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The thing about Rob Lucci is this - the guy's practically made of riddles, puzzles, and contradictions, and he’s got more ego than any mortal man should be allowed to. He’s cold, calculated, cruel- He was a prodigy assassin at 13, for cryin’ out loud! Lucci's practically an ice statue, both in his looks and his personality. A sidelong glance from those icy eyes was like a knife, and not just because of his steel grey irises. To be on the receiving end of one of his glares is basically a death sentence, marking the recipient as a dead man walking. Making it even scarier, it's practically impossible to tell the difference between his usual deadpan expression and his focused fury, leaving everyone unsure of their need to sleep with one eye open.
Lucci is brutal and straight to the point, kinda like a sword (though he'd hate that kind of pun). People who don't know him are scared of him, people who do know him are wary of him. It sounds the same, Kaku knows, but to anyone else within their agency, there's a world of difference between ‘scared’ and ‘wary.’To be scared of Lucci is a natural response, sure, and Kaku understands why people fall to their knees in despair at the sight of the man, but it's also pointless. If you're Lucci’s enemy, being scared of him only makes you more worthy of being pulverized. If you're his ally, being scared of him makes you useless to him. That’s why Kaku (and all their other teammates) learned to overcome their fear, strengthening their skills until they know they can at least hold their own in a fight against him. Maybe an off-putting way to build morale, but what was Cipher Pol if not vicious and ethically dubious?
So, yeah, Lucci's not exactly the ‘warm and welcoming’ type. Not even to Kaku, and he's the closest Lucci’s ever come to a real friend. If anyone's expecting anything else, they're shit outta luck. Lucci is an all-around cold bastard, point-blank-period. Case closed. End of discussion.
Except, apparently, it's not. The case is open and the discussion is very much not ended because now, there's new information on the table. A tiny little data point, one that would usually be overlooked, but right now, it's changing everything.
As can be expected, super secret and super elite government-raised assassins have to go through a lot of training. Training of the mind, sure, but a lot of physical training too. Survival techniques, fighting, acting- all of these and many, many more. One of these skills they worked on was seimei kikan, complete control over one’s own body and state of being. Using this, they learned how to not only ingest toxins and survive, but how to take in any substance and filter it like it was nothing more than water
Lucci, as anyone could guess, built this ability with remarkable ease. He kept a good presence of mind through several glasses of wine and whiskey, and his motor skills were never impaired no matter the number of cocktails. Hell, anyone who knows the man well enough could tell you his favorite meal consists of a glass of brandy, sometimes with some form of red meat (often so rare that it’s practically bleeding) to go with it. It takes an irrational number of drinks before Lucci even starts to feel the effects, and it's helped him to collect information from drunken targets many times. It's why, despite his hate for crowds and social gatherings, he always goes to Blueno's bar with the rest of the Galley-La Company after their shifts on Friday. It's an ideal way to gather information since alcohol will loosen their shipwright coworkers’ tongues while the CP9 agents can drink the same amount without getting half as drunk.
Or, at least, that's what they'd thought, but Paulie's voice, heavy with disbelief, brings Kalifa and Kaku’s conversation to a distinct halt. “Damn, I think this is the drunkest I’ve ever seen you, Lucci. You sure you’re alright?”
Kaku blinks, confused for a half-second before his eyes meet Kalifa’s over their drinks - hers, an espresso martini, and his, a dark ale. The second Kaku sees the confused pinch in Kalifa’s expression, his chest gives an uneasy lurch. This was… less than ideal. They wait for a breath, two breaths, hoping to hear a bird-chirp reply that ‘Paulie needs to mind his own business.’ No little bird-chirp comes.
Instead, Paulie’s voice comes again. “Seriously, you’re kinda just staring off into space. Is that normal? I’ve never seen you do it before…”
And then the most mundane noise ever sends Kaku into a silent panic. Lucci hums. Hums not like a song - let’s not get crazy here, it’s Lucci he’s talkin’ about - but like the kinda noise someone makes when considering something. But the most worrying part is that it's not in ‘Hattori's’ voice. Nope, Kaku would know that thunder-in-the-distance sound anywhere: that’s Lucci’s voice.
Even Paulie seems to take notice, doing a double take at the infamously silent man. Kaku goes tense like a bullet in the chamber and Kalifa reaches over to put a hand on his forearm - either to calm Kaku or to calm herself, he isn’t sure. Either way, it’s no small move, given how Kalifa isn’t the touchy-feely type. Kaku can tell that she’s just as baffled as he is, which is not reassuring in the very least. It's even worse when Blueno slowly moves to stand across the bar from them, making to refill their drinks so he can disguise his muttered inquiry of “You heard that too, didn’t you?”
