Mikau: So I have the rest of this story tentatively mapped out, but I don't know when I'll get around to updating it again. I've got so much real life stuff going on that I haven't had time for leisure writing lately. I'm very fond of this story, though, and I really do hope I'll be able to keep working on it eventually. Thanks so much to everyone supporting me and this fic, and a special thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter: Kimmiko T, piggyninja (Haha. I know that Akai truly loved Akemi, but do you really think Amu-chan knows/acknowledges that fact? Remember that the narration is influenced by the thoughts and feelings of the character the perspective is following, and Amuro doesn't have the full story of what went on, only his perception of it.), neonquincy1217, q, EverThePhantom, LittleFan, bourbon (Thanks, but at this point I have my own version of "Amuro" that I'm working with, so "canon" is of little importance to me. I never set out to write Gosho's "Amuro", only my own interpretation, so there's no point in looking for accuracy this far into the process. ^.^; Sorry.), Elizabeth, Bourbon, Rizuki Dhan, and Boogum (times five)!
Disclaimer: If I owned it, I'd have more Organization revelations already. It's been so long, and I don't feel like we've come to understand much more about the Org than what we knew ten or twenty years ago.
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Chapter Six: The Admission and the Jealous Fit
When Amuro reported for work the following afternoon, Misa (who was on second shift) looked incredibly smug.
"You're scaring me," he chuckled teasingly as he turned to put on his apron. "What? Did Kujiro finally propose?"
"There is no 'finally' about it," she snorted, popping a fresh batch of muffins into the oven. "He has his instructions about when and where and how he's supposed to propose. And I've already picked out the ring, and he's gradually paying it off. There's no 'finally', I'll have you know. We're right on schedule, thank you, Amu-chan. No. I'm grinning like a well-fed feline over your love life, not mine."
Amuro paused to give her a skeptical look. "My love life? I wasn't aware of such a thing existing. I'm sorry, Mizutani-san, but I believe you're mistaken."
She rolled her eyes and gave him a solid slap on the back. "Azu-chan told me what you said after Satoko's little fainting spell last night…about how you don't like loose women and how Azusa-chan is precisely your type."
It took every ounce of his self-control to maintain a cool, unaffected countenance as he started preparing a venti caramel macchiato and two tall chai teas for table four. "That's not how I said it, Mizutani-san, and saying it like that really changes the meaning. What I actually said was—"
"—Azu-chan told me what you actually said and how you said it," Misa cut him off, jumping in beside him and making the iced coffee and accompanying three milkshakes for their regulars at table one. "But we both know that the way that I said it just now more accurately reflects how you really feel."
He grumbled under his breath as he reached around her for the whipped cream.
"…Misa-san, I'm not emotionally available at the moment. Please stop," he requested firmly as he turned to place the drinks on the counter so that they could go out.
She rolled her eyes and gave a snort of derision. "Bull—…Winkle," she revised mid-sentence, suddenly aware that she was at work with children at table seven in earshot. "You may think you're 'not emotionally available'," she chided in a mocking tone. "But that doesn't change the fact that you like Azusa-chan. I see the way you look at her. I see the way her smile makes your knees all wobbly. Deny it all you like, Amu-chan, but you have a thing for her, regardless. It's laughably obvious to anyone who sees you together."
Amuro made a mental note to police his emotions more militantly, even when he didn't think anyone was watching. Clearly he'd been careless around Poirot if Misa had picked up on his little crush.
He sighed, going over to check on the muffins just to have something to do besides reply to Misa's accusations.
When he turned back, she was still staring him down, hands on her hips. And even though she was tiny compared to him, she exuded an intimidating amount of composure and control.
Amuro sighed and relinquished, "Fine. She's attractive. She's intelligent. She's intriguing. I'm interested, but I'm not able to be in a relationship right now, and even if I were, I'm not a good fit for her. I'm not a good person, and she deserves better. Go find her a nice beat cop or an EMT or something, okay? Leave me out of your schemes."
Misa smirked triumphantly. "I knew you liked her."
