Submission

A/N: This chapter features a cameo by some characters from Queer as Folk (US) and also has spoilers for season one of the show. No one specifically says what happens, but it is implied. It will be midly important to the story, but you can probably skip it and be okay.

Chapter Four

Lights flashed, music pounded through the air and Ryo stared, blinking at the throngs of people crowding the dance floor. Bodies twisted, sweat glistening on skin in the erratic flickering of the strobe lights. The amount of flesh he could see just from his vantage near the door made Ryo realize that Dee had indeed dressed him rather conservatively for this place.

Dee had stopped a few steps in front of Ryo, his dark head turning as he surveyed the crowd. Ryo couldn't help but notice that Dee's hips twitched in time to the music and he hoped that Dee wouldn't expect him to dance.

Glancing back over his shoulder Dee stretched out a hand to Ryo. When Ryo hesitated he rolled his eyes and stepped backward to push his lips close to Ryo's ear.

“We'll start out near the bar,” even with Dee's lips almost pressed to skin, Ryo could barely hear him. “Have a drink, mingle a little and ask some casual questions. Relax, you can do this.”

Ryo nodded, and when Dee offered him a hand again he took it. They wound through the crowd, Ryo trying hto ato avoid bumping into people while Dee just grinned at anyone he jostled. Ryo noticed that several of the men were following Dee with their eyes and he quickened his steps so much that he was practically walking on Dee's heels.

When they reached the bar Dee leaned across, yelling for a beer. He glanced back at Ryo and raised one eyebrow questioningly. Ryo nodded that he'd have a beer as well and then started to look over the other patrons at the bar.

“See? I told you New York would be better for celebrating!” the man next to Ryo shouted to his three friends before tossing back some of his drink. He caught Ryo looking at him and winked, shaking his head and chuckling when Ryo blushed. “God. What is it about me and the newly gay?”

“Well, you're just so damned sexy,” a young blond replied, laughing as he leaned in and kissed the older man. Ryo slid his gaze away just in time to catch another member of the foursome rolling his eyes.

“Jesus, Justin. Don't feed his ego,” the dark-haired man snorted, leaning back against the taller man behind him.

“He's just telling the truth, Mikey,” the first man answered with a bright smile that melted away quickly, changing to a strange, intense, look at something behind Ryo.

Just then Dee touched Ryo's shoulder, offering him the neck of one of the bottles of beer in his hand. Ryo took it gratefully, trying to hide his unease by concentrating on the drink. Dee stood close behind him, his hand still casually on Ryo's shoulder.

The man Ryo had been watching stood, handing the glass he held to the younger blond, Justin. Ryo's eyes widened in alarm as the well-built body pressed up against his. He prepared to stammer out some sort of protest, but was shocked to realize that the man was leaning over Ryo's shoulder to murmur something to Dee. Whatever he said must have been persuasive, because Dee's hand slid off Ryo's shoulder quickly.

“I'll be back,” Dee shouted to his partner as he squeezed past, following the stranger out onto the dance floor.

“Wow, that was a bit harsh,” the tall man behind Mikey said, his eyes fixed on the startled Ryo.

“That's Brian for you,” Justin answered, shrugging one shoulder and slipping into the other man's now vacant seat.

“Hey,” the dark-haired man gestured for Ryo to join them, “this is your first time, isn't it?”

Feeling a little lost, Ryo moved closer to the other men, nodding ruefully. “I didn't realize I was being so obvious about it.”

“We've seen it a few times before,” the other man replied, shooting a grin at Justin that earned him a sour expression from the boy. “Anyway, it might be a little while until your friend comes back, so why don't you stay with us for a bit? I'm Michael, the guy behind me is my boyfriend Ben, and that blond jail bait is Justin.”

Justin rolled his eyes at being called jail bait, but offered Ryo a small smile and wave when he was introduced. Ben nodded politely, brows furrowed in an expression of mild concern.

“I.. I'm Randy,” Ryo bit his lower lip nervously and cast a glance back over his shoulder in the direction that Dee had taken. He didn't even catch a glimpse of his partner through the sea of bodies.

