A few things you should take note of before reading:
- First of all, this is in no way a representation of the current political situation or my political views. I have picked the nations and their affiliations solely due to inevitabiltiy - Japan being the home of the characters - or convenience - mostly geographical convenience, i.e. close to Japan.
- Secondly, this was partially inspired by the amazing fic Skype Poetry on AO3 which I would link if ffnet would allow me such a thing. The setting is completely different, but if you have read SKype Poetry you will see some similiarities regarding characterization. I strongly recommend reading that fic if you haven't already.
- Lastly, this was amzingly fun to write and I hope you have just as much fun reading!
Edit: beta'ed now by the wonderful stefanyd!
Days like this were just the worst.
Taiga kicked at a pebble on the ground. The small stone bounced off the ground and disappeared somewhere in the rubble that covered the ground behind the infirmary tent. It did little to alleviate the frustration he was feeling. He sighed, shoving his fists into his pockets in an effort to quell the growing aggravation.
He wished he were more surprised that this day was proving to be as spectacularly shitty as he'd feared it would be. He just had had that feeling when he had woken up this morning. There had been something in the air, that special smell that preempted a major battle or skirmish and those always ended in downright shit.
"Oi, you there." Taiga was pulled from his thoughts by a rude voice. It belonged to one of the newbies they'd carted in a few days ago. Lieutenant, judging by the polished insignias on his uniform. The face placed him as a youngster, about Taiga's age, which meant shit considering the glaring difference in actual combat experience. In short, he was the type - enthusiastic and without the experience to back it up - that Taiga hated the most. "Where's your handler? You're not supposed to be on your own."
Taiga threw a thumb over his shoulder, pointing towards the small gray tent right behind the infirmary tent. The tent held the casualties of this morning's battle, the first ones they'd had in a while. HQ had ordered to lay low, but with the new arrivals that was bound to be over. Inside the infirmary the nurses and doctors were still busy with treating the injured. His own handler had bitten the dust just half an hour ago. Grenade launcher, a classic. "In there." He said.
The man stared for a moment, before comprehension dawned on him. His face, already puffed out in rage, morphed into a nasty sneer that let him age by at least a decade. "What a disgrace," he spat out. And then, because he was young and didn't know better, he actually spat at Taiga's feet. "Why are you still alive? You should be dead instead." Oh God, not just a green behind the ears newbie, also one of those firmly Imperialistic 'to die for the fatherland is an honor' fanatics. Fucking fantastic.
"Yeah, well. It happens." Taiga had been through this too often to really get riled up about it.
The man sputtered. "What the fuck are you saying? You're supposed to protect your handler with your life. Fuck, why else would we even tolerate the likes of you?"
Taiga forced a deep breath. "Whatever." He muttered and turned to walk away. But before he could get very far, his arm was roughly grabbed and he was forced around.
"You listen here you little shit. I won't accept good people dying because fuckwits like you don't do what they're told. You better apologize on your knees or I'll drag your ass to Commander Imayoshi and tell him of your attitude problem. He'll put you down like the dog you are."
Taiga yanked his arm out of the man's grip. "Leave me alone." He snapped. Already, he could feel the faint vibration of his collar, a warning to calm down or else. He fucking hated that thing. Taiga was not in a combat situation. During downtimes the collar strictly regulated his stress level. If he got any more aggravated, the collar would first shock him and then release a hefty dosage of sedative into his blood stream, knocking out his lights for at least a few hours. Which fucking sucked.
"Apologize or I'll make you." And judging by his expression, the man knew that.
Taiga gritted his teeth. The vibration had picked up. He tried to calm down, but it was difficult. His track record with handlers was horrid; he'd survived almost ten of them already. After his first four losses - while walking away relatively unscathed - he'd been reassigned to Imayoshi's unit, because apparently this was where all the 'problem cases' ended up. He sometimes suspected Imayoshi used him to get rid of the worst offenders. That would explain his continued existence. But he hadn't heard anything yet and he was getting edgy.
Kagami Taiga was a S.W.O.R.D - a Special War Operative Recruit for Defensive purposes, which was really more a fancy descriptor for combat slaves. But stuff like that flew with the public - fancy names and all - so that's what they went by. S.W.O.R.D.s were often high-bred individuals that had been prepared to fight their whole lives. But there were exceptions. Sometimes the institute - where the breeding and training took place - pulled individuals from the street to bring in fresh blood and potential. The war had a way to eat through their resources and that included soldiers.
