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Save Me || toshio-fukawa

toshio-fukawa:

Toshio debated whether or not to help the other for a moment. They were in a busy enough place that someone would notice if he were being abducted…and it might actually be interesting to talk to this man, if he were actually what he said he was.

“Fine.” The writer huffed, matching the detective’s pace as they began to head for their destination. He wracked his brain for something to talk about…..anything.“Uhm. Uhm. So, Hakuba-san, I-I would like you to look into that translation of the Kojiki I was talking about. You see, because it’s written in old Japanese, many kanji have changed and all sorts of new w…words have been developed since then-” He couldn’t help but look over his shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious woman and seeing no one conspicuous.

“-Anyway, th-this history lesson must be boring you. Do you need to know any more details?” Though he gave the lines of a customer his voice was way too pained to seem natural, and his body language was hunched and hesitant.

“No, no, not boring at all,” Hakuba said, pushing his voice to its most professional in tone. He was so relieved, so grateful that Toshio had agreed to play along, though poorly at best. That was all right; many of his clients were very nervous people, and tended to act out of sorts. “Any details that you can provide would be quite helpful…”

Kanji, though? That was something that Hakuba had to admit he wasn’t intimately familiar with. He was still, after all, a foreigner as everyone was so eager to point out. Still, he could ‘help’ with whatever task at hand his ‘client’ had come up with, regardless. He knew that his investigative abilities at least allowed for that.

Guiding the other toward the bookshop, Hakuba, too, stole a glance around to look for the woman. She had disappeared into the crowd of shoppers, but he didn’t feel any less ill at ease. If she caught up to him…

“This sounds like quite the intriguing case, but I believe that, together, we’ll be able to get to the bottom of it." 

by

The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

Kaito turned to him and measured him carefully and debated internally. 

“I’ve been celibate for the past year, Hakuba. I’ve also never dated anyone before that. No one. So I can hold true to your request. I can try.” He answered just as calm. At least his voice was. His knees how ever were shaking.

Grateful though he was that Kaito apparently hadn’t noticed that he’d passed song lyrics off as legitimate words in a serious conversation, Hakuba couldn’t help but feel the tiniest big disappointed, too. Mostly because the significance of the prose was… well, it didn’t matter. 

The fact that Kaito was willing to try did, though. That he wanted to. It mattered a great deal, and it changed everything. 

“Kuroba-kun,” Hakuba said, expression softening, giving a warm smile. He was still terrified – of everything – but this… “If you can promise me, I promise, too… I would be honored to be yours, and you mine." 

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The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

He set the glass down and stroked the stem a bit. His mind raced and once again he was back to realizing that reality was cruel. So fucking cruel. What was he supposed to say with Hakuba hesitating like that? To all of the logic that was put in front of him? And then look like the whole concept was going to make him faint. That to date him was never an option or a thought that had crossed his mind.

The mention of Oxford just twisted an already placed knife. He remember the boxes in the others bedroom and that he told him to go. 

It was amazing how those simple question caused all of his insecurities and anxieties to spring to the forefront of his mind. The fear of ejection only made it worse but why did he kiss him? If he didn’t want to date or have that intimate relationship then why kiss him and drag him through this turmoil?

For a laugh? He was going to …. he thought of knocking him flat on his ass but stop. Even in his head he couldn’t hurt him. He sighed. Looked up at Hakuba and began speaking softly and clearly.

“If I can, even just for a tiny moment. I know that your going back and I’m cruel for doing this but … I want to at least belong to someone, to you before I’m left alone again.” He felt his throat close and walked away from the counter. He had to swallow twice before he could speak again. “I understand that long distance relationships are tricky and most of the time fall out but I …..”

He smiled bitterly. Just how selfish could he be?

“That’s why I was hesitant,” Hakuba said, biting his lip as he averted his gaze. He didn’t want to hurt Kuroba, which is specifically why he hadn’t acted on his impulses before. Why he’d been so afraid to reciprocate. Why he’d gone to Kaito’s house to ask about which university to go to. It was cruel to put them both through something like that. Rejection hurt, yes, but not more than broken hearts.

He’d been so sure, so certain that Kuroba didn’t want him before. That his love was unrequited, never to be returned. But it had. And through that, he had to consider the other parts of it. If there was a chance, even a small one…

…then he wanted to take it. 

The detective took a deep breath and let it out slowly, considering his next words carefully, though they came together with surprising ease. It was a risk, but he looked back at Kaito, resolve once again.

“If I… if we took this step, Kuroba-kun, would you promise to be true?” Hakuba swallowed hard, then continued, voice level, calm, soft. “And help me understand, because I’ve been in love before and I’ve found that love was more than just holding hands." 

by

The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

He paled and rose from the counter. He brought the glass in and cup both of his hands around it all the while wondering if he had spoken too soon; made an assumption. Maybe he should have asked for permission? From Hakuba or maybe Baaya? This was so new for him. He had never dated anyone before. Never liked anyone this much before to try.

