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Chapter Text

        "I see. Thanks for letting us know." The man set down the phone before turning to his colleagues, smiling. "Good news, everyone."

        A much younger looking girl jumped up from her chair, almost like she knew what she was about to hear.

        "Do tell!"

        "The government gave us a one week break since we all worked so hard during the Decay of Angels incident, so if you have any ideas, then-"

        "Camping! Roughing it outdoors sounds super fun!" 

        "Teruko-kun, at least give us a chance to celebrate before you throw out any ideas. Especially one like that." Across the room sat a clearly agitated peppermint haired boy, who was currently stuck with someone acting as his shadow.

        "That's captain to you, sir! And Tachihara was the one who said we should suggest ideas anyways!"

        "Fine. While that may be true, camping is a terrible idea. I refuse to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with you three, especially if it's for a week."

        The man behind him hummed in thought. 

       "Not even me?"

        "You're the last person I want to be stuck with out of everyone on this planet, even if it was for 5 seconds. What do you think, Tecchou-san?" 

        "I think you're mean. Maybe we can try something else, like lionfish spearing or-"

        "Don't you dare finish that sentence." The man spun in his chair and slapped his coworker without hesitation, who didn't even flinch in response.

        "Both of you, shut it! What I say goes, and I say we go camping! I think it would be fun." Teruko huffed, hopping up on one of the desks to take a seat despite the many office chairs around.

        "Fine then. I'm going to clear my head." The peppermint haired man swiftly stood up, walking towards the door. Once he stepped out into the hallway, his so-called "shadow" followed.

        "Jouno, why are you so against the captain's idea? We've spent multiple weeks together on some of our longer missions. It can't just be that you don't want to be around us." Upon hearing the brunette's voice for what seemed like the millionth time that day, Jouno groaned in annoyance.

        "Would you stop following me around like a lost puppy?! And I just don't want to be around you guys when I could be doing much more important things."

        "Really? I thought you were always complaining about how bored you can get when you're not working, especially since there's nothing important enough to do at home." Immediately after finishing his sentence, Tecchou realized something.

        "Wait a minute." He was silent for a moment, then smirked.

        "You're scared, aren't you?"

        "Shut the fuck up!! Why the hell would I be scared?!" For the second time within 5 minutes, Jouno slapped the man next to him as hard as possible.

        "You've never been fond of insects." The brunette shook off the slap almost immediately, insistent on getting a solid answer out of his coworker.

        "You just never stop, do you?" The man stopped in his tracks and sighed in defeat. "Fine. I don't want to be around that many insects for that long. Are you happy now?"

        "You can stay in my tent if you want. It might help to have some company-"

        "Absolutely not. I am not spending the night with you." To his sheer horror, especially after saying that, Jouno noticed the sound of approaching footsteps, which just so happened to be Tachihara. It appeared that he was surprised at what he had just heard.

        "What did I just hear? What were you saying?.."

        "Nothing. Ignore everything." 

        "I'm not judging you! It's just that since the vampire incident ended, you two have been really close, so I assumed-"

        "Tachihara," Jouno unsheathed his sword slightly. "Stop. Talking."

        "Fine, fine, I'm sorry!" The redhead jumped back, clearly not willing to get stabbed.

        "A-Anyway, the captain wanted you two to come back for some reason. She sent me to come get you."

        "Oh. We'll be there, just give us a moment." 

        "I'm not spending any more time alone with you today, Tecchou-san. Let's go." Agitated and still slightly flustered by what Tachihara had assumed, the man walked back towards their office at a higher speed than usual for most; probably in an attempt to lose Tecchou, who was still tagging along behind him without struggle.

        "Finally! What took so long? Was Tachihara right?" Teruko once again jumped up from her chair and walked towards the 3 men who had just entered the room.

        "Was Tachihara right about what?" Tecchou seemed clueless in the face of the captain's obvious smirk.

        "You two were definitely-"

        "Okay, please stop before I die." The redhead hastily walked away from Jouno, who appeared disgusted with him.

        "... Continue, captain." The man quickly changed the subject in an attempt to ignore his slightly red face, and the brunette next to him seemed confused- although there was no denying that his face was red, too.

        "Thank you for finally remembering who I am!" Teruko smiled, clearly proud of herself. "Anyways! Tachihara told me that this little break of ours begins tomorrow, so you should go home and pack. Captain's orders."

        "Why didn't you tell us this while we were still in the room?!" The peppermint haired man shouted, incredibly annoyed with the other people in there with him. 

        "Huh, I sure wonder. It's not like you shouted at me for sharing my idea and left, right?" The girl spoke sarcastically, but wore a smug expression.

        "That is what happened, wasn't it?"

        "Tecchou-san, for the second time, shut the fuck up." Jouno once again let out an exasperated sigh. "I guess I'm stuck going camping, then. Great." 

        He was not going to enjoy this. Not one bit.

Chapter Text

        "Come on, rise and shine, lazy! It's time to go!"  

        The man awoke to the sound of Teruko attempting to kick down his door, alongside her incredibly loud voice.

        "We don't have all day, you idiot!!"

