Business: I own nothing.

Wordcount: 2260

To my bleach readers: yes i am still working on Heirverse. I just wanted to try something new. And wreck another fandom for once. As the asshole who wrote Decimated and Crystallne, I hope i have succeeded here today.

To the tcr fandom: Hello, get your tissues I will [hopefully] break you.

Cat: you asked me to break you I hope i succeeded, tell me I earned my "Tears of my readers" mug today :) Consider this payback for Nine Tenths.

a/n: this is based very loosely off Catsafari's Bureau Files episode 'Red' and written with her permission and enthusiasm :D This is a potential "what happened after they get home?" scenario I came up with. Hope you enjoy it Cat.

notes: Haru/Human Baron. Romance. Angst.

Carpe Diem (exclamation) - used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future.

Carpe Diem

When the Bureau were all back home again, the portal closed up behind them, Baron gave a quiet sigh of relief. Toto and Muta were already bickering again, as usual, and he just watched. Shaking his head slowly, a soft smile on his face. Normally he would complain, tell them to pack it in... but not tonight. Tonight he needed their loud bickering and playful slights. It kept his mind from wandering down darker avenues. Namely reliving his brief time trapped in the caves with those two siblings. Two frightened human beings who were more than ready to end his life just to pacify their fears. Because he was magic. Because he was different.

Baron shook his head, still unused to the way his soft curled hair moved. Not that he'd have the time to get used to it. The spell the kitsune cast to make him appear human was only temporary. That had been cleared up right at the start. At the time he felt relieved by that. Being human was rather troublesome, even with magic. Humans were tall, graceless, ungainly creatures that got hurt far too easily for his liking (with exceptions, of course). And as he'd later found out they were susceptible to strong bouts of impulsivity, hatred, and fear. How in all the worlds Haru remained so steadfast and kind hearted despite all this, Baron would never know.

Baron blinked as his eyes moved over to the slowly setting sun just above the rooftops of the Bureau.

Haru...

Baron's thought patterns shifted like a kaleidoscope. Human minds tended to do that, he found. They's drift and wander and get distracted by stray thoughts and chase them like cats chased butterflies. This time it was Haru who was his butterfly. Beautiful and fragile. Beautiful and human.

Just like him. Well, at least for the moment. Until the countdown reached zero, reality resumed, and they both returned to dancing around unspoken words and hid behind furtive glances, secret smiles.

There was still a little time, though. Not much, but just enough. Time to speak the unspoken, to put the childish game away. To Carpe Diem, seize the day, or what was left of it. Time to live – really live – his first and possibly only day as a human being. To stand at equal height and equal measure with Haru, feeling her warmth and holding her hand while his heart thrashed against her ribs with excitement – before the scales reset themselves again. Tipping the balance of advantage in his favour and separating them again. Placing them firmly back in different worlds.

Baron wasn't too sure how he felt about that.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she called softly to him. If he still had feline ears, the one nearest to her would be twitching, alert to the sound of her voice. His ears were no less alert now, but there was a lot less twitching.

He turned to face her and smiled when he saw her. Tired, worn out, but still smiling despite it all. He wished he shared her optimism. But then again, she'd had more practice at being human. A lot more practice.

"Just relieved to be back home again, Miss Haru." he said. "That was quite an adventure, but I do believe I'm ready for a spot of tea and some rest."

"Yeah, me too," she smiled, happy and hopeful and everything he wasn't. "It was... eventful, shall we say. Speaking of that, are you okay? I mean, they did try to kill you back there."

"I'm fine, Haru. A little bit shaken, naturally, but I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well... that's good then."

Baron nodded. She didn't sound too convinced, but thankfully she didn't press any further.

It was he who broke the silence. "Although, being a human for a day has taught me a few things," he smiled. His grin light and a touch playful. Feline eyes twinkling on a human face.

"Oh yeah?" Haru said, very intrigued. "Like what?"

Baron widened his grin. "Well for starters," he began, hand on his cane. Grateful it had grown in size to match his new height. "It's given me a new perspective on humans. And I've gained a new respect for you especially, Miss Haru."

He watched her smile in pleasant surprise. "Respect for me?"

"Yes," he answered. "For what you do, who you are. Running with the Bureau despite all the fear and conflicting emotions inside of you. I've had a taste of that today and I must say Miss Haru, I am most impressed."

"You're impressed by me?" Haru asked, still pleasantly surprised, but incredulous as well.

"Yes," Baron nodded. "Very much so."

She stood, waiting for him to continue. So continue he did. "Because despite everything that runs through you when you're solving cases with us – fear, adrenaline, terror – you don't let it phase you. Or change you. You're still you, and instead of crumbling in the face of fear and danger and even hostility from other people, you stand strong. You stand firmly for what you believe in. for what you believe is right. And I do admire you for that."

Haru's cheeks flushed a little at the praise. Not as red as they would have been when she was a young schoolgirl, but a lighter, more delicate shade of pink.

"Oh. Thankyou." she said softly. "I'm glad you think so highly of me." She smiled and Baron returned the smile. Gone was the little girl who would have talked herself down instead of graciously accepting the compliment. He admired that about her, too. In fact, he admired everything about her.

She continued, "For what it's worth, I admire you, too."

Warmth started creeping through his chest at those words, knowing they weren't hollow, but genuine. Unlike the words of so many clients that had come before her. Though Haru wasn't really a client anymore. She was so much more than that. At least to Baron, anyway.

