Hey y'all! First off, let me thank you all again for those that continue to read this story - the favorites, the follows, the reviews...everything. Here's a new chapter. And things are heating up.
Disclaimer: I do not own Dead or Alive or any of their characters.
"Hello Hunter . . ." the words hung in their air as this new voice, the person, stood there.
Come to think of it, he didn't even hear a door open. Just a knock and now this other person, this stranger, is just standing there in his living room. What? What was going on?
Kasumi made a sound first before everyone else, "Hayate!" she said. The auburn-haired girl covered the space between them to pull the other man into a hug. On the other hand, Jake felt he knew this person…or at least, by name alone.
Ayane, meanwhile, was still awestruck at her brother's sudden appearance. She's never told him where she lived. Or, who. So how did he get here? Her eyes slowly glanced over to Kasumi still with Hayate in their hug and it clicked.
"No hug for your brother?" Hayate now turned to Ayane, after separating from Kasumi, said with a slight smile on his face. One beat, two beats later, she came forward and gave him a punch on the shoulder. The other man recoiled with a small and playful, "ouch, that hurt," comment then he chuckled saying he'll settle for her punches then. That last comment amused Kasumi who giggled.
Now this Hayate's attention turned to him.
He stretched out his hand to him, "By the way, the name's Hayate, I'm the eldest to these two." Hayate introduced himself to Jake. They shook hands and Jake returned the courtesy of introducing himself to the other man.
Hayate replied, "I know. My sister here," he nodded to Kasumi's direction, "told me about you. Thank you for looking out for her." He said.
Jake nodded, "it's nothing. I'm just being helpful." He said, humbly. Ayane had to roll her eyes at that but she said nothing and instead let the two of them talk while she quietly excused herself to the kitchen to get something to drink.
When they thought she was out of earshot the taller Hayate leaned forward and whispered to Jake, "Surprised you lasted this long, I would've kicked her to the curb after 5 minutes," he joked.
From the kitchen, Ayane called out, "I heard that!"
Hayate made an 'oops' face and snickered. "Kidding," he called back then turned and mouthed to Jake, I wasn't and winked for effect.
Kasumi shook her head from the background and muttered to herself, "boys". She stayed on to catch up with these two in front of her.
Jake and Hayate hit it off immediately as they chatted almost animatedly. In fact this was the most she's seen Hayate talk and especially as caught up as he is now. He's come a long way from the way he was back then – arrogant, overconfident, and believed in a cause even if it was wrong. Now he was more flexible, to Kasumi that is.
"You really need to learn how to give directions, little sister," Hayate said to Kasumi who'd been lost in thought.
"Hmm…?" she said, and Hayate repeated what he said and Kasumi responded, "Oh, sorry," she said automatically.
Hayate nodded, "its fine," he said. "Anyways, I came here to give some news – Kasumi, you know this already but…"
After giving them the news that he was the Elder's pick as overseer for Ayane to Jake, the latter invited him to the table for something to eat. A simple serving of some three-layered pork fried rice prepared by the young man. There Hayate would tell Ayane the news and the girl seemed to take it pretty well, all things considered.
The purple haired kunoichi had this to say, "It's not the first time the clan has tried to leash me, it won't be the last."
Hayate tried to say, "It's not like that…" But Ayane waved off her brother's words. She wouldn't hear any more of it. The council's decision was final. That was the end of that discussion.
"But, I can't always be here. I have other duties as well, such as hunting down who or whatever was hunting our warriors."
"I need some help." Jake felt the brother's eyes on him and he stared back. "Me?" he said, rhetorically. Hayate nodded.
Jake asked if there was any choice for him. Somehow he doubted he had much of a choice as he's the only one who's more aware of Ayane that any of the other tenants in the apartment. To the others she was Sakura, Jake's old friend from high school, with the exception being Fumiko-obasan and Jake's mother, Irene.
Hayate swore on his life he'd ensure the latter twos safety when the young man was about to inquire the question that had been forming in his head. Jake agreed, eventually. Though reluctant. Words only go so far.
He made a mental note to have DOATEC PMC station some guards to watch over them, covertly.
The conversation carried on from there ranging of topics such as Jake's occupation to Kasumi catching up with her brother and her brother's recently elected deputy overseer and so on and so on.
Ayane caught glances from her brother. It's a good thing that little stunt with calling her 'hunter' hadn't caught up to Jake yet. For the best.
But Jake merely pushed that to the back of his head. Chalking it up to it being 'none of my business' case. If he digs himself deeper into this seemingly endless hole with sheltering Ayane and now her brother's deputy overseer then he'd better stop digging less he passes the point of no return.
"Are you alright?" Jake asked as he cleaned up the dishes.
Kasumi and Hayate excused themselves to the roof of the building. Ayane stayed behind to help with the dishes, but she seemed to have taken quite a content position on the island sitting there with an orange juice in hand.
No answer so he repeated it again, "Are you okay?" and this time she heard it.
"Yeah…" she said it in such a low voice that told him enough to know that she wasn't.
Ayane looked up from her glass, "I'm overthinking, okay!"
Jake put the last plate into the dish rack to dry, wiped his hands on a cloth he had on his shoulder, hung that from a hook to dry then turned his full attention to her.
