Chapter Text
Just the usual.
The smell of bad coffee, the sound of whispers and annoying chatter.
Eyes following him, out of respect, envy, or even disgust.
Yuki stared in front of him like he normally did, pretending not to see them and only greeting the few colleagues who passed by as he made his way to his office.
“Morning Meyers.”
“Good morning.”
“Hello Yuki.”
“Hi.”
“Hey Officer Meyers! Relax man, there’s no funeral today. It’s only Valentine’s Day, haha!”
Yuki side-eyed the guy who said that but made sure not to respond. Valentine’s Day. He wasn’t even aware it was February 14th. Could he help it that he had a resting bitch face? Probably yes. Did he actually care? No. With no reason to smile, he didn’t see why he should fake it either.
Ignoring everything, he continued his walk. Sometimes rather than a police station, it felt like a messed up high school, and he hated the immaturity.
It was a relief as always when Yuki entered his office and sat down. He moved his hand through his short black hair, and took a deep breath.
Despite having just seen her when he left home, it still felt reassuring to see his mother’s soft eyes on him. Her photo on his desk was probably the most comforting presence at this entire police department. Apart from his colleague Sarah, but she wasn’t here yet…
Missing on his desk was his father’s photo, but he didn’t need it. In fact, speaking of his father…
“Yuki.”
His heart dropped at the low grumble, and he glared in the direction of his door. Could the man give him one break? He had barely arrived and roll call was still minutes away.
“Come on. My office.”
It was a gentle yet firm order, and Yuki rolled his eyes when his father turned away already before he could respond. Forced to follow, he got up again with a deep sigh and walked after him through the corridor and into his office.
Richard Meyers. Chief Police Officer. His father.
Again he was subject to many stares for his little walk of shame, but he didn’t care. He was used to it by now.
His father’s office was as messy as always, something that irritated Yuki to no end. It wasn’t representative. His father sat down in his chair and gestured Yuki should sit opposite him.
“Why? Am I getting reprimanded again?” Yuki said coolly. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Richard rolled his eyes. “Sit down Yuki.”
Yuki sat down and glared at the man he didn’t even call father at home. If he was ever at home. Already for years, his father had done nothing but prioritize work, work, work. Stranger citizens came first. Before his own family.
Growing up with just his mother and with his father barely at home, there were no warm bonds between them. The only thing his father did care about was to steer Yuki in the same direction. His only son, becoming the police officer his father wanted him to be. Yuki would’ve refused if his mother wasn’t so willing for him to follow this path. He did this for her, and only for her.
“Look where it brought your father,” she would always say, seeing his achievements as successes while Yuki could see nothing but failure.
Abandoning your family wasn’t anything to be proud of, so here he was, ready to prove to his father one could become a good cop and take care of his family. His mother was the most important person to him, and while his father didn’t seem to give a shit, Yuki was determined to keep her happy and healthy while building his career in his father’s shadow.
But anyway, his bitter feelings were usually one-sided and surprisingly, his father was the one who might often blend in their personal relationship into work too, even at the office.
Sadly that meant vice-versa, and bringing work into their personal lives was a normal thing for him too. For his father, there were no boundaries. His work was his life, and his life was his work.
“Did you know it’s Valentine’s Day today?” Yuki said coldly right when his father opened his mouth to speak. As if he didn’t just find out himself.
Richard raised his eyebrows. “No.”
Yuki scoffed. “Figured.”
“It’s commercial nonsense,” Richard said.
“Tell that to your wife.”
Richard glared but decided to not fully engage in whatever argument Yuki tried to bring up, and he sighed. “Yuki. As your boss and as your father, I again ask you to drop the case.”
“What case?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
Yuki clenched his fist. “I already dropped it.”
“I know you haven’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Walters, Yuki. I know you’re still going there.”
“They’ve got nice coffee. Better than the stuff we’ve got here anyway.”
“Son, I’m not stupid. I know you still think you can track that gang from that restaurant, but you’ve done enough. Drop it.”
