smokebombsandmirrors:

“Thank you for the thought but is that what you wish for? For a half of yourself to be canceled by the other?” He asked with a calm serene expression.

The question puzzled Hakuba as he’d meant it as a joke, but as he considered it, really considered it, he wondered. “Hm,” came his immediate answer, buying himself some time by taking another long drink from the coffee cup. “Well, it might be nice to not be so cripplingly formal and polite… It seems that I’ve inherited the the extreme from both sets of genes in that regard.”

He stretched his legs out in front of him, nudging Watson’s carrying cage in the process, and smirked when she made a small, annoyed, chirping noise. “Pardon, miss Watson,” he said, and nudged it again with his foot, immediately sheepish at his apology to the avian, and leaned his head back helplessly. 

“I don’t know, Kuroba-kun. I should proudly own all of my mixed heritage, but it’s difficult at times. It’s… a work in progress.”

smokebombsandmirrors:

He smirked at him and gave a very KID like look. “Well, I made it. I had to do a bit of …. ‘searching’ for the aquamarine but was luck that a shop had some. As for the quicksilver and topaz it came from my home collection and don’t worry about getting me anything I don’t need the material to be happy. Just let me know your doing okay while you’re gone and let me know what you’re up to. I’ve never been outside of Japan so I want to know what ts like.”

His expression shift to something more eager and child like. Rotating in his seat he brought one leg up so he could rest his chin on it while watching Hakuba. 

The antics were cute, even if Kaito had basically just admitted to stealing – yet again. Even so, Hakuba rolled his eyes and took another sip of coffee before letting his hands rest in his lap, smiling back at him with fond annoyance.

“That’s very noble of you,” he said in regards to a return of the gift. “Nevertheless, I’m both English and Japanese, and I’m afraid that the two do not cancel each other out, much as I wish they did. Thus, I will be sending you something via post, so you may look forward to it. There’s clearly no other alternative; it’s the way it has to be." 

smokebombsandmirrors:

Kaito softened while watching him slip the necklace on. “I’m glad you like it.” 

He felt like a stupid giddy schoolgirl. Absolutely pleased with his handy work. It took him only three hour search for the right stone, a simple unannounced heist for the aquamarine disk, and six hours to link the chain together and three more to fit the topaz pieces around the disk.

“I’m only sorry that I don’t really have anything to give you in return,” Hakuba returned with a wince, voicing the thoughts he’d meant to keep to himself. Following the trend, he continued while adjusting his collar. “Dare I ask where it came from?" 

At least he managed a playful little smile along with it, tilting his head as he looked back at the young man that he knew, without a doubt, was a thief. That fact did nothing to deter from the sweet expression he gave, though, brown eyes warm and full of feeling as he looked at him with an almost embarrassing amount of vulnerability. 

”…or is it better left a mystery?“ 

smokebombsandmirrors:

He knew Hakuba was trying to help but all it did was sort drive and twist  a knife that was already there. He bowed his head causing his bangs to hide his eyes, more over the ….. fear? Disappointment? But in whom? Himself, Hakuba? The entire situation? He wasn’t quiet sure.

Come on Kaito, you have to smile. You have to send him off knowing that this was the right choice.

Kaito smiled and raised his head finally to look at him. He hoped he had hidden enough of the pain as to not scare the other. “You’re going to do great, Hakuba. Like you always have. I’ll be praying for your safe return and fortune over their.” 

He straightened and turned towrads him. Reaching under his shirt he lifted a quicksilver chain and a simple disk of aquamarine with a rimmed in topaz over his head and held it out to the other. “Not sure how you feel about jewelry a polytheistic belief system but I wanted to give you this. The metal is quicksilver and the gems are aquamarine and topaz, all are good luck symbols for Virgos.”

He swallowed and struggled to settle down just a bit. He knew his face was starting to flush, he could feel that much when he ears started to burn. “Sorry I tend to get a bit excited about things that are well …. to put it simply, my life.

Hakuba looked from the necklace to Kaito, then back again, hesitating as he reached his hand out to take it. “It’s… beautiful,” he remarked under his breath, wishing for all the world that they weren’t being forced to share this moment in such a crowded place. He turned the disc over in his hands, fingerpads brushing over the surface, pressing it into his palm. “Thank you." 

He hadn’t expected a gift, and certainly not one like this, and to say that he was touched was an understatement. Was there anything that he could give Kaito in return? His mind went over his personal inventory as he memorized the pendant; its weight, texture, construct. There was no way that he could part with the pocketwatch, but perhaps the lighter? No– he wasn’t ready to give up that secret yet. The cross…? 

