FAKE Ficlet: Workaholic
Jan. 23rd, 2026 05:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badly_knittedTitle: Workaholic
Fandom: FAKE
Author:
badly_knittedCharacters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Setting: Early in the manga.
Summary: They’ve only been working together for a few months, but it’s long enough for Dee to have realised Ryo can be a bit obsessive about the job.
Word Count: 1592
Written For: Theme Prompt: 241 – Stubbornness at
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fandomweekly.Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
Sometimes Dee had to wonder what was wrong with him. Had he lost what little was left of his mind? What on earth had possessed him that he’d gone and fallen head over heels in love with someone so stubborn? Especially considering that so far, his feelings weren’t being reciprocated. He’d been rebuffed so many times by now he was in danger of getting whiplash. His partner claimed to be longsighted, which might well be true, since as far as Dee could tell, he couldn’t see what was right in front of him, namely Dee himself. Ryo was so determined to cling to the idea of being straight, even though he never showed the slightest interest in women, that Dee just wanted to shake him and tell him to open those extraordinarily dark eyes! It was infuriating.
On the other hand, there were plenty of perfectly logical and acceptable reasons for Dee to fall for his work partner. Ryo was gorgeous, smart, sexy, kind-hearted, caring, and an amazing cook. It was just unfortunate that all those great qualities came packaged with a few less appealing ones, such as being stubborn as Hell, and a workaholic to boot. Right now, that last part was behind the unwelcome and unexpected friction building between them.
Normally, they got along surprisingly well, especially considering the way Ryo kept rejecting all of Dee’s advances. It didn’t keep Dee from trying his luck, pouncing on his partner whenever the opportunity arose, he seriously doubted anything ever would, but it didn’t interfere with their ability to work together. They were a good team, better than good, each of them bringing their own individual talents to the table, but right now Ryo’s dogged persistence was proving a hindrance rather than an asset. It had been a long day, their shift had ended over two hours ago, and Ryo was clearly worn out, they both were, and yet he refused to quit, as if the world would end if they didn’t solve this particular case tonight.
It wouldn’t, Dee knew that for a fact; in most respects, out of all their open cases, this one should be considered low priority, a robbery where, although the value of what had been stolen was significant, no one was suffering any real hardship over it. No one had died, or even been seriously injured, the loss was strictly financial, and the victim was wealthy enough that he could stand to lose a hell of a lot more than the thief had taken before it affected him in any noticeable way.
The problem was, they were so close to cracking the case wide open that they could practically taste it. But while Dee was willing to leave it for the night and come back to it fresh in the morning, Ryo was worrying at it like a dog with a particularly juicy bone, going over every scrap of evidence they’d collected for the umpteenth time, hoping to shake loose the last little detail they’d need to solve it. If they’d still been on the clock, that would’ve been fine, but they weren’t, and Ryo was never going to find what he was looking for if he was so exhausted, both physically and mentally, that he could barely even see straight. He could be looking right at the answer and simply not realise it.
“Will you just listen to me for once, dammit?” Dee snapped, more forcefully than he’d intended.
Ryo glanced up at his partner with red-rimmed eyes and frowned. “I thought I was.”
“Well, you’re not. You might be listenin’, but you’re not hearin’ a damn thing, it’s all just goin’ in one ear and straight out the other, ‘cause there’s nothin’ in the way to stop it.”
“Fine, what’s so important that you have to interrupt me when I’m trying to concentrate?” Ryo sat up a bit straighter, although to Dee’s eyes he appeared to be listing a bit to one side.
“Tryin’ is right, but no matter how hard you try, it’s not gonna get you anywhere, not in the state you’re in. You shouldn’t even be here right now. I think that bump on the head you got earlier has addled your brains.”
“I’m fine, I got checked out and I don’t have a concussion.”
“Not the point. You’re supposed to be an adult; why don’t you try actin’ like one for once?”
That earned Dee an indignant glare. “What’s that supposed to mean? If anyone doesn’t behave like an adult, it’s you, not me.”
