Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Did you know that Luxembourg is the country with the highest minimum wage in the world?” Seigi asked while pouring the usual royal milk tea through a strainer so as to get rid of the tea leaves.
Behind him, Richard was looking through the contents of the shop’s very own pastry. He’d occasionally state which sweets needed restocking or which cakes Seigi needn’t buy a second time.

“They pay their workers roughly 1300 yen an hour. Isn’t that a lot if you compare it to Japan?”

The average wage Japanese people were paid was set at somewhere between 800 and 900 yen, something Seigi had never thought to complain about. Then again, if he thought about it, they had learned at university that Japan’s living costs were considered to be among the highest in the world. So, come to think of it, why didn’t Japanese workers earn more money?
Richard remained silent for a bit. He didn’t even offer a plain “I see”. Instead, the only sound coming from behind Seigi was a bit more of a rustling of plastic and boxes, before Richard closed the cupboard’s doors.

“What message are you tying to convey here? Would you like to ask me for a pay raise?”
Seigi nearly dropped the cups he was holding. “Wha-...No! Of course not! You’re already paying me much more than other part-timers my age make.”
Richard raised a brow at Seigi’s swift movement, taking one of the cups from him. “So? What would you like to tell me?”
“Don’t read so much into everything,” Seigi replied, following Richard into the main room. “I just read it in a textbook of mine and thought it was interesting. I mean, Luxembourg is this really tiny country next to Germany, right? I was surprised, that’s all.”
Richard hummed. “Sometimes I wonder whom of the two of us is supposed to be the foreigner,” he mumbled, while he sat down on one of the armchairs facing the front door.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Aren’t Japanese people supposed to be considerate? I was taught that Japanese is a very indirect language, which holds so many layers of meaning and nuance that you can never be too careful, never think too much about a statement made by a native.”
Seigi thought about this for a moment. Was that the image most foreigners bore in mind when thinking of Japanese people? Considerate was one way to put it, sure, but Seigi thought of it more as an “Don’t jump the gun”-sort of mentality.

He laughed. “Ah, maybe I am just a genetic defect.”

Seigi jumped when he heard the sound of a tea cup being put down roughly, the saucer clinking dangerously.

Richard eyes held a dark, almost stormy and intense look. Was he...angry?

“Please don’t say something so hurtful and imprudent. I have never been implying anything the like.”
“I didn’t mean that!” Seigi put up his hands, trying to fight off whatever anger he could. “I was just making a joke really. Because you said Japanese people are all so thoughtful about what they say and, I figured I wasn’t. Not actively thoughtful, anyway.”

“That does not make you a genetic defect, Seigi.”

He felt his shoulders drop. “No, I know. I’m sorry. That joke probably wasn’t funny.”

Richard sighed. His gaze grazed over the bookshelf standing next to the front door.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was stopped by the ringing of the intercom.

“I will postpone this literary lecture. Would you please fetch a second cup of tea?”
Richard closed the button of his suit jacket, getting up to stride over to the door. Seigi just nodded, his feet taking him back into the kitchen without much of his own doing.

Literary lecture? Had Richard been planning on hitting him across the head with a book?

There was a weird scratching sound coming from the main room. Then the sound of something remotely heavy hitting the carpet.

“Seigi!” Richard’s voice sounded calm and composed, but alarmed nonetheless.

Seigi stopped pouring the tea, rushing back into the main room.

What he came to face was a female customer in Richard’s arms. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, her weight was massively supported by Richard, who looked a little concerned. He was furrowing his brows, reaching out to take the small purse the woman was carrying. But Seigi was faster.

“What happened?” Seigi asked, grabbing the bag.

“She collapsed shortly after entering. Would you please hand me a bag of ice?”

“I...I’m all right.” The trembling voice of their customer was difficult to understand. She tried to stand back up, stumbled a bit, but managed to sit down on one of the red armchairs.

Her bangs stuck to her forehead, glued to it because of cold sweat. She was heaving.

“I just...came running all this way. I tried to arrange an earlier meeting and I am aware I was pushy about it, but, please…”
Seigi caught a glimpse at a small box lying on the carpet. This was probably what had caused that dull sound before. He bent down to pick it up, holding it out to their customer.

“Is this yours, ah,…?”

The woman lifted her tired eyes. “Hori,” she smiled, “Hori Saeko. And, yes. Actually, that jewel inside the box is a part of why I came here.”
Richard made as if to reach for the box, before stopping to ask their customer for permission. Saeko nodded.
While Richard sat down in the armchair opposite Saeko, Seigi went to get the teacup he had left in the kitchen. Perhaps royal milk tea wasn’t the best drink to serve when somebody just fainted. They didn’t have any bottled water left, at least Seigi hadn’t bought any.

He opened the fridge, just to make sure. As it turned out, he would have to opt for tap water instead.

So he filled a tall glass, placed it on the same tray as the royal milk tea and shuffled back over to the fridge to get one of the leftover fruit sandwiches he had bought at the convenience store this morning.

When he retreated back into the main room, Saeko was still so utterly pale that he seriously considered calling an ambulance. Surely this could not be healthy?
Richard did not appear as concerned by their customer’s state. He was totally invested in whatever jewel that small box had been holding, already having put on his Jeweler Richard Ranashinha de Vulpian-face.

“I am afraid this pearl is...”
“Fake. Yes.” Saeko’s voice sounded dreadfully chilly. “If you’d allow me to explain. I can give you the entire story to that pearl.”
As soon as Seigi placed the glass of water in front of their customer, Saeko grabbed it, producing a small vial from her purse. Seigi wasn’t entirely sure what was inside it. It looked like some sort of medicine, then again, did medicine stink like that?

She swallowed the weird, greenish mixture, downing it with a gulp of water, before she cast a look at Richard.

“Please, go ahead,” he said, motioning for Saeko to begin.

Seigi, sensing this was going to be a longer story, took a seat next to Richard, listening to what their customer had to say.

It had been a humid summer day in Kyoto. Hori Saeko lived relatively close to the district of Gion.

After finishing her studies at Kyoto University in spring, she had decided to get a small apartment in Gion, while preparing for her job hunting activities.

Seeing as she had majored in physics, she was aiming for employment in a research facility, hopefully one which would provide her the ability to communicate with scientists from all over the world, allowing her to make use of the English skills she had acquired in self-study.

The day Saeko met the man who called himself Uchida Taro had started off fairly normal. That was to say, Saeko had overslept and had almost missed the train, causing her to barely make it to her first job interview that day.

The interviewers had been nice, assuring her she would receive some feedback from them as soon as possible.

On her way home, Saeko had decided to get some bread at a nearby pastry. Perhaps, in retrospect, she would have been better off not wasting time talking to the owner whom she knew because his grandson was a friend of hers. But she did.

