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pauking5 · 11 months

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Addicting Taste, Chapter 2

~ Under Editing ~

Ongoing Series

Synopsis: Enishi Yukishiro was on a mission to execute his piece de la resistance. A plan to avenge his beloved sister. Until you showed up. Will you be a part of his downfall or will you try to save him?

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro × fem reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, slow burn, a lot of fluff, comedic relief, teasing

Words: 10k +

A/N: Chapter 2 is finally here! I have been kicking my feet and giggling while writing it. Some technical difficulties led to delays in putting it up but I’m glad it’s finally here. Not really proud of it but I hope you like it! Enjoy lovelies.

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Running through the precinct would’ve been much easier if you weren’t literally dragged along. Mophead's grip on your hand stayed as firm as metal shackles ever since you escaped from the meeting hall, leaving casualties behind. It's been a while since I went for that big of a killing spree, you thought, shuddering as soon as the words echoed in your head. Though the shuddering chills coiling up your arms in waves might have been from something entirely different, like mophead's hold on your hand.

His hands were cold as ice, enveloping yours like a big snow blanket. They were a very welcome relief to yours, scorching hot and clammy with the adrenaline still pumping relentlessly through you from the previous battle. His long, slender fingers laced with yours, interlocking in a rushed dance every time your hands swung around in tandem, running together through the corridors.

Taking your eyes off his broad, muscular back that was even more defined up close, you looked down at your hands. For some really peculiar reason they fit together so well. As if they were meant to link and hold onto each other since long before. You anxiously waited for the moment he would finally let go. Would your hand would miss the way it felt in his? Would he reach out again?

Despite your convictions that he would separate from you at any given chance, he didn’t seem to want to let go just yet.

Steering clear of the guards gathering by the entrance, you switched places. You were leading him now, climbing up the staircase two steps at once, heading right to the top floor. At the peak where the railing ended, you stopped, beckoning him behind you to check if it was still empty, before you kept going until you reached beneath the very glass window you climbed through.

There was only one small problem interfering with your plan - about three meters separated you from freedom and you were kind of petite sized. There was no way you could reach the window on your own.

Now what? I never think this shit through.

Mophead let go of your hand abruptly, letting it fall roughly at your side. A whine that you struggled to quiet down made its way up your throat from the loss of contact. Keep it together for Christ’s sake. You don't know this man. For all you know, he might be into hand fetishes. Shaking yourself to basic decency and turning off the hots you got for this annoyingly beautiful creature, you turned back to him.

Looking up at the glass window left ajar, his brows furrowed in thinking before a spark of an idea flashed across his face. All of a sudden, he moved back a little, then started swinging his arms back and forth before he propelled his body upwards, reaching high enough to push the window open. Jumping again, with a little more force in his nimble feet, he effortlessly made it through the opening and landed on the open roof. You stared at him in awe, gobsmacked at the strength he displayed. But then again, he did have the aerial arts kind of physique.

Preparing to finally get out of this shithole and get back to your very comfortable and safe abode, you held your hand up for him to help you through. He looked down at you from his spot above and you swore you felt the air shift around you. In the pale glow of the moon, you saw his eyes turn dark, scorning almost, glazed over with a wicked smirk stretched on his lips. It all came crashing down on you as you came to understand the change in his behaviour and why he didn't hold his hand down for you - he used you.

You laid out your plan to get him out of this prison, knowing what would become of him if he stayed the night. Knowing what the commander's men could do to him and where he would end up. Feeling like it was relatively your fault for him ending up in here. All of this only for him to play teammate, use you and discard you.

I've seen this movie somewhere before. It doesn't end well.

“Thank you for your services. I will now be taking my leave,” he says, stretching up to send a mock bow of courtesy your way.

“Motherfuc—,” you didn’t even get to finish as he just turned around and left, leaving you dumbfounded.

You couldn’t believe this shit. You risked your life to right a wrong you thought was of your own cause. For someone you didn’t even know. Just for him to use you this shamelessly.

You made so many bad decisions today. All you wanted to do was help. But as always it backfired on you. Classic helper case - don't do it unless it benefits you. Too late now.

Your short moment of self-loathing turned to full blown hatred towards the grey-haired man. He wasn’t worth your time, your resources, your anger. But he personally made himself a honorary entry at the very top of your hitlist.

If I ever see him again, I won’t hesitate to fucking kill him.

Armed guards made haste to reach the top floor. Alarm bells rang again in your mind, much louder than earlier tonight, to warn you that you had to find a way out and fast. But before you could even think of what to do shots were fired your way.

On the first cock of the gun, you instantly ducked down and looked for cover, scrambling to the floor on all fours. There was a wooden table right next to you that looked sturdy enough to act as a temporary shield so you grabbed its wooden legs and threw it over on the side, moving behind it in hopes it would protect you.

Shots struck in the table top behind you, ringing in your ears endlessly. The guards did not let their cover down and by the sounds of it, more of them joined the frontline.

This was a heavily armed precinct. There had to be leftover guns somewhere. Looking around in a frenzy for anything you could use for defence, you noticed a patch of dark red rapidly forming on your right arm, soaking the material of your sleeve. The newest hole gracing your dress, besides the ones that put organza ruffles through the ends of the dress back at the docks, belonged to a bullet that actually grazed you, just a few inches off puncturing your bicep in a nice gaping hole. Fucking great.

More bullets thundered through your ears, having a battle with your heartbeat to see which one would drown your hearing faster. The moment some of the bullets started piercing through the wooden table, you panicked. You wouldn’t make it out if you stayed there for too long. The wood would splinter and splinter until it would get blown to mere chips of wood.

The strong smell of gunpowder floated right into your lungs, making it harder to breathe in properly. Your eyes flew frantically all over the place for a way out. But there was none - except if you counted jumping off the railing right into the main entrance of the precinct, possibly breaking a few bones - or dying right here, churned by bullets. At that chilling possibility, you felt a familiar feeling creep up on you. Fear. A thrill you haven't experienced in a long time.

The same fear you felt the day you lost your whole world.

“Stay here, Miyu,” your mother's voice grew rough as she pulled you in a haste towards the corner of your room.

“Mom, what's happening?” you asked, starting to feel unease grip you.

Before she could answer, loud shots were fired downstairs in your living room. She brought you in her arms and hugged you closer to her until the blaring gunfire stopped all of a sudden. It was quiet. Way too quiet for the ruckus that ensued mere moments ago.

You were just sitting on the couch on your mother's lap, her gentle hands carding through your long hair, braiding it down in your overnight plaits before she took you to bed. Your father sat perched on the armchair opposite you, browsed the day's newspaper with a tired frown. They've both been working the day away in the atelier, crowded with tons of customers. That left you in the care of the maids for most of the day.

It was all peaceful and quiet, your mother's gentle humming the only thing that could be heard. Until the bloodcurdling scream of a maid coming from the entrance of the house. Your father straightened up from the armchair, newspaper dropping to the floor in heaps. He shot your mother a frightened look before moving his eyes down at you with a grim smile. You didn't see it but you could tell your mother nodded before she hauled you up in her arms the best she could, running breathlessly up the stairs to reach your room at the far end of the hallway.

Pushing you out of her fierce, bone-crushing embrace, she ushered you towards the tall wooden wardrobe in the corner, opening the hidden compartment within it. You were small enough to fit inside. Small enough to hide from whatever had your parents spooked. Small enough to raise her hopes high that you would be safe.

Her delicate hands sat on your shoulders, squeezing you with the weight of something she refused to tell you. But the doom in her pained eyes told you something was horribly wrong and the urgency in her voice only confirmed it.

“Promise me you won’t come out unless it’s me or your father coming in,” she said as she urged you inside. You only nodded in response. "Promise me you'll stay safe."

"I promise. Only if you do too," you said, determined to show her your bravery. She smiled at that, promising the same to you too, though the uncertainty of that promise being fulfilled painted her face in a multitude of shades of worry.

You finally stepped inside the compartment. She took one more hopeful look at you then closed the door, leaning a hand against the flowery painted wood. Lifting your own you placed it on the door, mimicking her.

“Everything will be okay.”

You were confused as to why she was saying that as her eyes were glazed over with sadness. She got up and headed towards the door to your room, halting her steps on the threshold. Before she stepped out of your room she turned to you once more.

“I love you, Miyu.”

She flashed you her biggest smile, as well as you could see it through the small rectangular cracks of the wood.

“Be safe, my little light.”

That was the last time you saw her. The last time you saw your father. The last you saw of anyone you knew on the mansion grounds.

No one came back for you.

Hours later, when you came out of hiding, you went to look for your parents. Creeping slowly from behind your bedroom door, you were met with a strong metallic smell. You took the stairs down, tip-toeing around drops of red liquid that turned into puddles the further you descended. The closer you got to the living room, the scent took up more and more space in your lungs, almost suffocating to breathe in, much like the massacre your eyes were met with.

The bloody scene before you was your nightmares’ favorite. It made sure it painted it for you every night ever since. Or every time you were scared shitless. Like now.

Shaking your head hard to pull yourself back to reality, you tried to figure a way out. This wasn't the time to freak the fuck out. But being unarmed, slightly injured and with your dress turned to a mere cloth, barely hanging on your shoulders, you were absolutely terrified. There was no way you could make it out of here without a fucking miracle. But you learned long ago you were far from being God's favourite, not even in the hundreds lined up before Him. A miracle was a pipe dream.

At least it wasn’t all in vain, you thought. Even if you hated that guy's guts after the stunt he pulled, you were glad Mophead was out of harms way. To know you tried to help a person before you kicked the bucket was enough for you.

If you were to die tonight you wouldn’t really have any regrets. Except the fact that there was so much food you haven’t tried and so many places you haven’t seen yet and by all gods existing your dumplings still waited for you back home. It dawned on you that you didn’t want to die. Especially here of all places.

You sensed the guards closing in on you from behind. Your time ran out. There was no miracle coming. No knight in shining armor putting his life in danger for you. This was it. This was where your life ended.

Preparing to get torn to shreds by the guards or manhandled to a cell to be shipped somewhere preposterously evil for people, you shut your eyes tight and hugged yourself in a comforting manner, rocking back and forth.

At least I’ll get to see them again.

Maybe I can make peace with death for once.

Maybe it'll take me this time.

You waited for the bullets to rain down on you. For strong calloused hands to haul you up and carry you away to your end. For anything brutal, cruel and unsettling to happen. But none of those attacks you expected came. As a matter of fact all firing stopped. All rueful shouting stopped. It was way too quiet.

Confused and thinking you died before you felt it, you opened your eyes to find that you were curled in a ball, back propped against the table, still in the precinct. You were still alive and breathing.

Something was weird. On a whim, you turned to peek over the table only for the inhale of breath you just took to celebrate living to get stuck in your lungs at the sight.

The guards shooting at you just a few moments ago were now laying limp on the floor, in heaps of heaps of bodies, littered from the front of the level to halfway in the room. They weren't dead. Probably just knocked out. By who- In the middle of the sprawled mess of guards stood a white mop of hair, doused in the celestial moonlight shining through the glass ceiling.

An angel - your godsent miracle.

Except he wasn’t an angel.

He was a demon sent to torment you specifically straight from the pits of hell.

A guard on the ground lifted his gun to shoot him, almost subservient to your murderous look pointed at him, but Mophead reacted quickly and kicked it away just in time, ending it by shoving his foot in the guard’s face. His back heaved with the breaths he took, stretching broader and wider with each one. Turning around with a huff, he locked eyes with you for the second time tonight, gaze more softer as he took in your state - the sleeves of your dress were ripped, barely connecting to the seams anymore, oddly matching the messy ruffles at the bottom and the way your leather corset sat crooked on your torso. The moment his eyes laid there, you moved it back in place.

Still trembling in fear as you rose up from your hiding spot, your eyes made their way to his, fear gripping every inch of your being morphing back to anger - the slay your enemies in battle and laugh maniacally type.

He left you here all alone to survive on what and with what? Wits and talent? Magic weapons? Wrath? The wrath kind of survival was far behind you.

Glaring at him with a look full of utter hatred, you furiously walked towards the staircase. Just before you reached it, he caught your uninjured arm swiftly, pulling lightly on it to make you turn and look at him. There came his touch again. Much warmer and intense this time. But you weren’t going to give in so easily. That was of course until his hold on your wrist got a little tighter and your eyes snapped to him on impulse.

He looked down at you with an expression you couldn’t really pinpoint. Specks of guilt and something akin to worry swimmed in his eyes. He looked like he himself couldn't decipher what he was feeling. But that look, heavy with burden and a familiar load told you someone else close to him was witness to it before. Someone who probably wasn't walking among us anymore.

That was his problem. You tugged on your arm, willing him to let go.

“Let me go,” you gritted through your teeth, patience running thinner by the second.

“If you go through there, you’ll get yourself killed," he grunted out, voice low and lethal, much like his show of power back there.

Ah, he speaks. Charming. Not.

This scoundrel played and used you and now you were just supposed to forget all about it because he decided to come back and save you as a last minute act of good faith? He doesn't get to play coy and worried. You were no damsel in distress.

But why was he so two-faced? And why was he still holding onto your arm? God damn it. I was probably right about the hand holding fetish.

“Funny you say that as if you didn’t just leave me here to get killed a few minutes ago, after I saved your ass,” you sourly spat out, making sure to spell out the differences between your help plan and his.

That affirmation didn't phase him. But the hand that was holding your arm did let go, instead raising to meet his tangled hair in a frustrated sweep.

He wasn’t put in this kind of a position before. Usually, he couldn’t care less about the people fighting by his side because it always felt better not to. That was just how he was programmed. Go to battle with whoever was willing but not on his conscience because that thing wasn't even working properly and was better left broken and shut off completely.

But he couldn’t just ignore the fact that a total stranger just decided to risk their life for him. That revelation made something snap deep inside of him. Something that wasn’t supposed to crack free just yet - a shred of disgusting humanity. Something he let go of a long time ago.

A few minutes prior

He was on a one-man mission. He didn’t need you, his useless crew, the commander in chief, or anyone else to get in his way. Leaving you here was nothing personal. It was just easy. There was no point for him to stick around any longer.

Turning around from your small form on the ground, he exhaled a breath of relief in the cool air of the night, glancing out at the city. He was out of that shithole and nothing else mattered. Only that his mission was fucked and he had a setback in his plan that he had to take care of. He wanted to get his plan back on track as soon as possible. But as he reached the edge of the precinct roof, ready to take off into the quiet of the night like he was never there, he heard the gunfire. Gravity was suddenly pulling at his feet like iron. He couldn’t move. His instincts weren't letting him.

He heard the shouting around the precinct, the rumbling cocking of guns, the rushed steps around the building from outside and inside. You were left defenseless at the mercy of the dozens of guards.

Just like his sister was that horrible winter day that he wanted so badly to forget. To mend the pain. To bring her back. He couldn't bring her back. But he could save you.

Reality knocked into him and he stumbled, things becoming clearer in his head. You were nothing more than a stranger. But you laid your life on the line for him for some unknown reason.

He couldn’t let you die.

Not if he had the power to help it and by all fucks he did.

Mumbling a quick curse under his breath, he rotated on his heels and started running at full speed, dropping back down in the precinct swiftly and quietly like a leaf on the wind. Looking for you, he caught sight of your body tucked in the corner behind a table, taking cover. You looked scared out of your mind and it was all his fault.

Tomoe would fuck me up if she was here, he thought.

Shaking the eerie presence of his sister, he geared up for mayhem.

The guards stopped firing to reload their guns. He took the opportunity to disarm them. His thought process went haywire as he ruthlessly broke bones with his bare hands, weathering through them like a storm picking up speed.

The only thought pounding through his head as he dove through the armada of men, rendering each one more unconscious and immobile than the previous, was that he had to protect you at all costs.

The mad look on your face and the way your eye twitched told him you weren’t the happiest to see him. Indeed, you felt like plunging your hands down his throat and pulling his balls through just to see him in some serious gut-wrenching pain a little to even the score.

“Look, the only way out is through the roof. You.. saved me…," he pinched his eyes shut with a huff, like the very words he just spoke were an admission that was yet to be shoved down his throat and accepted. "And I saved you," he continued, voice climbing up higher to a much more calm and leveled space. "You could say we’re even now,” he concluded, flashing you a smirk.

Incredulous little shit. He could smirk right now? After all this shit?

You barked out a laugh and simply refused to perceive him. He still acted like he owned the world after everything?

No matter what happens, you can’t just leave people behind. What was worse was that he did it willingly. Like you were just a gun to serve its purpose until you ran out of bullets then be discarded. Normal people don't do that. Dictators and the mafia lords do that. You can’t just jump over it, call it an even deed and shrug it under the carpet so easily.

But you just might. For the sake of it, it would be better if you both forgot about tonight and moved on with your lives like you never crossed paths. Pretend it was all a big mistake and forget any of this ever happened like it was a blip sucked into the void.

You've had enough of everything relating to him. Tonight was more than you bargained for and it took its toll on you more than you liked to admit it. The sweet treats awaiting you and some sleep were the only things able to fix your mood at this point.

Ignoring his coyness, since that was the only thing you could call that previous exchange, you went to the space under the window and pulled over a nearby table. The height of it should be enough to help you reach up. The graze on your arm pulsed, reminding you it needed immediate attention before it got infected, so you hopped on the table right away.

Just as you were about to reach up and pull yourself through, Mophead jumped up ahead of you again. You scoffed, cursing him under your breath. He was just going to leave again.

Godspeed Mophead. Great show to end it all though.

Tapping your heeled boots heavily against the table to test its sturdiness, you were satisfied enough and got ready to jump up. Turning your gaze above, you were met with a hand. His hand. He crouched down and offered you his hand, palm open wide, dropping it as low as it took for you to reach and grab a hold on it. He didn't leave.

You stared blankly at his hand. It’s been an exhausting day to say the least. A lot was weighing on your mind. You genuinely just wanted to get back to your place and send today to oblivion.

But above all else, you didn’t want to blindly trust this man again.

What if he just drops me mid-air or something? Why is he suddenly so keen to help me?

He sensed the inner battle you were having in your head. Hell, if he was in your position he wouldn’t trust himself either. So he tried to ease the tension in the air with another remark, though it came out way worse than it sounded in his head.

“Are you coming today or would you like to redecorate your dress with more bullet holes?”

You grimaced. You couldn’t believe you were attracted to... that. You hated yourself a little for it. But then again. Taste was a weird little thing when you barely get any action as a paid assassin. That is, if you counted strangling someone with your hands or the strength of your thighs.

You shot him a look in warning to not do anything stupid to which he just raised his eyebrows, dropping his hand a little lower.

What was one more mistake tonight?

With a long sigh, your shoulders dropped in defeat and you grabbed onto his hand, letting him pull you up. His big palm closed around yours and with one tug you were going up. He did it so effortlessly, without a sign of struggle, like you weighed nothing. His other hand snaked around your waist for more support as he pulled you through on the roof, raising to his full height.

As he set you down beside the window panel, you caught a different look in his eyes, less icy and more playful, coupled with that irritating smirk ever-present on his face. Does he ever smile normally? Despite the player attitude emanating off him like it was his only charm of goodwill, he was holding onto you so delicately, as if you would break the moment he let go. The way he was unconsciously rubbing circles into your sides almost made you forget why you were mad at him in the first place. This closeness made your previous feelings of hate disappear completely, replaced by something different. Curiosity.

There was something about him that pulled you in like the sea pulls the tide back to her, completely locked in his arms but entirely free to go at no additional cost. You searched his eyes, trying to find meaning behind this strange feeling, unaware that he was doing the same.

Shouting ensued down in the precinct, echoing out to you. Shaking your head, you pushed on his chest and separated from him, walking to the edge of the building. Without looking back at him, you took off landing in an alley.

He sat there stunned.

Without much thinking, he decided to follow you, taking off right behind you.

You had to take the long way back in order to avoid the troops patrolling around the city. Your wanted poster might not have been drawn yet, but considering Mophead was still on your tail, keeping close by just a few steps behind you, you were better off being careful than careless.

At first, you thought he was heading in the same way as you or at least partially. After passing a few trick corners that were definitely not in your way, you caught up to the fact that he was following you.

Getting quite annoyed with him, you slowed down and let him get closer until you felt him right behind you. Spinning around on your heels, you took hold of the collar of his kimono and pushed him roughly against the brick wall of the alley.

He was a little taken aback by your outburst. The way your eyes blazed with a spark of anger small enough to crush to a bare kindle, but big enough to entice to a consuming bonfire with just the wrong word or reaction. He couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

“Why are you following me?”

“I kind of need a place to stay until it breaks for day at least.”

“And you thought I would offer you a sparkly invite to my place after the shit you pulled back there?”

“I guess I deserve that.”

Fixing him with a sharp glare, you let go of him and backed away, waiting for him to speak of a valid reason on why you should lend your place for the remainder of the night. Sharing bunks with traitors wasn't really your thing.

Before he could answer, you picked up on chatter close by. The patrol guards. Well, shit hits the fan quite a lot tonight.

Mophead heard them too and reacted before you could - he promptly backed you up against the other wall in the alley, pinning you to it. Taking advantage of the shadows masking your faces, he leaned so close to you that you could feel his breath fan your lips. Your own got stuck in your throat and your heartbeat quickened, rapping against your chest at a ginormous speed. It didn’t help that his broad arms circled around you the same way a viper would constrict around the body of its victim, squeezing tight just in the right spots to send you reeling into hypnosis before it ruthlessly killed you. His hold on you felt just the same.

His right hand came to rest on your lower back, pulling your body closer to his, while his left supported his body, plastered on the wall by your head. An angle so lethal that the slightest dip of his head would land his lips right on top of yours.

You prayed to all existing gods that he wouldn’t be able to see the effect this surprise proximity attack had on you - heartbeat pulsing, rushing, beating loud enough to drown the world out, cheeks flushing the darkest shade of red, breathing coming out in low, quick pants. Wherever he touched, your skin tingled, tensed, contracted.

If he noticed any of that, it would just make you look like the biggest fool in the world after you tried so hard to stand your ground.

Metal clanged and jingled, signalling the two guards were getting closer. The minute they turned into the alley, he dipped his head impossibly close to your neck, his lips brushing the open skin on the side of your neck just briefly. Abort ship, abort ship. You sucked in a breath, unable to keep from squirming in his hold as a means to find your bearings before you lost them. A few locks of his gray hair tickled the side of your face and his scent imbued your nostrils, ending you right then and there. Yep, bearings totally lost.

On first inhale, that scent got you dizzy, like the very first hit of opium smoke would affect a beginner. Your hands flew to his arms to station you upright, not trusting your legs to do that for you. On the second whiff, you got a longer, deeper inhale of it, instantly calming down, relaxing every stressed inch of your body.

He smelled like a combination of musky wood and jasmine. Sweet and manly. The mix was so addicting that a single whiff of it made your knees weak. The more you breathed that scent in, it completely overpowered you. Your mind screamed at you to be rational and get it together while your instincts wanted you to pull him closer and wedge your nose in the crook of his neck instead.

After the troops passed by and the coast was clear, he slowly lifted his head from your neck, but not without taking his sweet time there. He too was entranced in your rosy vanilla aroma. The familiarity and softness of it swelled his memories, just like your eyes did all night. But he still couldn’t figure out who you were or why his mind worked overtime to scavenge all corners in hopes of finding you tucked away somewhere.

Feeling your back muscles tense under his small, secure touch, he came to learn that he wasn’t the only one being affected. He pulled away from you with an amused tilt of his lips. That pulled you right back to normal away from the haze of him.

“Why do you keep smirking? Are you constipated or something?”

“What?! No?!”

You giggled seeing the outraged look on his face. He’s so funny and he doesn’t even realise it. Or maybe you officially lost it. You didn't know.

The sound of your giggle made something grow in his chest. Warmth. He shook it off as soon as he felt it, distrustful of the unnatural way his chest contracted to it. That was weird, he thought, fully pulling himself away from you.

“Okay," you spoke out of nowhere.

“Okay, what?”

“You can stay over tonight. But as soon as the sun rises you’re out of my sight,” you said with a strict tone.

Not one minute past sunrise. Ass crack of dawn and this would all become a memory in the wind.

“You know, anyone would rave at the opportunity to host me,” he states cockily.

Would they now? What was he? The princess of the people or something?

“Don’t push it, Mophead.”

At that remark, his confident grin fell, replaced by complete outrage.

“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”

You took off into the city, with him right behind, running to catch up to you. Unknowingly, a smile made its way on your face.

The empty streets of Shanghai didn't feel so lonely tonight.

You had interesting company to unravel until dawn. Might as well take your time.

Opening the door to your humble home with a creak, you took off your shoes and walked inside, dropping your set of keys on the desk. The room was partly illuminated by the light filtering in from the outside, bright enough for you to see in the small space.

Leaving Mophead by the door to make himself comfortable, you got a change of clothes and went behind the divider in the corner of the room. Your clothes reeked and they weren't exactly wearable anymore. The moonlight shining through the window cast a shadow of your silhouette on the other side of the thin decorated paper as you moved about.

He discarded his shoes by the door, taking in your small abode. A tiny futon was folded neatly in the corner, big enough to fit your form. Scanning over the lightly cracked window on the opposite side of the room, he thought it added an air of vintage to the place, beside the fact that it was abandoned. Your scent was present in the room but it wasn’t that strong, meaning you haven’t been in these parts for a long time. That and the fact that your belongings seem to consist of one bag tucked under the desk only cemented that presumption.

His eyes landed on your moving shape behind the divider. He watched your outline dance around the material decked in white and blue cranes and other traditional motives. Each move you made, from the swift throw of your damaged dress over the top to putting on a new blouse, made him feel as if he was watching his own personal puppet show in the light of the moon and the night.

He’d seen women stripped bare before, but this felt different. Your body was fully protected by the paper screen and you still managed to have an impact on him. He wasn’t the type to let his gaze linger on someone for too long. But you stole almost all of his attention tonight. Almost a blink too much.

He moved his eyes away in a plea for his brain to stop cooking up nonsense. He settled on going back to scanning the room, reaching the small desk on the other side.

Just as he landed eyes on a bag with what looked like food, his stomach growled lowly in hunger. You heard it just as you rounded the divider and snickered to yourself. Maybe sharing the little baozi dumplings you had with him wouldn't be so bad.

You moved towards the bag, tearing open the paper. The miniature pastries were idly waiting for your return and though cold they still looked appetizing enough to your stomach.

“Are you hungry by any chance?” you asked him sheepishly.

“No,” he replied firmly as he took a seat on the floor, folding his arms over his chest.

His stomach seemed to have a mind of its own as it disagreed with its owner. It made sure to growl a bit louder this time, as he tightened his arms over it to silence it.

“Here,” you offered him one of the bigger dumplings as you mirrored his position on the floor.

“I’m good.”

“Just take it,” you pushed, extending the dumpling once more, growing tired of his ‘I don’t need your help’ antics. It wasn't so bad to just accept things. Especially food. Delicious one at that.

“I said I’m —,” you cut him off by shoving the soft dough in his mouth.

"You're welcome," you grinned, grabbing one for yourself.

His cheeks puffed up, not moving in the slightest to munch the delicacy or spit it out. He looked nothing short of adorable as he stared daggers at you. Slowly, he gave in as the dough broke into pieces when you shoved it in his mouth. The savory flavor of marinated chicken met his taste buds. He tried to hide the moan of satisfaction that crawled up his throat as he munched on the dough, but the way his features relaxed gave him away.

Shaking your head at his childish behaviour, you continued sorting through the dumplings, preparing a few more assortments.

Pushing two smaller ones his way you saw him hesitate again. But he eventually picks them up and takes a cautious bite out of each one. One of them had egg custard filling and the other was with red bean paste. He definitely couldn’t hide his reaction this time as he sighed softly in content.

“This one tastes like the ones my sister used to make,” he spoke in a hushed tone as he chomped down on the egg custard one, eyes darting to the rest of the dumpling, sitting safely in the palm of his hand.

He suddenly got transported to a time where she was still around, happily rolling the dumpling dough on the counter in their kitchen back in Edo. A time where it was just the two of them against the world. He hasn’t really told anyone else about her before. Here he was, sharing pieces of himself with a stranger.

The way the words came out, like a cherished memory made its way back to him, had you soften. You were surprised by his openness. You could tell that it wasn’t that easy for him to open up. You had to trust people to do that... which meant that he trusted you in some sense.

He didn’t know why he suddenly disclosed such personal information to you. It was weird. How he felt so comfortable with you in such a short amount of time. But it felt good being in someone’s genuine company in a while. You offered up your place for the night, your food though it wasn't a lot, and your kindness to him. You even put your life on the line. Compelled gratitude or sheer idiocy of it all, one thing was for certain - that he owed you.

“Thank you. For the baozi,” he paused, his eyes trailed back to you, “and for helping me out there tonight.”

You almost choked on the dough you were eating. Not necessarily the words themselves took you by surprise, but the sincerity he delivered them with. It was far from the apology you expected after he acted all high and mighty that he didn't need saving. But you were happy with the words of gratitude he offered.

“You’re welcome,” you said, turning back to munching.

From the short time you’ve been honorary teammates, you gathered that the man in front of you was a wild mix of hot and cold. Both mysterious and really insufferable at the same time. But like everyone, he had his moments where the rough edges didn't cut as icy.

The moon struggled to get her light inside your cramped room, curious to inquire about the personal exchanges between the two of you. She had to remain content with the little light that she managed to glare through, as the both of you sat in a comfortable silence.

“Enishi Yukishiro.”

You looked up at him. You don't just go around throwing your name in these parts especially. Not when the hunt liked to chase anyone. Not when the authorities could imprison you. Being a nobody, a simple passerby, saved your life.

But he just gave you his name, meaning that on some level and by some fucked up confidence, he placed his trust in you.

Should I give him mine too?

He looked expectantly at you, waiting for you to return the gesture. Could you trust him?

You were both strangers to each other. But he was to be gone from your life as soon as the first rays of the morning sun shone lifted on the horizon.

It wasn’t like him knowing your name could do you any harm.

Right?

I hope he won't make me regret this.

“Miyu Hikari," you replied, speaking your full name for the first time in years.

You spent the night talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

He opened up a little more about his sister. You could tell she meant a lot to him from the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips and how he caught a liking to the egg custard dumplings, which you picked up out of the mix and gave to him.

He didn’t tell you what happened to her but that he was on some sort of mission to avenge her. When you wanted to ask more about what he meant by it he shifted the conversation to you.

“Enough about me. Tell me more about you.”

About me?

It's been a while since anyone really wanted to know about yourself. So long that you had to pause to gather your thoughts in order.

“Well, I’m originally from Yokohama. My parents used to be tailors for the rich people coming down from Edo,” you said, remembering the pride that came with the Hikari name.

“What are you doing all the way here?”

You weren’t sure what to tell him.

‘Oh, I'm just hunting down the mafia that took my parents’ wasn’t exactly an adequate response to playing twenty-one questions.

“I’m just doing some… jobs.”

Okay, that didn’t answer it either.

He wasn’t that dense and could tell you weren’t comfortable elaborating, so he didn’t press any further. You felt thankful for that.

It was weird to say the least. You both talked without actually mentioning anything too important and kind of not really saying anything at the same time. Getting to know each other without passing the deeper threshold of things.

Timid rays of sunshine peeked in through the cracked window, silently making their way in the room. You didn’t even notice the time went by so fast. The night was over in a blink.

I guess it’s true what they say about good company making time stand still.

“Well," he piped up, getting up from the floor to dust his pants. "I should get going."

“Thank you,” you said softly.

Not just for coming back for you. For killing that loneliness creeping up on you every night. You hoped the feeling was mutual at least a little.

“No. Thank you,” he said as he gazed at you with that soft look again. A look that would melt you if a smile was there too.

He slipped on his shoes as you got up to see him out. Waving at him, he bid you a wordless nod and headed down the stairs, rushing out before it got too bright outside. To get in and out of the building, you had to go into the jewelry shop. It was a hassle but at least you were protected from possible intruders this way.

Closing the door behind him, you leaned you back against it, feeling like you were left in a daze. It’s been a long night and you could feel the after effects taking a toll on you. You would love to just lay down and sleep for the rest of the day. But your thoughts wandered back to the man you just bid goodbye to.

You still couldn’t remember where you've seen him before and it kind of drove you up the wall. Those eyes specifically. Dark and filled with so much sadness and pain.

Why am I so stuck on him?

Crazy thing to be thought all things considering - that he was a ruthless thug and he nearly got you killed - but you wished you got more time with him. Maybe you could find out more about his past and you would eventually remember him at some point. Figure out why his presence was so familiar but not.

In some twisted way, the gods heard you because just when you moved away from the door, someone barged in nearly taking the door down. Turning around with your heart in your throat, you were met with a breathless Enishi, eyes pinched closed, leaning his back on the door. You let out a breath of relief.

“Enishi? Did you forget something? What are you -”

“Grab your things,” he directed sternly.

“What?”

“The guards are here. They were just circling the shop as I reached downstairs. They found us.”

We’re so fucked. Royally, utterly, disgracefully, by all means fucked.

This was bad. Disastrous. You’ve literally been in this hideout for just a little over a month. It was so hard to find a place to stay because your jobs weren’t exactly consistent in location. But this one was a really good one in terms of access to the whole city. Undetected, under the radar access to everything. All of it compromised now.

Fuck's sake.

Saving the freaking out for later, when you were hopefully still alive and safe, you grabbed the bag and started stuffing whatever you found at hand inside, along with your guns and the rest of your hidden ammunition in the bag, moving to quickly get your boots on.

“Is there another way out besides the front door?” asked Enishi, surveying the room for an escape route.

You paused after lacing your boots. The front door was an escape route... A shitty one at that. However-

Your eyes darted to the window in a flash. Without thinking too hard, you grabbed a cloth you found laying around, bundled up your fist in it and swung back to punch the already fractured window hard. The glass cracked, breaking completely and fell on the other side.

“I guess that works too,” he said, shock and amusement present in his voice. He sauntered over to the window and studied the distance to the ground. It was about four meters but it looked... doable. Even if it wasn't, it was your only shot.

Not wasting any more time, he got up on the ledge and jumped through the window first, landing narrowly on the ground in the small alley behind the shop. You threw your bag over and got up too. But as you were about to jump too you froze, just now noticing the free fall to the ground. The distance was way too big, huge, and there was a possibility you could crack your skull if you weren’t careful.

“I, uhm," your voice wavered unsure. "I think I’ll stay here,” you laughed nervously.

This wasn’t like the precinct building. That was a normal two meter jump anyone and their mother could execute. This... this was double the distance. A drop to a hard surface with absolutely nothing to cushion your fall. Except if you counted Enishi’s big mop of hair.

You didn’t need to do the math to know that if you missed the landing that was it. Life ended there. Falling and splitting your body into pieces everywhere.

He sensed your fear as you were slowly pulling yourself back inside and called your name.

“Come on, it’s not that big of a jump,” he tried to convince you, pointing at nothing in particular to make a point.

“Not that big? My brother in Christ, it is HUGE! I'm not a praying mantis able to float to the ground like you did.”

“I’ll catch you,” he tried to reassure you that he had it handled, but the nausea crawling up your throat by the second said something different.

“From four meters above ground? What if you don’t and you drop me? What if I break my neck? What if I break your neck?”

His patience was wearing thin. If he wasn’t practically indebted to you for taking in him and even feeding him, he would’ve left ages ago. But he came back to get you out of harms way because he had a weird feeling knowing that danger was headed for you. He almost left again. Almost. Until his chest squeezed in discomfort just like the night before, with every single step he took, and he hated it.

“I promise to try to catch you. Now get your ass down here.”

You looked at him and tried to get some courage. Your ghost would have a lot of fun haunting him if he failed to catch you and that somewhat comforted you. Or not. Taking a few deep breaths to calm down, you closed your eyes, trying to inhale and exhale slower. This was not the time to hyperventilate.

I can do this. I'll be fine. If not, it's his fault. Yep, that works. Okay.

Whirling around to face the room, your back to the world behind, you threw one last look at the hideout and let go of the window sill. At first, you couldn't really tell you were falling. You felt light as a feather. Up until you felt your blood pounding through your ears, blaring and erratic, rattling your whole being. Then you realized you were free falling and the adrenaline in your body kicked in and you started freaking out. You tried to scream only to swallow it right back.

The only thing you could do was watch as you got further away from the window and closer to the ground. You squeezed your eyes and brought your arms to your chest, preparing for impact. An impact that never came.

As scary as it was, it all ended fairly quickly. The wind replaced the roaring beating in your ears, whooshing lightly around you. You weren't dead. That much you concluded from the strong hold around you. The more you calmed down, the more you felt conscious of the muscular arms holding you safely above ground. At the smell of his scent, still as fresh as last night, you relaxed completely.

Enishi caught you. He did right by his promise.

Opening your eyes, you noticed your face was just a few inches away from his. Breathless, you searched his face finding nothing but worry from his furrowed brows to his piercing gaze. The longer you stared the less air your lungs took in.

His eyes turned dark, consuming the blue hue on the edge of his pupils the more he looked down at you in his arms. You were safe. Shaking, but safe from anything that could hurt you.

If he didn’t stop this staring contest he would be in serious trouble.

The sound of hurried steps and yelling above snapped both of you back to the real world. Placing you back on the floor, you quickly dusted your clothes, fixing your blouse. You ran to your bag that got separated from you mid-air and chucked it over your shoulder. Then you both took off into town. You ran as fast as your feet could take you, following close behind him.

After wandering around for a while, you spotted a large carriage with apples, hauled by two horses. A man that looked like a farmer just sat down to start it. Enishi noticed it too and rushed over to the man while you caught your breath, leaning over on a wall. In no time, Enishi was back with surprisingly good news judging by the hopeful grin he gave you.

“He’s gonna give us a ride,” he said.

A ride? To where?

Ah, that doesn't really matter right now. Anywhere else but in this damn city would be great.

“Alright," you agreed.

You hopped on the back of the carriage, setting your bag next to you. Enishi joined you on the other side before bidding the farmer to take off.

The carriage left the inner Shanghai city walls, heading towards the countryside. You passed woods, lakes and the hills climbed higher the more distance you put between you and danger. Puffing a long breath out, you leaned your back against some bags filled with apples. The events of the last day were catching up to you faster than you could recall. You couldn’t deny the fact that your body needed rest, close to begging for it. You were safe now. Nothing was going to hurt you. Dropping your head back with eyes closed, you let the swaying of the carriage lull you to sleep.

After making some small talk with the farmer, Enishi noticed you dozed off. He shuffled in next to you, careful not to wake you, falling back against the sacks of fruit in the same position. He turned his head slightly to look at you. You looked so peaceful while you slept. Without a worry in the world.

Seeing you in the light of day did something to him. Something irreparable. The more he gazed down at your lashes, your soft, silky hair, the more bewitched he felt. Your chest rose up with small breaths while his struggled to carry air inside. He couldn't make sense of it at all.

The wind blew and a stray lock of hair fell over your eyes, sprawling to cover both of them. Your nose twitched, probably tickled by the soft ends hanging on the bridge of your nose. He felt compelled to sweep it away. Letting his calloused hand ghost over your cheek, he reached and plucked it between his fingers, tucking the strand gingerly behind your ear. He had to control himself from stroking your soft cheeks that sat puffed up as you slept. That urge was not normal to him at all.

Turning his head away from you, he fixed his gaze to the road disappearing behind the carriage. Then he closed his eyes for a while too.

You didn’t know how long you’ve been asleep until a hand shook your shoulder gently. Stirring awake, you opened your eyes to an early autumn sunset.

“We’re almost there," he says from your right.

When did he move so close?

You nodded in acknowledgment. Patting your cheeks to wake up, you leaned forward and stretched your arms above your head to relieve the ache in your muscles a little. He looked at you from behind, unable to help the trace of a smile playing on his lips. You looked so small and adorable as you just woke up.

The sunset colors blended into wild orange and vivid reds as you admired them with a small smile. The aura around you felt calm for the first time in forever. You couldn’t tell if it was because of the beautiful sunset before you or the man sitting next to you that ensured your safety. It didn’t really matter. You would love to feel like this everyday.

Safety was a luxury you didn't have. A right that was taken from you before you could protest for it. The smallest bit of it meant the world to you. Even if it came from a stranger.

The carriage came to a halt in front of a big mansion, sheltered between dense camphor trees and a grey stone wall running wider than your eyes could see. The both of you hopped off and thanked the farmer.

Enishi took off through the gate like it was his own. You followed in his steps. Walking further inside, you passed a path of greenery until you reached a fountain. The lower level held the basin. The water in it was a dirty brown, still as a lake, seemingly sitting unused in more than a while could encapsulate. The upper held a sculpted angel you recognized to be cupid, all carved in pale grey stone.

Stolen by the visuals, you forgot about Enishi. You rushed after him to catch up as a lot of questions swarmed around in your mind. Most of them surrounded his job, that he didn't tell you too much about. Or his life. What kind of life he led?

Any way you turned it, there was no way he was the owner of this place. That was

As you got closer to the front door you noticed three men waiting by, coming closer to greet him. They looked like they busied their time counting money and beating up people who inconvenienced them in the slightest. You glanced down at their swords with a nervous gulp. Maybe they even sharpened their blades for fun.

“Welcome back, boss,” said one of them.

He was smaller in stature, wearing what looked like an expensive fur coat. Western clothes. He eyed you suspiciously through the monocle on his right eye, then turned back to Enishi.

Enishi spared him a mindless nod and walked inside the mansion. Stepping right behind, you couldn’t help but marvel at the architecture of the place. If the exterior was beautiful, the inside was ethereal. All kinds of color schemes climbed the walls, from red and gold to the most beautiful sage green you’ve ever seen. The space was even decorated with antiquities and traditional Chinese art. Furniture carved from the most alluring shades of wood. Paintings of all kinds of landscapes, vases, sculptures.

This wasn't a mansion. This was a whole palace.

The aesthetics of the place charmed you, distracting you from the elephant in the room. Upon remembering your confusion, you snapped out of the trance induced by the scenic interior.

Wait.

Hold the fuck up.

What did monocle guy mean by ‘boss’?

Just as you turned to the center of the room you entered after Enishi, you spotted a desk littered with guns, from small pistols to hunting rifles. The walls going around the room were ticked with swords of both Chinese and Japanese making. Maps marked with all kinds of locations were haphazardly discarded on every table.

Studying everything around you at full speed, from the arms to the burly men gathering inside one by one, you came to a conclusion that made the hairs on your arms raise with chills.

Spinning around to find Enishi looking right back at you, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“You... You’re the boss of the Shanghai mafia?”

Thank you for reading! As always comments and reblogs are welcome! Hope you enjoyed :)

#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #stay tuned for more

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pauking5 · 4 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 10

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x female reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, mutual pining, found love, fluff, spice, a lot of teasing, angst

Word count: 45.1k

TW: panic attack, mentions of anxiety, unhinged violence, some gore, mentions of heights, a lot of cursing

A/N: I know this one was long overdue but she's here for you in all her glory and pain. She's been a constant work in progress for the past five months and it's all going downhill from now, so buckle up. I hope it's good and not a bore to go through considering she's long as hell but I thought you deserved the little extra treat for waiting so long. Lastly, don't hate me but this one's loaded emotionally. I had a few cries but more from editing it so many times that my eyes gave out. Chapter 11 is already in the works but she's gonna take a while. Not too long though *wink*. Hope you missed these three wimps as much as I have. Their team dynamic means the world to me. Sidenote: we are heading slowly to the rurouni kenshin the final verse soooon ;) Can't wait for you to read all that's coming. So, enjoy lovelies. Please send some sign of life through after you read so I know I didn't go off the fucking rails yet. Kisses and prayers :')

Playlist: espresso - sabrina carpenter, favorite - isabel larosa, queen - loren gray, lilili yabbay - seventeen, the boy is mine - ariana grande, training season - dua lipa, been like this - doja cat, tears in the club - fka twigs, i think i'm in love - kat dahlia, wicked game - ursine vulpine ft annaca, broken - seether ft amy lee, don't deserve you - plumb, words - skylar grey, these walls - dua lipa, hearts - jessie ware, lonely together - sofia karlberg, borderline - tove lo, theory of light - eternal eclipse, 5sos - teeth, within temptation - wireless, rescue my heart - liz longley, and so it begins - klergy

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Asshole. Idiot. Rash, unpredictable, self-absorbed jerk.

You punched your pillow hard with every new word popping into your head that described the way Enishi acted moments ago at the breakfast table. There were a whole lot of insults and even more curse words running less and less wonderful with the growing upscale of your anger at the gray-haired man, but several questions popped in over them.

What the fuck happened to him?

I know he's a Gemini and two-faced behaviour is hard to hold back from, especially when you're being an unreasonable dick unable to interact with people. But this bipolar back and forth is too much, even for him. He's like a fucking riddle, so hard to decipher, figure out and understand, especially when all he does is close himself in like that, pushing people away like they're the plague.

He's jealous of something? Someone? Then just say that. Just say anything about your feelings so that I don't have to keep being the one assuming and wondering where you stand. Human beings like communication a lot, maybe he should try it sometimes. Sometimes soon before I put my foot through his face and carve some really nice indents under that jaw-

Jerk. Handsome, good-looking, impetuous little shit.

"UGH I WANT TO PUNCH HIM SO BAD!" you screamed into your pillow for the tenth time this morning. Koru just looked at you like you've grown a second head, choosing to retreat away to the safety of the other side of the bed.

"Damn, so you really are down bad for him."

Your head snapped to your door seeing the blonde leaning on the door frame, arms crossed over his chest and amusement ever-present on his face. He was enjoying your misery and these fucking pre-school games a little too much for his wellbeing. You spared him a look that you weren't in the mood for teasing then went back to digging a hole in your pillow, kinda hoping it would turn into a real one if you hit it harder from a different angle.

He walked over to your bed and sat on the edge just as you plunged your head deeper with a fresh wave of embarrassment hitting you like a truck.

"Is it that obvious?" your voice came out muffled.

At first, he chuckled lowly to himself at your conflicted appearance. Taking another look at you, he decided that he could push your buttons just a little more. "Want me to lie to you?"

Lifting your head briefly, you narrowed your eyes at him ready to smack him to the end of the planet in the hopes he would fall off into a black hole or something. But then you thought about it again and nodded your head, hoping he would come with some fresh new insight. Though you regretted it as soon as he opened his mouth.

"It's not obvious at all. Not like you're drooling over him all the time, chasing looks at him when he's not looking and sizing him up with your eyes for some fashion plans to revamp his really outdated and boring style," he counted on his fingers hitting every single point like he put his hand in your head pulling out your very own thoughts.

Not sure what you were expecting but it wasn't... this. If the hills weren't so far away, you would've happily ran up the slopes to the highest peak and walked off straight into the abyss of the valleys below by now, hopefully eating some grass on the way and dying. All because it really was that obvious to everyone else but not to him. That says a lot considering he's the one that goes around analyzing people and noticing stuff like a detector before you even know what goes on.

"Kill me now," you whined, crashing back into the pillow with a fake sob that sounded more like a mewl that even the feline next to you wouldn't be able to reproduce.

"Look, what he said back there was rash and a teeny tiny bit stupid," he started with a finger up in the air, but once you shot him a murderous look he recalculated his words and dropped it back down. "Okay, maybe extremely stupid. But give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Benefit of the doubt?" you sat up on the bed, appalled at what you were hearing. "You slept together in the same bed for one night and now you're suddenly not in a deathly competition to win my heart or something like that anymore?"

"Haha, I have no idea what you're talking about," he scratched the back of his neck, throwing his eyes around the room as if it wasn't identical to his own.

"I may be oblivious most of the time but I can read bullshit when I see it," you said sharp and clear. The authority made his eyes dart back to you instantly, his adam's apple bobbing nervously in his throat before he sighed loudly, shoulders dropping in defeat.

"Before you rip my head off," he reached out and put Koru between you as leverage so you wouldn't lash out on him, "just know he agreed to it too. He seemed pretty confident he could just kick me out of here if he won you over."

Motherfucker.

Was that all I was to him? Something to own? Just another sword to be displayed like a trophy in his office?

Having your suspicions confirmed that this shit was actually happening, with extra details too, was definitely not on your bingo card. He went too far. Actually, too far wasn't even fully describing how dumb this game he took part in was. You expected some shit like this from Cho because the cogs in his brain didn't always turn at a normal speed or to an intellectual degree higher than dolphins. No offense to dolphins, I adore them. But you did not expect this at all from him. Not after everything you've already been through. After opening up and being real with each other for him to throw it all on a fucking bet.

If this was his way of showing interest in you, he was doing it all wrong and backwards. Instead of winning you over, this would make him lose you. Completely.

Then it hit you. Your revenge plan could use a few adjustments. It was time you became this man's headache, raging when he least expected it, like an ever present reminder not to fuck with the female species.

Make that two men actually.

You turned to the blonde with a grin on your face stretching wider and much more creepier than your usual smile, telling him you were up to no good. And when you were up to no good, chaos ensued faster than a flint could light a fire.

It was time to play dirty. It was time to take over possessive misogyny with some pure, raw and unleashed female rage, plus some fun mind games because apparently these two fuckers loved them more than anything in the world. Unfortunately for him, but happily for you, the blonde sitting on your bed looking rather confused at your sudden change in behaviour will be the first to get a taste of it.

"What if you won me over?" you asked, physically batting your eyes at him, mentally rubbing your hands like a fly plotting to raise hell.

All he did was blink repeatedly, trying to process that those words actually left your mouth willingly. He must have thought someone put a hex on you or you were sick since he placed his hand on your forehead before you slapped it off, nearly shoving him off the bed.

"Say what again?" he asked cluelessly, tilting his head to the side.

I will repeat myself solely for the sake of my own sanity.

"Exactly what you heard," you clapped your hands together, meaning business. His eyes darted to your enclosed hands, narrowing in suspiciously as he listened in more attentively. "What if we make it seem as though you did win me over?"

"To make him jealous?" he pondered your words for a moment as you nodded eagerly. Seems like he wasn't that hopeless after all.

The way your eyes sparkled up at him told him two things - you really wanted to make mophead jealous for reasons he was able to see clearly on your face like the light of day, and the fact that he could use this to his advantage. Somewhere in this temporary play pretend, he could actually win you over and make you forget about him. It was a win-win situation either way. He was just surprised that you had it in you to join the game like that.

He took a while to gather his thoughts rendering you a little uneasy. Something told you that your motives weren't solid enough for him to accept the proposal. That he needed something more to cement it. So you threw in another side to the deal. One that was sure to get him going before you reeled back on your own plan.

"Help me," you took his hand in yours, stroking the back of it softly to appeal to his ego, "and I will grant you a wish."

"Can I wish for anything-"

"If it's something dirty-minded, freaky or horribly disturbing, your balls," you pointed at the crack of his pants, trailing your eyes up to meet his, "will be Koru's to play with."

Gulping and wide-eyed at your words, he looked down at the ball of black fur nuzzling his thigh lovingly then turned back to you, seeing absolutely no difference between your auras. Turns out adorable could also be lethal if touched wrong.

"Deal," he lifted a hand to you, tilting his head to the side with his usual goofy smile back on his face.

"Good," you shook hands, sealing the deal with your pinkies and a stamp. Just like old times.

His hand lingered on yours a bit more, long pinky and bigger thumb gripping your smaller ones gently, a lot more gentler than before. The rough boy he used to be, making empty promises he couldn't keep and acting like the world owed him everything was still there, but the mature man, a lot more sure of himself going after what he wanted was the one holding your hand now smiling warmly back at you. He did change.

Your smile slowly grew dim and shy as his golden eyes peered back at you, light and playful, enveloping you in his gaze, secretly swapping your fingers for your whole hand, sitting in a comforting hold in his bigger one. You realized he was right that night he pulled you on top of him, pressing your hand against his heart and yours, both beating almost in sync. He was still someone who took up space in your heart. Maybe not a whole half of it, but a part that was big enough to make you look at him too, as a man.

You were looking now and it would be one of the biggest lies you've ever told yourself to say that it didn't send your heart racing. There were unspoken feelings swarming in your chest even after all these years, not quite as strong but it was enough that they came back to life now.

Shaking yourself out of it, your hand fell from his large one back into the safety of your lap. Koru shimmied her way in between you, looking for head rubs and you obliged with a smile, focusing on her. Cho's hands joined in your peripheral vision, petting down the fur on her back. The feline started purring loudly, letting you know she was enjoying the double attention a bunch as you held back a chuckle.

Blondie wasn't off the hook yet. Your plan was to make both of them lose their heads and this was just one small part of it. In trying to pretend with Cho you would get Enishi jealous enough to hopefully talk to you about why he was acting like the douchebag of the century and maybe about his feelings towards you. He reacted more than he spoke, so this was your only shot at luring him out enough for him to act on it.

You would also take the blonde where he least expects it to make up for the constant teasing, though you were still considering if you were swerving towards gentle or wicked payback with him. Not so sure yet, but it was all in due time.

Either way, it was a win situation for you and a loss for them for behaving like animals in heat, treating you like a mere prize to be possessed.

They say you can see the worst in someone if you push them to the edge of the cliff. That's exactly what you were planning to do to them. Slow, hard and tense. Just the way they liked it.

You want to play power games, boys?

I will bring the fucking revolution to you.

Just you wait.

Twenty-four hours.

That's all you gave them to prepare for what they would never see coming.

You let them simmer, avoiding all contact with them. No cooking, no training and no sight of you around for the rest of the previous day. They went to each their own as you spent the day plotting your retaliation bit by bit, second by second, breath by breath.

They were on your land now, weaponless, rash and with a strong ballsy will to conquer it. Too bad they won't even reach the gates of your palace before you opened fire this time. Initiating phase one.

Getting out of bed, you headed for the heap of clothes stashed in your wardrobe and looked through it, smiling devilishly as you pulled out your secret weapon - a red and black corset mix of lace and satin mimicking a tank top. The red lace ran strident crimson against the layered black satin lines stitched overtop on the sides, from the hem all the way to the straps, tight as hell but hot on your upper body. A little fun project you let your hands wander over from scraps and basics you grabbed during your visit at the textile market.

Pairing it with black leather pants and a pair of flat combat boots, you went to the full-body mirror and took a good look. The outfit hugged your curves better than anything you've ever worn before, putting on display everything you wanted. Your hair hung in a luscious ponytail, high enough to whirl it once and catch someone around the throat with it. Perfect.

Time to get the wild hunt running.

Heading to the kitchen, your strides echoed in the hallway more sure of yourself than you've ever been. You grabbed a quick breakfast and sauntered outside with your humble companion, the jian sword with a red tassel. She's been sleeping in your room more than hanging back in its place on the walls in Enishi's office since you started bonding after she smacked your wrists multiple times. She left your skin painfully bruised but she gave you good lessons to learn from.

Taking to the spot in the middle of the garden, you sat in the patch warmed by the sun that still shone bright this late in the winter, just taking the light in and relaxing every knot in your shoulders. This is so nice. You held your palm out to it soaking the warmth in with closed eyes. Then you started training, waiting for the prey to come to you.

It wasn't long until the one of the felines caught your scent, coming to circle the perimeter in search of you.

The blonde hyena approached first, lurking by the kitchen window for a cup of coffee. Still in a slumber state, he paid no attention to the rest of the world or to you training outside, just a glance away, and went about his morning routine. He brewed his coffee the way he liked it, black with a lot of sugar in it and the tiniest drop of milk and stirred it well, taking in the smell of the steamed roasted beans that woke him a little. He lifted it to his lips just as he turned around to the kitchen window, coffee cup stilling mid-air before he even took a sip.

There you were - clad in red and black, hair swinging in sync with the red tassel on your sword, practicing what looked like advanced sword techniques. Leaning back on the marble island behind him, he took a sip of his coffee simply watching you, lips sobering up into a grin.

You moved about with the grace of a deadly cobra, a total contrast to the quiet small snake you used to be. A sense of pride filled him as he recalled how you used to doubt your every step, calculating them over and over again every mission you went on. Now, you stepped with confidence knowing exactly where your strengths laid, training with a weapon that was foreign to you entirely but knowing exactly where you wanted your blade to hit and how you wanted it to hurt. The lost, confused girl that tingled his senses years ago, was now a strong woman his heart longed for even harder.

His princess. It was part of the reason he called you that - the fact that you were still so committed to do good by vengeance in hopes it would help someone live in peace if you got rid of some of the scums crawling the earth like kings. And to tease you. Although, there was one more reason for it and one day, he'd tell you why but it wasn't time yet. Soon enough.

Before he knew it, he was on his way to the office, checking to see it was empty of a certain silver fox he despised with every single bone in his body, before he went in and grabbed the twin katanas he spotted a few nights ago. He rolled them around to get a feel of their weight. They weren't his twin katanas that got broken in a fight long ago, these ones much heavier and dull, but they would do for now.

You were taking a break on the ground, stretching your limbs around to release some tension when the blonde joined you. Confused at why he was carrying a pair of katanas with him and the fact that he wore preppy clothes, much more appropriate for training than waltzing around, his hair tied up in a small up-do peeking over his head like a pineapple, you threw him a look.

"Let's train together," he simply said, throwing you that cheeky smile of his.

One bites the bait.

Without a word, you got up dusting off the dirt and grass from your pants and got in position. He followed, twirling around the swords to show off at which you rolled your eyes, then put his right arm forward and his left backwards and you grinned, recognizing his point of combat hasn't changed - he used one sword for attacking and the other for defending, both probably stolen from Enishi's stash.

"Nice toys you got there," you nodded at the swords.

"Why thank you! I got them from your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," you gritted out, circling him around the sunlit path.

He lifted the sword in his right hand to eye level, tracing the blade down with the pads of his fingers as if to intimidate you or something. "You know, he does seem to act like that most of the time."

"What?" you stilled, lowering your sword.

What the fuck is he on about?

Pleased that his remark made you drop your guard, he turned his blade to catch a glint of the sun that temporarily blinded you before he charged towards you opening the sparring session with his right katana coming for a slash across. Cunty move. You defended with your jian, catching the rough blade with the edge of your own, pushing the attack back before he could send the other one towards you.

He stumbled behind to catch his footing and you couldn't help a small smile from dancing on your lips. He seemed to forget those weren't his katanas, way too unbalanced since they haven't been used probably ever for anything other than d��cor on Enishi's walls. Most of them were blunt, stolen or brand new, but none of them saw the actual battle beside his and your jian. They were different from his own by a lot of degrees, blades way too wide turning the weight heavier. As a result, he grappled with keeping them balanced as they constantly fell out of his grip. But being the renowned sword thief that he is, he solved that problem rather quickly and accommodated to them.

Giving them another swirl, his whole body turned in a spin that lifted the leaves off the ground. Then he came at you again more sure of himself this time to send a faster diagonal slash to your side that you barely avoided. You jumped backwards just as the other katana came down to strike you instead colliding harshly with your sword, pushing against it as he tried to shove you off your feet but you stood your ground.

"Why are you holding back, princess?" he sneered, teasing you without an ounce of strain in his voice. His constant pleasure pushed you to the brink of impatience.

"I don't want to skewer you just yet, blondie," you replied, flashing him a cocky smile before you rolled forwards in a tumble, letting his sword fall into the grass, getting stuck in a small muddy patch.

Before he was fully facing you, you threw your double-edged blade at him with precision. The speed of your attack had him throw both his katanas up in defense at every hit you delivered, diverting them left and right. Where you hit your blade high into his right, you kicked the other low with your foot, keeping the same drill going as you shoved him all the way into the open tree line at the back of the garden.

Another push from you had his back pressed against an old oak tree. He barely slid out of your range of attack just before your blade could meet his neck, getting stuck in the raunchy tree bark. While you struggled with getting it out, he disappeared and hid among the dense tree line, making himself completely invisible to you.

Plucking your sword out, you advanced through the half-barren path, dry leaves crunching under the pressure of your boots. You came to a small clearing checking for any spots he could be taking cover in then stopped. You'll find him when he wants to be found. Closing your eyes, you focused all your senses into action, listening for any noise that could pinpoint his location. You knew he was watching you from somewhere waiting for you to give up your searching and head back, so all you had to do was sit there playing dumb to lure him out.

A loud icy gust of wind blew in, rustling up the branches and a neatly stacked pile of leaves in a corner to your left. Disregarding it, you turned to the opposite side knowing that was his cue to charge at you. You moved to the left just as a sharp whoosh echoed by the tip of your ear, throwing your sword up to meet his attack blade. He brought down his other one swiftly sending you into a tree. You grunted as your back crashed with the bark, praying the rough edges didn't pull the stitch work on your top. One thread loose and I will end him in the name of fashion.

He advanced to you again looking to throw you off your feet with a swing, moves threading to get an opening somewhere that you weren't guarding well. If he thought you would go down easy, he sure was as dumb as a rock. You ducked out of the way, running towards one of the sturdier-looking trees and using the momentum from the dash, you jumped onto the bark pushing with the sole of your foot at the same time you swung your sword overhead, coming down onto him from above. A little trick stolen from Enishi. Since your aerial needed more work he caught your strike with both katanas tossing you to the side, back on the patch of open grass in the garden. You landed on the pad of your knee, sword balanced behind you to keep you from toppling over.

Aerial class with Enishi is officially suspended. He's lucky I don't pay for that. He'd have amazing reviews for sure.

"Someone's feisty today," he sung walking over to you, one katana swung over his shoulder nonchalantly like he didn't just haul you over like ten meters over.

"You haven't seen me feisty yet," you retorted, up and heading for his throat.

This time, you worked with a combination of slashes, using your smaller form and improved stamina to throw him off balance and prove a point. It worked, seen as he kept stumbling over his steps unable to keep up with you, but only for a while.

You were faster than him, much faster than he would've liked to admit without letting it affect his own pride. But he had the extra experience on the field. When your blade went to dig into his side, he pushed it away almost instantly, like he expected it, whirling around you. Your sword was half-way lifted up, ready to turn around and search for him, when a katana flew in your line of sight under your chin stopping just a few inches short of slicing your neck, the other following suit around your waist.

"Gotcha, princess," he whispered in your ear, stepping closer behind you.

He had you completely caged in his hold. The blades didn't sit too close to do any damage, but the fact that he pressed to you firmly from behind was enough to make your insides twist with flurries of all kind.

You could sense his amused smirk from the way his breaths fanned the back of your neck, which was already burning hot with effort, hair on your nape raising at the cool air and his breath. He was ready to throw you another remark when you caught him by surprise.

"Teach me," you breathed out, trying to steady your racing heart from giving anything away. "Teach me how to fight with two swords."

He chuckled under his breath, entertained by the idea. One of the blades lowered down, letting your middle free but your feet stayed locked in place, waiting for him to move the other away. Instead of that he took one more step taking him even closer to you and tilted your chin upwards with the hilt of one of the katanas. You shuddered at the sudden contact with the cold edge of the blade, squeezing your eyes shut to control the erratic beating of your heart.

"I can show you a few tricks," he spoke next to your ear low and deeper than his tone sounded on the usual, sending weird chills down your spine, then moved away from you just as a sigh of relief escaped you.

You put your sword down in the grass as he motioned for you to come closer to him. He placed the heavier katana in your right hand, knowing that was your main combat hand, and the slightly leaner one in your left. You tested them in a few swings, finding it difficult to push them forwards in a slash without dropping them. Those things are heavyweights. How the hell did he even spar with these? His twin katanas were a lot more lighter on hold than these.

Stepping behind you, he pulled your arms upwards horizontally so they sat parallel to each other, sliding his hands over your inner biceps all the way to your forearms. His warm fingers padded over your skin with electricity sparks in his dive down to lock his palms on your wrists, covering them completely. If he wanted to he could just snap them broken with one move.

Since he was taller and towered over you, you were pressed flush against his torso, the top of your head reaching just below his jaw. You could headbutt him and crack his jaw if you wanted to.

He moved you around in the basic one-sword positions to accommodate the feel of the blades in your hand. "You need to find balance and patience with them."

Lifting your leading arm for a practice slash to the side, you focused on the way he led the blade from the top all the way to the ground in all but one breath, followed by your rear with force pressing on your wrist as if you defended an incoming enemy blow, bending your arm diagonally with his own, moving as one.

His forearms stretched over yours entirely to better control the practice swings since you struggled to hold them by yourself, not used to their exertion on your muscles. You watched the ramifications of muscles on his arm move together in sync, willing yourself to focus on the blade in your hand rather than the way he enveloped your whole form.

"Treat them like they're your own hand extensions," he instructed, laying both of them over each other in a front cross for defense. The motion brought your bodies closer, your back almost fully in his chest.

Your head turned to the side to find his own already angled towards you, light brown eyes searching yours for something. He was so close, holding you in an embrace that felt dangerous but safe, awfully resembling those ivory statues of fallen angels around cemeteries that curled their wings inwards as if to protect something. You were aware that being this close to him was dancing on delicate grounds, both for yourself and for him. It wasn't good. Whatever this was it couldn't happen, thundered your mind. Or it could, argued your heart. I'm not doing that charade ever again, a thought that echoed just how torn you were. You loved that charade, yelled back a younger version of you that would pray at the moon for him to look at you like this.

Avoiding his eyes took a lot of willpower, but you managed to turn your head away from him looking for a distraction. Anything that could break you out of the trance he put you under again that spurred something way too fervent and filthy in your belly, before you said or did something stupid that you would regret.

Perusing the juniper grass around the garden, you let your eyes run free to any place that looked more interesting as if you haven't been in that garden a thousand times before. They went all the way to the outdoor table preoccupied with the sheet of material thrown over to protect it from rain when movement caught your eye in the alabaster kitchen windows. In a fraction of a second, your eyes flew there and stayed fixed inside, heart getting stuck in your throat.

He was there.

Watching. Steeling in the silence of the kitchen with his arms crossed over his broad chest, looking right at you. Not at the man behind you or the way he was holding you so dangerously close or the way he breathed the same air as you. At you.

He was yards away. Not in front of you or next to you. Yet the intensity of his stare alone made you draw in a broken breath, heart pounding unsteady in your chest with every beat that passed with him still sitting there, unmoving, gaze unwavering from you in the slightest. Goosebumps littered your whole skin, rushing from your nape down to your lower spine in ardent shudders, forgetting all about the man behind you whose arms still held yours in a firm grip.

A clenched jaw. For a good moment that was the only reaction you got from him. Then he did something completely odd - he smirked at you. A knowing, full, almost pleased corner of his lips tilting up in a promise of mischief and disaster kind of smirk. Of all possible reactions you expected, a fucking smirk like that one was not it.

You blinked once and just like that he was gone, probably aware of just what that insufferable smirk left in its wake because it made something pulse deep down inside of you, so primal and fiery like it sat dormant for an entire lifetime, waiting to set alight and rage only for him. Something that came alive every time those dark eyes were on you. A feeling that you loved and hated with your entire being.

Both of them took the bait, I guess.

But what the fuck was that?

The cold evening rolled around sooner than you expected it to, without any other contact with the male species, surprisingly. You went to the kitchen, cooking up some dinner for yourself and Koru, letting your thoughts whirl with the ingredients you stirred mindlessly in the pot.

You couldn't take your mind off the way your taunts were received today. For one, Cho reacted exactly the way you wanted him to, running to your side absolutely ecstatic to join you in training. Getting so caught up in practicing sword wielding with him however, was a small unplanned detail that made your heart flutter. It wasn't part of the plan but then again, does anything under the roof of this house ever go according to plan?

On that note, Enishi's reaction was something you were unprepared for at all. Lurking in the shadows like a ghost stalking his victims, he just threw you that smirk as if he knew what your intentions were, where your plan was going. It gave you the eebie-jeebies and not in a good way. You stared at your reflection in the kitchen window, thinking so intently about how he stood in the same place as you that his stare flashed in front of you again like it was happening right now, making shivers cross your body on all sides. You dropped the spoon in your hand with a loud clatter that brought you back from your eerie vision, mumbling curses as you scrambled to get it out of the pot before it sank completely. You got it out with another spoon throwing it in the sink before the heat singed your fingers, then leaned your hands on the counter hanging your head to breathe a sigh of relief.

Jesus Christ, this house seriously needs an exorcism. I need to ask Wu for a frankincense delivery because it's getting too freaky lately.

The door to the kitchen opened and closed behind you, signaling that you had company. Turning around you were met with the blonde, a small smile of content on his face as he approached sheepishly and sat near the stove, a few inches away from you. He loomed over the pot, taking a good whiff of what you were cooking with his eyes closed - sausage and potato stew. His favourite.

Now this was by no means phase two of the plan. You didn't mean for it to happen, but it was the only edible thing you could whisk up with what little you found around the kitchen. A shopping spree into the village was way overdue, since apparently it's only your stomach who is hungry 24/7 on rotation. Definitely not the thirty bulky men lurking around the mansion waiting for food to magically drop out of the sky.

You had a hunch he would catch onto the smell and come running anyway. His eating schedule was as bad as Enishi's - they were either skipping meals to train or eating three meals at once like it was an olympic sport. There was literally no in between. Blondie however has been asking you to cook stuff for him at random times of the day lately, catching a liking to your cooking. Plus, you bonded a lot over food when you first met so it was no surprise he was inhaling the steam from the stew like it was opium smoke or something.

"Can I have a taste?" he asked in a tone so soft you almost cooed.

"It's not done yet," you replied pushing him away from the stove before he plunged his head in, stirring the pot some more.

You caught sight of the way he licked his lips, absolutely bewitched by the simmering food and you gave in. Who were you to deny a hungry tummy? Food tasted better before it was put on a plate anyway.

Leaning behind to get a spoon from the cutlery drawer, you stirred the pot with it and gathered a good spoonful from the side with some of the stew ingredients that looked cooked and some sauce. You blew on it, carefully lifting the still steaming spoon to his mouth with a hand under it in case it spilled over. He dove in and slurped the contents way too fast. This fucking idiot.

"MY TONGUE," he screeched, flailing about like a child, fanning his tongue with his hand as if that helped anything.

I refuse to believe he is the famed Sword Hunter. He belongs in kindergarten.

Some of the leftover sauce dripped down the side of his lips and before you could help yourself, your hand lifted to them, thumb swiping over the plump pink mounds from one corner to the other, tracing their outline as you gathered all the sauce on your finger. Mindlessly, you brought it back with the intent to reach your lips when your thumb was redirected back to his own lips.

You froze in his hold yet again, watching wide-eyed as his tongue slipped out to meticulously lick your thumb clean from bottom to top on each and every side, all while holding your eyes hostage to his honey orbs. Taking an empty gulp of air, you tried to keep your face composed, devoid of any sign that the scene before you that looked like a hallucination from the depths of your mind, affected you in any way. Because it did. You pressed your knees to keep it together, willing your heart to still in your chest and the throb between your legs to chill. This was not the time to get horny. Get your ovaries together, Miyu. You're better than this.

The kitchen door opened again with a crick, prompting you to snatch your hand away from the blonde's hold, stepping away to put some space between you. The feel of his soft lips trailing up and down your finger with his tongue lingered, only making it all worse. Curse men. Then your eyes flew to the door to see the gray-haired man sitting by the frame, face drawn in calm, tranquil disparity, devoid of any emotion, just looking at you with those dark eyes of his.

Damn, he's so emo today. Genuinely concerned, did someone piss in his tea this morning? 'Cause I would've liked to be first.

You were fully aware that he caught you in the act yet again. But why did it bother you so much? Why did it bother you that he wasn't reacting at all? Did he give up on the bet and winning you over? That was hard to tell. Either way it was nothing short of an oddity, seeing him stand there just observing playing some sick and twisted game alone in his head.

Weirded out and confused, you turned back to the simmering pot announcing the stew was almost done. The two walked to the table at the other end of the kitchen, taking a seat on opposite sides. They regarded each other briefly with a scowl, before they both turned to watch you work on the food.

Humming to yourself, you swayed side to side as you stirred the pot, stew nearing its boiling point. It was late evening, but your ponytail still sat high on your head since early morning, not one lump falling loose from it. Your apron sat snug on your waist, letting the red lace on your back be visible on purpose. Let phase two commence then.

The intensity of their stares carved a trail of open caves on your behind, each one digging his own personal hole with unsaid things in a dent of muscle they liked better down your back. You could feel the tension hanging in the air, zapping chills on your nape, but you paid it no mind for your own peace of mind because only god knew the dirt you imagined right now including both of the men at your back.

Enishi watched you, fist tightening under the table more and more with every sway of your ponytail that fell in sync with the sway of your hips. For some reason, that ponytail raised all senses of possessiveness in him. He wanted to pull that hair tie off and throw it into a fucking fire with every other existing band or fabric to tie it up, his only wish to let your hair free from its grasp and watch it cascade down your shoulders, wild and messy, just the way he liked it.

Cho's thoughts echoed the same pictures, though in a gentler, more sensual parallel. The blonde wanted that hair tie off too, thinking of how smooth your hair would feel with his fingers carding through it for hours on end as he drew patterns down your bare back and watched goosebumps rake your form.

That ponytail was their undoing.

Unaware of their thoughts turning as lewd with lust as yours, you focused on the stove. You thanked whatever deity makes you double the food quantities every time you cook because you had just enough stew to split it into three filling bowls.

Fixing the table up with the food and cutlery, you placed Koru's plate with her own chicken mix down by the marble island before you went to sit down at the head of the table, a safe distance from both of them. They waited for you to dig in first before they followed, a silent thanks giving for sharing your food with them. They were far from deserving of it considering how they behaved lately, but you weren't going to turn a hungry stomach away. You knew better than that.

The three of you ate in silence, tension gliding through the air in the kitchen uncomfortably, stabbing your exposed skin like a drifting torrent. Stolen, sneaky glances made their way to you but whenever you turned to catch them they were focused on the food in their bowls. Shaking the rigidness away, you pulled up a tactic to the table - playing with your ponytail.

Sitting back in your chair, you lifted a hand carding through the hair from the top of your makeshift hair tie, where it sat tight, with a languid stroke, falling to the base of it, twirling the ends around your fingers. Both males stilled, looking right at the way you worked around the length, drinking in every swirl of the locks glowing silky and luscious in the soft golden light above you. You had them wrapped around your fingers, their full attention not even on you but entirely on your hair.

The minute you let go of it, going back to eat the rest of your food, they grunted in unison at the loss of their visual stimuli. The sounds had them locking eyes, one pair dark and blazing with murderous intent, the other amused and light in teasing, both fighting each other in a battle with no clear winner.

Another point scored for me.

The rest of dinner was uneventful. You finished up on your food, getting up to walk to the sink and wash up everything. Cho followed right up, grabbing his plate and helping you put stuff back to its place to be done with it faster. You worked quickly with your new helper, since Enishi was rather absent from that role these days. Placing the last rinsed plate back in its cupboard, the blonde turned to you confused to see you with a cleaning towel.

"Let me do it," he reached out, grabbing the cloth to pull it his way.

"I can do it," you said, pulling it out of his grasp, back into your own.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Thank you for the help," you nodded, sending a grateful smile his way. At least someone in this house was being helpful and not a killjoy.

Left with nothing else to do, he turned to leave when his eyes locked on the silver fox in the corner, still busy finishing his own food, but watching the interaction between the two of you, tongue poking his cheek, jealousy written all over his face. The blonde took advantage of his moment of weakness, spinning back to you in a heartbeat. Wide-eyed at his sudden proximity once again, you were about to ask him if he needed anything when he leaned down to your ear. The edge of his lips grazed the tip of your ear just like the did with your thumb, heart thrumming loud in your ears with his words.

"Lose the ponytail, princess," he said, voice dripping with sin twisting your insides together.

Satisfied with the lethal stare pointed his way and your puzzled look, he pulled away and turned around, leaving on his merry way. You stood there with a gulp stuck in your throat and cloth frozen in the air until the door shut closed, shaking you out of it. You turned to the island with the cleaning cloth just to get your breath caught in your throat for the millionth time today.

He was watching you again. That simple, infuriating and extremely loaded gaze he fixed on you rapped your pulse upwards, stealing your breath away. You couldn't avoid it no matter how hard you tried.

Say something, your eyes pleaded with him.

Anything.

Pure silence followed. None of you blinked or moved. A hopeful gaze from you. Nothing from him. Nothing at all. Just silence that cut through you like a sharp knife, willing you to fill it. But you had nothing else to fill it with. All your words spiraled in your head on a roulette but you couldn't pull the trigger on any of them. They were all too loaded, harsh, strong and heavy to be said or felt.

Stop looking at me like it matters, you shook your head in disappointment.

Koru's soft fur rubbed your leg bringing you back to reality seeing her walk out the door. Busying yourself as far away from him as possible, you got to cleaning the rest of the kitchen. You hated how easily he gave you icy chills and hot flushes simultaneously with just one damn look. You hated how your body soaked it in every time, like an addiction you could never lose. You hated how badly you craved his attention. You hated everything he made you feel right now.

Frankly, you stayed behind not for the need to clean, but to keep him company. You hated eating alone and he deserved at least that, even if you sat in different corners, to each their own, without as much as a word spoken between you.

When he was done with his food, he joined you at the sink next to where you worked on scrubbing the dried splotches of food from the stove. He washed his plate, rinsing it thoroughly, before he wiped it and put it back in its place. You finished on the stove and grabbed Koru's plate from the floor, storing the rest of her food away for later.

It was so domestic - how you worked around each other in the kitchen like it was a normal everyday occurrence. Although, now, your egos took away from the usual peace that came with it, the ritual feeling almost empty and tedious and not like something that relaxed you on the regular.

Turning on your heels, you came face to face with him, a hair's breadth separating you. Both of you just stood there, gazing at each other waiting for the other to make a move. His chest expanded, rising up with calm and collected breaths. Yours went rampant, trying to focus somewhere else that wasn't him. You were close to exploding this time. You needed to get to your room not stay here and play hooky with someone who couldn't talk.

For Christ's sake.

You moved away first, heading to the sink behind him to rinse the dirt from the cloth and place it back in its place. Passing by him without another thought, you rushed to get to the door, hoping to get out of there faster because if you stayed any longer you would implode.

You never reached the knob.

In one swift move you were lifted off the floor and place up on the kitchen island. In a heartbeat, the strong arms gripping your waist moved to cage you in their space, hips pushing between your thighs, opening them wider on each side. It all happened so fast that it sent your vision swimming but once you started breathing in the sweet musky jasmine scent, your eyes betrayed you, focusing on the perpetrator invading your senses.

From his long, slender fingers, your eyes started a long drive up the sinews of his forearms and the veins spreading in tendrils on top of them leading under the blue sleeves, taking notice of the angry twitch of dominance that made them more prominent as he leaned forward. Climbing up further, you took the crossroad to his shoulder instead of his chest, following the crinkled neck of his kimono.

That damn indigo kimono, matching the color of the darkened night sky behind him, that covered the whole trunk of his neck so chastely, leaving out just enough for curious wander. Your wander.

The things you wanted to do to that neck were for your lips to kiss and never tell. For your tongue to lick and drag over that lump in his throat and never stop. For your teeth to graze and bite until you had enough of him. Until all you could taste was him.

Averting your eyes from it, they landed on yours truly, falling down from that disheveled mop of hair you wanted to pull on without stopping as you devoured him, descending to those eyebrows drawn in vexation observing your shameless perusal, and finally settling on his eyes. Those eyes, pitch black obsidian blazing in the darkest fire you've seen, burning, staring right back at you. Luring. Tempting. Waiting.

Waiting for what?

Jaw locked tense, nose standing tall above the arch of his lips. Lips that haven't felt yours in so long. Lips your whole body has been aching for. Lips that were pursed in full control looking for something.

By the looks of it, he was determined to get something out of you by keeping you there in place on the cold marble. A reaction, a flutter, a falter. Anything that would tell him you gave into him tonight, even in the slightest, without as much as an effort from him.

And you took him in. The entirety of him. Stretching larger than you remembered him to be, broader than your closeness to his body could capture from this angle. This view alone made your heart pump a little faster, too fast to be normal, pushing you to drag an involuntary breath in. When you let it out, he spoke to you, for the first time in the last two days, taking that breath away from you just as quick as you released it into the air between you.

"You know I can fuck you right here if I want to, right?" he stated, his voice low and raspy, driving deep inside of you straight to the pulsing mound between your legs as he fixed your gaze.

I know you, echoed at the same time in your head.

That reminder was a constant voice in the back of your mind. That whatever you did with anyone else wouldn't fulfill you the way only he could. That only his voice could boil and melt the blood in your veins. That only his fingers could graze you on the inside and outside, both in sweet relief and anguish, separately and at the same time.

Your body craved to have him even now, completely enraged with him and willing to forget it for a while. To have him in every possible way that a mere mortal could, struggling to keep the control you worked up for the past two days to keep in your grasp.

It was bold of you to assume that a close encounter like this didn't make you feel anything, other than the slight tip of your foot downwards grazing the side of his leg.

But he was wrong to assume that you would submit to that powerful gaze like last time, even bolder to be certain that you didn't have some kind of advantage this time - the fact that you've denied him of you just like he denied you of him. I'll give you a taste of me. In my way.

Latching a secure hold on the front of his blue kimono, you kept his focused gaze as you undid the material around his middle with one swift pull of the loose, messy knot that kept him so closed off. Parting the sides away, you laid your hands flat against his abdomen. Agonizingly slow, you lead them upwards, feeling the depths of his toned form even under that heavy tank top you imagined ripping apart in so many different ways, reaching all the way to his ribcage. There, you felt him pull in a breath of his own, chest expanding open under your palms, holding the breath inside his pursed lips.

You caught him vulnerable, choosing to keep composed though the tick in his jaw told you he was close to losing it. The very breaths underneath your hands telling you that he was affected. You could feel his very heart at the tip of your fingertips, beating in a staggering rhythm.

It was your time to strike.

"Are you saying you don't want to," you spoke in a sweet whisper, smooth and saccharine like a shot of whiskey, as you trailed your right palm to the collar of the top, getting closer, under the unwavering gaze of his eyes turning a darker shade with your every move.

Your hands almost reached his neck. Cold fingers almost touched what looked like sizzling hot skin calling for your touch under the pale, small, flickering light behind you, when you saw something. So small but so unmistakable that if you blinked you might have just missed it. You might've been crazy, caught in the heat of the moment, but you definitely saw the slight bent of his head to the side, giving you more access to his neck, making that cursed vein more visible to you, uncovering it from the confines of the cotton surface.

You got closer, breath fanning over it dangerously close when he finally let a breath out. A full breathy, guttural, low groan. His hands gripped the counter edge harder, knuckles turning white in anticipation because in that angle he couldn't see you. He couldn't tell where you were taking this at all and he hated it. You could tell he did, smirking in satisfaction that you got him right where you wanted filling you up more than anything ever could.

