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It was late at night. Higashi had just closed the arcade for the night, and he decided to stop at Poppo and grab a quick meal. Usually he would cook for himself, but the day had been a litany of problems and the usual clerk had called in sick. It felt like a day of putting out fires, and Higashi barely even had time to smoke before something else would come up.
Usually Higashi would just close the arcade early if so many issues came up, give himself a break to get himself together. But Family money was no longer backing Charles up, Higashi couldn’t give in and rest on his laurels; he had to keep himself together. The business was doing better, more money was coming in. If he played his cards right, Higashi figured he could get ownership of the business. He had a lot of years working the arcade, he felt like maybe he could get his shit together and make the place thrive. Hell, maybe one day he could even expand.
Now that everything regarding the Mole, AD-9, and fuck, even Hamura was over, Higashi felt like he was free enough to dream again. He’d grown fond of the arcade, and he only wanted the best for it at this point. Higashi was in a better place mentally and emotionally, maybe he could really play his cards right.
“Hey, Higashi-san,” Higashi froze when he heard that voice. Sugiura. The last time Higashi had seen him, the younger man had been shot, yet he focused on recording Kuroiwa and Shono. Even though Kaito had called Higashi and told him that Sugiura had made it through, even felt good enough to go visit Okubo, Higashi hadn’t seen him at all. They never needed to keep in touch, so they never exchanged contact information. “Hey, you okay?”
Higashi blinked, realized he had to breathe. He quickly shook his head, turned to find the thief standing next to him. All things considered, he looked great. Not that Higashi had any real expectations, but he thought that maybe Sugiura would look a little more under the weather. Though knowing that his sister could finally be at peace, Higashi was sure that it had helped Sugiura to fully recover.
“Didn’t expect to see you,” the older man finally said. “Late night shopping?”
“I guess you could say that,” Sugiura laughed awkwardly. Higashi glanced at his basket; it was loaded with snacks and drinks. Higashi had seen Sugiura in action; he moved fast and practically flew gracefully as he fought. The older man hated to think that he kept himself fed on junk food; it could only sustain Sugiura for so long.
“You should really eat better,” Higashi said. Especially if Sugiura was still recovering, it was good for him to get in proper nutrients. Higashi didn’t know if the man could cook, but he seemed tech savvy and could probably find some easy cooking recipes online. Higashi looked down at the meal in his own basket.
He probably didn’t have room to talk as far as how things looked. Still, this was a one time thing because Higashi didn’t want to spend time preparing anything once he got home. He wanted to fall straight into bed and pass out.
“Ah, well, cooking’s kind of a no-go for me right now, and I can’t just eat out all the time,” Sugiura explained. He laughed again, and it sounded more natural. “Thank you for your consideration though, Higashi-san. It was nice seeing you.”
Sugiura gave a slight bow before he walked over to the register. Higashi followed behind him. Sugiura made small-talk with the cashier, and he seemed to be in good spirits, but something didn’t seem right. He seemed unusually subdued, a little less quick. Higashi expected a clever remark from Sugiura in regards to the older man’s comments about his eating habits.
Higashi quickly paid for his meal and hurried out of the store to catch up with Sugiura.
“Hey!” the older man called out. Sugiura was close to his van, but he stopped immediately and turned around to face Higashi. He looked surprised. Higashi finally got close to the other man. “Everything okay with you?”
“As good as it can be,” Sugiura said. He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m alive, Okubo-san is out of prison and getting used to life again, and Emi can finally rest in peace. I can’t ask for better, much as I might want to.”
It sounded slightly ominous, but Higashi had to admit, he was relieved when Kaito had told him that Sugiura lived. They might not have gotten along when they’d met, but once Sugiura let his guard down and admitted who he really was, they got along more and had become something close to friends.
Sometimes, Higashi wondered if it was possible they could be more.
He felt a drop of rain, and he looked up. It was starting to drizzle, and he heard Sugiura sigh. Higashi turned back to the man.
“Higashi-san, we need to get out of the rain. Want a ride home?” Sugiura asked. Higashi nodded his head, got into the van as Sugiura moved to the other side. When Higashi got in, he glanced towards the back, shocked to see how crammed it was with stuff. Mostly bags and clothes, a small television, a couple of gaming consoles, and what looked like a computer and a monitor.
“Are you moving?” Higashi asked. Sugiura started up the van, and Higashi buckled his seatbelt.
“You could say that,” the younger man muttered. “Where do you live?”