And so she had walked home at around three.

She met Uchida Taro at the station.

“I am sure you have a jewel worth appraising! Isn’t that right, lady?” It had been the first thing he had said to her.

It had been enough to doom her.

Saeko might have hesitated, but she stopped and talked to him nonetheless. She told him about this pearl she had been gifted by her father. She didn’t know much about it, only that – according to him – it was quite valuable.

The man had looked interested, telling her to come see him. And so she had.

She had scheduled an appointment for the next morning, listening to everything the alleged jeweler had to tell her. Everything about different kinds of pearls and gemstone names she had never heard in her entire life.

It had all been very fascinating. Still, that weird gleam in Uchida Taro’s eyes should have warned her of what she was dealing with.

“The appraisal will cost about a hundred thousand yen.”
Perhaps she had been blind, or foolish. But she was doing financially well. And if this pearl was really as valuable as her dad had said, then she could just sell it and the hundred thousand yen would be a thing of the past.

So she had paid for the appraisal. The man told her it would take a week to get the results. A week until she could get her pearl back.

But then she never did.

Seigi swallowed. A weird atmosphere had spread within the main room of the shop, the sound of the old grandfather clock ripping through the heavy silence which had formed after Saeko finished her story.

“So as you went to retrieve your pearl, you were handed back this counterfeit?” Richard concluded.

Saeko nodded. If Seigi didn’t know better, he would say she had gotten even paler than before. “Of course, at that time, I didn’t know it was fake. I thought it was the same pearl I had handed him for appraisal. I only found out when I had a friend of mine look at it.”

She produced a red envelope from her purse, handing it over to Richard. “According to this document, my pearl is almost worth nothing. But surely that cannot be the case. If it were not worth anything, why would they steal it?”
While Richard took the envelope from her and had a look at its contents, Seigi tried asking a rather direct question, “Are you really sure they intended to steal it? What if it was just some sort of mix-up?”
“Seigi.” Richard’s voice had its usual I am chiding you because you keep saying indelicate stuff-tone to it.
When Seigi turned to look at him, however, his eyes were still fixed to the appraisal report.
“This is also a fake,” he concluded, as he handed the letter back to their customer. “There is no such institution in Japan. And if there is, I have not yet heard of it.”
Saeko nodded. “I feared so.”

Another heavy silence was about to form, so Seigi intervened before they could be overcome by that stifling atmosphere from earlier. “Why did you come to this shop? Surely there must be something you wanted to talk to Richard about.”
A few seconds passed, before Saeko lifted her gaze to look at Richard directly. “Uchida Taro is a member of a mafia gang which deals in jewels.”
If Richard was surprised, his face didn’t show. “Is that so?”
Saeko nodded. “I read it in the news yesterday. There have been countless cases of these kind of frauds in Kyoto. Even in Osaka. Most of them were in some way related to jewels. They could arrest one of the alleged jewelers last month, but he wouldn’t talk. I am fairly certain that man who called himself Uchida Taro is a member of the same organization.”
“Have you ever heard of them?” Seigi asked Richard.

Richard sighed. “I have heard of a bunch of alleged jewelers in the Kansai area. And I have heard of frauds using jewels as items of interest, but I have not heard of this specific group, I’m afraid.”

Upon hearing this, Saeko hung her head low. Her shoulders dropped.

“I see...So there really is no way of having it returned, huh?”

While Saeko collected her things and made her way out of the shop, Seigi found himself thinking that this was probably one of the saddest faces he had ever seen on one of their customers after they’d talked to them.

“I feel so bad for her. She came all the way to Tokyo and we couldn’t even help her.”
Seigi started carrying the used cups, glasses and plates to the kitchen. Richard’s voice held him back.

“I might have told a lie.”
“Huh?”
He turned around to face Richard, who was still sitting. It seemed like he was looking up something online, his gaze fixed on his phone’s display.
“I am afraid I know too much about this jeweler mafia.”

Chapter Text

Seigi nearly dropped the tray he’d been carrying. “You do?” He forced himself to calm his voice. “So...you do. You knew and yet you pretended you didn’t?”

“I did tell her I had heard of the events in Kansai,” Richard replied. To Seigi, it sounded a lot like he was trying to justify his previous actions. And perhaps he should.

It was so unlike Richard to not pounce at the opportunity to help a customer with their problem. He hadn’t seen too keen on helping Saeko out of her dilemma.

He had shown remote interest in the pearl, but not so much in their customer’s accusations regarding the jeweler mafia. Wasn’t that a serious issue?
Seigi was surprised when Richard nearly shoved his phone in his face.

“I had some colleagues tell me about this supposed Uchida Taro. He has appeared using various names, none of them related other than sharing one common Kanji. Last week, a jeweler appeared in Akihabara whose name features the same Kanji.”
Seigi furrowed his brows. “What Kanji?”
“The same Kanji used in your last name. The character for rice field.”
“Ah...” Seigi swallowed. That really was the same Kanji included in his last name. He knew he had nothing to do with this, of course he did, but hearing this still left a sour taste in his mouth.

“So, where is that man now?” Seigi asked.

Richard retrieved his phone, looking down at it. “ Seigi. Say, would you be interested in attending a party?”
“Hey, don’t change the subject!”
“I’m not.” Richard locked his phone and placed it on the low glass table. As he gazed out the window, Seigi found himself thinking that he looked strangely at ease. There was a weird tranquility to Richard’s features.
The calm before the storm was the best way to phrase it perhaps.

“If this organization Hori Saeko-sama told us about is the same one me and some colleagues have been keeping an eye on, then they will hold a party on the outskirts of Tokyo. It is being advertised as a major event, a chance to mingle with people working in the same domain. They do not hold a guest list, however, they did send out some invitations to guests they might deem appropriate.”
Seigi sat down on the armchair opposite Richard. But Richard did not look at him.

“Why should they invite a real jeweler? Isn’t that just going to cause trouble for them?”
This time, Richard did look at him. His grin was almost...cheeky.

“But I suppose Edward Baxter has some rather beneficial assets they would like to make use of.”

“You...You’re going to go there pretending you’re Edward Baxter?”
Richard’s grin only grew. Crossing his legs, he held a hand out, almost as if he wanted Seigi to take it.

“No, but I’m afraid you are.”

Seigi was happy he could not see the color drain from his face.

*

The party was scheduled for the following Monday. The date had alm ost clashed with Seigi’s university schedule and he felt a dreadful sense of foreboding overcome him that very evening when he looked at himself in the mirror.

He didn’t own a suit. That was to say, he had once borrowed a suit for his university’s entrance ceremony, but he’d returned it soon after, having realized he found himself rather unattractive in such formal attire. And he felt extremely uncomfortable in such confining clothing, which was something he had to realize yet again.

