Fair Play
a FAKE story
by Gayle
"I told you, I'm fine, Dee. Just go back to whatever it was you were doing, alright." Randy "Ryo" McLean stalked away from the file cabinet after slamming the drawer shut with more force than was necessary.
Dee Laytner was unmoved by his partner's outburst of temper. "Ryo, you look like hell, death warmed over, choose whatever metaphor you want for looking really sick and really bad. Are you sore at all?"
Ryo flopped down at his desk and glared at Dee with venom in his eyes, "no, I am not sore, achy, feverish or stuffed up I'm perfectly... Ishhiii! Isschhii! perfectly fine, thank you very much." He looked at Dee again, who was refusing to take that for an answer, "besides," Ryo continued, trying a new form of attack, "you're not quite well yet yourself. Don't worry about me, ok."
Dee looked sullen but didn't argue anymore. He looked up just in time to see JJ's partner, Drake walk by, "Yo, Drake!" Dee pushed himself out of his chair to go talk to him, as Ryo didn't seem inclined to hold a conversation, "where's JJ? I've been back for three days now and he caught this bug before I did."
Drake eyed Dee suspiciously; to say that JJ wasn't Dee's favorite person would be like saying that the Mississippi River was a little creek, "why do you care? He's still out, but I didn't think it would matter to you."
"Just curious, that's all. Still out, huh? Man, he must have it bad."
Drake looked worried, "yeah, he does. I've been going over there every day after work but I can't take any time off. I have to save my vacation time for when I find the right time to take my girl on a cruise. She's been dying to go with me."
Dee grinned, "sounds like fun. Hey, tell JJ... tell him we all hope he gets to feeling better. Is he getting any better at all?"
Drake shook his head, "not really. When I go over there he always seems to be pretty out of it. He'll sort of nod at me then go back to sleep. His temperature has gone down quite a bit, but other than that he's still the same."
Dee felt a tug of pity for JJ. He knew that the man lived by himself, and it would have been hell on earth if he (Dee) had to suffer through that flu/cold thing by himself. "Well, hope he gets well soon." Dee sort of slumped off and sat back down in his chair.
Ryo, who had been blowing his nose, looked up at him, "what's wrong? You look upset."
"Eh, not really. Did you know that JJ's still out?"
Ryo nodded, looking at Dee with interest, "yeah, I actually went over to see him yesterday. I would have asked you to come with, but I didn't think you would care."
The last sentence caught Dee off-guard, "what do you mean, you didn't think I would care? I may not like the guy, but I'm not just some heartless bastard who gets his kicks by knowing that someone's hurting. What do you take me for?"
Ryo looked startled, "well, I didn't think you would care. I mean, you don't like him, after all. Would you have gone if I asked you?"
Dee made a non-committal sound that Ryo took as a "maybe if you begged me, I would."
"Well, I was going to head over there this afternoon, you want to come with? I told him I'd bring a few things that he ran out of, you know, soup, juice, things like...Iiiischhh! Iiishh! Heh-Iiicchh!"
Dee looked at him with barely concealed worry, "the only place you're going after work is bed. JJ will be fine, besides, Drake'll go over there and check on him."
"I know, but it has to get lonely in that apartment all alone every day. If there's anything I can do to help him out... Isshhuuu! He- iissccchhii! Chhhiii! Ha-Isshhuuu! Heh-Chhhuu!"
Ryo sniffled as Dee passed past him the tissue box, concern swimming in his green eyes, "hey, come on you need to get some rest. Do you want to end up Like JJ? Out sick for who knows how long?" Dee walked around the desk and placed his hands on Ryo's tense shoulders. "You need to relax." Dee began to rub his partner's neck and shoulders. At first Ryo tensed up more, unsure of how he felt about this, but he soon melted as the massage continued, firm but gentle.
"Dee," Ryo straightened up when it was over, "that was great. Where did you learn to do that?"
"You'd be surprised at the things you some how pick up along the way." Ryo's face seemed flushed, "I didn't embarrass you or anything, did I?" He laughed a bit until he noticed the glazed, semi-there look in Ryo's eyes. "No I didn't embarrass you," Dee placed a hand on his friend's forehead, "you're burning up. Come on, you're going home right now. I'm taking you even if I have to pick you up and carry you every step of the way. Our shift was almost done anyway, and we didn't have a case, so..." he helped Ryo to his somewhat shaky feet and led him to the door. "Wait there," Dee told him as he plopped Ryo onto the bench outside of Chief Smith's office. After explaining the situation as maturely as he knew how (meaning there were no unpleasant scenes and Dee's job was not threatened) Dee was walking Ryo home.
