Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 30)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 30)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1420
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: Halfway through. *does happy dance*
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 30
“Ah! Chiba, look out!” Takagi yelled as he ducked under the small glass bottle that flew over his head. Takagi could hear Chiba behind him exclaim as the bottle bounced off his chest. Quickly, he moved forward and restrained the woman who had thrown the bottle.
He coughed a little from the strength of the smell. It was then that he could feel the bottle had ended up splattering him with its contents as it flew past.
He grimaced. Chiba moaned next to him, “Oh, man, how will I get that smell out?”
“A little help here,” Takagi said, trying to restrain the belligerent woman who threw the bottle. She was yelling obscenities at him, insinuating that his mother had done things with barnyard animals to create a person like him.
“Whoa!” said a child's voice from further back, “Someone needs to wash her mouth out with soap. Well, that's what my mom threatens and I never say anything that bad.”
Takagi glanced over his shoulder as Chiba grabbed the other arm of the woman, and groaned. Genta had been the speaker and he was not alone. The rest of the his friends stood around him, looking on with big eyes as they listened to the woman.
“I don't think the police wash people's mouths out with soap, Genta,” Conan said, his tone surprisingly dry for a child's. “And I don't think she appreciates your suggestion,” he added when the woman in question yelled something back at them. Conan grabbed Ayumi's arm and guided her away. “We're all too young to hear this.”
If Takagi were not already frowning from dealing with the woman, he would have frowned at Conan's comment. It was surprisingly unchildlike but still something that Conan would say. Most of time, he did not notice it anymore. In fact, he glanced over at Chiba, Takagi knew he was not the only one had come to expect Conan's behavior.
The woman tried to wrench away, drawing Takagi's mind back to the task at hand. Fortunately, for Chiba and himself, some uniformed officers had showed up and took the belligerent woman into custody. He sent a brief glare their way, Where were they a few minutes ago?
Minutes later, Chiba and Takagi wrapped up what was supposed to be the initial interview with the saleswoman behind the perfume counter and her complaint of the threats she had received from one customer, who had shown up in the middle of the interview.
Later, when they climbed into Chiba's car, they both let out lengthy sighs that bordered on groans.
“Oh, man, we stink,” Chiba said, rolling down his window. “Roll down your window, too,” he told Takagi, “I don't want my car smelling like the perfume section of a department store.”
They rode in relative silence back to the station. After a while, Takagi felt like his sense of smell deadened by the perfume that had fallen all over his head and shoulders. “I'd rather not report to the inspector,” Takagi said. “Not smelling like this, anyway. I can already hear the wise-cracks.”
“They'll stop making jokes eventually,” Chiba said. “Just wait for the next case involving Mouri or Conan and his friends.” He looked a little relieved, “At least they didn't get involved this time.”
“Barely,” Takagi muttered. Chiba just snorted in reply.
Takagi's fears were completely justified as they walked into the station. Amused grins followed in their wake. Chiba was not quite as bothered by Takagi as it but he was also not the one most of the snide remarks were directed at.
One or two snide comments in the bullpen implied that Takagi was wearing a women's perfume as a subtle sign of his role in his relationship. After the second one, Takagi shivered and noticed Chiba do the same thing. In fact, he noticed many officers shiver. It felt like the temperature of the room had dropped twenty degrees.
As one, the group glanced in the direction of the one person who would take the most offense at those comments.
Sato glared out, her gaze sweeping over the room. The pile of papers in from of her nearly smoked from the force of her glare. The silence that had descended when the temperature dropped was quickly covered up by the sound of people shuffling papers and moving around, trying to look busy.
As her eyes met Takagi's, the glare vanished and became something that made Takagi's heart leap up to his throat. And none of the other officers in the room who noticed dared to say or do anything.
Chiba coughed breaking the spell. For once, Takagi thought it might be a real cough. The smell of the perfume was getting to him, too. They made their way to the inspector's desk to deliver a verbal report but were dismissed after a few minutes because the smell sent Megure into a sneezing fit.
The rest of the day dragged on for Takagi. Others made joking comments but kept them deliberately lightly teasing. Word had gotten around what not to say.
Finally, it was time for the shift to change. Megure had to smile as he told Chiba and Takagi to go a little early. “No sense in risking a sneezing attack in the elevator,” he said, his grin not quite hiding under his mustache.
They walked towards the elevator together. “Nice to get off a few minutes early,” Chiba said. “But I'm not sure its worth it.” He looked absently at the ceiling, “I wonder how hard it will be to get rid of the smell?”
Takagi shrugged, “I don't know. Guess we're going to find out.”
Abruptly, Chiba said, “Oh, hey, I forgot some stuff at my desk. I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Day after tomorrow,” Takagi said, correcting him, “I have tomorrow off.”
“In a couple days then,” Chiba said, moving away rather quickly, leaving the hallway strangely quite.
“You have tomorrow off?” said a voice behind him, sounding rather pleased. Takagi quickly turned and nearly fell backwards from surprise. Sato had been standing right behind him! She glanced back and smiled at the empty hallway. “Any plans tomorrow evening?”
“P-plans?” Takagi stuttered. As he spoke, his mind caught the hint. “Would you like to go to dinner?” She gave him a fox like grin in response.
“Um,” his mind scrambled for a place.
A door opening down the hall caused them to jump apart. Sato grinned sardonically and muttered, “There goes the mood.” She turned to Takagi, “Surprise me,” and then walked back to the bullpen.
Takagi watched her until she disappeared around the corner. Reluctantly, he turned and walked to the elevator.
---
For once, Takagi was glad he decided to wear the suit he was planning to get rid of once the new one was ready. There was no way that the perfume smell was ever going to come out. As soon as he entered his apartment, he began to strip, taking a moment to grab a trash sack from the kitchen. In his tiny bathroom, he happily shoved all the scented clothes into sack and began to wash.
Did I wash all of the smell out? he thought. “Kind of hard to tell,” he muttered to himself, “I kind of can't smell it any more.
After the shower, he walked into the small living room and with an exaggerated groan, Takagi dropped onto the couch. Lazily, he felt around for the remote. Finally, he reached down between the cushions and was rewarded to find it down there, though, he had to make a face. I really hope that was just popcorn I felt down there, he thought.
Breathing deeply, Takagi caught the scent of a delicate fragrance. He frowned and looked around for the source of the scent. I thought I washed all that stuff off and threw the clothes in a plastic bag. Did I forget something? Frustrated, he got up, sniffing around (and very glad there was no one around to see him doing so). A minute later, he found the source of the smell. A bit of fabric peeked from under the couch. He grabbed a corner and pulled it out.
It was a good quality handkerchief.
He frowned as he looked at and tried to figure out where it came from. Then he felt a figurative light bulb go off over his head. “It probably belongs to Miwako-san!” he said, a silly grin spread across his face. “I'll return it to her tomorrow!”