Archive of Our Own

Barok, for not the first time that day, wondered how on earth his luck had gotten him into this position. He tapped his fingers against his crossed arms and couldn’t help but tap his foot against the ground inside the small store he’d found himself in. Barok had been in various stores for the past two hours, wandering through the areas and coming up short. Though, that wasn’t entirely his fault.

Gina bounded over to him with a grin on her face as Barok frowned at her. She held a small bag of dog biscuits in her hand and nearly shoved it into his face. “Surely you can’t be serious,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “What purpose would Iris possibly have for dog biscuits?”

He wasn’t entirely sure why he’d decided to ask Gina Lestrade to help him with finding a gift for Iris’s birthday. Though, truthfully, she had been the one to blurt out in the middle of an investigation if he’d gotten her anything and then volunteered herself to help him on the task. He wouldn’t have allowed it, but then it dawned on him that he truly had no idea what to get for her, and if anyone would know, it might be Gina.

However, as he looked down at the biscuits that she’d clearly planned to get for Toby, he wondered if perhaps this had been her plan all along. “I’m lookin’, I am,” Gina said in a way that sounded like she clearly wasn’t. “There’s nothin’ for her at this shop. But I figure since we’re ‘ere, Toby needs somethin’ good to eat. The next place I’ll get somethin’ for Iris for sure.”

Barok sighed. “…I presume that this is something you expect me to purchase?” he said, taking the bag from her hands and studying it.

Gina regarded him with surprise, like she’d been expecting him to refuse. “Eh? Well, yeah, ‘course! I’m not the rich one,” she said.

“Fine. If it will make you actually start to help, I will buy them,” Barok said, and Gina’s mouth dropped open. “But do not give him all of them at once,” he added with a sharp glare. It was a wonder that she had any money left at all after how much she’d spent already on things for Toby. It was like he was her own dog rather than Scotland Yard’s. Though, in many ways, he was.

Gina pouted at him like a child. “I don’t do that!”

“I have at least three officer accounts that say otherwise,” he said, and Gina’s pout deepened. She turned her head to the side, blowing out air. With a partially amused huff, Barok proceeded to purchase the biscuits.

The two of them exited not long after. Barok flexed his shoulders, suddenly feeling achy after spending so much time traversing the many shops. He didn’t normally do much shopping for himself, nor did he spend this much time at the markets at all.

“Noah’s Ark is not too far from here,” Barok said. “I believe there’s a good array of toys there. Shall we head there next?”

“Noah’s Ark? That place where all the rich folk ‘n the like shop?” Gina said with stars in her eyes.

Barok hummed. “I’ve heard some nobility shop there, yes. I haven’t yet been, naturally.” It was a fairly popular toy shop and quite the landmark in the city, but he had no reason to go to such a place in the past. He had heard, however, some of his associates refer to it quite positively. It was a bit out of the way, though, and Barok hadn’t expected that somehow they’d have wandered over to this area anyway. He glanced down at Gina, where her eyes looked as though they might pop out of her head. Seemingly sensing her own joy, she cleared her throat and nodded. “If we find something there, you can get something as well,” he said.

“I’m not a kid, Lord van Zieks,” she said with her hands on her hips. “But you’re not allowed to change your mind.”

“Obviously,” he said, and she smiled, though it was quickly tempered when her stomach began to growl. She clutched at her stomach like it would help get rid of her hunger. Barok clicked his tongue. He glanced around, noting the ice-cream seller not too far away. “Do you want ice cream?” he asked. Gina blurted out a questioning noise. “I should have asked if you’d eaten before we left. Hopefully, that will hold you over for now.” He reached into his satchel and pulled out his coin purse.

“Eh?” She said. Barok took out a few coins, dropping them into her hand. She regarded him for a long moment.

“And what is that look you’re giving me?” he said when he couldn’t take it much longer.

“You…” Gina seemed at a loss for words. “You’re not a bad person at all, are ya, Lord van Zieks?” she said, her voice going surprisingly awestricken.  

“…You should eat if you’re hungry. No doubt you’ll be in the toy store quite a while looking around,” he said, glancing away. 

Slowly, Gina grinned. “Say, can I call you Barry too? Iris does, ‘n I think it’s fair that I do it too.”

Barok barely managed to suppress a scoff. “We are essentially colleagues, Lestrade. That would be wholly inappropriate.”

Gina, to his horror, grinned further. “But we’re not workin’ now, y’know.” She held up her dog biscuits as proof. Barok sighed, pressing his fingers to his forehead and gesturing to her with his free hand.

“Do what you will,” he said. “However, if I hear you refer to me as such in any professional setting, I will actively ensure that Toby does not receive a single special dog biscuit for at least a month,” he warned.

“Hmm. Iris says that you never mean that kind of threatening stuff when you say them. Mr. Asogi said it too when I ‘elped ‘im on a case,” Gina said contemplatively as she tapped against her chin. Barok groaned in frustration, brushing past her. How had this happened to him? He felt like some sort of joke. It wasn’t so long ago that people would quake at the mention of his name. And now? Now, Gina wagged her finger at him as though he were no scarier than an infant.

Though… he supposed, somewhere, deep down, it was a bit of a nice change from the solitude he’d been so accustomed to.

“Hold on! You said I could buy a cup ‘o ice cream,” she said, and he paused in his movements as she dashed over to the ice-cream seller. He followed her, stopping a short way away so that she could still find him easily afterward.

There were two weeks until Iris’s birthday party, and Barok was beginning to think that maybe he wouldn’t be able to find something. In actuality, he had been searching for the past week, stopping by various shops after leaving the Prosecutor’s Office, only to come up empty. But there was no way that he could show up to Iris’s birthday party empty-handed. It was simply unthinkable.

“What’re you thinkin’ about?” Gina said as she stopped in front of him with a cup of ice cream. The spoon hung from her mouth as she spoke.

“…Have you already gotten a gift?” Barok asked.