“Sure did,” Kaku affirms, his mouth set in a grim line, tense and taut like a bowstring. Kalifa nods, pulling her hand back to herself as if gathering herself from the shock of it. Meanwhile, Paulie’s taken to spluttering, asking everyone around him if they’d heard Lucci too. Thank goodness, most people are either too drunk to listen, or are telling Paulie he’s too drunk to have heard correctly. “What’s goin’ on? Is Lucci really drunk? If Paulie’s pickin’ up on it, somethin’ has to be happenin’.”
“I don’t know,” Blueno answers, setting a fresh ale in front of Kaku. “No one has touched his drink besides himself, and he’s only halfway through his third, so there’s no chance of him being too impaired.” Musing in a hushed voice, Blueno begins making another martini for Kalifa.
With a graceful touch, Kalifa adjusts her glasses on the bridge of her nose - not that she actually needs to, but it's a habit. Some people use filler words, but Kalifa would never partake in such a habit. Much too ‘improper,’ Kaku thinks. It makes sense. The glasses stay in their fixed position as she flicks her eyes over to Lucci and then back to Blueno. “He’s drinking his usual, correct? Lager?” She asks, more for confirmation than anything. Blueno nods, a single subtle movement, as he pushes the martini towards Kalifa. She raises it to her lips and takes a sip immediately.
A few moments of silence settle between them as they try to work through this pressing issue. Kaku speaks first, asking the easy questions because shit, they gotta start somewhere! “Nothing’s changed ‘bout it, right? No recipe change or new machinery?”
“No,” Blueno replies with quick ease, having already thought of it. “It’s a family run operation on the other side of the island, and I pick it up from them at the market every Sunday. They’ve mentioned no changes, besides working more than usual during their harvesting period.” This is new information to Kaku and Kalifa, who take it into consideration with a small hum and a slow nod on their respective parts.
“The Bradish family, right? That checks out,” Kaku adds, “‘Specially since they just found that cat they decided to take in. Probably having some trouble getting it house trained.”
Blueno shakes his head in the negative. “The cat itself seems to have been house trained prior to the family finding them. The main problem they’re having is that the cat was pregnant when they found her and gave birth to a few kittens soon after. They’re a few months old now, but still particularly rowdy. Their second daughter, Remy Bradish, is the one who handles sales. When I made my regular purchase this week, she mentioned that one of the kittens had destroyed their ledger of the past week, and a few others had torn into some seed packets, resulting in quite the mess.”
“But that doesn’t make sense.” Kalifa’s finger trailed along the rim of her glass as her brows furrowed. “I’ve seen paperwork they submitted to Iceberg - They mentioned that the Bradishes have bought more land, submitted as a business investment. It was a rather large purchase for their company, and explains why their harvest was larger than any prior. But why would they work themselves harder if they had also taken on the additional burden of raising the kittens? Have they taken on any new accounts?”
Increasingly troubled, Blueno shakes his head. “I asked and they told me they hadn’t, and I’ve seen no evidence that it’s a lie. From what I’ve gathered, aside from the kittens and the new plot of land, it’s just as it always is.”
“Just the same old, same old, huh?” Kaku muses with a troubled frown. He looks back to Lucci to make sure the situation hasn’t gotten any worse. The tight knot in his chest loosens a bit when he sees that Paulie is back to chatting with Lulu, only occasionally shooting an occasional overtly-skeptical glance at the stoic man. Lucci meets his gaze with a deadpan look and a wordless drink of his lager. Paulie, as expected, takes this as a taunt, and turns back to Lulu to fume about Lucci ‘riling him up.’ The familiarity of the scene hits at something in Kaku’s chest, making it feel warm and tender. ‘Like a bruise,’ he thinks, swiftly letting the thought pass through his mind as feather-light as it landed. He could nearly see it on the closest breeze, and he mentally wished it a safe journey. Maybe in another life, it’d find a safe place to dock in his mind, but not this life cycle-
“Wait. You said seeds?” Kaku’s eyes go wide, shooting over to Blueno while he sets his ale back on the table with maybe a bit more force than usual.
“Ah, yes?” Blueno answers, both him and Kalifa looking towards Kaku at the same moment.
“Why did they have seeds? The varieties of wheat and barley they grow are perennial varieties. It’ll grow again next year, even if they don’t replant it.”
Kalifa curls her hand under her chin, knuckle pressed against her lip. “You’re right. Then they must have added a new crop to their roster. And with them having more land-”
In an instant, her eyes flew open, lashes arching towards her eyebrows and fingers uncurling to cover her mouth, stifling a soft gasp. The dramatic reaction causes worry to well up in Kaku’s gut - Kalifa isn’t known to make such open reactions often, and it’s nothing good when she does. “What, what is it?” Kaku asks urgently, trying to reign in the instinct to jump into a fight to protect their comrade. There’s not even a fight, dammit, he needs to cool it! Lucci is a grown man who can handle himself, and more than that, he’s the World Government’s deadliest agent with a set of skills that could make the devil shudder. He can undoubtedly control himself and maintain cover after just a few drinks!
