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Chapter 6

(In which Kazuma settles in with his new mentor, but not before breaking van Zieks's nose.)

Kazuma woke the next morning with a plan, or at least enough determination to pass for one. He went straight to the Prosecutor's Office. It was still a good half an hour before most people arrived, and the building was quiet. There was a good chance van Zieks would be here already, though. He'd always had a habit of coming early and staying late, particularly if something was bothering him or they had an active case. Kazuma bet there was something bothering him, alright. The fool had probably been here all night, burying himself in busywork to ignore his thoughts and responsibilities. A coward's way out.

Kazuma had every intention of forcing a confrontation. He would convince van Zieks to change his mind—somehow. Van Zieks was, unfortunately, the most stubborn and unyielding person he'd ever met. Kazuma hadn't come up with anything he was sure would change the man's mind, but he had to at least try.

When he got to their office, the room was dark. Kazuma looked around forlornly. He hadn't even considered that van Zieks might not be here at all.

Everything looked the same as how he'd left it three weeks ago, except for a new crime scene diorama on the table and the conspicuous absence of his own desk. He stared at the empty spot where his low desk and cushion used to be, and something twisted in his chest. It felt somehow more real, seeing that he had already been erased from the office.

Well, he wouldn't be put off so easily. He paced the floor in tight circles, watching the door and waiting for van Zieks to appear.

But it was someone else who appeared in the doorway some twenty or thirty minutes later. He was of medium height and build, with thinning gray hair, warm eyes, and permanent laugh lines carved into his face. Kazuma had only seen him from afar around the office, but he knew who he was.

"Good morning, Mr. Asogi," Norrington said. "Lord van Zieks said I might find you here."

"Did he, now?" Kazuma asked, pressing his lips into a tight line.

"Well, he told me yesterday to check here if you didn't show up in my office. I believe he's on some investigation for his current case."

Kazuma scoffed. "Avoiding me, more like."

So after all that worrying, all that fussing the entire night through, trying to come up with the right thing to say, he wouldn't even get the chance to try. It figured. Van Zieks had been choosing the coward's way out in every aspect of this matter, so why not here too?

Norrington paused, considering Kazuma with a faint frown. "It's my understanding that this transfer was arranged without your consent," he said slowly, carefully. "Lord van Zieks warned that you might be…displeased about it. I do apologize for the rocky beginnings, but I hope we will be able to move past this and have a productive partnership. I look forward to working with you."

Kazuma stared at him for a moment and then took a deep breath. It was van Zieks he was angry at. There wasn't any point snapping at Norrington. And until Kazuma could get this mess sorted out, it would behoove him to stay on Norrington's good side. It was never smart to start off on the wrong foot.

"Right," he said. "Sorry. This whole transfer thing took me by surprise. I only found out yesterday, so… I'm still getting used to the idea."

"Yesterday?" Norrington raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Lord van Zieks always works on his own schedule, I suppose. Would you care to accompany me back to our office? Your things are already there."

Kazuma shot a look at van Zieks's desk, wishing the man might materialize out of thin air. He wanted a chance to talk to van Zieks before embarking on this new and unwelcome chapter of his apprenticeship. If he could just…

But there was nothing for it. He had no idea when van Zieks might return, and Norrington was waiting. Reluctantly, he nodded and followed Norrington out of the office.

Norrington's office was on the opposite side of the building, about as far away from van Zieks's office as it was possible to get. Kazuma thought, somewhat pettily, that perhaps that was half the reason Norrington had been selected as his replacement mentor.

The office was perhaps a little smaller than van Zieks's, decorated a little less ostentatiously. It was less imposing, but it didn't feel like home. Kazuma's desk sat along the far wall, looking so incongruously out of place that he wanted to drag it right back out.

"I could get you a proper desk, if you'd like," Norrington offered.

"No, that won't be necessary. I prefer it this way."

"Lord van Zieks said you would, but I thought I'd ask," Norrington said with an affable smile.

Van Zieks seemed to have a lot to say. It almost seemed like he knew Kazuma too well, accurately predicting his actions and feelings and preferences. They had spent a lot of time together, after all. Enough to learn things about each other. Kazuma knew next to nothing about Norrington, and he didn't want to.

"I see…" Kazuma looked around the room, but he only hated it more with every passing second.

"Well, to start with, the terms of your apprenticeship have not changed," Norrington said. "You still need supervision on investigations and in the courtroom. The only difference is that I will be accompanying you now. We'll get you a case of your own to prosecute soon, but I expect you'll be shadowing a few of my cases first while I assess your ability. Lord van Zieks speaks very highly of you, but as a rule, I'd feel more comfortable seeing it for myself. These first couple of weeks may be more introductory, but I assure you that once you're settled in, you'll be given more leeway. Do you have any questions for me before we start?"

Kazuma regarded him coolly. "Why did Lord van Zieks choose you to replace him? I assume he had a hand in your selection."

Norrington blinked back at him, startled by the change of direction, and then huffed out a small laugh. "His reasons are, as ever, his own. What he told us is that I am less racist than many of our colleagues, so he hoped we'd be able to establish a more equal rapport. That and he hoped my even temperament would lend me enough patience to tolerate your difficult attitude without resorting to tossing you out a window."

Kazuma barked out a short, surprised laugh. "He said that?"