"Lay it on me. I'll overthink with you."
(Author's notes: play 'Angus and Julia Stone – Santa Monica Dream' while reading this part)
Instinctively, the young man reached out a hand to take the glass from her hands. Placing the glass on the table he put both her hands in his and held them and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
"Lay it on me," Said Jake again.
"I just feel trapped…the clan, the rules, and now this. It's like I've been running my entire life and I've always had to look over my shoulders all my life. Even now."
Ayane looks up to meet Jake's eyes, her red ones staring into gentle pools of brown that held love. So much love behind those eyes. She saw within them that she still had his attention. His eyes conveyed his message that he was there to listen.
"I just have this dream that one day I would be free. Truly free. That I won't have to spend the remainders of my life constantly looking over my shoulder. Constantly following orders. Constantly executing the Elder's will."
His thumb brushes her the knuckles of her hand. Still he says nothing. He listens even when only silence between them.
"I have this dream…I would go out when you sleep. Stand on the roof, just inches from the edge that all it took was one gentle breeze, one bit of weight shifted forward and I'd plummet below. I'd stand there just staring out the city lights. Let the wind come to and fro of me. And I would imagine what it would be like to have a life…an actual life. A place of my own. I could wake up however late or early I want. I could walk around the city. I could go out with friends. I could meet someone and fall in love…and I would love them with all of me. I won't have to hear comparisons to my father. I want to wake up next to someone that cared for me, not the way Kasumi or Hayate or Ryu or anyone cared for me but loved me and spoiled me and told me they love me. I would marry them…I would love them…I would – I just want some small semblance of normal in life as Ayane. Just Ayane. Not the kunoichi or the fighter but just me."
He breathes in. Taking in all the words that she'd said. Letting them sink in. Still he says nothing, only listens.
"And now, it seems like that dream is just getting further and further away…I'm like a dog that gets pulled back every time they walk too far ahead of their owner. Some bitch to be set loose for convenience sake and nothing more."
Jake tightens his hold just a tiny smidge on her hands. "Ayane…" he starts and stops himself as he weighs the words in his head. His friend, Takehito, had told him that there was much more to a person like Ayane then meets the eyes.
Underneath the media fabricated persona, the fighter, the killer ninja etc. was this little girl who's had to fight, claw and crawl her way up to the top just to be noticed. Just a girl that wants to have some normalcy in her chaotic life.
Jake sighs, "Ayane," he starts again but doesn't stop this time but carries through, "Let's go out on the Valentine's day."
"Eh…" she looks up into his eyes. The red irises of hers were glassy.
The young man holds her hands tighter now, fingers laced. "Let's go out on Valentine's Day and I promise you this, you'll never have to look over your shoulder for the entire day."
"Jake that's…-" she protests, or tries to but the words die out to his. She wanted to tell him that it was dangerous to do something like that. To be seen out in public with her. That they should exercise caution now that there is a dangerous third party out there hunting ninjas.
So many things she wanted to say to sway him off from having to do what he wanted to do for her but all of them just left her with his next few words.
He affirms, "You deserve a normal life just as much as anyone else." That he promised her.
A silence settles over them. A warm feeling envelops her that starts in her chest then soon her entire body. Time seemed to freeze in place. And the only thing there in that kitchen is them.
"Thank you, Jake." She smiles.
Ayane smiles.
-0000-
"Reservation for Kashima," he told the girl at the front desk whom greeted them kindly soon as they walked in. The kind girl told them to follow her to their seats after confirming their reservation.
They were seated a little ways in the back away from the crowd next to a large window that offered them a view of the street below and the lighting was good too, there were no intrusions from the neon-light signs of outside and the mood of the place gave the impression of a very classy old-school bar feel with soft piano music playing.
The same waitress came back with two menus for them.
Jake thought, Ishizaki really pulled a lot of strings.
Glancing through the menu, he already knew what he wanted but decided he'd linger on a bit to give Ana time to pick out what she wanted to eat. A while later, the waitress came back to take their orders and left again once she'd gotten theirs.
The two made small talk to pass the time.
Ana was closing in on her graduation from University which Jake was happy to listen in as she filled him in on details. The conversation shifted in his direction after a beat or two where he told her about his new job as the company's PMC.
Concern drew itself onto Ana's face. She was aware of his past as a soldier and the events that unfold during his time in the service. "Are you okay?" she asked and the young man paused on answering as a different waiter came with their drinks.
After he'd gone the young man answered, "I am, I guess. It's different but I can manage." He said. Ana only nodded, she could only hope to understand what goes on in that head of his.
"So why the sudden dinner invitation?"
"Just cause…" Jake answered, almost too well rehearsed. Ana raised an eyebrow and made an 'mmhmmm' expression. His response to that was to take a sip from his drink and comment on it.
Ana smiled at his bashful response but said nothing of it. But she knew he was having a 'girl trouble' but still, she kept her words at bay. She followed suit in sipping her drink and making a small comment on it. She liked it.
