for @RoseMGottschalk

you looked at fukuzawa, smirking as he glared at you. "what are you doing in my house?"

"what? can't i visit my good ol' friend? my old buddy? my best pal?"

"you stabbed me twice, [name], lest you forget."

"water under the bridge!" you got off his bed,  holding your arms out, showing him that you were unarmed. fukuzawa circled you suspiciously.

"why are you here?" you sat back down on the bed, crossing your legs with a sudden air of professionalism.

"i have a job for you," you tilted your head, "you still kill people, right?"

"no. i'm a bodyguard now."  you stared at him before shrugging.

"shame."

"if that's all, can you—"

"be my bodyguard!" he stared at you, analysing your earnest grin.

"...no." you pouted with an annoying whine. "now can you please get out of my house?" the man rubbed his temples, sighing, watching as you angrily crossed your arms.

"but i need help, yukichi!"

"i said please."

you huffed, rising. "fine, fine. but if anything happens to me, you'll only have yourself to blame." you followed him out of his room as he held the front door open for you, slamming it shut after you left.

the next few days were worryingly quiet. he expected you to show up and badger him, but you didn't. fukuzawa decided to call your phone, trying not to be too concerned. maybe you were badgering someone else. yes, that's it, you've found someone else to annoy, so he has no reason to worry—

his call went to voicemail.

that was odd. you'd always answer your calls. okay, now he was worried. with a small panic, he rushed out of this apartment. it was late out and this was incredibly unprofessional of him, but fukuzawa couldn't help himself. he knocked on the door, until he just decided to break the door down. he found you upstairs, lying in your bed lazily.

you looked up at the man, grinning. "see? now, what would you actually do if i disappeared because you think you're too important to help me?"

fukuzawa growled. "don't do that, what if something actually happened?"

"do you know the best way to make sure something doesn't happen? you become my bodyguard!" you stood up, staring up at him.

fukuzawa sighed. "fine. fine." you handed him a letter, gleefully watching him open it. it was oddly vague yet terrifyingly menacing, so he could see where the worry was coming from. with another, more reluctant sigh, fukuzawa folded up the letter and put it in his pocket. "you'll pay me up front."

"i get a friend's discount, though, right?"

fukuzawa tilted his head at you. "since when were we friends?" you whined, pretending to be offended. he couldn't help the faint smile on his lips as you insisted you were friends and all friends try murdering each other every now and then.

weeks went by and you and fukuzawa got a lot closer as the two had to work together. currently, the two of you were in his room. you lied on his bed while he sat on the chair at his desk. "i'm starting a detective agency," he began one day, and you looked at him in interest.

"nice, nice, yukichi."

"i'm asking you to join me, [name]."  you looked up at him. "you don't have to."

"no no, i wasn't—expecting that." you sat up from his bed, blinking a couple times. "you want to work with me?"

"you're enthusiasm is worrying."

"i'd love to work with you just let me be happy!" fukuzawa rolled his eyes as the door opened. a young ranpo looked between the two of you before pulling a face and closing the door again. "whos that kid?"

"ranpo. hes a good kid." fukuzawa glanced at you, noticing the look on your face. "what?"

"you took him in? that's so cute!" he blushed.

"shut up."

→♢←
ooc fukuzawa but i tried ;;
up next: chuuya