And you stopped, removing your hands from his body, sitting back on the marble top, denying him once more.

The way his body recoiled backwards in response was a reminder that he had his shortcomings too. That he could act as dominant as he wanted, push you to the brink of insanity with as much as a stare, lay his touch on any inch of you he desired, but he couldn't put you out of the game. Him, of all people, would never be able to put your fire out. Because as much as he knew you, you started learning his ways too. You knew what made him tick, what kept him coming for more, what made his eyes sparkle with want. You knew him now. And it would take a lot more than this stupid game of his to make you unlearn all of it.

Though on the other hand, he did deserve a little token of, not appreciation per se, but a taster of what he was missing by being an idiot and placing a bet on your feelings.

So, you motioned him with your pointer finger to come closer to you. Hesitantly, he leaned down reaching your space again as you leaned up to his ear, tricking him into thinking you would whisper something else that would relay your desires to him in some way, only to bite down roughly on his earlobe, dragging it between your hungry teeth.

Once your lips were connected to his skin you wasted no time, moving from his ear under his jaw to lay eager open-mouthed kisses to the crane of his neck, quenching a thirst inside of you that was banished to the dessert for way too long. Finally savouring the moment you placed your lips on his skin like it was the last time you ever had the chance, sucking it hard and rough with the ravaging need of a wolf. This, was more for your own pleasure rather than his own, though it seemed to turn him on too.

His fingers unfurled from the edge of the counter planting themselves on each side of you, palms open fully on the marble top, greedy neck pushing into your lips to cover more, search more for the right spot, hips pressing into your lower body as he fell forward between your legs. He tried keeping in his grunts but the slower you went down his neck the less he could keep them inside. Struggling to abstain yourself from touching him, you lost that battle before it even begun.

Both of your hands sneaked under the blue kimono, going to his broad shoulders, gripping onto the bands of his tank top to pull him closer and move them under the material, feeling the mightiness of his toned body tense up under your palms. His pulse went rapid against your lips, grinning against his skin, relishing in the fact that you now knew you had the same effect on him that he had on you.

You sucked and nibbled relentless, hands climbing to his nape, fingers tangling in the curls at the back of his neck as you circled the whole area near that vein on the side of his neck, hearing him come undone inside with every grunt rumbling in his throat. But it wasn't where he needed you, the prominent, hard bulge in his pants tapping the inside of your thigh repeatedly, the more you drew him closer with your legs tangled around his waist.

If it was up to him, he would've had your bare stomach pressed against the cold marble, one hand gripping your jaw raw and rough as he bit off your lips, the other pulling your ponytail like a savage, fucking you blind by now. Rutting deep inside you, leaving his scent on every inch of your skin available on the outside, scorching every part inside of you that ached for him. Greedy and possessive like an animal devouring his prey.

But it wasn't up to him.

The power games shifted your way a while ago. You took his power away, rendering his bearings haywire and he didn't even notice. His power was fully yours now and you were willing to fight dirty and wild to keep it in your hands for as long as you wanted to.

When you felt his hand sneak up to your backside to reclaim some semblance control, you unglued your lips away from his neck, pulling away in a heartbeat. Like nothing happened. Like you weren't attached to his sweetest spot, teasing him just like he teased your own in the artillery room a few nights ago, playing his own game way more brutally and intense than he ever could.

Sitting back to get your breath under control, you took a good look at him this time. At his messy hair from how your fingers pulled on it, the side of his kimono falling from his shoulder unceremoniously, at the pale skin on his neck turning light pink from how hard you bit on it. His eyes were blown wide, still consuming the rest of the sensations you left on his skin, his breaths still running a lonely marathon that you abandoned bare moments ago.

"You're all talk and no action," you said, steady as you straightened your back and patted his chest, jumping off the kitchen island all in a beat, leaving him there scattered and defeated, exiting the kitchen with a wicked smile on your lips.

You made sure he knew just what he was up against the next time he even thought of playing around with you. He didn't give you the upper hand this time. You just took it before he even got a chance to win it. You made him see how it felt being manhandled dirty and raw, left at the height of it to deal with it by yourself, left bare and open for anyone to see.

He thought no one could dominate him, tame him, deny him. He was damned if he still thought that after tonight when he let all those supressed feelings show on his face. There was one person who could take him head on with absolutely no shame or remorse over their actions and it was you.

Mission accomplished!

Miyu - 2 points. Enishi - 1 point.

I could play this game all day.

The morning arrived slowly, lazy like a warm embrace in the hands of the still winter. Birds chirped outside your window as you rolled in bed to face the white, warm sunlight, a smile of satisfaction sitting on your lips as you stretched your hands overhead.

Is this how kings felt conquering something after years of battle?

You felt like a winner after the events of the previous day, still streaming in your head as proof of your conquest, especially with Enishi. Replaying the way he looked in the kitchen last night, folded and open to your desire, had you feeling like you added extra years to your lifespan.

Koru climbed in your lap, purring in delight to match your good mood. Before you could bask too long in the positive and the gratification of your hard work, since bringing men to his knees was no easy feat, the weight of something unknown settled in your stomach. You couldn't really put your finger on it but something was growing in there, gnawing at you impatiently to figure what it is. Maybe it was nothing. Or you were just hungry.

Shaking it away, you got out of bed with a smile and went about your day as normal.

Training outside in the warmth of the sun by yourself for a bit, your feline friend keeping you company as she chased butterflies around the garden trying to catch them but getting distracted by other flying insects.

Cooking some food from the quick groceries Wu managed to get from the market in the morning before he left in a rush. Though it was not much, it was enough for the gang on the grounds.

Cleaning your room up, an overdue task that proved grounding and calming. You moved some things around and made space for a work desk adjacent to the vanity, right in the sunlit corner of the room, to stash all your spare materials and tools away.

Most of the day went on, doing things by yourself and for yourself, often joined by Koru, with surprisingly no man in sight to disturb you in any way - mental, physical or emotional. It was pure bliss, calm, serene. Absolute peace to yourself for once.

The afternoon rolled in slowly, finding you snuggled up with a book you found in Enishi's library. He had a bunch of romance works in there that no one would be reading anyway, definitely not him of all people, or the killing machines guarding the place. So, you helped yourself to the shelves, taking as many that piqued your interest back to your humble abode.

You let the large cream windows in your room wide open to get some fresh air inside, kitten settled in beside you, playing around with a spare ball of thread.

Reading away, you were deep into a really good part in the book when that feeling creeped up on you again. You didn't know if the words you read triggered it or not but something did because a familiar heaviness sat on top of your chest, a little tighter than earlier in the day. You massaged your chest in hopes it was just indigestion, when Koru looked up from her temporary toy, placing a paw on your thigh with eyes wide in alert. As if she sensed something was wrong too.

"I'm fine, little one. I think I just ate lunch too fast," you smiled in reassurance. The feline abandoned her toy and came to sit against you, letting the ball roll to the end of the bed finding you much more interesting than the whirly thread.

You tried to get back to reading but that sensation just persisted in your belly, stirring your guts up into stressed nodes. Every time you tried to get past that line your mind would pause and not take it in at all. You were on your third read trying to absorb it when the air chilled around you all of a sudden. Looking up from the book to the windows, you caught the beginning of sunset, setting down over the nearby hill in pale yellow colors, most of the light that pooled in your room gone with a beige hue. You got up to close them just as someone stumbled into your room, throwing your doors open with a bang that startled the living daylights out of both you and your cat.

"There you were," spoke the blonde, rushing to take his recently designated seat at the end of your bed. "I've been looking everywhere for you today."

I guess that was more than enough peace to last me for a year.

You made your way back to the bed, taking back your comfortable spot against the pillows. Koru gave him a toothy hiss for his lack of manners then plopped in your lap.

"I was literally everywhere today," you stated as a matter of fact, stroking her soft. "What's up?"

He turned around to face you better, goofy energy on his face turning mellow as he regarded you for a moment. The spicy ensemble you wore yesterday was nowhere in sight today - to his relief - replaced by a champagne-colored oversized shirt and a pair of navy pants. Your hair was braided messily, falling down your shoulder with a few strands loose, tied sloppily at the end with a piece of fabric matching the dark blue shade of your pants. You were dressed like you again.

Blue wasn't his taste at all, preferring the browns and reds much more on you since they flattered no just your features but your personality. But he had to admit this dark shade did suit you, comfortably chic and elegant. If anything, mophead's obsession with the color rubbed off on you too and in a rather good way.

"You're staring," you snapped him back to attention waving your hand in front of his face. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you're falling for me, blondie," you joked.

"Something like that," he replied, flirty smile back on his face.

You grinned in response, unaware of just what he harbored in his heart for the past few years. If only you knew. If only he could tell you.

Marking the page you were on before you closed the book and put it to the side, you gave him your undivided attention, blinking up at him with warm eyes that paired up with your small tight-lipped smile, the one that made your dimples pop and cheeks puff up slightly. If hearts could make louder sounds than simply thrumming with a beat, his would roar like a tiger on his way to challenge the king of the jungle, which he was currently doing anyway.

"Come on, be serious for once," you pushed his shoulder playfully, feeling your cheeks tint pink from the way he looked at you.

He hoped you couldn't tell what that look meant because that one look alone spoke of love - the unconditional kind, like it's always been there, twinkling in his eyes like a promise he couldn't make out loud. Thankfully, you thought it was just one of his very sarcastic ones, grinning back at him all-knowing but so far from the truth of it that he just let you believe it for his own peace of mind.

"Tell me what's so urgent that you turned the devil's lair upside down to find me."

He grinned back at you, chuckling at your choice of words. Whatever you were reading had you soften up into a romantic and it wasn't doing him or his heart any good. He peeked to the side raising an eyebrow as he read the title of the book laying on the safety of your pillow before you caught up to him, attempting to block his view.

"Wuthering Heights?" he leaned over you and grabbed the book, getting up before you could snatch it back from his hold. "Since when were you so lost in love that two people losing their minds over each other is your go-to read?"

How does he know about this book? From what I know he isn't well-versed in anything intellectual, including reading.

"Since when do you read?" you questioned, following him around the room to retrieve your book.

"Since forever," he hummed, avoiding you and your tiny hands at all costs, grateful that you were smaller in height but annoyed that it meant you were very fast on your legs.

He dove into the corner between the vanity and the work table, right by the window, completely covered away from you and opened the book. Your hands wrapped around his waist to tickle him but that sneak attack didn't stop him from looking at the small paper notes neatly stashed inside, hanging on the side of almost every page. Reading some of them, his eyebrows hit his hairline surprised by your opinions to every chapter he landed on. "You annotated this?"

"Yes, now give it back," you snarled back. Leaving your tickle tactic, you threw your hands around him to grab it but he turned away to the window ledge leaning over it in a way that he was bent over it and his back was fully blocking you. You muttered a string of curses under your breath, cussing him out for being so tall. "Fucking street lamp pillar."

"I heard that," he laughed.

He rushed to the page you were on a few moments before he broke in the room, pushing his broad shoulders around to keep you behind him. Eyes scaling the pages, he rushed to the last line you marked halfway read, reading it out loud.

"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be. And if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger," he recited, word for word, his previous attempt at teasing turning into seriousness by the time he reached the end of the line and the words registered.

Feeling like he intruded on something too personal, he took another look at the sentence, memorizing it. Something just told him to. Then he turned around and gave it back to you, genuine sincerity present in his eyes. Taken aback, you took it and went back to the bed.

"Why are you here?" you asked, tired of games and eager to get back to the book, plopping back down beside Koru.

He replied to you with a question of his own.

"Remember the bonfire night a few days ago?"

The night flashed through your mind from beginning to end, spinning the cogs in your brain a little too fast that it gave you whiplash. You did remember. The slow dancing to the crackle of fire, the heavy drinking, the sword debates like it was your local sword club night, carrying two very drunk people to their rooms only to have them cuddle in the same bed. Even the small half-spoken promises made in the dark with a tipsy conscience. You remembered all of it.

I wish I could forget some of it.

"What about it?"

"I know I was drunk-" he started before you interjected raising a finger in the air.

"I would say more than drunk." He shot you a look that indicated he wasn't finished yet. "Okay, continue."

"Among other things, I remember you making a promise that we were gonna talk. About... you know. Everything?"

There it was. One of the rushed, painful promises you made that night. Your hand stopped petting Koru, luscious fur warming up under your frozen touch. Your heart fell somewhere in the depths of your stomach at the reminder that you indeed did make that promise and that it kinda expired the next day without you fulfilling it.

Cursing yourself, both for making it and not keeping it, you looked up at him only to see that hopeful look in his eyes again. The same look he's been giving you since you've met again. The one that wished to make your relationship better and clear up what happened in the past.

"I just want to make things right with you," he added, looking down in his lap with a friendly twitch of his lips, lost on what else to say.

Your own eyes darted down, busying with the design on the duvet, the maroon wooden floors, even the white swirling into golden motives on the walls as if you never saw any of these details before. You wanted to talk to him and clear things up too, but you weren't even sure where to start.

It wasn't stalling. No, not even close. There was just so much to go through and you knew starting somewhere, anywhere, would be good, but you were lost on what. On the unsaid feelings that were still there, deep in your heart, still keeping you awake at night because he never gave you a chance to let them out? On the fact that he left right before you confessed those very feelings to him or that you lost control that night killing a bunch of people in cold blood? Which one of these was a good, relatively positive conversation starter that said 'Let's be friends again'?

Then you felt that pang in your torso, making your chest feel heavy again. Was he the one making it heavy or was it something else looming over you, waiting to catch you off-guard?

You were about to answer him when an unwanted visitor cracked your door open just a notch. He peeked his head inside and looked at the way the two of you were perched on the bed with the cat wiggling her tail between you, having what looked like a heart to heart.

Before he started sending daggers to the blonde coddled on your bed way too comfortable for his liking, he remembered why he was barging in the room in the first place and looked at you with a gaze that spurred that tightness in your chest further.

"Sorry to interrupt your bonding session, but we have news." His eyes softened when they landed on you, sending the growing pit of worry in your belly ablaze as he continued. "It's about your parents."

Your heart dropped.

You sat up abruptly, not wasting another second before you were swiftly on his tail as you followed him to his office without another word. The knots in your stomach churned and twisted in anticipation, and not the good kind that had you over the moon, but the one that could stop your beating heart as fast as a snap of fingers, wishing you could just teleport there and save up time.

Was it good news or bad news? was the main question running rampant.

If they were bad again, you were probably better off digging a hole into the ground and hiding from everything and everyone for an undetermined period. Your hopes were low to zero that it could be anything good in terms of the way most of your recent leads and missions went. But the urgency in his step kept the hope alive within you. Maybe it was something good this time around. So you kept that hope close, cradling it like a kindle that could go out on the smallest breeze, bracing yourself for whatever waited for you on the other side.

Wu and a few members of the gang were already sat in the office, waiting for the three of you. By the incognito citizen clothes, too shabby to be something Wu would ever wear freely out in the world, they definitely went out to gather information from places far more dangerous than the corner of the street.

"Master, madame," Wu greeted both of you, sitting with four of his men by the side of the desk, dejected looks on their faces.

You gave them a court nod, stopping in front of the desk, confused as to what was happening that required having so many people present. That and the fact that it might be really private information that was being shared. Whatever it was, it made that thing in your chest sit around your lungs like rope, tightening more with each passing second that no one uttered a word. Until Wu finally broke the silence halting the rope a little.

"We've been looking for the prisoner that escaped a few days ago. His name is Kenzo Hebi."

Kenzo the Snake. In all the years you've been graced by presence, you never caught his name. Or knew anything about him besides the fact that his wife was a leech just like him. But apparently he knew everything about you and your family, slithering into it enough to slowly destroy it. That name suits him entirely.

"Though we didn't find him particularly, we did find his boss. He's been working for the Daos."

The Daos you encountered back at the casino? If anything they didn't look like big bad mafia lords that a businessman had deals with, especially considering their shitty poker skills. But alas.

"The Triads?" asked Cho taken aback at the info. "What does a Yokohama businessman have to do with the Triads?"

Hold the fuck up. The Daos are part of the Triads? If Enishi knew that, he left out that part back when he briefed you for the mission. You threw him a look and as if he sensed your question, he shook his head that he didn't know that either. This was new information to both of you.

"How do you know that?" you asked the blonde in hopes he would elaborate and dissipate the common cloud of confusion.

"I have a few hatchets to bury with them," he crossed his arms on his chest, leaning backwards on the marble pillar behind him. His exposed forearms flexed in tandem with his jaw, a clear indicator he wasn't selling you doughnuts. He did have history with them. "I did some digging on them to get some leverage and found that they paid the Triads for security from time to time and they were occasionally trading arms."

Wu confirmed the information briefly before Enishi took over the conversation reeling it back to the main point. That man. The sly lizard that took everything from you.

"You may know him as a friend of your father's," he peered at you, noticing the way you scrunched your nose in disgust at the thoughtless pun, shifting on your legs impatiently. "But we caught him for an entirely different reason that night."

Speed-walking to his desk from beside you, he pulled open some drawers laying out a few maps on top of each other. You all gathered closer around them as he started explaining, trying to keep up with all the new information revealing itself.

"Besides that, he stole from one of our gun factories down the Eastern side of the Huangpu River," he pointed to one of the maps sketched to outline the exact settlement of the city of Shanghai. You honed in on it, recognizing the spot to be a textiles factory, about a few blocks away from the last place of refuge that you had to vacate, since the commander's troops were on your tail. Well, more on the tail of that one gray-haired criminal that you broke out, harbored, fed and now lived with. But anyway.

"The factory is kept under a textiles cover so the commander wouldn't question it." That made a lot of sense, especially since he checked all establishments regularly to make sure they had all the necessary papers to function.

"Anyway," he continued shifting some more paper around looking for something in particular. "While we may steal from other mafias sometimes, we do make a majority of our weapons there. Usually, people know better than crossing into our territory, but somehow that fucker managed to steal most of our stock."

"So you brought him in for questioning," you added as the story started piecing itself together. He nodded briefly still shuffling the pile of maps around, eyes grazing the ink without a break.

You would've apologized for nearly killing their source of information but he had it coming anyway. You thought back to the way you assaulted that man down in the basement as soon as he opened his mouth to talk nonsense, thinking he just happened to fall there as you were looking for your parents. As much as you hated to admit, it was a good outlet for your temporary rage.

"Yes, but as it turns out he's just one piece of a bigger puzzle." He shuffled the map he was looking for your way. You picked it up to see several places, all circled around the river in strident red ink - other factories, shops and even restaurants labelled with the names of other mafias, some of them that you've encountered on your own missions before.

Enishi handed you another map of the neighbouring cities, red circles turning into an overwhelming spiral of scarlet stretching across the rest of the country.

"It wasn't just us. They stole from every mafia on the mainland."

Stealing from every mafia and undercover at that without anyone suspecting anything? What could they possibly be planning that they would go that far? Unless... No. That wasn't possible. But all things on the table in front of you pointed to that.

"Oh my god," you gasped as the realization hit you. "They're making the gangs blame each other in order to start a war."

Enishi nodded, confirming your suspicions. But if this was happening already, like Cho recalled earlier, much, much worse was on the way. Things that could be catastrophic for everyone, not just for the crime world.

"But the triads haven't been around for that long. What could they possibly win from that?" asked Cho, voicing out your very thoughts.

"Mafias control a big part of trade, both imports and exports. By blindly gaining their trust and working under them, they can make a mafia crumble from the inside and take over it completely," added Enishi, leaning forward on the desk, eyes lost in the whirlpool of ink and paper. "If they abolish the mafias they gain control of everything going in and out of the country."

A coup d'état. This was way too much to process. Not just this but what told you that no traitor was lurking on the mansion grounds right now, right under Enishi's unsuspecting nose, watching your every move, eating the very food you've been cooking, hiding in the shadows until it was time to rat himself out. But then again the whole thing with the Triads was too complex. They barely got funded a couple of years ago and they already branched themselves out like a silent poison looking to kill and replace the systems that have been around for way longer than you've been alive. This was shaking up the natural order of things that wasn't even natural in the first place.

With all of this coming to light... there was something else you kept hidden. Something you haven't told anyone before since you didn't want it to reach the light of day in case it could put you on the radar again.

A few years ago, after the whole thing with Cho happened, you went solo again. Work was somewhat going well, you were getting jobs left and right, becoming the main person people called on for their long, insatiable, egocentric hitlists. You did the jobs, you got paid, you lived somewhat comfortably in a dusty old barrack. But as much as it was good business for you, it put you in the vizor of someone you never wanted to get involved with - the Triads.

At the time, you've heard stories of other assassins getting hired by them and they almost contracted you too back in Japan. You refused because working for them would've cost you every ounce of the freedom you barely had anyway. The triads gave you a roof over your head, fed you and trained you to the best you could be, but they took away every other semblance of humanity you had to make you nothing more than a killing machine, executing orders devoid of any conscience. A puppet to be controlled in their revolt against the state.

You refused them. Multiple times. Some of them involved taking your pistols out and you didn't just threaten anyone. But they got so persistent, hellbent on having you join them that it got to the point where they followed you, watching you on your missions, finding your whereabouts at any hour of the day, until you had enough and left the country silently.

That was the main reason you tried to stay under the radar when you came to Shanghai. You did your work under a different name, changed safe houses every few months, didn't get acquainted with anyone, doing everything in your power to try and erase any footprints that could lead them to you. Because anything pinpointing your location meant delivering yourself to them on a golden platter.

You lived your life in the shadows more than you wanted to, wishing it could all stop one day. The running, the hiding, the constant fear that someone was on their way to get you and drag you back into the darkness where she waited for you, since they definitely wanted Barairo, the crimson rose, not you. You wanted to fight them, let her out to destroy them every chance you got. But you didn't know what you were up against until now.

Coming back to the present, you tried to make sense of all the new, concerning details and what you already knew about the Triads, failing to see anything in this tangled mess relating to your mom and dad.

"Okay, but where do my parents stand in all this?" you let out the long-awaited question looking at Wu, hoping that he could finally spill what you wanted to know.

Were they dead? Were they alive? Did he find them or anything else that could lead us to them?

Instead of answering you, he peered over to the very man that called you over tonight. He was sitting in the shadows behind the mahogany desk with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were cast downwards, staring gaping holes into the maps, avoiding your curious ones at any cost, despite being the one who commenced this meeting in the first place. Something was off and very weird about it. He was always so collected, holding nothing back. Why was he on the defense so suddenly? Then he sighed. A long, stacked breath of air. Enishi doesn't sigh.

"What's going on?" you pushed, stepping closer to the desk, wanting to know why he was taking so long to talk.

He hesitated telling you, trying to push this dreaded conversation aside as much as he could for the past few weeks, but he had to. He was done keeping things away from you. He knew the risk - that he could lose you either way. If he talked, you would cave in on yourself, shutting him out completely. But if he didn't, you would have your suspicions and question him until you pried it out of him.

It was now or never. He preferred for it to be never. But it was time. He could be dishonest and false with anyone else. But not with you. Not when you put your trust in him for it.

Taking a deep inhale with eyes closed, feeling nerves grip him for the first time in a good while, he pushed it out with the exhale, guilty raven eyes looking at you with the weight of steel.

"Your parents had ties to the Triads."

Time stilled as the words left his mouth one by one. Not one soul moved. Yours froze and thawed over in seconds at just that one sentence. A sentence you never thought you'd ever hear in your life.

You struggled to process the words like he spoke in a foreign language you had no recollection of ever hearing or speaking before. They rolled over and over in your head, brain working overtime in turning each one back and forth, until they started registering sharp and clear and as they did, your knees went weak with their weight. Those horrifying seven words echoed again with more impact this time, ears ringing as you scurried backwards away from the desk to get yourself seated on the couch somehow, so you wouldn't crumble in front of everyone.

Your mind ran empty of everything, nausea making her hideous presence felt so deeply in that pit in your stomach, setting fire to the incessant bellows of worry that ate at your peace little by little all day. Your eyes weren't even focusing on the worried pairs of eyes gathering around you, one more concerned than any of them kneeling down before you. He spoke, getting you to focus on his words but they weren't what you needed to hear at all.

"There's something else you should know."

What more could be worse than this?

"Our meeting wasn't a coincidence."

What?

"I know that they tried to contract you," he continued, giving you no time to think straight. "They've been looking for you."

"How do you-"

"I've been watching you for a while, way before you moved in. We've been looking for any leads on the guy and stumbled upon the Hikari name. One clue led to another and I found you."

Your eyes darted to the ground away from him, grinding your teeth with newfound anger, trying to keep your temper under control. He hasn't talked to you in days, not one single word save for the heated interaction you had last night in the kitchen. But the one time he does talk is to chirp like a fucking canary that he played Judas with you.

He lied to me.

All this time, he didn't want to take me in. He never wanted to train me. He wanted information from me. He wanted to know if I was involved in this godforsaken world in the slightest.

All this time, I was a pawn in his game. He was right. I really was just another stray he took in. I've been so stupid.

Forget the stab in the back for now. Your parents were your main priority here, no matter how much this hurt. You focused all your leftover energy on them since you might have a safe shot at finding them. Even if that meant keeping your alliance with the devil sitting right in front of you, still playing angel in disguise despite everything he just told you that he's been hiding from you for months. Wasting any more precious time, like this, was signing their death sentence.

Feeling the repercussions of his betrayal came later, you told yourself to ease the ache a notch. For now, you'd keep your own feelings at bay and fight for your parents. For now, you'd keep the anger inside just a little more.

That was until he chose to open his mouth again.

"Are you okay?"

You've got to be shitting me.

"Am I okay?! You're telling me that my parents were somehow involved in organized crime and expect me to be okay?! Do you realize how fucking insane that sounds?" you threw a hand through your hair trying to make sense of anything in this mess. It sounded ridiculous even as you said it out loud yourself. "T-they were tailors, they weren't bad people."

"I know it sounds difficult to believe, but Wu ran the information and it checks out," he added, as if your world wasn't barely standing straight already and some more truthful angst would do the trick to tilt it over fully. Fucking amazing.

You weren't going to believe it at all until you sat thinking for a good minute, going over your last interactions with your parents years ago, and certain things became way too clear in your head just like idea bulbs. Or trauma bulbs in this case.

The way that snake threatened them every time he came to the tailor shop. The fact that your parents had a lot of foreign clients coming from outside of the city, all the way to some tailor shop in the middle of practically nowhere. Or that you were living comfortably, homeschooled, safe, unlike the rest of the district that was in peak war age.

It all started to make a whole lot of fucking sense.

"Their clients, the expensive textiles they imported, even our house," your head dropped to your hands as it all became crystal clear in a messy mix of truths you couldn't swallow past that lump in your throat. "None of it was really ours was it?"

"I'm sorry," he rubbed your arm trying to comfort you, even though he knew nothing could actually bring you peace, especially coming from him after everything he just told you, after he lied. "But they weren't bad people. They were just whisked away in the midst of it all."

"Does that mean we can't find them?" you asked, hating the way your voice broke on the last word.

"On the contrary," he turned up a smirk, just like he did whenever he knew something helpful. A solution out of the hell ride you were slowly buckling into. It somehow brought you some hope that things weren't as fucked up as they seemed. Though you highly doubted that.

"If they are affiliated with the triads, even in the smallest, we have a chance at finding them sooner than we think."

A chance. That's all you needed. Even the smallest of hopes in the biggest pile of all this fantastical fuckery would do you good right now.

"There is someone who knows enough about their plans to send them to the pits of hell if he wanted. We arranged to meet with him."

Okay, that's great. A possibly wanted man wanting to meet with the leader of one of the mafias who could have him killed or put him out in the open to the Triads for them to get him killed first? Highly unlikely.

"Why do I feel like there's more to that?"

"It took some persuasion, but he agreed to meet us in the worst place possible. The Shanghai Club."

"You've got to be joking," exclaimed Cho, finally joining the conversation since his own ass could be in danger now. "That place is crawling with the commander's troops and triad members."

"That's why I said it's the worst place possible," added Enishi as a matter of fact, turning to look Cho dead in the eye.

Ignoring their bickering, you gave it a thought. You had a safe shot at finding your parents this time. Sure, it could end up in a bloodbath no one wanted to wipe clean after, but you were willing to take it.

No more waiting. No more looking around to find fairy tales from random henchmen caught red handed with information that was common knowledge in their world. It was time you decided what you wanted to do and right now that was following your incredibly twisted guts. If you had to dive into that hell again, then might as well do it on your own terms. 'Cause the first time went fantastic.

"When?" you simply asked.

"Hold on a second. You're not actually thinking of going are you?" asked Cho, though it wasn't really a question and more of a statement that he would get in your way. "That's a suicide mission."

"I have to," you played with the hem of your shirt, trying to calm a shrill of tremor climbing up your hands. "They're my parents, Cho. I can't just leave things like this. Not now when we have a certain lead."

You turned back to Enishi with hopeful eyes finding his own still on you, waiting for your answer. This was probably the last thing you would trust him with ever. "It is certain this time, right?"

He didn't hesitate to nod his head, a genuine want to help passing through his eyes at your question. Good.

"If we're going there, we're gonna need new outfits!" you chimed, trying to find a way to get out of the room before the walls would cave in on you and someone took notice of the unnatural way your hands started shaking. That knot in your chest tugged at you more insistently now with the heavy tension in the air and the multiple pairs of eyes watching you with pity, the one thing you hated the most in the world.

"I want both of you in my room later," you added, nodding at the two men that would accompany you. You only registered how suggestive your words sounded after they left your mouth, all eyes in the room staring at you widely, only adding to your discomfort. Men.

"To get you sized and ready, obviously," you clarified and with that you shuffled off the couch and left in a hurry without looking back.

The two males exchanged a look, trying to make sense of your behaviour, expecting a different reaction to all of this, not you being ready to stitch and sew outfits in the dead of night. The blonde shrugged in response, lost on what to think anymore, more preoccupied with finding an escape route of this. But something about your reaction rubbed the other one wrong, watching your back retreat out the door with growing nerves himself.

You walked this hallway so many times before. But right now for some reason it seemed to stretch longer, wider, walls tilting in on each other under the weight of gravity. Each step on the creaky wooden floors made you jump in fright, the trepidation of your heart louder than the constant ringing in your ears, heavier than the bile gradually rising in your throat.

Taking faster strides to reach the familiar tall oak arches, you pushed the doors to your room open. Going straight to your work desk, you pulled out all the materials you could find to start working and get your mind off things. Pacing around from corner to corner, unable to locate the cushion of needles you always, you ran to your vanity as your heart pumped faster. You searched around and messed up the recently organized drawers, throwing things on the ground behind you, hands shaking with anxiety only to find the damn cushion nowhere in sight, more worry gripping you.

You took a look at yourself in the mirror, staring at the dim orbs that resembled your mother's eyes. The faces of your parents flashed before you, standing next to each other in a tender embrace, expanding that painful throb in your chest.

What if I will never find them? They were gone for so long. There might be no trace of them on earth anymore. That simple thought made each breath your lungs took harder to call inside, taking you even longer to let them out. Your vision darkened, a new wave of dizziness throwing you off balance as you grappled with your breathing that was slowly going out of control, coming out in shorter pants and wheezes.

Panic filled you from that annoying pit in your belly, stretching upwards inside of you to grab onto your neck as if to strangle you for ignoring it for so long. To make you pay for every missed chance of finding your parents. For every connection you built on blind, broken trust. For every life you took that probably didn't even deserve it. For following the worst of devils on earth fooling yourself they would save you. For being a failure in every fucking way and not being able to do one thing right by your parents, by the people you cared about, by yourself. For everything you did, for all you were doing and for everything you will do. You lost the fight. You let your own personal inferno come alive.

I warned you, a voice echoed inside of you head, dark with malice and death. You leaned your hands on the vanity table, your whole body trembling, spasming under your weight that seemed unbearable to keep on your own two legs, struggling to stay upright. This wasn't happening. This couldn't happen.

Not right now. I can't lose control now. Not when I'm so close to find them.

You caught the glimpse of a silhouette in the vanity mirror, entering your room in a haste. Maybe it was death remembering you existed, finally coming to take you away as payback for avoiding its call to hell so many times that it found it amusing and let you simmer until you finally broke yourself. The devil surely loved the sinners that did it to themselves the most.

The shadow moved behind you, looking less like a demon from hell and more like a human being the closer it got to you. Maybe it was one of the angels still around you, fighting for your redemption against all odds telling it you couldn't be saved. That you didn't deserve the saving.

Whatever or whoever it was, they called your name with a voice so angelic, like a dream was playing before you in slow motion. A tone so holy that you could trust it to take you anywhere it wanted to, whether it was heaven or hell. It might have been your hallucination kicking in as you were falling apart. It tried to get your attention but they seemed so far away. So, so, so far away from the abyss you had one leg inside. Until their arms wrapped around you, secure and supportive, stable and safe. Maybe it was your mind cooking up nonsense, but you felt that hold on you like someone was actually holding you for real.

Their secure firm tightened around you just like the panic pressing down your neck sending you into sensory overload. You refused to let go of the vanity table, your only anchor to reality, digging your hands into the wood so hard your nails chipped at the edges. A hand came up to your cheek, cupping it gently to turn your face towards them. You stared at the blurry blob in the shadow morphing into a face, slowly becoming clearer in the haze. Their mouth that moved with a voice so angelic before turned into a velvety demonic sound, words finally making their way to you, drilling loud into the quiet.

"Look at me," he demanded, tone warm and steady to get you to focus on him.

Him. You needed to get away from him. You couldn't be near him right now. He hurt you. He broke your trust after you gave it to him with everything you had. All your secrets, your pain, your heart, all of it laid out on a silver platter. He took all of it and threw it into the fire, sitting on the sidelines without as much as looking back to see what was left of you as the ashes scattered away. He used you. He didn't need you. He's better off without you, that voice pushed again.

"Go away," you croaked out trying to shove him off, even as your hands shook uncontrollably and your knees locked in place.

He only held you tighter to him, musky scent you loved so much turning into a burning ash stench as you struggled to inhale any speck of air inside. You slumped against him pathetically, still holding the vanity in a death grip, refusing to let go and give up control. Give it up. Let me out. I can take care of him.

"Look at me," he commanded this time, demanding your attention. Moving anything was taxing, but when your blurry eyes brimming with tears finally caught his, willing him to let you go, he just wouldn't budge from beside you. "I need you to breathe, Miyu."

No, you don't. You need to let me out, she hissed so loud, sending your thoughts haywire.

You choked on a half-sob, trying to get air inside. You were trying. God, you were really trying.

But each haggard, piercing drag of air you ran after slipped further away, turning your chest into nothing more but a lead carcass, just as heavy and constricting as the barrel of your pistols must feel for a bullet. You shook your head, more tears spilling over your cheeks.

"I c-can't."

"Yes, you can."

He worked to loosen the grip of one of your hands on the edge of the vanity table, successfully plying one of them free. He placed it against his chest, letting you feel the beat of his heart, alive and working. He was real. So, so real. A lot more real than the voice in your head. You felt his chest expand under your palm, up and down, his own breathing calm and normal, alternating in rhythms. You tried to follow it in one brave, sharp intake of air but all that did was send needles to your own chest, pushing a pained moan through your throat.

You were drowning. Your heart was beating way too fast for it not to explode any minute. Your lungs weren't working with you. You were ready to accept it and sink into it, ready to let her do whatever she wanted and lose yourself, when his forehead pressed into your temple to keep you tethered here, keep you with him, keep you fighting. He was damned if he let you give into it right now.

"Please breathe for me," he begged, eyes blazing in a frenzy, trying to keep his own breathing stable so you could follow it.

Enishi Yukishiro didn't beg for no one.

The desperation in his voice scared you. It told you he would raise bloody murder to the entirety of the globe if you dared to let go right now. You didn't come this far for nothing. Your struggle wasn't in vain. You still had so much to fight for.

You swore to help him avenge his sister. He swore to help you find your parents. You couldn't let go now. None of those promises were fulfilled yet by either of you. She definitely wouldn't fulfill them. She would kill him before she even took her first step out of that cage. You couldn't let that happen. You couldn't let her. Oh, but you could, she taunted caressing those iron bars with sweet temptation. I will die before I let you touch him.

You tried a few more breaths but they barely went in, crunching the material of his kimono in your fist, pushing your lungs to work with you and take a fucking breath. Pathetic. Frustrated and defeated with yourself, you cried out wishing for a miracle when he spoke again, picking up the very broken pieces of your heart that he shattered with his own two hands, attempting to put them back together.

"I don't regret finding you. I don't regret taking you in. I don't regret anything we've done together. You're not alone anymore. I'm not alone anymore. I like having you around."

Letting his fast mix of jumbled words wash over you, you dug deep into the abyss clutching your heart and your lungs harder with each passing second, looking for a way out. There's no way out. There is always a way out. There had to be one even now as your world seemed like it was ending.

"I need to have you around, Miyu. I promised you I'm not leaving you. I'm here. I'm right here."

You tried again and again and again and again and again. You ran and ran and turned around in the pitch black of your mind that was shutting down, aimlessly looking for a speck of light to lead you out.

"You're strong enough. Come on baby. Breathe with me."

His voice became your saving grace in that moment. He became the surge of light you needed to follow in the darkness. With each word a brighter speck of that light lit it up, making it go back to its place away until it was unable to touch you. Until you couldn't hear her anymore. She was gone.

After what felt like forever, listening to his endless pleas, feeling his heart beating under your trembling hand and his touch holding you close, you were breathing. Somehow, the more you tried more air was finally available to you.

Leaning on the vanity, half-supported by him, you took more air inside like you were taking your first breath in the world, unaware of all that was waiting for you. That first inhale was raw, the large gulps that followed stabbing your dry throat as if knives had a parade inside its walls, fully aware of all that you've already been through. Fully aware that this was only the beginning. But you kept going.

His other hand came to sit around your waist, rubbing circles into your hip, small and large matching the rhythm of his breathing so you could focus and follow it as a guide.

Slowly, the breaths you took went down into your lungs deeper each time, filling them up with much needed air. The bile that rose in your throat went back inside. The chaos in your soul went quiet again with him by your side, holding your hand in the center of his chest the whole time. His fist closed over yours like a safe, guarding it there on top of his heart, not once letting go.

The darkness in your vision cleared a bit, leaving just a few dark spots lingering as you focused on the creature in the mirror looking back at you, resembling you. It was you - paled over, looking like a ghost, shaking like a leaf in the wind, held together by the man beside you.

Your hands stopped shaking, receding to an occasional tremor. Your heart still thundered wildly, still agitated from the thrill. Lifting up the hand you held onto the vanity table to test your balance was a bad decision. The moment you took it away, your whole balance left the safety of the wooden block and you swayed to the side, knees buckling under the sudden movement. But he caught you before you could fall into a pile on the ground.

"Fuck, stay put will you," he rumbled, gathering you in his arms to carry you straight to the bed.

He let you down on the mattress gently, placing you against the pillows and sat down next to you, taking your hand in his. His fingers settled on your pulse point, relief washing over him that it was slowly coming down from the high you were on. He did that a lot as you trained, chastising you about keeping yourself at a normal rate since he discovered you were prone to dizzy spells. Even Koru climbed in the bed, sensing something was wrong and nuzzled your thigh in comfort as you took a few more breaths in, this time to stop the leftover palpitations.

Reaching out to touch the side of your face, he swiped at the leftover tears that were still falling free. His fingers brushed away the hair sticking to your face as you focused on clearing the heavy weight in your chest, loosening apart that tight rope breath by breath until you couldn't feel it there anymore. It was gone just as fast as it came.

He cupped your cheek, drawing your eyes to him. His creased brows and the tension in his hold told you he was still worried. You didn't want to, but you leaned into his touch, almost naturally welcoming his comfort and to soothe both of you someway.

"Thank god I found you before something worse happened."

I didn't kick the bucket yet, you swine. And if I ever do, it won't be under your roof.

Feeling too self-conscious, you looked away from him, gaze falling on the mess you made in the room when you barged in, from the carpet around the vanity littered with all kinds of trinkets, darting to the heaps of fabric on top of your work desk. He followed it, a knowing look replacing the worry on his face. You still wanted to put yourself through working on those damn outfits right now.

"You need rest. Those can wait until tomorrow since the meeting is two days from now," he reassured you. "You have time."

"I'm fine," you said, frowning at your scratchy throat.

Were you saying that for him or for yourself? That didn't really matter right now. What mattered was doing something that didn't let you sit and overthink once your mind caught up to you, though it would take a while since it still felt like cotton was pushed around in it in every corner.

"If you didn't just have a panic attack," he started, handing you a glass with water from the pitcher on the nightstand, "I might have just believed you."

"I don't need your worry," you retorted, sitting up to drink the water.

"You're resting. Not up for discussion. If you as much as think of putting a foot out of the bed for anything other than going to the bathroom, I will have you tied to the bed."

"You can't do that."

"Watch me."

Too tired of this back and forth, you turned around to the other side, feeling furious. He treated you like a child in need of a time out session. Well, he might as well watch your backside for all you cared. You were too exhausted to throw a bigger tantrum right now though he did deserve to hear the end of it.

He stayed with you, absorbing the resentment seeping off of you. He deserved the cold shoulder. He wanted to come clean so many times before but there was always that doubt telling him that it would rip the bond you had at the seams and nothing would be able to fix it. He cared about the connection you had. It was the only real thing he had left. He cared so much that keeping things away from you proved harder as time went on.

When Wu walked into his office in a rush this afternoon and told him what he found out, he knew it was time to atone for it. Even if that meant hurting you in the process. Even if it meant you would be mad at him for the rest of your lives.

Dragging a hand over his face with a small groan at his own stupidity, he let his eyes fall on you, taking notice of the steady rise and fall of your back telling him you fell asleep. He got up and draped the covers over you before laying one of the softest kisses on your temple, his silent promise of protection whenever things went wrong between you. That you always had a place to run to when you needed it. Even if you didn't want it anymore, he would always welcome you. Wait for you.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against your hair, taking in the warm rosy scent of it to settle the guilt swimming in his gut a little. "I will explain everything to you soon."

With that he got up, turning for the door. He creaked it open then turned back around once more, spotting the dark ball of fur already laying by your side.

"Make sure she rests," he told the cat who just meowed at him in response, cuddling closer to you with a loud purring noise.

And now he was talking to the cat.

The dawn of a torrential downpour roused you from sleep. The sky ripped open, angry raindrops rapping against the glass violently mad as if to break inside. The wind hastened, howling nature awake. Lightning crackled bathing the room in bright white, followed by the deep rumble of thunder thunder reverberating so loud it shook you awake. It couldn't have been earlier than five in the morning, the world still dark and gray outside your window.

The beginning of a painful headache graced you, throbbing in pace with the heavy rain, splitting your skull at the crackle of lightning. You rolled around the bed on heavy limbs, hand aimlessly tapping the nightstand looking for the water pitcher. With a struggle, you pulled your body up in a sitting position only to frown at the lack of water on the cabinet. Both the pitcher and the glass on top were empty of even the smallest drop of liquid. Great.

Scrambling to the edge of the bed, you held your head, trying to get it to focus on the task at hand - getting water. If you had any chance of getting back to sleep you needed it. Something pawing at your feet grabbed your attention. Koru. She sat there, looking at you with those round balls of bright yellow glowing in the dark, meowing. You moved your leg away only to have her paw at it again and sit on it, meowing louder.

Not you too, you sighed.

You leaned down to give her a soft pet on the head for her caring nature, looking back at the empty glass with a long sigh.

If only you could bring me water, little one.

Suddenly, she got up from your feet and sauntered out through the small crack in the door. You would've followed her if it wasn't for the nauseating feeling rocking you like a boat on a furious sea. So you sat back in the middle of the bed, holding onto your head.

A few minutes passed, rain falling harder against the windows, headache turning into a full-blown migraine. No amount of massage or pressure from your fingers or rolling around the bed in different positions could cure it. Absolutely helpless, that's what I am.

The door cracked slightly ajar. You paid it no mind thinking Koru came back from her spontaneous stroll. Instead of a meow or paws paddling the floor to reach you, you heard lean steps, the rattle of glass and the sound of liquid flowing from one recipient to the other.

The bed dipped in front of you with a weight heavier than Koru's. Confused at who it could be this early, you let your hands fall from your head to look up and find a surprisingly awake Enishi holding out a glass for you, filled with water all the way to the rim.

You took it without a second thought, gulping down the whole thing in one breath. It went down your throat so rough but so soothing, getting rid of the stabbing dryness coating it. Asking for another, he went to pour it as you wiped the leftover drops hanging on the bow of your lips. He handed it back to you sitting back in his spot, joined by your dear black fur of ball that nestled by his leg. Turns out deception runs in the family, you thought, watching the two bond over keeping you in bed at any cost.

Glass back on your nightstand and throat somewhat better, a pang of pain returned, sending you to lay back down under the covers. You hoped you could find some comfort now that you had some water. Wordlessly, he got up and tucked you better under the duvet, drawing it up your back all the way to your nape. He spared one more look at you, cuddled up to sleep with the feline and left, closing the door fully this time, taking the small flicker of light he left you with away with him.

The next time you woke up, it was almost lunch time. The dark storm in the early morning left quietly, but the sky remained dull, devoid of any other color but gray. Just like my soul. The sweet smell of food wafted into your nostrils on barely the first conscious inhale of breath. Your stomach instantly grumbled at the delicious scent, only for you to turn in bed and find said food on a plate on the nightstand.

Blinking away the sleep from your eyes, you sat up examining the contents of the plate - dorayaki pancakes. As big as the palm of your hand, neatly folded at the opening and round with a bunch of filling. His apologetic pancakes. Huh. What is he playing at now?

Reluctant, but hungry, you took a bite, letting the berry jam filling melt in your mouth. He left you orange juice too on the side, tasting refreshing after the sweet brunch. If only his personality was this sweet all the time, though that was a stretch knowing him.

You felt better, either from the multiple sleep rounds you took or the pancakes. Not at one hundred percent, but still much better than you did last night. You had a long list of things to go through - talking with you know who, talking with blondie, a whole lot of talking. But for now, you had enough fuel and energy to get down to work on the outfits for the meeting at the club that was in less than forty-eight hours. Yours especially.

You changed out of yesterday's clothes and picked up some of the mess around the room. Finally sat down at your work desk, you browsed through the materials you had available - red satin, burgundy velvet, indigo satin, some green cashmere and black chiffon. A goth lover's dream. Blondie was right, that book did take a toll on you, among other things.

All things aside, red was your color. You always wore red, no matter the occasion. Even if it was just an accessory, like your mother's pendant that was on you at all times. It was you, in either shade or material. Blazing like a flame on its way to eat half of the world if as much as one gust of injustice blew your way. Crackling to a strong kindle if you were sputtering out in the cold of uncertainty. Drenching everything crimson if you needed to protect something.

You breathed red.

Unfortunately for you, you were left without scraps, only with new, untouched rolls of material, which meant you had to start from zero. You were good at stitching two or more different pieces together, reworking them into something new, but you never worked on something from beginning to end.

Working with a blank canvas was your mother's specialty. You never understood how she just visualized a client's order in one whole standing piece, full of detail and precise flair. The most you ever did from zero was a pair of pants that you had to wear backwards for them to work and not look weird. Sketching wasn't your forte either, much more your father's talent. You did know weaving, stitching, knitting, embroidery, anything that was a basic technique with textiles. But everything else was pure luck of the moment if inspiration somehow happened to hit you. Let's look for some inspiration then.

You walked to the wardrobe in the other corner, pulling it open to look through it hoping to find it there. Scanning all the heaps of clothes, your eyes landed on the dress you made for the ball a few weeks ago - the revamped wedding qipao. Enishi's shocked and appalled reaction flashed in your mind recalling the way you walked out in a new rehabilitated rendition of his expensive golden kimono and that cursed qipao. Chuckling to yourself with a pat on the back at the idea, you studied it a little, feeling like it was too on the flashy, gown side to be reused again, especially for a club. High society clubs required something classier, light, somewhat hot, but modest and combat appropriate all in one. Not a huge checklist at all.

Spreading out all the fabric and some clothes from the wardrobe on the floor, you sat in the middle, looking at all of them. Then you closed your eyes, willing the gods of creativity to give you some. You took a few deep breaths, focusing on visualizing a dress and some details, hoping something would pop into your head if you tried hard enough. Come on, brain. Work with me. After a while, you opened them back up, frowning at the mess of fabric around you with still no idea. That usually worked, especially if it was mission attire. Before you could get up and scour some more, a distant memory hit you like a truck.

A long, long time ago, back in Yokohama, your parents had this really stylish lady as a client. She came in one day, at the recommendation of a friend, looking for a dress for an overseas event. Her specs had some of your current requirements, heavy on the classic, save for the combat and hot features off the list. Your mom worked weeks on that dress, getting it as perfect as it could be. When the lady came by to pick it up and tried it on for one last fitting, she was stunned. The dress fit her like a jewel meant just for her, putting her uniqueness on display like she was part of the royal family.

You yourself fell in love with that dress, asking your mother to make it for you time and time again only for her to refuse. "I will make you one, far more beautiful than that one when you grow older, my little light," you recalled her saying softly.

Well, here I am mom, making it myself.

Grabbing the satin, your usual go-to, you measured the fabric and layered it in the shape of a skirt on a mannequin you bought from the village, measuring the exact diameter of your waist and hips. Marking the start of it, you pinned it to the dummy and worked down the hem line, drawing the drop bigger, pinching the material from top to bottom with needles.

Then you tugged the velvet open, working some of it in the shape of a bodice for the top part. You set that on the mannequin, fixing the rough shapes around and stepped back, looking at the mix to get a bigger picture. It looked okay... but the dark red on light red didn't work at all. The satin was too shiny and the velvet way too dark.

The more you tilted your head on the side, it looked even more mismatched. This is where your father would walk in to say, "I think you should change the colours, darling. It looks like a bed of roses threw up on the mannequin." He wouldn't be wrong.

Okay dad, one shade of red works then.

Whirling back to the mess in the center of your room, you noticed a roll peeking from under your bed. Since it wasn't in the pile on the desk, it must've been one of the items that ended up on the floor last night. You picked it up, rolling it open a bit - ruby velvet. Not too dark and not too light either. The dark shade matched the velvet top on the mannequin but it could work by itself for both a corset top and the longer skirt. Adding some sleeves and pulling the neckline a bit higher. Some ruffles on the bodice to give it more depth and frills on the sides to make it flare...

Okay, this can work. It would do.

The afternoon was in tow, sunlight brimming merrily through your window. You just finished working on the body of your dress and the rough shape, left with sewing the skirt and adding some small details here and there.

Shoulders, back and legs aching from standing too much, you decided to take a breather, laying down on the carpet to stretch your sore limbs. Eyes closed, resting on the warmed patch of sun on the cream carpet, you took a well-deserved break. It felt so good to have the sun on your face, even if it wasn't directly from the outside. It still felt so comforting, relaxing your body and warming you up with much needed serotonin.

Stolen away by the peace of the moment, you failed to notice the incoming company, sliding in your room as quiet as a mouse. Since you had your eyes shut, laid on the floor with arms and legs wide open like a corpse, he was quick to rush to your side to check if you were still breathing. Taken aback at the shift in the air around you, your eyes slowly opened to see him, right above you. His brawny, large palms pressed to the wooden floor on either side of your head, keeping him upright, while his eyes searched yours with concern. You just blinked up at him, confused. Thanks to the length of his arms, the space between you was big, though not big enough to still your rapidly racing heart.

Sitting in the silence of your breaths and the white noise coming from the open window, you just looked at him for a bit. His eyes were no longer dark, lighting up in a softer chocolate tone with the glow of the sun beating from the side. They weren't as intense as yesterday, way more tender and warm now. The usual blue rim on the sides, really noticeable when he was mad, was now a deep amber, complimenting the earthy brown pooling around his pupils. He really had the most beautiful and captivating eyes you've ever seen.

"I thought you dropped dead."

Way to ruin the moment.

"Get off me, mophead," you pushed against his shoulders trying to sit up but he didn't move at all from his position, letting you crash right into his chest. You frantically grabbed at the mounds of his back to not fall backwards, instead diving head first right into the crook of his neck. And he still didn't move.

You clung to him like a koala, eyes darting all over the place in a frenzy because if you looked right ahead, you would be met with that stupid neck of his. The close proximity alone invited you to take a whiff of it, noticing that the woody aroma that regularly hit you first was less present, totally overpowered by the rich, sweet and fruity jasmine. You nearly threw your head back with a moan at how good he smelled. Traitors weren't supposed to smell so good, so addicting.

"Why are you on the floor?" he asked, words rolling so husky off his lips that it had your belly tighten. Your body was no stranger to what that tone could do to you, especially so close to your ear that it shook chills awake down your back.

You didn't reply, distrusting your own voice. That only spurred him to turn his head to you. Before it could turn fully and cage you against his neck, you let go of his back forgetting that the hard wooden floor awaited you. Before hitting your back on it hard, giving yourself another pain you didn't need, one of his arms reached out to catch you, splaying flat on the middle of your back. He was holding the both of you up with just one arm fixed on the floor without a shake or a sway of the strain it took on his muscles. That's hot.

"My back was hurting and it was warm," you replied, gulping down air as you met his eyes again. Warm. So much more warmth than the heat of the sun could ever provide.

"But there's a bed," he stated, watching his brown orbs dart to your lips and back to your eyes a few times. Their rapid movement was almost hypnotic, putting you in a trance. The white and golden colours on the ceiling all swirled behind him, not one quite as powerful and bewitching as his own aura. The only thing that gave you a high so dangerous but so heavenly. A high that nothing else on earth will ever be able to give you. Will I ever be able to quit you?

"There's a bed," you repeated, more like a question than a statement, too stolen by those eyes to think straight. And he caught that. The way your pupils dilated and your lips parted told him you weren't quite here. So his gaze turned playful, preparing for a tease attack you wouldn't be able to get out of.

Lowering you down to the floor, he caged you between his arms again as he bent down, closing the distance between you. Breath caught in your throat, you pulled your arms closer to your chest in reflex and feigned protection, only to see the corner of his lips turn up with a mischievous smirk.

That goddamn smirk.

"Tell me," he started, tongue peaking out from the confines of his mouth to lick his lips, so plump and inviting, in devious teasing, "what's a bed for?"

He was completely taking advantage of your dazed mind, trying to play games with you and you just let him, unable to escape it.

"A bed is for... uhh... sleeping obviously," you replied unsure with a nervous giggle, more focused on how close he was to getting to your lips. They've been aching for him for so long it hurt that he was so close but not moving towards yours. Though his arms were almost fully bent on the elbows beside your head, nose almost touching yours, lips not headed for yours at all.

"Just sleeping?" he quirked a brow, pressing into your body at all the right angles, in all the places that yearned for it. The inner side of his biceps pressed into your shoulders on each side keeping you in place. His defined chest sat right onto your raising breasts, perking up slightly under your top from how much he turned you on. His torso jammed flush to yours, moving up and down, expanding with shallow breaths into each other. His hips dove right into yours, between your legs, feeling the mightiness in his pants bulge right onto your core. If he as much as breathed, it created friction in every single place he touched indirectly, overwhelming you in the worst way possible.

You closed your eyes to keep your breathing from spiraling and try to focus on something else, only to shudder at the feeling of his lips attaching themselves to your jaw. They didn't kiss it, hovering over the sensitive skin instead, blowing hot breaths on it, making your back arch instinctively at the near contact. Near. So near. They simply brushed all the way under it, heading upwards to your earlobe, grazing the side of your ear with temptation as he whispered, " What else?", so quiet and sensual that you whined audibly.

Heart pounding wildly, mind spinning out of control, breathing uneven and fast, your entire body so hungry and lusting for a booty call you didn't even initiate but craved like a feral wolf in heat. The Enishi Yukishiro effect.

"Why are you here?" you rasped, head rolling to the side, so dizzy and full with his presence and the sensory overload.

He loved the effect he had on you, turning you into mush with as much as a stare and his touch that implied his intentions with you were either soft and sweet or tainted by dirt and sin. Right now they were the latter.

"You called me over, remember?" he answered nonchalantly, tilting his head to the side with a grin, lacing his hands together above your head, acting so innocent. As if he didn't turn you on to the point you could jump his bones right there and regret it later.

"For the fitting," he added. The fitting, that's what you needed to focus on.

"Oh, right, the fitting." Sobering up like cold water drenched you instead of heat all over your body, you pushed him harder aside managing to get out from under him.

At last, you were up from that sinful place on the floor. Stretching your arms over your head and clicking your knees, you walked away like nothing happened. His eyes widened at your sudden change in mood, but that grin still sat on his lips when he turned around on the floor to see you better. Heading to the work table to pick up the suit he wore to the ball, you caught the grin turning into a grimace at seeing it again, recalling how uncomfortable it felt on his body that day, constricting even his air flow. You shook your head, giggling at the plain disgust on his face.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," you snickered, waving him off.

"Well, something is if you're laughing like a maniac."

"Your face is funny."

Pulling on a scowl that nuked his previous excitement, he got up off the floor, crossing his arms over his chest in disapproval at having to wear it again. He visibly sulked, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. He truly is the most Gemini man I have ever come across.

"Don't worry," you assured him, pulling the outfit off the hanger. "I will make some adjustments to it and dress it down."

"What adjustments are we talking?" he raised an eyebrow, not liking where this was going.

You walked to him and patted his shoulder in encouragement.

"Get naked, hot stuff."

Handing him the pants, you turned around to give him some privacy to get out of his daily wear and into more proper clothes. You liked kimonos on him, you really did. But a suit and tie made the man look like a model. Okay, maybe you just liked how it compressed his biceps to the point you struggled to not salivate like a dog for treats. Actually, he looks good in anything-

Hearing grunts, you turned around to watch as he struggled to pull up the tailored trousers over his broad, sculpted thighs. Sweet baby Jesus. Pulling on each side he finally managed to pull them around his waist. Though that left you wondering if Wu had to help him that day too and couldn't help from barking a laugh out loud. He threw you another look carrying a fair warning and you stopped, laughing some more on the inside.

Walking over to him, your fingers tapped on the material of his tank top, telling him you wanted it off. No questions asked, it was discarded to the floor, leaving the mightiness of his topless form grace you.

Good god. Did he get more toned since the last time we... yeah, he definitely did.

You traced all the lines on his front with hungry eyes, unable to focus on just one single defined dip of muscle meat, assaulted by the cushiony pecs on his chest right under those bow-shaped collar bones, the flexing biceps on the sides, the abdomen that had more packs that you could count consciously without losing count, and the rest of the muscles he had in places you didn't even know could grow muscles. You had to physically avert your eyes before you had a stroke from how hot and hard your heart was pumping blood through your body at the sight. Including to that aching spot between your legs he grazed moments ago.

Dear lord, the men you put on this earth.

Circling around him, you stopped at his back, studying the ripples of fibrous sinews stretching over his broad shoulders and down his extremely bulky vein-filled arms, trailing down the line of his spine running down into the tailored pants, a pair of back dimples saluting you. He turned his head to the side slightly, watching you get lost in the detailed map of his back, chomping down on a finger nail in focus. He could see right through you, fully aware where your mind ran off to so he chuckled lowly to himself bringing you out of another pheromone induced daze as you shot him a "You're so full of shit" look.

You rounded back to the front, following the deep V of his abdomen falling from each side of his waist joining under the material of the pants. You cursed yourself for not paying more attention to these details before, too occupied with the way he rammed into you without notice on most occasions or in the dark. Reminded of his incredibly stupid confession the previous day that he's been lying to you for longer than he's actually known you, the thirst turned hot with anger in an instant. You weren't going to let his annoyingly handsome face and infuriatingly defined body reel you away from that.

Without a warning you dropped down to your knees before him, catching him off-guard. The rock in his neck bobbed down, looking down at your kneeling form with intentions that were less than fashionable and more into the sexual side of things. You caught that look, planning to throw it right in his face.

Getting closer to his groin, you hooked your fingers in the band of his pants, grazing the skin of his lower abs. The small muscles flexed together in response to the cool brush of your fingers. Then you pulled the pants upwards in a swift move instead of downwards like he probably expected, slightly crushing his groin, at which he let out a grunt of displeasure.

As if you cared about that right now. He sensed the change in mood and knew exactly why you did that. It was payback.

"I guess I deserved that."

You spared him a look of disdain, moving to the side to mark where the band of his pants needed to be pulled a little tighter since they were too loose on his waist. Pulling a safety pin out, you bunched up the extra material pinching it, accidentally and a little on purpose also pinching his skin. You hoped he felt that, even if he held back from showing it. Keep your masculinity intact then.

"You lied to me."

"It wasn't my plan to."

You moved your hand down the leg of his pants, making a mark where they needed to be shortened on each side. He was relatively tall, but the pants ran way longer than his height, coming down all the way to his toes, almost covering them. You rolled them over to his ankles, plying them together with another safety pin for future hemming, along with needles on some other spots on the seams that needed to be sewn again.

Then you got up, walking behind him and took the measuring tape to size up his shoulders from one end to the other. You wanted to see if you could adjust the shirt too, since he kept complaining it was too tight. You stared a big hole into the back of his head as you continued.

"Lying is a choice."

"Not entirely."

"You made that choice."

"I didn't want to make that choice."

Tired of this constant, incessant, frustrating and really idiotic back and forth you walked back to his front, arms crossed over your chest, eyes boring into him with pure, unleashed rage. You looked at him a lot more differently now - less like someone you confided into with your hopes and dreams before, seeing someone who couldn't fathom normal communication like normal people do. He wasn't normal. No, no, he was abnormal, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he couldn't understand you and where you were coming from. He simply refused to do the simplest act of showing a person he cared, because he clearly did, otherwise he wouldn't be standing here playing dress-up and being poked by your needles.

"What do you really want from me, Enishi?"

His gaze fell from you to the ground, staying quiet. The man who always had his words with him was suddenly rendered speechless. Just like I thought.

Sighing, you walked to the bed to continue your work since talking apparently lead you nowhere with him. You picked up the original shirt he had underneath the suit, thinking of ways to make it work without having to buy another one. Because that's what people do. They talk and find ways to make it work as complicated and tangled as things seemed. But you'd be damned if you kept being the only one who tried to make it work. Whatever this it was between you.

You sensed he made a move to you, possibly coming to cage you in his space again and act all broody, leaving you with no way to deny whatever ideas he wanted to plant in your head again. You've done this trust and honor rodeo once and it was more than enough.

"Don't move," you said firmly, without turning around to him. "I don't think you want those pins and needles inside your skin all at once." Though he did deserve them. But even if they dug deep into each inch of his skin it still wouldn't compare to the pain he caused in your own heart. You can't compare the pain of a broken heart with that.

"I want to help you find your parents."

Red. That's what you saw when you whirled around to him, anger running in your veins hot and wild as you closed the space between you and got up in his face.

"Then help me find them. Stop making empty promises and do it."

"I'm trying."

"I've tried enough," you looked away from him, keeping to your own corner.

His hand came up to lift your chin, turning your face back to him. Turning your head away was no use. He held you in place with just the pads of his fingers, searching your eyes for the real reason you were acting like this. This wasn't about your parents or him lying to you. Something else hung on your tongue that you weren't saying.

"What do you want from me, Miyu?"

Your hand latched on his wrist with the intention to pull it away from your face. Instead, it wrapped around it, simply holding it. You couldn't find it in yourself to let go of him once you got to hold him.

"Why bother telling you? You won't give it to me," you gritted out, clicking your jaw in fury.

"What if I will?"

"You can't." You won't.

The way you said it implied he couldn't. Not right now anyway with all that was happening and the fact that he took his pride more seriously than your feelings. So of course he took it the wrong way. He was a man after all. If he wasn't intimidated by something he didn't feel like one.

"But he can."

"Oh my god," you slapped his hand away, "this is exactly what I mean. You can't get your head out of your own ass enough to see me without the other alpha or beta males lingering around me. You don't want to see me because you're too full of yourself to let other people in. You refuse to see me because I don't mean anything to you." You pushed a finger in his chest with each statement, getting most of your feelings out there in the open in the hopes he would finally understand you.

"I see you."

"YOU DON'T!" you yelled.

"I DO," he growled, grabbing both sides of your face to bring it closer. His hot breath ghosted over your lips in agony, fear, rage, and every single negative feeling he instilled in you because he felt them all the same. His hold on you only got stronger with the wave of tension you were both riding without a safety net. A safety net that got shredded to pieces the minute he lied.

"Let go," you pushed on his hands, threatening to draw fresh blood if he didn't let go.

"No," he rasped back.

"No?"

"No."

"Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Room."

"Your room is part of my house."

This was turning into a screaming match quicker than you wanted it to, but it was all his fault. Pushing and pulling on you like a possession instead of a fellow human being. He turned that small, insignificant gust of wind that shook your bond into a fucking hurricane that was ready to destroy it. None of you were backing down from your egos this time. You've had enough of his selfishness and the keeping in the dark. You wanted answers. Answers he couldn't give you, refused to give you.

Why do we have to fight a stupid war as if we're not on the same side? Why does it have to always be so hot and cold with you?

With a huff, he let go of you, hands balled at his sides. You stepped away, going back to the table to grab the tools and get started on the pants before you exploded. He stood his ground. He wasn't leaving until you were done with him. It took more than an argument to make him leave in spite.

You kneeled back on the ground and worked on the material, not another word exchanged between you for the rest of the fitting. The next one he even dared to let out would have your fist right in his face. This might be his house, his room, his money. But the heart that hurt was yours. Not his.

After you checked that the vest and the blazer in the ensemble still fit him, he changed back into his normal clothes and left without a word. Blondie was next up. Hopefully it wouldn't be another yelling contest. There was no telling how much you could keep being peaceful today.

Cho walked in quietly, waiting for your instructions. He took his designated place in the middle of the room, wearing that olive suit you chose for him on your last market visit. The one that made him look like husband material. You got to work in silence, not a joke or insult thrown around like usual. He could tell something was wrong from how quiet you were and how your teeth chewed on that poor lip of yours, soon drawing blood if you didn't stop.

"Are you okay?"

You looked up, caught by the small worry in his eyes, so soft and brown that you could melt. You gave him a small smile and a nod, not at all okay but quietly telling him to let it go. You went back to working in peace, doing the hem on his pants right on the spot, since it only needed some small adjustments, rendering the waistline good to go.

"Sooooo - ouch," he started, yelping in pain as one of your needles poked his wrist accidentally. You apologized, trying to be more careful. "Can we talk now?"

The universe is having a laugh today. You gathered the material of the long sleeves of his blazer around your palms, trying to finish the last stitch at the bottom before you moved to the other.

"I want that too, making things right between us," you started with a sigh, recalling where he left off the other day before you got interrupted. "I just didn't know where to start talking about it all," you played with the material, thumbs smoothing it out over his wrist. You tried to think of what to say next but came up entirely blank.

Grabbing the bits you cut up off the floor, you threw them on the table and went to sit on the bed. He joined, sitting down beside you, shoulder to shoulder. Letting out another sigh, you shifted to lean your head on his shoulder, feeling comfortable enough to sit and think like that. You just needed a minute to collect your thoughts.

He was one of the few souls you made a connection with. Back then, it was all a mix of teenage angst, figuring out life, and fighting off crime lords of all sizes with a dash of falling in love for the first time. He was danger in all forms, kind of a lunatic and a major walking talking red flag, all in one package. You wanted one, you got all three. Now, he was oddly comfort to you, still the same soul you could tell anything to. Still the same guy that threw himself headfirst into something without thinking, a lot more mature about his feelings. He just saw you for who you are in this moment, not what you were or what you could be. He was still a lunatic in his own way. That wasn't going to go away anytime soon. But you wouldn't really change that about him.

Sitting here in his calm presence, touching knees and shoulders together, you knew that whatever this was, it was so much more than just a simple friendship. You've been through things together that would make others crap their pants. Those things tied you to each other in a bond that would never be broken. The past few years apart made it stretch to the point it nearly broke and you didn't want that. And whether that was more because of the way he acted now or the feelings you had for him before, it was a good question. But that didn't really matter. Because they were still here, still as strong and lingering as the day he left.

You accepted that he was going to be a part of you for as long as you live. But will he be a permanent one? That was the one big million gold lingo question you couldn't find an answer to.

Were you still mad at him for leaving you that night? Yes. Was it something that would keep you away from trying to mend what was broken? No. Not in the slightest. So at least you got that figured out.

Exhaustion came over you out of nowhere. Tired from working on all the outfits simultaneously and yet another heated encounter with Enishi, you passed out on his shoulder, crashing from working so long on autopilot. Your head fell to his lap like deadweight and he almost panicked if it wasn't for your snoring breaking through the silence.

This girl, he shook his head.

He came over last night, knowing something was wrong since you walked out of the office so fast. But mophead was already at your side, comforting you the way he wished he could. Being your support like he wanted to be. There was no point in him staying by the door longer than need be so he left with a heavy heart. Right now, he could tell you were pushing yourself way more than you could take it with your parents, the tailor job, even that one silver fox down the hall. So he just let you sleep, glad that he could at least be of some help to you for a little while.

Your head sat so uncomfortable on his lap with your neck bent at a weird angle over his thigh, that it made him laugh. Back when you were still a team, he used to catch you sleeping even on sturdy tree branches or flat against the walls, without a worry in the world. He snickered seeing that your habit of sleeping in the weirdest positions known to mankind hasn't changed at all. Sliding a hand under your head, he raised it up a little when you scrunched your nose in your sleep.

Cautious not to wake you, he propped a pillow under your head letting you rest a little more comfortably even as your legs dangled off the edge of the bed. He moved to let your hair loose from that tight messy bun, struggling with the hair tie until it snapped in his hands, all of your hair falling in your face. He threw the elastic band somewhere in the pile of discarded materials on the floor, hoping you would never find it. Leaning over to see you were still asleep, blowing the locks in and out of your face, he let out a breath of relief, knowing how godzilla you got if someone woke you up. He gathered all the strands of hair and laid them on your back, gently carding through it as you just slept.

It could wait, he thought. For you, I can wait even more.

Feeling watchful eyes on the back of his neck, sharp and poignant, he turned right in time to catch the gray-haired man at the door like he somehow summoned him. He watched the way you were perched on the blonde's lap in comfort, sleeping the day away. The blonde fought a snicker his way, wanting to show him how much he enjoyed his torment. But by the time he looked back from your sleeping form, he disappeared as quick as he appeared. He looked at you, eyebrows drawn in a frown even in your sleep, hand clutching at the material of his pants. That told him all he needed to know.

The sun was already down when you woke up, rather disoriented and confused at why your hair was everywhere but in the bun you put it in. Waving that off together with the man you slept on, you went to get some food since you've been cooped up in your room for too long. Of course the blonde followed in your steps like a duckling, stomach grumbling way louder than yours.

You made something quick, trying not to attract more hungry souls into the kitchen since there wasn't enough to make food for everyone. Going for some quick tomato pasta, you worked on the sauce while he made the table. The pasta boiled quick and the sauce was done before you knew it. You sat down and dug in together straight from the pot, finally catching up properly since you didn't get one moment alone that didn't include teasing or an overly exaggerated display of jealousy from Enishi.

Cho started, telling you about his missions in the time you've been apart and how he encountered the most incredulous people, lost his swords and how he fell out with the Ten Swords. Funny mishaps from his side that ruined most of his missions had you clutching your stomach from how hard you laughed. Close calls with death had you slow down on your food, heart clenching in anger that he was so careless, that you almost didn't meet again. Mentions of really idiotic stuff had you smack him repeatedly for daring to laugh them off, nagging him about his life choices that were often done with half a braincell.

When it was your turn, you told him about the relatively recent chapters of your life, jumping over your depressed pancake days. You talked about your new found love for cooking and how the gang ate your food like it was sent from heaven or something. And he could tell you loved the small attention it got even if you would never admit it. You told him about the way you tried working on clothes from time to time mostly to keep the memory of your parents alive. He knew how determined you were to carry that legacy with you, though you didn't accept it yet. Then you told him about the missions you went on and how they ended in the most odd ways, especially since you joined Enishi.

Enishi up. Enishi down. Left, right, forwards, backwards. Each mention of the gray-haired man had him look down in his plate in jealousy, wishing he was the one you had so much fun with. He wished you were still going on adventures together. Then he remembered it was because of him that wasn't happening. Because he left.

You didn't go into the obvious things that still hung in the air but at least you caught up on the other more positive things that you missed in each other's lives. Finished with your pasta, you went and brought over the leftover pancakes for some dessert. You dug in more confident than you did this morning, savouring the delicacy fully since you didn't know when you will get to eat these apologetic pancakes again, though Enishi fucked up a shit ton lately and there wasn't enough pancake batter to atone for it.

Cho extended a hand to grab one but you slapped it away, circling the plate with your arms protectively. "Give me one," he pleaded.

"No. These are mine and mine only."

"I can assure you those two will not be missed," he pointed to the small ones on the side, hand inching towards them. You shoved them both in your mouth along with the one you were eating, puffing your cheeks up to prove you weren't giving any of them away.

He knew why you were so protective over them - mophead made them for you. You barely talked to each other, avoiding each other for the past few days and doing everything in your power to keep to your corners like you would fuse and blow up if you sat in the same room for too long.

This morning, he was woken up by the smell of the very pancakes you were currently gobbling down faster than lightning. Thinking it was you whisking up the sweet breakfast, he nearly barged in the kitchen only for his hand to stop on the door, shocked to find mophead at the stove instead, struggling to fold the dough together without the jam leaking out. He would've laughed at the way he threw the pan upwards but it would've put him in trouble and he genuinely didn't want to face a sleepless demon that early.

So he walked away on an empty, upset stomach, but delighted at the "Fuck's sake" and "Jesus Christ" Enishi was throwing around. Putting his entertainment aside, he knew if this went on for longer the mansion would become the trenches.

"You need to talk to him."

"What?" you looked up from the pancakes, cheeks still full of them, some jam leaking from the side of your lips.

"You need to talk to mophead," he leaned over and wiped your lips with a tissue. "Just kiss and make up already."

"There's nothing to kiss or make up about," you shrugged, shoulders sagging on the back of the chair defeated on the whole Enishi subject.

"You're like two prepubescent teenagers throwing tantrums left and right," he started, laying a hand on your shoulder in support. "Respectfully, grow the fuck up."

"Excuse you, I am more mature than both of you together."

"Really? Cause that's not what I'm seeing."

"Then humor me," you leaned forward, "what are you seeing, all mighty and all knowing Cho Sawagejo?" He laughed heartily at the pun.

"Thank you for the compliment but that's not important. What is important is that I see a really beautiful woman, aware of what she wants, hiding behind the doubt that he created between you."

That hit the nail on the head way too quick. The small flirty remark didn't go unnoticed tinting your cheeks pink. Unable to process that you were actually doing this, you asked him for advice. "Well, what do you suggest I should do?"

"Talk it out. All of it. Or at least some of it. You can't keep doing this to yourselves as if the problem will magically fix itself if you just ignore it. So just tell him what hurts. If he's not as dense as he seems he will listen. If he doesn't," he paused to roll up his sleeves, "I'll make him."

"Make him what?" you laughed. "Do a dance or something?"

"Whatever my dear princess desires." Not the princess thing again. It made you go all mushy inside. "Oh, shut up you sweet talker."

"I know you love it," he winked. "You should get your eyes checked. They're doing a weird blinking thing," you laughed.

Okay, talking did help. Maybe he does deserve some pancakes. Not these ones though. I'll make him some later.

A stroll around the mansion helped you clear your head for a bit, getting your jumbled thoughts in a much better order. Doing the last rounds before you got back to work, you passed by the armory when a hand pulled you inside and the door shut tight behind you. Ready to throw hands at whoever dared to lay their hands on you like that, you came face to face with the very devil you were trying to steer clear of, scowl on his face noticeable even in the barely illuminated room.

"You've been avoiding me."

"I have not," you deadpanned going back to the door to turn the knob only to find that the door was locked.

"Yes, you have and you're not getting out of this room until we talk."

"Okay, maybe I have. And I have nothing to talk about with you."

"Oh, I think you do."

Placing your head against the door, you let out a deep breath of desperation. You really didn't want to talk it out now of all times. Today consisted of way too much talking. That and the fact that you were fed up with him and his constant, macho display of arrogance, coyness and everything else that was relatively manly and wrong with him.

Your head was still a mess and you were angry at him for acting like that other dimwit as if they knew how you felt and what went through your head. News flash, they had no idea because you yourself had no idea. You needed time to figure it out but they refused to give it to you. So if anyone needed timeout to sit and talk about their feelings in a room full of guns it was them two. Although, on second thought, that didn't sound like such a good idea.

You heard steps shifting closer behind you until they stopped. His hands came to sit on your forearms spinning you around to him. But you couldn't face him.

"I'm sorry," he spoke lowly, sounding honest for once. You had a hard time believing he actually was.

"You say that now but that wasn't what I felt from you for the past few days."

"I know," he said looking down at the floor, hands sliding down to hold your wrists, then his long fingers intertwined with yours. If you weren't so angry and upset with him you would've enjoyed the feeling more, letting him hold you properly, maybe even holding him back.

"Talk to me," he placed his forehead on yours and closed his eyes. Having him so close, right there with you, made some of the earlier rage drift away.

"I am," you exhaled, closing your own, breathing in his sweet scent. "What's going on with you, Enishi? You were so close and now you're so far away."

There was something about him being near you that made you forget everything, including why you were mad at him in the first place. One of the moments of bare vulnerability you had once in a blue moon. Until he opened his mouth and ruined the one moment of peace you got together in so long.

"I need him to leave. Before I tear him to shreds."

You pulled away shaking his hold off of you in an instant. So this was the issue. He was so fucking full of himself that it pissed you so much.

"This again?" you asked in disbelief that you were having the exact same conversation in your room a few hours ago, and every day for the past week.

"Yeah, this again. It's been almost four days and I would like to know why the fuck he's still here."

"We're going to the Shanghai Club tomorrow, as a trio, and then he's gone. We can really use the extra help considering he knows the situation as much as you do." You took a step towards him. "Why does it bother you so much?"

Why was he so hellbent on Cho leaving? I don't stomach him either sometimes but I like having him around. Was this still about competing with him?

"Is someone jealous?" you asked with a small grin. That only pushed his buttons further.

"This isn't about me being jealous!" he threw his hands up in annoyance. "Is that what you want to hear so badly?" he took one step towards you. "That I'm jealous?" another rushed and heavy step in your direction. You backed away from him. "What if I am?" he got so close that your next step backwards had the back of your thighs hit the table behind you. "What are you gonna do about it?" He lifted you up on the table and held you in place, hands digging into your side with possession, breathing heavy with lust, eyes ripping into yours with the hunger of a predator.

"I don't think you want to see me jealous, Miyu."

The way he growled your name with a deeper tone than you were used to hearing from him, so far from his calm and collected persona, shook you to the depths of your core. But not in a good way. He was being possessive. Treating you like you were his. Your heart pounded for him, your head reminding you again that you weren't his for him to act like this. That this was not the Enishi you knew. This would either end in hitting the bed in anger and frustration like the night of the casino mission, or in another screaming match. Pacing the scene, it seemed like the latter.

This was an uncoordinated tango of love and hate where you both stepped on each other to see who would come up on top instead of doing it together, dancing to the never-ending music in sync. You would never be in sync with him at this rate. Your rhythms were off in the worst way possible.

"You're right, I don't. But I also don't want to see you lose it like this over someone who doesn't deserve it. For a fucking bet of all things."

"You know about the bet?" he asked, rough tone falling down a notch.

You pushed him away and got off the table heading to the door. You've had enough of his shit. Why was it so hard to just admit to his feelings and tell you what he felt for you was real and not just something in your head? That he wasn't playing with you. That those unsaid things, his touches, his words weren't just foul play. But he wouldn't. He couldn't.

"Unlock the door," you asked nicely, though your hand started trembling on the knob.

"You're not going anywhere. Did he tell you about the bet?" the betrayal in his voice was poignant, stabbing deep.

The bet was about you. What did it matter who you heard it from? Why did it matter what everyone else thought? Why was it so fucking important to blame everything on someone else instead of owning up to it? Why are you being such an asshole about it?

"I don't give a flying fuck about that stupid bet of yours." There were unshed tears threatening to spill out with every passing second and you weren't going to let them out in front of him. He pissed you off beyond prevail and thought he could get away with manhandling you like that all this time. If anything, he wasn't worthy of seeing your tears.

"Enishi, unlock the fucking door," your whole body shook with rage at this point.

It had to stop now - this waging war, the pushing and pulling and throwing each other off a cliff like that was all your relationship consisted of. Maybe Cho was right and a fuck would do you both some good. But what then? After that? You'd just be left with more questions and more shards dug deep in your heart while he would just continue being his stoic, ice cold self.

He hesitated moving to the door until he saw the way you bit your lip and clutched your hand behind your back, trying to hide the tremor. He went too far. Way too far.

"This isn't over," he went to open the door, holding it open for you. He looked at you as if there was going to be more of this in the future.

"I hate you," you muttered, looking him straight in the eyes, before you took off to your room.

Those were the last words he ever wished to hear coming out of your mouth. With each stride you took, getting farther away, each word plunged deeper into his chest like a knife. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt you like that. But he did it. Heartlessly and cold.

Spending half of the night cooped up in bed trying to finish that book, you spent the other working on the outfits for the mission. Well, finishing blondie's and yours... Enishi's had a teeny tiny problem... actually, a very disastrous problem. Catastrophic sounded more like it.

Still enraged with him and wondering where he usually got the audacity from, you got to work on his suit a little too emotional, costing you his pants. You didn't mean for it to happen. You just dove into the material, turning them inside out to put an elastic band through them so they wouldn't fall off his ass but the minute you put the scissors to the lining to undo the hem stitch, it went through to the other side, putting a horizontal hole big enough for two fingers to go through.

You held the hole to eye level, eye twitching at the chaos that one simple hole made. Not giving into despair yet, you tried to sew it back together, which worked. Up until you dug the needle too hard making yet another hole. With a groan you threw them to the floor, banging your head against the work table a few times.

I can't let him go out with a hole the size of Antarctica in his pants. Bang. But I don't have pants of the same color either and even if I did they won't match the material of the vest and the blazer. Bang. I am such an idiot. Bang. Dear god send help.

Sad, shameful and more rage-filled, you looked around the mess in your room. No amount of cleaning could keep it together, just like your head for that matter. Groaning, you got up and went to pick up the scattered pieces of fabric with dread. What the fuck do I do now? Do I give him blondie's suit and make him wear something else? That would've been a great idea if there wasn't such a big difference in their heights.

