[#052] Unwelcome Assignment (FAKE)

[badly_knitted]

Theme Prompt: #052 – Voluntold
Title: Unwelcome Assignment
Fandom: FAKE
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Thanks to a badly timed nap, Dee gets ‘volunteered’ for a bodyguard assignment he really doesn’t want, until he meets the person he’ll be guarding.


“Right, you sorry bunch of losers!” Chief Smith snapped out, stomping into the squad room and raking his gaze over the 27th Precinct’s detectives. “I need a volunteer for a bodyguarding assignment. This is straight down from the Mayor’s office; his wife’s favourite singer is in town for a couple of sell-out concerts and some public appearances. She wants him to have police protection while he’s here.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop; all but one of the eight detectives on duty stopped what they were doing and glanced uncertainly at each other, obviously waiting for one of their colleagues to accept the assignment. The only one who didn’t react was Dee, who seemed to be napping at his desk.

The Chief raised his voice to a bellow that would’ve done a drill sergeant proud. “LAYTNER!”

Dee jerked upright and promptly fell off his chair. “Huh?” He scrambled to his feet as his boss stalked over to him.

“I need a volunteer and you’re it. You’re to report to the Plaza where for the next week you will be our visiting celebrity’s personal bodyguard.”

“What? Why me? I hate bodyguard duty and I hate celebrities! They’re all a bunch of entitled prima donnas, expectin’ to be pampered and makin’ ridiculous demands for stuff they’ve gotta have, then never usin’ any of it!” Dee was speaking from experience; he’d been on celebrity bodyguard detail before and it sucked worse than anything.

Chief Smith smirked. “Why you? Because outta this whole bunch of reprobates you’re the only one looks like he has time on his hands.”

“I’m in the middle of three cases!”

“You expect me to believe you weren’t just sleeping on the job? Don’t bother answering; that wasn’t a question. Suck it up, Laytner; you’ve been volunteered and if you don’t like it that’s too bad, you’re still doing it. Go home, pack enough for a week then get over to the Plaza, room 1202. I believe that’s one of the penthouse suites. Lucky you.”

Dee’s shoulders sagged; this was going to be the longest week of his life!

As the door to the Chief’s office slammed, Dee turned to his colleagues.

“C’mon, guys, gimme a break! I can’t spend a week taggin’ along after some jerk thinks he’s better than the rest of us just ‘cause he’s famous!”

“Sorry, Dee.” Drake clapped his friend sympathetically on the shoulder. “The Chief’ spoken; you gotta do it.

“Why does this idiot even need a police bodyguard anyway? Doesn’t he have his own security people?”

“The Mayor’s wife’s got a thing for this guy; guess she wants him to have special treatment.”

“I’ll give him special treatment,” Dee muttered, slouching his way from the squad room. “I’ll stick to him like glue ‘til he’s so sick of me he’ll beg the Mayor to have his ‘bodyguard’ reassigned.”

Back at his apartment, Dee shoved clothes and toiletries into a bag, threw his leather jacket on, locked up the apartment and took a taxi to the hotel, feeling like he was going to his execution.

He reported to the hotel manager, who checked his credentials then made a phone call.

“Suite 1202, Detective. Here’s your key card; Mr Lane is expecting you.”

“Lane?”

“Randy Lane, CMA entertainer of the year for the last three years?”

“Yeah, right. I wasn’t told who I’d be protectin’; guess the Chief figured I already knew.”

“Ah. Well, don’t keep him waiting.”

The manager shooed Dee away and he went, feeling gloomier than ever. A country singer? Some hayseed hick lording it over him for the next week? This was the stuff of nightmares!

He wished the elevator ride would never end, but of course it did. The doors opened on the twelfth floor and Dee made his way along the corridor to suite 1202 where he knocked on the door.

A voice from inside called, “Come in.”

“Huh?” Dee looked at the key card he’d been handed. “Well, if you insist.” Inserting it in the slot he waited for the little light to turn green then turned the handle, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

There was a man standing at the window, dressed in black jeans, a red shirt, and a black Stetson, his feet incongruously bare. He was staring out across the city.

“Detective Laytner, reporting for bodyguard duty,” Dee said, annoyed at being practically ignored.

That changed quickly; at the sound of his voice the man at the window spun around. “Dee?”

For a moment, staring at the man before him, Dee couldn’t find his voice. He was swept back in time to two years earlier, a vacation in Hawaii, a gorgeous guy with hair the colour of honey and eyes so dark they were almost black. Three weeks of spending every moment they could together, three weeks of bliss, and as the vacation came to its end, the desperation of knowing he was doing the unthinkable, falling in love with a man he’d probably never see again. Seeing his holiday fling standing before him, Dee’s heart was pounding so hard he felt giddy.

“Ryo?”

“Out of all the cops in New York, I get you?” Ryo moved towards him as if drawn by a magnet. “D’you believe in fate?” as he drew closer, Dee could see unshed tears sparkling in Ryo’s dark eyes.

“Never used to but now I’m not so sure.”

“Are you real?” Ryo whispered. “I’ve had this dream so many times…”

Dee didn’t answer, or not in words; he was too busy kissing the man he’d never stopped thinking about.

Suddenly, spending a week as Randy Lane’s bodyguard didn’t seem anywhere near long enough. Now they’d found each other again Dee knew there was no way in Hell he was letting Ryo go, no matter what it took.

He had no idea how they could make this thing between them work; he only knew he had to try because the man in his arms was worth risking everything for.


The End




 

Comments

[autobotscoutriella]

OMG, I love that twist at the end! The chief's Drill Sergeant Voice was hilarious, too.

[badly_knitted]

It's one version of an AU that I've had in mind literally for years. I keep telling myself the story over and over, looking at different ways Dee could meet this great country singer, two people from different worlds who fall in love. I just think Ryo would look great in a Stetson ;)

Thank you!