Work Text:
With a sigh, Kaoru sat back, admiring his work.
After locking himself in his home for the past week, with only microwaveable ramen to keep him going, his new Carla device was finally complete.
“Carla,” Kaoru called to his room, the purple LEDs along his ceiling brightening at his command, “Run the programming for Karma.”
Without responding, the purple pulsed across the room as Kaoru leaned forward, studying his new handheld device; it was a small thing, pocket-sized, and the usual black and purple colours. It looked almost like an old phone, except the screen took up most of the front with three subsections.
Subsection A; live, accurate subtitles of a person’s words.
Subsection B; whether their words are a truth or a lie, found via a subtle scanner for heart rate and a censor for paralinguistic features and actions.
Subsection C; an accurate translation of their words.
In short, it was a fancy, improved lie detector.
The first of its design and capability, actually. Not to brag or anything.
The screen lit up in record time, hardly a millisecond after Carla activated the program, and Kaoru pressed the on button, already smirking as he held the thing up to his face (of course this was unnecessary, Karma was programmed to pick up speech from any distance, as long as it was in earshot, and was able to pick out distinct voices no matter how muffled). “You’re working.”
Truth.
“I’m hungry.”
Truth.
“Kojiro’s a better skater than me.”
Lie.
I’m a way better skater than Kojiro.
Kaoru grinned, twirling the device in his hand. It had a lot of intricacies, for example it was on silent mode, but it had the ability to speak the words in Carla’s usual voice, as well as the ability to target certain people (as long as their voices were coded into the program). For a proper test run, Kaoru had to test the latter ability, and he had the perfect subject.
A glance at the clock told him it was almost midnight, meaning he had to head out soon if he wanted to catch Kojiro.
Considering the fact he hadn’t shown up in possibly longer than a week, he wondered whether Kojiro would be there at all.
“Carla, battery percentage?”
“Thirty-three percent, Master. Charging will be recommended at Sia la Luce.”
“Perfect.” Kaoru returned, turning Karma off before pocketing her, flicking his computer off, and ordering Carla to turn the lights off.
He had some carbonara to eat.
In the name of science, of course.
When Kaoru arrived at Sia la Luce, a single lamp was turned on, and Kojiro was stood wiping down the counter, an odd look in his eye that Kaoru couldn’t quite unpick. Another odd thing was Kojiro’s phone on side, faced up, and the man kept glancing at it, worry knitting his brows together.
Kaoru wasted no more time before walzting in, the bell that dinged above his head immediately making Kojiro look up, any worry dissipating. “Kaoru.” He practically sighed out, eyes tracking him, almost unblinking as he sat down in his usual seat, hand in his pocket dancing over Karma. “You’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay, dimwit.” Kaoru immediately spat back, relief flooding his system at the familiarity, at the honey eyes that scanned him. “I’ve just been… busy.”
“Busy doing what?” Kojiro scowled, throwing his arms up in the air. When Kaoru didn’t respond, he huffed and headed into the kitchen. Kaoru hadn’t even smelt the carbonara until he did so, and he couldn’t help his small smile, flicking his fan out and pressing Karma’s ‘ON’ button under the counter.
Maybe he should code her into his fan.
Now that would be cool.
“Whatever, I’m just glad you’re alive.” Kojiro muttered, loud enough for Kaoru to hear but quiet enough for Kaoru to know that it wasn’t a ‘whatever’ matter, that Kojiro has been genuinely worried.
And when he glanced down at his new hand-held device, she seemed to agree.
Lie.
Why didn’t you at least message me?
Kaoru blinked, and then a bowl was placed unceremoniously in front of him, and he looked over his fan to find Kojiro raising an eyebrow at him.
“So?”
“So what?”
“What have you been ‘busy’ with?” Kojiro explained, using his fingers to make air quotations at the word ‘busy’, seeming far too unimpressed and far too relieved simultaneously. “It isn’t often you just disappear for a week with no contact.”
Truth.
“I’ve been working on a new Carla model,” Kaoru returned, noting how she didn’t transcript his own words with a small smile that was still strategically hidden behind his fan, “A state of the art component, the first of her kind really.”
“Ah, you’ve finally made a humanoid girlfriend,” Kojiro returned with a smirk, and Kaoru couldn’t help his frown, “I didn’t know you had it in you.
Lie.
You could do anything you set your mind to.
Kaoru wasn’t sure what to do with that.
So he snapped his fan closed and dug into his carbonara as not-desperately as possible, trying his best to hide the fact he’d been living off of microwave food for the past week. Despite the fact Kojiro likely already knew.
He didn’t need a state-of-the-art lie detector.
“No, she’s essentially a translator,” Kaoru explained, trying his best to hide what she truly was without lying; either way his words made Kojiro perk up a little, finally intrigued, “She isn’t finished yet, but I’ve ran into a problem and need time away from my computer to figure out the issue.”
