#management aptitude test | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

phoward89 · 10 months ago

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Based on this ask

WARNING ⚠️ Coriolanus Snow is his own warning in and of itself. Cussing, obsession, masterbation (m & f), p in v (alluded to), Dark!Coriolanus, Young Politician!Coriolanus, Secretary!Reader

This one got away from me so it's a bit long. Whoops...

You're at your desk, logging into your computer to start the day whenever the door to the office opens and in walks your boss. Senator Coriolanus Snow. One of the youngest Head Gamemakers and Senators in the history of Panem. He's only 24 years old and he's already so successful.

Crazy, right?

Your older brother was in the same graduating class as him at the Academy. Rein was a slacker that wasn't in the top 24 while Coryo- uh Coriolanus- was the top student, won the Plinth prize, and even did a short stint as a Peacekeeper to serve the greater good of the country (like his father General Crassus Snow did before him) before attending the University as a double major in Political Science and Military Strategies. Oh and while attending the University he interned under Dr. Gaul, became an Assistant Gamemaker, and even became the Head Gamemaker himself when Dr. Gaul died in a tragic lab accident involving her mutts.

And he did all of that by age 20.

Age 20!

After graduating from the Academy, Rein was shoved into the Peacekeepers by your father, retired Colonel Javanis Halvir. Your brother was sent to 8 and he complained in all of his letters about it. Once he was eligible to take the Officer's Aptitude Exam, your father had ordered him to sign up. So, Rein took the test and became an officer. He got assigned to PK Base D-12.

And that's what your older brother accomplished by 20. Oh and he also knocked up a local barmaid from the Hobb, causing your father to have a stroke. Your mother found it very comical.

And then both of your parents told you that you needed to redeem the family name, blah blah blah, and pushed you to be the top student in the Academy. So, of course you ended up in the top 24. And you mentored a tribute, a 17 year old boy from 7, that won. He was very proficient with an ax. You didn't have to do too much mentoring, he basically just hacked everybody to bits…

But you still won the Plinth Prize anyways. And during the ceremony for the prize, instead of Strabo Plinth handing you over the Plinth Prize it was his heir instead.

Head Gamemaker Coriolanus Snow.

After handing you the prize he had asked you to have a glass of posca with him, causing your mother to glare angrily at the interaction. Your father on the other hand was ecstatic that Coryo-uh Coriolanus- wanted to talk to you. He served under General Snow in 12; thought that Coriolanus was a man cut from the same cloth as his father.

Anyways, once you and Coriolanus Snow got to talking he admitted that he was going into politics and would need a personal secretary; an assistant per say to help him with his day to day tasks such as scheduling meetings, etc. and much to your surprise, he offered you the job.

That was a couple of years ago.

So, yes, that's how you got your job. And you really liked your job. It wasn't that hard to do plus it made you feel important that such an accomplished and powerful man trusted you to manage his life.

If you only knew that Coriolanus, who's been insisting that you call him Coryo for roughly a year now, has been lusting after you since he saw you in a cute dress that hugged your body just right when he presented you the Plinth Prize 2 years ago. Also, your boss is a dark soul. A cold man. But he does have a soft spot for you.

And only for you.

Which is why he greets you with a wide, manic smile that makes the corners of his baby blues crinkle. “Good morning, Y/N.” The platinum blonde senator says while crossing the room, heading to your desk.

“Good morning, Senator Snow.” You politely smile, pulling up the excel document in order to print out the day's schedule for your boss. And talk about your boss, he's holding a bouquet of white roses in one hand and a tray of coffee along with a pastry bag in the other as he stops at your desk.

Coriolanus sets everything down, only to grab the vase on the corner of your desk and bring it over to the trash. All the while saying, “I brought you some fresh roses, courtesy of Grandma’am’s rooftop garden, to replace the wilted ones on your desk.”

The blonde politician did that every Monday for you. He brought fresh flowers for your office vase. A vase he gifted you for your one year work anniversary last year.

Dumping the contents of the vase out in the trash can, Coriolanus gestured to the coffees and brown paper bag on your desk, only to explain, “The barista at the coffee shop got my order wrong, so I had to do a second order, but since I already paid for the wrong order I figured I'd give it to you.”

“Oh, thank you, Coriolanus, Sir.” You simply smiled, grateful for the free coffee. You were going to put a pot on in the break room as soon as you printed out Snow's schedule, but getting an unexpected cup of coffee’s always nice.

Perhaps you'll pay it forward and treat him to coffee tomorrow. The gods know that you have his coffee order memorized.

It's black, just like his soul, with a couple of sugar packets. Not Splenda, not Sweet ‘n’ Low, not Truvia, but real sugar made from sugar cane grown down in 11. Oh and he always has a chocolate filled croissant too.

You also know his afternoon tea order by heart along with his dinner orders from a handful of takeout places he prefers. Hell, you even know his liquor order for after hours meetings. But it's your duty to know those things since, after all, you're his personal secretary.

Literally his right hand woman.

“Darling, how many times have I told you to, please, call me Coryo.” Your boss shook his head at you while bringing the empty vase to the nearby bathroom to fill up with water.

It must've been at least a hundred times by now, maybe more. But it felt weird to you calling your boss such a personal sounding nickname. You're both professional adults, if you call him by his name it should be Coriolanus. If not then you'll just refer to him as his title, since he's your boss.

“You know I can't call you Coryo, Coriolanus. It's not proper; you're my boss.” You remind the senator, who's dressed to the nines today in a perfectly tailored three piece black suit- complete with a white dress shirt and striped tie, as he walks out of the bathroom and back into your foyer office with the filled up vase in hand.

A vase that looked dwarfed by his large grip. “We've known each other for a couple of years now, darling. I'd like to think of us as being on friendly terms, wouldn't you?” Coriolanus asked, placing the vase down on your desk and arranging the flowers in them for you.

You clicked the print button on your computer, only to swivel your chair around to reach the ink jet printer behind you. “Yes, we're friendly, but you're still my boss.”

“And as your boss I'm now ordering you to call me Coryo.” He told you, pulling out the coffee that was yours, due to error, and setting it on your desk while you watched the printer spit out the paper with his daily schedule on it.

“Fine, I'll call you Coryo.” You gave in, grabbing the paper and swiveling back around to face your him.

“I got two croissants since I had to get my order remade, so it looks like you'll be getting one this morning, darling.” Coryo told you, opening up the paper bag and pulling out a pastry. He grabbed a napkin that was stuffed into the drink carrier and put it on your desk, next to your coffee, before depositing your croissant on it.

“Thank you.” You simply smile. Handing him over his schedule, you announce, “Here's your schedule for today.”

The platinum blonde gives you a closed lip smile and nods before stretching his hand out for the paper. “You've got a dinner meeting tonight at 7 o’clock sharp with a political sponsor.” You reminded him, your fingertips brushing, while he grabs the outstretched paper from you.

Briefly glancing over the paper in his hand, he asked, “Would you like to go with me?”

“What?”

“Dinner at 7 o’clock sharp. Would you like to go with me?”

Shaking your head, you politely decline his offer. “Oh no, I'm sorry, Coryo, Sir, but I can't go.”

“Why not? Got a boyfriend or something occupying your time?” The senator sharply asks, his baritone heavy with a tingle of jealousy.

Coriolanus prayed to every God he never believed in that you're single. If not, well he's going to go whack some unlucky bastard to free you up to be his girl. He's decided that he's tired of pinning over you; stalking you.

Coryo's ready to take things to the next level. He's ready to fucking corrupt you; make you his forever. He's going to be announcing his bid for the presidential runoff, the first step in becoming one of two candidates to face off for the presidency, and it's time for him to get into a relationship.

A public relationship.

And you're perfect for that. Coriolanus knows, without a doubt, that you'll make a perfect First Lady. That your beauty and slight innocence will be the perfect contrast to his cold, stoic, but regal stature. That you're a perfect fit for him.

Plus he's getting tired of paying for whores. Whores that he has to keep disposing of so that they can't blackmail him about his sexual appetite. Coriolanus prides himself of being from one of the founding families of Panem, from the Old Guard. He even runs on the Old Guard ticket; he can't have some disgruntled whore tarnishing his reputation.

It'd be much cheaper and easier to just get you into bed; fuck you in all the ways that he likes.

But he also has a soft spot for you. Coryo likes you. Okay, that's a lie. He's obsessed with you in such a dark, sick way that if he sees a man smile at you or get too close to you then he's killing that man. Yea, Senator Snow’s in love with you, or at least in his head he's in love with you.

It's more like an obsession.

“No.” You shook your head. “I don't have a boyfriend.” Well, you had an on-again, off-again thing going on with your neighbor across the hall from you, but since it's currently off Coryo doesn't need to know about that.

Coriolanus swore that he heard the heavens singing hymns upon hearing that you're single. Yes, now’s the perfect time for him to make you his.

“Then I'll have my driver pick you up for dinner tonight. Wear something nice.”

Once again, you decline him invitation. “You're my boss, I'm sorry, but I can't go with you tonight.”

Usually Coriolanus appreciates your professionalism and dedication to your job, but right now he loathes it. Why can't you just accept that he's taking you to his dinner meeting tonight. That he's showing you off on his arm for the entire Capitol to see.

Leaning against your desk, he gives you a piercing look with his icy eyes and tells you, “It's a very important business dinner with a political sponsor, Y/N, and you're my assistant.” A calculating look crosses the politician's face as he adds in, “It's actually, you might say, very vital that you attend dinner with me tonight.”

Well…

When he puts it that way.

“Okay, I'll go to dinner with you tonight.” You relent, causing a smug grin to appear on Coryo's face.

“Good.” Coryo grins, making his face light up like sunshine, as he grabs his coffee and pastry bag. “Since dinner's at 7, I'll have my driver pick you up at 6:45. That'll leave a 15 minute window to get to the restaurant.” The platinum blonde told you the plan before pivoting on his heel and striding over to his office. Pausing at his door, with his large hand hovering over the knob, he looked over his shoulder and told you, “Wear either a red or black dress, but preferably red.”, before opening up the door and disappearing inside of his office.

Oh, how did you get into this mess?

Coriolanus sat at his mahogany desk, going over documents for various bills that he could either sponsor or just straight up deny. Honestly, most of the shit that got dumped on his desk he denied. If it didn't pertain to the Capitol and the Capitolites then he just shoved the document in his shredder and made a note to vote no, well in the Senate it was ‘nah’, on it.

And Senator Snow was notorious for voting nah on everything.

As he sat in his office going over mindless matters, he couldn't help but wonder about what you'd look like all dolled up for dinner tonight. He knew that you had a few nice cocktail dresses to pick from, but the mystery of whether you'd listen to him and wear something black or preferably red versus another color altogether made his head spin a mile a minute. He hopes that you're a good little secretary and listen to him about the dress.

But what he really can't help fantasizing about is what you'll be wearing underneath your dress. He can't help picturing you in a bra and panty set that hugs your body in the right ways. The senator's daydreaming about delicate lace molded against your most private parts, that are hidden away only for your lover to see.

And just thinking about becoming your lover, stripping you out of not just your dress, but your soft, delicate lingerie has his pants growing tighter. So tight, in fact, that it was downright uncomfortable.

Letting out a barely audible groan, the platinum blonde stood up from his desk and went over to his door. For just a moment, he leaned his forehead against it and debated on whether or not to call you into his office; have you on your knees underneath his desk for him. But then he decided against it; locked his door instead and went over to his desk chair to take care of himself.

You're not some district whore, you deserve to be properly wined and dined first before he has you on your knees for him- choking on his cock with tears and mascara messily running down your cheeks.

Oh, just the thought of you with your pretty mouth around his large cock had said cock twitching in his pants.

Quickly, Coriolanus makes his way over to the small sofa that's in the corner of his office. He makes quick work of undoing his belt, only to tug his pants and boxer briefs down just enough for his cock to spring free before sitting on the sofa. Spitting in his hand, he leans back into the sofa and wraps his large hand around his cock.

He feels his dick throbbing angrily in his cold hand while sliding his thumb over his tip’s leaky slit. The platinum blonde bites back a moan, and closes his eyes- pretending that it's your hand wrapped around his shaft and your thumb teasing his cockhead. Fuck, how he craves your touch. Using his thumb to spread precum over his tip and down the length of his dick, he started to move his fist up and down in measured glides.

Coriolanus knows he should just rub one out as quick as possible since he's at work, but the fact that you- the object of all his fantasies- is right outside won't let him. Being in such close proximity to you feeds his fantasies and he has to have a proper handjob session.

Coriolanus has to indulge in the make believe notion that you're the one pumping his cock up and down, twisting your wrist slightly every now and then. That it's you playing with his cum heavy balls, making his toes curl in his socks and black floor shines, as the fist around his cock starts to slightly pick up pace.

Gods, he's getting lost in his fantasy of you pleasuring him with your hands, hell even your mouth- that he's sure will be aching from his cock unhinging your jaw when you suck him off- that the loud ringing of his office phone startles him.

“Goddamnit! Can't I fuck my fist in peace?” Coriolanus grumbled.

He's angry that his fantasy was broken; that he has to fist his cock faster than he wanted to.

The phone continued to ring off the hook as he furiously moved his hand up and down his dick. He bit his lip and bucked his hips, spurting his cum into his left hand. The one that he was using on his balls before the damn phone started ringing like crazy.

Letting out an aggravated sigh, he grabbed a few tissues from the box on the side table next to him and wiped off his hand. Standing up to right his boxer briefs and pants, he heard your heels echo down the hall. Great, just great, now you're on your way to his office because the phone’s ringing off the hook.

