It was business as usual at the Research Tower. Windows, charts, and command prompts were displayed on the huge monitor like holograms, popping up and out. Somehow, Dr. Akari had a hard time deciding why he felt agitated. Was it because of the new specimens arriving from Vinto? He leaned back and massaged the bridge of his nose. He was almost not surprised with the data he found about Karoku. He had his suspicions after he had examined Nai's composition. He knew that they were close to unlocking the secrets of Kafka. He was just not certain how soon they could end their cat and mouse game with Kafka. Even with the rapid advancement of Circus' investigation thanks to Nai and Gareki, constant involvement with Circus' Second Ship Captain, Hirato, was a sacrifice he had to make. His head throbbed. As if the Round Table meetings weren't enough, he had to see him and communicate with him nearly every day.

His phone vibrated. Ah, another annoying message. He felt the impulse to delete it but he had to be professional about his relationships especially when they deal with Circus. It was also his duty as a researcher to keep all lines of information available and at his disposal.

Don't forget to get some rest, Doctor. We will get busier from now on.

Akari motioned to throw his phone at the wall but thought against it. He felt like the man was baiting him and irritating him on purpose. That man was insufferably deceitful, superficially polite, and annoyingly crafty. He sighed. The only person who would suffer Hirato with a smile would be Tsukitachi who was none-the-wiser and probably even masochistic. He clenched his fingers around his phone. If he had another chance alone with Hirato, he was going to humiliate him. He blushed and shook the thought away before it even formed. His heart thumped wildly. He finally decided that preoccupying himself with work will dispel all unnecessary evil thoughts that should not even be conceived. Besides, he knew that sooner or later, he had to discuss what should be done with Karoku Arumerita with Hirato. For him to do that, he had to cool his head.

Akari contacted Hirato as soon as he got out of the shower. He figured that the best time to talk to an irksome man was with a cool head.

Hirato sounded languid. "It's so late. Aren't you tired?"

"That is beside the point."

"Your voice seems... subdued."

"I didn't call you to exchange well wishes and pleasantries. It's about Karoku."

"Ah."

"It's best if he was under your care for the time being."

"I agree, Doctor. It would be for the best if he was under my care." His voice had a mocking smile laced over it.

"You seem to be agreeing too quickly, Hirato." He rubbed the towel on his head a little harder.

"I just thought that I would be doing you a favor by ending the call quickly."

Akari breathed in and counted to ten.

"Well then, I'll pick you up in the morning." His voice became muffled. "Good night."

"G-good night." That caught him by surprise. He felt his cheeks burn but he didn't want to find out why. He quickly finished drying up and dressed for bed to prepare for what he felt would be long and tedious days ahead.

The next day Akari found an increasing interest in looking at and outside of the window. Also, he noticed that the intensity of his irritation was proportional to the number of times he snatched a glance at the window while he was monitoring his patients, the fluff ball in his den, and reports from his subordinates. Even after a quick shower, there was still no sign of the annoying captain.

He felt like an idiot.

I apologize if I cannot keep you company as of this time, Doctor as I have urgent commitments to fulfill. I will do my best to be by your side as soon as I can. Do take care of your health for the time being. Precious government members should always be extra careful of their well-being. Contact Tsukitachi if you need someone to run an errand for you while I am away.

Hirato's text message had made his day sour. Why does Hirato even have the time to compose and send useless messages to just irritate him? And what urgent commitments? The Round Table meeting was scheduled the next day and he was off running around like some circus clown. He set aside the clipboards and decided that it was time for him to call it a night.

That deceitful bastard. He got up and placed the clipboards and notes on his desk when he heard a knock.

"Doctor, can I speak with you?"

"It can wait until tomorrow, can it not?"

"It has something to do with tomorrow's meeting."

Akari opened the door warily. "Come in." He grabbed a seat and sat down. "Well?"

"We have found reason to believe that an individual named Ashina knows of Azana's whereabouts. Tokitatsu has authorized an infiltration mission in designer Hago Sukikuro's mansion where Ashina is suspected to be hiding."