"He did. I'd say I didn't realize he had a sense of humor, but he said it completely straight-faced, so I'm unsure it was meant as a joke."

"I'm sure he was entirely serious," Kazuma said dryly. "Although he does have a sardonic sense of humor if you learn how to read it."

"Well, I never considered him particularly even-tempered or patient either, so I'm not sure how he would have tolerated your attitude if it was as difficult as all that. I haven't heard any rumors of you being thrown through windows."

Kazuma looked away, his amusement fading. "He's not, but he's been very tolerant of me."

He wanted to like Norrington. He almost did. The man's frank good nature and friendly amusement were refreshing. In another life, they might have been great partners. In this one, Kazuma already had a mentor and wasn't looking for another, and he didn't want to like the man replacing him.

He thought of when van Zieks had begun correcting grammatical errors because it would be a shame if people dismissed Kazuma's skill simply because he was a foreigner. And now he'd chosen someone who was supposedly not racist, who would work with Kazuma without prejudiced blinders on. Someone who did not have to overcome his feelings and fight his own prejudices in order to care for a foreign student.

Kazuma wondered if van Zieks realized he had selected a replacement who seemed the total opposite of him, in temperament and worldview and background. Maybe he had picked the kind of mentor he might have been in a different life, if he hadn't spent so long bogged down in darkness and isolation. Kazuma didn't like it.

"I see…" Norrington was watching Kazuma carefully, uncertainly, like he realized he was stepping into a minefield. "I'm actually between cases right now, so perhaps you might like to borrow a book for study? Or look over old case files? I should be assigned another case shortly, but I still have some paperwork to complete. There's some room for you to decide what you want to work on for a day or two until that's sorted."

Lots of self-study now, is it? Kazuma wanted to ask, but that only reminded him of when van Zieks had set up a rigorous self-study regimen while first sorting out his apprenticeship, and that made his throat clog up in a strange way.

"Fine," he said instead. "May I have a file for one of your past cases to review?"

Norrington waved a hand in the direction of a large cabinet. "I keep copies of case files there. You can look through them and see what piques your interest."

Van Zieks would never go for something so unstructured. He would pull files for cases he deemed noteworthy, with problems he thought would challenge Kazuma or highlight skills he needed to work on. Kazuma could look through the other files on his own time, but van Zieks seemed to have a case for every occasion and a knack for retrieving the most interesting or immediately relevant ones. And he would expect a report after. A very thorough report crafted with the same care as if Kazuma was constructing and prosecuting the case himself. The expectations were always clear.

Kazuma sighed and wandered over to the cabinet, perusing the files halfheartedly. If nothing else, he supposed it would be interesting to see a whole new set of cases and how they were handled by a different prosecutor.

He flipped through a few options before selecting one and retreating to his desk. He spread out the witness statements and evidence catalog and began piecing together the case. At least this was familiar, soothing in its normalcy.

The main difference was that Norrington was a talker, often making comments or taking short breaks to try engaging his sullen new apprentice in conversation. Van Zieks almost always worked in stony silence unless they were working together on something. The interruptions, however small and friendly, needled at Kazuma like ants under his skin. He had a new appreciation for van Zieks's irritation at being interrupted.

By the end of the day, Kazuma had finished his report. Perhaps it was not as polished as his usual work, given his preoccupation and low spirits, but he figured it was solid enough to give Norrington a positive first impression. He brought it to the man's desk and asked to be excused for the day.

Norrington riffled through the pages, eyebrows rising minutely. "You're thorough."

"Yes, of course. Lord van Zieks says to always treat each case as if you're prosecuting it yourself and people's lives are at stake. That requires some measure of thoroughness."

"Hm… I suppose that's why he's the best we have. In that case, go ahead. Since you've finished your work for the day, you can be dismissed."

"Thank you."

Kazuma got out of there as fast as he could without looking like he was running away. He went straight to van Zieks's office, but it was still empty. A file had been left lying crooked in the middle of the desk, so van Zieks must have been here at some point.

Kazuma waited a good twenty minutes before conceding defeat. He had the feeling van Zieks was deliberately avoiding the office in the morning and evening when Kazuma was more likely to catch him. Still, he wouldn't be able to escape forever. Tomorrow was another day.

The walk home felt somehow longer than usual, and when he stepped inside his apartment, he stopped right in the doorway. It felt so empty. The past weeks with Iris and Sholmes had been filled with chatter and company, and while it had been a bit overwhelming at times, he found that he missed them. Or maybe it was that he hadn't seen van Zieks either and had instead spent all day with someone he hardly knew, and so had felt lonely and out of sorts from the start.

He turned around and went back to Baker Street instead. He'd been issued a standing invitation to come to dinner any time, and although he hadn't thought to take advantage of it so soon after moving back out, this seemed as good a time as any.

Sholmes opened the door and raised his eyebrows. "Iris, you will not believe who is on our doorstep."

"Is it Kazu?" she called back from inside.

"Thwarted again!" Sholmes groaned, ushering Kazuma inside. "I've trained you too well."

"Sorry, Hurley. It's only that you're so good at deductions that I've picked up some of it from you." Iris beamed at Kazuma and added, "I'm glad you came! I'll set another place for you. How was your first day back?"

Kazuma didn't have much positive to say about his first day back, but at least he could describe Norrington and his new office.

"I suppose it's a fine enough place to stay until I get things sorted out," he finished, sure his description sounded just as lackluster as he felt about it.

