Fake Fan Fiction ❯ A Weekend Retreat ❯ A Weekend Retreat ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: The characters Ryo, Dee, Carol and Bikky are borrowed from the manga Fake by Sanami Matoh.

 

Summary: This fanfic was written for the MediaMiner Summer Stars Mini Fiction Contest.

 

Addendum: I didn't win. Boo-hoo. But, a thoughtful reviewer pointed out that I misspelled Ryo's name in the story. Sorry `bout that! My daughter's nickname is Riyo, so I plead befuddled brain cells. I corrected the spelling in this re-post.

 

-o-o-o-o-

 

Carol looped her arm through Ryo's and sighed dreamily. “I wish we could come to New England every weekend! It's just so beautiful. Look at all the stars!”

 

Ryo looked up at the night sky. It was filled with stars. The Milky Way flowed like a glittering ribbon from horizon to horizon. “It is very pretty,” he agreed. “But my policeman's salary can't afford vacations like this very often.”

 

“But I thought the bed and breakfast where we're staying isn't very expensive.”

 

“It's not, which is why I could afford to bring you and Bikky with me.”

 

Carol hugged his arm. “You're so sweet, Ryo! You're always thinking of other people.”

 

He patted Carol's hand. “I like having you two with me.”

 

“Even when Dee and Bikky spend the whole time fighting?” she asked with a grin.

 

“Well…” Ryo sighed. Carol was right of course. Having Dee and Bikky in the same place for any length of time tended to get rather wild. They had argued so much at dinner that Ryo had sent them both back to their rooms with stern orders to remain there until he said they could come out. Then he and Carol had gone for a long evening stroll.

 

Carol chuckled. “Do you suppose the b&b will still be standing when we get back?”

 

“I hope so!”

 

“Maybe I'll see if Bikky wants to come out and look at the stars with me. It's so romantic!” She grinned at Ryo. “Perhaps I'll let him steal a kiss.”

 

“So long as that's all he tries to steal.”

 

“He's not like Dee!” Carol said with a laugh. “Bikky knows where he's allowed to put his hands.”

 

Ryo sighed. “Maybe he can explain that to Dee.”

 

“Oh, look, Ryo!” Carol pointed. “Do you see the little bridge? Isn't that adorable?” Carol dashed ahead and trotted out onto the little stone bridge that arched over a small stream. Stone curbs marked its edge, but were clearly not designed to keep one from falling into the water. Carol stopped in the middle and twirled in a graceful pirouette.

 

Ryo smiled. “You look like a fairy princess, Carol.”

 

She clapped her hands delightedly. “Let's go get Bikky and Dee! I want them to see this!” She dashed back toward the inn.

 

Ryo followed her at a more sedate pace. He arrived to find her bouncing up and down on her toes in the doorway of Bikky's room. Bikky was sitting on the bed with his arms crossed, scowling.

 

“Come on, Bikky!” Carol exclaimed. “Don't just sit there like a big lump! I want to show you something.”

 

“I can't!” Bikky growled. “I can't leave till Ryo says so.”

 

Carol turned to Ryo pleadingly. “Ryo!”

 

Ryo grinned. “I'm glad to see you were listening. You may go with Carol now, Bikky.”

 

“Thank you!” Bikky shouted and he leaped off the bed.

 

Carol grabbed his hand. “Come on!” The two of them dashed off down the hall and thundered down the stairs.

 

Ryo knocked on the door to Dee's room. There was no answer. Ryo knocked again and opened the door. “Dee? Are you in here?”

 

“Of course I'm in here,” Dee grumbled. “You told me I couldn't leave.”

 

Ryo stepped inside the door. Dee was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his arms folded across his chest and a big scowl on his face. He looked just like Bikky. Ryo had to stifle a laugh. “Carol wants to show you something.”

 

“Hmph!” Dee snorted. “Does that mean I get to leave my room?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dee rolled to his feet. His dark eyes locked on Ryo's and he stalked toward him slowly. Ryo's heart began to race and he stepped back, but he bumped into the wall. Dee marched right up to him and leaned so close that all Ryo could see where his dark, hypnotic eyes.

 

“You sure can be mean, Ryo,” he said in a low voice. “The argument was not my fault.”

 

“Bikky is twelve, Dee,” Ryo replied, a little breathlessly. “I expect you to take the high road every once in a while.”

