I'll Play the Fool [Closed]

[Rina]

Cerulean eyes stolidly stared on as droplets of water fell from their canister and sprinkled the flowers below in a well-deserved shower. The man wielding the watering can let out a malcontent sigh. How on earth did he go from missions assassinating the heads of infamous gangs to flower duty? Oh, that's right. A single shot of sake.

Tamaki was never a heavy drinker, nor did he ever intend to be. However, he was fond of the bitterness of the alcoholic beverage, and occasionally took refuge in a few shots after a hard day's work. He never thought badly about his habit, after all, he never did it excessively, and none of the others seemed to mind it either. That is until Kain walked in on one Tamaki's midnight shot sessions and chewed him out for it.

Something about assassins and alcohol not mixing was all Tamaki got from the ranting leader of the organization. Then again, he never dared to drink before a mission. Of course he could see where Kain was coming from, though. It had to be uneasy having one of his organization's top assassins drunk when an enemy infiltration could take place at any time. But Tamaki was always careful not to drink too much. He never liked the though of having impaired motor skills.

Dragging the bucket back to the spigot on the side of the house, he refilled the watering can before returning to the rose bushes. Tilting the can, he allowed water to flow out in soft trickles to the plants below.

Despite disliking his new gardener duty, he couldn't help but take it seriously. His mother used to have a garden which she took great care of. "Isn't it great to be able to produce something so pretty, Maki-kun? Even with the smallest amount of love, flowers are able to bloom beautifully. But don't forget the water and sunlight of course!"

A soft exhale escaped from his nose, a slight chuckle from him. His mother was clueless and naive, but those were also her strong points. Despite how silly and childish she often sounded, there was usually wise advice wrapped within her words.

Subtly shaking his head to rid the flashback, he proceeded to watch the droplets of water trickle onto flowers below. How much water had he used already? Picking his head up, he noted his watering duties was only half completed. There was still the west portion of the garden that needed tending to.

Allowing a soft "Hn," to escape his lips, he set down the watering jug and strode over to the marble bench that sat adjacent to the center fountain and laid down on it. "I'll only close my eyes for a few minutes.." he muttered, sprawling out for his morning nap.

[Kitty]

Usually, Katanai was rather fond of the garden at base. It was ironic that an organization of assassins would be the caretakers to a patch of beauty that must closely resemble that of the Garden of Eden. Growing up in a desert, it was rare to see plants of any sort other than cacti and other such plants that would not mind the lack of rain. True enough, her parents kept various sorts of cut flowers and potted plants in the house, but not even the most beautiful potted flower could hold a candle to the beauty of a plant that had the freedom to spread its roots in any way it pleased. Occasionally, she would carefully pluck dead petals and branches off of the plants on her own free will--she knew that such as small gesture would help the plant to grow.

Today, Katanai was in no mood to be in the garden. Actually, she wanted to leave as soon as she possibly could. The usually serene air was tarnished by a dark cloud of anticipation. This tense feeling was worse than anything she would feel on a typical mission. At least on a mission she had a general idea of what to expect. This time, she had no idea what was going to occur. All she knew was that she was tricked foolishly by a man who had thoughtlessly barged into her room the previous night. He chatted with her in a way that made her angry and uncomfortable, then he challenged her to come to the garden, saying that he would tell Tamaki "how she really felt" if she did not.

Considering the fact that she was unsure of how to define her feelings toward her semi-frequent mission partner, she was certain that Arata's plan was to make up something dreadful. Considering she worked well in the fray of battle with Tamaki, she did not want the poison-laced words of an unfamiliar figure making things uncomfortable for her further down the road. At least, that's the reason she pinned to it whilst showering earlier that morning. She honestly did not know what exactly it was about Arata that made her feel so uncomfortable, or why she cared so much about what he would say to Tamaki. All she knew was that she did not appreciate it in the slightest.

So far, she had not run into either of the men. Perhaps this was another way for Arata to toy with her. The man was more of a spider than anything, so she would not put it past him to devise such a strange plan. At the same time, she figured that the possibility of him not making an appearance was nothing more than wishful thinking. From what she learned of him in their battle of word and thought from the previous night, he was the kind of man that backed his threats with action.

