He had watched this American film, once- where the lead male was educating his friend on how to gradually and slowly lead his lover to bed with him. The man had said that bringing the lady into your bedroom took patience, and that if one was going to do so as a gentleman would, one must learn to wait.

Takaya Abe was physically sick and tired of waiting.

For years, he had waited- waited at work by the phone with the most intense or worries within his soul, at home in his bed alone looking up at the ceiling with his heart shattering in two as he remembered all of the beautiful times he and Mihashi had together when they were young- he had waited for too fucking long. And he knew it, and understood, and Mihashi knew it, and understood.

Crossing the threshold into his suite, closing the door and having the blonde melt into his arms was like coming home all over again- it was like time itself had slowed, or perhaps even stopped. Abe closed his eyes and invaded Mihashi's mouth with the most passion that he had ever done anything. Getting promoted to CEO, leaving Japan and finding peace in America, getting your first American paycheck- none of it compared to this one kiss, this one moment that Abe told self-restraint to go fuck itself.

The shorter of the two moaned into his kiss and Abe thought he were going to faint- he had remembered and dreamed of that moan so many times after they had parted. Abe couldn't help himself- he tightened his arms around his lover and intensified the kiss even more.

It was world-shattering. Staggeringly happy and almost unwilling to believe that this could possibly be real, Abe dared to break his kiss for a slight moment to look into his best friend's eyes, to see them laced with tears. Forehead to forehead, eyes searching each other's for something to tell them that this was finally happening, they couldn't fight small smiles.

"I've missed you." Abe whispered. It was short and simple but God, was it true. He reached up to wipe some tears off of the shorter man's cheeks, and Mihashi leaned into his lover's gentle caresses.

"I've missed you so much, Ren."

In lieu of a verbal reply, the blonde instead embraced the taller man tightly, his face buried into his lover's chest. He took the moment to inhale the other's strong scent, to remember what those late nights during their earlier years felt like before they separated. Abe held him just as tightly, just as lovingly, kissing his hair and feeling Mihashi more than anything.

The blonde said nothing, just held his lover like that for a brief moment before releasing himself and softly taking Abe by the hand, leading him into the back of the suite, where their shared bedroom was prepared for them, ready to make them at home, ready to allow them to deepen their intimate touches and to kiss in places they hadn't kissed anyone in for years.

Abe knew that he should take the time to appreciate the room's cleanliness and comforting vibe- but he was about to make love to the person he cared about more than anything in the world, to hell with anything else.

Abe flung his suit coat to a random corner of the room, and then his shirt and tie underneath that. Mihashi inhaled sharply at the sight of his lover before him, much more muscular and developed then he had remembered. Abe chuckled at the blonde's reaction and reached for him, pulled him in and took the slightest of moments to breathe in the scent of his lover before softly and gently kissing his neck, from the jaw line to the collarbone, causing the inhales of the recipient of such warm kisses to breathe heavily.

How sweet and perfect he tasted, Abe thought. The dark-headed man wanted nothing more than to cover his beautiful lover in endless kisses, to taste every inch of him, to take his precious time now that they were alone. Now that he had him back, Abe could take his damn time, savor the length of Mihashi's slender body, leave small marks on his neck where porcelain skin beckoned him to make it unclean.

When his lips reached a place that they no longer could find contact to the younger man, Abe's hands reached up to clear his trail- buttons were loosened swiftly but gently on Mihashi's shirt, one by one as Abe's kisses traveled down his soft, lean chest. Once his lips reached below the navel and the shirt was successfully unbuttoned completely, Mihashi whispered his name, and with that soft word Abe felt his need to love the shorter man burn even harsher in his stomach.

He successfully stripped the blonde of his shirt and then the two resumed slow passionate kissing, complete with a gasp from both of them as their bare chests made contact for the first time in almost a decade. Somehow, amongst the wet kissing and comforting dark, made it to their bed, and Abe lowered Mihashi on to the soft matress, his hand protectively and lovingly holding the back of his neck as he did so, his kisses still welcomingly invading the blonde's mouth. With Mihashi under him, eyes half lidded and lips swollen, Abe took a brief moment to stare down at him, take in his lover's beauty. Their eyes were locked in silent, romantic conversation that quietly exchanged their needs and wants and how long they had waited on them.

