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When Kazuma first told Barok he was planning to leave London for six months to visit Japan, Barok knew he would miss him. Their conversations, their companionship, and above all else, having someone by his side whom he knew he could trust with his life.
He just hadn’t expected to miss him that much.
The feeling corroded him from the inside, but worse than it was the thought that, one day, their farewell could be a permanent one. God, how was he supposed to live on his own when his mansion didn’t even feel like a home without that man by his side?
Everywhere Barok looked, something reminded him of Kazuma. His desk, which he left neatly organized, but Barok still made sure to dust and clean every single day. The bats, who had been much quieter since his departure, as if missing a friend. His bedroom in Barok’s mansion, where Barok had spent more nights than he would ever like to admit, lying in his friend’s bed to feel what was left of his smell.
That wasn’t normal, he knew it. And yet, with every passing day, he only missed Kazuma even more. It took his absence for Barok to realize how he had become such an important part of his life—and how much not having him close could hurt. He didn’t simply miss Kazuma, but felt like part of his very soul had been torn away from him.
It was love… He knew it, of course. He had pretended not to, but now that Kazuma was far from him, that longing was so strong he could no longer fake ignorance and look away from his feelings. It worried him: if his bond with Kazuma were to be ruined by his love, Barok wouldn’t be capable of living with the remorse.
And yet, part of him couldn’t help but wonder if Kazuma missed him just as much. If he did, then… If what Kazuma felt for him was love as well, Barok would be willing to follow him anywhere he went, be it Japan or any other place, even to the ends of the world itself. If only he could convince his niece and her troublesome father to come with them…
As if things would ever be that simple. With Kazuma so far away, the only thing he could do was wait—wait and hope the future wouldn’t separate them again.
Being back in Japan after so long was a great experience. Kazuma had missed his family and best friend, and made sure to spend as much time with them as he possibly could—especially Ryunosuke, who seemed just as unwilling to let go of Kazuma, as if the two of them had been glued together.
He was happy, of course… He had missed his country; the sights, the food, even the climate. Japan was a wonderful place, full of memories both bitter and sweet. It was so good to be back...
So, why did it feel like something inside him was missing?
Often, Kazuma caught himself wishing Barok were there. Every place he visited, he wished he could show it to Barok; every pretty sight, every fun moment, every tasty food… It all made him think of that man and wonder how he would have reacted to it. He wanted to share all of it with him, and every time he realized he couldn’t, his heart ached with a dull pain.
He could guess the reason why: that was a feeling he had carried inside since his nameless apprentice days. Kazuma tried to ignore it for as long as he could, but it didn’t stop it from growing when he wasn’t looking—and, when he finally realized it, it had grown large enough to fill his entire being.
Soon after the end of that fateful trial, Kazuma had told Barok his stay in London wouldn’t be permanent, that he intended to return to Japan as soon as his apprenticeship came to its end. But after spending so much time beside that man, he could barely imagine a life away from him—and what he did imagine was miserable enough to fill him with dread.
He couldn’t leave Barok. As much as he loved his country, as much as he missed his family and best friend, he simply couldn’t make the choice to leave him. Because he came to love that man more than life itself, his existence now part of his very being. And losing him would mean living as an incomplete person to the end of his days.
It was so frustrating to realize such a thing when he didn’t have Barok close to him. So, all he could do was hold on tighter to his best friend in an attempt to make that deep longing go away.
Ah, he wanted to see Barok soon…
Barok waited impatiently at the docks, striding from one end of the place to the other in an attempt to calm himself down.
“He’ll be here soon, Uncle Barry,” said Iris in a comforting voice.
“Indeed, my dear Barok,” Sholmes agreed. “There is no need to frighten the poor workers with your scowl any longer.”
“I am not—” Barok sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. “Very well... What time is it?”
Sholmes and Iris exchanged an amused glance, which Barok pretended not to notice.