A S.W.O.R.D. was a tool. They were usually sent on special missions, the highly risky kind with low survival chance, but Taiga wasn't trusted with those kinds of missions. Instead he was usually assigned to a high ranking officer as their bodyguard. And they continued doing that even though his handlers tended to die rather brutally.
And there was the fact that Taiga had yet to sustain a serious injury from those events. One time a bazooka warhead had literally exploded on top of them - they'd lost their last tank weeks ago so of course they started aiming at people, the fuckers - and Taiga had gotten a few burns and nothing else. His handler had been less lucky. He'd lost his legs and then his life.
He'd rather not stir up any more trouble than he absolutely had to, but he wasn't about to take some god damn newbie's abuse.
Just then, another voice called out to them, "Oi Kagami. The Commander wants to see you."
Taiga breathed a sigh of relief. He hated dealing with Imayoshi but at least he was used to ignoring that particular urge to bash someone's head in. He nodded towards the Lieutenant - who looked about to pop a vein - and walked off.
Imayoshi's tent didn't stand out among all the others, except for its reduced size and the two guards posted outside. Imayoshi liked to bump shoulders with his soldiers, but Taiga figured it was all a farce anyway. Secretly, Imayoshi harbored homicidal thoughts about all of them, of that Taiga was certain. He just hoped he would be far gone when he finally cracked.
"Ah Taiga, what a pleasure to see you." Imayoshi greeted with his perpetual fake smile.
Taiga didn't respond.
If possible, Imayoshi's smile widened even further "Someone's been unduly excited." He noted casually.
Taiga tensed. Imayoshi liked to remind people that he received real time feedbacks from all chips currently in use in his unit. And he could get quite intimidating if he wanted to find out the reason why a certain S.W.O.R.D. had gotten elevated readings.
"It happens." Taiga said, opting for the same tone of casual indifference Imayoshi was so fond of. Imayoshi smiled. The way a hyena would smile.
"You can tell me everything, you know that Taiga."
Taiga exhaled. He had always had a short-fused temper but since he had been collared he had been forced to adapt rapid calming methods or else. Being knocked out in the middle of a heated debate about if the Lakers were better than the Clippers and how well both held up against Miami Heat was annoying to say the least. His spontaneous, involuntary nap had been taken as a forfeit and he had subsequently lost the argument.
"I know." He said. Not that he would ever get up and tell Imayoshi anything of importance. But he knew Imayoshi didn't like disobedience, even though he was far more tolerant of it than others. The thing was, Imayoshi was a grade A dick, but he was a good Commander. He took care of his soldiers and made sensible decisions and as much as he ticked Taiga off, he knew for a fact he would have long gotten the axe if it weren't for Imayoshi- and he cringed to even think that - generosity.
"Good. I would hate to have to put you down because you got into trouble." Imayoshi did not drop the smile. Which made the words all the more sinister.
Taiga hid a grimace. It wasn't him that got into trouble, but trouble that insisted in finding him.
"It's been a few hours since poor Captain Tanaka bit the dust. I suppose that is enough time of mourning, is it?"
More like half an hour, but Taiga wasn't going to argue. He had barely known Tanaka. He had been assigned to him a few weeks ago and the Captain had made it clear he had no interest in Taiga beyond his combat abilities.. Taiga hadn't minded. All his handlers had been like that and it wasn't that he looked to befriend them. He was their slave, he would do what he had to, to keep his head and that was that.
Imayoshi, of course, read his silence accordingly."I have a new assignment for you."
Taiga suppressed a sigh. That was fast. He'd hoped for a few days of downtime at least. Well, at least he hadn't gotten the axe, so that was a relief. "This one's a special one." Imayoshi's smile was filled with genuine glee. Which translated to 'oh shit' in Taiga's mind. "Son of an influential businessman with a hand in arm's dealing and the likes. He's been a big supporter of the war through his efforts. He's also a rather enthusiastic supporter of minister Ebizawa. I guess it pays to forward war efforts if you make your money on it." He looked at Taiga as though he expected input, which usually meant he had some fundamental life lesson to bestow and was hand-guiding Taiga through the steps.
"Uh-huh?" Taiga said to convey he was at least listening. What was there to say about a man dealing arms and simultaneously backing the very one man who was responsible for Japan's role in the war during the last few years.