 

Dee leaned even closer. “You never take my side.” His breath whispered against Ryo's lips.

 

“Uh, let's go look at what Carol found,” Ryo said hastily. He slipped to the side and scooted out the door.

 

“They're not even here and they get between us,” Dee grumbled behind him. But he followed Ryo out the door.

 

Outside, they could just see Bikky and Carol skipping up the road hand-in-hand.

 

“Wow, it's really bright out here,” Dee remarked. He looked up at the stars. “It's kind of pretty.”

 

“Yes, it is.”

 

“Hey! Did you see that?” Dee pointed at the sky. “A shooting star! Now I get to make a wish.” He stopped and closed his eyes.

 

Ryo gazed at him with some amusement. “You don't really believe that do you? What are you wishing for?”

 

Dee lifted his chin. “Why should I tell you, if you don't believe in it? And anyway, if I tell you, it might not come true.” He took Ryo's hand. “Let's catch up with the kids. Maybe there'll be more shooting stars.”

 

They hurried after Bikky and Carol.

 

“Here it is!” Carol cried. “Isn't it neat?” She skipped onto the bridge and stopped in the middle.

 

“This is it?” Bikky stopped beside her and looked around a little skeptically. “You dragged us all the way out here to look at this?”

 

Carol frowned. “It's cute!” she declared firmly. “And romantic.” She pointedly turned her back on him.

 

Bikky looked puzzled.

 

Dee leaned over and whispered in his ear. “A word of advice, my young friend: when a woman takes you someplace romantic, don't question it.” He nudged Bikky toward Carol.

 

Bikky took a flustered half-step toward Carol and touched her arm. “The stars do look kind of neat reflected in the stream.”

 

Carol turned around with a grin and hugged him. “You're so sweet!”

 

“Do you want to lie in the grass and look at the stars?” Bikky suggested.

 

“Ok!”

 

“That kid is smooth,” Dee whispered to Ryo.

 

Carol and Bikky walked across the bridge and stretched out side-by-side in the grass on the other side.

 

“That is so unfair!” Dee grumbled. “Carol forgives him every time. You never forgive me that easily.”

 

“That's not true,” Ryo said. “Given how often you pounce on me and knock me down, I am a saint when it comes to forgiving you.”

 

“I haven't pounced on you all weekend,” Dee muttered.

 

“I'm sure you're just waiting for the opportunity.” Ryo started to cross the bridge and Dee grabbed his arm. Ryo looked back. “What?”

 

Dee pointed up with his other hand. “Look! Another shooting star.”

 

Ryo looked up and Dee kissed him. Ryo shoved him away. Dee's foot hit the curb and he balanced precariously for a second, his arms pin-wheeling, and then he fell off the bridge. He managed to land on his feet in the middle of the stream.

 

“You always fall for that one, but did you have to push me in? The water's cold!” Dee put his hands on the curb and pulled himself back up onto the bridge. He sat on the curb with his legs hanging over the side and began taking off his shoes and socks. “I didn't bring an extra pair of shoes, you know. What if these don't dry out?”

 

Ryo sat down next to him. “You should have thought of that before you kissed me.”

 

Dee grinned. “Well, it was worth it, even if they don't dry out. I love a romantic kiss in the starlight.”

 

“You call that romantic?” Ryo leaned over and looked into Dee's eyes. “This is romantic.” He put his hand on Dee's chin and drew Dee's mouth to his. He closed his eyes and kissed Dee long and sweetly, his tongue sliding caressingly against Dee's tongue. When he leaned back, Dee's eyes were as dark as the space between the stars.

 

“I stand corrected,” Dee whispered. “That was definitely more romantic.”

 

“You're sitting.”

 

Dee looked into Ryo's eyes. “And you're wet,” he whispered sweetly, and he shoved Ryo off the bridge.

 

“Dammit, Dee!” Ryo shouted. He grabbed Dee's hands and pulled him into the stream. Dee tumbled in, laughing. They began kicking and splashing water at each other, alternately laughing and swearing.

 

Carol and Bikky sat up to watch them.

 

“Grown-ups sure are weird,” Bikky remarked.

 

“I'll say,” Carol agreed.

 

“They're gonna get cold.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“And they'll have to take showers when we get back.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“And then I bet Dee will try to get Ryo into bed.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“He's such a perv.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“You wanna watch?”

 

“Absolutely.”