“For Iris? ‘Course I ‘ave!” Gina said, and Barok frowned. “Your thinkin’ too hard about it. ‘Sides, she’ll like anythin’ you give ‘er, as long as it’s from in ‘ere,” she said, pressing a finger over her heart. “You do ‘ave one o’ those, right?” Barok cut his eyes at her, and she smiled, taking another bite of her ice cream before yelping and shutting her eyes at how cold it was.

Barok huffed. “You have no one to blame but yourself,” he said. “Come, let’s head to Noah’s Ark before it gets too late,” he said. Gina followed after him, grumbling to herself. Get her a gift from the heart? He had no idea where to start. Barok was still learning about the things that Iris liked and disliked. And he hardly even knew his own. Inwardly, he groaned.

What gift could she possibly want from him? 

***

Two weeks came and went like the passing of a leaf in the wind. Barok stood in front of 221B Baker Street with a small box in his hands. He remained there for a moment, trying to steady his breathing. It was a few minutes past the hour that Iris had provided on the birthday invitation, so he wasn’t quite sure if he would be considered late or not.

He’d been wrapped up in trying to properly present his gift in a nice box. Kazuma had given him a furoshiki, a wrapping cloth for it, but he had no idea how to actually wrap it properly. Then he’d agonized over the presentation of the gift inside the box itself. Should he include a card? Something to pad it? And then, when he was finally too frustrated with himself and Gerard let him know that he had to go lest he was late, he’d had no choice but to finally leave.

Barok wasn’t even sure who else would be present. He knew Kazuma and Gina would be there as well. Other than that, he had no idea. Perhaps she’d invited some of the other junior scientists. But beyond that… Barok tried to slow his rapidly beating heart for one other reason.

It would be his first time speaking with Herlock in a more casual setting since they’d spoken a couple of months ago in the fallout of Millington’s case. In the end, Millington had fully recovered from his gunshot wound and been sentenced for murder by proxy for ordering Arthur Howell to kill Hubert Bridges. Millington’s shooter, however, remained an unsolved mystery to all. Or—perhaps in actuality, it was not a mystery to all.

Barok would never know if it had been his former maid, Anna, but some days, he wondered what would have happened if Herlock told him about his suspicions from the start – or at all since he’d never confirmed it. Would Anna have been arrested? Would it have been proven that it was her? Would Barok feel any better for having her locked away in prison for the rest of her life? He didn’t like to dwell on what-ifs, but it was nearly impossible for him not to in matters related to Herlock Sholmes.

He wasn’t angry anymore, per se, but it had melded into a sort of exhaustion that left him somewhat numb. He knew, deep down. It hadn’t been Herlock that had fractured whatever had been developing between them. It had been him.

I think you’ve misunderstood me, Barok, Herlock had said, and Barok wasn’t sure that he’d ever forget those words. But Barok did understand. He did. He just hadn’t wanted to. It led to the fear that had festered in him since his own trial and had only grown since he’d become the Director of Prosecutions two weeks ago.

Herlock had appeared at a few crime scenes that Barok had also been present at, and each time, it had been uncomfortable. Then again, maybe it had just been on Barok’s end. Herlock certainly seemed fine to prattle about as he always did. And perhaps it was that occurrence that truly made it more painful.

He had also seen him a couple of times that Iris had stopped by the Prosecutor’s Office to bring him a meal. She’d been excited about concocting a new recipe and wanted to share it, was her reasoning. Though, it seemed as though there was another reason, as each time she did so, she would excuse herself, leaving him and Herlock in the room together. Yet again, the silence felt stifling. In those moments, Herlock spoke at length about various things from his cases to his experimental ventures, hardly giving Barok a chance to cut in.  

This would be okay, though. He wouldn’t be alone with him, and even if he were, he could easily brush his own thoughts aside as he did every other time. Putting it off no longer, Barok knocked on the door.

It took a few moments for someone to answer, and Iris appeared on the other end of the door. She was dressed exactly the same as normal, except with a paper crown that had “Birthday Girl” scrawled in messy uneven lettering that looked distinctly like Gina’s handwriting.

“Happy birthday,” Barok said. Iris smiled, and his heart warmed, easing some of the anxiety. He extended the present to her. She took it with curious eyes, holding up close to her ear and shaking it. When it seemed she couldn’t figure it out, she lowered it.

“Sorry, I’m a bit curious,” she admitted with a very not-sorry smile. “Everyone else is here and is really looking forward to seeing you.”

Excited? Barok frowned but followed after her until they entered the living room. Herlock stood in front of the fireplace moving his hands around like he was regaling some kind of tale. As he suspected Gina was there by the couch. Standing next to her was Kazuma. And on the other side was…

Ryunosuke Naruhodo and Susato Mikotoba.

Barok’s mouth fell open just barely to indicate his surprise as Iris shut the door. All of them turned to look, and Barok fought against the urge to turn and immediately leave at the sight of everyone’s eyes now on him. It had been seven months since they’d left, and the voyage to Great Britain from Japan was already about a month and a half long. Last he’d heard, Mr. Naruhodo had been setting up his law practice in Japan. Surely, they couldn’t already be able to take such a trip back here.

He was so shocked, that it shifted away from any discomfort he would have felt at seeing Herlock again.

“Now everybody’s here,” Iris exclaimed. She skipped over to the trunk to put Barok’s gift on top, where many other boxes sat.

Barok’s shock gave way to embarrassment. He followed Iris into the center of the living room. He nodded towards Kazuma, who he’d seen earlier in the day already. “I…I apologize for my tardiness,” he said.

“Thank goodness,” Gina said. “If we ‘ave to ‘ear another one ‘o these cases—” she complained.

Herlock’s face fell. “Why, Gina, you wound me. Did you not hear me? The ears were encased in a box of salt,” he exclaimed. Ah. Barok knew that case well. He’d read that one a few times.  

Gina huffed and stomped her foot. “Yeah, I ‘eard you! It’s still gross,” she said, jutting her lips out.