        Pissed off, the man sat up, clearly agitated at the girl's shouting in particular.

        "Fine, just give me a second! Jeez..."

        "No can do! Tachihara is waiting for us, you know! No time to change or anything!" Jouno could definitely hear her smile, which made him even more upset.

        "Captain, that's incredibly unsanitary." 

        Upon hearing Tecchou's voice, Jouno grit his teeth together in annoyance, especially remembering what the brunette had done much earlier that morning. As if the day could get any worse... It had only just started, too.

        "Oh. Well, I guess that's true..." It was clear that Teruko was now considering her options.

        "Fine, I'll prep the car with Tachihara, and you wait for him to finish up! You should have no problem with that considering how clingy you've been, right?" The girl turned her head to look at her subordinate, who nodded.

        "Fine by me. Jouno, I'm coming in." Just as Tecchou reached out for the doorknob, he was interrupted.

        "Absolutely not! You're never coming in here again!" The peppermint haired man shouted while scrambling to put on a shirt and clean pants, all while trying to give himself time to clean up a bit.

        "Ah. Okay, I'll wait out here."

        After a considerable amount of time had passed, the man stepped outside of his apartment with his bags, still pretty pissed off.

        "I can help you with those if you want."

        "Keep. Your. Hands. Off." The man seethed, promptly walking towards the elevator. "I'm still incredibly annoyed with you."

        "Oh. Sorry about that." The brunette spoke with a very slight hint of guilt in his voice, and Jouno happened to notice as he hit the elevator button. There was no way Jouno felt bad about it. No way at all.

        "I hate you so much."

        "That's a well known fact. I'm aware."

        Agitated, the man turned to Tecchou, clearly ready to lose his mind.

        "You offered to help with my things, right?" He snapped.

        "I did. Are you going to take up that offer?" Tecchou held out his hand to take the bags his coworker had.

        "Yes, actually. I'm not dealing with you right now." The next thing the brunette knew, Jouno handed his things over and used his ability, vanishing almost immediately.

        "Oh- Well, see you down there, then." The brunette was half talking to himself, but also assumed his coworker had heard him and simply relied on his incredible senses.

        Bringing his peer's things down to the car wouldn't take too long, so Tecchou didn't mind.

        The man arrived outside and noticed that Tachihara was the one in the driver's seat, although he seemed a little reluctant. Teruko was throwing all of their stuff in the trunk without much thought, and after looking around a little more, Tecchou noticed Jouno nodding off in the back seat.

        "Are you kidding me?! More bags?!" Upon noticing the brunette, Teruko shouted in annoyance. 

        "Yeah, sorry. Do you want help?" 

        The girl sighed, shaking her head.

        "I can do this just fine! I just want to go soon. Also, before you get in the car..." Teruko smirked.

        "I called shotgun. You're stuck in the back." She flicked the man's shoulder playfully.

        "That's not a problem. I would have sat there anyway." Tecchou handed the girl the bags he was holding and began walking to the car, opening the door closest to the other empty seat in the back.

        "Oh my God, I was hoping I was just having a bad dream..." Jouno groaned, leaning his head against the back of his seat.

        "You know I don't like leaving you alone anymore. Besides, I think you'd much rather sit next to me than a wailing child if you're trying to sleep. Right?" Tecchou spoke casually, and only managed to piss off his coworker upon doing so.

        "I won't be able to sleep anyway if you don't shut up." He mumbled and moved his head to lean on his fist, propping his elbow against the window.

        "Oh, right. Sorry." Right as the brunette finished his sentence and reached out for his seatbelt, Tachihara turned around.

        "But didn't you talk first, Jouno-san?"

        "I- well..." The man grit his teeth together for the second time that day, trying to think of a way to defend himself, which didn't go well. "... Just let me sleep. If you wanted to spend this trip talking, you can blame the moron next to me for being a pain in the ass last night."

        Right as Tachihara was going to question his coworker, Teruko swung the car door open, hopping into her seat without hesitation.

        "Alright, let's go!!" Her eyes were practically sparkling, but upon noticing the slight red tint and embarrassment on the ginger's face, she stopped.

        "What? What happened while I was outside? Did I miss something funny?" Teruko looked at the two in the back, and Jouno was practically glaring at Tachihara. Tecchou only stared at the man next to him, devoid of any emotions other than confusion.

        "That's not what I meant. Don't say a word." Jouno spoke through his teeth, and could just feel his ears heating up; clearly out of frustration.

        "Oh well. Just tell me later, let's get going already!" The girl began bouncing in her seat, and the ginger beside her sighed.

        "Fine, fine."

        About 30 minutes had passed, and after finally ignoring Teruko's incessant shouting, Jouno had nodded off once again. Upon leaning to his left and remaining like that for about 5 seconds, he realized something, immediately sitting up and shouting in shock.

        "What the hell?! When and how did you get there?!" 

        "What do you mean? I've been here since we left." Tecchou tilted his head slightly. "You could have stayed like that if you wanted. I don't mind."

        "Well, I do mind!! Your shoulder is the last place I want to be right now! Not to mention that you were nowhere near this close earlier!" Jouno slapped his coworker, who only sighed in response.

