danni/dan

 Adachi wasn’t sure when you had become such an integral part of his life. Despite his reluctance to let you – or anyone, for that matter – close to him, Adachi still found himself caring for you. Whether it came from your insistence on taking care of him or your seemingly genuine kindness, the detective wasn’t entirely sure, but he cared. Too much.

You didn’t care for him, not really. There was no way, at least in Tohru Adachi’s mind, that you cared for him. You were too nice of a person to waste your care on someone like him. He couldn’t – he wouldn’t – believe it.

From the very first day you met him, you had looked out for him. He would recall that day often, an almost smile gracing his lips as he did so.

“Late on your very first day,” Detective Dojima’s harsh voice echoed through Tohru’s ears and he visibly winced. “You have some nerve,”

Adachi’s mouth opened, preparing to apologise when a feminine voice cut him off.

“Cut him some slack, Dojima. Maybe there was traffic, maybe he had an emergency. Either way, it’s only five-minutes! Relax.”

Dojima sighed, not sparing you a glance. Adachi, on the other hand, couldn’t look away. There you stood, looking just like an angel. Your smile was bright, widening as you looked at him, holding out your hand.

“Hi, I’m Y/N!” You grinned. “Ignore detective hardass over here, he gets too caught up in his ways.” You continued, releasing Adachi’s hand to instead whisper into his ear. “He’s old, you know what that means!”

“That’s enough, Y/S/N,” Dojima’s voice was stern but lacking any malice. He didn’t care what you were saying, not really. You were like his second daughter, after all.

“Yes, sir!” Your grin only widened as you saluted Detective Dojima, then turned back to him. “It was nice to meet you…”

“Adachi,” he introduced himself. “Tohru Adachi…”

You had never been afraid of Dojima. No matter how many times he yelled at you both, you took it all with a graceful smile (and sometimes a wink towards Adachi). He envied you in that regard. You never took any insult that Dojima threw at you personally, unlike him.

Adachi, despite not showing it, would often find himself hurt by the elder detective’s harsh words. You would tell him to ignore him and that he didn’t mean it, but it was difficult to ignore when the words resonating within himself. Tohru Adachi had never known how not to be hard on himself and growing up without any friends did little the alleviate that feeling. Sure, he couldn’t be hurt if he wasn’t close to people, but that lack of closeness and familiarity meant that he also couldn’t be comforted. He tried not to dwell on the fact, but sometimes late at night, the overwhelming feeling of loneliness would creep up on him.

“Adachi! What are you daydreaming about? Get back to work!” Dojima’s loud voice pulled Tohru from his thoughts, a quiet sigh leaving his lips as his cheeks flushed a bright red at being called out in the busy office.

“Y-yes, Dojima!” He responded, jumping up from his desk and hitting the wood with his leg as he did so. A quick breath was inhaled through his lips at the main, only to leave his lungs even quicker upon realising that he had knocked over his – very poor quality – coffee. “Oh man,” he groaned quietly, glancing around his desk for anything he could use to wipe up the dark liquid.

“Here,” he heard you before he saw you, “let me help, Adachi.” You smiled at him as you came into his view, leaning over to wipe his desk, neatly placing any unaffected papers to the side.

His cheeks flushed even darker when he heard a few officers either whistling or whispering. There was going to be even more gossip about the pair of you, there was no doubt about it. Rumours had quickly begun to spread around the station not long after his arrival. Adachi felt guilty about it, but you didn’t seem to care, always brushing off his apologies with a smile and a shrug.

“There we go, all sorted!” You smiled again, tossing the damp cloth at one of the men who had been whistling at you both. “Your tie is crooked again,” you muttered as you looked over him. Whether he was supposed to hear that, Adachi wasn’t sure.

Your hands reached up, fingers lightly grasping the red fabric and adjusting it to sit straighter on his creased shirt before moving them along his chest to smooth out said creases. Your eyebrows furrowed in concentration as you did your best to fix his shirt, before giving up and pulling his suit jacket a little tighter.

“Much better!” You nodded, seeming satisfied with your work. And then…you were gone, leaving a dazed and very flushed Adachi behind.

He watched you leave. His eyes followed your frame as you weaved between the desks and gave you co-workers a small smile which was sometimes accompanied by a wave. An angel, they would often refer to you as. You were pure and kind, everything Adachi believed he wasn’t. He didn’t deserve your care, and he was sure that others would agree.

Sometimes during the night, when loneliness crept in accompanied by overwhelming anxiety, Tohru would allow his thoughts to drift to you.

You always treated him with kindness, even when he didn’t feel worthy of it. Your kind words – ones that he believed to be false – still reassured him somewhat. Your sweet voice echoed through his mind, comforting him in the lonely apartment building. You weren’t there physically, but Tohru still held you in his heart, or your words, at least. Maybe you didn’t mean them, but he could allow himself to believe for a little while, just long enough to allow him to drift to sleep as the clock struck midnight and his phone dinged with a text.

Ryotaro Dojima: Dinner at my house after work. Need to tell you something.

Dojima was never one for texting, especially not about matters that he deemed important. It was one of the things Adachi hated about him. Things that could be said over a simple message or phone call had to be made into meetings, be it during work or outside. He guessed it was the age difference between them, but it was still frustrating. And while Adachi couldn’t bring himself to respond – lest he allow him to get too close – he also knew that he couldn’t refuse the offer, and besides, he was hungry…

Even as he trekked towards the Dojima residence, cursing the owner for leaving work early to pick up his daughter rather than giving him a ride, he couldn’t bring himself to hate the idea of spending time with his boss and his boss’ daughter. What he didn’t expect to see upon entering the Dojima’s home alongside Ryotaro was you.

