„You're the most insufferable boss in the world."

George merely gave a smile at the cold statement. He took his time with the reply. As if there wasn't a schedule to keep. As if there weren't any phone calls waiting to be made.

"Your judgement…" He turned the ring on his finger and didn't look up, just as if there wasn't a conversational partner at all. "Your judgement is based on incomplete information standards. What a naïve mistake for a DUCK agent to make. You have quite clearly never worked under Gary's… Mr. King's guidance. He clearly isn't as lenient as I am. Not to mention Miss Queen. Hillary has quite the creative punishments in store, if she's disappointed."

The other huffed. "She's a little girl."

"And I am an unprofessional fashionista… no, transvestite who takes not a single thing seriously. Don't look at me like that. You might not have said it, but weren't these your first thoughts when assigned to me?"

The younger man avoided his look.

'Still without sunglasses', George thought in amusement. 'You're making this too easy for me.' He leaned forward. "So, Yama~da… How has that changed?"

Akira tensed up even more. "Any reply I'd give would be incredibly impolite, sir."

"Relax. For once I'm not asking for politeness, but for honesty. This is an order."

"Well then…" Akira took a deep breath. "I think you're an awful human being. You're maybe not completely irresponsible, but you get your amusement out of playing mindgames with the people you should rely on. That is indeed unprofessional and not helping the efficiency of your men. Even if your work is good, as a person you're completely unbearable and I can't stand you. Also your decision of demoting me was unjustified. I did bring more results than given credit for, because you deliberately chose not to listen to me. You're too immature and selfish to be in the position you are in."

Slow clapping. It snapped Akira out of his angry rage. George was laughing a little and actually applauding his rant. Never before had Akira felt this ridiculed by someone.

George leaned back and crossed his legs. "That was quite the speech. Congratulations. Regardless, you're wrong. The one immature is you. You may leave now. Your next mission will be assigned to you soon. Be prepared. Well then… I'm looking forward to our next meeting, Yama~da."

After Akira had walked out angrily with fast steps, George leaned his head backwards against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. A smile spread on his lips. Yamada was really promising. In a way he reminded George of his own younger self. Just that –of course- he had never been such a child. It was really a pity that Yamada's immature and stubborn nature always got in the way of his professionalism. An awful personality trait. If his demotion didn't teach him a good lesson then George would really have to use his imagination to find a way of changing Akira for the better.

Back in his apartment, Akira immediately went to get a shower as if he wanted to wash of all of the subtle humiliation George Ace put him through. The hot water poured down on him and filled the room with steam, but his mental condition did not change. He felt absolutely awful and the worst part of it was that he hadn't even been fully honest to his boss. He didn't think half as bad of George was he made it seem and he hated himself for even being unable to properly dislike that man. Actually he respected him more than maybe any other peson he knew. There was no denying that George Ace was indeed DUCK's ace. None of the other council members took this much action. 'Ace' wasn't just a name, it was also a job description and a title meaning as much as 'strategic leader'. George was great at what he did, yet nobody knew much about him and his mistakes. That kind of successful person was what Akira wanted to be – minus the eccentric personality, naturally. George Ace was, in a very twisted way, his hero.

Too bad that he was indeed also the most awful person Akira knew. He had definitely not been lying either as he had stated his hatred for George's character. It had merely been just half of the truth.

When meeting George for the first time Akira had truly been wondering about how serious to even take him, but upon watching him his admiration grew with every moment. Proportionally to his dislike and annoyance, which grew to sky-high levels.

It was the worst. Whatever he did, however good his results were, George wouldn't respect him. It drove Akira crazy.

Before he even really realized what he was doing, he had put his clothes back on and drove back to the headquarters, his hair under the turban still damp from the shower. One thing that there was to know about Akira Agarkar Yamada was that he was a sore loser. So the obvious solution was to go for a rematch, however unreasonable it sounded.

He still didn't actually know what he going to do when he want back to George's office. The secretary had already left, so he could march straight in.

George seemed to be about to leave, most of his things were already put away; he was just reading some last document – comfortably placed on the couch. As he heard Akira's footsteps he looked up. Even though his eyes were hidden like always, Akira felt like he had truly startled him and that gave him a small sense of satisfaction.

"Yama~da." Always stretching his name in the wrong place. Unnerving. "What are you doing here again?"

Akira's brain didn't have a reply other than 'that demotion was unfair', so he let his mouth do the thinking.

"There's another question I need to ask you."

George put the papers down on the table and titled his head. "You decided to pay me an unannounced visit? How unconventional. It borders to being rude. But fine, go ahead, what is it?"

Akira stepped closer, closer, closer, until he was right in front of his superior. An amused smirk played on the purple-painted lips. Akira wasn't a friend of unnecessary violence, but he felt the need to punch George for being this conceited. He even moved his hand up, but a much better thing came to his mind. George was fast at reacting, but a split second too late to stop Akira from taking off his glasses.

"Why won't you respect me?" Akira hissed. It just wasn't fair; he tried so hard; he gave his all for DUCK—-

George's eyes were blue.