“Is it?” Herlock said, sounding genuinely perplexed. “Surely, you must find it interesting, as a fledgling detective yourself,” he said, punctuating his words with a finger in the air.

“I’m an Inspector,” Gina said, folding her arms across her chest. “Right?” she said, turning to Barok.

Barok sighed. “…To some degree, yes. However, you would do well to hear the whole of the case. It gets interesting,” he said, and Herlock looked at him like he was his savior. Something else flashed through his eyes too, too quick and fleeting for Barok to read into, but slow enough for Barok to take notice. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Sholmes,” he said. He was proud of himself for keeping his tone so level.

Barok saw Iris frown out of the corner of his eye. “And you as well,” Herlock replied in the same cordial tone. “It’s not every day we’re graced with the presence of a man of such personage,” he said with a smile. Barok scoffed. He’d clearly been referring to his recent promotion. 

“Hardly. It’s paltry next to someone who can readily receive an audience at Buckingham Palace. I presume His Majesty must host you as well,” Barok said, waving it off.

“He’s quite pleasant to speak with. Would you care to accompany me next time?” Herlock said.

Though Barok had to be in the audience of a lot of nobility, and anyone would be honored to go to Buckingham Palace, he wasn’t one to aspire to such things. He supposed it could be a good opportunity if he hoped to one day become the Attorney General, but he could get there on his own merit, he was sure. “I could think of few things less appealing,” Barok said thoughtlessly. There was a spark of laughter, and Barok jolted out of his thoughts to find Herlock laughing. Barok’s mind suddenly caught up with his words, and he quickly backtracked. “It would be an honor to be received by His Majesty. But I have no aspirations for it. I would sooner accompany you anywhere else.” As soon as the final words left his mouth, he cursed himself inwardly at his choice of phrasing. Herlock gave no indication of his surprise other than the minute raise of his eyebrows, and Barok fought against fidgeting where he stood.

Lord, how was he expected to make it through the rest of this evening?

Next to him, Barok felt movement, and when he turned both Mr. Naruhodo and Miss Mikotoba stood at his side. He startled, and when their smiles faltered a bit, he immediately straightened up. He wanted to apologize—it wasn’t anything about them, he’d just been surprised—but his words got caught in his throat. Instead, all that managed to come out was, “Hello.”

Susato responded first. She gave him a stately bow, and her eyes were filled with warmth. “It’s lovely to see you again, Lord van Zieks. We’ve heard such wonderful things about how you’ve been lately.”

“Ah… Yes,” Barok said. “You’ve fared well, too, then? I’m surprised to see you here so soon after your departure.”

“Yeah,” Ryunosuke said with a chuckle. He rubbed the back of his neck. “We debated it for a while because of the travel, but ultimately we thought it would be nice to see everyone again. Oh! Congratulations by the way.” Barok raised an eyebrow. “Kazuma told us that you recently became the Director of Prosecutions.”

“Yes…not too long ago. Thank you,” he said. An awkward silence settled over them then, and both Barok and Ryunosuke regarded each other with nothing to say. Ugh. Perhaps this was too difficult, and Barok had burned the bridge to a point of no—

Susato giggled then, causing them both to turn. “You know, Lord van Zieks, Mr. Naruhodo and I had our first case not too long ago, and we couldn’t help but miss you,” she said, and Barok let out a surprised noise. “Mr. Naruhodo said that he missed having you on the other end.”

“M-Miss Susato, we don’t need to mention that,” Ryunosuke said with a nervous laugh. Susato regarded him with amusement, hiding her quiet laughter behind her hand.

Barok hummed, though he still remained stunned. He hadn’t been easy to deal with, and he’d ended up insulting him in more ways than one. Yet…he missed going up against him? “Truthfully, I’ve yet to stand against a defense attorney with your level of tenacity and heart,” Barok admitted.

“Huh?” Ryunosuke stared at him in shock. He scratched his cheek a bit uncertainly. It was odd, really, how much the man could be so brilliant and yet still appear out-of-sorts in regards to his own abilities. “Well, I appreciate that. My opponent didn’t seem to like it very much,” he added.

Barok huffed in amusement. “I should think not. You do make our jobs very difficult.” Ryunosuke laughed, though it was a bit sharp – like he wasn’t sure if he should be laughing with him or not. “Though, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s good to be challenged. It’s that tenacity that leads to change within the justice system itself,” he mused, thinking of his own now-lofty goals. It had all stemmed from that fateful trial. Ryunosuke had done so much more for him that Barok would ever be able to articulate. “There’s much to learn from you,” was what he said instead.

Ryunosuke gawked at him, and even Susato went wide-eyed. Before either of them could respond, Gina spoke. “Oy, Iris, don’t you want to open your gifts now?” Gina said loudly, breaking each of them out of their conversations. She was leaned over the table and had picked up Barok’s gift as though she could figure out what was inside just by looking at it.

They’d come up fruitless at Noah’s Ark. Though there were many toys that would make excellent gifts, Barok hadn’t found one that he felt fit Iris perfectly. So, even Gina didn’t know what he’d gotten. Barok clicked his tongue, and Gina looked at him as though she’d known that it had been directed precisely at her. “Wot? No crime against lookin’.”

“Hm. I think there’s still some time before the food is ready, right, Susie?” Iris said. She hopped onto the couch and swung her legs back and forth. Then she turned to Barok. “Susie’s brought some goodies from Japan to have with our meal,” she explained.

Susato tapped against her chin. “Yes, there’s still time. I think we can open presents first if you’d like, Iris.”

Iris clapped her hands with joy. Then she patted the seat next to her. “You should sit, Barry,” she said. Barok nodded his thanks and took a seat on the couch next to Iris. However, almost immediately after, she jumped up. “Oh. Actually, I want to sit in the armchair.” Then she grabbed onto Herlock’s arm and dragged him with a surprising amount of force (though Barok suspected that in reality, he hadn’t resisted at all) and plopped him down next to Barok. “Hurley, you should sit too. You’ve been standing all day.” He settled next to Barok with ease and even seemed to get comfortable. His arm brushed again Barok’s, and he tried to think of anything but the contact against him.

