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[ His equilibrium’s shot. The trek up to Adachi’s apartment isn’t an easy one. Looking any more than three feet ahead of himself gets his head spinning, and every step he takes ends in a stumble. He has one arm craned around his partner’s shoulder for support, and he occasionally sways into the man’s smaller frame as he drags himself gracelessly up the stairs. It's saturday night (or more accurately, an early sunday morning), and Dojima's had just a little too much to drink. ]

..Shhheeesh, y'figure this kinda place would have an elevator or sshomething.

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Yeah, yeah.. If y'r wanna wush out and go to sleep just say sso.

Che. Figured s'much as you use your mouth to make'up excushes you could 'least hold a convershation.

[Adachi's eyes barely narrow - only for a split second, because he's much too rehearsed in this role to let it slip for too long. He doesn't leave the couch, sitting on the edge and nudging his way further on to the seat (probably to Dojima's discomfort, but he's either oblivious to it or pretending to be). He runs a tired hand through his hair, sending loose ends sticking up.]

All right, Dojima-san. If you wanted to talk, why didn't you just say so? What do you want to talk about?

Y’don’t gotta humor me.

Go’n to bed.

[One corner of his mouth lifts a little higher than the other, making his smile lopsided, more of a smirk. It becomes a little more sincere, too, even if it's only his amusement that's sincere. He nudges at Dojima's shoulder with the palm of his hand, leaning forward a little.]

Aww, c'mon, Dojima-san. Don't you wanna talk to me? I wouldn't mind talking to you about something that isn't work, for once.

M'don't really got nothing worth talking 'bout not work related..

Don't really give myshelf 'nough free time to do much 'sides drinkin.. N'I don't really got nobody ssides from my nephew an' my daughter.

[He says it off-handedly, not even looking at Dojima, eyes wandering around his living room, over the contour of the television set, the empty chair, the dark doorway. He says it like it's simply the next thing to say in a conversation heading down this vein, like it's the automatic response.]

Heh, what, you're saying you're lonely?

Lonely, huh?

'Guess I am.

[For a moment, silence - not even the ticking of the clock, because it's digital, and not even the drip of a leaking sink. Even outside, it's still, the heavy Inaba fog making even the wind negligible. Then, the shift of fabric, as Adachi half-turns, looking down at Dojima over his shoulder.]

A nephew and a daughter are more than a lot of people have, you know.

[Maybe it's the alcohol talking. Maybe it's the bitterness.]

Lot a people desherve’m more than I do too. I’m a horrible father.. ain’t too good an uncle either. Guess without Chisato I don’t really know how..

… To talk t'kids, I mean.

[Again with the wife. If Dojima became drunk enough, he would always fall back to this subject. It hadn't taken long to figure out what exactly was haunting the man's step - it was obvious from the way he tore through newspapers, but always lingered on articles about automobile accidents. In addition, Dojima probably spent more time in Adachi's company than in that of his own family's. It hadn't taken long at all. Dojima Chisato's memory hung over her husband like a haunting silhouette. Adachi doubted he'd ever be able to forget. The man was ruined by it.]

You could start out small, sir. I mean, I met Nanako-chan, and I bet she'd be more than willing to try anything out for you. She's your kid, after all.

Nephew’s better with ‘er than I am.

[Talk about a downer.]

It'd just take practice.

[Encouraging is what he's supposed to be now, so encouraging is what he is, throwing a bright smile over his shoulder brimming with confidence, blinding enough to hide that mocking smirk underneath.]

I'm sure you can do it, sir.

Practice, huh? Maybe you're right. M'can't say I know where t'shtart though.

...Always end up sayin all the wrong things. Not too good of a talker, I guess.

Nah, I mean, I get what you're saying eventually, sir.

[He pats Dojima's shoulder (but not with too much force, in case the man got dizzy and decided to go back on his vow not to spill his guts on his living room couch.]

It just takes some work. But I get you.

[It wasn't hard, after all. Dojima was a surprisingly simple man - all of these country folk were. They were easy, they were watered-down. If you fed them the right things, they'd eat it up, like they were starving for it.]

Thanks, Adachi.

‘Feels almost like you’re the only one that’ll understand me when I talk about this kinda shtuff.

[Adachi almost burst out laughing. His jaw tightens for the briefest moment, in a small, nearly-unnoticeable gesture that could've been interpreted as nervousness instead. The sound never makes it out of his throat. He could take the shot right now. Dojima was wide open. He could take this weakness and twist it until it withered in his grip and he could rub every single thing Dojima has ever said to him into the other man's skin until it burned in like acid.

Adachi pats his cheek instead, almost kindly.]

Don't sweat it, Dojima-san. A guy's gotta have someone to tell this stuff too, right? We're partners, after all. It's what we should do for each other.

Think so..?

[Knowing his cue, Adachi withdraws. He clamped down on his laughter, but he couldn't help letting a little bit of that condescension show in the babying pat. He nods in confirmation.]

'Course! That's half the reason I'm here, right? I mean, it's not like you guys use me much for actual crime-busting over here in Inaba...

Tell ya the truth, m'not really sure of the reason you're here.

Can't say I was looking ferward to workin with a partner n'all, but you're not sush a bad guy.

I'm here because mostly, it's my apartment, Dojima-san.

[Adachi can't help the smirk here, but maybe if Dojima's drunk enough, the guy'll mistake it for a good-natured smile.]

Yeah, I guess you're not too bad either, sir. A little grumpy in the mornings though.

Oh yeah? ..This is your place, isn't it? 'Forgot already.

Think this's the first time i've sheen the inside.

[With a small laugh, Adachi leans back as much as Dojima's prone form will allow him to, throwing a look over his own living room. It's small, and it's sparse, like he didn't leave the time or effort to actually live in it. At the same time, it's clearly occupied, slightly messy the way men's rooms tend to be without someone else to care. Somehow, it feels lonely. His laugh is a little bitter, and the sigh is tired.]

Yeah, well, welcome to my humble abode and all that. Sorry I couldn't really serve up tea, but I figured you already had enough to drink.

Ain’t much of a tea-drinker anyway.

Edited 2009-11-23 08:15 (UTC)

[A pathetic sight. Adachi himself is sober enough to realize that - two men, one hardly able to spit out his slurred words, sitting in a dark living room on a weekend night. The television's off, the air is chilly and there isn't warmth anywhere, except for the faint heat the human body naturally gives off, but even that is weak and dying at best. There is an overwhelming sense of nothing - nothing to do, nothing to see, nothing to look forward to. Adachi runs a rough hand through his hair, bending over his knees. Sheesh, the depths he had to go through just to play along. (There's no way, he's sure, he could be as pathetic as this by himself.)]

I have coffee, but you're gonna have to wait 'til morning for that.

Heh. F’you’re tired a’ listening to me you can go on to bed.

...but f’you got anything you wanna add on say to me I’m all ears.