Notes – Done for 15pairings. Set just before the start of Turnabout Serenade and contains heavy spoilers for the case. Mild May/December romance, if that bothers you then don't read.

It wasn't as if he'd ever wanted to get involved with a guy like that. If it had been up to him he would have never done any dealings of this sort, he knew what the punishment for a crime like this was in Borginia.

But she needed him.

That kind woman who took him in and treated him like a son. He'd do anything for Lamiroir, even pretend to be blind when it was actually her who could not see to protect her act. So when he realised how low on money they were he knew he had to do something to stop her from having to suffer because of it.

It was soon after he made the decision to do anything for her wellbeing that the detective got in contact with him. That seemed almost too well-timed, especially since it was also not long after the rock star Klavier Gavin had heard Lamiroir's singing and requested for her to perform alongside him. This detective was apparently a member of the band that man was part of.

Machi soon learned that Klavier's visit to Borginia had everything to do with what this person had asked him to do. And if he wanted the money he had to act fast.

He needed the money. But he knew the penalty for smuggling a Borginian Cocoon out of the country.

Death.

Was he really prepared to risk that?

Yes. This was the only way he could support the lady who had become his mother, and the detective had assured him that should this go successfully no harm would come to him. Because Klavier was so vain that he wouldn't let anyone check through his luggage so thoroughly at customs, and that using him would be the only way to smuggle the cocoon out of Borginia. Inside his own precious guitar.

So Machi put his faith in this man and acted, feeling the lump in his throat as that cheerful guy boarded the plane, waving Lamiroir and Machi off without having any idea that he was being used for a crime.

It wouldn't be much longer before the two were joining Klavier in his home country to start the joint performance. During that time they obtained a new manager but Machi didn't think anything suspicious of him, least of all that he was investigating them both because of the smuggling. In his mind the detective had taken care of all the details.

So when they got there Machi met up with his partner in crime for the first time. It was a brief experience – in the back stage of the coliseum Klavier introduced them to the other members of the band, and there was no doubt in Machi's mind which one was the one he was working with.

Even before Klavier introduced the man as Daryan, detective in international affairs, Machi just knew it was him. From the way he held himself, slouched across the sofa with his head resting on the back of his hand and an expression of disinterest, to the loud nature of his appearance, he just came across as the sort of person who would be involved in this sort of thing. Though Machi, playing the blind boy, had to pretend that he couldn't see any of this behind his sunglasses.

It was later that evening, when everyone was preparing for the concert that Daryan managed to catch Machi on his own.

"You're the kid helping me out on this, right?" he sneered.

Machi nodded quietly.

"Not that I'm complaining but I don't see why someone like you would do this. Lamiroir not pulling in enough money?" he went on to say, "But I know the answer to that. If I hadn't been sure you'd help me then I wouldn't have bothered asking in the first place."

"Please…" Machi said, hoping his English was all right, "I need to get the money."

"Hold your horses, no one's getting any money until I get that thing to the Attorney General," replied Daryan, "But you don't need to worry about that. You'll get your share when I've taken mine, and it won't be long now."

He took out a set of keys that Machi assumed was for the case holding the guitar. They looked like the keys Klavier had when Machi had put the cocoon inside the instrument at any rate.

"Then it will be fine," Machi said, looking up at him, "You must promise that after this we will be safe. She is very important to me."

Daryan wasn't accustomed to the begging tone that Machi took, but he sort of liked it.

"Sure. Once this is over you and that old lady will be able to settle down to paint all the songs you want," he laughed.

"Thank you," Machi said, feeling a weight lift from his chest despite his involvement in this crime.

Then he did something unusual, something he'd only ever associated with Lamiroir before, he walked over and hugged the detective around the waist.

Daryan had clearly not been expecting that either and protested loudly, before pushing Machi off him.

"Watch it, kid! You don't want us to look too suspicious, do you?" he demanded.

Machi answered, "You have rescued us from poverty, and I thank you very much for this."

That made Daryan look away in awkward embarrassment.

"Well, I'm only doing this because I need the money, not to play Superman or something," he muttered.

But Machi didn't care. This man could be the most corrupt person on the planet and he still wouldn't have cared. He was helping rescue him and Lamiroir, which was all that mattered to him.

So for that moment, Machi's saviour came in the form of a detective with unusual shaped hair.