Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura
Koumyou looked at the building for the third time, trying to gather up all of his courage. He was an old timer at this undercover stuff but the butterflies in his stomach wouldn't settle down. He was always like this when he started a new case. Flipping his long, blonde braid back over his shoulder, he checked his clothes once again. It was unfashionable to have a braid like his, but Koumyou couldn't bring himself to cut it. The braid was as much a part of him as the soft smile he usually had on his face.
A navy blue suit, with a loud polka-dot tie, hung nicely on his slim frame. Taking off the matching fedora, he spun it around in his hands. Maybe the fedora was too much. If he wanted to fit in, he should wear it but he wasn't used to wearing hats and he felt like it screamed "undercover". Black shoes, shined and polished until he could see his face in them, still looked too "G-man" but it was the best he could do.
The building was located in a part of town that wasn't seedy but it wasn't some place where the most honest people hung out. Tall buildings, some in serious disrepair, surrounded him and the smell of garbage drifted lightly on the air. A stray cat howled a few streets over, snapping Koumyou out of his thoughts.
"Get moving or you'll really attract attention." Koumyou muttered to himself under his breath. Pulling out his pocket watch, the long gold chain brushing against his pants as he checked the time again. It was after 10 pm. The joint should be hopping by now and he should fit right in. Koumyou put the watch back in it's pocket, put the hat on his head at an angle and went up to the door.
It was half hidden in the shadows. There was no sign on the door for the owner didn't want any attention or advertisement on what went on behind that old, scarred door. Perfect place for the joint. A deli at the front of the building, stairs around back that led down to a secret door. Streetlights were few and far between in this part of town but there was enough light that whoever answered the door could see him. He just hoped that the nervousness that he felt wasn't showing on his face.
Knocking three times, Koumyou waited, his heart skipping a beat when the hidden panel suddenly slid open. Eyes that seemed to be an odd violet color peered out at him. Blonde hair brushed the lashes when the man blinked at him, a scowl making the eyes narrow in suspicion.
"Yeah?" The unseen man asked, a puff of cigarette smoke wandering out through the small opening.
"Raven's wings" Should he smile, frown, or what? What if the password had been changed since he first got it? What would happen then?
The panel slid shut with a thunk. A series of clicks sounded behind the door. A muffled curse as the bouncer struggled with one of the locks and then the door opened a crack. Koumyou was in before the man could change his mind.
A blonde, about the same height as him, shut the door and turned to look at him. The man was scowling but it seemed to be his natural expression. Dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black tie, the man was stunning. Almost too pretty to be a man and Koumyou was surprised at how thin he was. A slight bulge under his arm, almost hidden by the jacket, told Koumyou that this man was packing heat. He probably wasn't afraid to use it, too.
"You're new."
The comment hung between them for moment.
"Yes, I am. Is that alright?" Keep it together, Koumyou. He's just asking a simple question.
"How did you find this place?" The blonde took a drag on his cigarette. His tone didn't sound threatening, just curious.
"Through a friend of a friend." Koumyou kept his tone light and even. In clubs like this, strangers weren't entirely unwelcome but they were suspicious. It was the bouncer's job to weed out G-men, rival mobsters, and other enemies of the big boss and stop them at the door. Prohibition turned friends into enemies overnight and while it was Koumyou's job to search out these clubs, he couldn't do his job if he couldn't get in the door.
The sound of a piano. Voices and laughter. Silence from this man in front of him. He wasn't going to let him pass, Koumyou just knew it. His first undercover job and he didn't even make it in to the club. His boss was going to give him hell on Monday, he just knew it. The man already thought that Koumyou was an idiot and this would just make his opinion of Koumyou go even lower. Just because he lost his key to the precinct the second day he was there and he got lost on his way to the file room a month later, didn't make him an idiot. He was just a little absentminded, that's all.
"Go down the hall and make a right. Go through the door and head straight for the bar. No detours or I'll find out." The blonde took a step towards him but Koumyou didn't back down. The blonde grunted out a sound, which Koumyou took as approval. "Tell the short bartender that Sanzo said ok. Got that?" Nodding, Koumyou turned and started down the short hallway. "Don't tell the moron with the red hair! He's an idiot."
As soon as he got out of sight of this Sanzo, Koumyou let out a sigh of relief. One hurdle down, who knew how many to go. The sound of the piano got louder the closer he got to the door. Taking a deep breath, he turned the handle and went in.
It was truly like entering another world. Small tables, draped in fancy, thick linen tablecloths dotted the club, single lamps in the center of the tables. A soft glow from each lamp lit up each table but the circle of light only extended to a little bit beyond the table. A large stage took up one end of the club, a baby grand piano beneath the stage, off to the right of the stage.
A handsome man, with short brown hair, was playing the piano. His long fingers flew over the keys as he played a popular song from several years ago. He was dressed similar to the bouncer at the door but instead of wearing a suit, the piano player had on a black tuxedo, complete with a tightly knotted bow tie.