The center fountain was in view. She figured that this would be a suitable place to wait for Arata to make his grand entrance. "A sufficient battle ground," thought to herself. Smoothing the back of her skirt to prevent the cloth from bunching or wrinkling, she took a seat on the edge of the fountain, positioning herself sideways. In this way, she was narrowly avoiding the fountain's spray.

She scanned the flowers that were nearby. She could not help but admit to herself that the garden was still ironically beautiful. If it were not for her current predicament, she would have been entirely at peace. Instead, she waited for the spider to return, hoping his foolish game would not carry on too long.

[xJaxx]

So today was the day. Although he would've liked to draw out his teasing a bit more, he decided the only way to crush the feline-featured woman was to do it immediately and swiftly. After all, the slower the predator injures the prey, the bigger the chance the prey has to escape. And he couldn't afford the kitten to escape from his grasp.

After waking up, Arata took a pleasurably long shower and decided to relax in his room for a while. After all, the longer he took to arrive, the more anxious his little play mate would become. Perhaps she thought his words were empty threats. But that's not how he was. His words never spoke nearly as loud as his actions, but his actions would be sure to follow regardless.

He took his grand old time strolling to the garden. He was in no hurry. Perhaps the longer he drew out his arrival time, the more interesting things would turn out. But regardless, he was sure his little kitten would be armed and prepared for a battle. No matter how long he took, she would still make his game interesting to play.

Following the cobblestone walkway, he zig-zagged his way through the labyrinth of bushes and flowers. He was never fond of flowers, and he found it strange that an organization of killers would find a garden a suitable outdoor area to have around base, but it offered a unique atmosphere, nonetheless.

It was the perfect scenery to break a young woman's heart. He could almost picture her broken stare, the tiny droplets of salty tears clouding her crimson eyes and eventually collecting in such great mass, that they would spill onto her porcelain cheeks. He could envision her petite hands, clutching the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning white from her grip. He could hear the faint murmur of sobs as she tries to hold them back. The imagery coaxed him to quicken his pace, to reach her sooner.

He trudged along the pathway, anticipation building within him. After a few minutes of a fluid gait, he found himself face-to-face with his prey, who was perched on the edge of the center fountain.

Perhaps to another person, she was cute, perhaps beautiful. Maybe, just maybe, someone was interested in the feline-like woman, despite her abnormal characteristics. Perhaps someone saw her for who she was. A strong, intelligent, beautiful woman--

Arata stopped himself in mid-thought and suppressed a sneer. Yeah, right. She was the kind of person only a mother would love, if that. But perhaps her 'uniqueness' played the court in his favor. No one would take pity on her if she ended up hurt, would they?

He stopped a few feet away from her, a smug grin pulling at his lips. "Fancy seeing you here, Kitten."

[Rina]

The faint echo of footsteps awoke Tamaki from his light slumber. Despite the garden's beauty, it rarely received visitors so early in the morning. Most of the people at base weren't morning people, and he could definitely vouch for them.

He hated mornings. The only decent aspect that made them somewhat tolerable was the fact that the temperate never reached its climax in the morning. It wasn't until later in the afternoon that the sun would give him all hell.

Letting out a soft grunt, he decided to ignore the initial footfalls and continue one with his nap. He doubted it was an enemy infiltration. And if it was, he would know as soon as they attempted to attack him. After all, it would be his fault for not opening his eyes to investigate.

A few silent moments passed before he heard another set of footsteps. This time, heavier, yet nearly as graceful as the ones before them. So he was being surrounded by spies. Whether or not they were comrades or enemies was yet to be determined, though.

"Fancy seeing you here, Kitten."

So the two were possibly a couple looking for some alone time in the garden. Tamaki let out a soft exhale. Whoever the hell they were, they were interrupting his nap. And he didn't take kindly to intrusions.

Opening his eyes, he allowed his gaze to follow the direction the voice came from. A red haired man seemed to be amused, a smug smirk playing on his lips. 'How troublesome,' he thought irritably to himself, lifting his head to get a better view of the presumed couple. He blinked the sleep from his eyes as he focused on the second individual, a strangely familiar face with unique characteristics.

