Work Text:
They’re working late on a case. Like really late. They haven’t really slept in days. Their only lead has a lawyer who’s made it impossible to question him. They have to find something solid to pin on him or they're going to have to find a new lead. Kim sits on the floor with his notes spread out in front of him so he can look at them all at once. His box of cigarettes is in his jacket pocket, and he’s kept good on his one-a-day rule so far, but he finished his last one an hour ago and he’s just begun to tap his pocket again. Harry doesn’t keep anything he could smoke or drink in the office anymore, but he paces, and his pacing is broken up by long, still pauses so his brain can converse with itself. It’s silent except for quiet murmurings to oneself, and the ambient noise of paper on paper and shoes on floor. It’s been silent since Jean went home, and that was eons ago. To all of Harry's voice's surprise, Kim is the one to break the spell. Sharply. “Fuck. Fuck!”
Harry has heard Kim swear, of course, but not here, not in the office.
He’s got that whole authority and composure thing, y’know. The eyebrow, y’know. He’s professional.
Kim takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes, and Harry is surprised when he looks down and sees the same slouch in Kim’s shoulders that he can feel in his own.
Of course Kim is tired. Harry loses track of time in his head. Forgets that Kim has not slept in as long as he has. It isn’t a good idea, just for one’s general health, to match any of Harry’s habits.
So Harry kneels, shit, his knees, and carefully moves Kim’s notes to clear a path to where he’s sitting. Kim just watches him, squinting, with his glasses still in his hands.
He manages, with a grunt, to lower himself to the floor next to Kim. “We’re not making progress.” That is maybe the wrong thing to say.
“I know that.” Kim says very, very, very, very, way too calmly. Harry doesn’t gulp.
“What I meant to say, is that it might be best if we both took a break. Step away from your notes, and I’ll step away from- well I’m not gonna step away from my own- actually you know what, no. I am gonna step away from my whole. Y’know.” He motions to his head.
Kim is still squinting at him.
He flashes a disarming smile, and carefully, very carefully- don’t fuck with Kim Kitsuragi- he takes Kim’s glasses from his hands. Cleans them against his shirt- the white one, the logic one, and- don’t fuck this up Harry do not FUCK THIS UP- places them back on Kim’s face. He makes sure they’re securely where they belong before snatching his hands back. Kim blinks. And blinks again. Wait, Oh God, Why is He Still Squinting.
“What, god help us, do you suggest we do instead?” It’s not really asked like a question, but Harry is just relieved that the squinting is a product of suspicion and not the product of some sort of irreversible damage he’s done to Kim’s glasses.
“This. Not really this, of course, but not that. Definitely not that, what we were doing before.”
Oh God. Oh God, Kim’s Eyebrow Twitches.
“My body is requesting sleep. Demanding it really. It’s being loud and impolite about it. And you look how I feel. Terrible.” Nailed it, Harry. You absolute unit.
Kim looks at him, then sighs, shakes his head. It’s not a disagreeing head shake. It’s a ‘Things are bad when Harry has a point’ head shake.
Harry, for his part, nods in sympathetic agreement. Head shaking in solidarity.
Shakidarity. Perfect. What did I tell you, absolute unit. Stay the course, you absolute unit. Your nodding would not be sympathetic enough if you stop now. Kim continues to shake his head, although it’s slower now, and his head is in his hands. Be a good sport Harry, take the win humbly. Don’t stop nodding.
Kim sighs again, a sigh of defeat, and looks straight ahead, barely shaking his head now. You’ve won, Harry, you have it in your hands. Until it is cruelly ripped from his hands as Kim slumps against him.
Kim slumps against Harry’s side and y’know, Harry is totally chill because this happens to him all the time. All the time. Especially in the office. Especially Kim. All the time.
SAVOIR FAIRE [Godly: Failure] - He is the coolest thing in the entirety of Elysium and you are not. Worthy.
So he’s totally chill, and he’s not worrying if Kim can feel the waves of failed Savoir Faire coming off of him.
COMPOSURE [Legendary: Failure] - He's warm. When was the last time someone was so warm, so near you? How can you possibly be normal around this? How can your heart not beat harder?
ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Godly: Failure] - Let alone your dick, Harry-boy!