At the bar, two bartenders laughed and joked with several well dressed customers. Koumyou had to hand it to the big boss. He ran a classy joint. The bartenders were dressed in crisp white shirts, black vests with simple black ties. The outfits oozed class and even though the bartenders looked a little on the rough side, they wore the outfits well.
"What can I get you?" The short bartender, the one with brown hair, smiled at Koumyou. Tapping his fingers on the polished wood, he waited for Koumyou to answer him.
"Oh, yes. Sanzo said ok." Taking a seat on one of the high bar stools, Koumyou threaded his fingers together, trying to stop them from shaking and giving away how nervous he was.
"Welcome to Requiem. Name's Goku." The young brunette smiled at Koumyou. "First time here?"
"Yes, it is. A good friend of mine recommended this place. Said you had a dame that could really belt out a tune." Koumyou smiled, feeling at ease with this cheerful young man. "Could I have Coca-Cola with a shot of rum?"
"Coming right up!" Goku moved so fast, he was almost a blur to Koumyou. The kid looked to be about 15 but he mixed drinks as if he'd been doing this all of his life. Koumyou paid for the drink and thought about what he had learned from Goku's file.
He was 21 and an orphan. No one knew what happened to his parents, he'd just shown up one day, begging the big boss for a job. It was unclear if he was a bruiser, a collector or just muscle but as Koumyou studied him, Koumyou could pretty much rule out muscle. The kid was like the bouncer, Sanzo. Both were whip thin but their arms and legs had their fair share of sinewy muscle.
Son Goku worked at Requiem as the secondary bartender, under Sha Gojyo. The undercover crime unit found out that Son Goku and Genjo Sanzo had lived together for several years now, with the rumor being that they were more than friends. That was no concern for Koumyou. He wasn't interested in their personal lives. It was best if he didn't get involved with them personally.
That's how he got transferred from his last undercover work in New York and got sent here to Chicago. At 45, he was one of the best G-men in New York but he got in too deep with the last mob boss and was pulled from the case. Tightening his fingers around the cold glass, Koumyou swore that he wouldn't get involved with this boss like he did with the last one.
A bark of laughter from behind the bar caught his attention. The redhead was flirting with a dark haired woman. She had a strange mark on her upper left arm, near the shoulder. This must be Sha Gojyo, or as he was called in his file, "the lady killer".
Tall, lanky with a ready smile and eyes that were the color of a sunset. Red hair, pulled back into a ponytail, brushed his shoulders and he had a strange cowlick at his hairline in front.
Pulling up his file from his memory, Koumyou covertly studied the redhead. He, too, was an orphan. His mother had worked in one of the brothels in Chicago and left him in the care of his older, half brother, Sha Jien. Or as he was now known, Dokugakuji.
Gojyo had a hard life at the hands of his mother. Both boys lived in the back of the brothel but the mother only loved Jien. Gojyo was left on his own most of the time and Jien tried his best to care for the young boy. About twelve years ago, in a drunken rage, the mother tried to kill Sha Gojyo with an ax. Jien stepped in and shot his mother, saving his younger brother but creating a rift between them that lasted almost ten years.
When Jien joined this group, he changed his name to Dokugakuji. Why he chose that name, no one never knew but he was loyal to a fault to the big boss. Along with Kougaiji, Dokugakuji were the two highest ranking captains and they could usually be found flanking their boss whenever he was out and about.
The piano player finished his song with a flourish and the applause was astounding. The man was insanely talented. He stood, took a bow and announced that he would be taking a break and would be back soon. Koumyou watched as the man he now knew as Cho Hakkai made his way to the bar.
Moving gracefully through the crowd, he would be stopped time and time again by patrons gushing over his talent with the ivory keys. People requested certain songs, pressing paper money into the man's hands as they begged for their favorite song to be played next. He would only smile gently, the smile never reaching his eyes and move on, no promises made.
Gojyo placed a glass of ice water next to Koumyou. "Oi, Hakkai. Good set tonight." The redhead winked at the brunette, causing a flush to grace the slender man's cheeks. "You look tired. Ya feeling alright?"
Hakkai sipped the water before answering Gojyo. "I'm fine, Gojyo. Please don't worry so much about me." A look passed between the two men, a look so intimate that Koumyou felt like an intruder by just sitting there. Finishing his water, Hakkai pushed the glass to Gojyo, nodding for another one.
Koumyou had memorized Cho Hakkai's file as well. The man was the same age as Gojyo and his personal history was even more tragic than the other's were. His wife had been captured by a rival gang, raped and she took her life before Cho Hakkai could rescue her. After her death, Cho Hakkai had sworn vengeance on her rapists and he had made good on that promise.
He had wiped out almost the entire gang, leaving death and rivers of blood in his wake. Sha Gojyo had found him in an ally, guts hanging out, barely hanging on to life. The boss's personal doctor stitched him back up and with nowhere else to go, Hakkai had moved in with Gojyo. The same rumors that surrounded Sanzo and Goku, also surrounded Gojyo and Hakkai. That they were more than friends. Lovers, to be exact.
