bare-chested, one arm curved around her, he lay staring at her ceiling. his lips are swollen, parted as he catches his breath from their entanglement. sheets barely cover his modesty, thrown over the two of them shortly after they'd finished. 

the only sounds that have lived in these walls for the past hour have been of pleasure, and it feels almost sacrilege to shatter the veil now. 

but he does so anyway. 

"is this business or pleasure, miss hasegawa?"

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

ever a man of his word, he obliges.

it is not so easy now to pass this off as a one-off event, nevermind expect a return to their professional relationship. not as he tugs on her lower lip with his thumb and molding his lips to hers in earnest. 

the hand on her waist drops to her back, hands gliding over the creamy silk of her skirt. 

"was this your intention from the start, miss hasegawa?" he murmurs as he kisses down the length of her neck, careful to leave his bruises where she can neatly hide them under the collar of her shirt. 

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

he stays silent in the face of her faux-anger, chin tilting as she nears to fist the collar of his shirt in her hands. his own glass of wine clinks as it joins hers on the counter. 

"i don't know that i could deny you, miss hasegawa," he breathes in earnest, one arm snaking around her waist, fingers tucking possessively against her hip. the other cups her cheek, thumb on the corner of her mouth, his own lips half parted. 

"so make your demands of me."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

"then perhaps i shouldn't have come after all," he teases right back, licking his lips of bubbles that are no longer there, but of which he feels a tingle of all the same. his wrist rests on the counter, flute dangling lazily from stretched fingers, and he looks down the length of his lounging, contemplating what it would be like if she moved near him. 

nothing in the day-to-day would change, he supposes. he already spends much of his time at the casino, both on and off of work hours.

he looks up. "studying history. local and foreign politics. modern art museums are a favorite of mine. there are some artist installations in lilycove right now i'm quite fond of."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

something about her is off. vexing in the bland way she carries on, as though frightened by her own shadow. it almost doesn't make sense, seeing the woman standing before him now, and another version of her where she decided something was worth delving into the danger of area zero. 

what's your motivation? he thinks as he shifts into a more comfortable position. 

"ah, you mean the paradox versions. nasty things. i've seen some trainers with them now. supposedly, they were first sighted in some dating app game." his smile is questioning. "did you ever play?'

Mitsuru Kagami

☉

they weave amiably, following the natural flow of their conversation. he lounges, hip against her countertop, while she carries on the conversation, and when the mood shifts following his commentary he's keenly aware of it, and subsequently disappointed. 

but he hides that behind a casual sip. bubbles tickle his palate and he hmms delightedly. 

"the war will only serve to benefit us," he says with a shrug. win or lose, it doesn't matter, but so long as it is prolonged, there will be fortuitous rewards to reap. people, now more than ever, will turn to vices against the despair that crawls closer. 

he's no exception, it seems. 

he taps his fingertips against his glass, doing something with them so he doesn't reach to stroke her cheek, or press his thumb to her lower lip like he wants to. 

"it's a wonderful city. always something to do. its people are interesting," he says with a smirk. "i wouldn't have to fly thirty minutes to enjoy a glass of wine in your company."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

color blooms over her face and he is slightly taken aback at how easily he's dropped her guard. his soft golds dart away and he musses with the collar of his shirt, suddenly unsure what to do with his hands. her thinly veiled threat makes him flash a smile. 

smoothly, he says, "do you see me complaining?" but it makes him wonder if there's an agenda. he's been nothing but forthcoming with his side of the investments, perhaps even pushing outside of the comfort zone with the confidence of their familiarity. 

could she be doing the same with him?

"mauville's a bustling city. no shortage of things to do, but i hear the air quality's gone to shit with mt. chimney's activity. lilycove's similar. as much as i like slateport, and the people in it - " he flashes a smile - "i prefer lilycove."

his lips twitch. "but the sea has been...unruly lately. lots of storms coming in off the coast. have you seen the same here?"

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

his own silk, wide-collared shirt is tucked meticulously into black work slacks, thin belt snugly hugging hips. he fidgets with the watch on his wrist, gold under slender fingers, keenly aware of alecto's leering eyes above him. her claws are incorporeal, sunk halfway into the ceiling, watching per his orders. 

the vulpix at her feet makes him smile. one day, perhaps, he'll get her a twin of ice like corona and ianthe, but before he can follow the why he might do so, he's lifting his eyes over her skirt, her exposed collarbones, porcelain skin against sleek black. 

she had changed from her clothes in the picture, and put a smattering of makeup on. 

a natural host, he tells himself, filing information like he would any other person, but this one is yellowed with uncertainty, thumbed at the corners because it's not the whole truth.

"oh?" he says as he collects himself, following behind her. he shuts the door carefully, sparing a glance at alecto before doing so. there is still art on the walls - tasteful pieces and he isn't surprised to know they were yumi's in the first place - but some of the furniture is gone. empty spaces remain where a few kitchen appliances rested. 

it feels half-lived. 

"are you considering moving?" he asks, genuinely curious. she could fill the place quickly if she wanted to. 

"and, ah, both. it's one of my favorite bottles, but you're also one of my favorite people," he says with a smile. 

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

he hadn't wanted to come. a flirty picture, his gifts in her hand, an invitation to another salacious night. mixing pleasure with business is never a good idea; he knows this. he knows this. 

and yet yumi is not a woman he can brush aside or smooth over with sweet nothings. sharp, cunning, demanding. requests are thinly veiled orders and now, with more stakes he's trying to place in the business, he must appease. 

means to an end, he thinks, but his heart betrays him with a stutter of anticipation as he knocks on her door. 

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

if there's a debt to be paid, nikkari is quick to pocket it, and here she comes holding one up on a silver platter. thin, pianist's fingers tighten slightly on the stem of his coupe glass. 

"what were you doing down there?" he asks instead of accepting the apology, allowing it to dangle for now. his gaze travels from her face to the wine she seems so intent not to drink.

"i hear those things weren't even the worst thing we could have come across."

Mitsuru Kagami

☉

yumi drifts away and he marvels at the slender curve of her spine. he knows there are bruises on her hips, between her thighs, and he runs his tongue along his teeth, thinking get a hold of yourself when she laughs and promises she's not trying to kick him out. 

he wants a shower. he wants to clear his head, to wipe this damn blood off of himself. he wants to change his bandages. 

he wants to bend her over the table and have his way with her again. 

"coffee's perfect, thank you," he says. he checks his watch, defaults to business. "i have a meeting in an hour. are we still on for wednesday? i should have the cost breakdowns for the repairs on the building ready by then."

nikkari hect

☉