Past, Present, Future

[Quatre Winner]

Kei looked up at the huge, elegant mansion with his usual, unreadable expression. He stood just outside the gates, hands thrust into the pockets of his black leather jacket, waiting for the mansion's security detail to let him in. The usual nonsense; checking of references, treating their jobs as though they were Knights Templar for some god-king, rather than hirelings for a lot of fat cats who bought their power. He couldn't really fault them for being so self-important. That was how their rich masters tended to act, so it was probably part and parcel of the atmosphere. Not that he wasn't deadly serious himself when on the job, he just didn't treat it like some messianic calling.


It was the first day of Kei's newest job as a bodyguard, but he had no expectation that things here would be much different here. Hired to watch out for some rich kid, probably a spoiled brat, who would fire him in a few days when Kei refused to kow-tow to his stupidity. He was a professional bodyguard, not a nursemaid. Still, it was better than being on the streets.


The dark-haired male blinked slowly at that last thought, pushing it and its attendant memories to the back of his mind, just as the prig on the front gate intercom addressed him.


"Your papers and I.D. are all in order, Mr. Umura. Step through the gate, go around the back of the West wing to the servants' quarters, and touch nothing. You will be directed where to go from there."


A slight curl of the lip showed what Kei thought of this nonsense. Like he was going to get sticky fingerprints on the million dollar wallpaper. Or steal the Ming vases. If they knew he'd spent time on the streets, they probably wouldn't let him in the gate at all, but he wasn't interested in fancy knick-knacks. Kei preferred to travel light and be mobile, and expensive acoutrements made that a hassle.


As the massive iron bars parted, he strolled in, not impressed with the large manicured garden and expansive lawn out front, the wide marble pathway, or the huge building, with its cut glass windows and carved double-doors with gold inlay. He'd seen a hundred of them, and they were usually empty of anyone worthwhile inside. So long as he got paid, though, he didn't much care.


The door to the servants' quarters was almost as ornate as the double set out front, though the divide was clear. And under-butler showed him in, leading him to a sitting-room (one of many, he had no doubt) where he was to wait for his new employer. Kei had been hired by the head of general house security, so he had no idea of the kid's parents or the kid himself would be coming to size up the new recruit. The bodyguard's reputation preceded him, so he wasn't at all nervous in that regard. People with this kind of money could afford the best, and he fully intended to give them just what they paid for.

 

[Michi]

The Mikoshiba family had been involved in the nation's politic for generations. As a family of notable reputation and wealth, it was easy to believe they'd made plenty of enemies and not nearly enough allies. But what was to be expected of a rich, family with a strong history of liars - or the correct term - politicians.


This was the lifestyle Mikoto had lived. The lifestyle of the rich, but not so famous. His childhood hadn't been too troubled, mostly just spoiled. His teenage years had been slightly more troublesome, but that was to be expected. Now that he was a young adult though, he was expected to be more mature in his decision making. That didn't mean he was, or that he planned on being a responsible adult.


In fact, although his father had vehemently demanded that Mikoto do something productive today, the male was still tangled in his blankets, hidden under a pile of pillows in a room so dark you'd think it was the middle of the night. His nocturnal lifestyle had him typically sleeping in well into the day, not being much of a valuable member of society.


As Mikoto wasted the day away in bed, a burly bald man walked into the sitting room where Kei was waiting. "Mr. Kei Umura. It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you. I am Jon Thero, head of security here at the Mikoshiba estate. I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place." The man looked to be in his late 30's early 40's, and even with the friendly smile on his face, he looked as if he were secretly plotting multiple ways to kill the younger male before him.

 

[Quatre Winner]

Kei didn't much like Jon's weasel smile- he'd seen others just like it, right before someone unexpectedly went missing. However, not being easily intimidated, only rather wary, he gave a slight nod of acknowledgement to this deceptive greeting. No reply escaped his lips; the stoic young man wasn't one for small talk.


Rather than engage in petty niceties, he scanned the male before him in what looked like a casual way, gauging the level of threat he would be should they ever come to blows. In his head, the dark-haired young man made swift mental notes, storing them away for later.


