To this day Narumi would defend that he was, in fact, a heterosexual man. He liked women, women with long hair, nice legs, and plentiful bosoms. He had many women in the past come to his bed, and many leave satisfied. He had been known as a lady killer, a Casanova, the love-em-and-leave-em type even. The man was physically fit, intelligent, had his own business and living space, and if he played his cards right, lots of money (though that last one was debatable). If he wanted to, and had the time, there would likely be many more to come and go. Yet, his mind would point out, he had not had any since that rainy day where he had brought home what he could easily describe as an injured stray cat. And this fact, along with the evidence stacking up against his "heterosexual male" case, was causing him to have something of a mid-life crisis in his office for a good five days.
Days went by and all Narumi could think about was Raidou. While overall he had enjoyed their little outing (he was still refusing to refer to it as a date), he couldn't help but feel unnerved by his apparent motivation, or rather the vagueness of said motivation. He kept telling himself that he just wanted to help, to be the good Samaritan and give Raidou a bit of hope in this dog-eat-dog world. But the more he thought about it, the more that ideal became clouded. Was it so he could be Raidou's friend? Or was the more sinister side of him trying to get something else out of the relationship? Raidou was so innocent, naïve, and very impressionable. It would only take a little bit of a push to get him to...
If he was spiraling before, he was nose-diving into troubled waters now.
He had spent days worrying over this, hardly able to focus on the websites he'd prowl, let alone cases he had taken up. He couldn't very well tail adulterous wives or seedy co-workers when all he could think about was pale blue eyes and plump lips. It was damn near maddening how the boy had managed to go from being a simple person of interest to the subject of an obsession. Perhaps he was going mad; his mind seemed to weigh heavily between two extremes. One side said to embrace this and give Raidou something he likely never had before, while the other side told him it was foul of him to be objectifying an underage boy in such a way. But he couldn't deny the lust was there, and likely something more, but the question was whether or not he'd have the balls to act on it.
No, he repeated to himself, I couldn't do that. The kid hardly knows what friendship is like... If I exploit that, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Narumi found himself at an impasse, the same one he had been stuck on since he drove home alone that night just a few days prior. Allow the relationship to develop into whatever it wanted to be, or cut the boy off, firmly cementing the boundaries of friend and mentor before either of them could get in too deep. Raidou wasn't like any of the women he had dated in the past; he couldn't simply have a couple of flings in the sack and toss him aside. That would hurt Raidou and permanently mar his view of the man and the world around him, and that was the absolute last thing he ever wanted; to bring Raidou pain.
But while the rational bit of his mind told him that was the best plan, the other half, the one he normally listened to in times like these, told him to let it grow and see what came of it. If Raidou didn't learn it from him, he'd learn it from someone else... right? Or perhaps he wouldn't; Gouto had been displeased last time, hadn't he?
Caught in the loop once more, Narumi smacked his forehead into the oak of his desk, groaning in defeat. This was more than just concern for the boy's feelings, it was a god damned morale debate. How much longer would he have to deal with this constant internal conflict, this constant worry that he'd foul everything up and end up hurting Raidou?
It was then his cell phone beeped, a text message from someone he had not heard from in some time... and to this day, wish he hadn't heard from at all.
As one would expect of a military base, Kasumidai had nothing notable in terms of restaurants, unless one enjoyed commissary cafeteria gruel. Narumi continued to mourn this fact as he sat on the small bench in one of the now mostly unmanned Naval bases. Since the second war the base had hardly seen any action outside of aiding allied countries in times of need, thus leaving what was once a major shipyard almost completely decommissioned.
But because of its exclusivity as still being part of government property, not much in the way of business had been allowed to be built there, leaving any sort of civilian manned shop almost entirely limited to tourist traps and souvenir stalls pawning off historical memorabilia. Annoying, really, but then again Narumi wasn't in charge of the zoning, and if he was, and he'd attest to this, the entirety of the base would have been converted to a shopping center or mall of sorts. At least then it'd draw a more desirable crowd, and less foreign military fanatics.
The metal gate blockading him from entering the still very guarded main base sparked to life and slid to one side, allowing passage a of lanky man that was seriously out of uniform for being one of the few employees left in commission in this time of peace. His uniform jacket hung open, exposing his wife-beater tank, his cap a bit crooked atop his buzz-cut head. A mole accented his left cheek just below the eye, rising as he grinned at the visitor waiting. "Oh, good, you're here." A familiar, if not irritatingly so, voice greeted him. "I almost thought you wouldn't come, then again you sounded like you were in high spirits on the phone." The man crossed the threshold of the electronic gate as it began creaking closed behind him. One had to wonder why such a low-key base even had a need for such high security, but that was the price you paid for being a tourist attraction.
Still, friendliness aside, Narumi was not in the mood to see this particular militant, and even less so with the prospect of a job hanging over his head. "Sadakichi, I don't know what you're getting me into, but I'm not keen on the idea of helping out the military." He stated bluntly, rising to his feet and brushing off his slacks. The navy man, Sadakichi, feigned pain while grabbing at his tank top. "Narumi, you wound me! I thought we were pals!"
"Pals don't make their pals take the heat for your botched mission." He spat.
