Tag Archives: ic

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(Ugh why did I let you talk me into this?) “Knock knock.”

meitanteiosaka:

3. My character walking in on yours having a tea party with stuffed animals.

“….Ya okay, Hakuba?”

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The sudden intrusion startled the tea party occupants, but fortunately not a drop was spilled. The foreign detective paused with his hold on the tea cup just inches from his face, poised for another sip.

“Well, I was all right until you showed up. Is there any particular reason why you’ve decided to drop by today, unannounced, Hattori? As you can see, I’m very busy at this particular moment.”

Hakuba brought the cup the rest of the way and took a nice, long sip from the cup before setting it back down, silently, on a tiny, matching plate. He then glanced to his plush company – a well-worn rabbit, a little black dragon (that may have been a modified Toothless), a relatively new-looking tiger, and a giraffe whose neck was bent under the weight of its head. 

"I apologize for the interruption, my friends – oh, what’s that? You want Hattori to-? Ah, very well.” Raising a brow, he turned back to the Osakan. “My company has suggested that I ask you to join us, but I’m afraid that there’s simply not any room unless you’re willing to play the murder victim, which would require you to lie supine right over-” he paused for a moment, making mental calculations from the table to a spot on the rug a little over a yard in distance. “-there, 47 degree angle from this position, three feet, six inches, head to the, ah,” Hakuba hesitated, and pulled the tiny notebook from his breast pocket to double check the facts, “Oh. To the north, if you please.” 

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It looks like I just missed out on some time with Kaitou-san, so… I’ll post this instead.

When The Day Met The Night

When the moon fell in love with the sun
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night

When the sun found the moon
She was drinking tea in a garden
Under the green umbrella trees
In the middle of summer

When the moon found the sun
He looked like he was barely hanging on
But her eyes saved his life
In the middle of summer

In the middle of summer
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night

Summer, all was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
Summer
Golden when the day met the night

So he said, “Would it be alright
If we just sat and talked for a little while
If in exchange for your time
I give you this smile?”

So she said, “That’s okay
As long as you can make a promise
Not to break my little heart
Or leave me all alone in the summer”

Well, he was just hanging around
Then he fell in love and he didn’t know how
But he couldn’t get out
Just hanging around then he fell in love

In the middle of summer
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night

Summer, all was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night
Summer

When the moon fell in love with the sun
All was golden in the sky
All was golden when the day met the night

Summer
In the middle of summer
In the middle of summer
In the middle of summer
In the middle of

(Source: http://media.tumblr.com/)
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Vaguely NSFW Asks

Thanks to everyone who submitted! It’s all behind a cut because… some of the answers, well… just in case! Repeated questions are replaced with the next unasked question in chronological order.

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1. Are looks important in a relationship? They certainly make some aspects easier, I suppose… and physical attraction is, generally, a healthy thing to have. Is it the most important part, though? No… no, I don’t think so. 

2. Are relationships ever worth it? I’d like to believe that they are, romantic and otherwise. Just because I haven’t really made one work doesn’t mean that its merit is lost in general.

4. Are you in a relationship? Ah… not at present, no. I am, for better or worse, currently single. 

5. Are you in love? …I believe so, yes. Assuming I’ve figured out what ‘love’ really is. It’s painful and wonderful all at the same time, yes? 

7. Can you commit to one person? If that person is willing to commit likewise, yes. 

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8. Describe your crush Ah, crush… I have many crushes. Crushes are easy to get. I simply know too many wonderful people… but I imagine that you’re asking about someone in particular. So I’ll tease you with a list of some of my crushes, their traits, and vague hints at their identities… Who knows; you might be among them.

  1. Refined. Composed, calculating, poised. Hard-working and diligent. Calming, with superb taste. Dark-haired.
  2. Brilliant, perceptive, confident, very high standards. Inspiring. Dark-haired.
  3. Wild. Bursting with conviction. Overly confident. Obnoxious. Generous, loyal, dedicated. Dark-haired. (I’m noticing a trend, here.)
  4. Sweet. Sincere. Enchanting, observant, witty, adorable. Freckled. Sunny. Encouraging. Dark-haired… huh.
  5. Brooding. Mysterious, controlled, measured. Cautious. Dark-haired.

