Black and Gold

This has somehow turned into the fic of doom and I don’t know how to stop XD so uh. Enjoy. There’s a lot more coming.

As usual, this is a beta version that’s largely unedited because I… don’t currently have a beta. If anyone wants to apply for the position, pm me! 3

----

Johan slept for two days straight when he arrived in Japan. He had never been one to need sleep, before, and he would have hoped to be able to go on as if he didn’t fly halfway around the world, but he was still too weak. The jetlag put him in a mood, made him even more tense.

Eventually, he moved from the hotel to an apartment relatively close to the address he had for Tenma’s family. He even went by Tenma’s childhood home – much larger than he had ever expected, it was literally a mansion. Tenma wasn’t living there though, and the servants couldn’t tell him a thing about where he was now. So he started his work, the work he had been doing all his life. Listening.

It took some time to find anyone willing to talk to him, even with the help of a translator. Tenma didn’t maintain contacts with any of his old school friends and even above that, Johan stood out too much here – not in the same way that he did in Germany, where he was just more handsome, charismatic, or intelligent than normal. Here he was an outsider. Distrust tinged everything, and he hadn’t ever really experienced that before.

He decided quickly that he didn’t really like the Japanese, much. They were nothing like Tenma. They blended in to each other, were uncomfortable with standing out or standing up. It seemed that everything they did was together.

Eventually, he managed to charm a couple of old classmates of Tenma’s, though it took substantial work. It was strange, hearing about Tenma as a child. He never really thought of Tenma’s childhood before – it never seemed relevant.

It was mildly amusing to learn some things – he had liked running, television. Cartoons that seemed to be famous but Johan couldn’t even pronounce. Really, the doctor seemed to have had a singularly boring childhood, one that didn’t suit the person he knew.

Finding out about Tenma’s childhood was a waste of time, really – it didn’t do anything to relieve the tension that was building. Tenma hadn’t contacted his old classmate; in fact the man was shocked to hear that Tenma had even come back to Japan. He had no idea where the doctor might be, but he guessed he might be at the family hospital.

With that information in hand, Johan felt a little foolish. Though he hadn’t known Tenma’s family ran a large hospital in the area, he should have at least expected Tenma to go right back to work. The doctor was a workaholic, after all. So Johan turned his attention to where it should have been in the first place.

The hospital run by Tenma’s father was large but not very modern – Johan felt like it was almost a step back for the doctor. Still, like everywhere else, it was relatively easy to win over the nurses, once they got over his foreignness.

Tenma was working ridiculously long hours, they told him. Working himself into an early grave, and the worry in their voices almost endeared them to Johan. He found himself worrying too, just the slightest touch. He knew Tenma cared deeply about his work, but still didn’t feel that it was healthy for him to do nothing but.

He made no move to make his presence known, however. It didn’t seem the right time, the right place. Maybe he was even a little frightened of what would happen. He couldn’t imagine Tenma being happy to see him.

For the time being, he was content to simply watch.

----

“A phonecall for you from Germany… Nina?”

Tenma looked surprised for a moment, before smiling brightly, holding his hand out for the phone.

He lay down on the couch and listened to the conversation, though he understood very little German. Tenma spoke rapidly and absolutely fluently, though that wasn’t surprising. He seemed relaxed though, happier than Hattori remembered seeing him since he came back.

“An old girlfriend?” he drawled a little as Tenma hung up the phone and picked up his tea.

Tenma choked slightly on his tea, setting it down and waving his hand. “No, no. Of course not. She’s just in her twenties.”

“Ah… a former patient then?”

“Of sorts.” Tenma hesitating a little. “Both her and her brother were in an accident… I performed surgery on him.”

“You’re friends now, though?”

“Yes. Nina and I have kept in close contact.”

There was something about the tone that made Hattori tilt his head. “Hn. … aren’t you going to be late for work?”

Tenma cursed softly under his breath, looking at his watch and standing, leaning to brush a kiss over Hattori’s temple. “Thanks. I’ll see you tonight.”

Hattori watched him run out the door, smiling a little and standing himself, stretching. They were falling into a nice little domesticity, but perhaps it was time to further his own interests, while Tenma was at the hospital.

----

Tenma Yori had been traveling for the last month, through the countryside of Japan. His career did not afford him much time to rest, but it was designed that way. He didn’t like sitting around. Bringing medicine to rural areas, visiting different hospitals – everything was fine as long as he never slowed down, never took a break.

News of Kenzou’s return stopped him in his tracks, however. It seemed unreal, that he was finally home. It had been a relief when his younger brother left… and now it felt like he couldn’t breathe again, but he also felt lighter.

