Title: Quittin’ Time
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Bikky, Ryo
Rating: PG
Setting: After the manga.
Summary: Dee makes a life-changing decision.
Word Count: 447
Warnings: None
Written For: Challenge #86: Health and Fitness.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.




Lighting up a cigarette, Dee leant back with a sigh, breathing out a stream of smoke. Bliss.

“You should give those up, they’re gonna kill ya.”

Opening his eyes, he found Bikky glaring at him.

“What’s it to you, ya little twerp?”

Bikky shrugged.

“Nothin’. Go ahead and kill yourself, I sure as hell wouldn’t be sheddin’ no tears.”

Dee took another drag, determined to enjoy his smoke and ignore the annoying brat. Easier said than done.

“But Ryo would. You made him love you, and you don’t even care enough about him to look after yourself.” Having said his piece, Bikky stomped off to his room, slamming the door behind him and leaving Dee on the sofa, stunned.

That cut deep; maybe the brat had a point. What would it do to Ryo if Dee died young because of his nicotine addiction? He looked at the cigarette in his hand, suddenly disgusted with himself. He knew Ryo didn’t really like the smell, but old habits are hard to break. Then again, he’d never had a good enough reason to quit before. Without even taking one last puff, he crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray. That was it, no more, for Ryo’s sake if not for his own.


OoOoOoOoO


“What’s got you so grumpy?” Ryo asked a few days later, after nearly getting his head bitten off for no reason, yet again.

“Sorry, babe, it’s not you. I quit smoking and it’s driving me nuts.”

Ryo looked surprised.

“You quit? Just like that?”

“Yep! Haven’t had a smoke in four days.”

“That’s fantastic, Dee, I’m proud of you! But what made you quit now?”

“I just got to thinkin’. Smoking shortens lives, and now I have you, I want to be around for a very long time. I should’a quit years ago, but I couldn’t see any point. Now I do.”

“So you’re doing it for me?” Ryo seemed a bit bothered by that.

“No, I’m doing it for us, so we can have as long as possible together. If quitting doesn’t kill me first.”

Smiling, Ryo leant in to kiss his partner.

“First thing tomorrow, I’m getting you some nicotine patches and gum, they’ll help with the cravings. In the meantime, maybe there’s another way to distract you; Bikky’s staying over at Carol’s tonight.”

“We’re all alone? Why didn’t ya say so before? C’mere.” Dee pounced on Ryo, pinning him to the sofa. “Just like old times!”

Yes, Dee told himself as he gazed at the beautiful man in his arms; no matter what cravings he had to suffer through, he could beat the smoking habit.

His addiction to Ryo Maclean was a different matter altogether.

The End