Even Fire Is Defeated By The Rain [Suegiku AU]

perfect crimes leave everyone unhappy

Tetchou, normally an early riser, doesn't wake until his alarm (programmed to get progressively louder) makes the nightstand shake.

He's awake but not rested so it takes him a moment to realise that instead of the usual 9:00 AM, the clock reads 9:30. When it does click, he blinks until it reads 9:31. Then he gets up, rolling his shoulders until they pop. The quiet house swallows the sound as it's made, leaving him once again in silence.

Ever efficient, he dresses and eats quickly, not truly tasting the food.

He tries to think 'Do I ever taste the food? What was it that I even ate just now? Cereal, yes, but of what kind-' then catches himself. When he stops thinking of breakfast Kenji's words come back to him. Frustrated, he huffs, trying to lose himself in the walk, the mindlessness of it, the way he normally does, but he can't seem to. Not today, anyway.

Not when there are all of a sudden so many things. The crunch of gravel, the hush-hush of newly grown spring leaves, and the chirps of the birds that have dared return from the south early. Tetchou would swear that these things had not been here before, even in the last week which he knew on the calendar to be the start of spring. Yet, he knew that they indeed had been here.

'So why am I just hearing them now? Is there something wrong with me?' White, white white, think only of white. A newly fallen snowbank. Pure, clean, beautiful, perfection.

He wades through his sea of white to the Fire station, stepping through the threshold at 10:05.

"You're late, Suehiro." A voice sharp, and clear admonished him in lieu of greeting. Its owner leans apathetically against the wall, eating a pear.

"I didn't sleep well." he knows by now to keep his response brief. Seeking sympathy from Jouno Saigiku will get him nowhere. Nobody else has much sympathy for him either. Well, maybe the Captain, but he's nowhere in sight. Probably in his office doing whatever it is he does up there.

"You sick or something? Well, don't come near the Captain or me, we don't want your germs." The voice of the youngest firefighter, Okura Teru, has an unpleasant quality when bounced off the concrete walls of the station. Even if it wasn't so distinct, Tetchou would know him by his reference to himself and the Captain as one.

(A/N: Yeah, I genderbent Teruko, lol)

Despite his words, the petite pinkette comes toward him, hand outstretched. "At least put on a mask, Jeez! No respect for your superiors!"

"He's not sick, Teru, quit your yapping. I can feel it in my bones." Jouno sticks his fingers in his ears, scrunching his face in discomfort.

Teru starts to reply, but before he can speak, Jouno's switchblade is at his throat. The two stare at each other, Teru's stubborn versus Jouno's evil. Jouno wins. Teru glares one last time, then drops his gaze.

He skips off to the table, pretending he cares less than he does, probably to mentally work the crossword just in case the Captain asks for help. Indeed, he starts scanning the page, smiling smugly as he does. He basks in his spot as the Captain's favourite, even though from what Tetchou has seen, the Captain favours Jouno, but it's far easier for everyone involved to let Teru live his illusion rather than incite his wrath by suggesting otherwise.

Teru knows, of course, he does. Jealousy is the reason why he dislikes Jouno so much.

"Thanks," Tetchou says, looking away from Teru, and back to Jouno.

"It wasn't for you, and you should put on the mask anyway. Your breathing annoys me."

"No. No point if I'm not sick." Tetchou flicks the mask back at Jouno.