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To an investigator who was also deliberate and careful about the things he owned and used, Hiroto believed the spaces and objects a person surrounded themself with told many things about who they were. A suspect can put on the perfect act, but the items in their pockets or the state of their home would always tell the true story.
So to see Minami’s— It still stunned him that the other man was actually moving in with him now. It was something he used to think would only ever be a dream— entire worldly possessions neatly fitted into three cardboard boxes and one suitcase made Hiroto’s gut twist, hard. How could such a wonderful man, who’s everything he said and did and touched now filled so many of Hiroto’s conscious thoughts, only take up so little space in the world?
“That’s it? You don’t have much stuff.” Hiroto winced at how accusatory his choice of words sounded. His bluntness sometimes made it difficult for him to communicate with others. For someone as special as Minami, Hiroto didn’t want to make any mistakes anymore. Ruin what little good he had just gotten into his life.
Minami, ever the sweet and easy-going person, only smiled sheepishly and thankfully didn’t seem bothered by Hiroto’s words. “I got rid of some furniture. I just brought a few clothes, daily necessities and books.” the other man said.
The thought or mention of Minami’s psychic senses was always a complicated topic for Hiroto. On one hand, they might never have even met without Minami’s ability, then gone on to bring justice for so many victims with their work at Unit Six. But it also meant Minami never got to experience a proper childhood or genuine relationships, and sometimes he struggled to even acknowledge his sense of self. During the Sawaki Yuka case, Hiroto was stunned and saddened to learn that Minami rarely read books or watched shows because his ability took up so much of his personality and thoughts. Hiroto guessed Minami didn’t own much in the way of personal effects for fear of being influenced by lingering thoughts attached to those items.
Like that first time in Unit Six’s office and many times since, Hiroto wanted to wrap his arms around Minami. To give him have a moment, however brief, where Minami could just be himself, shielded from all the lingering thoughts of the world.
“I hope that made it easier for you to pack your things for moving, then.” Hiroto said, pushing back his gloomy thoughts. It didn’t feel fair or right to burden Minami with worries like that about something the other had to deal with more often than Hiroto did. He carried Minami’s boxes and suitcase into his— no, their— house with ease despite Minami’s protests. They felt light enough to Hiroto and he said about as much to Minami. His eyes widened and it looked to Hiroto like he was impressed. Hiroto couldn’t help but feel a little gratified when Minami later grabbed his bicep, making some cute joke about Hiroto’s display of strength. Hiroto would gladly be Minami’s strength and be someone the other could lean on when he needed rest.
Hiroto had spent the weekend before Minami’s move-in date to rearrange things and make space in the house for the other man’s belongings. It made him remember how Mari and his things had been separate when they first started living together, before the lines between what was hers and his blurred when they got familiar with each other’s presence and things were good. In the last months of their marriage certain spaces, on the couch or in the kitchen and eventually even their bed, felt like cold spots and marked territory they each avoided. Hiroto couldn’t help but think about his marriage failed as he sat on the floor, holding one of Minami’s graphic t-shirts he was suppposed to unwrap and sort through.
In the lonely years between his divorce and falling in love with Minami, Hiroto had come to terms with his guilt over the way he treated Mari, and he felt almost relieved to know that Mari never truly hated him. What they had had been real and they had simply fallen out of love with each other because of their differences. But moving on from Mari’s untimely death was going to take time. Her life had been taken away far too early and she should have had more time to come into her independence since leaving him.
Then Minami stubbed his toe on a moving box and the yelp of pain the other man made snapped Hiroto out of his spiral. It had been Minami’s connection with Mari (that he still sometimes felt terrible about, having essentially forced the other to bear such a personal burden) that let Hiroto know there were no bad feelings, just affection and wishing him well, between them and that she was finally at peace when her murderer was brought to justice. Thoughts about Mari had been eating away at him since her death and he was immensely grateful Minami had helped bring much needed closure for him.
“Ouch! I— I’m fine! Sorry about that!”
“No, it’s nothing. Are you alright?” Minami nodded. Instead of going back to work the two looked into each other’s eyes, like they were taking in each others’ exhaled breaths and giving their own in return for just that brief, perfect moment.
“What’re you thinking about, Hiroto?” Minami’s voice was curious and unafraid. Hiroto thought he looked so beautiful with the midday sun streaming through the windows and catching off his light blonde hair, making the edges shine brightly and highlighting how elegant Minami’s face was.
“Hmm, nothing important. Just thinking how lucky I am to have all of this,” Before Minami’s little trembling smile could become too much for him to bear, Hiroto cleared his throat and said, “We have one last box and the remaining few items in your suitcase to take out. Let’s finish this together then we can have lunch.”
Half an hour later and Minami’s things were put away onto shelves or into a wardrobe. They stood for a while in the middle of their living room, taking in the fact that they both now shared this home and each other’s living, breathing space. It was likely that euphoria, from finishing the day’s work and the joy of knowing Minami was now even closer to him for him to take better care of, that made Hiroto say, “I would have liked to see a photo album or something. Memories from when you were little.”
He thought Minami would blush and say something quippy or cute in response, but instead the other man’s face fell before quickly turning away from him. Hiroto’s insides chilled. Already, had he messed up again?
“Sorry… I don’t have anything like that. Nothing good ever happened to me when I was little, so I don’t remember very much. I was buried too deep under the memories of dead people.”
