![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Fic - Just Desserts
“Am I speaking to Kaidou-san?”
Eiri holds the phone up to his ear, listening to the tired and professional words, but it takes him a moment before he answers. “This is he.”
“Kaidou-san, I am Officer Ito and I am calling to inform you that earlier today we were called outside your apartment complex concerning a disturbance involving your partner – “
“Roommate.”
The correction comes easily, automatically to Eiri, but since Officer Ito falters on the other end for a couple seconds, it apparently takes him off-guard. But no matter, as he continues. “Roommate. Some neighbors called us because a fight broke out with him and some teenagers and it, understandably, frightened them.”
Shit.
Eiri lets his head fall back against the brick wall of the grocery store, other workers on their smoke break occasionally glancing over at him, but never asking if everything is all right. Then again, they don’t really talk to him at all, which is fine by him, especially now, because he’s going to kill Haku later and that kind of evening plan isn’t one he really wants to explain to other people. He doesn’t even know all the details of what Haku did, but getting picked up by the police is not exactly what one would call a good day.
Shit, shit, shit.
“Kaidou-san?”
“Yeah, sorry, is anyone going to press charges?” Because that would be exactly what they all need.
“As the others involved in the disturbance ran off when we arrived on the scene and this is Mitsumi-san’s first offense, we’re going to let him off with a strong warning.”
Eiri releases a breath. “Thank God.”
“But Kaidou-san, please be aware that anything after this will not be dealt with so lightly. He is an adult and he will be treated as such in the future…” Ito trails off, however, and when he speaks next, his voice is hushed, as if he’s trying to keep something secret, or at least out of earshot of a certain individual. “If I may be blunt, Kaidou-san, he does not seem to be concerned with the situation. As he has no previous record, this strikes me as strange. If he were a delinquent we’ve dealt with before, that would be different. Instead he keeps asking if we have juice boxes.”
…Dammit, Haku. Of course you would.
Even so, Eiri has to ask, “Do you?”
Ito huffs, offended, and his voices rises back to its previous volume. “Have juice boxes? Kaidou-san, this is a police station, not a daycare. Please take us seriously.” Eiri does, but he also knows how Haku is. Ito continues, but quietly again. “Although, I have to ask, because if this happens again, then such knowledge would be important for him. Is Mitsumi-san…touched in the head – “
Eiri’s grip on the phone tightens and he has to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep from lashing out. This guy has no idea what Haku’s been through. He has no idea what kind of strength it takes to go through hell and then be separated at a young and important age from the rest of society for years on end. He doesn’t know. He has no clue and yet he dares ask if Haku is –
“He’s socially awkward, not mentally handicapped, Officer.” Silence on the other end. The smokers have dropped their own mumbled conversation to stare at Eiri. Only now does he realize he’s pushed himself forcefully from the wall.
He probably yelled, too. That always happens.
“…Kaidou-san, I do not appreciate your tone.”
“Sorry, just…just tell me when I can come get him.” He glances toward the smokers – how long is their break? – and gestures rudely with his free hand. Some of them gesture back, but mostly they go back to their less-than-intelligent chatting.
“We would rather you come sooner than later. He isn’t belligerent, but he keeps asking about those juice boxes – “
And then, as if on cue, Eiri can hear Haku’s voice on the other end, though it’s not as clear, asking if Eiri can bring along some desserts, too.
…Like hell, Haku!
“…Please come soon, Kaidou-san.”
---
After profuse apologizing and bowing to his supervisor and promises that leaving early won’t be a regular occurrence, Eiri finally leaves the grocery store. With a couple of Haku’s favorite juice boxes in a bag.
It’s been about a year since Eiri has had to deal with the police in any way more than a polite nod to an officer he passes on the sidewalk. However, after being with Sakura for so long, it isn’t as if Eiri is frightened or nervous around the police in general. No, it’s just that because they were in Sakura for so long and acquired various skills, most of them beyond an average citizen’s legal rights, anything that gets the police’s attention is pretty nerve-wracking.
If they ask how you know how to kill a man seventy-two different ways with commonplace items and you answer that you saw it on the internet, that’s going to raise some pretty big questions.
Not that Haku killed anyone in this situation, thank God. But it’s still bad, to say the least, and when Eiri enters the station and sees Haku sitting next to an officer – he assumes it’s Ito – he wants to launch into one of his usual tirades about how Haku just can’t do this or shouldn’t do that.