“That’s not like you.” Kojiro mumbled, his features twisting in confusion.
Truth.
“You usually just… stare at your programming until you forget Japanese is your first language.”
Truth.
“Well, maybe I’m attempting a different method,” Kaoru replied between bites, feeling a lot better with proper food in his system.
“Or maybe you missed me.” Kojiro teased, turning around to grab some wine glasses; Kaoru took the chance to glance back down at his Karma device.
Which… confused him.
The transcript was accurate, as presumed, but just below it read;
Lie.
I wish you were here because you’d missed me.
“Well— I, um,” Kaoru stuttered out, Kojiro turning back around with an odd look, “What if I did? Huh?”
“What?”
“Maybe I did miss you.” And at the shocked and frankly excited look Kojiro gave him, Kaoru added a customary, “Maybe.”
“What demon has possessed you tonight, four-eyes?” Kojiro laughed back, seeming a little unsteady as he poured Kaoru’s glass of wine while the other continued to shovel food into his face. “What did you do with Kaoru?”
“You’re such an idiot.” Kaoru huffed, immediately sipping his wine for some liquid courage, enjoying the way it coated his tongue for more reasons than one. “I can leave any time—“
“No, no, you’re fine, I’ll lay off,” Kojiro laughed back, sipping his own glass of wine at a far less worrying pace.
Kaoru glanced at his hand-held again.
Lie.
Why are you being so nice?
“What do you keep looking at?”
“Hm?”
“Did you code your hot new girlfriend to message you?” Kojiro asked with a smirk, hand resting on his hip, his messy hair matching his dirtied apron.
No, Kaoru wasn’t sure any robot could compare to Kojiro.
No robot could make Kaoru as hopeless for as long. No other person, really.
Only Kojiro.
Always Kojiro.
“You know better than anyone I wouldn’t build myself a girlfriend,” Kaoru returned, taking the safer route as he stabbed at the remaining pasta, feeling Kojiro’s eyes lingering on him still, “It’s a client, he doesn’t know when to stop messaging me, no matter how dry I text him.”
“A client? It’s past midnight!” Kojiro almost yelled, wincing at his own volume in tandem with Kaoru, who took the opportunity to look back at Karma.
Truth.
But something still wasn’t right. It was in the way Kojiro wouldn’t let his eyes off of Kaoru, in the way he switched which hand held his waist, in the almost intangible bitterness to his words.
So Kaoru pressed on.
“He’s very rich, new money,” he bluffed, knowing not a single client had made conversation with him since he sent out an email stating he would be busy on a project for a while. Though the man he was describing did remind him of one of his clients, a hoity-toity asshole that acted not disimilar to Adam. “He wants me to host some creative arts event in the spring.”
“Oh.” Was all Kojiro replied for a moment, Karma needing a little more to go off of before translating. “And he’s… just a client?”
“I guess.” Kaoru responded, not entirely sure what he was asking, attempting a non-chalant shrug before finishing off his carbonara, taking a sip of wine to wash it down. “He has expressed interest in working with me in the future, but we have no solid plans yet.”
When Kojiro went to respond, Kaoru knew he had to cut the conversation off before he was caught out. So, instead, he stood out of his seat and grabbed Carla from the chair beside him.
“I need to charge Carla, same place as usual?”
“Why would I have moved it?” Kojiro asked incredulously, seeming genuinely confused where the train of thought had come from.
In reality, Kaoru was just worried something had changed; sure he’d only been gone a week, but sometimes that’s all it took.
There had been times Kaoru hadn’t visted for two days, returned, and Kojiro was blabbing about his new girlfriend. Or that one time Kaoru missed a single night and had to call an ambulance the next night because the man had drank too much.
So he had every right to worry.
And he couldn’t quite figure out what had changed about Kojiro this time.
Without replying, Kaoru took the charger out of the usual drawer, inserting it into the usual outlet and plugging Carla in, her percentage (12%) flashing purple in the centre of the deck.
“Kaoru?”
“Hm?”
“Do you…” Kojiro started before trailing off, and Kaoru unnecessarily fiddled with Carla a little more to be able to stay facing away a little longer, “Nevermind.”
Kaoru stood and rested a hand on his hip, swivelling to face the other with a frown. “Do I what?”
“Nevermind. It’s not important, don’t worry about it.”
Kaoru made his way back the counter, glancing at the device once more.
Lie.
It’s too important.
“Don’t be an idiot, what is it?” Kaoru insisted, watching Kojiro’s gaze flick down to his hand underneath the desk, a contemplative glint to his eyes.
“I just— I just want you to be careful, is all,”
Lie.
I don’t trust that client and his motives.
“Sometimes the money isn’t worth it, and if he’s messaging you this late he must be obsessed or something.”
Lie.
