Characters: Uehara and Satou. With mentions of Yamato and Takagi.
Set just after Movie 13, The Raven Chaser, with the police from different divisions congregating in Tokyo. The timeline is probably messed up, as with all things related to Conan, but the case in the Raven Chaser is assumed to be after File 673 (where Satou and Takagi share their first kiss in a hospital). This is therefore also after the Fuurinkaazan and the Red Wall case—knowledge of which is probably required.
Mostly about Satou and Uehara meeting for a chat, with snippets of their (not quite, for the latter) relationships with Takagi and Yamato being thrown in. I hope it isn't too out of character and it's not too confusing :x It wasn't supposed to be this long either. But, enjoy, and feedback is much appreciated ^^
After an incredible amount of explaining everyone had to do in the wake of the Tanabata Mahjong Constellation case, it was finally closed, and one presumed, never to be spoken of willingly henceforth. Satou, for one, was thankful that she, together with her partner, had miraculously avoided the ever-present spectre of a demotion following their "little detour" after that phone call. Well, at least Superintendent Matsumoto was genuinely there and in need of help, and he wasn't as hard-hearted to punish those who came to his rescue. The rest couldn't exactly be penalized for following the orders of their superior either, so they just brought it down to the existence of a very powerful organization. Understandably, the mood wasn't exactly the best, with a case largely viewed as a blemish to their records. That is, with the notable exception of Yamamura, did manage to go to the highest point of the capital.
Since it was the last day their counterparts from the other prefectures would spend in Tokyo, the Tokyo police decided to host a Karaoke session with a few rounds of drinks to lighten the mood. So there the officers were, in two cars, heading to their favourite Karaoke joint in Tokyo.
Needless to say, the person most excited at this prospect was the ineffectual newly-promoted inspector from Gunma. There Yamamura was, attempting to make small talk with Uehara who sat sandwiched between him and Yamato in the backseat. Unsurprisingly, his over enthusiasm grated at the nerves of a certain Yamato Kansuke, who refused to even look in his direction. Not that Satou could actually blame him, because the only contribution he had made to the entire case was to screw up. Oh, and gotten Inspector Megure stabbed as a result.
To Satou's relief, the journey to the joint ended without further incident; without Uehara snapping unceremoniously at Yamamura or Yamato biting his head off. After some time, the officers settled into the karaoke joint. Satou noted the male officers getting along quite well over a few rounds of drinks, with a courageous (probably drunken) few making their way over to belt a few tunes. Then she caught sight of Inspector Megure having yet another drink. She frowned slightly, and headed over quickly.
"That's enough drinks for tonight! You're still nursing a wound, Inspector Megure!" Satou stated firmly, taking the drink out of his hand and setting it on the table.
"Come on Satou, one more drink wouldn't hurt much!" Megure drawled, picking up the same drink that Satou had placed on the table mere seconds ago. "One more drink, I promise!"
Satou shook her head lightly and sighed, but left Megure to his one more drink. Shortly after, while another drunken male officer was offering his cringeworthy rendition of a soppy love song, Satou made her way over to the lone female figure sitting at the far side of the room.
"Uehara-san?"
"Satou-san, is anything the matter?"
"Why aren't you singing or having a few drinks? You aren't enjoying yourself?" Satou asked gently.
"No, no, it's not at all like that. It's just that they're having so much fun singing that I can't bear to break it up." Uehara replied pleasantly.
"You don't drink?" Satou inquired curiously. She wouldn't believe that this female officer from Nagano didn't drink unless she heard it herself. To survive in a division like theirs without drinking was no simple feat.
"Well, I do, not much though." Uehara hesitated before adding wistfully, "But I can't drink tonight." Satou furrowed her brows slightly at this addition. Catching Satou's expression, she wordlessly gestured towards Yamato, who was seated alone, at the corner of the joint, downing yet another drink.
"He sure doesn't look like a heavy drinker…" Satou murmured to herself. Yamato looked too gruff and serious to be one.
"Second year since he got those injuries. You know, the X scar and his leg?" Uehara answered quietly. Seeing how the conversation had taken a somber turn so quickly, she attempted injecting some humour, "And no, to be sure, he didn't get those while taking a blow for me. I feel very guilty letting Inspector Megure take the knife for me like that. It's too nice of him."
Satou smiled, "Don't feel bad about it, Uehara-san. It's not your fault, you really couldn't have anticipated it. Inspector Megure hates seeing anyone under his charge getting injured, especially females. He will reproach himself so badly that it's quite scary."
"Why is that?" Uehara was puzzled.
"Well, he doesn't like us saying it, but he once was supposed to protect a female decoy. Then the criminal's car ran over both of them. Inspector Megure sustained a head wound and the decoy was badly injured" Satou paused slightly, "Luckily enough the female decoy recovered, and now, we know her as Inspector Megure's wife! Which is why he's dead set on not letting history repeat itself."