But then Haku looks up from fiddling uselessly with a little styrofoam cup – they must have tried to compromise with giving him something to drink, even if it’s not one of his precious juice boxes – and his eyes light up upon seeing Eiri and he raises a hand to wave and his lips curl up into a youthful smile.
One of his lips is split. And that is what causes Eiri’s chest to tighten. Not because he’s afraid that Haku could have gotten seriously hurt, Haku is damn good at protecting himself, but rather that someone actually set out to hurt him.
Nobody else knows what he’s been through. Nobody else knows him.
The officer finally stirs from focusing on his computer screen to notice Eiri’s presence. “Ah, you must be Kaidou-san. Thanks for coming in. We’ll just need you to sign some paperwork and then you two can go.” But even as Ito stands up and walks to the front desk to get said paperwork ready, and even as Haku pushes himself up, as well, Eiri just stands there in front of him. And cranes his neck to look up, as he always has to do.
Haku is still smiling at him.
Eiri’s hands start to clench into fists, the plastic bag in one making a slight crinkling noise, and he bites his lip to keep from lashing out. Lashing out at whom, he doesn’t quite know. The world, probably. Some bigger, more abstract entity that doesn’t have a face. Something he doesn’t have to feel guilty about.
Haku is still smiling and waiting patiently for Eiri to make the next move, but it’s when Ito clears his throat from the front desk, that they both break eye contact and realize that, yes, it’s definitely time to go.
The paperwork is signed, Haku’s cup is thrown away, and they walk out onto the sidewalk in an uncharacteristic silence. Eiri leads, heading back to their apartment, always aware of a second set of footsteps following easily behind. The second pair of steps fall farther apart, of course, because of Haku and his cursed long legs, but it’s something to which he’s grown so accustomed that it’s comforting to hear it. Haku is back with him and that’s how the world should be.
Until suddenly he can only hear his own footsteps. His feet come to a stop and he turns around quickly, his heart starting to race. If something happened –
But Haku is still behind him, just a little farther behind than he should be.
He’s not smiling anymore.
“…Haku-“
“Are you mad at me?”
Eiri opens his mouth, ready to answer, except…nothing comes out. Is he mad? Of course he is. They’re trying to start over and then this happens and puts a red smear on things. Just a smear, just a hint of what could have been, but it’s still there.
…But is he mad at Haku?
He closes his mouth and frowns, a few deep lines forming between his eyes. And then Eiri quickly closes the gap between them before reaching out with his free hand to shove Haku’s chest. Haku barely budges, being such a tall and solid existence, of course. “You idiot!” As if that answers everything, Eiri turns around and takes a few steps back in the direction of their apartment.
A couple seconds pass and he hears the familiar scuffing of shoes on pavement behind him.
Just breathe, Eiri.
Taking a breath, he crosses his arms over his chest as he walks, the bag of juice boxes bumping lightly against his stomach in time to his own steps. But it drowns out Haku’s footsteps, so he quickly wraps the plastic around the boxes within and just holds it within the crook of one arm.
Just stay calm.
They reach an intersection and stop, waiting for the cars to drive past. Then suddenly Haku rests his chin on Eiri’s shoulder and reaches in front of him to poke the contents of the plastic bag, the logo showing through the film. “Ooh, Nanny!” He easily plucks the bag from Eiri’s – admittedly – loose grip and backs up just enough to fish one of the juice boxes out.
It’s an action that erases all previous thoughts of calm as far as Eiri is concerned.
He twirls around and stomps his foot. “Haku!”
The juice box is already equipped with a straw and lifted up to Haku’s mouth as he speaks around it. “If you want to share, you only have to ask.” He holds it out toward Eiri, making good on his offer.
“No, I don’t want to share, I want you to be serious! Ugh!” Once the road is clear, he stomps his way across and waits for Haku. “You almost got arrested today! You can’t do things like that, not in the real world!”
“Eiri – “
“We don’t have the Church to cover our asses anymore, don’t you get it? We have to – hold on.” A sidewalk corner is not exactly private, so he grabs Haku’s wrist and drags him toward a nearby alley. “We can’t…we don’t have the authority to get involved in stuff like we used to. Not when you’re unemployed and I’m just a bag boy – “
“Eiri - “
“What if it happens again, huh? What if it happens again and they post bail and it’s a huge amount and I can’t just pull it out of some phony bank account because I don’t have connections anymore and you get stuck in prison and no one else understands your weird as hell…everything and – “
“Eiri!”