When Takaya spoke, in a hushed, athletic tone, the blonde man below him could feel his heart nearly ramming out of his chest. "You really are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Mihashi reached up to touch his face, peace overwhelming him. The first time they had done this, he had been so fidgety and unsure. How could he ever had doubted that the person he loved more than anything in the world would take the best care of him? Now here they were, after eight years of not touching or kissing anyone else, and neither were nervous or scared, both were quiet and calm and slow. Typically, Mihashi was always nervous about something, and to catch himself at such peace, to realize just how comfortable he really was- it almost frightened him to know that he had become this vulnerable.

Abe ducked down to kiss his neck and chest again, softly, lovingly, warmly. The blonde's hand found it's way into his lover's hair as his head lowered down his naked torso. Soft whispers of "Takaya, Takaya…" were all Mihashi could muster- this felt so amazing, so right, so much better then it ever had in his dreams.

Abe stopped at his lover's belt and Mihashi gently caressed the back of his hair, almost as if giving him permission to carry on in his mission. With the utmost care, Abe stripped his lover of both layers of lower body clothing, and with his best friend completely bare before him, the brunette shook his head in aroused disbelief. God, how Mihashi had developed.

The blonde lightly blushed. Seeing his embarassment, Abe smiled lovingly. Just like old times.

Something lightly snapped within him then, seeing the blush, seeing the nakedness and the need in his lover's eyes- that desperation that he had been able to fend off was itching back at him, and memories of what it felt like to actually be inside of his lover crashed in his head like tidal waves.

He leaned down to kiss Mihashi's forehead before getting off the bed and heading for his coat that he had discarded earlier. The blonde watched him carefully, one hand resting softly on his chest and the other above his head. Abe reached into the pocket and pulled a small travel-sized bottle of lotion.

"Gotta carry on the vital things." he muttered on his way to rejoin Mihashi. Again, the blonde blushed.

"Takaya…" he said softly as the older man climbed back on top of him. "I haven't… Not in a long time… I-I'm probably…"

Abe shushed him and kissed his trembling, gorgeous lips. "I'll be gentle, Ren." he whispered, softly brushing some honey-colored hair from his best friend's eyes. "I'll take care of you. You trust me, right?'

Mihashi nodded without hesitation. "Y-you know I d-do…"

Abe crashed his lips with the blonde's yet again, coating his fingers with some of the lotion in the bottle. He kept their lips in tact while he slowly pushed in his index finger, and at the feeling of someone touching, pushing right there, Mihashi broke the kiss with a sharp, short cry.

Abe brought his lips to the shorter man's ear. "Shh. It's okay." he whispered, curling the finger and straightening it again to loosen up his beloved as much as he could. "Hold on to me. I've got you, I'm right here." Mihashi inhaled sharply and clung to Abe's neck with his arms. "I'm here, Ren…"

"Put… In… A-another one… T-Takaya!"

Complying with Mihashi's wishes earned the brunette his name in a whiney moan, causing the physical need between his thighs to heat to an impossible level. Abe leant down to kiss the whimpering man's neck, and slowly slipped in a third digit.

After what felt like glorious lifetimes of stretching and pushing fingers in and out, Mihashi looked at him, face red and sweaty. "Come inside, T-Takaya… P-please…"

"Are you sure?" he replied in a low whisper.

His lover nodded. "Y-yes… I'm ready… I need you…" he kissed Abe then, softly but desperately. "P-please, Takaya…"

His lover was below him, begging him. His own arousal was threatening to tear him in two. This was all he had dreamed about for eight years… what idiot in his right mind would've said no in this situation?

Abe gently lifted Mihashi's hips, kissed him warmly, and slowly started to push his way in.

