When Kenren finished dressing, he stumbled into the study where Tenpou was- no surprise here-reading.

"Oi, Tenpou." he said to catch the marshal's attention, but the other man was too deeply engrossed in the tattered hardback to look up. "Tenpou!"

Hakkai jumped; snapped the book shut. "Oh. It's you."

Kenren twisted his face in mock disgust. "Who else would it be?"

"Well..."

"Should I even bother asking?"

"You wouldn't get a very interesting answer." Hakkai admitted honestly before casting his eyes down towards the cover. In the weak light of the candle, the shiny leather cast a pale sheen of red over his skin. "You're the only person I sleep with around here."

"Damn straight." All the windows were closed, he had noticed; which was odd since Tenpou usually liked to keep them open.

The air was strange tonight, with a deathly stillness that set it apart from other nights. He lit a cigarette. Tenpou was fiddling around with his books again and Kenren was starting to get the impression that the marshal had otten all about his previousmands. Still, he said nothing because as careless as Tenpou could be when it came to bookkeeping and hygiene, he was NEVER one to et anything that had the slightest bit to do with war. Shout out a name and page number, and he'd even "e from the damn book.

And so he smoked, closing his eyes and pretending not to look like he didn't have the slightest idea of what was happening. That's how politics went, didn't it? Hence the importance of having somebody to trustpletely.

That said, Kenren wasn't actually sure where to place Tenpou in the great scheme of things.

A click of a loading gun pierced the silence in a way that was harsh and neat, like the tick of a clock, only it happened once. So Tenpou hadn't otten his orders after all.

Of course Kenren trusted him. After all, there was that incident several days ago. If he couldn't trust him now...but then again there was always something he felt that simply included trust. Couldn't exactly put his finger on it. Respect maybe. Most likely. Of course. On the other hand, that sounded too buddy buddy...as if they didn't sleep together...ravaged each other at the most random times, at the most random locations.

Going along those likes, Kenren could just say he was impressed...

Tenpou moved into the shadows of another bookshelf, his figure melting into the darkness where the candlelight couldn't reach. Paper was torn.

It was never too difficult to be impressed with Tenpou, who had the most uncanny way of getting things done and then smoked it off as if it were "something he just wanted to try out." As if he had stashes and stashes of plans waiting to be executed, daydreamed over millennia but never given the opportunity to be carried out on the field. Tenpou's mind was always running like that...perhaps even when he's being fucked senseless, a part of him is still with his maps and diagrams. Most likely, despite the fact that Kenren would have preferred to doubt it.

That said, Tenpou still didn't seem to fit anywhere with him.

Sure, it was afort knowing that there was one brain in this whole heaven that didn't get dusty and rusty; that always had a backup plan to the backup plan's contingency plan. Because with Tenpou, you could breathe easy knowing that somebody was in control of the situation...except when it came to sex...but really, anything in that area ispletely out of the marshal's control, Kenren added smugly. But still...

Tenpou emerged from the shadows, gun in hand and hair tied loosely back. He smiled weakly then set himself on top of his desk, the weapon on his lap.

"Well?" Hakkai said.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to question my orders? You always seem rather disposed to doing such things."

"Eh." Kenren shrugged, looking at the floor. "I figured it wasn't worth the effort this time."

"Why?"

"Because I'm an ass, that's why."

"Is that it?"

"That and the fact that in section 6 of the Military Manual, page 37, paragraph eight," Kenren recited in mocking rote. "It says that whenever the army is in a code blue situation, no superior's orders are to be questioned lest something really shitty happen to the stupid ass subordinate."

Laughter bubbled up from Tenpou as he politely covered his mouth. "Oh my. And what 'shitty' punishment do you think I might have prepared for that certain 'stupid ass' subordinate of mine?"

You would finally say that you want to be on top, Kenren voiced internally, but wouldn't even dare speak it out loud for fear that Tenpou might actually want to do *just that.* He's capable of it. Entirely capable of it.

"I dunno. Extra desk work?"

Hakkai shook his head. "In any case, Taishou, shouldn't that rule apply all the time and not just on a code blue signal? Or..." he continued with added mischief. "Wouldn't it also be a punishable infraction should a certain subordinate talk back rudely to a certain superior whilst at the same time questioning his judgment AND adding an inappropriate sexual jibe?" Kenren grew red.

"I DIDN'T!"

"Even Shien caught it. Perhaps if Ie out of this upset, he'll report you."

