It's Nov. 12th in Japan today! Had to get this one out ASAP.

"Urgh…"

Having finally reached her destination, the lone figure allowed herself a moment's reprieve. Gently setting down the large sack of treasure, she placed her hands on her hips and leaned back, giving her back muscles some much needed relief. Once she had finished, she cautiously eyed her surroundings, ensuring there was nobody in sight before lifting the sack again and entering through the backdoor.

The house was dark and quiet, but her client had told her she wouldn't be in the house that night due to having a prior arrangement with her fiance. The lone figure's brows furrowed. Just thinking about that man made her pulse in disgust. She gritted her teeth as she carried the sack upstairs, unwilling to stop halfway and drop the sack on the staircase where it would definitely fall and spill all the contents thus making more trouble. Finally reaching the top, she gently set the heavy weight down and collapsed on the hardwood floor.

"Well Haru, I hope you're happy..." she sighed. Just as she began to make her way back down, she eyed the treasure sack one last time before heading over and opening it up. Her eyes glowed at the sight of coins and other gold accessories messily piled on top of one another. She was sure the amount alone would be enough to put someone out of work for the next 100 years. If that was true...

Grabbing out a tiny sack of her own, she took the liberty of filling it up for herself. Call it a worker's commission. Not that Haru would mind anyway.

Heading back out, she quietly zoomed through the alleyways, away from the house she had just entered. If Kunikazu Okumura was half the lord people claimed him to be, his guards would be on her tail at any moment and being seen would not do.

The neighborhood was surprisingly quiet. While navigating through dark and quiet places was just par the course, it didn't really make her job any fun. Activating her mask's night vision, the lone figure scanned the neighborhood for any possible hiding places before making her next move. Once she had secured her route she leaped from shadow to shadow, treading lightly and quickly before reaching the desired house and climbing onto the roof. Standing above the chimney, she let out a deep breath as she looked down on the quiet neighborhood below her. Just a few blocks away, several armed hunters could be seen in broad moonlight. Those on the street viciously ran through every nook and cranny while a lone hunter atop the rooftops scanned the wider parts of the area, trying to find any corner an ordinary thief might hide.

But that was their mistake. She was no ordinary thief.

She let out a loud whistle, immediately bringing their attention her way. She stifled a laugh as she waved, spotting several guards who couldn't exactly pinpoint her location and were scanning in a completely different direction. New recruits, probably. Luckily for them they had at least one competent officer who could pinpoint her right away.

"There she is! Get her!"

"That's right, boys. Follow me."

Jumping down from the chimney and nimbly landing on her heels, she charged forward revealing herself in the moonlight. Feeling the breeze blow against her, she leaned forward and kept her torso low as she ran, letting the wind slide past her body. She smiled instinctively as she charged forward, never slowing down for even a second. She lived for this feeling, this feeling of freedom. The feeling of being able to go anywhere and do anything, leaping across the ground while seductively waving her tail at her chasers, giving them a glimpse of a prize they will never obtain.

After a few seconds, she could finally make out the voices of the hunters as they desperately tried to catch up to her. Several arrows pierced the ground behind her as she ran, though none ever landed close to their mark. She let out a giggle, knowing full well she was far too fast for them to catch.

"Stop right there! Criminal scum!"

She slowed to a halt as she heard those words, taking a moment to process what they had just said.

Scum? Her? How dare they!

For what felt like half an hour, the hunters finally caught up to her in rather sloppily fashion based on how hard they were breathing. Her brows furrowed as she assessed her current situation. Their boss man couldn't have underestimated her to the point where he'd send a group of amateurs to chase her could he? While it did make her job easier, the disregard for his men and her skills did leave a bad taste in her mouth.

"It's...the end of the line...!" one of them finally breathed out. "Now how about...you do us...a favor...and come quietly…?"

Making a sharp turn, she dashed through another empty pathway and positioned herself against one of the walls of a random house. Completely covered by the shadows, she placed herself near the edge of the moonlight to maximize her hearing. Soon enough, footsteps mixed with tired grumbles approached her direction and she readied her whip, waiting patiently for an opportune moment to strike.