"At least he sounds nice," Iris said, but even though she was trying to look on the bright side, her optimism seemed a good deal thinner than usual. "I'm sure you'll get along well if you give him a chance."

Kazuma sniffed and changed the subject. He was sick of talking about the mess van Zieks had created.

They talked instead about some new idea of Iris's for her next Randst installment, and Sholmes proudly presented his newly reacquired violin and dazzled his companions with an impromptu concert. Kazuma took this as a sign that he'd overstayed his welcome, or at least should start thinking about making his escape, so he said goodnight and retreated back to his own apartment. He liked Iris well enough and got along considerably better with Sholmes nowadays, but he wasn't quite ready to forsake the privacy of having his own apartment in order to move in with them like Ryunosuke and Susato had, although the offer had been made casually once or twice.

Tucked away in his cocoon of solitude, lights off and blankets pulled tight around him, Kazuma avoided thinking about what he'd lost by imagining furious and increasingly belligerent confrontations with his former mentor.

In the end, perhaps he was taking the coward's way too.

The next day, Kazuma went back to van Zieks's office first thing. It was still empty. Perhaps just as well, since he was still feeling more spiteful and aggressive than diplomatic. He waited until the official start of the workday and then gave up with a sigh. It would look bad if Norrington had to come fetch him for a second day in a row.

When Kazuma trudged back into his new office, Norrington handed back yesterday's report.

"This is very good work. You have a unique and insightful way of approaching cases. Good job on this."

Kazuma flipped through the pages, brows drawing together. "Where are the corrections?"

The pages were free from all writing but his own, not even a word crossed out or note jotted in the margin. It felt unnatural.

"Corrections?" Norrington asked. "The report is acceptable."

"Lord van Zieks always corrects everything. He doesn't really accept 'acceptable' work. It's supposed to be the best it can be. I don't think I've ever gotten a report back with less than a dozen notes on it. Don't you have any feedback to offer for improvement?"

Norrington leaned back in his chair, regarding Kazuma with a considering air. "I'm surprised he has enough free time to write such thorough notes on work that's already good enough."

"He doesn't," Kazuma said a little defensively, not wanting to give the impression that van Zieks didn't have enough on his plate when he was working constantly. "But he always made time…somehow. He always said he knew I could do better, so he pushed me to keep improving. 'Good enough' isn't always enough."

He'd never thought he might miss those reams of nitpicky corrections, of all things. But for as much as they chafed at him, they had always pushed him to keep going and do better. They had proven, maybe, that van Zieks was committed enough to making Kazuma into the best prosecutor possible that he'd set aside the time and effort to guide him there, even when his apprentice complained to no end about his methods.

Norrington's comment made Kazuma wonder how much time van Zieks had devoted to combing over his work. Van Zieks had always been meticulous and painfully thorough. Not to mention when he'd practically written essays on each point between all the meetings to keep Kazuma in the country, when he'd already been so busy that he hardly had time to breathe. He hadn't even had time to offer much in-person instruction during the day, so he must have put in late nights after Kazuma had gone home. It made the idea that he'd been trying to annoy Kazuma enough to quit seem that much sillier. That was a lot of work to put into some petty prank.

Norrington sighed. "Alright, then. I expect you'll find him a more rigorous and exacting teacher than I am, but we can discuss some points from your work if you'd like. Come sit down. I suppose there's a little room for improvement."

The resulting discussion left Kazuma feeling vaguely unsatisfied. Norrington was too easily satisfied. Too soft, almost. He made valid points and identified weak spots, but as long as Kazuma's work was largely correct, he seemed unbothered by the details. Kazuma's work would win the case, achieve their end goal, and that was enough.

Kazuma wished that was enough for him. It might have been, back when he was still studying to become a defense attorney. But he was too used to van Zieks's constant striving for perfection, the critical examination of even victories to determine what could be done better next time. Van Zieks never expected a perfect performance, but he did expect every performance to be reviewed afterwards to determine what it would have taken to get it there. There were always lessons to be learned for the next case.

Kazuma accepted Norrington's feedback graciously, without any of the snarking or sighing he might have given van Zieks, but he found himself wishing for a more thorough, even scathing evaluation.

"May I take an early lunch today?" he asked afterwards. "I have an errand to run."

Norrington agreed, of course, the way he seemed to agree with everything, and Kazuma made a beeline for the far end of the building. He had the feeling van Zieks might avoid his office during normal lunch hours as well, when he might expect Kazuma to take advantage of his break to force an encounter, but hopefully he'd be there now while everyone was meant to be working.

Kazuma shoved the door open with enough force that it slammed against the wall. Van Zieks startled, head snapping up from whatever paperwork he was reviewing at his desk. Kazuma didn't miss the way his hand instinctively dropped to the hilt of his sword before falling away again.

"There you are," Kazuma said, stalking across the room. "I finally found you."

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" van Zieks asked. "You shouldn't be here."

Up close, he was starting to look worn again, paler than ever with bruised and shadowed eyes. Kazuma worried, for a moment, that he was doing something foolish again, like digging through his brother's possessions in search of impossible things, but then reminded himself that that wasn't why he was here.

"You didn't really think you could avoid me forever, did you?" he asked snidely before taking a deep breath. "You need to fix this."

Van Zieks closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips to his forehead. "It's already fixed. I went to great pains to arrange it."