As you reached the vanity table, a roll of what looked like fabric fell down, rolling open on the floor until it unfurled completely all over the carpet. Heavy indigo satin. Crouching down beside it, your fingers padded over the nearest corner, feeling the material. It was sturdy, soft, shimmering different shades of blue either way you turned it. Where have you been hiding all this time?

Gaping back at the ruined pair of black tailored pants still on the floor in a heap, you wondered if you could replicate the seam work on this one enough to make them somewhat wearable. It would be tricky considering it's light seam work on heavy material but it was doable. But that also meant copying the whole pattern of the suit, vest and blazer included. Three entirely different pieces, all worked from nothing with less than a day left till the meeting. Starting from zero...it could work or fail big time. You picked up the material and freed up another mannequin, placing the now unusable suit on another one next to it, getting your needle cushion ready for battle.

The things I do for you, mophead. Raise the paycheck, will you?

You woke up early for once, was what you would say if you did sleep. Busy fighting with fabrics and threads all night, you did fall asleep at one point but on the floor, huddled in a pile of material instead of the blankets. Waking up to the soft sound of meowing, you found Koru next to you, cuddled in a ball under the satin roll. Her head raised to meet you before it fell back on her paws.

"Hello, little friend," you cooed petting her fur.

Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you sat up looking around, finding the room still drenched in darkness, the only source of light being the lamp near the work table. The sun wasn't up yet and sleep wouldn't catch you even if you tried anyway.

Grabbing a blanket and your boots, you huddled up and padded the halls silently, going outside in the garden, sitting in one of the frozen wooden chairs. The wind blew harshly on your face, whirling through your hair with a chill you could feel deep down in your bones. Snow was past its due time, its smell hanging in the crisp air, but there was no sign of it yet besides this cold wall of weather and gray clouds that just refused to leave. Just the kind of mood reflected in the mansion lately.

Throwing your head backwards with a sigh, you closed your eyes. Your chest felt heavy. The clothes on you felt heavy. The very water you chugged down moments ago in the kitchen seemed heavy, stuck in your throat, unable to trickle down inside. Something about the upcoming mission made you uneasy. More uneasy than you've ever felt, beaten down by what ifs.

What if this was another ghost track that would lead nowhere? What if this time someone got badly hurt? What if everything was in vain? What if -

"You're up early, madame," said a voice from your right, putting a stop to your rapidly firing train of thoughts.

You opened your eyes to see who sat down beside you - Wu, dressed in layers warmer than the ones of your blanket covers. The old man gave you a court nod and you smiled at him, happy to see a different face for a change.

"I could say the same about you."

"It is my duty to be up early."

"Oh, that's right," you chuckled, eyes falling back to the ground.

Another gust blew as the silence fell comfortingly between you. You drew in a breath letting it out in a steam cloud, watching as it dissipated in the air before another one took its place.

"Is there something on your mind, madame?"

"I wonder what isn't on my mind."

The old man smiled sympathetically at you, as if he happened to know just how chaotic your mind was right now just by looking at the way you were aimlessly drawing patterns in the ground with the heel of your boots.

"I take it master is giving you a hard time?"

"If anything he's about thirty percent of what's giving me a hard time." Wu gave you a knowing look, convinced that there was more to that confession. "Okay, maybe more than that."

"I'm not going to throw water at the parched ground and say he had it hard because something tells me you already know that," he started. You shifted in your seat, looking forward to have a second opinion from someone who's been around these parts longer than you have, nodding for him to continue.

"What I can say is that he doesn't always mean what he says. He's normally calculated in all he does, thinking it through over and over, but there are times where his sense of righteousness takes a stand without him wanting it to, hurting the very people he wants to protect."

"It still doesn't make it any less than what it is," you shook your head returning your eyes back to the ground.

"And what is that, madame?"

"That he hurt me," you whirled around to him quicker than you wanted to, thing at which the man could only grin. "Wow, that came out easier than I thought it would."

His smile grew wider and turned knowing with more wise advice to give.

"We often bottle up how we feel inside and add to it as time goes on. It's not easy to be straightforward with your honest feelings but it's often what can save you."

He was right. Though it didn't justify the consistent lack of understanding, it did explain the conflict going on inside his head. Because it was the same one going on in yours.

"Thank you, Wu."

"That's quite alright, madame."

Offering him a tight-lipped smile, you patted his arm in gratitude. He was like a paternal figure you missed having around. He often popped his head in your door to check how you were doing, you went to the market for food together, or always plotted behind Enishi's back with something. In a way, you were glad he had someone looking out for him all these years, guarding his back in the impenetrable fortress he built around himself.

"I'm heading down to the market," he announced, standing up from beside you. "Do you need anything, madame?"

"Yes, I do in fact," you nodded, trying to piece together a mental list of everything you needed, not just food wise, but material wise. "Actually, I'll just come with you."

You ran to the market with Wu, splitting up between buying food and getting the boys new shirts since you couldn't alter the ones they had no matter how hard you tried. The material was too prone to damage so you just left them alone, noting down their measurements on a piece of paper that you were currently passing to the lady in the shop at the end of the village, where you bought Cho's suit. Luckily, she still had a few models up to size.

Paying her, you took the bag with the shirts from her hold with a thank you and rushed down to the market to help Wu with the rest of the shopping. The sun was barely rising when you got back, going straight into the kitchen to make some food for everyone. Wu stayed to help you, laying out the table and foiling up some of the food for later too.

The rest of the day went by in a frenzy, running between the kitchen and the sink filled with dishes to the brim like you cooked for a wedding, feeding Koru and finishing up the last details on your dress, too busy to sit and think about another growing pit of unease in your gut.

Afternoon rolled around quick, finding you running about to call the boys over for the final touches on their suits. Knocking on Enishi's door, you found him freshly showered just as he walked out of the bathroom. Relaying the info from the doorframe without sparring him another look, you headed for the blonde's room. From the sound of it, he was still in the shower, taking his sweet time. You banged on his door hard getting sworn at.

"Be in my room in ten minutes or we're leaving without you," you yelled, hoping the urgency of your voice carried over the running water.

"Okay, mom," he yelled back, charming as always.

"Your mom would whoop your ass," you mumbled.

You got back to your room, pulling out their outfits and smoothing out the shirts, looking for any neglected lumps or thread that wasn't where it needed to be. It wasn't long before they walked in, throwing open both doors as they regarded each other coldly. Turning around at the sound, you nearly got a heart attack at seeing both of them only with a towel around their waists, hair still wet, droplets of water running freely down two different but very appetizing packs of abs. Miyu, focus. Choosing to move rather than speak for fear your voice might betray you, you motioned them to the middle of the room, handing them the suits.

Cho pulled out his, marveling at the little extra details you added. On top of adjusting the olive suit to a more fitted form, you added golden cuffs matching the buckles on his boots. Turning it over he saw a pair of stitches in the same golden color under the cuffs on each side instantly recognizing what they were - small twin katanas crossing each other, one of his signature moves.

You sat back watching his face light up with a smile of adoration, sending back a smile of your own. Turning to the other, you saw the look of confusion on his face at the suit shimmering a different shade of blue depending on the intensity of the sunrays bathing the room in warmth.

"I had a few... issues with the other one," you clarified, scratching the back of your neck nervous at what he thought of it.

He said nothing, inspecting the fabric attentively, rushing to the cuffs to be met with glinting silver. Turning it over, he let a small, barely there smile twitch the corners of his lips upwards, more to himself but you caught it. He ran his thumb over his own stitches - a small silver ball on each side, resembling his earring.

They might have been annoying, rash, infuriating even most of the time, but they were both your boys. You wouldn't have it any other way. They were the only ones you could count on to go to battle with. And that was your own silent promise of protection to them.

You waited until they dressed up, going around them for the last adjustments, one at a time. You started with the blonde, fixing the cinch on the waistline of his pants so the shirt didn't look too lumpy or too tucked in. Taking the vest, you helped him wear it, buttoning it from the bottom to the last one on top.

Too engrossed in finishing up, you came up to see him smiling down at you, flashing you a flirty wink, fully aware that you had an audience. You giggled back, thankful for the good vibes coming from at least one person in the room. Motioning him to the vanity, you worked through the tangles in his hair getting it to look more like hair than a bird's nest. You threw his old mess of a bandana and made him another one from scraps, setting it around his head. All that was missing was his full length dark brown coat and he was runway ready.

Done and dusted with the blonde, you sent him away to take Enishi's place on your bed, calling him over. He was surprisingly already dressed up, except for the vest and the jacket. If the weather wasn't as cold, you'd have him go out only in that shirt and the pants currently glowing azure like the sea. The top fit him perfectly, not too tight or too large, just spot on, hitting all the requirements in comfyness, movement and charm.

That shirt looked like an expensive piece of art on him, so flattering on his bulky form, the tousled edges and ivory shade taking it close to sculpture material. He didn't just make art, he was art. Though quite an impatient one at that.

He fought with the buttons on the sleeves of his shirt, trying to close them only to have the little fuckers fall between the pads of his fingers, getting lost in the entirety of his big hand. Coming to a stop in front of him, you smacked his hand away and pulled the sleeve in your grasp, closing the studs easily on first try. You patted down the sleeves from the shoulder down, smoothing out the shirt to its full length and beauty since you didn't have the luxury to iron it.

You helped him into the vest and the jacket, buttoning them up for him just like you did for the blonde. He watched you closely, gaze so focused on your face making it almost impossible to focus. Too intense for the slight shake of your fingers, that look made a finger slip off the jacket button you were trying to close, ripping it off the material and in two.

Hell to the no. With a gasp, you picked it up from the floor trying to figure out how it cracked. Putting the two halves next to each other, it was barely there but it was bright as day - the start of a crack right at the top of the button, slicing through the needle holes.

Why did I not notice it before? I swear I worked on his suit so much, checking everything again and again and it wasn't there before.

Sensing a meltdown he would rather not be part of, Cho stepped out of the room, taking the good vibes out with him.

"You've got to be joking," you let out, running a frustrated hand through your hair.

There wasn't time for this. You still had to squeeze in a shower and fixing yourself up and checking the last bits of your dress, since no one can do all of that for you. A faulty, on the face mishap on your first ever creation top to bottom pausing it all.

He saw you rub the outline of the broken pieces of the button with regret, teeth chewing down on your lip with a pout.

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. Just... just stay here."

Running to the work table, you pulled open all cabinets and drawers looking for a blue button matching the rest on the suit. You found one, though in a different shade of blue that stood out from the others. You couldn't run back out to the market for another one right now. It would have to do.

Taking a needle and some leftover thread, you went back to him and started sewing the button in place of the one that lay in pieces on the table. Just like your nerves, but those were on the cold floor, long in pieces.

Your hands shook, rushing to get it done so you could go and wash up and get ready. But that thread simply refused to go through the needle, dodging every attempt at taking it through the ear, adding to the stress gripping you in waves again. Just get the fuck inside the damn ear, you begged the thread that continued declining your pleas.

Stopping, you laid your head on his chest, looking down at the floor. Your heart was beating fast in your chest again, tremor in your hands threatening to reach the rest of your body. If you didn't calm down now you risked another panic session and there wasn't time for it.

He didn't move, letting you sit there, speaking up deep and collected.

"Breathe."

A simple word that calmed you down instantly like a tranquilizer. You took a deep breath in, letting it out with some of the worry you were feeling, invisible heavy weight falling off your shoulders.

"Try again."

You tried again, this time getting the thread through the needle successfully. The new button was attached in place of the broken one in no time, going to size up the rest of his outfit.

Relatively pleased with the front, you gestured him to turn around and he complied, so you could fix the twisted collar. Getting on your tip toes, you rolled it over properly, patting down the material around his nape. Your hand trailed down from it to lay in the middle of his back, sitting flat. Something told you to keep it there, feeling the beat of his heart for as long as you could. If only we weren't involved in this mess. With another sigh, you let go, stepping away from him.

Grabbing your dress, a towel and everything else you needed, you left for his room to have one of the fastest showers in history. You washed up quickly, rubbing away the stench of kitchen from your hair and your body, replacing it with the first shampoo mix you could find. Once freshened-up, you wrapped your hair in a towel, moving to fix your eyebrows and pluck any other hairs that sat cozy where they shouldn't be. You then dabbed some powder on your cheeks to give them more color, followed by some lip balm on your lips that you found at the market on a good bargain.

Walking out of the bathroom, you took the dress off the hanger and shimmied into it carefully not to rip a seam or make more damage. Fixing it on your body, you walked to the mirror in the corner taking it in.

You ended up working with the ruby velvet rolls for the entire dress. The bodice was a sweetheart corset hugging the shape of your chest and breasts, worked in with a double inner layer for better strength. You didn't go too far on the corset boning, using only a few overlaying stripes of material and steel straws you took from another corset. Falling down your torso smoothly it stopped at your hips, coming down in a V shape, letting the rest of the skirt material fall from your lower waist down to the ground. A slit ran on the side all the way to your upper thigh, allowing for movement in case things happened. They always happened. You also made sleeves, starting from the overturned neckline, hugging part of your collar bones and your shoulders, falling down to your wrists to keep you warm. You couldn't leave it alone and added some small details to yours too - small vines of roses in a deeper red went down the stitch of the sleeves, the back sides of the corset and the seam line of the train falling to the floor behind you. I can't believe it's real. I made it. I made it mom. I wish you could see it.

The only problem you had was that you needed help lacing the corset, too far on the back to reach on your own. You tried pulling the strips but it only bent your wrists painfully, getting nowhere. As if on cue, the owner of the room entered, stopping in his tracks as he took you in from head to toe. You clocked him through the mirror, fully staring with his mouth agape, eyes jumping around at all the details on the dress, blood rushing to your cheeks making them redder than the blush you applied.

Snap out of it. You're still mad at him.

He walked to you, closing the distance in a few slow strides, placing a plate of some finger foods you made with Wu on the table beside the mirror.

"Did you eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

Your stomach grumbled ratting you out. Okay, maybe you were hungry, starving sounded more like it, and you would've eaten if you didn't have so many things to do.

"Eat something. I'll lace up your thing."

"I've got it-" you started, spinning to walk off only for two arms to hold you firmly in front of the mirror.

"Just let me do it," he said softly, looking at you through the mirror.

A huff later, you grabbed onto a fried meatball and some bread popping them in your mouth. His fingers moved your hair over your shoulder, slightly brushing the exposed skin down your nape and between your shoulders. You gulped at the minor touch, raising tingles on your skin. He picked up the dangling strings of your corset, lacing it up as you held onto the front with the hand that wasn't busy holding food.

Nostalgia washed over you, taking you back to the night of the casino mission, when he came over to your room just as you were looking for help to lace up your corset. He rolled the strings around his fingers the same nimble way he did back then, pulling the bodice tighter around you. You gulped down the rest of the food with air pockets, almost chocking at how close he was. So close you could feel his breath hit the back of your right shoulder.

Since you went double the cover and durability on the top, it didn't need to be too tight. Fully laced up to the last golden eyelets at the back just above your hips, he made a bow knot drawing his bottom lip between his teeth in concentration. Pulling the two round loops to an equal width he let go off the ends, smoothing them to the velvet on the side. He caught your mother's necklace laying on the table. Picking it up he placed it around your neck, in its rightful place, placing your hair back over your shoulders.

Now that you were dolled up and laced up, the outfit looked even better on you. But something still bugged you. The dress sat a little too low, pressing the jewels on your chest together too hard. You went to pull it a little higher forgetting you had food on your hands so you turned around to him.

"Can you-," you blushed looking down at the floor in shame. You've been butt naked in front of him before but this was different. "Forget it," you mumbled.

He hated this. The fact that you couldn't talk to him and refused his help. But one look at your middle and the way your arms crossed over it and he saw why you were uncomfortable. Before you could run away again, he stepped closer and his fingers dug around the upper part of the corset at the back, pulling it higher so it sat better on your chest, giving your babies room to breathe and not get squished. The warmth radiating off his fingers was so welcomed on your cool skin. You had to stop a whine when they left your skin, snapping the velvet back in place.

"We'll be out front when you're ready," he said, letting his eyes fall over you one more time to take you in like it was the last time he would see you, then he left.

"So, the plan is go inside, talk to the guy to get the info, guard your ass and get back to the safety of my bed," said Cho, reiterating a version of the plan you went over in the carriage, that was more fit for his tastes.

"Yeah, basically," you replied.

Stationed a few buildings in front of the club, out of sight of the guards patrolling around, you scouted the place having not been in this part of the city before. It wasn't as heavily guarded as you thought it would be, but there was no telling how many people were inside. Scouting would've been easier if it wasn't so damn cold. The velvet and the coat kept you warm more or less, but your face was getting stabbed by the chilly night air. You sniffed to keep the liquid in your nose inside, eyes tearing up from the cold wind cutting mercilessly through every layer.

Too busy trying to gauge out the number of armed men around the place, you didn't notice Enishi approaching until he was standing directly in front of you. His hand lifted to your face, thumb swiping over your cheek bone tenderly. You were confused until you felt the warm droplets cloud your vision slightly before more of them fell. A few tears managed to roll out down your cheek. The stoic look that he gave you for the last few days was still there, just slightly contorted to a softer gaze.

"Why are you crying?"

At the sound of his stern voice you slapped his hand away. Soft eyes like a deer, voice sharp like a razor.

"I'm not crying, it's just too fucking cold to exist at the moment," you offered him a tight-lipped smile, telling him to fuck off kindly.

"She's right," piped up Cho, shaking beside you even though he had four layers on. "I feel icicles growing in my nostrils. Wanna see?"

"Ew, that's gross," you pushed him away from you before you saw something that would haunt you for a lifetime.

"Let's go in."

Enishi lead the way and you followed with Cho close behind, stopping in front of the guards. While Enishi made quick talk with the guards, one of the them on the side wiping the barrel of his gun with a cloth looked at you suspiciously. Like he knew you from somewhere. You smiled nervously trying to get the tremors in your spine to dissipate. He threw you a weird look before he got back to his gun. You let out a breath of relief when Enishi signalled you to follow him inside.

The long entry corridor was so dimly lit, stretching into a balcony overlooking an even darker area. Red and gold was everywhere. Burgundy satin veils dropped from the ceiling. The chandeliers glinted white gold with so many crystals layered on different levels that it would take you years to count them all on just one. Gold was all over the floor with glittery specks sparkling even in the dark. A big row of tables was scattered in the middle, all of them occupied, including the seats on the big bar at the side. Even the shelving holding the bottles was crystal-like, glowing. They didn't really need any lighting in here, the décor did it all by itself.

Cho offered you a hand before Enishi could, and you took it, descending down the rest of the steps. Walking around the tables, all eyes moved to you at once, some of the loud chatter ceasing to a halt. Some stared at your attire, disgustingly winking or sneering your way. Others quickly scanned you in dismissal to see if you're a threat or just a mere mortal walking around gods of the underworld, way more engrossed in the discussions they were having than to regard you. You assumed those were conversations one was better off not knowing about if they truly treasured life and all its beauties.

Suddenly, Enishi stopped. You halted in your steps too and before you could question it he turned to you, searching around for any potential intruders to your conversation. He leaned closer to you, looking for privacy from even the blonde behind you.

"Let me do the talking," he said, deep dark eyes focusing on you with authority. The kind of authority you didn't like. You opened your mouth to complain until he continued. "If they find out who you are, we might not get out of here alive. So, please, just let me take care of it this time."

This wasn't a warning for you to behave yourself. This was a warning that you were in the middle of a temporary ceasefire and shit could go sideways so fast if you weren't careful. There would be nothing any of you could do to stop it. Not even firing a bullet or breaking a neck. You had to keep a low profile if you wanted both the information and getting out of here the same way you walked in - unharmed.

With a scoff that you hoped didn't go unnoticed, you motioned for him to go on. He threw you another look in seer warning and to your disappointment, he turned back before you could tell him to shove it somewhere the sun doesn't shine. Frankly, you could defend yourself from anything after all the training he put you through. There was a part of you that just wanted to take matters into your own hands, get the info, put some holes through a few of these murderers that the world would be better off without anyways. But the other part, the one that was uneasy and worked overtime to tell you everything was going to go wrong all day, agreed with him. So you just followed behind, keeping your wits to yourself.

Advancing through the field of vipers, you arrived at the far back of the open crowd of tables, drenched into a darker black, the earlier gold at the entrance disappearing into thin shapes on the floor, falling almost invisible if you didn't squint. A deep velvety curtain separated you and finding out more about your parents whereabouts. The same curtain kept behind the sea of monsters that could rip all three of you apart without a sweat. You turned to Cho, catching his Adam's apple bob up and down in a quiet gulp. Even the freak in him that always looked for a fight was scared shitless.

Facing the curtain once more, you took in a shaky breath with eyes shut tight to calm the storm in your heart a little. This was it. If it wasn't... it was over. You'd stop searching. You would get on with your life and start anew somewhere else where no one knew you. You would get to finally live. With an empty, withered, aching heart for the people you grew fond of in such a short time and the ones who have been lost for even longer. Always grieving something that was never found. Always mourning what you found and couldn't keep. Never at peace. But living.

A hand circled around yours, squeezing tight in what could only be reassurance. You knew that squeeze well enough by now. There was no need to second-guess it. Because when you opened your eyes and followed it to the wide, determined pair of shoulders in front of you, you found the man that stood tall beside you all this time. The only person that has been your rock and did everything in his power to help you, even if his first step to you was deceiving. Even if most of what you built together was a lie, it was the sweetest one you've ever felt. The only one who awakened your soul to the brink of both life and death.

The man your heart will always long for.

The curtain was roughly drawn open by a burly guard, rattling to the side of the frame. The hand holding yours fell abruptly, the side of his face hardening as he forged ahead into the fire. Smoke hung in the air, the smell of opium pungent and raw, binding to every breath you took. If you could get a penny for every illegality you've laid eyes on since you entered the place, you would be filthy rich by the time you took three strides in any direction. Because these people made money in one breath, while others laid their lives on the line to die.

This room was larger than the outdoor reception, going around in a spiral on three different levels with red booths and tables lined up on each side. From the immense height of the place this was more of an inner hall, awfully resembling a theatre, definitely used for more private endeavours. Another staircase led down into the middle where a big group of guards and possible triad members played an intense game of blackjack. Supporters on both sides cheered so loud it could make your ears bleed if the volume raised up the slightest decibel. Some hands punched the air in defeat, others laid on the holsters of their guns and sword hilts ready to slice whatever they found inconvenient.

There was one thing they all had in common - sullen eyes, dull of everything but the want for blood. You haven't seen something like this since your time in the fight club and it made shivers go down your spine, spiking some adrenaline into your blood.

Thankfully, Enishi didn't descend down there, but took a right after the guard, leading you through the tables on the right to a set of stairs going up in a marble spiral. You couldn't even see the end of it. You followed the guard in eerie silence that was soon replaced by the ambient sound of violin strings. Thinking you were imagining things from the lack of sleep, you shook your head, but once you stepped on the second level of the hall, the music filtered through your ears.

The tune was almost too hypnotizing not to make you sway a little, like a cobra putting her victims in a trance before it devoured them limb by limb. Though the player was no cobra.

Walking further inside, your eyes went straight to the source of the sound, down in the middle of the pit of dire crime where even more people were dealing their demise in drugs and guns. There, a woman dressed in one of the finest yellow silks you've ever seen, held the instrument close, strumming it skillfully with her eyes closed. Her long luscious black hair, stopping shy of her lower back, moved in sync with the bow on the strings. She was deep into the melody reaching a building crescendo that kept you so focused you couldn't take your eyes off her.

The rising vibrato drove loud around the hall, straining with more tense and rough movements on the violin's body, rushing to reach the climax of the melody. The spike in rhythm made your own heart skip a beat, reaching an auditory high not even the strongest drugs could give you. She carried it all the way through to the last string where the song drew to a stable cadence, slowly drowning out with the fines of piece. And she opened her eyes.

She might've looked like the personification of life itself whilst she played, charging the air with her intense aura, but her jet black eyes told a different story. They were completely hollow, devoid of any of the feelings she instilled in you with the violin mere moments ago. She moved so gracefully even just to simply place her violin down. But she seemed so lost, somewhere inside her mind with no way to get out. Stuck inside this burning world she probably never wanted to be a part of. Just like you. Though you were on the other side of it all, where you still had a choice in your actions.

On your way to circle around the open arch, you passed by her and her eyes met yours briefly. You mustered a small smile her way, appreciative of her strength. She didn't smile, possibly aware of the repercussions if she so much as regarded you. But her eyes turned from those big, sullen orbs to the smallest, barely there crescents, squeezing in acknowledgment.

None of you wanted to be there tonight. Hopefully, you would both make it out for the better.

Cho being, well, his charming self, passed her one of his flirtatious smiles at which she didn't respond with anything other than ignorance, turning back to the bar behind her. Damn, rejected at first sight.

Following through to one table right in the middle of the arch, your eyes stayed fixed on the ring downstairs taking in the rest of your surroundings, looking for any sign you needed to pull your pistols out.

Enishi stopped and passed a court nod of greeting to the man sat down on the other side. He pulled out a chair for you, then sat down at your left. Moving your eyes to the man, you scanned him with suspiciousness. He looked like your average national secrets keeper, roughly middle aged with a small face graced by dark eye bags, high cheekbones and the beginning of an unkept moustache lining above his lips that kind of complemented the sneer he greeted you with.

The black wool jacket he wore over a neatly tucked-in shirt told you he bought his way out of life-threatening situations enough times to build a fortune. No commoner walked around like that. That and the fact that he looked way too confident for someone that was hunted by half the country for being in the know.

Shifting in your seat, you kept to your corner while Enishi made small talk with him. They talked about the state of current politics, the development of the inner and outer trade, touched on the business part, all of those really boring things to focus your attention on. The white wine you were served a while ago still swerved in your glass, captivating you much more than the conversation. Until your family name was mentioned and your attention was back on track.

"I heard you had information about the whereabouts of the Hikari's?" asked Enishi, diving straight to the point since he was clearly annoyed by the man's endless babbling.

"I do in fact," said the man with a tilted corner of his mouth. He laced his hands together and leaned forward on the table, eyes scouring his surroundings in security. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

What he asked for?, you lifted an eyebrow in confusion. I mean, there was no way he would've agreed to this if he wasn't going to get something out of it.

While you tried to figure out what that something could be, Enishi put a hand inside the pocket in his jacket pulling out a piece of paper, laying it out in the middle of the table, open wide for anyone to take a peep at it. A travel pass. Marked with official government seals for both in and out of the country, over an indefinite period, under a false name. His golden ticket out of hell.

The fucker put on a million dollar smile extending a hand to take it when Enishi's own hand laid on top of it at the speed of light, fingers stretching to cover the whole thing. His lips turned into a spine-chilling smirk directed at the man on the other side.

"Tell me where they are and you're a free man."

"One of them in exchange for the paper."

ONE?! I THINK THE FUCK NOT.

There was no way he was negotiating the lives of two people for a nicely written piece of paper with a gold insignia on it. This was fucking ridiculous.

Enishi voiced out your very thoughts, though more composed and in order than you would be able to at the moment because this rat was genuinely getting on your nerves. The more you looked at his smug smirk, the more your fingers twitched really violently under the table towards your pistols.

"The deal was for both of them."

"Yeah, well, things change."

You've got to be shitting me. Things change? The weather changes. My mood changes. It became really murderous right now, you know.

One look at Enishi and he was fuming way more than you were. His tongue pushed the inside of his cheek impatiently, hands fisting the material of the pants and his knee jerked up and down in a nervous tick. Knowing him, this was bad. Really bad.

Keeping your eyes ahead, you reached out to your left where your hand found his, enveloping it around his fist and giving it a good squeeze. You watched his eyes blink repeatedly, body relaxing instantly under your touch. He opened his fist, letting go of the fabric, and turned his own hand upwards giving you a tighter squeeze in response. All is okay, it said.

He knew the brute was trying to pour enough gasoline over you until a spark flew and lit the whole room on fire. But he wasn't going to give him the luxury of an easy way out.

Rolling his shoulder back and leaning over the table, he fixed the man with that one icy glare that meant instant death for him if he answered his question wrong in the slightest.

"It's quite a big bargain, considering two lives in exchange for one and a piece of paper, don't you think?"

Enishi let every word paint with malice, making the threat loud and clear that he wasn't going anywhere without relaying the information you came for. At least not in one whole piece of meat. He sat back in his chair, disappointment bright as day on his face, clearly rethinking his escape route. Seen as he couldn't come to an understanding with the man next to you, his gaze came to you, eyebrows drawn in bold challenge as he took you in for an easy target.

Keep your cool, Miyu. Don't lose it. Stay quiet.

His eyes walked all over your face, spending a little too much time on your red lips for his own good.

Keep calm.

Then they moved down your neck, bathing in the grace of your exposed collar bones, slowly diving down to your humble but really open cleavage.

Don't be rash.

The corner of his lips turned up into a grin, slowly growing into a toothy smile you wanted to bash in until all that shone was blood. Maybe tearing his mouth off his face and feeding it to a pack of dogs on the street would be good riddance too so no one would have to deal with him again.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Not from the places you probably frequent," you shot back curtly.

Well, too late to back out now.

"And which do you think those might be?" he asked, his attention solely on you now, his new object of entertainment.

You could feel Enishi tensing again beside you, his sharp glare digging into the side of your skull willing you to not say one more word. Cho tensed behind you too. But you being you, letting your conscience hit the ignore button, leaned forward and continued, voice dripping with charm and sweetness. The very thing this bloke's kind loved to death.

"Oh, I wouldn't know," you replied with a small giggle, laying your chin on top of your entwined hands. "But if I were to take a guess, it would be somewhere illegal, with a lot of guns and enough money to shove in the panties of naked women," you counted on your fingers each thing, getting more disgusted with each excited nod of his at your words.

The man stood quiet for a moment, the suspense of the repercussions following your small but meaningful conversation really killing the vibe. By vibe, you meant the patience of your chaperones that would face palm right now if they could.

Before anything unexpected happened, the older man threw his head back making a really heinous sound that resembled a laugh. Letting a half-smile on your lips, you turned to Enishi with a Why the fuck is he laughing? look at which he was just as puzzled, then turned back to the oddity in front of you that didn't belong to the human species in any way.

"I like this one," he howled, clearly finding you amusing.

"That's too bad," Enishi let out under a breath.

"And why is that?" he asked, not taking his curious eyes off of you at all, trying to intimidate you.

You were about to deliver another piece of your mind when Enishi went on, stating your status crystal clear.

"She's not on the market," he growled, the possessiveness in his tone unmissable for anyone around the table. That made the creepy stare finally leave you, replaced by the dark one of your gray-haired man.

"That's a shame," said the man, leaning back in his chair. "She would've been a great add-on to the deal."

"No more negotiations. You either take what we already offered or we're leaving."

The smug grin on his face turned into a scowl. You had the upper hand here, not him. He could try and turn it up and down and sideways, but he either took his freedom at the cost of spilling the information or being a dead man. More dead than the world already wanted him to be.

The static silence was all of a sudden filled by enthusiastic yells from below, belonging to the group playing cards two levels down. That veered you away from the fact that the man's eyes fixed on you with a different meaning this time. He took in your necklace again then your hair and your eyes and spoke before you could even catch it.

"I do know you," he started, amusement morphing into a knowing look.

Yeah, right.

"If you're going to say something like 'you're the girl of my dreams' I'm gonna have to stop you right there-"

"You're that troublesome Hikari swine that I've been trying to hunt down for the Triads all this time," he chuckled darkly.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

This wasn't supposed to happen. There's no way he was telling the truth. He must be bluffing to get the paper. There's no way anyone here knew you. Then it dawned on you. The guard at the main entrance cleaning his gun. The men at the reception. The very lizard who called you to negotiate his freedom. This was a trap. Enishi had a mole in his mafia. You were fucked.

"Say a word to anyone and your head will fly off your shoulders before you take a breath to scream for help," grunted the man beside you.

The chill running down your spine wasn't comforted at all by that threat. The nerves in your stomach weren't settled by it either. This was bad. So, so, so, so catastrophically bad.

It wasn't even your fault because the guy made it clear he knew you. He had information on you. He knew who you were. He knew you were looking for your parents.

Your gut was right again. The whole night went wrong. Your parents' safety was compromised, same with the safety of the three of you.

"I don't have to say a thing," he chuckled darkly. "This was the plan all along."

One lift of his index finger had every conversation and extra sound around you ceasing immediately. Guns cocked and swords unsheathed from every side of the level, pointing straight at you. Even the poker game downstairs stopped, followed by confused grunts at why the game stopped.

This meeting was indeed a trap. A possibility that none of you even considered in the slightest. You walked straight into the fire and you didn't even feel the very embers of hell burning under your feet. Nothing could even warn you of this. Not even your gut.

A quick glance around told you there were about twenty of them. Just on your level. You didn't know about the other ones and you had to count the pack at the poker table, the other people in the main room, the reception and the guards from outside. At most you'd get through half of them and meet your death in this stinky crime club. Or apply for a seasonal membership. Maybe that would chill the waters a little. Or money. Enishi had a lot of that. He would surely spare a few bags for charity-

"So you don't know where they are. Good. That settles it," concluded Enishi rather flatly, grabbing your full attention as you whirled in your seat to gape at him.

Settles what? My foot through your face once we get out of here? Probably as corpses but still.

"No, that doesn't settle it-" you were cut off by the whoosh of a knife flying from beside you.

It was too fast to catch who launched it, though when you traced the location of the sound, you saw Enishi's hand wide open, fingers flexing in the opposite direction. Your eyes trailed there spotting two silver knives, not bigger than three inches, lodged right between the scowling man's eyes, blood trickling down the side of his nose and onto the white sheet on the table, drenching it crimson.

Good luck getting that spot out, was your first thought. There went my only shot at finding my parents, was your second. Your third was swimming somewhere in the sea of contemplation when several voices shouted your name together with a rough hand yanking your arm to the left.

"GET DOWN!"

Before you could register anything, Enishi pulled you off the chair behind the table he threw over in a haste. Your instincts took a while to come around but once they kicked in your guns were up and taking aim, shooting over the safety of the table edge.

Enishi covered you from the side, sending smaller knives along the the lining of the middle level, launching them so hard they dug deep into anyone who even thought of aiming their gun at you.

Cho guarded your back, swords already unsheathed from the inner holds of his coat, cutting into the bullets flying at you. Thank god Enishi sharpened the blades before you left otherwise he wouldn't have been able to cut anything, not even a piece of cake.

You took out quite a few of the men rushing in from the front, taking cover behind the still upright body of the man who screwed you over. At least he proved useful for once in his probably completely miserable life. You shot one on the right, hid behind him, then shot on the left. But the safety block around you, ensuring your cover, dispersed way too quickly.

Cho dove into the crowd further behind you, trying to keep guards from the lower and upper levels from flooding inside. Enishi advanced ahead with your bullets, taking on the ones still on your level, now sporting swords since their guns ran out.

Who even expected this to turn into shooting practice? Because unfortunately you ran out too of bullets too. Placing your pistols back in their straps on your thighs, you fixed your dress and blew a breath.

Time to crack some skulls.

You stretched your arms, unaware of the incoming tackle coming from behind you. Two arms, smaller and thinner than yours, wrapped around your middle, the impact of the collision throwing you to the floor. You crashed over on your back as the person's hands dove right to your neck to strangle you, pinning your body down to the ground with theirs. Yellow silk flew in your vision immediately recognizing who it belonged to - the violinist.

She pushed down on your neck, unskilled and leaving way too much room for you to move. Since she was weaker than you, it was easy to turn the boat over by throwing her to the side in one swift kick of your leg. She flew off of you, crashing into the side of a booth. You coughed up for air since she got a pretty good hold of your neck. That horrible white wine climbed up your neck and you shoved it down deep. So not the time stomach. Come on. You handle shittier alcohol better than this.

You got back up from the floor just as she did, running at you with pieces from a broken glass. Her hand flailed about trying to graze you as you avoided her faster than she could move. One swing of the sharp glass had you bend backwards over the marble railing, nearly slipping and falling to your doom. Having had enough of her antics, you kicked the glass out of her hand and grabbed a hold of her wrist, spinning her to land face down on the side of the bar. She elbowed you hard and threw another piece of glass at you that did cut your shoulder enough for your hold on her to slip.

That's it, fuck girl code.

You grabbed a fistful of her long hair, wrapping it around your palm until you had a good hold on it and shoved her against the wooden surface multiple times and dragged her all the way to the end of it until she slid down to the ground. She still got up on wobbly legs, red dripping from her broken cheekbone staining the nice sunny yellow color of her dress. Letting out a growl like a wild cat, she launched herself at you again, grabbing onto your necklace from behind trying to choke you with it. You spotted a nearby gin bottle on a vacated table and grabbed it, smacking it down hard on her head, knocking her out unconscious. She finally let go of you, landing splat on the floor.

Why do all my attempts at making friends turn into befriending backstabbers?

Now that you were free and ready for some actual fighting, you noticed the level was empty. You ran to the stairs and got down to the first floor, spotting Enishi busy slashing people into shish-kebabs.

I should help around.

It wasn't long before you took notice of your next victims. Drawing backwards to the wall, you ran to the marble ledge of the circle at full speed, jumping over it to land right in the middle of the poker table, coins and cards rattling off the table at the impact. Lifting your gaze, you just so happened to make eye contact with the very people that made your last casino visit a tremendous pleasure.

"You," snarled the big man as he threw his hands on the table, staring you down like you killed his entire clan or something.

"Did you guys know you suck at poker?" you smiled at him and his two men, showing your teeth on purpose to piss him off. "You owe me money, sweetcheeks."

That remark was enough for him to slash his sword over the table. You jumped over it rushing forwards to kick him right under his chin. That sent him backwards in a daze struggling to keep upright. The tip of your boot scrapped his nose good, blood dripping down the side of it.

While he got his bearings around, you took on his men, fighting both of them at once. They were weaponless, trying to use the sheer force of their grip to reach for you but you were faster than them. On grabbed your arm and the other your leg and you served them exactly what you served your idiots the other day - a spin with a kick straight to the jaw and a fist right in the chest. They stumbled backwards then came at you again. One sent a fist and the other a kick your way and you jumped forwards through the small space between them, tumbling back on the ground to sweep their feet from under them. They both hit the floor with a thud, grunting in pain. Walking over to them with your fists ready in another fighting stance, their eyes widened and they scurried off the floor, falling over each other on their way to the exit.

Tsk, pussies.

Turning around, your smile faded instantly at the sight of the very angry mafia boss you beat at his own game, stole from, and now gave a nosebleed to. He was way bigger than you in size, towering over you. This was a rendition of David and Goliath you weren't excited for at all. You cracked a nervous smile and tried to run but he grabbed you like a toy, lifting you off the ground and into the air, way above his own height. You swung your legs forwards, wrapping them around his neck to straddle his face trying to strangle him.

He let go of your waist and grabbed at your dress instead, stumbling around to shove you off. You flexed the muscles of your thighs as hard as you could to cut his airflow when he ran straight into a wall. Your back collided with it roughly, loosening some of your grip on his neck but not enough to get you off. This wasn't going to work. So you changed your angle, rounding around to his back like a rodent, thrusting a strong elbow into the back of his head before he could even reach for you. The blow sent him falling face first into the floor, diving like a ship to its wreckage. He tried to get up murmuring some words you couldn't understand. You leaned closer and he grabbed your hair smacking you into the poker table.

"Little bitches like you belong in the brothel," he spat out with a bloody sneer.

That was enough to spur your rage and smack your head right into his, falling backwards on top of him. You punched him with all you had, until his face morphed into a deep garnet. His eyelids were swollen, his cheeks bruised and that sneer entirely gone from his cut lips. He was still alive but barely recognizable when you got up. "That's what you get for grabbing and talking to a lady like that. Learn some fucking manners," you spoke to the hunk laying still as a boulder.

The loud clinking of swords echoed from above. Your eyes travelled up just in time to see a lock of blonde hair tipping dangerously over the railing on the top floor. Checking on Enishi that he was okay with his own hoard of snarling men with blades, you ran to the stairs hoping to get to blondie before it was too late and he was flunked over like a chicken learning how to fly.

You heaved breaths like you ran a marathon, body working only on the rush of adrenaline you got from beating up the boss of the Daos. Stopping by the second level to take a breather, you leaned over the railing for support. Your eyes darted downwards at the spiral, looking at how far away from the ground you were already.

Now's not the time to freak out. Let's save blondie.

His voice echoed with a curse just as you reached the doorframe of the third level, finding a burly guard holding him by the collar of his shirt over the railing. His legs stopped running on air, hands gripping the guard's tight. He looked to the side at the drop below him and yanked on the guard's hand again. Looking left and right, you saw no one else on the floor and took off running towards the guard. You jumped high in the air and aimed a kick at his head just as it whirled around at you. You caught him off-guard, heeled foot colliding with the side of his face, pushing him to the side into a table without realizing that he let go of Cho in the process.

Your heart stopped watching the blonde fall, thinking that was his end. But you got too ahead of yourself. He grabbed a hold of the edge holding on tight to it as you let out a breath. Jesus Christ. You rushed to help him over to the safety of ground, sliding your hands under his arms and grabbing onto his shoulders to hoist him over. He grabbed onto you too, just not in the right area.

"That's my ass, you moron," you hissed, struggling to get him over.

"Sorry," he grunted. "Actually, not sorry."

That made you yank him so hard you ended up falling on the floor together. Staring at the ceiling, you caught a few breaths before the guard got back up and rushed at you with a sword. The blade came down on you as you both rolled to the side. Cho got up before you to pick up his swords, going back to dueling the guard while you aided with a kick here and there. Where you punched his side, the blonde cut his other one. The guard grunted in pain but continued attacking you.

One misjudged lift of your leg had him grabbing onto it with his free hand pulling on it and spinning around, tossing you into a table. The side of your head collided with the wooden edge hard, sending your vision swimming in black and white. Cho spared a quick glimpse at you before he attacked the guard violently, slashing his blade right across his chest, both of his arms and his legs, his back and everywhere he had exposed himself. He did it so many times until the guard fell to his knees in a pile of his own blood.

The world was a red haze around you, ears ringing and stinging at the same time. That awful wine climbed back up your throat nearly getting out this time. You were struggling to get your eyes to work when Cho kneeled before you dropping his swords to the floor. One of his hands settled on your shoulders trying to get you to focus while the other brushed somewhere over your right temple. He ripped a piece of table cloth and placed it over the open wound as you winced. The small prick of pain sobered you up enough to blink properly, slowly getting your vision back to normal.

"You're bleeding," he tapped the cloth gently gathering the small drops of red around the right side of your face, concern lacing his voice. You took his hand away, stopping his worried dabs at your scalp. "I'm okay."

His eyes dove down from the cut on your head to the one peeking from under your hair. He moved your hair away, brushing a thumb over the skin of your shoulder, grounding his teeth in annoyance.

"Who did this?"

"You have awful taste in women," you laughed, regretting it when it sent another pang of pain to your head. "I took care of her already."

"The violinist?! Seriously?" You nodded dabbing the cloth some more on your head. "Damn, she got you pretty good."

Honey orbs came back up to yours after he searched every other inch of you for more injuries only to find your knuckles bruised and bloody. But nothing else that looked life threatening like the gash on your head. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm good. Let's go kick some more ass and get the fuck out of here."

He straightened and gave you a hand, pulling you up to your feet. "I'll go check the other levels. Stay safe, okay?"

"You too. Meet you downstairs."

Enishi stumbled downstairs in the poker area with two crossed swords above him threatening to cut his neck open. He kicked the men in the shins and threw their swords away, landing a hit in one's stomach that ricocheted into the other's, getting rid of them both with a roundhouse kick. Another one came at him and he grabbed his jacket pulling him back to smack right into an incoming blade attack. That one got impaled before he even saw it coming.

Suddenly, even more pooled in with loaded guns aiming right at him. At the noise of open fire, you rushed to the edge of the railing watching as he dodged a few bullets and managed to get cover behind the poker table but there were too many shots flying through, sending splinters of wood everywhere. They were shooting with long bulky rifles as if this was a hunting party.

You had company too, bigger and wider than the last one coming for hand to hand combat. Defending his hits as best as you could, you tried getting some in with knee kick into his abdomen. Your fists aimed for his head until he dropped down to the floor and swiped your legs from under you, landing on your back with him on top of you strangling you.

I'm getting tired of this choking kink.

"MIYU, A LITTLE HELP OVER HERE IF YOU MAY!" shouted Enishi, throwing off a guard that pinned him to the floor out of nowhere, just in time to roll out of the way of more bullets flying past his head.

You looked around finding no weapon in grabbing distance. Reaching your hand down, you lifted one of your legs up and wiggled your fingers to grab a hold of one of your pistols. Your air supply was slowly shortening seeing stars when you finally got a hold of the handle, bringing it up and bashing it into the man's head over and over and over again until he fell to the side. Once you got some usable air back inside you pulled yourself over to the railing.

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" you yelled back down, scrambling to your feet to look for a gun around the place. You found a few, plying them off the hands of the bodies attached to them, but most were empty of bullets so you threw them back on the floor.

"I'M NOT YELLING AT YOU. I'M BEING SHOT AT IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED," he yelled back. You knew he didn't have a lot of time before a bullet reached him. He fought like a monster but he wasn't bulletproof.

As you rushed around, frantically searching for anything that could shoot long distance, you caught sight of the barrel of a gun peeking from under a table. It was a rifle. Its carcass still had a bunch of unused bullets in it. Bingo.

"HOLD ON."

Running back to the margin, you dropped down laying on your belly, positioning the barrel through the opening in the ledge, opening fire on the flank downstairs. You got most of them in the shoulder or the chest, aim slightly blurry due to the wound on your head and the huge distance to the ground.

Enishi looked at you for a second, eyes not worried but prideful. You took notice quickly as you charged the bullet carcass focusing on the task at hand. If there wasn't so much uncertainty between you right now you might've said it meant a lot. And it did but not right now.

Too focused on taking out the men at the entrance you didn't see the incoming attack. You rolled out just in time before a bottle crashed down on you in payback, finding the violinist at your demise again. Does she ever like read the room? She grabbed a chair and whirled it around trying to hit you with it. You grabbed one of your own hitting her with it and she fell to the ground. You checked she was knocked out for good this time.

Running to the staircase, you only got to the first step before you heard shouting echoed from the lower levels. Quickly backing up into the level, you looked for another way out only to find none. The staircase was your only shot. Veering around, you caught sight of the red drapes adorned on the side of a marble pillar, going all the way to the higher ceiling.

Spotting a sword under the guard Cho cut up like a chicken on a gyros stick, you ran to it trying to pull it from under him. Pushing his body over with your leg, you twisted it on all sides pulling on the handle until you finally pried it out. Without a second thought, you ran to the ledge leaning on it to grab a veil. It took several tries nearly meeting your doom since the fabric was drilled into the pillar. You kept trying. When you got a solid grip around it you tugged on it hard until you yanked it free from the side and the pillars it was stuck to under, pulling it over to you.

Supporting your weight on one of the pillars you got up on the ledge, dropping the rest of the veil down into the void. If at first this seemed like a good idea, now that you were looking at the red ends of the drapes whirling in the air about eight meters down into rapid gunfire and dirty restaurant tables, it seemed like the shittiest idea you could have come up with in your whole entire life.

Oh, for fucks sake. Just looking down made you nauseous and sick to your stomach. I hate heights.

Rough voices climbed closer behind you, followed by the echoes of gun magazines clicking open and closed only spurring the knots in your belly. One thing was for sure. If you didn't take the jump now and stayed to fight them absolutely weaponless, you were done for. You'd end up with holes in you and you worked too hard on that dress to ruin it with bullets.

Just close your eyes and jump, you breathed out, trying to calm your rapidly racing heart, beating faster than the bullets fired below.

Save your idiots and get back home to Koru, you reasoned with yourself, holding the sword close to you.

Come on, you've got this.

You let go of the pillar, balancing your boots on the ledge. On a deep shaky inhale of breath, you wrapped your hands tight around the veil giving it another thug to test its safety once more just for your peace of mind, and leaned back exhaling all your hopes and dreams into the void below as you fell forwards, going down into the fire.

Your mind emptied of everything else. The clangs of swords, the whizzing of bullets, the angry shouts of battle from above and beyond you. You made your senses entirely numb to the rest of the world. All you focused on was the wind blowing through your hair as you descended down the material at a faster rate than you imagined, holding onto that piece of fabric like it was your lifeline, your own purgatory between heaven and hell.

Peering down to spot Enishi, you caught him looking back at you in the middle of the crossfire in utter shock. You're batshit crazy, you'd hear him say once you got back to the ground - if that even happened - so until then, you focused on staying glued to the veil.

Looking out to reach above him, you plied one hand free from the veil and dropped the sword to him. He caught it, getting right into a swing at a guy who wanted to blow his head off, slicing through him before he got the chance to pull the trigger. Too focused on him, you failed to notice the rapidly approaching wall you were about to face plant into at an unreal speed. Mere seconds before you splattered into it like a bird into a window, your body reacted before your mind could think it through and your fingers loosened around the veil .You let go. With five more meters to go to the ground. And no one to catch you.

You scream pierced through the hall bouncing off the walls like a ghostly shriek, making everyone stop and look up at your falling form, including Enishi and Cho. They shared a look assessing the situation - they were both under way too much pressure as more guards and thugs pooled in from the entrance. The blonde immediately went back to his row of blades trying to keep the incoming ambush outside of the room. Though he was closer to you there was no way for him to get to you without getting torn to pieces first.

Enishi's mind switched to autopilot, butchering everyone that stood in his way with the sole goal of getting to you before it was too late. Sheer adrenaline flew through him like hot fire as he took off towards the poker table using it as a boost to propel him to the other tables, hopping from one to the other at a breakneck speed. Blades piled up in his way. He swerved blows left and right, keeping his eyes on you, rushing to get to the end. As you got closer to the ground, his mind preoccupied only with you and your safety, nothing more, nothing less. He needed to reach you no matter what. He couldn't lose you, not like this.

Not yet. Not now. Not ever, echoed in his head like the beating of a drum inside of his chest, loud and drowning everything else around him.

Before you could splat on the floor, he jumped off the last table dropping his sword and launched himself up gaining momentum from his run. He caught you mid-air, wrapping his arms around you the best he could. The force of your bodies colliding sent you sideways, landing on the lower level of the hall. Your bodies hit the ground, rolling over together like a ball. You squeezed your eyes shut, digging your head into him, hands grappling to hang on to his jacket for dear life. You slammed hard into a booth, falling on your back with him on top of you, still safely tucked in his arms but coming to a stop from the endless tumble.

You were in shock, taking quick breaths without realizing you were no longer in the air falling to your death but on the safety of the expensive burgundy carpet. Enishi called your name multiple times but you couldn't hear him at all, mind stuck in the loop above the floor. He hauled you up and propped you against a pillar trying to get you to focus on him.

"You're okay. You're okay. Hey, hey, look at me," he said softly, caressing the side of your face. Your eyes finally focused on him, terrified out of your mind but at least you were back in the present. "You're okay. You're safe now."

"Fucking-," you drew in a strangled inhale holding onto his shoulders. "Holy shit. Jesus. I-I'm never doing that again. I hate heights. I hate them so much." A bunch of incoherent curses and rambles spilled out of your lips.

"I know. I know," he stroked your arms up and down trying to calm you down. "No more jumping. I promise." You threw your head back to the pillar behind you catching your breath really good for the first time tonight when he spoke again. "Though that was pretty badass," he pointed up at the spot you jumped from and chuckled at which you punched his shoulder.

Once you were past the shock of it, you chuckled as well. "Well, hope you were watching because I'm never doing that shit again even if you pay me."

He laughed shaking his head at how amusement could hit you at the most random times ever. It was pretty welcomed considering the situation. Peering over the ledge to check on Cho, he noticed the blonde was getting outnumbered, not from the exit but from the rest of the hall.

"We have to get out of here now."

"Couldn't agree more."

"Let's get blondie and go," he pulled you up handing you a spare rifle, securing a firm hold around your hand.

You ran together to the door that was now missing the big dark red curtain, only a strip of material left above. You split up there. Enishi ran out through the door missing its curtain to check on the rest of the ground. You ran to the exit too, propping the rifle on top of the staircase leading down in the poker lounge, taking aim at the crowd surrounding Cho. You pulled the trigger relentlessly, drilling holes into every person around him, not waiting until they fell down to get to the next one. You were a Russian roulette they had no control of. Ten bullets was all it took and they all fell to the ground, writhing in pain or completely dead depending on where your bullet hit. The blonde looked at the pile of bodies lowering his swords.

"Took you a while," he teased breathing raggedly, still standing in the middle of the room.

"Was kinda falling from the sky in case you didn't notice," you deadpanned, pointing upwards.

He nodded just as Enishi came back from scouting the perimeter giving you the all clear through haggard breaths. "It's empty. For now. Let's get the fuck out of here."

It's been a few moments, between you running through the main room that was entirely deserted to the carriage and starting your ride back to safety, where everything was quiet. You slumped back in your seat, adrenaline of the fight wearing off a little. It started raining, faint droplets prodding against the small covered windows, making the atmosphere even more humid and heavy than it already was.

Pending chaos hung in the air and your stomach twisted in tight knots again. You tried to figure out what it was that ripped anxiety through you once more. Because it wasn't the mop of hair sitting before you, looking down at the floor, earlier relief on his features replaced by rage like something was going to crack. The wind blew. The carriage stumbled on the road swaying you to the side. Thunder rumbled deep into the darkened sky. And something did crack.

"You just couldn't stay away from it, could you?" boomed Enishi out of nowhere.

He was talking to you, trying to understand why in the world you couldn't just follow one simple thing he asked of you. To let him handle it. You talked to that scum like he wasn't the wolf in sheep's clothing, waiting for you to reveal yourself. You even went and nearly shook hands with death more times than he could count on his fingers - with the Daos, the violinist, jumping from the tallest level and so much more. All because you were simply and utterly the most hardheaded person he's ever come across in his life. He wasn't going to let you off this time.

"Not when it involved them," you shook your head gripping the material of your dress to keep your own wrath under control. "You know that."

"I told you I had it under control-"

"YOU DIDN'T! If anything it was you who made it worse," you spat out, sitting back with your arms folded over your chest, shooting daggers at him.

"I made it worse?" he pointed at himself, letting out a snarky laugh. "I think it was your ego trying to strike a deal with that scum that can't even be called a human being. I didn't take you for an idiot until I saw you entertaining him."

"AN IDIOT?! You were just as stupid thinking he would take the deal without leverage over us. Did it even cross your mind at one point that he never wanted to give us information and he was only trying to get us killed?"

"Don't turn this on me, Miyu."

"Oh, I will turn it however the fuck I want to. Because," you started counting on your fingers again, "number one, you had us go in there with no guarantee or at least some sort of backup plan. Number two, we left empty-handed with absolutely no clue where my parents are. And number three, which should be quite high up on the list actually, is that you're being an absolute asshole right now." At that he rolled his eyes, tongue poking his cheek in anger again as he looked away from you. "Wait, no, rewind that. You have been an absolute dick for the past few days. So, what the fuck is your problem?"

"My problem?! My problem is this blonde scoundrel you like so much getting ahead of himself to act like your fucking bodyguard tonight, nearly getting yourselves killed ten meters above ground," he said, pointing accusingly to the man beside you as if he committed heinous crimes against society. Well, he did, but not recently.

"Me?!" gasped Cho from beside you, obviously appalled at the exchange. "I only came for Miyu, not for you."

"I only came for Miyu," he imitated the blonde like a child, voice going a tad bit higher than normal.

Well that's an Enishi you don't see every day.

"You didn't even bat a fucking eye when she was falling from the sky, did you lizard?"

"I was getting cut up like a salami at the front door in case you didn't notice. Sorry I couldn't jump to catch her like you, Mister 'I'm the Prince of the Frogs and flying is my specialty'. My deepest sincere apologies that I can't repay your virtuousness with some fucking flies."

They continued bickering, each male throwing in more insults and angrily mansplaining their side, adding to the dull ache already forming behind your eyes. You averted your eyes to the small rectangle behind Enishi's head, watching the path covered by the forest you left behind.

Lightning struck, lighting up the path turning muddy in a bright white flash before letting darkness soak it up again. When you went to look away, a small flicker not bigger than a tiny dot in the distance caught your attention.

Thinking it was just your sleep deprived imagination playing tricks on you, you paid it no mind. But that flicker continued to burn, small, still there in the dark, till it grew slightly bigger, a flame now noticeable even as the carriage got further away. You waited for lightning to light up the path again so your worries could settle a little but the next strike didn't come. You sat forward, squinting your eyes at it unable to make out what the fuck it was. Then lightning struck again, this time illuminating what looked awfully like the very thing your gut has been trying to warn you about all day long.

Danger.

Shaken to your core by what you saw possibly a few yards behind about to head your way, your hands shot out to stop the two men bickering by your side, flailing in all sides as your mouth failed to work with you. They stopped, looking at you concerned. A familiar hand gripped your hand stopping your panicked wriggling sliding in your line of sight.

"What's wrong?" asked its owner, worry taking over the previous release of rage in his voice. You suddenly had the strength to speak.

"We need to get off the carriage. NOW!"

The urgency in your voice was enough to alert them. They followed the direction where your eyes were staring pointedly at, but it was too late. Whatever that flame flickering in the darkness is, it was launched right at you at lightning speed, growing bigger and wider the more it advanced towards the carriage, now resembling a giant fireball.

"GET DOWN!"

Before you knew it a loud boom echoed from under you, shaking the mahogany walls with a horrible sound. You felt the carriage leaping upwards and tilting on its side just like the contents in your stomach. It spun in the air becoming a death trap, losing gravity as it barreled off the side of the road. Timber creaked with each spin, sending you left and right into every wooden surface. You reached out to grab a hold of something only to be pushed harshly into the backrest, hitting the wooden wall with the back of your head so hard that black and white swam in your vision.

You blanked out a few times, coming to only to feel it still spinning out of control to god knows where. The only thing you could focus on was the smell of smoke that started enveloping the whole carcass with no ventilation to go out only inside your lungs. Bile rose in your throat playing an intense game with your guts that you couldn't stomach.

The force of it landing on the ground made a loud crack come from your right, followed by multiple louder ones as the body of the carriage rolled and rolled, slowly caving in on itself. You thought the spinning would never stop. That you would roll endlessly. Until it did, coming to an abrupt halt against what you assumed to be a huge tree bark. The body of the carriage hit it so hard that it split it into pieces, the force of the blow sending you far into the grass, together with a piece of broken wood you landed head first into and blacked out.

Pain was the only thing you could process. It hurt everywhere. Gravity held you down to the ground captive in a steel grip. Your sense of feeling was slowly returned to you, little by little in a haze, before it hit you like a truck.

The first thing you tasted was the blood on your lips, probably bitten in the mid-flight to hell. They felt numb, not responding to your intention to make them move open from being clamped shut. The dragging breaths you struggled to take in through your nose were just as rejected by your chest. Broken ribs, you figured. The question was how many of them were usable. A big part of your insides were messed up, pulse shuddering everywhere but in your chest. It took a while to feel anything else. You gained some feeling below your shoulders and tried moving your hand, successfully lifting your forearm. When you tried more, electricity shot up your nerves and your shoulder protested in pain. Same with your feet, although one ankle moved enough when you twisted it around. The other laid completely numb.

Opening your eyes, you tried focusing on something that didn't hurt. The putter of small droplets on your forehead turned into bigger arrows of water stabbing your face. The small rain turned into a monsoon. Tall trees lining into the clouded skyline gave you no comfort. You were in the middle of nowhere. No one lived here. No one even crossed these roads. The smell of fire hit you from your right, stomach churning at what you would find if you turned your head.

Taking an excruciating deep breath in, you willed the sore muscles in your neck to work with you and let you see what laid there. Once your eyes rolled to the side, your head followed and your heart ached at the sight. Among debris from what used to be a beautiful dark oak carriage, encrusted in golden crest motives, there were only scattered pieces of wood burning to a crisp, fire not extinguished at all by the rain but seemingly burning hotter, sputtering but deadly the more gusts of wind enraged it.

Looming further you spotted the sleeves of an olive suit you worked on for endless hours, ripped to shreds all the way to a pair of biceps, deeply scratched by twigs and splinters. Cho. His chest raised slowly but his eyes were closed, covered by his blonde hair that turned dirty from the mud he rolled through. He's okay, you sighed in relief. You weren't sure how okay since he appeared to be passed out, but at least he was breathing.

Then your breath got caught in your throat.

Enishi. Where is he?

You whirled your head around unable to pin his location, frustrated that you couldn't move the rest of your body and get up to look for him. You pulled on your limbs, stretching every wound into agonising pain as fiery tingles stabbed at your extremities to will you to stay put. But you couldn't stay put. You had to move before your body locked up completely. You had to look for him. He had to be around here. He had to be okay.

You moaned in pain rolling to your left on your dislocated shoulder. Looking into the darkened forest, you searched all pieces of burning wood and golden marble until something that looked like hair and a body appeared to the far reach of the forest opening. A gray dot that was now turning dark, lying in the grass with his head turned to the side that wasn't facing you. His suit was ripped to shreds even more, pierced by the scorched bushes behind him so hard that it reached his skin deeply. Parts of the fabric remained intact on the small twigs, floating in the wind. All the shreds had crimson blood leaking out, staining the beautiful indigo a lot of shades darker.

His chest wasn't moving. He wasn't moving. He wasn't conscious. The rain continued falling even harder making it harder to make out anything from your spot. You had to go to him. You needed to see his face.

Reaching out the hand that somewhat worked, you grabbed a flock of grass that seemed sturdier and pulled yourself in his direction. It hurt so much, ripping your wounds open wider. But you continued. Every pull scraped your knees, twisting your bad ankle even more, grunting with every rock and twig scratching against your broken ribs. Just a little more, you pleaded with your body, feeling the tingles slowly turn to numbness the more you put pressure on them. Just let me reach him, you begged to any god listening to give you some energy. Your nails dug into the mud, making use of anything you could find around you. A wooden plank, a larger stick, grass.

Three more weeds climbed in unbearable pain and you ended up next to him, gripping his arm to pull yourself up for the last time. Your forehead fell into the crack of his bruised elbow, letting out a relieved groan. I got to him.

Your eyes lifted to find him as still as a few moments ago when you found him, head turned to the other side. Stretching your right arm in pain, you grabbed a hold of his face to turn it to you. His beautiful lips were cracked, blood stagnant around his lower one, dripping with the beads of rain falling down.

His cheeks were both cut, one rougher than the other and a gash sat near his left temple. His eyes remained closed. Fear stirred inside of you and you started shaking him with what little strength you had left. The bell in his ear rattled noisily over the rain and your heart beating out of control in panic.

"Enishi," you croaked out, unstable and tired. "Open your eyes. Please," you cried, head falling onto his chest.

You listened for a sound in the blaring rain, being met with a small thud of a heartbeat. His chest was moving but way too slow for your liking.

Cradling his less damaged cheek in your hand, you rubbed it trying to get him to wake up. Come back to me, you screamed inside, leaning your head back on his chest. "You said you wouldn't leave me. Please don't break your promise," you laid a kiss on top of his chest, letting yourself cry. "I won't break mine."

A groan reverberating under you made your eyes snap to his. His eyebrows joined together in pain as he slowly came to and worked to open his eyes. Come on, open them, you encouraged, relief washing over you. You saw the small, barely there flutter of his eyelids before you were pulled away from him.

A rough hand wrapped around your broken ankle, dragging you away. You thrashed in their hold as they pulled you up, kicking back and forth, trying to reach back for Enishi only to be yanked harder. Your world turned upside down as they hoisted you up on their back, turning to walk away from the clearing back on the main road. Punching and punching until your hands cramped, you tried to get them to let you down. But they just wouldn't budge. Not even an inch.

Something hard connected with your head, turning the earlier throb from the crash drilling into every part of your head. Spots appeared even faster in your vision, threatening to take you away for good this time. The last thing you saw before you gave in were his dark eyes opening wide.

You wanted to scream. To let him know he wasn't alone. That you didn't leave. But it was too late.

Darkness took you before you managed to open your mouth.

Flashes.

Images flashed in black and white, familiar with the darkness of the night. Even in colours, too bright to be the morning sun or the brightness of daylight.

More flashes.

You blinked through the haze weighing your eyelids. A pair of dirty boots came into view, upside down walking on a concrete path. Your ears perked up catching some muffled voices. Then your eyes closed again.

The next time they opened, you were upright, propped on a cold stone wall in a pitch black corner. It allowed you to see the rest of the room. Dark light, rusty steel bars and cold floors under your feet, you figured you could only be in one place - a holding cell. Somewhere deep underground from how freezing cold and humid it was.

A set of keys jingled loudly against the bars, hurting your sensitive ears. That horrifying boom still echoed inside your head, as if it was still happening over and over again, spinning into the nothingness of the forest. Someone walked inside, steps composed and lanky, looking for trouble. Dirty dress shoes stopped in front of you. Your vision was heavily damaged from the constant hits your head took all night but you willed to work at least enough to identify the person. Your lack of a reaction made them crouch down before you, forcefully tilting your chin to them. Once your eyes came into focus, heavy but clear, you were ready to set all hell loose.

"You."

The sneering snake looked you in the eye with sheer delight just like the spawn of satan he was. The smirk on his face was enough to make your hands shoot out to his neck only to pull against the metal shackles restraining you.

"Pleasure to see you again, kiddo."

Thank you for reading :) Next

#addicting taste #enishi yukishiro #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #good luck cause god know you're gonna need it

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pauking5 · 2 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 11

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x fem reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, mutual pining, found love, fluff, spice, a lot of teasing, angst

Word count: 32.3k+

TW: blood, stabbing, violence, brief mentions of torture and kidnapping

A/N: Hello... So, first thing's first, Addicting Taste kinda went on a hiatus (against my wishes) since I was in a pretty bad slump writing-wise, emotionally, mentally. But, gear up for hopefully back to back chapters this month. Managed to draw out some pain for these ones.

I realise Chapter 10 was a bit of a wholesome, extremely loooong read, but I hope you liked it. I don't know if people even read it since it's been radio silent on that front, but I hope some of you still are. For now, please welcome insane mayhem, a mess of feelings, hopefully great plot and a few new characters. Enjoy the revelations.

For Nina. Hope you're happy wherever you are.

Playlist: Up In Flames - Ruelle, Atlantis - Sleep Token, Radioactive - Imagine Dragons, The Grey - Bad Omens, Viva La Vida - Sofia Karlberg (Acoustic Version), Alibi - Sevdaliza, Pablio Vittar, Yseult, Start A Riot - Duckwrth, Shaboozey, Lovesong - Adele, Carnival of Rust - Poets of the Fall, The Love You Want - Sleep Token

"You."

The sly snake looked down at you with sheer delight like the very sire of satan he was. That victorious smirk sitting idly on his face was enough to make your hands shoot out to grab onto his neck and twist it backwards. That would've been possible if your wrists didn't get yanked back by the harsh pull of the metal shackles restraining you to the stone walls behind.

He bent down to you, tilting his head with sheer amusement etched on his lips at your struggle. There was a blackness in his eyes that consumed his orbs like a toxin, brimming in dark pools of oil, much like the one burning in the lamp one of his men was holding in the corner.

"Pleasure to see you again, kiddo."

"The pleasure will be mine once I stomp my foot all over your face," you spit back, continuing to pull on those chains to get as close to him as they could let you without splitting your hands away from the base of your palms.

"Ah, ah, ah," he stopped you, moving his finger from left to right right in your face, like he was ordering an animal, a pet, to stand down and know its place.

You were no damn pet but more of a wild animal at the moment. And you bit fucking hard if provoked. And by gods, he provoked every cell in your body with just that wiggling finger.

Before he had a chance to reel back on his feet, your head jerked forwards and you caught his finger with your teeth, gripping onto his pointer with wolfish strength. Terror flashed in his eyes for a brief moment, so fast and fearsome you might have just missed it. Rugged arms were on your shoulders in an instant, rough fingers digging into your skin to pull you back to your place against the wall. While more of his men tried to restrain you, pushing you to your knees, the reptile pulled on his precious little digit to shake your hold off like you were a stinging bug but your sharp teeth hung on damn tight, dragging the skin over the bone with each agitated flail of his hands. Your teeth dug into it more and more, determined to rip it off his hand or at least detach it from his hand a little, but with the resistance behind pulling on your shoulders and your throat, you kept to it until you felt a crack between your canines, tasting iron on your tongue.

Blood, you smirked.

Satisfied, you relaxed your mouth and let go reeling back, letting him reef his bloodied, damaged finger back to his chest in pain.

He's going to have a hard time doing anything with it for a while. Good for him. Would've bit his whole hand off if I had a bigger mouth.

Spitting the leftover blood in your mouth before it started tasting like poison, your gaze turned back to his, dark eyes now watching you in alert. He didn't expect you to attack so soon or even at all. You could see it on his face. Whatever he had planned facing you, it all fell down the minute you bared your teeth literally.

A guard handed him a cloth to wrap around his injured finger, while another stomped your way. He unwrapped your chains from the wall behind dragging you along with them. You fought against it but it was useless. His hands reached up to lock the chains to the rusty hooks on the ceiling, securing you in the middle of the dark cell. Your hands were pulled above your head making you rise to your feet, unable to move too much in any side.

Standing to your full height, your bruised hands fell bound together in front of you, keeping you still like a lamb about to be butchered. The good thing was that it let you make an estimate of your wounds. Sharp pain pulsed through the numbness in your legs and in every other part of your body that was still recovering from almost being crushed to pieces by the wooden carriage. Most of your right side suffered deeper injuries since you were thrown against the walls more times than you could count. A lot of bones felt broken - a few lower ribs, a collar bone, twisted elbow and opposite ankle among the main major ones - but you were sure there were more you couldn't see or feel. Crumpled up on the floor you didn't feel the pain so bad, but standing on shaky legs, swaying lightly, drawing sharp breaths through your parched throat, you felt it all.

All you wanted to do was lay down and cry it all out. But you couldn't collapse to the ground in front of this life-sucking serpent before you found out what he wanted or where you were. Any sliver of information was more valuable than anything right now.

"Why am I here?"

"For my entertainment and curiosity," spoke the Snake, tightening the cloth around his wound until he was satisfied it was tight enough.

"What is this? The fucking circus gathering?" you laughed dryly, chains jangling as you wiped the leftover blood from his finger still on your cracked lips with the back of your palm. "Thought you had better taste."

"Smart mouth she has. Quite like her mother," he harked a broken laugh that bounced off the echo in the cell. "You'll be quiet and docile in no time."

Docile? Am I getting married off or something?

"For what?"

"For my plans."

From where you were standing, his plans looked to be nowhere in particular. Or you were still dazed from that solid hit to the back of your head before these people kidnapped you. Either way, his words made no sense. What could he possibly want with you? Why was he working with the Triads for that matter? More and more questions pooled in, rendering you profoundly confused.

"I'm not sure I'm following."

"A little birdie told me you were quite the rouse in Edo not that long ago."

Your breath caught in your throat, heartbeat suddenly too loud in your ears.

That's what this is about.

Barairo me, not me.

"The Crimson Rose of Yokohama they called you," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, drawing closer to you. "A teenage girl laying death to men more dangerous and lethal than the demons of hell walking the earth, the very best mercenaries in Japan."

"That bird of yours must be mistaken," you chuckled, trying to play the fool a little longer. But that dry chuckle fell unsure from your lips. a weak distraction in face of his conviction that he had the right person. He was confident it was you and had confirmation of it.

"I don't think so." He paced around you, circling you like you were the serpent's precious prey. "You see," he stopped right behind you, shadow leaning over your shoulder, his heinous whisper falling right in your ear. "You're here to fight for me, sweetheart."

You snorted. A fits of chuckles bordering on strangled laughter escaped your throat in a meager attempt to seem saner than you looked. He was crazy, maybe even borderline delusional, if he thought for one second you would do that for him of all people.

Rounded back to your front, he steered clear within a couple cautionary steps away from you, as if he anticipated another surprise attack of yours. His eyes raked your arms, legs, even your mouth, looking for a sign that there was any on the way at all.

He fears me. Good. I can use that to my advantage.

"In your dreams."

You punctuated your words with a good tug on the chains making sure to rattle them loud enough. Whatever those fucked up illusions of his were, they were not lined up in your program today, tomorrow or ever in the near future. You might have been up on the hire for anyone a few months ago, willing to do dirty work for whoever paid more. But the only people you fought for now were your own.

"Well," he turned for the door of the cell, nodding to his men on the other side of the iron bars. The door creaked open with a shriek, metal scraping the floor of the corridor lit with torches. Before he stepped out fully, his head craned back to you. "I hope you're ready. My dreams have a habit of coming to fruition lately."

"Do they include working with the Triads?"

"Ah, so you know," he nodded to himself, not once denying your accusation. "Saves me a lot of explaining to do. I am indeed."

"Why?"

That was kind of a loaded question. One he answered with a response that didn't really give you anything to work with - a goddamn shit-eating grin that went right to the pit of disgust already drawing in your stomach since the very first light flickered over his face. With that limiting conversation and a grin that gave you nothing, he left, taking the guards with him.

You didn't move until their steps faded away and all that was left in the air was silence and the light crackle of the torches. Blowing a breath you didn't know you were holding, you sank to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Everything hurt and pulsed uncontrollably along the rhythm of your rapidly beating heart. Some of your injuries ached more, alerting you they needed some attention now. Looking around the dark confinement, you noticed the small glow of light falling on a good portion of your cell. The only impediment was that is fell near the door

Pulling your feet from under you, you drew as close to the amber twinkle as your chains could let you before they tugged your wrists back painfully.

In that thin fragment of light, the long velvet skirt that was a beautiful ruby red at the start of the night was now a wet brown shade with patches of mud and grass sticking to it. Shoving it off your leg, you found a line of cuts and bruises all around each side you rotated your leg in, some of them deeper and dark red still bleeding, others just light grazes almost closed up. Your ankle looked like it felt - destroyed. Almost shattered, still usable if you ignored the angry purple swelling around it. Checking your other leg, you found the same grazes from your knee downwards but it didn't look as bad as your other leg. You gave it a test roll receiving less pain in response.

Your attention moved to your chest, feeling it too compressed with every breath you took. The corset manage to hold your middle together, protecting important organs. From what you could see there were no tears in it so nothing got inside or where it shouldn't be. And to think I doubted the extra double cover. But with every inhale of air, the boning pressed too hard against those few ribs that were broken. There was no way you could undo the laces, at least a little, since your hands couldn't reach behind.

Arms-wise, there were a few more cuts peeking through the ripped sleeves and some bruises. Your right elbow spasmed numbly, twisted inwards. You had to put it back and soon. This was not the best place to do it, nor did you have enough space to move it since both of your hands were chained, but it was worth a shot.

Getting up on your knees was harder this time around, all adrenaline to start a fight gone. Levelling your arms together, parallel to each other, you moved so your elbow was as straight as you could get it in that angle. Your left palm caught onto your right wrist to hold it in place.

I just need to pop it in. Nice and easy. It shouldn't hurt that bad.

You took a deep breath to steel yourself, then all at once drove your body forwards as if you pushed your hands into dough to mold it into shape. Though you weren't pushing into soft dough but repositioning your own arm in its right location. Pushing your shoulder and wrist towards each other, you moved your elbow back into place. Teeth grinding, you swallowed your scream and sniffled the tears away as the spasms were replaced by shooting pain, continuing to push forwards relentlessly until it clicked back in.

"Fuck," you hissed, sinking back on the floor, hands drawn above you by the chains. Head falling on your suspended arms, you sighed.

What now?

Wait?

Try to escape?

Fight them when they come back?

None of those options were viable routes to take in your condition. Your thoughts barely aligned in order with the pain coursing through you and your body took way too much damage tonight to stand up to anyone without ripping fresh scars. For now, as much as you hated it, just waiting was the best call.

For a while, you just let it hurt. You felt the torture throb through your body ruthlessly, slow and cruel, turning into soreness, discomfort that you couldn't move more. The laborious breaths leaving you went from aching gasps to much more controllable exhales. The minute some of the pain receded to mere stabbing sensations and your head cleared a little, you turned to planning.

From what you could gather, the way to the outside world had to be on the left, since that reptile and his guards took off that way. Then what was on your right? Your eyes shot up to find that the burning torch upfront was the only light source you could see alight. The rest of them on the right were not burning, drenching that area in complete darkness. You just prayed whatever awaited you down there was better than this - being locked up in a cage like a wild animal waiting to be domesticated or sold off for your services.

Your eyes widened with another thundering thought that caught your breath.

The boys.

Were they okay? You hoped they woke up and weren't laying still on the cold, wet and muddy ground of the forest. They must have woken up by now. They took worse damage in battle than that tumbling carriage could inflict on them. They weren't pussies to lie in pain until it passed on, though the scope of their injuries did worry you. One was barely breathing while the other looked on the verge of death when you reached him.

That self-righteous mop of hair worried you the most. To think he called you an idiot before it all went sideways. You chuckled dryly with a shake of your head reminded of the insults thrown around before the impact. Even when you were close to embracing death several times, he was talking your ear off about your shitty life choices like a worrisome mother would her rebel child. Absolutely convinced was he that you only made mistakes back there at the club. You came to learn that was just his nature - worrying about others before himself.

Thoughts bounced back and forth in the cold air carried down by the wind currents. The wind howled down here just as loud as outside, scaring the shit out of you when it started sounding like a real wild beast was down there, patrolling around to make sure no one left their deathtrap. Some torches ceased burning, drawing to a smoky kindle until no more light shone inside your cell at all. Only darkness and cold surrounded you, both crawling down your spine with rippling chills. The ripped velvet sleeves and the wet dress did little to keep you warm. But little was better than nothing. Shivers still shook you well, still with the searing pain inside the cold felt bearable for now.

At least this is confirmation they only took me, you sighed, burying your head into the small crevice of your tied hands, ready to give in to exhaustion.

Before you let the night take you in her arms, one last thought came through that just about managed to warm you up from deep within with a faint spark of hope.

I hope the boys are okay.

The rainstorm howled, blowing leaves and twigs everywhere it touched down upon. It was relentless, billowing above the tall tree line, shaking the wilderness down to the depths of the woods, ripping apart over him as if he was part of the forest. Like he was some kind of new addition to the open clearing full of wet, wilted greenery. One that wasn't as dead as the nature around him, waiting for the freeze of winter, but he was near becoming one with it.

He wasn't quite dead. Though it looked that way. His ashen locks were matted to his face, slapped dark with mud, dirt and scorched splinters of wood tangled in every strand, way darker than the paleness of his face and the bleeding parts of his body where his clothes were torn to shreds.

If that was how death looked, crimson like a flower of the purest bloom, soft skinned like a blanket of snow, yet so silver dressed resembling the finest royal jewels - then this death was painfully beautiful. Stealing your breath away and welcoming you with warm arms at the same time. A death that was, but wasn't.

Because he wasn't knocking on her doors just yet.

One moment he was still, as if turned to stone. The next, he drew in a gasping breath like it was his very first. His chest was hurting, moving, taking all of his breaths in and pumping the blood around his body as it normally should, but hurting like a motherfucker. He was alive, in piercing pain and trapped in his mind for extra safety, but on all other fronts, he was alive and breathing.

Somewhere between diving in and out of unconsciousness and awareness of endless pain, something moved above him. He couldn't open his eyes, eyelids weighing more than he could lift at the moment. He couldn't hear anything besides that ringing drowning the world out. But he could sense his surroundings. He could always count on sensing the energy around him when his senses failed to work with him.

It, or a person from the light motion, moved around frantically for a while then landed on top of him. He felt that, together with the blinding pain at the hard press of their body against his. If he could move, he would've pushed them away. But he felt desperation in that weak grip around him, so deep and tormented, hanging onto him for dear life, that it made him feel frustrated he couldn't gauge the situation at all.

One moment, the person pressed tightly into him as if in fear. He felt frail shaking wrapping around his arms then his shoulders, doing their best to reach him. Continual and beyond desperate, the shaking stopped on his face, around his cheeks, and he finally felt something beside the pain running through him - warmth. A warmth that was so familiar to him he tried moving something, anything to reach and comfort it. Then suddenly, the weight on his chest was replaced by a hollow emptiness. The person was gone. He couldn't feel them anymore. That's when his hearing started working again, converting the irritating ringing in his ears into muffled movement, rustling and grunting nearby. Really close by.

Something was happening. He had to open his damned eyes and look. Slowly, infuriatingly at that, all his other paralyzed senses started coming to but not his sight. He could feel the sloshy mud under his fingertips, smell it and the rain, taste the blood on his tongue. His sight took its sweet time even as his gut kept telling him to move it and take a fucking look at what was happening, but by the time he did it all turned quiet. The only thing he could hear was the beat of his heart and the rainfall hitting the ground beside him.

His lashes fluttered open, eyes meeting the blackened sky, raining down hard on his face. Trying to move was pointless when his whole body protested against it, tendrils of sharp pain bursting out in waves upon a single jerk of a finger. Moving was necessary, not a need but a must. Even so, his body just refused his orders firing one after the other. It wouldn't work like that - pushing himself in all sides expecting it to work with him. So he took it slow, slower than babies would.

He blinked away the heavy raindrops falling in his eyes, trying to clear the remaining haze of darkness away. Before he managed to gain back his sight properly, that darkness edged back in his vision, trying to pull him under with the irritating pounding in his temple. He couldn't let it take him again when an urgent need to get the fuck up and regain his bearings shook him to the bone.

He sat and sat, waiting for the pain to ebb away a little, enduring the cold rainfall drenching the rest of his clothes. Until the last shred of his patience finally burned to a crisp. Survival was his only friend for the longest but this was not the time to sit nicely with it. It was time to move. With a long grunt, he dragged his arms towards his chest and tried to push his upper body to sit at least on his elbows. Once that was manageable, he moved his head too, raising it in sync with the bend of his abdomen, hunching forwards with a shaky gasp. That was a mistake that only stirred the pounding in his head to unbearable throbbing.

"Fuck's sake," he hissed, managing to throw a hand to his head.

It hurt everywhere, but that spot near his temple hurt the most. His fingers pried and prodded, touching the soft, mellow skin there until he came to the conclusion that was a nasty gash that's been bleeding for a good while. Judging by the stinging around it, he's been laying there for even longer and rainwater bacteria was making itself rather comfortable.