Bits of small talk here and there then the food came. The scent alone was enough to whet their appetites but Jake still kept himself in check as to make the night last longer. "Okay, I'll spill…." Ana hadn't said anything, she was busy cutting a piece of fish from her fish and chips order about to take a bite when the young man spoke.
"I have a girl problem…"
Gotcha! Ana sang triumphantly in her head. "Really?" she said, innocently.
Jake glanced at her with a 'really' look and continued.
"It's Sakura. I've been having these thoughts, these emotions and whatever you want to call them but they're all related to her." Ana thought 'aww he's got little love bugs all over him' as the young man laid out the details and more so on the table while she ate.
"It all started in December…"
December 31 – noon
It had been quite the day for him and his mom – mostly for him. They had started the day early 6 A.M. with cleaning out his apartment and taking down the Christmas decorations to make room for the New Year welcoming decorations.
It took about an hour to sweep, vacuum, and mope the entire place. Then it was rearranging the furniture; it was a bit of a tradition almost for Jake, each year he'd rearrange the furniture around. If the year had to change than so should his apartment. That took about 2 and a half hours to be done.
The bathroom cleaning. The kitchen and everything else took about half an hour each or more so to finish. Then he showered and took a small nap on the couch. It was around 10 almost 11 when his mom had woke him to the kitchen for some breakfast before they had to head out to the city to get a few more things.
Irene wanted to get them some new clothes before the temple tonight. The conversation flowed more between his mom and Ayane. He just sat there and ate his breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages and some toast. Then he threw back 2 cups of coffee.
By 12:30, they had all changed into their streetwear and out the door of his apartment. On the way down, Irene made a quick stop to greet Fumiko-obaasan and the other tenants they ran into. All were elated to see her back here. All of them exchanged pleasantries and doled out invites and whatnots to the trio for something that night, the next day or the next day preceding the one before and on and on it goes.
The spirits were high on the street. It hung over the skies. It filled the atmosphere with feelings of new beginnings. Trepidations of the future. The giddiness of tomorrow. Every feeling under the good spectrum was present as they walked through the little strip in the shopping district towards the metro station where they would board a train into the city stopping in Shinjuku.
All manner of decorations were hung. Marketmen haggled fireworks with their customers. Kids ran around laughing and giggling. Tourist crossed their paths.
Life is good.
"Sure is thriving today…" Ayane made a little comment as they passed the last few stalls that would take them out the strip. Irene heard and explained it to her. New Years in a Japan was a spectacle to behold and a good time for a lot of businesses. Other countries may have businesses close down over the holidays but not Japan.
Tourist flooded the country to celebrate in the festivities that many Japanese indulge in. They wanted a taste of the holiday from a Japanese perspective that included fancy kimonos, temple visits and the works. The strip malls, like the ones in the shopping district they had just came from, became gold mines for many of the businesses there. There was everything for everyone in this time of season.
The trio decided to take a shortcut through the park where it was less crowded by tourist. They followed the red path that bent and curved like a snake through a garden of trees, pushing past snow-capped bushes and frozen koi ponds.
The park had saved them a couple minutes from the usual path. From there on, they just kept walking down the street towards the station that roared with a life of its own. People, dozens of them, going up or down the stairs, the platforms just a sea of dark and brown heads with the occasional exception of bright colors that stood out.
Even Ayane had to gap at the amount of warm bodies that were pushing and shoving into each other on the platform that you could barely see the white floors.
"This is gonna be a long day…." Jake commented to himself as they started down the stairs, slowly.
That was one train ride he wouldn't mind not taking ever again. A long metal tube traveling at some couple hundred miles an hour all the while you're breathing back the same air being expelled by everyone and not to mentioned crammed between so many bodies it was like a riding in a sardine can (not that he'd know how sardines felt in a can) with just people being in your face, back and sides.
He believed the other two had the same thoughts or could agree with him on missing that train wreck of a ride. If not then, he'd hope that maybe the next train ride will crush some sense into them….hopefully.
Jake checked the time when they arrived at their first stop in Shinjuku. Had it been that long…? He thought as he read the clock in the kimono store. The hands read, 1:30pm. Well when he took into account the trip from his apartment downstairs and the walk through the strip then park alone ate up more time than he'd though and add that to the time it took to push their way through the platform into a train then it all made sense.
"Jake, son, why don't you go head and look for some clothes for yourself tonight. Sakura and I will be a while."
The young man nodded, "okay, let me know if there's anything." He said, then turned and left to walk around the area. He didn't feel like going to a clothing store immediately. The young man was going to take his time.
First stop made was a bookstore where he picked up the next installation in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Then after it was a café where he indulged himself to a cut of black forest cake and a glass of milk.
I'm gonna skip lunch with them, thought Jake.
It would be an hour later or more so when his phone would be buzzing with a call from his mother who wanted him over back at the store for something. He brushed it off thinking she just wanted his opinion on something.
After his little lunch break of cake and milk he'd stop at the men's clothing store and bought himself a long sleeve black turtleneck and dark jeans. The young man changed into those at the store itself and put his other clothing into his backpack.
Irene was waiting out the store front when she spotted him coming round the corner. She seemed giddy about something, waving him over almost child-like, even going so far as to jump on her heels going 'come on, hurry' to which his response was to just sigh, roll his eyes and quicken his steps by a pace or two.
