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“Here are the files you ask me to go through the other day.” He hands the files to Daisuke. “Happy birthday, Kambe.”
“Is it Kambe-chan’s birthday today?”
“My birthday was 3 months ago.”
“Eh,” with a boring look on his face as he shrugs, “happy birthday anyways.”
“I appreciate the wish, Katou-san."
Division 1 has trouble coming up with the solution for their recent case and they ask for MCTPF help since they barely have any important cases to do. Haru though, instead of being offended, he stared at Hoshino in fake pity.
Everyone holds their breath to see how Haru will react and Daisuke glances at Haru in concern. An encounter with Haru’s former division doesn’t end well. More like, it never does.
“Well,” he looks at Hoshino in the eyes as he smiles, “that’s not ideal.”
Hoshino’s expectations for Haru to be riled up by what he said turns to dust as the look of surprise on his face comes off unguarded. “Katou-san,” his tone serves as a warning.
“Did I say something wrong?” Haru asks.
Daisuke smiles in amusement. The chuckles that leave him is totally intentional.
“Even after being demoted to this level, you still have pride left in you.” One of Hoshino's subordinates looks at Haru in pure disgust.
Haru straightens his back as he taps on his lips. “Ah!” He stares back at Hoshino. “So, this inferior division help isn’t really needed then?” When Haru notices the anger in Hoshino’s face, his smile turns into pure disdain. “If our help isn’t needed, you may leave because there’s a lot of barely important cases we got our hands-on.”
The fire in Hoshino's eyes dims as he looks at Haru in the eyes and only sees a look of indifference in them.
“Just out of spite, the cold cases your division hasn't been able to solve.” He smiles sweetly at Ryo.
Before Ryo manages to charge forward, one of Hoshino’s subordinates, a new face, steps forward. A rookie who has always been polite towards Haru, Daisuke noted.
The rookie bows to Haru and everyone in the room as an apology. “I apologize on behalf of their words. But your help is really needed, Katou-san.” This time, he bows again at Haru —pleading for his help.
Haru sighs in return. “Why are you apologizing like this?” Haru said, waving a hand at the subordinate. Recognizing the rookie, Kirai, from the first look as he reminds Haru of his former kouhai.
It’s almost as if the aura surrounding Haru vanishes.
He turns his head to look at his partner with a weary look in his eyes, at Daisuke's barely noticeable nodding, he turns to look back at Kirai. At the sound of Haru's clap, Kirai straightens himself and his eyes brighten immediately when Haru smiles at him. “Alright, what can we do to help?"
Everyone in the room lets out a breath they had been holding at Haru's chirpy tone.
“Ah, lover’s quarrel again?” Kamei’s gaze shifts from Daisuke to Haru in apprehension when none of them has spoken a word since they got in the car. It’s unusual for these two to not talk but in their fashion, more like arguing here and then.
“We’re not fighting,” Daisuke said, tad bit defensively.
Haru turns his head to look at Kamei with fire in his eyes, “and we’re not lovers!”
Before Kamei manages to come up with a quick wit comeback, the car screeches to a stop. It is a fortune that they all wear seatbelts.
Haru’s head turns to Daisuke in panic, “Kambe, what —”
Daisuke stares at him with a forlorn look in his eyes. “We’re not?” he asks Haru.
Kamei’s gaze shifts from Haru to Daisuke. Internally questioning how in the world these two manage to solve crimes but haven’t managed to communicate properly. “Not dating, you idiots.”
“You know what,” he says as he stared off into space.
Daisuke turns his head to look at him. His face turns into a look of concern as he realizes that there are no emotions in Haru eyes that are usually expressive making him almost transparent, easy for him to understand.
His first instinct is to comfort him. “Katou, we’ll find out a —”
“We are in the timeline that god abandoned.”
He pats Haru on the back as he sighs. “I think so.”
Haru looks at him as his lips stretch into a lazy smile that sorta makes Daisuke’s heart flutter.
Daisuke chuckles with a shake of his head. This is something he isn’t prepared for but Haru somehow is capable of evoking new emotions from him.
It’s strange but he likes it.
“What a lovely little mess I’ve made out of you,” Daisuke said with a soft sigh.
“I thought for the longest time that,” he runs his fingers over the man’s nape, “that you hated me."
Daisuke laughs mirthfully. “I don’t. I actually thought you hated me.”
“If we’re going to actually do this, we need to have both communication and comprehension, man.”
“Don’t ‘man’ me now, we just kissed.”
Haru laughs. He actually laughs in mirth and Daisuke doesn't know
“You have a good heart but,” Daisuke kissed him again, “bad temper though.”
“And yet, here we are.”
Hoshino’s arguments with Daisuke is really giving Haru a headache at this point if they are going to continue it. Is it even an argument at this point? More like they’re fighting but for what, no one yet to find a conclusion for the reasoning behind it.
Haru slumps his head on the table that is scattered with papers and files of the case they’re currently working on. He sniffs pitifully, sounding like he’s trying to stop crying.
The fighting stops and both heads turn to look at Haru.
“Senpai—”
“Haru—”
Haru sniffs again, this time hiding the smile creeping up to his face. “Can’t you see that your fighting is tearing this family apart?”
Takei, who just happens to walk in when Haru asks the question, stares at them in apprehension and confusion. “Did I walk into something that has nothing to do with the case we’re working on or…?”
“I stopped eating my medicine because I can.”
“What—no, it’s not something you eat, Katou-sama.”
“Isn’t it though?”
“Brother!” Suzue calls after Daisuke when he walks in the dining hall.
Daisuke walks towards them as he notices Suzue's eyes, showing genuine concern or perhaps as if she’s seen something traumatizing.
“Your boyfriend here appears to be broken.”
Well, close enough to what he thinks. He sighs as he rubs Haru on the back, feeling the usual warmth from his boyfriend coming off in waves due to the fever. “What is it that he says this time?”
“He said medicine is something you eat and not something you take.”
“I’m too tired of this conversation.” He pats Haru on the arm, “Let’s go to bed."
“Time to go back to prison!” Haru exclaims as he gently put the cat in the cage.
Daisuke's eyes widened at Haru. “Poor Baby to have a parent like you.”
Haru snaps his head to Daisuke. “You’re her parent too!” he turns to Baby and coos at her when she meows at him.
“Oh no! He’s dead.” Haru slumps with a pout evident on his lips.
“Haru, it’s okay,” Daisuke wipes off the dust from his palms, “we can just—” his words come to a halt as he notices the look in Haru’s eyes and realizes a little too late that Haru is in one of those moods again.
“That’s not ideal.”
Daisuke rolls his eyes as he grabs Haru’s wrist and gently pulls him towards the car. “Why do I even bother?”