Blinking away the woozy feeling keeping his body hostage to an imbalance he wasn't accustomed to, he focused his eyes in front of him. Embers burned all around - remnants of what was left of the wooden carriage. Some of them still sputtered, swallowing the remains of dry vegetation around them that wasn't completely soaked, others died down to a smoky kindle. Whipping his head to the right a little too fast that he saw his past, present and future in one dizzying flash, he caught sight of a body laying a few feet away. Zeroing in on it, he tried to figure out who it was but by gods if he could even see straight or make out the outline of the bush next to him at all.

Time to take a stroll and find out, he thought, willing his body to move towards that suspicious hunk of meat laying still in the mud.

In one brisk move, he moved to his knees. Way better than laying down in the mud and getting buried under it. But that's where he got stuck. Standing up properly was out of the question. He had to do it like he's never done it before. One foot before the other. One knee straightened fully then the other. He moved with the grace of a newborn calf, shaky and unstable on his feet, but at last he was standing. He took one step ahead of his head catching up with the rapid motion and nearly toppled over, putting way too much trust that it would be that easy to move. After all, he took several tumbles in a wooden box that nearly capsized with him inside it before his body collided with something hard and finally stopped the endless rolling, ending up in this situation in the first place.

Balancing his weight for a good minute, he tested a few more steps to get the blood flowing around before he took off in the direction of the body. The closer he got, the more it resembled a man. Dusty blonde hair peaked out from under heaps of wet maple leaves and mud and he recognized him instantly - blondie.

He fell to his knees, leaning over him. The upper right side of his suit was torn apart completely, burns climbing up his arms over his shoulder in small craters. He was scraped good, a few deep cuts on his face and light grazes over the side of his neck, but he was still breathing. Unknowingly, Enishi released a sigh of relief. At one point, somewhere in the tug of war between them, he started feeling for the guy because of you and your endless nagging for them to get along and grow a pair -

Wait.

You.

Where were you?

His feet acted on autopilot, lifting him up off the ground to take him along the open radius of the clearing, from the scattered pieces of wood still burning on the main road that got separated from the main frame of the carriage, going as far as the last fragments of the benches inside laying in the deeper opening of the forest. He called your name over and over, voice hoarse like it wasn't his own, whirling around every which side like a madman.

He scoured every corner. Lifted every side door or bench residue still standing propped on the ground, thinking you'd be stuck or hurt under it. Checked every bush and raise of greenery in case you were hiding. The rain just poured harder, making the blood on his head run down his face, extinguishing the fires still burning, except the one that sputtered to life in his chest the more he searched for you just to find nothing.

Not one sight of you, as if you disappeared without a trace.

Nothing at all.

In one breath, he was back at blondie's side, shaking his shoulders ready to yell bloody murder. The blond grunted in pain but Enishi couldn't care less about that. If he didn't open those fucking deer-in-distress eyes in the next few seconds, he would be as good as dead. The blonde continued grunting with no sign of waking up. Before he could stop himself, an angry palm planted on the other's cheek, the force of it forcing his head to the side and pulling a rough cough from him, finally awake and conscious.

"What the fuck," he groaned, his own world spinning to above and beyond.

"Miyu's gone. Wake the fuck up," growled Enishi.

That deep growl startled him enough to open his eyes wide. He took in his surroundings, then the angry, profusely bleeding gray haired man holding him by his collar at a close raging angle. Then his words registered and his mouth fell open.

"What do you mean Miyu's gone?"

"Hate to break it to you, but we were kinda hit from the back by a fucking fireball. I'm here. You're here. She's not. Now where the fuck is she?"

Cho groaned in response. "How the fuck am I supposed to know? I've been unconscious until you hit me." At that he paused and narrowed in on Enishi, brows furrowed in anger. "Why the fuck did you hit me?"

"Just felt like it."

Cho turned sideways and spit the blood out of his mouth before pushing the rough hands around his neck away. Enishi's grip never loosened, only tightened until his knuckles cracked.

"Get your hands off me."

"Or what?"

Before he saw it coming, a fist collided with the side of his head, the bleeding one. His sight got blurrier than it was as he fell backwards. He tried his hardest to shake it off, struggling back to his feet. When his eyes landed on the blond, barely standing himself but standing nonetheless, his jaw ticked and he saw red.

Two steps was all it took and he was pushing him against a tree bark with all his might. Lightning flashed above, drenching him in white, making him look like a bloodied ghost set on vengeance that's been overdue for a long time. Way too long.

Enishi's right fist connected with Cho's cheek before he could counter the attack. With that first blow multiple followed, all punches relentless and more powerful than the previous. Each punch held his rage for the past few days heading straight for the blond. One dug into his chin for hurting you all those years ago with empty lies. Another two cut his cheek open for letting him stay under his roof and feeding him when he didn't deserve it the treatment, giving him way too many chances to redeem himself. An uppercut for playing around with you like you were a toy to break his patience.

Pinning him into the bark of the tree with each strike, Enishi was set upon drilling his body into that hollow bark until he became one with it.

Cho let him send blow after blow until he got his world to stop spinning enough to respond. As soon as the side of his face started going numb and the blood in his mouth felt fresh, his hand lifted to catch Enishi's fist in his, longer fingers digging over his, all while launching his other hand to catch his arm, switching places to throw him into the tree bark instead. He dug his knee into Enishi's chest hard, then without hesitation kicked him down into a puddle of sludge he landed into face first.

The time to play nice ended the minute he smacked the blond awake. He wanted a fight? He was going to get one to remember.

This was what they were both waiting for. The anger they had towards each other just kept rising these past few days. Their instincts only knew violence and destruction for the longest time and they tempered those down enough. Each craved to see the other in pain for a multitude of reasons, most of them surrounding their dispute over you, others simply for futile fun of the moment.

It was time to put their powers to the test.

No mercy. No outside interruptions. Just them and their fists.

Enishi got up from the mud pummeling into Cho with a rough tackle, sending him into the ground hard enough to knock the air out of him. Taking advantage of how dazed he was, he climbed on top, bruised hands finding his grazed neck, pressing down with all his strength to cut his air supply. He didn't want to kill him. That hate harbored in his chest was heavy and punishing when he needed it to be but this wasn't the case for it to unlock. He just wanted to make the bastard feel the pain until he gave up on his own. A small part of him wanted to see him beg for it.

Cho struggled under his hold, hands thrashing around to find something he could use against the brute strangling him. He searched and searched ignoring the murderous gaze set on him. As soon as his palm connected with the length of a tree branch he lifted it up and flung it hard into Enishi's shoulder sending him flying off of him. He didn't give himself a chance to catch his breath before he pressed him into the ground with his foot and got a hold of his arm to twist it backwards at an inhumane angle without stopping until Enishi howled in pain. Even after he yelled in agony, he continued twisting with a wicked smirk on his face, finally satisfied to see him in pain.

The sword thief wasn't one to engage in extreme violence unless he was provoked. Enishi did a lot of that lately, especially when it came to playing around with you, acting like a saint afterwards. You were too peaceful to hurt him. Way too kind to him even in that hateful gaze after the stupid games he played. So he took it upon himself to teach him a lesson. Just because the lesson proved rewarding to Cho's ego, it did not mean he really wanted the guy to suffer for long. Just a little more would do him immense satisfaction.

Cho's victory was short lived. He might have been one of the Ten Swords but he lacked one thing Enishi held close - combat intellect. Something so inconsequential to a normal sword connoisseur but so trivial to a double blade wielder.

Enishi's right arm sneaked out from under him, grabbing a good hold of Cho's thigh as his leg kicked the back of his knee to hurl him back to the ground, letting go of his twisted arm in the process. The blond barely hit the ground before getting back up again, ready to send another kick Enishi's way. He intercepted it and sent one from the ground, angling his body sideways and kicking his leg high enough to hit the side of Cho's neck. He followed up with an elbow in his chest and an uppercut meant to cut off that annoying smirk on his face. He stumbled, colliding with another tree and almost lost his footing falling beside it.

Enishi gave him a second too long. A second that had Cho slide over the mud and kick his legs from under him. He fell backwards, flipping back up on his legs to grab onto Cho's neck once more. Though this time, Cho's hands flew to Enishi's neck too.

The sound of horses galloping went over their heads, both males busy with killing the other or doing more significant damage than the fireball or the carriage crash could. They both squeezed each other, pressing their dirty, bloodied fingers against whatever spots they caught, reluctant to let go and find a better one. They kept going at it until the shot of a gun echoed loud through their still ringing ears, stopping their brawl.

Moving on alert, their heads swiveled in sync behind them to see Wu and a few of the other gang members just looking at them and the disaster around with wide eyes. The older man approached, looking both of them dead in the eyes. In all the years he's worked with him, Enishi has never seen the man more angry than he did now.

"Pardon my language, but what the hell are you two doing right now?" He paused to look around, previous anger turning into worry with each injury he discovered. "And where's madame?"

At the mention of you they sobered up. Both of them let go very adamantly of each other and stepped away, putting some much needed space between them. They were both covered in mud from head to toe, with the occasional bleeding wounds sparkling through, clothes completely ripped apart now, worse than the rolling through the bushes left them.

Cho wiped away the blood on his lips. Enishi touched his wound again, tampering the blood flowing from his head with what was left of the sleeve of his suit. They gave each other one more look of seething rage deciding that this wasn't over. But it was a battle to fight another time.

"I don't know where she is. She was with us before we got hit," replied Enishi, looking down at the ground. Then he pushed a question of his own towards the old man. "How are you here?"

He didn't leave anything but the location with him and specifically told him not to follow in case the Triads showed up. Which they did. But he couldn't risk losing all his resources in one night. Though he did lose an important one. One he insisted stayed back but acted against his orders again.

"Madame came to find me before you left. She told me to come looking for you with back up in case you didn't get back by midnight."

She felt something was wrong, he realized, his chest filling up with dread. You were antsy and jumpy all day but he pushed it past to all the stress you've been under with the mission itself and what the result of it could mean for you. That and the bothersome confession he pushed in your arms without thinking a few nights ago.

"We need to find her," said Cho, holding his shoulder in pain. Now that the adrenaline was all gone, eliminated completely in their mini rage match, they felt the aftereffects of the crash tenfold, beyond the power of their punches.

"Master Enishi, the roads are all empty," said Wu. "It's been a good few hours since you left for the city. We won't find anything out here until morning."

The old man was right. With the pouring rain and the mud running liquid on the ground, all tracks were most likely covered by dirt puddles. They had no shot at finding anything now. Safest bet was going back and coming again tomorrow when the mud was dried up and it wasn't so damn cold. The wound on his temple agreed with him, thundering just once, hard enough that it sent his vision swimming and he stumbled over his steps. Cho's hands shot out to steady him before he took a splash in another puddle, this time of his own doing.

If he was able to stand on his own two legs, he would rip those twigs off his body and beat him with them for having the audacity to act all friendly after he tried to kill him. He did push a sarcastic remark only for his pained groans to cut through.

"Worried about me, blondie?"

"I'm worried about Miyu, not about you, Mr. Prince of the Frogs. How hard did you hit your head?"

Using the hand that wasn't holding upright the grunting mess deadset on ending his life mere moments ago, he got a hold of the side of his head to inspect his wound. Enishi just winced in response to his useless prodding, jerking it back from his hold. That sent his sight spinning like a swiveling chair would.

"We need to get back," urged the blonde, throwing Enishi's arm over his good shoulder. "We're no good to her like this, especially you."

That was the hard truth he had to swallow down his dry throat and make peace with for now. They had to get back. He couldn't do shit with injuries, much less find you. Even if the anger gripping him in cold waves at the thought of having to leave without you was suffocating. Not knowing if you were okay, not knowing what the fuck happened that you were nowhere to be found.

"Fine," he rasped out. "But we're back here the minute it lights up."

"Couldn't agree more," said Cho, helping him walk to the carriage.

Before they boarded Wu's transport, he cast a look back at the darkened clearing hoping to find something else. A clue or a hint that you were still there, lying somewhere he couldn't see or reach, hidden down some rabbit hole he couldn't spot.

Enishi wasn't one to believe in hope, praying to god for things, wishing on a shooting star or that sort of optimistic activities until you. He prayed that he didn't have to leave yet. He hoped that he would find you if he scoured the area better now, not in the morning when tracks might still be scattered under rainwater seas. As the storm rained down harder and the fog settled over the last burning embers of the carriage, he found nothing to hold onto. Nothing in the rubbles or the dense trees or even the other side of the road covered by trees upon trees.

Nothing at all.

No you.

You couldn't tell how long you've been out of it. There was no indicator of measuring the time down in this endless cave. Not one flicker of light shone through any crack in the stone wall. Not even a lost, thin ray of sun down the rock corridor. The only source of time passing were the lit torches to your left, burning up, flaring to wild flames, going out one by one until darkness was all that remained.

The strong, cold air current wafting through the iron bars, howling on the surrounding echo like a lone wolf, never got warmer. Not even a degree above the ice hanging in the air. The underground was supposed to be warmer than the world above the strips of grass and dirt, not colder than sheathed metal blades.

Pangs of hot pain surged endlessly through your body, alternating in your middle or the swollen ankle, waking you up at times only to switch position. As much as one could move chained to the ceiling before falling back into weary slumber.

Wake up. Shift. Sleep. A routine for a sleep that was neither restful or peaceful, escaping and calming like actual sleep should be. It was just enough rest to replenish your lost energy and pass the time in some other way that didn't involve staring at the iron bars ahead, watching how humidity condensed from the ceiling and dripped down the rusty poles until they gathered in puddles, drifting along the cracks in the ground with annoying plinks. You even started counting those at one point, unable to ignore the smell of dampness coming with the humid condensation.

Then you wondered, if a flood was to suddenly occur, what would it become of you? Would that snake come down to unchain and save you since he deemed you so trivial to his plans? He would rather save his own reptilian skin. What would become of you? Chained to the walls of a cavernous cell, swallowed by the water, lost in the drift heading down into the heart of a place that was somewhere but nowhere.

Upon all of that swirl of endless doom thinking to keep you awake and alert to any change around, you fell back into sleep, floating in the emptiness of your tired mind and the different scenarios it cooked up from nothing.

A loud clang shook you from the depths of a dreamless sleep. Keys rattled against the metal rods in front, clinking into each other with a disturbing noise that swam in your ears way too deep to ignore it and continue that excuse of a thing you called sleeping. Blinking your eyes open took a while. Coming to terms with the fact that you've slept with your head against the shackles for a long time took less. Your neck ached, your back coiled from a night's rest like a horse cursed to sleep upright in a barn for his whole life. At least they had hay to curl around.

The keys continued jangling in the lock, smashing into each other as if that infernal noise could make the door open alone. Finally, the metal frame was thrown open with a screech that might as well have been a train's horn. The owner of the keys stepped inside, heading for your spot in the middle of the cell. Your sensitive ears caught up with his footfalls stopping short of an arm's reach, chained arms reach. Cracking an eye open then the other, you were met with the dirty boots of a guard. He reached above you and fiddled with the chains until they were unlocked from the ceiling and thrown to the ground behind you, striking the stone floor with another clang that broke your hearing.

"Up," said the guard gruffly.

What if you didn't obey? Would he do something about it or would he just leave you the fuck alone?

As you debated your very limited stack of choices, you peered behind the guard, noticing two more stationed by, waiting. The three of them all wore commando gear - tight black shirts, vests ticked with small tanto knives inside and out, short range dao swords at the joined hilt on their hips, and dark green pants - staying incognito and on the ready for a fight at all times.

The one in front of you looked easy enough to take on - tall but scrawny in muscle mass, less armed and more sure of his authority in the way he puffed his chest. But the ones behind him looked brawny and skilled, armed to the brim with more muscles than they had weapons on hand. One of them tapped his boot impatiently as if he had better places to be. The other just seemed bored out of his mind, staring gaping holes through you. All odds combined, those two would definitely be harder to take down and they would probably skewer you before you took a step towards freedom anyway. Injured, dazed and unprepared, that was a big no go.

"Today, wench."

Rude prude.

You shot him a look that went ignored as he picked up your chains, wrapping the ends around his fists to pull you up to your feet faster than your legs could catch up. Stumbling over your steps out of the cell, your direction was almost changed for the wall upfront if it wasn't for one of the muscly guards reaching out to catch you before you could face plant in it, relocating you back on your feet a little more gently than the prick in charge could ever aspire to be.

"Easy there," he called to him before he glanced down at you. "She's important to the boss."

Important? Just how important am I to that reptile?

Bossy shoes just dismissed him and took off down the right from your cell with a huff. Guess it's time to find out what's down there.

The rest of the torches lined on the walls were now all lit up, all the way to the bottom of the long tunnel you turned for, leaping wildly with every lost gust of wind blowing through. Your extremely welcoming committee put hurry in his step, descending down a wide row of stairs with a short walkway in between every few steps. There were more cells littered all across your right but they were all empty. You didn't see one soul in any of them.

Sassy pants made sure to pull on the length of your chains a little harder at every last step before your foot landed on the flat surface, silently hoping you would stumble and break your neck faster. He seemed to have a lot of resentment towards you, holding his chin up high and mighty, but that was probably how he acted around all women.

As a precaution, you drew your shackles closer and pulled just as hard whenever he was about to step on the next row of stairs. Looking down ahead, you were about halfway down into the tunnel. It was a long way down and an even longer one back up and your growing nerves didn't like it one bit. The arrogant prick picked up his pace, running two steps at a time and you decided enough is enough. If he wanted a donkey he should've asked his boss for one.

You wrapped your fingers around the chains and pulled on your end, a little harder than you wanted. He nearly took a tumble backwards. To your disappointment, he didn't. Cracking his head from side to side, he blew out an annoyed breath. His temper seemed to run shorter than you gave him credit for and you were glad because that's exactly what you were trying to do - irritate and divide.

Nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing men about to lose their marbles.

You let out an accidental snort that you instantly regretted. Slowly turning to you, he wrapped the remaining chain length putting safe distance between you around his arms, and he did pull harder, directing you straight into the stone wall this time. You crashed into it face forwards, getting the wind knocked out of you. The torch above your head rattled dangerously, sure that another thud would tip it over on top of your head to set you on fire.

In a delayed show of his authority and power, the guard pressed deep into your back, bladed elbow pushing you against the murky wall of the cave. You could taste the copper staining the tunnel top to bottom in dark orange spots, glowing amber in the light of the torch flame. Turning your head with a remark at the ready, you swallowed the words right back down your throat upon the sight of a sharp knife, drawn out of the nothingness behind you. Inching towards the corner of your eye, it sweetly caressed the side of your face downwards like the lips of a lover would, if those were deadly lips that could kill on a swift cut. The blade sat close enough to cut your cheek open if pressed against the skin, but far enough to keep writhing against the restraint behind you. No amount of struggling or pushing against him lessened his hold on you.

"I don't care how important you are to the boss. Try that shit again and I'll make sure to pull you down there backwards with this rusty chain wrapped around your throat until you beg me to stop," he spoke, marking his threat by snaking the tip of his knife against your cheek in small waves. Stopping at the edge of your lips with a thin prick of the blade, he spoke again, asking for your word of obedience. "Understood?"

You grunted, trying to shake him off and make him shove his words where the sun doesn't shine. He only pressed harder into your back, his hot breath fanning your ear. Tremors of disgust erupted all over your nape. You didn't need to see his face to know he was smirking like the righteous dick he thought he was being. So in true balanced nature you paid the warm welcome right back.

Before he saw it coming, you threw a head butt into his face hard. So hard you felt a crack in the back of your head. He did fall backwards on his ass this time, clutching the bridge of his nose in pain, blood seeping out through his fingers, falling splat on the floor in spots darker than the copper stains.

Think twice before trying to manhandle me, you moron. I hope you stop breathing properly.

The guards behind him snickered at the expense of their fallen colleague, enjoying the show more than you wanted them to. One of them moved to get a hold of your chain, while the other gripped your arm securely, almost as tight as the chains pulling on your wrists.

"Go get that checked out," said one of them chuckling heartily, before leading you down the last few flights of stairs.

The farther down you went, the colder it got. Keeping the icy chills at bay when they rattled the very bones in your body was a lost game. As you came to a long corridor leading to an arch entrance, you heard chatter and laughter. Female chatter and laughter. The closer you got to the archway, the louder and hardly unmistakable it got, cheerful and so full of life, unlike anything you've noticed so far in this place.

Rounding the corner below the arch, the guards walked you through into a well lit cave of some sort, much brighter than the dark corridors you traveled through. Rows of tall stone columns stood both at your left and right, all carved in from top to bottom, resembling the ones holding up the western monuments you used to learn about as a kid.

A much bigger fire blazed in firestone pits dug low behind them, so bright that it felt like the very sun was burning in the room. This cave was bigger than a theatre, stretching from the entrance all the way to the far end where you found the very source of the laughter.

There, a small lifted stone platform hosted a long table filled with food and people, some chatting away with merry in their voice, others just silently enjoying the food. All of them were women. Different nationalities, even different accents from what you could hear echoing back to you.

With the high columns touching the ceiling and the fire burning on the side painting them in a fair golden glow, it felt like you were looking at an army of goddesses having their holy dinner underground before bringing rueful battle above the earth. A painting brought to life and motion that took your breath away.

One of the guards took your hands into his rough hold and brought out a key. He gave you a look in fair warning not to try anything similar to what you did to his comrade since he might not be as lenient as him. A quick glance between his raw gaze and the sword sheathed at his side had you slump in defeat. Not that you could try anything that fast anyway. Trustful that you would behave, but wary it could be a trap, he inserted the key in the rusty lock and took off your shackles.

"Go and meet the others," he instructed. "We'll come collect you when it's time for you to go back to your cell."

Rubbing your aching wrists over the red indents left by the restraints, you turned to the masses and made your way over the long aisle as well as you could walk with a twisted ankle. The closer you got to the platform, some pairs of eyes took notice of your presence and the chatter drew to a mere shushing, until all eyes were trained on you like you walked the walk of shame. You noticed all of them were dressed in combat clothing. You wore a muddy, torn off occasion dress.

Way to make a first impression. I look like a damsel seeking refuge in a highly secured fortress. They might as well shoot me down now before I knock.

You walked a bit more then faltered in your step. All eyes were on yours except a pair that gave you their back. A familiar hunched over back, gobbling up food faster than your ears could cope with the sound. It was the hair that confused you. Dark mauve, almost black tangled wet locks of hair, longer and dirtier than you remembered her to keep it.

It can't be... you shook your head. There's no way it's her.

Sensing the quiet in the room, the girl you were ogling stopped eating, lifting her head to the girls in front of her.

"What? What happened?" she spoke, her voice coming out muffled through the bites still stuck in her mouth waiting to be munched away at. "Why did you all stop talking?"

Even her voice... That low, extremely pissed voice that could drop kick your attitude to outer space. It sounds exactly the same as hers.

Her hair, her voice, the very way she was leaned over the table. People don't share habits like those. Those traits could only belong to her. The possibility that it was her was as big as trying to latch a rope around a boar's neck. But all your senses believed it was her. It couldn't be anyone else.

What the fuck is this?

The girl opposite her, watching your every move since her eyes laid on you, nodded her head your way.

"We have new company," she said, low and sharp in Chinese.

The girl with mauve hair finally turned to you with an expression you couldn't decipher. One that you didn't need to because you knew that face all too well. You staggered backwards with a gasp of shock. At first glance, she quickly looked at you, dismissing your existence to turn back to the table. Then she choked, coughing up food and turned back to you once more. Upon seeing you, fully seeing you, her eyes blinked in surprise then in utter shock, doing several takes before the leftover food in her mouth ended up being spat on the floor.

In one breath, she was up and running towards you at full speed, closing the distance between you faster than you could comprehend what was happening. Her arms engulfed you in a bone-crushing hug, almost taking your lungs away in it. Since she was taller, your arms wound up around her middle. You breathed in her scent, going beyond the dirt and potentially dried blood stench, unable to catch a whiff of that special citrusy perfume she used to lather herself in. Regardless, you dug your head in the crook of her neck, pulling her deeper into your hold.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she whispered, pulling away slightly to look at you every which way to make sure it was really you.

That was the same thing you did, smacking her cheeks together and looking deep into her golden brown eyes like she wasn't real and just a figment of your imagination. But it was her. It really was her.

Lyla. My Lyla.

Her hands moved from your shoulders to the top of your head, brushing through leftover leaves and twigs you failed to notice were strung in your hair like you were mother nature's plod.

"I could ask you the same thing," you said, still confused as to what was going on.

"Are you going to introduce us to your friend?" asked the girl facing Lyla's empty seat. She wore a smile now, as if she waited for Lyla's approval of your arrival before accepting it herself.

"Yeah, of course," she laughed nervously, ungluing herself away from you. She walked you to the table where you were in everyone's field of vision.

"This is Miyu. She's one of the best assassins in the business I know, and an even better friend," she squeezed you closer looking at you affectionately. That squeeze, as loving and well-intended it was, it made you wince in pain, reminding you of the broken ribs that have gone forgotten in your reunion.

"Oh my god," she gasped. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," you grunted. "Can you just unlace this death trap of a corset a little?"

Said and done. She was behind you in a heartbeat, undoing Enishi's exemplary work on your corset a little so you could breathe. She unlaced it halfway then dug her fingers through the sides, pulling the fabric carcass wider until you tapped her arm that it was good enough. You bent over and breathed some fresh air in good gulps. As fresh as musty, humid cave air can be.

"How are you here?"

"I teleported myself here, Lyla," you deadpanned, straightening back up. She frowned and you instantly felt bad for the remark.

"I don't know," you sighed. "I was on a mission, some shit with a flying fireball happened and I woke up here."

"They took you too," she said.

The icy glare in her eyes alone, directed right behind at the archway you came through moments ago, shook a chill down your spine.

"What do you mean they took me? Too? What's going on?"

At each confused question, the wariness painting the faces around morphed into something else. Something that made them avoid

"You may want to sit down."

Another girl, much younger than the others, pulled out a chair for you and Lyla helped you over to it. She got an empty plate, filling it up with food for you as she started explaining what was actually going on in as less information and detail as was humanly possible. If abductions and arson ever went hand in hand as small talk topics, but alas.

"We've all been taken away. Kidnapped mid-mission, taken from our homes in the dead of night or literally just being ambushed while travelling around the continent."

The words coming out of her mouth made your blood run cold. Your eyes landed on the girl before you whose light nod confirmed the grim affirmations.

"All of us are really skilled assassins in our fields of expertise," continued Lyla. "Knives, guns, swords. Name your pick and someone at this table can show you the ropes. They picked us for their exclusive underground fight club."

That explains the dried blood spots on the floor from the arch entrance all the way to the far end where the dirt ground met the stone platform. But it sure doesn't explain why they were taken away, against their will, for such an unexplainable reason. The clubs you fought at, though many, were all on a consent basis from what you remembered. After all, that's how you met Lyla.

Rewinding the clock back a good decade to a few days after your parents disappeared, most of your relatives that were still alive in Yokohama refused to take you in. They treated you like you weren't part of the family. Like your parents didn't work their backs for the whole family tree line at times, always lending your aunts money or helping your uncles out with their rude specimens of children whenever they could. Being the sole survivor of the Hikari mansion massacre wasn't seen as a good omen, as if a wretched curse was following you around and would bring about their deaths too if they took you in. The doors shut tighter and faster at the sight of you, sometimes before you even knocked, treated like a stranger by your own kin and blood. And family became the very last thing you could count on.

Walking for days, hopping merchant carts from city to city, you somehow ended up in Central Edo. Begging around for food or some kind of work on the outskirts was the initial plan. But as soon as you arrived, you caught wind of fight clubs in the area being open to anyone, no matter their age or background. A fresh start from zero.

You heard it was easy money to make and even easier to track people through since most of the bigshots in the city frequented it. You attended it that day, undercover in case you'd be kicked out, only to find that most of the fighters in the ring were girls around your age. The audience sitting in on the matches loved to talk of anything and everything - crimes, mafia hits, unfinished business with snobs in high society. Nothing stayed private there. Thinking you'd find some information on your parents and have a roof over your head while going at it, you entered it that same night.

That's where you found her, sharpening her knives in a lone corner of the shared living quarters in the sewers underneath the city. Black Canary they called her. Whenever she was in the ring to fight, you'd hear that scream of hers, high-pitched like a bird of prey on the ready to send your ears into audible wreckage, symbolic of her reigning victory. She was one of the best the club ever had, keeping the public throwing stacks of money in bet tickets until they ran out, leaving the fight club with empty pockets.

Beside that triumphant scream, she didn't speak a word. She never ate, slept or trained with everyone else. All she had was fighting and the sharp blades of her knives.

With time, you learned to catch up on her habits. The way she sharpened her knives in the same pattern, up from the hilts, twice for each blade. How she trained in the tunnels far out instead of joining with the rest in the ring. That she would always come out to the weapons table when it was empty, after everyone else has already eaten, to eat by herself.

At first, you just watched her from a dark corner. After a while of building up the courage, you'd purposefully eat slower than the rest and stay around longer until she showed up, to keep her company. The first times you did it, she would get angry, shoot you a look full of hatred and leave the table with her plate untouched as if you disrespected her space or something. But as you grew older and matured, time passed and you were the only girl left around as the rest went on their ways. Only then did she welcome your presence.

Her name was the first word she ever spoke to you. Not the stage name they called her by after a successful kill that earned betting money to corrupt city officials. Her real name. The one her mother baptized her with on the cold winter's night that she was born. The name she never wanted to give up.

She never even gave her real name to anyone before you, she told you. Little by little, she spent more time with you and she opened up. You came to learn she had one of the nicest voices you've ever heard and that contrary to her silence she talked, a whole lot. But only with you and a few close friends.

Since then, you've trained together, fought together, moved ships together when the time was right. You've been at each other's side like sisters, guarding each other's back no matter what. Maybe you weren't bound by blood, but you were bound by that bond of found sisterhood. She became the only family you had left in the world, a home that you could always run to when the world got too much. The kind you'd risk anything for upon a simple ask. Even your life.

After you've left Japan, you lost contact with her for good reason, trying to protect that very bond you had since you had a moving target on your back. As good as it was to see her now, you wished it was under better and safer circumstances because these ones confused you greatly. Hell, the last few days have been confusing as fuck for you but this was next level fuckery you couldn't wrap your head around even with higher intellect.

"I don't understand why they kidnapped you all like this and forced you in here," you said, looking down at the ground like the stone floor would split open and a valid answer for why they were all gathered here would pop out on a stalagmite spear.

This was the work of the Triads for sure. But why? They were the reason you ran away in the first place. They had ties to your parents too. What could they possibly want with an underground fight club?

"Last I checked, they asked people if they wanted to join before they followed them around and took them by force," you added, subtly relating your personal experience with the Triads that hasn't been as much fun as they advertised.

"I was taken during a surprise raid of theirs in the West zone, almost off the border," spoke a girl to your left, sat at the far end of the table. Her gentle, melodious voice had your eyes snap from the ground to her instantly.

Two long, brunette braids split up to sit on each side of her shoulders. Small silver ringlets decorated random waves of the braids in her hair, from the top to the very last strand, tied tightly with leather laces at the spiky ends.

"My name's Yana. They also call me Qiang, like the spear I wield," she said with a smile.

You could tell she was confident in her wielding, much like the scabs and calluses on her hands as she extended one for you to shake. Your own palm wrapped around hers in a shake that dominated yours. Even her hold was hard like the wood used to make the base of the qiang.

"They surely didn't ask me to join their wretched cause before they set fire to my village, burning it to the ground," she said. Her eyes fell on the fire burning in the pits below, like she was living that nightmare once more.

"I fought back to protect my own, trying to help my family flee before the flames swallowed our home. I thought they were out for treasures or the small fortunes gathered together in our small quarters. But the minute I went out to fight they turned on me. Before I could know my family was safe, they hauled me away and shoved me in here."

"I'm sorry," you uttered underneath your breath, unable to process what they were capable of.

"Ah," she shook her head with a somber smile. "There's no need for that. You'll hear worse stories than mine."

Before you could make sense of her words or even begin to absorb the lengths of her story, someone else took the lead in sharing theirs.

"I'm Marissa," said the girl next to Yana. Her voice was much deeper and manlier than you expected it to sound.

The first person you noticed when you walked in the cave was her. As did she, her eyes instantly connecting with yours across the length of the rock gallery when you entered with the guards. Her blue eyes, colder than the Sea of the Arctic could ever aspire to be, pierced you in intimidation upon that first glance. Her face looked hardened by battle, used to it if you'd assume it, paler and reddish in tone around her cheekbones. Beside the tall bridge of her nose, her cheeks sat high like they were cut from hard rock cobalt.

One look at her told you she was a warrior of the caliber legends talked about, that ate battle for breakfast, won it by lunch and threw a feast fit for a queen at dinner.

Among her foreign features, what struck you the most was her ginger hair, glowing a bright auburn with the moving flicker of the firestone. It was the kind of shade you'd find on a really expensive material like imperial silk, so unique and beautiful that you'd dress her up in the finest of those silks just to see how bright she could glow.

"As you can tell, I'm not from around here," she spoke roughly in broken Chinese. Coughing dryly, she switched to Japanese in which she seemed much more confident, thing that caught you by surprise.

"I'm from Siberia. They caught me at a fortress in the North, digging up some ancient alcohol the monks were raving about," she laughed and you had to laugh with her, the rest of the table following suit. The girls seemed to be familiar with her story, certainly hearing it every now and then. It got you curious too.

"They call me the Axe Woman. I don't even wield an axe. It's more of a halberd."

She chugged down a mug of what smelled like hardcore alcohol. The scent of it wafted your way. Sensing your eyes on it like a hawk, she offered it to you with a small grin. You shook your hands in refusal but she insisted, pushing it into your hands.

"Have a gulp. You look like you need it."

You took it and had a tentative sip before you chugged it all down in one long gulp. The raw spirit went down your throat, burning out the chills wracking you all night, warming you right up. Finishing it up to the very last drop, you eyed to the bottom of the wooden cup looking for some more. That was unlike anything you've ever had before, somewhere between expensive bar liquor and ages old spirit brewed in the heart of the countryside. So strong and flavory, going right to where you needed some quick liquid smoothness.

Wiping your lips of the leftover drops, you held it back to her only for her smile to crack away into a really threatening sneer.

"I didn't mean the whole thing. That was the last of it."

A sacred rule of yours regarding alcohol was to never drink the last alcohol at the table because it could always be the last for a long time coming. A rule you forgot about that now made your hold on the mug tremble.

A loud hiccup escaped your lips out of nervousness for what could follow that threat. You jumped over your rule and drank the last of the alcohol at the table and from the looks of it there would be violent consequences since Marissa didn't seem to play about her liquor. After all, she did get caught and thrown down here as she was looking for some.

Debating your chances against her broader, much taller form had your stomach growl in protest. Then a huge burp came out from the depths of your throat before you could stop it. The eyes around the table rounded wide, all directed at you like you've committed the utmost final sin. You cursed yourself for being so selfish.

They're going to skin me alive for a mug of alcohol.

If they write that on my stone I'll become the laughingstock of pooping pigeons.

Maybe that plea could be my last words.

If I get the right to any last words.

Just when you thought the world was about to end for good, the whole table erupted in hysterics at your expense. They were just playing with you. Your face must have given away your stupid thoughts because even Marissa threw her head back howling, hand hitting the table in utter amusement that you weren't following along the trick.

"Don't worry. I had enough for today," she smirked in teasing, her shoulders rolling with a few more giggles. "Your face was priceless."

Your shoulders fell with a sigh. "Very funny. I nearly said a prayer with the last drops of it stuck in my throat."

"I love alcohol, but not enough to kill a sister. You're one of us now."

That made a smile fall on your lips. You've been here for a shitload of a few minutes and they already took you in as one of their own. The feelings were mutual, nods already falling in agreement with Marissa's words.

Suffering unites people in the worst of times. But how much of it did these girls go through that a simple good word and a laugh with you had them swear your name off their killing lists? From the fading scars on their faces and hands, way too much of it crossed their paths. The ones laying under the surface, deep in their souls, must be hurting worse. You could see it in their eyes - the haunting moments they lived in here.

The table quieted down and everyone went back to enjoying their food. Once the coast was clear of volunteers, it was someone else's turn to tell their story. Nothing could have prepared you for this one.

"I'm Mai," spoke the girl next to you. She was the one that pulled your chair over with a small smile.

A tiny thing she was, not a year above sixteen years of age. A young girl. You were a teenage girl too when you started fighting, much more younger, but at least you fought willingly and on your own terms.

"I've been here the longest," she said, cutting through your train of thoughts. She looked down at her plate with a small twitch of her lips that could barely be a smile.

Your heart thrummed in your chest at her words.

The longest? A child has been here for the longest?

"How?" was the only thing you could mutter, unable to get over the shock of what she was telling you, like it was a fable, far from reality.

"My parents used to work for the Triads. They were two of the best assassins they had. After they had me, they wanted to pull out and live a normal life but the bosses just wouldn't let them go. They ran away to protect me but the troops caught up to us," she said, her soft brown eyes filling up with unshed tears.

"They took me as revenge. It's been almost ten years since then."

What kind of animals do this shit?

"They kept me here and trained me, had me fight sometimes, welcome the newcomers. I don't go to the upper world though. It's always been off limits to me. I keep hoping that one day they'll let us all go. I don't even remember how it feels like to see the sunlight," she said, mumbling the last part as she sniffled away an angry, stray tear before it could fall away from her face.

She's been held down in this cold cave, with barely enough food to eat or a real bed to sleep in, as a killing machine for them?

For ten years?

Those weren't people. Those were mad devils walking the earth with no scruples and a slithering tail in place of a spine. These demons captured a young girl and locked her up in a fighting cave, making her call it a home when she should be in an actual home, in the comfort and the warmth of her parents' loving embrace, exploring the beauties of the world.

Your parents were snatched away, leaving you to fend for yourself in the unknown dangerous world. But they didn't take you like this, without allowing you time with them. But to steal a child that's barely been in the world for so little, taking away her right to live a life... This... this was madness. A madness that fueled your rage for the Triads even more.

"Can I hug you?" you asked, before even registering the words spilling out. "I just... you remind me so much of me."

At first she hesitated. You could see it on her face - a wonder for the comfort that she barely got to feel. Arms stretching out with a smile, you hoped she could look past the roadkill look you sported and get in there.

She passed you a slow nod and you rushed to engulf her in a delicate, gentle hug, hoping you could let her feel some of the warmth she's missed all these years she's been locked in this hollow lifeless pit. She probably hasn't had one of these in a while since she melted into your hold within an instant, burying her head in the crook of your neck. You squeezed her as hard as your wounds would let you, ignoring the stabbing pain under your ribs. The pain you were feeling didn't even compare to what she must have gone through. So you held her close, carding a hand through her soft locks, feeling her bury closer in your arms.

Maybe the others weren't the soft type. The assassin job usually meant killing off your softness in order to get things done quick and less messy. But no matter how much you or Barairo tried to get rid of this gentle side of you, it never worked. You never let the rage consume you to the point of no return. Perhaps it was the luck of being raised for more than half of your life by loving parents, a thing not many can say. Maybe keeping this kindness was what paid respects to their memory. Whatever the reason, you hung tight onto it, never letting go. You'd be dead and gone before you let that happen.

Your heart ached for her. This shred of kindness, as small and insignificant as it was, was all you've been missing growing up on the streets of Edo. Alone, scared, with no future in sight. A young girl left to fend for herself with no place to call her home, nowhere to turn to.

Pulling back from each other, you brushed her ebony hair back softly, the very way your mother used to.

"You're brave, Mai. So brave. Braver than I ever was back then," you said, cupping the side of her face. "Hold that close to your heart."

Her cheek leaned into your hand like a tigress letting herself be tamed. You could feel the anger she kept inside, but from the looks of it she was better at controlling it than you did.

The rest of the girls at the table introduced themselves and told you about their abductions. Every one of these girls braved through the odds to survive and live as best as they could, every story more tragic and painful to listen to. At one point you noticed something that raked chills down your spine. All the reasons for which they were taken blurred into a disgusting pattern that shook you to your core - they were all taken for their skills in battle. For being good, undetectable assassins in their local areas. For their expertise. For their unparalleled strength. None of them were housewives or farmers. All of them were powerful warriors.

Why they took only girls was a mystery beyond you. These girls were all well known in their fields and could hold their own against an army if they wanted to. And you found out that's exactly what most of the women at this table did if they had chance - they put up a battle in front of this unforeseen danger. Some fought legions to protect their own and keep the danger at bay for as long as they could. Others were taken as they carried out the only job they knew, trying to survive the days the only way they could, even if that meant taking a filthy life off the face of the earth in exchange for one more day or one more week to win the roof over their heads and the small meals they could barely afford to stay alive.

They were brought here to fight for their lives at the will of that smug serpent lounging in the luxurious comfort of the upper world without a worry in the universe, as if nothing and no one could take the world from under his feet.

What they called the upper world was the very world promised to them. The world they came into as little girls, to grow and blossom into amazing women and fearsome warriors, to become forces of nature that wished to protect and aid, not at all divide and conquer. The very world they now looked to from beneath the layer of the earth above this cavern, as if they were already dead corpses waiting to be absorbed a level lower than the one hosting their pain and anger at the moment.

They had a lot of it - rage. The pure kind that could tear through anything and wreak havoc on the world. You could feel it flow from them as they shared their individual stories of becoming and their changed endings before they even got to live the lives they had planned. And they had a lot waiting for them. Daughters, sisters, wives, engaged to be married to their chosen ones. So much that was taken away. So much they might never get back.

But not even channeling all that anger nor their skills, could help them get out of this hell. Twenty souls, beside you, all trapped in this dungeon until the lord of the house spoke of their use or freedom. A freedom which, from their small lettings, often came at the price of death in battle.

"You said they make you fight."

Your voice cut through the sea of silence hanging over the table, carrying out like a wake up call of what they were about to go through again and again, in a never ending cycle, as if they did not know anything of it before you mentioned it. You could tell from the way they avoided your eyes that they tried to forget about that part, fighting against the reminder of their fate at least now as they shared a meal together.

"Who do they pick against who? What are the rules? Do you get anything when you win a fight?"

Your questions shot out one after another before your brain could catch up to them. Yana simply smiled at you. A smile so full of regret and yet filled with endless compassion, that you were starting to grow fond of. She must have smiled a lot more before she was thrown in this shithole.

"They pick one of us at random," she said, picking your questions up in order. "Against outsiders mostly. Mercenaries, other assassins, big shots in the other mafias. People they have a bone to steal from, targets they want killed or taken care of. They've never had us fight amongst ourselves and for that we're a little grateful."

"Rules are simple. You fight, kill or get killed."

Her smile fell at the last one and you felt your heart twitch painfully in your chest. She didn't have to go into that one to know that some of them did refuse to fight or died in the fight. That thought alone made your insides twist and churn, not in hunger but in horror with another realization.

There were more of them locked down here and some of them didn't survive it.

Yana must have read the miserable sensation coursing through you right on your face. She gave you no time to dwell on it before continuing with more answers, though you dreaded having asked those questions now. But she needed you to know what waited for you.

"Winning a fight doesn't do much. We did agree to ask for similar things, like a full meal or a week of no fights so we could rest and heal."

The table filled with food in front of you was someone's well-earned meal, shared well with every hungry stomach. The very food you were eating was fought for with blood, sweat and wounds that were probably not healed yet.

Unable to help it, you scoured the table trying to spot the one who gave herself to battle to earn this feast. All of them were decked in bruises and cuts, some more recent, others scabbed over. You searched each girl for new, fresh wounds from left to right. Then your eyes laid on Lyla who was slurping noodle bowls by the second beside you, who turned awfully quiet all of a sudden.

Then it hit you - Lyla eats like that only after a fight. You knew her appetite was as big as a sailor fleet after her fists were locked in someone's face. Raking your eyes over her, you didn't notice it before but her eyebrow was indeed split open, as was her lower lip. Fresh cuts were littered between purple bruises on her arms too, one darker than the other as they peeked from under her torn sleeves. Her hair fell from the messy ponytail, some pieces drenched in the stench of dried blood.

Feeling eyes on her, she stopped slurping her soup, turning to you with a noodle hanging from her mouth.

"What?" she mumbled, slurping the noodle in with a pop.

"It was you this time wasn't it?" you asked, looking down at your plate in guilt.

"I did what I had to do," she shrugged. Her eyes landed on your plate that sat untouched this whole time, letting out a long sigh at your stubbornness.

"Miyu, please eat. You're hurt and this is the best we'll be getting for a while. There's no need for guilt-sulking and all that humble bullcrap. Eat. Please."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Your hand moved on autopilot. Grabbing a cloth, you raised it to her split eyebrow dabbing the blood away. She slumped in her seat and let you take care of it, knowing you'll just pester her about it until she did it, which would probably be never. She had a bad habit of letting her injuries dry up and heal by themselves, deeming it natural and less burdensome than patching herself up properly.

"Miyu," she groaned like a child, a few seconds away from shoving food in your mouth herself.

"Okay, fine," you smacked the cloth down on the table. "I'll eat."

Looking down at your plate, you saw it was ticked up with roasted chicken thighs and mashed potatoes. Dying of starvation didn't seem so bad considering it was food from the enemy. But the meatballs Enishi shoved in you before the mission were long digested. Your stomach grumbled dangerously at the sight of the chicken, the roasted smell, the way it looked so appetizing, and you couldn't deny it any longer.

Launching yourself into it, you ate that chicken like you've never had it before, chewing it on all sides like a famished wolf that finally found edible prey to eat. The meat was so tender and well cooked, you couldn't help a moan at the taste. A few girls snickered at the way you were eating, slurping the meat off the bone by the second like it was jelly.

"Slow down there, rosy," giggled Lyla.

Once you were finished with the chicken, your fork headed for the potatoes. Yana pushed a bowl of stew your way too.

Too busy inhaling the food, you failed to hear the echoing click of heels rapidly making their way along the corridor. Everyone stopped eating in a similar manner to when you entered, diverting their eyes away from the food and to the figure standing behind you. You stopped eating too, feeling someone standing there, glaring daggers into your nape.

"You're in my seat," spoke another female voice, much more pitchy and annoying than any you've ever heard.

Turning around slightly, you were faced with the very bitch from the Shanghai Club you tried so hard to kill all night before you ended up in this place.

What a surprise.

Patting your lips with a tissue, you placed it swiftly on the table and got up from your seat facing her. Her face was still swollen, cuts and bruises decorating her all over from forehead down to her uncovered neckline.

"I thought I killed you," you smirked at her, crossing your arms over your chest.

"And I thought they burned you alive in that carriage along with your boyfriends," she sneered, like the evil vamp she was. "I guess we don't all get what we want."

You chuckled dryly at her, averting your eyes away from her irritating presence. That remark was enough to rail you up. Before she saw it coming, your smirk fell and your fist connected with her face, throwing her to the ground.

The night was still dark when they got back to the mansion.

Enishi made his way right to the office with the help of one of his men while Wu helped Cho out of the carriage. The older man gathered all men on duty in the room, instructing them to bring medical supplies and send for the doctor from the village, then started working on Enishi's head wound.

If there was something Enishi hated with a passion in the whole world, it was people fussing over him. Even when he simply scraped his knee on a grocery run with Tomoe and she rushed him home, he would berate her that he was capable of taking care of himself well enough, not in the need of anyone else's help. In those times, she would angle him down with a look of warning and lecture him that being hurt wasn't a weakness but a strength, a sign reminding him that he was human too. That was the same look the old man gave him, though less lecturing and more annoyed as he kept telling him to sit still. Sitting still was not in his itinerary for the night.

It took a while. At one point, he thought that Wu was moving slow on purpose, testing his patience. Wound cleaned and bandaged, he called over some of his men, delegating tasks of immediate execution and precaution, taking it from the beginning of it all.

He had to be quiet about what happened at the club, giving away only necessary details where needed.

"I want information on everything that moves inside and outside of Shanghai. Imports, exports, hidden shipments. I want to know about all of it," he demanded, tone strict and without a sliver of mercy. "Every little detail about people or stuff that's not where it should be, you have it going through my ears as soon as possible."

They all nodded, taking off out the door one by one as soon as they were handed work and locations. He sent some men back to the club to scope out anything suspicious or of interest, warning them to keep a safe distance and not get found out. If that happened, they were completely on their own and he could do nothing more for them.

Whoever sent the carriage ablaze believed all three of you were taken care of, set on fire to mere ashes tossed in the wind. Letting them believe that some more would get him places much faster.

The rest of his men were gathered in the room, but he failed to see a few.

"Is everyone here?" he asked Wu.

"Yes," he said, sticking a bandage over Enishi's wound. "Except the ones you just sent out and my own."

His fingers stopped prodding at his wound pulling back to look at Enishi's face for any leftover cuts left untreated.

Enishi's eyes bounced around, doing a mental count of how many men he left on duty, the ones that were off tonight and the ones he's already deployed. Some of them were definitely missing from today's force.

"Who did you take with you in town two days ago?"

"Just my crew. The twins, Kano, Liu and Yao."

The twins he just sent out to gather intel from the club, knowing they were the most silent weapons he had. He turned around looking for the rest, finding only Kano and Yao, loudly bickering about something in the corner as always. Those two could never get along and he always sent them out on missions together on purpose, hoping they would sort out their shit.

He kept twisting around Wu, trying to spot everyone only to fail at it. Wu himself turned around and looked for his own.

"Liu's not here," he concluded. Then his eyes widened to the size of rice balls. "I haven't seen him since we went out in the city and relayed info to you and madame a few nights ago."

Liu's been one of the older recruits Enishi picked out at the start of the mafia ensemble. He was good at finding out important information fast and promptly, often the one at the helm of interrogations. Liu made people talk quicker than he expected them to.

Enishi didn't know a lot about the guy himself. Lately, he placed him under Wu's directive since he had more connections and could reach a wider spread of information inland outside of the mansion walls.

Falling in his seat, he tapped his fingers on the wooden arms of the chair in deep thinking, zoning out of the ruckus and mobilization around the office. Someone talked in the wrong ear about his plans. He's suspected it for a while as he investigated the missing shipments, but after tonight, he knew for sure that he had a mole walking freely within his walls. Someone he's fed generously, gave a roof over their head, a warm bed at night and a secure and well-paid job to do. Someone who was ungrateful and selfish enough to throw all that away and sing at someone else's table about things that should've never left these walls.

The timing of Liu's sudden disappearance was too obvious and in plain sight not to fall under the suspicion that he was involved in tonight's shitshow. Not just that, but having been with Wu to gather intel on your parents, adding his presence the night Wu told you that, he knew enough about you to hand you over to the Triads and set up a trap to get you killed without anyone suspecting anything.

"Bastard," he muttered under his breath. "Send your men after him. I have a feeling he has something to do with everything going to shit tonight."

"On it," he nodded, leaving him be.

Leaning on the back rest, he propped his head back and closed his eyes for a second. It felt like this night just wouldn't come to an end. It started so well that he himself was hopeful it would finally get you somewhere, that the false leads ended there at that wretched club. In turn, it all changed for the worst.

Enishi got up to walk around and stretch his legs a little, ending up in front of Cho. The village doctor was taking care of his shoulder, stitching up the open grazes slithering down to his side. He took a peek at it since it was uncovered, noticing that the whole of his right backside was covered in a long burn, bruised on the sides. The blond winced in pain wherever the doctor touched him, unable to keep still.

"You good?"

"Been worse."

Enishi's head turned to look at the window catching dawn on the slow rise. The doctor finally finished his job, helping Cho pull on his shirt to cover his back. He got up, walking beside Enishi,

"You're going back out there, aren't you?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "You should stay back. That thing on your back looks nasty."

"Your head being split open is nastier."

"Are you worried about me again?"

"I'm worried you'll miss out on clues since you can't see straight enough to send a punch properly."

"I don't think you want me to send a punch your way properly," said Enishi with a smirk, grabbing his kimono. "Meet me out front when you're ready to go."

Enishi left, taking a few more men with him, leaving the blonde confused with his mouth agape. He thought he had that quarrel in his hand only to be fooled. Enishi never went full on with his punches. He did made Cho believe he gave it his all though.

They were out riding back to the scene as soon as the sun rose up. They took horses this time, wary of carriages for the time being. The horses got there much faster and the rain stopped too, drawing to a slow drizzle.

Dismounting at the scene of the crash, the smoke still ebbed from the rest of the bigger remains. A low cloud of fog settled with the temperature change, but the endless puddles of rain were almost absorbed into the ground. That was a positive, but the slippery, muddy ground not so much.

"I'll take the right," said Cho, heading for the other side of the clearing.

Enishi nodded, moving to the site of the crash. "I'll take the left."

Splitting up was better than nothing. They searched and searched, flipping over even the doors or the wheels of the carriage that were still in solid state. Enishi found nothing. Not even a ripped piece of fabric from your dress or a loose thread hanging from a branch floating lonely in the wind. He looked for your necklace too in case you lost it here. But he found no track or lead on you, like you were never here in the first place.

They rejoiced on the main road as the rest of the men kept searching.

"Anything?" asked Cho, a glint of hope in his eyes that only shattered when it landed on his search partner.

Enishi shook his head discouraged. "You?"

"Nope."

"How did she even just disappear into thin air like that?"

"I don't know."

He replayed the events of the night up until the crash and from when he woke up. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't grasp what happened. He knew there was a part of tonight that was missing from his head. a part that might have been ripped away by the pain he was in. That hole between the crash and him waking up was pissing him off. He knew something happened but he couldn't recall it back.

He looked back at the bush he rolled through. Pinning down the place he was laying in and the spot he found Cho in, he looked for a way to measure the spot you would have been in after the carriage broke into pieces. Walking around the splotches of mud, he followed his gut and took off towards the woods. Something about the woods bothered him.

Thinking hard on it, he got a few steps away then it hit him like a flash of lightning touched his head - he did feel something happen. The person crashing into his chest, shaking him awake desperately and the rustles around him until everything went eerily quiet.

"It was her," he spoke breathlessly alerting the blonde.

"What are you talking about?"

"Before I woke up, I felt something. She tried to shake me awake. One moment she was grabbing onto me then the next she was gone."

His head started pounding and he had to hold onto it. That wasn't all. He saw you too, kicking and screaming through the haze as someone threw you over their shoulder. Then he blacked out again.

"I saw her."

"You saw her?! What do you mean?"

"Someone hauled her up and took her away," he groaned as he was spilling detail after detail he couldn't recall witnessing before.

"At least now we know she was here. We just need to figure out who took her."

Pacing around, Enishi took a look at the rubbles again. His eyes drew back to the road, mentally piecing together the events of the night leading up to the crash. That fireball came from the direction they left from - the club. A planned attack? Maybe. From which side present last night? The Triads? The Daos? The men behind that traitorous scum he killed? That was the mystery Enishi couldn't solve.

They were barely half an hour away when it happened. It definitely had to be someone from there. The Triads were barely armed but someone back there was loaded, both inside and outside to ensure their own safety - a mafia. If anyone had access to a catapult and incendiary ammunition on the side of town it was them.

Upon seeing the grim smirk on Enishi's face, Cho shuddered. Whenever he had that look on his face, it was either good or bad news, for him or for someone else. The blond didn't feel like playing the lottery right now so he just asked.

"What are you thinking?"

Enishi's gaze lifted up to him with a deeper grin.

"I think we need to pay the Daos a little visit."

Violence is never the answer. But it sure looked like it when this cross-legged, brunette, excuse of a human being opened her mouth.

You couldn't hold back when she spoke like it was her who ordered the attack on you and the boys and the heartless way she said it was enough to make your blood boil with rage. Once your punch flew her way, your hands wound up around her neck, planning to choke her until she spilled all her useless words and bitchy attitude out.

"What the fuck did you just say?" you gritted, pressing harder into her neck.

"Exactly what you heard," she spoke through gasping breaths. "You were all supposed to perish with that one fireball."

"How about you perish by my own two hands?"

Hooking a hand into her lacy top, you got up and dragged her along on the floor until you reached one of the stone pillars on the side. The girls watched with mouths open from the table as you lifted her up to it, smacking her head into it multiple times. That irritating grin on her face never fell away, even as you bashed her face in pretty well with just that one punch, splitting her lip open right next to the previous damage you made back at the club.

Upon hearing the ruckus, the guards came back down but never intervened, sitting at the entrance with smug looks on their faces, just enjoying their temporary entertainment.

So focused on strangling the living daylights out of her, she dug a powerful punch of her own right into your broken ribs. The pain spread worse than before, pulsing with every heartbeat in your chest. You winced and let go of her to hold onto your side, pinning her down with another murderous look.

Dirty little ass bitch. Just wait until I step on your face.

Determined to do just that, you kept your hand on your side, spinning a roundhouse kick her way. She stepped backwards, but the tip of your boots still scrapped her nose good enough to give her a nosebleed. You didn't give her time to fall back in attack, following up with a reverse side kick sending her right into another stone pillar.

"Damn, girl," howled Marissa. "You can fight in a dress and look badass in it too? Where did you get it?"

"I made it."

"Consider me putting in an order."

Your eyes widened. Your first customer just made an appearance. One you were excited as hell to dress up from the get go.

"Really?" you asked, facing her.

"If you're free of charge?"

"For you, anytime," you smirked.

In your customer scouting haze, you left your back open giving your denigrated sister an opportunity to run and jump on it. She wrapped her legs around your torso and her slinky hands around your throat trying to cut your air supply off, squeezing hard on all fronts.

Why is she like a bug you just can't kill?

Running backwards, you shoved her against a pillar, rolling for another fall and another, until she finally slid off your back grunting in pain. But she didn't slide off without grabbing onto the length of your hair to haul you on the ground instead. She wrapped a fist into it, pulling on it whichever side she wanted. Your hands wound up over hers trying to pry them away, aimlessly kicking at her until something shiny glinted in your peripheral and all your movement ceased.

She had a knife on hand. When she swiped the blade off the table, you had no idea, but before you could kick it away she flipped the handle upwards and thrust it hard into your thigh, making sure to plunge it deep through the material of your dress. Blood seeped out from the edges staining the ruby red a deeper, darker shade. You cried out in pain, letting a hand fall from her wrist tugging on your hair to sit around your new wound. Coupled with the jostle in your ribs, it hurt like a motherfucker.

The girls got up from the table in a haste, heading for you with shouts to stop her but the guards ran their way to keep them aside, pulling their swords out. They wouldn't get involved. They had no reason to as long as you both were breathing and not on the edge of death. This was unsolved business between you and her.

Her deft fingers, scarred from playing the violin, now inched deeper into your scalp with violent intent. Pulling your hair to her, she got closer and grinned widely in your face before making a tight fist and sending it to you with her empty hand while the other kept you in place. She kept going and going like she was following a written score on her instrument, replacing a musical sheet of paper with your face, drawing the notes with her knuckles instead of a pencil.

When she was satisfied with the bruises forming on your face and the black eye she gave you, matching the very damage you did to her face she stopped, leaning down to you. This time, her eyes were far from soulless, like they appeared back at the club. They were full of venom and spite.

"This is what you get for sticking your nose where you don't belong. You can't kill me in here. I'm the only one that can walk in and out of here unharmed while you all rot down here like rats." Turning her venomous sight on them, her tongue rolled with more insults at the address of the girls. "After all, that's why he collected you all. To eat up the trash and clean up the mess, getting scraps from above for food," she laughed. "Just like rats."

She had a lot of nerve to say these things when any of those girls could just wrap their hand around her wrists to snap them in two, making sure she would never play that wretched violin ever again. Why none of them did it yet was a question you were burning to ask. Once you finished this.

Spitting out the blood swimming in your mouth, you turned up a smirk of yours as your hand wrapped around the handle of the knife, silently bracing yourself for the pain to come.

"I may not be able to kill you," you grunted, twisting the knife upwards and out of your leg. Your blood dripped off the knife, inaugurating the stone floors with your presence.

"But I can make sure you keep your fucking mouth shut."

Faster than she could catch up on your move, you pulled out the knife from your thigh, flipping the handle and plunged it into her arm. You went deeper than she had the courage to stab you, making sure the hilt went through until it touched her skin like a wall decoration.

She shrieked, letting go of your hair to draw backwards until she reached the empty table, putting distance between you. She pulled the knife out and stood right back up, grabbing as many unused knives as she could find on top of the table. Pushing yourself up to stand with a bad ankle and a bleeding thigh, wheezing with the sharp air you drew in, you scoured the place for anything you could use to defend yourself. You ended up with the chair closest to you that looked worse for wear in your hands. You smashed it on the floor and broke it into pieces, grabbing a good hold on the longest parts.

She has knives and I have... wood.

Real inventive.

I can make a pyre and burn her on it. Maybe then she'll finally die. Big maybe to test out.

Your plan remained unfinished as she started throwing the knives at you one by one. The wooden planks flew out to catch them before they impaled deeply in your skin, wishing to keep the stabbing count at one and done. You let her throw all of them, avoiding the lower ones and paring the upper ones to the side, sending them right into the burning firestone at the side. She kept at it until she had no more blades to throw, seething as she looked at the forks stabbed in the meat as if she was tempted to throw those too, food included.

"Nice try, but you missed" you yelled, taking her attention away.

She smirked at you like a viper. "Check again."

What? I don't need to check again... Your eyes drifted around your arms, your heaving torso, front and back, then stopped at your legs. Indeed, there was another knife sledged in your leg. Right beside the gash she already gave you.

You've got to be shitting me.

The adrenaline of the moment might be what kept you from feeling that second knife embed into your thigh so close to the other one. It looked way deeper than the first. Your leg turned numb too, which wasn't a good sign.

On one more rage spurt, you threw the wooden logs in your hands at her, then collapsed on the floor. The first log missed but the next smacked her right across the face and you couldn't help a snort.

"Okay, this ends now," yelled a guard, finally moving to break the fight apart. He took to the brunette's aid, instructing the girls on what to do unless they wanted to bear consequences.

"One of you go pick up the new catch and help her to her cell. The rest go back to eating. If you're not done in the next ten minutes, there will be no more food for you this week, fights won or not."

That was a punishment that should've been yours, not theirs. You started the brawl in the first place.

With that warning, they left the way they came, taking the wench with them. Once they were out of sight, you let out a sigh that hurt like hell under your smashed ribs. Lyla ran over to you, followed by the rest each firing hundreds of questions at you. You waved them off unable to focus on any of them but the numbing feeling in your leg.

"Go eat guys. You need it more than me." You shot Lyla a look as you sauntered up on your legs unsteady, holding onto a pillar. "You too Lyla. I've got this."

"Where's your cell?" she asked, clearly not convinced by your words. You debated lying but she knew how far your white lies went. Not one of them went past her, no matter how hard you tried.

"About twenty-five rows of stairs upwards?"

"You've got it my ass. That's where mine is too."

She walked back to the table, packing some more food and fruits in a cloth for later, wrapping the edges tight into a small bundle. Coming right back, she hauled your arm over her shoulders.

"See you later, guys. Enjoy."

"Bye ladies," you smiled as best as you could, saluting them over Lyla's shoulder.

"Thank you Lyla! Take care," they all said in unison.

Barely, but somehow, you managed to climb all those flights of stairs. With Lyla's help and countless curses dropped here and there when the knife that was still in your leg moved in the slightest. Lyla advised against pulling it out, letting it feel numb rather than hurt.

The further you got from the bottom of the tunnel, the more looks you threw behind. You've had enough of heights to last you a lifetime. A fall from this far up would have your body shatter into pieces like a mug falling on the floor. Not something you were eager to try out.

"Stop looking down there or I'll drop you," said Lyla with a low grunt. She moved to grab you better, trying to take most of the weight off your wounded leg, almost losing the hold of the food package in the process.

"Sorry. This is one long tunnel. How deep in the ground are we?"

"I don't know and I don't wish to know."

Her tone told you she was pissed. Way more than the usual amount.

"Are you mad at me?"

She stopped walking, glancing at you briefly. "You're the smartest person I know." You were about to thank her for the surprising compliment when she continued. "But sometimes, you're the biggest idiot I've ever met."

Your mouth fell closed.

"I didn't mean to start a fight. And I mean, she asked for it."

"She does ask for it on the regular, but that doesn't mean you go and give it to her. Ignoring is a thing, you know."

"Oh, come on. You can't tell me that wasn't a highly requested punch session by the way you were all cheering me on."

She sighed. You had a point.

"Aim for her tongue next time."

Hopping along the long corridor, you finally reached your cell. The door was left open for you. Not for escaping but for containing. The chains were gone however, for now, but they might be back soon.

"Is your cell really up here?" you asked, suspicious if she was telling the truth.

"Right next to you," she pointed to your right.

Your brows drew together in confusion. "Why did I not hear you while I was here?"

"I was probably downstairs fighting. Those take a while."

Lyla helped you sit down against the wall, then moved to place the food pack somewhere that wasn't wet and dirty.

"Can you," you gestured to the knife poking out of your upper thigh.

"I think it decorates pretty well. Matches the dress...," she paused, tilting her head to the side, "or what's left of it."

You looked her dead in the eyes.

"Can you just fucking pull it out?"

"Yep."

She wrapped her hand around it and in one swift pull the knife was out. You caught a hold of the velvet around your arm, ripping the sleeve from the seams and wrapped it around as soon as the blood started seeping out. Lyla slumped against the metal bars next to you, watching you patch yourself up.

"That was fun," she said, a hint of a smile on her face. Despite her scolding, she did enjoy the fight back there. Your enjoyment of the quarrel was gone by now.

"If that's your definition of fun," you huffed, tying the material tighter around your thigh, "then you're not right in the head."

"That makes two of us sweetie." Your hands stopped, eyes ogling her for the meaning of her words. "Heard you've been rolling around in bed with the very crime lord of Shanghai."

When, where and from who does one find out such news?

Considerably shocked, you decided to deny all allegations upon further evidence.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"News travels fast in this shithole. People talked of sightings of him alongside a really conniving, skilled Japanese assassin, that's been assisting him on his recent missions."

Evidence proven.

"Did they really call me conniving and skilled?"

"I knew it," she gasped loudly. "They didn't say that. I just happened to hear of a poster your face was drawn on. The descriptions varied but I knew it had to be you."

"How?"

"Oh, I don't know," she clapped her hands together. "Wild hair, wears mostly Western clothing, wields two golden pistols engraved with roses. Want me to say more?"

If Lyla could tell it was you from mere hearsay, you've been in the visor of the Triads for longer than you thought you were hidden well. Unfathomable to think that news travelled down in this cavern that was practically nowhere, but not to yours or Enishi's ears.

"Now tell me. What's going on between you two?"

"I'm not rolling around. We just..." you paused, at a loss for words. You tried looking for at least one word that described the relationship between you and Enishi but came up blank in the mess of every other cursed thing you wanted to call it.

"You just..." Lyla pressed on, a knowing look already on her face. But she waited for you to spell it out.

Good to know she still hasn't lost that nosiness and love for humiliation.

"We just live together. I'm his weapons person. We fight together." Your gaze fell back on your leg, fingers moving to undo the knot of your bandage and wrap it once more, trying to evade the obvious. "That's about it."

"And they were housemates," she concluded.

You shook your head with a laugh. "Trust me, there's nothing nice about living with him under the same roof."

That was the wrong lie to utter.

There were nice things about living together with Enishi under the same roof. The fact that he offered you your own room, giving you privacy and a space away from mafia things unless you wanted to be a part of it. The fact that you had a kitchen all to yourself, available at all times, night and day, as well as access to other amenities. He also trained you and taught you how to wield a sword properly. He made you tea sometimes and had deep talks about life with you in the middle of the night when nightmares kept you awake.

So, in all truth, there were more nice things outweighing the bad ones when it came to sharing a roof with him.

A small smile rose on your lips, much like a flower opening her petals after the rain to welcome the warmth of sunrays. Upon seeing it Lyla just couldn't leave it alone.

"It feels like there's something you're not telling me," she pried in like a cat looking for treats, scratching your leg until you gave them to her.

You drew in a breath. "It's complicated."

"If men weren't complicated, the world would be such a nice place."

There was immense truth in that.

"What about you? Still playing the queen of hearts or did some nice chap tame you yet?"

"Oh, no, no. I'm too wild to be tamed by a pair of balls and a dick."

"Last time I checked, you loved a pair of balls and a dick at night."

"I still do. But there's nothing you can do about it when you're down in a dungeon," she spoke, looking away through the metal bars with a sadness in her eyes that a pang of it rang through your own heart.

"Although, there is a guard here that I managed to get under with my charms. He supplies us with clothes and extra food, even outside world news sometimes. That's how I found out about you and that guy."

"Putting those skills to good use, I see."

"Oh, I didn't get into his pants yet."

That is news. Lyla was never one to wait too long before calling it like it is and having a good lay. If anything, it was her who dictated how a catch would go and not the other way around. But then again, who would sleep with someone down in this humid, smelly cave?

"How long has it been?"

"Way too long. My lady parts are riveting every time I see him and what's worse," she leaned in to whisper as if she was afraid of a higher power or the very guard she had the hots for listening in to the conversation. "He's not even my type. It must be the worst thing about being stuck here."

That begged the question...

"How long have you been down here?"

"A while," she sighed, settling in next to you. "They took me on a mission about two years ago. I was out doing the rounds for this man working in the arms trade. I was just supposed to guard and check a shipment but it was a set up. I was too blind to notice since I walked into it alone and without cover."

"Why did you go alone?"

"Because he specified it was a one person job. And he told me he was going to pay me a quarter of what he got for them. From what he was saying, it was a big shipment from overseas. It sounded like good money since no one was hiring assassins at the time."

She's been down here for two years. It's been two years since you haven't heard from her. Two years that she spent here in this pit of vipers by herself without a way to get out.

If I knew she disappeared, if I knew what happened...

But there was no way of knowing. You left and cut all ties with everyone you knew, including her, not just for yours but her safety as well. And look where that landed you both - right in the hands of the Triads for god knows what plans they had with you beside their exclusive fight club.

Leaving did more worse than good. I could've been there for her. I should've been there for her.

"I'm sorry," you said, head diving into the ground. It seemed like sorry was the only thing you could say, regret seeping through your bones like it was right at home ever since you've woken up in this dungeon.

She shook her head with a small smile on her rosy lips. "It's okay. I'm more sorry they managed to get you in here since you're not exactly an easy person to catch. What happened?"

With a grunt, you leaned behind on the stone wall to sit up in a better position that didn't hurt your middle upon simply breathing. Thinking of a place to start, since you had a duty to catch her up on everything that's happened since you've last seen each other, you struggled to pick just one thing. There was a whole amalgam of things that happened leading up to last night. Recalling one or the other would send the average human being into brain damage.

"It's a long story."

"As you can see, we have all the time in the world."

Focusing on the night before, you started with the whole mission, its objective, that was a complete fail, and how it ended with a giant fireball being thrown at you in the middle of the road. You then continued with the whole reason why you left your life behind, your search for your parents, meeting Enishi on a not so random encounter, stumbling over Cho in the midst of it all. You told her all of it.

When you got to the reunion with the blond, she stopped you. She was well acquainted with his existence - well, his existence pre-forgiveness and the redeeming talking sessions you've had in the past week. The Cho she knew was the rugged version of the man you knew now. Not that far behind this matured, upgraded version of him, but closer to the one that left you hanging in a gun warehouse to fend for yourself against a whole mafia.

"Hold on," she stopped you, blinking rapidly. "Cho Sawagejo?! The fucker that left you for money and a shiny sword job?"

You nodded lightly.

"Please tell me you held him at gun point and made him apologize with tears in his eyes."

Letting out a nervous laugh, you looked away trying to avert your eyes from the grenade next to you that was a word away from being armed and thrown out.

"About that.."

She knew that look. It was the look you had when you were too kind to people and just forgave whatever fucker did you wrong, no matter how wrong or twisted the consequences of their actions backfired on you instead of their sorry ass.

"Miyu... No. No, no, no, no. Please tell me you didn't."

"I'm not sure what you're asking."

"You know damn well what I'm asking. You welcomed him back with open arms after that shit? What the hell?! If you weren't injured right now, I myself would give you a beating."

Instead of a smack you knew was headed your way, she flicked a green grape at you, hitting you right between the eyes. If that had been one of her knives it would've hurt more. Thankfully, it wasn't.

"He's different now," you tried to convince her, dusting the grape off to pop it in your mouth. "Still has that potty mouth of his, but he's been repenting on his wrongs and he kinda did right by them."

"What if that's what he wants you to believe?"

"He wouldn't," you shook your head. "If he did, he wouldn't have made countless amends with me, Lyla. If you met him now, you'd see that too."

"If I met him, I'd break his legs and carve out his balls with his own swords and hang them on the hilts like tassels," she said, completely determined on doing it if she felt like it. You imagined that happening and cracked a smile.

"And your prince? How did he react to all this?"

You blew a huffed breath, trying to release some of the pressure in your tense shoulders. Upon revisiting the past few days after Cho's arrival, you got a whole migraine. Way too much happened, but amongst everything, the insane display of 'I'm a man and I came to claim what's mine' between the two ambulant testosterone, war-waging beings was sticking out the most.

"God, it was like watching the fucking war for the jungle in front of your very own eyes," you pointed two fingers to your eyes to emphasize the point.

"They were at each other's throats every minute of the day. That only filled up the mansion with the kind of tension you genuinely don't need to be around. Kitchen, garden, even my room!" you huffed throwing your hands up in annoyance. "I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl out of it only when they got bored of playing useless alpha male games with each other, keeping me as leverage in the middle."

"Mhm. One question."

You nodded at her to shoot it out.

"Which one did you fuck?"

"LYLA!" you screeched, leaning over to smack her arm. Her eyebrows only raised further, demanding an answer.

"None of them," you lied, but she caught up on it before you even registered the denial slipping past your lips.

"You did bone one of them! I can see it all over your face. Oh god," she gasped. "Was it gray haired dude? A wanted mafia lord?! Way to go, sister," she smacked your arm excitedly. "Now that I think about it, you did always have a thing for older guys."

"We're the same age," you pushed her hand away with a huff. "I am never talking about my life with you ever again."

"Was it good? Is it big?"

"Is what big?" you blinked up at her confused.

Putting up her palms parallel to each other, she grinned devilishly then started widening the gap between them, looking between the imaginary air pocket between her wiggling fingers and your flustered face as you figured out just what she was asking.

"Tell me when to stop," she pressed as she kept widening the gap to an insane length that looked almost inhumane to even perceive. How does that even fit inside -

"LYLA! OH GOD. He's big okay. He's alright," you hissed, running a hand down your face in embarrassment.

Knowing him, he was probably panicking right about now or gutting Cho for looking at him wrong, and I'm here talking about his-

Dear lord, I have sinned.

"How big? Come on humor me."

The current size she was left on was... close enough. But she didn't need to know that, so you slapped her hands away.

"Filling. That's all I'm going to say."

She leaned back with a satisfied smile. "That's good enough for me."

"What are you even going to do with that information?"

"That's for me to know only."

Suspicious... But it's Lyla. If there's nothing dirty coming out of her mouth every five minutes something must be really wrong. Then again, you missed this kind of girl talk and most of all, you missed her. Overtaken by another wave of sadness, you beckoned her over for another hug.

"Come here," you opened your arms. "I missed this so much."

She smiled and scooched closer, falling into your arms extremely careful not to rattle your new injuries. Your hands wrapped around her, just as careful not to press on any of hers.

"I missed you too, fiery rose," she sighed in your shoulder. "In a fucked up way, I'm really glad you're here and alive. And getting criminal dick-"

"Shut up," you laughed and smacked her shoulder.

"He must be really good in bed if you're keeping quiet about it."

"I kinda wish she stabbed me in the ear so I wouldn't have to hear any of this."

"You'd still have one I'd talk away endlessly about dick," she giggled.

She leaned into your ear and proceeded to annoyingly continue to catalogue all types and sizes she's been through, hoping you would cave in and tell her more if she got you flustered enough. But you zipped it up with a secretive smile. That was only for you to know.

By nightfall, a handful of Enishi's men armed themselves with blades from head to toe and took off marching over to the Daos territory on the outskirts of Shanghai.

Enishi stopped his small task force in the forest overlooking the path in front of the casino, regrouping in the shadows. While they hopped off their transport and checked all their weapons, he stalked forward, raven eyes surveying the scene. There were guards all around, from the front walkway to the sides, each carrying long swords. Revolvers hung in the belts of some, attached loosely next to sets of knives.

Seems like they expect company, he thought. The last time he was there, they had way less security around. Now the big guys were spurn up in front of the door, towering over it, while the rest had their own version of blackjack going on the side of the doors on top of barrels of rum. They slapped cards down as if they were playing inside the crystal-ticked casino walls with the rest of the high society they were supposed to guard.

Walking back to his men, he beckoned them closer for one last callout before going in to ruin the party. Cho had one last check over his blades then sheathed his katanas and made his way next to him.

"What's the plan?" asked the blond.

Enishi just glanced at him with a serious jaw tilt. The kind that meant controlled disaster was on its way. Though he was surprised to see the seriousness morph into a raving grin upon the words leaving Enishi's mouth.

"Was thinking of leaving plans aside tonight."

That was a first. He always carried plans at the ready in all forms, having a side save for every failed one, but all of a sudden they were all extinct from his calendar. He didn't even bother planning ahead this time, knowing all he had to do was get inside and have a heart to heart with the chief of the Daos.

"I like that," smirked Cho, looking forward to having some fun tonight. His katanas, though borrowed, liked seeing slashed skin rather than their metallic casing.

"There's no plan, but you don't kill anyone until I give the okay."

There might have been no plans in store, but they had to do this the right way or shit could go sideways tonight too. And he didn't want it to. Cho sulked, dropping the hilts of his swords back down till the metal tsubas clicked against their hold.

"That's not fun."

"I'm not looking for a war," said Enishi, hoisting his sword on his back. "Unless they give me a reason to start one."

A war was not in his cards. But if they liked to play with fire he was going to torch them good, have them think twice about where their loyalty stood at when it came to taking one of his on his territory. All he needed was a wrong move and the Dao lineage would cease existence for good tonight, right in this hedonist place crawling with liars and traitors. A tempting gamble to take.

With a swift nod, his pack of mercenaries took to the sides of the building. Moving stealthily, they took the guards by surprise, knocking them out before they could call out to the ones on the front. It didn't take long for the sides and the back to be secured, each squadron sending a glint of their blade in signal that the perimeter was clear. All sides besides the entrance.

Walking out of the shadows with Cho at his side, they marched all the way to the front doors. Two of the four muscular brutes guarding the tall, slick black doors, stepped out to block the path with a cross of their blades.

"You are forbidden access," sneered one of them, looking down at Enishi.

"I'm here to talk to your boss. We've got some unfinished business."

The guard leaned down, his sneering face falling in front of Enishi's with a scowl.

"Forbidden." He spat each syllable as if it would make him look of much higher authority.

Talking was a lost cause from the get-go. Enishi sent him a smirk before his fist connected with his face, shoving the giant to the ground. The thug sauntered back on his legs and got a hold of Enishi's neck hauling him against the door, punching his abdomen multiple times, the next fist diving harder than the previous.

Cho took on the other one with a clash of his katanas, slashing his chest open then his back, getting rid of him right away. The other two came at the blond, swiveling around to corner him. They sent their blades on par with his arms lifting the katanas upwards to catch them both. They both pressed down on his swords, his muscles straining under their combined strength. His right side throbbed with new hot pain, shaking the hold on his attack katana.

On the other side, Enishi grappled with the troll that was double his size. He grabbed a hold of the his face and thrust his head right into his, shocking him a enough to a punch of his own, cracking his nose open. He struck and struck, until his face turned to a bloody mess, but even then the brute continued sneering at him. He smiled baring his giant teeth before he smacked Enishi right back in the wall beside the door.

Cho couldn't hold the pressure any longer. At once, he thrusted his swords upwards shoving both giants off of him. Turning the hilt of his attack katana in his right, he shoved it in the torso of the one closest, using the recoil to send the blade through his comrade. The katana embedded in that bulky torso like it cut through a hunk of meat, blood leaking beside the edges to land on the ground with loud splotches.

Smirking in triumph, thinking that would end at least one of his opponents, he gasped in shock. The thug stood his ground catching a hold of the blade margin and tugged Cho forwards while he pulled on the blade backwards trying to get it out. The other threw his sword at him from behind falling right on his defense katana, getting him stuck between the two. His defence blade was completely useless without the balance of his attack partner in his other hand.

"Fuck this."

With a low sweep he kicked the legs from under the giant on his right and as he fell he drew his sword out and slashed open a big gash across his chest. Sparring the other one, he sent double cuts that sliced open the skin above his thighs, then defended using the pair of swords together. The thug got tired and with the first opening he saw he slashed both katanas in opposite ways across chest, bringing them back to slither parallel through his middle once more. Breathing heavily, he fixed up his bad shoulder with a roll, checking the two were eliminated for good.

Enishi had enough of his own dance partner. He drew out his hands going for a chokehold around the brute's long neck, squeezing harder than it was meant for a quick knock out. At this point he wanted him dead and gone, no matter the way he went about it.

The brute laced on his arms, trying to ply them off the trunk of his neck but before he could, Enishi moved behind him and delivered the final blow right to the back of his head then twisted his neck, falling to the floor with him.

Cho ambled his way to Enishi who was heaving breaths like he chased the wilderness in the forest for a hunt session.

"Rusty much?" joked Cho.

"I said no killing," deadpanned Enishi, looking over at the bloody mess behind him.

"That one looks pretty dead to me," said Cho, pointing at the grizzly Enishi dueled with.

Ignoring him, he marched up throwing the doors open. He walked the long corridor coming to the small staircase only to be faced with a full house. All tables were occupied and armed. If he had to take a guess, most of the clan was present in the casino tonight. Suddenly, the purging of the Daos didn't seem like such a bad idea at the moment.

"Swords out," he roared to the troops behind.

The blond clocked him with a raised eyebrow. "You think?"

"Just shut up and fight. Don't get killed."

All hell broke loose.

The men sent their women to the back hallways then broke out their weapons to take over. Enishi led his men right into the fire, unsheathing his wato to wade through the suited bodies trying to stop him. They all failed miserably as he advanced, sending slash after slash before they could even lift their guns and point them at him, cutting through them three at a time. What went past him fell in the care of his mercenaries, tearing through the masses with the intent of not letting anyone escape.

Cho followed Enishi, moving towards the heavily weaponized side. He spotted them loading up to shoot. Quick on his feet, he kicked the guns out of the hands closest to him, tearing his blade through the rest of the barrels pointed at him, slicing through the cheap metal casing. Whoever supplied their weapons did a shit job at it.

Enishi dove through the bladed side, disarming as many as they fell in front of him, slashing the rest to shreds. Silver bullets still flew his way, bouncing off the edge of his steel with a single flick of his wrist. He moved side to side, avoiding all shots, taking down his opponents faster than they saw him coming.