Tohru knew that you and Dojima were close, of course, yet he hadn’t expected you to be here. You were sat on the floor beside the TV, Nanako leaning against you with wide, excited eyes as you read some storybook to her.

A spark of jealousy shot through Adachi at the sight. Why were you here? Just how close are you with Dojima? Close enough to be in his home, obviously, but then again, he was there too. However, you were pretty much cuddled up with Dojima’s daughter, so you must be very close to the pair, right?

“You’re glaring,” Dojima observed, voice barely loud enough for Adachi to hear. “She already thinks that you don’t like her, let’s not make her worry anymore, all right?” Were his final hushed words before he wandered over to you and Nanako, taking the book from your hands before sending you both to wash your hands.

You thought he didn’t like you…? Just how oblivious were you?

For once, you had shocked Tohru Adachi in a different way than usual.

He thought you were an idiot.

You hadn’t seemed to notice him yet, so maybe he could slip away? Come up with some excuse about a family emergency of some sorts. No, that wouldn’t work; not on Dojima. Perhaps a work emergency? Wait, that’s an even worse idea! Come on, Tohru. Think!

“Oh, Adachi,” you smiled at him. “Hello!”

He watched you for a moment, taking in every feature on your face, from your eyes to the freckles that littered your cheeks, then to your lips; he was quick to move his gaze back to your eyes, however.

“You’re very close with Dojima,” the words tumbled from his mouth before he had a chance to stop. “Shit-uh- sorry.” Adachi’s gaze dropped to the ground, an awkward smile crawling onto his lips as his hand gripped his neck.

You didn’t get angry at him, much to his surprise, nor did you tell him to mind his own business. Instead, you gently held his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze that had him flinching.

“No need to apologise,” you smiled once he met your gaze. You glanced over your shoulder for a split-second, Tohru’s eyes following to see Dojima and Nanako placing food on the table. “I moved her alone three years ago. Dojima essentially took me under his wing at the station. He kind of became my father, I suppose.” You explained with a soft smile, eyes remaining on the Dojima family. “I love them like my own family.” Your eyes moved back to his that had been watching you. “And I hope you will learn to as well. Dojima cares for you, even if he doesn’t show it.”

Adachi paused, hands balling into fists in his pockets as he released a breath. You can’t let them close, a voice echoed inside his head. You know what happens when you let people in: they leave.

“What are you two doing? Hurry up!”

You giggled to yourself, giving Tohru’s shoulder one last squeeze before your hand dropped back to your side.

“Come on, let’s wash our hands before he’s too hangry to hold an actual conversation. I want to know what this big news is.” Were your final words to him as you turned to the sink, Adachi soon following.

Yu was… nice.

When Dojima revealed that his nephew would be coming to stay with him for a year, both you and Adachi were confused. Dojima had never mentioned that he had a nephew. You knew of his sister, but you had never heard of a nephew, both of which you told Adachi as he walked you home that same night.

He wasn’t very talkative – something clearly weighing on his mind – but you had been happy to keep the conversation going as you rambled about how Dojima rarely spoke about anything, something which brought the tiniest smile to his face as he walked alongside you.

Adachi remembers how nice you had looked beneath to moonlight, your casual clothes suiting you well. Your style suited you rather well and Adachi cursed himself for wishing the see you in it again. It seemed he had been cursing himself a lot recently, particularly when you were around.

Yu’s arrival into Inaba had been quick, Dojima having admittedly forgotten to tell you both sooner. Since he needed to pick his nephew up from the train station, you and Adachi had been left alone for the day, and with no Dojima to yell at you both… well, you weren’t exactly working.

“Two strawberry shakes, please!” You ordered from the concession stand in the food court of Inaba’s Junes.

The woman behind the stand nodded with a smile, quickly setting to work on your milkshakes while you paid.

“I-I could have paid!” Adachi almost yelled as you handed the worker the money. “It-“ His sentence was cut short as you turned to him with a shake of the head.

“Don’t be silly, Adachi. I dragged you out of work, so I should pay!” You said with a smile, thanking the woman as she handed you two shakes, one which you handed to your work-ditching partner.

“Tohru,” he murmured, taking a sip of the shake.

“Huh…?” Came your response as you watched him with confusion.

“You can call me Tohru… Adachi seems too formal, especially for this setting.”

You paused for a moment, watching him with wide eyes. You didn’t speak for a few moments, simply staring at him until he was about to backtrack, cursing himself for even trying to be friendly. Of course you had found it weird! Why would you want to be frien-

“All right, Tohru,” your voice fell to a whisper as you said his name, a light pink dusting your cheeks as you did so.

Now it was his turn to watch you with wide eyes. He hadn’t expected the way his name sounded from your lips to be so endearing, but God he was glad he had heard it. He could die happy. A beautiful woman, one whom he appreciated and enjoyed the company of, had said his name without it being in disgust.

Oh God, he was screwed…

“Working hard, I see,” Yu’s voice flooded Adachi’s ears as he sipped on his strawberry shake – his regular order since that day – outside of Junes’ elevator. He flinched at the sudden intrusion and turned to see the teen and his friend; Yosuke, Adachi thinks he was called.

“Y-yes! I was just looking around for any suspicious people!” Adachi lied, giving the pair a sheepish smile.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Adachi. We won’t tell,” Yosuke winked. “Besides, the workday is almost over!”

Adachi nodded once he had glanced at his watch.

Oh… He was right. Adachi hadn’t even realised.

“Oh, Tohru!” A familiar voice called out to him, shortly followed by rapid footsteps. “There you are!” You stood behind Yu and Yosuke, greeting them both with a smile and nod. “Is that a strawberry shake?” You asked excitedly, grinning once he nodded.