Higashi gave his address, and Sugiura started driving. Higashi glanced at the back again; it had been a month since everything had ended for the ADDC, but he remembered how pristine the van had been. Hell, after Matsugane died and Sugiura had lent Higashi the keys to the van, the thief had asked him to please not smoke and stink up the vehicle. Sugiura seemed to really like his space well-maintained.
“Stop looking back there, Higashi-san,” Sugiura commanded. Higashi looked at him. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Is it?” Higashi asked. If Sugiura was moving and had all of his belongings, it felt like the smart idea to use his own van to move everything rather than spend his money on a moving truck. “It’s not embarrassing to move, Sug–”
“My apartment complex changed management, and I couldn’t pay my rent on time this month,” Sugiura said. Ah. “I worked a couple of part-time jobs if I wasn’t doing anything with the gang, but I focused all on the case once Yagami invited me into the group, and after my stay at the hospital… well, no one likes an employee that doesn’t show up, nor does anyone like a tenant that can’t pay his rent in a timely manner.”
“Sorry,” Higashi murmured. It felt awful that Yagami could be so late on his rent all the time yet still be allowed to stay at his own place every month, but Sugiura got kicked immediately for not paying on time. It was how the world worked, and yet, it felt entirely unfair. “So you’re staying in the van?”
It sounded like a stupid question if Higashi thought about it, but Sugiura had said he wasn’t in a place to cook, and if he was out of work, going out was an expense that the thief wasn’t going to go for.
“Yeah,” Sugiura said. “It’s not too bad, but I don’t exactly look good as a tenant looking for someplace new without a solid line of income. I’ve been doing fine for myself, but on paper, it’s far from ideal.”
No wonder he seemed so quiet at the store; sleeping in a van probably wasn’t an ideal situation. Sugiura was still pretty young; mid 20’s put him in a good place physically, but he wasn’t invincible, and sleeping in the van on the streets of Kamurocho meant the hustle and bustle would’ve been louder for the thief.
“You can stay at my place if you want. At least for the night,” Higashi offered. The rain was getting heavier, and Higashi doubted it was going to let up. Higashi found the rain calming, but if there was a storm, he doubted it would do Sugiura a lot of good. The darkness seemed to scare him as it was, but being in the dark with loud noises?
After being shot, Higashi doubted it would be good for Sugiura.
“I hope you’re asking me as a friend and not out of pity,” Sugiura said.
“Come on, Sugiura,” Higashi replied. He thought they were closer than that; Higashi barely felt pity for anything. That night they stayed at the arcade, Higashi felt like they had bonded over their circumstances, and it allowed them to become closer. As it was, Sugiura had lightened up a bit after Matsugane had died, and Higashi didn’t find him quite as annoying. “Did the bullet make you forget who I am?”
Sugiura laughed. Higashi couldn’t say he ever really pitied anyone, and he sure wasn’t going to choose to be kind because of it. Sugiura seemed like he was embarrassed over his situation, Higashi wasn’t going to make it worse by offering due to pity rather than because he wanted to help a friend.
“Guess I forgot you could be so cold,” Sugiura grinned. They got to Higashi’s apartment building, and Sugiura glanced at the back of the van. He sighed and turned to Higashi. “Well, if you’re offering, it would be stupid not to take the opportunity for a nicer place to stay, right?”
“I’d understand if you didn’t,” Higashi said. Some people were proud, didn’t want to look weak around others. Considering Sugiura’s past, Higashi wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want others looking down on him.
They got out of the van, Higashi quickly running towards the overhang above the entrance to avoid the rain. Sugiura was in his van, and Higashi guessed he was grabbing the necessities. He ran to catch up with Higashi, a duffel bag in his hand. They walked up a couple flights of stairs before stopping in front of a door, Higashi unlocking it.
“Home sweet home,” he said as they walked in. They both took off their shoes, Sugiura looking around as he walked toward the small living room. He put his bag down on the couch. “It’s not much, but… well, I’m not here a lot.”
“Not much?” Sugiura asked. He chuckled. “I lived in a little studio apartment; this place is nice. You have your own room as opposed to an open floor plan… you’ve got pretty high standards, Higashi-san.”
Higashi laughed dryly.
“Maybe,” he said. He didn’t think his place was bad or anything, but hearing every day about Hamura’s place and how glamorous it apparently was, it made Higashi feel like his own apartment was nothing special. He didn’t even feel like he needed anything special; if he could comfortably live and sleep, he’d take anything. “Make sure the couch is comfortable enough. I have a couple of extra pillows I can lend you.”
