As Kaito watched him his over enthusiastic grin fading into one that was personal and meant just for Hakuba to see. “You didn’t think I’d just let you leave with out seeing you one last time?”
He sat up and leaned on to his knees. “I …..”
I wish you weren’t going. I wish I didn’t open my big mouth and sent you off. I wish we had more time. I wish … I wish … There were so many of those that were fluttering about his mind and clogging his throat his didn’t know what to say. ‘I like you’ was to cliche and would bring too much pain to both of them. ‘I’ll see you soon’ was say too much of the unknown. ‘I’ll miss you’ was a given. ‘Don’t fall for any other thieves while your over there’ was just highly inappropriate.
He scrunched his brow and stared at the carpet. He was so lost at what to say. With his mother she was usually gone before he could wish her a safe trip. It wasn’t like he didn’t want that for Hakuba but he also wanted the damn plane to break down before the detective ever got on the monstrosity.
The trailed silence earned a small, meaningful smile from the detective in return, who wished for all the world that he could offer a hand in reassurance. If not to hold Kaito’s, at least to put around him. If they were in London, it wouldn’t even be a question; he’d kiss him right then and there, hold him tightly, nuzzle into the crook of his neck. But there, in Japan, all he could do was attempt to not look quite as wistful and lovesick as he felt.
Shoulders hunched, he, too, glanced down at the carpet after a moment. Societal convention forced so much to be left unsaid, and while it wasn’t fair and he certainly didn’t agree with it, there was nothing, really, that either of them could do.
“We’ll call, text, email, and send photos,” Hakuba said, forcing his voice to stay quiet and even. “I’ll be busy with campus tours and Scotland Yard, you’ll… well, I know you’ll be busy causing all sorts of mischief. We just need to be careful so that we’ll be reunited in one piece in just… a couple of months…” It wasn’t as accurate estimate as he liked, but he feared that the actual number would sound far too despairing. “And I’ll be back before you know it.”
He paused, then, struck by a sudden, terrible thought. “…a practice run, if you will, for… long distance…"