Startled by the rare way Haku raises his voice, Eiri goes dumb and just stares, slightly wide-eyed, as Haku takes one large step to bridge the distance between them. He places his hands on either side of Eiri’s face while his juice box dangles from his teeth.
Haku shakes his head a couple times then pulls away. “You worry too much. No one really got hurt. And don’t people work out frustrations by fighting?”
Dammit, Haku. “People like punks and criminals and those who don’t know any better. You don’t belong on that list.”
“I’d become a first-class criminal for you.”
“Haku, this isn’t funny!”
“Who’s laughing?” He pulls the juice box from his mouth, revealing that he, indeed, is not laughing at this situation. He’s not even smiling. Which means he’s serious -
Now it’s Eiri’s turn to shake his head. “Don’t say that. Don’t ruin your life. You just got it back.”
“They were saying mean things about you.”
“…Huh? Who?”
“The teenagers I beat up.”
…God. Why does he say it so easily? “Who cares? You still can’t get into stupid fights!”
“I care. Because they were wrong.” This time Haku starts to walk away, out of the alley and back on the path toward their apartment, still casually sipping away. Eiri stands there for a moment, trying to collect himself before he jogs the short way to catch up. Without looking at Eiri, Haku continues. “You’re not old, you’re not ugly, and you’re not into guys.” Eiri crosses his arms again as he walks, looking straight ahead for just a moment when suddenly Haku is in his way and bending down with his lips puckered up for a kiss.
Mere inches from Eiri’s face.
Eiri hops back to avoid the collision. “What the hell?!”
Haku straightens up and his smile is back. “See. You’re definitely not into guys. Every time I test it, I get the same result.” Satisfied with his little experiment, Haku takes up the walk again, leaving Eiri frowning and grumbling about stupidly tall idiots in his life. “So I was just taking Lucky out for a walk when those teenagers were mocking us and then they picked on you specifically and I taught them a lesson.”
“Haku, don’t do that again.”
“Oh, but I wasn’t too hard on them. I even let them get in a hit, see?” He turns and points to his split lip, which is starting to swell. Eiri makes a mental note to put something on that when they get to the apartment so it doesn’t get any worse. “No, I just wanted them to know that we’re not easy targets. I don’t think they’ll bother us again.”
The rest of the walk is shared in silence and soon enough they arrive at the apartment complex, though Eiri notices a couple of older women leaving as he and Haku enter. The women make no attempt at hiding how they try to slip out as far away from Haku as possible. For a moment, Eiri is confused, until he remembers how Ito said some neighbors reported the fight to begin with. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. Standing the doorway, he watches the women as they glance back, nervously, so he puts on a practiced smile and offers them a low bow, hoping it will soften whatever blow they think they’ve suffered.
They just scurry off without acknowledging him.
…Haku may not be worried, but Eiri knows there will be a fair amount of patching up to do at this rate. He sighs. What a pain.
At their apartment they’re met by a very excited corgi at the door, whom Haku immediately scoops up and lets lick his face. Eiri makes a disgusted face at the sight, but doesn’t comment – it never makes a difference anyway – and gets some ointment from the bathroom for Haku’s lip. “Here. Wash all that dog slobber off first then put this on. I’ll go get dinner…started…”
…Except Eiri usually picks up food after his work shift. Except today all his plans got tossed out the window.
He can hear Haku on his way to the kitchen sink as he replies, “I saw something on TV once that said dogs have a cleaner mouth than we do.” Of course, he did. But that is neither here nor there and Eiri ignores the useless fact as he moves to the kitchen counter so he can lean down face-first on it. He whines, though it’s muffled by the counter and the faucet running as Haku cleans his face, as well as Lucky’s claws clack-clack-clacking against the floor as he waits for more cuddles from Haku.
When the faucet is turned off, Eiri grabs the cordless phone from the corner of the counter. “We’re getting take-out. What do you want?”
“Dessert.”
“…So help me, I wanna shove you out the window right now.” But when Haku glances over his shoulder and smiles, Eiri can’t help but smile a little bit, too. “Too bad I’m stuck with you forever, though, right?”
Haku’s smile widens and he moves to lean on the opposite side of the counter. “Forever and ever.”