“Aw, no bed?” Sugiura asked. Higashi froze. He didn’t even think of it as an option. He wouldn’t have really minded sharing a bed with Sugiura; he definitely thought about it briefly when they’d met, right before Sugiura opened his mouth and Higashi had thought that he was just so cocky and obnoxious. Once they had gotten closer, Higashi didn’t think he’d really mind the thought of having Sugiura around, but he tried not to entertain the thought for long. “Relax, the couch is fine.”
“Right,” Higashi went into his room, opened the closet and reached up towards a shelf, grabbing a couple of pillows and a blanket. He should have had a futon ready; he was over thirty and having someone over wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility, but Higashi rarely had contact with anyone that wasn’t a customer or another yakuza.
He walked out of the room, Sugiura nowhere to be seen. The closed door to the bathroom told Higashi that the other man was probably drying himself off; he had gotten rained on as he grabbed the necessities from his van. The manager put the pillows on one end of the couch, threw the blanket over it. Couch-surfing wasn’t ideal, but probably a bit cozier than sleeping in a van.
Higashi still had his food from Poppo. He went into the kitchen, grabbed a pair of chopsticks and opened the container. He’d gotten cold soba with dipping sauce; it was nothing special, but surprisingly filling and pretty cheap. He sat down, started eating.
Sugiura joined him after a couple of minutes.
“Thanks for the invite, Higashi-san,” he said. Higashi nodded his head as he chewed his noodles. “I never get to eat with anyone, and I already had dinner hours ago.”
“Grab your ice cream or something,” Higashi put down his chopsticks. Sugiura looked taken aback, but he smiled and left the kitchen, coming back quickly with a small container of ice cream. “Silverware’s by the sink.”
Higashi watched as Sugiura quickly made his way to the sink, opening and closing drawers as he looked for a spoon. He seemed pretty excited, if the smile on his face was anything to go by. He finally made his way back to the table, and Higashi went back to eating his noodles.
“Did you have a good day at work, Higashi-san?” Sugiura asked. Higashi looked at him quizzically. He was used to eating quickly and heading straight to bed, so someone actually talking to him and seeming like they were interested just felt odd. Though Higashi couldn’t say he didn’t appreciate that Sugiura cared.
“Nah, it was a shitty day,” he finally replied. Sugiura laughed. Higashi supposed that he came off as blunt, and he could say that taking a year to try and play big and bad rubbed off on him; it used to feel off, trying to play things so cool, but it felt more natural and like him these days. “My clerk was sick, ‘lotta customers coming in and out, buttons getting stuck or machines eating money… just felt like it was nothing but disasters all day.”
“But you made it through,” Sugiura grinned. Yeah. Higashi supposed that no one really complained, and at least he didn’t have to call for repairs; he’d been working at Charles long enough to figure out how to fix a few jams and problems that arose. “I guess that doesn’t help tomorrow though.”
“I’m taking tomorrow off,” Higashi said. Neither he nor his clerk had any real time off in a long time, and with the arcade being a bit more profitable, Higashi didn’t see any harm in closing for a day, letting himself actually rest so he could feel refreshed for once. Who was really going to complain, anyway?
“Well, good. It seems like you could use the time off,” Sugiura took a spoonful of ice cream and ate it. Higashi supposed that the way he explained his situation to Sugiura, it sounded like all he had done was just work constantly, and to be fair, it wasn’t far from the truth. Hamura was working everyone to the bone, trying to get money back into the Family. Higashi always took it as the man making sure he got a cut, but knowing that at the end of it, he was trying to get the Family higher into the Tojo Clan’s good graces, he could understand why the man did it even if Higashi hated every decision.
He finished his noodles, threw the container into the trash. He turned to Sugiura, who was finishing his ice cream.
“You wanna use the bath first?” the older man asked. Despite wanting to just bathe and go right to sleep, Higashi wanted to be polite in letting Sugiura go first if he wanted to. Especially if the man had nowhere to really go; Higashi was sure that a public bathhouse would’ve been nervewracking to Sugiura.
“Oh, no, you go ahead, Higashi-san! Sounds like you had a long, hard day. You go first,” Sugiura replied. He grinned as he got up from the table. “I’ll find something to pass the time, so you go relax.”
Higashi nodded his head, went into his room to grab some clothes for the night before heading to the bathroom.
After drying his hair, Higashi stepped out of the bathroom and into the main area. Sugiura was sprawled out on the couch watching some TV. Higashi laughed as he quietly made his way behind the couch.
“Getting comfy?” he asked. Sugiura jumped, sat up and turned to face Higashi.