Before he could realise, you reached out to grab Tohru’s shake, pulling it from his grasp and taking a sip. A satisfied hum sounded as you did so, swallowing the liquid and then handing it back to its, now blushing, owner.

“Thanks, Tohru! Now I feel more energised for lying to Dojima about where you are.” You giggled, blissfully unaware of the knowing look that Yosuke and Yu were giving each other behind you.

You turned to the pair, pointing a finger at them before speaking. “And you two, don’t you be telling either, okay?”

“Yes, Miss. Y/N!” They said in unison.

“Good,” you smiled at them both, reaching out to ruffle their hair. “Now, off you go. I need to have a word with Mr. Adachi here!”

Adachi, who had previously been staring at the mark you had left on his straw, looked at you with confusion. You wanted to talk to him…? Wait, no, you said needed, so it must be about work. Damnit, why did he get his hopes up like that?

“What… is it?” He asked quietly once the two boys left.

You watched as Tohru’s lips wrapped around the straw, gaze lingering for a moment before you shook your head to empty it of the thoughts.

You can’t be imagining kissing Tohru Adachi. He’s your… friend, assuming that he does like you!

“Huh?” You ask, confused for a moment before you recall your previous words. “Oh, I said I needed to talk to you, that’s right.” An awkward laugh left your lips as you rubbed the back of your neck.

Adachi couldn’t recall a single time you had seemed so awkward in the four months that he had known you. In fact, he couldn’t even think of a time you had been anything but happy.

“Are you okay? What is it?” He questioned, handing you his half-empty shake. “Here, have this.”

You thanked him, taking the shake from his hand, fingers brushing his for longer than necessary as you took it. With a quiet sigh, you moved to stand beside the detective, a dejected look on your face as you did so.

“I’m leaving town,” your words were quiet, eyes downcast as you sipped from his drink.

Tohru froze, nervousness flooding his chest.

You were… leaving?

You’re leaving him here in this shitty little town to deal with Dojima for the rest of his career. You’re leaving him alone. He’ll never see you agai-

“I’ll be back on Monday, but I figured I’d tell you before I go. I have some… family things that need taking care of. Hopefully I’ll be back before Monday, but that is when I’m due to be back.” You continued, eyes lifting from the ground to his pale face. “Hey, are you all right? You look really pale all of a sudden. Take this, maybe you need the sugar.” You shoved the milkshake back into his hand and pressed the back of your palm against his forehead. “Hm, you don’t seem to have a fever. You should get some rest, though. I don’t want you to be sick, Tohru!”

You’re not leaving him…? You’re just going away for a few days. He was being stup-

“Y-yeah! You’re right, Y/N!” Adachi forced a chuckle as sweat began to form on his face. “I should go rest! I’ll see you once you’re back!” He didn’t wait for a response, rushing out of Junes while he was still speaking.

Idiot, he cursed himself.

The door to the Dojima residence sounded on Saturday evening while Yu, Nanako, Dojima, and Adachi sat having some sushi. There was silence for a moment and then you walked into the room.

“Oh, you’re back early,” Dojima said, looking towards you with concern written on his features. “Everything okay?”

You wordlessly nodded, avoiding looking towards them.

“Do you mind if I crash here tonight?” Your voice was small, nervousness filling each word. “I don’t want to be alone right now. I’ll be gone by morning, I promise.”

Adachi watched your tense form with confusion. He was so focused on you that he hadn’t noticed Dojima standing until he stood in front of you, hands on your shoulders.

“You know you’re always welcome to stay here anytime you’d like,” his words were hushed, going unheard by Nanako and Yu who were sat further away than Adachi. “You don’t need to be alone. Look at me,”

Adachi heard you take a shaky breath then lift your watery eyes to meet Dojima’s. You muttered a thank you, releasing your travel bag from your grip and letting it fall to the ground with a thud.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed,”

You nodded at Dojima’s words, wordlessly following him to some room that Adachi guessed was a spare. He couldn’t stop the concern filling his chest even if he wanted to.

“Is she okay?” Yu asked, clearly having seen the sorrow on your face.

Nanako looked up at him and nodded.

“Y/N doesn’t go away a lot, but she comes back upset when she does. It’ll be okay though, big bro! Y/N’s strong, you don’t need to worry.”

How strange, Adachi thought to himself, eyes remaining on the hallway that you disappeared down. You always seem so happy. What could possibly have upset you this much in less than 24 hours after you left? Whatever it was, Adachi didn’t want you to go through it alone; not like he had.

“You’re worried,” Dojima’s words were blunt as he spoke.

Him and Adachi sat in the car outside of Adachi’s apartment building. Dojima’s hand remained on the wheel, but his grip was tighter as he spoke.

“Much like you, she had some… issues… in the city. She came to Inaba for a fresh start, but you can’t always run from your problems. Y/N will be fine, but she does need some support.” Dojima looked towards Adachi. “Support from people who care for her. Do you know what I’m saying?”

Adachi hesitated then nodded in agreement.

“Good. I can tell you care for her, so thank you.”

Adachi’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Dojima thanking him? What a weird way to end the evening.

“You should head inside, it’s getting late.”

Adachi nodded again, placing his hand on the door to let himself out before Dojima’s voice stopped him again.

“Wait,” his deep voice said. “I know it’s a lot to ask, especially since you haven’t known her very long, but could you check on Y/N in the morning? I have some important meeting at work that I can’t miss, otherwise I’d do it myself. If you do, I’ll make the higher-ups give you some time off. You could… go somewhere, or something.”

Now Adachi was even more confused than before. He knew that Dojima cared about you, but this? This was unexpected.

“All right,” he found himself agreeing before he had even considered it.

