Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Verge of Something Wonderful ❯ Cotton Sheets and Whispering Pines ( Chapter 3 )

Dee was trying his hardest to ignore his overfull bladder, willing himself to slide back into sleep. It was unfair for his body to make such demands of him when he so comfortable. The ceiling fan overhead was making the perfect about of white noise, the room was cool from the combined efforts of the air conditioner and the fan, muted sunlight dappled over his and Ryo's body, it was just to much ask him to get up. Besides if he moved there was a good chance the movement would wake Ryo and he was sure his partner needed his sleep, preferably while still pressed up against Dee's side and his head on Dee's chest.

 

Eventually all good things come to an end and Dee was forced to surrender his post. He tried extracting himself with the greatest of care, daring to hope that Ryo would stay asleep and increasing the possibility that he could creep back into bed and next to Ryo's warm body. It seemed to be working, Ryo shifted in his sleep, settling into the spot Dee had just vacated, snuggling into the impression Dee's body had made and burying his head into Dee's pillow. Dee stood quietly by the bedside for a moment watching his partner resettle himself and then let himself quietly into the master bedroom's adjoined bathroom, grateful the door did not squeak and that the latch closed with the softest of clicks.

 

Ryo's eyes slid open the second he heard the bathroom door close. Ryo buried his face a little bit more into Dee's pillow and looked at the closed door with one eye. A lingering tiredness pulled behind his eyes and his limbs were still heavy. He wasn't ready to be awake yet, not ready to commit himself to movement and action. He had gotten out of bed a few hours earlier to relieve himself and to get some water. Trying to disentangle from Dee without waking him had turned into quite a struggle, Dee had stubbornly held on in his sleep and it was not the first time that Ryo was surprised at the strength the other man possessed. When he had managed to free himself from Dee's tight clasp Dee had made a sound somewhere between a sigh of loss and grunt of disappointment. Ryo smiled to himself and let his eyes close. Let Dee think he was still asleep if he wanted, in sleep he could meet Dee half way and not feel threatened, he could lay against him and marvel at how stupidly right it felt. He could enjoy the way Dee smelled and the way their bodies seemed to fit so well together. He could do all this and have a taste of being with Dee without being overwhelmed by what it meant and what Dee wanted from him.

 

The door to the bathroom opened just as quietly as it had been shut. Ryo listened to the soft padding of Dee crossing the carpet back to the bed. He kept his face turned into the pillow so as not to give himself away and end the quiet interlude. It hid his grin when he heard Dee whisper a happy `Yes' to himself as his weight sunk back down into the bed. Ryo let his body hang limp and compliant, letting Dee manhandle him and pull his body close to his own, situating him more or less where he was before Dee had left. He felt Dee's full lips briefly on his forehead in a surprisingly chaste kiss and then Dee's hand carefully brushing errant strands of his hair from his face. Ryo felt a sensation similar to comfort but deeper and wider, he nuzzled into Dee's neck and embrace. He was rewarded with a gratified sigh from Dee. Not much later Dee's chest began to rise and fall in a pattern that was unmistakable as deep sleep, Ryo let himself drift into a lighter sleep where his mind could wander into pleasant daydreams and things that might be.

 

It was early afternoon before either of them was up and moving. A note taped to the coffee maker let them know that Ellen would be out for the day running some errands and picking up food supplies. She left a spare set of keys on the counter for them and her cell phone number on the note with a request to call her if they needed anything or wanted anything in particular from the grocery store. After a quick call to let her know they were going to look around the house and grounds if she didn't have any objections and to ask her if she minded bringing Dee another pack of smokes the two men found themselves sitting companionably over cups of coffee.

 

“Last night was something else. I don't think that was what I was expecting when Chief said `disturbances'. What the hell Ryo, that wasn't a disturbance it was an all out war.” Dee said, his fingers twirling his lighter and occasionally tapping it on the kitchen table. It was a mixed sign of both nervousness and impatience. He didn't like things he couldn't explain, it was that simple. Things should fall into definable categories and he should be able to solve them with either his mind, his hands or his gun. It didn't help that he didn't want Ryo to laugh at him or give him that look again, the one that said he wasn't sure Dee was quite bright.