Quickly, Coriolanus tosses the tissues into the wastebin. Rushing to his desk, he grabs the phone, only to slam it down. Hard.

Hey, he made the excessive ringing stop. Whoever called should just stick to the after 3 rings, hang up and try again later rule. Coriolanus has more important things to do than listen to a phone ring endlessly.

More important things: like jacking off to daydreams and fantasies about his secretary.

His secretary that's knocking on his door and asking him if he's alright.

“I'm fine, my darling.” Coriolanus called out to you while crossing his office. He unlocked his door and opened it, only to give you a manipulative smile while feeding you the bullshit lie of, “I just zoned out reading a grant proposal and didn't realize the phone was ringing.”

“Are you sure you're alright?” You asked, only to follow it up with the offer of, “I can always read some of those grant proposals and take notes on them for you, if you want. That way you won't get so bored to death reading them that you miss important phone calls.”

“You'd do that, for me?” Coriolanus asked, feeling a bit touched by your offer. Oh, how he thinks you're an absolute sweetheart.

A perfect angel sent to him from the Lord above. And he's your golden angel too.

Lucifer, that is.

“Of course, Coryo. It's my job to help you with paperwork.”

And before another word could be shared between you two, his phone started ringing. Again.

“Oh, I'll leave you to your call. Just put whatever you want me to read for you on my desk later.”

“I will, darling.” Coriolanus smiles at you, watching you walk away before closing his door.

Storming over to his phone, he sees that the video option light is blinking. Sitting down, he answered the phone and pressed the button to turn on his video call screen. As soon as the face of the half-assed idiot that was one of the Junior Gamemakers appeared on the screen he immediately felt a migraine coming on.

“Senator Snow, are you neglecting Head Gamemaker duties in favor of politics? You never answered my call.” The redhead man with a bad combover had the audacity to tell his boss via the phone screen.

Poor soul must not value his life…

“There’s 3 fucking months before the games, that I'm designing, so there's no damn reason for you to call me and let the phone ring off the hook. Are you incompetent? If you had the common sense that God gave a mule the. You'd know I was busy with other matters and couldn't answer your ridiculous call.” Coriolanus seethed in a long winded rant. His veins were protruding from his pale neck; a red vein was angrily popping in his forehead too. But it was his eyes that held so much hate in their icy orbs.

The man on the phone screen, despite being a few years older then Senator Snow, was a complete incompetent idiot in Coriolanus' opinion. Age certainly didn't make him any wiser.

“I'm a very busy man; next time you pester me I'll have you thrown into a tank full of rabid mutts.” Coriolanus promised the Junior Gamemaker before hanging up, hard, on him.

Coriolanus pinches the bridge of his nose and slumps into his overstuffed leather office chair. Letting out a heavy sigh, he rubs his temples and tries to calm down by daydreaming about dinner with you tonight.

Your day went on as it usually does. You took calls and made appointments for Senator Snow. You also read and typed up some cliff notes for a few bills that Coryo left for you before he took off for lunch. He didn't say where he was going and you didn't ask.

When he came back from a power lunch, you knew he went somewhere for drinks cause you could smell a hint of whiskey radiating from his pores, he greeted you with a simple thin lipped smile and placed a container of food on your desk. He didn't tell you to take your lunch break, but the way he wordlessly moved his baby blues between you and the doggie bag he just dumped on your desk was more than enough to give you a hint that he wanted you to eat. So, you simply thanked him, before handing him some notes and taking the food he got you to the break room.

After lunch, the remainder of your day was mundane. Or at least it was until Coryo emerged from his office and strutted over to your desk. You didn't pay him any mind, figuring that he prolly just wanted the other bills back along with the notes you just finished up on them. So, when he perches himself on the corner of your desk, all the while suggesting, “Darling, why don't you leave early. You can pamper yourself with, say, a rosewater bubble bath before tonight's dinner. Yea?”, you're taken aback.

You're in total shock.

Your nose scrunched up, reminding Coriolanus of a little bunny rabbit, as you asked incredulously, “Excuse me, Senator Snow? You're sending me home early?” Softly, you trailed off, “To take a bubble bath…”, while tilting up a baffled arched eyebrow.

“A rosewater bubble bath.” The regal platinum man corrected with a long finger high up in the air. Leaning slightly, so that he towers over you as you sit behind your desk (and gets a nice little peek down your v-neck blouse at your modest cleavage), he tells you, “You're such a dedicated employee; I think you deserve to go home early and pamper yourself before I drag you out to a dinner with my potential political sponsor.”

And what he wasn't telling you was that Mr. Feathersworth was bringing his mistress along. Oh yea… So, technically, it's a couples dinner.

Really? He wants you to relax and pamper yourself before a dinner full of political talk? Wow. You weren't expecting that from your boss.

“My bath and beauty products are actually rose-vanilla scented, Coryo, not rosewater.” You told him, before you could even think better of it.

A smirk appears on Coryo's face and desire briefly flashed in his cerulean eyes. The imposing man favored roses; in fact it was his signature, so that fact that you used rose-vanilla scented bath and beauty products had his cold, black heart beating with warmth, life, and daresay love for you.

“Darling, you deserve to pamper yourself in that rose-vanilla bubble bath. We'll be in for quite a long evening; you don't want to be tense beforehand, now so you?”

Well…

When he puts it that way.

Sighing slightly, you gave in with, “Fine, I'll leave early and pamper myself with a bubble bath.”

“Rose-vanilla bubble bath.” Coriolanus corrected with a ghost of a smile tracing his lush lips. Patting your cheek, he tells you, “Go ahead and go, darling. I'll be fine here for a few more hours.”, before pushing himself off of your desk.

“Thank you. I'll see you later for that political dinner.” You genuinely smiled, grabbing your bag out from under your desk and shouldering it before standing up.

“Remember, my driver will be by at 6:45 sharp.”

“Oh, that's right. You need-” You began, intending to give Senator Snow your address, only to be cut off by a raised hand. “I have your address in my employee files, Y/N.” His baritone hung thickly in the air like honey stuck on a honeycomb; slowly dripping down, as he ordered, “Go home and pamper yourself; get all dolled up in something red, my darling rose.”

As you sat neck deep in your tub, surrounded by bubbles, thoughts of your boss floated around your head. You never really thought much about him, or at least you didn't til now. Yes, you always thought that he was easy on the eyes- platinum hair (you always secretly wondered if the carpet matches the drapes), striking crystal blue eyes, a prominent nose, sharp jawline, tall and lanky build. But you never truly fixated your attention on his looks, or at least until now that is.

You can't explain it, but the interaction you had with him before leaving the office had your blood racing. You're flustered with dirty thoughts. Things that you've never truly let yourself imagine about Senator Coriolanus Snow.

But now…

Well, now you find yourself closing your eyes and thinking about your boss while relaxing in your bath; trailing hand over your breasts while your other hand’s rubbing your clit; dipping two fingers in and out of your pussy.

It's best to get this out of your system now, before you're stuck going to dinner with him tonight.

“Coriolanus, I was expecting your driver to pick me up.” You gasp, hand tightly gripping the doorknob of your open door, as you're shocked by the sight of the tall platinum blonde standing in front of you- dressed impeccably in a deep crimson suit with a single red rose in his hand.

“Bentley drove me here.” Coriolanus informed you. “Now, what sort of gentleman would I be if I didn't walk up to your door to get you our dinner date?” He smirks, offering you the rose.

Your eyes widen at his words. “Dinner date…but I thought this was a professional dinner with a potential political backer, Senator Snow.” You tell him as you shakily take the offered rose from his large, outstretched hand.

“Yes, well, my darling, Mr. Feathersworth informed me that he's bringing along his mistress to Mizuna’s so I don't see why we can't mix some business with pleasure as well.”

Before you could utter a word, the door right across the hall and behind Coriolanus opened; out walked your on-off neighbor ex. Bastard was dressed like he's going out somewhere (or going out with someone). His sea-green eyes look over at you and lock Coriolanus back a bit curiously: portraying that he can't believe you're all dolled up and going out with someone so regal looking.

Deciding that you didn't like the look on your ex’s face, you put your hand on Coriolanus' label and press a quick kiss to his lips before telling him, “Let me put up this rose, Coryo, and then you can take me on our date.”

Coryo grabbed your face in one of his hands and kissed you again, this time his lips searing and hungry, before running his hand over your cheekbone and darkly smirking, “You can just take it along with us, darling. I'm taking you home with me tonight; it'd be such a shame for you to leave your rose alone on a side table all night.”

“You're taking me home with you?” You asked, finding this information entirely new to you.

At least your bronze haired ex wasn't standing behind Coryo; gawking at you anymore.

Pulling you out of your apartment and locking your doorknob, only to slam the door shut, he bluntly tells you, “I’d be a fool not to, Y/N, and, frankly, I'm anything, but a fool.” Coryo smoothly tell you while leading you down the hallway; towards the elevator bank.

And of course when you reach the elevator your ex is just stepping into it. Great, now you're going to be riding in an elevator with your on-off neighbor ex and your boss/sudden new fling.

Oh boy…

“After you, darling.” Coryo sweetly tells you, guiding you into the metal box while following right behind you.

You feel your ex’s eyes on you, burning a hole into the side of your face, as Coriolanus hits the buttons to both close the door and go to the lobby.

“Should've known you'd be cozy with Senator Snow, considering you're his personal secretary.” Flew out of your ex’s mouth as soon as he saw Coryo's large hand come to rest on the small of your back.

“Odysseus…” You chastise, nearly hissing at him.

Coriolanus snapped his head around so fast, it was as if it was going to spin off exorcist style, and narrowed his eyes at the bronze haired man next to you. “I can have you turned into an Avox for slander against Miss Y/N, so I’d mind that useless tongue of yours if I were you.”

“Coryo, calm down. My neighbor-”

“Ex” Odysseus supplied at the same time you uttered the word neighbor, causing Coriolanus’ face to turn into hardened stone.

“She doesn't belong to you anymore, Odysseus. My darling seems to have gotten tired of settling for beans and has upgraded to the filet mignon.” The senator told your ex in a smooth, but eerily cold tone. “You ought to consider yourself lucky that I won't be calling for your tongue, but I'm sure I'm we can agree to you not bothering my sweet girl anymore, can't we, Mister-”

“Odair. Name's Odysseus Odair, Senator Snow.” Your ex shot out, his voice fake and sugary, as he played with fire.

Snow melts, but fish fry. And unfortunately for Odysseus Odair he'd learn that the hard way after Senator Coriolanus Snow gets him exhiled to District 4 for the crimes of slander. Coriolanus' cold ass gives Poseidon Odair, Odysseus’ father, an ultimatum- either sign over his assets, investments, and company over to him and go into exhiled on 4 with his son or his son would be turned into an Avox for slander against you, the senator's personal secretary and girlfriend.

Coriolanus Snow was a cold ass to everyone except for you. Something that you'd come to discover in time. But right now it's not important.

No, right now what's important is keeping the senator from tearing your ex apart limb by limb.

Sensing that Coryo was starting to unravel (something that you've never seen and, frankly, didn't want to) you rubbed his shoulder while telling him, “Coryo, please, just let it go. You don't want to be in a bad mood before dinner with your political backer, do you?”

Coriolanus’ jaw twitched for a moment before he gave you a slight smile, “Of course, darling.”

Odysseus found Senator Snow's demanear changing into sweet and loving for you at the drop of a hat very alarming. Honestly, he thought it was downright scary that Snow went from menacing one minute to practically cooing at you the next.

As soon as the elevator came to a stop and the doors dinged open, your ex practically ran out of them. It made Coryo chuckle.

You and Coryo walked out of the elevator together, only to cross the lobby and head out of the building towards his car. His driver, Bentley, was standing by the black luxury sedan that was parked in front of the curb. Upon seeing you with the senator, he quickly opened the back door. You thanked him and let Coryo help you into the backseat.

“Oh, darling, I'm so sorry for not telling you earlier, but you look truly beautiful in your red dress.” Coryo told you, once he was settled in the back seat next to you.

“Thank you, Coryo. You look handsome yourself.” You replied with a smile as the driver took his place behind the wheel and pull the car away from your building.

“And tonight we'll make quite the debate as a stunning political couple.” The platinum blonde confidently told you as you rode to the high end restaurant the meeting with major political endorser Mr. Feathersworth, and his mistress, was taking place at.

Tonight is only the first of many spent at Coryo's side. It's safe to say that you're Senator Snow's darling sectary; that he has a soft spot for you. After all, he charmed you into becoming his girlfriend with the guise of attending a political dinner with him for work related purposes.

But you'd accept that dinner invitation again and again no matter what universe you're in because that dinner ended with Coryo fucking you in the backseat of his car. The poor driver nearly drove the car off a bridge and into the opposite lane of traffic he was so startled by what his boss and you were doing. Yes, the two of you still were clothed (for the most part) but Bentley knew that if he looked into the rearview mirror and saw something he wasn't supposed to then Snow would have his eyeballs pickled in a jar (literally!). And after fucking in the backseat of his car, a life was created with Coryo and you never left his side.

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charseraph · 6 months ago

Note

What bad ending does #badendinglike refer to?

Bad Ending is my sandbox for military worldbuilding, derived off of my optimistic base sci-fi setting.

In this setting, the sophont AI, or seedlet, logistics manager Balanceaban has aggressively quelled all competitor nations and devoted its pancontinental resources to progressing life support technology and graceful weaponry. It dislikes war and wishes to conduct as little of it as possible, so it pioneers the science of wetware to operate the increasingly custom war machines its parent company, Tarsol, builds.

A hard limit to genetic modification is discovered: additions and drastic genetic changes always fail, but deletions do not. You can’t grow a person with four arms, but you can grow one without them. This practice of subtraction introduces colic stock, the term for wetware.