…I suppose I have a thing for dark hair. Who knew? Is this why I’ve been so reluctant to leave Japan? Oh ho. That was a bit of a racist comment; my apologies. 

9. Describe your perfect mate Kind, thoughtful, curious, adventurous. Someone who is interested in what I like because I like it, not necessarily because they share it. Someone who is willing to be different from me, too, and content with that. Needs to be willing to share their life. I want to be someone’s partner, not their perfectly preserved china doll in a cabinet. Let me help with your burdens, and help me with mine. Let’s get hurt together, and patch each other up. I want to be well-loved and scuffed around the edges, and I need them to be the same. Enjoying the simple things in life. The subtle. The tiny moments in life that make it worth living… and I want to talk about it. Also, preferred if they love animals. And children. But of course I know that things don’t have to be perfect to be perfect. 

12. Do you forgive betrayal? No. At least not easily. By the time I consider something an actual betrayal I tend to detach completely and sever whatever ties I can. It would take a lot of convincing for me to forgive betrayal… and even more for me to let them get close again.

13. Do you get jealous easily? I’d like to say no, but… I know that’s not true. It all depends on how much personal investment I’ve put in to a given person or situation and… how threatened I feel of being replaced, which has happened before. 

21. Do you think someone has feelings for you? I suppose that’s possible, yes. I think that’s actually a safe bet… 

22. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now? I would be a little surprised if they were, but I suppose it’s not impossible… 

27. Has someone ever written a song or poem for you? You know, I don’t think… Actually, no; there was a poem written in my first relationship, three or four years ago? It was short and I don’t actually remember the lines (unfortunate), but I do remember the way his mouth moved when he read it to me. How shy he was. The color of his freckled cheeks, heated with embarrassment. He couldn’t even look at me. It was the most amazing thing. A beautiful memory that I wish I could forget. 

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1. Are looks important in a relationship? 3. Are you a virgin? No.

6. Are you single this year? It would seem so. 

9. Describe your perfect mate 11. Do you ever want to get married? Yes, yes I do. Very much so. Some day. 

10. Do you believe in love at first sight? I believe that people can feel a strong connection with another person rather immediately and that can develop into love, certainly, but love is not quite so… so simple.

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32. Have you ever experienced unrequited love? Alas, yes.

33. Have you ever had sex with a man? Yes.

34. Have you ever had sex with a woman? Yes.

36. Have you ever liked one of your best friends? Yes… and it’s torture. 

38. Have you ever liked someone you didn’t expect to? Yes to this as well. More torture.

39. Have you ever wanted someone you couldn’t have? Yes, yes, and yes. God yes. Never-ending torture of the most frustrating sort. 

42. How long can you just kiss until your hands start to wander? Haha- that’s a very good question! I have to confess that unless I am very carefully concentrating on doing otherwise, I have a difficult time resisting the urge to… move things forward after fifteen minutes or so. And my hands, well… there’s just so much sensory information that I can gather and I’m a very curious person, you have to understand….

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48. If the person you like says they like someone else, what would you say? I apologize for making things awkward for them and wish them the best of luck. No hard feelings… unless they’ve been leading me on, but I do hope that I’d be more observant than to be taken in like that. A person can’t really help who they become attracted to, really, and, ah… I’m certain there’d be reasons behind it… after all, I’m not exactly the most… worthy choice…

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51. Is there a boy/girl who you would do absolutely everything for? Yes. Yes, I do believe so, given the right circumstances…

55. Share a relationship story.Once, I met a boy in Paris during one of my summer holidays and I tried an experiment: for the duration of our relationship (twenty-one days), I was to do nothing more than kiss and cuddle. It was difficult. I was almost fifteen years old, and still working through the emotional trauma of the previous year. I don’t think that I would have been able to hold to my promise to Baaya of not trying to take my own life again were it not for this boy… a simple, pure relationship, exploring the streets of Paris. Pointing out everything. Sharing histories, trivia, experiences. When I ended it, I told him not to look for me, that we should leave what was perfect where it needed to be-  in Paris.  I’ve looked for him since, off and on, but haven’t seen him… Sometimes I wonder if it had been the right decision. 