He watched as Dojima reached beside him to grab something. It took him a moment to find it, but he produced a key, holding it out to Adachi.

“I had this made for you a while back. It’s a key to our home. I mean, you’re basically part of the family now, so I figured it’d be easier for you to just have your own key.” Dojima shrugged as though it was the most casual thing in the world. As though the very notion of accepting him into the family wasn’t tearing through Adachi’s heart.

“Thank you,” Adachi murmured, staring at the key to the Dojima residence that was now his own. “I should get going. Goodnight, Dojima.” Once again, Adachi did not wait for a response before leaving. He didn’t want the elder detective to see his shaking hands, nor the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks.

You awoke the following day around 11am, shuffling into the kitchen of the Dojima residence with a stifled yawn. Usually, Dojima would be the one to make the coffee, but he was probably at work, so it’d be up to y-

“Good morning,” the bright voice of Adachi made you jump. “I made you some coffee. I heard movement, so I assumed you were getting up.” He chuckled awkwardly, fingers adjusting the hem of his more casual shirt. “It’s way better than the stations coffee, but I’m sure you know that.”

You looked over at the detective, seeing him wearing a pair of dark pants and a white t-shirt. His usual yellow raincoat was beside him on the couch, almost slipping onto the floor as Adachi moved to reach over and grab his own mug.

“What are you doing here?” You asked, before realising your mistake. “Sorry, I mean thank you for the coffee.” You nodded towards him in a grateful gesture, adjusting the strap of your pyjama top as you lifted back up and turned to reach for your drink.

“I-“ Adachi struggled to form a sentence as he took in your attire.

Your shorts left little to the imagination, similar to the vest top you wore that lifted ever so slightly as you stretched.

A dark blush covered his face and neck as he watched you, breath leaving him.

You were beautiful…

Even shortly after waking up, you still looked like the most beautiful woman in the world. God, if only he could wake up to that view every day.

No, Adachi tried to block the image from his thoughts. He didn’t need to imagine waking up beside you in the morning, you peppering his face with kisses to wake him from his slumber before he’d be late for work. He didn’t need that. He didn’t want that.

Nobody stayed; everybody left. That was life. It’s just the way it is.

You turned back to him, drink in hand and a small smile on your face as you took in his shy demeanour. While you didn’t know what he was thinking, it was a cute sight to see regardless.

“Are you staying for the day?” You asked quietly as you took a seat beside him, your thigh brushing his own as you did so. Neither of you moved. “If so, can we watch movies?” You asked with a hopeful glint in your eyes, one which Adachi was reluctant to ruin.

He nodded. “Let’s do it.” He said, pulling his eyes away from the brightening smile on your lips and towards the TV. “What shall we watch?”

You took a sip of your drink, letting out a satisfied sigh at the taste. “You can decide.” You said, taking another sip. “Also, you make really good coffee. I didn’t know you had it in you considering the number of times you spilled yours at the station.” A soft giggle left your lips as you recalled the times you had had to hand him a cloth.

“Hey! I-I’m not that bad,” he mumbled.

You lightly shoved your shoulder against his own in a teasing manner.

“I know. I’m glad you’re a little clumsy, though. You spilling your coffee a lot meant that I had to keep a stock of napkins and things… and it meant I got closer to you.” You admitted, a light blush covering your cheeks as you looked towards the TV, avoiding his wide-eyed gaze that was now focused solely on you. “Now, hurry and decide on a movie!”

The Dojima house was way too quiet considering the time. It was 6pm, yet there was nobody around. Nanako wasn’t sat watching her favourite quiz show and Ryotaro was nowhere to be seen. In fact, had it not been for the blanket tossed over you and a sleeping Tohru, you would have thought that they hadn’t returned home.

You stifled a yawn and rubbed at your eyes, glancing around the room. Noone… Well, besides Adachi whose head lay in your lap, eyes still shut in a peaceful slumber. Despite the burning of your cheeks – and against your better judgement – you reached up to run your hand through his hair. It was soft…

A satisfied hum passed Adachi’s lips, and you froze.

Oh God, he’s awake! He’s going to think I’m so weird, were your thoughts as you watched him adjust himself in your lap, eyes remaining closed as he snuggled further into you. He was… still asleep. An unconscious smile covered his lips as you continue to play with his hair, occasional sighs leaving him.

Tohru was in your lap… He was asleep in your lap, and he was adorable.

You’re screwed.

You had known it for a while, obviously. How could you not recognise the feelings you harboured for your co-worker? Sure, he was clumsy and sometimes a little strange, but he was still your Tohru. Well, not yours, but…

“What time is it?” His sleepy voice broke you from your spiral as he spoke, eyes slowly opening to look up at you.

You hesitated, your hand that was tangled in his hair freezing in place as you stared at him, as though you had been caught doing something you shouldn’t (you felt as though you had).

“Hm? Don’t stop, it’s nice,” he murmured, pushing his head into your hand like a cat would do to its owner. You couldn’t refuse him – you never could – so you simply continued caressing him as you glanced towards the clock.

“It’s just past 6,” you whispered, eyes still staring into his.

Tohru hummed, eyes fluttering shut again for a moment. “When did I fall asleep?”

You smiled at him, applying a little more pressure to his scalp in an amateur massage. You couldn’t exactly remember when he had passed out, other than him slumping against your shoulder during some romance film that neither of you had actually put on. It was left to the Netflix Gods what movie you two were watching after the second, having been way too engaged in conversation to choose.

“I’m not too sure,” you giggled, “but I wasn’t far behind you. It’s been a long few days.”

His eyes opened once more, and he gazed up at you in concern.

“What’s wrong?”

You paused, looking at the cute man in your lap.