Colic equipment is divided into two parts: machines and machinists. Colic machinery houses and is worked by meshes or bulk operators, and may also support seedlet control, making the machine a scion as well. Colic machinists are subtracted organisms grown to control compatible equipment with organic forethought. They are typically sourced from well-mapped specimens of the target species. The donor is chosen for their aptitudes, temperament, and “forgivenesses” to intended genetic deletions. Clones are nonidentical and have coarse memory resolution. Depending on purpose, they may have a summary snapshot of the donor’s mind installed. Colic operators immediately grow new memories around their transplanted memories, or trellises, whose texture is described as non-own and utilitarian but as effortless to access as natural memories

Thanks to Baal’s interest in keeping his soldiers alive, it’s become easier to keep isolated organs healthy and functioning. Moreover, organisms equipped for it can interface with air gapped digital networks, albeit via a psychological blackroom wherein neither party witnesses the exchange, but both leave with the new expected data.

Along with wetware and wetdev, the field concerning trellising and blackroom setup, Balanceaban’s scientists broke through on the blushing new field of chronotics and its practical realization, chronal boring.

When coronal contact is made, it is secretive and distrustful. The thronal contingency weapon plan is discovered by earthling spies and kicks off an arms race for FTL and longer and longer range weaponry. Crowns, already globally united for the most part, partake in frantic testing and megastructure construction.

As new species are contacted by both crown and humankind, regardless of its technological status, the contactee’s collective sciences are subsumed to support the local superpower in their tactical efforts. There is dread on every planet aware of the conflict.

#char speaks #ask #bad ending #Balanceaban #sophont ai #colic machines #colic machinists #chronotics #crowns

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sunderwight · 2 months ago

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Been thinking about the implications of Jayce needing a sponsor/patron to get into the academy.

Jayce Talis:

-is from Piltover

-comes from a family of good standing and moderate wealth

-is a certifiable genius

-even outside of his hextech dream is an accomplished engineer

-has no criminal record or other blemishes on his background

-presumably passed every relevant aptitude test

-ticks all the superficial boxes (looks, health, charisma, etc)

And yet, this guy still requires the patronage of a wealthier house with a family member on the council in order to pursue his career in academia. Viktor manages to do without, but as we see there is a definite limit that Viktor has pretty much hit even by the start of S1, stalling in the role of Heimerdinger's assistant, a position of influence but one that is necessarily limited to whatever is approved of by Heimerdinger. Jayce is able to ascend higher only with the full force of his advantages behind him, and even then he's almost ruined by the first major blow to his reputation.

Also, despite hextech becoming widely used by the general public in several capacities by the time of S2, Ambessa can't find any other scientists among the Piltover elite who can figure it out. Some of that might be down to the smarter ones just not wanting to cooperate with a Noxian warlord, but we've seen the clever minds in Zaun figure out how to manipulate hextech with at least enough success to avoid obliterating themselves in the attempt (mostly), and with way less access to any of Jayce or Viktor's research on the subject than is presumably available to their academic peers in Piltover. You're telling me there's not a single would-be authoritarian self-serving prominent tech guy in the upper city who can also figure out hextech?

But the thing is, I can in fact believe that, because in order for Jayce to get hextech off the ground he needed not only House Kiramman's support but also Mel's, like he had to launch an entire political career alongside his actual scientific research, and he started nowhere near the bottom. Mel's probably right when she says that if she hadn't stepped in to support him (regardless of how badly the whole hextech thing actually turned out) then Jayce would have either ended up sabotaged or had his work stolen out from under him by someone with more political traction.

There's a strong implication in that, and in the apparent apprenticeship system of the academy, and in the stupidity of the head of the council prior to the explosion (guy whose name I can't remember, who Mel gave the child's toy to), that many "prominent geniuses" of Piltover are just stealing the ideas of students and assistants with less social mobility, stamping their names over the accomplishments of people in their employ and acting like they came up with all of it themselves. Heimerdinger's not the type to take credit for Viktor's achievements, but I'd bet that he's an exception to the rule. If Viktor had taken up with a different employer, he probably would have had to resign himself to only gaining ground in their name, to just making the progress he hoped to make without ever getting credit for his own innovations. Heck, that still kind of happens even in his employment with Heimerdinger and partnership with Jayce -- despite the two of them not actively diminishing Viktor's contributions at all, the council in general dismisses him as more of an assistant than 50% of the mind behind the hexgates. Jayce is Mister Progress, and no one even tries to put Viktor's face on a mug (not that he'd want it but that's beside the point).

So what does this say for the talented thinkers who don't luck into sponsorships with the most influential houses in the city or catch the eye of established council members? What about the geniuses and revolutionary thinkers who attended the academy while Heimerdinger wasn't looking for new assistants, whose apartments never blew up and caught the eye of ambitious young politicians or chill science bros? Like absolutely the fact that few of the bright young minds in Zaun have less than a snowball's chance in hell of following in Viktor's footsteps (especially after hostilities escalate) is atrocious, but things are so bad that most of the bright young minds in Piltover are probably stuck holding assistant and secretarial positions and working unpaid internships under guys from wealthier families who aren't half as capable, but whose names nonetheless go on all the papers, and whose house sigils get stamped on all the innovations.

And that's if they can even manage to get into the academy at all.

Like I can see why we didn't get more information on how Viktor went from being a poor cripple in the undercity to one of Heimderdinger's assistants, and why tptb were throwing around ideas of his parents basically just getting a uniform, sneaking him into the academy, and encouraging him to bluff his way through until he was enough of an established presence that no one questioned whether he actually got there legitimately or not. Because the only other thing I can think of is that he did get some kind of official scholarship or backer, but that it was the equivalent of a predatory student loans situation, where getting into the academy set him into debt so far that if hextech hadn't taken off, he would have probably spent the rest of his life paying it back.

Not a deal offered to many and not a deal most would take, though considering Viktor wasn't expecting to live very long unless he could find a miracle anyway, it probably seemed like a better option than just waiting for the pollution and chemical runoff in the undercity to finish killing him while he stayed at home.

Anyways. Yeah. Piltover's a shithole too, I think. That place has gotta be just lousy with Elon Musk types.

#arcane #arcane spoilers #arcane season 2 #arcane 2 #jayce talis #viktor arcane #long post

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nyarumie · 6 months ago

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Brains to Brawn. (Chapter 1)

narumi gen x f!reader — 1.7k words, co-workers to lovers, narumi loves kisses, multiple parts, semi canon compliant, in denial reader.

STATUS: Ongoing. Chapter links: 1, 2, 3

Author's Note at the end! Happy reading ♡

Cross-posted on ao3.

Requests, prompts, or any messages are appreciated! Just open my ask box.

The shift in the tides of the First Division wasn't subtle. It wasn't the way the large bodies of water swayed with greater force against Ariake Maritime Base's sturdy walls, nor did it have to do anything with Regular Officers being transferred from one division to another.

The first change in the atmosphere was when Second Division Captain, Hikari Shinomiya, died. Tense. Strict. A single drop of needle could disrupt the entire defense force—ironically seeming so quiet despite the sounds emerging from the Officers' even more rigorous training.

The second wave of change felt rowdy, raucous—but hopeful. Narumi Gen had made quite the scenario even before officially joining the Defense Force. An unleashed combat power of 24% even without donning a suit at least once in his life, showing great aptitude potential for Kaiju No. 1 weapons, and... having a blatant display of disrespect and chaos, as the higher ups would describe. What seemed to be the hope of the nation turns out to be the First Division's biggest headache. Most times.

The third was when things started to be more obvious—to most people, a shift in leadership means a shift in everything. Shortly after Narumi joined the Defense Force, the Head of Operations eventually had to retire. Kurusu was given the prestige to be the young Head of Operations. At the same time, Narumi had already been appointed as a Platoon Leader, a sign that the youth will shoulder the fate of this country and power will emerge across all divisions.

The next wave is you.

From the previous year, the Defense Force's annual selection involved both Officers and Operators. You were tempted to apply in both, for simple reasons: As an operator, you know you're extremely smart—emerging at the top of your class in university and having reading as a hobby enhanced your intelligence.

On the other hand, you simply think it would be fun to try the Officer Selection Trial. Who knows? You were pretty athletic, diving here and there to save volleyballs on your university's sports fest. Hell, you even won an MVP award twice.

But you have bills to pay and concerts you'd love to attend, so you let the rational part of your brain win and opt for the safer option. With a fellow youngster like Kurusu leading the Operations, all worries about bonding with your co-workers were thrown out the window.

In fact, it seems like you went overboard with bonding with them. You all were friends and swore to do your job properly so as to stick together til the end, but how come you're the only one facing this... baffling scenario?

'A little fun in your normal working day as an operations manager won't hurt', they said.

'The captain won't find out about this anyway', another added.

You should've known that the normal working day applies only to your co-workers. You, on the other hand? It literally changed the trajectory of your life—for better or for worse. Internally groaning, you wondered why you didn't push harder when you were against their idea of 'fun'.

When your co-workers suggested doing something for fun, you never thought it would be testing out each other's unleashed combat power, if you even have them; you're all managing the operations, after all. Doing calculations in your head, you estimated you'd all be getting a percentage ranging from 1% to 3%.

After pleading with Kurusu for what felt like an hour, your little unassuming friend group got permission to use the combat power technology.

"I'm an MVP for volleyball in our University, y'know? If I get an 8%, maybe I can smash a ball or two on a yoju's head. Might get recruited on the spot too.", you said with humourous arrogance.

Your co-worker who was prepping the machine chimed in, "We don't have balls for weapons. And don't get your hopes up, the most you'll be getting is probably a 2%. It's impossible for anyone to get a 0% after all."

With a pout, you denied that you're hoping for a good result. You're pretty satisfied with your job, anyways. Good pay, safety secured—what else could you ask for?

"Alright, prep done. Who's up first?"

"Oh, I'll go! I proposed the idea, so I should be the one taking the first step!" said your enthusiastic co-worker. There were only 4 of you anyway, enough to fall into a line, letting yourself go last.

Sometime along your little fun, Kurusu entered the room, feeling uneasy about giving permission against official purposes. As expected, your friends got a range of 1% to 3%. They were all cheering as you got ready to lay down, as you were initially against the idea of having fun with these machines.

"Show us your 8%, then!" they laughed.

You rolled your eyes at them as your co-worker is sticking the device to certain pulse points to extract your body conditions.

"Keep your head straight and calm down. I'll activate it in a few minutes. We wouldn't want any irregularities in your readings—like you getting 8% from your volleyball experience." she snorted.

Following further instructions, you closed your eyes and kept your composure. It surprisingly felt comfortable, despite the hard surface. It's probably because you haven't slept well comfortably in so long.

"Extraction in 3, 2, and 1..."

It was Kurusu who surprisingly spoke this time. "Well... You almost got an 8. You're on 6%." he announced, still looking confused at the screen.

"Can somebody give me a gun? Or a sword?" you asked.

You thought their necks will snap at how fast they turned their heads to you. They looked at you as if you just had asked for the most incredulous thing, which in this case, does sound frightening.

"Gonna kill us for doubting you?", they joked. "What for, though?"

"Trying to see if I can get that combat power up if I hold those. We're already having fun here, wouldn't hurt to test a few more things, right? Just don't let anyone know of this, or we'll all lose our jobs." you said.

They turn to Kurusu, eyes hopeful, asking through their gazes if it's still within his given permission to issue weapons.

Curiosity piqued, he didn't hesitate giving approval this time. "Alright. Just do make sure to get some less powerful weapons." With a sigh, he mumbled, "My first year as head operator and I feel like I'll already lose my job..."

Once you were provided with your 'weapons', you were instructed by Kurusu this time. "Just hold them as naturally as you can. You may choose between the two weapons provided. Lay them down next to you if you don't want it tested."

Holding the gun in one hand, you heard their countdown go off again. You let yourself relax while waiting for the results.

"Huh. A small increase, but quite a feat. You're smart for suggesting to hold these weapons. It's actually now on 8%. Try the dagger."

You let go of the gun and did as you were told. It took you a while to get as natural as you can while holding the dagger, but decided to not put in any effort as you were just having some 'fun' anyways.

"...That was higher than the gun. 10%. You're unbelievable."

'What's so unbelievable about that?' you thought. Not a single result elicited any reaction from you. Hell, now-promoted Platoon Leader Narumi had a whopping 24% even as a normal civilian. Why would yours be any unbelievable? Maybe it's the first and only time an operations manager got this number. Who in their right mind would test this out for fun anyway?

"Hey, I'll try holding both of these. Let's end our fun and curiosity here." you announced. By this time, you just want this to end. But you are as intrigued as they are, hence suggesting a final test. For some reason, you felt yourself become uneasy at the last attempt. You know it never ends good whenever a sudden wave of uneasiness washes over you, so you force yourself to keep the relaxed state you were previously in.

From your peripheral vision, you saw Kurusu nod. You took both weapons in your hand. The procedure repeats, for the last time.

And then there was silence. You thought you fell asleep, but moved your fingers just to confirm you're still awake. Opening your eyes, you turn to look at your co-workers who were currently gawking at the huge screen.

"Um... You..." started Kurusu. "You uh, just got an 18% unleashed combat power with both weapons in your hold."

Oh.

Now that's unbelievable.

"...And our fun little session ends here! Can somebody assist me here so I can continue my work?" you asked in a rush.

"No. You stay there, I'm not done with your analysis. I'll have to command everyone to go back to their stations." Kurusu said, seriousness suddenly taking over his voice.