Genjo Sanzo, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, Cho Hakkai, Kougaiji, Dokugakuji, and a woman named Yaone. These people made up the central core of the group. It was rumored that they would do anything to protect their boss. Who was this man and how did he command such respect and loyalty that these people would do anything for him?
Waitresses, in long black dresses, moved through the tables, taking old drinks and bringing fresh ones. Young women, trays filled with cigarettes, cigars, candy and gum, also went from table to table, pushing their wares. Requiem wasn't a club that served bathtub gin to the poor of Chicago. It was a place where the movers and shakers of Chicago's government could come to relax and be pampered.
Koumyou finished his drink and took one last look around the room. It seemed that tonight, the big boss wouldn't be making an appearance. Sighing, Koumyou thought that at least he put names to the faces in his file so this wasn't a total waste of time. He caught Goku's attention.
"How much for the rum and Coca-Cola?" Goku told him and Koumyou paid him, leaving a generous tip.
As he got up, Koumyou could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He was being watched but from whom? Shaking himself, trying to get rid of this feeling, Koumyou resisted the urge to turn around and try to catch the eyes that he could feel on his back. The last thing he needed to do was call attention to himself. He left the bar, said goodnight to Sanzo and went up the stairs, disappearing into the night.
"Do you want us to follow him, Boss?" A deep voice from his left side.
"No, there's no need." Black eyes, behind glasses, watched as the blonde left the club. "He'll be back."
Kenyuu Ukoku, the most powerful mob boss in Chicago watched as Koumyou left his club. So, he thought, this was the newest G-man to try and close down his operation. As Koumyou went out the door, Ukoku felt a stirring in his groin as he watched the long ponytail sway back and forth, almost caressing the blonde's firm bottom as he walked. It had been a long time since he was this attracted to a man and it was a G-man, none the less.
The game was on.
Two weeks and nine visits later, Koumyou was becoming a regular at Requiem. Dressed in a plum colored suit with a matching fedora, Koumyou double checked his watch. Yaone was scheduled to sing tonight and even though hearing her sing had nothing to do with this case, he really didn't want to miss the start of the show.
Ten minutes before 10. Good, he'd made it in time. Knocking on the door, he waited for Sanzo to answer. Sanzo opened the panel and Koumyou gave the password. Sanzo opened the door and greeted Koumyou.
"I didn't miss the start of the show, did I?" Koumyou dusted off his suit jacket and met Sanzo's eyes.
"No, she's starting in a few minutes. You'd better hurry and get a table before they're all gone." Sanzo gave Koumyou a slight grin. "The joint is always jumping when Yaone sings."
Koumyou smiled at Sanzo, bid him a good evening and went into the club. It was crowded, just as Sanzo said but Koumyou spied a free table. Before he could maneuver his way through the tables, a man and a woman claimed the last table. Frustrated, Koumyou turned and went back to the bar.
"Koumyou! I didn't think you'd be here tonight. You were just here last night." Gojyo wiped down the bar while Goku opened a bottle of Coca-Cola. "You're usual, right? Rum and Coke?"
Nodding yes, Koumyou tapped his fingers on the wet bar. "I didn't want to miss Yaone's performance. She's one classy dame."
Koumyou wondered where Ukoku was tonight. He had finally seen the man on his third visit, sitting at his usual table with his two captains beside him. Koumyou told himself that the only reason his heart had been pounding so hard was due to his nerves. That was all. It wasn't like he was attracted to the man or anything like that. It wasn't like he spent nights, laying awake, thinking about how attractive Ukoku was or wondering what it would feel like to have those hands and lips on his body. And he certainly never touched himself, stroking himself heatedly until he came, spilling his release over his hand and stomach.
Koumyou had told himself over and over each time that he saw Ukoku that his heart skipped a beat or pounded so fast or that any other reaction that his body had, was nerves. He almost believed it himself…almost.
The lights in the room dimmed. The lamps on each of the tables dimmed to a soft glow. A spotlight clicked on, lighting up a circle on the red curtain draped across the stage and Hakkai moved out to the front of the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen. It's my pleasure to introduce a beautiful lady who will be gracing Requiem's stage tonight." The orchestra hidden behind the curtain started to play. "Please give a warm welcome to Miss Yaone." Hakkai bowed and moved off stage.
The curtain swept open and there, in the middle of the stage, stood Yaone. Long black hair, so black that it seemed purple in the spotlight, flowed down her back. Not a single curl or wave interrupted that black hair and it shone brightly in the single spotlight. She was wearing a deep cut red gown, slit up to her thighs on each side. Cheers and whistles punctuated the applause that threatened to drown out the orchestra.
Music swelled and Yaone turned to the crowd and began to sing. It was a song that was popular a few years ago, about a girl who had everything secondhand and she was called "Secondhand Rose". Her clear soprano voice made Koumyou smile as she sang about being a secondhand rose from second avenue.
Finishing up the song, Yaone moved from the stage to wander through the tables, talking and teasing the male patrons. She was really good at this, Koumyou thought. A natural performer and he wondered just how she happened to end up here, singing in a speakeasy and not performing professionally.
