The two exited the bus across the street from the Ginrou-kaku building not more than an hour later. Raidou made a bee-line for the place, not hesitating a moment. He wanted the full story, wanted to prove Narumi was innocent of all charges and a trustworthy human being. Gouto followed close behind, still concerned but allowing it. For whatever the outcome was, whether it be Narumi proving his guilt or at least reasonable suspicion and Raidou avoiding him, or having him cleared of all wrong-doing, he would hold to Raidou's decision as long as he was not in danger. He decided this, yet Gouto was still unsure whether or not he'd follow through. It all depended on how the conversation went.

It wasn't long before Raidou was knocking at Narumi's door. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for the conversation, for the outcome. He hoped whatever the detective would say, he would prove himself to be a good man like he knew he was... or at least hope he was. He poked his head in a moment later, calling for the man. "Narumi-san?"

A head poked out from the door parallel to him, Narumi blinking in surprise. "Oh! Raidou!" He scuttled from the inner hallway, a thermos of coffee in one hand, a mug in the other. "I thought you were the delivery guy." He approached him quickly, opening the door all the way and waving the boy inside. "I just made a fresh pot of joe. Want a cup?"

Raidou found himself involuntarily smiling in reaction to the man's usual hospitality. He nodded once, almost forgetting the reason he'd come in the first place. But as he was escorted to the dining table reality came back to him. He wasn't here to socialize. He was here to do a job. "Ah... Narumi-san..."

A cup of coffee was placed in front of him, Narumi moving to pour himself his own cup. "It's nice to see you in one piece and not bloodied up! So what brings you around? You staying off that leg?" The man continued his excited prattling, just giddy the boy had actually come to visit. Progress!

Again, he froze, unable to ask a simple question. Not with those eyes on him; kind brown eyes wide with joy looking only at him. He could feel his heart pounding completely out of his control. "Erm... I've been walking around a bit. That's all."

"Not too much, I hope." Narumi began preparing his cup. He could take it black, but this was a nice French blend. It took a bit more preparation to enjoy it properly. "You want to stick around for dinner? I ordered take-out. Chinese food."

All this was distracting him. He knew it was, but... "Sure." He smiled lightly, looking so cute just then, genuinely happy. "Sounds nice."

A certain feline pawed at his ankle, staring up at him. "Jouhei..." He knew what the cat was trying to say, he was getting off track, stalling. Raidou's eyes met the cats and he nodded once, smile replaced by a solemn look. "Narumi-san... I have to confess my visit isn't to socialize."

The man glanced his way, stirring some creamer into his mug. "Ah, something on your mind? I'm all ears if you want to talk." The tone in his voice... he was oddly optimistic, wasn't he?

And Raidou killed that right quick. "I was told you have information about a case. Something from seven years ago that you were lead investigator on." The silence that followed was almost crushingly tense, making Raidou wonder whether or not being so blunt had been to his benefit. Narumi froze in place, still facing away from the young man, spoon stilling in the cup before him.

Slowly he turned around to face the man, face grim. "Seven years ago, huh?" He muttered, taking a large gulp of his beverage, as if to prepare himself.

The summoner watched him, gauging his reaction. It worried him to see the man so distraught. But all this was hidden behind that beautiful stone face. "I'd like to know whatever you can tell me."

With a deep sigh, Narumi sunk heavily into the dining chair opposite of Raidou, hands clasping the mug as if it were a lifeline keeping him grounded. "You're talking about the serial killings, I take it." Raidou offered a nod, waiting for Narumi to speak patiently, folded hands resting in his lap. "It was a pretty high profile case. Seven high school students in seven weeks. Within days of them being reported missing, we'd find a body." He gripped the cup, as if the information physically pained him to recount. "I was appointed lead investigator when we found the first body... A boy about sixteen. He'd gone missing after leaving his part time job. His body turned up in a drainage ditch three days later." The boy sitting across from him seemed less than disturbed by the information. He was still staring at the man speaking, wanting to hear more.

Narumi took a swig of the hot beverage and continued, "But no matter what we did, nothing came up. Aside from their close ages and the fact they were out late, nothing connected them. It was like the perp cleaned up all the evidence before our guys got there... Not a trace left. So it kept going..." Narumi paused to burying his face in one hand, rubbing at his eyes as if fighting a headache. "Having to explain to seven families that the police weren't fast enough to find their kids... Having to do that was part of my job up until then, but knowing that I did next to nothing to prevent it all from happening..." So this was what tortured the man so. He had failed to rescue the kidnapped teenagers before their lives ended, and even to that day he blamed himself. "But... That's not the worst of it."