There was no doubt in his mind that the female in the relationship was Katanai, the dual swordsress who often accompanied him on missions. She never seemed like the one to enjoy other's company, but perhaps he was mistaken. Obviously she seemed to be interested in the men around base, correct?

Part of him wanted to get up and leave, in order to preserve their privacy, but the other half, the lazier half, decided against it. After all, they'd sense his presence at some point in time and leave him for the privacy of one of their rooms. Beside, he was there first. Everyone at base knew that if Tamaki was there before anyone else, it'd be nearly impossible to get him to leave unless he decided to.

And despite all that, there was a faint prick of interest that made him decide to lay low for a little and see how things would unfold between his occasional partner and the smug man before her.

[Kitty]

"Fancy seeing you here, Kitten."

The tone in Arata's voice bothered her to the point that she actually allowed herself to let out an audible scoff. It was quiet, of course, but in this place, even silence made a noise. The combination of the early morning setting and the ridiculous scenario seemed to take away from her patience. It was a good thing that people of their trade rarely had any major assignments during the day's early hours. They were most definitely creatures of the night around here.

"Arata-san," she replied flatly, bowing her head momentarily in greeting. Even if she was less than happy to see him, she always tried to put on a light foundation of courtesy. "I trust you slept well?" Her tone was soft and to the stranger's ears, polite. To anyone who frequently conversed with her, however, her tone held blatant disinterest. Truthfully, she couldn't possibly have cared less about the man's sleeping conditions.

Her expression was solid and questioning. She did not even have to ask the question of why she was there aloud. It was obvious that Arata knew just as well as she did that he was the one at an advantage. Asking him outright would just make her sound sheepish or foolish. Katanai was not the kind of person to allow herself to be perceived as such.

Despite her not knowing the rules, she had come prepared to fight. As long as the spider was here, she would play his little game. That is, until she grew tired of it. Then, she would simply have to drop her manners and squash him beneath her eager paw.

"No doubt about it, this man is troublesome," she thought to herself, "But I admit, it is intriguing to have someone who wishes to play such an unusual game."

The main difference between spies and assassins was that it was easier for spies to work alone and assassins to work in teams. That is why she was not entirely familiar with the other spies of the organization. On the other hand, she was quite acquainted with some of the other assassins. While there was no doubt that the assassins (some more than others) had a relatively high level of intellect, it was more in the nature of spies to play mental games. It was practically their job, after all. It was interesting, in her opinion, to see what would unfold.

[xJaxx]

"Arata-san. I trust you slept well?"

"I slept well," he replied, offering a smile. If she was going to play the oblivious, then he would fight fire with fire until all her flames were extinguished. He knew very well that she was anticipating his plan and he was sure not to reveal it too early into the game. He still wanted to have some fun with her.

"How did you sleep, my dear Princess?" he questioned with forged interest. Grasping a strand of her hair and momentarily looking over it, he allowed another smile to replace his usual smug expression. "Were you anxious?"

He almost chuckled to himself. Of course she was anxious. She had no clue what he was planning for her. And of course, she wouldn't figure it out until it was too late. No matter how mentally prepared she was, she was no match for him. He was experienced, and she was stepping foot into new territory. She was on his home field now, and despite her confident front, he was sure she'd easily be crushed within a matter of moments.

He released her hair, letting it fall to her shoulder. He thought it gave the atmosphere a more dramatic air. He had planned his entire scheme the night prior, each little detail adding more and more suspense to the plot unfolding. By the end of the morning, he'd reappear victorious, and she'd be blindsided.

His tongue danced behind his lips, formulating and deciding which words would be put into action next. He finally found a new victim, and she seemed to make things interesting. His only regret was not drawing out his play time with her. She was more interesting than his other victims, and she offered a sense of defiance, which rose the stakes. And when you are as seasoned a player as he was, higher stakes meant a more pleasurable time.

[Rina]

"Arata-san. I trust you slept well?"

Tamaki couldn't help but notice the apathy shrouded within the crevasse of Katanai's question. Perhaps it was just him, but she seemed genuinely...well, pissed off. Then again, the man before her didn't seem like a daisy either. They must've gotten themselves in a lovers' quarrel of some sorts.

