Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Sukiyaki ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: FAKE and it's characters belong to Tokyopop and Saname Matoh. This story is written for entertainment purposes and I make no profit from it.

The song "Sukiyaki" belongs to Kyu Sakamoto and his estate.

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Sukiyaki

By: Alaskan Blue

The front door to their apartment burst open and Dee came rushing through,his coat slipping off one shoulder, his black hair disheveled, his face flushed from the cold, and his arms laden with plastic shopping bags. Some of the bags fell from his grasp as he raced through the living room and into the kitchen where Ryo was kneeling in front of the oven, checking his lasagne. He looked up at Dee and grinned, "I take it it's going well?"

"Are you kidding? It couldn't be worse! The Knicks are ahead by two, there's two minutes left in the game and Baker just pulled a hamstring!"

Dee began shedding bags to the floor as carefully as he could and threw his coat into an empty corner, when he was done he headed for the small radio Ryo kept on top of the refrigerator. Pulling it down he hit the power button and began fiddling with the dials, Ryo shook his head, closed the oven door and stood as Dee landed the tuner on the correct station and jacked the volume up so high the sports commentator was screaming in the kitchen. "This is the most intense moment I've seen all year ladies and gentlemen! The Knicks with a two point lead against the Bulls two minutes left in the game, and the Knicks have the ball, can they win the most important game all year? We'll see just as soon as they end the time out called when Baker injured himself on that awesome basket, and if the Knicks can still win this game without their most valuable player!"

"Shut up you ass hole!" Dee hollered staring intently at the speakers.

"It's not like he can hear you." Ryo said chuckling at how Dee always got worked up over a Knicks game and began picking up the shopping bags Dee had discarded.

He pulled out the multiple flavored bags of potato chips and set them on the counter as Dee ignored him and continued to express his anger over the commentator talking about the intensity of the moment and what-not, rather than just relaying what was happening on the basketball court. Ryo set the milk and butter in the fridge and put the ice cream in the refrigerator. Then began searching the remaining plastic for the items he'd made clear to Dee he needed for the spaghetti sauce, he looked to his agitated partner and dared to ask, "Did you remember the olive oil?"

"Yeah yeah, extra virgin and all that." Dee waved him off as though it was the least important thing in the world, "I think it may be in the living room where I dropped some and- a foul?! What the hell do you mean a FOUL!"

Ryo sighed as Dee forgot the older mans existence for the second time in the space of a few minutes. He headed into the kitchen and saw a trail of four more bags that leading from the door and picked them up, discovering the olive oil in the third bag he checked and closing his eyes thankfully that it hadn't been broken. He jumped as he heard Dee scream, "Come on, you son of a bitch! I got fifty bucks on your candy ass!!"

Ryo was suddenly glad that he had sent Bikky to Carol's for the day while they had a 'cops only' movie night, the platinum haired child kid was bad enough about sports games without this kind of behavior from Dee to encourage him. He reentered the kitchen and turned on the stove to begin making the spaghetti sauce when the announcer hollered, "Greenlee has the ball, passes it to Hawkins, it's intercepted by Jordan!"

"NO!" Dee screamed his hands flying to his head and raking his fingers through the raven wing strands in frustration.

"15 seconds left in the game, Jordan dribbling down the court, he's got an open shot, he shoots from the three point line and… Oh my GOD!! It hits the backboard! It hits the backboard, bounces off, there's the buzzer, this game is over ladies and gentlemen this game is over! The Knicks win!"

"YES!!!" Dee hollered throwing up both arms and punching the air with his fists, "Woo hoo! Fifty bucks man! Fifty bucks!! Ha ha!!"

Ryo entered the kitchen to see his partner pull his cell phone from his pocket and hit a couple of buttons before holding it to his ear, the kitchen was silent for a few moments save for the radio commentator still blaring the score and relaying the general mood of the crowd at the sports arena until the person Dee was trying to reach answered their end of the line.

"Ted? Ha ha! I told you man! I told you!"

Ryo opened a cabinet and removed a large saucepan that he poured a generous amount of olive oil into as Dee continued talking animatedly. "Two points, two hundred, it doesn't matter dude, your team lost, mine won, you owe me fifty big ones… whaddya' mean next paycheck? No way, uh uh! We just got paid, you bring your cash tonight or I'm kicking your ass!"

Ryo was in the process of adding ground beef and other spices into the pan when Dee finally finished his conversation with, "Yeah, see you in an hour," and cut the connection. The younger man looked at his companion with a cocky grin, "Got a kiss for the big winner?"

Looking at Dee, a smile turning up one corner of his mouth, the lighter haired man asked, "So if you had lost, did you have fifty?"

Dee frowned at that and waved him off again, "That's not the point."

Ryo let out a smug chuckle, "I didn't think so."