"The son's a prodigy." Imayoshi continued, without giving a hint if he had liked Taiga's contribution. "Rose through the ranks quickly. A strategic genius apparently. His father has been breathing down our necks to give him some real combat experience, to make him a real man so to speak…"
"And you want me to be his bodyguard?" It definitely sounded nice on paper. Taiga's reputation did not just consist of dead handlers; he had some impressive kills under his belt. But the fact remained he had a tendency to lose his handlers.
"Well, let's just say a lot of people have combined interest in cutting that particular branch short." Imayoshi smirked.
"We have reason to believe, this particular businessman also deals our enemies. Well, I can't really blame him for that, but in these times patriotism is valued more than economic prowess. Imayoshi's eyes glittered behind his glasses. "It doesn't hurt that there is a certain other influential group waiting in the shadows to take over once it has become apparent that dear Akashi senior won't have an heir to take over." Imayoshi shrugged. "I don't particularly care about the gritty details."
"I'm not gonna kill him." Taiga said bluntly. If he so much as tried, the collar would kill him. He'd rather not risk that.
"I don't expect you to." Imayoshi smiled in that way he probably thought was brotherly and warm but was anything but. That was probably exactly what Imayoshi intended. "You merely have to spend time with him. I expect your predicament will take care of the rest."
"I make no promises." Taiga said. Bad track record or not, Taiga still maintained the firm belief it was all just bad luck. Fate had nothing to do with it. And luck could change randomly.
"Of course not. I am aware that this is nothing but soldier's superstitions. I personally don't see much of a point in removing the son from the picture. And I couldn't care less about any economic interests. But I have been reminded rather pointedly that I have a duty to Emperor and country. Whatever that means."
Taiga frowned. "So you figured you assigned me to him so you have something to show?"
Imayoshi seemed pleased. "That's why I like you Taiga. You are not nearly as stupid as you try so hard to make the world belief. I expect you to be sufficiently close lipped about this. I would hate to stir up unnecessary trouble because some top brass asshole thinks to poke his nose in my business. Besides, Akashi is said to be quite the strategist. That is one asset I would not give up lightly in this war. It would be like killing your Queen without reason."
"Uh-huh." Taiga wasn't sold, but he didn't exactly have a choice. As long as he wore the collar, he had no choice in many matters. "Okay. I guess I'll try not to attract too much bad luck then?"
"That's my boy." Imayoshi said with another fox-grin.
Taiga wisely held his tongue.
~*~Captain Akashi Seijuurou was quite the commanding presence, despite his relatively young age. He swept into Imayoshi's tent as though he owned the place. He was smaller than Taiga, less muscled as well, but his posture spoke of the intense training he had to have endured. There was not a movement out of place, everything seemed to have its purpose. He had red hair, a lighter shade than Taiga's own russet color and two equally bright red eyes. He had his coat thrown over his shoulders like a cape and carried a katana in an ornate sheath in his right hand. The kind you only see on those old school pictures of World War II general attempting to revive the Imperial spirit. In Akashi's hands it didn't seem out of place however.
"Commander." He greeted with the casual grace a King would offer his subject, complete with a barely there nod and the accomplishment of looking down on Imayoshi although he was taller as well as superior in rank. He completely ignored Taiga's presence, which was just about normal.
Imayoshi smiled his fox smile, unperturbed as usual. "Captain, it is a pleasure to have you here." Even Taiga could tell he didn't mean a single word he said.
Akashi inclined his head. "I am looking forward to working with you." He sounded even more insincere than Imayoshi, quite the feat really." "Now, HQ has graciously informed me of your most impressive track record. I must say I am surprised that an officer of your caliber has been assigned to this remote little corner of the world." Imayoshi was watching Akashi very closely, as though waiting for a sign of weakness.
"My father insisted I get real combat experience." Akashi said with little emotion. "This is one of the few places where direct combat between soldiers takes place. I would have preferred a different assignment. But I am here and I'd rather get it over with. I expect you have been informed of my specs?"
"Don't worry young master, I have you covered." He was smiling with real glee now.
Akashi frowned but seemed to visibly draw back into himself. "I wish to bring this war to a quick end Commander. It has cost too many lives already. On this, I assume, we can agree?"