…but as much as I wonder and dream, sometimes, I know that I wouldn’t have been good for him, anyway. 

58. What are five ways to win your heart?

  1. Literary references
  2. Listening/paying attention
  3. Straight forwardness (particularly in appropriate settings, ie private, as I do get flustered easily)
  4. Passion (for whatever it is that you do, even stamp collecting)
  5. Animals. A cute, cuddly creature is typically an excellent way to disarm me very quickly. 

62. What is the sexiest thing someone could ever do for/to you? Surprise affection in a private setting…  ah, I… well, it might be nice to have someone take their time with me… talking, touching, checking, laughing, ah… but I suppose that’s not the sexy sort of thing that you’re looking for, is it? It’s difficult to quantify ‘sexiest thing ever’, really; there are too many moods and options and… 

Ah, I’ll just suggest that someone use the secret weapon… Whisper my name in a very particular way into my ear in public, while wearing a straight face, as if you were just speaking about something else, and then follow up on it later~ 

65. What is your favourite foreplay routine? This is a rather personal question, isn’t it? Ah, I suppose, though… my strategy is always to catch my partner off guard; disarm them by making them laugh, surprising them with something that gets them distracted, in the mood… it’s all about preparing them emotionally before setting to work on exploring and experimenting. The goal is to make them feel as though they’re the only one in the whole world and their pleasure is the most important thing. Lots of touching. Lots of kissing. Finding exactly what does it for them, then building up the momentum and pressure. Match the pacing and style to whatever they seem to prefer, then drive them to the brink… By then, it’s a matter of finishing and, well… … that’s really as specific as I’m willing to be. I’m already fairly embarrassed that I’ve said as much as I have. 

67. What is your idea of the perfect date? Who’s the one in charge? I honestly wouldn’t mind being on the ‘being taken on’ end of things for once…  But, ah, back to the question. I rather enjoy dates that involve doing some kind of activity that requires outside influence (not outdoors, necessarily, but something to add stimulus – such as a movie, a meal, window shopping, actual shopping, etc.) so that there can be ongoing discussion and commentary… I suppose I rather enjoy talking with those I’m comfortable with.

What I’m getting at, I mean, is doing something together that can be used as a springboard for conversation and thus providing opportunity to learn more about each other within context of a romantic relationship (potential or established). Specifically… ah, going out with the… intent to learn and explore and discover; figuring yourself out with their assistance, prompting more questions and information from them… It’s a learning opportunity; a scientific experiment… willingly… participating… … yes. 

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69. What turns you off? Controlling possessiveness. Demeaning attitudes. Treating me as if I’m some sort of porcelain figure. And, oh – doing anything without express permission. I cannot stress this enough.

70. What turns you on? Attentiveness. Whispers right against the back of my ear. Lower-lip tugs. Seemingly innocent touches to the backs of elbows. Being let know that I’m desired.  

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71. What was your kinkiest wet dream? A somewhat modified and shortened version of this… I will not elaborate; it’s far too embarrassing. 

72. What words do you like to hear during sex? Positive indicators of all sorts are welcomed; I like to know that I’m on the right path. Also, ah… … … I may or may not really enjoy hearing my (sur)name in various… ways… … ahem.

73. What’s something sweet you’d like someone to do for you? I’d love… if someone would wait up with me. Talk to me, keep me distracted until I fell asleep… and then curled up next to me and stayed until morning, at least… longer if they really liked me. It might be nice to share my bed with someone who genuinely cares for me. We could have breakfast. Talk about the newspaper. Go shopping. Something. It sounds… it sounds absolutely lovely. 

75. What’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for you? I’d say that, ah, this whole ordeal likely qualifies… Honestly, breaking into my room at night, leaving me gifts and kind little notes? I’m still amazed and confused that it happened… I really don’t deserve such kind treatment. 

79. When was the last time you felt jealous? Why? I’ll confess that I’m jealous all of the time… and it’s ridiculous and shameful and a horrible habit that I need to break out of. 