"That was for the sake of my job, and you only got in a bit of trouble for it!" The man defended himself, attempting to wrap an arm around Narumi's shoulders.
The arm got swat away before he got too far. "I got a week's suspension without pain for covering you, which may I mention, you coerced me to do."
"What's in the past is in the past, my friend, and today I need your help again." Sadakichi cut the buddy-buddy act in exchange for a much more sinister expression, the one he used to get his way with just about everyone. Sadakichi, for however much of a kidder he could be when relaxed, was nothing short of terrifying when he got down to business. "It's a matter of security. I'm sure you understand." His eyes darted to the locked gate, and the guard attending it. "Accompany me to the control deck."
It wasn't a request, it was a command. That's one of the many things Narumi disliked about assisting the military in cases; he had no choice but to comply and accept the case, otherwise he'd be met with nothing but not-so-empty threats and coercive acts like the last time he dealt with Sadakichi. Except that time he had a boss above him to bring down the pain, and Sadakichi was the sort to shrug the blame off on someone else if at all possible. Narumi sighed and complied, following the cocky soldier into the base.
The control deck, which was really just a fancy name for the severely dated security room, was stationed at the very bottom floor of the main storage unit, overseeing the entire base's internal monitoring systems. In this case, the majority of said system was old closed-circuit television units, a few DOS-prompt displays for data entry and less strenuous monitoring tasks, and about half a dozen over-caffeinated guards wasting their lives earning a government stipend while observing the activity of the base. Narumi felt for them; they weren't even allowed internet access to keep them entertained. Narumi couldn't think of a more boring gig.
When the two of them entered, the four men who were still awake looked their way, shielding their eyes from the light, save for the two that were asleep at the helm. "Private Miyama, the tape please." One command from Sadakichi when he took that tone was enough to send the entire room's occupants into a whirling mass of frenzied bespeckled basement dwellers. It took two men to dig out the disc Sadakichi requested, and a third to insert it into the one blank screen available. Narumi watched this display with a quirked brow, head cocked to the side. "You want to give me a heads up of what this is about?"
"It's better to just show you." Sadakichi answered bluntly, pressing a few keys to bring up a specific timestamp on the video feed; 03:33:00.
A still-frame was displayed with a marker in the lower right-hand corner reading "Supply Unit 3, north-west corner", the third storage building. The picture consisted entirely of a shot of a corner of the warehouse, crates piled as high as the ceiling, all marked "FRAGILE" in large red print. "Watch what happens..."
Sadakichi hit a key and the timer on the feed began. Nothing moved for a good twenty seconds, save for the swaying of a metal sign hanging from the ceiling. Then, just as the clock marked 33 seconds in, the pile of boxes gave way for seemingly no reason, causing the entire pile to collapse and shatter on the cement floor. Not even ten seconds later did soldiers arrive at the scene, pointing in every which direction as if demanding the other find the culprit who caused the mess. Sadakichi stopped the tape there, pulling away. "What do you make of it?"
Narumi stared at the screen for a long while before shrugging, "I think you've brought the wrong guy to the table. You should be asking the one who stacked the crates past the weight limit."
The officer didn't seem pleased by his suggestion, not a bit. "Nothing in those crates would have surpassed what the bottom crate could hold. Look again." The tape was rewound, this time played slower so it took much longer for each second to pass. This time Narumi focused on the boxes, watching for any signs of wear or stress just before the collapse. But something surprising showed; it wasn't the bottom box that gave first, but boxes two or three high, some that didn't even have weight on them, all splintered at about the same time, but so quick that it was nearly too fast to see even when the tape was slowed. "Rewind that." Narumi commanded, and the poindexter at the controls obeyed. The tape replayed, and it was the same thing each time. The boxes weren't collapsing, they were being blown apart.
"Sadakichi, what was stored in those boxes?" Narumi inquired, taking control of the keyboard and stepping through the tape frame by frame. "Medical supplies, non-perishable food stores... nothing explosive, if that's what you're asking."
"And no one else was in the warehouse or within sniping range?" His next guess.
"Not a soul. The security personal didn't see anyone, and the rest of the footage came back clean. Ah, but..." Sadakichi trailed off, glancing at his subordinates, all of which bowed their heads as if to say "I hear and see nothing, sir!"
"But, what?" Narumi continued, wondering what the man was getting at.
The naval officer walked to one side of the room, pulling down what looked to be a still-frame from the bulletin board on the wall. He handed it over to Narumi, pointing at the time stamp. "What you just saw was the third incident. This picture was taken last night, in our second warehouse at 02:22."
Narumi looked over the photo, noticing right away what Sadakichi was getting at, and why he was called. Just off center of the frame, right in front of a box that had just shattered, was a strange blurred figure. "It was only present in this frame, none others. But I am certain whatever that is has caused all the incidents."
"So you called me."
"You do specialize in "special cases" such as this, right?"
Narumi frowned, looking closer at the frame. It was definitely a demon just judging by the shape and color, but the problem was that he was not equipped to handle something this strong. A prankster poltergeist was about the extent of his demon hunting prowess... everything else was just recon and following trails from things that were supernatural.
The detective shook his head, frowning. "I don't think this is my department."