The gunfire rang deafeningly over the clang of swords, drowning the angry shouts and the grunting cries of pain from both sides. The pungent scent of opium rapidly altered with the burning stench of gunpowder and the spoor of blood already in the air. Despite Enishi's wishes for a somewhat peaceful fight, the casino turned into a raging battlefield quicker than he intended it to. As much as he tried to avoid it, war was upon them. He could still control the outcome of this battle. If it didn't escalate to a point of no return.

With both of them on the attack, they ended up cornered in front of the crystal bar. Cho landed back to back with Enishi, defending each other's blind spots.

"Having Miyu here would've been so helpful," grunted the blond as his swords were dug into him by two men, each paring down their jian over his defence cross.

"She's the reason we're here in the first place," gritted Enishi, shoving off his own assailants with his wato, sending them tumbling into the bar.

"We need to get through to the hallways. If he runs off before we get to him," he grunted, curling his blade to cut up another running thug, throwing his sword away before crashing a bottle over his head, "we will never find her."

Enishi's men managed to overpower the rest of the Daos. Leaving them to take care of the main salon, he made his way through the hallway with the blond at his back, fighting the ones pooling in the front and the others coming from the back.

He buried through the force coming from up ahead. Jumping with a kick to the right to shove one into the wall, he used the boost to throw his leg up and ram it down over the head of the next one. Landing back on the ground, he barely caught the sword coming his way, wato clinging dangerously low on its hilt. That blade wasn't just any blade. A quick glance at the amber peeking under the stripes of the hilt and he recognized it. It was an odachi made from olden Japanese steel, its blade almost a meter long, curving wide like the arch of a bow.

Three more thugs coming down had them in their amateur hold. All of their handles were amber and black as onyx, the blades as sharp as if they just rolled out of the factory. That was steel made on special order, two pairs in amber, two pairs in black. Steel he just so happened to hold in his own two hands a few months ago, right before his weapons warehouse got broken into. They weren't marked with a seal yet, but he gave the measurements and details to the craftsmen himself.

Interesting, he thought, lifting a quizzical eyebrow. I wonder where they got those.

The swords came barreling down on him at the same time. They wanted to overpower him in that compact corridor. They wielded the swords messily, treating them like the shorter range blades they used on a day to day basis. That gave him an advantage. He whizzed through them, using their slow speed to smack the swords out of their hands. Soon enough they were all disarmed, inching for their pocket knives. Enishi kicked some away, spinning in reverse with a flip that sent the small knives right in the walls. The rest flew at once, aimed at his chest. One swing of his sword had the edge catch their tips with a screech, directing them into the wall.

Cho cleared the back and came to Enishi's side. Those four were the last one standing between them and their leader, the rest of the hallway cleared both ways.

Sharing a quick look, they got hold of a strategy to finish this quickly. Enishi went high, Cho went low. They wasted enough time as it is. Any more of it would have the chief running away. Two punches ricocheting from one guy into the other to knock them out cold and four slashes later, they got through those four too.

They ran all the way to the back until the room with the golden seven came into view. Without hesitation, Enishi stepped back and ran, kicking down the door in full force ripping it off its hinges, stepping over it once it crashed with a thud on the other side. Thankfully, the man he was looking for was still there. Standing right at the top of the poker table presumably in the middle of a game, his nose was stuffed with tissues, the imprint of a familiar heel left across the bridge of his nose. The look on his face gave him away - he was completely oblivious to the chaos happening in his casino.

At the sight of the two, he stood up throwing his cards on the table. One move of his fingers and the rest of his men in the room drew out in a line surrounding the table to protect him.

"Came to die again?"

"Where is she?"

"Ah, looking for that bitch that broke my nose? Unfortunately, you won't find her here."

Something moved in his peripheral. A quick look had him find Liu right in the corner about to sneak out behind them while Enishi was busy with the Daos. Cho stepped up to him, trapping him between the cross of his blades. The rest of the men around the room pulled out theirs, though not even those belonged to them. What some of them gripped in their hands were the long hilt nagamaki swords, these too part of Enishi's custom missing weaponry.

"Nice blades you got there," he spoke, voice laced with amusement at the shit he was seeing. "Where'd you get them?"

"Downtown through a really great trades person," he smiled widely, proud with himself as if he was the one who made and bought them. "If you wanted to ask me about weapons you could have done so without breaking down my door."

"Those weapons belong to me. They were stolen from my warehouse."

At his words, the chief of the Daos paled over like the cloth laying on the side of the table, stained with drops of his blood.

"Let me take a wild guess," spoke Enishi, lowering his sword. "The work of the Snake, isn't it?"

He gulped confirming Enishi's suspicions.

"How much did you pay him for all those custom made weapons? Ten? Fifteen?"

His head inclined to the side. He paid more.

"Double then? Thirty?"

"Twenty."

He laughed in his face. "Twenty for a shipment worth fifty million in raw cash. And I thought he would've used his head and charged more to get some profit. I guess he's not that great at trades as you thought he was."

That last remark was all it took for him to explode. Exactly what Enishi wanted. Stroke the lion then throw him the bone instead of the meat and see how desperate he becomes that he'll lick the very bone like the meat was still on it.

"Kill them," he rasped out to his men.

Looking back at Cho, he nodded to him to keep on Liu while he dealt with the seven leftover men in his way. He took on the two nagamaki wielders first, noticing their hold on the handles were wrong from the very start. Kicking their wrists one by one, they let go of the blades, staggering backwards. The others came at him with the odachi swords. Thrusting his wato, he caught all of them on the edge. Holding them off, he threw his leg upwards rotating it to the side to hit the weaponless men to the side. Moving his sword in a circle above his head, he gathered all the odachi, shifting the wato to press down on them. One kick above the five hilts was all it took to knock them over, getting the blades out of their useless hands.

Throwing the blades to the floor with his own, he let them come at him giving them a fair chance at a fight. They circled him, taking turns. The first one came at him with a sharp fist. He let him run into his friend on the opposite side, knocking him out cold. Returning with more anger, Enishi let him try two more punches before he slid the legs from under him watching as he hit a chair, cracking his skull open.

Three more left.

Another one came at him with one of the discarded odachi. He tried balancing the long range blade, treating it like a mere sword. He had difficulty moving it for a slash because of the smaller handle, letting the blade fall downwards. Enishi waded the messy slashes, getting closer until he caught a hold of his wrist. A hit to his throat had him choke, another one to his chest took his air away, the last one to his stomach had him fall to his knees.

The other two took off running towards the door. Cho threw one of his katanas swiftly, hitting one of them right in the back. The rest of Enishi's crew wound up by the door stopping the other one in his tracks.

Picking up his sword from the floor, he walked up to the leader of the Daos, his fallen kin that have almost gone extinct.

"Why are you really here?" he asked, standing tall in the face of the Shanghai mafia like his own would raise from the dead and come to his aid. "My men will end all of you-"

"Your men are dead. As for why I'm here," he smirked wickedly his way, "I came to finish what my girl started last night."

"You would go so far for a whore like her? Shanghai is crawling with them."

Those words were all it took for him to close the distance to him, booting his blade away to the side to sink his own sword in that hunk of an arm, silver edge curving deep enough to draw spurts of blood out of him. Hitting the back of his knees, the brute crumbled to the floor together with his superiority complex. His left hand latched onto his shirt, making sure his ears were open to hear him loud and clear.

"I would tear every inch of flesh off your body if it brought me even one soul closer to finding her."

The hold on his blade was steady, way more stable than the anger coursing through his veins. But his wato sat sheathed way too long, sheltered away from its lust for chaos, deeply yearning to taste blood and cut flesh down to the bone the way it was made to.

He had the leader of a bigger mafia kneeling right at his feet. There was a time when the pride and power that came with this sight was all he ever wanted to witness, but right now it didn't matter at all to him. Tonight, he wasn't out for blood or power or to retrieve his stolen weapons or to seek revenge. Tonight, he was out for you.

"Where is she?"

The chief of the Daos just smirked in his face, disregarding the blade slashing down his arm, severing through ligaments more and more by the minute. Enishi's wrist moved slow, digging it deeper until he trembled the way his pulse pounded through him.

"You don't know why they took her do you?"

Enishi's body stopped moving altogether. Searching those evil empty black eyes proved useless, finding only amusement at his torment in them. He let his guard down, letting the brute continue with his taunting.

"They not only took her for who she is, but more for what she is."

"What is that supposed to mean? What is she to them? Why do they want her so badly?"

Each question had him roar deeper in his face. The kneeling brute simply laughed, drops of blood flying from his lips to paint the green of the poker table in crimson stains. The rising tide of rage inside of him was reaching dangerous heights, moments away from falling over the world to swallow it whole. He needed solid information, not words in the wind.

The sword coiled back against Enishi's hold, craving for much more than his owner could give it, denying its unquenchable thirst for shriveling him to pieces with one blow. His fingers twitched on the handle, wanting nothing more than to slash it across his chest and watch the life drain from him. But reason knocked into him sober. He needed this fucker alive.

"Answer me!"

"She's something that was supposed to die a long time ago. A whisper of an existence that could end us and what we stand for. You should thank me for getting rid of her instead of going to battle with my clan."

"Most of your clan is gone," he thundered, his voice drawing low, seething with disgust for his kind. "I'm nothing like you or the other rats crawling around my city thinking you own it."

"We're more alike than you think."

"If you thought for one moment that I stood with you and this world of criminals, you're wrong."

"Is that what you told her too? She still joined you despite knowing that she's always been against it since this world is what took her parents away? The very thing that destroyed her life and had her wander the streets as no one's child?"

His jaw crunched tight, teeth grinding over each other with rage that got harder to contain inside.

"Even if she doesn't know it yet, she will be what kills us. They took her to prevent that from ever happening. To make her bend to their will before she gets out of control again."

Nothing this man was saying made any sense. You were just a skilled assassin that sometimes went rampage when extremely pissed off. But even so, under all his empty words, Enishi felt there was more this man wasn't letting on. Despite all the questions he came here with, there was only one he could bring himself to ask.

"Where is she?"

"You're asking the wrong mafia," he grinned. Enishi's hold loosened in the slightest. His eyes brimmed with mischief, gleeful that he knew more than the man cutting through his arm, unable to finish the job he started.

"You think we were the only ones part of the charade at the club last night?"

There were more parts involved. Enishi knew that. But none of his men got back with new intel to help identify them.

"All I need is a name," he bargained. "Then you're free to rot in a cell under the commander in chief for the rest of your miserable life."

That seemed like a good enough bargain to take. A name for a life of isolation. Death was an option too. The easy way out. A luxury he wasn't keen on offering so soon. Too bad the man kneeling at his feet took his own fate in his hands.

"What good if my whole mafia is gone?"

Before he could ask or demand anything else, the man pulled a hidden knife and plunged it deep within his chest. Enishi's eyes went wide with surprise, watching as he slid off his blade, falling backwards, choking on his last words with painful gasps.

"I hope you never find her."

Just like that, the captain of the ship died with his own crew and the rest of the words Enishi needed to hear were lost forever. He came here with questions only to leave with so many more. Questions that drowned his head up until this moment.

An eerie silence settled in the room. The smoking tray of opium in the middle of the poker table drew to a small vapor. The lights above flickered empty. The hallways of the casino were no longer packed with lively chatter and the sound of plastic coins being thrown around roulettes for bets. It was all quiet like the dark night outside.

Enishi's mind stopped running too. Wiping his wato clean, he sheathed it back in its hold, turning to his men who were awaiting further orders. He kept his eyes trained on the floor, like he lost the final battle but won the war, successfully eliminating the Daos and their leader, but losing all tracks that could lead to you. His men looked just as lost and conflicted, grateful to have some action in a while, but at what cost if they didn't find what they came looking for. Nonetheless, he delivered them tasks like it was the daily custom.

"Search the casino for our stolen weaponry. Take Liu in for questioning. Make sure there's no trace of our tracks here."

"And the women?" asked one of them. He could read the question on his face. Won't they talk?

"Let them go. Pay them if they need it to stay quiet. It doesn't matter how much, just make sure they're tended to."

The force dispersed to each their own. Picking up a chair, he set it upright feeling the need to sit down and recall his bearings back to him. Cho handed Liu to the crew and approached him wearily, sheathing his katanas back in their hold inside his coat.

"You have a weird look on your face. What's going on?"

"Something doesn't add up," he shook his head. "Why do they know so much about her?"

"You did have a spy planted in. For several years apparently," he added.

"It still doesn't explain why they know more about her and we don't. The disappearance of her family, her life as an assassin and the one outside of it. They knew about all of it, no matter how much she covered her tracks up. They watched her from a distance, giving her the impression they were nowhere near and consider her a threat for some fucked up reason." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Did anything he say ring a bell to you at all?"

"No," sighed Cho just as frustrated himself. "It sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me."

"It feels like there's a bigger puzzle we're not seeing. That this was just a piece of it that doesn't fit anywhere or we're not even looking at the right one or... I don't even know anymore."

Cho frowned at his words. He's not seen Enishi this conflicted and all over the place over anything. Not even in the past week when his loathing levels were at their highest.

"Let's hope that traitor has more to give us."

He hesitated at first, but his hand still landed on Enishi's shoulder in an encouraging pat that wasn't that well received. Enishi straightened and shot the blond a look of disgust.

"What are you doing?" he asked, eyeing the hand splayed on his shoulder with imaginary knives about to be shot into each finger separately. Maybe Cho was over the fight in the woods, as if they didn't attempt to kill each other. It would take much more than some help for Enishi to return the favor of blind trust.

"Nothing," mumbled the blond, hand flying away to scratch his neck instead.

Enishi's eyes narrowed in on him trying to gauge out his intentions. Last night, they were at each other's throats and now he was being cordial and kind of supportive. Maybe it was because they were looking for you that the lines between their mutual hatred and the care they had for you were blurring together in an odd bond of sorts. Nevertheless, it creeped him out.

His eyes fell on the poker table, mind instantly running over to the memory of you sat right beside his spot, playing the chief of the Daos with just one hand. An smile broke out on his face seeing the money in the corner, reminded of the stacks of money you had him splurge, only to lose them all in your escape before you got skewered to bits and pieces.

"What's got you smiling so wide?"

"We've been here before. Me and her. About a month ago or so," he smiled slyly, recalling that day. "We came to get intel and left a mess behind us, but before that, she played them at poker."

The blond sat down in a chair with a smile, sharing something of his own. "She always had a thing for betting. It's so hard to pull her away after she sits down to call in a game. All or nothing."

He laughed at that, shaking his head. "She had me give her stacks of money to buy inside since the game was already ongoing."

"How much did you give her?"

"Two million," he chuckled. "Two million and what looked like one more half on the table. She won it all fair and square with one hand. She didn't even get to gather the money before they were on us and we had to run off."

He did remember you stacking some spare bills in your corset before he tugged on your hand to run away. The very corset he helped you lace before crashing the party, only to then rip it off of you that same night.

"That was the same night we...," he paused, debating on whether he should even say anything.

"The same night you...," pushed the blond, eager to find out what happened.

Too bad he would have to stay curious. Enishi's eyes dove at him with a teasing wink, amused at his childish scoff.

As if I'll tell you of all people what happened that night, he smirked to himself. That's for us to know.

"Have a look around, see if you find anything of help to us," he said, patting his shoulder in a similar manner. He deserved it since he had his back tonight.

Before he turned back to searching, he picked up a light blue chip from the table. The highest value you could play in poker. Holding it to the small light in the room, he smiled softly at it, then pocketed it safely on the inside of his kimono.

Ready to turn and leave, it was only by chance that his eyes landed on the open hand the fallen leader never got to play. Next to a red ten of hearts, a jack, a king and an ace, sat the queen card - your winning hand that night. Not thinking too much about it, he gathered the hand, picking up those five cards, storing them safely next to the blue chip.

Even a pigsty has more amenities.

The cell was a nice place. If you looked past the small pot left in the corner for a makeshift medieval toilet, the stench of rotten things you hoped was just leftover food and the occasional rodent visitors that resembled anything but how they actually looked like above, on the streets of Shanghai. You had your fair share of those beasts hopping from place to place in hiding but these ones liked to hiss and stare you down as if you intruded their very own sanctuary or something.

It's been days.

How could one be able to tell that the day turned into night in that underground stone cage with no sliver of light visible?

When the gust of wind blowing through got considerably colder and the torches went out completely om both sides of the walls.

Some nights, you sat and waited for the torches to be lit up again. Truthful to your assumptions, a guard came down early, from the looks of his lightly armed body, tasked with lighting up the long row of torches from top to bottom. The last lucury of the upper world they gave you. Though you wondered if the firestone down in the pit, how the girls called that horrors cave, burned at all times like an undying flame of hope, or if that one too was extinguished when no one was there and there was no hope to look for at all.

After your brawl with the violinist, you were welcomed down in the pit like you won the war against evil. As it turns out, her name is Li Wen, a walking-talking specimen of envy personified. One that was extremely hated by all the inhabitants of the pit. Her temperament at the club was dodgy, but her personality is just as such. She is just like she plays her violin, insatiable and almost never satisfied, always on the look for more. Whether she gets it or takes it herself.

What she said the night before as she tried to use your body as a darts mat was true - she did have the power to whizz between the upper world and the pit at her own personal will, or when the Snake sent her to check on his esteemed guests. That sole advantage itself turned her into an enemy, since she mostly came around to draw her claws at the girls or execute his orders.

In her eyes she was just like him, a fighter for a greater cause, thing that gave her no semblance of respect towards them. But not even the smallest bone in her body had the power and resilience these women had in their soul.

She wasn't the one going to war with death almost nightly in order to earn her right to keep on living and a meal to survive off, wondering when the next one will come. She is part of the pit. But she will never be part of the family that's made a unique promise of protection to each other.

That is the biggest ick that she will never be able to swallow down her thick reptile throat. Not as long as she sides with the wrong people.

That same night, you sat with the girls and told them your own story. Bottom to top, past to present. Everything.

For the first time in your life, you felt like someone actually listened. For the first time, someone was able to even relate to your struggle, understanding the length and impact of the things you've gone through. For the first time, someone was able to see the scars that refused to heal, scabbing over on the surface but still hurting deep within a place that would never be able to forget the pain, the loss, the shattered hope. Because they were the same unhealed scars that all these girls shared in one way or another, having been through hell and beyond.

Connecting through a bond was one thing. A bond could be just that, a one-off unique connection. But this was so much more because connecting through pain was another thing altogether.

As you talked and shared parts of your souls with each other in stories, things you liked, things you hated; honesty and trust wound up tied together in that blazing pit. Those two things, so small but so significant, were the only things that helped them endure the fear and pain of this infinite inferno, and the only things still standing real and true to their nature within the wild hellfire scorching the world.

That was what Li Wen was missing. She was free to share her story and join the family at one point until she alienated herself from the collective acceptance. This sisterhood will be something she will always long for, something she will never have the guts to sacrifice herself for.

After your heart to heart with everyone, their daily training session started. They spread out to their own corners individually or searched for sparing partners. Still healing from your injuries, you decided to keep to the side just watching. As your eyes walked around, you noticed that a lot of them still used their weapon instincts, sending their fists like they wielded their arms.

Yana was probably the best at breaking free from the hold of her weapon. She used aerial moves and kicks with her spear which made it easier to adapt to a life without one. Though she still parried the ground for balance and often lost her fighting stance.

Lyla knew some martial arts. Where she would normally train her arms to extend, open her palms to aim her knives and strike, she now sent rigid hits with the heel of her palm using that built up strength in her forearms. Kick-wise, she struggled with the direction she wanted her foot to land in, which should hopefully be through the enemy's throat and not beside it.

Marissa struggled. You could tell she leaned on her halberd for support a lot because her current hits went lucky-go wide instead of target-focused. There was immense weight packed in her punch but no technique. Her sparring partner was one of the stone columns but even so, she had much strength but couldn't send it through. You knew she had the power to.

Stretching up and out of your humble seat on the side, you walked up to her. Sensing you approach, she turned around. Her height was questionable while she was sat down at the table but being this close to her had you stumble a step backwards.

"What's up, shorty?"

"Uhm," you paused, looking for a way to say it without getting smashed or something.

Come on, Miyu. It's just Marissa. Your big, friendly giant that could mince and marinate you if she had her halberd on hand. Though she might just do well enough smashing your head between her palms.

"Can I see your fist?"

"My fist?" she asked confused. You nodded. Unsure but trusting, she held out her fist to you. Even her hand was bigger than yours.

Taking a hold of it, you moved her fingers in a better position, locking them in with her thumb, directing her to the stone column she was bruising her knuckles in.

"Don't clench your fingers. Swing with the muscles in your shoulder, not the ones in your forearms and angle your body parallel to your opponent." You nodded to the pillar. "Try it now."

Her eyebrow lifted, lacking assurance at your directions, but she did get in the stance.

"Send it on your exhale," you added in a small voice.

Her icy eyes narrowed in on you prompting you to take another step backwards, hands held up in defence to let her do her thing. She debated it but in the end she tried it your way. Taking a long, deep breath in, she spun from the right and swung wide going right for the column on the exhale. Her fist drove into the stone with a loud crack, chipping off a quarter of the pillar to dust and rocks that fell right into the firestone behind it. The others stopped training, looking over to see what happened. Shocked, she looked her fist over on every which side only to find no bleeding creases or pink indents of damaged skin on any of her knuckles. Then her blue eyes fell on you, sparkling like dew drops on plant leaves in the early morning.

"How?"

"All you were missing was technique," you said, a small smile tugging at your lips. In return, she smiled just as big.

Moving to sit in front of her, hands held together behind your back, you motioned her to come at you.

Maybe Enishi's emotionally torturing, training techniques rubbed off on you. Or maybe you were batshit crazy since even the girls looked at you as if you've grown a head. But something just told you to do it and give her a good moving target to really test out her new set of skills.

"I can't do that," she shook her head, taking a step back refusing to attack you.

Her eyes fell on the dried blood stains littered all over your dress, stopping at the still fresh scratches on your face.

You beckoned her again. "Just trust me."

"What if I hurt you?"

"You won't."

You said that with so much confidence it surprised even you.

Marissa finally got into position and prepared for a moving punch. Her left foot pressed backwards while her right set up. With one step, she was right in front of your face, her huge fist headed for serious damage. You let her come as close as possible, just a few inches away from your face before you moved to the side, grabbing a hold of her forearm to push her forwards. She stumbled, turning to you with a guilty look on her face.

"You hesitated," you said, standing to the side.

"Because I don't want to -"

"Your enemy won't give you time to find a reason to hurt them," you argued. "You have to do it."

Softly caressing the knife won't make it not want to kill you. That was its sole purpose after all and what Enishi tried to teach you all along. Maybe you did learn something from his philosophy lessons, often coming as a package with the physical training.

"You need to strike first. No mercy. No remorse."

She sighed, tall shoulders dropping with the realization you were right. Ignoring your injured leg, you moved into a fighting stance, similar to the ones Enishi took with you.

"Now come at me for real this time."

Stop defending. Just attack.

And she did. She sent fist after fist, one more powerful than the other. Your body struggled to handle her speed but you willed it to in order to keep up and give her a real shot at it. Once you were happy with the form of her punches and she realized how well she sent them you both stopped. Holding up her fists side to side, she smiled widely at them. You simply bowed your head at her in respect.

Before you could spin back to your chair, the rest of them flocked your way asking for guidance.

"Can you help me too?" asked Mai, showing you her small fists.

Yana stomped over too, tapping your shoulder. "Can you help me with the kicks? I want to learn that reverse one you did to Li Wen's nose."

"Guys, guys, calm down! I'm no martial arts master," you waved your hands away. "I can't fight better than any of you. Not now anyway."

"But someone did teach you," said Lyla with a smirk.

Damn it.

You knew who she was referring to. There were two of them who tried busting off their asses to train you in hand to hand, close and far combat, including weaponry wielding. You failed weaponry... but you did overpower both of them in combat the last time you trained together. And that one was a no mercy match to the death you won fair and square.

These girls were experts in their individual weapons of choice. But they lacked combat technique. The kind of combat technique you ate at breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past two months and a half like it was the fucking military service trials.

If anyone could give them an extra chance at packing a deadly punch or a lethal kick and get hurt less, it was you.

"Fine," you blew a breath, whistling the stray locks of hair falling in front of your face. They cheered loudly, clapping you in the back excitedly.

"Get in a line."

A few days later, you were leading their training sessions from the sidelines, without getting involved until your ankle healed some more. Your ribs still hurt, but not enough to stop you from sparring with your hands here and there, correcting stances or acting as a moving target from time to time. Taking everything you learned from the sword master extraordinaire and placing it on different training, tailored to every girl and her fighting style, you managed to get them out of the rut.

Their forms got better than their wielding impulses, stronger than their sparing opponents, faster at laying a lethal blow if needed. Surprise after surprise came as you coached each one into changing little things that led them to big ones in such a short amount of time.

Marissa's punches became hunks of deadly power. Yana's aerials you molded following Enishi's. Lyla's flexibility went into quick attacks. All of them evolved.

On a well-deserved break, you sat around, passing mugs of water from the bucket that was brought down by the guards once a day.

"How do they announce a fight? Or who's turn it is?" you asked no one in particular. Already used to your question rounds, Yana picked it up like she was the pit's unofficial guide.

"You see the golden gong in the back?" she pointed behind you.

Your head whipped around to find a golden plate hooked up on two stands, reflecting the flickers of the fire around the pit. You've been here for days but have not taken notice of the percussion instrument at all, as if it just spawned there from nowhere. Not a lot of things to notice in a cave underground.

"Has that always been here or am I tripping? Are we sure those grapes weren't edibles?"

Laughter echoed around you in ripples of snorts and giggles. Another thing you grew to love in these past few days was making these girls laugh. An actual belly-flopping, cheeks hurting, eyes leaking laugh. Some of them haven't howled a true, joyous laugh in ages from how rusty their laughs sounded, but they welcomed your jokes nonetheless.

"It has," laughed Yana. "When they have someone ready for a fight, they come down and hit the gong. Another person has a bowl filled with our names written on thin paper strips and they just call it out."

"Is there an audience too?"

"We're allowed to sit in sometimes. The guards always sit in and place bets on the winning head."

That's disgusting. Placing bets as if they've ever been put in their shoes.

"Li Wen usually stands to the side-"

"If she's in the mood for being spat at, that is," added Marissa. "Someone always gets punched in the face and she is always right in the sputter of their blood."

You grimaced at that until you realised she deserved the bloody shower every once in a while.

"What about the lord of the house?"

"The Snake doesn't come down here."

Wait.

He abducted all of these girls for his own personal fight club only to not participate at all? Not even to sit in the audience to see his problems eradicated?

That doesn't make any sense.

"He didn't come for any of them? Any at all?"

"Nope," said Yuki, your other Japanese compatriot. She's been down there for the past seven years and could not recall at least one time he showed up. "Not one of them."

That same night, the call for a fight came through. The gong was hit, ringing deep in your ear drums, stopping you mid-training session.

This one had your name on it.

"Crimson Rose," called out the guard, looking for you in the crowd.

Of course they don't use real names in here.

You walked out from between the girls, dirty velvet rolling out behind your heeled steps. Chin help up high, arms crossed and jaw tightened to an angle that could cut, you gave him your most confident front. Deep inside, that courageous front was replaced for eating the walls trying to find an escape route out of this hellhole.

The guard walked down to you, stopping short of a few steps. He had a patch over his nose. It was the guard you head banged into a few days ago.

His eyes raked your body top to bottom, enjoyment disgustingly visible on his face at every curve he stopped at, only pausing his shameless perusal to look at your face. He must've read the fake façade you put up in your eyes, lips turning up with a devilish smirk.

"You're overdue for a welcome fight, rosy."

It's been a week since the night you disappeared. A week he wanted to throw to oblivion like that would just so happen to bring you right back. If only it was that easy to get you back.

Over the past few days, he's grown restless, much more than he used to be. Every word uttered the wrong way, any gaze focused on him for too long, the very sound of footsteps rolling down the hallways. All of these had him bust a nerve that never stopped ticking since he woke up that night in the middle of the woods and you were nowhere to be found.

Wherever he sat down, his eyes closed automatically. Tired didn't even begin to describe how he felt. But no matter how exhausted he was, he couldn't give into it at all. He would go into his room for a quick shower then return back to the office. Any accidental glances falling on his neatly made bed made him take a tempting step towards it only to turn for the door just as fast, like the very thought of sleeping in some semblance of comfort disgusted him. His body begged for overdue rest but he refused it time and time again. It wasn't the time to rest. Not until he found you or at the very least heard of your whereabouts, but so far he had nothing. No leads, no tracks to follow up on. Absolutely fucking nothing.

He's been up even at night searching for any word of you, the rest of the missing artillery, accidental sightings of your parents. It was all a never-ending circle of things to search for that never ceased from piling up on his desk or in his head, and he came to understand there was a second thing he hated the most in the world, beside people fretting over him. His office. This room held him mostly at his worst and he was sick of it. So sick he just jumped out of his seat with a long sigh, setting out on a walk.

Anywhere but here will do, he thought, pushing the doors behind him closed in hopes everything else that's been storming up his nerves for the past week would remain inside those doors if he shut them tight enough.

The sun brimmed bright down the hallway. A small breeze found her way inside through the open curtain, whistling it open like the veil on the prow of a boat. Light warmth drenched the air of midday, notes of the first blooms of camellias hanging sweet on the breeze.

December turned to January in the past week but the weather was so bright and pleasingly warm it was hard to tell the cold season was even present at all. As if winter skipped it's turn and let spring take it away just for this once. The ice still hugged the roads stubbornly in the crisp of morning and the scent of snow hung deeper in the night air, but no snow fell from the sky. Not even on a sudden hailing or with the gust of a storm.

That first fall of snow refused to come. He was sort of thankful for its delay. Not that it would hinder his plans or anything. His reason for it... was stupid really. He didn't want to catch the first snowfall without you.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew the meaning behind catching the first fall of snow with someone, especially if you had feelings for them. But above that foolish meaning, he knew how much you would have loved to see it.

That lone, brief thought of you basking in the white glow of a snowflake flurry brought his steps right in front of your room. Busy putting all his manpower in motion to find you, he was mostly cooped up in that office he dreaded so much. That and he couldn't find it in him to go inside your room and not see you there, either stitching up something or being cooped up in your bed with Koru with a soft smile on your face. Thinking of the feline, he realised that even she disappeared without a trace, somewhere in the depths of the mansion, probably looking for you.

His hand reached out for the door handle on a whim only to stop midair.

She's not in there, his mind echoed.

Squeezing his eyes shut, his hand fell flat on the wooden door, and he let out a shaky breath. Even if you weren't in there, so many things of yours were. Pushing open the double doors, he took a wary step in your room to convince himself of the emptiness in the space.

One look around and the eerie silence got drowned in a deep chuckle.

Everything was a mess. Just the way you liked it. Pieces of cut up and unrolled material were still strewn over the work station you made for yourself in the corner, some falling over the chair like you were still working on stuff. Clothes were thrown every which way on hangers falling from the sides of your wardrobe and laying in front of it on the floor. He couldn't even tell where the laundry began and where it ended.

A chilly gust of wind blew in prompting him to turn for the window. It was cracked open. It didn't pass through his mind to check it before. You probably left it open to change the stuffy air in the room until you were out on mission. Moving to close it, he noticed the wooden pane was ajar, just a crack wide enough to lay your bedding out for some fresh air.

That's when it hit him harder - this was so domestic. Laying your bedding out. Cooking in the kitchen. Even simply just walking the hallways in a worn out shirt of yours. Like you've always lived here and this was the daily custom for as long as ever.

He grabbed your bedding, dusting it off the leaves and twigs that blew in from outside before he pulled the dirty covers off, throwing them in the corner for laundry, changing them for new ones. Then he folded them neatly, patting them down, moving to place them on your bed when he paused. On top of the white sheet lay a book he hasn't seen in a long time. Placing your bedding down in a corner, he leaned over and reached for it.

Wuthering Heights? his eyes widened at the title. Wasn't this in the library?

He turned it over on the side, surprised to see loads of paper edges hanging messily, stacked inside between the pages. Your writing peaked out on the sides of a few. He debated on whether he should open it and read some of them or not. It seemed almost too personal to even be holding it as if his hands would taint it and deem it unreadable for you.

Unbeknownst to anyone, he was an avid reader. He read all of the books in his library four, if not even five times. At times to just pass the time, to do research, to learn more about people and what drove them, maybe even to catch some surprising truths about himself. But out of his whole collection, this book was the hardest read he's ever come across. And he's read heavy shit like political thrillers and war tactic books. But this one, as poetic and straightforward of a novel it was, it remained a mystery to him and no matter how many times he's read it, tried to dissect it and understand it, he never could. This book was one of the biggest enigmas he couldn't solve.

In the end, curiosity got the best of him. He sat down on the edge of your bed and opened the book, flipping through it until he landed on the page where the last paper note hung loosely, nearly slipping out. Even the writing on it looked rushed, possibly written in a haste. It was near the middle and it looked like the last annotated note in the book.

She never got to finish it.

That thought alone angered him. Then he started reading the page and his mood instantly turned from sour to amusing.

The last quote underlined was Heathcliff's, mid-rage match with Catherine. The corner of his mouth upturned at the familiarity of the scene, happening between the two of you for the entirety of the previous week. Constant back and forth, making each other try to fall for one another but failing miserably to communicate like normal human beings. Taking a step forward with you only to fall three more behind.

His eyes fell on the quote above the note that was stuck in the middle of the spread.

"I have not broken your heart- you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine."

The quote was highlighted angrily, black pencil running all around the quote like it swallowed it whole, a total contrast to the other pages his fingers skimmed across. His eyes fell on the note below it and his breath caught in his throat, pulse thudding in his ears like a drum.

I broke your heart? You broke it first. You played with me the way you wanted. You chased me down like I was an animal to be hunted. You're no better than them. The government, the Triads, Battosai. Name the devils we've been battling for so long and they're all just like you. But you're worse. Because as much as I want to hate you and wish you hell worse than the one you've been living in, for everything you did and said to me, for lying to me... I can't bring myself to do that. My heart doesn't let me. It beats for you and only you and I can't drown that annoying rhythm out of my head every time I see you. It just gets louder when you look at me with so many emotions I can't understand. When you hold my hand so gently before every mission. When you take care of me even after I push you away. When you're being you. Good or evil, selfish or caring, angering me to the world's end or catching my world when it comes crashing down. She's addicted to you wholly. To every part of you. I can't even wish for that beating to cease, even if at times I wanted it to with my whole being, because I know it would hurt you. And I can't bear seeing you in any kind of pain. That is how you broke my heart. You know whay the funny thing is? That you're what I've been running from my entire life. You're everything I loathe the most in the world. And yet, despite all this, you're all I want at the same time. This... is how I broke mine.

A shaky breath he's been holding in since he read the very first word finally left him. All he could feel was pain. Pain unlike any other he's ever experienced, flooding his heart like a poison arrow that just about missed the most vital point but embedded deep enough to spread its venom like burning embers kindled to burn inside of his chest.

That note was something he was never meant to find. Addressed to him, through and through, but not to be discovered like this, in a book he couldn't understand. Because now, as his eyes darted over the words again and again at breakneck speed, he felt guilty. Guiltier than the weight of all the people he's ever sent to the afterlife with the edge of his blade could ever make him feel. This was a different type of guilt - the kind that made him feel like he was suffocating upon breathing just fine.

Having absorbed the words like a second skin, the note fell from his hand, falling right on the pages he found it stuck between. At once, he shut the book closed.

He's never looked at it in this way but having read what you've left for secret keepsake, what should've never ended up in his hands, he was nothing less than scared. That gut-wrenching fear that leapt at him whenever Tomoe decided to haunt him and laugh in his face at his idiocy, now unleashed at just the mere thought of you, way stronger and crippling than he's ever felt it course through him.

Feeling like he was intruding way too much, he placed the book back on your bed like simply touching it seared the skin of his palms. He checked the bedding once more and turned for the door. Then he paused.

Turning back to the scope of your room he glanced at it again. Contrary to the joke his mind played on him before he entered, you were here.

In every corner of the room where a part of you lingered like you just touched it. Not just in the room but even outside of it, as far as the rest of the mansion spread. In every tile of the kitchen where your feet padded tirelessly to cook up some new recipe you heard Wu talk about. In the hallways, floorboards creaking under your feet as you gazed at that favorite painting of yours that started becoming his favorite too. In his office, where you fell asleep more comfortably and cozily than in the warmth and comfort of your own bed. Outside in the garden, where you trained restlessly or down in the armory where you spent time studying weapons and learning more about them. Even in his room where he tricked you into using his shower, his mirror, his towels, his clothes, his bed.

You were everywhere.

And he realized there was one more spot you edged your way in, way before you even stepped foot on the premises of this house. A place that was so full of life despite him thinking it was as dead as the crunched leaves on the ground.

A place that beat wild, calm, out of control, ragged, steady, rumbled, bled.

A place that was so full of you he could never get you out unless he gave himself over to the hands of death like it would take him if he had a different reason this time around. But even then, when he stopped breathing and his blood ran cold, you would still be in there, keeping the walls of it together.

All his life, he's built his inner defences map by map, wreathing sharp blades around his heart like the ones on the walls in the office, in the shape of a crown that could somehow guard the last piece of humanity he had left after Tomoe died. He fought with his all to protect it, turned against anyone who tried to get too close, marred everyone he didn't want to lose before he got too attached. He did all this only for all those defences to uncover one by one and fall down at your feet the minute you stepped into his life.

You came in like a storm unlike the ones already on his shore, rumbling wild with promise of disaster, reaching out through cracks he didn't even realise were left wide open. He was so wrong about you being a tempest that would stop at nothing to destroy him. You did the complete opposite of it, saving that piece of him rather than killing it when he gave you every reason to because there, in your kind and gentle hands that have seen so much evil but did so much more good in return, that locked up humanity of his was set free. In the palm of your hands, he felt alive again.

Because his heart was yours. Every little part of it.

And he hated that it wasn't his own heart that broke that night instead of yours.

Thank you for reading :)

#addicting taste #enishi yukishiro #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #enishi yukishiro fanfiction

18 notes · View notes

pauking5 · 9 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 8

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, angst, slow burn, some fluff

Word count: 14k+

A/N: Welp, she's a long one but she's a good one. It could be taken as a filler but she's important to the story so I hope it's not too much of a nuisance to read. Also, give a big welcome to none other than the famed Sword Hunter, Cho Sawagejo. He was so bleak in the original story it took me so long just to rewrite his character. He's important to the story so take this as his introduction! Chapter 9 is coming too and she's wild. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.

Now Playing: beating heart - ellie goulding.

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"Miyu?"

No fucking way.

Is this some sick joke?

Of all people, he wasn't supposed to be here.

"Cho?"

Cho Sawagejo. Known as the Sword Hunter and one of the former Ten Swords, used to fight against the Meiji government. Additionally, he was an old friend of yours... sort of. The fact that history ran deep between you two was the understatement of the century.

Your hand froze on the golden doorknob, mouth hung open in shock to see him after all these years. Memories of him fired one after another in your head the more you looked at him, including those you tried really hard to forget. Your mouth moved on its own trying to make some sense of what you were seeing, but all that came out was whispers of his name. A name you wanted to forget for as long as you lived.

Snapping out of it you noticed he seemed to be in a bit of a situation, which was something normal for him, considering how you met each other.

4 years ago

Life was a constant fight for survival. You escaped the fighting rings in Edo but you did so at the cost of having to fend for yourself in the only way you knew: killing.

A rookie assassin, with barely enough training, murdering to stay alive. You barely got hired because your face said you didn't have experience like others did. But once they saw what you could do with two pistols and a heart that was hungry for mayhem they instantly hired you.

As much as you wanted to do something else with your life, you couldn't. You lived with the sole goal of finding your parents, even if it meant destroying your soul in the process.

There were times where your appetite got insatiable and you killed more than you needed to. It was where Barairo got her reputation from, Yokohama's crimson rose turning into a twisted bloodthirsty demon.

The only advantage of letting her out was that it made getting some of the jobs done easier. Though the stench of her blood soaked claws haunted you every night together with your usual nightmares.

You worked on yourself trying to limit her vengeful spirit so you could focus properly on missions. Little by little, she retracted back in her cage and all that was left was you. A woman so sure of herself that nothing could stop her.

Until you met him and all of that went to shit.

You got the job to kill a really well-known conman who got on the nerves of the wider business community in Osaka. He stole a lot of money from them and it was to no surprise most of them wanted his head on a pike. Multiple people got hired starting a hunt for him but there was a catch. Whoever got the job done first was rewarded with half of the stolen money. You had to move fast if you wanted to be first. Because you wanted it badly.

The plan was simple: get in his highly secured villa, put a bullet through his skull and be on your way. But things didn't work exactly like you wanted them to.

Come on now, did they ever? It's a Miyu Hikari tradition at this point.

You staked out the man's mansion for a full 24 hours under the scorching heat of the summer sun. Every time you wanted to go in and get the job done, a flurry of guards would round the grounds and you had to move spots constantly. Sweat trickled down your back in waves, clothes drenched to the brim from just sitting in the bushes. Summer was definitely not your favorite season, especially when you had jobs like this to do.

Finally, when the night let out you managed to advance. Infiltrating inside was a fluke, easily taking out the small number of guards on night duty. Checking for any more of them in all rooms at the bottom floor, you made your way to the top floor where his master bedroom was located. Getting a little distracted by completing the mission, bags of steaming dumplings occupying your mind more than the mission at hand, you failed to see the incoming competition.

You just rounded the top of the stairs when something clanged against the window behind you. You turned around in a heartbeat, guns held out ready to pull the triggers. Intuition told you to put multiple holes through whoever it was until you got a better look at him.

There he was, one leg in and two sharp katanas held between his teeth, trying to balance his way inside the mansion. You lowered your weapons as your curiosity piqued by the man before you. You retracted to a dark corner away from his line of sight, silently snickering at his struggle. The moment he finally got himself through the threshold and thudded to the floor making the loudest noise possible triggered a fit of giggles from you you couldn't keep inside anymore. If the guards were still alive and breathing they would have had his ass so fast.

Once he heard you, he got back to his feet and made quick movement to hold one of his katanas to your throat. You stopped laughing and put your hands up in fake surrender deciding to mock him a little.

"Who are you?"

"Someone on the same mission as you. You're kinda late to the party though."

Seeing as you weren't too much of a threat, he put down his sword. He cleared his throat to sound more sure of himself than he appeared to be and smoothed a hand over his hair that was sat in all directions, including his mouth. He looked harmless without his katana unsheathed. If this was your competition you surely held yourself a lot better in the short time you've been working the field.

"Thank you for the clean up, but I'll take it from here."

I just gave you the benefit of the doubt dude. Turns out I was wrong.

"I think the fuck not."

Pointing your pistols his way, you got ready to defend your territory. There was no way you would let this rando of all people steal your moment after you did most of the work.

He flashed you a smirk and in the blink of an eye vanished. Confused, you spun around to see the door to the master bedroom opened. It was way too dark but once your eyes focused on the shadow lurking above the man tucked in bed with his katanas ready to slice him open, you panicked. Thinking fast you aimed at the man the best you could in the pitch black, using the glimmer of light reflecting off the blade as guidance and took the shot. One of the blades intercepted your bullet just before it could hit the man, cutting it in half, leftover pieces of the bullet flying into the bed frame. You gasped in shock as he chuckled darkly.

"Nice try."

Beyond annoyed at him and determined to see this mission through, you put the guns back in their hold and got into a fighting stance.

"I was here first. I am not moving an inch before I kill him," you rasped.

He smirked and sheathed his sword, walking closer to you and mirroring your position.

"Fair enough. Let's see if you've got any real fight in you."

He went easy on you, thinking you couldn't fight him.

Terrible mistake.

The minute he came at you, you sent him flying to the other corner of the room, watching as his back hit a dresser tumbling down to the floor with him. He got up and lunged at you and you dodged all of his moves. When his punches got sloppy, it was your turn to swing at him, decorating his face with your fists. At one point your hits turned slower and he managed to lay down a few punches of his own. He caught you off guard and pushed you into the wall, hands digging hard into your arm as he pinned you to it. Amused at your struggle to break free, his head dipped down to your ear.

"Is that all you've got, princess?"

"Don't call me that ever again."

He pissed you off beyond coming back now. You growled and threw your head into his with all the force you had, throwing him off balance enough for him to release you and to drop down and swipe his legs from under him. As soon as he was flat on the ground you straddled him, pining his hands beside his head.

Trying to will some breath back into your lungs you looked at him and he looked at you for a while, taking in the damage you've both done to each other. One looked worse than the other, a broken nose gracing his face as payback for the cut lip he gave you.

His dark eyes had you in a trance. There was something about him that screamed danger but familiarity the more you looked at him. A weird feeling crawled up your spine and you couldn't help the sensation that something was really wrong. Snapping out of it, you straightened and got up from the floor, looking around at the mess you've caused. You wondered why the man wasn't awake and screaming for mercy or applauding the free fight show in his bedroom. You moved to the king sized bed in spite of the protests to continue the fight and examined the man tucked into bed. You pulled the duvet down from his face and the marks around his neck told you all you needed to know.

"Someone got the job done before us."

"What?"

He ran next to you following your pointed finger to the neck of the man who appeared to have been dead for a while. How did none of you notice this before?

"The guards were pretty much alive when I arrived. Whoever killed him must have been waiting for him here."

You pulled the curtains near the window so the light could filter in a little more. Truthful to your suspicion, there were no signs of forced entrance on the window sill or the door, so it had to be a job from the inside. Main conclusion was that you were left with a busted ego and you could kiss your precious dumplings goodbye for a while.

"Well, that's a bummer," he said, slumping against the wall. At least you weren't the only one disappointed.

"We should leave before more potential suitors want to decorate him and us as collateral damage."

You made a move for the door only to hear shouts and multiple pairs of boots rushing up the stairs.

We're in deep shit.

Closing the door, you tried to pull the wardrobe in front of it to block the men from entering. It was too heavy to push by yourself so he moved to help you. You successfully barricaded yourselves inside just as angry fists started banging on the door. You moved away from it and scanned the room for a way out. The big double window looked like the only viable option. You hesitated in even suggesting it as an escape route but he seemed to have other plans as you watched him run over to it and bust it open with a chair. Shards of glass flew everywhere on the floor and the banging on the door intensified. You rushed to the window where you were met with a five meter drop to a patch of grass smaller than your hopes and dreams at the moment.

Hell no, nuh-uh. I'm not playing the flying bird game.

He was out of his fucking mind if he thought that was a safe plan, but before you could say anything he just jumped out first with his katanas strapped to his back, swiftly landing on his feet. Your jaw dropped open.

Okay, so he is indeed out of his fucking mind.

He looked back at you, waiting for you to follow, but the way you gripped the curtains told him you weren't keen on jumping too. He couldn't leave you there when there was no telling how many men were behind that door that was now close to being torn open.

"Look, I know you don't know me, but I need you to trust me and jump the fuck out," he yelled at you, trying to get your attention away.

"You want me to trust you in willingly pivoting down to my death?"

"It sounds horrendous when you put it that way. I promise I will try to catch you."

Putting my life in the hands of a stranger who tried to kill me just a few moments ago? Not a chance. But I want to taste my favorite buns again, alive and breathing on this earth.

Getting on top of the windowsill, you closed your eyes and took a deep breath, jumping out. Truthful to his promise, he caught you, falling down on the grass with you in his arms. He cushioned your fall and your head landed in the crook of his neck, his scent closing around you. He smelled like vanilla and lavender. The way he cushioned your fall made you think you were laying in a field of flowers but that might have just been the euphoria from the fall, pumping adrenaline through you.

You opened your eyes to be nose to nose with him, breaths meeting halfway. Through the messy blonde hair falling over his bandana, you noticed his eyes were actually a deep shade of brown as they bore into yours. You lifted your hand to brush his locks away halting when you heard more shouts and commotion behind you. Quickly, you got up and pulled him up too, bolting towards the gates. His hand intertwined with yours as you both ran until you reached town.

Finally stopping at the back of a shop you checked around for any sight of the men following, relieved to see none. You closed your eyes willing in a breath when you felt something weighing down your hand. You looked down and he followed your gaze to your hands that were still tightly locked together. He let go first, rubbing his neck nervously.

That's cute.

His touch ghosted on your finger tips and you cradled your hand close. You've never been this close to anyone before.

"That was eventful," he exhaled.

"Yeah. Thanks for catching me back there, uh..."

"It's Cho. And of course! Anytime, uh..."

"Miyu."

"Miyu," he said your name softly. "Well, Miyu, if you ever find yourself in a pickle or something like that again feel free to call on me."

He smiled genuinely at you this time, previous cocky smirk gone. It made you feel warm inside for some reason but you quickly shook that thought away.

"I'll make sure to call on you then."

A lot of time passed after your encounter. Summer turned to fall and winter. There were times where you laid awake at night and your mind drifted to him, contemplating his offer. He shouldn't be that hard to find if need be to have him help on a mission and it felt tempting to team up with someone else, especially since your fighting styles were so similar.

You finally met again a few times after you were both hired on other missions. You fought your way out of them together, often splitting the earnings. It turned out you made a really good team, your logical skills complementing his sword skills just right.

You started hanging out more and paired most of your missions together, getting to know more about each other. Soon enough, he turned into a part of your routine and you were inseparable, both on and off the field. You ate together, fought together and trained together.

He opened up about himself too. He told you why the Ten Swords fell to their demise with the new government and how he was left wandering for a while until he took up sketchy jobs like you. You told him a little about yourself and your mission to find your parents. He thought it was admirable to have a goal like that and eished he himself had one that righteous.

Over time, one thing led to another and you found yourself catching feelings for him. It was stupid really. He did the smallest things, like throwing you one of his crooked smiles full of mischief whilst stabbing someone who tried to attack you or getting you dumplings because he knew how much you liked them. You even started liking the annoying way in which he called you princess instead of your name, reatliating with a nickname of your own for him, blondie.

All these gestures were small, but you couldn't deny that they made you swoon. Your feelings only grew stronger the more you spent time with him and it took everything in you to work out the courage to confess to him.

But you never got to tell him how you felt.

And it was all his fault.

You spent years thinking of what you would say if you ever saw him again, only for all those words to erase themselves from your mind the minute you laid your eyes on him tonight.

He was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. A man sat in front of him most likely torturing him up to the moment you and Enishi entered. He was now turning around to you with a big knife in his hand, blood dripping from the blade onto the white carpet. You interrupted him and he didn't seem too happy about it because he quickly lunged at you. You wasted no time in kicking away the knife from his hand and knocking him out with a roundhouse kick.

"Fancy seeing you here, princess."

You sure didn't miss that nickname. As much as it grew on you back then, it made you beyond disgusted to hear it now.

"I wish I could say the same. Who did you piss off this time?"

"A lot of people as you can see," he spoke motioning to his body littered in cuts and bruises.

His white shirt, now a mix of dried blood and dirt, was torn in most places, just like his skin. Your eyes lingered over the cuts on his arms that appeared to be made with small knives. Your gaze stopped on the gash on his leg which was definitely the product of the knife you kicked away from the man's hand. It looked deep enough to drain a normal person.

But he wasn't a normal person.

"I hate to break up this reunion but we have more guests incoming," said Enishi rather alarmed. And he had every reason to be because you heard the rapid footsteps in the hallway most likely rushing to the room you were in. His hand latched on your arm in urgency to pull you towards the door but you froze.

"This feels oddly familiar," said Cho with a chuckle.

His face was so pale and devoid of colour that it scared you. He looked barely alive but he still carried that shit-eating grin on his face and it annoyed you to the world's end for some reason.

"Miyu, we have to go," pressed Enishi.

You looked at him then back to Cho. It wasn't in your nature to leave people behind, especially wounded people. Both of the men looked at you expectantly, one more desperate to get out of there than the other.

I can't leave him here. But I can't stay here either.

Your brain was already working at an inhumane speed trying to process everything. Once you made your mind up and opened your mouth to say something you got interrupted by the men pooling inside the room.

About ten of them circled you, lining up around the walls to push you towards the center of the room. You surrounded Cho defensively. He was tied to a chair and in no way fit to fight even a fucking fly. As much as you hated his guts you needed to protect him.

You pulled out your guns and scanned the men to see only half of them were armed. You looked at Enishi and he nodded at you telling you to open fire.

You shot at the armed men while Enishi launched at the others. You threw a table down and took cover behind it, shooting at them. You took out most of them before you ran out of bullets.

Oh, for fucks sake, I really need to carry refills with me.

You got out from behind your hiding spot and stretched your arms, preparing your fists.

Your first opponent was a fairly big guy that cornered you at a wall. He came at you with the intention to put you through the wall, but you were quicker and grabbed his hands, sliding between his legs to drag him after you. You kicked the back of his head and he fell forward, his own head going through the wall instead.

Another one spotted you and you broke into a sprint, using the wall to push yourself up and swing your leg in his face. He fell on his back getting the air kicked out of his lungs. It was one fo the aerial tricks Enishi taught you recently and it came in handy.

Enishi left a trail behind him. Most of the men on the floor were just slightly knocked out. He finished knocking the last two head to head and let them fall to the floor with a thud.

Seeing that he was safe, you turned and ran to Cho, untying him as fast as you could. The rope around his wrists was tied so tight it made them bleed. You stopped in your tracks slowly tracing your fingers over them. What the hell did they do to you? You bit your lip trying to keep yourself together. This was not the time to be soft.

"You don't have to take me with you," he grunted as you got his hands free. "I'll only slow you down."

You went and crouched in front of him looking him straight in the eye. The you back then told you to leave him here to suffer like he did to you. To let him get out of his own mess by his own two feet if he still held himself so prideful. But present you was not the like her.

He didn't deserve your help at all. But you knew the guilt coming with leaving him here would eat you up later. And you didn't need that right now.

Without saying a word, you got one of his arms and draped it around your shoulders to get him up. He groaned in pain when he put weight on his injured leg and you wrapped your arm around his waist to balance him better.

Did he get ripped or something? I swear he wasn't this heavy before.

Enishi looked at you nothing short of confused. His face told you he had a lot of questions. But yours looked conflicted to the point he was sure a hurricane was already brewing in your mind. He knew now was not the time for asking questions, considering there were five mafias willing to shish kebab the three of you without as much of a reason besides the fact that you breathed inside their territory. Getting out of this place as soon as possible was the priority.

He rushed to the other side of Cho and lifted his arm, helping you carry him. You looked at him and he locked eyes with you, reassuring you he had your back. Even if he had no idea what the fuck was going on. You sent him a grateful look and he nodded, a small smile of acknowledgment on his lips.

The three of you managed to slip out the back of the villa and you quickly got into the carriage, avoiding being seen by anyone. The ride back to the mansion turned from relief to utterly painful. For both you and the blonde bleeding out next to you. You kept patting his cheeks to keep him awake every time his head fell on your shoulder. Once you were sure he was conscious enough, you turned your head to the window getting lost in thought.

Cho being back resurfaced so many feelings and memories you tried so hard to drown out over the years and you could do nothing to stop the flood.

Screw me for wanting to help all the time. It only comes back to bite me in the ass anyways.

Another thing weighing hard on your heart was that you didn't find your mother tonight. Or any leads on where your parents could be. Oh, and apparently the man you interrogated, the one who was the only one who knew something about the whereabouts of your parents escaped, since most of the men on duty were mobilised for the ball in case shit went sideways. Conclusion, it was by far the shittiest you've ever felt.

The carriage stopped in front of the mansion and Enishi got down first holding his hand to you to help you down. But you were too worried about the other man bleeding on the beige carriage seats and got down by yourself, dragging him down after you.

Enishi was left behind as you hastily went inside. A weird combo of regret and sadness were spinning around his heart at everything that happened tonight. He knew you probably felt defeated about what went down and blamed yourself for the outcome. He needed to talk to you asap about everything. For now, he was going to give you the space you needed for a while to tend to your guest.

With a storm raging in your mind and a bleeding man supported solely by your shoulders, you trudged the hallways to an empty guest room. You found one two doors down from your room, in case he needed further assistance.

You pushed the doors open with a huff and helped him sit downon the bed, rushing to look for medical supplies. You scoured every drawer both in the room and the bathroom throwing everything on the floor in the process. You were growing anxious and angry at the fact that you didn't find anything you needed. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself you tried looking again through the mess on the floor and found what you needed. Chucking everything back to its place with shaky hands, you went back to him to start taking care of his wounds. You felt his stare at you as you started working on the cut on his cheek.

"It's good seeing you after all these years."

You say that as if we're the best of friends who went our own ways and just met up to talk over tea and biscuits.

You ignored his attempt at making conversation and helped him shimmy his way out of his shredded shirt as he grunted at the movement. He was held captive for a while, judging by the darkened bruises around his ribs.

"You look different," he continued, trying to get you to talk to him.

You tensed as you moved to patch up the bigger cuts on his arm.

What does different even mean in his vocabulary?

You didn't change that much. If anything you got better at detecting bullshit when you saw it. Looks wise you just looked better in the mirror and didn't have a bird's nest on your head anymore.

On the other hand, he looked absolutely the same as the last time you saw him, with a slight upgrade to his wardrobe choices, plus a few muscles here and there. His hair was a darker shade of blonde now, unfitting for the nickname you used to call him by.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" you asked absentmindedly, trying to humour him for the sake of conversation and to take the edge of a little.

He dipped his head down to the side you were patching his arm and took a proper look at you.

You were different since the last time he saw you.

Your hair was longer, curling around your shoulders ever so slightly. You held yourself a lot more confidently than he knew you to be. But the thing that changed the most about you was your eyes. He used to be able to tell what was going through your head by just one look. Now, they were rougher and didn't let him in like they used to. It wasn't that you were hiding. You just closed yourself off entirely, at least to him.

"That wild spark in your eyes is gone. That's what I liked the most about you."

You narrowed your eyes at him and it took everything in your power not to snap at him. Tell him everything that's been weighing on your heart. Shoot words at him hoping he would understand the pain he put you through. But you had to keep it together so you settled for some sarcasm as you tied one of the bandages a bit tight on his arm.

"So what? I'm not to your standards now?"

The big gash on his leg was the last thing left unbandaged and you moved to it to get it done and be out of the door. But god forbid something could go the way you wanted today because he leaned forward to catch your hand.

The sharp inhale of air you took was to ground you from exploding. You noticed his touch was still the same one that used to make you shiver with butterflies.

Cho was a touchy person and it only added to your feelings back then. It made your insides twist remembering the effect it had on you.

"That's not what I meant."

You tried to avoid his eyes but you couldn't do it, letting them find his. You were surprised to see them filled with nothing but sincerity.

"Look, I'm sorry."

Oh, hell no. I am not doing this right now.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," you yanked your hand away from his grip. He wanted to say something else but you didn't give him the chance as you packed the medical supplies and put them away. You put some clothes borrowed from Enishi on the bed and bid your goodbye.

"Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

You made your way out of the room hoping to get to yours faster. The dress suddenly felt too tight on you and you needed to get out of it before it constricted your air flow. You had a hunger for chaos boiling inside of you and you didn't know how much longer you could keep it inside.

Before you made it to your room you bumped into Enishi. He seemed to be looking for you since you just left him hanging outside. You didn't want to worry him and thought of something to say to cut the incoming interrogation short.

"Can we talk-"

"Look, Enishi. I need to get out of this dress and get some sleep, but I will tell you everything you need to know in the morning. Deal?"

You let the words out in a rush and he looked dazed for a moment as he processed them. He tilted his head and let his eyes linger on your face. You looked way more exhausted than you were when you left for the ball. He could also tell something was eating at you by the way you were frowning. He decided he could wait until tomorrow.

"Okay."

He put a hand on your shoulder rubbing it in comfort and you couldn't help but lean into his touch. It felt so soothing that it made the burning fire in your heart dim a little.

"But we're gonna talk tomorrow," he added. You nodded and placed your hand on his squeezing it in reassurance, before walking off to your room.

You felt bad leaving him like that againbut you weren't in the right mindset to sit and talk about your past right now. Maybe after some sleep and thinking you would be.

Sleeping was a torture. You couldn't fall asleep at all, tossing and turning until the sheets bunched up under you. Your pillows got warm fast the more you switched sides and it pissed you off. The universe was against you catching one wink of sleep.

Getting annoyed, you sat up and threw the duvet away letting it fall on the floor. You laced your fingers through your scalp trying to massage the storm of thoughts away, but it only got more unbearable.

Your head was getting so loud swirling with countless questions. You drowned yourself in regrets and what ifs.

The regrets revolved around the reasons why you saved Cho. You hoped it would leave your conscience clean but it only made it worse. He was two doors away from you and you weren't sure if it was a case of being that close to him that had you on edge of your feelings coming back. You also regretted the mission a lot and well, pushing Enishi away like that when he clearly wanted to help you.

The what ifs surrounded the feelings you had for Cho that were definitely awakening in your heart again. It felt like they never left, as if they just laid dormant until they felt him near to wake up. It was like a grenade was placed in your hand without a safety pin. And you couldn't do anything to stop it from blowing up the more you thought about him and that night that changed everything.

3 years ago

One of your clients sent you on a hunt for a powerful businessman. He was in possession of a samurai tachi sword belonging to the great Fukushima Masanori, who fought in the Battle of Shizugatake almost 300 years ago. Legend says it was the sword that drew the first blood in the battle. It was worth millions on the arms trade market. To have it hung up somewhere and just admire it whenever you wanted was truly a rich person activity.

Your client wanted you and Cho to work together and steal it. Most people who hired you knew you worked better together and often came as a package deal, but none of them asked you to do so until now. Frankly, he was a client of Cho's and he reassured you that he worked with him before and that there was nothing to be worried about.

You've been staking out the businessman's building for a while now, watching out for any sign of movement. A bonus clause of the deal was to take him out too, since your client had some hatchet to bury with him he wouldn't tell you about. You were getting hungry and tired while Cho stepped out. You didn't expect him to come back with dumplings.

"I got you these. It was the only thing I could find around here."

"You didn't have to."

You munched away on your buns, peering at his back from time to time. He leaned over the railing busy scanning the streets.

It's been a year since you've met on that mission. You loved spending time with him and he seemed to enjoy your company just as much.

You've been paying more attention to his actions and words towards you and you could tell that he had feelings for you too. From the way you caught him looking at you when he thought you wouldn't notice. Or the fact that he would spend money on dumplings for you every time you sighed when you saw them, knowing you were saving yours up for other things. Those things were expensive as hell nowadays, but he still chose to treat you to them on occasion.

Your feelings for him grew stronger day by day and you had to tell him how you felt before you combusted spontaneously.

"Cho?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to tell you something."

He hummed as a sign for you to continue, busy scanning the area. Your heartbeat quickened, drowning out the rest of the world around you, the only thing on your mind being those five words. You thought of many different ways to tell him and all kinds of words passed through your mind, some cringier than others. The normal "I like you" should be enough considering none of you were big on declaring things. You did try to confess a fee times before but it always got blocked by something.

Deciding against beating around the bush while you still had time on your hands, you took a deep breath and just went for it.

"I think I like-"

"They're on the move," Cho cut you off.

You sighed in defeat. There went my chance.

Cho got up and you followed, throwing away the empty bag of dumplings with your almost confession in it. Turns out it had to wait until you were done with the mission.

The man you were after arrived in front of the building with a few of his men and went inside. You looked for a way in and noticed a window on the side of the first floor but it was too high. Cho put his hands together motioning you over. He used them to propel you upwards and after a few failed tries you successfully reached it. You found it slightly creaked open and climbed in through it, with him following suit.

You helped him in and landed down inside, taking a look around. The place was full of crates stacked on each other nearly reaching the roof. One of them was opened near you and you cautiously walked over to take a look. It was filled with guns. But not just any guns. They weren't branded and most of them looked like imports from abroad, which meant that they came off the black market. Only one group had access to this much ammunition: the mafia.

This wasn't your first rodeo with a mafia but you knew you had to be extra careful. Snooping around some more you found a big crate made from dark wood. It looked out of place compared to the others. You motioned Cho to it and you tried prying it open as silently as you could, to not attract any unwanted attention. Digging inside among strips of paper your hand landed on what felt like the handle of a briefcase. You pulled it out and looked at Cho. Opening it you found jsut the katana you were looking for, dark sheath decorated in golden chrysanthemums, a symbol of royal value bestowed upon the most trusted samurai. Unsheathing it, you ran your hand along the worn out hilt in awe at the fact that you were holding a relic of ancient Japanese history. Illegally but then again what you were doing wasn't legal either.

One of the guards walked in and spotted you, not thinking twice before opening fire on you. You took cover behind the crate and threw the briefcase over to Cho, getting your guns out to fire back. More men came to see what caused the ruckus and started shooting as well once they saw you taking some of them down.

You shot your pistols until the trigger clicked empty. Slumping back against the crates you needed to think of a way out that didn't involve getting bullet holes punched through you and you had to do it quickly.

You turned to your right and noticed Cho was no longer next to you. You looked around and saw him by the window you came in through, one leg away from freedom with the briefcase in his hand. The window was hidden from sight which made it the perfect escape.

He waved his hand and you thought he was waving you over. You waved your hand at him too telling him there was no way you could reach him while they were still firing at you. He smirked down at you and you tilted your head at him in confusion.

What the hell was he doing?

That's when it clicked. The way he was holding the briefcase. The shushed talks with the client behind your back. That stupid smirk.

You've got to be shitting me.

He used you. While you shot away at the men he used that as cover to get away. He used you to get this far because you knew how to plan things so the game would play out in your favour. There was no telling if he didn't use your feelings as leverage as well. And all this time you hoped he felt the same.

He trained you. He ate with you. He slept next to you. You worked together for almost a year. He pretended to care about you only to toss you to the side. It was all a fucking lie.

Son of a bitch.

With one last look at you he jumped out, leaving you at the mercy of fate. There was not a single glint of regret in those eyes you learned to love so dearly as they disappeared behind the wall. He took you for a fool and you were so blind to see it.

Every mission you did together flashed in front of your eyes. Every moment you spent together. Everything you told each other. Only for him to throw it all away for a chunk of money.

You didn't know what hurt more. Your heart for being stupid enough to try to love. Or your soul, for believing in the good in people.

One thing was certain. You let Barairo out that night, after years of struggling to keep her away, leaving the building covered in blood and with a broken heart. All because you loved him.

Only god knows how you made it out of there. But you completed the bonus gruesome part of the mission, killing the businessman and all his guards with your bare hands. Using her.

It took you years to get her back in, away from people. You fought her to the bone, until you managed to lock her away for good. But the damage was already done. You swore not to let yourself get played like that ever again.

He abandoned you there. You told him how much it hurt when your parents disappeared and he knew how much it scarred you. And he still did it in the most fucked up way he could think of.

Your memories were of a person that sold his soul to whoever paid more for his interests and you wanted nothing to do with him. You swore to put a bullet through his head the next time you met.

But you couldn't help the hurt that came with your reunion tonight. Seeing him again only reignited that pain in you. The same smirk he parted away from you with plastered on his lips in the exact same way tonight.

Why can't I just forget he exists? Why is he still in my head like he never left?

It hurt like hell and no matter how much you tried to erase him your heart wouldn't let you. She would keep reminding you of him everywhere you went.

It was also why you were afraid of what you felt for Enishi. He was different than Cho. Gentler, kinder and understanding. But it scared you that your feelings were in so deep now to be able to get back from it. And you had no security that history wouldn't repeat itself once you let yourself fall for him.

It was times like these you wished your mom was here, able to give you some advice. To guide you towards what was right and kill some of the pain away. You hoped desperately to find her at the ball tonight. Either the man gave you a false lead or they were alerted you were coming and she was moved elsewhere. You didn't know. And that only made everything else worse.

How much longer do I need to search to find her? To find dad? Are any of them even alive anymore? Is there even a point to keep looking for them?

Your thoughts were eating you up again and you needed a distraction before it got too much. Grabbing your pistols from the nightstand and a few cartridges you walked the hallways in a haste to reach the outside garden. The cold stung on your exposed arms but you paid it no mind as you strung up a few targets and started shooting at them.

Normally, shooting for practice relaxed you and gave you the clarity you needed to think things through. But shooting to relax turned into shooting your anger and hurt away pretty quickly. At one point you stopped shooting at the targets and just shot through the blur of your tears, aim faltering away from the targets. You aimed at the trees, the ground, the air. Anything just to feel your pistols empty hoping that your feelings were etched into every bullet so you could stop feeling them.

Enishi was in his office when he heard the shots. He tensed at first ready to get into butchering mode until he recognised the familiar click of your pistols. He rushed to your room thinking something happened only to find you gone, sheets on a disarray on the floor. He followed the sound only to find you in the garden, angrily shooting at something in the dark. He walked closer and sighed when he saw the tears streaming down your face. You seemed devoid of the world around you as you shot away and that scared him a little.

One of your pistols was left without bullets and you angrily threw it away, pulling the other one out from its hold. He had to stop you before you hurt yourself or someone else. Getting a little closer he called your name multiple times. But all you could focus on was the click of your gun and the sound of the bullets ricocheting off the trees.

“Miyu, you need to stop," he said, cautiously taking another step towards you.

“No," you shook your head.

He couldn't take this from you. It was the last thing you had that you knew how to do. The last thing keeping you sane right now. If he took it away you would lose the last glimmer of self control you had.

“Give me the gun," he tried again, voice a little softer this time.

“Leave. me. alone," you growled.

You wanted him to leave you be. To just go back inside and forget he ever saw you like this. Because you knew if he pressed on you would let go of all rational thought and say something you didn't mean. Something that you would regret. But he stood his ground, taking a few more cautious steps towards you.

“I’m not leaving you.”

That was enough to trigger your pent up anger. Everyone in your life left. Your parents, the people you loved, even Cho. What if Enishi would wake up one day and choose to leave too? You convinced yourself he didn't mean it. That he was just saying it now without any security that he would feel the same tomorrow.

“Enishi, please just go!" you yelled as you turned around to him, the last of your munition emptying away in the murky ground. You took a shaky breath as you kept pressing the trigger, turning the gun around and hitting it with your palm trying to make it work, but the empty click of the gun was still the only sound that greeted you.

“Fuck."

You didn’t realize you were sobbing until your sight got too blurry with tears and you started wiping furiously at your face. Enishi went forward and closed the distance to you, warily wrapping his hand around yours that was holding the gun. Loosening the grip of your fingers, he gently took the gun out of your hands and dropped it next to the other one on the ground.

Your eyes met his and you couldn’t hold the pain in anymore. A wail of a sob crawled its way out of your throat, letting out the last fractures of your anger. You crumpled down on the ground, nails digging into the grass around you to hold yourself together a little more. Enishi knelt down to you and wrapped his arms around you. You tried fighting him off, pushing him away as much as you could but his hold was too strong. You punched his chest, desperately trying to get away from him, but he just wouldn't budge. You didn't want to hurt him too, because if you did, you would never forgive yourself.

Your punches got slower the more you sobbed until you settled for gripping his shirt tightly in your hand. He only tightened his arms even more around you, pressing you against his chest.

He hated seeing you like this. It was breaking him inside to know the pain you were feeling all too well because it was the same kind of pain he dealt with alone for years. But none of you were alone anymore. You had each other now and he needed you to know that.

“It’s okay," he whispered.

“Enishi,” you sobbed his name. That was the only thing that kept you from spiralling down in that corner of your mind. The one where she waited with her teeth bared for you to let the door wide open. He was your anchor right now and the only one standing between the two of you becoming one again. The minute he let go of you, you would land the key in the lock of her cell and let her out, letting her consume you. You knew if that happened right now there would be no way back from it this time.

“Please don’t leave me."

“I’m not leaving you.” He grabbed the sides of your face and made you look at him. “I am not leaving you, Miyu.”

He would say it as many times as it took for you to understand that he wasn't going to move an inch away from you unless you told him to. He wasn't going to let you lose yourself, not when he could help it.

You just sobbed harder upon hearing his words and he scooped you up from the cold ground, taking you back inside to the warmth of your room. He helped you get in bed before he himself got in next to you. You moved back into his arms and he cradled you close.

You sat like that for a while, letting it all out while he held you to him, whispering an occasional 'I'm here' or 'You're okay' to let you know he wasn't going anywhere.

"Miyu, I know now's not the time, but you need to talk to me. I want to help you but I don't know how until you tell me what's wrong."

He knew you weren't okay and suspected that it would come to this sooner or later. The sooner you told him what was wrong the closer he would get to knowing how to help you. He would wait for you as long as you needed but it had to be soon. Before you would slip away in the one place he didn't wish upon anyone.

His hands moved to rub your back and you took in a shaky breath preparing for the unavoidable. You lifted your head up from his chest and wiped some of your tears away. You kept him in the dark enough.

You told him everything. From what happened to your parents, detail by detail, to how you dreamt of it almost every night in vivid pictures as if it was happening again. From your life before you met Cho and your life after he left you, leaving out a few things that could ultimately get him kicked out of the guest room in his sleep, including the whole thing about the feelings involved.

You finally laid all the pieces of your broken soul on the table and watched nervously as he looked at each one with a mix of emotions you knew all too well. His jaw twitched with anger learning about the things you had to go through. His eyes reflected the same sadness you felt for years on end. His hands held yours the whole time and he felt the hurt washing over you like it was his own. But not once did his eyes show pity and that told you that you laid your heart out in good hands.

He seemed deep in thought after everything you told him and well, who wouldn't be. You expected him to be appalled at most of the things you told him and push you away. But he didn't. He welcomed the entirety of your past with open arms and it made the walls you've built up so high quiver.

There was still one thing you needed reassurance about and you gathered up all your courage to ask it.

"Can you promise me something?"

"Of course." He brushed a few stray hairs from your face to get a better look at you, frowning at your red and puffy eyes. "What is it?"

You swapped the hold of his hands so your smaller ones covered his, holding them tightly in your lap. They weren't as cold as they used to be when you met him, a whole lot warmer now than yours were. You looked down at them with an unfamiliar yearning. It felt like you held the whole world in your hands and it terrified you. You found solace in this world and you wanted to protect it like it protected you. No matter what it would take to keep it safe. To keep him safe.

"Whatever happens, be it in a mission or whatever situation, promise me we will stay together. We go in together and we get out of it together."

"I promise," he said without hesitating. He lifted a hand to your cheek cupping it softly. "I told you I would keep you safe as long as you're with me. I tend to keep my word, you know."

You leaned into his touch, closing your eyes as you felt another wave of tears coming. But this time, they weren't tears of pain or sorrow. They were tears of appreciation. He was so attentive and understanding while listening to everything you had to say that it overwhelmed you, in a good way.

"I know," you said sniffling away another sob. You played with his fingers counting the calluses on them to distract yourself. The fear that he would turn against you some day was still there and there was nothing you could do to quiet it down. But his words lowered it a bit.

"I really need to stop being a crybaby. You're probably tired of it."

"I could never get tired of you. Come here," he said opening his arms for you with the most genuine smile on his face.

You fell into them and pressed your head to his chest while he carded a hand through your hair to calm you down. His other hand rested on your back, lightly drawing patterns on it. He rocked you back and forth for a little while, until he felt you relax against him. Peeking an eye down at you, he saw you fast asleep. Your hand was fisting his shirt so tight as if the world will fall to pieces if you let go. It reminded him of that night after he took you to watch the sunset on the hill overlooking the village. He found you plopped on your bed, so tired that you didn't even change out of your clothes. You had the same adorable pout on your face now and it made him melt.

He held you for a while to make sure you were deep in sleep before deciding to let you rest. You looked like you really needed it after the day you had. Getting up as quiet as he could, he laid you down in bed, placing your head on your pillow gently. He covered you with the duvet and tried to move away, but your hand kept him in place, fist tightening around the fabric of his shirt to pull him closer. He placed his hand on your fist, untangling it from his shirt to lace his fingers with yours instead. You turned to his side and cuddled around his hand pulling it closer to you. He knelt down beside your bed and just looked at you as he brushed your hair away from your face.

I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're not alone anymore, my light.

It must have been the early hours of the morning when Enishi left. You've been sound asleep for a few hours and he decided to go work on some things since he wasn't going to catch any sleep for himself.

Reaching his office he was met with the door creaked open. He narrowed his eyes on it thinking back to when he left for your room. He definitely shut it closed.

Someone who wasn't supposed to be inside was messing around judging by the clutter of swords to the ground. He pushed the door open only to see his unwanted guest playing around at the sword wall. His presence went unknown to the man who had his back at him as he just stood there watching him for a while until he got annoyed.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped snooping around."

The blonde man turned around surprised that he had company, dropping the sword he was holding on the ground. It clanged loudly on the floor and Enishi moved to the door to close it, releasing an exasperated sigh.

If he wakes her up I am turning him into paper tinsel.

"So the master of the house does speak."

"What are you doing here, Sword Hunter?"

"You know who I am?"

I just said your nickname, dumbass. He really does lack intelligence doesn't he?

You didn't tell him too much about Cho. But the more he looked at him he started remembering who he was. He's heard about him before but never got a chance to see him until now. Once you told him more he pieced the puzzle together rather quickly.

Cho ignored him and continued messing around until he picked up a sword he seemed rsther interested in. He unsheathed it, testing its balance in his hand.

"A wo-dao Chinese sword. I've never seen one before."

He swung it around and held it closer to his line of sight tracing his eyes along the silver blade.

"This is a great sword."

"It could hurt you. The balance is different than Japanese swords."

Enishi's patience was running thin. The last thing he wanted to confront at the ass crack of dawn was a sword freak. He debated knocking him out and dragging him back to bed but you probably wouldn't be too happy if you knew that happened.

"You seem sure of yourself."

And you're acting like a fucking idiot.

Cho racked through the stash and threw a different sword at Enishi, suggesting testing the blades in a duel. Enishi just stared him down taking in all the bandages that littered his body. He wouldn't mind adding some more on there. But you worked too hard patching him up to do that.

"I'm not gonna fight you," he retaliated, placing the sword on his desk.

I don't want her to wake up to that. She has enough on her plate already.

"Are you you scared you'll lose?" huffed Cho.

"I could kill you right now if I wanted to." He unsheathed the sword and chuckled darkly. The look in his eyes turned murderous and it was enough to make Cho's jaw tick. He was looking for a fight and Enishi struggled keeping himself away from giving him one. With a deep sigh he put it back in its hold and went to place it back to its place neatly.

"I'm only letting you stay because she wants you here for some fucked up reason. One wrong move and you're out of here in seconds."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong."

He put the sword he was holding on the table and looked Enishi dead in the eye.

"I'll stay as long as she wants me here," he said placing a hand on Enishi's shoulder tauntingly. "Not even you can convince her to let me go."

Morning couldn't come fast enough. You heard Enishi leave sometime in the early hours of the morning but you were too tired to register it and quickly fell back asleep. Before he left, you felt a feather like touch of what could only be his lips connecting to your temple and smiled in your sleep, hoping he noticed it.

Trudging to the bathroom you looked in the mirror and nearly screeched. Your eyes were the size of rice balls, the ginormous kind that Wu would stuff in his mouth for dinner, but with a slight touch of pink and bloodshot.

You didn't want to deal with the aftermath of yesterday at all. But you promised Enishi you would talk more things out, especially about the blondie residing in his guest room without a good explanation on why he was here other than the fact that he was hurt.

You hung your head low in shame gripping the edges of the sink. You brought a total stranger in the house that wasn't yours, got him comfortable and did not even have the courtesy of telling Enishi who the fuck he was or why he should even stay after everything.

I might be going off the rails sooner than I predicted.

Enishi had every right to be mad at you for every shitty choice you made in the last 24 hours. From going over his word multiple times and not staying in the house like he told you. For talking rudely to him at the ball for no particular reason other than what was probably jealousy. For bringing a total stranger into his house. To keeping him awake for most of the night with your own problems.

But he wasn't. On the contrary, he comforted you even after you put him through all of that. He took care of you again even after all you did was push him away. And fuck if you knew why he still did it.

I'm surprised he hasn't kicked me out yet.

But one thing did bug you. He did all that and you still weren't clear of what his intentions were or whether he felt the same for you because he hasn't said anything to seal the deal yet.

Did he even want to seal the deal? Or was it all a play again?

You did not want a rerun of what happened with Cho. You weren't sure of what exactly you felt for the blonde man but you knew it wasn't anything good. Besides, if you went through that again, especially with Enishi, it would crush you for good. You wondered when he would come clean and open up to you, hoping it would be sooner than later.

Until then, you had a breakfast to attend that had the potential to turn really messy. Both males were highly unpredictable and liked to act on impulse. If you managed to get through it without anyone getting their head ripped off their body it would be a miracle.

Lord give me strength to face the males you put on this earth.

Breakfast was going well so far, you would say. All three of you ate quietly, sparring looks at each other sheepishly. You all waited for someone to speak first and cut the tension wafting in the air.

You surely didn't want to be first as you didn't even know where to start. Start explaining some more things to Enishi and apologize for everything? Put a plate in Cho's hand and kick him out yourself? Complimenting the chef on the food? Wait this is leftovers I prepared yesterday.

You looked at Cho who was picking at the food in his plate like an ungrateful child. What could he even say? Introduce himself in a really Cho manner, jazz fingers and all, spew some lies about who he actually is and making himself more unwanted than he was at the moment? Highly likely. He didn't owe Enishi anything other than to return the clothes he borrowed.

Looking to Enishi, you didn't know what to expect. He would most likely start awkward conversation with "So what do you do?" and then expect you to elaborate whilst trying to keep Cho's mouth shut in case he decided to talk about things Enishi was better off not knowing. Or unsheathe one of his swords and turn this into a fight, considering the daggers he was throwing at him.

The possibilities were endless.

To your disappointment, Enishi did speak first and you braced for the joy that was about to become the breakfast table.

“So, how do you two know each other?”

Okay, an easy question that didn't need a complicated answer.

“We used to work together,” you said peeling a boiled egg for yourself trying to keep your composure.

Cho tapped your leg under the table asking you to peel one for him using the injured person card. He was holding the fork just fine so you just threw an eggshell at him.

“We did more than work,” said Cho, earning himself a kick under the table from you.

You narrowed your eyes at him silently telling him to watch it. He only smirked in return, enjoying that he could annoy you this much.

“It was just work,” you gritted, turning to look at Enishi. “We took out a few people in uh... team missions.”

“Oh, and how much fun we had doing it together,” chirped Cho, leaning his head on his palm.

And I thought I was off the rails. I forgot that he literally exists.

“You should’ve seen her back then. She was so ruthless and unforgiving."

Why was he suddenly acting like the president of the Miyu Hikari fanclub?