They entered, he was greeted by the same jingle as they passed the doors, followed the stores-girl to the back where the fitting room was. His mother stood back and allowed him to move forward. The girl that led them back here cleared her throat and pointed to the third changing room to his left.
Jake nodded, mouthing a 'thank you' for the assistance.
The young man looks to his mom, "what now," he says with a shrug but his mother only smiles and calls out, "Ayane, you can come out now." There was some rusting, some shuffling coming from the changing room he was standing in front of. The curtains pulled back and she stepped out.
The only thought on his brain was, "...WOW"
The rest of the day proceeded as he remembered. They grabbed lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Contrary to his earlier statement of not grabbing lunch, he sat down for a bite or two with them.
From lunch it was walking off the food they ate while they killed time before they had to go to the temple.
"…That night we kissed and since then, I've been wrestling with these thoughts of having something with her."
Ana couldn't contain the 'aww that's so cute' smile on her face. She was gushing. Then she said to Jake, "You're in love with her." And Jake, well, he could only sigh and lol his head and nod. And that made her smile wider all the more. She's seen Jake at his worst, best and everything in between.
At the same time, it is a new side to him to see him go after someone. If asked about Sachi, that felt more to her just imposing herself into his life and calling it a relationship. It was all so one-sided from what she'd seen. He was always or forced to drop anything he does to go celebrate anything relating to her but when it came to him it was excuses galore.
"Sakura, I mean, she's been in love with you since high school…" Ana said, dabbing the side of her mouth with the napkin. Her fork and knife set down on the plate. Jake kept his eyes focused on her.
"A girl that has waited, still is, is a woman who knows what she wants. She loves you, Jake."
Ana pauses. It doesn't show but saying those words. The things she just said, they hurt. But who am I to steal someone who already belongs to someone…even if they're unaware of it.
She tells him a few more things about women.
Just enough though. He doesn't need to know everything about us…yet.
Dinner ended in high spirits for them both; the little talk felt liberating for Jake. From dinner, the two of them would take a stroll through the squares arriving at a theater where they watched a movie. Jake spent 89 percent of the time explaining little things in the movie, lore, filmography etc and she listened to him as he tried to whisper-talk his way animatedly throughout the movie but still tried to watch the movie at the same time.
When the movie ended, Ana took Jake by the hand and led him to an ice cream shop that served the best ice cream, according to her, and got him two of the best flavors they had. After their frosty treats the next stop was a little clothing store tailored to women.
Ana walked him through the motion of shopping for women using herself as an example. Though he would not say it, Ayane was filled out more in certain areas but again he refused to voice out said thought. He just went along with her through clothing after clothing.
He pulled the plug at lingerie because he didn't feel it right for him to see Ana bare her skin before him. So instead, they redirected to a food stand where he got them both some waffles with Nutella.
By 10:30 at night, they were in a cab driving back to the apartments with some bags of stuff they had gotten. Jake getting himself a pair of jeans and long sleeve shirt, Ana with books and clothes.
"I had fun tonight," the girl was all smiles as he dropped her off outside her door.
Jake smiled and told her, "So did I," smiling. "And thank you for listening to me about my stuff and helping me."
Ana nodded, "She's a lucky girl, Jake. You got this." Then she does it, walks up close to him and kisses him on the cheek. "Good night, Jake." The sound of her door closing brings him out of it, his hand, two fingers, stretched out hovering over the spot she had kissed him.
Only the face of a door greets him now.
-0000-
February 14th – Valentine's Day
It had been a tense, if not, somewhat awkward 4 days for the two young people sharing an apartment. Nary a word spoken between the two besides the usual greeting, sharp back and forth exchange or as one would put it the USUAL.
The early days events played out in his mind with strings of 'I could've done this or that a little bit more better…' eating away at the little bit of confidence he scraped off the bottom of the emotional barrel.
"So uh," He was as graceful as a ballet dancer with Parkinson's, "how was the sleepover?" and as mentioned before, their interaction for the past 4 days since she returned from her sleepover were brief in the sense of just sharp retorts and snarky comments made at the other's expense.
Meanwhile for Ayane, the gears were turning in her head, and turning hard they were as to say the past 4 days had been eventful would do it no justice. You had to be there and experience it to know what those 4 days were.
The poor boy, she could hear his heart beating violently in his chest through her sharper, more developed hearing. Which made it easy of sorts to order her food without asking the waiter for the specials – it was barbecued beef brisket served with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, coleslaw with fries on the side.
The lady 4 tables to her left had ordered that and so without looking at the menu or even asking about the specials, she told the somewhat taken aback server what she'll be having when he hadn't even so much told her about it.
Jake after some minutes settled for the bacon and mushroom smothered pork chop dish. For drinks, they thought to start with water first and when they knew what they wanted then they'd order that.
"It was good, it was nice to be able to feel….normal," Ayane answered.
"I'm glad…happy that you had a fun."
Smooth jazz danced in the air around them. Laughter occupying the space between each note. Lovers staring longingly into their other halves eyes. Hands reaching out to touch.