"Are you saying you can't do it?" All eyes were on him, and Narumi knew he couldn't just walk away. For as much as a hassle it was to take jobs from the military, they usually paid exceedingly well, and he was short on rent... Still, something of this caliber isn't my... wait...
Suddenly Narumi brightened with an idea, a grin crossing his face. "Can I make a phone call?"
Sadakichi gave him something of a quizzical look before nodding, "Step out to do it. But be quick. If you can't do it, I'll have to call in someone-"
"Ah, no no, not necessary!" Narumi quickly interjected, pulling out his cell phone and backing out of the building. "I just have to call my... my consultant! On those sorts of beings!" He laughed nervously as he shut the door, quickly dialing the one person he knew had the ability and knowledge to face something like this head on.
He just hoped he'd answer.
Raidou was on his way home when he received the call, bringing in a few groceries. Upon hearing the little phone go off in his pocket he quickly halted and, through some odd feat of juggling, was able to retrieve the phone from his pocket with both bags now in one arm. He flipped it open with his thumb, a bright smile adorning his lips when he eyed the caller ID. He answered without hesitation. "Narumi-san?"
"Ah, Raidou-chan! Good, you're home. How are you?" Narumi's voice sounded hurried, and a bit too cordial for his usual self... He wasn't alone. This alone brought out the boys curiosity. He tucked the phone against one ear, tilting his head to the side to hold it in place. Carefully balancing the bags in his arms he shifted them to hold the weight properly and continued on his way. "I'm fine. Just getting supplies." Ever polite. It was one thing about the boy Narumi could always count on. "What can I do for you today?"
"It's kind of hard to explain over the phone, but I need your... expertise, so to speak. Could you meet me at the security gate in front of Kasumidai?"
"Kasumidai...The army base at the edge of the city?"
"Yeah, I got a call from an old acquaintance for a case there. It's not exactly something I can handle, but I can't turn these guys down. I'll pay you, of course." As Narumi spoke he sounded increasingly apologetic, as if he was feeling the guilt of dragging the boy into the military's mess. He had mentioned before how dangerous dealings with them could be, especially when it came to a security issue. And yet the summoner seemed willing enough. If it was to do with demons his duty was to investigate. That, and he couldn't deny that he wanted to see the detective again. He agreed easily. "Give me one hour to meet you. I'll change into my uniform and gather my gear."
The relief in Narumi's voice was all too apparent as he spoke. "Thanks, kid. I'll meet you at the security gate at the east side of the Kasumidai. Do you know the way?"
"There's a bus route that drops off close to there."
"Okay, I'll wait for you by the gate. See you soon?"
Raidou couldn't help nor fight the smile that spread over his lips. He didn't know how this man could make him smile like that, but he knew he liked it. "Yes. I'll be there soon." The phone call disconnected after that, Raidou having to juggle his bags and phone as he made his way into his apartment building and to his little home. He had much to do in an hour.
The bus would only go as far as the far corner of the base, for security reasons, he was told. Active or not, there was apparently a lot of top secret information and supplies kept within the many hangar warehouses on the premises. At the East gate was Narumi, smoking a cigarette as he waited for the boy to arrive, so lost in thought that he didn't even hear his footsteps approaching.
"Narumi-san~!" He heard a familiar voice call and looked up. Coming through the gate was Raidou, a delicate smile on his lips... until he was suddenly stopped by a security guard. The man pulled the boy back roughly, effectively stopping him mid-step. "Sorry kid, authorized personnel only." The guard stated, his voice low and gravelly, eyes on the boy's sword. The sight of that seemed to put him on edge, his hand going for his gun. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
The summoner went from happy to serious in a heartbeat, having to fight the urge to push the man away. But no, doing something like that would result in hostility, something he could not afford at this moment. Instead, he decided to try and reason with the man, speaking quietly, firm. "I've been asked here on an important assignment."
"You're in a school uniform." The man countered, still in a defensive stance. "The military doesn't just bring in students. Now I'll ask again; leave, before I have you arrested for trespassing."
The guard got a tap on the shoulder, which put him on edge even more, but he softened when he saw it was Narumi and not some armed criminal. "The kid's with me, Hyuga. He's my consultant."
"Consultant? Big name detective's consult teenagers now?"
Narumi rounded the two of them, standing shoulder to shoulder with Raidou, an arm draped around his neck. "Don't let his appearance fool you; this kid is as sharp as a tack and is the perfect consult for the case!"
His arm finally released, Raidou's eyes flicked briefly toward his mentors before resting back on the soldier's. His face may have been blank, but his eyes were smiling bright. The detective thought that highly of him? It was flattering to hear. The guard relented and returned to the gate, swiping his keycard to open the gate. "Sadakichi has been waiting for you." He stated bluntly. Clearly this guard wasn't all that impressed with his superior's choice of hired help.
Narumi turned to Raidou with a wry grin. "Sorry about that, kid. Let's go."
Easy to forgive and forget, at least when it came to Narumi, Raidou offered a slight smile and followed him inside the active half of the base.
Back at the security deck Sadakichi waited, his face critical, as it always was when it came to business. He spotted Raidou along with Narumi and looked to have the same reaction that the guard had. Before he could criticize the boy, the detective spoke. "Sadakichi, Kuzunoha Raidou, Devil Summoner."
