Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Valentine's Day Psychology (Series: Multiple Psychology) ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own FAKE or Sanami Matoh's wonderful characters.

Rating: NC-17 OT+16 (Yaoi, Multiple Partners)
Pairings: Various Pairings of Dee, Ryo, Berkley, J.J.
Timeframe: 1998, approximately 6 months after the end of Volume 7
Series: Multiple Psychology

Summary: Berkley Rose calls in a psychologist to help with some of the interpersonal conflicts around the precinct. In doing so, he gets himself and his detectives involved in a crazy experiment cooked up by a somewhat sadistic lady Doctor. Strangely enough, it all pays off for them when Valentine's Day turns into something far more than a day for treats and sweethearts.

 

 

 

Title: Valentine's Day Psychology

Author: Mori Ryoshi

 

 

Chapter 1

 

12-February-1998 - 07:00

 

“Why the hell was I paired up with Rose? I hate the man. I don't want to treat him the way that I'd treat you.” Dee looked longingly at his beautiful partner. “What are you doing?”

 

Ryo sighed. “You've been complaining since Monday. Grin and bear it. It's only for one day and you know you still have me.” The chestnut-haired man gave his partner and lover a gentle smile. “I love you. If I can help J.J. realize that, maybe he'll back off.”

 

“Nothing's going to make Rose back off you. This is just going to be a waste and you know it.” Dee fell back on the bed and rolled over to glare out the window. He'd been ready to quit last night just so he wouldn't have to deal with the pompous assed commissioner today. “You know he's going to try something.”

 

“Then don't let him,” Ryo said simply. “Make him feel special so he won't even have a chance to think about me…instead, he'll be totally focused on you. Isn't that what the doctor wanted us to do?” Ryo sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered his lover into his arms. “You could have been doing some research about what Rose likes these last couple of days…that would have enabled you to have some way to relate to him.” The older man stroked his lover's brow before pushing his bangs back from his face. “For instance, did you know that J.J.'s favorite flower is the orchid? And that he's allergic to roses?” Dee opened his eyes more than a little surprised. “He prefers to eat a large breakfast; but a small lunch and dinner. His favorite sport is horse-racing.” Ryo smiled as realization crossed his raven-haired partner's face. “He's allergic to polyester and loves the feel of cashmere on cold days.”

 

“How did you learn all this?” Dee reached up and caressed his lover's face. “Do you know this much about me?”

 

“I cheated and asked Drake. He really cares for J.J.; but feels like a third-wheel because of J.J.'s fixation on you.” Ryo leaned over and gave Dee a soft kiss, “I know much more than that about you, Koi,” He whispered against his partner's lips before giving the man a deep, soul-searching kiss.

 

“Ryo! Where's my breakfast?” Bikky yelled right before pounding on the bedroom door. “You better not have your hands all over him, Pervert!”

 

“Bikky!” Both men yelled back simultaneously.

 

Ryo continued, “What if I have my hands all over Dee, Bikky? What then?” He blushed madly but still managed to give his lover a wide grin.

 

“I didn't hear that. You're corrupting him, Pervert!” Bikky stomped away and the two men could hear vague mumblings of, “Can't believe…not possible, Why me?” Floating back through the closed door.

 

They laughed quietly, Ryo still holding the taller man. “We should get up.” Dee finally said with a sigh. “How am I going to get through the day? I don't know anything about Rose other than the fact that I hate his guts and that he lusts after you.”

 

The chestnut-haired man laid his partner gently on the covers and stepped over to the dresser. He picked up a notepad and tossed it to land on Dee's chest. “Look through that. I've been trying to take notes on Rose, too…just in case you woke up and decided to put some effort into the exercise.”

 

As Dee flipped through the notebook, his eyes grew to be as big as saucers at how thorough Ryo's notes were concerning their commissioner. “How do you know he wears boxers?”

 

“He was changing clothes in the locker room while I was there. I was discrete. He didn't even know I was there.” Ryo straightened his tie…he hadn't realized that Dee had begun to loosen it while they were on the bed. “He also always eats breakfast in his office in the morning. He normally arrives at the office at five-thirty and he feels that's too early to eat…so he has breakfast delivered each morning at eight-thirty. I called and had this morning's cancelled. You're bringing breakfast to him.”

 

“I'm what?” Dee couldn't believe what he heard. “You planned my day, too?” The raven-haired man sputtered as he shook his head in amazement. “I can't believe you did that?”

 

“I only planned breakfast. It'll help you get a jump start on today's assignment.” Ryo stepped over the door and turned back, his hand on the doorknob, “You realize that we're excused from all calls today. Doctor Wilson wants us to focus on resolving our interpersonal conflicts. She told me yesterday that she could easily see the 27th as the best precinct in the city if we could only cut down on the number of complaints. Those complaints deduct from our other statistics which are all fantastic.”

 

“You're going to give this your best effort; aren't you?” Dee asked with a smile.

 

“I try my best at everything I do, Dee. You know that.” With that final comment, Ryo opened the door and went to the kitchen. He wanted to get Bikky's breakfast ready and send him off to school. Then he'd make a meal for Dee to take to Rose. “Maybe if I can get J.J. off his back; Dee can do the same for me with Berkley.” Ryo had to admit that the commissioner hadn't tried anything for a long time; but he still felt the man's periodic longing glances. Since Dee had become his partner outside of work, the older man had settled for watching from afar. On autopilot, Ryo made Bikky a plate of scrambled eggs with a slice of Canadian bacon and warmed up a pair of biscuits on the side. “Here you go, Bikky.” He laid the plate in front of his son and went to check on Dee's progress.

 

Ryo opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks. Dee had just come from the shower and was standing glaring into space with only a damp towel wrapped around his waist. The older man had to swallow hard several times before he squeaked; “We're going to need to leave soon, if you're going to have breakfast to Berkley at eight-thirty. Bikky is leaving; so I'll get started on what you're taking.”

 

“You just want to make sure that I don't poison him,” Dee said with a sly grin.

 

“That too,” Ryo turned around and left the room again.

 

Dee shook his head and thought, “Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought it would be. With Ryo doing the planning, all I have to do is pull it off. That bastard isn't going to know what hit him between Ryo's romance and my attitude.” Dee happily got dressed, and with a last check of his appearance in the mirror, headed to the kitchen to see what Ryo had cooked up for breakfast.

