Work Text:
It took a month before Keigo was able to leave the hospital. He had been extremely lucky to get to the hospital in time, but the doctors made it clear that without the knowledge of the poison, he would have died. The amount of tetrodotoxin he had ingested wasn't as much as the other victims had received but still damaged him.
He had been in a coma for the first two weeks and when he woke up he hadn't been able to move or talk. The doctors hadn't been sure if he ever would have been able to, but Keigo wasn't one to just give up. Day out and day in he tried to move his muscles and three days later his fingers and toes began moving. At the end of the week, he had been able to sit up.
Talking took longer but after another week he was almost back to normal. Sure, he felt weak, and his words still slurred, but it could have been so much worse, which the doctors told him daily.
Tsunagu came to visit daily and most times he brought Rumi with him. They brought him books, get-well cards, candy and most importantly, information.
After Keigo got to the hospital, Tsunagu sent out Fumikage to track the detectives' steps, which led him to the coffee shop. They had tested the muffins he had brought from the shop and found no traces of the toxin. A search of the coffee shop and the owners' apartment had found nothing that could tie them to the case. According to Tsunagu, Touya and Tenko had both been extremely worried about the detective and had let the police do what they needed without fuss. It had surprised Keigo, but what surprised him even more was the fact that he didn't correct his colleague. He knew the two were the culprit, but he couldn't get himself to say it. Keigo decided he didn't want to figure out why.
~
Two months later Keigo stood outside the doors of the coffee shop, trying to get the courage to go inside. It took weeks before he was able to get enough strength to leave the hospital, and then before he could leave the apartment for a longer period of time. After that, it had taken him another month to win his internal battle about going back. But here he was, staring at the familiar door, a whole three months since the last time.
It took the detective a whole 10 minutes before he stepped close and pushed the door open. The familiar bell over the door helped his nerves somewhat, but they came back tenfold when he saw the white-haired man behind the counter.
Just like last time there were no other customers in the small shop, which probably was for the best. Keigo closed the door behind him and turned the sign from open to close, not wanting to be disturbed.
"It's good to see you. Me and Touya's been worried about you." Keigo couldn't help to scoff as he turned back to the man. He took a deep breath to steady himself before he walked up to the bar counter.
"Worried that I would survive and snitch on you two, maybe." To his credit, Tenko didn't react at all. The door to the back opened and Touya stepped out with a plate of new cookies. The man stopped when he saw the detective before smirking.
"The usual, Kei?"
"I want answers. And a reason why I shouldn't arrest you two right this instant." His angry tone did nothing to erase the others' smirk. Instead, Touya just turned around to make his usual cup of coffee while Tenko kept his eyes on the blonde man.
"The police found no proof, your word won't hold in court. Plus, you haven't told anyone yet, nothing we say would make you do it now." Damn him and his way of seeing right through Keigo. And he was right, the case wouldn't hold. Not when the search hadn't found anything through the search. And nothing else could link them to the case. Two more people had died since Keigos poisoning, and they still couldn't find the killers. But here he was, staring at the two who tried to kill him, have killed countless others.
"Why am I still alive?" The question had been on his mind since he woke up. He had gone over it over and over again in his mind but hadn't been able to find an answer. He should be dead.
"Maybe you were just lucky." Touya shrugged as he placed the cup of coffee in front of Keigo who just ignored it.
"My coffee wasn't spiked with as much tetrodotoxin as the others had been. It wasn't just luck. So why am I still alive?"
The men looked at each other before Tenko sighed and took off his apron. They left their spot and walked over to Keigo's usual table before sitting down. Keigo hesitantly followed before taking his usual chair. It was quiet for a moment as the couple looked at each other, having a silent conversation. They must have come to an agreement because they turned back to the blonde. Touya huffed before giving their explanation.
"We got too attached." Yeah, explanation wasn't a good word. Instead it only confused Keigo even more. It must have shown on his face because Touya laughed before he kept going.
"You're special Keigo, to us at least. You're smart, funny, extremely handsome." Before Keigo could interrupt Tenko hushed him so Touya could keep going. "It got dangerous. In the end, you would have found out and our fun would have ended."
"Fun!? You're killing people!" It was a mistake coming here. They were insane! Feelings be damned, he was going to get them locked up if only to save his sanity. Keigo stood up, ready to leave, but he didn't have a chance to move before Tenko was at his side, pushing him back down in the chair.
"We're not done yet. Sit. Still." The cold tone sent chills up his back. But another feeling came with it too, a feeling Keigo instantly pushed away. Tenko pushing him around had been hot ! Maybe his sanity couldn't be saved after all.
"You're special, Kei. And we want you." Three months ago he had dreamed about hearing those words, but now it just scared him. The way Touya had said it wasn't a declaration of love. No, it was a declaration of ownership.
Tenko placed his pointy finger under Keigos jaw and made him look up at the other, keeping eye contact with the detective.
"Stay with us, and we won't kill anyone else." It was not what Keigo had expected him to say, but he knew Tenko wasn't lying.
"No one else will get hurt." Touya had moved behind him without Keigo noticing and he jumped. Tenko let him stand up, but there was no way for him to go. He was trapped. Touya moved even closer so he could whisper into his ear.
"We will take care of you." And in the end, it wasn't a hard choice to make.
~
"There's still no trace of Detective Takami Keigo who's been missing for 17 days now. He was last seen caught on a surveillance camera leaving his apartment on September 3rd and has not been seen since then. Police are asking for any information which can help locate the man..."