 

Ryo eyed him over the rim of his coffee cup taking a long slow slip. It wouldn't do to make light of last night or be dismissive of explanations he found to be ridiculous. He was remembering a conversation he had with the Chief about Dee back when they were first partnered. Rose had “accidentally” sent Ryo an email with a lot of Dee's private information in it. He had never told Dee, didn't know how he was suppose to broach that subject, he had, however, told the Chief, certain that he shouldn't keep Rose's antics to himself. Besides he was embarrassed for Dee and the callous way his privacy had been ripped away. Some of the information had been surprising. Dee was dyslexic for one and had difficulties with reading and comprehension. Other information highlighted his shooting range scores, Ryo already knew them but he couldn't stand that Rose thought he was showing Dee up. Dee's score were actually very good, Ryo's were better but that was to be expected he was a sniper for god sake. Chief had, for a change, let Ryo talk all he wanted, expressing all his resentment over Rose's treatment of Dee and his own frustration with Dee so easily taking Rose's bait most of the time and now this breach of Dee`s privacy. Afterwards the Chief had opened up about Dee's past with the unit and why Ryo shouldn't worry to much about Dee, that he could take care of himself. Dee was well respected amongst the other detectives and officers for a reason, he was a damn good detective, sharp on his feet and able to recall events with a keen precision, see patterns where others failed, and rightly confident in his skills.

 

It had been a major insight into Dee for Ryo, Rose having wound up doing the exact opposite of his intentions. Ryo had a new found respect for Dee, for him having found a way to overcome anything holding him back. Ryo had found himself already expecting it from Dee anyways. It's just the way Dee was and for that Ryo was grateful. Grateful to be partnered with someone who had enough street smarts for the both of them, something Ryo originally had been somewhat lacking in, grateful to partnered with someone who thought outside the lines and did it with enough confidence that if Dee told Ryo to zig to the right when procedure said to zag to the left then that was exactly what Ryo did and finding himself grateful that Dee had kept them both alive for another day. But it also showed Ryo Dee's vulnerabilities, his famous disregard for paperwork coming into a whole new light among other things. Since that day Ryo had quietly taken on more of their paperwork then was his share, showing Dee ways to short cut some of it without saying why, often making an offhand joke that if he didn't Dee would have them trapped at the office all day. Sometimes he would find Dee's eyes intently on him during those days but he kept his head down and away from Dee's searching gaze.

 

The tapping of his lighter was a dead give away that Dee was uncomfortable with what he thought and what Ryo was going to make of it. Ryo set the coffee cup down carefully on the table before answering.

 

“It certainly was loud and nerve wracking. Let's hope that tonight is much more quiet. I think we should treat this like any other investigation. I'll start outside, I want to look around the building and see if I find any sign of an intruder or anything attached to or running to the building. I'd appreciate it if you'd go through the house while Ellen is gone. See if a more thorough search turns up anything, make sure you check the vents and the attic.” A scowl twisted Dee's face up. Ryo knew he wouldn't like what he had proposed but if he had offered Dee the outside to check Dee would have felt that he was being babied. Ryo had picked the lesser of two evils.

 

“The attic huh?” Dee scuffed his feet on the floor kicking his long legs out. “Fine, I'll climb up into the dusty and probably creepy, old attic while you go outside.” Ryo smiled a hint of mischief coming into his eyes and tilting the corners of his mouth.

 

“It could be worse Dee, you could have to search the creepy, old attic and a damp, spooky basement too. And we all know that the basement is where all the bad things hide, other than under the beds and waiting in closets to jump out and get you.” Ryo was graced with Dee's middle finger as a response.

 

“Smart ass, I knew you thought I was a big baby last night. All right, let's get this over with while it's still daylight.” Dee pushed himself up from the table and went out the kitchen. Ryo got up and rinsed out their mugs setting them to drain for future use. He could hear Dee moving about in what was suppose to be his room. When he came back he had a mag light for each of them. Ryo took the one offered to him and let himself out the backdoor and into the yard. Dee would be fine, there was no such thing as ghosts and even if there were, they couldn't hurt you. Once he found out what was really going on Dee would feel much better and be none the worse for it.