6' 2", a head taller than me. 30s to 40s, slower reaction time, less flexible. Thick, heavy, high center of gravity, easy enough to thrown off his feet.





Dark blue eyes scanned along Jon's bulky frame casually, as though he was merely looking at his clothing.


Former fighter, now manager, volatile combination. Possible old fracture of neck, indicates high threshold for pain, also weak point. Twist up and back, snap. Index finger on right hand thicker than normal, twitching. Trigger happy. Multiple scars. Note: watch to see if his loyalties shift. Threat level, 6 out of 10.


A 6 out of 10 could do some damage to property and others, but wasn't otherwise much of a threat. Certainly not to Kei himself. The dark-haired young man's initial assessment only took a few seconds, then was stored away in the back of his mind for future reference. It was an old but necessary habit to size up those around him, like being aware of exactly how many possible exits there were out of every room.


Six windows, three South, three East, first floor. Two doors, one forward, one back. Door back closer, more crowded. Door forward leads further in, unknown route to front entrance.


Though all this was going on in his head, he seemed to just be casually standing there, waiting for the security chief to get to the point. He wasn't here to make friends or play nice; he'd been hired to do a job, and that was exactly what he'd do. Kai wasn't here to play with snakes.


(Pardon Kei- he will talk, he just doesn't like to waste words xD )

 

[Michi]

[[it's all good.]]


Jon sized up the new recruit as he spoke. The kid didn't look like anything special, looked like any other new recruit other than that soulless look in his eye. The one that a few others on the detail had. That look said 'I've killed people, and I don't care.' It was a dangerous look to have. "Man of few words, huh? I like that. Alright, follow me. I'll give you a rundown of what is expected from you, as well as the details on why you've been hired, and what you can expect here at the Mikoshiba Estate."


Patting Kei on the shoulder, Jon turned away and walked towards the same door he entered in. He lead him down the hall, a door with a keyreader beside it. He pulled a white keycard from behind his badge and pressed it against the keyreader. The red light flashed green and he opened the door. The room behind the door was cramped, small and windowless. It seemed more like an oversized pantry than an actual room. Which there was a possibility it originally had been, seeing as right next to the room was the kitchen. One side of the room was covered in video feeds of the multiple rooms and areas of the house and land, another wall had a large map of the house, each room labeled and marked off. The map was extremely detailed; showing where every room, hallway, door, window, exit and entry point for the house was.


The other wall was covered in various papers, pictures, and newspaper articles. "As you are aware you've been hired as the personal guard for Mr. Mikoshiba's youngest, and only remaining, son. You've heard about the accident his oldest son had been involved in. It was released to the press that it was simply an accident but the police found signs of tampering. We believe Mikoto is in danger as well. Mr. Mikoshiba is a very powerful man, with equally powerful enemies. You are expected to keep the boy safe while we find out who is doing this, and why."


He turned away from Kei to face the map. "This is the map of the entire estate. Two floors, twenty three rooms, forty-seven acres of land, twenty seven household staff members, and as of this week nearly fifty members of household security. Every window in the house is made of bulletproof glass, the back windows are also one way glass. I hope you're a quick study, because the only map of this house available is this one right here and no one besides, Mr. Mikoshiba, one of the surveillance guys, or I, can access this room. So memorize what you can now, the rest will have to be learned as you work." Jon offered Kei a folder and leaned back against the table that was also covered in papers. "Everything you need to know about Mikoto as of right now. He doesn't do much during the day, mostly sleeps. At night he usually goes out with his friends, and drinks a lot. Sometimes he'll bring someone home. Speaking of, relations with him are expressly forbidden. I don't care what your orientation is if you like girls or guys, and I don't care what he says to you or promises you. If you are caught doing anything with him that can be deemed even remotely unprofessional, you will be fired with no questions asked. You're not here to be his friend, or his lover, or anything else. Just to keep him alive while we look for who is doing this."

 

[Quatre Winner]

Kei had been called a soulless monster surprisingly often, so Jon's assessment was rather pertinent, if shallow. Not that Kei would have cared if he knew what the security chief was thinking. Numbness and indifference to opinion came with the job. He'd earned the empty look in his eyes in more ways than one.


