FAKE Fic: Sharp-Dressed Man
Title: Sharp-Dressed Man
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Drake, Dee, Ryo, Ted, JJ.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Drake comes to work looking totally different.
Word Count: 1032
Written For: Challenge 419: The Last Word at fan_flashworks.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
When Drake entered the squad room, for several moments none of his friends recognised him, he looked so different. It wasn’t just that he’d had his hair cut in a shorter, more fashionable style, although that certainly made a difference, it was more what he was wearing.
The rest of the Serious Crimes Unit were accustomed to seeing their colleague dressed in shapeless, outdated suits a size too big for Drake’s slim frame, or worn and baggy slacks with a button-down shirt, and a mismatched sportscoat with leather patches on the elbows. Today, however, although definitely wearing what could be termed ‘casuals’, he looked completely different.
“Damn, Drake, is that really you?” Dee grinned at his old friend.
“I’m sort of wondering that myself,” Drake admitted, fidgeting a bit uncomfortably. “I mean, I don’t really know. What d’you think? And please be honest. JJ says this…” he gestured to what he was wearing, “is the last word in fashion for the fall season, which I guess it might be, but I’ve never followed the latest trends so I wouldn’t really know.” Frowning, he chewed nervously on his bottom lip. “It looked real good on the store mannequin, but I’m not what anyone would call a fashion model, I’m just a regular guy, so… Is it really me?”
It was a fair question. Drake had always been a somewhat shabby, hastily thrown together kind of guy who only bought new clothes to replace things that had worn out to the point where they were unwearable. Dee, who’d known him since their uniform days, couldn’t remember ever seeing the other man wearing brand new clothes from head to toe, even to the new brown leather brogues on his feet. He’d long suspected that Drake got most of his wardrobe at the local Goodwill stores, or discount clothing chains, with maybe a few choice pieces from Walmart’s bargain bins.
What he was dressed in today looked like it had been purchased at one of the trendier high-end men’s boutiques, the kind of place Drake’s partner JJ, who came from old money and had a clothing budget bigger than most detectives’ annual salary, would shop at. On reflection, that could well be the case because JJ did love treating Drake to the finer things in life.
Drake shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other, feeling self-conscious under the intense scrutiny of his colleagues. Along with the new shoes, he had on dark brown linen pants that fitted him snugly around the hips and ass but were loose enough in the leg to be comfortable. Instead of Drake’s usual white or light blue, his cotton shirt was a mossy green, open-necked and with pearlescent buttons down the front and at the cuffs. Topping everything off was a hip-length tan leather jacket that probably cost somewhere in the region of a month’s wages. Dee found himself coveting that jacket, although he wanted it in black.
‘Probably could’a had it too,’ he thought to himself. ‘If I’d been willin’ to become JJ’s love slave.’ He almost laughed then, knowing the price would’ve been way too high. No matter how great the jacket might be, it wasn’t worth putting up with JJ Adams in full-on adoration mode, day and night.
“Isn’t anyone gonna say anything?” Drake asked plaintively. “Maybe I should just go home and change into something… normal.”
“Don’t you dare!” Ryo spoke up for the first time. “It would break JJ’s heart. Besides, you look good. Completely different, which is why everyone’s staring, but it suits you. JJ has a really good eye for clothes.”
“You really think so? You’re not just saying that?” There was a hopeful tone to Drake’s voice.
“Hell, yeah!” Dee grinned, walking slowly around Drake, looking at him from all angles. “Never had any idea you’d clean up so well. Takes a bit of gettin’ used to.”
“Dee’s right,” Ted agreed. “You’ve always looked kinda like you got dressed in the dark, but now…” He gave a low whistle. “JJ’s got competition for his standing as the sharpest-dressed guy on the squad.”
Drake blushed. “No way. JJ’s made for stuff like this, and I’m… not. I feel like a fraud.”
“Well you look like a million bucks.” Ted sounded a little envious. “I’d be ashamed to be seen with ya, dressed in these old things. Not that anyone would give any of us a second glance if we were standin’ right next to ya.”
“I’m not sure I want people looking at me. I’d just as soon hide behind the rest of you.” Drake really wasn’t used to being the center of attention. It made him feel weirdly exposed, despite being fully dressed.
Before anyone could say anything to reassure Drake, a squeal came from the doorway.
“You’re wearing it!” JJ practically bounced into the room, eyes shining with delight. “Didn’t I tell you it would suit you?”
Drake ducked his head. “I’m not really sure it’s suitable for work though. What if something gets torn, or damaged?”
“Don’t be silly, Drakey. I’ll protect you, and anyway, clothes can always be replaced. You look positively delicious!”
“Uh, thanks. Still not sure you should’ve spent so much on me though.”
“Nonsense. What’s the point in me having so much money if I can’t treat my boyfriend to a few nice things? You’ve had to make do and mend for so long, it’s about time you had some good clothes, so everyone can see how handsome you are!”
Unsurprisingly, Drake’s blush deepened. Nobody else had ever called him handsome, not even his mom. The most complementary she’d ever gotten was to tell him he had a kind face, or at least he would if he didn’t look so gloomy all the time. Moms could be harsh.
“I’m really not,” he muttered at the floor.
“You are to me, and that’s what matters,” JJ said firmly. “Who cares what anyone else thinks? I don’t, and you shouldn’t.”
“That’s you told,” Dee teased.
“Yep, guess it is.” Drake grinned sheepishly. “No point arguing with JJ; he always gets the last word.” Straightening his shoulders, Drake’s grin widened as he realised he didn’t mind that at all.
