Title: Room At The Top

Author: badly-knitted

Characters: Dee/Ryo

Rating: PG

Setting: After Like Like Love.

Summary: Dee can't quite make up his mind on his favourite time of day.

Word Count: 400

Written For: Prompt #402: Top 10 Tom Petty Song Titles: Room At The Top, at slashthedrabble.

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

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Dee staggered up the last few stairs and a few paces along the corridor at the top to dump the heavy box he was carrying beside a pile of identical boxes. Straightening up with a groan, he stretched, rubbing his aching back. This was the last vanload but the way he was feeling right now, it just might be the death of him. Leaning against the wall, he slid down until he was sitting on the floor, forearms resting on his raised knees, and closed his eyes.

"Dee? Are you okay?" Ryo appeared at the top of the stairs, breathing hard as he added the box in his arms to the pile outside the door to Dee's top floor apartment. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, not something he'd normally do but he didn't have anything better available and it was better than letting it drip into his eyes and sting. Besides, everything he was wearing would be going in the wash as soon as they were finished.

"I'm fine, just taking a breather."

"I told you that box was heavy."

"What the hell's in it anyway?"

"Cookery books." Ryo sat down beside Dee, happy to take a break before going back down three flights of stairs for more boxes.

"Oh! Well, got to have those," Dee grinned, thinking of the delicious meals Ryo cooked up and realising he'd be dining that well every day now.

Ryo nudged Dee's shoulder with his own. "Anything food related…"

"Gotta keep my strength up!"

"Some of those books were my mother's."

"Doubly important then. How many more boxes we got?"

"A dozen or so. We could shift this lot inside before we go back for them. The van's locked."

"Good idea. Maybe grab a cold beer before the final assault. Climbing all those stairs carrying heavy boxes really isn't my idea of fun."

"Nor mine. Just our luck the elevator's out this week. We could've been done in half the time."

"It'll be worth it once you're moved in." Dee suddenly looked a bit worried. "I hope you won't regret it."

"Why would I? I'm moving in with the man I love." Ryo grinned teasingly. "Besides, it means I'm going up in the world, from my second floor apartment to yours on the third floor."

Dee laughed. "That's true. Just goes to show there's always room at the top!"

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The End