That look sharpened slightly when Jon touched his shoulder. Kei did not like to be touched, especially by someone who made him feel like an immediate bath. Jon was lucky enough that Kei had control of himself, and didn't literally rip his arm off. He was very tempted, though.


Luckily for the sake of his arm, Jon turned and put distance between them. Kei wasn't pleased about being stuck in a small room with him the next moment, but showed no sign of any feeling either way. His keen eyes scanned the detailed layout of the house first, committing it to memory very quickly. He'd had to teach himself how to do this for various reasons, but it served him well in his present profession.


Turning his eyes to the opposite wall, he recognized the face of his young 'employer', as well as the rest of the family, and others. He read newspapers, after all. They hadn't given him a very rosy picture of the family, but that was hardly to be expected. Kei's impression of the young man, from his photo, was a stuck up little brat, just like all the others. It wouldn't stop him from doing his job, but he wasn't sure how long he'd last with someone like that in charge. Kei would probably be at another place in a week. He'd still remember the map, though, and the numbers of the staff, and the way the surveillance was hooked up. He'd just catalogue it away like everything else.


So far, Kei hadn't said a word to Jon, but as he took the folder and began to read through it, the mention of 'relations' caught his ear. He'd gotten that warning numerous times, but it had always been totally unnecessary. Up to this point, he'd had no interest in anyone- that urge had been snuffed out long ago. Not that Jon knew about it, but Kei couldn't help a sardonic smile. Jon was barking up the wrong tree.


"So, he has a habit of bribing his bodyguards for sex?" the dark-haired man asked, his smile having vanished. He still wore it on the inside, however. "Interesting." Typical, really. How many times had Kei been propositioned? That accounted for most of the times he'd moved on from one job to another. They didn't dare refuse him a good reference, though- he knew too much about them, and killing him never worked.


Kei thumbed through the papers, memorizing names and faces. Mikoto was good looking, Kei had to credit him for that, but he had the self-satisfied expression of someone who knows they own the world and doesn't care who they step on to stay on top.


Kei's voice was rather bland as he said, "I gather I'm expected to stand by the bed while he has his fun, in case one of his lovers decides he'd make a good target?" Inside, he was both cringing and chuckling. While he'd rather not have to watch other people having sex, he had plans to make it as embarrassing as possible for the young heir. No point being tortured if he couldn't fight back in a passive-aggressive manner.

 

[Michi]

"Actually... we'd prefer if you were able to help retrain him from such extracurriculars. It's bad publicity, and with the election coming up we can't have any scandals popping up that could affect Mr. Mikoshiba's campaign negatively." Jon corrected Kei as he held out his hand for the file. Couldn't have the wrong information leaking out somehow. Especially not with someone out there who possibly wanted the boy dead.


Putting the file back on the table he motioned for Kei to leave the room, and he would follow. "I think it's time you've met the young man. I'll show you to his room. He's not a morning person. Or a people person. He also dislikes children, and will do basically anything he's told not to do. So good luck with that."


Making sure the door was entirely such, he lead the way down the hall to the left. They passed a handful of closed doors before he stopped in front of one. When the door opened the door inside was almost shockingly dark. Compared to the brightness of the hall you'd think the room was entirely windowless, but if you looked closely you could see the thick heavy curtains hanging on the wall that were blocking the sun out.


On one side of the room shadows of a tv stand, and two dressers were visible. On the other side of the room, a large bed sat in the center of the wall. A nightstand rested on either side, each with a lamp, and one of them littered with cords and electronic devices. Over all the room was fairly clean and well organized. "One last thing, please remember his father is the one who pays you, not him."

 

[Quatre Winner]

Paid to cock-block….marvelous. Kei had to deal with man-whores before, and it was never pretty, especially when they tried sneaking their bedmates in past him. To top it off, they always had the nerve to be shocked at getting caught.


Kei showed no sign of what he thought or felt, and merely gave a curt nod to Jon's orders, handing the file back to him. He'd memorized it, anyway. Mikoto sounded like a real peach…just like the others. Ah well, Kei could still gave some fun with him.


