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It'd grown dark. Mashita had set up a makeshift office in one of the guest rooms. Yashiki leaned against the desk.
"Are you free tonight?"
"What's the occasion? You don't go out much anymore. I figured you were too old. The hangovers get to you too much," Mashita said.
"I saw in your file that it's your birthday."
"It's just another day. Soon enough, I'll forget they existed."
He looked up at Yashiki, with a crooked smile. His dark hair was extra tousled from the number of times he'd run his fingers through his hair in frustration as they worked on the latest rumors of spirits. His shoulders, broad as they were, were slightly stooped from a long day of working on piecing through rumor reports. Mashita's dark eyes were sardonic as always.
"But, I'll take any excuse to go for a drink. Even a pathetic one," Mashita said.
He rose up and put on his coat. Ten minutes later and they were taking the long drive in the van. Mashita remained quiet, with his gaze out the window. After such a long day, Yashiki wasn't surprised. But, it was a comfortable silence between them.
*
The bar was rather busy this time of night. More busy than Yashiki would've liked. It took some time to even get some service through all the crowd. It didn't simply serve drinks, but some decent food as well, if not pricey. The music was loud enough to give him a slight headache.
Mashita smirked. "You're getting too old. All you want to do is go on home because you're already tired. I can see it on your face."
Mashita was perceptive as ever.
"The food's good here, at least," Yashiki said.
"I don't care for noisy places much either. But the food is worth it," Mashita said.
Mashita took a puff on the cigarette. "I don't celebrate them much. Time will pass, and it won't matter. The day will just be another reminder that I'm a year closer to death."
Whiskey in his hand, a shot glass. The liquid was amber, and fiery. Mashita liked liquor harder than Yashiki did.
"I'm grateful for the day. It means I got to meet you," Yashiki said.
"You're so sentimental," Mashita said.
Which for Mashita, was kind. Years ago, he would've said something much worse.
Mashita took a drink, but savored it.
It'd been a difficult three years together--not entirely because of them, even though on his best days, Mashita could be remarkably volatile. They got on well despite that. But, spirits hadn't made it easy, but they'd survived every encounter--though it had gotten close at times. And here they were. Both in their thirties, and still together.
"Fine. I'll celebrate it, for you," he said.
He'd expected more push back.
"Growing soft in your old age?" Yashiki teased.
"You need to be nice to me. I'm the birthday boy," he said. His voice was full of sarcasm.
"You can treat me to dinner. You're paying for all of it," Mashita said.
"I see you're trying to make me regret it," Yashiki said.
"Caught on fast, eh? Good to know you didn't grow dim in your old age," Mashita said.
"It won't work. I'll be glad to treat you to dinner," Yashiki said.
"I never could beat you," Mashita said.
Leaving out that they'd never be on opposite sides, never even tried once to gain victory. That he'd risked his own life for Yashiki's multiple times.
Leave it to Mashita to be sardonic.
*
The lights above them were red in shade. Tonkatsu, warm in his stomach. Mashita wasn't drunk enough to sway. In fact, he'd been drinking water to sober up. Yashiki hadn't drank anything. Especially as he'd be the one getting them both home.
"It never mattered much to me. I wasn't too close with my parents. When I was fired from the force, I cut ties. I didn't have a lot of close friends to lose, anyways. Most of them died. Common in my line for work. The rest? Well, they hated me, of course. I'm not the most personable person."
The empty bowls were pushed ahead. The hour was late enough that the place was clearing out of people. Close to the end of the day, close to the witching hour.
"You know... this is probably the best damn birthday I had, because you're here. And it probably would've been the same if we just shared a beer in the alley together."
He leaned against Yashiki.
He sighed. "You've got me wrapped around your thumb, old man."
He'd sarcastically picked up the nickname for Yashiki from Shou, and it'd stuck.
They were alone enough for Yashiki to skim his fingers across Mashita's calloused palm. Mashita wasn't one for PDA. He'd get a reprimand, considering for men like them, too much closeness in public could escalate things.