The moment a figure entered her line of vision she immediately swung forward, wrapping the guard's neck with her whip and pulling him away from the pack.

"Apologies dear." she said, unwrapping her whip before performing a quick strike to his neck, effectively knocking him out.

"What was that?!" someone from the crowd called out. She rolled her eyes as she heard them ask, wondering why they even bothered asking if there was going to be no answer. Regardless, she examined her options. The smart decision would be to quickly change her location and ambush them from behind. However, considering how boring the night was she figured a little fun wouldn't hurt.

"Over here, boys."

From within the shadows, the thief walked forward, once again revealing herself within the moonlight. A smirk made its way onto her face as she eyed her prey. Three hunters; not as challenging as she would have hoped but even then she couldn't complain. Even she had places to be after this.

"You! What have you done with-"

"I'd worry less about him if I were you. After all, you have much more to lose than I do."

The hunters kept silent, eyeing her while holding firm onto their weapons.

"The panther." the middle one said. Most likely the leader.

"That's with a capital P, thank you very much." she replied, mock-bowing.

"What is your game here? What business do you have with Lord Okumura?"

"Come now, isn't this old news? If there's something I want, I take it. Simple as that. Your dear lord just happened to be the unlucky man." she said, readying her whip.

"We won't let you get away with this…" the lead guard said, readying his sword.

"Darling, if I had a gold coin for all the times I'd heard this, I'd be able to buy out your lord."

"You little-!" throwing caution to the wind, one of the guards charged forward.

"Wait!" the leader shouted.

The Panther smirked and swung her whip.

It was too easy.

Contrary to those in the center, houses near the edge of the neighborhood looked far less lavish compared to their counterparts. It wasn't to say they were rugged or decrepit by any means; far from it. However, even a casual passerby could tell the difference between a marbled, multi-roomed estate to an average single-story house. Then again, this worked better for the both of them anyway. Reaching her target house, she hid herself within its shadows and allowed herself another moment's reprieve. Taking a deep breath, she undid her twintails and let her hair flow freely down her back. A soft breeze brushed against her face as she briefly removed her mask, reminding her of the extended duration of her vigilante activities. While they were fun, she was in desperate need of a bath and restful sleep.

"Soon." she thought, relishing in the idea. However, a certain matter took priority. Opening the backdoor, she briefly scanned her surroundings for any possible onlookers before closing it. It wouldn't do to be seen, especially at this hour. She took light steps as she walked past the entrance, careful not to make any noise and disturb the owner of the house. Years of dance and acrobatic training had served her well in that regard.

She looked around as she made her way past the kitchen and living room. Everything looked neat and tidy as it always did, but the absence of music made it eerily silent. It wasn't like him to work in silence. She could see light coming out of the bedroom down the hallway, and a small part of her figured it'd be better to turn back right this instant. She knew he could take care of himself, but knowing how he lived, she could never be too sure. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she cautiously approached the bedroom, once again taking light steps and readying her whip should she find an intruder. Peering over the edge, she examined the room in all its glory.

It was a simple room; one with a window, a large bed, wooden desk, a large closet and a bookshelf filled to the brim with all kinds of literature ranging from classic to modern. She even noticed some books on herbal medicine and board game strategy as well. At the center of it all was a man she had become too familiar with. Her heart filled with relief as she watched him scribble some notes down within the dim light. It had been a busy day for him; he was still wearing his suit in its entirety, even with his mask and shoes still on. His suit coattails were unadjusted against his seat and his shoulders were positioned in an ugly slouch. He was exhausted.

"You shouldn't be working so late."

The man spared not one glance at her. She smiled, realizing he had sensed her presence the moment she had entered the house. Pen scratches continued echoing the room as she approached him from behind. She placed her hair ties on the bookshelf before carefully positioning her gloved hands above his shoulders. She pressed gently, feeling his tight muscles unravel as she did so and gradually moved down to his back. Peering over his shoulder, she saw him completely engrossed in his work without even sparing a moment to look up. She studied him in his entirety, taking him in. His beautiful jet-black ruffled hair, his focused gaze, and the way he looked in his suit. A playwright at work never failed to be a sight for sore eyes.