        "Just why are you so tired, anyway? Are you feeling alright?" 

        "What do you mean, 'why are you so tired'?!" The man yelled. "You broke into my apartment and made the worst attempt at packing I've ever seen! Not to mention that it was 1 in the morning, and you made me pack myself when I, quite rightfully, got pissed and tried to kick you out!"

        "I think I did a pretty good job. I was trying to help you out a little." Tecchou crossed his arms and leaned back a little, clearly still happy with his work.

        "God, are you two done yet?! Shut up!" Teruko swiftly turned around and huffed. "I'm trying to enjoy this!"

        "Sorry, captain." Tecchou glanced at the girl for a moment, who went back to looking out the window.

        "I swear I'm going to get you back for this, asshole..." Jouno mumbled, elbowing the man next to him in annoyance.

        "That's fine. I'm excited to see what you come up with this time." The brunette looked at his coworker and gave him a rare smile. 

        "I wish you'd just die..." The man crossed his arms and sighed, going completely silent. 

        The two in the back would remain silent for the rest of the ride.

Chapter Text

        "Hey, we're here. Wake up." Tecchou lightly shook his colleagues shoulder, who sighed in response.

        "Don't touch me..." He muttered, swatting away the brunette's hand.

        "Ah. Sorry." 

        "Just let me sleep, you asshole." He huffed.

        "We've been here for 10 minutes, and you've barely moved since we left. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" The man moved his hand to check Jouno's temperature and he immediately grabbed Tecchou's wrist, threatening to break it.

        "What did I just say? And don't tell me you already forgot that you kept me awake until 4 in the morning with that insufferable packing job and voice of yours!"

        "I've just been worried about you. You know that." Tecchou said that so casually, Jouno couldn't help but be thrown off. Yes, he knew just how worried his coworker was about his safety, but he didn't expect to hear him admit that so casually.

        "I'm fine! Just-" The man couldn't help but notice the brunette's heartbeat, which made it clear just how concerned he was. It was barely noticeable, otherwise. Finally, Jouno sighed in defeat.

        "Okay, jeez..." He let out a long sigh and opened the car door, slowly stepping outside.

        "Ah, Jouno-san's awake already?" Tachihara looked over at the two men walking in his direction, a little surprised.

        "Yeah. You said you were going to go on a walk to get to know the area soon, right?" The brunette seemed to know where he was going with his sentence, and the peppermint haired man didn't seem to like it.

        "Yes, why?.."

        "Can Jouno go with you? I think it's important for him to get some fresh air at the moment."

        Upon hearing this suggestion, the man punched his coworker in the arm.

        "Shut up, I'm doing fine!" He seethed. After a moment, however, the man seemed to be reconsidering.

        "...You know what? If it means that I can get away from you, then I'll do it." The man huffed and swiftly walked towards the redhead, and Tecchou followed close behind.

        "Tachihara, can you make sure he stays safe-" The man was interrupted by Jouno slapping him across the face; hard enough to warrant a sharp inhale from the one watching it unfold.

        "Jouno, please stop hurting me."

        "Only if you stop embarrassing me, bastard." He sighed in annoyance, walking off. "Tachihara-san, are you coming?"

        "Oh, yeah!" He began walking towards his coworker, giving Tecchou a thumbs up. Once the two were a considerable distance away, Teruko walked over to where the brunette was standing.

        "Jeez, you've started worrying about him a lot, huh?" She elbowed her subordinate, smiling playfully.

        "Yeah. I don't want something like what happened during the vampire incident to happen again." He muttered, incredibly displeased with the memories. At this, the captain smiled even wider.

        "Heh. You love him, don't you?"

        "What makes you say that?" The brunette asked, beginning to blush at the sudden question.

        "Well, it's just like you said! Ever since the vampire incident, you've barely left his side after seeing him so fucked up! It's almost like you decided you'd protect him for the rest of your damn life! Plus..." The girl's voice dropped to a whisper, despite nobody else being around. 

        "You prioritized him over defeating the cause of the incident itself. Do you have any idea how romantic that sounds on paper? Placing the person you love over the safety of the world?! You have to at least love him on a subconscious level!" Teruko smirked, proud of however she gained some of that information; perhaps from one of the members of the agency. 

        "Captain, it's not subconscious. I do love him, I was just wondering how you knew." Tecchou's reddened face was more than noticeable at this point, and upon hearing what her subordinate had just admitted, the girl's eyes sparkled. After a moment, she let out a loud squeal.

        "I knew it!! Why don't you just tell him that already?! It's so obvious that he feels the same way!" 

        "Because, he wants nothing to do with me. I don't want to put him in that position."

        "Did you not hear what I just said?! Some of the things he says either to you or about you make it so obvious he just wants to be kissed senseless by you already!"

        "What- captain-!" A rare flustered expression appeared on the man's face, almost as if he knew that a certain coworker of his heard everything. Upon realizing that, however, he could've sworn his heart stopped; alongside Jouno's.

        "Um, Jouno-san? Are you sure you're okay?" Tachihara happened to notice his colleague's incredibly flushed face, curious as to whatever it was that made him so red.