"Oh?" Imayoshi said cheerfully. He finally sat down behind his usual table, covered in documents and files and topped off with a dud grenade that had allegedly been thrown at Imayoshi once and that he had defused with one of his trademark glares. Or so the story went. Taiga was slightly scared that it would explode randomly at some point, but Imayoshi was entirely unconcerned. "The front lines is where you make enemy contact. It is the ideal opportunity to build bonds of friendship. I am sure the enemy soldiers will gladly listen to what you have to say. You might want to throw some napalm on them first." It was, Taiga noted, not a direct answer to Akashi's question.
"The use of Napalm has been banned." Akashi said automatically, a slight frown of disdain appearing between his brows. He hadn't lost his calculating expression though and Taiga was sure that behind those brows his mind was working furiously.
"And I am not suggesting that we still use it." Imayoshi said and sounded absolutely insincere. Akashi's frown deepened. "I am just concerned for your safety. Your father has made it clear that he wishes his son to gather combat experience but I suppose he does expect you back in one piece."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Akashi muttered and Taiga had the distinct feeling it wasn't meant for any of them to hear.
"That is why I have organized you the best bodyguard that we have." Imayoshi continued without acknowledging the words. He gestured and Taiga stepped forward, pushing away from the tent post he had leaned against.
"Meet Kagami Taiga, the brightest jewel of the third artillery brigade."
Akashi looked him over. His eyes caught on the metal collar that wound around Taiga's neck, then trailed to the shoulders of his uniform jacket that had only one single band of red color, which put him at a lower rank than even the newest recruit. Imayoshi was clearly mocking them both.
"I don't need a bodyguard." Akashi said dismissively. The words especially not a chained one seemed to ring after.
"About that," Imayoshi said, eyes opening wide for the first time. He was absolutely gleeful. "This is an order, Captain."
And that was that.
"I do not require your services," was the first thing Akashi said to him once they were out the Commander's tent.
"Uh… well. I can try to stay out of your way, if that's what you prefer." It's just not a matter I have a say in, he added in his mind. But he didn't think Akashi would appreciate hearing it.
Akashi sighed, giving him another once over, somewhat more lingering this time. "That is to say, I have been given an order and I intend to make the best of it. I presume you have been trained?"
"Yes?" At least that one should be obvious.
"I don't expect to encounter a situation I can't handle myself, but you will do nicely as an intimidation factor. If we should encounter problems I expect you to handle yourself. That is all."
"Uh… okay." Okay, that was weird. Akashi was just enough of the confident type for Taiga to buy into his first statement, but he didn't quite expect to be dismissed this fast. He did have some decent skills or else he wouldn't have made it as far. But at least it seemed he wouldn't be required to do much.
Akashi was already walking again, not waiting for Taiga's brain to process. Taiga quickly rushed after him, falling in step behind him. That was the common arrangement his previous handlers had preferred. He was not their equal and they liked that fact to show.
Taiga was still trying to figure out what exactly proper protocol was when Akashi came to a halt in front of the infirmary tent. Taiga almost walked into him, stopping at the last second. He brushed up against Akashi anyway and hastily took a step back. Akashi did not acknowledge his blunder, which somehow made it worse. It didn't help that Akashi smelled surprisingly good. And he had totally not intended to sniff him, it had just happened.
Akashi opened the door to the infirmary tent and stepped through, Taiga once again rushing to catch up. Most of the beds were occupied by injured soldiers, but the activity from earlier had somewhat calmed down. Most patients had either made it or were dead. A tired looking nurse spotted them and came up to greet them.
"I require to see the attending doctor." Akashi said without preamble.
"Are you injured?" The nurse asked, replacing the exhausted expression on her face with one of professional detachment as she inspected the potential patient, slipping into a mode of professional efficiency with practiced ease.
"No." Akashi said and the nurse relaxed instantly.
"I'm afraid Harimoto-sensei is busy at the moment. If it is not urgent I suggest you come back later." She informed them, now looking exhausted again.
Akashi's posture shifted slightly and somehow he suddenly seemed a lot more intimidating. Taiga wondered of this was one of those occasions where his intimidation qualities were needed, but decided against it. Akashi seemed to handle it just fine. taiga did feel bad for the nurse though. "This is urgent. I'd rather not be delayed any longer" Akashi's voice was pleasant enough, but even Taiga felt the urge to take a step back.
The nurse did take a step back but otherwise seemed to take Akashi's change in attitude in stride. Being surrounded by the carnage of an ongoing war had to award some sort of thick skin. "Alright." She said and briskly turned away.