"You were out for quite a while as well." he finally said.

She smirked. "Aww. Were you worried about me?"

Finally looking up, he turned to face her with a gentle smile that never failed to make her heart race. Wrapping his arm around her neck, he brought their foreheads together.

"I always worry about you, but I have too many things to finish and they can't wait."

His gentle smile turned smug as he pressed a deep kiss to her lips.

"I've already prepared the bath."

She pouted. It wasn't every day she was able to return back to him, and on this particular day he just happened to be swamped with work.

Sighing, she turned to the closet and slowly unzipped her suit. Letting it fall to the ground, she turned around to see Ren still deep in his letters, too busy to turn her way. Well, if she couldn't have his attention, she might as well have a bath.

The scent of lavender immediately hit her nose as she entered the bathroom. She smiled as she saw flower petals scattered around the foamy bathtub, with shampoo and bodywash placed on the side along with a few magazines and an oversized red T-shirt. Oh Ren, ever the considerate one.

A pleasant warmth enveloped her skin as she entered, with the water soaking up all the sweat and dirt from her activities. A pleasant sigh left her lips as she closed her eyes and leaned back onto the bathtub. Her legs floated freely in the water, giving her much needed relaxation from all the running she had done earlier in the day. Leaning on the edge, she eyed the dimly lit room. While unable to see him, she could tell Ren hadn't shifted from his initial position at all. She stifled a frown; time to themselves was rare, but such was expected in their line of work. Being famous for writing and acting in plays with political undertones, it would've been naive to think one would live comfortably. Turning to the entertainment placed on the other side, she eyed a particular newspaper in the middle of the pile and pulled it out, seeing the familiar headline.

"Ren Amamiya, a One Hit Wonder?" she read out loud. It was an old article, written by a famous writer who theorized the reasons for the actor's mysterious disappearance from the stage. Stage fright? Murder? A hidden affair? The possibilities were endless. As one of the few who knew the answers to all the questions, it took a bit of effort to hold in a laugh. Then again, she had to agree with the article on one thing; for a man with such skill to turn away from the stage truly was a waste. Turning to the seventh page, where the article continued, a large picture of herself made itself known. In it she could be seen standing alongside her co-stars, waving to the crowd while holding a bouquet of flowers. Below was a caption

The Joker's second play, "The Degenrate's Castle", a roaring success! Rising stars Ann Takamaki and Ryuji Sakamoto receive an award for best new actor and actress! Actress Shiho Suzui wins award for Best Supporting Actress!

She could tell Ren found it amusing as well, seeing as how he still kept the article after a year or so. Contrary to popular belief, "Ren Amamiya" was still very much active in the entertaining world, just not as an actor.

Those who were more intuitive amongst the media often theorized about how the mysterious playwright "The Joker" and actor "Ren Amamiya", despite having similar voices, had never been seen in the same room. Whenever asked, she and her fellow co-stars always denied such rumors, telling them even they had never seen The Joker's real face. It was a risky move, as it would've put their careers and lives in jeopardy if they were ever found out. Still, considering none of them had ever seen "The Joker" without his mask, finding proof was impossible which kept them guessing. Things were better that way. Ren entered the world of theatre with a mission, and was never one to mince words or messages in his plays. Immediately upon his arrival to the scene, he dropped his debut play "The Hero's Curse". It was a story about a low-class civilian constantly fighting against societal injustices. However, due to the corruption and influence of the nobility, the hero constantly ends up being punished and betrayed rather than rewarded for his actions, which eventually led to his arrest. The play became an instant hit amongst the commoner and working class, recognizing it as a mirror of their current society. As a result, many servants and laborers unionized against their lords and ladies to protect themselves and their rights. Some even spoke out against their masters for their vices and abuse leading to investigations and eventually their arrest. Of course, many amongst the nobility were not happy with the changing status quo and did anything they could to stop it. While there certainly was a correlation, one could never prove whether or not The Joker's plays were the causation. Regardless, a very hefty bounty was placed on the playwright's head and many hired assassins to go after him and others who dared watch or talk about his plays in their territory. However, thanks to a mysterious vigilante group their requests never followed through, much to their ire.