Looking around the club, Koumyou sipped his rum and Coke. The mayor was here tonight, no surprise there. A few city councilmen were here as well. His eyes moved to a table in the back corner of the room. There, standing on each side of a man with glasses, stood the top captains in the organization. Kougaiji and Dokugakuji. Then, that meant…
Kenyuu Ukoku. He was sitting at the table, drinking. Lighting up a cigarette, Ukoku set the lighter down on the table and picked up his glass. Their eyes met and Ukoku lifted his glass, a silent salute to Koumyou.
An aura of power surrounded this man. It was nearly a physical presence, one that stretched between them and Koumyou felt as if he could reach out his hand and touch it. The air around him suddenly seemed thick and it was hard to breathe. Koumyou couldn't break Ukoku's eye contact if his life depended on it. There was something so sensual, so powerful and so intense about this man. Even though he had been attracted to men in the past, Koumyou had never felt anything like this before.
Hair the color of a raven's wing, eyes dark and secretive behind horn-rimmed glasses and a smile that didn't reach his eyes. The biggest mob boss in Chicago and his attention was wholly on Koumyou. Generous lips kissed the glass as Ukoku tipped it back, amber liquid retreating to the bottom of the glass when he set it back down and Koumyou could feel himself hardening at the thought of those lips on his.
What was wrong with him? This man wasn't anywhere near him and yet, Koumyou was affected as if Ukoku was sitting right next to him. Digging his nails in the palm of his hand, Koumyou tried to refocus on Yaone and her singing. She was in the crowd again, singing a silly song about having no bananas. Teasing the men again as she sat on their laps while she threw her arms around their shoulders. Soon, the patrons were singing alone with Yaone, joining her in the chorus of the song.
A fresh rum and coke appeared at his elbow. Koumyou turned to see Gojyo smiling at him. "Ya looked like you could use another one." Grinning, Gojyo tilted his head in the direction of Ukoku and his captains. "Ya better get yourself together. Looks like you're gonna be invited over to meet Mr. Ukoku."
Kougaiji was on his way over and Koumyou's throat went dry. Oh no, no, no, no. This was not happening. There was no way he could go over there, not with his cock straining at the front of his pants. Maybe he could slip out before Kougaiji got here. Draining his glass, Koumyou fumbled around for his wallet and all but tossed money at Gojyo in his haste to get the hell out of here.
Too late. Kougaiji was standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest. He and Dokugakuji wore matching suits, as if they were their captain's uniforms. Like Koumyou, Kougaiji had a long ponytail but he didn't keep his braided. Long red hair, similar to the color of Gojyo's hair, was tied up neatly behind his head.
"Your presence is required at Mr. Ukoku's table." Kougaiji left, not waiting for an answer but fully expecting Koumyou to follow him.
He must have looked like an idiot, sitting there, his mouth open in shock. The last time he went undercover, it took him months to meet the big boss and here he was, two weeks into his investigation being invited over the boss's table. A nudge at his elbow jerked him back from his thoughts.
"Are you alright, Koumyou?" Brilliant green eyes swam before him. Hakkai's eyes. "There's no need to be nervous, you know. Mr. Ukoku may look mean but it's just a front."
Yeah right. Tell that to all the people he's ordered killed or murdered. Tell that to the widows of the bums on the first few rungs of the ladder of corruption. Surely, that thought will keep them warm at night while they cry themselves to sleep. Koumyou wanted to say all that to Hakkai but he didn't.
He should leave this place. Leave and never look back. Tell his boss at the precinct that he had an emergency a thousand miles away and get the hell out of this town. Get out while he still can before it happens again. Before he gets attached to these people of the underworld, like he did in New York.
Hakkai chuckled. "You look as nervous as a young man on his first date." Taking his hand, Hakkai pulled Koumyou off the bar stool and with his hand on the small of his back, pushed him in the direction of Ukoku's table. "I'll handle the introductions, if that will help."
Ukoku watched Koumyou and Hakkai make their way over to his table. He grinned as Koumyou tripped over a lady's purse and apologize profusely. He really was an odd duck. Good looking and friendly with the staff and a G-man through and through. Although Koumyou tried to hide his profession, Sanzo saw through him from the second he met Koumyou.
A good bouncer/doorman was hard to find but Sanzo was one of the best. From the first time he met Koumyou, Sanzo had known that Koumyou was a G-man. Whether it was his clothes or his demeanor that gave him away, Ukoku didn't know and he didn't ask. He trusted Sanzo's judgment on these things. By ordering him to tell Goku that Sanzo said ok, Sanzo had given the signal to Goku that a G-man was in the club that night. Ukoku had watched Koumyou from the shadows the first few nights before coming out in the open and letting Koumyou see him.
At 33, Ukoku was the youngest head of a crime family in decades. Brilliant, well educated and calculating, Ukoku wasn't a person to be trifled with. He would kill anyone that got in his way without a second thought, beat a person within an inch of their life and knew the best spots to dump bodies so they wouldn't be found for months or even years.