Despite both of them trying to be slow and gentle with the other, they both cried out each other's names anyway, loud and needing. Whether the exclamation was out of pain or ecstasy, neither had the stable enough thought process at the moment to figure out. All they could conjure in their minds at that point- together, finally, so long, done waiting, I love you- was that this was what they had waited on for eight fucking years, that this was being one, being whole. That Christ, they had missed each other so damn much.

Once he had completely sheathed himself inside, Takaya didn't know if he was going to make it much longer. He had never felt so much, so complete. Mihashi inhaled and exhaled quickly and heavily below him, his own heart slamming into his chest. "Ren… Oh, God, you feel so wonderful…"

"Don't make me wait anymore!" Mihashi cried, holding on to Abe for dear life. "D-don't ever make me wait again…"

Abe dared to make that first thrust, and the rest was history. Blissful, wonderful, unparalleled history. They were at the pinnacle of their lives then, to love one another without anyone to hold them back, to be physically connected, and to feel good with the one person who could make them cry, laugh, and everything in between. Though usually not verbal people in the bedroom, they cried out each other's names, heavily and loudly.

It usually took them a while to meet climax, but the absence from sexual activity limited them on their stamina and after only a few more passionate movements and long kisses, they simultaneously released- their muscles clenched, their realities short circuited, and when they both opened their eyes to look at one another in the afterglow, Abe caught a long trail of tears falling from his lover's eyes.

He reached down and kissed both eyes shut. "Did I hurt you?" he asked softly, worriedly.

Mihashi shook his head. "No." he replied simply. He arched his back to reach for a soft kiss. After it broke, Abe collapsed on his side next to the blonde, and pulled him in to a gentle embrace.

"I forget what pain is when I'm with Takaya…"

Abe snorted a tired laugh. "As cheesy as that sounds, I have to agree." he kissed Mihashi's hair before closing his eyes. His fingers gently making lines down Mihashi's back as he held him, Abe felt exhaustion catch up to him at long last. "I'm happier then I've ever been, right now." and he meant it. "I love you." he said.

Mihashi smiled against Abe's chest and kissed it, complete. "I love you too, Takaya…"

The human body takes an average of seven minutes to fall completely asleep. Within two, both men were passed out, warmth in their hearts and their loved one beside them.


The third floor was quiet. Silent even. So few employees were allowed access on the third floor that it very rarely carried even the slightest of sound waves between it's walls. It became eerie, in a sense, to some of the few that walked into the hall from the elevator to find it broodingly still.

But when the elevator opened, the hallway found more sound then it had in a while.

"Stop following me."

"I can do whatever I want."

"You're not allowed on this floor, Tajima, go back up. I'll get in trouble."

"D'aww, poor Captain!" Tajima chuckled. "C'mon, Azusa, loosen up!"

Immediately, the captain began to fluster and stutter. "Az- Azu- do not call me by my first name!"

The shorter of the two, freckles sprinkled across his tan cheeks, laughed joyfully. "I love when you make that face!"

Hanai growled and stomped out of the elevator just as it was beginning to close. Tajima followed him, much to his captain's chagrin.

"Seriously, Hanai, loosen up a bit. You're such a bore."

Said bore rolled his eyes as he stomped through the hallway. "If it's not dangerous or sexual, everything is boring to you."

Tajima thought on this for a bit before stopping behind Hanai, who was now entering a code into a pad beside a grey door with a warning message in Japanese that authorized persons only were allowed past this point.

"Yeah, I guess that's kind of true." Tajima replied finally. "Ooh, can I come in?!"

"No, Tajima." Hanai flew his pointer finger towards the door. "Can you read Japanese?"

The freckled boy nodded, smiling, as if it were a genuine talent that very few possessed. "I can also read the Japanese in the S.W.I.M. Code of Operation. Section 97.5a says that if you grant me personal permission and enter it in your logs, I can come with you." As he said this, his smile never broke. Hanai had never wanted to strangle someone in his life. "Considering that I am part of a defense unit and therefore official S.W.I.M. property."

Hanai had his palm read and the door slid open. "I'm not giving you permission to get in here. You'll destroy something."