Raidou suddenly felt a pang of guilt for even asking. And yet he still wanted more. Either he was a cruel little bastard or he wanted to learn more to perhaps to help the man fight his own personal demons.

Finally Narumi met his gaze, those deep chocolate eyes seeming hollowed somehow, showing their age. "If you knew to come to me, I'm guessing you at least know some of the story... What's the official police record say of me now, eh?" Caught, but the boy had expected it. He was a seasoned and well trained detective with many years of experience. "Not much I could tell you, really. I went to speak with Waruo-san and detective Kazama interrupted. He told me he would tell me the information I needed. He didn't say much about it besides his own bias against you."

For the first time that evening the man laughed, but it was a cynical and bitter laugh, nothing like the sweet chuckles he usually made. It was almost saddening. "Kazama hates me since I got picked for promotion over him..." He snorted. "Well, I guess he gave you the skinny though, about how I lead the investigators in a different direction." The man looked forlornly down at his cup, as if wishing at that moment that it was something much stronger than coffee... perhaps scotch.

"He only told me that the main suspects were Yakuza members and that you lead them off the trail and cleared Satake-san's name. Satake-san confirms this." So the boy had been doing quite a bit of research today. Clever. Narumi could not help but grin, "You've done a lot of legwork just to check up on me, huh? Smart kid..."

The detective knocked back a good half of his coffee before continuing. "I know who did it. Or at least I have a very good idea of who did it. It wasn't Satake, it was another Yakuza group altogether."

"I see..." Raidou finally reached for his own drink, bringing it to his lips and sipping it lightly.

"The guy who did it paid off my investigation team." Plain, simple, and a brutal truth. This got the boys attention. His gaze met the detectives, eyes slightly widened, silently asking if this could be true. "I caught one of my head guys talking to him after the sixth body was found. And we're not talking small bills either... I don't know where he got the funds, but it was enough to keep five officers quiet, and for them to concoct a false lead." The rest of the coffee was downed, the mug slammed almost too hard onto the old table, enough to rattle Raidou's cup. "And what's worse? When I reported it to the chief, and the investigation started, they found nothing! Nada! So we were all dismissed form the case, and in the meantime the seventh kid died." As he spoke his voice rose in anger and despair, something Raidou had not seen in the man yet. It was almost frightening to see someone normally so composed and smooth completely beside himself like this. "Then they had the nerve to say I was trying to divert the case for my own gain, as if I was the one to take the bribe!"

So that was it; the reason Narumi had left. It truly was corruption that drove him away, and in the worst ways. For trying to do the world some good, for attempting to bring the man who cut the lives of those seven kids short, Narumi was turned on and accused of being affiliated with the killer, or even the murderer himself.

"Narumi-san..." It frightened the kid, yes. He had never seen an inkling of anger in the detective before. But apart from that... he felt sadness, guilt. He was guilty for making Narumi relive such a thing in his mind. A sudden urge overcame him and he went for it before he could stop himself. His lean, delicate hand reached out and touched one of the detective's strong, broader hands. A simple gesture, foreign to the boy, but it felt right comforting Narumi like this. It took the older man by surprise as well, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he began to regain his composure, running his free hand through his hair. "After that, I left... Took my pension and drowned myself in booze and whores, got mixed up with some bad business... I spiraled for months until I finally hit bottom. Pathetic, really."

Narumi chuckled bitterly, "But then I realized something..." The cup was picked up again as if more coffee would magically appear, but he found none and sighed, "I wanted to help people, but I didn't want to deal with the politics and corruption at the station... So I took my pension and put in for this office."

After that statement Raidou finally pulled his hand away, almost sorry when he did, setting it back in his lap. He missed the warmth as soon as it was gone. But touching someone's hand so long was inappropriate. Instead of lingering on it he gave the detective his full attention, waiting to see what he would say next.

"I became a detective, and now I'm here." He motioned to the office around him, a somber smile on his face. "I might not make much, but I know at the end of the day I'm not like those cops that sway with the best interest of the station instead of the civilians... That make sense?"

A nod was offered in response, Raidou smiling ever so slightly. He seemed... elated. Narumi noticed right away and the barest hint of a genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "As long as I can keep someone safe, then it's all worth it. Doesn't do my wallet any good... It's usually why the land-lady and I are at odds." A simple, nonchalant shrug followed, "But, if it means I can help people... Like those that would be in trouble otherwise... then it's worth it then."

