Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Verge of Something Wonderful ❯ It's The Little Things ( Chapter 7 )

Working on that M rating I have. Heads Up! Also why this should be an AU as I have them getting together under much different pretenses than the original story line.

 

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own FAKE or it's characters. I am only playing with them for a little while, non profit wise, and completely for the enjoyment of it.

 

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Ryo was so obligated and responsible, it was disgusting really, Dee thought to himself. He had eventually shifted out of Dee's hold and started straightening up the house. Dee just let him go. It's the way he was and God knows Dee loved him for it even if he would have preferred to continue snuggling on the couch. Dee stood and stretched out his long limbs. He was bored. He hoped to continue to remain bored. Bored right up until they got on their plan back to New York. Unless relieving said boredom had to do with Ryo and a great deal of nakedness Dee was sure he would be just fine bored. Rather bored than terrorized by the miniature Amityville horror house he as staying at.

 

He did note with some satisfaction that Ryo was not exactly prancing in and out of the kitchen as if nothing bothered him. Every time he went through the kitchen door he hesitated, his eyes twitching over the dented wall. Not that he enjoyed seeing Ryo scared but Dee hoped that Ryo would now give him a little more credit in the future and not treat him like a child the way he had back in England when he and Bikky had seen the ghost of the owner`s daughter. Unsaid, even in the privacy of his own mind, was a desire for Ryo to be more accepting of Dee's Catholic upbringing and the other spiritual or paranormal things he believed in. He wasn't technically a practicing Catholic but it was a strong part of Dee in a cultural sense. A part of Dee that he couldn't, currently, share with Ryo. Not to say that he wanted Ryo to have some sort of conversion just that Dee himself wanted a little more leeway with Ryo that didn't feel so much like he was politely being patronized.

 

Dee grabbed a can of comet out from under the sink in the master bathroom and went to work cleaning. It wasn't exactly dirty to begin with but it gave him something to do and he knew Ryo well enough to know that part of the cleaning wasn't just for his nerves. Ryo made their beds when they stayed at hotels. It didn't matter that a maid was going to strip the bedding off to be washed. He would make them up anyway. The only difference from at home was that he pulled the sheets and blankets back from the pillows and made the bed with them folded halfway back to the foot of the bed so no one would think the maid had already come.

 

Dee grinned to himself at the thought. Ryo had his OCD tendencies but they were more endearing than aggravating. Maybe that was the difference between loving someone and lusting for someone. Dee hadn't come from a family background, it never failed to amaze him the things that built up a relationship and the things that would crush it. Breakups might come about because of some horrible catalyst but there was nearly always a build up that Dee could see happening, a turning point where the little things started to grate on their partner's nerves. The times Dee had wanted to intervene and tell one of his buddies that he needed to quit telling the girl that he loved her and work more on the showing it were numerous. Sometimes those buddies were girls, sometimes those partners were men. Sometimes it was friend in a same sex relationship. Dee just didn't feel he had the right to because before Ryo there hadn't been well, a Ryo. Dee never played anyone letting them think there relationship was one thing when it was another. He had a few suitors that had clung on stubbornly thinking he would change but he never led them on.

 

But still, the urge was there, to intervene and give his point of view. Small things mattered. Cleanliness mattered to Ryo, politeness mattered to Ryo, and while Dee didn't intend to change for Ryo he could see the point in lending a helping hand when it really mattered. Now it really mattered. Now when Ryo's nerves were so raw, when he was so upset, Dee could pick up a cloth and some cleaner. It didn't mean when they were back at home that Dee's apartment would be up to Ryo's standards the next time Ryo came over, just like Ryo helping out with a Superbowl Sunday party did not mean that Ryo was suddenly going to develop a passionate interest in sports. It meant that Dee cared enough that he accepted Ryo quirks and all and worked around those quirks when need be and he was really lucky to see Ryo doing the same for him. And so he scrubbed, although he wasn't convinced that scrubbing a harvest yellow sink, tub and toilet bowl helped it look any cleaner than it already was, at least the mirror would look like it had been cleaned and it was a bonus that this bathroom wasn't done up in the same pepto pink as the other one in the house.

