“Not wise, but what then am I ta do with nothin’ in front’f me?”
There was calm within the calamity, but even that was only barely perceived. Pressure. Tension. He’d been relentless with this exchange of words as if the foreign detective were a suspect on the verge of giving him a confession.
“What ya want’f anyone expectin’ ya… hard ta do otherwise when that cross’f yers is kept caged in yer ribs, an’ all ya can present are words laced with silver an’ halter.”
All that was needed was a push in the direction he’d been going by—
What was Heiji going on about? It almost, almost sounded as if he were dissatisfied with Hakuba’s level of familiarity. That he wanted to understand or get to know him. Clearly, paired with the harsh words, the aggression, it was just a display of manipulation. But Hakuba would not be persuaded by only passively suggested faint hope of some kind of comradely.
No, Hakuba would not fall into that trap again… and certainly not when set by that damned Osakan.
“We all must find ways to survive,” Hakuba said first, lifting his chin so that he could look down at Heiji, incredulous. “I’d think that you would understand that more than most. Mistaken for a foreigner. Judged and criticized at every turn…”
Frustrating as it was to compare himself to Heiji, the half-Brit had to admit that, yes, it was justified. And could, in fact, set them on even ground should either really choose to extend an olive branch. If that had been Hattori’s intent, then surely, that bait would be taken. And if Hattori really made the first move, confirming that he perhaps had interest in being more than bickering rivals, then perhaps that would be agreeable.
But on the chance that he was right and that Hattori was simply picking this fight, right at this moment, because he’d unexpectedly caught Hakuba in a moment of weakness, then he had to defend himself. He had to set himself apart from the other detective.
“Not everyone can afford to wear their passion on their sleeve. Or am I wrong?” Hakuba managed the faintest smirk at one corner of his mouth. "What is it that they call you? ‘Heizo’s boy,’ right?“