 

He looked at the table and then at his partner who was quickly eating a bowl of rabbit food. “Where's my breakfast?”

 

“You're eating with Rose,” Ryo mumbled around a mouthful of cereal. “What did you think…that you'd just drop breakfast off and run away?” That was exactly what Dee had thought…though he didn't want to admit it. “I'll have everything ready in about five minutes. Could you get out the covered dishes with the dividers?” He swallowed down the last bite of his breakfast and turned back to the heating waffle iron.

 

Dee mumbled under his breath something that sounded like, “Sadist.” Ryo chose to ignore the comment since it would just make them late. The raven-haired man reached into a cabinet and pulled out the necessary dishes and their matching lids. “You need anything else?”

 

“One of the medium sized square boxes and a pair of small ones,” Ryo said as he removed the first pair of waffles from the iron. He spared his partner a grin as the dishes were laid on the counter next to him. “Don't worry, Koibito, you'll do just fine today.”

 

“Yeah. What do you have planned for J.J.?” Dee sat down at the table and watched his lover move about the kitchen.

 

“I had a trio of live orchids delivered to him at the office this morning. That box,” Ryo nodded over his shoulder as he moved two more perfect waffles to their plate. “Is a little something for him.” Dee picked the box up and was getting ready to shake it when Ryo yelled, “STOP! Don't shake it. It's a new lens for his camera. Drake told me about how J.J.'s been wanting to buy it; but hasn't had the money because of the repairs on his car and apartment.” Ryo turned to look at his raven-haired lover, “I thought it would be a special gift for him. We are supposed to treat our sweet hearts as we would our own lover and you know how I love to bring you surprises.”

 

Dee grinned as he thought over some of the gifts that Ryo had given him over the years. “You definitely love to bring me surprises. If you bring some of the later ones to J.J., he won't glomp me again, ever…he'll be too busy chasing you around wanting more of you.”

 

Ryo finished removing the last waffles and quickly unplugged the iron, leaving the lid open so it could cool down. “I wasn't able to find out if Rose prefers jelly, jam, or syrup on his waffles; so I'm going to include them all along with a stick of butter and a tub of margarine.” The chestnut-haired man had worked on this surprise the night before so all he had to do was pull two bowls from the refrigerator. “You're going to be serving up waffles, eggs benedict, ham and bacon, and biscuits, with fresh strawberries in syrup. There's also a small vanilla cake, Rose doesn't like chocolate, for desert.”

 

“So much for taking him a box of Valentine's Day candy,” Dee thought. “That's one heck of a breakfast.”

 

“It's the most important meal of the day.” Ryo said without even thinking. He quickly arranged the freshly cooked eggs, ham, bacon, and warmed biscuits on the divided platters, covering them firmly. The waffles went into the two smaller squares…he left the lids slightly cracked so the contents wouldn't get soggy. The medium box was quickly filled to the brim with strawberries. He put all the food into a shopping bag and added jars of strawberry and peach preserves, grape and black cherry jelly, and apricot jam. He also slipped in Dee's favorite 100% maple syrup jug along with the necessary silverware. With a flip of his wrist, Ryo turned the oven off and grabbed an oven mitt…he pulled the three heated stones from the rack and after wrapping them in towels placed them around the food so it would stay warm.

 

“What is he going to drink?” Dee frowned. “Do I have to buy him some high priced coffee?”

 

“The commissioner typically drinks tea,” Ryo said as he silently thanked his partner for the reminder. He reached above the coffee pot and dug into his own private tea collection bringing out an assortment of high quality, and very expensive, specialty teas. He placed the tea packets into a small container as he made his choices. “Green tea. That's a definite. He normally drinks it so I know he'll enjoy it. The China White, specialty blend, is so flavorful…but would it be over powering with breakfast?” He added four packets of the green tea and decided to include a couple of the white. Rose might not drink it with breakfast and it would make a very nice mid-morning tea.

 

“I'll include a couple of Earl Gray's, those are always a favorite.” To the small container, Ryo also added a number of fruity blends and a pair of packets for a morning blend and one for promoting restful sleep. “That should do it.” Ryo stowed the small box on top of the rest of the food before turning and handing the load to Dee. “That should be everything, Dee.”

 

“Let's get going then. The sooner we get there the sooner I can be done with this mess.” Dee stood, the bag in hand, and headed for the door.

 

Ryo gathered up his own load of surprises and quickly followed his taller partner. They locked the door carefully and headed for their vehicles. “I'll drive, Dee.” Ryo said as he opened the door to his old, but very well maintained, Honda Accord. “I'm taking J.J. to lunch today so I need the car.”

 

“I wasn't planning on doing anything for Rose,” Dee commented as he climbed into the vehicle after carefully placing Ryo's beautiful breakfast in the backseat. “Does he eat lunch? What does he like?”

 

Ryo laughed softly as he fastened his seatbelt and started the car. “Yes. He does eat lunch. His favorite foods are northern Italian and Chinese. If you're going to take him out to lunch, he will drive…he always does. I'd recommend taking him to Chinese.” Ryo carefully navigated the crowded streets. “Tonight, take him to Giovanni's for Italian.”

 

“What? You need reservations to get into that place.” Dee couldn't believe what he was hearing.

 

“You won't need reservations. Giovanni and Rose are friends from their college days.” Dee looked at him amazed. “Don't be so surprised,” Ryo said looking at his beautiful partner while they were stopped at a red light. “I asked Rose how he was able to get a table whenever he wanted. He came right out and told me that they were dorm mates in college. Berkley in pre-med and Giovanni in business management.”

 

“No wonder you have such an easy time solving cases. You see and hear everything.” Dee shook his head.

 

“You're no slouch, Koi.” Ryo pulled into the parking garage and flashed his badge before being waved through. After parking the car and putting his keys in his pocket, he leaned over and gave Dee a gentle kiss, “Don't cut yourself down. I've learned so much from you and I have so much further to go. I need you with me.”