 

On the other side of the house Ryo was cleaning the Jack and Jill bathroom that was suppose to be his and Dee's while they were staying there. Not that they had used it to dirty it but it was there and for him that was good enough reason to clean it. His mind felt better with his hands were in motion. He had plans to dust down everything he could reach in the other rooms when he was finished with the bathroom. He didn't feel comfortable touching other people's belongings so it was only going to be major surfaces and not the thorough cleaning he wanted to do but it would keep him occupied for awhile at least.

 

One of them was suppose to call Chief later in the day and update him. Update him to what Ryo wondered as he cleaned? Can't find anything, can we come home please? Which would work until the disturbances started up again and then he was sure he and Dee would be in for one of Chief's infamous chewing outs. What if Chief thought they had been lax, would he carry through with his threat to transfer him out of the 27th precinct? He hadn't told Dee about that yet, wasn't sure what he was suppose to say that Dee wouldn't take the wrong way. It was maddening, why of all things did the Chief have to send him here after making that threat. Why did it have to be this messed up place? A hundred questions and no easy answers. Ryo blew out his breath in irritation and leaned back from the mirror he had been wiping down meeting his own dark eyes in the surface.

 

He had to admit, even to himself he looked worried and out of sorts. That would never do, Dee would see right through him. Ryo tried to smooth his features out by command but knew his eyes would give him away. At least Dee wasn't pushing the issue with him about whether or not there were ghosts. That was some slight reprieve to be grateful for he thought to himself. Ryo's mind slid off to other things, Dee wanted to go out tonight to get dinner from that place that looked like it served White Castles. Trust Dee to come all the way to the coastal South and be more interested in eating fastfood than going out to try some of the local cuisine. Ryo smiled to himself. Dee was something else. He was so alive in that way, he just burst outwards doing all manner of strange unexpected things. Dee couldn't wait to go try tiny hamburgers and because he couldn't Ryo couldn't either. Just to see Dee's reaction was reason enough to go, he took such pleasure in doing such small things, he really was like having a big overgrown kid sometimes.

 

Ryo was lost in his thoughts, gathering up the cleaning supplies to leave, when the doors to the bathroom swung closed startling him to attention. In the mirror he saw both doorknobs locks turn over and could hear them click into place. The hairs on the back of his neck and arms stood on end but the chill down his spine wasn't all nerves, the temperature in the bathroom began to rapidly plummet. Ryo shivered in the sudden coldness completely unnerved now and on edge. Behind him the tub's glass door unsteadily pulled itself closed, metal grinding against metal, shrill and scratchy, the hot water coming on in the shower in a forceful blast, steam trailing through the cold air and fogging up the mirror Ryo was staring into, his eyes wide and frightened.

 

Ryo had to get out of there, the need to take flight hammering hard in his chest, he dashed for the first door trying to unlock it with shaky fingers. Stubbornly it refused to turn in his grasp, the lock remaining bolted no matter how much pressure he applied to it and the knob was slick with steam. Ryo slammed his hand open palmed against the solid door in frustration. He turned and made for the other door, the one leading into the girl's bedroom and yanked hard on the door handle struggling against another lock he couldn't open.

 

In the bathtub he could hear bottles of shampoo and conditioner and the bar of soap on its ledge tumbling into the bottom of the tub, perfuming the air with the unmistakable scent of strawberry scented shampoo and Dial Gold antibacterial soap. The toothpaste on the counter top popped off zinging up to smack the mirror and ricochet off Ryo's shoulder, toothpaste spurting out all over the counter with force. The folded towels flew off the rack they were on and sailed across the room to hit Ryo before fluttering to the floor. The chaos growing around him by the minute.

 

Ryo was near hysterical trying to get out of the enclosed room, repeatedly smacking on the door, beating it and shaking it in its frame. And then Dee was suddenly there to save him, with the loud crunch of splintered wood he had kicked in the door opposite of Ryo, shattering the doorframe and part of the door in the process. Grabbing Ryo about his waist and pulling him out into the boy's bedroom and then out into the hallway where blessedly there were no more doors to slam shut and lock of their own accord. Dee kept pulling him, nearly lifting him off his feet until they were in living room. And then he just held on, his arms strong and sure around Ryo waiting for his panic to subside, waiting for him to twist in his arms and to cling to him.