Following in Jon's heavy footsteps, Kei made almost no noise, and didn't leave much of an imprint, even on the plush carpet. His eyes scanned the conspicuous displays of wealth and calculated only doors and windows and possible hidden exits behind bookcases. He wouldn't have cared if they lived in a barn, except he'd probably not work for them as that would mean they had no money and couldn't pay him.


At the door to Mikoto's room, Kei squinted in, counting the windows, the closet, guessing there were more than likely a few hidey-holes in the room for contraband and sexual partners. He'd find them soon enough.


Hearing Jon mentioned who held the purse-strings, Kei smirked. That made things somewhat easier, especially if Daddy's political career meant more to him than his son. He gave a nod to Jon to indicate that he understood, then strode into the room, looking down at his new charge for several quiet moments. In his sleep, Mikoto looked almost like a child, with his tousled hair and long lashes. Kei's blue eyes scanned the figure in the bed, as though reading something deeper than the surface, not paying any heed to the security chief. Jon may not have intended for him to enter yet, but that was his problem. Kei had a job to do.


Going to the large widows, which were covered in foil behind the lush curtains and blinds, he began to tear it down, tossing it on the floor almost casually. Sunlight streamed into the room, making it very bright. Kei's smirk widened; he moved to stand by the bed, wanting to see how his new charge would react. If he woke early and went to bed early, it kind of made it hard to party all night.

 

[Michi]

"Uh-w-wh.... Uhm. What are you doing?" Jon spoke up slightly alarmed by Kei's sudden decision. It took hours for the maids to put all that up. He wasn't the first to take that route. But after a few times of it being taken down, and then Mikoto demanding the maids put it back up, they would complain and once they complained enough the head butler would speak with Mr. Mikoshiba and it always lead to the bodyguard in question either quitting or being fired. "Please don't do that." Turning his head the older man watched for Mikoto's reaction. Jesus all they needed was for the kid to go on another god-d*mn rampage about being woken up.


Thankfully he didn't show any signs of waking other than rolling away from the light that was now freely streaming into the room. As he rolled away he pulled the pillow and blanket over his head grumbling incoherently. "Are you trying to give him a reason to wake up screaming at everyone? Because that's already happened once this week and we'd really rather not go through that again so soon."


Mikoto had shifted in his sleep, rolling over to hide his face from the light that had suddenly turned the inside of his eyelids red. What was that? It didn't matter, he was too tired to worry about it right now. Maybe if he remembered after waking up in a few hours.

 

[Quatre Winner]

Kei looked over his shoulder at Jon, unmoved. "And yet, Mr. Mikoshiba wants to avoid scandals that would ruin his political career. Giving the kid whatever he wants will only come back to bite him in the ass."


With a twitch of his arm, he yanked down the last of the foil, crumpling it up and tossing it on the floor. Then, rapping his knuckles on the glass, he determined that it was bulletproof. Looking at the locks, he had to admit they were top quality, and only a close observer, who knew what to look for, would see the hair-thin laser perimeter for the security system. Jon knew his work very well.


Pulling back again, his stance and expression deceptively casual, he walked to the side of the bed, staring down at his employer's son. Pathetic… he thought. Absolutely pathetic. What a complete waste. He's probably got some talent, too, if the reports aren't overblown. There was little Kei despised more than others wasting what they had- wealth, privilege, a family, a home. He didn't necessarily covet these things for himself, but knew plenty of people who could use some of Mikoto's unused opportunities.


"If the assassin doesn't already know which room is Mikoto's, the foil would have been a dead giveaway. For his own safety, until things can be sorted out, he needs to be moved to the most secure room you have. Now would be better than later. This room will be set up as a decoy." For a moment, Kei's blue eyes looked at Jon again, like mirrors that showed the older man nothing. "And I want to speak to the staff individually once he's been moved." It wasn't a matter of trusting or not trusting Jon; Kei preferred to have as clear a picture as possible when dealing with these kinds of situations. He wasn't going to let anyone's personal pride get in the way of doing his job. They could fire him, but they would have to settle for less than the best, and according to any account, Kei Umura was just that. The best.