“I think it’s catnip.”
“...’Scuse me?”
Kalifa sighs, picking up her drink and taking a sip (most likely to gather her strength so she can deal with this ridiculous situation). “The Bradishes - they bought land for crops shortly after their cat gave birth to her litter. With how much trouble the kittens have reportedly been giving the family, they likely decided to use part of that land to grow catnip so they could use it to train the kittens.”
Clearly catching on, Blueno looks over to where Lucci is taking another long drink of his lager before pinching the bridge of his nose. “When Remy mentioned the kittens getting seeds everywhere, it’s possible that she meant that they tracked them through the fields, including into the barley fields. Some of the seeds may have even grown alongside the barley and gotten harvested with it. Lucci’s drink may be the result.”
“You really think catnip would do something like this?” Kaku asks, baffled. ‘Rob Lucci, deadliest Cipher Pol agent of all time, devil-fruit user who can turn into a giant Leopard, is weak to catnip.’ He’d laugh, but this whole situation feels too absurd. Lucci, their cold, calculating leader, is going to be the one to blow their cover because he’s drunk - or high, maybe? - on catnip like an actual cat! This couldn’t be how they were discovered - they were too close to being done with their mission!
“It’s the only answer that makes sense,” Kalifa explains. “If he had known that his drink had been infused with catnip, he’d be able to rid himself of the effects and this wouldn't be an issue. However for seimei kikan to work, it requires a conscious knowledge of what one is poisoned with so they know what they need to purge. Seimei kikan is a focused control of the body, and if Lucci doesn’t know what”
“Well I’ll be damned.” Kaku chuckles, thankful that they at least have an answer now. “So what do we gotta do to fix it?”
“That will depend. If he’s still conscious enough that he can understand the situation, he can likely rid himself of it and be fine. If not, then he will have to let his body naturally purge it, which will take time. How far gone is he?”
And just as soon as the question leaves Kalifa’s lips, a frantic cooing and a shower of feathers crashes into the side of Kaku’s head. Kaku has had enough surprise attacks in his life, many being this exact attack from this exact pigeon, that this one doesn’t catch him off guard. He catches Hattori with ease, holding him up in his hands to assess the reason for the bird’s panic. Not even a second later, a reason is found in the form of Paulie hollering at him from across the bar.
“Hey Kaku!” Paulie shouted from several tables away, catching the immediate attention of the trio. “I think Lucci’s trying to get your attention!” As if it wasn’t already obvious from how Hattori was pulling at the shoulder of Kaku’s shirt with his beak.
To keep the crowd of watching eyes from getting too interested in the already upside-down situation, Kaku laughs off the weirdness of Hattori’s mini freak-out and walks - maybe a bit faster than normal - over to Lucci’s side. Thankfully, he can feel Kalifa and Blueno watching too, so if anything goes sideways Kaku can trust them to be ready with an escape plan.
“Hey, Lucci! Paulie said that you sent Hattori to come get me. What’s goin’ on?” Kaku asks, being sure to exude a casual, lackidaisy attitude. Thankfully, most of the other bargoers turn back to their own conversations as things didn’t seem out-of-the-ordinary with Lucci. With less attention directed his way, he takes the time to give his teammate a quick assessment.
For the most part, Lucci looks fine. Not swaying or moving abnormally, not rambling, laughing or screaming. He’s just sitting and silently drinking his drink, which is pretty normal for ‘Galley-La Employee Rob Lucci,’ so at least he wasn’t doing anything crazy that would jeopardize their mission. However, it’s obvious that Lucci’s drunk to Kaku - just as it had been to Paulie - because of one physical detail: Lucci’s eyes. The silent man has always had a heavy gaze, weighted by dark hues and half-lidded glances, but now they seem to carry even more weight. Lucci’s lashes flutter- No, they flicker, lashes tickling against his cheeks as he finally sets his eyes on Kaku. Stranger still, the usual alertness that keeps his eyes sharp is gone, dulled behind a haze. It’s not a look that Kaku has ever seen on Lucci at all. It gets him on the back foot, unprepared for what this could mean.
Then the situation changes again, throwing Kaku for another loop. Lucci’s intoxicated gaze drags up to Kaku’s face, and he actually… smiles.
Well, Lucci smiles like how Lucci always smiles; a faint tilt at the corners of his mouth, a subtle shift that most people who catch sight of it are convinced it’s a trick of their eyes, and the soft curve of his bottom lip pulls just the slightest bit taut. It’s discreet, but it’s the only thing in the room Kaku can pay attention to.
