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bevioletskies · 3 years

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we'll never have to say goodbye again

summary: Kazuma never expected to visit his own grave right before Tanabata - or really, to find himself looking at his own name on a gravestone to begin with. When Susato insists on bringing him there so they can pay their respects, Ryunosuke can’t help but suspect that it’s bothering him a little more than he’s letting on.

word count: 2.9k | read on ao3

a/n: For @asoryuu-week, day six of seven (prompt: "festival"). This fic takes place post-Resolve; mild spoiler warning for Adventures and Resolve, where events may be alluded to but not described in detail. All names and honorifics are taken from the official localization, with the exception of Haori, Sherlock, and Iris.

Fic title is from the song We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again by England Dan & John Ford Coley.

“I must say, it’s a little morbid to see my own name written on a gravestone. I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

Ryunosuke raised a pointed eyebrow, one that Kazuma pointedly ignored. “...only a little morbid?”

“Oh, dear,” Susato sighed, shaking her head. “Kazuma-sama, this isn’t exactly the reaction I was hoping for when I suggested we come visit your...burial site. I thought we’d treat the occasion with a little more ceremony, perhaps a few solemn words before we replace the wilted flowers my father laid at your grave over a month ago.”

Kazuma scoffed derisively. “I mean no disrespect, Susato-san, but...who exactly would these solemn words of yours be for when I’m standing right here?”

“You have a point, Asogi-san,” Haori piped up from where she was standing - by Kazuma’s side, like she often was when the four of them were out and about together, her arm interlaced with his. “And, er...Susato, no one else seems to be around, so I don’t think we need to keep up this pretense any longer.”

Susato cast one last wary glance over her shoulder before nodding, deftly slipping her arm out of Ryunosuke’s grasp. “Yes, you’re right. Shall we?” After a few practiced side steps around one another, almost a dance of sorts, they were back to where they wanted to be, with Susato and Haori arm-in-arm, and Ryunosuke and Kazuma hand-in-hand. “Much better. Naruhodo-san has been...perspiring all day.”

“...thank you for announcing that to everyone here, Susato-san,” Ryunosuke groaned. Kazuma snickered, playfully squeezing his partner’s hand. “Anyway, if Kazuma doesn’t see the need to pay our respects, maybe we could make this quick so we don’t miss the rest of the festival. I’m feeling rather...er...”

“Hungry?” Kazuma suggested with a smirk. “You hardly need to tell us that. We’ll be sharing sōmen and monjayaki, I assume?”

“Sharing? Hardly,” Ryunosuke said, chuckling. “Did you not hear my stomach growl just now?”

“Naruhodo-san, Kazuma-sama, please,” Susato said, leveling them with a sharp glare. “Let me replace Father’s chrysanthemums with some semblance of dignity.” Haori tried - and failed - to hide her own giggles behind her sleeve.

“My apologies, Susato-san,” Kazuma replied, clearing his throat. “Carry on, please.”

“Well, now that the mood’s spoiled, I don’t think I’ll be able to find the words I was originally going to say,” Susato sighed, carefully crouching down to kneel in front of Kazuma’s gravestone, taking care not to let the ends of her sleeves graze the dirt. “But I can do this, at the very least.”

As Susato laid down the fresh flowers she’d brought with her, Kazuma leaned over to whisper exaggeratedly in Haori’s ear. “I do hope she brings you flowers as often as she brings them to me.” Haori and Ryunosuke snickered; Susato, on the other hand, looked just about ready to bury Kazuma herself.

“I could tell Naruhodo-san every last thing you said about him when you first met, Kazuma-sama,” Susato suggested, straightening up so she could smooth out the front of her hakama. “Especially the parts you’d rather he not hear.”

Ryunosuke frowned. “I can’t imagine Kazuma being embarrassed by - ”

“You wouldn’t,” Kazuma hissed between clenched teeth, eyes narrowing.

Susato looked almost smug as she looped her arm through Ryunosuke’s once more, pulling him along with a gentle, but firm tug. “Shall we go?” she said, smiling innocently. “Like Naruhodo-san said, we don’t want to miss the rest of Tanabata.”

Kazuma’s mouth twitched. “...after you.”

“Should we be worried?” Haori whispered to Ryunosuke, just before she accepted Kazuma’s proffered arm. Susato unceremoniously yanked Ryunosuke away before he could answer, practically dragging him all the way back down the hill. Sighing, Haori trailed after them with Kazuma still seething silently by her side.