This time, he wore a suit Richard had lent him. It did not help ease Seigi’s anxiety when he had looked at the suit’s label and had then looked up the price of that very suit online.

Shortly after he had done so, he had texted Richard, saying he could NOT possibly wear something worth his annual salary to a party.

Richard hadn’t replied.

So here he was. Dressed in a white dress shirt and a navy suit, fidgeting to properly knot his dark gray tie. Seigi didn’t really know what to do with his hair, so he had simply combed it, trying to gel back some stray strands of hair.

H e had placed his phone on his night stand and kept casting nervous glances its way, hoping the display would soon light up with a text from Richard. Seigi was desperately hoping for a message which said something like

This was a bad idea after all. Let’s call this off.

But nothing came. Not that Seigi had actually expected Richard to realize that this was a stupid idea. He’d spent the bigger amount of his work yesterday trying to convince Richard that this was way too dangerous.

“This isn’t some business like that shop which sold the fake turquoises. This is some real mafia stuff, Richard!” he’d said. “You can’t just walk in there, play your ‘I am an innocent foreigner, I don’t know nothing’-card and expect them to let it go like that!”

“Seigi. I appreciate your concern, but in case this is your telling me you would rather not accompany me, you can just say so.”
Seigi had huffed. And, at a loss of what else to say he’d muttered, “If you’re gonna get killed, at least I’ll be by your side to whisper ‘I told you so’.”
In retrospect, he wasn’t really sure why he hadn’t just told Richard to call the police. Or why he hadn’t just informed the police himself.

He knew the time and place of the party, it would have been easy to let that information slide. He could have phoned the police yesterday evening. Richard wouldn’t have needed to know.

Of course he hadn’t. And now he was going to regret this.

He sighed, disregarding his unfinished tie knot and leaving the tie dangling around his neck. Apparently he would have to ask Richard for his help later on.

If he didn’t catch the next train, he was going to be late for their meet-up.

Making sure he had everything he needed (which amounted to the invitation letter and the fake identity card Richard had given him yesterday, of which he’d prefer not to know how Richard had gotten it), he locked the door and made his way to the station.

*

Richard had asked Seigi to come meet him at his place. Seigi had been to Richard’s apartment before, still, it felt weird to be here. Especially since he came here without much of a purpose.

Richard had merely said that he wanted to drive to the party’ s location together with Seigi. He hadn’t given any other explanation.

So here Seigi was. Their appointed time had been 8:17, he was three minutes late.

Sighing, he rung the door bell. But almost in the same instant, the door was opened.

“You’re late.”
“I kno-...Huh?”
That voice had been unmistakably Richard’s voice. After all, Seigi had listened to that very voice countless times, spending his weekends listening to the beautiful store owner telling stories of faraway places and glittering jewels.

He was used to that voice. He knew that voice by heart. So why wasn’t the person standing in front of him Richard?
“I-I’m sorry, I think I might have gotten the wrong address...”
Standing in front of him was a striking young woman. She appeared to be around Seigi’s age, despite towering a good few centimeters over him. Her curly blond hair was done up, decorated with glittering beads, and it looked just as familiar as her piercing, but not unfriendly blue eyes.

S he wore a white dress, sparkling just as much as her up-do and embracing her like a second skin.

For a second, Seigi was certain he had forgotten how to speak. Then he noticed that he wasn’t breathing and that he probably should do something about it.

“Stop acting so foolish, Seigi. You surely are at the right place.”

Forget breathing. He’d just choke.

“R-Richard?” he croaked.

The woman – no , this really was Richard – stepped outside the apartment, pulling the front door close.

“Who else did you think I was?”

The moonlight cast an almost ethereal light on Richard. It was almost as if it got caught in the countless of jewels, beads and zirconia adorning him, reflecting off of him in colorful beams.

It was a dream-like sight to behold.

“B-But...I thought for sure you were a woman just now! How dare you fool me like this, what are you getting at??”
“I will explain everything to you given the time. Now we should hurry. After all, you were the one who missed the appointed time.”
Seigi gaped at Richard walking away from him. “I was only three minutes late!”
“Seigi.”

Seigi followed Richard to a close parking lot. The green Jaguar stood out from all the silver, white, dark blue and black cars which were probably a lot more common around here.

Seigi was caught off-guard for the umpteenth time that evening when Richard suddenly tossed him the keys.

“W-What? Wait, you want me to drive?” Seigi asked, staring down at the keys in his hands.

Richard huffed. “Is a lady just supposed to drive herself?” he asked. “Try getting used to your role as a gentleman. You’ll need it this evening.”
He didn’t give him time to talk back. Instead, Richard got into the car, making a point in sitting in the passenger seat.

As Seigi started the engine, he found himself glancing at Richard from the corner of his eye.
“Say, is that chest real?”
“You’re damn rude.”
“I apologize.”

Seigi was probably driving more carefully than he had ever done before. But he didn’t want to find out how much it would cost to have this car repaired.

As they pulled onto one of Tokyo’s main streets a short time after, Richard broke the silence, “My chest , as you pointed out earlier, is actually a make-up prop a friend of mine lent me. She works as a make-up artist at the New National Theater here in Tokyo.”
Seigi hesitated. “So you don’t do this often?”
“Pardon?”
They stopped at a red light. Seigi didn’t dare speak until the light turned green.
“You don’t usually dress up in women’s clothes and put on make-up and jewelry? You don’t do cross-dressing?”
He knew Richard was looking at him. But he was not going to look back.

“Would you mind? Would you then resort to calling me a freak? Perhaps you would even wish to terminate your contract, as you could not be confined to such a close space as the Étranger with a man who dresses in female clothing. You could not spend time with such an abnormality.”
“That’s not what I said.”

A heavy silence began to form between them. Seigi was about to apologize for having asked, when Richard suddenly said, “No. No, you didn’t.”
He turned to look a the skyscrapers they passed by, faintly illuminated billboards in the distance. “No, I do not engage in cross-dressing. This is a first time for me, too. However, I had some clients who do and I find myself utterly unable to understand why some people are so opposed to the idea of a man dressing in clothing we would traditionally see a woman wear.
After all, whoever decided what kind of fabrics or what kind of colors belong to which gender? If I wished to wear a dress, which, frankly, I usually don’t as I find them much too confining, then I do not see the problem as to why I shouldn’t.”

“I don’t think it’s weird,” Seigi hastily said, “And, actually, it suits you.”

Seigi turned beet-red as soon as he’d said this. He desperately hoped Richard would not ask him to repeat himself.
He didn’t.