I don’t want you willingly talking to him.
“Kaoru, put your phone down.” Kojiro almost ordered, and Kaoru hated it.
He hated it because it was the exact thing Adam had said all those years ago.
‘Put your phone down, Cherry.’
“Do not tell me what to do.” Kaoru hissed, unable to help the venom that slipped through his teeth. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Kaoru—“
“No. I have had enough with people telling me what to do— is that what changed? While I was gone?”
“What? No!”
“Because you definitely weren’t this much of a dick the last time I saw you.” Kaoru fumed, caving in a little on himself, unable to see the unadulterated fear in Kojiro’s eyes. Then, he took a deep breath, and mumbled, “I can’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t— I didn’t think, okay?” Kojiro immediately apologised the moment he realised Kaoru was a little calmer, stepping back a little with his arms raised. “I just— this is our time together, you know? I don’t…”
Truth.
So Kaoru sighed, sipped his wine, and said, “I’m sorry.”
“You— what?”
“You’re not… like him.” Kaoru explained, unable to say much more than that, but Kojiro understood immediately, looking far too guilty for his own good. “It must feel crap to be compared to him.”
“It’s not your fault, I was being a dick.” Kojiro supplied, picking up the bottle of wine the moment Kaoru’s glass clinked against the counter to top it up. “I’ll lay off.”
“Good.”
And then they drank in silence for a bit.
Usually this would be fine, when Kaoru was just there for the company, but he still had some test-running to do for Karma.
It seemed like she was up and running just fine, but something must be off in her programming, because Kojiro was saying things and she hardly reacted.
Maybe because they were mostly questions — you can’t lie if you’re not stating anything.
And he couldn’t exactly take it elsewhere to test, he had no other voices in the data base yet; then again, Kojiro didn’t seem like he was in a great mood.
Maybe that was the way to go.
Maybe Kaoru could do more good than bad this time around.
“Is everything alright?” Kaoru found himself asking before he could regret it, Kojiro perking up a little, almost finished with his third glass of wine.
“Everything’s fine.” Kojiro replied with a small smile, but when Kaoru glanced at Karma…
Lie.
I can’t tell you what’s wrong.
“Are you sure?” Kaoru asked, because even without the detector he knew something was wrong. Maybe he wouldn’t have pressed the matter before, but something made him push on. “You’ve been off all evening.”
“So have you.”
Truth.
“Stop being such a mindless gorilla and tell me what’s wrong,” Kaoru tried, levelling Kojiro with an unwavering determined gaze. “Maybe I can help.”
“You can’t help,”
Truth.
“And I don’t want to bother you with my issues.”
Truth.
“You’re such a—“ Kaoru groaned out, pressing his palms into his eyes with a heavy sigh, “I’m your friend— your best friend, it comes with the package.”
“If I’d ordered a best friend, I’d be a little disappointed if you were the robot they sent,” Kojiro teased, and Kaoru resisted looking down at Karma with the man’s ocre eyes staring directly into his own, “I’d probably leave a complaint.”
Kojiro took a sip of wine, so Kaoru read the detector.
Lie.
You are more than I could ever hope for in a best friend, I’m so lucky to have you in my life.
“Stop deflecting.” Kaoru returned, trying his best to either wipe the light blush on his face or pass it off as a consquence of the wine. “What’s up?”
“I can’t tell you, Kaoru.”
Truth.
“Why can’t you tell me?” Kaoru urged, placing his glass permanently on the counter and folding his hands together, glaring at the nervous man in front of him. Kojiro himself was fidgeting still, one hand running through his hair as the other tapped the counter he was leaning on, eyes now everywhere but Kaoru.
He also didn’t miss the minimal red hint to his cheeks and ears.
“Kaoru, stop.”
And his tone was so serious, so cautious, and most importantly terrified.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I can’t—“
“Why not—?!”
“Because it will ruin everything!”
Truth.
Kaoru paused, temporarily stunned to silence, but Kojiro stole the opportunity. His eyes were glossy and his hands were shaking, but he whispered, “Don’t make me say it.”
“Kojiro, I won’t—“ Kaoru started, cutting himself off with a bite to his already-chapped lips, tapping Karma absentmindedly, “It won’t change anything, I won’t let it.” And, when Kojiro went to likely refute his point, he said, “And I have a right to know, especially if it involves me.”
Kojiro snapped his mouth shut.
Kaoru raised a challenging eyebrow.
“Kojiro.”
Kojiro sipped his wine.
“Nanjo Kojiro, don’t make me force it out of you.”
Kojiro looked away.
“Tell me or I’ll cut contact for another week.” Kaoru finally said, and he saw the immediate conflict flicker in Kojiro’s eyes, he saw the man look at him and look away again, annoyed and frightened and so very closed off that Kaoru had a feeling he’d crossed a line.