You can trust him, right?

“Talk to me… I mean- unless you don’t want to, t-then that’s fine! Maybe you want to talk To Dojima or-“

You cut off his rambling by placing your free hand on his cheek, feeling the heat rise to his cheek rather than see it. His own hand landed atop of yours as you sharply inhaled.

“Tohru, I-“

The front door slamming shut broke you from your trance. You heard Nanako shush Dojima, her quiet voice saying they might still be asleep, daddy, in a scolding tone; you could imagine the look that she was giving him right now.

Adachi and you pulled away from each other, him shooting up from your lap and to the other side of the couch, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

“Oh, you’re both awake. See, Nanako, you didn’t have to worry,” Dojima said with a chuckle, looking over at Nanako as he dumped the Junes bag on the counter. “You two were asleep when I came back, so I took Nanako for a walk to Junes.”

You turned to Nanako.

“Did you have fun?” You asked her, smiling softly as a bright grin covered her.

“Yeah! Daddy let me buy lots of snacks!” Nanako paused, looking between you and Adachi in concern. “Are you two okay? Your cheeks are red. Are you getting sick?”

Your eyes widened, feeling Dojima’s eyes on you now as your mouth opened and closed in an awful attempt at forming a reply.

Dojima picked up yesterday’s paper – one you knew he had already read - from the table, covering his face as he spoke.

“I’m sure they’re fine, Nanako. Maybe they’re just very warm, it is quite sunny today,”

You could hear the smirk as he spoke.

“Y-yeah!” Adachi spoke, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s suuper warm today, haha!”

You nodded in agreement, placing your palms against your blushing cheeks as you voiced your ‘agreement’, forcing yourself not to glance over at Tohru who was having the same struggle.

“So,” Dojima’s voice was louder than the TV as he spoke. “You and Adachi?”

Your body went rigid at the question. “W-what…?”

He chuckled, placing today’s newspaper on the table in front of you both.

You were currently sat on the floor in front of the couch while Dojima sat behind you, reading the paper. Some movie – a romance, you think – played in the background. Neither of you were paying attention to it, it was just the channel Nanako had been watching before she went to bed. You had been too deep in your thoughts to notice and Dojima just having no interest.

“I came in while you two were asleep. I threw a blanket over you both while he was laying against you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him willingly touch someone, even subconsciously.”

You tilted your head back, pressing your neck into the couch as you looked up at him. Dojima stared down at you with a tiny, almost unnoticeable, smile.

“You should tell him,” he continued, shaking his head in amusement as you snapped your body back to stare at the TV; well, stare anywhere but at him and his wise, all-knowing stare. “He definitely likes you back.”

The TV wasn’t much help, though. On-screen, the rain was pouring as the two protagonists stared at each other, both soaked from the downpour. The girl, wide-eyed and blushing, stared at the suited man, her mouth wide. It was too quiet to hear what was being said, but you saw the man approach her, his hands cupping her cheeks and brushing his thumb across her lip, speaking once, then pressing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss.

“All I’m saying is, he’s a good guy, a little useless sometimes, but good. He wouldn’t hurt you,”

You jumped to your feet, back turned to Dojima’s watchful stare as you walked away, heading towards the room you had been residing in anytime you stayed there.

“Goodnight, Dojima,”

Tohru Adachi hadn’t seen you in a while. Well, three days wasn’t exactly a long time, but it felt it when he was so used to seeing you every day.

Dojima had followed up on his promise, somehow convincing the higher-ups to allow him a week off from work, and so Adachi used this to advantage and left Inaba.

He hated Inaba.

It was a small town, and nothing exciting ever happened. It was monotonous. Nothing ever changed. The same thing, every day. Wake up, go to work, go home. Sometimes his day would be ‘spiced up’ and he would have to escort a drunken Dojima home or maybe he would go to buy some food, but it was the same regardless. He hated it.

…Or so he thought.

But as Adachi sat in his hotel room, looking out onto the city skyline, he was conflicted.

Sure, he hated the monotony of his day-to-day life, but being away from Inaba – from you – was doing something to him. Something he didn’t like.

An involuntary groan fell from his lips, head hitting the glass of the window as he slumped forward.

How dare you.

How dare you come into his life – the life he hated – and make him miss being in Inaba. Tohru Adachi, the certified ‘small town hater’, wanted to go back.

“I need a drink,”

You had never told Tohru much about your past, despite feeling close to him (at least, as close as you both were willing to let each other get). You had mentioned little parts about your childhood and hometown here and there, but nothing big… nothing exciting. You never felt pressured to tell him anything. After all, he hardly spoke of his past either. It wouldn’t be fair of him to pressure you for information about your past when he wasn’t willing to talk about his own.

The bar Tohru had wandered into was small, likely owned and ran by some family who lived in the city. It wasn’t expensive but rather had a cozy feel to it. The dim lights ran along the ceiling and it seemed more like a café than a bar, so much so that he double-checked that he had entered the right place.

“What can I get you?” An older man asked, a polite smile on his lips as he tossed a receipt into the trashcan behind him. The paper landed in the bin without him even looking; lots of practice, clearly. “You look stressed.” He continued as Adachi seated himself at the bar.

“Whatever is strongest,” Adachi muttered, leaning against his balled fist and reaching his other hand into his pocket for whatever cash he had shoved in there before leaving.

The bartender nodded, giving him one final smile before turning his back to the detective. A sigh left Adachi’s lips as he watched the man work on whatever alcoholic beverage he was making. He prayed it would be strong enough to take his mind off you for longer than a minute.

This is the type of bar she’d like, Adachi thought to himself as he looked around, then scrunched his eyes shut to try and clear his head. Shut up, shut up, shut up.