He dropped everything to go home, upsetting a few clients, but it was a strong compulsion that he couldn’t fight, even if he had tried.

Their last conversation had been so long ago. He’d sent Kenzou letter upon; letter, even up until the last month. He’d even taken a collection to provide for his legal fees, knowing for certain that he was not capable of murder.

It was a pleasant shock to find him working at the family hospital. Diligent as ever, he was working late into the evening when Yori got there. It was relieving. Finally, they would get a chance to clear the air.

He watched Tenma, who was working on a patient chart by the low light in an exam room, for several moments before swinging the door open fully.

“Ken.”

----

Hattori smoothed Tenma’s hair from out of his face gently, sitting next to him in the early morning light. Unsure how it had happened that he let the other fall asleep on his shoulder without making a single move.

Tenma had been upset almost afraid, when he came home – a completely different mood than when he left. Hattori had done everything he could though, to mitigate it, even though it made him slightly frustrated with himself… when did he let this become complicated? When did it become more than simply gaining influence over Tenma?

It wasn’t that he loved him or anything, thank heavens. It was simply that for whatever reason, it had become convenient, even interesting to help him. And Tenma didn’t seem to want his help, something that both intrigued and irritated him.

Really, this was getting ridiculous. He carefully eased out from under Tenma, laying the doctor down on the couch gently.

He was handsome, Hattori reflected, standing and just watching him sleep for a few more moments. Nearly as handsome as himself, though there were more careworn lines in the other’s face and his hair was still a little on the unkempt side. Sighing a little, he brushed it out of his face again, resolving to make the doctor a hair appointment. Perhaps some appointments for interviews with local hospitals, as well.

Not only did he want to keep Tenma to himself, without the interference of any of his family… it would be harder to manipulate Tenma into working on his projects, in such a small local hospital.

Tenma woke with a start, groping as if trying to reach under a nonexistent pillow. Hattori frowned a little, recognizing that gesture from the time he’d spent with less-than-wholesome people. Tenma looked like he was reaching for a weapon.

Such a strange habit to pick up. It put him on the defensive and he had to force himself to relax, deliberately. He must have imagined it – even with the doctor’s time on the run, it was absurd to think that he was used to sleeping with a gun. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you…”

“No…” Tenma sat up, brushing his own hair out of his eyes with a sigh, checking his watch. “It’s all right. I’m late for work, anyway.”

That struck Hattori as simply absurd, and he tried not to laugh at him in disbelief, instead taking a breath. “You’re not going back to that hospital.” He said it firmly, hoping this wouldn’t turn into an argument.

Tenma blinked up at him slowly, looking rather annoyingly stupid. “I have to go back. I can’t just quit…”

“You can and you will.” He rested a hand on Tenma’s shoulder, trying not to be frustrated with him. For someone so intelligent, sometimes he was absolutely idiotic. “You’ve been wasting yourself there anyway. It’s time you moved on.”

----

Tenma moved hospitals. It was a move that took Johan by surprise and irritated him. It seemed sudden and unprovoked. It had taken Johan ages to ingratiate himself with the hospital staff without showing himself to Tenma. He didn’t know why he was going to such lengths actually – except that it seemed to have a certain type of symmetry that was right for them.

This time he was going to be more direct. He immediately made friends with the director of the new hospital, and got himself invited to a party introducing their newest surgeon. He watched as Tenma pulled at his tie just a bit, uncomfortably, standing too close to a slightly taller, forgettable man that Johan hadn’t learned much about yet, except his name. They were surrounded by what seemed like a sea of people – doctors, bigwigs from the new hospital. Tenma was clearly trying to blend in as much as he could although it was a welcoming party for him.

It was a small party, but the condo was still too small to receive the amount of guests present. It was nice – new and probably expensive, considering the floor and building it was in – but compared to Germany it was really quite uncomfortably cramped. It worked in Johan’s favor though, managing to get close enough to the doctor to overhear his conversations without being immediately noticed.

Tenma looked terribly awkward as he sipped red wine and tried to politely dissemble when asked too-prying questions. It seemed that moving from German to Japan didn’t ensure that he was less-recognized, it just made people even more luridly interested in the past.

Finally, after perhaps a glass too many and a cutting implication that he really had been involved in the murders, Tenma coolly excused himself, slipping out one of the doors to the balcony.

Johan smiled, excusing himself too. There was another door, the balcony wrapping around the condo, and he slipped out that one, knowing he’d be around the corner from Tenma. The balcony itself was rather large, especially considering the size of the apartment, and there was a strong, cool breeze coming up off the harbor.

Johan stepped up to the railing, sipping his wine and acting for the world like he’d been there the whole time, just waiting for Tenma to find him. He wasn’t disappointed – he saw the other man as he stepped around the corner and froze, then took a quiet step backwards.