Sadakichi raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "This boy, he's with the Yatagarasu?"
"I am," the boy spoke up, bowing slightly in a show of respect. Some, at least. Not as much as he usually would meeting a new person. He could already tell he didn't like this man much; he was rude and questioned Narumi's judgment. He didn't like that. Not at all. Sadakichi ignore this, or perhaps he didn't notice. The soldier turned on heel and headed back inside. "If that is the case, then I will ask you to review the footage. Has Narumi given you any information?"
"None so far," he replied, the two of them following the soldier. "Good." He retorted, motioning for them to follow. Narumi simply rolled his eyes, leaning in close to whisper into the boy's ear. "Don't mind him. He's miffed that a student is going to solve his problems he can't handle." Their eyes met briefly, Raidou smiled just a touch in understanding, but he said nothing. He'd let this play out and help as best he could.
Inside the crowded and dim control room was Sadakichi alone, the other soldiers dismissed for the time being. The soldier pulled up the video footage, waving Raidou over to have a look. "If what we suspect is true, then this should be your expertise, young man." He stated flatly. Strange that Sadakichi would know of the Yatagarasu, but then again his job was security and intelligence. That, and from what Narumi had learned previously, the military themselves once employed Devil Summoners and even had several among their ranks in secret.
The tape was rewound and played again, showing the same scene as before with the boxes being obliterated. Eyes glued to the screen, Raidou blinked in surprise to what he'd just witnessed. What had he just seen? Whatever it was, it was fast. "Play it again." he requested, moving closer to the screen. Sadakichi hit the rewind button, then another, the word "loop" appearing on the corner of the screen. The same ten of film replayed over and over. "What do you see?"
The boy watched carefully, waiting for the exact moment. Again, the boxes were struck by and unseen force. But wait, there was something... Just a blur but something. "Can you slow the video down?"
Sadakichi did as requested; a few more button taps and the video was running frame by frame, each one taking a few seconds to pass. And that was when he caught something. Just as the boxes were hit there was a small, brownish blur. "Once more. Slower please." The man standing over him arched a thin brow, slowing the tape even further, waiting for more requests. "That!" the boy suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the area on the screen where the disturbance was spotted.
The tape was paused at that exact frame, a figure there for only a fracture of a second before disappearing. But it wasn't just one... there were several on the screen. Narumi had to lean closer to spot them, and even then he couldn't believe his eyes. "What are they?"
"Oberion," The summoner replied rather mechanically, staring straight at the little group. He straightened himself, eyes flicking to the side to look at his friend sideways. "Narumi-san... Can you see?" But when he said this... it was like he'd done a 180. Innocence and child-like curiosity were in his voice, eyes questioning. Narumi squint at the monitor, but try as he might the figures were little more than a fuzzy blur. "Like I'm looking through beer goggles... But that's about it. Why? Is it clear to you?"
The teenager nodded slowly, blue-grey eyes turning back towards the screen once more. "This demon is known as Oberion," he began to explain, finger extended to the glass once more. It drew an invisible circle around what Narumi was seeing, if only somewhat, to point it out. "Low-level but they pack a punch. Playful usual, but by the looks of things they've taken the game too far. And these are..." He trailed off, going quiet as he lost himself in thought.
A voice interrupted his musings, loud and demanding. "Can you or can you not stop them?" Sadakichi was beginning to get edgy, Narumi could tell. Was bringing a summoner in rubbing him the wrong way? "They are destroying military property nightly."
The two turned to face the militant, Raidou dragged from his musings and slightly put off. He kept his manners, however, and nodded once. "They're fast, but not fast enough to outrun a bullet."
"I don't know what bullets you're using..." Sadakichi crossed his arms, looking sour. "But none of our artillery can shoot something we can't see without blasting a hole in the place."
"That's because you can't see them," he replied, sharp as ever. "And you're not using silver."
"Silver is not a viable metal for weaponry. It is too brittle."
"So you say..." The boy muttered, turning back to the screen, flashing the detective a little glance as if to say 'he's all yours'. Narumi took the opportunity and ran with it. "Well, Sadakichi, Raidou here can take care of your little infestation. What say?"
The militant looked less than pleased, but obliged the man all the same. "Fine, then I'll allow him in the facility overnight, but I expect results."
Narumi nodded, throwing a wink at Raidou. "You'll get them, trust me."
Their eyes met briefly, Narumi receiving a tiny, barely there yet kind smile, eyes lighting up. It was true what Gouto had once said; Eyes like a dame. Weapons, truly, but beautiful enough that one able to appreciate them really wouldn't mind all that much. It gave Narumi butterflies without much effort at all. This kid was dangerous in multiple ways.
Before the two could get any more ambiguously lovey-dovey, a keycard was handed to Raidou, and forcefully at that. "This card will allow you in the gate after hours... But just the one." His eyes went to Narumi, making his statement clear. "Find what's destroying our cargo and be rid of it."
Their eyes met, Raidou nodding once, blue-grey orbs shining with resolve as he took the card in hand. He didn't like that he was preforming a mission for this man, but it had been per Narumi's request. So in some round-a-bout way, it was Narumi who gave the order. He could live with that. "Yes sir."
