," Ryou put in.
"Oh, yeah." Dee turned to him. "Then you can join us later, okay?"
"I don't know, Dee. I'm on an early shift tomorrow, and it's bound to take some time --"
"All right, who can make it, then?"
"Sorry, Gina's waiting," Ted said.
Drake glanced at JJ, who shook his head.
Dee threw his coat over his shoulder and said, "I guess it's gonna be just you and me then, Drake. We'd better head back to the filing fun, eh, Ryou?"
Ryou's eyes widened. "Are you actually suggesting we should get back to work? Excuse me, who are you and where are you keeping Dee Latener?"
"I'm not *suggesting* anything," Dee said with a sly smile.
"Okay, now I know you're pulling my leg," Ryou said, smiling back.
After Dee and Ryou had left, Drake chatted about football with Ted for a while. Finally, Ted also went back to work before the chief's sixth sense for slacking employees found him out.
Drake considered going back to reading the report, then realized he had completely forgotten to ask Ted about the case. Oh well. It was mostly in the file, anyway. But the odd thing was that JJ hadn't reminded him. He had been strangely quiet.
And still was. JJ was still sitting on his desk, staring into space.
"JJ?" Drake walked over to his partner and waved his hand in front of his eyes. "Wake up."
JJ blinked and smiled at Drake a little.
"Something wrong?" Drake asked, leaning against JJ's desk.
"No..." JJ looked down at his hands. "It just makes me a little sad."
"What does?"
JJ sighed. "Seeing them together like that. They're so... well, happy."
"Dee and Ryou? I wouldn't say they were all that different from usual," Drake said.
"Then you didn't pay attention." JJ looked at him and chided, "I told you you can be so dense when it comes to these things, senpai."
Drake diverted his gaze and looked at the ventilation rack. He wondered briefly whether or not one could do the coffee cup trick backwards if one threw forcefully enough.
Probably not.
"Anyway, don't dwell on it. It really isn't like you. Makes me think you're going to jump off the building or something next."
Oh great, and now he had made another reference to Friday.
"I won't, I promise." JJ's smile was somewhat smug when Drake glanced at him. "Worrywart."
"I just can never tell when it comes to you."
At least that was true.
***
Drake was already finishing his first beer when Dee arrived at their usual hangout, a big but cozy bar not far from the station known as Sal's. Old Salvatore himself had long since abandoned the place to his son, but the name had stuck. Much of the bar's appeal was due to a certain lingering air of the past.
Grinning like a toothpaste commercial, Dee sat down on the bar stool and threw his hair from his eyes. "Did you come here straight from work?"
Drake almost shrugged, but this time caught himself. "Yeah. Tiff, when you've got a moment." He raised his empty glass at the bartender, who smiled at one of her best customers and nodded.
Dee dug a cigarette from the pocket of his leather jacket. "I thought you had to look after that kid, what was his name, Steve? It's been ages since you've come here straight from work."
Drake remembered why the idea of giving up smoking seemed so difficult: he needed something to do with his hands. He lit up and flashed a grateful half-smile to Tiffany, who came to fill his glass.
"Yeah, well. Jill's gone as of last Thursday and so's Stevie."
"Oh, hell. How'd that happen?"
"How's it always happen? All women seem to have a one month attention span. Then one morning they wake up and decide that this is not what they want anymore. Damn if I know why." A bit embarrassed of ranting that way, Drake took a big gulp of his drink.
They were quiet for a moment.
When the atmosphere had become more comfortable again, Dee said, "I don't know if this is the right time to tell you, but..."
"I think I can guess," Drake interrupted, grinning. "Patience really is a virtue, it seems."
"Oh?" Dee looked surprised. "Did Ryou tell you?"
"No. And like I said, I wasn't sure. But you just confirmed that the rumor is true." Drake raised his glass to Dee. "Congrats. When's the wedding?"
"As soon as you guys lose enough weight to fit in the bridesmaid dresses." Dee laughed. "Man, I still can't believe it's true. It's been what, almost two weeks? The whole fuckin' forgery case just swam by. I never knew the time." His eyes had got a dreamy look.
"I wish I could say the same!" Drake slowly shook his head. "First Ted and now you. So, will you get Ryou to bake us muffins next?"
