by

Midnight Tea || phantom-thief-kid

phantom-thief-kid:

Kaito fiddled about with the kettle, filling it up with water and putting it on the stove. “Anyway, I wonder what brings you here. Not that I’m complaining, but there is sometimes the chance that I am… indisposed. Lions aren’t known for their skills in opening doors.”

“That’s… that’s true,” Hakuba said after a moment, coming to lean against the counter while he watched Kaito and the tea. “I, ah, actually hadn’t thought about that." 

His smile faded a touch and then he shook his head, brightening again.

"I just… really did miss you. I, ah, had been thinking about dropping by for days and then just… up and left. And here I am.”

by

koizumiakako:

image

“You’re missing the part where I actually did like you, enjoyed your company, and allowed you to be closer to me than anyone has in a long time.” She gritted her teeth and her volume raised significantly for the following part. “I even let you see me in sweat pants for crying out loud! Do you know how many people have seen me in sweat pants!?”

It might seem silly to anyone else, but allowing someone to see her in that less-than-flawless state meant quite a lot to her because it meant trust.

“It was just as silly of me to go along with it longer than necessary just because of pointless infatuation. Do you want me to apologize? Because I won’t. There isn’t any point in it. What’s done is done and your incessant need to wallow in the past isn’t healthy.”

image

“I know it isn’t healthy. Neither is the alcohol, or the cigarettes – were you aware of those? Or the double, triple workloads that I take on? The one night stands.. Hah! None of it is. I know that. You know that. More than anyone else, possibly. I’m not proud of what I do. In fact, Koizumi-san, I…" 

He shook his head. 

"I appreciate what you’ve tried to do. I… I just.. I don’t understand. If you liked me so much, why did you…? Why did you use me like that? Surely you know… Surely you… with…”

The detective’s words trailed off as his gaze lowered to the floor, at a loss for how to describe what he felt.. mostly because he didn’t know how to decipher it, himself. 

by

City Jaunt! || harajukuharuspex

harajukuharuspex:

Akira laughed, head thrown back against the seat and hands up in the air. She lowered her arms and opened her eyes (closed momentarily against the bright sun) to ask Hakuba a question.

Or she would have. 

image

Adrenaline floods her system, opening the channels of her mind to a man in Nashville, Tennessee, wondering if he just met the girl of his dreams because he’s never felt like this before and he’s never believed in love at first sight and a woman (also in Nashville) who dares to believe in it and a woman in Washington (somehow connected to the woman in Nashville) who cries with joy and a touch of sadness and relief but mostly joy and Akira reels with emotion. A child cries for his mother; an elderly man cries for his on his deathbed; a girl attends senior prom; a boy shuffles in the corner of the prom alone.

She heard the thoughts of millions.

And then she heard nothing, because the hood crumpled and Hakuba cried out and she felt removed from the scream that had to have come from her but she cannot remember screaming she cannot remember and the world goes black.

. 

. .

…

Sirens. Voices.

Oh God, pain.

Hakuba lifted his head, aware of the ragged sound of his gasping breaths and the sunlight that was much too bright. He shuddered, staring at the blood on the steering wheel, feeling the blood in his mouth and nose as it poured. Numbly, he wiped at it with his sleeve, groaning in pain while his other hand searched for the handkerchief in his pocket. There wasn’t enough room to move adequately; which might have been because the car was now entirely the wrong shape. 

With a sputtering cough, he turned toward the girl in the seat next to him, mind flooded with words, though none of them made enough sense to form coherent thought. Something was wrong, he knew that. Handkerchief, now on his lap, was forgotten in favor for searching for his phone, despite that paramedics were there, on the scene.

“Stay calm, Hakuba-kun.” The voice belonged to someone that he didn’t immediately recognize. “Paramedics just arrived; just hang on a few more moments while we get you out…" 

His vision doubled. Akira sat between the seats and against the door, leaning too much to be enjoying the view. The detective dialed 119 and   lifted his phone to his ear. "Akira…” he shuddered again.  "Akira-kun, st-stay.. calm…“

by

koizumiakako:

image

“When will it cross your mind that I don’t want you to say anything at all? You’re wasting your own time and breath. If I wanted to listen to you drown in your own self-pity, I would’ve…”

She paused, realizing her own rising blood pressure and quickened heartbeat, forcing herself to take a deep breath and calm down. The last thing she wanted to do was to fan the flames of discord. Her gift had been intended as an olive branch in the first place and the fire was doing quick work of her peace offering without assistance.

“For a detective, you certainly like to assume quite a lot that has never been spoken. You seem to think that our relationship was nothing but one-sided interest. Well, you’re wrong. So whatever vindication you have that you think justifies your claims might need a second look. I’m not going to stand here and argue something that you have never even had the courage to ask about.

"So if all you want is to take out your frustrations then you should find someone who knows even less about the situation than you do.”

image

She didn’t want him to speak. She didn’t care about what he was feeling, or why. Each word lashed at him, dug at those scars, reaffirmed what he’d been afraid of all along. Worse, she was right about everything, and he knew it. The detective took a step back and shook his head. 