81. Who are five people you find attractive?

  1. Kuroba Kaito
  2. Kudou Shinichi
  3. Himura Emi (I’ll count Eiji here as well)
  4. Ootori Kyoya
  5. Kirigiri Kyouko 

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8. Describe your crush 14. Do you have a crush on anyone? Yes…  several wonderful people, all of whom I have described in an earlier section. 

10. Do you believe in love at first sight? 15. Do you have any piercings? No. And while I’m not opposed piercings on others (so long as they look tasteful enough), I do not have any interest in getting any, myself. 

17. Do you like kissing in public? Not so much, no. A little peck on the cheek or lips is fine, I suppose, but I prefer for intimacy of most kinds to be conducted in private. 

20. Do you shower every day? Barring unusual circumstances, yes.

21. Do you think someone has feelings for you? 23. Do you think you can last in a relationship for 6 months and not cheat? Yes. When in relationships, I have always been very committed… Granted, the three or so relationships I’ve been in only lasted about a month each, give or take a week, and… … well, that’s rather pitiful for all of my talk of romance, isn’t it? 

38. Have you ever liked someone you didn’t expect to? 40. Have you ever written a song or poem for someone? Several, yes. They’ve been generally well-received, as far as I can tell, but have not really… yielded in any sort of quantifiable result. 

39. Have you ever wanted someone you couldn’t have? 41. Have you had sex so far this year? Yes. 

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Tonight You Belong To Me

I know you belong
To somebody new
But tonight you belong to me.

Although we’re apart,
You’re part of my heart,
But tonight, you belong to me.

Way down by the stream,
How sweet it will seem,
Once more, just to dream in the moonlight.

My honey, I know,
With the dawn,
That you will be gone,
But tonight you belong to me.

Way down – way down – along the stream
How very, very sweet it will seem
Once more, just to dream, in the silvery moonlight.

My honey, I know,
With the dawn
That you will be gone
But tonight, you belong to me.

Just to little old me. 

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
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easternsass:

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The boy’s gaze followed the movements of the brunette quietly, watching his every move. Conan watched as Hakuba untied and retied his shoelaces while they talked. “Hehh… so Hakuba-san went here to discuss something with Occhan? But, that’s strange. I’ve never heard of anything scheduled about receiving a visitor at the agency today.” And he spoke with that usual, innocent child-like tone of his, hands buried down on his pockets.

Then, as though it was such a great idea, he then diverted the topic to, “Hey, hey! What case is it all about? Tell me, Hakuba-san!” with his voice sounding like he’s some child in desperate for adult attention. Though, he wore that innocent expression on his face.

Being a little persistent are we, chiisana tantei-kun?

“Oh, I suppose I didn’t call ahead for an appointment, did I?” Hakuba asked, frowning a little at that. He’d really meant to, certainly, but… things with Mouri-san were often so frustrating for him that he liked to show up a bit unannounced in hope that the meetings would have to be – oh so unfortunately!!! – short and to the point. 

“Ah, well, the case is about a drug dealer, actually… I’d heard that Mouri-san had a client that had dealt with them before, so I was hoping to cross-reference some information." 

Despite the fact that his shoe was now fully tied, Hakuba stayed close to the ground so that he could watch Conan at eye-level, grin never quite leaving his face. 

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Lockdown Shuu and Stew || okiya-subaru

okiya-subaru:

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“The missing East Wind is dealing with his own problems, I speak of a dilemma comparable in some ways. Though, if you can solve what is going on with him, I feel we’re on the same page enough that I can speak freely. As for KID, I care not about revealing his identity. He helped an old friend in a time of need and I saved him in return. He’s harmless and there are much more dangerous criminals out there to hunt down.”

Subaru steepled his fingers, a smirk on his face. So this kid, for all his brashness of talk, was attentive. It would be a double-edged sword. Hakuba’s acceptance of the idea of a tutor meant he wasn’t too stubborn or proud, though. That would help in the long run, even if he wasn’t quite at Kudou’s or his level of deductive prowess yet. Whether or not he would help with the hunt was another question and it was dangerous to get yet more people involved.