There it was again, Minami’s ability. Moments like these made Hiroto feel it was more of a curse than a skill. There had been so many times Minami doubted his own brilliance or whether he was worthy of being a detective. He thought his ability was a “burden” to Hiroto and the rest of Unit Six. That and his struggles with his sense of self were things Hiroto vowed to work with Minami to work through together. Part of Hiroto burned to think how Minami’s own parents had in a way abandoned him, rejected him for being different through no fault of his own. They couldn’t even be bothered to try remembering their own son like any normal parents would.
At first he was just going to place a hand on Minami’s shoulder, then Hiroto remembered his promise to be better and be there for his—god, did it feel good to say it— boyfriend and went all in, not holding back. Hiroto took both of the other man’s shoulders and turned him to face himself before pulling Minami into an embrace. He felt Minami’s weight sag against his own frame and the smaller man leaned against his chest, arms coming around to grab at Hiroto’s back and return his hug.
“From now on, I’ll help you make memories of the living you.”
Minami trembled in his arms. It tore at Hiroto’s every fibre when he heard a soft, half-choked sob from where Minami’s head was rested against Hiroto’s shoulder. If only there was some way for Minami to feel Hiroto’s own lingering thoughts; the love and trust and respect Hiroto felt for his partner and how he treasured Minami just for being himself.
“Hiroto… meeting you is the best memory of my life.”
If he wasn’t holding Minami to keep the other upright, Hiroto was sure he would have had to sit down after hearing that. Instead he laid the gentlest kiss he could muster to the top of Minami’s head, where there was a silver crown of soft hair that smelled of Hiroto’s shampoo. He hoped it would transfer some of the happiness filling every pore in his body into Minami.
“In the meantime, how about I show you mine? I think my parents have pictures from when I was a baby up until high school…”
Minami’s laughter was a sound clearer and brighter than the sunlight outside as Hiroto lead them into his room.
The best thing, Hiroto thought, to see every morning was a groggy Minami trying his (very adorable) best to wake up. His morning hair, somehow messier than it always was, made him resemble a sleepy pale storm cloud wandering around the house looking for clothes to wear.
This particular morning, Hiroto figured he’d do something about it seeing that he was always up earlier than Minami. “Good morning, Minami,” he said as he pulled the other man into his arms for a hug. He hadn’t been very touchy when he was with Mari, wanting to not make her feel suffocated by his needs. Now Hiroto was determined to change and be more open with his affection for his partner, especially since Minami was often keen to lean on him, physically and metaphorically. “The bathroom’s ready and I’ve left your shirt and pants on your side of the bed.”
“Ahh… you’re a lifesaver, Hiroto! Most mornings I have to remind myself I even exist before I can do anything… I’ve no clue how you do it.” Minami groaned as he squirmed and twisted in Hiroto’s arms to face him and tiptoed up to brush a kiss to his cheek.
“Now go brush your teeth, officer. We have work to do.”
“Aye, sir!”
A soft ding and two slices of white toast popped out from the toaster. Hiroto handed the cooler slice to Minami and set about spreading the other one with sweet potato spread, knowing the younger man loved it. Minami was also putting spread on his own slice, so Hiroto was too busy to notice that he was spreading it with butter and sugar— Hiroto’s favourite.
“Here you go, Minami—” “Hiroto, this one’s for you—”
They paused and looked at the toast slices, meant to be given to the person opposite them, in each others hands. Minami’s face had a wide-eyed look of surprise Hiroto was sure he had on his own face too. There was a moment of mild confusion where they didn’t say anything for a while before Hiroto took the piece in Minami’s hand. Minami quickly did the same.
“Thank you, Minami.” “Oh no, not at all… thank you, Hiroto.”
Later when they were washing the dishes together they had a good laugh about it. As he rinsed off their plates and passed them to Minami to dry, Hiroto couldn’t stop thinking about the gleam in Minami’s big eyes and the little smile on his face when he realised the slice had his favourite spread. A mild morning breeze was coming through their small kitchen but Hiroto never felt warmer inside.
As they walked down the hallway leading into Unit Six’s office, Minami turned to face Hiroto, mouth half-open and brows set in a way that meant he was about to ask Hiroto something. Minami had looked like he had been mulling over something the whole way from their home to the precinct building.
“Hiroto, when we go back to work we’ll still be boss and subordinate, right?”
Hiroto smiled slightly. Minami was always thoughtful like that, putting himself into other people’s shoes and striving to be kind with his words and actions. Hiroto still had so much to learn from him about emotions and opening up and being good to himself and others.
“Well… not exactly,” he reached out his hand and placed it on Minami’s shoulder, squeezing lightly to try and convey some of the overwhelming warmth inside him to the other man. “We’ll be partners, Minami.”
Minami’s face was blank for a moment before breaking out into the smile he made whenever Hiroto said anything “romantic” (as the other man claimed). Hiroto secretly adored it. Whenever he smiled out of genuine happiness Minami’s eyes would crinkle around the corners and narrow from how wide his grin was and his face would glow red with blush.
Minami slightly reached out his hand to Hiroto and he knew Minami was giving him the option to take it or not. They ate and slept and made love (though not always in that order) and bickered occasionally over the housework and… shared a life together now. And with how Hiroto would sometimes ask Minami what he wanted for dinner while sifting through papers in the office or Minami would tell Hiroto something in their house needed restocking during a team lunch, there was no way the long-suffering Ayako or Daimon hadn’t caught on either. Besides them, Hiroto couldn’t care less what others thought of their relationship. He would protect Minami from all the pain of the living and the dead.
What was there to hide anymore, really? Hiroto took Minami’s soft hand into his own and led them into the office.