“There is still some time until their arrival,” said Sholmes. “Why don’t you take a seat and try to relax?”
Barok did as he suggested, only to go back to his endless pacing a few minutes later. Every minute felt like an eternity, and he was certain many hours had passed, only to be told that they had barely been there for thirty minutes.
He wanted to see Kazuma. He wanted to see him... Wanted to see him so much.
“Ah, look!”
Iris’ voice grabbed his attention. She gestured at the sea, and Barok’s heart jumped when he followed the gesture with his eyes. A ship... The ship. It was finally there... Just a few more minutes away. And those minutes seemed to pass even slower the closer it got to the docks, until it finally stopped. Soon, people started to disembark, and Barok watched them expectantly, waiting for that man he longed to see.
Then, he finally saw him. Kazuma disembarked, glancing around as if also looking for a familiar face. Sholmes and Iris waved enthusiastically, soon grabbing his attention. Their eyes met, and a wide smile took over Kazuma’s face, making Barok’s heart flutter.
Kazuma dashed in his direction, and without thinking, Barok did the same, catching him in his arms as soon as he was within reach, holding him as tightly as he could. Kazuma buried his face in Barok’s shoulder, and Barok did the same, part of him still unable to believe he was back.
His heart was finally whole again.
The moment was interrupted when the sound of familiar voices reached his ears.
“Oh, my…” Iris giggled. “What a surprise!”
Sholmes nodded. “I see… Quite an interesting development, indeed.”
“And I thought it would never happen!”
“You and I both, my dear.”
Suddenly aware of the gazes upon them, Barok and Kazuma instinctively stepped away from each other, a hot feeling spreading from Barok’s neck to the tips of his ears.
“I... Apologize for monopolizing his attention,” Barok murmured.
“You better be, Uncle...” Iris grinned playfully, then rushed toward Kazuma. “Kazie! It’s so good to see you again!”
The rest of the welcoming went as well and warmly as expected. Barok watched it, glad to see the happy expressions on the faces of those he loved the most. Still, he felt restless. Kazuma was right there by his side, and yet, Barok couldn’t relax, desperate to hold him in his arms once again. During the entire train travel, he had to control himself not to pull him closer just to make sure he was really there. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze away, only to notice Sholmes’ amused eyes on him. Even before that man spoke, Barok knew nothing good would come from his mouth.
“It seems like our dear prosecutors are quite restless, don’t you agree?”
The question made Barok groan. “Do you have something to say, Sholmes?”
“Not at all, my dear Barok.” He paused, looking from Barok to Kazuma. “But I do believe you two have much to say to each other. Isn’t that right, Kazuma?”
Kazuma didn’t respond for a moment, then offered the detective a half-smile. “I almost forgot about the sharpness of your senses, Mr. Sholmes.”
Sholmes smiled, pleased. “It is quite clear that you should take some time for yourselves before you join the rest of us in our flat.”
“Seems like a good idea,” said Iris. “As long as you two come to the party this evening, of course.”
“A party?” asked Kazuma.
“Ginny and Marie are coming, too.” Iris grinned. “Uncle Barry wasn’t the only one who missed you, you know?”
“Indeed, my dear,” said Sholmes. “Our days have been surprisingly quiet since your departure. Gina, in particular, has been quite cranky these past few months.”
“She has…” Iris agreed with a small sigh, only to soon smile again. “So, I think we all deserve a party to celebrate your return.”
Kazuma seemed quite pleased to hear those words. “Thank you.”
“No need for thanks, dear boy,” said Sholmes. “You are part of the family, after all.”
They arrived at Barok’s mansion some time later, and as he looked around, Kazuma’s entire body relaxed. It was strange... After spending so much time in his home country, he finally felt like he was back home.
“It’s so good to be back...”
“It is good to have you back,” said Barok.
Kazuma looked at him, those words enough to make his heart race. Before Barok could say anything else, Kazuma let go of his luggage and wrapped his arms around his waist, holding him tightly. He let out a long, pleased sigh at that familiar warmth.