"He really shouldn't take it so hard on himself." Uehara sighed. She was all too familiar with people blaming everything on themselves when it was far from their fault.
"We've been trying to tell Inspector Megure that for years, but he still refuses to accept it." Satou shrugged.
"Yes, there are nightmares that will continue to haunt one. No matter how one tries to forget." Uehara nodded understandingly.
"How did Inspector Yamato get those injuries?" Satou blurted out before she could stop herself, hastily, she added, "Forgive me, I don't mean to be impolite, I'm just curious. Don't answer me if you have to."
"Avalanche. Got caught in an avalanche two years ago, while he was chasing a parole jumper." Uehara whispered solemnly.
"It's always like that isn't it? I'm amazed that even with his injuries, he can still participate in all the operations. It's really not easy. I wonder how he and his partner cope; he must be strong." Satou spoke, eliciting the chuckle of her female counterpart.
"Not really, Satou-san! He's a very strong fighter himself, more than capable of protecting himself. While his injuries are a hindrance sometimes, they aren't that much of a handicap when it comes to operations."
"What's so funny? And you're familiar with Inspector Yamato and his partner?" Satou tilted her head questioningly.
"Actually, his partner is a she. And she's nowhere near as good a fighter or as capable a police as he is." Clearly, Uehara was enjoying taking her Tokyo colleague on a ride.
"It's a she? But he's so gruff and tough, how do they even work together?" Satou responded, surprised.
Uehara grinned impishly, "It really shouldn't come as a surprise to you of all people, Satou-san. After all, your partner is a male officer too right? Officer Takagi, if I recall correctly?"
"Yes, yes. Takagi-kun is my partner." Satou nodded
"Well, two of you have vastly different personalities and working styles too, even that is clear to an outsider like me. But you'll get along fine and make a great team don't you?"
"Well, I guess you're right, Uehara-san. Maybe it isn't that surprising that his partner is a female officer." Satou mused.
"I have to add that Satou-san and Officer Takagi make a great pair outside of the office too!" Uehara chimed happily, "Two of you are adorable together! And he's always so sweet to you!" Satou blushed furiously, which was caught by the other officer despite the rather dim lighting.
"Where did you hear that from?" Satou sputtered, unlike herself.
"It's obvious, I don't need to hear it from anyone to know! You two are really very compatible!" Uehara enthused.
"I guess thank you is an appropriate response?" Satou mumbled. She couldn't believe that an officer from another prefecture could observe that with such ease. That said, she was rather happy that another officer could be so supportive of her not-quite relationship with Takagi, unlike the officers in Tokyo.
"Okay, okay, I shall stop teasing you and your boyfriend Satou-san! Oh yes, and I will stop taking you for a ride. I thought this was obvious enough, but actually, I'm his partner." Uehara finished.
"No way! That's what I thought at first when I saw both of you from Nagano, but then it just didn't seem to fit. Especially with Inspector Yamato being an inspector and all. It's just… you're so friendly and sweet." She expressed, not at all sure whether she was making sense at all.
"I know, it's a bit strange being partners with your boss, but I'm used to it. After all, that's how it's always been. We've been partners since I joined the force, before the avalanche incident and now after. Having a senior to guide you along is nice."
"Yes, having a senior is nice, and Inspector Yamato is definitely one who is experienced and knows exactly what he's doing. Which is a whole lot more than I can say for another Inspector in the prefecture next to yours. But isn't he always growling, like," Satou attempted to imitate Yamato, "Hey, Uehara!"
Uehara giggled, Satou really wasn't bad at imitating her childhood friend gruffly growl at her to run yet another errand. Satou continued, "There is no way they would partner such a sweet rookie female officer like you with someone like him! Even though you say that Takagi-kun and I are very different, it's nothing compared to the personality clash between you and Inspector Yamato! And it's not like there wouldn't be other male officers volunteering for the role…"
"You're right, I was probably going to be assigned another partner, but this was both his preference and mine, the higher-ups were agreeable, which I why the situation is as it is now. And after the incident, things just went back to how they were before…" Uehara's voice trailed off, thinking to herself that things going back to normal was in reality far from the truth.
"Wait, I must be missing something here. I believe that I'm getting a highly warped impression of Inspector Yamato, because you don't speak of him in that light at all. But how would you know when you first entered the force? Why was it your preference?" Satou was honestly confused.
"We grew up together. I've known him since I was very very young." Uehara replied simply
"Childhood friends, I see. Didn't trust the other officers to protect you must be. And probably didn't trust them to regard you professionally either." Satou wouldn't give up a chance to tease the other officer after having being completely revealed beforehand.