Amuro could sense the teasing that would henceforth occur at every opportunity, and he was beginning to wish that he hadn't said anything. He gave a little humph and started on a pumpkin spice latte for the bookworm at table eight.
Misa leaned on the counter in her typical cleavage-exposing move as she snickered, "And you know, Amu-chan, only truly good men admit that they're lousy scoundrels, and that's proof that you're good enough for Azu-chan."
Amuro wanted to hit his head against the wall. He'd created a monster. He never should have admitted his feelings to that cunning busybody Misa of all people, and now he was going to regret it for months to come.
"But," she continued, taking him by surprise. "I can respect your feelings about not being ready for a relationship at this point and wanting me to find the very best candidate for Azusa-chan's future hubby. I'll lay off the romantic aspect a little, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop throwing you two together," she graciously laid out her plans for him. "Even if you don't want to be all lovey-dovey with her at the moment for whatever reason, that doesn't mean that you two can't be friends, right? Would you want to be friends with her? You two look like you enjoy hanging out, and you seem to have stuff in common."
He shifted uncomfortably. Being around Azusa was probably a bad idea. He needed to get away and meditate under a waterfall or something to get her out of his head…but what if he came back from his retreat, was re-exposed to her, and fell flat on his face for her all over again? What if his feelings only became stronger in his absence? Maybe it would be better to be around her, get used to her, and start to see her as only a friend? If he could inoculate himself to her…
"Look," Misa quietly confided when he didn't respond immediately. "You know as well as I do that Azusa is an amazing person. She's smart, cheerful, friendly, positive, thoughtful… She's a really sweet girl, and she deserves to be happy, but she just hasn't been given the opportunities. People think I don't notice or don't pay attention, but… Azusa didn't go to college, and she doesn't have any social life to speak of outside of the café. I mean, she's sort of maybe got her brother—she's mentioned him once or twice—and we are all here to support her, but…no one here can do much for her because we're pretty much in the same boat."
Misa pursed her lips and looked down at the countertop. "I'm gonna be waiting tables for the rest of my life, and Kuro-chan's probably going be working in some kitchen or another. He might get on at some small company that no one's heard of later on in life when we start having kids, but that's pretty much it for us. I may work on some fashion stuff on the side, but all we'll ever be is working class. That's good enough for us, and I think we'll be pretty happy like that, but Azusa has ambition. She wants to own her own café someday, go into business for herself."
Misa gripped the hem of her apron in frustration as her voice momentarily failed her. "And I can't do anything to help her with that. I don't have any connections. I'm stuck in pretty much the same social sphere as she is, so…I can't do anything for that awesome girl who's been the best friend I've ever had in all twenty-five years of my life. The only thing I can think of is try to set her up with a nice guy who I can depend on to be there for her, support her, and take care of her."
She looked up at him and asserted, "Amu-chan, there's more to you than you'd like people to think. You're not just a wandering barista working odd jobs to get by. I have no idea what's really up with you, but… I know you're scary smart. You know people, you go places. I mean…" She struggled to find the words to express her thoughts. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're more worldly than the rest of us yokels that work here. You can introduce Azusa to your college buddies or maybe some influential people that you worked with on one of your detective jobs. You can talk to her about those huge, kill-a-man sized books she's always reading or politics or what's going on in the world."
Misa sighed as she admitted, "All I can do is talk about boys and fashion, and Azusa-chan needs more than that. She needs to hang out with people more on her own level like you, so don't freak out about whether you like her or you don't or you're emotionally unavailable or whatever. I'm just asking you to be her friend, okay? Because she could really use a friend that actually gets her…and maybe you could too…. So…okay?"
Amuro finally looked at her as she finished. "I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling slightly guilty.
Misa gave a start, blinking rapidly. "What?"
"I'm sorry," he repeated louder, more firmly. "All this time I've taken you for a fickle, vain, bossy woman with only a handful of redeeming qualities, but…you're a truly loyal friend and a better person than I initially gave you credit for. I'm sorry."