        "... Yeah. I'm feeling fine." He muttered, clearly unsure of how to feel. For some strange reason, he felt a little bit happier knowing just how Tecchou saw him. He had to admit, his phrasing was never the best around his colleague, but it seemed he suddenly realized why that was.

        Perhaps his poor choice of words, and what people assumed they meant, was exactly what he wanted.

        "God damn it..."

Chapter Text

        "Look, they're back!" The girl quickly jumped up out of her chair, bolting over to the two approaching. As she got closer, a look of confusion came over her. "Woah."

        "What's wrong?" Tecchou walked up behind her, quickly noticing what it was that stopped her. "Did you two find a lake or something? Why is Tachihara dripping?" 

        "A river, actually." The redhead sighed, seemingly embarrassed.

        "We found a river, Tachihara decided to try and catch a fish, and he..." Jouno stopped for a moment, taking a moment to stop his laughter. "He was just so terrible at catching it..! It just kept swimming out from his hands, and kept flopping all over the place..." He laughed, covering his face with one of his hands.

        "It was annoying! That little bastard kept trying to swim away!!" Tachihara complained, clearly both frustrated and embarrassed. At this, his coworker only laughed more.

        "You're so-!" The redhead seethed, quickly sighing in defeat. "...I'm gonna go warm up." The man then began walking towards the fresh campfire with an exhausted expression. His colleague, who was still laughing, followed behind.

        "Wow. It's rare to see Jouno laugh like that, huh?" Teruko glanced over at her subordinate with a smile on her face, probably from the story. "Don't you think it's a nice change of pace?"

        "... Yeah." The man hesitated a bit.

        "Hey, you're blu-" The girl was quickly shushed by the brunette, who panicked for a moment. After glancing back at Jouno, Tecchou sighed in relief once he realized that he didn't hear anything; the man was likely caught up in trying to compose himself.

        "You think it matters if he hears or not? He definitely heard our conversation once he and Tachihara left." The girl whispered.

        "I was hoping he didn't..." 

        "Maybe it's a good thing. Maybe this trip is just the push you two needed! I'm such a good commander, taking care of my subordinates like this..." Teruko smiled proudly, almost like a mother, leaving the man in front of her in silent contemplation.

        "Tell you what; I have an idea. Just follow along." The girl then began walking towards the fire. "Hey, Tachihara! Did you remember to grab my tent like I asked?"

        "Your tent..? I thought we were-" Teruko then shot him a death glare.

        "Ah- Sorry!! I must've misheard you!" 

        "For fuck's sake... Tecchou, can I have your tent instead?" The brunette's eyes widened when he realized what it was she was planning. He held his breath for a moment, before reluctantly responding.

        "Well, you are the captain, so no really isn't an op-"

        "Hey, wait a second!! Captain,  I can hear you scheming over there! You're not forcing me to share a tent with that moron!" Jouno stood up and shouted, clearly quite pissed; maybe a little embarrassed, which was evident just looking at the obvious blush on his face.

        "I'm not scheming, prick! You try to eavesdrop on my conversations again, and I rip your ears off!! You got that?!" She huffed. "Besides, we all know you want to share a tent with this guy anyway!" The girl stuck her tongue out, and her subordinate face palmed in disbelief.

        "I don't see why we shouldn't. I won't bother you if you don't want me to." Tecchou seemed relatively calm about all of this once he was given the chance to think, but there was no denying that his heart was still racing.

        "Fine!.. Fine." The man huffed, just before walking off once again. "Also, Tecchou-san, just stop your heartbeat. It's really annoying me."

        "Sorry." The brunette then held his breath as Jouno swiftly walked away. After a moment, the man turned to the girl next to him with a bewildered expression.

        "What? I'm helping you."

        "Y-Yes, but don't you think you're just making Jouno uncomfortable? I don't want that..." He whispered with a reluctant tone, still trying his best to refrain from breathing too loudly. 

        "Oh, come on! It'll be fine. Didn't you see how red he was? He's so into the idea whether he thinks he likes it or not." The girl smiled confidently, speaking a bit too loudly. The redhead sitting on the other side of the fire stared in confusion.

        "... So we were supposed to share a tent." Although a bit annoyed at Teruko, Tachihara sighed in what seemed like relief. "At least I don't have to share with you now."

        "Hey!! What's that supposed to mean?!" The girl hissed, quickly turning all of her attention to the redhead across from her, leaving Tecchou with his thoughts for a moment.

        Was Jouno really looking forward to this, just like Teruko had anticipated? Was he certain she wasn't just forcing Jouno into something he didn't want? Despite his stoic expression, Tecchou seemed both excited and nervous. As these thoughts of his spiraled, the exact person he was thinking about was in the same situation. 

        "For fuck's sake..." The man mumbled various swears under his breath, clearly perplexed. Jouno was so certain he would go insane during this trip, and now that Teruko had convinced him to share a tent with the person he was so certain he hated? He thought he wouldn't live to see another day. Yet, hearing what the others were saying, and hearing Tecchou's thoughts on this alongside his rapid heartbeat, Jouno couldn't help but smile in amusement.

