Work Text:
It was like a bolt of lightning, coming down fast, unexpected, and shocking Ryunosuke to his very core. At first he had just been curious, about the strange man with Lord Van Zieks who was sitting silently in the corner, being punished for something. But then he stood up and Ryunosuke’s world tilted.
That flawless, oh so familiar, posture. The man’s presence. Ryunosuke felt like feinting. It couldn’t be.. It was impossible! He couldn’t allow himself to hope. He had spent six months carefully constructing his new life together, building it up from the broken pieces of his best friend’s. And now a single moment threatened to shatter it all.
The thing about hope was that no matter how hard Ryunosuke tried to stamp it out, it stayed, it bloomed and grew stronger until it filled his entire being. Because Ryunosuke knew Kazuma Asogi. Ryunosuke knew him better than anyone in the world. They were best friends, they were partners. And that man in Van Zieks’ office, he was so familiar. And that must mean-
Ryunosuke was also determined. He was a lawyer! Shouldn’t have been. It should have been Kazuma! Kazuma, whose name was resting embroidered against Ryunosuke’s arm. Kazuma, whose sword and soul was hanging by his side, the hilt wrapped in Kazuma’s hachimaki. Kazuma, who maybe still was-
It didn’t matter. The important thing was that Ryunosuke was a lawyer. He had a client and a duty to represent him to the best of his ability and so that’s what he will do. And so he firmly pushed all his hope and doubt and whirling thoughts into a metaphorical wardrobe, slammed it shut and put a “Keep out” sign over the door. He needed to focus on the trial.
Miraculously, it worked. His mind was full of teleporting bodies, Enoch Drebber, the professor, and his missing waxwork and Klint and Barok Van Zieks. There was no room for mysterious apprentices. Obviously, that was when he showed up again. And this time, Susato-san was there too.
Kazuma seemed to always be the cause of the hurricanes that ran through his life leaving everything changed in their wake. Meeting him, first on stage, a fierce and passionate young man who commanded attention, and that Ryunosuke couldn’t take his eyes off. Then after, angry and humiliated, demanding that Ryunosuke teaches him tongue twisters. And forcing his way into his life.
From then, everything changed. Their friendship was fast and intense and greater than anything Ryunosuke had ever experienced. Being in Kazuma’s mere presence was amazing, but being his friend, his partner was all-encompassing. It brought him to new heights, challenged him to try to do just a bit better, it freed him, it enveloped him. Made him feel loved and cherished and happy.
And then came that awful trial. Being accused of murder. Working in court for the first time, even though he’s never studied the subject. And through it all, Kazuma firmly at his side, trusting him unconditionally, willing to give up the study tour for him. It was incredible and frightening and Ryunosuke’s heart swelled.
Then came the request. Accompany Kazuma to Britain. Ryunosuke had been preparing himself for letting go. Preparing to suffer through months or years without Kazuma at his side. Preparing himself to live without the fire and the intensity. But Kazuma wanted him there with him. Kazuma also didn’t want to spend months or years without Ryunosuke at his side. And even though he failed to see what Kazuma could possibly be losing, he was immensely glad.
He was stuffed into a trunk, then into a wardrobe. The journey full of discomfort, small spaces, boredom, and hunger. But it was all worth it because he was going with Kazuma to London! Because Kazuma was there with him.
Until he wasn’t. Until he wasn’t and there was just an outline of where his body had been. On the floor and in Ryunosuke’s heart. A cat, a panicked young girl and just one shove was all that it took. The world had grown cold and lost its colours and Ryunosuke felt empty.
It was all so pointless. His death. Ryunosuke’s presence on the ship. What was the point? What was the point in him dying? Why did it happen? What was the point in Ryunosuke being here? What was the point in him living? Nothing made sense and there was no one to make sense of it.
Except there was. Because even though he was gone, Kazuma helped him get himself together. He gave him a purpose. And so, Ryunosuke had changed his life for him. He studied law like he has never studied anything before. He threw himself into his work and never faltered, because it was the only thing he had left. An armband, a red hachimaki, Karuma and law.
Britain was everything and nothing like he had expected. Trials were difficult and somehow always managed to knock him entirely off balance. But Kazuma was there with him in spirit, and he guided him and helped him. Helped him gather his strength and resolve in court to not give up, helped him to trust Soseki-san and himself even after that disaster of a first trial. Helped him to forgive himself for McGilded. Helped him to forgive himself for Kazuma.
And now, here he was, standing in front of him. In a strange cloak, with a strange mask and apparently with amnesia. But he was here, and he was real, and he was alive, and Ryunosuke couldn’t breathe. It was everything he’s ever wanted, but it was too much and even though he was standing in the middle of the platform, he could feel himself falling over the edge and crashing down below, breaking.
Kazuma was alive. Kazuma was alive. Kazuma was alive. Kazuma was alive. Kazuma was alive.
But that meant.. That meant that Mr Sholmes lied to them. He had examined Kazuma’s body. (Kazuma was alive!) He had examined it and proclaimed him murdered and- Why?
Ryunosuke wasn’t aware of where he was going. Their journey away from the exhibition, weaving through the crowds, then getting a carriage to Madam Tusspells, it was all just a haze. His mind fogged up with sea air.
Ryunosuke was glad that Susato-san had already seen this place because he couldn’t handle having to explain the waxworks, the murderers or bantering about confectioneries. He stared at Mr Sholmes and had no desire to talk about temporary jobs or evading engineers either. All he needed was the truth.
He- he tried to play it off. Laugh it away. “He wasn’t dead at all – priceless”? And then.. Great detectives are wont to lie. Ryunosuke felt sick.
He remembered that one remark back on the SS Burya. Mr Sholmes had said something along the lines of it being all just a distraction. At the time, it had stricken him and scared him a bit, he had already started trusting the detective. But then he dismissed it and forgot about it.
Mr Sholmes had become a very close friend and confidant. He was probably the person Ryunosuke was closest to apart from Susato-san. He had seen a part of him die on the SS Burya and he had helped him to pull himself together by a thin hachimaki and force himself to go on. For Kazuma.
He had seen him silently and sometimes loudly grieve and mourn his friend. Never once forgetting or letting go. He had seen him lose himself and fall apart and cry and throughout it all, Ryunosuke had been glad for Sholmes’ presence in his life.
And meanwhile the detective knew the entire time that his grief was unnecessary! That Ryunosuke’s partner was alive and well and that there was no reason for the world to end. In fact, it had been Sholmes who caused the grief by proclaiming Kazuma dead in the first place and it had been Sholmes who forced him to learn of his partner’s death and to mourn him in handcuffs.
Ryunosuke stared at the man who he had considered one of his closest friends. At the man, who had offered him his lodgings and helped him through his grief and to find his feet.
Great detectives are wont to lie.