Test Drive

Disclaimer: FAKE and its characters belong to Sanami Matoh, they just like to hang around with me because I give them fun things to do…..

‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ belongs to Meatloaf.

Asterisks indicate song lyrics.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Swordy, my shield-mate, friend and beta; to the Sultan, for allowing me to keep my head another day; and to a certain hanyou, who submits to reading the ‘naughty bits’ of yaoi for my sake.

Warning: Rated R for lime.

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TEST DRIVE

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*Though it’s cold and lonely in the deep, dark night/I can see paradise by the dashboard light*

That song!

“I can’t stand that song,” Ryo grumbled.

Dee blew a puff of smoke out the half-open window and turned to his partner, amused. “Why?” he asked casually, crushing out the butt in the already-overflowing ashtray, “Hitting a little too close for comfort?” He sat back with a smirk on his face and rested his arm along the top of the seat, fingers idly toying with Ryo’s hair and earlobe.

Ryo leaned into the caress for the barest of seconds, before he swatted Dee’s hand away, annoyed. “Cut that out, Dee,” he hissed, “We’re on a stake-out, remember?” Ryo quickly reached forward and snapped off the radio. Then he sat back and folded his arms across his chest. What little light the radio gave having been extinguished; the two detectives were plunged into darkness – their only illumination coming from the moon.

Dee chuckled, undaunted by the blonde’s attitude. Ryo loved to find excuses to avoid his advances, even though once they got going, he always enjoyed himself as much as Dee. The raven-haired detective glanced around at the dark and deserted parking lot, next to the dark and deserted warehouse. Even in the middle of summer, this place was dead. “Uh, Ryo, in case you haven’t noticed – there’s nothing going on right now, and we’re completely alone.”

Ryo frowned at his partner. This was the third time tonight that Dee had tried to start something.

They weren’t lovers yet in the truest sense of the word, but they were edging closer. Ryo was feeling more comfortable with himself lately, and his attraction to his handsome dark-haired partner was stronger than ever. He had to admit, sitting alone with Dee for hours like this had conjured up some naughty thoughts in his head as well - but they had a job to do, damn it, and Dee wasn’t helping matters.

“Dee, something could happen at any minute,” he said sternly, “We need to stay focused.” He picked up a clipboard off the seat and began flipping through the sheaf of attached pages, desperately looking for some way to distract himself from his own lustful imaginings. If Dee pushed him much more, he knew he’d give in.

Dee snorted – he doubted Ryo could see much of anyt on on that clipboard in the darkened car.

There was no way he was going to let the blonde avoid him tonight – they had no place to go, and hours of waiting ahead of them. He reached to snatch the clipboard out of Ryo’s grasp. Unfortunately, Ryo was faster, and held onto the field notes with a death-grip. “No, Dee,” Ryo said firmly, turning away slightly and tilting the board to read the notes by the light of the almost-full moon.

Dee leaned back against the door and stretched out his long legs as best he could. Folding his arms across his stomach, he watched his handsome partner with a mixture of affection and frustration. Ryo was so beautiful with the moonlight streaming through the windshield, gilding his hair with silver. The blonde was looking especially kissable, too - all frowning and prickly, with his lips all pouty. In fact, all Dee could think about was sucking that jutting lower lip between his teeth and…..

The clipboard suddenly materialized right in front of his face and bopped him on the forehead, waking him from his lust-induced stupor. “Dee, you’re drooling again.”

It was Dee’s turn to frown as he rubbed his forehead where the rigid plastic board had made contact, his amorous mood evaporating. “Jeez, you didn’t have to brain me, you violent little prick,” he growled, grabbing a cigarette from the pack on the dashboard and lighting it. With a deep, frustrated sigh, Dee rolled the window down the rest of the way and smoked in silence, staring out into the night.

Ryo sighed as well, his hand reaching out instinctively to his partner. He stopped himself short of his goal, however, and let his hand drop back into his lap. He knew he’d overreacted to Dee’s lustful gaze. He hadn’t wanted to bean Dee with the clipboard – but it was the only thing he could think of to make the other man stop looking at him like that.

It wasn’t lack of desire for his dark-haired partner that caused him to act the way he did sometimes – far from it. He loved being with Dee. If only Dee knew how much he affected Ryo when he got that ‘I-want-to-do-unspeakable-things-to-you’ look in his eye - it always sent jolts of desire right through him. What Ryo really wanted to do was grab Dee and kiss him senseless – but one doesn’t do that to one’s partner when they’re supposed to be on a stake-out.