"That would certainly increase our chances of discovering more information about Kafka if Azana, as well as Ashina, were in Circus' custody."

"That is true. As we speak, First Ship children Jiki and Kiichi as well as Tsukumo are preparing to be deployed. It is only a matter of time that we will find Azana." Hirato knelt in front of him and tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear. "We will retrieve Azana."

Akari flinched. "Preferably alive. Azana is still my responsibility."

"He is now a criminal. He is no longer under your jurisdiction, Akari."

Akari looked away and crossed his arms.

"You are, indeed, soft-hearted." Hirato leaned and kissed Akari on the lips.

Taken aback, Akari stood up quickly and walked towards the door. "I suppose our discussion has been concluded."

Hirato slowly stood up and leisurely walked towards Akari. "I suppose it is. We will have more to discuss tomorrow, I am sure."

"Good night." Akari glared at Hirato. He wanted to dispel his throbbing chest. "Well? What are you waiting for?" He opened the door.

Hirato reached for the doorknob, guided Akari's hand to close the door and smiled.

"What are you doing?" Akari could hear his heartbeat echo in the silence.

Hirato moved closer. Before Akari noticed, he had been cornered to the wall.

"Tell me, doctor. How is it that one can be so easily provoked by another's presence?" Hirato lightly traced Akari's cheek.

Akari brushed Hirato's hand away. "Hmp. I am sure you, of all people, would know the answer to your question." He stepped forward. "Now if you will excuse me, I am in need of rest."

"Stoic and refined as ever, Akari."

"Move."

"As you wish."

Hirato pushed Akari against the wall and kissed him. He drowned Akari's protest by slipping his tongue into Akari's mouth while he pinned Akari to the wall. He caught Akari's tongue and sucked hard. He could feel Akari's arms weaken and slide around his shoulders. He pulled his mouth away, to give both of them a chance to breathe.

Akari was panting. His face was red. His heart was pounding. He looked at Hirato and felt very uncomfortable. Hirato was also blushing. He did not look like his mocking self. In fact, he looked quite messed up. His tie was loose. Akari reached for his tie.

Hirato grabbed Akari by the wrist. "Ah, but you can't." He undid his tie and grabbed Akari's other hand. "The need for control is only as good as the need to be controlled, Doctor Akari." He leaned against Akari. He rested his lips on Akari's ear.

"How would you like to be controlled, Doctor?" Hirato pushed Akari's arms behind him and tied him by the wrists.

Akari shivered as Hirato covered his mouth with his. The sensation of Hirato's tongue touching his own and Hirato's teeth nipping at his lips made him writhe in discomfort. It didn't help that his wrists were tightly bound. "Is this your idea of a joke, Hirato?" He didn't even understand why he was whispering.

Hirato merely chuckled. He languidly trailed Akari's neck with his mouth, lazily tugging Akari's collar to reveal the collarbone and shoulder. Akari could only gasp when Hirato sank his teeth on his neck.

"Don't. Mark. Me."

Akari could feel Hirato's hard-on as he arched his back. Hirato's hands had a strong grip on his hips, not allowing him to move away. Akari squirmed but it only encouraged Hirato to bite harder. Akari bit back a moan as his hard-on brushed against Hirato's thighs.

Hirato's hands wandered to Akari's ass and to the front of his pants. Akari backed up in panic. "Don't you dare!"

"Dare what?" Hirato pushed down Akari's pants and knelt.

Akari bit his lower lip the moment Hirato's hand stroked his cock. He felt his knees buckle the moment he felt Hirato's palm on his cock's head. It felt good. It felt delicious.

Hirato squeezed Akari and slid a hand slowly up and down his cock. As if he was not contented with persecuting Akari's cock, he pulled up his shirt and licked his navel. Akari moaned as Hirato sucked his belly and squeezed his balls.

"Do you want to suck me?"

"W-what?"

"Do you want to suck my cock?" Hirato stood up, unbuckled his belt, and pushed down his pants and boxers.

"This is preposterous. Stop this immediately." Akari's cock pulsed as Hirato grabbed him by the hair and pushed him to his knees.