"I slept well. How did you sleep, my dear princess?"

Just the tone of the man's voice--Arata as he was called by her--made Tamaki want to venture back into the kitchen and finish off the sake he left behind the previous night. There was just something about Arata that made him irritable. Perhaps it was the fact that Arata intruded on his morning nap, or the fact that he just seemed to be a smart ass.

Running his fingers through his disheveled tresses, he let out a soft exhale. It's not that he particularly cared how Arata conversed with Katanai. Hell, he could care less if the red haired nuisance was talking to a ninety year old grandmother. He just had a problem with how Arata handled women in general.

Perhaps it was just the way he was raised, but Tamaki knew well enough to act like a gentleman and treat any woman with respect (although he found it hard to do so himself). And the ignorance in the man's tone seemed to set him off. "He would be better off as a mute," he thought crossly.

Allowing another sigh to escape from his lips, he closed his eyes. There was no use in getting irritated over matters that didn't concern him. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a slight concern for Katanai. After all, this Arata guy didn't seem like the beacon of happiness he tried to come off as.

[Kitty]

"I slept well. How did you sleep, my dear princess?"

Noting the feigned interest in Arata's voice, she quickly picked up on how this round of the game was to be played. He decided to continue this strange charade of comradeship, so she would have to follow suit until her turn came. "I fell asleep shortly after we last spoke," she said casually.

"Were you anxious?"

Giving a small smirk, she noted that her opponent had already tried to take the offensive. Unfortunately, she was not going to let him get to her so easily. She was used to the ways of spies. She just had to remind herself that for some reason, he decided last night to make a hobby of seeing what makes her tick and squirm. The game had begun last night, as soon as she had shown interest in his mind's workings.

"Not in the least," she said truthfully. "The closest I was to anxious today," she added, "was when my alarm dared to disturb me from such a peaceful slumber. I nearly did not come down to the garden this morning."

The way he released her hair was too dramatic for her taste. It seemed like this round of the game would be over soon enough. Then, she could get back to her usual routines. If there were no missions today, she could get some training done. Perhaps she would allow herself the recreation of sitting with her beloved feline companion, drinking a cup of black tea with milk and honey while the precious cat lapped milk out of a saucer.

Her ears twitched atop her head. There was the faint sound of a third presence. She could tell by a barely audible exhale. She clamped her teeth together. Who was watching this embarrassingly casual display? They must have been there from the start. If they would have so much as taken a step, she would have heard them right away.

Not much after she heard the exhale, she heard a slightly louder sigh. It took every ounce of her self-control to not glance over at the previously unknown presence. Was it just as she had dreaded on her way into the garden? Was it indeed Tamaki? If it was him, there was no doubt in her mind he was there from the start; she knew that her partner had a tendency to walk with irritatingly loud footsteps. Her irritation switched from being just on Arata to herself. Why had she not examined the premises beforehand? As an assassin and a spy, she had disgraced herself.

There was no time to slake her feverish curiosity. She was in the middle of a game. Even the slightest falter would cost her. Arata was the type that would definitely notice her eyes flickering curiously away from him and point it out. No matter how much it pained her, her hands were tied.

"What brings you here this morning?" she asked in a very casual tone, as if to let him know that she was not backing down. "Your move," she thought to herself, bones aching with malice.

[xJaxx]

"I fell asleep shortly after we spoke,"

Arata felt the slightest tinge of annoyance. How did she possibly manage to fall asleep after their confrontation? Was she really that aloof? Or was she fibbing, trying to get the ball in her court? Either way, he wasn't going to let it phase him. This was his game, and he wasn't going to lose.

"Not in the least."

Once again, irritability settled in. Who was she to pretend that she wasn't anxious? Of course she was. Any normal human being would be But then again, she wasn't what you'd classify as 'normal'. She, in fact, was on the exact opposite range of the spectrum.

"The closest I was to anxious today was when my alarm dared to disturb me from such a peaceful slumber. I nearly did not come down to the garden this morning."

"Oh, is that so?" He murmured, taking a few strides to arrive at her side. "So you would be accepting if I told our friend Ki-kun how you really felt?"