“This really feels like home.”
Barok brought a hand to the back of his head, holding it close to his chest. “Does it?”
Kazuma nodded, then raised his head, looking at him. “I missed you.”
Barok’s hand moved from his head to his cheek. “And so did I... Much more than you can possibly imagine.”
“I’m pretty sure I can imagine it, though.”
“Is that so?”
Kazuma pressed his face against Barok’s chest—that part was a bit too embarrassing for him to admit while maintaining eye contact.
“As happy as I was to be in Japan, it always felt like something was missing. There hasn’t been a single day when I didn’t think about you, or didn’t wish you were there with me.”
“You took the words out of my mouth,” said Barok. “I felt like part of me was gone with you.”
Hearing those words filled his chest with relief—and some hope.
“So, we are both whole now,” said Kazuma.
“Indeed.”
There was a brief, hesitant silence between them. Part of Kazuma was still scared of going that far, but having Barok that close to him again made it impossible for him to keep those feelings inside his chest.
“There is something I realized while I was there,” he said.
“What is it?”
Kazuma took a deep breath, then looked at Barok. “That I never want to be away from you again.”
There was so much he wanted to say, but those words were his best attempt at giving shape to all those feelings he carried inside. Yet, they brought an unusually bright smile to Barok’s lips.
“Then, I shall be with you,” said Barok. “Regardless of where you choose to go, for as long as you will have me.”
“Really?”
“Yes... I couldn’t have wished for anything different.”
Kazuma was so relieved that his legs threatened to give out. Instead, he reached for Barok’s face, cupping it with his palm. He raised to the tips of his toes, closing his eyes, terrified for a brief moment of having interpreted the entire situation wrong. But his anxiousness didn’t last, since soon Barok’s lips covered his in a soft kiss.
Immediately, all thoughts and worries about the future left his mind. All that mattered was that he was once again by Barok’s side, now reassured that he would always be. Whatever the coming days sent their way, they would face it together. If in London or in Japan, they could decide when the right time came.
They stayed like that for a long while, their gazes meeting when they finally broke that kiss. Kazuma offered him a wide smile.
“Next time I visit Japan, I want you to come with me.”
“I will, I promise you,” said Barok. “To be honest, I have wished to visit your homeland for quite some time.”
“Ryuu and Susato will be happy to see you.”
Barok nodded. “And so will I.”
More than anything, Kazuma wanted to kiss him again. Instead of surrendering to the urge, however, he took a deep breath—it wasn’t fair that he was the only one initiating those gestures.
“So...” he said with a half-contained grin. “Is there anything you want to do before we meet with Mr. Sholmes and Iris?”
Barok understood the meaning behind those words, gladly kissing him again, more deeply this time, allowing their hands to feel each other’s faces, necks, chests, and backs as the warmth flowed from one of them to the other. It was slow, without rush—and yet, when it came to its end, Kazuma was left starving for more.
“This doesn’t feel like enough...” Kazuma complained.
“Indeed,” said Barok. “But we will have more than enough time after we return.”
“I just hope I can wait for it.”
“Me too.”
Barok leaned forward, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Go take a bath if you wish. I will carry your belongings to your bedroom.”
His bedroom... Kazuma surely had missed it. “Have you taken good care of it while I was away?”
A sudden, unexpected flush covered Barok’s face. Kazuma watched him, puzzled.
“Barok?”
“I...” Barok turned his gaze away. “I might have spent a few nights in your bed... Pray, forgive my indiscretion.”
Kazuma blinked, surprised. Then, a hearty laugh escaped him as he imagined the scene. Unable to hold himself back, he threw his arms around Barok once again, hugging him tightly.
“I take it back...” he said. “I need one more kiss before I’m ready to let go.”
The request made Barok’s sudden embarrassment fade, giving place to a pleased smile as he complied with Kazuma’s wishes.