Author's Note: I'll keep it brief up here. If you want more, there will be another note at the bottom.
For now, sorry about the big gap in chapters, please enjoy this one!
Disclaimer: I own Suzumi and the plot, Voltage owns KBTBB and Co.
Would you lie for me?
Cross your sorry heart and hope to die for me?
Would you pin me to a wall?
Would you beg or would you crawl?
Stick a needle in your hungry eyes for me?
Trouble - Halsey
Twenty Six
"We found a total of forty nine explosives within the Tres Spades property. Those capable are finishing the disabling of the last sets. Overall, we had a bare bones crew looking here at the hotel, as most of our bodies are combing the island for the identified areas of planted explosives. Several have already been found and we are working on evacuating those buildings while we work on moving to disabling those as well."
Volkonsky stood at the front of the room, giving a brief summary of the current situation. His voice, accent somewhat thick, boomed across the smaller ballroom Eisuke had reserved for their large gathering. Standing at the front with him was Soryu who stood imposing and stone-faced, arms crossed, watching the room and the men in it. Just off to the side, Eisuke and Baba stood, waiting for their opportunities to speak.
Suzumi stood just off the side of the room against the wall, trying to guess just how many bodies had been packed into the semi-spacious room. It wasn't the largest party room the Tres Spades offered, but it was the one furthest from the main hub of hotel guests without directly taking the mobsters to the auction hall sub level. From what she could see, and accounting for what she couldn't, she gathered there were at least one to two hundred subordinates gathered and, if the older Russian was right, there were many, many more on the streets. She assumed another two hundred plus the connections Baba had brought in and the clean cops Kishi had brought up from the second unit, the entire ordeal sounded like it was involving five hundred. The idea alone sent her mind reeling.
"Are you okay, Suzumi?" Ota whispered. He stood next to her, arms crossed with an indifferent look on his face as he also took in the sights. "You look pale." His eyes kept skirting back to her, contrasting against the bored look he tried to keep.
"I'm fine. Just trying to think. The numbers are dizzying."
"Which numbers?"
"All of them. The amount of people called in. The number of bombs in the hotel. The info you and Baba managed to get us about the other bomb locations. This was well thought out."
Ota hummed in response, eyes watching as Eisuke made short work of what he had to say. His voice was deep, serious, and the hidden threat in his words as he warned the mob members in the room to avoid his guests sent a shiver down her spine. Suzumi tried to weigh who she was more afraid of, the mob or Eisuke, in her mind and couldn't come up with a solid answer.
"Do you plan on sticking to Soryu like glue or do you have a plan of your own, little bird?"
Suzumi stiffened at Ota's hushed question and slowly looked up at the artist. He had his body turned to face her more, looking directly at her now with arms crossed. "What do you mean?"
"Having Kishi teach you to shoot today? That was awfully brave. Your man's enemy and dealing with weapons… You've gotten a lot braver. I know Eisuke and Soryu have a plan, or at least they've talked about plans. But you're headstrong and, like Haruka, you've got a sense of duty. It's hilarious how those two have similar taste in women." Ota smirked, quirking a brow. "Now, what's your plan?"
"I don't know what you mean," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I should be asking you what Eisuke's plans are. He wants to use me, I'm sure."
Ota nodded. "I don't know specifics. But I heard him and Soryu arguing about using you as bait. You can guess how that went."
Suzumi pursed her lips, lost in thought. At the front of the room, Baba was going on about bomb locations and discussing splitting up groups with possible evacuation scenarios. Flickering her eyes towards Soryu, she could she he kept glancing her way, the look of curiosity on his face clear as day. Seeing her and Ota in the back of the room, whispering to one another had to have him asking a million questions in his mind.
"I wouldn't mind."
"Hmm? Mind what?"
"Being bait."
Ota frowned, glancing over to where Soryu and Eisuke now stood to the side, whispering amongst themselves. "It's a good plan. The guy seems like he's gone batshit over you and Soryu. Your obstacle is that tall, dark man over there, though. And it's dangerous. At this point, the guy sounds like he's lost rationality, he could lash out unexpectedly."
"Never thought you'd be discussing stuff like this, huh?" Suzumi chuckled, seeing the skeptical look on Ota's face grow.
"I've gotten used to a lot of things since joining the auctions. Stuff like this doesn't phase me too much, but when it's this level… It's a little unnerving."
"You sound like you're trying to stay cool. I wonder what you'd be like if you had a girlfriend."
Ota chuckled. "I don't do relationships, little bird." He placed a hand on her head and ruffled her curls. "At the end of the day, do what you think is right. Follow your convictions. It's what I told myself when I started doing art and here I am."
"Yeah… Thanks…" Suzumi couldn't help the bit of laughter that left her lips. At Ota's look of curiosity, she explained. "Sorry, I just tried to picture you with a girlfriend and for some reason, I thought of a dog collar and a frisbee. You'd be an awful boyfriend."
"Hey!"
"You'd need a girl to teach you how to be normal."
"Shut it. Go find your boyfriend. The meeting's over."
Suzumi stepped away from Ota, ready to make a beeline for Soryu, but stopped when she felt Ota's hand on her shoulder.