Looking anywhere but her, he knew it that if he did looked into those eyes of her he'd be…hypnotized, for a lack of better words. Was this a rebound? It had been some months know, 3 to be exact since the breakup with Sachi.
Love or lust….
Love or lust….
Love or lust….
That damned question bouncing around in his head distracting him from the present he failed to register the waiter coming back with two glasses and a jug of water, one which Ayane picked up and poured their drinks.
"Jake…" the violet-haired girl shook him by the arm as she called out to him, breaking him out of that little prison in his mind that he been backing himself into since this evening began. The young man gasp once he had been freed to breathe the free air of his present reality.
Concern in her voice, she touches his hand with hers gently reminding him that she's here. Taking it a step further, she asks him. "Are you sure you're alright? We can tell them to box it up for us and we can go home…" Ayane offered, left hand ready to raise and hail a waiter over to their table when his voice stopped her.
Forcefully, he assured her that he was alright. "Just a lot on my mind," as he put it. How do you ask something without being awkward? Love or lust… again, those words bounced around in his head like some game of pinball.
Be direct, the tiny voice in his head told him to. Beating around the bush was just going to increase the anxiety that was already sweating his palms. Ayane, her eyes were still on him. Now he felt guilty. Tonight was supposed to be a night where he wanted her to feel normal. Instead he had to bring the weight of the world to their dinner.
"I…-uh, I been meaning to ask…"
Nothing from Ayane to indicate that she was going to stop him from saying what needed to be said. Taking in a breath and releasing, he soldiers on. "I…I hope you don't take this the wrong way…"
-0000-
Excerpt from Jake's Journal entry number?
For what felt like the longest moment of my life, I told her everything from budding feelings to rebounds and all the emotional mess. I told her I had some form of feelings for her, love or lust? I'm still trying to figure that part out.
It feels like my mind was tearing itself apart, and this tear in my chest that keeps growing each day…I'm lost in my own world where I don't know whether I love this girl or the idea of loving her, which one is it? Is it bad to have thoughts of fucking her brains out? Is it wrong that I have thoughts of her fucking my brains out?
Either way, I wasn't going to keep emotions like these inside, they could poison me…and I don't need poison in me.
-0000-
Dinner went by without any awkwardness following Jake's tell-all. Now Ayane didn't outright rejected him, but doesn't seem like she reciprocated either. Maybe it was a woman thing, you know? Where you have to really try to notice the smallest changes in body language, how their eyes look, how they move or wave their arms, their voice when they talk… those kind of things.
The young man had to tap into his inner soldier to read the smallest details to so much as make out how she perceives him and his words following that little confession. They ate when their food came, had small talk here and there, and drank their drinks.
Jake paid the bill and they left the restaurant to walk the plaza where around them was only love. Happy couples and the like, all of them going about their lives as they do.
"I wanna try something…." Jake said to her when they had reached home and were inside his apartment. His voice was low almost a whisper, uncertain yet determined, her back was a mere inches from the wall, her shorter frame staring up at him in that dark room but she could see the way his eyes were half-lidded as if whatever emotions within were trying to convey themselves through those clouded pools of brown.
Her ears picked up the beating heart in his chest like a worker taking a hammer to a wall. The way his breathing was….as if he'd just ran a full 150 meter sprint. "What is it?" her voice whispered back. The shorter girl brought her hands up almost automatically to press themselves against his chest where she felt his burning hot skin through his shirt.
"I wanna kiss you…- I am going to kiss you," he affirmed, more to himself than her, as in the back of his mind there was still that little bit of caution he told himself to take as this was Ayane he was about to touch his lips to.
"Please don't hit me…"
She shook her head, no. Ayane wanted to see this. Something stirred inside of her, a voice telling her to let this…whatever it was to flow. A chance at normalcy. A chance of real intimacy. Jake's arms each pressed against the wall space beside her, trapping her in a cage of his body, his head leans down just as hers turns up with lips slightly parted and now her own breathing is picking up as they neared one another until…- it was like a million explosions. She's kissed before but mostly to put up a ruse, never had she been kissed with such delicateness…or so intimately.
Her hands slide up his chest to his shoulders, and around his neck and she pulls herself closer to him.
"Mmmm…" she moans as the need for air forces them to part and she stares up, blush marring her face but hidden by the dark. She sucks on her lips to still taste him on them. She…loves it. "That was…."
"Good?"
"Yeah…"
"You want to…"
No further words were needed between the two that night as Ayane pushes herself up against him and take his lips with hers.
-0000-
The morning sun streaming through the tiny slit gaps of the curtain came to found the young man not alone in bed. Nothing beyond kissing had gone on between them, and Ayane found it to have been her best sleep in ages.
Her red eyes took in Jake's sleeping features. This had to be the second time they have shared a bed but with different circumstances. Slim fingers traced the corners of his lips to memorize their feel against her skin. He stirs but does not wake and she continues her ministration of taking all of him in.
The slight flutter of his eyelids… he's dreaming, she thought.
What are you doing, Ayane? The question floats about like some blip over her head, her arms go underneath his and held onto his back…that strong back of his. Through the shirt, she feels the scars beneath the fabric tracing them as gingerly as a cat.