 

And cling he did, his own arms tight around Dee's neck, his face buried against his shoulder letting Dee rub his back in soothing circles to ease the shaking and whisper in his ear over and over again that it was okay baby, he had him, he was okay, it was okay. Even if it wasn't it was soothing to hear when pressed so firmly against Dee's chest, both their hearts beating hard and heavy in their ribcages. Dee's tight grasp was for both their sakes, Ryo's to draw comfort from and Dee's to ascertain to himself that his Ryo was in his arms and unharmed.

 

Time dragged on, neither man willing to move because they both knew if they fled now nothing short of a miracle would ever get them back inside the house again. The bathroom continued to emit strange noises and the sounds of things being bashed about but the sounds grew further apart and with less intensity until they finally petered out. The water from the shower being the last to go the pipes and faucets whining as the water came to a stop. Silence descended upon them leaving them with a sense of gratitude for the peace but marred by a sense of dread in the now quiet air.

 

Ryo still shivered slightly in Dee's arms but had otherwise pulled himself back together. He had a tendency towards being claustrophobic, something he worked hard to overcome while he was at work, it wouldn't do to be a detective that wouldn't go where the evidence leads. He was usually pretty proud of his ability to function past his fears, even dismiss them completely. All that hard won control had been ripped right out of him in that narrow, windowless bathroom, every single pounding fear of being trapped in a confined space had reared their ugly heads and screamed in his mind.

 

Dee was seeing him at his most vulnerable, afraid, shaken to his core and reduced to trembling against him like a scared child. Ryo didn't want to meet his eyes. Unspoken rules of men, show no weakness, show no fear. Ryo tried so hard to do neither but every time his courage had failed him it had been Dee who had been there seeing just as he was now. Ryo turned his face up to meet Dee's eyes, his intense, piercing eyes, so he could see the judgment in them. But Dee's eyes were as frightened as Ryo's and filled with nothing but concern and bright with worry. Ryo found himself quieting down from the adrenaline rush staring into those eyes and realizing that Dee wasn`t accusing him of any fault within him.

 

They both jumped when Dee's cellphone burst into the beginning of a rambunctious song and then laughed at their own edginess. Dee still kept one arm on Ryo, firm around his back, as he answered the caller ID identifying Tank on the other end, her voice crackling warmly into Dee's ear.

 

“Well hey there stranger. I thought you two were going to call me and let me know how much the boss man owes you. You didn't forget did ya? Cuz you know I'm not letting you guys pay for anything.” She asked and pushed at the same time. Dee found he could get out a laugh. It was good to hear her voice.

 

“No we didn't forget. We've been too busy with the house trying to attack us to get around to calling you.” He told her curious to see what her reaction would be. He could hear her taking in a deep breath from the other end of the line.

 

“Oh. Okay. Hold on for me Dee. Don't go anywhere.” She said before addressing someone else there with her, making promises to someone to make it up later and apologizing for calling their night short. Dee tried to protest, not meaning for her to stop whatever she had been doing but it was already to late by the time she turned her attention back to him on the phone.

 

“Hey now, we're full grown men. We can handle it, you go one and hang out with your daughter or who ever that was you were talking to.” He tried one last time but Ellen brushed him.

 

“Oh hush youngin, I'm a grown woman too, I can make my own choices. Now just answer me straight here Dee, are you two shook up enough you need to leave or will you be all right till I get there?” She got straight to the point, her tone one that dared him to give her a tussle if he thought he was man enough. He had been wrong before about her, or at least not entirely right, she wasn't so much like him as she was like his Mother. She wasn't about to be pushed around by the likes of him or anyone else. Dee slid his hand over the phone's speaker and relayed the message to Ryo. He knew Ryo was going to say he was staying, at least until Tank got there, and then no doubt Ryo wouldn't feel it appropriate to leave a woman alone in what he considered a dangerous situation, so there was another potential fight on his hands. With his thoughts confirmed by Ryo's whispered insistence that they stay Dee told her they would be there when she arrived and asked how long would she be.