“Now, there is a reason why I chose to dress this way.” Richard produced his phone from the small purse he carried. “Almost all of this mafia’s victims were female. The few male victims all reported to the police soon after, however, almost none of the women did.”
“Maybe they were too scared?”
“Whatever their reason, I am sure that what applied before still applies.”
Seigi nodded. “So that’s why you dressed up. You thought that would make it more likely for them to try and trick you.”
Richard’s purse clicked as he stored away his phone. “Bingo.”

Chapter Text

They parked the Jaguar underneath an oak tree. It was close enough that they could see the mansion shimmering in the distance, but far enough so that none of the other guests would assume they were even attending the party.

Just as Seigi made to get out of the car, Richard held him back by placing a hand on his forearm.

“What’s wrong?” Seigi asked, turning to look at his companion.

Richard cast a chiding look at Seigi’s face before reaching out for the tie dangling around Seigi’s neck. He hadn’t managed to properly tie it in his own apartment and then when he had met Richard, the last thing on his mind had been his disregarded tie.

“A university student who can’t even tie his own ties...” Richard murmured under his breath, shaking his head. With quick moves and fingers that Seigi didn’t know how to describe other than using the word “delicate”, Richard tied it properly, before letting slide another chiding comment, “You really are hopeless.”
Seigi didn’t get the chance to thank him as Richard left the car before Seigi even had the chance to process what had just happened. Richard’s fingers had been so close...Tying somebody’s tie for them was something rather domestic, something that felt rather intimate. Was Seigi just losing his mind? Seeing Richard in a dress must have really messed with him.

Shaking his head, he hurried after Richard.

The mansion the party was being held at was located about thirty minutes from Ginza. Out here it almost resembled some sort of tranquil country side in Tochigi Prefecture, rather than a few acres of unoccupied space close to Tokyo.

“As I mentioned, they released no official guest list, which means we have no way of knowing what kind of people are attending this event,” Richard explained, “Although I feel this will prove rather beneficial to our own undertaking. I do not necessarily wish to interact with any people who might show interest in Edward Baxter.”
Seigi raised a brow. “You’re one to talk. I’m the Edward Baxter here.”
A smile crept onto Richard’s face, even though it seemed as if he tried hard to fight it. “Yes. And I must say this name suits you quite well.”

With this he set off, walking towards the illuminated building. Seigi followed.
He felt anxious. With every meter the beats of the music being played at the party grew louder. People’s voices could be heard and he could spot a few limousines dropping off fancily dressed guests.
Seigi’s stomach was roiling. He wasn’t so sure not eating anything in advance had been the best course of action.

“What exactly are you planning, anyway?” he asked, mostly as a way of distracting himself from the sense of dread crawling up his spine.

“I used some spare time this morning to talk to some fellow jewelers. Some of them have been victims of this mafia and are now missing jewelry worth ten times the amount of money you earn annually.”

Seigi felt a lump form in his throat. “Ten times as much?”
Richard nodded. “And that’s just the price for one of the items,” he added. “So, if at all possible, I would like to try and look around for these objects. I have a feeling they might be the sort of careless, reckless organization to just store all their acquisitions in the same place.”

“What will you do if you find them? Call the police?”
To that, Richard didn’t reply. Seigi felt his anxiety increase. “Richard?” He halted, not daring to go any further. “Richard, please tell me you have at least considered calling the police.”
Richard stopped too. “Seigi, I will do this my way. If you are not comfortable with-...”
“Not comfortable!” Seigi felt his voice grow loud. “Yeah, I’m not comfortable with what we’re doing because, apparently, you think you’re above the law. Richard, this is dangerous. And if they really did steal all those jewels then they are criminals who deserve punishment.”
“No matter their motivation?”
“Huh?” Seigi was confused. No, confused didn’t fit. He felt agitated. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on letting them off the hook?”
Richard shook his head. “Of course not. I do see the necessity of a fit punishment. But if I were to report to the police, the stolen goods would be taken in by them, which would be followed by a long and tiring process of determining the goods’ owners. My colleagues would not regain these jewels for another six months or so.”
Seigi hesitated. “I don’t see the point…?”
“You do not need to. Just try to think of Hori Saeko-sama.”
And Seigi did. She had the pearl her father gave to her as a present stolen by an alleged jeweler who called himself Uchida Taro. Then she was handed back a counterfeit and a fake appraisal document, telling her the precious gift of her father wasn’t worth anything.

And now she had spent a huge amount of money on a criminal organization and had been robbed of a probably very valuable object.

“You mean you want to help them repay their debts as soon as possible?”
“It’s not just the financial burden,” Richard said, “I might be in a different, a rather privileged position when talking about money, however, financial debts can be repaired. But how would you feel if you knew you had just been tricked by a criminal organization and that you lost a thing dear to you to some shady organization?”
Seigi pondered. “I would feel terrible. I mean, objectively, it wouldn’t even be my fault. After all, that man tricked me and told me lies. But I would still feel responsible, knowing I had doomed myself to financial ruin. I don’t think I’d be able to face my family and friends for some time...”
It seemed to be the answer Richard had expected. At least he nodded. “Yes. And I just feel like no person should be forced to experience that feeling for six months.”
Seigi bit his lower lip. So this trip wasn’t necessarily about Richard’s own anger at the organization or his fear of being their next victim. This was about their customer and his colleagues, whom Richard knew had been tricked by this jeweler mafia.

“I see,” was all Seigi said, “So we should hold an eye out for the stolen jewelry. Anything else?”
Richard resumed walking. “Should they decide to try any of their tricks on me, I will have enough evidence to report them to the police. In that case, I do hope I can count on your assistance.”
“But what should they try to trick you for? You’re not really wearing any jewelry, except for the sparkles in your hair and on your dress.”
Apparently Seigi had been incorrect about that one. Richard, who walked a few steps in front of him, raised his hand, from which dangled a thin silver necklace and at its end…

“I-Is that a sapphire?” Seigi gaped.

“Indeed,” Richard said, reaching to put the necklace around his neck. “If they really do have such trained eyes, they can easily tell how much this one is worth.”

They climbed the steps to the main entrance of the mansion. Opposed to what Seigi had expected, there was no security guard or some kind of butler standing at the end of the stairs, taking a look at invitations.

“There’s nobody here. Couldn’t we have just walked in?” Seigi looked around, expecting to find Richard next to him, when actually, he’d already passed him by and was just about to enter the mansion. “Richard?”
In a flash, Richard spun around and strode over to where Seigi stood, a finger held high. “It’s not Richard. Remember? Just as you are Edward Baxter tonight, I will be Éponine Thénardier.”
Seigi raised a brow. “Éponine? Is that French?”
For a second, Richard looked absolutely bewildered. It seemed as if he’d seen a ghost, or some other supernatural occurrence he couldn’t quite understand.

Then he let loose a sigh and dropped his accusatory finger.

“Never mind. Let us get this over with.”