They each raise a hand and gently knock fists, cementing the truth in those words.
Eiri holds the phone up to his ear, listening to the tired and professional words, but it takes him a moment before he answers. “This is he.”
“Kaidou-san, I am Officer Ito and I am calling to inform you that earlier today we were called outside your apartment complex concerning a disturbance involving your partner – “
“Roommate.”
The correction comes easily, automatically to Eiri, but since Officer Ito falters on the other end for a couple seconds, it apparently takes him off-guard. But no matter, as he continues. “Roommate. Some neighbors called us because a fight broke out with him and some teenagers and it, understandably, frightened them.”
Shit.
Eiri lets his head fall back against the brick wall of the grocery store, other workers on their smoke break occasionally glancing over at him, but never asking if everything is all right. Then again, they don’t really talk to him at all, which is fine by him, especially now, because he’s going to kill Haku later and that kind of evening plan isn’t one he really wants to explain to other people. He doesn’t even know all the details of what Haku did, but getting picked up by the police is not exactly what one would call a good day.
Shit, shit, shit.
“Kaidou-san?”
“Yeah, sorry, is anyone going to press charges?” Because that would be exactly what they all need.
“As the others involved in the disturbance ran off when we arrived on the scene and this is Mitsumi-san’s first offense, we’re going to let him off with a strong warning.”
Eiri releases a breath. “Thank God.”
“But Kaidou-san, please be aware that anything after this will not be dealt with so lightly. He is an adult and he will be treated as such in the future…” Ito trails off, however, and when he speaks next, his voice is hushed, as if he’s trying to keep something secret, or at least out of earshot of a certain individual. “If I may be blunt, Kaidou-san, he does not seem to be concerned with the situation. As he has no previous record, this strikes me as strange. If he were a delinquent we’ve dealt with before, that would be different. Instead he keeps asking if we have juice boxes.”
…Dammit, Haku. Of course you would.
Even so, Eiri has to ask, “Do you?”
Ito huffs, offended, and his voices rises back to its previous volume. “Have juice boxes? Kaidou-san, this is a police station, not a daycare. Please take us seriously.” Eiri does, but he also knows how Haku is. Ito continues, but quietly again. “Although, I have to ask, because if this happens again, then such knowledge would be important for him. Is Mitsumi-san…touched in the head – “
Eiri’s grip on the phone tightens and he has to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep from lashing out. This guy has no idea what Haku’s been through. He has no idea what kind of strength it takes to go through hell and then be separated at a young and important age from the rest of society for years on end. He doesn’t know. He has no clue and yet he dares ask if Haku is –
“He’s socially awkward, not mentally handicapped, Officer.” Silence on the other end. The smokers have dropped their own mumbled conversation to stare at Eiri. Only now does he realize he’s pushed himself forcefully from the wall.
He probably yelled, too. That always happens.
“…Kaidou-san, I do not appreciate your tone.”
“Sorry, just…just tell me when I can come get him.” He glances toward the smokers – how long is their break? – and gestures rudely with his free hand. Some of them gesture back, but mostly they go back to their less-than-intelligent chatting.
“We would rather you come sooner than later. He isn’t belligerent, but he keeps asking about those juice boxes – “
And then, as if on cue, Eiri can hear Haku’s voice on the other end, though it’s not as clear, asking if Eiri can bring along some desserts, too.
…Like hell, Haku!
“…Please come soon, Kaidou-san.”
---
After profuse apologizing and bowing to his supervisor and promises that leaving early won’t be a regular occurrence, Eiri finally leaves the grocery store. With a couple of Haku’s favorite juice boxes in a bag.
It’s been about a year since Eiri has had to deal with the police in any way more than a polite nod to an officer he passes on the sidewalk. However, after being with Sakura for so long, it isn’t as if Eiri is frightened or nervous around the police in general. No, it’s just that because they were in Sakura for so long and acquired various skills, most of them beyond an average citizen’s legal rights, anything that gets the police’s attention is pretty nerve-wracking.
If they ask how you know how to kill a man seventy-two different ways with commonplace items and you answer that you saw it on the internet, that’s going to raise some pretty big questions.
Not that Haku killed anyone in this situation, thank God. But it’s still bad, to say the least, and when Eiri enters the station and sees Haku sitting next to an officer – he assumes it’s Ito – he wants to launch into one of his usual tirades about how Haku just can’t do this or shouldn’t do that.