"What sort of serial killer assassins are you hunting, if you don’t mind my asking? That seems vague at best. Could be Yakuza, could be another group…”

“Ah, good. I’ll take KID’s secret with me to the grave if I must, you understand. Certainly, he’s not priority at this juncture… out of my jurisdiction, almost…” Hakuba sighed at that, but turned his attention back to the matter at hand, taking another bite of stew.

“At any rate… the serial killers, well… I’m certain that one or two are associated with the same group of ‘crows’ that I have been hearing rumors about, but for the most part, they seem to be independent. And likely related to said East Wind’s… little problem.”

The foreign detective sighed, then, glancing up and over to Subaru with a sort of pouting frown. “I do have to confess, though, that that tidbit of information was given to me on a silver platter; I did not deduce it on my own and, thus, feel as though it disqualifies me at least somewhat. If I’m to be honest.”

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Library

kitameguire:

Kita smiled when Hakuba asked her. “Yes. I have only solved about 20 cases so far. And you want to capture Kaito Kid? I want to capture him too, but he is always escaping.” Kita said with a sigh.

She then remembered the last time she faced Kid. “During the last heist, I was really close to catching Kid. I grabbed his cape when I chased him and he tried flirting with me to let go. When I refused, that thief sprayed sleeping gas in my face. When I woke up, Nakamori-keibu yelled at me for letting him get away.” Kita complained as she talked about her encounter with Kid. She looked at Hakuba. “Have you ever had an encounter with that thief?” Kita asked the half-brit, hoping if he had the same exact encounter with Kid.

Hakuba had to look away at the question, wincing smile on his face. “Oh, I’ve had several encounters with Kaitou Kid, yes. God, I’ve been thwarted by him on several occasions. He’s always got another trick up his sleeve, another way to wriggle out of your grasp.”

The detective sighed, then, expression almost fond as he turned to the book in his hands. It was a Doyle book, of all things. Chuckling, he opened it up to a random page and glanced at its contents. 

“Don’t take it too hard, or too personally, He’s outfoxed even the best of our colleagues. I think that’s rather the point. But don’t give in; he does love a good chase." 

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phantom-thief-kid reblogged your post:

[text] No, it’s a surprise! You should know that by now. : P I miss you, too.

[text] Is that supposed to be some sort of face? : P 😛  

[text] Oh. My phone converted it into an icon. I see now.

[text] Why are you sticking your tongue out at me? 

[text] I don’t like being locked up any more than you do. Are you /sure/ that you don’t want to run away to Paris with me? Absolutely sure? It would be very fun. I promise. 

[text] Actually don’t answer that. Some day, though. Please?

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[text] Hey, Kuroba-kun! What’ve you been up to lately? I’m sorry I haven’t been around much; I’ve been forced to stay at home… but hopefully I’ll be free soon. Any plans for this weekend?

phantom-thief-kid:

Okay, now he was going to omit a lot with this. Like Hannah being very specific about Kaitos leaving her be. Or the incident with the lion.

[text] I was thinking about working on a riddle for something I’m planning on taking, but other than that, it’s been quiet. What happened that made you stay home?

[text] Things. The media, mostly. Just, yes. Things. Oh, are you planning another heist? Do I get to know or is it a surprise? 

[text] I know that I should know better than to even ask by now, but I can’t help myself.

[text] Also, have I mentioned lately that I miss you? 

[text] Did that sound cheesy? My apologies.

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Gluttony

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Hakuba waited in the corner of the parlor, eyes scanning the day’s newspaper, though he wasn’t actually absorbing any information. Jones had left about an hour previous with claims of ‘work to be done’ and ‘the wife expects me home for dinner.’ He did, however, promise that he would be back the next day to solidify the statement that they’d drafted. 

With his agent gone and Baaya spearheading the delegation of managerial house chores, Hakuba was left alone to wait. 

The messages hadn’t stopped. None of them were new to him; he’d seen them countless times before. Though he couldn’t be sure of the precise numbers, it certainly felt as though he had as many enemies as he had fans. 

“It’s to be expected, really,” he’d said to Jones over tea and sorting through the paper slips. “I’m not only just a… half-breed, but I’m direct competition for other, favored detectives. It’s only natural…”

“And given your advantage, father being in such a powerful position…”

“Yes, exactly. It’s just part of the territory. I never expected anything different, really.”