Inside, they were playing some weird mixture of EDM and classical music. It sounded strange to Seigi’s ears and he made a face, but Richard didn’t seem as affected by the sounds roaring from the speakers.

There was a buffet arranged on top of some tables which lined the side of the room. Japanese foods, such as gyoza or sushi, were placed between trays filled with sandwiches and bowls of colorful punch. People stood holding glasses of champagne, some of them toasting, others simply talking.

To Seigi the thought occurred that this did not look like an assembly of criminals. This kind of reminded him of a social gathering of coworkers within a company, expectantly awaiting whatever new product their boss would introduce this evening.

“I’ll have to ask you to refrain from any alcohol drinks,” Richard said, while he himself took the glass of champagne a waiter handed him. His voice didn’t sound all too unusual, though he definitely did speak a lot higher than he normally would.

Somehow, Seigi thought it sounded cute. “Don’t tell me you’re going to drink?”
He got his answer when Richard took a sip of champagne. “You cannot honestly believe I could survive this while being sober.” Not that I’ll have you take me home drunk, he added, almost like an afterthought.

Seigi hoped so, but he couldn’t really complain at the thought of getting to see a tipsy Richard. “So, where to? I’m not really sure what to do.”
“Just try to mingle,” Richard told him, “And look out for anything suspicious.”
With that being said, Richard placed his empty glass on the tray of a waiter passing by and wandered off.

“H-Hey, Ri- Éponine!”
But it was too late. Either Richard hadn’t heard him, or he didn’t care. And so Seigi was left to himself.

H e sighed. “Alright...Mingle? I’m just supposed to mingle, huh?” Seigi wouldn’t necessarily consider himself a heavy drinker, but somehow there was something about this situation that made him long for that false sense of confidence alcohol provided one.

Since he’d listen to Richard’s request, he simply set off to explore the mansion and what lay beyond its main hall.

Seigi went down a flight of stairs leading to the basement of the house. The lower floor definitely occupied far fewer people, giving Seigi the chance to relax a bit.

He hadn’t thought being at a party would be such a big deal. And it wasn’t necessarily the music or the crowd that wore him out, but rather the fact that he had been left on his own.

Richard had asked him to look out for anything suspicious and mingling probably also meant that he was supposed to talk to some people, but what if the person he started talking to turned out to be this Uchida Taro? Or even worse, what if he’d run straight into the arms of the organization’s leader?

Perhaps coming here hadn’t been such a great idea. Sure, he could talk to people – it’s not like he was shy. Still Seigi felt like he lacked something. As if there was something missing, some part that Richard had mastered and that g ave him a much more sophisticated aura.

Lost in thought, he nearly didn’t notice having run into someone. The moment he noticed the stumbling of his feet, it was too late.

Both him and the person he’d bumped into staggered, eventually finding themselves sprawled on the floor.

A few onlookers grinned at their chaotic display, but nobody reached out a hand to help or commented on it any further.

The first thing Seigi saw when he had recollected his senses, was a deeply green gem stone on the floor, just within his reach. When he touched the tip of a finger to it, he could hear a voice from somewhere beneath him.

“I’m terribly sorry, I think I didn’t properly see where I was going.”
That was a man’s voice. Oh. Oh, he hadn’t just run into someone, he had run them over. He tried his best to get up quickly, extending a hand to the man he had buried beneath him just now.

“No, it was my fault! I was so lost in thought, I didn’t pay attention...”

The man took Seigi’s hand and let himself be pulled to his feet. Once he stood and Seigi got a good look at his face, he found that the man appeared to be older than what his voice had sounded like.

His pitch-black hair was streaked with gray, his brown eyes were hidden behind glasses. He must be in his mid-forties or early fifties, but his facial expression was that of a man who’d stopped aging one day, despite the years of suffering and grief that were etched into his features .

“Oh, right.” Seigi stopped himself from further studying the man’s face and instead bent to retrieve the green jewel. “You dropped this, right?”
When he handed the stone back, it seemed like a heavy weight had been lifted off the man’s shoulders. He cast an almost loving look at the stone, before wrapping it in a satin cloth and storing it in the pocket of his suit jacket. “Thank you. Not everyone would have been as honest as you.”

“It’s not a big deal, really. Um, but, that stone is...That’s Jade, right?”

“You have a good eye,” the man said, a surprised tilt to his voice. “Yes, it is. I’ve been taking care of this stone for quite a while now. It’s rather dear to me.”
Seigi smiled. “You can become attached to such a precious gem rather easily, right?” He bowed and then he said the words Richard had told him not to say. “My name is Nakata Seigi, pleased to meet you.”
He didn’t realize it. Not as soon as he’d said it, anyway. He only realized his mistake after the man introduced himself.

“Okumura Eiji.”

The man bowed slightly, beckoning Seigi to follow him into a slightly more secluded area. Seigi felt a kind of shame burn on his cheeks.

“I-I feel terrible for asking something like this of you, but...Could you do me a favor and forget the name I just gave you?”
Contrary to what Seigi had expected would happen, Okumura-san didn’t burst out laughing. Instead, he looked rather serious, glancing over Seigi’s shoulder.

“I suppose you don’t wish anyone to know you were here.”
At a loss for what to say, Seigi simply nodded. Why had this man figured him out so easily?
“Um...” He tried hard to come up with something to say. In the end, the one thing his mind got stuck on was the jade securely wrapped and stored in Okumura-san’s pocket. “This might be a rude thing to ask, but...was that stone a present to you?”
Okumura-san didn’t seem angered. He thought about his reply for a bit, before answering, “It depends on when and where and which circumstances we talk about. I don’t think it was ever supposed to be mine. Not originally, at least.”

“So it belonged to somebody else first?”
Okumura-san nodded. The look in his eyes had turned distant. “I went to New York when I was nineteen, you see. It was then that I got involved in...well, quite a story. I met someone, someone who became very dear to me. And this stone was given to him, all true to his namesake.”
“Someone dear?” Seigi was still stuck on the New York part. What brought a nineteen year old Japanese to the US? And what kind of “story” was Okumura-san referring to?

“A friend, a lover,” Okumura-san glanced around, as if anxious somebody was listening in on their conversation. “Isn’t it all the same in the end?”
Seigi felt like having some sort of strange déjà vu upon hearing Okumura-san say this. However, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Okumura-san broke the tense silence which had formed. He put on a smile that looked more forced than real. “Well, it’s all in the past. I won’t bother such a young one as you with such a dreadful story.”
“What happened to him? To your...To that person?”
Okumura-san looked surprised. As if he couldn’t understand why Seigi would be so interested in his story. To be fair, neither did Seigi.