"Don't be obtuse. You need to undo this whole transfer nonsense."

"You are in no position to make such demands of me. My decision is final. I suggest you settle into your new accommodations."

"You can't just–" Kazuma cut himself off with an effort and took an even deeper breath. Arguing with van Zieks head-on had rarely gotten him anywhere. "Look," he said, striving for calm. "We make a good team. You know we do."

"I don't need a partner, Mr. Asogi. I have always worked alone. And I am confident that you will excel equally well with any other mentor."

"That's not the point. I could work with whoever I wanted, but I want to work with you. You're the only one I want to work with. I'm asking you to fix this. Please."

Kazuma mashed his lips together, surprised and discomfited by his own earnestness. Van Zieks looked equally taken aback, staring at Kazuma as if he'd never seen him before. For a moment, Kazuma dared to hope that the plea would be enough.

Then van Zieks stood and rounded his desk, heading for the door without meeting Kazuma's eyes. "Pray forgive the discourtesy if I cut this meeting short. I'm needed at the Yard for a briefing, and I'm sure you have your own tasks to attend to. Give Lord Norrington a chance. He's had a long and successful career and mentored a number of apprentices. I'm sure he is better suited to teaching than I ever was. This arrangement will not be changing."

Kazuma stared after him as he strode through the doorway and disappeared down the hall. He felt cold and bereft and…angry. Embarrassed. Vulnerable. He had opened his heart, just a little, and laid it bare in the hopes that sentimental honesty might succeed where all else had failed. And van Zieks had walked away.

Kazuma clenched his hands into fists and took off after his one-time mentor at a quick clip, seething anger building and building to a blaze. He caught up to van Zieks halfway down the hall.

"Don't you walk away from me," he snarled. "You could at least have the courtesy to have a proper conversation about it instead of always running and hiding like a coward."

"There is nothing to discuss," van Zieks said coldly, never looking back or slowing his pace. "I am aware of your position on the matter, but the decision is ultimately mine, and I have made it. I suggest you move on."

Kazuma saw red, livid at the curt dismissal, the way his thoughts and preferences had been deemed inconsequential. This was Kazuma's life van Zieks was playing games with, and it made him furious that he'd been denied any say in it.

"Stop walking away," he barked, dodging around van Zieks's side and spinning about to face him head-on.

Van Zieks drew up short, but then shook his head and tried to step around Kazuma. "This conversation is over. You–"

Kazuma drew his arm back and smashed his fist into the other man's nose. Van Zieks reeled back, his hand flying to his face. Blood spattered down the front of his coat, and red spread slowly across the white fabric of his glove. He looked nearly as surprised as Kazuma felt.

Kazuma stood frozen, shocked that he had actually lost control and struck the man. Someone gasped loudly behind him, and it occurred to him that perhaps it had not been his wisest idea to attack someone in a building full of prosecutors as witnesses.

"Better," van Zieks said, low and vicious, recovering himself. "But next time, press your advantage."

"I–"

Van Zieks grabbed Kazuma by the front of his coat and pushed him up against the wall before letting go and leaning in close. Blood streamed from his nose, over his lips and down his chin in rivulets.

"I am responsible for your father's death," he said in Kazuma's ear, so low that no one else would have had a chance to hear. "I will not be responsible for yours as well."

"But that wouldn't be your fault. I knew the risks and–"

"While you are my apprentice, you are my responsibility. It is incumbent on me to ensure your safety and well-being to the best of my ability—and I have done exactly that. Now you are no longer my responsibility, so you may take any grievances to Lord Norrington."

"You also said that you'd mold me into the best prosecutor I could be," Kazuma hissed back. "You promised."

Van Zieks's lips peeled back in a bloodstained snarl. "You can't be any kind of prosecutor at all if you're dead."

Kazuma opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say to that. He felt sick to his stomach, angry and still shocked at himself and hurt. Worst of all, he understood van Zieks's position. He understood, and he hated it.

Van Zieks stepped away, swiping his glove across his mouth. "Goodbye, Mr. Asogi."

He turned on his heel and started off down the hall again. Kazuma stared after him forlornly, all the fight drained out of him. Three or four other people stood farther down the hall, watching wide-eyed as van Zieks stormed out of the building. The rumor mill would be working overtime, speculating on Kazuma's daring and van Zieks's possible retaliation, the nature of their falling-out, the reason why Kazuma had been banished and transferred to another mentor in the first place.

"What have you done?" Norrington growled in a low voice, and Kazuma started in surprise and turned to see his current mentor rushing the last few steps towards him. His normally kindly expression was twisted in furious disapproval as he took Kazuma none too gently by the elbow and steered him back the way he'd come. "Tell me you did not just assault Lord van Zieks in the middle of the office."

Kazuma could not honestly say that, so he said nothing. Besides, his stomach was still churning queasily and his throat was clogged up. The last thing he wanted to do was justify himself to Norrington.

"You cannot go around physically accosting people," Norrington said. "You have to know that. I should hope you would have more self-control than that. You'll be lucky if he doesn't press charges."

"He won't," Kazuma croaked. Van Zieks might be largely inscrutable, but Kazuma knew him well enough to be confident of that.