Years of practice making drinks meant that it didn’t take the old man long to have Adachi’s drink in front of him. With a muttered thanks, he raised the glass to his lips and forced himself to swallow the bitter beverage as quick as possible.

“Woah, son. Take it easy.” The man said. “Whatever is bothering you, it can’t be that bad? What is it? Work? Family? A girl?” The concerned look he was giving Tohru reminded him of you. God, everything reminded him of you.

He wasn’t supposed to let people get close. He didn’t care about them! Everyone just hurt him. So why were you infecting his mind and heart like a sickness that he couldn’t rid himself of?

“A girl, then, I’m assuming? Judging by the look on your face. I know that look; my daughter wore the same one when she came to visit recently. Troubled by her feelings, unwilling to let this guy into her heart. Y/N didn’t want to let anyone close after what happened, but still, I told her to just go for it. Life is life, and it’s too short to spend your time agonising about what could be. I told her to just go for it, thought I was finally getting through to her until he- ah, well never mind that. What I’m saying, son, is that life is too short to not take risks. Sure, maybe this girl you’re thinking about might hurt you - maybe she’ll even say no -  but do you really want to spend the rest of your life wondering if it could have worked?”

Adachi watched the man as he rambled, and had he been the tiniest bit more sober – downing that drink was a mistake, his head was spinning – Adachi would have realised that this man had said your name. In fact, had he not been agonising over you, he would have noticed that this bar was the one you had worked at during your childhood; your family’s bar.

“But what do I know? I’m just an old man who has lived a long time,” he concluded, shooting Adachi a wink. “Take care, kid.” Were his final words to Tohru as he turned to the next customer.

What could be, the strangers words echoed throughout Adachi’s brain as he thought about you, unpained, this time.

What could be?

You were always nice to him; from the moment you met at the station on his first day. You had told Dojima off for being mean to him countless times, and always defended him to others, even if he wasn’t there to hear you do so.

“She’s so defensive over you. Hell, it’s annoying,” a senior officer had told him one time.

You clearly cared for him, even if struggled to understand why… and he cared for you too. Even when he didn’t want anyone close to him, Tohru Adachi cared for you.

With a (somewhat) clearer mind, he had a plan to… plan. He tossed some money on the counter – leaving a large tip for the stranger with good advice – and left the bar. Tomorrow, he would hop on a train back to Inaba, and he would tell you.

He was going to tell you how he feels.

“Dad says to tell you that you should tell Adachi,” Nanako spoke without looking up from her homework.

You look up from your phone and over to the girl who was nibbling on the tip of her pencil while considering the math question she was trying to complete. You sighed to yourself, moving to sit beside her, instead changing the topic from your love life – not that Nanako knew that was what her father was referring to – to her math homework, ignoring both your thoughts and the buzzing of your phone as you did so.

It was late evening when Adachi exited Inaba’s train station.

His planning hadn’t gone too well, but he had pondered over what he was going to say to you; something along the lines of how you were too sweet to him and you deserved better, but he loved liked you too much. In fact, he had been so absorbed in trying to plan his speech that he hadn’t felt his phones constant vibrating. He hadn’t noticed the numerous missed calls from Dojima until he pulled out his phone to text you.

7 missed calls: Ryotaro Dojima

2 new voicemails: Ryotaro Dojima

15 new messages: Ryotaro Dojima

2 new calls: Yu Narukami

4 new messages: Yu Narukami

A confused look formed on his face, eyebrows furrowing together as he scrolled through the notifications. There was nothing from you, so it can’t be that important, right? Yeah! If it was important, you would have called him too; he can ignore them for now.

Clearing the notifications, Adachi scrolled to your contact, tapping on your name and raising the device to his ear.

Straight to voicemail.

“Weird,” he muttered to himself. “Maybe her phone is dead? Ugh, that means I have to call Dojima back…”

Ring…

Ri-

“Adachi, finally!” Dojima’s voice sounded more stressed than usual.

“Hey, Dojima. I’m not missing wo-“

“Have you heard from Y/N?” Dojima cut off Adachi’s almost question.

“Not yet. I just got back to Inaba. Why? Is everyth-“

A quiet curse was the last thing Adachi heard from his friend before he hung up, leaving Adachi stood in the train station. Confused and alone.

“Who is he?” An all too familiar voice asked.

You couldn’t see its owner clearly – it was particularly foggy in Inaba today – but you didn’t need to see him to know the angered look that he wore.

You had been sat on the steps of the riverbank when your ex-boyfriend had approached. Had you known that he was in town, you would never have come here; at least, not alone. Alas, you did not know. Ignoring his messages hadn’t worked in your favour this time.

“Who is who?”

You knew who he was referring to, but you weren’t willing to give out Adachi’s name so easily. You hadn’t even named him to your father during your trip, knowing that your mother would somehow find out and then he would find out.

“The guy you’re apparently so smitten over,”

You ex was clearer now, stood directly in front of you. If you wanted to, you could reach out and slap him, but there wasn’t much point; you knew that. His lips were curled into a snarl and flames of rage roared in his eyes as he glared at you.

“No idea what you’re talking about,” your shoulders shrugged as you feigned innocence. “If that’s all you have to ask, I’ll be going.” Your voice was steady, shaking hands hidden behind your back as you lifted yourself to your feet, turning to walk away.

That was the plan, anyway.

But a loud gasp forced its way from your lungs as the man you had once loved so dearly grabbed at your hair, yanking you from the steps and into his chest. You could feel his heart racing beneath his shirt, a thick yet racing anger-fuelled thump. Yours wasn’t fairing much better, except it was fear.

You felt something cold against your throat – a knife, if you had to guess – and you tensed up. The attacker’s warm breath hit your ears as he muttered into it.