It wasn’t long before they were back in the heart of their hometown, where the streets were filled with festival-goers and stalls selling food and other wares, the air filled with the distinctive scents and discordant sounds of Tanabata. Every single one of their senses were instantly overwhelmed, what with the loud music and noisy crowds, colorful decorations and abundance of paper lanterns, and the rich smells of kabayaki and tonkatsu everywhere. Kazuma had to reach out and catch Ryunosuke by the arm before they could be separated by the rush of people.

Ryunosuke turned briefly to look at him. “Kazuma?”

“Just making sure we don't lose each other,” Kazuma said, tangling their fingers together. “Now let’s go find some food before you get the urge to eat those wilted flowers Susato-san took with her.”

“I can still hear you, Kazuma-sama,” Susato called over her shoulder.

The four of them eventually managed to find somewhere rather cozy to eat in peace, keeping a good distance from the crowds so they could have a conversation without shouting over one another. Kazuma had finally convinced Ryunosuke to share his food, reminding him it would be the best way to get more variety between the two of them. Susato and Haori, on the other hand, had already decided to evenly split everything.

“My feet hurt; I think my shoes are too tight,” Haori groaned, reaching down to loosen the laces of her boots. Susato gave her a sympathetic pat on the leg before refilling her tea. “Oh, but this could be the perfect opportunity for all of us to go shopping for new clothes before the seasons change!”

“Good luck convincing Ryunosuke that he needs new clothes - he practically wore nothing but his Yumei uniform during the entirety of his stay in Great Britain,” Kazuma teased, affectionately ruffling his partner’s hair. “But I could definitely use a new coat, maybe a scarf. What do you think, Ryu?” Ryunosuke merely shrugged, unable to respond through his mouthful of rice.

“Haori and I will also need to make preparations for our trip next month,” Susato added. “So if you’re not too busy, Kazuma-sama, maybe next weekend?”

“Your trip?” Then, Kazuma nodded slowly in recognition. “Ah, right. The two of you are accompanying Professor Mikotoba on his tour of Japan’s universities to see their respective faculties of medicine, aren’t you?”

Haori nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll be assisting him with his lectures and demonstrations, yes. Susato decided to come with us so she could spend some quality time with her father - and with me as well.” She then squeezed Ryunosuke’s arm. “I hope you won’t be too bored without us, Naruhodo-san. Or too busy, for that matter, since you’ll be the only defense attorney at your office.”

“Yes, I’ll have to tell people that my cousin Ryutaro went to look after our sick grandfather or something,” Ryunosuke hummed, thinking. “Or maybe I’ll just close up shop for a little while so Kazuma and I can go on a trip of our own.”

“As much as I’d like that, the backlog of cases I have to deal with is too big to ignore,” Kazuma said with an apologetic grimace. “Ever since Prosecutor Auchi went on an...extended vacation, let’s call it - well, you already know. I’ve barely been home long enough to see you.”

“All the more reason for us to take a nice long break once you can,” Ryunosuke suggested. “In fact, all four of us have been working non-stop since we returned to Japan. Perhaps after Susato-san and Haori-san come back, we should spend a few weeks at a faraway onsen or something so we can really relax.”

“Ooh, that sounds lovely!” Haori breathed, her eyes wide. “Though...can we really afford to be away for that long? I’ve been spending a lot of my savings on books lately, so...maybe I should start selling them so I can save up again!”

“Please don’t do that, Haori,” Susato said with a soft laugh. “If it comes down to it, I’ll pay for a portion of your expenses. And Naruhodo-san, that really does sound like a wonderful idea. Do you think you and Kazuma-sama could start planning for it while we’re away?”

“And by ‘you and Kazuma-sama’, I suspect you mostly mean just me,” Kazuma said dryly, smirking when Ryunosuke flicked a few rice grains at his face in protest. “But we’d be happy to, Susato-san.” He then got to his feet, stretching luxuriously. “Not to rush you all while you’re still eating, but we probably should get going soon if we want to partake in the rest of the festival before it gets dark.”

Once Susato and Haori finished their food and Kazuma promised Ryunosuke they’d go looking for dango later, they went on their way, navigating the busy streets and tripping over one another’s feet until they finally reached town square. Naturally, it was the most crowded place of all, with what felt like the entire country’s population surrounding them, boxing them in, and what felt like an entire forest’s worth of bamboo trees lining the sidewalks, colorful tanzaku fluttering gently in the early evening breeze. Ryunosuke and Haori found themselves constantly distracted by all the little trinkets and wares that were being offered for sale in every which direction; Susato had to constantly yank both of them back by the necks of their kimonos before they ended up spending all of the money they were now meant to save.