A sinister smirk tugged on his lips. There was no way he was going to let her take control. He was going to do everything in his power to break her down to size and squash her like the annoying kitten she was. After all, "cute" things weren't fit to exist in the world, anyway. They were just nuisances to the powerful.

Grabbing hold of her chin, he lifted her face so it would be eye-level with his. "You're a fearless one, aren't you, kitten?" he crooned, brushing his thumb against her lips. "Perhaps we'll have to tame this tiger, won't we?"

[Rina]

"I fell asleep shortly after we spoke,"

Tamaki couldn't help but let out a quiet exhale. He found amusement in other's rejections. Well, at least he found amusement when irritable people become rejected.

"Were you anxious?"

If his eyes were open, he would've probably rolled them. It was amazing how this guy was able to get into base. He had an ego the size of the entire village plus some.

"Not in the least. The closest I was to anxious today was when my alarm dared to disturb me from such a peaceful slumber. I nearly did not come down to the garden this morning."

This baffled Tamaki. Katanai wasn't the type to easily give in to others' orders--he knew from experience--yet why was she here? From the sounds of it, she was frustrated and disinterested in being in the garden, so why come? Normally, someone like her would ignore all invitation with a cold shoulder.

"Oh, is that so? So you would be accepting if I told our friend Ki-kun how you felt?"

Tamaki opened his eyes. 'Ki-kun'? Who was this bastard to call him 'Ki-kun'? He had never socialized with the likes of him. Who was he to call him on such intimate terms? He could feel his jaw clench at the thoughts of someone other than his younger sister using his nickname so freely. Who the hell did he think he was? He was no friend of Tamaki's, that's for sure.

Resisting the urge to reveal his position and show Arata who he was involving, Tamaki let out a barely audible "Hn." He wasn't going to let his temper get the best of him. At least not until he gathered enough information on why this guy was bringing him into it.

Carefully and subtly moving his hand along the fountain, his fingers found their way to the surface of the water. With a gentle touch, the water begun to slowly freeze over.

For now, Tamaki was going to wait until Arata noticed him to pick a fight. The fountain would be indication enough. He was ready. And he didn't take kindly to strangers pretending to be intimate with him.

[Kitty]

"Oh, is that so? So you would be accepting if I told our friend Ki-kun how you felt?"

Her eyes narrowed. Ah, yes. That was the reason she was there. Once again, she couldn't help but ask herself how exactly the spider planned to spin his web. Her anger began to simmer deep in pit of her stomach.

What if the third party was indeed Tamaki? What would he think of this little reveal? She hoped that he would not look into it too deeply if he was indeed there. Considering she did not even know what her "feelings" were, she hoped that her mission partner would not jump to any conclusions. It would be troublesome if their dynamic as fighters was thrown off.

At that moment, she heard a soft "hn" coming from the same direction as the disgruntled breathing. Yes, it was definitely Tamaki. There was no doubting that now. A smirk played on her lips. That was a typical noise Tamaki tended to emit when he was angered. One of her suspicions about Arata was confirmed: he did not know Tamaki on as personal a basis as he claimed to.

She no longer had to worry about Tamaki thinking too much into Arata's claims to know how she "felt" toward him. Katanai had found out rather quickly that the flaxen haired man was quite one-tracked in his anger. If he found something more frustrating than something else, he had a tendency toward abandoning the lesser annoyance and concentrating all his defiance into the larger problem. She now realized how lucky she was that he overheard Arata referring to him by such a familiar pet name.

It was not long before she noticed that the small spray she had felt from the fountain had disappeared. Instead, she felt a frosty chill beside her. If it weren't for the fact that she was positive that Tamaki was nearby, she would have originally written it off as getting a bad vibe from Arata. However, knowing Tamaki's tendency to use his power when provoked, she was certain that he had frozen the fountain. He was not going to stay hidden for much longer. Then, Arata's little "game" would come to an end. She would undoubtedly be the victor of this round.

"Check," she thought smugly to herself. It was hard not to feel over-confident. Try as he might, her next turn would involve sliding her piece into checkmate.

"You're a fearless one, aren't you, kitten?"