If the you from back then was sitting here now she would probably blush and feel giddy at the remark.

But your face fell at the mention of the person you used to be back then. She haunts you at night and you wished you could just forget everything about her.

Enishi saw the way you uncomfortably shifted in your seat and picked at the shell of your egg with a frown. Squinting dangerously at the blonde who seemed to be enjoying himself a little too much, he interfered.

“Actually, she appears to be doing pretty well now, I would say.” Your eyes snapped up to him, a small smile of acknowledgment on his lips directed at you. “She’s so much stronger now.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. Now that he knew about your past and how much it took to get to where you are now, he seemed to have a different level of admiration for you. He was still so trusting in your abilities and it was beyond your understanding how he could just sit there believing you could lift planet Earth if you wanted to. And he would totally support you.

But of course, Cho had to ruin the moment.

“If that’s true, then she should be able to actually take me down in a fight now without using tricks,” he cocked an eyebrow at you.

It was a little bet you always had going when you trained with him. Whoever pinned the other to the ground first would get bragging benefits for the day. Loser would also have to chip in with whatever the winner wanted. You smiled a little remembering all the times you won over him and he had to buy you a ginormous amount of sweets. You did use a few tricks to get him off guard like winking at him or blowing him a kiss and he fell for it every single time. He liked the attention and that was one of his biggest weaknesses.

The good times blurred the bad ones for a little moment of bittersweet melancholy. Maybe it wasn't all that bad that he was back.

“I’m not fighting you when you’re wrapped in bandages like a mummy,” you said, munching on a piece of bread.

“Then when I’m better!”

“You’re not staying here,” cut in Enishi.

Did he mean here as in the mansion or here as in near you? From the way he gripped his mug it could be both.

“But he’s injured,” you turned to him as did Cho, with a more dramatic expression akin to distorted puppy eyes. "Stop making that face. It's creeping me out."

Enishi got up and took your wrist pulling you to the side to discuss privately about your guest. He had a bad feeling about him ever since he caught him snooping around his office last night. His mere existence pissed him off and it was slowly becoming a problem.

“I don’t want him here more than he should be staying here.”

“And he won’t be here longer than it takes to heal his wounds,” you prodded. “Let him stay for at least a week.”

A week would give you time to sort some stuff out with both of them and send Cho away with a clean conscience that he was healed and hopefully in one piece.

“A week?! Two days max."

“Five days!”

“Three days.”

“Four,” you begged, hands held together in a prayer. “You won’t even know he’s here.”

His tongue poked his cheek as he thought your proposal over. He didn't have anything to lose but the guy made him really suspicious. The way he looked and talked to you infuriated him beyond normal. He didn't understand why you were so keen on him staying here. But he would yield in, for now.

“Okay,” he sighed defeatedly. "But one wrong move or word and he's gone."

“Thank you, Enishi!"

You got a bit too excited and without a second thought you leaned up and kissed his cheek. Your brain short-circuited when you processed your lips touching his soft cheek. Both of you got surprised by your gesture, eyes widened in shock as you pulled away. The slightest tint of a blush was painted on your cheeks.

“I’ll uh… go do the dishes.”

What the hell was I thinking?!

You started backing away shyly before your heart could implode. Rushing your steps you nearly knocked down a chair as you hastily ran inside.

“Do you need help-“

“IM GOOD!”

He touched his cheek feeling the spot where your lips were pressed in a peck just a few moments ago and shook his head at you with a smile. You were truly something else. But the minute his eyes laid on the unwanted guest munching away at the food on the table like a gorilla, his smile fell.

I’m doing this for her. I need to show her that I can interact with other people without wanting to skewer them alive.

He went to sit back down at the table. He wanted to at least finish his tea before looking for excuses to leave.

“It’s so nice to have company after being solo for so long.”

“Mhm. I bet.”

“You’re not much of talker are you?”

“Nope.” I am but not with people like you.

“I’m sure you’ll warm up to me soon.”

“Surely," he smiled. I’d rather go sit with Wu for a week than spend one more minute with you.

“Enishi!” You called out to him from the kitchen. Ah, thank god.

“Coming!” he sat up from the table quick as lightning and dashed inside to you. “What do you need?”

“Can you fold my sleeves so I won’t get them wet?” You didn’t even finish and he was already doing your sleeves all the way up above your elbows. “Thank you!”

“No problem."

He looked at the pile of dishes you started washing, hoping you would ask him to help. Anything to stay in here with you than go outside to that creature.

"Is there anything else I can help with?”

“You could ask Cho if he wants anything else.”

His hopes were shattered the second his name cane oit of your mouth. He looked at you as if you asked him to bring you a bear or something. His eyes were pleading to stay with you in the kitchen but all you saw was a look that was weirding you out.

“Or you could wipe these dry," you suggested pointing to the dishes that needed to be taken off the drying rack so you could put the others instead.

Okay, that I can do.

“Gladly," he smiled.

You shook your head, giggling at his antics. You could tell he wasn't that fond of blondie. Cho's presence bugged you at first too but he grew on you over time. He was still the same idiot putting himself in danger recklessly but most times you were there to get him out of it.

Whatever you saw in him back then was pure and underneath all that mischief there was a boy who just didn't know what to do with his life. You understood him more than he understood you and you couldn't help but empathise with him.

"He's not that bad, you know," you said washing one of the bigger plates. You handed it to Enishi and watched him wipe it dry on all corners. Clean freak, you thought smiling.

"I'll believe it when I see it. All he's done so far is eat and sleep for free," he picked up another dish, "and make you uncomfortable after you literally saved and took care of him."

He had a point. But then again that was what you were doing too. Enishi took you in and cared for you like you were one of his own and all you did lately was abuse that. And it made you feel bad no matter how much he told you everything was okay and that he wasn't mad about it in the slightest.

"He's the only person I had for a while. As much as we didn't part on good terms I owe him a little."

Enishi wasn't stupid. He could tell there was something more between the two of you, besides slaying people for money together. He just wasn't sure if that something died three years ago, but he knew that feelings don't go away so easily. No matter how hard you try to make them disappear.

Living with not one but two copies of the male species was interesting to say the least. It's been only one day of cohabitating together and there was already a growing tension between the two.

Enishi didn't really acknowledge Cho's existence unless you mentioned him in conversation. Cho tried to annoy him on occasions where he let his guard down around you but most of the times it didn't work in his favour and he ended up being ignored.

However, the macho vibes were very strong as you were training today. Cho looked up to joining in with you and you let him despite Enishi's silent protests. You wished you listened to them.

Stretching your bodies before practice turned into a muscle flexing competition. Cho rolled his sleeves above his elbows and unbuttoned his shirt down to his navel, while Enishi took off his kimono to be left only in his tank top.

You gulped at the sight, eyes darting from one man to the other. Cho's veiny hands caught your attention first. Then your eyes moved from his collar bone all the way down to the outline of his abs that were peeking from under his shirt. You've seen them in passing when you patched him up. But seeing them in broad daylight was a totally different story. They looked so defined and sculpted. You unconsciously licked your lips at the sight, wondering how it would feel to take your time counting the squares one by one.

Your eyes then settled on Enishi and your breath hitched. His muscly biceps were already glistening with sweat from just stretching, but it was enough to make you want to chomp down on them. You've seen them so many times before but they made your mouth water every time. One flex of it and you would be on the floor seeking medical assistance.

You didn't even realise they were looking at you until you heard Cho's high pitched laughing. Enishi seemed quite amused by your reaction too, chuckling to himself. They caught you full on staring at their goodies with no shame. You wanted the ground to swallow you whole from the embarrassment.

Cho walked to you and you planted your feet to the floor trying to get back to your serious face. He stopped just a patch of grass away from you but it was enough to make you breathless. His abs were right in front of you, an elbow away.

"Better wipe the drool on your lips, princess," he said as he wiped it from your lips with his thumb.

This fucker. Wait until I wipe my fist on your lips.

"Fuck off," you pushed him away and got back to stretching with your back to them.

All was well until sword practice turned into a contest of the fittest. You were getting back to grips with your jian sword trying to remember the basic moves Enishi taught you. But the two men in front of you were deep in focus with their own longer katanas, practicing deep slashes coupled with some aerial moves. Looking at them sitting side by side, you noticed their styles were awfully similar, the only difference being that Enishi was faster and made use of his surroundings, while Cho was slower and used more tricks to slow down his opponent. Both of them appeared to be in their own element and it was a sight to behold.

Sparring wise you were kind of tossed to the side. They were too busy staring daggers at one another to notice you were there to learn stuff too. One rude insult from Cho and a twitch of Enishi's jaw later they took it upon themselves to duel.

Stepping backwards to give them more space you watched as they lunged at each other. Their eyes turned dark as their blades clashed, all semblance of humanity gone from both of them. Enishi was back in his unyielding form, forcing his attacks like a wild beast pouncing on his prey. Cho was actively trying to piss him off with tricks, sneering viciously the more he dodged Enishi's blade and pushed his buttons.

After some push and pull, combined with some cussing, the two broke apart with heaving breaths. They swirled their swords around to stretch their wrists as they continued circling each other.

"Quit playing around and fight for real," gritted Enishi.

"I am fighting for real," grunted Cho. "I think it's you who's holding back."

"I'm only holding back so I don't accidentally kill you."

"Why don't you do it then?"

He chuckled. For a brief moment his eyes locked with yours and he got some of his rationale back. He wasn't a fool. He could see right through his intentions.

"You want me to lose it and make myself look bad in front of her, don't you?"

Cho stopped moving around and played around with his blade. He got caught in the act and the look on his face gave it away too easily.

Enishi swung at him and he jumped over the slash that could've cut him in half. He spun trying to get Enishi off balance and tried cutting him back but Enishi was too fast and he could only dodge left and right.

Cho started getting sloppy. He swayed on his feet due to the gash in his leg that didn't heal properly yet. He knew he wasn't supposed to be out here but his pride got the best of him. He wanted to see what Enishi was made of and it was quite clear that he was a strong opponent.

Enishi noticed he was getting slower and used that to his advantage, combining moves that only pushed him to the edge. He wanted him to give it up and accept defeat.

Cho was forced to defend himself when Enishi's sword came down from above, blades meeting again with much more force than before. Both of them pushed with as much strength as they could to throw the other one off.

"If you're that sure of yourself, why don't we take a bet?" proposed Cho in a ploy to get Enishi to retreat.

"Oh yeah? What's in it for me?"

Cho turned his head to you and Enishi followed his gaze as they both lowered their blades. You were sitting on the ground staring up at the sky. You looked so at peace for once in a while that it calmed him down too, adrenaline from the moment drawing back into him. Cho was just as entranced by you.

"Let's see which one of us she actually wants. We both have a week to figure her out. If it's you she wants I'll be out of both of your lives in a heartbeat."

The offer was tempting. Enishi believed he had the upper hand here. He saw the way you looked at him and he wasn't entirely blind to your feelings, even if he himself was confused with his. You also had a connection between you that was hard to tear down, as much as blondie tried to interfere. If all these things played out in his favour, he could fly out the door sooner than the agreed timeline. It was a win-win situation.

But there was the possibility of him being wrong. There was a chance you still felt something for Cho and those feelings could just be waiting for him to do something to try and get you back. What if they would grow back stronger the more time you spent around him?

As much as he wanted to believe things could play out in his favour, the situation said otherwise.

Although, he was sure of one thing. That he was willing to bet everything to keep you with him. No matter what.

"But if she wants me-," Cho continued only to get cut off harshly.

"I won't let that happen," thundered Enishi.

He was more sure of himself than he's ever been before, especially because this involved you. He would stop at nothing to win you over.

"Bring it on."

Thank you for reading! As always, comments, likes and reblogs are welcome :)

#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #i truly hope you don't hate me after reading it

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pauking5 · 11 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 4

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, a lot of fluff, angst

Word count: 8.9k+

A/N: This chapter is full of angst I would say. Enishi's true nature comes out a lot and he vents his frustrations on Miyu. Please don't hate me :') This is only the calm before the storm. Enjoy lovelies.

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Enishi's brain was playing a rerun of today's events as he walked the hallway to his office. The smile that stamped his lips seemed to not want to leave at all after the moment in your room. The way you cuddled up to him made that cold heart of his thaw over. You looked like the smallest creature on earth seeking comfort in the presence of your biggest predator. That’s when it hit him that you weren't afraid of him. And it confused him.

People were always throwing him disapproving looks, calling him heartless and all kinds of insults in just one breath. But they could barely muster the courage to look his way without a chill running down their spine. They were afraid of him and he used that to his advantage every time he needed to. But you were different. He was taken aback by your compassion and warmth. It was something he hasn’t felt since his sister. Tomoe.

He stopped in his tracks in the dark hallway as the thought of her crossed his mind, your favourite painting sitting stark before him. He recalled the day he made it, a heavy weight tightening around his heart at the memory. He painted it after one of his hardest days, when his mind couldn't give him the respite he needed.

He was sitting in his office, plans scattered across the desk, stressed out of his mind. He felt suffocated in this big and empty house, so he furiously left the mansion in search of a way to breathe. Taking to the wooden trail up the hills, he climbed until his feet felt sore and his lungs were gasping for air. The earlier rainfall tore apart at the forest, the same way his mind was destroying everything in its wake.

Reaching the opening in the trees overlooking the village he settled on the ground, dirt sticking to his clothes. He tried to fight his thoughts away, gripping his chest in a plea to push some air inside. He kicked and punched his emotions until he couldn't fight them anymore, letting himself be consumed. Everything suddenly became too much. Feeling, seeing, tasting turned into the hardest tasks.

It felt like death was upon him, knocking on his door with a sick grin. But he couldn't go just yet. He couldn't go in peace until he avenged her. He didn't believe in god but he raised all the prayers he could for anyone to hear him and help. Help him find the way back to the light that left his world.

Just when he thought all resolve was gone to shit, he got a response. Warm rays of sun hit his cold skin, willing him to regain some of his energy. Opening his eyes he sat up from his curled position on the ground and looked ahead. A sunset rose on the horizon, drenching the hills into a vivid green, the valley below dressed in a warm orange. The cold hills appeared to warm up as the sun turned golden in the sky.

As far away as the sun felt, it managed to comfort him. It let him know he was not alone, drying the salty tears falling down his face. That's when he found solace in this place. A place where he could let himself be even just for a while without prying eyes or battle plans clouding his mind. Just breathing, existing and feeling.

He didn't even know how long he was sitting there until the slow fall of night darkened the crests of the hills in a dark shade of blue. The valley was still basking in the warmth of the sun's last rays for the day. The hills looked willing to let the cold and darkness surround them just to see the valley this bright and warm. They would sit and face the chaos of the world just to see the valley full of light. It was like a secret promise of protection until time would end.

He wanted to protect someone like that too, even after failing to do that for his sister. He had all this power with nothing real to use it for and he wanted to give it a shot. He would face the world with all his might if it meant he could feel warmth like this again.

When he got back to the mansion, he scrambled for an empty canvas and pulled up the colours stacked in the desk drawers. He painted the scenery the best he could, pouring out everything he felt onto the canvas before him. He took extra care in capturing the light the right way, desperately flicking the brush to make it as warm as possible. A smile sat on his lips as he hung it in the hallway, making a wish for light to come his way.

You surprised him. It was almost every evening since you came here that he caught you in front of the painting, studying it like a student trying to understand its teacher. He felt exposed every time you traced the lines with your eyes, hoping you wouldn't be able to notice the intense emotions dangling off the canvas. He thought you would scrutinise him like everyone else, calling him a fool for trying to put his heart into something. But you didn't. You liked looking at the painting almost as much as he did making it and that connected you.

That was why he decided to take you up on the trail, trying to open up to you in the only way he could. You were like an open book, letting him fly through your pages anytime he wanted to know more, so naturally he felt compelled to give back a piece of him. Even if it felt small compared to everything you gave him in the short time you've been together.

Sitting there with you looking at the same sunset that brought hope back in his being when the sky came down on him at full force, he felt comforted by entirely something else. Your presence. It felt stronger than the sun's warmth. He couldn't settle the weird nerves crawling up his spine as he looked at you, shining in the sun like some divine being. His mind was going a hundred miles an hour, swarming with all kinds of thoughts. Until one hit him like a train at full speed.

Was the one he was supposed to protect now... you?

This question was enough to mess with his head as he made his way to his office. Sitting down in the chair he let his eyes wander over the maps and plans laying on the desk in a chaotic mess. He wasted precious time getting caught up in feelings that probably weren't even real.

What if you were going to mess up his plans even more than you already have? He did take you in on a weak moment, he had to admit that. It was merely a favor he returned because he was a man of his word. But you were at most a distraction, a fleeting moment meant to catch him off guard, as his mind convinced him.

He wasn't stupid to kick away all his hard work for some strange feeling he had that might have been fabricated by the little conscience he had left. He wanted warmth. He needed it. But what if the warmth you gave him was not genuine? Was it just empty sympathy?

His fist collided with the desk to snap him out of spiraling. What he truly needed was to get his head back in the game and continue with the plan. He was far from ready to take on the man that took away his world.

He was going to train you harder to minimise the time lost on sweet gazes and chaste touches. If you were going to get to the level of everyone else you needed to show him you wanted it. Even if that meant pushing you away and making you hate him.

—————————————————————————

Warm rays of sun tickled your face urging you to wake up. The comfort of the blanket draped over you covered the sweaty smell coming off your clothes. Rolling around in the cozy space of the bed you sighed and stretched your arms above your head. A yawn brought yesterday’s events rushing in leaving you a little confused.

Enishi showed you a side of himself you didn't think could exist under that cold attitude he carried around. He took you on that hike for good reason and you were grateful for it. He seemed so at peace up there on the hill, like the world stopped spinning for a while, letting him feel it through every bone in his body. His cold facade was melting away with the sunset and he looked beautiful. The kind of beautiful you thought was reserved for angels in heaven.

Your mind took you back to the descent down the hill when he held your hand to help you down some of the steep rocks. He was so gentle with you and it made your insides become mush. He could be so soft despite the harsh way he was training you...

"Training! Oh god, I'm so late," you screeched as you jumped out of bed. You washed up at lightning speed and put on fresh training clothes on autopilot.

"I'm in deep shit. He's going to kill me."

You ran around the hallways the fastest your feet could take you. Passing by the kitchen you quickly downed a glass of water and a banana to give you some energy for at least a few hours. Dashing outside the doors to the terrace, you saw him leaning against a tree. His arms were secured over his broad chest, jaw slightly twitching as he caught sight of you slowly approaching.

He pushed off the tree not sparring one look at you, shoulders rolled back in a defensive manner. Was something wrong?

Coming closer he leaned down and threw something at you. Catching the foreign item you noticed it was a bo staff. A long red oak stick sitting heavy on your hands as you balanced it around to get a feel for it. You knew its agility was an advantage in a fight, easily becoming an extension of its owner's energy if used correctly.

"We're sparring today," he said as he got his own staff off the ground.

"Sparring? I don't even know how to use this-" you were cut off as a hit came your way, catching you unprepared, shielding yourself just before it could smash into your side.

Okay... Did someone pee in his tea today?

Sparring was difficult considering you were defending against a martial arts connoisseur. Every time you defended a hit on your left, your right side was left uncovered, earning you a smack from his staff. You had no idea what you were doing but kept going, thrusting your staff around with no actual direction of where you wanted your swings to go. You got excited whenever you managed to send a strong hit down on him only to get caught off guard when he would catch it, shoving you back double the force.

"You can't defend yourself," he huffed pointing out the obvious.

"No shit, Sherlock."

He continued the attack, every blow coming in faster and stronger than the last. He even started combining aerial moves with the swings of the staff for extra force. If you couldn't defend the hits before you definitely couldn't keep up now.

He almost got your head off your shoulders in a horizontal swipe of his staff, but you managed to slide down to the ground before it could happen. You jumped back a few meters away from him to catch your breath. He was being too aggressive in his training today. Did I do something to upset him?

"Is this about me being late?" you said, trying to will some air back into your lungs. Getting no response from him you looked over to where he was standing.

There was something weird about his energy today. He had that storm catching speed behind his irises again, knuckles turning white from the iron grip he had on the bo. He looked ready to plunge that stick through you if you weren't threading carefully around him.

As dangerous and wild as he appeared you saw straight through him. He was being this rough on purpose, trying to push you to your limit in hopes your instincts would kick in.

Before you knew it he charged at you again and your weapons collided with a loud crack. The force with which he came at you pushed you backwards, making it difficult to keep the hold on your staff. Willing the wobbling muscles in your arms to keep going you tried to match his pace, fighting his raw strength the more he forced his staff down on yours. You tried so hard to find a way out of his attack that you didn't even realise your back hit the tree trunk behind you.

This wasn't training anymore. He looked like he actually wanted to kill you. The more he pressed down on his staff the more yours cracked down the middle, sending little ripples down the upper and lower parts. One last push of his bulky arms made your staff cave in and break in half, leaving you defenseless. Enishi's staff continued to press down on your neck as you tried to push it away with the little energy you had left.

"Stop!" you yelled, but he didn't seem to hear you. He was far too lost inside his mind to come back to the real world, eyes roaring as they bore into yours. You were nothing but prey to him.

"Enishi, snap out of it!"

At the sound of your broken voice he froze. His pupils decreased back to a normal size and his breathing evened, the hold on his staff going limp. Shaking his head he looked at you, lowering the weapon away from your throat. You bent over to catch your breath, leaning your trembling hands on your knees to support you. By the time you straightened back up he was already gone, his staff discarded by the broken remains of yours.

What the fuck just happened?

—————————————————————————

He acted even weirder the next few days, leaving you to train by yourself most of the time. You took the time to get a better form on your bo staff, practicing your hits on wooden dummies you found laying around. Practicing by yourself gave you a chance to enhance your skills, making your hits gain power and improving your balance.

You tried to focus but your mind was elsewhere, a certain mophead occupying it. You could tell he was stressed by something from the way his personality did a 360 spin towards asshole land out of nowhere. You hated the way he shut you out.

The door to his office was locked tight every time you passed by. You wanted to ask him what was going on, see what you could do to help, but every time your hand lifted to knock on it you froze and laid your palm flat on the door. With a heavy sigh you would trudge back to your room and sit awake, hoping he would come out sooner or later.

He finally showed up for training one morning, glasses sitting idly on the bridge of his nose trying to cover the dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hasn't slept in days. His eyes were looking at a spot next to you, darting everywhere but into yours.

A few sets of knives were set out on a table a few feet away from what looked like a bullseye target. Walking towards the table you recognised the weapon: the kunai. A sleek 30 cm blade with a round handle, easy to hide and deadly in close combat. He probably assumed mastering the kunai should be easily at the same level with your shooting abilities, which was debatable.

He stood over on the side and watched as you analysed the weapons. Weighing one of the double sets in your hand you noticed they were the same as your twin pistols, just a little on the lighter side. You didn't wait for his directions as you positioned one in your hand. Visualising where you wanted it to hit the target like a bullet, you swung your arm backwards, angled it and threw it towards the target.

Anticipation built up in you as you watched it twist for its destination. Maybe you found something else you were good at. Your optimism was quickly destroyed as the knife fell three circles away from the center of the target, jaw dropping in confusion. My aim couldn't be this bad, right?

Picking up another one from the pile on the table, you went for a different arm technique. Swinging the knife from the other side of your body with a lot more force from your torso than your previous throw, you watched as it barely got stuck in the outer layer of the bullseye.

What is this fuckery? Has my aim gotten this shitty?

You took more of the kunai and tried again, desperately trying to hit the red spot in the middle. Each time you threw a knife it barreled through the air rapidly only to avoid getting stuck anywhere in the damn target. You were seeing red, frustration gripping you the more you tried. There was no way you couldn't control any other weapon besides your guns. You had to get the hang of at least one but it felt impossible.

An idea popped into Enishi's head and he made his way to the target. He positioned himself in front of it arms wrapped securely around his torso. You tilted your head at him, confusion swimming in your brain. What was he doing?

"Throw the knives."

His tone sounded so casual as if he asked you to make him tea, not to decorate him like a Christmas tree with combat knives.

"What? You mean throw them at you?"

He nodded showing you he was hellbent on this incredibly stupid idea. You shook your head in refusal, but he wasn't going to budge from that spot until you did what he instructed.

"What if I stab you or something by accident? This is stupid."

"Just throw the knives," he said, sharp glare piercing you, making chills run down your spine.

You took one of the few available kunai left on the table and turned towards him. Taking a few deep breaths to calm your nerves you considered the few possible outcomes. If you were successful you would live to tell the tale. If you weren't cautious you could injure or worse, stab him somewhere vital by mistake. All these scenarios clouded your mind, making your hands shake slightly.

I can't do this. I can’t have blood on my hands again.

"We don't have all day."

That was enough to push your buttons, rage slowly flooding your veins. He was acting like a dick to you while you were working your hardest. He didn't show up to your training for countless days and he was the one throwing a tantrum.

Getting into a throwing stance, you lifted up the knife and pushed it forwards with as much force as you could muster. Watching as it left the safety of your palm and headed straight for Enishi, all your reason fell apart. The earlier anger was replaced by horror as you watched it closing in on him. You were praying he would get out of the way before it was too late. But he didn't move an inch.

Closing your eyes to avoid witnessing a possible crime of your own doing, you listened for the impact. When no sound came from the other side you opened your eyes to see Enishi holding the kunai with his bare hand, a hairsbreadth off his face. Releasing the breath you were holding you struggled to contain your rage. What if he didn’t catch it in time? What if his face was now a bloody mess? He could have gotten seriously injured and all I could do was sit and watch.

His face sported that sick grin of his and you couldn't hold back your tongue anymore.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" you gritted out, trying to get your shaky hands under control.

"What?"

"What?! I could have injured or worse, killed you!"

"But you didn't," he chuckled. "And frankly, I don't think you would be able to do that."

"Excuse me?"

"I thought giving you a real target would help with your limitations. But as it turns out, you can't even aim properly at anything. How did you even learn how to shoot with an aim this shitty?"

"Why are you suddenly being a dick?"

"I'm just telling you the truth. You can't keep hiding behind Barairo just because you're scared," he spat out as he walked closer to you. "It makes you look like a coward."

"I'm not listening to this shit,” you say turning away from him to make your way inside. You couldn’t be in the same space as him right now without strangling him. Before you could get far his hand latched onto yours spinning you around to face him.

“Running away already?” he taunted, adding to your irritation.

“No. I’m done listening to your bullshit,” you say shoving his arm off of you roughly, his eyes widening at your outburst.

“You think I haven’t tried? I’ve been trying my hardest ever since you agreed to train me. I’ve done everything in my power to become better at shit I’ve never done before. Because you told me I could make the worst parts of me become the best," you said, voice slightly breaking.

"The least you could do is show me some respect as your student, the same way I show it to you as my teacher instead of treating me like I'm nothing,” you spat and turned around, leaving him in the middle of the garden.

Tears threatened to spill on your cheeks and you couldn’t let him see you like that. He didn’t deserve your tears. You ran inside your room and locked the door, angrily throwing your shoes around the room. Sitting down on the floor in front of your bed you brought your knees up to your chest. Your mind started spiraling out of control again.

What if he’s right? What if I’m hiding behind who I used to be like a coward? What if I really can’t get better at anything?

You couldn’t stop the tears cascading down your cheeks in currents. You were angry with yourself and the aching in your muscles from the endless training made it all too much. Violent sobs wracked you as you let out the built up frustration from the last few days.

You hated him. He took your trust and stepped on it like it was a bug crawling on the floor. He crossed you once again, just like the night he left you to fend for yourself and you felt like a fool for thinking he wanted to help you. You were nothing but a pawn in whatever scheme he was playing, easily discarded whenever he wanted to.

You wished you were back home with your parents, laughing at the trouble you would get yourself into with the maids. To have your mom patch you up as your dad gave you an earful. To feel cared for again.

Mom, dad, I need you. Please come back to me.

—————————————————————————

Enishi was back in his office, barricading himself away from the world. On the way back from the garden he passed by your room and heard your frantic sobs. He wanted to knock on the door and comfort you, begging for you to forgive him. But his pride got the best of him.

I hurt her. She was trying her best and all I did was push her away. I'm a monster.

He got up from his chair and pushed everything on top of his desk to the floor. Leaning his hands on the empty wood he huffed a few breaths trying to steady his racing heart.

I wanted to protect her. To help her come out of hiding and show her that she can become the best . But I broke her trust again.

He threw his chair across the room knocking down a few swords onto the floor. He was losing control again and there was no coming back from it this time.

I hurt her the way I let people hurt me. I promised her I would help and I failed. The same way I failed Tomoe.

—————————————————————————

You cried your eyes out until there was nothing left to cry. The darkness surrounding your room told you it was the late hours of the night. Rain started pouring outside a few hours ago, accompanying the sadness you were feeling.

Cold and quiet. That was how your heart felt right now. It seemed like the mansion mirrored your sorrow, no sound of humanity present in its hallways. The same hollowness walked the walls of your heart.

It felt like the world stopped the minute you let your walls down. You felt numb, sitting in the same position you were in when you locked yourself in the room. You didn’t move an inch, afraid it would do more damage than good.

Your stomach grumbled and you whined in protest. All you wanted was to stay in here, avoiding everything and everyone until the pain would go away. Avoiding him. But your stomach insisted you grab something to eat something before it would shut your system down.

With a huff you pushed yourself off the floor and stood upright. Stretching your body to get rid of the ache in your joints you walked over to the door. Unlocking it, you were surprised to see no one around. There were usually guards around walking the grounds on patrol but it seemed they were dismissed for the night.

You walked to the kitchen and looked in the cupboards for the leftover potato salad you made yesterday. You made a little extra in case he would want to eat some if he would come out of his office. It turned out he didn't even touch it, judging by the foil still wrapped around the pot to conceal its warmth. Sitting on a chair at the kitchen island you unwrapped the pot and dug into it, eating in silence. You watched as the rain fell down the kitchen window in rapid waves and sighed to yourself.

After you were done with the food you went over to the sink to wash it before you headed back to your room. You reached to turn on the on the tap freezing as your eyes focused on the window above the sink. The view of the garden made you panic as you saw a person sprawled on the ground. Your heart was stuck in your throat.

Grabbing the broomstick leaning by the door, you slowly pushed the doors to the terrace open. Your shoes were splashing against the puddles turning the green patio to mushy mud. The crisp air pierced your skin as you advanced towards the figure laying still on the grass.

Looking to your right your heart immediately softened. A drenched Enishi was laying on the ground in a star shape, rain ruthlessly hitting his face. You put the broom away and took slow steps in his direction until you stopped just beside his head.

His hair was sticking to his forehead in a wet mess. His eyebrows were scrunched up and his jaw was tense, looking like he was crying. He’s been laying here for quite a while considering that his clothes looked soaked beyond just a few raindrops. His eyes seemed lost so far away, gazing at the dark sky in search of something.

Crouching down you shook his shoulder, getting no reaction. Your clothes were getting soaked as well uncomfortably sticking to your body. The rain falling through your locks cascaded down on his face. Your warm hand met his icy cheek caressing it gently, action that got him to finally look at you.

“Hey,” you said softly.

He just looked at you. The way he was acting scared you. He looked absolutely broken and you had no idea what could have caused it. You rubbed soothing circles into his cheek and he faintly leaned into your touch.

“Enishi, talk to me.”

He just blinked and turned his head away from you, continuing to stare at the raindrops falling from the sky. You didn’t know why he was acting like this but it looked like it wasn’t the first time it happened.

“I want to help you,” you say hoping he would say something. But he only stayed still as a rock letting mother nature drop her sorrows on him.

Trying to think of what else you could do you did the only thing you could think of. Laying down on the ground in the same position he was in you turned your head to him. Your hand searched for his, locking your fingers between his cold ones once you found it. He turned to you and the look on his face made your grip on his hand tighten. His eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, reddish lines telling you he already shed enough before the rain covered his cheeks.

As mad as you were at him you weren’t going to leave him like this. You knew how bad it felt when you had no one to lean on whenever the world came crashing down. No one deserved to suffer alone.

His hand gripped yours like an anchor keeping him tethered to the real world, helping him find control again. He needed comfort and you were willing to give it to him for the time being.

So you both laid there, letting the rain wash away your hurt, your hands intertwined in a promise. A vow to never let each other hurt in silence like this ever again.

—————————————————————————

The rain clouds broke apart a while ago and you were still in the same position on the muddy ground of the garden. He made no move to get up so you did it first, eyes shooting up to you as you were sitting up. He looked at your hands afraid you would let go and he would fall back in the deep relentless ocean in his head. But you didn’t let go.

You moved to get him to sit up with you and he obliged with your actions. Getting to your feet your hand was pulled back by his. He was sitting on the ground his eyes sparkling and a pout on his lips. You thought he looked like a puppy. You pulled on his hand to make him get up but he didn’t budge. Sighing you crouched back down to his height and stroked his hair away from his face.

“Let’s go back inside,” you said softly.

He nodded and slowly got up with you. He waited for you to lead him inside so you did. You took small steps to the kitchen holding the door for him. Walking the long hallway you stopped in front of his room. He shook his head and you were confused. Wasn’t he going to change in his room?

“Where else do you want to go?”

He took the lead and lightly pulled you to your room. Pushing one of the double doors, he returned your earlier gesture and held it open for you.

“I’ll get us some towels,” you said as you made your way to the bathroom only to be stopped by the hand that was still holding yours.

“I’ll be right back,” you reassured him and he hesitantly let go of your hand.

You went over to the bathroom and grabbed every towel you could find. Coming back you found him sitting at the end of your bed, lost in thought again. You placed the pile of towels beside him and picked one up to dry his hair. Placing it on his head you started making your way through his gray locks, untangling them. You worked from the top of his head to the ends on his neck, drying up as much as you could. Before you could swipe the towel over his forehead his hands came up to rest on your wrists. It was only then you realised how close you were standing. He looked at you tilting his head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, searching his eyes for anything that could hint at even more distress.

“Why are you helping me?” he croaked out, voice smaller than the wind blowing outside.

“Because I know how it feels like," you sighed, "to be alone with the world ripped from under your feet.”

His thumbs moved in circles on your wrist, a silent response to your confession. You took that as a sign to continue drying him up. When you were done with his hair you moved to the rest of his body. His blouse was sticking to him like a wet rag. He noticed your hesitation so he took off his blouse by himself, leaving only his navy tank top on.

“I can go get you some clothes—“

“Just stay here,” he said. His hands got hold of a new towel and his hand guided you to sit down on the bed next to him.

He started drying your hair this time, taking extra care to smoothen out the knots in your hair. He was gently drying it on all sides coming back to your face. He placed a few stray hairs behind your ear before patting down the droplets still running down your face. He pat your forehead stopping when he came up to your eyes. He noticed they were red and puffy just like his and he knew he was the reason for it. He hated himself for hurting you. He never wanted to do that. Setting the towel in his lap he looked down at his hands.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, a tone you haven’t heard from him before. He looked genuinely apologetic as he fidgeted with his fingers in his lap.

You placed a hand on top of his and rubbed your thumb in soothing circles to warm his cold hands. His eyes snapped up at you to see a soft smile forming on your lips.

How you could still smile after everything was beyond him. This must have been your secret power, comforting others when you yourself needed comforting. He realised your compassion and warmth were real and he admired you even more now than he already did.

“It’s okay," you replied. “I’m gonna go change. You sure you don’t want me to bring you some clothes?” He nodded and you made your way to the bathroom.

After you changed, you came out and he was in the same position you left him. You put the rest of the towels away on the vanity and moved to get under the covers. Exhaustion was knocking on your door after the day you had, feeling consumed and drained completely. Setting your head on your pillow and getting comfortable you looked at Enishi. He was still sitting at the end of your bed, clueless as to what to do with himself.

“You can… uhm… come up here. I don’t bite.” He turned his head to see you tucked in bed already. He didn’t mean to bother you any more than he did.

“Are you sure?”

You nodded and patted the place next to you. He got up and crawled his way up to the headboard laying down on his back. You turned on your side to look at him finding him gazing up at the ceiling mind pestering him again.

“You can talk to me. I’m here to listen.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to settle his nerves. He debated on whether he should tell you what was on his mind or not. What did he have to lose if he told you? The most you could do was push him away and call him a monster like everyone else. Taking a few more deep breaths, he spoke words no one else has heard before.

“Tomoe. That was my sister’s name.” He paused to gather his thoughts and you reached up to hold his hand, letting him know he could take his time. You weren't going to push him away and that made him relax.

“She was killed 13 years ago and I saw it happen. I couldn’t do anything to protect her.”

“I’m so sorry, Enishi,” you said rubbing his knuckles to try and soothe his pain a little. He squeezed your hand in appreciation.

“It’s okay. I’m planning to avenge her and make the one who took her away from me suffer,” he gritted through his teeth as his hand tensed in your hold. You wanted to know more about what happened to her but you knew it would be too much to ask of him right now.

“I left Japan and came here to build my resources and train until I became the best I could be. I dealt and fought until the Shanghai mafia became mine so I could lay the plans in my favour.”

At least now you knew why he was doing all this in the first place and why it meant so much to him. Losing the only family you had is like losing the only thing that made you mean something in this world. It scars you so deep that you can’t move forward without someone else supporting you on the way.

If avenging her was his wish, the last thing to get him moving on, you had to help him. You still didn’t know all the details but you knew enough to want to help him see this through.

“I’ll help you,” you said making him turn his head to you. A yawn made its way out of your mouth and you tried stifling it but failed. He thiught you looked like a lion cub.

“Let’s avenge your sister and find you some peace,” you said sleepily as exhaustion took over you. Your eyes closed and you gave in to the darkness of dreamland. You were going to help him no matter what.

Enishi turned on his side to get a better look at you and saw you were fast asleep. Your hand was still holding his hand and he felt a small smile come to his lips for the first time in a while. He pushed some stray hairs away from your face. He was so grateful to you. You came through just when he needed it the most. Like a miracle he's been waiting on for ao long.

Maybe his wish came true, but only time would be able to tell. What he did know was that he wasn't going to let his mind push you away anymore. He was going to protect you properly from now on.

Lifting up the duvet over the both of you he closed his eyes and let sleep take him, his hand securely holding yours between you.

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You woke up the next day in the late afternoon, the warmth enveloping your hand still ghosting around your fingertips. Creeping your eyes open you shut them closed, a mild headache forming. Your stomach was growling you awake after it digested the last of the food you ate the day prior. You wanted to sleep some more but it just didn't want to let you.

Sitting up in bed you took notice of the smell of something cooking. Sniffing more of the essence floating through the air you realised it smelled like pancakes. You were either hallucinating from hunger or someone was actually making pancakes.

Slipping on shoes and tying a robe around you, you made haste for the kitchen. The aroma got more divine the closer you got and you could already taste the sweetness of the pancakes. Pushing open the doors you saw broad shoulders working busily on the stove, flipping the plump dough in the pan, pressing down with a spatula to get it baked evenly on all sides.

"Good morning," he said, sensing you behind him. He could easily recognise your light steps after the few weeks you've spent together.

"Good morning," you replied walking over to his spot near the stove. Peeking over his shoulder you noticed a plate stacked high with pancakes, red bean paste smoothly spread in the center.

"Are those dorayaki pancakes?" you asked, drool pooling at the side of your lips at the sight of the traditional confectionery. You haven't had those since you left Japan.

"Mhm," he nodded a smirk on his face at your reaction.

"Can I have one?" you asked, eyes twinkling in anticipation.

"No," he said seriousness taking over his face.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?" you yelled ready to throttle him until he started laughing.

"I'm joking," he chuckled. "You should've seen your face."

"Very funny. So, can I have one?"

"Of course you can. I made them for you after all."

Your heart melted. Dorayaki pancakes required an immense amount of focus in getting the dough right and if you didn't know the recipe properly you could mess it up and they could turn all mushy. He put time and effort into them considering how soft they were. And he made them for you.

He flipped another one on the pan and turned to see why you got so quiet. You had a pout on your face and your eyes were sparkling in the afternoon sun shining through the kitchen window. You looked nothing short of adorable and he had to physically restrain himself from pinching your cheeks. Your stomach growled loudly ruining the moment and he chuckled.

He grabbed the plate full of pancakes and put it on the kitchen island pulling out a chair for you. You sat down and thanked him, grabbing a fork to dig in. The soft dough melted in your mouth and the red bean paste tasted exactly like the street vendors in Japan made it. It was a taste of home away from home.

Enishi waited for your reaction, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding as you sighed happily chewing on a pancake. You looked like you enjoyed the small dessert and that made him happy. He wanted to do something for you to thank you for yesterday and to apologize.

"Is it good?"

"It's ahmazhing," you said with your mouth full making him shake his head.

"Come eat with me," you prodded pulling on the chair next to you. You pushed the plate closer as he sat down so you could share the pancakes. You ate in silence, silently gazing at each other when the other wasn't looking. You both wanted to say something and you both rushed in, accidentally speaking over each other.

"About yesterday," you started.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said at the same time.

You both chuckled and went on to argue about who should go first. Finally giving in you let him go first.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was a total jerk to you these past few days. I left you to train alone and I pushed you away instead of helping you learn things the right way."

"You forgot the part where you almost decapitated me with a wooden stick and almost killed me. With the same stick," you say trying to rub salt in the wound.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for that too. I got too carried away and I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that."

"What about the part where you made me throw knives at you?"

"Technically that was all you-"

"Don't push it mophead." At the sound of the nickname he let a small smile walk his lips. He didn't know why you kept calling him that but he kind of digs it. He wasn't going to tell you that though.

"Point is, I am sorry and I promise to not do that ever again."

"What you said out there was so way out of line," you say slowing down on the pancake you were chewing. You still felt the punch of his words drifting around your heart.

"I know. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I gave you my word that I'll help you become the best and I intend to do just that."

A comfortable silence sat in the air. His face was covered in regret as the sun's rays tried to reach him. He was trying to make it up to you which was probably way out of his character. Tension was wafting through the air in thick waves, so you decided to make the mood a little lighter.

"Sooooo... are these apologetic pancakes?"

"Only if you want them to be."

"You softie."

"Oh, shut up."

Things felt better between you now. You still needed to talk some things out but for the time being you were back on track. Whatever tried to sway you these past few days was long gone now.

Finishing up the dorayaki, you took the plate to the sink and got started on the dishes. Enishi joined you on the other side, wiping dry the utensils as you put them on the drying rack. Team work made the dream work and you were done cleaning up fairly quickly, the earlier sunset turning to nightfall.

Wiping his hands dry on the cloth his hand attached to your wrist to grab your attention.

“Come with me for a bit,” he said motioning you towards the door. He was leading the way again just like last night, hand gently resting on your wrist.

The office came into view and he pulled you inside. You haven’t been in there for a few days and the place looked pretty beaten up. Enishi left you standing in the middle as he went to pick up maps and papers off the floor next to his desk. You looked around and spotted a few swords laying on the ground, their scabbards on the walls empty.

Kneeling next to them you picked one of them up. The robust wooden hilt was decorated with metal motives ranging from animal details to florals. The blade was heavy on your hand, tilting it on the side to see the light reflect its sharpness. Something about this sword called out to you. A red tassel hung from its end, delicately floating around the sword. Enishi watched you inspect the sword, surprised to see you so keen on learning more about it as you moved it around.

“That’s called a jian. It’s more of a practice sword but it can still be used in combat.”

“What’s with the red tassel?”

“It’s meant to give you a reference point during a fight,” he said taking hold of your hand and placing it on the hilt with his on top. He manoeuvred your body into an attack position, his other palm resting on your hip to direct you.

“The tassel moves with the sword,” he moved your hands together to create a wave with the sword. “It gives you balance as your moves get more pronounced.”

He made a show of a relaxed horizontal line, lifting your hand up to then drag it down vertically. He was supporting most of the weight of the sword as he waved it around, letting you feel the strong pressure of his wrist against the weapon. His other hand guided your hips to move in sync with the swings.

“It can make your moves faster,” he exhaled as he went for a quick diagonal slash causing your bodies to get impossibly closer. You looked up at him to find him already starring down at you. Your hips were pressed firmly to his, both of your breaths quickening the more you stared at each other.

His adam’s apple bobbed down, the trunk of his neck now in your direct view. You didn't realise it was so defined until you stood this close to it. His red robe sat on his nape, covering the extension of his collar bone under it to your disappointment. Taking a nervous gulp you lifted your eyes back to his only to find his looking at you with hunger. The hand on top of the sword went to hold yours lowering the weapon towards the ground. The palm on your hip moved to the small of your back bringing you even closer.

Want suddenly ignited in you as you waited for what could follow, your heart racing. You didn’t care what would happen as long as he would close the distance between you. He seemed to notice the change in mood, the flush painting your cheeks being a dead giveaway of your current thoughts. His signature smirk raised to his lips and he let out a chuckle, earning him a smack on the chest from you. Fucking flirt.

You stepped away from him trying to bring your heartbeat back to normal. The sword was left secure in your hold as you left to look for its sheath. Scanning the scabbards on the wall you couldn’t pinpoint the location of the jian’s casing. Enishi came from behind you and took the sword from you, fingers lightly grazing yours in the process. It was enough to make your stomach flutter again. Why did he have this much of an effect on me?

Spinning around you went to pick up the rest of the swords looking for their sheaths. You found most of them without his help, successfully cleaning up around the office.

Once you were done you went and sat on the couch stretching your arms above your head. You didn’t really want to leave to your room just yet. Enishi took to arranging the maps on his desk folding them around to make some space. You got up and went over to help him sort them out. Putting all the paper away you wiped the desk clean with a cloth and put every gimmick back to its previous spot.

You then took to walking the office rounding up every sword and weapon on the wall. Curiosity got the best of you wondering which one was his. He was definitely a swordsman considering the trained grip he had on the jian a few moments ago.

“Which one is yours?”

Your question caught him a little off guard as he was sorting through his drawers. He walked over to the wall besides his desk and took down a sword. Its blade was longer than a meter, hilt covered in leather strips criss-crossing each other, matching the copper colour of the tassel attached to the end. It had a mix of both Chinese and Japanese elements.

“This is a wato. It’s similar to a katana in its power and to a tachi in terms of agility,” he said giving it a spin with his wrist. He held the handle to you urging you to give it a try.

You took the sword feeling its heavy hilt be entirely balanced by the length of the blade. Despite needing a lot of force to move it around the blade followed the hilt accordingly creating fluid movement.

“You have to combine it with some kind of martial arts to make it work in battle.”

You were taken back to your bo staff lesson a few days ago. The way he was easily moving with the staff whilst blending in aerial moves to push more force into the blows was due to the way he wielded the wato. You thought his fighting style was an art of its own.

“Will you teach me?”

“Sword fighting?” You nodded eagerly as you waited for his response. He seemed deep in thought about it. You were far from ready to use a sword. However, he's seen you train by yourself with the bo staff and you surely got better at it. Your grip seemed to be stronger on it the more you practiced on the dummies. He saw how bad you wanted this and he wanted to give you a chance. But not without making it a challenge.

“I will teach you," he said getting your hopes up. "If you manage to take me down in hand to hand combat at least once,” he continued making your jaw drop.

“Are you crazy? How on earth am I supposed to do that when you’re a literal martial arts god?”

“You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for. You’ll find a way," he encouraged you as he took the wato from your hold to place it back in its sheath on the wall.

You sat on it for a while. Would you actually be able to take him? You got better at one weapon but you still lacked the combat skills, but you weren't one to back down from a challenge.

“So, deal?” he extended a hand to you.

Well you know what they say, hope dies last.

“Deal,” you said confidently as you shook his hand.

You didn’t know what you got yourself into but it should be fun. Sword fighting has always been something you wanted to try and this was a better time to learn it than ever. All you had to do was devise a plan to take down the crime lord of Shanghai in a fight. Should be easy right?

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Thank you for reading! As always, comments, notes and reblogs are always welcome!

#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #This is only the calm before the storm

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pauking5 · 8 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 9

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, mutual pining, found love, fluff, spice, a lot of teasing

Word count: 27.6k+ (on new recount)

A/N: Let the rizz games begin! I know it's been a while but she's here finally. I think I went all out on this one so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :) Consider this an early Valentine's Day gift from me to you.

Now Playing: positions - ariana grande

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The scene in front of you was wild. You weren't watching a training session anymore. You were watching two feral animals preparing to rip each other to shreds, caramel and dark brown eyes filled with bloodlust and raw rage as the gates of hell opened in front of you.

As critical as the situation was, you couldn't help feeling greedy that you weren't getting any action.

Your hands reached for the grass around you, trying to focus your thoughts elsewhere because right now they were nothing short of insatiable. They stretched to indecent places with every twitch of stringy muscles fighting for dominance. The hair on your arms raised with each sharp shriek of blades clashing against each other.

Get a grip, Miyu.

Tipping your head back, you closed your eyes and took a few deep breaths. The pent up frustration of everything that happened in the past few days manifested in either having a breakdown or craving sinful acts. Right now it felt like the latter. In more than one way. Like you were craving a dangerous combo of the deathly sins, with lust and wrath having a death match to see who would win you over.

Just breathe. Clear your mind. Think of happy things.

You were not in control of yourself anymore. It was clear as hell that you needed release in some way to be able to function normally again. Be that through training or some other way.

I'm gonna explode if I don't hit something or someone soon.

Discretion went to shit the minute you opened your eyes and saw the two men stare directly at you as if they heard you say that out loud. You hoped they couldn't gauge the desperation on your face that was flaring up your cheeks the longer they looked at you.

Why are they looking at me like they want to eat me or something? Could they... Nah, there's no way they feel this too. It might just be me craving attention... of some sort.

You got up from the ground and made your way over to them. Their eyes followed your every move, seemingly in a trance as your voice managed to snap them back to reality.

"Can I have some training now?" you asked, slightly annoyed that they pushed you to the side to get their own frustrations out.

"Of course you can," said Enishi, blinking away. He completely forgot of your presence for a moment and why he was outside in the first place. "Was it hand to hand combat today?"

"Yeah-"

"Only if I join," chimed Cho.

You considered his request for a little. Taking on Enishi was easier lately. Maybe having Cho join in would throw him off his game and it could give you that fighting release of wrath you were looking for.

On the other hand, it was a risky gamble to take. This could end badly if you let your guard down even for a second. They knew better than feigning attacks with their pride at stake.

Enishi saw the uncertainty flashing through your eyes.

"Miyu, you don't have to accept-"

"Sure," you said confidently. "On one condition."

"I know that look," said Cho, smirk falling from his face like it was punched off. "You want to bet on something, don't you?"

"That's right. Let's have the old throw down showdown. There's three of us so, to make it more interesting, there can only be one winner. And the losers who end up on the ground will have to fulfill the winner's wish."

"Can we wish for anything or-" you cut him off with a smack.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was already making up scenarios in his head on how to make Enishi his butler for the day. Who knew what fucked up things he had planned for you.

"Something normal, blondie."

"But it's MY wish," he argued.

"Only if you win," smirked Enishi.

Hmm, so he liked games when an unknown variable was present.

If the greedy look on their faces told you anything, it was that anything but good thoughts ran through their heads. That meant that they were desperate for something. But they were on your territory now.

And you were gonna stop at nothing to win this bet.

Disposing of their weapons on the table they took their places in your line of sight. You never imagined you would sit face to face with both of your teachers in a triple combat match. It all got a bit too real and it sent your brain haywire.

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on your surroundings just like Enishi taught you. As much shit as you gave him for his meditation tricks, they worked tremendously. You found yourself doing it a lot more during missions to calm incoming bouts of anxiety and doubt before they could take over your senses.

The wind brushed against your arms, blowing through the barren trees as it rustled up the last leaves of autumn. Your hair drifted on the gust of wind, falling to shelter your ears from the cold air enveloping the rest of your body. Your racing heartbeat decreased to a normal rhythm and you felt the worries flow off your body to be carried on by the wind.

You needed to get in the combat mindset 100% since your opponents required at least 300% together on a sunny day.

The frosted ground crunched under a pair of boots, alerting you that one of them was approaching. Judging by the sloppy balance it could only be the blond hyena who loved teasing and playing around with his prey.

"Whenever you're ready, princess."

Your eyes snapped open, earlier annoyance consuming you again.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that."

"Old habits die hard," he grinned before charging at you.

He took quick strides to close the distance between you. Rushing to get the opening blow first, his clenched fist aimed carelessly at your left side. You intercepted it turning to the left and dodged it, catching it between your hands as you made use of his own speed against him to fling him to the other side of the garden. His back hit an empty barrel with a loud crack but he didn't hit the ground to your disappointment.

Typical Cho, you shook your head.

"I guess they do," you chuckled.

Dried leaves and small twigs clung to his clothes as he straightened, frantic hands brushing them away. His eyes flared up in irritation as he came at you with much more determination. You tried attacking first but he reached you faster. His hands caught yours pinning them together above your head, bending you backwards towards the ground.

"Are you going for a re-enactment of our first meeting or something?" you strained looking between him and the ground in a frenzy. If you didn't do anything soon you could kiss any chance of winning the bet goodbye.

"Don't mind if I do," he grinned. His face drew closer to yours, warm breath hitting dangerously close to your lips.

Playing the temptation card, are we? I can do that too.

"Remember what happened after this?" you taunted licking your lips.

"Of course I do. I ended up on the floor with you on top of me," his tight hold loosened around your wrists.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Wouldn't be sure if I didn't want it to happen again."

Little shit.

"You're missing a teeny tiny little detail. Let me refresh your memory," you looked down at his lips, smirking at his oblivious remark before smashing your forehead into his.

He let go of your hand trying to catch his footing but you didn't give him the chance as you dove an uppercut under his chin followed by a roundhouse kick before he even saw it coming.

It never gets old.

Enishi sat at the back, leaning against a tree as he watched you fight. Well, more like enjoying his own private show since your opponent was eating your punches real good. He thought most of what he was telling you about combat fell on deaf ears but you actually did take note and practice.

He was enjoying being in the audience way too much for his own good until your eyes shot to him and his amused grin fell.

"Enishi, honey. I know I look pretty when I fight but why don't you get involved in here? We have a bet going on, don't we?"

Mentioning the bet seemed to rewire his brain, feet finally on the move to your spot in the middle of the garden.

You weren't dumb. You knew Enishi sat at the far back in case Cho went rabid and he needed to intervene between you. Although, that included letting him blow off some steam so he would be easier to take down. Like he wanted you to take him down yourself so he had less work to do. Thing that only added some fuel to the flames growing inside of you.

He became totally unreadable since you started training. The haze sitting over his eyes wasn't foretelling of his usual hunger for violence. It was a long throw to even assume this but it looked exactly like the look you were casting the two as they dueled. Like yearning. But yearning for what exactly?

Your mind flew back to the moment you suggested the bet. The quick way they both accepted it. Cho's wish was probably some fucked up fantasy he wanted to live out with you. But Enishi gave none of his desires away. Not even a wink of it. Whatever was on his mind wasn't good. For your sake at least.

While you played spinning roulette on what Enishi could wish for, your attention was diverted from the hyena preparing a surprise attack behind you. Quick and stealthy on his feet he went around you and pinched your back with a kick just enough to tip you off balance.

The blow sent you flying forwards and you saw all your chances of winning burst into flames as the ground approached imminently. And you almost kissed it if it wasn't for Enishi's reflex to catch you. Arms flew under you to steady you back on your feet as you gave him a look of gratitude.

He had your back even when you were supposed to fight against each other. Could he be on the look for an alliance?

"That's was low, even for you blondie," gritted Enishi.

"A bet is a bet. If I wanted to play Cinderella I would've asked the cook to join in."

"I am the cook in this house, you moron," you boomed, angry at his words. There was no holding back your rage now.

His confidence faltered realizing he was skidding on thin ice.

You looked at Enishi and he seemed to understand what you had in mind, lining up with you to attack Cho. You circled him as he took in his chances of survival if both of you lashed out at the same time.

"Two against one is low. I am an injured person." He smiled guiltily as a last resort to appeal to your forgiveness but it was too late.

"That didn't seem to be a problem when you agreed to the bet."

"Do you accept my sincere apologies?"

"Eat shit," you spat out.

With that you both ran to him. Enishi went high while you went low splitting the man between you. Enishi arrived first, landing a few hits that felt way too personal. If you didn't know any better you would think he had those prepared for a while, stashed away in his rage compartment. Cho took a few of the hits until Enishi stopped his attacks. His broad shoulders covered the blonde and you couldn't see anything until he moved to the side and you caught a glimpse of Cho's freakish smile that would disturb even the most ruthless assassins.

He was playing around with Enishi taking advantage of his unfocused nature, pushing and pulling jabs of his own like a ball of thread thrown to a cat that couldn't help but launch itself after it. Enishi losing his marbles during training wasn't a first but this was next level fuckery for one of the biggest criminals on land to let himself dazed by the clown of Japan's sword elite.

This was worse than a dog fight.

This shit is survival 101.

Every reach of Enishi's hand was cut off by a fast kick. Every swing of his leg was evaded perfectly. You couldn't believe what you were seeing. He used all of Enishi's attacks against him returning them with the same force.

He got a lot better than I knew him to be.

Enishi got ahold of the blonde's upper body trying to restrict his movement and you took that as your cue to join in. Cho's punches flew around and you ducked out of their way, taking advantage of the slippery ground around you to swipe his legs from under him. With Enishi latched on his back he jumped over you as you slid across the ground.

He got a hold of Enishi's arms and ripped them off his body, launching him in the air towards you. Thankfully, you moved out of the way before he came barreling into you, avoiding trying to keep yourself the game. You silently hoped he would fall on his back and tap out so you had one less opponent to worry about, but he twisted mid-air before he hit the ground behind you and landed on his knee. The material of his pants ripped off at the seams of his knee.

You loved those pants on him. Maybe you could try and save them once this was over.

You were ready to get back to the blonde hyena behind you motioning Enishi over to help when you noticed something weird. Instead of looking at the other man you were after, Enishi eyed you intently. It didn't take you long to recognize his intentions.

He wants to take me down first and get me out of the way.

You wanna play the Judas game too, Enishi?

That's fine.

He nodded at the man behind you in a pact of temporary armistice to which he approved as they surrounded you. It's lion and hyena territory now and you knew damn well you became their prey. They just waited for the right moment to sink their teeth into your flesh and you looked forward to that. Forward to kicking some ass.

Come at me you cowards.

It was no surprise that Enishi moved to you first. He wanted to get this out of the way as quick as possible. You dodged all of his hits surprising yourself that your defence got better but that didn't rub his ego well. The endless hours of endurance through the forest built up your stamina enough to catch sight of his fist before it was even aimed at you. You spent enough time training together and on the field to remember every one of his moves, but he still managed to underestimate you.

Turning his offensive against him, his agile air moves fell victim to your quick thinking. Turns out he forgot you moved faster around him since you were smaller. His hands extended to you like claws as you kicked them away. You didn't lay a finger on him and you managed to make him run out of steam.

Too busy battling Enishi, Cho creeped behind you once again. He didn't let you notice it until it was way too late and his hands were already entangled in your hair.

Spawn of satan.

He pulled on it and your hands flew up to pull it out of his grip, leaving you exposed to Enishi's incoming kick to your middle. The blow was probably not intended to be this painful but you felt it to the depths of your soul. Your eyes shut tight as you felt the impact worse in your stomach of all places. A little closer to it and your breakfast would've been thrown back outside.

I can't be weak. Not now.

Upon opening your eyes you saw the apologetic look in his eyes. You hated that look the most.

Even the man behind you stopped pulling on your hair. But the damage was done now. It's definitely gonna leave a nasty bruise.

Taking advantage of the moment to plunge your elbow into Cho's guts he doubled over releasing your hair. You turned around and the murderous look on your face was enough to make him try to run away, but before he could you caught hold of his own blond locks yanking him back to you. You jumped and kicked your knee up into his torso projecting him into the same barrel at the back of the garden once again. He wouldn't stand down any way you tried.

You ducked avoiding Enishi's lucky grab to your shoulder and came back up, fist heading straight for his chest. At the same time, Cho prepared to sneak his arms around your waist in another surprise attack when your leg kicked back to push him away. Enishi caught your arm and Cho caught your leg as you struggled to get out of their grip. They thought they had you now but they were wrong. So very wrong.

Twisting your body around, you kicked your free leg into Cho's face, hearing a crack in his jaw. Enishi let go of your hand, stepping to the side to avoid your fist as you spun your other leg that hit him right in the ribs. You stopped to check on him as a small hint of a pained wince crossed his features though it disappeared as fast as it flashed. It was replaced by his patience running thin.

You kept going at it switching between offence and defence constantly. You were running out of steam and you made the mistake to leave yourself open.

Enishi seized the chance and caught your right arm, while Cho rushed over and clamped down on your left. They had you locked in place this time. You thrashed around in their hold refusing to back down but they were too strong for you. You couldn't move no matter how hard you tried.

"I think this was it, Miyu."

"Giving up, princess?"

"Who do you take me for?" you chuckled darkly, dropping your head down to the ground.

Their heads tilted in confusion at your behaviour which was unlike you. They looked at each other trying to understand why you were acting this way as you felt their hold on you weakening the tiniest bit. That was your cue.

You turned your forearms upwards, grabbing a tight hold of the collars of their shirts and jumped forward into a tumble. You flipped and landed on your knees while the force of your grip pulled them with you. They flipped through the air landing on their backs with a thud. Their pained groans was music to your ears as you sat above them with a smirk on your face.

"How did you-"

"What in the world."

Looming above them, you pulled on their collars again, hoisting both of their heads closer to you so they can hear you loud and clear.

"Next time you hold yourselves so high and mighty that you can take me down, remember you both trained me. I know all of your moves, strengths and weaknesses inside and out."

You untangled your fingers from their shirts and patted their chests before you got up, looking down at their forms on the ground with a proud smile on your face.

"Now, about that bet," you started.

Their heads turned to each other in horror.

"We're fucked," they said at the same time.

Training went better than you expected, save for the growing bruise around your middle. You half expected the two to tear each other apart. And they almost did but you were there to prevent it from happening.

You've never seen them have this kind of temper before. For Cho it was something normal. Just with a tad bit more cockiness thrown into the mix. But you didn't expect Enishi to act like that at all.

Could it be about the wish? Now you were tempted to find out what his wish was if he won.

The day was barely past noon, sun shining brightly through the large windows along the halls. The curtains swirled around softly as they danced around the bouncing rays of sun. It was the perfect time to get your apron on and enter the kitchen for the remainder of the day.

You happily skipped your way inside and walked to get your apron on, tying it tightly around you. Strolling to the kitchen island that was sparkling clean you laid your hands on it and smiled brightly.

Though your excitement was met with two very displeased figures at the other end of the marble top. Sulking faces made it hard to keep your hands away from squishing their cheeks at how sweet they looked. They've changed out of their training clothes too, wearing a pair of aprons.

"Ready to execute your punishment, boys?"

"Out of all things you could have wished for you picked this," said a rather irritated Cho, picking at his light pink apron. He looked way softer than he normally does in his dark suits and you couldn't help but smile at his discomfort.

That's what you for being a dick. Now deal with it.

"I don't mind helping out," said Enishi, a small smile directed back at you.

He wore your orange apron and you wondered if it was a ploy to get you to wear his blue one that was the only one left available on the corner hanger. Either way he looked amazing in orange. The sun made his eyes look a few shades brighter than they naturally were, almost like melted chocolate.

He looked at your apron on him before letting his eyes fall on his sitting snug around your body after you tied it twice so it wouldn't fall off. Feeling a blush creeping up to your cheeks, you diverted your eyes away from him and focused on the task of the day.

You pulled out all the ingredients on the marble top as they looked at you with curiosity.

"I will be in charge of the main course," you tapped a big turkey on its chest. You then pointed your fingers at the two confused men. "You two are in charge of the dessert: Shanghai style soup dumplings filled with chocolate and strawberry."

"How are we supposed to do that if we don't know how to cook?" asked Cho.

"You don't. I do," admitted Enishi, puffing his chest out proudly.

"It's okay. I can teach you," you smiled, overlooking Enishi's display of manliness to toy with him a little. Which seemed to work as he glared at Cho like a child.

You gave them the instructions for the dough and how much they should make. The whole gang was going to sit down for dinner and you did need to honour your promise to Wu of a full month of desserts. But at least it wasn't you who would be kneading dough for hundreds of dumplings.

Starting on the potatoes, you gave them a thorough wash to get rid of any excess dirt before peeling their skin off and dicing them up into smaller pieces. Then you worked on getting the turkeys coated in your special seasoning mix to get them out of the way. Potatoes were already on the stove boiling away in a wide pot for a big batch of mashed potatoes. Next up on your list was a salad to go with the main course on the side.

The two just sat behind the kitchen island and watched you work, forgetting about the task at hand. Your hands skillfully cut a bunch of onions julienne style, sliding them off your cutting board into a bigger bowl before you moved to the tomatoes.

The gang got so used to your cooking since you've been here that Enishi couldn't even remember the last time he had to cook for them himself or when he would just give them money and send them out in town to eat and drink as much as they wanted.

Wu did pass it by him recently that besides the magic you made with the food, the gang loved you. When you got sick and Enishi put you on bed rest they refused to go and eat in town saying they would rather not eat anything if it wasn't made by your hands and he could tell why. He loved your cooking just as much, maybe a bit more.

On the other hand, Cho was new to your cooking. The most of it he ate were the boiled eggs at breakfast this morning and he could've sworn they were perfect. He didn't get to taste your cooking in the time you've spent together before. You were always moving from place to place together and most of them did not have even the smallest kitchen area.

But the way aromas wafted through the air in the kitchen made his insides melt. He closed his eyes breathing in the smell. If heaven had a smell it would definitely smell like your cooking. His stomach gurgled loudly snapping him and the other man beside him back to work.

You mixed the salad, watching lively colours swirl in the big bowl along with your thoughts. The main reason you put them in the kitchen with you was so they could start bonding, much to their disappointment of being here.

Food was a natural softener of emotions, your mother always said. If anything could disperse those deadly glares they passed around to each other when they thought you weren't looking, it would be making dumplings together.

After a while, you finished up on most of the main course. You wiped away the small beads of sweat on your temples that formed with the growing heat in the kitchen. The only thing left was the turkeys in the oven which weren't done yet.

You were growing suspicious of the eerily quiet kitchen. Nothing could be heard except the birds chirping outside and the whirring of the oven. Not even Cho chattering like he usually does which was a first.

You wiped your hands clean and turned to your apprentices. They were each kneading their separate doughs for the two batches of different filling, focused solely on the plump bundle of ingredients in their hands. It was impossible to mess up dumplings but you had your reservations. Anything became possible when it came to these two.

You walked around inspecting their doughs. Cho's was perfect, it just needed a little more kneading and it was good to go for the cutter. You gave him a thumbs up and he smiled brightly at you. The compliment must have reached deep because that was a smile unlike any he ever gave you. Too sweet and genuine to be coming from him.

Moving to Enishi's dough you noticed it didn't look as firm, appearing a little too liquid to be rolled around like. He pushed it forwards only for it to plop back sadly, bottom lip between his teeth concentrating intensely on the dough that just didn't want to cooperate with him.

This is why we don't puff our chests out saying we're good at something. It will always come around to bite you in the ass. Always.

"Easy there, cowboy. Put a little love into your dough."

"Dough is the number one enemy for me. How am I supposed to love it?" he grimaced at it.

Mind you, this is the same man that made you apologetic dorayaki pancakes like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Let me show you," you giggled at his remark, shuffling closer to him. "Take some more flour and pour it here," you pointed to the marble counter top and he did as you requested.

You moved to grab some of the flour, spreading it on your palms and on top of the dough so it wouldn't stick. You rolled it around until it caught some sort of firmer shape that you could work with. Then you motioned for him to place his hands in yours.

He was a little skeptic at first but he obliged, sliding his dough covered hands into yours, warmth meeting your cold ones. You turned his palms around so yours sat on top of his and moved them to grab onto the dough starting to knead it again.

Your hands moved in sync with the dough as it got bigger and a lot more stretchy than it was before. The more you pushed it forwards to smoothen the lumps, the more your fingers slid over his longer ones, almost like they were dancing on top of the dough. Trying to be sneaky, you cast a look at him only to see him looking right back at you. Surprised to find him staring at you, your hand slipped downwards, fingers falling between his. Just one move from him and they would be intertwined together.

Its been a while since he held your hand like this. Well less than 24 hours ago. But every time you hands ended up together gave you butterflies. The longer you held onto it the more dangerous and out of control they became in your belly, fluttering around wildly. Just like your heartbeat that was drumming louder and louder in your ears.

A cough from Cho snapped you out of it. You cleared your throat and moved your hand away from Enishi's. You frowned at how cold it suddenly felt without it holding your palm.

"Yeah, uh... that's how you do it," you nervously scratched the back of your neck forgetting you still had dough on your fingers. "You can cut it up into smaller parts and I'll get the fillings to you in a bit."

You tiptoed around them and pulled out the turkeys before they scorched themselves. You got to making a chocolate ganache and the strawberry filling on the stove, stirring the pots simultaneously trying to calm your still racing heart.

The chocolate ganache was done quite quickly with the heat swirling around the kitchen. The strawberry filling boiled rather quickly in a jam composition but something about the taste wasn't quite right. It felt like something was missing.

Calling for some tasting help from your apprentices, Cho was the first to respond. Before Enishi even registered what happened, the blond quickly planted himself next to you happy to help. You held the spoon to his mouth after blowing on it and he tasted it. While you waited for the verdict, he licked his lips and you couldn't help but stare at them. Your eyes traced their outline from top to bottom, resisting the urge to reach out and touch them.

Were they always this soft and pink?

"Miyu!" he waved his hand in front of your face.

"Huh, what?"

"I think it needs more sugar."

"But I added more than the recipe said to."

You got another spoonful and tasted it again. It seemed sweet enough to you. If anything you could always add some more sugar when it boiled down in a bit.

Cho stood still next to you staring at you. What is it with men and staring? You were about to ask if you had anything on your face when his hand lifted to your cheek. You froze as his thumb brushed against it retrieving what looked like leftover jam. Instead of wiping it on a towel he licked it clean from his thumb. You watched shamelessly as his tongue grabbed the filling all the way to the top of his thumb that stopped to seal his lips like a letter.

That was hot- Get it together, Miyu.

"So you think I'm hot?"

I did not just think out loud.

"Yes, you did," he grinned, stepping closer to you. "Now answer the question."

"You're not hot," you said turning back to turn off the stove on the pot. You felt your cheeks warm up and you hoped they wouldn't give away more of your previous thoughts.

"That's not what your face said during training," he leaned on the counter next to the stove and crossed his arms on his chest trying to prove a point.

"My face said nothing during training," you argued, gathering the rest of the leftover strawberries in a container.

"It did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

You got one of the strawberries and shoved it in his mouth to shut him up. Getting on your tip toes, you leaned up towards him and bit half of it away leaving him wide eyed.

The knife in Enishi's hand dropped to the floor as he watched the scene before him. The sound echoed throughout the kitchen much like the bang of realisation in your head at what you just did.

"To the dumpling assembly station. NOW!" you exclaimed waving your hands around frantically. "We don't have time to spare people."

You moved the pots of filling to their assigned chef at the kitchen island. Cho took care of the strawberry jam since he liked it so much while Enishi took the chocolate.

Turns out they were better at moulding the dough into dumplings than kneading it. Before you blinked, the first batches of twenty for each filling was ready to be steamed. But of course they had to turn this into a competition too. Was there anything in the world that didn't require a display of macho behaviour?

You watched as they moved quicker and smoother with each dumpling that passed through their hands. Cho worked hastily, delivering the dumplings to steam as fast as the strawberry filling hit the dough. Enishi took his time maneuvering the small bundles around more gently, but with a little urgency to not fall behind and to keep the chocolate ganache from melting.

They were both on their final rolls of dough. Your eyes darted between the two watching as they quickly sliced it into smaller pieces.

Cho's knife got stuck in his dough slowing him down in the face of Enishi's fast cutting technique. He tried making it work but it would just get stuck with more dough on it. Placing it down with a low growl, he turned the kitchen island taking quick strides towards you. The extremely focused look on his face matched the one he usually sported during combat. The same look that made your breath catch in your throat every. damn. time. even as he stopped right in front of you. He leaned towards you as one of his hands came to rest on your waist. You closed your eyes at the contact, anticipating his next move.

He wants to get me back for that strawberry trick doesn't he?

He's not gonna kiss me is he?

Actually, I wouldn't mind-

Jesus, Miyu calm the fuck down.

You sat there waiting for something to happen. But to your relief and sheer disappointment nothing did. Opening your eyes you found him smirking down at you. You were about to smack him for railing you up again when you noticed the shiny blade in his free hand. Turns out he just used your waist as support to lean over and grab a clean knife from the dish rack behind you. Nothing suggested he did it to kiss you.

I'm such an idiot.

Amused by your reaction, he let his hand linger around your waist for a few more seconds before he dragged it down to your hip. You dragged in a sharp breath, feeling his rough hands through your the layered apron over your shirt. Satisfied with turning you into putty, he let go, walking back to his spot at the kitchen island.

You couldn't prevent the furious blush forming on your face this time. Turning to the sink you turned on the tap to splash some water on your cheeks to cool yourself down.

Okay maybe he is hot. I might be in need of mental and medical assistance. Who knows anymore?

"You okay there, Miyu?" asked Enishi with a mix of worry at the way you slapped your cheeks and a slight teasing tone. He definitely saw the earlier exchange and how flustered you got.

"I am fantastic!" you chimed a little too enthusiastically turning back to them, water dripping down your face.

The sun shone through the kitchen, covering it in the golden glow of the warm afternoon. You leaned back on the counter watching them take the fight to the end. Beads of sweat lined their brows, falling down the side of their faces, glistening in the flickering rays of sun. You chased each drop descending down toned arms, moving meticulously to finish in first place. Each turn of lean forearm muscles moving in tandem with sleek, long fingers had your bottom lip between your teeth like a prisoner, chest raising and falling with soft sighs.

Who knew that my plan to make this excruciating for them would turn against me in this torturous way? Lord, I'm just a girl.

"Done!"

They both shouted at the same time pulling you out of yet another misty daydream. You blinked rapidly at them, confused until you noticed the last batches of dumplings arranged neatly on the two separate trays ready to be steamed.

"Who finished first?" you asked, oblivious to what went down while you were busy drinking in their appearance.

Their cocky smiles fell, replaced by dropped jaws at your question.

"YOU DIDN'T SEE?!" yelled Cho, followed by Enishi snickering as if he knew something you didn't by just one look at you.

"Of course she didn't. Look at her for a second." Your cheeks were flushed bright, pupils blown wide like you were coming down from a high on something. Your nails dug into your arm in restrain and it wasn't long until your teeth pierced your bottom lip to draw blood. They both looked at you, the blond more confused until he pointed at your lips and chuckled knowingly. "She's drooling again."

Your hands shoot up to your lips wiping at nothing in particular but your skin. He was just messing around with you.

"Are we that hot doing kitchen work?" Cho turned to him, eyebrows raised in a teasing tone.

"Maybe we just fulfilled a fantasy of hers. Wearing aprons, listening to her instructions, helping with kitchen duty. Being submissive," smirked Enishi, dragging the last word on purpose to push your buttons.

"You little shits. I WILL BOIL YOU ALIVE," you yelled, running after them when they opened fire on you. Flour flew your way getting stuck in your hair and in your eyes. You didn't retaliate either smacking cheeks left and right with the powder in revenge.

They broke front lines in different directions as you chased after them around the kitchen island. Despite it being a rather small surface, they were too fast for you to even lay another floured finger on them. The kitchen roared with laughter as you rounded the marble top like three children playing.

It's been a while since I've felt this happy. These two have a way of melting every one of my worries away. As surprising as it feels to admit this, I think... I think I'm home.

Enishi neared the kitchen sink coming in your range of snatching. You marched to him, fingers stretching to grab the sleeve of his blue kimono turned white from the patches of flour. You're mine now. The pad of your pointer finger was the only thing that reached him before you slipped on the small puddle of water in front of the sink heading towards your doom.

I'm gonna smash my head on the tiles and die.

This was it from me world.

I didn't even get to eat those dumplings.

With a lot of regrets for the way you lived your life, your eyes sealed shut as you braced to hit the floor expecting severe pain to follow. But you didn't feel a thing.

Did I die and go straight to heaven? That's weird. I swear you normally roll around in gut-wrenching pain and yell in agony before you kick the bucket.

Cautiously, you cracked one eye open only to see Enishi swift at your side. You sighed in relief thanking his quick reflexes until you opened the other one, seeing Cho on your other side. A pair of arms from each side was secured under you securing your back, while the others grabbed at your forearms to hold you up. Both of them looked down at you, brows creased with worry at your clumsiness. The embarrassment made you wish you did hit your head and die.

You could almost hear Enishi's incoming nagging voice chastising you for not having "any space awareness" and Cho's annoying laughing at you being a klutz. But none of that came. Instead, their eyes moved from you to each other, concern morphing back into the rivalry they carried during training and their dumpling competition. You could feel their hands tightening around you as they looked at one another with the kind of hatred that starts wars. You just happened to fall right in the middle of it.

"Uh, guys? You can let go of me now," you tried getting their attention back to you.

Their eyes didn't waver from each other in the slightest but they did as you asked and let go of you. In all sense of the word as you crashed to the floor on your butt. Your pained winces seemed to snap them out of their blazing staring contest.

"Why did you let go of her like that?" howled the gray-haired man, getting closer to invade Cho's space.

"You did it first," protested the blonde, pointing his finger into Enishi's chest.

"You want to see how I break your neck first?"

"Not if I get to do it before you."

"I would like to see you try, blondie."

"Getting ahead of yourself again, mophead?"

They stood one breath away, jaws clicking with impending wrath. The kitchen was to become a battle ground if you didn't interrupt them.

"Can you both stop this testosterone match and help me up? I think I broke my ass."

One whiff of your clothes and your nose nearly fell off. You smelled somewhere between a well-cooked turkey and a wet rat. That's what you get for going from training straight to kitchen duty.

You were long overdue for a bath. That you couldn't take. Because Enishi still hasn't fixed the water tap on the bath tub like he said he would. You asked him to do it multiple times and he said he would do it soon.

In Enishi language, that meant he wanted you to keep showering in his room. That cheeky rascal.

You got a change of clothes and headed to his room. Pushing open the big dark oak doors, you peeked inside checking for any sign of him. You sighed in relief seeing no trace of him.

The bed was tidily made, edges of the duvet tucked under the mattress and smoothened out. Clean freak, you smiled. Turns out he hasn't been in here for the day.

You didn't mean to avoid him. Today was sprinkled with too much Enishi time and any more of it would make you go insane. The constant teasing had you on edge. It was just harmless teasing but it was enough to spin your brain to another dimension. You did like the attention. Who didn't like the full attention of two available handsome single men? You just never had this much of it before to know how to deal with it without overloading your senses and combusting.

You didn't take a towel with you since Enishi had plenty of them laying around, stashed neatly on top of a book shelf. Plus, they all smelled like him. That addicting mix of amber and sweet jasmine was etched into every corner of his room and it drove you wild.

You picked up a towel from the pile of dark blue, feeling the material. It was so soft you couldn't resist a tempting invitation to bury your nose in it to take a whiff. His essence captured you with closed eyes, every inhale consuming you more than the previous. The scent took you to an azure sea with sandy beaches stretching beyond what your eyes could see. The waves splashed on the shore so serene, reflecting the cloudless blue sky above. He was just like the sea before you. The calm you needed to get yourself back to shore whenever the shallows of your mind pulled you into a storm. You smiled at the thought.

He was just as unpredictable as the sea. You never knew if you stood face to face with the sunny and tranquil sea or the torrid and perilous waters that sunk ships-

"I didn't think you liked my towels this much," a deep chuckle rumbled from behind you.

Turning around to make sure you didn't hear his voice in your mind from how much you inhaled his scent, you saw him leaning on the frame of his bathroom door, arms folded on his chest.

So that wasn't me imagining it. Can you get high from someone's scent? I think I just did for a second.

Besides the smug look on his face, what didn't help your predicament was that he was freshly showered: water still dripping from his hair down on his chest in consistent drifts kind of fresh. A towel sat around his lower half, hanging way too low on his hips for your liking. Your lips became victim to your gnawing teeth again as you stared at him, fully drinking his presence in like it was the first time your eyes happened to fall on him.

"Earth to Miyu?" he called but it fell on deaf ears like everything else he said today. You could see his lips moving but no real words made their way to your ears. He lost you daydreaming again.

He knew where your mind flew towards by the way you looked at him so boldly. Discretion wasn't your forte and he knew that. You couldn't hide from him no matter how hard you tried. Most times you weren't even trying to if you were being honest.

He took slow steps your way, towel moving side to side with each sway of his hips. You took a few guarded steps back until your back collided with the wall, begging that towel to stop sliding downwards and stay upright on those delicious hips.

His steps halted in front of you, hand inching towards the hem of your blouse. Lifting it up to your ribs he inspected the skin around your middle, a light shade of purple visible even in the dim lighting.

"Does it hurt?" he asked softly.

You shook your head in response. His fingers reached to touch it expecting you to flinch away. But you only sucked in a breath, more affected by him being so close than the bruise.

"I'm sorry," he said, without tearing his eyes away from it.

He had that apologetic look in his eyes again. The one where he gave himself shit for things that weren't his fault.

"It's okay. It's bound to happen during training anyways," you scoffed as you didn't pay it too much mind. "Besides, I got you pretty hard too."

He was confused until you reached out a hand to his rib cage. There, a bruise just as big as the one he gave you but lighter in color covered an area big enough to at least feel some discomfort. He probably forgot about it until you pointed it out.

You let the pads of your fingers trace the outline of the bruise in similar regret. Your fingers were ice cold on his warm steaming skin. He sucked in a harsh breath at the contact before pushing you flat to the wall behind you.

One of his hands planted to the side of your head as the other wrapped around your waist drawing you closer. He leaned in as you shut your eyes tight out of instinct. Droplets kept falling from his wet hair, drenching your blouse. You could feel his breath fanning your lips, hand closing around your back pulling your hips flush against his. Your palms landed on his chest to keep yourself steady on your legs even if he supported your weight just fine with one hand. You could feel all of him and yet none of him.

You needed him. Your whole being needed him in more ways than you could count.

It frustrated you that he could make you feel like this. That he could just make your heart race whenever he pleased by just holding you close. That he could turn your mind into a filthy place full of lust for him and he didn't even know it.

He leaned down to your lips until he suddenly stopped, just a nail away from brushing those plump lips of his on yours.

