Shinichi gauged him before smiling at the other and felt as if he had just been handed to the keys to something. He nearly picked up the cup again and frowned. Glancing around he couldn’t find Azuza any where. Shifting the cup out of the way he picked up his glasses and slipped them back on.
“Take your time. No need to rush.” He smiled at him again. “Sometimes it just helps to know that there is someone there who’ll listen.”
He knew that was how it was for him. Those nights as Conan when memories would creep up on him and scare him wake for the rest of the night, he knew he only had to call Hakase, or his parents and they would listen. Quietly, intently. When he was in Europe for those long years, as embarrassing as it was, his mother would sit by his bedside and just run her fingers threw his hair and never say a word. They’d fall sleep with out saying a word to each other.
He notice Azuza emerge from the back and waved to her. As she approached he looked back to Hakuba. “What do you want?”
“Indeed…” was all that Hakuba managed to say for the time being, mind mulling over all of the information, details, and stories that he could conceivably tell. He wondered just how much Shinichi knew and what his line of questioning would eventually be. Just how many secrets would he end up giving away? All of them?
The blond shuddered, which got a look from the dog under the table, tags jingling. Twig also looked out and up at Azuza, ears perking forward, tail wagging. Sometimes the official-looking people were strict about animals in their establishments, but she found if she looked nicely submissive, they usually didn’t have a problem. Twig let her ears droop back, panting quietly to smile, then yawned to let herself be known.
Hakuba, distracted by Shinichi’s next question, looked for a menu somewhere but quickly abandoned the effort, instead just shrugging. “Tea… any tea will be fine. Honey or two sugars.”