“Don’t scream,” his words were a warning, coupled by the metal pressing further into your skin. Yeah, definitely a knife. “Just tell me who he is. I can deal with it.”

Your eyes screwed shut, breaths turning into pants which worsened as he pressed the object further against your neck. You wouldn’t give in. You wouldn’t let him hurt Tohru. You shook your head.

“Tell me!”

The crunch of gravel sounded through the fog as someone wandered by. You held your breath, willing the person to just keep walking. You didn’t want any innocent by-standers caught up in your mess. You didn’t even want the people you had grown so close to to become involved. This was your mess to handle. Only Dojima knew, and even then, it wasn’t everything.

A recognisable sigh followed the crunching of gravel and your eyes widened.

Oh dear. Why now?

“Why does Dojima have to deal with everything by himself? Doesn’t he know we’re here to help.” Another sigh. “Well, I guess all I can do is wait for him to call me back.” The crunching of gravel sounded further away now, your head spinning from the lack of oxygen as you released your breath, coughing somewhat.

The sound of footsteps was gone now, instead replaced by raindrops that had begun to fall. It had been forecasted to rain at some point, but you were planning to be home by the time it begun. Not everything works out, you suppose.

“Now, tell me, or I will slit your throat, I swear to you,” the blade pressed further into you again, a stinging sensation spreading across your neck as you felt the wetness begin to leave your skin.

You didn’t speak. What were you supposed to say? You couldn’t tell him that you had fallen in love with Tohru Adachi. Not only would your ex kill him, but he’d absolutely  go after the others too. Nanako, Dojima, Yu… Everyone would get hurt because of you. You had endangered them by foolishly believe that you could outrun your past. You were so fucked. Everyone was so fucked, and it was all your fault.

“What’s going on here?” Adachi looked at the man behind you, then to the metal at your throat, and then to you. “Is this some weird kink or something? I-I don’t think you’re legally allowed to do that in public, you know. You of all people should know that, Y/N…” He pouted.

Your ex looked between you and Adachi, a smirk forming on his lips as a plan popped into his mind.

“You know her.” You ex didn’t wait for a reply from Adachi before pointing the knife towards him instead of at your throat. “Then tell me who this guy that she’s so obsessed with is! Tell me or I will kill you both right here. I don’t care if I get caught!”

Adachi’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked at you. The sight of crimson caught his eye and you watched his face fall, a neutral expression – along with some well masked anger – taking over his features.

“Oh, you mean… Dojima? They’re together a lot and always talk about each other.” Adachi rubbed the back of his neck as though he was feeling awkward, but you knew better. You had known Adachi long enough now to know how he was feeling. “He should be at the station right now. He always works late!”  He chuckled.

You knew that wasn’t true. It was nearing 9pm and you had seen Dojima come home two hours earlier. Surely Adachi knew that too. Dojima worked late, sure, but he hadn’t been recently. He had been home more often since Yu had told him to spend time with Nanako…

“It’s not far. I’m sure you could make it there quick enough on foot… But, hey, what do I know?” Adachi continued.

He was still lying… There was no way your ex could make it to the station on foot, especially not quickly. You all drove there daily. What was he thinking?

Adachi caught your confused look and gave you a lopsided smile.

“See, Y/N. This guy knows how to tell me things. Hell, maybe you’d be good with him; he could teach you a thing or two.” There was still anger in his tone, but he seemed more determined. The knife dropped back to the side of your ex as she shoved you away from him, your body failing to steady itself and sending you crashing to the ground.

Adachi shuffled slightly, as though he was about to move towards you but caught himself just in time. Instead, he looked over at the angry man.

“Just head down there,” Adachi said casually, pointing the wrong way and giving false directions. “Should take you straight to him.”

You saw Adachi’s body jolt forward slightly as your ex hit him on the back as he passed, shooting you one last smirk as he stuffed the knife back into his pocket.

The moment he was out of sight, Adachi rushed towards you, kneeling down to help you up. You saw the raindrops drip from his soaked hair and race down his face as he looked at you with concern. The question are you all right almost left him, but he knew better than to ask that. Instead, his sweat-damp palms gently held your cheeks, guiding your face around to assess you for any injuries. His eyes scanned your face, thumb brushing stray rain from your face as he did so.

A wince left you as he wiped at the thin line of blood along your throat and you saw the frown that pulled at his lips.

“Does it hurt bad?” He asked quietly, barely audible over the thunder that sounded.

You shook your head. “I’m fine, Tohru. Thank you.”

His eyes widened slightly then closed.

“You’re a dumbass, you know that, right? Everyone is worried sick about you. Dojima is driving around looking for you, Yu and his friends are walking around in the rain. Even Nanako is helping.” His words were scolding, maybe even angry. His face, however, told a different story. The frown that painted his lips and the concern that his gaze held. “Man, I come back early to tell you I love you and you don’t even answer my call. It’s like the world ha-“

The rest of Adachi’s words went unheard from you as you looked at him, shocked.

There he was, knelt in front of you, despite being absolutely soaked and his pants becoming dirty. One of his hands held your cheek so delicately, as though you were a porcelain doll that would break if he applied any pressure, and the other pressed lightly against your neck. You hoped it was light enough that he couldn’t feel the racing of your pulse.

Tohru’s lips were moving but you didn’t hear anything that he was saying. His confession was all you could hear, even moments after it had slipped from his lips.

“You love me…?”

Your words stopped his rambling, his own eyes widening as he registered what he had said. His mouth opened quickly, as though he was preparing to deny his words, but he decided against it. His mouth shut, lips forming a straight line as he nodded, gaze darting to the ground in shame.