Playing with jealousy again. Well it was working. And fucking annoying him to the ends of the earth because he didn't know why. The jealousy he could admit, but the reason for it he couldn't rationalize.

Tenpou could fuck anybody he wanted to fuck. He had the liberty to do it. Just as Kenren did. God knows there were many nights and many women.

There was no disputing it. There's nothing there. Absolutely not. He was doing a poor job of convincing himself. Respect. Total respect.rades in arms...who just happened to sleep with each other. But guys do that sometimes. It was just "something they wanted to try out." And sure, it was fun, still is, but that's just it. Fun. Alcohol. Cigarettes. Sex. All the same.

To bad his mind was in a position to argue.

Point: But Tenpou hasn't been fucking anybody else. You like that idea, don't you?

Counterpoint: ...

Point: And you haven't been fucking any woman ever since you started fucking *him* isn't that right?

Counterpoint: ...

Point: There's a word for that, you know.

"Taishou." Tenpou's eyes suddenly seemed to take on an apologetic look. "Consider this your punishment."

"What!?"

But before he could even look up to meet Tenpou's eyes, something sharp met his arm and he winced in pain. Then from that point, everything started to go numb, spreading from his arm and down into his legs until he collapsed into Tenpou's embrace.

"This is for your own sake, Taishou, because I know you value the lives of your men. So this time, again, the responsibility is out of your hands and back into mine. I'm not even asking you to trust me, just allow me to free your conscience this time around."

And the obvious answer: "Fuck you."

"I need you to cooperate with me." Hakkai continued, putting the fired tranquilizer gun back on the desk and easing the general onto the floor. "Taishou, you are in no position for dishonesty. And so I ask for a single answer to a single question and then I can leave you in peace to insult me at will whenever you awake, if that is what you find pleasure in doing." he paused. "In any case, that is just a disclaimer because I mixed truth syrum into the dart. You will be truthful whether you want to be or not."

"Manipulative bastard." His head was suddenly growing fuzzy, that sense of foreboding churning his gut making him wish that the unconsciousness woulde just a bit faster.

Hakkai ruffled his hair. "That's me, but don't you worry. It's a simple yes or no question."

&nbspe on. Knock me out already. Sleep. Sleep. Go to sleep. I'm not listeniiiinnnngggg...

"Are you in love with me?"

Shit.

There was a knock on the door, a bit lazy this time so it couldn't be Goujun.

&quote in!" Hakkai called, getting up from his desk to meet the visitor yet making no move to hide the unconscious general at his feet.

Through the entranceway walked a man with wild, orange hair. One eye visible while the other was covered with a patch that was insufficient in hiding the angry scar that ran across it. "Zenon." Hakkai greeted with a nod.

"Mn." the man looked over to Kenren, dead asleep. "Is this how you deal with all of them?"

A smile, but he refused to acknowledge the question. "I want all units, except for the regiment that had just returned, to evacuate the building. Discretion is necessary."

"And you?"

"I'll stay for the time being. Play it by ear."

Zenon looked up from the floor towards the marshal. The other man's mind was wandering, a small smile playing on his lips. He could ask, but they were never on such familiar grounds. How Shien managed to do it eluded himpletely. So instead of frivolous words, he retreated to going about doing what he knew.

The sound of metal upon wood thundered throughout the quiet room as Zenon dropped a hefty sword onto the desk.

A slender brow lifted. "But that would require..."

"You're playing it by ear, remember?" Zenon retorted, fishing out a cigarette from his pocket.

"Ah."

"And you might want this too." he held out a gun.

"No need, I already have one." Hakkai pointed to the silver tranquilizer over on the bookshelf.

Zenon huffed before replacing Hakkai's gun with his own pistol- the machine gun, of course, remained hanging at his side. "That one's for sissies. This one," he said of Hakkai's newly acquired weapon. "Is the real thing."

"For playing it by ear, am I correct?"

A terse nod, then, "And him?" Zenon pointed to the taishou.

"Bring him with you on your way out. Careful, he's a bit heavy."

He could have said something, but...again...they were never on familiar grounds. The marshal would throttle him for it. "What do I tell Goujun?"

"Say that the sandman knocked him out."

Zennon grinned then. The marshal didn't seem as bad a guy as people made him out to be. Then again, the Tenpou Gensui was a man of many faces "Yes, sir." And then he was gone, Kenren Taishou in tow.

Left alone in the room, Hakkai took time to exam

本站無廣告，永久域名（fanyan.cc）