Chapter Text
Saguru quicky lost himself in the newest Detective Samonji book as characters were introduced and the scene was laid out. They had just opened the door to the murder location when Heiji spoke.
It’s “It’s the second cousin,” Heiji said, eyes stared at the ceiling.
Saguru blinked, suddenly drawn out of his reading haze. “I’m sorry?”
The “The culprit. It’s the second cousin.”
Saguru frowned, because he was pretty sure Heiji hadn’t been reading over his shoulder, so he should have no idea who the characters were…
I can “I can hear you here.” Heiji tapped at his temple. In “In my head. It’s kind of like an audio book.”
Saguru flushed at the implications, embarrassed that he hadn’t noticed what he’d been doing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to Project.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Saves on reading time.” Heiji gave a shrug. “Plus, you have cool voices for the characters.”
Oh.
Well… that was kind of flattering. But still…
“I haven’t even gotten to the description of the crime scene,” Saguru stated, a little miffed at the other’s jump to conclusions. “You can’t possibly know who did it.”
“I do. Don’t know how they did it yet, but I know who.” Heiji grinned. “Just keep reading and see.”
Saguru pursed his lips but turned back to the novel. He wanted to prove Heiji wrong, but he didn’t have enough evidence yet. He would have to pay attention as he read.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, there was the echo of a laugh. He ignored it.
Boarding was called before he had finished, so he packed up and followed Heiji into line. There wasn’t enough time to shake off his reading daze before he was in his seat, nose in the book again. Heiji finished shoving his bag into the overhead compartment, then crowded into the seat next to him.
“Second cousin and the antique tea set,” Heiji stated, to which Saguru glared. Heiji just bared his teeth in a grin. “Hey, don’t look at me like that, you’re thinking the same thing!”
“I have suspicions of that, but the butler and family friend are also suspect,” Saguru hissed. “I will not settle on one deduction until I have all of the evidence.”
“… I’m gonna say I told you so,” Heiji warned. “When you get to the deduction reveal.”
“You will say it only if you are correct.” Saguru frowned harder at the book.
“I’m gonna say it ‘cause I am right,” Heiji concluded instead. It took a not insignificant amount of effort to keep form making a face, but Saguru succeeded. He was challenged when Heiji slipped Saguru’s hand into his, but the sudden quiet that prevailed after threw him off. Saguru hadn’t even realized he’d started to lose the connection between them. How did Heiji…?
He flashed the other a look.
It took a second for the other to catch it but Heiji only gave a shrug. “You looked tense.”
And if Saguru was starting to feel the subconscious emotions of those around him, he understood why.
As he’d said before, planes weren’t the most relaxing of places to be. Especially for Guides that could feel the impatience of those waiting for take-off, excitement of those flying for the first time, and fear of those who would have chosen any other mode of transportation if they could.
If he could liken it to anything physical, it was a bit like walking past the perfume counter, or standing squarely between three different genres of bands all playing at the same time. Headache inducing at the bare minimum.
Even with Malten-A, it was a trial. Having Heiji here was better, by far and beyond.
That didn’t mean he appreciated it when, one hour into their flight, Saguru finished the book to a beaming Heiji’s glee.
“I told you so.”
Saguru hated that he was right.
* * * * *
“Finally! Land!” Heiji cheered as he and Saguru strolled out of the arrivals.
“Oh please, it wasn’t that bad,” Saguru commented snootily as he tugged Heiji towards baggage claim.
“Oh, excuse me, Mr. Cross-Continental,” Heiji grumbled. “Some of us aren’t used to more than two hours of flying at a time!”
Heiji paused at the looks he was getting and realized he was still speaking Japanese. A little self-conscious, he switched over to English. “So where is our… uh… hotel? We taking a taxi there?”
“My house isn’t too far away and Mother should have sent a car to pick us up,” Saguru imitated the switch of languages flawlessly, his words coming out a lot smoother than Heiji’s. The Osakan didn’t know whether to be annoyed, reluctantly impressed or whether to keep asking questions just to get Saguru to talk more.
Then the other’s words caught up to him.
“Wait.” Heiji gave an insistent tug on the joined hands between them. “Your house? Sending a car? And the mansion back in Japan… are you actually someone important?!”
“Not particularly,” Saguru replied vaguely. “Oh, I see my bag.”
Heiji let the coward run off through the crowd, knowing that he’d have to come back once he’d grabbed his bag. Scanning the area, his eyes landed on a refined older man in a black tux, holding a sign. It read ‘Young Master Saguru Hakuba.’
“Not important my ass!” Heiji muttered under his breath as Saguru came up to him, bag in hand.
His other hand slipped into Heiji’s again as he looked to where Heiji’s gaze was directed. “Ah! I see you found Jeeves! Good eye.”
A butler.
Named Jeeves.
What was Heiji’s life?
Wait, no. What was Saguru’s life?
“Okay, I’m gonna tell you what I told Kudou,” Heiji started gruffly. “Having a mansion for a house is not normal.”
Saguru frowned. “I told you, it’s not a—!”