“Randy, if you don't mind my saying so, I can't help but notice thou sou seem nervous about a lot more than this being your first time in a gay bar,” Ben spoke up, wrapping one of his arms around Michael's chest.

“Well,” Ryo looked at the three men, and was surprised at the words that came out of his mouth. “There have been rumors lately, about some men being murdered just because they were gay. It doesn't seem like the best time to come out of the closet.”

“If you're waiting for the day when the prejudice and violence disappear, you may as well get used to that closet,” Ben said, kind tone removing any sting from the words.

“You don't sound very optimistic,” Ryo said slowly, turning his eyes to Justin as the youth laughed sharply.

“Is there reason to be?” The blond looked at Ryo, raising one eyebrow. “If you're so optimistic, Randy, what is it that's keeping you in the closet?”

With that the boy stood up, nodding briefly to Michael and Ben before joining the crowd of dancing men. Ryo watched as the boy hooked his arm around the neck of one of the men, dancing so closely that it seemed to Ryo that their moves would be more suited to a private place.

“I'd apologize for him, but he's got good reason to react the way he did,” Michael shrugged a little uncomfortably.

“Has he...?” Ryo wasn't sure how to finish the question, especially since in the end it was really none of his business. Michael nodded though, and Ryo turned to watch Justin dance, starting to see the boy in an entirely different light.

It wasn't much later when Dee came back. Brian had been with him, bu too took a quick detour when he spotted Justin, catching the young man by the arm and pulling him away from his dancing partner before vanishing back into the crowd.

“If you'll excuse us, boys, I need to take this sexy devil out on the dance floor,” Dee hooked a finger through one of Ryo's belt loops and tugged. Ryo had little choice but to follow as Dee strutted out into the mass of writhing bodies.

Ryo was stiff when Dee turned around and snaked his arms around Ryo's waist. Dee leaned in close, his hands resting lightly against the small of Ryo's back.

“Find anything out,” he said softly, lips close to Ryo's ear. Ryo shook his head as he leaned back to look at his partner's face.

“What about you?” he asked, his eyes narrowed. “It didn't take long for you to run off with that guy Brian. Did he have thinthing important to add to the case?”

Dee blinked, the undulations of his hips pausing a moment as he looked at Ryo in slight shock. If Dee was any judge, and he was, Ryo's words had held the distinct tone of jealousy. He began to dance again, urging Ryo to keep moving as well, and fighting the small smile that threatened at the corner of his mouth.

“No, nothing about the case. He just wanted to... talk,” Dee had paused deliberately before that last word and was satisfied to note the flash of anger that showed in Ryo's eyes before the other man had the chance to dampen it.

“I see,” Ryo's voice was mildly disgusted and Dee stiffened, the next words making him realize that jealousy hadn't been all he'd inflamed in his partner. “So, you just left me standing there and instead of doing some work you were just chasing a good time. How very responsible.”

“Wait just a damned minute,” Dee growled, more angry with himself for starting this game than he was with Ryo, “that's not...”

“Never mind Dee,” Ryo slid free of Dee's arms, speaking as he walked past. “It's none of my business, but if you're not here to work, I don't think I should stay.”

Dumbfounded, Dee stared after Ryo as he headed for the door. It took a moment for him to shake free of his surprise and follow. By the time he hit the street, Ryo was nowhere in site. Dee slumped against the corner of the building with a sigh, wondering if either one of them would be able to put aside their own personal feelings to solve this case.

Ryo had hailed a cab pretty quickly when he'd gotten outside of the club. Just before the cab turned the corner he saw Dee come out the front door, obviously looking for Ryo. Glad he'd managed to escape as quickly as he had, Ryo leaned limply against the seat, annoyed with himself for being so affected by Dee's behavior.

He half expected that Dee would show up at his apartment shortly after he'd gotten there himself. It turned out that he was wrong, and though he waited up for a while, Dee never showed. Ryo went to bed mulling over the possible reasons for his reaction at the club, and trying to ignore the surge of disappointment he felt at Dee's absence.