After a short briefing of where the ins and outs of the facility were, as well as a quick tour of how to get to the cargo holds, the men were escorted off the property.
Raidou was to return that night before the gates were closed for curfew at 9 pm. The duo said their goodbyes to Sadakichi, who muttered something about latent homosexuality under his breath as he turned to leave. It took all Narumi had in him not to spin back around and confront the man on it. But in the end he knew it would do him no good... Didn't mean it didn't get the gears turning in his head over the current situation, however. And Raidou, of course, was blissfully unaware of his mentor's warring thoughts and conflicting emotions as they walked down the street away from the base.
There was still much time to kill before Raidou was to report for patrol, and with Gouto still nowhere to be found (presumably left back at base), the two of them were once again alone.
This did little to calm Narumi's nerves, or settle his own thoughts. When he called Raidou for assistance he hadn't taken into consideration that he had to face the source of his worry head-on. As soon as they were alone, his stomach seemed to bunch up into a bundle of jitters. It was damn near infuriating how he was beginning to lose his oh-so esteemed suaveness just from the prospect of being alone with Raidou. He had to remind himself that while Raidou may be a teenager, he was certainly wasn't, and had no real reason to be so balled up about it. Yes, there was that voice that told him the real reason why, but he was refusing to give it any audience in the forefront of his mind.
They walked in silence down the road from the base towards the main part of town, where Narumi knew they could at least kill some time shopping or grabbing a bite to eat. In fact, getting some grub sounded like a fine idea...
"Have you eaten today, Raidou?" The detective began, trying his damnedest to sound sure of himself; proud and confident like he always was... He was having a hard time of it thanks to the whirlwind of thoughts that was his mind at that moment.
And when those pretty, brightly colored eyes were upon his it did even less for his sanity. He could have sworn, with much discomfort, that his heart had skipped a beat. And when the boy spoke- "Just breakfast at six this morning." -it did even less for the turbulent emotions whirling in his cranium.
Green light. "Do you want to get some food before it gets too late? I know a little ramen stand not far from here..." Ramen, less intimate than a tiny café where they'd crowd together at the table, but perhaps that was in their best interest.
Either way, the small smile on the teen's face was worth it. Well worth it. He nodded his agreement happily. With that, the two of them headed down the steadily crowding streets into the main area of Kasumidai.
The ramen shop that Narumi spoke of was nestled just off a busy street corner, sitting in an alley between a convenience store and an office building. One would have to congratulate the owner on his choice of location, as it was in prime territory for many busy white-collars to dine at before heading towards home.
Narumi pulled back the curtain and was given the standard welcome from the chef behind the wooden counter. Strange, there was rarely a place where Narumi wasn't greeted by name. Then again, Kasumidai was a place the detective openly avoided, as Raidou found out from the conversations previous. This also meant the man didn't have a tab there, which was likely a good thing. "Have a seat." He invited Raidou to sit at the bench next to him, plucking a small paper menu from the basket on the table. It was just a more plainly written version of the array that was on the display board behind the chef, but it was easier to see since it wasn't obscured by steam.
A charming little place, and somehow familiar of home, if only in some small measure.
Raidou took comfort in that.
The two got settled on the stools and looked over their menus. Everything here looked wonderful to the teenage boy who had been sorely missing the food from his village since coming to the big city. It was more of a joy than he could properly express with his level of social ineptitude.
Finally, after a rather long deliberation, he made his choice and pointed it out to his friend. Narumi nodded, waving to the old man hunched over the noodle pot. "A bowl of beef ramen, and chicken for this guy." He glanced to Raidou with a small smile as the man hollered back the confirmed order and set to making their meals. It really had been a while since he had seen him. Even if it was only a few days, it felt like much longer. "So how have you been?"
Raidou reached over to a nearby cup of chopsticks, pulling out one for himself and handed another to his companion. "Working, mostly," he replied, breaking the conjoined sticks apart and rubbing off the little splinters before setting them to the side. Narumi followed suit, his eyes transfixed on those slender hands of his. "Let me rephrase that; aside from work, how have you been?" Because of course the boy would default to speaking of his duties over his own well-being.
The tiniest of laughs escaped the boy's lips in the form of a smiling exhale. The grin remained, even when he quieted down and rested his chin on folded hands. "I've been fine. Nothing out of the ordinary, though Gouto has been away giving his report. It's... a little lonely in the apartment without him."
"I would suspect you'd breathe a little easier without your little Jiminy Cricket following you around." Or at least Narumi would. Their eyes met once again, Raidou looking just a touch confused. Clearly he didn't get the reference. "Erm, you know, little creature on your shoulder telling you what's right and wrong?" He gestured to his shoulder as if something small was sitting upon it. "From Pinocchio?" Grey-blue eyes blinked slowly, pale head shaking slowly soon after. Narumi sighed, "You really didn't have a childhood, did you?" He commented morosely.
"I did." Just not the same as his.
Narumi ran his fingers through his hair, sighing softly. "Never mind. So Gouto's been away this whole time? That's surprising." Considering the cat seemed to keep a particularly tight leash on Raidou when he was present. No wonder the boy was so stiff... "He leaves to report twice a month. He says it also builds his confidence in me seeing my progress in his absence." Spoken like a true servant of a higher cause. Narumi forced himself not to roll his eyes. "Well, I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you're helping in a big case like this." Even if he was rather embittered by Sadakichi's reaction to the boy. Here's hoping he'd change his tune once he saw how well Raidou worked.