What bothered him was Dee’s lack of propriety. Dee didn’t seem to care where they were or who they were with – if he felt the urge to pounce on Ryo. And although Ryo secretly loved that Dee’s thoughts were so full of him he couldn’t keep his hands to himself, Ryo also knew that at least one of them had to be aware of their actions in public.

Now he felt bad, though. Dee really hadn’t been doing anything terribly wrong, and yet Ryo had lashed out at him in an effort to cover his own slipping control. He knew he hadn’t hurt Dee’s head - but he had hurt Dee’s feelings – and right now, reassuring his partner outweighed any allegiance he may have to ‘appropriate behavior
Ry
Ryo slid closer and tentatively rested his hand on the other man’s knee. “Dee, I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, “I’m sorry I hit you.”

Dee flicked the rest of his cigarette out the window. He watched the glowing ember die on the asphalt before turning to glance at his blonde partner, a look of genuine sadness on his face. “I don’t think I deserved that,” he said quietly.

“No, you didn’t,” Ryo answered contritely, “I overreacted.”

Taking his hand from his partner’s knee, Ryo hesitantly reached up and brushed Dee’s shaggy black mop back from his face. Sliding his other hand around the back of Dee’s neck, he leaned in and brushed his lips gently against the other man’s forehead. “There, is that better?” the blonde murmured against his partner’s skin, the whisper of his breath causing Dee to shiver with the first stirrings of desire.

“Maybe a little,” Dee mumbled, feigning his hurt feelings, now – wanting more kisses. He could never stay angry with Ryo for long, and had forgiven his partner the moment he had touched him – but if Ryo wanted to ‘kiss it better,’ then Dee was more than willing to play along. He could feel Ryo’s lips curl into a smile where they still touched his forehead, and knew his partner could see right through him – Ryo knew him too damn well.

Ryo paused, reconsidering what he was about to do. He wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but his craving for a taste of Dee’s lips was starting to overpower his good judgment.

Just one kiss would be okay – right?

“Maybe I didn’t get quite the right spot,” Ryo whispered, gently taking his partner’s chin between thumb and forefinger. He began to pepper Dee’s face with light, barely-there kisses - first his forehead, then down to his cheek and across to Dee’s waiting lips. When Ryo finally reached the corner of Dee’s mouth, and placed a warm, wet kiss on it, he found it slightly open and Dee panting. He stopped what he was doing and looked into his partner’s deep green eyes, which were as black as his own in the semi-darkness. “Better now?” he asked playfully, arching one of his brows.

“Almost,” Dee answered breathlessly, barely moving a muscle, all the while silently begging his partner to continue. He didn’t dare move, let alone speak. Ryo taking the initiative was a rare and wonderful treat, and Dee didn’t want to do or say anything that might cause his partner to stop his gentle caresses. Ryo could be so friggin’ hot when he wanted to be and this was definitely one of those times – so Dee sat pinned against the door, quivering with anticipation, awaiting the blonde’s next move.

All those feather-light kisses had excited Ryo as much as they had Dee, and the blonde was now caught in his own trap. Fascinated by Dee’s lips forming that one word, Ryo found he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

Just a few minutes, he promised himself – then we’ll stop.

He tilted his head slightly and pressed hiss tos to Dee’s, the tip of his tongue extending immediately to gently lick at his partner’s mouth. Dee’s tongue met his, and they explored each other’s mouths slowly and sensually, lips and tongues soft and playful. The only sound for the next several minutes was the rustle of shifting cloth, heavy breathing mixed with a few low moans, and the almost inaudible, wet sounds of their passionate kiss.

Like a fairy tale, the kiss had broken Dee’s paralysis, and he slid his hands slowly over Ryo’s torso, enjoying the feel of the blonde’s sinewy muscles through the fabric of his shirt. Then he twined his arms around his partner, drawing him closer.