Leaning in close, he whispered, "Don't want him to leave a matching mark on that neck of yours because he sees us talking too long." He laughed when the flushed on her cheeks deepened and walked away.
/*\
"Eisuke, what's your plan?"
"Plan?"
The millionaire looked up at Suzumi from his seat on the couch, cup of coffee paused halfway to his mouth. It was the first moment he'd had to himself since the fiasco of bombs and revenge had started and he was put out that Suzumi was interrupting it. It had only been an hour since the late meeting of the mobsters and he thought he'd left Soryu and Suzumi in front of their suite door.
"I know you had a plan you wanted to use against Souma but Soryu probably is against it. I want to know what it is."
Eisuke ignored her for a moment, sipping on his hot coffee. Haruka had made it for him moments before Suzumi had slunk in and he was determined to enjoy it for a moment. His girlfriend was put out at being left out of the dealings, worried for Suzumi and the others, and, after making the coffee he'd asked for, went off to bed with a quiet goodnight. While he was enjoying the interesting turn life had taken in the last few months, he did not enjoy when Haruka was upset with him.
It took several minutes and almost the entire cup of coffee for Eisuke to answer Suzumi's request. "We would contact Souma, using you as bait. Lure him somewhere public, take him out."
"That's it?" Suzumi looked at him with a degree of skepticism.
"That's the gist of it. Soryu wouldn't listen to what the whole plan of mine was. Killing the man was just a part. There's a lot to clean up afterwards and I thought the Ice Dragons could be the leaders for those people out of the dark." Eisuke drained the last of his coffee and stood, buttoning his jacket. "He wouldn't hear of you being used, so that's when he stopped listening to me. I had to give him a dose of reality. He's more stubborn than I remember him being in our youth." He began walking towards the staircase leading to his private 52nd floor. "Go back to Soryu. It's late. Most of those mobsters are out now looking but our jobs start tomorrow."
Suzumi stood in place, eyes watching his movements. She felt a panic rise up within her and she couldn't help the yelp that came from her mouth. "Wait! Eisuke!"
The man paused, standing on the first step of the staircase. Without turning his back, he answered her curtly. "What?"
"I'll do it!"
Silence.
"I'll be bait. I'll do what it takes."
"You don't even know what my plan was. What if you get put in mortal danger? What if the chances of you being taken by him or dying are greater than that of a happy ending?"
Suzumi laughed hollowly. "What does my happiness mean if the people in Odaiba are blown up? And those women and children who were a part of that human trafficking? I am one person, wanting to help. To end the actions of a terrible man. If I get hurt but those people get to live, I accept that."
"Do you accept hurting Soryu in the process of that?"
Eisuke turned, his sharp eyes narrowing in on her. Reflexively, Suzumi took a step back but quickly planted her feet and glared stubbornly back at him. He crossed his arms, waiting for her answer.
"Soryu is well aware of what needs to be done for the greater good. I'm not going to purposely try and die but I won't hide in the penthouse, either."
Both pairs of brown eyes stared one another down, waiting to see who would be the first to cave. Despite the long day and the emotional roller-coaster that the week was shaping up to be, Suzumi couldn't find a shred of fatigue or weariness in herself. Her body hummed with adrenaline as she met Eisuke's bluff, her heart beating in anticipation. She blinked in surprise to see the older man sigh and look away.
"Come here in the morning. I'll send Haruka and she'll bring you up."
"Up?" Suzumi asked, confused.
"To the 52nd floor. We can't plan here in the lounge. Soryu, Volkonsky, and others will be here. Be up at six and ready a half hour later. This way you come with Haruka before Soryu is due over and we have time to plan accordingly."
Suzumi nodded, biting her lip.
"You look like you have something to say?"
"When did you want to… implement your plan?"
Eisuke's smile was less sardonic and more grim, full of foreboding that sent a shiver down her spine. "Tomorrow night. Is that a problem?"
Immediately, Suzumi knew the answer to his question, answering with a shake of her head. Nodding in satisfaction, Eisuke's smirk lightened a little and he turned back to head up the staircase to his private rooms.
"Go to sleep," he called out over his shoulder.
/*\
"Where did you run off to so late?"
Soryu was sitting on the couch, shuffling through papers that sat in front of him on the coffee table. He paused in his writing to stand and stretch his back, greeting Suzumi with a small smile. Suzumi paused for a moment, slipping her shoes off at the door and eying his body as he moved.
"Hmm? I went to thank Eisuke for helping us with everything. And to apologize for all the bombs in his hotel. I feel bad he's essentially been dragged into the situation. Do you want any coffee or tea?" She padded into the kitchen and began to put a kettle together for some boiling water.
She didn't receive a verbal answer, but the sound of Soryu coming to meet her in the kitchen told her his true answer. His left hand gently touched her shoulder, officially announcing his presence in the room. Looking up at him as she picked out a tea bag, she managed a facsimile of a smile and sighed as he hugged her from behind. Warm arms around her chest, Setsuna allowed herself to relax for a moment before continuing the task of preparing her beverage. She found it slightly difficult to move around the kitchen as Soryu refused to remove his arms, but she managed to get the kettle on and a mug down from the cupboard before she turned to face him.
