Non-challenge: A Policeman's Tale (Day 37)
Title: A Policeman's Tale (Day 37)
Author: ytak
Word count: 1009
Rating (chapter): K+ (PG)
Rating (whole story): T (PG-13)
Comments: I discovered a new hobby. Making Shiratori uncomfortable is fun.
There might not be any chapters for the next month. I'm going to try to make a new costume for A-kon.
Other chapters can be read through here or here.
Day 37
Takagi glanced over at his partner-of-the-day, Shiratori. Truthfully, Shiratori could do the follow-up questioning on his own but, for some reason, had insisted that some, anyone, come along. For some reason, no one would go along with him and they all looked rather amused as they turned him down on the offer to ride along. Shiratori appeared both grateful and amused that Takagi agreed to go along with him.
If anyone had asked, Takagi would admit that curiosity was the reason he agreed to go along with the one person he considered his greatest rival for Sato's affection.
Another glance at Shiratori showed that he was whiter than he had been a few minutes before. Shiratori gripped the steering wheel tightly enough to turn his knuckles white.
Finally, they pulled up to a rather upscale apartment complex. Shiratori sighed as he stepped out of the car. He cast an unhappy glance at the building before straightening his body and striding to the entrance.
“Um, Shiratori-san?” Takagi said, walking next to Shiratori. “What would you like me to do for this witness?”
“Just, run interference,” Shiratori said, stopping in front of the elevators. “Just keep the witness's hands, ah, keep the witness on track.”
Takagi felt his a smile to begin to form. He squelched the urge down. Is he saying what I think he's saying? But isn't the witness...? Oh, HO! Takagi thought, finding it even harder not to smile than before.
They stepped into the elevator and rode it up to one of the top floors. I see, Takagi thought, They'd want to send one of the up and coming officers to conduct interviews with the people with connections. He mentally laughed. Poor Shiratori-san.
He followed Shiratori down the hall to the witness's apartment. Takagi tried to imagine living in a place like this apartment and failed (short of winning a lottery).
Takagi found he could not suppress all his amusement as Shiratori gave the door a resigned look but did not ring the bell. Swiftly, he reached up and pressed the bell. Shiratori gave a choked noise as the musical bell announced their presence.
The door opened a moment later, “Ah! You're right on time, Shiratori-dear.” The very enfemminate man reached out and took Shiratori's hand and lead him into the apartment. “I see you've brought company this time.” Takagi felt like he was being evaluated like livestock. “You're pretty cute, too, but you've got that 'taken' aura so many cute men have.” He turned his attention back to Shiratori, “I've been looking forward to this meeting for days,” he said, leading Shiratori to a plush love seat and sitting down next to him.
Takagi took up the seat next to the love seat where he got to watch the entertainment of the day commence. To his credit, Takagi did try to keep the witness on track as Shiratori questioned him. The hands did occasionally stray to Shiratori's leg, and sometimes a shoulder, but they did not go any further than that.
Takagi knew he would always remember the number of flirtatious looks Shiratori received with amusement.
It was evident to Takagi that the interview could not end soon enough for Shiratori. Not that Takagi blamed him.
“Thank you for coming by again, dear,” the witness told Shiratori, as he let out the detectives. He took a moment to hold Takagi back. Quietly, he asked, “Does he always play this hard to get?”
Takagi decided to take pity on Shiratori who looked like he was about to bolt for the elevator, “No, he's usually pretty straight forward when he likes someone. I haven't noticed him to be a shy sort.”
The witness sighed, “I was afraid of that.” He straightened up and was about to say more when a shriek came from down the hall from the apartment next to the witness's. The witness looked startled, “I've never heard that before! I do hope she's all right. She always has her boyfriend over. Their fights can be rather spectacular.”
Another shriek brought the detectives in an instant, Takagi and Shiratori to the door. They could hear what sounded like pained grunts coming from inside. Shiratori knocked hard and asked if everything was all right. Instead, it became silent and there was no answer. He tested the knob and found that it was open.
In one swift motion, he threw the door open. A moment later, red-faced, he apologized profusely and quickly pulled the door closed. He was answered by a request to close the door and that there would be no problems if he did it in the next five seconds, which was seconded by his partner, the owner of the apartment. Takagi could feel a blush on his own cheeks. No wonder she shrieked. That was quite a bit more than he expected.
“Everything is fine. Let's go, Takagi-kun. I need to fill out this report today,” Shiratori quickly said, hurrying towards the elevator. Takagi followed him with a glance back where they had come from. The witness gave a forlorn wave before he slipped by into his apartment.
The detectives slipped onto the elevator. Takagi noted that Shiratori seemed to be more at ease the further they got from the apartment. It became even more apparent when they climbed back into Shiratori's car and began to head back to the station.
The ride back was silent most of the way. Finally, Shiratori broke the silence when he cleared this throat. “About after the interview,” he said, stopping, to embarrassed to continue.
Takagi felt his own blush come back at the memory. “It never happened.”
Shiratori gave a quick nod.
But Takagi could not help but grin as he added, “But the interview is fair game.”
Shiratori frowned, “He said something about you being 'taken'...”
Takagi could not help but blush some more but did not say anything. Shiratori was certainly smart enough enough to know who. What he might do about it, Takagi was not sure.