“Hm,” Herlock said quietly. Barok turned to him. “I’m unsure if I should be worried about Iris’s scheming.”

Barok hummed. “She’s not very subtle, so I think you have nothing to worry about.”

That startled a laugh from Herlock, and his eyes crinkled in amusement. “You may be right about that,” Herlock replied.

Iris settled into the armchair, and Gina kneeled on the floor so that she could pass the presents to Iris. Kazuma sat next to Barok, while Ryunosuke and Susato stood at Iris’s side.

“Was that your attempt at wrapping the furoshiki?” Kazuma said with mirth. “I did give you instructions.”

Barok frowned. He hadn’t thought it was horrible, though now that he looked at it next to the others—and especially next to two other gifts with much better wrapping using the same cloth—he sulked at the thought. “Your instructions were horrendous,” Barok shot back. Kazuma snorted.

“I didn’t say it was bad,” Kazuma said. “Just…interesting.” It was frustrating how Kazuma could fit so much teasing into a single word.

“Okay, which one’s first, Ginny?” Iris said. She bounced up and down where she sat, unable to contain her excitement. She looked more like a kid than ever, and Barok couldn’t help but smile faintly. He felt honored to be a part of this.

One by one, Iris opened each of the presents that Gina handed to her. She started with Kazuma’s, and he’d given her a Japanese tea set with cherry blossoms painted on them, along with a container of matcha. Next was a joint gift from Susato and Ryunosuke, who’d gotten her a kimono that fit perfectly when she loosely tried it on. As Barok watched Iris marveling at each one, his fingers began to itch with discomfort. They had all picked such lovely gifts for her – carefully selected and with an air of elegance yet saccharinity that seemed to fit her perfectly. Gina’s gift too. She made hers – two homemade bracelets with matching patterns, one for each of them to wear – and it sounded like it’d taken her a long time. Iris’s eyes nearly watered at the sight of it, even as Gina tried to play it off. From the heart, Gina had said. Gregson was right. She truly did have a heart of gold. 

And then there was only one left. Barok wondered briefly about Herlock’s gift, but it dawned on him that Herlock had probably given her her gift before everyone else arrived, or perhaps it would come later.

He wished that Iris had picked his gift first or second. The last gift would have the biggest impact. If she was disappointed with it, then that disappointment would carry on. Not to mention that it was completely obvious how poorly he’d wrapped it now. Despite this, when Gina handed it to her, Iris held it gingerly, like it was something to be cherished.

“I apologize for the wrapping,” Barok said. “It’s not fitting for a gift.”

Iris looked at him with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry. It’s much better than Hurley’s, you know,” she said with a giggle. There was still humor in her eyes as she unwrapped it, and then lifted the box open.

Her mirth quickly turned to shock. Barok winced. “Wot? Wot is it, then?” Gina said, crawling over to her to peek inside.

Carefully, as though it might vanish, she lifted it out of the box. In her hands was a tiny felt cat. Barok had found it two days before Iris’s birthday. There had been a young woman selling little felt animals stuffed with wool, though no one seemed to have been buying them.

Barok cleared his throat. “I thought…perhaps since you have Wagahai—” he said, gesturing to the cat sleeping by the window. Though this particular felt cat was a dark grey bordering on a blackish-purple, and the woman who made it had stitched a felt hat and cloak to it, and the cat stood upright so that it looked more like a humanoid creature than an actual cat. He’d paid to have a keyring fastened to it so that she could hook it onto her backpack. When Iris still didn’t speak, Barok felt his throat go dry. She hated it. “I noticed that you had two already, on your backpack,” he continued. Although those seemed to have been made by Iris herself. “You don’t need to put it on, though,” he said.

“Barry,” Iris said. She looked at him, and her eyes truly did water this time. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” She smiled again, this one full of so much fondness that it was difficult for him to process it. “It kind of looks like you, when you frown.” He frowned out of habit, and then he could feel everyone’s eyes on him.

“Whoa, you’re right, it does,” Gina exclaimed. “His eyebrows ‘r’all pinched together like a cat.”

“One could say it was crafted after the man himself,” Herlock mused, and Barok turned so that he could glare at him. Herlock’s smile, though, bordered on the same level of affection that Iris had regarded him with, and this melted away the crease in Barok’s forehead.

Iris leaped from her seat and ran over to her backpack, which sat on her chair where the typewriter was. She came back over with it and carefully clasped the keyring so that it hung next to the bunny and bear that were dressed like Herlock and Iris. It looked a bit worn compared to theirs, but strangely, it seemed to fit just right as it rested in between them.

Barok couldn’t look away. So then, he was caught unguarded when Iris ran over and hopped onto the couch to give him a hug. Because of where everyone was sitting, she half-fell into Herlock’s lap, and Herlock rested his hand against her back to help her stay upright. “I love it. Really, I do,” she said, perhaps sensing his thinly-veiled insecurity. Barok’s hands hovered in the air unsurely, then after a moment, he put his arm around her somewhat awkwardly to return the hug.

“It’s so cute, all of them together like that,” Susato commented. “Like a little family.”

Iris leaned back to grin at Susato. “It is, isn’t it?” she marveled. Then she laughed. “Perhaps we need some for each of you, then.”

Soon after, Susato tilted her head upwards as if in thought, then yelped and stood. She mentioned something about checking on the food. Iris went to go help her, and moments later, the trunk was completely cleared off and a second, small table was brought out to make room for all of the food.

The meal was a mix of English and Japanese food. Iris brought out Shephard’s Pie, and a huge plate of fish and chips, to which Gina’s eyes watered. She also carefully set out all the helpings of Sunday Roast. Interspersed between these dishes, Susato set down a plate of gyoza, a small bowl of edamame, manju, and onigiri. Then, Ryunosuke and Kazuma helped her to set down seven bowls of soba noodles. The last thing to be brought out was a small round birthday cake with white icing.