Jake stirs in his sleep and the hands that held her waist slide up ever so slightly, their movements delicious against her sensitive waist that she hitched a moan and her body to jump and press itself against his larger frame.
DAMN YOU! She screamed at him in her head. Those same hands on her body were the same ones that caressed her, worshiped her, found places on her body that she didn't know could get certain reactions from her.
Ayane pulls on her lips contemplating the question of whether or not she should get up; it would mean leaving the comfortable and safe confines of arms so she could take on the day, or she could stay and indulge in this…normalcy. It was a lot to take in really. Were they moving too fast? Were they even moving at all? This and that's being thrown around like a ball in a pinball machine and the questions much like the scores kept going up and up.
She would need some guidance. But who? When it came to deep cover missions, only two people have been the unsuspecting-type. They are Momiji and Kasumi.
Momiji had once spent 6 months as an American Offices of Naval Intelligences Officer in the Middle East under the name of Kaia Matsumoto. It's how she and her husband Jeremy met.
Then there was Kasumi who did a year as a high school student as part of a protection detail for a student that was being targeted by assassins. He was some big shot son, the details of Kasumi's operations were kept under lock and key.
Now that she thought about it, her clan and many like it, the other ninja clans did take certain jobs if only to fund the village and it's people and other future operations. How else would the clan eat?
Assassination, protection, sabotage, and intelligence gathering are just a few of the contracts the clan takes. There were a few others but she's only been involved in Assassination and Sabotage. Intelligence gathering was a bit of a weak spot for her – the clan found her brash approach too reckless for reconnaissance as she would try to prevent a war before there even is one as the elders would put it. Too direct and lack finesse that is required of a ninja.
Sabotage was good, but too many times her acts of sabotage made the morning paper – two years ago it was a ship exploding in the docks (which crippled a Dutch drug running ring from seizing a foot hold in Japan). Then some months later, it was a car chase across half of Tokyo which totaled 15 police cruisers, a transport truck carrying a load of imported vehicles, and 4 civilian vehicles (3 SUVs and a sedan) all of which with the council of elders having some sway with the Japanese government made sure that Ayane's face didn't pop up on the internet or media.
She on the other hand received a tongue lashing from the council of Elders, Hayate and Ryu for her reckless behavior. And they gave her 3 strikes – she already has 2. One more and she's off the field. She'd be lucky if they kept her working the beat as a village guard. If life was a movie, then she was living in Bad Boys, except it's just her as Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and the entire world being Captain Howard yelling at her.
Damn the council for all she cared – at the end of the day, she was the one producing the results from their little contracts. She was the one out here sticking her neck out (quite literally at times), risking life and limb for the clan while they're sweating on and on about a PR disaster.
The world and her clan may think of ninjas as scalpels carefully cutting their way in the world, but sometimes you need a sledgehammer. Either way, a lot of it is irrelevant as the results speak for themselves.
Jake's lips kissing her forehead brought her back to the present to smile at him before she pushes her face a little closer to his for a proper lingering kiss. Exchanging pleasantries of good morning and how did you sleep, the new couple – though still debated by the two of them – stared at one another, no thoughts being passed around in their heads, just savoring the little moment of levity from the past nights events.
"Are we really doing this?"
"Yes, we are…" a pause from her, "yes, we are doing this." She repeats.
Later, the couple separated if only to just get through the day. Jake had work, and Ayane had….well, stuff to do. But first . . .
"Mind checking the mail for me while I finish up breakfast?"
"Sure," and that's where it all went dark for her.
The mail, upsetting as the contents were, she had to put off any anger momentarily just till Jake's off to work. To avoid any suspicion on his end, she handed him the mail, credit card bills and magazine subscriptions and the like, but kept that one envelope addressed to her in her back pocket.
"I'll walk you to the station," she said mid-bite of her bacon, offering no further response from that. She still kept up small talk but her mind…her anger, oh was it like wielding a sword with a handle that was burning white hot and the urge to throw it at someone was getting harder and harder to put off.
Yet Ayane, for all her confrontational, abrasive and upfront nature, kept the façade of everything being normal going all throughout breakfast. They both had a good night and a morning, while hers was far from it with that envelope, his was not and she just…-just as long as he's unaware.
And Ayane knew whom she was gonna throw this sword at.
"So what's the bag for?" The young man nodded at the black military-styled backpack she strapped across her shoulders.
Ayane answers, "job hunting," she lies. "I thought if I'm gonna be here then I might as well have something to do to support myself." Which was a half lie. She did indeed needed to support herself, but the truth is, money was never a problem for a kunoichi like her, or for any ninja for that matter.
Speaking honest to god, each job makes the clan 6 figures and they're taking a lot of jobs. To reiterate, how does a hidden clan fund itself? Contracting work, of course – to put it plainly, within a year and a half, a single ninja could be a millionaire themselves.
It is not so strange when you think about it. The ninjas were mercenaries and contract killers to begin with, and in todays' socio-political climate, there were high demands from a lot of people in high places as there were demands from people in low places.
When the government wants someone dead, they don't send in Special Forces. They give the clans a call.
When a crime lord wants tie up loose ends, they dial the number to the clan.
