Title: Love Songs
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: AU where Ryo is a country singer.
Summary: Now that Ryo and Dee have found each other again they have some decisions to make.
Word Count: 975
Content Notes: Nada.
Written For: Challenge 321: Amnesty, using Challenge 22: Cliché.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.



Falling in love with his bodyguard sounded like such a cliché, although, Dee wasn’t his bodyguard when Ryo first started falling for the gorgeous guy he’d met at the airport in Hawaii two years earlier. Back then, they’d just been two strangers who’d met on vacation, hooked up, and spent three blissful weeks together before going their separate ways. It had been a complete fluke that when Ryo had arrived in New York for the last show on his latest tour the mayor’s wife had insisted he should have a police bodyguard for his public appearances and of all the cops in New York, Dee had been assigned.

Not that Ryo was complaining; why would he? He’d made a huge mistake turning down Dee’s offer to keep in touch; that vacation had been the best three weeks of his entire life, but because they lived in different worlds he’d convinced himself that any attempt to continue their relationship back in the real world was doomed to failure. Put simply, he’d been a complete idiot.

Well, screw that! Fate had brought them together again and amazingly Dee had proven more than willing to forgive his stupidity; there was no way Ryo was going to just walk away, not a second time. He doubted Dee would let him, not now that all Ryo’s secrets were out in the open, and why should he walk away anyhow? He had no reason to. In a few more days the tour would be over, and he’d intended to take some time off to recover from three months of practically non-stop travelling interspersed with sell-out shows. He planned on writing some songs for his next album, and he had all the inspiration he needed right here with him in his hotel room.

“What’re ya thinkin’ about?” Dee propped himself on one elbow in the big hotel bed, grinning down at his lover.

“Writing love songs,” Ryo replied dreamily; then his face turned scarlet. “Um…”

Dee’s grin just grew wider. “These love songs gonna be about me and you?”

Ryo couldn’t keep from smiling back; Dee hadn’t been even slightly fazed by his use of the ‘L’ word. That was encouraging.

“Yeah, terribly clichéd love songs about love found, and lost, and found again. About an idiot who walked away from the best thing that ever happened to him, and about summer flings that turn into something more. Think anyone will want to buy my next album with all that on it?”

“Your fans would probably buy it if it was you singin’ the phone book. You’ve got one hell of a voice.”

Ryo frowned up at Dee. “But you’ve never heard me sing!”

“Uh…” Now it was Dee’s turn to blush. “I might’ve downloaded some of your music to my phone last night while you were sleepin’,” he admitted sheepishly. “Hey, I’m datin’ the CMA Entertainer of the Year; figured I should at least take a listen.”

“But you don’t even like country music.” Ryo had learned quite a lot about Dee during those three weeks in Hawaii.

“Maybe not usually, but I like your music, and I’m lookin’ forward to these love songs you’re gonna write, except…” Dee gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment.

“Except what?”

“When you’re done here in New York, after your show, will you be goin’ back to Nashville?”

“Hadn’t planned on it. I was thinking maybe I could stay on in New York. I mean, I was going to take some time off anyway, I always do after a long tour, and I can write songs anywhere as long as I’ve got my guitar. I’d have to find another hotel, I’ve only got this suite for a few more days, or maybe I should rent an apartment.”

“Or you could just move in with me.”

That was unexpected. “Seriously?”

“You bet. I mean, it’s not like we’ve never done it before; we already shared a hotel room for three weeks, and had a great time. My place isn’t the Ritz, but it’s a pretty big apartment, plenty of room for two. It’s actually two apartments knocked into one. My neighbour moved out last year and my landlord said I could have both apartments for only another fifty bucks a month. It was too good an offer to turn down so now I’ve got the whole top floor of an old brownstone in Brooklyn. Whaddaya say? Think you could stand slummin’ it with me?”

“That hardly sounds like slumming it, Dee, it sounds perfect; I just have one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“I pay my share of the rent and utilities.”

“Ya don’t need to do that; I don’t want ya thinkin’ I’m only after ya for your money.”

“I don’t think that, but I don’t expect you to pay my way either; that wouldn’t be fair, not when I earn more than you do.”

Dee gave in. “Well, okay, if you insist, but I’d want ya to move in with me even if you were penniless; I’d take real good care of ya.”

“I believe you.” Ryo smiled wryly. “It might still come to that once my fans know I’m gay. Nashville’s pretty conservative and fans can be unforgiving.”

“Pessimist. Okay, so maybe you’ll lose a few fans if you come out, but I’m bettin’ most of ‘em will stick with ya regardless. They don’t all live in Nashville; from what I’ve heard you’re world famous.”

“I hope you’re right; I love what I do and I don’t want to stop.”

“Won’t come to that, and anyway, you’ll still have me; I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

“Promise?”

“Always. I lost ya once and I’m not lettin’ that happen again. Love you, babe.”

“Love you too, Dee.”

Who cared if falling for his bodyguard was a cliché? Ryo certainly didn’t. Nothing had ever felt so right.


The End