Or hear Electrochemistry, please for the love of everything and the pale Do Not Let Him Hear Electrochemistry.
The glasses he had oh so carefully cleaned are smooshed into Kim's face in a way that is most definitely not comfortable
EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - That can't be good for him. Or the glasses. You should take them off him. Make him comfortable.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Trivial: Success] - You'd be so close to his face. A quick kiss would be so easy! And so good!
DRAMA- The Romancé, My Liege.
INTERFACING [Medium: Success] - Be careful not to bend the glasses! He'd have so much trouble undoing that or replacing them.
Don’t Fuck This Up.
HAND EYE COORDINATION- [Legendary: Success] This is it lads.
Harry’s hands barely shake as he brings them up and carefully slides Kim’s glasses off of his face.
SAVOIR FAIRE- [Trivial: Failure] Didn’t we just put these back on him. Why are you fucking with his glasses again. You fool. You buffoon.
DRAMA- [Trivial: Success] Would it not be the most romantique, the most dashing, the most princely - to care for him? To hold him tenderly, in this moment? What else could you possibly do, sire?
VOLITION- [Medium: Success] Yeah, we’ll shut the other guy up, you focus on seizing your moment.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY- [Trivial: Failure] Not the only thing you should Seize. Wink. You’re winking.
COMPOSURE- [Legendary: Success] You are not winking. Do not fuck this up. But do hurry the fuck up, Harry.
KIM KITSURAGI - He groans a bit, shifts in his sleep.
CONCEPTUALIZATION - God, he is so devastatingly handsome when he is vulnerable like this. And so close. A vision.
Harry slides the glasses off Kim’s face and stretches his legs out so Kim doesn’t have to sleep sitting up. If the popping of his joints doesn’t wake him, nothing will. Mission success probable. He’s just got to shift Kim’s head off his shoulder and onto his lap.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY - I bet 50 real that his kiss tastes like good cigarettes. I bet 100 more that there's parts of him that taste even better.
CONCEPTUALIZATION- Only 50?
LOGIC - We don't actually have money, you know that, right?
INLAND EMPIRE - You never know what we can do! Maybe we can make money out of the ether!
VOLITION - Oh my god, you guys, STOP.
EMPATHY- Think of Kim, he deserves to lay down. In your lap. Right now.
DRAMA - Let the prince's head rest upon your unworthy body, sire. Let him use you as a throne for his glory.
ESPIRIT DE CORPS- [Legendary: Success] - An officer doesn’t spend as long in the RCM as Kim without learning to sleep lightly and be alert in a moment if under threat. That he hasn’t waken up at this point means he must truly feel safe with you. Or be that exhausted. For your ego, you’ll presume the former.
VISUAL CALCULUS- [Medium: Success] If you move your body slowly, you can shift to allow his head to fall to your lap. Be careful. This is important. He’s important. You won’t get a second chance.
AUTHORITY - You have to let him sleep. He deserves it more than you.
Harry is careful to support Kim’s head as he lowers him onto his lap. Mission accomplished. Now you can bask.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY- [Trivial: Success] ... His mouth is RIGHT THERE did you really think this would shut me up?
EMPATHY- [Trivial: Success] He's sleeping, you dimwit. Let him.
Besides, he can do the next best thing. Card his fingers through Kim’s hair.
ENDURANCE- [Challenging: Failure] Kim’s breathing is level and deep, and you find yourself subconsciously matching it. In. Out. Time begins to fuzz around the edges. Life feels so simple right now, collapsed down to a single quiet point. Not devoid of sound, just gentle, constant. Your own eyes are starting to stay closed longer with each blink.
SAVOIRE FAIRE- [Godly: Failure] You care about him. You care about him so much. You owe him. You owe him so much. You’re nothing but what he brings out in you.
EMPATHY- [Trivial: Success] He trusts you. This is trust.
EMPATHY- You are not nothing to him. Hold him, and rest. Trust him to be there when you wake up.
END
Epilogue:
JEAN VICQUENARE - Lieutenant Vicquemare arrives early at Precinct 41 with coffee and casebook in hand as usual, and nearly stumbles over two of the RCM’s finest tangled and snoring on the floor. “Fuck’s sake...” he mutters, language incongruous with his careful and quiet steps back out of the room to leave the two in peace for a while longer.