The End
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Drake, Dee, Ryo, Ted, JJ.
Rating: PG
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: Drake comes to work looking totally different.
Word Count: 1032
Written For: Challenge 419: The Last Word at fan_flashworks.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
When Drake entered the squad room, for several moments none of his friends recognised him, he looked so different. It wasn’t just that he’d had his hair cut in a shorter, more fashionable style, although that certainly made a difference, it was more what he was wearing.
The rest of the Serious Crimes Unit were accustomed to seeing their colleague dressed in shapeless, outdated suits a size too big for Drake’s slim frame, or worn and baggy slacks with a button-down shirt, and a mismatched sportscoat with leather patches on the elbows. Today, however, although definitely wearing what could be termed ‘casuals’, he looked completely different.
“Damn, Drake, is that really you?” Dee grinned at his old friend.
“I’m sort of wondering that myself,” Drake admitted, fidgeting a bit uncomfortably. “I mean, I don’t really know. What d’you think? And please be honest. JJ says this…” he gestured to what he was wearing, “is the last word in fashion for the fall season, which I guess it might be, but I’ve never followed the latest trends so I wouldn’t really know.” Frowning, he chewed nervously on his bottom lip. “It looked real good on the store mannequin, but I’m not what anyone would call a fashion model, I’m just a regular guy, so… Is it really me?”
It was a fair question. Drake had always been a somewhat shabby, hastily thrown together kind of guy who only bought new clothes to replace things that had worn out to the point where they were unwearable. Dee, who’d known him since their uniform days, couldn’t remember ever seeing the other man wearing brand new clothes from head to toe, even to the new brown leather brogues on his feet. He’d long suspected that Drake got most of his wardrobe at the local Goodwill stores, or discount clothing chains, with maybe a few choice pieces from Walmart’s bargain bins.
What he was dressed in today looked like it had been purchased at one of the trendier high-end men’s boutiques, the kind of place Drake’s partner JJ, who came from old money and had a clothing budget bigger than most detectives’ annual salary, would shop at. On reflection, that could well be the case because JJ did love treating Drake to the finer things in life.
Drake shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other, feeling self-conscious under the intense scrutiny of his colleagues. Along with the new shoes, he had on dark brown linen pants that fitted him snugly around the hips and ass but were loose enough in the leg to be comfortable. Instead of Drake’s usual white or light blue, his cotton shirt was a mossy green, open-necked and with pearlescent buttons down the front and at the cuffs. Topping everything off was a hip-length tan leather jacket that probably cost somewhere in the region of a month’s wages. Dee found himself coveting that jacket, although he wanted it in black.
‘Probably could’a had it too,’ he thought to himself. ‘If I’d been willin’ to become JJ’s love slave.’ He almost laughed then, knowing the price would’ve been way too high. No matter how great the jacket might be, it wasn’t worth putting up with JJ Adams in full-on adoration mode, day and night.
“Isn’t anyone gonna say anything?” Drake asked plaintively. “Maybe I should just go home and change into something… normal.”
“Don’t you dare!” Ryo spoke up for the first time. “It would break JJ’s heart. Besides, you look good. Completely different, which is why everyone’s staring, but it suits you. JJ has a really good eye for clothes.”
“You really think so? You’re not just saying that?” There was a hopeful tone to Drake’s voice.
“Hell, yeah!” Dee grinned, walking slowly around Drake, looking at him from all angles. “Never had any idea you’d clean up so well. Takes a bit of gettin’ used to.”
“Dee’s right,” Ted agreed. “You’ve always looked kinda like you got dressed in the dark, but now…” He gave a low whistle. “JJ’s got competition for his standing as the sharpest-dressed guy on the squad.”
Drake blushed. “No way. JJ’s made for stuff like this, and I’m… not. I feel like a fraud.”
“Well you look like a million bucks.” Ted sounded a little envious. “I’d be ashamed to be seen with ya, dressed in these old things. Not that anyone would give any of us a second glance if we were standin’ right next to ya.”
“I’m not sure I want people looking at me. I’d just as soon hide behind the rest of you.” Drake really wasn’t used to being the center of attention. It made him feel weirdly exposed, despite being fully dressed.
Before anyone could say anything to reassure Drake, a squeal came from the doorway.
“You’re wearing it!” JJ practically bounced into the room, eyes shining with delight. “Didn’t I tell you it would suit you?”
Drake ducked his head. “I’m not really sure it’s suitable for work though. What if something gets torn, or damaged?”
“Don’t be silly, Drakey. I’ll protect you, and anyway, clothes can always be replaced. You look positively delicious!”
“Uh, thanks. Still not sure you should’ve spent so much on me though.”
“Nonsense. What’s the point in me having so much money if I can’t treat my boyfriend to a few nice things? You’ve had to make do and mend for so long, it’s about time you had some good clothes, so everyone can see how handsome you are!”
Unsurprisingly, Drake’s blush deepened. Nobody else had ever called him handsome, not even his mom. The most complementary she’d ever gotten was to tell him he had a kind face, or at least he would if he didn’t look so gloomy all the time. Moms could be harsh.
“I’m really not,” he muttered at the floor.
“You are to me, and that’s what matters,” JJ said firmly. “Who cares what anyone else thinks? I don’t, and you shouldn’t.”
“That’s you told,” Dee teased.
“Yep, guess it is.” Drake grinned sheepishly. “No point arguing with JJ; he always gets the last word.” Straightening his shoulders, Drake’s grin widened as he realised he didn’t mind that at all.
The End