Disclaimer: All original characters were invented, designed and belong to CLAMP. I just like playing with them. :D

Chapter I

Kurogane knew from the moment the man poked his fluffy blond head through the door of his office that this would lead him to no-where but trouble. After all, what good could come from anything his two fanatical employers ever offered him so readily? He had had his doubts with his promotion too, something that – in his opinion- had happened far too easily to be judged as legitimate. Not that there wasn't that small ounce of arrogance that constantly suggested he had earned the post fair and square, including the large, new office (which he had immediately searched for cameras or other sneaky objects that might cause him general mortification. And he had found one, under the desk, much to the protests of the culprits, who waved it off as general security…) but there was definitely something fishy about the entire business. There always was.

And a secretary? A blond secretary? Somehow, that was pushing it. And Kurogane didn't think he'd actually have minded that much if the man didn't behave like he had smoked something illegal and very strong on the way to work. Which he probably did…

"Fai D. Flowright…" Kurogane mumbled, looking through the neat folder of résumés with little interest. Even if there had been a fault hidden in it somewhere, the pleasure of exploiting it was denied anyway. No-one fired who Yuuko hired. And Kurogane was sure that bitch had done it all herself, sacredly holding on to the last hope of Tomoyo's innocence, even if it waned thinner by the day.

The man smiled, tilting his head -in a way Kurogane supposed was meant to look cute - as he perched at the edge of the chair, one slender finger raised to push the striking, crimson glasses higher up his nose. Somehow, everything about the man seemed striking, from the sparkling blue eyes and the blond bangs which partially concealed them, right down to the average suit he wore, which was aptly well kept, if not several sizes too big. But, judging from the man's slender, almost fragile frame, it was probably hard to find a suitable fit at all. "They're in order?"

"Yeah…" Kurogane sighed, letting them slam down on his desk, making the man jump. "Except for one thing," He let his temper sink down to a controllable level and leaned forward into his desk, fixing the man with a stare and a snarl. "Cut the cuteness, wipe that smile off your face and go do what you're paid for!" Secretly, Kurogane wondered when he had turned into a tyrant and if disliking a man by the first impression he gave off was really fair, but he couldn't deny that there was something pleasing about seeing that smile waver for a moment. A shame it didn't last long.

"You can start right here," Kurogane prodded a high pile of documents that had been stacked on his desk a few days prior. "These…" He continued clearly and slowly, making sure that –should the man have problems comprehending through that silly smile of his- he got it the first time. "…go in there." He jerked his thumb to the empty filing cabinet next to his door. "In al-pha-be-ti-cal order. Got it?"

"Certainly," Fai replied, replacing the previously confused expression with another one of his sugary smiles, as though his future employer had not just humiliated and patronized him in cold blood. "I trust you'd like me to take your calls too, Kurogane-san?"

"Uh…yeah, whatever…" Quite honestly, Kurogane didn't mind what the man did, as long as it wouldn't bother him. …Which was a slim chance, considering that even the previous reply had done just that. For it was either Fai didn't have the intelligence to defend himself, or he had too much of it. And judging from the lack of stuttering, noticeable blushing or emotional breakdowns, Kurogane realized it had to be the latter.

Well, at least that was one plus point.

Working as one of the most renowned hirable bodyguards for Daitouji & Ichihara Incorporated wasn't a push-over job, after all. Nor was it one which Kurogane had achieved due to profitable connections or social competence, both which he seemed to lack the most in. It had taken years of training, moral fiber, beginner's cases and the occasional blunder in his methods to sharpen Kurogane into the man he was now and the title he had earned. His steady climb into self-satisfaction had never been steady, yet after the numerous street-fights, assaults and minor injuries on the job, Kurogane had learned the hard way that letting yourself be pushed around was a one way ticket to failure. Now, no-one told him what to do and which case to take, except for the occasional interference of his employers, two of the richest, and probably most annoying, women in Tokyo. Therefore, it was with a strange mixture of pity and irritation that Kurogane watched his new secretary leaf through the documents on his desk.

It wasn't difficult to detect that Fai was your average "push-over". It had become clear from the moment the man had twitched in his chair, intimidated merely by a harsh word from his employer, who, in view of the circumstances, had had no right to degrade him anyway. So what if he smiled? So what if he looked cute? Even though those had been the attributes that had triggered Kurogane's reaction, that wasn't a reason for him to simply get away with it, even if he was the one who signed his salary cheque each month. Honestly, Kurogane wondered how either of them would survive…

"Fai-chaaan!" Kurogane cringed as that all too familiar voice of doom trilled unexpectedly out of the telephone and, shooting a warning look at the man addressed, picked up the receiver himself.

"Your 'Fai-chan' is busy with my filing cabinet," he growled, noticing another flinch from the man across the room. "And I'd appreciate if you let the damn phone ring before you scream into it!"

"Ah yes, pish posh, Kurogane-san. I'm glad it's you," Yuuko-san continued, cutting through the man's anger with casual indifference. "Would you mind dropping by the office, Mr. Snarky, we'd like a chat."

"I'll be right there," Kurogane mumbled.

"Oh and do be nice to your new secretary, Kurogane, we all know you have a heart somewhere…"

Scoffing, Kurogane hung up the phone and made his way to the door. It was probably best to get this 'chat' over with as soon as possible, for he had had enough experience with Yuuko-san and Tomoyo-san to know that sitting with them alone in one room was not his idea of enjoyable. Only before he disappeared out of the door, Kurogane caught another glimpse of Fai at the filing cabinet. His pale cheeks were blazing with that all too revealing tinge of crimson and as a pair of azure eyes locked into his own, Kurogane let out an exasperated sigh, grabbed the man by the shirt and pulled him dangerously close to his face.

"And you, lighten up already, will ya? If you want to bring it somewhere in this world, I'd suggest you do more than just smile when someone throws an insult at you -including me." He paused for a moment to notice that the man in his grip was having severe trouble standing upright, and, with an edge of guilt, Kurogane managed a crooked smirk. "Got that, Blondie?"

Fai looked up at him, his eyes wide with fear before they suddenly softened and narrowed into a unique, semi-relieved smile. "I gotcha', Kuro-sama…"

It was only half-way down the busy corridor that Kurogane realized just what he had gotten himself into…