"So what do I need to do in here?" Dee changed the subject by clapping his hands together and rubbing them dramatically.

"Dump the chips into those big bowls and set them on the card table in the living room." Ryo directed him, nodding at the items sitting on the counter and raising his voice over the still blaring radio.

"Sure thing," Dee swept the bags into one arms and grabbed the stacked party bowls with his free hand and sauntered into the living room. A few seconds later he heard the shrieking sound of plastic seals being torn through and the bowls being filled then the younger man returned. "What else?"

"You can cut up the lettuce for the salad, but first turn that noise down and put it back on my station." Ryo answered.

"Awww Ryo," Said Dee and he reached for the radio, "You've got to appreciate good sports more."

"I like tennis!" Ryo responded indignantly.

Dee snorted as he crooked the tuner, "I said good sports."

Ryo was about to lay a smarting comeback on his partner when he heard a snippet of song playing on one of the stations Dee was sorting through filled the room and was followed by the static of the airwaves as he continued searching for the rock station his lover usually listened to.

"Wait!" Ryo said, "Put it back!"

"Huh?" Dee looked up.

"That station you just flipped through, turn it back."

"Okay." He turned the knob back a bit and he heard the song again. Dee frowned at the strange lyrics that filled the room.

"Omoidasu natsu no hi, Hitoribotchi no yoru…"

"What is this?" Confused, Dee looked up at his partner who had resumed stirring the contents of the sauce pan with a smile, his chestnut brown head bobbing to the tune and singing along softly.

"Sukiyaki." Ryo replied easily.

"What is it?" Dee asked, setting the radio down and heading to the refrigerator to pull out the lettuce he'd bought.

"It's an oldies song from back in the forties."

"I could tell that!" Dee shot back, "I meant the language."

"It's Japanese." Ryo answered and went back to singing along with the next line of the song.

"Nijinda hoshi o kazoete, Omoidasu natsu no hi…"

Dee looked at him amazed as the strange sounds flowed from Ryo's smooth tenor, "I thought you didn't speak Japanese!"

"I don't."

"Then how come you know this?"

"My mother loved this song." Ryo said, pulling a can opener from a drawer and began cutting through the metal seals of tomato paste and mushrooms.

Dee opened the lettuce and pulled off the outer leaves, discarding them in the trash and looking at Ryo curiously. They had been partners now for four years and lovers for half that time and while he knew a lot about his partner and his past concerning his family, the dark eyed man had never spoken much about what they had been like, other than very general terms. He was overjoyed to finally hear some more details of what Ryo's family had been like. Dee reached for a chopping knife and asked casually, "So she taught it to you?"

"Yeah," Ryo smiled happy memories coming back to him. "She had one of the original LP's and would put it on the record player all the time when I was growing up. She used to pick me up and dance around the house with me. Her mom did the same with her when she was a kid."

"So what's he singing about?" Dee asked.

"Haven't a clue!" Ryo said grinning widely as he filled a stock pot with water and set it on the back burner to boil.

"I thought you said she taught it to you!"

"She did, but only the words, she never told me what they translated as."

"Well that's silly." Dee said dryly and dumping the lettuce into an oversized wooden serving bowl,

"Nah, I asked her to tell me but she never would, her Japanese wasn't the greatest either plus she said the song was really said if you knew what it meant."

"How could she not know the language? I thought she was second generation."

"Huh uh." Ryo set a lid on the stockpot and leaned against the counter.

"My grandfather was stationed in Japan when it was still occupied after the war. That's where he met Tomoko, my grandmother, she was raised as a traditional Japanese girl but her father was an Englishman, that's how she met my Granddad, she could speak fluent English and was a civilian employee on his base. He married her and brought her to America in '46, and they had my mother a little after that. Grandma taught my mom some of her own language but she died giving birth to my uncle when mom was six, so she never really did have an extensive vocabulary and she forgot most of it as she grew up. I think the only reason she remembered this song was because she learned it when she was so young and it was just one of those things that gets hardwired into a kids mind, kind of like your first phone number or address."

Dee smiled at the charming picture his partner made, he was wearing an oatmeal colored cable knit sweater and loose jeans, he feet encased in running shoes. Ryo's arms were crossed over his chest, one leg bent so his foot rested on the door of a lower cabinet and his chocolate eyes were staring dreamily into space, his expression was of a man lost in thought. Dee, smiled at him and closed the short distance between them with a few steps. He startled Ryo from his reverie when he put two fingers on his chin and gently turned the shorter mans head up to his face. "That's the first time you've ever really told me about your parents."

"I- I didn't know how you'd react." Ryo stammered and blushed.

It was true too. The few times he'd offered Dee, any information about the man and woman who had been the most important people in the world to him, the younger man had listened but had sometimes seemed depressed at what he'd never known. Ryo had decided that maybe it was better for the relationship he shared with Dee to let that part of his past go unmentioned. After all, it was the past, and Dee was his future.