Dee returned the glare, adding an annoyed huff. “We’re not discussin’ my failings right now; we’re talkin’ about yours.”
“Well, I’m glad we got that cleared up!” Ryo snapped, sounding more irritable than Dee would have expected.
“Will you shut up and listen!?” Dee frowned. “Where was I?”
“Busy telling me that I’m not acting like an adult.”
“Right! ‘Cause adults don’t work themselves into the ground doin’ unpaid overtime!”
Ryo matched Dee’s frown. “Since when?”
“Yeah, okay.” Dee winced at his bad analogy; these days, most adults working for corporate America did just that, as if driving themselves to ulcers, a coronary, a nervous breakdown, or all three by the age of forty somehow made them a success. “I should’a said SENSIBLE adults don’t.”
“By that, I suppose you mean people like you,” Ryo said, a hint of scorn in his tone. “If everything was left to you, nothing would ever get done.”
“That’s not true, and you know it,” Dee ground out, pointing an accusing finger, keenly aware that the conversation was getting off track. How had he wound up having to defend himself when Ryo was the one in need of an intervention? “I get things done! I just pace myself. I’ve no intention of workin’ myself to an early death, and if you had half the brain you pretend to have, you wouldn’t either.” Dee crossed his arms over his chest and fixed his seated partner with his most intimidating scowl. Not that Ryo noticed.
“But we’re so close to figuring out who stole…” Ryo started, but Dee didn’t let him finish.
“And the answer isn’t gonna change if we wait until tomorrow to figure it out.” He sighed. “Look, I know you’re still pretty new to bein’ a detective, it’s only been a few months, and I know you wanna do well, and you are. You’re a great detective, you’ve got a knack for piecin’ things together, but what you need to get through that thick skull of yours is that solvin’ crimes is a marathon, not a sprint.” That was the analogy Dee should have gone with at the start; as a runner, it was something Ryo could understand. “Some cases are gonna take months to solve; if you try to rush, you’ll wind up missin’ somethin’ important, and the whole case might get thrown out of court, if it even gets that far. You want that?”
“Of course not!”
“Then quit for the night. Figure it out tomorrow, when your head’s clear and you’re not about to topple outta your seat from sheer exhaustion. Right now, all you’re doin’ is the mental equivalent of beatin’ your head against a brick wall. Trust me, you’ll feel a whole lot better when ya stop, and in the mornin’, chances are you’ll take one look at the evidence and somethin’ will click, somethin’ you’d be seein’ right now if you weren’t so done in.”
“I just hate giving up!”
“You’re not givin’ up, bud, you’re just puttin’ it aside for a few hours so your brain can take a break, recharge, and come back online tomorrow firin’ on all cylinders instead of chuggin’ along at less than half speed with the gears grindin’. Seriously, you’re gonna blow a gasket if ya keep tryin’ to force more power outta your brain. You’re runnin’ on empty.”
“I’m getting confused, and you’re mixing metaphors. Is there more coffee?”
“You don’t need more coffee; it’ll just keep you awake. What you need is somethin’ to eat, and a few hours’ uninterrupted sleep. Think of your brain like your laptop; you’ve been usin’ up the battery and now it’s outta juice.”
Ryo sighed. “Brains need to come with chargers, the same way phones do. Then I could just plug myself in at my desk instead of having to waste time sleeping.”
“Sleep is never a waste of time. Hell, for all you know, if you go home and go to bed, you could wake up in the mornin’ and find you solved the whole damn case in your sleep. Maybe a couple others into the bargain.”
“That would be nice.”
“So, you gonna show some sense, call it a day, clock out, and get some quality sleep?”
Looking at the open file folders spread across his desk, Ryo gave a heavy sigh. “I suppose so. I’m not getting anything done with you standing there nagging at me.” Reluctantly, Ryo started closing the folders and stacking them, then slid them into his desk drawer and locked it. “Happy now?”
“Gettin’ there. C’mon, I’ll drive ya home, grab some takeout on the way so ya won’t haveta cook.”
“My car’s in the lot.”