Ryo gasped at Dee’s touch and broke the kiss, resting his hands on his partner’s chest. He studied Dee like he was trying to memorize him, taking in his flushed face, his slightly parted lips, and his heaving chest. Dee’s eyes fluttered open and he looked questioningly at his blonde partner – was that it? Dee couldn’t accept that – not after working so hard all night just to get this far. One arm still wrapped around Ryo’s waist, Dee tangled the fingers of his other hand in Ryo’s hair and started to pull the blonde in for another kiss. Ryo had other ideas, though. He pushed against Dee’s chest, trying to break away. “No, Dee, we have to stop,” he stated sharply.

Dee complied and stopped trying to kiss Ryo, but he didn’t release him. He thought they’d been through all of that and come out the other side – to have this kind of behavior crop up again at this stage of the game - it was almost too much. “What the hell are you talking about?” Dee asked, rolling his eyes in exasperation and glaring at his partner.

As intimidating as Dee looked right now, Ryo was glad he had his undivided attention – maybe they could reach some sort of an understanding. Flinching under Dee’s dark gaze, Ryo took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “Dee, we’re supposed to be working here,” he answered, “Doesn’t it ever bother you that you want to jump me twenty-four, seven – whether we’re at work, on a stake-out, or running late for something?” The blonde shifted uncomfortably in his partner’s arms. “It doesn’t matter where we are or who we’re with, it all seems to be the same to you.”

Dee’s eyes narrowed as he considered the man in his arms. Did Ryo really not know how he felt about him after all this time? Dee took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly – he really didn’t like getting all mushy but it seemed that Ryo demanded it, so he would go there. “Don’t you know that I think about you all the time?” he asked softly, trying to gauge the blonde’s reaction. It was difficult, since Ryo was hiding behind his hair with his head bowed, his hands still pressed against Dee’s chest. “It is all the same to me,” Dee continued, “As long as I’m by your side, I’m just where I want to be. It doesn’t matter to me if we’re at work, on the subway, or in the god-damn supermarket – you’re all I see.” Dee’s throat hurt by the time he got finished speaking. He fell silent; feeling raw and vulnerable, swallowing against the sharp pain - talking about his feelings had always been difficult.

Ryo looked up into his partner’s eyes and he could see what it had cost him to reveal himself like that. Ryo could understand that feeling – look how long it had taken him to be able to let Dee know he cared about him.

For his part, Dee was surprised to see the empathy in the blondeyes yes – he’d figured Ryo would brush him off again, like usual. He grinned slightly in relief and began gently rubbing Ryo’s back – God, he loved this man. “I just want to spend some time with you, Baby,” he rasped, his voice still not his own.

Ryo’s brow furrowed. It was wonderful hearing Dee say he wanted to be with him – he just didn’t see that happening tonight. Ryo pulled away, reluctantly. “We’re on the clock, Dee,” he replied sadly, “We can’t.” He didn’t want to say no, but duty was duty.

Dee sighed and glanced away, finally giving up, his grip on Ryo loosening – when suddenly, inspiration struck.

His arms tightened around his partner again, and he turned back to Ryo with a devilish gleam in his eye. “Wait - I know what we can do – we’ll go back and forth – you know, take turns,” he said excitedly, immediately warming to the idea, “You let me make you feel good for a little bit, while you keep a lookout – then I’ll watch for the bad guys, and you can return the favor.”

Ryo opened his mouth to refuse out-of-hand, but paused – that might actually work. He knew it was the almost unholy lust he felt for the dark-haired man that was making him even consider going against his work ethic, but at this point he didn’t care. He wanted more of Dee. Now.

Dee could sense Ryo’s hesitation, but he could also see the heat in his eyes, so he pressed his advantage by drawing his blonde partner in for that kiss he owed him. Ryo responded whole-heartedly, his tongue dueling with Dee’s as the dark-haired detective pushed him back against the seat. Breaking off the kiss with the need for oxygen, Ryo shifted so he was half-sitting, half-reclining, his head leaning on the headrest.

Dee sighed in appreciation at the vision before him. Ryo was a wet-dream-come-true sprawled out across the front seat of Dee’s beat-up, black 1984 Monte Carlo. He spared a thought for his big vintage piece of Detroit steel – manufactured when they still made cars out of metal. It was a shitbox, for sure - a gas-guzzler because of its weight, and constantly in the shop for repairs. In spite of all its drawbacks, though, Dee loved this car. It had two features he wouldn’t trade for anything: a V-Eight engine with plenty of power – and a luxurious bench seat in front. None of the newer cars had front seats like this. As far as Dee was concerned it was worth its weight in gold – especially since it made jumping a certain blonde detective so much easier.