        He hated himself for that in that moment.

Chapter Text

        "Hey, did you remember to pack your futon? I can't find it." The brunette spoke from outside his and his colleague's tent, agitating the man inside.

        "This is exactly why I told you I would unpack myself; you're no help!" He seethed. After a moment of silence, Tecchou stepped in and crouched next to Jouno, who was sitting in the corner with an embarrassed look on his face.

        "Are you okay? You've been sitting in here since the captain and I pitched the tents. You're worrying me." He gently patted the man's shoulder, causing him to flinch and swat the brunette's hand away.

        "D-Don't touch me, bastard!!" He backed even farther into the corner than before. "I told you, I'm fine!" 

        "Are you sure? You're breathing really heavily, and you look like you're sweating." Tecchou went to place the back of his hand on Jouno's forehead, only causing the man to swat at his colleague's hand even more.

        "Stop that!! I swear, I'm-" Jouno was interrupted by the brunette placing his hands on his shoulders.

        "Jouno, I know you may not agree, but I'm not stupid. I can tell when there's something going on with you." He squeezed the man's shoulders in reassurance. "Just tell me what's wrong. I won't judge you." 

        "Well-! Damn it, you..!" The man stumbled on his words, clearly conflicted. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he kicked his colleague away from him. "Would you cut it out?! I'm fine, you idiot!" 

        "Are you sure? Again, I promise I-"

        "Did you hear me?! Shut the fuck up!" Jouno huffed, before standing up. "I'm grabbing my futon myself. Please, don't try to talk to me again tonight."

        "... Jouno, it's pretty dark out. I don't mean to freak you out, but there are probably bugs out there." The brunette stood up right after his coworker, seeming concerned once again.

        "You think I can't hear them? There aren't that many out there, I'll be fine." The man began unzipping the tent. "And didn't I tell you to stop talking to me?"

        "... Sorry. I'll leave you to it."

        By the time Jouno made his way back to the tent, Tecchou had left and joined the others around the fire. Although he had contemplated heading over himself, the man figured he'd be the most sane if he were to stay in the tent and listen in on whatever it was his colleagues were talking about.

        "... Are you serious? I mean, I guess we can't really blame you, especially Tachihara, but..." Teruko seemed to be speaking in a hushed tone.

        "He's a pretty serious person when it comes to this stuff, captain. Besides, that bastard deserves it, right?" Tachihara responded.

        "Exactly. Do you expect me to forgive him for traumatizing, if not killing all of those people?" The brunette let out a rare scoff.

        "Well, if you really intend to follow through with this, then are you going to get the agency involved? Specifically the guy with the ability nullification?" The girl sighed. "Because if so, I really can't help you. That man should be in jail, exactly where Jouno sent him."

        "His ability is what ended the vampire outbreak; in other words, he assisted in protecting billions of innocent people. Don't you think that cancels out all of his past crimes?" Tecchou seemed incredibly serious about whatever he was talking about.

        "You're the last person I expected to hear that from, but I mean... I guess you're right. But still, that old man was sentenced to death. All you're doing is making our organization look like impatient and immature members of the military by killing him yourself without explicit permission." The girl seemed troubled, especially as the leader of their unit.

        "How so? One could argue that, by placing the matter in our own hands, we're making up for assisting in his acts of terrorism, regardless of whether or not we knew we were."

        It was silent.

        "... Could we maybe change the subject? We're meant to be on vacation, not discussing... this." Tachihara muttered.

        "Alright then. Maybe now is a good time for me to ask... if Jouno hadn't interrupted me, would we have gone lionfish spearing?"

        "Nope. Sounds boring." Teruko smiled.

        "Ah. Alright then."

        After a few hours of laying down without a glimpse of sleep in sight, Jouno flinched when he heard the tent door unzipping.

        "Are you awake?" Tecchou whispered, only to be met with silence. After a moment, he hummed before stepping closer.

        Jouno stayed quiet, hoping the brunette would assume he was sleeping. After a moment, he couldn't help but notice that Tecchou's heart was racing. The brunette seemed pretty happy simply kneeling down beside the "sleeping" man.

        "... I know you're sleeping, and I know it's probably not mutual like the captain says... but I love you." Tecchou smiled, promptly brushing his coworker's hair to the side, before sitting beside him and laying down on the many blankets he brought with him.

        If he hadn't been pretending to be asleep, Jouno would have been speechless. Although, after he comprehended exactly what it was his coworker had said, something clicked in Jouno's mind.

        It became clear that he loved him too.

Chapter Text

        "Jouno, wake up." Tecchou repeatedly poked his colleague's shoulder, desperately trying to wake him up.

        "Let me rest, asshole..." The man swiftly turned his head away, and the brunette who was kneeling beside him sighed.

        "Please?"

        "Shut up."

        "You're really gonna make me do this, huh?" Tecchou took a deep breath, picking up a blanket from behind him. 

        "Do wha-?" Before Jouno could finish, he had been wrapped up in a blanket and was being thrown over his coworker's shoulder.

        "I warned you." The man unzipped the tent, and his grip on his colleague tightened.

        "H-Hey! Put me down, bastard!!"