“It may not be what you all are used to,” Susato said. “Some of the ingredients, I had to keep chilled on the voyage here, with my father’s influence. The rest I was able to find here.”

“It looks incredible,” Barok said, and then he realized he’d spoken out loud. His throat prickled, but he pressed on. “I had been thinking that this looks far more appetizing than any meal I’ve had of late,” he said. Susato stared at him for a moment longer before breaking out into a smile.

“You haven’t had it yet.” Susato chuckled. “It could be terrible,” she added, though there was nothing but good humor in her expression.

As they dined together, Barok wasn’t surprised to find that it was as delicious as it looked. And though he didn’t say much during the meal, he was content to observe the joviality of the chatter and company around him. Barok looked between the wide array of mixed food and everyone around him, and he knew that he was truly a part of something special.

He would never have expected this for himself one year ago, and he would be forever grateful to each of them for allowing this chance. Was he even allowed to feel this content? The darkness that swelled in his heart was no match for the scene before him. The contagiousness of everyone’s cheer was a force to be reckoned with, and this struck Barok all at once, at this moment. “Does something trouble you?” Herlock nearly whispered, and Barok shook himself from his thoughts. He turned, only to be struck again with a fresh sense of adoration. Herlock raised an eyebrow with a knowing smile, and there was a bit of red bean paste at the corner of his mouth.

“No,” Barok said. “I believe…quite the opposite,” he said earnestly, and Herlock’s smile widened. Barok gave him a small one in return. Even still, something felt off. After all, there was still something else that was missing yet right in front of him the whole time, waiting as patiently as ever. Barok’s chest fluttered wildly, and he could hardly hear over the pounding in his own ears. “In point of fact, I… was wondering if perhaps you would spare a moment to talk?” he forced the words out.

“My dear fellow, I can spare as many as you’d like,” Herlock said easily, and Barok’s chest bloomed like a new flower. “What is on your mind?”

“…Privately, if possible,” Barok clarified.

Herlock studied him for a moment, and Barok wondered if there was something about his posture that gave away exactly what he wanted to talk about. He wasn’t sure, but a moment later, Herlock set his plate down, wiped his face with his napkin, and stood. “Iris, my dear, I shall return shortly. It’s getting dark, why don’t I get some firewood to light a fire?”

“I’ll help,” Barok said. He cringed. He’d tried to play it off a casually as possible, but the words felt too stilted and obvious.

“Excellent. The firewood is up in the attic,” Herlock said. Barok didn’t bother to question why it had been placed in a location so far from the fireplace itself. Herlock led the way, and each step closer made Barok’s legs feel like bricks.

They made it to the attic, where there was in fact a large pile of firewood. “It seems like it would be more difficult to carry the firewood down than if you were to keep it downstairs,” Barok commented.

“Ah, but look at how spacious it is up here! I couldn’t have all of this firewood taking up space downstairs,” Herlock replied, quite pleased with himself. Barok frowned at the stacks of boxes and piles of papers and other contraptions that filled the room on all ends and—was that a time bomb?

“Is that a time bomb?” Barok decided to ask, rather casually.

“Hm? No, of course not. It’s my tentative anti-gravity device,” Herlock replied, sounding both like he was scolding Barok for not knowing it immediately and like Barok should be impressed.

“…I… see…” Barok said, choosing not to push it further. They lapsed into silence, and Herlock made no motion to prompt him to speak. Many words flitted through Barok’s mind. But none of them seemed to be the right ones. He opened his mouth, unsure of what would come out. “I…I have thought about you a lot,” he said. Then, his cheeks flamed, mortified. Herlock was visibly surprised this time. “I mean—What I mean to say is, I’ve thought about our last conversation—the last real one, many times over,” he said. Herlock sat on a stack of boxes, keeping his distance. “After everything happened, I became fearful.” Herlock furrowed his brow. Barok shut his eyes, willing the words to come out. “I was fearful that…perhaps, I would become like my brother.”

“Barok—”

“Let me finish,” he stressed. It had been a struggle enough to reconcile the two. After all, he’d spent so much time wanting to be just like Klint until only recently. “He had been blackmailed by Stronghart, but the first victim… Klint had taken matters into his own hands. I foolishly began to think in hypotheticals, which serve to do nothing but add fear. If I were to be okay with allowing Millington’s assailant to get away, then how many steps away is it from taking such matters into my own hands. That leap was nonsensical, and I know this. For those were two separate things.”

“I was not angry entirely at you, but with myself,” Barok admitted. “I was angry that you did not share your thoughts with me, though you are not expected to, and at myself, because as someone who fights for the truth, I felt I should have done more.” He had not expected this flood of words to come pouring from him. He’d kept them locked away for so long, though, that it wasn’t entirely surprising that they fell from his lips like a torrent.

“Truth does not necessitate lawful action,” Herlock said. He stood, taking a small step forward while still maintaining plenty of space between them. “It was for that reason that I sought to send Gregson away once I discerned the truth, so that he may turn over a new leaf with Gina.”

“I know. And as myself, I wanted that for him. And for An—Millington’s assailant.” He stopped himself from saying her name outright. “But as a prosecutor I... It’s difficult to explain my thoughts on the matter, as unreasonable as they may be.”

“You need not explain them,” Herlock told him. “And considering your past circumstances, it’s not as unreasonable as you may think.” Herlock stepped closer to him then, allowing so only a meter of space separated them. “Sincerely, Barok, I do not often speak with certainties in regards to an unknown future, as any good detective shan’t do, but you will not share your brother’s fate.”

“How could you possibly know that? Even you do not possess foresight,” Barok retorted, appearing almost lost.