Taiga tried not to look around too much. He didn't like the place. He had spent too much time in infirmaries, waiting obediently at his handler's side like a lapdog, waiting for their inevitable death, being torn between hoping they'd make it because he couldn't do this again and vindictively wishing they would die. Just because he'd come to terms with his situation didn't mean he didn't resent the people exploiting him.
Akashi for that part seemed perfectly at ease.
Harimoto appeared a moment later. He was an older man, face drawn in deep lines that made him seem even older. His eyes slipped over Akashi to Taiga and then back, giving away little of what he was thinking. He didn't greet them, merely came to a halt a few steps away from Akashi and waited.
Akashi didn't waste any time. "I need this man to be examined and tested." Akashi said, letting the situation speak of who exactly he was referring to. Taiga felt the urge to squirm to show his discomfort. He squashed the urge.
Harimoto raised an eyebrow. "I can hand you Kagami's report sheet." He said flatly.
"I wish to acquire a recent report."
"Well," Harimoto shrugged and turned away, "the S.W.O.R.D.s get examined monthly. The last examination has been two weeks ago. It is as accurate as it gets. Take that or leave."
Akashi did not huff, but Taiga thought he might as well have, for all the indignation he exuded. Considering what he heard from Imayoshi, Taiga expected him to whip out his father's name, but instead Akashi notched up the intimidation. Screw that. He shot it through the roof and all of a sudden Taiga felt weak in the knees and Akashi wasn't even focused on him. But more than that, as far as Taiga could tell, he had not even moved an inch. Yet, Taiga could swear he was staring at a lion poised to attack.
"I would very much appreciate a catch up." Akashi said with icy courtesy. "It doesn't have to be thorough; I merely require vitals and basic stats. I do not wish to put my life away lightly and therefore I think it is perfectly reasonable to get a decent point of reference."
"Any reason why this can't wait a week?" Harimoto asked, seemingly unimpressed.
"After the skirmish this morning, I hardly think there is a reason to belief that combat could not break out any minute." Akashi said smoothly. Taiga sensed a lie but could not tell where. He should probably feel insulted or something, but he also wasn't sure where exactly the insult nurse had sat down on an empty chair, looking quite shell shocked. A few patients stirred, restless and undoubtedly drawn by the scene. Harimoto considered for a moment, brows drawn into a slight frown. "Very well. I shall make an exception." With that he whirled around, walking off quickly towards one of the secluded examination spaces. It was stocked with a cot, a desk with a computer that was hooked to several machines and a chair. Taiga was very familiar with this room.
He was also very familiar with the procedure. Harimoto gave instructions in his usual monotone voice while he read Taiga's vitals to the nurse who typed them up into his file. All of it would be sent to his chip so that it could be easily accessed when needed.
"Take off your shirt." Harimoto ordered. Taiga hesitated. It wasn't anything unusual, but he suddenly felt rather bashful. It took him a moment to source this feeling to Akashi's presence. He'd thought he'd lost all shame in his training. Not a discovery he cared to make.
But even more than that, obedience was something he had learned the hard way. Despite his misgivings, Taiga pulled off his shirt. Reluctantly, but pride was never worth the pain of punishment. It wasn't even nudity that sparked the shame, Taiga realized once he had pulled off his shirt. He had been a member of the basketball team in his middle school and changing in a room full of boys did wonders for one's modesty. But since then his body had gone through some significant changes and even though Akashi gave no sign or reaction at all, Taiga could feel his gaze on the mess of scars that was his body. Most of them were on his back, deep ridges where the whip had eaten into his flesh.
Almost none of them were battle scars though. But that didn't help his pride - or sense of personal value.
Harimoto felt along Taiga's skin, tracing the multitude of scars to check for tissue damage. Taiga had healed badly after one especially severe beating, back in the beginning when he'd still thought he had only his pride to lose.. It had also resulted in some nerve damage that apparently needed to be monitored frequently. Taiga gritted his teeth. There were spots on his back where he didn't feel a thing and others where he was hyper sensitive. He tried his best to remain unfazed, but he couldn't help the little gasp that escaped when Harimoto traced the skin right next to his spine. That was an especially sensitive spot. Apparently, his nerves had migrated for whatever reason and set up permanent residence there. Or so Harimoto had explained it once, Taiga wasn't too sure if he had gotten it right and Harimoto was not the kind to repeat himself.