Kakus takes in a sharp breath. “God, you’re actually drunk, huh?” He mutters under his breath, mainly to knock the reluctant ‘this can’t be happening’ thoughts out of his head. He never thought he’d see the day where Rob Lucci gets bested by a plant, but that oughta show him.
With a quick flick of his tongue over his lips, Lucci clears away the shine the liquor left there. Kaku watches a stray droplet - another far too obvious sign of his intoxication - catch onto Lucci's tongue before it's gone. The movement displaces the smile, and like a startled deer, it's gone and unlikely to make a reappearance anytime soon. At least that'll make it easier for Kaku to focus.
A basic escape plan already in mind, Kaku makes sure his mouth is hidden from the view of the other patrons and that his voice stays hushed between the two of them. “Alrighty, here's the plan: I'm gonna say you're sick and that I'm taking you home. You just go with it. Don't try to say anything, I saw you almost talk to Paulie earlier without using Hattori.”
Thankfully that seems to jolt Lucci a bit, if the focusing of his pupils is anything to go by. His eyes look to Kaku again, a bit sharper this time, even though his normally cold, strategic gaze is still muddled by the catnip in his system. ‘It’s like seein’ a lighthouse through a storm,’ Kaku thinks. ‘But at least I can still see the lighthouse. That’s reassuring.’
It’s an odd position to be in, Kaku the one laying out a plan and telling Lucci what to do. Sure, there are times another agent may take the charge on a mission because their skills make it a rational choice, but Lucci’s almost always the one leading, and he’s never the one in need of extraction. There’s a first time for everything, sure, but does the first time for this situation really need to be one right now?
It’s to Lucci’s credit that, despite how sober he isn’t, that he gives a nod of agreement to Kaku’s plan. It’s a good thing too, that Lucci can still comprehend what the plan is and his part in it because Kaku doesn’t know how he’d have gone about this otherwise.
“Dandy! Then let’s get outta here.” Kaku sidles up to the dark-haired agent, his voice still carefully quiet as his shoulder bumps against Lucci. “C'mon, put your arm over my shoulder and lean on me a bit, we gotta sell it like we bought it.”
Lucci’s arm moves oddly as he lifts it, Kaku notices. It’s sluggish and slow - maybe not to the normal eye, but Kaku can see it all too clearly. There’s a clumsiness in Lucci’s movements, a fact worryingly confirmed as Lucci’s arm accidentally bumps against Kaku’s back. For a moment, Kaku thinks that it’s a signal, Lucci trying to discreetly gesture that someone is watching or listening. But as he continues to lift his arm, he doesn’t move it away. Lucci’s arm rubs along Kaku’s back and he can feel that there’s a faint tremor in the tense muscles. It makes him swallow around the sudden cottonmouth that has nothing to do with alcohol because that’s as much confirmation that Kaku’s gonna get that this situation is way higher risk than he was prepared for when he left for work this morning.
Once he’s got Lucci’s arm over his shoulder, it’s much easier to pull the taller agent against him, bearing Lucci’s weight against Kaku’s hip. He navigates his own arm around Lucci’s waist, tucking his thumb into the beltloop of Lucci’s pants for a better grip. His forearm pressing against Lucci’s lower back, Kaku braces the muscles in his legs and stands up. (It’s not that Lucci is too heavy - far from it, given the training they’ve received - but Kaku really has to make this convincing and put on a show.)
The movement of Lucci and Kaku rising out of their chairs catches the attention of a few Galley-La employees around them. “Huh? What’s going on?” Paulie asks, leaning around Kaku so he can try to get a look at Lucci. Next to him, Lulu listens in while his glass is still raised to his lips. “Something wrong with Bird-Brain over there?”
Kaku laughs good-naturedly as if he isn’t mildly panicked that Lucci is gonna try talking again. “Well, fellas, I’m afraid our friend Lucci has had a teensy bit more than he should have. I’m gonna take him on home and see to it that he’s alright.” He joustles Lucci a bit, pretending that he’s trying to balance Lucci against himself (as if it isn’t all too easy). Lucci doesn’t respond, but Hattori lands on his shoulder, the one closest to Kaku, with an indignant squawk. ‘Fair ‘nough, but now’s not that time!’
“So he’s really drunk this time, huh?” Paulie grins smugly, his elbow planted on the table with his palm cradling his chin. “And here I thought I’d never see the day!” He laughs with a cockiness that is entirely hypocritical, given how many times he’s had to be “escorted” home. But now’s not the time for chitchat, so Kaku doesn’t bother to point it out.
Again, Kaku chuckles and nods. “That makes two of us.” Luckily, none of the sincerity of that statement breaks the amusement he pushes into his voice. “But anyway, I better get him back home. I don’t know what kinda drunk Lucci is, and I don’t wanna be caught trying to drag him through the canals if he’s a sleepy drunk.”