“He died. A few months after I’d moved back to Japan, an American friend called, telling me the story of his death. I’m well aware they must have known from way before he called me. But I don’t blame him. I don’t think I would have had the courage to tell myself either, if I had been in his position.” That distant look had returned. But he was still focused on Seigi, carrying an atmosphere around him which resembled that of a teacher trying to teach a student a fundamental core element for his next exam.

And perhaps this was it. Perhaps this was the story of someone who’d been through so much pain that he would do anything to keep other people from experiencing the same things.

“I’ve lived in New York ever since,” Okumura-san finished his story.

Seigi felt the anxiety from before return full force. Perhaps even more so than before, he could feel his stomach boil, could hear the blood rush through his veins.

Richard. He needed to know where Richard was, as soon as possible.

“I might regret asking this.” Okumura-san’s voice sounded as if it came from miles away, despite standing right next to Seigi. “But what exactly is your business here tonight? You’re not a part of this organization, I assume?”
Seigi shook his head. “No, no I’m not. I hate people who intentionally make other people hurt.”
This time, the smile on Okumura-san’s face looked genuine. “Then we have something in common, ally of justice.”

Seigi was too late to save this person. He had understood that Okumura Eiji had seen too much evil, had suffered too much for a lifetime.

But there was one person he’d give his own life for. If only that person was safe.

“I’m sorry!” He bowed deep, his voice firm. “There is someone really dear to me whose side I should be at right now.”
If Okumura-san had any complaints to see Seigi rushing off, he didn’t voice them. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Seigi thought he had heard a faint Good luck coming from behind him.

Chapter Text

Richard wasn’t particularly pleased with how everything had turned out. He had made plans for this evening, he’d been so sure they would work out.

Now that he stood a little offside the other attending guests, a cashmere shawl draped around his shoulders, sipping champagne from his glass, Richard had to admit they didn’t. When he had told Seigi that he expected this mafia to be a rather lousy organization, too stupid to separate their old acquisitions from their new ones, he’d meant it. He didn’t believe these scam-jewelers to be anywhere near dangerous. Cunning, yes. Dangerous? No.

It was part of the reason for why he abstained from calling the police. The other part was that he lacked any real evidence to prove them guilty.

Before he could hand over his empty champagne glass (he’d stopped counting them) to a nearby waiter, Richard felt a hand graze his waist. He smothered his instincts screaming at him to move, possibly punch the offending groper, and remained still.

“Well, well, aren’t you a fair little one, my pretty lady?” The last words were uttered in English, albeit one with a strong Japanese accent. The speaker was slurring his words, seemingly drunk.

This was going to be annoying.

Inwardly, Richard sighed so heavily it could have blown the snow off the peak of Mount Fuji. He himself didn’t know how, but he managed not to let his irritation show on his face.

“I’m sure you have no business being here, though,” the man mumbled. He’d let go of Richard’s waist. Still, he lingered close, not putting any distance between them.

Richard knew it from the way the man was talking. His manner of speech betrayed his certainty that Richard, seemingly a beautiful woman from abroad, did not understand a single word he was saying.

Richard would let him believe it a second longer.

“Just have a look at all these fools gathered here tonight.” The man held his whiskey glass up high, almost as if he was toasting with an invisible partner. “Bet they’ve all come here looking for the big dough. If only they knew none of the things they’re looking for are even in this mansion.”
“You seem to be aware of what all these guests are desiring,” Richard said and just like that, his last defense (or perhaps even his last protection) tumbled.

The man gazed at Richard, absolutely terrified. However, his shocked face fell after a second and he regained his composure. Was he trying to cover his initial surprise?

“The pretty bird speaks Japanese,” he muttered, sipping on his whiskey. “How come?”
“I’ve found Japanese men to be rather attractive,” was Richard’s quick, (somewhat effortlessly) made-up lie.

It earned him a laugh. “I see. Well, what’s the pretty bird’s name? I’m Tanaka Ryo.”
Ta. Again the character for rice field . This man did not just seem to have limited knowledge on Kanji and their readings, he also appeared to be utterly uncreative.

Tanaka, Richard knew, was just the Japanese equivalent to John Doe.

This man’s fleeting appearances did not require any creativity, that much was sure. And having simple, day-to-day names made the chances his victims forgot the name of the alleged jeweler a lot higher.

Nobody who scammed people wanted their victims to remember their name. Not if they weren’t pulling off an incredible scheme, anyway.
“Éponine Thénardier,” Richard answered with practiced ease. This man appeared to be the rather illiterate type. Surely he wouldn’t catch onto the false name.

Except he did.

“Éponine, huh? Did I get myself a spy? Or just a fan of French literature?”

Richard stifled the irritation clawing at his spine. This man, this Tanaka Ryo, was getting less and less comprehensible by the minute.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.”
This earned him another laugh. Ryo downed the rest of his whiskey, before giving the room a once-over. “Surely you’re wondering about what I just said, huh?”
“Not much,” Richard answered, his voice evenly cool, “Besides, I don’t suppose you’d tell me.”
“Well, then you’ve got it plain wrong.” Ryo placed the empty glass on the window sill he was leaning against. He raised a lazy hand and pointed at the sapphire dangling around Richard’s neck. “What if I told you I could take that jewel and give you twice – no, thrice – the sum of money it’s actually worth, huh? How’s that sound, Éponine-chan?”

That piqued Richard’s interest. “And how would you go about doing that?”

He was playing right into Ryo’s hands and he knew it. Richard wasn’t exactly doing it on purpose, but he’d just have to go with it now.

Ryo’s hand returned to Richard’s waist. This time, it settled a little lower, almost on the small of Richard’s back, causing unpleasant nausea to well up in his stomach.

“You’d certainly like to know, wouldn’t you?” Ryo whispered. His breath was close to Richard’s ear. Much too close. This was beyond uncomfortable. This almost made Richard feel as if he really was in danger. “Such a pretty girl like you shouldn’t waste her time thinking.”
Richard would have much liked to waste his time ramming his seven centimeter heels into the bridge of Ryo’s foot.

Ryo’s fingers clasped the blue sapphire, gently stroking it. “You do know how much this is worth, right?”
“Quite frankly, I’m very well aware.” Against his better judgment, his hand shot up to protectively curl around the jewel. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to...”

Then, something went incredibly wrong. Richard had calculated various outcomes beforehand. He’d prepared himself well, conjuring up scenarios he’d rather not face, some so unbelievably unrealistic he had had a hard time believing the things his mind had come up with.

But among all these countless scenarios, all these countless ways this night could go wrong – in all these possibilities, this hadn’t happened.

Richard could feel the cold barrel of a gun, pressed against his upper back. The way the gun was positioned, the man wasn’t planning on killing him. At least the bullet wouldn’t hit any vital organs, but it could cause severe damage.

This was not what Richard had thought would happen.

“Are you trying to threaten me into selling the stone?” His voice had dropped to his usual octave, there was no meaning in hiding his gender anymore.