 

[Michi]

Move the kid. Yeah right. Not only would the kid not agree to that but the staff wouldn't either. Getting him out of bed before noon was a challenge in it's own. But getting him up and moved to another room, that wasn't going to be easy. Besides Jon was the boss, and no matter how good this kid was he wasn't going to let him tell him what to do. He raised an eyebrow at Kei and crossed his arms, "None of that is necessary. All of the employees go through an intense background check and interview before they are hired."


"Oh my god. Shut up or get out. Holy hell, can you be any more rude?" Muffled words escaped the limp figure on the bed. It didn't move though. But even without moving, it wasn't hard to gauge the irritation radiating off of him. Hadn't they ever heard of common courtesy? Who stood over someone's bed and talked at full volume.


"Oh good, you're up. This is-"


"No." The body moved but only so pull another pillow over his head. It was too early, and he could feel the beginnings of a hangover.

 

[Quatre Winner]

Kei seemed utterly unmoved by any of this, but continued to stand in his very casual manner by the bed, watching his charge with a veiled look. Without shifting his gaze at all, he addressed Jon first, not bothering to lower his voice.


"I was hired to do a job, and I intend to do it to my own satisfaction, which means doing it to my employer's satisfaction as well. Your efforts would benefit from an outsider's perspective. I'm sure you heard about the MacCannon case?" A rather famous one; the most trusted servant in the household, slowly poisoning the head of the house to get at his money, while being paid by a rival house. It all happened under the nose of their security officer, too.


"I'm not here to soothe any egos, but to protect Mikoto. If you insist in standing in my way, I will have to go directly to Mr. Mikoshiba, something I am sure neither of us wants me to do. I would suggest you allow me to handle this situation, and our charming little prince here, as I see fit." Only the tiniest drop of sarcasm laced his voice at this. He did not much care what Jon, or Mikoto, thought of him. What he hated, almost more than anything else, was anyone getting in the way of him doing his job effectively. The one blot on his near-perfect record involved that very thing, and he was not going to tolerate it again.


(Yes, Kei is something of an asshole, but he knows what he's doing lol. If you give me permission, I'd love to have him basically haul Mikoto out of bed and toss him into a cold shower, and stuff like that. Only if you give permission, though, because that is something he would definitely do.)

 

[Michi]

Ooc: Yeah that's fine, just make sure Mikoto stays in personality.


Bic:


Jon glared at Kei. His eyes turned into slits, and he hesitated. This boy was going to be rather irritating to work with if he kept trying to overstep his bounds. He was there to protect the boy not to make it seem like he was in charge. While he had a reputation around the work force as the best, among the bodyguard's he was know to be a bit dominate, and would always overstep his bounds if given the chance.


"Yes, we have. Which is why there are cameras all around the property and in every room. They're also monitored at all times, if someone on the inside were to try something we would know right away. I appreciate you being so.... dedicated to the work, but don't underestimate us. We've all been here for a while, and we are all very dedicated to this family. The guard you've replaced wasn't someone who quit or was fired. But someone who gave his life to protect your new charge. You'd do well to give them the respect they've earned."

 

[Quatre Winner]

"I underestimate no one, nor do I intend to let the previous body-guard's sacrifice go to waste. That is why I must still insist on interviewing everyone in the household." Yes, he was going to be a stubborn bastard about it, but didn't much care. The previous guard had probably trusted Jon's assessment of things too much and paid the price.


Looking down at Mikoto, whose face was mostly hidden by a pillow, Kei couldn't help a small bit of sympathy for the poor sucker who gave his life for such a useless lump. The kid probably didn't even mourn his passing, or acknowledge such a final sacrifice. He was just damn lucky his new bodyguard was incredibly difficult to kill.


"I think it's time Sleeping Beauty woke up." As soon as he said this, Kei turned and made his way to the bathroom, not waiting for any answers from Jon. In all honesty, he was not overstepping his bounds just to annoy the other man, or anyone else. That didn't stop him from finding their annoyance rather amusing, however. Jon would hear the shower in the luxury suite start up, and after a moment, Kei appeared once more, striding purposefully toward the bed. He had the courtesy, at least, to warn Jon before making any moves.


"I'd step out if you want to avoid getting in the middle of a tantrum, but it's your choice. Just don't get in my way."