But then Haku looks up from fiddling uselessly with a little styrofoam cup – they must have tried to compromise with giving him something to drink, even if it’s not one of his precious juice boxes – and his eyes light up upon seeing Eiri and he raises a hand to wave and his lips curl up into a youthful smile.
One of his lips is split. And that is what causes Eiri’s chest to tighten. Not because he’s afraid that Haku could have gotten seriously hurt, Haku is damn good at protecting himself, but rather that someone actually set out to hurt him.
Nobody else knows what he’s been through. Nobody else knows him.
The officer finally stirs from focusing on his computer screen to notice Eiri’s presence. “Ah, you must be Kaidou-san. Thanks for coming in. We’ll just need you to sign some paperwork and then you two can go.” But even as Ito stands up and walks to the front desk to get said paperwork ready, and even as Haku pushes himself up, as well, Eiri just stands there in front of him. And cranes his neck to look up, as he always has to do.
Haku is still smiling at him.
Eiri’s hands start to clench into fists, the plastic bag in one making a slight crinkling noise, and he bites his lip to keep from lashing out. Lashing out at whom, he doesn’t quite know. The world, probably. Some bigger, more abstract entity that doesn’t have a face. Something he doesn’t have to feel guilty about.
Haku is still smiling and waiting patiently for Eiri to make the next move, but it’s when Ito clears his throat from the front desk, that they both break eye contact and realize that, yes, it’s definitely time to go.
The paperwork is signed, Haku’s cup is thrown away, and they walk out onto the sidewalk in an uncharacteristic silence. Eiri leads, heading back to their apartment, always aware of a second set of footsteps following easily behind. The second pair of steps fall farther apart, of course, because of Haku and his cursed long legs, but it’s something to which he’s grown so accustomed that it’s comforting to hear it. Haku is back with him and that’s how the world should be.
Until suddenly he can only hear his own footsteps. His feet come to a stop and he turns around quickly, his heart starting to race. If something happened –
But Haku is still behind him, just a little farther behind than he should be.
He’s not smiling anymore.
“…Haku-“
“Are you mad at me?”
Eiri opens his mouth, ready to answer, except…nothing comes out. Is he mad? Of course he is. They’re trying to start over and then this happens and puts a red smear on things. Just a smear, just a hint of what could have been, but it’s still there.
…But is he mad at Haku?
He closes his mouth and frowns, a few deep lines forming between his eyes. And then Eiri quickly closes the gap between them before reaching out with his free hand to shove Haku’s chest. Haku barely budges, being such a tall and solid existence, of course. “You idiot!” As if that answers everything, Eiri turns around and takes a few steps back in the direction of their apartment.
A couple seconds pass and he hears the familiar scuffing of shoes on pavement behind him.
Just breathe, Eiri.
Taking a breath, he crosses his arms over his chest as he walks, the bag of juice boxes bumping lightly against his stomach in time to his own steps. But it drowns out Haku’s footsteps, so he quickly wraps the plastic around the boxes within and just holds it within the crook of one arm.
Just stay calm.
They reach an intersection and stop, waiting for the cars to drive past. Then suddenly Haku rests his chin on Eiri’s shoulder and reaches in front of him to poke the contents of the plastic bag, the logo showing through the film. “Ooh, Nanny!” He easily plucks the bag from Eiri’s – admittedly – loose grip and backs up just enough to fish one of the juice boxes out.
It’s an action that erases all previous thoughts of calm as far as Eiri is concerned.
He twirls around and stomps his foot. “Haku!”
The juice box is already equipped with a straw and lifted up to Haku’s mouth as he speaks around it. “If you want to share, you only have to ask.” He holds it out toward Eiri, making good on his offer.
“No, I don’t want to share, I want you to be serious! Ugh!” Once the road is clear, he stomps his way across and waits for Haku. “You almost got arrested today! You can’t do things like that, not in the real world!”
“Eiri – “
“We don’t have the Church to cover our asses anymore, don’t you get it? We have to – hold on.” A sidewalk corner is not exactly private, so he grabs Haku’s wrist and drags him toward a nearby alley. “We can’t…we don’t have the authority to get involved in stuff like we used to. Not when you’re unemployed and I’m just a bag boy – “
“Eiri - “
“What if it happens again, huh? What if it happens again and they post bail and it’s a huge amount and I can’t just pull it out of some phony bank account because I don’t have connections anymore and you get stuck in prison and no one else understands your weird as hell…everything and – “
“Eiri!”
