sakon76

(10) Isshou - Together

The PorePore was practically packed. Even with both Oya-san and Nana taking orders, delivering the food, and bussing the tables, Yuusuke was having a hard time keeping up with cooking the meals and pouring the drinks. So when he heard Nana's stifled shriek and the accompanying sound of broken plates and glasses, he had no choice.

"Baruba-san," he adressed the former Grongi where she sat silently at the end of the counter, watching as always, "can you take this to table six for me, please?" He set two plates of curry rice on a serving tray, not looking away from Ra'Baruba'De.

She looked at him for a moment, then slowly nodded and stood, taking the tray and wending her elegant way over to the window table, passing Nana where she knelt on the floor, desperately picking up the largest shards of broken porcelain while Oya-san fetched the broom and dustpan.

Turning back to the stove, Yuusuke breathed an internal sigh of relief. No matter what she said about him being the leader of the Grongi now, there had been a very real part of him that had thought she wouldn't accept serving those who had killed her kind. And right now he didn't have the time to fall behind on the food orders.

Fortunately it slowed down after the lunch rush, because Nana had to disappear for a rehearsal for her play. Ra'Baruba'De continued serving the customers without a blink, until finally the crowd thinned enough that Yuusuke was able to handle it all himself. Eventually it was just her and Oya-san left in the restaurant, sitting on opposite sides of the counter, each contemplatively eating a plate of Yuusuke's best curry rice, when the door chime rang again.

"Welcome," Yuusuke called out reflexively, looking up. He blinked. "Ichijou-san?" he asked, surprised.

Ichijou smiled at him. "I hope I'm not too late to order some lunch?" he asked.

"Oh, Ichijou-san, not at all," Oya-san replied. He gestured at the empty seats at the counter. "Have a seat. Yuusuke, why don't you give him some curry? It's particularly good today," he told the detective.

"It is good," Ra'Baruba'De agreed quietly. Yuusuke saw Ichijou's minute hesitation toward her, and noticed that he chose to sit one seat closer to Oya-san than to her. Still, he thought as he dished up rice and curry for Ichijou, it was better than his reaction the last time the two of them had been in the same room.

He set the plate in front of Ichijou, along with a cup of the steaming barley tea he knew Ichijou liked. "Here you go." Yuusuke tilted his head slightly to one side. "What are you doing in Tokyo, Ichijou-san?" he asked curiously. "Are you on a new case?"

Ichijou took a sip of his tea before answering, "Actually, not today. My reassignment request went though faster than I'd expected. I'm apartment hunting." He set the cup back down on the counter and continued, before Yuusuke had a chance to respond, "Of course, apartments in Tokyo are more expensive than back in Nagano. I might have to get a roommate." He was smiling as he asked, "You wouldn't happen to know anyone who's interested, would you?"

Time seemed to slow while Ichijou's offer sank fully into Yuusuke's understanding. Happiness welled up inside him, a rosebud unfolding its tight petals out into full, brilliant bloom. He couldn't help the grin that stretched his face wide in response to Ichijou's own smile.

"I just might," he replied.

*

"Well, if I move out, then maybe Ra'Baruba'De could have my room and keep helping out here?" Godai asked. "If she doesn't mind, that is," he addressed the former Grongi.

"It is not unpleasant work," she replied quietly.

"I'd still be coming by and working here too," Godai assured Oya-san. "You just wouldn't have to get me out of bed in the mornings."

"No, that'll be someone else's job," the older man replied. "I suppose you'd want a real salary from now on instead of room and board?"

Godai shrugged. "Whatever is fine."

"I can take care of paying for the apartment," Ichijou replied quickly. "That's not a worry."

"Ichijou-san." Godai straightened up from where he was leaning against the counter. "Just a second." He pulled his apron over his head and sprinted up the stairs. Ichijou heard a door open on the floor above the cafe, then close again a minute later as Godai ran back down the stairs. He held a bankbook in one hand and was smiling. He opened it and flipped several pages toward the end before handing it to Ichijou. Who took it and looked at the balance and stopped, stunned.

There wasn't one digit more than he'd been expecting. There were two.

"Godai..." he said, looking up.

Godai smiled at him, but it was a little strained. "Skill number 386," he said. "Financial planning."

Ichijou laughed. "All right," he conceded, handing the bankbook back. "Halves."

*

The cafe owner showed her the room that Kuuga called home. The room that might soon be Ra'Baruba'De's own home. The thought was strange, when the word for her called forth images of living trees and vines, a bower tucked away in a meadow... not this small white box. But as she stepped to the window where it let in air, she saw the green vines that clambered the walls of the building. As if to greet her. Her fingers and thoughts lingered on them for a few moments.

"You like plants?" the older man asked softly, stepping up beside her.

"Yes," she replied, looking down at the deep green that almost engulfed her vision. "Most of our kind were bound to animal kin, but the Ra'Baruba'De has always been one of the plant world... the plants that support the animals."

"There's room for a garden out back," he said. "If you wanted. I've never done much with it, Nana and Minocchi aren't too interested either, and Yuusuke's out of the country so often...."

