One Night, Tonight

Kaede and Akira sat in the back seat while the car was in motion, taking them to the private hospital Mitsui owned. Akira watched him, and felt a ping of relief that tonight had gone as Kaede's planned. Although the bit about Sawakita acting like a fucking looney at the end kind of confused him.

He kept asking in his mind, what had caused Sawakita to act out like that? Was it because of Akira? He thinks. He asked Akira for once earlier, what happened during that time out session when they disappeared from view? And why did Sawakita decide to let Akira go all of a sudden?

Kaede knew a guy like Sawakita wouldn't just up and let someone go that easily, especially if he had some sort of control over them. Was Sawakita in love with Akira?

Kaede himself sure didn't act like that with Akira during their early days. He only saw him as his maid, until he became totally captivated by Akira, and the rest was history. But Sawakita had behaved differently.

He'd suspected Sawakita had a secret crush with Akira. In simple words, Sawakita was no straight too.

Whatever Sawakita's purpose was for letting Akira go, Kaede knew he had to be cautious. He'd already suspected Sawakita had something up his sleeve, and he wasn't one to just relax and go with the flow. Kaede needed to protect his lover, and Akira was now one of the important person in his life's.

Saving Akira today didn't necessarily mean he was safe. Akira needed to be put in a safe house, one where Sawakita and his men wouldn't be able to track him.

Deciding that that was the best option necessary, Kaede could now relax. He eased back into his chair, folded his arms, and looked at his beloved. Akira.

A small smile played on his lips when his gaze shifted to his lover. Yeah. He'd found him. He was his Akira. A little boy he'd met for once a long time ago. He was his life blood. He truly had captivated his entire life and soul. And he'd be broken if Akira was hurt. That's why protecting Akira was his first priority, because he was an important person he loved. If something were to happen to Akira, then Kaede would have a direct effect.

With eyes still on them, he made some calls. And just when he had finished his call and was about to hang up, something Akira said caught his attention.

"Are we going back to Mansion?"

Kaede blinked twice, trying to register what Akira had just said. He had no idea when this decision was made. And clearly, he wasn't consulted in the matter.

Kaede also laughed. Had their relationship reached this level where they had so much trust in each other that they assumed the other would agree to whatever they had decided?

Fucking God. He'd never thought the day would come when he would listen to his man spouting shit and all he could do was just nod his head in agreement like a damn lovesick puppy. Still, he sat there with a foolish smile on his face, listening to his lover yakking away.

"But first, Fujima is taking us to the hospital. We need to make sure you are okay. Then we'll all check ourselves into one of the hotel Miyagi owns. You definitely knowing Miyagi, right? He's the nice guy with curly hair that was sitting next to me. He's very nice. He talk much about his life. Oh, yes, and the hospital we are going to, it's private and very well protected. Only VIP are allowed to enter. Like...mmm...what is that word..." He was thinking, rubbing his back neck, one of his usual habits he came to know, when he suddenly put Kaede on the spot. "Kaede, what's that word? You know, only those people who are like you can enter."

"Elite," he supplied just as fast, the first word that came to his mind.

Akira seemed to be very satisfied with his answer. He smiled to him. "Yes, the elite. So you don't have to worry about Sawakita following us. If he does, I'll give him a kick in the nut."

Kaede tried to stifle his laugh, but he wasn't successful. If he knew his lover better, he would know how much of a rambling mess Akira was.

But deep in his intuition, he knew Akira was making him smile on purpose, and he could tell his lover was doing a good job because Kaede wouldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face.

His lover really was one amazing person. He was like the bright sun, shinning its warmth on all of them, the heat so desperately needed after that fight a few hours ago.

"Now, where was I?" Akira continued. "Yes, the itinerary. After one night at the hotel, we'll take the plane back to Kanagawa the next morning, and we'll stay at the Mansion."

Kaede nodded, agreeing with everything his lover said. "So, you're the boss now?"

"No. I'm your lover."

Kaede sighed, a big broad smile on his face. He will happily resign to his fate if he could just see his lover happy like this.

