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Something Heizou particularly enjoyed, was taking a nap in the sakura tree in Hanamizaka. It was a nice place to sleep or read or think over cases. Meanwhile, something Thoma particularly enjoyed, was relaxing under the sakura tree in Hanamizaka. I was a good place to pet the cats and dogs, knit them sweaters and collect sakura blooms for Ayaka and Ayato.
Today, Heizou had decided to get out of the station to read over his case notes elsewhere, not feeling quite able to deal with the volume of the other doushin during lunch – not to mention he’d rather not eat the slop they served. So, he leaped up grabbing a branch and pulling himself up until he was engulfed in the petals of the tree. He didn’t bring much with him, just the notes and a book in his brown leather satchel and some deep fried dango he picked up at Shimura’s on his way, things to do and things to eat as he worked. Naturally Heizou being Heizou he figured the case out quickly; it was far from a rare occurrence, after all. With a sigh he shoved the notes into his bag, picked up and dango and started chewing on it and he flipped through the pages to find where he had left off before. At some point in the warm mid spring sun, he’d dozed off into a soft slumber.
Thoma had finally finished his deliveries for the day, well ahead of schedule. Maybe he ran a bit too fast from the Grand Narukami Shrine… He had a few choices for his free time today. He could go back and get an early start on his chores for the estate, go collect some materials for some new clothes he was planning to make, or just go pet Taroumaru for a whole hour. He chewed on his lip as he thought, leaning on the railing of the stairs down to Hanamizaka. Ultimately, he decided he was closer to go down and pet the animals around the Sakura tree, he could pick up some sakura blooms on the way too. He skipped down the stairs laughing at the strange poster of a certain oni on the bill board and walked by Yae Publishing House and Bantan Sango Detective Agency, only to be stopped up at Naganohara Fireworks.
“Hey, Thoma!” Thoma jumped turning around to the grinning girl at the store door. He grinned back and shot her a wave.
“Hey Yoimiya, how’s it going?” The girl giggled and waved an unlit sparkler around.
“I’m just working on some new sparklers for the kids, they said they want some super, duper bright ones to light up all of Hanamizaka, well that might have been my idea actually since the police station has prohibited me from setting of any actual fireworks, so if I give kids some sparklers, we can all have fun and not cause any property damage this time!” She grinned as her rambling finally seemed to stop. Thoma could only laugh when she was done.
“That sounds like great fun, Yoimiya, but please try to be careful, milady can only get you out of trouble so many times…” he sighed, shaking his head, remembering the last time Ayaka had to bail her out of a holding cell.
“Well, what about you, Thoma, what are you up to? Maybe going over to Ritou? Or back to the Kamisato Estate? Oh! Will you say hi to Ayaka for me pleeeeease?” she singsonged, He chuckled again, giving the girl a nod.
“Of course I will! When I’m back at the estate at least,” I pointed over to the sakura tree just down the steps. “I’m going to go play with all the little cats and dogs!” Yoimiya’s eyes lit up and she let out a small “aww”.
“That’s so cute! Oh! But just be careful there’s some guy, uhhh, I forgot his name, dang it, but he tends to fall out of that tree sometimes, it’s really funny actually he ends up covered in the petals, I do hope he’s okay though,” They both looked over at the tree, and sure enough, as hidden as they were, there was someone sitting in the tree.
“Oh, well I’m sure they’ll be fine, but I think I’ll go check it out myself,” He gave her a classic kind, Thoma smile, and sher gave him one of her own back. “Good luck with the sparklers, see ya later!” He gave her a wave and started to hop down the little steps.
“Thank you, Thoma! Good luck with the cuties and remember to say hey to Ayaka for me!” He waved back and Thoma yelled back a quick “will do!” before strolling on over to the huge sakura tree.
The second he got close the cats started brushing up against his legs, and the dogs started jumping up onto him, so excited losing their own balance and trying to jump up again. All Thoma could do was shake with laugher, as he tried to pet as many as his could with his two hands. Still chuckling away, he managed to drop himself down against the tree, sitting on the cushion of sakura petals letting the dogs climb up on him and letting the cats curl around his legs, he appreciated the peace even when some of the cats and dogs all decided to wander away to play and run around, two cats hung around him fast asleep, letting Thoma’s hand run back and forth over them.
As the clouds drifted across the sky, Heizou finally began to wake up from his nap, stretching his arms over his head, letting out a yawn. Slowly, he tried to blink his eyes back into his surroundings. Well, everything was pink for a moment. Until everything started to become a blur of colours. Before he could even comprehend what just happened his head hit something, that wasn’t the solid ground.