“Right, yeah. That restaurant which got fucking attacked if you remember, and one of their employees got kidnapped. By that gang, correct. But that’s unrelated to me getting my coffee there.”
Yuki’s father groaned.
“Look at you, friendly neighborhood cop. Yuki, it’s been weeks. Both incidents were pretty harmless and besides, we already caught their leader.”
“One of them.”
“Fine, we caught one of their leaders.”
"No thanks to you. And pretty harmless huh? You sure the victims will agree with that?"
Judging from the look on Richard’s face, he knew Yuki wasn’t just talking about the restaurant victims… His father’s gentle vibe made room for the icy cold chief officer he was.
“Enough, Officer Meyers. I obviously know why you keep returning to that restaurant and it’s got nothing to do with the victims or the coffee. So stop your lying and lame excuses, it’s unlike you. Despite your own feelings, the gang is still not as dangerous as you think, they’re just harmless little thieves, so-“
“So?!” Yuki slammed both his hands on the desk, startling himself with the loud noise.
He only realized now that he was standing, towering over his father who remained in his chair with a neutral expression, unfazed by his little outburst.
“Drop it, Yuki. You’ve got other priorities. I know I’m your father, but there’s only so much I can tolerate. Do not let your emotions get in the way of your duty, ever.”
Yuki growled. “Literal translation of becoming more like you? No, thanks.” Before his father said more, he stormed off. He didn’t care he was his boss, or his father.
Right on his way out, he ran into his partner Sarah who just arrived. “Yuki? Where are you going?”
“Out. I’ll be right back,” Yuki replied without looking at her.
Despite saying so, he decided to skip roll call and stepped outside early for his usual patrol duties, his veins popping. He told himself over and over not to let his father get to him, but it happened all the damn time.
Yes, he had the man to thank for his current position. Everyone knew he was the lucky son of the chief officer, which was why he was the target of gossip so many times. Colleagues who didn’t hate him would only befriend him for a good word with the boss, and hardly anyone liked the freedom and privileges Yuki had as a cop his age, and the shit he could get away with.
Truthfully he didn’t like it either, but without it, sadly he wouldn’t have been where he was now. Such is life.
He was aware his colleagues would whine about him skipping the morning briefing, but they were going to whine anyway. Yuki already had his patrol duties all planned out, but before he started on those…
Yuki found himself in front of The Walters. He looked at the closed door and groaned. Right. This was a mistake. It was still too early anyway, they weren’t even open. He turned to leave again, but before he could walk away, he heard the sound of the door getting unlocked. His police car must’ve stood out.
“Early one today huh, Johnson?”
Yuki turned back and felt himself boil again at the sight of him.
“Walters.”
James Walters. Restaurant manager, arrogant dude, pain in the fucking ass. Yuki entered and made himself comfortable by taking seat at his usual spot at the bar.
“So what’s up? Missed me that bad?” James said cockily as he started to make him coffee, and the scent alone was already enough to calm Yuki down, despite his raging emotions. Ignoring his question, he glared at James’ annoyingly handsome face and shook his head.
On a scale of his mother he loved dearly, to his father he despised, James Walters dangled somewhere in the middle. No… Better said, there was a special hate scale for James Walters and for whatever he always did to Yuki’s temper.
On good days he hated James just a little. On bad days, he hated him so much he could burst.
He hated him, but not like he hated his father. This was a different kind of hate he couldn’t put in words.
James was just so annoying. At the age of 25, he was only two years younger than Yuki, but he was still so childish and immature. Not giving a fuck about authority, already giving him a nickname from their first meeting (Johnson, for very vague reasons).
Being a rude arrogant asshole right in his face while it appeared he was usually admired for his lovely sunshine persona by others? The fake bastard. There were just so many things he disliked about James, and yet... Yuki grunted.
He ended up here, again, and again, and again.
For more reasons than just the delicious coffee and an ongoing case, but he couldn’t even comprehend it himself. It just happened. Like right now, he wasn’t even supposed to be here.