Ryo laughed. It was a terrible laugh. “Oh, so you really are that Ginza yankee, huh. Didn’t think you’d come here, all dressed up like that. Guess I underestimated you.”
“What are you playing at?”

“Nothing, nothing at all. We can just keep this between ourselves and nothing will happen.” The barrel dug deeper into Richard’s skin, almost to the point that it hurt. “Can’t really promise what’s going to happen if you talk, though, y’know?”
“So you just want to silence a potential witness.”
Ryo behind him shrugged. “Well, I can’t go on dealing with you opening your mouth and spilling all my little secrets. And I wouldn’t trust you with staying quite, one can never be too careful around those Caucasians.”

Richard moved a little, trying to get the gun at his back to shift position. “Now you are simply being racist.”

He’d have to get into a better position. Brute force wouldn’t be enough to free himself from the grip Ryo was having on him.

He’d need to distract him. With something, anything…

“Richard!”
This was his chance. While Ryo looked up, his attention momentarily focused on Seigi, Richard spun out of Ryo’s clutching grip. His fist collided with Ryo’s jaw before the man even realized what was happening.
Richard bend over to grip the gun his opponent had just dropped. Now he was the one pointing its cool barrel at somebody’s torso.

“The jewels, all the stolen goods, they’re within this mansion, right?”
“What are you going to do? Shoot me?” Ryo laughed. His voice had gone hoarse and he choked halfway through, forcing a cough to escape his throat. “Go on, shoot me. That’d make you the criminal here.”
Richard grit his teeth. “The police will be here soon. Where are your accomplices?”
Another laugh. “As if I’d tell you!”
Richard extended his arm further, his finger curled around the trigger.

“Richard, wait!” He felt a warm hand touch his bare shoulder. When he looked over, he saw Seigi standing next to him.
Seigi’s face held an absolutely bewildered look. “What are you doing? You can’t shoot him!”

Richard lowered the gun, shoving it into Seigi’s hand. “I wasn’t going to. I put the safety on before I pointed it at him.”

Seigi stared at the gun in his hands. In a matter of seconds, the emotions relief, confusion and utter shock passed over his face. He made as if to drop the weapon, before coming to his senses and instead clasping it even tighter.

There was a man who’d come rushing up the stairs leading to the basement. He cut through the crowd which had formed and was staring at the scene unfolding in the middle of the party.

“Are you two alright?”
Richard didn’t know the man. Was he one of the accomplices? Was he a part of this…

“Okumura-san!” It was Seigi’s voice. He sounded happy when he recognized the man standing in front of them. With a gentle smile, he turned to face Richard. “This is Okumura Eiji-san. I met him just a few moments ago, before I came looking for you.”
“I see.” Richard shot Okumura-san a glance, acknowledging him with a quick nod.

Okumura-san returned it. Then he held his hand out for the gun Seigi was holding. “I’ll take care of it. You shouldn’t be made to hold a gun any second longer than necessary.”
Perhaps the sad look that passed over both Okumura-san’s and Seigi’s faces was Richard’s mind playing a trick on him. Come to think of it, he did feel rather unwell. His legs had started trembling a while ago; there were stars dancing in front of his eyes.

Was this just a side-effect of the sudden rush of adrenaline?

“I just called the police,” Seigi said. “I know you didn’t want to, but I feel like it’s the only right thing to do. They’ll take care of everything.”
Richard nodded. He smiled, feeling a strange wave of relief pass over him. “Yes, thank you.”
Ryo was still sprawled out on the floor beneath them. He had an arm draped over his face, covering most of it, except for his grin. “Most of the jewels’ve been sold anyway. Good luck tryna get them back. European mafias ain’t gon’ be as easy on you as I am.”

Richard had wanted to know more about Ryo’s plan. He’d wanted to know whom exactly he had sold the stones to, why he had done it and why he had come up with these frauds in the first place.

There was still so much to ask, so many questions left unanswered. But his head suddenly felt so heavy. No, it felt like somebody had stuffed his head with cotton and substituted his brain with a spin top.

He knew this feeling. This wasn’t good. He remembered the glasses of champagne and the whiskey he’d had this evening and he became painfully aware of the heels still adorning his feet and the punch he had just used on Tanaka Ryo.

“Richard? Richard, are you okay? Hey, you’re super pale.”
Seigi’s voice sounded like it came from faraway, but he felt him hovering close-by. Oh, so his ears were already playing tricks on him.

“I am all right. I just...It’s just...” He didn’t get any further.

His trying to explain his current state was cut short when he tripped, stumbling right into Seigi’s arms.

Seigi was so warm. Was everyone so warm or did Seigi just have a really high body temperature?
He was going to faint any time soon, he always did. But there was something…

He felt his hand moving up Seigi’s arm, clawing at his sleeves. “H-He still...the sapphire...”

Richard felt a warm hand gently touching his nape, then patting his hair, before wrapping him in an embrace.
Seigi buried his nose in Richard’s hair. His up-do had come undone during the evening and loose strands of hair covered his forehead. So maybe it was just a lock touching his forehead.

But his delirious mind liked to believe it were Seigi’s lips grazing his skin.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.”
He couldn’t remember what happened after.

When he awoke, he was draped over Seigi’s lap. The lights up above, shining down from the ceiling told him all he needed to know.
He was at Seigi’s place, not at his own apartment. The bed they were sitting on wasn’t spacious enough to accommodate two people, thus his being draped like a blanket over Seigi’s lap.

Well, he was draped over a snoring Seigi’s lap. He appeared to be fast asleep. And he had to be, if this dazzling, artificial light didn’t bother him. Richard made a mental note to gift Seigi a new ceiling lamp.

He sat up, noticing his feet weren’t being tortured by these insufferable shoes any longer. Seigi must have taken them off during their ride here. Maybe even before that.

Richard’s head was still spinning and he still felt remotely nauseated. This wasn’t anything to worry about and he knew. Still, having some of his usual medicine or just a painkiller to stop the thrumming headache would be a heavenly blessing.

Seigi next to him shifted, his slight snoring stopped. “Richard?”

No, Richard was not going to throw away his pride and admit that Seigi’s sleep-drunken voice sounded cute .

“What time is it?” Seigi asked, sitting upright.

Richard glanced at the digital clock on Seigi’s nightstand. “Shortly after three in the morning.” He chuckled. “We’ve made quite a mess of things.”
Seigi raised a brow. If he wondered what Richard meant, he didn’t comment on it.

Richard gave his companion a once-over. He’d taken off his suit jacket. His dress shirt was unbuttoned half-way, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The tie Richard had tied for him earlier that evening hung loosely around his neck.
He was a sight for sore eyes. Or, might have been, if one disregarded the dark circles forming beneath his eyes.