“Having a second house in another country is not normal,” Heiji continued down his list of offenses. “Having a butler that is sent out to pick you up from the airport is not normal.”
Saguru pursed his lips (a pout. It was totally a pout) and Jeeves gave Heiji a sharp look at his tone.
Heiji sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m not trying to be mean. I just don’t want to be surprised and mess something up. Like, what if I go in with certain expectations and I say something wrong? I don’t want to make you look bad.”
Behind him, Jeeves’ hard expression softened, but Saguru just rolled his eyes. “You can’t say anything wrong. At least, not where my mother is concerned.”
“Mother?!” Heiji squeaked. He coughed to clear his throat and the surprise from his face. “You didn’t tell me I was meeting your mom! I would have packed something nice to wear!”
“Trust me, you’ll be fine.” Saguru grimaced and handed Jeeves his luggage. The butler took it, then snatched Heiji’s duffle bag before he could protest and put both in the truck of the car.
“As for my being ‘not normal’ as you put it…” Saguru gave the area a quick glance before motioning Heiji forwards. Stomach full of trepidation, Heiji leaned in to allow Saguru to whisper in his ear.
He immediately choked on his own spit.
“You—! You—! You—!” Heiji sputtered frantically.
“Mr. Hattori, it is most unbecoming to stutter like this,” Saguru’s butler (butler!) commented as he held the door open for Saguru.
“Thank you, Jeeves.” Saguru gave the man a polite smile before gracefully sliding in.
Heiji stood there for a moment, slack-jawed before a polite cough from the gentleman sprung him into action. His scramble into the car was in no way, shape, or form, graceful.
“You’re telling me that…” Heiji waited until the door closed behind him before covertly hissing. “That you’re basically royalty?”
“Oh, I’m nowhere near that.” Saguru waved him off. “Some three-hundred people would need to die first and even then; I’d likely be passed over due to my half-foreign heritage in favor of a purer blood.”
“But still!” Heiji argued almost desperately. He had had no idea that Saguru was that important!
Sure, he was rich, but so was Kudou. And Kudou wasn’t some blue-blooded heir. All he’d had was a famous actress for a mom and a famous author for a dad! Saguru…
Saguru was in a whole ‘nother league.
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you,” Saguru said through gritted teeth. “You’re going to treat me different now that you know. Everyone does.”
“Like hell I will!” Heiji hissed. “I’ll still treat you like the snobby, rich genius you are! So long as I don’t get executed for it… I won’t get executed or anything, right?”
“Er, no.” Saguru coughed (that was a laugh. Definitely a laugh). “No, you should be fine.”
“Then we only have one problem,” Heiji decided.
Saguru blinked. “We do?”
“I only packed jeans and T-shirts,” Heiji deadpanned. “That isn’t nice enough for royalty, let alone your mom, who I just now found out I’m meeting!”
“If you had just let Baya-san pack your bag, this wouldn’t be an issue.” Saguru let out a long-suffering sigh. Then he frowned. “Wait, did you just imply that meeting my mother is more important than meeting royalty?”
“Royalty can only kill me. Mother-in-laws can make my life a living hell.”
“I… I don’t think that’s how that works.”
“I’m from a democratic country. I can say things like that.”
“No, that’s… that’s not a good excuse!”
From the rearview mirror, Jeeves watched on. If Heiji looked out of the corner of his eye at just the right second, he might have seen the man smile too.
“It’s not an excuse. It’s a fact.”
“That’s not—! Enough.” Saguru shook his head in defeat. “There’s no use fighting. We don’t have time to stop anywhere on the way. Mother is waiting and I will not allow us to be delayed.”
Sometimes, Heiji hated that Saguru kept a pocket watch on him. Today was one of those days.
“Baya-san likely knew this would happen and packed extra cloths in my luggage. It was about twice the size I normally take.”
“Wait, she knew this would happen?” Heiji drew back. “Can she see the future?”
“No, just… this may have happened more than once,” Saguru said quietly.
“Which part, the not telling or the forgetting to mention?”
“… Yes,” Saguru answered, cheeks reddening.
Oh?
Heiji couldn’t help a Chesire grin. Before he could comment though, Saguru cut in. “That doesn’t matter. Just know that we have clothes on hand.”
“All I need is ten seconds and a bathroom.” Heiji nodded, composure turning serious again.
“Too late,” Saguru said. “We’re already here.”
“Wha—?!” Heiji whipped around to the window, gawking at the mansion (two mansions, in two different countries). “When did that happen?!”
“We were only going to our London villa,” Saguru said, as if to make matters better. “The drive would have been less than fifteen minutes.”
Heiji stared at him for a long moment. “Did you just say… London villa? As in… you have more than one villa in England?”
Saguru gave him a pointed look. “Heiji.”
“Right! Yes! Sorry! Freak out about that later.” Heiji nodded emphatically. The door behind him opened, revealing a very amused looking butler standing at attention. “Yo! Jeeves, my man! You have a garden shed or something I can borrow?”
“… Right this way sir.”