“Yeah, but you’re in no condition to drive. You’re liable to fall asleep at the wheel and crash, which would NOT look good on your record. If you’re feelin’ generous, you’ll let me sleep over so I can drive us both in tomorrow. No funny stuff, you have my word. I’m too tired anyway. Just back to your place, eat, and sleep. ‘Kay?”
“Yes, fine. Can we pick up Thai?”
“Whatever ya want, bud.”
Ryo might be stubborn as a mule, but so was Dee, and to Dee’s mind, that made them perfect for each other.
The End
On the other hand, there were plenty of perfectly logical and acceptable reasons for Dee to fall for his work partner. Ryo was gorgeous, smart, sexy, kind-hearted, caring, and an amazing cook. It was just unfortunate that all those great qualities came packaged with a few less appealing ones, such as being stubborn as Hell, and a workaholic to boot. Right now, that last part was behind the unwelcome and unexpected friction building between them.
Normally, they got along surprisingly well, especially considering the way Ryo kept rejecting all of Dee’s advances. It didn’t keep Dee from trying his luck, pouncing on his partner whenever the opportunity arose, he seriously doubted anything ever would, but it didn’t interfere with their ability to work together. They were a good team, better than good, each of them bringing their own individual talents to the table, but right now Ryo’s dogged persistence was proving a hindrance rather than an asset. It had been a long day, their shift had ended over two hours ago, and Ryo was clearly worn out, they both were, and yet he refused to quit, as if the world would end if they didn’t solve this particular case tonight.
It wouldn’t, Dee knew that for a fact; in most respects, out of all their open cases, this one should be considered low priority, a robbery where, although the value of what had been stolen was significant, no one was suffering any real hardship over it. No one had died, or even been seriously injured, the loss was strictly financial, and the victim was wealthy enough that he could stand to lose a hell of a lot more than the thief had taken before it affected him in any noticeable way.
The problem was, they were so close to cracking the case wide open that they could practically taste it. But while Dee was willing to leave it for the night and come back to it fresh in the morning, Ryo was worrying at it like a dog with a particularly juicy bone, going over every scrap of evidence they’d collected for the umpteenth time, hoping to shake loose the last little detail they’d need to solve it. If they’d still been on the clock, that would’ve been fine, but they weren’t, and Ryo was never going to find what he was looking for if he was so exhausted, both physically and mentally, that he could barely even see straight. He could be looking right at the answer and simply not realise it.
“Will you just listen to me for once, dammit?” Dee snapped, more forcefully than he’d intended.
Ryo glanced up at his partner with red-rimmed eyes and frowned. “I thought I was.”
“Well, you’re not. You might be listenin’, but you’re not hearin’ a damn thing, it’s all just goin’ in one ear and straight out the other, ‘cause there’s nothin’ in the way to stop it.”
“Fine, what’s so important that you have to interrupt me when I’m trying to concentrate?” Ryo sat up a bit straighter, although to Dee’s eyes he appeared to be listing a bit to one side.
“Tryin’ is right, but no matter how hard you try, it’s not gonna get you anywhere, not in the state you’re in. You shouldn’t even be here right now. I think that bump on the head you got earlier has addled your brains.”
“I’m fine, I got checked out and I don’t have a concussion.”
“Not the point. You’re supposed to be an adult; why don’t you try actin’ like one for once?”
That earned Dee an indignant glare. “What’s that supposed to mean? If anyone doesn’t behave like an adult, it’s you, not me.”
Dee returned the glare, adding an annoyed huff. “We’re not discussin’ my failings right now; we’re talkin’ about yours.”
“Well, I’m glad we got that cleared up!” Ryo snapped, sounding more irritable than Dee would have expected.
“Will you shut up and listen!?” Dee frowned. “Where was I?”
“Busy telling me that I’m not acting like an adult.”
“Right! ‘Cause adults don’t work themselves into the ground doin’ unpaid overtime!”
Ryo matched Dee’s frown. “Since when?”
