Hey all! First off, I am deeply sorry for not sticking to even a semblance of a regular update schedule the way I'd hoped I would. I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to take this story off of regular updates. That doesn't mean I won't be updating it regularly, of course, I just can't bear to break my own promises anymore.

Another note: yes, original characters will be popping up here and there. Please don't kill me. And, I promise things will start getting less boring next chapter. For now, foundations are important.

Enjoy!


Chapter Four: Catching Up


I can't say I remember the last time I've been out of the city. Barnaby had begun to consider what he'd gotten himself into, since he had not thought about his decision much beyond leaving the city. He was not worried, simply contemplative on that matter in particular.

The morning's events, however, had left him in a mood far from cordial.

They really hadn't done too badly, Kotetsu had said. Sure, the attendant who loaded their luggage had thrown them dirty looks as Kotetsu whispered loudly about not giving tips in order to save money. And sure, they hadn't gotten there in time to grab a decent lunch before they had to be at their platform. But the older man still had his carefree attitude, and according to him, everything was truly peachy. As a result of trailing behind the walking social catastrophe that was his partner, Barnaby had rolled his eyes throughout their adventures in the train station so much it gave him a headache, and his brow was pinched so tightly from unspoken scoldings that Kotetsu began teasing him about scaring away the fans (from whom the taller man couldn't seem to hide, which was why Kotetsu sported his casual mask until they were safe from recognition).

The trip was, as far as Kotetsu could see, going quite pleasantly. Though, as Barnaby would have willingly pointed out, the extent of Kotetsu's foresight was about the extent of his own natural eyesight. He sat next to his seemingly oblivious partner on the train as it whizzed away from the city, controlling his fuming irritation with nothing to show for it outwardly but a mild pout.

"Oi, Bunny! Open your eyes, you can get sleep when we get there! Look at all this scenery - didn't you say you couldn't remember the last time you were outside Sternbild? C'mon, don't sulk."

"I am not sulking, Kotetsu-san, nor am I trying to sleep. I am simply closing my eyes in an attempt to escape from the frustration of your antics."

"Fine, fine, be a child. I'm gonna look out the window."

Barnaby flared his nostrils in further consternation at the man's hypocrisy. Which one of them had been acting childish all day? He opened his mouth to say something accusatory, but was stopped by a female voice from the aisle.

"Something to drink, gentlemen?" A girl who appeared to be no older than twenty offered a tray of plastic cups filled with water and a menu. Barnaby took the menu, a bit more forcefully than he should have in his irritation, but didn't say anything. He handed it over to Kotetsu, composed himself with a sigh, and turned toward the girl, who regarded him with a serene patience that was rare for one so young.

"I'll take a pass on the alcoholic beverages, but thank you. Kote-" he caught himself. They were supposed to be traveling as heroes. "Ah, what would you like?"

His friend took the menu and studied it very seriously without a word, but decided against it as well and handed it back to the attendant. "I shouldn't. But thank you, miss." He gave her that crooked smile of his, the same one that had made poor Karina blush on a regular basis until she progressed from infatuation and through dejection to bitterness. Witnessing the effects of this smile usually had negative effects on Barnaby, and this time, paired with his impatience (courtesy of Kotetsu himself), made him feel indescribably unpleasant. It served its purpose, though, and made the girl's own smile widen.

"If you two don't mind, could you sign this for me?" From an apron pocket, she pulled out a promotional postcard with a picture of Wild Tiger and Barnaby in their hero suits. She was a fan, it appeared. It struck Barnaby how controlled she was; most girls, especially those faced with Wild Tiger's unintentional but adorable charms firsthand, were unable to suppress childish squeals of delight. The way this girl held herself, it was as if they were business acquaintances of hers. It was refreshing in its own way, but she was still stealing Kotetsu's attention from him. Although he knew it made him look bad, and it was rather out of character for his public image, he felt like snapping at her to go away and leave them to their quarrel. His partner had already reached across his seat to sign the card with cheer, though, so he resigned himself to behave.

"Of course, my dear!" Kotetsu slurred in his casual speech as if she was his best friend. "Shall I make it personal?"

"Oh, would you?" she enthused, though it was more genuine gratitude than overt girlish pleasure. "My name is Connie."

The card was held out to Barnaby, who took the pen and shaped up instantly, hating himself for being able to do it so naturally. "Connie? What a beautiful name." As he made eye contact with her, his expression became alarmingly close to seductive, and he took the pen, signed the card, and regarded her with a facade of pleasantness.

"Thank you both, very much. It would be my pleasure to help you if you need anything on your trip today." She bowed politely and resumed her work, progressing down the aisle ahead of them with impressive professionalism.

"So, Bunny, what's got you down?"

"Hmm?" He allowed himself to scowl once more.

"You're gonna get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that, and you weren't even as nice to that woman as you usually are when they're that pretty." Barnaby received a mirthful you-sly-dog nudge to his ribcage along with the mention of the girl. "You're obviously upset. What's wrong?"

"You really have to ask me that? Your childish behavior is what's wrong. I haven't had this much intolerance for you since we started working together."

"Sorry… I guess I have been pretty hyper today. But you're usually pretty nice about it. You on your period or something, sweetheart?" His pout would have rivaled a child actor's, except that it was, as only Kotetsu could pull off, a perfect cross between a pout and a smirk.