Feeling the water's temperature drop, she set the newspaper down and cleaned the rest of her body before leaving the comfort of the full bathtub. Putting on the white t-shirt, she marvelled at how well it covered her body, from her neck all the way down to her thighs just like a dress. Wrapping her hair in a towel, she walked back into the bedroom once again positioning herself by his side.

A tall pile of paper could be seen on the desk, neatly stacked and towering above his head. No doubt he had spent some extra time and effort on keeping the stack neat as well. She'd even bet he put some extra time straightening up the letters that had once been folded.

Taking one of the letters from the pile and reading its contents, she frowned. On it was a message telling the playwright to go die in big letters.

"You actually respond to these people?" she asked.

"I try to reply at least once to let them know I put in the effort to read them. Sometimes the letters stop coming when they do. Other times I get to have some meaningful discussions."

"Hmm…"

She sat down on the bed while resting her elbow on his desk, eyeing him longingly. It wasn't until a few minutes after that Ren turned her way, allowing her to plant a quick kiss to his lips. He gave a quick smile before returning to his work, eager to get it done. She, on the other hand, turned to his mask and slowly removed it with care before returning to work on his shoulders. One by one, she moved from his shoulders to his arms until she herself slid under them and sat on his lap.

"Can't you give yourself a break? You haven't even told me how beautiful I am yet."

A chuckle escaped his lips, and he moved to stroke her hair. "You're always beautiful. Even more so when you wear my clothes."

"That's more like it."

Sparing one more glance at his desk, she noticed he had cleaned up quicker than she had given him credit for. Only one document was left, but it didn't seem to be a letter.

"The Days When Mother Was There." she read the title out loud.

"My new play." Ren responded. "It's about a girl struggling to make peace with herself and find her place in life after her mother's death."

Ann grunted at his relentless pace and wrapped his arms in her own.

"No more working? Please?"

At last, her pouting and soft kisses were rewarded as he surrendered and finally put his pen down. Wrapping his arms around her torso, she experienced the familiar warmth that she had been yearning for throughout the night. It was things like this that always made her travels worth it; his attention.

She yelped as she felt herself being lifted up. Ren let out a loud grunt as he did so, and she could feel his arms shake as he carried her over to the bed.

"You didn't have to…" she mumbled as she was gently placed atop the fluffy mattress. One too big for one person.

"Are you going to say you didn't enjoy it?" Ren said between breaths.

"N-No…"

He chucked and gave her a quick kiss to the lips before heading back to the closet to get ready.

Realizing what he was doing, she immediately rushed over and worked on his buttons for him. Within seconds she had him in nothing but a simple T-shirt and underwear. Pressing her hands against his chest, she immediately led him back to the bed until his back had finally touched the mattress. She smiled in content as she positioned herself atop him and rested her head atop his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he placed another kiss atop her forehead as he settled into her embrace.

"Do they still wonder who you're dating?"

The question caught her by surprise as she suddenly paused drawing circles on his chest. It wasn't like him to be interested in her dealings with the public. Although given her reputation, she could figure why they'd all be curious.

"Why? Are you worried someone else might come by?" she asked, a smirk making its way to her face.

"As if." Ren scoffed. "I'm just worried they'll continue making things difficult for us."

She smiled, sliding up to his face to give a deep kiss to his lips.

"They still do from time to time, but that's never stopped either of us, has it?"

They had already known, deep down, that they would never give themselves to anyone else but each other. His heart was hers just as her heart was his.

With a tired smile, Ann lifted herself up slightly to turn off the light at his desk.

"You should get some sleep. You have all of tomorrow to work."

I actually had a longfic idea for this in my head but didn't have the motivation to actually write it down so now you're just left with this one-shot. Hope you all enjoy it anyway.