He was trying to be kind, she realized. There was no way he could know the measure of what she had lost, and yet he tried regardless, much like Kuuga. The words seemed alien to her--to say them to a Rinto!--but nonetheless she tried, forming them on her tongue and finally casting them free into the world.

"Thank you."

*

He didn't know why, Ichijou thought, steering the car into the apartment building's parking lot, but he'd assumed that Godai didn't have much money. Well, actually, he did know why. The jobs Godai worked at weren't the kind that paid a lot, and to be honest he probably worked where he did more for family than for money. He wasn't materialistic, and both his clothing and wants were simple. But still, Ichijou chided himself, he should have thought about the matter more closely. It reflected poorly on him as a detective to not have considered the price of international plane tickets, or of how much Godai's new bike must have cost. He stifled a rueful laugh.

"Ichijou-san?" Godai asked from the passenger's seat.

Ichijou shook his head as he parked. "Nothing. Just... you always surprise me."

"I'm not the only one!" Godai retorted. "You think I wasn't surprised today? I wasn't expecting you to move back to Tokyo just like that, Ichijou-san. I was really surprised!"

This time Ichijou did laugh a little. "Well, maybe," he admitted. "Shall we go look at the apartment?"

Godai pulled the folded printout the agent had given them out of his pocket and began to read it aloud as they exited the car. "Top floor end unit, two bedrooms, kitchen, bath, living room and balcony, southern exposure, common laundry facilities on the floor..." he listed.

"It sounds promising," Ichijou commented as they waited for the elevator.

Godai folded the sheet back into eights and stuffed it back in his left pocket. "Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?"

*

The apartment, as far as Yuusuke could tell, was perfect. He stood in the empty living room and turned around slowly, listening. There was nothing as far as he could hear except the apartment agent's voice coming from one of the bedrooms where she was giving Ichijou the grand tour. Southern sunlight filtered through the slatted blinds that shaded the door out to the balcony. It was still, it was peaceful. Somehow, like the PorePore, it managed to feel like coming home.

He'd examined the kitchen. It was a little bit larger than Ichijou's, even if the counter wasn't open to the living room in the same way. The bedrooms were decently sized, and the bath was suitable for a two-person use if it was needed. Not that he was sure how his and Ichijou's relationship would go, but the thought of relaxing side by side in steaming hot water at the end of the day was a nice one.

Crossing the room, Yuusuke moved back the blinds with one hand and unlatched the door to the balcony, opening it and stepping outside. It was big enough to hang out laundry to dry, and for two futons to be aired out side by side on the railing. Some plants might be good too, he thought... tomatoes or something. Maybe strawberries, if Ichijou liked them. The sky was a bright blue, with only a few clouds. Not too far away a breeze ruffled the trees in a park. He couldn't pick out the roof of the PorePore from here--it was to the north, not the south--but it would be in viewing distance from the roof. An easy ride. And the Police Headquarters weren't much further away, in the other direction, for Ichijou's commute.

Ichijou stepped out beside him, hands coming to a rest on the railing. "What do you think, Godai?" he asked.

Yuusuke looked out into the blue sky. "I think it's the one," he said. "That is," he amended, "if you think so too, Ichijou-san."

"I do." Ichijou nodded.

Yuusuke grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "Extra lucky for us, then, to find the right apartment on only the third try!"

Ichijou smiled and laughed a little as he leaned forward against the railing, but his eyes were serious as he asked, "One bedroom or two?" quietly.

"Ichijou-san...."

"It's... something we'll have to decide sooner or later," Ichijou pointed out. He took a breath. "Godai, I've never...."

"Tsubaki-sensei said so," Yuusuke replied with a slight nod. "I've never dated either, Ichijou-san, but still... one, maybe?" he asked. "We don't have to *do* anything," he clarified. "And we could use the other room for, well, whatever," he added, mind failing to come up with any specific purpose at the moment.

"A guest room, maybe," Ichijou agreed. "For when my mother comes to visit. She wants to meet you, you know."

Yuusuke's eyes widened. He hadn't considered that. He somehow hadn't even thought Ichijou would have told his mother, except that... no, being who he was, Ichijou would have. It was okay not to tell the police about certain things, maybe, but family was family. Yuusuke laughed a little and looked down. He hadn't even considered maybe having to meet Ichijou's mother. "I'm sorry if she'll be disappointed in me," he apologized. "I know I'm not exactly the type of person a police detective should end up with...."

Ichijou's hand touched the back of Yuusuke's head, fingers threading through his hair. "Godai," he said quietly, and Yuusuke looked up. "She doesn't think you made me this way. She knows you make me happy, and she already wants your recipe for sopapillas. If I ever tell her about how many times you saved my life as Kuuga, you'll never be able to get rid of her. You're fine. You're perfect."

"Like you didn't save me just as many times, Ichijou-san," Yuusuke replied.

Ichijou stifled a laugh. "Partners, then?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yuusuke replied with a nod. "Partners."