"Nothing compared to you, Satou-san!" Uehara shot back playfully, before quietly adding, "Not that anyone would even give two glances at used goods now anyway."
"Did you mention used goods? What is that supposed to…Hang on! You're from Nagano right? Don't tell me you're that pair of officers from the Fuurinkaazan case?" Things were finally falling in place for Satou.
"Yes, the case where we met the really smart little boy detective Conan-kun and his dark skinned Osaka detective friend, Heiji-kun. Oh, and of course the two girls, Kazuha-chan and Ran-chan." Uehara successfully retrieved their names, but simply couldn't remember the name of the ineffectual mustached detective.
"Ran-chan gave me some details about the case, but I didn't know that you two were the officers involved!" Satou didn't understand why she hadn't made the link earlier.
"Now you know. Although I doubt it's a good thing." Uehara wondered what sort of stories Ran would have told Satou, they probably wouldn't have been flattering.
"No, not at all! "Neither she nor Kazuha-chan could figure out what really went on between you two, but she always called you the inspirational keiji." Satou reassured her, but Uehara couldn't help but look surprised, inspirational keiji? What had she done to deserve that title?
Satou continued, "She told me how you went up to her and Kazuha-chan and stated so matter-of-factly that Kazuha-chan liked Heiji-kun. Then you told her that she could act on it as swift as the wind while her feelings were still warm…" Satou struggled to remember what came next.
"If you don't watch out, your love will disappear in front of your eyes before you can tell him your feelings because things become irreparable sometimes… Just like in my case." Uehara finished wistfully.
"But Ran-chan said that on the day the case was finished, you confessed to him! And that inspired both Kazuha-chan and herself to try to confess their feelings, though they still didn't have the courage. Which is why they call you the inspirational keiji!" Satou didn't understand why Uehara was still saying those lines wistfully.
"They misunderstood. What I did was to clear up the misunderstanding with him, which in itself is another long story, but no, I doubt that counted as a confession." Uehara shrugged, "I didn't tell them what actually happened because I don't want them to end up like me. It seemed to give them a precious little bit of hope and comfort, which I saw no point in destroying."
"Ran-chan gave me the impression that you two had made progress. Though Kazuha-chan was sort of miffed that you hadn't gotten back to her, like you said you would when he confessed." Satou admitted.
"That naïve girl actually expects to hear from me? She forgets what he's like. She forgets that I was a victim's widow and just another of his suspects. She forgets." Uehara replied, a tinge of bitterness detectable in her voice.
"But it doesn't mean…" Satou tried to contradict her.
"If I didn't have to drive back tomorrow, I would be drinking tonight to forget too. I want to forget. I was because of this accident that I married my husband to finish what he started. I thought he was dead. It is precisely because I did what I did that we're now going around in circles." Uehara shot back, "The amount of baggage that we've racked up in two years is enormous. His injuries, my marriage, and all this on top of our six year age gap. Also, don't forget that my dad was bordering on abusive before he passed on and his mom cheated on his dad after using up all his money."
Satou merely looked at her. She didn't know what else to say to comfort the broken woman. "I'm sorry, forgive me. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You've been through a great deal yourself. I can see it in your eyes. What I've gone through is nothing compared to you." Uehara apologized softly.
"No, no, it's completely fine. It's good to get it out of your system. Especially if there's no one who you can confide in. I just don't know what to say to comfort you. But don't give up. You're one strong woman, I know you are." Satou smiled warmly at her.
"Thank you, and I'm sorry that you had to hear all of that from me. This dark side of the story that Ran-chan related." Uehara apologized yet again.
"Maybe we have more in common than we think, Uehara-san. Feel free to call me anytime if you need someone to talk to." Satou offered genuinely.
"Thanks for hearing me out on a rough night like this one. And don't end up like me, because things can become irreparable sometimes." Uehara paused before cheekily adding, "I will be waiting for your wedding invitation! Don't think you can get away for not inviting me because I will make the trip down from Nagano to attend the wedding of my newfound friend."
Satou blushed for the second time that night, "Don't forget to relay me the good news too. The girls would be delighted to hear from you too. You unwittingly inspired them and gave them hope, I think, they would want nothing less than an even more beautiful conclusion for you."
Uehara nodded, and hugged Satou briefly, "I wouldn't want anything less for you either, my dear friend… But, as much as I wish to continue chatting, I can't." Uehara gestured at the lone figure at the corner of the karaoke joint, who was apparently attempting to make a move.
Satou smiled understandingly, it was going to be a long night for them both. Her eyes followed the other female officer as she walked across the joint towards Inspector Yamato, and with much effort managed to support him out of the karaoke joint.
"So that's why you aren't drinking tonight."