Johan set his wine down and turned to catch him, watching Tenma’s eyes widen a bit in the dim light. The doctor spun, clearly overwhelmed and not quite sober, wavering on his feet. One hand reached for the railing and missed by a few inches. Johan closed the gap between them, steadying him with a hand on his waist, catching the outflung hand.

Tenma froze. Johan dipped his head a little to his ear, smiling softly. “Be calm, Doctor.”

He stepped back then and Tenma turned his head slowly. Johan smiled softly – genuinely pleased to be face-to-face with him again.

It took quite a long moment for Tenma to say anything. Long enough for the euphoria to fade a little, for Johan to really feel the cold up here. The wind was picking up some, causing his hair to whip in it just a little, stinging his temples and cheeks.

“What are you doing here?”

Johan picked up his glass of wine, sipping it, languidly. “I was invited.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” Tenma sounded frustrated. His German still perfect, but perhaps faintly accented, now. “What are you even doing in Japan? How long have you been here?”

“Why am I not in jail, you mean?” Johan smirked a little, leaning back against the rail. “I left before they could take me there.”

Tenma turned from him, holding onto the railing firmly with both hands, knuckles white. “I see. And Japan?”

“I’ve been here for just under a month.” Johan watched him closely, not wanting to give too much away yet.

“Why here?”

Johan laughed just a touch, softly. “You shouldn’t question my motives, Doctor Tenma. You may not like the answers.”

Tenma’s eyes flickered towards him, then back out at the city. Clearly he agreed with the statement.

“You’re here with someone, aren’t you?” Johan kept his voice carefully clear of any emotion – he didn’t want Tenma to guess at what he was feeling before he even really knew himself.

“Does that matter?”

Johan shook his head. “Simply making conversation.”

The doctor folded his arms to lean against the railing more, slouching a little against the wind. “For some reason, I didn’t picture you as the type to indulge in small talk.”

“You would be surprised. But now you’re just avoiding the question, aren’t you?” He pressed the doctor, needing to know the answer. He couldn’t read Tenma like he could everyone else.

Tenma sighed deeply. “Yes, I am.”

“Avoiding the question?”

He shook his head slowly. “No, here with someone.”

“A date?”

“My partner.” Tenma responded quietly, after a long moment’s hesitation.

“Pity.” Johan didn’t know what possessed him to say that, but he smirked as he raised the glass of wine to his lips, sipping. His eyes stayed locked on Tenma’s the entire time, he couldn’t drag them away even when he realized that he was staring.

Tenma stared back at him while he drank and the tension was something he recognized from Suk, though he doubted Tenma was even quite aware of it. Johan lowered the glass and stepped into the doctor, angling Tenma into the railing a touch. Tenma jerked up, standing straight, looking up into Johan’s eyes, backpedaling as much as he could without looking absolutely silly.

Johan caught one of his hands, guiding it up, and around the stem of the wineglass he held. “I find the wine isn’t quite to my taste.”

It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but it certainly made Tenma flush. The doctor held onto the glass, because the only other option would be to let it drop, staring up at the other dumbly. Johan let his hand fall to the railing next to Tenma’s waist, just looking down at him.

The doctor was a bit shorter than he remembered, shorter than him by at least an inch or two. He took a breath. They had never been this close before, except when Johan was a patient and for most of that he was unconscious. It was heady. He wanted to close the gap more, almost did when Tenma spoke.

“.. How long will you be in Japan?”

He allowed it to break the moment, lips quirking slightly, though he tried to control his amusement. “As long as it takes.”

“As long as it takes for…?”

Johan shook his head a little, smiling and tapping a finger against his own lips. “I would like to see you again, while I am here.”

“Why?” Tenma looked away, uncomfortably.

That stung slightly and Johan frowned. “Do I need a reason other than that you’re a familiar face?”

Tenma didn’t answer, shrugging a little. Johan let out a slightly frustrated breath and just reached into Tenma’s jacket pocket, having earlier observed Tenma handing out business cards. He quickly pulled one out, holding it up briefly.

“I’ll call you soon.” He stepped back, turning and heading back towards the party.

It took several minutes before he saw Tenma re-join the party. Johan ignored him, speaking in English to a group of doctors about fundraising. He saw Tenma hesitate for a moment, clearly unsure if he should try and determine what he could of Johan’s plans by listening to them.

His companion joined him, his hand reaching to rest lightly on his arm, dipping his head to speak lightly into his ear. Johan suppressed another pang, ignoring them coolly as he listened to a plan for an upcoming benefit.

It was simply a matter of time.