 

Dee smiled against his partner's lips before reaching up and pulling the older man against his body. He quickly planted a deep, crushing kiss on his lips, slipping his tongue deep inside to duel. “Well that was fun. Guess we need to get to work,” Dee said as he broke the kiss and quickly climbed out of the car.

 

“Argh, Dee!” Ryo tried unsuccessfully to sound irritated. He shook his head as he got out of the car. The two men gathered up their various bags and headed for the elevator only to discover the damn thing was busted yet again, leaving them to walk the eight flights to homicide.

 

As they stepped from the stairwell, Dee recognized the thunder of J.J.'s approaching feet. The raven-haired man ducked back onto the landing only to hear, “RYO-SEMPAI!!!” For a moment, he felt a tinge of jealousy at hearing the happy voice screaming for his partner rather than for him. He shook his head to get that thought out of his mind, “I can't believe I'd think that. I don't want him crawling all over me.” He peeked his head around the door jam and was shocked to see that Ryo had actually set down his shopping bag and was holding the lavender-haired detective, as he was glomped tightly. Another surge of jealousy rushed through him, this time directed at J.J. who was on the receiving end of one of Ryo's wonderful hugs.

 

“Good morning, J.J.,” Ryo said as he set the smaller man carefully on his feet and was rewarded with a huge grin. “He's taking this seriously too.”

 

“I have something for you. I'll help you to your office,” J.J. picked up Ryo's satchel and the shopping bag, leaving the taller man with only his coat to carry.

 

“You didn't have to carry everything, J.J.,” The lavender-haired man turned and just smiled, “Regardless, thank you.” The two men headed off to the office that Ryo shared with Dee, the later man trailing along behind. The office was left confused at J.J.'s unusual behavior…most of them hadn't been alerted to the Sweet Heart Day experiment and had no context in which to understand the changes in behavior they'd seen that morning.

 

Dee stopped dead in his tracks outside the door to his office. Riz and Jonathan had caught his eye. The two were normally fighting over some small thing. This morning was different. Riz was being held against the wall as Jonathan kissed her and rubbed his thigh between her legs. He shook his head to see if the image would disappear only to open them and see that it had changed; the blond-haired investigator now had his hand up her blouse. He cleared his throat, “You might want to get a room.” The pair didn't even hear him they were so caught up in each other. “Damn,” Dee felt like a voyeur but couldn't tear his eyes from the couple. With a serious effort, he finally stepped into the office wondering just what kind of an understanding those two had come too.

 

“…You didn't have too get me anything,” J.J. said as Dee entered the office.

 

“We're supposed to treat each other as if they were our significant other, J.J. and you know how I love to give surprises.” The lavender-haired man nodded. “Open it.” Ryo sat down at his desk and watched as J.J. began tearing into the small package. He smiled as the box lid came into view and knew that the young man immediately recognized where the package had come from.

 

“Ryo! You shouldn't have!” The shorter man yelled as he opened the lid and saw the camera lens. He latched onto Ryo before giving him a passionate kiss. “I love it.” He pulled away leaving the other man blinking in surprise. “Come on, I have something for you, too.” When he saw that the older man wasn't moving, he reached down and grabbed his hand to pull him to his feet. “Come on!”

 

Ryo headed let himself be pulled along but managed to whisper, “Good luck,” To Dee on his way out the door.

 

“Yeah. Good luck.” Dee repeated. “Those two seem to be having some fun with this.” He shuddered at the thought of having to face the commissioner, “Why do they get all the fun and I get all the pain?”

