Kirian's walk to the car felt impossibly long. He took his seat silently and turned to the window. It had been roughly three hours since he had stepped out, focused and excited.

Now he just wanted to go to sleep.

Every time he blinked, he could see the room of trapped humans. The fear in their faces and the angry red skin on their wrists.

When he had walked out of the restaurant, he had passed by them again, and tried desperately not to look through the window but, like moths to flame, his legs took him closer. His eyes wouldn't let him look away, but forced him to see every face.

"Is it done?" Mr. Radashawn asked. His tone was disinterested and firm. He sounded every bit the criminal leader he claimed to be.

Kirian turned to him slowly, ski mask still on.

"Yes," He responded.

"Are you sure you got all of them?" Mr. Radashawn pushed.

Kirian grit his teeth and affirmed, "Yes, I killed every target without revealing my presence. Do you want details?"

"No, no. As long as it's done, " Mr. Radashawn sighed. He opened his phone as started tapping away.

Kirian was about to turn back to the window but his anger was peaking, reaching new highs with every passing second and he had never been good at holding back his anger.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

The tapping stopped.

"Why didn't you tell me what kind of 'exotic meats' they sold?" Kirian's voice was rising now.

Mr. Radashawn looked into his mask covered face with confusion. He asked, "What would it have changed? I didn't need you to kill them."

Kirian ripped the mask off in anger. His hair stuck up in odd angles but his face still clean, save for some still wet blood on his eyelashes.

"They're still people. Innocent people. I don't know, maybe we could have saved them!" Kirian retorted.

"I don't understand. You're an assassin, you kill for a living. You didn't ask me if the targets were innocent." Mr. Radashawn replied in a calm tone that infuriated Kirian.

"I know the targets aren't innocent. It was written all over them. And I don't really care if they were innocent. It's just... It- arghh!" Kirian faltered. He hung his head and his breath came infrequently as he tried to calm himself.

He had stood frozen at the door while the strongest of the trapped people came up and started banging on the door. It was just a few inches between them and a lock. And though he couldn't make out what they were yelling at him, he understood.

We are trapped. Set us free.

Sebastian scooted closer and put a hand on Kirian's shoulder, his head still tilted lightly. His face gave nothing away. "Tell me," he said in a low, surprisingly comforting tone.

Kirian shook his head slowly, refusing to look the other man in the eyes. "I told you I don't do well in captivity," he whispered.

They sat like that for a moment before Sebastian spoke, "I'm sorry to have caused you so much distress. I won't send you on another mission like this again."

"I can handle it, " Kirian whispered and finally looked up at Sebastian. His eyes were shining tears begging to be shed. 

Instead of replying, Sebastian's hand came off the smaller man's shoulder and cupped his cheek gently. As if without thinking, he brushed the blood away from Kirian's lashes, leaving a red streak right below his eye. He still held his arm out straight, as if keeping distance, but his eyes had turned kind and sympathetic. They both knew Kirian had lied.

Kirian felt uneasy, like his skin was too tight and his organs too cramped. His heart screamed at him to run. To open the door and jump out of the moving car. To run as fast as he could, for as long as he could, until he ran right off the edge of the world.

But he stayed. Sebastian's hand felt like a magnet, and he could not turn away. He continued to stare at the other man until the hand fell off his cheek.

They both turned away in unison. Sebastian look back at him phone and Kirian to the window. The rest of the ride was silent, but not entirely uncomfortable.

When they reached the garage, Tobias was waiting outside to escort Kirian back to his room. Kirian looked back to see Sebastian already climbing out of the car. Walking into the building without a word.