“Considering you came to take down Kaitou Kid, whom the population adores…”

Hakuba laughed. “Yes, I suppose so. I guess I set myself up to be an enemy from the start, didn’t I? Rich, spoiled brat from London importing himself with self-important fanfair… Can do as he likes, being Daddy’s only son, intent on capturing Kaitou Kid and putting the other detectives to shame…”

Jones tilted his head at that but said nothing, opening another letter to fill the silence.

“It’s fine, really, Jones. I never intended to stay in Japan long. I haven’t even a chance of making it past rank six, even if I’m incredibly fortunate…”

The agent held up the enclosed letter and smiled. “Ah, look. This one isn’t hate mail! They’ve written here… well, wait, this is asking about arsenic poisoning. That’s not really either, is it?”

“No, not exactly. Please put it in the ‘to answer’ pile, I’ll get to it this afternoon.”

“I really ought to have these forwarded through my office first. You don’t really have time to be sorting through this, do you?”

“No, but there’s not really a more efficient way, Jones.” Hakuba took a sip of Earl Grey before setting it aside and turning back to his laptop, sorting through another chunk of email. “I need to be aware if someone is asking for help… or trying to get my attention for something time-sensitive. I’m not sure that your office can get to things in time, let alone know what they need to be looking for.”

“Hmf.” Jones shrugged, picking up the next letter from the pile. But then he dropped it back on top. “Why are you still here?”

The detective blinked once, then glanced away from the screen to the older man. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you still in Japan?”

Hakuba snorted and, shaking his head, went back to work, archiving another handful of emails. “I can’t exactly go home now, can I? I left with a bloody procession… They sent their champion teenage detective celebrity to capture the illustrious thief, and…” He sighed, smile tired. “It’s been months. I’m no closer to capturing him than I was in London.”

“What, is Kaitou Kid really that good?”

“Yes. For reasons that you couldn’t even begin to understand.”

Jones hummed at that. “I wish I was his agent. Do you think he has one already? Does he need one?”

“I believe he has plenty of PR help from the press already, free of charge.”

“Damn.”

“I’ll let him know if he asks, though.”

“Thank you.” Jones nudged the envelope open, glanced inside, then put it in the growing hate pile. “But really, is that why you’re here? Are you genuinely afraid to go home, defeated?”

“I expect that’s part of it.” The young blonde sighed, forcing a sad sort of quirk to his lopsided smile. “But you know, I’ve always been a glutton for punishment.”

“Don’t I know it.”

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Another snort. “Actually… I may have managed to make a handful of friends here. I think it will be quite painful to leave them when I do.”

—

Dear Baaya,

I’m sorry that I haven’t written much lately. Studies have been exhausting. I am well, but looking forward to summer holiday. Do you know if Papa is still on for Paris? I don’t think it will be the same if he is not there.

Pleasantries aside, I have a petition to make. Over the past couple of weeks, I have made the acquaintanceship of a certain older gentleman – an Irish Wolfhound, to be precise – and have found him to be a most agreeable companion. He has no collar, no tags, no ear markings that I can find. True, the majority of our conversations happen with the gate between us, but he is a dependable sort. He’s always there when I’m able to walk after supper. I bring him bread, as per our agreement, and he seems to like that I’ve begun calling him ‘Baron.’ 

(I almost called him Val Jean, mind, but as Bisclavret seems more apt given the breed, my decision is firm.)

I thought that, perhaps, in light of poor Sherlock’s fate this past summer, it would be appropriate to request that he return home with me at break. The estate does need a dog, after all, and while Baron is not a Golden Retriever, he is sure to be a fine hunting companion, which should please the uncles all the same. 

Please consider my request and campaign to Mum on my behalf.

Always,

S. James Hakuba

He ate alone. He studied alone. He sat, alone, on the hard wooden bench for morning prayer. He spoke to no one unless spoken to. Teachers were given exactly what was requested, no fuss. Fellow students were given aggressive eye contact and cold retorts. 