“You two are hopeless,” Susato sighed, shaking her head as she passed out their tanzaku. Haori offered her a sheepish grin and a brief peck on the cheek once she’d made sure no one was looking. “I suppose it’s no mystery why I’m the one in charge of office expenses. If it were up to you, Naruhodo-san, we’d be eating out every day and buying new plants for our office every week.”

“...I’m not that self-indulgent, Susato-san,” Ryunosuke groaned, slouching defeatedly. “Anyway, it’s about time we finally write our wishes. Have you all decided what you’re going to put?”

“I would always write something about love and friendship ever since I was a little girl,” Haori confessed, her cheeks rosy with mild embarrassment. “But now that I have all of that...I don’t know; wishing for good health always seems so...so normal. And boring. And uninspiring!” She turned to consult Susato, only to find that she’d already finished writing hers - in her perfect handwriting, of course.

“My wish is to share unforgettable memories and experiences with the people I love,” Susato stated solemnly; she then smiled. “Along with my father’s lecture tour and our onsen trip, I’m very much looking forward to visiting London again, hopefully in the near future. I know we were just there six months ago, but still...I do miss Mr Holmes, Iris, and Gina terribly. Exchanging letters just doesn’t feel the same.”

“Agreed,” Ryunosuke said, nodding wistfully. “What about you, Kazuma? It looks like you’re done as well.”

“Mine’s a bit like Susato-san’s, only even more cliché,” Kazuma replied, holding his tanzaku up with a flourish. “Longevity, or to be specific...to grow old with the one that I love.”

Ryunosuke’s face immediately softened; Susato and Haori audibly cooed in admiration. “Oh, how romantic!” Susato exclaimed, clasping her hands together with joy. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so sensitive, Kazuma-sama.”

“Have you moved on from making fun of Ryunosuke to making fun of me now?” Kazuma teased, lightly nudging her before loosely draping his arm around Ryunosuke’s shoulders. Unlike Haori, he didn’t bother looking around before kissing Ryunosuke on the forehead. “Don’t think I haven’t forgotten your threat from earlier; you better not tell him anything.”

“What on earth were you saying about me to Susato-san when we first met?” Ryunosuke said, half-amazed, half-afraid. Kazuma merely shook his head, then gestured towards Ryunosuke’s tanzaku, motioning for him to read his wish for everyone to hear. “Oh, er, mine’s nothing special. It’s the same thing I put every year - good fortune and good food.” Kazuma and Susato groaned in unison while Haori nodded along in overenthusiastic agreement.

“You’re so predictable, Ryu,” Kazuma sighed, now wrapping his arms around Ryunosuke’s waist from behind, his chin dropping to rest on his shoulder. “But I can’t say I don’t like that about you, that’s for certain.”

“Have you decided on yours, Haori-san?” Ryunosuke asked, patting Kazuma’s clasped hands. “I think wishing for good health is perfectly fine; people often underestimate the importance of good health until they get sick, if you ask me.”

“You’ve actually inspired me, Naruhodo-san,” Haori replied with a mischievous giggle. “Good health, good fortune, good food - and a cat!”

“It seems like our recent visit with Soseki-san has inspired you as well,” Susato commented, chuckling. “Now that we’re all done, we should hang these up. Kazuma-sama, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“I’m not as tall as you think, but if you say so,” Kazuma shrugged, carefully taking everyone’s tanzaku and hanging them on the highest possible bamboo tree branches he could reach. They took a moment to step back and admire their handiwork, with Haori taking a few photographs with the camera she’d brought with her, before the four of them slipped out of town square once more, away from the bustling crowds. “Where to next, then?”

“I thought we’d take a walk along the river before returning home,” Susato suggested, reaching for Ryunosuke’s outstretched arm while Haori took Kazuma’s. “There shouldn’t be too many people there at this time of night, so we can talk a little more...freely.”

Ryunosuke smiled bittersweetly, knowing exactly what she meant. “Please, Susato-san, lead the way.”