Lulu nods sagely and Paulie howls out another laugh while Kaku and Lucci begin their walk to the door. Making eye contact with Kalifa and Blueno, Kaku makes a quick sign with his hand to signal that the situation was under control and that he didn’t need assistance. Kalifa nods in return, signaling that she will remain at the bar. Blueno, of course, is expected to stay at the bar until closing time as he’s the owner, so there’s no need for contact on his part. ‘At least that’s good,’ Kaku thinks with relief. ‘Would be a waste of an intel-gathering opportunity otherwise.’
Lucci is pressed against his side as Kaku navigates him through the familiar tables and bodies. He doesn’t stumble, but it seems that his steps are… out of rhythm. Half a beat too early, half a beat too late. After years of walking step-in-step with the taller agent, it feels strange and uncomfortable. Kaku ignores it as he carefully pushes the door open and maneuvers himself, Lucci, and a waving Hattori through the doorway. It clashes against the frame as it swings shut, and Kaku can’t help but let out a sigh of relief, letting the wind hide the sound. The escape was a success!
Now on to the harder part of this whole shebang…
They walk down the street a ways until they reach the residential area where the streets are already dark and abandoned. All the residents are clearly asleep, readying themselves for work the next day of work, allowing more privacy to the agents.
Much to Kaku’s relief, as soon as the buildings block out what little light the moon offers, Lucci’s uneven steps fix themselves into their normal pattern. Hattori takes of, preferring to fly above them instead of ride along on this still less-than-smooth journey.
“Oh thank goodness,” Kaku heaves out another sigh of relief. He casts his eyes to the side, taking in the profile of Lucci’s face. “Please tell me you’re not actually drunk. You’re not, right?”
Lucci’s eyes slide over, locking onto Kaku through a few stray curls. Kaku expects to receive a scoff and a roll of dark eyes, but he feels his throat go tight when he finds nothing of the sort. Instead, Lucci’s brows draw together and he breathes out a soft noise. That’s even more worrying - ‘soft’ is not a word that has ever once been associated with Lucci. The ‘Massacre Weapon’ looks away again, focusing on the path in front of them as they continue walking. “I’m more intoxicated than I intended to be,” Lucci mutters as if the words are a curse.
It’s Kaku who scoffs now. Of course he couldn’t be so lucky. “Well, isn’t that just peachy?” he says, sarcasm dripping off his tongue as he shakes his head. No wonder Lucci was still leaning on Kaku; he may have been playing it up at the bar, but he’s clearly still relying on Kaku for balance.
A quiet grunt meets Kaku’s words, nearly startling the shorter agent out of his skin, especially when something wiry and soft brushes against his cheek a moment after. Looking over, Kaku sees Lucci’s face now closer than before, confirming the confounding realization that Lucci has just… nudged him? Yes, nudged him. That’s what you call it when someone gently pushes their head against your cheek, right? It’s impossible not to stare at Lucci in return because if Kaku isn’t mistaken, that seemed almost like an apology.
The thought itself is so bizarre that it snaps Kaku out of his thoughts and he laughs, his head thrown back with the force of it. Yeah, not a chance. Lucci has never once even uttered the words ‘sorry.’
Oddly, Lucci chuckles in tune with his own laughter. The sound is quiet and low, barely audible beneath the ringing of Kaku’s voice, but he hears it all the same. More than that, he feels the vibrations of it against his arm and the side of his own chest. Surprise causes Kaku to look over at Lucci again, and he finds that the older agent is already looking at him in return.
This time, something about the way Lucci is looking at him causes Kaku to draw to a full halt. It’s hard to say what it is specifically about the look that’s got Kaku so caught off guard. It could be that Lucci’s mouth has found its secretive smile once again, the slight little curve of his lips that’s so rare to see but has made two appearances tonight alone. It could also be the way that Lucci’s gaze, still hazy, seems to be making a notable effort to focus on Kaku’s face. It could be either of those - even only one of those would have Kaku frozen in place, and the combination of both has him forgetting about the mission at hand.
Lucci doesn’t break his gaze, doesn’t school his expression, doesn’t change anything. Instead he stays in place, eyes dragging over Kaku’s features with all the warmth and slowness of molasses. ‘Well this is new…’
For a few moments, the space of several breaths, Kaku doesn’t do anything. He waits for Lucci to move, to do something, to say something. But Lucci doesn’t. The only thing that changes is that Lucci lets out another noise, this one clearer in the silence. It’s a noise that comes from low in Lucci’s chest and Kaku can feel it against his own body again. It’s a noise, it sounds like, of contented satisfaction.