"What's wrong?"
Soryu smiled softly. "It's surprising you're asking me that. I used to constantly ask myself that about you and even to you. Now you ask me."
"You're acting oddly affectionate," she said, running her fingers through his hair, messing up the once slicked back strands. "I'm not against it, but it's a little discerning to see you try and basically cuddle me."
She could feel his warm breath on the nape of her neck as he chuckled and she tried to control the flush that threatened to appear on her cheeks. He gave her one last squeeze as the kettle signaled the water's readiness and let go, taking a step back to watch her pour and drown the tea bag. Once she'd gotten to take a tentative sip, he took her free hand and led her to the couch.
"I know it's essentially stupid of me to ask. I have no right to demand it, question it, or really entertain the thought. But I wanted to still ask you," Soryu hedged, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Suzumi could sense exactly where he was going, but kept quiet, allowing him to continue.
"Suzumi, stay here at the hotel. Stay away from where it's going to be dangerous. Please?"
His grey eyes turned to her and locked on, the intensity of his feelings coming through with his gaze. Suzumi could feel a tug at her heart, knowing that she had to deny him his request. She sighed and gently sat her mug on the coffee table. The sound echoed in the room.
"Soryu, that's not going to happen. And if you tried to keep me here, I'd run off to find you."
"I know," he said dryly, trying to fight off a smirk. Shaking his head, he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "You've become a handful."
Suzumi smirked. "I've been known to make people have grey hairs in the past."
Soryu just grunted, pulling back his hand and standing. "It's getting late. I'd get to bed if I were you."
"Only if you're going to bed." Suzumi stood, crossing her arms. "I know there's a lot to be done, but you're doing a lot more work than me or even a lot of the other guys. You need to rest, even if it's for just a little while. Come to bed?"
She tugged on his hand and, after twining her fingers with his, attempted to lead him to his bedroom. He only gave her a moment of resistance, a look hesitance crossing his face, before he let the smaller woman lead him on. Once in the bedroom, she gently shoved him to the bed and stood before him, hands on her hips.
"Do you want a bath or do you want to go straight to bed?"
Soryu's mouth gaped open a little as he stared up at Suzumi, surprised at her somewhat commanding tone. As if they had a mind of their own, his hands reached out and gently pushed aside hers and gripped her hips. Pulling her forward, he rested his head on her stomach, eyes closed. The noise of surprise she let out reverberated throughout her body and he could feel the rumble against his cheek.
"Soryu, what are you doing?" Suzumi hissed.
Shifting his head so that he was able to look up at her and still make contact, Soryu could see her face flaming with embarrassment and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. He buried his face against the fabric of her shirt for a moment, breathing in her scent and sighing softly before pulling back completely. His hands, however, stayed on her hips to keep her close at hand.
"Thank you for worrying about me, Suzumi."
Suzumi tilted her head thoughtfully, eyes meeting Soryu's. She watched the earnest emotions cross his face and felt a slight tinge of guilt at going behind his back to Eisuke regarding the confrontation. But her resolve was strong and she wanted the situation ended as quick as possible. Running fingers through his hair for the second time that night, she chose to smile.
"I care about you, Soryu. Of course I want you healthy, too. I think… I think I'd do almost anything for you." She blushed and looked away, finding their reflections in the mirror. Her face was reminiscent of a tomato, but both she and Soryu had soft looks on their faces, smiles on their lips and eyes filled with emotion.
"I meant what I said last week, Suzumi."
"Said?"
"Da jie," he whispered. He pulled one hand from her waist, taking her free hand and bringing the delicate fingers to his lips. Brushing his lips against her knuckles, Soryu let out a sigh.
"Da jie," she echoed, biting her lip, continuing to card her fingers through his dark hair. Bending down, she dropped a kiss on his forehead. Sighing, she straightened herself and pulled away slightly. "Let me go run the bath."
Soryu hummed in response, letting his hands drop and leaning back to lay on the bed. "Thank you, Suzumi. Much appreciated."
While the tub filled, Suzumi watched Soryu lay on the bed, his breathing even. The only indication that he hadn't fallen asleep was the movement of his hands as they scrubbed his face furiously in thought and the almost unintelligible murmurings that passed his lips as he spoke.
A/N: So. First, this chapter is shorter than the last few. It just ends more natural this way. Sorry if it upsets anyone.
Second, my life has been a ball of chaos since Halloween both at work and personally. Work is usually chaotic because it's retail, but things there on top of that made it even harder. Then my depression and anxiety started up in August again and I am a mess. If anyone follows me on Tumblr, they'll see I'm there at least two or three times a day, but at the same time I'm not. I'm doing better than I was a month or two ago, but it's an uphill struggle. The struggle is real.
On a happier note, I recently fell in love with Yuri! On Ice. You all should watch this anime, it's lovely.
I hope to have another chapter up before the end of the year. Hope. I am climbing up a hill to overcome my anxiety that I am not a good writer and that has stalled me in writing and the courage to post.
For now, happy holidays to everyone and a Happy 2017 if I don't post before then!
Itakethewords