“I didn’t have a lot of furniture other than my bed,” Sugiura said simply. From the sound of it, Sugiura’s apartment seemed sparse, and probably just a place for the thief to rest. Given that he seemed to spend most of his time with his gang, and Sugiura never profited from their heists, he likely didn’t go for anything expensive that would’ve had more amenities. “Your place is really nice, Higashi-san.”
Higashi looked around. He noticed that the dishes he’d left in the sink were clean and in the strainer, and that everything just looked a bit tidier.
“Did you clean up, Sugiura?” Higashi asked.
“Well, you’re letting me stay here tonight, I wanted to do something in return. You didn’t really have to offer,” Sugiura explained. “If you’re working so hard, the last thing you probably wanna do is clean up, so… I wanted to do my part.”
“Well, thanks,” Higashi smiled. Sugiura was sweet, and Higashi wondered if he’d want to stick around longer. Higashi didn’t mind having someone to talk to during meals, and he really didn’t mind if that someone was Sugiura. At the end of it all, they actually got along quite well, and seemed to have similar sensibilities. Higashi sometimes wondered how they would do together, romantically.
He blinked, shook his head.
“Uh, well, the bath is free,” he said quickly. Sugiura smiled, grabbed a change of clothes and a towel from his bag. Before he got to the bathroom, Higashi turned to him. “I’m probably gonna call it for the night. Need anything else?”
“Nah, you’ve done enough for me already. Thanks, Higashi-san,” Sugiura smiled. He bowed, but then quickly stood up straight. “I… don’t have a lot of friends, and it felt pretty embarrassing to think that I was going to be living in my van, especially with the shitty weather right now. It’s nice to have someone I can rely on.”
Higashi didn’t know what to say. He was getting warm and he kind of wanted to vomit a little. He felt like as a grown ass man, he was too old to be feeling like a teenage boy who had just gotten his first crush. But it’s where things were.
“Feel free to rely on me more.”
Sugiura smiled and bowed again before heading into the bathroom. It felt especially formal, but Higashi supposed that despite his past with a gang, Sugiura was actually surprisingly respectful, and especially if he felt like he was out of options for places to stay, the thief would want to make sure Higashi knew how thankful he felt.
Higashi chuckled to himself before heading to the bedroom and shutting the door.
When Higashi woke up, things felt good. Ever since the case had come to an end the month before, Higashi stopped waking up with a general sense of dread. He would go to the arcade and look forward to what the day brought him, rather than overthinking about what bullshit Hamura would have him do simply because the captain knew Higashi would do it.
Higashi got out of bed, left the room. He jumped when he saw Sugiura on the couch, hands clasped together in front of his face. Higashi had forgotten that he’d invited Sugiura to stay over so he wouldn’t need to sleep in his van on a stormy night. It felt different seeing the other man so early in the morning. His face still looked unblemished and handsome.
Truthfully, being in the entertainment district for so long and having been around hosts, Higashi really wondered for a while if Sugiura wore makeup. He didn’t really seem like the type who cared about that kind of thing, but Higashi had to admit, he looked a little too good, in his opinion. And honestly, if Sugiura wanted to get on Yagami’s good side, Higashi could see the man using any trick he could to get that cute and innocent look that would pull anyone in.
But no, that was just how Sugiura looked.
Right now, Sugiura looked like he just couldn’t relax. Higashi walked closer to the couch, and the younger man quickly put his hands down and turned to the older man.
“The coffee maker broke,” Sugiura said. Higashi furrowed his eyebrows, glanced towards the kitchen. Of fucking course it did. He made his way into the kitchen, the sound of Sugiura’s footsteps behind him. The slight smell of smoke and the broken clock confirmed Sugiura’s statement. “I didn’t do it.”
Higashi turned to the other man. Sugiura looked nervous, and Higashi imagined that was why he looked so tense a moment before. Higashi sighed as he turned back to the coffee maker.
“Didn’t say you did,” he stated. He turned to Sugiura again. The younger man let out a sigh of relief, and his face softened. Did he really think Higashi would blame him for it? “Thought never even crossed my mind. Were you blamed for this kind of stuff back home or something?”
Higashi couldn’t say he really knew much about Sugiura on a personal level, but he really seemed like the kind of guy that knew his way around a coffee maker. And even if he had been using it and suddenly it broke, Higashi would hardly pin the blame on him. Appliances just broke down, and Higashi had had his coffee maker for years. Probably way longer than he should have; he had just picked up the cheapest one he saw.
“Yeah,” Sugiura mumbled. “Obviously I was home all the time, so if something was suddenly not working or broken, my parents thought it was because I was the last to use it. Can’t blame them; stuff usually doesn’t just break .”