"He was rude." A sudden statement out of nowhere after a long moment of silence. Raidou wasn't looking at him anymore. He was looking off at the goings on the in the kitchen, seemingly fascinated with the preparation of their food. Strange interest, this boy had.
Narumi snickered at the comment, "Who? Sadakichi?" To hear the boy actually insulting someone was completely out of left field and admittedly hilarious to the detective. "Yeah, he's kind of an ass, but he's not so bad when he gets to know you better. You know, the guilty till proven innocent type." Narumi recalled his first run-in with the soldier; he had been coerced into helping him out of a bind and it nearly cost him his job as a detective in the force right out. It worked out in the end; he was compensated, and given Sadakichi's rank in security, it made his current career choice all the easier when it came to gathering intelligence.
"I see." Raidou let it go, not wanting to overstep his bounds. A hand clapped him on the back. Narumi's, naturally. "Relax, he's not going to hound you for working. He won't even be there." A small twitch and an awkward smile later Raidou loosened up a little, if only for Narumi's sake. "How will this mission work exactly, Narumi-san?"
Narumi folded his arms in front of him, closing his eyes as he thought. "From what I've learned, the creature seems to strike only at a certain time." He pulled out a small pad of paper from his vest pocket, notes scribbled all over the yellowing pages. "First at 2:22 in the morning, and the second at 3:33... So if it's following a pattern, it would come at..." The detective looked to the young summoner, expecting him to know the answer. The boy nodded softly, offering a kind smile towards his mentor. "I'll be skipping school tomorrow, I take it."
"Likely." Narumi winked. "But once that 4:44 timeslot rolls around, the demon rolls in, you take him out, and voila!" He snapped his fingers and waved his hand above his head. "We go home and have ourselves a drink!"
"Sounds too easy..." Raidou muttered, thoughtful. That, and finally seeming interested in voicing his concerns with the man. It was like they had someone jumped another hurdle. "Those Oberion were faster than normal..."
"Hm?" Narumi lowered his arms and stared at his young apprentice. Apprentice? He liked the sound of that. "You've run into them before?"
"Plenty of times. They aren't uncommon. They don't hide well, either."
Narumi rested his chin into his hand, thinking out loud. "How is it that they're able to escape trained snipers then?"
"They can't be caught if they can't be seen in the first place. Those men don't have the training I have..." Oh, that sounded a little boastful, Raidou realized. He lowered his eyes immediately, feeling just a tad guilty. But instead of the negative reaction usually garnered by the egotistical comment, Narumi just clapped him on the back with a chuckle. "And that's precisely why I called you in, kid."
Such praise... The boy feared he'd never get used to it. "Narumi-san..."
"Orders' up!" Suddenly two large bowls of ramen were thrust in front of the patrons, steaming hot and ready to eat. Narumi looked absolutely elated. "Ah, man, this looks good! Way better than the packaged stuff!"
Raidou's eyes lit up with the sight of the traditionally prepared meal and thanked the server with a sweet smile. He took up his chopsticks and was working on the meal before even Narumi could get a word in, slurping loudly to show his appreciation. The detective next to him watched in amazement. For someone so skinny, Raidou could certainly put the food away. Even though the answer was obvious, he had to ask. "Good?"
He took a moment to smile his thanks at the man, as well as a quick nod of affirmation before going back to the bowl of hot broth, meat and noodles like it was his first meal in a week. It was only now that Narumi realized it may have been his first decent one in said given amount of time. Raidou had mentioned before about how he was made to acquire fast food more than the traditional foods he was used to due to his budget. He also remembered the kid mentioning that it made him sick to his stomach.
Suddenly Raidou's enthused devouring made sense. A little pang of pity struck his chest, and Narumi slipped the egg from his bowl into Raidou's. He had plenty of food in his anyhow. The boy paused in his pleasured partaking to look the detective's way, eyes curious, the faintest of blushes on his cheeks. Whether the blush was due to the heat of the ramen or something else entirely, Narumi didn't know, and was trying to convince himself that he didn't want to know.
"Narumi-san..." But as always, his voice broke the awkwardness with its constant stoic sincerity. "You don't have to..."
Narumi waved it off as if it was nothing, accusing the boy with his chopsticks. "Hey, you need the protein. Eat up!" And that was all he would say on the matter, going back to his own bowl. Raidou continued to stare, looking more flattered than confused now. Could it be possible that his blush deepened? After a moment more he simply smiled and nodded his thanks to Narumi, turning back to his meal and continuing to eat, starting with the egg slices he was given.
The two continued to eat their meals in a comfortable silence, Narumi only speaking to order another helping of ramen. He nudged Raidou, asking if he wanted some as well. Raidou politely refused, thankful for the lovely meal. Instead, he sat back and talked with his companion, letting him lead the conversation as always. Narumi was good at that; being social. Something Raidou was not. It was better this way. Less awkward pauses. Though recently the conversation was being steered back towards Raidou more often than not, Narumi apparently trying to get the boy to open up more about himself. It was a rough trail, but the detective seemed determined to break new ground on certain topics.
