AN: This is extremely abnormal, isn't it? Me updating chapters this fast?
I'll be gone for two weeks, that's why. I'll respond to those lovely reviews when I'm back though. Thank you folks, they really warm my heart up :')

Negaidīts - unexpected, unsuspected, surprising, unforeseen, unlooked for, unrehearsed, undreamt of, unwelcome, accidental (Latvian)

Word count : 1435

Awkward silences usually floated in the air after one of Antonio's stupid comments ; or when Juanma deemed it okay to throw a junkie or a drunkard in the cell for the night ; or when Francis was delivered at the police station for sexual harassment (although those silences were far from being tense and had somehow ended up being far more customary than they really should be) ; or when Alfred decided to go on another five-minute speech about why there should be more heroes like him out there to fight crime. When it involved him, it was usually because he had tripped on nothing and ended sprawled on the ground ; or when he told people that no, he was not a middle schooler and already twenty-three, thank you very much.

It was none of those situations.

The man had come up to the counter and he had asked him what he needed. The other had somewhat smiled, and started to explain that he was receiving threats but didn't worry all that much, that he was just here out of sheer formality and oh, yes, there were probably going to be papers to fill out too and his name was Eduard Von Bock.

And then he had said it.

The silence still hung in the air between them (except for Alfred's chatting that could be heard from one end of the office to the other ; he was talking about something that had happened to Lars and Antonio a few hours prior.), and the young man waved his hands around frantically, desperately trying to find the right words.

"I mean, no, I'm sorry! I am not, I just- Usually people ask me that and don't think I'm a policeman and- Wait, I'm going to get a colleague in a second!" and he stormed off, leaving Eduard dumbfounded and alone.

While he was walking through the corridors, he was deeply wondering where his friend could be. Not near the coffee machine, not with Alfred (as if that would ever happen, he thought), not near the boss's office either...

"Juanma! Juanma!" He looked around. Where was the man? He needed to find someone who looked like a real policeman, with muscles and the uniform, and not someone as undersized as him who had barely started here! "Juanmaaaa!", he... well, for him it was like shouting, but since his usual voice was something hardly distinguishable from a whisper, it came out more like a person talking normally.

"What is it?" Thankfully his friend was used to it.

"There you are! There's someone over there and he wants to complain for a case of threatening letters and I thought it would be better if I asked a real policeman to help him out, and, uh... yes..." He was silent. On the other hand, people already didn't believe him when he told them he was full-grown, and work at the police on top of it? Never. It was a lot easier for him to write reports when others were too lazy for it or go get coffee cups for everyone, or even run from one end of the office to the other to photocopy something...

A large hand patted his head. "You don't need to worry, Raivis. Those who don't acknowledge you for who you are are idiots. What did you tell him?"

"What? N-nothing..."

Juanma's laugh was loud and clear. "Don't kid me, Raivis. When you look like that it's because you said something you don't want others to know!"

Raivis looked down, and inaudibly murmured something. The Cuban raised an eyebrow at that.

"You told him you were in middle school...?"

"No, no! It's just that- I mean- Usually they think I am and when he said 'You're from the police?' I- I just- I answered the opposite, and... and now he probably thinks so." he lamely finished.

Juanma sighed. "Okay, I get it. Come with me, at least clear that little misunderstanding away, then."

"What? No-"

"Raivis."

"O-okay!"

Juanma patted his head again. "There's nothing to be afraid of." he said, and it was true. Out of all the people working here, Juanma was the only one Raivis could ever consider a friend. He followed him as he went back to where the other man was staying, almost hiding behind the large stature of the Cuban.

"Good evening, sir. My friend here," he nudged him so he would go away from the place he was currently hiding next to, "told me you were receiving threatening letters?"

"This is correct. I don't believe in them, though, but I thought maybe there is a serial prank player, and you might need every clue you can get. Anyway, I just finished my work, and the police station is on the way to my house, so I stopped by and thought it would be best to inform you."

"You did well, mister. May I ask for a few personal data of yours?"

"Go ahead."

Juanma went away ; in the meantime, the disappearance of his large body had caused Raivis to be visible again, and Eduard had smiled at him. He really would have to say that he worked here. Damn slips of tongue. And why was he so nervous about telling him? "You would have to fill in this paper here." the Cuban said when he came back, laying the blank form in front of the man and handing him a pen. "There's your name, a phone number where we can join you..." Juanma kept on talking, and Eduard listened to every word, but Raivis didn't. Who was that man? He somehow had the feeling he should know him. He also had the feeling he should get to know him, strangely. He felt his cheeks heat up. What was he thinking? That man was here, Juanma was currently taking care of him, and he could just do the same things he always did. He'd just have to go around to ask if anybody wanted coffee, and everything would be back to normal. So he did.

But he never forgot about Eduard.

(- -)

About one hour later, Raivis couldn't stand it anymore. He was not the kind of person to get attached to anyone or anything so quickly, but more the loner who would just watch everyone and analyze them. He'd gotten very good at it over all the years of his chronic loneliness. Not being able to forget about that man drove him insane, and he couldn't even tell why. It was not like there was any chance to ever see him again.

But since when did a human being accept his fate? Well, most of them would, but Raivis had a strange relationship with life, and with his in particular, so he usually decided on things against his instincts, as they had often mislead him.

"Say, Juanma..." he trailed off, words already heavy and his throat dry. He had forgotten to plan what he wanted to say!

"Yes?" the man turned around, his dark eyes directed towards his own small silhouette, his shaking hands, his lowered head. The older of the two raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Actually, nothing! I- It's okay, I didn't-" A weight was suddenly on his head, and he didn't even need to look up to know what it was.

"Listen, Raivis. If there is something you want, say it. I can only guess." Why was it that he got along so well with people who just screamed 'I have confidence issues!'? "You don't have to be scared of what others will think of you. If you only have that one thing in mind, you'll never dare anything." he removed his hand. "Now. What is it?"

Raivis stared at the ground. When he had been thinking about asking, it seemed so much more simple...! But he knew Juanma, he wouldn't let him get away with that.

"That man, earlier..." Oh God, what was he saying? "What... What was his name?"

"I believe it was Van Back, or something... Wait a moment." He walked towards his desk, where reports and documents were piling up, took the first of the stack, looked. "Actually, it's Von Bock. Eduard is his first name. He's a lawyer." he looked up. "You need anything else?"

"No, it's okay. Thank you!" but before he could turn around, Juanma had his hand on his shoulder.

"You don't look that okay to me." he shook him a bit. "Come on, if you don't tell me, who will you?"

Raivis smiled shyly. It was nice, to have a friend.

Juan Manuel 'Juanma' Savón [25] : Policeman, who works, just like Raivis, at the uniformed police (if that's what you call them).

Raivis Galante [23] Also policeman, he is the one who does all the annoying work, and has hard self-confidence issues.

AN: You'll know about Eduard later :)
Also, Cuba/Latvia, crackshipping much? But I won't settle for this one, they're just friends :3