That’s not exactly what Kaku’s used to either. Outward pleasure at anything is just slightly above saying ‘sorry’ on the list of ‘Things To Expect From Rob Lucci.’
At least it helps to snap Kaku from his befuddlement stupor. He tears his eyes away from Lucci and looks around, relief hitting him like breathing in cold air while sucking on a peppermint. “Oh, hey, lookit that! We’re already here!” he exclaims, hoping that the shift in his tone and a small increase in volume will make Lucci snap back into the present and into himself. When he looks back at Lucci though, nothing has changed. If anything, it seems like Lucci might be leaning in even more.
Kaku blinks a few times. “Jeez.” He sighs, avoiding even a fraction of a glance in Lucci’s direction as Kaku walks him across the cobblestone street. Even as they stand in front of the door, Lucci maintains the physical closeness that comes with having an arm slung over another’s shoulder. Kaku supposes that he’s not helping, with how his own arm is still curled around Lucci’s hip, but Lucci’s balance does still seem a bit off…
It’s with only a tiny amount of difficulty that Kaku manages to dig the keys from Lucci’s pocket and get the door open. It’s even more of a relief because while all the CP9 members have keys to each other’s residences, Kaku hadn’t expected to need them tonight and left them behind. As soon as he gets the door open, he steps inside and Lucci moves with him, Hattori gliding over their heads before Kaku shuts and locks the door. Kaku feels his entire body sagging as relief washes over him once again. Privacy, at long last!
Hattori finds a comfortable perch on the back of a chair at the meager table in Lucci’s kitchen. He ignores the way Kaku grunts while dragging Lucci over to the couch, pruning his feathers while both agents flop onto the cushions. It’s not his problem, after all - they all made it back safely, so now he’s off watchout-duty.
Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Kaku scrubs over his face with both hands, pushing his hat off in the same movement, fingers rubbing into the thunderstorms that pound at his temples. The stress of the situation may be over, but the aftermath of it is making it very clear that it was far too much strangeness for one day. Damn, maybe he was gonna be the one needing painkillers and a big breakfast in the morning instead of Lucci.
“Are you hurt?”
Hearing Lucci’s voice again startles Kaku. He kinda expected that Lucci would be silent for the rest of the night, preferring to let the catnip’s effects wear off with his usual quiet stoicism. Apparently not, though Kaku wouldn’t call him a ‘Chatty Kathy’ for the less than 20 words he’s spoken tonight. But it is pretty nice to hear Lucci’s voice again. They’ve been on Water 7 for so long and they rarely have the chance to talk without worrying about being overheard, and admittedly, Kaku missed it. Lucci’s got a nice voice, smooth and low like a cello, and it makes conversation with him even better.
Kaku looks over to see that Lucci’s still looking at him with those hazy eyes and his expression is still so open that it makes the air in his lungs forget which direction it’s moving in. Now, his eyebrows furrow, pulling together with concern. He’s sprawled on the couch next to Kaku, but somehow even a drunken sprawl looks purposeful when Lucci does it. Kaku finds himself a bit annoyed by it. ‘If he’s gonna be high and/or drunk like this, can ‘t he at least have the sense to look like a mess too?! The nerve of this guy!’
With a sigh, Kaku shakes his head. “Just a bit of a headache,” he answers through gritted teeth. “And some jaw pain,” he adds afterwards. Had he been clenching his jaw that much tonight? It’s a stress habit, sure, but this hadn’t been the worst situation he’s ever been in.
A movement in his peripherals catches Kaku’s attention, but before he can figure out the origin of it, Lucci is suddenly above him. Kaku’s two opposing instincts, one of ‘sudden movement, prepare for attack’ and the other of ‘teammate and friend, trust’ crash inside his head and he goes stiff. He can’t relax because of his learned instincts to fight, but he forces himself to reign it in because he knows he’s alone with one of the few people in this world who he can fully trust. Cipher Pol groups aren’t just made, they are brought in as children to be raised and trained together. They grow into their skin and skills together, and become units that can operate as seamlessly as linked neurons. They are the exception to their killer’s instincts, and so Kaku reigns it in. He’s more willing to open himself to an attack than to attack Lucci. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kaku realizes that it might mean something that he’d rather let Lucci hurt him than hurt the other (even if Lucci is the stronger agent). He pushes those thoughts away for now, because there’s other things to be figuring out.
Such as why Lucci is currently above Kaku. But not ‘above’ as in ‘standing over him.’ ‘Above’ as in ‘straddling Kaku’s hips with his own and leaning down so his face is close enough that Kaku can smell the remnants of sap on his skin.’ At this rate, Kaku’s gonna need an appointment with some sort of specialist to make sure Lucci hasn’t thrown his inner workings out of whack.