Tajima groaned in obviously sarcastic defeat. "Ugh. Fine, Captain, you win." he turned his back, and because Hanai knew Tajima better then he would've liked to admit, he waited before entering to see what else the freckled man had up his sleeve.

"I promised Mizutani I would tell him the rest of the Hong Kong story anyw-"

"Fine, fine!" Hanai exclaimed, grabbing Tajima by the shirt collar and dragging him in the room with him. "If you're gonna threaten me with reliving that nightmare, you can fucking come in- but just this once, damn it, I mean it."

"Yeah!" Tajima hollered in victory. "And it was not a nightmare, Captain, you enjoyed every minute of it."

"I did not."

"Did too."

"I did n- I'm not playing this game with you."

"Did too."

Hanai groaned in agony and embarrassment as he forced the conversation to a halt. Tajima always did this to him, made him feel like a lesser person without really meaning to. Tajima had the power to make even the most confident of leaders melt to scum but was a bit too empty-headed to know how to use it.

They started walking then, lights flashing on to light their way through the room as they moved. "Motion censored lighting?" Tajima asked. "I must admit I'm impressed."

Hanai scoffed, the two of them still in motion towards a computer at the center of the room. "The only thing you should be impressed by is this." he said, motioning to the machine. "It has files on every person of interest we've ever had to work with or work against."

"It doesn't have a screen. Is it one of those expensive holographic ones?" Tajima asked in genuine fascination. Hanai nodded, straight-faced. "Woah."

The captain booted the computer up and the holographic screen flew up, completely loaded and ready to work, not requiring any more than a second to load. Tajima continued to eye it widely.

"You're going to get this information in briefing anyway, so there's no harm in letting you see this…" he tapped a few things with his fingers on the system's hard keyboard and the screen eventually opened to a screen of headshots, six angry men staring back at the two of them.

"These are our targets." Hanai said. "Their home base is stationed in Russia, but we're not one hundred percent sure that they're all currently there." Tajima nodded in response.

"On the left side, at the top, Naoto Kaguyama." Hanai brought the man's profile to a larger scale, and classified information lit up in a bullet list to the right of the guy's headshot. He had a thin layer of dark hair, and his eyes were large and actually rather cute.

Tajima snorted back a chuckle. "I'm going to assume that looks can be deceiving." he said, laughing lightly. "That guy can't be anywhere near twenty-five!"

"He's thirty." Hanai said, looking at Tajima with the straightest of faces. To the gaping mouth and wide eyes he received as a response, Hanai grinned. "I know." He brought up some information- birthplace, birth date, etcetera, and began rambling again. "He's actually a really talented mechanic and electricity controller. So yes, looks can be quite deceiving."

Tajima whistled. "I don't think I've ever met one of those electric-type people." he said. "I've heard of them, but I thought they were just rumors. I bet he can jack someone up."

Hanai nodded. "If you get wet in anyway, then yes, he probably can. Moving on."

Tajima shuddered at the thought of electrocution, and was taken slightly aback when he saw the next face that Hanai brought up. "Hey, isn't that…"

"Kyouhei Akimaru, yes." said Akimaru had light brown hair and glasses, and his eyes looked like that which once held life but no longer did. Tajima could almost bring himself to pity the man. "Shape shifter. But you all ready knew this."

Tajima sighed. "Yeah. I saw him once or twice back in the day. Great shape shifter." he muttered. "I think he's one of the last ones, too. Maybe that's why he's on the bad side?"

Hanai shook his head. "No, he's on the 'bad side'," he repeated mockingly, causing Tajima to scowl. "because of this guy."

The next photo brought up was that of a man that was seemingly attractive, still not horrifying but much more intimidating then the past two men before him. Dark hair covered his eyes and a scowl painted his face- he had a mug of a predatory feline, sharp eyes that seemed to be able to watch you wherever you went.

Hanai cleared his throat, as if saying the name hurt him. Tajima looked up to see his captain's eyes slightly weaker then they were a moment before. "Motoki Haruna." Hanai said. "He's what every superhuman fears to fight- a manipulator."