"I want to kiss you so bad," he whispered, so quiet and full of desire that it rattled places within you that you didn't know existed. His words sounded like pleas for control like he was just on the brink of giving into that same lust you felt but something held him back.

"Why don't you do it?" you exhaled breathlessly.

"That's cheating," he placed a piece of your hair behind your ear, letting his fingers trace the shape of your ear all the way to the side of your neck raising goosebumps on your skin. "I like playing fair."

Playing fair? Fairplay? Foreplay? What?

"What are you talking about, Enishi?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked, pulling away from you.

You whined at the loss of his touch, longing for his hands to sit back on your body. No one made you feel this insatiable, wishing for more. And it angered you that he did it without expecting any repercussions.

He was beyond satisfied that he provoked you to the point you were trembling out of anger. He wanted to give into you so bad and have it his way a long time ago. But the need to play it safe and take it close enough to rail you up but not close enough to get his own needs sated at the same time raged a battle in his head.

Among all that push and pull he wanted you to give into him. To tell him exactly how much you wanted him. To pick him.

As selfish as it sounded, he wanted you to only have eyes for him. He wanted to erase the other man from your memory, from your heart, from your blood. To have his touches on you like a tattoo similar to the one behind your ear. To have you only to himself, body and soul.

But he couldn't do that when your heart was torn between him and the blonde man down the hall. As much as your mind argued with you between them, he couldn't lift a finger for his own needs. Yours would always come first to him.

You had enough of his playing so you pushed him away, grabbing your things from his bed. You rushed towards the bathroom, closing the door with a thud.

"Don't you need a towel?" he shouted after you.

Cursing yourself, you cracked the door open just a crack to hold your hand out. With a laugh at your grabby hand, he got one out of the pile and handed it to you. You pulled it inside, holding your hand out signaling you needed more.

"Jesus, woman. How many do you need?"

"As many as it takes to wrap myself like a mummy. Now give me two more before I decide to walk around the mansion naked for everyone to see the goodies."

He shoved a couple more into your arms rushing you inside the bathroom with an awkward cough. The door shut behind you and you fell against it with a sigh.

Your thoughts were in a flurry of the man on the other side of the door, who's scent was still lingering on the steam in the air. You could faintly see yourself through the foggy mirror, rosy hues blooming on your cheeks. You slapped them feeling the same warm feeling seeping through the rest of your body.

What the fuck is wrong with him? What kind of fucked up satisfaction does he get from playing with me? I want to shove his balls so deep down his throat until he chokes and UGH WHY IS HE LIKE THIS-

"See you at dinner," he called out. You could hear the playful tone even with his voice muffled by the door behind you.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," you replied, grinding your teeth in extreme annoyance.

Showers bring you clarity on the usual. But this one left you more puzzled than when you got inside.

You spent a while just leaning on the shower wall, staring at the opposite wall like it could speak and give you some clarity on what you were actually feeling. The warm water cascaded down your limbs drawing the dirt and flour on your body to the drain in the corner.

Everything ached. Your head from daydreaming and thinking way too much. Your heart from feeling too overwhelmed with all the different emotions you experienced in just one day. And one more part of you that has been neglected for, you counted on your fingers, three weeks now. The part that ached the most, especially now with the doubled sexual tension around you.

You weren't desperate to soothe that ache. But if more of today's events happened, you would reach your breaking point and beg for it if you had to because doing it yourself just didn't feel the same.

The shower did little to help with anything other than cleaning yourself. It only got you more stressed so you got out, wrapping the bathrobe around you tight. You picked your clothes up and made your way to your room.

The wooden floors felt way too cold under your feet. You tried to justify the mess Enishi left in his wake with whatever that interaction was finally coming to the conclusion that his words didn't make any sense to you no matter how much you turned them inside and out.

I wanna kiss you so bad. That's cheating. I like playing fair.

They echoed in your head like a broken record as if they were broadcasted out loud for everyone in the world to hear them. Each word bounced off the walls towards you at full speed over and over again and you couldn't drown them out.

I wanna kiss you so bad.

I wanted the kiss too. Why couldn't he just kiss me? Why was he holding back? Why was it suddenly so hard for him to be in my space when I craved being in his so much?

That's cheating.

Cheating. Cheating as in deception? Deception of what exactly? My heart constantly racing, my head being a mess, needing his hands on my body in all the right places? What game was he playing that the rules forbid him from indulging in something he obviously wanted just as much?

I like playing fair.

Fairness. Playfulness. It must be all the same thing to him. He's a man after all. These two things can't coexist in a way that's not to his own gain, right? To his own entertainment. I'm a fool to believe otherwise when his actions say exactly that.

You threw on your blouse and your underwear on before noticing that your pants were missing.

"I swear I had them in the pile."

You thought back to when you left Enishi's bathroom. You didn't leave anything behind except a trail of water you wished he would slip on in case he found his way back to his room after your shower.

You looked everywhere from your own bathroom through the drawers of the vanity and the laundry basket but there was no sign of them.

Pulling off the bed covers you threw all the pillows aside, hand desperately searching every corner of the bed only to come up empty handed. Dipping beside the bed, you lifted the covers to look under it in case they fell there before you went to shower but they weren't there either. Almost like they dissipated into thin air. You would wear another pair of pants if everything else you had wasn't elastic combat gear that you couldn't be bothered to struggle to wear over freshly damp legs.

You could go back and check Enishi's bathroom but you didn't want to see his face right now. Especially because your only cover was the blouse that fell oversized on you, stopping just above your knees. That would only give him all the wrong ideas.

"Looking for these?"

Your eyes shot up at the voice. You looked for its owner finding Cho leaning on your door frame, twirling around something that looked oddly identical to your pants.

"Found these on the floor in the middle of the hallway. Considering they're awfully western-looking and smaller than what I wear, I assumed they could only be yours."

Oh god, in the middle of the hallway of all places?! At least that saved me the trouble of having to go back there and face that devil.

"Thank you," you breathed in relief. You walked to him reaching for them when he dashed out of your room with them tossed over his shoulder.

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

"GIVE THEM BACK, BLONDIE."

"If you want them you're gonna have to catch me."

You looked left and right in case anyone spotted you dressed indecently before you took off running after him while cursing his entire bloodline. He dove inside of his room preparing to shut the door on you before you kicked it open to follow him inside. It smacked against the wall from the power of your kick.

"Give. them. back. now," you growled, ready to pounce on him. That only pushed him to torment you more, lifting them up in the air way out of your reach.

"Come and get them if you can."

You jumped after them trying your hardest to reach them but it was no use. He was way too tall for a normal sized person to reach over and bonk his head even and he only kept raising his hand higher with every jump you took. Pissed beyond the ordinary, you resorted to his favorite practice: violence.

You kicked his injured leg and he lost his balance, lowering the hand that was holding your pants. You caught one leg of the fabric and pulled on the other as he fell back on the bed. But not without dragging you with him. You landed on top of him, hand still around your pants as the other sat on your waist in case you fell over. Your free one fell beside his head pinning him against the headboard.

The position was less than favorable. For you at least since the grin on his face told you he enjoyed this.

"Since when do you use vile attacks on injured people to get what you want?" he cocked his head at you.

"Since the injured people in question is you," you said, narrowing your eyes at him annoyed he even questioned your motives.

"You don't mean that, do you?"

"I can do much worse if you don't let go."

"Of what? The pants or you?"

Does he mean let go in the physical way or the literal way?

Because from how he looked at you it looked like the latter.

"Are we still talking about the pants?" you asked trying to gauge what he was thinking behind those caramel eyes of his.

"They got you into my room didn't they? But no, I'm not talking about the pants."

"I don't want that."

"What exactly?"

"You letting go," you exhaled in one breath.

You almost missed the glint of shock that passed through his eyes if you weren't looking directly at them. You said those words without thinking but frankly you didn't feel any remorse for them. Almost like they waited inside of your heart ever since you met again for a small chance to be voiced out in the open.

Even if that could change everything.

"I can't tell what's going through that head of yours," he said, leaning his head on the headboard to get a better look at you.

"Me neither lately," you answered sitting back, fidgeting with the seam on the pants.

He always had this thing for noticing when you closed off. But he also knew how to make you open back up if he knew just what cogs to turn in your head. You smiled to yourself remembering how good of a listener he used to be. Nightmare, doubt or worry, you could always count on him to untangle it for you. No matter how insane or stupid it sounded to you it mattered to him.

Seems like he still had his arms open for you after all this time. You just wished you hadn't grown apart like this.

"I liked it better when we weren't strangers," you let out below a mumble, just loud enough for him to hear it. As if the walls would close in on you if you spoke your heart out too loud and carry your words somewhere you didn't want them.

"We don't have to be. I miss having you around like before."

He searched your eyes for anything that told him you missed him just as much as he did. That he had a small but existing chance in this fight. That his efforts weren't in vain to get you to listen to his heart too.

He saw the way you looked at the gray-haired man like he could break the world in two and put it back together if you so much as asked him to do it. Was it so bad that he wanted you to look at him at least half of that same way?

You were way too quiet. If anything it added to his uneasiness. He knew he deserved the cold shoulder, but not now. Not after he gave up the coy act he had going on for so long, to be open with you for a moment that felt real.

He reached out and put a hand on your heart, feeling how fast it was beating against his palm. You closed your eyes trying to stop the intense drumming shaking your whole body alive.

Stupid heart.

"You can't tell me at least half of your heart doesn't still beat for me, Miyu." He took your hand and put it on top of his own heart that surprisingly was beating just as fast as yours did.

"Because mine still beats for you," he continued.

You could feel it pumping through your palm, rhythm in sync with the one pumping in your chest. Before you knew it you moved closer to him. The hand on your heart moved to cup the side of your face, thumb brushing your cheek gently. Your foreheads met halfway, breathlessly waiting for one of you to make the first move. Although for now, just sitting like that for a moment in each other's presence seemed to be enough.

You've waited for this for the longest time. Imagined it late at night when thoughts of him just wouldn't leave you alone. At times when your life with him flashed before your eyes so vividly that the memories got harder to thread through. So much that you forgot your hatred for what he did. Because you missed him. Training with him, eating with him, coexisting in the same space. You missed hearing his awfully annoying voice the most.

You would never admit it but you craved to have him like this many times before. To have his hand caress your exposed thigh the way he was doing now, rough fingers from all the years of wielding a sword making your spine quiver with shivers. Just like a violin player strumming the strings with their bow, so skilled from years of training, yet still so gentle, afraid to break a string.

"I still feel safe with you," you whispered. "But I need time. We both do."

"The last thing I want to do is rush you into anything. I just want to be on the fair field with you."

You moved your forehead away from his, confusion hitting you harder this time around.

Fair field? What the fuck does that mean? Is that horse lingo?

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing to worry your pretty little head about," he snickered, petting down your damp hair.

Suddenly too aware of how exposed you were and the way you were straddling him a little too hard you moved to get up. With a shove to his shoulder, you snatched your pants away and put them on.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"To dinner," you said angrily, tired of being teased by the male species for simply being a woman with needs and feelings.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't know. But I sure as hell will find out."

Was it so bad you wanted him to try and leave this game be for once? To just be honest with you when you asked him to be even after he broke your heart, broke your trust, and had a part of you locked away somewhere only he knew.

Was any man in this house, besides Wu, normal in the head?

Hiding in your room would've been better than whatever this was. Turns out Wu and the gang sat down to eat as soon as you vacated the kitchen. Which meant you had to sit down at the table with the two people you currently wanted to avoid like the plague.

They had you second guessing everything. Every move of theirs came with some kind of double meaning. It was messing with your heart more than your head and when it came to that it wasn't long until you spit fire.

Your leg bounced up and down nervously under the table while the two made light talk. They spared glances at you every now and then wondering if something the other did set you off.

Little did they know they were both at fault.

Wu pulled out a case of red wine for the rest of the gang but they were left with two bottles that the boys gladly accepted before you even sat down at the table.

None of them knew, but red wine was not your alcohol of choice. It made you wear your thoughts on your face with as much as just one glass. You could drink anything as long as it wasn't that.

You didn't mean to but the mood made you indulge in the liquor a little too much. Instead of taking the edge off a little like you hoped it would it just magnified everything around you.

The fleeting touches of Enishi's hand grazing your fingers as he passed you the salad bowl. Cho pouring some more wine into your glass as he kept your gaze. The way they both seemed to drink you in like you were the very alcohol spinning in their glasses. Their drink of choice that they couldn't get enough of.

Unable to take it anymore you pushed your chair backwards and sat up abruptly. The pair turned to you ceasing their chatter.

"Are you okay?" asked Enishi with a hint of worry in his tone. You looked like you could murder someone and that wasn't a good sign.

"The fucking audacity to ask me that," you chuckled lowly, throwing a hand through your hair. "After all you've both been doing is try to get under my skin. Well, guess what. It worked."

"I don't think we're following here," said Cho, trying to cover the obvious hesitation in his voice. He knew exactly what you were on about but he knew that it wasn't the time to admit to it.

"Figure it out yourselves. I'm out of here."

You drank the rest of your wine and smacked down the cloth in your hand, before turning around to leave. They called after you but you were already out the door with an angry lump in your throat you had to calm before it exploded.

Maybe it was best you didn't stay because another rage contest started at the table caused by the rest of the red wine.

"It's all your fault," said Enishi, sourly and more bitter than the taste of wine ebbing his throat.

The blonde could only laugh and shake his head at the remark.

"Actually, I think you're as much to blame for that as I am."

"Well, please do enlighten me what prompted her to up and leave like that."

"We both played a little too much with her these days, don't you think?"

"I would never-"

"Play with her? But you did. And it clearly worked well, didn't it? At least I have the courtesy to admit it."

"Courtesy my ass. The most you did was toy with her head as if she doesn't have enough on her plate already."

"You act like you know her but you don't."

"And you do? Remind me exactly why you two separated again?"

Cho gripped the knife next to his plate a little too hard to calm himself down. He couldn't cause a scene right now. The game was still on and a slip up would only set him back four steps behind the three he took so far.

"Don't act like you won this fight when it's far from being finished."

Enishi could only click his tongue against the inside of his cheek in response. He knew the blonde had a point but he was to proud to admit it taking another sip of wine with the hope it would numb him a little.

They ate the remainder of food on their plates in silence out of respect for your hard work. They expected you to cave in under their taunting sooner or later. Just not like this.

You were down in the only place that could give you some well-deserved peace and quiet: the artillery room. Wu brought some new stuff a few days ago and asked you to check them over when you had some time and now was as good of a time for that as any.

They were new generation rifles that more mafias took on to upgrade their chances of survival. It took you a while to learn how to assemble them due to the complex mechanisms. Working on them made you forget how about your anger for a minute and just feel like a normal person doing normal activities that didn't involve males.

Twenty minutes. That's all you got to yourself until you felt a stare burn holes in the back of your head. The unwanted guest sat by the door watching you work for a while until you tossed the gun you were fiddling with on the table visibly frustrated.

The person just walked towards you like his senses picked up on your inner turmoil. You knew it could only be one person.

"I knew I would find you here," spoke Enishi, making his presence known officially.

"Are you just going to stand there and infuriate the fuck out of me?" you huffed in irritation at the fact that you didn't want him here. This was your space and you needed it clear of him.

He walked closer and you heard him stop right behind you. His fingertips ghosted your shoulder to the nape of your neck and you froze in place.

Your heartbeat picked up for nothing as he just pulled out your hair from under your blouse. You let it free to air dry forgetting that most of it remained underneath and you didn't notice it until now.

"Thanks," you breathed out.

Something told you he wanted more from you as he didn't say anything more and just stood there behind you. He must have been intensely staring at you because you could feel chills rack your body. You didn't dare turn around in case your heart would trick you to fall into one of his games again. The tension got more palpable and if you didn't say or do anything soon you would implode. He made the first move.

He stepped closer to you, arm snaking around your waist to pull you against him. His scent was now everywhere around you and you couldn't escape it. It was intoxicating and drowning you.

"What are you doing-," he cut you off as his head dipped to your ear, lips diving to the skin under it. You gasped in surprise at the feeling of having his lips on you again, though they weren't even close to where you needed them the most.

Slow and sloppy kisses travelled down your jaw all the way to your collar bone. He stopped there and sucked on that one spot you liked, tilting your head backwards with his other hand for more access to your neck. You couldn't resist tangling your fingers in his gray locks pulling him closer. He smirked against your skin and you hated it.

You were supposed to be mad at him. To push him away from you like the traitor he was for denying you for so long. But the way his lips attached to your skin was like sin and you craved sin badly right now.

"You like that?" he asked, voice deep and raspy against your neck. You hummed not trusting your voice to speak for you and break showing him just how desperate you were for more.

The hand holding your waist rubbed circles on your hip and it was driving you wild. His touches were unlike anything you've ever experienced. You were both fully clothed and he still managed to set off that want in you.

He was diabolical. A wicked demon that liked to play with his object of desire until he had enough but for him personally, enough was never enough.

The moment his kisses got slower and more measured, the hand holding the side of your neck trailed down your arm all the way down to your finger tips in the slowest way possible, raking goosebumps on your skin. Blood rushed through your ears, drumming out of control when it settled around your other hip, dangerously close to where you needed to feel him.

"Can I?" he whispered in your ear, feeling you melt in his hold from something as simple as his voice.

Your head was up in the clouds too foggy to think things through as you nodded at him to get on with whatever he had planned, curiosity arousing you even more. Your pulse picked up again as he traced a finger around the band of your pants tauntingly and you bit your lip in silent expectation. When he did nothing you let out a low whine in protest.

Satisfied with your reaction, he sneaked his hand inside and all rationale was officially gone from your mind. Every thought that plagued you disappeared as cold fingers pressed into you where you needed them the most. It took everything in you to not fall to the floor. Thankfully, the arm around your waist did not move, moreover it held you in place, pulling you even closer to him.

You clung desperately to his wrist rolling in circles to please you exactly like you wante him to for so long. You couldn't hold the moans in anymore and the second one slipped out multiple followed. The strokes were slow and rapid acting as a guide to your ragged breaths coming out in the same rhythm. Nothing you could do yourself could ever come close to what he could do to you.

"Enishi," you moaned, trembling in his hold.

"Does it feel good?" he brushed his lips on the skin of your ear making you shudder.

"Fuck, it does," you exhaled, leaning your head back on his shoulder. He chuckled at how quickly he had your head spinning for more.

"I know you, Miyu," he whispered sending your mind in a spiral. The closeness of his body turned your legs to jelly but his voice mixed with his wrist were enough to get that fire in your belly raging. The way his hand worked on your core had you seeing the seventh heaven.

Your heartbeat increased so much it was somewhere to the fucking moon and beyond. He could feel it through your abdomen and the way you throbbed under his touch. It alerted him that you were close to your release and he took advantage of that, pulling his hand out of your pants as you whined like a bitch in heat.

He denied you yet again.

You slumped against him trying to come back to yourself since you were too far gone. He held you stable for a while as your knees were shaking. Your breathing was way off its normal pace, as if you just ran a marathon and you struggled to get it back to normal.

"Can you breathe for me?"

"Can I what?" you asked, too dazed to process anything around you except his strong hold on you.

He chuckled and moved to place you down on the chair next to the table filled with gun parts. Crouching down in front of you, his hands came to sit on your thighs drawing random patterns as you tried to steady your breath. Your hair fell over your face and you could only pray that it hid the flustered redness spreading across your features.

"I know you better than you know yourself," he placed a stray hair away from your face, behind your ear. "Remember that the next time you're on top of someone else."

What does that mean- Shit, he saw me with Cho. And I was half naked too sitting on him like a whore desperate for attention. Oh god. But nothing happened.

With one last dark smile full of dirt your way he got up and was gone out the door before you could even argue your side of the story.

What the fuck just happened?

You sat on that chair unable to feel anything but the ghost of his hand. Every emotion boiling in you today was channeled into that release that was bubbling up inside you. Anguish, desire, greed, lust, stress, rage. Every single one of them.

The truth was no one could do things to you like he could. He knew how to give it to you just right and he made sure that no one could ever come close to that.

Something suddenly clicked. The teasing in the kitchen. The playful behaviour. The scene in Enishi's room and the way too emotional confession from Cho.

I like playing fair.

I just want to be on the fair field with you.

I let myself get played by two idiots more desperate than me.

Your arousal was long gone now, replaced by something darker - pure anger with a touch of needing to even the score. You gripped the material of your pants, knuckles turning white from digging your nails into it as the realisation sunk in.

They were playing you for a fool. The daggers they threw each other. The way they both tried to get you to submit to them like you were a fucking toy to be manhandled around from one to another.

Just how far were they willing to go to get you caged between them?

This ends now. They want a game? You're gonna play the game like hell thawed over.

Oh, it's so on.

Just wait until I make both of you beg on your fucking knees.

After all, you're both men.

You awoke with a smile on your face. It was a brand new day perfect to seek revenge on the male species. Oh, how much disaster you had planned. But your amazing plans had to be postponed due to a certain blonde man pulling you along on a shopping spree down in the village.

Something about not wanting to see another kimono in his life and needing something other than the bloody white shirt you found him in. He kept washing it over and over again like a madman but the material turned more of a beige tone with spots. It had him going crazy to the point it was driving you crazy too.

You got ready and went to look for Wu to borrow some money, finding the old man eating breakfast with the rest of the gang members. They all smiled seeing you walk through the door like you were the sun in the sky. You still couldn't get used to having more than a dozen of the best mercenaries in the country eating your food and looking at you with so much respect as if you owned the place.

"Hello, everyone. Hope the food was to your liking yesterday."

"It was divine, madame. And those dumplings were absolutely delicious," replied Wu, walking your way with the promised money pouch. "Hope this is enough."

"Well, I didn't make those but my extremely hardworking apprentices did." He handed you the money pouch weighing heavily in your hand. There was probably a little extra in there even though you calculated a rough sum you needed beforehand. "It does look like more than enough. Thank you, Wu."

"Are you going by yourself?"

"No, I'm taking this one with me," you turned back to point at Cho who was busy scratching at the material of the kimono you forced him to wear to look like a normal person.

Wu looked behind you, squinting through the monocle on his good eye. He wasn't too convinced that the blonde would offer you enough protection.

"Madame, are you sure you don't want me to send someone else with you?"

"I know he looks like he can't fight a fly but he's alright in the protection field," you reassured him, a little taken aback at the push for protection. "Is there a reason you might want to pack me up with extra security detail?"

"You didn't hear this from me, but Master Enishi told us to secure the mansion grounds tight. That includes your visits to the outside, madame."

"Wait a minute. My visits?"

"Yes. He made a great deal about letting you out by yourself when he wasn't around."

"So he's not around right now?"

"He left in the early hours of the morning. Though he didn't tell us where."

He wants me on lockdown now while he's out waltzing around freely after the shit he pulled last night? Hell no. I'm not staying in the mansion like a damsel. I can protect myself and I believe I proved that to him yesterday in training. He can shove his demands up his ass for all I care.

"Thanks for letting me know. Well, I'll be on my way now. Rest assured protection is covered and thank you again for the money," you smiled, trying to sweeten the situation a little.

"With pleasure, madame. In any case money happens to run out, tell the shop owner to put it on Master Enishi's tab."

"Won't that put you in trouble with him?"

"Just think of it as if you didn't hear this information from me either," he whispered, walking back to the table.

You laughed at the old man's antics, knowing you could always count on him to spill secrets in your favour. You bid your goodbyes to everyone and took to the village with Cho close behind you.

For someone that's been around for only a few months, they surely treated you with a lot more favoritism than their own leader. All it took was cooking and treating them with a little more love than they ever experienced in their life and they were ready to go to war for you. That included going behind Enishi's back. If he knew how much you plotted with Wu against him he would have you both skinned alive.

The shops in the village weren't doused in fashion staples like the ones at the market but they should do for now. Exploring the textile market was not the best thing at the moment, considering how many people you managed to piss off in your last endeavours around Shanghai. The village seemed like the safest bet. Besides, you could just buy some stuff that looked decent and alter it yourself if need be. You weren't a Hikari for nothing.

Hangers screeched under your hands as you whizzed through the racks of clothes in the third shop you stopped at. Pale yellow, light blue and something that resembled maroon were the only colour schemes you could find. Cotton farmer clothes and Cho Sawagejo don't really sit on the same spectrum.

Cho watched you scour the shops, unable to process what he was seeing. He knew you were a stylish person coming from a prestigious family specialising in that industry. But comparing materials and checking their specifications to the smallest detail with a great amount of focus and dedication was something he hasn't seen before on you.

The displeased look on your face told him this shop was a bust too. So he tried to make some conversation as you were on your way to the last shop in the village to animate the mood a little and see what you've been up to lately since you didn't get a proper chance to catch up.

"Back at the mansion," he started grabbing your attention. "If I didn't know any better I would think that you were the master of the house. They all look at you like you're their saving grace," spoke Cho from beside you, falling in step with you.

"Yeah," you laughed softly. "Crazy what cooking and training with a bunch of killing machines can do for you."

"Have you been with them for long?"

"Just a few months. I interfered with one of Enishi's missions." You smiled remembering the events and how quickly they escalated in the span of a night.

"One thing led to another and we ended up sticking together, trying to help each other out," you continued.

"I see. What about before that? After you know, we split up," he mumbled the last part unsure if he was crossing into dangerous territory there.

"I've been looking for my parents. It's all I've been doing with my life and I intend to find them no matter what. We got a lead on where my mom could be two days ago and well, we found you instead."

For a moment, he deluded himself into thinking you were looking for him. He waited years for you to chase him down and ask him to explain why he even left in the first place while you pointed a gun to his head. Torture him to tell you all the reasons why he had to do it. It was selfish but he wanted to cross paths with you again. Every mission he had without you was a drag and made him realize just how much of an idiot he was to let you go like that.

Your relationship was messy from the start. But for a while you had each other and it made everything else less important.

"Do you regret it? Finding me instead?"

You kicked stray stones away from your path. Did you want to find him as much as he wanted to find you?

"Not really," you didn't know what to tell him. Finding him seemed like a sign that you needed to fix the broken bond between you. Maybe it was a chance to do it all over again and start anew.

You were upset you didn't find your mom. But you didn't regret finding him.

"I think we were bound to meet again. We've got a lot of shit to talk through but on a more positive note, I'm glad you're here," you said, reaching the doorstep of the final shop in the village.

This was your final chance at finding something wearable for him. You really didn't want to but you would raid Enishi's wardrobe for another creative project if you had to.

Pushing the doors open your face instantly lit up. This one was filled with more western clothes than the other shops. Though most of them were basics, you could work with it.

Cho ventured around on your tail as you browsed through the stands. You found a few tops and shirts that resembled his style. Holding them up to his chest, you measured them with your eyes in length and width before tossing them into his hands.

"I realise I haven't asked this before, but are you an mophead a thing?"

You snorted at the mention of your nickname for Enishi.

"Where did you hear that one?"

"I heard you cuss him out down the hallways last night. I thought you had beef with an actual mop but the more I heard the more it clicked that it was a person."

"I'm not crazy to fight with inanimate objects," you said, even though he knew it wasn't true. You always fought with your training weapons as if they would magically choose to work against you.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Now answer my question. Are you two a thing?"

"We're not," you answered, hand falling still on a pair of tailored pants.

The words flew out of your mouth like you trained yourself to say them. Not like you wanted them to have any meaning but the more you sat in silence staring holes into the dark fabric in your hand, the more you seemed to think them over. As if you wished they did have a meaning and you wouldn't have to deny it.

If we're not a thing then why do I feel my heart squeeze in pain every time I have to clarify that?

Resuming your searching, you tried to focus on the task at hand, pushing the thoughts back inside. You needed some free time away from contemplating his existence.

"Why are you asking me that anyways?"

"It just seemed like you were something."

You stopped walking turning to him. The way he put pressure on the word rubbed you wrong for some reason.

"What exactly was that something in your head?"

"I'll just be blunt about it."

"I'm listening."

He made a pause rethinking the question before uttering it out like it was the most normal thing to ask someone in public.

"Did you two fuck?"

Okay, maybe I'm not listening.

Before your flustered face could give anything away, you turned around and speed-walked towards the suit section at the back.

"Oh my god, you did! That explains a lot now."

"Can you just shut the fuck up?"

"Was it any good? Are you pregnant? If we look at the fact that you met two months ago it adds up which would also explain your mood swings and why you crave dumplings so much."

You looked around for anyone that could listen in to your conversation relieved to find the shop empty.

"I am not telling you shit about it. No, I'm not pregnant. My hand pulling your guts out and strangling you with them will explain a lot more if you don't shut up."

"So you don't deny that it did happen. Interesting."

Your hand landed on a random suit and you shoved it into his hands rushing him to the try on cabin before you would combust.

Sitting down on a chair in the corner, you made yourself comfortable. Your foot tapped anxiously on the floor, waiting for him to come out. He took his sweet time in there like he was trying on the whole stock in the shop.

I swear he fits the princess nickname more than I do. He's taking way too long in there.

"I'm glad you two aren't a thing," he suddenly spoke from behind the curtain.

"And why is that?" your ears perked up curiously.

"It means I have a shot with you."

You could almost see the smirk on his lips as the words left his mouth. The small flutter in your stomach did not help the situation either. You were supposed to start your scheme of revenge but there he was making your heart do flips instead.

"In your dreams," you replied, shaking your head at his flirty remark. "Now come on, are you getting ready for a wedding or something in there, blondie?"

"Why do you like to rush the magic?" he said, pulling the curtain aside to step out.

Your jaw dropped wide open at the view in front of you. The suit you pressed into his hands too preoccupied with shutting him up looked way too good on him.

You sat up and circled him like a hawk. The suit was a green olive shade that brought out his light brown eyes. It hugged his body smoothly, complimenting his long arms and broad shoulders. You ran your hand on the material from the collar all the way down to the hem of the double-breasted blazer under his watchful eyes. One pull on the wool-blend textile told you it was built to last. It was a little on the bigger size around his waist but with a bit of tinkering on your side it could be perfect.

Following your close inspection, you pulled back to really admire it and the full picture nearly gave you a heart attack. He looked charming - like someone's soon-to-be husband kind of charming. That is if you ignored the rugged way he shoved the end of the tailored pants in his boots and the messy hair that were a custom for him.

"Well, what does the in-house expert say?"

"Who?" you asked, still to entranced by the way he looked. You had a thing for well-dressed men and it showed.

"You're giving me that look," he said, corner of his mouth lifting up in the smallest hopeful smile.

"What look?"

"The one where I look like someone you're falling for."

Your heart skipped a beat and you couldn't hide the shy pink painting your face.

Stupid heart.

You left the shop, hands filled with bags. The money Wu gave you turned out to be just enough for all the things you bought. Somehow you managed to spoil Cho with a new wardrobe and still have a little extra to spend on something else like a sweet treat. Too much walking around made you crave the sugar.

Gasps erupted around you as a boisterous crowd of village girls swooned over Cho's new look. You told him to change out of the suit so you could work on it but he refused. That resulted in having a catwalk show through the square attracting the eye of every female, single or married, both young of school age and old ladies doing their grocery shopping.

You couldn't blame them for displaying their interest so openly. Especially when he enticed their behaviour, winking at them with his signature playboy smile.

He was attractive, that much you couldn't deny. Beyond the obvious physical attraction you felt for him, there was a fresh maturity he carried around with him that was even more alluring. His shoulders got wider and more reliable in the years you've spent apart. On top of that, he wasn't as impulsive and rash now. He thought things through with more tact, but his old habits showed at times he got too comfortable with you.

A red rose popped into view pulling you out of your train of thought. You looked at the crimson petals, eyes travelling down the stem to see a hand you knew all too well clad in an olive green sleeve. Cho was holding onto the flower with a smile.

"It's for you, princess."

The one time the nickname wasn't used for teasing but to compliment you. You don't think you ever got given a flower before. At least not in this way.

You took it out of his hands to admire it. The thorns were carefully picked off the stem. Probably by his own hand deducing from the indents along the green parts. You took a whiff and was instantly embraced by the fragrant smell of fresh rose, smiling in appreciation at the gesture. The moment of bliss was cut short when it dawned on you that he was penniless.

"Where did you get this from?"

"I found it."

"You found it."

He just nodded, grinning guiltily like a child who plucked flowers for his crush from somewhere he wasn't supposed to.

"You mean stole it?"

His shoulders slumped in the snowdrop position at the disappointment in your voice and you almost cooed at the sight. He looked too adorable for you to be mad at him when it was just a sincere gesture.

"I'll let it slide for now. But no more stealing."

"Funny you say that when we make our living from stealing."

"Correction, I don't do that anymore."

You touched the soft petals delicately. She was just like you. The large petals were drawn inwards from the world, protecting the small rosebud in the center. Your heart was just the same. There were a lot of layers keeping it safe inside, though it was laying dormant waiting for the winter to pass, wishing for a spring that could open it up into a blooming rose.

"I just saw it and thought it could make your day better," he added. "I know how much you love flowers. It's not a big colourful bouquet like you deserve, but it's still something from me to you. So please accept it and don't smack me."

You couldn't hold back the smile pulling at your lips at his rushed breathless confession.

You've always loved flowers for the simple fact that they had so many meanings and stories waiting to be uncovered. Back then, when you would end up on a mission at some big shot with a villa together, you'd spend most of the time snooping around in their garden. You saw all kinds of flowers and often kept a list of all the ones you found in hopes you could plant them in a garden of your own one day.

Gardening used to be your mother's favourite activity. While you weren't one to keep flowers or plants alive for more than a day with the wreck of a life you had, you always wanted to try it out.

Besides, Cho knew about the list. It was one of your most prized possessions. At first he thought you were crazy jotting down all kinds of flower names and descriptions until he started keeping a smaller list too, in the missions you worked separately, just in case he saw a flower he thought you would like.

"Thank you," you leaned up to press a small grateful kiss to his cheek. He tensed up at your action, the faintest blush spreading on his cheeks.

"I'm craving ice cream. How about you go find the vendor selling it and get us some?"

"On it."

"Wait! Take the money pouch."

"Oh, right."

Before he could leave you pulled on his sleeve, eyes peering at him with a warning look.

"No. More. Stealing," you punctuated each word making sure they got through his head.

"Got it, princess."

Taking on walking around by yourself, you explored the rest of the village. The most you've seen was the open farm market square and a few shops so the rest was pretty much undiscovered land.

Passing by the mid-day crowds and the popular areas, cobble stone streets turned into green grass pathways. Laughter and loud chatter was replaced by humming birds and a peaceful quiet as you came across the more quiet side of the settlement.

Every house looked the same - two-story buildings, split between a ground floor and an upper level. Walls painted alabaster white ran along the ground floor, some homes in a more parched shade than others. A product of the unforgiving weather in the countryside. Worn out amber wood enclosed around the top floors and the roof, resembling a modest terrace overlooking the crops and the rest of the village.

Only a handful of people were outside, most of them out gathering the last crops before winter installed for good. The unexpected sunny weather made the cabbage and garlic sprouts grow a few weeks before their harvest time.

Passing the crop fields, you spotted an older couple, about early into middle age, doing what you assumed to be a daily routine for them. You could tell they have been together for a while, silver bands on their ring fingers glinting in the sun.

The man was leaning over the railing of the wooden terrace with a steaming cup of coffee. His wife was busy with the laundry basket, smoothening the damp clothes before hanging them onto the washing line. You couldn't hear what they were talking about but from the naughty smile on his face and the way she shook her head at him in disbelief it must have been their usual banter. He said something else and looked at her in awe as she threw her head back laughing, like only the two of them existed in this wide world.

For a brief moment, you wanted to have that. Living simply in one of these traditional houses, away from the jungle of your current life. Planting your love into the crops stretching out on the fields and far into the forest, growing it with someone you treasured.

Someone you wanted to give your world to with the good and the bad and everything in between.

Your mind wandered to a sullen gray-haired man that held half of your heart captive with him at the moment. Then it went back even further, to the night you laid in bed together talking about life. To how much you wanted to mention that you wanted to experience love. To tell him all about this alternate life you wanted for yourself.

Now, in the present, you would even go as far as asking him if he wanted to live that life with you. To see if there was even the smallest chance of him wanting to give it a try with you.

The whinnies of horses brought you out of your reverie. You stumbled upon a horse paddock extending to a bigger farm house. A few horses galloped around, hair coats flying in the wind with every step raising the dust on the ground. They looked so carefree.

Walking closer to the wooden fence, you leaned your elbows on it as you watched them prance around.

Your eyes landed in the corner where a strangely familiar person had their back turned to you. You squinted through the bright sunlight trying to make out who it was.

You could recognise those wide shoulders anywhere you went and the back of his head was just another dead giveaway it was him.

So, that's where you've been hiding, stranger.

You got more comfortable on the timber edge, resting your head on your palm as you watched him work. He was covered in dirt from head to toe, hammering nails into wooden planks. With precise manner, he measured them before hooking them up to the bigger part of the paddock. Even through all the mud covering him, you could still see the outline of his bulky biceps twisting with every move of the hammer. You could watch him do that all day long and you wouldn't get tired of it.

The man you are Enishi Yukishiro.

"He's been here all day long," spoke a familiar voice from behind you. You spun around coming face to face with the lady you met that night you dragged Enishi into the village with you. The same lady who gave you that destiny talk and the earring dangling on his ear at this very moment.

"Oh, uh. Hi"! you bowed to her in respect.

"No need to bow to me, young lady."

"The habit," you giggled as you sat back up straight. "Has he really been here all day?"

She nodded, moving to sit next to you on the railing.

"He came early this morning." She pointed to bits and pieces of torn wood that were thrown to the side, replaced by new sturdier ones. "The main fence broke down last night and some of the horses ran away. He came by with one of them that he caught on the road and stayed around to help out. We told him there was no need to stress over it but he insisted."

One of the horses came to you, dipping its head down to greet you politely. His honey coat shined in the sun, a lighter mane falling over his long neck. You reached a hand out and the horse nudged you to pet him.

"Mazu, be nice to our guest. This one is a troublemaker."

"Mazu... like the sea goddess?"

"You know the myth. She's the patron of the seas. Sailors called on her name in the midst of a storm and she helped them out." She ran her hand on the horse's head and he neighed in appreciation. "Our Mazu here happened to be my saviour one stormy night I got lost in the woods. He brought me here and the rest was history."

"What do you mean by history?"

"I happen to be married to his owner," you gasped when she pointed to the farmer that helped you and Enishi on numerous occasions. He waved at you from the stacks of hay he was unloading off his carriage before getting back to work.

"You and mister farmer? I did not expect that."

"It's okay," she laughed. "We didn't either. It just happened."

"I guess love works that way."

"You'd be surprised. Love comes when you least expect it to, when you need it the most," she sighed softly. A hunch told you she was speaking from her own experience. "You and prince charming over there should come over for dinner some time. I would like to get, how does your generation put it... the deets on what's going on with you two."

"I would love to! But only if you give me some of your advice on how to handle childish men."

"A deal is a deal," she patted your arm caringly like a mother. "I have to go help my own prince before he hurts himself, but feel free to hang around here for as long as you'd like," she said, throwing a knowing look at Enishi.

"See you soon!"

She walked off and your attention went back to the horse, memories of back home flooding back to you. They consisted of a fellow hooved friend that you grew up with. She was your dearest companion for many years and grew just as big as Mazu. But the bitter hands of fate took her away from you way too soon.

"I had one just like you," you spoke to the horse as you continued petting his coat. "She had hair this soft too. I always braided it with flowers from mom's garden and she loved it. Though I doubt you'd like flowers in your hair, Mazu."

The horse neighed at your remark almost as if he understood you, urging you to pet his neck again. You giggled at his excitement, raising your arm higher to brush his coat down.

Enishi finished his work just as an oddly familiar giggle echoed in his ears. The only giggle on earth that made his heart warm. He turned around hoping he didn't imagine it. He was relieved and surprised to see you at the other end of the paddock.

He wiped his hands clean and leaned back on the wooden post behind him to look at you. You were petting down Mazu with so much joy that unknowingly a smile made its way onto his face, filling him with a small joy too.

He expected you to avoid him after your previous encounter in the artillery room. The thought that he went too far kept him awake for most of the night and he wanted to make it up to you. And he had the perfect idea to do that.

After testing the fence again to make sure it won't break apart again, he put the rest of the materials away and made his way to you. Mazu turned to him, neighing excitedly in his direction.

"I see you've met Mazu," he smiled at the horse, joining you in running his hand down his coat.

"I have. He's a sweetheart," you beamed at the horse.

"He's a softie, but he's definitely not an angel."

"As if you're better or something," you chuckled dryly, reminding him he was skidding on thin ice with you.

"Or something," he smiled mischievously.

The afternoon sun was setting, telling you night time was just around the corner. You closed your eyes basking in the temporary warmth it provided. When you opened them they fell on his face. His eyes were closed too, reeling in the glow of the sun like you did.

He looked as ethereal as he always did, though a splotch of mud sat on his cheek and it bugged you greatly. You reached a hand out trying to wipe it off with your sleeve. His eyes opened widely, confused at what you were doing, until they landed on your focused face.

Your eyebrows were drawn together in concentration, bottom lip pulled between your teeth as you worked on getting the dirt off. Once you were satisfied with your work, you pulled away with a smile, smoothing a thumb on his cheek. When you noticed how close you were even with the timber board separating you, you held your breath.

He stepped closer, leaning over the edge to you, eyes moving between you and your lips. Your hand was still on his cheek, his own rough palm taking a cautious hold of your wrist. He got closer, stopping just a breeze away from your mouth. You closed your eyes expecting to really have his lips on yours this time. You missed their softness and the rhythmic way they moved against yours. The way he tasted like the sweet jasmine scent lingering off him.

You were ready to commit arson if he didn't kiss you this time either.

And he didn't. He pulled back and you groaned at being denied a kiss yet again. From the chuckle rumbling in his throat it sounded like he really wanted to be fried alive.

On the other hand, Mazu was on your side. He pushed Enishi a little to the side to take his place in front of you. Enishi narrowed his eyes at the horse, putting his hands on his coat to try to move him away only for the horse to refuse and resort to pushing against him again. You laughed petting the horse in amusement.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop teasing her."

The horse turned his head to him, squinting him up and down. You laughed in disbelief at what you were seeing.

A literal horse was giving Enishi attitude. This is a sight for the history books.

"Mazu," said Enishi on a warning tone. "Stop that. Don't think I let you off the hook for breaking that fence last night."

"He broke the fence?" you asked shocked that a sweet thing like him could do such a thing.

"I went out for a walk and found him wandering in front of the mansion with wood splinters in his hooves."

"He probably just wanted to go for a walk too."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Good point."

"There you were!" shouted Cho from behind you carrying two carton boxes of ice cream, before his excitement died down at the sight of Enishi. "Ah, you're here too."

"Who's coffin did you crawl out of?" asked Enishi, looking him up and down with disgust.

"I would explain what style is, but fashion is probably afraid of you," said Cho, pointing to his muddy attire. "Right," he turned to you, "I got you ice cream."

"GIMME!" you ran up to him snatching the one he was holding out to you. You took a spoonful realising its a vanilla flavor. You felt it melt in your mouth, sighing at the cool feeling.

"Can I have a some?" asked Enishi, eyeing the small makeshift bowl in your hand. He licked his lips at the sight and he could almost feel the taste in his mouth.

"I don't know. Do you deserve one?" you taunted, trying to get him back for his earlier scheme. But his imploring eyes told you not to push it too much. After all, he's been outside in the sun for most of the day and by the looks of it he was way too dehydrated.

Besides, you couldn't say no to those doe eyes. Since he was covered in dirt, you scooped a spoonful stacked double with ice cream and held it to his mouth. Just like you, he sighed softly at the cool relief slipping down his tongue.

"What do you guys say about having a bonfire and some drinks later tonight?" he suggested.

Bonfire and drinks. My favorite combination of words. He sure knows the way to my heart.

"It would be amazing. We could roast potatoes by the fire too," you suggested too.

"I can go and chop some wood," piped in Cho, actually volunteering to be helpful for once.

"Great. I'll finish up here and come around in a bit. But until then, gimme another scoop," he opened his mouth waiting for you to feed him another one. Before you could scoop up some Cho shoved his ice cream into Enishi's hands.

"Take mine."

"I don't want yours. I want hers."

"I want hers too."

They bickered like that while you sneakily took hold of both ice creams, slurping them down. You even licked the boxes clean. They stopped fighting and looked at the empty containers in your hands. Smiling innocently did not stop the blonde from chasing after you.

"I PAID FOR THAT!" he yelled grabbing a hold of your blouse to shake you.

"WITH HIS MONEY!" you clamped your mouth shut at the realisation you said something Enishi wasn't supposed to hear.

His eyes raced between the two of you, finally making sense of the multitude of bags surrounding you. He didn't give you the money this month so he wondered where you got so much from. He would've been less mad if you spent them on you but you chose to dress up blondie. He stretched his head on both sides, before jumping over the fence, taking off after Cho who started running the minute he clicked his fists.

"YOU HAD A SHOPPING SPREE WITH MY MONEY??? DO I LOOK LIKE THE NATIONAL TREASURY TO YOU?"

He cursed him a whole bunch, reaching out to smear the mud on his hands all over Cho's face. You laughed so hard your stomach started hurting but you couldn't help it when they looked like two weasels wrestling.

The farmer and his wife were at the other end of the paddock when they heard shouting. They stopped working, looking at the three of you with fond smiles on their faces.

"Remember when we used to be like that too?" she laughed.

"I remember it very well, my dear. Though we were a lot rowdier than those three. It took a lot of persuasion to get you to stay with me," he circled his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder.

"It did not," she slapped his hand sinking back into his arms.

"Oh, it did."

"It did not."

"Did too."

They both laughed at their antics, feeling like they haven't aged a single day. Their bodies may be showing the strain of time but their hearts were still beating for each other like the first day they met.

"Love keeps us young forever, doesn't it?"

"It sure does, my love."

Attacking the kitchen first thing when you got back, you worked on some quick finger foods to snack on. You made sure to prepare some actual food for Enishi too since he hasn't eaten anything all day and he must've been famished.

Cho chopped up the fire wood and cleaned up the area in the middle of the garden setting up the bonfire. You caught a glimpse of him struggling to light the fire and rushed over to help him. It was getting darker and soon you wouldn't be able to see anything if you didn't start it. Inspecting the problem, you noticed some of the wood wasn't actually dry but green. A harmless rookie mistake. You got rid of it, replacing it with other logs and were able to finally start a fire.

The sky turned dark shades of violet and soon the night arrived. Timber crackled, ember flames reaching higher with the gentle wind. You rounded up thick blankets and spread them out on the ground around the fire. Tossing a few potatoes wrapped in thin foil closer to the fire and bringing some platters over, you sat down on a blanket.

The fire's been raging for a while, but there was no sight of Enishi just yet. You pulled your knees up to your chest, laying your chin on top of them as you watched the fire consume the logs.

Today was a peaceful day. Despite your earlier plans to seek revenge, you were glad you got out and did something else. You also got to see the two in their natural habitat, plus a few new sides to them. Maybe revenge could wait a little more until tomorrow.

Cho changed out of the suit into more casual clothes. He still looked handsome but at least it wasn't too over the top to give you a heart attack.

He saw you on the floor, deep into your thinking cave. He hated whenever you got in there because it usually made you distance yourself. Closing yourself inside. So, he walked over to the bonfire holding a hand out to you.

"Come dance with me."

You looked up at his hand. You didn't really feel in the mood for it.

"There's no music," you pouted.

"Nature is here to provide us with music," he said, spinning around to show you the wild singing back to you. He leaned down and pulled on your hand until you gave in to his pleas and sat up. You let him pull you closer to the fire, swaying together to the rhythm of the crickets singing in the night. It was a comforting silence, filled by the sound of nature.

You moved closer, placing your head on top of his chest. The familiarity of vanilla and lavender engulfed you washing away the blues. You took a long deep inhale of the scent, nuzzling your head deeper into his chest. There, his heartbeat greeted you in the same rapid manner it did the day before, when you felt your hearts speaking to each other for the first time in years.

"Cho?"

Taken aback to hear his real name come out of your mouth instead of the nickname you reserved for him, his heart skipped a beat. You heard it and smiled as he glanced down at you. He hummed, motioning for you to continue with what you wanted to say.

"Do you like me?"

You looked up at him and he looked back at you. Time felt still for a moment as his arms tensed around you. Despite looking at you like you put the moon in the sky he seemed a little hesitant to open his mouth and answer.

You didn't know what you wanted to hear.

I don't like you, would be the soul-crushing rejection you braced yourself for ever since that night you met him, four years ago.

I like you, would have you over the moon but torn over what the other half of your heart wanted.

The longer he didn't say anything the worse you felt for saying anything yourself. You prepared yourself to brush it off as a joke. Because it felt like a joke to voice out your thoughts unedited by a long train of contemplation. But it wasn't a joke to him.

"I do like you," he declared with the most sincerity you've ever heard from him. "I've liked you for a while. Well, ever since I met you that night."

Oh lord. Out of everything I didn't expect this.

This is bad.

This is catastrophic.

What the fuck do I do now?

"I regret leaving you that night."

No. I am not ready to have that conversation. Not yet.

"Cho, stop."

Peeling yourself away from him you stepped back.

"We need to talk about it, Miyu. How long are you gonna put it off?"

"Until I'm ready. You said it yourself that you wouldn't rush me into anything." You pulled out the you said so card to avoid this from escalating.

"You're right," he sighed loudly, possibly angry at himself that he couldn't get through to you. "I just wish you would talk to me."

"I know and I will. I just need-"

"Time?" a tight lipped smile made its way onto his lips as he stole the words from your mouth. You nodded. "You have all the time in the world. I'll wait until you're ready."

"I'm here and I brought alcohol," chimed Enishi from behind you. He looked between you noticing a weird tension sitting in the air. You were looking at the ground dejected while the blonde diverted his eyes away from you. "Am I interrupting something?"

"I'll go get make us some cocktails," you excused yourself, making your way inside before he could ask you what happened.

He threw a silent "what did you do" at Cho and he just shrugged in response. They made their way inside where you already got to work.

There were at least a dozen bottles of different alcohol on the kitchen island - rum, vodka, beer, some local liquors and wine. You put the wine far in the corner of the kitchen to avoid another emotionally shattering outburst.

"Right, so what are you drinking?" you asked them getting some glasses ready.

"I didn't take you for a drinking connoisseur," said Enishi, surprised to see you prepared like a barman.

"You'd be surprised how much of a drinker she is," spoke the blonde, reminiscing the times you went out drinking together. "You can't take her anywhere if there's alcohol involved."

"That's not true," you gasped. "It's not my fault you're the biggest lightweight I've ever met. If anything it's you I can't take anywhere!"

Cho turned to Enishi who was more and more invested as he saw you mix a few liquids in different pitchers.

"Did you know that the entirety of Osaka's bar district is afraid of her? Besides being the famed crimson rose, she drinks like an old aged pirate who's seen too much in his life. I'm shocked she still has a liver."

You smirked at his retelling. It was true. As long as it wasn't red wine you could literally drink a bar dry. You inherited that from a long line of Hikari ancestors that loved drinking more than anything else. There were times were you got kicked out for ordering too much.

"One time she got into a bar fight. We went to a bar after one of our missions went sideways and she got angry at a man who drank the last drops of vodka in the bar." He stopped to contain his giggles as the scene came back to him. "Instead of going to another one like normal people do, she punched the man and drank the cocktail that was barely placed down in front of him."

"No way," Enishi laughed at how unbelievable it sounded. You were impulsive when he met you but he would never imagine that it used to be worse. You were much more calmer and collected now.

"Anyways, that was a long time ago. Now, tell me what you would like to drink."

"Why don't you surprise us?"

"Well, how about we start with the Shanghai special? Since we're the Shanghai mafia after all."

The Shanghai special was a good starter, especially for Cho's lightweight ass. You added the rum to a pitcher with some raspberry syrup you found around the kitchen to sweeten it and some lemon juice. Then you crushed anise for some spice and to bring out the flavor of the alcohol just a little. You mixed the red liquid and poured it into glasses, with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass.

"It's not the original but it's close to it," you pushed them to the two and waited as they took a sip.

Their eyes widened at the bitter yet sweet taste. It wasn't strong to throw your head off but you could feel it warm you up inside.

"This is amazing, Miyu."

Cocktails and beer bottles turned into cups of traditional liquor from the area as you sat around the bonfire. Enishi received a few bottles of baijiu from the farmer as a gift for his hard work. You were curious how it tasted since you haven't had it before.

He poured a cup to each of you and you clinked them together before throwing it down your throat. It had the base aroma of a spirit made from rice, spicy at first but fruity on the aftertaste, and the alcohol concentration to kill you if you weren't a drinker. It felt as strong as the usual vodka you drank. Just my type of poison.

The other two however scrunched their noses in disgust as the liquor burned down their throat. You laughed at them before throwing lime halves at them. Enishi ate it whole while Cho squished every last drop of it into his mouth like a madman.

Heated discussions began after a few more cups were passed around.

"I think that Japanese swords are better on every level. They're balanced and you can put so much power into a katana for a single strike. You can feel the weight like its your own hand extension," argued Cho, trying to dismiss Enishi's previous point about katanas being way too overrated.

"You've been in my office and all you could look at was the katanas? Have you seen the rest on that wall?!"

"I have and I was not impressed," he replied, munching on a baked potato. He held it with the tin foil between the pads of his fingers as he ignored you when you told him they were too hot to eat yet.

"Not impressed?! The jians in there are more agile and flexible than a katana can be." Enishi looked like he could pop a vein as he listed the reasons why Chinese swords were so much better. "You have strength, they're not that long and you can swing them a lot more easily in combat."

"What is this the annual literary circle gathering?," you snorted.

Enishi turned to you with a tiebreaker question.

"What about you? You've trained with both and know enough about each of them to decide which one is the best."

He put you on the spot there. It was true you trained with both and explored the different styles enough to have an opinion.

"Well, I think they're both the best in their own ways. I trained with Cho's double katanas and though they're hard to handle they get the job done."

Cho looked hopeful that you would choose him before you even finished your argument.

"Buuuut, I trained with the jians more and they feel better in my hands in slashing," you shrugged as Enishi threw his fist in victory way too soon.

"So, which one do you choose?"

You looked between both of them. From their intense stares you could only pick one of them if you liked staying in one whole piece. So you chose an answer that would satisfy both sides.

"I would pick... my pistols over any sword. Have you seen those babies? You just aim and shoot and you're excused of any extra physical effort."

"I still think my katanas are better," huffed Cho, keeping his side of the argument up.

"My wato could take on your double katanas any day," said Enishi cockily, acting like the Sword Master Extraordinaire you knew him to be.

"If you're that sure of yourself in everything, why don't we have a drinking contest?" suggested Cho.

"I don't think that's a good idea-"

"I'm ready when you're ready."

Before you could argue that this was the stupidest idea ever you just let them be. You placed your bets on Enishi, since you knew enough about Cho's habits to know he won't win. On the other hand, you had no idea where Enishi's alcohol intake sat. The man drank tea instead of coffee so you weren't sure what to expect.

They lined up the unopened bottles of baijiu next to each other as you sat in the middle acting as the referee.

"3, 2, 1... GO!"

The drinking contest ended as fast as it began. Not for you though.

Cho was the first one to tap out after barely half a bottle, head banging on the blanket beside you. You knew he couldn't hold shit after your cocktails and the liquor would be way too much for him. You've drank him under the table time and time again but he never learns.

Enishi almost drank the whole bottle but he stopped when he saw the blonde sprawled on the floor.

Turning to Enishi you noticed that tight-lipped smirk full of mischief sitting proudly on his face. Then it clicked.

"This was your plan all along?" you pointed to the sleeping mound next to you, gone like a log.

"If I heard one more word out of his mouth, I would've gone crazy," spoke Enishi, pouring the rest liquor in his cup.

"Cheeky bastard," you shook your head at him.

"You caught me," he lifted his hands up in defense. "But you can't tell me you enjoyed hearing that shit on and on."

"Nope," you laughed. "But what I am enjoying is this new side of you."

The corner of his lips lifted up with a deep chuckle, allowing you to see his pearly teeth. Handsome.

You loved this new side of him, so carefree and devoid of his normal seriousness. He grinned like the biggest hippie in the world, just riding the wave of not giving a shit about every single thing. His thoughts were fully unfiltered and he spoke his mind way more than usual.

This was the most you've ever seen him be himself.

A sudden gust of wind made you shiver. He noticed and put down his cup before moving to sit on your blanket shimmying you to move a little and make some space. He got the blanket he was sitting on and wrapped it around your shoulders while it was still warm.

"Can't have you getting sick again, little Hikari," he rubbed your arms over the blanket to will some warmth into you. The way he said your surname intended to be a nickname, since hikari is Japanese for light and he kept calling you that lately like it had another meaning.

He turned his back to you before placing his head in your lap, getting comfortable. His gray hair fell over your legs like another blanket, a comforting heat radiating off the rest of him. He was like your personal heater.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" you brushed your hands through his hair and he sighed at the comfort.

"Because it's your name."

"I know there's a different reason behind it."

He just smiled. Nothing went past you, even now after you had some drinks. You were totally unaffected while he felt drunk from simply your presence above him waiting for an explanation.

"Because that's what you are to me. A little light in this dark and twisted world of mine."

Your hands stilled as another heartfelt confession hit you. But this one you were not prepared for. And you will probably never be.

"You came in my life when I needed the sun to stop hiding from me. When I needed it to shine the most," he spoke slowly, eyes fixed on the cloudy sky above. There was no sun up there but the lonely moon. "I needed a reason to feel like there's warmth out there. Even for someone like me. I don't know how to explain it but that's what you are to me."

You felt overwhelmed. Like someone pulled the ground from under your feet. He was being honest with you, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

The last time he opened up to you was that night you caught him outside in this very garden, in the same position he was in now, soaked to the bone. You caught him before he could hit the ground and break and for that he was beyond thankful to you.

"Thank you," his eyes shut up to you. "For telling me this."

You would've said more if you didn't feel the waterworks gather in your throat. So you chose to just let the moment be until you had something to say that would match his honesty.

It looked like the liquor almost settled in his system by the pout on his lips. He looked so adorable you couldn't hold back from cupping the side of his face.

Your touch brought him back from whatever reverie he was having, shifting his head to look at you as his hand came to sit on top of yours, closing around it as you just looked at each other in silence.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," he whispered thoughtlessly hoping you wouldn't hear him but you did.

Little do you know that I wish for that too.

"What are you thinking about?" you asked.

"The farmer's wife said there was a meteor shower tonight or something like that. But I can't see anything."

You looked up too being met with a bunch of clouds cuddled up together much like you were sitting with him right now.

"Maybe the sky will clear up soon and we can see them," you sounded optimistic while he looked like he lost all hope.

"What if it doesn't? What if it stays this cloudy forever?"

You giggled at the way he said it with a pout on his face like a little kid upset that he couldn't see a meteor. This was anything but the Enishi you knew.

"You're so cute when you're drunk," you squished his cheeks and he looked at you with wide eyes. "All I wanna do is squish your cheeks like dumpling dough."

"Let gwo," he struggled to say as you bunched his cheeks as close together as you could.

Then you did something that caught both of you off guard - you leaned down and booped your cold nose to his in an eskimo kiss. It lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to send him into overdrive, blushing furiously. He turned his head more into you to hide in your lap and you raked your hand through his hair with a smile at seeing how flustered he got.

You looked up randomly and saw the sky cleared. Shaking him wordlessly you pointed upwards at the starry sky. He followed your finger and sure enough there they were.

Twinkling across the sky were a few shooting stars. The more you looked at them even more appeared, dancing between constellations as you struggled to catch one in full view. Your jaws fell open as you stared at them in awe.

The rest of the world just faded away as you gazed at the night sky together. You leaned forward a little to see his face better, surprised to find his eyes twinkling just like the stars above you.

"Do you know what you're supposed to do when you see a shooting star?" you asked him at which he shook his head.

"Legend has it that if you wish upon a shooting star the wish will come true."

"How do you know it will come true?"

"I guess that's the magic of it. You don't know until it happens."

He debated whether he should believe in it or treat it like any other legend. When he saw you close your eyes and put your hands together he made his mind up on doing it too.

He got up from your lap and got in the same position as you, looking for a star. He caught one just when it flashed on the sky following it all the way to its peak. Closing his eyes before the star could disappear forever from existence, he put his everything into a wish. Something he's been wanting with all his might for a while.

He opened his eyes seeing you stare at him in disbelief that he joined you. He wondered what you wished for that you looked so at peace and proud of.

"What did you wish for?"

"You're not supposed to tell on your wish unless it comes true," you clarified at which he sulked. You wanted to know what he wished for too but for the sake of the magic you let it be.

You drank some more as the night rolled in and you got to see another side of his drunken behaviour. This one sent you howling inside.

Meet extremely touchy Enishi.

He was being way too touchy, like he couldn't get enough of gluing himself to you on the blanket and taking your air away.

Somewhere in the middle of your conversation about the rest of his day, his hand sneaked to your thigh laying flat on your clothed skin. Even with the fabric of your pants in between, you could feel the heat coming off his hand as he drew circles on top of your leg.

The butterflies in your stomach ran even wilder with the way he held your eyes. As if you were a better toxin than the alcohol in his cup.

You tried holding his gaze but it was no use when it was so deeply looking for your soul with intimidation and something else you couldn't put your finger on. Like want.

You took peeks at those dark circles filled with light every once in a while, unable to decide what kind of want it was: the comfort kind or the lust kind. It appeared more like the latter.

Shifting under his gaze told him enough about how it affected you. But he wanted to hear you say exactly how it made you feel so he moved impossibly closer.

"Am I making you nervous, Miyu?" he asked, fingers tracing your hand. They walked up and down your knuckles trailing down to the tip of your fingers.

You sucked in a breath at the contact, eyes moving to his where he caught you and you couldn't escape which was exactly what he wanted. To see whether your eyes spoke of the same emotions his did.

"No," you answered simply trying to evade his prying eye.

"You don't look so sure," his hand tilted your chin up to face him. "You want something but I'm not sure what it is."

Gulping away the hope that your face didn't give away what you felt at the moment, mentally and physically, you blinked rapidly wishing for the torment to stop before you did something you would regret later.

"I wonder what fantasies you're cooking up again in that head of yours."

Beside touchy he starts with the teasing. Noted, for the next time I see him near alcohol I will strangle him.

"I'm so not letting you drink again," you smacked his hand away from your chin, fixing the blanket on your shoulders.

"And why is that?" he tapped his fingers on top of your thigh again.

"Because you're playing with me again and I don't like it."

"That's not what your body is saying, babe," he pointed to your hand, sitting on top of his. You just moved it to search for some extra warmth. It just happened to be his hand that provided it.

"I'm just cold."

"Sure you are."

You groaned getting tired of his pushing.

"Enishi, I love you. But this is next level idiocy from you."

"Wait rewind that. What did you just say?"

"That this is next level idiocy?"

"No. Before that."

"That I-," the rest got caught in your throat as you realised just exactly what you let slip out.

Well shit. That wasn't supposed to happen. At least not in that way.

"Ooooookay! Bed time for you. Come on grandpa," you nudged him to get up.

"I am perfectly awake." Just as the words left his mouth, his head fell on your shoulder sleepily.

You looked at the two men sprawled around you, one in deep sleep and the other in-between.

This was supposed to be me getting shitfaced, not you two.

You scanned the garden grounds to finding no trace of humanity. I thought they said they tightened the security. Not one gang member was around, meaning you had to carry them to their rooms by yourself. Although, they deserved to sleep a night out in the cold for their teasing.

Sucks that I'm not that evil like you.

With a grunt you got up and grabbed a hold of Enishi's arm, wrapping it around your shoulder. It took you three tries to hoist him up standing enough to be able to lean and catch the arm of the other drunkard busy snoring the night away. With both men secured in your frail hold you made way for the warmth inside the walls of the mansion.

Getting three people inside through the one person kitchen door was a challenge. You tried going in sideways, pushing Cho in first. He almost got through when his head fell backwards hitting the door frame.

"Ow, what the fuck," he groaned with his eyes closed. You stopped mid-way in and continued, pulling the other man inside, kicking the door shut with your leg.

Every step had you dragging in deep breaths, back hunched under the weight of the two. They might have looked attractive but the muscles you admired so much were giving you hell at the moment. It took a great deal of strength and mental encouragement to not drop them both in the middle of the hallway and just leave them there each time a mumble or an arm slid off your shoulder, throwing off your whole balance.

"Two of the best sword masters my ass," you spat out, stopping to rest your legs a little.

Enishi's head lifted up to look you straight in the eye like you cut off his balls and he wasn't aware of it. Realising it's just you, he smiled like an idiot and let his head fall back in the crook of your neck.

"Children. Absolute children both of you." You started your descent again as their bodies started growing heavier on you. "Just wait until I get my revenge plan going."

Somehow you managed to make it to Cho's room. You dropped him on the bed just as Enishi slid off your shoulders and sunk down to the floor with a thud, head falling against the edge of the bed.

You moved the blond in bed into a position that looked sleepable and not like he was getting exorcised. Though he coukd use one of those.

Taking off his boots was a mystery to you. The laces were done up so messily and tight that you wondered how his feet haven't exploded. You fiddled with the straps and pulled on his feet trying to loosen them off, cautious of the way his body slipped down the bed with each pull. Finally, you felt the easy slide of the boots before you fell on your butt in the middle of the room with them in your lap. You placed them down at the foot of the bed.

At least I got these bad boys off before his toes blew up. He could thank me later.

Moving his head higher among the pillows, you pulled the duvet on top of him. The bandana holding his hair let loose, blonde locks falling all over his face. You brushed a hand through it, sweeping it away before he could inhale it and choke.

"I wanted to impress you," he mumbled in his sleep.

All he thinks about, even in his sleep, is being the better one. Or at least trying to become the better one for you. He indulged in the alcohol knowing how it impacted him, to get some more liquid courage to tell you how he felt about you. But it got the best of him in the end.

"You did impress me today," you stroked his cheek with care. He deserved a little softness too. "We're gonna have a talk tomorrow to sort some things out, okay? I owe you that much."

His eyes opened drowsy with sleep, looking at you with those caramel eyes of his pouting just like a puppy.

"You promise?"

"I promise. Now get some sleep."

Once you were certain he was asleep you moved to your other friendly giant. Kneeling down to him, you shook his shoulder trying to get him a little awake. He only groaned in response.

"Come on. Let's get you to bed."

You got to his room and helped him to the bed. He kicked his shoes off himself and got in, making himself comfortable while you covered him. Grunts turned into evened breaths telling you he was fast asleep too.

Looking forward to clean up and get into bed, you got up only to get pulled back on top of him, eyes staring at you like you were an intruder. He's been wide awake the whole time, slipping between the real world and the unconscious. You tried moving away but that only made him move you to his lap, steel grip on your waist keeping you in place.

"Enishi, you're drunk."

"So, are you," he hit back, hazy eyes boring into yours. "Did I ever tell you how much I love it when I hear you call my name? When you're mad at me, when I make you laugh, when you need me for something."

Your mouth ran dry at his sudden revelation. Was this the same Enishi you knew? The same cold guy keeping his feelings at arms length? Or was this just the damned liquor talking?

His dark pupils gazed at you with so much affection that it scared you. Like he felt something for you, deep down in that wrecked soul of his. Honesty this raw like he gave you tonight was something you haven't seen before, given the dangerous position you were in.

He seemed to be too drawn to your lips, staring at them just like you stared at his. He had enough and pulled you down to him. Third time had to be the charm. You would finally have your lips on his again. Taste them and drown in them for how long he kept them locked away from you.

"I never wanted anyone in my bed this much," he slurred, lips just a bite away.

Ah, so alcohol makes him needy as well. Too bad you weren't.

"I'm not having drunk sex with you," you sat back up.

He slapped a hand across his face, mumbling more nonsense you couldn't understand.

"I didn't mean it that way. Fuck."

You giggled lightly at his struggle. You would have this version of Enishi all the time if you could.

"I meant, I never wanted someone as much as...," he spoke the last part so small and quiet.

"What?"

"As much as..." he tried again but you still didn't get the last part. His eyes slipped shut and soft snores echoed around the room, to your sheer disappointment.

"Way to confess something to a girl, big guy."

You patted his chest and got off from his lap, draping the covers on him. Leaning down you placed a small kiss on his temple. Checking back to see him sound asleep you smiled and left out the door.

Going back to the garden, you stifled the small flames still pricking from the leftover burning wood. You shook the blankets and folded them before you took them back inside then went about your usual kitchen routine: foiling the leftovers, washing the dishes and putting stuff back to its place.

With everything in order you took to the hallway, steps as slow as a tortoise. Laying down in bed, nuzzling your head in the pillows and feeling the warmth of the covers would be actual heaven right now.

You yawned with a stretch of your arms when you heard extremely loud snoring come from Cho's room. At least someone in this household knows how to make the most of their sleep.

The door to his room was thrown open. You vaguely remembered you closed it when you left. You reached to close it when you noticed a figure that looked awfully like Enishi leaning over Cho's bed.

The fuck is he doing lurking in the dark like that?

You were about to shout after him when he flopped face first on top of Cho, clearly still asleep.

Stepping quietly in their direction you stopped at the end of the bed, hand flying to your mouth to stop the wheezing laugh in your throat.

There, tangled pristinely in the sheets sat the two men occupying your mind and desires. Cho was the big spoon, nose deep into the nape of Enishi's neck, who acted like the smaller spoon. They hugged each other closer sighing in relief at the comfort of holding each other. It was highly likely that they imagined you in their arms judging from the wide smiles on their faces that were usually reserved for you.

You spared one more look to the two before backing out quietly and closing the door shut. Their loud snores echoed in tandem all the way in the hallway.

I can't wait for them to wake up tomorrow, you snickered to yourself walking to your room.

Your hand reached for your door when a shriek stilled you in your tracks. Thinking it was just a product of your slumbered mind you shook it off. When you heard it again. And again.

You followed the sound arriving at the main entrance to the mansion. You couldn't hear it anymore. Your heart started beating faster the longer you sat in front of the door in the pitch black.

Where is everyone? The guards supposed to be guarding the mansion? What if someone was behind the door? The only people able to protect me are currently cuddled like a happily married couple.

You had to open the door and check if there was truly anything on the other side or it was just the alcohol kicking in. Better to be safe than sorry and check rather than sit in bed awake all night, waiting for a sign to go to war with the spirits of the night.

A shaky hand landed on the door knob, door almost rattling under your touch.

Is this how I meet my end? Alone, single, looking like a snack? Is there no end to my suffering?

Closing your eyes in prayer to all existing gods, you twisted the knob and opened the door with a screech. You waited for the claws of a demon to scratch you, a gun to be pointed at you, a sharp sword at your throat. But all you heard was a sweet whimper followed by a meow.

Breaking an eye open you were met with a dark-furred creature, shiny yellow crystals looking up at you with the same fear you felt. A cat.

Your earlier anxiety dissipated into thin air as if it didn't even exist as you crouched down to the feline with a smile on your face.

"Well, hello there little creature of the night," you cooed, holding your palm out to it. "What are you doing out here in the cold?"

The cat sniffed your hand curiously, before nuzzling its head against it allowing you to pet it. You did so for a while before it jumped up in your lap.

"You're a girl, thank god! There is too much testosterone in this house," you laughed, picking up the cat and shutting the door behind you. "Let's get you some food and warmth, shall we?"

The cat just meowed in response, purring in your arms. For some reason, it felt like she belonged here just like you did when you first came here - like she was bound to find her way here.

Making your way back to the kitchen, you fished out some leftovers from what you cooked. You found some roasted turkey just enough to shred into smaller pieces for her. Placing the food on a small plate with a cup of water next to it, you picked her up and put her on the marble top. She spun around on the surface even more curiously. Once she inspected all corners, she turned to the food and dug in hungrily.

Chin propped up on your hands, you watched as she ate.

"I don't know if you have a name, but I want to give you one. What about Kiiro because your eyes are so yellow?"

The cat looked up from her food disapproving of your suggestion. It's way too late in the night to sit and browse for cat names. You tried wracking your head for another one as you got lost in her beautiful black fur. The moonlight shone through the kitchen window making the ends glow a silvery-blue. She reminded you a lot of Enishi, the same stiff attitude to humans radiating off of her even as she ate.

"I'm going to name you Koru," you grinned at the play on words in your head. The cat lifted her head from her food and meowed in approval.

After she was done, you took Koru and the cup of water and headed to your room. You stopped to check on the boys. Turns out they were still cuddled but face to face now, legs intertwined and arms thrown over each other's waist.

"See Koru, this is what I have to deal with on a daily basis. But now you're here so I should have some semblance of peace."

You reached your room and placed her down on the carpet. She padded around on her small paws sniffing each and every part of the room until she clawed at your bedding.

"You wanna sleep with me? You could use a mini bath first."

Finally, you laid down in bed with Koru. She was clean and smelling just like you after a quick bath in the sink since she was so small. You pet her fur down as she nestled into your side, getting comfortable.

She seemed to like you so far. You were glad that you had someone to share your loneliness with other than the idiots in the other room down the hall.

The last 48 hours were a nuisance. Getting teased left and right like you were a prize to be collected at the end of a battle got to you. Angry, bothered, hopeful, overwhelmed. You couldn't name a single emotion you weren't feeling at the moment. They made sure to put everything into the game they were playing. But so were you.

Sleep well tonight boys.

You're not ready for anything that I cooked up for you.

The morning was soon making her presence known, birds singing cheerfully through the dewy trees. Mornings were a lot colder lately, but luckily the mansion kept the heat inside really well, windows fogging up easily from the built-up of condensation. One room in particular experienced a different kind of warmth.

Enishi slowly came to his senses. A wrenching migraine greeted him, reminding him why he wasn't one to indulge in alcohol. A weird but comforting warmth enveloped him, the weight of a hand on his hair smoothing out the discomfort in his head.

He smiled, moving his face closer to what he could only assume was you. His arms tightened around a wide waist pulling it closer to him. Weird, he thought. He definitely remembered all your curves perfectly from all the times his hands held you.

Nose rubbed against another and he breathed in expecting to be met with your scent. Except, he was met with another scent - a strange combination of vanilla and lavender. He got another whiff trying to remember just where he smelled it before because this wasn't your scent.

Opening his eyes, he was horrified at the view in front of his face. He was cuddling the blonde man tight to his chest like it was you. Smelling him like it was you. Brushing his nose in an eskimo kiss thinking it was you.

Before he knew it a high-pitched scream ripped from his throat, so loud it could probably be heard all the way in the center of Shanghai. You heard it and knew exactly who it belonged to as you woke up with a smirk on your face, laughing grimly inside.

Let the torment begin bitches.

Cho woke up with a scream just as loud, not knowing what he was screaming at until he took notice of the extremely manly hands wrapped around him. Enishi pushed him away so hard he fell off the bed with a thud.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?" yelled Enishi at the blonde who was still on the floor trying to make sense of what was happening.

"THIS IS MY ROOM YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

Enishi was about to crack him in two like a toothpick before he noticed the blonde was right. The covers on the bed were white, not dark blue like his. The whole room had golden motives, similar to your room, except it was more of a beige combination of colours.

"Oh. I was sure I was in my room or hers?" he groaned trying to remember what got him in this situation but his memories were too hazy and mixed up that he couldn't make anything out of them and the growing headache wasn't helping.

"What do you mean hers?" Cho stood up menacingly, ire coursing through his veins. "YOU WANTED TO SLEEP NEXT TO HER? DRUNK OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?"

"Wait, that's not...," he fumbled around for a reason that could explain all of this but all he could do was smile innocently hoping this wouldn't escalate. Only he forgot he was dealing with the most impulsive person on the planet.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you," gritted Cho before dashing to lay his hands on him.

Enishi jumped on the bed trying to evade his attacks and reason with him.

"Let's calm down and find the cause of this and AH! WHY DID YOU SCRATCH ME YOU ANIMAL."

"Don't tell me you didn't want to take advantage of her!"

"I didn't. I was just looking for her."

"In the dead of night with nothing but pure intentions? Cause that sure wasn't the way you dug your filthy hands into my hips."

"Filthy hands?! And what about you? You're not that gentle with the way you squeezed my butt either!"

"Master Enishi, we heard screaming-" voiced Wu, walking inside only to stop in his tracks. His eyes bolted around the room, from the messy sheets to the two flustered men, widening with each new detail he was taking in. "Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"NO! WU! THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK!"

There was no use in explaining as the older man just walked away, meeting you in the hallway just outside the door. He was about to greet you before you shushed him with a cheeky smile, sticking yourself to the wall.

"I should've known it was your doing, madame," he whispered, joining you into eaves-dropping.

"I did nothing. They did this all by themselves," you whispered back.

More accusatory shouting resumed in the room.

"Hold on a minute. Don't you think it's strange its this quiet?"

"What do you mean? We've been yelling so much we probably woke the whole country up-," he stopped speaking when it hit him.

"A certain girl interested in dramatic situations has not made her way here yet."

"You think it's her doing?"

"There's no doubt it is."

You looked at Wu guiltily, turning back to silently run to your room in hopes they didn't know you were there. You shut the door and went into the bathroom letting out the burst of laughter you were holding back.

One thing was for sure. Breakfast was going to be interesting.

They were both sat around the marble island in the kitchen. Enishi nursed a cup of tea hoping it could help with the migraine that got worse after the earlier screaming match with the blonde. Cho sat across from him, gobbling down on some leftovers seemingly unaffected by a hangover.

He felt Enishi's intense stare and lifted his own from his food, making eye contact. He smirked at him teasingly.

The candid and intimate touches shared between the two flooded Enishi's already pained mind. He shuddered at the thoughts, burning them mentally hoping he could scatter the ashes somewhere in the depths of hell.

His thoughts flew to you, trying to reboot his memory of the events that occurred last night. He recalled everything up to you taking him to his room and pulling you on top of him, feeling the need to have you close to him in more ways than just one.

This is why he hated getting drunk. He stops thinking rationally, gets really talkative and really needy. A walking disaster.

"I think she caught up to us," groaned Enishi, rubbing at his temples.

"I don't know what happened to her, but that's not the Miyu I know," agreed Cho at which Enishi just laughed. For once, he did agree with blondie.

"I think we both underestimated her."

"A shitload if I may add," you added walking into the kitchen with a proud smile on your face. "But that cuddle, so affectionate and intimate, you did it to yourselves."

Koru joined you, curling around your feet as you worked on a tea for yourself.

"Am I still drunk or is that a cat I'm seeing?" asked Cho, confused at the feline that spawned herself into the kitchen out of thin air.

"If you're drunk then I am too," said Enishi tilting his head at the ball of fur strutting on the tiled floor. "Miyu, where did that come from?"

You turned around seeing them look at the cat inquisitively.

"Oh, right," you picked Koru up in your arms, petting down her fur. "This is Koru. I found her wandering outside last night and brought her inside."

Enishi studied the feline in your arms. By the looks of it, she had taken a bath too and looked way better and put together than the males in front of you. She even had a collar you probably made yourself out of some red material.

Cho moved to pet her and she purred in satisfaction at being welcomed so warmly. Confident that he won't drop her, you handed her to him while you brewed your tea.

Enishi put a hand against his forehead, shutting his eyes to filter the light that felt too bright.

"We're not keeping the cat, Miyu," he said sternly.

"Oh, come on. It's too cold for her to be roaming outside like this. She doesn't require much, just some food and warmth," you spoke trying to convince him.

"I think I've had enough strays roaming inside," he said, although he instantly regretted the way his words came out because he didn't mean it in that way.

"I honestly don't give two shits. She's staying whether you like it or not," you huffed taking the cat out of Cho's arms. "Besides, if you hate strays so much why don't you kick us out?"

"You know that's not what I meant." He tried reasoning with you but there was no going back now.

"I honestly have no fucking idea what you do mean lately."

"Miyu, come on."

"Talk to me after you sort your shit out," you spat out, grabbing your tea and going back to your room with Koru.

"That was rude, man. I thought you knew better," said Cho trying to add more fuel to the fire as if it wasn't raging enough to be seen from fucking space.

"Do you mind shutting your damn mouth for once?"

"Yes. I do mind."

Enishi got up with a grunt and left the table in the opposite direction. The waters were way too shallow to communicate civilly with anyone in this house right now.

Thank you for reading! As always, likes, comments and reblogs are welcome :)

#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #chapter 9 is hereeeeeee peopleeeeeee

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pauking5 · 10 months

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Addicting Taste Chapter 6

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, slow burn, tooth-rotting fluff

Word count: 8.8k+

A/N: Chapter 6 is finally here! This one was a ride to write. There is a lot of back and forth between Enishi and Miyu's povs and I hope you enjoy the little details plastered around. This is the last fluffy chapter you're gonna get for a while as we venture more into things. Enjoy lovelies.

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You woke up fairly early. The clouds of dawn lighting up the dark blue of his room. The he in question was cuddled into the back of your neck, arms wrapped tightly around your body as if the smallest gust of wind would make you fly away if he let go. Turning your head around you smiled at him, a pout sitting on his face as he looked deep in sleep. He definitely hasn't slept this peacefully in a while, judging by the relaxed crease between his eyebrows that were usually knitted in a frown.

A few strands of damp hair fell over his eyes and you brushed them away, careful not to wake him. After the steamy shower you took together, you sat and talked for the rest of the night. About him, about you, about the world. You debated all kinds of topics, from small things you appreciate about nature to the way the world is so quick to judge people. He sat with his head supported by his arm, listening to you speak your thoughts no matter how ridiculous they sounded.

Last night

"I feel like everyone's rushing to live their life so much that they forget to actually live it," you said gazing at the ceiling.

"Why do you think that?" he inquired.

"Well, look at us. We're hellbent on fulfilling our plans without stopping at nothing. Don't you feel like there's something more out there for us?"

"Like what?"

"Like having a real job that doesn't involve killing. Or taking the time to smell the roses. Or," you stopped as you turned to look at him. You would've said something stupid like love, if it wasn't for the shit eating grin on his face.

"Or what?"

"I'm gonna stop talking if you keep laughing at me," you said annoyed, a chuckle escaping him. Then he suddenly seemed to be in deep thought, your words rolling around in his head as he tried to make sense of them.

He knew where you were coming from. You don't get to enjoy simple things in the rush of seeing revenge be done. He knew how you felt because he felt it too. There were times where he would venture into the village to help out just to feel like he was doing something for himself. He enjoyed doing it because he was helping people out and it made him feel like there was more to life than avenging Tomoe. But the joy was always short lived. The moment he stepped back onto the mansion grounds, he would be bombarded with countless information on the missions he was working on. As much as he wanted things to be different, he needed to stay on the path he chose. He had a duty to his sister first and foremost.