Having said this, he very calmly leaned over and ripped the bedclothes from Mikoto, then picked him up and slung him over his shoulder, holding onto his legs. Kei himself was only around six feet tall, and had a slim, wiry build, yet he dealt with Mikoto's dead weight like he weighed nothing at all. He wasn't even straining or breaking a sweat.


(That's as much as I was going to do with Mikoto. Go ahead and have him react. Basically, all Kei is going to do is to carry him to the shower and toss him in. Mikoto can hit and scratch and whatever all he wants. Probably the only thing that would make Kei react is if Mikoto somehow stabbed him in the back, which is unlikely xD If Jon tries to intervene you can pause at that point and I'll write Kei answering him. I do apologize for Kei's behavior! He already doesn't trust Jon, and he wants to help Mikoto be a better person, in his own way. He just takes the 'tough love' approach xD If you ever think he's being too mean or going too far, let me know! He's an advanced human, but not impervious or indestructible.)

 

[Michi]

Jon was starting to have second thoughts. Maybe hiring this kid hadn't been the right thing to do. The last thing he wanted was someone else who thought they were in charge of the house. He already had that issue with the head butler. F*cking guy thought he owned the damned place. "What- Hey! Dude what are you doing?" He suddenly asked as Kei started grabbing hold of Mikoto.


Mikoto's eyes opened as the blanket was tugged off him and he felt hands grabbing a hold of him. "Hey! Get off me, don't you touch me! Put me down and get out of my room! Jon, what the f*ck man?!" As he was pulled from the bed he started flailing. His arms and legs thrashing about in an attempt to get put down. Oh no, he'd been nice enough to not give his father a hard time over the new bodyguard, but if the guy was just going to be a giant douche he wasn't going to make it so easy on his dad.

 

[Quatre Winner]

Kei wasn't that concerned with what Makoto, or Jon, thought of him. The bodyguard certainly wasn't going to get involved in things that didn't concern him, like how shiny the silver was. This, however, was his territory, and he brooked no opposition. He knew there would be a power struggle with both Jon and Makoto, though which would be tougher to break was an open question. Kei was concerned only with doing his job, and doing it well. This included getting Makoto out of his lazy habits. While that may have seemed like a useless endeavor, particularly where his job as bodyguard was concerned, Kei knew all too well that there would be times when Makoto would have to be on his toes. Going to bed late and sleeping late, partying, wasting time on sexual romps, all these things slowed reaction times and dulled reflexes. It also put Makoto at risk for attracting the wrong sorts of people, because whatever anyone said, more trouble was to be had at night and among partiers.


Naturally, Kei didn't explain any of this, but strode to the bathroom in a very calm manner with Makoto protesting the whole way. Jon would see him disappear, hear a loud splash, then Kei reappearing with the same calm, almost bored look. His deep blue eyes glanced at Jon, appraising him silently for a moment.


"Makoto has a meeting in two hours, am I correct?" he asked. And yes, he'd memorized Makoto's schedule already.


(I plan on having Kei train Makoto to fight. Does he already know how?)

 

[Michi]

((He does not. He took karate for a short period in his childhood but quit after two weeks.))


Jon grimaced as Kei emerged from the bathroom. This was not going to be an easy day. Whi h sucked, because hehad been so sure things were going to be easier with the new guy around. He didn't get a chance to speak though before Mikoto emerged from the bathroom, his face red and if it were physically possible for a human to shoot from their eyes red hot giant laser beams would be flying across the room.


Each step was a loud stomp, obviously purposly stomping like a child who had just been told he wasn't going anywhere until he ate his vegetables. He didn't say a word as he marched past them both soaking the carpet on his way to the door. The maids were going to love that. They were also going to love having to reblackout all of his windows. The new kidwas just making friends all over the house today. Mikoto made his way out to the foyer where he called out loudly demanding to know where his fatherwas. All the while leaving trails of water where he walked and puddles where he would stop to stand.

 

[Quatre Winner]

(Just a heads-up; I'm going to be gone for a few days, but I'll be back either this weekend or Monday to continue playing [you happened to catch me just as I was about to sign off xD ])

 

[Michi]

(okay!)

 

[Quatre Winner]

(Sorry it took me awhile to get things under control. Back now! Also, I love how both our characters are jerks xD Kei isn't as bad as he seems right now!)