 

“Not terribly long sweetheart. I'm at a friend's house. Be there quick as I can. You two find someplace to wait for me, anything else happens just wait in your car, very little actually goes on out in the front yard. Call me if you need me. Kisses and kiss Ryo for me.” She told him before hanging up. Dee was biting back a laugh as he slid his phone back into his pocket. It was obvious from Ryo's face that he had heard Tank tell him to kiss him. A big grin split his face and he tightened his grip before Ryo could move a way.

 

“You heard the lady Ryo. I'm only doing as I was directed. You don't want me to let Tank down now do you? That would just be plain rude.” He said, choosing to graze Ryo's neck when Ryo turned his face to avoid being kissed.

 

“What sort of lady tells a man to kiss another man. Stop it Dee, this isn't the time for your horsing around.” Ryo huffed at him. Dee decided to push the issue anyway since Ryo wasn't actively struggling to get away and his words didn't sound quite as forceful as they normally did. He placed his lips behind the lobe of Ryo's exposed ear, giving the soft skin a warm, gentle peck before sliding his tongue out to lap at the slight dampness left by kiss. Ryo stilled and tensed in his hold, a little murmur slipping past his lips. When no further protests came Dee moved to trace his jawline with his lips, planting kisses side by side all the way down his jaw and then detouring to place a kiss at the corner of Ryo's mouth.

 

Ryo unexpectedly turned into the kiss, bringing his mouth around to meet Dee's, not exactly kissing him back but definitely leaving himself open for Dee to continue and capture his mouth more fully. Lips met and parted, Dee's tongue already sliding in, warm and wet, pushing against Ryo's tongue, lapping in and claiming dominance. Dee's hands moved up to press Ryo against him more firmly and then traveled downwards to grab his ass and push their hips into each other.

 

Ryo always felt overwhelmed when Dee kissed him, touched him this way. He always felt like he losing himself in Dee while knowing somewhere in his gut that it wasn't the same as what Dee felt. He knew it because he could never imagine Dee being nearly faint and trembling in his arms the way he was in Dee's embrace. Maybe it was just his inexperience that made him feel this way. Maybe it was just because it was Dee, Ryo didn't know because there is only so much soul searching a person can do before the only answers that are left to obtain are the sort you get from going through it rather than thinking on it. He couldn't think anymore, he didn't really want to. Not right now, right now he wanted to feel safe in Dee's arms. Wanted something physical to connect to that would push the nasty fright he had had the rest of the way out of his body. Wanted Dee's ardor and passion to muddle his mind and take it to another place.

 

So he let Dee push him down into the couch, let him cover his body with his own and kiss his lips into bruised submission. Let his head roll back into the cushions exposing his throat to Dee's eyes knowing it would turn him on more. When Dee's hands worked the buttons free on shirt he gently encouraged him by letting his own hands slide up Dee's shoulders and lifting the small of his back upwards when Dee's hands came back to his now bare abdomen. Such large warm hands Dee had, calloused from work and long fingered, they were something Ryo couldn't help but admire and love the way they felt on his skin. One hand lightly pressed Ryo`s stomach before sliding off to prop Dee up, the other slid around into the hollow he had made for it and came to settle low on Ryo's back the tips sliding in between his jeans and his skin.

 

It felt so good. As much as he had struggled to understand himself, to understand what he was afraid of, to not be in this position where being so open felt like a weakness to him, Ryo still knew it felt better than anything he had ever had before with another person. He did feel weak, weak and vulnerable, exposed and submissive. Everything he thought he despised in himself but his body wanted it so badly, to give in, to let Dee have control. It was only just now, when he had been so absolutely frightened, that he had understood that Dee wasn't going to make him less of man by dominating him physically. It just didn't work that way, he would still be him because Dee wouldn't want him to change, didn't see Ryo as being weak regardless of whose lips went where and who wound up underneath. It had been in Dee's shaking arms and thundering heart when he had held Ryo so close right after freeing him from the bathroom. Dee was driven to protect him, claim him, but he wasn't out to make him the lesser of the two. It was just how Dee was and if Ryo couldn't fault him for that than maybe he shouldn't fault himself for just being the way he was.