After a second bowl Narumi paid the owner and bid him farewell, pleasantly full and pleased by the heat in his belly. "Ah, nothing like hot soup to keep you cool on a summer day!"
"Strange how that works, isn't it?" Raidou spoke up, walking beside him as they strolled casually around the district. They had a few more hours before nightfall. All the better to talk more. The sky had begun to cloud over as they ate, now looking ominous and threatening rain as they strolled through the streets of Kasumidai. "What do you want to do until nine?" The detective queried as they walked side by side, shoulders almost touching.
"I'll follow you," Raidou replied, eyes ever sharp as they wandered about, looking at all the new and interesting things this side of the city had to offer.
Fair enough; Narumi took a turn towards a small shopping strip that was lined with little boutiques and souvenir stalls. Typical tourist trap, but it was clearing out now that the weather was beginning to look bad. "How about we check out some of the trinket stalls?" He pointed to one of the vendors selling charms and little bits of jewelry to the passersby. Raidou himself had never had much of an interest in personal items, but the idea of looking around the open air mall with Narumi sounded much more appealing. He smiled warmly, nodding his agreement.
The two spent their time perusing the wares of the many street peddlers appealing to the foreign crowd. But tourist trap or no, they two seemed to be having a good time together. No money was spent, but that didn't mean they didn't have a good time. Occasionally Narumi would stop to take a closer look at the items on display, plucking masks off the rack and trying them on, showing off to Raidou. They almost stopped at the fortune teller, but Narumi knew better than to trust a street level psychic with reading his future. Besides, a couple of teenagers seemed really intent on finding out more about their wedding from the old woman.
It was an interesting sight, the spectacle they were making. Raidou noticed it from the next stall over. The boy was all little cocky smirks, his arm around the female, who was very pretty if not a little overly made up.
Still, their interactions were interesting. Little touches, hands running lightly over hands, shoulders, waists, knees. It confused and intrigued Raidou. Was this how people his age were supposed to act? With lovers, perhaps. He had none to speak of, no one to smile at him like that, wrap their arms around him and enjoy little pointless things with him.
No. He did have that, didn't he? His detective friend did all of that and more. Thinking of it like that, Raidou smiled gently to himself.
Then he saw the two leave, cheerful and bright, merrily swinging their joined hands back and forth. Then the girl stopped briefly, pulling the boy in turn to stop, and bounced up on her toes to kiss his cheek, giggling. The summoner blinked in surprise. Something like that in public... He watched the two leave, curious as ever and contemplative.
"Jealous?" And just as he had seen the couple do just moments ago, an arm was draped around his shoulder, Narumi suddenly just inches from his face. "She's a cutie, but too much make-up. You need a more natural girl, Raidou-chan~!" He sniggered, teasing the pale boy.
Effectively jolted from his musings Raidou twitched, facing Narumi with a shy expression. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed how close the man was. He swallowed, choosing his words as best he could under that gaze. "I'm not interested in the girl..."
"The guy's got funny teeth." Narumi commented, as if Raidou's statement meant he was ogling the boy instead. "I didn't notice..." he said almost passively. So the boy wasn't interested in either of them? What gave?
"Well, don't worry... You'll find someone like that eventually." Then an idea came to him, a bit of a test. "Maybe that person is right under your nose." He winked, once again terribly close to the boy.
Such an idea. Raidou stared up at the taller man, eyes taking on a sort of peace the longer they were gazing at his friend's caramel colored eyes. But once again, his socially retarded mouth had to ruin it. "I can't have someone like that..."
It was Narumi who broke the gaze, his previous theories realized. He shook his head, hand falling from Raidou's shoulder. "Yeah, I get it, Jiminy Cricket says no, right?" Meaning Gouto. Getting a distinct feeling he'd just messed up Raidou sought to at least explain. It would seem that he was far more intuitive than Narumi. "It isn't him. It's a rule of my clan."
The man shrugged, smiling still even though his brain was calling him a dribbling idiot. "Gotta stay true to your cause, I guess. Don't sweat it kid." And even as he said this, something inside his heart sank, like it was slowly and unwillingly giving up the idea of forming anything beyond friendship with Raidou. It was for the best, he would tell himself, but why did he feel suddenly saddened by it at the same time?
This feeling continued as the two began walking again, both so lost in their own thoughts by then that they hardly noticed the oncoming promise of rain.
Raidou himself couldn't shake the feeling that he'd upset the detective, or that he regretted saying anything at all. Because the relationship he'd watched, those two young people smiling and laughing with each other, those touches and interactions... Didn't he want something like that? Didn't he already have something close? Perhaps this was why Gouto wanted Raidou to have as little contact with Narumi as possible. He could see this developing even before he could. Shameful that he'd been so inattentive.
Guided on this train of thought, Raidou was lead back to that couple. They had walked about, holding hands, and had looked so happy. The way they were acting, was he not already acting the same with someone? So should he have been holding hands? Was that what kids his age did with people they were close like that with?