In Higashi’s opinion, and especially being around game cabinets for so long, sometimes stuff did just break. Granted, usually from age and use, but sometimes, shit happened and the blame wasn’t on one person.
“Well, you didn’t do anything. I’ve had this same crappy coffee maker for ten years, and I can’t say I paid much money for it. I’m surprised it didn’t break sooner,” Higashi explained.
“I wanted to make us some coffee,” Sugiura said. He smiled. “I’ve got some croissants from Poppo, thought we could have some breakfast together!”
Higashi couldn’t help but smile. Sugiura was being overly friendly, and with Higashi’s overwhelming attraction to the man, he didn’t mind that the younger man wanted to spend some time together. He was sure it stemmed from Sugiura’s embarrassment at his living situation, and how thankful he was for Higashi to give him a place to stay, but the older man would really take the attention. He knew to keep his expectations low.
He turned to the coffee maker again. Of fucking course it would break when Sugiura was over and wanting to have a meal together. Even the night before, Sugiura seemed sad over not being able to eat with Higashi before the man had suggested he grab his ice cream. Higashi wanted so badly to take it as a sign, but he didn’t want to get himself worked up because Sugiura was just being friendly.
But he’d keep it in mind.
“We can see if there’s coffee makers at Don Quijote,” Higashi said. The place was a godsend in Higashi’s mind; he got out of work late, and it was nice that the place was always open and he could get his shopping done. “Get dressed, we’ll pop in and see what they have.”
“Okay!” Sugiura replied. Higashi went back into his room and shut the door, got dressed quickly before returning to the living room. Sugiura was in the entryway putting on his sneakers. He looked over at Higashi, a chuckle escaping him. “You really dress like a yakuza every day, huh?”
“Well… I am a yakuza, after all,” even with the Matsugane Family gone, it didn’t take away who Higashi was. He’d been a yakuza for nearly half his life, and he really looked up to Matsugane, who was always so well dressed. “You still dress like a little thieving punk.”
“Pfffft! Touche, Higashi-san,” Sugiura laughed as he stood up. Higashi got into his own shoes, and they left the apartment. “Those days are behind me though. Kind of hard when you find out that someone you thought was on your side not only changes things up behind your back, but also… I dunno, hires a guy to help find you so he can kill you if you don’t do what he wants.”
“Shit,” Higashi said. Sugiura talked about it briefly, when he and Higashi were scoping out the baseball center. He’d explained that Crow had decided they should have a cut of the profits, and Sugiura had made his case, called everyone selfish and scummy, and promptly stopped showing up. He had said he felt so lucky that Yagami invited him to help with the investigation, as without his gang, he had a lot more time on his hands.
“Then the guy has the balls to tell Yagami-san that he hoped I would lay low, and he worried about how much I despised injustice to the point of rage. Like he fucking cares,” Sugiura continued. He seemed mad. “I hope he chokes on his new jewelry or something.”
“Okay, come on, let’s focus on the store. You wanna walk or drive?” Higashi asked. Far be it from him to stop anyone from expressing themselves, but he felt like Sugiura could probably fall into an angry rabbit hole if he let himself.
“I don’t mind driving,” Sugiura said. “You have to tell me where it is though.”
“Give me the keys, I’ll drive,” Higashi replied. Sugiura handed him the keys, and the two got in the van. Sugiura glanced in the back seat briefly and let out a sigh. Higashi started the car and drove off.
When they got inside Don Quitjote, Sugiura gasped as he looked around.
“You’ve never been to a Don Quijote?” Higashi asked. He thought the place would be right up Sugiura’s alley; it was pretty cheap and had a million things to offer. Higashi had been going for years, and even he didn’t actually know everything the store sold.
“No! They didn’t have one where I grew up,” Sugiura said. “I’ve seen the store sometimes when I’ve been around the district, but I never paid it a lot of attention. I didn’t know it was a big shopping store.”
“Well, it’s a big shopping store,” Higashi explained. He laughed as Sugiura kept looking around. “I think the appliances are upstairs.”
Higashi led Sugiura to the escalator, and they went upstairs. Sugiura gasped, and Higashi wondered if the man had really never done a lot of shopping in his life. He never seemed like the type to be overly excitable, but he seemed impressed over Don Quijote. There were better places to shop, sure, but Don Quijote was quick, convenient, and reliable.
They got to the coffee makers, and Higashi had to say he didn’t really know what to get; it felt like there were all different little buttons and knobs that did god knows what. He just wanted something to make his coffee in, really. He didn’t really care for the extras or the doodads.
