Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Holidays In New York ❯ A Miracle In New York - Ryo ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: Demoness2005

A Miracle In New York

Disclaimer: As usual, FAKE does not belong to me. Sanami Matoh is the genius who gave us FAKE.

Author's Note: This is an oldie that was sitting on my computer. I wrote it about 2 years ago. It's a series of one shots that I call the “Holidays In New York” series. There are five (I know I previously said four - I can't count sometimes, I guess) stories so far, and I'm hoping to add to the collection in time. Now with FAKE: Second Season in mind, I guess this would fall the year after the S.C.I.U. act.

~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~

Ryo glanced around the common room in the orphanage, watching all the children excitedly opening or playing with the gifts they had gotten from Santa not long before. He felt a tug at his sleeve and looked over with a smile for the young child who stood before him. Kay was still struggling with the wrapping despite Ryo helping by giving her a head start. She looked up at him with big brown eyes, holding the box out.

Ryo laughed, and reached out to place the child on his lap. Together they proceeded to finish the unwrapping. “What have you got there?” Ryo laughed as the child started to giggle.

Kay, who was barely 4 years old, held up the box with a doll in it. “A new dollie,” she squealed excitedly. “I had to give Sally away.” She pouted.

Ryo kissed the side of her head. Sally had long since been ready for the garbage, and the day before, the only way they had been able to get the ragged doll away from the young girl was to say some other little girl needed her more. Ryo knew Kay well enough to know the child would fall for the trick. He also knew Dee had set aside a new doll among her other gifts. “Sally's happy,” he told her. “So what's your new dollie's name?”

She stuck a finger in his mouth in thought, eyes on the doll still in the box. “I dunno. Help me?” She held up the box indicating she wanted the doll to be freed from its cardboard prison.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Ryo replied. He did most of the work, while allowing her tiny, fumbling hands on the box to feel as if she was accomplishing something.

At last Kay snuggled against Ryo, box and wrapping discarded beside them, as she hugged the doll to her. Her wide eyes looking around at the happy scene before them.

Ryo followed her example, hugging the child close to him, assuring her she was never alone, and was loved. His wasn't the only assurance since there were many others to make sure Kay and all the other children in the orphanage did not feel alone in the world.

He saw Bikky across the room with 2 year old Sandy, helping her with unwrapping a gift. The child was giggling excitedly and laughing at whatever Bikky was saying to her. Bikky was smiling, looking affectionately at the child. Ryo's smile grew. Bikky had gone from a street rat who visited the orphanage to teach the gullible ones the ways of the street to a big brother, looking out for his younger siblings and doing his part in keeping them from the some of the not so legal ways an orphan can go. He had also gone from a scared, upset youngster who had lost the only parent he had to becoming Ryo and Dee's son. The 12 year old showed promise of a bright and shining future before him.

Carol was sitting not far from Bikky, holding a tea party with a group of four children, using the toy tea set one of the children had gotten as a gift. Occasionally the 15 year old girl would glance over in fond amusement at her best friend and, Ryo was certain, future boyfriend. Especially when several other toddlers had gathered around Bikky, who gladly gave them his attention. Carol was little sister and daughter to Ryo. Another member of the family Ryo had found himself a part of.

Mother Maria Lane was sitting by the fireplace, with one year old Danny in her lap and other children between the ages of two to 12 gather around her as she read from a book. One of the other teen aged helpers was going from child to child, offering from a platter a piece of fudge or brownie. The kind and loving nun was more than the Mother Superior and head of the orphanage. She was almost like a second mother to Ryo. She was the woman who had raised the man who was Ryo's partner and lover, the women Dee saw as his mother. She was also included in the family Ryo called his.

His eyes traveled until he came to the man who stood next to a festively decorated chair, in his red suit trimmed with white fur, a hat in the same material on his head. Ryo could only make out the jade eyes behind the false eyebrows, beard and mustache. Yet his heart still skipped a beat as he looked at his lover, who held a baby in his arms. The infant was 7 months old and the newest member to the orphanage. Green eyes went from the infant to also take in the warm scene before him. To Ryo, Dee was somehow the bridge that brought their odd yet wonderful family together. He was Ryo's love, his life. And the reason why this Christmas Eve, he spent it laughing, while helping Santa give out gifts, spreading the love he had in his heart to the children and those he called his family. He remembered Christmases past with his parents, and found he could smile fondly without the pain. His mind moved onto the holidays he later spent with his aunt and uncle, which were also happy and made him smile. There was still an emptiness in him during those years. The years he could not spend with his aunt and uncle, he spent with friends, hiding behind a false smile and too much spiked egg nog, telling himself he was happy.

Then there was the year, when he had found himself alone. Thanks to Dee, he did not spend the entire night alone. He found while he was with Dee, he was not just acting happy. The hollowness in his heart from before Dee's arrival had slipped away as he found himself in Dee's arms, returning the kisses Dee gave him, feeling loved and really truly happy. They were not quite lovers yet. Ryo should have known then it was only a matter of time.

Since that Christmas, Ryo had finally gotten together with Dee, and he had no regrets. He even found he did not regret having to wear the silly red tunic and tight green pants tucked into red pointed boots, along with the corny green hat on his head. He had agreed to be Santa's special helper for Dee. For Mother. And for all the smiling faces within that room.

Christmas was once again a time to give love and to feel love for Ryo. The ghosts of the past were laid to rest. The wounds of his soul finally healed. He knew his parents were finally smiling for him, knowing he was at long last, whole and happy.

He hugged Kay tighter, feeling a need to help some of these children heal as he finally was. He had received the greatest gift this year, and was willing to share it with others throughout the year and for years after.

He lifted his eyes again toward the man in red. This time, the sparkling jade eyes met his.

`Yes,' Ryo thought, `I am finally whole,' as the warmth he had come to know as his love for Dee filled him.

~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~ ~#~

Additional Note: Yeah, I know the Holidays are over, but there's one more part to go (and the reason for the “M” rating). Hopefully I'll be working on a Valentine's Day story to add to this (and maybe even get it posted for Valentine's Day, I could hope.)