“I thought … well I assumed that was what happens after you …. I’m sorry … I just … thought that was what you wanted as well. I mean if you don’t want to that’s …. okay so that would really fucking suck but I can wait. I’ve been waiting since high school so … ” He tried to smile but it felt so awkward. He couldn’t help but to think that this is what he got for jumping ahead. “I want to. Can we? May we … I mean.” He sighed and raked a jittery hand through his already messy hair.

It all left him dumbfounded, even though Hakuba should have been prepared for this. It took him a few seconds before he looked back at Kaito, staring. “You, Kuroba Kaito, want… me to be… your boyfriend?” A brief pause. “You… want me. Boyfriend. Is that what you’re saying? B-but what if I’m to go to Oxford? That’s… that’s four years at least and…”

Hakuba stepped forward so that he could set the wine glass down, now unable to be certain of his grip. “You’re asking me out?" 

He almost looked faint, as if the concept were so vastly removed from reality that he couldn’t believe it. Not incredulously, though; no, he was just stunned. He now knew that Kaito liked him, yes, but liking someone and wanting to date them were two entirely different things. The latter required commitment. Was he able to give that? Was Kaito?

"You really want to? You’d be my boyfriend, and I yours?" 

by

Blond Humbug

smokebombsandmirrors:

Kaito spun on his heel and nearly slipped on ice again. He could feel the soles nearly give. He really need to get some with better treads. “Actually I do know. Some people can’t afford to drop 600 pounds much less 150 dollars on clothes. Now if you don’t mind I would like to get out of the cold before I bust my ass on ice and deal with you insulting me and my country any longer. So can we please just get back to the classroom in peace and one piece.”

He whirled back around and continued to storm off. 

December 24th, Last Year (The “Present”)

“Wait, let me get this straight.” Jones rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes.

It was an action which Hakuba had seen him perform many, many times in the past. It was easy to imagine it as he lay under the piano, recounting the story. “What?”

“So you were getting supplies for a Christmas party with your Japanese friend–”

“Classmate." Hakuba corrected him.

”–with your classmate who, again, is Japanese, while complaining about Japan, its people, customs, and differences?“

"And the snow. Don’t forget that.”

“I thought that was part of your narrative. Did you actually complain about the snow?”

Hakuba hummed. “I might have at some point, yes.”

Jones sighed. “So you were ranting and raving about how much you hate Japan–”

“I don’t hate Japan, I just don’t like it very much.”

“–regardless, you were doing this while in the company of your Japanese classmate, and then you critique his taste of clothing and criticize his financial standing?”

“Well…”  The blond looked up at the bottom of the piano, tracing fingers over the crayon drawings from so many years ago. Though he wasn’t certain of its actual bluebook value, he knew that it was somewhere in the range of $600-700k. Just for the piano. “To be honest, I just don’t think about that very often.”

“What, that not everyone is filthy rich like you?” Jones was snickering.

“Right. It just doesn’t occur to me… I make my own money, and I suppose I’ve never really been interested in material possessions other than clothes, but…” Hakuba sighed. “If you go by the theory of self-actualization, I suppose I already have those things, so I’m blind to it.”

“At least you’re aware that you’re blind.”

“Sometimes.”

There was another lull while Jones sighed. “So, the making out in the alleyway?”

“I’m getting to that!”

“Then get on with it!”

“I’m telling this story, Jones, and I know that you love my stories, so just let me do it as I see fit!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a regular John Watson… go." 

"Right, then. So I’d just made a muck of things with him again, as usual, and yes, showing off that I’m a ruddy git who is unintentionally insensitive, nationalistic–”

“I already knew that you hated Americans.”

“Hush! I do not!”

“Fine, fine, go on.”

“So I just made an ass of myself and Kuroba-kun–”

“That’s the kid’s name?”

“Uhhh… yes. Anyway, so I didn’t realize that he knew just how much burberry scarves cost, or that he was aware of the context in which…” Hakuba sighed, dropping his arm to lay over his chest. “It was bad, Jones. It was very bad. I was so embarrassed. Especially because he just kept slipping and it wasn’t as if he’d done anything wrong…”

“So what did you do?”

“Well, I caught up to him, of course…”

One Week Earlier (“Thirty four point seven six seconds after Kuroba-kun stormed off”)

“Kuroba-kun!” Hakuba reached for his shoulder, eyes wide, pleading as he caught up to him again, nearly slipping on the ice himself. This was something that didn’t really happen to him often. Slipping on ice, that is– he was quite used to traversing on slick, frozen sidewalks, and most certainly used to putting his foot in his mouth. 

“Wait, really, I’m sorry. Please wait? God, I didn’t mean to get all… well, you know! I just… this place! And there are so many… and the…!" 

Frustrated, trying not to slip, trying to balance everything in his arms, and grab onto Kuroba-kun as really not working out all that well for him. 