 

Ryo let his eyes drift shut and sighed when Dee's mouth found the offered throat, firm lips suckling and nipping at his skin, lightly marking him and working their way down to his chest. He felt and heard when Dee popped the first button on his jeans, this was as far as he had ever let Dee actually go. He was suppose to freak right about now and wrestle his way up and away from Dee and his long fingers and smoldering gaze. Dee didn't push it, he just kept up his assault with his mouth, now working at the slight hollow beneath Ryo's right collar bone, tasting it with the tip of his tongue, and seeing how Ryo would respond. When no resistance was met his fingers freed the second button and Ryo arched up a little bit more pushing himself up against Dee so they both could feel each other's half hard erections rubbing against each other through their jeans.

 

Dee smiled against Ryo's chest and moved down to claim a nipple in between his teeth. Ryo tensed upwards with a hard gasp. Now fully arched Dee could get his hand on Ryo's backside to slide in past his boxers and fully knead into his ass. Ryo buried one hand in Dee's hair and gripped his unoccupied arm tightly in response as if he could hold Dee's mouth and hands to him that way.

 

Dee was driving him crazy. It was getting out of control and all of his internal alarms bells were going off but it felt so incredible and Dee was so confident above him, so damn precise about making him want more even if Ryo was terrified of what his body wanted. Dee freed the poor abused nipple only so he could reclaim Ryo's mouth and kiss him much harder than he had ever kissed him before. Ryo could only breathe in small gasps and everything else was Dee's cigarette kiss, his tongue pushing in as far as possible, touching the walls of his mouth, licking at the insides, suckling at his tongue, worrying his bottom lip before moving to start all over again. Ryo's body was erupting in sensations. His stomach muscles tying and untying, his hips arching up without him meaning for them too, light sweat prickling up on his skin. He felt like he might be flying apart.

 

Dee had kept himself braced up on one arm, holding himself far enough above Ryo that Ryo's own need to twist up into the contact allowed Dee more access to backside. He knew they weren't going to go all the way, somewhere in Ryo's mind Ryo knew it to, Tank would be here soon and whatever they were doing was going to come to an abrupt halt but Dee was damned if he was going to give this chance up to go just that much further than Ryo had allowed him before. It was a damn gift of trust when it came to Ryo and Dee wasn't about to let it go.

 

Ryo was so lovely and hot beneath it was his considerable will power that was keeping Dee from losing control of the situation. He just wanted Ryo to have some really fantastic sensations to remember for later, something to break the virgin ice he knew he was treading on. Dee kept him distracted with his mouth while working his fingers back and forth into the flesh of his ass cheek while moving himself so both of his legs were within Ryo's thighs. He did not want to get kicked or kneed by a surprised Ryo when he made his next move because that would not be a pleasant ending for either of them. Dee released the warm flesh he had been groping and eased his hand over towards the cleft between Ryo's cheeks, lightly skimming his middle and ring finger over the sensitive flesh before sliding them into the cleft and down wards so that the pads of his fingers brushed over the puckered, tightly sensitive opening into Ryo's body. He applied gentle pressure, not pushing into him, instead pushing against the skin surrounding the opening and the area right behind Ryo's balls.

 

Ryo tensed up immediately, his eyes shooting open and his mouth breaking contact with Dee's. Dee stared down into those eyes, so dark and turbulent. Ryo was close to bolting, his body shaking, but Dee held on, holding Ryo's stare with his own while he continued to massage Ryo with his fingertips. Ryo was so hard his erection was breaking past the top of his boxers and partially open jeans, fluid was building at the swollen tip. His face was flushed both in embarrassment and pleasure and his fingers were gripping onto Dee to tightly that Dee was anticipating the bruises he would have later.

 

Ryo was struggling to not push down onto Dee's fingers out of instinct. When Dee leaned back over him kissing his cheek and nuzzling against his neck, nuzzling up to his ear, Ryo's closed his eyes. He tried to even out his breathing while Dee's breath blew warm against his face as he murmured in his ear.