So in a way, they were the same. The boy was happy to hear this. And this moment was suddenly cut off by a knock at the door, startling the two out of their thoughts. Both heads turned towards the door, a man coming through it moments later, carrying a couple plastic bags filled with what looked like Styrofoam containers. Desperate for anything to break the tension in the air, Narumi quickly leapt to the young man's aid in bringing in the food. "Oh, there you are, Kento-kun. You're late." Narumi took a large plastic bag, setting it on the table before reaching into his back pocket for his billfold to pay the delivery man. The boy, someone who looked not much older than Raidou grumbled in response, handing over the receipt and order. "Now now, with a face like that the cute ladies won't give you any tips!" But apparently Narumi still would, since "Kento" looked a little brighter upon leaving. Could this be another person Narumi had "helped" at one point?

The table was quickly covered in an array of foam containers and take-out boxes, a pair of chopsticks and a plate was presented to Raidou. "Eat up, the one with the red box is beef, but the rest is either chicken or veggie." Narumi pointed to each box respectively before sitting down to dig directly into one of the boxes with his chopsticks.

Raidou watched all this in mild confusion, still very unused to all these modern things, mostly that of food being delivered to one's home. But Narumi was a gracious host and dinner sounded nice after all that running around. The food smelled good enough as well. Only a little like fast food, nothing too bad. He took up his own set of chopsticks and waited politely for one of the boxes to be offered. "So... they bring ready-made dinner to your home..?" He just looked so confused.

Narumi glanced at him, one cheek puffing out from being over filled with beef. "Yeah." He said around the mouthful, "The restaurant sends a guy to deliver it, so you don't have to go out."

Those eyes continued to stare, still rather curious. "Oh..." Realizing he was less than likely to be offered anything anytime soon by his host he reached for the box of rice, getting started. "Is this a common thing?"

"In this day and age, yeah. Convenience stores sell whole meals, restaurants bring dining to you... You can buy just about anything from a vending machine." He prattled on, swallowing the packed meat down with a bit of effort. "Not something you're used to, I take it."

"Not at all..." he muttered, taking a bite of rice before grabbing a box of what looked to be chicken coated in a red sauce. Curious, he picked a piece out of the box with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. Odd. Sweet and a little tangy, a little heavy. Not bad. Obviously some kind of westernized dish rather than a traditional Asian meal. Still, not bad. He put some of that on his plate and went about looking through the other boxes, trying out what they had to offer. Some he liked, some he didn't, but all the flavors were interesting.

In the midst of the two of them chowing down, Narumi took a moment to set down his chopsticks and look at Raidou once again. "Hey, kid... Just why were you investigating that case from seven years ago?" Again he seemed guarded, hesitant. This case had sincerely affected him, didn't it?

Raidou paused with a bite of food halfway to his mouth. He slowly set it back on his plate and addressed the question properly. "I wasn't initially. It just came up when I was in the middle of an investigation ordered by a superior."

Narumi quirked a brow, the carton placed back on the table. "The Herald wanted me checked on?"

The boy shook his head softly, reaching for a carton of what looked to be noodles. "No, someone else." He wasn't about to name names. He didn't any accumulated hostility between man and feline.

Narumi sighed again, lounging heavily in his chair. "Makes me wonder what you hoped to find..." He muttered, finally getting up for more coffee. The look on his face, that expression... As much as he tried to mask it with that usually smarmy grin, he couldn't seem to hide the fact that he was troubled over the topic. Raidou's eyes followed the man as he went back for more of the drink, looking just a little concerned. Had he done something wrong in asking? "I expected to clear your name and prove you were a good man."

"Heh... Seems that's all I do these days." With more coffee in his mug, the man looked like he was beginning to relax. Caffeine addictions had that effect on people, it seemed. "I'm glad you did your homework and checked in on me, orders or no."

What a curious reaction. Raidou would have assumed he'd be upset with him, not pleased. "Why?"

And then the man was standing next to him, gazing down at him with those chocolate eyes and that warm smile. "I'd be worried if you trusted someone so easily in your line of work." The detective reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, a silent form of praise. Narumi was... proud of him? Even if he dug into something so painful from his past? The summoner stared up at him with confused eyes. But after a few moments the look melted into a tiny smile.