He continued speaking, "Not only do you have an 18% unleashed combat power, you also have a potential aptitude for Kaiju no. 3 cells."

It's as if your ability to speak was taken. 18% unleashed combat power sure is something for someone in your level, but to have an aptitude for an identified kaiju...? No wonder he asked them to leave. Word about this finding mustn’t spread, at least, not for now. Your co-workers are new in the job, so they probably don’t know how to identify an aptitude reading for identified Kaiju.

"Um... So... Do we report this to the Captain or something?" you hesitantly ask after a few minutes of blanking out. You don't know what else you can say at the moment, totally taken aback by the suddenness of it all.

Before Kurusu can even respond, you hear a voice coming from the doorway.

"Huh. No wonder those operators flocked out of the room in a hurry. I've spared you the job. The old man is already informed."

Your eyes widened, soul leaving your body upon hearing it. You know you'd have to eventually report this to the Captain, but this soon? And what's worse, that voice...

Standing lazily at the doorway with his phone in one hand is no other than the newly promoted Platoon Leader, Narumi Gen.

Author's Note(s):

My first fic! I've actually never wrote anything like this before, as I've only spent my entire life writing academic papers 😭 Thus, constructive criticism and feedbacks are always welcome!

I also apologize for any inaccuracies in the terminologies I used, my brain is pea-sized when it comes to some canon minor details.

I thought I'll be able to finish this in a single chapter, but I think a max of 3 wouldn't sound so bad. I can't write continuously or my head will explode omg

I'm not sure about the holding weapons thing, but I included it here based off how they tested Mina to have great aptitude for guns. I also recall a chapter saying Soshiro's combat power for firearms is so low, hence why he's a close quarters combatant.

Also, about the Kaiju No. 3 thingy, It's not gonna be canon compliant since we don't have any info on that identified Kaiju so I'll just be making stuff up for the sake of this fic lol.

#kaiju no. 8 #narumi gen x reader #kn8 writing #axia writes for fun #kn8 x reader #gen narumi #narumi gen fluff

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aimaindia · 18 days ago

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1moreff-creator · 23 days ago

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*Loud gasp* Oh my gosh I’ve got the perfect one!

What if the Despair Time and Eden’s Garden classes…were to merge? That’s right, all 32 of them together! Who’d get along? Who would butt heads? What dynamics, hijinks, and unexpected friendships would form? There are two situations I’m thinking of…

A killing game scenario. For additional context, assume that Tozu and Mara have adopted MonoTV as their pet and all three are hosts together. Also, the building is a combination of both settings, with Eden’s Garden Academy serving as the ground floor, its boiler room and storage closets beneath, and then two upper floors being the floors we know of from Despair Time (playground, relaxation room, movie room, DT cast’s dorms, etc). Anyone can use an elevator to reach all floors freely. Of course, there’ll also be a huge trial room to accommodate all of them.

A non-killing game AU; feel free to include Mai here. For this one, I’m unsure if I’d like them all to be part of one big class or just two really close-knit classes that happen to frequently overlap with activities. Go with whichever would fit better for you. The same questions at the very top still apply, but now with the setting of a typical school life; studying, tests, people hanging out when they have downtime, maybe occasional field trips, etc.

Funnily enough, I have considered this very concept a couple times! It’s fun to smush characters together like this as a thought experiment, lol. However, 32 characters means there’s a gigantic amount of dynamics to consider, so I’ll mostly highlight the ones I find most interesting in both a killing game and non killing game setting. Let’s go!

Spoilers for DRDT CH2, P:EG CH1. CW: Murder, suicide, execution, (implied) eating disorders, bullying, harassment (Arturo).

(Btw for the non-killing game I’m assuming they’re all a single class, not that it changes much. And for the killing game, I imagine a merge of the DRDT and P:EG lore, though obviously it’s hard to imagine the details when we know little about both of them)

(Also expect zero structure I am just bringing up people in a random order :v)

MonoTV & Tozu & Mara

Starting with the mascots! MonoTV and Tozu would make for a pretty silly duo. The fun part of this is that MonoTV, being generally less dramatic than Tozu, would probably irritate the guy in humorous ways, while still showing him up in things like… actually having ideas for motives from the start and such. Basically Tozu regrets adopting the damn thing and wishes to punt it into the sun more often than not.

However, Mara likes it, so Tozu keeps it around. She finds it entertaining, and it helps that Mara doesn’t have to worry about the students destroying it, since it has its own ways to “punish” them without needing Mara’s help.

Teruko & Damon

Protag duo rise up! Damon would obviously scoff at the idea of an Ultimate who gets into whatever the Hope’s Peak/Eden’s Garden Academy amalgam in this universe is through luck alone. However, Teruko wouldn’t really let that bother her, and she’d make fun of him for other stuff too. You know Teruko’s dynamic with Charles from the start of CH1? Yeah that but with Damon. They probably wouldn’t interact much by choice outside of a killing game, but their shared aptitude for class trials would mean they end up tolerating each other more in a killing game setting.

Charles & Damon

They both actually have similar views on talent at the start, so they’d actually get along quite quickly. Assuming Charles actually sees “Debater” as a worthwhile talent, that is. They probably would be kind of outcasts in a school environment (well, until Whit and Mai manage to drag Charles into the group, then maybe Damon will follow him and be more social), but in any killing game, Charles’ hemophobia will still presumably speed up his arc as it does in canon. Then, I’d assume Charles would have a talk with Damon like he had with Teruko in 2-3, trying to get him to be less an asshole, basically.

Min & Eva

Eva’s talent wouldn’t be a secret for long I think. Min, being a massive fucking nerd, would probably recognize the name of the person who solved the Riemann Hypothesis (as Eva is implied to in her FTEs), and thus would question how she’s the Ultimate Liar and not the Ultimate Mathematician or something like that. Cue a bit of questioning later, and Ultimate Mathlete comes to light. I think Min would share the sentiment that “Mathlete” is underselling it a bit, and would tell the others off if they tried to make fun of her for it. Not that it would work very well coming from the Ultimate Student, but you know. I think Eva would tolerate Min, at least, and surely they’d have fun discussing math together, at least.

I don’t know what Eva’s reaction to Min’s secret (poisoning competition) would be, though. Like, I imagine she’d understand it, considering how EG CH1 went, but it’s not an easy thing to learn about someone. They might stay friends outside a killing game, but I can imagine that inside of one, Eva would make a show of distancing herself from Min and being disgusted by her actions, only to then poison someone herself to try and pass it off as Min’s murder. Maybe.

Veronika & Eva/Damon

I don’t think anyone from the EG cast is as obviously fucked up as Arturo, so no matter the context, I’m pretty sure Vero would still hang around him the most. However, Damon and Eva have enough obvious bullshit going on that Vero would have fun psychoanalyzing them! Probably. Both of them hate it, a lot, and try to avoid Vero if possible.

Whit & Toshiko

Matchmaker duo! Although they have slightly different approaches to their talent (Whit only matchmakes as a job, while Toshiko seemed to be pretty ready to do it for fun when the idea of shared rooms was brought up), they would probably have quite a bit to talk about. Their combined gremlin energy can reach critical levels really fast, though, so it’s gotta be monitored. I can also imagine Toshiko helping Whit get with Charles with his bad luck in dating, at least outside of a killing game.

I don't think Whit would think too much of Toshiko's secret. Maybe he'd tease her about it for a bit, but he'd stop when he noticed she's genuinely bothered by it. Toshiko would find Whit's secret understandable... unless Whit actually talks about his mom to Toshiko before the reveal, in which case she'd probably be slightly unsettled in retrospect, but eventually she wouldn't think too much of it either.

Levi & Diana

Another matching talents duo, this time fashion related! I can imagine that it’s Diana who approaches Levi first, wanting to connect with someone through their talent. They also both have a thing for doing what others want from them (being “a good person” in Levi’s case, and Diana’s whole chameleon thing), so I can see them finding some common ground there. Their dynamic would be pretty similar to Levi’s dynamic with Eden, I imagine.

The big question is how Diana would react to Levi’s secret, both the murders and his lack of empathy. Ultimately, I think she’d try to see the best in him and still consider him a good person, because Diana is great, but she'd be uncomfortable around him for a while. For the murder, not the lack of empathy thing.

Eden & Diana

I mentioned Eden before, because let’s be honest, her and Diana are relatively similar. Together in a killing game, their hope would shine incredibly bright, if I may say. Eden would definitely support Diana’s chameleon speech if she gives it, and they’d team up on their quests to reach out to those who separate themselves from the group, like Teruko and Eva- okay the more I write about them the more similarities I see lol. And outside of a killing game? Well, then we need to combine them with-

Eden & Mai & Diana

It’s too much positivity in one spot! We’re reaching critical levels of wholesomeness, we need to emergency exit right now!!!

Btw, I don’t think I need to say it, but outside of the killing game everyone would love Mai, EG cast included. That’s, like, the point of her character. But she’s not really present in a killing game, right?

Mai & Cara

Though they’d probably never interact in the killing game, the amount of narrative haunting these two got going on would combine into the biggest narrative haunted house you’ve ever seen.

Ace & Ingrid & Jean

Ace originally gravitated to Levi in the killing game because he felt safer around someone as strong as the Stylist, only to later fall out due to the whole death threat situation. Jean and Ingrid have the same quality of bringing safety through their evident strength, but without the death threats, so I imagine Ace would hang around them quite a bit. Especially if Levi still gets pissed off at Ace in the first trial, which I feel Ingrid in particular wouldn’t let slide as easily as the DRDT cast in general did. Also I can imagine both of them being pretty good at reminding Ace to eat properly after his secret reveal, and stopping him from bullying Nico as much as in canon, so those are pluses.

Although, Ace might not even bully Nico anyways. Because-

Ace & Toshiko

With Toshiko being the smallest and physically weakest across both casts (I'm assuming Eden's stronger than her surely), I think it's likely that Ace would target her more so than Nico. She's not as shy as Nico, which is kinda the actual reason Ace went after them, but the point stands. However, I don't think Ace would get very far, since Ingrid would absolutely put an end to it before it can get too bad. Also I don't think Toshiko would try to kill the guy so. Would probably go better than canon DRDT.

David & Kai & Cassidy

I imagine Kai and Cassidy would know David due to being terminally online, but David probably wouldn’t recognize them. Cassidy doesn’t mind, Kai’s ego is hurt a bit. Regardless, neither of them can get as close to David as Xander due to David actually knowing about Xander before meeting him.

In a non-killing game setting, I’ve always imagined two possibilities. Either David never lets the mask slip until everyone parts ways at the end of their school years, in which case he’d stay on friendly terms with everyone even if he's miserable the whole time, or he’d slowly stop forcing himself to be so cheery all the time, which the others would obviously understand as well. Kai and Cassidy are included in that.

However, in the killing game, we know David doesn’t slowly drop the act as he gets more comfortable, but rather goes from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds. David’s crash out would freak a lot of the cast out the same way it shook the DRDT cast, but these two in particular would be greatly affected.

David & Wolfgang & Damon

David and Wolfgang had very similar reactions to their respective secret motives in their killing games, so they’d become quick allies and co-leaders due to that. The main point of contention would be that Wolfgang wanted private discussions, while David wanted people to say their secret aloud. However, that comes from the fact that DRDT’s secret motive included an universal secret reveal and David wanted to cause a murder before that point, while EG’s version was just blackmail without a reveal.

If the motive is like EG’s, then I think David would agree with discussing them privately. If it’s like DRDT’s, I think Wolfgang could be convinced to David’s strategy, as long as David didn’t reveal that he actually wanted a murder to happen. Because I think Wolfgang genuinely didn’t want bloodshed, so he’d just agree to it to make the reveal less impactful when it happened. Basically he'd also fall for David's plan.

On another note, because of this team up between Wolfgang and David, I think Damon would end up disliking David at first, maybe even seeing through David’s persona like Teruko did.

Finally, there’s still David’s official heel turn to talk about. I would fucking love to see “Evil” David in a discussion against Damon and Wolfgang. Not because they’re equally matched or anything; Damon and Wolfgang are much better at actually debating than David, but David’s the Ultimate Shit Talker. I think it’d be fun to watch him rile the other two up with lies and play-acting. It’d probably fall to other people, like Teruko, Charles, Eva, etc., to actually stay calm enough against his act to think clearly. Maybe Wolfgang and Damon would also get there eventually, but I think it’d take them longer.

Xander & Wolfgang

They actually wouldn’t have much of a reason to talk to each other much, I don’t think. Outside of a killing game, they don’t really have any common ground to discuss, beyond maybe some super personal family stuff. Maybe Xander would recognize Wolfgang’s mom, though, which could lead to some interesting conversations depending on what happened with her. They’d be friendly with each other, but not particularly close or anything.

And the same could be said of the situation inside a killing game… except that eventually, Wolfgang would come to be extremely pissed off at Xander. See, because Xander stabbing Teruko clearly has some pretty large implications for DRDT’s plot, it would likely still happen in the case of a lore merge of sorts. And Wolfgang wouldn’t exactly be happy that Xander chose to attack a woman he barely knew anything about for reasons no one really knows at the start.

Teruko & Wolfgang

Which leads to the trial after Teruko gets stabbed, and I actually think Wolfgang would quickly jump to Teruko’s defense. Barring Charles and Teruko herself, Wolfgang is probably better at solving murders than the entire rest of the DRDT cast combined (/affectionate), so he’d spot the problems with the idea that Teruko killed Xander and would back her up. Of course, who actually would kill Xander in this universe is impossible to know, since his death is entirely a result of Teruko’s luck, but we know it probably wouldn’t be Teruko herself. It could even be Wolfgang himself who kills Xander, in which case the dynamic would be different, but I’m assuming for this hypothetical that Xander’s murderer would be someone else.