Dee’s gaze crawled greedily over the form of the man next to him, who was watching him with hungry eyes of his own. Dee paused to savor the moment – a moment he had fantasized about but never thought would become a reality. Growing impatient, the blonde reached for him and pulled him close. “Come here, Dee,” Ryo purred, his smooth-as-silk tenor vibrating with desire.

The line of Ryo’s neck glowing in the moonlight hypnotized Dee. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of Ryo’s charcoal-grey linen shirt, then gently bit down on that smooth column of flesh. Ryo exhaled sharply, bringing his hand up to tangle in Dee’s dark hair, holding him in place. Dee smiled against Ryo’s throat as he began to suck on his neck, his tongue dancing on the blonde’s skin in sensual figure eights. He knew Ryo loved this. Ryo turned his head slightly to allow his partner better access, and Dee licked his way up to the line of his jaw, biting again gently when he reached the sweet spot just below Ryo’s ear.

Ryo’s fingers tightened in Dee’s hair, as he sighed and moaned at the thrills of sensation that ran from his neck straight to his groin. “Dee…,” he groaned, his pants growing uncomfortably tight. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Dee to stop or continue, his head spinning with desire – all he knew was that it was already getting difficult to concentrate.

Meanwhile, the man in question had interpreted the groaning of his name as ‘I want more,’ and began kissing his way back down Ryo’s neck, working his hand between them to pull the front of his partner’s shirt out of his pants and undo the rest of the buttons. Pushing aside the linen, Dee’s mouth continued its downward trek, pausing at Ryo’s shoulder to administer another bite. Ryo’s eyes slid shut; the better to enjoy the sensation.

Suddenly recollecting where they were and what they were supposed to be doing, his eyes snapped open again. He was trying to keep stay alert - to watch for any signs of activity at the warehouse, but Dee’s ministrations were finally proving to be too much of a distraction.

“Dee, stop,” Ryo gasped, struggling against his partner.

Dee backed off and looked up at Ryo. “You sure?” he asked, breathing heavily, his voice deep and husky.

“Yes, Dee. It’s my turn,” he panted, “Keep your eyes open.”

Dee couldn’t help but grin at the decisiveness in his partner’s voice. He knew Ryo was trying desperately to control himself, and the situation. Dee also knew it was a losing battle – in fact it pleased him to be able to reduce Ryo to a quivering mass of raging hormones – but it couldn’t hurt to humor the man. “Yes, sir,” he joked, giving Ryo a mock salute, “Anything you sa…..” The rest of Dee’s sentence was lost and forgotten as Ryo unexpectedly launched himself at him, wrapped his arms around his neck, and ran his tongue around the edge of Dee’s ear. Dee shivered as Ryo tenderly bit his earlobe, holding it between his teeth and tugging gently.

Oh – he liked that – a lot.

As much as Ryo loved attention paid to his neck, one of Dee’s erogenous zones were his ears – and Ryo had become rather good at eliciting a response from the other man when he played with them. Channeling all his unsatisfied lust into sweetly tormenting Dee as much as he had done to him, Ryo softly licked and lapped his way over the raven-haired man’s ear. He breathed into it ever-so-gently now and then - causing his partner to groan in appreciation. Dee’s hands roved in distracted circles on Ryo’s back as the blonde slowly inserted his tongue into Dee’s ear then withdrew it again and again, leaving the green-eyed detective breathless.

Ryo bit back a moan of his own.

Knowing he was arousing Dee was a powerful aphrodisiac for him as well – and at least now he could indulge himself. Trying to stay alert and focused while Dee was doing all those wonderful things to him had been next to impossible. Now he could focus instead on giving his partner pleasure – always an enjoyable prospect.

Sitting back slightly, Ryo slid the leather strap of Dee’s gun holster off one of his shoulders. The black tank top Dee wore did little to protect him from the leather’s bite, and Ryo knew that the skin underneath would be super-sensitive. Leaning in, he pushed aside the fabric and began to lap at the newly-exposed flesh. Dee shivered in response, his hand sliding up Ryo’s back to gently cup the back of his head, as the blonde nipped and sucked on the skin of his shoulder and neck.

Dee moaned. The ache between his legs growing more insistent by the minute, he was having a hard time paying attention to the empty parking lot. It wasn’t difficult keeping his eyes open – yet – but he wasn’t ng mng much of anything. His whole being was focused on the sensations coursing through his body, and the light-haired man causing them.