“Man alive, ow…”
“D-detective Heizou?!” said boy shifted his gaze over to the blonde man above him, a familiar book opened on his head, one of the pages crumping up. The two just stared at each other, blinking, trying to process what just happened. Finally, Heizou tried to sit up but was gently stopped, lowered back down onto what seemed to be Thoma’s lap.
“Hey, don’t get up yet, you could have hurt your head or something really bad…” Thoma’s brows scrunched up and he bit his lip, his hand lightly on Heizou’s chest. When the maroon haired boy didn’t answer, Thoma’s face flushed up, glanced over to the tomato field and swiftly pulled his hand away. “I-if that’s okay with you of course…”
“Alright,” Heizou replied after a moment of silence. “But could I get my book back, pretty please?” Thoma, turned back with a tilted face. The detective pointed at Thoma’s head, when the blond looked up, the book slid off his head, with a soft thud.
“Oh!” Heizou howled with laughter, obvious becoming wide awake now. Thoma just picked up the book from beside one of the sleeping cats and handed it over to Heizou.
“Thank you, Thoma!” a smile slipped onto his face and he flicked through the pages to find whatever he’d miss when he fell asleep.
“Oh, I know that book,” Heizou perked up again mouth dropped a bit, waiting patiently for Thoma to continue. “It’s the murder mystery about the murder on the boat at almost Christmas and the only witness was a parrot, right?” Emerald eyes started sparkling as Heizou nodded at Thoma.
“It sure is! I’ve already pieced together the ending and any possible twists, but you haven’t seemed to get to the part where the killer is revealed!” he huffed, his pride showing for his usual detective talents. Thoma only chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from Heizou’s face.
“Then what happens, Mr. Detective?” Heizou pouts at the nickname only for a second before a smirk sneaked onto his face.
“Obviously the suspect blames himself for his father’s death and turns out his adoptive father killed both the man on the boat and the suspects father!” Heizou snapped the book shut and pushed it into Thoma’s chest. “take it, I wont read the rest until you’re finished and you can tell me if I was right!”
Thoma blinked a few times a puzzled look on his face. After a few seconds, the corners of his lips turned up and he nodded. “Okay!”
The two sat in serenity a few minutes past and Heizou still handed gotten up, his eyes shut, not quite asleep, and not all aware of the world beyond the housekeeper. Thoma had moved from petting the cats beside him to brush his hands through Heizou’s hair. Combing back the strands in his face. Nothing but them, the quiet mews from the cats and the wind hitting some nearby chimes. Thoma was the first to break the silence.
“Hey, can I ask you something kind of strange?” His fingers continued to tangle themselves up in the others locks. Heizou blinked a few times adjusting back to the light.
“Hmm? Ask away, Thoma,” Thoma turned away again, holding his hand over his face, red still peeking out for the detective to notice. Heizou raised an eye, waiting for a response.
“I… Could… Could I maybe kiss you?” Heizou’s eyes grew wide, and his mouth hung open, copying Thoma’s action of covering his face with his hand. Thoma still looked away, yet Heizou could still see the tips of his ears bright red.
“If you want to of course, or we could just pretend that this never-“ Thoma was cut off though, his hand guided away as Heizou grabbed his cheek and pressed their lips together. Thoma’s eyes widened briefly before he melted into the other’s touch. He leaned in, his hand twisting through his hair and their spare hands slid together, intertwining. The kiss ended but they didn’t move far from each other, close enough they could still feel the other breaths. The detective dropped his head down to the blond man’s neck burying his way in, letting his other arm fall over Thoma’s back, holding him close.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now… Since the case Kamisato Ayato hired me for,” Heizou chuckled, a little muffled but Thoma didn’t’ mind the words on his neck.
“Would you believe me if I said the same?” Heizou didn’t reply, just held him closer. “Are you free tomorrow Heizou?”
“Yep, I should be!” Thoma played with Heizou’s hair again, letting the man lean into the touch.
“How about a picnic on the plains? I’ll make sure to make a lot of katsu chicken sandwiches and fried dango,” Heizou jumped back up from his place in Thoma’s neck, on the promise of fried food. So he just grinned and gave the other a peck on the cheek.
“I’d love to Thoma,” The threw himself over the housekeeper knocking them back into the tree. “You’re so dreamy you know that, you can cook, clean, fight and kiss what can’t you do?”
Thoma went bright red all over, a bright smile on his face. “Ask you out sooner, apparently.”