Finally, Harimoto stepped back. "No change to nerve alignment." He said in his monotone and the click clack of a keyboard followed. "I suppose that is sufficient? Or do you want to assert his virility as well?" Harimoto's voice did not give away if he was joking. Taiga felt color rise to his cheeks. He valiantly stared at the wall, willing the flush to recede.
"No, that will suffice." Akashi said absolutely unperturbed. He did not say thank you, however. Taiga pulled on his shirt and picked up his utility west that served as protection and carried most of his gear. Together with his belt, it carried most of Taiga's equipment.
He thought to nod to Harimoto in thanks, who ignored him, and followed Akashi outside. He opened his mouth to ask what next? but caught himself at the last moment. He had a bad habit of running his mouth which had gotten him into a lot of trouble.
"You may speak." Akashi said and how the hell did he even know Taiga was about to when he was facing away?. "In fact, I would prefer if you speak your mind freely if we are in private. If I want quiet I will inform you. Do not presume to speak when we are in company however, unless you are prompted. Do try to be constructive though. I wish not to listen to the blabbering of an idiot."
"Okay." Taiga said, because it was the only thing that seemed to be acceptable. And then he remembered what he was actually supposed to say. "Yes, sir." He said hastily. He had learned to obey as a survival strategy, that didn't mean it came easy to him or that he liked it.
"I do not value deference, if it is fake." Akashi said and Taiga, who had just assembled enough brain cells to actually form a question, shut his mouth again. "I do not have the time to train you properly, nor the patience to attempt so. This is a temporary arrangement which I intend to make the best of, given the circumstances. It will be enough if you uphold your role in public."
"Yes,s… I mean okay." Taiga said, feeling utterly and thoroughly confused. He just couldn't get a proper read on Akashi. He seemed to fluctuate constantly while seeming very much steady at the same time. Was this what they called a multi facetted person? "So, what now?"
"You may be casual, but please be precise." Akashi stopped in front of yet another tent, one of the rare one person tents reserved for high ranking officers, and stepped inside. Taiga hesitated. He had never been allowed inside his other handlers' tents. He had to either wait outside or had been dismissed to barracks tent that was reserved for S.W.O.R.D.s. But then Akashi made a rather impatient sound and Taiga quickly followed. Was there a way to get used to the unexpected? If so, Taiga would love to know how. Akashi was going to cost him years of his life, he could tell.
Akashi had pulled off his coat and was in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt. His sword leaned against the side of the cot. Taiga almost reeled back in shock but clamped the impulse down at the last second. He tried hard not to stare. Akashi was smaller and leaner than him, but he was just as muscled. They were lither in nature but Taiga did not doubt their strength. Unlike him, Akashi had perfect, unblemished skin.
Taiga tried instead to focus on the question in his mind. "You've got to have been assigned a task. I merely want to know what it is, so I can prepare accordingly. Like a briefing or something." He tried to augment his words with hand gestures but it just felt awkward. Honestly, he couldn't say if he preferred this freedom of speech to the usual proverbial muzzle he had been given. If he wasn't allowed to ask questions, he didn't have to think them up in the first place.
"I haven't been given a task specifically." Akashi said loftily. He had discarded his shirt as well and was now unbuttoning his slacks. He had thrown both shirt and coat over the back of the only chair in the tent, ignorant to the fine nature of his formal uniform. Taiga inwardly cringed as he saw the formerly pressed shirt crinkled up. It was better than to look at Akashi's slender legs and very strong thighs - and the thoughts that invariably rose up in his mind. "Or rather, I have and that is to 'become a man' as my father likes to put it. I do consider this a redundant effort on my part, but my father has a different opinion on the matter. Thus, here I am and I plan to exploit the opportunity my father so graciously offered me."
He didn't offer anything more and since Taiga really did not want to follow his stupid ass brain down the rabbit hole that was watching a naked Akashi doing anything really - and just what was up with that? - he strung together a mildly coherent sentence instead. "And that is?"
Akashi paused in his efforts to fish a pair of fatigues pants from the metal box at the foot of his cot. "Why, end this nonsensical war of course."
War had been a constant in Taiga's life for as long as he could remember. It hadn't quite reached home ground in his youth, but it had been ever present in the news as batches after batches of young recruits had been shipped off overseas to fight. There was a time when there was no war, but he had been even younger then and life did not change at first when Japan entered the war. He couldn't remember the transition; just one day it had become reality that there was war.