Sugiura was leaning in, reading every box thoroughly. He’d hum every so often as he slowly moved through the aisle. Personally, Higashi had his eye on a cheaper model; he didn’t really need a lot. Before he could move to grab it, Sugiura was holding a box and turned to Higashi.
“Can we get this one?” he asked. Higashi looked at the box in his arms. From the picture, it looked more like a science kit than a coffee maker, but it had a charm to it. Higashi looked at Sugiura.
“We?” he questioned. Sugiura’s eyes widened. He laughed nervously and looked around. Higashi slammed his hand on the shelf behind Sugiura, leaned in close. “We?”
“I… uh–”
“Have you been acting cute so I’ll let you stay with me?” Higashi asked. He told himself he’d keep his expectations low, but he thought he was going to explode soon. It wasn’t even Sugiura’s fault that Higashi liked him; the younger man was both quite different and similar to Higashi, it was a puzzle that the man would have loved to solve one day, should they get to know each other better.
Sugiura was acting differently though; more friendly and close. Higashi hated to admit it, but considering that Sugiura had mentioned getting in close with Yagami to infiltrate and figure the man out, the manager couldn’t help but wonder if Sugiura was once again trying to get himself somewhere he wanted to be.
Higashi hated to think Sugiura would do such a thing, but it wasn’t like he hadn’t done it before. And maybe considering Higashi’s past, he found it hard to truly trust anyone.
“I’ve been acting cute because it’s just who I am,” Sugiura said. Higashi wanted to laugh, because that was exactly the kind of shit Sugiura would say. His honesty was refreshing, even if Higashi did want to kick the guy, once upon a time. “It’s been nice staying with you. I would’ve thought it’d be weird and stressful because we’re not really close friends or anything, but it feels natural because we just get along well when we’re not fucked up. I got carried away and said something I didn’t mean to.”
“Oh,” Higashi lowered his arm. Sugiura was holding onto the coffee maker for dear life, and he let out a deep breath. “Well, sorry.”
“Can we still have breakfast together?” Sugiura asked. Now Higashi felt like he could laugh. He felt like he had just bullied the other man, even slightly, and Sugiura still wanted to eat together. He was really fucking cute, and it was why Higashi felt like there might have been an ulterior motive. “I’m not looking to stay forever. I just like spending time with you.”
Higashi could kick himself for being an asshole. Sugiura was in a shitty place, but he still chose to share what he had with the older man. Higashi didn’t even think Sugiura had to; he was happy to just help the younger man.
“I like the coffee maker,” Higashi said. Sugiura smiled and he looked down at the box he was holding. “You strike me as a man who knows his way around a coffee maker, so you better make a damn good cup for me.”
Higashi was just being fucking aggressive with his flirting and he wished he had dropped the subject. But fuck, he felt like this was his chance to just rip off the bandaid.
Sugiura grinned and looked around. At roughly seven in the morning, Don Quijote was not going to be busy in Kamurocho. The thief looked at Higashi.
“If you let me come over and visit, I can practice making coffee until you think it’s good,” Sugiura winked. He let out a laugh. “We’ll split the cost, you keep it at your apartment. I can use it freely whenever I’m over. You can make your tea with it too.”
Higashi didn’t remember even saying he drank tea. He used to pour for Matsugane all the time, years ago when things were better and everyone was closer. The patriarch always offered to drink with Higashi, and the younger man had developed quite the taste for tea. It fascinated him how the smallest of things changed the flavor.
He didn’t drink it as much anymore. He had been working so long, and he was always too tired to properly brew himself a mug, as simple as it was. It just felt like one more thing that he didn’t want to do. Maybe he could get back to making his favorite drink again.
“You know me so well. Haven’t had tea in a while,” Higashi said.
“Well, you had a lot in your cabinet. I can make you some when we get back to your place,” Sugiura explained. He had tidied up the kitchen the night before, he likely just took a look through the cabinets while Higashi was taking a bath. Higashi grinned.
“I’ll just have a coffee. You did say you’d practice, after all,” he stated. He took the box from Sugiura. “I’ll buy it. You need to save your money so you can find a new place to live.”
He turned, and they both went back to the escalators. Higashi paid for the coffee maker, and they left the store. When they got out, Higashi turned to Sugiura. He gasped; the sun hitting Sugiura directly showed Higashi how truly beautiful the man was. Higashi always liked Sugiura’s eyes; they were full of light and had an innocence to them. Higashi always thought that Sugiura was cute, and when he wasn't gripped by complete anger or despair and could just relax, he almost seemed entirely ethereal.