"But he could. There's no way you could refute it with all those witnesses. And what if you assault someone less forgiving next time? What then? I'm not sure you fully appreciate your position. If you go causing too much trouble, you're at risk of having your study tour revoked. Lord van Zieks has almost single-handedly ensured your privilege of remaining in London. You do not want to risk losing his support. He is not the kind of man you'd like to make your enemy."

Kazuma fixed Norrington with a flat look. The man clearly did not know van Zieks very well at all. Kazuma knew very well that van Zieks would make a dangerous enemy, but with their history, he was very confident that wouldn't happen. At least not the way Norrington might think. Van Zieks had a loud bark and sharp teeth, but he didn't bite without good cause and provocation.

Norrington ushered Kazuma back into their office and closed the door behind them. "I'm sure this goes without saying, but you are not to keep harassing Lord van Zieks. No more 'errands' to bother him. Keep your distance and stay away from him."

Kazuma pressed his lips together tightly and glared at the floor.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Norrington asked. "Dare I ask why you're going on the attack?"

He clearly expected an answer this time.

"I wanted to talk to him about the transfer," Kazuma muttered. "He didn't want to talk to me."

"He didn't want to talk to you," Norrington repeated, exasperated.

"Well, the least he could do is have a proper conversation about it. He owes me some answers."

"Oh, is that all?" Norrington asked with a distinct mix of frustration and something approaching sarcasm. "And did he tell you what you wanted to know?"

Kazuma thought back to that grating note in van Zieks's voice. "I am responsible for your father's death. I will not be responsible for yours as well."

He swallowed hard and said, miserably, "I wish he hadn't."

I broke Lord van Zieks's nose yesterday.

Kazuma stared down at the page blankly, pen hovering in his hand. It was a dramatic opening, to be sure. He'd even started a brand new page, separating it from the rest of the letter he'd been writing in bits and pieces over the past weeks. Bed rest had given him plenty of time to think about what he wanted to write home about, but that letter had been derailed by the events of the past few days.

He went behind my back and transferred my apprenticeship to another prosecutor while I was recovering from my injury, and he's been avoiding me ever since. I tried convincing him to change his mind, but he wouldn't listen and I lost it and punched him right in the middle of the Prosecutor's Office. In other news, I've been banned from seeing him after that, but I'm sure I'll come up with a way to make him see sense. Somehow. He's wildly stubborn when he's put his mind to something.

Kazuma paused, fingers tightening around the pen until he worried it might snap.

I'm furious. I can't believe he did that, after everything. He says it's for 'safety concerns'. Because he feels responsible for my injury. He's always been a fool. I hope to get it fixed somehow.

For now, I'm working with Lord Norrington. He's fine. He's much less abrasive than Lord van Zieks, and I'm sure he's a good enough prosecutor, even if his standards aren't as high. I don't have to rewrite my reports multiple times to satisfy him, at least. I suppose my apprenticeship has just become a good deal easier.

It wouldn't do to have an entire letter about van Zieks and the transfer debacle, even if that was about all that was occupying Kazuma's mind at the moment. Besides, there was no way he could explain how it felt like he'd lost the person who understood him better than any other, who had walked a similar path before him and turned back to guide him a better way when he faltered, who had known his father and understood the messy tangle of emotions evoked by the Professor case on such an intimate level. Even if he wanted to, which he didn't.

Other than that, everything is fine. My wound is healing nicely. It barely even hurts anymore. It feels great to be out of bed and back to normal routines. I'm still visiting with Iris and Mr. Sholmes regularly. I'm not sure how you survived living with them for so long, but I do enjoy their company well enough in small doses. Although they did take good care of me while I was staying with them. I'm even getting on better with Mr. Sholmes. Wagahai's birthday was a few days ago, and we had a party. Iris tried to put a hat on her, but she pulled it off in five seconds flat and shredded it into confetti.

I hope that you're doing well. Have you solved any interesting cases recently? I guess your birthday is coming up too, Ryunosuke. I wish I could be there, but I send all my best wishes. Take care.

Another unsatisfying letter that barely skimmed the surface of everything Kazuma felt and needed to say, but it was something. At least his other half-finished letter was more positive and upbeat, detailing a dozen little interactions since their last communication. Taken together, maybe it would seem like proper correspondence. He glanced over the older missive, but he could hardly stand to look at it. The tone was too bright, too hopeful. Things were too normal. He had talked about van Zieks doctoring the bats, their sparring lessons, dinners with Iris and Sholmes, his first real case and its aftermath, the heartwarming trials and tribulations of bed rest spent at Baker Street. Things had been good then. Even after the attack, he had been optimistic, even if van Zieks's conspicuous absence had irritated him. It was strange how things could change so quickly.

He folded both letters into an envelope before he thought better of it and sent them on their way.

Norrington ushered Kazuma back out of the office almost the second he stepped inside. "We have a case. Let's go take a look at the crime scene."

Detectives were still crawling all over the alley when they arrived, cordoning off the area and taking pictures. The body of a young may lay in a puddle of blood, a bullet hole through his forehead.

Kazuma stared at the body very hard, with the uncomfortable feeling that this might have been him only a few weeks ago.

Norrington took a look around the scene, asked for Kazuma's opinion on what he supposed had happened, and spoke to the detectives in a far friendlier manner than van Zieks would have.

"Right," he said after some ten minutes of investigation and discussion. "We'll be on our way. Please have your findings delivered to the Prosecutor's Office once you've had time to process them."