Once they were on the outskirts of town entirely, the four of them were happy to find that Susato was right; the riverbank was relatively quiet, though some families were also out and about on an evening stroll, with young children laughing and playing by the water and sending paper lanterns floating down the river. Ryunosuke found himself mulling over a rather unexpected question he was afraid to voice out loud as he walked, his fingers loosely tangled with Kazuma’s. In front of them, Susato and Haori were arm-in-arm once more, Haori’s head on Susato’s shoulder while they talked about nothing in particular.

“You’re unusually quiet,” Kazuma commented, affectionately knocking his hip against Ryunosuke’s. “Is something wrong?”

“Longevity,” Ryunosuke said before he could stop himself. “Er, well...I-I suppose I was just thinking about your wish, and how we’d only just gone to see your grave earlier...it’s silly, but I guess I was wondering if they were related somehow.”

“...oh.” Kazuma swallowed thickly, averting his gaze. “Let’s just say...more than I’d like to admit. I might’ve found it funny at the time, but it still reminded me of the fact that I came very close to dying before I could fulfill my life’s mission. Before I could do the things I’d been desperately hoping to do.”

Ryunosuke squeezed his hand just a little bit tighter. “I don’t like thinking about what happened or what could’ve happened, either. I...sometimes, when you’re working late and haven’t yet come to bed, I find myself worrying about you all over again, thinking something must’ve gone wrong, how you must’ve gotten hurt or worse and I just have to go and check on you, and then - a-and then you come into the room before I can. You always look exhausted, but otherwise completely fine, and I...it’s silly, I know.”

“Not at all,” Kazuma insisted, smiling faintly. “But at least I now understand why you keep tackling me to the ground before bed. I just assumed you were wanting something else entirely.”

Ryunosuke rolled his eyes. “I’m serious, Kazuma. It’s like when Susato-san goes out of town with her father sometimes, and they come back a day late because of bad weather or a scheduling delay, and I just...I can’t help but feel nervous every time. I used to think nothing of people being late, but now, after spending so much time thinking and talking about how people have lost their lives or lost each other...” He trailed off, shuddering.

Kazuma came to a halt, reaching for Ryunosuke’s other hand so he could pull him close, so they would be standing toe-to-toe. “There isn’t much I can say or do to comfort you, I’m afraid,” he said quietly. “I still have memories of the time in which I didn’t have any memories, and it...it scares me. To think of how little I had to anchor myself during that time, aside from that voice in my head. And when you work late, or you’re out late with friends, I can’t say I don’t experience similar fears as well. That I might wake up and find out this newly perfect life of mine was all just a dream...or find out that something bad happened to you, and that I’m now living a nightmare.”

“Kazuma,” Ryunosuke murmured; his heart ached for him.

“But...I mean it, Ryunosuke.” Kazuma lowered his head, resting his temples against Ryunosuke’s, their clasped hands in the small space between them. “All our worries aside, I’d love nothing more than for us to grow old together. To be with you, to celebrate these sort of things with you every year.”

“I’d love nothing more, too,” Ryunosuke said softly, his expression relaxing. He took a quick, cursory glance at their surroundings, then leaned in to kiss Kazuma, his fingers tangled in the folds of his kimono. Kazuma wrapped his arms around Ryunosuke’s shoulders, pulling him in close. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Kazuma mumbled against Ryunosuke’s lips, sighing happily. Eventually, he pulled away, his mouth twisting into a sudden frown. “Wait, I’ve only just realized - weren’t we supposed to get dango?”

Ryunosuke’s eyes widened. “Wait, you’re right! But it’s too late, isn’t it?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Kazuma said, tenderly cradling Ryunosuke’s jaw in one hand before leaning back in once more. “We have time.”

_____

a/n: Welcome to my sixth entry for Asoryuu Week 2021! Part of me wanted to dive a little deeper into Kazuma's angst, not to mention Ryunosuke and Susato's angst, but I also wanted this to feel more celebratory and slice-of-life and bittersweet, rather than just plain ol' bitter. Also, as I write more and more Asoryuu/Susahao, I kind of want Ryunosuke and Haori to be chaotic besties with poor impulse control. I'll definitely have to explore that sometime in the future!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Likes and reblogs would be much appreciated, and I hope you're all safe and healthy and doing well ❤️

#asoryuu #asoryuu week 2021 #ace attorney #asoryuu fic #dai gyakuten saiban #the great ace attorney #ace attorney spoilers #dgs spoilers #tgaa spoilers #tgaac spoilers #myfic #long post #definitely gonna write more asoryuu/susahao adventures in japan in the future #i want ryu and haori to be chaotic besties

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