        "You'll just end up going back to bed. We need you awake today so we can actually enjoy our vacation together, alright?" 

        "I... I hate you." Jouno sighed as soon as he realized he had hesitated to say those words. 

        "I know you do." To the man's surprise, his coworker said this in an incredibly dismissive manner, almost as if he didn't believe it anymore.

        "I mean it, you know."

        "Sure you do." Tecchou chuckled softly, and Jouno sighed in defeat.

        "Can you put me down? This blanket is getting incredibly hot." 

        "Nope. Not yet, anyway." The brunette smiled softly, just before placing his coworker down in a chair, still wrapped up tightly. As Jouno struggled, he heard the sound of another tent unzipping, alongside the voices of his other two colleagues. After a moment of silence, Teruko snickered, and Tachihara was clearly trying his best to not laugh.

        "Need a little help, blanket boy?" The girl teased.

        "With all due respect, shut up." He seethed. After a brief moment, the man finally managed to get the blanket off of him, seemingly embarrassed by how long it took.

        "What the hell did you do to that blanket?! Superglue it?!" 

        "No, I just wrapped you up in a really specific way. I'm surprised it worked." Tecchou answered nonchalantly, which only served to annoy Jouno even more.

        "You..! It's too early for this!!" The man spat, promptly standing up and walking off.

        "Hey, where are you going? Come back, you haven't eaten yet. That's not healthy." Tecchou reached out for the man's hand, but he yanked it away and continued walking.

        "I need a break, so back off."

        The brunette stood in contemplation, watching as the man swiftly walked away. He glanced back at the two other colleagues of his, and Tachihara nodded at him in response. As for Teruko, she simply smirked. 

        "... Jouno, wait." The brunette began to follow his coworker to his destination, keeping a careful eye on him.

        "Jesus, why did you have to follow me?" Jouno huffed, trying to focus on the sounds of the flowing water. "All you're going to do is bother me."

        "Because, I just want to make sure you're- what are you doing?" The brunette stopped mid sentence as he watched his coworker walk closer to the river bank. 

        "I'm desperately hoping that if I get closer to the water, I won't have to hear your voice anymore."

        "You could slip and fall in. The rocks are probably really dangerous to walk-" Right as Tecchou was about to finish, he noticed Jouno stumbling, and he shot his hand out to grab his arm; Just barely failing to do so. Without a second thought, the brunette dived into the river to try and help.

        Once submerged, Tecchou immediately saw his coworker in front of him, wrapping his arms around him and bringing him to the surface. After taking a moment to breathe, Jouno sighed, still breathing heavily.

        "I could have swam up on my own, you know..!" 

        "I know, but I didn't know if you'd be down there longer because of shock or something! You're not hurt, are you?" Tecchou brought his coworker to a more shallow area, checking his arms carefully until he noticed a significant amount of blood on his left hand.

        "What are you doing?" Jouno tried to pull away, but the brunette gripped his shoulders and pulled him closer.

        "Please, be more careful next time... Once we get back, I'll help you with your hand. Alright?" Upon hearing the brunette's voice under these circumstances, Jouno said something he'd never imagined.

        "That's... Thank you." He muttered.

        "... What did you just say?"

        "I said thank you."

        Tecchou seemed shocked, before smiling widely; it was incredibly rare for him to express himself like this.

        "Listen, I... heard what you told me last night." Jouno tilted his head downwards as he spoke, as he could feel the heat creeping up on his face. "... Could you, um... say it again? Just so I can think..?"

        "Ah- Sure..!" Tecchou took a deep breath. "I love you."

        That was all he needed. Before the brunette knew it, Jouno had wrapped his arms around him, but seemed to hesitate as he stopped his face incredibly close to his coworker's. At this, Tecchou simply smiled, planting a soft kiss on the man's lips.

        As the two stood there for a moment, refusing to move, it seemed the rest of the trip would be much easier to get through.

Chapter Text

        "Are you... crying?" Tecchou's voice was faintly heard over the river.

        "S-Shut up. No, I'm not." His partner spoke with hesitance, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

        "You are, aren't you? You're sniffling. Are you okay, Jouno? Do you want this?"

        "...I do, and I'm fine. Don't expect me to keep saying stuff like this, and I hate to admit it, but..." The man hesitated for a moment. "I'm happy."

        The brunette seemed stunned, clearly not expecting that response. "Are you really?"

        "Yes... now shut up and kiss me again, bastard."

        And with those words, the two wrapped their arms around each other, struggling to not push each other into the water.

        "Commander, when do you think those two will come back?" The redhead sighed as he stared into the freshly stocked fire.

        "Whenever they're done... I don't know, making out?" The girl pondered, attempting to properly tie her hair up for what seemed like the hundredth time. "You told me you had a discussion with Jouno about their, uh... friendship a week ago, right?"

        "Yeah. Though, if I wasn't properly trained to read body language and stuff like that, he would have had me sold on his 'hatred' for Tecchou-san." Tachihara chuckled softly, glancing back up at the commander, who was wearing a shocked expression as she stared into the distance.