 

~~~~~

 

Meanwhile, in Berkley's office, “What the hell am I supposed to do? Ryo wasn't willing to tell me anything about Dee and no one else is as close to him. I don't want to be the only one to fail in this thing…it would be too embarrassing.” His thoughts were disrupted by a soft knock on his door. “Breakfast.” He glanced at the clock on the corner of his desk and saw that the delivery was late. “Figures. I should have thought to order extra and I could have invited Dee to join me. God that sounds out of place, I'd much rather share my breakfast…lunch, dinner, my body, and everything else, too…with Ryo.”

 

The knock sounded again and on the other side of the door, Dee was beginning to wonder if Rose was even in his office. “It would be just like the jackass to have taken the day off.”

 

Both men were surprised when the door opened. Their faces wore almost identical expressions that combined dismay, shock, anger, and a little bit of fear. “What the hell am I supposed to say?” Both men thought.

 

Dee was the first to recover and held up the bag is his right hand. “I brought you breakfast, Sir.”

 

“Berkley, please,” Rose immediately prompted. “If we're supposed to be sweet hearts, surely you can call me by my first name.”

 

“Okay. Berkley. I brought you breakfast.”

 

“Come in. I hope you'll join me.” Rose stepped into the office and indicated for the other man to close the door behind him.

 

“Shit! This is awkward. I feel like I'm on a first date.” That thought made Dee laugh inside. “Like I'd ever date such an egotistical bastard.”

 

“I'm not like this. I've never been this self-conscious in my life.” Berkley looked at Dee and noticed the other man seemed ill at ease too. “Maybe this won't be so bad. I'll just take the lead.”

 

Dee saw the subtle shift in Rose's body language and decided to make the first move. “Treat him like you would Ryo,” He admonished himself. “Think of him as Ryo.”

 

The raven-haired man never got the chance since Rose's thoughts had paralleled his own… “Don't see him as Dee, the pain in the ass. He's Ryo…treat him as if he's the most special person you've ever encountered.” Berkley laughed inside at the thought, “He's not going to know what hit him.”

 

Berkley moved quickly to Dee's side pinning him between his slightly larger frame and the doorway. He leaned into the other man's personal space and in the softest of whispers said, “I'm glad you came this morning. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

 

Dee's eyes first narrowed then opened wide in surprise at Rose's forcefulness. “Damn, I understand why Ryo was mesmerized by him.” Dee realized the blond-haired man was waiting for an answer and finally managed to whisper, “I'd love to.” “God, I sounded so weak and submissive. I can't have that,” With that thought in mind, Dee reached up and grabbed the other man's hair and in one quick movement reversed their positions. He pinned Berkley to the door and was frankly turned on by the surprised look that he received. “You're treat; I hope.” He grinned widely before moving in and giving the older man a mind-blowing kiss that left the blond-haired commissioner sliding to the floor when Dee released him.

 

“Oh, my God,” Berkley sat with his legs straight in front of him and could do nothing more than blink and relearn how to breathe. “Where did he learn to do that?” With a shake of his head, he slowly ran his eyes up Dee's body finally stopping to look in the other man's eyes. “Is that what he does to Ryo? I can't believe that I'm thinking this; but damn, I want more.”

 

The raven-haired man smiled feeling confident again. He stretched a bit to get the tension out of his shoulders before he knelt down, one knee on either side of Rose's legs, and pulled the shopping bag over to their side. “I brought breakfast, Berkley.”

 

The older man swallowed hard and searched for something to say. He couldn't say what was on his mind, “Yeah. How would it sound if I said, `Forget about breakfast, I want you instead'?” He shook his head to get rid of the thought. “Breakfast sounds like a good idea.”

 

Dee stood back up and lifted the bag in one hand while extending his other to help Rose to his feet. “He's not going to know what hit him. I'll kill him with kindness.” After the commissioner was on his feet, the two men walked over to the small table in the back corner of the office. He laid out the various containers of food while Rose set out two fine china plates. “There's plenty here.” Dee placed the maple syrup on the table. The raven-haired detective held the open box of tea bags, “If you have hot water, there's a nice assortment of tea as well,” Then took the seat across from the older man. “No need to feel awkward; I'm in control.”

 

After pouring two mugs of boiling water, Rose looked over the small feast and was amazed at how much food there was. He knew that it had probably been made by Ryo; but was still impressed that Dee had brought it. The two men ate in surprisingly companionable silence for most of the meal. Finally, Berkley said, “The food is wonderful, Dee. My compliments to the chef and the person who thought of it.”

 

Dee thought a little guiltily, “He knows I don't cook and even if I did that Ryo would never let me cook something for him. But, he still thinks that this was my idea.” “Thank you, I'll let Ryo know.”

 

“Speaking of whom, how is he doing with J.J.?” Berkley had thought there might be some problems between the two since not only were they competitors for Dee's attention…they also competed on the shooting range as sharpshooters.

 

“They're taking this very seriously. Ryo bought him a camera lens and is going to have some kind of surprise for him at lunch. I never thought that he'd handle this experiment as well as he is.” Dee realized that he'd miss his partner's attention even if it was only for the day. “Maybe I can make him as jealous as he's making me?” He didn't realize that Ryo wasn't doing anything in an attempt to make Dee, or anyone else for that matter, jealous. He was just trying to get as much out of the assignment as he could.

 

“Ryo's taking this very seriously.” Berkley nodded and started to revise his own plans for the day. His detective had beaten him to the punch, so to speak, by bringing breakfast; but he refused to be a step behind any more that day.

 

“He takes everything seriously,” Dee agreed. “There's cake for desert,” He reached into the bag and pulled out the box with the small cake. “I heard that you didn't like chocolate so I brought vanilla.”

 

“I don't like the taste of milk chocolate,” Berkley agreed. “On the other hand, I love vanilla.” He smiled at the thought that Dee would have found something so small out about someone he hated. “And dark chocolate,” He added almost as an afterthought.

 

The two men quickly finished their pieces of cake and Dee packed the boxes back up. “Do you have any plans for lunch?”

 

Berkley looked over at the younger detective and shook his head. “No, I don't have plans,” He paused before adding, “Yet.”

 

Dee took his words as a challenge and gave him a lop-sided grin, “Well, you have plans now. We'll leave at eleven-thirty and you're driving.” “Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do.”

 

For a fraction of a second, Berkley's hackles started to rise over Dee's commanding tone. He choked an arrogant response down with an effort. “We're supposed to be sweet hearts and he does the same thing to Ryo. It's just his way.” Rose refocused his attention on Dee and said, “I'll be ready. Do I need to bring anything?”

 

“Just yourself.” With that, Dee picked up the bag of now empty containers and left the commissioner's office. Outside the closed door, he paused for a moment to lean against the wall and wonder just what he'd started. He shook his mind back to the present and headed for his and Ryo's office to drop off the bag and figure out what he was going to do for Rose's lunch.

 

~~~~~

 

Ryo was inside, seated at his desk when Dee entered their office. The chestnut-haired man held a small silver frame. Dee walked around the desks to look at the picture it held. “Wow! Who took that?”

 

The picture was from the last office Christmas Party and showed Dee and Ryo dancing. They looked so happy; Ryo's eyes were closed as he leaned his head on his partner's shoulder. Dee's face was calm and peaceful; the light gave his hair a shimmer that made him look like he was glowing. In many ways he had been, that night had been the first time Ryo had danced with him in public and they had taken turns leading. Dee usually led on the faster songs, Ryo on the slower. Both men were fantastic dancers and could almost read each other's minds on the dance floor.

 

“J.J. did. He has some real talent with his camera.” Ryo sat the picture on the corner of his desk and held up a thick photo album. “Look through these. He has such an eye for details and seems to anticipate when he can get the perfect picture.”

 

Dee leafed through the album and was shocked to realize that every one of the pictures was of Ryo alone or Ryo and him. There were no pictures of J.J. or any of the other detectives at least so far. The pictures were exquisite and seemed alive. They were living reminders of the events where they had taken place. He remembered the summer softball game when Ryo ran home from first base and took out the other teams catcher… it was one of the few times he'd been physically aggressive in a game and Dee had been so excited by it, he'd had to go to the restroom to relieve the pent up pressure. J.J. had captured the exact moment that Ryo had connected with the catcher in his first shot. There was only a small amount of dust being stirred up around his sliding feet and the other man was off balance as he stretched out for the ball. The very next picture showed the same scene a moment later when Ryo had slid across the plate and the catcher was sprawled in the dirt, the softball just inches from his outstretched hand.

 

“He is good,” Dee finally said. He reached the last page and was surprised to see one picture that was different from the others. This one showed the entire precinct after the inter-precinct football game. Everyone was covered with grass stains and looked more than a little battered. Ryo had played wide receiver while he had been a running back. Rose was the quarterback and between the three of them, they had managed to score 45 points on the other team. J.J. hadn't played since he'd been injured a week before during a drug bust and had instead spent the entire game taking pictures. Everyone in the photo was smiling and the camera had clearly captured the adoring look that Ryo was giving Dee. “He understands,” Dee whispered.