And yet, there was a side to Ukoku that only the people closest to him saw. When Yaone's parents were murdered by a rival family, Kougaiji had come to Ukoku asking him to take the young woman in. He had. Setting her up in a modest apartment, he gave her the job of working as a waitress in the club. One night, she offered herself to him, tears in her eyes, her body shaking in fright. Ukoku just smiled at her and told her that as pretty as she was, she wasn't his type.
"Mr. Ukoku? I'd like to introduce Mr. Koumyou…?" Hakkai paused. "I never did get your last name."
"Kouryuu. Koumyou Kouryuu. But you can just call me Koumyou." He held out his hand for Ukoku to shake.
"A pleasure to meet you, Koumyou." Ukoku grasped his hand, letting his thumb rub softly over Koumyou's knuckles. Ukoku's hand was soft, the hand of a man who had others do his dirty work for him.
Koumyou shook Ukoku's hand while he tried hard to not let his nervousness show. The power that this man had all but radiated off of him. Pulling his hand from Ukoku's grip, Koumyou laid his hand on the back of the nearest chair, pulling it out some before sitting down next to Ukoku. He wanted to sit farther away from Ukoku, across the table perhaps. Away from Ukoku and his penetrating gaze, the smell of his cologne whispering under Koumyou's nose, tempting him. Gods, he smelled so good. He stopped himself from taking a deep breath of that spicy cologne.
"I've noticed you in my club for a few weeks. You seem to like sitting at the bar, talking and laughing with Gojyo and Goku." Ukoku lit a cigarette and took a deep drag, letting the smoke out a bit at a time.
"Huh? Oh, yes. Gojyo and Goku are wonderful bartenders. Gojyo knows some of the funniest jokes and I like how they pick on each other." Koumyou wished he had his pipe with him. It would give him something to do with his hands instead of fiddling with his drink. "Hakkai is a terrific piano player."
Flicking the ashes in a cut glass ashtray, Ukoku looked sideways at Koumyou. "Does Hakkai peak your interest?"
"What…what do you mean?"
"If you're thinking about seducing him, you should know he's in a serious relationship." Ukoku picked up his glass and gestured to the bar.
Sitting at the bar was Hakkai. Behind him, behind the bar was Gojyo. Leaning over, Gojyo said something in Hakkai's ear and the brunette turned and smiled at the lanky redhead. The audience's attention was on Yaone so most of them didn't see the fleeting kiss that Gojyo dropped on Hakkai's lips. Just like the other night, Koumyou felt like an intruder interrupting an intimate moment.
"No! I'm not interested in Hakkai. I have talked to him, of course and find him to be an intelligent and nice man."
Ukoku stared into his glass, a strange smile on his face. "Yes, Hakkai is intelligent, that I won't deny. The nice part, I don't know if that fits Hakkai." Ukoku drained his glass, not bothering explaining his cryptic comment.
"So, what do you do for a living?" Ukoku watched Yaone make her way back on the stage. She was finishing up a song. Only one more song to go before she was done for the night.
"I'm a stockbroker"
Ukoku made a noise that said he heard Koumyou's comment but didn't quite believe him. He should have known that Ukoku would have figured out who he really was. With his connections all over Chicago, Ukoku most likely had a few police officers on the payroll. Even though Koumyou worked for the United States government, the local police and the G-men worked in close contact with each other.
Taking another gulp from his rum and Coke, Koumyou wondered how he was going to get out of this one.
Here he was again, in another speakeasy, getting attached to the very people he was supposed to gain evidence on. Evidence that would put them away for life. But, his heart wasn't in it this time. These people were so likeable and honest.
Yes, honest. They were more honest than the everyday people he ran into. Sure they worked for the mob and they sold illegal liquor but he had never felt more at home anywhere else than here. Perhaps it was the attraction to Ukoku or how Goku's whole face lit up when he sat down at the bar or… Oh, hell. He didn't know what it was that drew him here.
The lights flickered as Yaone finished her last song and Koumyou turned to Ukoku to tell him how much he liked her performance when it happened.
Ukoku kissed him.
It wasn't a fleeting kiss, like the kiss between Gojyo and Hakkai. This kiss was all consuming, a kiss that felt like it would steal your soul, if you let it. Dimly, Koumyou felt Ukoku's fingers caress the side of his face but his main focus was this kiss.
A hot tongue was pressing for entrance and Koumyou sighed into the kiss, letting Ukoku in. A flick of that sinful tongue, lips moving sensually over his, the scent of Ukoku's cologne. Little things really. Add them together and you have a devastating kiss. A kiss that turned your world upside down.
Koumyou knew he was making mewling noises in the back of his throat but he was powerless to stop himself. Ukoku's kiss went on forever and at the same time, it was over too quickly.
They broke apart as the lights came up. Staring into those dark, fathomless eyes, Koumyou knew he was in trouble. He wouldn't say he was in love, but he sure as hell was in lust. This man was a murderer. A cold blooded killer. The biggest mob boss in Chicago and he was a G-man. If Ukoku knew who he really was, he'd be dead the second he stepped out of the door.