The detectives gave their agreement, but Kazuma frowned.

"Don't you want to supervise the investigation?" he asked as he trailed after Norrington.

Norrington glanced over, raising his eyebrows. "Whatever for? The Yard is eminently competent. They don't need me to tell them how to do their job."

"Lord van Zieks always supervises. He says the Yard is good at what it does, but it's always better to look for yourself too, in case something is missed. And since prosecutors are responsible for the evidence we use in court, we should keep a close eye on it while it's being collected."

Norrington smiled a little and said, "Lord van Zieks trusts no one but himself, so he goes to great lengths to involve himself in every detail. It's amazing he has time for anything else."

"Considering the corruption uncovered in the Yard and coroner's office, maybe he has the right idea," Kazuma said sharply.

"Peace, Mr. Asogi. It was not a criticism." Norrington hesitated, brows drawing together, and then added, "I understand that you have been taught a different method for these things. And you must understand… I am not Lord van Zieks, and my approach will not always be identical to his. Neither is necessarily superior—they are just different ways of doing things. Everything you said is correct. We have looked at the scene ourselves, and I checked all the evidence being collected so far. We have spoken with the detectives. And now we will let them do their job in peace and review the results.

"I have been prosecuting some three decades longer than Lord van Zieks has, and at the risk of sounding conceited, my work is highly respected. I've known him since he first began here, and he is a brilliant man and attorney. He has always had a sharp eye and clever mind, paired with impeccable diligence and unimpeachable ethics. That said… There are many ways to do a thing, and his is not the only one. You will learn different methods here, and perhaps you will find it easier if you do not compare everything I do to him. You will be disappointed if you are always looking for him in me. Let us build our own partnership, shall we?"

Kazuma pressed his lips together and stared at the ground. Norrington's tone was gentle enough, but he heard the light rebuke. And it was fair. Kazuma probably wouldn't appreciate being compared constantly to someone else either, always found wanting.

He didn't know that he could stop, though. He was sure Norrington was a great prosecutor—van Zieks would not have chosen him otherwise—but Kazuma knew a better one. Anything that didn't measure up to the rigorous standards he'd grown used to felt sloppy and incomplete, even if both strategies might result in a win.

But he supposed that it was the least he could do to try keeping his thoughts to himself more often.

When they made it back to the Prosecutor's Office, Kazuma looked around as they traipsed through the halls, head swiveling as he searched for any sign of his erstwhile mentor.

"I do hope you aren't looking for Lord van Zieks," Norrington said with light disapproval. "I already told you to keep your distance."

Kazuma scowled but tried to keep the irritation out of his voice. "I thought I should at least apologize. That would be the responsible thing to do, right?"

Norrington narrowed his eyes. He was obviously not fooled, but Kazuma was also right.

"If you'd like," he said finally, "you can write a note and I'll deliver it to him. You are correct that you should make amends appropriately with an apology, but I still think it wise to leave him in peace for the time being."

Kazuma had been hoping for something more along the lines of one last visit, but Norrington's usually agreeable features were molded into unyielding lines. He'd take what he could get.

Back in their office, Kazuma agonized over a blank sheet of paper for a few minutes before giving up and just writing what came to mind.

I'm sorry for breaking your nose. You deserved it, but I still shouldn't have done it, at least not in front of so many witnesses. Lord Norrington has forbidden me from seeing you again, so at least you can be happy about that, I suppose. So much for his even temperament. He did look like he wanted to throw me out a window for a moment there.

To be clear, I hope you know that I don't blame you for my injury. Iris says you probably blame yourself, and she's smarter than the rest of us. Obviously smarter than you, because that's a foolish thing to think. It's obviously not your fault.

I do blame you for transferring my apprenticeship, though. It was cowardly, and I'm very angry about it. You can't just make decisions for me without consulting me. I could have told you that I didn't want to go. You're a colossal thorn in my side, but I don't want to work with anyone else. Please consider reinstating my apprenticeship. I promise I won't attack you again if you let me back in the office.

Kazuma did not expect a response to this missive, given how van Zieks had been freezing him out ever since the attack. If van Zieks had his way, the two of them might never speak again.

So he was surprised when Norrington returned from lunch and handed him a scrap of paper folded neatly in half. Kazuma unfolded it with such haste that he tore the corner, revealing a few short lines in van Zieks's neat scrawl.

If I might make a suggestion, I believe Mr. Sholmes is an avid boxer. Now that you are no longer burdened with sword fighting lessons, perhaps you might ask him if he would teach you some of those skills, that you might do more damage next time you face an opponent with only your fists.

Kazuma barked out a quick, surprised laugh.

Norrington turned back to regard him suspiciously. "Dare I ask what is so entertaining?"

"He has advised me to take boxing lessons so I can hit harder next time."

Norrington stared at Kazuma, mouth working soundlessly, and then shook his head. "You two are the oddest pair I've ever met. When I told him you'd written an apology, he looked at me as if I'd lost my mind and asked if I'd held you at sword point. You obviously think very highly of each other, but past that, I don't understand it at all."

Kazuma smiled at that, but a little sadly. He remembered the sparring lesson the day van Zieks had given him the pictures of his father. Van Zieks had advised Kazuma then, after being disarmed and striking his apprentice across the jaw to escape his hold, that he should learn how to use his body to his advantage too, for those times he couldn't rely on his sword. Even now, there was a lesson to be reiterated.