God, no. That was a burden, not a gift at all. In the end, he had nothing, but he could remedy that once he got to London. That would be simple enough, even though it would leave him stewing in guilt for the time being. 

Without letting the time drag on any further, he slipped good luck charm over his head and tucked it underneath his collar with just a bit of effort, loosening his tie in the process, ears once again pink.

smokebombsandmirrors:

As Kaito watched him his over enthusiastic grin fading into one that was personal and meant just for Hakuba to see. “You didn’t think I’d just let you leave with out seeing you one last time?”

He sat up and leaned on to his knees. “I …..”

I wish you weren’t going. I wish I didn’t open my big mouth and sent you off. I wish we had more time. I wish … I wish … There were so many of those that were fluttering about his mind and clogging his throat his didn’t know what to say. ‘I like you’ was to cliche and would bring too much pain to both of them. ‘I’ll see you soon’ was say too much of the unknown. ‘I’ll miss you’ was a given. ‘Don’t fall for any other thieves while your over there’ was just highly inappropriate.

He scrunched his brow and stared at the carpet. He was so lost at what to say. With his mother she was usually gone before he could wish her a safe trip. It wasn’t like he didn’t want that for Hakuba but he also wanted the damn plane to break down before the detective ever got on the monstrosity.  

The trailed silence earned a small, meaningful smile from the detective in return, who wished for all the world that he could offer a hand in reassurance. If not to hold Kaito’s, at least to put around him. If they were in London, it wouldn’t even be a question; he’d kiss him right then and there, hold him tightly, nuzzle into the crook of his neck. But there, in Japan, all he could do was attempt to not look quite as wistful and lovesick as he felt. 

Shoulders hunched, he, too, glanced down at the carpet after a moment. Societal convention forced so much to be left unsaid, and while it wasn’t fair and he certainly didn’t agree with it, there was nothing, really, that either of them could do.

“We’ll call, text, email, and send photos,” Hakuba said, forcing his voice to stay quiet and even. “I’ll be busy with campus tours and Scotland Yard, you’ll… well, I know you’ll be busy causing all sorts of mischief. We just need to be careful so that we’ll be reunited in one piece in just… a couple of months…”  It wasn’t as accurate estimate as he liked, but he feared that the actual number would sound far too despairing. “And I’ll be back before you know it.”

He paused, then, struck by a sudden, terrible thought. “…a practice run, if you will, for… long distance…" 

smokebombsandmirrors:

“Around seven. I didn’t want to miss seeing you off since dinner got scrimped.” He grinned and took the open seat next to him. He folded the aviators and hooked down the front of his black v-necked shirt revealing slightly tired eyes and the starting of dark circles. The dark red cargo jacket shifted back that showed off his slim waist and hips. Dark wash jeans hung low on his hips and was held up by a thick brown leather belt and dark boot were worn and scuffed from years of use. 

“Excited?” He asked and hooked his arms around the backs of the chair next to him and behind Hakuba. He stretched out and relaxed in the usually uncomfortable chair.

The blush didn’t leave as Hakuba watched him, noting the discrete arm, the casual pose. Was Kuroba not worried at all by what he was doing? He drank awful coffee from the cup to buy himself a moment of time, then smiled, still embarrassed, but… grateful. 

“To see you, yes… but not so much to leave. Watson doesn’t really like planes… and…” The smile faded as Hakuba looked down at his cup, unconsciously leaning toward Kaito with a sigh. It wasn’t fair that he looked so attractive and so tired; it only made his resolve that much more worn. If only they could leave, go back to the house, cuddle down for a much-needed nap… “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Thank you for coming. God, I wish I wasn’t leaving." 

smokebombsandmirrors:

He swiped the hang up icon, leaned over the detective shoulder and pecked him lightly on the temple. “I miss you, too, Tantei-san.~”

Hakuba froze at the sudden touch, eyes wide and startled until the situation caught up with him. “A-ah! Kuroba-kun!” he said, fumbling with his coffee. “When did you get here? I didn’t think…” His face flushed with color as he realized he’d just been kissed – in public – around a mass of people. 

smokebombsandmirrors:

He chuckled and stood from the table. Tossing his trash he began walking out of tiny cafe. “We not that far from each other.”

“As I said, I know that the fact is that we’re much closer, but…”  Hakuba frowned, brows creasing at the apparent miscommunication of his sentiment.

Whether it was because he was so tired or so stressed, the detective really had not noticed the noise on the other end of the line. It would have been easy to assume – though assuming was always a dangerous inclination – that he were simply in a busy area, like a mall. Shopping for more ties without him, perhaps. He took another sip of coffee, then continued. “Ah, anyway, suffice to say that I miss you already…?"