"I've dreamed of this," Dee thought to himself, but caught his thoughts before he could go any farther, "he sick, damn it, Dee. You can't take advantage of a sick person, that just not who you are." Then he looked at Ryo, who was resting his head on Dee's shoulder weakly, "how you feeling Bud?"
"Not very well, actually. My head feels like it's going to split open, and I'm so cold." He absently snuggled up close under Dee's arm, trying to get warm.
Dee was sympathetic, "I know, this crap can really get a hold on you." He and Ryo walked slowly up the stairs to Ryo's apartment, "why don't you take a shower, get into your pajamas and go to bed. I'll make you some of that tea that you like so much. Do you have everything that you need meds-wise?"
Ryo nodded, "I think so. I have some cold/flu stuff in the bathroom, tissues are on the top shelf of the linen closet, there was a sale, so I bought a whole lot, umm... I think that's all I need as far as medicine goes... Heh-chiii! Ah-cchhiiuu! Isshhuu! Heh- esshhii!" Ryo sniffed deeply and took off his shirt while he was heading for the shower. Dee tried hard not to watch, it brought too many images to his mind that had no business being there while Ryo was sick.
Ryo came out of the shower, drying his hair and sniffling. He sat on his bed, completely drained when Dee came in, holding a hot cup of tea, "Ryo, how you feeling? Any better? Oh hey, you're shivering, get under the covers." Dee pulled them down and waited for Ryo to climb under before pulling the comforter up to the sick man's chin. "Now, what else can I get for you?"
Ryo snuggled up to his pillow, coughing, "nothing else right now. Oh, Dee you don't have to stay with me, you know. I can manage by myself." He blew his nose and tried to look convincing.
"Heh. As if you could get rid of me that easily," Dee measured some flu medicine out on a tablespoon, "open up." Ryo opened his mouth and let the liquid slip into his mouth, "that's a good boy. As I was saying, I am not going to let you try to tackle this by yourself, got it? You were there for me when you damn well could have been doing something better with your time. Not watch a very sick, needy cop and wasting your vacation. It's my turn." Dee placed his hand on Ryo's brow, "I need to take your temperature." Ryo submitted to the thermometer being pushed under his tongue. Dee cursed softly when he took it out, "it's fairly high. I'll go get you a cold cloth for your forehead." He left the room, all thoughts on what he would rather be doing with Ryo were shoved out of his head as worriedly drew the coldest water in the basin that he could without totally chilling his sick partner. "103.6? This is bad." He brought the bowl into Ryo's bedroom and ran the cloth over the hot forehead.
Ryo stirred and opened his black eyes, "Dee? That feels really nice." He leaned into Dee's gentle caress, relishing the soothing touch, "Icchhuu! Heh-chhii! He-chiiuu! Heh-Isshhuu! Dee, could you pass me the Kleenexes, please."
Dee handed him the tissue box, "bless you. Will you be alright when I'm at work tomorrow? I'll sleep over here and everything, but the chief would flip out if I skipped work. I've missed too much already."
Ryo smiled, touched by his partner's concern, "yeah, I'll be fine. I'll probably just sleep or watch TV. Don't worry about me."
Dee ruffled Ryo's hair, "you're a good guy." He bent down to kiss him, but Ryo pulled away, burying his face in the pillow. Dee looked hurt, "what?"
Ryo glared up at him, "do you WANT a relapse? It takes twice as long to recover from one of those than it does to recover from the flu."
Dee sighed, damn him and his practical thinking, "you weren't so picky when you kissed me, you know."
Ryo snorted, "yeah, and I'm paying for it. Heh-cchhuu! He-shhiiuu! Ah-chhii!" He blew his nose and looked miserably up at Dee.
Dee was sympathetic, "I know. And I also know that you're just trying to look out for me. Thank you. I'm gonna walk down to that deli we go to on lunch and buy you some soup. Think you could stomach a sandwich?" Ryo shook his head, "alright well, I'll just pick up a good sized one for me then. If you change your mind we can share." Dee grabbed his wallet and left the house, careful to lock the door behind him with the spare key that Ryo had given him.