The freckled man's eyes widened to an almost impossible shape. "Oh god, I thought those people were just myths." he said, shocked. His bit his bottom lip and furrowed his brow, and when he looked up to see Haruna again, he saw him completely differently- this man was much more terrifying now that Tajima knew what he could do.

Fear coursed through him, but he tried his best not to let it show externally- a manipulator, he which had the ability to get into someone's mind and use that person's powers against the victim's will, was one of the most feared people a superhuman could ever come in contact with. Something about being invaded in the mind and being used without being conscious of it gave Tajima the absolute creeps.

"D-do you think that Akimaru guy…"

"We know he did." Hanai said. "That's why I said, that he was on their side because of Haruna."

The shorter of the two felt his heart hit the pit of his stomach. He was speechless after that.

Hanai felt Tajima's discomfort and changed the picture to the next man on their list. As if the heartbreaking scene before him had never happened, Tajima immediately snapped out of it upon seeing a familiar face and loudly exclaimed blasphemous profanities.

"Holy shit! Oh my god! Holy fucking shit!"

"You don't stay in a sympathetic mode for very long, do you?"

"Oh my… wow, really?! Him! Of all people!" If Tajima's voice ever got any louder or higher then it was right now even once on this trip, Hanai would probably have to sedate him. "I mean holy shit!"

"Yeah, your old fighting buddy." Hanai brought up his information and sighed. "Kazuki Kawai."

"I am heartbroken."

"No you're not, Tajima."

"Ok you're right, but Mizutani is gonna be. We only helped them out a few times before we separated, but he loved that guy. Oh fuck please don't tell me Junta's here too-"

"No." Hanai cut him off, trying to calm him. "Junta… we don't know where Junta is."

Tajima's head snapped in Hanai's direction. "You don't think-"

"I doubt it." Hanai said, sighing, still looking up at Kazuki's serious face. "But it's possible."

Tajima exhaled loudly, trying to calm himself. "Why do you think he's on their side?"

Hanai shrugged. "We honestly have no idea." he said while shaking his head. "I think that's what we're trying to figure out."

"Do you have Junta's file too? We used to fight alongside Kazuki and Junta every now and again, maybe I can help."

"We do, but it's horribly outdated and we have no sources for any of his information. We have insiders on these guys giving us this kind of stuff, if he was in that association in any way, we'd know about it."

"Hmm…" the freckled speedster thought for a brief second. "Well, you got all the dirt on all nine of us. Surely you can get some info on him."

Hanai changed the picture back to the list of six. "We've tried. He's literally nowhere. It's like he never existed."

"So he's dead."

"I seriously doubt that," he replied as he changed the screen. "He's way too good of a fighter."

"Well I hope he's not dead, or Kawai is gonna fucking- aw, hell."

Hanai chuckled lightly at Tajima's response to the newest face on screen. "That's right." Hanai said, confidently. "Roka Nakazowa."

Tajima scoffed. "I ain't scared of that emotionally devoid asshole! You should have seen the shit he put Rio through back in the day!" the genuinely unafraid tone of Tajima's voice forced a smile onto Hanai's lips.

"Apparently he's against us because of Rio's death… but if our insider's information is anything to judge by, he's also got a bone to pick with Haruna over some illegal handling from years ago." Hanai tightened his coat around himself. Catching the gesture, Tajima smiled privately to himself- drug talk had always been a sore subject for Hanai. "We're literally standing by to see if the two don't fall out before hell breaks loose."

Tajima nodded. "That would be convenient."

Hanai clicked next to his final man on screen. At this, Tajima cocked his head to the side. "Wait." he muttered. Hanai looked at him suddenly, worried. "What?"

Tajima shook his head. "No, it's nothing… just… he looks familiar."

Hanai gulped. "Well, it's-

The freckled man shrugged. "I mean… it's not the name, it's the face- I've definitely seen him before."

His captain stared at him momentarily, searching Tajima's face for something. The shorter man's reddish brown eyes didn't leave the screen for at least a minute.

Hanai knew he had to, but he didn't want to. "Tajima…"

And then, evident in his eyes, it hit him. "Oh." Tajima interrupted him. "Ok."