 

“Yeah. He does.” Ryo said quietly.

 

Dee handed the album back to his partner, “Well, I need some help.”

 

“Go on,” Ryo nodded.

 

Dee flopped down in the chair next to Ryo's desk. “I asked Rose out to lunch. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

 

“Just that,” Ryo looked exasperated, “Take him to lunch. You remember what I told you this morning. His favorite foods are Chinese and northern Italian. Why don't you take him to the new Chinese restaurant in Chinatown? Their food is supposed to be fantastic and I don't think they require reservations.”

 

“Okay. I'll do that.”

 

“Have you thought about dinner?”

 

“Rose is taking me out,” Dee looked a bit relieved. “I don't have to worry about that at least.”

 

Ryo nodded, “You are supposed to both treat each other as your sweet heart so it makes sense to share the load equally. Are you going to get him anything?”

 

“I thought about taking him flowers at dinner. Maybe buying him a bottle of brandy or scotch?” Dee threw out. “What does he like? He seems so high-and-mighty…in some ways, he's intimidating.”

 

“Stop thinking that way.” Ryo admonished. “He's just like you and me.”

 

“Yeah. He is like you.” Dee thought as he remembered how Rose's reaction to his kiss had mirrored Ryo's response the first time Dee had kissed him the same way. “What do you think about the brandy? Something expensive,” Dee prompted, “He seems the type of guy who would enjoy a good brandy.”

 

“I don't think hard liquor would be the way to go, at least in my opinion. I'd lean more toward a fine wine. There's a wine cellar in Manhattan that delivers. If you call, give them an idea of what you're looking for, they could probably have it here before we leave tonight.”

 

“I think I'll do that. What're your plans for the rest of the day?” Dee moved back to his desk and began rummaging through one of his chaotic drawers for his elusive phonebook.

 

“I'm taking J.J. to lunch and then we're taking a tour of the new art gallery over in Long Island.” Ryo giggled a little as Dee pulled out a brown bag that had originally been his lunch some months, maybe years, ago. “Tonight, J.J. invited me to dinner and then to a Japanese cultural exhibit at the Met.”

 

“You've got everything planned out.”

 

Ryo shrugged, “I took this seriously. I've already discovered that J.J. and I have a lot in common. We have many similar interests and dislikes. Did you know that he majored in criminal justice just like me? We even became interested in becoming a cop around the same age and for similar reasons. His sister was raped while on her way home from school one afternoon during his senior year. He'd stayed late to work on a project instead of walking her home as he normally did…a man attacked her leaving her unconscious. J.J. got home and when his sister wasn't there, he went searching for her only to hear about a young woman who'd been attacked. Fearing she was his sister, he contacted the police and was asked to come in and identify her. He almost broke down while telling me even though she recovered and is now happily married. I explained that I understood and told him about my parents. If nothing else, I think that small connection is enough to fulfill Doctor Wilson's expectations.”

 

Dee nodded and nibbled on his lower lip. “He's had a lot of pain in his life. I wonder how he can still be so happy?”

 

“He tries to look on the bright side of things.”

 

“Could I borrow your phone book?” Dee finally gave up on searching for his.

 

Instead of the phone book, Ryo handed him a piece of paper with the wine cellar's number and address on it. “Here's the number.”

 

“You're a life saver, partner,” Dee grinned as he punched an outside line and quickly dialed the number. When the person on the other end picked up, he jumped in and said, “I need some help with a gift for tonight.”

 

After a pause, he explained, “Well, I'm having dinner with someone and I'd like to bring a nice bottle of wine. Nothing too expensive, but nothing cheap either,” Dee paused a moment. “Maybe a red?”

 

“I don't think a rosé would be appropriate,” He had to smile at that. “Yeah, I'm going to take a rose wine to a guy named Rose.”

 

“Price range?” Dee looked like deer caught in headlights. “Umm. What type of range are we looking at?” After listening to the other person, the raven-haired detective looked ready to pass out. “Don't you have anything for a little less?” Another pause. “Well, what about taste?”

 

“How about the fruity/spicy one? I think he'd like that.” Dee glared at the phone, “Yeah. It's for a man; he's my boss. Is there something wrong with that?” He immediately looked contrite and his voice reflected it as he continued, “I didn't think it mattered if it was for a man or a woman.”

 

“Oh, you make different recommendations based on gender.”

 

“Describe him?” Dee saw Ryo's glare and changed his response, “Well, he's strong, masculine, in control,” “Shit! I'm running out of anything positive to say. Ryo is going to wring my neck if I call Berkley a sly fox or a bastard and those things probably wouldn't be helpful in picking a wine.”

 

Ryo noticed Dee's difficulty and prompted, “He's passionate about his work.”

 

“He's passionate about his work.” Dee repeated into the phone.

 

“Umm. I don't know what kind of cologne he wears.”

 

“He doesn't.” Ryo answered.

 

“Oh, my partner says that he doesn't wear cologne.” Dee paused as another question was asked. “That's easy. He's a police commissioner.”

 

“I guess he likes danger. This can be a dangerous job.” Dee listened to the several recommendations and their descriptions. “The next to the last one. It sounds like it would be perfect. Spicy, masculine, with hints of cherry and pear,” Dee nodded.

 

Ryo gave him a thumbs-up before turning back to working on a report.

 

“Could I have it delivered?” Dee paused, “Gift wrapped would be great.” Again, he paused, “Make it for four-thirty. I'll be leaving around five and that will give the courier some flexibility.” He waited for the final price and shuddered a little at the amount. “I'll have it waiting. Do you take checks?” Dee waited, “You'll take a credit card over the phone? Just one minute,” He started digging into his pocket in search of his wallet. With a happy grunt, he grabbed it and pulled out his Visa, “Here's the number,” He quickly rattled off the number and expiration date before giving his name and address. “The delivery address is the 27th precinct, homicide, office 710.” He finished with the precinct phone number and their extension before hanging up.

 

Ryo raised his head from his report. “Well, it sounds as if they were able to find the perfect wine for you.”

 

“Yeah. At over a hundred and twenty dollars the damn thing should be bottled in gold.”