“Because it does not take much of a deduction to see that you are burdened with a heart kinder than most. Try as the world might to crush it.” His voice softened then, but Barok could only gape at him owlishly. Kinder than most? No one had ever referred to him in such a way, and certainly not at any time in recent years. But Herlock did not have an ounce of teasing on his face. “This is the reason why you have only just now accepted the Director of Prosecutions position, despite telling me that you would accept it months ago?”

Barok looked away. He had spoken so candidly to Herlock about his goals – to change the justice system so that people like Millington’s assailant and Klint would never feel the desire to take matters into their own hands – and while those were still goals he wanted to reach, he had been stifled by his own fear, again. What if the efforts were fruitless, and he would find in the end that there was nothing that could be done? What if he, too, became caught up in his frustrations with the system? He did not think himself capable of such a thing; however, he didn’t think Klint was either, and he’d been wrong.

“I perhaps have made an error of judgment,” Herlock said solemnly. Barok froze. He wanted to look at him but was afraid of what he would see in Herlock’s eyes. “Your years of solitude have caused you to have difficulties trusting others, that much was true. But it appears that you do not trust yourself, most of all.” Barok stiffened. It felt as though he’d been flayed and set open on display. Breathing shakily, Barok looked back to Herlock, who smiled faintly. “Did I not tell you, Barok, that when you cannot move forward on your own, you have others who will help you?” He gestured to the attic door. “Both here, and just downstairs, in fact. When you find it hard to trust yourself, you need only come to us.”

“You keep making it all seem so simple,” Barok said, weary. His shoulders slumped. 

“Sometimes things truly are, my dear,” Herlock said. “And when they are not, we will remind you of that.”

“And what exactly is ‘that’?” Barok asked.

“That your future can still be bright, if you let it,” Herlock said.

Herlock put a hand on his shoulder, eyes calm and searching. This was a Herlock Sholmes that was not shared with everyone, beyond the stories and joviality, and Barok was acutely aware of this. This vulnerability and placidity with which he spoke were reserved only for those closest to him. And somehow, Barok fell under that umbrella. Barok felt his eyes begin to prickle, and he took several large breaths to steady himself. He had always been his own greatest barrier.

“…Thank you,” Barok said. “It will take me some more time, I fear, to truly internalize these words, but I do not take them flippantly.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Herlock said, already about to take his hand away. Before Barok could talk himself out of it, he put his own hand on top of Herlock’s, because Herlock’s bravery had never been the one in question.

“Wait. I—I fear I’ll never be able to have the right words to express my gratitude for what you all have done for me,” Barok whispered.

Herlock adjusted his hand so that he could run his thumb over Barok’s fingers. “Where words fail us, actions can suffice,” he said gently.

Barok lifted Herlock’s hand off of his shoulder, adjusting his grip so that he could entwine their fingers together. Though surprised, Herlock did not object. Barok tore his gaze away from Herlock’s, anxiety spiking, and he focused on their hands instead. “I…It dawned on me that my hurt may also have been due to reasons that do not directly correlate with your actions. For if it were anyone else, I’m unsure if I would have responded in the same way.”

Herlock’s hand was a bit cold, and Barok could feel the callouses on his hand. Yet it filled him with warmth nonetheless. “The reason being?” he said, gentle as ever.

“I wonder if…” Barok paused. He almost hoped that Herlock would interject with impatience to say the words for him, but Barok wanted to say it himself. He needed to. He owed him this much. “If your proposal still stands. About dinner. I—” He hesitated. “I feel the same.” Despite everything indicating the opposite, there was a sting of apprehension at the thought that perhaps too much time had passed to make anything of this. Perhaps Herlock thought Barok too burdensome to romance and no longer worth the risk. He focused only on their hands. “I understand, though, if you no longer wish to—” He was startled at Herlock stepping into his space, possibly unable to keep silent any longer. Herlock leaned in much closer than normal, and Barok couldn’t help his eyes flickering downwards. “What are you—”

“Dilated pupils,” Herlock mused, amazed. “Racing pulse. Eyes glancing downward.”

“That’s not—” Barok looked past him at the wall. “I did not tell you this for you to use me as one of your deductions.”

“It was not only about you,” he said, sounding almost eager for Barok to understand. Once his words registered, Barok turned back to face him. Lo and behold, the green of Herlock’s eyes had become shallow against his pupils. Cautiously, he moved his hand so that he could touch Herlock’s wrist, and Barok felt for his pulse.

It was racing just as much as Barok felt his own heart to be, though Herlock was doing a much better job of not showing it. “You…You still want to pursue something with me?” Barok asked. “Despite…everything?”

“I could think of nothing I desire more,” Herlock said. Barok exhaled, and it was impossible for him not to smile, albeit mostly disbelievingly. Using his free hand, Herlock lifted a finger in the air. “And I’ll have you know that I desire quite some extravagant valuables, so to place you above…” Herlock continued on with his list of desired objects, but Barok soon became distracted with his thoughts. He felt feverish, wondering if somehow this evening was all a part of one long dream sequence. His eyes once again drifted down to his mouth. Barok was mesmerized. He was distinctly aware that Herlock was still speaking, but he couldn’t register them.

“Did you hear me?” Herlock said, tutting at him with no actual scorn in his voice. He lightly squeezed his hand, and Barok jerked back, blinking a few times and meeting Herlock’s eyes.

“Pardon?” he said, throat dry.

Herlock smiled further. “I said, if you wanted to kiss me, you could just ask rather than ignore me.” Then he gave a rather dramatic pout.

Barok nearly choked on air. Herlock tilted his head curiously as Barok tried and failed to speak coherent words. His face burned, but Herlock had started to rub circles against his hand. Certainly, it was too fast for them to be moving to that, and he knew that the moment he did, there would be no going back. Was he ready for that?

Herlock continued to regard him with patience. And his eyes were bright, even in the dimly lit attic. It was like an entire galaxy was hidden there, with infinite possibilities. Ha. Barok almost wanted to laugh. Never in his life would he have ever considered himself to be so wax poetic about something as mundane as someone’s eyes. Herlock had brought this out in him, and it was so alien and right that it scared him.

