Title: Party Preparations

Author: badly-knitted

Characters: Ryo, Dee, mentions Bikky.

Rating: G

Setting: Vol. 1.

Summary: It's Bikky's first birthday since losing his father, and Ryo wants to make it special.

Written For: The tw100 prompt 'Cake'

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

A/N: This one ended up as a 500-word ficlet

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Ryo had the day off, so Dee, who'd been on first shift, stopped by his partner's apartment on his way home, knocking on the door and waiting impatiently for Ryo to open it.

"Dee! What're you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd check up on ya, make sure everything was okay." Dee sniffed the air as he stepped though the door. "Yum! What's cookin', dude?"

"Bikky turns eleven today; it's his first birthday since his father died and I wanted it to be special, so I'm making him a birthday cake," Ryo replied. "I wanted to get it baked and decorated before he gets home from school so that I can surprise him. That's why I took today off," he explained, closing the door.

Shrugging out of his jacket and hanging it up, Dee pulled his boots off and looked around the living room, decorated with balloons and streamers. A pile of gaily-wrapped gifts sat on the coffee table waiting to be opened.

"Looks like you've gone all out."

Ryo shrugged. "The last couple of months have been rough on him; losing his dad, getting uprooted from his home, leaving everything that was familiar behind and starting a new school… He's still adjusting. He deserves to at least enjoy his birthday," he said as his went back into the kitchen.

Dee followed him, leaning against the kitchen counter and watching as Ryo took the cake out of the oven. "Didn't know you could bake."

"I enjoy baking, but I haven't had a lot of time for it what with work and everything," Ryo said as he set the cake to cool. "Maybe I'll do more of it now I have someone to bake for."

"Cool. So, does that mean I'll get a cake for my birthday too?" Dee asked.

Ryo laughed. "Maybe. I'll have to think about it."

"Do I at least get to stay for the party?"

"Who said there's going to be a party?"

Dee waved a hand towards the living room. "Decorations? I'm a detective; I notice these things."

"Fine. You can stay provided you help with the food. And I don't just mean eating it either. There's still a lot to prepare, and not much time."

"I'll help on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Promise me you'll bake a cake for my birthday." For a moment, Dee's cocky smile vanished. "No one's ever baked me a birthday cake, I've always had a shop-brought one."

How could Ryo refuse? "Alright, I promise, you'll get your cake."

"With chocolate frosting?"

"If that's what you want."

"Yay!"

Ryo shook his head. "You're as bad as Bikky! Now wash your hands. Can you get the buns ready for the hot dogs?"

"I may not be as good a cook as you, but when it comes to dogs, I'm your guy," Dee replied, washing up as ordered. He fetched a knife from the drawer and set about slicing open the buns like an expert.

"Thanks, Dee."

"Anytime, bud. You can count on me."

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The End