Misa groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh, is that all? Don't scare me. I thought you were gonna say you wouldn't be friends with Azu-chan even after I waxed poetic all over you. Geez…. And, for the record, I am fickle, vain, and bossy. It's just that I'm a decent person and a hell as loyal friend on top of that."
"All right," he chuckled, knowing when he had been beat. Misa was too strong willed for him to go up against. "You win, Misa-san. And you're right; being around Azusa-san, making friends, would probably be good for me."
Misa gave a trill of success as she victory danced over to the oven to pull out the mini muffins. All the while she sang, "Misa is the win-ner. She is freakin' awe-some!"
Amuro sighed, shaking his head. Great. Now he'd gone and given her an even bigger ego. There would be no living with her now.
Fortunately, he wasn't afforded much time to reflect on his error, as, just then, Azusa came up to the counter and informed him, "Hey, I need a venti hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, a slice of chocolate mousse cake, and two double chocolate fudge muffins added onto table one when you get a sec."
Amuro felt a touch of diabetes coming on just at the sound of that order. Had Conan and his friends decided it would be fashionable to give themselves cavities?
Misa's ears perked up at Azusa's report, and she turned around with a big grin, standing on her tiptoes to look out at the crowd, searching. "Is Kai-chan here?"
"Yep," Azusa giggled.
Misa eyed her friend skeptically. "Did I hear you say two muffins? He usually only gets one. He didn't bring a date with him today, did he?"
Azusa smiled as she reassure her friend, "No. He's by himself like usual, but he sat down with Conan-kun's group, and when he ordered, Genta-kun got all big-eyed and hungry looking, so Kai-chan ordered an extra muffin to share with the kids."
"What a man," Misa sighed, and then switched gears slightly. "Can I take his order out to him?" she pleaded with big, googly eyes.
Azusa pursed her lips, looking like she wanted to say 'no' but completely lacking the backbone to selfishly deny her friend. Instead of flat out refusing, she reminded, "Misa-chan, you got to last time. Shouldn't it be my turn? …Unless it means that much to you, I mean, but…won't Kujiro-kun get jealous?"
Misa deflated. "I guess you're right. I wouldn't want my Darling to get jealous."
Misa didn't get to mope long for just then one of the regular customers (one of a group of three cops that usually came in on Saturdays during break) called out to Azusa, tearing away Misa's audience.
Still, the little drama queen continued to lament her fate unattended until Amuro interrupted her.
"Who's 'Kai-chan'?" he broke in with a frown as he grabbed the muffins and the cake slice from the case.
Misa turned slowly and sneered, "See the hottie flirting with Conan-kun over at table one?"
Amuro looked and observed said "hottie"…currently poking at Conan's cheek and laughing heartily as the tiny detective blushed and grumbled. The teen was, as Misa said, physically attractive, but Amuro didn't really see what the big deal was.
"Yeah. So?" He waited expectantly as he started on the venti hot chocolate, extra whipped cream.
"That's your competition," Misa announced with an obnoxious chuckle. "The enigmatically attractive, charmingly mysterious, and yet heartwarmingly earnest younger man. Dun, dun, dun!"
He gave her a bland look. "You sound like the back of a dollar store smut novel."
She glared. "I like those."
He wasn't even remotely surprised. "Of course you do. Carry on?"
She cleared her throat and smoothed her apron, arranging herself so that she looked much bigger than her four and a half feet. "Kai-chan is your competition for Azusa-chan's heart."
Amuro continued to look unimpressed. "I thought we were going to stop with the trying to push Azusa-san and me together."
Misa shrugged in a manner that suggested he shouldn't dwell on the little details. "I may have lied," she informed. "I promise to try to tone it down, but…this is just such a great opportunity to make you jealous, and Kai-chan never seems to come in during your shifts, so…"
Amuro's "unimpressed" expression eroded into outright displeasure. "You're trying to make me jealous of a high schooler?"
"Is it working?" Misa asked hopefully, batting her eyes.
He frowned in response.
"Not even a little?" She forced a smile.
Amuro frowned harder. "Mizutani-san, that is a child. I'm nearly thirty; what kind of man would I be if I, for an instant, wasted my time being jealous over a child?"