 

“It's all right. I'm not going to do anything else. I promise. Just relax.. Just enjoy it Ryo.” Dee whispered to him and continued whispering between soft kisses. Whispers of how much he loved him, wouldn't hurt him, that he had him, it was all okay, he was fine. Ryo couldn't relax but he was becoming less tense and more inflamed by the curious sensations Dee's fingers were giving his body as they rubbed and pressed rhythmically against him, nearly entering but always hanging just back from doing so. Ryo's lower stomach was all but quivering on the inside, there was a distinct throb in his cock that matched his heavy heart beat.

 

Ryo knew he should be grabbing Dee back, fondling him or something, in return but it was all he could do to just keep breathing and ride out what Dee was doing to him. Dee didn't really seem to mind being neglected and Ryo couldn't think about it much more. There was too much going on in his own body to pay attention.

 

Dee was paying attention, strict attention, not just to Ryo and the oh so heavenly responses he was getting from him, but to the surroundings. He heard the crunch of wheels moving off the highway and into the driveway, saw the swing of the headlights as the car pulled in. Play time was over. Dee gave one last hard push against Ryo's bottom, this time letting his finger tip breach Ryo's entrance slightly before pulling his hand out of his jeans. Ryo nearly bucked him off when he did it but it had the desired effect of snapping him back to attention and giving him a good jolt. Ryo let go of his hold on Dee's upper arms and sat up slightly, listening to car grinding to halt promptly turned the most beautiful shade of red that Dee had ever seen him blush.

 

“Come on, lets get you a little more presentable before she gets here.” Dee told him pushing himself up to stand and reaching out to pull Ryo up to his feet. He half guided, half shoved Ryo into the master bedroom kicking the door shut behind them. Ryo stared at him wildly as the clear sound of Ellen's keys turning in the door reached his ears.

 

“Boys?” She called out as she crossed the entrance way. Ryo's mouth hung up and he gulped air for a minute but Dee, ever ready, came to his rescue.

 

“We're in here Tank. Be out in just a minute, if you want to check out what happened the mess is in the bathroom between the kids bedroom.” Dee hollered out as he continued to back Ryo into the master bathroom.

 

“K. Talk to you in a minute then.” Ellen replied before presumably heading off in that direction.

 

Dee cupped Ryo's erection, rubbing it lightly through the material. “Sorry that's going to have to wait for a bit but I swear I'll make it up to you.” He told a still wide eyed Ryo before gently pushing Ryo into the the bathroom for the second time that day and pulling the door nearly closed on him. “I'll buy you some time.” He said through the door before turning to go back out to meet with Ellen after ducking briefly into the kitchen to wash his hands and splash his own face with some water. That an pull his shirt out to cover his own fading erection from Tank's prying eyes.

 

Coming into the hall way Dee heard Tank whistle low and long. He didn't know if they were going to be in trouble over the door or not but he'd take all the heat for it if there was trouble. It wasn't until he came up through the broken door that he got a real eye view of just what she was whistling at. The bathroom looked like a bomb had blown up in it. Towels and washclothes were in the sink, the toilet, the tub, all over the floor. The counter was covered in a multitude of cleaning and bath products, bottles spilled everywhere of every size and shape. But it was mirror that was the real attraction. Toothpaste had been used to write in huge scrawling letters “Go Away Pigs”. It didn't help that the letters were sliding off the mirror giving it an even more clownish and in Dee's mind, evil effect.

 

“Well, well now Dee. Seems like you two gents had a fine evening if I do say so myself.” Tank paused for a minute, hands on her hips taking in the destruction. She blew out a raspberry before speaking again. Her next words catching Dee off guards. “Now see here you stupid old hag and company. I am not cleaning this mess up. I expect it to be cleaned up before I get home or else. And you better believe there will be an or else. I'll have that preacher woman from the holly roller speaking in tongues congregation come down here and do another cleansing. You got that you horrid old bitch.”

 

With that she spun on her heel and grabbed a shocked Dee by his arm pulling her along with him. “What say we all skip this nonsense tonight. Obviously it has not been a good day for you boys. What rubbish making such a big mess not once but twice. Nothing for it. Go get pretty boy and we'll got get something to eat. Than I'll set you up for a night in the hotel, on me, well not really, on the boss but he'll live. I never use my spending money anyway.”