"If you mean that Gina, I give 'em three weeks, max," Dee said, raising his eyebrow knowingly. Then he grimaced. "Ryou would bake *me* in the oven before the muffins if I ever asked him to bake for you guys, so forget the idea."
Drake smiled and stubbed out his cigarette.
Dee continued, "But I guess I'm going to get him to cook for me now and then, since we're planning on moving in together."
Drake almost dropped his glass. "What? Move in together?"
"Yeah. It's already arranged and everything. Actually, it was a bit of a coincidence. You see, my landlord offered to sell me the neighboring apartment, and I couldn't say no to the price. My apartment would've become way too big for just one, so I got the idea..." Dee practically beamed. "I never would've expected Ryou to agree so quickly, but hey, he's been full of surprises lately."
"So it seems. You're sure not wasting any time. But hey, glad to know the rumor was true." Drake lit up another one.
Dee's face got a curious look. "Rumor this and rumor that. Who is the little bird, anyway?"
"Actually, JJ."
Dee first frowned, then blinked in surprise. "JJ?"
"Yes, wiseguy, if you didn't notice, he didn't glomp you at work today." In all honesty, Drake had only a moment ago realized it himself. "He's sharper than he lets on. I think he figured it out some time ago."
Dee whistled, still quite stunned. "Well... the way he follows me around like a puppy dog, I guess he's bound to notice first when something happens in my life."
Drake narrowed his eyes and pointed his cigarette at Dee. "You can imagine what this must be like for the poor kid, so be nice to him, you hear?"
"'The poor kid?'" Dee burst out. "Excuse me, but I think you've got it mixed up! *He's* the one who's constantly harassed *me* for years!"
Drake opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again when he couldn't think of anything to say and took a drag of his cigarette.
"Well, it looks like it's going to end now, so give him a break," he muttered.
"Finally." Dee humphed. "Okay, I'll try and be nice to him, if he really has finally given up on me. Watchdog Drake can take it easy."
"What was that supposed to mean?" Drake said, glaring at Dee while Tiffany filled their glasses again.
Dee chuckled. "What I mean is that you're guarding that kid like a loyal dog."
"I thought we're all doing that, to some extent, anyway," Drake said. "For example, we all still call him 'kid' although he's been at the station for nearly as long as Ryou!"
Dee raised his brows and took a sip of his drink. "In my humble opinion, it's you who never gave up the habit and us others have just learned it from you."
"Oh? Maybe so." Drake shrugged.
Dee took another gulp. "I'm just going to empty this and then go home. Ryou didn't say anything, but I bet he'd like it if I was there when he talks with Bicky. The little parasite's going to move out of state to go to some basketball school."
"He got a scholarship?"
"Yep. There's no way that idiot would ever get into a school otherwise."
"So that means it's going to be just Ryou and you, huh?"
"Lucky, lucky me." Dee grinned smugly. "Oh, which reminds me. What I really meant to tell you was that Ryou and I are going to have a housewarming party next weekend. You're invited, of course. I meant to invite Jill and her kid, too, but..."
"Then invite them, for God's sake," Drake said, although a bit darkly. "She's your friend's sister, anyway. Heck, you practically introduced me to her in the first place."
Dee rubbed his chin. "If Barry's going to show up himself... He's on tour with his band, I think. All right then, if it's okay with you, I'm going to tell him that he can bring Jill along. And the party's on Saturday, I almost forgot that. Don't show up before four, because the place needs some tidying up first. The easel's still out and all."
"Do you want me to tell Ted?" Drake asked. "You won't be on the same shift with him tomorrow or the day after it, either."
"Yeah, thanks," Dee said and finished his drink.
"What about JJ?"
Dee paused for a second, then shrugged. "Oh, what the hell. He can come, I guess, if you look after him."
"I'm not a baby-sitter," Drake muttered.
Dee grinned. "Okay, okay. See you tomorrow, then."
He waved his hand and walked out with the confident air of someone who has a person waiting for him back home.
Drake was glad he hadn't told Dee about Friday like he had originally intended. He felt somewhat let down. He had thought Dee would be the one person who might understand, but apparently he was too wrapped up in Ryou right now to care about anything else. Which was understandable, really, but...
Drake leaned his forehead against the palm of his hand and waved okay to Tiffany when she whisked away his glass one more time. He just felt so alone.