He nodded, still smiling. Feeling closer to her than he'd ever been. He enjoyed this feeling, as long as he could ignore the fact it was only temporary. This time it was her who broke the silence.

"Shall we go inside?" she asked, no doubt beginning to feel the chill of the evening even through her thick black trousers and shirt.

"In a moment," he answered. "I want to enjoy the evening for just a little longer."

She nodded, and he waited for her to excuse herself and head inside the Bureau to pick up her bag and go home. But she didn't.

"Yeah, it's a beautiful sunset. Be a shame to miss it."

Baron nodded again in agreement. "Indeed," he said, his eyes drifting over to one of the wooden benches. "Shall we sit, then?"

"Perfect idea."

"Ladies first," he gestured. Then followed her over to the bench to sit beside her. He watched her sigh softly, relaxing after a long day of adventuring and followed her head, sitting back on the bench. Watching the sun slowly set over the Bureau. Tomorrow, he'd deal with the aftermath of this day and the mess of feelings his brush with humanity had kicked up. Today, he'd just enjoy the sunset and the pleasure of Haru's company.

It'd be one of the better ends of his day, that was for certain.

Though he did wonder if Haru echoed the sentiment.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Haru said, softly gazing at the soft orange sunset.

"Yes, very beautiful," Baron agreed. Just like you, he wanted to add, but the words stuck in his throat. A side effect of being human, he supposed. Although a much more bearable one.

He saw her shiver a little as a breeze brushed by, and he quickly shimmied out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders to warm her. Baron was nothing, if not chivalrous. Especially when it came to Haru. Sometimes she complained, saying she was more than capable of doing things for herself, like opening doors – but today no such complaint was forthcoming.

"Oh, thankyou," she said softly, an equally soft smile on her lips.

"You are most welcome, my dear," he smiled.

Her cheeks flushed that light shade of pink again, and once more warmth ran through his chest cavity. Baron had to wonder if this happened to humans with everyone. But he doubted it. This felt very specific to Haru alone.

Just another reason why he didn't want this day to end. Because the moment the sun went down, the spell would break and the magic would fade. And he'd go back to being an enchanted wooden figurine again.

"It's nice to just enjoy the quiet once in a while, huh?" she said.

"Indeed." he smiled. "Especially with the right company." And being the same species as said company, however temporarily.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Haru added softly. Gentle smile still on her lips as she looked at him. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."

"We should," he nodded. "Quiet times at the Bureau are rare."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Especially with Toto and Muta around. Bickering all the time."

Baron chuckled. "Yes. They certainly make life interesting, don't they? " Never a dull moment with them around.

"They sure do," she said. "But we need their levity though, especially after days like today."

"That we do."

They returned their gazes back to the setting sun, lapsing back into a companionable silence for a while. And Baron just sat enjoying the pleasure of her company for just a little longer as a fellow human being. Sand was slowly and steadily trickling through the hourglass, and he was determined to enjoy every single second of the time he had left before the magic wore away.

A few more moments passed, with the two of them sitting quietly. He broke the silence this time.

"I don't believe I thanked you for earlier," he said quietly. "For coming back for me when I was trapped in that cave."

She turned to look at him and blinked in surprise. "That's... not necessary," she said. "After all, you'd come back for me."

"Yes, but even so, thankyou Haru. I thought I was a goner back there, until you showed up."

She smiled and laughed softly. "Well, I couldn't exactly leave you trapped in there, could I? Not when I care about you so much." Her hand slid onto his, and the gesture felt warm, natural, right. "Did you think I'd just leave you down there?"

"I must confess I did," he admitted. "Even if only for a moment."

Her smile was soft. "You should have more faith," she said.

"Yes, I should." he agreed. Noticing that the sun had sunk further in the sky. Time was running out.

Not yet, he thought. Just give me a bit longer. Just a little longer to enjoy her company. Her closeness...

He curled his fingers around hers and felt the warmth suffuse him again. Even more keenly aware of the passing of time, and how theirs was running out.

"You know, you do look rather beautiful tonight," he said smiling. She laughed, then. Haru Yoshioka. Her. Described always as 'plain' and 'a wallflower', called beautiful.

"You don't mean that," she said.

"Yes I do," he said, leaning closer to her. "I think you're very beautiful," he added softly, and then softly, gently, captured her lips with his.

He didn't know why exactly he did it. Call it a rash human impulse, or the fact that the countdown to reality resuming made him anxious. Made him feel like he had to Carpe Diem, seize the day, and do what he could with the time that was given to him. Or maybe it was just the fact that he'd been living with the impossible hope that a Human and a Creation could be together, and that he'd been pining after Haru for so long.

Whatever it was, it didn't matter. Because after a surprised moment, she sank into the moment and melted into his kiss.

Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Kiss the girl. Hold the girl in your arms before your time runs out. Until your time runs out.

They broke away slowly, as gently as they'd come together. The sun sinking further down below the horizon before them.

"I had to do that," he said softly. "At least once."

Her breaths were heavy, and Baron fancied he could hear her rapid heartbeat. It seemed the magic was wearing off already; soon he'd be a cat again. A Creation again.

"No," she whispered. "I'm glad you did."

They both smiled at each other, as if sharing a secret, and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She settled against him and sighed contentedly. All there was left to do now was wait for the spell to wear off and the sun to set. He could feel some of the magic falling off of him already. It wouldn't be long now.

Just a bit longer, Baron willed. Though it was pointless. May as well ask for the world to stop turning, or the tides to stop lapping the shoreline.

Let me enjoy this moment with her beside me for just a little longer, before things go back to normal.