Government contracts were clear cut: the clan claims whatever assets the deceased left behind – gold bars, weapons, money – with the exception on narcotics that are disposed of and on condition all assets are evenly split. The government needs to sell evidence to the outside world any and every time a terror organization or crime syndicate was taken out; something to tell the public that their government does work
Wire transfers were utilized, yes but they found it easier to just take from the dead. What's it to them anyways? They're dead.
Underworld contracts were tricky. Crime lords thinking they could pull the wool over the clans' eyes – to pay a ninja clan, the Mugen Tenshin at least, in narcotics was to court death itself.
Too many times, some crime lord thinks they could curry favor from a clan – unknowingly insulting them – by paying them, attempting to at least, in contraband that was viewed unfavorably by the clans.
Japanese and Global news have covered the cases of decapitated heads hanging from neon signs of criminal operated nightclubs and alleyways, most of it interpreted by the media and the people as crime organization rivalries gone awry.
And the Mugen Tenshin, with the various clans in Japan prefer to keep it that way – let the sheep graze in blissful ignorance while the sheepdog hunts the wolves that delve in the dark places.
Times may have changed but the clan runs itself like a business.
But having a job was still somewhat needed to maintain a cover in the public eye. Too many questions being asked around nowadays and this would throw them off her scent trail if ever suspicion ever arose.
That or she could just kill them, but that would defeat the purpose of a deep cover op.
Would that make her staying with Jake a deep cover operation?
Ayane shrugs, that bridge will be crossed when she gets there.
Jake pulls his lips to the left in a half-smile, half-smirk way and tells her, "good luck then," as they descended the stairs into the metro where, like clockwork, the train screeches to a halt to announce its arrival to the awaiting passengers.
"See you later," the young man kisses her forehead just before boarding. "Let me know how it goes," the doors shut with a thump before the metal tube starts humming down the rails.
Ayane adjusted the backpack carrying her ninja gear and goes up the stairs she came down with Jake. A single question burning in the back of her mind, "Where the hell are you?!"
-0000-
If looks could kill, then surely he would have been dead ten times over – there she stood in all her armored glory. The bastard daughter of the Mugen Tenshin. The dark daughter of Ayame. The hellspawn of Raidou. If he squinted a little perhaps adding some inches to her height she might have been a genderbent mirror image of her father.
"YOU?!" she seethed, stomping forward to him with fist clenched and the very thought of clocking him across the face on her mind.
Placing the bowl of dog food on the ground, the little buggers that people left behind to fend for themselves ran up to the silver round platter and gorged themselves on dog chow. Dusting his hands, the leader of the okami stared at the approaching black and purple figure.
"Me?" the okami leader pointed at himself, almost as if he was mocking her. Goldfang knew why she sought him out. Surprised more so that she found him too. He'd always been the more elusive…downright mysterious member of the Council of Elder's personal death army.
Then again, it was his own doing…he did bring her over here that one time. I should probably relocate my puppies, Gold Fang thought. Turning to face Ayane with arms crossed and a wicked grin underneath his mask.
He chuckled because it would piss her off even more. He knew. Goldfang reveled in her blind rage – her fatal flaw – when triggered, all she saw was red and that was her chink in her otherwise impenetrable armor of brash and rude comments. Her own anger, her undoing.
Goldfang dodges the right cross moments before it could connect with his jaw. More laughter beneath that sharp teeth half face mask of his echoes. A kick, a jab, a throw of a kunai, the swipe of her ninjato…all misses. Ayane was winding herself down without realizing it.
Blinded she was by rage and failing to see the puppet master's string that Goldfang pulled and tugged to beat of his own drums that which Ayane was dancing to. "My, my, aren't we feisty this very fine morning!" the okami laughed, "woke up on the wrong side of bed did we…or, did Jake run out of your favorite cereal?" the mention of his name had her grit her teeth and growl like some feral animal.
This was getting much too fun for Goldfang. But too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and he still wanted to be able to enjoy his toys a while longer before he had to dispose of them. He dodges a leg sweep from the purple haired angry kitten and… BOOM!
SMOKE SCREEN! Ayane coughed.
"If you asked me, I'd say that it's damn fine police work!" the okami leader's voice spoke through thick clouds of gray-white smoke. The dark princess followed that voice hoping she could get one hit on that person before he slipped between her fingers.
His comment…remark had been aimed at her question of, 'what the hell is this?' and the manila folder she had tucked in pant pocket.
The cloud disperses and he was gone. But where he stood, the leader of the okami left behind something for her. Another manila folder.
-0000-
"The okami?" Hayate mused, looking over the contents from the manila folders Ayane produced for him.
Ayane's patience ticked away with the seconds. "Yes…" she answered him, again. The girl grew frustrated with her half-brother.
Hayate pushed the folders and their contents back to her after looking over them. "That is a serious accusation, even for you, little sister." He sipped from his drink. Of course he doubted her, Ayane thought. If Ryu were here he would…
"He would say the same thing…" her half-brother finished that line of thought for her. The Okami were...-are the premier troop of the Council of Elders, deployed for the most sensitive of missions. Her accusations groundless with proof that could be dismissed as foul play. Why would the Council's most elite be bothered with someone like her?
