"That is one hell of a mess."

Tino's cheeks grew slightly pink and he smiled from underneath the desk. "I didn't mean to! It just… Sort of happened." He peeked his head out from under the desk, craning his neck to see out the window. "They didn't follow me, did they?"

Berwald sat in the computer chair a few feet away, staring at Tino like he was a particularly difficult math problem. The people in apartment above were finished eating dinner, if the sound of scraping chairs indicated anything. Berwald took off his glasses.

"You broke your own rule."

Tino chuckled, collapsing onto his stomach and resting his chin on the floor. "Well, if you put it like that, then yes. But he wasn't a very nice man, and he swerved to hit a dog when he was driving. Who does that?"

Berwald stared at Tino, calculating. "He was a politician."

Tino looked embarrassed; it was as if Berwald had commented that his tie and shirt didn't match instead of the fact he had killed a senator. "I know! Usually, I don't go for the high profile people, you know that, but…"

Berwald replaced his glasses. "You want something t' eat?"

Tino's head lifted, and he grinned. "You're too good, Berwald! I don't know what I'd do without you. I was waiting on the rooftop all day before that guy came driving by. What do you have? Oh, were you grading papers? I can help, probably, you know."

Berwald walked to the kitchen, deciding to make breakfast for dinner. Tino usually spent all day working, and never had time for any breakfast foods. Soon the smell of frying eggs and bacon filled the small apartment. Tino army crawled into the kitchen.

"Why did that one student just draw ponies all over his worksheet?"

Berwald glanced down at Tino. "He's a brony."

Tino let out a thoughtful hum. "That doesn't seem like a good excuse not to do your algebra homework. Math is important."

Berwald handed Tino a piece of toast buttered on both sides. "You're just sayin' that 'cause you're a sniper."

Tino devoured the toast. "Well, it's an important skill to have if you are a sniper! Wind sheer, velocity, all of that stuff is very important. Algebra is the first step to being a world famous assassin!"

Both men became aware of the police siren at the same time. Berwald froze. His hands gripped the spatula so hard his knuckles turned white. He was hyper aware of Tino at his feet, tense and dangerous.

There was a knock at the door. Tino was on his feet in a second, knife appearing in his hand. He gestured toward the door and Berwald nodded. He walked over, realizing he had brought the spatula with him.

Berwald opened the door and Tino hid on the other side, ready to… Berwald swallowed.

"Hello?"

"Oh, good," Yao sniffed, peaking into the apartment. "I smell something awful, and I was worried there gas leak. It only your cooking."

Berwald released a deep sigh. "Sorry."

He shut the door and leaned against it, sliding down until he met the floor. Tino was still standing above him, knife out. Berwald looked up at Tino and his knife. Tino was glaring at the door, tensed like he expected it to burst open. The police siren had disappeared. The eggs were burning.

Berwald leaned against Tino's legs. The assassin jumped in surprise before the strain in his muscles eventually drained away. The hand he placed on Berwald's head was the most comforting thing Berwald had ever felt.

"You're infamous, Tino."

Tino laughed. "The two of us, Berwald. What a mess we're in."