“I should go home,” Richard said. But he didn’t stand up. He didn’t feel like he had the energy left to even lift a finger.

“Don’t go,” Seigi said, even though it really didn’t look like Richard was going to go anywhere any time soon. “What happened with you, anyway? I was really worried, but Okumura-san said he didn’t think it was anything too bad.”
Richard didn’t comment on Seigi naively trusting the judgment of a person he barely knew. “I have an issue with low blood pressure. Normally, it isn’t a problem, although it does make me rather...difficult to deal with in the morning.”
“Oh.” Seigi brushed a stray strand of hair out of his forehead. “So...You’re used to it? You didn’t seem to be in a panic when it happened.”
Richard nodded. “Yes, I’m quite painfully used to it. I think the alcohol, the heels and the rush of adrenaline did not mix all too well.”
Seigi seemed like he’d just remembered something. “That time, when you punched that man...That was really impressive.”
Richard sighed. “I’ve been out of practice lately. It was supposed to at least render him...No, please forget what I just said.”
“Wait, you wanted to knock somebody out? Don’t tell me you wanted him to be unconscious!”
“It would have only been for a short while,” Richard didn’t say. What he did say was, “Would you happen to have any painkillers around?”
“Headache?” Seigi asked.
“Headache,” Richard confirmed. “I guess this time my body isn’t going to recover as quickly.”
Seigi got up from where he was lounging on his bed. While he went over to rummage through his drawers, he let out a quiet laugh. “Richard, I’m afraid the headache isn’t connected to your low blood pressure.”
“What?”
Seigi tossed him the painkillers, before getting a fresh bottle of water from his mini fridge and handing it to Richard.

“I guess it’s related to the alcohol. It’s probably just a hangover, you’ll be fine,” he said, while sitting down next to him.

Richard downed the painkillers, then scowled at Seigi. “I was not drunk. This is not a hangover.”

“I am fairly sure it is.”
“This is not a hangover.”
“Maybe you were just tipsy, but this is definitely a hangover.”
“It is not a hangover.”
Seigi chuckled. “Whatever you say, boss.”

That word reminded Richard of something. “Did you – did we stay until the police arrived? Did Tanaka Ryo say anything about the rest of his organization? About the mafias he sold the jewels to?”

Seigi hesitated, then shook his head. “I was trying to stay, at least until I could be sure they’d arrested him – but it was no use. You kept slipping in and out of consciousness and when I turned to Okumura-san to ask for his opinion, he told me I should just take you home. And so I did.” He got rid of the tie wrapped around his neck, lazily throwing it at the low table in front of them. “I guess they’ll have us testify anyway, seeing as we’re witnesses and stuff.”

Richard nodded, a little belatedly. “Come to think of it, why did you trust that man?”
Seigi looked at him. “Do you mean Okumura-san?” He didn’t answer immediately, seemingly thinking it over before he said, “I don’t know. I mean, you didn’t really talk to him, so I don’t blame you in case you don’t believe me...But he had this look in his eyes. Like he’d experienced things you’d try really hard to protect your friends and family from.”
Richard thought back to the glimpse he’d gotten of Okumura Eiji a few hours ago. He hadn’t paid much attention to his features, but perhaps he could understand what Seigi was referring to.

“And...I don’t know. Maybe he just reminded me of you.”
This seemed to be the end of Seigi’s reply. Richard couldn’t say he wanted to hear more. All he needed was some well-deserved rest.

“Would you mind unzipping me?” he asked, struggling to bite back a yawn.
He turned his back towards Seigi, keeping his hair from falling into his neck.

Seigi let loose an unintelligible stutter. It sounded like a mixture of What the hell and Richard, but Richard couldn’t find it in himself to comment on it.

“Y-Yeah, wait a second...”

Richard felt trembling fingers reach out for the zipper of his white dress.

Once Seigi’d opened it, Richard, very unceremoniously, reached into the neckline of his dress, pulling out the two silicone props he’d been wearing the entire time. He had a feeling he should return them after a thorough cleaning.

When he caught a glimpse at Seigi, he was blushing furiously, averting his gaze. “You can’t just do stuff like that…!”
Richard fought a smile. “It’s just silicone,” he replied, before getting up and stripping, tossing the dress into a corner of Seigi’s room.

“Richard!” It was hard to make out his own name, the way Seigi was almost screeching.

Richard took it with a sense of humor, turning to sit back down on the bed. Almost instantly, he felt a heavy wave of tiredness crash over him.

“Let’s go to bed. I will stay here tonight. I promise I won’t be too much trouble in the morning.”
He could hear a sigh, then a bit of rustling. The next time he opened his eyes, the overhead lights had been turned off and Seigi had scooted over to at least give the impression that two people were able to fit onto the mattress.

They were both going to wake up sore the next morning. Richard couldn’t care less.

He let Seigi drape the blanket over him, then his head hit the pillow.

“Richard.”
His reply was a muffled groan.

“Do you also take coffee for breakfast? I don’t have any milk left.”
Was...Was Seigi being serious?
“I don’t expect you to make me any breakfast.”
“I’ll see what I can do about some pudding.”
“Seigi?”
“Yes?”
“Please sleep.”

Richard closed his eyes. Just when he’d found a rather comfortable position to sleep in, just when he was so certain he would fall asleep, he could feel Seigi’s fingers on his bare back.

They were tapping a kind of rhythm against his skin. It didn’t exactly feel unpleasant…

“You know, about Okumura-san. Talking to him made me realize something.”
Richard wanted to ask “And what is that?” but he didn’t have any strength left.

He could feel Seigi press closer, his face buried in his hair. Did he think... Surely he thought Richard was asleep by now. Otherwise he would not have said what he was about to say.

“Just, Okumura-san lost somebody really dear to him. I think he’s a very strong person if he managed to live on after losing someone so important to him.” Seigi wavered. “If I were to ever lose you, I don’t know what I would do. I’d probably just drop dead on the spot.”
“Don’t say such foolish things,” Richard replied through gritted teeth.

“But it’s true!” Seigi tried to defend himself. “That’s why...That’s why I’m begging you, please, don’t leave me, okay? Just, stay by my side. That’s all I ask of you.”
Richard sighed. He hadn’t opened his eyes the entire time Seigi’d spoken. But now he opened them to stare at the wall opposite the bed.

“I won’t make promises I know I can’t keep.”
“I kind of thought you’d say something like that. Can I make a promise then?”
His eyelids became unbearably heavy. “Seigi.”
“Yes?”
“Please sleep.”

He didn’t hear anything after that. At least, he didn’t consciously register Seigi talking to him. But he couldn’t be entirely sure that the whispered “I’ll stick around, I promise. I’ll protect you.” had been a mere product of his imagination.