Trying to keep calm, Kaku clears his throat. “Lucci,” he starts slowly. “What are you-”
“Shh,” Lucci cuts him off, and those too-open eyes look so strangely considerate as Lucci wraps his hands around Kaku’s wrists. With moves slow and patient, Lucci guides Kaku’s hands away from his own temples. “Let me help.” The tone Lucci’s using is one so strange to his voice, one that can only be described as coaxing. In Lucci’s voice, it’s a powerful combination, and Kaku finds himself going along with it as Lucci pushes his arms to relax on the cushions. Stunned and not sure what to expect from allowing this, Kaku’s breathing is shallow as he waits for… Well, he’s not sure what he’s waiting for.
He doesn’t have to wait too long though, as Lucci’s hands move back to Kaku’s face. Kaku’s eyes go wide as he feels rough, warm palms slide over his jaw, coming to rest with Lucci’ fingers buried into the hair just behind his ears. The warm pads of his thumbs press gently into Kaku’s temple, rubbing small circles just at the hairline, and oh yeah. Yeah, that’s good. It’s especially good because the weight and warmth of Lucci’s palms are still pressed against the back of Kaku’s jaw and it’s helping to relax the sore muscles there as well. For a brief moment, all the buzzing thoughts of the day disappear, and with a sigh, Kaku decides to let himself have this little treat.
After a few moments, the tension in Kaku’s head already feels drastically better, and though his jaw still aches, it’s clear the tense muscles have loosened from the heat applied to them. He can’t help a quiet breeze of laughter as it passes his lips. He must be dreaming right now.
“Better?”
Lucci’s voice breaks the little trance Kaku is in, but Kaku can’t gather himself in time to stop the grumbly whine that twists itself out of his throat when Lucci moves his hands away. Kaku immediately goes warm with embarrassment, but as he fumbles for what to say, Lucci’s already moving his hands back to Kaku’s face. He places them in the same spot, the same look of concern back in full force as he looks to Kaku’s eyes. And Kaku may be a deadly agent, but even he can’t resist the appeal of something to drive away the pain of a vicious headache. He allows it gladly.
Again, Lucci leans in close and gently pushes his head against Kaku’s, this time forehead to forehead. This time, there’s a pinched look to his expression, and because he can really see Lucci’s face this time, he knows his earlier theory is, bafflingly, correct. Lucci is apologizing.
‘Will wonders never cease?’ Kaku thinks, though the thought melts from his mind with the feeling of Lucci’s hands carefully working out the tension in his head and jaw. Lucci’s fingers, the ones carded into his hair, begin gently moving against his scalp. Kaku hums from the comfort of all of it, and he wonders if he’d be purring if he was a cat. Probably. Definitely.
It goes on for a few more minutes, and though Kaku knows he should probably try to get to the bottom of what the hell is going on, he’s pretty much boneless from how relaxed he feels. It’s only when Lucci’s motions slow to a stop (but blessedly remain in place) that Kaku opens his eyes again. When he opens his mouth to speak, he barely recognizes his own voice from the relaxed airiness of it. “Thank you,” he whispers, not realizing how quiet his own voice is until he’s already said it.
Lucci smiles again, and oh, Kaku knows damn well now that Lucci’s an affectionate drunk. Sliding one of his hands further down Kaku’s jaw, closer to his chin, the stoic agent chuckles with a warmth that sends sparks through Kaku’s chest. “Anything for you,” Lucci replies like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
Kaku’s heart beats like thunder then goes still, then returns at an accelerated pace. “Huh?” He asks, now completely failing to find words.
If the words didn’t send him into shock, the look in Lucci’s eyes certainly does. It’s tender - tender not like meat, tender not like bruises, tender like soft. It’s… caring. Gentle, even. It’s adoring. “Anything for you,” Lucci repeats, and no, he means it. Or at least, he meant to say it. But that look, oh god that look- Fuck, does Lucci actually mean it?
Before Kaku can ask, Lucci’s hand, still at his chin, tilts the shorter agent’s jaw just so, just enough to the side. Then he places his lips - not his teeth, sharpened to leopard’s fangs - against Kaku’s jaw. A kiss chaste, gentle, dandelion fluff against his skin. Lucci doesn’t pull away, no, instead he places another next to the first one, then a third after that, more wishes on more dandelions. He trails the gentle kiss back and back, up the curve of Kaku’s jawline, up until he reaches Kaku’s ear. Then, just when Kaku’s spine is taut with anticipation of what Lucci is leading up to, the unexpected happens. Lucci laughs. Not chuckles, laughs. Low and rich but cracking with disuse, Lucci laughs a real, full laugh.