 

Tank chattered away as she pulled him along in a manner reminiscent of Mother's when Dee had just been a boy and she was had things for him to do. She wasn't asking, she was informing and doing so busily. By the time she had them back down the hall way a mostly recovered Ryo opened the master bedroom door.

 

“Changes of plans Ryo. Grab a bag for you and Dee. He doesn't look the sort that knows how to pack an overnight bag. We're off to find food and lodging for you two boys for the night, maybe more than a night. You should have told me on the phone it was this bad. Thank heavens there was no razors in that bathroom or I'd be scared to see what ya'lls faces looked like. Go on now, shoo. Get a moving. I ain't hanging around here all night.” She bustled along shoving Dee towards Ryo and waving them both off with her hands.

 

The two men scurried to grab what things they would need as fast they could and throwing them together in a reusable shopping bag while listening to Ellen on the phone with her boss and more or less out and out lying to him as she talked.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Terrible about that pipe letting go like that, Dee got it stopped and repaired, he's so useful I need one of them for my own.” ….. “What? No? The house is fine, they've just had a rough day is all and thought it best to get them out of here for awhile, let them get some decent rest and come back later with a fresh mind.”…. “Found anything yet? What do you mean? What are you expecting them to find? They found they ain't nobody hiding in the attic, or in the shed out back, or under any beds. People just get spooked easy, like I told ya, but they sure are hard workers. I think they plan on coming back with some fancy equipment to see if anybody buried anything in the walls. Don't know about all that though, might be expensive and I don't know what kind of money those boys brought with them.” …. “Oh you'll pay for it? Well isn't that generous?… “Whelp have to be going now Mr. Desmont, you and your missus take care, I'll call back or have them boys call you when they find something out. Yep.. Have a good night.”

 

And she was waving them out the door and ushering them over to her car just like that, the cellphone not even fully closed before she was locking the deadbolt. “Ya'll ride with me, the roads are dark and no sense in two vehicles being out here in it when it's not necessary. I'll get you back to the house in the morning if you want.” For a large woman she had a lot of energy and they were both racing to keep close to her as she beelined for her car. And oh what a car it was, Dee's little heart tripped over in his chest at the sight of the 1979 Ford Cougar. It was humongous.

 

Tank laughed at him and handed him the keys. “Here you go city boy, I can see the glint in your little beady eyes even in the dark. Just remember, it's old, it's cranky, and it will still suck to hit a deer with one of them.” Dee snatched the keys gratefully while Ryo seemed to pause mid step.

 

“Oh? Is that why you don't want us driving the rental car tonight? Are the deer out here that much of a danger?” He asked Ellen, curiosity getting the better of him.

 

“Yep. So be watching for them on the side of the road all right? That goes for you to Dee, watch where your driving, she'll take a pretty hard hit but hunting deers with cars is always a bad way to go. Ryo, get in the front with Dee. I'm tired. I'm taking nap. Wake me up when we get to Rincon. You know where your going Dee?” Was the last thing she said before climbing in the back seat and buckling in.

 

Dee assured her he knew what he was doing and would wake her when they hit Rincon. It wasn't but a few minutes down the long dark road that both men became aware that Ellen really had gone to sleep, she was snoring softly in ebbs and flows as her head rolled on the back of the seat.

 

Dee looked over at Ryo barely visible even in the moonlight. “Ryo.” He nudged at him quietly.

 

“Yeah Dee?” Ryo answered back in a whisper.

 

“What would you have done if Tank hadn't arrived to save you?” Dee dared to ask. Ryo didn't answer, just turned his attention to the world slipping by outside his window. Dee didn't ask again, particularly since the night wasn't over yet and there was a hotel room waiting for them at the end of the ride.

 

Dee gave the car a bit of gas and left Ryo to his undoubtedly colorful thoughts.

 

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Things are heating up both on the case and between the detectives!

 

Thank you again for all the lovely reviews!! I love hearing from you guys.