But Barok wanted this, more than he was scared. And perhaps that was the scariest, most beautiful, thought of all.

“May I?” Barok blurted. Herlock’s mouth slowly curled into a grin, like he’d been trying to stop it but couldn’t, as though the joy was all-consuming for him as well. But Barok’s thoughts were such a mess that he couldn’t properly discern if he was about to tease him for it or not. “Perhaps it’s a bit presumptuous, given that we haven’t even had dinner. I only… Forgive me, I—”

Herlock kissed him.

Herlock kissed him with eagerness and absolutely no discernable talent. Even still, his entire being was flooded with warmth. There was no fanfare or parade, but Barok felt as though fireworks had just gone off inside of his chest. Barok’s hand slipped from Herlock’s to rest at the side of his neck, and his fingers rested against the hairs at the back of his neck. All of his nerves gave way, shoved out and replaced by an unmistakable feeling of adoration and rightness.

Slowly, they broke apart, and Barok took a stuttering breath. He leaned back to look at him, and Herlock smiled with a smug grin. “And now, my dear, you can consider yourself amongst the lucky few to have—”

And then Barok was kissing him again, softly and sweetly, and if not partially to ensure that Herlock didn’t ruin the moment with whatever he’d planned to finish that sentence with. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually, it dawned on him that perhaps they should go bring down the firewood before everyone got suspicious. With one final peck, Barok broke away.

“Is this the only way to get you to stop talking?” Barok murmured against his mouth. His lips brushed against Herlock’s as he spoke, allowing him to feel Herlock’s smile against his own.

Instead of answering, Herlock kissed him again, so that must have been a yes. Truly, they should have gone downstairs, but it was intoxicating to be with him like this, even though they’d done nothing more than kiss. Barok felt Herlock reach up to grasp the back of his neck to deepen the kiss as he tilted his head further, dispelling any previous thoughts Barok may have had about his lack of talent. His hands fell to grip at Herlock’s shoulders, and then—

“Oh!”

Barok had never jumped away from anything faster. He all but shoved Herlock away from him, though Herlock maintained his balance remarkably well. At the attic door, Ryunosuke was staring at the two of them with eyes as wide as saucers. His mouth had fallen open, too, and his hands hovered in the air like he was fighting to stay upright.

“Ah, Mr. Naruhodo, how kind of you to come to check on us,” Herlock said. “As you can see, we’ve not gathered a single piece of firewood!”

“Uh-Uh…” Ryunosuke said. “I’m—I didn’t mean to—”

As Barok considered the pros and cons of jumping out of the attic window, Herlock stepped forward and held onto his hand. Barok snapped his eyes downward, and Herlock loosened his grip, giving him the opportunity to step away. He smiled in a way that showed he wouldn’t have been offended if so. Barok tightened his jaw, and fit his hand more neatly into Herlock’s own.

“Is this—Are you two…?” Ryunosuke continued to sputter out half-sentences. “I’m sorry for interrupting!” he squeaked. Then he shut the door behind him.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Herlock said, and Barok turned to glare at him. Herlock shrugged as though he saw no problem with their current situation, then promptly leaned in to kiss him again.

“You cannot be serious. We have to go downstairs,” Barok said even as he allowed himself to be readily drawn in for another kiss. He only meant for it to be a quick one, but Herlock slipped his fingers into his hair and it soon returned to the same intensity as it had before until Barok thought once more of the door opening. What if Iris walked in? Kazuma? Gina? Those two would never let him live it down, not to mention he had no idea what they would think about such a relationship in the first place. And they needed to speak with Ryunosuke in private as soon as possible. With a surprising amount of self-restraint, he placed his hands against the side of Herlock’s neck, brushing his thumbs against his cheek as he slowed their pace to the point where he could break away. His breathing came out unsteady, and he leaned back. “We really must go downstairs now. It’s Iris’s birthday, still.”

“And after that?” Herlock prompted, still toying with the hairs at the back of Barok’s head.

Barok straightened up, fixing him with an unamused look. “I recall you saying once that you intended to court me,” he said. Herlock released him and let out a disbelieving laugh, though it was colored with affection. Barok huffed a laugh of his own, going towards the firewood to pick up a couple of pieces.

“If that is what it takes to get you into a bed with me, so be it then,” Herlock said, following after him with a rather put-upon sigh.

Barok nearly dropped the firewood he was holding. When he saw Herlock’s amused look, he clicked his tongue and shoved the wood into his hands, causing Herlock to make a winded ‘oof’ sound as he took them from Barok’s hands. “How can you say such things so casually?” Barok muttered, hoping that his burning cheeks revealed nothing. 

Barok grabbed a couple more for himself, then the two of them returned downstairs. All of them turned to stare at them with wide, disbelieving eyes. Ryunosuke averted his gaze guiltily. This was…the worst possible outcome.

“It looks like we’ve been found out,” Herlock said as he tossed the wood into the fireplace. He did the same with Barok’s when Barok remained frozen in place. “I see your secret-keeping skills are not up to par, Mr. Naruhodo.”

“I-I’m sorry,” he blurted. “It just—all of them could tell when I came downstairs that something had happened.”

“Eh? So it’s true, then?” Gina blurted.

What would they do? Would they shun him? He had thought about London society at large, but Barok hadn’t fully considered what the others might think and—

Iris giggled. Then she full-on laughed, and she smiled. “I’m so happy,” she said. Barok stared at her in shock.

“I-Iris?” Susato said.

“Truly, this is…” She clapped her hands together. “This is the best birthday ever.”

“Huh,” Kazuma said. Barok turned to him. “It’s…strange, to think of you in a relationship with anyone, really,” he mused. “Though, I’m glad for you.” He hummed and nodded to himself, smiling faintly. “Maybe it will make you less grumpy.” Barok’s mind was too befuddled to be properly annoyed at Kazuma’s comment.