Most left him that way. Gave him space. Wary glances. Some were filled with pained sympathy, but he never noticed.

S. James liked being alone. It made it easier to hide. He didn’t have to lie about being okay if no one asked. Didn’t have to justify the limp in his step or the wince every time he put his back against the seat when he settled down for classes. 

He had no friends. He didn’t want friends. Not there. At first, he’d imagined that White Chapel Academy would be different. They were all supposed to be the intellectual elite for their age group, Certainly that meant more maturity. 

But, no. Just as had happened in other schools outside of Japan, ‘Saguru Hakuba’ became ‘Saggyroo Hakooba’ and that devolved into variations of ‘Sags’ and ‘Saggy’ which left the boy pleading with the administrators to make the change that they had suggested in the first place. S. James Hakuba would return, and S. James Hakuba would stay, for the duration of his time in the United Kingdom. 

This all happened within the first week. The other children would have gotten over it. Hakuba might have, too. Eventually. But in the brief window of time where he considered finding someone, anyone, to share his pain… he found no one that had not, in some way, hurt him. Namecalling, a bewildered glance, a brush in the hallway. Even the smallest offense was remembered.

Clearly, everyone at White Chapel hated him. And he hated them back. For everything. He trusted no one. Except for Baron.

On the weekdays, he met the milk-colored dog outside by the East Gate just after sunset. No one else ventured into the cold after supper; no one had a reason to. The free period they had was spent by the fires and in common areas, playing games, studying, chatting. It made his escape all that much more… fitting. 

He’d bring a slice of bread or a roll, whatever he would sneak into his coat pocket, and slip it through the gate to the dog. Then, as Baron ate, S. James talked. It was usually about what he was studying, but occasionally, he’d recount passages of his favorite books. It always turned to the thought of hunting in the end, though. 

“We’ll go to my uncle’s farm and you can chase the horses. I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you, Baron? And when we go hunting in the fall… There are elk. And deer. You’ll get to stretch out your legs and give chase. And I’ll have someone to talk to when they’re discussing their wives and babies. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

Baron sat and listened quietly to whatever the boy had to discuss, offering nods, hand licks, and nudges where appropriate. S. James removed his mittens to give him a good rubdown on his neck and shoulders, as far as he could reach. And although it was the only time he felt safe enough to talk, S. James compulsively checked the time every few minutes. 

Every evening he stayed with Baron until it was too cold to be out. Hands frozen, legs numb, he’d eventually say goodnight and head back inside, having never said what was really gnawing at him. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t. 

On Saturdays, S. James left the grounds. He wasn’t supposed to, but the adjoining cemetery’s fence had a gap that he could just squeeze through. Baron met him on the other side, and the two went on walks through the nearby woods, one-sided chatter accompanied by the crunch of snow under their feet. Although they never caught any, S. James always looked for rabbits for them to chase. He dug his fingers into the wiry hair to keep warm, and turned back only when it began to get dark. 

Some days they covered a lot of ground. Other days, it hurt too much to get further than just out of sight of the academy. Baron kept to S. James’ pace, and never complained when the boy leaned on him for support. Never chided when he’d wrap his arms around his neck, face buried against that woolly chest, and sob. He lapped at the tears, whimpered at the pain, and made sure that he was always at the gate when it was time. And there he’d wait, just in case the boy was delayed. 

Seven weeks they carried on, just like that. Gradually, walks in the woods continued on into dark, and then during the week. 

“We should run away, you and I. I bet we could make it back home if the weather gets a little better.”

Baron had no complaints about the plans. But then, he never did. 

No, he never did. He was even overjoyed to see S. James out on a Sunday, for the first time. The boy was crying, but that wasn’t necessarily unusual. 

“We’re leaving, Baron… we’re leaving tonight. I can’t… I can’t do… I just… can’t…”

The dog licked his hand. Reassured him. 

“We’ll… cross through the woods and get to the main road… then we just have to follow it Southerly.” Swallowing back another sob, he looked back at the academy in the fading afternoon, then nodded. This was their best chance. “Come along Baron, let’s be off." 

…

Baaya,

Please disregard my previous letter as circumstances have changed.

Always,

S. James Hakuba