Buddy Daddies | FF | Kazuki x Rei

Their first stroll

**Looks like it will only be a recap episode this week T__T
After giving us such an ending in ep 8...**

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Rei

Rei had no idea what was going on.

This blonde guy had suddenly appeared before him, with a look on his face like he had just caused all the misfortune in the world.
When he had given Rei this brief smile, it had felt rather creepy.
But Rei couldn't remember when the last person had smiled at him, so maybe that was just how it looked like.
And then the other man had grabbed him and shouted at him, so maybe that was how people usually got to know each other here.

The doorbell of the Yadorigi rang when they left the shop. Kyutaro had said something to them, something like goodbye or good luck, but Rei wasn't exactly sure.

Now the other guy... (What was his name again? Kuzuki? Karasu? Whatever.) The blonde tall guy turned around and looked at him. Out in the evening sunlight his purple jacked looked way to bright.

"So?", he said.
Rei turned around and walked away.
"What...?" The other guy cursed. "Wait, where are you going?"
Rei didn't know why he would care.

The sound of steps echoed through the small alley when the blonde guy hurried to follow him. He slowed down right next to him, leaned forward and looked at Rei. Rei didn't bother to turn his head to avoid the other men's gaze. It felt like too much of a hassle.
His eyes were of a very bright brown, almost red, Rei noticed now.
They also looked somehow offended.

"Hey, I am talking to you. Didn't you say I could crash on your couch for this night?"
Rei couldn't remember he had said anything like that.
The alley opened to a bigger street and Rei turned right. The guy followed him.
Rei stopped and turned around. The guy followed him still.

"Well, if you didn't want it, you could have just said so", Karaki said, and his voice seemed colder now. Rei stopped again (he was pretty sure that his apartment was indeed in the other direction), but this time he forced himself to look at the blonde. He was standing quite close to him in his casual, colorful jacket.
"Want it?", he murmured, confused. Why would he care what Rei wanted?
"It's fine", the other one said. "I can find my own place. I don't need to rely on others. It's fine."
He said he was fine. But he didn't sound like it.
Rei didn't understand him.

"It's not exactly... that I don't want it", Rei said slowly. The blonde guy blinked at him for some seconds, then there was this careful smile again, a little less creepy this time.
Maybe Rei was gradually getting used to it.
"Really?", the other one said. "So, it's fine for you?"
Rei shrugged his shoulders. Was it fine for him?

"Great!", Karazu said and lifted his arm as if he wanted to hit Rei. Rei squinted his eyes and the blonde guy hesitated, but then he still went through with it and patted Rei on the shoulder. Rei stared at him.
"Don't scare me like that, man", Kurasu said and laughed, but it sounded a little like he had problems to breathe.
He was one to talk.

Rei hurried to go back to walking, so that the hand of the other guy would not longer touch his shoulders. The blonde lowered it, almost disappointed, and was next to him again after just a few steps.
"I have a car. Let's drive."
"It's not far."
"I need to move it anyway. It is not exactly in a legal spot right now, if you understand."
Rei didn't.
"Does your apartment have a parking lot?"
"Dunno", Rei said.
Kabuki sighed.
"Well, we will find out. My car is just there." He pointed to a small car that was standing in the parking lot of an apartment complex. It looked quite old and was very... yellow.
Usual the cars of the organization were black, just like their clothes.
Was this guy really one of them?

"I...", Rei wanted to protest, but Kuroki had already taken a seat in the car and opened the door on the right side.
"Get in", he said as if it was an ordinary thing to do.
"I...", Rei tried again, but the blonde guy just shook his head.
"Come on, before they fine me after all. I think I just saw one writing tickets..."

Rei didn't see anyone, but to be fair, he usually didn't pay much attention to people who weren't even wearing knives. Or guns.
He tentatively approached the car and reached out his hand to open the door to the backseat, but Kuzaru gave him a menacing glance and Rei decided to go along because it felt pointless to argue with him. He took a seat next to the other man and closed the door, and just a second later Kuraku started the motor.

"Where do you live?", he asked.
Rei looked around. The inside of the car was surprisingly clean and neat.
"Hm. Close", he said.
The blonde snorted. "Sure. I know where that is."
Despite his word he didn't move.
"Left or right?", the blonde asked and sounded a little impatient.

Finally Rei noticed what had felt off when he had entered the car.
"It's left, right? It's wrong", he said.
"What?", Karuki made, irritated.
Rei pointed to the steering wheel.
"It's left."

"Ah", Kapaki said and grinned, almost as if he was proud. "Glad you noticed it! This car is an original vintage model from France, really great condition, I tell you, this lasts longer than all those modern..."
"It's wrong", Rei said and Kakuri snorted.
"It's common in Europe", the blonde explained and sounded somewhat offended.
"Why would they build it on the wrong side?"
"For them it is on the right side. Actually for the majority in the world. Japan is more the exception, together with Britain, India or Australia..."

"Hmmm?", Rei made and looked at the wheel. It looked pretty wrong in his eyes. And he had never given it much thought that other people would consider it right that way.
"You're quite smart", he murmured, but the blonde lowered the gaze of his eyes.
"Not really", he said, quietly. And there was it again, the feeling of guilt that surrounded him.

Rei turned his head and looked out of the window. Night had fallen over Fukuoka and the streets and buildings had started to glow. He still wasn't used to that much light in the night.
"What was your name again?", Rei asked, his voice low. He could see the eyes of the other one mirroring in the window, looking right at him. He seemed lost.

"Kurusu Kazuki", he said, and this time his smile wasn't as bright as before, but careful instead. It felt more honest like this. It felt as if he was trying to hold on to something.
"You haven't told me your last name yet", the blonde said, his words coming out a little too fast. "How should I call you?"

Rei closed his eyes.
"Just Rei is fine."
"Well", the other one said, his voice back to bright again. "Then you can call me Kazuki."
He shifted the gear and the car started moving.
"And now you really have to tell me the way, Rei. I don't want to sleep in the car again."

Rei opened his eyes.
Again?
"It's right", he said.
Kazuki nodded and steered the car around.
Right it was.