It was difficult beyond measure, seeing someone so usually full of energy go down to sullen and sober. His eyes that usually flashed with intensity fell, and the captain knew that if his friend stayed like this for too long, Hanai's heart was going to shatter.

"Tajima, listen…"

"Hey," Tajima interrupted again, looking at Hanai now with a forced smile. "Thanks for showing me this. I need to report my room number."

He turned to leave and Hanai walked after him without a second thought. "Wait, listen… Tajima, come on…"

"I have things to do, Captain! See you later!"

But Hanai grabbed his shoulder, forcing the young man to stop. "I thought you may have saw him when I brought them all up in thumbnails of six… I didn't know that you wouldn't…"

The younger man chuckled, trying to keep his mood light, but still refused to look at his captain. "No, really! I'm fine, I just have things I need to-"

"I was afraid if I told you, you'd get upset and leave." Hanai admitted. "And I know we have our differences but this team needs you, Tajima." He inhaled and took a moment, and when he realized the younger man wasn't going to say anything, he spoke again. "I know that Daichi was your friend…"

"That guy taught me everything, Azusa." Tajima muttered miserably, finally turning to look at the taller man. "I thought after Ichihara was killed, he would've been upset but I never dreamed that he would've… and now, after all he did for me I have to… I don't think…"

His eyes were downward, and his face was pale and unsure. Without thinking first, Hanai lightly touched his friend's arm. "He doesn't know what he's doing, Yuuichirou." he assured him softly, desperately trying to bring Tajima back to his self. "You don't even have to target him, you don't even have to fight him, if you help us get to him, we can take care of Daichi."

Tajima shook his head and shook his arm away from Hanai before heading for the door. Upon sensing Tajima standing before it, the door opened for the boy's exit.

Hanai caught him again, and it was then that the younger man became angry. "Just leave me alone, okay? I don't want to do this!"

"If you leave, this team will lose it's strongest member!" Hanai said, grabbing Tajima fully by the shoulders now. "You're the best we've got- better than Abe, than me!" He tried to stare into the freckled man's eyes and talk some sense into him, but Tajima wasn't budging.

"Oh, so now you think I'm some hero? You wont even acknowledge me in front of anyone." Tajima scowled. "After all we went through together, after all we shared, you still don't even like to be around me!"

"That's not important-"

"It is important! You're just using me to fight against my own mentor!"

The taller of the two rolled his eyes. "That's not the only reason I want you here, blockhead!"

"Prove it, then!"

Hanai growled under his breath and in evolved into a full shout. "Fine! Damn it, Tajima!"

And after he spat those frustrated words, Hanai crashed his lips into the shorter man's, not making too much of a show of the kiss, just doing what he had to do.

He broke the kiss and stared down at Tajima, blushing and fuming. "Happy?!" he asked bitterly.

Slowly, agonizingly, Tajima's eyes slipped into a darker, mischievous tint that Hanai had always known them to be in and a smile crept onto his face. He was back to his old self, now.

Hanai blushed even darker. "I'll take that as a yes."

Tajima chuckled. "The things I do for your affection!" He smiled and laughed, loud and normal, like nothing had ever happened.

"What are you talking a-"

"I'm a speed demon, Hanai, I don't sit still unless I really want to." he winked. And with a sudden realization, Hanai's face grew to an even darker shade of crimson and his eyes widened. He dropped his hands and suddenly, the world hated him all over again.

"You little-!"

Tajima grabbed his collar and kissed him once more, and when the kiss was broken his eyes were gleaming as they always were. "Thanks for the pep talk, captain!" And with a laugh he flew out the door, fast as lightning, the echo of his victorious chuckle bouncing through the hallway

Hanai stood there, stunned. Unwilling to believe that Yuuichirou Tajima had outdone him again.

"Damn you, Tajima!"


AN: That update took so long because theres FOUR FUCKING DIFFERENT DRAFTS on my computer right now. I didn't know if I wanted the sex to hot or sweet or both and I finally just settled on this draft. Anywho. Hope you enjoyed. Hopefully we'll have the next chapter a lot sooner. :D