He didn't know, but he wanted to find out. He thought this as their hands suddenly rushed together, his and the detectives. Narumi nearly tripped over his own loafers, his eyes immediately darting for Raidou. Raidou was holding his hand, voluntarily. A choir gathered in the forefront of his mind ready to sing the praises, but was it an accident? Was the crowd freaking him out? Or... "Are you all right, kid?" He asked, his own voice sounding so uncertain it was almost foreign to him.
The two slowed to a stop, Raidou's head turning up to meet his gaze.
The sudden shower of rain pouring down instantly spoiled it.
"Shit!" Narumi cursed, his grip tightening on the boy's hand as he dashed towards the nearest awning, Raidou in tow. It was narrow, barely room for one person, let alone two full grown men. To keep them both dry, Narumi found himself pulling Raidou closer to him, arm around his shoulder, eyes to the sky as the rain fell. "Damn... That came out of nowhere!" He commented, not even seeing what kind of position they were in now.
But Raidou did. Gods, he did. And with the thoughts mulling around in his innocent brain he'd no idea what to make of it. Bodies close, his own lithe frame pressed against the older mans, a strong arm around him, holding him close. He found himself staring up at those caramel colored eyes with intrigue. Was this... Narumi accepting his proposal? Had he gotten ideas from the young couple as well?
Raidou found himself thinking back on them as well in his mental search of what should be done next. She'd kissed him, hadn't she? That girl kissed the boys cheek. Was that what he was meant to do?
His heart pounded with the idea, pouring heated blood to his white cheeks. That must have been what one does when they like a person. He could see no flaw in that logic, and so he followed it. He swallowed a nervous flutter of butterflies and slowly, carefully he raised his body, arching his neck slightly and moving to stand on tip-toes to press those feather-soft plump lips to the detective's cheek.
"I guess we should go-" Narumi turned to face the boy huddled so near him, only to find lips on his, cutting his statement short. Soft, plump, and just a little stiff... Raidou was... warm, close, his eyes closed at first, long lashes against pale cheeks, until he too must've realized what he had done.
His heart stopped for a split second before Narumi stumbled back into the rain, staring at his companion with the back of his hand pressed against his lips. Did the kid seriously just kiss me? Is this... seriously happening? Pulse racing, he stared at the boy as the rain soaked his clothing through, eyes glued to Raidou's shocked expression. But Raidou... He just stood there, his face slowly changing its expression to the man's reaction. At first he was surprised, shy, nervous. But as they continued to stare at each other that innocent light in the boys eyes faded into a shamed embarrassment. Eyes lowered slowly, expression turning solemn. He looked like Narumi had just slapped him, head just slightly lowered almost submissively, bright eyes looking anywhere but at his own.
Raidou had messed up. He knew that now.
A moment of tense silence passed between them, Narumi completely ignoring the fact that he was standing in the warm summer rain in favor of calming his racing mind and heart. The expression his friend wore looked so hurt, yet he knew... somehow, this was for the best. Whatever he was feeling, whatever Raidou thought he was feeling, he couldn't let it go on. This is for the best...
Narumi stepped toward him again, clapping a hand on his shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze. "Let's catch a cab back to base... I'm sure Sadakichi will let you wait in the personnel lounge until it's time." He muttered, avoiding looking directly at the young boy for his own face was flushed red.
That hurt. It hurt a lot. It was like Narumi was dismissing him. But at least he knew his feelings on the matter. He supposed he was just thankful he didn't get yelled at. He replied with only a single nod, letting the man lead him back towards the base, silent for the remainder of their time together.
The cab dropped them at the gate, Raidou climbing out and ready to begin his own preparations for the night ahead. Inside the vehicle, Narumi leaned over the seat next to him, calling out before the boy had a chance to shut the door and end their outing. "Do you want me to stay until you're finished?"
The boy turned back to gaze at Narumi over his shoulder and shook his head softly. Somehow Narumi expected this, "Then... Give me a call when you're done, and I'll come get you." Come get him? But wasn't he upset? Raidou didn't understand, but he thought better than to question it. Instead he offered a nervous smile, almost as if he was asking his forgiveness. Yet Narumi didn't smile in return. Instead he averted his gaze, pulling back into his proper seat. "Then, I'll see you in the morning, kid." Narumi reached for the door and shut it, facing forward, not sparing a single glance for the boy.
The innocent smile was lost, Raidou nodding before turning to walk into the base, looking like he'd been dumped.
He didn't get far after the cab pulled away, a familiar deep voice only he could hear calling from off to his side, the feline it belonged to showing seconds later. "There you are, Raidou." Gouto's voice echoed around him in the rain. "Your note said you'd be at the base, but you weren't here when I-." He paused once he saw Raidou's expression, suddenly concerned. "What's the matter?"
His face went from solemn to stone in and instant when Gouto addressed his demeanor, shaking his head softly. "It's nothing important. Good to have you back again, Gouto."
"...Right. Well, brief me on the details, and we'll get started with the case." Though Gouto knew that something had occurred, and he had a feeling it had something to do with the other party in the cab. Raidou, though he refused to speak of the goings on between himself and the detective or his current emotional state, did fill the cat in on the mission at hand while they walked.
What he didn't see as Narumi ordered the driver to his destination was that Narumi's hand didn't once leave the spot where Raidou sat, feeling the warmth on the seat as he recalled the warmth the boy bestowed upon his lips.
He needed a drink. Or ten.