The hand was pulled away, Narumi rounding the table to continue his meal. "It's funny, actually... The reason I started this agency was to be able to help the people the police wouldn't... Or in some cases, couldn't go to the police." His eyes met with Raidou's once more, a sad smile in them. He didn't have to voice it to make it clear; Narumi wanted to help people like him, the ones that couldn't go to the cops for help. A strange feeling overcame the boy just then. He felt his face heat up, his head begin to quicken while he was under that gaze. What did this mean? "Narumi-san..."

"Anyway..." Narumi picked up his chopsticks again, a small smile on his face. "Any other questions?"

Just a little embarrassed Raidou shook his head, going back to his own meal. He couldn't help but think to himself as he watched him over the table that Narumi was an amazing man. Going through something like that and coming out on top. "...I really admire you." he said out loud before he realized what he was doing. But once he did he couldn't do much of anything about it. No use crying over spilt shows of emotion, so he just went with it.

Narumi looked like he might spit out his coffee at that, but managed to refrain, his cheeks tinged the slightest of pinks. "For what?" He choked out, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Because you're a strong, good man." That was all Raidou would say as he went back to his meal, eyes lowered as he politely partook.

The praise was a bit much for what he was used to, Narumi kind of wished he had one of his hats to hide behind. "Hey, don't go saying that. It'll go to my head and I'll start believing it!"

"You should."

"Don't stroke my ego, kid." Narumi smirked and it seemed that things were slowly going back to normal.

"What else should I do with it? You're too modest." the boy stated in response, slurping some noodles into his mouth.

The detective blinked in surprise. Did Raidou just... talk back to him, sort of? He almost did a happy jig; the kid did have the capability to snark, who knew? "Well, I am the great Detective Narumi." He struck a pose, chopsticks and all, just for a laugh.

The boy snorted, almost losing his mouthful he was busy chewing. He clapped a hand over his mouth and forced himself to swallow, laughing a little afterwards. Mission accomplished, Narumi started laughing as well. Quite a sight to see, especially with Raidou. He hardly ever laughed, and to see it was a special treat.

The two eventually quieted down and went back to their meal. But once their utensils were set down the two got to talking again, this time about things that were a little less life-crippling. It was like things were back to normal and the two could just enjoy one another's company. Even Gouto said nothing as he lounged at Raidou's feet beneath the table. Between the two of them, they made a sizeable dent in the Chinese food smorgasbord. Narumi certainly had ordered a lot, probably to last him the next few days. The man seemed to be the king of take-out leftovers as far as anyone was concerned.

As the hours wore on, the conversation finally went full circle again, "Hey, Raidou... About earlier..." He began after finishing putting the numerous take-out containers into the fridge. "I'm sorry."

The boy had begun silently helping his host clean up even when it was not requested nor necessary. Raidou just felt it was the polite thing to do. Currently he'd been wetting a dishcloth in the kitchen sink to wipe down the dining table. But when the man spoke he turned his attentions towards him, shutting the water off. "Hm?" His eyes met Narumi's, curious as to what he meant.

Narumi placed the utensils into the dishwasher as he spoke, "For how I acted... It's... Not exactly a subject matter that I'm too great on handling. I'm usually not like that, so sorry if I scared you."

"I wasn't afraid, only concerned," Raidou explained, looking just a little sad though his blank stare. That earned him another look, "Concerned?" Narumi inquired, "Why?"

"The look in your eyes." Raidou wrung the cloth out, moving towards the hallway to go wipe down the table. But before he crossed the threshold he said one more thing. "You looked so sad..."

Sad, if that was even a way to put it. "Yeah, I guess you could say I was really sad about that case." Devastated, more like, but he wasn't about to jump in and say that. The case damn near ruined him mentally and physically, but... "It's in the past now. I'm doing fine where I am."

The boy listened to Narumi's words as he walked towards the dining area. He thoroughly wiped it down... and then moved to wipe the dusty desk beside it, straightening as he went.

"A-ah, Raidou-chan, you don't have to do that!" Narumi quickly crossed the room, pulling things out of Raidou's way as he wiped. Did the boy feel he had to make up for upsetting him? The boy was silent as he worked. After the desk he went to dusting the bookshelves, looking over all the different books Narumi had to read. He had some fascinating interests. "Raidou?" Narumi tried to catch his attention again, a little perturbed. "You should sit down if anything. Isn't your leg still messed up?"

"I'll be fine." he muttered, pulling the books out and cleaning under them one by one setting them in place before moving to the next.

The detective couldn't help but step back and stare in amazement. Obligation or no, it was nice to have the place actually cleaned for once. He couldn't even remember the last time he dusted. Narumi just hoped the boy wasn't doing it just to please him. "Raidou, you really don't have to do this." He reiterated, mostly just to sate his guilty conscious.

