I.

Jo was always surprising him, he realized. Once the hatred and envy had ebbed away to reveal some kind of odd fascination, he had to admit he was intrigued by the man. He was powerful, respected-- hell, even feared-- but despite being the center of all this attention, Jo would give nothing more than to simply fade into the background.

He had all the skills to be a part of Phantom easy, unlike himself and countless others who'd worked endlessly to get this far. Completed all their trials just to meet their match against someone with the uncanny ability to be the best at everything they did. It wasn't fair, but then again, the world's law was hardly based on equality.

Still, the subject of Jo leaves a bitterness in his mouth that will continue to plague him for many nights on end since their first meeting. He remembers those wonderful eyes, staring through him with such intensity and he tells himself, as the pace of his hand quickens to match his breathing, that he'll force Jo to see him one of these days.

II.

When he kisses Jo for the first time, on an away mission, it's a simple press of lips. Skin he thought would be coarse from countless injuries and crusted from blood was somehow petal soft and as sweet as the wide-eyed look Jo gave him in return. When he pulls away and Jo looks at him questioningly, such a cute, naive expression on his face, he can't help but dip in for one more. For once, he relishes in the breaking of all his expectations.

The resistance at the more demanding second kiss that he predicts is proved otherwise as Jo simply closes his eyes, accepting the small pleasure offered with a humble sigh. He stifles the chuckle building in his throat at the tiny responses Jo gives him involuntarily. There's the soft mewl he feels more than hears, the way Jo slightly tilts his head in order to give better access.

Instead of the battle for dominance he'd always imagined when bedding someone with such power at his disposal, Jo readily submits to him. He watches as Jo bears the pain with a mix of ease and grace, and notices things are going faster and further than his intentions ever planned. But when the ache gives way to pleasure and he has Jo before him, back arching with every thrust, mouth open with silent gasps, Jin decides being proven wrong isn't always a bad thing.