If you pretend then girl I'll pretend
Let's make it seem like we're all we need in the end

He guided her up the slight ladder to the landing stage, helicopter blades quiet above them. His father stood off to the side, intent, it seemed, to make sure she was gone, along with going with her to the new outpost. Kureto knew he would have to get in touch with her the next day, just in case his father decided on a very low road and offed her. But it wasn't going to happen, because he believed his father was actually interested in her talent, that, after this, it wasn't personal, he had disposed of the threat to his bloodline.

Kureto wouldn't let her go, of course, fully planned to have her back to him in a month or so. Just one more rank would afford him more autonomy, and his father might find him in better standing, enough to allow him to be with someone who wasn't from a branch family. He didn't understand why his old man was afraid of a relationship, or why Ari and he had to prove themselves. And of course, Kureto would do so, above and beyond.

With a whir, the blades of the helicopter started, whipping her hair up around her, dulling her words, but he still heard them, "How long till you get me out?"

"One month."

"Okay. A month."

"Believe in me."

"I do."

"Good."

He kissed her hard, looping arms around her waist, tugging her tight against him. She hummed as he pulled away, arms around the back of his neck, hand picking through his hair, slow smile curving her pretty lips.

"I thought I made sure to tell you to never make me sad," she murmured, voice just audible in the noise the helicopter generated.

"I apologize."

Ari's smile thinned, strained, eyebrows knitting, "god you're so handsome."

And so he kissed her again, knew he was getting a bit too handsy in public, even if that public was limited to about five people, his father included. As the last crate was loaded, he let her go, stood back to watch her leave him, carried away by the black helicopter.

For a second, his chest hurt.

He stood there until the helicopter was a speck on the horizon, left the landing platform, greeted by Aoi as soon as he was back in the main building.

"Are you alright sir?" Aoi asked, voice small as usual, face set to neutral.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he responded, scoffing openly at her.

"Because Miss. Miyasato went away."

"Not for long."

"Are you sure you can get her out within a month?"

"Don't question me, Aoi," he said, waving her concerns away. "and set up a call tomorrow afternoon to her outpost."

"I'll get in touch."

"thank you."

He made his way to a meeting; something he'd almost forgot about. And usually, after a meeting, he'd find her, talk to her about it. When he was disheartened, he always went to her. Now he was left alone to brood, the only thing to look forward to being the call tomorrow.

"Miss me?" Ari's voice was distorted, but he still recognized it.

"Not really. I just had to make sure you hadn't done anything spectacularly stupid on the ride to the outpost.

"no, you just missed me..maybe because you weren't fucking me."

"It's not that I didn't miss that."

she gave the slightest little huff of anticipation, almost whining to him, "Oh good, just, Kureto, the thing is, I'm really fucking horny right now, and I can't cum without your voice."

Aoi's eyebrows jumped, and she looked down at the phone between them, stood up hurriedly from her chair adjacent to him. Kureto cleared his throat, stopped his assistant in her hurried path out the door, taking Ari off speaker quickly, so as to give his assistant a meaningful stare, snapping his fingers close to his neck to indicate secrecy. Aoi nodded, jogged back to the desk to collect her forgotten folder, and made a b-line for the door, shutting it rather loudly.

"Continue," he said.

and she laughed, "was Aoi in the room?"

"Yes, maybe," he couldn't help but smile with his words. "still the horniest person I know."

"shut up and help me."

almost every call ended up like that, and he got to hear her as she came, mostly panting and soft instead of the usual cries he fucked out of her. She had the filthiest mouth over the phone, enough to have him playing along earnestly, rumble underlying his words every time she pushed him to the edge. But he wanted to see her; had to see her. Needed to, even.

A month; it would take him a month to get her back