 

Outside a light, warm wind blew doing very little to ease the humid heat Ryo found himself wrapped in. He noticed again that the grass wasn't as lush as he thought it should be, entire patches had no grass at all instead being sandy patches, other places overgrown azalea bushes had all but taken over and unlike the bare areas you could smell rich damp earth when you got close to one. At first Ryo thought they might be a good place for an intruder to hide but closer inspection proved them to be full of something that Ellen had referred to as wait a minute vines. After having found several of the tendrils clinging stubbornly to him, thorns stuck to his clothing and grazing his skin, he thought the name was apt and that no one in their right mind would try to hide in them.

 

A search in a small shed out at the edge of yard was a complete bust, nothing in there but a broken shovel handle and a lawnmower that looked like it had quit running years ago. The layers of dust and cobwebs so thick that his feet left visible prints in the piece of plywood serving as a floor. Clearly no one had been in there for ages. Back outside he continued his sweep of the yard, he found nothing untoward around the base of the house, even braving the overgrown azaleas and more thorny vines in the front of the house to make sure no one had gotten in through the windows. Power line didn't look tampered with, phone line looked fine too, all in all the yard was completely devoid of anything useful to explain what was going on.

 

Looking out towards the back of yard Ryo came to a stand still and just listened. He wasn't particularly paying attention to anything. Just listening to the whispering sound pines needles made when they brushed against one another and the occasional creak of a heavy branch bending to the wind. He wanted to do a sweep of the immediate woods surrounding the house but didn't want to venture out and get himself lost in the woods, or worse yet come along a rattlesnake the wrong way without his gun or Dee having his back. He didn't hate snakes but he had a firm conviction that they should stay away from him and he would be happy to reciprocate. Just then something flickered between the tree trunks, a slight movement, a patch of something darker that hesitated between the trees before disappearing from view. Ryo frowned and trained his eye sight on the area. Nothing stirred. He watched, his eyes and ears straining, but the woods remained stubbornly still and quiet. He was ready to dismiss it as his imagination. All those hi-jinks last night still had him a little more on edge than he cared to admit. When nothing else was forthcoming he wrote it off as probably a bird or an animal.

 

He had turned to go back towards the house when he heard what sounded like his name being whispered. Ryo whipped back around quickly, scanning the area again, but still nothing was there and yet, if he held himself still he could still hear it, his name being whispered over and over again faintly. It seemed to be coming from the woods itself, first from one area and then another. The hairs on the back of neck stood on end and his skin prickled. It was so low, he could be wrong, it could just be the noise from the trees and his mind was playing tricks on him. He was listening so intently that when Dee did shout his name he jumped startled.

 

“Whaaa??” He tried to spit out what but his tongue tied up on the word. Dee was making long strides towards him.

 

“Sorry man, didn't mean to scare you. I was checking to see if you are done out here.” Dee said but Ryo could tell something was a little off in his voice.

 

“You're done already Dee? The whole house?” Ryo asked, suspicious. Dee put his right hand on the back of his head, a dead give away that he was either lying or about to make an excuse.

 

“Well, um, not quite? Almost? I thought you might be getting lonely out here all by yourself.” Dee managed to get out, fumbling over the words.

 

“Almost Dee? How much is `almost'?” Ryo questioned, arms crossing over his chest. Dee swallowed.

 

“Um, most?” Dee said hopefully.

 

“Mmmmhmmm.” Ryo hummed. He watched Dee light a cigarette and noticed his hands were shaking, not hard, but they weren't steady either. He looked his partner over carefully. Dee's lips were thin around the cigarette and he held his body tightly. He animated stress and shaken nerves. Something must have spooked him and he didn't want to be alone. Ryo found his own arms relaxing and reached out for him. He put a reassuring arm around Dee and pulled him closer.

 

“What's wrong?” He asked quietly but Dee just shook his head and kept pulling on his cigarette like the nicotine would give him strength. Ryo chewed on his lower lip, his own giveaway habit, while he tried to think around the situation. “You want to go back in the house Dee and sit down? I'm ready for a break anyways and maybe another cup of coffee.”