"Tomorrow, then?" Winking at Koumyou, Ukoku stood up and motioned for Kougaiji and Dokugakuji to follow him. Koumyou sat at the table, not moving and he was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open. He managed to make his way through the club without stepping on anyone's feet or bumping into them. He waved distractedly to Gojyo, Hakkai and Goku and thought he might have said goodnight to Sanzo but if asked later, he could honestly say he wasn't sure he did any of that. His mind was still reeling with thoughts of Ukoku's kiss and what it could have meant.
Shrugging into his greatcoat, Koumyou walked home, his mind churning. Faces popped up in his mind. Goku's smile. Gojyo's laughing at a joke from another patron. Hakkai at the piano, his fingers flowing over the keys.
What was he going to do? The only thing Koumyou ever wanted to do with his life was be a G-man. Stop criminals and protect innocent people. It was a simple dream really. And yet, here he was. Questioning himself because of one kiss.
His footsteps echoed in the dark and empty streets. Voices came down from open windows and once in a while, a car would drive by. A stray dog cowered on the steps of an apartment building. Streetlights buzzed as he walked by them.
It would have to be tonight. He would go in Ukoku's office, find evidence of his bootlegging and tomorrow, this assignment would be behind him. He could forget all about Ukoku and the rest of them. They were criminals after all.
A few hours later, Koumyou was in front of the dimly lit deli that housed the speakeasy. Dressed in all black, Koumyou had his long blonde ponytail stuffed up under a knit hat. It wouldn't do to have his hair stand out like a beacon in the night.
The basement door to the speakeasy was out. Sanzo locked it from the inside so Koumyou couldn't get in that way. He walked around and found a side door. No streetlights reached back this far so he could break in under the cover of darkness. Koumyou sighed.
That's what he was doing. Breaking in like a common criminal but he really didn't have a choice. Too many people worked in the joint and Kougaiji or Dokugakuji blocked the hallway that lead to Ukoku's office so he couldn't get into Ukoku's office while the place was open. That left him one option. Breaking in at night.
Jimmying the lock, he managed to get the door open without too much trouble. He made a bit of noise but after listening for any sounds that he was caught, Koumyou was satisfied that no one heard him. Entering the building and closing the door softly behind him, Koumyou made his way through the deli in the dark. He brought a small flashlight but didn't want to use it because of the large windows at the front of the building.
He found the door to the club and went through it. Turning on the flashlight, Koumyou looked around to make sure no one was in the club. It was after 3 am and he only had a few hours before the sun rose so he had to hurry.
Ukoku's office door was closed but it wasn't locked. Strange. He would have thought the office would be locked up tight. Koumyou paused, thinking. Should he go in? Was this a trap? The building was silent. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Koumyou listened to the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his chest. It was now or never.
He opened the door and winced as it squeaked in protest. Shining the flashlight around, he could see the office was empty and he stepped over the threshold and closed the door. Ukoku's large desk took up a good portion of the room and that was the best place to start. If there was any paperwork or receipts or memos dealing with the bootlegging operation, this is where they would be.
Besides the desk, there were a few lamps and a huge leather couch on the opposite wall of the desk. Behind the desk, bookshelves lined the entire wall. A plush Oriental carpet muffled his footsteps as he walked over to the desk. There were three windows that looked out street level and although he probably could turn on a lamp, why tempt fate?
Koumyou had his back to the couch. If he would have turned around at that very moment, he would have seen Ukoku step out of a door that was hidden next to the couch. Quietly, Ukoku closed the hidden door and closed the distance between him and Koumyou.
"I had hoped to get you alone in my office but under better circumstances."
Koumyou turned, his gun out, pointed at Ukoku's chest. Damn! He hadn't heard a thing. He was really losing his touch at this sneaking around.
The men stared, each one waiting for the other to make the first move. Koumyou looked for Ukoku's gun but he seemed unarmed. That didn't comfort him any. Ukoku was just as deadly with a knife as he was with a gun.
"Are you looking for stock tips?" Ukoku took a step closer. "I'm sorry to say. I don't play the stock market so your trip tonight was all for nothing." Another step and to his dismay, Koumyou felt his body move backwards. "Let's drop the act, shall we? You're no more a stockbroker than I am. In fact, you work for the US government. A G-man, correct."
Keeping silent, Koumyou forced his hand holding the gun to stay steady.
"You've been coming here for a few weeks, checking out the club and my people, isn't that right? You've broken into my office tonight to look for evidence of bootlegging." A sly grin. "Too bad I don't keep receipts or memos lying around. It wouldn't do for anyone to find evidence of an illegal liquor trade. Don't you agree, Koumyou?" Ukoku had his chest pressed up against Koumyou's handgun, the pressure of the barrel making a dent in his black shirt. "Go ahead and shoot me."
Koumyou clicked the safety off and the sound exploded in the silent room. This wasn't supposed to go down like this. He was just supposed to get some evidence and get the hell out of here. Ukoku's cologne filled his senses and the gun wavered in Koumyou's hand. Those black eyes searched Koumyou's eyes. It was almost as if Ukoku could see into his very thoughts and desires.