Dee merely looked down at his partner, his smile growing wider as he took in the color that stained his cheeks, then dipped his head low, his lips brushing Ryo's lips lightly then gliding his tongue over the older mans trembling lower lip as the song neared its end. Ryo moaned softly and his lips parted under Dee's, the younger mans tongue snaking into his mouth and running masterfully over white teeth. Ryo's hand moved of their own accord and gripped Dee's sweatshirt, pulling the taller man closer to him. Dee obliged and responded by putting his arms around Ryo and running his hand over his back, making his partner shiver even through the thick sweater he wore. Ryo responded to Dee's kiss eagerly, his own tongue playfully dueling with Dee's and running his hands through his lovers ebony locks, he chuckled into the kiss as he felt Dee's own response through the jeans he wore.

Ryo was trying to decide between, leaving the kitchen unattended for the brief amount of time it would take to drag Dee into their bedroom for a few minutes and hope to god that the food he was preparing for half a dozen people wouldn't be ruined, or rip Dee's pants off right there in the kitchen. "It wouldn't be the first time…" Ryo thought with a grin, expertly undoing the belt and fumbled for the button.

His amorous intentions were cut short by the sound of the front door opening and a deep voice booming through the apartment, "Anyone home?!"

"Shit!" Dee cursed and jumped away from Ryo, working furiously to adjust his clothing.

Ryo laughed feeling giddy and raked a hand through his disheveled hair, then turned back to the stove to check the water. He hoped he could blame the blame the heat rising from it for the redness that so filled his face now he resembled the tomatoes he'd added to the sauce earlier.

"Hello?" Another higher, slightly feminine voice sang out.

"Ugh…" Dee groaned recognizing it and shooting a dirty look at Ryo's back as he smoothed his shirtfront, "You invited him?"

"Of course, it would have been rude not to!" Ryo shot over his shoulder.

Dee was about to respond when a dark face appeared in the doorway, "Hey guys! We thought we'd come early and give you a hand."

"Great!" Dee said, hoping his voice sounded normal though all he wanted to do was throttle his fellow detective for showing up forty five minutes early and, as far as he was concerned was directly responsible for the discomfort he was now having to endure from the erection that had been hastily stuffed back into his jeans.

"Wow! It smells wonderful in here!" J.J. appeared around the corner with a six pack of Zima in one arm and a baking dish in another. "I brought some desert, hope you like Baklava."

"Thanks." Ryo said easily, "Everything should be ready by six."

"Why did you bring Greek food to a Mobster Movie Madness marathon?" Dee asked as he turned the radio down to its lowest volume then winced when Ryo "accidentally" stepped on his foot.

"It sounds great J.J., just set it on the table with the other snack foods, and we've got the cooler set up in the living room for the drinks." Ryo told lilac haired man.

"Sure thing!" He turned and flounced off to the living room, Marty following behind.

Dee resigned himself to an evening of J.J.'s company as graciously as he could and waited for the rest of the crowd to show up. It didn't take long. Drake appeared at the door a few minutes later cheeks pink from the chill and fingers numb from carrying a thirty pack of Miller four blocks from the corner store to Dee and Ryo's apartment, and a quarter of an hour afterwards Ted appeared. Dee laughed at the look of consternation on Ted's face as the flame haired man pulled his wallet from his back pocket and removed a few bills. He held them out to Dee then snatched them back when the green eyed man reached for them. "Just one question." Ted murmured.

"Yeah." Said Dee raising an eyebrow.

"If your team had lost, did you have the cash to pay me?"

Dee scowled, "That's not the point."

Ted smirked and handed the bills to Dee, "I didn't think so."

Ryo announced that the food was ready and the crowd helped themselves to the various dishes Ryo had prepared in keeping with the theme for the evening movies, as Marty switched on the TV and hit the remote for the cable box to set it to HBO just as the notes from "The Godfather," began playing. The next few hours passed happily as the group of detectives ate and chatted, reciting the famous lines that had made the films legendary, and mocking various characters in true Mystery Science Theatre 3000 form. By the time the last notes faded away from the final movie of the trilogy, the only people left still sober were Marty and surprisingly enough, Dee; who was really wishing he wasn't as J.J. hung all over him in a Zima induced state of intoxication.

Dee looked at Marty and together they hoisted Drake and Ted, who had for some crazy reason had decided to play a game of taking a drink every time Marlon Brando said something in a wheezy voice. Marty gripped Ted by one arm and stooping hoisted the unconscious man up and over his shoulder and headed for the door muttering something about crazy Irishmen who couldn't hold their liquor and Dee helped Drake to his feet and half carried the blonde detective to the elevator with J.J. in tow. The five men managed to get down to the street curb and hail a pair of taxi cabs, Marty promising to get Ted home to his wife, and J.J. swearing he was sober enough to get Drake to his apartment and, "in bed," he said with a wink.