Kei followed in Mikoto's wake, totally unimpressed with the tantrum he was throwing. He'd seen far more spectacular fits of temper from previous charges and had no fear of any of them, especially not when he had the pater familias backing up his decisions. Waking Makoto up for his meeting had been the father's idea; the method had been Kei's.


He passed Jon without giving the man a second glance, wrinkling his nose slightly at the mess Mikoto was leaving. Even he could tell the carpets were prohibitively expensive, but that wasn't his department. Kei took his place just behind the young heir, his posture deceptively casual. As always, however, mind and body were on alert, and he was studying the young man before him with wordless disapproval.


Just like all the others; how pathetic.


Really, he couldn't wait for 'Daddy' to appear and the real fun to begin. From below they could hear the scurrying of feet, and the opening and closing of doors. Then, the steady, purposeful stride of very expensive shoes, along with another more uncertain pair. The elevator started below, and Kei watched with suppressed amusement as the numbers above the nearby elevator door rose, and they heard the metallic ding! From inside emerged a rather powerfully-built man, if not exactly tall, with an even more impressive manner. From his Italian shoes to his tailored morning suit of flecked grey to his elegantly-trimmed goatee and dark hair, the man gave off a sense of his own authority.


Without a pause the man strode forward, a harassed-looking secretary with a tablet in his wake, and stopped a foot away from his dripping son. His eyes had the color and flash of obsidian, and when they scanned Mikoto their expression was clear enough. Mr. Mikoshiba was both amused and irritated.


"It's half-past ten and you're awake." he drawled, as though not at all concerned with his son's blue-murder cries, "Is your room on fire?"


Kei observed in silence the nature of this greeting, as well as Mr. Mikoshiba's apparent attitude. He'd been sent instructions directly from the father before coming here, and they pretty much fit what he expected from someone with that hard-edged, business-like appearance. Even Mr. Mikoshiba's sarcasm was not gentle. If he felt any genuine love for his son he was hiding it pretty well, but then, Kei didn't believe that real love of any kind existed. This was just another workaholic businessman who never had any time for his family, and expected other people to deal with them. Clearly, he was not pleased with having his daily routine interrupted. Well, not usually, but he'd expected some sort of outburst this time. A swift look toward Kei showed that there was some prior confederacy between them, and that he approved so far of the new bodyguard's methods.


(I plan to flout convention and have it that Mr. Mikoshiba actually does love his son, he's just a busy father and expects Mikoto to be exactly like him. He doesn't know how to deal with Mikoto when all he wants to do is help him learn self-control.)

 

[Michi]

"Your new lap dog is trying to drown me." Under normal circumstances he would have snapped back at his father with his own sarcastic wit. But he wasn't in the mood to play around. The lights were causing the room to gleam in a way that made him nearly dizzy from the combination with his hangover. "I thought I told you I didn't want another guard. I'm not a child. I can protect myself just fine! You don't need to pretend that you care, I know you hate spending money when I'm involved and all. But next time hire someone who isn't going to kill me just to make his job easier."


He then turned to face Kei, "And just so you are aware. The job description requires keeping me alive. Throwing a sleeping a person in water is asking for them to drown in their sleep." If the man's job was to keep people safe he should have known that already. Derrik would have never done something like that. Derrik was gone, and this guy was his new replacement. Though he'd never be able to replace him, not entirely. No one would. It had taken them months to get used to each other. And every day was a struggle for the two of them, trying to convince the other that they knew what was best. But Mikoto had known that he could trust Derrik's judgement. He'd felt safe with him. Protected, guarded.... until that afternoon.


Shaking his head he turned to his father once more, and even though he opened his mouth to speak, a lump had formed and he couldn't push any words past it. This was neither the time or the place for those memories to resurface. He needed a drink. Swallowing back the lump that threatened to cut off his air supply he turned and huffed, before walking away. He didn't want to be around anyone right now. Especially not right now. He could feel this was going to be a bad day. Making his way back towards the kitchen, he dug through the cabinets looking for something strong. Something that would knock him out for the next couple of hours at least. That was all he wanted right now.