"You're not going to shoot me. Do you know why?"
"S…stop it!" Koumyou licked his lips. "Shut up and sit down on the couch and stay away from me." Reaching into his pants pocket, he felt around for his handcuffs, the gun still pressed up against Ukoku's chest.
"You want me." The words flowed out of Ukoku's mouth, lust making them harsh and low. "Don't deny it. I felt your longing when I kissed you. Your mouth sliding over mine, your tongue slick and hot and those noises you made in the back of your throat. I wanted to drag you to my office and fuck you on this couch." Ukoku pointed behind him at the couch. "I could see us, you on your back, your hands tied with that outrageous tie you wore tonight. My hand around your stiff, dripping cock as you begged me to fuck you."
"Stop talking." The words came out in a whisper. The gun faltered but Koumyou quickly righted it again, pressing it harder into Ukoku's chest. He had to stop Ukoku from talking. The more he spoke, the more Koumyou got caught up in those sensual words. "So you know who I am and what I have to do." Handcuffs freed from his pocket, Koumyou went to put them on Ukoku.
Ukoku moved so fast, Koumyou didn't even have time to react. Cold steel surrounded Koumyou's wrists, not Ukoku's wrists. This wasn't right, Koumyou realized too late. The handcuffs were on the wrong hands. His hands.
"Here's something you should know. Never play cards with Hakkai." Ukoku smirked. "The man is an expert on sleight of hand." Leaning his head in, Ukoku whispered against Koumyou's mouth. "I win."
This kiss was the end of Koumyou's struggle to remain in control. He dropped the gun and it clattered to the floor between them. The handcuffs rattled as Koumyou gripped the front of Ukoku's shirt and pulled him closer. He wasn't going to fight it anymore. He wanted this man, criminal or not, he didn't care. The knit hat was gone and Koumyou's long braid fell down, hitting his back.
All his life, Koumyou was alone. His parents died when he was very young and he was passed from one extended family member to another. Never really fitting in, Koumyou closed up, a false smile on his face so everyone would leave him alone. What did he have now? Nothing. He left work, went home to an empty apartment, the only sound keeping him company was the ticking clock next to his small bed. He ate breakfast alone, watching the birds outside his kitchen window, their chirping keeping him company.
Sometimes, he ate dinner beside the radio. He liked comedy shows and he wished there was someone special that he could share a laugh with while they listened to the shows together. But, he was alone. He went to bed alone and woke up alone. It was a sad existence and he hated every second of it.
Everything changed when he entered this club and Ukoku's world. Koumyou looked forward to coming to the club at nights and hated the nights he had to stay away. He missed hearing the latest joke from Gojyo, he missed getting a smile from Goku but it was not seeing Ukoku that he really missed.
Ukoku walked backwards, leading Koumyou to the couch, their mouths still locked together. Koumyou was like a man drowning and Ukoku was air. Ukoku's mouth slanted over his again and again, tongues warred for dominance and Koumyou could feel how aroused Ukoku was and he grinned into the kiss. He did this. It was him, the one everyone considered to be nothing but a goof and a problem.
"You don't need the cuffs on me, you know." To emphasize his point, Koumyou pressed his arousal against Ukoku's hip.
"I know." Ukoku nipped at Koumyou's throat. "I like you this way. Tied up." Ukoku squeezed Koumyou's cock through his pants and he moaned, the sound echoing of the walls. "You seem to like it too." Koumyou could only nod and press his cock into Ukoku's hand.
His knees hit the couch and Koumyou sat down. When did Ukoku turn them around? Ukoku unbuttoned the first button on his shirt and then ripped the shirt the rest of the way open. Buttons flew around the room, hitting surfaces hidden in the darkness.
The only light in the room was from Koumyou's flashlight that he had dropped when Ukoku surprised him. There was just enough light coming from it to see a little bit of what Ukoku was doing but Koumyou was going mostly by feel at this point.
A hot mouth covered one nipple and Koumyou gripped Ukoku's head, his fingers threading through the midnight black silky locks. Tongue flicking and teasing the nipple, teeth lightly scraping against the peak, Ukoku sucked the nipple into his mouth, making Koumyou cry out.
"More. I want more."
"My, aren't you greedy?" Ukoku pinched and twisted the other nipple. Koumyou's hips came up from the couch.
"It's been so long. Please!" He was begging the biggest mob boss in Chicago to make love to him and Koumyou couldn't give a damn. He wanted this man to fill him, fuck him until Koumyou came, spilling his release over the both of them.
Ukoku didn't say a word. His mouth drifted downward and his tongue dipped in Koumyou's belly button, making the blonde man giggle a bit. Ukoku smiled against Koumyou's belly. He knew Koumyou would be ticklish. Not now, but perhaps tomorrow, he would see where else Koumyou was ticklish.
Letting his fingers inch under Koumyou's pants, Ukoku soon had them undone. Dragging the zipper down, a pair of boxers appeared and Ukoku couldn't help himself. He let out a bark of laughter and Koumyou's head came up.