"Pay attention, because this is the most important lesson I will teach you: guard your life jealously, for you have only one. If your choices are to die honorably or live through dishonorable tactics, you choose to live, Mr. Asogi. You live."

Kazuma should have expected that van Zieks would do what it took to ensure his safety, even if it was with the cowardly, dishonorable tactic of sending him away.

When their case went to trial, Kazuma hovered at Norrington's elbow and scanned the crowds packed into the public gallery. Fellow attorneys sometimes sat in on each other's more interesting cases, and van Zieks had brought Kazuma to a few or directed him to go himself as part of his self-study. It was meant to widen Kazuma's perspective by seeing how different prosecutors handled their cases and the tactics used by different defense attorneys, along with showing off diverse situations that might be encountered in different kinds of cases. Kazuma generally preferred the hands-on approach of doing things himself, but he understood the value of broadening his horizons and observing different techniques.

He had not seen or spoken to van Zieks since the tussle with the broken nose and subsequent exchange of notes, and he'd been holding on to the slim hope that the man might show up to observe the trial from afar. Kazuma scanned every face twice, but van Zieks was nowhere to be found. This was not entirely unexpected, but it was still a disappointment.

Then Norrington repeated a question he'd apparently already asked, and Kazuma turned his gaze away from the gallery and focused on the trial.

Norrington's prosecutorial style was quite different from van Zieks's. There were no cutting insults or thrown wine glasses. Frankly, even his objections seemed sedate, without any pounding of fists against the bench. His attitude was downright serene compared to his more belligerent colleague, but he got the job done. His arguments were neat and precise, his logic solid, and his questions cunning enough to lead the defense into a trap before they realized what was happening. Kazuma could admit that he was a very skilled prosecutor in his own right, even if his trials were less interesting to observe.

Their next case was more of the same. Norrington took a laid-back approach to the investigation and trial and still pulled through with a win. Van Zieks still did not attend, and Kazuma hadn't even so much as glimpsed him around the office.

Then, finally, Norrington presented Kazuma with his own case to work on.

"Lord van Zieks negotiated with the Lord Chief Justice to reinstate your courtroom privileges on a more permanent basis while we were discussing your transfer," he confided. "It sounds like your performance in your last trial was highly regarded enough to justify the change, and your recent work has been strong. So let's give it a try."

So perhaps van Zieks's plan to show off Kazuma's skill with a surprisingly complex case had come to fruition after all. At least that was something. Kazuma had been itching to be the acting attorney in court for months now, and he was glad to get another chance.

He presided over the crime scene with a watchful eye, examining every inch of the room and evidence while asking the detectives about the incident.

"Aren't you about ready to head back?" Norrington suggested after some twenty minutes of this.

Kazuma raised his eyebrows. "When Lord van Zieks gave me a case, he let me head the investigation as I saw fit."

Norrington smiled ruefully. "I suppose we'll be in for a long day, then."

Kazuma consented to leave only after the body had been removed and all the evidence carefully cataloged and sent off to the Yard. He set about requesting autopsy reports and evidence catalogs, interviewing witnesses, and creating a detailed diorama of the crime scene with the same single-minded focus he had learned from van Zieks. If Norrington disagreed with an approach or thought too much time was being spent on any one thing, he kept his comments to himself. The only thing he did question was the diorama, but Kazuma was having none of that. He secretly enjoyed building the models, and the visualization aid had come in handy more than once.

"The trick is that once you build out the bones of the scene, you try to arrange the details from memory," Kazuma explained as he glued the walls of the room together. "You arrange them in the way that would make the most logical sense, and then you go back and compare them to the photos. Every once in a while, there's some difference that makes you look closer, because it points out a logical inconsistency in the scene of the crime that you need to find an explanation for. And then, obviously, once you make sure the model matches the real scene, you can use it as an aid to visualize the scene and even make adjustments to see what different possibilities might change."

"I suppose that's Lord van Zieks's method too?"

"Of course. It's not something I would have come up with on my own, honestly. I thought it was a waste of time at first, but they can be quite helpful."

Norrington seemed vaguely amused, but he let Kazuma take over a table for his model without complaint.

Kazuma didn't feel quite the same drive to impress Norrington as he did with van Zieks, but he did want to do the best work he could and give a positive impression of his ability. He constructed his arguments carefully and pushed back when Norrington looked them over and deemed them 'good', pressing for more concrete feedback. By the time they walked into the courtroom, Kazuma had the distinct feeling that Norrington was worn out from dealing with him, although the man was far too nice to say so.

He scanned the public gallery out of habit and then did a double take when he spotted van Zieks on the upper level, standing in the shadows at the edge of the box and leaning against the wall. Kazuma was so surprised to see him that he missed the first call to order.

"Mr. Asogi?" the judge said. "Is the prosecution ready? Your opening statement, if you please."

Kazuma forced himself back to attention. The case was simple enough: an easy win. He kept checking surreptitiously during the defense's cross-examination, and van Zieks was always there, unmoving, arms crossed over his chest and expression impassive.

Kazuma barely waited for the verdict before rushing out of the courtroom. If he was ever to get a chance at catching van Zieks, this was it. Kazuma might be forbidden from hunting him down in his office, but van Zieks had encroached on public territory here and put himself in Kazuma's path. Even Norrington couldn't object if Kazuma just happened to run across the man here.