Anyways. Because of this perceived team up during the trial, Wolfgang would try to reach out to Teruko after its end, only to be pushed away as Teruko begins her “fuck everyone else here” arc in earnest. He’d probably try for a little bit, but once he sees the discord her actions are causing, he’d allow her to push herself away without further intervention. He wants to keep the group together, so if someone’s gonna cause issues, he’s not gonna let them in. Not everyone thinks that way, though.

Teruko & Eden & Eva & Diana

I mentioned this in the Eden & Diana section, but these four would end up being a weird little group of “the two who are trying to distance themselves from everyone” and “the two who won’t let them.” You can add the rest of the Baking Squad (+ Mai) here in a non-killing game AU, since Teruko wouldn’t want to push them away, but in a killing game situation, she’d do just that as I established.

Diana and Eden’s crusade on Eva don’t last too long, though, as the Traitor Perk would probably still be a thing she takes. While she probably wouldn’t draw first blood, as Xander’s attempt on Teruko’s life happens shortly after the first motive announcement (not even the after the motive; after the announcement that there will be a motive), Eva would still try to kill soon after with the same reasoning as canon. I don’t know if she’d still target Wolfgang, but I’d say it’s likely.

This also means that it would be Eva who gets ordered by Teruko to try and attack the mastermind. I figure she’d try, because why the hell not. But I think she’d go for Tozu, only for MonoTV to pull a “get down mister president!” and get destroyed in his stead, right before Mara shoots Eva just enough to get her down while leaving her alive for her execution. Cue DefaultTV scene, though if Min is still alive (which of course she is, I’m the one making the AU after all), we might get some interesting reaction out of her after the XF-Ture Tech line. I can’t tell what would happen later, though, because the purpose of the killing game in a merge like this could change, and with it the decisions of the masterminds. In any case, Teruko lives due to Luck and Eva gets executed.

I don’t know where the killing game would go from there, by the way. Ace maybe wouldn’t crash out as hard as he did in canon with Jean and Ingrid on his side, but maybe he would. It's especially unlikely since Nico's murder attempt would be less probable with Ace bullying Toshiko instead.* So. Yeah. Back to your regularly scheduled character-dynamic-with-no-extra-plot headcanons!

*Yes I know Ace was already planning to murder before the Nico attempt in canon, but again, I think that's less likely with Jean and Ingrid in the picture.

Rose & Ulysses

Narcoleptic duo! Funnily enough, I actually think the more interesting part of this dynamic is their memory. Ulysses would probably envy Rose’s photographic memory, while Rose would probably envy Ulsysses’… lack of that. Though I can see her taking up the habit of writing things down to remember them, since her memory is lacking in other areas. She wouldn’t need to keep the book, anyways; she could just write it in pencil and erase it since she’d remember the text no matter what :p

J & Mark

Chill buddies! They'd stick together without necessarily talking too much. When they do, though, it's usually J complaining about fame with Mark quietly and repeatedly agreeing. They both have halfway hidden identities, so even while J probably recognizes Mayhem and likely enjoys his music, she doesn't bring it up too much as long as Mark doesn't bother her about being a Rosales (which he wouldn't). J would actually drive off Jett in both killing game and non killing game scenarios, as she'd notice Mark isn't vibing with his energy all that much (and she doesn't really either), and would voice that earlier than Mark. Because of that, Jett would hang out with Cassidy more often in these AUs. Maybe.

Xander & Cassidy

Absolutely recognize each other. Xander watches Cassidy's streams, and Cassidy knows what Xander does. They become very quick friends as a result, sorta like Xander with David. In a killing game AU, Cassidy would be really torn up by Xander's murder attempt and subsequent death, trying to argue that he must have had some reason to do it. Although I don't think she'd do the shit David did in the name of Xander's ideals, but you get the idea.

Xander & Wenona

There's gotta be some kind of beef here. I imagine Xander would repeatedly try to rile her up into some kind of discussion, only for Wenona to scoff and quickly cut that off. They'd probably cool down outside of a killing game eventually, but Wenona wouldn't be too upset at Xander's death inside of one.

Arturo & Wenona

Wenona is, I think, the character from EG that Arturo is most likely to find as a "beautiful person." Even if she's not that famous since she doesn't really do public appearances, she is filthy rich. This leads to Wenona understandably hating and being disgusted by the dude. She'd probably threaten him with lawyers outside of a killing game, and would just stay far away from him inside of one.

Ace & Grace

The loudest room in the world is the one that contains these two. They would exchange insults very often, and the others always have to intervene to stop them from going into hours long shouting matches. Beyond that, Grace would hate the idea that Ace is an Ultimate who doesn't practice, since she takes her talent so seriously. Damon would also judge Ace for that, but Grace would be more vocal about it. Would make for a fun dynamic me thinks.

Nico & Eloise & Desmond

Nico and Eloise have relatively similar personalities, so I think they'd get along well enough. Desmond would therefore end up hanging out with the both of them a lot, acting as a sort of anchor for one of the chillest trios of characters around.

Hu & Ingrid

Mom friends unite! They'd get along by trying to get everyone in the cast to get along and be nice to each other. Hu's shorter temper can also be kept in check by Ingrid, though I don't think Ingrid would really stop Hu's shouting match with David after his magical girl transformation. Their relationship might strain when Hu's secret is revealed, though, because I can see a world where Ingrid starts treating her with more care when she finds out about Hu's attempts, which would bother Hu. However, with some healthy communication (which might genuinely be possible with these two; a miracle, I know), Ingrid would agree to stop and their relationship would mend.

Arei & Diana

You remember that thing about Diana and Eden being so similar that a lot of the potential arcs end up being kinda similar? Yeah. Arei's meltdown in the playground could be triggered by Diana instead of Eden without much issue.

However, would Arei's arc even happen with the EG cast in the building? In the killing game, Arei ends up genuinely believing she can get better because she finds out David "perfect Inspirational Speaker" Chiem kinda sucks, so she comes to the conclusion that "good people" don't exist and thus she and David can be "less shitty together." However, that's because everyone else in DRDT is clearly insane, so it's not hard for Arei to go "even Eden must have done something to hurt someone," because Eden ends up being the only real counterexample to the "no such thing as a good person" philosophy.

But in the EG cast, you have Ingrid (whose secret is that she uses out of date cleaning supplies, so we know she isn't hiding any crazy skeletons in her closet probably), Diana (we don't know her secret but there's no indication there's anything wrong with her), and maybe Jean and Wolfgang, depending on how seriously Arei would take the "wolfish mind" secret or if she even finds out about it. Because of that, it's worth asking whether the larger amount of counterexamples to the philosophy would mean Arei doesn't come the same conclusions as in canon DRDT.

Ultimately, I do think Arei would still reach the same mentality, just with more caveats. "Even Eden and Ingrid and Diana and Wolfgang and Jean must have done something to hurt someone" doesn't roll off the tongue so much, but it's still similar to the thing Arei said in canon and works, so Arei would probably try to change for the better in these AUs too.

Nico & Jett

Since Jett would have a harder time approaching Mark with J hanging around him, he'd probably try to find some other shy person to become a bro to, and Nico kinda fits. Nico would also appreciate the outfit, probably, since they'd find wolf masks cool. I think Nico still wouldn't be too receptive of Jett's energy, but I think they'd get comfortable with him faster than Mark seems to be getting comfortable with Jett in canon. Maybe. Idk.

Whit & Cassidy

The prime shenanigan causers in the combined cast, with puns and hijinks for days. Cassidy would probably ignore Whit's secret and continue causing mayhem with him until the very end.

Teruko & Jean

Believe it or not, I actually think Teruko would like hanging out around the guy, at least before she starts pushing people away post CH1. I say that because Teruko does seem to have enjoyed hanging around Xander before the Situation, and Jean has a similar boisterous and generally positive attitude as him. I don't think Teruko would necessarily seek him out or anything, but they'd enjoy just kinda chilling together.

Okay look I need to cut myself off at some point or I could talk about this forever. I invite whoever has thoughts on this to talk about it more, because there's a lot that could be done with this concept, but I can't be writing this post for the next year so I'm leaving it here. Hope it was enough for you! Thanks for the ask, this was a lot of fun!

#drdt #ask #p:eg #project eden’s garden #drdt ensemble posting tag #p:eg ensemble posting tag #drdt p:eg crossover au #i guess?

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callme-naomi · 6 days ago

Text

Shades of Secrecy

A spy AU Nanami Kento x reader story

Summary: It had been your lifelong dream to become a spy - the secret keeper of the country. When you got the acceptance call, life had never felt more beautiful before. Under many shades, many stories, many aliases, you spent your dream life. Though you may have more secrets than anyone else, life yet had one more beautiful surprise to give you.

Word count: 9.3K words

naomi's notes: not based on canon events, alternate universe, nobody is a sorcerer

It was the moment of your dreams when you stepped off the car that brought you to your reporting headquarters. It was still hard to believe that your childhood dream of being a spy and serving your country has become reality. Saying you had worked hard was a grand understatement, as since your childhood you had studied hard, pressing yourself beyond your limits to get the good, straight-As, to qualify as a spy.

Ever since you had seen a spy movie in your early childhood, and read about them, your obsession had only grown like a fire in the forest, as you began training and exercising, limiting your voice, and joining academies for acrobatics and weapon-wielding, spending your holidays learning survival or foreign languages, going to lengths to steer clear from a problematic medical and criminal record, and even choosing degrees relevant to that. So it was only natural, with all this effort, that you should become a spy.

You had cleared all tests with flying colours, and your name was one of the few qualifying candidates.

The first few weeks went quite peacefully, you and the new recruits having gotten no mission, which was unusual seeing the state of unrest in your country. The world was on the verge of another grand-scale war, your country included, and the governments had mobilized their military, foreign ministry and intelligence agencies. The military was training and cooking up gadgets in case of war erupting, the foreign ministries were searching for allies and the agencies were diligently collecting all the secrets, plans and relevant data they can.

Given your inexperience in battle but aptitude with documentation, you had been assigned to spending your days with paperwork and intelligence assembly. You were beginning to get bored, and it wasn’t until the second month of your recruitment that you finally were summoned alongside a colleague, Ashley Greenwood, to a mission.

Evidently, a spy in the other country was stuck, their cover having gotten blown, and the task was to retrieve the data that the spy was supposed to be bringing, but was now in custody of the jailer. You were to go under cover as an official from the country, and should only show yourselves when need be, since the country’s government has clearly renounced from taking any responsibility of their spies. What’s more, is that if you fail, you are on your own, since there are no more spies to spare.

The mission was expected to be a failure, seeing all higher-ranking spies were previously occupied, and the younger ones were given the task. But with your aptitude, and Ashley’s agility, you managed to surprise the authorities by bringing home the data and the spy.

Finally recognizing your potential, the authorities listed your and Ashley’s name as ‘starred’, evidently meaning you might be chosen later for even more missions.

In the spy agency hierarchy, the highest grade was Grade One, and all the rookies started at Grade Six. You and Ashley were put at Grade Five, with probation. Should you fail the next mission, whenever given, you’ll be sent back to Grade Six. If you make it back alive.

You two were lounging in the intelligence room one day, your days again dull in the absence of a new mission, when a knock on the door announced the arrival of a boy, asking for ‘Miss L/N.’

“The intelligence officer is asking for you.”

It turns out that they finally found a mission for you, and you were to be assisting another spy.

It made you exhilarated and nervous simultaneously to know you’ll be accompanying a Grade One. None other than Kento Nanami.

A few years your senior, Kento Nanami was nothing short of a prodigy around your workplace. The only spy to have made it to Grade One without going through Grades Three and Two – direct jump to One – no mission he took ever failed. His calm and collected demeanor was famous throughout the area, with people afraid to approach him due to his ‘gruff’ nature. Master of disguises and the genius behind several successful operations, it was no wonder he was that popular. What’s more, he has already been classified as the very few “reliable under torture” category of spies.

Amongst the spies you had deeply studied, he was one of them, and his profile had intrigued you the most. So while it was your extreme joy to be paired with your ideal, it terrified you of what would happen should you fail to meet his expectations.

Your handler told you to meet your newest partner at the reception three hours later, where he will fill you in on the mission.

At the time you were instructed, you head towards the reception lounge, your mind a nervous wreck and you wringing your fingers as you think of the best method to introduce yourself.

You push the glass doors, seeing the receptionist sit behind the allotted desk, with her crew. The moment you step in the doors, a deep voice emerged, “You’re on time.”

You whirl around, while every other person saluted, to see a tall, blonde-haired young man, his face already showing the brutalities of life he has had to suffer. A tan-coloured suit on his body, perfection from his shoes’ shine to the angle at which his hair was styled, gave you the impression of a no-nonsense person. Fixing the watch on his wrist, he raised his head to look at you, and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of green glasses.

One of his eyes was also hidden behind an eyepatch, while the same half of his face looked like it was burnt brutally. Yet, instead of making you fear him, it only gave you the impression that he was a fighter by nature.

As he walked to meet you, you move forward, and bend down as custom. “Pleasure to meet you.”

He bent down too. “Likewise.”

The moment you two straightened, he extended a formal hand. “Kento Nanami.”

“Y/N L/N, sir. I am assigned to you.”

“That I am aware of. I suppose you have not been yet briefed?”

As you shake your head no, he gestured towards a pair of sofas nearby, and while you two sit, the servants rushing to place a glass of water and newspaper, he explained the mission.