“…Two dads, Iris? Talk about lucky,” Gina commented.

Susato smiled. “It is a bit lucky, isn’t it?” They all began to talk amongst and over each other, as Barok tried and failed to speak over them. He wanted to clarify—it was only a kiss or two (or more) and they weren’t in any type of relationship yet. 

Herlock slipped his hand into his again. “That went quite well, I think,” he said.

“Two dads?” Barok repeated warily. “We haven’t even had dinner.”

Herlock smiled and leaned in. “It’s quite an enticing future to think of, though, wouldn’t you say?” he said. Barok’s face warmed.

Ryunosuke went over to them. “I’m so sorry for telling everyone,” he said, lowering his head. “It-It just came out, but given…well, the situation, it wasn’t for me to say.” He lifted his head up to look Barok in the eyes. “No one here thinks any differently of you, including me, but I’m sorry. It wasn’t right.”

“I suppose everyone in this room would have found out one way or another, eventually,” Barok said after a beat. “Though, I appreciate the apology.” Ryunosuke nodded, still slinking into himself. “It is alright,” Barok added, because as he looked around at everyone’s excited chatter, he realized that it really was. Ryunosuke’s shoulders relaxed somewhat.

“Wait a minute, Iris, does this mean you’re gonna live in a mansion?” Gina demanded. “With servants ‘n everything?”

“Beg pardon?” Barok said.

Iris chuckled, tapping at her chin thoughtfully. “That would be exciting! But I don’t think I need servants. Maybe Barry will come to live here,” she mused. “It’s not the same as a mansion but it’s still cozy.”

“Live…I’m sorry?” Barok stammered, flustered. “I think perhaps it’s a bit early for such—”

“Oh, that would be so lovely, Iris,” Susato agreed. “There was plenty of room for Mr. Naruhodo and me when we lived here. So three people would be no problem. And 221B Baker Street is so famous, how could you live elsewhere?”

“Wait—Just a moment—” Barok once again tried.

Ryunosuke peered over at him with a smile. “In these situations, there’s something I like to say at times like this. It works. You know it well, too, Lord van Zieks.” Barok frowned at him, and Ryunosuke mouthed the word at him. Barok groaned. He understood, but he felt rather foolish yelling such a thing outside of the courtroom.

He took a breath, and then—

“Objection!” Barok gaped – and so did everyone else — as Herlock yelled the word out himself with a self-satisfying grin. “Why, you’re right, Mr. Naruhodo, it did cause everyone to stop,” Herlock mused. “And I must say, it does make one feel quite like a lawyer. What a thrill. It’s like I’m in the Old Bailey already.”

“That’s…not quite how that works, I think, Mr. Sholmes,” Ryunosuke said.

However, it seemed to work as a distraction, because Iris quickly changed the subject. “Ooh, actually, now that we’re all downstairs, why don’t we take a picture?” Iris said. “I’ve already set up the camera. And I’ve created a setting so that after thirty seconds pass, it will take it. It’s like a self-timer.”

Barok nodded along with the others, mostly grateful for the change of subject. The camera was placed on the other end of the trunk, just far enough away so that it could capture all of them in front of the fireplace.

“Okay, I’m going to click, and then we all get into position!” Iris said. She ran over to the camera, pressed the button, then dashed back over.

Barok stood straight, trying to remain as proper as he’d always been told to do in photographs. However, Herlock immediately rested his elbow on Barok’s shoulder and leaned against him, resting his head on his elbow and tilting his head up with an annoyingly charming boyish grin. Kazuma stood at the other side of him, resting his arm on his other shoulder, though he held a glass in the other hand as though he were casually toasting the camera.

“I am not a signpost for you both to lean on,” Barok frowned. Both of them ignored him, and honestly, it seemed as though they leaned against him further as a result.

Gina quickly sprang forward to stand directly in front of Barok and did a salute. “Lestrade, must you stand right in front of me?” Barok sighed.

“Huh?” Gina said, turning around.

Ryunosuke and Susato stood at Herlock’s side and looked at the four of them with wary laughter. Iris hopped into the middle of the group, planting herself in between Barok and Herlock.

“Oy, why d’you want me to stand somewhere else?” Gina frowned. Her body was still turned, and now she was pointing at him as though about to give a lecture. Barok sighed, about to tell her to turn back to the camera. Then he saw a bit of movement from the trunk. Barok glanced past Gina, and Wagahai hopped from the trunk, onto Gina’s shoulder, and towards Barok’s own, and he startled. As did Kazuma, whose arm was resting on the same shoulder.

“What the—” Barok started.
“Gah—” Kazuma said at the same time.

Iris giggled and jumped in the air with her arms outstretched.

The camera clicked.

Wagahai hopped past him and on top of the fireplace, purring. It was a terrible picture, it had to be. Everyone began to bicker amongst themselves about how the picture must have turned out. Gina demanded a re-take because ‘Barry distracted me’, and Kazuma complained as well, while Ryunosuke and Susato tried to convince them that it was fine as is. As he watched the lot of them, he couldn’t stop the fondness that blossomed in full force. He caught Iris’s eye, and she shrugged at him with an amused smile on her face.

“Our family is really something,” Iris said to him.

Our family.

He wouldn’t have it any other way. “Yes,” Barok said. “It’s...truly wonderful,” he said in a voice unlike his own.

Herlock squeezed his hand next to him, and Iris’s grin brightened. It wasn’t perfect, and Barok still had more to let go of than he would have liked, but even in all the uncertainty, there was so much tenderness to be found, Barok was overwhelmed by it. Amongst the wreckage of the past and present and whatever may come to pass, there was love, in all of its wonder, never-ending and forgiving all the same. He thought it might swallow him whole with how unrelenting it was against the face of his insecurities.

He had never wanted anything more.

“Yeah,” Iris agreed. She held onto his other hand. “It is.”

Onward, Barok thought, to a brighter future.