Kaku, truly convinced that something must be wrong at this point, tries to push himself up onto his elbows to figure this whole thing out. But just as he’s managed to sit up, he’s stopped by the feeling of Lucci’s hand on his chin again. This time, when Kaku’s head turned towards Lucci, it’s clear that something is different now. There’s a focus in his eyes, even with the swirling fog of intoxication still there. Lucci’s eyes rove over Kaku’s face as if he hasn’t seen him in years, as if he won’t see him in years. He looks at Kaku with something that makes Kaku’s guts clench and twist with a mix of both endearment and agony, and proceeds to say the words that strike Kaku like an arrow between the ribs
Lucci lets out a slow breath, the remnants of a smile wistful on his lips. “Say the word, and I’ll do it. You could ask for me to rip the heart from my own chest and I’d give it to you.” As he speaks, one of Lucci’s hands moves to one of Kaku’s own. With his fingers gently curled around Kaku’s wrist, he lifts Kaku’s hand to his chest, resting it over the spot where that organ is buried under muscle and bone. Lucci’s faint grin returns in full at the feel of it beating against his hand. “It’s already yours to claim anyway.”
There’s a few moments of silence as Kaku tries to breathe, to ground himself, but it’s near impossible with the way Lucci is looking at him and the way he’s openly allowing Kaku such access to his vital organs. It’s so raw, so vulnerable, and Kaku doesn’t know what to do. This moment is glass, crystalline, and he doesn’t know how to not break it. It doesn’t matter though, because when he opens his mouth, the words escape with any thought.
“I want you to kiss me.”
True to his word, Lucci does, a gleam in his eyes in the split second before he’s leaning down, graceful and greedy in the same breath, to press his lips to Kaku’s. It’s less of a kiss and more of skin brushing against skin, but he returns again a moment later, hungrier than before, pressing just a bit more. The next kiss follows suit, a bit more pressure, a bit more need. ‘He’s trying to hold back,’ Kaku realizes as he chases after each too-short, too-faint kiss. ‘He’s trying to be gentle with me.’
And for some reason, that’s another to Kaku’s heart. Gentle, with him? He’s an assassin, a killer in his own right. There’s no need for gentle.
Reaching up, Kaku puts a hand at the base of Lucci’s skull and pulls him in for a deeper kiss. He can feel the way Lucci goes still for a moment, trying to hold his composure before it drops entirely and letting himself truly take what he hungers for. His lips burn warm like brandy and Kaku relishes it, feeling like Lucci’s kisses can stain his own lips. He wants it, wants to be marked with Lucci’s adoration and devotion. Broken pleas of Lucci’s name escape him between kisses, and he hears the other agent make another new noise, this one a broken rumble that melts into a groan as he rolls his hips down against Kaku’s.
Kaku can feel the electricity that the action generates, can swear he can nearly feel lightning in his fingertips. He gasps, and when he does, the pain in his jaw bites again, muscles sending a sharp flash of pain in protest of him using his mouth too much. He winces and everything suddenly stops.
Shit. The glass moment is broken.
Lucci’s eyes are filled with concern again as he takes Kaku’s face in his hands. He looks over Kaku as if there’s an injury that would’ve appeared in the last ten seconds, but when he finds none, he finds a realization instead. “Your jaw deserves a chance to rest. You overwork it too much,” Lucci says, and Kaku can tell Lucci’s dry wit no matter what state the other man is in. He knows talking will hurt his jaw again, so Kaku uses one of his first replies that he ever used against Lucci- Kaku sticks his tongue out at him.
Lucci laughs again, that beautiful laugh, and slowly extracts himself from their embrace. Already, Kaku wants him back. Already, Kaku misses him. But he follows Lucci’s lead, taking Lucci’s hand when it’s offered. Lucci begins leading Kaku to his bedroom, and Kaku has to wonder what’s going through Lucci’s mind right now. Does he think this is their bedroom?
“Don’t pout, I did what you asked. But I’m not letting you put yourself in more pain,” Lucci chides as he sits on the edge of his bed, letting go of Kaku’s hands so he can hold him by the hips instead. When he looks up at Kaku again, Kaku’s fingers move on their own to push a wayward curl away from Lucci’s face so he can see Lucci’s eyes better. Before Kaku can realize what he’s doing and pull his hand away, Lucci catches it in his own and raises it to his lips. He holds Kaku’s gaze with those eyes that hold too much love, and he presses a chaste kiss to Kaku’s palm. “There. One last kiss for tonight,” he says quietly as he curls Kaku’s fingers in over the place his lips had just warmed. “I promise I will give you all the kisses you desire tomorrow.”
Lucci is asleep ten minutes later, some painkillers and water on his dresser. Kaku grabs his hat before he makes his way to the door. Unfortunately, Lucci probably wouldn’t remember any of tonight. Even if he did, he was gonna have to break his promise to Kaku. They’re weapons, after all. Weapons don’t get to fall in love, no matter how much they want to.