[UshiTen: Just another rainy day in Paris]

Part 6

Now, this last bit wasn't a question. Satori gaped. But then, sharply, the broad back was turned on him yet again, and he helplessly watched as his friend (were they still best friends?) returned inside, for just a moment, and then he thought he overheard Wakatoshi-kun's booming voice – but he could have also imagined it – as he spoke formally:

- Thank you for the nice time, Semi-kun. Now, if you please excuse us. We are taking our leave. Enjoy your evening.

When Ushijima re-emerged from inside the pub, seen off by the loud exclamations "No! No, Captain, come back! We never said 'Cheers!'! Ushijima-san!!!", all of which he totally ignored, focused on the new mission ahead fully.

He got out, and walked a little up the street, his eyes searching the traffic for an available taxi. Tendō was too stunned to object, and when, soon enough, a taxi stopped right in front of the intimidating figure of Ushijima-san, and when that same Ushijima-san held the door open for him, he just shuffled his feet and got inside, pouting.

They sat side by side, on the back seat of the cab, and the driver was patiently waiting for the address, yet checking his rearview mirror to see whether those two were drunk or not. Well, they didn't look drunk. But neither said a single word.

- You know, I wanted to stay a little longer! - Satori grumbled now.

- Untrue. – Wakatoshi cut his off calmly, his voice thundering in the narrow space inside the taxi, and making the driver jump in his seat.

New silence. New sulking.

- I'ma at least pay for this taxi, dammit! - Tendō tried again, cursing this time.

- False. – the new reply came straight out, just as loud and clear. – I still owe you for the cake and coffee. That day. Before.

Satori shuddered. He had forgotten all about that bill he had paid. But the very fact that Wakatoshi-kun was mentioning it hardly meant money. It meant that he remembered well.

This time the silence was brief.

- Where to? – Ushijima took away the role of the driver, and finally asked the most important question.

Satori mumbled the address unhappily. Still unhappily, he got out of the taxi, not having had the chance to pay for the ride, as Wakatoshi was faster. He was still sulking too, as his friend stated:

- I'll wait here. Pack your things. I'm giving you 10 minutes. It's getting late.

Well, he did. It took a lot less than 10 minutes. He didn't own much. And when he went to the reception to pay for his stay, the middle-aged man there just snorted at him:

- That dude over there already paid, man. Have a good night!

Satori's eyes followed the fat finger that was pointing at the window, and the night beyond it, and he only saw Wakatoshi-kun's familiarly broad shoulders.

Naturally, he marched out of the motel, and immediately attacked:

- You didn't have to pay my bill, you know! What is this?! You have been giving orders all evening! Ain't we gonna talk, or what?! Why have you----

- The taxi should be here any moment now.

Wakatoshi didn't let him rant any further. Those were small, insignificant things. Tonight, things had somehow, very slowly, started to fall into place, and he approved of the sequence of events. It was the right things to be done.