“I’m flattered you came to see me this early, on Valentine’s Day. I must be very special to you,” James said with that arrogant smirk while he handed Yuki his coffee.
“Too bad you don’t drink latte or cappuccino, I would’ve made you some cute Valentine’s artwork. A rose, or the shape of a heart. Because you love me so much.”
“You fucking wish,” Yuki hissed while he accepted his black coffee, but he hated how he felt the immediate urge to blush. He quickly drank the hot coffee and sighed in relief. That was better.
For the unbelievable asshole he was, James did in fact make the best coffee. He wasn’t sure what was so special about it, and it wasn’t even as good if one of James’ colleagues made it. The coffee was just the best and always gave him the little boost he needed, both on good and bad days.
“So, any updates here?” Yuki asked in his professional voice, acting as if he had a good reason to drop by so early.
James spread his arms. “A lot of updates,” he said, but he proceeded to tell Yuki barely anything new with his rambling.
“Restaurant and team are all doing fine! No more incidents, no threats, no kidnappings. Baby brother Theo and his boyfriend Luca still two happy little bees in love, spreading their sickening sweet honey all over the place and infecting us all.”
Yuki only listened with one ear and studied him absent-mindedly. James’ brown hair was tied in a man-bun as always, his dark eyes were sparkling while he spoke extravagantly, and his stubble beard… Yuki glared. There was just something annoying about it.
“…Josh is still a jerk. Hank is busy but healthy. Bookings are going well. Theo will take the day off today so it’s up to me and the team to take care of all the loveydovey couples coming in for their fantastic Valentine’s dates tonight, if I don’t accidentally break them up of course, you know, since they might fall in love with me. Meanwhile-“
James’ ongoing babbling was interrupted by the loud noise of two people rushing down the stairs and barging in.
“Josh- fuhuhuck ohoff!” The youngest brother Theodore Walters came sprinting into the restaurant and probably didn’t even see Yuki was here as he ran into the kitchen.
Josh Walters, James’ twin, came down too and ran right after him.
“Get back here Theo!” he yelled, and right after he entered the kitchen as well, loud hysterical laughter could be heard.
“Dohohon’t tihihickle mehehe! I hahate you so fuhucking muuuch!” Theodore wailed.
“You asked for it baby brother, you thief!”
“Eeeheheeee! Joohohooosh!”
Yuki rolled his eyes at the noise. Tch. Children. Just like James. They were adults but they were all acting like children.
Apparently James noticed the look of displeasure on Yuki’s face and he snorted.
“…Hey, Johnson. You any ticklish at all?”
Yuki stared at him. Are you ticklish. The most idiotic question to ever exist. Useless, rhetorical, childish.
“Yes.”
James’ eyes widened in surprise. “No way!” He leaned over the bar, but Yuki immediately raised his hand to warn him not to get any closer.
The excited restaurant manager laughed at Yuki’s defensive behavior and circled around the bar, approaching him gleefully.
“Why would you say yes and then be like this?! Come on, let me tickle you. Just once.”
Yuki glared at him. “I certainly hope you’re joking. I said yes so you wouldn’t try to find out. I also am not a liar.” Lying about something so stupid? He was above that.
“Such a good boy you are. Of course I’m not joking. You should’ve told me from the beginning you were ticklish. I’ve always wanted to know what a smile looks like on that grumpy face of yours. So, where exactly are you ticklish? Would you giggle if I try?”
“No I won’t, now leave me alone. I have to go, we’ve both got work to do.”
“I thought you said you aren’t a liar and you just told me multiple lies.”
“What makes you think I told multiple lies?”
Yuki still sat on his bar stool as if he were glued to it, and James stood right beside him, dangerously close with that smug smirk on his face.
“You don’t have work to do right now, or you wouldn’t be here. You can’t go yet, you barely finished your coffee which you came to specially get even before we’re open. You said you don’t giggle but I’m sure you do. So why don’t you show me?”
He wiggled his fingers, but Yuki didn’t even twitch.