Truth be told, he didn't know what to tell you. He wanted to agree with you and yell at the top of his lungs that he was a free man who could do anything he wanted. Instead, he blamed the universe for the mess he was in, and he blamed himself for not being able to get out of it because it was easier than trying to change things.

"You know that's... not for people like us," he breathed out, a tinge of disappointment present in his voice.

"But you want it to be, don't you?"

"I don't have the luxury to say that," he said flopping onto his back. "If I could go back in time, maybe I would do things differently. But there's no way of knowing that."

"There is," you said making his head turn to you. "Present you has the luxury to change things."

"But present you has a duty to past you, so future you can be happy," he added.

"It doesn't have to be a responsibility to fulfill that duty. You've got a life full of unforeseen circumstances ahead of you. Wouldn't you want to give present you a shot at enjoying it?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "But what I do know is that's enough philosophical thinking for today."

His arms circled around you to pull you closer, a familiar scent of bamboo and jasmine overtaking your senses.

“Can I go sleep in my own bed?”

“Nope.” He snuggled into you. “You’re sleeping here with me tonight.”

————

You blushed at the memory. He was so easy to talk to which was weird considering how everyone else looks at him like he is the most intimidating person. But what he said stuck with you. He had a point. You had your own responsibility to find your parents, even if sometimes you just wanted to stop and do anything else but that. It was cowardly even feeling that way considering all you've done for the past decade was look for them in every hole of the earth. You owed it to yourself to see this through, just like he did with avenging his sister.

Your stomach grumbled bringing you out of your thoughts. You cursed at the fact that you had to sneak out of Enishi's room without waking him up. The hold he had on you tightened the more you moved. Taking a deep breath, you grabbed the hand circled around your torso and lifted it up slowly only to see that it wouldn't budge. His fingers dug into your side, molding into the shape of your ribs. You huffed a breath, moving some hair away from your face. Trying the hand on your other side, you picked it up and tucked it against his side, successfully uncurling the other one as well. You slid off the bed as quietly as possible, feet touching the cold hardwood floors. Lifting up the duvet to cover him, you turned around to leave when a hand on your wrist stopped you.

"Where are you going?" he said groggily, eyes still closed.

"I'm hungry," you whispered.

"Okay."

You wriggled your hand around as he wouldn't let go. He was sprawled across the side of the bed where you were just a few moments ago.

"Can you let go of my hand?"

"If you stay for five more minutes," he pulled on your hand to make you sit on edge of the bed. His head moved from the softness of his pillow to the plush of your thighs. You couldn't help the urge to rake your fingers through his hair. "I could get used to this," he mumbled sleepily, comforted by your massage that slowly lulled him back to sleep.

Little did you know, I could get used to this too.

————

November was making its presence known, the last leaves falling on the ground creating warm coloured piles of maroon and yellow. Sitting down in a chair on the terrace, you admired the sunrise, the morning air crisp on your skin. Birds were chirping in the trees around the garden announcing the arrival of a new day.

It wasn't long until Enishi joined you at the table. He draped a blanket over your exposed shoulders and sat a cup of tea in front of you, taking a seat to your right with a cup of tea of his own. It was little acts of service like these that made you look at him in a different light.

It felt nice, being in each other's presence in the early hours of the morning after spending time talking until the late hours of the night. At the memory of the previous night you felt warmth race to your cheeks. You were trying to convince yourself that it was all in the spur of the moment. That it was a mutual need to release pent up frustration. For you, it was also a need to say what was on your heart.

There was one thing that confused you the more you thought about it, his words replaying in your head.

"You! You matter. You drive me up the fucking wall."

Those words echoed in your head so many times and you couldn't make anything of them. He delivered them to you like a hard wax stamp on a letter, so breathless and emotional. Like he cared, beyond the care he was currently showing you. Once again he broke you out of your thoughts that were becoming too much.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, voice still as husky as it was a few hours ago when he clung to you to make you come back to bed.

"I was thinking about the lack of clothes in my wardrobe," you say sipping on your tea. “I kind of got my only coat, my favorite corset and my really good quality blouse ruined last night.”

“About that. How does a shopping spree in the city sound like?”

“In broad daylight? While the commander in chief’s men are probably still looking for us?”

“You have a point,” he thought hand on his chin. “What if we get disguised?”

“Like what? Grandma and grandpa?” you laughed.

“That’s not entirely a bad idea.”

“Maybe that could work. But I have nothing else to wear out.”

“Come with me,” he stood up and got a hold of your wrist pulling you off your seat.

He brought you back to his room and sat you down on his bed going to his wardrobe in the corner of the room. He pried open the dark oak doors, clothes all but piling on the floor from the release. There was material flying around, seemingly being stuffed inside rather messily.

“You’re a clean freak. Why is your closet like that?”

“As you can see I wear the same clothes all the time because I’m lazy in just that one aspect.” You got off the bed and went to look through what stood intact on the hangers. “Most of them are made from expensive materials and they’re—“

“A nuisance to clean,” you continued for him holding onto a golden kimono that was probably worth more than any garment your parents ever made.

“This is really fine satin so I see your issue. Too bad it’s sitting in this wardrobe gathering dust,” you sighed as you smoothed a hand down the sleeve decorated in dragon motives.

“It doesn’t have to sit in there. You can wear it,” he said taking the hanger and shoving it to you.

“Really?”

“You know more about clothes than I do so if you like something it’s yours to wear,” he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I am moving in here,” you stated, sinking down to the floor to cuddle all the material to your chest. A memory of your childhood days spent in your parents’ atelier came to you as you sniffed the smell of fabric around you.

“Miyu, come out of hiding.”

Your mother was looking for you as you managed to hide away from her for a while. She was currently working on a dress for a really important customer that frequented the atelier. You were playing around in the material storage, going through all the different fabrics that hung off the shelves.

Lotus silk, golden satin and white cashmere popped out at you and you made a mental note to ask your mom if she could combine all of them into one. “The magic makers”, as your father called her hands, could design anything the clients asked, no matter how impossible their requests would sound. If the garment didn't exist she would create it from thin air, using only her inspiration. She never had a problem in delivering exactly what the clients wanted and you admired her hard work.

“I need a hand over here sweetheart,” called your father. You got up from your spot in the corner to make your way to the exit as you of the storage room. Your leg got tangled in the ribbons hanging off the corners of the shelves and you stumbled.

You fell to the floor, materials on the shelves on top of you. Your parents heard the ruckus and rushed over to see what happened only to see you laughing as ribbons got stuck in your hair. The only thing that could be seen among the sea of fabric was you small head. They wanted to scold you but they couldn’t help but laugh with you at the mess you caused.

You zoned out as you recalled the memory and the good days. Enishi saw you looked deep in thought as your face fell, the small trace of a tear making its way down your cheek. He knelt beside you on the floor and waved a hand in front of your face to make you snap out of it but it didn’t seem to work. He shook you by your shoulders and his words finally seemed to register in your ears.

“Miyu! Hey, you okay?”

“Huh, yeah.” You wiped away the few tears rolling down your face and put on your best smile.

“You sure? We can hold off shopping for a while if you don’t feel up to it.”

“No,” you said placing your hands on his that were still resting around your shoulders. “We have to go get some clothes before the cold comes.”

You didn’t even realise you used the word ‘we’ until it was already out of your mouth. He was the one who used it the most and it seemed to rub off on you the more time you spent together.

“Well then what do we wear?”

“Give me a second.”

You picked up a worn down cotton kimono and turned to him making quick work of taking off his usual blue one, leaving him in only his tank top.

“If you wanted me to get naked you could've just asked” he teased and you smacked his arm.

“Just shut up and turn around,” you gestured.

He did as you said and you placed the dark blue kimono on his shoulders, helping him get dressed. He turned around and you could feel him look at you as you tied up the strings at the front. The intensity of his gaze made a breath hitch in your throat. Being this close to him always made your heartbeat pick up speed and you hated it.

Once you finished, you smoothed a hand over the material and stepped back so you could see the look. The cotton kimono was the best thing you could ever pick for him. His gray hair added an old air to the overall look and you giggled.

“What’s so funny?” he deadpanned.

“You really do look the grandpa part you know,” you continued giggling.

He picked up another kimono, that was in a better condition than the one he was wearing. He put it over your shoulders, tucking the shirt you were wearing inside your pants, so he could tie it up. The beige satin sat comfortably on you.

“Now you can be the grandma to my grandpa.”

“That sounds cringe. No, thank you.”

“Can I do your hair?"

“What do you wanna do to my hair?”

He sat on the edge of his bed calling you over to sit down. You cocked an eyebrow at him, suspicious of his intentions, but you decided to see what he had in mind. You went and sat down on the floor, back pressed against the bed as his legs spread out around you. He let your hair down from the messy bun you quickly pulled it into and grabbed a comb to untangle the knots, brushing your hair so gently that it felt almost therapeutic. He separated your hair into three strands and started what you assumed to be a braid.

He can braid? Ah, wait. He had a sister. He probably did her hair a lot.

You smiled at thought. He definitely got the caring side from her. The more he showed you this other side of himself, the more you thought she did a great job raising him. They were just two kids against the world, trying to survive whatever life threw at them.

He gently tilted your head to sit on his thigh while he worked on your long hair. You played with your hands, unsure of what he was actually doing with your hair. From the way his hands worked around your difficult hair you could tell he was doing something more complicated than a braid.

“There,” he said patting down your hair.

You got up and went to the mirror next to his dresser, a gasp of shock coming out of your mouth. He braided your hair in a crown, with the longer pieces pulled into a normal braid. The smaller baby hairs sat untucked framing your ears and your cheekbones. The beige kimono added a vintage touch to your look and you looked like you worked the kitchen at some high esteemed mansion. Well, you did but not in that way.

“Do you like it?” he asked unsure of your reaction.

“I love it. Thank you,” you said, a blush creeping up on your cheeks.

“You look like…”

“A princess?”

“Like a grandma,” he chuckled. You went to smack him for the third time today as he dodged you around the room, laughter bouncing off the dark walls. There was only one thought bouncing around his mind.

You look beautiful. I just can't say it to you yet.

You got a hold of his kimono's collar and pulled him to you too harshly, ending up on top of his bed. His hands caged you and he tried to resist the urge to lean down and kiss you. Your eyes locked on each other's, unwilling to break away. His brown orbs bore into you, the blue outline around them reflecting with the light filtering in the room.

"We should go," you both started at the same time giggling at how in sync you were. He got up first lending you a hand to help you up too.

"Let's go."

—————————

You travelled with the farmer again. A convoy of black carriages heading into the city had the biggest 'capture me now' sign on them. Laying low was your best shot at staying under the radar for your short visit so you were thrilled the farmer could give you a ride.

You hope your disguises would work at least until it got darker. You found a handkerchief in Enishi's closet that you tied around your head so most of your features were covered. He had his glasses on and fixed his hair so it looked messier than it actually was. You could say you looked the old part.

The carriage came to a halt at the side of a bridge. You got off with the help of Enishi and thanked the farmer. He was going to be back after delivering his produce to the next market somewhere after the sun sets, which should give you enough time to find some clothes.

You looked around at the place, feeling a strange familiarity about it. It felt like you knew this place. You caught sight of a dusted sign that read the entry to the market in bold red letters.

“This is the famous Fabric Market?” you gasped. Your parents always talked about it being the fashion centre in these parts. There was no fabric or textile in the world that you wouldn’t be able to find in here.

“It is. You know it?”

“My parents used to talk about it a lot.”

“Let's see what we can find before nightfall.”

You whizzed through about a hundred stands filled with typical traditional Chinese clothing. The hanfus on the racks were way too showy and uncomfortably looking, while the qipaos were way too extravagant. The entourage you were currently rolling with required practical clothes you could fight in, not ball gowns. Besides, if you needed something like that you had Enishi's permission to raid his wardrobe.

Finally, you found a more western looking booth filled with cotton blouses and practical pants that were more your style. You went and picked out a few, the lady in charge looking at you weirdly. You smiled at her, bringing the bandana over your head closer to hide your face, while Enishi paid for the clothes.

"I hope that's not all you plan on getting," he pointed to the small bag in your hand.

"Am I supposed to get something else?"

"Are you sure you're a girl? How come you haven't gotten at least one dress?"

"I don't like dresses. They're not practical to fight in."

"I don't have any dresses for you to borrow in case we have a mission at a select event."

"Are you saying we have one?"

"Maybe?"

"What the hell! When were you going to tell me? A day before we were going?"

"That's the main reason I brought you here but I didn't think you wouldn't get anything remotely girly."

You hated dresses. You knew it was a crime to say that considering who your parents were. The biggest downside to being the daughter of a tailoring couple was having to dress up nicely. All. The. Fucking. Time. Be it you were studying with one of the maids, playing in the garden, being at the atelier. You had to look the part, ribbons in your hair and low heel pumps included.

Being a Hikari was both a blessing and a curse to say the least.

Suddenly, you were pushed into a store by Enishi. Looking around you wanted to puke. There were dresses upon stacks of dresses from the entrance to the far back, all kinds of materials piled up on each other. You turned around trying to leave but a strong arm on your shoulder stopped you and before you could say something the lady at the till came over to you.

"That's a very nice kimono you're wearing," she chirped.

If looks could torture Enishi would have been in immense pain right now. He was enjoying your suffering a whole lot right now, chuckling as you struggled to contain your rage. You settled for a silent fuck you mumbled through your teeth and plastered a polite smile on your face as you turned to back to the woman.

"Thank you," you chirped back to her in the same annoying tone.

"We have a selection that will probably suit your taste over to this side," she said as she dragged you along the store pointing to every piece she thought you would like.

She brought about thirty pieces in the small try on cabin. You tried on most of them on, sorting them in categorized piles on the floor, ranging from unfitting to ones you deemed illegal to even be woven. Some didn't even fit you as the bust sizes were way too big, the melons on your chest floating around in the breast cups. The others were way too flashy for your tastes or anyone elses. You didn't know how long you've been moping in the cabin until a slightly irritated Enishi called out to you from the other side.

"Miyu, come out of there and let me see at least one of them on you."

"But it looks awful," you huffed.

"I'm sure it doesn't look that bad."

You sighed and opened the door to the cabin, stepping outside to the space where he was sitting. His eyes shifted to you and you swore you saw his eyes bulge out of their sockets.

You were wearing a red qipao with a golden dragon running up the open slit of the dress. The silk material was flowy around your legs so it wouldn't restrict too much of your leg movement. On the other side of your bust a golden phoenix curled around your bust, a small stone sewn into its eye just above your chest. You liked the detail but it felt uncomfortable to sit in it like a mannequin.

"I told you it looks bad," you huffed getting ready to hide back inside the cabin.

"You look beautiful." You looked at him, sincerity pooling out from his eyes. He had a hand clasped on his mouth, the compliment most likely climbing out of his mouth against his will.

"She does indeed," said the woman walking closer to you. She twirled you around on each side to get a good look at you. "I knew you would like it. This is a handcrafted wedding qipao."

"A WHAT?" You and Enishi said at the same time. His ears were burning redder than the garment you were wearing.

"Are you not looking to get married? This is mostly a shop for wedding dresses. I also assumed you were a couple, despite your really poor attempt at an old couple disguise."

"We are leaving," you say turning to the cabin to gather your things and change out of the dress.

Enishi beckoned the lady over and asked her to pack the dress up. He didn't know why but he wanted to get it for you. Forgetting the whole wedding dress symbol, he loved the way it looked on you. It was made for you, no matter how much you tried to deny it. While waiting for the lady to pack up the dress, he spotted a coat on a mannequin behind the till. It was lined with white fur and the silk on top was woven with silver embroidery. It was exactly your style.

"Is that one for sale?"

"It is! You have good taste."

You went out before him, angry at his idiocy. The want to strangle him went beyond any murderous urge you ever had. Not only did he take you to try on dresses even after you told him how bad you hated them, but he failed to notice that it was a wedding dress store. He also managed to blow your covers in the process.

"Don't be mad at me... But I got you the dress."

"I will burn it."

"I paid good money for it. So if you won't wear it," he held the bag to you, "at least keep it. I also got you a coat so please just take it."

He awkwardly shifted on his feet, waggling the bag in front of you until you took it with a huff. You weren't going to waste money unnecessarily. At least you could revamp it into another dress with scraps from your old clothes. But he didn't need to know that.

————

The night was just about to set, lanterns hanging above the stone sidewalk to light up the market. The sweet sound of a guzheng being strummed filled your ears as you walked around some more. Three ladies sat on the floor in traditional clothes, playing their instruments. People stopped to look at them and you joined in to listen.

Enishi walked around the rest of the stalls on the street, keeping you in his sight. He stopped by a jewelry stand absentmindedly looking around.

"She's a pretty one that one," a woman spoke from behind the stand. He hummed at her not willing to make conversation but she continued pushing.

"Are you a couple?"

Why does everyone keep asking that?

"We're not." He looked around at the stuff on her stall spotting some handmade jewelry. Just when he was about to walk away, a pair of red bracelets called out to him. He picked them up inspecting the red string sitting around an intricate knot of a darker red shade.

"You have a good eye. Those are a symbol of the red string of fate."

"The witch in the village tried to sell me something like this too." He recalled the times he went into the village to help around or just to shop, only to have her pestering him with those bracelets.

"I don't know who that is but they were right in doing that. I can sense that something connects you and the girl over there."

He looked back at you to see you swaying along to the melody sung by the women on the instruments, clapping your hands along with the rest of the people gathered around. The lanterns above just turned on and they illuminated your face just enough for him to spot the soft smile on your lips. He swore he never saw anything more beautiful than the scene before his eyes.

"Destiny knows you will walk the path together, as much as both of you try to push against it. The path may stretch and tangle like the knot on the bracelets. But you will never stray away from each other."

It was true that he felt something for you. The last time he tried to decipher it he went berserk and lashed out on you, so he decided to keep them stored away in the farthest corner of his mind. But the more time he spent with you he found them struggling to get out of that box.

He felt giddy whenever you flashed him that smile, the real genuine one you normally gave him while you were training. He felt cared for whenever you left him half of the food you made for yourself, even if it was just some pudding made quickly because you craved it. He felt less lonely when you checked his office to see whether he was alive or not, staying to help him work on his maps or annoying him about the smallest things. As much as he tried to push these feeling away he knew they would keep coming. He might as well indulge in them and see where they could go.

"I'll take them," he said, pulling out his money only to get stopped by the lady.

"They're on the house," she said as she closed his fingers around the small bracelets. "You can pay for packaging though."

"Pack hers only."

He fiddled with the red ribbon on the box as he made his way back to you. He needed to find a good moment to give it to you. His already sat around his wrist. It was the perfect size, almost like it was made for him.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” you turned around to him. “Wait. Are you not getting anything for yourself?”

“I’ve got everything I need,” he smiled.

————————————————

Sword fighting was both an art and a torture to learn, especially after spending a whole day shopping. Enishi insisted you start your training before the next mission so in case of anything you could defend yourself with something other than your gun.

He brought out a twin set of jian swords, the ones with the red tassel you held a couple days ago in his office. He showed you a few basic moves, from the normal slash cut to thrusting your sword forwards in a stable manner. He was not holding back on flaunting his strength, even if it was something as simple as doing a horizontal cut. He even taught you how to knock off your enemy with just the hilt, a small trick he deemed good to know in any situation.

The hard part was when you tried out the moves. You couldn’t balance the sword with both hands but he managed to do it so effortlessly with just one. It pissed you off that he was so good at everything.

He noticed you struggling so he placed his sword on the floor and moved to correct your posture. His hands reached out to sit on your hips, directing your body into a diagonal line. They moved to your shoulders to straighten your back, then lowering to your forearms to position the sword in a better hold. He stepped back and you looked at him expectantly, hoping you were doing it right this time. He nodded with a hum, a toothy smile breaking on your face.

Once you got a hold of some of the moves, you started sparring with him. Your muscles burned with the intensity of every move Enishi instructed you to use to block his hits. You didn't pay attention and he knocked the sword from your hand, tip of his blade sitting at your throat slightly lifting your chin. You gulped as he smirked at you. He was enjoying this a little too much.

You went back to sparring, trying to hit his sword only to get pushed back. You could tell he was only using half of his usual force but it still made it hard for you to try and respond to his attacks. Just holding the sword tired you out, not to talk about the need to put your energy into a swipe of the blade.

“Time-out. I need a minute.”

You laid down on the ground, muscles spasming a little too violently. There was no way you could keep up with him even if you practiced for decades.

“You okay?” he knelt down beside you and started massaging your limbs.

"Saw stars for a second. What are you doing?"

"You can't just lay down after intense physical effort. You could pass out or worse, get irreparable damage to your muscles."

"How do you know all this? Oh, wait. I forgot you're the sword master extraordinaire," you said at which he laughed.

"I know because I felt it on my own skin. I would be mad not to do something if I can help it."

"Well, I do appreciate the free massage." He lightly grazed the back of your knee, tickling you. "Enishi! Stop it!"

He continued tickling you until you got up and chased him around the garden. He found refuge from you by climbing up one of the trees, tongue poking out at you. The tree was too tall and sturdy to be climbed in your current exhausted condition.

"Get down from there."

"Nope."

"Enishi, stop being such a child."

"Teasing you is the highlight of my day."

"Oh, really? How would you like me to tease you by setting your precious maps on fire?"

"HEY! HEY! They haven't done anything wrong."

"But you have. Now get down from there AND LET ME SMACK YOU!"

“Definitely not.”

“I’m leaving.”

“To your room?”

“To Japan," you said as you showed him your middle finger.

——————————

Bubbles were softly popping around you as the warm water engulfed your sore body. You were finally taking a well deserved bath. The sword training drained you beyond your powers and you needed to recharge your batteries somehow. The peace and quiet in the foggy bathroom was pure serenity. However, it was disturbed pretty quickly when Enishi all but burst inside without knocking.

"Can you shoot long-range guns?"

Well that was out of the blue.

"Technically, yes. Practically, I wouldn't know until I tested the guns myself. Why?"

"I need an eye in the sky for our next mission. We're infiltrating the base of another mafia for information and a few more resources."

"I can go by the storage later and see what works," you said. He nodded and left for the door as you released a breath happy to be back in peace in quiet. That was until he came back in, this time a smirk plastered on his face.

"Mind if I join?"

"Get out."

This was your precious time to yourself. As much as you would have him here with you any other time you felt funky but this was not one of them. You enjoyed his company but you needed time away from each other too. A girl can handle only so much sweat dripping down his toned muscles in a day.

"Are you sure?" he taunted coming closer to sit on the edge of the tub.

I will not indulge you. I refuse to indulge you. I need my girl time.

"Yes, now please get out. This is my me time—" he cut you off as he threw off his clothes and jumped in, splashing your face in the process. The water in the tub overflowed, spilling over the edge and wetting the small foot rug on the floor.

It was like the heavens were against you being alone in your own peace. You didn't know how much you could resist holding back from ripping his head off its trunk.

"Enishi. Get the fuck out!"

"But it's nice and warm and are those bubbles?" he popped a big bubble that was sitting on top of your knee.

"Oh, lord."

There was definitely no way to go back from it now. The moment his legs touched yours it felt like electricity sparked under water. You leaned your head back on the edge of the tub and sank back in the water, trying to stretch your legs around his. You tried to avoid further contact only for his hand to sneakily catch hold of your legs, spreading them around him. You cracked one eye open only to see that stupid smirk of his still on his lips.

"What are you plotting now, besides disrupting my peace?"

"Nothing."

His fingers said something else as they lightly massaged your calves. He was so good at this. As annoying as his teasing felt there were also moment where his touch would relax you and make you feel like you were on a cloud. It was like a drug to you too, burning into your skin when his intentions were less decent. You hated how his touches lingered around for hours and it made you crave more and more. And that wasn’t a good sign.

"You could've been an amazing masseur," you chuckled.

"I'd rather do it for people that really deserve it."

"Am I one of them?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

He did have a point. He was being really affectionate with you lately and it both confused and overwhelmed you. The night you slept together was imprinted not just on your mind. Your body wanted a repeat of it. Your kept fantasizing about him and you couldn't stop it no matter how hard you tried to push those shameless thoughts away. Plus, the fact that he was here, in close proximity to you, softly stroking your legs drove you crazy. And he seemed to take notice as you drew in a sharp breath the higher his hand hitched up your leg.

"Don't start," you said barely above a whisper.

"Start what?"

"You know damn well what."

You tried yanking your leg away only to get pulled closer to the middle of the tub. He moved to cage you in his space, hands firmly gripping your waist.

"I take it I'm bothering you?"

"N-no," you coughed, averting your gaze away from him. He rubbed circles into your sides, the water doing little to stop the shivers running up your spine. You hated how quick you turned to putty in his hands.

"Are you afraid of me, Miyu?"

"Of course not," you snapped your eyes back to him trying to read his intentions.

What kind of question is that? Why is he suddenly playing mind games?

He studied your face before leaning in to catch your lips in a kiss. It's been too long since he felt you this close and he wanted you closer. Your hands raked through his scalp, tugging at it as the kiss turned sloppy, rushed breaths turning the air steamier than it already was.

You leaned back in the tub dragging him on top of you. His hands took hold of the edge to support him so he wouldn't lean his whole weight on you, head craning down to devour you. Your nails clawed at his back to pull him closer to you and he obliged. One of his hands stroked down your thigh, looking for your entrance. Once he found it, he entered you, both of you unwilling to wait for foreplay.

The water moved around you, bubbles turning to foam from the force of his thrusts. You wanted to feel him even closer so you hoisted a leg around his waist, tugging him forwards. It threw him off balance, palms sliding off the edge of the bathtub. One of them quickly settled beside your head, while the other clutched onto the water tap. His hand wrapped around it, using it as a lever to push deeper into you. You were near your release, heartbeat pounding in your head, when you heard the screech of the water tap breaking off its hinges. The pressure of Enishi's hand was so strong that it broke the golden pipe attached to the bath tub. You pulled apart to look at the pipe sitting in his hand, eyes widened in shock.

"Did you just-"

"Yeah...," he exhaled eyes stuck on the golden item.

In one brisk move, he threw it backwards and you watched it hit the floor.

"I guess you're gonna be showering in my room for a while," he smirked leaning back to your lips.

Your bathtub time was cut short but you didn't really mind it. If it was like this you would have him barge in any time. He got up and stepped out of the tub, back muscles flexing as he picked up a towel from the pile on the sink. You found yourself drooling at the sight.

To be fair, I wouldn't mind another round.

He picked up his clothes from the floor and made a move for the door before you stopped him. You panicked as you remembered the broken water tap which meant you couldn't finish washing up. You called after him.

"Could you at least help me out?" you asked, making puppy eyes at him. The soreness from training and your earlier adventure left you too spent to move and your body was slowly pruning up from sitting in the tub for too long.

"Ah, so you want me here now," he taunted. He made a move to you once your puppy eyes turned murderous.

Picking up a bath robe he hung it on his shoulder as he walked to you. He waited for you to drain the rest of the water and then he wrapped it around your body. He placed a small kiss on your shoulder before picking you up from the tub. You couldn't help but lean your head on his shoulder. You looked up at him feeling nothing but grateful. It was moments like these that made you see him in a new light, and you realised he did it again. He made your heart flutter.

"Where to madame?"

"A shower could do considering you broke the water tap."

"Say no more," he said and started dashing to his own room down the hall as you laughed at him.

"If you haven't noticed we are naked. What if someone sees us?"

"I don't give two fucks."

"Does someone have a voyeurism kink?"

"I don't think you actually want to see what my kinks are, madame. Although, I do think yours are wilder than anything I could ever have in mind."

You're not wrong about that.

——————————

After you finished rinsing the leftover shampoo from your hair you went to the arms storage. It was a mess to say the least. Hundreds of weapons and cartridges were just laying around wherever there was space. You went through so much trouble to get them only for them to be tossed around all over the place.

You rolled up your sleeves and got to work, starting with the smallest pistols. You cleaned up a table for each category, from short to longer distance guns, setting the magazines under them in rows.

Once the bigger rifles were set on their hangers you cleaned a table to wipe the smaller ones. Enishi was passing by the arms storage and saw the door slightly open. He peeked in, leaning on the door frame as he watched you wipe the pistol parts in your hand until they were sparkling clean. You then checked the barrel and the magazine for any residue, swiftly reassembling the gun. You finished up and tested the hand grip, loading a few bullets and aiming the gun at a target on the wall. The shot echoed through the room, bullet hitting the target in the middle.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Enough to be at peace that you know what you're doing. What kind is that one?" he spoke up, walking closer to you.

"This is a dragon firearm. It's practical in short range but the aim is a bit off. It's more of a display gun," you smoothed a hand over the golden dragon carved on the muzzle. "Wanna give it a try?"

He was taken aback at your request as he was more of a blade person. The few times he held a gun were foggy in his mind. He wasn't even sure how it worked. You noticed his reluctance and stepped closer to him, taking his hand to place the firearm in it.

"It's easy. You just take a hold of the grip," you put his hand around the gun, "and set on the trigger. Then you aim," you moved his forearm, your own on top of his to direct it towards the target. You felt him tense under your hold, smirking as you leaned closer to his ear to whisper. "And you pull the trigger."

He fired the gun and the bullet ricocheted off to the side of the target. You laughed prying yourself away from him as he placed the gun down on the table.

"Now you know how I feel when you train me," you said unloading the pistol to wipe it again and store it away.

"Fair enough." He looked around to see the storage way cleaner than it would normally be. "You didn't have to do all this."

"It was no big deal. I was getting bored anyway," you shrugged. "Ah, I tested the rifles. Most of them are single shot weapons so they don't hold more than a single round of bullets. But," you picked up a shorter rifle, "this one should work. It's a bigger version of the normal Colt revolver."

You turned to him to see him look lost. The words you said went in through one ear and came out of the other as he was too busy admiring your gun knowledge. Waving a hand in front of his face you pulled him back to earth.

"You're amazing," he uttered breathlessly.

"What?"

"I mean at guns. With guns. Like a gunlord." He wasn't one to give compliments so it confused you a little.

"Uh, thank you."

"Briefing for the mission in my office later. Be there," he said making a quick beeline for the door, leaving you there dumbfounded.

———————————

You were stationed on top of a hill, hiding among the line of trees. The mafia base down below was heavily guarded, despite being just a couple of rusty barracks. You monitored both the base and the rest of the gang as they advanced down through the forest. You were in a spot easily noticeable for him, being able to signal if shit went sideways and there was a possibility of them being ambushed.

However, no one was covering you. Enishi made you carry a sword with you just in case you run out of bullets again, which happened a lot more recently. You were still no master at the weapon, having only had one training session with it, but you prayed it wouldn't come to using it because you would need a miracle to power through with it.

You joined your hands and called down to Enishi using the coos of an owl. It was a trick your father taught you. His head turned to you and you signaled the coast was clear. He beckoned his crew forwards to the middle barrack and entered while you scanned the area through the visor. You spotted a few men heading towards the barrack. Aiming, you waited for the wind to stop blowing and took the shot, taking out three of them.

It's been quite a while since the crew went inside. You spotted another quartet heading straight for the middle base and shot them down. A few more rows ran to inspect the commotion and you tried clearing them out as best you could, loading and unloading the magazine at lightning speed.

The crew came out with some weapons they stole and what looked like a hostage. You threw Enishi an okay sign that everything was good when a surprise blow came from behind you, throwing you against the bark of a nearby tree. Your dropped the gun during the hit and you saw it flying down the hill. Enishi bolted up the hill to get to you before it could be too late.

You quickly got up and got a hold of the sword attached to your back. You mentally thanked Enishi for the extra thoughtful gesture and got in a fighting stance. The man who pushed you was a brute, two heads taller than you. He must’ve been the guard dog of the base.

He launched at you with a sword of his own bringing the blade down on you, but you managed to duck and roll out of the way. You tried attacking but he was too fast. He moved to stab you and he might have succeeded if it wasn’t for Enishi stepping in between you, raising the sword you were holding to push him away. He took hold of your sword running to fight off the brute. They struggled and he used the hilt of the sword to knock him out cold at least until you managed to get out of there.

You were looking down at the ground, head down in embarrassment and anger. You couldn’t protect yourself, needing Enishi to come to your rescue once again. It made you feel weak and disgusted at yourself the more you stared at your hands, wishing they were capable of more. Wishing that you could just wake up one day with more strength than you had now, able to do more to help. Enishi had no use for you if you couldn't match his pace or the gang's.

He checked that the brute was knocked out cold and ran back to you checking you for any injuries. He was relieved to see only a minor cut on your cheek. He cupped your face to get a better look at the superficial wound but you moved your head away from his hold. You couldn't be this close to him right now after you failed to protect them.

“I’m fine,” you muttered. You went and looked for the gun thrown in the bushes and once you found it you slung it over your shoulder, heading towards the carriages.

You didn’t speak a word on the way back, staring out of the window as thoughts swirled in your head. You were mad at yourself for a lot of things, but especially for the fact that you couldn’t use another weapon or fight better. It felt like everything you learned for the past few weeks just evaporated into thin air. All because you got surprised and couldn't check your surroundings properly before stationing yourself on the hill. All because you were more confident in having a gun at your side than anything else.

Enishi tried to get you to talk but all he get in response to his questions were mumbles and absent-minded nods. He gave up asking and just let you wallow in your self-pity.

All you wanted to do was lock yourself in your room away from everything and that was your direction before you got pulled by Wu to the basement along with everyone else to interrogate the man they captured. You didn't know why you needed to be present too but Wu insisted that everyone had to be there.

You entered the poorly lit room and saw the man tied to a chair, his head lolling around as he slowly came to. You didn't really want to look at him but the chuckle that came out of his mouth prompted you to. You heard that chuckle before loud and clear and your eyes snapped to his face. There was something about it, too familiar to forget and too strange to remember, but when his eyes focused on you and a sneer graced his ugly face it finally hit you.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon, kiddo."

The colour drained from your face. The last time you heard that nickname was back when your parents were still around. You stumbled to a nearby wall to lean on it as memories of the man flooded your mind. He used to be a really loyal customer of your parents, coming around at least a few times a week on business with your father. He always called you that awful nickname, petting your head as you tried hard to keep your disgust inside for your parents sake. Him and your father would go behind the shop to discuss whilst his wife sat and talked with your mom. She was a rather annoying person, her high pitched voice scratching your ears worse than chalk on a board. Your mom never liked them.

The man smirked at you and was about to continue speaking until Enishi walked in the room. He felt something was off by the way you were clenching your fists by your side, eyes throwing daggers into the man tied on the chair. He wanted to ask if you knew him but the man spoke before he could.

"You look just like your mother. Well, she looks a little damaged now."

You wanted to know where she was. You wanted to know where your father was. You wanted to know what happened to them. But all you could muster was pure anger in the storm of thoughts in your mind. It clouded every rational resolve you previously had as you grabbed the collar of his blood-stained white shirt pulling him towards you.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

"It's a surprise she's still alive after the torture we put her through. And your father," he laughed, " he was so keen to protect her even after being beaten up over and over. It was a really entertaining show to watch."

"You have no right to talk about them," you yelled launching yourself at him. You punched his face hard, using all the pent up anger from all the years you spent looking for the people who took your parents. They were under your nose the whole time placing false leads to cover their tracks.

"They helped you and that bitch of your wife even when they had nothing themselves."

You were young but you weren't stupid not to notice the anger on your mother's face every time they left the atelier. Your father gave them money almost every week they came over. They begged their way into his good heart that they were in debt and needed help and your father was too blind to see that. The man was always dressed in the finest silks and his wife always had a collier around her neck adorned with precious gems. They definitely weren't in need of charity.

They would get their money even when the atelier was running low on profits as your father scrambled around for scraps. You hated that your parents were good people and failed to notice that they were being used.

Your attention returned to the man on the chair as you punched him again and again, not caring about the scabs forming on your knuckles. The blood on your knuckles mixed with his as it poured from his broken nose onto the concrete floor. All he could do was laugh as you hit his face repeatedly. The faint glimmer of something red around his neck reflected off the dim lights and you stopped. Your hand moved from his face to clasp the chain around his neck to get a better look.

Mom's necklace.

"That whore fought so hard to keep it around her neck. It looks better on mine, don't you think?" he smiled, blood smeared on his teeth.

You pulled the necklace harshly off his neck as tears threatened to spill from your eyes. You wanted to resume your earlier punching but Enishi pulled you away before you could lay your hands on him again. You could kill him if he didn't stop you and he needed to get information from him, as much as he wanted to break his body apart and feed it to the wolves for what he put you through.

"You're not getting out of here alive. I'll make fucking sure of that," you spat as Enishi tried to drag you away.

"You're nothing but a whore just like her."

Enishi let go of you to land a punch of his own on the man's face, knocking him out cold again. He wasn't going to let anyone speak to you that way. You couldn't comprehend anything that happened in the last few minutes so you did the best you could in this situation and ran away to your room. Enishi told Wu to keep an eye on the man as he ran after you.

You sprinted to your room, too many thoughts swimming in your head. Enishi was calling after you trying to get you to stop but you didn't hear him. You couldn't hear him.

You locked yourself in your room and he knocked desperately on the door trying to talk to you but all he got in response was silence. He figured you needed some time to yourself and once you heard him walk away, you finally allowed yourself to break down.

Mom was alive.

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Thank you for reading! As always, comments, likes and reblogs are always welcome :)

#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #enishi yukishiro x you #enishi yukishiro x reader #rurouni kenshin

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pauking5 · 10 months

Text

Addicting Taste Chapter 7

Pairing: Enishi Yukishiro x reader oc

Genre: strangers to lovers, sunshine and sunshine protector, comedic relief, angst, slow burn, some fluff if you squint

Word count: 11.4k+

A/N: This chapter is probably the bane of my existence. All I'm going to say is that it's one of my favorites and I am so proud of it. I hope Enishi figures his feelings out sooner or later. Hope you like it. Enjoy lovelies, Paula.

Now Playing: run for the hills by Tate McRae

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Anger, fear and pain.

That was all you could feel as you laid on the floor in front of your bed. They had a boxing match in your head, throwing different thoughts into the middle of the ring to see which one had the most impact and could come up on top to win.

The anger argued that you had every right to go back in the basement and rip the man's head off. To pull out his guts with your bare hands as he would watch in horror. But that was Barairo talking. That wasn't you. She yelled at you to let her out the minute you laid your hands on his collar to show him just as psychopathic you could get. You tried to keep her away as much as you could but the second your eyes laid on your mom's necklace around his neck you wanted to throw the door to her prison cell open wide and let her devour everything in her sight.

And you almost did. If it wasn't for Enishi's hand latching around your hand to ground you and bring back to earth. Your eyes found his, pleading for destruction only to get refused by a wary shake of his head. You suddenly felt self-conscious as you registered that all the eyes in the room were directed at you with a mix of confusion and pity, the feeling you hated the most in the world because that was the only thing present in people's eyes every time they looked at you. Whether it was begging for food on the street or fighting in the rings, it was always there, reminding you that you had no safe place to call yours in the world anymore. That everything you knew was gone and you only had yourself to blame.

The fear insisted that it was all because you couldn't do more to prevent any of this happening. Your parents disappearing. The massacre written in the walls of the place you called home. Not being able to finish the job when you had the chance at your feet. All because you were scared and weak. You couldn't fight for them just like you couldn't fight for yourself back there on the hill when Enishi had to step in and save you. Or back at the casino where you almost got injured fatally because you couldn't pay attention to the world around you.

You tried to put on your bravest front when you trained with him, masking all of that fear even when you felt insecure about your lack of skills. You tried your hardest in training, but whenever you went one step forwards, you would fall four steps behind when it came to the real thing. It was the fear that made you run away, trying to hide yourself away in hopes no one could find you. Even if it meant hiding yourself in the depths of your soul.

In the end, the pain was the only one that could win the fight. It was the only thing you felt as you laid on the cold wooden floors staring at the ceiling day and night, clasping your mother's necklace close to your chest. Time stopped for you in that basement. The hands on the clock ceased their ticking as you drowned the sound out with your cries or your fits of rage directed at things in the room. that would end up all over the floor. The jungle of thoughts in your head was making you lose yourself and the only thing keeping you from spiralling was the hope that you would hear something about your mom.

I need you, mom. I don't know what to do without you. Please come back to me. Please tell me what to do to find you.

You couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't train. You couldn't function at all. These thoughts seemed to be the only ones keeping you sane enough in the confines of your room.

The only times you did leave your room was to knock on Enishi's office door to ask if he had any new information about your mother, be it any small speck of a lead on her whereabouts, her state or if your father was alive too. But the answer was the same each time.

He won't talk.

Enishi hated the way you looked more broken each time you came by. He tried to get you out of your room. He would bring you food and leave it outside of your door at lunch only to find it still there by dinner. He tried to get you to train but you refused to even hear it. The light in your eyes dimmed the more you stayed locked in your room and he was running out of ideas to get the you he knew back.

He tried to make that son of a bitch talk but he just wouldn't budge, no matter what torture techniques he tried with him. He wanted to have something to give you whenever you came around to keep you with him longer but every time he tried changing the subject you would run away back to your room.

-----------

After two days of moping around in your room you finally decided to start training again. You needed to get better if you wanted to find your parents any time soon and strengthening your skills was the starting point.

Enishi saw your determination as you pulled him out of his office to train with you at random hours of the day or night. But he also saw that you were pushing yourself way too much. You wanted to get better but he wouldn't sit there and watch you hurt yourself like that willingly. So, whenever he refused training with you it was for the sake that you would take a break yourself. But you kept going. Whether it was raining or it was too cold to be outside you were there practicing with the sword until you got it right.

Last night it was raining heavily, the garden grounds turning to sloshy mud. But the storm inside of your heart was louder and more menacing than any rain mother nature could bring. Your clothes were soaked and stuck to you uncomfortably, hair wet like you just took a bath. With a solid grip on your sword you practiced thrusting until that one attack came out perfectly. You did it over and over, until the mud around you made it harder to continue.

-------

Waking up this morning was pure agony. You got a few hours of sleep from exhausting yourself enough to feel like you could fall asleep peacefully. It felt like the room was caving in on you and all you wanted to do was beg whatever force put you on this earth to take you back and leave you there if it meant that the throbbing in your body could stop, even for a little while. But you had to get up and go back to training because Enishi finally agreed to train with you again. It took a lot of convincing to get back to it together so you couldn't kick it away just because you didn't feel 100%.

The duvet around you was doing little to keep the warmth in as the room felt way too cold for your liking. You got out of bed with a groan, all of your muscles aching as you trudged to the bathroom with slow steps. Stopping in front of the mirror you took a look at yourself. If this was a zombie movie you would have gotten the lead role. The dark circles around your eyes looked like a raccoon's, a dark contrast to the paleness of your face. It scared you to look at yourself and the hollowness that consumed the light in your eyes.

You shook your head and turned on the tap, slapping some cold water on your face to make yourself look more alive. Your cheeks were weirdly warm under your cold palms but you brushed it off to be due to the sudden temperature change in the weather. With a bit of a struggle you managed to change out of your clothes and stepped outside of your messy room, making a mental note to clean it up after training.

You thought of stopping by the kitchen to put something in your system but you decided against it as you didn't really have an appetite. You drank some water but the liquid seemed to do more damage than aid your dry throat. Placing down the half drank glass of water in the sink you headed towards the garden. Opening the doors, you felt your lungs struggling to breathe in the chilly air.

Enishi was already there swinging around his sword to warm up. Sensing your presence behind him he turned around to you and scanned you quickly. He hasn't seen you in days and he could tell that something felt off about you today. Your shoulders were slumped over like you were in pain. Your eyes looked sunken in, worse than they were the last time he saw you. Not to mention that your normally rosy cheeks looked awfully pale for you to be anywhere near okay. Even your steps seemed slower. They weren't like your usual anxiety soaked steps whenever you came to train, but they were different. He wanted to ask you if you were doing okay but you beat him to it and changed the subject.

“Let’s-“ you started talking but your scratchy voice stopped you. Clearing your throat you tried that again trying to sound more convincing so you wouldn't raise any suspicions about your state.

“Let’s get this over with,” you said as you put on a fake smile. He took one more look at you and shook his head, moving to his place. He thought you would tell him if something was wrong but seeing as you were so hellbent on training he didn't prod any further.

He knew you practiced one move the most these days. A slash across the diagonal, good in any close combat. He wanted to see how you would use it against an opponent so you started sparring. He came at you slow at first to ease you back into training with another person. But the more you sparred he saw you were back to dodging his moves instead of attacking him. It confused him that you kept stepping back every time he came closer.

“You’re supposed to attack,” he said as a matter of fact.

“I know. I’m just trying to figure out a scheme of attack,” you lied.

You could barely keep yourself upright, legs feeling like lead every time you took a step. Dodging his hits took less energy than attacking him, but it still made you sweat more than you normally do during training. A fever was taking a hold of you and that was bad news. You didn’t know how much longer you could hide your predicament before he would take notice and bench you for an undetermined period and you didn't want that. But the sparring got to a point where it was way too intense, the cold air around you changing to an unbearable heatwave. Enishi continued to charge at you and you barely caught most of his hits. You felt like you were going to pass out if you didn't take a break.

One misplaced balance of your sword and Enishi was quick to notice something was wrong from the way you faltered when he swung from a closer distance. You took longer to lift the blade and tired out too easily when blocking his own. So he stepped back from you and put down his sword. You stopped and looked at him confused, hoping your body didn't give away too much about how shitty you were feeling. Straightening your back to look more stable than you felt inside at the moment, you tried to get your rapid breaths under control.

“Why are we stopping?” you panted.

Getting air in was a pain as less and less usable air travelled inside of your chest.

“You don’t feel well do you?” he asked, fixing you with his eyes in case you decided to lie to his face.

“I’m fine,” you said through gritted teeth. “I just want to get this move perfectly.”

He tilted his head at you looking for any signs you were lying and was surprised that he couldn't find any because it did seem like you were. He got pretty good at reading you in the month you already spent together and knew when to call it quits in annoying you or when you were overthinking. But right now it was hard to figure out what was going on in that head of yours. Your body looked ready to give out but your eyes were piercing through him telling him you were just too focused. He seemed to buy your doughnuts for now but he still looked a little worried.

“Are you sure you don’t want to take a break?”

“I’m sure.”

You looked too determined and he failed to see through that.

You resumed training, more forceful attacks coming your way. Enishi got too lost in thought to see that he was delivering blows a little too hard, like always. It was one of the things you liked about him the most: how focused he was on training. He would get really engrossed in it even if was just practice and usually you would be able to sense his attacks. But right now your senses were in overload.

You tried to hit back but the most you mustered was a slash that almost accidentally cut into his arm if it wasn't for his quick thinking to duck out of the way. He moved around you looking for your uncovered areas and you tried your hardest to spot him, breaths coming out heavier as you whirled around. Your swords clashed again and you almost had him when all of a sudden he went for a side cut from your left with his sword. You barely defended the hit by pushing your blade to catch his, the quickness of the move sending your vision spinning.

The exhaustion, the heat and the sweat clinging to your body overwhelmed you. You tried to push his sword once more before you leaned your weight on your sword for support, dark spots appearing in your clouded vision. You didn't even notice you were careening to the right until your blade screeched as it slid down the length of his all the way down to the hilt. Before you could hit the ground you heard the blades clang to the floor as strong arms secured around you to keep you upright. Your ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton unable to register that Enishi was frantically calling your name. A cold hand touching your cheek offered some relief from the warmth boiling your body. Your head fell on his shoulder and you looked up at him, eyes focusing enough to see the worry on his face. You could see his lips moving but none of the words made any sense until they finally made their way to your ears.

“I knew something was off,” he said looking down at you with a glint of guilt in his eyes.

“I’m fine,” you grunted regretting even speaking as it turned the mild headache you had into a drilling migraine. Your hand moved to hold your head as the pain only got worse.

"You're anything but fine right now."

The tone in his voice told you he was angry with you, probably for lying to his face that you were fine when you definitely weren't. And for continuing to train when he always told you that training without being in the mindset or the health for it was bad for you. But you refused to listen and look where that got you now.

"You're so fucking stubborn."

In a swift move, Enishi hooked one arm under your legs and secured the other around your back lifting you up to carry you back inside. He figured that staying outside in the cold would do you more worse than good. You wanted to protest but you didn't want to argue with him about your idiotic life choices right now, so you snuggled your head closer to the crook of his neck. that provided you some warmth as your body was now racked by chills. You felt like dozing off from the comfort of your temporary pillow until you felt the vibrations of his voice against your temple.

“Hey, stay awake. We’ve got to get your fever down a little before you sleep.”

You tried your hardest to keep your eyes open but the way he carried you lulled you to sleep and made you a little nauseous at the same time.

“Miyu, open your eyes,” he said sternly, picking up his pace.

“It makes me dizzy,” you croaked out annoyed at him.

“Then keep talking to me. Say anything, just don’t shut down just yet,” he asked you, concern too present in his voice for you not to notice it.

Why was he so worried? It wasn't like you would drop dead if you closed your eyes for a minute.

You tried to think of what to say that would be more than just rambling random words and you came empty-handed. That was until you looked up at him and you saw those crystal balls glistening in the dark hallway. His eyes.

“I like your eyes,” you said and he seemed to get a little taken aback by your confession as his steps slowed down.

Truthfully, it was something you didn’t want to tell him just yet. It was like your own little secret. You weren't one to fancy prolonged eye-contact with anyone or look people in the eye when they spoke. But you found yourself looking for his almost all the time. You admired the way they twinkled with every emotion he was feeling. Most of the time they blazed with anger at the world, consuming everything in their wake. But there were a few times where they twinkled with joy, whenever he talked about his sister or when he was spending time with you. There was something oddly comforting about them and they always put you at ease. Swallowing your pride for once you admitted to this secret out loud.

“What do you like about my eyes?” he asked, uncertainty behind his question.

If only you knew. I could write books and it still wouldn't be enough to describe what they make me feel.

“They’re dark and so full of pain. But they hold so much warmth in them. You don’t want to admit it but you’re not just a big bad mafia boss killing people for a living. You’re more than that, to me at least,” you said the last part in a mumble hoping he wouldn't hear it but he did, tensing slightly and halting his steps.

He looked down at your shivering form tucked safely in his arms. He had so much to say to you but he settled for a quick kiss on your burning forehead for the time being. It was the smallest peck, so soft you could have missed it if you didn't have your eyes open. It was his way of acknowledging the things you said and that you will talk more about it when it was time. But for now taking care of you was a priority.

In your dazed state you noticed he went past your room and he saw the confusion on your face.

"You're staying in my room for a while so I can make sure you're going to get better," he said as he pushed the doors to his room open, the warmth of his room surrounding your body. You whined in protest when he headed for the bathroom knowing exactly what he was thinking. You felt anything but ready for a shower right now.

He stepped inside and placed you on the floor an arm still around you in case you slid down to the floor. He turned on the water and let it get warm as he turned his attention back to you. You were gripping his tank top in a frenzy trying to hold yourself up against the bouts of nausea. He kept a hand around you to let you know he wasn't going anywhere and that you were safe in case anything happened.

"I know you don't want to take one right now," he said as he moved some hair away from your face. "But if you sleep this sweaty, you're just going to get worse."

You shook your head in his chest childishly but you knew there was no way to get out of it now. He wouldn't leave it alone until he saw you healthy enough to annoy again and you just had to accept his perusing.

"Just hold onto me and I'll do the rest, okay?"

Giving in to his pleas as he rubbed your back comfortingly, you nodded weakly. You hated how easily he got under your skin and knew everything that made you click in such a short time. Back rubbing was one of the things you loved and he always did it when he needed you to accept something that was for your own good.

He helped you undress discarding your sweat clad clothes to the floor. Once he took his own off too he helped you step into the shower. The warm water hit your body and the comfort made your knees weak. You remembered you haven't had a shower since your last one that was with him too, after your bathtub adventure before the mission. He still didn't replace the broken water tap and you had a feeling it was because he wanted you to shower in his room willingly without him whisking you away for other adventures. It was sneaky but you gave him credit for it being a smooth move to get closer to you.

He stepped in with you and checked to see if you were okay or ready to drop still.

"Let me know if it gets too much and I'll get you to bed, okay?"

You nodded and wrapped your arms around his torso with the little energy you had left. Your head laid flat to his chest where you could hear his heartbeat that seemed to be accelerating beyond a normal speed. He must have been panicking a little and you felt bad for putting him through all this trouble. You wanted to push him away and tell him to let you deal with the mess you caused yourself. He didn't need to take care of you like this, especially after you shut him out. You didn't think of his feelings at all and it made you feel even more guilty than you already did for everything else going wrong in your life.

But there he was, holding you close to him so gentle like you were made out of glass. He washed your hair, massaging your scalp softly to get rid of all the dirt that gathered there from your days spent training outside. It felt like he got rid of some of the dirt in your soul too. As cold as he was, he was the also the warmth you needed. You knew he cared even if he didn't show it a lot.

He tried to hurry, moving to wash the rest of your body as you looked ready to lay down on the floor of the shower cabin and just sleep there like it was a premium bed. He kept asking you things to keep you awake and talking even if all he received from you was a blabbering mess of mumbles.

Once you were cleaner than you have been before in your life, he turned off the water and wrapped you in a bathrobe. Leading you to the counter near the sink, he placed you on top of it while he dashed to his room to bring you some clothes. The warmth of the shower water was replaced by the cold marble surface that made your shivers return even worse than before, coming with a new wave of nausea. He started dressing you and you put your head on his shoulder, managing to only pull a blouse on you before he noticed the way you gripped his own that he threw on harshly before he came to you.

"What's wrong?"

You had your eyes shut tight trying to swallow whatever tried crawling up your sore throat.

"Miyu, look at me."

"I feel like I'm going to throw up-" you didn't even get to finish as the bile rose in your throat. You hopped off the counter and leaned over the toilet bowl emptying whatever your stomach gathered up. Enishi knelt down beside you a hand grabbing the hair out of your face while the other rubbed your back.

"What are you even throwing up? You haven't eaten anything in the past few days."

"My hopes and dreams."

He would have laughed at that if it wasn't for your head hanging above the toilet bowl. It amazed him how you still tried to ease the seriousness of the situation in your state.

When you were done you wiped your mouth on a spare towel and threw it in the corner, falling back into his chest. The shivers intensified as your whole body was now consumed by cold from all sides, the only source of warmth being the man beside you. He pulled you up from the floor, careful not to make you more woozy and took you to bed.

He placed you down on the mattress and tried to dry a bit of your hair and then let you lay down. You grabbed one of the blankets he put on the bed, wrapping your body like a burrito, while he covered you with the duvet. He had more blankets prepared in case you needed them and you made a mental note to thank him for the extra thought. The extra thoughts coming from him lately warmed you up inside because they were like little notes telling you he was there and ready to help with anything and you couldn't tell where all this care was coming from in the first place.

He got in bed next to you sitting against the headboard and you cuddled into his side, seeking his warmth. Your body couldn't produce enough heat even after the hottest shower you ever took and the fact that you were wrapped tightly in bundles. He shifted closer to you and carded a hand through your hair, which soothed your migraine.

"Do you need me to get you anything?"

You shook your head and grabbed onto his other hand pulling it on top of your stomach. He laced his fingers with yours. All you wanted was to have him next to you right now.

"I just need you here."

The last few days were hell to bear alone and it took ruining your health to notice that accepting help wasn't all that bad. Enishi was ready to help you no matter what you needed and you didn't know how to thank him. The way he cared for you was something akin to the care your parents gave you. As scary as it was to let yourself feel it you couldn't help but welcome it. Maybe a part of your chills didn't come from the cold but from the way he was acting towards you.

Emotions swirled around your head and everything suddenly felt too overwhelming. The muscles aching, the migraine, the pain that was numb for now but promised to return soon. You tried to hold the tears at bay but you couldn't. So you let them out unable to keep things bottled in anymore.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he cupped your face.

You tried to say something but all that came out was air through choked sobs.

"Miyu, what hurts? Talk to me."

"Everything," you cried out as you hid your face in his side.

You wanted to tell him every thing that hurt from the biggest to the smallest thing but you couldn't do more than tighten your grip around him. He moved to hug you, pulling you on top of his chest.

"I'm here. I've got you now," he whispered as he rubbed your back. "You're going to be okay."

--------

His heart stopped when he saw your eyes roll to the back of your head back there. He tried to keep the worry away but he couldn't help panicking a little when the familiarity of the scene hit him way too hard. A fraction of a vivid memory took him back to the day he lost his sister, a day he couldn't forget no matter how hard he tried.

The snow blanket that was forming around the woods made him smile. It wasn't long until he got back to the house and he could play in the snow with Tomoe. The recent times he went over to her place ended up in arguments and unwanted words thrown at each other all because he didn't want to accept that man for her. He was walking trouble in his eyes and Tomoe could yell at him all she wanted but it wouldn't change the disdain he felt for him. He hoped they could make up this time around and just forget about everything else.

Last time it snowed this much they made the biggest snowman. They placed him in front of the house and called him the guardian, decorating his face in an angry manner. His mouth was an intimidating sneer made from a few stones that matched the small twig eyebrows above his eyes. Tomoe forgot to pick up carrots but she used a sweet potato for his nose. It looked absolutely horrendous but it was their source of entertainment until the cold winter passed and the snowman melted with the coming of spring.

He went into town and picked up more sweet potatoes so she could boil some too. He almost made it to the house but stopped once he heard grunts nearby, followed by his sister's voice so he followed the sound, pushing away frozen tree branches until he reached the scene. His heart stopped at the sight.

Tomoe was holding tightly onto a man to protect him from the man he called trouble. The one she fell for, pushing her only family in the process. He slashed his sword across her back without a glint of regret in his eyes, crimson blood staining the white snow as she fell to the floor. He had the audacity to cradle her close to his body as he watched the light drain from her eyes.

He wanted to run to her and be the one holding her instead. He deserved to be the last one she saw before her eyes were consumed by darkness. But the fear kept him glued to the tree a few feet away, unable to move or do anything else but cry and blame himself that he couldn't do more.

He hoped he would never experience that feeling again but here he was, cradling you to his body like the world tried its hardest to take you away. Your cold scared him not because you looked the worst he'd ever seen you but because of how much pain you went through to get you in this state. He wasn't a fool. He knew this was the result of you closing yourself away from him and everyone else to process everything. You were living his worst nightmares all on your own and it made him want to burn the world. He knew he couldn't take your pain away and feel it for you even if he wished to.

He wanted you to talk to him. Tell him everything that hurt and ask him to fix it for you. Tell him that you needed him to hold the sky off your shoulders for a minute and he would hold it for as long as he could. But he couldn't push you. He knew better that help was best when it was accepted rather than forced. He just hoped you would ask for it and lean on him like you let him lean on you that rainy night in the garden. If you didn't find him in time he might have lost it completely and there would be no coming back from that.

He checked your temperature hourly, hand laid across your forehead hopeful that you would get better. Whenever it went up you would toss and turn around in your sleep, waking up abruptly to search for him in the dark. He tried to reassure you that everything was okay and that you had nothing to worry about as he went back to being your human pillow. Every time it happened you found his hand and held it close to your chest in a death grip until your hold would loosen telling him you fell back asleep.

The day turned into night and he didn't move an inch from his spot beside you. He just wanted to watch over you and keep you safe and warm, occasionally dozing off with you in his arms.

-------

You woke up to the smell of food. Sighing contently you opened your eyes and sat up slowly just as Enishi entered the room, a bowl and a mug of tea balanced carefully in his hold. He smiled seeing you awake.

"How did you sleep?" he asked as he placed everything on the nightstand to sit next to you.

"A little better. Is that for me?"

"Yes. It's porridge and some tea."

Porridge was the bane of your existence. As much as you knew it was what your body needed to get better you hated it with a burning passion. Your mother made it whenever you got sick and you always tried to convince the maids into eating it for you on the promise that you will stop being a trouble for them for at most a month. But they would always rat you out to your parents and you would get scolded for it.

"I want real food," you mumbled disappointedly. You puffed your cheeks and made puppy eyes at him to let you off this time but by the stern look on his face he wasn't buying your doughnuts anymore.

"You're getting real food when we're sure you can keep it down. For now it's this," he placed the bowl in your hands and waited for you to try it.

You took a spoonful and put it in your mouth only to grimace at the taste. This was anything but porridge.

"What the hell is this?"

"Hey, now. I know I'm not the greatest cook but you have to eat that whole bowl if you want real food."

He knew he botched the recipe but as bad as it tasted you needed the nutrients. You didn't eat anything in days and giving you a whole meal wasn't a good choice. He really didn't want to watch a rerun of your hopes and dreams spilling out through your guts again.

You sighed and ate a few more spoons until your stomach said it was enough and you handed him the bowl. He gave you the tea and you took a sip smiling at the taste as it was your favorite. At least he knew how to sweeten you. You placed it back on the nightstand and leaned back in bed.

"I have some stuff to work on in my office. If you need anything please call me. As big or small as it may seem."

He was coddling way you too much and it wasn't in his nature. You felt bad for keeping him away from his work. But he reassured you time and time again that it was okay to lean on him. Even if what went through your head wasn't a big deal. It came from a place of understanding and as much as he tried to hide it you could tell he went through the same thing.

You tried sleeping but every position you changed to seemed more uncomfortable than the previous. Each time you did fall asleep the thoughts that left you in pain for days on end would creep back into your mind and you would wake up looking for him. Deciding that enough was enough you decided to pay him a visit. Wrapping one of his chunkier kimonos around you, you stepped out of the comfort of the bed and went to his office. He sighed when he saw you come in like a lost puppy looking for its owner.

"You're supposed to be in bed."

"I was getting bored in there," you said as you walked to his couch and plopped yourself on it getting comfortable.

"Well, you're not going to find much fun here either."

You didn't really need any entertainment. You just didn't want to be alone and if you just sat there with him whilst he worked it was enough for you.

After a while, you dozed off on the couch to the sound of him scribbling away on paper. He heard your light snores and looked up from his maps to see you fast asleep, head nuzzled into the plush of the couch backrest with your knees pulled up to your chest. He smiled and shook his head at you walking to to your spot, He only now noticed that you were wrapped tightly in his kimono. It was a dark blue one he really liked because it was comfortable to wear. He thought you suited warmer colours until now when he saw you in blue. The material was big enough to be a blanket on your small form, falling over you so effortlessly. As if his aura rubbed off on you in a way that welcomed it rather than pushing it away like the other people he tried getting close to before. He knelt beside the couch and pulled it up to cover your exposed shoulder.

"You're so stubborn," he whispered.

He slid his arms behind your back and your legs and lifted you up to take you back to the warmth of his bed.

--------

The days passed by in a blur. You spent most of the time sleeping or annoying Enishi because he wouldn't let you do anything else. He benched you from cooking or training and it drove you insane.

It took about a week until he let you train again in a way that wasn't straining for you. Little by little you got your strength back and it showed in your sparring sessions. You could handle yourself better and it was all thanks to him and his incessant nagging telling you to rest and take it easy. As annoying as it was you had to accept his way of nursing you back to health.

You had a lot of time to think about everything, thoughts ranging from finding your mother to figuring out Enishi. His presence affected you in a multitude of ways lately. You contemplated his actions, his touches, his words. Every gesture he made towards you that you couldn't understand the reason of. It went beyond the sex drive you felt mutually and the thoughtless words said in the act.

It all started the night of the casino mission. You tried shaking off his words, convincing yourself it was just the lust talking for him and that it was the same in your case. But when you told him 'I need you' you said it with your whole being. And it seemed to change everything.

You started questioning if he felt the same things you did. If the hands carding through your hair or the late night conversations in the dark meant anything to him, because they meant everything to you. If they did, he was making a great job at hiding that because you spent the whole week analysing every single thing that happened to the both of you until you wanted to literally take a bite out of the wall.

As blind to the obvious as you were sometimes, you thought you could pinpoint where his feelings stood, but you often got side-tracked by the butterflies forming in your stomach while you watched him cook for you or tell you new facts about the swords you were training with. He did everything to turn you away from thinking too much and it felt like an avoidance tactic. You needed to talk about a lot of things sooner or later and you hoped it would be the first.

The next mission was nearing up and you shoved all of these thoughts under the rug for the time being. You needed to focus because it involved your mother. The man in the basement finally chirped after going days without basic necessities like food and sunlight. He gave Enishi a lead on your mother's whereabouts, restoring a little hope in your broken soul.

She was apparently working as a maid for a mafia he had ties with. They were throwing a ball to celebrate the birthday of their leader and she was going to be there. You took the information with a grain of salt because it seemed like it was too good to be true. You thought of the possibility that he just tried to lead you further away from finding her. But Enishi made everyone dig around and they found that the ball was truthfully being held tonight.

Enishi told you to stay put, insisting that it was only him who would go with the rest of the gang. You tried to convince him to let you come but he refused to hear it. So, like any kid getting told not to do something, you went and did the exact opposite, just getting dressed to kill.

You finished strapping your pistols to your thighs under the dress and looked in the mirror, smiling softly at the person starring back at you. She was so different from the person who came here a little over a month ago. She was so scared of herself, unable to let go of her past. But now she looked so confident in her own skin and so much more powerful. She was so much healthier too and back to herself that it made you proud. You blew a kiss to yourself in the mirror and winked at how pretty you looked. Confidence looked hella good on you.

Enishi told you about the mission a few days ago and you thought of every possible way to not let him leave in that carriage without you. It took a little prodding and the promise of a month full of desserts for the whole gang but you managed to coax Wu into keeping Enishi here as long as you needed to get ready.

Enishi was pacing around, mid-argument with his second in command as to why he wasn't moving the carriages. Wu just shook his head and kept his mouth sealed shut as part of your deal. Enishi stopped yelling once he heard the click of an all too familiar pair of heels and cursed himself for being so blind. He should have seen it coming from the way you gave in so easily and stopped trying to convince him to let you come.

Turning around to scold you his breath got stuck in his throat. You looked breathtaking. Your hair was down to the side, locks falling in wavy curls over your shoulders. You were wearing the red qipao dress he bought for you at the market even if you hated his guts for buying it for you. But the dress seemed to have some major adjustments that altered it a lot from the original.

The constricting part at the top was turned into an off-the-shoulder neckline and the small slit on the side run up higher almost to your hip. The bottom was full of flares from the same material in a darker burgundy. The sleeves were now made into gloves that ran all the way up to your elbows, fabric at the end looking like scraps from the corset you wore the night of the casino mission. Your mother's necklace sat around your neck, red stone bringing out your eyes.

"Close your mouth, dearest. A fly might fly in."

You were satisfied by his reaction that if fuelled your confidence beyond the normal levels.

"Is that what I think it is? Miyu?"

You followed his eyes and noticed he was staring at the very familiar golden material running around the bottom that you used to amplify the dragon embellished on the slit by adding a few pieces of material to the red flares.

"You said I could borrow anything from your closet," you scoffed.

"I said borrow, not cut up to pieces."

"Oh, come on. It looks less like a wedding dress now, doesn't it?"

You batted your eyelashes at him and he huffed an annoyed sigh. Letting Wu help you into the carriage you got comfortable and smiled back at him. You knew you were in deep shit for countless reasons, but the biggest being that you cut up the really expensive golden kimono in his wardrobe. It was gathering dust in there anyways. At least you put it to good use.

"Shall we go?"

As angry as he was at you he was glad to see that mischief smile back on your face. He was going to let you off. For now.

"You will be the death of me one day, Miyu Hikari," he grunted before he sauntered in the carriage next to you.

He let his eyes linger on you for a few more moments. He couldn't help but admire the alterations to the dress and how skillfully they were done. It was clear as daylight you were a Hikari. You had craftsmanship running in your blood as much as you didn't want to admit it.

"When did you even modify the dress?"

"I think you forgot that you had me on house arrest for like a week," you said playing with one of the ruffles on your dress.

"It wasn't house arrest."

"It was."

"It wasn't."

"Twas," you sung.

"Twasn't," he followed suit.

The both of you erupted into a fit of giggles. It was your turn to let your eyes wander over his outfit, unable to get enough of it from just one look.

"You know, you don't look too bad yourself."

"I let Wu style me. Don't know if that was a mistake or not considering he wears furs like he's the madame of the house."

"He did a good job."

Wu had an eye for fashion and you had to give him that because when you stepped out of the mansion you thought you were hallucinating. You only saw a broad back clad in what looked like a western suit. You recalled him saying he would never be caught dead in something like that. Thank god you didn't miss the show.

The wind was knocked out of you when he turned around and you got a full view of the outfit. He wore a full tailored black suit. The vest sat on top of a white shirt, hugging his body like it was made on order. It was the sluttiest thing a man could wear. A silver chain ran from the vest to the blazer, matching the silver earring in his ear. Thoughts that weren't exactly pristine passed through your mind and it took a huge amount of rationality to not act them out.

The thing that shocked you the most was that he wore a fucking tie. You knew he hated that tie by the way he fidgeted with it to loosen it around his neck. He most likely contemplated arson from the way he looked at Wu. But he definitely looked the mafia boss part now and it made your knees weak.

"Why didn't you stay back like I told you?"

"I think it's fair to say you already know I don't listen to orders. And this is about my mom," you fidgeted with the piece of fabric in your hand. "I've spent so many years searching for any trace of them and I can't just sit back when we might know where at least one of my parents is."

He put his hand over yours and pulled it to his leg, rubbing comforting circles on your knuckles to ease your nervousness. He was doing it again. Getting you out of your mind to focus back to the present.

"I know. I just didn't want you to come in case it was a false lead."

"Even if it is we will check it out together."

The carriage came to a halt. You heard excited chatter and music which meant you arrived at the venue for the ball.

"You ready?"

"Always."

-----------

The place was nothing like you've ever seen before. You've seen mansions that looked like castles before, when you used to work the paid assassin gig for the rich and powerful, but none of them came close to this one. The sculpted fountains outside should have been enough of a giveaway that this place was scalded in gold and money that was murdered and stolen for. No human being should be able to have this much wealth especially when it wasn't theirs to keep.

The event was on an invitation basis and you were surprised to see Enishi pull out one with your names on it handing it to the men standing guard at the doors. Once they gave you the okay they opened the doors to let you in and closed them back up. You walked in and realised you were on the first floor of the building. Walking further away from the horde of people around the entrance, you scouted the place. The architecture was really European, column walls lined on every side supporting the building. The artwork on the walls was the same, the running theme of naked people painted angelically to depict romance sneering at you, as if to say you didn't deserve romance too.

You sighed leaning over the stone railing as you scouted out the place. You had a perfect view of the ballroom and all the guests that pooled downstairs. Most of them were couples of all ages, dressed elegantly in such a way that flaunted their wealth. The men smoked expensive cigars while their women had their necks decorated in rubies of all shapes and colours. You couldn't lie that you felt a little out of place.

The minute you walked in with Enishi on your arm chatter ceased and all eyes were on you, well mostly the female ones seeking something to gossip about. They started picking apart your hairstyle, your dress, your face. The fact that the man at your side chose you as a plus one instead of one of them. They called him 'too handsome to be real' while fanning their faces and you would have agreed if it wasn't for the intense urge to poke your tongue out at them. But you had to behave like a lady, so you settled for throwing daggers with your eyes their way.

You didn't know why you suddenly felt so protective of the man at your right. The group eventually scurried off, possibly terrified of your facial expressions, and it was weird that the satisfaction you felt was good enough of a reason to justify your actions. Enishi saw the exchange and struggled to keep his laughter in.

"I suggest you to keep your claws hidden tonight."

You turned to face him, eyes narrowing onto his. What was that supposed to mean?

"Are you suggesting I'm jealous or something?"

"Maybe."

"Last time I checked we weren't a couple or anything," you said wrapping your arms around your chest.

He looked around before he pushed you to a wall behind you, hands firmly gripping yours. Playfulness and seriousness were dancing around in his eyes and you couldn't tell which one peered more into your eyes right now. He stood so close to you that you forgot how to breathe. His eyes darted between your own and your lips, leaning closer to your face. Stopping just a few inches off your lips you felt your patience running thin. All you wanted to do was close the distance between you. He closed his eyes and blew a breath that hit your lips.

"Don't fall for me, Miyu," he whispered loud enough for only you to hear.

I think it's a little too late for that.

You had enough of getting teased so you made a move for his lips. Your lips barely brushed his before he pulled away from you, signature smirk on his face.

"We're on enemy territory so keep an eye out."

With that he turned around and walked off, leaving you there nothing short of confused. You released a breath and leaned on the wall for support, the ghost of his touch still lingering on your arms.

He was back to leading you on and you couldn't tell if it was just an act this time or it was what he actually felt for you. He was cold again but this time it seemed different, like he was forcing it. The minute you both stepped out of the house he would turn into this other person that liked taunting you.

You slept together for so many times and it still seemed to be no strings attached for him. But it made you crave more than that. You couldn't deny that your feelings for him were real but you couldn't tell if they were strong enough to push for them when you knew deep down that this back and forth will never be something more than that. And that kinda felt like an arrow was shot straight through your heart.

Every time you kissed him ran through your mind. You wanted to find at least one that you could hang onto that was sincere. But most of them were fuelled by anger and hunger. You never kissed each other with real feelings and you felt like a fool for thinking it could ever be more than back and forth with him.

You shook the thoughts form your head and walked to catch up to him. If it was up to you you would've left after that stunt he pulled. But you were here for your mom first and foremost. These mind games could wait.

Making your way downstairs into the main room where everyone gathered you looked around for him but he was nowhere in sight, figuring you lost him in the big crowd.

Great. What am I supposed to do now?

The band started playing a slow song and you recognised it to be the one of the tunes for the Viennese waltz. A small smile cracked on your lips at the memory of your father teaching it to you. He would place you on his tiptoes and swing you around the living room while your mother sat and clapped for you as your audience. They taught you all kinds of dances to help you fit in easier with the higher status people.

Didn't think the mafia rolled with this much finesse.

The dancefloor cleared as everyone split into pairs and you found yourself alone in the middle. As much as you would have loved to dance you didn't feel like it. You were about to walk off until an arm pulled you back, making you collide with a sturdy chest. The familiar jasmine smell was enough to make you grunt in annoyance as you turned to the man before you. He held your hand as he stepped away to do a curtsy, moving your other hand to sit on his shoulders as he gripped the other one. You tried prying your hands off but the hold he had on you was way too firm. He wouldn't let you go unless he wanted to and he seemed hellbent on doing so.

"Let me go," you gritted out. A few pairs looked at you struggling and you both flashed your fake smiles telling them kindly to fuck off.

"The music already started so let's just do this."

"I don't want to do anything with you."

You looked away from him getting into your position as you started leading him, stepping forward with your left foot. He tried to take the lead away from you but you were better at this than he was, getting your uncoordinated waltz in rhythm with the music. The weight you stepped with from side to side didn't go unnoticed. He could feel the tension coursing through you just from holding your waist.

"Why are you suddenly mad at me?"

"Because.."

Because you almost kissed me. Because the way you touch me makes me want to run for the hills. Because you're a coward and can't admit to your feelings. Because I hate you.

"Because what?"

You separated to do a spin and came back to him. His hands landed a little lighter on your waist this time around.

"I don't know I just am."

The dancing pairs around you faded to a blur as your bodies got closer and you spun together to the music, swaying left and right. The fact that he knew how to dance the waltz amazed you a little. He seemed to have a lot of tricks hidden up his sleeve.

There was no denying he liked the female attention. Even while he danced so close to you you could feel the lonely girls by the side of the dancefloor staring holes through the back of your head. You knew exactly how they felt because you couldn't help but swoon at his charms too. That was until you got too annoyed by his staring.

"Can you stop looking at my boobs?"

"It's not my fault they are up in my face."

"Jesus Christ."

Parting away from each other again, you lifted your palms to sit against each other. Your warm fingertips met his cold ones again as you circled each other. It took every ounce of self control in your being not to intertwine your fingers together. You were mad at how quickly you went from hating to appreciating him.

You went for the final waltz section of the dance and prayed for the music to end faster. He took the lead this time and you followed suit.

He kept his eyes on you the whole time trying to figure out what you were thinking in that little head of yours. The tension between you was suffocating. You were back to the normal push and pull, getting too close to keep his hands off of you, but too far to actually touch you. He didn't want to push you away or play pretend but he didn't know what else to do to keep his urges away. Staying away from you was better than being this close to you and not knowing what to do or say.

Getting too lost in his own thoughts he took a wrong step that made you lose your footing. You thought you were going to kiss the floor if it wasn't for his hands catching you. You were bent backwards with one of your hands fisted in the collar of his blazer. One of his arms wrapped around your torso and the other sat at the back of your neck supporting your head. Maybe it was the thrill of danger from all the eyes looking at you that you felt like you couldn't take your eyes off of his. He seemed so close yet so far, easy but so hard to get through.

The music ended and you stepped away from him thanking all gods for the late but welcome help. You needed a drink if you wanted to get through the night so you headed to the bar leaving him on the dancefloor.

---------------

You were on your fourth vodka cocktail when he joined you at the bar. You cursed your high tolerance to alcohol wishing to be tipsier than you felt so you could deal with him in a way that your conscience wouldn't scold you for.

"You should slow down on those."

"I can do whatever the fuck I want."

He didn't know where this attitude came from. He was a little annoyed by it but he brushed it off to be just one of your mood swings.

"Okay, so, what's holding us back from going in?"

"There's about ten armed guards on every floor."

"If that's a problem I think you're forgetting we took down a whole gang in that casino using our wits and wooden chairs."

"The problem is that once they see us coming they will sound the alarm to everyone else and we will be fucked. There's five mafias present and the last thing I want is a gang war."

"That's what you said last time and the Daos kinda went extinct the minute we got involved."

You had a point. But it was still too dangerous to go in through the front. He studied the map of the place countless times and knew there was a hidden staircase with access to all levels. It was typically the maids who had access to it. He looked around and spotted one at the far corner with a tray of finger foods in her hands.

"I will be right back. Behave yourself."

You would've smacked him if it wasn't for the crowd around you. Following him with your eyes through the sea of people you saw him approach a maid. What was he gonna do with a maid?

Your question was answered when you saw him plaster that playboy smirk on his face, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She giggled at whatever he told her and you gripped your glass tightly. The scene made your jaw clench even if you had no reason to feel like that.

Keep it together. We are not a couple. This is all just for show.

After more flirting, he came back and you threw the last contents in your glass down your throat. He dangled a set of keys in front of you and you looked at him confused.

"The maids have access to a hidden staircase at the back of the mansion. It leads to all levels including the top one where she said the rest of the maids are gathered up."

"Those open the doors to this secret magical staircase?"

"Yes."

Maybe you went a little too far with your sarcasm but it was the only way you could keep yourself from snapping at him. He only shook his head at you and lead the way.

You circled the entire mansion through the garden at the back. Whenever people passed by you, Enishi would hold your hand and smile to make it believable that you looked like a couple and that you weren't doing anything you shouldn't be doing. You played along leaning closer to him and smacking his chest as you laughed. It disgusted you, playing pretend like this when you wanted it to be real.

Once you were out of sight you looked for the staircase. You found it under a deep layer of wild vine and unlocked the doors, locking them after you entered. A few lanterns lined up the wall all the way to the top but it was still too dark to see anything. You went up first, lifting your dress up so you wouldn't step on it. The long ruffles covered the front part and you couldn't see where you were stepping. You got halfway up the stairs and placed your foot wrong on a step, stumbling backwards colliding with Enishi's chest for the second time tonight. One of his hands wrapped securely around your waist while the other gripped the railing.

"You should be more careful," he said breathlessly.

"I am-" you started but were cut off by the sound of guards patrolling at the top of the stairs.

Suddenly, you were pressed against the inner wall of the staircase, his body impossibly close to yours. The proximity made your heartbeat accelerated and you shut your eyes to take a few breaths in. The way his head dipped down to your neck gave you a thrilling sense of deja vu, reminding you of the night you hid in an alley from guards patrolling the city. You couldn't deny the attraction between you back then but you looked for every reason to do it now. Your hand laid on his chest and you could feel his rapid heartbeat under your finger tips. You opened your eyes and tilted your head at him.

If your body says it wants me why does your mind keep pushing me away?

His eyes turned from the top of the staircase to you laying on your lips again. He's gone too long without your taste and it was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do was kiss them sweetly until he drew blood. He thought just one taste would quench his thirst so he leaned down to you again. But this time, you didn't let him play with you.

The coast cleared and you pushed him away, making your way towards the top. You beckoned him over and checked the hallway to see it empty. He huffed and made his way to you.

"You take the ones on the left," he said.

"I'll take the ones on the right," you said at the same time.

You couldn't come to terms with anything and it pushed your buttons greatly. Shaking your head, you moved to the ones on the right without saying anything else. Wasting time you didn't have wasn't on your list right now. You needed to find your mom ASAP unless you wanted to piss off some blood-thirsty mafias by snooping around their palace.

Opening door after door you found either a guest room fixed up by a few maids or a storage space where they put cleaning supplies away. The next one you opened was a bathroom occupied by a couple who appeared to be making out or having a contest on who could eat the other's face off first. You couldn't really tell. They stopped their smooching to look at you startled.

"My bad. Uh... enjoy yourselves. Use protection," you yelled and closed the door leaning on it in embarrassment.

Enishi just closed the last door on his side and you looked at him hopeful only to have your hopes crushed when he shook his head.

"Only young maids on this side. What about you?"

"Loads of maids and I think I just cockblocked a couple."

He started laughing and you clamped a hand on his mouth reminding him no one needed to know you were there. You turned your attention back to the hallway. There was one last door to check on your side and you prayed to all gods she would be in there.

You moved to the door placing a shaky hand on the golden doorknob and you froze. You had no way of knowing if she was going to be behind that door or if something else would wait for you. You hoped you didn't come this far for nothing because if you did it would break you. Conscious of time ticking away, you drew in a shaky breath and tried to push through your hesitation and move your hand to open the door. But you couldn't open it.

Enishi saw you struggling. He knew how badly you wanted her to be inside that room. If she wasn't in there you were going to blame yourself for it even if it wasn't your fault. This was exactly why he didn't want you to come in the first place. He knew if there was nothing behind that door that it would break you. You hung with your teeth onto the little hope that the information you got from that asshole was true and he wished it was too.

He placed his hand on top of yours in reassurance and you looked at him. He was back to being his serious self, the Enishi who promised you he would help you get your parents back no matter what. With a deep breath, you both turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Your breath got stuck in your throat at the sight before you.

"Miyu?"

No fucking way.

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#Addicting Taste #enishi yukishiro #rurouni kenshin #enishi yukishiro fanfiction #enishi yukishiro x reader #enishi yukishiro x you #running for the hills as we speak

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