Title: Leave Your Shoes At The Door

Fandom: FAKE

Author: badly-knitted

Characters: Dee, Ryo

Rating: G

Setting: Vol. 1 Act 1. Dee's first visit to Ryo's apartment.

Summary: Dee has never really thought about going barefoot at home until now…

Word Count: 499

Written For: Challenge #94: Footwear at fan_flashworks.

Disclaimer: I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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Ryo's invitation to dinner had been unexpected, to say the least. Dee had only met his new partner that morning, and now here he was, outside the man's apartment, waiting for the doorbell to be answered. Before coming over, he'd stopped off at home to shower and change from his work clothes into something more casual, wanting to make a good impression.

The door opened to reveal a most enticing sight; Ryo had gone for the casual look too, dressed in jeans and a loose sweater. Dee raked his gaze appreciatively over the other man, noting his bare feet with some surprise. Even Ryo's feet were sexy.

"Well hello there!"

"Hi, Dee. Thanks for coming. Come in, and take your shoes off if you wouldn't mind."

"Okay, sure. D'you always go barefoot at home?"

"Mostly, yes. It keeps dirt from getting tracked across the floors, much more hygienic. Besides, it's what I'm used to, we always took our shoes off at home."

"Huh. Well, when in Rome…" Dee toed his boots off then tugged off his socks too, tucking them in his boots. It felt a bit strange to be barefoot on the wooden floor, but kinda freeing too. "Don't your feet get cold in winter? Or do you wear fluffy bunny slippers in cold weather?" he teased.

Ryo laughed, turning to go back to the kitchen.

"Slippers, yes, sometimes. Not the bunny kind though," he replied over his shoulder.

Dee wiggled his toes for a moment, then hung his jacket on the back of a nearby chair and followed his host into the kitchen, sniffing at the tantalising aroma of Ryo's cooking.

"Dinner smells good!"

"Thanks. You mind giving me a hand?"

"Not at all. I should warn you though, I'm not much of a cook."

"It's a good thing salad doesn't need cooking then."

And that was how everything began.

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When Dee arrived home the following day, after sleeping over at Ryo's place, he stopped just inside the door of his apartment and looked at the floor. Even from where he was standing, he could see grit scattered across the floorboards, a couple of dried leaves, and other bits of unidentifiable detritus that had been tracked in from the streets. Ryo's floors weren't like that and he felt a twinge of shame. He couldn't invite his partner over with the place looking like this!

Kicking his boots off but leaving his socks on in deference to the grubby floor, he fetched the vacuum cleaner and set to work. An hour or so later the floors were spotless, his boots, with their soles brushed clean, were sitting on a mat by the door, his socks were in the laundry hamper and he was barefoot. It felt good, even natural. Yeah, he could definitely get used to this! Maybe he'd get a pair of fluffy bunny slippers for winter.

Then again, maybe not. The rest of the guys would never let him live it down if they found out!

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The End