Title: Paid In Full
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: During the manga.
Summary: When Dee saves Ryo’s life, Ryo returns the favor.
Word Count: 400
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Challenge 319: Debt.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.




“Thanks,” Ryo murmured, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. “I owe you one.”

“What for?” Dee followed the getaway car with his eyes as it sped away; he’d made a mental note of the licence plate but as it was probably a stolen vehicle it was unlikely to do much good.

I’m pretty sure you just saved my life.”

“We’re partners; if it’d been me about to get mown down, you’d have done the same.”

“I guess, but I still appreciate the save.”

“Yeah, because everyone just loves bein’ grabbed by the arm and thrown into a pile of trash.” Dee picked a scrap of paper out of his partner’s hair; at least it hadn’t rained recently so everything was dry.

“Beats getting run over.”

“True.” Dee grinned. “Next time you save my life, we’ll call it even. C’mon, I wanna run the licence plate, put out an APB. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

“Worth a try.”

OoOoOoO

A couple of months later, Ryo’s flying tackle brought Dee crashing to the ground, his partner on top of him, practically knocking all the breath from his lungs. Under other circumstances Dee would’ve had no complaints at being pounced on, but it was raining and he’d landed on his back in a muddy puddle, probably ruining one of his favourite jackets, plus it felt like he might have cracked a couple of ribs. Before he could get enough breath back to protest or even to push his partner off him, a massive explosion rocked the street, fragments of glass, brick, and other debris raining down around them.

“What the Hell?” he wheezed painfully. Ryo was a dead weight on top of him and Dee shook him, trying to rouse him. “Ryo? You okay, bud?”

Ryo stirred and groaned, as Dee carefully eased out from underneath him. “Ow.”

“Easy, bud, looks like you got the worst of that.” Chunks of masonry rolled off Ryo and several sharp glass shards appeared to be embedded in the back of his jacket, although none of them seemed to have penetrated the leather.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, idiot. Looks like this time you’re the one saved my life.”

Smiling faintly, Ryo sat up, wincing and reaching for the back of his head, fingers coming away stained with blood.

Dee shook his head. “You sure as hell don’t mess about when it comes to payin’ your debts, do ya?”


The End