“Yeah, okay.” Dee winced at his bad analogy; these days, most adults working for corporate America did just that, as if driving themselves to ulcers, a coronary, a nervous breakdown, or all three by the age of forty somehow made them a success. “I should’a said SENSIBLE adults don’t.”
“By that, I suppose you mean people like you,” Ryo said, a hint of scorn in his tone. “If everything was left to you, nothing would ever get done.”
“That’s not true, and you know it,” Dee ground out, pointing an accusing finger, keenly aware that the conversation was getting off track. How had he wound up having to defend himself when Ryo was the one in need of an intervention? “I get things done! I just pace myself. I’ve no intention of workin’ myself to an early death, and if you had half the brain you pretend to have, you wouldn’t either.” Dee crossed his arms over his chest and fixed his seated partner with his most intimidating scowl. Not that Ryo noticed.
“But we’re so close to figuring out who stole…” Ryo started, but Dee didn’t let him finish.
“And the answer isn’t gonna change if we wait until tomorrow to figure it out.” He sighed. “Look, I know you’re still pretty new to bein’ a detective, it’s only been a few months, and I know you wanna do well, and you are. You’re a great detective, you’ve got a knack for piecin’ things together, but what you need to get through that thick skull of yours is that solvin’ crimes is a marathon, not a sprint.” That was the analogy Dee should have gone with at the start; as a runner, it was something Ryo could understand. “Some cases are gonna take months to solve; if you try to rush, you’ll wind up missin’ somethin’ important, and the whole case might get thrown out of court, if it even gets that far. You want that?”
“Of course not!”
“Then quit for the night. Figure it out tomorrow, when your head’s clear and you’re not about to topple outta your seat from sheer exhaustion. Right now, all you’re doin’ is the mental equivalent of beatin’ your head against a brick wall. Trust me, you’ll feel a whole lot better when ya stop, and in the mornin’, chances are you’ll take one look at the evidence and somethin’ will click, somethin’ you’d be seein’ right now if you weren’t so done in.”
“I just hate giving up!”
“You’re not givin’ up, bud, you’re just puttin’ it aside for a few hours so your brain can take a break, recharge, and come back online tomorrow firin’ on all cylinders instead of chuggin’ along at less than half speed with the gears grindin’. Seriously, you’re gonna blow a gasket if ya keep tryin’ to force more power outta your brain. You’re runnin’ on empty.”
“I’m getting confused, and you’re mixing metaphors. Is there more coffee?”
“You don’t need more coffee; it’ll just keep you awake. What you need is somethin’ to eat, and a few hours’ uninterrupted sleep. Think of your brain like your laptop; you’ve been usin’ up the battery and now it’s outta juice.”
Ryo sighed. “Brains need to come with chargers, the same way phones do. Then I could just plug myself in at my desk instead of having to waste time sleeping.”
“Sleep is never a waste of time. Hell, for all you know, if you go home and go to bed, you could wake up in the mornin’ and find you solved the whole damn case in your sleep. Maybe a couple others into the bargain.”
“That would be nice.”
“So, you gonna show some sense, call it a day, clock out, and get some quality sleep?”
Looking at the open file folders spread across his desk, Ryo gave a heavy sigh. “I suppose so. I’m not getting anything done with you standing there nagging at me.” Reluctantly, Ryo started closing the folders and stacking them, then slid them into his desk drawer and locked it. “Happy now?”
“Gettin’ there. C’mon, I’ll drive ya home, grab some takeout on the way so ya won’t haveta cook.”
“My car’s in the lot.”
“Yeah, but you’re in no condition to drive. You’re liable to fall asleep at the wheel and crash, which would NOT look good on your record. If you’re feelin’ generous, you’ll let me sleep over so I can drive us both in tomorrow. No funny stuff, you have my word. I’m too tired anyway. Just back to your place, eat, and sleep. ‘Kay?”
“Yes, fine. Can we pick up Thai?”
“Whatever ya want, bud.”
Ryo might be stubborn as a mule, but so was Dee, and to Dee’s mind, that made them perfect for each other.
The End
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Date: 2026-01-23 11:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-01-24 12:07 am (UTC)Thank you!