“I…”

You wanted to say it back, you really did, but it wouldn’t leave your mouth. You couldn’t even force the words to form on your tongue as he looked at you with a hopeful stare. Your own eyes looked down, avoiding his stare as you balled your hands into fists on the ground.

“We should go back,” you muttered, desperately trying to forget the breath of air that left Adachi’s lungs. “You’re right, everyone will be worried.”

You felt Adachi’s shocked eyes on you as you lifted yourself to stand, your own eyes looking everywhere but him. You couldn’t bare to see the dejected look on his face, hearing his shocked exhaled was painful enough.

“I-erm- all right, Y/N,”

The last time you had felt this much guilt was probably when you were a kid and accidentally broke your fathers’ favourite ornament.

You knew that you loved Tohru, but you couldn’t tell him that. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was fear; who knows. Replaying his rambled confession in your head did nothing to ease the guilt that you felt, especially when you hadn’t seen him since he helped you back to Dojima’s house then instantly left, saying something about helping question the guy after his arrest. God, why didn’t you just say it back?

“Hey,” Dojima’s head peaked around your open door. He hid his worry well, but you could still see it. Dojima wasn’t a detective for no reason; he knew that something had happened between you and Adachi, but he didn’t know what. He’d never tell either of you but having you both moping around rather than talking about it was driving him insane. “I’m going to pick Nanako up from school if you want to come? I’m sure she’d like it if you came.”

With a dejected sigh, you agreed – albeit reluctantly – and followed him out of the door.

Adachi swore to himself that if he was ever given any sort of power, he would use it to make Dojima suffer. Why couldn’t he just mind his own business? Why did he put him in this situation?

Adachi watched as Yu, Nanako, and Dojima held hands on their walk back from school. Nanako had a happy smile on her face as she giggled at something Yu had said, even Dojima was chuckling. Adachi wasn’t sure what they were joking about. No, he was too focused on you walking silently beside him.

Tohru Adachi knew that he didn’t belong anywhere, but watching the trio in front of him holding hands solidified that. He wanted to go back to the city. He had, once again, resided himself to the fact that he would live out the rest of his life alone. No friends, no family, no… girlfriend.

Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal to others but having Nanako release his hand upon seeing Yu struck him with a certain pain in his chest. He knew he was easily replaceable, but he genuinely believed that the Dojima family had warmed up to him enough to welcome them in. He thought that you liked him enough too… What a fool he was.

He hated himself, he truly did. Why was it so easy for Yu to come to Inaba and settle in? He made friends so easily and everyone loved him. What was it about Yu that made him so much easier to like? Even in school, Adachi never had genuine friendships like Yu had made here in Inaba.

Why was he jealous of a teenager…?

A sudden warmth enveloped his hand, forcing him from his self-deprecating thoughts. Adachi looked over at you. Your cheeks were bright red and you kept your eyes forward, but your hand… He hesitated for a moment, then relaxed, allowing his hand to wrap around yours. A blush – one that rivalled your own – bloomed on his cheeks as he cleared his throat louder than he had meant to.

“Adachi? What is it?” Dojima asked as he looked towards you both.

“They’re holding hands!” Nanako grinned as she spotted yours and Adachi’s intertwined hands. “Do you see that, big bro? Dad was right!”

“You’re right, Nanako. They are holding hands.” Yu smiled at you and Adachi then at Nanako. “Shall we go to Junes with your dad? I think Yosuke is working today, so maybe we can get him or Teddie to give us a drink?”

Nanako cheered in agreement and happily skipped off with Dojima and Yu, leaving you and Tohru alone.

“I-“ You paused for a moment, looking around before your eyes landed on yours and Tohru’s hands. Somehow, it gave you the strength to admit the truth that you had been hiding for so long. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore your confession, I just… I didn’t expect it. I was scared and I didn’t know what to say.” You swallowed, voice growing quieter as you continued speaking. “But I do love you, Tohru, and if you still love me too then…”

Adachi’s gaze snapped to your blushing cheeks and then to your lips as you nervously nibbled and finally landed on your eyes. The nervousness was obvious, but it was… endearing. You were seriously telling him you love him? And you were so nervous about it, too. As if he could ever reject you. God, you really are a dumbass.

He squeezed your hand, giving you a grin. “Of course I do. I mean, I thought you hated me or something, but- hmph!” Adachi stumbled forward as you pulled him down by his tie.

He could feel your breath against his lips as he was face-to-face with you. Your spare hand cupped his cheek, thumb running across the skin as your looked at him adoringly. His own free hand landed on your waist, the neat fabric of your shirt contrasting his creased one.

“I could never hate you, Tohru…” You whispered, smiling up at him.

His focus was on your lips as they moved, so intently focused that he barely registered what you had said.

“Is that so…?” He murmured once his brain had caught up, gaze still fixated on your lips.

He heard you hum, watching your tongue glide along you lower lip. He could kiss you. He probably should kiss you… but what if he was reading it all wrong?! What if he messed this up and then you decided you do hate him. What if he had to leave Inaba and never got to see you aga-

The inner turmoil and hesitance was obvious on his face and you giggled, muttering a quiet idiot as you finally pressed your lips against his own.

From behind a bridge pillar, the Dojima family cheered quietly.

“Finally,” the eldest man muttered to himself, looking over at you and Adachi who seemed to be in a world of your own as your lips met.

“Yeah, they did take a while to admit it, didn’t they, Uncle?”

Dojima scoffed in agreement, shaking his head as he looked at Nanako who was watching them with wonder in her eyes.

“Wow… Are they going to get married now?” She asked. Nanako looked up at Yu with a smile. “When I’m older, I’m going to marry you, big bro, just like Y/N is going to marry Adachi!”