Startled by the rare way Haku raises his voice, Eiri goes dumb and just stares, slightly wide-eyed, as Haku takes one large step to bridge the distance between them. He places his hands on either side of Eiri’s face while his juice box dangles from his teeth.
Haku shakes his head a couple times then pulls away. “You worry too much. No one really got hurt. And don’t people work out frustrations by fighting?”
Dammit, Haku. “People like punks and criminals and those who don’t know any better. You don’t belong on that list.”
“I’d become a first-class criminal for you.”
“Haku, this isn’t funny!”
“Who’s laughing?” He pulls the juice box from his mouth, revealing that he, indeed, is not laughing at this situation. He’s not even smiling. Which means he’s serious -
Now it’s Eiri’s turn to shake his head. “Don’t say that. Don’t ruin your life. You just got it back.”
“They were saying mean things about you.”
“…Huh? Who?”
“The teenagers I beat up.”
…God. Why does he say it so easily? “Who cares? You still can’t get into stupid fights!”
“I care. Because they were wrong.” This time Haku starts to walk away, out of the alley and back on the path toward their apartment, still casually sipping away. Eiri stands there for a moment, trying to collect himself before he jogs the short way to catch up. Without looking at Eiri, Haku continues. “You’re not old, you’re not ugly, and you’re not into guys.” Eiri crosses his arms again as he walks, looking straight ahead for just a moment when suddenly Haku is in his way and bending down with his lips puckered up for a kiss.
Mere inches from Eiri’s face.
Eiri hops back to avoid the collision. “What the hell?!”
Haku straightens up and his smile is back. “See. You’re definitely not into guys. Every time I test it, I get the same result.” Satisfied with his little experiment, Haku takes up the walk again, leaving Eiri frowning and grumbling about stupidly tall idiots in his life. “So I was just taking Lucky out for a walk when those teenagers were mocking us and then they picked on you specifically and I taught them a lesson.”
“Haku, don’t do that again.”
“Oh, but I wasn’t too hard on them. I even let them get in a hit, see?” He turns and points to his split lip, which is starting to swell. Eiri makes a mental note to put something on that when they get to the apartment so it doesn’t get any worse. “No, I just wanted them to know that we’re not easy targets. I don’t think they’ll bother us again.”
The rest of the walk is shared in silence and soon enough they arrive at the apartment complex, though Eiri notices a couple of older women leaving as he and Haku enter. The women make no attempt at hiding how they try to slip out as far away from Haku as possible. For a moment, Eiri is confused, until he remembers how Ito said some neighbors reported the fight to begin with. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. Standing the doorway, he watches the women as they glance back, nervously, so he puts on a practiced smile and offers them a low bow, hoping it will soften whatever blow they think they’ve suffered.
They just scurry off without acknowledging him.
…Haku may not be worried, but Eiri knows there will be a fair amount of patching up to do at this rate. He sighs. What a pain.
At their apartment they’re met by a very excited corgi at the door, whom Haku immediately scoops up and lets lick his face. Eiri makes a disgusted face at the sight, but doesn’t comment – it never makes a difference anyway – and gets some ointment from the bathroom for Haku’s lip. “Here. Wash all that dog slobber off first then put this on. I’ll go get dinner…started…”
…Except Eiri usually picks up food after his work shift. Except today all his plans got tossed out the window.
He can hear Haku on his way to the kitchen sink as he replies, “I saw something on TV once that said dogs have a cleaner mouth than we do.” Of course, he did. But that is neither here nor there and Eiri ignores the useless fact as he moves to the kitchen counter so he can lean down face-first on it. He whines, though it’s muffled by the counter and the faucet running as Haku cleans his face, as well as Lucky’s claws clack-clack-clacking against the floor as he waits for more cuddles from Haku.
When the faucet is turned off, Eiri grabs the cordless phone from the corner of the counter. “We’re getting take-out. What do you want?”
“Dessert.”
“…So help me, I wanna shove you out the window right now.” But when Haku glances over his shoulder and smiles, Eiri can’t help but smile a little bit, too. “Too bad I’m stuck with you forever, though, right?”
Haku’s smile widens and he moves to lean on the opposite side of the counter. “Forever and ever.”
They each raise a hand and gently knock fists, cementing the truth in those words.