His hands felt foreign and threatening. It was quite the opposite of Tamaki's knowledgeable, medicinal touch. She felt uncomfortable whenever Arata set his hands on her--even if it would just be his fingers to a strand of her hair. Now, he dared to lay a firm grasp on her chin. If it were not for the fact that they were in the same organization and he would have severe consequences to deal with if he decided to kill her on a whim, she would have believed her life to be in danger.

"Perhaps we'll have to tame this tiger, won't we?"

It was a strange thing, feeling his thumb run over her lips. It was as if he was judging her. His touch still felt alien and unwelcome. Her eyes hardened, realizing that it was his turn. She had to hand it to him--he most certainly was a fighter.

"Oh?" she grumbled. It was obvious that he was not "enchanting" her or anything of the sort. All she had to do now was hang in until he realized that what he thought to be a masterpiece was simply a cobweb, easily swept away in a single, deliberate motion.

[xJaxx]

Arata could feel the sudden chill as it rose and filled the air with a bitter nip. It was unlikely for a summer's day to carry such a brisk breeze, even if it was still rather early in the afternoon. Was Katanai's tough front giving off a cold aura he could physically feel?

No. He noticed the difference in the fountain. It wasn't lazily spraying and lapping water like it did on a regular basis. It was frozen over, the icy surface reflecting everything above it. Normally, Arata wouldn't have thought twice about the fountain freezing over, but considering it was in the warmer months that it was taking place, he couldn't help but be baffled.

His eyes slid over to Katanai. What was her power again? Was it the ability to freeze liquid? No, it couldn't be her. He cataloged the organization's files in his mind. No, it wasn't her. At least, he never remembered reading about such a power in her file. Or did he merely skim over it and miss that detail?

"Oh?"

Bringing his attention back to her, he smirked. 'Nevermind about the fountain,' he thought balefully. 'I have more important things to worry about.'

He had almost forgotten the purpose that he ventured out into the garden for. He was going to break the foolish woman's will, stomp on her dreams, and shatter her heart piece by piece. And he was going to enjoy every bloody moment of it.

Call him sadistic if you would, but he couldn't help it. The thrill from watching a woman shake and sob in her own pity never grew old to him. Each woman he victimized brought along different amusement that filled his core with satisfaction.

And he was sure Katanai would be one of his most memorable victims yet. He wanted to see her solid, crimson eyes grow tired and puffy from the tears shed. He wanted to see her porcelain skin grow flushed and possibly battered with a few bruises. He wanted to see her petite frame shake with fury, hurt, and disappointment. And he wanted to see her finally crash to his feet in a disheveled mess.

With his free arm wrapping around her waist, he yanked her, hoping the force from his gesture would snap her to her feet. "Come here, Kitten," he crooned. "I want to have a closer look at that pretty little face of yours."

[Rina]

"Oh?"

In some sense, Tamaki almost admired Katanai. Well, almost. Unlike her, he wouldn't have been able to calmly respond to Arata. In fact, he would've probably punched him right between the eyes if he was spoken to like she was. But then again, she was more poised than him, and handled situations quite differently.

"Come here, Kitten. I want to have a closer look at that pretty little face"of yours."

He coulldn't force himself to lie low for much longer. It wasn't like he was particularly concerned about Katanai--hell, he knew she could handle her own just fine--but the longer he spent in the garden with the red-haired nuisance, the quicker he lost his patience.

Besides, she was his partner. It would be beneficial to him if he showed his face as an ally. Strengthening a relationship between a mission partner would allow things to run less complicated during an actual mission. And after all, she did save his hind a few times in the past. It would only be right to pay her back. He didn't like owing people.

After letting out a troubled sigh, he quietly rose to his feet. He almost couldn't believe what he was getting into. He made sure he never got into other members' conflicts. But then again, he was brought into it when the unsuspecting red-haired, egotistical maniac mentioned his name.

Calmly intertwining his fingers behind his head, he circled his way around the fountain in a leisurely fashion. He wasn't going to appear anxious or irritated. He knew very well that expressing one's emotions around enemies was about the stupidest thing someone could do.

