Disclaimer: I do not own PMK or its characters.

It's the morning after...

Case 004: Morning After

Hijitaka awoke with a massive hangover. He groaned and turned over. Long dark hair. There was someone sleeping next to him. Strange, he could only remember coming home in a foul mood and breaking out the six-pack. He did not recall picking up a woman, much less bringing her home. I'm gonna regret this…

It was early morning. In the grey dawn light she was slender. Her legs were shapely under the blanket. Her hair fanned out on the blanket like long strands of fine silk. A shoulder peeked out creamy white where the blanket had fallen away. They were sleeping in different futons… but they were close due to the constraints of his room. He could easily reach out and wrap an arm around her. Did they do anything?

She was getting up! His heart started racing. She yawned, a sexy sound. Then she brushed the hair from her face. Hijitaka gave a cry of shock. Then the pig sleeping by the door squealed as the man stepped on him.

"SOUJI!! Call off your fucking pig!" Hijitaka tried to shake Saizou off his ankle but the pig had a bite like a vise. Okita stumbled out of his bed and coaxed Saizou into releasing Hijitaka's foot.

Downstairs. Yoshida's unit. Suzu looked up at the commotion. His face was swollen from yesterday and he could barely chew. Yoshida simply shrugged away the bloodcurdling screams and howls of rage. Suzu poured out the morning tea for his guardian. One day, he'll be as cool as Yoshida… one day…

"Suzu?"

"Y-Yes, Master?"

"The tea… too cold," Yoshida's eyes met his. Suzu blushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, sir. I'll make another pot, sir." He fumbled as he tried to pick up the teapot. Never mind, Yoshida put a hand firmly on the eager boy's shoulder and forced him to remain seated. He shouldn't have hit him so hard yesterday. Those bruises will show for a while even on Suzu's dark skin.

"I like the toast." Suzu's eyes glowed as Yoshida complimented him. They must be leaving for school soon.

"I should have asked you first… but I was too tired to go home." Okita had tidied up the unit after tucking Hijitaka in and getting the patrol car towed away. He also did the marketing and laundry. Now he was cooking pancakes for breakfast. "Ta-da!" Okita emerged from the kitchen with a plate of syrup-smothered pancakes. Hijitaka thanked him with a smile.

"Say, did I do anything stupid last night?" Hijitaka asked. Okita looked at him innocently. "Define stupid." They were sitting at Hijitaka's three-legged low table. Okita's pancakes were too sweet as usual. Okita was wearing one of Hijitaka's shirts. It was two sizes too big. Okita had stocked up his fridge with all the week's necessities apart from beer. Hijitaka will pick that up later with his smokes when Okita leaves for work.

"You drank yourself senseless," Okita replied quietly. "And help me think of a reason why you were frisking me in the bath… Tetsu-kun saw us…" Hijitaka groaned. Okita sighed. He has more worries, like San-nan taking him to task over the car.

"Tetsu, listen to Okita-san. Be polite, Tetsu. Don't run in front of guns, knives or other weapons, Tetsu. Don't get into fights…" Tatsu nagged as their bicycle bounced along. Tetsu clung to his brother tightly.

Tatsu-nii, watch out for that pram! Watch out for that dog! Dontchawatchwherechagoing?! Tetsu prayed silently as they avoided a collision with a dumpster. Tatsu-nii has been very edgy and distracted since yesterday. To Tetsu's relief, they made it to the HQ intact. He immediately fled into the canteen.

"Breakfast?" Ayumu, fondly known as Ayu-nee to her colleagues, asked them sweetly. "Three coffees, two black, a lemon tea and four sandwiches. A bone for the puppy, Ayu-nee." Heisuke replied. "I'm not a puppy!" Tetsu protested. He was sitting with the Comedian Trio.

Ayu-nee returned with the drinks and five sandwiches but with no bone. Shinpachi nudged Sano. The giant stood up and cleared his throat. "Ayu-nee, I got tickets to the movies…" Ayu-nee cocked an eyebrow. Sano swallowed. "Iwannaaskchatobemedate, bemegirlfriend, willchamarryme…please?" He blurted.

Ayu-nee tried to stifle her laughter. She failed. She let out an infectious laugh. The giant flushed red and bolted from the canteen amidst hoots of laughter from his friends. Finally, Ayu-nee caught her breath.

"Nagakura, tell him… I'll see a movie with him, as for the other questions…" Ayu-nee sipped her juice thoughtfully. She glided off to the dispatch room withher breakfast.

"I'd better find Harada-san before we're late for the Crime Prevention Show at the kindergarten," Shinapachi got up.

"Hey, Shinpattsan, ask Souji if we can borrow his partner for the show. We are a little short since Susumu transferred out," Heisuke looked meaningfully at Tetsu. Tetsu felt as if he were being measured for the pot by a big bad wolf.

"Hei-kun, is this…" Shinpachi's protest died as he read Heisuke's lips. Red riding hood. The man took out a fluffy Goldilocks wig from his duffel bag. Tetsu had a very bad feeling.

Click-clack. Okita shifted uncomfortably as vice-chief Yamanami clicked the abacus beads. In this age of computers, the man still insisted on using the abacus. Maybe he knows how the sound got on the offender's nerves. After all, Yamanami has been handling HQ budget matters for a while…

"Car repairs. Damage to the hydrant. Tow fee…Okita, it'll come out of your pay." Okita groaned. Yamanami wiped his glasses. "Rookie a handful?"

"No, sir!"

"Good, but no more tackling-sword-wielding-maniac stunts, understand?" Yamanami wondered if he should put Tetsu on the School Crime Prevention Show later. No, the Trio is scheduled to do that. No sense messing up their plans so late.

Okita exited Yamanami's office to find the Trio waiting. Harada and Toudou had Tetsu between them. "Okita-san, seeing your car is in the garage, can we take Puppy-kun on patrol?" Okita raised an eyebrow. "No trips to New Shimabara?"

"Promise!" Three voices answered in unison. "We're doing the Crime Prevention Show at the preschool!" Lucky you, Okita nodded. Okita-san! How can you leave me with them? Before Tetsu could howl a protest, Heisuke had clapped a hand over his mouth. They carried him bodily out to the waiting Crime Prevention van as if he were a dummy.

Author's notes:

Yoshida & Hijitaka neighbors? Suzu's living with Yoshida. Senbi thot it'd be sweet having Suzu make breakfast for Yoshida (Aww). Peanuts humor in Tatsu's cycling skills. Kept the abacus for San-nan. Another good thing about AU, Ayu-nee's alive & well.

Next, Red Riding Hood vs theBig Bad Wolf. (heehee...)