        "Hey, hey! Look!" The girl began shaking her subordinate by the shoulders in excitement.

        "Jeez-! I'll be able to look once you stop shaking me!" As soon as the man was able to look over in the same direction as the girl, he understood her surprise as their coworkers approached. "... You're both soaked, what happened?"

        "Jouno fell in the river, so I helped him." Tecchou spoke with a blank face, with the exception of insanely red cheeks and the slightest smile that anyone could miss.

        "Really? Why are you two so red, then? Are you sure Jouno-san fell in and that was it? Nothing else?" Teruko spoke in a teasing manner.

        "Well, we did-" The brunette was interrupted by his partner covering his mouth immediately, whispering a frantic "shut up" in hopes that the two in front of the fire wouldn't catch the hint. Unfortunately, Teruko's smug smile gave away that it didn't work.

        "See? Told you they were making out." She turned to her red haired subordinate with a grin, clearly happy with herself.

        "Well, I wouldn't say making out, but..!" Tecchou, for the second time throughout the week so far, spoke with an incredibly flustered look on his face. The man beside him facepalmed, clearly embarrassed.

        "A few kisses aren't the same as that, commander..." Jouno shuddered. "Can we perhaps warm up in peace?"

        "Fine, fine. You two can cuddle all you want." The girl teased. "Are there any grocery stores nearby, Tachihara? We should give these two a bit, and I'm hungry for lunch."

        "We're in the middle of the woods, why would there be-?" The redhead was quickly interrupted by Teruko's threatening glare. "... I'll check my phone."

        "Good! Now you two will have some time together. Thank me later." The girl smiled widely, patting Tecchou on the shoulder as he attempted to wring his hair out. "Anything, Tachi?"

        "It hasn't even been a minute! Give me a second to look!" The man panicked slightly before frantically typing on his phone, leaving the 3 in front of him waiting for him to speak. After a few moments passed, he sighed in relief. 

        "There's one about... 30 minutes from here. That would give them a solid hour or two if you include how long we'll be in there." He paused. "... When have you ever called me Tachi, by the way?"

        "... I don't know, I just think it's cute." Teruko smiled, before mumbling in her subordinate's ear. "And that sounds perfect! That's definitely enough time for these two to, uh... talk. You know?"

        "Why... why did you say it like that?" Jouno quickly questioned the girl upon realizing what she was implying. As the man spoke, Tecchou; who was already taking advantage of his circumstances; carefully hugged him, making sure he felt comfortable with it through his hesitance. After a moment, Jouno sighed softly and leaned into him.

        "That's exactly what I meant! Jeez, you have a dirty mind." After she said this, it quickly became clear that Teruko simply wanted to tease her subordinates; especially now that she had a great reason to.

        "No, that's not at all what you meant! I could tell by your tone of voice!" Jouno seethed, shaking slightly due to a mix of anger and how cold he was becoming.

        "I'm not doing anything if Jouno doesn't want me to. Sorry, captain." Tecchou mumbled as he shut his eyes and buried his face in the man's shoulder, tightening his grip slowly. "Are you cold? I can grab you a blanket."

        "Thank you, Tecchou-san. Jeez." Jouno sighed, before turning his head in the direction of the fire and focusing on its warmth.

        "Uh, commander... should we go now?" The redhead turned to Teruko with a strained look on his face; it seemed that he knew that if he didn't say something now, things would get bad. "Do you two want anything?"

        "Soy sauce for my coffee next morning, please. I forgot mine in my kitchen, and didn't notice until earlier." Once Tecchou finished speaking, Jouno gave him a look of disgust. 

        "... You're... Nevermind." He wanted to say 'disgusting', but the current situation he was in wouldn't let him do that without feeling guilty.

        "I'm what?"

        "Let's just say... no matter how well I know you, I will never get used to those disgusting food combinations of yours." The man sighed, quickly burying his face in his partner's neck. It seemed that his insults wouldn't have much weight anymore; not that they ever did.

        "I expected you to say something much meaner." Tecchou pulled his partner even closer to him, effectively making it more difficult for him to breathe.

        "Y-You never take my insults to heart anyway, you idiot!! And stop squeezing me so hard!" Jouno spat, squirming in an attempt to free himself. Once his partner noticed this, he let him go. 

        "Jeez, can you lovebirds wait for us to leave?" Teruko laughed a little, before turning to her subordinate. "C'mon, let's give them some space. Want anything, Jouno?"

        "Well, I might need some tea if you're gonna bother us like this all week. Green, please." 

        "On it!" The girl smiled before skipping over to the passenger's side of the car, with Tachihara close behind. 

        As soon as the two drove off, Tecchou wrapped his arms around his partner's waist and muttered yet another "I love you".

Chapter Text

        "Is this too tight?" Tecchou carefully wrapped a bandage around his partner's hand, who was shivering slightly as he did so. "Do you need me to put more wood in the fire? Do you want some pillows or blankets? Something warm to drink, maybe? Do you want me to hold you?"

        Clearly agitated with his partner's incessant questions, Jouno sighed and put his head down. "It feels fine. More wood in the fire sounds helpful, though." Although the man remained silent after responding, it was clear by his body language that he had more to say. The brunette simply stood and waited patiently for whatever his partner would request next.

