FAKE Ficlet: New Priorities

[bk_forever]

Title: New Priorities
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Dee has become the most important thing in Ryo’s life.
Word Count: 500
Written For: Prompt 566: Constant at slashthedrabble.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.




For a long time, work had been the only constant in Ryo’s life. It had given him a purpose, something to focus on, a reason for getting up every morning even when the weather was so cold and miserable it was tempting to stay buried under his big, soft, downy comforter where it was warm and cosy.


Being a cop was important; he was saving lives, protecting the innocent, keeping the peace, and catching the criminals… What higher calling could there be in life? It took all of his time, energy, and attention, and if it also succeeded in distracting him from the fact that he had no social life outside of work, well, so much the better. Keeping busy was preferable to dwelling on the things he’d prefer not to think about.


Besides, after his parents had been brutally murdered, joining the force had been practically all he could think about; nothing else had mattered to him beyond the slim chance that he might someday get justice not only for their deaths but for the damage done to their reputations. They’d been good, honest people and it had stung to hear even friends and family talk about them like they’d been criminals who’d gotten what they’d deserved. He’d been consumed by the need to clear their names.


That still mattered to him, just as his career at the NYPD still did; he remained proud to be a cop, but he was realistic enough now to accept he’d never be able to prove his parents’ innocence in a court of law. He knew the truth about why they’d been killed, and by whom, and that would have to be enough.


There was a new constant in his life now though, one even more important to him than his job, and that was his partner.


For years he’d used his work almost as an excuse to avoid getting involved with anyone, it had seemed simpler to claim he didn’t have time for a social life, catching the bad guys had to take priority, but now…


He didn’t volunteer for overtime as much as he used to, was no longer such a workaholic. He was learning to relax, take time off, enjoy himself, because now he had an incentive: Dee.


Even though they both lived and worked together Ryo rarely tired of Dee’s company. They were opposites in a lot of ways but if anything that just seemed to make them a better fit for each other, and when they worked different shifts Ryo was always eager to get home to the man he loved, not even thinking of staying late at the precinct to do a bit of extra work.


Dee was there beside him every morning when Ryo woke, always had his back on the job, was a shoulder to lean on and strong arms to hold him after a rough day, and Ryo could no longer imagine his life without his partner in it.


Constant as his own heartbeat.



The End

Comments

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

It's good that Ryo is finding balance in his life. Not having anything but work is not healthy. Especially when you have the kind of job that Ryo does.

[bk_forever]

Yes, I think Bikky started the trend of Ryo being less consumed by work, but Dee is the one who bullies him into going home and actually RESTING! He loves his little worker ant ;)

Thank you!

[lil-1337.livejournal.com]

True, it is tough to rest when you go home to a kid who needs to be parented.

[bk_forever]

Although Ryo loved being a parent it did mean going home from work to more work. But looking after Bikky took his mind of police work so it gave him a break from the stress.

Dee has other ways of making Ryo's busy mind switch off ;)

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

How sweet!

[bk_forever]

Thank you!

Dee will break Ryo of his workaholic tendencies!