Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 24)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 24)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1575
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Day 24
Takagi hummed happily to himself as he picked up around the apartment. The day had dawned bright and cheery. The temperature had risen well above freezing the day before and had not dropped below it over the night. The snow and ice were quickly being transformed into puddles of water and mud. By the end of the day, it might even be dry in some areas.
After all the chill, snow, and death of December, Takagi was happy with the way the new year was starting out.
One of the first things he did that morning was call his parents to wish them a happy new year. His mother gently teased him for the hastily scribbled generic new years greeting postcard. The she promptly teased him about blushing which made him blush even more. She knows me too well, he thought.
“I think your mother has said everything worth saying,” he said. Takagi could hear his mother smack him on the arm. “Take care, son. Oh, and see if you can't pick up a nice girlfriend this year,” he said. A moment passed and he added, “Your mother would like you to pick up a wife this year.”
Takagi sighed. His father chuckled, “At least she isn't as bad as some of the women here. She could set you up for a marriage match-up. She's mentioned it in passing once. I've learned that with women, if they mention something once, it means they have been thinking a lot about it.” Takagi blanched a little at the suggestion. One, it brought back memories of what nearly happened before with Sato and Shiratori. Two, he did not want to marry any woman but Sato.
His father continued, completely unaware that he nearly gave his son a heart attack, “So, the nagging isn't really so bad. Besides, there has to be some woman you're interested in.”
There was a silence as his father waited for a response. “Um, yes...,” Takagi mumbled into the phone.
His father chuckled, “Don't waste time, Wataru. Some things in life you can't let get away. Ah, your mother is nagging me. It's almost time to go to the temple. Take care.”
“You take care, too, dad,” Takagi said.
Takagi was happy he had called his parents. I really don't call them enough, do I? The comment of finding a girlfriend (or wife in his mother's case), made him blush all over again. I bet they would like Miwako-san.
After he got off the phone from his parents, he considered going to the nearby temple himself. “I'll do it later,” he muttered as he looked around his apartment at the mess. “Cleaning would be a better start to the new year.”
Which was why he was currently moving around his small apartment, straightening things up. Loose notes from an old case had made their home on one of the spare chairs in the kitchen. And the DVD he ejected from the player caused him to wince. It was a rental. “When did I check this out?” he asked himself. “I wonder if it would just be cheaper to say I lost it and will pay for it, rather than pay a late fine?” He blushed a little at the thought of lying like that. Besides, DVDs were not cheap. After a few minutes, he decided it would be more economical to simply return the overdue DVD. Putting it on the kitchen table, he went back to straightening up the area around the. There were a few DVDs he could not find the cases to. “Where are they?” he asked himself, “It's not there is anyone around here to take them and they can't walk off.”
After spending a few more minutes looking, and only finding one of the missing cases, he threw up his hands and moved onto the rest of the room.
I'm really glad no one has come over. This place is a mess, he thought. The thought of Miwako showing up and seeing the mess was enough to make him pick up even better than he normally would do. Not that she is likely to show up. Chiba doesn't care one way or another. Probably because just about any place is clean than his place.
It was about lunchtime when the living room was cleaned up satisfactorily. He grabbed the overdue DVD and coat and headed out the door only to reenter a moment later. It took him another minute to locate his keys, wallet, and badge (just in case).
He laughed at his absentmindedness as he locked up and walked down to the rental store on the corner. Better than the time I realized I forgot my keys and didn't remember until I got to my car. His smile dropped away. And it is better than the time I forgot my cuffs and Sato lent me her father's...
He shook his head earning him a funny look from a person he walked past. It is New Year's, I am going to think of positive things because I want to have a positive year. Even if it means paying a fine to get everything cleared up.
The clerk was polite but Takagi still felt like the man was staring at him after he left the shop. After a quick stop at a convenience store for lunch (with a quick promise to himself to go grocery shopping because beer did not make a good lunch), he returned to his apartment.
After another round of cleaning, this time the dust bunnies under the bed, he ran out to pick up some groceries. His refrigerator was not as bad as it had been before but it still was a bit on the bare side.
The sun had long set by the time he made it back to his apartment. Groceries were quickly unloaded and a quick meal, an omelet, started up on the stove.
Takagi took the omelet (with hot sauce) and made himself comfortable in front of the TV. He flipped through the channels, looking for an interesting movie.
He settled on a dubbed episode of Walker, Texas Ranger when the doorbell rang. “Just a moment!” he said, getting up and trotting to the door. I wonder who it it?
He opened the door and all thoughts and questions flew out of his head. Sato stood on the doorstep, grinning up at him. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he found his voice. “Mi-Miwako-san!” I hope my voice isn't as high as it feels like it has gone. “Would you like to come in?”
“About time,” she said, a smile belaying the snap in her voice. She stepped into the entrance and took off her shoes as Takagi moved out a pair of guest slippers. “Hmmm, someone has been cleaning,” she said as she looked about.
“Well, it is New Year's,” Takagi said, leading her to the small living room.
Sato made herself comfortable on the couch and looked at the TV. “Good choice. Can't go wrong with an action show.”
Takagi agreed, “Yeah. Um, would you like something to eat or drink?”
“Something to drink would be nice. Got beer? If you don't, we could go out for a drink,” she said after thinking about it a moment.
“I think so, let me check,” Takagi said, walking into the kitchen. In the refrigerator was the beer he passed on for lunch. Grabbing two bottles, he walked back to the living room. Sato had tucked her legs underneath herself and propped herself on the armrest. A big grin and a delicate blush stretched across her face. “Beer and boyfriend! Just the things I need right now.”
Takagi stumbled on the last part and nearly fell onto the couch. Sato laughed at him and grabbed one of his arms, pulling him down to sit on the couch next to her, snatching one of the beers in the process.
“Um, what brought that on?” Takagi asked once he finally remastered his voice.
“Long day, Yumi, and nagging mother. I did the only thing I could think of. I told mother I was going to be celebrating with Yumi and I told Yumi I had to go be with my mother.” She took a deep breath and shifted to lean on him, causing him to blush. “It's been too busy lately and I just want to have a calm moment. We've hardly had a moment that has not been stolen for weeks.”
Takagi found his arm sliding around her shoulders without a thought. “You can stay as long as you like.”
She grinned at him and snuggled in. “I'm sure you didn't mean that the way most guys would.”
He thought about that a moment and what he said. His deep blush caused Sato to laugh a little. He coughed, “I didn't mean it that way.”
He could feel her suppressed laughter. “Hey! Quit teasing!” he said.
“It's just too easy to tease you,” she told him. “But, I'm glad I came over. I'm sorry for not bringing any gifts, though.”
“It's okay, Miwako-san,” Takagi said, “I'm happy you decided you wanted to be here.”
She snuggled in closer as they watched the movie together. Occasionally, Takagi found he had to duck out of the way of her flying fists as she moved with Chuck Norris.
All in all, the new year was off to a good start.