After a moment, Kojiro muttered something, something too quiet for Kaoru to hear.
Something that had Kaoru looking down at Karma.
“I hate you.”
Lie.
I‘m in love with you.
Kaoru’s jaw dropped.
Kojiro glanced over at him and immediately started fretting. “Kaoru? Kaoru! Is everything okay? What—“
“You’re what?!”
“I said I hate you, what’s so shocking about that?! I say it all the time!”
“But that’s not what you meant.”
“Oh?” Kojiro scoffed in reply, challenging, “Then what did I mean?”
“You’re in love with me.”
“I’m not— wait what?” Kojiro paused, eyes blown wide, jaw on the floor, and they both just stared at each other for a moment.
A moment perhaps too long.
A moment cut short by Kaoru placing Karma on the countertop, fiddling with some of the settings to show the prior reading before turning it to face Kojiro, who read over it with furrowed brows. “This,” Kojiro started, a little unsure, “What is this?”
“This is Karma,” Kaoru informed, leaving her there for Kojiro to continue death-staring her, “I invented her. She’s a lie detector, I was… testing her.”
“So you weren’t messaging a random client?” Was what Kojiro asked, somehow making Kaoru smirk.
“No, I wasn’t. All messages have been sent to voicemail this week.”
“And instead you were…” Kojiro started, poking at the device as if it was some foreign animal, “Tricking me into telling you something like that?”
“Well I didn’t know you’d be keeping a secret that important!” Kaoru rebutted, and then paused.
And then looked back at the screen.
And then looked back at Kojiro.
“Hold on.” Kaoru said, having to take a deep and steadying breath, watching panic flash across Kojiro’s face again. “You’re in love with me?”
“That’s an… odd word to emphasise.”
“Why me?” Kaoru was asking before he could lose his nerve, watching an emotion far too similar to pity cross over Kojiro’s features.
“Oh Kaoru,” Kojiro almost sighed, spoken at least as easy as breathing, and he leaned forward enough to place his hands on top of Kaoru’s own, his smile sweet and kind and loving. Kaoru felt his heart stutter. “It could never be anyone but you.”
“But I’m stubborn—“
“Strong-willed.”
“All we do is argue!”
“It’s fun!” Kojiro expressed, running a reassuring finger along the side of Kaoru’s hand. “And you’re smart, and funny, you love the kids no matter how much you hide it, you’re very handsome,” Kaoru couldn’t help his blush at that one, and found himself itching for his fan, “You’ve always been a constant in my life, I suppose. I’ve never not loved you.”
Subtly, Kaoru glanced at Karma, the word Truth staring back at him.
“Then…” Kaoru started, perhaps too quietly, but Kojiro continued to look at him intently, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because you don’t like me back.” Kojiro replied, sounding far too honest. Karma also picked this up, the screen remaining unchanged. Not giving Kaoru a chance to reply, Kojiro turned to the device with a frown. “Does it only listen to my words?”
“No, of course not. That’s just the setting I’ve selected.”
“Can you change it? This feels a little unfair.”
Kaoru couldn’t help his smile, taking Karma into his hand and fiddling with her settings again, allowing her to process all phrases rather than Kojiro Nanjo’s specifically, placing her back down on the counter. Then, slowly, he flipped his hands so his palms faced up, feeling Kojiro’s warm skin against his own.
“Kojiro,” Kaoru started with a smirk, noting how the man’s eyes glanced to Karma, unsure, “When did I ever say I didn’t like you back?”
Another glance. “It doesn’t know whether that’s a lie or not, its broken.”
Lie.
I’m confused, what’s meant to happen?
“No, she’s not, that was a question.”
Truth.
“Wait you— hold on, you what?” Kojiro backtracked, device forgotten in favour of watching Kaoru, who smiled a little more.
“You’re such an idiot.” Kaoru huffed, trying his best to mask his smile, but Karma’s assessment did not help.
Lie.
I’m in love with you too.
“Kaoru…?” Kojiro asked, eyes not moving from the screen as he stuttered for words. “Kaoru, you need to fix her, she’s broken.”
Lie.
“You’re not in love with me.”
Lie.
“Why does she keep saying that? Kao—“
Kaoru was, admittedly, too annoyed to let him finish. So he kissed him to shut him up.
Obviously.
Sometimes it was the only option.
The kiss was deep, and passionate, and yet so careful in a way that was truly them. And when they pulled away, after only a few seconds of a simple press of the lips, Kojiro gaped as his eyes shone with unbridled love.
“We’re going to have to talk about the boundary you crossed with this lie detector thing.”
“Yes, we’ll talk tomorrow.” Kaoru assured, tugging Kojiro’s collar down to press their lips together again, pulling away just enough to smile against his skin, hot and flushed. “But I have other plans for today.”
Truth.
“Tomorrow.” Kojiro agreed, grinning back.