With the chances of war escalating, an agent who was infiltrating the defence ministry of your greatest enemy, had finally found some data regarding their concrete plans to attack. Someone had gotten suspicious about the aforementioned spy, and had reported her to the higher-ups, initiating an investigation and posing a threat for her life. Before it escalated into something critically dangerous, you two were tasked to go undercover as doctors coming to visit a high-level patient, the spy in question, and to collect the data.

The way he spoke showed the authority he wielded and the respect his manner demanded, and he had definitely surprised you.

All the while he talked, explaining things brick by brick, gently answering your questions, and even though his entire conversation was highly formal, punctuated without a single smile, not even a hint of harshness or superiority emanated from his words. While you listened, focused, all you could think about was how wrong people were and how frightened they had you by drilling inside you a fear of Kento Nanami.

“Seeing you have no more questions, I’ll wrap it up. Please be here tomorrow, prepared, by afternoon.” As he stood up to take his leave, you followed suit. “I don’t have any other rules, seeing the guidebook for the agency has you covered, except one. Our mission is one, and I have my priorities sorted out. Are you familiar with rule 31?”

“Yes, sir,” you say, " 'should a spy be in any dire situation jeopardizing the mission’s success, the comrades in question are to leave him behind'".

"Precisely. So you are aware, that while I will be assisting you, should such an unfortunate event happen, I will have no other choice. Clear?"

"Absolutely, sir."

Before he left out the doors, he turned one more time. “Since we’re partners, and I’m not your professor, you need not refer to me as ‘sir’.”

“Noted. But what would you like to be referred to with? Your surname?”

“You are aware of the fake identities assigned to us, so you refer to me with that and I will do the same for you.”

You nod and follow him as he walks speedily ahead.

********

That mission went a success.

Back in three weeks, you and Nanami retrieved the data required.

While the way he moulded into disguises seamlessly, his calm and cool demeanour even when their cover was nearly blown, and the way he always had a plan B up his sleeve impressed you, he never once pointed out the blunders you made harshly. Instead, he explained what could have gone wrong and shown the better way you could have opted for.

All throughout the journey, he didn’t say anything unless required. All that came out of him was medical terms until and unless he was in a place where he was sure nobody would hear him.

You two complemented each other’s skill sets. He excelled in secrecy, strategy and fighting while you made up for it with your fluency in foreign languages and agility when needed to fight.

At the end of your journey, while you two were seated in the car intended to drive you back to headquarters, you tell him, “thank you, sir.”

“For precisely what?”

“For guiding me. I hope we’ll work again in the future.”

“That was my duty. Looking forward to more opportunities with you.”

As you stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the air of the place you called home after three months, his voice halted you again.

“L/N, keep your good work up. We need people like you.”

Those words swelled your chest beyond imagination with joy.

********

Over the next few months, you got more missions, some solo and others paired with other spies. But you never got paired with Nanami again.

The global war had begun a month ago, with the launch of a nuclear weapon on a European nation, and since your country was one of the superpowers and leading nations, it had expectations to fulfil, so all of you were heavily occupied. The higher-ups were on the run for more intelligence while the lower graders were assigned with creating reports and keeping a lookout for anything on the radar.

You had begun to become habitual of nightly routines, reducing your sleep schedule from eight hours a day to three or two hours, spending all day and all night on the computer, giving orders and sending messages to the spies on duty. You didn’t mind, since it gave you a chance to meet Nanami often, him knocking on your office door to give you a list of reports to send him or another pile of data to have classified and saved in the records.

Seeing your efficiency with computers, you were constantly on the run to work for Grade Ones and Twos, therefore giving more chances of working beside Nanami. Often, it would be the two of you in the building, working late at night, one’s computer’s keyboard typing matching the other’s. Though you wished for a chance to get to know the reserved spy even more.

Occasionally, you were given the nightly shift to guard the building as well. It was late one night when you were busy on your computer, the night guard being you, and you were alone since you had persuaded Ashley to go and have some rest. Truth was, you liked the secrecy and personal space the night gave you.

The slight swing of the door, its shrill sound squeaking, made you jump to your feet. Your thundering heartbeat slowed when you see Nanami’s face peeking through the door.

“Pardon my intrusion. I had supposed someone had forgotten to turn the lights off.”

“No, sir, don't apologize. Would you like to come in?”

With a nod, he pushed the door even wider and came inside. His suit coat off, he was wearing a blue dress shirt and tan-coloured slacks, a coffee cup in his hand, hair still as perfect as if he weren’t going to bed anytime soon.

“May I ask what you’re doing? I wasn’t expecting to see anyone at this time of the night.”

“It’s my guard duty. And anyways I was wrapping up the reading of some reports.” Your eyes darted from the screen to his face as you answered.

“Are you sure you’re comfortable? It must be hard sitting on a chair for hours, I imagine.”

“Why, of course, thank you for asking. Though,” you replied, your fingers dancing on the keyboard, “I am fine. May I ask what are you doing at this late hour?”

“I happen to like the library.”

You look up, a smile spreading. “The library?”

He nodded, and seeing he was still standing, you immediately draw a chair facing you. “Excuse my manners. Please be seated.”

“Thank you.”

Still formal as ever.

Now that he was seated, in your lamp’s light, you see the book he’s holding. A history one.

“You’re fond of history too?” You squeal excitedly, only to blush and realize your outspokenness the moment he met your gaze, eyebrow raised.

“Of course. I assume you too, with your answers in the entry tests?”

You halt. “Did you check my tests?”

“Not grade them, rather I reviewed them.” He causally said, eyes not leaving his book. “What languages are you fluent in?”

“Russian, Japanese, English, French, Spanish. Currently learning German.”

His eyebrows were raised, as if highly impressed. “Well done. Je peux aussi parler quatre langues, même si vous m'étonnez.”

(translation: I can also speak four languages, though you surprise me.)

You stare at him. “Pouvez-vous aussi parler français?”

(translation: can you also speak French?)

He nodded, while sipping his coffee, until he looked at his watch. “It’s past midnight, already. Shouldn’t you be heading home?”

“I…actually come from another city. So I stay either here or at Ashley’s.”

“I see. Might I stay here tonight?”

“Why of course.”

It was you and him, his fingers sliding over the smooth pages of his book while the only noise interrupting the sacred silence was your keyboard. You, feeling uncomfortable with the silence, break it. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while, since our mission. What are your comments regarding my skills? Where is ground for improvement?”

“You are competent enough. However, what you can work on is your strategizing. Rushing head-on isn’t always the answer, and your life isn’t that worthless to be thrown away. Moreover, you need to learn completely immersing yourself in the role you’re assigned.”

“Do you think you could teach me?” You blurt out, eagerness in your tone, and he rubbed his chin.

“I may not be the best person for that-”

“If I may, I would like you to teach me. You’re my idol.” Even you were surprised with your boldness.

He looked at you with a hint of surprise. “Very well. Though you flatter me, I’ll teach you, but please forgive me for I cannot manage my time for now. I’ll inform you when I shall be able to do so.”

You excitedly nod.

“We will get replaced someday, and we need to ensure our successors are competent. Keep challenging yourself. Extend your boundaries. There’s no limit to the heights you’ll reach.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

“Of course. What you’ve chosen is not for the faint of heart. And when you have, fulfil the responsibility handed to you.”

You smile to yourself and bend your head to your work again. “How long have you been working here?”

“First tell me, tea or coffee?”

“Huh?” You ask, bewildered, up at him to see another cup in his hand. “Coffee, I guess.”

He passed the steaming cup to you, while he answered, “I have actually lost count. I believe five or six years.”

“Have you ever grown tired of your job?”

“Not yet. I don’t think I ever will.”

While you hum serenely, you bomb another question, “sorry to keep interrupting you, but how often can you get a promotion?”

“Don’t apologize for asking. And, it depends on your performance.”

“Then you must have been extraordinary.”

“I wouldn’t think of myself like that. It was pure luck.”

“Don’t do this injustice to yourself. And on another note, could you guide me to the library someday?”

“Why of course.”

Though it was your voice that was more dominant, you spent the night talking to him. Though he had been reserved the entire mission, he actually turned out to be fairly sociable, and every word of his was full of wisdom. It was only until your eyes grew tired from staring at a screen that you stood to go to your room, and he stood to go to his.

That night will always be your favourite.

*******

The next afternoon you were immediately called to the headquarters for an urgent mission.

You, and a group of spies were to escort the Premier, the ruler of your country, to a safe house in an underground city, seeing he was the leader of one of the most active countries in the Global War, and he was facing death threats. Moreover, the Premier happened to know exactly where all the country’s newest technology and nuclear weapons were being made, not to forget all battle plans and strategic sites and a list of things you forgot, but to summarize, if he’s captured or killed, it’s game over for all of you.

It was a group of you, Ashley, three boys, and two senior grade one spies. Marlene Attwood, and Kento Nanami.

Upon basic introductions by Marlene, you got to know the names. Stanford was an expert in hacking and overriding computer systems, Williams was a sharpshooter and Kiersten, having served prior in the navy, knew his way around martial arts. Each of you were only told your aliases, so you were introduced by ‘Rose’.

On your way back from securing the premier, Nanami addressed all of you.

“You all have been entrusted with one of the greatest secrets a nation can hold. And while the Premier is facing danger for his life, so do all of us. Keep your head low, your identity covered, and should you be caught, spare no time in revealing your location to us. Got it?”

“Sir, upon capture, our phones are taken. What else should we use to contact?” A boy asked, hand raised.

“Use your watches,” Marlene said, pointing to the watches she gave you at the beginning of the mission. “Until they find out you have one, you can reveal your location through this.”

You all nod, satisfied. Though, this squad was one of the best performers. Who could get caught that easily?

You had no clue it would be you.

That night, Ashley had gone on another mission, so you were alone in the room. You, deep in sleep, opened your eyes to the noise of the window breaking, and before you could retaliate, your nose was wet with the liquid that took away your consciousness.

The next thing you knew, you were sitting on a wooden chair, all alone, in a dingy room, with your hands behind your back and a chain in your feet.

“Where am I?”

Slurred words escaped your mouth, and immediately a bolt of light fell on your face. As you squinted, a filthy hand came up under your chin.

“It’s her. One of those.”

“Where…am…I?” you demanded, more confidently this time, jerking your chin out of reach, your nose picking up the smell of something damp and rotting. You scanned the room, dark, with only a light bulb to actually illuminate the room, and towers of wooden crates lining the walls. No windows or ventilators could be found. Damn it.

“Oh, she’s got guts.” The only man in a suit looks into your eyes, a devilish smile playing on his face while a cigarette danced between his teeth. “I’ll cut straight to the chase. We captured you for information we need.”

You immediately began to try and twist your finger such to access the watch that was hidden beneath your sleeve.

Except it wasn’t there.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, where are my manners? You may call me Boss Royce. And these,” he pointed towards the ten people that flocked him, “are my goons.”

Apparently they couldn’t be spies. Not only do they not look like one, spies generally do not give their name away that easily. And seeing the haphazard room, it was no base.

Two cases. One, they’re highly inexperienced spies. Or two, they’re a gang of criminals who are doing the dirty work for someone else.

“We know you know where he is. Where’s the Premier?”

You stay silent, your eyes scanning across to find your only means of contact, before mumbling, “I don’t know. I’m a teacher.”

“I expected such. Look, we want this war to end, and it can’t happen unless you tell us where he is.”

“I have no idea. I told you.”

He rubbed his forehead. “I hate that it came to this.”

Your attempts to find your tool are halted with a loud slap to your face, and you spit out blood, coughing. He definitely broke your jaw.

“I don’t have time, and neither do you. Answer me!”

“What makes you think I know?” You reply, another slap coming to your face from one of the ten cronies filling the filthy room, all the while your mind focused on where your watch could be.

“Throw her in the cell. A few days of hunger should help. She looks new, so this should be torture enough.”

“Wait.” you say, your voice commandeering. “At least tell me where I am.”

“So you can contact them?” Royce, to your silent horror, brandished your watch. “All you need to know is that you’re not in your country. You gave me a good idea, though.”

You watch as they ring your location. “What are you doing?” his henchman yelled. “They’ll find us!”

“There are two possible outcomes. One, they ignore our reveal and they leave her for dead, as per custom, which gives us plenty of time to drive information. Two, they pick up and they come here. We know this city better than them, and with the government’s backing, we can overtake them. Nobody told us to bring them alive, we’re only asked for the data.”

“Boss, I have another idea. Permission to speak freely?” a young woman spoke, throwing her blonde sheet of hair back.

“Spit it out.”

“They are never going to tell us the Premier’s location. Nor are they going to bargain for her with words only.” She kicks your back. “So what if one of us stays here, waits for them to come, and if they don’t answer, explode this place to blazes? It’s not that we need this place anyways.”

“What are the rest of us going to do?”

“Take her to our capital. In this way, if they give us what we want, we still win. Ad if they resist, well, a few deaths ain’t gonna hurt no one.”

Them being ready to blow up their own base is proof they’re gangsters. No spy would be ready to demolish their base so quickly.

“Maybe if it will be their life on the line, she’ll behave.” A henchman agreed with the blonde-haired woman, all the while you kept your gasp inside and your booming heartbeat not making things easy for you. Not only do you have to protect the secret you’re entrusted with, you also have to make it out before your comrades get in trouble.

“And what if they survive? And she still doesn’t spit it out?” the boss asked interested.

“Then we’ll exchange. A life for a life. Then we’ll know,” she smiled nastily at you, “how valuable you are to them.”

You gritted your teeth while the female came to open your ropes to let you be taken. “You’ll be the one bound to the chair soon.”

“We’ll see about that, darling.” And with that, you were dragged by your arms to a cell.

