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Inaba really hadn’t changed much. Adachi actually expected more of a difference after the years in prison. Same old boonies. But this time he looked over it with a certain fondness. Most of his memories of this town stemmed from his game. He thought he wouldn’t miss it, but he did feel a certain sense of nostalgia and perhaps even happiness to be back, though he was certain the townspeople would have him exiled given the chance. Already there were people stopping and staring at the passenger’s side of the car he was in with Ryotaro Dojima. News always traveled fast here. Everyone had learned that the serial killer that ruined their town’s tranquility was getting out of prison. Everyone knew that Dojima for some reason could not let him go, and would be there as soon as possible to pick him up.
“When was the last time you had some good eel?” Dojima asked. Adachi knew he knew the answer and was just trying to make conversation to take the younger man’s mind off of the onlookers.
Dojima wanted to celebrate Adachi being released by picking up the most expensive sushi he could manage, whereas the rest of the town was ready to burn him at the stake. Adachi was baffled, but he had too many fights with Dojima over the years than to say no to this. It pissed him off, but he had to live with it. And who the hell was he to say no to a free actually good meal?
Adachi shrugged. He didn’t want to talk and Dojima should know by now when to hold his tongue.
“Adachi…” Dojima’s voice was concerned.
“When was the last time you had dinner with someone who isn’t family or your nephew’s friends?” Adachi put on a smirk for Dojima’s sake more than his own. If Adachi was joking with him, he was alright, Adachi told himself. But there was some sadness to the question. Dojima didn’t make friends and neither did Adachi. It was one of the things that these men had in common, drawing them to each other.
The car ride was long and wracked every one of Adachi’s nerves, and he thought maybe he would calm down when they reached the Dojima residence. This was not the case. Adachi’s stomach twisted. He never thought he’d see the place again, and something about it gave him an overwhelming nostalgia and longing. He wondered briefly about the life he could have had here before Dojima got out of the car. That didn’t matter now, Adachi told himself. What the hell did matter now?
Adachi exited the vehicle slowly. Surprisingly, there was no one on the street. Adachi thought for sure he would have some “fans” lining up to see him. Maybe they knew better than to cross Dojima, but either way it was a relief.
“Well, come on.” Dojima was smiling, his voice more cheerful than Adachi had heard in years.
He took a step and looked down.
“I don’t really know if I should.”
Dojima raised an eyebrow at him and stepped closer towards him.
“W-well, I mean… I should probably be finding some place to go right?” He shrugged his usual nonchalant shrug and hoped Dojima wouldn’t pick up on the tremor in his voice. “Don’t even think my family remembers who I am and it’s not like they gave a shit about me to begin with. Well, they annoyed me too! Guess it works out better like this.”
Dojima had a confused expression on his face, looking at Adachi as if he were speaking some foreign language. Ugh, just say something, asshole. Adachi was sure Dojima was going to laugh at him or make fun of him for expressing this. When Dojima said nothing, he laughed nervously.
“I just don’t really know if I have any place to go, you know?”
“Dumbass.” Dojima’s fist hit Adachi’s ribs. “Your home is right here.”
“Yeah, right, Dojima-san. As if I’d want to live with—“
Adachi’s eyes widened when he looked up at Dojima’s face. His expression was serious, looking straight into his eyes and Adachi felt his voice break.
He tried to open his mouth, tried to finish his snarky comment, but no words could come out. His lip trembled and his shoulders shook and he felt a stinging in his eyes. Dojima was inviting Adachi to live in his home. Tears began to trickle down his face and it quickly turned into a sob. Why? He had done nothing to deserve this.
Dojima-san had visited Adachi every chance he got over the entirety of his jail time. He was the one who fought for an early release for Adachi, insisting it on a lack of evidence. Adachi didn’t care about the time he spent in jail. There was nothing for him to come out to, or so he thought. Dojima called Adachi. He wrote to Adachi. He picked Adachi up from jail and brought him to his home, giving him something he had never felt he had: A place to stay. And Adachi couldn’t handle it. The sobs shook his body and were bursting out of him like they never had before. He fucking knew he didn’t deserve this and it made him sick.
Dojima’s arms were soon around him, pulling him close, smoothing his eternal mess of dark hair with surprisingly gentle fingers and Adachi cried, and cried, and cried some more. He almost caused Dojima to lose everything, but Dojima forgave him. Dojima loved him unconditionally, and it was something Adachi never thought he would have. Dojima accepted him, the good (there wasn’t much) and the bad. Dojima was here now, holding him together as Adachi felt like he was going to fall apart in his arms.
Adachi’s sobs eventually slowed, turning into little hiccups but Dojima kept his arms around him the entire time. He forced himself to stop, taking deep breaths.
Dojima lifted Adachi’s face by the chin. Adachi’s stomach fluttered.
“Done with the waterworks? Eesh, I haven’t even seen Nanako cry that hard.”
A hard blush entered Adachi’s face. “S-shut up, asshole. I had something in my eye.” He sniffled, trying to keep himself from bursting into tears again. Dojima chuckled and ruffled his hair. He pressed his lips to Adachi’s forehead.
Dojima smiled, standing up. He offered his hand to Adachi, and the younger man took it without thinking to pull himself up.
“Thank you, Dojima-san,” Adachi said quietly as the detective opened the door.
“Welcome home,” Dojima said with the most earnest smile as he escorted Adachi inside.
With those words, Adachi knew he could start fresh. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all. He had a home. Something of a family. And by giving himself to Dojima, he could begin again.