"Open your mouth." Hirato forced his mouth open. "Give me your tongue." Hirato guided Akari's tongue to lick his balls. He roughly pulled Akari's hair up and pushed it down until Akari could lick on his own. "Good. Continue licking me like that."

Akari managed long licks before he sucked his ball sac which rewarded him with Hirato's small moan. He worked his way up to Hirato's penis and trailed Hirato's length with his tongue.

"Ah..ka..ri." Hirato rocked his hips. He slid the head of his cock inside the doctor's mouth. "Suck me."

Akari opened his mouth slightly wider and lathed Hirato's head with his lips. Akari occasionally flicked his tongue out to tease Hirato. He opened his mouth wider, easing the length of Hirato's cock inside his mouth.

Hirato bit his lower lip as he pushed deeper and into Akari's throat. He felt the doctor tense up for a split second before he felt his head slide inside something snug. Looking at Akari hungrily eating his cock and feeling Akari's lips on the base of his cock made him push slightly harder into Akari's mouth. Hirato couldn't think of anything else but how good Akari's lips, tongue, and teeth felt on his sensitive muscle. He just wanted to pushed harder and harder into him until Akari begged. He pulled out finally and kneeled in front of Akari. He smiled and kissed him on the mouth, neck, and chest leaving marks on his collarbone. Hirato reached down and squeezed Akari's cock while he teased Akari's nipples with his teeth.

Akari's moaned louder as Hirato turned him around and pushed his head to the floor. He bit his lips harder as he felt Hirato's mouth trailing his butt cheek. He could feel Hirato's tongue circling around his anus, teasing the opening, darting shallowly inside. He could feel the saliva dripping down to this cock as Hirato teased and nipped at his butt. All Akari could do was stop himself from screaming when Hirato pushed a finger in. At first it was a shallow, experimental probe. He let out a short-lived scream when Hirato pushed the finger deeper and moaned when he pushed it in and out. Akari felt something wet, cool, and slippery around his anus as Hirato slid his fingers in and out faster. Akari clenched his fists. He needed to fight his urge to beg.

"My Lovely Akari," Hirato whispered as he slid himself inside Akari. He offered his wrist for Akari to bite when he pushed deeper. "You are mine, are you not?" He pushed even deeper when Akari nodded. "Ah, where are my manners?" he pushed deeper until Akari felt the base of his penis.

Akari could not believe that he was enjoying himself. He could not believe that Hirato was actually pushing into him, teasing him, marking him everywhere. He gasped as Hirato thrust in and out of him. The feeling was exquisite. He felt just how long and thick Hirato was. He let out a long and satisfied moan as Hirato pushed harder and thrust faster.

Hirato's hips roughly slammed against Akari's buttocks. Akari mewled when Hirato pulled the tip of the necktie around his wrists.

"Hi...ra..to." Akari managed weakly as his whole body clenched.

Hirato pushed Akari's head against the floor and slammed his hips harder against him. "Not yet. That is an order."

It irritated Akari that his body obeyed. It just obeyed his voice. "Damn... you."

Hirato chuckled. "My cute Akari." He reached down and massaged Akari's ball sac. "So obedient." He licked Akari's nape. "So exquisite." Hirato wrapped Akari's hard cock in his other hand and squeezed hard.

Akari's knees buckled as Hirato's warm come filled his ass. He screamed Hirato's name as he came.

"My good little Akari." He thought he heard Hirato say. He must have been delirious. He must have had a really bad and naughty dream. It was evil. It was so good. He'd rather be dead than Hirato finding out about it.

The sun light was always generous to Akari in the morning. It woke him up gently. Akari turned to his side and found Hirato sitting on the side of bed, watching him. He jolted up and edged towards the other end of the bed.

"Who gave you permission to be in my room?!"

"Good morning, Doctor." Hirato's smile was as sly as always. "I had offered to wake you up as it is almost time for the round table meeting."

Akari reached for his alarm clock. His angry voice echoed in the hallway, sending chills to each of his subordinates' spines.