 

Dee's eyes had widened slightly at the prospect of going back in the house but he covered it nearly immediately. He looked like he was going to say no for a second but when he realized Ryo was going back in with him he gave in. He flicked his nearly finished cigarette to the ground and stomped out the ember.

 

“Yeah, okay. I could use a cup of coffee myself.” Dee let himself be pulled back into the house and into the kitchen. Ryo got him to sit back down and went about getting them their mugs of coffee.

 

“So, I didn't find anything outside, any luck inside?” Ryo asked as he handed a mug to Dee and settled down in the adjacent seat. Dee fidgeted with the cup, avoiding eye contact.

 

“Not anything useful. The attic is little more than a crawl space, no floor just the beams and insulation. I didn't find anything out of the ordinary.” Dee went from playing with the cup to picking it up and taking a sip.

 

“Okay. So we're still at square one then.” Ryo said watching Dee, waiting for him to tell him whatever was bothering him. It was one of those games of I know you know I know. Dee knew Ryo was looking at him, his gaze a gentle but unrelenting pressure on Dee to come clean. Ryo knew he would, Dee couldn't keep anything from him for long anyway. Dee finally sighed and put his cup down.

 

“Are you just going to keep looking at me that way?” He asked his bottom lip sticking out the tiniest bit.

 

“Yes, until you tell me what's wrong.” Ryo stated calmly. Dee made a face. Ryo just waited.

 

“It's no big deal.” Dee tried. Ryo arched an eyebrow.

 

“Oh good, if it's no big deal you won't mind telling me.” Ryo jabbed and went back to waiting. Dee shifted in his seat and looked miserable.

 

“You'll laugh at me.” Dee said, cracking under Ryo's stare.

 

“No I won't.” He promised. Dee snorted.

 

“Yes you will.” Ryo sighed inwardly. This could go on until the middle night if he let it.

 

“No, I will not. I promise. Spit it out.” Ryo was using the tone he used with Bikky when all else failed. It was his `I will brook no arguments' voice. Fortunately Bikky and Dee were enough alike that he knew it worked on Dee as well. Dee lit another cigarette his agitation growing.

 

“The house doesn't like me.” Dee said. Ryo gestured for him to continue. Dee took another drag first. “I was coming down from the attic nearly on the bottom rung of the ladder when something yanked me backwards and I fell. Hit my back on that table in the hallway and then went down hard on my butt. I got up as fast as I could and that's when I heard it.” Ryo waited but Dee didn't say anymore.

 

“Heard what Dee?” This time he voice was a little kinder.

 

“The voice. This big booming voice that told me to get out. It was so loud, I was sure you heard it outside. It said it a second time so I did what it said and got the hell out.” Dee finished. He stared into his cup instead of looking at Ryo. Didn't want to see if Ryo was looking at him with disdain or disbelief.

 

Ryo stood up and crossed over to Dee. “Let me see your back, see if you're hurt.” Dee bent forward so Ryo could push his shirt up and look at his back. What Ryo saw was a back skinned up, the first few layers of skin scraped off, probably from the sharp ledge of the table. Bruises were forming around and under the irritated skin. A deeper bruise was developing right above Dee's waist band and continuing under it. He hadn't fallen precisely on his butt but had landed rather on his lower back. Ryo frowned to himself.

 

“Dee do want to get this looked at, make sure nothing is seriously damaged?” He asked quietly. It didn't look serious but back injuries were nothing to take lightly. Dee shook his head no and pulled his shirt back into place. “All right but if anything changes, let me know, all right? Don't be stubborn about it and think you've got to tough guy it with me. I know that has to hurt. You are going to take some ibuprofen and then lay down on the couch so I can clean up that wound. It's not deep but you don't want anything getting infected. Then I'm going to find something to make an icepack out of and your going to stay put for a bit with it on.”

 

Ryo's voice again brooked no argument. He didn't expect Dee to give him one anyway but just in case before Dee could say anything else Ryo bent forward and kissed him on top of his head and caressed the side of his face. “All right?”

 

“All right.”

 

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Next Chapter: Continuation of this chapter, it was getting a little long and I wanted to get at least part of it posted. Up next, it's getting dark outside and Ellen's still not home. Ryo begins to doubt himself and Dee finds himself in a most unpleasant predicament.