"God will you please just listen to me?!”

by

Idle Weather Shop Talk

askseramasumi:

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The voice hadn’t so much startled her but it was surprising to say the least. She had ventured a little further from Beika and hadn’t been expecting to see anyone she knew. It seemed that her idea had been correct, but this person still seemed to know her which was strange enough on its own.

“I am,” she replied, glancing over at him cautiously. Blond hair and mixed features, polite manner of speech, knowledge of her profession, young age… “You must be one as well. A detective, I mean.”

Guard up. He could still be one of them.

image

“Yes, that’s right.” It didn’t surprise him that she didn’t already know his name, though Hakuba felt a little disappointed, regardless. He wasn’t nearly as famous as Kudou, after all, and his travelling schedule kept him out of the Japanese limelight far too often– at least for Baaya’s taste, apparently, given how often she complained to him about it.

“Hakuba Saguru. A pleasure to meet you, Sera-san. I’ve heard good things about you. From…” Hakuba tilted his head to look her over, curiously. “America, if I remember correctly. At least recently.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Is that correct?”

by

The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

“You make it sound like we’re going to break up in just a few months. Come on Hakuba, have a sense of optimism.”  Kaito said and  leaned nonchalantly against the counter facing him. The black hematite studs in his ears caught and played with the light. He was grinning at the detective playfully. He reached for the wine glasses and swirled it some. Not to mix the flavors but to watch the liquid move about in the glass.

“Hmmm, what about to mutual feelings” He purred and held up his glass. “To mutual feelings finally being met.”

“Mutual feelings finally being met… yes.” That was something that Hakuba could at least agree with, he hoped, but then again… He stopped, suddenly, halting his thoughts to back up, blinking as he straightened up. “Wh-wait, break up? Are we dating now? H-hold on… hold on there, Kuroba-kun…!”

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Brows furrowing, he looked at the other very carefully, studying his face, the grin, the other wine glass. Then he looked away. Kuroba was far too attractive to be staring at while trying to get his thoughts straight.

“…wait, are…? I’m so confused. What is going on?”

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The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

He snorted he couldn’t help it the laughter just started bubbling out of him. ” I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Its just … Out of anything you could have said … could have toasted to tonight …. you said.” 
He straightened and sighed. He wiped his eyes and rubbed his aching sides. “You really are adorable you know that.”

“I thought it was a good toast,” Hakuba said, tone defensive though he relaxed a little bit. “And I’m not adorable. I was just being scientific. I couldn’t toast to a relationship because I’m not sure where we stand, I couldn’t toast to first kisses because that wasn’t, technically, and I couldn’t toast to new beginnings because, again, I don’t know where we stand and where I’m going to end up or anything like that.”

The detective huffed again, looking into his glass. The wine was beautiful, at least, and he knew it would be incredible. Soon, so soon, he’d be able to drink. If he could get through this conversation, anyway. 

“It’s simply… linear to toast to working things out, because that’s what we’ll have to do first thing to move on to anything else. Everything has a logical order to reach any conclusion. So, working things out… the spirit of a common goal, a fresh start, a…" 

Hakuba winced and then looked back to Kaito, sticking his tongue out. "You’re always taking the mick out. You pick something to toast to." 

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Genius.

capturego:

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[Today, professor Elm had called in to leave a notice with Crys. Watch the lab while he’s in Hoenn for a conference. She of course had no arguments with the request and simply sat in the lab, doing some of his unfinished paperwork, correcting his theories a tad and straightening up the lab. It wasn’t so hard so why didn’t Elm get these things finished?? 

Seating herself at a table in front of a Pichu, she plays with it until she heard the doors open. Her head turns to whoever may be welcoming themselves inside.]

Ah—the professor isn’t here today.

“Oh, really? That’s a shame." 

The voice belonged to Hakuba Saguru, one of the few contending for Lance’s title – that of dragon master, that is, not of psychopath. He smiled, confident as easy as he walked in, holding in his arms a wool bag with a very large, spotted egg. Curled loosely around his neck was a young dratini, and following behind, very carefully, a Dragonite. "May I leave this here with you, then?" 

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The Meaning of the Monocle

smokebombsandmirrors:

Kaito blinked at him and bite the inside of his cheek in an attempt to hide his laughter. It wasn’t working as well as he wanted. Covering his face he felt the laugh sneak out of him. He place the drink down with a clatter and leaned over the counter with his head rest on it. His arms wrapped around his face as he shook with silent laughter. 

As with every other time this had happened to him – and it really did happen far more often than he’d care to admit – Hakuba stared in confusion. Was Kaito laughing at his toast? At his admission of fantasies? Or just at him in general? He held the wine glass carefully, not willing to set it down just in case Kaito’s laughter erupted in some sort of violent flailing, befitting of a class clown, and let his expression settle into an offended frown. 

“Ah… hey now… you stop that, Kuroba-kun. In the last hour, you’ve accused me of poisoning you, gotten mad at me for trying to protect you, and… and kissed me, and then… again, so you…!”  Hakuba gave an exasperated huff, mouth curving into a full-on pout. “Please do explain why you’re now laughing at me."