"What? What's so funny?"
"Roses? Black roses?"
"They were on sale. I got them for a steal, I'll have you know!"
Still chuckling, Ukoku kissed Koumyou. The mood in the room had changed from one of hot passion to something more intimate. More real, almost. They felt comfortable together as if they had been together for years. To Koumyou, it was if he had finally found his true home.
Making quick work of Koumyou's shoes and socks, Ukoku had rid Koumyou of his pants and those gaudy boxers with the black roses on them. Because of the handcuffs, Koumyou still had his shirt on but it was open so Ukoku could feel his skin against his. Soon, Ukoku was nude, his cock jutting out from his thin body.
"Hold on." Ukoku riffled through one of the drawers in his desk. "Ah, there you are."
Koumyou raised one eyebrow. "You always keep a bottle of oil in your desk?"
"Always prepared." Koumyou laughed. "What? I was a good boy scout." Ukoku palmed the bottle and came back to the couch. "I'll make you sorry for laughing at me." The words were harsh but the tone of Ukoku's voice was soft and loving.
Koumyou was going to make a silly remark but Ukoku's hand closing over his erection made the words die in his throat. Those long, tight strokes felt so good and he arched into Ukoku's touch. Pre-come dripped from the tip and Ukoku lapped it up. Toes curling into the leather couch, sweat collecting at the small of his back, Koumyou whimpered in the back of his throat and suddenly, a slicked up finger entered him. Head back, throat exposed, Koumyou babbled and moaned nonsense words as Ukoku's finger moved deeper inside him. A second finger slid alongside the first and Ukoku was over him, their cocks rubbing against each other, the friction driving Koumyou wild.
His arms had been flung over the arm of the couch but when Ukoku moved on top of him, Koumyou brought them up and over Ukoku's head. The steel was a shock of cold to Ukoku but they soon warmed up next to his body. Koumyou's responses were so real and so raw that no matter how much Ukoku wanted to take his time, he couldn't. He needed to be inside of this man, now!
Feeling hollow and empty when Ukoku's fingers left his body, Koumyou squirmed under the black haired man. The feeling of emptiness was soon gone. With one smooth stroke, Ukoku was inside Koumyou, their bodies joined, Koumyou shuddering and gasping under Ukoku.
Biting down gently at the juncture of Koumyou's shoulder, Ukoku needed to stop himself from crying out. Stop himself from thrusting again and again into that tight heat. Stop himself from confessing that he thought he might love Koumyou.
The most delicious noises were coming from Koumyou and Ukoku moved. Deeper and deeper he thrust again and again in that heat, letting Koumyou's voice surround him. Wrapping his legs around Ukoku's lean waist, Koumyou drove him in deeper, their moans filling up the room. Sweat from Ukoku's brow dripped onto his neck and he pulled the mob boss to him for a kiss. It was sloppy and wet but both men were too caught up in the moment to really care.
The familiar tightening of his balls, the electric sensations running tightly up and down his spine and Koumyou gasped out he was coming. Whispering for him to let go, Ukoku thrust a few more times and he too was coming. Warmth spilled over Koumyou's belly, spurts of come threading between their bodies, connecting them.
One last thrust and Ukoku buried himself deep within Koumyou, his release taking over his entire body. Clutching Koumyou close to him, Ukoku felt as if the wall he'd put around himself broke and his soul was laid bare before this man. The toughest mob boss in Chicago had fallen in love with a G-man.
Looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, Koumyou straightened his tie. It was a red tie. For him, this was conservative. Smiling, Koumyou stuffed his wallet and his badge in the hidden pocket inside the suit jacket.
The clock on the nightstand was gone as were his clothes and other personal items. The dishes, linens and the plain furniture were all that was left in the apartment. The landlord could take care of these. He didn't care about them. Koumyou wanted nothing of his old lonely life following him anymore.
Locking the door behind him, Koumyou whistled, jogging down the front steps of the apartment building. Hailing a taxi, he gave the driver the address of the government building in the center of Chicago.
"What the hell is this?" The chief looked down at the scattered items on his desk. A badge. A gold key. "Where the fuck have you been for the past couple of days?"
"I'm quitting." Koumyou smiled. "I'm done. I'm done being a government man." Koumyou patted his pockets, making sure he gave the chief every last item that belonged in his old life. "You can take the cost of the handcuffs out of my last paycheck."
Koumyou opened the office door.
"We'll get you, too! You can't run from the government. You of all people should know that." Koumyou shut the door behind him, his former chief still yelling at him. "He can't protect you! He's nothing but a criminal." The voice disappeared as Koumyou went downstairs and out the front door. He didn't even look back at the building.
Rounding the corner, Koumyou spied the sleek black car. Kougaiji opened the back door and Koumyou nodded at the Captain as he got in the car. The door shut and Dokugakuji started the engine, waiting for his instructions.
"Any regrets?"
Koumyou kissed Ukoku. "Not one."
A true smile broke the worried look on Ukoku's face. "Dokugakuji?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Take us home."
"Yes, sir."