Ryo’sds wds were up under Dee’s tank top, his long fingers running over the dark-haired man’s nipples with patience and skill. He rolled and tweaked them between his fingers until Dee arched his back and groaned Ryo’s name aloud.

“You like that, Dee?” Ryo whispered, smirking – not really expecting a response. He gazed at his partner’s face, watching passion war with duty.

With effort, Dee focused on Ryo. “Don’t stop, Ryo,” he finally murmured, “I can take it.”

Still smiling, Ryo pushed Dee’s black tank up, revealing his muscular chest. Admiring skin turned alabaster in the moonlight, Ryo bent down until he was mere inches from his partner’s chest. Teasing both himself and Dee, he hesitated - exhaling sharply, his breath causing the nipple to harden. Dee moaned and arched again, trying to get closer to the source of pleasure. Finally giving in, Ryo leaned forward and engulfed the nipple with his mouth, sucking hard, drawing a strangled gasp from his partner. Dee wrapped his arms around Ryo, clutching at him convulsively as shocks of pleasure rolled through him.

Ryo eventually turned his attention to the other one as well, and when his hand accidentally brushed the front of Dee’s jeans, Ryo knew the other man was enjoying himself. Pulling back slightly from his now-sweating partner, Ryo was dismayed to discover that Dee was no longer paying attention to anything but the pleasure he was receiving – his head thrown back and his eyes closed.

Ryo frowned, but still gazed avidly at his partner. Although Ryo was annoyed that Dee was not upholding his end of the bargain, he still thought he’d never seen a sight quite so beautiful.

Dee lifted his head groggily and opened his eyes. “Sorry, Ryo,” he mumbled, blinking and shifting uncomfortably, the front of his jeans bulging. The blonde couldn’t help but grin and shake his head at Dee’s predicament – he was in pretty much the same situation. The raven-haired man sat up, unbuttoning his jeans and sliding the zipper down halfway in an effort to relieve some of the pressure.

“I guess it’s my turn,” Dee whispered with a predatory smile, parting Ryo’s open shirt and bending down to take a dusky pink nipple in his mouth without hesitation. Ryo hissed in pleasure as his partner punished the hardening nub with his teeth, only to sooth it with gentle lapping strokes of his tongue. The blonde arched his back as a thrill ran down his spine, rolling his head from side to side on the headrest as he moaned at the exquisite waves of pleasure that washed through him. After what seemed like an eternity – yet far too soon, Dee moved to the other side and did the same to the other nipple. Ryo thought he would go out of his mind with the electric sensations that coursed through his body.

Dee slid his hands around Ryo’s torso under the shirt, reveling in the feel of his partner’s skin. Ryo shivered in response and absently ran his hands up and down Dee’s back, encouraging him. The dark-haired man continued licking Ryo’s muscular chest, and slid his hands lower, ever-so-lightly running his fingers over the straining erection in the blonde’s pants.

Ryo moaned in frustration at Dee’s teasing, rolling his hips to bring himself closer to the other man’s dancing fingers. Encouraged by the blonde’s moan, Dee gently pressed his hand against Ryo’s crotch and began to massage the hardness he found there. With a low cry Ryo bucked up against Dee’s fingers, his body on fire for his partner’s touch. He’d denied himself this exquisite pleasure for far too long.

Dee groaned, stopping for a moment to try and control the passion that surged through his veins at his partner’s enthusiastic response. Regaining his composure only slightly, his pulse racing, the green-eyed detective reached for Ryo’s belt, slowly drawing the leather end through the belt-loop that held it.

Ryo could feel Dee fumbling with his belt. Coming to his senses, he reached down and stilled his partner’s hand with his own. “No, Dee,” he rasped, bring ing raggedly, “Not here. Not now.” Dee’s passion-darkened eyes bore into his own, and the blonde steeled himself for the pounce. Instead, Dee once again lightly brushed his palm over the bulge in his partner’sts, ts, causing Ryo’s breath to hitch.

“But, Baby, you’re hard,” he whispered passionately, “Let me take care of it for you.”