This was wrong. So fucking wrong. It was Akira. He was making a big fucking fuss about everything. And the first fuss was staying in the hospital together.

As soon as they had descended out of the car a few hours back, both them ended up with a thorough examination, courtesy of his lover who had initiated the whole thing, since he just wouldn't shut up about how he'd gone through a big fight and needed to be checked for any damage.

Come on! It wasn't like he was on death's door. It was just a few fucking bruises. Big deal. But he could never win against his verbal battle and just one look at him sad face sealed Kaede fate. Kaede just couldn't deal with that sad bunny-eyes look Akira gave off whenever he wanted to win something. So be it.

And now, not a few hours after that, Kaede found himself deposited in a room only a few doors down from other patients. And quite frankly he was pissed. Pissed and fucking exhausted.

It was a long day. From arriving in Akita early in the morning to driving to Sawakita's residence out in the middle of nowhere, to having their fistfight late in the evening. And now here they all are, in the hospital, well into the middle of the night. Kaede just wanted to shut his eyes for a few seconds so he could rest, but sitting here in the hospital bed, watching his lover running between the two rooms like a headless chicken had him wide awake.

What was he doing? It was well past midnight, and his underlings had already gone back to their hotel.

But there was no use telling him that. His lover was one headstrong men. Even when he adamantly and specifically stated that he wished to fucking go home after the hospital checkup, his underlings, and Akira, being the leader of the clan, had stamped his foot down and told him to stay for at least one night.

"Akira, stop fussing around and come here. It's late," he said, ushering him over.

"But, Kaede. I think you need an extra pillow." He was already at the closet, pulling out the extra pillow and tugging it under his arm.

"What I need is to fuck you so I can get some sleep."

"You can't tonight."

"Why the hell not? After what I've done today, I think I deserve some prize from you."

"We are in the hospital. Maybe when we get home?"

Kaede roughly combed his hair in exhaustion. Akira was right. He wasn't thinking straight. He just needed the sleep.

"Fine. Whatever. Just come here. I need my body pillow." And when Kaede said body pillow, he meant Akira. Because he knew now he couldn't sleep without Akira next to him.

Akira nodded his head. "Okay. I'll go wash up then come over."

Kaede waited. He looked around the room and was glad that Mitsui had provided him with a bedroom suite with a queen-size bed to say the least. Just perfect for Akira to settle up close beside him tonight.

Kaede didn't have to wait long. After fifteen minutes, his lover emerged out of the shower in a pair of pajamas he'd bought for him. He quickly slid under the blanket and right into his arms, burying his face at the crook of his neck. Blissful. This was his body pillow.

Akira murmured some nonsensical thing which just made Kaede smile like a fucking idiot. "Does it hurt a lot, Kaede? Are you in pain?"

Kaede chuckled. Akira watched him with that confused expression on his face. He kissed the scowl away and cuddled him close. "If it's gonna take this much injury for you to pay attention to me, I'll happily get punched any time of the day."

"You don't need to get punched for me to pay attention to you. I'll always pay attention to you."

Akira lay in his arms, and they quietly listened to each other breathing, the silence their companion. When Kaede almost drifted off to sleep, he heard a soft whisper beside his ear. "Thank you, Kaede. You were so brave tonight. Thank you for saving me."

They laced their fingers together, and Kaede fell into a deep comfortable sleep, with a soft happy smile on his face. Until he woke up the next morning with the face of a sour lemon.

"Wholly fuck!" he swore, almost jumping out of his skin, when the first thing he saw upon waking was Sakuragi's redhead and his big smiles, all displayed right in his face. "I was having such a sweet dream until I saw your doaho face. What the fuck are you doing here early in the morning? And where is Akira?"

"He talk with someone's. A woman. Akira said, it was his sister."

"What?" he said, shocked. Hmmm. His mind drifted to Akira's sister. Ayumi Sendoh. Akira had told him once about his family. He wondered how she can find her brother. Why suddenly she came out of nowhere? He just hoped Akira could help deal his sister.