But van Zieks had vanished into thin air. Kazuma spun in a circle, searching faces as everyone began dispersing, but he was gone.

"You certainly hared off in a hurry," Norrington said, finally catching up. "Is everything alright?"

Unfairly, Kazuma felt a spike of irritation. Norrington wasn't the mentor he wanted to see right now.

"Yes, of course," he said. "Just needed a bit of air."

During their next trial, Kazuma scanned the audience with more hope while Norrington gave his opening statement and presented his arguments, but van Zieks's appearance had apparently been a one-off. He was not there. This put Kazuma in such a bad mood that Norrington sent him home early after the trial, suggesting he take a break and put his head back on straight.

But in their next trial, which Kazuma had been allowed to prosecute, he caught van Zieks watching from the same place as before, tucked unobtrusively against the wall away from where everyone else crowded into their chairs. Then he felt foolish for not realizing sooner. Van Zieks had been conspicuously absent from Norrington's trials…except the ones where Kazuma led the prosecution. Kazuma swallowed hard, and Norrington had to surreptitiously elbow him in the side to call him back to attention.

This time, Kazuma moved with such haste after the conclusion of the trial that he caught the end of van Zieks's cloak fluttering around a corner.

"Lord van Zieks!" he called, jogging after him. "Lord van Zieks!"

He careened around the corner, nearly colliding with van Zieks, who had actually paused and turned back instead of making a run for it.

"Do watch where you're going," van Zieks said. "What is it?"

Kazuma hesitated, unsure of what to do now that he'd finally caught the man. "You came to my trial. And the last one."

"It's a public gallery, Mr. Asogi. I'm within my rights to be there."

"That's not…"

Van Zieks sighed. "Yes. I still have an interest in seeing your progress. You did well today."

Kazuma was surprised he'd admit to any lingering interest. "You don't want to tell me everything I did wrong?"

"That's not my place anymore. You should ask Lord Norrington for his feedback."

Kazuma wrinkled his nose. "As long as I win, he has very little feedback to offer. He doesn't really critique my work the same way you do."

"I'd think you'd appreciate that."

"Well, he's certainly much easier to work with, but I'm only learning half as much."

"Hm. I'd have thought you were feeling smothered under my tutelage, with how much you complained about it. Lord Norrington has a more relaxed approach that I thought you'd find refreshing. He is…more likely to let you have the freedom to handle your cases as you see fit, without getting in your way or undermining your approach."

"But–"

"Mr. Asogi!" Norrington said, trotting around the corner at a quick clip. His eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. "We've already talked about this."

"I've been good," Kazuma said. "I haven't bothered him in weeks. It's a public gallery—he came on his own."

Van Zieks sighed through his nose.

"Be that as it may–" Norrington started.

"It's alright," van Zieks said. "He's not bothering me. Yet."

"That's right," Kazuma agreed. "I was just telling Lord van Zieks how well his nose was healing. Not even crooked at all."

Van Zieks raised his eyebrows. "If it makes you feel any better, it was quite ghastly and I couldn't breathe for a week. But I was able to set the bone properly."

"Oh, that's"—Kazuma caught sight of Norrington's disapproving expression and changed tack—"terrible."

"Is it," said van Zieks, not quite a question.

"Oh, yes," Kazuma said, unable to resist after all. "A crooked nose might have improved your appearance, or at least distracted from the scar."

"Mr. Asogi!" Norrington gasped, scandalized.

Van Zieks exhaled sharply through his nose, a quick huff like suppressed laughter. "Perhaps you're right," he said gravely, his eyes glittering with something dangerously close to amusement. "A missed opportunity."

Norrington looked between the two of them as if they were both completely out of their minds.

"Maybe next time," Kazuma said, smirking. "Mr. Sholmes has been teaching me some boxing tricks."

"Oh, no," Norrington said. "No next time. We've already talked about this."

Van Zieks only nodded. "Good. It's a good skill to have. Congratulations on your victory today. If you'll excuse me."

He turned on his heel and started back down the corridor, and Kazuma's heart seized violently. For just a moment, they'd shared that old, hard-won camaraderie, and now van Zieks was walking away again. The loss of him was wrenching.

"Wait," Kazuma said, taking an aborted step after him. "I–"

Van Zieks turned back, shaking his head almost imperceptibly as his gaze slid past Kazuma's shoulder. Kazuma drew up short. It probably wasn't wise to plead again for a change of mentorship when Norrington was standing right behind him.

"What now?" van Zieks asked with an edge of warning.

"Just… I wanted you to know that I meant it."

Kazuma paused, trying to gather his thoughts, but somehow van Zieks seemed to understand.

"Which part?" he asked dryly. "That you shouldn't have attacked me in front of witnesses or that transferring you was cowardly?"

Norrington heaved a great sigh.

"That it wasn't your fault," Kazuma said. "But that other stuff too."

One corner of van Zieks's mouth curled upwards, more melancholy than cheerful. "I know. You most always mean what you say. It's the only reason I tolerate your insolence. Good day, Mr. Asogi. Lord Norrington."

He turned and strode off down the hall at a brisk pace, cloak billowing behind him. Kazuma stared after him, wanting nothing more than to follow.

"Oddest pair I've ever met," Norrington muttered to himself.

And then he dropped a hand onto Kazuma's shoulder, spun him firmly about, and led him away.