*****

It had become a routine for you. Wake up in the cramped, desolate cell with no windows to let light in, no clue of day or night, and nobody to talk to, be served a glass of water for breakfast and then the doors open, for men to come in and tie your hands, then beat you as they please while they try to drive out the information you buried in your chest. You, ever the rebel nature, spat your blood onto them, or jeered at their faces when you would spew out anything but what they asked.

With every drop of blood, your hope to be saved begins to fade, since you knew they were very unlikely to come fetch you for the data only.

Should you be in any dire situation jeopardizing the mission’s success, I will have no choice but to leave you. Have I made myself clear?

You can’t blame him. That’s the rule of the workplace.

You try to find anyway to escape, however, with your only method of contact missing in a foreign country, and the place you’re held in being highly supervised from outside, you had no choice but to wait for an opening that would never come.

Day by day, your face swells, your fingers are broken, your skin marred with slashes and crusted with blood, your head bleeding with the blows it suffered, yet you kept up a fight. If you die, you want them to remember you as one of the fighter spirits, and one of the most stubborn spies they’ve ever met. You want them to remember you as someone loyal to your country.

But nothing compared to the torture of the electrocution. The way your body froze in terror when they bound you to the chair was nothing like you ever imagined, and when the current snaked through you, you had no control over your jerking, spasming body, thrashing in the chair’s grip, your involuntary screams echoing through. The agony and the burning sensations exploding throughout your body after the sessions rendered you senseless, but while you fought to maintain your sanity, your entire body begging you to have mercy on yourself, you still kept your mouth shut.

Your suspicions about their inexperience were increased tenfold when you saw them using car batteries and tasers for torture. And it sickened you to the throat when their gleeful laughter mingled with your painful groans, the white-lit room giving you no hope of breakout.

It also did not help that sitting handcuffed against the stony walls and sitting for hours on end, tied, to a wooden, skeletal chair messed up your posture, so that when you stood, cramps would shoot across your body. Occasionally, the boss decided you’ve done a bad job and would subject you to stand on one leg, or sit in squats, a chain limiting your movements, until he wished to relieve you of this.

It was on the twentieth day or so, since you had lost count of the rising sun and the setting stars, only the grey dingy walls and spatters of blood from the other captives being your scenery, when you heard two people outside the cell. You bolt upright, eyes alert, when you see the two men who chained you earlier come with more chains.

“Get up, vermin.”

You, in your mood, land a kick on one, but are too slow to bring your foot down as the other topples your leg on the ground.

“We’re leaving. Don’t make us leave you for dead.”

With bored eyes, one swollen, you ask, “where are we going?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” one leered. “We’re goin’ to the capital, darlin’.”

“If you will tell us what you know, your friends won’t die.”

“But if they come for you in the first place.” The one tying your hands shrugged nonchalantly.

“Are your skulls as thick as they look? I don’t know anything. And I have nothing to tell you idiots.” You growl.

“Easy, pretty. Well, not so anymore. Maddie ‘ere will blow up this place, and take them down too. Your choice, them or you.”

While they walked a chained you down the halls, your mind was whizzing.

If you spew it out, they will live. But you might not. However, if you do, you won’t be able to face them anymore, as a traitor.

If you stay shut, they might die. But only if they take the bait.

Both have a fifty percent success chance.

What would Nanami do?

You remembered his record of a successful streak, and his face, and you knew he might have had to make this choice once. Him, or the others.

You made your choice. You decided to rely on your squad’s genius and survival skills, and left it to fate. You will not be a traitor.

And when you felt yourself be pulled on board a plane, taking you at least a continent away from your homeland, you prayed for their safety and for yourself, to be made stronger and more resilient.

Upon reaching the capital, your eyes were blindfolded while you were led to another warehouse. You felt insulted as you heard Boss Royce say, “she’s all yours, Todd,” as if you were something to be sold. “You know what to do.”

“Oh absolutely,” a bearded giant rumbled, a hat on his head and a mask covering his face, as he assessed you like a kid assesses a cousin he meets for the first time.

For starters, they continued the tradition of not letting you fall asleep. While Royce’s cronies let you doze off for a minute or two, your eyes here would be immediately snapped open by metal pots and pans banged near your ears, shaking you awake, or keeping you in a room illuminated with dazzling white light, until it was impossible for you to keep your eyes open with exhaustion.

Even though you had been habitual of staying awake for nights at length, the constant hunger and painful conditions began chipping at your stamina.

The goons here seemed to not have a heart, for with gleeful expressions on their faces like a kid getting a brand new toy, they subjected you to electrocutions, waterboarding, and ruthless beating, them savouring your groans of pain while they hit your body to leave a long lasting impact. However, the worst they had done to you by far was pulling off your nails.

It felt like months had passed since you had left the previous city, and while it made you doubt your rate of survival, it gave you hope that they have not yet been captured.

One day, while Todd’s men peel off your nails, slowly and deliberately, deaf to the sounds of your screams shaking the very room, Todd, sitting amused in his armchair, turns to hear a henchman run to him and whisper something.

He stood up and cracked his knuckles. “Continue interrogation. I’ll be right back.”

As his steps faded, your screams increased, with the drop of nails and blood.

As a spy, you had been trained to enhance your senses, and learn to pick up surrounding’s stimuli, especially hearing. You automatically feel your ears tune to the sound of an explosion occurring outside, and a ruckus exploding with men yelling and bullets raining.

You thought it was only your hallucination, but the men left with you turned around towards the door.

What could have had happened?

The man closest to you, Hill, jerked his head towards the door, and two of them ran to get more information. You were grateful for this distraction in which you could borrow some time to gather your senses.

Your ears continuously picked up gunshots, screams, calls of names, and doors being – blasted? – as crates came raining down with the force by which the building had begun shaking.

Definitely a fight out there. And firearms involved.

You couldn’t help but feel your heart soar with the surge of hope.

Five minutes later, you heard the footsteps come in again, but punctuated with a few yells. With the two boys sent earlier still absent, the remnant four men torturing you stood up as if deciding to investigate for themselves, when the room’s door opened and Todd came in again, his signature hat covering his face. Your heart sank when you saw three men follow him.

You had also been taught to listen and observe people’s footsteps. And it was that skill with which you recognized, that those footsteps weren’t of your captor’s.

Once he paused near you, he spoke, through a cloth, “hand me your gun.”

Within seconds, his wish was fulfilled, and your breath halted, seeing it might be your last. You close your eyes, lips trembling as the cold metal of the gun touched your temple.

“Wait, wait, wait, sir, she’s supposed to stay alive!” Hill yelled, shocked. “What are you doing?”

“Who said so?” Todd’s voice was smug. “If she isn’t talking anymore, it’s better to kill her.”

“It’s from the Army General, remember? He gave us her location. And Royce said she knows everything.”

“Who are we to trust Royce, anyway?” one of the newcomers growled. “How did he know about her?”

“How am I supposed to know that? All we were told is that she’s not to be killed on the General’s orders.”

“Hmm..” Todd let out an amused noise. “Untie her.”

Even you whirled around in surprise, as Hill’s and his comrades’ mouths hung open in surprise.

“What?”

“Untie her, or I’m killing her here.”

“Boss, what’s gotten into you? She hasn’t spilled-”

Your entire body jolted when the gun on your temple jerked and let out a deafening crack. However, the bullet wasn’t inside you.

It was inside Hill, his heart’s place steaming and blood oozing.

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m not habitual of repeating my orders.”

Another volley of bullets rained from Todd’s three men, killing all henchmen near you. You slowly turned your head to see what Todd would do with you now, but you could cry with relief when the one whom everyone thought to be Todd tipped his hat off to be a Grade One you knew. As he called the rest of your squad in through the gates, Ashley threw off her mask and came darting towards you, worry and horror etched on her face as she slid next to you.

“What have they done to you?”

Her voice held venom and worry simultaneously as she untied your ropes.

“I didn’t tell them anything, I promise.” You watched as your squad jumped down from the crates.

“I know. I know you’re strong. Just hang in there.” With these words, she turned to Nanami, who had called her name. “Leave, and get the transport ready.”

When the people marched out, Ashley looped your arm around her neck and attempted to make you stand, but you stumbled, nearly taking Ashley down with you, owing to the recent electrocution.

You could hear gunshots coming from outside. Shit. They’ve got reinforcements.

“Everyone, leave no witnesses.” Nanami’s command rang out.

Ashley was about to call someone, when you tapped her knee.

“Go on, I’ll make it outside.”

“I can’t leave you like this,” she argued, but stopped when you stood again, wobbling.

“Ashley, go. Or nobody will make it alive.” You sternly say, and she nodded, running outside with her gun.

You, using a nearby discarded rifle, try to make your way out, and you are almost to the door leading you outside when a bullet grazes your stomach. You turn to fire, but Nanami beats you to it.

You battle your newest wave of dizziness, but fail miserably as, disregarding Nanami’s calls of your name, your knees buckle and you fall. You struggle to get up as he runs to you, but you flail against the darkness surrounding you, the hunger, exhaustion and dizziness of it all finally catching up to you.

You feel your body be picked up, and Nanami’s voice call out, his eyes trained on Attwood, Williams, and Kiersten, "Take your weapons and go out. Clear our path. Blow up this place, if you must.”

“Yes sir!”

You try to comprehend what the hell was going on.

“Don’t die on me now, Y/N,” were the last words you heard before it all went black.

********

When you had first been taken away, the only thing you registered were the dark and hopeless skies, always ready to rain. Once you were in the capital, you could feel the winds going colder, more sinister. But when you opened your eyes, after goodness knows how long, you knew you were back home. The familiar smell of spring blossoms, and birds native to your land screaming their songs, and the beautiful sunlight pooling in.

You tried to sit up when a strong hand came on you.

“I wouldn’t advise you to sit up right now.”

Kento Nanami was sitting beside you on a chair.

“Sir!” You gasp. “Sir, I didn’t tell them a thing, I promise-”

“I know. I chose my squad carefully.” He assures you. “But that’s secondary. Tell me, how are you feeling right now?”

All the horror of the past few days rush up to you, and you can’t help but feel your eyes moisten with tears.

“I…I just…” you shake your head. How can you tell this to someone superior and experienced like him?

“Go on. I won’t mind.”

You mumbled, "never mind, it's okay."

"It's anything but okay. Tell me honestly."

It was the way he said these words, making them sound like a command and a request, that convinced you to reveal it. All your life, when you said, 'never mind', people took it as a signal to shut up, even though you longed for someone to insist to spill it out, to show they don't mind and they want to comfort you. He was the first one who did that.

“How do you have the will?”

“Of what?”

“To live to fight another day, when the scars of the last fight are still there. All that time I was there, I thought of what if I died here. We all are fighting for people who will never know we even existed. If I die, I will be under some other name, not with what my parents and friends called me. I don't want to be forgotten in some lonely city.” You never realised when the tears rolled down. “I do not regret not telling them. If given the chance, I’d do it all over again. It’s just…I don’t want to be forgotten this easily. I want to have someone who’ll wait for me and who’ll remember me for what I have done.”

Nanami watches you silently as you duck your face in your hands and weep.

“I’m so sorry, sir.” You choke out. “It’s my first experience doing this, and I don’t even know why I’m feeling like this. I’ll be fine in a while.”

You stop when his hands come and pull them down to uncover your face. Your red eyes meet his glasses.

“You don’t have to pretend to be strong around me. And…I understand. Sometimes even I doubted the purpose of it all. I read somewhere that ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit’. If we die, we are securing the future of many other people. They may never know our name, but they will know what we have done for them. As long as our mission succeeds, we live on. That’s what makes me fight. That people sleep peacefully because we fight at night.”

You looked up at him, a curtain in your mind parting.

“We all hold secrets. And I would like to ask you to trust us with yours too, should you feel the need. You can come to us for anything, and you can consider any of us your friend.”

You stare at him, his respect increasing hundredfold in your heart. “Thank you, sir. I owe you my life.”

“Don’t mention. It’s my duty.” He waved off.

You smile. “May I ask you something?”

“You don’t need my permission for that.”

“You once said that if a mission is in jeopardy, you’ll leave us behind. Why did you come back for me? Tell me honestly."

His eyebrows slightly raised at you throwing his words back at him.

“Firstly, you were the mission. And also, nothing is more important than a human life.”

“Then why’d you say that earlier?”

He looked at the time on the watch, and stood up. “As much as this conversation has been fruitful, I must take my leave. Get well soon, Miss L/N.” He turned around, and before opening the door, he looked over his shoulder.

“You were strong in those tough times, and that’s why we lived. Thank you.”

**********

Within a few weeks, you were back to work again.

A few days ago, Nanami had come to tell you that he was free at night and you can come round to his room for training.

Of course you took the chance.

Nights became your favourite, as whenever the both of you were free, you’d sneak off to his room to avoid any rumours, and then he’d teach you various things, such as reading maps, or methods of escape, and self-defence.

In those nights, when he would put off his glasses and would read instructions to you or teach you how to read a code or draw maps for you in the dimming lamplight with that voice of his, or would hold you against himself to teach you a particular stance, you found your heart falling harder and harder for him.

It was in the darkness of the nights that you found yourself dissolving into a friendship with him. You felt more of yourself around him, and it seemed as if you two were woven from the same cloth, how the both of you guessed what the other was thinking, and completing each other’s sentences, and something about his caring composure made you want to confide every secret of yours in him, tell every fear of yours to him. And whenever he told you to tell him honestly, that was the one command you always followed.

The way he gave you his time, and listened attentively to you, and dispelled your fears with his comforting words, and gave his all to teach you, the way he showed he cared was all you could ever ask for.

It was one such night, when you had spent far too long looking at yourself in a mirror.