Higashi was staring. He handed Sugiura the coffee maker, and they both got in the van.
“Thank you, Higashi-san,” Sugiura said. Higashi nodded his head and started the van; he had to pull it together. Sugiura was just a guy.
A guy who had admitted he liked spending time with Higashi. And Higashi felt the same way about Sugiura.
Maybe Higashi didn’t have to play it cool and lower his expectations.
When they got back to the apartment, Sugiura made his way into the kitchen to set up the coffee maker. Higashi set the table, watched as Sugiura measured the coffee grinds and let the coffee start brewing.
“Mind if I go out and have a quick smoke?” Higashi asked. Sugiura turned to him.
“You don’t need my permission, Higashi-san. I know how much your smokes mean to you,” he replied. Higashi didn’t want to be rude and just walk out. He left the apartment, leaned back against the banister and lit a cigarette.
He let out a deep breath as he smoked. Higashi was up early out of habit, but it felt kind of nice to finally have a day off and do with his time as he pleased. He was his own man now, and he didn’t need to look for anyone’s permission to do what he wanted.
Life felt pretty damn good.
He turned around, looked down at the van parked in front of the complex. Higashi felt ashamed that he thought for a minute that Sugiura was trying to play him. That wasn’t who Sugiura was; he had only even lied to Yagami to get justice for his sister, and not because of any selfish kind of reason.
And truthfully, Higashi wasn’t even sure he minded the thought of Sugiura staying with him. He wasn’t needy, he cleaned up, and having him around lifted Higashi’s spirits. He liked having someone to talk to during his meal the night before; it felt nice not to feel so alone.
Higashi wondered if Sugiura would be upset if the older man offered his apartment to stay at. Even temporarily, Higashi would feel better knowing that Sugiura had a roof over his head and a place for him to properly store food and eat better. But just because it’s what Higashi wanted for him, it didn’t mean Sugiura felt the same way. It was his life, and he had the final say. He was finally living for himself, after all, and it was something that Higashi knew was important to the younger man.
Higashi took a deep breath. He took one more drag of his cigarette before crumpling it and putting it in his pocket. He glanced at the van briefly before heading back inside.
The smell of coffee was strong, and Higashi turned to see Sugiura putting croissants on two plates. Two mugs sat on the table, and as Higashi moved into the kitchen, he saw they were already full. He smiled as he dumped his crumpled cigarette into the garbage can.
Higashi quickly washed his hands as Sugiura sat down. Higashi joined him, and he looked at the small table. It usually went sad and mostly unused, but it had a purpose now. Higashi never would have really thought of Sugiura as being an overly domestic person, but this spread, even for something as simple as coffee and croissants, just gave a sense of comfort and homeliness.
“Going all out, Sugiura?” Higashi asked. He put a sugar in his coffee and stirred it, took a sip. It tasted strong and fresh, probably the best damn cup of coffee that Higashi had had in a while. Sugiura didn’t need to come over and practice for Higashi, though the man wouldn’t admit it.
“Yeah. Wanted to give you thanks for letting me stay last night,” Sugiura said. He prepared his own coffee; lots of cream and sugar. Higashi wished he could be surprised, but Sugiura still seemed to have the palette of a kid away from his parents for the first time. He’d grow out of it in a few years. “It’s nothing special, but you opened up your home, and I wanted to give back a little.”
“You can stay,” it came out before Higashi had time to think about it. Truthfully, maybe he didn’t mind that it came out; Higashi was sure that once breakfast was over, Sugiura would pack up the little he brought with him and get back to the road. “At least until you can find a place of your own.”
“I couldn’t intrude, Higashi-san,” Sugiura quickly drank more of his coffee. Higashi thought it was a bit funny, Sugiura’s way of wording it. He’d been part of a gang that ran heists and took what they could get from scummy companies that more than likely fucked over their clients. But Higashi supposed that it wasn’t really what Sugiura would’ve wanted to do even if it meant he could help others. Sugiura just didn’t seem like the type to choose criminal activities, if given the freedom.
“Please do,” Higashi stared at Sugiura. He probably sounded desperate. He could admit that a part of him was; he was selfish and the past several hours with the other man made him feel good. More than that, he also just didn’t want Sugiura going back to feeling like shit over a living situation that he just couldn’t help. Though Higashi wondered if having the freedom to turn Higashi down would help soothe Sugiura, even just a bit.
Higashi knew he couldn’t be selfish, as much as he really wanted to be. He wanted to tell Sugiura how he felt, how good the past day had been with him around, and how much happier the man made him. But that would just pressure the younger man, make him feel like he had to say yes.
