fandomweekly | [#140] Learning From The Best (FAKE)

Theme Prompt: #140 – Learning Lessons
Title: Learning From The Best
Fandom: FAKE
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 857
Summary: Bikky talks about the man who took him in and raised him after his birth father was killed.

I was only ten when my dad was murdered, gunned down in the street. My mom had died when I was really little, so it had just been me and dad for as long as I could remember, and then suddenly he was gone, and I had nobody.

That felt like it should be the end of my story, but it wasn’t, it was just the beginning, because instead of being sent to an orphanage, or dumped into the foster care system, one of the cops investigating my dad’s death decided I should live with him.

Looking back, I can only laugh at myself. Ten-years-old, and I thought I already knew everything. I was a streetwise brat, good at acting tough and standing up to the kids who tried to bully me for the way I looked, but that was about it. Left to myself, I probably would’ve wound up in juvie, or worse, homeless and addicted to the drugs my dad used to transport.

Yeah, he wasn’t exactly a saint, my dad, but he was my family, I loved him, and losing him hurt worse than anything I’d ever known. I tried to be strong the way he’d taught me, to not let on how much I was hurting inside, but the cop, Ryo, saw right through me. He told me it was okay to cry, that he’d cried all day after his parents were killed, and he’d been almost twice my age.

That was the first lesson I learned from him, that it was okay to let my feelings show, that crying didn’t make me less of a man, it didn’t make me weak. Just the opposite, ‘cause only weak men are so scared of what other people will think that they bottle up their feelings. That’s not healthy. I felt a little better after; I still hurt, but I felt less alone because someone cared about me.

Then I moved in with Ryo and everything changed. I went from believing I knew everything to realising I hardly knew anything at all. It was a shock. I mean, I knew I hadn’t been doing all that great in school, my grades were a mess, mostly ‘cause I skipped a lot of classes and didn’t do my homework, but I was so far behind in everything.

Ryo didn’t get mad though. He made sure I went to school and did all my homework, he was really strict about that, but he spent hours helping me catch up, teaching me at home, even when he was tired after a long day at work, and he made the learning fun. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him. My reading and spelling improved, I got better at math, history, geography, science… I kinda sucked at French, probably always will, but along the way I picked up quite a bit of Japanese, mostly swearwords, which I’m NOT gonna repeat in polite company. I got into trouble for that at school, but that’s a whole other story.

I picked up a lot of other stuff just from watching Ryo and helping him around the apartment. Without me even noticing most of the time, he taught me all the things I’d need to know as an adult. How to cook, clean, make beds, and do laundry, how to manage my finances, how to shave. Important stuff.

Above everything else through, Ryo taught me the kind of man I wanted to be. Patient, kind, caring, honest, but brave and fiercely protective, not just of the people I love but of anyone in need. I never wanted to follow in his footsteps and be a cop though. I’ve seen first-hand how hard that is on him, not just the times he’s gotten injured, but all the sadness for the people he wasn’t able to save, all the stress and the nightmares and the frustration over unsolved cases. Police work isn’t glamorous, it takes a lot of dedication and self-sacrifice. Not everyone’s cut out for that.

I had my own ambitions anyway, and Ryo helped me understand what I needed to do if I was ever gonna stand any chance of making my dreams a reality. He always told me to dream big, but to keep in mind that dreams don’t always come true. Always have a backup plan, just in case the first one doesn’t work out. Work hard for what you want, always do the best you can, then if you fail, at least you’ll know you did everything you could; there won’t be any regrets.

I learned a lot in school, even more from books and TV, but the most I’ve learned from the man who took a scared and grieving ten-year-old boy into his home when he didn’t have to, and raised him as his own. We’re not related by blood, but that doesn’t change a thing. Ryo Maclean is my dad, and always will be. I could never wish for a better one. Someday I hope to be as good a dad to my own kids as he’s been to me. I love you, dad.

The End

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I only have faint memories about the whole plot and the characters from the Manga but I truly enjoyed reading your story.

How it started in the past and then into the present. The ending is so sweet and it is such an important message that
you don't necessarily have to be related to someone by blood call them family.

Thank you! I kind of think of this as Bikky maybe making a speech at his High School or even college graduation.

FAKE is one of my two main fandoms, I love the characters and have actually posted more FAKE fic than Torchwood, which boggles my mind a bit. Glad you liked the fic!

Oh that makes the fic even more wonderful. Such a special momemt.

I've meant to read your stories on AO3 for quite a while. I'm impressed from the amount you've shared on there. It's awesome that you have so many ideas for the characters.

Thank you!

There are rather a lot, lol! I can't seem to stop writing them, they're such fun and I'm still getting ideas I seem to be the only one writing in the fandom at the moment.

Sweet, and appropriate since it's almost Father's Day. Bikky was lucky to have someone like Ryo as his dad. That's the highest compliment, what he says at the end about hoping he'll be as good a dad to his kids.

Thank you!

I think Ryo did a really good job raising Bikky, and Bikky knows how lucky he was, having such a supportive dad. He's grown into a good man.

I know that feeling too well. In the past I've been in a very small anime fandom and most of the first works for it, where written by me.
These days I could kick my butt for deleting everything on my alt account.
Who knows maybe one day I might re-upload some older writings (with a bit of polishing) either on A03 or here.

That's always the best, when you get many ideas. I remember when I was in the MCU fandom I've attempted to write the 100 Theme Challenge with my OTP. That was a lot of fun (even I just wrote 59 and started number 60 but never finished it ... if I remember it right). And I've written other stories besides these.

Right now the only long-time fandom I constantly get ideas for but never write them is James Bond. I would write them but my current main fandom always steps in the way xD

You own the fandom tag on AO3 then I guess :D
Hey, I'm the only one who ever wrote a story featuring a certain character ... which still baffles me O.O

I always encourage people to re-post things they've taken down. You might find new fans!

One day I might get around to doing a 100 kisses thing for FAKE. I keep thinking about it, but it's finding the time.

New fandoms often get in the way of the old, just by being shiny and new.

There used to be other writers, but since I started writing and posting FAKE fics I think there have only been 20-30 other FAKE fics posted. I came along too late I guess.

That's so cool!

[#140] Learning From The Best (FAKE)

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