"A man in love?" she laughed weakly. Her smile was fading fast. "Well, Kai-chan may be young, but he's past puberty, and I'm pretty sure he can figure out how to please a woman, and that's the important part. Besides, I think it's kind of intriguing, a younger man fighting desperately to win the attentions of a more mature woman, so…"
Amuro's expression remained unchanged at her extrapolations.
She frowned, commanding, "Just watch, okay?" Misa gathered Kaito's order and put it on a tray on the counter. "Azu-chan! Order up!"
Grateful for some actual work to do as an excuse to tear herself away from her squad of cop admirers, Azusa sprang into action, taking the tray and mouthing a much-felt "Thank you" to Misa.
"Just don't drop it this time," Misa snickered, reminding her friend of the milk shake spill of not a full week ago.
"Oh, you," Azusa reproved as her cheeks took on a cute, cinnamon tint.
Misa smirked as she and Amuro watched Azusa go over to table one—the booth by the window.
Azusa smiled as she set down the drink and the sweets…smiled mostly at this "Kaito" whelp. And he beamed right back at her, touching her arm as he thanked her and told her how pretty she looked today.
Azusa blushed and shook her head, trying to decline the compliment.
No, Kaito insisted, leaning in and lightly stroking the end of her ponytail. Her hair looked super cute today done up like that. It always looked so silky and soft, but today… He really liked how the pony tail showed off her cute ears.
And before Amuro could really comprehend the words he was reading off of the teen's lips, Azusa was blushing madly, pleased at the attentions, and Kaito was actually touching Azusa's ear!
Kaito pulled a blush pink rose out of nowhere and handed it to Azusa, spoon-feeding her that old line about how the rose's beauty couldn't compare to her own, but…
Furuya Rei had a list. It wasn't a very long list seeing as how people who had formerly been on it were now deceased, but…that Kaito guy was now on the list.
"Jealous now?" Misa snickered. She could have no idea of the dangerous beast she had just unleashed…until she caught a look at his face. "Whoa. Amu-chan, you're gonna scare the customers. Seriously. Calm down. You look like you're gonna kill somebody."
"I am," he let slip softly before he regained his composure enough to add, "calm. I am calm."
"Could have fooled me," Misa muttered with a shiver, thinking that she'd best undo her efforts before they had undesirable consequences for Kai-chan. "But, hey. Look. There's no reason to be jealous. Kai-chan's not serious about Azusa. I was just egging you on before about him being your rival. I mean, Kai-chan's a natural flirt. He really does act like that with everyone, not just her, so there's no need to challenge him to a duel or anything…or whatever you were thinking about with that scary look on your face. Besides, I think he's sworn off women since the girl he loved rejected him. He's practically gay now. In fact, I heard a rumor that Kai-chan's going to be Conan-kun's bride when Conan-kun grows up, so…"
Misa pursed her lips seeing that her assurances were having little effect on improving Amuro's mood. "I'll be right back," she informed, stepping out from behind the counter and going over to where Azusa was still chatting with Kaito and the kids.
Misa lightly rested her hand on Azusa's shoulder and leaned in to whisper something in her ear.
Amuro couldn't tell what it was due to Misa's hair getting in the way of her lips, but whatever she had said, it caused Azusa to blink, whisper a quiet "Oh" of surprise, and head over to table three where her three cop groupies were seated.
Misa next turned to Kaito (who greeted her warmly, enthusiastically, and flirtatiously, giving her much the same treatment as Azusa accepting that the rose Misa received was sunburnt orange instead of pink) and whispered, "See that guy at the counter? He likes Azusa-chan, and my boyfriend told me last night that he's some kind of ninja or something, so you probably shouldn't flirt so much with Azu-chan in front of him, Kai-chan. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Kaito looked up in surprise, and violet eyes met steely grey.
All of the color left Kaito's face as he stared in terrified recognition at Amuro…which was strange because Amuro didn't recognize Kaito. At all.
Still, the teen stared in horror like a mouse just realizing it was caught in the sights of a merciless viper.