“Do not touch me. You can’t just tickle a fucking cop. Last chance, Walters, or you die.”
James shrugged. “Guess I’ll die.” Wait.. What?! Yuki tried to twist away but before he could, James grabbed both of his sides and dug in. No way.
Yuki’s eyes widened and he gripped the bar as a reflex. A most embarrassingly loud strangled cry left his lips while his entire body convulsed.
He was wearing his vest underneath his uniform but it could not protect him from the well-aimed attack on his lower sides.
“Oh, maybe you did tell me the truth. That wasn’t a giggle? That was actually much better. Hee, do it again~” James encouraged, tickling him more.
No way, this couldn’t be happening.
“Hngheh! D-don’t- ah!” Yuki hated that he literally played right into James’ hands and made that embarrassing noise again.
He had been so stupid to underestimate James, but he honestly… honestly, very fucking honestly had faith that even James Walters was stupid, but not that stupid. Who in the right mind would tickle a police officer who was barely his friend out of the blue?
James was fucking nuts!
“W-Walters! D-don’t you dare!” Yuki warned in slight panic, turning and twisting while ticklish sensations made his entire body tremble. Years of training went down the drain when he could barely fight off one silly guy who was tickling him like an excited little child.
“Why wouldn’t I dare? This is fun. Was that a giggle I just heard? And where’s your smile? I’m tickling you and you still aren’t smiling,” James commented on the lack of happiness on Yuki’s face while he continued to tickle him.
Yuki could swear he was turning bright red at this point, but he didn’t care. He flailed his arm, but James caught it and even dared to tickle Yuki’s armpit. He was so fucking dead.
“W-Walters! N-no, d-don’t even- aahack!” he howled pathetically. He was stuck between James and the bar as he tried to jump free, and at some point he finally ended up stumbling off his bar stool. A fitting moment to end the damn nonsense, but no, James went after him.
“Don’t touch me-ahh!” Yuki cried, but the bastard did. He grabbed him from behind and clawed at his sides, tickling him mercilessly.
“Now that’s better. I think I see a smile, right there!” James sang. Yuki blushed like mad. This was so not okay. He turned and twisted, pried at James’ hands, but the fucker was surprisingly strong. What even happened to Yuki's strength and reflexes? Damn it!
“Does it tickle here too? Do we have a ticklish tummy here?”
It actually didn’t tickle that much – in this case, his vest was being quite useful. But the baby talk made it ten times worse, and when he failed to shake James off, Yuki sank through his knees and let out the most pathetic noises, especially when James’ fingers returned to the spots that tickled a lot more.
“I h-hahate you so f-fucking much!”
“We know you don’t, sweetheart. You keep coming back to me, because you love me.”
That was not true. With his face, lungs and entire body on fire, Yuki let out the most ridiculous little cries while James kept up the relentless tickle attack.
And then, finally, he stopped. Resting in a sad heap on the floor, Yuki stared up at James’ rather startled expression.
“Oops. Did I just overdo it? I didn’t know you were that ticklish.”
Seriously? Embarrassed to death, Yuki slowly got back on his feet and, in disbelief, stared at the motherfucker’s face. He was tempted to punch him. He often was, to wipe his smug smirk right off that flawless face, but right now, James wasn’t even smirking.
He stared at him with what looked like genuine surprise.
“You’re really that ticklish?” he said again. Yuki glared.
“You think I was acting, Walters? I…” he sighed in embarrassment and gasped for air. He pointed weakly at him.
“Don’t you ever fucking touch me again, understand?” He thirstily drank the last of his coffee that was already getting cold, and then left as fast as he could without saying another word.
No way. That was insane. That was crazy. Yuki hated him, he hated this jerk so so much. How could he just…?!
Blushing like a fool, he was relieved to catch some fresh air and as he stood outside the restaurant, he took a few deep breaths.
That was the last time. He shouldn’t be back here again. That was the fucking last time. James Walters was not allowed to mess with him like that. He was never coming back here!