“Why don’t you tell me then, Koizumi-san? Why don’t you explain to me what it is that I’m missing? Tell me the answer to what I was too terrified to ask. Please clarify. Tell me, once and for all, what it was that I meant to you. If you wanted to clear the air, here’s your chance." 

by

…Why’re ya coverin’ up fer me, mmn? What use does a detective have in helpin’ out th’ criminals they put behind bars?

image

“I know that you’re not the biggest fan of Sherlock Holmes, but I think you might find the answer by reading my favorite of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works – the The Boscombe Valley Mystery.

“If you have further questions after reading, assuming you’ll oblige, I would be happy to discuss it with you, mon cher baron. Or, if you prefer, the essay that I’m writing on that very same story will be published relatively soon on the subject.” 

by

City Jaunt! || harajukuharuspex

harajukuharuspex:

“Shhhhsh I wanted to so you can just, y’know, shut up. It’s the first season of Elementary; I hope you haven’t seen it.” She left on the wrapping paper and laid the dvd box set on the floor. Akira frowned. “As if I wouldn’t! And okay.

image

I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t got the largest friend group. But the friends I do have are more likely to stick around, you see? I’ve known Emi for going on three years, and hope to know her for the rest of my life. If she can put up with me I mean I’m pretty annoying-” She grinned at Hakuba’s eyes in the rearview. “I’m only kidding, of course. I’m hoping you and I can be life-long friends too. Maybe.” Akira made a small noise in her throat and moved on. “Oh no you don’t! I can pay for my own lunch mister. If you’re going to insist – which I’m guessing you are – I call frozen yogurt afterwards. Deal?”

The wind roared as they reached a little over freeway speed, and she almost had to yell ‘Deal?’ at Hakuba, but Akira laughed and threw her head back.

Hakuba listened as Akira spoke, letting her ramble on as he manuvered the car through traffic, maintaining a good clip along the way. Her admission quieted any sarcastic quips that he had planned, and instead he let himself grin in a settled sort of manner. 

"Deal,” the detective replied. “Deal on the yogurt, and on the being friends. I don’t know how you put up with me, either; I’m downright insufferable, or so I’ve been told." 

He shook his head, eyes rolling in amusement despite himself. "And… Elementary?” Hakuba asked, then laughed. “No, no; I keep hearing that I need to watch it, but haven’t yet. Tha-”

The detective had time to blink approximately once as the car came into view in his side mirror.

“Ah-”

The steering wheel jerked, grip lost. The car swerved, violent motion punctuated by the scream of twisted metal and squealing tires. Fighting for control, Hakuba watched as the lines in the road ahead turned sideways, fishtailing despite plenty of traction. 

All too quickly, the same break-neck speed that Hakuba enjoyed in his sports car turned perspective into white knuckled panic. Bumper met divider, buckling the cherry red hood as if it were aluminum, which the detective only briefly saw before he lost track of everything. 

by

koizumiakako:

image

“Why would I?” she asked coldly. “It’s obvious that you’ll offer the same to the next pretty little thing you see. I would prefer it to be a little more special than that. I may not look it but I am actually a woman with a brain and a heart. I’m not so easy as the tramps you like to meet in a club. One-night stands just aren’t my thing.”

She was so used to picking and prodding at sore areas until they bled that she could no longer see when it was appropriate and when it was quite possibly the worst thing she could do. “I don’t care who shares your community bed because I refuse to share something like that in a place so often used.”

That stung. A lot more than Hakuba wanted to let on. He stared for a moment, jaw tightening under a grimace. 

“I didn’t even look at anyone else while we were dating, and that wasn’t due to your ridiculous love spell,” came his cold reply, using every ounce of energy to keep himself calm; to keep his volume low. But he wasn’t doing a very good job at it.

“I wanted to love you, but I’m CLEARLY not worth your time or effort. I know I’m fucked up. I never claimed not to be! I can’t change the past, and since that’s all that ever seems to matter, I guess I’m never going to be of use to anyone. Is that what you want me to say? Because I know that already, so please do me a favor and STOP wasting my TIME!" 

by

koizumiakako:

image

“If I wanted to torture you I would send snakes. Laugh at magic all you want, but there is nothing ‘logical’ or ‘rational’ about kindness, or any emotion for that matter, so don’t stand there and chastise me for ‘mixed signals’ when you’re the one falling into bed with anyone you take a fancy to.”

Hakuba stared. At first, he’d wanted to make a comment on the snakes. Who would send snakes after someone, honestly? But her finishing comments threw the snakes from his mind and into the river. He gaped. “…Did you just-? Tell me you did NOT just say that!”  The detective, furious, clenched fists at his sides, posture turning rigid. 

“Just WHAT are you trying to say, Koizumi-san?! Are you jealous? I offered the same to you and was met with cold rejection. Why the hell does it matter to you what I do with my life?!" 

Gallery by

This gallery contains 1 photo.

bananavora: Happy Birthday Hakuba Saguru / お誕生日おめでとう 白馬 探 / Selamat Ulang Tahun Saguru Hakuba This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I had terrible stomachache so I postponed it.His birthday wasn’t as spectacular as Shinichi or Kaito’s birthday, tho. It’s like almost nobody knews his birthday. Poor Hakuba-kun, I know how it feels […]