And beside, he knew how spies worked. They never had the same level of skill with combat as the assassins did. However, they did learn how to take hostages with unbelievable speed. Tamaki knew if he appeared too hostile, Katanai would be the first one to brace the brunt of the attack. And no matter on duty or off, Tamaki would never allow someone to lie menacing hands on his partner.

"Oi," he murmured in his usual dispassionate tone. "You woke me up from my nap."

For the time being, he wasn't going to say anything that would stir up a fight. He simply wasn't in the mood to exchange punches. Instead, he wished that Arata would get the hint and would leave both him and Katanai alone. But then again, Arata seemed irritably dense, so he inwardly readied himself for an engagement. .

[Kitty]

With a deliberate yank, Katanai found herself being swept off her feet. Her brow furrowed. She did not enjoy being tossed about like a rag doll. For an assassin, she was on the small side. Her short stature aided her in blending into groups of unsuspecting passersby and easily maneuvering through crowds. At the same time, she always knew that one day, it would appear to be a disadvantage. Her small frame and lack of height made her seem fragile in comparison to the others at base, but this was the first time anyone had dared treat her as anything less than an accomplished killer and information gatherer that she truly was. A frown crossed her. She did not appreciate this. At the same time, she knew that if she held her weight in place and did not stand, it would fuel Arata’s sadistic pleasure.

"Come here, Kitten. I want to have a closer look at that pretty little face of yours."

“Pretty,” she scoffed. “You flatter me with such obvious lies, Arata-san.”

He had officially taken this turn too far. She was not a typical female who would melt upon being complimented. She knew very well, thanks to her childhood, that any compliment received was simply an insult in disguise. She did not mind playing his game of wits. He could try all he wanted to break her down into submission. However, she would not allow him to spit in her face so blatantly.

"Oi,"

She had been anticipated this. With the sound of his typical, disinterested voice, he had given her an excuse to break Arata’s gaze. Eyebrow quirked upward, she glanced over at her golden-featured accomplice.

"You woke me up from my nap."

Katanai fought back a sigh. She knew that Tamaki meant well by speaking up, but his comment was laced with a subdued drama--as contradictory as that sounds. It was something very typical of him. Tamaki had a tendency to play the hero and get rather into it. Of course, she did not really mind it. It almost brought a smile to her lips. She was glad that her partner decided to jump in and help her out--even if this was a completely different sort of battle.

There was a good chance that Tamaki did not quite know what he was getting into. She had a feeling that, like her, he was new to interacting with the organization's spies. It was nothing that could be helped at this point in time, but she still felt a pang of regret. It was her carelessness and curiosity that brought on this game turned battle.

Before turning her attention back to Arata, she bowed her head in a silent greeting. There was no escaping the fact that once Arata left, she Tamaki would be asking her what the meaning of this was. For now, however, the blond had made her move for her. It was the red-haired spider's turn now.

[xJaxx]

"Pretty. You flatter me with such obvious lies, Arata-san."

"Lies? I speak nothing but the truth," he crooned. Although he did use the term "pretty" loosely with her. Maybe if she was born like a normal human being, the term might've actually applied to her. But then again, he thought the term "pretty" applied to very few women; if it applied to any at all.

"Oi,"

Arata glanced up at the sound of a third-party voice. There was no mistake that the man before them was Tamaki.

Arata could tell Tamaki was trying to be all high and mighty by acting like a hero, but in all reality, he just stumbled into Arata's home field. He almost sneered at the irony surrounding the situation. The flaxen haired man was sure to be the demise of the pair. It was like hitting two birds with one stone. Not only would he damage Tamaki's ego, but he would also get to crush Katanai into thousands of shards.

"You woke me up from my nap."

"Ah, speak of the devil," Arata announced, wrapping his arms around Katanai in a cage of flesh and muscles.

There was no way he was going to allow her to escape through the cracks when all the pieces suddenly fell together so perfectly. Right now, they were in his grasp, nothing more than pawns in his leisure game. Their special purposes would be played out to his amusement, and once he was finished, he'd simply toss them aside like the worthless beings they were.

"So, what brings you here, Ki-kun?" Leaning down, Arata swept his lips across the tip Katanai's ear. He was going to play it up as much as he could until things got interesting. "Here to play with your little girlfriend?"