Despite that, Taiga's life had been peaceful. He had played basketball in both elementary and middle school, he had been good at it too. He would have liked to become a professional player, but the older he got, the more the war had moved into focus. With the war draining funds and resources, every teenager above the age of seventeen was required to serve their time in service of the nation. It was just how things were.
It was supposed to last three years, but reality was often different. Taiga had known his dreams of a pro career would likely never be realized. Still, he had enjoyed his childhood, despite the looming threat of war.
He would serve his time and then get a job. It wasn't ideal, but it was a perspective.
But Japan didn't fare well in the war and the high profile S.W.O.R.D. initiative - promising to bring the long-awaited turn - had barely picked off and provided few suitable candidates to actually influence the course of the war. But that was something Taiga had learned much, much later.
After the war had finally reached the Japanese islands and devastated much of its urban space. It had all been downhill from there. And at age seventeen, Taiga had been kidnapped and shipped off to one of Japan's many continental bases where he had been transformed into what he was now - a combat slave. And that had been his life for four years now.
Still, he was alive. That was more than he could say about a lot of other people.
The joint ground base of the third artillery brigade of the Japanese Defensive Forces and the ninety-sixth infantry brigade of the American army was situated a few kilometers behind the Western frontline, running through continental China. In the four years since Taiga had been volunteered for war duty, Japan had solidly gained ground, mostly thanks to the rapid advancements made in the S.W.O.R.D. initiative and their rather recent alliance with the USA. That progress had been stalled now though, as the enemy had adapted their own efforts as well. And now they were at a standstill, the main base hadn't been moved in months and it didn't seem that would change anytime soon.
That didn't mean there weren't vicious confrontations every few days with the enemy, as each side was unwilling to cede even a centimeter of hard won ground.
Despite Akashi's big words, he spent the rest of the day conversing with the soldiers and officers in the camp. He had been gathering information that much Taiga could tell. But it didn't seem especially war-centric. Akashi listened to as many stories about the soldiers' homes as war stories.
And then, after they both ate their meal in the camp's canteen tent, he spoke to the other S.W.O.R.D.s. Taiga was on a more or less friendly basis with all of them, but he didn't consider them his friends. They were okay people, but they had been bred for this role unlike him. They hadn't been bred to be smart or good company. And while they were friendly enough, there was not much common ground between Taiga and them.
The sun had begun setting after they were done with this and Akashi finally returned to his tent. Taiga, unsure if he had been dismissed yet, followed inside.
Akashi leaned his sword against one of the tent posts and began undressing, again unperturbed by Taiga's presence. Taiga awkwardly stared at the opposite wall, wondering why he was this badly affected. Akashi was attractive, both from an objective and subjective point of view. He had a fine face, a nicely muscled body, a very pleasant voice and moved with a grace that let him seem like a lion on the prowl.
In short, he was pretty much the embodiment of everything Taiga found attractive. But that alone wasn't enough to make him this flustered. Hell, he had seen quite a share of well-endowed individuals, but the stifling need to hide his sexuality had put a lid on every bit of budding attraction he might have felt. Now shouldn't be any different. Not to mention that Akashi was his god damn handler and Taiga essentially his slave.
"Should I, uh, leave?" He asked after Akashi had changed into a loose shirt. He tried his best not to stare at the well defined thighs that peaked out from under the hem of the shirt and the rim of the briefs Akashi was wearing.
"Why yes, or do you intend to sleep with me?"
Taiga swallowed. He was sure that Akashi did not mean what Taiga thought he meant. It was just oddly phrased. But that didn't help the interested twitch of his cock. Bad timing, buddy.
"No," Taiga said hastily. He turned around and made to retreat outside, before remembering something. "When do you need me tomorrow?"
Akashi tilted his head. He had sat down on his cot, looking surprisingly domestic, even in what was very obviously a worn down military tent. "I will get you, once I have determined tomorrow's schedule." He said airily.
"Uh, right. I'm in the big tent at the Southern end of the camp. Can't miss it, it's the only one that has guards, except Imayoshi's."
Akashi gave him an amused look. "I know where the S.W.O.R.D.s are located. We've been there just an hour ago."
"Oh." Taiga felt heat settle in his cheeks. "Okay. Good night." He said and finally fled the tent.
He did not sleep well that night.