"Yeah, well, we're supposed to be on vacation. I'm not getting paid to put up with you anymore."

"And yet, here we are." The pout-smirk was now more smirk than pout, and those usually warm brown eyes flashed in a serpentine manner with a cocky flourish of one calloused hand. Barnaby finally sighed in defeat.

"You're incorrigible."

"And you sigh too much."

"Nervous habit. So sue me."

"I'd lose and you know it. Plus, you're like, a thousand times richer than me. You sure you don't want some sake or something, Bunny? It'd get you to lighten up."

"I'll get over it. I don't like to drink in public."

"You have before. With me and the guys."

"I don't hold my liquor well at all. You've learned this the hard way, Kotetsu-san."

Kotetsu chuckled at the memory of the first, and probably only time, that his partner had been convinced to get drunk. "Aww, but damn, Bunny, that was a fun night."

"Laugh all you want. Waking up in bed with Nathan like that traumatized me for the entire week."

"Ah, sorry. Really. I can't even imagine that." He couldn't help but laugh inwardly anyway, remembering how he himself had woken up on the floor next to the bed instead of in the bed, and despite the back pain and subsequent "old man" taunts he'd had for a week after that night of partying, he had not envied Barnaby.

"How come you have such a high tolerance, Kotetsu-san?"

"Are you kidding me? I can't hold my own worth shit against most, not even considering 'Tonio. But if anything, I guess you could say it was the family business, which at least let me develop a taste for alcohol pretty young." The older man's relationship with alcohol was a complicated one. He wouldn't deny that he'd relied on it through hard times in his life, especially after Tomoe's death. After seeing what alcoholism did to his father, though, Kotetsu ended his own battle successfully, swearing to conquer his demons without the use of a foreign substance. Drinking for him now was a way to prove his victory. But he'd acquired a taste for alcohol as early as when he figured out how to smuggle bottles from the family shop. Cheap beer still tasted to him of adolescent rebellion.

"Funny story about that, actually. Have I ever told you about the time I stole an entire case of vodka? I used some of it to spike the punch at Muramasa's birthday party, and he ended up with his pants on his head at the end of the night. That was definitely when Dad decided I would not be the one to take over the liquor store."

Barnaby's determination to stay angry weakened, and he laughed at that. "I don't think I could ever do that to my brother, if I'd had one."

"Heh, you're a goody two-shoes now, but you'd be a totally different person if you had a brother. They make you want to torment them to no end, when you're that age."

"I'm sure you're right, though I still can't help feeling like I missed out." Barnaby smiled a bit sadly at Kotetsu, though the look was lost on the older man, who had his eyes almost closed and his head thrown back against his seat.

"I wouldn't trade my family for the world. I still can't imagine having both my parents ripped away from me when I was so young, like you."

Barnaby's mood darkened slightly. "It happened. I finally came to terms with it and dealt with the cause... I don't like to dwell on those emotions, of course, but you know how the pain dulls."

"Yeah. It's better to just not think about what you've lost, huh?" Cause if you don't think about it, you won't be tempted to drown yourself in alcohol...

"Yes."

There was silence for a moment. The two reflected on their own losses and the other's loss; ever since the Maverick incident, Kotetsu had been gradually understanding his partner more and more, to the point where he began to truly empathize with his losses. Barnaby, on the other hand, could not get Kotetsu to open up about his late wife, try as he might. Perhaps the man was simply taking his own advice of repression very seriously. If it worked for him, Barnaby had no right to interfere, but nonetheless, he could not help his own curiosity about the woman who had captured such a wild heart.

Before they knew it, they had fallen asleep, Barnaby's bad mood completely gone. They leaned quite comfortably against each other, and the train had arrived at their stop. Connie passed by during her final rounds, after the train had stopped, and laughed softly, enjoying the scene for only a moment. "Excuse me, gentlemen." A soft hand on each of their shoulders was enough to rouse them.

Kotetsu picked his head drowsily off of Barnaby's chest, not embarrassed in the least, though that was likely due to his eternal social oblivion. "Ah, we're here!"

"Yes, indeed. Thank you for your patronage, gentlemen. I hope to see you again." The woman smiled and bowed, the image of uncommon modern courtesy. Needless to say, both men were impressed as they stared after her before scrambling to get up and out.

The comfortable rest they'd shared was dreamless for Kotetsu, but Barnaby had a troubled subconscious mind. He couldn't remember much except for shadows and restless thoughts, until a warm weight settled in his chest and made the shadows dissipate. He couldn't ponder it much longer, for he was about to meet the Kaburagi family in the station, but he regarded his partner with contemplation when it registered that his head had been resting on Barnaby's chest as they slept. He wasn't ready to face how that made him feel.

A buzz from his pocket disrupted his thoughts, though, and he didn't have to face his feelings for the time being. He'd missed a call, and the subsequent nagging reminders he'd set his phone to give him, while they were asleep. This reminder he did get, and he turned a frown down to his phone upon seeing the number on the caller ID. It was from Apollon, and he knew just what Lloyds wanted to talk about.

He turned his phone off and followed Kotetsu toward the fresh air of the outdoor station.


...thoughts?