        "...Anything else?" The man sounded incredibly disappointed; but if anybody had been there to see Tecchou's face, they never would have guessed. It was his pulse that gave it away for Jouno.

        "You fucker... Fine. Hold me, if that's really what you want to-" The man was then cut off by his partner's arms hugging him tightly, once again giving him barely any breathing room.

        "Thank you." Tecchou's grip tightened, and he buried his face in the man's chest with a soft smile. "I'm glad you're okay."

        It was quiet for a moment.

        "There's no way I would've drowned in the river, and my hand is alright now." Jouno paused, wearing a confused expression. "Why have you been so protective of me lately, anyway? You know I can take care of myself, right?"

        "I know that, and you're a very skilled swordsman. I just don't want to risk losing you again." The brunette's grip tightened. "I made the mistake of letting that happen once, so I promised myself I'd protect you whenever and however I can."

        The silence returned, but was soon broken by a sigh from Jouno. Tecchou was giving his partner a look full of genuine remorse and guilt; a look that was much too expressive for his usual stoic face. Had he been able to see it, Jouno probably would have felt worse for him than he did now, although it wasn't something he was willing to admit.

        "Jesus, you..." He wanted to say something derogatory, but given what his partner had just said, he couldn't find the heart to; especially knowing just how important his job was in his mind. To be placed above that? The idea in itself left Jouno shocked. "... I shouldn't be above your principals. You know that, right? You and I are supposed to protect innocent people, not each other..." He trailed off once his partner's grip tightened.

        "I know. But I'd still do everything in my power to help you, even if I was only given a second. I love you too much."

        Jouno sat in silent contemplation after hearing this. There was no doubt Tecchou spoke nothing but the truth; everything about him proved just how much he cared. His tone, his breathing, his heartbeat; everything he said was true. After a moment, the man scoffed.

        "... Moron."  Jouno hugged the brunette back, burying his face in his hair. It was much softer than he had anticipated, but there was no way he would complain over something like that. "I love you too, but there's going to be a day where you have to go after a criminal instead, idiot. Like you said, I'm skilled with my sword. I'll be fine." 

        Tecchou held his breath at this; likely trying to determine how he could both take out the criminal and protect the man he loved. 

        "I have my ability, Jouno. I can keep you safe if I have to go after somebody." He was practically strangling his partner to death at this point. "I'll protect you, don't worry."

        "I-If you want to protect me so badly, stop cutting off my airways-!" The man squirmed a bit, and upon realizing how tight his grip was, Tecchou let go.

        "... Sorry about that." He sat down awkwardly beside his partner, gently holding his injured hand in his own. "Did I hurt you?"

        "Well, yes, but it's fine. I want to change the topic anyway; I don't particularly enjoy talking about death and things like that."

        "Ah. So, do you want to sit on a chair rather than the dirt?" 

        "How the hell is dirt related to death, dumbass?" Jouno pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. This man was incredibly smart, but also incredibly stupid.

        "Bodies are buried in the ground under their graves. Of course that's related to death."

        "T-That's not what I meant!" Jouno seethed; as usual, he immediately found himself fighting the impulse to slap the man beside him.

        "Ah, sorry. Can I ask you something instead?" Tecchou began holding his hands out to the fire, clearly a bit cold now that he didn't have his partner's body heat.

        "Sure. Just nothing dumb."

        The man would soon regret saying that. The following question wasn't dumb, but it certainly wasn't one he'd enjoy answering.

        "How come the commander and Tachihara went so red yesterday and the day before? When I asked if you wanted to stay in my tent, and when you said I was a pain. Do you know what that was about?" The brunette hummed softly. "I thought I knew at first, but I figured I was probably wrong. Maybe they thought we'd stay up taking care of my ants rather than taking care of ourselves?" As the boy thought carefully and looked around for some insects, likely because he remembered they existed, Jouno could feel his face heating up drastically.

        "... I was afraid you'd ask about that."

Chapter Text

me casually adding the tag "canon divergence" after yesterday's episode: 😐
welp, there goes my plot making sense
i'm going to keep fukuchi alive in this fic because i kinda have to, but i am reconsidering my plot regardless
i guess i could find a work around? i dont know, let me know what you think

Chapter Text

Hello all, sorry I've left this fic on a shelf to collect dust for like- 1 1/2 years? My bad

I've seen people questioning if I'm going to continue this fic, and the short answer is probably not. HOWEVER!! 

The past year or so I've been taking a break from BSD and getting involved in other fandoms like Project Sekai and Genshin and stuff, but now that I'm getting back into BSD odds are it won't take long for me to wanna write another Suegiku fic (If not Rimlaine because guess who just finished stormbringer (it broke me))

But yeah, thank you all so much for your kind words. Looking back this fic feels cringe as hell to me (I mean really who looks at Jouno's hair and goes "mmm, peppermint"), but seeing how much all of you have loved the premise and dynamics and stuff has brought me a lot of motivation

If/When I start a new fic, probably within a month or so give or take, I'll be sure to link it here! Thank you all so much again <3