Dee only shook his head and hollered at J.J. that he didn't want any details come Monday as the yellow cab pulled away from the curb. He waved at the retreating taillights and headed back into the apartment building. He opened the door to the apartment and found Ryo placing dishes in the sink and the phone pressed to his ear, Dee caught the last snippet of conversation, "…right, yeah no hurry, okay thanks!"

"Who was that?" Dee asked glancing at his watch and wondering who in the world Ryo would have been talking to at half past midnight.

Ryo walked over to the counter to the radio that was still playing quietly and turned the volume up, "I called the station and made a request."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I wanted to hear that song again." Ryo smiled at him and its contagion spread to Dee.

He took in his partners appearance, the mans hair was tousled from the wrestling match he'd gotten into with Drake, when he'd insulted Al Pacino's acting ability, there was a small red stain on the pristine sweater when J.J. had stood up suddenly and hit the arm that had been carefully balancing a forkful of lasagne, and his brown eyes were soft and dreamy from the alcohol he'd consumed earlier. Dee chuckled and moved closer to his partner, running a finger along his cheek, "You're drunk."

"Mmmm…" Ryo put his arms around Dee, "Only on you…"

Dee laughed and put his arms around Ryo and held him for a moment as the song that was playing on the radio ended and the nighttime dee jay announced the time and temperature then went back into the radio spiel, "Last we heard, 'City of New Orleans' by Arlo Guthrie and now we have a special request that goes out to a person in the heart of the Big Apple. This is for Dee, from the person who says he loves you more than anything else in the world, it's "Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto from way back in '46."

Dee looked down at Ryo as the opening notes with their distinctly Oriental melody filled the kitchen. He was surprised at what Ryo had done, true, the older man had only told the dee jay his first name, and the name Dee could easily be mistaken for being a woman but he was still touched by his lovers gesture, still knowing how difficult it was for Ryo to express his emotions sometimes.

Ryo simply stared back at him dreamily and said, "I want to make some new memories for this song."

Ryo pulled Dee's head down and brushed his lips across the younger mans, "Dance with me."

Still grinning Dee tugged at Ryo's hand and guided him into the living room to the open space between the coffee table and the television, then left him standing alone for a moment as he fumbled in his pocket for his lighter. He dashed to the end tables where Ryo kept a few scented jar candles and flicked the lighter, touching the flame to the wicks and then hitting the light switch by the door so that the rooms only illumination was the warm, romantic glow from the candles. Dee went back to Ryo and put his arms around him as the first line of the song played and Dee whispered softly, "Think you're up to singing along again?"

Ryo sighed and leaned against his lover as they both swayed to the strange music, his slightly fuzzy mind recalling the lyrics and he sang along with the silken performer. "Ue o muite arukoo, Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni, Omoidasu haru no hi…"

Dee rested his chin on top of Ryo's head and listened contentedly as the strange and beautiful lyrics flowed from his lovers silken voice. He recalled how Ryo had told him that song was supposed to be a sad one yet he didn't see how it could be, not as happy as he felt right now.

Ryo continued to sing with the radio and Dee dropped a kiss on his hair as he began the next verse, "Hitoribotchi no yoru, Ue o muite arukoo, Nijinda hoshi o kazoete, Omoidasu natsu no hi…"

Ryo's voice trailed off somewhere around the next few lines and he hugged Dee closer and they continued moving in a slow circle in the living room, the dancing flames of the candles making their combined shadows into eerie shapes on the walls. It was when the song reached the bridge where the singer spent a few bars whistling that Ryo tilted his head up, his eyes shining chocolate puddles that he said to Dee, "Kiss me."

Dee obliged eagerly and claimed the shorter mans lips in a kiss which soon deepened into one of fire and passion that lasted to the very last line of the song and only broke when the dee jay came back on the air. Ryo nuzzled Dee's neck and broke away to reenter the kitchen and switch the radio off, returning to where he had left his partner standing and putting his arms back around the man, "I think you and I have some unfinished business from earlier."

Dee snorted and guided Ryo over to the sofa, tugging the sweater over the dark eyed mans head and tossing it to the floor, "So when did you plan this out?"

"Right after Drake showed up." Ryo responded laughing.

"We're going to have to listen the oldies station more often." Dee said and silenced Ryo's mirth with a soul drugging kiss.

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AN-I wrote this for my friend Lilah, and it was an idea I had a long time ago, to write a fic on whether or not Ryo could speak Japanese since so many people write him both ways in fanfiction. The opinion I've written here is mine and mine alone and is not intended to offend anyone, therefore, flames will be returned with love.

The Full song and translation is as follows, I don't speak Japanese and got it off a Translation site, if it's wrong oh well.