Not an icy sort of blue either, but a deep, full blue like the ocean on a good day. That fact completely threw Akira off-track. Somehow some part of his sub consciousness had just automatically assumed George's eyes to be of a demonic red. He was almost disappointed. But at the same time he couldn't get around admitting the color was rather pretty.

He'd intended to say something more, but now he forgot to continue speaking. George seemed still shocked by the removal of his glasses; his eyes were widened as he stared up at Akira. It was immensely enjoyable to be able to read him finally; finally.

"Give these back" George snapped, breaking the moment. As he tried to reach for his glasses, anger shined through. Akira grabbed his arm in movement and held it steady by the wrist. George glared, but then his expression turned to another of those smirks.

The broken moment paused in its walking away, pieced itself back together, spun on its heels and came back full force.

Akira had no idea which one of them had leaned in first and he prayed to all gods that it had not been him, but if there was reaction difference than only that of split seconds. What mattered more was that, a moment later, they were kissing, actually kissing, and it honestly wasn't what either of them had planned for. Dropping the glasses on the couch, Akira used the hand that wasn't occupied with restraining George to pull his head just a little closer, slipping his fingers barely under the turban to brush over the soft, blonde hair.

George tasted of lipstick, but Akira had kissed enough women to get used to the taste (liking it was an entirely different matter). George also turned out to be a surprisingly good kisser, so it came almot naturally to open his mouth and take the kiss to deepest level. Their dominant natures clashed horribly, but the resulting roughness wasn't necessarily unappealing to either of them.

Only as George reached out with his free hand to pull Akira further down, the Indian broke apart in a hurry. He hadn't been in a relationship for years, but his boss was really the last person he should be getting hormonal about.

"Sexual offense in the office.." he muttered "I should be suing you."

George raised an eyebrow and released a chuckle. "Well, you kissed me, actually."

"I didn't." Akira was glad that his dark skin tone should hide any hypothetical faint blush.

"So then, why is my lipstick smeared all over your mouth, Yama~da?"

"You kissed back."

"Why wouldn't I, if someone conveniently attractive made such an obvious move on me?"

"Because we were in the middle of talking about work."

"Actually, you were the one talking, I was about to call it a day."

"You don't even feel anything for me!"

George paused and blinked, then his smirk widened. Cruel. "So basically you're saying, you wouldn't kiss anybody you didn't have feelings for?"

Akira froze. "Tha-that's not it-!"

George laughed. Akira was glad that he was pretty sure he felt nothing romantic toward him or else he would've been seriously hurt.

"Apparently not. So we're even."

Akira didn't reply. Silently he contemplated just walking out and denying this ever happened. He didn't even consider himself gay or even bisexual. A mild, passing interest in men was all he really had to offer. Not to mention it was illegal in this country all-together. From the corner of his eyes he could see George reach for his glasses.

"So, Yama~da…" The shades where reluctantly turned in George's pale fingers. "Are you free tonight?"

…..

"What?" Not the most witty comeback of all time.

"I asked if you were free tonight. Which should be reply enough to your initial question, by the way. I wouldn't ask you this if I didn't have some basic respect for you."

Akira could imagine. George didn't seem like the sort of person who'd get with someone who didn't provide him a challenge. Which was exactly why he was so shocked at the question. But also a little satisfied.

"I do have some self-respect as well, I hope you realize." Just sleeping with his superior… Akira was extremely sure he didn't want to be that kind of person.

"Oh, don't worry. Spending the night with me will definitely not get you a promotion or any better treatment at work, your conscience can be free."

"Great. Good to know you'll treat me like trash anyway."

"I'm asking you one last time and I'd really appreciate a direct reply. Are you free tonight? This isn't a business question, so quit the 'insulted employee' attitude. I'm off duty."

Akira raised his eyebrows. "You're never really off duty."

"Touché." This time George's smirk and shrug seemed almost genuine. Akira couldn't help but grin back a little bit.

"If I say yes now, I will regret it."

"Probably."

The desk lamp illuminated the office only poorly anymore as Akira looked George over again. He was a little too manly for his make-up and his clothes were more than a little awful, but 'handsome' was still a term that could come to mind. And his style of replying back smoothly was maddening in a good and a bad sense simultaneously.

Akira sighed deeply. 'I hate this man. I really do.'

"It's a date then."

The possibly worst choice of words he could have picked, because this was really, really not romantic, but well…. It would be a one-time-thing anyway, he was pretty sure of that.

"You're expecting me to treat you to diner then?"

"The thought alone is disturbing. I'd have to endure your talking a little too long… sir."

"Let's do it, then. I've never seen you eat anything but curry, so it should be interesting."

"You've got a truly unbearable personality."

"That much, you already mentioned. No need to be repeative."

"I apologize, but I can't say it often enough to match the truth of it."

"You're being immature again, Yama~da."

"No need to be repeative, here."

George grinned slightly. "Do you like to play chess?"

Their fingers entangled only a bit, as they stepped out of the office.

"Was that a challenge?"

Akira had the unfortunate feeling of getting caught in a spider's web. Maybe it wouldn't be a one-time-thing after all, he mused as he glanced over at George's eyes. Maybe.