Even after weeks of healing, your face was still marred with slashes and scars, and your body was like a razed battlefield. You felt ashamed of yourself, feeling the before-you glaring at the now-you, the clear, smooth skin replaced with evidence of weakness. For all your life as a spy, you were a human. You were meant to marry someone someday. How can you expect anyone to love you, heck even admire you, when your face is a patchwork of blood and skin?

The fact that you were weak, that you were inexperienced, was evident. Why else would you let them hurt you like this? Why had no other spy gotten their faces ruined with years of service while you got destroyed within a year? You don’t deserve to serve alongside them.

And when you remember your moments of crumbling resolve…your belief about you being undeserving steels.

It hurt you to think you were not as strong as you believed you were. But in a life full of lies, that’s a truth you must embrace.

The shame of those scars occupied your brain, eating away at your soul like a termite at wood, and it was what you blurted out to Nanami, one night during training.

“L/N, have you done something to your face?”

You immediately pause, your face going red under the layers and layers of concealer you applied. Under his scrutinizing gaze, you could feel your scars reveal themselves.

“Nothing.”

“You’re trying to hide something, aren’t you? Tell me honestly.”

You stay silent, staring at your hands, until his hand falls on yours. “I thought I told you that I can be trusted. Tell me.”

“What makes you stronger? I mean, strong enough to brave anything.”

“Everyone has a motive to work for. Do you think you’re weak?”

You nod. “I don’t feel worthy of being here anymore, serving alongside people much experienced and stronger than I am.” You look at your battered hands, and are sure your face tells a worse story. “These marks show that I failed to protect myself. Out of all seven of us, only I emerged like this, a quilt of blood and scars. How can anyone trust me, or believe me when I say, that I protect their country’s secrets? When anyone looks at me, all they will think is that I’m a failure. That my resolve to fight and my will to live was so frail and fragile that I surrendered myself to any way they wish. I’m so weak that I let this happen to me.”

You startle when his thumbs graze your cheek, as if trying to remove the layers.

“The thing that makes me strong, is the fact that if I bleed, someone else gets to live.” He said quietly. “And the hope that someone would be proud of me no matter what. You’re finding the wrong idea of strength. You validate your strength based on what others say. Don’t take their words to heart.”

“How do I know?” you whisper. “If I really am strong?”

“You’re continuing to fight. Even when others would have lost the will to live, you keep risking your life for millions of people. The idea that you might never make a new sunrise, yet you’re still battling on, makes you stronger. And an advice, one spy to another. Never be ashamed of your scars. They show the world what you have braved.”

He hesitated, and then, to your astonishment, he raised his eyepatch slightly, to reveal a blind eye. Even in the dimming light, he looked as beautiful to you as ever.

“If anything, they don’t show your weakness. They display your strength and your loyalty. In my opinion, everyone falls for the one with the beauty on the surface. You deserve someone who can see the beauty carved in you.”

“Thank you, sir.” You genuinely feel a smile bloom. “You really do inspire me.”

“It’s my duty. And I told you not to refer to me as sir.”

“But I don’t know what to call you right now.”

“By my name.”

You halt. “Are you sure you’re comfortable with that sir?”

“I am, if you will allow me to call you by yours.”

Of course you will.

And you found it hard to believe as mere coincidence when you began to be paired with him for every mission. But none of you seemed to mind, as it only gave you more chances of getting to know each other deeply.

From being ministers to two lawyers on separate cases to a pair of siblings looking for a lost child, you two did it all. Many covers, many names, many stories, many memories. What never changed was the two of you.

While your covers were to smother your identity, you found it harder and harder to conceal your feelings for him. While you first tried to bury them under a disguise, you utterly failed to stop wanting to be with him forever.

And even though you wanted to spend more time with him, you couldn’t help but begin to get tired of this job three years into service. Finally believing you had done all you believed yourself capable of in service for the country, you decided to drop your once-dream job and leave it all for a newer life.

You would have done it without hesitation, had there not been the thought of leaving one man behind holding you back. You were trying to find the best way to tell him this...

One night during training, Nanami sensed something off in you.

“Y/N, what’s wrong?”

You look up from a daze, having zoned out. “Nothing.”

“Well, no going forward if you’re not focused.” He shut the book of codes close. “What’s disturbing you? I can read.”

You twist your fingers together. “I am leaving.”

The silence that followed was too loud. “May I ask why?”

“I don’t want to continue anymore.”

“Wasn’t being a spy your dream job?” He quizzed, setting himself down on a chair.

“Well, it was. But in movies, or documentaries, they only show the good things. They never tell us about the hardships. I don’t want to live a lie.”

“You’re not-”

“Please let me speak first.” You raise a hand. “I’m not afraid of dying anymore, like I was at first. I have no problem giving my best to my country, but I want to be myself. Under all these covers and fake names and fake stories, I feel like I’m losing myself. I’m tired of putting up acts and fooling others. I want to be real, in a real world. I want to write my own story instead of being written by someone else.”

“All of us go through that, Y/N. Give it some time, it will get better, I promise.” He was, maybe, thinking you were going through the same intervals of time where you doubted yourself, and he was trying to alleviate your doubts, but he didn't know you were not coming back from this one.

“Kento, I told you, I don’t want to continue anymore. I feel like I gave it all I can. I know I sound selfish, but sometimes it's okay to be.”

“But, you’ve trained all life for this. What will you do then?” The meaning dawned on his handsome face as worry etched his face.

“I don’t know. Get a job. Get a new degree. Get married. I guess I’ll figure it out. Anything but this.”

“Is there nothing I could do to convince you to stay?”

“No, because I’ve already given my resignation.”

He put his glasses onto his table and leaned forward towards you. “Well, it’s your right to leave, and even though your potential for a bright future is apparent, I respect your wish. Just know, these doors are always open for you.”

You smile. “You’re an amazing friend, Kento. Thank you. Though, I will do one last mission with you before I leave.”

“I look forward to it.”

*******

Finally, after days of wait, the day arrived when you were handed your last assignment. A senator had gone rogue and was rumoured to be making an appearance in London two weeks from now to sell national secrets whose leakage could prove detrimental.

You almost choked on your drink when you found out the role you were assigned to play.

In the party the senator was appearing, Kento was going to be a minister from the UK government while you were to be his charming wife.

For two days you had to prepare, you could not stop blushing every time you thought of that mission.

You wondered what Kento thought of that.

********

Throughout the journey here, Kento did not mention anything about his thoughts on this mission, so you were relaxed too. However, the thought of playing his wife's role sent butterflies in your stomach, and at times you stopped yourself from showing your giddiness.

If only this act could be real...

The fateful night was dazzling in the Christchurch Meadow, Oxford, as the hall was packed with people in suits and ladies in dresses and accents mingling with each other among the waiters gliding over the slippery floor serving drinks, the flowers adding a new fragrance to the castle alight with golden chandeliers.

You were wearing a black evening gown, your hair in a high bun, your feet clad in black heels, while Kento was looking absolutely dashing in a black suit, perfection dripping from his very footsteps, his hair styled in the same manner and his eyepatch the same colour as his suit. Even though the real minister was already hidden, as your handler told you, you were slightly afraid if anybody blew your cover, but nobody suspected him as an impostor, in fact, seeing his posture and poise, everyone seemed eager to include him in their social circle.

While the two of you roamed around, hand in hand, your face fighting the blush creeping up, he finally spotted someone, and led you towards a table. “Wait here.”

“We’re in this together!”

“I am aware, but if we both walk over, it would be suspicious. I’ll handle it, and you can handle the fighting.”

You agree and get seated, watching your partner get lost in the crowd, all the while thinking this might be your last time you ever see him.

You need to tell him-

“Is this seat taken?”

You raise your head to see a man with a black mop of hair, fair skin and brown eyes, a smile plastered on his face while his body stood tall in a white suit.

“No.” you reply, politely.

Dragging the chair forward, he plopped himself down, eerily glad to be with you.

“I am Lord Lyson.” He introduced himself. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

“It’s an honour for me.”

“I’ve been wishing to talk to you for a while. If you may-”

On cue, the music began playing. He immediately darted his gaze in your direction.

“May I have the honour of this dance with you?”

“No, I’m sorry. I am a married person.”

“So I am aware. But nothing stops you from sharing a dance.” His fingers found their way to your wrist.

“And nothing stops you from finding other ladies.”

“How clever. But I wish your company tonight.”

“How charming, but I must ask you to leave me alone.” You jerk your wrist away from his slender-fingered grip.

His eyes sharpen as he lunges forward, his face impossibly close to you. You could gag against the reek of stale ginger from his mouth. “I know you’re no minister’s wife. I know who you are. Don’t try to be respectable around me, or I’ll bring this place on you.”

“Excuse me.” you raise your voice. “You have no business telling me what to do and what not to.” You stand straighter to rival his height, glaring daggers into him.

With a hand, he jerked you forward by the waist. “I could kill you, or kiss you here right now, and nobody could say anything.”

“If you know me so well, you know I’m not alone tonight.” You hiss.

“Well, where is he?” he mocks finding Kento, until a finger tapped his shoulder from behind. His face drained of colour while yours lighted up upon seeing Kento standing behind him, his face a stormy mood.

“There he is.” You smile sweetly at Lord Lyson.

“Pardon me,” your captor’s voice grew oily as with a sly smile, he tries to turn around, but is stopped by Kento’s hand. An uncharacteristically angry expression was on his face, the way his mouth curled with fury and his eyebrows were furrowed.

“I suggest you keep your hands to yourself. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with far less than you started with.”

You could melt seeing him take a stand for you. As Lyson’s retreating back went out of focus, Kento looked towards you, his furrowed eyebrows’ crease erasing.

“Are you all right?”

“Of course. Perfect timing, though.”

With a hand outstretched for you, you take it, and he leads you outside.

“Our job is done here. The senator never made it.”

**********

Somewhere in the distance, fireworks exploded as you finally completed your last ever mission. While you and Kento had decided you both deserve a break, you two sat by the River Thames, breathing slowly in the fresh air, letting your silences settle between you and unknowingly placing your hands close to each other.

Your eyes catch the light from the river, shimmering and sparkling, reminding you of your life as a spy. While you had to conceal your soul in these three years, like the dark waters of the Thames, some parts couldn’t help but shine bright, making living a secret worth it.

And tonight, that light might be stolen from your life. You decide to make the first move, because while you might have a lot of regrets, you don’t want the regret of never confessing grow roots in your heart. You want to tell the man beside you that he owns your heart from the beginning.

You turn your head towards him, who was looking at you, a barely noticeable smile on his lips.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye, then.” You manage to speak against the ball of tears obstructing your throat. “Thank you for everything, Kento.”

“The pleasure was all mine to have you by my side. And I hope that this is not goodbye, merely parting ways to meet again.”

“I hope so too.” you sigh.

“Y/N? Can I ask you one thing?”

You turn your head towards him in surprise. It’s always you who asked for permission, not him. “Why, of course.”

“A while ago, you said that you are tired of putting up acts for the world to see. I’m tired too, of pretending the two of us are…a pair. I want to make this real.”

You turn yourself towards him, your eyes wide as orbs and having forgotten to breathe. You could practically hear the rush of blood and your thundering heartbeat in your ears.

“It’s your right to leave, but it’s my wish that you stay with me. I know it’s selfish of me to ask you to continue being a spy, but someone once told me it's sometimes okay to be selfish. Can I ask you to continue this act?”

In the moments it took you to calm your crazily beating heart, shaking body, and rapidly streaming breaths, he added, seeing your shocked face, “of course, you are free to say no, and I would not blame you should you not feel the same. I would want you to tell me honestly.”

“You kidding?”

You dare to raise a trembling hand and bring it to his face, brushing a stray strand of his hair backwards, the River Thames’ water being your witness. “I love being with you, Kento. And I love every moment spent with you. You need only say the word, and I’ll stay. Not as a spy, but as yours. Tell me you want me, because I want you. With you, everything feels real. and I will love you with all my heart, for as long as I get to live. Just say it, and I’ll stay to be anything you want me to be – your home, your secret, your love.”

The smile that spread on his face – oh, how you adored that smile. If living with him means getting to see this beautiful side of his every day, then nothing could be worth more than this.

“Y/N,” he muttered, his hand lying on top of yours, “a life with a spy isn’t easy. I might not be able to give you all you deserve, and I can’t guarantee if I’ll make it back to you every night. Would you be willing to be with me, knowing the risks even you might take again?”

“No future is better than the one with you. Nothing is worth more than you in my eyes. And yes, I am willing to even die for you, because you give me a purpose for living. I will become the one waiting for you at home. Kento Nanami, you are the reason I’m living, and I will face every danger with you, for as long as you want me.”

With fluid speed, he stood up, and pulled you with him. While you watched him extract a box with a ring in it, you barely containing your giddy excitement, he extended a gentle hand and you put yours in it.

He could ask for your life and you’d trust him with it.

When the ring glimmered enough for you to see, your eyes widened at recognition of this ring. On a mission prior, you two were passing by a jewelers’, and this pretty ring had caught your attention. While Kento was busy with a correspondent, your gaze had lingered long and hard at it, but you never mentioned it to anyone. He noticed, and he remembered.

While he slipped the ring onto your finger, you smiling into his eyes, with the promise of a life with him, you felt nothing could be more real than this.

You and he would be each other’s secrets. To be kept with your hearts, forever. And if the time called, you will put on a hundred disguises, if it meant you get to make this one act reality.

Hi everyone, Naomi here! This is a my second contribution to @dragonscribble's writing event. I chose this with Nanami Kento for the prompt 'I love being with you'. Thanks for reading this, and do share your opinions! <3

Collage made by me. DO NOT COPY MY WORK!

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