"I want to." And that was that. Raidou continued with his work, ignoring the detective's protests. Within the hour the whole office looked brand new, spotless top to bottom. Narumi almost couldn't believe it. The place damn near sparkled and all it took was Raidou taking the time to do it. Impressive didn't begin to cover it.

"Wow... I feel like I'm in the wrong office."

Raidou smiled at the praise, taking the bucket and rag he'd used to clean the hardwood with to the back. Narumi didn't know where he'd found it, hell he didn't even know he had all these cleaning supplies around the apartment, but he was sure grateful it had been cleaned. A dusty dump of an office was no place to conduct any hard-boiled detective work. "Thanks, Raidou." Narumi followed after the boy with a goofy grin on the face. "I really appreciate you doing this." Even if he told him he didn't have to, he reiterated to himself, again for his guilty conscious.

"I enjoyed it," he replied, dumping the dirty water out in the sink. It was almost as if he could read the man's very thoughts, sensed his guilt over having an injured minor cleaning his floor. But then he explained. "I used to do chores in my village when I had breaks from training. I cleaned the dojo floors and took care of the equipment. I'd often be called on to cook for my under-classmen and was made to mend any clothing I damaged or replace any weapon I broke. It was good training and taught discipline, but..." There is was again, the faintest ghost of a smile. "I've always found pleasure in preforming tasks like that. It's calming and a good way to bring yourself into a peaceful state of mind." He turned to Narumi finally, aiming that barely there smile at him. The way he'd said all that, speaking of discipline and finding pleasure in working... This boy was painfully traditional.

That irresistible smile made Narumi's heart flutter. But the words he said, the kid really was sheltered. To take joy in cleaning and cooking and other such menial tasks; it was something you'd see in a romance novel based out of the Meiji Era. Very out of place for a boy his age. "Raidou, if you were a girl, so many men would want your hand in marriage with that sort of thinking."

The smile was instantly replaced with a look of confusion and a touch if detest. "Huh?" Poor boy looked so weirded out by the concept. He really didn't understand. Did that mean his kind of thinking was wrong?

Narumi quickly sought to correct himself, "N-not that it's a bad thing... You're just very traditional! A lot of guys prefer that over the modern woman's way of thinking." Spazz, flail, blush. The detective had managed to back himself in a corner again and he was admitting way too much about himself to the boy.

"Is... that so...?" The boy looked slightly less miffed but still a little confused. Narumi wasn't getting anywhere like this. But just when he thought the air would crack from the tense feeling within, Raidou turned and went about washing the bucket out, getting back to his work.

The small clock nested at one end of the kitchen rung the hour, drawing both their attentions. It was midnight already? They had spent all that time chatting and then Raidou took the chance to clean. "Huh..." Gouto, whom had made himself scarce for a good chunk of the evening, finally spoke. "The last train back to Ginza leaves in ten minutes..."

Raidou frowned a bit, looking just a little displeased. "I'm not finished..." He muttered, setting the bucket aside on the floor. "I won't make it unless I run."

And then, Narumi got an idea. A brilliant if not a bit risky idea. "Why don't you just stay here tonight? I can take you home tomorrow." The offer came out before he had a chance to think of what the boy would say to it. Oh well, even if he rejected him he'd save face somehow.

But Raidou was open to the idea, surprisingly enough. Very open to it. He offered a kind smile to the man, even going so far as to ask if it was really okay. He really was a sweet kid.

"Of course it's okay! It wouldn't be the first time, right?" Narumi winked, relieved the boy didn't think him some sort of predator. After learning all the negative things about his past, he was sure the boy would shy away like he always did. "You can take the couch, if you'd like, or I have a spare futon we can set up in my room..."

"Anything that's convenient. I don't want to trouble you."

"It's your choice, Raidou." Again with this, forcing the boy to decide himself what he wanted.

"I don't mind either way. The couch is comfortable enough." And as always, Raidou was smartly countering with his quick wit by pushing the decision off his own shoulders. Did this kid take responsibility for nothing for his own benefit?

Just to counter that, Narumi puffed his chest out, hands on his hips. "Futon it is. I'll grab it out of storage." The man turned on heel and headed for the store-room, which was looking emptier and emptier these days. Narumi had finally gotten around to cleaning it up, or rather clearing it out. A lot of stuff was getting sold off or donated to the local shelters. No one had a need for some of it, but one man's trash was another's treasure, and his paycheck. "Do you remember where my old clothes were? You can borrow some to sleep in."