Mashita didn't say anything sharp for once.
"Let's go back home," Mashita said.
After three years, the mansion was his home too. All the baggage, the spirits, the work. He'd taken it all on.
*
Bed sheets tangled. Condoms put in the trash by the bed. Mashita rested his head on Yashiki's chest.
"You've got me looking forward to next birthday, Yashiki. And this one isn't even done yet," Mashita said.
The red lines of the bedside clock read 11:09.
"You should. I'd like to spend it with you," Yashiki said.
"Pfeh, like you won't be tired of me by then."
"Nope. I'd wager you on it."
"I'm not stupid enough to bet against a psychic. The deck would be stacked against me," Mashita said.
It'd taken years for Mashita to fully warm to him. To stop thinking any sort of thanks or kindness was 'creepy.' Of course, being Mashita, he usually had some sharp quip in response.
The red letters of the electronic clock read 11:11.
"People make wishes on 11:11," Yashiki said. More an absent thought from past cases than anything.
"Another urban legend? Are you sure it won't summon some ghost girl demon to eat our faces?" Mashita said skeptically.
Because in their line of work, they were always one rumor away from facing a spirit.
"Pretty sure," Yashiki said.
"I wouldn't have anything to wish for, anyways. I'm pretty happy where I am. If I made any wish, I'd wish for next year to be with you."
Mashita put his hands on his face.
"Damn, I sound like some sappy schoolgirl. All sentimental and corny. Look what you do to me."
"If I made a wish, that's what I'd wish too."
Well, that and a peaceful year where the spirits couldn't hurt anyone. It might mean they would have to get new jobs. Maybe Yashiki could moonlight as a salaryman. Or Mashita and him doing regular private detective work. They'd probably get tasked with chasing down cheating spouses for divorce proof.
Mashita peeked from behind his fingers.
"Good on you to be so sentimental you make me pale in comparison."
"That reminds me, I've got something for you."
Yashiki reached out for his coat to dig in the pockets.
"I thought that was my present," Mashita said. His voice was suggestive and quite smug. It made Yashiki remember the hours before. How Mashita had purposefully sobered up so he could remember every moment. The the way he breathed, the heat of their bodies close together.
Yashiki had something in his outstretched palm.
"An amulet?"
Mashita lifted an eyebrow. "I guess I should be glad you didn't decide to give me a broken umbrella for a gift."
"To keep you safe."
"Superstitious claptrap," Mashita said.
"We fight spirits for a living," Yashiki said pointedly. "You've been cursed."
"It doesn't make those infomercial amulets any less of a waste of money," Mashita said.
"Not those. I got it blessed from a priest of some spiritual power."
He lifted up the amulet, which was a necklace with an ornate ring on it. No worn out amulet for Mashita. This one was brand new, and infused with enough power that Yashiki could feel it.
"Sure you aren't putting a ring on me, like I'm your girl?" Mashita said sarcastically.
"You want a ring?"
Mashita fell silent. He gave Yashiki a searching glance.
"You'd actually put one on me? Like anyone would ever try and take me away."
Mashita no longer did things like ask him what the hell was wrong with him for ever dating him. They'd grown accustomed to each other. He still had self-deprecating humor, he still was an asshole who got them thrown out of establishments. But, it was all part of his charm. And why Yashiki loved him.
Marriage wasn't legal for them, not in 2002 rural Japan, and not in H city, either.
"I'll find you something," Yashiki said.
"Don't take my quip as anything more than me being an asshole," Mashita said.
"It doesn't change anything. I'd still put a ring on your finger."
There might be something in the family treasures. There had to be more in the mansion than his legacy of a cursed doll.
"It just shows how down bad I am, that this makes me...happy. Sticking around with you for every last birthday until I croak."
"I hope next year is even better," Yashiki said.
"Please, you'd probably drag me into chasing spirits whatever the day was. At least I'd never get bored," Mashita said.
And that was true for both of them. With his mercurial partner, he'd never have a dull moment, either.