Chapter Text
Fukuchi was defeated, the Hunting Dogs disbanded, and had their superhuman abilities stripped from them, everything was back to how it should be, for the most part.
Except for Jouno and Tecchou who didn’t know what to do with themselves.
They’d just lost everything they had based their lives around in a matter of days after finding out their commander was a terrorist. It turned their lives upside down, and they stuck together since it was all they knew how to do that they hadn’t had taken away.
They had gone back and forth about different jobs, like joining the Gifted Special Operations Division. But the government had already made it clear they didn’t want either of the former Hunting Dogs. Which put them back to square one.
Jouno almost considered reaching out to Tachihara who had returned to the mafia, for a job. Which Tecchou was able to convince him not to do, as returning to a life of crime would just prove to the government that they were dangerous, and needed to be locked up, like their former vice commander. Tachihara only got away with it because he had infiltrated the mafia for so long that he was basically a mafioso already.
He had filled them in on some of the current workplace chaos, the Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia were on a truce that would likely stay, just to avoid fighting their former member, Junichirou. It made sense for the two groups to decide to get along, after everything they went through during the Decay of Angels madness. Plus, it kept Yokohama in a more peaceful state than before.
Tecchou was glad that there was peace, since he had worried that everything would be a mess for much longer than it had been. It wasn’t every day that a worldwide terrorist attack almost ends the world. Yet, it seemed like Yokohama bounced back faster than most other places. Making it clear this wasn’t their first time nearly being wiped off the map.
Jouno and Tecchou ended up waiting to see if anyone would hire them. Sitting in a small two-bedroom apartment for most days of the week, since whenever they go out, people seemed to glare. It was known that the Hunting Dogs had assisted the terrorists, even though most of it was accidental. Which meant they weren’t getting off easy.
They doubted anyone would want to see their faces for a long time. At least, they thought that until there was a knock on their door. Both tensed at the sound, and felt a sense of dread wash over them. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for the government to decide they needed to be locked up.
Yet, when they opened the door, there weren't any police officers there to take them away. There was just a blonde teenager, happily smiling up at them. Tecchou remembered beating him half to death, convinced the boy had brought harm to Jouno.
“I’m so glad you were here! I’ve been meaning to ask if you wanted to join me for beef bowls, but I didn’t know where you were. So, I asked Ranpo, and he told me,” the chipper tone and almost excited feeling to him was catching them both off guard.
“Why do you want to go out for beef bowls?” Tecchou asked, confused about why the boy had gone out of his way to ask that.
Kenji just smiled wider, “To apologize for throwing you into that wall, and truck. I know better than to be rough, and that I shouldn’t get mad at people. But I thought your friend was hurting Atsushi, so I got a little angry.”
Even Jouno didn’t know how to react to the strange apology, both men gaping at the boy in front of them.
“You can bring your friend too!” he added on, as if he wasn’t an enigma to them.
“Okay…” Tecchou agreed, purely because he was so confused.
That was how two former Hunting Dogs ended up at a table in a small restaurant with the kid they’d hunted and tried to kill. The same kid who was happily telling them about his friends, and how his week had been. Along with the occasional mention of his home back in Ihatovo, and the pet cows he can’t wait to see when he goes back to visit.
Jouno mostly just sat there and picked at his food, not wanting to get in on the conversation, solely because he didn’t understand most of what Kenji was talking about. Tecchou on the other hand continued to nod and make small comments on what he was being told. Becoming more interested as he was told more about the animals back in the village.
Suddenly, Kenji stopped talking, “... I just remembered, I asked the agency if they would be okay with inviting you guys to join. So, if you want, you could come in for an interview!”
Neither of them expected that, and were taken aback by the offer. Yet it was the best opportunity presented to them. So they agreed, and were told to show up at the office in the morning. That was when their interview would be held, and it’d be decided if they were fit to be detectives or not.
They planned to prove themselves, and show the agency they were sorry for the trouble they caused in the past.
—
After hanging out with Kenji for a while, they returned to their apartment. Collapsing onto the couch, and leaning against each other. As nice as it was to go out, and do stuff without the usual glares, Kenji had boundless energy, and was a bit too much.
Both of them hoped they wouldn’t be paired up with Kenji much, as that would be a surefire way to exhaust both former Hunting Dogs. They liked the boy, and found him extraordinarily kind, but he overwhelmed Jouno’s senses, and Tecchou worried his partner would snap at the child.
He knew he’d have to set his worries aside sooner, rather than later. But for just a while longer, he wanted to take care of Jouno. Look out for him, and make sure he was comfortable.
They ended up cooking supper together, and fell asleep on the couch, cuddled up, and tucked into one another.