Please and perturbed both, Raidou followed close behind, parting ways halfway down the hall to gather the familiar clothing. "Yes. Thank you, Narumi-san." he spoke in passing, opening the hall closet and pulling one plastic tub and rummaging through it.

By the time Narumi was dragging the old futon into the bedroom Raidou was sitting patiently on his bed, changed into some grey sweatpants and a plaid fleece shirt that was a couple sizes too big on him. And damned if he didn't look cute like that. Having the detectives old clothing on made him look so small, truly adorable. But still that damn hat was in place. Did he ever take it off?

"Ah, Raidou, can you get the blankets out of my closet there?" The older man's head nodded in the direction of his double door closet as he dumped the large mat onto the floor next to his bed. He could of course offer to share his own bed with the boy, but something told him that would not fly well... especially with that cat that seemed far too territorial of the boy. What was up with that?

Raidou obeyed quickly, gathering the blankets folded neatly atop one of the shelves inside the closet and brought them to the man. After that he busied himself by making the bed up, sitting beside it with legs tucked under him as he worked. It really was fascinating watching the boy work. Everything he did was like Narumi was getting a taste of the old days, of the long forgotten historical periods of Japan. Hell, it was sometimes almost as if the kid had time traveled from the Sengoku period itself and was being made to live in the 21st century with no promise to return to his own time. Odd when you thought of it that way. Very peculiar, this boys habits.

"I'm tempted to hire you as a housekeeper, Raidou." Narumi joked if only to squelch the protruding thought of how strange this boy was in his mind. He had never seen any kid his age act quite like this, so obedient and polite while taking so much joy in the menial tasks. Narumi couldn't help but wonder if he was so keen on doing the chores for the joy of a job well done, or just to get some recognition from someone once it was complete.

Well, a little recognition wouldn't hurt. "Thanks for the help, kid." He squeezed Raidou's shoulders, a slight smile on his face. "Just don't overdo it, yeah?"

The little smile on the boy's face at the praise was absolutely beautiful, if not a little awkward. Raidou wasn't very good at expressing himself. But when he tried, it sure was cute. Once again Narumi felt his heart skip a beat, but he quickly quelled the sensation by focusing on readying for bed himself. "I'll get the lamp, you get some sleep, okay?" The man called from the closet, pulling out some pajamas from the drawers hidden inside.

"Yes." Raidou pulled back the covers and got settled in on the futon, hat still atop his head. At this point Narumi wasn't even going to try and question it. The kid had some weird quirks. Better than a pacifier, I suppose. Narumi shrugged off the oddity and took his clothes with him to the bathroom to get washed up. A certain cat meowed as he scurried past, bounding into his bedroom where Raidou lay.

Gouto situated himself at the end of the futon facing Raidou, green eyes boring into him. "Well, what's your conclusion?"

The summoner opened his eyes, glancing quickly towards the door before answering. "I think I've proven his trustworthiness."

"Hm..." Gouto padded over to him only to make himself a spot on the blankets next to him. "I still don't like him, but at least he comes back clean... Just don't get too comfortable, Jouhei."

To that Raidou slowly reached up to grip the rim of his cap, tipping it upwards and sticking two fingers inside. A moment later they pulled back, bringing with them a thin, long metal shaft. Perfect lips turned up into the tiniest of smirks as he revealed to Gouto that all along he'd been carrying with him his newest and most powerful demon, Orthrus. So he wasn't as naive as he seemed. Gouto couldn't help but crack a smile of his own. "Good work today, Jouhei. Now get some rest."

"Mn..." The cap was set aside and the tube was tucked under his pillow. Just in case. Raidou always liked to be prepared. He fell asleep easily even before Narumi returned, tuckered out from the long day and his still healing leg.

A few moments later Narumi stepped into the room dressed in a white tank-top and boxers, a towel draped around his neck with his hair still slightly damp. "Raidou, do you need any more pain killers?" He called to the boy, only to find him sound asleep on the futon. That was quick, Narumi thought, but then again he did walk around all day, and cleaned...

The man carefully tip-toed through the room to his own bed, finishing the towel-drying of his hair before tossing the damp cloth into the laundry hamper. With a flick of a switch the lights were out and Narumi climbed into his own bed, scoot to one side so he could keep an eye on the boy. Why? He couldn't tell you, but even his brain caught on that he wanted to watch the boy sleep.

He didn't care how bizarre that was, he was just glad to have some company on quiet nights like this.