Ryo moaned in frustration, torn between desire and duty. A pounce he could have handled with long-practiced ease, but Dee’s tenderness and concern were going to be his undoing. Taking a deep breath and gathering the shreds of his tattered resolve, Ryo erred on the side of duty, and reluctantly pushed Dee away with a groan. “Dee, I’ve been hard before, and I will be again – but there’s just no way I’m going to go that far while we’re on a stakeout.” Dee frowned, but said nothing – he looked like he was deep in thought.

Still panting slightly, cheeks flushed with excitement, Ryo held his partner at arm’s length. He placed his hands on either side of the other man’s face, and ran his thumb gently over Dee’s lips. “Please don’t be angry with me,” he whispered.

He was pleasantly surprised when Dee grinned. “I’m not angry, Baby,” he chuckled, shifting slightly and sitting up, “just a little worke.” .”

“Yeah, Dee, you’re not the only one,” Ryo replied, a small, self-deprecating smile on his face. Relieved that Dee was willing to back off for now, the blonde moved closer and slid his arms around his sexy dark-haired partner. Tucking his head under Dee’s chin, Ryo sighed – a mixture of happiness and frustration – work could be such a damn nuisance sometimes.

Dee wrapped his arm around Ryo’s shoulder and squeezed the blonde to him in a gentle embrace.

They sat quietly for a few minutes trying to regain their composure and slow their wildly-beating hearts. The silence rang uncomfortably in Ryo’s ears. He wanted to ask Dee over when they got off-duty. Of course Ryo had his partner over all the time – but tonight he had ulterior motives - he wanted more of what they’d started in the car. Glancing nervously at the green-eyed detective, Ryo’s breath caught in his throat. Dee’s nearness, his profile in the darkened car, the musky scent of his body – so handsome, and all for Ryo, if he could only find it within himself to reach for it

Dee knew Ryo was staring at him. He turned to look at his partner, frowning slightly as he tried to interpret the look in Ryo’s eyes. He couldn’t tell if it was good or bad, but Ryo sure looked like he had something to say. “What is it, Baby?” Dee finally asked, a puzzled smile replacing the frown, and a trickle of fear curling in his belly.

Ryo looked down, suddenly shy. “W-well, w-we should be off-duty in a couple of hours, barring the suspects actually showing up...,” Ryo stammered, distractedly picking at a loose thread on the fraying knee of Dee’s jeans, “B-Bicky is – um - staying at Carol’s while we’re working nights. Maybe – um - you could – uh…., we could, ah…,” Ryo sighed, trailing off mid-sentence – as much as he wanted to, he just couldn’t bring himself to voice his desire.

Damn. He wanted this! Unfortunately, the last remaining vestiges of his upbringing continued to plague him – vague feelings of his desire for Dee being wrong silencing him.

Dee chuckled delightedly and squeezed Ryo’s shoulder again - he knew what his blonde partner wryinrying to say. What a relief – when Ryo got that look in his eye, Dee never knew what to expect. “You want another test drive?” Dee asked bluntly, trying to keep the glee out of his voice, “Maybe pick up where we left off?”

Dee had always been good at keeping it in his sneaker, but this was almost too good to believe. Controlling himself with great effort, Dee schooled his face into a patient expression, waiting for Ryo’s answer. It could go either way, really - although Ryo had successfully ‘test driven’ Dee a couple of times since their first fumbled attempt – and Dee could tell that his partner liked the way he handled. The dark-haired man really wanted a road trip after tonight’s little escapade. He hoped Ryo did, too.

Ryo gulped, and he could feel his face heat in a furious blush at his partner’s pointed question. He was thankful that they were sitting in a darkened car so that Dee couldn’t see his red face and tease him. Ryo realized, with surprise, that he was also glad Dee was so blunt sometimes – it made it easier for him to take those necessary baby-steps toward his own happiness. Almost imperceptibly nodding his head, Ryo finally whispered, “I-I’d like that.”

Dee took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. In his mind, he was pumping his fist in the air and shouting ‘yes!’ – to his partner he gave a small gentle smile. “I’d like that, too, Baby,” he murmured softly.

Without relinquishing his hold on Ryo, Dee leaned forward and grabbed his cigarettes off the dash. They sat and watched the warehouse in now-companionable silence; the moonlight and the smoldering end of Dee’s cigarette their only light. Dee said a prayer that the suspects would pick another night to drop off the stolen weapons, so that he and Ryo could enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company sooner rather than later.

Ryo was praying the same thing.