The two ate quietly. Higashi had more coffee; it truly was a great cup. Sugiura would be a good barista, if he wanted to find a job doing that. He made a damn good cup of coffee, listened well, and he was handsome; it was everything a coffee place could want in a worker.
“Is the coffee good, Higashi-san?” Sugiura asked.
“Yeah,” Higashi said. “It’s probably the best cup I’ve had. You know, if they’re hiring, you should work at Cafe Alps. They’d be lucky to have you.”
Sugiura laughed. At least, he didn’t seem put off by Higashi. He wasn’t one to just ignore things, so maybe he wasn’t put off by Higashi’s suggestion.
“They’re pretty high end, I don’t think they’d have me,” Sugiura stated. “But it means a lot, and if they ever do put out a notice for hire, I’ll apply just for you. You’d have to come visit me though, if I got the job.”
“Of course,” Higashi replied. Cafe Alps didn’t seem as high end as Sugiura put it, but it was one of the nicer places to eat in Kamurocho. It was a good place to meet with friends and just have a nice afternoon. Higashi was sure that Sugiura would have people lining up just in the hopes of getting him as their server.
“Higashi-san,” Sugiura said. Higashi looked at him. The younger man took a sip of coffee, finished his croissant before wiping his hands on a napkin. He took a deep breath. “You’re a man of your word and never say things you don’t mean. So, knowing that, I think I’d like to take you up on your offer to stay here.”
Higashi stared at the other man. He had felt selfish in his offer; it was mostly made in response to how good Higashi was finally feeling. His life was better after the case had finally ended, he felt like he had a new lease on life, but being with Sugiura since the night before, something just felt right. He was happier with the other man close by. He could say it was merely him wanting to help a friend, and that wasn’t even a lie, but he couldn’t say that he didn’t have his own motivations to offer.
“You told me last night to rely on you more, and it made me realize that after Emi died, I just didn’t feel like I had anyone I could rely on, so I never even tried,” Sugiura explained. “Even with Crow, I never even tried talking things out with him when he decided to change up how we did things; I just got angry and left. Even though he was trying to get back at me, he still cared about my well-being, and I didn’t want to admit that maybe people have my best interest at heart.”
“It’s scary trusting people, especially when they let you down and betray that trust,” Higashi said. With Kaito gone and Hamura’s subsequent actions, Higashi felt like he really had no one he could turn to. Hamura barely gave him time to spend with Matsugane anymore, and Higashi wasn’t sure how much he could trust the men that worked under him. “Can’t blame you for keeping to yourself.”
“Yeah, but it’s not healthy. We all need someone on our side,” Sugiura replied. “And I guess through the whimsical actions of fate, we were brought together at Poppo. If you hadn’t stopped me after we checked out, I would’ve tried to find some area somewhere to settle in for the night.”
“I’d like to think your decision to stay here is more than fate,” Higashi stated. Sure, fate brought them together, but Higashi had ultimately made the decision to invite Sugiura, and the man had accepted the invitation. Higashi wasn’t sure he believed that fate was set in stone, but rather that everyone had free will and made their own choices, and that wherever they were led, it was where they were meant to be, in some way or another.
“Of course. Didn’t I say that I liked spending time with you?” Sugiura asked. He had. Higashi wouldn’t forget that he’d said it either. “Fate brought us together, but we decided what to do with that fact. I just think it’s nice that it was you that I ran into. That’s all.”
“I’m glad we ran into each other too,” Higashi said. “I had no way of getting in touch, and truth be told, I guess I even assumed you’d be done with Kamurocho. It’s home to a lot of yakuza and shit that you don’t really need in your life.”
Sugiura laughed. He got up, grabbing both of their mugs before walking to the coffee maker and poured some more coffee. He sat back down.
“I’m glad to know that you think of me,” he said. “Maybe this living arrangement will be nice for us. I’m wondering if maybe I can work my way towards getting the bed.”
Higashi eyed Sugiura. He was quite confident.
“I guess we’ll have to see where life takes us,” the older man replied. He laughed as he added sugar to his coffee. Sugiura was watching him, and Higashi put his mug up. Sugiura tapped their mugs together. “To our new life together.”
“To the red thread of fate,” Sugiura added. Wow. Sugiura drank some coffee as Higashi stared at him. This kid was not playing around, not that he seemed like the type. He always meant what he said.
Higashi leaned in, and Sugiura gently took his face and kissed him. Higashi could taste the coffee on his breath. When Sugiura leaned back into his seat, they both smiled.
Whatever fate brought them, they’d face it together.