Kaito whispered a quick thanks to Misa before placing a shaking hand on top of Conan's next to him. He leaned in so that his lips almost brushed Conan's ear, and in a voice no one else could hope to hear, he hurriedly demanded, "Look at the guy at the counter, but don't let him see you. It's one of them—that Bourbon guy from the train."
Conan looked surprised for a minute before he glanced up at Amuro, chuckled softly in amusement, and waved to the barista.
Amuro frowned but returned the greeting in kind. Just who the hell was this Kaito person to know "them" and "Bourbon"? From the train, he'd said? Yes. This Kaito was definitely on the list…if not to be killed, then to be watched closely.
"What are you doing?!" Kaito hissed to Conan, almost loud enough for Amuro to hear without reading his lips.
Conan just laughed and replied. "That's Amuro Toru. I told you about him, remember? He's a friend."
Kaito looked at the smaller boy in disbelief. "You have a very strange assortment of friends."
"Yeah. Yourself included," Conan sighed, a migraine coming on.
"…I think that's the first time you've actually admitted that you consider me a friend," Kaito hummed, face glowing.
"Is it too late to take it back?" Conan wondered with a grimace.
"Yep," Kaito sang happily. "Before you know it, you'll be accepting my love and asking me to marry you!"
Conan was speechless for a moment before deciding to reply, "You do realize that he's probably reading our lips and thinking you're a weird pedophile, right?"
Now it was Kaito's turn to pause and look displeased. He directed his attention back to Amuro and mouthed, "Just so you know, Mr. Ninja, it's rude to eavesdrop on private conversations, and I'm not actually a pedophile." Kaito pointed to Conan. "This guy may look like a child, but he's got the mind of a forty year-old man. If one of us is a cradle-robber, it's him, not me."
Amuro had to laugh at this despite his intense desire of minutes before to brutally murder the teen. "Don't worry. I know he is," Amuro mouthed back. "And if you would stop putting the moves on Azusa-san, I wouldn't have to eavesdrop."
"Sorry." Kaito bowed humbly in penance. "Wasn't aware she was spoken for. Won't happen again, Sir."
And it was then that Azusa herself bounced up to the counter with a sigh. "Hey." She frowned uncertainly. "Were you…talking to someone?"
"The voices in my head," he informed her. "I've told you before that I'm insane, haven't I?"
She chuckled at this, nose scrunching up in a cute little expression that he wished he could catch on film to replay whenever the whim struck him at a later date.
"You're funny," she laughed, smiling innocently, never guessing that not ten minutes before he'd been plotting murder for her sake.
"I'm glad you think so," he hummed, taking the opportunity to sneak a glance at the ears Kaito had been complimenting before…caressing…
A flash of jealousy welled up within him, and, before he could stop himself, he reached out and skimmed his fingers over her ear.
Her eyes widened, and her face flushed, mouth dropping open slightly.
"S-Sorry," he apologized immediately, averting his eyes and stepping back. "There was a piece of fuzz in your hair. It looks nice, by the way… Your hair, I mean…up like that."
"O-Oh." She gulped, the smile returning as she chuckled nervously. "T-Thank you. Sorry. Thank you…. Um…when were you going on your break? I-I know you just got in not too long ago, but…"
He bit his lip. "Actually…" He made a decision. "I think I'm going to head home. I'm suddenly not feeling well, so I probably shouldn't be around food."
"Oh!" Her eyes widened in concern, and she leaned in closer, touching the back of her palm to his forehead. "You do feel a little warm."
He grimaced, reluctantly pulling back, making a show of taking off his apron. "Do you think you'll be all right here until Yukimura-san comes in in an hour? I'm really sorry to leave you short-staffed during the lunch hour."
"It's fine," she assured. "Please. Take care of yourself. I hope you feel better soon, okay?"
"Thank you." He spared her a smile as he turned to go, but it came out looking bittersweet and oddly conflicted. "Just tell the Master not to bother paying me for today."
He had to get away from her, get her out of his head.
Because this just wasn't working, and someone was going to end up dead over it.