 

“That's not a bad price for their wines. Some of the best vintages go for upwards of five hundred dollars.” Ryo laughed over Dee's shocked expression. “That wine that I always have with pasta is from there and it costs around sixty dollars per bottle.”

 

“Damn. Well, I'm going to call that Chinese restaurant and see exactly where they're located. Wouldn't look very good if Rose and I got lost.” His grin was back as he pulled out the restaurant's flyer and dialed the number, “Hello. I need to get directions.” He gave their address and quickly jotted down the directions the man gave him. “Thank you. I'll be there for lunch.” Dee cleared his throat.

 

“Nani?” Ryo queried wondering what Dee wanted now.

 

“Did you look at the name of this restaurant?”

 

“No,” Ryo looked confused, “Why should I have?”

 

“It's called The Chinese Rose.”

 

Both men laughed softly. “I'm sorry, Dee. I had no idea. Everyone I know who's eaten there has raved about their food. I never thought about the name.”

 

“Oh, well. He's had to have gotten used to his name by now. He's what fifty or so?”

 

Ryo shook his head. “He's not that much older than we are, Dee. He's probably around thirty-five.”

 

“I guess he's what you call `mature'.” Dee laughed.

 

“That was just cruel, Dee. How are you supposed to learn anything about him if all you ever do is insult him?”

 

“Sorry. Sorry,” Dee tried to look contrite but couldn't come close to pulling it off because of his wide grin. “I'll try to do better.”

 

“How did breakfast go anyway?”

 

“He loved it and said to give his compliments to the chef.” Dee couldn't help but feel happy that the meal had gone so well. The other man had seemed genuinely surprised that Dee had been willing to be polite this morning. “Have I been too judgmental? Have I never given him a chance?”

 

“Did you learn anything about him?”

 

Dee thought back through the encounter and realized that the one thing that he had learned…that Berkley Rose reacted to his passionate kisses the same way that Ryo did, wasn't something he wanted to share with his partner. “Just that he was worried about how you and J.J. would get along.”

 

“We're doing great. I'm more worried about the two of you. Try to learn something about him over lunch, Dee. You might discover that you're more alike than you realize.” Ryo already knew the two men were similar…almost the same really. However, Dee didn't see it and maybe never would. Nevertheless, it would be nice not to have to worry about his partner and his boss killing each other if there wasn't some kind of buffer between them.

 

The two men worked until twenty after eleven before saving their work and getting themselves ready to leave for lunch. They wished each other, `Good luck,' before heading to find their respective lunch partners.

 

~~~~~

 

Ryo reached J.J. and Drake's office and found the door wide open. The two men were sitting at Drake's desk working on a report. J.J. saw Ryo's reflection in the monitor and waved him into one of the other chairs in the room. “We'll be done in just a minute. I don't want to leave Drake with all the work.”

 

“I understand, take your time.” Ryo smiled as he watched the partners work together. They seemed to finish each other's thoughts and never got in each other's way. It was amazing that two people could read each other so well; yet, one of them could be so oblivious not to see how much the other loved him. “Well, who does that sound like?” Ryo asked himself.

 

Drake glanced up and caught Ryo's gaze to give him a wink. He'd originally planned on giving that lens to J.J.; but when the other detective asked if there was anything he could buy the lavender-haired man…Drake felt he had no choice but to tell him. After J.J. had showed him the lens, he'd told Drake that the next thing he wanted was to upgrade his darkroom…that had given the blond-haired detective all the incentive he needed to refocus his attention on something new to buy for his partner.

 

“I think that's everything, Drake.” J.J. jumped up already hyper from the short time he'd been sitting. “Will you be okay for the afternoon?”

 

“I'll be fine, J.J., now go and enjoy lunch and the art show.” Drake grinned at how serious both men were taking this `assignment.' He'd also seen the jealousy that had flashed through Dee's eyes this morning when J.J. had focused all his attention on Ryo instead of him. He realized that the raven-haired detective might not have been interested in a relationship with J.J.; but he still preferred all the attention to be on him. It was somewhat disturbing knowing that even if J.J. could get over his infatuation…Dee would still be there expecting the attention.

 

J.J. was quickly slipping into his coat, “Now, Partner, if you need anything, I have my beeper with me and my cell phone will be on as well. Don't hesitate to call.”

 

“You sound like a mother-hen, J.J…now get out of here.” He smiled as the two men finally left. “Guess it'll be a lunch from the machines for me.” Almost as an afterthought, Drake decided to check their refrigerator to see if there was anything in there he could eat. The first thing he saw was a small blank envelope on a covered dish. “What's this?” Drake picked up the envelope and noticed that it was blank on both sides…his own curiosity won out and he quickly opened it. The note, in J.J.'s flowing handwriting, brought tears to his eyes. “He knows.” Drake thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drake pulled the dish out of the fridge and lifted the lid to look inside. He was shocked when he saw the huge piece of lasagna, baked chicken, and garlic-mashed potatoes. He breathed in deeply the scent of the homemade food. “If we ever get together, I'm going to be as big as a blimp. His cooking is marvelous.”

 

~~~~~

 

Dee stood in front of the commissioner's office. He could hear Rose, “Berkley,” He corrected himself, talking on the phone and he didn't want to disturb what could be an important call. He heard the receiver slam down and wondered if he really wanted to be the first one Berkley saw after that phone call.

 

“God, Damn, Bastard.” Berkley growled out. The mayor had just called to ream him a new asshole because he'd dared to use the police psychologist to help improve his precinct. “Why the hell doesn't he want us to improve?” Rose stood and paced in an attempt to diffuse his anger before having to deal with Dee. “He'll think I'm pissed off at him and that'll send everything into a downward spiral. This precinct will be number one if I have my say in things.” His thoughts re-focused, and he began trying to relax a bit… road rage wouldn't be conducive to either of their lives and he knew that it wouldn't take much to set off either of their tempers. “We're too much alike.” The tall commissioner stopped and replayed that thought several times. He realized that he was right. The two of them were so very alike…from whom they had fallen for to how they reacted when someone invaded their turf. “That's why we can't get along. It's not Ryo and our conflict over him. It's our personalities…we can't help but fight with ourselves.”

 

He wasn't sure if he should be happy about that insight or depressed. He already knew there was at least one area where Dee had him beat hands down. The entire morning he'd been distracted by the kiss they'd shared. On one hand, Berkley knew that he could never have that incident repeated…for the good of his own mind. On the other, he knew that he'd be willing to do almost anything to experience it again. He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “How did this happen? Dee is filling my thoughts instead of Ryo.” Rose sighed as the kiss they'd share replayed through his mind once again, “That kiss. Where did he learn to do that? I thought I knew everything there was about making love to a man…or a woman. How could I have missed something that vital?” Truth be told, he couldn't even pinpoint what had made the kiss so powerful. “I'd love to experience it again,” He admitted truthfully.

 

A soft knock at his door pulled him out of his revere and he called out, “Come in.” He wasn't surprised when Dee stepped through the door since it was almost eleven-thirty. “I'll be ready to leave in a couple of minutes, Dee. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Coke?”

 

Dee shook his head. “No, thank you.”

 

They were both being polite and careful. Dee didn't want to suffer the left over wrath of the phone call…Berkley just didn't want to jump the younger man and beg him to kiss him again.

 

Rose quickly put away a couple of files he'd been reading over and closed his phone log. With a last glance at his phone to check for voice messages, he stood and gathered up his coat. “I'm ready. Where are we going?”

 

Dee turned for the door when Rose's next question caught him off guard.

 

“Where's your coat, Dee? You did wear one I hope.”

 

“I forgot it in the office. I'll pick it up on the way out.” Dee decided to address Rose's other question next. “We're going to a new restaurant in Chinatown.”

 

“The Chinese Rose?” Dee nodded as they walked to his office. “I've been wanting to try it. They're supposed to have a fantastic menu and even a food bar.”

 

Dee hadn't heard about the food bar; but didn't comment on it. “Where are we going tonight? How should I dress?” “With my luck, I'll need to rent a tux.”

 

Rose watched as Dee shrugged into his coat and double-checked his pockets for his gloves. “A suit and tie would be appropriate. It's not black-tie or anything like that. The actual place is going to be a surprise,” Berkley said mysteriously.

 

Dee glared for a moment; he didn't like surprises from people he didn't trust. “All right,” The raven-haired detective walked back out to join Rose in the hall, “Let's go.”

 

The two men rode down on the newly repaired lift only to have it come to a dead stop in only one and half floors. “What the hell?” Dee glared at the panel right before the lights went out. “I can't believe this shit.”

 

“Be patient, Dee. They'll get it moving again soon. The repairmen probably haven't even left, yet.” Berkley hated to admit it; but he hated elevators. The dark didn't bother him; but the closed in space of the lift was enough to make him lose it. As the minutes wore on, his breathing became increasingly irregular and sweat began to soak through his shirt. He could hear the echo of his breathing and terror began rising up from deep inside him… “I can't lose it here. Not like this. I can't do this.” His thoughts took on a mind of their own as he began to think he could hear thousands of echoes of his breath racing through the closed in space. The walls were falling toward him and he could feel all four walls pressing against his body, crushing him with their weight… reducing him to nothing but a weak, struggling mass. He slowly sagged down the side of the elevator trying to protect himself the best he could.

 

“Berkley, I hate to ask this; but are you fantasizing about Ryo?” He'd been trying to lighten the mood and the only thing he could think of to attribute the commissioner's irregular breathing to was the man masturbating. Dee glanced toward the last place he'd seen the commissioner…the pitch-blackness made everything invisible. He was becoming concerned now…the other man's breathing was almost to the point of hyperventilating and he didn't want him to pass out. “Berkley? Commissioner?” Still no answer…Dee wondered what was happening.

 

He moved carefully along the back of the elevator, following the wall until he almost tripped over the older man as he cowered in the corner of the lift. “What the hell?” Dee thought as he regained his balance and slowly moved to kneel next to the other man. “Are you afraid of the dark?” He laid his hands on either side of the commissioner's head so he could feel any movement. “Sir?” The other man was shaking so hard that it made it difficult for Dee to keep his fingers from poking him in the eyes.

 

“Shit,” Dee said quietly as he sat back on his heels. “What do I do now?”

 

He leaned forward again until he was touching the other man's face. He grimaced as he pulled his right hand back before slapping Berkley's cheek. The commissioner jerked away to curl up into a ball, his arms crossed over his face in an effort to protect his head. The older man started to whimper softly before shaking again.

 

Dee touched the other man's back and tried to figure out what he could do now. “I thought slapping someone always worked,” He thought. “Berkley?” “Treat him like Ryo. What would I do if this were Ryo lying there terrified?” The raven-haired detective reached out and gathered the terrified man into his arms and rocked him gently. “We'll be out of here soon. Don't worry.” Dee whispered softly. “It's all right.”

 

From far away, Berkley was dimly aware of being slapped. Already deep in a panic attack, he fell into memories that he'd long thought buried. Nothing was reaching him until he felt a gentle, almost loving hand touch his back. That triggered different memories that gave him something to focus on. He slowly felt the terror slipping away sealed away by the strong arms that were holding him. The elevator walls were kept at bay as well and he drew a deep breath, relishing how it felt not to have his chest constricted by the powerful walls.

 

“Berkley?” Dee's voice cut through to Berkley's brain.

 

The older man swallowed hard as he remembered that he was with Dee. “Yes,” Came his soft answer.

 

“What just happened to you?” Dee's voice held concern…he wasn't gloating over the panic attack…truth be told, Berkley's panic attack had frightened him.

 

“I can't handle being trapped,” Rose whispered.

 

“Are you going to be all right now?” Dee repositioned himself so he leaned against the back wall of the elevator and still cradled the larger man's upper body.

 

“I don't know,” The older man answered truthfully. “I was trapped once in an elevator at college for several hours. I couldn't re-enter an elevator for almost three years afterward.”

 

“That's not what I mean,” Dee scowled a little. “Here and now…if I were to let go of you, how would you react?”

 

Berkley shivered in Dee's protective embrace, “I'd fall apart again,” He whispered softly. “I wouldn't be able to handle it.”

 

Dee sighed. “What would have happened if you'd been alone?”

 

“When the doors open, they'd have found me curled in a ball in the corner of the elevator.” Berkley's face grew hot with embarrassment. His fear of closed spaces had always been a source of worry for him; but to have it revealed to everyone in the precinct was going to be very difficult. “Dee is going to have a field day with this information.”

 

“Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Truthfully, you had me scared there for a while. I didn't know what to do for you.” Dee couldn't believe that he'd just admitted his fear to the commissioner. “Yeah. The great Dee Laytner is afraid of a person having a panic attack.”

 

“Thank you,” Berkley said his surprise evident in his voice. “I appreciate it.” Privately he wondered what Dee's silence would actually cost.

 

“I can't tell anyone about you without tell them that I didn't know how to deal with it. Everyone would laugh at me.”

 

Berkley looked toward Dee's voice and stared in amazement. “Why would they laugh at you?” Then he whispered, “I don't understand any reason for you not to take advantage of this knowledge.”

 

“It's all right, Berkley. I'm not going to tell anyone. Isn't this what today is supposed to about? Learning about the other person and placing yourself in their shoes?”

 

Berkley nodded before he realized that Dee couldn't see it, “Yes. It is.”

 

Dee shifted Berkley's weight and felt the other man shiver against his legs when his arms left him for just a moment. “I'm right here. My arms were just getting tired.”

 

“I'll sit up,” Berkley whispered. He quickly tried matching his actions to his words and struggled until he sat next to Dee. He settled against the wall and shuddered as he swore that he felt it push back. Without a word, Dee wrapped an arm around the other man's shoulders and let him rest his head against him. “Thank you.”

 

“It's nothing,” Dee decided to try to take Berkley's mind off what was happening by trying to get him to talk. “Would you like to know what I'm afraid of?”

 

Berkley started at Dee's soft voice and the way his hair gently moved with Dee's breath. “If you want to talk about it,” Rose whispered back.

 

“I'm afraid of rabbits.”

 

“Rabbits?” Berkley figured for sure that Dee was joking. “The little furry kinds?”

 

Dee nodded against Berkley's head. “At the orphanage where I grew up, a new kid came and he brought a bunny with him. I was little…maybe three or four at the time…and thought the little thing was cute. Well, one day I took it out to play with it and it bit me. Drew blood, too. I remember screaming so loud that several of the nuns came running believing that someone was attacking me. The rabbit hopped away and was scooped up by another one of the boys. My finger hurt so bad that I thought I'd lose it… when I told Penguin that, she just patted me on the head and said that I'd be all right.”

 

“I'm sorry. You were very young and that would have left a lasting impression.” Berkley had felt Dee's breathing change as he'd told the story and the commissioner could almost picture a young child, Dee behind his normal bravado. “Have you tried working through your fear?” He felt the other man shake his head. “I have. When I was in junior high, my parents thought I should be treated for it, after I was trapped in a stall in the bathroom at school. Several older boys had shoved me in and then braced the door closed with a chair. The door was too high for me to climb over and unlike most stalls; the door came almost to the floor…I didn't have enough room to crawl under. The space was still well lit; but it felt as if the walls were closing in, crushing me.”

 

“It's alright,” Dee brushed his fingers through the older man's hair in a comforting gesture.

 

“When I was found, I was a mess mentally. I'd curled up on the floor and wouldn't move. The school called my parents and told them to get me help since that wasn't normal behavior.” Berkley sighed at the memory. “My mother was a physician and sent me to one of her colleagues who was a behavioral therapist. He decided that the best therapy for a boy was immersion therapy, which meant that he'd dump me in a small space and leave me there. Supposedly, that therapy works by forcing you to face your fears and you eventually `get over it'…I never did. Every session, he'd toss me in a box and I'd black out. Finally, he decided that I was incurable and washed his hands of me.”

 

“God, that sounds like child abuse.”

 

“It's a recognized therapy.” Berkley thought it was abusive too; but knew that it wasn't viewed that way in the wider scheme of things. “My parents figured that eventually I'd outgrow it.”

 

“I'm sorry. No one should have had to go through that.” Dee tried lightening the mood, “Do you think we're doing what Doctor Wilson wanted us to do? Are we learning about each other?”

 

Berkley laughed softly, “I don't know what the hell she was trying to accomplish. She was one of the strangest women that I've ever met and she has to have a sadistic streak a mile wide to have thought this up.” He sighed and realized something, “Regardless of her motives or her sadism, I'm glad that you were with me today. I really don't know how I'd have handled this without you.”

 

Dee beamed with pride. He seldom heard praise from his superiors and to know that he'd helped with something as personal as a panic attack gave him a heartfelt boost. “Thank you. I'm glad that I was here too. I wouldn't have wanted you to go through this alone. I'm a cold-hearted bastard; but I still have a heart.”

 

“You can't possibly be cold-hearted and kiss the way you do, Dee,” The words escaped before Berkley could stop them. He heard the raven-haired man's shocked breath and waited for an attack or to be pushed away.

 

“I'm sorry. I should never have taken such a liberty.”

 

Rose was shocked, “Don't be sorry. That was the most powerful kiss that I've ever been involved in. I can understand why Ryo loves your kisses. They convey more than lust, they're filled with love.” He realized with a start that was what made the kiss so much more than just a kiss. “Love.”

 

“I don't love you.”

 

“I know. You were thinking about Ryo.” Berkley's voice held an unbelievable sadness as he realized the truth of his words.

 

“I was.”

 

“Ryo's a lucky man,” There were tears in the older man's voice now.

 

“No,” Dee corrected gently, “I'm a lucky man because he loves me back just as much.”

 

Berkley sat up with a start as the lights came back on in the lift and the gentle whine of the motors restarted. The two men recomposed themselves and were all business by the time the doors opened on the ground floor. Without a word, they stepped off the elevator and went to the stairs, walking quickly to the garage's parking level. A quick glance at his watch showed that it was after one-thirty; they'd been trapped for more than two hours.

Valentine's Day Psychology 1 Chapter 1

 

 

 

Drake,

 

I hate to leave you alone for lunch this afternoon; but you know this is something I have to do. I'm going to make the best of it because I hate to fail in anything. I made you something special so you'll remember your partner. Enjoy it and think of me.

 

Love you Partner,

J.J.