A half an hour later Dee came back to the house with the take out. He heard Ryo coughing in his bedroom, and set the food down on the table. "Hey there, Buddy. You gonna be alright?" Dee took Ryo into his arms and rubbed his back gently until the coughing died down.
"Dee?" Ryo's voice was hoarse and his cheeks were flushed, "that one really hurt." He rested his head against Dee's shoulder, looking spent.
Dee nodded, "I could tell, it sounded really bad." He kissed the top of his partner's head, for once feeling nothing sexual in such an action, "I'm right here for you, ok."
Ryo nodded and yawned, "I'm so sleepy. Heh-eh-chuu! He-shuu! Eh- eh-Choo! Eh-shoo! Chhuu!" Ryo sniffled and blew his nose.
Dee smiled sympathetically and handed him the tissue box, "looks like you could use a couple extra." He patted Ryo's back, "you feel pretty bad, don't you?"
Ryo snuggled against him, "I haven't felt this sick in a long time. Will you stay with me, just for the night? I know you have to go to work, but I don't want to be sick and alone, please." He looked almost desperate.
Dee smiled suddenly, even though it was a bit forced, "of course I'll stay. What kind of an ass leaves his best friend when he's in this condition?"
Ryo nodded, "thank you, Dee that means more than you know. Did you happen to see if I have any aspirin? I forgot to get some."
Dee nodded, "yeah, I actually got it right here. But first you should eat. That place has the best soup in the world." He brought the soup back into the room and held it out for Ryo to take, "still hot and fresh, just the way it's best for you."
Ryo had to smile in spite of himself, "thanks Dee, I'm sure it's great." He took a few bites before pushing it away, "it's great, but I'm just not hungry right now." He coughed and looked at his friend, asking him with his eyes not to make him eat it.
Dee sighed, "alright, but it might make you feel better."
Ryo nodded very slightly, setting off his headache anyway, "if you say so, but I'm just not very hungry. He-Isshh! Isshhuu! Het-eh- Shhhuu! He-Chuu!" He blew his nose again, "I just need to sleep if you don't mind, Dee. I can't think straight."
Dee nodded, "I'll be right here until I have to go to work. I'm not gonna go anywhere. I even went to my house and picked up some clothes before I got the food, so I don't have to worry about that."
Ryo smiled slightly, "so what, are you planning on moving in here?"
Dee grinned, "are you offering?" He handed Ryo a glass of orange juice, "I screwed up your tea, so I brought you that instead."
Ryo blinked, "how in the world do you screw up tea?"
Dee shrugged, "I forgot to take it off the burner and it boiled away. Oh, I own you a new tea pot, by the way. I sort of melted the handle."
Ryo closed his eyes and sighed, "you're too much, you know that. Heh-Isshh! Isshhu! Isshhchu! Chhu! Ha-chhoo!"
Dee blinked, "bless you Ryo. You don't sound very good. Maybe you should just try to sleep. I'll take care of you."
Ryo sighed contentedly, "you're doing a great job so far. I'm feeling better already. Ha-eschhuu! Eh-ehshhiii! He-ichii!"
Dee smiled, "oh, and you sound so much better too." His voice was just a bit on the sarcastic side as he brushed Ryo's damp bangs out of his eyes, "if you can think of anything else I can do to make you feel more comfortable," Dee brushed his lips against Ryo's cheek in a very slightly seductive way before the other man could protest, "please don't hesitate to let me know."
Ryo's face colored with a pink that had nothing to do with his fever and turned his head a little bit, "Dee, you'll get sick again. I know you can't afford that."
Dee smiled and tucked the blankets around Ryo and under his chin, "just let me worry about that. All I want you to think about is getting well and coming back to work with me." Dee saw that he might as well be talking to the alarm clock for all the good he was doing. Ryo was out like a light. Dee kissed the overly warm cheek again, "good night, Sweetheart."
Ryo made a sleepy noise before murmuring good night back to him and falling asleep, snoring in a rather congested way.
I would love to have invented this Manga, but I didn't. Besides, had I made it, the poor boys would do nothing but have colds and cuddle.