In their eyes, she was only a lowly soldier with no hope of climbing up the ranks to being an okami much less a royal guard of her house, if she had a house to serve. Kasumi, him…they were different, they were born of their father and mother, and they are the family's royal house guard.
But Ayane…she was a bastard born of rape. A stain.
"I know life within the clan had been anything but kind…"
How could he? Ayane knew where this was leading to. But how could he think so little of her?
The purple haired kunoichi taped into her training, the walls came up, and the waterworks are dammed for now. Her breathing is slow…and her heart was slowing down. It was taking a lot to get these emotions in-check.
"This isn't about me…or the clan!" she choked the words out without giving off a hint of sadness or the cries that were clawing on the doors wanting to come out. "But I am telling you that the okami are planning something and they're trying to keep me out of their way by threatening…"
"Threatening Jake…" Hayate scoffed, "again sister, why the okami wouldbe interested in a company mercenary like him? What significances does he have to the clan that would warrant them being deployed?"
"I know you, Ayane…"
Ayane cursed him, he didn't know her!
"Life in the clan…"
Again, this isn't about that! Inside she was screaming at him – Hayate was a fine brother but he never heard her! There's a difference to listening to someone and actually hearing them.
"If this is an attempt of any kind to downplay or dishonor –" She heard nothing after that last word. Hayate was effectively tuned out as he went on and on about whatever it is he was talking about, her!
Please! She was begging him to for once forgo the title of head of the house. To forgo the title of council seat holder! To forgo everything that connected him to the Mugen Tenshin and be a big brother to her for just one fucking second and listen to her!
"Then I think you should really take a step back and see the kindness the clan has given in the wake of recent events…your murder of your own two men. Be grateful the clan saw that it would need all its best fighters. That the council graced you with leniency and saw fit to grant you a chance to make up for your crimes. We have bigger problems then your quarrel with the clan – what is it that the Americans always say to their soldiers? HEAD IN THE GAME, Soldier!"
Oh, so that's it then? She just laid it all out in front. Even if there was a slight chance some members of the council would look into it…look into their own troops, all of that swept away with a single wave of his hand because he thinks it's about some petty squabble she had with the clan?
"I am overseer for the council. I report to them…be glad I do not report this back to them. Because if I did..." Hayate pauses, "I would hate to kill my own half-sister." Then he left her to her lonesome at that booth staring at the scattered pictures of Jake and her.
That's how she found herself in her room staring in the mirror at her reflection. It feels like the world turned its back to her. Should she cry? That whole conversation with Hayate left a sour taste in her mouth. So much that she'd forgotten about the walls she put up to hold back the emotions and tears.
Her own brother dismissing her…
So she'd just have to do this by herself. Make waves until the council and Hayate cannot ignore her!
-0000-
"We have our first mission!" the briefing packets were passed around the room, one for each member of Team Hitman – dark blue three-ringed binders with stacks of paper enough to fill a textbook containing the intelligence gathered by agents out in the field, those spooks that belonged to those 3-letter agencies.
Overseer Gideon was flanked on both sides by spooks. On his right, a man that stood at shoulder height of the overseer dressed in a dark suit and blonde hair combed neatly. He seemed important, but it was the woman to the left that projected an image of authority…and she carried it too.
Her name is Special Agent Francine Williams of the CIA, head of Special Activities Division. That alone told Jake just how deep this went if her division was involved – he wondered if somewhere in the building, maybe the cafeteria or rec room was a squad of Navy SEALs, or Delta Force operators that were being brought in to carry out this first mission, and the lowly mercs were just there for additional muscle/security.
But still, it was best to ask a question instead of assuming. "Sir, what's our role in this operation?"
"You'll be spearheading this operation, boys."
Jake nodded, "No further question, sir."
"Consult your briefing packs. All the information is on it, any further questions you may come to me, or Agent Williams here. Just know, a month from now we're deploying – some changes will be made: all TF Hitman personnel will board here until this mission is crossed off the board. This is a safety measure to prevent information leaks. Training is at 5 a.m. PT will be carried out as usual but we will be conducting more kill house and live fire training. Any further questions?"
Silence. Only silence from the men of Task Force Hitman.
"You're not on lockdown, you'll be allowed to leave as you please for any errands or just to stretch out your legs. But for now, the DOATEC PMC Barracks will be your temporary home."
The men nodded.
"Hitman, dismiss!"
First mission – can he really say it is his first mission? He did deploy once. Semantics, he argued and pushed the thought away.
Jake said to himself, "I'm gonna take the scenic route home."
Author's note: I hope this year has been treating you all well. Wow, it's unbelievable how close we are to ending 2021, just two more months and it's 2022 - I hope you all take this time to not only work on yourselves as opposed to waiting for the new year. Why carry burdens of this year when you can shed them now and move on to bigger and better things next year.
Anyways, we are slowly building up to the present in the story as we near the post-operation for Jake. The myterious Okami continue to pull their strings from the shadows but now the people around Ayane are being dragged into it. What is it are they trying to do? What will the investigation of Ryu, and Jeremy and Momiji yield as they look into the deaths of their warriors.
Stay tuned for the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy this