"Dee, hit the radio?"

 Dee Latener snapped out of his daze. He had been staring again, and Ryo had probably noticed. Damn. "Sure." Lazily getting to his feet, the dark haired police officer plodded barefoot to the radio. //How can I help but stare. He's so g-d damn beautiful.// And Randy Maclean *was* beautiful. The blonde hair, the dark eyes, and the lean, muscular frame. //And g-d only knows what's hiding behind those...wonderful....skin tight....pants.// Dee had to take a moment and stop himself from drooling. Still, despite the strong physical attraction, there were many strong feelings for his partner held in Dee's big heart. "How's this?" The radio was flipped on, and the music of Billy Joel filled the room.

 "That's fine." Ryo was relaxing on the couch. "Thank goodness for battery power, huh?"

 "I don't understand why they haven't gotten the power back on yet," Dee grumbled, coming back to the couch and sitting near the other man. He lit a cigarette with a sigh. "The storm's been over for awhile now."

 "I just hope the kids are all right," Ryo commented, his head resting on his hand.

 Dee couldn't hide his smirk, and he was glad the room was only lit by dim candlelight. He was immensely glad to have this time together, alone with Ryo. No kids, no distractions, just him, Ryo, candle light, and soft music. Dee's smirk morphed into an impish grin. //If this isn't the perfect opportunity to score....//

 Ryo glanced cautiously at his partner several times, feeling wary, and yet anxious. Dee's features were difficult to make out in the dim lighting, and he was just waiting to simply blink, then suddenly see Dee straddling him, their lips inches apart. //He always moves so suddenly//, the blonde thought, stealing another glance. //Heh, I never thought I'd say this, but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't try *something*.//

 The silence was awkward, with the only noise the song playing itself out on the radio. The streets of New York City were unusually quiet, probably because the power failure kept everyone inside.

 Ryo found his mind was drifting, and he was only brought back to the moment at the feeling of Dee's leg settling against his. The dark haired detectives had put out his cigarette, and Ryo's eyes had fixed on where the contact had been made. He was frozen, mind instantly void of all thought.

 A moment later the world spun, and once he was aware of his surroundings again, Dee was straddling him, a wolfish grin on his handsome face. //Somehow he always manages to surprise me.// "Hello, Dee."

 The dark haired detective was still grinning as he leaned over, bringing their faces closer together. "Hey yourself, baby." Tenderly he brushed locks of blonde hair away from Ryo's slightly oriental eyes. "You know I would never lie to you, right, Ryo?"

 Ryo trembled, feeling the other man's breath on his skin. "I know, Dee."

 Dee somehow managed to lean in closer. "Then you know I mean it when I say you're beautiful."

 Turning his head to one side, the blonde sighed lightly. "Yes, Dee."

 "You know I want you, Ryo." Strong hands drifted up the other man's body. "You know how long I've wanted you..." His voice was low and husky, his breath hot on Ryo's pale skin. "Ryo..."

 "Uh..." Ryo moaned, turning his head and allowing Dee to kiss him deeply, an expert tongue sliding past his lips.

 Dee eagerly pressed his body up against his partner's. "Ryo... Ryo..." He parted their lips, only to kiss him harder and deeper, exploring every inch of the blonde's warm mouth.

 Ryo moaned softly, almost inaudibly, arms wrapped snugly around Dee's waist. //I shouldn't lead him on... My feelings... They're so unclear... And yet... I don't want him to stop...// "Dee.."

 The dark haired man broke away with a moan. "What, baby?" //G-d, it's so hard not to strip you and take you right here.//

 Ryo looked so innocent, a slight blush creeping up on his pale cheeks, blonde hair casually tousled. "Dee... Will you keep kissing me?"

 "As long as you want, baby," he was assured as his partner ate sensuously at his mouth. Dee began to suck gently on the other man's lower lip, while his roaming hands untucked Ryo's shirt and slid underneath.

 Gasping at the sudden touch, the blonde's hands slid over Dee's back and tangled in dark hair. "Dee.... Don't..."

 "Don't make me stop," Dee begged, sliding his lips over the pale, smooth skin of his partner's throat. "Don't make me stop, Ryo." He sucked at the juncture of shoulder and neck, biting gently.

 Ryo yelped, digging his fingers into the dark haired man's scalp. "Oh, Dee, I..."

 "I need you, Ryo." The hands pushed onward.

 The other detective tried in vain to surpress the moans coming from his throat. "Dee... Don't... You're pushing me... Dee..."

 The buttons on the blonde's shirt were parted under expert fingers. Dee suckled consistently at his partner's collar bone, determined to mark him in some way.

 Ryo was practically trashing beneath him, fingers submerged in black hair. He wasn't quite pushing away, but he wasn't making things easy either. "Oh... Dee..."

 That voice was so full of innocence, so unintentionally sexy, that it nearly drove Dee to madness. "Ryo," he muttered before claiming his lips again. "Just let me. It will be perfect."

 "Dee--" But that was the only word Ryo was able to utter before his mouth was once again filled with his partner's probing tongue.

 Ryo's mind was momentarily wiped blank at the overwhelming sensations Dee brought to him. The dark haired detective's tongue was insistent in his mouth while one set of fingers parted the fabric of his shirt, exploring tense muscles. The other hand, however, was headed in the opposite direction.

 "Mmnn!!" Ryo's dark eyes flew open as Dee pressed a hand against his groin. In a flash he held the other man's head in his hands, trying to push him away.

 But the dark haired man held fast, and he continued to fondle his partner through his pants. //Come on, Ryo. I knew you want this too... Right?// He reached for the belt.

 "Dee!!" The blonde tore his lips away and sat up, shoving Dee to the other side of the couch. "Dee," he panted, "Why does stop never work on you?"

 With a heavy sigh, Dee ran a hand through his hair and looked at the carpet. //Because I love you so much.//

 Ryo ran a hand through his own hair with an irritated sigh. He didn't pursue an answer to his question, knowing Dee wasn't going to offer any light on the subject.

 "I'm sorry, Ryo," Dee finally spoke up, still failing to make eye contact. "You know I would never force you to do something you didn't want to." //I love you too much to *ever* want to hurt you.//

 A shiver ran up the dark haired detective's spine as he felt his Japanese-American partner's eyes fixate upon him. "I wasn't so sure that time, Dee." The words were cold, and sent another chill through Dee's veins.

 //He's right. I was so insistent this time. No wonder I scared him off.// He mumbled, "If I didn't love you so g-d damn much, Ryo...."

 "Huh?" Ryo's soft, dark eyes were on him again. "Did you say something, Dee?"

 This time, Dee met his partner's eyes. "Forget it." //You know I love you, Ryo. You know. You just don't feel the same. And damn, it makes me feel so depressed sometimes--to think the one person I love doesn't love me back.//

 Ryo nodded, seeming a bit dazed. "All right." //I just don't know, Dee. I just don't know.//

 The room was suddenly silent, and both men turned their attention to the dead radio.

 "Damn batteries never last," Dee muttered, reaching for a cigarette.

 Ryo frowned. "We didn't get to hear the rest of the song."

 "Oh, you know how it ends," Dee told him with the cigarette between his lips. "It goes, 'and so it goes, and so it goes, and you're the only one who knows'." He half heartedly sang the lyrics, lighting up.

 Ryo heaved a small sigh, resting his head on his hand as he looked away from his partner. "I wish."

 ~Owari~